bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Childhood Traumatic Loss: A Secondary Analysis of Symptom Severity and Treatment Outcome
Authors: Unterhitzenberger Johanna , Sachser Cedric , Rosner Rita
Published: March 2020

Loss is a commonly experienced traumatic event among children. Although the experience of loss can potentially lead to posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), little is known about PTSS levels after traumatic loss versus other traumatic events. We investigated data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on trauma‐focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF–CBT) versus a waitlist condition for children with PTSS. In a secondary analysis, we compared participants who reported traumatic loss as their index event (n = 23) to those who reported the two most frequently reported index events in the RCT: sexual abuse (SA; n = 59) and physical violence (PV; n = 55). The index event was rated according to the participants’ most distressing traumatic event reported on the Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale for Children and Adolescents. Participants who experienced traumatic loss reported fewer PTSS and better general functioning than those who reported SA. A subgroup RCT (n = 19) revealed TF–CBT to be highly effective in reducing PTSS in cases of traumatic loss, d = 1.69. The effect sizes for PTSS indicated that all three trauma groups benefited from TF–CBT. In the waitlist group, PTSS symptoms improved for SA and PV, ds = 0.76 and 0.98, respectively, but not for traumatic loss, d = 0.23. These findings suggest that TF–CBT is a feasible and promising treatment for children who experience PTSS after traumatic loss. The results are limited by the post hoc quality of the analyses and lack of a measure of grief in the RCT.
The Impact of Depression Severity on Treatment Outcomes Among Older Male Combat Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Walter Kristen H. , Glassman Lisa H. , Wells Stephanie Y. , Thorp Steven R. , Morland Leslie A.
Published: March 2020

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are highly comorbid within the veteran population. Research studies have yielded divergent findings regarding the effect of depression on PTSD treatment outcomes. The present study investigated the influence of pretreatment depression severity on PTSD and depression symptom trajectories among 85 older (i.e., ≥ 60 years) male veterans with military‐related PTSD who received either prolonged exposure or relaxation training as part of a randomized controlled trial. Participants were categorized as having no/mild depression (n = 23) or moderate/severe depression (n = 62). The PTSD Checklist (PCL‐S) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9) were completed at pretreatment, each of 12 therapy sessions, posttreatment, and 6‐month follow‐up, for a total of up to 15 data points per participant. Multilevel modeling (MLM) was used to evaluate the impact of pretreatment depression severity on piecewise symptom trajectories (i.e., active treatment and follow‐up periods) over time and to determine whether treatment condition moderated the trajectories. The final MLM results showed significant main effects of depression severity on PCL‐S scores, B = 10.84, p = .043 and PHQ‐9 scores, B = 7.09, p = .001, over time. No significant interactions emerged for either the PCL‐S or PHQ‐9, indicating that although older veterans with more severe depression endorsed higher PTSD and depression scores across time, the symptom trajectories were not moderated by depression severity, treatment condition, or their interaction.
Thermophysical Properties of Amorphous‐Paracrystalline Celluloses by Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Bregado Jurgen Lange , Tavares Frederico Wanderley , Secchi Argimiro Resende , Segtovich Iuri Soter Viana
Published: March 2020

For the engineering and process design of chemical and pharmaceutical plants, the knowledge of thermophysical properties is essential. Here, glass transition temperature (Tg), curves of heat capacity (Cp), isotropic thermal expansion (∝p), and isothermal compressibility (βT) are computed for amorphous/paracrystalline (Am‐Par) structures of cellulose over a wide range of temperature (380–680 K) using molecular dynamics with the CHARMM36 (C36) force field (FF). The fluctuation method under the NPT ensemble is used to calculate Cp, ∝p, and βT, whereas Tg is computed by monitoring specific volume versus temperature. Here, the fluctuation method is used with a quantum mechanical correction term for the calculation of Cp. Results of Cp, ∝p, and βT values at 298 K using extrapolation from these curves are also obtained. The thermophysical properties values from the simulations are compared with experimental data for cellulose with different degree of crystallinity and with those obtained by prominent FFs suggested for cellulose, such as GLYCAM06 and COMPASS. The findings reveal that ∝p, βT, and Tg are somewhat better reproduced than Cp with C36 over the studied temperature range. From this study, it is inferred that, for accurate modeling of heat capacity of pure Am‐Par celluloses with large fragments of glucose, the C36 FF needs re‐parameterization.
Newly identified miRNAs may contribute to aerenchyma formation in sugarcane roots
Authors: Queiroz de Pinho Tavares Eveline , Camara Mattos Martins Marina , Grandis Adriana , Romim Grayce H. , Rusiska Piovezani Amanda , Weissmann Gaiarsa Jonas , Silveira Buckeridge Marcos
Published: March 2020

