bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Euploid miscarriage is associated with elevated serum C-reactive protein levels in infertile women: a pilot study
Authors: Weghofer Andrea , Barad David H. , Darmon Sarah K. , Kushnir Vitaly A. , Albertini David F. , Gleicher Norbert
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Increased serum C-protein (CRP) levels reduce fecundity in healthy eumenorrheic women with 1–2 pregnancy losses. Subclinical systemic inflammation may impede maternal immune tolerance toward the fetal semi-allograft, compromising implantation and early embryonic development. Some miscarriages with normal karyotypes could, therefore, be caused by inflammation. Whether pre-pregnancy CRP relates to karyotypes of spontaneously aborted products of conception (POCs) was investigated.

Methods

A study cohort of 100 infertile women with missed abortions who underwent vacuum aspirations followed by cytogenetic analysis of their products of conception tissue was evaluated at an academically affiliated fertility center. Since a normal female fetus cannot be differentiated from maternal cell contamination (MCC) in conventional chromosomal analyses, POC testing was performed by chromosomal microarray analysis. MCC cases and incomplete data were excluded. Associations of elevated CRP with first trimester pregnancy loss in the presence of a normal fetal karyotype were investigated.

Results

Mean patients’ age was 39.9 ± 5.8 years; they demonstrated a BMI of 23.9 ± 4.6 kg/m2 and antiMullerian hormone (AMH) of 1.7 ± 2.4 ng/mL; 21.3% were parous, 19.1% reported no prior pregnancy losses, 36.2% 1–2 and 6.4% ≥ 3 losses. Karyotypes were normal in 34% and abnormal in 66%. Adjusted for BMI, women with elevated CRP were more likely to experience euploid pregnancy loss (p = 0.03). This relationship persisted when controlled for female age and AMH.

Conclusions

Women with elevated CRP levels were more likely to experience first trimester miscarriage with normal fetal karyotype. This relationship suggests an association between subclinical inflammation and miscarriage.
The impact of a standardized vocal loading test on vocal fold oscillations
Authors: Echternach Matthias , Huseynov Jamal , Döllinger Michael , Nusseck Manfred , Richter Bernhard
Published: February 2020

Introduction

Vocal loading capacity is an important aspect of vocal health and is measured using standardized vocal loading tests. However, it remains unclear how vocal fold oscillation patterns are influenced by a standardized vocal loading task.

Methods

21 (10 male, 11 female) vocally healthy subjects were analyzed concerning the dysphonia severity index (DSI) and high speed videolaryngoscopy (HSV) on the vowel /i/ at a comfortable pitch and loudness before and after a standardized vocal loading test (10 min standardized text reading, at a level higher than 80 dB (A) measured at 30 cm from the mouth).

Results

Changes in DSI were statistically significant, diminishing by 1.2 points after the vocal loading test, which was mainly caused by an increase of the minimum intensity. However, the pre-post comparison of HSV derived measures failed to show any statistically significant changes.

Conclusion

It seems necessary to analyze the effects of a standardized vocal loading test on vocal fold oscillation patterns with respect to softest phonation and phonation threshold pressure rather than comfortable pitch and loudness.

Level of evidence

2c
Applicability of scoring systems predicting outcome of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Vogeler Marie , Mohr Isabelle , Pfeiffenberger Jan , Sprengel Simon David , Klauss Miriam , Teufel Andreas , Chang De-Hua , Springfeld Christoph , Longerich Thomas , Merle Uta , Mehrabi Arianeb , Weiss Karl Heinz , Mieth Markus
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Several scoring systems have been proposed to predict the outcome of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the application of these scores to a bridging to transplant setting is poorly validated. Evaluation of the applicability of prognostic scores for patients undergoing TACE in palliative intention vs. bridging therapy to liver transplantation (LT) is necessary.

Methods

Between 2008 and 2017, 148 patients with HCC received 492 completed TACE procedures (158 for bridging to transplant; 334 TACE procedures in palliative treatment intention at our center and were analyzed retrospectively. Scores (ART, CLIP, ALBI, APRI, SNACOR, HAP, STATE score, Child–Pugh, MELD, Okuda and BCLC) were calculated and evaluated for prediction of overall survival. ROC analysis was performed to assess prediction of 3-year survival and treatment discontinuation.

Results

In patients receiving TACE in palliative intention most scores predicted OS in univariate analysis but only mSNACOR score (p = 0.006), State score (p < 0.001) and Child–Pugh score (p < 0.001) revealed statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. In the bridging to LT cohort only the BCLC score revealed statistical significance (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Clinical usability of suggested scoring systems for TACE might be limited depending on the individual patient cohorts and the indication. Especially in patients receiving TACE as bridging to LT none of the scores showed sufficiently applicability. In our study Child–Pugh score, STATE score and mSNACOR score showed the best performance assessing OS in patients with TACE as palliative therapy.
Correction to: Psychosocial distress in acute cancer patients assessed with an expert rating scale
Authors: Senf Bianca , Brandt Holger , Dignass Axel , Kleinschmidt Rolf , Kaiser Jochen
Published: February 2020

The article “Psychosocial distress in acute cancer patients assessed with an expert rating scale”.
Class II:2 malocclusion—prevalence and progression of labial gingival recessions during Herbst-Multibracket appliance treatment
Authors: Bock N. C. , Killat S. , Ruf S.
Published: February 2020

Objectives

To determine the prevalence, incidence, and changes in magnitude of labial gingival recessions (LGR) in class II:2 patients during Herbst-Multibracket appliance (Herbst-MBA) treatment (Tx) plus retention.

