bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficiencies and kinetics of infection in different cell types/lines by African and Asian strains of Zika virus
Authors: Ramos da Silva Suzane , Cheng Fan , Huang I‐Chueh , Jung Jae U. , Gao Shou‐Jiang
Published: September 2018

After recent outbreaks, Zika virus (ZIKV) was linked to severe neurological diseases including Guillain‐Barré syndrome in adults and microcephaly in newborns. The severities of pathological manifestations have been associated with different ZIKV strains. To better understand the tropism of ZIKV, we infected 10 human and four nonhuman cell lines (types) with two African (IbH30656 and MR766) and two Asian (PRVABC59 and H/FP/2013) ZIKV strains. Cell susceptibility to ZIKV infection was determined by examining viral titers, synthesis of viral proteins, and replication of positive and negative strands of viral genome. Among nonhuman cell lines, only Vero cells were efficiently infected by ZIKV. Among human cell lines, all were permissive to ZIKV infection. However, 293T and HeLa cells showed differential susceptibility towards African strains. In 293T cells, the NS1 protein was expressed at the high level by African strains but was almost not expressed by Asian strains though there was no obvious difference in viral genome replication, suggesting that the differential susceptibility might be controlled at the stage of viral protein translation. This study provides comprehensive results of the permissiveness of different cell types to both African and Asian ZIKV strains, which might help clarify their different pathogenesis.
Detection of regulatory T cell phenotypic markers and cytokines in patients with human papillomavirus infection
Authors: Bonin Camila M. , Padovani Cacilda T. J. , da Costa Izaías P. , Ávila Leandro S. , Ferreira Alda Maria T. , Fernandes Carlos Eurico S. , dos Santos Andrielli R. , Tozetti Inês Aparecida
Published: September 2018

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. Viral persistence is considered the main risk factor for neoplastic progression and evidence suggests that regulatory T cells (Treg) play an important role in the failure of viral elimination. The aim of this study was to detect phenotypic markers of Treg and cytokines interleukin (IL)‐10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β, in the cervical microenvironment of HPV‐infected patients. One hundred and one samples of uterine cervix embedded in paraffin were analyzed. We used immunohistochemistry to examine the coexpression of the CD25/FOXP3 and CD4/TGF‐β markers, and the expression of GITR and IL‐10 in cells present in the cervical stroma. We detected a microenvironment composed of high proportions of CD25+FOXP3+, CD4+TGFβ+, IL‐10+, and GITR+ cells in samples with high viral loads and severe lesions of HPV‐infected patients. The abundance of these markers, indicative of the presence of Treg cells and immunosuppressive cytokines, was significantly associated with severe lesions and elevated viral loads in the examined samples. These results suggest that Treg cells may be involved in maintaining a microenvironment favorable for viral persistence and neoplastic progression. Our findings support those of previous studies that suggested that these markers could be used to predict HPV persistence and neoplastic progression, and as potential targets for immune response modulation.
Simulation of interannual variability of summer rainfall over the Tibetan Plateau by the Weather Research and Forecasting model
Authors: Jiang Xingwen , Wu Yao , Li Yueqing , Shu Jianchuan
Published: September 2018

A realistic simulation of rainfall over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is a big challenge for both regional and global climate models. In this study, we investigate the simulations of summer rainfall over the TP from 1979 to 2010 by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with various horizontal resolutions and cumulus schemes, with a focus on the difference in the model's skill in simulating interannual variability of rainfall between early and high summer. The WRF captures spatial pattern of climatological summer mean rainfall over the TP. However, it produces apparent wet bias, especially in southern and eastern edges of the TP. Despite this climatological bias, WRF skilfully reproduces the interannual variability of summer rainfall over the southeastern TP, where maximum rainfall is located. An increase in horizontal resolution or an appropriate cumulus scheme mostly improves the simulation of climatological mean rainfall. However, the phase of interannual variability of simulated rainfall is not sensitive to horizontal resolution and cumulus scheme. Instead, it is sensitive to mechanisms responsible for interannual variability of rainfall. WRF has a high skill in simulating the interannual variability of rainfall over the southeastern TP in July and August, but a low skill in June. The WRF's high skill is attributed to that the interannual variability of July–August rainfall is largely driven by large‐scale circulation, while its low skill for June rainfall may be ascribed to the overestimation of snow and its relationship with rainfall.
Selective Syntheses and Properties of Anionic Surfactants Derived from Isosorbide
Authors: Cho Jung‐Eun , Sim Dae‐Seon , Kim Young‐Wun , Lim Jongchoo , Jeong Noh‐Hee , Kang Ho‐Cheol
Published: September 2018

