bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leading correction to the local density approximation of the kinetic energy in one dimension
Authors: Burke Kieron
Published: February 2020

A mathematical framework is constructed for the sum of the lowest N eigenvalues of a potential. Exactness is illustrated on several one-dimensional systems (harmonic oscillator, particle in a box, and Poschl–Teller well). Semiclassical expansion yields the leading corrections for finite systems, identifying the error in common gradient expansions in density functional theory. Some singularities can be avoided when evaluating the correction to the leading term. Correcting the error in the gradient expansion greatly improves accuracy. The relevance to practical density functional calculations is discussed.
Extremal problems in hypergraph colourings
Authors: Raigorodskii A. M. , Cherkashin D. D.
Published: February 2020

Extremal problems in hypergraph colouring originate implicitly from Hilbert’s theorem on monochromatic affine cubes (1892) and van der Waerden’s theorem on monochromatic arithmetic progressions (1927). Later, with the advent and elaboration of Ramsey theory, the variety of problems related to colouring of explicitly specified hypergraphs widened rapidly. However, a systematic study of extremal problems on hypergraph colouring was initiated only in the works of Erdős and Hajnal in the 1960s. This paper is devoted to problems of finding edge-minimum hypergraphs belonging to particular classes of hypergraphs, variations of these problems, and their applications. The central problem of this kind is the Erdős–Hajnal problem of finding the minimum number of edges in an

-uniform hypergraph with chromatic number at least three. The main purpose of this survey is to spotlight the progress in this area over the last several years.

Bibliography: 168 titles.
Leptospirosis: key things to know about this quintessential zoonotic pathogen
Authors: Effler Paul
Published: February 2020

Leptospirosis is a human and veterinary illness caused by spirochete bacteria in the genus Leptospira. In symptomatic infection the clinical presentation ranges from non-specific febrile illness to fulminant organ system failure with a high case fatality rate. Leptospires are excreted in the urine of infected mammals with rodents being the main source for human exposures. Leptospires can survive for months in urine-contaminated water and moist soil and humans can acquire infection via direct exposure to urine from infected animals or indirectly though contact with urine-contaminated water and wet soil. While leptospirosis occurs worldwide, it is more common in tropical and sub-tropical climates where it is estimated to cause more than a million illnesses and result in almost 60000 deaths annually. Flood-related leptospirosis outbreaks have been documented in many settings, including Australia, and are expected to increase with climate change. The largest outbreak of human leptospirosis in Australia occurred in 2018 when 84 cases where identified among workers on a berry farm in New South Wales. In 2019 unprecedented clusters of fatal canine leptospirosis occurred in urban areas of Sydney and Melbourne. It is not yet known whether the recent leptospirosis outbreaks among dogs and humans are an aberration or herald a growing threat to public and veterinary health in Australia. A One Health approach is critical to understanding the emergence of leptospirosis in an era of climate change, population growth, changes to agricultural practices, increased travel and urbanisation, both in Australia and abroad.
Land reform, citizenship and aliens in Zimbabwe
Authors: Chipenda Clement
Published: February 2020

This article examines the implications of the land and agrarian reforms on ‘aliens’ and its multiplying effects on citizenship and their rights in Zimbabwe. It also interrogates the contested nature of citizenship in relation to land, agriculture and the rights of aliens. This is premised on a background where a frosty relationship has existed between aliens and the government, making them victims of the country’s land reform programme. Settler colonialism is shown as having partly contributed to contemporary challenges and despite its demise, it continues to influence land and agrarian disputes between the government, indigenous Zimbabweans and aliens. It is against this background that this article interrogates and tells a unique story of inclusion and exclusion in rural Zimbabwe. The country’s land reform programme is shown as having had deep seated socio-cultural, political and economic implications some which are now only becoming evident now. The paper uses strong field based empirical evidence, adopts an interpretive life history research approach and uses the conceptual lenses of T.H. Marshall’s distinction of social citizenship (civil political and economic) to show how land reform has reconfigured rural social and economic relations. The article shows that in post land reform Zimbabwe, citizenship remains a contested issue and socially, economically and politically aliens are at a disadvantage and are failing to enjoy the rights and privileges which are due to them as enshrined in the country’s laws. The article concludes that despite the politics of inclusion and exclusion in rural Zimbabwe, aliens continue to positively contribute to socio-economic and political processes in the resettlement areas.
The response of maize, sorghum, and soybean yield to growing-phase climate revealed with machine learning
Authors: L Hoffman A , R Kemanian A , E Forest C
Published: February 2020

