bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boron isotope record of peak metamorphic ultrahigh-pressure and retrograde fluid–rock interaction in white mica (Lago di Cignana, Western Alps)
Authors: Halama Ralf , Konrad-Schmolke Matthias , De Hoog Jan C. M.
Published: February 2020

This study presents boron (B) concentration and isotope data for white mica from (ultra)high-pressure (UHP), subduction-related metamorphic rocks from Lago di Cignana (Western Alps, Italy). These rocks are of specific geological interest, because they comprise the most deeply subducted rocks of oceanic origin worldwide. Boron geochemistry can track fluid–rock interaction during their metamorphic evolution and provide important insights into mass transfer processes in subduction zones. The highest B contents (up to 345 μg/g B) occur in peak metamorphic phengite from a garnet–phengite quartzite. The B isotopic composition is variable (δ11B = − 10.3 to − 3.6%) and correlates positively with B concentrations. Based on similar textures and major element mica composition, neither textural differences, prograde growth zoning, diffusion nor a retrograde overprint can explain this correlation. Modelling shows that B devolatilization during metamorphism can explain the general trend, but fails to account for the wide compositional and isotopic variability in a single, well-equilibrated sample. We, therefore, argue that this trend represents fluid–rock interaction during peak metamorphic conditions. This interpretation is supported by fluid–rock interaction modelling of boron leaching and boron addition that can successfully reproduce the observed spread in δ11B and [B]. Taking into account the local availability of serpentinites as potential source rocks of the fluids, the temperatures reached during peak metamorphism that allow for serpentine dehydration, and the high positive δ11B values (δ11B = 20 ± 5) modelled for the fluids, an influx of serpentinite-derived fluid appears likely. Paragonite in lawsonite pseudomorphs in an eclogite and phengite from a retrogressed metabasite have B contents between 12 and 68 μg/g and δ11B values that cluster around 0% (δ11B = − 5.0 to + 3.5). White mica in both samples is related to distinct stages of retrograde metamorphism during exhumation of the rocks. The variable B geochemistry can be successfully modelled as fluid–rock interaction with low-to-moderate (< 3) fluid/rock ratios, where mica equilibrates with a fluid into which B preferentially partitions, causing leaching of B from the rock. The metamorphic rocks from Lago di Cignana show variable retention of B in white mica during subduction-related metamorphism and exhumation. The variability in the B geochemical signature in white mica is significant and enhances our understanding of metamorphic processes and their role in element transfer in subduction zones.
An evaluation of predictors for success of two-duct ligation for drooling in neurodisabilities
Authors: Bekkers Stijn , van Hulst Karen , Erasmus Corrie E. , Delsing Corinne P. , Scheffer Arthur R. T. , van den Hoogen Frank J. A.
Published: February 2020

Background

Drooling is dependent on various clinical variables. However, while drooling proves refractory to two-duct ligation in 40% of patients, predictors for treatment success are sparse and to date there is little evidence why some respond well while others are non-responders. We aim to find predictors for treatment success and study the effectiveness of two-duct ligation for drooling in neurodisabilities.

Methods

Fifty-four patients with moderate to severe drooling who had undergone two-duct ligation were screened for inclusion. Four patients were excluded due to missing or unreliable primary outcomes. The average age at the time of surgery was 12 years. Predictors were evaluated for treatment success which was defined as ≥ 50% visual analog scale for severity of drooling and/or drooling quotient reduction from baseline. Treatment effect was measured after 8 and 32 weeks compared to baseline.

Results

Age (more mature), adequate posture (no anteflexion), and normal speech are predictors for treatment success. Compared to baseline, drooling quotient was significantly lower at 8 (difference 18.6%, 95% confidence interval 12.3–24.9%) and 32 weeks (difference 10.1%, 95% confidence interval 3.9–16.4%). Compared to baseline, visual analog scale was significantly lower at 8 (difference 45.0, 95% confidence interval 37.0–52.9) and 32 weeks (difference 32.9, 95% confidence interval 25.0–40.7).

Conclusions

Age, adequate posture, and a normal speech are predictors for treatment success, are easily determined pre-operatively, and help the clinician providing patient-specific probability of treatment success. There is a significant subjective and objective decrease of drooling after two-duct ligation.
You are how you eat: differences in trophic position of two parasite species infecting a single host according to stable isotopes
Authors: Gilbert Beric M. , Nachev Milen , Jochmann Maik A. , Schmidt Torsten C. , Köster Daniel , Sures Bernd , Avenant-Oldewage Annemariè
Published: February 2020

