bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphometric MRI profiles of multiple system atrophy variants and implications for differential diagnosis
Authors: Krismer Florian , Seppi Klaus , Göbel Georg , Steiger Ruth , Zucal Isabel , Boesch Sylvia , Gizewski Elke R. , Wenning Gregor K. , Poewe Werner , Scherfler Christoph
Published: March 2019

Background

Manual width measurements of the middle cerebellar peduncle on MRI were shown to improve the accuracy of an imaging‐guided diagnosis of multiple system atrophy (MSA). Recently, automated volume segmentation algorithms were able to reliably differentiate patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and the parkinsonian variant of MSA. The objective of the current study was to integrate probabilistic information of the middle cerebellar peduncle into an existing MRI atlas for automated subcortical segmentation and to evaluate the diagnostic properties of the novel atlas for the differential diagnosis of MSA (parkinsonian and cerebellar variant) versus PD.

Methods

Three Tesla MRI scans of 48 healthy individuals were used to establish an automated whole‐brain segmentation procedure that includes the volumes of the putamen, cerebellar gray and white matter, and the middle cerebellar peduncles. Classification accuracy of segmented volumes were tested in early‐stage MSA patients (18 MSA‐parkinsonism, 13 MSA‐cerebellar) and 19 PD patients using a C4.5 classifier.

Results

Putaminal and infratentorial atrophy were present in 77.8% and 61.1% of MSA‐parkinsonian patients, respectively. Four of 18 MSA‐parkinsonian patients (22.2%) had infratentorial atrophy without evidence of putaminal atrophy. Infratentorial atrophy was present in all MSA‐cerebellar patients, with concomitant putaminal atrophy in 46.2% of these cases. The diagnostic algorithm using putaminal and infratentorial volumetric information correctly classified all PD patients and 96.8% of MSA patients.

Conclusions

The middle cerebellar peduncle was successfully integrated into a subcortical segmentation atlas, and its excellent diagnostic accuracy outperformed existing volumetric MRI processing strategies in differentiating MSA patients with variable atrophy patterns from PD patients. © 2019 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Methodological consensus on clinical proton MRS of the brain: Review and recommendations
Authors: Wilson Martin , Andronesi Ovidiu , Barker Peter B. , Bartha Robert , Bizzi Alberto , Bolan Patrick J. , Brindle Kevin M. , Choi In‐Young , Cudalbu Cristina , Dydak Ulrike , Emir Uzay E. , Gonzalez Ramon G. , Gruber Stephan , Gruetter Rolf , Gupta Rakesh K. , Heerschap Arend , Henning Anke , Hetherington Hoby P. , Huppi Petra S. , Hurd Ralph E. , Kantarci Kejal , Kauppinen Risto A , Klomp Dennis W. J. , Kreis Roland , Kruiskamp Marijn J. , Leach Martin O. , Lin Alexander P. , Luijten Peter R. , Marjańska Małgorzata , Maudsley Andrew A. , Meyerhoff Dieter J. , Mountford Carolyn E. , Mullins Paul G. , Murdoch James B. , Nelson Sarah J. , Noeske Ralph , Öz Gülin , Pan Julie W. , Peet Andrew C. , Poptani Harish , Posse Stefan , Ratai Eva‐Maria , Salibi Nouha , Scheenen Tom W. J. , Smith Ian C. P. , Soher Brian J. , Tkáč Ivan , Vigneron Daniel B. , Howe Franklyn A.
Published: March 2019

Proton MRS (1H MRS) provides noninvasive, quantitative metabolite profiles of tissue and has been shown to aid the clinical management of several brain diseases. Although most modern clinical MR scanners support MRS capabilities, routine use is largely restricted to specialized centers with good access to MR research support. Widespread adoption has been slow for several reasons, and technical challenges toward obtaining reliable good‐quality results have been identified as a contributing factor. Considerable progress has been made by the research community to address many of these challenges, and in this paper a consensus is presented on deficiencies in widely available MRS methodology and validated improvements that are currently in routine use at several clinical research institutions. In particular, the localization error for the PRESS localization sequence was found to be unacceptably high at 3 T, and use of the semi‐adiabatic localization by adiabatic selective refocusing sequence is a recommended solution. Incorporation of simulated metabolite basis sets into analysis routines is recommended for reliably capturing the full spectral detail available from short TE acquisitions. In addition, the importance of achieving a highly homogenous static magnetic field (B0) in the acquisition region is emphasized, and the limitations of current methods and hardware are discussed. Most recommendations require only software improvements, greatly enhancing the capabilities of clinical MRS on existing hardware. Implementation of these recommendations should strengthen current clinical applications and advance progress toward developing and validating new MRS biomarkers for clinical use.
Tuning the Photophysical and Excited State Properties of Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes by Polycyclic Unit Substitution
Authors: Wu Cuicui , Li Qiuxia , Zhang Xinghua , Shi Chao , Li Gang , Wang Mingjie , Li Kang , Yuan Aihua
Published: March 2019

