bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doping Polysulfone Membrane with Alpha‐Tocopherol and Alpha‐Lipoic Acid for Suppressing Oxidative Stress Induced by Hemodialysis Treatment
Authors: Kohlová Michaela , Rocha Susana , Gomes Amorim Célia , de Nova Araújo Alberto , Santos‐Silva Alice , Solich Petr , Branco da Silva Montenegro Maria Conceição
Published: June 2020

The reduction of free radicals by bioactive membranes used for hemodialysis treatment is an important topic due to the constant rise of oxidative stress‐associated cardiovascular mortality by hemodialysis patients. Therefore, it is urgent to find an effective solution that helps to solve this problem. Polysulfone membranes enriched with α‐lipoic acid, α‐tocopherol, and with both components are fabricated by spin coating. The antioxidant properties of these membranes are evaluated in vitro by determining the lipid‐peroxidation level and the total antioxidant status of the blood plasma. The biocompatibility is assessed by quantifying the protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, complement activation, and hemolytic effect. All types of membranes show in vitro antioxidant activity and a trend to reduce oxidative stress in vivo; the best results show membranes prepared with a combination of both compounds and prove to be nonhemolytic and hemocompatible. Moreover, the membrane specific separation ability for the main waste products is not affected by antioxidants incorporation.
Measuring Medication Adherence in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review of Contributing Components in Rating Scales
Authors: Tosin Michelle H.S. , Stebbins Glenn T. , Goetz Christopher G. , Santana Rosimere F. , Leite Marco A.A. , Oliveira Beatriz Guitton R.B.
Published: June 2020

Background

Poor medication adherence in chronic illnesses such as Parkinson's disease (PD) is a significant but potentially addressable issue if core components are systematically measured.

Objective

To assess whether rating scales used in PD adequately cover essential components of medication adherence.

Methods

We accessed 5 databases targeting articles published before October 2019 and using rating scales to measure medication adherence in PD. The ABC Taxonomy from the European Ascertaining Barriers to Compliance Consortium and World Health Organization recommendations were used as the evaluation standard of 5 essential adherence dimensions (patient‐based, health system–based, social‐based, therapy‐based, and health condition–based), 3 phases (initiation, implementation, and discontinuation), and 2 factors (intentional and nonintentional).

Results

We screened 192 and selected 16 studies, collectively using 5 medication adherence rating scales. No scale covered all essential components of medication adherence (dimensions, phases, factors). The Morisky Medication Adherence Scales were the most frequently used (11 studies), but they measure only 2 dimensions and phases. The Stendal Adherence to Medication Score (used in 1 study) measured all phases but only 2 dimensions, and the Brief Medication Questionnaire (used in 3 studies) measured 3 dimensions and 2 phases. Distinctions between intentional and nonintentional factors were not completely considered in any scale.

Conclusions

Although multiple studies target medication adherence in PD, the used scales did not measure all recommended components, highlighting the need to develop a sensitive, specific, and comprehensive tool for measuring medication adherence among patients with PD.
Pathogenic evaluation of synonymous COL4A5 variants in X‐linked Alport syndrome using a minigene assay
Authors: Horinouchi Tomoko , Yamamura Tomohiko , Minamikawa Shogo , Nagano China , Sakakibara Nana , Nakanishi Koichi , Shima Yuko , Morisada Naoya , Ishiko Shinya , Aoto Yuya , Nagase Hiroaki , Takeda Hiroki , Rossanti Rini , Ishimori Shingo , Kaito Hiroshi , Matsuo Masafumi , Iijima Kazumoto , Nozu Kandai
Published: June 2020

Background

X‐linked Alport syndrome (XLAS) is a progressive, hereditary glomerular nephritis of variable severity caused by pathogenic COL4A5 variants. Currently, genetic testing is widely used for diagnosing XLAS; however, determining the pathogenicity of variants detected by such analyses can be difficult. Intronic variants or synonymous variants may cause inherited diseases by inducing aberrant splicing. Transcript analysis is necessary to confirm the pathogenicity of such variants, but it is sometimes difficult to extract mRNA directly from patient specimens.

Methods

In this study, we conducted in vitro splicing analysis using a hybrid minigene assay and specimens from three XLAS patients with synonymous variants causing aberrant splicing, including previously reported pathogenic mutations in the same codon. The variants were c.876 A>T (p.Gly292=), c.2358 A>G (p.Pro786=), and c.3906 A>G (p.Gln1302=).

Results

The results from our hybrid minigene assay were sufficient to predict splicing abnormalities; c.876 A>T cause 17‐bp del and 35‐bp del, c.2358 A>G cause exon 29 skipping, c.3906 A>G cause exon 42 skipping, which are very likely to cause pathogenicity. Further, patients carrying c.2358 A>G exhibited a mild phenotype that may have been associated with the presence of both normal and abnormally spliced transcripts.

