bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Citizen science campaign reveals widespread fallout of contaminated dust from mining activities in the central Peruvian Andes
Authors: Molloy James B. , Rodbell Donald T. , Gillikin David P. , Hollocher Kurt T.
Published: April 2020

Inadequate management of mine tailings at Cerro de Pasco, one of Peru’s largest mining complexes, has resulted in elevated concentrations of Pb, As, Cu, Zn, and Ag in surface soil horizons across the Junín Plain, central Peru. During June 2016, in response to local concern over mine contamination, teams of local citizens armed with sample bags, plastic trowels, and GPS receivers acquired 385 surface soil samples and 9 plant samples from agricultural lands from an area ∼1000 km2 on the Junín Plain. Metal concentrations were determined by acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, and results revealed elevated levels of Pb, As, Cu, Zn, and Ag in all samples within a 10 km radius of the center of mining activities, and measurable contamination at least 30 km to the south-southwest, in the direction of prevailing winds. Dust traps emplaced for a 12 month period confirmed that contamination is ongoing. High metal concentrations in grasses growing on contaminated soils revealed that a portion of the total metal contamination is removed from the soil and held in grass tissue, where it can be ingested by graminivores, especially llama, alpaca, and sheep, thereby entering the human food supply.
Doushantuo-Pertatataka–type acanthomorphs and Ediacaran ecosystem stability
Authors: Grazhdankin Dmitriy , Nagovitsin Konstantin , Golubkova Elena , Karlova Galina , Kochnev Boris , Rogov Vladimir , Marusin Vasiliy
Published: April 2020

Large (100 to ∼700 µm diameter) spheroidal carbonaceous microfossils ornamented with regularly arranged spinose or branched processes are globally distributed in the Ediacaran (635–542 Ma). These microfossils, collectively known as the Doushantuo-Pertatataka–type acanthomorphs, have been variously interpreted as a polyphyletic assortment of resting stages of eukaryotes, including animals. The stratigraphic range of the acanthomorphs has long been thought to be restricted to the interval between the uppermost Cryogenian glacial deposits and the largest-known carbon isotope excursion in Earth’s history, the Shuram event. The mid-Ediacaran disappearance of the acanthomorphs was puzzling until they were discovered in younger strata in south China, in northwestern Russia, and in Mongolia. Here, we report Doushantuo-Pertatataka–type acanthomorphs coeval with Cambrian-type small skeletal fossils. It appears that neither the Shuram event nor the emergence of macro-organisms, eumetazoans, and biologically controlled mineralization significantly affected the acanthomorphs, suggesting a marked stability of Ediacaran ecosystems up to the very beginning of the Cambrian.
Hospital youth workers for violence reduction
Authors: Jacob Hannah , Travers Charles , Hann Gayle
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Youth workers (YWs) can engage young people following hospital attendances with violence-related injuries. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of YWs in an urban district hospital and to explore the views of the young people engaged.

Methods

Everyone referred to the hospital YWs during the 31-month study period was included and demographic data were collected. Those who engaged completed emotional disturbance, risk of criminality and feedback questionnaires.

Results

There were 496 young people referred during the study period with a mean age of 14. 9 years (range 7–26). Of these, 85 (17%) engaged with YWs and 15/85 (18%) completed the programme. Most (14/15, 93%) showed reduced or no change in their criminality and emotional disturbance scores. Young people liked having credible, accessible mentors and learning effective coping strategies.

Discussion

YWs based in a district hospital’s emergency department can work effectively with vulnerable young people, and this is well received by young people.
Interrupting the trajectory of frailty in dementia with Lewy bodies with anabolic exercise, dietary intervention and deprescribing of hazardous medications
Authors: Inskip Michael , Mavros Yorgi , Sachdev Perminder Singh , Fiatarone Singh Maria A
Published: April 2020

An 87-year-old man with dementia with Lewy bodies, living in residential aged care, exhibited rapid functional decline and weight loss associated with injurious falls over 9 months. Independent clinicians (geriatrician and exercise physiologist) assessed him during an extended wait-list period prior to his commencement of a pilot exercise trial. The highly significant role of treatable factors including polypharmacy, sarcopenia and malnutrition as contributors to frailty and rapid functional decline in this patient are described. The results of a targeted intervention of deprescribing, robust exercise and increased caloric intake on his physical and neuropsychological health status are presented. This case highlights the need to aggressively identify and robustly treat reversible contributors to frailty, irrespective of advanced age, progressive ‘untreatable’ neurodegenerative disease and rapidly deteriorating health in such individuals. Frailty is not a contraindication to robust exercise; it is, in fact, one of the most important reasons to prescribe it.
Preventing injuries in alpine skiing giant slalom by shortening the vertical distance between the gates rather than increasing the horizontal gate offset to control speed
Authors: Gilgien Matthias , Crivelli Philip , Kröll Josef , Luteberget Live S , Müller Erich , Spörri Jörg
Published: April 2020

Background/Aim

To set a safe giant slalom course, speed needs to be controlled in certain sections. Speed may be reduced by adjusting how the gates are set on a course. We studied the effect of elements of course-setting, entrance speed and terrain incline on the mechanics of turning (ie, turn speed, turn radius, and ground reaction force and impulse).

