bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subgame perfection in recursive perfect information games
Authors: Kuipers Jeroen , Flesch János , Schoenmakers Gijs , Vrieze Koos
Published: April 2020

We consider sequential multi-player games with perfect information and with deterministic transitions. The players receive a reward upon termination of the game, which depends on the state where the game was terminated. If the game does not terminate, then the rewards of the players are equal to zero. We prove that, for every game in this class, a subgame perfect $$\varepsilon $$
ε
-equilibrium exists, for all $$\varepsilon > 0$$

ε
>
0

. The proof is constructive and suggests a finite algorithm to calculate such an equilibrium.
Inter-trial phase coherence of visually evoked postural responses in virtual reality
Authors: Engel David , Schütz Adrian , Krala Milosz , Schwenk Jakob C. B. , Morris Adam P. , Bremmer Frank
Published: April 2020

Vision plays a central role in maintaining balance. When humans perceive their body as moving, they trigger counter movements. This results in body sway, which has typically been investigated by measuring the body’s center of pressure (COP). Here, we aimed to induce visually evoked postural responses (VEPR) by simulating self-motion in virtual reality (VR) using a sinusoidally oscillating “moving room” paradigm. Ten healthy subjects participated in the experiment. Stimulation consisted of a 3D-cloud of random dots, presented through a VR headset, which oscillated sinusoidally in the anterior–posterior direction at different frequencies. We used a force platform to measure subjects’ COP over time and quantified the resulting trajectory by wavelet analyses including inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC). Subjects exhibited significant coupling of their COP to the respective stimulus. Even when spectral analysis of postural sway showed only small responses in the expected frequency bands (power), ITPC revealed an almost constant strength of coupling to the stimulus within but also across subjects and presented frequencies. Remarkably, ITPC even revealed a strong phase coupling to stimulation at 1.5 Hz, which exceeds the frequency range that has generally been attributed to the coupling of human postural sway to an oscillatory visual scenery. These findings suggest phase-locking to be an essential feature of visuomotor control.
Chronifiziertes malignes Glaukom nach Kataraktoperation
Authors: Wiedenmann Cornelius , Boneva Stefaniya , Anton Alexandra , Reinhard Thomas , Lübke Jan
Published: April 2020

Das maligne Glaukom mehrere Jahre nach Kataraktoperation stellt eine sehr seltene Spätkomplikation dar. Eine zunehmende Myopisierung kann einen frühen Hinweis auf das Entstehen geben. Eine chirurgische Intervention ist oft unumgänglich. Die Druckeinstellung kann wie in unserem Fall aber auch konservativ gelingen. Es kann daher der Situation angepasst und individuell entschieden werden, wie invasiv die Behandlung erfolgen muss und ob eine Vitrektomie zwingend notwendig ist.
Gross and delta efficiencies during uphill running and cycling among elite triathletes
Authors: Carlsson Magnus , Wahrenberg Viktor , Carlsson Marie S. , Andersson Rasmus , Carlsson Tomas
Published: April 2020

Purpose

To investigate the gross efficiency (GE) and delta efficiency (DE) during cycling and running in elite triathletes.

Methods

Five male and five female elite triathletes completed two incremental treadmill tests with an inclination of 2.5° to determine their GE and DE during cycling and running. The speed increments between the 5-min stages were 2.4 and 0.6 km h−1during the cycling and running tests, respectively. For each test, GE was calculated as the ratio between the mechanical work rate (MWR) and the metabolic rate (MR) at an intensity corresponding to a net increase in blood-lactate concentration of 1 mmol l−1. DE was calculated by dividing the delta increase in MWR by the delta increase in MR for each test. Pearson correlations and paired-samplettests were used to investigate the relationships and differences, respectively.

Results

There was a correlation between GEcycleand GErun(r = 0.66;P = 0.038;R2 = 0.44), but the correlation between DEcycleand DErunwas not statistically significant (r = − 0.045;P = 0.90;R2 = 0.0020). There were differences between GEcycleand GErun(t = 80.8;P < 0.001) as well as between DEcycleand DErun(t = 27.8;P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Elite triathletes with high GE during running also have high GE during cycling, when exercising at a treadmill inclination of 2.5°. For a moderate uphill incline, elite triathletes are more energy efficient during cycling than during running, independent of work rate.
Achieving sequential therapy in advanced gastric cancer: the importance of appropriate patient management for the elderly and/or those with ascites
Authors: Hamamoto Yasuo , Piao Yongzhe , Makiyama Akitaka
Published: April 2020

Treatment options for patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) are limited. One approach to improving survival in patients with AGC is to optimize the available agents via sequential therapy. However, clinical trial reports of first-line chemotherapy indicate that elderly patients and patients with massive ascites are less likely to receive subsequent lines of therapy. In addition, clinical trials of second- and third-line chemotherapy generally exclude these two patient populations because they are likely to have poor performance status and additional issues that are difficult to manage. Good patient management is likely to be key to the successful use of sequential therapy in these two patient populations by minimizing adverse effects to allow patients to derive benefit from the additional treatment. This narrative review summarizes the available information on AGC treatment and patient management in elderly patients and patients with massive ascites. The available data suggest that elderly patients benefit from chemotherapy; however, monitoring toxicity is essential to avoid chemotherapy-related toxicities. Important aspects of patient management for elderly patients include symptom monitoring, nutritional support, and fall prevention. The available data for patients with massive ascites show limited success for a range of treatment approaches, including systemic chemotherapy. The management of ascites is also challenging, with no clear guidance on the preferred strategies. To address these gaps in knowledge, future clinical trials should incorporate more inclusive eligibility criteria to enroll populations of patients with AGC that are more reflective of the real-world population with respect to age, complications, and overall health status.
On variance estimation under shifts in the mean
Authors: Axt Ieva , Fried Roland
Published: April 2020