Two novel N‐embedded polycyclic units functionalized phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes (Ir‐1 and Ir‐2) with substituents in different positions have been prepared. Complex Ir‐1 bearing the substituent at the 3‐position shows a distinct blue shift single‐peak emission (524 nm) with a higher luminescence efficiency (ΦPL=42 %) and shorter emission lifetime (τ=282 ns) by comparison with 4‐position substitution based complex Ir‐2 (ΦPL=23 %, τ=562 ns), which exhibits a dual‐peak emission (564 nm and 602 nm), and phosphorescence color can be tuned from green to yellow. In addition, DFT calculations demonstrate that unusual ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer (3LMCT) excited state property can be found in Ir‐2, which is in contrast to metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) excited state character in Ir‐1. This result can be attribute to strong electron‐donating character and 4‐position substitution effect of the unit.
THE ABILITY OF OLDER WORKERS WITH IMPAIRMENTS TO ADAPT TO NEW JOBS: CHANGING THE AGE CRITERIA FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE
Authors: Strand Alexander , Messel Matthew
Published: March 2019

Many applications for Social Security Disability Insurance cannot be evaluated based on medical criteria alone. In specific cases, the current regulatory structure dictates that applicants who can no longer do past jobs are expected to adapt to new jobs up to the age of 55, but not after. As the proportion of these cases has grown and life expectancy among beneficiaries has increased, policymakers have considered whether expectations for adapting to new jobs above age 55 should be adjusted. Some recent reform proposals call for increasing the age cutoffs in the regulations. Although prior research predicts reduced program costs, the capacity of potentially affected applicants to continue working is unclear. Filling this gap, we evaluate the work capacity of applicants above age 55 using an instrumental variables strategy. Our estimates indicate that, for applicants on the margin of allowance, at most an additional 11.2 percent would work above the regulatory definition of meaningful employment (known as Substantial Gainful Activity) in the absence of Disability Insurance benefits. We explore the implications for adapting to new jobs above age 55 under the proposed policy regime.
Outcomes of a clinical pathway for primary outpatient management of pediatric patients with low‐risk febrile neutropenia
Authors: Paolino Jonathan , Mariani Juliana , Lucas Alexandra , Rupon Jeremy , Weinstein Howard , Abrams Annah , Friedmann Alison
Published: March 2019

Background

Fever and neutropenia is a common reason for nonelective hospitalization of pediatric oncology patients. Herein we report nearly five years of experience with a clinical pathway designed to guide outpatient management for patients who had low‐risk features.

Procedures

Through a multidisciplinary collaboration, we implemented a clinical pathway at our institution using established low‐risk criteria to guide outpatient management of pediatric oncology patients. Comprehensive chart review of all febrile neutropenia episodes was conducted to characterize outcomes of patients with low‐risk febrile neutropenia following clinical pathway implementation.

Results

Between April 1, 2013, and October 1, 2017, there were 169 cases of febrile neutropenia managed in our Pediatric Oncology Unit. Sixty‐seven (40%) of these episodes were defined as low risk and managed either entirely in the outpatient setting (41 episodes, 24%) or with a step‐down strategy involving a very brief inpatient stay (26 episodes, 15%). There were no intensive care unit admissions or deaths among the low‐risk patients. Of those identified as low risk, seven patients (10%) required subsequent hospitalization during the follow‐up period, two for inadequate oral intake, two for persistent fevers, one for cellulitis, one for seizure unrelated to the febrile episode, and one for a positive blood culture.

Conclusions

Following implementation of a clinical pathway, the majority of patients designated as low risk were managed primarily in the outpatient setting without major morbidity or mortality, suggesting that carefully selected low‐risk patients can be successfully treated with outpatient management and subsequent admission if warranted.
Grafting polyisoprene onto surfaces of nanosilica via RAFT polymerization and modification of natural rubber
Authors: Xiang Yixin , Shen Xianrong , Gao Jiangang , Asiri Abdullah M. , Marwani Hadi M.
Published: March 2019

In this contribution, we reported the investigation of natural rubber (NR) reinforced by silicon dioxide‐graft‐polyisoprene (SiO2‐g‐PIP) core–shell nanoparticle. First, the hydroxyl on the surface of the SiO2 nanoparticles was reacted with 2‐methyl‐2‐[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl) sulfanyl] propanoic acid to produce trithioester‐capped SiO2 (denoted as SiO2‐CTA). SiO2‐CTA was used as a nanoparticle chain transfer agent, and SiO2‐g‐PIP core–shell nanoparticles were synthesized via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT). The results of FTIR spectroscopy and TGA showed that the grafting weight of the PIP block in SiO2‐g‐PIP was 2.1 wt%. SiO2‐g‐PIP and SiO2 were simultaneously incorporated into NR. The curing properties of the NR compounds showed that the vulcanization rates of the NR/SiO2‐g‐PIP compounds were much higher than those of NR/silica compounds. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that SiO2 microdomains in the NR/SiO2‐g‐PIP vulcanizate were much better disperse and distribute than SiO2 microdomains in the NR/SiO2 composite. The filler–rubber interaction of the NR/SiO2‐g‐PIP composite endowed the composite with improved mechanical properties. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:1167–1174 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Emulsifier‐free reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer emulsion polymerization of alkyl acrylates mediated by symmetrical trithiocarbonates based on poly(acrylic acid)
Authors: Serkhacheva Natalia S , Prokopov Nikolay I , Chernikova Elena V , Kozhunova Elena Y , Lebedeva Inna O , Borisov Oleg V
Published: March 2019