Methods

During seven World Cup alpine giant slalom competitions, the course and terrain characteristics of the official racetracks and the mechanics of a professional-level athlete skiing the course immediately prior to competition were analysed with differential global navigation satellite system technology. Data were analysed using a linear mixed-effects model.

Results

Course-setting geometry (vertical gate distance and horizontal gate offset), entrance speed and terrain incline modulated the injury-relevant factor turn speed. Depending on the terrain, the speed throughout a turn can be reduced by 0.5 m/s either by shortening the vertical gate distance by 4.9–6.9 m (from −20% to −29%) or by increasing the horizontal gate offset by 2.8–3.2 m (from +33% to +55%). However, increasing the horizontal gate offset causes the skier to turn with a smaller minimal turn radius, increase maximal ground reaction force and also increase impulse.

Discussion

To reduce speed, we recommend decreasing the vertical gate distance rather than increasing the horizontal gate offset. Increasing horizontal gate offset would require the skiers to sharpen and prolong their turns (reducing turn radius), and this increases the acting ground reaction force and impulse and thus the athlete’s fatigue.
Shared genetic architecture and casual relationship between leptin levels and type 2 diabetes: large-scale cross-trait meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Wang Xinpei , Jia Jinzhu , Huang Tao
Published: April 2020

Objective

We aimed to estimate genetic correlation, identify shared loci and test causality between leptin levels and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Research design and methods

Our study consists of three parts. First, we calculated the genetic correlation of leptin levels and T2D or glycemic traits by using linkage disequilibrium score regression analysis. Second, we conducted a large-scale genome-wide cross-trait meta-analysis using cross-phenotype association to identify shared loci between trait pairs that showed significant genetic correlations in the first part. In the end, we carried out a bidirectional MR analysis to find out whether there is a causal relationship between leptin levels and T2D or glycemic traits.

Results

We found positive genetic correlations between leptin levels and T2D (Rg=0.3165, p=0.0227), fasting insulin (FI) (Rg=0.517, p=0.0076), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (Rg=0.4785, p=0.0196), as well as surrogate estimates of β-cell function (HOMA-β) (Rg=0.4456, p=0.0214). We identified 12 shared loci between leptin levels and T2D, 1 locus between leptin levels and FI, 1 locus between leptin levels and HOMA-IR, and 1 locus between leptin levels and HOMA-β. We newly identified eight loci that did not achieve genome-wide significance in trait-specific genome-wide association studies. These shared genes were enriched in pancreas, thyroid gland, skeletal muscle, placenta, liver and cerebral cortex. In addition, we found that 1-SD increase in HOMA-IR was causally associated with a 0.329 ng/mL increase in leptin levels (β=0.329, p=0.001).

Conclusions

Our results have shown the shared genetic architecture between leptin levels and T2D and found causality of HOMA-IR on leptin levels, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between leptin levels and T2D.
Human resources and curricula content for early child development implementation: multicountry mixed methods evaluation
Authors: Kohli-Lynch Maya , Ponce Hardy Victoria , Bernal Salazar Raquel , Bhopal Sunil S , Brentani Alexandra , Cavallera Vanessa , Goh Esther , Hamadani Jena D , Hughes Rob , Manji Karim , Milner Kate M , Radner James , Sharma Sonia , Silver Karlee L , Lawn Joy E , Tann Cally J
Published: April 2020

Objective

The WHO recommends responsive caregiving and early learning (RCEL) interventions to improve early child development (ECD), and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals’ vision of a world where all children thrive. Implementation of RCEL programmes in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) requires evidence to inform decisions about human resources and curricula content. We aimed to describe human resources and curricula content for implementation of RCEL projects across diverse LMICs, using data from the Grand Challenges Canada Saving Brains ECD portfolio.

Setting

We evaluated 32 RCEL projects across 17 LMICs on four continents.

Participants

Overall, 2165 workers delivered ECD interventions to 25 909 families.

Intervention

Projects were either stand-alone RCEL or RCEL combined with health and nutrition, and/or safety and security.

Primary and secondary outcomes

We undertook a mixed methods evaluation of RCEL projects within the Saving Brains portfolio. Quantitative data were collected through standardised reporting tools. Qualitative data were collected from ECD experts and stakeholders and analysed using thematic content analysis, informed by literature review.

Results

Major themes regarding human resources included: worker characteristics, incentivisation, retention, training and supervision, and regarding curricula content: flexible adaptation of content and delivery, fidelity, and intervention duration and dosage. Lack of an agreed standard ECD package contributed to project heterogeneity. Incorporation of ECD into existing services may facilitate scale-up but overburdened workers plus potential reductions in service quality remain challenging. Supportive training and supervision, inducement, worker retention, dosage and delivery modality emerged as key implementation decisions.