Accurate representation of crop responses to climate is critically important to understand impacts of climate change and variability in food systems. We use Random Forest (RF), a diagnostic machine learning tool, to explore the dependence of yield on climate and technology for maize, sorghum and soybean in the US plains. We analyze the period from 1980 to 2016 and use a panel of county yields and climate variables for the crop-specific developmental phases: establishment, critical window (yield potential definition) and grain filling. The RF models accounted for between 71% to 86% of the yield variance. Technology, evaluated through the time variable, accounted for approximately 20% of the yield variance and indicates that yields have steadily increased. Responses to climate confirm prior findings revealing threshold-like responses to high temperature (yield decrease sharply when maximum temperature exceed 29 °C and 30 °C for maize and soybean), and reveal a higher temperature tolerance for sorghum, whose yield decreases gradually as maximum temperature exceeds 32.5 °C. We found that sorghum and soybean responded positively to increases in cool minimum temperatures. Maize yield exhibited a unique and negative response to low atmospheric humidity during the critical phase that encompasses flowering, as well as a strong sensitivity to extreme temperature exposure. Using maize as a benchmark, we estimate that if warming continues unabated through the first half of the 21st century, the best climatic conditions for rainfed maize and soybean production may shift from Iowa and Illinois to Minnesota and the Dakotas with possible modulation by soil productivity.
Self-adopted ‘natural users’ of liquid petroleum gas for household cooking by pregnant women in rural Bangladesh: characteristics of high use and opportunities for intervention
Authors: Billah Sk Masum , Islam Sajia , Tasnim Fariha , Alam Ashraful , Arifeen Shams El , Raynes-Greenow Camille
Published: February 2020

The use of clean fuel such as liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is globally recommended for household cooking to reduce exposure to household air pollution and its adverse health consequences. Adoption of LPG in resource-poor settings such as South Asia is low and driven by many factors. In Bangladesh, more than 90% of the rural population relies on biomass fuels for cooking. Identifying factors among households that self-adopt LPG, i.e. ‘natural users’ may provide insight into how LPG programs could be modified to improve the adoption of clean fuels. We aimed to assess factors that drive LPG adoption and use in a rural setting amongst natural users of LPG in Bangladesh. We conducted a household survey of natural users of LPG who were pregnant and were identified by a census listing of households in 63 villages of five unions of Tangail district. Of 337 existing pregnant natural users, we could complete interview of 299 women using a structured questionnaire which included socio-demographic, kitchen structure, cooking behaviours and potential factors related to LPG use. Nearly all natural users had multiple cookstoves, and 85% reported using LPG as an alternative fuel to their main cooking and fuel (traditional cooking with biomass fuels). Factors related to high use of LPG (defined as at least 50% of all cooking time in previous 24 h) included households in second wealth quintile, (adjusted Prevalence Ratio, aPR 3.03; 95% CI:1.15–8.00), middle wealth quintile, (aPR 2.72; 95% CI:1.01–7.30) and highest wealth quintile (aPR2.71;95% CI: 1.02–7.28. Health issues also influenced LPG use; if LPG was described as alleviating breathing problems (aPR 1.65; 95% CI: 1.08–2.52), there was more LPG use. Adoption of LPG stove as a backup option for emergency purpose cooking reduced greater use of LPG (aPR 0.59; 95% CI: 0.39–0.91). High use of LPG was associated with LPG cooking being reported as easy to use (aPR 4.13; 95% CI: 1.95–8.73). Women’s perception that LPG alleviated breathing difficulties was associated with high-use of LPG cooking, as was household wealth and ease of use. Women who reported to use LPG only for emergency purposes were less likely to be high users. Clean fuel programs as well as being financially supportive could be modified to include a trial period so that the experience of LPG would further support clean cooking adoption.
Research Methods in Cross-Cultural Psychology
Authors: Van de Vijver Fons J.R. , He Jia
Published: February 2020

Bias and equivalence provide a framework for methodological aspects of cross-cultural studies. Bias is a generic term for any systematic errors in the measurement that endanger the comparability of cross-cultural data; bias results in invalid comparative conclusions. The demonstration of equivalence (i.e., absence of bias) is a prerequisite for any cross-cultural comparison. Based on the source of incomparability, three types of bias, namely construct, method, and item bias, can be distinguished. Correspondingly, three levels of equivalence, namely, construct, metric, and scalar equivalence, can be distinguished. One of the goals in cross-cultural research is to minimize bias and enhance comparability. The definitions and manifestations of these types of bias and equivalence are described and remedies to minimize bias and enhance equivalence at the design, implementation, and statistical analysis phases of a cross-cultural study are provided. These strategies involve different research features (e.g., decentering and convergence), extensive pilot and pretesting, and various statistical procedures to demonstration of different levels of equivalence and detections of bias (e.g., factor analysis based approaches and differential item functioning analysis). The implications of bias and equivalence also extend to instrument adaptation and combining etic and emic approaches to maximize the ecological validity. Instrument choices in cross-cultural research and the categorization of adaptations stemming from considerations of the concept, culture, language, and measurement are outlined. Examples from cross-cultural research of personality are highlighted to illustrate the importance of combining etic and emic approaches. The professionalization and broadening of the field is expected to increase the validity of conclusions regarding cross-cultural similarities and differences.
The importance of quantitative trait differentiation in restoration: landscape heterogeneity and functional traits inform seed transfer guidelines
Authors: Yoko Zebadiah G , Volk Kate L , Dochtermann Ned A , Hamilton Jill A
Published: February 2020

