bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On an inverse problem of nonlinear imaging with fractional damping
Authors: Kaltenbacher Barbara , Rundell William
Published: July 2021

This paper considers the attenuated Westervelt equation in pressure formulation. The attenuation is by various models proposed in the literature and characterised by the inclusion of non-local operators that give power law damping as opposed to the exponential of classical models. The goal is the inverse problem of recovering a spatially dependent coefficient in the equation, the parameter of nonlinearity

κ
(
x
)

\kappa (x)

, in what becomes a nonlinear hyperbolic equation with non-local terms. The overposed measured data is a time trace taken on a subset of the domain or its boundary. We shall show injectivity of the linearised map from

κ
\kappa

to the overposed data and from this basis develop and analyse Newton-type schemes for its effective recovery.
Convergence analysis of some tent-based schemes for linear hyperbolic systems
Authors: Drake Dow , Gopalakrishnan Jay , Schöberl Joachim , Wintersteiger Christoph
Published: July 2021

Finite element methods for symmetric linear hyperbolic systems using unstructured advancing fronts (satisfying a causality condition) are considered in this work. Convergence results and error bounds are obtained for mapped tent pitching schemes made with standard discontinuous Galerkin discretizations for spatial approximation on mapped tents. Techniques to study semidiscretization on mapped tents, design fully discrete schemes, prove local error bounds, prove stability on spacetime fronts, and bound error propagated through unstructured layers are developed.
Interplay of septin amphipathic helices in sensing membrane-curvature and filament bundling
Authors: Woods Benjamin L. , Cannon Kevin S. , Vogt Ellysa J. D. , Crutchley John M. , Gladfelter Amy S.
Published: July 2021

Amphipathic helix (AH) domains enable septins to sense micron-scale membrane curvature. Here we report that Shs1, a nonessential septin, harbors a membrane curvature-sensitive AH domain, which becomes essential in the absence of the Cdc12 AH domain. We also describe a potential role for the Cdc12 AH domain in septin filament bundling.
Development of a Scoring System to Differentiate Amiodarone-Induced Liver Injury From Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: González Iván A , Fuller Lanisha D , Zhang Xuefeng , Papke David J , Zhao Lei , Zhang Dongwei , Liao Xiaoyan , Liu Xiuli , Fiel Maria I , Zhang Xuchen
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Amiodarone-induced liver injury (AILI) is histopathologically similar to alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). We sought to elucidate their histologic differences and develop a scoring system to differentiate these two entities.

Methods

A cohort of 17 AILI and 17 ASH cases was included in the initial study. Cases from three different institutions were included for further validation.

Results

Macrovesicular steatosis was usually below 10% of the liver parenchyma in AILI. Hepatocyte ballooning degeneration was more common in ASH than in AILI. “Balloon-like” hepatocyte was more common in AILI than in ASH. Lobular neutrophilic inflammation, satellitosis, and cholestasis were more common in ASH. Mallory-Denk bodies and pericellular fibrosis in AILI were mainly located in zone 1 compared with a panacinar or zone 3 distribution in ASH. A scoring system was developed in which points were assigned to different histologic features; a total sum of less than 5 suggests AILI, more than 5 is ASH, and 5 is equivocal. This scoring system was then evaluated on a test cohort comprising 14 AILI cases, in which 13 cases were correctly assigned with a score less than 5. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosing AILI in the test cohort were 92.9%, 91.7%, and 92.3%, respectively.

Conclusions

This scoring system can aid pathologists to differentiate AILI from ASH.
Nature and Extent of Quantitative Research in Social Work Journals: A Systematic Review from 2016 to 2020
Authors: Kurten Sebastian , Brimmel Nausikaä , Klein Kathrin , Hutter Katharina
Published: July 2021

This study reviews 1,406 research articles published between 2016 and 2020 in the European Journal of Social Work (EJSW), the British Journal of Social Work (BJSW) and Research on Social Work Practice (RSWP). It assesses the proportion and complexity of quantitative research designs amongst published articles and investigates differences between the journals. Furthermore, the review investigates the complexity of the statistical methods employed and identifies the most frequently addressed topics. From the 1,406 articles, 504 (35.8 percent) used a qualitative methodology, 389 (27.7 percent) used a quantitative methodology, 85 (6 percent) used the mixed methods (6 percent), 253 (18 percent) articles were theoretical in nature, 148 (10.5 percent) conducted reviews and 27 (1.9 percent) gave project overviews. The proportion of quantitative research articles was higher in RSWP (55.4 percent) than in the EJSW (14.1 percent) and the BJSW (20.5 percent). The topic analysis could identify at least forty different topics addressed by the articles. Although the proportion of quantitative research is rather small in social work research, the review could not find evidence that it is of low sophistication. Finally, this study concludes that future research would benefit from making explicit why a certain methodology was chosen.
Depoliticised or repoliticised policy practice?: The role of non-governmental social work organisations in policy-making in China
Authors: Cai Tian , Lei Jie , Chen Yuying
Published: July 2021

