bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A robust control chart for simple linear profiles in two‐stage processes
Authors: Hassanvand Farid , Samimi Yaser , Shahriari Hamid
Published: August 2019

In many manufacturing systems, the final product is the result of several dependent stages. In particular, in multistage processes, the quality characteristics of downstream stages are influenced by those in the earlier stages (upstream). This property is referred to as the cascade property, which, if disregarded in process monitoring, may bring about misleading results for the subsequent fault diagnosis. Considering the relationships among consecutive stages of the process, the U statistic is the most widely used method for monitoring multistage processes. Using this method, our paper deals with monitoring a two‐stage process where quality characteristics are represented as simple linear profiles. To guard against the detrimental effect of contaminated data in the phase I of statistical process control, two well‐known robust M‐estimators, including Huber's and bi‐square, are employed for estimation of the process parameters. Under different degrees of autocorrelation across stages of the process and also for different contamination rates, the performances of the proposed methods are compared with that of the conventional least‐square method. From the viewpoint of estimation performance measures, including unbiasedness and efficiency, along with the capability of the control chart in identifying the true source of variation, extensive simulation results reveal that robust estimators outperform the traditional method in a two‐stage process. Meanwhile, it should be noted when there is contamination only in the first stage of the process, the least‐square method performs slightly better.
Use case specifications: How complete are they?
Authors: Tiwari Saurabh , Gupta Atul
Published: August 2019

The flexibility of the use cases in specifying requirements from informal textual descriptions to more formal ones makes them usable in different contexts and purposes. However, the versatility of use cases regarding their admissible structure raises a natural concern about the specification completeness. This paper reports on the analysis of the eight different variants of use case template regarding their functional completeness, ability to express the set of particular functionalities, by comparing their information contents exercised by comprehensive questionnaires on five different problem specifications. The questionnaire was obtained from two sources: one based on the understanding of the functionality to be implemented and the other based on the functionality documented in eight different use case templates under study. Our results suggested that use cases can be used to specify a complete set of requirements intended to develop a software system. We found that the choice of a use case template influences the completeness of the specification. A more detailed analysis of the eight different variants of use case template resulted in the identification of 21 significant use case elements. We showed that by incorporating these significant use case elements in a given template, the completeness of the specification could be further enhanced.
Synergy of Plasmonic Silver Nanorod and Water for Enhanced Planar Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices
Authors: Liu Si , Liang Lusheng , Meng Lingyi , Tian Xiangdong , Zhang Zhuangzhuang , Yu Yaming , Lan Zhang , Wu Jihuai , Zhang Jiaoxia , Gao Peng
Published: August 2019

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been widely studied during the past 10 years. Albeit the excellent light‐absorption ability, the thickness of the perovskite layer is limited to maintain effective control over morphology and carrier migration. Meanwhile, the quality of perovskite films is a crucial factor affecting the performance of final devices. The traditional one‐step process for preparing triple‐cation perovskite films suffers from small grain size, low crystallization quality, and many surface defects. Herein, in the process of triple‐cation perovskite‐based solar cells, a facile dosing strategy of a silver nanorods (AgNR) aqueous solution into the perovskite precursor is adopted. The localized surface plasmon resonance effect of AgNR enhances the light‐capture ability of the perovskite layer without increasing the thickness. At the same time, the presence of appropriate water helps to obtain high‐quality perovskite films with larger grain size and fewer defects. It is found that the synergy of AgNR and water successfully reduces the defect density and increases mobility significantly. Consequently, a power conversion efficiency of 20.18% and a short‐circuit current (JSC) of 22.08 mA cm−2 is achieved. Meanwhile, an excellent fill factor beyond 82% is reported, which is one of the highest values for triple‐cation hybrid PSCs.
Direct Growth of a GaInP/GaAs/Si Triple‐Junction Solar Cell with 22.3% AM1.5g Efficiency
Authors: Feifel Markus , Lackner David , Ohlmann Jens , Benick Jan , Hermle Martin , Dimroth Frank
Published: August 2019

III–V on Si multijunction solar cells exceede the efficiency limit of Si single‐junction devices but are often challenged by expensive layer transfer techniques. Here, progress in the development of direct epitaxial growth for GaInP/GaAs/Si triple‐junction solar cells is reported. III–V absorbers with a total thickness of 4.9 μm are grown onto a Si bottom cell using metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. A new record efficiency of 22.3% under AM1.5g conditions is reached herein, outperforming the previous value of 19.7%. This improvement is possible through better nucleation conditions for the first GaP layer on Si and consequently the reduction of threading dislocations within the III–V absorbers from 1.4 × 108 to 2.2 × 107 cm−2. Further efficiency improvements toward 30% require even lower threading dislocation densities in the order of 1 × 106 cm−2, better light trapping in the Si bottom cell, and a reduction of parasitic absorption within the GaAsyP1–y graded buffer.
Removing the Oddity in First Degree Entailment
Authors: Kapsner Andreas ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2019