For widely distributed species, understanding the scale over which genetic variation correlates to landscape structure and composition is critical. Particularly within the context of restoration, the evolution of genetic differences may impact success if seeds are maladapted to the restoration environment. In this study, we used Geum triflorum to quantify the scale over which genetic differences for quantitative traits important to adaptation have evolved, comparing the proportion of variance attributed to broad regional- and local population-level effects. Geum triflorum is a widely distributed species spanning a range of environments, including alvar and prairie habitats, which have extreme regional differences in soil-moisture availability. Alvar habitats are regions of thin soil over limestone that experience substantial seasonal variation in water availability, from flooding to desiccation annually. This contrasts with prairie habitats, whose deeper soils mitigate irregular flood–desiccation cycles. Using a common garden experiment, we evaluated 15 traits broadly grouped into three trait classes: resource allocation, stomatal characteristics, and leaf morphological traits for individuals sourced from prairie and alvar environments. We quantified the proportion of trait variance explained by regional- and population-scale effects and compared the proportion of regional- and population-trait variances explained across trait classes. Significant regional differentiation was observed for the majority of quantitative traits; however, population-scale effects were equal or greater than regional effects, suggesting that important genetic differences may have evolved across the finer population scale. Stomatal and resource allocation trait classes exhibited substantial regional differentiation relative to morphological traits, which may indicate increased strength of selection for stomatal and resource allocation traits relative to morphological traits. These patterns point towards the value in considering the scale over which genetic differences may have evolved for widely distributed species and identify different functional trait classes that may be valuable in establishing seed transfer guidelines.
‘Will I Regret for This Tweet?’—Twitter User’s Behavior Analysis System for Private Data Disclosure
Authors: Geetha R , Karthika S , Kumaraguru Ponnurangam
Published: February 2020

Twitter is an extensively used micro-blogging site for publishing user’s views on recent happenings. This wide reachability of messages over large audience poses a threat, as the degree of personally identifiable information disclosed might lead to user regrets. The Tweet-Scan-Post system scans the tweets contextually for sensitive messages. The tweet repository was generated using cyber-keywords for personal, professional and health tweets. The Rules of Sensitivity and Contextuality was defined based on standards established by various national regulatory bodies. The naive sensitivity regression function uses the Bag-of-Words model built from short text messages. The imbalanced classes in dataset result in misclassification with 25% of sensitive and 75% of insensitive tweets. The system opted stacked classification to combat the problem of imbalanced classes. The system initially applied various state-of-art algorithms and predicted 26% of the tweets to be sensitive. The proposed stacked classification approach increased the overall proportion of sensitive tweets to 35%. The system contributes a vocabulary set of 201 Sensitive Privacy Keyword using the boosting approach for three tweet categories. Finally, the system formulates a sensitivity scaling called TSP’s Tweet Sensitivity Scale based on Senti-Cyber features composed of Sensitive Privacy Keywords, Cyber-keywords with Non-Sensitive Privacy Keywords and Non-Cyber-keywords to detect the degree of disclosed sensitive information.
Benefit of ultra-high-density mapping-guided radiofrequency reablation in pulmonary vein isolation non-responders after initial cryoballoon procedure
Authors: Straube Florian , Dorwarth Uwe , Hartl Stefan , Brueck Benedikt , Pongratz Janis , Kosmalla Alexander , Wankerl Michael , Hoffmann Ellen
Published: February 2020

Aims

Symptomatic atrial arrhythmias despite complete pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) are common. The purpose was to evaluate ultra-high-density multi-electrode electroanatomical mapping-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in PVI non-responders.

Methods and results

Ultra-high-density multi-electrode electroanatomical mapping-guided RFA in consecutive symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) patients after initial cryoballoon PVI was performed. Patients were included if all pulmonary veins (PVs) were still isolated. Radiofrequency targets were atrial tachycardia (AT), extra-PV trigger, and/or substrate. Procedural results and outcome were evaluated. Of 95 patients, 67 (70.5%) with complete PVI were included (70 years, CHA2DS2Vasc 2.9, left atrium 45 mm, persistent AF 45%, AT 45%). The median time to reablation was 26 months. One hundred and seven maps (1.6/patient) and 11.890 ± 9.018 electrograms were acquired in 33 ± 12 min. Twenty-eight percent of the left atrial (LA) wall showed pathological voltage signals, predominantly at the anterior (37%) and septal wall (26%). Atrial tachycardia (49 left, 4 right) were ablated in 35 patients (52%), extra-PV trigger in two patients (3%). One atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia and seven right atrial isthmus ablation (10%) were performed. In 32 patients (48%), no AT was present and substrate-based ablation was performed. Mean LA area ablated was 7 ± 6 cm2 (7%). No major complication occurred. The mean follow-up time was 772 ± 317 days. Freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence off antiarrhythmic drugs was 49% at 12 months.

Conclusion

Pulmonary vein isolation non-responders are older, mainly suffering from complex atrial arrhythmias. Left atrial substrate is predominantly located at the anterior and septal wall. Ultra-high-density multi-electrode electroanatomical mapping-guided RFA is safe and effective. At 1 year, 5 out of 10 patients were in stable sinus rhythm off antiarrhythmic drugs.
Green's function of the Lord–Shulman thermo-poroelasticity theory
Authors: Wei Jia , Fu Li-Yun , Wang Zhi-Wei , Ba Jing , Carcione José M
Published: February 2020

