bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE USE OF VEHICLE DATA IN ADAS DEVELOPMENT, VERIFICATION AND FOLLOW-UP ON THE SYSTEM
Authors: Orlovska J. , Wickman C. , Soderberg R.
Published: June 2020

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) require a high level of interaction between the driver and the system, depending on driving context at a particular moment. Context-aware ADAS evaluation based on vehicle data is the most prominent way to assess the complexity of ADAS interactions. In this study, we conducted interviews with the ADAS development team at Volvo Cars to understand the role of vehicle data in the ADAS development and evaluation. The interviews’ analysis reveals strategies for improvement of current practices for vehicle data-driven ADAS evaluation.
INFLUENCE OF INNOVATION, COMPLEXITY AND NEWNESS ON SUCCESS IN NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: A SURVEY IN NORWEGIAN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
Authors: Beste C. , Welo T. , Olsson N.
Published: June 2020

There is little tolerance for deviation in time, budget and quality in the execution of product development projects. On the other hand, the project environment is gaining complexity. Changes on project scope are daily business. We set up an initial hypothesis, that unplanned changes -newness- has negative impact on projects. We developed and executed therefore a survey about factors belonging to innovation, complexity and newness to test their perceived impact on project success. Our data show a positive correlation between unsuccessful projects and newness, which is discussed in the paper.
CODEA: A FRAMEWORK FOR CO-DESIGNING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES WITH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS, AND END-USERS WITH MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS
Authors: Aflatoony L. , Lee S. J.
Published: June 2020

There are currently limited guidelines on how to design complex assistive technologies (ATs), which necessitates expertise beyond that possessed by designers, occupational therapists (OTs), or end-users. To address this issue, we conducted a series of four participatory workshops to study various configurations of OT-designer-user collaboration in co-designing do-it-yourself (DIY) ATs for an older adult with mobility impairment. We then proposed a specific co-design framework for such OT-designer-user collaboration.
A METHODOLOGY TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS IMPROVEMENT POTENTIALS IN COMMUNICATION PROCESSES OF DISTRIBUTED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – AN INITIAL APPROACH
Authors: Duehr K. , Hirsch M. , Albers A. , Bursac N.
Published: June 2020

The advantages of distributed development teams help companies to address megatrends like globalization and individualization. However, development teams are facing challenges according to increasing requirements on communication processes. This approach provides a methodology to identify and address improvement potentials in communication processes of distributed product development by including the dimensions technology, organization and human involved in the development process. The validation of the methodology's process steps was carried out together with a machine tool manufacturer.
PARTITIONING TYPES IN PRODUCT MODULARISATION
Authors: Pakkanen J. , Lehtonen T. , Juuti T.
Published: June 2020

Alternative ways to divide the product into modules, partitioning types, have been identified. The research material consists of the modularisation exercise at the university. Students modularised LEGO wheel loaders for product configuration. We began to see certain basic principles for partitioning the product into modules. From these, we compiled a collection of partitioning types. Similarities between the identified partitioning types and the literature exists. Future research is concerned with whether identified partitioning types would also support modularisation in industrial projects.
SIMULATION OF GRADIENT-BASED INDIVIDUAL DESIGN BEHAVIOUR IN DISTRIBUTED DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES
Authors: Wöhr F. , Stanglmeier M. , Königs S. , Zimmermann M.
Published: June 2020

As current vehicle development processes in the automotive industry are highly distributed, the interaction between design teams is limited. In this paper we use a simulation in order to investigate how the rate of design team interaction affects the solution quality and development cost. Results show, that in case of no limiting constraints, a low rate of interaction yields the best results regarding solution quality and development cost. If design activities are affected by constraints, however, the rate of interaction is subject to a conflict between solution quality and development cost.
CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR (SEMI-) AUTOMATED DERIVATION OF EVALUATION CRITERIA IN REQUIREMENTS MODELLING
Authors: Horber D. , Schleich B. , Wartzack S.
Published: June 2020

Requirements act as a limitation of the solution space, which represents the stakeholders’ needs and guides the whole product development process. Therefore, forgotten requirements can lead to wrong decisions when using them as a basis for decision-making. This contribution introduces a novel approach to link the requirement and evaluation criteria models to address this problem. For setting up those criteria consistently, the requirements are classified using natural language processing and derived by a ruleset based on a developed mapping between requirement classes and criteria types.
CONCEPT COMPARISON: A FUNCTION INTEGRITY INDICATOR
Authors: Wichmann R. L. , Eisenbart B. , Gericke K. , Lux B.
Published: June 2020

Comparing the propensity for risk in concepts with little commonality, such as different working principles, different number of functions and components, is challenging to achieve in a systematic and traceable manner. This paper builds on the Function Integrity Diagnosis and Documentation method to introduce a Function Integrity indicator as a means to quantitatively compare dissimilar design concepts based on risk assessment. The proposed indicator is intended to support designers converge on a suitable design concept based on considerations of risk to concept functions.
STATE OF DESIGN EDUCATION IN SINGAPORE – INSIGHTS FROM DESIGN EDUCATION SUMMIT 2018
Authors: Silva P. , Khan S. , Blessing L.
Published: June 2020

