bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delay‐compensation block for first‐order low‐pass delta‐sigma modulators
Authors: Ben Arfi Anis , Helaoui Mohamed , Ghannouchi Fadhel M.
Published: December 2018

Implementing the Delta Sigma Modulator (DSM) processing blocks on hardware is challenging due to the additional tap delays required by the digital processing blocks to process and output the result. The tap‐delays, known as latency, are necessary for the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) operation to allow the logic gates to process the data at a given clock rate. These latencies alter the transfer function of the first‐order DSM as they present additional tap‐delays to the inherent delays within the DSM loop. A compensation block for the first‐order DSM is proposed to cancel‐out the effect of these latencies. By studying the transfer function, a combination of delays able to reconstruct the correct transfer function is determined. The solution was implemented on FPGA and tested using a 2.5 MHz signal. The post‐compensated DSM achieved a Signal‐to‐Noise‐and‐Distortion Ratio (SNDR) = 42 dB and an Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) = 39 dB.
Method of mode decomposition based on virtual ports for circularly polarized micro‐strip antenna
Authors: Wang Yi , Su Yan , Xie Ze‐Ming , Gao Kun
Published: December 2018

A design method of circularly polarized (CP) micro‐strip antenna is proposed. The coefficients of eigen‐mode and the axial ratio (AR) are derived based on the cavity theory. The radiation feature can be estimated from port impedance. The optimal feeding position is found by means of virtual port method. During the derivation, corner truncated patch antenna is used to verify the method. A cross‐slotted CP micro‐strip antenna is designed, which is working at GPS band. Then the fabrication and measurement of the antenna are conducted. Its measured impedance, AR, radiation pattern agreed well with the simulation results, which verify high efficiency of this method for CP micro‐strip antenna design.
Radio‐morphology: Parametric shape‐based features in radiotherapy
Authors: Lakshminarayanan Pranav , Jiang Wei , Robertson Scott P. , Cheng Zhi , Han Peijin , Bowers Michael , Moore Joseph A. , Shpitser Ilya , Siddiqui Sauleh A. , Quon Harry , Taylor Russell H. , McNutt Todd
Published: December 2018

Purpose

In radiotherapy, it is necessary to characterize dose over the patient anatomy to target areas and organs at risk. Current tools provide methods to describe dose in terms of percentage of volume and magnitude of dose, but are limited by assumptions of anatomical homogeneity within a region of interest (ROI) and provide a non‐spatially aware description of dose. A practice termed radio‐morphology is proposed as a method to apply anatomical knowledge to parametrically derive new shapes and substructures from a normalized set of anatomy, ensuring consistently identifiable spatially aware features of the dose across a patient set.

Methods

Radio‐morphologic (RM) features are derived from a three‐step procedure: anatomy normalization, shape transformation, and dose calculation. Predefined ROI's are mapped to a common anatomy, a series of geometric transformations are applied to create new structures, and dose is overlaid to the new images to extract dosimetric features; this feature computation pipeline characterizes patient treatment with greater anatomic specificity than current methods.

Results

Examples of applications of this framework to derive structures include concentric shells based around expansions and contractions of the parotid glands, separation of the esophagus into slices along the z‐axis, and creating radial sectors to approximate neurovascular bundles surrounding the prostate. Compared to organ‐level dose‐volume histograms (DVHs), using derived RM structures permits a greater level of control over the shapes and anatomical regions that are studied and ensures that all new structures are consistently identified. Using machine learning methods, these derived dose features can help uncover dose dependencies of inter‐ and intra‐organ regions. Voxel‐based and shape‐based analysis of the parotid and submandibular glands identified regions that were predictive of the development of high‐grade xerostomia (CTCAE grade 2 or greater) at 3–6 months post treatment.

Conclusions

Radio‐morphology is a valuable data mining tool that approaches radiotherapy data in a new way, improving the study of radiotherapy to potentially improve prognostic and predictive accuracy. Further applications of this methodology include the use of parametrically derived sub‐volumes to drive radiotherapy treatment planning.
Report of a National Cancer Institute special panel: Characterization of the physical parameters of particle beams for biological research
Authors: Durante Marco , Paganetti Harald , Pompos Arnold , Kry Stephen F. , Wu Xiaodong , Grosshans David R.
Published: December 2018

Purpose

To define the physical parameters needed to characterize a particle beam in order to allow intercomparison of different experiments performed using different ions at the same facility and using the same ion at different facilities.

Methods

At the request of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a special panel was convened to review the current status of the field and to provide suggested metrics for reporting the physical parameters of particle beams to be used for biological research. A set of physical parameters and measurements that should be performed by facilities and understood and reported by researchers supported by NCI to perform pre‐clinical radiobiology and medical physics of heavy ions were generated.