Small RNAs comprise three families of noncoding regulatory RNAs that control gene expression by blocking mRNA translation or leading to mRNA cleavage. Such post‐transcriptional negative regulation is relevant for both plant development and environmental adaptations. An important biotechnological application of miRNA identification is the discovery of regulators and effectors of cell wall degradation, which can improve/facilitate hydrolysis of cell wall polymers for second‐generation bioethanol production. The recent characterization of plant innate cell wall modifications occurring during root aerenchyma development triggered by ethylene led to the possibility of prospection for mechanisms of cell wall disassembly in sugarcane. By using next‐generation sequencing, 39 miRNAs were identified in root segments along the process of aerenchyma development. Among them, 31 miRNAs were unknown to the sugarcane miRBase repository but previously identified as produced by its relative Sorghum bicolor. Key putative targets related to signal transduction, carbohydrate metabolic process, and cell wall organization or biogenesis were among the most representative gene categories targeted by miRNA. They belong to the subclasses of genes associated with the four modules of cell wall modification in sugarcane roots: cell expansion, cell separation, hemicellulose, and cellulose hydrolysis. Thirteen miRNAs possibly related to ethylene perception and signaling were also identified. Our findings suggest that miRNAs may be involved in the regulation of cell wall degradation during aerenchyma formation. This work also points out to potential molecular tools for sugarcane improvement in the context of second‐generation biofuels.
Structural and biochemical characterization of SADS‐CoV papain‐like protease 2
Authors: Wang Lu , Hu Weihua , Fan Chengpeng
Published: March 2020

Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS‐CoV) is a novel coronavirus that is involved in severe diarrhea disease in piglets, causing considerable agricultural and economic loss in China. The emergence of this new coronavirus increases the importance of understanding SADS‐CoV as well as antivirals. Coronaviral proteases, including main proteases and papain‐like proteases (PLP), are attractive antiviral targets because of their essential roles in polyprotein processing and thus viral maturation. Here, we describe the biochemical and structural identification of recombinant SADS papain‐like protease 2 (PLP2) domain of nsp3. The SADS‐CoV PLP2 was shown to cleave nsp1 proteins and also peptides mimicking the nsp2|nsp3 cleavage site and also had deubiquitinating and deISGynating activity by in vitro assays. The crystal structure adopts an architecture resembling that of PLPs from other coronaviruses. We characterize both conserved and unique structural features likely directing the interaction of PLP2 with the substrates, including the tentative mapping of active site and other essential residues. These results provide a foundation for understanding the molecular basis of coronaviral PLPs' catalytic mechanism and for the screening and design of therapeutics to combat infection by SADS coronavirus.
Topological Magnetoelectric Effect: Nonlinear Time‐Reversal‐Symmetric Response, Witten Effect, and Half‐Integer Quantum Hall Effect
Authors: Zirnstein Heinrich‐Gregor , Rosenow Bernd
Published: March 2020

Topological insulators (TIs) in three space dimensions can be characterized by a quantized magnetoelectric coefficient. However, this coupling does not have experimentally observable consequences in the presence of time‐reversal symmetry, because the contributions of both bulk and surface states cancel each other. Instead, the characteristic response of a TI is a nonlinear magnetoelectric effect. Field theoretic aspects of the nonlinear magnetoelectric response and numerical calculations for experimentally relevant geometries are discussed. Distinct from this effect, the magnetoelectric coupling would bind a charge ±e/2 in response to a monopole, which is referred to as Witten effect. If time reversal is broken explicitly, for instance, by a Zeeman field acting on the surface layer, the electromagnetic response of a TI can be described by a half‐integer quantum Hall effect of surface electrons.
Dynamic Impurity Redistributions in Kesterite Absorbers
Authors: Grini Sigbjørn , Aboulfadl Hisham , Ross Nils , Persson Clas , Platzer-Björkman Charlotte , Thuvander Mattias , Vines Lasse
Published: March 2020

Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 is a promising nontoxic earth‐abundant solar cell absorber. To optimize the thin films for solar cell device performance, postdeposition treatments at temperatures below the crystallization temperature are normally performed, which alter the surface and bulk properties. The polycrystalline thin films contain relatively high concentrations of impurities, such as sodium, oxygen and hydrogen. During the treatments, these impurities migrate and likely agglomerate at lattice defects or interfaces. Herein, impurity redistribution after air annealing for temperatures up to 200 °C and short heavy water treatments are studied. In addition, nonuniformities of the sodium distribution on a nanometer and micrometer scale are characterized by atom probe tomography and secondary ion mass spectrometry, respectively. Sodium and oxygen correlate to a greater extent after heat treatments, supporting strong binding between the two impurities. Redistributions of these impurities occur even at room temperature over longer time periods. Heavy water treatments confirm out‐diffusion of sodium with more incorporation of oxygen and hydrogen. It is observed that the increased hydrogen content does not originate from the heavy water. The existence of an “ice‐like” layer on top of the Cu2ZnSnS4 layer is proposed.
High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit of Full‐Heusler Ba2AuX (X = As, Sb, and Bi)
Authors: Ma Jinlong , Nissimagoudar Arun S. , Wang Shudong , Li Wu
Published: March 2020