In many situations, it is crucial to estimate the variance properly. Ordinary variance estimators perform poorly in the presence of shifts in the mean. We investigate an approach based on non-overlapping blocks, which yields good results in change-point scenarios. We show the strong consistency and the asymptotic normality of such blocks-estimators of the variance under independence. Weak consistency is shown for short-range dependent strictly stationary data. We provide recommendations on the appropriate choice of the block size and compare this blocks-approach with difference-based estimators. If level shifts occur frequently and are rather large, the best results can be obtained by adaptive trimming of the blocks.
The Coming Coronavirus Crisis: What Can We Learn?
Authors: Lucchese Matteo , Pianta Mario
Published: April 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is bringing with it the prospect of severe financial and economic crises. The article investigates its economic consequences in terms of financial instability, economic recession, lower incomes and policy challenges at the national and European levels. What are some of the lessons that can be learned? This article argues that health is a global public good. Public health and welfare systems are crucial alternatives to the market and universal public health is a key element of an egalitarian policy.
Digitale Innovationen und Technologiesouveränität
Authors: Schieferdecker Ina , March Christoph
Published: April 2020

Digitale Innovationen verändern zunehmend Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Es ist Aufgabe der Politik, diese Veränderungen im Dialog mit der Gesellschaft und im Einklang mit unseren Werten zu gestalten. Technologiesouveränität ist dafür eine wichtige Voraussetzung. Dabei geht es nicht um die Abschottung von internationalen Märkten, sondern um die Fähigkeit, Anforderungen an Technologien zu formulieren und diese am Markt durchzusetzen. Einer integrierten Forschungs- und Innovationspolitik, die die Förderung von Technologieentwicklung, Technologietransfer und Zukunftskompetenzen gleichermaßen in den Blick nimmt und auf europäische Zusammenarbeit setzt, kommt dabei eine zentrale Rolle zu.
Conceptualization of Empowerment and Pathways Through Which Cash Transfers Work to Empower Young Women to Reduce HIV Risk: A Qualitative Study in Tanzania
Authors: Wamoyi Joyce , Balvanz Peter , Atkins Kaitlyn , Gichane Margaret , Majani Esther , Pettifor Audrey , Maman Suzanne
Published: April 2020

Although cash transfers (CT) are hypothesized to reduce AGYW’s HIV risk, little is known about the mechanisms through which CT empower AGYW. We explored the impact of a CT intervention on AGYW’s sexual decision-making in order to describe the pathways through which the cash may influence risk behavior. The study employed qualitative methods involving: 20 longitudinal in-depth interviews (IDIs), 40 cross-sectional IDIs, 20 narrative IDIs, and two focus group discussions with AGYW ages 15–23 participating in a CT intervention. AGYW’s conceptualized empowerment as: “independence”, “hope and aspiration”. Potential pathways through which CT empowered AGYW were: economic, hope and aspiration for a better future, and access to knowledge. As a result of this empowerment, AGYW reported reductions in transactional sex, experiences of intimate partner violence, and risky-sexual behaviour. A sense of responsibility developed through economic empowerment, enhanced participants’ self-esteem and confidence in decision-making leading to changes in AGYW’s sexual risk behaviors.
Description of Polystyrenella longa gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from polystyrene particles incubated in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Peeters Stijn H. , Wiegand Sandra , Kallscheuer Nicolai , Jogler Mareike , Heuer Anja , Jetten Mike S. M. , Boedeker Christian , Rohde Manfred , Jogler Christian
Published: April 2020

Planctomycetes occur in almost all aquatic ecosystems on earth. They have a remarkable cell biology, and members of the orders Planctomycetales and Pirellulales feature cell division by polar budding, perform a lifestyle switch from sessile to motile cells and have an enlarged periplasmic space. Here, we characterise a novel planctomycetal strain, Pla110T, isolated from the surface of polystyrene particles incubated in the Baltic Sea. After phylogenetic analysis, the strain could be placed in the family Planctomycetaceae. Strain Pla110T performs cell division by budding, has crateriform structures and grows in aggregates or rosettes. The strain is a chemoheterotroph, grows under mesophilic and neutrophilic conditions, and exhibited a doubling time of 21 h. Based on our phylogenetic and morphological characterisation, strain Pla110T (DSM 103387T = LMG 29693T) is concluded to represent a novel species belonging to a novel genus, for which we propose the name Polystyrenella longa gen. nov., sp. nov.
Lignipirellula cremea gen. nov., sp. nov., a planctomycete isolated from wood particles in a brackish river estuary
Authors: Peeters Stijn H. , Wiegand Sandra , Kallscheuer Nicolai , Jogler Mareike , Heuer Anja , Jetten Mike S. M. , Boedeker Christian , Rohde Manfred , Jogler Christian
Published: April 2020