I discuss an old problem with first degree entailment (FDE), namely the unintuitive way disjunctions and conjunctions between statements with values B and N are defined. I supply a solution to this problem that involves a modification of FDE that leaves the philosophical motivation for the logic unharmed. Furthermore, I argue that this modification allows us to incorporate the philosophical core idea of exactly true logic without leading to the unusual inferential behavior of that logic.
Obstacles to the use of complementary and alternative medicine by primary care physicians: Preliminary study
Authors: Sugito Ryosuke , Son Daisuke
Published: August 2019

Aim

Complementary and alternative medicine is increasingly being used by primary care physicians in Japan, although this usage has not been studied in detail, and the barriers in the way of its use by physicians have not been explored. The aim of this study was therefore to clarify the factors that interfere with the use of complementary and alternative medicine, from the perspective of the primary care physicians.

Methods

We conducted interviews with primary care physicians who use complementary and alternative medicine in their practice. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed qualitatively using the Steps for Coding and Theorization method.

Results

Four categories and 15 concepts were extracted. The categories generated were ‘Awareness of health‐care providers’, ‘Characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine’, ‘Medical system and organization’ and ‘Regional factors’.

Conclusion

Various factors interfere in the use of complementary and alternative medicine by primary care physicians. Approaches to overcome lack of education and insufficient collaboration among regional health professionals need to be developed. Future studies are needed to generalize the present findings in order to enhance integrative medicine and the utilization of complementary and alternative medicine in primary care settings.
Analytical buckling loads for corner supported rectangular orthotropic and symmetrically laminated plates
Authors: Tenenbaum J. , Deutsch A. , Eisenberger M.
Published: August 2019

In this research we present a new analytical solution for finding the buckling loads of thin isotropic and orthotropic rectangular plates in which all four corners are supported. This new solution is also capable of solving all cases where few or all the edges are supported. The methods that are currently known in the literature for finding the buckling loads of plates are mainly numerical. Although some plates with specific boundary conditions have analytical solutions, a comprehensive analytical method providing analytical solutions that fit all possible combinations of boundary conditions is lacking. The solution method in this study is based on the development of a static solution for a plate. The physical meaning of buckling is the loss of stiffness, and it is found as the value of the in‐plane loading intensity at which a zero force on the plate surface will generate infinite displacement. The solution is obtained in series form, and the coefficients are solved to match the edge conditions. Using this new method, exact buckling loads and buckling modes of many new cases of classical boundary conditions are found. Results are given for several stiffness ratios in both directions of the plate, and for uni‐directional and bi‐directional loading.
Supersymmetric naturalness beyond MSSM
Authors: Kobakhidze Archil , Talia Matthew
Published: August 2019

Abstract

The experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have pushed the limits on masses of supersymmetric particles beyond the ∼TeV scale. This compromises naturalness of the simplest supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model, the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). In this paper we advocate that perhaps the current experimental data are actually hinting towards the physics beyond MSSM. To illustrate this, we treat the MSSM as a low-energy limit of a more fundamental yet unspecified theory at a scale Λ, and compute the fine-tuning measure Δ for generic boundary conditions with soft SUSY breaking parameters and various cut-off scales. As a general trend we observe reduction in fine-tuning together with lowering Λ. In particular, perfectly natural [Δ ≲

$$ \mathcal{O} $$

O

(10)] theories with a multi-TeV spectrum of supersymmetric particles that are consistent with all current observations can be obtained for Λ ∼

$$ \mathcal{O} $$

O

(100)TeV. The lowering of the fine-tuning for large cut-off scales can also be observed in theories exhibiting special quasi-fixed point behaviour for certain parameters. Our observations call for a more thorough exploration of possible alternative ultraviolet completions of MSSM.
Reliability analysis for seismic capacity of casing strings
Authors: Gao Jinwei , Shi Wen , Cui Shaohua , Jiao Yongfeng
Published: August 2019

Based on the analysis of seismic intensity and randomness, an earthquake intensity probability model is built, and the relationship between seismic intensity and seismic acceleration is presented. The distribution law of casing parameters, including outer diameter, wall thickness, Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio, is described by analyzing the randomness of casing geometry and mechanical properties. With the setting up a mechanical model of the casing strings in earthquakes, and using the spectral modal analysis theory and the equivalent static load method, the calculation method of the equivalent load of casing strings under seismic action is studied. The limit state equations of various failure forms of casing strings in earthquakes are established. Based on the theory of structural reliability, the reliability model of casing strings under seismic action is built. The seismic reliability of casing strings is calculated, and the calculation results are verified by field data. The calculation results show that influence of earthquake on safety and reliability of casing strings is very serious for long service life oil and gas wells in areas where the seismic fortification intensity is high.
Unmarried Youth Pregnancy, Outcomes, and Social Factors in China: Findings From a Nationwide Population-Based Survey
Authors: Guo Chao , Pang Lihua , Ding Ruoxi , Song Xinming , Chen Gong , Zheng Xiaoying
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Early pregnancies and their poor reproductive outcomes remain increasing concerns.