Parasitism is commonly recognised as a consumer strategy, although, the interaction of parasites in communities and ecosystems are generally poorly understood. As parasites are integral parts of food webs, analysis of the trophic interactions between parasites and hosts was assessed through comparison of stable isotope ratios of carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N). Largemouth yellowfish (Labeobarbus kimberleyensis) infected with the Asian tapeworm (Schyzocotyle acheilognathi) were collected from the Vaal Dam. Signatures of δ13C and δ15N were assessed in host muscle and liver tissue, and cestodes using an elemental analyser coupled with an isotope ratio-mass spectrometer (EA-IRMS). Hosts were enriched by 4.1‰ in the heavy nitrogen isotope with respect to the S. acheilognathi and therefore occupy a higher trophic position than the parasite. Comparison of δ13C indicates that dietary sources of carbon in cestodes are derived from the host liver. Comparison of stable isotope signatures between Paradiplozoon ichthyoxanthon (another common parasite of the Largemouth yellowfish in the Vaal River) and S. acheilognathi showed that the monogenean was enriched by 5.3‰ in 15N which accounts for a difference of almost two trophic positions. Isotope differences in the host–parasite system considered indicate that differences can be related to the mode of nutrient acquisition employed by host and parasites. Cestodes, being depleted in both 13C and 15N relative to the host and monogenean (P. ichthyoxanthon), indicate that S. acheilognathi assimilates nutrients derived from the host metabolism which are released from the liver.
Sources of uncertainty in the Mazama isopachs and the implications for interpreting distal tephra deposits from large magnitude eruptions
Authors: Buckland Hannah M. , Cashman Katharine V. , Engwell Samantha L. , Rust Alison C.
Published: February 2020

Estimating the area of tephra fallout and volume of large magnitude eruptions is fundamental to interpretations of the hazards posed by eruptions of this scale. This study uses the tephra from the caldera forming eruption of Mount Mazama (Crater Lake, OR, USA) to demonstrate the challenges faced when working with large prehistoric tephra deposits and outlines the methodologies required to determine eruption volume and magnitude. We combine > 250 Mazama tephra occurrences, reported by a range of disciplines (including archaeology, paleoclimatology and volcanology), with new field studies to better understand the extent of the distal tephra. We find that the Mazama tephra has been remobilised to varying degrees over the past 7000 years, so each tephra locality was appraised for the likelihood that it records primary tephra fallout. We designated 45 of the distal (> 100 km from source) tephra sites as suitable for use in the production of isopachs using a spline fitting method. The new distal isopachs were then integrated with proximal fallout data and estimates of the ignimbrite volume from previous studies to revise the estimated bulk erupted volume from the climactic Mazama eruption to ~ 176 km3 (~ 61 km3 dense-rock equivalent; DRE). This study demonstrates the importance of collating tephra localities from a range of disciplines and that even remobilised deposits provide valuable information about the extent of the deposit. Interpreting remobilised deposits can provide insight into post-eruptive processes that could potentially pose secondary hazards following large magnitude eruptions. We also show that in some circumstances, remobilised deposits preserve important physical properties such as grain size.
Stable Matchings with Covering Constraints: A Complete Computational Trichotomy
Authors: Mnich Matthias , Schlotter Ildikó
Published: February 2020

Stable matching problems with lower quotas are fundamental in academic hiring and ensuring operability of rural hospitals. Only few tractable (polynomial-time solvable) cases of stable matching with lower quotas have been identified; most such problems are $$\mathsf {NP}$$NP-hard and also hard to approximate (Hamada et al. in Algorithmica 74(1):440–465, 2016). We therefore consider stable matching problems with lower quotas under a relaxed notion of tractability, namely fixed-parameter tractability. By cloning hospitals we focus on the case when all hospitals have upper quota equal to 1, which generalizes the setting of “arranged marriages” first considered by Knuth (Mariages stables et leurs relations avec d’autres problèmes combinatoires, Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal, Montreal, 1976). We investigate how a set of natural parameters, namely the maximum length of preference lists for men and women, the number of distinguished men and women, and the number of blocking pairs allowed determine the computational tractability of this problem. Our main result is a complete complexity trichotomy: for each choice of parameters we either provide a polynomial-time algorithm, or an $$\mathsf {NP}$$NP-hardness proof and fixed-parameter algorithm, or $$\mathsf {NP}$$NP-hardness proof and $$\mathsf {W}[1]$$W[1]-hardness proof. As corollary, we negatively answer a question by Hamada et al. (Algorithmica 74(1):440–465, 2016) by showing fixed-parameter intractability parameterized by optimal solution size. We also classify all cases of one-sided constraints where only women may be distinguished.
Determining the difference in the efficacy and safety of self-expandable metallic stents as a bridge to surgery for obstructive colon cancer among patients in the CROSS 0 group and those in the CROSS 1 or 2 group: a pooled analysis of data from two Japanese prospective multicenter trials
Authors: Ohki Takeshi , Yoshida Shuntaro , Yamamoto Masakazu , Isayama Hiroyuki , Yamada Tomonori , Matsuzawa Takeaki , Saito Shuji , Kuwai Toshio , Tomita Masafumi , Shiratori Toshiyasu , Shimada Mamoru , Hirakawa Tomio , Koizumi Koichi , Saida Yoshihisa
Published: February 2020

Purpose

This study compared the feasibility and safety of endoscopic placement of self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) as a bridge to surgery (BTS) between patients with obstructive colorectal cancer (CRC) classified as ColoRectal Obstruction Scoring System (CROSS) 0 and those with CROSS 1 or 2.