Emulsifier‐free batch emulsion polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate and its semi‐batch copolymerization with 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5‐octafluoropentyl acrylate and 2,2,3,4,4,4‐hexafluorobutyl acrylate both mediated by poly(acrylic acid) containing the trithiocarbonate group in the chain was employed to produce amphiphilic triblock copolymers. The polymerization‐induced self‐assembly of these copolymers in aqueous media gave rise to spherical core–shell particles. Irrespective of the experimental conditions, the polymeric product was characterized by a bimodal molecular weight distribution. The apparent violation of the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization mechanism may be attributed to restricted accessibility of the trithiocarbonate group in the self‐assembled block copolymers for propagating radicals that enter into the particle. Mean‐field theoretical arguments were employed to explain the exclusively spherical morphology of the particles observed in the experiment. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Diet and asthma in Lebanese schoolchildren: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Malaeb Diana , Hallit Souheil , Sacre Hala , Malaeb Bassem , Hallit Rabih , Salameh Pascale
Published: March 2019

Objectives

The causes of the global increase in asthma in children are unknown. It has been hypothesized that diet is an important factor that may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The objective was to evaluate the association between diet and current asthma among Lebanese children.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 1000 children recruited from public and private schools in Lebanon. Of the total enrolled participants, 107 children were diagnosed with current asthma and were analyzed. The food frequency questionnaire was used to assess participants’ dietary habits.

Results

The consumption of sweets ≥3 times weekly (ORa = 5.42), white bread ≥3 times weekly (ORa = 26.38), and olive oil daily (ORa = 9.80) were associated with higher odds of current asthma. Drinking carbonated beverages occasionally (ORa = 0.25) and ≥3 times per week (ORa = 0.03) was significantly associated with lower odds of current asthma. Adhering to Mediterranean diet (occasional, >3 times weekly and daily) was significantly associated with lower odds of current asthma compared to never consuming Mediterranean diet (ORa = 0.23 and ORa = 0.22, respectively). The occasional consumption of bread was significantly associated with higher odds of current asthma (ORa = 8.2), whereas daily consumption was significantly associated with lower odds (ORa = 0.336). Moreover, the occasional, ≥3 times weekly and daily consumption of meat were significantly associated with higher odds of current asthma (ORa = 9.6; ORa = 5.1 and ORa = 4.5), respectively. An occasional consumption of junk food was significantly associated with lower odds of current asthma (ORa = 0.044), whereas a daily consumption was associated with higher odds.

Conclusion

Adhering to certain diets might be associated with higher odds of current asthma.
Modelling the potential distribution of arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti under current and future climate scenarios in Taiwan, China
Authors: Liu Boyang , Jiao Zhihui , Ma Jun , Gao Xiang , Xiao Jianhua , Hayat Muhammad A , Wang Hongbin
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

Aedes aegypti is one of the most important mosquito species and is a common disease‐transmitting pest in tropical areas. Various infectious arbovirus diseases can be transmitted by Ae. aegypti. With ongoing global climate change, we are facing an increasing public health threat from the rapid spread of disease vectors into wider geographical areas. To better understand the current ecological niche range and possible future expansion of Ae. aegypti, an ecological niche modelling approach was adopted to predict its current and future potential habitat in Taiwan, China.

RESULTS

Based on observed occurrence records and environmental layers reflecting climate and land‐use conditions, predictions with a high resolution of 30 arcsec (approx. 1 × 1 km) were made by our model. Ae. aegypti was predicted to expand its habitat in varying degrees out of its current niche range under different climate scenarios for the future 21st century. Winter temperature and dry season precipitation were considered as important predictors among climate variables. Croplands, pasture, forested lands and urban lands were important land‐use variables.

CONCLUSION

Ae. aegypti is expected to establish new habitats out of its current niche range under the trend of global climate change. The extent of habitat expansion varies under different climate scenarios. Appropriate measures should be taken to prevent its expansion to a broader scale. Our study has important strategic implications for mosquito surveillance and the prevention and control of mosquito‐borne diseases. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
The operational global four‐dimensional variational data assimilation system at the China Meteorological Administration
Authors: Zhang Lin , Liu Yongzhu , Liu Yan , Gong Jiandong , Lu Huijuan , Jin Zhiyan , Tian Weihong , Liu Guiqing , Zhou Bin , Zhao Bin
Published: March 2019

Since 1 July 2018, the GRAPES (Global/Regional Assimilation and PrEdiction System) global 4‐dimensional variational (4D‐Var) data assimilation system has been in operation at the China Meteorological Administration (CMA). In this study, the GRAPES global 4D‐Var data assimilation system is comprehensively introduced. This system applies the non‐hydrostatic global tangent‐linear model (TLM) and the adjoint model (ADM) for the first time. The use of a digital filter as a weak constraint is achieved. A series of linear physical processes is developed, including vertical diffusion, subgrid‐scale orographic parametrization, large‐scale condensation, and cumulus convection parametrization. The vertical diffusion and subgrid‐scale orographic schemes are used in the operational suite and the linear convection parametrization and large‐scale condensation scheme remain under assessment. The Lanczos and conjugate gradient (Lanczos‐CG) algorithm and the limited‐memory Broyden‐Fletcher‐Goldfarb‐Shanno (L‐BFGS) algorithm are also developed. In terms of computational optimization, the total computational time of the GRAPES global TLM and ADM is approximately threefold that of the GRAPES global nonlinear model (NLM).

