bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RCS Historical Data Screening Method Based on Spatial Observation Geometric Relationship
Authors: Hu M X , Lai J Z , Xu C
Published: August 2019

Selecting accurate Radar Cross Section (RCS) sequence historical data has an important impact on RCS-based spatial target attitude anomaly detection. RCS is related to factors such as satellite shape size, attitude and radar observation angle, and is a sensitive function of observation angle variation. In this paper, the influence of spatial observation geometric relationship on spatial target RCS sequence is analysed. Aiming at the orbital regression characteristics unique to spatial targets, a spatial target RCS historical data screening method based on dynamic time programming (DTW) distance is proposed. According to the relationship between the azimuth and the elevation angles of the radar line of sight, the orbit data with similar spatial geometry is found from the historical data. The orbital data of the system. This method can reduce the impact of Earth’s rotation on data observation and establish a more efficient database. The variational mode decomposition (VMD) of RCS is carried out, and the fractal box dimension of each component is extracted as the data feature, and the BP neural network is used as the classifier for the anomaly detection. The simulation results prove that compared with the traditional historical data collection method, this method can improve the attitude detection rate of space targets and has better robustness.
Research of NCS Random Time Delay Prediction Based on FNN-PSO
Authors: Lei Jian-He , Lu Jing-Xue , Xue Bing-Xin , Wang Guang-Yi
Published: August 2019

Networked control systems have been attracting considerable attention during the last decades, not only because of their theoretical value, but also of their widespread practical applications. In practice, networked control systems are inevitably affected by the random time delays. Aiming at the problem of system performance degradation caused by random time delay in networked control systems, a method of combining particle swarm optimization with fuzzy neural network is used to establish a networked control system time delay prediction model and predicts the future time delay. According to the simulation, we verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method. The results of simulation show that the fuzzy neural network optimized by particle swarm optimization has a high prediction accuracy for random time delay and is suitable for practical applications.
Amplitude-Fluctuation Separation Based on BPM Waveform Reconstruction in MIMO Systems
Authors: Qin Xinrui , Yang Xiaoqi , Jiang Weidong
Published: August 2019

In Multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) systems, the orthogonality among sub-waves could be realized by binary phase modulation (BPM) encoding. Especially in the case of insufficient matched filters, Hadamard-matrix-based BPM encoding could be employed to separate the transmitted signal from echo effectively, which is verified firstly in this paper by utilizing target location, when introducing fluctuations in amplitude as well as in phase. Hence the amplitude-fluctuation separation method based on waveform reconstruction is put forward. The waveform is reconstructed on basis of the known array structure, and then the results are optimized obeying the minimum mean square error (MSE) criterion to obtain more accurate estimation. Compared with the traditional single-channel blind source separation approach, this method shows significant computation reduction by taking full use of the phase and structure information. Monte-Carlo experiments validate the method application in angle estimation improvement.
3. Secularism diversifies
Authors: Copson Andrew
Published: August 2019

In Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries, many reformers saw European secularism as an exemplar for their new political orders. Many Asian states went on to adopt a form they called secular, but that in practice conceals a diversity of ways of organizing religion. ‘Secularism diversifies’ examines two avowedly secular states—Turkey and India—who had resources within their own political and religious traditions with which to form their secularism. In the early 21st century, secularism is contested from all quarters, but is also winning new adherents in many parts of the world as populations subject to strong religious sanctions see it still as one of the essential aspects of modernity.
4. The case for secularism
Authors: Copson Andrew
Published: August 2019

The secular systems of different states have varied according to the nature of their own particular society and their religious, cultural, and political history. Even so, the same types of arguments have been used each time to advance secularism as the best religion–state arrangement to provide individual freedom, equality, peace, and democracy in a modern society. ‘The case for secularism’ considers these points in turn and concludes that the case for secularism is cumulative and deals with what is the best possible outcome, not the perfect outcome; it involves compromise and mutual accommodation. One thing all these arguments do is to assert the value of an impartial state that mediates the differences of its citizens.
7. Hard questions and new conflicts
Authors: Copson Andrew
Published: August 2019

Secularism has always been controversial. But today both the official secularism of constitutional republics and the secular ethic of liberal democracies are also being rocked by rapid social changes, resurgent religious identities and nationalisms, increasing migration, and many other factors. Secularism is an idea under siege by its opponents at the same time as conflicts within secularism pit its different aspects against each other in new tensions. ‘Hard questions and new conflicts’ considers secularism in practice, education as a feature of secularism, blasphemy and criticism of religions, religious expression in a secular state, religious diversity in the West, and resurgent political religion.
3. A life in poetry
Authors: Wallace David
Published: August 2019

It was once thought that Chaucer’s creative career developed from a French phase through Italian to a final triumph of English, but Chaucer never stopped learning from Francophone poets, and never stopped speaking French. ‘A life in poetry’ explains how Chaucer was then inspired by the verse forms of Dante’s Commedia and Boccaccio’s the Teseida delle nozze d’Emilia and Il Filostrato. Italian proved liberatory for Chaucer not just because its hendecasyllabic (eleven syllable) lines allow more poetic elbow room than French octosyllabics, but because its metrics lie much closer to English. Chaucer finally settled on a form he seems to have invented: rhyme royal, a seven-line stanza, rhyming ababbcc.
6. Something to believe in
Authors: Wallace David
Published: August 2019