The Chinese government has made increasing use of the strategy of contracting out social services to non-governmental social work organisations (SWOs) to improve its capacity for social governance. This institutional arrangement provides a space where SWOs are not only involved in the provision of welfare services but also have opportunities to influence policy-making. Based on a qualitative study conducted in Shenzhen and Nanjing, this article shows how SWOs in China engage in depoliticised policy practice, characterised by SWOs’ compliance with the state’s agenda, adoption of nonconfrontational tactics and exertion of professional influence based on expertise. As a result, SWOs have been repoliticised as an arm of the state rather than independent and autonomous policy advocates.
Promoting self-care in a community-based mother growth workshop: A Foucauldian discourse analysis
Authors: Dong Lei , To Siu-Ming
Published: July 2021

Based on a qualitative case analysis conducted in Shenzhen in 2020, this study explored how self-care and childcare as two parenting discourses influence the discursive practices of the parent education practitioner to design and implement a mother growth workshop. Through a social constructionist lens and Foucauldian discourse analysis, both dominant and alternative parent education discourses were identified. These discourses framed the available subject positions for the parent education practitioner, which further influenced her strategies for promoting self-care of mothers during practice. Moreover, this study theorised self-care as an example of the integration of disciplinary and constitutive powers which led to the production of normalised subjectivities for parent education practitioners and participants. Findings of this study offered theoretical and practical implications for future research and social work practice in humanistic- and social constructionist-oriented parent education.
Elevated iron concentration in putamen and cortical speech motor network in developmental stuttering
Authors: Cler Gabriel J , Krishnan Saloni , Papp Daniel , Wiltshire Charlotte E E , Chesters Jennifer , Watkins Kate E
Published: July 2021

Theoretical accounts of developmental stuttering implicate dysfunctional cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical motor loops through the putamen. However, the analysis of conventional MRI brain scans in individuals who stutter has failed to yield strong support for this theory in terms of reliable differences in the structure or function of the basal ganglia.

Here, we performed quantitative mapping of brain tissue, which can be used to measure iron content alongside markers sensitive to myelin and thereby offers particular sensitivity to the measurement of iron-rich structures such as the basal ganglia.

Analysis of these quantitative maps in 41 men and women who stutter and 32 individuals who are typically fluent revealed significant group differences in maps of R2*, indicative of higher iron content in individuals who stutter in the left putamen and in left hemisphere cortical regions important for speech motor control. Higher iron levels in brain tissue in individuals who stutter could reflect elevated dopamine levels or lysosomal dysfunction, both of which are implicated in stuttering.

This study represents the first use of these quantitative measures in developmental stuttering and provides new evidence of microstructural differences in the basal ganglia and connected frontal cortical regions.
Pharmacokinetics and Safety of 3 Months of Weekly Rifapentine and Isoniazid for Tuberculosis Prevention in Pregnant Women
Authors: Mathad Jyoti S , Savic Rada , Britto Paula , Jayachandran Priya , Wiesner Lubbe , Montepiedra Grace , Norman Jennifer , Zhang Nan , Townley Ellen , Chakhtoura Nahida , Bradford Sarah , Patil Sandesh , Popson Stephanie , Chipato Tsungai , Rouzier Vanessa , Langat Deborah , Chalermchockcharoentkit Amphan , Kamthunzi Portia , Gupta Amita , Dooley Kelly E
Published: July 2021

Background

Pregnancy increases the risk of tuberculosis and its complications. A 3-month regimen of weekly isoniazid and rifapentine (3HP) is safe and effective for tuberculosis prevention in adults and children, including those with HIV, but 3HP has not been evaluated in pregnancy.

Methods

IMPAACT 2001 was a phase I/II trial evaluating the pharmacokinetics and safety of 3HP among pregnant women with indications for tuberculosis preventative therapy in Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Thailand, and Zimbabwe (NCT02651259). Isoniazid and rifapentine were provided at standard doses (900 mg/week). Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed with the first (second/third trimester) and twelfth (third trimester/postpartum) doses. Nonlinear mixed-effects models were used to estimate drug population pharmacokinetics.

Results

Of 50 participants, 20 had HIV and were taking efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy. Among women without HIV, clearance of rifapentine was 28% lower during pregnancy than postpartum (1.20 vs 1.53 L/hour, P < .001), with area under the concentration-time curve (AUCSS) of 786 and 673 mg × hour/L, respectively. In pregnant women with HIV, clearance was 30% higher than women without HIV (P < .001), resulting in lower AUCss (522 mg × hour/L); clearance did not change significantly between pregnancy and postpartum. Pregnancy did not impact isoniazid pharmacokinetics. There were no drug-related serious adverse events, treatment discontinuations, or tuberculosis cases in women or infants.

Conclusions

3HP does not require dose adjustment in pregnancy. Rifapentine clearance is higher among women with HIV, but all women achieved exposures of rifapentine and isoniazid associated with successful tuberculosis prevention. The data support proceeding with larger safety-focused studies of 3HP in pregnancy.