Results

Standard measures such as radiation delivery technique, beam modifiers used, nominal energy, field size, physical dose and dose rate should all be reported. However, more advanced physical measurements, including detailed characterization of beam quality by microdosimetric spectrum and fragmentation spectra, should also be established and reported. Details regarding how such data should be incorporated into Monte Carlo simulations and the proper reporting of simulation details are also discussed.

Conclusions

In order to allow for a clear relation of physical parameters to biological effects, facilities and researchers should establish and report detailed physical characteristics of the irradiation beams utilized including both standard and advanced measures. Biological researchers are encouraged to actively engage facility staff and physicists in the design and conduct of experiments. Modeling individual experimental setups will allow for the reporting of the uncertainties in the measurement or calculation of physical parameters which should be routinely reported.
Real‐time simultaneous shim and motion measurement and correction in glycoCEST MRI using double volumetric navigators (DvNavs)
Authors: Simegn Gizeaddis L. , Van der Kouwe Andre J.W. , Robertson Frances C. , Meintjes Ernesta M. , Alhamud Ali
Published: December 2018

Purpose

CEST MRI allows for indirect detection of molecules with exchangeable protons, measured as a reduction in water signal because of continuous transfer of saturated protons. CEST requires saturation pulses on the order of a second, as well as repeated acquisitions at different offset frequencies. The resulting extended scan time makes CEST susceptible to subject motion, which introduces field inhomogeneity, shifting offset frequencies and causing distortions in CEST spectra that resemble true CEST effects. This is a particular problem for molecules that resonate close to water, such as hydroxyl group in glycogen. To address this, a technique for real‐time measurement and correction of motion and field inhomogeneity is proposed.

Methods

A CEST sequence was modified to include double volumetric navigators (DvNavs) for real‐time simultaneous motion and shim correction. Phantom tests were conducted to investigate the effects of motion and shim changes on CEST quantification and to validate the accuracy of DvNav motion and shim estimates. To evaluate DvNav shim and motion correction in vivo, acquisitions including 5 experimental conditions were performed in the calf muscle of 2 volunteers.

Results

Phantom data show that DvNav‐CEST accurately estimates frequency and linear gradient changes because of motion and corrects resulting image distortions. In addition, DvNav‐CEST improves CEST quantification in vivo in the presence of motion.

Conclusion

The proposed technique allows for real‐time simultaneous motion and shim correction with no additional scanning time, enabling accurate CEST quantification even in the presence of motion and field inhomogeneity.
Simple and broadly applicable automatic quality control for 3D 1H MR spectroscopic imaging data of the prostate
Authors: Tayari Nassim , Obels Jiri , Kobus Thiele , Scheenen Tom W.J. , Heerschap Arend
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Quality control (QC) is a prerequisite for clinical MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) to avoid that bad spectra hamper data interpretation. The aim of this work was to present a simple automatic QC for prostate 1H MRSI that can handle data obtained with different commonly used pulse sequences, echo times, field strengths, and MR platforms.

Methods

A QC method was developed with a ratio (Qratio) where the numerator and the denominator are functions of several signal heights, logically combined for their positive or negative contribution to spectral quality. This Qratio was tested on 4 data sets obtained at 1.5, 3, and 7T, with and without endorectal coil and different localization sequences and echo times. Spectra of 25,248 voxels in 26 prostates were labeled as acceptable or unacceptable by MRS experts as gold standard. A threshold value was determined for Qratio from a subset of voxels, labeled in consensus by 4 experts, for an optimal accuracy to separate spectra.

Results

Applying this Qratio threshold to the remaining test voxels, an automatic separation of good and bad spectra was possible with an accuracy of 0.88, similar to manual separation between the 2 classes. Qratio values were used to generate maps representing spectral quality on a binary or continuous scale.

Conclusion

Automated QC of prostate 1H MRSI by Qratio is fast, simple, easily transferable and more practical than supervised feature extraction methods and therefore easy to integrate into different clinical MR systems. Moreover, quality maps can be generated to read the reliability of spectra in each voxel.
Quasi‐Toeplitz splitting iteration methods for unsteady space‐fractional diffusion equations
Authors: Dai Ping‐Fei , Wu Qing‐Biao , Zhu Sheng‐Feng
Published: December 2018

We construct a class of quasi‐Toeplitz splitting iteration methods to solve the two‐sided unsteady space‐fractional diffusion equations with variable coefficients. By making full use of the structural characteristics of the coefficient matrix, the method only requires computational costs of O(n log n) with n denoting the number of degrees of freedom. We develop an appropriate circulant matrix to replace the Toeplitz matrix as a preconditioner. We discuss the spectral properties of the quasi‐circulant splitting preconditioned matrix. Numerical comparisons with existing approaches show that the present method is both effective and efficient when being used as matrix splitting preconditioners for Krylov subspace iteration methods.
Lung development and emerging roles for type 2 immunity
Authors: Loering Svenja , Cameron Guy J. M. , Starkey Malcolm R , Hansbro Philip M
Published: December 2018

