bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A nonlinear elasto‐viscoplastic model for clayed rock and its application to stability analysis of nuclear waste repository
Authors: Jia Shanpo , Wen Caoxuan , Wu Bisheng
Published: October 2019

The creep behavior is one of the most important topics on the stability analysis of rock mass in underground engineering. In order to characterize the creep deformation of clayey rock more accurately, this study proposes a nonlinear elasto‐viscoplastic (EVP) model based on a new yield surface and a modified Mohr‐Coulomb (MC) flow potential. First, the finite element (FE) formulation for the constitutive creep behavior is derived and a user subroutine to define the material's mechanical behavior (UMAT) is implemented in the commercial finite element package ABAQUS. The numerical simulation is validated against the triaxial creep tests of a cylinder, and the results show that the proposed model can effectively predict the creep responses of clayey rock and thus compensate for the deficiency of the creep model in ABAQUS. Then, the proposed model is used to study the long‐term stability of clayey rock formation surrounding an underground experimental site. Based on the results from triaxial creep tests and in situ monitoring of the lining deformation, the time‐dependent material creep parameters are obtained for rock by using the back analysis method. The predicted lining deformation is in good agreement with the field data with most of the relative errors less than 3.5%. The creep zone in the surrounding rock demonstrates that the horizontal scope is larger than the vertical one. The proposed model is proven to provide accurate prediction on the creep characteristics of clayey rock, showing a potential to assess the long‐term stability and reliability of large‐scale underground engineering structures.
Experimental and numerical study on thermal‐hydraulic performance of printed circuit heat exchanger for liquefied gas vaporization
Authors: Zhao Zhongchao , Chen Xudong , Zhang Xiao , Ma Xiaolong , Yang Shan
Published: October 2019

The thermal‐hydraulic performance of printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) through an experimental vaporization process of supercritical nitrogen was investigated. The inlet temperature of supercritical nitrogen was controlled between 113 K and 129 K, while its pressure was controlled between 4.5 MPa and 6 MPa. The mass of supercritical nitrogen corresponds to the turbulent state on the cold side of PCHE, which was maintained at 299.94 kg/h. A numerical processing of the same supercritical nitrogen flow through a single channel of PCHE cold side was presented. The numerical results were validated by comparison with the experimental data. Both experimental and numerical results showed that the increased inlet supercritical nitrogen pressure improved the heat transfer performance and pressure drop decreased with increasing the pressure at the PCHE cold side. Furthermore, the Fanning friction coefficient (f) and the Nusselt number (Nu) of supercritical nitrogen flow obtained by numerical simulation and empirical correlation were compared.
Is the yield change due to warming affected by photoperiod sensitivity? Effects of the soybean E4 locus
Authors: Kumagai Etsushi , Yamada Tetsuya , Hasegawa Toshihiro
Published: October 2019

Modeling studies predict that global warming will shorten growth duration and reduce seed yield of early‐maturing soybean (Glycine max) cultivars, but that late‐maturing cultivars could mitigate this reduction. This is widely discussed but has not been validated experimentally. Time of soybean maturation is determined by several photoperiod‐sensitive loci. Here, we focused on the E4 locus, and tested the hypothesis that this locus would mitigate the growth period shortening and yield reduction due to warming. We sowed cv. Enrei with the dominant E4 allele and a near‐isogenic line with recessive e4 allele (NIL‐e4) on two dates (normal vs. late, with a shorter photoperiod) and grown under three temperature regimes (near‐ambient, and 2.0 and 4.6°C above ambient) in sunlit greenhouses in a cool region of Japan. The period from sowing to flowering (R1) decreased with increasing temperature, regardless of genotype and sowing date. However, increased temperature prolonged the period from R1 to the beginning of pod filling (R3) in Enrei but not in NIL‐e4 for either sowing date. This indicates that increasing temperature shortened the period before R1, exposing Enrei with E4 to a longer photoperiod and therefore slowing its development. For both sowing dates, pod number and seed yield increased with warming in Enrei. Since the days from R1 to R3 and the cumulative radiation for this period were positively correlated with pod number in Enrei, the greater yield response was explained mostly by the prolongation of this period caused by warming. However, the yield increase resulted partially from the current mean growing season temperature, which was near or below the optimum for yield. We conclude that the E4 locus can increase seed yield under future warming in cool regions of Japan. This result demonstrates the potential importance of modifying photoperiod sensitivity to increase soybean yield under future warming.
Association of the cumulative burden of late‐life anxiety and depressive symptoms with functional impairment
Authors: Simning Adam , Seplaki Christopher L.
Published: October 2019

Objectives

This study investigates the association of the cumulative burden of anxiety‐only, depression‐only, and comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms with (a) incident self‐care or household activities impairment among those with no baseline self‐care or household activities impairment, respectively, or (b) change in status of self‐care or household activities impairment among those with baseline impairment.