This study aims to understand the main issues in design education and discuss solutions. We conducted two workshops on the state of implementation of design in the Singaporean education system at the Design Education Summit, a conference for educators. We found that the main issues were the inclusion of design education within curriculum and change of stakeholder mindsets. Several solutions were discussed, such as ways to introduce design as part of the organization culture. We summarize results into action items and recommendations.
USING KINEMATIC ANALYSIS TO DEVELOP A NEW TOOTH SYSTEM FOR GEARINGS WITH VARIABLE SHAFT ANGLE
Authors: Grafinger M.
Published: June 2020

The belt units of an omnidirectional treadmill need to be connected for a continuous rotational transmission with variating axes angle. Torus gearing is not appropriate due to kinematic reasons, therefore a crown gearing with cone-shaped teeth is proposed. Parameter analysis on a virtual kinematics model show that depending on the cone angle, overlaps occur at different axis angles. Consequently, the shape of the teeth is modified with tip and foot relief and optimized so that no overlapping of the teeth occurs while a large path of contact is provided.
MITIGATING DESIGN FIXATION WITH EVOLVING EXTENDED REALITY TECHNOLOGY: AN EMERGING OPPORTUNITY
Authors: Hu X. , Georgiev G. V. , Casakin H.
Published: June 2020

Design fixation refers to the designers’ inability to avoid becoming stuck with preexisting ideas in order to generate new ones. With the recent fast advancements and developments, XR has emerged as a powerful promising technology that can shed new light on this issue. Consequently, this paper aims at: (1) investigating the underlying mechanisms of design fixation as reported in literature; (2) exploring the state-of-art in the use of XR technology in design; and (3) identifying ways to mitigate design fixation by employing XR technology.
CO-WORD GRAPHS FOR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE KNOWLEDGE MAPPING
Authors: Gopsill J. , Humphrey M. , Thompson D. , Garcia E.
Published: June 2020

Design & Manufacture Knowledge Mapping is a critical activity in medium-to-large organisations supporting many organisational activities. However, techniques for effective mapping of knowledge often employ interviews, consultations and appraisals. Although invaluable in providing expert insight, the application of such methods is inherently intrusive and resource intensive. This paper presents word co-occurrence graphs as a means to automatically generate knowledge maps from technical documents and validates against expert generated knowledge maps.
INVESTIGATION ON METHODS AND CHARACTERISTICS IN MEDICAL DEVICE DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Kuhl J. , Sankowski O. , Krause D.
Published: June 2020

A targeted development of safe medical products can be supported by design methods. This paper analyses which design methods are applied in the development of medical devices and whether they are adapted for considering medical devices’ special features (legal, human and technical issues). In particular, variety management, risk assessment and user-centered design for medical devices are examined. Typically, interdisciplinary risk assessment is methodically supported. Additionally, user-centered design methods for requirements assessment, design verification and design validation are applied.
Non-realizability of the pure braid group as area-preserving homeomorphisms
Authors: CHEN LEI
Published: June 2020

Let$\operatorname{Homeo}_{+}(D_{n}^{2})$be the group of orientation-preserving homeomorphisms of$D^{2}$fixing the boundary pointwise and$n$marked points as a set. The Nielsen realization problem for the braid group asks whether the natural projection$p_{n}:\operatorname{Homeo}_{+}(D_{n}^{2})\rightarrow B_{n}:=\unicode[STIX]{x1D70B}_{0}(\operatorname{Homeo}_{+}(D_{n}^{2}))$has a section over subgroups of$B_{n}$. All of the previous methods use either torsion or Thurston stability, which do not apply to the pure braid group$PB_{n}$, the subgroup of$B_{n}$that fixes$n$marked points pointwise. In this paper, we show that the pure braid group has no realization inside the area-preserving homeomorphisms using rotation numbers.
COMPLETELY SEPARABLE MAD FAMILIES AND THE MODAL LOGIC OF βω
Authors: LÁVIČKA TOMÁŠ , VERNER JONATHAN L.
Published: June 2020

We show in ZFC that the existence of completely separable maximal almost disjoint families of subsets of
$\omega $
implies that the modal logic
$\mathbf {S4.1.2}$
is complete with respect to the Čech–Stone compactification of the natural numbers, the space
$\beta \omega $
. In the same fashion we prove that the modal logic
$\mathbf {S4}$
is complete with respect to the space
$\omega ^*=\beta \omega \setminus \omega $
. This improves the results of G. Bezhanishvili and J. Harding in [4], where the authors prove these theorems under stronger assumptions (
$\mathfrak {a=c}$
). Our proof is also somewhat simpler.
A NEW JERUSALEM ‘AT THE ENDS OF THE EARTH’: INTERPRETING CHARLES THOMAS’S EXCAVATIONS AT IONA ABBEY 1956–63
Authors: Campbell Ewan , Maldonado Adrián
Published: June 2020

Iona was a major European intellectual and artistic centre during the seventh to ninth centuries, with outstanding illustrated manuscripts, sculpture and religious writings produced there, despite its apparently peripheral location ‘at the ends of the earth’. Recent theological discourse has emphasised the leading role of Iona, and particularly its ninth abbot, Adomnán, in developing the metaphor of the earthly monastery as a mirror of heavenly Jerusalem, allowing us to suggest a new appreciation of the innovative monastic layout at Iona and its influence on other monasteries in northern Britain. The authors contend that the unique paved roadway and the schematic layout of the early church, shrine chapel and free-standing crosses were intended to evoke Jerusalem, and that the journey to the sacred heart of the site mirrored a pilgrim’s journey to the tomb of Christ. The key to this transformative understanding is Charles Thomas’s 1956–63 campaign of excavations on Iona, which this article is publishing for the first time. These excavations were influential in the history of early Christian archaeology in Britain as they helped to form many of Thomas’s ideas, later expressed in a series of influential books. They also revealed important new information on the layout and function of the monastic complex, and produced some unique metalwork and glass artefacts that considerably expand our knowledge of activities on the site. This article collates this new information with a re-assessment of the evidence from a large series of other excavations on Iona, and relates the results to recent explorations at other Insular monastic sites.
Transformative Experience in Skepticism. The External Standpoint and the Finitude of the Human Condition
Authors: Gutschmidt Rico
Published: June 2020

According to its quietist readings, skepticism can be dissolved by demonstrating that the notion of ‘absolute objectivity’ is confused. The dissolution of this confusion is supposed to lead us to acquiesce in our finite and plain everyday life without being bothered anymore about the supposed need for objective knowledge. In contrast, I want to propose a transformative reading of skepticism according to which the philosophical practice of skepticism can be ‘epistemically transformative’. To this end, I will transpose L.A. Paul's notion of ‘epistemically transformative experience’ from decision theory to the realm of philosophical practice and argue that the modern skeptical problem of an external standpoint can evoke transformative experiences that lead to a new, albeit non-propositional, insight into the finitude of the human condition.
Nitric Oxide Synthase activity in major depressive episodes before and after antidepressant treatment: Results of a large case-control treatment study
Authors: Loeb E. , El Asmar K. , Trabado S. , Gressier F. , Colle R. , Rigal A. , Martin S. , Verstuyft C. , Fève B. , Chanson P. , Becquemont L. , Corruble E.
Published: June 2020

Background

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, an enzyme potentially involved in the major depressive episodes (MDE), could be indirectly measured by the L-Citrulline/L-Arginine ratio (L-Cit/L-Arg). The aim of this study was: (1) to compare the NOS activity of patients with a MDE to that of healthy controls (HC); (2) to assess its change after antidepressant treatment.

Methods

A total of 460 patients with a current MDE in a context of major depressive disorder (MDD) were compared to 895 HC for NOS activity (L-Cit/L-Arg plasma ratio). L-Arg and L-Cit plasma levels were measured using a MS-based liquid chromatography method. Depressed patients were assessed at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months of antidepressant treatment for depression severity and clinical response.

Results

Depressed patients had a lower NOS activity than HC at baseline [0.31 ± 0.09 v. 0.38 ± 0.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.084 to −0.062, p < 0.0001]. Lower NOS activity at baseline predicted a higher response rate [odds ratio (OR) = 29.20; 95% CI 1.58–536.37; p = 0.023]. NOS activity in depressed patients increased significantly up to 0.34 ± 0.08 after antidepressant treatment (Est = 0.0034; 95% CI 0.0002–0.0067; p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Depressed patients have a decreased NOS activity that improves after antidepressant treatment and predicts drug response. NOS activity may be a promising biomarker for MDE in a context of MDD.
A major flaw in the diagnosis of schizophrenia: what happened to the Schneider's first rank symptoms
Authors: Moscarelli Massimo
Published: June 2020

Kurt Schneider introduced in the definition of the first-rank symptoms (FRS) the criterion that, where unequivocally present, the FRS are always psychological primaries and irreducible. This criterion, grounded on ‘phenomenology’ (description of subjective experiences), cannot be applied, according to Schneider, to delusions, either two-stage FRS delusional perception, or second-rank delusional notions. The Schneider's key criterion was neglected since the initial adoption of the ‘Schneider's FRS’ in the subsequent international literature (e.g. PSE, RDC, DSM, and ICD). The ‘Schneider's FRS’ (e.g. thought insertion, thought withdrawal, passivity, and influence) were persistently equivocated as ‘delusions’, in spite of the Schneider's FRS exclusion criterion. The internationally equivocated ‘Schneider's FRS’ (only homonymous of the original ‘Schneider's FRS’), were eliminated in the DSM-5 and de-emphasized in ICD-11. However, the diagnostic value of the original ‘Schneider's FRS’, assessed on the basis of the strict compliance with the Schneider's criterion for their definition, was never determined. The ‘damnatio memoriae’ of the original Schneider's FRS may be premature. The definition and assessment of the ‘experienced’ symptoms of schizophrenia, only directly observed and reported by the patients, represent a specific, crucial, irreplaceable domain of psychopathology, to be carefully distinguished from the domain of the ‘behavioral’ symptoms observed by the clinician. Contemporary psychopathology research is aware of the absolute need for psychiatry to enhance precision and exactness in the definition of the experienced symptoms of schizophrenia, through the formulation of unequivocal inclusion and exclusion criteria (descriptive micro-psychopathology), in order to determine their value in research and care.
Sociodemographic moderation of the association between depression and stroke incidence in a retrospective cohort of 0.4 million primary care recipients with hypertension
Authors: Lai Francisco T. T. , Mercer Stewart W. , Guthrie Bruce , Yip Benjamin H. K. , Chung Gary K. K. , Zou Dan , Lee Kam-Pui , Chau Patsy Y. K. , Chung Roger Y. , Wong Eliza L. Y. , Yeoh Eng-Kiong , Wong Samuel Y. S.
Published: June 2020

Background

Previous research has suggested an association between depression and subsequent acute stroke incidence, but few studies have examined any effect modification by sociodemographic factors. In addition, no studies have investigated this association among primary care recipients with hypertension.

Methods

We examined the anonymized records of all public general outpatient visits by patients aged 45+ during January 2007–December 2010 in Hong Kong to extract primary care patients with hypertension for analysis. We took the last consultation date as the baseline and followed them up for 4 years (until 2011–2014) to observe any subsequent acute hospitalization due to stroke. Mixed-effects Cox models (random intercept across 74 included clinics) were implemented to examine the association between depression (ICPC diagnosis or anti-depressant prescription) at baseline and the hazard of acute stroke (ICD-9: 430–437.9). Effect modification by age, sex, and recipient status of social security assistance was examined in extended models with respective interaction terms specified.

Results

In total, 396 858 eligible patients were included, with 9099 (2.3%) having depression, and 10 851 (2.7%) eventually hospitalized for stroke. From the adjusted analysis, baseline depression was associated with a 17% increased hazard of acute stroke hospitalization [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.32]. This association was suggested to be even stronger among men than among women (hazard ratio = 1.29, 95% CI 1.00–1.67).

Conclusion

Depression is more strongly associated with acute stroke incidence among male than female primary care patients with hypertension. More integrated services are warranted to address their needs.
Editorial Research: Music education in a time of pandemic
Authors: Daubney Alison , Fautley Martin
Published: June 2020

This article, written at the time it was taking place, discusses the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on music education in schools, focusing on the UK. It discusses how schools and teachers have had to make a sudden shift to a largely on-line modality, and the effects of these on teaching and learning in music. It asks questions of curriculum and assessment, especially with regard to the fact that classroom teachers in England are having to use their professional judgment to provide grades for external examinations, where hitherto these would have come from examination boards. It questions the ways in which teachers have been inadequately prepared and supported for this, by years of neoliberal undermining of confidence. It goes on to question accountability, and teacher training, raising issues which, at the time of writing, are of significant concern or music education.
Unique contribution of shared book reading on adult-child language interaction
Authors: CLEMENS Lucy F. , KEGEL Cornelia A. T.
Published: June 2020

Researchers agree that early literacy activities, like book sharing and parent-child play, are important for stimulating language development. We hypothesize that book sharing is most powerful because it elicits more interactive talk in young children than other activities. Parents of 43 infants (9–18 months) made two daylong audio recordings using the LENA system. We compared a typical day, with spontaneous occurring activities, with an instructed day when caregivers were prompted to do book reading and toy play. Book sharing resulted in a combination of more parent talk, child talk, and interactions than other language activities. Research context did not influence outcomes: no differences were found in language use between the spontaneous and the instructed activities. Overall it seems clear that even with infants shared reading is a strong unique stimulator of language use from parent and child.
The development of phonological memory and language: A multiple groups approach
Authors: DELCENSERIE Audrey , GENESEE Fred , TRUDEAU Natacha , CHAMPOUX François
Published: June 2020

Pierce et al. (2017) have proposed that variations in the timing, quality and quantity of language input during the earliest stages of development are related to variations in the development of phonological working memory and, in turn, to later language learning outcomes. To examine this hypothesis, three groups of children who are at-risk for language learning were examined: children with cochlear implants (CI), children with developmental language disorder (DLD), and internationally-adopted (IA) children, Comparison groups of typically-developing monolingual (MON) children and second language (L2) learners were also included. All groups were acquiring French as a first or second language and were matched on age, gender, and socioeconomic status, as well as other group-specific factors; they were between 5;0–7;3 years of age at time of testing. The CI and DLD groups scored significantly more poorly on the memory measures than the other groups; while the IA and L2 groups did not differ from one another. While the IA group performed more poorly than the MON group, there was no difference between the L2 and MON groups. We also found differential developmental relationships between phonological memory and language among the groups of interest in comparison to the typically-developing MON and L2 groups supporting the hypothesis that language experiences early in life are consequential for language development because of their effects on the development of phonological memory.
Incipient alcohol use in childhood: Early alcohol sipping and its relations with psychopathology and personality
Authors: Watts Ashley L. , Wood Phillip K. , Jackson Kristina M. , Lisdahl Krista M. , Heitzeg Mary M. , Gonzalez Raul , Tapert Susan F. , Barch Deanna M. , Sher Kenneth J.
Published: June 2020

Prior research has shown that sipping of alcohol begins to emerge during childhood and is potentially etiologically significant for later substance use problems. Using a large, community sample of 9- and 10-year-olds (N = 11,872; 53% female), we examined individual differences in precocious alcohol use in the form of alcohol sipping. We focused explicitly on features that are robust and well-demonstrated correlates of, and antecedents to, alcohol excess and related problems later in the lifespan, including youth- and parent-reported externalizing traits (i.e., impulsivity, behavioral inhibition and activation) and psychopathology. Seventeen percent of the sample reported sipping alcohol outside of a religiously sanctioned activity by age 9 or 10. Several aspects of psychopathology and personality emerged as small but reliable correlates of sipping. Nonreligious sipping was related to youth-reported impulsigenic traits, aspects of behavioral activation, prodromal psychotic-like symptoms, and mood disorder diagnoses, as well as parent-reported externalizing disorder diagnoses. Religious sipping was unexpectedly associated with certain aspects of impulsivity. Together, our findings point to the potential importance of impulsivity and other transdiagnostic indicators of psychopathology (e.g., emotion dysregulation, novelty seeking) in the earliest forms of drinking behavior.
TREASURED TRASH: THE SACRED SIGNIFICANCE OF CERAMIC FRAGMENTS IN ELITE RITUAL CONTEXTS AT POSTCLASSIC XALTOCAN, MEXICO
Authors: Farah Kirby
Published: June 2020

In this article, I examine the use of ceramic fragments to mark sacred spaces at the Postclassic central Mexican site of Xaltocan. Recent excavations in Xaltocan's central precinct revealed a series of ritual features dating to Xaltocan's Middle Postclassic period (a.d.1240–1350) that were carefully constructed with ceramic fragments. I argue that this practice might represent an effort on the part of Xaltocan's Postclassic leaders to mark these features as sacred. Although Xaltocan was ruled by Otomi peoples during this time, the careful incorporation of ceramic fragments into ritual spaces might be related to the Nahua concept oftlazolliand possibly reflects the increasing influence of Nahua ideologies across the Basin of Mexico. Despite its generally negative connotations,tlazolliwas a powerful substance that central Mexicans could manipulate to energize ritual spaces. By carefully reordering ceramic fragments in and around ritual features, Xaltocan's leaders might have imbued these spaces with sacred energy. While the concept oftlazollimight have been quite widespread during this time, the specific practices discussed in this article appear to have been isolated to Xaltocan's Middle Postclassic leaders. Perhaps the specific practices observed were an invention of Xaltocan's Middle Postclassic leaders that never spread.
Developing community-based urine sampling methods to deploy biomarker technology for the assessment of dietary exposure
Authors: Lloyd Amanda J , Wilson Thomas , Willis Naomi D , Lyons Laura , Phillips Helen , Janssen Hayley G , Stiegler Martina , Xie Long , Tailliart Kathleen , Beckmann Manfred , Stevenson Leo , Mathers John C , Draper John
Published: June 2020

Objective:

Obtaining objective, dietary exposure information from individuals is challenging because of the complexity of food consumption patterns and the limitations of self-reporting tools (e.g., FFQ and diet diaries). This hinders research efforts to associate intakes of specific foods or eating patterns with population health outcomes.

Design:

Dietary exposure can be assessed by the measurement of food-derived chemicals in urine samples. We aimed to develop methodologies for urine collection that minimised impact on the day-to-day activities of participants but also yielded samples that were data-rich in terms of targeted biomarker measurements.

Setting:

Urine collection methodologies were developed within home settings.

Participants:

Different cohorts of free-living volunteers.

Results:

Home collection of urine samples using vacuum transfer technology was deemed highly acceptable by volunteers. Statistical analysis of both metabolome and selected dietary exposure biomarkers in spot urine collected and stored using this method showed that they were compositionally similar to urine collected using a standard method with immediate sample freezing. Even without chemical preservatives, samples can be stored under different temperature regimes without any significant impact on the overall urine composition or concentration of forty-six exemplar dietary exposure biomarkers. Importantly, the samples could be posted directly to analytical facilities, without the need for refrigerated transport and involvement of clinical professionals.

Conclusions:

This urine sampling methodology appears to be suitable for routine use and may provide a scalable, cost-effective means to collect urine samples and to assess diet in epidemiological studies.
Tracking and treating malnutrition: a retrospective observational study of the nutritional status of vulnerable people accessing a meals-on-wheels (MOW) service
Authors: Dewar Michelle , Dickinson Angela , Smeeton Nigel
Published: June 2020

Aim:

The aims of the study were to describe the characteristics of meals-on-wheels (MOW) recipients, including prevalence of malnutrition amongst those who have received input from the Nutrition and Wellbeing Service (NWS) and to explore whether the NWS had an impact on the nutritional status (malnutrition risk) of recipients over time.

Background:

Support services, for example, MOW, play an important role in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in the community. In the UK, MOW services are under threat. However, little is known about how they support the health and well-being of older people. This study reports on the characteristics of MOW recipients and investigates change in nutritional status over time.

Methods:

A retrospective study of MOW recipients of nutritional concern who were offered a check through the NWS was conducted. Demographic, social and health information were gathered at the initial visit. Nutritional status (risk of malnutrition) was obtained using the validated Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), at the initial and subsequent visits. Changes over time were investigated for recipients receiving at least two follow-up visits.