A novel planctomycetal strain, designated Pla85_3_4T, was isolated from the surface of wood incubated at the discharge of a wastewater treatment plant in the Warnow river near Rostock, Germany. Cells of the novel strain have a cell envelope architecture resembling that of Gram-negative bacteria, are round to pear-shaped (length: 2.2 ± 0.4 µm, width: 1.2 ± 0.3 µm), form aggregates and divide by polar budding. Colonies have a cream colour. Strain Pla85_3_4T grows at ranges of 10–30 °C (optimum 26 °C) and at pH 6.5–10.0 (optimum 7.5), and has a doubling time of 26 h. Phylogenetically, strain Pla85_3_4T (DSM 103796T = LMG 29741T) is concluded to represent a novel species of a novel genus within the family Pirellulaceae, for which we propose the name Lignipirellula cremea gen. nov., sp. nov.
Scaling Limits for Non-intersecting Polymers and Whittaker Measures
Authors: Johnston Samuel G. G. , O’Connell Neil
Published: April 2020

We study the partition functions associated with non-intersecting polymers in a random environment. By considering paths in series and in parallel, the partition functions carry natural notions of subadditivity, allowing the effective study of their asymptotics. For a certain choice of random environment, the geometric RSK correspondence provides an explicit representation of the partition functions in terms of a stochastic interface. Formally this leads to a variational description of the macroscopic behaviour of the interface and hence the free energy of the associated non-intersecting polymer model. At zero temperature we relate this variational description to the Marčenko–Pastur distribution, and give a new derivation of the surface tension of the bead model.
Stable Pontryagin–Thom construction for proper maps
Authors: Csépai András
Published: April 2020

We will present proofs for two conjectures stated in Rot (Homotopy classes of proper maps out of vector bundles, 2020. arXiv:1808.08073). The first one is that for an arbitrary manifold W, the homotopy classes of proper maps $$W\times \mathbb {R}^n\rightarrow \mathbb {R}^{k+n}$$W×Rn→Rk+n stabilise as $$n\rightarrow \infty $$n→∞, and the second one is that in a stable range there is a Pontryagin–Thom type bijection for proper maps $$W\times \mathbb {R}^n\rightarrow \mathbb {R}^{k+n}$$W×Rn→Rk+n. The second one actually implies the first one and we shall prove the second one by giving an explicit construction.
Beyond the rhetoric of tech addiction: why we should be discussing tech habits instead (and how)
Authors: Aagaard Jesper
Published: April 2020

In the past few years, we have become increasingly focused on technology use that is impulsive, unthinking, and distractive. There has been a strong push to understand such technology use in terms of dopamine addiction. The present article demonstrates the limitations of this so-called neurobehaviorist approach: Not only is it inconsistent in regard to how it understands humans, technologies, and their mutual relationship, it also pathologizes everyday human behaviors. The article proceeds to discuss dual-systems theory, which helpfully discusses impulsive technology use in terms of habit instead of addiction, but can be criticized for its mentalist celebration of conscious control. Finally, the article introduces a phenomenological approach whose conceptualization of habit manifests many of the experiential qualities that we try to capture with addiction, but remains non-pathologizing and opens a space for learning: While tech addiction is bad and must be eliminated, good tech habits can be trained and cultivated.
IPSI vs CONTRA TRAM—Old Doubts New Answers: Evaluation TRAM Flap Survival with Static and Active Dynamic Thermography in Pedicled Flap Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Jankau Jerzy , Kolacz Szymon , Moderhak Mateusz
Published: April 2020

Breast reconstruction is increasingly being considered as the next step in breast cancer treatment. There are many ways to recreate a new breast mound. In current times, the trend for breast reconstruction is reconstruction microsurgery which is the method of choice, but newcomers should know the alternative traditional methods. Since 1982 the pedicled TRAM (trans rectus abdominal myocutaneous) flap has become one of the most popular autologous tissue breast reconstruction procedures. It has also been debated for many years which method of transferring the tissue island is more reliable and has fewer complications—IPSI vs CONTRA [1]. The reasons for complications are the manner of twisting the nourishing blood supply and the tension due to the distance of the pedicle in both procedures [2]. Static thermography and dynamic thermography seem to provide the solution. In our experiment, we measured the medial surface temperature of flaps using static thermography and active dynamic thermography. The results were compared against the number of flap failures in each type of reconstruction. The study was conducted on a group of 20 female patients who underwent breast reconstruction.
Effect of Sleep Disorder on Delirium in Post-Cardiac Surgery Patients
Authors: Wang Hongbai , Zhang Liang , Luo Qipeng , Li Yinan , Yan Fuxia
Published: April 2020

Background:

Post-cardiac surgery patients exhibit a higher incidence of postoperative delirium (PD) compared to non-cardiac surgery patients. Patients with various cardiac diseases suffer from preoperative sleep disorder (SPD) induced by anxiety, depression, breathing disorder, or other factors.

