bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultimate limit state design of reinforced concrete shallow shells under seismic‐type horizontal loads
Authors: Iskhakov Iakov , Ribakov Yuri
Published: March 2018

This paper deals with positive Gaussian curvature reinforced concrete (RC) shallow shells and panel shells, including monolithic connection between the shell itself and its edge elements, such as columns, diaphragms, walls, etc. Connections of such shells with edge elements are subjected to additional bending moments and shear forces due to horizontal loads. Such structures are at particular risk in seismic zones. Mutual work of shell and its diaphragms under ultimate horizontal forces is very important, but research in this field is rather limited. In spite of numerous collapses due to failure in the above‐mentioned connections, there are not enough practical investigations, considering their failure schemes, required for ultimate limit state analysis. Such investigation can be carried out by testing scaled shell models. This study is focused on experimental and analytical investigation of scaled shell models, subjected to horizontal loads that grow up to the failure of the tested specimens. For numerical analysis of the models, limit equilibrium method and mini–max principle are used. It provides a theoretical basis for design of the shell–edge element system to ultimate horizontal loads, considering the limit state of the structure. The edge element type, investigated in this study, is an RC element that has monolithic connection with the shell and able to take horizontal loads. Using the mini–max principle, the real structural load‐bearing capacity in the ultimate state of the structure is calculated without its under‐ or over‐estimation. It is the main reason for improving the accuracy of the analysis. The numerical example demonstrates that analytical results, obtained for the tested models, are close to the experimentally obtained data. The proposed methodology allows more wide application of effective spatial RC structures in seismic regions.
Trained convolutional neural network based on selected beta filters for Arabic letter recognition
Authors: ElAdel Asma , Zaied Mourad , Ben Amar Chokri
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a fast deep learning approach to segment and recognize off‐line Arabic printed and handwritten letters from words. We proposed a simple and powerful algorithm for Arabic letter segmentation based on vertical profile and baseline analysis. Then, we proposed a new method for feature extraction using fast wavelet transform. These extracted features are exploited as connection weights to build a convolutional neural network for each letter shape. Finally, all estimated model shapes are boosted to increase the robustness and performance of the proposed system. The proposed approach was tested on APTI and IESK‐arDB databases to evaluate performance for printed letters and handwritten letters, respectively. The obtained results show the robustness of our approach as well as the speed of the proposed recognition algorithm for both databases.

This article is categorized under:

Technologies > Machine Learning

Technologies > Computational Intelligence

Technologies > Classification
Objective Assessment of the Utility of Chromoendoscopy with a Support Vector Machine
Authors: Ogawa Ryo , Nishikawa Jun , Hideura Eizaburo , Goto Atsushi , Koto Yurika , Ito Shunsuke , Unno Madoka , Yamaoka Yuko , Kawasato Ryo , Hashimoto Shinichi , Okamoto Takeshi , Ogihara Hiroyuki , Hamamoto Yoshihiko , Sakaida Isao
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The utility of chromoendoscopy for early gastric cancer (GC) was determined by machine learning using data of color differences.

Methods

Eighteen histopathologically confirmed early GC lesions were examined. We prepared images from white light endoscopy (WL), indigo carmine (Indigo), and acetic acid-indigo carmine chromoendoscopy (AIM). A border between cancerous and non-cancerous areas on endoscopic images was established from post-treatment pathological findings, and 2000 pixels with equivalent luminance values were randomly extracted from each image of cancerous and non-cancerous areas. Each pixel was represented as a three-dimensional vector with RGB values and defined as a sample. We evaluated the Mahalanobis distance using RGB values, indicative of color differences between cancerous and non-cancerous areas. We then conducted diagnosis test using a support vector machine (SVM) for each image. SVM was trained using the 100 training samples per class and determined which area each of 1900 test samples per class came from.

Results

The means of the Mahalanobis distances for WL, Indigo, and AIM were 1.52, 1.32, and 2.53, respectively and there were no significant differences in the three modalities. Diagnosability per endoscopy technique was assessed using the F1 measure. The means of F1 measures for WL, Indigo, and AIM were 0.636, 0.618, and 0.687, respectively. AIM images were better than WL and Indigo images for the diagnosis of GC.

Conclusion

Objective assessment by SVM found AIM to be suitable for diagnosis of early GC based on color differences.
Deseo sexual en jóvenes de la Ciudad de México: amor vs. placer
Authors: Echeverría-Lozano Alejandra
Published: March 2018

El objetivo del presente estudio fue explorar la forma en que las y los jóvenes identifican e interpretan el deseo sexual con relación al placery al amor. Son considerandos el construccionismo y la perspectiva de género como referentes teórico-epistemológicos y para el análisis dela información. La muestra estuvo constituida por 4 hombres y 6 mujeres de 18 a 22 a˜nos de edad, estudiantes de bachillerato o licenciatura de laCiudad de México. De acuerdo con la revisión teórica sobre el deseo sexual, fue abordado como una experiencia subjetiva; se trabajó por mediode entrevistas semiestructuradas a modo de relatos de vida. Por medio de esta herramienta cualitativa se obtuvieron datos acerca de cómo las y losjóvenes experimentan e interpretan la vivencia del deseo sexual a partir del reconocimiento de sus sensaciones corporales y la masturbación comouna opción. Los resultados obtenidos muestran percepciones diferentes entre hombres y mujeres con relación a la vivencia del deseo sexual y surelación con el amor, así como la relación que tienen con su propio cuerpo.© 2018 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Asociación Mexicana de Comportamiento y Salud. Este es un artículo Open Access bajo lalicencia CC BY-NC-ND (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Relationships Between 3-Dimensional Transperineal Ultrasound Imaging and Digital Intravaginal Palpation Assessments of the Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women With and Without Provoked Vestibulodynia
Authors: Thibault-Gagnon Stéphanie , Goldfinger Corrie , Pukall Caroline , Chamberlain Susan , McLean Linda
Published: March 2018