Methods

We conducted a post hoc analysis of two prospective, observational, single-arm multicenter clinical trials and performed a pooled analysis of the data. In total, 336 consecutive patients with malignant colorectal obstruction underwent SEMS placement. The primary endpoint was clinical success, defined as resolution of symptoms and radiological findings within 24 h. Secondary endpoints were technical success and adverse events.

Results

High clinical (98.0% vs. 98.4%) and technical (96.7% vs. 97.8%) success rates were observed in both groups (CROSS 0 vs. CROSS 1 or 2). The adverse event rate was low. The mean stricture length was lower (3.8 ± 1.2 cm vs. 4.4 ± 1.8 cm) and laparoscopic surgery more common (56.7% vs 52.2%) in the CROSS 0 group than in the CROSS 1 and 2 group.

Conclusion

This study was the first to compare the degree of stricture in different CROSS groups and demonstrated comparable results with respect to the short-term efficacy and safety of SEMS placement as a BTS for obstructive CRC in CROSS 0, 1, and 2 patients.
Dependence of odontogenic abscess on meteorological parameters: truth or myth?
Authors: Spalthoff S. , Jehn P. , Treptow K. , Zimmerer R. , Korn P. , Tavassol F. , Gellrich N.-C. , Dittmann J.
Published: February 2020

Objectives

It is still a common belief among dental practitioners that odontogenic abscesses are somehow linked to meteorological parameters. We investigated the influence of different meteorological parameters on the type of surgical abscess treatment (intra- versus extraoral incision) as a measure of the weather-dependent severity of infection.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed 841 patients who presented at our outpatient clinic with an odontogenic abscess between 2004 and 2013.

Results

We found no statistical dependence between intra- versus extraoral abscess incision with regard to temperature, atmospheric pressure, or relative air humidity. The annual distribution of abscesses was even, and the number of abscesses with greater or lesser mean values of each meteorological parameter did not differ significantly.

Conclusions

Our results showed no statistical relationship between meteorological parameters and intra- or extraoral abscess incisions.

Clinical relevance

Our analysis supports the assumption that the theorized relationship between odontogenic abscesses and meteorological parameters remains a myth.
Predictable quantum efficient detector for low optical flux measurements
Authors: Porrasmaa Santeri , Dönsberg Timo , Manoocheri Farshid , Ikonen Erkki
Published: February 2020

The predictable quantum efficient detector (PQED) is a primary standard of optical power, which utilizes two custom-made induced-junction photodiodes that are mounted in a wedged trap configuration for the reduction of reflectance losses. PQED photodiodes of p-type and n-type were characterized for their dark current dependence on reverse bias voltage at room temperature. As simulations predict that the dark current will decrease exponentially with temperature, the temperature dependence of dark current for the n-type photodiodes was also measured. Two n-type induced-junction photodiodes were assembled inside a liquid nitrogen cryostat. The results from the dark current measurements indicate that the cooled n-type photodiodes are suitable for measuring optical fluxes in the few photon regime. A photon flux of approximately 7,000,000 photons per second was measured using the PQED at a cryogenic temperature with a relative standard uncertainty of 0.15%. The results support the utilization of the PQED as a primary standard of optical power in single and few photon applications.
Predicting scattering properties of fiber suspensions using Mie theory and probabilistic cross-sectional diameter of fibers
Authors: Juttula Harri J. , Törmänen Matti , Mäkynen Anssi J.
Published: February 2020

Scattering of visible light by micrometer-scale natural wood fibers is usually treated by assuming fibers to be perfect long cylindrical scatterers. In industrial processes, however, fibers experience deformations and are far from ideal cylinders. Variation in fiber morphology affects their scattering properties and it poses a challenge for reliable process measurements. In this paper, we have studied experimentally scattering of both deformed natural and ideal artificial non-absorbing fibers in aqueous suspension and their response to mass concentration of fibers. Experimental results are compared with the predictions of the Mie theory which is combined with cross-sectional diameter probability distribution of fibers. It is shown that the diameter distribution of the fibers together with Mie theory provides results that agree with experiments in case of both natural and ideal fibers.
The Antipsychotic Medication Management Fidelity Scale: Psychometric properties
Authors: Ruud Torleif , Drivenes Karin , Drake Robert E. , Haaland Vegard Øksendal , Landers Matthew , Stensrud Bjørn , Heiervang Kristin S. , Tanum Lars , Bond Gary R.
Published: February 2020

The paper describes the Antipsychotic Medication Management Fidelity Scale and its psychometric properties, including interrater reliability, frequency distribution, sensitivity to change and feasibility. Fidelity assessors conducted fidelity reviews four times over 18 months at eight sites receiving implementation support for evidence-based antipsychotic medication management. Data analyses shows good to fair interrater reliability, adequate sensitivity to change over time and good feasibility. At 18 months, item ratings varied from poor to full fidelity on most items. Use of the scale can assess fidelity to evidence-based guidelines for antipsychotic medication management and guide efforts to improve practice. Further research should improve and better calibrate some items, and improve the procedures for access to information.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03271242.
Using genetics to inform restoration and predict resilience in declining populations of a keystone marine sponge
Authors: Griffiths Sarah M. , Taylor-Cox Evelyn D. , Behringer Donald C. , Butler Mark J. , Preziosi Richard F.
Published: February 2020