Clinical Trials Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02651259.
Trends, Mechanisms, and Racial/Ethnic Differences of Tuberculosis Incidence in the US-Born Population Aged 50 Years or Older in the United States
Authors: Kim Sun , Cohen Ted , Horsburgh C Robert , Miller Jeffrey W , Hill Andrew N , Marks Suzanne M , Li Rongxia , Kammerer J Steve , Salomon Joshua A , Menzies Nicolas A
Published: July 2021

Background

Older age is a risk factor for tuberculosis (TB) in low incidence settings. Using data from the US National TB Surveillance System and American Community Survey, we estimated trends and racial/ethnic differences in TB incidence among US-born cohorts aged ≥50 years.

Methods

In total, 42 000 TB cases among US-born persons ≥50 years were reported during 2001–2019. We used generalized additive regression models to decompose the effects of birth cohort and age on TB incidence rates, stratified by sex and race/ethnicity. Using genotype-based estimates of recent transmission (available 2011–2019), we implemented additional models to decompose incidence trends by estimated recent versus remote infection.

Results

Estimated incidence rates declined with age, for the overall cohort and most sex and race/ethnicity strata. Average annual percentage declines flattened for older individuals, from 8.80% (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.34–9.23) in 51-year-olds to 4.51% (95% CI 3.87–5.14) in 90-year-olds. Controlling for age, incidence rates were lower for more recent birth cohorts, dropping 8.79% (95% CI 6.13–11.26) on average between successive cohort years. Incidence rates were substantially higher for racial/ethnic minorities, and these inequalities persisted across all birth cohorts. Rates from recent infection declined at approximately 10% per year as individuals aged. Rates from remote infection declined more slowly with age, and this annual percentage decline approached zero for the oldest individuals.

Conclusions

TB rates were highest for racial/ethnic minorities and for the earliest birth cohorts and declined with age. For the oldest individuals, annual percentage declines were low, and most cases were attributed to remote infection.
China’s Technology Cooperation with Russia: Geopolitics, Economics, and Regime Security
Authors: Hsiung Christopher Weidacher
Published: July 2021

Technology cooperation has long constituted an important part in China’s bilateral engagement with Russia. In recent years, however, Sino-Russian technology cooperation has seen a remarkable increase and both sides now view such interaction as a core dimension in the current and future development of the strategic partnership. This article examines the two countries’ technological collaboration, focusing in particular on China’s engagement with Russia in emerging technologies and strategic domains. The article argues that three explanations account to explain closer engagement from China: (i) intensified strategic competition with the USA, (ii) broader efforts to expand the overall trade and economic relationship with Russia, and (iii) domestic regime security incentives. Overall, while there exist several challenges and obstacles, increased technology cooperation will continue to expand and also enhance the Sino-Russian strategic partnership. This does not mean that China and Russia will form a formal alliance, but technology cooperation will constitute a critical component in their bilateral relationship, as it reduces their dependence on Western technology, and further consolidates an already well-grounded bilateral relationship.
Integrating a genome-wide association study with transcriptomic data to predict candidate genes and favourable haplotypes influencing Brassica napus seed phytate
Authors: Liu Haijiang , Li Xiaojuan , Zhang Qianwen , Yuan Pan , Liu Lei , King Graham J , Ding Guangda , Wang Sheliang , Cai Hongmei , Wang Chuang , Xu Fangsen , Shi Lei
Published: July 2021

Phytate is the storage form of phosphorus in angiosperm seeds and plays vitally important roles during seed development. However, in crop plants phytate decreases bioavailability of seed-sourced mineral elements for humans, livestock and poultry, and contributes to phosphate-related water pollution. However, there is little knowledge about this trait in oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Here, a panel of 505 diverse B. napus accessions was screened in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 3.28 × 106 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This identified 119 SNPs significantly associated with phytate concentration (PA_Conc) and phytate content (PA_Cont) and six candidate genes were identified. Of these, BnaA9.MRP5 represented the candidate gene for the significant SNP chrA09_5198034 (27 kb) for both PA_Cont and PA_Conc. Transcription of BnaA9.MRP5 in a low-phytate variety (LPA20) was significantly elevated compared with a high-phytate variety (HPA972). Association and haplotype analysis indicated that inbred lines carrying specific SNP haplotypes within BnaA9.MRP5 were associated with high- and low-phytate phenotypes. No significant differences in seed germination and seed yield were detected between low and high phytate cultivars examined. Candidate genes, favourable haplotypes and the low phytate varieties identified in this study will be useful for low-phytate breeding of B. napus.
Evaluation of dental maturity in Muenke syndrome, Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, and TCF12-related craniosynostosis
Authors: Choi Tsun M , Kramer Gem J C , Goos Jacqueline A C , Mathijssen Irene M J , Wolvius Eppo B , Ongkosuwito Edwin M
Published: July 2021

Objectives

To determine whether dental maturity (dental development) was delayed in patients with Muenke syndrome, Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, and TCF12-related craniosynostosis, compared with a Dutch control group without syndromes.

Materials and methods

This study included 60 patients (38 patients with Muenke syndrome, 17 patients with Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, and 5 with TCF12-related craniosynostosis), aged 5.8–16.8 years that were treated at the Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Special Dental Care, and Orthodontics, in Sophia Children’s Hospital, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Dental age was calculated according to Demirjian’s index of dental maturity. The control group included 451 children without a syndrome.