Methods

This study consists of participants (N = 4619) from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a longitudinal study that examines a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 65 years and older. Outcomes included incident or change in self‐care or household activity impairment. Primary independent variables were yearly counts of screening positive for clinically significant symptoms for anxiety‐only, depression‐only, or co‐occurring anxiety and depression. Multivariable logistic regression models examined incident impairment and change in impairment status.

Results

Yearly counts of anxiety‐only symptoms were associated with incident impairment in self‐care and household activities and less improvement in self‐care functioning. Yearly counts of depression‐only symptoms were associated with incident impairment in self‐care and household activities. Yearly counts of co‐occurring symptoms of anxiety and depression were associated with incident impairment in self‐care and household activities, less improvement in self‐care activities, and worsening impairment in household activities.

Conclusions

This study finds that the cumulative burden of co‐occurring anxiety and depression symptoms is associated with incident impairment in functioning, persistent self‐care impairment, and deterioration in household activity impairment. These findings emphasize the importance of managing late‐life anxiety and depressive symptoms, which are treatable, frequently co‐occur, and contribute to disability.
Teacher Credibility in Literacy Learning
Authors: Fisher Douglas , Frey Nancy
Published: October 2019

This forum highlights research that literacy teachers, students, and others can explore, use, or adapt as they provide literacy instruction and develop related programs and research agendas.
Efficient newton–raphson/singular value decomposition‐based optimization scheme with dynamically updated critical condition number for rapid convergence of weighted histogram analysis method equations
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Roma , Talipov Marat R.
Published: October 2019

Selection of the successful optimization strategy is an essential part of solving numerous practical problems yet often is a nontrivial task, especially when a function to be optimized is multidimensional and involves statistical data. Here we propose a robust optimization scheme, referred to as NR/SVD‐Cdyn, which is based on a combination of the Newton–Raphson (NR) method along with singular value decomposition (SVD), and demonstrate its performance by numerically solving a system of the weighted histogram analysis method equations. Our results show significant improvement over the direct iteration and conventional NR optimization methods. The proposed scheme is universal and could be used for solving various optimization problems in the field of computational chemistry such as parameter fitting for the methods of molecular mechanics and semiempirical quantum‐mechanical methods. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Association of ABCC Gene Polymorphism With Susceptibility to Antituberculosis Drug–Induced Hepatotoxicity in Western Han Patients With Tuberculosis
Authors: Bai Hao , Wu Tao , Jiao Lin , Wu Qian , Zhao Zhenzhen , Song Jiajia , Liu Tangyuheng , Lv Yanghua , Lu Xiaojun , Ying Binwu
Published: October 2019

Six‐month combination regimens could lead to serious hepatotoxicity, which may limit the clinical use of antituberculosis drugs. ABCC transporters are critical to the influx and efflux of compounds into and out of cells. The aim of this study was to explore whether the genetic variants in ABCC genes were related to the development of antituberculosis drug–induced hepatotoxicity. Here, we screened and genotyped 39 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms of 13 ABCC genes in 746 eligible patients treated by first‐line antituberculosis drugs in Western China Hospital. Genomic DNA was extracted from a peripheral blood sample of each patient, and clinical symptoms and laboratory results were recorded regularly. We found that the incidence rate of hepatotoxicity was 15.8% in the western Chinese Han population. As a result, the ABCC2 rs3740065 genotype, sex, and the baseline level of alanine aminotransferase are independent risk factors of antituberculosis drug–induced hepatotoxicity, with P values of .008, .014, and <.001, respectively. Our findings revealed a fraction of the underlying mechanism of hepatotoxicity, and larger validation studies on different populations are warranted to confirm these findings.
The evaluation of VEGF and HIF‐1α gene polymorphisms and multiple sclerosis susceptibility
Authors: Saravani Mohsen , Rokni Mohsen , Mehrbani Mehrzad , Amirkhosravi Arian , Faramarz Sanaz , Fatemi Iman , Esmaeili Tarzi Mojdeh , Nematollahi Mohammad Hadi
Published: October 2019

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that leads to myelin sheath destruction. Hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1) has several roles in cells, such as inducing inflammation and angiogenesis. Recently, several lines of evidence have indicated the role of the hypoxia response and the HIF‐1 signaling pathway in an autoimmune disease such as MS. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of HIF‐1α gene polymorphisms and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (as a major target gene of HIF‐1α) gene polymorphism on MS susceptibility.

Methods

In total, 150 MS patients and 150 healthy age‐ and gender‐matched people as a control group participated in the present study. The polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used for genotyping.

Results

The results obtained showed that the CC genotype of the VEGF rs699947 polymorphism was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (p = 0.004). Also, we showed a significant relationship between the VEGF rs699947 polymorphism and MS in a dominant inheritance model (p = 0.005). Regarding the VEGF rs699947 polymorphism allelic distribution, the C allele frequency was significantly higher in the control group than in the case group (71.3% versus 61%, respectively, p = 0.009) and decreased the MS susceptibility by 1.6‐fold (odds ratio = 1.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.2–2.2). There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to HIF‐1α rs11549465 genotypic distribution. The HIF‐1α C111A polymorphism was non‐polymorphic in our study population, except in the case group where nine subjects carried the CA genotype.

