bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aging attenuates the ovarian circadian rhythm
Authors: Jiang Ziru , Zou Kexin , Liu Xia , Gu Hangchao , Meng Yicong , Lin Jing , Shi Weihui , Yu Chuanjin , Jin Li , Wang Li , Liu Xinmei , Sheng Jianzhong , Huang Hefeng , Ding Guolian
Published: September 2020

Objective

To study the effect of aging on ovarian circadian rhythm.

Design

Human and animal study.

Setting

University hospital and research laboratory.

Patients/animals

Human granulosa cells were obtained by follicular aspiration from women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and ovarian and liver tissues were obtained from female C57BL/6 mice.

Intervention(s)

None.

Main outcome measure(s)

Expression of circadian genes in young and older human granulosa cells and circadian rhythm in ovaries and livers of young and older mice.

Result(s)

All examined circadian clock genes in human granulosa cells showed a downward trend in expression with aging, and their mRNA expression levels were negatively correlated with age (P < 0.05). Older patients (≥ 40 years of age) had significantly reduced serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels. Except for Rev-erbα, all other examined circadian clock genes were positively correlated with the level of AMH (P < 0.05). The circadian rhythm in the ovaries of older mice (8 months) was changed significantly relative to that in ovaries of young mice (12 weeks), although the circadian rhythm in the livers of older mice was basically consistent with that of young mice.

Conclusion(s)

Lower ovarian reserve in older women is partially due to ovarian circadian dysrhythmia as a result of aging.
Mechanochemical synthesis: route to novel rock-salt-structured high-entropy oxides and oxyfluorides
Authors: Lin Ling , Wang Kai , Azmi Raheleh , Wang Junbo , Sarkar Abhishek , Botros Miriam , Najib Saleem , Cui Yanyan , Stenzel David , Anitha Sukkurji Parvathy , Wang Qingsong , Hahn Horst , Schweidler Simon , Breitung Ben
Published: September 2020

A facile mechanochemical reaction at ambient temperature was successfully applied to synthesize novel single-phase rock-salt-structured high-entropy oxides, containing five, six and seven metal elements in equiatomic amounts. This synthesis approach overcomes the limitations of the commonly known synthesis procedures, which would result in multiple-phase compounds. Redox-sensitive elements, such as Fe2+ and Mn2+, can now be considered. The corresponding single-phase Li-containing high-entropy oxyfluorides were obtained by introducing LiF into the lattice using the same strategy. All materials show single-phase rock-salt structures with lattice parameters depending on the incorporated ion sizes. Solid solution states result in high configurational entropies, and all elements appear homogenously distributed over the whole cationic and anionic sublattice. The straightforward synthesis technique, combined with utilized simple binary oxide precursors, paves the way for a multitude of novel high-entropy oxide and oxyfluoride compounds. The compounds were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy.
Mid Infrared Tomography of Polymer Pipes
Authors: Hutchins D. A. , Huthwaite P. , Davis L. A. J. , Billson D. R. , Senni L. , Laureti S. , Ricci M.
Published: September 2020

Mid-infrared signals in the 2–5 μm wavelength range have been transmitted through samples of polymer pipes, as commonly used in the water supply industry. It is shown that simple through-transmission images can be obtained using a broad spectrum source and a suitable camera. This leads to the possibility of tomography, where images are obtained as the measurement system is rotated with respect to the axis of the pipe. The unusual 3D geometry created by a source of finite size and the imaging plane of a camera, plus the fact that refraction at the pipe wall would cause significant ray bending, meant that the reconstruction of tomographic images had to be considered with some care. A result is shown for a thinning defect on the inner wall of a polymer water pipe, demonstrating that such changes can be reconstructed successfully.
A Responsible Internet to Increase Trust in the Digital World
Authors: Hesselman Cristian , Grosso Paola , Holz Ralph , Kuipers Fernando , Xue Janet Hui , Jonker Mattijs , de Ruiter Joeri , Sperotto Anna , van Rijswijk-Deij Roland , Moura Giovane C. M. , Pras Aiko , de Laat Cees
Published: September 2020

Policy makers in regions such as Europe are increasingly concerned about the trustworthiness and sovereignty of the foundations of their digital economy, because it often depends on systems operated or manufactured elsewhere. To help curb this problem, we propose the novel notion of a responsible Internet, which provides higher degrees of trust and sovereignty for critical service providers (e.g., power grids) and all kinds of other users by improving the transparency, accountability, and controllability of the Internet at the network-level. A responsible Internet accomplishes this through two new distributed and decentralized systems. The first is the Network Inspection Plane (NIP), which enables users to request measurement-based descriptions of the chains of network operators (e.g., ISPs and DNS and cloud providers) that handle their data flows or could potentially handle them, including the relationships between them and the properties of these operators. The second is the Network Control Plane (NCP), which allows users to specify how they expect the Internet infrastructure to handle their data (e.g., in terms of the security attributes that they expect chains of network operators to have) based on the insights they gained from the NIP. We discuss research directions and starting points to realize a responsible Internet by combining three currently largely disjoint research areas: large-scale measurements (for the NIP), open source-based programmable networks (for the NCP), and policy making (POL) based on the NIP and driving the NCP. We believe that a responsible Internet is the next stage in the evolution of the Internet and that the concept is useful for clean slate Internet systems as well.
Mechanism-based modeling of the effect of a novel inhibitor of vascular adhesion protein-1 on albuminuria and renal function markers in patients with diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Hoefman Sven , Snelder Nelleke , van Noort Martijn , Garcia-Hernandez Alberto , Onkels Hartmut , Larsson Tobias E. , Bergmann Kirsten R.
Published: September 2020

The vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) inhibitor ASP8232 reduces albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. A mechanism-based model was developed to quantify the effects of ASP8232 on renal markers from a placebo-controlled Phase 2 study in diabetic kidney disease with 12 weeks of ASP8232 treatment. The model incorporated the available pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic (plasma VAP-1 concentration and activity), serum and urine creatinine, serum cystatin C, albumin excretion rate, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and urine volume information in an integrated manner. Drug-independent time-varying changes and different drug effects could be quantified for these markers using the model. Through simulations, this model provided the opportunity to dissect the relationship and longitudinal association between the estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria and to quantify the pharmacological effects of ASP8232. The developed drug-independent model may be useful as a starting point for other compounds affecting the same biomarkers in a similar time scale.
Study on the aerosol generation of plutonium metal due to oxidation
Authors: Peng Xianxun , Ding Dexin
Published: September 2020

Transuranic metals such as plutonium usually need to be protected in inert gases to inhibit oxidation and produce aerosols. In the paper, the oxidation reaction process of plutonium was depicted based on the point defect model. The aerosol generation rate was approximated to the oxidation rate of plutonium when the oxidation layer keeps constant. The results show that the rate is strongly dependent on the vacancy diffusivity and reaction rate constant of the vacancy generation and consumption. The aerosol generation rate at the temperature of 298 K is in the order of 108 particles/cm2/s.
Correction to: Thermodynamic model and Raman spectra of MgO–P2O5 glasses
Authors: Hruška Branislav , Dagupati Rajesh , Chromčíková Mária , Nowicka Aleksandra , Macháček Jan , Liška Marek , Munoz Francisco
Published: September 2020

The original article has been corrected.
Rip current hazard assessment on a sandy beach in Liguria, NW Mediterranean
Authors: Mucerino Luigi , Carpi Luca , Schiaffino Chiara F. , Pranzini Enzo , Sessa Eleonora , Ferrari Marco
Published: September 2020

Rip currents are one of the most significant environmental hazards for beachgoers and are of interest to coastal scientists. Several studies have been conducted to understand rip current dynamics, and several approaches for rip hazard assessment have been proposed. In general, the purpose is to provide knowledge and tools to support authorities and lifeguards in rip current risk prevention. This study proposes the application of an expeditious methodology to evaluate rip current hazard and risk, based on probability theory. The tested area was located along the Alassio beach, a renowned tourist destination located on the western Ligurian coast (NW Italy). A coastal video-monitoring system was used for rip currents individuation, whereas wave data were collected thanks to an oceanographic buoy managed by Regione Liguria. In detail, a yearly analysis was performed to identify the correspondence between rip currents and wave parameters data. The results showed that rip currents occur, in the study area, under moderate wave conditions ($$0.5 \le H_s \le 1.34$$

0.5
≤

H
s

≤
1.34

 m; $$4.7\le T_m \le 7.0$$

4.7
≤

T
m

≤
7.0

 s; $$150^{\circ }\,\hbox {N} \le \theta _m \le 227^{\circ }$$

150
∘

N
≤

θ
m

≤

227
∘

N). Based on this analysis, an easy application of the probability theory was applied to evaluate the level of hazard. Moreover, considering the official tourist data, we also perform an expeditious rip currents risk evaluation. The results showed that the hazard level is considered high at annual time scale and moderate during the tourist season; the risk is related to seasonal presences. The study can propose a tool to support authorities and lifeguards in water safety planning and management.
Mapping the technology evolution path: a novel model for dynamic topic detection and tracking
Authors: Liu Huailan , Chen Zhiwang , Tang Jie , Zhou Yuan , Liu Sheng
Published: September 2020

Identifying the evolution path of a research field is essential to scientific and technological innovation. There have been many attempts to identify the technology evolution path based on the topic model or social networks analysis, but many of them had deficiencies in methodology. First, many studies have only considered a single type of information (text or citation information) in scientific literature, which may lead to incomplete technology path mapping. Second, the number of topics in each period cannot be determined automatically, making dynamic topic tracking difficult. Third, data mining methods fail to be effectively combined with visual analysis, which will affect the efficiency and flexibility of mapping. In this study, we developed a method for mapping the technology evolution path using a novel non-parametric topic model, the citation involved Hierarchical Dirichlet Process (CIHDP), to achieve better topic detection and tracking of scientific literature. To better present and analyze the path, D3.js is used to visualize the splitting and fusion of the evolutionary path. We used this novel model to mapping the artificial intelligence research domain, through a successful mapping of the evolution path, the proposed method’s validity and merits are shown. After incorporating the citation information, we found that the CIHDP can be mapping a complete path evolution process and had better performance than the Hierarchical Dirichlet Process and LDA. This method can be helpful for understanding and analyzing the development of technical topics. Moreover, it can be well used to map the science or technology of the innovation ecosystem. It may also arouse the interest of technology evolution path researchers or policymakers.
A Hybrid-Dimensional Coupled Pore-Network/Free-Flow Model Including Pore-Scale Slip and Its Application to a Micromodel Experiment
Authors: Weishaupt K. , Terzis A. , Zarikos I. , Yang G. , Flemisch B. , de Winter D. A. M. , Helmig R.
Published: September 2020