Results

Compared with the control group, dental development was delayed by an average of one year in 5- to 8-year-old patients with Muenke syndrome (P = 0.007) and in 8- to 10-year-old patients with Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (P = 0.044), but not in patients with TCF12-related craniosynostosis.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that dental development was delayed by one year, on average, in patients with Muenke syndrome and Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, compared with a Dutch control group without syndromes.

Implications

Our findings have improved the understanding of dental development in patients with Muenke and Saethre-Chotzen syndrome. These results can provide guidance on whether the orthodontist needs to consider growth disturbances related to dental development.
Does planning before writing help? Options for pre-task planning in the teaching of writing
Authors: Ellis Rod
Published: July 2021

An important issue in the teaching of writing is whether students should prepare a plan before they start writing. Teacher guides generally recommend pre-task planning (PTP) but with provisos. Research that has investigated PTP, however, does not lend unconditional support to PTP. This article takes a look at the research and draws from it a number of options that teachers of L2 writing can consider when deciding whether and how to undertake PTP in their own teaching context.
The dissemination of antimicrobial resistance determinants in surface water sources in Lebanon
Authors: Moussa Jennifer , Abboud Edmond , Tokajian Sima
Published: July 2021

The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in surface water in Lebanon is a growing concern and understanding the mechanisms of the spread of resistance determinants is essential. We aimed at studying the occurrence of resistant bacteria and determinants in surface water sources in Lebanon and understanding their mobilization and transmission. Water samples were collected from five major rivers in Lebanon. A total of 91 isolates were recovered by incubating at 37°C on Blood and MacConkey agar out of which 25 were multi-drug resistant (MDR) and accordingly were further characterized. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most common identified MDR isolates. Conjugation assays coupled with in silico plasmid analysis were performed and validated using PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT) to identify and confirm incompatibility groups and the localization of β-lactamase encoding genes. Escherichia coli EC23 carried a blaNDM-5 gene on a conjugative, multireplicon plasmid, while blaCTX-M-15 and blaTEM-1B were detected in the majority of the MDR isolates. Different sequence types (STs)were identified including the highly virulent E. coli ST131. Our results showed a common occurrence of bacterial contaminants in surface water and an increase in the risk for the dissemination of resistance determinants exacerbated with the ongoing intensified population mobility in Lebanon and the widespread lack of wastewater treatment.
Global South Leaders and Foreign Policy: The Acceptability Constraint and Transnational Considerations in the Decision Context
Authors: Grove Andrea K
Published: July 2021

Foreign Policy Analysis research documents that foreign policy decisions have internal and external influences. In the Global South (GS), interests and identities are transnational in nature. The acceptability heuristic from poliheuristic (PH) theory is the jumping-off point for exploring this idea. Leaders reject policy choices that risk political loss. Key concepts from GS scholarship offer insight into the unrecognized transnational nature of two of PH theory's acceptability considerations, regime survival, and legitimacy. Leaders judge how a policy protects regime survival and legitimacy based on ideas about threats and constituents. Foreign policy paths are understood by investigating the transnational strategies they use to address regime security and legitimacy concerns. The strategy concept developed in previous work is applied to Museveni's Uganda. We see GS leaders evaluate but also create acceptability by engaging in intermestic policy driven by these transnational concerns. They also manipulate more powerful states, increasing their significance beyond expectations.
Genetic analysis argues for a coactivator function for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tup1 corepressor
Authors: Parnell Emily J , Parnell Timothy J , Stillman David J
Published: July 2021

The Tup1-Cyc8 corepressor complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is recruited to promoters by DNA-binding proteins to repress transcription of genes, including the a-specific mating-type genes. We report here a tup1(S649F) mutant that displays mating irregularities and an α-predominant growth defect. RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq were used to analyze gene expression and Tup1 occupancy changes in mutant vs wild type in both a and α cells. Increased Tup1(S649F) occupancy tended to occur upstream of upregulated genes, whereas locations with decreased occupancy usually did not show changes in gene expression, suggesting this mutant not only loses corepressor function but also behaves as a coactivator. Based upon studies demonstrating a dual role of Tup1 in both repression and activation, we postulate that the coactivator function of Tup1(S649F) results from diminished interaction with repressor proteins, including α2. We also found that large changes in mating-type-specific gene expression between a and α or between mutant and wild type were not easily explained by the range of Tup1 occupancy levels within their promoters, as predicted by the classic model of a-specific gene repression by Tup1. Most surprisingly, we observed Tup1 occupancy upstream of the a-specific gene MFA2 and the α-specific gene MF(ALPHA)1 in cells in which each gene was expressed rather than repressed. These results, combined with the identification of additional mating-related genes upregulated in the tup1(S649F) α strain, illustrate that the role of Tup1 in distinguishing mating types in yeast appears to be both more comprehensive and more nuanced than previously appreciated.
7. Divorce and Dissolution
Authors: Lowe N V , Douglas G
Published: July 2021

This chapter first examines the development and detail of the current divorce law. It then discusses the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973; proposals for the reform of substantive and procedural law governing divorce; the future of divorce reform; dissolution of civil partnership; judicial separation in marriage; and separation in civil partnership.
13. The Voice of the Child
Authors: Lowe N V , Douglas G
Published: July 2021