Genetic tools can have a key role in informing conservation management of declining populations. Genetic diversity is an important determinant of population fitness and resilience, and can require careful management to ensure sufficient variation is present. In addition, population genetics data reveal patterns of connectivity and gene flow between locations, enabling mangers to predict recovery and resilience, identify areas of local adaptation, and generate restoration plans. Here, we demonstrate a conservation genetics approach to inform restoration and management of the loggerhead sponge (Spheciospongia vesparium) in the Florida Keys, USA. This species is a dominant, habitat-forming component of marine ecosystems in the Caribbean region, but in Florida has suffered numerous mass mortality events. We developed microsatellite markers and used them to genotype sponges from 14 locations in Florida and a site each in The Bahamas, Belize and Barbuda. We found that genetic diversity levels were similar across all sites, but inbreeding and bottleneck signatures were present in Florida. Populations are highly structured at the regional scale, whilst within Florida connectivity is present in a weak isolation by distance pattern, coupled with chaotic genetic patchiness. Evidence of a weak barrier to gene flow was found in Florida among sites situated on opposite sides of the islands in the Middle Keys. Loggerhead sponge populations in Florida are vulnerable in the face of mass mortalities due to low connectivity with other areas in the region, as well as distance-limited and unpredictable local connectivity patterns. However, our discovery of Florida’s high genetic diversity increases hope for resilience to future perturbations. These results provide valuable insight for sponge restoration practice in Florida.
The Novel Transcription Factor CREB3L4 Contributes to the Progression of Human Breast Carcinoma
Authors: Pu Qian , Lu Li , Dong Ke , Geng Wen-wen , Lv Yan-rong , Gao Hai-dong
Published: February 2020

Breast carcinoma(BC)is the most common cancer type among females globally. Understanding the molecular pathways that trigger the development of BC is crucial for both prevention and treatment. As such, the role of transcription factors (TFs) in the development of BC is a focal point in this field. CREB3s play a critical role in initiating the unfolded protein response (UPR); however, the role of CREB3 family members in breast cancer development remains largely unknown. Here, we mined the ONCOMINE database for the transcriptional data of CREB3s in patients with BC. Then, the regulatory functions of a novel TF, CREB3L4, were investigated. CREB3L4 knockdown in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. ChIP assays confirmed that CREB3L4 can directly bind to the PCNA promoter region, suggesting that the PCNA protein may be functionally downstream of CREB3L4. Additionally, the expression level of CREB3L4 was assessed using our cohort. CREB3L4 is upregulated in breast cancer tissues and is significantly associated with histological grade and tumour size (P = 0.001 andP < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, PCNA expression was upregulated in breast cancer tissues and positively correlated with CREB3L4. In summary, CREB3L4 may play an important role in the progression of human BC and may serve as a therapeutic target.
Predicting Long-Term Sickness Absence and Identifying Subgroups Among Individuals Without an Employment Contract
Authors: Louwerse Ilse , van Rijssen H. Jolanda , Huysmans Maaike A. , van der Beek Allard J. , Anema Johannes R.
Published: February 2020

Purpose Today, decreasing numbers of workers in Europe are employed in standard employment relationships. Temporary contracts and job insecurity have become more common. This study among workers without an employment contract aimed to (i) predict risk of long-term sickness absence and (ii) identify distinct subgroups of sick-listed workers. Methods 437 individuals without an employment contract who were granted a sickness absence benefit for at least two weeks were followed for 1 year. We used registration data and self-reported questionnaires on sociodemographics, work-related, health-related and psychosocial factors. Both were retrieved from the databases of the Dutch Social Security Institute and measured at the time of entry into the benefit. We used logistic regression analysis to identify individuals at risk of long-term sickness absence. Latent class analysis was used to identify homogenous subgroups of individuals. Results Almost one-third of the study population (n = 133; 30%) was still at sickness absence at 1-year follow-up. The final prediction model showed fair discrimination between individuals with and without long-term sickness absence (optimism adjusted AUC to correct for overfitting = 0.761). Four subgroups of individuals were identified based on predicted risk of long-term sickness absence, self-reported expectations about recovery and return to work, reason of sickness absence and coping skills. Conclusion The logistic regression model could be used to identify individuals at risk of long-term sickness absence. Identification of risk groups can aid professionals to offer tailored return to work interventions.
Scalable Bayesian preference learning for crowds
Authors: Simpson Edwin , Gurevych Iryna
Published: February 2020