Modeling coupled systems of free flow adjacent to a porous medium by means of fully resolved Navier–Stokes equations is limited by the immense computational cost and is thus only feasible for relatively small domains. Coupled, hybrid-dimensional models can be much more efficient by simplifying the porous domain, e.g., in terms of a pore-network model. In this work, we present a coupled pore-network/free-flow model taking into account pore-scale slip at the local interfaces between free flow and the pores. We consider two-dimensional and three-dimensional setups and show that our proposed slip condition can significantly increase the coupled model’s accuracy: compared to fully resolved equidimensional numerical reference solutions, the normalized errors for velocity are reduced by a factor of more than five, depending on the flow configuration. A pore-scale slip parameter $$\beta _{{{{\rm pore}}}}$$

β
pore

required by the slip condition was determined numerically in a preprocessing step. We found a linear scaling behavior of $$\beta _{{{{\rm pore}}}}$$

β
pore

with the size of the interface pore body for three-dimensional and two-dimensional domains. The slip condition can thus be applied without incurring any run-time cost. In the last section of this work, we used the coupled model to recalculate a microfluidic experiment where we additionally exploited the flat structure of the micromodel which permits the use of a quasi-3D free-flow model. The extended coupled model is accurate and efficient.
Covid-19 crisis in the Netherlands: “Only together we can control Corona”
Authors: Antonides Gerrit , van Leeuwen Eveline
Published: September 2020

The development and management of the Covid-19 outbreak in the Netherlands is described. The “intelligent lockdown” was aimed at minimizing new infections and limiting the number of deaths, while keeping the economy running as much as possible. Changes in consumer behavior, exit strategy, and lessons learned are considered.
Evaluating Brightness and Spectral Properties of Click Beetle and Firefly Luciferases Using Luciferin Analogues: Identification of Preferred Pairings of Luciferase and Substrate for In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging
Authors: Zambito Giorgia , Gaspar Natasa , Ridwan Yanto , Hall Mary P. , Shi Ce , Kirkland Thomas A. , Encell Lance P. , Löwik Clemens , Mezzanotte Laura
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Currently, a variety of red and green beetle luciferase variants are available for bioluminescence imaging (BLI). In addition, new luciferin analogues providing longer wavelength luminescence have been developed that show promise for improved deep tissue imaging. However, a detailed assessment of these analogues (e.g., Akalumine-HCl, CycLuc1, and amino naphthyl luciferin (NH2-NpLH2)) combined with state of the art luciferases has not been performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time the in vivo brightness and spectral characteristics of firefly (Luc2), click beetle green (CBG99), click beetle red 2 (CBR2), and Akaluc luciferases when paired with different d-luciferin (d-LH2) analogues in vivo.

Procedures

Transduced human embryonic kidney (HEK 293T) cells expressing individual luciferases were analyzed both in vitro and in mice (via subcutaneous injection). Following introduction of the luciferins to cells or animals, the resulting bioluminescence signal and photon emission spectrum were acquired using a sensitive charge-coupled device (CCD) camera equipped with a series of band pass filters and spectral unmixing software.

Results

Our in vivo analysis resulted in four primary findings: (1) the best substrate for Luc2, CBG99, and CBR2 in terms of signal strength was d-luciferin; (2) the spectra for Luc2 and CBR2 were shifted to a longer wavelength when Akalumine-HCl was the substrate; (3) CBR2 gave the brightest signal with the near-infrared substrate, NH2-NpLH2; and (4) Akaluc was brighter when paired with either CycLuc1 or Akalumine-HCl when paired with d-LH2.

Conclusion

We believe that the experimental results described here should provide valuable guidance to end users for choosing the correct luciferin/luciferase pairs for a variety of BLI applications.
Single and combined use of Cannabis sativa L. and carbon-rich materials for the removal of pesticides and endocrine-disrupting chemicals from water and soil
Authors: Loffredo Elisabetta , Picca Giuseppe , Parlavecchia Marco
Published: September 2020