Aim

This study aims to investigate the pregnancy rate and outcomes and to identify social factors associated with pregnancy among Chinese unmarried youths aged 15–24 years.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Survey of Youth Access to Reproductive Health in China, and 11,076 unmarried female youths were analyzed. Prevalence of pregnancy by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics was calculated. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with pregnancy.

Main Outcome Measure

The main outcome is pregnancy among unmarried female youths during their lifetime.

Results

Among 11,076 female youths, 501 individuals reported 697 premarital pregnancies during their lifetime until the survey was conducted, approximately 62.9 (95% CI: 58.5–67.6) pregnancies per 1,000 female youths. Older age group (odds ratio [OR] = 4.49; 95% CI = 3.60–5.59), low education levels (primary school and below: OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.33–2.37; junior and senior high school: OR 1.44, 95% CI = 1.15–1.80), living in non-eastern regions (central: OR 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06–1.68; west: OR 1.62, 95% CI = 1.28–2.04), cigarette smoking (OR 3.60, 95% CI = 2.76–4.70), alcohol drinking (OR 1.59, 95% CI = 1.28–1.97), from family with mother’s education of primary school and below (OR 1.65, 95% CI = 1.11–2.46), and the bottom economic status (OR 1.48, 95% CI = 1.14–1.91) were associated with higher risk of premarital pregnancy among female youths.

Conclusion

The findings justify the national concern for pregnancy among unmarried youth in China. Strategies to improve sexual education in school and family, to enhance the reproductive services for youth, and to increase public awareness of the reproductive health of young people were warranted.
Excavating Repositories: Academic Research Projects Using Archaeological Collections
Authors: Schiappacasse Paola A.
Published: August 2019

Around the world, archaeological collections are curated in museums, universities, foundations, government agencies, and other organizations. Some are carefully documented and readily accessible, while others are languishing in substandard conditions as a direct result of the curation crisis. This article highlights the value of collection-based research. It encourages the mutually beneficial approach of training students in both collection preservation and collection-based research and demonstrates other ways to obtain data for research projects, aside from excavation. Using my collections-based research carried out in Puerto Rico and the continental United States as a case study, I draw attention to the valuable information that can be derived from acquisition and accession documents and offer ways to incorporate new datasets. This allows for more accurate narratives of collections’ historiographies.
Crimes Against the Sovereign Order: Rethinking International Criminal Justice
Authors: Liss Ryan
Published: August 2019

The scope of international criminal jurisdiction poses a fundamental challenge for criminal law theory. Prevailing justifications for the state's authority to punish crime assume the existence of connections between the state and either the criminal or the crime that are not always present in the international criminal context. Recognizing this gap, this Article introduces a new theory of what distinguishes international crimes from domestic crimes and justifies the unusual scope of international criminal jurisdiction. As this Article explains, international crimes are unique in the way they undermine international society's structure as a system of sovereign states.
Phenology of seed maturation in babysbreath (Gypsophila paniculata) in northwest Michigan, USA, and its relation to glyphosate efficacy
Authors: Rice Emma K. , Martínez-Oquendo Pamela , McNair James N.
Published: August 2019

Babysbreath or perennial babysbreath (Gypsophila paniculata L.) is an aggressive invasive plant in large parts of southern Canada and the northern and western United States. It reproduces and disperses by seed, so the phenology of seed maturation is important in designing management programs. The present study provides the first quantitative assessment of G. paniculata seed-maturation phenology in a field population, as well as the first quantitative assessment of how the efficacy of herbicide treatment in preventing production of germinable seeds depends on the timing of treatment in relation to this phenology. Seeds were collected from untreated plants on five dates during July and August in both 2016 and 2017 and tested for germinability. Percent germination increased from 20% to 81% between July 22 and 28 and exceeded 90% by August 4, 2016. The seed-maturation phenology in 2017 was similar but delayed by about 4 d. On a growing degree-day scale, seed-maturation phenologies for the 2 yr were nearly identical. We also tested germinability of seeds from plants sprayed with glyphosate (23.4 ml ae L−1) on July 11, 18, and 25, 2016 (one date per plant). Percent germination increased from 0% to 13% to 20% over successive treatment dates, highlighting the importance of completing treatment early in the growing season.
New sharp Hardy and Rellich type inequalities on Cartan–Hadamard manifolds and their improvements
Authors: Nguyen Van Hoang
Published: August 2019

In this paper, we prove several new Hardy type inequalities (such as the weighted Hardy inequality, weighted Rellich inequality, critical Hardy inequality and critical Rellich inequality) related to the radial derivation (i.e., the derivation along the geodesic curves) on the Cartan–Hadamard manifolds. By Gauss lemma, our new Hardy inequalities are stronger than the classical ones. We also establish the improvements of these inequalities in terms of sectional curvature of the underlying manifolds which illustrate the effect of curvature to these inequalities. Furthermore, we obtain some improvements of Hardy and Rellich inequalities on the hyperbolic space ℍn. Especially, we show that our new Rellich inequalities are indeed stronger than the classical ones on the hyperbolic space ℍn.
Pitch Perfect: Vocal Pitch and the Emotional Intensity of Congressional Speech
Authors: DIETRICH BRYCE J. , HAYES MATTHEW , O’BRIEN DIANA Z.
Published: August 2019

