bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Donor selection in a pediatric stem cell transplantation cohort using PIRCHE and HLA‐DPB1 typing
Authors: Stenger Wiebke , Künkele Annette , Niemann Matthias , Todorova Kremena , Pruß Axel , Schulte Johannes H. , Eggert Angelika , Oevermann Lena
Published: December 2019

Background

New strategies to optimize donor selection for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have mainly been evaluated in adults, but the disease spectrum requiring HSCT differs significantly in children and has consequences for the risk of complications, such as graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD).

Procedures

Here we evaluated whether HLA‐DPB1 and Predicted Indirectly ReCognizable HLA‐Epitope (PIRCHE) matching can improve donor selection and minimize risks specific for a pediatric cohort undergoing HSCT in Berlin between 2014 and 2016.

Results

The percentage of HLA‐DPB1–mismatched HSCT in the pediatric cohort was in line with the general distribution among matched unrelated donor HSCT. Nonpermissive HLA‐DPB1 mismatches were not associated with a higher incidence of GvHD, but the incidence of relapse was higher in patients undergoing HSCT from HLA‐DPB1–matched transplantations. High PIRCHE‐I scores were associated with a significantly higher risk for developing GvHD in patients undergoing HSCT from nine of ten matched unrelated donors. This finding persisted after including HLA‐DPB1 into the PIRCHE analysis.

Conclusions

Implementing PIRCHE typing in the donor selection process for HSCT in children could particularly benefit children with nonmalignant diseases and support further validation of PIRCHE‐based donor selection in a larger number of children treated at different sites.
Targeting pharmacophore with probe‐reactivity‐guided fractionation to precisely identify electrophilic sesquiterpenes and its activity of anti‐TNBC
Authors: Jiang QingLi , Zhu ZhiHui , Shou PanTing , Teng Fei , Zhu Ying , Zhao HuaJun , Yang Bo
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Innovative strategy is urgently needed to precisely discover novel natural products as lead compounds for development of new drugs against orphan diseases such as triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC). Herein, we describe a targeting pharmacophore with probe‐reactivity‐guided strategy for the discovery of electrophilic sesquiterpene (ES), a class of bioactive natural product.

Objective

This study aimed to identify pharmacophore, based on pharmacophore with probe‐reactivity‐guided strategy for precisely discovering ESs from ethyl acetate extract of Eupatorium chinense L. (EEEChL)

Methodology

MTT assay combined with ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) analysis was used to identify pharmacophore. UPLC‐mass spectrometry (MS) was applied to carefully compare the intrinsic reactivity characteristics of two chemoselective nucleophilic probes: glutathione (GSH) and 4‐bromothiophenol (BTP) reaction with ESs. ESs was isolated and identified from EEEChL by phytochemical methods. Furthermore, stoichiometric ratio and binding site of one typical ES 8β‐[4′‐hydroxytigloyloxy]‐5‐desoxy‐8‐desacyleuparotin (HDDE) reaction with BTP were studied by UPLC‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight (Q‐TOF)‐MS and two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

Results

Eleven ESs were identified from EEEChL, MTT assay illustrated that all of the 11 ESs possess fairly good anti‐TNBC activity

Conclusions

Electrophilic groups were confirmed as pharmacophore of bioactive compounds contained in EEEChL. An optimised halogenated aromatic probe BTP furnishes ES‐BTP conjugates that are highly conspicuous via MS by virtue of a unique isotopic bromine signature, conjugates also have a considerable separation on C18 column. The new probe‐reactivity‐guided strategy can effectively improve the traditional bioassay‐guided approaches, and significantly increase the probability of obtaining designated bioactive compounds.
Validation of claims‐based algorithms for psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Lee Hemin , Ford Julia A. , Jin Yinzhu , Cho Soo‐Kyung , Santiago Ortiz Adrian J. , Tong Angela Y. , Kim Seoyoung C.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

An increasing number of new medications are being developed and approved for psoriatic arthritis (PsA). To generate real‐world evidence on comparative safety and effectiveness of these drugs, a claims‐based algorithm that can accurately identify PsA is greatly needed.

Methods

To identify patients with PsA, we developed seven claims‐based algorithms based on a combination of diagnosis codes and medication dispensing using the claims data from Medicare parts A/B/D linked to electronic medical records (2012‐2014). Two physicians independently conducted a chart review using the treating physician's diagnosis of PsA as the gold standard. We calculated the positive predictive value (PPV) and 95% confidence intervals of each algorithm.

Results

Of the total 2157 records identified by the seven algorithms, 45% of the records had relevant clinical data to determine the presence of PsA. The PPV of the algorithms ranged from 75.2% (algorithm 1: ≥2 diagnosis codes for PsA and ≥1 diagnosis code for psoriasis) to 88.6% (algorithm 7: ≥2 diagnosis codes for PsA with ≥1 code by rheumatologist and ≥1 dispensing for PsA medication). Having ≥2 diagnosis codes and ≥1 dispensing for PsA medications (algorithm 6) also had PPV of 82.4%.