Findings:

An initial visit was made to 399 MOW recipients, and 148 recipients had two or more follow-up visits. At initial screening, 177 (44%) of recipients were at medium or high risk of malnutrition. Frailty was significantly related to malnutrition risk (P = 0.049). At follow-up, there was a reduction in malnutrition risk.

Conclusions:

The MOW service was associated with a reduction in malnutrition risk. By offering well-being visits within a MOW service, malnutrition can be identified early. Future studies into how MOW services might delay or prevent the need for support from acute health services and social care are warranted.
Richard Gough, Peter Peckard, and the Problem of Little Gidding
Authors: Coltharp Duane
Published: June 2020

This article explores the ways in which Little Gidding and its inhabitants – including the leader of that pious seventeenth-century household, Nicholas Ferrar – were remembered in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The memory of Little Gidding was shaped, in part, by a passage in Richard Gough’s British Topography, in which Gough dismissed Nicholas Ferrar as a ‘useless enthusiast’. Gough’s attack was answered by the liberal churchman Peter Peckard, who defended the reputation of his wife’s ancestor in his Memoirs of the Life of Mr. Nicholas Ferrar. And yet Peckard’s response to the Ferrars of Little Gidding was not entirely approving: while Peckard celebrated their piety and benevolence, he also worried over their ‘ceremonials’ and their ‘austerities’. This article presents a reading of the Memoirs, as well as a study of the relationship between Peckard’s text and other contemporary sources, in order to shed light on the complex nature of Peckard’s liberal Anglicanism.
Determination of optimum metam-potassium rate for weed, tomato, and pepper termination
Authors: Khatri Kshitij , Boyd Nathan S.
Published: June 2020

Metam potassium (metam-K) is a soil fumigant used commonly in Florida at the end of the tomato and pepper production season. The fumigant essentially cleans a field by killing the established weeds and crops after harvest. The goal of this project was to determine the optimal rate of metam-K for the effective termination of tomato, pepper, and established weeds such as purple nutsedge, goosegrass, and dogfennel. Tomato, pepper, and purple nutsedge at bed center were effectively terminated with the metam-K rate of 65 kg ha−1. Optimal rates required for the termination of goosegrass and dogfennel were 91 and 156 kg ha−1, respectively. In contrast, metam-K at 500 to 680 kg ha−1 was required to terminate purple nutsedge on bed edges. The reduced efficacy of metam-K at bed edge might be related to the limited movement of metam-K in soil.
Another Mini Solar Maximum in the Offing: A Prediction for the Amplitude of Solar Cycle 25
Authors: Bisoi S. K. , Janardhan P. , Ananthakrishnan S.
Published: June 2020

We examine the temporal changes in both solar polar magnetic field (PMF) at latitudes ≥45° and heliospheric magnetic field (HMF) at 1 AU during solar cycles 21–24 with emphasis on the recent activity changes after July 2015, the so called “mini solar maximum” of cycle 24. While unsigned PMF shows solar cycle modulations in cycles 21 and 22, it shows an anti‐correlation with solar cycle variation in cycle 24. In addition, the floor level of the HMF (of 4.6 nT), that is, the value that the HMF returns to at each solar minimum, is breached about 2 years prior to cycle 24 minimum, indicating a reduced HMF floor level of 3.2 ± 0.5 nT in the upcoming cycle 24 minimum. In light of the change of unsigned PMF and the availability of a revised smoothed sunspot number (SSN V2.0) after July 2015, we revisit the correlation of unsigned PMF and HMF at solar minimum. The correlation is used to estimate values of the HMF at the cycle 24 minimum and the amplitude of the upcoming cycle 25. The updated prediction is 134 ± 11 or 131 ± 11 on the revised SSN V2.0 scale assuming the cycle 24 minimum to occur in 2020 or 2021, respectively. The SSN values indicate that the cycle 25 will be stronger than cycle 24 and a little weaker than cycle 23, even if the current solar cycle minimum occurs in 2021 instead of 2020. This implies that we will witness another mini solar maximum in the upcoming cycle 25.
Are Aftershock Sequences Pertinent to Long‐Term Seismic Hazard Assessments? Insights From the Temporal ETAS Model
Authors: Reyes Canales Mauricio , van der Baan Mirko
Published: June 2020