Although audio archives are available for a number of political institutions, the data they provide receive scant attention from researchers. Yet, audio data offer important insights, including information about speakers’ emotional states. Using one of the largest collections of natural audio ever compiled—74,158 Congressional floor speeches—we introduce a novel measure of legislators’ emotional intensity: small changes in vocal pitch that are difficult for speakers to control. Applying our measure to MCs’ floor speeches about women, we show that female MCs speak with greater emotional intensity when talking about women as compared with both their male colleagues and their speech on other topics. Our two supplementary analyses suggest that increased vocal pitch is consistent with legislators’ broader issue commitments, and that emotionally intense speech may affect other lawmakers’ behavior. More generally, by demonstrating the utility of audio-as-data approaches, our work highlights a new way of studying political speech.
Distance and percentage distance from median BMI as alternatives to BMI z score
Authors: Freedman David S. , Woo Jessica G. , Ogden Cynthia L. , Xu Ji H. , Cole Tim J.
Published: August 2019

BMI z (BMIz) score based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts is widely used, but it is inaccurate above the 97th percentile. We explored the performance of alternative metrics based on the absolute distance or % distance of a child’s BMI from the median BMI for sex and age. We used longitudinal data from 5628 children who were first examined <12 years to compare the tracking of three BMI metrics: distance from median, % distance from median and % distance from median on a log scale. We also explored the effects of adjusting these metrics for age differences in the distribution of BMI. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to compare tracking of the metrics. Metrics based on % distance (whether on the original or log scale) yielded higher ICCs compared with distance from median. The ICCs of the age-adjusted metrics were higher than that of the unadjusted metrics, particularly among children who were (1) overweight or had obesity, (2) younger and (3) followed for >3 years. The ICCs of the age-adjusted metrics were also higher compared with that of BMIz among children who were overweight or obese. Unlike BMIz, these alternative metrics do not have an upper limit and can be used for assessing BMI in all children, even those with very high BMIs. The age-adjusted % from median (on a log or linear scale) works well for all ages, while unadjusted % from median is better limited to older children or short follow-up periods.
Dizziness, driving, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: audit of advice given to patients, and design of a patient information leaflet
Authors: Sinnott J D , Mahoney H , Wilkinson A S , Broomfield S J
Published: August 2019

Background

Evidence from the literature shows that clinicians’ knowledge of rules and legislation surrounding driving can often be poor. A closed-loop audit was conducted to gauge the level of driving advice given to patients with dizziness.

Methods

The clinical notes of 100 patients referred to the vertigo clinic at a tertiary referral centre were retrospectively searched for evidence of driving advice. Education sessions were undertaken and a patient information leaflet was developed before a second cycle of the audit.

Results and conclusion

The proportion of patients having documented evidence of receiving driving advice increased from 6.3 per cent to 10.4 per cent. It is therefore clear that, despite this improvement, a significant proportion of patients’ notes did not contain documentation about driving. This is likely because of many reasons, including individual interpretation by clinicians. This paper provides a reminder of the rules, and discusses their interpretation and implementation in an increasingly medicolegal environment.
Word knowledge, learning and acquisition in a second language: Proposed replications of Elgort (2011) and Qiao and Forster (2017)
Authors: Elgort Irina
Published: August 2019

What does it mean to learn a word? How can we tell when a sequence of letters or sounds becomes a word in the mind of the learner? While many second language (L2) vocabulary teaching and learning studies continue to use traditional vocabulary tests to measure learning (such as multiple choice, translation, gap-fill), these measures tend to come short when researchers want to address theoretical questions about the nature of L2 word knowledge. In the present paper, I argue for conceptualising word learning as lexicalisation, which necessitates the use of alternative approaches to measuring learning. I then propose approximate and conceptual replications of two theoretically motivated L2 word learning studies, Elgort (2011) and Qiao and Forster (2017), that used the Prime Lexicality Effect as a measure of lexicalisation of deliberately learned L2 words.
LOG-CONCAVITY OF COMPOUND DISTRIBUTIONS WITH APPLICATIONS IN OPERATIONAL AND ACTUARIAL MODELS
Authors: Badía F. G. , Sangüesa C. , Federgruen A.
Published: August 2019

We establish that a random sum of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random quantities has a log-concave cumulative distribution function (cdf) if (i) the random number of terms in the sum has a log-concave probability mass function (pmf) and (ii) the distribution of the i.i.d. terms has a non-increasing density function (when continuous) or a non-increasing pmf (when discrete). We illustrate the usefulness of this result using a standard actuarial risk model and a replacement model.