Two series of anionic surfactants (endo‐5‐O‐alkyl isosorbide‐2‐O‐propyl sulfonic acid sodium salt and exo‐2‐O‐alkyl isosorbide‐5‐O‐propyl sulfonic acid sodium salt) with straight alkyl chains (hexyl, octyl, decyl, and dodecyl) were synthesized from isosorbide derived from biomass, through steps of allylation, alkylation, and sulfonation. The selectivity and efficiency of the reactions were optimized by adjusting the solvent, catalyst, reactant molar ratio, and temperature. The product 2‐O‐allyl isosorbide was obtained with a yield of 81% and selectivity of 23:1 (endo:exo), and 2‐O‐alkyl isosorbide was obtained with a yield of 72% and selectivity of 24:1 (exo:endo). The synthesized anionic surfactants were characterized using the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface activity, emulsion stability, foaming height, and the Turbiscan Stability Index. The CMC decreased with increasing alkyl chain length. The properties of endo form and exo form were compared.
Sustainable control strategies for plant protection and food packaging sectors by natural substances and novel nanotechnological approaches
Authors: Fortunati Elena , Mazzaglia Angelo , Balestra Giorgio M
Published: September 2018

An overview is provided of the current technological strategies (also at the nanoscale level) recently involved in plant and/or food protection. In addition, the potential use of natural and sustainable substances, instead of traditional synthesized molecules or chemical‐based compounds, is addressed both with respect to packaging systems and novel pesticide formulations. In this context, nanotechnological approaches represent promising strategies for the entire agriculture industry chain, from the field to consumers.

Traditional plant protection strategies are often insufficient and the application of chemical‐based pesticides has negative effects on animals, humans and the environment. Novel greener tools could represent efficient alternatives for the management of plant diseases using promising strategies; the use of nanotechnologies allows the promotion of the more efficient assembly and subsequent release of environmentally sustainable active principles, limiting the use of chemicals in terms of economic losses.

At the same time, new sustainable, antimicrobial and antioxidant systems have been rapidly promoted and investigated in the food packaging sector as a valid eco‐friendly possibility for improving the safety and quality of food products and reducing and/or limiting the environmental impact with respect to traditional materials. Together, the scientific community and the growing interest of consumers have promoted the development of new edible and eco‐friendly packaging that reduces waste and any environmental impact.

In this context, the aim is to provide evidence of the usefulness of strategies aiming to limit agrochemicals, as well as the potential of nanomaterials, in sustainable plant and food protection for agriculture management and the packaging sector. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Quality evaluation and traceability of Bletilla striata by fluorescence fingerprint coupled with multiway chemometrics analysis
Authors: Hu Leqian , Ma Shuai , Yin Chunling , Liu Zhimin
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

Traditional methods of evaluating herbs were mainly based on chromatographic techniques. They usually included tedious sample preparation procedures, taking tens of minutes to hours, and consume solvents as well as standards for external calibration. In this paper, the feasibility of employing a fluorescence fingerprint coupled with multi‐way chemometrics analysis for quality evaluation and traceability of Bletilla striata were investigated.

RESULTS

Relative concentrations of four markers presented in B. striata were determined by using a four‐component self‐weighted alternating trilinear decomposition (SWATLD) model. These markers could be applied to accurate classification and quality control of B. striata samples from different regions. Furthermore, multiway principal component analysis, multilinear partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA), unfolded PLS‐DA, and SWATLD‐PLS‐DA models were applied to classify the B. striata samples according to their geographic origins. Consistent results were obtained showing that B. striata samples could be successfully grouped based on their geographical origins and quality.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed that the method developed can be used for quality evaluation and traceability of B. striata. Compared with the chromatographic methods, the method employed in this study was more convenient, simpler, and more sensitive. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Ecopipam, a D1 receptor antagonist, for treatment of tourette syndrome in children: A randomized, placebo‐controlled crossover study
Authors: Gilbert Donald L. , Murphy Tanya K. , Jankovic Joseph , Budman Cathy L. , Black Kevin J. , Kurlan Roger M. , Coffman Keith A. , McCracken James T. , Juncos Jorge , Grant Jon E. , Chipkin Richard E.
Published: September 2018

Background: Dopamine D2 receptor antagonists used to treat Tourette syndrome may have inadequate responses or intolerable side effects. We present results of a 4‐week randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the D1 receptor antagonist ecopipam in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome.

Methods: Forty youth aged 7 to 17 years with Tourette syndrome and a Yale Global Tic Severity Scale – total tic score of ≥20 were enrolled and randomized to either ecopipam (50 mg/day for weight of <34 kg, 100 mg/day for weight of >34 kg) or placebo for 30 days, followed by a 2‐week washout and then crossed to the alternative treatment for 30 days. Stimulants and tic‐suppressing medications were excluded. The primary outcome measure was the total tic score. Secondary outcomes included obsessive compulsive and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder scales.