It is no simple matter to access Chaucer’s religion. We are separated from Chaucer not just by the Reformation, but by the Counter-Reformation too. The range of Christian belief expressed by Chaucer’s pilgrims is remarkably broad, ranging from the orthodox perfectionism embraced by the professional religious, such as the nuns, to its explicit rejection by the Wife of Bath, and others. ‘Something to believe in’ explains that the variety of belief explored in Chaucer’s writing is, by any standard, extraordinary. It discusses the different examples of paganism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and thresholds to other worlds in his work. Chaucer was a sublime poet who explored many forms and objects of belief.
Life
Authors: Taylor C. C. W.
Published: August 2019

‘Life’ explains that virtually nothing is known about the first half of Socrates’ life, but details of his later life, with his wife Xanthippe and his sons, are provided. Socrates was seen as an arguer and questioner, who went about challenging people’s pretensions to expertise and revealing inconsistencies in their beliefs, but also as a religious deviant and a subverter of traditional religion and morality. In 400 or 399 he was accused of not recognizing the gods of the city, introducing new gods, and corrupting the young—a charge that probably had a political dimension. He was sentenced to death. Though there is no record of the actual trial, accounts were provided by Plato and Xenophon.
Socrates and later philosophy
Authors: Taylor C. C. W.
Published: August 2019

‘Socrates and later philosophy’ examines the legacy of Socrates, the most important aspect of which was his influence on Plato. Antisthenes, another personal associate, adhered to some of Socrates’ ethical doctrines and his austere lifestyle. The Stoics accepted the cardinal doctrines of Socratic ethics—that virtue is knowledge and that virtue is sufficient for eudaimonia—while the Epicureans were consistently hostile to his ideas. The major medieval philosophers showed little interest in Socrates, but the revival of Platonism in the late 15th century changed that. The tradition of adapting the figure of Socrates to fit the general preconceptions of the writer is discernible in his treatment by three 19th-century philosophers: Hegel, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche.
Does Artistic Value Pose a Special Problem for Time Travel Theories?
Authors: McAllister James W
Published: August 2019

Michael Dummett and Storrs McCall have claimed that time travel scenarios in which an artist copies an artwork from a reproduction of it that has been sent from the future introduce a causal loop of a new kind: one involving artistic value. They have suggested that this poses a hitherto unacknowledged challenge to time travel theories. I argue that their conclusion depends on some unstated essentialist assumptions about metaphysics of art and the status of representations. By relaxing these assumptions, I show that Dummett and McCall’s scenarios contain no causal loop involving artistic value, and thus pose no new problem for time travel theories.
Apolipoprotein E ε4 Allele Is Associated with Reduced Retention of the “Where” Memory Component in Cognitively Intact Older Adults
Authors: Chi Chia-Hsing , Chiu Yen-Shiang , Chang Yu-Ling
Published: August 2019

Objective

The present study investigated the effect of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 allele on the four memory components (i.e., who, when, where, and what) among cognitively intact older adults.

Methods

Participants comprised 47 cognitively intact older adults, who were classified into 2 groups based on the presence or absence of at least 1 ApoE ε4 allele. All participants completed standardized neuropsychological tests, including the Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III with a revised scoring method.

Results

The results revealed that recollection for each component followed a pattern of who > what > when = where. Furthermore, a significant group-by-component-by-condition interaction indicated that the presence of the ApoE ε4 allele resulted in a disproportionately detrimental effect on the where component retention in the verbal episodic memory task; this finding was significantly correlated with hippocampal volumes.

Conclusion

These results highlighted the importance of evaluating the subcomponents of verbal episodic memory to detect subtle cognitive differences related to ApoE ε4 status, which could help elucidate the mechanism behind the cascades caused by ApoE ε4 in the trajectories of cognitive aging.
Management of Asymptomatic Patients With Textured Surface Breast Implants
Authors: McGuire Patricia A , Deva Anand K , Glicksman Caroline A , Adams William P , Haws Melinda J
Published: August 2019

With the recent voluntary recall by Allergan of their Biocell textured implants, many plastic surgeons are left with questions of how to best manage asymptomatic patients who have concerns about having these devices. We realized that there is no clear, published recommendations or scientific data to guide surgeons on how to discuss options with their patients and recommendations for surgical management in this uncharted territory. Using available literature and personal experience, we answer the most common questions we are hearing from our plastic surgery colleagues.
Multi-scale structural analysis of proteins by deep semantic segmentation
Authors: Eguchi Raphael R , Huang Po-Ssu
Published: August 2019

Motivation

Recent advances in computational methods have facilitated large-scale sampling of protein structures, leading to breakthroughs in protein structural prediction and enabling de novo protein design. Establishing methods to identify candidate structures that can lead to native folds or designable structures remains a challenge, since few existing metrics capture high-level structural features such as architectures, folds and conformity to conserved structural motifs. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have been successfully used in semantic segmentation—a subfield of image classification in which a class label is predicted for every pixel. Here, we apply semantic segmentation to protein structures as a novel strategy for fold identification and structure quality assessment.

