bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and psychometric evaluation of a Chinese version of auditory hallucination risk assessment scale in patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia
Authors: Wang Xingxing , Qi Wenwen , Chan Sally , Shi Zhongying
Published: June 2020

Aims and objectives

To develop a Chinese version of Auditory Hallucination Risk Assessment Scale and evaluate its psychometric properties.

Background

Auditory hallucination, a common symptom in schizophrenia, has the potential to cause harm to patients and the people around them. However, there has been a paucity of suitable instrument developed in Asian region that can comprehensively and reliably assess its risk and inform interventions.

Design

This study involved 2 stages, the development of the Auditory Hallucination Risk Assessment Scale (AHRAS) and testing the psychometric properties of AHRAS. We followed STROBE guidelines in reporting the study.

Methods

Auditory Hallucination Risk Assessment Scale items were developed based on Symptom Management Theory, systematic literature review and findings of a qualitative study on the experience of auditory hallucinations. The items were evaluated by content validity. Auditory Hallucination Risk Assessment Scale was then tested for construct validity, concurrent validity, predictive validity, internal consistency and test–retest reliability in a convenience sample of 156 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Results

The final version of AHRAS has nine items. Two factors were extracted from AHRAS, which explained 57.74% of the total variance. The score of AHRAS was strongly correlated with that of the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales‐Auditory Hallucinations. The area under the curve was 0.90 for the overall AHRAS score. Sensitivity (86.5%) and specificity (80.0%) were maximal for a mean overall AHRAS score of 13.5, suggesting that this is an appropriate threshold for differentiation. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency was 0.82, and intra‐class correlation coefficient for test–retest reliability was 0.84.

Conclusions

Auditory Hallucination Risk Assessment Scale has good reliability and validity. It can be used in clinical settings in China and beyond to assess the risk of auditory hallucinations.

Relevance to clinical practice

Auditory Hallucination Risk Assessment Scale can serve as a tool for nurses and other healthcare professionals to identify patients with high‐risk auditory hallucinations, monitor the changes of risk and inform nursing interventions.
Hypoperfusion Distal to Anterior Circulation Intracranial Atherosclerosis is Associated with Recurrent Stroke
Authors: de Havenon Adam , Khatri Pooja , Prabhakaran Shyam , Yeatts Sharon D , Peterson Cecilia , Sacchetti Daniel , Alexander Matthew , Cutting Shawna , Grory Brian Mac , Furie Karen , Liebeskind David S , Yaghi Shadi
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In patients with symptomatic vertebrobasilar intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD), impaired distal flow predicts recurrent stroke, but limited data exist on the association between perfusion status and recurrent stroke in anterior circulation ICAD.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of patients hospitalized for symptomatic ICAD with 50‐99% stenosis of the intracranial carotid or middle cerebral artery. The primary outcome is recurrent symptomatic ischemic stroke in the territory of the artery with ≥50% stenosis within 90 days. The primary predictor is distal hypoperfusion on magnetic resonance (MR) or computed tomography (CT) perfusion, defined as a ≥15 mL volume of territory of the symptomatic artery with Tmax >6 seconds.

RESULTS

Fifty patients met inclusion criteria, including 15 (30%) with recurrent stroke and 15 (30%) with distal hypoperfusion. Distal hypoperfusion was present in 10 of 15 (66.7%) with recurrent stroke versus 5 of 35 (14.3%) without recurrent stroke (P < .001). The hazard ratio for recurrent stroke in patients with distal hypoperfusion was 6.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.31‐20.0).

CONCLUSION

Distal hypoperfusion in acutely symptomatic ICAD with 50‐99% stenosis is associated with stroke recurrence. Distal hypoperfusion could be used to enrich future trials of secondary stroke prevention in ICAD patients.
Transfer of patients from a regional centre to a tertiary paediatric hospital for acute otolaryngology management: When is it necessary?
Authors: Ruskin Olivia R , Berkowitz Robert G
Published: June 2020

Aim

Transfer of patients from a regional to a tertiary paediatric facility is sometimes required for management of otolaryngological conditions when the expertise available locally is insufficient to deal with the complexity of the case.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was carried out over a 3‐year period of all patients under 18 years of age who were transferred to the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, primarily for otolaryngology management, from a regional hospital with an inpatient paediatric service and located 100 km or far from the Royal Children's Hospital.

Results

Thirty‐nine patients (30 male, 9 female) were identified. The majority of patients (29, 74%) required surgical management, with the most common procedures being rigid bronchoscopy with or without foreign body removal (7 patients, 24%), drainage of deep neck space infection (7 patients, 24%) and bilateral choanal atresia repair (4 patients, 13%).

Conclusion

Notwithstanding the cost and inconvenience, transfer was necessary in essentially all cases in this study for either specialist surgical management or medical management of conditions that could have otherwise escalated in acuity. By inference, it would appear that most routine acute paediatric otolaryngology conditions are managed successfully in a regional setting.
The presence of neutrophils causes RANKL expression in periodontal tissue, giving rise to osteoclast formation
Authors: Kim Ae Ri , Kim Ji‑Hye , Choi Yun Hui , Jeon Yeong‐Eui , Cha Jeong‑Heon , Bak Eun‑Jung , Yoo Yun‑Jung
Published: June 2020

Backgrounds and Objective

Increased neutrophil infiltration and osteoclast formation are key characteristics of periodontitis. The effect of these neutrophils on osteoclast formation in periodontitis remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of neutrophils on osteoclast formation in a neutrophil‐deficient mouse model of periodontitis.