Conclusions

We show a significant association between VEGF rs60047 polymorphism and MS susceptibility. However, our results do not show a significant association between MS and HIF‐1α polymorphisms.
Feasibility of antiretroviral therapy initiation under the treat‐all policy under routine conditions: a prospective cohort study from Eswatini
Authors: Kerschberger Bernhard , Jobanputra Kiran , Schomaker Michael , Kabore Serge M , Teck Roger , Mabhena Edwin , Lukhele Nomthandazo , Rusch Barbara , Boulle Andrew , Ciglenecki Iza
Published: October 2019

Introduction

The World Health Organization recommends the Treat‐All policy of immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, but questions persist about its feasibility in resource‐poor settings. We assessed the feasibility of Treat‐All compared with standard of care (SOC) under routine conditions.

Methods

This prospective cohort study from southern Eswatini followed adults from HIV care enrolment to ART initiation. Between October 2014 and March 2016, Treat‐All was offered in one health zone and SOC according to the CD4 350 and 500 cells/mm3 treatment eligibility thresholds in the neighbouring health zone, each of which comprised one secondary and eight primary care facilities. We used Kaplan–Meier estimates, multivariate flexible parametric survival models and standardized survival curves to compare ART initiation between the two interventions.

Results

Of the 1726 (57.3%) patients enrolled under Treat‐All and 1287 (42.7%) under SOC, cumulative three‐month ART initiation was higher under Treat‐All (91%) than SOC (74%; p < 0.001) with a median time to ART of 1 (IQR 0 to 14) and 10 (IQR 2 to 117) days respectively. Under Treat‐All, ART initiation was higher in pregnant women (vs. non‐pregnant women: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.70 to 2.26), those with secondary education (vs. no formal education: aHR 1.48, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.95), and patients with an HIV‐positive diagnosis before care enrolment (aHR 1.22, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.36). ART initiation was lower in patients attending secondary care facilities (aHR 0.64, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.72) and for CD4 351 to 500 when compared with CD4 201 to 350 cells/mm3 (aHR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.00). ART initiation varied over time for TB cases, with lower hazard during the first two weeks after HIV care enrolment and higher hazards thereafter. Of patients with advanced HIV disease (n = 1085; 36.0%), crude 3‐month ART initiation was similar in both interventions (91% to 92%) although Treat‐All initiated patients more quickly during the first month after HIV care enrolment.

Conclusions

ART initiation was high under Treat‐All and without evidence of de‐prioritization of patients with advanced HIV disease. Additional studies are needed to understand the long‐term impact of Treat‐All on patient outcomes.
Geographical discrimination of Chinese winter wheat using volatile compound analysis by HS‐SPME/GC‐MS coupled with multivariate statistical analysis
Authors: Wadood Syed Abdul , Boli Guo , Xiaowen Zhang , Raza Ali , Yimin Wei
Published: October 2019

This study aimed to develop a potential analytical method to discriminate the Chinese winter wheat according to geographical origin and cultivars. A total of 90 wheat samples of 10 different wheat cultivars among three regions were examined by headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The peak areas of 32 main volatile compounds were selected and subjected to statistical analysis, which revealed significant differences among different regions and cultivars. Multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant influence of regions, wheat genotypes, and their interaction on the volatile composition of wheat. Principal component analysis of the aromatic profile showed better visualization for wheat geographical origins. Finally, a classification model based on the linear discriminant analysis was successfully constructed for the discrimination of regions and cultivars with the correct classification percentages of 90 and 100%, respectively.
Interrelationship between myoglobin oxidation and lipid oxidation during the processing of Cantonese sausage with d‐sodium erythorbate
Authors: Shang Xiaolan , Zhou Zhiguo , Jiang Shuhui , Guo Hongzhen , Lu Yanxia
Published: October 2019

BACKGROUND

Pork is used as raw material to produce Cantonese sausage, and 0.5 or 1 g kg−1 of d‐sodium erythorbate is added to the pork meat. In this study the myoglobin oxidation rate, relative metmyoglobin content, heme iron content, redness, pH, free radical content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) value were measured at different processing times and different content of d‐sodium erythorbate.

RESULTS

It was found that d‐sodium erythorbate significantly reduced the free radical content and myoglobin and lipid oxidation rates and increased heme iron levels. When d‐sodium erythorbate was added to the sausage, the absorption peak of myoglobin porphyrin shifted left, migrating from 414 to 405 nm. At 72 h, with an increase in the d‐sodium erythorbate content, a significant negative correlation was identified between heme iron and the degree of redness (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

During sausage processing, there are strong correlations among TBARS values, free radical content, metmyoglobin levels, heme iron levels, a* and pH at the same d‐sodium erythorbate level. At the same processing time, adding d‐sodium erythorbate can slow the rate of myoglobin and lipid oxidation and prevent the discoloration of sausage. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Estimating Mountain Lion Abundance in Arizona Using Statistical Population Reconstruction
Authors: Howard April L. , Clement Matthew J. , Peck Frances R. , Rubin Esther S.
Published: October 2019