Subjects and methods

All class II:2 patients of the Department of Orthodontics, University of Giessen, Germany who completed Herbst-MBA Tx (mean pre-Tx age 15.6 years). The cohort had undergone a Herbst phase (mean 8.1 months) as well as a subsequent MBA phase (mean 14.4 months). Study casts were evaluated from pre-Tx and after Herbst-MBA Tx plus ≥ 24 months of retention.

Results

Ratable pre-Tx and post-retention study casts (total observation period 53.5 ± 10.3 months) were available from 94 out of 173 patients. No significant difference existed regarding pre-Tx LGR data between patients with and without complete records. The prevalence for teeth with LGR ≥ 0.5 mm was 1.4% pre-Tx respectively 6.7% post-retention. The highest values of up to 5.3% (pre-Tx) and 20.2% (post-retention) were determined for the upper first premolars and lower central incisors. Incidence values of 4.7% (all teeth) and up to 14.9% (upper first right premolars) respectively 11.1% (lower central incisors) were calculated (LGR ≥ 0.5 mm). The overall LGR mean magnitudes were 0.01 mm pre-Tx respectively 0.06 mm post-retention.

Conclusions

For the prevalence of LGR ≥ 0.5 mm an average increase of 5.3% was determined during ≈ 4.5 years of Herbst-MBA Tx plus retention. The highest incidence was seen for lower central incisors and upper right premolars (11.1/14.9%). The overall LGR mean magnitude increased by 0.05 mm.

Clinical relevance

Herbst-MBA Tx is a common approach for class II:2 malocclusions. Very little, however, is known regarding LGR development in respective patients.
Life expectancy at birth in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Landfeldt Erik , Thompson Rachel , Sejersen Thomas , McMillan Hugh J. , Kirschner Janbernd , Lochmüller Hanns
Published: February 2020

Several studies indicate that prognosis for survival in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has improved in recent decades. However, published evidence is inconclusive and some estimates may be obsolete due to improvements in standards of care, in particular the routine use of mechanical ventilatory support in advanced stages of the disease. In this systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO identifier: CRD42019121800), we searched MEDLINE (through PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for studies published from inception up until December 31, 2018, reporting results of life expectancy in DMD. We pooled median survival estimates from individual studies using the median of medians, and weighted median of medians, methods. Risk of bias was established with the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results were stratified by ventilatory support and risk of bias. We identified 15 publications involving 2662 patients from 12 countries from all inhabited continents except Africa. Median life expectancy without ventilatory support ranged between 14.4 and 27.0 years (pooled median: 19.0 years, 95% CI 18.0–20.9; weighted pooled median: 19.4 years, 18.2–20.1). Median life expectancy with ventilatory support, introduced in most settings in the 1990s, ranged between 21.0 and 39.6 years (pooled median: 29.9 years, 26.5–30.8; weighted pooled median: 31.8 years, 29.3–36.2). Risk of bias had little impact on pooled results. In conclusion, median life expectancy at birth in DMD seems to have improved considerably during the last decades. With current standards of care, many patients with DMD can now expect to live into their fourth decade of life.
The joy of lottery play: evidence from a field experiment
Authors: Burger Martijn J. , Hendriks Martijn , Pleeging Emma , van Ours Jan C.
Published: February 2020

Buying lottery tickets is not a rational investment from a financial point of view. Yet, the majority of people participate at least once a year in a lottery. We conducted a field experiment to increase understanding of lottery participation. Using representative data for the Netherlands, we find that lottery participation increased the happiness of participants before the draw. Winning a small prize had no effect on happiness. Our results indicate that people may not only care about the outcomes of the lottery, but also enjoy the game. Accordingly, we conclude that lottery participation has a utility value in itself and part of the utility of a lottery ticket is consumed before the draw.
Finally, how many efficiencies the supercomputers have?
Authors: Végh János
Published: February 2020

Using extremely large number of processing elements in computing systems leads to unexpected phenomena, such as different efficiencies of the same system for different tasks, that cannot be explained in the frame of the classical computing paradigm.
The introduced simple non-technical model enables to set up a frame and formalism needed to explain the unexpected experiences around supercomputing. The paper shows that the degradation of the efficiency of the parallelized sequential system is a natural consequence of the computing paradigm, rather than an engineering imperfectness. The workload is greatly responsible for wasting the energy as well as limiting the size and the type of tasks the supercomputers can run. Case studies provide insight how different contributions compete for dominating the resulting payload performance of the computing system and how enhancing the technology made the computing + communication the dominating contribution in defining the efficiency of supercomputers.
The model also enables to derive predictions about the supercomputer performance limitations for the near future and provides hints for enhancing the supercomputer components. The phenomena show interesting parallels with the phenomena experienced in science more than a century ago, and through their studying, a modern science was developed.
Epidemiology of osteoporotic fracture in Kazakhstan and development of a country specific FRAX model
Authors: Issayeva S. , Lesnyak O. , Zakroyeva A. , Issayeva B. , Dilmanova D. , Johansson H. , Liu E. , Lorentzon M. , Harvey N.C. , McCloskey E. , Kanis J.A.
Published: February 2020

Summary

Retrospective and prospective population-based survey in a region of the Republic of Kazakhstan determined the incidence of fractures at the hip, proximal humerus and distal forearm. The hip fracture rates were used to create a FRAX® model to enhance fracture risk assessment in Kazakhstan.