Methods

Anti‐Ly6G antibody (Ab) was used for neutrophil depletion in two mouse models: periodontitis and air pouch. In the periodontitis experiments, mice were divided into PBS‐administered control (C), control Ab‐administered periodontitis (P), and anti‐Ly6G Ab‐administered periodontitis (P + Ly6G) groups. Periodontitis was induced by ligature of mandibular first molars. In the air pouch experiments, mice were divided into PBS‐administered (C), LPS and control Ab‐administered (LPS), and LPS and anti‐Ly6G Ab‐administered (LPS + Ly6G) groups. Neutrophil migration into air pouches was induced by LPS injection. Flow cytometry was used to examine CD11b+Ly6G+ neutrophils in the blood of periodontitis mice and CD11b+Ly6G+RANKL+ neutrophils in exudates of air pouch mice. In periodontal tissue, Ly6G+ neutrophil and RANKL+ cell numbers in periodontal ligament and alveolar bone areas were estimated using immunohistochemistry, osteoclast numbers were measured using TRAP assay, and alveolar bone loss was determined by H&E staining.

Results

In blood, CD11b+Ly6G+ neutrophils were found in greater percentage in the P group than in the C group on days 3 and 7. However, the percentage of neutrophils was lower in the P + Ly6G group than in the C and P groups. In periodontal tissue, the numbers of Ly6G+ neutrophils and RANKL+ cells were lower in the P + Ly6G group than in the P group on day 3. Ly6G+ neutrophil numbers decreased more in the P + Ly6G group than in the P group on day 7, but RANKL+ cell numbers did not decrease in the P + Ly6G group. In exudates, the number of CD11b+Ly6G+RANKL+ neutrophils was greater in the LPS group than in the C and LPS + Ly6G groups. On days 3 and 7, the numbers of osteoclasts and alveolar bone loss were greater in periodontal tissue in the P and P + Ly6G groups than in the C group. Interestingly, there were fewer osteoclasts in the P + Ly6G group than in the P group on day 3.

Conclusion

Neutrophil deficiency caused a reduction in numbers of both RANKL+ cells and osteoclasts in periodontitis‐induced tissues only on day 3. Furthermore, in the LPS‐injected air pouch model, neutrophil deficiency reduced the influx of RANKL+ neutrophils. These findings suggest that the presence of neutrophils induces RANKL expression and could induce osteoclast formation in the early stages of periodontitis.
Alpha‐terpineol complexed with beta‐cyclodextrin reduces damages caused by periodontitis in rats
Authors: Vasconcelos Any Carolina Cardoso Guimarães , Vasconcelos Daniel Fernando Pereira , da Silva Felipe Rodolfo Pereira , França Luiz Felipe de Carvalho , Alves Even Herlany Pereira , Di Lenardo David , Pessoa Larissa dos Santos , Nascimento Hélio Mateus Silva , Carvalho André dos Santos , Sousa Francisca Beatriz de Melo , Barbosa André Luiz dos Reis , Medeiros Jand‐Venes Rolim , Novaes Pedro Duarte , Mariano Flávia Sammartino , Lima Bruno dos Santos , Araujo Adriano Antunes de Souza , Júnior Lucindo José Quintans , de Oliveira Aldeídia Pereira
Published: June 2020

Background and objective

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the treatment with alpha‐terpineol (αTPN) complexed with beta‐cyclodextrin (βCD) on oral, blood, and hepatic parameters in ligature‐induced periodontitis.

Material and Methods

Forty female rats were distributed among the following groups: control (vehicle solution), periodontitis (ligature + vehicle solution), 5 mg/kg of αTPN‐βCD (ligature), and 25 mg/kg of αTPN‐βCD (ligature). Compounds were administered daily via intraperitoneal injection over a 20‐day period. Periodontitis was induced with the bilateral insertion of ligatures around the first lower molars of each rat. Oral parameters, as well as blood biomarkers, were measured: histopathological assessment of the hepatic tissue was carried out using light and transmission electron microscopy.

Results

The treatment with αTPN‐βCD significantly improved several oral parameters and blood biomarkers in comparison with rats with periodontitis. In addition, the treatment with αTPN‐βCD significantly ameliorated the steatosis score and reduced the number of lipid droplets and the amount of foamy cytoplasm in the hepatocytes of rats with periodontitis.

Conclusion

The results obtained suggest that the treatment with αTPN‐βCD improves several oral and blood parameters in rats with experimental periodontitis. In addition, hepatic alterations caused by periodontitis were ameliorated in the rats treated with αTPN‐βCD.
For Rural Hospitals That Merged, Inpatient Charges Decreased and Outpatient Charges Increased: A Pre‐/Post‐Comparison of Rural Hospitals That Merged and Rural Hospitals That Did Not Merge Between 2005 and 2015
Authors: Williams Dunc , Holmes G. Mark , Song Paula H. , Reiter Kristin L. , Pink George H.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

To determine whether inpatient and outpatient charges changed at rural hospitals after a merger.