Conclusion

The minigene system was shown to be a sensitive assay and a useful tool for investigating the pathogenicity of synonymous variants.
Uniform microwave heating system design and evaluation with an orthogonally slot‐loaded array waveguide
Authors: Ahn Seong‐Hyeop , Lee Wang‐Sang
Published: June 2020

In this article, we propose a 1‐kW 2.45 GHz microwave applicator with an orthogonally slot‐loaded array waveguide to improve the heating uniformity. In the conventional microwave applicator with rectangular waveguides, the heating uniformity is low due to various hot and cold spots. Using the proposed slot‐loaded array waveguide having horizontal and vertical slots, the proposed microwave applicator realizes a uniform temperature variation in the heating material and achieves an improved uniformity of up to 77.4% at 2.45 GHz compared to the conventional microwave applicator.
Superiorized method for metal artifact reduction
Authors: Humphries Thomas , Wang Boyang (Jessie)
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Metal artifact reduction (MAR) is a challenging problem in computed tomography (CT) imaging. A popular class of MAR methods replace sinogram measurements that are corrupted by metal with artificial data, typically generated from some combination of interpolation along with other heuristics. While these “projection completion” approaches are successful in eliminating severe artifacts, secondary artifacts may be introduced by the artificial data. In this paper, we propose an approach which uses projection completion to generate a prior image, which is then incorporated into an iterative reconstruction algorithm based on the superiorization framework. The rationale is that the image produced by the iterative algorithm can inherit the desirable properties of the prior image, while also reducing secondary artifacts.

Methods

The prior image is reconstructed using normalized metal artifact reduction (NMAR), a popular projection completion approach. The iterative algorithm is a modified version of the simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART), which reduces artifacts by incorporating a polyenergetic forward model, least‐squares weighting, and superiorization. The penalty function used for superiorization is a weighted average between a total variation (TV) term and a term promoting similarity with the prior image, similar to penalty functions used in prior image constrained compressive sensing (PICCS). Because the prior is largely free of severe metal artifacts, these artifacts are discouraged from arising during iterative reconstruction; additionally, because the iterative approach uses the original projection data, it is able to recover information that is lost during the NMAR process.

Results

We perform numerical experiments modeling a simple geometric object, as well as several more realistic scenarios such as metal pins, bilateral hip implants, and dental fillings placed within an anatomical phantom. The proposed iterative algorithm is largely successful at eliminating severe metal artifacts as well as secondary artifacts introduced by the NMAR process, especially lost edges of bone structures in the neighborhood of the metal regions. In one case modeling severe photon starvation, the NMAR algorithm is found to provide better results.

Conclusion

The proposed algorithm is effective in applying the superiorization methodology to the problem of MAR, providing better results than both NMAR and a purely total variation‐based superiorization approach in nearly all cases.
Separate N‐acetyl aspartyl glutamate, N‐acetyl aspartate, aspartate, and glutamate quantification after pediatric mild traumatic brain injury in the acute phase
Authors: Menshchikov Petr , Ivantsova Anna , Manzhurtsev Andrei , Ublinskiy Maxim , Yakovlev Alexey , Melnikov Ilya , Kupriyanov Dmitrii , Akhadov Tolib , Semenova Natalia
Published: June 2020

Purpose

To separately measure N‐acetyl aspartul glutamate (NAAG), N‐acetyl aspartate (NAA), aspartate (Asp), and glutamate (Glu) concentrations in white matter (WM) using J‐editing techniques in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in the acute phase.

Methods

Twenty‐four patients with closed concussive head injury and 29 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the current study. For extended 1H MRS examination, patients and controls were equally divided into two subgroups. In subgroup 1 (12 patients/15 controls), NAAG and NAA concentrations were measured in WM separately with MEGA‐PRESS (echo time/repetition time [TE/TR] = 140/2000 ms;

/

= 4.84/4.38 ppm,

/

= 4.61/4.15 ppm). In subgroup 2 (12 patients/14 controls), Asp and Glu concentrations were acquired with MEGA‐PRESS (TE/TR = 90/2000 ms;

/

= 3.89/5.21 ppm) and TE‐averaged PRESS (TE from 35 ms to 185 ms with 2.5‐ms increments; TR = 2000 ms) pulse sequences, respectively.

Results

tNAA and NAAG concentrations were found to be reduced, while NAA concentrations were unchanged, after mild mTBI. Reduced Asp and elevated myo‐inositol (mI) concentrations were also found.

Conclusion

The main finding of the study is that the tNAA signal reduction in WM after mTBI is associated with a decrease in the NAAG concentration rather than a decrease in the NAA concentration, as was thought previously. This finding highlights the importance of separating these signals, at least for WM studies, to avoid misinterpretation of the results. NAAG plays an important role in selectively activating mGluR3 receptors, thus providing neuroprotective and neuroreparative functions immediately after mTBI. NAAG shows potential for the development of new therapeutic strategies for patients with injuries of varying severity.
23Na‐T1 quantification with saturation recovery TrueFISP and variable flip angle GRE at 3T: A phantom study
Authors: Gomolka Ryszard S. , Ciritsis Alexander , Rossi Cristina
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The aim of the current study was to compare the reproducibility of sodium (23Na)‐T1 estimation using a centric‐reordered saturation recovery (SR) true fast imaging with steady‐state precession (TrueFISP) and a variable flip angle (VFA) spoiled gradient echo (GRE). Additionally, we evaluated the effect of spatial averaging on 23Na‐T1 estimation by the two methods.