One of the great shifts in English law governing the parent and child was the move away from treating children as passive victims of family breakdown towards regarding them as participants and actors in the family justice system. It is now generally accepted that children should have a voice or, at any rate, the opportunity of expressing a view in legal proceedings which concern them. This chapter begins by considering what obligation there is to take the child's views into account. It then discusses how those views are investigated; the law and practice governing the child's direct participation in legal proceedings concerning them; and the needs for and requirements of a child friendly family justice system. Finally, it looks at the role of the Commissioners for Children to look after children's interests more generally.
14. The Court’s Powers to Make Orders Under Part II of the Children Act 1989
Authors: Lowe N V , Douglas G
Published: July 2021

This chapter considers the courts' powers under Part II of the Children Act 1989 to make orders, other than financial orders, in what are termed ‘family proceedings’. It first discusses the original scheme of Part II; changes made by the Children and Adoption Act 2006; and changes made by the Children and Families Act 2014. It then considers section 8 orders; family assistance orders; and section 37 directions.
17. Children and Local Authorities:
Authors: Lowe N V , Douglas G
Published: July 2021

The Children Act 1989 places considerable importance on local authorities working in partnership with families and the avoidance wherever possible of court proceedings. However, the Act also makes provision, in the form of care and supervision orders, for compulsory measures to be taken to safeguard and promote children's welfare. This chapter focuses on care and supervision orders. It covers the initiation of proceedings; the threshold criteria, which refers to conditions set out by Section 31(2) that must be satisfied before a care or supervision order may be made; the ‘welfare stage’, where the court must, pursuant to s 1(1), regard the welfare of the child as the paramount consideration; tackling delay in care proceedings; court orders; appeals; and discharge of care orders and discharge and variation of supervision orders.
18. Children and Local Authorities:
Authors: Lowe N V , Douglas G
Published: July 2021

This chapter discusses the position of children in local authority care. It begins by considering the issue of contact with children in care. It then looks more broadly at local authorities' duties to all children looked after by them, which includes those who are accommodated as well as those who are subject to care orders. Finally, it describes the means by which local authority decisions with respect to children being looked after by them can be challenged.
The Y chromosome and its impact on health and disease
Authors: Wilson Melissa A
Published: July 2021

The Y chromosome is the most gene-deficient chromosome in the human genome (though not the smallest chromosome) and has largely been sequestered away from large-scale studies of the effects of genetics on human health. Here I review the literature, focusing on the last 2 years, for recent evidence of the role of the Y chromosome in protecting from or contributing to disease. Although many studies have focused on Y chromosome gene copy number and variants in fertility, the role of the Y chromosome in human health is now known to extend too many other conditions including the development of multiple cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. I further include the discussion of current technology and methods for analyzing Y chromosome variation. The true role of the Y chromosome and associated genetic variants in human disease will only become clear when the Y chromosome is integrated into larger studies of human genetic variation, rather than being analyzed in isolation.
A Participatory Approach for Balancing Accuracy and Complexity in Modeling Resilience and Robustness
Authors: O'Donnell Frances C , Atkinson Carla L , Frischer Marc E
Published: July 2021

Synopsis

Robustness and resilience are widely used in the biological sciences and related disciplines to describe how systems respond to change. Robustness is the ability to tolerate change without adapting or moving to another state. Resilience refers to the ability for a system to sustain a perturbation and maintain critical functions. Robustness and resilience transcend levels of biological organization, though they do not scale directly across levels. We live in an era of novel stressors and unprecedented change, including climate change, emerging environmental contaminants, and changes to the Earth's biogeochemical and hydrological cycles. We envision a common framework for developing models to predict the robustness and resilience of biological functions associated with complex systems that can transcend disciplinary boundaries. Conceptual and quantitative models of robustness and resilience must consider cross-scale interactions of potentially infinite complexity, but it is impossible to capture everything within a single model. Here, we discuss the need to balance accuracy and complexity when designing models, data collection, and downstream analyses to study robustness and resilience. We also consider the difficulties in defining the spatiotemporal domain when studying robustness and resilience as an emergent property of a complex system. We suggest a framework for implementing transdisciplinary research on robustness and resilience of biological systems that draws on participatory stakeholder engagement methods from the fields of conservation and natural resources management. Further, we suggest that a common, simplified model development framework for describing complex biological systems will provide new, broadly relevant educational tools. Efficient interdisciplinary collaboration to accurately develop a model of robustness and resilience would enable rapid, context-specific assessment of complex biological systems with benefits for a broad range of societally relevant problems.
Efficacy and Safety of Seltorexant as Adjunctive Therapy in Major Depressive Disorder: A Phase 2b, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Adaptive Dose-Finding Study
Authors: Savitz Adam , Wajs Ewa , Zhang Yun , Xu Haiyan , Etropolski Mila , Thase Michael E , Drevets Wayne C
Published: July 2021

Background

Seltorexant, a selective antagonist of human orexin-2 receptors, demonstrated antidepressant effects in a previous exploratory study in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods

To replicate and extend this observation, a double-blind, adaptive dose-finding study was performed in patients with MDD who had an inadequate response to 1–3 selective serotonin/serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors in the current episode. Patients were randomized (2:1:1) to placebo or seltorexant (20 mg or 40 mg) once-daily, administered adjunctively to the antidepressant the patient had been receiving at screening. After an interim analysis (6 weeks post-randomization of 160th patient), newly recruited patients randomly received (3:3:1) placebo or seltorexant 10 mg or 20 mg; the 40-mg dose was no longer assigned. Patients were stratified by baseline Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores (ISI ≥ 15 vs < 15). The primary endpoint was change from baseline Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score at week 6.