Methods

Hospital mergers were derived from proprietary Irving Levin Associates data through manual review and validation. Hospital‐level characteristics were derived from HCRIS, CMS Impact File Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System, Hospital MSA file, AHRF, and US Census data. A difference‐in‐differences approach was used to determine whether inpatient and outpatient charges changed at rural hospitals after a merger. The comparison group, rural hospitals that did not merge at any point during the sample period, was weighted using inverse probability of treatment weights. Key outcome measures were total inpatient and total outpatient charges (logged).

Findings

Hospitals that merged billed 17.73% more inpatient charges and 12.66% more outpatient charges at baseline compared to hospitals that did not merge. Our results indicate that merging was associated with a 3.04% decrease in inpatient charges (P < .001) and a 1.07% increase in outpatient charges (P = .082). Merging was also associated with a 4.38% decrease in total revenue, a 3.58% decrease in net patient revenue, and no change in total inpatient discharges or average daily census.

Conclusions & Implications

Merging was strongly associated with a decrease in inpatient charges and somewhat associated with an increase in outpatient charges for rural hospitals. Future work could build upon this work to determine whether acquirers reduce or eliminate certain services at rural hospitals after a merger, and ultimately how changes in service delivery could impact patients in those rural communities.
Impact of chronic liver disease on outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID‐19: A multicentre United States experience
Authors: Hashemi Nikroo , Viveiros Kathleen , Redd Walker D. , Zhou Joyce C. , McCarty Thomas R. , Bazarbashi Ahmad N. , Hathorn Kelly E. , Wong Danny , Njie Cheikh , Shen Lin , Chan Walter W.
Published: June 2020

Liver injury has been described with COVID‐19, and early reports suggested 2%‐11% of patients had chronic liver disease (CLD). In this multicentre retrospective study, we evaluated hospitalized adults with laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 and the impact of CLD on relevant clinical outcomes. Of 363 patients included, 19% had CLD, including 15.2% with NAFLD. Patients with CLD had longer length of stay. After controlling for age, gender, obesity, cardiac diseases, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes and pulmonary disorders, CLD and NAFLD were independently associated with ICU admission ([aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.03‐3.04] and [aOR 2.30, 95% CI 1.27‐4.17]) and mechanical ventilation ([aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.20‐3.60] and [aOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.18‐3.91]). Presence of cirrhosis was an independent predictor of mortality (aOR 12.5, 95% CI 2.16‐72.5). Overall, nearly one‐fifth of hospitalized COVID‐19 patients had CLD, which was associated with more critical illness. Future studies are needed to identify interventions to improve clinical outcomes.
Testing the Technology of Human Capital Production: A General‐to‐Restricted Framework
Authors: Jones Sam
Published: June 2020

Studies of childhood development have suggested human capital is accumulated in complex and nonlinear ways. Nonetheless, empirical analyses of this process often impose a linear functional form. This paper investigates which technology assumptions matter in quantitative models of human capital production. I propose a general‐to‐restricted procedure to test the production technology, placing constraints on a modified McCarthy function, from which transcendental, constant elasticity of substitution, log‐linear and linear models are obtained as special cases. Applying the procedure to data on child height from the Young Lives surveys, as well as cognitive skills, I find that the technology of human capital production is neither log‐linear nor linear‐in‐parameters; rather, past and present inputs act as complements. I recommend that maintained hypotheses underlying functional form choices should be tested on a routine basis.
Overcoming interspecific barriers in Sorghum and molecular characterization of the derivatives
Authors: Kurella B.R.S. Visarada
Published: June 2020

Crop improvement in sorghum has progressed extensively availing the variation available in the primary gene pool of S. bicolor. Crossing further, the yield plateau can be accomplished by bringing in the genes from tertiary gene pool into the cultivated gene pool. Earlier efforts for wide hybridization in sorghum with tertiary gene pool were not successful due to inhibition of wild pollen germination on the stigma of cultivated species. In the current study, elite lines of cultivated Sorghum species were pollinated with wild species using different floral treatments. The results showed that spray with the synthetic auxin, 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, has promoted the seed set. Overall, 76% crosses showed seed set, but many seeds were underdeveloped and deformed. F1 progeny showed traits of both cultivated and wild parents. Hybrids were confirmed through PCR analysis. Many (80%) F1 plants were sterile, and 20% of F1s were advanced to F2 generation. Wide variation was observed in F2 progeny, and the phenotype selections were made and are being evaluated in the field.
Social Cohesion From the Top‐Down or Bottom‐Up? The Cases of South Sudan and Burundi
Authors: Liaga Emmaculate Asige , Wielenga Cori
Published: June 2020

Both Burundi and South Sudan experience intractable conflicts which national and international actors struggle to resolve. Efforts to consolidate the nation‐state and foster social cohesion seem to be unsuccessful. As has been well documented in the literature, top‐down efforts to facilitate social cohesion by international and national actors are not enough to foster sustainable peace. Yet the dynamics and actors involved in bottom‐up interventions for social cohesion are less well understood than elite interventions. This article contributes to a deeper understanding of the bottom‐up interventions and explores the vertical integration between top‐down and bottom‐up efforts at social cohesion that exist along the local, national, and international trajectory in the two cases. Particularly in contexts such as South Sudan and Burundi, which are characterized by societies that are held together through complex social and relational networks, and in which informal governance and conflict resolution mechanisms hold high levels of legitimacy, this under‐researched aspect of social cohesion may hold critical insights in terms of consolidating nation‐states. The article provides an argument for the consideration of bottom‐up approaches for more integration of social cohesion mechanisms.
An Intuitionist Theory of Argument Strength in Politics: How Intuitive Cognitive Biases Produce Universally Strong Arguments
Authors: Petersen Michael Bang , Arceneaux Kevin
Published: June 2020