We apply this fundamental result to establish that a compound renewal process observed during a random time interval has a log-concave cdf if the observation time interval and the inter-renewal time distribution have log-concave densities, while the compounding distribution has a decreasing density or pmf. We use this second result to establish the optimality of a so-called (s,S) policy for various inventory models with a stock-out cost coefficient of dimension [$/unit], significantly generalizing the conditions for the demand and leadtime processes, in conjunction with the cost structure in these models. We also identify the implications of our results for various algorithmic approaches to compute optimal policy parameters.
Gender, Race, Age, and National Origin Predict Whether Faculty Assign Female-Authored Readings in Graduate Syllabi
Authors: Smith Amy Erica , Hardt Heidi , Meister Philippe , Kim Hannah June
Published: August 2019

Numerous studies document female scholars’ underrepresentation in political science publications and citations, yet few examine graduate syllabi. In this study, we assess the impact of instructors’ individual characteristics (i.e., race, gender, and age) on which readings they assign. We use what is—to our knowledge—the largest dataset of graduate readings to date: the GRaduate Assignments DataSet (GRADS), with 75,601 readings from 840 syllabi in 94 US PhD programs. We report several findings. First, overall, instructors infrequently assign female-authored scholarship relative to the rates at which women publish. Second, instructors who are women, people of color, and those from more gender-equal countries assign significantly more female-authored readings than white male instructors and those from less gender-equal countries. Third, among women—but not men—older instructors assign more female-authored work. We suggest that women’s underrepresentation on syllabi may contribute to “the leaky pipeline,” which describes women’s attrition from academic careers.
An exposé of the realpolitik of trade negotiations: implications for population nutrition
Authors: Friel Sharon , Baker Phillip , Thow Anne-Marie , Gleeson Deborah , Townsend Belinda , Schram Ashley
Published: August 2019

Objective:

To explore the formal and informal ways in which different actors involved in shaping trade agreements pursue their interests and understand the interactions with nutrition, in order to improve coherence between trade and nutrition policy goals.

Design:

The paper draws on empirical evidence from Australian key informant interviews that explore the underlying political dimensions of trade agreements that act as barriers or facilitators to getting nutrition objectives on trade agendas.

Setting:

Countries experiencing greater availability and access to diets full of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods through increased imports, greater foreign direct investment and increasing constraints on national health policy space as a result of trade agreements.

Participants:

Interviews took place with Australian government officials, industry, public-interest non-government organizations and academics.

Results:

The analysis reveals the formal and informal mechanisms and structures that different policy actors use both inside and outside trade negotiations to pursue their interests. The analysis also identifies the discourses used by the different actors, as they attempt to influence trade agreements in ways that support or undermine nutrition-related goals.

Conclusions:

Moving forward requires policy makers, researchers and health advocates to use various strategies including: reframing the role of trade agreements to include health outcomes; reforming the process to allow greater access and voice to health arguments and stakeholders; establishing cross-government partners through accountable committees; and building circles of consensus and coalitions of sympathetic public-interest actors.
Vitamin D sufficiency in young Brazilian children: associated factors and relationship with vitamin A corrected for inflammatory status
Authors: Lourenço Bárbara H , Silva Lara LS , Fawzi Wafaie W , Cardoso Marly A ,   for the ENFAC Working Group
Published: August 2019

Objective:

To assess sociodemographic, nutritional and health conditions associated with vitamin D sufficiency among young Brazilian children living at different latitudes.

Design:

Cross-sectional analysis with a four-level model of inflammation to correct micronutrient concentrations. Prevalence ratios (PR; 95 % CI) were estimated for factors associated with vitamin D sufficiency (≥50 nmol/l), adjusting for child’s sex, age, skin colour, stunting and vitamin A+D supplementation.

Setting:

Primary health-care units in four Brazilian cities located at lower (7°59′26·9016″S and 9°58′31·3864″S) and higher latitudes (16°41′12·7752″S and 30°2′4·7292″S).

Participants:

In total 468 children aged 11–15 months were included in the analysis.

Results:

Only 31·8 % of children were vitamin D sufficient (concentration <30 nmol/l and <50 nmol/l among 32·9 and 68·2 %, respectively). Living at higher latitudes was associated with reduced prevalence of vitamin D sufficiency compared with lower latitudes (PR = 0·65; 95 % CI 0·49, 0·85). Maternal education ≥9 years positively influenced a sufficient vitamin D status in children. After correction for inflammatory status, each increase of 1 µmol/l in vitamin A concentration was associated with a 1·38-fold higher prevalence of vitamin D sufficiency (95 % CI 1·18, 1·61). Progressive decline in the prevalence of vitamin D sufficiency was associated with marginal and deficient status of vitamin A (Ptrend = 0·001).

Conclusions:

Lower latitude, higher maternal education and vitamin A concentration were positively associated with vitamin D sufficiency in young Brazilian children. These findings are relevant for planning public health strategies for improving vitamin D status starting in early infancy.
Social life characteristics in relation to adherence to the Mediterranean diet in older adults: findings from the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet (HELIAD) study
Authors: Mamalaki Eirini , Anastasiou Costas A , Kosmidis Mary H , Dardiotis Efthimios , Hadjigeorgiou Georgios M , Sakka Paraskevi , Scarmeas Nikolaos , Yannakoulia Mary
Published: August 2019

Objective:

The present study aimed to explore the associations between social life and adherence to a healthy dietary pattern, the Mediterranean diet (MD), in a population-representative cohort of older people.