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seedlings were used to remove from water the fungicide metalaxyl-M and the endocrine disruptor (EDC) bisphenol A (BPA) at concentrations ranging from 2 to 100 μg mL−1. In 7 days of exposure, despite the phytotoxicity of each compound that reduced elongation and biomass, the seedlings were able to remove between 67 and 94% of metalaxyl-M and between 86 and 95% of BPA. The amounts of metalaxyl-M and BPA extracted from plant dry biomass were in the range of 106–3861 μg g−1 and 16–101 μg g−1, respectively, and resulted positively correlated to both the dose of compound added (P ≤ 0.01) and the amount removed by the plants (P ≤ 0.01). Plant uptake and transformation were the main mechanisms involved in the removal of the compounds. In another set of experiments, hemp was used to remove a mixture of two pesticides, metalaxyl-M and metribuzin, and three EDCs, BPA, 17β-estradiol (E2), and 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), at concentrations of 10, 10, 10, 10, and 1 μg g−1, respectively, from soil column not added and added with 2.5% (w/w) of a green compost (CM) or a wood biochar (BC). In 25 days, plants did not alter considerably the distribution of the compounds along the soil profile and were capable of removing, on average, 12, 11, 10, 9, and 14% of metalaxyl-M, metribuzin, BPA, E2, and OP, respectively. During growth, hemp transformed the compounds and accumulated part of them (except OP) mainly in the shoots. CM and, especially, BC significantly protected the plants from the toxicity of the compounds and enhanced the retention of the latter in soil, contrasting leaching. Thus, the single or synergistic use of hemp and amendments deserves attention being a very low-cost and eco-sustainable strategy to remediate water and soil.
Das demokratische Paradox, Antagonismus und Agonie der globalen Ordnung: Chantal Mouffes Überlegungen zur internationalen Politik
Authors: Vasilache Andreas
Published: September 2020

Trotz der intensiven Diskussion poststrukturalistischer Ansätze in den Internationalen Beziehungen (IB) hat das sogenannte radikaldemokratische Denken bislang nur wenig Aufmerksamkeit erfahren. Radikaldemokratische Theoretiker*innen haben sich zugleich kaum mit Themen der internationalen Politik auseinandergesetzt. Eine Ausnahme bildet hier Chantal Mouffe, die sich in jüngerer Zeit unmittelbar mit Fragen der internationalen Politik befasst hat. Der vorliegende Artikel hat eine Bestandsaufnahme und Diskussion der Überlegungen Mouffes zur internationalen Politik zum Ziel. Mouffes diesbezügliche Reflexionen bauen im Wesentlichen auf ihrer Theorie des Politischen auf. Daher werden zunächst jene Aspekte ihrer Theorie dargelegt, auf die Mouffe in ihren internationalen Überlegungen rekurriert. Danach wird ihr auf dem Modell der agonistischen Politik fußender Vorschlag einer multipolaren Weltordnung besprochen. Hieran anschließend soll Mouffes Plädoyer für einen Pluralismus politischer Systeme und auch kulturspezifischer Menschenrechtsauffassungen thematisiert werden. In einem weiteren Schritt sind Mouffes Diagnose und Kritik einer Moralisierung der Politik zu erörtern, bevor ihre Skepsis gegenüber einer Ächtung des Krieges diskutiert wird. Der Artikel endet mit einigen einordnenden und ausblickhaften Bemerkungen zu Mouffes Ansatz in der internationalen Politik.
Conductivity/Electrochemical Study of Polyvinyl pyrrolidone-Poly(vinyl alcohol)/I3− Thin Film Electrolyte for Integrated Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells and Supercapacitors
Authors: Sangeetha D. N. , Hegde Niveditha , Poojari Vidyashri , Devadiga Dheeraj , Sudhakar Y. N. , Santosh M. S. , Selvakumar M.
Published: September 2020

The current era focuses not only on producing solar energy but also preserving it for future use. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and supercapacitors (SC) are such energy-based devices. DSSCs capture the solar energy and SCs store this captured energy. A natural anthocyanin dye extracted from Garcinia indica (kokum fruit) was used in the DSSCs. SnO2, one of the promising electrode materials for DSSC, was synthesized via a microwave technique. Blend polymer electrolytes (BPE) were prepared through a solution casting technique. A polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend with varying concentrations of potassium iodide, along with iodine dopant, was prepared as a BPE electrolyte composition. The best of the PVA-PVP/KI composition was chosen using Nyquist plots of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Varying the temperature, the dielectric and conductivity study of the chosen composition was studied in detail. A fast/single-step synthesis technique, namely a laser-engraved approach, was used for few-layer graphene synthesis. This graphene serves as a common platform for the DSSC-SC integrated device: as a counter electrode in DSSC and graphene-graphene symmetric electrode in SC. A DSSC-SC integrated device was fabricated and characterized using various analytical and microscopy techniques. The integrated device showed a 0.42 fill factor and 0.56% efficiency. The discharge time for integrated DSSC-SC cells was found to be increased threefold.