Conclusions

All seven claims‐based algorithms demonstrated a moderately high PPV of 75% to 89% in identifying PsA. The use of ≥2 diagnosis codes plus ≥1 prescription claim for PsA appears to be a valid and efficient tool in identifying PsA patients in the claims data, while broader algorithms based on diagnoses without a prescription claim also have reasonably good PPVs.
Comparison between single‐site and multiport robot‐assisted hysterectomy in obese patients with endometrial cancer: An Italian multi‐institutional study
Authors: Corrado Giacomo , Mereu Liliana , Bogliolo Stefano , Cela Vito , Gardella Barbara , Sperduti Isabella , Certelli Camilla , Pellegrini Alice , Posar Giulia , Zampa Ashanti , Tateo Saverio , Gadducci Angiolo , Spinillo Arsenio , Vizza Enrico
Published: December 2019

Background

The aim of this study is to compare robotic single‐site hysterectomy (RSSH) and robotic multiport hysterectomy (RMPH) for endometrial cancer (EC) in obese patients in terms of surgical outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective study compares RSSH with RMPH in obese patients with EC and FIGO stages I to II divided in three classes according to their body mass index (BMI): class A (30‐34.9 kg/m2), class B (35‐39.9 kg/m2), and class C (>40 kg/m2).

Results

We included 225 patients (RSSH: 76; RMPH: 149). The operative time and estimated blood loss (EBL) were lower in the A class of the RSSH group. The EBL and the conversion rate increased when the BMI increased in the RSSH group. The hospital stay was higher in the A class of the RMPH group.

Conclusions

The advantages of RSSH in terms of reduced invasiveness remain true only in the first BMI class, whereas they are lost when the BMI increased.
A Comprehensive Topological Analysis of a Novel Flavonoid Extracted from Brazilian Cerrado Plants
Authors: Silva Marianna C. , Sallum Lóide O. , Menezes Antônio C. S. , Camargo Ademir J. , Napolitano Hamilton B.
Published: December 2019

Epicatechin is a bioactive compound that has several biological functions, and can be found in a number of Brazilian Cerrado plants. The compound (2R,3R)‐2‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐3,5,7‐triol (EPC) was extracted from Salacia crassifolia and its molecular architecture and supramolecular arrangement were characterized by X‐ray diffraction and Hirshfeld Surface. Theoretical calculations such as QTAIM, frontier molecular orbital, MEP and infrared spectra assignments were calculated at M06‐2X/6‐311++G(d,p) basis set. MEP revealed most positive region around hydrogen atoms of the hydroxyl group. X‐ray diffraction and QTAIM results showed that EPC forms a tetramer linked by classical hydrogen bonds O–H…O due to the number of hydroxyl groups available. The crystalline packing and supramolecular arrangement are stabilized by non‐classical hydrogen C–H…O and C–H…π interactions.
Asymptotic normality of the time‐domain generalized least squares estimator for linear regression models
Authors: Nguyen Hien D.
Published: December 2019

In linear models, the generalized least squares (GLS) estimator is applicable when the structure of the error dependence is known. When it is unknown, such structure must be approximated and estimated in a manner that may lead to misspecification. The large‐sample analysis of incorrectly specified GLS (IGLS) estimators requires careful asymptotic manipulations. When performing estimation in the frequency domain, the asymptotic normality of the IGLS estimator, under the so‐called Grenander assumptions, has been proved for a broad class of error dependence models. Under the same assumptions, asymptotic normality results for the time‐domain IGLS estimator are only available for a limited class of error structures. We prove that the time‐domain IGLS estimator is asymptotically normal for a general class of dependence models.
Aloe vivipara(Asphodelaceae s.l.): Nomenclature, history, and typification of a complicated Linnaean name
Authors: Iamonico Duilio , García‐Morales Leccinium J.
Published: December 2019

The typification of the Linnaean nameAloe viviparais discussed. The illustration in Rumphius'sHerbarium Amboinenseis designated as the lectotype. The nomenclatural history ofAl. viviparaand related names is presented. Among them,Agave candelabrum(=Al. vivipara) is lectotypified on an illustration from Todaro.Aloe viviparais considered a heterotypic synonym ofAgave vivipara, the latter name having nomenclatural priority.Agave cantalais neotypified on Wight's illustration, and synonymized withAg. wightii(=Ag. angustifolia), which is lectotypified on Wight's specimen at E.
Influence of Electron Beam Irradiation on High‐Temperature Mechanical Properties of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate/Carbon Fibers Composites
Authors: Hamid Yasin , Svoboda Petr , Svobodova Dagmar
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of carbon fiber (CF) and electron‐beam (EB) radiation on high‐temperature mechanical properties of ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA). Polymer composites were prepared by mixing on a two‐roll mill. After compression molding, the samples were irradiated between 60 and 180 kGy, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to characterize physical properties. The effects of filler content and radiation level on the mechanical properties of EVA/CF were evaluated. The shear stress and modulus were observed to increase with increasing of the filler level. However, there was a dramatic decrease in creep compliance. It was also shown that introduction of irradiation on EVA composite increases the shear stress and the real part of the dynamic shear modulus G' due to the increase in molecular weight and cross‐linking of the polymer after irradiation. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 26:325–335, 2020. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
What is mindreading?
Authors: Spaulding Shannon
Published: December 2019

