bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review and Validation of Bayesian Dose‐Optimizing Software and Equations for Calculation of the Vancomycin Area Under the Curve in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Turner R. Brigg , Kojiro Kyle , Shephard Emily A. , Won Regina , Chang Eric , Chan Dominic , Elbarbry Fawzy
Published: October 2018

Background

Vancomycin area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) has been linked to efficacy and safety. An accurate method of calculating the AUC is needed.

Methods

Bayesian dose‐optimizing software programs available for clinician use and first‐order pharmacokinetic equations were evaluated for their ability to estimate vancomycin AUC. A previously published rich pharmacokinetic data set of 19 critically ill patients was used for validation of the AUC estimation. The AUC estimated using subsets of the full data set by Bayesian software and equations was compared with the reference AUC. Accuracy (ratio of estimated AUC to the reference AUC) and bias (percentage difference of estimated AUC to reference AUC) were calculated.

Results

Five Bayesian dose‐optimizing software programs (Adult and Pediatric Kinetics [APK], BestDose, DoseMe, InsightRx, and Precise PK) and two first‐order pharmacokinetic equations were included. Of the Bayesian programs, InsightRx was the most adaptable, visually appealing, easiest to use, and had the most company support. Utilizing only the trough, accuracy (range 0.79–1.03) and bias (range 5.1–21.2%) of the Bayesian dose‐optimizing software were variable. Precise PK and BestDose had the most accurate estimates with the accuracy values of BestDose exhibiting the most variability of all the programs; however, both programs were more difficult to use. Precise PK was the least biased (median 5.1%). Using a single nontrough value produced similar results to that of the trough for most programs. The addition of a second level to the trough improved the accuracy and bias for DoseMe and InsightRx but not Precise PK and BestDose. APK did not reliably estimate the AUC with input of two levels. Using two levels, the pharmacokinetic equations produced similar or better accuracy and bias as compared with Bayesian software.

Conclusion

Bayesian dose‐optimizing software using one or more vancomycin levels and pharmacokinetic equations utilizing two vancomycin levels produce similar estimates of the AUC.
An analysis of general education teachers’ use of diverse praise
Authors: Floress Margaret T. , Beschta Shelby L.
Published: October 2018

The current study examined teachers’ use of diverse praise or the extent to which teachers used a variety of praise as opposed to using the same praise repeatedly. Verbatim general and behavior‐specific praise data were analyzed from a larger study where 5,721 min of direct observation were collected across 28 kindergarten through fifth‐grade classrooms. On average, teachers used 3.7 total diverse praise categories per observation. Teachers also used more general, diverse praise categories per observation per hour compared with behavior‐specific, diverse praise categories. Although results did not indicate statistically significant differences in the amount of diverse praise between early elementary school teachers and later elementary teachers, a clear pattern of diminishing diverse praise was observed such that later elementary teachers provided less diverse praise per observation per hour.
Early elementary teacher ratings of behavior as predictors of grade retention: Race, gender, and socioeconomic status as potential moderators
Authors: Mattison Amira , Raffaele Mendez Linda M. , Dedrick Robert , Dickinson Sarah , Wingate Emily , Hanks Camille
Published: October 2018

Our goals in this study were to examine (a) the degree to which teacher perceptions of children’s behavior in kindergarten (averaged across fall and spring for each child) predict retention by Grade 5 and (b) whether these relationships are moderated by student race, gender, or socioeconomic status (SES). Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998‐99 (ECLS‐K) were used to examine how Externalizing Problem Behavior (EPB; e.g., aggression, defiance) and Weak Approaches To Learning (WATL; low enthusiasm for/engagement in learning) were related to retention among children identified as Black or White (
N = 6,750). Results showed that both types of behavior ratings were significant predictors of retention. There was a 46% increase in the odds of retention for every one‐unit increase in EPB (OR = 1.46,
p < 0.001) and a 261% increase in the odds of retention for every one‐unit increase in WATL (OR = 3.61,
p < 0.001). Gender moderated the relationship between EPB and retention and WATL and retention. Students who were female with EPB or WATL were at higher risk for being retained than their male peers. Implications for educators, researchers, and policymakers are discussed.
Nasal high‐mobility group box 1 and caspase in bronchiolitis
Authors: Chong Shu‐Ling , Lai Oi Fah , Castillo Leodivica , Yeo Joo Guan , Nadkarni Nivedita , Teoh Oon Hoe , Lee Jan Hau
Published: October 2018

Objective

Nasal biomarkers have potential to add objectivity to the clinical assessment of the child with bronchiolitis. We aim to study, if nasal caspase and high‐mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) levels differ between patients who were hospitalized and those discharged from the emergency department (ED), among patients with bronchiolitis.

Methods

Using an observational cross‐sectional study design, we recruited patients younger than 24 months presenting to the ED from September 1, 2015 to May 31, 2017 with a diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis. We described the patients’ clinical severity measured by the modified respiratory index score (RIS), and performed standardized collection and analysis of nasal caspase and HMGB1 levels.