Background

Digital intravaginal palpation remains the favored method for clinical assessment of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function in women; however, there is growing interest in using transperineal ultrasound imaging (TPUSI). TPUSI does not involve vaginal penetration, making it particularly relevant for PFM assessment in women with genito-pelvic pain and penetration disorders.

Aims

To study the relations between measures of PFM morphology and function assessed using 3-dimensional (3D) TPUSI and PFM assessment through intravaginal palpation.

Methods

77 nulliparous premenopausal women with (n = 38) and without (n = 39) PVD participated. 3D TPUSI was used to measure levator hiatal dimensions at rest, at maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the PFMs, and at maximal Valsalva maneuver (MVM). Intravaginal palpation was used to assess PFM strength, PFM tone, PFM relaxation after contraction, and vaginal flexibility; each was scored using an ordinal grading scale. Ultrasound and palpation outcomes were compared using Spearman correlation coefficients and Kruskal-Wallis 1-way analyses of variance by rank.

Outcomes

Outcomes included ultrasound measures of the levator hiatal area, anteroposterior diameter, and left-right transverse diameter at rest, at MVC, and at MVM; raw and relative changes in hiatal dimensions between rest and MVC and between rest and MVM; and palpation measures of PFM strength, tone, and relaxation after contraction, and vaginal flexibility.

Results

Weak to fair correlations were found between ultrasound and palpation measures. A smaller levator hiatus at rest was associated with greater PFM tone, less PFM relaxation, and less vaginal flexibility. Greater levator hiatal constriction and shortening of the hiatal anteroposterior diameter at MVC were associated with greater palpated PFM strength. Greater hiatal distention at MVM was associated with lower PFM tone and greater relaxation.

Clinical Translation

3D TPUSI and intravaginal palpation provide related but distinct information about PFM function in young women with and without PVD with high functioning PFMs.

Strengths and Limitations

This was the first study to compare PFM assessment using 3D TPUSI and intravaginal palpation in nulliparous premenopausal women. A main strength of the study was the inclusion of women with PVD and asymptomatic controls, which provided a wide range in outcomes because differences in PFM morphology and function exist between women with and without PVD. The lack of inclusion of older women and women with weaker and/or hypotonic PFMs limits the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion

Although TPUSI has several advantages, including painless application, it is not recommended as a replacement for digital palpation in the clinical assessment of PFM function.
Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ): Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Automatic Thought Scale
Authors: Nimbi Filippo Maria , Tripodi Francesca , Simonelli Chiara , Nobre Pedro
Published: March 2018

Background

The Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ) is a validated and widespread used tool to assess the association among negative automatic thoughts, emotions, and sexual response during sexual activity in men and women.

Aim

To test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the SMQ focusing on the Automatic Thoughts subscale (SMQ-AT).

Methods

After linguistic translation, the psychometric properties (internal consistency, construct, and discriminant validity) were evaluated. 1,051 participants (425 men and 626 women, 776 healthy and 275 clinical groups complaining about sexual problems) participated in the present study.

Outcomes

2 confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the fit of the original factor structures of the SMQ versions. In addition, 2 principal component analyses were performed to highlight 2 new factorial structures that were further validated with confirmatory factor analyses. Cronbach α and composite reliability were used as internal consistency measures and differences between clinical and control groups were run to test the discriminant validity for the male and female versions. The associations with emotions and sexual functioning measures also are reported.

Results

Principal component analyses identified 5 factors in the male version: erection concerns thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, age- and body-related thoughts, negative thoughts toward sex, and worries about partner's evaluation and failure anticipation thoughts. In the female version 6 factors were found: sexual abuse thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, low self-body image thoughts, failure and disengagement thoughts, sexual passivity and control, and partner's lack of affection. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the adequacy of the factor structure for men and women. Moreover, the SMQ showed a strong association with emotional response and sexual functioning, differentiating between clinical and control groups.

Clinical Translation

This measure is useful to evaluate patients and design interventions focused on negative automatic thoughts during sexual activity and to develop multicultural research.

Strengths and Limitations

This study reports on the translation and validation of the Italian version of a clinically useful and widely used measure (assessing automatic thoughts during sexual activity). Limits regarding sampling technique and use of the Automatic Thoughts subscale are discussed in the article.