Conclusions

This mixed methods evaluation of a multicountry ECD portfolio identified themes for consideration by policymakers and programme leaders relevant to RCEL implementation in diverse LMICs. Larger studies, which also examine impact, including high-quality process and costing evaluations with comparable data, are required to further inform decisions for implementation of RCEL projects at national and regional scales.
Progression to blindness in 20 years among patients with glaucomatous visual field loss in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines
Authors: Cabrera Cathleen Camille , Tumbocon Joseph Anthony , de Leon John Mark
Published: April 2020

Objective

To determine visual field (VF) rates of change among patients with glaucomatous VF loss and proportion of those becoming blind based on residual life expectancy and factors associated with fast progression.

Methods and analysis

This was a retrospective study of the VFs of patients with glaucomatous VF defects in at least one eye. Baseline and final VFs were reviewed. Rates of VF change (decibels (dB)/year) for each eye, together with the residual life expectancy based on age and sex, were used to predict mean deviation/defect (MD) at the end of expected lifetime. Blindness was defined if computed MD was 22 dB (Octopus) or −22 dB (Humphrey) or worse in the better eye. Factors associated with fast progression (>1 dB/year for Octopus or <−1 dB/year for Humphrey) and blindness were determined.

Results

There were 1016 eyes of 583 patients eligible. There was decline in VF MD/year in 613/1016 (60.3%), 95% CI (57.3% to 63.3%) of eyes; however, only 98/1016 (9.7%), 95% CI (7.9% to 11.5%) of eyes showed fast progression. Among patients with bilateral VFs, 43/433 (9.9%), 95% CI (7.1 to 12.8) of eyes were predicted to progress to blindness. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with fast progression were baseline MD (p<0.001) and male sex (p=0.041). Factors associated with blindness were age <60 years (p=0.003), baseline MD (p=0.022), bilateral glaucomatous VF defects (p=<0.001) and fast progression (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Patients reaching blindness in a routine clinical setting was 10%. Because of association of age and baseline MD on blindness, early disease detection is important. VF progression rates and residual life expectancy must be incorporated in glaucoma care.
Identical or similar brand names used in different countries for medications with different active ingredients: a descriptive analysis
Authors: Merchant Lubna , Lutter Randall , Chang Sherry
Published: April 2020

Objective

To identify US drug brand (proprietary) names that are identical or similar to drug brand names used in other countries containing different active ingredients and name confusion medication errors associated with these drugs.

Methods

We compared a list of brand names approved by the US Food and Drug Administration from 2006 through 2018 with a list of brand names from other countries generated by Uppsala Monitoring Centre using the WHODrug Dictionary. We evaluated drug name pairs that were identical or highly similar and had different active ingredients and searched for name confusion medication errors with these drugs.

Results

A total of 27 US brand names were found to be identical to 38 drug brand names in other countries with different active ingredients. A total of 74 US drug brand names were highly similar to 93 brand names in other countries for drugs containing different active ingredients. We identified name confusion medication errors for one similar name pair.

Conclusions

US drug brand names that are identical to or highly similar to brand names in other countries may cause confusion that can lead to medication errors such as wrong drug errors and wrong drug information being consulted. Manufacturers should consider this risk prior to submitting proposed brand names to regulatory authorities. Regulatory authorities may consider incorporating this check in their brand name reviews and work with manufacturers to eliminate the use of the same or similar brand names for products with different ingredients. Consumers filling prescriptions at foreign pharmacies should also be aware of potential name confusion.
Contraceptive use and access among deployed US servicewomen: findings from an online survey
Authors: Seymour Jane W , Fix Laura , Grossman Daniel , Grindlay Kate
Published: April 2020

Background/introduction

This study aimed to survey US servicewomen on their contraceptive access and use during deployment.

Methods

Between June 2016 and July 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among a convenience sample of current and former members of the US Military, National Guard and Reserves who had a deployment ending in 2010 or later. Participants were asked open-ended and closed-ended questions about their demographics and contraceptive use and access before and during their last deployment. Descriptive statistics were run on closed-ended questions and responses to open-ended questions were inductively coded.

Results

A total of 353 participants were included. Sixty-five per cent reported using contraception during all or part of their last deployment. Nearly half (49.3%) did not have or remember having a discussion with a military care provider about contraception prior to deployment. Both prior to and during deployment, the free or low cost of birth control and ability to get a full supply for deployment facilitated contraceptive use. Difficulty obtaining an appointment and the inability to get a full supply of birth control were barriers to contraception access both before and during deployment. Half (49.1%) of respondents who had to start or refill contraception during deployment said it was somewhat or very difficult to do so.

Conclusions

For at least some servicewomen, there are barriers to contraceptive access and use prior to and during overseas deployment. Programmes to increase contraceptive access should be expanded and monitoring systems should be implemented to ensure all servicemembers receive predeployment contraceptive counselling.
Differentiation between athlete’s heart and dilated cardiomyopathy in athletic individuals
Authors: Millar Lynne Martina , Fanton Zephryn , Finocchiaro Gherardo , Sanchez-Fernandez Gabriel , Dhutia Harshil , Malhotra Aneil , Merghani Ahmed , Papadakis Michael , Behr Elijah R , Bunce Nick , Oxborough David , Reed Matthew , O'Driscoll Jamie , Tome Esteban Maria Teresa , D'Silva Andrew , Carr-White Gerry , Webb Jessica , Sharma Rajan , Sharma Sanjay
Published: April 2020

Objective

Distinguishing early dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) from physiological left ventricular (LV) dilatation with LV ejection fraction <55% in athletes (grey zone) is challenging. We evaluated the role of a cascade of investigations to differentiate these two entities.