Design:

Cross-sectional study. Adherence to the MD was evaluated by an a priori score; tertiles of the score, indicating low, medium and high adherence, were used in the analyses. Social life was assessed by a questionnaire evaluating participation in leisure-time activities and the number of social contacts; primary occupation was also recorded and job characteristics were further explored.

Setting:

Community-dwelling older adults.

Participants:

Adults from the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet (HELIAD) study (n 1933; age range 65–99 years).

Results:

Each unit increase in the number of social contacts/month and in the frequency score of intellectual, social and physical activities was associated with a 1·6, 6·8, 4·8 and 13·7 % increase in the likelihood of a participant being in the high MD adherence group, respectively. The analysis by age group revealed that younger elderly participants had a 1·4, 8·4 and 11·3 % higher likelihood to be in the high adherence group for each unit increase in the number of social contacts/month and in the frequency score of engagement in intellectual and physical activities, respectively. Similar associations were found for older elderly participants with high compared with low MD adherence, except for the intellectual activities.

Conclusions:

The present results suggest that high MD adherence is associated with good social life, suggesting a clustering of health-promoting lifestyle factors in older adults.
Comparing responses of sensitive and resistant populations of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus var. rudis) to PPO inhibitors
Authors: Lillie Kathryn J. , Giacomini Darci A. , Tranel Patrick J.
Published: August 2019

Resistance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors was first observed in waterhemp in 2001 and was conferred by the deletion of a glycine residue at the 210th position (ΔGly-210) of the PPO enzyme. PPO-inhibitor resistance in Palmer amaranth was first observed in 2011, 10 years later. The objectives of this study were to directly compare PPO inhibitor responses in plants of both species with or without the ΔGly-210 mutation. Using greenhouse experiments, early (EPOST) and late (LPOST) postemergence dose responses using lactofen and fomesafen, and preemergence (PRE) dose responses using fomesafen and flumioxazin, were obtained for a sensitive and resistant population each of waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. An additional spray study confirmed each sensitive population used in the dose responses was representative of its respective species, with regards to PPO-inhibitor sensitivity. When treated at either POST timing, Palmer amaranth was more tolerant than waterhemp, and the ΔGly-210 mutation provided greater resistance in Palmer amaranth (48-fold to >3,440-fold, depending on timing and herbicide) than in waterhemp (31-fold to 123-fold). The level of tolerance in Palmer amaranth was striking; the sensitive Palmer amaranth population treated LPOST survived as well or better than the resistant waterhemp population treated EPOST. With PRE applications, response differences both between species and between resistant and sensitive populations generally were less pronounced, relative to POST applications. Collectively, this research indicates Palmer amaranth tolerance to POST-applied PPO inhibitors could have initially slowed (relative to waterhemp) evolution of resistance to these herbicides, and resistant and sensitive populations of both species are more likely to be effectively controlled with PRE rather than POST applications.
Herbicide resistance in China: a quantitative review
Authors: Liu Xiangying , Xiang Shihai , Zong Tao , Ma Guolan , Wu Lamei , Liu Kailin , Zhou Xuguo , Bai Lianyang
Published: August 2019

The widespread, rapid evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds is a serious and escalating agronomic problem worldwide. During China’s economic boom, the country became one of the most important herbicide producers and consumers in the world, and herbicide resistance has dramatically increased in the past decade and has become a serious threat to agriculture. Here, following an evidence-based PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) approach, we carried out a systematic review to quantitatively assess herbicide resistance in China. Multiple weed species, including 26, 18, 11, 9, 5, 5, 4, and 3 species in rice (Oryza sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], corn (Zea mays L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)., orchards, and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) fields, respectively, have developed herbicide resistance. Acetolactate synthase inhibitors, acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitors, and synthetic auxin herbicides are the most resistance-prone herbicides and are the most frequently used mechanisms of action, followed by 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase inhibitors and protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors. The lack of alternative herbicides to manage weeds that exhibit cross-resistance or multiple resistance (or both) is an emerging issue and poses one of the greatest threats challenging the crop production and food safety both in China and globally.
ABCD: Artemis, Brazil, Climate, Diamonds (and Some Other Things)
Authors:   AGU
Published: August 2019

What Earth and space science stories are we recommending this week?
An Optimized Array Configuration of Tsunami Observation Network Off Southern Java, Indonesia
Authors: Mulia Iyan E. , Gusman Aditya Riadi , Williamson Amy L. , Satake Kenji
Published: August 2019