The Lord–Shulman thermoelasticity theory combined with Biot equations of poroelasticity, describes wave dissipation due to fluid and heat flow. This theory avoids an unphysical behaviour of the thermoelastic waves present in the classical theory based on a parabolic heat equation, that is infinite velocity. A plane-wave analysis predicts four propagation modes: the classical P and S waves and two slow waves, namely, the Biot and thermal modes. We obtain the frequency-domain Green's function in homogeneous media as the displacements-temperature solution of the thermo-poroelasticity equations. The numerical examples validate the presence of the wave modes predicted by the plane-wave analysis. The S wave is not affected by heat diffusion, whereas the P wave shows an anelastic behaviour, and the slow modes present a diffusive behaviour depending on the viscosity, frequency and thermoelasticity properties. In heterogeneous media, the P wave undergoes mesoscopic attenuation through energy conversion to the slow modes. The Green's function is useful to study the physics in thermoelastic media and test numerical algorithms.
Dietary Nicotinamide Supplementation Increases Xanthine Oxidoreductase Activity in the Kidney and Heart but Not Liver of Obese Zucker Rats
Authors: Wu Xiaowen , Wang Marian
Published: February 2020

The conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to xanthine oxidase that produces oxygen radicals has been implicated in the ischemic injury to the myocardium and to the kidney. Xanthine dehydrogenase uses NAD as the electron acceptor to catalyze a reaction which does not produce any oxygen free radicals and may depress the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to xanthine oxidase. Nicotinamide is the preferred precursor for NAD. This study was conducted to examine the effect of an 18% casein diet supplemented with 0.5% nicotinamide on the activity of oxidoreductase and its two enzyme forms, xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase, in kidney, heart and liver of female obese Zucker rats that spontaneously develop glomerulosclerosis, cardiomegaly and fatty liver. Lean litter mates were used as controls. Nicotinamide supplementation had no effect on the activities of these enzyme forms in the liver of either obese rats or lean rats. Obese rats fed the nicotinamide supplemented diet had higher activities of these enzyme forms in kidneys and hearts than unsupplemented diet fed obese rats, but this difference was not observed in lean rats. In unsupplemented rats, xanthine oxidase activity in the kidney was greater in lean rats than obese rats. Thus, the abnormalities observed in obese rats are unlikely attributable to the xanthine oxidase-mediated oxidant stress.
Uniportal subxiphoid bilateral removal of self-introduced thoracic foreign bodies
Authors: Sahdev Nikhil , Punjabi Karan , Williams Luke , Peryt Adam , Coonar Aman , Aresu Giuseppe
Published: February 2020

This is a report of a 31-year-old male refugee, who was admitted to Intensive Therapy Unit after being found in severe chest pain after escaping extreme torture from his home country. He was found to have four nails in his thorax. These were removed using a subxiphoid video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) technique. This technique allowed excellent visualization of the right, left and anterior mediastinal part of the chest and therefore preventing damage or injury to surrounding structures. This was particularly useful in a complex case such as this. By avoiding an intercoastal incision and intercostal manipulation, our patient had limited pain post-procedure facilitating an earlier aggressive mobilization program with potential benefit in terms of improved lung expansion, reduction of atelectasis and lung infections. With the right training, the technical challenges of using the technique should be overcome and thus the benefits of subxiphoid VATS will be offered to a larger portion of thoracic surgical patients.
H i asymmetries in LVHIS, VIVA, and HALOGAS galaxies
Authors: Reynolds T N , Westmeier T , Staveley-Smith L , Chauhan G , Lagos C D P
Published: February 2020

We present an analysis of morphological, kinematic, and spectral asymmetries in observations of atomic neutral hydrogen (H i) gas from the Local Volume H i Survey (LVHIS), the VLA Imaging of Virgo in Atomic Gas (VIVA) survey, and the Hydrogen Accretion in Local Galaxies Survey. With the aim of investigating the impact of the local environment density and stellar mass on the measured H i asymmetries in future large H i surveys, we provide recommendations for the most meaningful measures of asymmetry for use in future analysis. After controlling for stellar mass, we find signs of statistically significant trends of increasing asymmetries with local density. The most significant trend we measure is for the normalized flipped spectrum residual (Aspec), with mean LVHIS and VIVA values of 0.204 ± 0.011 and 0.615 ± 0.068 at average weighted 10th nearest-neighbour galaxy number densities of log (ρ10/Mpc−3) = −1.64 and 0.88, respectively. Looking ahead to the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind survey on the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, we estimate that the number of detections will be sufficient to provide coverage over 5 orders of magnitude in both local density and stellar mass increasing the dynamic range and accuracy with which we can probe the effect of these properties on the asymmetry in the distribution of atomic gas in galaxies.
On the Cohomology of the Mapping Class Group of the Punctured Projective Plane
Authors: Maldonado Miguel A , Xicoténcatl Miguel A
Published: February 2020