Theory of mind, also known as mindreading, refers to our ability to attribute mental states to agents in order to make sense of and interact with other agents. Recently, theorists in this literature have advanced a broad conception of mindreading. In particular, psychologists and philosophers have examined how we attribute knowledge, intention, mentalistically loaded stereotypes, and personality traits to others. Moreover, the diversity of our goals in a social interaction—precision, efficiency, self/in‐group protection—generates diversity in the mindreading processes we employ. Finally, the products of mindreading are varied, as well. We produce different sorts of mindreading explanations depending on our epistemic goals and the situational context. In this article, I piece together these different strands of research to present a broad conception of mindreading that is complex, messy, and interesting.

This article is categorized under:

Philosophy > Knowledge and Belief

Philosophy > Psychological Capacities
Combined constant speed control method for a wind generator equipped with hydraulic energy storage
Authors: Han Xiaoxia , Wei Liejiang , Feng Yongbao , Wang Gang , Liu Zengguang , Xie Jian
Published: December 2019

A wind generator equipped with hydraulic energy storage (WG‐HES) uses hydraulic transmission systems instead of gearbox transmissions, thus eliminating high‐power converters and reducing the tower‐top cabin weight. When there is no wind or the wind speed is extremely low, the pressured oil released by accumulators is used to drive a motor to operate at a constant speed, thereby generating constant‐frequency power. However, few studies have examined the constant speed control characteristics for generating electricity using only an accumulator group. In this study, a combined constant speed (CCS) proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control method based on “variable displacement and throttling” is proposed, which includes two closed loops and one regulating loop. First, a simulation model of the CCS PID control method for a variable motor was established in the Simcenter Amesim program. The influence of different PID parameters on the anti‐interference ability of the constant speed control of the motor was analyzed under a given load step. Then, we obtained the range of control parameter values and a set of optimal values. Second, the effectiveness of the CCS control method and the accuracy of the simulation results were verified on a 600‐kW WG‐HES system prototype. The results verified that the CCS control method has good anti‐interference ability and can meet the requirements of constant speed control for a variable motor under the best PID parameters. These results can provide a basis for developing control strategies for WG‐HESs when there is no wind or at low wind speeds.
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering in multi-ton scale dark matter experiments: classification of vector and scalar interactions new physics signals
Authors: Sierra D. Aristizabal , Dutta Bhaskar , Liao Shu , Strigari Louis E.
Published: December 2019

Abstract

We classify new physics signals in coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) processes induced by 8B solar neutrinos in multi-ton xenon dark matter (DM) detectors. Our analysis focuses on vector and scalar interactions in the effective and light mediator limits after considering the constraints emerging from the recent COHERENT data and neutrino masses. In both cases we identify a region where measurements of the event spectrum alone suffice to establish whether the new physics signal is related with vector or scalar couplings. We identify as well a region where measurements of the recoil spectrum are required so to establish the nature of the new interaction, and categorize the spectral features that enable distinguishing the vector from the scalar case. We demonstrate that measurements of the isospin nature of the new interaction and thereby removal of isospin related degeneracies are possible by combining independent measurements from two different detectors. We also comment on the status of searches for vector and scalar interactions for on-going multi-ton year xenon experiments.
The effect of exercise on aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal symptoms in breast cancer survivors :a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lu Geling , Zheng Jin , Zhang Lei
Published: December 2019

Background

Evidence is mixed regarding the effect of exercise programs on improving musculoskeletal symptoms and quality of life. Previous meta-analyses have not focused specifically on the musculoskeletal symptoms. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of exercise on these outcomes in breast cancer survivors taking aromatase inhibitors.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, Wan Fang, CNKI, VIP, and CBM were searched for randomized control trials or quasi-experimental studies from the establishment of the database to May 2019. Studies comparing exercise programs with usual care among breast cancer survivors taking aromatase inhibitors were included. The primary outcome was the degree of musculoskeletal symptoms, as assessed by scores of pain, stiffness, and grip strength. The secondary outcome was the total quality of life score.

Results

A total of 9 studies involving 743 participants were included. Exercise programs were more effective than usual care in improving musculoskeletal symptoms among breast cancer patients taking AIs. The subgroup scores of pain (SMD = -0.46, 95% CI -0.79 to -0.13, P = 0.006), stiffness (SMD = -0.40, 95% CI -0.71 to -0.08, P = 0.01), and grip strength (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.71, P = 0.002) benefited from exercise interventions. Similar effects were found for the quality of life scores (SMD = 2.24, 95% CI 0.28 to 4.21, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Results indicate that exercise relieves musculoskeletal symptoms and improves quality of life, which can be used to motivate patients to exercise actively under professional guidance. Due to a small sample size, further research is required to ensure the effectiveness of exercise on musculoskeletal symptoms and quality of life.
Coronary artery disease risk reclassification using an acoustic-based score in view of the new European Society of Cardiology 2019 guidelines on Chronic Coronary Syndromes
Authors: Schmidt S. E. , Winther S. , Boettcher M.
Published: December 2019