We propose a scalable Bayesian preference learning method for jointly predicting the preferences of individuals as well as the consensus of a crowd from pairwise labels. Peoples’ opinions often differ greatly, making it difficult to predict their preferences from small amounts of personal data. Individual biases also make it harder to infer the consensus of a crowd when there are few labels per item. We address these challenges by combining matrix factorisation with Gaussian processes, using a Bayesian approach to account for uncertainty arising from noisy and sparse data. Our method exploits input features, such as text embeddings and user metadata, to predict preferences for new items and users that are not in the training set. As previous solutions based on Gaussian processes do not scale to large numbers of users, items or pairwise labels, we propose a stochastic variational inference approach that limits computational and memory costs. Our experiments on a recommendation task show that our method is competitive with previous approaches despite our scalable inference approximation. We demonstrate the method’s scalability on a natural language processing task with thousands of users and items, and show improvements over the state of the art on this task. We make our software publicly available for future work (https://github.com/UKPLab/tacl2018-preference-convincing/tree/crowdGPPL).
Trip chain complexity: a comparison among latent classes of daily mobility patterns
Authors: Schneider Florian , Ton Danique , Zomer Lara-Britt , Daamen Winnie , Duives Dorine , Hoogendoorn-Lanser Sascha , Hoogendoorn Serge
Published: February 2020

This paper studies the relationship between trip chain complexity and daily travel behaviour of travellers. While trip chain complexity is conventionally investigated between travel modes, our scope is the more aggregated level of a person’s activity-travel pattern. Using data from the Netherlands Mobility Panel, a latent class cluster analysis was performed to group people with similar mode choice behaviour in distinct mobility pattern classes. All trip chains were assigned to both a travel mode and the mobility pattern class of the traveller. Subsequently, differences in trip chain complexity distributions were analysed between travel modes and between mobility pattern classes. Results indicate considerable differences between travel modes, particularly between multimodal and unimodal trip chains, but also between the unimodal travel modes car, bicycle, walking and public transport trip chains. No substantial differences in trip chain complexity were found between mobility pattern classes. Independently of the included travel modes, the distributions of trip chain complexity degrees were similar across mobility pattern classes. This means that personal circumstances such as the number of working hours or household members are not systematically translated into specific mobility patterns.
Is the Whole Greater than the Sum of Its Parts? Pricing Pressure Indices for Mergers of Vertically Integrated Firms
Authors: Trost Michael
Published: February 2020

The paper analyzes gross upward pricing pressure indices—$$\texttt {iGUPPI}$$
iGUPPI
—to assess the anti-competitive effects of mergers between vertically integrated firms where independent rivals are active in the downstream market. Such indices could be used, for example, to screen mergers between mobile network operators that compete with mobile virtual network operators in the downstream retail market. It is shown that the $$\texttt {iGUPPI}$$
iGUPPI
for the downstream divisions of the merging firms corresponds to the sum of two well-known upward pricing pressure indices: the $$\texttt {GUPPI}$$
GUPPI
concept of Salop and Moresi (Georget Law J, 2009), and the $$\texttt {vGUPPI}$$
vGUPPI
concept of Moresi and Salop (Antitrust Law J 79(1):185–214, 2013). However, this simple decomposition does not hold for their upstream divisions a priori. Here, additional effects that are not included in the two concepts arise. Further assumptions with respect to the price reactions of the downstream divisions to increases in the input prices are imposed so that the $$\texttt {iGUPPI}$$
iGUPPI
for the upstream divisions is decomposable into an upstream market version of the $$\texttt {GUPPI}$$
GUPPI
and the $$\texttt {vGUPPI}$$
vGUPPI
.
Fostering character strengths to promote thriving and flourishing in organizations
Authors: Harzer Claudia
Published: February 2020

Character strengths are positively valued personality traits that find expression in individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Most adults develop up to seven core character strengths (i.e., “signature strengths”) which are central to their identity. According to fundamental theoretical assumptions about signature strengths, Person-Environment Fit Theory, Job Demands-Resources Theory and prior empirical research, employing one’s signature strengths leads to a number of favorable general and work outcomes. Strategies on the individual, team, and organizational level fostering signature strengths use in the workplace are summarized.
Overcompensation as a service recovery strategy: the financial aspect of customers’ extra effort
Authors: Kenesei Zsofia , Bali Zsofia
Published: February 2020

Compensation is one of the most important elements of service. Companies often pursue a strategy of overcompensation; however, there are contradictory results in the literature whether overcompensation has a positive or negative effect on postcomplaint customer behaviour. In this paper, based on three studies, we prove that examining the amount of additional effort required of the customer in order to achieve service recovery can help us better explain outcomes of the service recovery. Our results clearly show that the degree of additional customer effort has significant influence both on satisfaction and on perceived fairness and it moderates the effect of the amount of compensation.
Implant-Mediated Therapy of Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Gierthmuehlen Mortimer , Plachta Dennis T. T. , Zentner Josef
Published: February 2020

Purpose of Review

To give an overview on recent developments in permanent implant-based therapy of resistant hypertension.