Results

We train a CNN that assigns each residue in a multi-domain protein to one of 38 architecture classes designated by the CATH database. Our model achieves a high per-residue accuracy of 90.8% on the test set (95.0% average per-class accuracy; 87.8% average per-structure accuracy). We demonstrate that individual class probabilities can be used as a metric that indicates the degree to which a randomly generated structure assumes a specific fold, as well as a metric that highlights non-conformative regions of a protein belonging to a known class. These capabilities yield a powerful tool for guiding structural sampling for both structural prediction and design.

Availability and implementation

The trained classifier network, parser network, and entropy calculation scripts are available for download at https://git.io/fp6bd, with detailed usage instructions provided at the download page. A step-by-step tutorial for setup is provided at https://goo.gl/e8GB2S. All Rosetta commands, RosettaRemodel blueprints, and predictions for all datasets used in the study are available in the Supplementary Information.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Automatic local resolution-based sharpening of cryo-EM maps
Authors: Ramírez-Aportela Erney , Vilas Jose Luis , Glukhova Alisa , Melero Roberto , Conesa Pablo , Martínez Marta , Maluenda David , Mota Javier , Jiménez Amaya , Vargas Javier , Marabini Roberto , Sexton Patrick M , Carazo Jose Maria , Sorzano Carlos Oscar S
Published: August 2019

Motivation

Recent technological advances and computational developments have allowed the reconstruction of Cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM) maps at near-atomic resolution. On a typical workflow and once the cryo-EM map has been calculated, a sharpening process is usually performed to enhance map visualization, a step that has proven very important in the key task of structural modeling. However, sharpening approaches, in general, neglects the local quality of the map, which is clearly suboptimal.

Results

Here, a new method for local sharpening of cryo-EM density maps is proposed. The algorithm, named LocalDeblur, is based on a local resolution-guided Wiener restoration approach of the original map. The method is fully automatic and, from the user point of view, virtually parameter-free, without requiring either a starting model or introducing any additional structure factor correction or boosting. Results clearly show a significant impact on map interpretability, greatly helping modeling. In particular, this local sharpening approach is especially suitable for maps that present a broad resolution range, as is often the case for membrane proteins or macromolecules with high flexibility, all of them otherwise very suitable and interesting specimens for cryo-EM. To our knowledge, and leaving out the use of local filters, it represents the first application of local resolution in cryo-EM sharpening.

Availability and implementation

The source code (LocalDeblur) can be found at https://github.com/I2PC/xmipp and can be run using Scipion (http://scipion.cnb.csic.es) (release numbers greater than or equal 1.2.1).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Obesogenic diet exposure alters uterine natural killer cell biology and impairs vasculature remodeling in mice†
Authors: Baltayeva Jennet , Konwar Chaini , Castellana Barbara , Mara Danielle L , Christians Julian K , Beristain Alexander G
Published: August 2019

Prepregnancy obesity associates with adverse reproductive outcomes that impact maternal and fetal health. While obesity-driven mechanisms underlying adverse pregnancy outcomes remain unclear, local uterine immune cells are strong but poorly studied candidates. Uterine immune cells, particularly uterine natural killer cells (uNKs), play central roles in orchestrating developmental events in pregnancy. However, the effect of obesity on uNK biology is poorly understood. Using an obesogenic high-fat/high-sugar diet (HFD) mouse model, we set out to examine the effects of maternal obesity on uNK composition and establishment of the maternal–fetal interface. HFD exposure resulted in weight gain-dependent increases in systemic inflammation and rates of fetal resorption. While HFD did not affect total uNK frequencies, HFD exposure did lead to an increase in natural cytotoxicity receptor-1 expressing uNKs as well as overall uNK activity. Importantly, HFD-associated changes in uNK coincided with impairments in uterine artery remodeling in mid but not late pregnancy. Comparison of uNK mRNA transcripts from control and HFD mice identified HFD-directed changes in genes that play roles in promoting activity/cytotoxicity and vascular biology. Together, this work provides new insight into how obesity may impact uNK processes central to the establishment of the maternal–fetal interface in early and mid pregnancy. Moreover, these findings shed light on the cellular processes affected by maternal obesity that may relate to overall pregnancy health.
Differential sensitivity of inbred mouse strains to ovarian damage in response to low-dose total body irradiation†
Authors: Quan Natalie , Harris Lacey R , Halder Ritika , Trinidad Camille V , Johnson Brian W , Horton Shulamit , Kimler Bruce F , Pritchard Michele T , Duncan Francesca E
Published: August 2019