In August 2019, ESC published new guidelines on Chronic Coronary Syndromes including a new risk assessment paradigm for estimation of pre-test-probability. The CAD-score is an acoustic-based score for ruling-out of coronary artery disease (CAD). In the current letter to the editor we re-evaluate the re-classification potential the CAD-score in the view of the new guidelines.
Peering Forward, 10 Years After: International Policy and Consumer Credit Regulation
Authors: Ramsay I. , Williams T.
Published: December 2019

A key change since the financial crisis of 2008 is the internationalization of interest in consumer finance. International institutions monitor household credit because of its impact on financial stability and market expansion. Macroprudential concerns drove this interest, resulting in a sea change in approaches to consumer credit regulation in many jurisdictions. This article critically analyses the emerging international policy paradigm, contrasting pre-and post-crisis regulatory approaches and highlighting continuing tensions about key policy choices. It then uses two recent sites of contestation, debt adjustment and the regulation of high-cost credit to demostrate the persistence of conflict over the positioning of consumers within an emergent stability focused paradigm of financial consumer protection.
Nepali Migrant Workers and the Need for Pre-departure Training on Mental Health: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Regmi Pramod R. , Aryal Nirmal , van Teijlingen Edwin , Simkhada Padam , Adhikary Pratik
Published: December 2019

Every year around 1000 Nepali migrant workers die abroad. Every one in three females and one in ten males commit suicide, reflecting a high mental health risk among Nepali migrant workers. This study aims to identify triggers of mental ill-health among Nepali migrant workers and their perceptions on the need of mental health components in the pre-departure orientation programme. We conducted five focus group discussions (FGD) and seven in-depth interviews with Nepali migrant workers and eight semi-structured interviews with stakeholders working for migrants. Participants were invited at Kathmandu’s international airport on return from abroad, at hotels or bus stations near the airport, through organisations working for migrants, and participants’ network. All FGD and interviews were conducted in Kathmandu and audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Data were analyzed thematically. High expectations from families back home, an unfair treatment at work, poor arrangements of accommodation, loneliness and poor social life abroad were frequently reported factors for poor mental health. Access to mental health services abroad by Nepali migrant was also poor. We found little on mental health in the pre-departure orientation. We need to improve our knowledge of mental health risks to provide better, more focused and more up-to-date pre-departure training to new migrant workers leaving Nepal.
Distributed block-diagonal approximation methods for regularized empirical risk minimization
Authors: Lee Ching-pei , Chang Kai-Wei
Published: December 2019

In recent years, there is a growing need to train machine learning models on a huge volume of data. Therefore, designing efficient distributed optimization algorithms for empirical risk minimization (ERM) has become an active and challenging research topic. In this paper, we propose a flexible framework for distributed ERM training through solving the dual problem, which provides a unified description and comparison of existing methods. Our approach requires only approximate solutions of the sub-problems involved in the optimization process, and is versatile to be applied on many large-scale machine learning problems including classification, regression, and structured prediction. We show that our framework enjoys global linear convergence for a broad class of non-strongly-convex problems, and some specific choices of the sub-problems can even achieve much faster convergence than existing approaches by a refined analysis. This improved convergence rate is also reflected in the superior empirical performance of our method.
Mathematical Optimization Problems for Particle Finite Element Analysis Applied to 2D Landslide Modeling
Authors: Wang Liang , Zhang Xue , Zaniboni Filippo , Oñate Eugenio , Tinti Stefano
Published: December 2019

Notwithstanding its complexity in terms of numerical implementation and limitations in coping with problems involving extreme deformation, the finite element method (FEM) offers the advantage of solving complicated mathematical problems with diverse boundary conditions. Recently, a version of the particle finite element method (PFEM) was proposed for analyzing large-deformation problems. In this version of the PFEM, the finite element formulation, which was recast as a standard optimization problem and resolved efficiently using advanced optimization engines, was adopted for incremental analysis whilst the idea of particle approaches was employed to tackle mesh issues resulting from the large deformations. In this paper, the numerical implementation of this version of PFEM is detailed, revealing some key numerical aspects that are distinct from the conventional FEM, such as the solution strategy, imposition of displacement boundary conditions, and treatment of contacts. Additionally, the correctness and robustness of this version of PFEM in conducting failure and post-failure analyses of landslides are demonstrated via a stability analysis of a typical slope and a case study on the 2008 Tangjiashan landslide, China. Comparative studies between the results of the PFEM simulations and available data are performed qualitatively as well as quantitatively.
Holy Apparition or Hyper-Religiosity: Prevalence of Explanatory Models for Religious and Spiritual Experiences in Patients with Bipolar Disorder and Their Associations with Religiousness
Authors: Ouwehand Eva , Braam Arjan W. , Renes Joannes W. , Muthert Hanneke J. K. , Zock Hetty T.
Published: December 2019