The mapping class group $\Gamma ^k(N_g)$ of a non-orientable surface with punctures is studied via classical homotopy theory of configuration spaces. In particular, we obtain a non-orientable version of the Birman exact sequence. In the case of ${\mathbb{R}} \textrm{P}^2$, we analyze the Serre spectral sequence of a fiber bundle $F_k({\mathbb{R}}{\textrm{P}}^{2}) / \Sigma _k \to X_k \to BSO(3)$ where $X_k$ is a $K(\Gamma ^k({\mathbb{R}} \textrm{P}^2),1)$ and $F_k({\mathbb{R}}{\textrm{P}}^{2}) / \Sigma _k$ denotes the configuration space of unordered $k$-tuples of distinct points in ${\mathbb{R}} \textrm{P}^2$. As a consequence, we express the mod-2 cohomology of $\Gamma ^k({\mathbb{R}} \textrm{P}^2)$ in terms of that of $F_k({\mathbb{R}}{\textrm{P}}^{2}) / \Sigma _k$.
CORRELATION OF EYE LENS DOSES AND PERSONAL DOSE EQUIVALENT MEASURED ON THE ARM OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGISTS FOR A RETROSPECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF DOSES TO OPERATORS’ EYE LENS
Authors: Domienik-Andrzejewska Joanna , Brodecki Marcin , Zmyślony Marek
Published: February 2020

Coefficients converting the readings of the whole body dosemeter worn on the left arm to eye lens doses were determined by analysing the correlations between Hp(10) and Hp(3) values. Doses were measured on a phantom for specific C-arm projections typically used during CA/PCI procedures. In order to estimate the cumulative eye lens doses, conversion coefficients were then applied to the dose records of interventional cardiologists collected in the database of dosimetry service between the years 1995 and 2009. The Hp(10) to Hp(3) conversion coefficients are 0.29 (CV = 34%) and 0.17 (CV = 42%) for left and right eye lens, respectively. However, they can vary from one laboratory to another depending on working technique. From among 61 interventional cardiologists, none exceeded the threshold dose of 0.5 Gy for eye lens opacities. However, 44% of interventional cardiologists were likely to exceed the annual limit of 20 mSv for the most exposed eye at least once in the analysed time period.
Freezing stress survival mechanisms inVaccinium macrocarponAit. terminal buds
Authors: Villouta Camilo , Workmaster Beth Ann , Bolivar-Medina Jenny , Sinclair Smith , Atucha Amaya
Published: February 2020

Plants’ mechanisms for surviving freezing stresses are essential adaptations that allow their existence in environments with extreme winter temperatures. Although it is known that Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. buds can acclimate in fall and survive very cold temperatures during the winter, the mechanism for survival of these buds is not known. The main objective of this study was to determine which of the two major mechanisms of freezing stress survival, namely, deep supercooling or freeze-induced dehydration, are employed by V. macrocarpon terminal buds. In the present study, no low-temperature exotherms (LTEs) were detected by differential thermal analysis. Furthermore, a gradual reduction of relative liquid water content in the inner portions of buds during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans performed between 0 and −20 °C (where no damage was detected in controlled freezing tests (CFT)) indicates these buds may not deep supercool. The higher ice nucleation activity of outer bud scales and the appearance of large voids in this structure in early winter, in conjunction with the MRI observations, are evidence supportive of a freeze-induced dehydration process. In addition, the presence of tissue browning in acclimated buds as a result of freezing stress was only observed in CFT at temperatures below −20 °C, and this damage gradually increased as test temperatures decreased and at different rates depending on the bud structure. Ours is the first study to collect multiple lines of evidence to suggest that V. macrocarpon terminal buds survive long periods of freezing stress by freeze-induced dehydration. Our results provide a framework for future studies of cold hardiness dynamics for V. macrocarpon and other woody perennial species and for the screening of breeding populations for freezing stress tolerance traits.
Comparative Evaluation of Parental Stress Experiences Up to 2 to 3 Years After Preterm and Term Birth
Authors: Schuetz Haemmerli Natascha , Lemola Sakari , Holditch-Davis Diane , Cignacco Eva
Published: February 2020

Background:

Parenting stress after preterm birth (PTB) has negative long-term effects on parenting. Research about parental experiences after PTB and on parenting stress in early childhood has focused on mothers.

Purpose:

To compare parenting stress between mothers and fathers 2 to 3 years after PTB and full-term birth (FTB) and to explore their memories about their stress experience, especially after PTB.

Methods:

Fifty-four mothers and fathers in Switzerland whose children were PTB and 65 parents of FTB completed the Parenting Stress Index 2 to 3 years after birth. We compared scores between PTB and FTB and between mothers and fathers. A random subset of parents took part in semistructured interviews that began with photo-elicitation. We analyzed the data thematically. We cross-validated and corroborated qualitative and quantitative findings about parenting stress 2 to 3 years after birth.

Results:

Preterm birth is stressful for parents who cannot take a child's health for granted, but stress experiences after FTB and PTB equalize within 2 to 3 years. Mothers were the primary caregivers and suffered more stress than fathers. For parents with PTB, positive communications from healthcare workers strengthened parental coping in neonatal intensive care unit and after discharge, but parents perceived discharges as early and inconsistent.

Implications for Practice and Research:

Interventions and new models of care improving communication with healthcare professionals, involving parents in infant care as early as possible, increasing staff support to help parents cope better, and optimizing the management of discharge need to be implemented into practice. Their impact on parenting stress on the long term needs to be investigated.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Critically Ill Trauma Patients in Australia and New Zealand (2005–2017)
Authors: Wilson Anthony J. , Magee Fraser , Bailey Michael , Pilcher David V. , French Craig , Nichol Alistair , Udy Andrew , Hodgson Carol L. , Cooper D. James , Reade Michael C. , Young Paul , Bellomo Rinaldo
Published: February 2020

Objectives:

To compare the characteristics of adults admitted to the ICU in Australia and New Zealand after trauma with nonelective, nontrauma admissions. To describe trends in hospital mortality and rates of discharge home among these two groups.