Conclusion

The present findings support the validity and the internal consistency of the Italian version of the SMQ-AT and allow the assessment of negative automatic thoughts during sexual activity for clinical and research purposes.
Child Marriage in a Village in West Java (Indonesia): Compromises between Legal Obligations and Religious Concerns
Authors: GRIJNS Mies , HORII Hoko
Published: March 2018

This article addresses the dilemmas and compromises in legal practice around the issue of child marriage in Indonesia. Although the government set development goals that include ending child marriage and complying with human rights standard, it is facing considerable resistance. We researched the state legal system and law in practice to understand this resistance, finding that: (1) law-making in family law involves conflict between progressive and conservative ideas; (2) consequently there is friction within current family law and laws regarding human rights; (3) judges use their discretion to achieve compromises between state laws and local norms; and (4) state law is creatively interpreted and applied at village level. The resistance at all these levels, arising from the religious concerns of conservative Muslims in a rapidly modernizing Indonesian society, is a formidable obstacle for the government to achieve its development goals. Adolescent sexuality is at the heart of these tensions.
“Do Our Bodies Know Their Ways?” Villagization, Food Insecurity, and Ill-Being in Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley
Authors: Stevenson Edward G. J. , Buffavand Lucie
Published: March 2018

This article investigates food security and well-being in the context of “development-forced displacement” in Ethiopia. In the lower Omo, a large hydroelectric dam and plantation schemes have forced people to cede communal lands to the state and business speculators, and indigenous communities have been targeted for resettlement in new consolidated villages. The authors carried out a food access survey in new villages and in communities not yet subjected to villagization and complemented this with ethnographic research carried out over a period of four years. The results of the two methodological approaches were inconsistent. The survey data suggest that household food access was poor in both places but better in villagization sites than in the other communities. The ethnographic research, however, suggests that village settlers were unable to feed themselves from the irrigated plots they were allotted and were therefore dependent on food aid. They spoke of indignity, bodily discomfort, and the severance of meaningful social relations. This article discusses the contrast between the information generated by the different research methods and asks how this tension relates to two major narratives about development: development as a process through which the state actualizes a national dream, and development as a process that creates affluence for some by impoverishing others.
The Politics of Technocracy in Fourth Republic Nigeria
Authors: Thurston Alexander
Published: March 2018

The technocrat, a supposedly apolitical figure who joins government on the basis of technical expertise, looms large in discussions of governance. The empowerment of technocrats has sometimes been taken as a barometer for Africa’s economic and democratic progress. Rejecting this conventional wisdom, this article argues that technocrats are inevitably trapped in a web of politics—politicians leverage the apolitical image of technocrats for political gain, and public debates implicate technocrats as targets of protest. This article pursues this argument through a case study of Nigeria, where technocrats were both politicized and politicizing figures during the rule of the People’s Democratic Party between 1999 and 2015.
VANISHING IN STABLE MOTIVIC HOMOTOPY SHEAVES
Authors: ORMSBY KYLE , RÖNDIGS OLIVER , ØSTVÆR PAUL ARNE
Published: March 2018

We determine systematic vanishing regions for the bigraded homotopy sheaves of the motivic sphere spectrum over a field of characteristic different from two.
Hegel on Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and the Moral Accountability of Ancient Tragic Heroes
Authors: Falkenstern Rachel
Published: March 2018

This paper argues that Hegel’s account of subjectivity and agency as historically coined is essential to an accurate understanding of his theory of tragedy. Focusing on Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, I argue that Hegel’s historical account of agency is necessary for understanding his theory of the ancient tragic hero. Although Hegel’s theory of ancient tragedy is often described in terms of a conflict between ethical spheres embodied in two individuals, the conflict in Oedipus is between Oedipus’ deeds and his later knowledge of what has actually occurred. I show how this seemingly subjective conflict is in keeping with Hegel’s theory. Further, while Hegel sees Oedipus as wrong to take full moral accountability for the consequences of his deeds, at the same time, for Hegel, this is the right action for a tragic hero, and the very thing that renders Oedipus timelessly and tragically heroic, rather than a mere victim of fate.
Is there any difference between the iodine statuses of breast-fed and formula-fed infants and their mothers in an area with iodine sufficiency?
Authors: Nazeri Pantea , Dalili Hosein , Mehrabi Yadollah , Hedayati Mehdi , Mirmiran Parvin , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: March 2018

Despite substantial progress in the global elimination of iodine deficiency, lactating mothers and their infants remain susceptible to insufficient iodine intake. This cross-sectional study was conducted to compare iodine statuses of breast-fed and formula-fed infants and their mothers at four randomly selected health care centres in Tehran. Healthy infants <3 months old and their mothers were randomly selected for inclusion in this study. Iodine was measured in urine and breast milk samples from each infant and mother as well as commercially available infant formula. The study included 124 postpartum mothers (29·2 (sd 4·9) years old) and their infants (2·0 (sd 0·23) months old). The iodine concentrations were 50–184 µg/l for infant formula, compared with a median breast milk iodine concentration (BMIC) of 100 µg/l in the exclusive breast-feeding group and 122 µg/l in the partial formula feeding group. The median values for urinary iodine concentration in the exclusive breast-feeding group were 183 µg/l (interquartile range (IQR) 76–285) for infants and 78 µg/l (IQR 42–145) for mothers, compared with 140 µg/l (IQR 68–290) for infants and 87 µg/l (IQR 44–159) for mothers in the formula feeding group. These differences were not statistically significant. After adjustment for BMIC, ANCOVA revealed that feeding type (exclusive breast-feeding v. partial formula feeding) did not significantly affect the infants’ or mother’s urinary iodine levels. Thus, in an area with iodine sufficiency, there was no difference in the iodine statuses of infants and mothers according to their feeding type.
Molecular analysis of human- and pig-derivedAscarisin Honduras
Authors: Palma A. , Ortiz B. , Mendoza L. , Matamoros G. , Gabrie J.A. , Sánchez A.L. , Fontecha G.
Published: March 2018