Herein, an unprecedentedly high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) in full‐Heusler compounds of Ba2AuX (X = As, Sb, and Bi) is predicted by performing first‐principles calculations combined with parameter‐free Boltzmann transport equations. It is found that the ZT can reach up to 5 and 3 at 800 K in n‐ and p‐type systems, respectively, and can be as high as 1.7 and 1.0 at room temperature. The high ZT is attributed to the high power factor coupled with low thermal conductivity. The spin–orbit coupling (SOC) is necessarily considered because the exclusion of SOC significantly overestimates the electron mobility but underestimates the hole mobility of Ba2AuBi. The Lorenz number is found to exhibit an expected monotonical increase with carrier concentration, in contrast to the reported literature results.
A critical review of graphics for subgroup analyses in clinical trials
Authors: Ballarini Nicolás M. , Chiu Yi‐Da , König Franz , Posch Martin , Jaki Thomas
Published: March 2020

Subgroup analyses are a routine part of clinical trials to investigate whether treatment effects are homogeneous across the study population. Graphical approaches play a key role in subgroup analyses to visualise effect sizes of subgroups, to aid the identification of groups that respond differentially, and to communicate the results to a wider audience. Many existing approaches do not capture the core information and are prone to lead to a misinterpretation of the subgroup effects. In this work, we critically appraise existing visualisation techniques, propose useful extensions to increase their utility and attempt to develop an effective visualisation approach. We focus on forest plots, UpSet plots, Galbraith plots, subpopulation treatment effect pattern plot, and contour plots, and comment on other approaches whose utility is more limited. We illustrate the methods using data from a prostate cancer study.
Mapping the world's coral reefs using a global multiscale earth observation framework
Authors: B. Lyons Mitchell , M. Roelfsema Chris , V. Kennedy Emma , M. Kovacs Eva , Borrego‐Acevedo Rodney , Markey Kathryn , Roe Meredith , M. Yuwono Doddy , L. Harris Daniel , R. Phinn Stuart , Asner Gregory P. , Li Jiwei , E. Knapp David , S. Fabina Nicholas , Larsen Kirk , Traganos Dimosthenis , J. Murray Nicholas
Published: March 2020

Coral reefs are among the most diverse and iconic ecosystems on Earth, but a range of anthropogenic pressures are threatening their persistence. Owing to their remoteness, broad spatial coverage and cross‐jurisdictional locations, there are no high‐resolution remotely sensed maps available at the global scale. Here we present a framework that is capable of mapping coral reef habitats from individual reefs (~200 km2) to entire barrier reef systems (200 000 km2) and across vast ocean extents (>6 000 000 km2). This is the first time this has been demonstrated using a consistent and transparent remote sensing mapping framework. The ten maps that we present achieved good accuracy (78% mean overall accuracy) from multiple input image datasets and training data sources, and our framework was shown to be adaptable to either benthic or geomorphic reef features and across diverse coral reef environments. These new generation high‐resolution map data will be useful for supporting ecosystem risk assessments, detecting change in ecosystem dynamics and targeting efforts to monitor local‐scale changes in coral cover and reef health.
Synergistic RGO/Black TiO2/2D‐ZIF‐8 Ternary Heterogeneous Composite with Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: He Jiahui , Ye Jin , Zhang Yue , Kong Lingbo , Zhou Xuejian , Ma Yehui , Yang Yongfang
Published: March 2020

A ternary heterogeneous composite combining reduced graphene oxide (RGO), black titanium dioxide (B−TiO2) nanosheets and two dimensional ZIF‐8 sheets (2D‐ZIF‐8) was prepared. Under hydrothermal condition, B−TiO2 nanosheets and GO were tightly bound together, and meanwhile GO was reduced to RGO. Upon mixing with poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)‐modified 2D‐ZIF‐8, the RGO/B−TiO2/2D‐ZIF‐8 ternary composite was obtained by PVP binding between B−TiO2 and 2D‐ZIF‐8. The introduction of 2D‐ZIF‐8 endowed the ternary composite a good adsorption capability of contaminant and followed degradation in situ at the site of adsorption. Owing to synergistic catalysis of oxygen vacancy and the formation of double heterogeneous interfaces, the prepared ternary composite had good visible light adsorption and rapid charge separation rate, which improved the photocatalytic performance. The rate constant of photocatalytic degradation of doxycycline hydrochloride and methylene blue by RGO/B−TiO2/2D‐ZIF‐8 was determined to be 0.0118 and 0.0232 min−1, respectively, which are 2.68 and 3.3 times that of B−TiO2. This study could provide deep insight for the design of high and bi‐functional activity catalysts based on the assembly of two‐dimensional sheet.
An Efficient Fluorescent Probe for Tetracycline Detection Based on Histidine‐Templated Copper Nanoclusters
Authors: Cai Zhifeng , Zhu Ruitao , Chen Siying , Wu Liangliang , Qi Kaifei , Zhang Caifeng
Published: March 2020