Recent Findings

The American Heart Association (AHA) recently updated their guidelines to treat high blood pressure (BP). As elevated BP now is defined as a systolic BP above 120 mmHg, the prevalence of hypertension in the USA has increased from 32% (old definition of hypertension) to 46%. In the past years, device- and implant-mediated therapies have evolved and extensively studied in various patient populations. Despite an initial drawback in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of bilateral carotid sinus stimulation (CSS), new and less invasive and unilateral systems for baroreflex activation therapy (BAT) with the BAROSTIM NEO® have been developed which show promising results in small non-randomized controlled (RCT) studies. Selective vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has been successfully evaluated in rodents, but has not yet been tested in humans. A new endovascular approach to reshape the carotid sinus to lower BP (MobiusHD™) has been introduced (baroreflex amplification therapy) with favorable results in non-RCT trials. However, long-term results are not yet available for this treatment option. A specific subgroup of patients, those with indication for a 2-chamber cardiac pacemaker, may benefit from a new stimulation paradigm which reduces the AV latency and therefore limits the filling time of the left ventricle. The most invasive approach for resistant hypertension still is the neuromodulation by deep brain stimulation (DBS), which has been shown to significantly lower BP in single cases.

Implant-mediated therapy remains a promising approach for the treatment of resistant hypertension. Due to their invasiveness, such treatment options must prove superiority over conventional therapies with regard to safety and efficacy before they can be generally offered to a wider patient population. Overall, BAROSTIM NEO® and MobiusHD™, for which large RCTs will soon be available, are likely to meet those criteria and may represent the first implant-mediated therapeutical options for hypertension, while the use of DBS probably will be reserved for individual cases. The utility of VNS awaits appropriate assessment.
Automatic estimation of traveltime parameters in VTI media using similarity-weighted clustering
Authors: Liu Shi-You , Zhang Ying-Zhao , Li Chao , Sun Wan-Yuan , Fang Gang , Liu Guo-Chang
Published: February 2020

Compared with hyperbolic velocity estimation methods, nonhyperbolic methods (such as shifted hyperbola) are better choices for large offsets or vertical transverse isotropy (VTI) media. Since local seismic event slope contains subsurface information, they can be used to estimate zero-offset two-way traveltime and normal moveout velocity. The traditional velocity estimation methods require a great deal of manual work and are also prone to human error. In order to estimate the traveltime parameters for VTI media automatically, in this paper, we propose to use predictive painting and similarity-weighted clustering to obtain traveltime parameters. The predictive painting is used to estimate zero-offset two-way traveltime, and the shifted-hyperbola traveltime equation is used to obtain velocity and anisotropy attributes. We first map local slopes to zero-offset two-way traveltime and moveout-parameters domain and then use similarity-weighted k-means clustering to find the maximum likelihood anisotropy parameters of the main subsurface structures. In order to demonstrate that, we apply the similarity-weighted clustering method to synthetic and field data examples and the results are of higher accuracy when compared to the ones obtained using multiparameter semblance-based method. From estimation error section, it can be seen that the estimation error of multiparameter semblance-based method is about 3–5 times that of the proposed method.
Processes and causes of Phanerozoic tectonic evolution of the western Tarim Basin, northwest China
Authors: Wang Teng-Fei , Jin Zhen-Kui , Li He , Liu Dong-Qing , Cheng Ri-Hui , Shi Shu-Ting , Wang Jin-Yi
Published: February 2020

This paper addresses the Phanerozoic tectonic evolution of the western Tarim Basin based on an integrated stratigraphic, structural and tectonic analysis. P-wave velocity data show that the basin has a stable and rigid basement. The western Tarim Basin experienced a complex tectonic evolutionary history, and this evolution can be divided into six stages: Neoproterozoic to Early Ordovician, Middle Ordovician to Middle Devonian, Late Devonian to Permian, Triassic, Jurassic to Cretaceous and Paleogene to Quaternary. The western Tarim Basin was a rift basin in the Neoproterozoic to Early Ordovician. From the Middle Ordovician to Middle Devonian, the basin consisted of a flexural depression in the south and a depression that changed from a rift depression to a flexural depression in the north during each period, i.e., the Middle–Late Ordovician and the Silurian to Middle Devonian. During the Late Devonian to Permian, the basin was a depression basin early and then changed into a flexural basin late in each period, i.e., the Late Devonian to Carboniferous and the Permian. In the Triassic, the basin was a foreland basin, and from the Jurassic to Cretaceous, it was a downwarped basin. After the Paleogene, the basin became a rejuvenated foreland basin. Based on two cross sections, we conclude that the extension and shortening in the profile reflect the tectonic evolution of the Tarim Basin. The Tarim Basin has become a composite and superimposed sedimentary basin because of its long-term and complicated tectonic evolutionary history, highly rigid and stable basement and large size.
Association of serum sestrin 2 and betatrophin with serum neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin levels in type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Mohany Khalid M. , Al Rugaie Osamah
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Understanding the pathogenesis and the molecular mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy (DN) helps its timely detection and prevention. The current work aims tomeasure serum sestrin 2 and betatrophin levels in healthy and type diabetic (T2DM)subjects with/or without diabetic nephropathy (DN) and also to test their correlation with serum neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (sNGAL); indicator of DN.

Methods

This study included 96 subjects; 20 healthy (G1) and 76 T2DM [22 normoalbuminuric (G2), 35 microalbuminuric (G3) and 19 macroalbuminuric (G4)]. Serum sestrin 2, betatrophin and NGAL were measured by their corresponding kits.

Results

Significant low levels of serum sestrin 2 andhigh levels of serum betatrophin were found in T2DM group when compared to G1 (p = 0.002,p > 0.001, respectively) and this difference is manifested in G4 followed, in order, by G3, G2 then G1 (p= > 0.001 for both). Also, serum sestrin2 levels showed significant negative correlations with sNGAL in G1 (r = −0.497, p = 0.026), G2 (r = −0.784, p > 0.001), G3 (r = −0.894, p > 0.001) and G4 (r = −0.896, pp. > 0.001) while serum betatrophin levels showed significant positive correlations with sNGAL in G2 (r = 0.681, p > 0.001), G3 (r = 0.518, p > 0.001) and G4 (r = 0.727, p > 0.001).

Conclusion

Serum sestrin 2 levels decrease significantly while betatrophin levels increase significantly in T2DM patients with DN especially those with macroalbuminuria. These levels have significant effect strengths on the indicator of diabetic nephropathy; sNGAL which might indicate theirvaluablerole in the timely detection and prevention of the development of DN.
Promoting Hand Sanitizer Use in a University Cafeteria
Authors: Bördlein Christoph
Published: February 2020

Handwashing is the most cost-efficient method to lower the risk of the transmission of infectious diseases. Especially before eating in public places like cafeterias, handwashing is recommended. Often, people do not wash their hands before eating because of the response effort associated with going to the bathroom. As an alternative way to improve hygiene, disinfection with a hand sanitizer gel is recommended. The current study used an A-B-C-A design (and a no-intervention control site) with prompts and feedback to increase the number of cafeteria patrons using hand sanitizer. Dispensers for hand sanitizer gel were placed at the entrance area of two halls of a university cafeteria. Intervention took place in one hall, whereas the other served as a control. After baseline, a poster explaining the usefulness of hand sanitizing was posted near the entrance of the cafeteria. This led to a doubling of the percentage of cafeteria patrons using the hand sanitizer, from 10.79% during baseline to 24.45%. A second poster provided feedback about the percentage of patrons sanitizing their hands and asked for more participation. This led to no further increases in hand sanitizing (23.73%). After all posters were removed, the percentage dropped to 15.63% in the mean. This research demonstrated that a simple, informative prompt can have a considerable impact on hand-sanitizing behavior. However, the role of feedback in such interventions remains questionable.
DeepCPI: A Deep Learning-Based Framework for Large-Scale in Silico Drug Screening
Authors: Wan Fangping , Zhu Yue , Hu Hailin , Dai Antao , Cai Xiaoqing , Chen Ligong , Gong Haipeng , Xia Tian , Yang Dehua , Wang Ming-Wei , Zeng Jianyang
Published: February 2020

Accurate identification of compound–protein interactions (CPIs) in silico may deepen our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of drug action and thus remarkably facilitate drug discovery and development. Conventional similarity- or docking-based computational methods for predicting CPIs rarely exploit latent features from currently available large-scale unlabeled compound and protein data and often limit their usage to relatively small-scale datasets. In the present study, we propose DeepCPI, a novel general and scalable computational framework that combines effective feature embedding (a technique of representation learning) with powerful deep learning methods to accurately predict CPIs at a large scale. DeepCPI automatically learns the implicit yet expressive low-dimensional features of compounds and proteins from a massive amount of unlabeled data. Evaluations of the measured CPIs in large-scale databases, such as ChEMBL and BindingDB, as well as of the known drug–target interactions from DrugBank, demonstrated the superior predictive performance of DeepCPI. Furthermore, several interactions among small-molecule compounds and three G protein-coupled receptor targets (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor, glucagon receptor, and vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor) predicted using DeepCPI were experimentally validated. The present study suggests that DeepCPI is a useful and powerful tool for drug discovery and repositioning. The source code of DeepCPI can be downloaded from https://github.com/FangpingWan/DeepCPI.
Breastfeeding preterm born infant
Authors: Zukova Svetlana , Krumina Valda , Buceniece Jelena
Published: February 2020

Background and Objectives:

For preterm infants, breastmilk plays an important role in their development, but mothers encounter a number of barriers to breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to investigate breastfeeding prevalence in preterm infants and to examine factors that may face mothers when starting to feed at-breast and their impact on the result.

Methods:

Women (N = 79) with preterm infants (N = 84) were interviewed within the follow-up program in Latvia during a six-month period in 2018 using the original study protocol.

Results:

61.9% infants were breastfed and 38.1% were not. The median infant birth weight in breastfed group was 1730 g, the median duration of tube feeding 21 days. The median age when started to feed at-breast 33 days. Later only 40.4% infants were still feeding at-breast. A relationship was found between breastfeeding and the mother's confidence during pregnancy that she would breastfeed (P < .05). 98% mothers who began to feed at-breast, during pregnancy were confident that they would breastfeed. 54.2% women who started to breastfeed as success mentioned medical staff training, 29.2% family support.