Results: Relative to changes in placebo, reduction in total tic score was greater for ecopipam at 16 days (mean difference, ‐3.7; 95% CI, ‐6.5 to ‐0.9; P = 0.011) and 30 days (mean difference, ‐3.2; 95% CI, ‐6.1 to ‐0.3; P = 0.033). There were no weight gain, drug‐induced dyskinesias, or changes in laboratory tests, electrocardiograms, vital signs, or comorbid symptoms. Dropout rate was 5% (2 of 40). Adverse events reported for both treatments were rated predominantly mild to moderate, with only 5 rated severe (2 for ecopipam and 3 for placebo).

Conclusions: Ecopipam reduced tics and was well tolerated. This placebo‐controlled study of ecopipam supports further clinical trials in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Construction of generalized developable Bézier surfaces with shape parameters
Authors: Hu Gang , Cao Huanxin , Qin Xinqiang
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we propose a novel method for constructing generalized developable Bézier surfaces with shape parameters. The generalized developable Bézier surfaces are designed by using control planes with generalized Bernstein basis functions, and their shapes can be adjusted by changing their shape parameters. When the shape parameters take on different values, a family of developable surfaces, which retain the characteristics of developable Bézier surfaces, can be constructed. In addition, we derive the necessary and sufficient conditions for G1 continuity, Farin‐Boehm G2 continuity, and G2 Beta continuity between 2 adjacent generalized developable Bézier surfaces. Finally, some properties of the new developable surfaces are discussed, and the influence rules of shape parameters on the new developable surfaces are studied. The modeling examples show that the proposed method is effective and so can greatly improve problem‐solving abilities in engineering appearance design by adjusting the position and shape of developable surfaces.
Stiff person syndrome with Anti‐GAD65 antibodies within the national veterans affairs health administration
Authors: Galli Jonathan R. , Austin Sharon D. , Greenlee John E. , Clardy Stacey L.
Published: September 2018

Introduction: Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a neurological disorder characterized by muscle rigidity primarily in the truncal muscles, commonly associated with autoantibodies to the glutamic acid‐decarboxylase 65 kD receptor (GAD65). There is limited epidemiological information on patients with SPS. Methods: We performed a retrospective case review using the National United States Veterans Affairs Health Administration electronic medical record system. We analyzed prevalence, demographics, disease characteristics, and treatment outcomes in SPS patients who were anti‐GAD65 antibody positive. Results: Fifteen patients met our criteria. Point prevalence was 2.06 per million, and period prevalence was 2.71 per million. Men to women ratio was 14:1. All patients benefitted from treatment with symptomatic antispasmodic agents. Ten of 15 patients received intravenous immunoglobulin, with a majority demonstrating stable or improved modified Rankin scores. Discussion: This investigation was a large North American epidemiological study of SPS with predominantly male patients. Symptomatic therapy was beneficial for most patients, with less clear sustained benefit of immunotherapy. Muscle Nerve 58:801–804, 2018
Precolonial/early colonial human burials from the site of White Marl, Jamaica: New findings from recent rescue excavations
Authors: Mickleburgh Hayley L. , Laffoon Jason E. , Pagán Jiménez Jaime R. , Mol Angus A.A. , Walters Selvenious , Beier Zachary J.M. , Hofman Corinne L.
Published: September 2018

The recent excavation of three human burials at White Marl, Jamaica (AD900–1500), presented an important opportunity to garner new insight into precolonial life and death on Jamaica. The study, undertaken as a part of a collaborative heritage mitigation programme in the wake of planned infrastructural development of parts of the site, focused on burial practices and ancient diet and mobility. The results reveal that the burial treatment of these three individuals is consistent with contemporaneous practices observed throughout the Caribbean in regard to burial location, body treatment, body position, and grave goods. The radiocarbon dates of the three individuals are consistent with a long occupation span of the site (cal.AD1221–1641) and additionally reveal the possibility that one of the individuals (Burial 3) lived during the Spanish colonial occupation of the island. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of bone collagen of the three individuals indicates a relatively low marine protein contribution to the diet. Carbon isotope values from tooth enamel are consistent with whole diets dominated by C3‐plants. Starch grains identified in dental calculus indicate that, similar to contemporaneous sites throughout the region, White Marl inhabitants were consuming arrowroot, palms, achira, maize, and wild beans. Plant preparation techniques included grinding, roasting, and toasting. In addition, the tentative identification of aTheobroma cacaostarch grain in Burial 1 represents the first finding of precolonial cocoa in the Caribbean islands. Expansion of the strontium isotope programme is needed to improve our understanding of the mobility of the White Marl population; however, tentative assessment of the results suggests that Burial 2 may have originated from elsewhere on the island of Jamaica.
Bioarchaeological perspectives to diachronic life quality and mobility in ancient Boeotia, central Greece: Preliminary insights from Akraiphia
Authors: Nikita Efthymia , Schrock Chelsey , Sabetai Victoria , Vlachogianni Elena
Published: September 2018