Objective:

To examine the effect of sleep disorder on delirium in post-cardiac surgery patients.

Methods:

We prospectively selected 186 patients undergoing selective cardiac valve surgery. Preoperative sleep quality and cognitive function of all eligible participants were assessed through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, respectively. The Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit was used to assess PD from the first to seventh day postoperatively. Patients were divided into two groups according to the PD diagnosis: (1) No PD group and (2) the PD group.

Results:

Of 186 eligible patients, 29 (15.6%) were diagnosed with PD. A univariate analysis showed that gender (p = 0.040), age (p = 0.009), SPD (p = 0.008), intraoperative infusion volume (p = 0.034), postoperative intubation time (p = 0.001), and intensive care unit stay time (p = 0.009) were associated with PD. A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age (odds ratio (OR): 1.106; p = 0.001) and SPD (OR: 3.223; p = 0.047) were independently associated with PD. A receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that preoperative PSQI was predictive of PD (area under curve: 0.706; 95% confidence interval: 0.595–0.816). A binomial logistic regression analysis showed that there was a significant association between preoperative 6 and 21 PSQI scores and PD incidence (p = 0.009).

Conclusions:

Preoperative SPD was significantly associated with PD and a main predictor of PD.
Thrombolysis Outcomes in Patients with Diabetes and Previous Stroke: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Pajo Azalea T. , Diestro Jose Danilo B. , Espiritu Adrian I. , Dmytriw Adam A. , Enriquez-Marulanda Alejandro , Sarmiento Robert Joseph C. , Bagnas Marjorie Anne C. , Spears Julian , San Jose Maria Cristina Z.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (IVtPA) is a proven treatment for acute ischemic stroke; however, diabetes mellitus (DM) and previous cerebral infarction (PCI) were considered relative contraindications for thrombolysis within the 3–4.5 h period.

Objective:

The study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of IVtPA among diabetic patients with PCI presenting with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods:

Studies which evaluated the outcome of IVtPA in terms of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), functional outcome in modified Rankin scale, and death among diabetic patients with PCI presenting with acute ischemic stroke within the 3–4.5 h period were systematically searched until July 2019. Screening and eligibility criteria were applied. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to compare measures of treatment effect. Mantel–Haenszel method and random-effects model were also employed.

Results:

Four registry-based studies with a total of 44,572 patients were included for quantitative synthesis. Giving IVtPA among DM+/PCI+ patients did not result in significantly increased rate of sICH (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.88, 1.36) compared to No DM+/PCI+ patients. However, there was significantly higher mortality (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.60, 2.06) in the DM+/PCI+ group. Conversely, among those who survived, the DM+/PCI+ patients were more functionally independent at 3 months (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.61, 0.94).

Conclusion:

Limited evidence suggests that thrombolysis in DM+/PCI+ patients does not result in significantly higher incidence of sICH and may improve functional independence. However, the significantly higher mortality in this group warrants an assessment of the individualized risk–benefit ratio in the use of IVtPA.
Hegemony and Protectionism in Bologna’s Meat Trade:The Role of Visual Imagery in Reputation Management
Authors: FREATHY PAUL , THOMAS IRIS
Published: April 2020

During the Renaissance, visual images were legitimate and authoritative sources of information that influenced behavior and directed public opinion. Against a background of political and religious unrest and growing pressure for economic reform, it is maintained that Annibale Carracci’s painting ofThe Butchers Shop(ca. 1580–1583) sought to legitimize the professionalism of Bologna’s butchery trades, reinforce the reputation of the guild system, and remind audiences of the dangers of papal interference in commercial endeavor. By implicitly advocating the value of institutional hegemony and trade protectionism,The Butchers Shoprepresents a form of late sixteenth-century visual propaganda and image management.
High-power operation of double-pass pumped Nd:YVO4 thin disk laser
Authors: Wang Wei , Sun Di , Du Xiao , Guo Jie , Liang Xiaoyan
Published: April 2020

A simple, compact, double-pass pumped Nd:YVO4 thin disk laser is demonstrated. Its continuous-wave performance with different Nd doping concentrations and thicknesses is investigated experimentally. The maximum output power of 17.7 W is achieved by employing a 0.5 at.% doped sample, corresponding to an optical-to-optical efficiency of 46% with respect to the absorbed pump power. In addition, a numerical analysis and an experimental study of the temperature distribution, and thermal lens effect of the Nd:YVO4 thin disk, are presented considering the influence of the energy transfer upconversion effect and the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity tensor. The simulated results are in good agreement with the experimental results.
Temperature-Sensitive Paint Applications in the Heat Transfer Analysis of 90° Elbow Microchannel Flow with Sharp and Curved Turns
Authors: Huang Chih-Yung , Lin Jhih-Ren , Liou Tong-Miin
Published: April 2020

This study presents the heat transfer analysis of 90° elbow microchannel flow with sharp and curved turn designs. Experimental technique of temperature-sensitive paint was adapted in the experiment for measuring both fluid and surface temperature. The detailed information of fluid and surface temperature data were successfully acquired with a microscope system at Reynolds number varying from 50.5 to 101.1. Micro heaters were fabricated and positioned underneath the microchannel to provide the constant heat flux boundary condition. The utilization of micro heaters can prevent the axial heat conduction. The Nusselt number contours were obtained in this study with sharp and curved corners, which can provide detailed information of localized region with high and low heat transfer. The experimental approach performed in this study could be applied in the future for micro heat exchanger or heat sink design with complex microchannel systems.
English fragments, Minimize Domains, and Minimize Forms
Authors: NYKIEL JOANNA , HAWKINS JOHN A.
Published: April 2020