Why are some political arguments more persuasive than others? Extant theories have mainly explained argument strength with reference to familiarity. Such explanations suggest that arguments are only strong for particular populations: those living in particular cultures, those following particular news, or those holding particular political values. Here, we argue for and identify the existence of a universally strong class of arguments transcending such divides: arguments that are congruent with intuitively held cognitive biases. We focus on arguments about social welfare that are congruent with a particular cognitive bias: the deservingness heuristic. Embedding a novel experiment in representative surveys in the United States, Japan, and Denmark, we demonstrate that people intuitively process arguments that resonate with this heuristic and that such arguments are strong across cultural divides, across individual levels of familiarity with the arguments, and across individual differences in political values. Finally, against the idea that intuitive arguments are simplistic, we demonstrate that such arguments can be inferentially complex, as long as they resonate with a cognitive bias.
Investigation into the relationship between religious orientation and depression in elderly individuals
Authors: Çeker Eda , Şahin Altun Özlem
Published: June 2020

Aims

In Turkey and around the world, the elderly population continues to grow, and society's expectations of this group have increased. At the same time, different research fields and studies have increasingly considered the effects of religious orientation on ageing. In this study, we examine the relationship between depression and religious orientation in the elderly.

Methods

This descriptive study focused on determining the relationship between religious orientation and depression in the elderly. Data were collected by using a personal information form, the Religious Orientation Scale, and the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale. Frequencies, percentages, means ± SD, Cronbach's α, and Pearson's correlation analysis were used to evaluate the data.

Results

More than half of the subjects (51.7%) were men, 61.9% were aged 65–74 years old, and 59.2% were married. For 35.2%, the highest level of education was primary school. Around half of the subjects perceived their income as moderate, and 57.4% received social security. With regard to depression, 72.5% of subjects were at risk, with the remaining 27.5% having no risk. There was a weak positive relationship between the mean ± SD scores on the Religious Orientation Scale (48.11 ± 6.36) and the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (8.23 ± 1.58; P < 0.01).

Conclusion

This study found a relationship between religious orientation and a tendency towards depression in the elderly that increased with religious orientation.
Preventive care for patients with end‐stage kidney disease: crossroads between nephrology and primary care
Authors: Phen Samuel S , Kazory Amir , Bozorgmehri Shahab , Ozrazgat‐Baslanti Tezcan , Sattari Maryam
Published: June 2020

Patients with end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) might expect their nephrologists to coordinate all their healthcare needs. We performed a survey among adult patients with ESKD undergoing HD in two outpatient dialysis centers at the University of Florida to identify differences in characteristics between patients with and without primary care providers (PCP) and to explore the association of PCP utilization with adherence to preventive health measures. Of the 132 participants, 89.4% reported having a PCP. This group was more likely to be female, older, and with higher education level. Having a PCP was associated with influenza, pneumococcal, and tetanus/Tdap vaccinations as well as screening for tuberculosis, depression, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The PCP group had statistically significant higher rates of influenza immunization (89.8% vs 71.4%, P = .04) as well as screening for hypertension (93.2% vs 64.3%, P = .04) and depression (78.8% vs 42.9%, P = .004), compared to the group without PCP, in the multivariable analysis. Having a PCP is associated with higher rates of influenza vaccination and screening for depression and hypertension. These findings could have important implications as far as identifying patients with ESKD at risk for fragmented care and potential gaps in optimal preventive care.
Clinical evaluation of efficacy, safety and tolerability of cysteamine 5% cream in comparison with modified Kligman’s formula in subjects with epidermal melasma: A randomized, double‐blind clinical trial study
Authors: Karrabi Maryam , David Jennifer , Sahebkar Mohammad
Published: June 2020

Background

Kligman’s formula (KF) remains to date the dermatologists’ treatment of choice for melasma. This study was aimed at the evaluation of the effectiveness of Modified Kligman’s formula (MKF) in comparison with cysteamine 5% cream on the severity of epidermal melasma.

Materials and Methods

A total of 50 subjects with epidermal melasma were included in this double‐blind, randomized trial study. Subjects received either cysteamine 5% cream or an MKF (4% hydroquinone, 0.05% retinoic acid and 0.1% betamethasone). Cysteamine cream (applied once daily, 15 minutes exposure) or MKF (applied once daily, whole night exposure) were used by the subjects over four consecutive months. The efficacy of the treatments was determined through the modified Melasma Area Severity Index (mMASI) score, the Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) and patient questionnaires.

Results

The mean (SD) age of the subjects was 34.96 (6.17) and 35.76 (5.23) years for cysteamine and MKF group, respectively. The mean mMASI score after 4 months was 7.04 (2.23) in the MKF group and 6.09 (2.01) in the cysteamine group. At both prospective evaluation points (2 months, 4 months), the percentage reduction in mMASI score was approximately 9% greater by cysteamine cream as compared to MKF, and these differences were statistically significant (P = .005 and .001 respectively).