Methods

Thirty-five asymptomatic active males with DCM, 25 male athletes in the ‘grey zone’ and 24 male athletes with normal LV ejection fraction underwent N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) measurement, ECG and exercise echocardiography. Grey-zone athletes and patients with DCM underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and Holter monitoring.

Results

Larger LV cavity dimensions and lower LV ejection fraction were the only differences between grey-zone and control athletes. None of the grey-zone athletes had abnormal NT-proBNP, increased ectopic burden/complex arrhythmias or pathological late gadolinium enhancement on CMR. These features were also absent in 71%, 71% and 50% of patients with DCM, respectively. 95% of grey-zone athletes and 60% of patients with DCM had normal ECG. During exercise echocardiography, 96% grey-zone athletes increased LV ejection fraction by >11% from baseline to peak exercise compared with 23% of patients with DCM (p<0.0001). Peak LV ejection fraction was >63% in 92% grey-zone athletes compared with 17% patients with DCM (p<0.0001). Failure to increase LV ejection fraction >11% from baseline to peak exercise or achieve a peak LV ejection fraction >63% had sensitivity of 77% and 83%, respectively, and specificity of 96% and 92%, respectively, for predicting DCM.

Conclusion

Comprehensive assessment using a cascade of routine investigations revealed that exercise stress echocardiography has the greatest discriminatory value in differentiating between grey-zone athletes and asymptomatic patients with DCM. Our findings require validation in larger studies.
Gene panel for Mendelian strokes
Authors: Fang Fang , Xu Zhe , Suo Yue , Wang Hui , Cheng Si , Li Hao , Li Wei , Wang Yongjun
Published: April 2020

Background

Mendelian stroke causes nearly 7% of ischaemic strokes and is also an important aetiology of cryptogenic stroke. Identifying the genetic abnormalities in Mendelian strokes is important as it would facilitate therapeutic management and genetic counselling. Next-generation sequencing makes large-scale sequencing and genetic testing possible.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify causal genes of Mendelian strokes, which were used to construct a hybridization-based gene capture panel. Genetic variants for target genes were detected using Illumina HiSeq X10 and the Novaseq platform. The sensitivity and specificity were evaluated by comparing the results with Sanger sequencing.

Results

53 suspected patients of Mendelian strokes were analysed using the panel of 181 causal genes. According to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics standard, 16 likely pathogenic/variants of uncertain significance genetic variants were identified. Diagnostic testing was conducted by comparing the consistency between the results of panel and Sanger sequencing. Both the sensitivity and specificity were 100% for the panel.

Conclusion

This panel provides an economical, time-saving and labour-saving method to detect causal mutations of Mendelian strokes.
Smokeless tobacco Olympics: the US Tobacco Company, the IOC and the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games
Authors: Parascandola Mark
Published: April 2020

Throughout much of the 20th century, cigarette manufacturers have sponsored sporting events and used sports figures in advertising and marketing their products. The United States Tobacco Company (UST) became a sponsor of the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York, allowing the company to place the Olympic emblem on their television and print advertisements and on product packages. This paper reviews the history of UST’s 1980 Olympic sponsorship using records from the IOC, the Lake Placid organising committee and internal tobacco industry documents. At the time, UST was seeking to expand the market for smokeless tobacco products, experimenting with new products and portraying their products as an alternative to smoking. At the same time, commercial sponsorship was becoming increasingly important to the future of the Games. At the time, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was struggling to implement a policy prohibiting tobacco sponsorship of the Olympic Games. This episode was to be the last time a tobacco company was named an official sponsor of the Olympic Games. However, while subsequent editions of the Olympic Games have adopted policies restricting tobacco industry sponsorship, the reach of these policies is limited across any Olympic organisations. The lack of a comprehensive policy on tobacco advertising and sponsorship associated with the Olympics continues to pose a challenge to efforts to remove tobacco from the Games.
Budgetary impact from multiple perspectives of sustained antitobacco national media campaigns to reduce the harms of cigarette smoking
Authors: Maciosek Michael V , Armour Brian S , Babb Stephen D , Dehmer Steven P , Grossman Elizabeth S , Homa David M , LaFrance Amy B , Rodes Robert , Wang Xu , Xu Zack , Yang Zhuo , Roy Kakoli
Published: April 2020

Background

High-intensity antitobacco media campaigns are a proven strategy to reduce the harms of cigarette smoking. While buy-in from multiple stakeholders is needed to launch meaningful health policy, the budgetary impact of sustained media campaigns from multiple payer perspectives is unknown.

Methods

We estimated the budgetary impact and time to breakeven from societal, all-payer, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurer perspectives of national antitobacco media campaigns in the USA. Campaigns of 1, 5 and 10 years of durations were assessed in a microsimulation model to estimate the 10 and 20-year health and budgetary impact. Simulation model inputs were obtained from literature and both pubic use and proprietary data sets.