Methods

Measurements were performed in the phantom, consisting of 10 dm3 volume rectangular polyethylene container filled with distilled water solution of 0.6% NaCl + 0.004% CuSO4, using a dual‐tunable 23Na/1H coil at 3 Tesla. 23Na images were acquired for FOV = 384 × 384 mm2 and voxel size = 6 × 6 × 6 mm3 using: (1) TrueFISP: TR/TE = 900/1.5 ms, flip angle = 90°, bandwidth = 450 Hz/px, and (2) GRE: TR/TE = 30/1.5 ms, bandwidth = 350 Hz/px. 23Na‐T1 weightings were obtained with nonselective saturation prepulses delayed from the center of the k‐space acquisition by 25/40/60/130/280 ms (SR‐TrueFISP) and by applying different nominal flip angles: 10°/30°/50°/70°/90° (VFA‐GRE). Both sequences were acquired twice, applying 20 and 30 spatial averages. The resulting images were B1‐corrected with a double‐angle GRE method.

Results

Image acquisition varied from 5:41 to 9:37 for TrueFISP and from 12:48 to 19:12 min for GRE using 20 and 30 spatial averages, respectively. Higher averaging increased the acquisition time by 53% and mean SNR at scan < 10%, without an effect on 23Na‐T1 estimations with both methods (SR‐Truefisp |Δ| = 1.58 ms, VFA‐GRE |Δ| = 0.53 ms; for SNR P < .001). Overall, mean ± SD of 23Na‐T1 was found as 51 ± 3 ms with SR‐TrueFISP and 53 ± 2 ms with VFA‐GRE.

Conclusion

Both SR‐TrueFISP and VFA‐GRE provided similar 23Na‐T1 estimates based on the phantom measurements with isotropic resolution.
Support online students during campus closures
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: June 2020

Students may have left your campus due to the COVID‐19 crisis, but they still need your support to succeed. NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education presented a webinar featuring Alicia Battle, Assistant Professor and Director of the Online Master of Public Health Program at Tulane University; Jaimie Hoffman, Ed.D., Vice President for Student Affairs at Noodle Partners; and James McGhee, Assistant Dean of Students at Randolph‐Macon College.
Treatment and revaccination of children with paraneoplastic opsoclonus‐myoclonus‐ataxia syndrome and neuroblastoma: The Memorial Sloan Kettering experience
Authors: Patel Ami , Fischer Cheryl , Lin Yi‐Chih , Basu Ellen M. , Kushner Brian H. , De Braganca Kevin , Khakoo Yasmin
Published: June 2020

Objective

To review the treatment and revaccination of neuroblastoma‐associated opsoclonus‐myoclonus‐ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).

Procedure

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this retrospective study of patients with neuroblastoma‐associated OMAS followed at MSK from 2000 to 2016.

Results

Fourteen patients (nine female) were 9‐21 (median 17) months old at diagnosis of neuroblastoma and OMAS syndrome. They had stage 1 (n = 12), stage 2B, or intermediate‐risk stage 4. Tumor histology was favorable in 11 patients, unfavorable in two, and unknown in one patient. No patient had amplified MYCN. All patients underwent tumor resection at diagnosis. Anti‐neuroblastoma treatment was limited to chemotherapy in one patient. Overall survival is 100% at 3‐16 (median 10) years. For OMAS, 13 patients received intravenous immune globulin (IVIg), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and rituximab, and one received ACTH and IVIg. Seven patients experienced OMAS relapse. For these relapses, five patients received low‐dose cyclophosphamide and two received rituximab. The mean total OMAS treatment was 20‐96 (median 48) months. Seven patients started rituximab ≤3 months from diagnosis and did not relapse. The other six experienced OMAS relapse. To date, six patients have been revaccinated at a minimum of 2 years after completion of OMAS therapy without OMAS recurrence.

Conclusions

Patients with neuroblastoma‐associated OMAS had excellent overall survival. Early initiation of rituximab, IVIg, and ACTH may reduce risks of OMAS relapse. Revaccination can be resumed without exacerbation of OMAS. Further investigation with a larger cohort of patients is needed.
Associations of Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and gastric inflammation with pediatric asthma
Authors: Elias Nael , Nasrallah Elias , Khoury Camelia , Mansour Bshara , Abu Zuher Layaly , Asato Valeria , Muhsen Khitam
Published: June 2020

Objective

Controversy exists regarding an association between Helicobacter pylori infection and asthma in children. We examined the hypotheses of inverse associations of H. pylori seroprevalence and pepsinogen (PG) levels, as markers of gastric inflammation, with asthma in children.

Methods

A hospital‐based case‐control study was conducted among children aged 4.8 to 17.3 years in Israel. Confirmed asthma cases (n = 75) were recruited through a pulmonary clinic, and controls (n = 160) without asthma were enrolled. Using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays we measured the presence of H. pylori immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, IgG antibodies to cytotoxin‐associated gene A antigen (CagA) (virulent factor), serum PG levels and exposure to other enteric pathogens (Shigella flexneri). Multivariable logistic regression models were applied.

Results

H. pylori IgG seropositivity was 25% and 40% among cases and controls, respectively (P = .03). H. pylori CagA IgG seropositivity was associated with reduced risk of asthma (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.33 [95% CI, 0.11‐0.95] but not for the CagA negative serology (adjusted OR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.32‐1.54]). Children who were H. pylori seropositive with a PGI:PGII of ≤6.78 (severe gastric inflammation) had a lower likelihood of asthma (adjusted OR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.10‐0.89]) than did seronegative children. Exposure to Shigella flexneri did not differ between cases and controls, nor according to H. pylori seropositivity. Among the asthmatic children, pulmonary function did not differ according to H. pylori seropositivity.

Conclusions

H. pylori infection and its related gastric inflammation may have a protective role in the risk of pediatric asthma and further research into a potential causal pathway is required.
β‐Strand‐mediated interactions of protein domains
Authors: Bhat Archana S. , Kinch Lisa N. , Grishin Nick V.
Published: June 2020

Protein domains exist by themselves or in combination with other domains to form complex multidomain proteins. Defining domain boundaries in proteins is essential for understanding their evolution and function but is not trivial. More specifically, partitioning domains that interact by forming a single β‐sheet is known to be particularly troublesome for automatic structure‐based domain decomposition pipelines. Here, we study edge‐to‐edge β‐strand interactions between domains in a protein chain, to help define the boundaries for some more difficult cases where a single β‐sheet spanning over two domains gives an appearance of one. We give a number of examples where β‐strands belonging to a single β‐sheet do not belong to a single domain and highlight the difficulties of automatic domain parsers on these examples. This work can be used as a baseline for defining domain boundaries in homologous proteins or proteins with similar domain interactions in the future.
Spatial variability and possible cause analysis of regional precipitation complexity based on optimized sample entropy
Authors: Zhang Liangliang , Li Tianxiao , Liu Dong , Fu Qiang , Li Mo , Faiz Muhammad Abrar , Ali Shoaib , Khan Muhammad Imran
Published: June 2020

Sample entropy can be used to investigate the complexity of precipitation series. However, the randomness of similar tolerance selection may lead to inaccurate results. To solve this problem, the distinction degree theory was introduced to optimize the similar tolerance of sample entropy, and a specific reference frame for the optimization process was provided. The optimized sample entropy was used to study the spatial differences in precipitation complexity and the possible causes from the perspective of the monthly precipitation (MP) and extreme daily precipitation (EDP) in Heilongjiang Province, China. The results demonstrated that the MP and EDP in Heilongjiang Province both had unsteady complex fluctuation characteristics and the optimal similar tolerances of the sample entropy were 0.24 and 0.13 times the standard deviation, respectively. The complexity of the EDP was higher than that of the MP, and their fluctuation ranges were 1.641–2.268 and 0.433–0.870, respectively. The complexity of the MP in the study area could be spatially represented as a basic pattern, which gradually decreased from east to west. The spatial distribution pattern of the EDP complexity indicated that the northern part was higher than the southern part. Altitude was the common influencing factor of the MP and EDP complexities, and it had a greater impact on the spatial pattern of the EDP complexity. Potential factors influencing the spatial difference in MP complexity also included changes in precipitation intensity, water area and residential and industrial land areas. Except for altitude, industrial economic development level may also affect the complexity of the EDP. The results may improve the application of sample entropy in climate system complexity measurements and could provide guiding significance for revealing the spatial variation of precipitation complexity.
Experimental setups for XPS measurements beyond the instrumental lateral resolution limit
Authors: Scheithauer Uwe
Published: June 2020

The lateral resolution of an X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy instrument, which is equipped with a focused X‐ray beam, is limited by the nominal X‐ray beam diameter and the long tail intensity distribution of the X‐ray beam. The long tail intensity distribution of the X‐ray beam impedes to perform a measurement with good lateral resolution and low detection limits at the same time. Two experimental setups are described which allow examining sample structures that are smaller than the X‐ray beam dimensions. The first method uses differential sample charging on partly nonconductive samples by low‐energy electron flooding. The spectra of the nonconductive sample areas are shifted towards lower binding energy. That way, the surface composition of conductive and nonconductive sample areas are estimated independently. The second method utilizes the rather limited dimensions of the energy analyser acceptance volume. Here, only the sample is placed inside the energy analyser acceptance volume. That way, signals from the illuminated sample contribute exclusively to the measured photoelectrons intensity, independent from the sample size.
Microstructural Modifications of Dual‐Phase Steels: An Overview of Recent Progress and Challenges
Authors: Ebrahimi Fatemeh , Saeidi Navid , Raeissi Mehdi
Published: June 2020

Optimization of the microstructure and its effect on the strength and ductility of the steel is one of the main aspects of the researcher's effort toward production of advanced structural materials. There have been various investigations focusing on the thermomechanical treatment and grain refinement of steel while some researches are dealing with the modification of chemical composition. This article considering major parameters influencing the mechanical properties of steels aims to present an overview of the outstanding achievements in improvement of the dual‐phase steels. Following the obtained consensus, some advanced promising microstructural modification strategies are also suggested, which can bring new insights to shed light upon the further enhancement of the mechanical behavior of the dual‐phase steels.
Recognizing the Inevitable Intersections of Spiritual and Leadership Development
Authors: Sligh Christopher E. , Talbot Donna M.
Published: June 2020

The language of leadership and spirituality evolves with societal needs. This chapter addresses challenges confronting today's students, aligns concepts of spiritual and leadership development, and articulates a conceptual framework that integrates five tenets of spirituality with the social change model of leadership development.
Colour-twist operators. Part I. Spectrum and wave functions
Authors: Cavaglià Andrea , Grabner David , Gromov Nikolay , Sever Amit
Published: June 2020

Abstract

We introduce a new class of operators in any theory with a ’t Hooft large-N limit that we call colour-twist operators. They are defined by twisting the colour-trace with a global symmetry transformation and are continuously linked to standard, untwisted single-trace operators. In particular, correlation functions between operators that are twisted by an R-symmetry of

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 4 SYM extend those in the γ-deformed theory. The most general deformation also breaks the Lorentz symmetry but preserves integrability in the examples we consider. In this paper, we focus on colour-twist operators in the fishnet model. We exemplify our approach for the simplest colour-twist operators with one and two scalar fields, which we study non-perturbatively using field-theoretical as well as integrability methods, finding a perfect match. We also propose the quantisation condition for the Baxter equation appearing in the integrability calculation in the fishnet model. The results of this paper constitute a crucial step towards building the separation of variable construction for the correlation functions by means of the Quantum Spectral Curve approach.
Holographic uniformization and black hole attractors
Authors: Bobev Nikolay , Gautason Fridrik Freyr , Parmentier Klaas
Published: June 2020

Abstract

We establish an attractor mechanism for the horizon metric of asymptotically locally AdS4 supersymmetric black holes. The horizon is a smooth Riemann surface with arbitrary metric at asymptotic infinity which is fixed to the constant curvature metric in the near horizon region. We show how this mechanism is realized for four-dimensional

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 2 gauged supergravity coupled to vector multiplets by focusing on the STU model. A similar analysis is performed for gauged supergravity theories in five, six, and seven dimen- sions where we establish the same mechanism by extending previous results on holographic uniformization.
Surjectivity, Closed Range, and Fredholmness of the Composition and Multiplication Operators Between Possibly Distinct Orlicz Spaces
Authors: Chawziuk Tadeusz , Estaremi Yousef , Hudzik Henryk
Published: June 2020

We give criteria for the closely related concepts of surjectivity, closed range, and Fredholmness of the composition and multiplication operators between possibly different Orlicz spaces over non-atomic measure spaces.
Sichelzellkrankheit
Authors: Distelmaier L. , Dührsen U. , Dickerhoff R.
Published: June 2020

Der Begriff Sichelzellkrankheit umfasst eine Gruppe von Erkrankungen, die durch das Sichelzellhämoglobin (HbS) allein oder in Kombination mit anderen Varianten des β‑Globin-Locus verursacht werden. Hierbei besteht das Hämoglobin zu über 50 % aus HbS. Die Sichelzellkrankheit tritt überwiegend im Mittelmeerraum, dem mittleren Osten, in Zentralafrika, Indien und Amerika auf. Im desoxygenierten Zustand präzipitiert HbS, die Erythrozyten nehmen die typische Sichelzellform an und es kann zur Okklusion von kleinen Gefäßen kommen. Akut können Gewebeischämien mit Knochen- oder Organinfarkten auftreten, langfristig Organschäden. Bezüglich des Krankheitsverlaufs und der Komplikationen gibt es deutliche Unterschiede zwischen den verschiedenen Genotypen. Daher ist eine genaue Kenntnis der Erkrankung besonders wichtig. Hydroxycarbamid senkt die Mortalität und Morbidität bei Patienten mit Sichelzellkrankheit. Derzeit sind neue Medikamente und Therapieansätze wie die Gentherapie in Erprobung.
Live-born children after assisted reproduction in women with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Larsen Michael Due , Jensen Dorte Møller , Fedder Jens , Jølving Line Riis , Nørgård Bente Mertz
Published: June 2020

Aims/hypothesis

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are among the most prevalent chronic diseases in women in the fertile years and women with diabetes may experience several reproductive issues. We aimed to examine the chance of biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and live birth after assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and whether obesity per se influenced the results.

Methods

This nationwide register-based cohort study is based on the Danish ART Registry comprising 594 women with either type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes from 2006 to 2017.

Results

Relative to women without diabetes, the adjusted OR (95% CI) of a live birth per embryo transfer was 0.50 (0.36, 0.71) in women with type 2 diabetes and 1.10 (0.86, 1.41) in women with type 1 diabetes.

Conclusions/interpretation

Our data on the efficacy of ART treatment in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes is the first in this field. When compared with women without diabetes, women with type 1 diabetes had an equivalent chance of a live birth per embryo transfer whereas women with type 2 diabetes had a reduced chance. The findings in women with type 2 diabetes did not seem to be driven by obesity per se as the same pattern was seen in both normal-weight and obese women.
Determination of horizon size in state-based peridynamics
Authors: Wang Bingquan , Oterkus Selda , Oterkus Erkan
Published: June 2020

Peridynamics is based on integro-differential equations and has a length scale parameter called horizon which gives peridynamics a non-local character. Currently, there are three main peridynamic formulations available in the literature including bond-based peridynamics, ordinary state-based peridynamics and non-ordinary state-based peridynamics. In this study, the optimum horizon size is determined for ordinary state-based peridynamics and non-ordinary state-based peridynamics formulations by using uniform and non-uniform discretisation under dynamic and static conditions. It is shown that the horizon sizes selected as optimum sizes for uniform discretisation can also be used for non-uniform discretisation without introducing significant error to the system. Moreover, a smaller horizon size can be selected for non-ordinary state-based formulation which can yield significant computational advantage. It is also shown that same horizon size can be used for both static and dynamic problems.
Neurotoxicity of Tityus bahiensis (brown scorpion) venom in sympathetic vas deferens preparations and neuronal cells
Authors: Collaço Rita de Cássia , Hyslop Stephen , Rocha Thalita , Dorce Valquiria A. C. , Rowan Edward G. , Antunes Edson
Published: June 2020

Systemic scorpion envenomation is characterized by massive neurotransmitter release from peripheral nerves mediated primarily by scorpion venoms neurotoxins. Tityus bahiensis is one of the medically most important species in Brazil, but its venom pharmacology, especially regarding to peripheral nervous system, is poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the T. bahiensis venom activity on autonomic (sympathetic) neurotransmission by using a variety of approaches, including vas deferens twitch-tension recordings, electrophysiological measurements (resting membrane potentials, spontaneous excitatory junctional potentials and whole-cell patch-clamp), calcium imaging and histomorphological analysis. Low concentrations of venom (≤ 3 μg/mL) facilitated the electrically stimulated vas deferens contractions without affecting postsynaptic receptors or damaging the smooth muscle cells. Transient TTX-sensitive sustained contractions and resting membrane depolarization were mediated mainly by massive spontaneous ATP release. High venom concentrations (≥ 10 μg/mL) blocked the muscle contractions and induced membrane depolarization. In neuronal cells (ND7-23wt), the venom increased the peak sodium current, modified the current-voltage relationship by left-shifting the Nav-channel activation curve, thereby facilitating the opening of these channels. The venom also caused a time-dependent increase in neuronal calcium influx. These results indicate that the sympathetic hyperstimulation observed in systemic envenomation is presynaptically driven, probably through the interaction of α- and β-toxins with neuronal sodium channels.
Calling for an exponential escalation scheme in vaccine development for COVID-19
Authors: Wehling Martin
Published: June 2020

Purpose

COVID-19 as a pandemic calls for rapid development of vaccines.

Methods

Here a proposal of a seamless, adaptive, phase 1–3 trial for accelerated vaccine development is described.

Results

Starting at 10, the number of vaccinated volunteers would exponentially increase by tenfold at an interval of 2 weeks; close surveillance of antibody responses, safety and efficacy is necessary. After only 16 weeks, general vaccination would be feasible if supply meets the demand.

Conclusion

A COVID-19 vaccine would be rapidly available at a slightly increased risk for undetected late side effects or insufficient efficacy if compared with standard vaccine development schemes.
Ante-mortem analysis, electrical, thermal, and ageing testing of state-of-the-art cylindrical lithium-ion cells
Authors: Popp Hartmut , Zhang Ningxin , Jahn Marcus , Arrinda Mikel , Ritz Simon , Faber Matthias , Sauer Dirk Uwe , Azais Philippe , Cendoya Iosu
Published: June 2020

Thanks to its exceptional performance in terms of high energy and power density as well as long lifespan, the lithium-ion secondary battery is the most relevant electrochemical energy storage technology to meet the requirements for partial or full electrification of vehicles (plug-in hybrids or pure electric vehicles), and thanks to decreasing cost and ongoing technical improvements, it will maintain this role in the near to mid-term future. This study benchmarks eight different (five 21700 and three 18650 format) high-energy cylindrical cells concerning their suitability for automotive applications and aims to give a holistic overview and comparison between them. Therefore, an ante-mortem material analysis, a benchmark of electrical and thermal values as well as a cycle life study were carried out. The results show that even when applying similar concepts like Nickel-rich cathodes with graphite-based anodes, the cells show wide variations in their performance under the same test conditions.
A simple grid-based framework for simulating forest structural trajectories linked to transient forest management scenarios in Fennoscandia
Authors: Majasalmi Titta , Allen Micky , Antón-Fernández Clara , Astrup Rasmus , Bright Ryan M.
Published: June 2020

Forest structural properties largely govern surface fluxes of moisture, energy, and momentum that strongly affect regional climate and hydrology. Forest structural properties are greatly shaped by forest management activities, especially in the Fennoscandia (Norway, Sweden, and Finland). Insight into transient developments in forest structure in response to management intervention is therefore essential to understanding the role of forest management in mitigating regional climate change. The aim of this study is to present a simple grid-based framework – the Fennoscandic Forest State Simulator (F2S2) -- for predicting time-dependent forest structural trajectories in a manner compatible with land models employed in offline or asynchronously coupled climate and hydrological research. F2S2 enables the prescription of future regional forest structure as a function of: i) exogenously defined scenarios of forest harvest intensity; ii) forest management intensity; iii) climate forcing. We demonstrate its application when applied as a stand-alone tool for forecasting three alternative future forest states in Norway that differ with respect to background climate forcing, forest harvest intensity (linked to two Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs)), and forest management intensity. F2S2 captures impacts of climate forcing and forest management on general trends in forest structural development over time, and while climate is the main driver of longer-term forest structural dynamics, the role of harvests and other management-driven effects cannot be overlooked. To our knowledge this is the first paper presenting a method to map forest structure in space and time in a way that is compatible with land surface or hydrological models employing sub-grid tiling.
A Prematurity Collaborative Birth Equity Consensus Statement for Mothers and Babies
Authors: Jackson Fleda Mask , Rashied-Henry Kweli , Braveman Paula , Dominguez Tyan Parker , Ramos Diana , Maseru Noble , Darity William , Waddell Lisa , Warne Donald , Legaz Gina , Gupta Rahul , James Arthur
Published: June 2020

Introduction

In 2016, March of Dimes (MOD) launched its Prematurity Collaborative to engage a broad cross section of national experts to address persistent and widening racial disparities in preterm birth by achieving equity and demonstrated improvements in preterm birth. African-American and Native American women continue to have disproportionate rates of preterm birth and maternal death. As part of the Collaborative, MOD created the Health Equity Workgroup whose task was the creation of a scientific consensus statement articulating core values and a call to action to achieve equity in preterm birth utilizing health equity and social determinants of health frameworks.

Methods

Health Equity Workgroup members engaged in-person and virtually to discuss key determinant contributors and resolutions for disparate maternal and birth outcomes. Workgroup members then drafted the Birth Equity Consensus Statement that contained value statements and a call to action. The birth equity consensus statement was presented at professional conferences to seek broader support. This article highlights the background and context towards arriving at the core values and call to action, which are the two major components of the consensus statement and presents the core values and call to action themselves.

Results

The result was the creation of a birth equity consensus statement that highlights risks and protections of social determinants based on the prevailing science, and identifies promising solutions for reducing preterm birth and eliminating racial disparities.

Conclusion

The birth equity consensus statement provides a mandate, guiding the work of March of Dimes and the broader MCH community, for equity-based research, practice, and policy advocacy at local, state, and federal levels.

Significance

This field report adds to the current knowledge base on racial and ethnic disparities in birth and maternal health outcomes. Research has documented the science behind eliminating health disparities. Scientists and practitioners should continue to explore in practice how the social determinants of birth and maternal health, which manifest historically and contemporarily, can be addressed.
Education transferring and decentralized reforms: The case of Qatar
Authors: Romanowski Michael H. , Du Xiangyun
Published: June 2020

Nations transfer educational reform models for the systematic improvement of education. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, which have implemented primarily Western decentralized reform models to overhaul their educational systems. This article reports non-empirical research, written as a conceptual analysis that examines the current situation of the educational reform in Qatar. The theory of education transferring serves as a conceptual framework to scrutinize Qatar’s recent educational change to Project-based Learning. This illustrates the shift from the initial decentralized reform to its current centralized state. Contextual factors that influence decentralization are discussed.
Working toward equitable research practices: the value of highlighting complexity and respecting context
Authors: Siry Christina , Wilmes Sara E. D.
Published: June 2020

In this response paper, we reflect upon the contributions of Gallard Martínez, Pitts, Brkich, and Ramos de Robles (this issue) in their manuscript “How does one recognize contextual mitigating factors (CMFs) as a basis to understand and arrive at better approaches to research designs” and elaborate the ways in which we work toward highlighting the contextual complexities within our own research. Our research focuses on working toward equitable practices for culturally and linguistically diverse children in science education, in order to draw on the many cultural and communicative resources they bring to primary school science investigations. We draw upon our previous and current research projects in this forum contribution to tease-apart CMFs related to issues of equity in teaching science with culturally and linguistically diverse primary school children in our national context in Luxembourg. We conclude with a consideration of how the process of unpacking a diverse array of CMFs relative to our work with students helps us select and employ theoretical lenses and research methodologies that position us to gather rich understandings of the complexities within our research contexts and in our work with children and teachers.
Effects of Individual Mortality Experience on Out-of-Wedlock Fertility in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Krummhörn, Germany
Authors: Pink Katharina E. , Willführ Kai P. , Voland Eckart , Puschmann Paul
Published: June 2020

Life history theory predicts that exposure to high mortality in early childhood leads to faster and riskier reproductive strategies. Individuals who grew up in a high mortality regime will not overly wait until they find a suitable partner and form a stable union because premature death would prevent them from reproducing. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine whether women who experienced sibling death during early childhood (0–5 years) reproduced earlier and were at an increased risk of giving birth to an illegitimate child, with illegitimacy serving as a proxy for risky sexual behavior. Furthermore, we investigate whether giving birth out of wedlock is influenced by individual mortality experience or by more promiscuous sexual behavior that is clustered in certain families. Models are fitted on pedigree data from the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Krummhörn population in Germany. The results show a relationship between sibling death in early childhood and the risk of reproducing out of wedlock, and reproductive timing. The risk of giving birth out of wedlock is linked to individual mortality experience rather than to family-level effects. In contrast, adjustments in connubial reproductive timing are influenced more by family-level effects than by individual mortality experience.
How are MCPIP1 and cytokines mutually regulated in cancer-related immunity?
Authors: Xu Ruyi , Li Yi , Liu Yang , Qu Jianwei , Cao Wen , Zhang Enfan , He Jingsong , Cai Zhen
Published: June 2020

Cytokines are secreted by various cell types and act as critical mediators in many physiological processes, including immune response and tumor progression. Cytokines production is precisely and timely regulated by multiple mechanisms at different levels, ranging from transcriptional to post-transcriptional and posttranslational processes. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 induced protein 1 (MCPIP1), a potent immunosuppressive protein, was first described as a transcription factor in monocytes treated with monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and subsequently found to possess intrinsic RNase and deubiquitinase activities. MCPIP1 tightly regulates cytokines expression via various functions. Furthermore, cytokines such as interleukin 1 beta (IL-1B) and MCP-1 and inflammatory cytokines inducer lipopolysaccharide (LPS) strongly induce MCPIP1 expression. Mutually regulated MCPIP1 and cytokines form a complicated network in the tumor environment. In this review, we summarize how MCPIP1 and cytokines reciprocally interact and elucidate the effect of the network formed by these components in cancer-related immunity with aim of exploring potential clinical benefits of their mutual regulation.
Regulation of Uterine Spiral Artery Remodeling: a Review
Authors: Albrecht Eugene D. , Pepe Gerald J.
Published: June 2020

Extravillous trophoblast remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries is essential for promoting blood flow to the placenta and fetal development, but little is known about the regulation of this process. A defect in spiral artery remodeling underpins adverse conditions of human pregnancy, notably early-onset preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction, which result in maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Many in vitro studies have been conducted to determine the ability of growth and other factors to stimulate trophoblast cells to migrate across a synthetic membrane. Clinical studies have investigated whether the maternal levels of various factors are altered during abnormal human pregnancy. Animal models have been established to assess the ability of various factors to recapitulate the pathophysiological symptoms of preeclampsia. This review analyzes the results of the in vitro, clinical, and animal studies and describes a nonhuman primate experimental paradigm of defective uterine artery remodeling to study the regulation of vessel remodeling.
Masked Heterogeneity in Aggregation: Incorporating Beliefs and Geographic Information into Consumer Willingness to Pay for State Brands
Authors: Osburn Meagan , Holcomb Rodney B. , Neill Clinton L.
Published: June 2020

State marketing programs for food and agricultural products are largely driven by consumers’ desires to purchase in-state products. Evaluations of state marketing programs have largely ignored consumer location and proximity to surrounding states, measures of ethnocentrism, and the presence of other geographic marketing labels. This study examines willingness to pay for own and out-of-state labels for a generic commodity, milk, within an eight-state region. The results show that an aggregate model conceals consumer heterogeneity in marginal willingness to pay values for state brands as compared to a disaggregate model, even when using random parameter logit models.
A Taxonomy of Transparency in Science
Authors: Elliott Kevin C.
Published: June 2020

Both scientists and philosophers of science have recently emphasized the importance of promoting transparency in science. For scientists, transparency is a way to promote reproducibility, progress, and trust in research. For philosophers of science, transparency can help address the value-ladenness of scientific research in a responsible way. Nevertheless, the concept of transparency is a complex one. Scientists can be transparent about many different things, for many different reasons, on behalf of many different stakeholders. This paper proposes a taxonomy that clarifies the major dimensions along which approaches to transparency can vary. By doing so, it provides several insights that philosophers and other science studies scholars can pursue. In particular, it helps address common objections to pursuing transparency in science, it clarifies major forms of transparency, and it suggests avenues for further research on this topic.
“If competition has any virtue, we ought not to have a system that stifles it”: Competition in London Clearing Banking, 1946–1971
Authors: ARCH LINDA
Published: June 2020

Concentration in many industries has increased markedly in recent decades in the United States, although in Europe it has been stable or has even decreased. Where concentration has increased, the question arises as to how to measure the extent of competition (or the degree to which it is contestable) in a market in which there are relatively few competing firms, over the long term. This article explores competition in clearing banking in the UK from 1946 to 1971. This period is of interest in the context of industry concentration because clearing banking was relatively concentrated and, it has long been argued, uncompetitive. The article evaluates competition from four perspectives. First, it considers the competitiveness of London clearing banking from a quantitative perspective. Next, it evaluates competition through the lens of competition policy, particularly the extent to which monopoly, mergers, and restrictive trade practices existed in clearing banking. Third, the conclusions of the National Board for Prices and Incomes’ report into bank charges in 1967 are considered. Finally, it explores the extent to which the clearing banks were open to and embraced change, and were innovative, assuming that these qualities are more likely to be present when there is competition among banks. It questions key aspects of the dominant interpretation of clearing banking as uncompetitive and slow to innovate.