Results

Among 85 patients recruited, the median age was 5.0 months (interquartile range, IQR 3.3‐7.2) and the median modified RIS score was 3 (IQR 2‐4). Hospitalized patients had a 2.4‐fold higher HMGB1 level than patients who were discharged from the ED (2.558 μg/mL [IQR 1.038‐5.125] vs 1.056 μg/mL [IQR 0.409‐2.395], P = 0.0013). There was no difference in median caspase level between hospitalized and discharged patients. The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve predicting hospitalization was 0.7021 for HMGB1 compared to 0.5709 for RIS in this bronchiolitis cohort.

Conclusions

Our study findings show that nasal HMGB1 levels significantly differentiate between young children with bronchiolitis who were hospitalized compared to those fit for discharge. This exploratory study holds potential for future research on nasal HMGB1 for severity stratification in young children with acute bronchiolitis.
Identification of Protein Abundance Changes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissues Using PCT–SWATH
Authors: Zhu Yi , Zhu Jiang , Lu Cong , Zhang Qiushi , Xie Wei , Sun Ping , Dong Xiaochuan , Yue Liang , Sun Yaoting , Yi Xiao , Zhu Tiansheng , Ruan Guan , Aebersold Ruedi , Huang Shi'ang , Guo Tiannan
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To rapidly identify protein abundance changes in biopsy‐level fresh‐frozen hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Experimental design

The pressure‐cycling technology (PCT) is applied and sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH‐MS) workflow is optimized to analyze 38 biopsy‐level tissue samples from 19 HCC patients. Each proteome is analyzed with 45 min LC gradient. MCM7 is validated using immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

A total of 11 787 proteotypic peptides from 2579 SwissProt proteins are quantified with high confidence. The coefficient of variation (CV) of peptide yield using PCT is 32.9%, and the R2 of peptide quantification is 0.9729. Five hundred forty‐one proteins showed significant abundance change between the tumor area and its adjacent benign area. From 24 upregulated pathways and 13 suppressed ones, enhanced biomolecule synthesis and suppressed small molecular metabolism in liver tumor tissues are observed. Protein changes based on α‐fetoprotein expression and hepatitis B virus infection are further analyzed. The data altogether highlight 16 promising tumor marker candidates. The upregulation of minichromosome maintenance complex component 7 (MCM7) is further observed in multiple HCC tumor tissues by IHC.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

The practicality of rapid proteomic analysis of biopsy‐level fresh‐frozen HCC tissue samples with PCT–SWATH has been demonstrated and promising tumor marker candidates including MCM7 are identified.
PCMSolver: An open‐source library for solvation modeling
Authors: Di Remigio Roberto , Steindal Arnfinn Hykkerud , Mozgawa Krzysztof , Weijo Ville , Cao Hui , Frediani Luca
Published: October 2018

PCMSolver is an open‐source library for continuum electrostatic solvation. It can be combined with any quantum chemistry code and requires a minimal interface with the host program, greatly reducing programming effort. As input, PCMSolver needs only the molecular geometry to generate the cavity and the expectation value of the molecular electrostatic potential on the cavity surface. It then returns the solvent polarization back to the host program. The design is powerful and versatile: minimal loss of performance is expected, and a standard single point self‐consistent field implementation requires no more than 2 days of work. We provide a brief theoretical overview, followed by two tutorials: one aimed at quantum chemistry program developers wanting to interface their code with PCMSolver, the other aimed at contributors to the library. We finally illustrate past and ongoing work, showing the library's features, combined with several quantum chemistry programs.
Simultaneous determination of amino acids, purines and derivatives in serum by ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Zheng Yuanyuan , Li Xiaona , Chen Xiangfeng , Cai Zongwei , Zhao Hongzhi
Published: October 2018

Rationale

Amino acids, purines and derivatives play a key role in physiological and pathological processes, such as the development of gestational diabetes mellitus. However, little literature has reported the simultaneous quantification of amino acids and purines. Therefore, a reliable and robust method for the determination of amino acids and purines is necessary.

Methods

A rapid and simple method based on ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS/MS) was developed to determine the concentrations of twenty amino acids or derivatives and three purines or derivatives in serum.

Results

The method was validated for linearity of calibration curve, limit of detection, limit of quantification, inter‐day and intra‐day precision, recovery, stability and matrix effect. The correlation coefficients of calibration curves were higher than 0.993 except for isoleucine. The recoveries ranged from 78.4% to 128.0% for three different concentrations of the spiked analytes. The matrix effect value ranged from −7.3% to 9.2%.