Results

Mixed-Model for Repeated Measures analysis showed a greater improvement in MADRS total score in the seltorexant 20-mg group vs placebo at weeks 3 and 6; least-square means difference (90% CI): −4.5 (−6.96; −2.07), P = .003; and −3.1 (−6.13; −0.16), P = .083, respectively. The improvement in MADRS score at week 6 for seltorexant 20 mg was greater in patients with baseline ISI ≥ 15 vs those with ISI < 15; least-square means difference (90% CI) vs placebo: −4.9 (−8.98; −0.80) and −0.7 (−5.16; 3.76), respectively. The most common (≥5%) adverse events with seltorexant were somnolence, headache, and nausea.

Conclusions

A clinically meaningful reduction of depressive symptoms was observed for seltorexant 20 mg. In the subset of patients with sleep disturbance (ISI ≥ 15), a larger treatment difference between seltorexant 20 mg and placebo was observed, warranting further investigation. No new safety signal was identified.

Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03227224

Previous presentation

Poster presented at 58th Annual Meeting of American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP), December 8–11, 2019, Orlando, FL.
Semisimplicity and Indecomposable Objects in Interpolating Partition Categories
Authors: Flake Johannes , Maassen Laura
Published: July 2021

We study Karoubian tensor categories, which interpolate representation categories of families of the so-called easy quantum groups in the same sense in which Deligne’s interpolation categories $\ensuremath {\mathop {\textrm {\underline {Rep}}}}(S_t)$ interpolate the representation categories of the symmetric groups. As such categories can be described using a graphical calculus of partitions, we call them interpolating partition categories. They include $\ensuremath {\mathop {\textrm {\underline {Rep}}}}(S_t)$ as a special case and can generally be viewed as subcategories of the latter. Focusing on semisimplicity and descriptions of the indecomposable objects, we prove uniform generalisations of results known for special cases, including $\ensuremath {\mathop {\textrm {\underline {Rep}}}}(S_t)$ or Temperley–Lieb categories. In particular, we identify those values of the interpolation parameter, which correspond to semisimple and non-semisimple categories, respectively, for all the so-called group-theoretical easy quantum groups. A crucial ingredient is an abstract analysis of certain subobject lattices developed by Knop, which we adapt to categories of partitions. We go on to prove a parametrisation of the indecomposable objects in all interpolating partition categories for non-zero interpolation parameters via a system of finite groups, which we associate to any partition category, and which we also use to describe the associated graded rings of the Grothendieck rings of these interpolation categories.
3D adaptive internal multiples modeling based on globally optimised Fourier finite-difference method
Authors: Huang Jiandong , Hu Tianyue , Zhu Chenghong , Wei Zhefeng , Xie Fei , Liu Tao , Xiao Yanjun , An Shengpei
Published: July 2021

Numerical methods have been widely applied to simulate seismic wave propagation. However, few studies have focused on internal multiples modeling. The formation mechanism and response of internal multiples are still unclear. Therefore, we develop a weighted-optimised-based internal multiples simulation method under 3D conditions. Using a one-way wave equation and full-wavefield method, the different-order internal multiples are computed numerically in a recursive manner. The traditional Fourier finite-difference (FFD) method has low numerical accuracy in a horizontal direction. A globally optimised FFD (OFFD) method is used to improve the lateral propagation accuracy of the seismic waves. Meanwhile, we adopt an adaptive variable-step technique to improve computational efficiency. The 3D internal multiples modeling technique is capable of calculating the different-order multiple reflections in complex structures. We use the present method to simulate internal multiples in several models. Theoretical analyses are consistent with the numerical results. Numerical examples demonstrate that the 3D internal multiples modeling technique has superior performance when adapting to lateral velocity changes and steep dip. This also implies that our method is fit for the simulation of internal multiples propagation in a 3D complex medium and can assist in identifying the internal multiples from full-wavefield data.
Hospital volume and 5-year survival in head and neck cancer patients in Osaka, Japan
Authors: Koyama Shihoko , Tabuchi Takahiro , Okawa Sumiyo , Taniyama Yukari , Nakata Kayo , Morishima Toshitaka , Miyashiro Isao
Published: July 2021

Background

Few previous studies have examined the relationship between hospital volume and hazard of death for head and neck cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between hospital volume and 5-year survival from diagnosis among head and neck cancer patients.

Methods

Using data from the population-based Osaka Cancer Registry, hospital volume was divided into three volume groups according to the number of head and neck cancer treatments identified between 2009 and 2011. We analysed the association between hospital volume and 5-year survival among 3069 patients aged 0–79 using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for characteristics of patients.