Radiation induces ovarian damage and accelerates reproductive aging. Inbred mouse strains exhibit differential sensitivity to lethality induced by total body irradiation (TBI), with the BALB/cAnNCrl (BALB/c) strain being more sensitive than the 129S2/SvPasCrl (129) strain. However, whether TBI-induced ovarian damage follows a similar pattern of strain sensitivity is unknown. To examine this possibility, female BALB/c and 129 mice were exposed to a single dose of 1 Gy (cesium-137 γ) TBI at 5 weeks of age, and ovarian tissue was harvested for histological and gene expression analyses 2 weeks post exposure. Sham-treated mice served as controls. 1 Gy radiation nearly eradicated the primordial follicles and dramatically decreased the primary follicles in both strains. In contrast, larger growing follicles were less affected in the 129 relative to BALB/c strain. Although this TBI paradigm did not induce detectable ovarian fibrosis in either of the strains, we did observe strain-dependent changes in osteopontin (Spp1) expression, a gene involved in wound healing, inflammation, and fibrosis. Ovaries from BALB/c mice exhibited higher baseline Spp1 expression that underwent a significant decrease in response to radiation relative to ovaries from the 129 strain. A correspondingly greater change in the ovarian matrix, as evidenced by reduced ovarian hyaluronan content, was also observed following TBI in BALB/c mice relative to 129 mice. These early changes in the ovary may predispose BALB/c mice to more pronounced late effects of TBI. Taken together, our results demonstrate that aspects of ovarian damage mirror other organ systems with respect to overall strain-dependent radiation sensitivity.
Task-Modulated Corticocortical Synchrony in the Cognitive-Motor Network Supporting Handwriting
Authors: Saarinen Timo , Kujala Jan , Laaksonen Hannu , Jalava Antti , Salmelin Riitta
Published: August 2019

Both motor and cognitive aspects of behavior depend on dynamic, accurately timed neural processes in large-scale brain networks. Here, we studied synchronous interplay between cortical regions during production of cognitive-motor sequences in humans. Specifically, variants of handwriting that differed in motor variability, linguistic content, and memorization of movement cues were contrasted to unveil functional sensitivity of corticocortical connections. Data-driven magnetoencephalography mapping (n = 10) uncovered modulation of mostly left-hemispheric corticocortical interactions, as quantified by relative changes in phase synchronization. At low frequencies (~2–13 Hz), enhanced frontoparietal synchrony was related to regular handwriting, whereas premotor cortical regions synchronized for simple loop production and temporo-occipital areas for a writing task substituting normal script with loop patterns. At the beta-to-gamma band (~13–45 Hz), enhanced synchrony was observed for regular handwriting in the central and frontoparietal regions, including connections between the sensorimotor and supplementary motor cortices and between the parietal and dorsal premotor/precentral cortices. Interpreted within a modular framework, these modulations of synchrony mainly highlighted interactions of the putative pericentral subsystem of hand coordination and the frontoparietal subsystem mediating working memory operations. As part of cortical dynamics, interregional phase synchrony varies depending on task demands in production of cognitive-motor sequences.
Transient Subgranular Hyperconnectivity to L2/3 and Enhanced Pairwise Correlations During the Critical Period in the Mouse Auditory Cortex
Authors: Meng Xiangying , Solarana Krystyna , Bowen Zac , Liu Ji , Nagode Daniel A , Sheikh Aminah , Winkowski Daniel E , Kao Joseph P Y , Kanold Patrick O
Published: August 2019

During the critical period, neuronal connections are shaped by sensory experience. While the basis for this temporarily heightened plasticity remains unclear, shared connections introducing activity correlations likely play a key role. Thus, we investigated the changing intracortical connectivity in primary auditory cortex (A1) over development. In adult, layer 2/3 (L2/3) neurons receive ascending inputs from layer 4 (L4) and also receive few inputs from subgranular layer 5/6 (L5/6). We measured the spatial pattern of intracortical excitatory and inhibitory connections to L2/3 neurons in slices of mouse A1 across development using laser-scanning photostimulation. Before P11, L2/3 cells receive most excitatory input from within L2/3. Excitatory inputs from L2/3 and L4 increase after P5 and peak during P9–16. L5/6 inputs increase after P5 and provide most input during P12–16, the peak of the critical period. Inhibitory inputs followed a similar pattern. Functional circuit diversity in L2/3 emerges after P16. In vivo two-photon imaging shows low pairwise signal correlations in neighboring neurons before P11, which peak at P15–16 and decline after. Our results suggest that the critical period is characterized by high pairwise activity correlations and that transient hyperconnectivity of specific circuits, in particular those originating in L5/6, might play a key role.
A Single Haplotype of IFNG Correlating With Low Circulating Levels of Interferon-γ Is Associated With Susceptibility to Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania guyanensis
Authors: da Silva George A V , Mesquita Tirza G , Souza Victor C , Junior José do Espírito Santo , Gomes de Souza Mara Lúcia , Talhari Anette Chrusciak , Talhari Sinésio , Naveca Felipe G , Ramasawmy Rajendranath
Published: August 2019

Background

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) plays an important role in the control of Leishmania infection. Blockade of IFN-γ signaling in mice increases lesion size and parasite load. In endemic areas of Leishmaniasis, only a fraction of the population develop the disease. This suggest that host genetics may play a role in this response. We investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IFNG may be associated with elevated or decrease risk in the development of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL).

Methods

We assessed 9 SNP and cytosine-adenine (CA) repeats in IFNG by nucleotide sequencing in 647 patients with CL caused by Leishmania guyanensis and 629 controls. Circulating plasma IFN-γ levels were also assayed in 400 patients with CL and 400 controls.