Results

The microsimulation predicts that a 10-year national smoking cessation campaign would produce net savings of $10.4, $5.1, $1.4, $3.6 and $0.2 billion from the societal, all-payer, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurer perspectives, respectively. National antitobacco media campaigns of 1, 5 and 10-year durations could produce net savings for Medicaid and Medicare within 2 years, and for private insurers within 6–9 years. A 10-year campaign would reduce adult cigarette smoking prevalence by 1.2 percentage points, prevent 23 500 smoking-attributable deaths over the first 10 years. In sensitivity analysis, media campaign costs would be offset by reductions in medical care spending of smoking among all payers combined within 6 years in all tested scenarios.

Conclusions

1, 5 and 10-year antitobacco media campaigns all yield net savings within 10 years from all perspectives. Multiyear campaigns yield substantially higher savings than a 1-year campaign.
Ovariectomy alters lengthening contraction induced heat shock protein expression
Authors: Locke Marius , Salerno Stephanie A.
Published: April 2020

Estrogen appears to play a role in minimizing skeletal muscle damage as well as regulating the expression of the protective heat shock proteins (HSPs). To clarify the relationship between estrogen, muscle HSP content, and muscle damage, tibialis anterior (TA) muscles from ovary-intact (OVI; n = 12) and ovariectomized (OVX; 3 weeks, n = 12) female Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to either 20 or 40 lengthening contractions (LCs). Twenty-four hours after stimulation, TA muscles were removed, processed, and assessed for HSP25 and HSP72 content as well as muscle (damage) morphology. No differences in muscle contractile properties were observed in TA muscles between OVI and OVX animals for peak torque during the LCs. In unstressed TA muscles, the basal expression of HSP72 expression was decreased in OVX animals (P < 0.05) while HSP25 content remained unchanged. Following 20 LCs, HSP25 content was elevated (P < 0.05) in TA muscles from OVX animals but unchanged in muscles from OVI animals. Following 40 LCs, HSP25 content was elevated (P < 0.01) in TA muscles from both OVI and OVX animals while HSP72 content was elevated only in TA muscles from OVI animals (P < 0.05). Taken together, these data suggest the loss of ovarian hormones, such as estrogen, may impair the skeletal muscle cellular stress response thereby rendering muscles more susceptible to certain types of contraction induced damage.

Novelty Ovariectomy alters muscle HSP72 content. Muscle contractile measures are maintained following ovariectomy.
Convolutional recurrent neural networks with multi-sized convolution filters for sound-event recognition
Authors: Huang Feizhen , Zeng Jinfang , Zhang Yu , Xu Wentao
Published: April 2020

Sound-event recognition often utilizes time-frequency analysis to produce an image-like spectrogram that provides a rich visual representation of original signal in time and frequency. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) with the ability of learning discriminative spectrogram patterns are suitable for sound-event recognition. However, there is relatively little effort that CNN makes full use of the important temporal information. In this paper, we propose MCRNN, a Convolutional Recurrent Neural Networks (CRNN) architecture for sound-event recognition, the letter “M” in the name “MCRNN” of our model denotes the multi-sized convolution filters. Richer features are extracted by using several different convolution filter sizes at the last convolution layer. In addition, cochleagram images are used as the input layer of the network, instead of the traditional spectrogram image of a sound signal. Experiments on the RWCP dataset shows that the recognition rate of the proposed method achieved 98.4% in clean conditions, and it robustly outperforms the existing methods, the recognition rate increased by 0.9%, 1.9% and 10.3% in 20 dB, 10 dB and 0 dB signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), respectively.
Hyperintensional Reasoning Based on Natural Language Knowledge Base
Authors: Duží Marie , Horák Aleš
Published: April 2020

The success of automated reasoning techniques over large natural-language texts heavily relies on a fine-grained analysis of natural language assumptions. While there is a common agreement that the analysis should be hyperintensional, most of the automatic reasoning systems are still based on an intensional logic, at the best. In this paper, we introduce the system of reasoning based on a fine-grained, hyperintensional analysis. To this end we apply Tichy’s Transparent Intensional Logic (TIL) with its procedural semantics. TIL is a higher-order, hyperintensional logic of partial functions, in particular apt for a fine-grained natural-language analysis. Within TIL we recognise three kinds of context, namely extensional, intensional and hyperintensional, in which a particular natural-language term, or rather its meaning, can occur. Having defined the three kinds of context and implemented an algorithm of context recognition, we are in a position to develop and implement an extensional logic of hyperintensions with the inference machine that should neither over-infer nor under-infer.
Emerging Issues in Decentralized Resource Governance: Environmental Federalism, Spillovers, and Linked Socio-Ecological Systems
Authors: Shobe William
Published: April 2020