Conclusion

Cysteamine 5% cream showed greater efficacy as compared to MKF. It is thus proposed that cysteamine 5% cream is more effective than MKF in the treatment of melasma, with the advantage of being significantly better tolerated.
Systems biology of responses to simultaneous copper and iron deficiency in Arabidopsis
Authors: Garcia‐Molina Antoni , Marino Giada , Lehmann Martin , Leister Dario
Published: June 2020

Plant responses to coincident nutrient deficiencies cannot be predicted from the responses to individual deficiencies. Although copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) are essential micronutrients for plant growth that are often and concurrently limited in soils, the combinatorial response to Cu‐Fe deficiency remains elusive. In the present study, we characterised the responses of Arabidopsis thaliana plants deprived of Cu, Fe or both (‐Cu‐Fe) at the level of plant development, mineral composition, and reconfiguration of transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes. Compared to single deficiencies, simultaneous ‐Cu‐Fe leads to a distinct pattern in leaf physiology and microelement concentration characterised by lowered protein content and enhanced manganese and zinc levels. Conditional networking analysis of molecular changes indicates that biological processes also display different co‐expression patterns among single and double deficiencies. Indeed, the interaction between Cu and Fe deficiencies causes distinct expression profiles for 15% of all biomolecules, leading to specific enhancement of general stress responses and protein homeostasis mechanisms, at the same time as severely arresting photosynthesis. Accordingly, central carbon metabolites, in particular photosynthates, decrease especially under ‐Cu‐Fe conditions, whereas the pool of free amino acids increases. Further meta‐analysis of transcriptomes and proteomes corroborated that protein biosynthesis and folding capacity were readjusted during the combinatorial response and unveiled important rearrangements in the metabolism of organic acids. Consequently, our results demonstrate that the response to ‐Cu‐Fe imposes a distinct reconfiguration of large sets of molecules, not triggered by single deficiencies, resulting into a switch from autotrophy to heterotrophy and involving organic acids such as fumaric acid as central mediators of the response.
La conservación del patrimonio arquitectónico a partir del tipo. El caso de Santa Cruz de Mompox
Authors: Chirivella Espuig Carmelo Sergio
Published: June 2020

Establecer condiciones de manejo para las intervenciones en inmuebles de valor patrimonial es necesario para evitar transformaciones que inicien procesos de deterioro y pérdida de las características que definen su arquitectura como testimonio físico del patrimonio de un lugar. De ahí que la norma urbana sea una herramienta imprescindible a la hora de generar directrices cuyo objetivo sea la conservación de este patrimonio arquitectónico.

La definición de un marco normativo para la protección del centro histórico de Mompox inicia con una serie de recomendaciones en 1970, pero solo hasta 1994 se adopta la primera reglamentación conocida como el Acuerdo n.º 1. En el año 2010 entra en vigor el Plan Especial de Manejo y Protección, donde se retoman algunas de las condiciones de manejo de dicha reglamentación y se establecen otras nuevas. Este trabajo presenta el análisis de las disposiciones establecidas por ambas normativas para intervenciones de ampliación, tanto en superficie como en altura, las cuales se basaron en un análisis tipológico de los inmuebles, y que abren paso a drásticas modificaciones de su arquitectura, que conducirían a la pérdida de los valores arquitectónicos por los que es reconocido hoy día como Patrimonio Mundial.
Change in acoustic impulse response of a room due to a fire
Authors: Abbasi Mustafa Z. , Wilson Preston S. , Ezekoye Ofodike A.
Published: June 2020

A room fire creates temperature gradients and inhomogeneous time varying temperature, density, and flow fields. Experimental measurements of the room acoustic impulse/frequency response are presented and compared with a ray traced model. The results show that the fire causes wave-fronts to arrive earlier (due to the higher sound speed) and with more variation in the delay times (due to the sound speed perturbations). The frequency response shows that the modes are shifted up in frequency and high frequency (>2500 Hz) modes are significantly attenuated. Model results are compared with data and show good agreement in observed trends.
Trombone lip mechanics with inertive and compliant loads (“lipping up and down”)
Authors: Boutin Henri , Smith John , Wolfe Joe
Published: June 2020

Trombonists normally play at a frequency slightly above a bore resonance. However, they can “lip up and down” to frequencies further above the resonance (more compliant load) and below (inertive load). This was studied by determining the pressures, flows, and acoustic impedance upstream and downstream and by analyzing high-speed video of the lips. The range of lipping up and down is roughly symmetrical about the peak in bore impedance rather than about the normal playing frequency. The acoustic flow into the instrument bore has two components: the flow through the lip aperture and the sweeping flow caused by the moving lips. Variations in the phases of each of these two components with respect to the mouthpiece pressure allow playing regimes loaded by bore impedances varying from compliant to inertive. In a simple model, this sweeping motion also allows the pressure difference across the lips to do work on the lips around a cycle. Its magnitude is typically about 20 times smaller than the work input to the instrument but of the same order as the maximum kinetic energy of the lips. In some cases, this sweeping work may, therefore, contribute most or all of the energy required for auto-oscillation.
Mars mission would put China among space leaders
Authors: Normile Dennis
Published: June 2020

Tianwen-1, a "quest for heavenly truth," aims for an orbiter-lander-rover trifecta.
Confronting bias
Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias
Pragya Agarwal
Bloomsbury Sigma, 2020. 448 pp.
Authors: Lai Calvin K.
Published: June 2020