We offer an account of preposition drop under clausal ellipsis in terms of two language processing principles: Minimize Domains and Minimize Forms. We argue that when Minimize Domains operates within the PP domain, it disfavors preposition drop due to the preferred independent processability of the PP fragment. When it operates within the VP domain it favors preposition drop in proportion to the number and strength of semantic dependencies between V and P in a given language: the more dependencies there are, and the stronger they are, the stronger the preference for preposition drop. In this way fragments are avoided with long dependencies between P and a distant V. We demonstrate this pattern in English corpora and propose it as an explanation for the typologically unusual preference that English shows for NP fragments. Minimize Forms supports preposition drop in easy-to-process environments cross-linguistically and in English when the more minimal fragment (NP) can be easily linked to its correlate in the antecedent, disfavoring preposition drop elsewhere. The predictions of Minimize Domains and Minimize Forms receive support from a mixed-effects regression model fitted to data from spoken US English, and can be understood as motivations for construction-specific constraints and preferences in clausal ellipsis.
Depleted and ultradepleted basalt and picrite in the Davis Strait: Paleocene volcanism associated with a transform continental margin
Authors: Larsen Lotte Melchior , Williamson Marie-Claude
Published: April 2020

Volcanic rocks from the Davis Strait were studied to elucidate the tectonomagmatic processes during rifting and the start of seafloor spreading, and the formation of the Ungava transform zone between Canada and Greenland. The rocks are from the wells Hekja O-71, Gjoa G-37, Nukik-2 and Hellefisk-1, and from dredges on the northern Davis Strait High. Ages range from Danian to Thanetian (dinocyst palynozones P2 to P5, 62.5–57.2 Ma). The rocks are predominantly basaltic, but include picrites on the Davis Strait High. Calculated mantle potential temperatures for the Davis Strait High arec.1500°C, suggesting the volume of magma generated was large; this is consistent with geophysical evidence for magmatic underplating in the region. The rare earth element patterns indicate residual mantle lithologies of spinel peridotite and, together with Sr–Nd isotopes, indicate melting beneath regionally extensive, depleted asthenosphere beneath a lithosphere of thickness similar to, or thinner than, beneath Baffin Island and distinctly thinner than beneath West Greenland. Some sites include basalts with more enriched compositions. Depleted and enriched basalts in the Hellefisk well show contemporaneous melting of depleted and enriched mantle components in the asthenosphere. The Hekja and Davis Strait High basalts and picrites have unique, ultradepleted compositions with (La/Sm)N< 0.5, (Tb/Lu)N< 1 and Nb/Zr = 0.013–0.027. We interpret these compositions as a product of the melting regime within the Ungava transform zone, where the melting column would be steep-sided in cross-section and not triangular as expected at normal spreading ridges. Magmatism along the transform stopped when the tectonic regime changed from transtension to transpression during earliest Eocene time.
Histopathologic evaluation of experimental murine neurocysticercosis after treatment with albendazole/nitazoxanide combination
Authors: Sampaio Guilherme A. , Zago Larissa V. , de Lima Nayana F. , Picanço Guaraciara de A. , Lino Júnior Ruy de S. , Vinaud Marina C.
Published: April 2020

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common helminthic brain infection related to epilepsy. Only albendazole (ABZ) and praziquantel are used in its treatment. The development of new therapeutics has been encouraged.Taenia crassicepscysticerci intracranial infection is the experimental model used in NCC studies. This study evaluated the histopathology of the brains of BALB/c mice experimentally infected withT. crassicepscysticerci after the treatment with the ABZ/nitazoxanide (NTZ) combination. Thirty days after the inoculation the mice received an oral single dose of the ABZ/NTZ combination (40 mg kg−1each). The control groups were treated with: NaCl 0.9%; ABZ or NTZ. The histopathologic evaluation of the brains was performed 24 h after treatment. The ABZ treatment induced discrete mononuclear inflammatory infiltration, meningitis, gliosis, hyperaemia and hippocampus compression; moderate ependimitis and oedema. The NTZ treatment induced accentuated inflammatory infiltration, foamy macrophages, ependimitis, choroiditis, gliosis and hyperaemia and moderate oedema. The ABZ/NTZ combination treatment induced a significant decrease in the polymorphonuclear inflammatory infiltration, ependimitis, choroiditis, gliosis, hyperaemia and ventriculomegaly in comparison with the other groups. The cysticerci showed destruction of the tegument not observed in other groups. The ABZ/NTZ combination is efficient as the parasite showed signs of destruction and lower damage to the host's tissue.
Gastrointestinal parasitic infestation in the Rock ptarmiganLagopus mutain the French Alps and French Pyrenees based on long-term sampling (1987–2018)
Authors: Fanelli Angela , Tizzani Paolo , Belleau Eric
Published: April 2020