Ascarissp. is a soil-transmitted helminth (STH) significantly affecting the health of human and swine populations. Health inequities and poverty, with resulting deficiencies in water, sanitation and hygiene, are directly associated withAscaris lumbricoidesprevalence in humans. Resource constraints also lead to small-scale livestock production under unsanitary conditions. Free-ranging pigs, for instance, are exposed to a number of infectious agents, among whichAscaris suumis one of the most common. Under these conditions, close proximity between people and pigs can result in cross-contamination; that is, pigs harbouring humanAscarisand vice versa. Moreover, the potential interbreeding between these twoAscarisspecies has been demonstrated. The present study analysedAscarisworms obtained from children and pigs in Honduras. Adult worms were collected from stool samples of children after pharmacological treatment, and from pigs’ intestines after slaughter for commercial purposes at a local abattoir. A nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digested with a restriction enzyme in order to separate putative human- and pig-derivedAscarisisolates. PCR products were also sequenced, and cladograms were constructed. All parasites isolated from children showed the typical human-derived genotype ofAscaris, whereas 91% of parasites from pigs showed the expected pig-derived genotype. Cross-infections between hosts were not demonstrated in this study. Nine per cent of pig-derived worms showed a restriction band pattern highly suggestive of a hybrid human–pigAscarisgenotype. These results contribute to the understanding of ascariasis epidemiology and its zoonotic potential in a highly endemic region.
Parasites in space and time: a novel method to assess and illustrate host-searching behaviour of trematode cercariae
Authors: Selbach Christian , Poulin Robert
Published: March 2018

The transmission from one host to another constitutes a challenging obstacle for parasites and is a key determinant of their fitness. Due to their complex life histories involving several different hosts, the free-living dispersal stages (cercariae) of digenean trematodes show a huge diversity in morphology and behaviour. On a finer scale, we still have an extremely limited understanding of the inter- and intraspecific variation in transmission strategies of many trematode species. Here, we present a novel method to study the movement patterns of cercariae of four New Zealand trematode species (Coitocaecum parvum,Maritrema poulini,Apatemonsp. and Aporocotylid sp. I.)viaautomated video tracking. This approach allows to quantify parameters otherwise not measurable and clearly illustrates the individual strategies of parasites to search for their respective target hosts. Cercariae that seek out an evasive fish target hosts showed higher swimming speeds (acceleration and velocity) and travelled further distances, compared with species searching for high-density crustacean hosts. Automated video tracking provides a powerful tool for such detailed analyses of parasites’ host-searching strategies and can enhance our understanding of complex host–parasite interactions, ranging from parasite community structure to the transmission of potential disease agents.
Increased hippocampal engagement during learning as a marker of sensitivity to psychotomimetic effects of δ-9-THC
Authors: Bhattacharyya Sagnik , Sainsbury Thomas , Allen Paul , Nosarti Chiara , Atakan Zerrin , Giampietro Vincent , Brammer Michael , McGuire P K
Published: March 2018

Background

Cannabis and its main psychoactive ingredient δ-9-tetrahydrocannibidiol (THC) can induce transient psychotic symptoms in healthy individuals and exacerbate them in those with established psychosis. However, not everyone experience these effects, suggesting that certain individuals are particularly susceptible. The neural basis of this sensitivity to the psychotomimetic effects of THC is unclear.

Methods

We investigated whether individuals who are sensitive to the psychotomimetic effects of THC (TP) under experimental conditions would show differential hippocampal activation compared with those who are not (NP). We studied 36 healthy males under identical conditions under the influence of placebo or THC (10 mg) given orally, on two separate occasions, in a pseudo-randomized, double-blind, repeated measures, within-subject, cross-over design, using psychopathological assessments and functional MRI while they performed a verbal learning task. They were classified into those who experienced transient psychotic symptoms (TP; n = 14) following THC administration and those who did not (NP; n = 22).

Results

Under placebo conditions, there was significantly greater engagement of the left hippocampus (p < 0.001) in the TP group compared with the NP group during verbal encoding, which survived leave-one-out analysis. The level of hippocampal activation was directly correlated (Spearman's ρ = 0.44, p = 0.008) with the severity of transient psychotic symptoms induced by THC. This difference was not present when we compared two subgroups from the same sample that were defined by sensitivity to anxiogenic effects of THC.