Before it became operational, a one‐year retrospective trial was performed on the GRAPES global 4D‐Var data assimilation system. The entire system was stable, and the analysis and forecasting performances were significantly better than those of the 3D‐Var data assimilation system, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.
Copper Immobilized on Isonicotinic Acid Hydrazide Functionalized Nano‐Magnetite as a Novel Recyclable Catalyst for Direct Synthesis of Phenols and Anilines
Authors: Ghiasbeigi Elahe , Soleiman‐Beigi Mohammad
Published: March 2019

A new nano‐catalyst which contains a core of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) has been fabricated. It is covered via isonicotinic acid hydrazide and copper (Cu). In this sense, Isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) is applied because of its ability as a bidendental ligand and pharmaceutical activity in order to be used for the complexion and connection of Cu on Fe3O4 surface for the synthesis of Fe3O4@INH@Cu (INH= Isonicotinic acid hydrazide). In this regard, Fe3O4@INH@Cu as a heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the cross‐coupling of aryl halides with potassium hydroxide (KOH) as the hydroxide source and ammonium acetate (NH4OAc), as the amine source in the presence of cesium carbonate (Cs2CO3) in polyethylene glycol (PEG‐400), has been applied. The catalyst is a new magnetically recyclable catalytic system with easy preparation and purification, high activity, eco‐friendly and economic advantages.
Synthesis and Characterization of Diaminoguanidine and Hydroxylamine Salts of 1,1,2,2‐Tetranitroaminoethane (TNAE)
Authors: Liu Yang , Yang Tongtong , Zhibinu  , Meng Zihui
Published: March 2019

Energetic salts readily exhibited desirable properties through appropriate combination of different cations and anions. Due to its acidity of nitramine group, 1,1,2,2‐tetranitroaminoethane (TNAE) is a good anion in energetic salts. In this paper, diaminoguanidine and hydroxylamine salts of TNAE have been synthesized and their performances were studied. Both salts of TNAE exhibit excellent detonation pressure and velocity based on theoretical performance calculation. Especially, the diaminoguanidine salt of TNAE exhibits excellent thermal stability and insensitive to impaction and friction. It will has a great potential to be applied in the field of energetic materials.
A Controlled Cyclization of Functionalized Thioureas and Unprecedented Termolecular Decyclization of Iminothiazolidinones
Authors: Franklin Constance D. , Zavalij Peter Y. , Diamond Courtney , Groth Ashley J. , Lebron David J. , Holmes Samuel G. , Anderson Danny R. , Paul Dilip K. , Alvarez Julio C. , Sidorov Vladimir
Published: March 2019

A series of thiourea derivatives bearing pendant hydroxyl groups was synthesized. These quadruply nucleophilic compounds underwent cyclization reactions with bromoacyl bromides, yielding two isomeric iminothiozolidinones. While the remote hydroxyl group in functionalized thioureas was not directly involved in the cyclization, it allowed us to establish control over the product formation through the choice of temperature and/or solvent. The new mode of temperature‐dependent control over the product distribution was different from the classical kinetic vs thermodynamic control. A number of synthesized iminothiozolidinones underwent an unprecedented termolecular decyclization reaction in the presence of an external nucleophile and a proton to yield aminooxoethylcarbamothionates. In addition to the theoretical importance of this newly discovered reaction, there is also a practical need for these decyclized products as they are known privileged structures in the family of HIV‐1 transcriptase inhibitors.
miRNA‐Specific Unlocking of Drug‐Loaded Metal–Organic Framework Nanoparticles: Targeted Cytotoxicity toward Cancer Cells
Authors: Chen Wei‐Hai , Luo Guo‐Feng , Sohn Yang Sung , Nechushtai Rachel , Willner Itamar
Published: March 2019

UiO‐68 metal–organic framework nanoparticles (NMOFs) are loaded with a doxorubicin drug (fluorescent dye analogs) and locked by means of structurally engineered duplex nucleic acid structures, where one strand is covalently linked to the NMOFs and the second strand is hybridized with the anchor strand. Besides the complementarity of the second strand to the anchor sequence, it includes the complementary sequence to the microRNAs (miRNA)‐21 or miRNA‐221 that is specific miRNA biomarker for MCF‐7 breast cancer cells or OVCAR‐3 ovarian cancer cells. In the presence of the respective miRNA biomarkers, the miRNA‐induced displacement of the strand associated with the anchor strand proceeds, resulting in the release of DNA/miRNA duplexes. The released duplexes are, however, engineered to be digested in the presence of exonuclease III, Exo III, a process that recycles the miRNAs and provides the autonomous amplified unlocking of the NMOFs and the release of the doxorubicin load (or the fluorescent dye analogs) even at low concentrations of miRNA. Preliminary cell experiments reveal that the respective NMOFs are unlocked by the miRNA‐21 or miRNA‐221, resulting in selective cytotoxicity toward MCF‐7 breast cancer cells or OVCAR‐3 ovarian cancer cells.
Origin and Suppression of the Graded Phase Distribution in Ruddlesden‐Popper Perovskite Films for Photovoltaic Application
Authors: Mao Peng , Zhuang Jing , Wei Yuanzhi , Chen Ningli , Luan Yigang , Wang Jizheng
Published: March 2019