One point that emerges from qualitative research on religion and bipolar disorder (BD) is the problem patients with BD experience in distinguishing between genuine religious experiences and hyper-religiosity. However, clinical practice does not obviously address communication about differences in explanatory models for illness experiences. The aim of the current study is first to estimate the frequencies of different types of explanations (medical versus religious) for experiences perceived as religious and related to BD, second to explore how these types relate to diagnosis and religiousness, and third to explore the frequency of expectation of treatment for religiosity. In total, 196 adult patients at a specialist outpatient center for BD in the Netherlands completed a questionnaire consisting of seven types of explanations for religious experiences and several items on religiousness. Of the participants who had had religious experiences (66%), 46% viewed the experiences as ‘part of spiritual development’ and 42% as ‘both spiritual and pathological,’ 31% reported ‘keeping distance from such experiences,’ and 15% viewed them as ‘only pathological.’ Measures of religiousness were positively associated with ‘part of spiritual development’ and negatively associated with ‘keeping distance from the experiences’ and ‘only pathological.’ Half of the sample viewed religiosity as an important topic in treatment. It can be hypothesized that strength of religiousness may help people to integrate destabilizing experiences related to BD into their spiritual development. However, the ambiguity of strong religious involvement in BD necessitates careful exploration of the subject in clinical practice.
Ideal structure and factorization properties of the regular kernel operators
Authors: Blanco A.
Published: December 2019

We consider the structure of the lattice of (order and algebra) ideals of the band of regular kernel operators on $$L^p$$

L
p

-spaces. We show, in particular, that for any $$L^p(\mu )$$

L
p

(
μ
)

space, with $$\mu $$
μ
$$\sigma $$
σ
-finite and $$1<p<\infty $$

1
<
p
<
∞

, the norm-closure of the ideal of finite-rank operators on $$L^p(\mu )$$

L
p

(
μ
)

, is the only non-trivial proper closed (order and algebra) ideal of this band. Key to our results in the $$L^p$$

L
p

setting is the fact that every regular kernel operator on an $$L^p(\mu )$$

L
p

(
μ
)

space ($$\mu $$
μ
and p as before) factors with regular factors through $$\ell _p$$

ℓ
p

. We show that a similar but weaker factorization property, where $$\ell _p$$

ℓ
p

is replaced by some reflexive purely atomic Banach lattice, characterizes the regular kernel operators from a reflexive Banach lattice with weak order unit to a KB-space with weak order unit.
The Effect of Advance Care Planning on Heart Failure: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Schichtel Markus , Wee Bee , Perera Rafael , Onakpoya Igho
Published: December 2019

Background

Advance care planning is widely advocated to improve outcomes in end-of-life care for patients suffering from heart failure. But until now, there has been no systematic evaluation of the impact of advance care planning (ACP) on clinical outcomes. Our aim was to determine the effect of ACP in heart failure through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

We searched CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, ERIC, Ovid MEDLINE, Science Citation Index and PsycINFO (inception to July 2018). We selected RCTs including adult patients with heart failure treated in a hospital, hospice or community setting. Three reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, assessed the risk of bias (Cochrane risk of bias tool) and evaluated the quality of evidence (GRADE tool) and analysed interventions according to the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR). We calculated standardized mean differences (SMD) in random effects models for pooled effects using the generic inverse variance method.

Results

Fourteen RCTs including 2924 participants met all of the inclusion criteria. There was a moderate effect in favour of ACP for quality of life (SMD, 0.38; 95% CI [0.09 to 0.68]), patients’ satisfaction with end-of-life care (SMD, 0.39; 95% CI [0.14 to 0.64]) and the quality of end-of-life communication (SMD, 0.29; 95% CI [0.17 to 0.42]) for patients suffering from heart failure. ACP seemed most effective if it was introduced at significant milestones in a patient’s disease trajectory, included family members, involved follow-up appointments and considered ethnic preferences. Several sensitivity analyses confirmed the statistically significant direction of effect. Heterogeneity was mainly due to different study settings, length of follow-up periods and compositions of ACP.

Conclusions

ACP improved quality of life, patient satisfaction with end-of-life care and the quality of end-of-life communication for patients suffering from heart failure and could be most effective when the right timing, follow-up and involvement of important others was considered.
Memory Training as a Method for Reducing the Misinformation Effect
Authors: Szpitalak Malwina , Woltmann Adrianna , Polczyk Romuald , Kękuś Magdalena
Published: December 2019

The two experiments presented in this study investigate the impact of memory training on the misinformation effect. This effect is particularly important in the forensic context as exposing a witness to misinformation may adversely affect the content of their testimony. During the training, the participants were acquainted with seven (Experiment 1) or six (Experiment 2) types of memory errors. It was expected that knowledge of the unreliability of human memory would reduce the misinformation effect and therefore improve the quality of testimony. These hypotheses were confirmed in both experiments. The efficacy of both the complete and reduced training courses was not statistically different. Additionally, in Experiment 1 the effectiveness of warning against misinformation was replicated: respondents warned about misinformation were more resistant to it than those not warned. The tainted truth effect was also present: people warned against non-existent misinformation had lower correctness in the memory test than non-warned ones. Finally, immediate recall of the content of the original information had no impact on the misinformation effect.
Pace, pause & silence: Creating emphasis & suspense in your writing
Authors: Lingard Lorelei
Published: December 2019