Historical records have proven that the southern coasts of Java, Indonesia, are prone to tsunamis. The existing tsunami observing system using bottom pressure gauges, also known as tsunameters, composes a global network but is too sparse for regional tsunami forecasts. The nearest tsunameter to Indonesia is located approximately 500‐km offshore, which is not very useful for the area, particularly for a tsunami source in eastern part of the Sunda megathrust. Here we propose a methodology to optimally place offshore tsunameters with the main consideration of operational costs, which is proportional to the number of observation points. We use a stochastic slip model of earthquakes with Mw 8.8–9.2 to generate multiple tsunami source realizations representing possible future events in the region. Based on the sources, we then identify a potential zone where an early tsunami detection is feasible. Furthermore, empirical orthogonal functions derived from tsunami simulations are used to determine the initial locations for tsunameter placement inside the specified zone. Finally, we apply an optimization scheme to improve the initial locations that facilitates both tsunami forecasts and source characterizations through a tsunami waveform inversion analysis. Our result indicates that six tsunameters are sufficient to efficiently cover the major seismogenic region in the study area.
Untangling the dynamics of persistence and colonization in microbial communities
Authors: Ranjeva Sylvia L , Mihaljevic Joseph R , Joseph Maxwell B , Giuliano Anna R , Dwyer Greg
Published: August 2019

A central goal of community ecology is to infer biotic interactions from observed distributions of co-occurring species. Evidence for biotic interactions, however, can be obscured by shared environmental requirements, posing a challenge for statistical inference. Here, we introduce a dynamic statistical model, based on probit regression, that quantifies the effects of spatial and temporal covariance in longitudinal co-occurrence data. We separate the fixed pairwise effects of species occurrences on persistence and colonization rates, a potential signal of direct interactions, from latent pairwise correlations in occurrence, a potential signal of shared environmental responses. We first validate our modeling framework with several simulation studies. Then, we apply the approach to a pressing epidemiological question by examining how human papillomavirus (HPV) types coexist. Our results suggest that while HPV types respond similarly to common host traits, direct interactions are sparse and weak, so that HPV type diversity depends largely on shared environmental drivers. Our modeling approach is widely applicable to microbial communities and provides valuable insights that should lead to more directed hypothesis testing and mechanistic modeling.
Rebalancing of actomyosin contractility enables mammary tumor formation upon loss of E-cadherin
Authors: Schipper Koen , Seinstra Danielle , Paulien Drenth Anne , van der Burg Eline , Ramovs Veronika , Sonnenberg Arnoud , van Rheenen Jacco , Nethe Micha , Jonkers Jos
Published: August 2019

E-cadherin (CDH1) is a master regulator of epithelial cell adherence junctions and a well-established tumor suppressor in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC). Intriguingly, somatic inactivation of E-cadherin alone in mouse mammary epithelial cells (MMECs) is insufficient to induce tumor formation. Here we show that E-cadherin loss induces extrusion of luminal MMECs to the basal lamina. Remarkably, E-cadherin-deficient MMECs can breach the basal lamina but do not disseminate into the surrounding fat pad. Basal lamina components laminin and collagen IV supported adhesion and survival of E-cadherin-deficient MMECs while collagen I, the principle component of the mammary stromal micro-environment did not. We uncovered that relaxation of actomyosin contractility mediates adhesion and survival of E-cadherin-deficient MMECs on collagen I, thereby allowing ILC development. Together, these findings unmask the direct consequences of E-cadherin inactivation in the mammary gland and identify aberrant actomyosin contractility as a critical barrier to ILC formation.
Cell-type-specific genomics reveals histone modification dynamics in mammalian meiosis
Authors: Lam Kwan-Wood Gabriel , Brick Kevin , Cheng Gang , Pratto Florencia , Camerini-Otero R. Daniel
Published: August 2019

Meiosis is the specialized cell division during which parental genomes recombine to create genotypically unique gametes. Despite its importance, mammalian meiosis cannot be studied in vitro, greatly limiting mechanistic studies. In vivo, meiocytes progress asynchronously through meiosis and therefore the study of specific stages of meiosis is a challenge. Here, we describe a method for isolating pure sub-populations of nuclei that allows for detailed study of meiotic substages. Interrogating the H3K4me3 landscape revealed dynamic chromatin transitions between substages of meiotic prophase I, both at sites of genetic recombination and at gene promoters. We also leveraged this method to perform the first comprehensive, genome-wide survey of histone marks in meiotic prophase, revealing a heretofore unappreciated complexity of the epigenetic landscape at meiotic recombination hotspots. Ultimately, this study presents a straightforward, scalable framework for interrogating the complexities of mammalian meiosis.
Impact of low lethal concentrations of buprofezin on biological traits and expression profile of chitin synthase 1 gene (CHS1) in melon aphid, Aphis gossypii
Authors: Ullah Farman , Gul Hina , Yousaf Hafiz Kamran , Xiu Wang , Qian Ding , Gao Xiwu , Tariq Kaleem , Han Peng , Desneux Nicolas , Song Dunlun
Published: August 2019