Objective

This paper describes the epidemiology of osteoporotic fractures in the Republic of Kazakhstan that was used to develop a country specific FRAX® tool for fracture prediction.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective population-based survey in Taldykorgan in the Republic of Kazakhstan representing approximately 1% of the country’s population. Hip, forearm and humerus fractures were identified retrospectively in 2015 and 2016 from hospital registers and the trauma centre. Hip fractures were prospectively identified in 2017 from the same sources and additionally from primary care data. Age- and sex-specific incidence of hip fracture and national mortality rates were incorporated into a FRAX model for Kazakhstan. Fracture probabilities were compared with those from neighbouring countries having FRAX models.

Results

The difference in hip fracture incidence between the retrospective and prospective survey indicated that approximately 25% of hip fracture cases did not come to hospital attention. The incidence of hip fracture applied nationally suggested that the estimated number of hip fractures nationwide in persons over the age of 50 years for 2015 was 11,690 and is predicted to increase by 140% to 28,000 in 2050. Hip fracture incidence was a good predictor of forearm and humeral fractures in men but not in women.

Conclusion

The FRAX model should enhance accuracy of determining fracture probability among the Kazakh population and help guide decisions about treatment.
A database and synthesis of euglossine bee assemblages collected at fragrance baits
Authors: Opedal Øystein H. , Martins Adriana A. , Marjakangas Emma-Liina
Published: February 2020

Euglossine bees are an ecologically important group, which due to their diverse resource needs act as pollinators of many neotropical plants. Male euglossines collect fragrant compounds used in mating displays from diverse sources, including the flowers of orchids and other plants. This aspect of euglossine biology has proven exceptionally useful for studies of euglossine bee populations, because male bees can be readily attracted to fragrance baits deployed in natural habitats. We synthesise the data accumulated over the 50 years since the introduction of euglossine bee baiting inventories and make these data openly available in the EUGCOMM database. By fitting hierarchical joint species distribution models to presence-absence and abundance data, we reveal that the assemblages of bees attracted depend on the baits used in interaction with species-specific fragrance preferences and that bee assemblages are most diverse at sites in landscapes characterised by partial but not complete forest cover. We suggest that these results reflect the diverse resource needs of euglossine bees and are consistent with the hypothesis that male euglossines establish home ranges incorporating multiple habitat types. These results may have important consequences for the design of nature reserves in the tropics, if these iconic pollinators are to be conserved for the future.
Isolation and identification of Pyrenophora chaetomioides from winter oat in Hungary
Authors: Palágyi A. , Bakonyi J. , Tar M. , Cséplő M. , Csősz M.
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study was to identify a fungal pathogen that caused necrotic leaf spots in experimental plots of oat in two remote regions of Hungary, the Southern Great Plain and Central Transdanubia. Two monosporic isolates, one from each region, were subjected to morphological and molecular investigations, and their pathogenicity to oat, barley and wheat seedlings was tested by artificial inoculations. Morphology of cultures and conidia matched well the description of genusDrechslera, the asexual stage ofPyrenophora. The natural host and higher pathogenicity of both isolates to oat than to barley and wheat suggested that the fungus represented the primarily oat pathogenP. chaetomioides. Although accurate species identification could not be achieved due to overlapping morphology and host range among the oat and barley pathogenicPyrenophoraspp., PCR amplification and direct sequencing of the ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA revealed 100% identity amongst our isolates and several reference strains ofP. chaetomioides,justifying the species identity of the fungus we found on oats. Our study also confirmed an earlier, symptom-based observation about the occurrence of Pyrenophora leaf blotch disease in experimental plots in Hungary, and is the first to prove the presence of its causal agent,P. chaetomioides, based on isolation and accurate species identification.
EXCAVATIONS AT THE DARBAND-I RANIA PASS, KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ: REPORT ON THE 2016 AND 2017 SEASONS
Authors: MacGinnis John , Raheem Kamal Rasheed , Ismael Barzan Baiz , Ahmad Mustafa , Cabral Ricardo , Dusting Amanda , Greenfield Tina , Hazell Guy , Iasonos Achilles , Kertai David , Miller Andy , Pabeschitz Virág , Shepperson Mary , Cartwright Caroline , Čibera Jan , Curtis Vesta , Dyer Joanne , Koek Ewout , Giannese Alberto , Higgs Peter , Yusuf Abdulraqib , Morton Kate , Pereira-Pardo Lucia , Proctor Lucas , Williams Craig
Published: February 2020