Lung development is a complex process mediated through the interaction of multiple cell types, factors and mediators. In mice, it starts as early as embryonic day 9 and continues into early adulthood. The process can be separated into five different developmental stages: embryonic, pseudoglandular, canalicular, saccular, and alveolar. Whilst lung bud formation and branching morphogenesis have been studied extensively, the mechanisms of alveolarisation are incompletely understood. Aberrant lung development can lead to deleterious consequences for respiratory health such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a disease primarily affecting preterm neonates, which is characterised by increased pulmonary inflammation and disturbed alveolarisation. While the deleterious effects of type 1‐mediated inflammatory responses on lung development have been well established, the role of type 2 responses in postnatal lung development remains poorly understood. Recent studies indicate that type 2‐associated immune cells, such as group 2 innate lymphoid cells and alveolar macrophages, are increased in number during postnatal alveolarisation. Here, we present the current state of understanding of the postnatal stages of lung development and the key cell types and mediators known to be involved. We also provide an overview of how stem cells are involved in lung development and regeneration, and the negative influences of respiratory infections. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterizations of HSP90‐Interacting Complex in Renal Cells Using Tandem Affinity Purification and Its Potential Role in Kidney Stone Formation
Authors: Manissorn Juthatip , Singhto Nilubon , Thongboonkerd Visith
Published: December 2018

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a highly abundant molecular chaperone that interacts with many other intracellular proteins to regulate various cellular processes. However, compositions of the HSP90‐interacting complex remain underinvestigated. This study thus aims to characterize such complex in human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells under normal physiologic state using tandem affinity purification (TAP) followed by protein identification using an ultrahigh‐resolution tandem mass spectrometer (Qq‐TOF MS/MS). A total of 32 proteins, including four forms of HSP90 and 16 novel HSP90‐interacting partners, are successfully identified from this complex using TAP control to subtract nonspecific binders. Co‐immunoprecipitation followed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence co‐staining confirms the association of HSP90 with known (HSP70, α‐tubulin, and β‐actin) and novel (vimentin, calpain‐1, and importin‐β1) partners. Knockdown of HSP90 by small‐interfering RNA (siHSP90) causes significant changes in levels of HSP70, α‐tubulin, β‐actin, vimentin, and calpain‐1, all of which are calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal‐binding proteins that play significant roles in kidney stone formation. Moreover, crystal‐binding capability is significantly decreased in siHSP90‐transfected cells as compared to non‐transfected control and siControl‐transfected cells. In summary, herein, a number of novel HSP90‐interacting proteins in renal cells is reported and the potential role of HSP90‐interacting complex in kidney stone formation is demonstrated.
A Comment on Effective Field Theories of Flux Vacua
Authors: Kachru Shamit , Trivedi Sandip P.
Published: December 2018

We discuss some basic aspects of effective field theory applied to supergravity theories which arise in the low‐energy limit of string theory. Our discussion is particularly relevant to the effective field theories of no‐scale supergravities that break supersymmetry, including those that appear in constructing de Sitter solutions of string theory.
Trade‐off and adaptive cost in a multiple‐resistant strain of the invasive potato tuber moth Tecia solanivora
Authors: Gutiérrez Yeisson , Bacca Tito , Zambrano Lady S , Pineda María , Guedes Raul NC
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

Resistance to pesticides is an evolutionary process that entails, in most cases, substantial consequences to the biology of the resistant populations. In this study we focus on the life history traits of the potato tuber moth Tecia solanivora, an invasive and voracious pest for which resistance to pyrethroid insecticides was recently reported.

Marginally resistant and multiple‐resistant populations were selected from eight sampled localities in Colombia; the use of a fully susceptible population was not possible since none was recognized in the laboratory or field. The multiple‐resistant Siachoque population exhibited a 42‐fold resistance to the carbamate insecticide carbofuran, and low levels of resistance to chlorpyrifos, a trend observed in six of the eight tested populations. This population also exhibits 24‐fold resistance to permethrin. The marginally resistant population of Gualmatán showed 4‐fold resistance to chlorpyrifos.

RESULTS

The multiple‐resistant population exhibited a 3.8‐day shorter developmental time than the susceptible population, but with higher larval mortality. The peak of egg‐laying was delayed in the resistant population in 9 days and the population growth rate was lower than that of the susceptible population.