Conclusions

A rapid and simple UHPLC/MS/MS method for the simultaneous measurement of amino acids, purines and derivatives in serum samples was developed. The method was successfully applied to determine and compare the concentrations of analytes between gestational diabetes mellitus samples and controls.
A unified approach to finite‐time stabilization of high‐order nonlinear systems with and without an output constraint
Authors: Chen Chih‐Chiang
Published: October 2018

This paper considers the problem of state feedback finite‐time stabilization for a class of high‐order nonlinear systems with an output constraint. By proposing a novel tan‐type barrier Lyapunov function combined with manipulating sign functions, the technique of adding a power integrator is skillfully revamped to develop a systematic approach that guides us to construct a state feedback finite‐time stabilizer for high‐order nonlinear systems while preventing the violation of a prespecified output constraint during operation. The proposed approach is a unified tool in the sense that it can provide a finite‐time stabilizer design even when the constraint is infinite, or equivalently, there is no need for a constraint. A simple example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Dopant Variation as a Probe into the Antimicrobial activity of Polyaniline/Carbon nanofiber/Poly(methylmethacrylate) Composite
Authors: Anju Vadakkumnalath P. , Narayanankutty Sunil K.
Published: October 2018

Polymeric composites based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), carbon nanofiber (CNF) and polyaniline (PANI) were prepared and the effect of various dopants on the morphology and antibacterial property was evaluated. CNF was given a coating of PANI through in situ polymerization method by adding five different acid dopants (hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulphuric acid (H2SO4), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), toluene sulphonic acid (TSA) and camphor sulphonic acid (CSA)) and was used to prepare the composite by solution casting method. The composites were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, BET surface area analysis, DLS measurements, SEM and TEM microscopic techniques. Scanning electron micrographs and surface area analysis showed that phosphoric acid doped composite had the smallest average size and highest surface area among other four composites. The activity of the composites against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis bacteria was evaluated by agar well diffusion method. The antibacterial activity was assessed by measuring the inhibition zone diameter and minimum inhibitory concentration. The composites showed variable toxicity indicating a dependence on the type of doping agent used. A zeta potential value of +39.60 mV was obtained for phosphoric acid doped PANI/CNF composites, indicating its antibacterial property. The results showed that the antibacterial activity of this composites is tunable.
High‐Performance Eight‐Membered Indacenodithiophene‐Based Asymmetric A‐D‐A Type Non‐Fullerene Acceptors
Authors: Li Chao , Song Jiali , Ye Linglong , Koh Changwoo , Weng Kangkang , Fu Huiting , Cai Yunhao , Xie Yuanpeng , Wei Donghui , Woo Han Young , Sun Yanming
Published: October 2018

Indacenodithiophene (IDT) has been widely used as the central core to design high‐performance acceptor‐donor‐acceptor (A‐D‐A)‐type non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs). NFAs based on five‐, six‐, seven‐, and nine‐membered IDT have been successfully prepared. However, less research attention has been paid to the eight‐membered IDT derivative. In this study, a novel asymmetric TTPTTT building block as an eight‐membered IDT unit are designed and synthesized. The effect of nonfluorinated, monofluorinated, and difluorinated end‐capping groups on the photovoltaic performance of TTPTTT‐based NFAs are specifically investigated. By blending with the polymer donor PBT1‐C, organic solar cells (OSCs) based on TTPTTT‐IC, TTPTTT‐2F, and TTPTTT‐4F exhibited power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 7.91, 11.52, and 12.05%, respectively. Our results indicate that the asymmetric TTPTTT building block as an eight‐membered IDT derivative is a promising central core unit for designing high‐performance A‐D‐A type NFAs.
Low‐Dimensional Magnetic Properties of Natural and Synthetic Mixite (Bi,Ca)Cu6(OH)6(AsO4)3·nH2O (n ≈ 3) and Goudeyite YCu6(OH)6(AsO4)3·nH2O (n ≈ 3)
Authors: Golubev Aleksandr , Brücher Eva , Schulz Armin , Kremer Reinhard K. , Schmidt Franz X. , Gordon Elija E. , Whangbo Myung‐Hwan
Published: October 2018

The structural, vibrational, and especially the magnetic properties of natural and synthetic polycrystalline samples of the minerals mixite with composition (Bi,Ca)Cu6(OH)6(AsO4)3·nH2O (n ≈ 3) and goudeyite with composition YCu6(OH)6(AsO4)3·nH2O (n ≈ 3) were investigated. The magnetic susceptibilities are characterized by low‐dimensional antiferromagnetic short range ordering and can be well fitted by the theoretical susceptibilities of a spin S = 1/2 alternating Heisenberg chain with nearest‐neighbor spin exchange ranging between 200 K and 130 K for natural mixite and synthetic goudeyite, respectively. The alternation parameters, i.e. the ratios of nearest and next‐nearest neighbor spin exchange range between 0.52 for natural mixite and 0.75 for synthetic mixite and goudeyite, respectively. The experimentally observed spin exchange parameters are consistent with DFT calculations of the spin exchange parameters.
Exploring leptophilic dark matter with NA64-μ
Authors: Chen Chien-Yi , Kozaczuk Jonathan , Zhong Yi-Ming
Published: October 2018

Abstract

We investigate the prospects for detecting light leptophilic dark sectors with a missing-momentum experiment at NA64 running in muon mode. In particular, we consider models in which dark matter connects to the visible sector through a lepton- or muon-specific scalar mediator. These scalars can also account for the ∼ 3.5σ discrepancy between the measured and predicted values of (g −2)
μ
. We emphasize the complementarity between NA64-μ and other terrestrial and astrophysical probes.
Tensionless strings and the weak gravity conjecture
Authors: Lee Seung-Joo , Lerche Wolfgang , Weigand Timo
Published: October 2018

Abstract

We test various conjectures about quantum gravity for six-dimensional string compactifications in the framework of F-theory. Starting with a gauge theory coupled to gravity, we analyze the limit in Kähler moduli space where the gauge coupling tends to zero while gravity is kept dynamical. We show that such a limit must be located at infinite distance in the moduli space. As expected, the low-energy effective theory breaks down in this limit due to a tower of charged particles becoming massless. These are the excitations of an asymptotically tensionless string, which is shown to coincide with a critical heterotic string compactified to six dimensions.