Graphical Abstract
Phenological study of congeneric Myrcia species and Clethra scabra in wetland and drained habitats in a Montane Forest
Authors: Londe Vinícius , Pereira Jaqueline Alves , de Sousa Hildeberto Caldas
Published: September 2020

Although important, phenological studies comparing congeneric species or the same species growing in different habitats are still scarce for the tropics. Herein, we integrate phylogeny, ecology and biometeorology to verify whether the phenophases of congeneric species Myrcia laruotteana and Myrcia amazonica or Clethra scabra differ when their populations inhabit wetland and drained habitats and to determine what abiotic factors affect the vegetative and reproductive phenophases of these species in distinct habitat patches. We collected data on phenological events of 80 trees for 1 year in Itacolomi State Park, Brazil, and related them to abiotic local factors. Contrary to our expectation, the phenophases of the congeneric species did not differ between habitats, but the reproductive phenophases of C. scabra did and was greater in drained soil. Phenophases of C. scabra were affected by the depth of the water table and maximum temperature in the wetland soil. Insolation, precipitation, maximum temperature and relative humidity influenced Myrcia and Clethra in the drained soil. The differences between C. scabra populations suggest that this species is phenotypically plastic and can present distinct phenophases depending on the habitat it inhabits. On the other hand, the congeneric Myrcia species may have similar phenophases in distinct habitats because of their shared similarities during their evolution. This study provides a better understanding of the ecology of these species and their adaptations to different abiotic conditions. Data of this nature are important in a changing world and can inform strategies for adaptive management.
Integrating sludge drying in biomass fueled CHP plants
Authors: Wang Jinshan , Salman Chaudhary Awais , Wang Bin , Li Hailong , Thorin Eva
Published: September 2020

Handling sludge through thermal conversion is environmentally friendly, which, however, requires sludge drying. This work proposed to use the waste heat of flue gas (FG) to dry sludge. The integration of sludge drying in biomass fueled combined heat and power (CHP) plants can clearly affect the performance of downstream processes in FG cleaning, such as flue gas quench (FGQ) and flue gas condenser, and further affect the energy efficiency of CHP. In order to understand the influence, a mathematical model and an Aspen PLUS model were developed to simulate the drying process and the CHP, respectively. Based on simulations, it is found that the increase of feeding rate of sludge and the moisture content of sludge after drying can decrease the water evaporation in FGQ. An increase in the feeding rate of sludge in combination with a drop of moisture content of sludge after drying can decrease the heat recovery from FG. When using dried sludge to replace biomass, the amount of saving could be influenced by the moisture content after drying and the flow rate of sludge. Simulation results show that drying sludge to a moisture content of 40% leads to the maximum biomass saving.
It Takes More than Two to Tango: Identifying Roles and Patterns in Multi-Actor Smart Service Innovation
Authors: Anke Jürgen , Poeppelbuss Jens , Alt Rainer
Published: September 2020

Smart service systems enable innovative value propositions based on smart products and data-driven value creation. Grounded in service-dominant logic as our theoretical lens, we argue that smart service innovation takes place in ecosystems of collaborating actors, as a single actor does not possess all required resources and competencies. We empirically explore smart service innovation using an interview study of 14 experts who were involved in real-world smart service systems engineering projects. As a result, we conceptualize 17 roles that describe the resources and competencies required for smart service innovation at an abstract level. Through the analysis of actor-role constellations in our sample of projects, we further identify four patterns that exhibit different strategic approaches to smart service innovation. Our results advance the theoretical understanding of smart service systems through an empirically grounded systematization of roles, which reflect the resources and competencies required for smart service innovation. With this study, we shed light on the multi-actor and inter-organizational settings of service innovation processes, which have been under-researched so far. Our insights are further helpful for practitioners, who participate in the smart service innovation and who need to analyze their strategic position in service ecosystems.
Vibration Damping Performances of Buildings with Moving Façades Under Harmonic Excitation
Authors: Di Giovanni Giulia , Bernardini Davide
Published: September 2020

Background

Façade technologies are in continuous evolution and the idea to realize buildings equipped with cladding systems capable to undergo significant displacements relatively to the main structure has been considered by many authors as an opportunity to improve their vibration performances.

Method

From a structural dynamics viewpoint, a building with a monolithic Moving Façade is essentially the same thing as a building with a Tuned Mass Damper. However, in the presence of excitations directly acting on the external surface of the building, there may be significant diferences of behavior. In this work, a first step towards a systematic comparison between the performances of buildings with Moving Façades and Tuned Mass Dampers is carried out in the simplest setting of 2 degrees of freedom modeling and harmonic excitation.

Results

Despite the deceptive simplicity of the setting, some of the aspects related to the potential applicability of moving façades to vibration damping and the correlated limitations are discussed and critically analyzed. The analyses show that, depending on the tuning of the system, monolithic Moving Façades could effectively act as vibration absorbers with a potentially high efficiency. However, it turns out that good performances could be realized at the price of extremely large displacements of the façade. The possibility to pursue potential applications of this type of systems seems therefore to be subordinated to the search of solutions to limit such displacements within functionally acceptable ranges.
What is Unilateralism in International Taxation?
Authors: Cui Wei
Published: September 2020

The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) recently emerged as the site of unprecedented, multilateral, and seemingly high-stakes negotiations about the future of international business income taxation. Judging by the political resources deployed in these negotiations, international tax has entered unchartered territory. Ruth Mason offers a timely and balanced portrayal of the OECD process so far. But explanations of this process remain eminently contestable. On the one hand, international institutions that address externalities from uncoordinated actions and produce mutual benefits for participating nations can be highly stable. On the other hand, the OECD has struggled, whether in its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) and post-BEPS initiatives or during the pre-BEPS era, to articulate the goals for which international coordination in taxation is needed. By many accounts, recent discussions at the OECD are motivated mainly by the desire to stop foreign imposition of taxes on U.S. companies, or, as the other side of the same coin, to avert the wrath of the single hegemonic power in international tax. What is the best characterization of this conflict? I believe that understanding the underlying subject matter for international coordination, as opposed to merely the institutions that might facilitate such coordination, is required for identifying the coming transformation of international tax.
Let's walk before we can run: the uncertain demand from policymakers for trials
Authors: JOHN PETER
Published: September 2020

Al-Ubaydli et al. set out a valuable prospectus, but they operate with too simple a view of the policymaking process. Politicians and bureaucrats have additional objectives to that of maximizing human welfare: the former wish to endorse policies that get them re-elected; the latter need to manage complex bureaucracies and advance their careers. Both need to be persuaded that trials are in their long-term interests to adopt. Because Al-Ubaydli et al.'s proposals may increase the costs of doing trials, the demand for robust evidence might reduce rather than increase.
Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Optic Neuritis in Canada
Authors: Garg Anubhav , Margolin Edward , Micieli Jonathan A.
Published: September 2020

Objective:

To describe clinical characteristics of Canadian patients with myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein immunoglobulin-G optic neuritis (MOG-IgG ON).

Methods:

Retrospective observational case series of MOG-IgG seropositive patients with ON referred to tertiary neuro-ophthalmology practices. Outcome measures included clinical characteristics, radiologic findings, and visual outcomes.

Results:

Forty-six eyes of 30 patients were included. Twenty-three (76.7%) were women, mean onset age was 40.7 years (range 16–77), and most were Caucasian. Seventeen (56.7%) presented with their first ON episode. Sixteen (53.3%) had bilateral eye involvement. Isolated ON without associated neurological symptoms occurred in 90.0%. In 22 patients with acute ON (seen within 1 month of onset), presenting mean visual acuity (VA) was 20/258 (logMAR 1.11), mean deviation (MD) on Humphrey visual fields was −16.90 ± 10.83 dB, and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness on ocular coherence tomography (OCT) was 164.23 ± 46.53 um. Orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 1 month of symptom onset for 19 patients demonstrated orbital optic nerve enhancement in 11 (57.9%) and perineural enhancement in 11 (57.9%). Brain MRI was normal in 28 (93.3%) patients. Twenty out of 22 patients with acute presentation were treated with high-dose glucocorticoids and 5 with plasma exchange in addition to corticosteroids. Long-term immunosuppression was utilized in 9 (30%) out of all 30 patients. Final VA was 20/30 (logMAR 0.18), MD was −7.17 ± 8.85 dB, and RNFL thickness was 72.15 ± 20.16 um.

Conclusion:

MOG-IgG ON in Canada has a variable presentation with most patients having substantial initial vision loss with good recovery. This is the largest characterization of the disease in Canada to date.
Assessing Fear and Anxiety of Corona Virus Among Dental Practitioners
Authors: Suryakumari V.B.P. , Pallavi Reddy Y. , Yadav Sarjeev Singh , Doshi Dolar , Surekha Reddy V.
Published: September 2020

Objective:

Originating in China in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rapidly spread to more than 216 countries in the world by May 2020. Because dentists are at a higher risk of contracting the disease, the present study assessed the fear and anxiety among dental practitioners of becoming infected with COVID-19.

Methods:

An online cross-sectional questionnaire survey comprising of 9 questions was conducted among dental practitioners of Telangana. Age, gender, qualification, type of practice, years of practice, and place of residence were the demographic variables recorded. The response to each question was recorded in a YES or NO format, and mean fear score was calculated to categorize answers into low and high levels of fear. Comparison of mean fear score was done using t-test for 2 variables and analysis of variance for 3 or more than 3 variables. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the levels of fear with demographic variables was done. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

The mean fear and anxiety score of this study population reported was high 6.57 ± 2.07, with 58.31% of the population presenting with a low level of fear and anxiety. Only qualification (P = 0.045) and gender (P = 0.035) revealed a significant difference in fear to Q7and Q8, respectively. Irrespective of the age, gender, qualification, type of practice, and years in practice, the levels of fear reported in the present study were very similar. Respondents between 41 and 60 y of age (6.70 ± 2.01 y) and those with individual practices (6.70 ± 2.06 y) exhibited high fear scores.

Conclusions:

The present study demonstrates cross-sectional data of fear and anxiety among dental practitioners during the COVID-19 outbreak. Heightened levels of fear observed in this study call for a nationwide analysis of fear among dentists and deliberate management strategies for the same.
Direct Instruction in very remote schools: a rejoinder to Guenther and Osborne (2020)
Authors: Buckingham Jennifer
Published: September 2020

Abstract
In an article published in this journal, Guenther and Osborne (2020) use data from the reading test of the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) to evaluate the effectiveness of the Flexible Literacy for Remote Primary Schools program in its first 3 years of implementation. However, their analysis has some serious flaws, including that the ‘post-intervention’ data were actually collected from the start of the implementation period. This calls their conclusions that the program was ineffective into question.
A response to ‘Yes, DI did it’
Authors: Guenther John , Osborne Samuel
Published: September 2020

Abstract
The authors of the article ‘Did DI do it? The impact of a programme designed to improve literacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in remote schools’ respond to a critique of their analysis of work.
Five-component model validation of reference, laboratory and field methods of body composition assessment
Authors: Tinsley Grant M.
Published: September 2020

This study reports the validity of body fat percentage (BF%) estimates from several commonly employed techniques as compared with a five-component (5C) model criterion. Healthy adults (n 170) were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), air displacement plethysmography (ADP), multiple bioimpedance techniques and optical scanning. Output was also used to produce a criterion 5C model, multiple variants of three- and four-component models (3C; 4C) and anthropometry-based BF% estimates. Linear regression, Bland–Altman analysis and equivalence testing were performed alongside evaluation of the constant error (CE), total error (TE), se of the estimate (SEE) and coefficient of determination (R2). The major findings were (1) differences between 5C, 4C and 3C models utilising the same body volume (BV) and total body water (TBW) estimates are negligible (CE ≤ 0·2 %; SEE < 0·5 %; TE ≤ 0·5 %; R2 1·00; 95 % limits of agreement (LOA) ≤ 0·9 %); (2) moderate errors from alternate TBW or BV estimates in multi-component models were observed (CE ≤ 1·3 %; SEE ≤ 2·1 %; TE ≤ 2·2 %; R2 ≥ 0·95; 95 % LOA ≤ 4·2 %); (3) small differences between alternate DXA (i.e. tissue v. region) and ADP (i.e. Siri v. Brozek equations) estimates were observed, and both techniques generally performed well (CE < 3·0 %; SEE ≤ 2·3 %; TE ≤ 3·6 %; R2 ≥ 0·88; 95 % LOA ≤ 4·8 %); (4) bioimpedance technologies performed well but exhibited larger individual-level errors (CE < 1·0 %; SEE ≤ 3·1 %; TE ≤ 3·3 %; R2 ≥ 0·94; 95 % LOA ≤ 6·2 %) and (5) anthropometric equations generally performed poorly (CE 0·6– 5·7 %; SEE ≤ 5·1 %; TE ≤ 7·4 %; R2 ≥ 0·67; 95 % LOA ≤ 10·6 %). Collectively, the data presented in this manuscript can aid researchers and clinicians in selecting an appropriate body composition assessment method and understanding the associated errors when compared with a reference multi-component model.
From student to professional: recent conservatoire graduates’ experiences of instrumental teaching
Authors: Shaw Luan
Published: September 2020

This research, carried out across 2017–2018, investigated Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) graduates’ experiences of working as instrumental teachers. A total of 31 participants (who graduated across 2012–2016 and studied an optional ‘Further Pedagogy’ module in their final year) responded to a questionnaire, and two were observed whilst teaching, and subsequently interviewed (2018). Results indicate that RBC students who chose to extend their pedagogical training beyond the core provision offered in the third year proved highly employable as instrumental teachers. Graduates considered teaching to be both fulfilling and challenging and were able to use insights gained ‘on the job’ to advise others. Whilst the sample was clearly limited, these findings contribute to an improved understanding of how instrumental teacher education in conservatoires might be further developed to effectively prepare students for the profession.
Parent education to improve early language development: A preliminary evaluation of LENA StartTM
Authors: ELMQUIST Marianne , FINESTACK Lizbeth H. , KRIESE Amanda , LEASE Erin M. , MCCONNELL Scott R.
Published: September 2020

Parents play an important role in creating home language environments that promote language development. A nonequivalent group design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based implementation of LENA Start™, a parent-training program aimed at increasing the quantity of adult words (AWC) and conversational turns (CT). Parent-child dyads participated in LENA Start™ (n = 39) or a generic parent education program (n = 17). Overall, attendance and engagement in the LENA StartTMprogram were high: 72% of participants met criteria to graduate from the program. Within-subject gains were positive for LENA Start™ families. Comparison families declined on these measures. However, both effects were non-significant. Between-group analyses revealed small to medium-sized effects favoring LENA Start™ and these were significant for child vocalizations (CV) and CT but not AWC. These results provide preliminary evidence that programs like LENA StartTMcan be embedded in community-based settings to promote quality parent-child language interactions.
Lurasidone and risk for metabolic syndrome: results from short- and long-term clinical studies in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Tocco Michael , Newcomer John W. , Mao Yongcai , Pikalov Andrei , Loebel Antony
Published: September 2020

Objective

To assess the effects of treatment with lurasidone on risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

Rates of metabolic syndrome during treatment with lurasidone (40-160 mg/d) were analyzed using pooled, short-term data from three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (vs olanzapine and quetiapine XR); long-term data from two active-comparator-controlled studies (vs risperidone and quetiapine XR); and data from two open-label studies in which patients were switched from olanzapine or risperidone to lurasidone.