CONCLUSION

We hypothesize that the short developmental time of the multiple‐resistant population may be an adaptation to minimize exposure to insecticides, which are applied to the soil. This adaptation is likely to require the surviving adults to compensate for the smaller nutrient amounts accumulated by the larvae in investing part of its adult life in securing the necessary resources for late‐life egg production. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Adiabatic Preparation of a Correlated Symmetry‐Broken Initial State with the Generalized Kadanoff–Baym Ansatz
Authors: Tuovinen Riku , Golež Denis , Schüler Michael , Werner Philipp , Eckstein Martin , Sentef Michael A.
Published: December 2018

A fast time propagation method for nonequilibrium Green's functions (NEGF) based on the generalized Kadanoff–Baym Ansatz (GKBA) is applied to a lattice system with a symmetry‐broken equilibrium phase, namely an excitonic insulator (EI). The adiabatic preparation of a correlated symmetry‐broken initial state from a Hartree–Fock wave function within GKBA is assessed by comparing with a solution of the imaginary‐time Dyson equation. It is found that it is possible to reach a symmetry‐broken correlated initial state with nonzero excitonic order parameter by the adiabatic switching (AS) procedure. It is discussed under which circumstances this is possible in practice within reasonably short switching times.
Flying on point clouds: Online trajectory generation and autonomous navigation for quadrotors in cluttered environments
Authors: Gao Fei , Wu William , Gao Wenliang , Shen Shaojie
Published: December 2018

Micro aerial vehicles (MAVs), especially quadrotors, have been widely used in field applications, such as disaster response, field surveillance, and search‐and‐rescue. For accomplishing such missions in challenging environments, the capability of navigating with full autonomy while avoiding unexpected obstacles is the most crucial requirement. In this paper, we present a framework for online generating safe and dynamically feasible trajectories directly on the point cloud, which is the lowest‐level representation of range measurements and is applicable to different sensor types. We develop a quadrotor platform equipped with a three‐dimensional (3D) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for simultaneously estimating states of the vehicle and building point cloud maps of the environment. Based on the incrementally registered point clouds, we online generate and refine a flight corridor, which represents the free space that the trajectory of the quadrotor should lie in. We represent the trajectory as piecewise Bézier curves by using the Bernstein polynomial basis and formulate the trajectory generation problem as a convex program. By using Bézier curves, we can constrain the position and kinodynamics of the trajectory entirely within the flight corridor and given physical limits. The proposed approach is implemented to run onboard in real‐time and is integrated into an autonomous quadrotor platform. We demonstrate fully autonomous quadrotor flights in unknown, complex environments to validate the proposed method.
Simultaneous exploration and segmentation for search and rescue
Authors: Petříček Tomáš , Šalanský Vojtěch , Zimmermann Karel , Svoboda Tomáš
Published: December 2018

We consider the problem of active victim segmentation during a search‐and‐rescue (SAR) exploration mission. The robot is equipped with a multimodal sensor suite consisting of a camera, lidar, and pan‐tilt thermal sensor. The robot enters an unknown scene, builds a 3D model incrementally, and the proposed method simultaneously (a) segments the victims from incomplete multimodal measurements and (b) controls the motion of the thermal camera. Both of these tasks are difficult due to the lack of natural training data and the limited number of real‐world trials. In particular, we overcome the absence of training data for the segmentation task by employing a manually designed generative model, which provides a semisynthetic training data set. The limited number of real‐world trials is tackled by self‐supervised initialization and optimization‐based guiding of the motion control learning. In addition to that, we provide a quantitative evaluation of the proposed method on several real testing scenarios using the real SAR robot. Finally, we also provide a data set which will allow for further development of algorithms on the real data.
Estimates of landscape composition from terrestrial oblique photographs suggest homogenization of Rocky Mountain landscapes over the last century
Authors: Fortin Julie A. , Fisher Jason T. , Rhemtulla Jeanine M. , Higgs Eric S.
Published: December 2018

While orthogonal (i.e., aerial or satellite) imagery has become the more conventional source of land cover data because it can yield spatially accurate land cover maps, terrestrial oblique photographs present a valuable, relatively untapped source of raw optical data for studies of land cover change. We present a case study contrasting how these two types of imagery sample landscape composition and using repeat oblique photographs to evaluate long‐term land cover change in a remote region of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. We classified 46 historical oblique photographs and their corresponding modern repeats using the same discrete land cover classes employed in a Landsat‐based map of the same area. We compared landscape‐level composition estimates from both sources and regressed the land cover proportions from Landsat against the modern oblique images, hypothesizing a linear relationship for most classes. We found that the two sources sampled the landscape in broadly similar ways, with near‐concordance for dominant land cover classes, yet that oblique photographs more frequently detected narrow landscape features and estimated higher proportions of rock compared to satellite imagery, possibly due to the higher spatial resolution of the oblique photographs, and to their angle of incidence against steep slopes. We then evaluated land cover change from corresponding historical and repeat photographs and found that the landscape has homogenized over the past century via increased coniferous forest cover. Our work shows that terrestrial oblique photographs can be used to estimate landscape composition, particularly in mountain environments. This is helpful for analyzing past landscape conditions in historical photographs, monitoring decadal‐span landscape change and assessing habitat to model biodiversity through time.
Magnetic field dependence of heating property of resovist® for magnetic hyperthermia
Authors: Tonthat Loi , Yamamoto Yoshiyuki , Aki Fumitaka , Saito Hajime , Mitobe Kazutaka
Published: December 2018