Aftershocks are commonly removed from observed earthquake catalogs in probabilistic seismic hazard analyses, using declustering techniques. We use stationary and temporal Epistemic‐Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) models to generate aftershocks from background seismicity and preceding aftershocks. We assume that the mainshocks equal the background seismicity, to divide the synthetic earthquake catalogs into mainshock (declustered) and complete (nondeclustered) versions. Only mainshocks follow a Poissonian distribution. We then evaluate how accurately we can forecast the recurrence of the largest events based on the simulated catalogs. A single b value is derived from the simulated catalogs and used in the magnitude‐frequency forecast. When the b value of the mainshocks is considerably smaller than the b value of the aftershocks, the information derived from the mainshock catalog leads to accurate predictions of the occurrence of the largest events. Conversely, when the mainshock and aftershocks have comparable b values, only the complete catalog produces representative estimates for the occurrence statistics of the largest events. We also show that using Poisson statistics leads to representative assessment of long‐term recurrences, even if aftershocks have a non‐Poissonian distribution. Finally, we analyze a recent case of induced seismicity, Oklahoma, USA, where the complete catalog displays a kink in the magnitude‐frequency distribution. Declustering removes this kink, leading to better b value estimations for the largest magnitude events. We conclude that temporal declustering for seismic hazard assessment is only recommended in catalogs with a large number of earthquakes and in catalogs where the b values of the mainshocks are significantly different from the b values of the complete catalog.
Active Normal Faulting, Diking, and Doming Above the Rapidly Inflating Laguna del Maule Volcanic Field, Chile, Imaged With CHIRP, Magnetic, and Focal Mechanism Data
Authors: Peterson Dana E. , Garibaldi Nicolas , Keranen Katie , Tikoff Basil , Miller Craig , Lara Luis E. , Tassara Andres , Thurber Clifford , Lanza Federica
Published: June 2020

The Laguna del Maule volcanic field (LdMVF) in Chile, a rapidly inflating silicic volcanic system without historical eruption, is intersected by active regional faults. The LdMVF provides an opportunity to observe how faults influence, accommodate, or are driven by an actively deforming large silicic system. Here we use Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse (CHIRP) acoustic reflection data to map the fault network in sediments captured within the eponymous lake at the LdMVF and combine our fault maps with the volcanic history, earthquake locations, focal mechanisms, and lacustrine magnetic data to interpret how faults and magmatism interact. Our seismic data image dominantly dip‐slip faults forming grabens within the lake, subparallel to regional faults. No indications exist in the seismic data to suggest that fault patterns were created by the volcanic system, either ring or radial faults. Fault strikes interpreted from seismic and magnetic data are consistent with mapped dike and fault orientations on land. We therefore interpret that active faults at the LdMVF are tectonic rather than volcanic in origin, forming a transtensional zone that hosts the magmatic system. However, vertical motion along a NS‐striking fault near the center of uplift suggests trapdoor‐style faulting above the volcanic center in which tectonic faults are reactivated to accommodate magmatic inflation and overlying deformation. Magnetic anomalies follow regional faults, suggesting that faults also provide migration pathways. Depositional patterns indicate a prior episode of uplift followed by quiescence, indicating that significant magmatically related uplift at the LdMVF can occur without an associated major eruption.
Trade‐Offs Between 1‐D and 2‐D Regional River Hydrodynamic Models
Authors: Fleischmann A. S. , Paiva R. C. D. , Collischonn W. , Siqueira V. A. , Paris A. , Moreira D. M. , Papa F. , Bitar A. A. , Parrens M. , Aires F. , Garambois P. A.
Published: June 2020

Recent years have seen the development of 1‐D and 2‐D regional‐scale hydrological‐hydrodynamic models, which differ greatly from reach‐scale applications in terms of subgrid assumptions, parameterization, and applied resolution. Although 1‐D and 2‐D comparisons have already been performed at reach and local scales, model differences at regional scale are poorly understood. Moreover, there is a need to improve the coupling between hydrological and hydrodynamic models. It is addressed here by applying the MGB model at 1‐D and 2‐D dimensions for the whole ~700,000 km2 Negro basin (Amazon), which presents different wetland types. Long‐term continuous simulations are performed and validated with multisatellite observations of hydraulic variables. Results showed that both approaches are similarly able to estimate discharges and water levels along main rivers, especially considering parameter uncertainties, but differ in terms of flood extent and volume and water levels in complex wetlands. In these latter, the diffuse flow and drainage patterns were more realistically represented by the 2‐D scheme, as well as wetland connectivity across the basin. The 2‐D model led to higher drainage basinwide, while the 1‐D model was more sensitive to hydrodynamic parameters for discharge and flood extent and had a similar sensitivity for water levels. Finally, tests on the coupling between hydrologic and hydrodynamic processes suggested that their representation in an online way is less important for tropical wetlands than model dimensionality, which largely impacts water transfer and repartition.
Integrated transcriptomic and genomic analysis improves prediction of complete remission and survival in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Österroos Albin , Björklund My , Eriksson Anna , Lindberg Johan , Nilsson Christer , Mareschal Sylvain , Rantalainen Mattias , Grönberg Henrik , Lehmann Sören
Published: June 2020

Relevant molecular tools for treatment stratification of patients ≥65 years with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are lacking. We combined clinical data with targeted DNA- and full RNA-sequencing of 182 intensively and palliatively treated patients to predict complete remission (CR) and survival in AML patients ≥65 years. Intensively treated patients with NPM1 and IDH2R172 mutations had longer overall survival (OS), whereas mutated TP53 conferred lower CR rates and shorter OS. FLT3-ITD and TP53 mutations predicted worse OS in palliatively treated patients. Gene expression levels most predictive of CR were combined with somatic mutations for an integrated risk stratification that we externally validated using the beatAML cohort. We defined a high-risk group with a CR rate of 20% in patients with mutated TP53, compared to 97% CR in low-risk patients defined by high expression of ZBTB7A and EEPD1 without TP53 mutations. Patients without these criteria had a CR rate of 54% (intermediate risk). The difference in CR rates translated into significant OS differences that outperformed ELN stratification for OS prediction. The results suggest that an integrated molecular risk stratification can improve prediction of CR and OS and could be used to guide treatment in elderly AML patients.
Caveolin-1 inhibits breast cancer stem cells via c-Myc-mediated metabolic reprogramming
Authors: Wang Shengqi , Wang Neng , Zheng Yifeng , Yang Bowen , Liu Pengxi , Zhang Fengxue , Li Min , Song Juxian , Chang Xu , Wang Zhiyu
Published: June 2020