Spillovers among jurisdictions are ubiquitous and likely to increase with increasing population and consumption, so the centralization or decentralization of environmental governance is of pressing concern in a world of tightly linked socio-ecological systems. Spillovers play a key role in federalism analysis because they tend to reduce benefits from decentralization. Laboratory federalism, a common rationale for decentralization, has not proven successful as a model of local policy innovation. Given a national policy toward a public good, differences in preferences across jurisdictions may push national policy toward a quantity instrument rather than a tax instrument. Finally, the lack of interaction between environmental federalism analysis and studies of adaptive governance and linked complex adaptive systems leaves both literatures incomplete. The increasing urgency of global sustainability issues argues for linking insights from environmental federalism with the literature on linked socio-ecological complex adaptive systems.
Source/Drain Materials for Ge nMOS Devices: Phosphorus Activation in Epitaxial Si, Ge, Ge1−xSnx and SiyGe1−x−ySnx
Authors: Vohra Anurag , Makkonen Ilja , Pourtois Geoffrey , Slotte Jonatan , Porret Clement , Rosseel Erik , Khanam Afrina , Tirrito Matteo , Douhard Bastien , Loo Roger , Vandervorst Wilfried
Published: April 2020

This paper benchmarks various epitaxial growth schemes based on n-type group-IV materials as viable source/drain candidates for Ge nMOS devices. Si:P grown at low temperature on Ge, gives an active carrier concentration as high as 3.5 × 1020 cm−3 and a contact resistivity down to 7.5 × 10−9 Ω.cm2. However, Si:P growth is highly defective due to large lattice mismatch between Si and Ge. Within the material stacks assessed, one option for Ge nMOS source/drain stressors would be to stack Si:P, deposited at contact level, on top of a selectively grown n-Si
y
Ge1−x−y
Sn
x
at source/drain level, in line with the concept of Si passivation of n-Ge surfaces to achieve low contact resistivities as reported in literature (Martens et al. 2011 Appl. Phys. Lett., 98, 013 504). The saturation in active carrier concentration with increasing P (or As)-doping is the major bottleneck in achieving low contact resistivities for as-grown Ge or Si
y
Ge1−x−y
Sn
x
. We focus on understanding various dopant deactivation mechanisms in P-doped Ge and Ge1−x
Sn
x
alloys. First principles simulation results suggest that P deactivation in Ge and Ge1−x
Sn
x
can be explained both by P-clustering and donor-vacancy complexes. Positron annihilation spectroscopy analysis, suggests that dopant deactivation in P-doped Ge and Ge1−x
Sn
x
is primarily due to the formation of P
n
-V and Sn
m
P
n
-V clusters.
Effect of Potassium Tartrate on Removal Rate Selectivity of Co/TiN/TEOS for Cobalt “Buff Step” Chemical Mechanical Planarization
Authors: Cheng Yuanshen , Wang Shengli , Wang Chenwei , Yang Yundian , Wang Ru
Published: April 2020

As the technology node of integrated circuits (ICs) shrinks down to 7 nm and below, cobalt (Co) has been identified as the promising candidate for the interconnect/contact material. In this paper, colloidal silica was used as abrasive, potassium tartrate (PTH) was used as the promoter of TEOS and complexing agent of Co and titanium nitride (TiN), H2O2 was used as oxidant. The effects of PTH and H2O2 on the removal rate (RR) of Co/TiN/TEOS were studied. Polishing results showed that PTH can improve the RR of Co/TiN/TEOS effectively. The removal mechanism was revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical and UV–visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy measurements. It revealed that PTH can complex with Co(II)/Co(III) and TiO2+ ions produced during CMP, and formed Co(II)-PTH/Co(III)-PTH and TiO-PTH complex increases the RR of Co and TiN. The attractive force between silica abrasive and TEOS surface was improved as the concentration of PTH increased, resulting in the mechanical force increased and the RR of TEOS enhanced.
Personalized Three-Dimensional Printing and Echoguided Procedure Facilitate Single Device Closure for Multiple Atrial Septal Defects
Authors: Li Ping , Fang Fang , Qiu Xu , Xu Nan , Wang Yan , Ouyang Wen-Bin , Zhang Feng-Wen , Hu Hai-Bo , Pan Xiang-Bin
Published: April 2020

Background. To evaluate the feasibility of using a single device to close multiple atrial septal defects (ASDs) under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and with the aid of three-dimensional (3D) printing models. Methods. Sixty-two patients with multiple ASDs were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty of these patients underwent TTE-guided closure (3D printing and TTE group) after a simulation of occlusion in 3D printing models. The remaining 32 patients underwent ASD closure under fluoroscopic guidance (conventional group). Closure status was assessed immediately and at 6 months after device closure. Results. Successful transcatheter closure with a single device was achieved in 26 patients in the 3D printing and TTE group and 27 patients in the conventional group. Gender, age [18.8 ± 15.9 (3–51) years in the 3D printing and TTE group; 14.0 ± 11.6 (3–50) years in the conventional group], mean maximum distance between defects, prevalence of 3 atrial defects and large defect distance (defined as distance ≥7 mm), and occluder size used were similarly distributed between groups. However, the 3D printing and TTE group had lower frequency of occluder replacement (3.8% vs 59.3%, p<0.0001), prevalence of mild residual shunts (defined as <5 mm) immediately (19.2% vs 44.4%, p<0.05) and at 6 months (7.7% vs 29.6%, p<0.05) after the procedure, and cost (32960.8 ± 2018.7 CNY vs 41019.9 ± 13758.2 CNY, p<0.01). Conclusion. The combination of the 3D printing technology and ultrasound-guided interventional procedure provides a reliable new therapeutic approach for multiple ASDs, especially for challenging cases with large defect distance.
An Algorithm of Reinforcement Learning for Maneuvering Parameter Self-Tuning Applying in Satellite Cluster
Authors: Wang Xiao , Shi Peng , Wen Changxuan , Zhao Yushan
Published: April 2020