This paper presents the results of the work of the new field initiative launched by the British Museum at the Darband-i Rania pass in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The pass is located at the northeastern corner of Lake Dokan, where, though now subsumed into the lake, the Lower Zab flows from the Peshdar into the Rania Plain. It is a strategic location on a major route from Mesopotamia into Iran, and control of both the road and the river must always have been important. The aim of the work, which commenced in autumn of 2016, is to explore a cluster of sites that commanded the pass, with a particular focus on the first millenniumb.c.Excavation is being carried out principally at two sites: Qalatga Darband, a large fortified site at the western end of the pass, and Usu Aska, a fort inside the pass itself. The occupations of these two sites are predominantly Parthian and Assyrian respectively. Smaller operations have also been carried out at Murad Rasu, a multi-period site situated on a headland across the waters on the southern shore of Lake Dokan. The results have included the discovery at Qalatga Darband of a monumental complex built of stone and roofed with terracotta roof tiles containing the smashed remains of Hellenistic statuary. Other features indicative of Hellenistic material culture are Mediterranean-type oil-presses and Corinthian column bases and capitals. At Usu Aska remains are being uncovered of an Assyrian fortification of massive proportions.
NON-SYMPLECTIC INVOLUTIONS ON MANIFOLDS OF -TYPE
Authors: CAMERE CHIARA , CATTANEO ALBERTO , CATTANEO ANDREA
Published: February 2020

We study irreducible holomorphic symplectic manifolds deformation equivalent to Hilbert schemes of points on a $K3$ surface and admitting a non-symplectic involution. We classify the possible discriminant quadratic forms of the invariant and coinvariant lattice for the action of the involution on cohomology and explicitly describe the lattices in the cases where the invariant lattice has small rank. We also give a modular description of all $d$-dimensional families of manifolds of $K3^{[n]}$-type with a non-symplectic involution for $d\geqslant 19$ and $n\leqslant 5$ and provide examples arising as moduli spaces of twisted sheaves on a $K3$ surface.
Consumption of differently processed milk products in infancy and early childhood and the risk of islet autoimmunity
Authors: Koivusaari Katariina , Syrjälä Essi , Niinistö Sari , Takkinen Hanna-Mari , Ahonen Suvi , Åkerlund Mari , Korhonen Tuuli E. , Toppari Jorma , Ilonen Jorma , Peltonen Jaakko , Nevalainen Jaakko , Knip Mikael , Alatossava Tapani , Veijola Riitta , Virtanen Suvi M.
Published: February 2020

Several prospective studies have shown an association between cows’ milk consumption and the risk of islet autoimmunity and/or type 1 diabetes. We wanted to study whether processing of milk plays a role. A population-based birth cohort of 6081 children with HLA-DQB1-conferred risk to type 1 diabetes was followed until the age of 15 years. We included 5545 children in the analyses. Food records were completed at the ages of 3 and 6 months and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 years, and diabetes-associated autoantibodies were measured at 3–12-month intervals. For milk products in the food composition database, we used conventional and processing-based classifications. We analysed the data using a joint model for longitudinal and time-to-event data. By the age of 6 years, islet autoimmunity developed in 246 children. Consumption of all cows’ milk products together (energy-adjusted hazard ratio 1·06; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·11; P = 0·003), non-fermented milk products (1·06; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·10; P = 0·011) and fermented milk products (1·35; 95 % CI 1·10, 1·67; P = 0·005) was associated with an increased risk of islet autoimmunity. The early milk consumption was not associated with the risk beyond 6 years. We observed no clear differences based on milk homogenisation and heat treatment. Our results are consistent with the previous studies, which indicate that high milk consumption may cause islet autoimmunity in children at increased genetic risk. The study did not identify any specific type of milk processing that would clearly stand out as a sole risk factor apart from other milk products.
SUNG POEMS AND POETIC SONGS: HELLENISTIC DEFINITIONS OF POETRY, MUSIC AND THE SPACES IN BETWEEN
Authors: Klavan Spencer A.
Published: February 2020

Simply by formulating a question about the nature of ancient Greek poetry or music, any modern English speaker is already risking anachronism. In recent years especially, scholars have reminded one another that the words ‘music’ and ‘poetry’ denote concepts with no easy counterpart in Greek. μουσική in its broadest sense evokes not only innumerable kinds of structured movement and sound but also the political, psychological and cosmic order of which song, verse and dance are supposed to be perceptible manifestations. Likewise, ποίησις and the ποιητικὴ τέχνη can encompass all kinds of ‘making’, from the assembly of a table to the construction of a rhetorical argument. Of course, there were specifically artistic usages of these terms—according to Plato, ‘musical and metrical production’ was the default meaning of ποίησις in everyday speech. But even in discussions which restrict themselves to the sphere of human art, we find nothing like the neat compartmentalization of harmonized rhythmic melody on the one hand, and stylized verbal composition on the other, which is often casually implied or expressly formulated in modern comparisons of ‘music’ with ‘poetry’. For many ancient theorists the City Dionysia, a dithyrambic festival and a recitation of Homer all featured different versions of one and the same form of composition, a μουσική or ποιητική to which λόγοι, γράμματα and συλλαβαί were just as essential as ἁρμονία, φθόγγοι, ῥυθμός and χρόνοι.
The nature of mean-field generation in three classes of optimal dynamos
Authors: Brandenburg Axel , Chen Long
Published: February 2020