In this contribution, we established a simple, green, fast and cost‐effective strategy to prepare green‐emitting fluorescence copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) by using histidine as a stabilizer and ascorbic acid as a reducing agent. A series of characterization methods including fluorescence spectroscopy, UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the Cu NCs. The histidine‐capped Cu NCs (His‐Cu NCs) was well dispersed and exhibited good water solubility, excellent photostability and salt resistance. Interestingly, it was discovered that tetracycline caused a sensitive and selective decline in the fluorescence intensity of His‐Cu NCs for the first time. The proposed analysis system showed a wide linear range from 0.1 to 110 μM, and the detection limit was 0.047 μM. After that, the fluorescent assay was successfully employed to analyze tetracycline in lake water samples.
Multicamera measurement system to evaluate the dynamic response of utility‐scale wind turbine blades
Authors: Poozesh Peyman , Sabato Alessandro , Sarrafi Aral , Niezrecki Christopher , Avitabile Peter , Yarala Rahul
Published: March 2020

Wind turbine blade certification requires static and fatigue testing at a large‐scale facility similar to the Wind Technology Testing Center (WTTC) located in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Usually, these tests are conducted by using wire‐based sensors such as strain gages, accelerometers, and string potentiometers. These systems are expensive, require a time‐consuming installation (e.g., up to 3 weeks and $35 k–$50 k for a strain gage system on a 55‐m‐long blade), are difficult to deploy on large‐sized structures, require additional instrumentations (e.g., power amplifiers and data acquisition systems), and produce results only at a handful of a discrete number of measurement points. In this study, a multicamera measurement system is implemented and experimentally evaluated to obtain full‐field displacement and strain over a ~12‐m‐long portion of a ~60‐m utility‐scale wind turbine blade. The proposed system has the potential to streamline the certification process by reducing the blade's preparation and sensor installation cost and time to a few hundreds of dollars (for painting equipment) and a few days for preparing the surface of the blade for the test. Furthermore, operational modal analysis was used in conjunction with the multicamera system to estimate the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the wind turbine blade. The obtained results have shown that the proposed approach can detect in‐plane displacement as low as 0.2 mm, mechanical strain with an error below 3% when compared with measurement performed using strain gages, and the first five natural frequencies with an error below 2% when compared with data recorded using traditional wire‐based accelerometers. This paper presents these results and provides a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed optical measurement approach in the context of streamlining the blade certification/testing process and performing vision‐based structural dynamic measurements on large‐scale structures.
Determination of binary systems based on light elements by the ratio of the Compton and Rayleigh scattering intensities
Authors: Mikhailov Igor F. , Baturin Alexey A. , Mikhailov Anton I. , Borisova Svetlana S.
Published: March 2020

A generalization of the Compton method for determining elements with a low atomic number Z from 1 (H) to 9 (F) by the ratio of the intensities of incoherent (Compton) and coherent (Rayleigh) scattering is proposed. The generalization takes into account not only the dependence of this ratio on the effective atomic number of the scatterer material but also the momentum transfer variable x = . The new method is based on the application of calibration function of obtained by measuring scattering spectra at two values of
x1= 0.831 Å−1 and
x2= 1.297 Å−1 with a WDXRF spectrometer. The elemental atomic numbers and their concentrations of binary compounds with unknown compositions are determined by the solution of a system of linear equations. Coefficients of the equations are calculated from the measured ratios for the test sample and the regularization solution for the corresponding calibration. The experiments have been carried out for standard samples of single‐component, binary and triple stoichiometric compounds based on H, Li, Be, B, C, O and F. The identification of these elements was found to be possible in the absence of a relationship between the positions of scattering peaks and the composition of the sample, and a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the composition of the material was carried out as part of the solution of a single inverse problem.
Poincaré- and Sobolev- Type Inequalities for Complex m-Hessian Equations
Authors: Åhag Per , Czyż Rafał
Published: March 2020

By using quasi-Banach techniques as key ingredient we prove Poincaré- and Sobolev- type inequalities for m-subharmonic functions with finite (p, m)-energy. A consequence of the Sobolev type inequality is a partial confirmation of Błocki’s integrability conjecture for m-subharmonic functions.
Methods for detection of viable foodborne pathogens: current state-of-art and future prospects
Authors: Foddai Antonio C. G. , Grant Irene R.
Published: March 2020

The ability to rapidly detect viable pathogens in food is important for public health and food safety reasons. Culture-based detection methods, the traditional means of demonstrating microbial viability, tend to be laborious, time consuming and slow to provide results. Several culture-independent methods to detect viable pathogens have been reported in recent years, including both nucleic acid–based (PCR combined with use of cell viability dyes or reverse-transcriptase PCR to detect messenger RNA) and phage-based (plaque assay or phage amplification and lysis plus PCR/qPCR, immunoassay or enzymatic assay to detect host DNA, progeny phages or intracellular components) methods. Some of these newer methods, particularly phage-based methods, show promise in terms of speed, sensitivity of detection and cost compared with culture for food testing. This review provides an overview of these new approaches and their food testing applications, and discusses their current limitations and future prospects in relation to detection of viable pathogens in food.