Prejudice and discrimination are deeply personal, but their effects are profound
Evolution after genome duplication
Authors: Ehrenreich Ian M.
Published: June 2020

Genetic interactions in yeast reveal factors governing duplicate gene retention and divergence
Biology of antimicrobial resistance and approaches to combat it
Authors: Schrader Sarah M. , Vaubourgeix Julien , Nathan Carl
Published: June 2020

Improved understanding of the resistance of bacterial pathogens to antibiotics is fueling fresh approaches to identify new compounds, bacterial targets, and drug regimens.
Ammonoids from the Tully Formation and Harrell Shale in Pennsylvania: Markers of sea-level highstands in the Middle to Late Devonian transition, Appalachian foreland basin, eastern North America
Authors: Kirchgasser* William T. , Baird† Gordon C. , Brett† Carlton E.
Published: June 2020

Zone-diagnostic Middle to Upper Devonian ammonoids and conodonts occur in a sequence of thin carbonate beds in siliciclastic sections along the Allegheny front and northern fold belt of central Pennsylvania. The lowest, in the upper Tully Formation, and the succeeding four in the Harrell Shale, are southward continuations of marker beds long known in the Tully Limestone and overlying basin, slope, and shelf facies of the Genesee Group of New York State. These pelagic beds are Appalachian Basin signals of transgressive condensed intervals within global high-sea-level episodes and are associated with a worldwide biotic overturn in the tropical marine realm.

The Upper Givetian Tully Pharciceras amplexum bed has close lithic and faunal equivalents in the Taghanic biocrisis interval in Morocco and southern Europe. The Lower Frasnian styliolinid upper Genundewa Limestone, with the entry of Manticoceras, and, in the succeeding dark West River Shale, the Bluff Point Bed, with the entry of late Koenenites and early palmatolepid conodonts, are Appalachian highstand signals of the worldwide Timan bioevent transgression recognized in Western Australia, the Russian Platform, southern Europe, Morocco, western Canada, and now Pennsylvania. The widespread occurrences of discrete ammonoid beds, even in the more proximal or shoreward sedimentary settings of the Catskill Delta, reinforce the view that they accumulated under conditions of sequestered sediment supply when transgressions flooded the newly vegetated and deep-root-forested delta flats. As such, they overprinted or interrupted the westward progradation of siliciclastic sediments generated by mountain-building tectophases of the Acadian orogeny.

The Lower Frasnian ammonoid Epitornoceras dennisoni n. sp., described herein, from the Crosby Beds in the Harrell Shale at Milesburg, Pennsylvania, is named in honor of John Dennison.
Supplemental Material: Morphodynamic equilibrium of lowland river systems during autoretreat
Authors: Wu Chenliang , al. et
Published: June 2020

Additional details on the numerical model, code availability, and data from natural examples.
Supplemental Material: The Paleoproterozoic Francevillian succession of Gabon and the Lomagundi-Jatuli event
Authors: Bakakas Mayika Karen , al. et
Published: June 2020

Supplemental information and tables.
Supplemental Material: Gold mobilization during metamorphic devolatilization of Archean and Paleoproterozoic metavolcanic rocks
Authors: Patten Clifford , al. et
Published: June 2020

Additional information on whole rock geochemistry.
Cyberbullying and post-traumatic stress symptoms in UK adolescents
Authors: Mateu Ainoa , Pascual-Sánchez Ana , Martinez-Herves Maria , Hickey Nicole , Nicholls Dasha , Kramer Tami
Published: June 2020

Objective

Cyberbullying involvement carries mental health risks for adolescents, although post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms have not received strong attention in the UK. This study aimed to assess the overlap between cyber and traditional (ie, face-to-face) bullying, and the relationship to PTS symptoms in UK adolescents.

Design

A cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Four secondary schools in London,UK.

Participants

2218 secondary school students (11–19 years).

Main outcome measures

The Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire and the Children Revised Impact of Events Scale.

Results

There was a significant overlap between traditional bullying and cyberbullying. However, cyberperpetrators were less frequently involved in concurrent traditional bullying. Of 2218 pupils, 46% reported a history of any kind of bullying (34% were involved in traditional bullying and 25% in cyberbullying), 17% as victims, 12% as perpetrators, and 4% as both victims and perpetrators. A significant proportion of those who were cybervictims (n=280; 35%), cyberbullies (n=178; 29.2%) or cyberbully-victims (n=77; 28.6%) presented clinically significant PTS symptoms. Cybervictims (both cyber-only and cyberbully-victims) suffered more intrusion (p=0.003; p<0.001) and avoidance (p=0.005; p<0.001) than cyberbullies. However, cyberbullies still suffered more PTS symptoms than the non-involved (intrusion:z=−3.67, p=0.001; avoidance:z=−3.57, p=0.002). Post-traumatic stress symptoms were significantly predicted (R2=13.6) by cyber and traditional victimisation.

Conclusions

Cyberbullying, as victim only or as a victim-perpetrator, seems to be associated with multiple types of PTS symptoms. Cyber and traditional victimisation significantly predicted intrusion and avoidance. Paediatricians, general practitioners and mental health professionals need to be aware of possible PTS symptoms in young people involved in cyberbullying. Screening and early cost-effective treatments could be implemented.
Efficacy of contact tracing for the containment of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
Authors: Keeling Matt J , Hollingsworth T Deirdre , Read Jonathan M
Published: June 2020

Objective

Contact tracing is a central public health response to infectious disease outbreaks, especially in the early stages of an outbreak when specific treatments are limited. Importation of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from China and elsewhere into the UK highlights the need to understand the impact of contact tracing as a control measure.