Directly monitoring abundance of cryptic species, such as mountain lions (Puma concolor), over large areas is a challenge for wildlife managers because traditional population estimation techniques may be impractical and expensive. We generated annual estimates of mountain lion abundance in Arizona, USA, for 2004–2018 by employing statistical population reconstruction methods, which use available age‐at‐harvest data and auxiliary information such as estimated survival rates, harvest probabilities, and hunter effort. Using PopRecon 2.0 software, we estimated that the statewide abundance of all mountain lions including kittens ranged from 1,848 (95% CI = 650–3,046) to 4,661 (95% CI = 393–9,030) during 2004–2018. Abundance for subadults and adults was more stable and precisely estimated, ranging from 1,166 (95% CI = 622–1,709) to 1,715 (95% CI = 872–2,558). Our results suggest a stable statewide mountain lion population. This approach provides a practical and cost‐effective option for monitoring Arizona's mountain lion population, and will improve the ability of managers to monitor the population annually to respond to changes in abundance and to evaluate factors that influence mountain lion abundance. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.
Spinocerebellar Ataxia Patient Perceptions Regarding Reproductive Options
Authors: Cahn Suzanne , Rosen Ami , Wilmot George
Published: October 2019

Background

In vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic testing is a growing reproductive option for people who want to avoid passing a single‐gene condition on to their offspring. The spinocerebellar ataxias are a group of rare, autosomal‐dominant neurodegenerative disorders which are strong candidates for the use of this technology.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess knowledge of genetic risk and perceptions of reproductive options in individuals with a diagnosis of spinocerebellar ataxia.

Methods

We administered an online survey to U.S. residents of reproductive age who have been clinically or genetically diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia. We assessed their understanding of inheritance and their reproductive opinions.

Results

Of 94 participants, 70.2% answered all four inheritance questions correctly. The majority felt they could describe each reproductive option except prenatal diagnosis. Individuals were most interested in in vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic testing: 48.4% (45 of 93) said they would consider it. They were least interested in prenatal diagnosis and donated embryos or gametes. Having spinocerebellar ataxia with anticipation and choosing inheritance risk as an important factor were both significantly associated with interest in preimplantation genetic testing. Choosing religion/morality as an important factor was associated with less interest in preimplantation genetic testing and prenatal diagnosis.

Conclusions

Our population displayed basic knowledge of inheritance risk, and the majority wanted to avoid having affected children. Consistent with literature for other autosomal‐dominant adult‐onset conditions, individuals showed a preference for preimplantation genetic testing. Health care providers should continue to educate patients about reproductive options and their risks and limitations.
Utility of electrodiagnostic studies in patients referred with a diagnosis of polyneuropathy
Authors: Ginsberg Matthew R. , Morren John A.
Published: October 2019

Background

Peripheral polyneuropathies (PN) are common neuromuscular conditions. The role of electrodiagnostic study (EDX) in diagnosis of PN is not well‐defined.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of patients referred for EDX evaluation of PN.

Results

Of 162 patients analyzed, 23 had pure peripheral neuropathy (pPN; 14.2%), 29 had peripheral neuropathy and another diagnosis (PN+; 17.9%), 51 had an alternative diagnosis (nonPN; 31.5%), and 59 had normal studies (36.4%). In univariable analysis, age (P < .001) and gender (P = .004) were weakly associated with final diagnosis. In multinomial logistic regression analysis, significant predictors included age (odds ratio [OR] for nonPN/PN+:1.07 per year; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.11), gender (OR for PN+:0.2, 95% CI, 0.07–0.61), and diabetes/prediabetes (OR for pPN:3.29; 95% CI, 1.17–9.27).

Conclusions

These data suggest that EDX commonly yields additional or nonPNs in patients referred with a diagnosis of PN, and although some variables predict electrodiagnosis, none have a large enough effect to suggest poor utility in any subpopulation.
Insomnia and its associated factors among older people of selected ward of Banepa municipality, Nepal
Authors: Dangol Manisha , Shrestha Sunil , Rai Koirala Sita Kumari
Published: October 2019

Aims

The aim of this study was to calculate the prevalence of insomnia and identify the factors associated with it among older people of Banepa Municipality, Province No.3 of Nepal.

Design

A quantitative descriptive cross‐sectional study was done; data were collected for three months from September–November 2018.

Methods

One hundred and fourteen older people were recruited. The data were collected through a structured interview questionnaire that included socio‐demographic characteristics and Nepalese version of standard Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale (20‐item version). Information on general health conditions, alcohol intake and personal habits was also collected.