Key points

• Cultural methods may be ‘gold standard’ for assessing viability of pathogens, but they are too slow.

• Nucleic acid–based methods offer speed of detection but not consistently proof of cell viability.

• Phage-based methods appear to offer best alternative to culture for detecting viable pathogens.
Long‐Term Evaluation of the Outcomes of Subtotal Laparoscopic and Robotic Splenectomy in Hereditary Spherocytosis
Authors: Manciu Simona , Nae Georgiana‐Aurelia , Diaconu Adriana , Colita Anca , Dragomir Mihnea P. , Purnichescu‐Purtan Raluca , Tudor Stefan , Vasilescu Catalin
Published: March 2020

Background

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a common inherited disease affecting the erythrocyte membrane. Total splenectomy (TS) is effective in reducing hemolysis and decreasing the need of transfusions, but total removal of the spleen represents a potential risk factor for infectious and non‐infectious complications. On the other hand, subtotal splenectomy (STS) could be an alternative therapy for HS. The aim of this study is to establish which surgical approach has the best outcome in HS.

Methods

All patients (n = 63) receiving splenectomy for HS between 2002 and 2016 from one institution were retrospectively reviewed. Hemoglobin and reticulocytes levels during preoperative and postoperative follow‐up periods were compared. Additionally, a meta‐analysis was performed analyzing data regarding hemoglobin and reticulocytes levels from several available studies.

Result

At 1‐year follow‐up, our clinical data showed that mean hemoglobin levels increased after TS from (mean ± SD) 9.77 ± 1.82 to 11.88 ± 2.08 g/dl, while after STS from 8.98 ± 1.66 to 11.87 ± 1.38 g/dl. At 3‐year and 5‐year follow‐up after TS, we observed an increase from 9.77 ± 1.82 to 13.59 ± 2.03 and 13.46 ± 1.64 g/dl, respectively. At 3‐year and 5‐year follow‐up after STS in our cohort, we observed an increase from 8.98 ± 1.66 to 13.21 ± 1.95 and 13.68 ± 1.65 g/dl, respectively. The meta‐analysis (for a follow‐up period of 1 year) showed that the hemoglobin levels increased with 2.61 g/dl (95% CI 2.15–3.08 g/dl; p < 0.001) after TS, and with 1.67 g/dl (95% CI 1.25–2.10 g/dl; p < 0.001) after STS.

Conclusion

We conclude that subtotal and minimally invasive splenectomy could be considered as the first line of treatment in severe HS cases, especially in children.
Epigenetic control in Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection and associated disease
Authors: Fröhlich Jacqueline , Grundhoff Adam
Published: March 2020

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of several malignancies of endothelial and B-cell origin. The fact that latently infected tumor cells in these malignancies do not express classical viral oncogenes suggests that pathogenesis of KSHV-associated disease results from multistep processes that, in addition to constitutive viral gene expression, may require accumulation of cellular alterations. Heritable changes of the epigenome have emerged as an important co-factor that contributes to the pathogenesis of many non-viral cancers. Since KSHV encodes a number of factors that directly or indirectly manipulate host cell chromatin, it is an intriguing possibility that epigenetic reprogramming also contributes to the pathogenesis of KSHV-associated tumors. The fact that heritable histone modifications have also been shown to regulate viral gene expression programs in KSHV-infected tumor cells underlines the importance of epigenetic control during latency and tumorigenesis. We here review what is presently known about the role of epigenetic regulation of viral and host chromatin in KSHV infection and discuss how viral manipulation of these processes may contribute to the development of KSHV-associated disease.
Response of the Asian summer Monsoons to a high-latitude thermal forcing: mechanisms and nonlinearities
Authors: Talento Stefanie , Osborn Timothy J. , Joshi Manoj , Ratna Satyaban B. , Luterbacher Jürg
Published: March 2020

This study investigates mechanisms and nonlinearities in the response of the Asian Summer Monsoons (ASM) to high-latitude thermal forcings of different amplitudes. Using a suite of runs carried out with an intermediate-complexity atmospheric general circulation model, we find that the imposed forcings produce a strong precipitation response over the eastern ASM but a rather weak response over the southern ASM. The forcing also causes a precipitation dipole with wet conditions over the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) and dry conditions over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and southeast Asia. A moderate increase of precipitation along the southern margin of the TP is also produced. Simulations designed to isolate the causal mechanisms show that thermodynamic interactions involving the tropical surface oceans are far less important than the water-vapour feedback for the transmission of information from the high-latitudes to the ASM. Additionally, we assess the nonlinearity of the ASM precipitation response to the forcing amplitude using a novel application of the empirical orthogonal function method. The response can be decomposed in two overlapping patterns. The first pattern represents a precipitation dipole with wet conditions over the eastern TP and dry conditions over BoB, which linearly increases with forcing amplitude becoming quasi-stationary for large forcing amplitudes (i.e. amplitudes leading to Arctic temperature anomalies larger than 10 °C). The second pattern is associated with increased precipitation over the southeastern TP and is nonlinearly dependent on forcing, being most important for intermediate forcing amplitudes (i.e. amplitudes leading to Arctic temperature anomalies between 5 and 10 °C).
HPV-associated anal lesions in HIV+ patients: long-term results regarding quality of life
Authors: Wesselmann Paul , Schwarze-Zander Carolynne , Boesecke Christoph , Rockstroh Jürgen , Stoffels B. , Vilz Tim O. , Glowka Tim R. , Kalff J. C. , von Websky Martin W.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

HIV infection and concomitant HPV-associated anal lesions may significantly impact on patients’ quality of life (QoL), as they are predicted to have negative effects on health, psyche, and sexuality.