In recent years, several optimal dynamos have been discovered. They minimize the magnetic energy dissipation or, equivalently, maximize the growth rate at a fixed magnetic Reynolds number. In the optimal dynamo of Willis (Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 109, 2012, 251101), we find mean-field dynamo action for planar averages. One component of the magnetic field grows exponentially while the other decays in an oscillatory fashion near onset. This behaviour is different from that of an$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}^{2}$dynamo, where the two non-vanishing components of the planar averages are coupled and have the same growth rate. For the Willis dynamo, we find that the mean field is excited by a negative turbulent magnetic diffusivity, which has a non-uniform spatial profile near onset. The temporal oscillations in the decaying component are caused by the corresponding component of the diffusivity tensor being complex when the mean field is decaying and, in this way, time dependent. The growing mean field can be modelled by a negative magnetic diffusivity combined with a positive magnetic hyperdiffusivity. In two other classes of optimal dynamos of Chenet al.(J. Fluid Mech., vol. 783, 2015, pp. 23–45), we find, to some extent, similar mean-field dynamo actions. When the magnetic boundary conditions are mixed, the two components of the planar averaged field grow at different rates when the dynamo is 15 % supercritical. When the mean magnetic field satisfies homogeneous boundary conditions (where the magnetic field is tangential to the boundary), mean-field dynamo action is found for one-dimensional averages, but not for planar averages. Despite having different spatial profiles, both dynamos show negative turbulent magnetic diffusivities. Our finding suggests that negative turbulent magnetic diffusivities may support a broader class of dynamos than previously thought, including these three optimal dynamos.
Understanding the turbulent mechanisms setting the density decay length in the tokamak scrape-off layer
Authors: Beadle Carrie F. , Ricci Paolo
Published: February 2020

Mechanisms setting the density decay in the scrape-off layer (SOL) at the outer midplane of a tokamak plasma are disentangled using two-fluid numerical simulations in a double-null magnetic configuration and analytical estimates. Typical experimental observations are retrieved, in particular increasing intermittency of the turbulence going from the near to the far SOL, which is reflected in two different density decay lengths. The decay length of the near SOL is well described as the result of transport driven by a nonlinearly saturated ballooning instability, while in the far SOL, the density decay length is described using a model of intermittent transport mediated by blobs. The analytical estimates of the decay lengths agree well with the simulation results and typical experimental values and can therefore be used to guide tokamak design and operation.
The Narrative Chronology of Tatian's Diatessaron
Authors: Barker James W.
Published: February 2020

The Synoptics narrate a single Passover during Jesus’ ministry, whereas John's Gospel spans three Passovers. The Diatessaron harmonised the Four Gospels, but previous scholarship has misapprehended Tatian's chronology of Jesus’ ministry. The Diatessaron included all the Johannine festivals, but Tatian rearranged the order of events. Distinctively resolving a significant disagreement between John and the Synoptics, Tatian innovated a narrative sequence wherein Jesus’ temple disruption occurs at the second of three Passovers.
Associations between enteric pathogen carriage and height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height in children under 5 years old in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Berendes David , Capone Drew , Knee Jackie , Holcomb David , Sultana Sonia , Pickering Amy J. , Brown Joe
Published: February 2020

Nutritional factors and infectious agents may contribute to paediatric growth deficits in low- and middle-income countries; however, the contribution of enteric pathogens is only beginning to be understood. We analysed the stool from children <5 years old from an open cohort, cluster-randomised controlled trial of a point-of-collection water chlorinator in urban Bangladesh. We compared the presence/absence of 15 enteric pathogens detected via multiplex, molecular methods in the stool with concurrent Z-scores/Z-score cut-offs (−2 standard deviations (s.d.)) for height-for-age (HAZ/stunting), weight-for-age (WAZ/underweight) and weight-for-height (WHZ/wasting), adjusted for sociodemographic and trial-related factors, and measured caregiver-reported diarrhoea. Enteric pathogen prevalence in the stool was high (88% had ≥1 enteric pathogen, most commonly Giardia spp. (40%), Salmonella enterica (33%), enterotoxigenic E. coli (28%) and Shigella spp. (27%)) while reported 7-day diarrhoea prevalence was 6%, suggesting high subclinical infection rates. Many children were stunted (26%) or underweight (24%). Adjusted models suggested Giardia spp. detection was associated with lower HAZ (−0.22 s.d., 95% CI −0.44 to 0.00; prevalence ratio for stunting: 1.39, 95% CI 0.94–2.06) and potentially lower WAZ. No pathogens were associated with reported diarrhoea in adjusted models. Giardia spp. carriage may be associated with growth faltering, but not diarrhoea, in this and similar low-income settings. Stool-based enteric pathogen detection provides a direct indication of previous exposure that may be useful as a broader endpoint of trials of environmental interventions.
Tafoni show postglacial and modern wind azimuths that are similar at Bunger Hills
Authors: Gore Damian B. , Leishman Michelle R.
Published: February 2020