Satellite cluster is a type of artificial cluster, which is attracting wide attention at present. Although the traditional empirical parameter method (TEPM) has the potential to deal with the mission of satellite flocking, it is difficult to select the proper parameters. In order to improve the flight effect in the problem of satellite cluster, as well as to make the selection of flight parameters more reasonable, the traditional sensing zones are improved. A 3σ position error ellipsoid and an induction ellipsoid are applied for substituting the traditional repulsing zone and attracting zone, respectively. Besides, we propose an algorithm of reinforcement learning for parameter self-tuning (RLPST), which is based on the actor-critic framework, to automatically learn the suitable flight parameters. To obtain the parameters in the repulsing zone, orientating zone, and attracting zone of each member in the cluster, a three-channel learning framework is designed. The learning process makes the framework finally find the suitable parameters. Numerical experimental results have shown the superiorities compared to the traditional method, which include trajectory deviation and sensing rate or terminal matching rate, as well as the improvement of the flight paths under the learning framework.
Effects of Selenium on Differentiation and Antioxidant Activity of Sclerotium of Penicillium thomii Q1 Strain
Authors: Zhao Wenjing , Zhai Feihong , Han Jianrong
Published: April 2020

Selenium is an essential trace element, which has certain antioxidant properties. Na2SeO3 is toxic, and its use is limited. SeMet, as an organic selenium, is less toxic than Na2SeO3. In this experiment, different concentrations of Na2SeO3 and SeMet were added to MEA and PDA media to observe the effect of selenium on the sclerotium differentiation of Q1 strain, and the contents of carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and total phenol and their reducing power, DPPH free radical scavenging ability, ferrous ion chelating ability, and superoxide anion scavenging ability were determined. Meanwhile, the orthogonal design was used to optimize the selenium enrichment culture conditions of Q1. The results showed that the addition of selenium in the PDA medium was not conducive to the differentiation of Q1 strain. The addition of inorganic and organic selenium in the MEA medium at different concentrations resulted in the accumulation of carotenoids, ascorbic acid, phenols, and selenium in the sclerotia of Q1 strain, and the contents of carotenoids, ascorbic acids, and selenium in the sclerotia of Q1 strain were increased to different degrees, but it cannot increase the content of total phenol. In addition, when the concentration of Na2SeO3 and SeMet in the medium was 10 μg/mL, the reducing power of the extract was improved. The experimental results can provide a new research idea for the utilization and development of Penicillium sclerotium and selenium.
Epigenome‐Wide Tobacco‐Related Methylation Signature Identification and Their Multilevel Regulatory Network Inference for Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Dong Yan-Mei , Li Ming , He Qi-En , Tong Yi-Fan , Gao Hong-Zhi , Zhang Yi-Zhi , Wu Ya-Meng , Hu Jun , Zhang Ning , Song Kai
Published: April 2020

Tobacco exposure is one of the major risks for the initiation and progress of lung cancer. The exact corresponding mechanisms, however, are mainly unknown. Recently, a growing body of evidence has been collected supporting the involvement of DNA methylation in the regulation of gene expression in cancer cells. The identification of tobacco‐related signature methylation probes and the analysis of their regulatory networks at different molecular levels may be of a great help for understanding tobacco‐related tumorigenesis. Three independent lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) datasets were used to train and validate the tobacco exposure pattern classification model. A deep selecting method was proposed and used to identify methylation signature probes from hundreds of thousands of the whole epigenome probes. Then, BIMC (biweight midcorrelation coefficient) algorithm, SRC (Spearman’s rank correlation) analysis, and shortest path tracing method were explored to identify associated genes at gene regulation level and protein‐protein interaction level, respectively. Afterwards, the KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway analysis and GO (Gene Ontology) enrichment analysis were used to analyze their molecular functions and associated pathways. 105 probes were identified as tobacco‐related DNA methylation signatures. They belong to 95 genes which are involved in hsa04512, hsa04151, and other important pathways. At gene regulation level, 33 genes are uncovered to be highly related to signature probes by both BIMC and SRC methods. Among them, FARSB and other eight genes were uncovered as Hub genes in the gene regulatory network. Meanwhile, the PPI network about these 33 genes showed that MAGOH, FYN, and other five genes were the most connected core genes among them. These analysis results may provide clues for a clear biological interpretation in the molecular mechanism of tumorigenesis. Moreover, the identified signature probes may serve as potential drug targets for the precision medicine of LUAD.
99mTc-CXCR4-L for Imaging of the Chemokine-4 Receptor Associated with Brain Tumor Invasiveness: Biokinetics, Radiation Dosimetry, and Proof of Concept in Humans
Authors: Vallejo-Armenta Paola , Santos-Cuevas Clara , Soto-Andonaegui Juan , Villanueva-Pérez Rosa M. , González-Díaz Jorge I. , García-Pérez Francisco O. , Arrellano-Zarate Angélica , Luna-Gutiérrez Myrna , Azorín-Vega Erika , Ocampo-García Blanca , Ferro-Flores Guillermina
Published: April 2020