Results

The mean age of the respondents (N = 114) was 76.04 (SD 7.81), years and 51.8% were females. The prevalence of insomnia was 71.1% in the older population. Significant associations were found between insomnia and advanced age (p = .002), illiteracy (p < .001), not working (p < .001), financially dependent on others (p < .001), presence of comorbid disease (p < .001) and taking regular medicine at present (p < .001).
Caprine mortality profiles from prehistoric cave‐sites of the northern Adriatic: Livestock strategies or natural death?
Authors: Boschin Francesco
Published: October 2019

This paper poses a question on the interpretation of caprine “kill‐off patterns” in some prehistoric sites of the Caput Adriae (northern Adriatic region, Mediterranean area). In particular, caprine kill‐off data from layers 2 (Late Neolithic‐Copper Age) and 2a (Middle Neolithic) of Grotta dell'Edera (Trieste Karst, north‐eastern Italy) are presented here and compared with those from two neighbouring sites. Distribution of age classes of domestic animals (in particular Caprinae) is generally discussed in terms of exploitation strategies adopted by past communities to obtain different products (e.g., milk, meat, and wool). Nevertheless, emphasis is rarely given to the possible meaning of the presence of foetal individuals and to their relation with neonatal ones. In this sense, it needs to be considered that causes of abortion (e.g., infections or ewe malnutrition) often can also lead to lamb mortality. The presence of a high proportion of neonatal (0–2 months old) and foetal sheep/goat individuals in the sites analysed raises an issue about the possible meaning of the mortality profiles: exploitation of dairy products or just premature death of ill individuals? This issue is important not only to better interpret subsistence strategies of past human communities but also to explore animal disease through time.
Observer‐based controller for positive polynomial systems with time delay
Authors: Iben Ammar Imen , Gassara Hamdi , El Hajjaji Ahmed , Tadeo Fernando , Chaabane Mohamed
Published: October 2019

This paper deals with some synthesis problems for a class of positive polynomial systems with time delay, for which the state vector takes nonnegative values whenever the initial conditions are nonnegative. First, the synthesis of state feedback controllers is solved using a Lyapunov‐Krasovskii approach, including the requirement of positiveness. In a second part, observers are included. In both cases, the design conditions are presented in terms of sum of squares, which can be numerically and symbolically solved via SOSTOOLS and a semidefinite program solver. Finally, four numerical examples are given to illustrate the proposed approach.
Thermoregulation in the Aging Population and Practical Strategies to Overcome a Warmer Tomorrow
Authors: Tan Chee Chong Shawn , Chin Li Kang Karen , Low Ivan Cherh Chiet
Published: October 2019

As global temperatures continue to rise, improving thermal tolerance in the aged population is crucial to counteract age‐associated impairments in thermoregulatory function. Impairments in reflex cutaneous vasodilation and sweating response can augment the vulnerability of older adults to heat‐related injuries following exposure to heat stress. Mechanisms underlying a compromised cutaneous vasodilation are suggested to include reduced sympathetic neural drive, diminished cholinergic co‐transmitter contribution, and altered second messenger signaling events. On the other hand, impairments in sweating response are ascribed to reduced sweat gland cholinergic sensitivity and altered cyclooxygenase and nitric oxide signaling. Several practical mitigation strategies such as exercise, passive heating, and behavioral adaptations are proposed as means to overcome heat stress and improve thermal tolerance in the aged. Aerobic exercise training is shown to be amongst the most effective ways to enhance thermoregulatory function. However, in elderly with limited exercise capability due to chronic diseases and mobility issues, passive heating can serve as a functional alternative as it has been shown to confer similar benefits to that of exercise training. Supplementary to exercise training and passive heating, behavioral adaptations can be applied to further enhance the heat‐preparedness of the aged.
Anxiety and depression symptoms in adult males in Atlantic Canada with or without a lifetime history of prostate cancer
Authors: Ilie Gabriela , Rutledge Robert , Sweeney Ellen
Published: October 2019

Objective

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent form of cancer among men and has one of the most favorable survival rates among all cancers. Here we examine the association between depression and anxiety symptoms in a population‐based sample of men.

Methods

A cross‐sectional analysis was conducted on a subsample of 6 585 male participants aged 49‐69 from 2009 to 2015 survey cycle of the Atlantic PATH. Mild, moderate or severe depression or anxiety indicators were primary outcomes and were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD‐7) scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9). The presence of a lifetime history of PCa, other forms of cancer (except PCa) or absence of either was the main predictor variable.

Results

An estimated 3.9% of men self‐identified as having had a history of PCa diagnosis, 11.3% of men identified as having had a history of other forms of cancer and 84.9% reported never having had a diagnosis of cancer in their lifetime, respectively. Survivors of PCa had 2.45 or 2.05 statistically significantly higher odds of screening positive for current anxiety or depressive symptoms, respectively, compared with those who identified as without a lifetime history of any form of cancer in controlled analyses (including survivorship time).