None
Impact of an Artificial Intelligence Research Frame on the Perceived Credibility of Educational Research Evidence
Authors: Cukurova Mutlu , Luckin Rosemary , Kent Carmel
Published: December 2019

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is attracting a great deal of attention and it is important to investigate the public perceptions of AI and their impact on the perceived credibility of research evidence. In the literature, there is evidence that people overweight research evidence when framed in neuroscience findings. In this paper, we present the findings of the first investigation of the impact of an AI frame on the perceived credibility of educational research evidence. In an experimental study, we allocated 605 participants including educators to one of three conditions in which the same educational research evidence was framed within one of: AI, neuroscience, or educational psychology. The results demonstrate that when educational research evidence is framed within AI research, it is considered as less credible in comparison to when it is framed instead within neuroscience or educational psychology. The effect is still evident when the subjects’ familiarity with the framing discipline is controlled for. Furthermore, our results indicate that the general public perceives AI to be: less helpful in assisting us to understand how children learn, lacking in adherence to scientific methods, and to be less prestigious compared to neuroscience and educational psychology. Considering the increased use of AI technologies in Educational settings, we argue that there should be significant attempts to recover the public image of AI being less scientifically robust and less prestigious than educational psychology and neuroscience. We conclude the article suggesting that AI in Education community should attempt to be more actively engaged with key stakeholders of AI and Education to help mitigate such effects.
Unity in the Scientific Study of Intellectual Attention
Authors: Fortney Mark
Published: December 2019

I argue that using information from a cognitive representation to guide the performance of a primary task is sufficient for intellectual attention, and that this account of attention is endorsed by scientists working in the refreshing,n-back, and retro-cue paradigms. I build on the work of Wayne Wu (2014), who developed a similarly motivated account, but for perceptual attention rather than intellectual attention. The way that I build on Wu’s account provides a principled way of responding to Watzl’s (2011a, 2017) challenge to Wu, according to which Wu’s style of account is unintuitively broad. The fact that I find unity in the practice of science puts us in a position to resist the claim that scientists studying intellectual attention are frequently failing to study the same thing.
Generalized eigenvalues of the (P, 2)-Laplacian under a parametric boundary condition
Authors: Abreu Jamil , Madeira Gustavo F.
Published: December 2019

In this paper we study a general eigenvalue problem for the so called (p, 2)-Laplace operator on a smooth bounded domain Ω ⊂ ℝNunder a nonlinear Steklov type boundary condition, namely\[\left\{ \begin{aligned} -\Delta_pu-\Delta u & =\lambda a(x)u \quad {\rm in}\ \Omega,\\ (|\nabla u|^{p-2}+1)\dfrac{\partial u}{\partial\nu} & =\lambda b(x)u \quad {\rm on}\ \partial\Omega . \end{aligned} \right.\]For positive weight functionsaandbsatisfying appropriate integrability and boundedness assumptions, we show that, for allp>1, the eigenvalue set consists of an isolated null eigenvalue plus a continuous family of eigenvalues located away from zero.
Degenerate equations in a diffusion–precipitation model for clogging porous media
Authors: SCHULZ RAPHAEL
Published: December 2019

In this article, we consider diffusive transport of a reactive substance in a saturated porous medium including variable porosity. Thereby, the evolution of the microstructure is caused by precipitation of the transported substance. We are particularly interested in analysing the model when the equations degenerate due to clogging. Introducing an appropriate weighted function space, we are able to handle the degeneracy and obtain analytical results for the transport equation. Also the decay behaviour of this solution with respect to the porosity is investigated. There a restriction on the decay order is assumed, that is, besides low initial concentration also dense precipitation leads to possible high decay. We obtain nonnegativity and boundedness for the weak solution to the transport equation. Moreover, we study an ordinary differential equation (ODE) describing the change of porosity. Thereby, the control of an appropriate weighted norm of the gradient of the porosity is crucial for the analysis of the transport equation. In order to obtain global in time solutions to the overall coupled system, we apply a fixed point argument. The problem is solved for substantially degenerating hydrodynamic parameters.
Bovine jugular vein conduit versus pulmonary homograft in the Ross operation
Authors: Patel Parth M. , Herrmann Jeremy L. , Rodefeld Mark D. , Turrentine Mark W. , Brown John W.
Published: December 2019

Objectives:

The Ross procedure involves using the native pulmonary valve for aortic valve replacement then replacing the pulmonary valve with an allograft or xenograft. We aimed to compare our age-matched experience with the bovine jugular vein conduit and the pulmonary homograft for pulmonary valve replacement during the Ross procedure in children.

Methods:

Between 1998 and 2016, 15 patients <18 years of age underwent a Ross procedure using the bovine jugular vein conduit (Ross-Bovine Jugular Vein Conduit) at our institution. These patients were age-matched with 15 patients who had the Ross operation with a standard pulmonary homograft for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (Ross-Pulmonary Homograft). Paper and electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed.