Buprofezin, a chitin synthesis inhibitor that can be used for the control of hemipteran pests, especially melon aphid, Aphis gossypii. The impact of low lethal concentrations of buprofezin on the biological parameters and expression profile of CHS1 gene were estimated for two successive generations of A. gossypii. The present result shows that the LC15 and LC30 of buprofezin significantly decreased the fecundity and longevity of both generations. Exposure of F0 individuals to both concentrations delay the developmental period in F1. Furthermore, the survival rate, intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and net reproductive rate (R0) were reduced significantly in progeny generation at both concentrations. However, the reduction in gross reproductive rate (GRR) was observed only at LC30. Although, the mean generation time (T) prolonged substantially at LC30. Additionally, expression of the CHS1 gene was significantly increased in F0 adults. Significant increase in the relative abundance of CHS1 mRNA transcript was also observed at the juvenile and adult stages of F1 generation following exposure to LC15 and LC30. Therefore, our results show that buprofezin could affect the biological traits by diminishing the chitin contents owing to the inhibition of chitin synthase activity in the succeeding generation of melon aphid.
Nano-mechanical mapping of interdependent cell and ECM mechanics by AFM force spectroscopy
Authors: Viji Babu Prem Kumar , Rianna Carmela , Mirastschijski Ursula , Radmacher Manfred
Published: August 2019

Extracellular matrix (ECM), as a dynamic component of the tissue, influences cell behavior and plays an important role in cell mechanics and tissue homeostasis. Reciprocally, this three-dimensional scaffold is dynamically, structurally and mechanically modified by cells. In the field of biophysics, the independent role of cell and ECM mechanics has been largely investigated; however, there is a lack of experimental data reporting the interdependent interplay between cell and ECM mechanics, measured simultaneously. Here, using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) we have characterized five different decellularized matrices diverse in their topography, ECM composition and stiffness and cultured them with normal and pathological fibroblasts (scar and Dupuytren’s). We investigated the change in topography and elasticity of these matrices due to cell seeding, by using AFM peak force imaging and mechanical mapping, respectively. We found normal fibroblasts soften these matrices more than pathological fibroblasts, suggesting that pathological fibroblasts are profoundly influencing tissue stiffening in fibrosis. We detected different ECM composition of decellularized matrices used here influences fibroblast stiffness, thus highlighting that cell mechanics not only depends on ECM stiffness but also on their composition. We used confocal microscopy to assess fibroblasts invasion and found pathological fibroblasts were invading the matrices deeper than normal fibroblasts.
HIV-1 DNA-capture-seq is a useful tool for the comprehensive characterization of HIV-1 provirus
Authors: Iwase Saori C. , Miyazato Paola , Katsuya Hiroo , Islam Saiful , Yang Benjy Tan Jek , Ito Jumpei , Matsuo Misaki , Takeuchi Hiroaki , Ishida Takaomi , Matsuda Kouki , Maeda Kenji , Satou Yorifumi
Published: August 2019

Regardless of recent advances in the development of anti-retroviral drugs, it is still extremely difficult to eradicate HIV-1 from infected individuals. The characterization of the HIV-1 provirus, a type of viral reservoir, with a high resolution is key to HIV-1 cure research. Here, we demonstrate that DNA-capture-seq is a powerful tool to obtain comprehensive information on the HIV-1 provirus. We use biotinylated DNA probes targeting the entire HIV-1 sequence to capture fragments containing HIV-1 sequences from DNA-seq libraries prepared for high throughput sequencing. We demonstrate that the protocol provided the entire proviral sequence from the beginning of the 5′ LTR to the end of the 3′ LTR. Since HIV-1 DNA-probes can hybridize not only viral fragments but also virus-host chimeric ones, the viral integration site information can also be obtained. We verify the efficiency of the protocol by using latently infected cell lines, such as ACH-2 and J1.1, and newly generated ones. The results reveal that the 2 new clones that we analyse harbour one copy of replication-competent provirus, suggesting that latency is not caused by genetic mutations or deletions of the provirus. In conclusion, HIV-1 DNA-capture-seq is a powerful tool to characterize the HIV-1 provirus at a single nucleotide resolution and therefore might be useful for various experiments aiming for an HIV-1 cure.
Sequential adjustment of cytotoxic T lymphocyte densities improves efficacy in controlling tumor growth
Authors: Khazen Roxana , Müller Sabina , Lafouresse Fanny , Valitutti Salvatore , Cussat-Blanc Sylvain
Published: August 2019

Understanding the human cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) biology is crucial to develop novel strategies aiming at maximizing their lytic capacity against cancer cells. Here we introduce an agent-based model, calibrated on population-scale experimental data that allows quantifying human CTL per capita killing. Our model highlights higher individual CTL killing capacity at lower CTL densities and fits experimental data of human melanoma cell killing. The model allows extending the analysis over prolonged time frames, difficult to investigate experimentally, and reveals that initial high CTL densities hamper efficacy to control melanoma growth. Computational analysis forecasts that sequential addition of fresh CTL cohorts improves tumor growth control. In vivo experimental data, obtained in a mouse melanoma model, confirm this prediction. Taken together, our results unveil the impact that sequential adjustment of cellular densities has on enhancing CTL efficacy over long-term confrontation with tumor cells. In perspective, they can be instrumental to refine CTL-based therapeutic strategies aiming at controlling tumor growth.