The current paper examines issues of diachronic life quality and mobility in Boeotia, central Greece. Boeotia is a region with a tumultuous history as its strategic location facilitated its active involvement in major socio‐political events, such as the Peloponnesian war, the Third Sacred War, Roman invasions, and civil conflicts, to list just a few. The bioarchaeological study of 293 skeletons from the Akraiphia cemetery aimed at testing whether the Hellenistic period and early Roman era were more stressful than preceding time periods, as attested by historical evidence, as well as whether the Roman era was characterised by increased human mobility, as expected on the basis of isotopic studies from other parts of the Roman Empire. The combination of palaeopathological lesions, nonspecific stress markers, and dental wear supported increased hardship for the Akraiphia population during the Hellenistic, Roman, and post‐Roman periods, as well as similar living conditions for men and women diachronically. Finally, biodistances calculated on the basis of dental nonmetric traits suggested a phenetic divergence between the Hellenistic period and the Roman era, likely linked with increased human mobility within the Roman Empire.
Adherence trajectories of buprenorphine therapy among pregnant women in a large state Medicaid program in the United States
Authors: Lo‐Ciganic Wei‐Hsuan , Donohue Julie M. , Kim Joo Yeon , Krans Elizabeth E. , Jones Bobby L. , Kelley David , James Alton E. , Jarlenski Marian P.
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Little is known about the longitudinal patterns of buprenorphine adherence among pregnant women with opioid use disorder, especially when late initiation, nonadherence, or early discontinuation of buprenorphine during pregnancy may increase the risk of adverse outcomes. We aimed to identify distinct trajectories of buprenorphine use during pregnancy, and factors associated with these trajectories in Medicaid‐enrolled pregnant women.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study included 2361 Pennsylvania Medicaid enrollees aged 15 to 46 having buprenorphine therapy during pregnancy and a live birth between 2008 and 2015. We used group‐based trajectory models to identify buprenorphine use patterns in the 40 weeks prior to delivery and 12 weeks postdelivery. Multivariable multinomial logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with specific trajectories.

Results

Six distinct trajectories were identified. Four groups initiated buprenorphine during the first trimester of the pregnancy (early initiators): 31.6% with persistently high adherence, 15.1% with moderate‐to‐high adherence, 10.5% with declining adherence, and 16.7% with early discontinuation. Two groups did not initiate buprenorphine until midsecond or third trimester (late initiators): 13.5% had moderate‐to‐high adherence and 12.6% had low‐to‐moderate adherence. Factors significantly associated with late initiation and discontinuation were younger age, non‐white race, residents of rural counties, fewer outpatient visits, more frequent emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and lower buprenorphine daily dose.

Conclusions

Six buprenorphine treatment trajectories during pregnancy were identified in this population‐based Medicaid cohort, with 25% of women initiating buprenorphine late during pregnancy. Understanding trajectories of buprenorphine use and factors associated with discontinuation/nonadherence may guide integration of behavioral treatment with obstetrical/gynecological care to improve buprenorphine treatment during pregnancy.
In utero beta‐2‐adrenergic agonists exposure and risk of epilepsy: A Danish nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Chen Jianping , Liang Hong , Miao Maohua , Su Xiujuan , Yang Fen , Thomsen Reimar W. , Yuan Wei , Li Jiong
Published: September 2018

Purpose

To examine the association between maternal use of beta‐2‐adrenergic agonists (β2AAs) and the risk of epilepsy in offspring.

Methods

A nationwide retrospective cohort study was performed based on Danish registries. Children of mothers who used β2AAs during pregnancy were allocated to the exposed group and other children to the unexposed group. The outcome was a diagnosis of epilepsy. Cox regression was performed to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of epilepsy after adjusting for parental and children factors. To evaluate confounding by indication, we extended the exposure time window from 2 years before pregnancy and stratified the analyses by maternal asthma, in particular analyses by trimesters.

Results

The exposed children had a 1.24‐fold risk of epilepsy (HR = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12, 1.38). Compared with no prenatal exposure from 2 years before pregnancy through delivery, the HR was 1.11 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.22) in children of mothers with β2AAs use only before pregnancy, 1.28 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.50) only during pregnancy, and 1.23 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.41) both before and during pregnancy. The increased risk was only observed in children of mothers with β2AAs use in the first (HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.75) or second trimesters (HR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.74), but not the third trimester.

Conclusions

In utero exposure to β2AAs, particularly in the first or second trimesters, may be associated with an increased risk of epilepsy. It may partly be due to the indication of β2AAs use, but a direct effect of β2AAs cannot be ruled out.
Optimizing band selection for spectral detection of Aphis glycines Matsumura in soybean
Authors: Alves Tavvs M , Moon Roger D , MacRae Ian V , Koch Robert L
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a significant insect pest of soybean in North America. Accurate estimation of A. glycines densities requires costly, time‐intensive weekly counts of adults and nymphs on plants. Field studies were conducted in 2013 and 2014 to assess the potential for spectral‐based remote sensing to more efficiently quantify cumulative aphid‐days (CADs) using soybean canopy reflectance.

RESULTS

Narrow‐band wavelengths in the near‐infrared spectral range were associated with CAD, but those in the visible spectral range were not associated with CAD. Simple linear regression models of CAD on reflectance were generally better than quadratic and cubic regression models. Simulated wide‐band sensors centered at 740–1100 nm yielded better regression models than ones centered at 600–740 nm, regardless of bandwidth. Among the simulated wide‐band sensors, increasing sensor bandwidth worsened CAD estimation or required more simulated sensors to optimize CAD estimation. Optimal combinations of spectral bands explained 83–96% of the experimentally manipulated variation in CAD.

CONCLUSION

Near‐infrared wavelengths at 780 ± 50 nm can effectively estimate A. glycines abundance on soybean. Our approach of simulating wide‐band multispectral sensors from ground‐based hyperspectral data helped to refine spectral sensors and holds potential to reduce the cost and complexity of treat/no‐treat classification tasks. This study will contribute to future research aiming to quantify insect injury using customized commercial‐grade sensors for detection, quantification, and differentiation of A. glycines from other stressors. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Surgical resection of extramedullary haematopoiesis in the posterior mediastinum
Authors: Matsumoto Ryoichi , Yoshiyama Koichi , Yokoyama Shintaro , Mitsuoka Masahiro , Takamori Shinzo , Akagi Yoshito
Published: September 2018

Extramedullary haematopoiesis is a rare disease that is usually associated with haematologic disorders such as thalassemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and hereditary spherocytosis. It frequently occurs in the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. Rarely, it occurs in the posterior mediastinum. We report the case of a 59‐year‐old man with lateral posterior mediastinal masses that were incidentally detected during treatment for hereditary spherocytosis. We performed video‐assisted thoracic surgery to confirm the diagnosis and differentiate the masses from neurogenic tumours and other posterior mediastinal diseases. The pathological findings were consistent with intrathoracic extramedullary haematopoiesis. Although extramedullary haematopoiesis can be managed without interventions, surgery may be required in some cases. In such cases, video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery is advised because it is a useful and less invasive procedure.
From accountability to digital data: The rise and rise of educational governance
Authors: Watson Cate
Published: September 2018

Research interest in educational governance has increased in recent years with the rise to prominence of transnational organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) and the importance attached to international comparison of educational systems. However, rarely do educational researchers consider the historical antecedents that have attended these developments. Yet to more fully appreciate where we are now it is necessary to examine the national and global events that have shaped the current policy context. This paper presents a review of educational governance in the UK from the 1970s seeing in this a trajectory from the emergence of accountability to today's overriding concern with digital data. In doing this, the paper aims to go beyond providing a historical account, rather its purpose is to shed light on educational change; and further, to analyse the contribution of educational research to an understanding of events as they have unfolded over the past five decades. While it is necessarily rooted within the particular historical context of the UK it can be read as an analysis of the factors influencing educational change in the context of globalised policy spaces more broadly. A recurrent theme is the appearance of the ‘unanticipated consequence’, one of the most important issues the social sciences has to contend with. Thus, a tentative theory of ironic reversal as a source of policy failure emerges that is not only of relevance to educational policy but also of wider significance.
Collaborative distributed design for wireless control systems with Markovian‐type control network and distributed network‐induced time delays
Authors: Wen Jiwei , Nguang Sing Kiong , Zhao Xudong
Published: September 2018

In this paper, collaborative distributed dynamic output‐feedback control problem is investigated for a class of wireless control systems with Markovian‐type control network and distributed network‐induced delays. The network consists of a set of interconnected nodes characterized by a directed graph with an adjacency matrix that specifies space distribution (ie, interconnection topology). Each node of wireless control systems not only routes information but also performs its local control. We assume measurements and distributed network‐induced delays are subject to two independent Markovian chains. It is shown that the collaborative distributed dynamic output‐feedback approach offers better performances compared with noncollaborative distributed control approach. An irrigation canal system is used to demonstrate practical potentials of the developed control strategy.
Mediation analysis for common binary outcomes
Authors: Gaynor Sheila M. , Schwartz Joel , Lin Xihong
Published: September 2018

Mediation analysis provides an attractive causal inference framework to decompose the total effect of an exposure on an outcome into natural direct effects and natural indirect effects acting through a mediator. For binary outcomes, mediation analysis methods have been developed using logistic regression when the binary outcome is rare. These methods will not hold in practice when a disease is common. In this paper, we develop mediation analysis methods that relax the rare disease assumption when using logistic regression. We calculate the natural direct and indirect effects for common diseases by exploiting the relationship between logit and probit models. Specifically, we derive closed‐form expressions for the natural direct and indirect effects on the odds ratio scale. Mediation models for both continuous and binary mediators are considered. We demonstrate through simulation that the proposed method performs well for common binary outcomes. We apply the proposed methods to analyze the Normative Aging Study to identify DNA methylation sites that are mediators of smoking behavior on the outcome of obstructed airway function.
Ultrahigh Photoresponsive Device Based on ReS2/Graphene Heterostructure
Authors: Kang Byunggil , Kim Youngchan , Yoo Won Jong , Lee Changgu
Published: September 2018