Results

Compared with head and neck cancer patients in high-hospital volume, patients treated in middle- and low-hospital volume were found to have a higher risk of death (middle-hospital volume: hazard ratio = 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–1.46, low-hospital volume: hazard ratio = 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.46).

Conclusions

We found a significantly higher risk of hazard of death in middle- and low-hospital volume than in high-hospital volume for head and neck cancer.
The transcription factor PagLBD3 contributes to the regulation of secondary growth in Populus
Authors: Han Zhen , Yang Tong , Guo Ying , Cui Wen-Hui , Yao Li-Juan , Li Gang , Wu Ai-Min , Li Ji-Hong , Liu Li-Jun
Published: July 2021

LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN (LBD) genes encode plant-specific transcription factors that participate in regulating various developmental processes. In this study, we genetically characterized PagLBD3 encoding an important regulator of secondary growth in poplar (Populus alba × Populus glandulosa). Overexpression of PagLBD3 increased stem secondary growth in Populus with a significantly higher rate of cambial cell differentiation into phloem, while dominant repression of PagLBD3 significantly decreased the rate of cambial cell differentiation into phloem. Furthermore, we identified 1756 PagLBD3 genome-wide putative direct target genes (DTGs) through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)-coupled DNA affinity purification followed by sequencing (DAP-seq) assays. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that genes regulated by PagLBD3 were enriched in biological pathways regulating meristem development, xylem development, and auxin transport. Several central regulator genes for vascular development, including PHLOEM INTERCALATED WITH XYLEM (PXY), WUSCHEL RELATED HOMEOBOX4 (WOX4), Secondary Wall-Associated NAC Domain 1s (SND1-B2), and Vascular-Related NAC-Domain 6s (VND6-B1), were identified as PagLBD3 DTGs. Together, our results indicate that PagLBD3 and its DTGs form a complex transcriptional network to modulate cambium activity and phloem/xylem differentiation.
Jasmonate inhibits adventitious root initiation through repression of CKX1 and activation of RAP2.6L transcription factor in Arabidopsis
Authors: Dob Asma , Lakehal Abdellah , Novak Ondrej , Bellini Catherine
Published: July 2021

Adventitious rooting is a de novo organogenesis process that enables plants to propagate clonally and cope with environmental stresses. Adventitious root initiation (ARI) is controlled by interconnected transcriptional and hormonal networks, but there is little knowledge of the genetic and molecular programs orchestrating these networks. Thus, we have applied genome-wide transcriptome profiling to elucidate the transcriptional reprogramming events preceding ARI. These reprogramming events are associated with the down-regulation of cytokinin (CK) signaling and response genes, which could be triggers for ARI. Interestingly, we found that CK free base (iP, tZ, cZ, and DHZ) content declined during ARI, due to down-regulation of de novo CK biosynthesis and up-regulation of CK inactivation pathways. We also found that MYC2-dependent jasmonate (JA) signaling inhibits ARI by down-regulating the expression of the CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE1 (CKX1) gene. We also demonstrated that JA and CK synergistically activate expression of the transcription factor RELATED to APETALA2.6 LIKE (RAP2.6L), and constitutive expression of this transcription factor strongly inhibits ARI. Collectively, our findings reveal that previously unknown genetic interactions between JA and CK play key roles in ARI.
Improving Self-Confidence of Military Medical Providers With Joint Procedure Simulation: A Pilot Study
Authors: Mank Victoria m.f , Arter Zhaohui , Mank Jeffrey , Eum Ki Suk , Roberts Jefferson
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Military medical providers are a unique population that encounter different environments across the world. From hospital clinics to war zones, these providers must perform procedures and rely on their training and skill to help their patients. This pilot study aimed to assess the self-confidence of military medical providers performing joint aspiration and injection before and after a simulation workshop in both clinical and austere settings.

Methods

In 2016, 25 military physicians from various military facilities participated in a 1-hour knee arthrocentesis and injection and shoulder injection workshop. Education was provided on the knee and shoulder anatomy and various approaches to performing the procedures before the hands-on portion of the workshop. Surveys assessing self-reported confidence levels by performing the procedures in the clinic and austere settings were completed before and after simulation training.

Results

The results were analyzed and grouped based on the provider experience level, simulation environment, and specific procedure performed. There was a statistical significance seen in the shoulder arthrocentesis group, which included all participating providers, with a P-value of <.01 in the clinic setting and a P-value of <.001 in the austere setting. In the knee aspiration simulation, there were also improvements in the provider confidence, but it was not statistically significant with P-values of .36 and .14 in the clinical and austere settings, respectively.