Conclusions

Increased rates of anxiety and depression among men with a history of PCa highlight the need for mental health screening among PCa survivors. The findings highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary effort to prioritize and deliver comprehensive mental health support to PCa survivors.
“We are all brothers here”: The making of a life by Chechen refugees in Poland
Authors: Sipos Michal
Published: October 2019

In this age of human mobility, refugees face increased politicisation of their migration. Instead of being victims of the present and the past, refugees live their lives proactively. On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork among Chechen refugees in Poland, this paper concerns the relation between the political and socio‐economic context and migrants' agency. In particular, the paper explores how a shared sense of loss and trauma, refugees' deportability and subordinate inclusion within Poland and the European Union, and a collective experience of exploitation and racism shape migrants' proactive existence. The paper provides a detailed ethnographic account of the circumstances under which refugees are likely to distance themselves from the local people and host society while developing a strong sense of shared identity and collective morality.
A practical assimilation approach to extract smaller‐scale information from observations with spatially correlated errors: An idealized study
Authors: Bédard Joël , Buehner Mark
Published: October 2019

It is still common to neglect the spatial error correlations of assimilated observations in numerical weather prediction systems because no practical approach is available to account for them when the number of observations with correlated error is large or when these observations are non‐uniformly distributed. Instead, it is common practice to inflate observation error variances to avoid overfitting large scales and spatially thin observations to reduce error correlations between remaining observations, although both methods generally sacrifice small‐scale information. Inspired by previous work on assimilating the difference between adjacent observations (so‐called spatial difference observations), this study aims at combining direct observations with spatial difference observations in the assimilation to extract both large‐ and smaller‐scale information from observations with spatially correlated errors, while still neglecting these error correlations. Experiments performed in a simplified 1D context over a periodic domain show that the combined approach is numerically equivalent to directly assimilating observations available at every grid point using non‐diagonal observation error covariances based on a first‐order autoregressive correlation function. In a case where observation error correlations have a different structure (e.g. Gaussian), the true observation error correlations are not perfectly taken into account by the combined approach, but it still efficiently extracts information to correct the scales that have the most errors. Combining direct observations with spatial difference observations proves complementary and experimental results show lower analysis errors for both large and intermediate scales. More specifically, while neglecting spatial observation error correlations, the combined approach provides results with lower analysis error than the direct approach, especially when spatial error correlations are large and when direct observations are spatially thinned.
Effects of quantization and saturation on performance in bilateral teleoperator
Authors: Yang Xian , Yan Jing , Hua Changchun , Guan Xinping
Published: October 2019

Quantization caused by communication channel and saturation caused by manipulator actuator can influence the synchronized motion of bilateral teleoperation system. The primary contribution of this paper is the consideration of quantization phenomenon when designing control law for teleoperator. Two types of control schemes are considered: position error feedback and slave torque feedback. We demonstrate that asymptotic stability is possible if a suitable relationship holds among the parameters of quantizer, controller, and saturation level. The secondary contribution of the paper is the estimation for the domain of attraction of teleoperator. Linear matrix inequality–based optimization conditions are established to guarantee the stability. The calculated region provides a basis when selecting the initial states. Finally, to further demonstrate validity of the proposed method, simulation and experiment are performed on a pair of robots, which have limited actuation capacity and communication channel.
Enhanced information reconfiguration for distributed model predictive control for cyber‐physical networked systems
Authors: Wei Yongsong , Li Shaoyuan , Zheng Yi
Published: October 2019

This paper considers a class of cyber‐physical networked systems, which are composed of many interacted subsystems, and are controlled in a distributed framework. The operating point of each subsystem changes with the varying of working conditions or productions, which may cause the change of the interactions among subsystems correspondingly. How to adapt to this change with good closed‐loop optimization performance and appropriate information connections is a problem. To solve this problem, the impaction of a subsystem's control action on the performance of related closed‐loop subsystems is first deduced for measuring the coupling among subsystems. Then, a distributed model predictive control (MPC) for tracking, whose subsystems online reconfigure their information structures, is proposed based on this impaction index. When the operating points changed, each local MPC calculates the impaction indices related to its structural downstream subsystems. If and only if the impaction index exceeds a defined bound, its behavior is considered by its downstream subsystem's MPC. The aim is to improve the optimization performance of entire closed‐loop systems and avoid the unnecessary information connections among local MPCs. Besides, contraction constraints are designed to guarantee that the overall system converges to the set points. The stability analysis is also provided. Simulation results show that the proposed impaction index is reasonable along with the efficiency of the proposed distributed MPC.
A Catalyst Free One‐Pot Synthesis of Coumarin Functionalized Bis‐oxazines in Ethanol at Room Temperature
Authors: Bartwal Gaurav , Khurana Jitender M.
Published: October 2019

Coumarin scaffolds exhibit diversified biological responses such as anticancer, anti‐Alzheimer, anticogulants, antituberculosis, antioxidants, anti‐inflammatory etc. 1,3‐Oxazines also possess wide range of pharmacological activities. Therefore, incorporation of these two privileged scaffolds in a single entity using efficient green methodologies would be of great importance.Herein, we report a facile, efficient and catalyst free synthesis of coumarin functionalized bis‐oxazines via one‐pot condensation of 5,7‐dihydroxy‐4‐methyl‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one, substituted aromatic amines and formaldehyde in ethanol at room temperature. This domino reaction provides rapid access to pharmacologically relevant molecular hybrids in short reaction time. This protocol offers advantages of mild reaction conditions, operational simplicity, avoidance of column chromatography, inexpensive starting reactants and ease of product separation.
Preparation, Characterization and Photosensitizing Activities of Homoleptic Cu(II) Dithiocarbamates in TiO2‐Based DSSC
Authors: Manar Krishna K. , Neetu  , Kumari Kavita , Anamika  , Yadav Chote L. , Srivastava Pankaj , Drew Michael G. B. , Singh Nanhai
Published: October 2019