Results

MetS was defined based on the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria. In short-term studies, the odds of meeting criteria for MetS at week 6 LOCF (adjusted for baseline metabolic syndrome status) was similar for the lurasidone and placebo groups (OR = 1.18; [95% CI, 0.81-1.71]; P = .39), but the odds (vs placebo) were significantly greater for olanzapine (OR = 2.81; [95% CI, 1.53-5.15]; P < .001) and quetiapine (OR = 3.49; [95% CI, 1.93-6.29]; P < .0001). No dose effect was observed for lurasidone across the dose range of 40-160 mg/d. In long-term studies, the odds of MetS after 12 months of treatment was significantly higher for risperidone compared with lurasidone (OR = 2.12; 95% CI, 1.15-3.90; P = .016) and for quetiapine XR compared with lurasidone (OR = 3.92; 95% CI, 1.15-13.40; P = .029). In open-label extension studies, the rate of MetS decreased in patients switched to lurasidone after 6 weeks of treatment with olanzapine or 12 months of treatment with risperidone.

Conclusion

In this analysis of lurasidone clinical trials, the odds of developing metabolic syndrome were minimal during short- and long-term treatment with lurasidone (40-160 mg/d).
foot-fronting andfoot–strutsplitting: vowel variation in the East Midlands
Authors: JANSEN SANDRA , BRABER NATALIE
Published: September 2020

This article investigates the status of thefoot–strutsplit in the counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England. The East Midlands area is a linguistic transition zone between northern English varieties with a phoneme inventory of five short vowels, wherefootandstrutare represented by the same phoneme, and southern English varieties which have thefoot–strutsplit and therefore six short vowels. However, a lack of research on the distribution of thefootandstrutvowels in the East Midlands exists and to fill that gap, this article examines the possible diffusion of the split northwards as predicted by Trudgill (1986). Reading-passage data, stratified by age group, sex and location is used to provide an apparent time, multilocal view on the distribution of the two vowel categories. Surprisingly, the changes that we notice do not concern the increasing distance betweenfootandstrutbut mainlyfoot-fronting in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire andstrut-retraction in Derbyshire which leads to an increase in overlap betweenfootandstrutin all three counties.
Transperineal ultrasound for aiding target volume delineation and monitoring during prostate cancer radiotherapy in men with bilateral hip prostheses
Authors: Hilman Serena Jayne , Bird Thomas , Gieryluk Piotr , Richardson Amy , Jacobs Petra
Published: September 2020

Aims:

To investigate the use of co-registration of the computerised tomography (CT) planning scan with transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) as an aid to the delineation of the clinical target volume (CTV), and the use of TPUS as a tool for inter- and intra-fractional monitoring in men with bilateral hip prostheses (b-P) undergoing prostate radiotherapy.

Materials and methods:

We marked the CTV of three patients with and without the co-registered TPUS images. A metal artefact reduction algorithm was utilised. Two patients were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and one with volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT). The inter- and intra-fractional monitoring details were reviewed retrospectively.

Results:

Clinician marking with TPUS/CT fusion improved the confidence of prostate CTV delineation leading to a consistent change in volumes across two observers. Inter- and intra-fractional monitoring was possible using TPUS as image guidance, as it is for those patients with non-prosthetic hips.

Findings:

Using TPUS in the radiotherapy workflow has enabled us to more confidently plan, treat and monitor patients with b-HP. Due to transperineal image acquisition, the ultrasound images are not affected by the presence of hip prostheses, which are outside the field of view.
Ketamine modulates fronto-striatal circuitry in depressed and healthy individuals
Authors: Mkrtchian Anahit , Evans Jennifer W. , Kraus Christoph , Yuan Peixiong , Kadriu Bashkim , Nugent Allison C. , Roiser Jonathan P. , Zarate Carlos A.
Published: September 2020

Ketamine improves motivation-related symptoms in depression but simultaneously elicits similar symptoms in healthy individuals, suggesting that it might have different effects in health and disease. This study examined whether ketamine affects the brain’s fronto-striatal system, which is known to drive motivational behavior. The study also assessed whether inflammatory mechanisms—which are known to influence neural and behavioral motivational processes—might underlie some of these changes. These questions were explored in the context of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of ketamine in 33 individuals with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD) and 25 healthy volunteers (HVs). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) was acquired 2 days post-ketamine (final sample: TRD n = 27, HV n = 19) and post-placebo (final sample: TRD n = 25, HV n = 18) infusions and was used to probe fronto-striatal circuitry with striatal seed-based functional connectivity. Ketamine increased fronto-striatal functional connectivity in TRD participants toward levels observed in HVs while shifting the connectivity profile in HVs toward a state similar to TRD participants under placebo. Preliminary findings suggest that these effects were largely observed in the absence of inflammatory (C-reactive protein) changes and were associated with both acute and sustained improvements in symptoms in the TRD group. Ketamine thus normalized fronto-striatal connectivity in TRD participants but disrupted it in HVs independently of inflammatory processes. These findings highlight the potential importance of reward circuitry in ketamine’s mechanism of action, which may be particularly relevant for understanding ketamine-induced shifts in motivational symptoms.