Heterostructures that combine graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, such as MoS2, MoTe2, and WS2, have attracted attention due to their high performances in optoelectronic devices compared to homogeneous systems. Here, a photodevice based on a hybrid van der Waals heterostructure of rhenium disulfide (ReS2) and graphene is fabricated using the stacking method. The device presents a remarkable ultrahigh photoresponsivity of 7 × 105 A W−1 and a detectivity of 1.9 × 1013 Jones, along with a fast response time of less than 30 ms. Tremendous photocurrents are generated in the heterostructure due to the direct bandgap, high quantum efficiency, and strong light absorption by the multilayer ReS2 and the high carrier mobility of graphene. The ReS2/graphene heterostructured device displays a high photocurrent under the applied gate voltages due to the photogating effect induced by the junction between graphene and ReS2. The ReS2/graphene heterostructure may find promising applications in future optoelectronic devices, providing a high sensitivity, flexibility, and transparency.
Backfitting algorithms for total‐variation and empirical‐norm penalized additive modelling with high‐dimensional data
Authors: Yang Ting , Tan Zhiqiang
Published: September 2018

Additive modelling is useful in studying a non‐linear relationship between a response and covariates. We develop backfitting algorithms to implement a doubly penalized method using total‐variation and empirical‐norm penalties with high‐dimensional data. Use of the total‐variation penalty leads to an automatic selection of knots for each component function, whereas use of the empirical‐norm penalty can result in zero solutions for component functions and hence facilitates component selection in high‐dimensional settings. For a backfitting cycle, each component function is updated by thresholding a solution to a Lasso problem, which is computed using an active‐set (AS) descent method. Screening rules are also derived to determine zero solutions without solving the Lasso problem directly. We present numerical experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms for linear and logistic additive modelling. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High‐Performance Starch Films Reinforced With Microcrystalline Cellulose Made From Eucalyptus Pulp via Ball Milling and Mercerization
Authors: Tian Yu , Zhang Kang , Zhou Mi , Wei YuJun , Cheng Fei , Lin Yi , Zhu PuXin
Published: September 2018

In this work, a biodegradable composite made from corn starch and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is prepared using solution‐casting method. This work provides a highly‐efficient and easily industrialized method for the fabrication of high‐performance starch composite reinforced with MCC. Prior to composite fabrication, the simultaneous exfoliation and alkali treatment is achieved through the synergetic effect of mechanical and chemical actions generated from ball milling in the presence of sodium hydroxide. The tensile strength of starch/MCC composite containing only 2 wt% MCC is increased by 49% compared with that of neat starch. In addition, the starch/MCC films exhibit excellent mechanical properties at different relative humidities. This work could significantly expand the application of starch and cellulose, thus reducing the need for petroleum‐based plastics.
Household water sharing: A review of water gifts, exchanges, and transfers across cultures
Authors: Wutich Amber , Budds Jessica , Jepson Wendy , Harris Leila M. , Adams Ellis , Brewis Alexandra , Cronk Lee , DeMyers Christine , Maes Kenneth , Marley Tennille , Miller Joshua , Pearson Amber , Rosinger Asher Y. , Schuster Roseanne C. , Stoler Justin , Staddon Chad , Wiessner Polly , Workman Cassandra , Young Sera
Published: September 2018

Water sharing offers insight into the everyday and, at times, invisible ties that bind people and households with water and to one another. Water sharing can take many forms, including so‐called “pure gifts,” balanced exchanges, and negative reciprocity. In this study, we examine water sharing between households as a culturally embedded practice that may be both need‐based and symbolically meaningful. Drawing on a wide‐ranging review of diverse literatures, we describe how households practice water sharing cross‐culturally in the context of four livelihood strategies (hunter‐gatherer, pastoralist, agricultural, and urban). We then explore how cross‐cutting material conditions (risks and costs/benefits, infrastructure and technologies), socioeconomic processes (social and political power, water entitlements, ethnicity and gender, territorial sovereignty), and cultural norms (moral economies of water, water ontologies, and religious beliefs) shape water sharing practices. Finally, we identify five new directions for future research on water sharing: conceptualization of water sharing; exploitation and status accumulation through water sharing, biocultural approaches to the health risks and benefits of water sharing, cultural meanings and socioeconomic values of waters shared; and water sharing as a way to enact resistance and build alternative economies.

This article is categorized under:

Human Water > Value of Water

Human Water > Rights to Water
Evaluation of three mainstream numerical weather prediction models with observations from meteorological mast IJmuiden at the North Sea
Authors: Kalverla Peter , Steeneveld Gert‐Jan , Ronda Reinder , Holtslag Albert AM
Published: September 2018

Numerical weather prediction models play an important role in the field of wind energy, for example, in power forecasting, resource assessment, wind farm (wake) simulations, and load assessment. Continuous evaluation of their performance is crucial for successful operations and further understanding of meteorology for wind energy purposes. However, extensive offshore observations are rarely available. In this paper, we use unique met mast and Lidar observations up to 315 m from met mast “IJmuiden,” located in the North Sea 85 km off the Dutch coast, to evaluate the representation of wind and other relevant variables in three mainstream meteorological models: ECMWF‐IFS, HARMONIE‐AROME, and WRF‐ARW, for a wide range of weather conditions. Overall performance for hub‐height wind speed is found to be comparable between the models, with a systematic wind speed bias <0.5 m/s and random wind speed errors (centered RMSE) <2 m/s. However, the model performance differs considerably between cases, with better performance for strong wind regimes and well‐mixed wind and potential temperature profiles. Conditions characterized by moderate wind speeds combined with stable stratification, which typically produce substantial wind shear and power fluctuations, lead to the largest misrepresentations in all models.
Radion-Higgs mixing in 2HDMs
Authors: Merchand Marco , Sher Marc , Thrasher Keith
Published: September 2018

Abstract

We study the custodial Randall-Sundrum model with two Higgs doublets localized in the TeV brane. The scalar potential is CP- conserving and has a softly broken Z
2 symmetry. In the presence of a curvature-scalar mixing term ξ

ab
ℛΦ

a

†
Φ
b
the radion that stabilizes the extra dimension now mixes with the two CP-even neutral scalars h and H. A goodness of fit of the LHC data on the properties of the light Higgs is performed on the parameter space of the type-I and type-II models. LHC direct searches for heavy scalars in different decay channels can help distinguish between the radion and a heavy Higgs. The most important signatures involve the ratio of heavy scalar decays into b quark pairs to those into Z pairs, as well as the decay of the scalar (pseudoscalar) into a Z plus a pseudoscalar (scalar).
String dynamics in NS5-F1-P geometries
Authors: Martinec Emil J. , Massai Stefano , Turton David
Published: September 2018

Abstract

String theory dynamics on certain fivebrane supertube backgrounds is described by an exactly solvable null-gauged WZW model. We use this description to compute the spectrum of closed string excitations on the three-charge non-supersymmetric solution found by Jejjala, Madden, Ross and Titchener, as well as its supersymmetric limit. The low-lying spectrum matches that of supergravity modes in the effective geometry and exhibits an underlying group-theoretic structure. Winding sectors describe strings carrying the same charges as the background; processes whereby strings turn into flux or vice-versa are mediated by large gauge transformations on the worldsheet. The S-matrix of such wound strings probes microstructure of the fivebrane source that is hidden in the supergravity approximation.
Preoperative and postoperative medical therapies for chronic rhinosinusitis: National surveys among Chinese otolaryngologists
Authors: Huang Zhen‐Xiao , Li Yun‐Xia , Wu Yu‐Bin , Liu Hai‐Cheng , Zhou Bing
Published: September 2018

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical practice patterns of preoperative and postoperative medical therapies immediately surrounding sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by Chinese otolaryngologists.

Methods

Two anonymous web‐based surveys of preoperative and postoperative medical therapies were performed. These surveys assessed the frequency of prescription of oral corticosteroids, intranasal corticosteroid sprays, oral antibiotics, nasal saline irrigation, oral antihistamines, nasal antihistamines, anti‐leukotriene agents, topical decongestants and oral mucolytics.

Results

A total of 304 (17.5%) preoperative and 143 (23.5%) postoperative questionnaires were completed and returned. Seventy‐eight percent, 63% and 56% of respondents used preoperative intranasal corticosteroid sprays, oral antibiotics and oral mucolytics “always or often”, respectively. Ninety‐four percent, 93%, 72% and 69% of respondents used postoperative intranasal corticosteroid sprays, nasal saline irrigation, oral antibiotics and oral mucolytics “always or often”, respectively. Oral antihistamines, nasal antihistamines, anti‐leukotrienes and topical decongestants were not commonly used preoperatively or postoperatively.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that current practice patterns of preoperative medical therapies among otolaryngologists are not uniformly based on evidence‐based outcomes research. Postoperative oral antibiotics, intranasal corticosteroid sprays, nasal saline irrigation and oral mucolytics are commonly used by a majority of Chinese otolaryngologist for CRS. Practice patterns of postoperative medical therapy reflect recent guidelines.
What has engineering design to say about healthcare improvement?
Authors: John Clarkson P.
Published: September 2018