For a more quantitative analysis, we focus on a U(1) gauge symmetry and use a chain of dualities and mirror symmetry to determine the elliptic genus of the nearly tensionless string, which is given in terms of certain meromorphic weak Jacobi forms. Their modular properties in turn allow us to determine the charge-to-mass ratios of certain string excitations near the tensionless limit. We then provide evidence that the tower of asymptotically massless charged states satisfies the (sub-)Lattice Weak Gravity Conjecture, the Completeness Conjecture, and the Swampland Distance Conjecture. Quite remarkably, we find that the number theoretic properties of the elliptic genus conspire with the balance of gravitational and scalar forces of extremal black holes, such as to produce a narrowly tuned charge spectrum of superextremal states. As a byproduct, we show how to compute elliptic genera of both critical and non-critical strings, when refined by Mordell-Weil U(1) symmetries in F-theory.
First Aspiral sales made in the US and Philippines whilst further contracts are secured in China
Authors: Atkinson Simon
Published: October 2018

Fluence Corp Ltd recently announced the first commercial sale of its Aspiral™ decentralised, smart packaged wastewater treatment system in the USA. In addition, the company has been awarded its first project based on this technology in the Philippines. These two contracts follow a raft of other ones secured in China since Aspiral's launch earlier this year – a further two of which are also highlighted in this news focus.
Going Negative, Worldwide: Towards a General Understanding of Determinants and Targets of Negative Campaigning
Authors: Nai Alessandro
Published: October 2018

Little comparative evidence exists about what causes candidates to use negative campaigning in elections. We introduce an original comparative data set that contains experts’ information about campaigning strategies of 172 candidates competing in 35 national elections worldwide between June 2016 and May 2017. Analyses reveal several trends: incumbents run positive campaigns but are especially likely to attract attacks, candidates far from the ideological centre are more likely to ‘go negative’, candidates tend to attack frontrunners and rivals that are far from them ideologically, but they also engage in a logic of attack reciprocity with selected candidates. The comparative nature of the data also allows us to test whether variations in the context affect the use of campaign negativity; we find that the context matters mostly indirectly, by altering the effects of individual characteristics.
Polyphenolic extract from extra virgin olive oil inhibits the inflammatory response in IL-1β-activated synovial fibroblasts
Authors: Rosillo María Ángeles , Alarcón-de-la-Lastra Catalina , Castejón María Luisa , Montoya Tatiana , Cejudo-Guillén Marta , Sánchez-Hidalgo Marina
Published: October 2018

The polyphenolic extract (PE) from extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has been shown to possess important anti-inflammatory and joint protective properties in murine models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was designed to evaluate the effects of PE on IL-1β-activated human synovial fibroblasts SW982 cell line. PE from EVOO treatment inhibited IL-1β-induced matrix metalloproteases (P<0·001), TNF-αand IL-6 production (P<0·001). Similarly, IL-1β-induced cyclo-oxygenase-2 and microsomal PGE synthase-1 up-regulations were down-regulated by PE (P<0·001). Moreover, IL-1β-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation and NF-κB activation were ameliorated by PE (P<0·001). These results suggest that PE from EVOO reduces the production of proinflammatory mediators in human synovial fibroblasts; particularly, these protective effects could be related to the inhibition of MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways. Taken together, PE from EVOO probably could provide an attractive complement in management of diseases associated with over-activation of synovial fibroblasts, such as RA.
Does Social Disagreement Attenuate Partisan Motivated Reasoning? A Test Case Concerning Economic Evaluations
Authors: Robison Joshua
Published: October 2018

Research on partisan motivated reasoning shows that citizens perceive the world differently based upon their partisan allegiances. Here we marshal evidence from several national surveys to investigate whether partisan motivated reasoning is attenuated among partisans situated within disagreeable political discussion networks. While our analyses suggest that exposure to interpersonal disagreement is associated with weaker partisan identities, we find limited evidence that disagreement attenuates partisan differences in knowledge or retrospective evaluations of the economy. This suggests that interpersonal disagreement is unlikely to help reduce partisan motivated reasoning. Our results thus speak to important debates concerning the influence of social discussion on political attitudes, the nature of partisan motivated reasoning and the ability of citizens to hold elites accountable.
Introduction: Reflections on Nancy Abelmann's Legacy
Authors: Kim Eleana , Song Jesook
Published: October 2018