Resovist®, a MRI contrast agent, has been gaining more attention due to its potential as a therapeutic agent in magnetic hyperthermia and a diagnostic agent in magnetic particle imaging. In this study, we examined the dependence of heating property quantified by the specific absorption rate (SAR) by manipulating the applied magnetic field amplitude and frequency (H = 1.8–7.1 kA/m, f = 500 kHz, and H = 4.8 kA/m, f = 200–1000 kHz). The results indicate that the SAR was linearly proportional to amplitude square and frequency. In addition, the heating efficiency (e.g., SAR = 44 W/g at H = 7.1 kA/m, f = 500 kHz) was sufficient to treat the tumor, which suggests the effectiveness of Resovist® for hyperthermia. The results obtained here may enable us to find the optimal conditions of applied magnetic field and the amount of Resovist® required for treatment. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Mapping of daylight illumination levels using global solar radiation data in and around Istanbul, Turkey
Authors: Durna Bihter , Şahin Ahmet Duran
Published: December 2018

In this article, horizontal global solar radiation and daylight illumination level measurements from Istanbul are analysed. The measurements were made at a central meteorological station near the Bosphorus, which is used as the reference location. Global solar radiation data collected at an additional seven stations near this site were also analysed and correlated with the reference point values. Due to their respective locations, observations at several of these stations exhibit characteristics typical of rural areas within the city, whereas two of them exhibit characteristics associated with urban areas. The illumination values for stations for which measurements were not made are estimated using the correlations between the illumination level at the reference station and the solar radiation received at the other locations. Representative linear regression analysis is performed. The measured and estimated values are used to evaluate the spatial properties of illumination levels in and around Istanbul using the kriging method. The daylight illumination level varies strongly with the seasons, especially in the southern parts of Istanbul, where the city centre is located. Using the strong correlation between daylight illumination and global solar radiation at these stations, the spatial variability of illumination in this region is evaluated and presented in the form of maps. Global solar radiation and daylight illumination levels tend to decrease from south to north in and around Istanbul. Due to the complex physical effects associated with urban surroundings, large deviations from solar radiation and daylight illumination values that are relatively consistent across the other stations are observed for the two stations located in the centre of Istanbul.
Fundamentals, challenges, and nanomedicine‐based solutions for ocular diseases
Authors: Srinivasarao Dadi A. , Lohiya Garima , Katti Dhirendra S.
Published: December 2018

The eye consists of sensitive, compactly adjoined tissue structures which act as strong physical (static) and physiological (dynamic) barriers that prevent entry of foreign bodies into the eye. Together, these barriers reduce the bioavailability of topically and intraocularly administered medicaments thus demanding frequent drug administration for the treatment of chronic eye diseases. Hence, development of drug delivery systems (DDS) that can be retained in ocular tissues for longer durations can help to reduce the frequency of drug administration, whereas, delivery systems that traverse through ocular barriers may offer higher bioavailability of administered drugs to otherwise inaccessible ocular tissues. These objectives can be partially/fully achieved using nanoparticulate/colloidal DDS. Colloidal DDS, due to their nanodimensions, undergo internalization by cells which enables transport of drugs through ocular barriers. Furthermore, nanoparticles can prolong duration of drug release and can increase residence time of entrapped cargo molecules in ocular tissues. Together, these aspects facilitate a higher bioavailability, prolonged therapeutic effect and reduced frequency of drug administration for the effective treatment of chronic ocular diseases. Hence, nanocarriers have been widely explored for ophthalmic drug delivery applications. In this review, we discuss the anatomy of ocular tissues along with their barrier properties. We then discuss ocular diseases along with the various routes of drug administration and pathways of drug transport in the eye. The next section discusses the influence of physicochemical properties of therapeutic molecules on their ocular distribution and conventional and advanced (nanoparticulate/colloidal DDS) drug formulations that are used for the treatment of ocular diseases.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Neurological Disease

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Testosterone Insufficiency in Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Laan Ellen T.M. , Prins Jan M. , van Lunsen Rik H.W. , Nieuwkerk Pythia T. , Nievaard-Boon Marian A.F.
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Now that HIV infection has become a chronic disease, optimizing health status is an important goal of care for HIV-infected patients. Testosterone insufficiency (TI) can compromise health status, but little is known about the prevalence of TI and possible related factors in HIV-infected women.

Aim

To investigate the prevalence of TI among HIV-infected women attending our HIV outpatient clinic, and to study the relationship between TI and sexual function, fatigue, health status, and depression.

Methods

56 HIV-infected women aged ≥18 years who attended the HIV outpatient clinic of the Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands, were included. Blood samples were taken for endocrinologic testing and patients filled out 6 validated questionnaires measuring sexual function, fatigue, health, and depression.

Main Outcome Measure

TI, the Female Sexual Function Index, the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, the Medical Outcomes Studies Short Form 36-item health survey, and the Beck Depression Inventory were assessed.

Results

A relatively high prevalence of TI, 37%, was found. Plasma viral load and CD4 cell count did not differ between women with or without TI. Clinical fatigue, physical fatigue, and impaired cognitive function were significantly more prevalent in women with TI. Women with TI also tended to report decreased sexual desire, reduced physical activity, increased mental fatigue, reduced physical function, increased health distress, and clinical depression.

Conclusion

We recommend that in all HIV-positive women with complaints typical for TI, testosterone is measured, and that in women with TI, testosterone replacement be considered as a treatment option. However, given that complaints are also prevalent in HIV-positive women without TI, the approach to women with these complaints should include sexual and psychological evaluation.
Is Pelvic Floor sEMG a Measure of Women’s Sexual Response?
Authors: Hannan-Leith M. N. , Dayan M. , Hatfield G. , Lalumière M. L. , Albert A. Y. , Brotto L. A.
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Pelvic floor surface electromyography (sEMG) is often used in the assessment and treatment of individuals with pelvic floor abnormalities to measure muscle tone and neural control of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM); however, little is known about the role of the PFM in sexual arousal.

Aim

The aim of this pilot study was to examine whether changes in deep and superficial PFM activity—assessed with sEMG—can be observed during the presentation of sexual stimuli.

Methods

Deep PFM sEMG activity was assessed with a vaginal probe. Superficial PFM activity was assessed with sEMG electrodes placed over the bulbocavernosus and perianal muscles. 15 sexually healthy women (mean age 27 years) watched a series of neutral, anxiety-evoking, and sexually explicit films. Continuous subjective sexual arousal was measured using a handheld arousometer.

Main Outcome Measure

Changes in microvolts were measured by sEMG sensors, from neutral to anxiety-evoking and neutral to sexually explicit films.

Results

There was an increase in intravaginal and perianal sEMG for both the erotic and anxiety films. Bulbocavernosus sEMG responses did not differ among the 3 films. Concordance between self-reported continuous sexual arousal for the erotic film and bulbocavernosus sEMG (r = 0.349) was not significantly different than concordance using intravaginal sEMG (r = 0.293) or perianal sEMG (r = 0.236).

Clinical Implications

Understanding more about which parts of the PFM respond specifically to sexual stimuli may have implications for measuring the effects of treatments aimed at improving sexual response in women.

Strength & Limitations

The results of this pilot study provide a preliminary understanding of which pelvic floor muscles respond to sexual stimuli. A limitation of this study was the small sample size.

Conclusion

Taken together, these findings suggest that intravaginal and perianal sEMG respond to erotic stimuli, whereas bulbocavernosal sEMG responses do not.
Indian Basic Structure Jurisprudence in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan: Reconfiguring the Constitutional Politics of Religion
Authors: NELSON Matthew J
Published: December 2018

In both India and Pakistan, parliament is constitutionally endowed with ‘constituent power’, that is, the power to introduce constitutional amendments via procedures laid down in the constitution itself. Duly promulgated amendments, however, are occasionally struck down when Supreme Court judges see them as violating what the judges themselves define as the ‘essential features’ of each country’s constitutional ‘basic structure’. I trace the migration of basic structure jurisprudence from India to Pakistan, focusing on the ways in which it has elevated the power of judges over that of elected officials in the realm of religion-state relations. Specifically, I highlight the ways in which judicial independence vis-à-vis judicial appointments has been described as an essential feature of each country’s constitution, greatly enhancing the autonomous power of judges to mould constitutional benches that, in turn, define India’s constitutional understanding of secularism and Pakistan’s relationship with Islam.
The Subject in Hegel’s Absolute Idea
Authors: Tolley Clinton
Published: December 2018

There has been a tendency in some of the most influential recent interpretations of Hegel to downplay (or simply ignore) the theological characterizations that Hegel gives to the subject-matter of logic, and to emphasize, instead, certain continuities taken to exist between Hegel’s conception of logic and that of Kant. In the work of Robert Pippin and others, this has led to an ‘apperception’-oriented interpretation of Hegel’s logic, according to which Hegel follows Kant in taking logic to be primarily concerned with the nature of human self-conscious subjectivity. Here I put pressure on this interpretation—first, by foregrounding textual and systematic evidence for taking the theological characterizations to accurately convey Hegel’s considered position on logic, as the science of the ‘absolute idea’, and then, secondly, by showing how Hegel’s arguments for the absolute formality and universality of logic point instead to a more fully-fledged rejection of Kant’s conception as too specifically psychological.
Morphometrics, growth characteristics, and phylogenetic implications ofHalysites catenularius(Tabulata, Silurian, Estonia)
Authors: Liang Kun , Elias Robert J. , Lee Dong-Jin
Published: December 2018