Data presented in this work represents the first record of parasites from the Alpine and PyreneanLagopus mutasubspecies, providing valuable information to consider for conservation management. From 1987 to 2018, 207 Rock ptarmigans were collected in the framework of a long-term sanitary monitoring in France. Eight parasites were found in the Alpine Rock ptarmigan, and one in the Pyrenean subspecies. Only two parasites occurred with high prevalence in the Alpine Rock ptarmigan:Capillaria caudinflata(38.9%) andEimeriasp. (34.7%). Prevalence of the other parasites (Ascaridia compar, Cestodes,Amphimerussp. andTrichostrongylus tenuis) was lower than 20%.Dispharynx nasutawas found with a prevalence of 52.9% in the Pyrenean Rock ptarmigan. Overall, we found a spatially aggregated distribution of parasites in the northern French Alps, probably due to both favourable climatic conditions for parasite cycle and high host density. Statistical analyses indicated a positive effect of altitude and latitude onC. caudinflataoccurrence whereas risk factors forEimeriasp. were the distance from urban areas and land cover. In addition, the majority of the infested birds came from areas close to ski-pistes, where human disturbance increases the susceptibility to diseases, causing stress to wildlife.
The DSM-5 proposal for attenuated psychosis syndrome: a history
Authors: Zachar Peter , First Michael B. , Kendler Kenneth S.
Published: April 2020

This article narrates a consensus history of the proposal to include diagnostic criteria for a psychosis risk syndrome in the DSM-5, in part, to document what happened, but also to potentially help focus future efforts at clinically useful early detection. The purpose of diagnosing a risk state would be to slow and ideally prevent the development of the full disorder. Concerns about diagnosing a psychosis risk state included a high false positive rate, potentially harmful use of anti-psychotic medication with people who would not transition to psychosis, and stigmatization. Others argued that educating professionals about what ‘risk’ entails could reduce inappropriate treatments. During the revision, the proposal shifted from diagnosing risk to emphasizing current clinical need associated with attenuated psychotic symptoms. Within the community of researchers who studied psychosis risk, people disagreed about whether risk and/or attenuated symptoms should be an official DSM-5 diagnosis. Once it became clear that the DSM-5 field trials did not include enough cases to establish the reliability of the proposed criteria, everyone agreed that the criteria should be put in a section on conditions for further study rather the main section of the DSM-5. We close with recommendations about some practical benchmarks that should be met for including criteria for early detection in the classification system.
Resource ecologies, political economies and the ethics of audio technologies in the Anthropocene
Authors: Bates Eliot
Published: April 2020

Understanding how recorded and amplified stage musics contribute towards producing the Anthropocene necessitates attending to complex transnational flows of material, capital and labor, and how they coalesce into technological objects. This is complicated by the wide array of sites, practices and knowledges involved during various stages of the production process, from initial resource extraction, to smelting, component manufacturing, technology assembly, and distribution. To develop a suitable technological ethics, and to understand what happens to environments and to human, animal and plant lifeworlds, requires one to resist abstraction and undertake a global accounting of resource ecologies with recourse to planetary-scale political economy. Towards this goal, I provide a partial account of an early 2000s mic preamp, a mundane but nonetheless fetishised recording studio technological object. I focus on two metals, tin and tantalum, that are primarily extracted for electronics manufacturing, and two building blocks of electronics, solder and capacitors, which are essential for making contemporary electronics.
Time Is Power: Rethinking Meritocratic Political Selection in China
Authors: Zeng Yu , Wong Stan Hok-wui
Published: April 2020

Whether local officials in China are promoted on a meritocratic basis has been the subject of long-standing debate. Merit is commonly gauged by a leader's ability to deliver local GDP growth. Although some find economic performance to be a strong predictor of the career success of local leaders, we argue that the existing measure, which focuses on the promotion outcome of a single career step, is problematic because the career success of individual local leaders is seldom determined by a single promotion, or the lack thereof. We propose an alternative measure that is more suitable for China's political context: the length of time until promotion. Analysing the time it takes to gain promotion for four types of local leaders, we find that good economic performance is associated with a shorter time until promotion. However, the cumulative time-reducing effect of economic performance is far from significant, as it is generally insufficient to help local leaders overcome the age ceiling for promotion.
Explaining variations in responsiveness to external pressure: Japan's aid policy and bureaucratic politics
Authors: Iwanami Yukari
Published: April 2020

Although preceding studies on Japan's foreign aid tend to report that Japan's aid policy is receptive to US pressure, it remains unclear which direction the US wishes Japan to assist its aid programs and how bureaucratic politics of Japan reduces the magnitude of US influence. This paper pursues the first attempt to provide a theoretical framework for the direction of US influence on Japan's aid provision and to explore whether its impact varies across different types of aid. I utilize a new dataset on Japan's Official Development Assistance from 1971 to 2009 and employ both ordinary least squares and two-stage least squares regressions to handle the issues of reverse causality and joint decision-making. The combined results of quantitative and qualitative analyses suggest that the US tends to urge Japan to complement its aid efforts rather than to substitute them as substitution will allow Japan to increase its clout in strategically important recipients and the US attempts to minimize this risk by asking Japan to disburse aid in tandem. I also find that the allocation of Japanese grants is more receptive to US pressure than that of loans because the former is left to the discretion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that uses external pressure to win bureaucratic turf wars, whereas loans are determined through consultations among multiple agencies with constituencies that prioritize Japan's domestic interests. The findings are robust across different model specifications and different samples.
ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS
Authors: Oppy Graham
Published: April 2020