Conclusions

These results suggest that altered hippocampal activation during verbal encoding may serve as a marker of sensitivity to the acute psychotomimetic effects of THC.
Infant-directed speech from seven to nineteen months has similar acoustic properties but different functions
Authors: KALASHNIKOVA Marina , BURNHAM Denis
Published: March 2018

This longitudinal study assessed three acoustic components of maternal infant-directed speech (IDS) – pitch, affect, and vowel hyperarticulation – in relation to infants’ age and their expressive vocabulary size. These three individual components were measured in IDS addressed to infants at 7, 9, 11, 15, and 19 months (N = 18). All three components were exaggerated at all ages in mothers’ IDS compared to their adult-directed speech. Importantly, the only significant predictor of infants’ expressive vocabulary size at 15 and 19 months was vowel hyperarticulation, but only at 9 months and beyond, not at 7 months, and not pitch or affect at any age. These results set apart vowel hyperarticulation in IDS to infants as the critical IDS component for vocabulary development. Thus IDS, specifically the degree of vowel hyperarticulation therein, is a vehicle by which parents can provide the most optimal speech quality for their infants’ linguistic and communicative development.
ZACPETEN STRUCTURE 719: ACTIVITIES AT A CONTACT PERIODPOPOL NAHBEFORE RAPID ABANDONMENT
Authors: Rice Prudence M. , Boileau Arianne , Cecil Leslie G. , deFrance Susan D. , Freiwald Carolyn , Meissner Nathan J. , Pugh Timothy W. , Rice Don S. , Yacubic Matthew P.
Published: March 2018

This paper addresses activities carried out in a late-sixteenth or seventeenth century Maya council house (popol nah) just before its abandonment. Structure 719 at the site of Zacpeten in the central Peten lakes district is considered a noble residence remodeled into a council house with an adjacent temple. Excavations revealed quantities of de facto refuse inside the structure's two rooms and around the exterior; recent studies focused on ceramics, lithics, faunal remains, and net sinkers. The back room held abundant lithics and diverse fauna, with evidence of grinding red pigment and snapping obsidian prismatic blades into segments for fashioning arrow points. Pottery and faunal remains indicate feasting, as well as possible use of animal parts in ritual and in making ceremonial objects. The Group 719 complex served as a center of production of various goods and community ritual until its abrupt abandonment, likely in the first decade or so of the eighteenth century.
Coronary occlusion in a child masquerading as dilated cardiomyopathy: the sequelae of missed Kawasaki disease
Authors: Harrington Jamie K. , Zuckerman Warren A. , Chelliah Anjali
Published: March 2018

If coronary artery sequelae are the only suggestive signs of previous Kawasaki disease, the diagnosis may easily be missed. We describe a rare case of a child with severe occlusive coronary disease likely owing to missed Kawasaki disease. This diagnosis was not initially considered given the age and absence of suggestive history. Careful echocardiographic assessment and low-radiation coronary CT angiogram resulted in successful diagnosis and treatment.
Graduate Advising in Experimental Research Groups
Authors: Druckman James N. , Howat Adam J. , Mullinix Kevin J.
Published: March 2018

Survey and laboratory experiments are increasingly common in political science. Investment in experimental data collection comes with costs and benefits, particularly for graduate students and advisers. This article describes a set of institutionalized procedures we have adopted with the goal of capitalizing on the advantages that come with experimental research. This includes requiring planning documents, holding research-group meetings, and centralizing data collection. We conclude by discussing the limitations of our approach, ultimately highlighting the need for more disciplinary conversation about how to best structure research groups to produce quality research and advising.
‘Hello, you’re not supposed to be here’: homeless emerging adults’ experiences negotiating food access
Authors: Bowen Elizabeth A , Irish Andrew
Published: March 2018

Objective

We aimed to examine the food-seeking experiences of homeless emerging adults (age 18–24 years) in a US urban context.

Design

The study used a qualitative descriptive design, combining semi-structured interviews with a standardized quantitative measure of food insecurity. Interview data were coded using constant comparative methods to identify patterns across and within interviews. Emerging themes were confirmed and refined through member checking.

Setting

Buffalo, a mid-sized city in the Northeastern USA.

Subjects

A sample of thirty participants was recruited through community-based methods. Eligibility criteria specified that participants were aged 18–24 years and did not have a stable place to live. The sample was demographically diverse and included participants who were couch-surfing, staying on the streets and/or using shelters.

Results

Participants’ food access strategies varied across their living circumstances. Common strategies included purchasing food with cash or benefits (reported by 77 %), using free meal programmes (70 %) and eating at friends’ or relatives’ homes (47 %). Although 70 % of participants received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, several reported access barriers, including initial denials of eligibility due to being listed on a parent’s application even when the participant no longer resided in the household. Participants described a stigma associated with using food pantries and free meal programmes and expressed preference for less institutionalized programmes such as Food Not Bombs.

Conclusions

Given endemic levels of food insecurity among homeless youth and young adults, policy modifications and service interventions are needed to improve food access for this population.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm with better seedling emergence under direct sowing in flooded paddy field
Authors: Kashiwagi Junichi , Hamada Koji , Jitsuyama Yutaka
Published: March 2018

Direct sowing of rice in a flooded paddy field is a beneficial cultivation practice for water use and labour efficiency, compared to the transplanted cultivation. However, a drastic reduction in seedling emergence under flooded paddy fields is a serious constraint especially when the seeds fell at deeper soil layers. Suitable rice germplasm for the direct sowing in flooded paddy fields could ensure the success of this cultivation practice. Instead of laborious field-based screening systems, a pot-based screening method was adopted for simplicity and efficient evaluation of seedling emergence of a subset of world rice germplasm (n = 75) at different sowing depths. As a result, two rice genotypes, ‘Vary Futsi’ (landrace from Madagascar, non-glutinous, subspecies Indica) and ‘Dahonggu’ (landrace from China, non-glutinous, subspecies Indica), with consistently better seedling emergence were identified from a wide range of rice germplasm. These genotypes could serve as excellent parents for the breeding program in developing new rice cultivars with the improved seedling emergence in flooded paddy fields. There were no significant differences in the seedling emergence rate in flooded paddy conditions among the groups from various agro-geographical regions.
A 216–256 GHz fully differential frequency multiplier-by-8 chain with 0 dBm output power
Authors: Eissa M.H. , Malignaggi A. , Ko M. , Schmalz K. , Borngräber J. , Ulusoy A.C. , Kissinger D.
Published: March 2018