Material and methods

Fifty-two HIV+ patients with HPV-associated anal lesions were enrolled in a survey approach after undergoing routine proctologic assessment and therapy for HPV-associated anal lesions if indicated over a time span of 11 years (11/2004–11/2015). Therapy consisted of surgical ablation and topic treatment. QoL was analyzed using the SF-36 and the CECA questionnaires.

Results

Fifty-two of 67 patients (77.6%) were successfully contacted and 29/52 provided full information. The mean age was 43.8 ± 12.8 years. The median follow-up from treatment to answering of the questionnaire was 34 months. Twenty-one percent (6/29) of the patients reported suffering from recurrence of condyloma acuminata, three patients from anal dysplasia (10.3%). In the SF-36, HIV+ patients did not rate their QoL as significantly different over all items after successful treatment of HPV-associated anal lesions. In the CECA questionnaire, patients with persisting HPV-associated anal lesions reported significantly higher emotional stress levels and disturbance of everyday life compared to patients who had successful treatment (71.9/100 ± 18.7 vs. 40.00/100 ± 27.4, p = 0.004). Importantly, the sexuality of patients with anal lesions was significantly impaired (59.8/100 ± 30.8 vs. 27.5/100 ± 12.2, p = 0.032).

Conclusion

HPV-associated anal lesions impact significantly negative on QoL in HIV+ patients. Successful treatment of HPV-associated anal lesions in HIV+ patients improved QoL. Specific questionnaires, such as CECA, seem to be more adequate than the SF-36 in this setting.
Attitude of cancer patients from online self-help groups towards physical activity
Authors: Roth Imke , Dubois Clara , Schmidt Thorsten , Hübner Jutta
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Physical activity (PA) is important for cancer patients during and after therapy with respect to reducing side effects and improving quality of life. The aim of the study was to examine how physically active German cancer patients are and to identify predictors for PA. In addition, patients were asked about their attitude towards PA.

Methods

A questionnaire was passed on to members of self-help groups. Multiple regression analyses were run to examine possible predictors such as self-efficacy, patient activation, gender, previous PA, therapy status, and age for PA.

Results

62% of the participants followed the official recommendations by the American Cancer Society for weekly aerobic activity. Multiple regression analyses could confirm age as a predictor for total PA. Higher self-efficacy and patient activation were associated with lower disease burden and a more positive attitude towards PA.

Conclusion

This study contributes to the minor knowledge about PA among cancer patients. The examined group showed that there is potential for improvement regarding PA, although the majority had a positive attitude towards PA. Because of the small sample size existing of online self-help group members, results should be taken with caution.
A rotating holographic imager for stationary cloud droplet and ice crystal measurements
Authors: Kaikkonen Ville A. , Molkoselkä Eero O. , Mäkynen Anssi J.
Published: March 2020

An optical cloud droplet and ice crystal measurement system ICEMET (icing condition evaluation method), designed for present icing condition monitoring in field conditions, is presented. The aim in this work has been to develop a simple but precise imaging technique to measure the two often missing parameters needed in icing rate calculations caused by icing clouds—the droplet size distribution (DSD) and the liquid water content (LWC) of the air. The measurement principle of the sensor is based on lens-less digital in-line holographic imaging. Cloud droplets and ice crystals are illuminated by a short laser light pulse and the resulting hologram is digitally sampled by a digital image sensor and the digital hologram is then numerically analyzed to calculate the present DSD and LWC values. The sensor has anti-icing heating power up to 500 W and it is freely rotating by the wind for an optimal sampling direction and aerodynamics. A volume of 0.5 cm3 is sampled in each hologram and the maximum sampling rate is 3 cm3/s. Laboratory tests and simulations were made to ensure the adequate operation of the measurement sensor. Computational flow dynamics simulations showed good agreement with droplet concentration distributions measured from an icing wind tunnel. The anti-icing heating of the sensor kept the sensor operational even in severe icing conditions; the most severe test conditions were the temperature − 15 °C, wind speed 20 m/s and the LWC 0.185 g/m3. The verification measurements made using NIST traceable monodisperse particle standard glass spheres showed that the ICEMET sensor measurement median diameter 25.54 µm matched well with 25.60 µm ± 0.70 µm diameter confidence level given by the manufacturer.
Diversity of cattle raising systems and its effects over forest regrowth in a core region of cattle production in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Carvalho Raquel , de Aguiar Ana Paula Dutra , Amaral Silvana
Published: March 2020

Roughly 60% of all deforested lands in the Brazilian Amazon are covered with pastures, putting cattle raising in evidence as a major driver of deforestation and also of forests’ regrowth. Still, the role of cattle raising diversity in the landscape dynamics of this region remains poorly understood. To contribute to this discussion, we combined data from semi-structured interviews and quantitative spatially explicit methods to characterize and spatialize cattle raising systems and explore the effects of this diversity over secondary vegetation between 2004 and 2014 in Pará, a hotspot of deforestation and core region of cattle production. We quantified the use of different pasture management strategies to classify small- and large-scale operations into systems with high or low impact against pastures’ degradation. High-impact systems were mapped in regions with consolidated infrastructure and high accumulated deforestation, where they expanded. On the contrary, low-impact systems were more widespread and found near forest frontiers, shrinking over time. High-impact systems had less secondary vegetation, while under low-impact systems, as a result of strategies with little or no effect against degradation, the historical pattern of concentration of this cover prevailed. Better infrastructure and access to markets as well as higher accumulated deforestation are underlying conditions related to the emergence of intensification and, as it is still unclear whether intensification is indeed capable of sparing land, the expansion of intensive cattle raising systems has the potential to configure landscapes with reduced forested areas, either primary or secondary.
Merging of appearance-based place knowledge among multiple robots
Authors: Karaoğuz Hakan , Bozma H. Işil
Published: March 2020

If robots can merge the appearance-based place knowledge of other robots with their own, they can relate to these places even if they have not previously visited them. We have investigated this problem using robots with compatible visual sensing capabilities and with each robot having its individual long-term place memory. Here, each place refers to a spatial region as defined by a collection of appearances and in the place memory, the knowledge is organized in a tree hierarchy. In the proposed merging approach, the hierarchical organization plays a key role—as it corresponds to a nested sequence of hyperspheres in the appearance space. The merging proceeds by considering the extent of overlap of the respective nested hyperspheres—starting with the largest covering hypersphere. Thus, differing from related work, knowledge is merged in as large chunks as possible while the hierarchical structure is preserved accordingly. As such, the merging scales better as the extent of knowledge to be merged increases. This is demonstrated in an extensive set of multirobot experiments where robots share their knowledge and then use their merged knowledge when visiting these places.
Diverse Signaling by TGFβ Isoforms in Response to Focal Injury is Associated with Either Retinal Regeneration or Reactive Gliosis
Authors: Conedera Federica Maria , Quintela Pousa Ana Maria , Presby David Mikal , Mercader Nadia , Enzmann Volker , Tschopp Markus
Published: March 2020

Müller cells may have stem cell-like capability as they regenerate photoreceptor loss upon injury in some vertebrates, but not in mammals. Indeed, mammalian Müller cells undergo major cellular and molecular changes summarized as reactive gliosis. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) isoforms are multifunctional cytokines that play a central role, both in wound healing and in tissue repair. Here, we studied the role of TGFβ isoforms and their signaling pathways in response to injury induction during tissue regeneration in zebrafish and scar formation in mouse. Our transcriptome analysis showed a different activation of canonical and non-canonical signaling pathways and how they shaped the injury response. In particular, TGFβ3 promotes retinal regeneration via Smad-dependent canonical pathway upon regulation of junb gene family and mycb in zebrafish Müller cells. However, in mice, TGFβ1 and TGFβ2 evoke the p38MAPK signaling pathway. The activation of this non-canonical pathway leads to retinal gliosis. Thus, the regenerative versus reparative effect of the TGFβ pathway observed may rely on the activation of different signaling cascades. This provides one explanation of the different injury response in zebrafish and mouse retina.
When the Ordinary Meets the Jiggery-Pokery: Towards a Wittgensteinian Reading of Lindgren’s Karlson on the Roof
Authors: Zarębski Tomasz
Published: March 2020

The article is mainly concerned with philosophical interpretations of Astrid Lindgren’s Karlson books. Inspired by Gaare and Sjaastad’s reading of Pippi Longstocking, the article discusses the philosophical ideas embedded in Lindgren’s books about Pippi Longstocking, stressing, in particular, Lindgren’s implicit critique of Western culture. Next, an attempt is made unsuccessfully to locate the figure of Karlson of the Karlson trilogy (Karlson on the Roof,Karlson Flies AgainandThe World’s Best Karlson) in this critical context. Instead, it is shown that the figure of Karlson may be better understood in the context of the later Wittgenstein’s conception of language games. In such a reading, Karlson appears as a figure of the other. The otherness can be here understood as a distancing act from everyday language games, and the habits andLebensformenthat they function in. While the existing language games’ rules constitute the sphere of the ordinary, the deviation from them forms the sphere of unusualness, extra-ordinariness, otherness, or “jiggery-pokery,” to use Karlson’s words. Presenting such otherness to the reader implicitly serves two pedagogical goals. First, it acquaints children with possible forms of “being other.” Second, it opens a sphere of “whatifness”, that is, the account of what the world would look like if certain concepts, or practices, were different. It is claimed that the domain of “whatifness”, by presenting alternatives to the ordinary, brings the reader closer to a better understanding of the conditions of their ownLebensform.
Gravity Field Modeling Using Tesseroids with Variable Density in the Vertical Direction
Authors: Lin Miao , Denker Heiner , Müller Jürgen
Published: March 2020

We present an accurate method for the calculation of gravitational potential (GP), vector (GV), and gradient tensor (GGT) of a tesseroid, considering a density model in the form of a polynomial up to cubic order along the vertical direction. The method solves volume integral equations for the gravitational effects due to a tesseroid by the Gauss–Legendre quadrature rule. A two-dimensional adaptive subdivision technique, which automatically divides the tesseroids near the computation point into smaller elements, is applied to improve the computational accuracy. For those tesseroids having small vertical dimensions, an extension technique is additionally utilized to ensure acceptable accuracy, in particular for the evaluation of GV and GGT. Numerical experiments based on spherical shell models, for which analytical solutions exist, are implemented to test the accuracy of the method. The results demonstrate that the new method is capable of computing the gravitational effects of the tesseroids with various horizontal and vertical dimensions as well as density models, while the evaluation point can be on the surface of, near the surface of, outside the tesseroid, or even inside it (only suited for GP and GV). Thus, the method is attractive for many geodetic and geophysical applications on regional and global scales, including the computation of atmospheric effects for terrestrial and satellite usage. Finally, we apply this method for computing the topographic effects in the Himalaya region based on a given digital terrain model and the global atmospheric effects on the Earth’s surface by using three polynomial density models which are derived from the US Standard Atmosphere 1976.
The ‘internationalisation’, or ‘Englishisation’, of higher education in East Asia
Authors: Galloway Nicola , Numajiri Takuya , Rees Nerys
Published: March 2020

In recent years, one of the most significant trends in higher education in non-anglophone countries has been the growth in English Medium Instruction (EMI). However, provision is rapidly outpacing empirical research. This study examined how macro-level education policy with regard to EMI is both implemented and conceptualised at the institutional and classroom level in Chinese and Japanese universities. Utilising questionnaires with home students (n = 579) and staff (n = 28), interviews with home students (n = 29) and staff (n = 28) and four focus groups with staff and four with home students, in addition to questionnaires (n = 123), interviews (n = 10) and three focus groups with international students, the study provides insights into how EMI policy is operationalised, including types of programmes and language use, and how it is conceptualised by different stakeholders. The results highlight contextual constraints to policy implementation, calling for the need for more research into this growing trend and curriculum evaluation to inform context-sensitive ways to implement EMI policy. It also calls for a critical examination of monolingual EMI policies and academic norms amidst growing multilingualism in the EMI classroom as well as clear goals and objectives due to varying conceptualisations of the purposes of EMI amongst staff and students.
Reddit: Affordances as an Enabler for Shifting Loyalties
Authors: Prakasam Naveena , Huxtable-Thomas Louisa
Published: March 2020

This paper examines the affordances ofReddit, a digital media platform where Users share and discuss content. The aim of the study was to understand the affordances of Reddit, and how the affordances of Reddit through various features of the platform lead to outcomes, specifically those relating to political loyalty and the creation of political narratives. The study contributes an insight into the evolution and understanding of affordances as a result of examining the ways in which individuals who were previously members of another political group constructed narratives around switching their support to the Trump campaign in the 2016 US presidential elections. The study specifically focusses on an exclusive membership community called r/The_Donald. As a result of analysing posts on common themes using Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA), we conclude that the features enable membership of a community to be rewarded, switched or denied. As a result, this study has identified five affordances of Reddit, which include credibility, expressing oneself freely, echoing beliefs, creating membership and the meta-affordance ‘Redpilling’. The outcomes of these affordances are that ingroups are created, support can be switched, extreme or hateful views are legitimised and a new brand of conservatism is given credibility. This in turn is concluded to have realised impacts outside of the virtual environment in this case on the self-reported behaviours of voters.
Predicate Change
Authors: Strößner Corina
Published: March 2020

Like belief revision, conceptual change has rational aspects. The paper discusses this for predicate change. We determine the meaning of predicates by a set of imaginable instances, i.e., conceptually consistent entities that fall under the predicate. Predicate change is then an alteration of which possible entities are instances of a concept. The recent exclusion of Pluto from the category of planets is an example of such a predicate change. In order to discuss predicate change, we define a monadic predicate logic with three different kinds of lawful belief: analytic laws, which hold for all possible instances; doxastic laws, which hold for the most plausible instances; and typicality laws, which hold for typical instances. We introduce predicate changing operations that alter the analytic laws of the language and show that the expressive power is not affected by the predicate change. One can translate the new laws into old laws and vice versa. Moreover, we discuss rational restrictions of predicate change. These limit its possible influence on doxastic and typicality laws. Based on the results, we argue that predicate change can be quite conservative and sometimes even hardly recognisable.