This is a short introduction to ontological arguments. It begins with a brief characterization of ontological arguments that proceeds mainly by way of example. The rest of the discussion is given over to consideration of what looks like a very simple ontological argument. This consideration turns up many of the issues that arise when more complex ontological arguments are examined.
TRUTH AND THE GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE
Authors: Capps John
Published: April 2020

Theories of truth are designed to help us understand this fundamental philosophical concept. But some theories of truth do too little while others do too much. Some theories omit important aspects of truth while other theories place limits on what's true and what we can know. Because theories that do too much can have significant drawbacks I propose what I call the Goldilocks Principle. Theories of truth should not do too much or too little but aim to be just right.
POLO MINTS: GATEWAY TO EXISTENTIAL ENLIGHTENMENT – PHILOSOPHY OF ORDINARY THINGS
Authors: Sukhoverkhov Anton , Pharoah Mark
Published: April 2020

Thirty-eight million Polo Mints are consumed every day, apparently without a second thought. However, could this humble little minty fella actually be the gateway to true knowledge about life, the Universe and everything? We have drawn on the inspiration of Sartre, the Dalai Lama, Tao Ti Ching, Heidegger and Mahayana Buddhism to find five reasons why the Polo Mint's inner emptiness, with its sweet minty after taste, can lead to contemplations of the ultimate truth.
Satellite Sleuthing Detects Underwater Eruptions
Authors: Brandl Philipp
Published: April 2020

Satellite data helped scientists locate the volcanic source of a pumice raft floating in the South Pacific Ocean, illustrating their promise in locating and monitoring undersea eruptions.
Associations between cognitive performance and Mediterranean dietary pattern in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Kössler Theresa , Weber Katharina S. , Wölwer Wolfgang , Hoyer Annika , Strassburger Klaus , Burkart Volker , Szendroedi Julia , Roden Michael , Müssig Karsten ,   for the GDS Group, Roden M. , Al-Hasani H. , Buyken A. E. , Belgardt B. , Geerling G. , Herder C. , Icks A. , Kotzka J. , Kuß O. , Lammert E. , Hwang J-H. , Müssig K. , Markgraf D. , Rathmann W. , Szendroedi J. , Ziegler D.
Published: April 2020

Diabetes mellitus has been associated with impaired cognitive performance, particularly in verbal memory. Mediterranean diets (MedD) may lead to improvements in overall and single cognitive functions. We hypothesised that adherence to MedD associates with better performance in verbal memory in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Thus, we performed a cross-sectional analysis including patients with recently diagnosed type 1 (n = 75) or type 2 diabetes (n = 118), metabolically healthy individuals (n = 41) and individuals with type 1 (n = 44) or type 2 diabetes (n = 62) of at least five years after diagnosis. Participants underwent comprehensive metabolic phenotyping and cognitive testing. Adherence to the Modified Mediterranean diet scale (MMDS) was computed from a food frequency questionnaire. Among patients with type 2 diabetes with a known diabetes duration ≥5 years, closer adherence to the MMDS was associated with higher score in verbal memory after adjustment for potential confounders (P = 0.043). Adherence to the MMDS did not relate to verbal memory in recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes (P = 0.275), recently diagnosed or longer-standing type 1 diabetes (P = 0.215 andP = 0.626, respectively) or metabolically healthy individuals (P = 0.666). In conclusion, closer adherence to MedD may exert beneficial effects on cognitive performance in the course of type 2 diabetes.
Ki-67 response-guided preoperative chemotherapy for HER2-positive breast cancer: results of a randomised Phase 2 study
Authors: Mukai Hirofumi , Yamaguchi Takeshi , Takahashi Masato , Hozumi Yasuo , Fujisawa Tomomi , Ohsumi Shozo , Akabane Hiromitsu , Nishimura Reiki , Takashima Tsutomu , Park Youngjin , Sagara Yasuaki , Toyama Tatsuya , Imoto Shigeru , Mizuno Toshiro , Yamashita Satoshi , Fujii Satoshi , Uemura Yukari
Published: April 2020

Background

The effectiveness of a therapeutic strategy that switches chemotherapy, based on Ki-67 tumour expression after initial therapy, relative to that of standard chemotherapy, has not been evaluated.

Methods

Patients were randomly assigned to the control arm or the Ki-67 response-guided arm (Ki-67 arm). Primary tumour biopsies were obtained before treatment, and after three once-weekly doses of paclitaxel and trastuzumab to assess the interim Ki-67 index. In the control arm, paclitaxel and trastuzumab were continued for a total of 12 doses, regardless of the interim Ki-67 index. In the Ki-67 arm, subsequent treatment was based on the interim Ki-67 index. Ki-67 early responder is defined as the absolute Ki-67 value that was <10%, and the percentage of Ki-67-positive tumour cells was reduced by >30% compared with before treatment. Early Ki-67 responders continued to receive the same treatment, while early Ki-67 non-responders were switched to epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide. The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate.