The directions of strong winds are important for the distribution of marine salt spray, rock weathering, lake chemistry and the distribution of vegetation in Bunger Hills, a coastal ice-free oasis in East Antarctica. Present-day strong winds (> 10 m s−1) dominantly blow from 118 ± 21 degrees true (°T; ± 1 SD). Orientated tafoni (weathering pits) might form in bedrock surfaces by salt and ice crystallization, thermal stress and saltating sand particles, recording the orientation of a strongly directional wind field since the last deglaciation, which commenced > 30 000 years ago. The orientations of these tafoni, at 101 ± 18°T for 686 measurements at 28 sites, are indistinguishable from the direction of modern-day strong winds (> 10 m s−1), indicating that the orientation of the slope of the ice sheet has been stable throughout the last 10 000 years during the Holocene.
Probe-corrected near-field to far-field transformation using multiple spherical wave expansions
Authors: Rodríguez Varela Fernando , Galocha Iragüen Belén , Sierra Castañer Manuel
Published: February 2020

Near-field to far-field transformations constitute a powerful antenna characterization technique for near-field measurement scenarios. In this paper, a near-field to far-field transformation technique based on multiple spherical wave expansions (SWEs) is presented. Thanks to its iterative matrix inversion nature, the approach performs the transformation of fields measured on arbitrary surfaces. Also, irregular sampling schemes can be incorporated. The proposed algorithm is based on modeling the antenna fields with not one, but several SWEs distributed over its geometry. Due to the high number of SWEs, their truncation number can be arbitrarily reduced. Working with expansions of low order allows us to incorporate the probe correction in the transformation in a very simple way, accepting any type of probe and orientation. Only the probe far-field pattern is used, thus working with its full SWE is avoided. The algorithm is validated using simulated field data as well as measurements of real antennas.
Factor Structure of the Dutch Language Version of the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP)
Authors: Lie Sam Foek-Rambelje Kim P. , van der Heijden Paul T. , Berix Anke A. M. J. , Egger Jos I. M.
Published: February 2020

Abstract. The Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP) is a Q-sort procedure for personality assessment. Empirical evidence for the psychometric qualities in the United States thus far is solid, but no such data exist for the Dutch language version. In this study we aim to investigate the higher order factor structure of the Personality Syndrome (PS) scales and Trait Dimension (TD) scales of the Dutch language version of the SWAP-200 (SWAP-200-NL) in a psychiatric outpatient sample ( N = 282). For the TD scales Cronbach’s α is also calculated. Results show acceptable to good overall reliability (i.e., Cronbach’s α). Higher order factor analysis of the SWAP-200 (PS) reveals four maladaptive factors that resemble both the higher order personality traits conceptualized in section III of DSM-5 ( APA, 2013 ), as well as the constructs identified by Widiger and Simonsen (2005) after integrating 18 alternative proposals for dimensional classification. Additionally, High-Functioning Depressive PS was most prevalent in our outpatient sample. While this PS is not described in DSM-5, it is discussed here as a possibly overlooked, clinically relevant construct. Finally, this study replicates previously identified higher order factors of the TD, adding to the instrument’s robustness.
Quantitative Study of Crustal Structure Spatial Variation Based on Gravity Anomalies in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau: Implication for Earthquake Susceptibility Assessment
Authors: Tian Tian , Zhang Jingfa , Jiang Wenliang , Tian Yunfeng
Published: February 2020

Areas with sharp spatial changes in crustal structure are usually considered prone to strong earthquakes, especially late Cenozoic structural zones. However, quantitative relationships have not been established between the occurrence of earthquakes and the extent to which the crustal structure changes. The crustal structure can be reflected by gravity anomalies. In this study, we investigate the crustal structure variation in the eastern Tibetan Plateau based on the gravity data acquired by the Gravity field and steady‐state Ocean Circulation Explorer satellite. The multiscales wavelet decomposition and power spectrum methods are used to analyze the spatial variation of crustal structure at different depths. Based on a fourth‐order wavelet map, four variable factors are constructed to represent the spatial variations of the crustal structure, and their statistical relationship with earthquakes is studied. The results show that the changing rate of the gravity anomalies is significantly positively correlated with the occurrence of earthquakes. Areas of high earthquake hazards are places where the gravity field changes dramatically, usually with a value of 11°–18° for the SLP (slope) index. The assessment efficiency of the SLP increases with the earthquake magnitude. According to the SLP index, several regions are assessed to have a high level of risk for strong earthquakes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau, including the Longmenshan Fault belt, where a Ms8.0 earthquake occurred in 2008, thus demonstrating the promising implications of our method in the earthquake susceptibility assessment.
Characterization and Quantification of Magnetofossils Within Abyssal Manganese Nodules From the Western Pacific Ocean and Implications for Nodule Formation
Authors: Jiang X. D. , Zhao X. , Chou Y. M. , Liu Q. S. , Roberts A. P. , Ren J. B. , Sun X. M. , Li J. H. , Tang X. , Zhao X. Y. , Wang C. C.
Published: February 2020