Nancy Abelmann passed away on January 6, 2016, at the age of fifty-six. She received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley in 1990, after completing her dissertation under Nelson Graburn. That same year, she was hired by the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she worked for two and a half decades. She was a beloved teacher, mentor, and colleague to many, and she was a key figure in multiple departments and centers. At the time of her death, she held the Harold E. Preble Professorship in Anthropology, Asian American Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, and Women and Gender Studies and was also Associate Vice Chancellor for Research.
Methods for quantifying eggs and oviposition rate of Dawestrema cycloancistrium (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae), monogenean parasite of Arapaima gigas (Teleostei: Osteoglossidae)
Authors: Maciel P.O. , Alves R.R.
Published: October 2018

Dawestrema cycloancistrium is the main ectoparasite causing mortality in fingerlings of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) in Amazonian aquaculture. Very little is known about the D. cycloancistrium reproductive index and appropriate methods of collecting eggs for investigation. This study aimed to determine the oviposition rate of D. cycloancistrium. To achieve this aim, two egg quantification methods were tested: the estimative method (ME) and the total counting method (MT). Compared with the MT, the ME overestimated the number of eggs counted, which were 2943.5 ± 2840.6 and 1041.5 ± 533 eggs, and the oviposition rate, which was 80.1 ± 58.7 and 31.4 ± 16.4 eggs/parasite/day, for ME and MT, respectively. These results show that for studies quantifying D. cycloancistrium eggs, the total eggs in the sample must be counted, as the estimates made using subsamples are not representative. Using the MT, the oviposition rate for D. cycloancistrium was determined to be 31.4 ± 16.4 eggs per adult parasite per day. The present study demonstrates the egg production capacity of a monogenean species parasite of A. gigas, providing basic biological data for D. cycloancistrium.
Relationships between boring sponge assemblages and the availability of dead coral substrate on Mexican Pacific coral reefs
Authors: Nava Héctor , García-Madrigal Carlos Alberto Emmanuel , Carballo José Luis
Published: October 2018

Boring sponges are an important component of bioeroder assemblages in tropical coral reefs. They are considered as a potential threat for coral reef health, and the increase of dead corals is expected to promote their abundance. The relationship between the availability of dead coral substrata and the development of boring sponge assemblages was evaluated during El Niño 2015–16 at five reefs from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico. Environment and substrate quality were assessed. Overall, environment conditions remained normal in relation to previous studies in the area. Only water temperature showed unusually high records at all sites and coincided with bleaching and mortality of corals, possibly caused by the effects of the El Niño event. Abundance of boring sponges in dead corals and coral rubble was lower than during previous studies. Although sponge abundance was not directly related to cover of both dead corals and coral rubble, cover of dead corals showed a high correlation with the variation in the structure of sponge assemblages across sites.Cliona vermiferadominated sponge assemblages at all sites, and its abundance was high under conditions of high cover of live corals and low cover of bleached corals. Since overall sponge abundance responded in a similar way, these results suggest that boring sponge assemblages dominated byC. vermiferaare enhanced by conditions favourable for corals. Our results imply that El Niño events in the Mexican Pacific are not likely to cause immediate population outbreaks of boring sponges.
Frontostriatal functional connectivity correlates with repetitive behaviour across autism spectrum disorder and obsessive–compulsive disorder
Authors: Akkermans Sophie E.A. , Rheinheimer Nicole , Bruchhage Muriel M.K. , Durston Sarah , Brandeis Daniel , Banaschewski Tobias , Boecker-Schlier Regina , Wolf Isabella , Williams Steven C.R. , Buitelaar Jan K. , van Rooij Daan , Oldehinkel Marianne ,   the TACTICS consortium
Published: October 2018

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) are neurodevelopmental disorders with considerable overlap in terms of their defining symptoms of compulsivity/repetitive behaviour. Little is known about the extent to which ASD and OCD have common versus distinct neural correlates of compulsivity. Previous research points to potentially common dysfunction in frontostriatal connectivity, but direct comparisons in one study are lacking. Here, we assessed frontostriatal resting-state functional connectivity in youth with ASD or OCD, and healthy controls. In addition, we applied a cross-disorder approach to examine whether repetitive behaviour across ASD and OCD has common neural substrates.

Methods

A sample of 78 children and adolescents aged 8–16 years was used (ASD n = 24; OCD n = 25; healthy controls n = 29), originating from the multicentre study COMPULS. We tested whether diagnostic group, repetitive behaviour (measured with the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised) or their interaction was associated with resting-state functional connectivity of striatal seed regions.

Results

No diagnosis-specific differences were detected. The cross-disorder analysis, on the other hand, showed that increased functional connectivity between the left nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and a cluster in the right premotor cortex/middle frontal gyrus was related to more severe symptoms of repetitive behaviour.