The median birth weight in the non-breastfed group was 1494 g, the median duration of tube feeding 21 days. 50% women who did not begin to breastfeed had not received enough information about breastfeeding; 17.2% during pregnancy were not confident that they would breastfeed. 38.7% women stated infants' inability to suckle as failure, 22.6% thought they had no milk. Mothers under 32 years were more likely not to breastfeed their infant (OR = 0.8, 95% CI 0.33–1.96).

Conclusion:

Most mothers began to breastfeed immediately, less than half continued later. Women did not receive enough family support. Young maternal age was associated with decrease in breastfeeding. Mothers with higher education were more likely to breastfeed. Being born extremely preterm and very preterm were associated with the least chance of being breastfed.
An ~1899 glacier inventory for Nordland, northern Norway, produced from historical maps
Authors: Weber Paul , Andreassen Liss M. , Boston Clare M. , Lovell Harold , Kvarteig Sidsel
Published: February 2020

Glaciers depicted on old maps reveal their historical extents, before the advent of aerial and satellite remote sensing. Digital glacier inventories produced from these maps can be employed in assessments of centennial-scale glacier change. This study reconstructs the ~1899 (covering the period 1882–1916) glacier extent in Nordland, northern Norway, from historical gradteigskart maps, with an emphasis on examining the accuracy of the mapped glaciers. Glacier outlines were digitised from georectified scans of the analogue maps in a raster graphics editor and were subsequently inventoried in a GIS. The accuracy of the historical glacier extent was established from written descriptions and landscape photographs created during the original field surveys, and further validated against independent glacier outlines of (1) the maximum Little Ice Age extent derived from geomorphological evidence, and (2) the 1945 extent derived from vertical aerial photographs. An overall uncertainty of ±17% is associated with our inventory. Nordland's glaciers covered an area of 1712 ± 291 km2 in 1899. By 2000, total ice cover had decreased by 47% (807 ± 137 km2) at a rate of 6% 10 a−1 (80 ± 14 km2 10 a−1). The approach presented here may serve as a blueprint for future studies intending to derive glacier inventories from historical maps.
Measuring Up: Better baby contests in China, 1917–45
Authors: TILLMAN MARGARET MIH
Published: February 2020

This article charts the Chinese indigenization of better baby contests, from Christian health services offered by the YWCA to positive models of nourishment organized by Chinese philanthropic organizations and local and central governments. American missionaries and milk-powder companies played a large role in sponsoring the contests in China. Influenced by the rise of scientific measurement and ‘national rejuvenation’ as promoted by the New Culture Movement in 1915, Chinese organizers tended to focus on liveliness, gender equality, and statistics that pointed to the need for public reform. As in the United States of America, scientific criteria sometimes also challenged conventional notions of plump cuteness. These goals sometimes conflicted with the implicit aims of corporate sponsors. Contests thus celebrated new material conditions and public hygiene facilitated by modern industry, but was at the same time circumscribed by commercial advertisers, reticent evangelists, or other sponsors.
The politics of creditworthiness: political and policy commentary in sovereign credit rating reports
Authors: Barta Zsófia , Makszin Kristin
Published: February 2020

How much do politics and politically sensitive policy choices matter for sovereign credit ratings? We contend that while policy is consistently important for rating decisions, attention to politics varies with perceived uncertainty. Quantitatively analysing the text of 635 sovereign rating reports issued by Standard and Poor’s (S&P) between 1999 and 2012 for 40 European countries, we find that S&P scrutinisespolicywith similar intensity across countries, butpoliticalscrutiny was less intense in developed countries and prospective European Union members (categories formerly associated with lower uncertainty) than in emerging countries until the crisis dispelled illusions of lower uncertainty in these categories. Our findings nuance the common notion that financial market actors allow countries perceived to belong to low-risk categories more “room-to-move” in their political and policy choices, by showing that in rating decisions such permissiveness only applied to politics – but not to policy – and it ended with the global financial crisis.
Dynamic Manipulability Analysis of Multi-Arm Space Robot
Authors: Zhou Yiqun , Luo Jianjun , Wang Mingming
Published: February 2020

The dynamic manipulability of a manipulator refers to the capacity to generate accelerations given the joint torques, which is an important indicator for motion planning and control. In this paper, the dynamic manipulability analysis is extended to the multi-arm space robot, and further to the closed-loop system composed of the space robot and the captured target. According to the dynamic equations, the relation between the joint torques and the end-effector accelerations in the open-loop space robot and that between the joint torques and the target accelerations in the closed-loop system are derived. On this basis, the dynamic manipulability factor and dynamic manipulability ellipsoid are proposed as two tools for the dynamic manipulability measure, where the effects of the bias acceleration are considered. The influences of dynamic parameters, link lengths, joint variables, and velocities on the dynamic manipulability measure are mainly studied.