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are considered to be the root of breast cancer occurrence and progression. However, the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of BCSCs metabolism have been poorly revealed, which hinders the development of metabolism-targeted treatment strategies for BCSCs elimination. Herein, we demonstrated that the downregulation of Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) usually occurred in BCSCs and was associated with a metabolic switch from mitochondrial respiration to aerobic glycolysis. Meanwhile, Cav-1 could inhibit the self-renewal capacity and aerobic glycolysis activity of BCSCs. Furthermore, Cav-1 loss was associated with accelerated mammary-ductal hyperplasia and mammary-tumor formation in transgenic mice, which was accompanied by enrichment and enhanced aerobic glycolysis activity of BCSCs. Mechanistically, Cav-1 could promote Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of c-Myc in BCSCs through the proteasome pathway. Notably, epithelial Cav-1 expression significantly correlated with a better overall survival and delayed onset age of breast cancer patients. Together, our work uncovers the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of BCSCs metabolism and highlights Cav-1-targeted treatments as a promising strategy for BCSCs elimination.
Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A alters the transcriptome-interactome profiles of genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease in the offspring hippocampus
Authors: Sukjamnong Suporn , Thongkorn Surangrat , Kanlayaprasit Songphon , Saeliw Thanit , Hussem Kanlayaphat , Warayanon Watis , Hu Valerie W. , Tencomnao Tewin , Sarachana Tewarit
Published: June 2020

Our recent study revealed that prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) disrupted the transcriptome profiles of genes in the offspring hippocampus. In addition to genes linked to autism, several genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were found to be differentially expressed, although the association between BPA-responsive genes and AD-related genes has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we demonstrated thatin uteroBPA exposure also disrupted the transcriptome profiles of genes associated with neuroinflammation and AD in the hippocampus. The level of NF-κB protein and its AD-related target geneBace1were significantly increased in the offspring hippocampus in a sex-dependent manner. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis also showed an increase in the expression ofTnfgene. Moreover, the reanalysis of transcriptome profiling data from several previously published BPA studies consistently showed that BPA-responsive genes were significantly associated with top AD candidate genes. The findings from this study suggest that maternal BPA exposure may increase AD risk in offspring by dysregulating genes associated with AD neuropathology and inflammation and reveal a possible relationship between AD and autism, which are linked to the same environmental factor. Sex-specific effects of prenatal BPA exposure on the susceptibility of AD deserve further investigation.
Energy and nitrogenous waste from glutamate/glutamine catabolism facilitates acute osmotic adjustment in non-neuroectodermal branchial cells
Authors: Huang Pei-Chen , Liu Tzu-Yen , Hu Marian Y. , Casties Isabel , Tseng Yung-Che
Published: June 2020

Maintenance of homeostasis is one of the most important physiological responses for animals upon osmotic perturbations. Ionocytes of branchial epithelia are the major cell types responsible for active ion transport, which is mediated by energy-consuming ion pumps (e.g., Na+-K+-ATPase, NKA) and secondary active transporters. Consequently, in addition to osmolyte adjustments, sufficient and immediate energy replenishment is essenttableial for acclimation to osmotic changes. In this study, we propose that glutamate/glutamine catabolism and trans-epithelial transport of nitrogenous waste may aid euryhaline teleosts Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) during acclimation to osmotic changes. Glutamate family amino acid contents in gills were increased by hyperosmotic challenge along an acclimation period of 72 hours. This change in amino acids was accompanied by a stimulation of putative glutamate/glutamine transporters (Eaats, Sat) and synthesis enzymes (Gls, Glul) that participate in regulating glutamate/glutamine cycling in branchial epithelia during acclimation to hyperosmotic conditions. In situ hybridization of glutaminase and glutamine synthetase in combination with immunocytochemistry demonstrate a partial colocalization of olgls1a and olgls2 but not olglul with Na+/K+-ATPase-rich ionocytes. Also for the glutamate and glutamine transporters colocalization with ionocytes was found for oleaat1, oleaat3, and olslc38a4, but not oleaat2. Morpholino knock-down of Sat decreased Na+ flux from the larval epithelium, demonstrating the importance of glutamate/glutamine transport in osmotic regulation. In addition to its role as an energy substrate, glutamate deamination produces NH4+, which may contribute to osmolyte production; genes encoding components of the urea production cycle, including carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS) and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), were upregulated under hyperosmotic challenges. Based on these findings the present work demonstrates that the glutamate/glutamine cycle and subsequent transepithelial transport of nitrogenous waste in branchial epithelia represents an essential component for the maintenance of ionic homeostasis under a hyperosmotic challenge.