Abyssal manganese nodules have been explored widely for their economic potential and paleoenvironmental significance. Debate about whether biogenic or physical‐chemical processes are responsible for their formation remains because of difficulties in quantifying ancient microbiological contributions. To address this question, we investigated microbial fossils in manganese nodules from the western Pacific Ocean by integrating scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and synchrotron transmission X‐ray microscope observations. Our results suggest that the nodules host abundant fossil biogenic magnetite and manganese‐oxidizing bacteria. These organisms engage in redox reactions or live in environments with redox gradients. By combining magnetic properties and observations of fossil biogenic magnetite morphology, we estimate magnetofossil abundances and further assess fossil biogenic manganese oxide in nodules. Our results imply that manganese nodule formation appears to be dominated by biomineralization with an additional terrestrial contribution. Extensive biomineralization in ultralow‐productivity oceanic environments suggests that manganese nodule formation is an important aspect of biogeochemical cycling in abyssal seafloor environments.
Effects of Fluctuating Magnetic Field on the Growth of the Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability at the Earth's Magnetopause
Authors: Nakamura T. K. M. , Stawarz J. E. , Hasegawa H. , Narita Y. , Franci L. , Wilder F. D. , Nakamura R. , Nystrom W. D.
Published: February 2020

At the Earth's magnetopause, the Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) instability, driven by the persistent velocity shear between the magnetosheath and the magnetosphere, has been frequently observed during northward interplanetary magnetic field periods and considered as one of the most important candidates for transporting and mixing plasmas across the magnetopause. However, how this process interacts with magnetic field fluctuations, which persistently exist near the magnetopause, has been less discussed. Here we perform a series of 2‐D fully kinetic simulations of the KH instability at the magnetopause considering a power law spectrum of initial fluctuations in the magnetic field. The simulations demonstrate that when the amplitude level of the initial fluctuations is sufficiently large, the KH instability evolves faster, leading to a more efficient plasma mixing within the vortex layer. In addition, when the spectral index of the initial fluctuations is sufficiently small, the modes whose wavelength is longer than the theoretical fastest growing mode grow dominantly. The fluctuating magnetic field also results in the formation of the well‐matured turbulent spectrum with a −5/3 index within the vortex layer even in the early nonlinear growth phase of the KH instability. The obtained spectral features in the simulations are in reasonable agreement with the features in KH waves events at the magnetopause observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission and conjunctively by the Geotail and Cluster spacecraft. These results indicate that the magnetic field fluctuations may really contribute to enhancing the wave activities especially for longer wavelength modes and the associated mixing at the magnetopause.
Large‐Scale Ionospheric Disturbances During the 17 March 2015 Storm: A Model‐Data Comparative Study
Authors: Lu Gang , Zakharenkova Irina , Cherniak Iurii , Dang Tong
Published: February 2020

This paper presents a detailed model‐data comparative study of the 17 March 2015 geomagnetic storm using the high‐resolution version of the thermosphere‐ionosphere‐electrodynamic general circulation model and the total electron content observations from a dense global navigation satellite system network. Driven by time‐dependent high‐latitude ionospheric convection and auroral precipitation inputs, together with an empirically defined subauroral plasma stream (SAPS) field, our simulation reproduce many observed storm‐related ionospheric phenomena, including large‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances over Europe, the effects of prompt penetration electric field over South and Central America, and the formation of a storm‐enhanced density (SED) plume across the continental United States. Our simulation results reaffirm a number of important characteristics concerning the SED plume: (1) enhanced background ionospheric density is a necessary but not sufficient condition, and enhanced ion drift is required to form the SED plume; (2) the SAPS flow channel does not directly transport the plasma from midnight to postnoon via dusk to form the SED plume, instead, the SED plume is formed at the equatorward and westward edge of the SAPS channel; and (3) the SED plume appears to subcorotate with respect to the Earth.
Development of a Daily GRACE Mascon Solution for Terrestrial Water Storage
Authors: Croteau M. J. , Nerem R. S. , Loomis B. D. , Sabaka T. J.
Published: February 2020

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE‐Follow On missions have provided a global history of terrestrial water storage changes since 2002. Traditional GRACE products resolve monthly time‐variable gravity at spatial resolutions of 300–500 km, with many recent efforts focusing on regularized mass concentration (mascon) solutions to better resolve signals spatially. However, monthly resolution inhibits the applicability of GRACE to investigations of sub‐monthly signals. This study presents a new daily mass change solution estimated as deviations from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) converged monthly mascon product and quantifies the fundamental trade‐off between temporal and spatial resolution in GRACE‐only solutions. As an iteration of the GSFC product, this daily solution represents a mixing of monthly information at higher relative spatial resolution with daily information at lower relative spatial resolution, resolving each temporal scale at the best resolution achievable without requiring hydrological model dependencies in the estimation. The resolution of the daily mascons is 300–400 km at high latitudes and 600–1,000 km lower, depending on each daily orbital track and the proximity of each mascon to constraint region boundaries (e.g., coastlines). Through simulations and model comparisons, we demonstrate that daily signals over areas larger than 400,000 km
are recoverable, with basins larger than 800,000 km
exhibiting strong signal recovery relative to leakage. This analysis establishes baselines for daily signal recovery from GRACE in the context of longer time scale solutions, characterizes leakage inherent in daily GRACE information, and creates new opportunities for applying GRACE to investigations of sub‐monthly signals.
On the Spin‐Up Period in WRF Simulations Over Europe: Trade‐Offs Between Length and Seasonality
Authors: Jerez Sonia , López‐Romero Jose María , Turco Marco , Lorente‐Plazas Raquel , Gómez‐Navarro Juan José , Jiménez‐Guerrero Pedro , Montávez Juan Pedro
Published: February 2020