Results:

The median age of the Ross-Bovine Jugular Vein Conduit and Ross-Pulmonary Homograft patients were 4.8 years (interquartile range 1.1–6.6) and 3.3 years (interquartile 1.2–7.6), respectively (p = 0.6). The median follow-up time for the Ross-Bovine Jugular Vein Conduit and Ross-Pulmonary Homograft groups were 1.7 years (interquartile range 0.5–4.9) and 6.8 years (interquartile range 1.9–13.4), respectively (p = 0.03). Overall, 5-year survival, freedom from redo aortic valve replacement, and freedom from pulmonary valve replacement were similar between groups.

Conclusion:

The bovine jugular vein conduit and pulmonary homograft have favourable mid-term durability when used for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction for the Ross operation. The bovine jugular vein conduit may be a suitable replacement for appropriately sized patients undergoing a Ross aortic valve replacement, though longer follow-up is needed.
What does the European Union Think about the USA, Russia, the PRC, Germany and Itself?
Authors: Solarz Marcin Wojciech , Wojtaszczyk Małgorzata , Zych Maciej , Solarz Anna M.
Published: December 2019

Every year, Gallup Inc. surveys the societal relationships that EU countries have with the USA, Germany, Russia and the PRC as well as the EU itself. The respondents furnish information on Europeans’ views regarding designated international political entities as international community leaders. This article examines the attitude of the European Union’s citizens to the above indicated potential and real leaderships in 2014–2016.
Hydroclimate Change Encoded in Tree Rings of Fengshui Woods in Southeastern China and its Teleconnection With El Niño‐Southern Oscillation
Authors: Zhou Feifei , Fang Keyan , Zhang Fen , Dong Zhipeng
Published: December 2019

Hydroclimate variations inferred from proxies, such as tree rings, provide a long‐term context for the understanding of the current climate change. In humid Southeastern China (SEC), relatively limited long‐term tree‐ring records were published due to the paucity of old trees. This study develops a robust tree‐ring width chronology from the Chinese cedar (Cryptomeria fortune) Fengshui woods, spanning from 1781 to 2015, by far the longest in SEC. Common growth anomalies of the Fengshui trees can well capture long‐term springtime (March–May) Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) changes over the past 230 years in SEC. This hydroclimate‐sensitive chronology shows significant correlations with El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) like sea surface temperature modes, indicating that ENSO may act as an important regulator in local springtime SPEI. However, interdecadal shifts in the relationships between the variances of tree rings and ENSO reveal that the ENSO‐SPEI teleconnection over SEC was an unstable process, and it collapsed during the periods of 1820s–1860s and 1920s–1960s, when ENSO was in its decaying phases.
Dosage effect of multiple genes accounts for multisystem disorder of myotonic dystrophy type 1
Authors: Yin Qi , Wang Hongye , Li Na , Ding Yifu , Xie Zhenfei , Jin Lifang , Li Yan , Wang Qiong , Liu Xinyi , Xu Liuqing , Li Qing , Ma Yongjian , Cheng Yanbo , Wang Kai , Zhong Cuiqing , Yu Qian , Tang Wei , Chen Wanjin , Yang Wenjun , Zhang Fan , Ding Chen , Bao Lan , Zhou Bin , Hu Ping , Li Jinsong
Published: December 2019

Multisystem manifestations in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) may be due to dosage reduction in multiple genes induced by aberrant expansion of CTG repeats in DMPK, including DMPK, its neighboring genes (SIX5 or DMWD) and downstream MBNL1. However, direct evidence is lacking. Here, we develop a new strategy to generate mice carrying multigene heterozygous mutations to mimic dosage reduction in one step by injection of haploid embryonic stem cells with mutant Dmpk, Six5 and Mbnl1 into oocytes. The triple heterozygous mutant mice exhibit adult-onset DM1 phenotypes. With the additional mutation in Dmwd, the quadruple heterozygous mutant mice recapitulate many major manifestations in congenital DM1. Moreover, muscle stem cells in both models display reduced stemness, providing a unique model for screening small molecules for treatment of DM1. Our results suggest that the complex symptoms of DM1 result from the reduced dosage of multiple genes.
CD8+ T cell-mediated endotheliopathy is a targetable mechanism of neuro-inflammation in Susac syndrome
Authors: Gross Catharina C. , Meyer Céline , Bhatia Urvashi , Yshii Lidia , Kleffner Ilka , Bauer Jan , Tröscher Anna R. , Schulte-Mecklenbeck Andreas , Herich Sebastian , Schneider-Hohendorf Tilman , Plate Henrike , Kuhlmann Tanja , Schwaninger Markus , Brück Wolfgang , Pawlitzki Marc , Laplaud David-Axel , Loussouarn Delphine , Parratt John , Barnett Michael , Buckland Michael E. , Hardy Todd A. , Reddel Stephen W. , Ringelstein Marius , Dörr Jan , Wildemann Brigitte , Kraemer Markus , Lassmann Hans , Höftberger Romana , Beltrán Eduardo , Dornmair Klaus , Schwab Nicholas , Klotz Luisa , Meuth Sven G. , Martin-Blondel Guillaume , Wiendl Heinz , Liblau Roland
Published: December 2019

Neuroinflammation is often associated with blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, which contributes to neurological tissue damage. Here, we reveal the pathophysiology of Susac syndrome (SuS), an enigmatic neuroinflammatory disease with central nervous system (CNS) endotheliopathy. By investigating immune cells from the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and CNS of SuS patients, we demonstrate oligoclonal expansion of terminally differentiated activated cytotoxic CD8+T cells (CTLs). Neuropathological data derived from both SuS patients and a newly-developed transgenic mouse model recapitulating the disease indicate that CTLs adhere to CNS microvessels in distinct areas and polarize granzyme B, which most likely results in the observed endothelial cell injury and microhemorrhages. Blocking T-cell adhesion by anti-α4 integrin-intervention ameliorates the disease in the preclinical model. Similarly, disease severity decreases in four SuS patients treated with natalizumab along with other therapy. Our study identifies CD8+T-cell-mediated endotheliopathy as a key disease mechanism in SuS and highlights therapeutic opportunities.
Magic of high-order van Hove singularity
Authors: Yuan Noah F. Q. , Isobe Hiroki , Fu Liang
Published: December 2019

The van Hove singularity in density of states generally exists in periodic systems due to the presence of saddle points of energy dispersion in momentum space. We introduce a new type of van Hove singularity in two dimensions, resulting from high-order saddle points and exhibiting power-law divergent density of states. We show that high-order van Hove singularity can be generally achieved by tuning the band structure with a single parameter in moiré superlattices, such as twisted bilayer graphene by tuning twist angle or applying pressure, and trilayer graphene by applying vertical electric field. Correlation effects from high-order van Hove singularity near Fermi level are also discussed.
Observing collisions beyond the secular approximation limit
Authors: Ma Junyang , Zhang Haisu , Lavorel Bruno , Billard Franck , Hertz Edouard , Wu Jian , Boulet Christian , Hartmann Jean-Michel , Faucher Olivier
Published: December 2019

Quantum coherence plays an essential role in diverse natural phenomena and technological applications. The unavoidable coupling of the quantum system to an uncontrolled environment incurs dissipation that is often described using the secular approximation. Here we probe the limit of this approximation in the rotational relaxation of molecules due to thermal collisions by using the laser-kicked molecular rotor as a model system. Specifically, rotational coherences in N2O gas (diluted in He) are created by two successive nonresonant short and intense laser pulses and probed by studying the change of amplitude of the rotational alignment echo with the gas density. By interrogating the system at the early stage of its collisional relaxation, we observe a significant variation of the dissipative influence of collisions with the time of appearance of the echo, featuring a decoherence process that is well reproduced by the nonsecular quantum master equation for modeling molecular collisions.
A short translational ramp determines the efficiency of protein synthesis
Authors: Verma Manasvi , Choi Junhong , Cottrell Kyle A. , Lavagnino Zeno , Thomas Erica N. , Pavlovic-Djuranovic Slavica , Szczesny Pawel , Piston David W. , Zaher Hani S. , Puglisi Joseph D. , Djuranovic Sergej
Published: December 2019

Translation initiation is a major rate-limiting step for protein synthesis. However, recent studies strongly suggest that the efficiency of protein synthesis is additionally regulated by multiple factors that impact the elongation phase. To assess the influence of early elongation on protein synthesis, we employed a library of more than 250,000 reporters combined with in vitro and in vivo protein expression assays. Here we report that the identity of the amino acids encoded by codons 3 to 5 impact protein yield. This effect is independent of tRNA abundance, translation initiation efficiency, or overall mRNA structure. Single-molecule measurements of translation kinetics revealed pausing of the ribosome and aborted protein synthesis on codons 4 and 5 of distinct amino acid and nucleotide compositions. Finally, introduction of preferred sequence motifs only at specific codon positions improves protein synthesis efficiency for recombinant proteins. Collectively, our data underscore the critical role of early elongation events in translational control of gene expression.
Dynamical decoupling of quantum two-level systems by coherent multiple Landau–Zener transitions
Authors: Matityahu Shlomi , Schmidt Hartmut , Bilmes Alexander , Shnirman Alexander , Weiss Georg , Ustinov Alexey V. , Schechter Moshe , Lisenfeld Jürgen
Published: December 2019

Increasing and stabilizing the coherence of superconducting quantum circuits and resonators is of utmost importance for various technologies, ranging from quantum information processors to highly sensitive detectors of low-temperature radiation in astrophysics. A major source of noise in such devices is a bath of quantum two-level systems (TLSs) with broad distribution of energies, existing in disordered dielectrics and on surfaces. Here we study the dielectric loss of superconducting resonators in the presence of a periodic electric bias field, which sweeps near-resonant TLSs in and out of resonance with the resonator, resulting in a periodic pattern of Landau–Zener transitions. We show that at high sweep rates compared to the TLS relaxation rate, the coherent evolution of the TLS over multiple transitions yields a significant reduction in the dielectric loss relative to the intrinsic value. This behavior is observed both in the classical high-power regime and in the quantum single-photon regime, possibly suggesting a viable technique to dynamically decouple TLSs from a qubit.