Results

A total of 237 patients were randomised. There was almost linear correlation between the Ki-67 reduction rate at interim assessment and the pCR rate. The pCR rate in Ki-67 early non-responders in the Ki-67 arm was inferior to that in the control arm (44.1%; 31.4–56.7; P = 0.025).

Conclusions

The standard chemotherapy protocol remains as the recommended strategy for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

Clinical trial registration

Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN-CTR as UMIN000007074.
The WRKY transcription factor PlWRKY65 enhances the resistance of Paeonia lactiflora (herbaceous peony) to Alternaria tenuissima
Authors: Wang Xue , Li Junjie , Guo Jing , Qiao Qian , Guo Xianfeng , Ma Yan
Published: April 2020

In this study, the disease resistance gene PlWRKY65 was isolated from the leaves of Paeonia lactiflora and analyzed by bioinformatics methods, and the localization of the encoded protein was explored. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was also used to explore the response of this gene to Alternaria tenuissima. The results showed that the gene sequence contained multiple cis-acting elements involved in the response to hormone signaling molecules belonging to the IIe subgroup of the WRKY family, and the encoded proteins were located in the nucleus. The PlWRKY65 gene has a positive regulatory effect on A. tenuissima infection. After silencing the PlWRKY65 gene via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), it was found that the gene-silenced plants were more sensitive to A. tenuissima infection than the wild plants, exhibiting more severe infection symptoms and different degrees of changes in the expression of the pathogenesis-related (PR) genes. In addition, we showed that the endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) content of P. lactiflora was increased in response to A. tenuissima infection, whereas the salicylic acid (SA) content decreased. After PlWRKY65 gene silencing, the levels of the two hormones changed accordingly, indicating that PlWRKY65, acting as a disease resistance-related transcriptional activator, exerts a regulatory effect on JA and SA signals. This study lays the foundation for functional research on WRKY genes in P. lactiflora and for the discovery of candidate disease resistance genes.
Supramolecular copolymerization driven by integrative self-sorting of hydrogen-bonded rosettes
Authors: Aratsu Keisuke , Takeya Rika , Pauw Brian R. , Hollamby Martin J. , Kitamoto Yuichi , Shimizu Nobutaka , Takagi Hideaki , Haruki Rie , Adachi Shin-ichi , Yagai Shiki
Published: April 2020

Molecular recognition to preorganize noncovalently polymerizable supramolecular complexes is a characteristic process of natural supramolecular polymers, and such recognition processes allow for dynamic self-alteration, yielding complex polymer systems with extraordinarily high efficiency in their targeted function. We herein show an example of such molecular recognition-controlled kinetic assembly/disassembly processes within artificial supramolecular polymer systems using six-membered hydrogen-bonded supramolecular complexes (rosettes). Electron-rich and poor monomers are prepared that kinetically coassemble through a temperature-controlled protocol into amorphous coaggregates comprising a diverse mixture of rosettes. Over days, the electrostatic interaction between two monomers induces an integrative self-sorting of rosettes. While the electron-rich monomer inherently forms toroidal homopolymers, the additional electrostatic interaction that can also guide rosette association allows helicoidal growth of supramolecular copolymers that are comprised of an alternating array of two monomers. Upon heating, the helicoidal copolymers undergo a catastrophic transition into amorphous coaggregates via entropy-driven randomization of the monomers in the rosette.
Author Correction: A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China
Authors: Wu Fan , Zhao Su , Yu Bin , Chen Yan-Mei , Wang Wen , Song Zhi-Gang , Hu Yi , Tao Zhao-Wu , Tian Jun-Hua , Pei Yuan-Yuan , Yuan Ming-Li , Zhang Yu-Ling , Dai Fa-Hui , Liu Yi , Wang Qi-Min , Zheng Jiao-Jiao , Xu Lin , Holmes Edward C. , Zhang Yong-Zhen
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Modified Crushed Oyster Shells for Fluoride Removal from Water
Authors: Kim Woohang , Singh Rekha , Smith James A.
Published: April 2020

Elevated concentrations of fluoride ions (F−) in natural groundwater are a worldwide problem. Discarded oyster shells were ground to ≤100 µm particle size to produce oyster shell powder (OS). A subset of the OS was heated to produce calcined oyster shell (COS). A subset of the COS was further treated with 1 M phosphoric acid to produce phosphoric-acid-treated oyster shell (POS). OS and COS were combined with phosphoric acid (1.6 mM and 3.2 mM) to produce OS + P (oyster shell with phosphoric acid) and COS + P (calcined oyster shell with phosphoric acid). OS and COS removed 46% and 50% (10 g/L of sorbent dose) but POS, OS + P and COS + P removed 96%, 100% and 76% (1 g/L of sorbent dose) when the initial concentration of fluoride was 10 mg/L. The sorption kinetics of POS, OS + P and COS + P followed second-order reaction rates, and sorption isotherms of all sorbents were well-described by the Freundlich sorption isotherm. These results indicate that oyster shells can be an effective sorbent for fluoride removal, with the added benefit of re-use of a waste product.