Regional climate models (RCMs) are usually initialized and driven through the boundaries of their limited area domain by data provided by global models (GCMs). The mismatch between the low‐resolution GCM initial conditions and RCM's high resolution introduces physical inconsistencies between the various components of the RCM. These inconsistencies can be resolved by running the RCM during a period that is considered unreliable: the spin‐up period. There is no deterministic definition of the length that the spin‐up period should have. Here we try to provide general guidelines that can be used to the advantage of the community. We base our analysis on Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations over a Euro‐Cordex compliant domain and find that for 2‐m temperature and precipitation, rather short spin‐up periods (1 week) can be sufficient. Nevertheless, longer periods (6 months) are advisable, and start dates in non‐winter months should be pursued, as this ensures a more realistic representation of the snow cover. Thus, the issue is not only about the spin‐up length. As the soil subsystem evolves slowly and requires longer periods to reach equilibrium than the longest considered here (1 year), seasonality plays an important role in minimizing the impact of the unreliability of the soil initialization. Fortunately, except for goals where the deep soil‐atmosphere feedback are critical, the lack of equilibrium between them can be ignored, as it seems to have little effect on the simulation of the atmospheric variables most frequently used in RCM studies.
Electromagnetic Wave Attenuation Mechanism and Distribution Strategy for Coal Mine Rescue Robot Under the Typical Obstacle Environment
Authors: Xue Xusheng , Cao Xiangang , Zhang Xuhui , Wang Chuanwei , Ma Hongwei , Fan Hongwei
Published: February 2020

After a coal mine disaster, the coal mine roadway often forms an unknown nonstructural environment. Once the normal communication of the roadway is destroyed, the rescue operation of the coal mine rescue robot could be hindered. To restore the emergency wireless communication system in the unstructured environment of the coal mine thus becomes an important prerequisite for the rescue work for the coal mine rescue robot. This paper studies the characteristics of the nonstructural environment and sets up its model. Based on the Maxwell equation and the mechanism of radio electromagnetic wave propagation, this paper researches the electromagnetic characteristics of wireless communication channel in the unstructured environment, and verifies them by numerical simulation. This paper also studies the strategy of repeater's laying for the robot, thereby providing a reliably theoretical foundation to quickly start up the emergency wireless of the coal mine rescue robot.
Spatially Sparse Emitters Localization With QVBEM Algorithm
Authors: Ramezani Esmaeil , Sabahi Mohamad Farzan , Saberali Seyyed Mohammad
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we study the estimation of the spatially sparse radio emitter locations from space, via the proposed Quad‐tree variational Bayesian expectation maximization (QVBEM) algorithm. First, we assume that the emitters are approximately placed on a uniform grid points in the region under surveillance. The VBEM algorithm is applied and the points exceeding the threshold level are considered as potential targets. Then, the grids are refined around the potential targets via the Quad‐tree algorithm, and the process is iterated. It allows us to find the location of sparse emitters with much less computational complexity due to the use of fewer grid points. Simulation results show the superiority of the QVBEM to existing methods. The impact of threshold value on the performance of QVBEM is also studied.
Integration of amorphous ferromagnetic oxides with multiferroic materials for room temperature magnetoelectric spintronics
Authors: Taz Humaira , Prasad Bhagwati , Huang Yen-Lin , Chen Zuhuang , Hsu Shang-Lin , Xu Ruijuan , Thakare Vishal , Sakthivel Tamil Selvan , Liu Chenze , Hettick Mark , Mukherjee Rupam , Seal Sudipta , Martin Lane W. , Javey Ali , Duscher Gerd , Ramesh Ramamoorthy , Kalyanaraman Ramki
Published: February 2020

A room temperature amorphous ferromagnetic oxide semiconductor can substantially reduce the cost and complexity associated with utilizing crystalline materials for spintronic devices. We report a new material (Fe0.66Dy0.24Tb0.1)3O7-x (FDTO), which shows semiconducting behavior with reasonable electrical conductivity (~500 mOhm-cm), an optical band-gap (2.4 eV), and a large enough magnetic moment (~200 emu/cc), all of which can be tuned by varying the oxygen content during deposition. Magnetoelectric devices were made by integrating ultrathin FDTO with multiferroic BiFeO3. A strong enhancement in the magnetic coercive field of FDTO grown on BiFeO3 validated a large exchange coupling between them. Additionally, FDTO served as an excellent top electrode for ferroelectric switching in BiFeO3 with no sign of degradation after ~1010 switching cycles. RT magneto-electric coupling was demonstrated by modulating the resistance states of spin-valve structures using electric fields.