Conclusions

We demonstrate the fruitfulness of applying a cross-disorder approach to investigate the neural underpinnings of compulsivity/repetitive behaviour, by revealing a shared alteration in functional connectivity in ASD and OCD. We argue that this alteration might reflect aberrant reward or motivational processing of the NAcc with excessive connectivity to the premotor cortex implementing learned action patterns.
Response to my commentators
Authors: MORGAN TERESA J.
Published: October 2018

Responding to key questions raised by the other three, this article discusses the factors which led to the development of Christian fideism and why Christians were seen as a threat to wider society. It considers whether early Christian discourses always represent (of characters in narratives), or demand, belief alongside trust and other relational aspects of pistis, and argues that it is sometimes possible to have effective pistis without having right beliefs. It discusses the variable relationship between belief and doubt in New Testament texts, and suggests how the faith of St Teresa of Calcutta might have been viewed by early Christians.
TRAJANIC TREES: THE DACIAN FOREST ON TRAJAN'S COLUMN
Authors: Fox Andrew
Published: October 2018

Trajan's Column stands in the centre of Rome as a proud monument to Trajan's triumph over Dacia in the early second century. On its 29 m tall shaft, a helical frieze depicts the events of the two wars which won the province for the Roman Empire. There are 224 trees to be found throughout this relief, 222 of which are native to Dacia. These trees have traditionally been treated as scene dividers and background material to the column's action. This article, which begins by exploring the identification of the trees in previous scholarship, argues that they are in fact crucial to the column's narrative of industry and conquest. The discussion of identification is followed by an examination of the numerous tree-felling scenes on the column as a metaphor for conquest. The article closes with a detailed analysis of contrasting representations of the two leaders on the column, Trajan and Decebalus, one an urban emperor, the other a forest king. By directing attention towards the arboreal population of the column, this article argues that trees cannot be dismissed as mere background detail, but play an active and significant role in the communication of ideas about triumph, imperialism and the conquest of nature.
Roman wall-painting in southern Gaul (Gallia Narbonensis and Gallia Aquitania)
Authors: Dardenay Alexandra
Published: October 2018

In the Greek world, the practice of decorating walls with painted stucco emerged in the 5th or 4th c. B.C. and was at first limited to public and religious monuments and the palaces of rulers, later spreading to the houses of the aristocracy. In the homes of the nobility, painted decoration enhanced the ornamentation of rooms used for receiving visitors, such as the dining room (andron), in which the floors were sometimes decorated with mosaics, most often with geometric motifs. In the wealthiest abodes, as seen at Pella in the 4th c. B.C., Alexandria, or on Delos in the 2nd c. B.C., a mosaic picture called an emblema sometimes lay at the centre of the mosaic. In the realm of domestic art, in the Hellenistic age images were restricted to the mosaic floors. The walls were ornamented with architectural elements that imitated, in stucco relief, the fashions that could be seen in the masonry and marble veneers of temples and palaces. This type of décor, established in the homes of Greek nobility throughout the Hellenistic era, is traditionally known as the masonry style or incrustation style.
Standardization and mass customization of architectural components: new perspectives on the Imperial marble construction industry
Authors: Toma Natalia
Published: October 2018

The aim of this paper is to discuss the production and the use of “standardized” architectural elements by shifting the perspective from the economics of the interregional marble trade to the logistics of the marble construction industry during the 1st-3rd c. A.D. This chronological period coincides with the phenomenon of the “marmorization” of urban spaces in the Mediterranean; characterized by adorning public areas with marble architecture, it was responsible for an increasing demand for this material. The paper focuses on the interregional distribution of marble and coloured stones for construction. For methodological reasons, aspects related to the Roman “stone trade”, such as the supply of local construction material and the distribution of sarcophagi and statuary, will not be considered. The emphasis will be on voluminous and solid construction material, used predominantly for freestanding architectural components.
A cork model in Aschaffenburg (Bavaria) giving new evidence for Pompeii's House of Sallust
Authors: Kockel Valentin
Published: October 2018

The Casa di Sallustio at Pompeii is one of the houses that belongs in every book and study on domestic life and architecture in the Roman era. The fact that it was excavated at the start of the 19th c., however, means that large parts of its decoration have long since been lost through weathering and neglect, a situation further compounded by the damage resulting from Allied bombing in 1943. In order to reconstruct, as accurately as possible, a picture of the house as it stood in antiquity, it is therefore particularly important to evaluate all the historical visual sources that document the house in a better condition. This task has already been extensively carried out in the monograph of A. Laidlaw and M. S. Stella (2014). With a similar goal, I propose to take a fresh look at a cork model dating from 1840 today housed in Aschaffenburg (Bavaria) in order to discuss its context and original function. Next, A. Laidlaw will compare the model's meticulously detailed copies of the structure and decoration, still in 1840 almost perfectly preserved, to the present battered state of the extant remains, thereby confirming the importance of the Aschaffenburg model as the primary archaeological source for the house.
The Aschaffenburg model: addenda to JRA Suppl. 98
Authors: Laidlaw Anne
Published: October 2018

V. Kockel has discussed the model as one of the few surviving examples of a form of three-dimensional archaeological recording that was developed by the Padiglione family and other model-makers for the King of the Two Sicilies. Here I provide comparisons with the extant remains of the house, to illustrate how much more we can learn from the model of specific details of the structure and decoration that have been lost since 1840, when the building was still in a remarkably better state of preservation. Aside from the inevitable gradual deterioration of wall-paintings and pavements, which remained almost completely open to the elements after the original excavation was completed in 1809, a direct hit by a bomb on September 23, 1943, left the SE corner a mound of overgrown ruins. In 1970-72, when the Soprintendenza completely roofed the main house block, cleared the bomb rubble, and added low modern walls along the lines of the destroyed rooms to give tourists some idea of the original plan, I directed 37 soundings below the level of A.D. 79. Then between 2005 and 2007, as part of the Progetto Regio VI under F. Coarelli and F. Pesando, M. Stella and I added 17 more soundings, mainly in the area of the peristyle and on the S side of the house. Our final study of the house provided a detailed analysis of its original excavation during the Napoleonic Wars, a full description of the extant rooms and building history, and reports on our excavations.
New investigations of the 6th-c. A.D. “church wreck” at Marzamemi, Sicily
Authors: Leidwanger Justin
Published: October 2018

The dense maritime material record off SE Sicily offers a vibrant testimony to millennia of cultural interaction between west and east, south and north (fig. 1). Pioneering underwater work by G. Kapitän from the late 1950s onward brought this corner of the Mediterranean Sea to scholarly attention through a series of remarkable shipwreck finds, including several massive stone cargoes at Marzamemi and Isola delle Correnti. Even among these rich finds, one site proved particularly intriguing and would become central to Kapitän's efforts: the “church wreck”, named for its assemblage of partially prefabricated marble and other stone elements intended to decorate the interior of a Christian basilica. First spotted by fishermen and reported to the local authorities, the site was preliminarily surveyed in 1960 by Kapitän in collaboration with P. N. Gargallo. Kapitän's investigations here unfolded intermittently over the following two decades, revealing a striking material assemblage and constructing a broad narrative around the “church wreck”.
Dosimetric evaluation of cobalt-60 teletherapy in advanced radiation oncology
Authors: Mathuthu Manny , Mdziniso Nhlakanipho Wisdom , Asres Yihunie Hibstie
Published: October 2018

Background

Recent investigations demonstrate a strong potential for cobalt-60 (Co-60)-based teletherapy. The influence of the lower energy and penetration of a cobalt-60 beam compared with linear accelerator beams is negligible for intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Purpose

The aim of this research is to investigate source head fluence modulation in cobalt-60 teletherapy by using a three-dimensional (3D) physical compensator and secondary collimator jaw motion.

Materials and methods

The Oncentra treatment planning system was used to develop three hypothetical plans by secondary collimator jaw motion. A clinical MDS Nordion Equinox 80 cobalt-60 teletherapy unit was used to acquire conventional water phantom beam characteristics. Fluence modulation experiments were executed at 5·0 cm depth in a PTW universal intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) verification phantom using calibrated Gafchromic external beam therapy 2 (EBT2) and RTQA2-1010 film batches. Gafchromic EBT2 film was used to sample intensity maps generated by secondary collimator jaw motion, yet Gafchromic RTQA2-1010 film sampled maps from the 3D physical compensator. The solid-state drives used were 75·0 and 74·3 cm for the Gafchromic EBT2 and Gafchromic RTQA2-1010 film measurements.

Results

A 2D gamma index analysis was coded to compare EBT2 film measurements with Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine data. This analysis was also used to verify film measurements versus Monte-Carlo simulations.

Conclusion

Lateral beam profiles generated from water phantom measurements were used to establish source head fluence modulation on the film measurements. The source head fluence of a cobalt-60 teletherapy beam could be modulated by secondary collimator jaw motion and using a 3D physical compensator.
A review of radiation genomics: integrating patient radiation response with genomics for personalised and targeted radiation therapy
Authors: Xu Lu , Osei Beverley , Osei Ernest
Published: October 2018

Background

The success of radiation therapy for cancer patients is dependent on the ability to deliver a total tumouricidal radiation dose capable of eradicating all cancer cells within the clinical target volume, however, the radiation dose tolerance of the surrounding healthy tissues becomes the main dose-limiting factor. The normal tissue adverse effects following radiotherapy are common and significantly impact the quality of life of patients. The likelihood of developing these adverse effects following radiotherapy cannot be predicted based only on the radiation treatment parameters. However, there is evidence to suggest that some common genetic variants are associated with radiotherapy response and the risk of developing adverse effects. Radiation genomics is a field that has evolved in recent years investigating the association between patient genomic data and the response to radiation therapy. This field aims to identify genetic markers that are linked to individual radiosensitivity with the potential to predict the risk of developing adverse effects due to radiotherapy using patient genomic information. It also aims to determine the relative radioresponse of patients using their genetic information for the potential prediction of patient radiation treatment response.

Methods and materials

This paper reports on a review of recent studies in the field of radiation genomics investigating the association between genomic data and patients response to radiation therapy, including the investigation of the role of genetic variants on an individual’s predisposition to enhanced radiotherapy radiosensitivity or radioresponse.