Design:

Retrospective review (2005–2017) of the Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society’s Center for Outcome and Resource Evaluation Adult Patient Database.

Setting:

Adult ICUs in Australia and New Zealand.

Patients:

Adult (≥17 yr), nonelective, ICU admissions.

Intervention:

Observational study.

Measurements and Main Results:

We compared 77,002 trauma with 741,829 nonelective, nontrauma patients. Trauma patients were younger (49.0 ± 21.6 vs 60.6 ± 18.7 yr; p < 0.0001), predominantly male (73.1% vs 53.9%; p < 0.0001), and more frequently treated in tertiary hospitals (74.7% vs 45.8%; p < 0.0001). The mean age of trauma patients increased over time but was virtually static for nonelective, nontrauma patients (0.72 ± 0.02 yr/yr vs 0.03 ± 0.01 yr/yr; p < 0.0001). Illness severity increased for trauma but fell for nonelective, nontrauma patients (mean Australia and New Zealand risk of death: 0.10% ± 0.02%/yr vs –0.21% ± 0.01%/yr; p < 0.0001). Trauma patients had a lower hospital mortality than nonelective, nontrauma patients (10.0% vs 15.8%; p < 0.0001). Both groups showed an annual decline in the illness severity adjusted odds ratio (odds ratio) of hospital mortality, but this was slower among trauma patients (trauma: odds ratio 0.976/yr [0.968–0.984/yr; p < 0.0001]; nonelective, nontrauma: odds ratio 0.957/yr [0.955–0.959/yr; p < 0.0001]; interaction p < 0.0001). Trauma patients had lower rates of discharge home than nonelective, nontrauma patients (56.7% vs 64.6%; p < 0.0001). There was an annual decline in illness severity adjusted odds ratio of discharge home among trauma patients, whereas nonelective, nontrauma patients displayed an annual increase (trauma: odds ratio 0.986/yr [0.981–0.990/yr; p < 0.0001]; nonelective, nontrauma: odds ratio 1.014/yr [1.012–1.016/yr; p < 0.0001]; interaction: p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

The age and illness severity of adult ICU trauma patients in Australia and New Zealand has increased over time. Hospital mortality is lower for trauma than other nonelective ICU patients but has fallen more slowly. Trauma patients have become less likely to be discharged home than other nonelective ICU patients.
Brain Volume in Veterans: Relationship to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Martindale Sarah L. , Rostami Ramona , Shura Robert D. , Taber Katherine H. , Rowland Jared A.
Published: February 2020

Objective:

Clarify associations between diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and deployment traumatic brain injury (TBI) on salient regional brain volumes in returning combat veterans.

Participants:

Iraq and Afghanistan era combat veterans,N= 163, 86.5% male.

Main Measures:

Clinician-administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Assessment of TBI (MMA-TBI), magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods:

Hierarchical regression analyses evaluated associations and interactions between current and lifetime PTSD diagnosis, deployment TBI, and bilateral volume of hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, precuneus, and insula.

Results:

Deployment TBI was associated with lower bilateral hippocampal volume (P= .007-.032) and right medial orbitofrontal cortex volume (P= .006). Neither current nor lifetime PTSD diagnosis was associated with volumetric outcomes beyond covariates and deployment TBI.

Conclusion:

History of deployment TBI is independently associated with lower volumes in hippocampus and medial orbitofrontal cortex. These results support TBI as a potential contributing factor to consider in reduced cortical volume in PTSD.
Gene therapy for hemophilias: the end of phenotypic testing or the start of a new era?
Authors: Lippi Giuseppe , Favaloro Emmanuel J.
Published: February 2020

Hemophilia comprises two distinct genetic disorders caused by missing or defective clotting factor VIII (hemophilia A) or clotting factor IX (hemophilia B). The management of these conditions has been for long based on replacement therapies, but emerging evidence garnered from recent landmark studies suggests that a promising avenue toward routine use of gene therapy is clearly progressing forward, thus generating unavoidable consequences on laboratory hemostasis, especially as pertaining to phenotypic testing. Although it seems likely that widespread use of gene therapy will be associated with a relative decrease of hemostasis tests requests in this patient population due to the relatively stable effect of transgene delivery and persistent production of endogenous clotting factor, some important aspects persuade us that conventional laboratory diagnostics, especially encompassing activated partial thromboplastin time, as well as one-stage and two-stage clotting factor assays, will not be completely voided in the gene therapy era. In particular, phenotypic testing will remain essential for excluding acquired or sporadic cases of hemophilia, for identifying and titrating factor inhibitors, as well as for defining and monitoring the long-term therapeutic effectiveness of gene transfection in hemophiliacs.
Isolated Oculomotor Nerve Palsy
Authors: Latuska Richard F. , Otillio Jaime K.
Published: February 2020