Ruddlesden‐Popper perovskites (2D perovskites) show tremendous potential in photovoltaic devices for their superior stability compared with their 3D counterparts, while their lower power conversion efficiencies severely hinder their further progress for practical application. Generally, the 2D perovskite films fabricated by spin‐coating present graded distribution of 2D phases, and the small‐n phases located at the film bottom will impede the interlayer charge transport. In this work, the origin of the graded phase distribution is explained, and the roles of DMSO in Ruddlesden‐Popper perovskites film crystallization are systematically investigated. DMSO was found to homogenize the film composition, and therefore suppress the proportion of the small‐n 2D phases. Through X‐ray diffraction and grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering measurements, it has been revealed that an intermediate phase is responsible for the less graded films and rationalizes the effect of DMSO in film crystallization. More importantly, solar cells with an efficiency exceeding 14% are fabricated by this facile method, which deliver good light, thermal, and ambient stability without encapsulation. These findings significantly benefit the understanding of crystal growth in 2D perovskites film and demonstrate that 2D perovskites are promising candidates for high‐performance solar cells.
Circular business models: Babbling initial exploratory
Authors: Sehnem Simone
Published: March 2019

This research aims to map Brazilian companies that have business models aligned with the concept of the circular economy. Data were collected for this study through use of a survey and additional research based on the survey results. Within these businesses’ models, an emphasis on the second use of materials as well as the marketing of the product as a service has been highlighted.
Risk mapping and eco‐anthropogenic assessment of anthrax in the upper Zambezi basin
Authors: Kamboyi Harvey K. , de Garine‐Wichatitsky Michel , Hang'ombe Mudenda B. , Munyeme Musso
Published: March 2019

In Zambia, anthrax has emerged as a serious disease decimating humans, livestock and wildlife with devastating effects on eco‐tourism resulting in the destabilization of major pristine wildlife sanctuaries. Consequently, the thrust of this study was to establish the spatial distribution of anthrax and determine ecological drivers of its recurrence, maintenance and epidemiological linkage to anthropogenic activities. Environmental and biological samples were collected within the livestock production and conservation areas (n = 80). Each sample was serially tested for Bacillus anthracis positivity through blood agar culture and Gram stain technique, and then confirmation by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR). Questionnaires (n = 113) were conducted at independently distinct villages in terms of space and time. Most respondents showed that animals that died from anthrax were not properly disposed off. More likely than not, poverty being the main driver for anthrax carcass dressing and meat distribution contributed to environmental contamination with anthrax spores in areas where the animals subsequently died resulting in further environmental contamination, which is the major source of primary infection for livestock and wildlife. From the samples, 15 pure isolates of anthrax were obtained which were spatially distributed across four districts. Twelve, biologically plausible variables were found to be highly significant on multivariable logistic regression analysis model for questionnaires which included herd size (odds = 10.46; P = 0.005; CI 8.8–16), carcass disposal method (odds = 6.9; P = 0.001; CI = 3.4–9.8), access to veterinary services (odds = 10.87; P = 0.004; CI = 4.8–15.9) and management system (odds = 2.57; P = 0.001; CI = 1.3–7.5). In summary, the majority (78.7%) of anthrax outbreaks were observed in areas with low veterinary services (χ2 = 8.6162, P = 0.013) within the newly created districts of Nalolo, Mwandi and Luampa.
A spontaneous electric field membrane bioreactor with the innovative Cu‐nanowires conductive microfiltration membrane for membrane fouling mitigation and pollutant removal
Authors: Yin Xiafei , Li Xiufen , Wang Xinhua , Ren Yueping , Hua Zhaozhe
Published: March 2019

In this study, a spontaneous electric field membrane bioreactor (SEF‐MBR), equipped with the innovative Cu‐nanowires conductive microfiltration membrane, was developed to achieve membrane fouling mitigation and high‐quality effluent. The membrane fouling was significantly mitigated due to the presence of spontaneous electric field that the intensity of the spontaneous electric field in the established SEF‐MBR was up to 0.073 V/cm. After over 2‐month operation, the membrane flux of SEF‐MBR was 2.1 times that of the control reactor. The thickness of fouling layer on the Cu‐nanowires conductive membrane surface was about 80 μm, which was far thinner than that on the surface of commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. Meanwhile, it was featured with the lower microbe density and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content. The effluent quality of SEF‐MBR met the first‐class discharge standards, and the removal rates were 94.5% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 99.8% for , 78.5% for total nitrogen (TN), and 86.6% for total phosphorus (TP). The established system with the innovative Cu‐nanowires conductive membrane showed a promising prospect for using the spontaneous electric field to mitigate membrane fouling and achieve high‐quality effluent without extra power consumption.

Practitioner points

The innovative Cu‐NWs conductive microfiltration membrane was prepared.

The spontaneous electric field in the novel SEF‐MBR mitigated membrane fouling.

The fouling layer of the novel SEF‐MBR was thinner with lower microbe and EPS content.

The effluent quality of the novel SEF‐MBR met the first‐class discharge standard.
Comparative clinical outcomes between direct oral anticoagulants and warfarin among elderly patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in the CMS medicare population
Authors: Amin Alpesh , Keshishian Allison , Dina Oluwaseyi , Dhamane Amol , Nadkarni Anagha , Carda Eric , Russ Cristina , Rosenblatt Lisa , Mardekian Jack , Yuce Huseyin , Baker Christine L.
Published: March 2019

Atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence increases with age; > 80% of US adults with AF are aged ≥ 65 years. Compare the risk of stroke/systemic embolism (SE), major bleeding (MB), net clinical outcome (NCO), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) among elderly non-valvular AF (NVAF) Medicare patients prescribed direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) vs warfarin. NVAF patients aged ≥ 65 years who initiated DOACs (apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban) or warfarin were selected from 01JAN2013-31DEC2015 in CMS Medicare data. Propensity score matching was used to balance DOAC and warfarin cohorts. Cox proportional hazards models estimated the risk of stroke/SE, MB, NCO, and MACE. 37,525 apixaban–warfarin, 18,131 dabigatran–warfarin, and 55,359 rivaroxaban–warfarin pairs were included. Compared to warfarin, apixaban (HR: 0.69; 95% CI 0.59–0.81) and rivaroxaban (HR: 0.82; 95% CI 0.73–0.91) had lower risk of stroke/SE, and dabigatran (HR: 0.88; 95% CI 0.72–1.07) had similar risk of stroke/SE. Apixaban (MB: HR: 0.61; 95% CI 0.57–0.67; NCO: HR: 0.64; 95% CI 0.60–0.69) and dabigatran (MB: HR: 0.79; 95% CI 0.71–0.89; NCO: HR: 0.84; 95% CI 0.76–0.93) had lower risk of MB and NCO, and rivaroxaban had higher risk of MB (HR: 1.08; 95% CI 1.02–1.14) and similar risk of NCO (HR: 1.04; 95% CI 0.99–1.09). Compared to warfarin, apixaban had a lower risk for stroke/SE, MB, and NCO; dabigatran had a lower risk of MB and NCO; and rivaroxaban had a lower risk of stroke/SE but higher risk of MB. All DOACs had lower risk of MACE compared to warfarin.
The Ontology of Uncertainty in Finance: The Normative Legacy of General Equilibrium
Authors: Boldyrev Ivan
Published: March 2019

This paper considers in detail the ontological and normative presuppositions of the state-contingent approach to pricing commodities first introduced by Arrow (Le rôle des valeurs boursières pour la répartition la meilleure des risques. Econométrie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, 1953) in his model of general equilibrium under uncertainty, which became a milestone in the theory of finance. By contextualizing Arrow’s fundamental contribution and subsequent developments in finance, it demonstrates how this new conceptual framework implied certain technologies—both intellectual and financial. In showing how theoretical thinking about finance was underlying institutional developments in finance, this paper complements the familiar narrative of the performativity of economics.
Labour History and the Case against Colonialism
Authors: Brandon Pepijn , Sarkar Aditya
Published: March 2019

The controversy around Bruce Gilley's article “The Case for Colonialism” has drawn global attention to a stream of revisionist claims and visions on the history of colonialism that has emerged in academia and in the media in recent years. Authors such as Nigel Biggar in the UK, Niall Ferguson in the USA, and Pieter Emmer in the Netherlands, have all published similarly revisionist claims about colonialism, arguing that postcolonial guilt and political correctness blind the majority of their colleagues to the positive side of the colonial project. Their argument chimes with wider societal trends, transforming the revisionist defenders of empire into heroes of a reinvigorated nationalist right within and beyond academia. The public influence attained by these approaches to colonialism requires historians to expose the deep methodological flaws, misreading of historical facts, and misrepresentations of prior scholarship that characterize the writings of this emerging revisionist trend. It is for this reason that the Editorial Committee of theInternational Review of Social History(IRSH) has decided to devote its first ever Virtual Special Issue to labour history's case against colonialism. This article, also an introduction to the Virtual Special Issue, sifts through the logical implications of the claims made by Gilley and like-minded scholars, providing both a contextualization and a rebuttal of their arguments. After assessing the long absence of colonial labour relations from the field of interest of labour historians and the pages of theIRSHitself, this article shows the centrality of a critique of colonialism to labour history's global turn in the 1990s. Using a selection of articles on colonial labour history from theIRSH's own archive, the article not only reconstructs “labour history's case against colonialism”, but also shows why labour history's critical insights into the nature of colonialism should be deepened and extended, not discarded.
Multiscale structures and noise in magnetized plasmas line-tied at conducting surfaces
Authors: Hassam A. B. , Huang Yi-Min
Published: March 2019

In magnetized plasma situations where magnetic fields intersect massive conducting boundaries, ‘line-tied’ boundary conditions are often used, analytically and in numerical simulations. For ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasmas, these conditions are arrived at given the relatively long time scales for magnetic fields penetrating resistively into good conductors. Under line-tied boundary conditions, numerical simulations often exhibit what could be construed as numerical ‘noise’ emanating from the boundaries. We show here that this ‘noise’ is real. By combining numerical and analytical methods, we highlight the existence of sharp spatial structures near the conductors and confirm the appearance of short wavelength structures riding on long wavelength modes. We conclude that, for numerical fidelity, the short multiscale structures need to be resolved. Generally, the short structure widths scale as the square root of the plasma $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$.
Pressure without Pain: What Politicians (Don’t) Tell You about Welfare State Change
Authors: GOERRES ACHIM , KUMLIN STAFFAN , KARLSEN RUNE
Published: March 2019

How do political leaders politicise welfare state “reform pressures”, e.g. unemployment, ageing or globalisation, in election campaigns? Competing expectations range from no politicization at all to a clear and unbiased coupling between pressures and intended policy responses. Eighteen speeches held by prime ministerial candidates at election-year party congresses in Germany, Norway and Sweden (2000–2010) reveal an unfinished and biased problem-solution coupling. On the one hand, even in these affluent countries pressures are frequently politicised. On the other hand, leaders either cherry-pick less painful policy solutions, or refrain altogether from debating them. So, while citizens learn that the welfare state is pressured, they are not exposed to the full range of policies they increasingly have reason to expect after elections.
Looking ahead to a future with Alzheimer's disease: coping with the unknown
Authors: Ashworth Rosalie Marie
Published: March 2019

The conceptualisation of Alzheimer's disease as an illness with ‘no future’ exposes people with the condition to significant fear and stress. Therefore, exploring how people look ahead to the future in the face of Alzheimer's disease is of foremost importance. Semi-structured interviews (N = 14) explored the future outlook of people with early (N = 5) and late-onset (N = 7) Alzheimer's disease and those who support them (N = 14). Thematic analysis identified how participants managed their changing futures through focusing on positive information, and taking ‘one day at a time’. Younger and older people shared similar future outlook and subsequent coping strategies, as predicted by Carstensen's Socioemotional Selectivity Theory. Both people with Alzheimer's disease and those who support them avoided looking far ahead as a way of managing the uncertain future, and had little awareness of future planning in the context of current policies. Such avoidance suggests that policy which encourages future planning should consider its utility and explore ways of helping people to plan, whilst focusing on daily living.
Using automated computer vision and machine learning to code facial expressions of affect and arousal: Implications for emotion dysregulation research
Authors: Haines Nathaniel , Bell Ziv , Crowell Sheila , Hahn Hunter , Kamara Dana , McDonough-Caplan Heather , Shader Tiffany , Beauchaine Theodore P.
Published: March 2019

As early as infancy, caregivers’ facial expressions shape children's behaviors, help them regulate their emotions, and encourage or dissuade their interpersonal agency. In childhood and adolescence, proficiencies in producing and decoding facial expressions promote social competence, whereas deficiencies characterize several forms of psychopathology. To date, however, studying facial expressions has been hampered by the labor-intensive, time-consuming nature of human coding. We describe a partial solution: automated facial expression coding (AFEC), which combines computer vision and machine learning to code facial expressions in real time. Although AFEC cannot capture the full complexity of human emotion, it codes positive affect, negative affect, and arousal—core Research Domain Criteria constructs—as accurately as humans, and it characterizes emotion dysregulation with greater specificity than other objective measures such as autonomic responding. We provide an example in which we use AFEC to evaluate emotion dynamics in mother–daughter dyads engaged in conflict. Among other findings, AFEC (a) shows convergent validity with a validated human coding scheme, (b) distinguishes among risk groups, and (c) detects developmental increases in positive dyadic affect correspondence as teen daughters age. Although more research is needed to realize the full potential of AFEC, findings demonstrate its current utility in research on emotion dysregulation.
Greenhouse gas emissions, total food spending and diet quality by share of household food spending on red meat: results from a nationally representative sample of US households
Authors: Boehm Rebecca , Ver Ploeg Michele , Wilde Parke E , Cash Sean B
Published: March 2019

Objective

To determine if US household food purchases with lower levels of red meat spending generate lower life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), greater nutritional quality and improved alignment with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Affordability of purchasing patterns by red meat spending levels was also assessed.

Design

Household food purchase and acquisition data were linked to an environmentally extended input–output life-cycle assessment model to calculate food GHGE. Households (n4706) were assigned to quintiles by the share of weekly food spending on red meat. Average weekly kilojoule-adjusted GHGE, total food spending, nutrients purchased and 2010 Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) were evaluated using ANOVA and linear regression.

Setting

USA.

Participants

Households participating in the 2012–2013 National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey.

Results

There was substantial variation in the share of the household food budget spent on red meat and total spending on red meat. The association between red meat spending share and total food spending was mixed. Lower red meat spending share was mostly advantageous from a nutritional perspective. Average GHGE were significantly lower and HEI-2010 scores were significantly higher for households spending the least on red meat as a share of total food spending.