Results

The rs2069705TT genotype is associated with elevated risk of developing CL compared with the rs2069705CC genotype (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3–2.4; P = .0008). There is a 70% chance that this genotype raises the risk of developing CL. In a dominant model, carriers of the rs2069705T allele compared with the rs2069705CC genotype showed a 50% (range, 20–100%) increased risk of developing CL (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2–2.0; P = .0004). Haplotype analysis showed 1 haplotype (H1) associated with low levels of IFN-γ presented an increased risk of 60% of developing CL (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3–1.9; P = 5 × 10−5) compared with non-H1.

Conclusions

IFNG variant rs2069705 seems to be a genetic modifier of clinical outcome of Leishmania infection; individuals with the H1 haplotype, associated with low levels of IFN-γ, have a 60% risk of developing CL.
Left ventricular mechanical dispersion in a general population: Data from the Akershus Cardiac Examination 1950 study
Authors: Aagaard Erika N , Kvisvik Brede , Pervez Mohammad O , Lyngbakken Magnus N , Berge Trygve , Enger Steve , Orstad Eivind B , Smith Pål , Omland Torbjørn , Tveit Arnljot , Røsjø Helge , Steine Kjetil
Published: August 2019

Aims

Increased left ventricular mechanical dispersion by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography predicts ventricular arrhythmias in ischaemic heart disease and heart failure. However, little is known about mechanical dispersion in the general population. We aimed to study mechanical dispersion in the general population and in diseases associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Methods and results

The present cross-sectional study consists of 2529 subjects born in 1950 included in the Akershus Cardiac Examination (ACE) 1950 study. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) was assessed from 17 strain segments, and mechanical dispersion calculated as the standard deviation of contraction duration of all segments. The cohort was divided according to the median value of mechanical dispersion, and multivariable linear regression models were performed with mechanical dispersion as the dependent variable. The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, obesity, and diabetes (P < 0.01 for all) was significantly higher in subjects with supra-median mechanical dispersion. In a multivariable clinical model, CAD (B = 7.05), hypertension (B = 4.15; both P < 0.001), diabetes (B = 3.39), and obesity (B = 1.89; both P < 0.05) were independently associated with increasing mechanical dispersion. When echocardiographic indices were added to the multivariable model, CAD (B = 4.38; P < 0.01) and hypertension (B = 2.86; P < 0.001) remained significant in addition to peak early diastolic tissue velocity e’ (B = −2.00), GLS (B = 1.68), and ejection fraction (B = 0.22; P < 0.001 for all).

Conclusion

In a general middle-aged population, prevalent CAD and hypertension were associated with increasing mechanical dispersion, possibly indicating elevated risk of fatal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Albeit weaker, systolic and diastolic dysfunction, were also associated with increasing mechanical dispersion.
Impact of functional orthodontic treatment on facial attractiveness of children with Class II division 1 malocclusion
Authors: Paduano Sergio , Rongo Roberto , Bucci Rosaria , Carvelli Giuseppe , Cioffi Iacopo
Published: August 2019

Background/objectives

Whether orthodontic treatment with functional appliances improves facial aesthetics is still under debate. This study aimed to determine whether functional orthodontic treatment improves the facial attractiveness of patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion.

Materials/method

Extraoral lateral photographs of 20 children with Class I (CLI, 11.7 ± 0.8 years), and before (T1) and after treatment (T2) photographs of patients with Class II division 1 (CLII T1 and CLII T2; mean age ± SD = 11.1 ± 0.6 years) treated with functional appliances, were transformed into black silhouettes. Three panels of examiners including 30 orthodontists (39.0 ± 10.1 years), 30 dentists (40.0 ± 9.7) and 30 laypersons (39.0 ± 9.2) evaluated the attractiveness of patients’ silhouettes using a 100-mm visual analogue scale, and the sagittal position of patients’ upper lip, lower lip, and chin using a 3-point Likert scale. Two-way ANOVA and a chi-square test were used to test differences among groups. Statistically significance was set as P  <  0.05.

Results

The silhouettes of CLII T2 individuals were more attractive than those of the other groups (all Ps < 0.001). The upper lip, lower lip, and the chin of these individuals were judged to be normally positioned in 69.5 per cent, 74.9 per cent, and 72.3 per cent of the assessments, respectively (all Ps < 0.05).

Limitations

This study did not account for the psychological profile of the examiners, which may have affected the ratings.

Conclusions/implications

Orthodontic treatment with functional appliances is associated with a superior facial profile attractiveness. Functional treatment should be considered as a treatment option to improve the facial appearance of children with Class II division 1 malocclusion.
Impact of persistent left superior vena cava on radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Kim Yun Gi , Han Seongwook , Choi Jong-Il , Lee Kwang-No , Baek Yong-Soo , Uhm Jae-Sun , Shim Jaemin , Kim Jin Seok , Park Sang Weon , Hwang Chun , Kim Young-Hoon
Published: August 2019

Aims

The impact of persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is not well known. We performed this analysis to evaluate the electrophysiological characteristics of PLSVC and its role in triggering and maintaining AF.