This paper builds on the author’s keynote address to the Design Society’s 21st International Conference on Engineering Design in 2017 and in doing so provides a personal perspective to the question of the title. It begins by describing the engineering experience of the author which led to an understanding of the importance of taking a systems approach to the development of engineering products and services. This is followed by reflections on the development of a research portfolio focused on the design of complex engineering systems, inclusive design and healthcare improvement. The paper then reports on the recent work of engineers, clinicians and healthcare leaders, who came together under the guidance of the author, to explore how an engineering systems approach could be described that might simultaneously meet the needs of patients, carers and healthcare staff. It discusses the challenges associated with the translation of this narrative description of a systems approach (What?) into a practical implementation guide or toolkit (How?), supported by evidence of its effective use in health and care improvement practice. Finally, the paper reflects on the lessons to be learned from this process and their possible repercussions for design research and the practice of design.
The Centrality of Connectedness: A Conceptual Synthesis of Attending, Belonging, Engaging and Flowing
Authors: Bowles Terence , Scull Janet
Published: September 2018

Over the past decade, researchers have called for a reconceptualisation of school connectedness. A review of literature between 1990 and 2016 was completed to define school connectedness and identified four factors: attending, belonging, engaging, and flow. The review of the published literature from 1990 to 2016 that related to the four factors was undertaken to define each of these terms and their relevance to school connectedness.

Subsequently, based on the four factors, a sequential, four-level model of school connectedness was proposed. The model suggests a progression from minimal connection to a deep level of acculturation and shared meaning relevant for adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age. It is argued that the four factors form the foundation for engagement and suggests the possibility of an experience of flow as a result of a student's connectedness with school. The literature on which the model is based draws together social, emotional, behavioural, and cognitive terms central to learning. The purpose of the review is to move beyond individual factors to propose an explanation for the sequence of graduated connection. Practically, the model provides a template for establishing the student's current experience of school to facilitate interventions to optimise connectedness with school.
‘Tolerable Intolerance’: Protestantism, Sectarianism and Voluntary Hospitals in Late-nineteenth-century London
Authors: Mangion Carmen M.
Published: September 2018

This article interrogates the complicated understanding of sectarianism in institutional cultures in late-nineteenth-century England through an examination of the practice of religion in the daily life of hospital wards in voluntary hospitals. Voluntary hospitals prided themselves on their identity as philanthropic institutions free from sectarian practices. The public accusation of sectarianism against University College Hospital triggered a series of responses that suggests that hospital practices reflected and reinforced an acceptable degree of ‘tolerable intolerance’. The debates this incident prompted help us to interrogate the meaning of sectarianism in late nineteenth-century England. How was sectarianism understood? Why was it so important for voluntary institutions to appear free from sectarian influences? How did the responses to claims of sectarian attitudes influence the actions of the male governors, administrators and medical staff of voluntary hospitals? The contradictory meanings of sectarianism are examined in three interrelated themes: the patient, daily life on the wards and hospital funding. The broader debates that arose from the threat of ‘sectarianism in hospital’ uncovers the extent to which religious practices were ingrained in hospital spaces throughout England and remained so long afterwards. Despite the increasing medicalisation and secularisation of hospital spaces, religious practices and symbols were embedded in the daily life of voluntary hospitals.
Benefits of Empire? Capital Market Integration North and South of the Alps, 1350–1800
Authors: Chilosi David , Schulze Max-Stephan , Volckart Oliver
Published: September 2018

This article addresses two questions. First, when and to what extent did capital markets integrate north and south of the Alps? Second, how mobile was capital? Analysing a unique new dataset on pre-modern urban annuities, we find that northern markets were consistently better integrated than Italian markets. Long-term integration was driven by initially peripheral places in the Netherlands and Upper Germany integrating with the rest of the Holy Roman Empire where the distance and volume of inter-urban investments grew primarily in the sixteenth century. The institutions of the Empire contributed to stronger market integration north of the Alps.
Life transitions and leisure activity engagement among older Americans: findings from a national longitudinal study
Authors: Lee Yura , Chi Iris , Ailshire Jennifer A.
Published: September 2018

One of the major aspects of successful ageing is active engagement in later life. Retirement and widowhood are two significant life transitions that may largely influence leisure engagement patterns among older adults. Limited findings exist regarding the impact of life transitions on leisure activity engagement due to the scarcity of longitudinal data with repeated measurement of older individuals’ leisure engagement. This study longitudinally examined changes in leisure activity engagement as influenced by retirement and widowhood using five waves of national panel data from the Health and Retirement Study and its supplementary Consumption and Activities Mail Survey. Multi-level modelling was conducted with retirement and widowhood status as time-varying variables. Socio-economic status, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, self-rated health and functional limitations were also included as time-varying and time-invariant covariates. Findings show that engagement in mental, physical, social and household activities significantly decreased during an eight-year period. Moreover, transition from working to retired status was associated with increased engagement in mental, social and household activities but decreased engagement in physical activities among men only. Transition from married to widowhood status was associated with decreased engagement in household activities among women only. Encouraging active leisure engagement among individuals who experience either or both life transitions may help maintain their health after transition.