Overexpression of the chemokine-4 receptor (CXCR4) in brain tumors is associated with high cancer cell invasiveness. Recently, we reported the preclinical evaluation of 99mTc-CXCR4-L (cyclo-D-Tyr-D-[NMe]Orn[EDDA-99mTc-6-hydrazinylnicotinyl]-Arg-NaI-Gly) as a SPECT radioligand capable of specifically detecting the CXCR4 protein. This research aimed to estimate the biokinetic behavior and radiation dosimetry of 99mTc-CXCR4-L in healthy subjects, as well as to correlate the radiotracer uptake by brain tumors in patients, with the histological grade of differentiation and CXCR4 expression evaluated by immunohistochemistry. 99mTc-CXCR4-L was obtained from freeze-dried kits prepared under GMP conditions (radiochemical purities >97%). Whole-body scans from six healthy volunteers were acquired at 0.3, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 h after 99mTc-CXCR4-L administration (0.37 GBq). Time-activity curves of different source organs were obtained from the image sequence to adjust the biokinetic models. The OLINDA/EXM code was employed to calculate the equivalent and effective radiation doses. Nine patients with evidence of brain tumor injury (6 primaries and 3 recurrent), determined by MRI, underwent cerebral SPECT at 3 h after administration of 99mTc-CXCR4-L (0.74 GBq). Data were expressed as a T/B (tumor uptake/background) ratio. Biopsy examinations included histological grading and anti-CXCR4 immunohistochemistry. Results showed a fast blood activity clearance (T1/2α = 0.81 min and T1/2β = 12.19 min) with renal and hepatobiliary elimination. The average equivalent doses were 6.10E − 04, 1.41E − 04, and 3.13E − 05 mSv/MBq for the intestine, liver, and kidney, respectively. The effective dose was 3.92E − 03 mSv/MBq. SPECT was positive in 7/9 patients diagnosed as grade II oligodendroglioma (two patients), grade IV glioblastoma (two patients), grade IV gliosarcoma (one patient), metastasis, and diffuse astrocytoma with T/B ratios of 1.3, 2.3, 13, 7, 19, 5.5, and 3.9, respectively, all of them with positive immunohistochemistry. A direct relationship between the grade of differentiation and the expression of CXCR4 was found. The two negative SPECT studies showed negative immunohistochemistry with a diagnosis of reactive gliosis. This “proof-of-concept” research warrants further clinical studies to establish the usefulness of 99mTc-CXCR4-L in the diagnosis and prognosis of brain tumors.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of Radiographic Protection by Dental Undergraduate and Endodontic Postgraduate Students, General Practitioners, and Endodontists
Authors: Almohaimede Amal A. , Bendahmash Mohammad W. , Dhafr Feras M. , Awwad Abdullah F. , Al-Madi Ebtissam M.
Published: April 2020

The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and perception of radiation hazard and preventive measures among dental undergraduate students, general practitioners, endodontic postgraduate students, and endodontists in Saudi Arabia. Multiple choice questions questionnaires were distributed among undergraduate and endodontic postgraduate dental students, general practitioners, and endodontists in the colleges of dentistry in Saudi Arabia, government hospitals, and private clinics. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, assessment of the knowledge of radiation physics and biology, assessment of the practice of dental radiography, and assessment of knowledge of radiation protection. Chi-square test was used for individual and multiresponse analysis. Level of statistical significance was set at P≤0.05. Three hundred and twenty-nine responded to the questionnaire. More than half of the respondents agreed that dental X-ray is hazardous to health (60.79%), and 68.1% were familiar with ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle. However, only 34% are familiar with the recommendations of the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) and International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The use of lead apron and thyroid collar for patients’ protection from X-ray radiation was practiced among endodontic postgraduate students more frequently as well as those who are proactive in the academic field. Undergraduate students, endodontic postgraduate students, and endodontists in the academic field were the most aware towards radiation reduction measures. The use of the preventive measures needs to be emphasized more among general practitioners, endodontic postgraduate students, and endodontists especially in governmental hospitals and private sectors.
Extremum Modified First Zagreb Connection Index ofn-Vertex Trees with Fixed Number of Pendent Vertices
Authors: Noureen Sadia , Bhatti Akhlaq Ahmad , Ali Akbar
Published: April 2020

The modified first Zagreb connection indexZC1∗is a graph invariant that appeared about fifty years ago within a study of molecular modeling, and after a long time, it has been revisited in two papers ((Ali and Trinajstić, 2018) and (Naji et al., 2017)) independently. For a graphG, this graph invariant is defined asZC1∗G=∑v∈VGdvτv, wheredvis the degree of the vertexvandτvis the connection number ofv(that is, the number of vertices having distance 2 fromv). In this paper, the graphs with maximum/minimumZC1∗value are characterized from the class of alln-vertex trees with fixed number of pendent vertices (that are the vertices of degree 1).