Methods and results

Patients with AF referred to two tertiary hospitals were screened and patients with PLSVC in pre-RFCA imaging studies were enrolled. Among 3967 patients, PLSVC was present in 36 patients (0.9%). There were four morphological types of PLSVC: type 1, atresia of the right superior vena cava (SVC) (n = 2); type 2A, dual SVCs with an anastomosis between right and left SVCs (n = 15); type 2B, dual SVCs without an anastomosis (n = 16); type 3, PLSVC draining into the left atrium (LA; n = 2); and unclassified in one patient. Thirty-two patients underwent RFCA and electrophysiology study focusing on PLSVC: PLSVC was the trigger of AF in 48.4% of patients and the driver of AF in 46.9% of patients. Cumulatively, PLSVC was a trigger or driver of AF in 22 patients (68.8%). Whether to ablate PLSVC was determined by the results of electrophysiology study, and no significant difference in the late recurrence rate was observed between patients who did and did not have either trigger or driver from PLSVC.

Conclusion

Pre-RFCA cardiac imaging revealed PLSVC in 0.9% of AF patients. This study demonstrated that PLSVC has an important role in initiating and maintaining AF in substantial proportion of patients. Electrophysiology study focusing on PLSVC can help to decide whether to ablate PLSVC.
Decomposition of spruce wood and release of volatile organic compounds depend on decay type, fungal interactions and enzyme production patterns
Authors: Mali Tuulia , Mäki Mari , Hellén Heidi , Heinonsalo Jussi , Bäck Jaana , Lundell Taina
Published: August 2019

Effect of three wood-decaying fungi on decomposition of spruce wood was studied in solid-state cultivation conditions for a period of three months. Two white rot species (Trichaptum abietinum and Phlebia radiata) were challenged by a brown rot species (Fomitopsis pinicola) in varying combinations. Wood decomposition patterns as determined by mass loss, carbon to nitrogen ratio, accumulation of dissolved sugars and release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were observed to depend on both fungal combinations and growth time. Similar dependence of fungal species combination, either white or brown rot dominated, was observed for secreted enzyme activities on spruce wood. Fenton chemistry suggesting reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ was detected in the presence of F. pinicola, even in co-cultures, together with substantial degradation of wood carbohydrates and accumulation of oxalic acid. Significant correlation was perceived with two enzyme activity patterns (oxidoreductases produced by white rot fungi; hydrolytic enzymes produced by the brown rot fungus) and wood degradation efficiency. Moreover, emission of four signature VOCs clearly grouped the fungal combinations. Our results indicate that fungal decay type, either brown or white rot, determines the loss of wood mass and decomposition of polysaccharides as well as the pattern of VOCs released upon fungal growth on spruce wood.
Association of circulatory Tfh-like cells with neutralizing antibody responses among chronic HIV-1 subtype C infected long-term nonprogressors and progressors
Authors: Swathirajan Chinnambedu Ravichandran , Nandagopal Pannerselvam , Vignesh Ramachandran , Srikrishnan Aylur Kailasam , Goyal Rajat , Qureshi Huma , Saravanan Shanmugam , Solomon Sunil Suhas , Hanna Luke Elizabeth , Sivasankaran Munusamy Ponnan , Singla Nikhil , Mukherjee Joyeeta , Chatrath Shweta , Kopycinski Jakub , Murugavel Kailapuri Gangatharan
Published: August 2019

HIV-1 vaccine functioning relies on successful induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). CXCR3− circulatory T-follicular helper (cTfh) cells are necessary for inducing B-cells for generating bNAbs. Recent studies have suggested that CXCR3+ Tfh cells might also influence bNAb production. Plasma samples from 34 ART-Naïve HIV-1 infected individuals [long-term nonprogressors (LTNP)—19; Progressors—13] were tested against a heterologous virus panel (n = 11) from subtypes A, B, C, G, AC, BC and AE. Frequencies of CXCR3+ and CXCR3− cTfh-like cells in peripheral circulation were studied using flow cytometry. LTNP showed significantly lower CXCR3+ and higher CXCR3− cTfh-like cell frequencies, while neutralization breadth was observed to be broader in progressors. A positive correlation was observed between bNAb breadth and potency with CXCR3+PD-1+ cTfh-like cells in LTNP. Based on neutralization breadth, 9 HIV-1 infected individuals were classified as ‘top neutralizers’ and 23 as ‘low neutralizers’ and they did not show any correlations with CXCR3+ and CXCR3− cTfh-like cells. These preliminary data suggest that CXCR3+ similar to CXCR3− might possess significant functional properties for driving B-cells to produce bNAbs. Hence, an HIV vaccine which is capable of optimal induction of CXCR3+ cTfh cells at germinal centers might confer superior protection against HIV.
Genome Organization and Adaptive Potential of Archetypal Organophosphate Degrading Sphingobium fuliginis ATCC 27551
Authors: Azam Sarwar , Parthasarathy Sunil , Singh Chhaya , Kumar Shakti , Siddavattam Dayananda
Published: August 2019