Based on multivariate morphometric analysis,Halysites catenulariusis identified from the Rumba Formation (Telychian) and Jaagarahu Formation (Sheinwoodian) of Estonia;H. priscusis confirmed as a junior synonym.Halysites catenularius,H.junior, andH.seniorare shown to be closely related;H.catenulariusis morphologically intermediate. Cyclomorphism inH.catenularius, recorded by fluctuations of corallite tabularial area, indicates an average annual growth rate of 6.0 mm, which is typical for halysitids. Tubules inH.catenularius, generated from small intramural openings between adjacent corallites, were involved in two types of interstitial increase. The intramural openings, three types of lateral increase, temporary agglutinated patches of corallites, and axial increase documented inH. catenulariusresemble features in some species ofCatenipora. These similarities are consistent with the interpretation thatHalysitesevolved fromCatenipora. Evaluation of the possibility that both genera are polyphyletic will require further detailed analysis of additional species.
Commuting Varieties for Nilpotent Radicals
Authors: Farnsteiner Rolf
Published: December 2018

LetUbe the unipotent radical of a Borel subgroup of a connected reductive algebraic groupG, which is defined over an algebraically closed fieldk. In this paper, we extend work by Goodwin and Röhrle concerning the commuting variety of Lie(U) for Char(k) = 0 to fields whose characteristic is good forG.
Algebraic EHP Sequences Revisited
Authors: Nguyễn Thế Cu’ò’ng
Published: December 2018

The algebraic EHP sequences, algebraic analogues of the EHP sequences in homotopy theory, are important tools in algebraic topology. This note will outline two new proofs of the existence of the algebraic EHP sequences. The first proof is derived from the minimal injective resolution of the reduced singular cohomology of spheres, and the second one follows Bousfield's idea using the loop functor of unstable modules.
Left Braces and the Quantum Yang–Baxter Equation
Authors: Meng H. , Ballester-Bolinches A. , Esteban-Romero R.
Published: December 2018

Braces were introduced by Rump in 2007 as a useful tool in the study of the set-theoretic solutions of the Yang–Baxter equation. In fact, several aspects of the theory of finite left braces and their applications in the context of the Yang–Baxter equation have been extensively investigated recently. The main aim of this paper is to introduce and study two finite brace theoretical properties associated with nilpotency, and to analyse their impact on the finite solutions of the Yang–Baxter equation.
THE PROTOCOL ON WATER AND HEALTH AS A STRATEGY FOR GLOBAL WATER GOVERNANCE INTEGRATION
Authors: Viñuales Jorge E.
Published: December 2018

The 2018 report issued by a High-Level Panel on Water convened by the UN Secretary-General and the President of the World Bank, and consisting of 11 sitting heads of State and government, concluded that one of the main challenges facing global water governance is integration. Finding ways of integrating the different layers and areas of global water governance will, in turn, require institutional innovation. This article explores the potential of a well-tested yet largely under-studied approach to integration, namely that provided by the UNECE/WHO-Europe Protocol on Water and Health. It proposes that the Protocol be relied on both as an instrument and as a model that can be harnessed in four main ways: accession by a State or a regional organization (eg the EU) to the Protocol; amendment to give the Protocol a global scope; as a model framework for development, cooperation and foreign policy; as a model framework for the adoption of a contextualized instrument in another regional context.
Effects of consuming sugars and alternative sweeteners during pregnancy on maternal and child health: evidence for a secondhand sugar effect
Authors: Goran M. I. , Plows J. F. , Ventura E. E.
Published: December 2018

Consumption of sugar and alternative low- or no-energy sweeteners has increased in recent decades. However, it is still uncertain how consumption of sugar and alternative sweeteners during pregnancy affects pregnancy outcomes and long-term offspring health. This review aims to collate the available evidence surrounding the consequences of sugar and alternative sweetener consumption during pregnancy, a so-called secondhand sugar effect. We found evidence that sugar consumption during pregnancy may contribute to increased gestational weight gain and the development of pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and preterm birth. Further, we found a growing body of the animal and human evidence that maternal sugar intake during pregnancy may impact neonatal and childhood metabolism, taste perception and obesity risk. Emerging evidence also suggests that both maternal and paternal preconception sugar intakes are linked to offspring metabolic outcomes, perhaps via epigenetic alterations to the germline. While there have been fewer studies of the impacts of alternative sweetener consumption before and during pregnancy, there is some evidence to suggest effects on infant outcomes including preterm birth risk, increased infant body composition and offspring preference for sweet foods, although mechanisms are unclear. We conclude that preconception and gestational sugar and alternative sweetener consumption may negatively impact pregnancy outcomes and offspring health and that there is a need for further observational, mechanistic and intervention research in this area.
Do financial incentives motivate conservation on private land?
Authors: Yasué Maï , Kirkpatrick James B.
Published: December 2018