New homoleptic copper(II) dithiocarbamate complexes, [Cu(L1‐L5)2] (L1=N‐benzyl‐N‐4‐bromobenzyl dithiocarbamate− Cu1; L2=N‐benzyl‐N‐4‐methoxybenzyl dithiocarbamate− Cu2; L3=4‐N,N‐diethylbenzyl‐N‐methyl dithiocarbamate− Cu3; L4=N‐methyl‐N‐4‐isopropylbenzyl dithiocarbamate− Cu4 and L5=N‐3‐pyridyl‐N‐4‐bromobenzyl dithiocarbamate− Cu5) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, HRMS, IR and UV‐Vis. spectroscopy, PXRD and cyclic voltammetry. The monomeric (1−3) and dimeric (4) structures have been elucidated by X‐ray crystallography. In all four structures the copper atom has square planar geometry. In 3 and 4 existence of rare C−H⋅⋅⋅Cu intermolecular anagostic interactions have been detected in the solid state. All complexes were exploited as sensitizers for TiO2 photoanode based dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSC). When TiO2 anchored with these complexes was used as DSSC photoanode, significant light harvesting properties were observed with an exceptionally high light‐to‐electrical energy conversion efficiency (3.62%) shown by Cu3 complex. The extent of interfacial charge‐recombination and electron lifetime was evaluated from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies. The better performance of Cu3 compared to other complexes was attributed to its structural features. All the complexes with σrt, 10−6‐10−9 S cm−1 are weakly conducting but show semiconducting behaviour in the 303–383 K temperature range with Ea values of 0.20−0.90 eV.
Ferrocene Amino Acid Ester Uracil Conjugates: Synthesis, Structure, Electrochemistry and Antimicrobial Evaluation
Authors: Daniluk Maria , Buchowicz Włodzimierz , Koszytkowska‐Stawińska Mariola , Jarząbek Karolina , Jarzembska Katarzyna N. , Kamiński Radosław , Piszcz Michał , Laudy Agnieszka E. , Tyski Stefan
Published: October 2019

Ferrocene‐amino acid ester‐uracil conjugates, derived from four amino acids (l‐alanine, glycine, β‐alanine and γ‐aminobutyric acid), were synthesized via the Cu(I)‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition as the key step. The new compounds were characterized spectroscopically and by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography in the case of the derivatives of glycine (monoclinic,P21/c) and γ‐aminobutyric acid (orthorhombic,Pca21). Electrochemical measurements showed subtle influence of the compounds’ structure on the redox potential of the Fc/Fc+couple. Among the four compounds tested for antimicrobial activity, the conjugate obtained froml‐alanine possessed weak antifungal activity againstCandida guillermondii.
In Vitro Investigation on Behavior of Pyriproxyfen Binding onto Bovine Serum Albumin by Mean of Various Spectroscopic Methodologies and In Silico
Authors: Feng Jia‐Fei , Wu Meng , Wang Bao‐Li , Kou Song‐Bo , Lin Zhen‐Yi , Shi Jie‐Hua
Published: October 2019

The investigation on the interaction mechanism between pesticide pyriproxyfen (PPF) and serum albumin has great implications in clinical detection, gene mutation and pathological analysis of pesticide poisoning. In this paper, the binding behavior of PPF with bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been assessed through various spectroscopic techniques combined with computer simulation. The findings confirmed that PPF quenched the endogenous fluorescence of BSA in the means of static quenching and formed the stable PPF‐BSA complex with the stoichiometry of 1:1. The affinity of PPF on BSA was moderate due to its binding constant of 4.15×103 M−1 (298 K). It was confirmed from replacement experiments and molecular docking that PPF bound preferentially onto the Site I region of BSA. The findings from thermodynamic parameter analysis and the replacement experiments of ANS and sucrose confirmed the driving‐forces for forming PPF‐BSA complex was hydrogen bonding, van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions. Meantime, it was also confirmed from synchronous fluorescence and FT‐IR spectra that the hydrophilicity surrounding Trp residues and α‐helix of BSA declined due to binding with PPF. And, it is confirmed from in silico finding the dipole moment, atomic charge distribution, molecular conformation, and frontier orbital of PPF also significantly altered after binding with BSA.
Bismuth(III)‐Triflate‐Catalyzed Highly Diastereoselective Synthesis of Substituted Tetrahydrothiophene via Tandem Isomerization, Michael and Aldol Reactions
Authors: Borthakur Upasana , Saikia Anil K
Published: October 2019