Conclusions

Only very low levels of red meat spending as a share of total food spending had advantages for food affordability, lower GHGE, nutrients purchased and diet quality. Further studies assessing changes in GHGE and other environmental burdens, using more sophisticated analytical techniques and accounting for substitution towards non-red meat animal proteins, are needed.
China–Cellulose Pulp: China's Quest to Satisfy WTO Panels and the Appellate Body
Authors: REYNOLDS KARA , YANGUAS TATIANA
Published: March 2019

In April 2017, a WTO panel ruled that China's anti-dumping investigation into imports of dissolving cellulose pulp from Canada violated the WTO's Anti-dumping Agreement. The panel found that China's description of the parallel price trends of dumped imports and domestic products failed to explain their finding that the dumped imports caused the decline in domestic prices. The ruling perhaps should not have surprised anyone as the WTO had made similar findings in disputes involving two previous Chinese anti-dumping investigations. This paper explores to what degree ‘parallel price trends’ can be used as a valid methodology to determine price depression, and whether it is the methodology itself that is problematic or China's implementation of that methodology that has caused it to lose three disputes over the past five years.
HEREDITARILY STRUCTURALLY COMPLETE POSITIVE LOGICS
Authors: CITKIN ALEX
Published: March 2019

Positive logics are $\{ \wedge , \vee , \to \}$-fragments of intermediate logics. It is clear that the positive fragment of $Int$ is not structurally complete. We give a description of all hereditarily structurally complete positive logics, while the question whether there is a structurally complete positive logic which is not hereditarily structurally complete, remains open.
Führungsmotivation und Führungskräfteentwicklung
Authors: Reiner Annabell E. , Felfe Jörg , Moldzio Thomas
Published: March 2019

Zusammenfassung. Die Führungsmotivation vermittelt zwischen Persönlichkeit und Führungserfolgskriterien und kann damit diesen Zusammenhang erklären ( Stiehl, Gatzka, Elprana & Felfe, 2015 ). Erstmals im Kontext der beruflichen Eignungsdiagnostik wurde mit N = 296 Berufstätigen der Mediationseffekt der Facetten der Führungsmotivation auf die Beziehung zwischen Persönlichkeit und Führungspotenzial untersucht. Das affektive Führungsmotiv erwies sich als wichtigster Mediator, während das kalkulative Führungsmotiv lediglich in der Personalauswahl eine wichtige, jedoch negative Rolle spielte. Darauf aufbauend wurde in einer zweiten Studie mit N = 140 Berufstätigen untersucht, inwiefern intrinsisch motivierte Führungskräfte auch langfristig erfolgreich sind und welche Motivkonstellationen dabei eine Rolle spielen. Eine hohe affektive Führungsmotivation wurde von den Mitarbeiter_innen nur positiv bewertet, wenn die Führungskraft wenig nach Macht strebte. Der positive Zusammenhang zwischen affektivem Führungsmotiv und Führungsspanne wurde durch eine hohe Vermeidung von Führung abgeschwächt. Die Ergebnisse erweitern das Verständnis der Wirkung der Führungsmotivation in verschiedenen Kontexten und können bei der Führungskräfteauswahl und -entwicklung genutzt werden.
Assessing Seasonal Changes in Microgravity at Yellowstone Caldera
Authors: Poland Michael P. , de Zeeuw‐van Dalfsen Elske
Published: March 2019

Microgravity time series at active volcanoes can provide an indication of mass change related to subsurface magmatic processes, but uncertainty is often introduced by hydrologic variations and other noise sources that cannot easily be isolated. We empirically assessed seasonality and noise by conducting four surveys over the course of May–October 2017 at Yellowstone caldera, Wyoming. Yellowstone experiences frequent changes in the rates and styles of seismicity and surface deformation, but the mechanisms of these changes are poorly understood. Past gravity data from the caldera have yielded ambiguous results, possibly due to hydrologic noise. Given the strong visually observable changes in surface water and snow conditions over the course of our surveys, we expected to see significant variations in gravity. The net change in gravity, however, was less than 20 μGal at most sites, and there was no strong correlation with river and lake levels or snow conditions. Seasonal changes in gravity are therefore small compared to those that would be expected from magmatic activity, although they may be on the same order as those associated with Yellowstone's hydrothermal system. We did find that noise levels in gravity data were highly dependent on site characteristics, with bedrock sites away from trees yielding the lowest levels of noise, and thin concrete pads in forested areas the highest. These results can be used to plan future surveys at Yellowstone and to reinterpret past data, and they provide guidance in terms of best practices for repeat gravity work on volcanoes worldwide.
Role of Indian Ocean Dynamics on Accumulation of Buoyant Debris
Authors: van der Mheen Mirjam , Pattiaratchi Charitha , van Sebille Erik
Published: March 2019

Buoyant marine plastic debris has become a serious problem affecting the marine environment. To fully understand the impact of this problem, it is important to understand the dynamics of buoyant debris in the ocean. Buoyant debris accumulates in “garbage patches” in each of the subtropical ocean basins because of Ekman convergence and associated downwelling at subtropical latitudes. However, the precise dynamics of the garbage patches are not well understood. This is especially true in the southern Indian Ocean (SIO), where observations are inconclusive about the existence and numerical models predict inconsistent locations of the SIO garbage patch. In addition, the oceanic and atmospheric dynamics in the SIO are very different from those in the other oceans. The aim of this paper is to determine the dynamics of the SIO garbage patch at different depths and under different transport mechanisms such as ocean surface currents, Stokes drift, and direct wind forcing. To achieve this, we use two types of ocean surface drifters as a proxy for buoyant debris. We derive transport matrices from observed drifter locations and simulate the global accumulation of buoyant debris. Our results indicate that the accumulation of buoyant debris in the SIO is much more sensitive to different transport mechanisms than in the other ocean basins. We relate this sensitivity to the unique oceanic and atmospheric dynamics of the SIO.