Conclusion

The potential for early prediction of treatment response and patient outcome is critical in cancer patients to make decisions regarding continuation, escalation, discontinuation, and/or change in treatment options to maximise patient survival while minimising adverse effects and maintaining patients’ quality of life.
Late rectal bleeding after volumetric-modulated arc therapy for localised prostatic cancer
Authors: Naoi Yutaka , Yamada Kana , Kurokawa Chie , Kunogi Hiroaki , Sakamoto Yoshiro , Sasai Keisuke
Published: October 2018

Aim

Late adverse effects following radiation therapy for prostate cancer involve the urinary and lower gastrointestinal tracts, with continuous rectal bleeding being the most serious issue. We focused on late adverse effects, particularly rectal bleeding after volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), for patients with locally advanced prostate cancer.

Materials and Methods

Seventy-three patients with localized prostate cancer were treated with radiation therapy using VMAT with an image-guided radiation therapy system. Patient age at the start of irradiation ranged from 54 to 81 years (median, 71 years). The follow-up period ranged from 23 to 87 months (median, 57 months). The prescribed total irradiation dose was 76 Gy in 38 fractions.

Results

Late rectal bleeding was observed in 14 (19%) patients, with nine (12.3%), four (5.5%), and one (1.4%) being classified as grades 1, 2, and 3, respectively. One grade 3 patient with rectal bleeding had severe diabetes and was administered intravenous warfarin for cardiomyopathy.

Findings

VMAT may provide better accuracy and involve fewer time constraints for patients compared with other intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) methods. The incidence of late rectal bleeding in VMAT is almost equivalent to that of other IMRT methods.
Food supply system dynamics in the Galapagos Islands: agriculture, livestock and imports
Authors: Sampedro Carolina , Pizzitutti Francesco , Quiroga Diego , Walsh Stephen J. , Mena Carlos F.
Published: October 2018

Like many other oceanic islands around the globe, environmental conditions, social circumstances and forces of globalization combine to challenge the sustainability of the Galapagos Archipelago of Ecuador. This paper describes a food-supply system in Galapagos that is mainly controlled by population growth, weak local agriculture, imports from mainland Ecuador and the influence of a growing tourism industry. We use system dynamics (SD) as a modeling technique in this paper to identify the main driving forces operating on the Galapagos food system to create a series of future scenarios and to examine the subsequent implications across the supply system structures. We model the supply side of the food system using secondary data collected from governmental and non-governmental sources. We find that the consumption profile of the local inhabitants of the Galapagos is on average higher than consumption in the Ecuadorian mainland. This fact, plus rapid growth of the local population fueled by the tourism industry, has created a decrease in per capita local food production and an increase on food import dependence that now, challenges the sustainability of the archipelago. Imports are the largest source of food in the archipelago. Approximately 75% of the agricultural food supply was transported from the mainland in 2017. Our model projects that this fraction will increase to 95% by 2037 with no changes in food policy. Moreover, any plan to increase tourism arrivals must be accompanied by a plan to address the subsistence needs of the new population that the tourism industry attracts. Policies to promote local agricultural growth should be central to the development strategy implemented in the Galapagos.
Crop–livestock integration in smallholder farming systems of Goromonzi and Murehwa, Zimbabwe
Authors: Mkuhlani Siyabusa , Mupangwa Walter , MacLeod Neil , Gwiriri Lovemore , Nyagumbo Isaiah , Manyawu Godfrey , Chigede Ngavaite
Published: October 2018

Poor productivity in smallholder farming systems has necessitated research on the potential of crop–livestock integration to sustainably improve productivity. The study hypothesized that improvement in individual agronomic and livestock systems and synergistic utilization of by-products of either system increases productivity, profitability and integration. Smallholder farming households were classified into: old and resource endowed (OR); part time (PT); and young, risk-taking and enthusiastic (YRE) following a survey conducted in Murehwa and Goromonzi districts of Zimbabwe. Crop–livestock systems’ integration scenarios were developed for each farmer category. Expression of crop–livestock integration in physical terms, e.g., kg ha−1, can be complex and confounding, hence the expression of integration in monetary values. Baseline scenario results indicate thatORhad the highest crop–livestock integration of $3981 compared withPTandYREdespiteORhaving the lowest manure usage compared withPTandYREfarmers. Moreover,ORhad the least legume yields of <800 compared with 3530 kg ha−1inYREfarmers. Subsequent crop–livestock integration scenarios increased maize grain yields by at least 50%, thus increasing profitability to $1210, $3230 and $3100 yr−1for mucuna, cowpea and groundnut, respectively. Total income increased by 135, 132 and 101% translating to $9880, $2960 and $6290 yr−1inOR,PTandYREfarmers, respectively. Crop–livestock integration therefore has the potential to improve smallholder crop and livestock productivity, variable with socio-economic status.
Congressman on a Climate Change Mission
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2018

Rep. Ted Deutch, cochair of the House’s Climate Solutions Caucus, pushes for bipartisan solutions, Democratic goals, and an end to dark money that spurs members of Congress to oppose climate measures.