Sphingobium fuliginis ATCC 27551, previously classified as Flavobacterium sp. ATCC 27551, degrades neurotoxic organophosphate insecticides and nerve agents through the activity of a membrane-associated organophosphate hydrolase. This study was designed to determine the complete genome sequence of S. fuliginis ATCC 27551 to unravel its degradative potential and adaptability to harsh environments. The 5,414,624 bp genome with a GC content of 64.4% is distributed between two chromosomes and four plasmids and encodes 5,557 proteins. Of the four plasmids, designated as pSF1, pSF2, pSF3, and pSF4, only two (pSF1 and pSF2) are self-transmissible and contained the complete genetic repertoire for a T4SS. The other two plasmids (pSF3 and pSF4) are mobilizable and both showed the presence of an oriT and relaxase-encoding sequences. The sequence of plasmid pSF3 coincided with the previously determined sequence of pPDL2 and included an opd gene encoding organophosphate hydrolase as a part of the mobile element. About 15,455 orthologous clusters were identified from among the cumulatively annotated genes of 49 Sphingobium species. Phylogenetic analysis done using the core genome consisting of 802 orthologous clusters revealed a close relationship between S. fuliginis ATCC 27551 and bacteria capable of degradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbon compounds. Genes coding for transposases, efflux pumps conferring resistance to heavy metals, and TonR-type outer membrane receptors are selectively enriched in the genome of S. fuliginis ATCC 27551 and appear to contribute to the adaptive potential of the organism to challenging and harsh environments.
Age, Period, and Cohort Effects on Activities of Daily Living, Physical Performance, and Cognitive Functioning Impairment Among the Oldest-Old in China
Authors: Zhang Pei-Dong , Lv Yue-Bin , Li Zhi-Hao , Yin Zhao-Xue , Li Fu-Rong , Wang Jiao-Nan , Zhang Xi-Ru , Zhou Jin-Hui , Wu Xian-Bo , Duan Jun , Mao Chen , Shi Xiao-Ming
Published: August 2019

Background

The aim of this study was to examine the trends in impairment regarding activities of daily living (ADL), physical performance, and cognitive function among the oldest-old (those aged 80 and older) in China between 1998 and 2014.

Methods

We used data on 34,297 oldest-old individuals from the seven waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study. We estimated age, period, and cohort effects on the prevalence of self-reported ADL impairment, tested physical performance and cognitive function impairment using the age–period–cohort model.

Results

Regarding age, the prevalence of ADL, physical performance, and cognitive function impairment were highest in the centenarians, but they did not increase with age in this population. Among the literate subgroup, the prevalence of cognitive impairment increased more rapidly with age than that in the illiterate subgroup. Regarding period, the prevalence of self-reported and tested physical impairment slowly increased between 1998 and 2014, but cognitive impairment remained stable. Regarding cohort, ADL impairment continuously decreased. However, physical and cognitive impairment remained stable after a brief decline in the early birth cohorts.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the age effect is still the most obvious effect regarding several types of functional impairment. The likelihood of a younger person experiencing functional impairment may not change significantly, but ADL is likely to be amenable to improvement resulting from improved medical and social care. Therefore, increased care for the oldest-old may considerably improve their quality of life, particularly regarding their basic ADL.
Bioinformatics analysis of diversity in bacterial glycan chain-termination chemistry and organization of carbohydrate-binding modules linked to ABC transporters
Authors: Mann Evan , Kimber Matthew S , Whitfield Chris
Published: August 2019

The structures of bacterial cell surface glycans are remarkably diverse. In spite of this diversity, the general strategies used for their assembly are limited. In one of the major processes, found in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, the glycan is polymerized in the cytoplasm on a polyprenol lipid carrier and exported from the cytoplasm by an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. The ABC transporter actively participates in determining the chain length of the glycan substrate, which impacts functional properties of the glycoconjugate products. A subset of these systems employs an additional elaborate glycan capping strategy that dictates the size distribution of the products. The hallmarks of prototypical capped glycan systems are a chain-terminating enzyme possessing a coiled-coil molecular ruler and an ABC transporter possessing a carbohydrate-binding module, which recognizes the glycan cap. To date, detailed investigations are limited to a small number of prototypes, and here, we used our current understanding of these processes for a bioinformatics census of other examples in available genome sequences. This study not only revealed additional instances of existing terminators but also predicted new chemistries as well as systems that diverge from the established prototypes. These analyses enable some new functional hypotheses and offer a roadmap for future research.
What is the cost of integration? Evidence from an integrated health and agriculture project to improve nutrition outcomes in Western Kenya
Authors: Levin Carol E , Self Julie L , Kedera Ellah , Wamalwa Moses , Hu Jia , Grant Frederick , Girard Amy Webb , Cole Donald C , Low Jan W
Published: August 2019