This work presents a fully differential wideband and low power 240 GHz multiplier-by-8 chain, manufactured in IHP's 130 nm SiGe:C BiCMOS technology with fT/fmax = 300/500 GHz. A single ended 30 GHz input signal is multiplied by 8 using Gilbert cell-based quadrupler and doubler, and then amplified with a wideband differential 3-stage cascode amplifier. To achieve wide bandwidth and optimize for power consumption, the power budget has been designed in order to operate the frequency multipliers and the output amplifier in saturation. With this architecture the presented circuit achieves a 3 dB bandwidth of 40 GHz, meaning a relative 3 dB bandwidth of 17%, and a peak saturated output power of 0 dBm. Harmonic rejections better than 25 dB were measured for the 5th, 6th, and 7th harmonics. It dissipates 255 mW from 3 V supply which results in drain efficiency of 0.4%, while occupying 1.2 mm2. With these characteristics the presented circuit suits very well as a frequency multiplier chain for driving balanced mixers in 240 GHz transceivers for radar, communication, and sensing applications.
A fractal quad-band antenna loaded with L-shaped slot and metamaterial for wireless applications
Authors: Ali Tanweer , Saadh Aw Mohammad , Biradar Rajashekhar C.
Published: March 2018

A novel concept of using fractal antenna with metamaterial and slot to achieve multiband operation is investigated. The antenna consists of an L-shaped slot, Sierpinski triangle (used as fractal) as the radiating part and metamaterial circular split ring resonator (SRR) as the ground plane. The introduction of metamaterial in the ground plane makes the antenna operate at 3.3 GHz (middle WiMAX). The etching of Sierpinski triangle and L-shaped slot in the radiating monopole perturbs the surface current distribution; thereby increasing the total current path length which tends the antenna to further operate at 5.5 (upper WiMAX), 7.3 (satellite TV) and 9.9 GHz (X-band), respectively. The extraction of medium parameter of a circular SRR through waveguide medium is discussed in detail. The antenna has a compact dimension of 0.33λ0 × 0.27λ0 × 0.01λ0 = 30 mm × 24.8 mm × 1.6 mm, at a lower frequency of 3.3 GHz. Under simulation, antenna operates at 3.3, 5.5, 7.3 and 9.9 GHz with S11 < −10 dB bandwidth of about 5.9% (3.24–3.44 GHz), 5.6% (5.31–5.62 GHz), 7.3% (6.99–7.52 GHz) and 3.02% (9.78–10.08 GHz), respectively. In measurement, antenna exhibit resonances at 3.1, 5.52, 7.31, 9.72 GHz with S11 < −10 dB bandwidth of about 3.5% (3.04–3.15 GHz), 5.01% (5.44–5.72 GHz), 13.2% (6.76–7.72 GHz) and 5.77% (9.42–9.98 GHz), respectively. Good impedance matching and stable radiation characteristics are observed across the operational bandwidth of the proposed configuration.
Exploring the Wnt signaling pathway in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Authors: Hoseth Eva Z. , Krull Florian , Dieset Ingrid , Mørch Ragni H. , Hope Sigrun , Gardsjord Erlend S. , Steen Nils Eiel , Melle Ingrid , Brattbakk Hans-Richard , Steen Vidar M. , Aukrust Pål , Djurovic Srdjan , Andreassen Ole A. , Ueland Thor
Published: March 2018

The Wnt signaling pathway plays a crucial role in neurodevelopment and in regulating the function and structure of the adult nervous system. Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) are severe mental disorders with evidence of subtle neurodevelopmental, structural and functional neuronal abnormalities. We aimed to elucidate the role of aberrant regulation of the Wnt system in these disorders by evaluating plasma levels of secreted Wnt modulators in patients (SCZ = 551 and BD = 246) and healthy controls (HCs = 639) using enzyme immune-assay. We also investigated the expression of 141 Wnt-related genes in whole blood in a subsample (SCZ = 338, BD = 241, and HCs = 263) using microarray analysis. Both SCZ and BD had dysregulated mRNA expression of Wnt-related genes favoring attenuated canonical (beta-catenin-dependent) signaling, and there were also indices of enhanced non-canonical Wnt signaling. In particular, FZD7, which may activate all Wnt pathways, but favors non-canonical signaling, and NFATc3, a downstream transcription factor and readout of the non-canonical Wnt/Ca2+ pathway, were significantly increased in SCZ and BD (p < 3 × 10−4). Furthermore, patients had lower plasma levels of soluble dickkopf 1 and sclerostin (p < 0.01) compared with HC. Our findings suggest that SCZ and BD are characterized by abnormal Wnt gene expression and plasma protein levels, and we propose that drugs targeting the Wnt pathway may have a role in the treatment of severe mental disorders.
Fear extinction requires infralimbic cortex projections to the basolateral amygdala
Authors: Bloodgood Daniel W. , Sugam Jonathan A. , Holmes Andrew , Kash Thomas L.
Published: March 2018