Financial incentives may aid in conservation if they broaden the numbers and types of landowners who engage in protection and conservation management on private land. We examined the hypotheses that financial incentives (1) encourage participation of people with lower autonomous motivation towards conservation and lower self-transcendence (i.e. benevolence and universalism) values compared to participants in similar programmes without such incentives; (2) enable more on-ground works and activities; and (3) enhance feelings of competence and autonomy with respect to conservation actions. We surveyed 193 landowners in private land conservation programmes in Tasmania, only some of whom had received financial incentives. All of these landowners had high self-transcendence values, and autonomous motivation towards the environment. Owners of large properties and participants with higher self-enhancement values, lower self-transcendence values and lower autonomous motivation towards the environment were slightly more likely to engage in incentive programmes. However, people who received funding did not report more conservation actions than people in programmes without incentives. Owners of larger properties receiving incentives reported fewer conservation actions. Thus financial incentives probably recruited a few into nature conservation who may not have otherwise engaged, but did not result in a more intensive level of conservation management. Our results caution against the blanket-use of incentives amongst landowners who may already have values and motivations consistent with environmental action, and point to the need for further research on the socio-psychological characteristics of landowners, to examine the contextual factors that influence the effects of conservation payments.
The extinction of the Catarina pupfish Megupsilon aporus and the implications for the conservation of freshwater fish in Mexico
Authors: Valdés González Arcadio , Martínez Estévez Lourdes , Ángeles Villeda Ma. Elena , Ceballos Gerardo
Published: December 2018

Extinctions are occurring at an unprecedented rate as a consequence of human activities. Vertebrates constitute the best-known group of animals, and thus the group for which there are more accurate estimates of extinctions. Among them, freshwater fishes are particularly threatened and many species are declining. Here we report the extinction of an endemic freshwater fish of Mexico, the Catarina pupfish Megupsilon aporus, the sole species of the genus Megupsilon. We present a synopsis of the discovery and description of the species, the threats to, and degradation of, its habitat, and the efforts to maintain the species in captivity before it became extinct in 2014. The loss of the Catarina pupfish has evolutionary and ecological implications, and highlights the crisis of freshwater fish extinctions. It is a warning of the likely fate of more than 200 freshwater fish species threatened with extinction in Mexico. To save these species, the country urgently needs a national strategy to articulate a bold conservation effort, with better policies on ecosystem management and water use.
FirstCryptosporidiumoutbreak in Hungary, linked to a treated recreational water venue in 2015
Authors: Plutzer J. , Kelen K. , Varga E. , Kucsera I. , Reusz G. , Szabó A. J. , Fehér Á. , Chalmers R. M.
Published: December 2018

In June 2015, an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis with 35 cases (23 probable and 12 laboratory-confirmed) occurred among 191 attendees of a residential rehabilitation holiday for paediatric organ transplant patients (n= 49) and their families at a hotel in Somogy county, Hungary. The overall attack rate was 18%. Most of the cases were transplanted children who experienced severe acute disease and required adjustment to their tacrolimus immunosuppression. A retrospective case-control study suggested an association between recreational water exposures and illness: cases were seven times more likely than controls to have swum in the children's pool (odds ratio 7.17; 95% confidence interval 2.9–17.2;P< 0.0001) and five times more likely to have used the jetted whirlpool (odds ratio 5.25; 95% confidence interval 2.1–13.1;P< 0.0001). This was the first outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Hungary and it is especially unfortunate that it affected vulnerable children who experienced severe symptoms.Cryptosporidiumpresents specific infection control difficulties in treated recreational water venues; the link to a whirlpool is unusual and highlights the importance of the age-appropriate use of these facilities and reminding users not to immerse their heads or swallow the water. Cryptosporidiosis is more commonly linked to children’ pools where improved bather hygiene and promoting exclusion of diarrhoea cases could help to avoid similar outbreaks.
Apparent absence ofGiardiainfections among children under 5-years of age with acute watery diarrhoea in Abakaliki, Nigeria
Authors: Efunshile A. M. , Ezeanosike O. , Onyekachi O. N. I. , Ugwu M. I. , König B. , Robertson L. J.
Published: December 2018

Although the impact of diarrhoeal disease on paediatric health in Nigeria has decreased in recent years, it remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years.Rotavirusis recognised as an important aetiological agent, but information on the contribution of intestinal protozoa to watery diarrhoea in this age group in Nigeria is scarce. In this cross-sectional study, faecal samples from children admitted to healthcare centres in Abakaliki, Nigeria with acute watery diarrhoea (N= 199) and faecal samples from age-matched controls (N= 37) were examined forCryptosporidiumandGiardiausing immunofluorescent antibody testing and molecular methods.Cryptosporidiumwas identified in 13 case samples (6.5%) and no control samples. For three samples, molecular characterisation indicatedC. hominis, GP60 subtypes IaA30R3, IaA14R3 and IdA11.Giardiawas not detected in any samples. This contrast in prevalence between the two intestinal protozoa may reflect their variable epidemiologies and probably differing routes of infection. Given that these two parasitic infections are often bracketed together, it is key to realise that they not only have differing clinical spectra but also that the importance of each parasite is not the same in different age groups and/or settings.