Design

Detailed survey information on social encounters from over 5800 respondents is coupled to predictive models of contact tracing and control. This is used to investigate the likely efficacy of contact tracing and the distribution of secondary cases that may go untraced.

Results

Taking recent estimates for COVID-19 transmission we predict that under effective contact tracing less than 1 in 6 cases will generate any subsequent untraced infections, although this comes at a high logistical burden with an average of 36 individuals traced per case. Changes to the definition of a close contact can reduce this burden, but with increased risk of untraced cases; we find that tracing using a contact definition requiring more than 4 hours of contact is unlikely to control spread.

Conclusions

The current contact tracing strategy within the UK is likely to identify a sufficient proportion of infected individuals such that subsequent spread could be prevented, although the ultimate success will depend on the rapid detection of cases and isolation of contacts. Given the burden of tracing a large number of contacts to find new cases, there is the potential the system could be overwhelmed if imports of infection occur at a rapid rate.
Interaction between the promoterMUC5Bpolymorphism and mucin expression: is there a difference according to ILD subtype?
Authors: Stock Carmel J , Conti Caterina , Montero-Fernandez Ángeles , Caramori Gaetano , Molyneaux Philip L , George Peter M , Kokosi Maria , Kouranos Vaslis , Maher Toby M , Chua Felix , Rice Alexandra , Denton Christopher P , Nicholson Andrew G , Wells Athol , Sestini Piersante , Renzoni Elisabetta A
Published: June 2020

TheMUC5Bpromoter variant rs35705950 is associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). MUC5B glycoprotein is overexpressed in IPF lungs. We examined immunohistochemical expression of MUC5B in different interstitial lung disease patterns according to rs35705950 T-allele carriage. We observed increased expression of MUC5B in T-allele carriers in both distal airways and honeycomb cysts in patients with IPF (n=23), but no difference in MUC5B expression according to T-carrier status in the distal airways of patients with idiopathic non-specific interstitial pneumonitis (n=17), in scleroderma-associated non-specific interstitial pneumonitis (n=15) or in control lungs (n=20), suggesting that tissue overexpression inMUC5Brs35705950 T-carriers is specific to IPF.
Laboratory findings on the health status of the endemic rock‐partridge (Alectoris graeca whitakeri) population during a two‐year conservation programme in Sicily
Authors: Puleio Roberto , Manno Claudia , Valenza Andrea , Tolone Marco , Loria Guido Ruggero
Published: June 2020

Sicily (Italy) hosts an ‘endangered’, endemic population of Alectoris graeca whitakeri, commonly known as Sicilian Rock Partridge. An EU‐funded Life Natura 2000 project has been founded, involving Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Sicily for veterinary aspects: a total of 15 Sicilian Rock Partridge found dead were collected, identified and processed by postmortem examination and laboratory investigations. The evidence of internal parasites was the most relevant finding, showing different types of infections by Nematoda, Cestoda and Coccidia. 60 per cent of these cases were infected with more than one parasite. In one single case, a pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli related to granulocytic lesions in liver was found and another cause of death was due to respiratory disease caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. The study represents the first veterinary report on this rare species and underlines the importance to monitor the health status of wild species in the Italian environment in order to preserve local biodiversity.
An ornithurine bird coracoid from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada
Authors: Mohr Sydney R. , Acorn John H. , Funston Gregory F. , Currie Philip J.
Published: June 2020

The Cretaceous birds of Alberta are poorly known, as skeletal elements are rare and typically consist of fragmentary postcranial remains. A partial avian coracoid from the upper Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada, can be referred to the Ornithurae, and is referred to here as Ornithurine G (cf. Cimolopteryx). Its structure is similar to previously described ornithurine coracoids from Alberta and other localities in North America, particularly those belonging to the genus Cimolopteryx. A comparison of these elements indicates that the new coracoid is distinct; however, its preservation prevents complete diagnosis. As other Cimolopteryx are Maastrichtian in age, Ornithurine G (cf. Cimolopteryx) also represents the earliest occurrence of a Cimolopteryx-like anatomy. A pneumatized coracoid is a diagnostic trait of Neornithes, identified by the presence of a pneumatic foramen. Ornithurine G (cf. Cimolopteryx) does not preserve this feature. CT and micro-CT scans of both pneumatic and apneumatic coracoids of modern birds show similar internal structures to Ornithurine G (cf. Cimolopteryx), indicating that pneumaticity of the coracoid cannot be determined in the absence of an external pneumatic foramen. A comparison between members of Cimolopterygidae, including Cimolopteryx and Lamarqueavis, raises questions about the assignment of Lamarqueavis to the Cimolopterygidae, and the validity of this family as a whole.
Improved Activity Recognition Combining Inertial Motion Sensors and Electroencephalogram Signals
Authors: Graña Manuel , Aguilar-Moreno Marina , De Lope Asiain Javier , Araquistain Ibai Baglietto , Garmendia Xavier
Published: June 2020