Fear extinction involves the formation of a new memory trace that attenuates fear responses to a conditioned aversive memory, and extinction impairments are implicated in trauma- and stress-related disorders. Previous studies in rodents have found that the infralimbic prefrontal cortex (IL) and its glutamatergic projections to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and basomedial amygdala (BMA) instruct the formation of fear extinction memories. However, it is unclear whether these pathways are exclusively involved in extinction, or whether other major targets of the IL, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc) also play a role. To address this outstanding issue, the current study employed a combination of electrophysiological and chemogenetic approaches in mice to interrogate the role of IL-BLA and IL-NAc pathways in extinction. Specifically, we used patch-clamp electrophysiology coupled with retrograde tracing to examine changes in neuronal activity of the IL and prelimbic cortex (PL) projections to both the BLA and NAc following fear extinction. We found that extinction produced a significant increase in the intrinsic excitability of IL-BLA projection neurons, while extinction appeared to reverse fear-induced changes in IL-NAc projection neurons. To establish a causal counterpart to these observations, we then used a pathway-specific Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) strategy to selectively inhibit PFC-BLA projection neurons during extinction acquisition. Using this approach, we found that DREADD-mediated inhibition of PFC-BLA neurons during extinction acquisition impaired subsequent extinction retrieval. Taken together, our findings provide further evidence for a critical contribution of the IL-BLA neural circuit to fear extinction.
DNAJC5 facilitates USP19-dependent unconventional secretion of misfolded cytosolic proteins
Authors: Xu Yue , Cui Lei , Dibello Anthony , Wang Lihui , Lee Juhyung , Saidi Layla , Lee Jin-Gu , Ye Yihong
Published: March 2018

Cell-to-cell transmission of misfolded proteins propagates proteotoxic stress in multicellular organisms when transmitted polypeptides serve as a seeding template to cause protein misfolding in recipient cells, but how misfolded proteins are released from cells to initiate this process is unclear. Misfolding-associated protein secretion (MAPS) is an unconventional protein-disposing mechanism that specifically exports misfolded cytosolic proteins including various neurodegenerative disease-causing proteins. Here we establish the HSC70 co-chaperone DNAJC5 as an essential mediator of MAPS. USP19, a previously uncovered MAPS regulator binds HSC70 and acts upstream of HSC70 and DNAJC5. We further show that as a membrane-associated protein localized preferentially to late endosomes and lysosomes, DNAJC5 can chaperone MAPS client proteins to the cell exterior. Intriguingly, upon secretion, misfolded proteins can be taken up through endocytosis and eventually degraded in the lysosome. Collectively, these findings suggest a transcellular protein quality control regulatory pathway in which a deubiquitinase-chaperone axis forms a “triaging hub”, transferring aberrant polypeptides from stressed cells to healthy ones for disposal.
Risk of nontyphoidal Salmonella bacteraemia in African children is modified by STAT4
Authors: Gilchrist James J. , Rautanen Anna , Fairfax Benjamin P. , Mills Tara C. , Naranbhai Vivek , Trochet Holly , Pirinen Matti , Muthumbi Esther , Mwarumba Salim , Njuguna Patricia , Mturi Neema , Msefula Chisomo L. , Gondwe Esther N. , MacLennan Jenny M. , Chapman Stephen J. , Molyneux Malcolm E. , Knight Julian C. , Spencer Chris C. A. , Williams Thomas N. , MacLennan Calman A. , Scott J. Anthony G. , Hill Adrian V. S.
Published: March 2018

Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a major cause of bacteraemia in Africa. The disease typically affects HIV-infected individuals and young children, causing substantial morbidity and mortality. Here we present a genome-wide association study (180 cases, 2677 controls) and replication analysis of NTS bacteraemia in Kenyan and Malawian children. We identify a locus in STAT4, rs13390936, associated with NTS bacteraemia. rs13390936 is a context-specific expression quantitative trait locus for STAT4 RNA expression, and individuals carrying the NTS-risk genotype demonstrate decreased interferon-γ (IFNγ) production in stimulated natural killer cells, and decreased circulating IFNγ concentrations during acute NTS bacteraemia. The NTS-risk allele at rs13390936 is associated with protection against a range of autoimmune diseases. These data implicate interleukin-12-dependent IFNγ-mediated immunity as a determinant of invasive NTS disease in African children, and highlight the shared genetic architecture of infectious and autoimmune disease.
MYC-driven epigenetic reprogramming favors the onset of tumorigenesis by inducing a stem cell-like state
Authors: Poli Vittoria , Fagnocchi Luca , Fasciani Alessandra , Cherubini Alessandro , Mazzoleni Stefania , Ferrillo Sara , Miluzio Annarita , Gaudioso Gabriella , Vaira Valentina , Turdo Alice , Gaggianesi Miriam , Chinnici Aurora , Lipari Elisa , Bicciato Silvio , Bosari Silvano , Todaro Matilde , Zippo Alessio
Published: March 2018