In this case report, we describe a unique case of Haemophilus influenzae type A meningitis in a 7-month-old previously healthy girl that presented with an isolated cranial nerve (oculomotor) palsy without other signs and symptoms classically associated with this entity such as fever, meningismus, or a generally ill appearance. Oculomotor nerve abnormalities are rare in pediatrics. Congenital oculomotor palsy is the most common cause followed by trauma, infection, inflammatory conditions, neoplasm, aneurysm or other vascular events, and ophthalmoplegic migraines, respectively. Therefore, had it not been for the unusual magnetic resonance imaging findings identified in this patient prompting an extensive infectious workup with lumbar puncture, the diagnosis and treatment of meningitis may have been delayed further or missed all together. This fact emphasizes the importance of maintaining a broad differential when children present with neurologic abnormalities such as cranial nerve palsies.
Intense 68Ga-Pentixafor Activity in Aldosterone-Producing Adrenal Adenomas
Authors: Ding Jie , Tong Anli , Zhang Yushi , Wen Jin , Huo Li
Published: February 2020

68Ga-pentixafor, a ligand of CXCR4 (CXC chemokine receptor type 4), has been reported as a potential PET tracer to evaluate a variety of pathological entities. We report intense 68Ga-pentixafor activity on PET/CT in 2 patients in the histopathologically confirmed adrenal adenomas, which were the cause of their Conn syndrome.
Electroconvulsive Therapy in Depression
Authors: Güney Pelin , Ekman Carl Johan , Hammar Åsa , Heintz Emelie , Landén Mikael , Lundberg Johan , Nordanskog Pia , Nordenskjöld Axel
Published: February 2020

Objectives

It is uncertain if there are variations in the improvement of quality in life between sexes and age groups after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The aim of this study was to investigate how health-related quality of life changed after treatment and to examine differences in the results between sex and age groups.

Methods

This register-based study used data from the Swedish national quality register for ECT. The study population was patients diagnosed with depression who had received ECT. Health-related quality of life was quantified using the 3-level version the EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D 3 L). Analysis of variance was used to compare change in EQ-5D score from pretreatment to posttreatment between sex and age groups.

Results

There was a statistically significant improvement in EQ-5D index score and EQ visual analog scale (VAS) score in all patient groups after ECT. The mean improvement in EQ-5D index score and EQ-VAS score ranged from 0.31 to 0.46 and 28.29 to 39.79, respectively. Elderly patients had greater improvement in EQ-5D index score and EQ-VAS score than younger patients. There was no significant difference in improvement between the sexes. The mean improvement in EQ-5D index score was 0.40 for male patients and 0.41 for female patients.

Conclusions

Electroconvulsive therapy had a considerable effect on health-related quality of life in patients with depression of both sexes and all age groups. The improvement was greatest in elderly patients, who more often had psychotic features. More studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of ECT and to further explain the varying treatment results between elderly and younger patients.
Increasing Host Cellular Receptor—Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) Expression by Coronavirus may Facilitate 2019-nCoV Infection
Authors: Wang Pei-Hui , Cheng Yun
Published: February 2020

The ongoing outbreak of a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) causes an epidemic of acute respiratory syndrome in humans. 2019-nCoV rapidly spread to national regions and multiple other countries, thus, pose a serious threat to public health. Recent studies show that spike (S) proteins of 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV may use the same host cell receptor called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for entering into host cells. The affinity between ACE2 and 2019-nCoV S is much higher than ACE2 binding to SARS-CoV S protein, explaining that why 2019-nCoV seems to be more readily transmitted from the human to human. Here, we reported that ACE2 can be significantly upregulated after infection of various viruses including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Basing on findings here, we propose that coronavirus infection can positively induce its cellular entry receptor to accelerate their replication and spread, thus drugs targeting ACE2 expression may be prepared for the future emerging infectious diseases caused by this cluster of viruses.
Comparative analysis of primer-probe sets for the laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Jung Yu Jin , Park Gun-Soo , Moon Jun Hye , Ku Keunbon , Beak Seung-Hwa , Kim Seil , Park Edmond Changkyun , Park Daeui , Lee Jong-Hwan , Byeon Cheol Woo , Lee Joong Jin , Maeng Jin-Soo , Kim Seong Jun , Kim Seung Il , Kim Bum-Tae , Lee Min Jun , Kim Hong Gi
Published: February 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is newly emerging human infectious diseases, which is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, also previously known as 2019-nCoV). Within two months of the outbreak, more than 80,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide. Since the human to human transmission occurred easily and the human infection is rapidly increasing, the sensitive and early diagnosis is essential to prevent the global outbreak. Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) announced various primer and probe sets for SARS-CoV-2 previously developed in China, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and USA. In this study, we compared the ability to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA among the seven primer-probe sets for N gene and the three primer-probe sets for Orf1 gene. The result of the comparative analysis represented that the ‘2019-nCoV_N2, N3’ of USA and the ‘ORF1ab’ of China are the most sensitive primer-probe sets for N and Orf1 genes, respectively. Therefore, the appropriate combination from ORF1ab (China), 2019-nCoV_N2, N3 (USA), and NIID_2019-nCOV_N (Japan) sets should be selected for the sensitive and reliable laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2.
Identification of the first oomycete mating-type locus sequence in the grapevine downy mildew pathogen,Plasmopara viticola
Authors: Dussert Yann , Legrand Ludovic , Mazet Isabelle D. , Couture Carole , Piron Marie-Christine , Serre Rémy-Félix , Bouchez Olivier , Mestre Pere , Toffolatti Silvia Laura , Giraud Tatiana , Delmotte François
Published: February 2020