Conclusion

Simulation training can lead to increased medical provider self-confidence in performing musculoskeletal joint aspirations and injections in both clinic and austere settings. The military medicine demographics have had little research in joint injections and provider confidence to date. This pilot study was one of the first to evaluate this unique population. The methods used in this study, and the positive data collected on provider confidence, can be used in larger studies, encompassing other medical providers to increase the confidence of providers throughout various fields of medicine.
Molinism: Explaining our Freedom Away
Authors: Climenhaga Nevin , Rubio Daniel
Published: July 2021

Molinists hold that there are contingently true counterfactuals about what agents would do if put in specific circumstances, that God knows these prior to creation, and that God uses this knowledge in choosing how to create. In this essay we critique Molinism, arguing that if these theses were true, agents would not be free. Consider Eve’s sinning upon being tempted by a serpent. We argue that if Molinism is true, then there is some set of facts that fully explains both Eve’s action and everything else Eve does that influences that action; and that if this is the case, Eve does not act freely. The first premise of this argument follows from the explanatory relations the Molinist is committed to, and the second premise follows from libertarian intuitions about free will.
Global simulations of tidal disruption event disc formation via stream injection in GRRMHD
Authors: Curd Brandon
Published: July 2021

We use the general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamics code KORAL to simulate the accretion disc formation resulting from the tidal disruption of a solar mass star around a supermassive black hole (BH) of mass 106 M⊙. We simulate the disruption of artificially more bound stars with orbital eccentricity e ≤ 0.99 (compared to the more realistic case of parabolic orbits with e = 1) on close orbits with impact parameter β ≥ 3. We use a novel method of injecting the tidal stream into the domain, and we begin the stream injection at the peak fallback rate in this study. For two simulations, we choose e = 0.99 and inject mass at a rate that is similar to parabolic TDEs. We find that the disc only becomes mildly circularized with eccentricity e ≈ 0.6 within the 3.5 d that we simulate. The rate of circularization is faster for pericenter radii that come closer to the BH. The emitted radiation is mildly super-Eddington with $L_{\rm {bol}}\approx 3{-}5\, L_{\rm {Edd}}$ and the photosphere is highly asymmetric with the photosphere being significantly closer to the inner accretion disc for viewing angles near pericenter. We find that soft X-ray radiation with Trad ≈ 3–5 × 105 K may be visible for chance viewing angles. Our simulations suggest that TDEs should be radiatively inefficient with η ≈ 0.009–0.014.
Circumbinary and circumstellar discs around the eccentric binary IRAS 04158+2805 — a testbed for binary–disc interaction
Authors: Ragusa Enrico , Fasano Daniele , Toci Claudia , Duchêne Gaspard , Cuello Nicolás , Villenave Marion , van der Plas Gerrit , Lodato Giuseppe , Ménard François , Price Daniel J , Pinte Christophe , Stapelfeldt Karl , Wolff Schuyler
Published: July 2021

IRAS 04158+2805 has long been thought to be a very low mass T-Tauri star (VLMS) surrounded by a nearly edge-on, extremely large disc. Recent observations revealed that this source hosts a binary surrounded by an extended circumbinary disc with a central dust cavity. In this paper, we combine ALMA multiwavelength observations of continuum and 12CO line emission, with H α imaging and Keck astrometric measures of the binary to develop a coherent dynamical model of this system. The system features an azimuthal asymmetry detected at the western edge of the cavity in Band 7 observations and a wiggling outflow. Dust emission in ALMA Band 4 from the proximity of the individual stars suggests the presence of marginally resolved circumstellar discs. We estimate the binary orbital parameters from the measured arc of the orbit from Keck and ALMA astrometry. We further constrain these estimates using considerations from binary–disc interaction theory. We finally perform three SPH gas+dust simulations based on the theoretical constraints; we post-process the hydrodynamic output using radiative transfer Monte Carlo methods and directly compare the models with observations. Our results suggest that a highly eccentric e ∼ 0.5–0.7 equal mass binary, with a semimajor axis of ∼55 au, and small/moderate orbital plane versus circumbinary disc inclination θ ≲ 30° provides a good match with observations. A dust mass of ${\sim}1.5\times 10^{-4} \, {\rm M_\odot }$ best reproduces the flux in Band 7 continuum observations. Synthetic CO line emission maps qualitatively capture both the emission from the central region and the non-Keplerian nature of the gas motion in the binary proximity.
Orientation effect on the light-curve shape of periodic methanol maser sources
Authors: Morgan J , van der Walt D J , Chibueze J O , Zhang Q
Published: July 2021

We report the results of our pilot millimeter observations of periodic maser sources. Using SMA, we carried out 1.3-mm observations of G22.357+0.066 and G25.411+0.105, while ALMA 1.3-mm archival data were used in the case of G9.62+0.19E. Two continuum cores (MM1 and MM2) were detected in G22.357+0.066, while three cores (MM1 – MM3) detected in G25.411 + 0.105. Assuming dust-to-gas ratio of 100, we derived the masses of the detected cores. Using the 12CO (2–1) and 13CO (2–1) line emission, we observed gas kinematics tracing the presence of bipolar outflows in all three star-forming regions. In the cases of G22.357+0.066 and G9.62+0.19E, both with similar periodic maser light-curve profiles, the outflowing gas is seen in the north-west south-east direction. This suggest edge-on view of the two sources. G25.411+0.105, with a contrasting light-curve profile, show a spatially collocated blue and red outflow lobes, suggesting a face-on view. Our results suggest that orientation effects may play a role in determining the characteristics of the light curves of periodic methanol masers.