Human activity recognition and neural activity analysis are the basis for human computational neureoethology research dealing with the simultaneous analysis of behavioral ethogram descriptions and neural activity measurements. Wireless electroencephalography (EEG) and wireless inertial measurement units (IMU) allow the realization of experimental data recording with improved ecological validity where the subjects can be carrying out natural activities while data recording is minimally invasive. Specifically, we aim to show that EEG and IMU data fusion allows improved human activity recognition in a natural setting. We have defined an experimental protocol composed of natural sitting, standing and walking activities, and we have recruited subjects in two sites: in-house ([Formula: see text]) and out-house ([Formula: see text]) populations with different demographics. Experimental protocol data capture was carried out with validated commercial systems. Classifier model training and validation were carried out with scikit-learn open source machine learning python package. EEG features consist of the amplitude of the standard EEG frequency bands. Inertial features were the instantaneous position of the body tracked points after a moving average smoothing to remove noise. We carry out three validation processes: a 10-fold cross-validation process per experimental protocol repetition, (b) the inference of the ethograms, and (c) the transfer learning from each experimental protocol repetition to the remaining repetitions. The in-house accuracy results were lower and much more variable than the out-house sessions results. In general, random forest was the best performing classifier model. Best cross-validation results, ethogram accuracy, and transfer learning were achieved from the fusion of EEG and IMUs data. Transfer learning behaved poorly compared to classification on the same protocol repetition, but it has accuracy still greater than 0.75 on average for the out-house data sessions. Transfer leaning accuracy among repetitions of the same subject was above 0.88 on average. Ethogram prediction accuracy was above 0.96 on average. Therefore, we conclude that wireless EEG and IMUs allow for the definition of natural experimental designs with high ecological validity toward human computational neuroethology research. The fusion of both EEG and IMUs signals improves activity and ethogram recognition.
AN ANALYSIS OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ACROSS FIRM OWNERSHIP: THE CASE OF STANDALONE DOMESTIC FIRMS, DOMESTIC GROUPS AND MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES
Authors: BOURKE JANE , CROWLEY FRANK , DORAN JUSTIN , McDONNELL ANTHONY
Published: June 2020

Management practices are important drivers of firm productivity (Bloom et al., 2019). While differences in the formalisation and sophistication of management practices are evident in comparisons of foreign multinationals and domestic firms (Bloom et al., 2012, Bloom and Van Reenen, 2007a, Bloom and Van Reenen, 2010), a striking omission from many studies is the failure to distinguish between domestic firms and domestically-owned multinationals (McDonnell et al., 2014). We merge the World Management Survey with the FAME dataset to examine the influence of firm ownership (standalone domestic firms; domestic groups; domestic owned multinationals; foreign owned multinationals) across a broad range of management practices. Foreign owned multinationals exhibit the highest formalisation and sophistication of management practices compared to all other firm types. However, significant asymmetries exist between different management practices across firm ownership. This is important as it raises questions as to whether there is sufficient learning and transfer of practices taking place across firms.
On the q-capability of groups
Authors: Monfared Forough Gharibi , Kayvanfar Saeed , Johari Farangis
Published: June 2020

Given a positive integer [Formula: see text], in this paper, we investigate some more properties of the [Formula: see text]-capability of groups. For instance, the relationship between [Formula: see text]-capability and the varietal capability is determined. Moreover, we introduce the notion of [Formula: see text]-epicenter for a group and then we obtain some criteria for the [Formula: see text]-capability of groups. Finally, as an application, we characterize all [Formula: see text]-capable extra-special [Formula: see text]-groups when [Formula: see text] is a power of [Formula: see text]
WNK3 and WNK4 exhibit opposite sensitivity with respect to cell volume and intracellular chloride concentration
Authors: Pacheco-Alvarez Diana , Carrillo-Pérez Diego Luis , Mercado Adriana , Leyva-Ríos Karla , Moreno Erika , Hernández-Mercado Elisa , Castañeda-Bueno María , Vázquez Norma , Gamba Gerardo
Published: June 2020

Cation-coupled chloride cotransporters (CCC) play a role in modulating intracellular chloride concentration ([Cl−]i) and cell volume. Cell shrinkage and cell swelling are accompanied by an increase or decrease in [Cl−]i, respectively. Cell shrinkage and a decrease in [Cl−]i increase the activity of NKCCs (Na-K-Cl cotransporters: NKCC1, NKCC2, and Na-Cl) and inhibit the activity of KCCs (K-Cl cotransporters: KCC1 to KCC4), wheras cell swelling and an increase in [Cl−]i activate KCCs and inhibit NKCCs; thus, it is unlikely that the same kinase is responsible for both effects. WNK1 and WNK4 are chloride-sensitive kinases that modulate the activity of CCC in response to changes in [Cl−]i. Here, we showed that WNK3, another member of the serine-threonine kinase WNK family with known effects on CCC, is not sensitive to [Cl−]i but can be regulated by changes in extracellular tonicity. In contrast, WNK4 is highly sensitive to [Cl−]i but is not regulated by changes in cell volume. The activity of WNK3 toward NaCl cotransporter is not affected by eliminating the chloride-binding site of WNK3, further confirming that the kinase is not sensitive to chloride. Chimeric WNK3/WNK4 proteins were produced, and analysis of the chimeras suggests that sequences within the WNK’s carboxy-terminal end may modulate the chloride affinity. We propose that WNK3 is a cell volume-sensitive kinase that translates changes in cell volume into phosphorylation of CCC.