Mating types are self-incompatibility systems that promote outcrossing in plants, fungi and oomycetes. Mating-type genes have been widely studied in plants and fungi, but have yet to be identified in oomycetes, eukaryotic organisms closely related to brown algae that cause many destructive animal and plant diseases. We identified the mating-type locus ofPlasmopara viticola, the oomycete responsible for grapevine downy mildew, one of the most damaging grapevine diseases worldwide. Using a genome-wide association approach, we identified a 570 kb repeat-rich non-recombining region controlling mating types, with two highly divergent alleles. We showed that one mating type was homozygous, whereas the other was heterozygous at this locus. The mating-type locus encompassed 40 genes, including one encoding a putative hormone receptor. Our findings have fundamental implications for our understanding of the evolution of mating types, as they reveal a unique determinism involving an asymmetry of heterozygosity, as in sex chromosomes and unlike other mating-type systems. This identification of the mating-type locus in such an economically important crop pathogen also has applied implications, as outcrossing facilitates rapid evolution and resistance to harsh environmental conditions.
A genome-wide CRISPR screen reveals a role for the BRD9-containing non-canonical BAF complex in regulatory T cells
Authors: Loo Chin-San , Gatchalian Jovylyn , Liang Yuqiong , Leblanc Mathias , Xie Mingjun , Ho Josephine , Venkatraghavan Bhargav , Hargreaves Diana C. , Zheng Ye
Published: February 2020

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a pivotal role in suppressing auto-reactive T cells and maintaining immune homeostasis. Treg development and function are dependent on the transcription factor Foxp3. Here we performed a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen to identify the regulators of Foxp3 in mouse primary Tregs. The results showed that Foxp3 regulators are highly enriched in genes encoding SWI/SNF and SAGA complex subunits. Among the three SWI/SNF-related complexes, the non-canonical or ncBAF (also called GBAF or BRD9-containing BAF) complex promoted the expression of Foxp3, whereas the PBAF complex repressed its expression. Gene ablation of BRD9 led to compromised Treg function in inflammatory disease and tumor immunity. Functional genomics revealed that BRD9 is required for Foxp3 binding and expression of a subset of Foxp3 target genes. Thus, we provide an unbiased analysis of genes and networks regulating Foxp3, and reveal ncBAF complex as a novel target that could be exploited to manipulate Treg function.
Oxytocin increases the pleasantness of affective touch and orbitofrontal cortex activity independent of valence
Authors: Chen Yuanshu , Becker Benjamin , Zhang Yingying , Cui Han , Du Jun , Wernicke Jennifer , Kendrick Keith M. , Yao Shuxia
Published: February 2020

Touch plays a crucial role in affiliative behavior and social communication. The neuropeptide oxytocin is released in response to touch and may act to facilitate the rewarding effects of social touch. However, no studies to date have determined whether oxytocin facilitates behavioral or neural responses to non-socially administered affective touch and possible differential effects of touch valence. In a functional MRI experiment using a randomized placebo-controlled, within-subject design in 40 male subjects we investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24IU) on behavioral and neural responses to positive, neutral and negative valence touch administered to the arm via different types of materials at a frequency aimed to optimally stimulate C-fibers. Results showed that oxytocin significantly increased both the perceived pleasantness of touch and activation of the orbitofrontal cortex independent of touch valence. The effects of OT on touch-evoked orbitofrontal activation were also positively associated with basal oxytocin concentrations in blood. Additionally, anterior insula activity and the functional connectivity between the amygdala and right anterior insula were enhanced only in response to negative valence touch. Overall, the present study provides the first evidence that oxytocin may facilitate the rewarding effects of all types of touch, irrespective of valence.
Evidence for modulation of EEG microstate sequence by vigilance level
Authors: Krylova Marina , Alizadeh Sarah , Izyurov Igor , Teckentrup Vanessa , Chang Catie , van der Meer Johan , Erb Michael , Kroemer Nils , Koenig Thomas , Walter Martin , Jamalabadi Hamidreza
Published: February 2020

The momentary global functional state of the brain is reflected in its electric field configuration and cluster analytical approaches have consistently shown four configurations, referred to as EEG microstate classes A to D. Changes in microstate parameters are associated with a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, task performance, and mental state establishing their relevance for cognition. However, the common practice to use eye-closed resting state data to assess the temporal dynamics of microstate parameters might induce systematic confounds related to vigilance levels. Here, we studied the dynamics of microstate parameters in two independent data sets and showed that the parameters of microstates are strongly associated with vigilance level assessed both by EEG power analysis and fMRI global signal. We found that the duration and contribution of microstate class C, as well as transition probabilities towards microstate class C were positively associated with vigilance, whereas the sign was reversed for microstate classes A and B. Furthermore, in looking for the origins of the correspondence between microstates and vigilance level, we found Granger-causal effects of vigilance levels on microstate sequence parameters. Collectively, our findings suggest that duration and occurrence of microstates have a different origin and possibly reflect different physiological processes. Finally, our findings indicate the need for taking vigilance levels into consideration in resting-sate EEG investigations.