Breast cancer consists of highly heterogeneous tumors, whose cell of origin and driver oncogenes are difficult to be uniquely defined. Here we report that MYC acts as tumor reprogramming factor in mammary epithelial cells by inducing an alternative epigenetic program, which triggers loss of cell identity and activation of oncogenic pathways. Overexpression of MYC induces transcriptional repression of lineage-specifying transcription factors, causing decommissioning of luminal-specific enhancers. MYC-driven dedifferentiation supports the onset of a stem cell-like state by inducing the activation of de novo enhancers, which drive the transcriptional activation of oncogenic pathways. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the MYC-driven epigenetic reprogramming favors the formation and maintenance of tumor-initiating cells endowed with metastatic capacity. This study supports the notion that MYC-driven tumor initiation relies on cell reprogramming, which is mediated by the activation of MYC-dependent oncogenic enhancers, thus establishing a therapeutic rational for treating basal-like breast cancers.
Brain and eyes of Kerygmachela reveal protocerebral ancestry of the panarthropod head
Authors: Park Tae-Yoon S. , Kihm Ji-Hoon , Woo Jusun , Park Changkun , Lee Won Young , Smith M. Paul , Harper David A. T. , Young Fletcher , Nielsen Arne T. , Vinther Jakob
Published: March 2018

Recent discoveries of fossil nervous tissue in Cambrian fossils have allowed researchers to trace the origin and evolution of the complex arthropod head and brain based on stem groups close to the origin of the clade, rather than on extant, highly derived members. Here we show that Kerygmachela from Sirius Passet, North Greenland, a primitive stem-group euarthropod, exhibits a diminutive (protocerebral) brain that innervates both the eyes and frontal appendages. It has been surmised, based on developmental evidence, that the ancestor of vertebrates and arthropods had a tripartite brain, which is refuted by the fossil evidence presented here. Furthermore, based on the discovery of eyes in Kerygmachela, we suggest that the complex compound eyes in arthropods evolved from simple ocelli, present in onychophorans and tardigrades, rather than through the incorporation of a set of modified limbs.
Agreement between hospital and primary care on diagnostic labeling for COPD and heart failure in Toronto, Canada: a cross-sectional observational study
Authors: Greiver Michelle , Sullivan Frank , Kalia Sumeet , Aliarzadeh Babak , Sharma Deepak , Bernard Steven , Meaney Christopher , Moineddin Rahim , Eisen David , Rahman Navid , D’Urzo Tony
Published: March 2018

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or heart failure (HF) are frequently cared for in hospital and in primary care settings. We studied labeling agreement for COPD and HF for patients seen in both settings in Toronto, Canada. This was a retrospective observational study using linked hospital-primary care electronic data from 70 family physicians. Patients were 20 years of age or more and had at least one visit in both settings between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2014. We recorded labeling concordance and associations with clinical factors. We used capture-recapture models to estimate the size of the populations. COPD concordance was 34%; the odds ratios (ORs) of concordance increased with aging (OR 1.84 for age 75+ vs. <65, 95% CI 0.92–3.69) and more inpatient admissions (OR 2.89 for 3+ visits vs. 0 visits, 95% CI 1.59–5.26). HF concordance was 33%; the ORs of concordance decreased with aging (OR 0.39 for 75+ vs. <65, 95% CI 0.18–0.86) and increased with more admissions (OR = 2.39; 95% CI 1.33–4.30 for 3+ visits vs. 0 visits). Based on capture-recapture models, 21–24% additional patients with COPD and 18–20% additional patients with HF did not have a label in either setting. The primary care prevalence was estimated as 748 COPD patients and 834 HF patients per 100,000 enrolled adult patients. Agreement levels for COPD and HF were low and labeling was incomplete. Further research is needed to improve labeling for these conditions.
Numerical investigation of gapped edge states in fractional quantum Hall-superconductor heterostructures
Authors: Repellin Cécile , Cook Ashley M. , Neupert Titus , Regnault Nicolas
Published: March 2018

Fractional quantum Hall-superconductor heterostructures may provide a platform towards non-abelian topological modes beyond Majoranas. However their quantitative theoretical study remains extremely challenging. We propose and implement a numerical setup for studying edge states of fractional quantum Hall droplets with a superconducting instability. The fully gapped edges carry a topological degree of freedom that can encode quantum information protected against local perturbations. We simulate such a system numerically using exact diagonalization by restricting the calculation to the quasihole-subspace of a (time-reversal symmetric) bilayer fractional quantum Hall system of Laughlin ν = 1/3 states. We show that the edge ground states are permuted by spin-dependent flux insertion and demonstrate their fractional 6π Josephson effect, evidencing their topological nature and the Cooper pairing of fractionalized quasiparticles. The versatility and efficiency of our setup make it a well suited method to tackle wider questions of edge phases and phase transitions in fractional quantum Hall systems.
Publisher Correction: Morphology and mechanics of fungal mycelium
Authors: Islam M. R. , Tudryn G. , Bucinell R. , Schadler L. , Picu R. C.
Published: March 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Author Correction: Suppression of Transposable Elements in Leukemic Stem Cells
Authors: Colombo Anthony R. , Zubair Asif , Thiagarajan Devi , Nuzhdin Sergey , Triche Timothy J. , Ramsingh Giridharan
Published: March 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.