Integrated nutrition and agricultural interventions have the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in food security and nutrition. This article aimed to estimate the costs of an integrated agriculture and health intervention (Mama SASHA) focused on the promotion of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) production and consumption in Western Kenya. Programme activities included nutrition education and distribution of vouchers for OFSP vines during antenatal care and postnatal care (PNC) visits. We used expenditures and activity-based costing to estimate the financial costs during programme implementation (2011–13). Cost data were collected from monthly expense reports and interviews with staff members from all implementing organizations. Financial costs totalled US$507 809 for the project period. Recruiting and retaining women over the duration of their pregnancy and postpartum period required significant resources. Mama SASHA reached 3281 pregnant women at a cost of US$155 per beneficiary. Including both pregnant women and infants who attended PNC services with their mothers, the cost was US$110 per beneficiary. Joint planning, co-ordination and training across sectors drove 27% of programme costs. This study found that the average cost per beneficiary to implement an integrated agriculture, health and nutrition programme was substantial. Planning and implementing less intensive integrated interventions may be possible, and economies of scale may reduce overall costs. Empirical estimates of costs by components are critical for future planning and scaling up of integrated programmes.
Hybrid high-order discretizations combined with Nitsche’s method for Dirichlet and Signorini boundary conditions
Authors: Cascavita Karol L , Chouly Franz , Ern Alexandre
Published: August 2019

We present two primal methods to weakly discretize (linear) Dirichlet and (nonlinear) Signorini boundary conditions in elliptic model problems. Both methods support polyhedral meshes with nonmatching interfaces and are based on a combination of the hybrid high-order (HHO) method and Nitsche’s method. Since HHO methods involve both cell unknowns and face unknowns, this leads to different formulations of Nitsche’s consistency and penalty terms, either using the trace of the cell unknowns (cell version) or using directly the face unknowns (face version). The face version uses equal-order polynomials for cell and face unknowns, whereas the cell version uses cell unknowns of one order higher than the face unknowns. For Dirichlet conditions, optimal error estimates are established for both versions. For Signorini conditions, optimal error estimates are proven only for the cell version. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results and also reveal optimal convergence for the face version applied to Signorini conditions.
An Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid Chromatographic Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for the Analysis of Benzoyl Ester Derivatized Glycols and Glycerol.
Authors: Nanco Carrol R , Poklis Justin L , Hiler Marzena M , Breland Alison B , Eissenberg Thomas , Wolf Carl E
Published: August 2019

Presented is an ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method developed for the detection of propylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol using isotopically labeled standards in urine as part of ongoing studies to evaluate whether urinary propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin concentration are indicators of recent use. Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerol are found in many products that are consumed and used including electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices used as an alternative to traditional cigarettes. The liquid formulations aerosolized in these devices largely consist of propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerol. Published reports regarding the ratio of propylene glycol to glycerol content in these formulations ranged from 50:50 to 100 percent of either. For the analysis of urine specimens from both users and non-users of e-cigarettes, calibrators, controls and specimens were derivatized using benzoyl chloride prior to analysis. They were analyzed using a Waters AcQuity Xevo TQ-S Micro UPLC–MS/MS. Chromatographic separation was performed on an AcQuity UPLC BEH C18 1.7 um, 2.1 × 50 mm, column using a 20 mM ammonium formate in water and 20 mM ammonium formate in methanol as the mobile phase. The method was validated using SWGTOX guidelines for linearity, precision and accuracy, stability, carryover and limit of detection. The linear range was determined using a seven-point calibration curve ranging between 0.5 and 100 mcg/mL. The bias for all validation controls was determined to be ±20% of the expected concentrations with CVs of <15%. A total of 124 urine specimens analyzed collected with 50 specimens collected from self-reported non-smokers (cigarettes/e-cigarettes) confirmed cotinine free using the DRI® Cotinine Assay (Thermo Scientific, Waltham, MA) and 74 specimens collected before and after 12 hours self-reported e-cigarettes abstinence e-cigarette users. Propylene glycol and glycerol were determined to have concentration ranges of “none detected” to 1470 and “none detected” to 2950 mcg/mL, respectively.
Differences in proportional claw size among left- and right-handed Atlantic sand fiddler crabs Leptuca pugilator (Bosc, 1801) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Ocypodidae)
Authors: Martin Benjamin E
Published: August 2019

The sexually dimorphic, enlarged major claw is a prominent feature among fiddler crabs and acts as both a sexual signal and weapon. Most often the enlarged claw occurs on the left and right sides of fiddler crabs in relatively even proportions (40–60%), but populations exhibit an extreme right handedness bias (> 90%) in a few cases. The mechanisms maintaining relatively even handedness proportions among fiddler crabs remains debatable, but from an evolutionary perspective it should be maintained through an evenness in fitness (reproduction and survival) between left- and right-handed crabs. I investigated handedness ratios and claw to body size in a Leptuca pugilator (Bosc, 1801) population on Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA. In collecting 417 adult male crabs, there was a slight right-hand bias (54%, χ 2= 2.9376, P = 0.087), which was similar to the previous study of this population 17 years prior. I nevertheless found right-handed crabs had significantly smaller claw size relative to their carapace size (P = 0.018). Overall, this study documents inequality in the body proportions between left- and right-handed L. pugilator within a population operating at a slight right hand-bias. I discuss how my study contributes to previous discussions on handedness bias in fiddler crabs as well as potential mechanisms that control its widespread handedness evenness.