Bismuth(III)trifluoromethanesulfonate (Bi(OTf)3) catalyzes the reaction of β,γ‐unsaturated ketone and 1,4‐dithiane‐2,5‐diol to afford highly substituted tetrahydrothiophenes via sequential rearrangement, Michael and aldol reactions in good yields. The reaction is highly diastereoselective. Bi(OTf)3 acts as a catalyst for all three reactions.
Piperine Nanoparticles for Topical Application: Preparation, Characterization,In vitroandIn silicoEvaluation
Authors: Budama‐Kilinc Yasemin
Published: October 2019

In this study, piperine was investigated as a drug molecule due to its analgesic and anti‐inflammatory properties. Piperine was encapsulated with poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) in order to increase drug bioavailability for topical applications. Characterization of piperine PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) were performed with spectroscopic and imaging methods. It was found that the piperine PLGA NPs were successfully prepared according to the analyses. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of the piperine were calculated as 99% and 3%, respectively.In vitrorelease study was also performed. Besides, it was shown that piperine had no mutagenic effect. Finally, molecular docking simulation was performed by using the AutoDock Vina program to identify the interaction between piperine and COX‐1 and COX‐2 enzymes. The aim of this study is to contribute to the design of plant derived nano‐formulations for local anti‐inflammation and pain treatment with better skin penetration.
Dynamic regulation of connexins in stem cell pluripotency
Authors: Esseltine Jessica L. , Brooks Courtney R. , Edwards Nicole A. , Subasri Mathushan , Sampson Jacinda , Séguin Cheryle , Betts Dean H. , Laird Dale W.
Published: October 2019

Characterization of the pluripotent “ground state” has led to a greater understanding of species-specific stem cell differences and has imparted an appreciation of the pluripotency continuum that exists in stem cells in vitro. Pluripotent stem cells are functionally coupled via connexins that serve in gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and here we report that the level of connexin expression in pluripotent stem cells depends upon the state in which stem cells exist in vitro. Human and mouse pluripotent stem cells stabilized in a developmentally primitive or “naïve” state exhibit significantly less connexin expression compared with stem cells which are “primed” for differentiation. This dynamic connexin expression pattern may be governed, in part, by differential regulation by pluripotency transcription factors expressed in each cell state. Species-specific differences do exist, however, with mouse stem cells expressing several additional connexin transcripts not found in human pluripotent stem cells. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of GJIC shows limited impact on naïve human stem cell survival, self-renewal, and pluripotency but plays a more significant role in primed human pluripotent stem cells. However, CRISPR-Cas9 gene ablation of Cx43 in human and mouse primed and naïve pluripotent stem cells reveals that Cx43 is dispensable in each of these four pluripotent stem cell types.
Proteasome activation by insulin-like growth factor-1/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signaling promotes exercise-induced neurogenesis
Authors: Niu Xiaojie , Zhao Yunhe , Yang Na , Zhao Xuechun , Zhang Wei , Bai Xiaowen , Li Ang , Yang Wulin , Lu Li
Published: October 2019

Physical exercise-induced enhancement of learning and memory and alleviation of age-related cognitive decline in humans have been widely acknowledged. However, the mechanistic relationship between exercise and cognitive improvement remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that exercise-elicited cognitive benefits were accompanied by adaptive hippocampal proteasome activation. Voluntary wheel running increased hippocampal proteasome activity in adult and middle-aged mice, contributing to an acceleration of neurogenesis that could be reversed by intrahippocampal injection of the proteasome inhibitor MG132. We further found that increased levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in both serum and hippocampus may be essential for exercise-induced proteasome activation. Our in vitro study demonstrated that IGF-1 stimulated proteasome activity in cultured adult neural progenitor cells (NPCs) by promoting nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), followed by elevated expressions of proteasome subunits such as PSMB5. In contrast, pretreating adult mice with the selective IGF-1R inhibitor picropodophyllin diminished exercise-induced neurogenesis, concurrent with reduced Nrf2 nuclear translocation and proteasome activity. Likewise, lowering Nrf2 expression by RNA interference with bilateral intrahippocampal injections of recombinant adeno-associated viral particles significantly suppressed exercise-induced proteasome activation and attenuated cognitive function. Collectively, our work demonstrates that proteasome activation in hippocampus through IGF-1/Nrf2 signaling is a key adaptive mechanism underlying exercise-related neurogenesis, which may serve as a potential targetable pathway in neurodegeneration.
Synthesis and Inhibition Performance of a Fe3O4/Chitosan‐Supported Inhibitor
Authors: Wang Meiyi , Han Junjun , Shi Huihui
Published: October 2019

In this work, a magnetic inhibitor (MI) was first prepared by using p‐hydroxybenzaldehyde anchored onto magnetic chitosan (MCS). Its inhibition effect to the free‐radical polymerization was studied. The MI with a size of less than 1 μM was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). For potential application, MIs have been used to inhibit the thermal polymerization of styrene, and they can be removed from the monomers conveniently by magnetic separation. The corresponding inhibitory effect has been investigated through the measurement of the induction period with the dilatometer method. The results show that the inhibitory effect of MI was eight times higher than that of the nonadditive inhibitor for the equivalent volume of styrene. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 26:304–308, 2020. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers