bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Endourological Procedures (PCNL and URS) on Renal Function: a Systematic Review
Authors: Reeves Thomas , Pietropaolo Amelia , Gadzhiev Nariman , Seitz Christian , Somani Bhaskar K.
Published: April 2020

Purpose of Review

To present the latest evidence related to the impact of ureteroscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) on the renal function.

Recent Findings

Our review suggests that the overall renal function is not detrimentally affected by endourological interventions (URS, PCNL). This is however influenced by the preoperative renal function, presence of comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. For PCNL procedures, tract multiplicity, preoperative UTI, and postoperative bleeding also contribute to a decline in renal function.

This review suggests that endourological interventions do not adversely affect renal function and tend to improve it in patients who do not have a poor renal function prior to the procedure. Several factors including poor preoperative renal function, diabetes, hypertension, and multiple percutaneous tracts appear to predispose patients to declining renal function after procedure, and these patients should be counseled for and followed up appropriately.
Homologous recombination deficiency in epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Bartl Thomas , Paspalj Valentina , Grimm Christoph
Published: April 2020

Since the introduction of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor therapy for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients, testing for aberrations of homologous recombination (HR) repair as a predictive biomarker of therapy response has become an area of particular clinical interest. As HR represents a crucial repair pathway of otherwise possibly lethal DNA double strand breaks, its deficiency triggers a phenotypic behavior of tumor cells resulting in the accumulation of genetic damage. PARP inhibitors target this emerging genomic instability by fostering DNA strand breaks. Whereas testing for mutations of the tumor-suppressor genes BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 as a pivotal part of the HR apparatus has entered clinical routine, approximately 30% more high-grade EOC patients harbor aberrations of the HR pathway other than BRCA mutations and may therefore respond to PARP inhibition therapy. In recent years, several double-blind, placebo-controlled trials investigating sizeable patient cohorts have reported positive results of PARP inhibitor therapy response in HR-positive patient subgroups. Therefore, introducing HR testing in both the primary and recurrent setting as a biomarker for PARP inhibitor response may expand the range of patients who may profit from this therapeutic option beyond BRCA-mutated tumors.
Decision Support System to Improve the Effectiveness of Chemical Control Against Cutworms in Sugar Beet
Authors: Jakubowska Magdalena , Bocianowski Jan , Nowosad Kamila , Kowalska Jolanta
Published: April 2020

The aim of this research was to create an advisory system for commodity services and sugar beet growers to support their decisions about the use of chemical control against the cutworms. Consequently, two forecasting models for determining the chemical control time were compared: one based on a signaling method and the other based on average of [effective] temperatures necessary for caterpillars to achieve the desiredL2stage. The date of first flights and the total number of pests on plantations were determined. The usefulness of monitoring cutworm catches was also compared with systematic observations of sugar beet fields at the moment when the mass flight of cutworm moths was identified. The beginning of oviposition, hatching of the first caterpillars and the caterpillars’ growth to 10–12 mm was observed, and optimal date of chemical treatment against cutworms was forecasted. During the study, the time for insecticidal treatments against cutworms was determined by the signaling method between the 29th and the 41st day following the onset of the cutworm moths’ mass flight. The time of treatments was determined phenologically by obtaining the sum of heat which ranged from 300.7 to 696.4 °C with an average of 523.17 °C and the sum of effective temperatures which ranged from 120.2 to 260.5 °C with an average of 180.1 °C.
Salinity and water effect on electrical properties of fragile clayey sandstone
Authors: Gomaa Mohamed Mahmoud
Published: April 2020

There are enormous variations in the electrical characteristics of rocks and minerals according to many factors. Electrical measurements were taken to define the weight of these variations. Water saturation effect (partially and fully) on electrical characteristics of loose clayey sandstone samples was studied. Measurements were taken at room temperature (~ 19 °C) and a frequency range of (0.0005 Hz–100 kHz). Changes in water content are the only factor that controls changes in electrical properties. Change in frequency with water content is an important factor for electrical properties. At relatively low frequencies and low saturations, an interface between grains (charge accumulation at grain surfaces and bound water) is the dominating factor. Also, the bulk material properties at high frequency and full saturations are the controlling factors. At moderate saturations, there are surface charge displacement and exchange of excess ions between grains. For high saturations, due to existence of high mobilities of excess ions, the diffusion or membrane polarization is the main controlling mechanisms. The water used in the sample is 4 g of NaCl/100 g of distilled water. The electrical conductivity of the samples increases gradually with the addition of saline water. With an increase in frequency, variations of conductivity may be negligible.
When will I get my paper back? A replication study of publication timelines for health professions education research
Authors: Maggio Lauren A. , Bynum IV William E. , Schreiber-Gregory Deanna N. , Durning Steven J. , Artino Jr. Anthony R.
Published: April 2020

Introduction Biomedical researchers have lamented the lengthy timelines from manuscript submission to publication and highlighted potential detrimental effects on scientific progress and scientists’ careers. In 2015, Himmelstein identified the mean time from manuscript submission to acceptance in biomedicine as approximately 100 days. The length of publication timelines in health professions education (HPE) is currently unknown.

Methods This study replicates Himmelstein’s work with a sample of 14 HPE journals published between 2008–2018. Using PubMed, 19,182 article citations were retrieved. Open metadata for each were downloaded, including the date the article was received by the journal, date the authors resubmitted revisions, date the journal accepted the article, and date of entry into PubMed. Journals without publication history metadata were excluded.

Results Publication history data were available for 55% (n = 8) of the journals sampled. The publication histories of 4,735 (25%) articles were analyzed. Mean time from: (1) author submission to journal acceptance was 180.93 days (SD = 103.89), (2) author submission to posting on PubMed was 263.55 days (SD = 157.61), and (3) journal acceptance to posting on PubMed was 83.15 days (SD = 135.72).

Discussion This study presents publication metadata for journals that openly provide it—a first step towards understanding publication timelines in HPE. Findings confirm the replicability of the original study, and the limited data suggest that, in comparison to biomedical scientists broadly, medical educators may experience longer wait times for article acceptance and publication.
Orthorexic tendencies moderate the relationship between semi-vegetarianism and depressive symptoms
Authors: Hessler-Kaufmann Johannes Baltasar , Meule Adrian , Holzapfel Christina , Brandl Beate , Greetfeld Martin , Skurk Thomas , Schlegl Sandra , Hauner Hans , Voderholzer Ulrich
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Vegetarianism and semi-vegetarianism (i.e., overly vegetarian diet with rare consumption of meat) have been repeatedly linked with depression. As the nature of this association is unclear, we explored whether orthorexic (i.e., pathologically healthful eating) tendencies and ecological/ethical motives to follow a vegetarian diet may moderate the relationship between (semi-)vegetarian diets and depressive symptoms.

Methods

Five-hundred eleven adults (63.4% females; 71.2% omnivores, 19.2% semi-vegetarians, 9.6% vegetarians) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questionnaire—measuring depressive symptoms—and the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS)—measuring orthorexic tendencies. Based on respective questions, participants were categorized as omnivores, semi-vegetarians, and vegetarians (including vegans) and were asked to indicate whether they chose their diet based on ecological/ethical motives. Moderation analyses were carried out with PROCESS.

Results

Adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, there was a statistically significant interaction effect between diet (omnivore vs. semi-vegetarianism vs. vegetarianism) and DOS scores when predicting PHQ depression scores. At low or medium DOS scores, diets did not differ in PHQ depression scores (all ps > 0.05). At high DOS scores, however, semi-vegetarians had higher PHQ depression scores than both omnivores (p = 0.002) and vegetarians (p < 0.001). The interaction between diet and ecological/ethical eating motives when predicting PHQ depression scores was not statistically significant (p = 0.41).

Conclusion

Semi-vegetarians with strong orthorexic tendencies show more depressive symptoms than omnivores and vegetarians. The complex nature of the relationship between vegetarianism and depression requires further investigation.

Level of evidence

III, case-control analytic studies.
Using Stimulus-Equivalence Technology to Teach Skills About Nutritional Content
Authors: Arntzen Erik , Eilertsen Jon Magnus
Published: April 2020

Twenty-two adult participants, assigned to three conditions, were trained nutrition knowledge (i.e., carbohydrate values) for different food items. In a stimulus sorting test, the participants were asked to sort stimuli (names of food items) into one of three different ranges of carbohydrate values ("less than 20", "20–40", "more than 40" gram per 100 gram). Conditional-discrimination training and testing followed the sorting test, and finally, a postclass formation sorting test of the stimuli used in the conditional-discrimination training. The conditional-discrimination training used tailored stimuli, that is, the food items that each of the participants categorized incorrectly in the sorting test. Participants exposed to Conditions 1 and 2 were trained on six conditional discriminations and tested for the formation of three 3-member classes. Conditions 2 and 3 had a “don’t know” option together with the three different ranges of carbohydrate values in the sorting for tailoring the stimuli. Participants exposed to Condition 3 trained were trained on 12 conditional discriminations and tested for the formation of three 5-member classes. The main findings showed that all but one of the participants responded correctly on at least one test for equivalence class formation and sorted the stimuli correctly in the postclass formation sorting test.
Anpassung der Schriftgrößen auf mobilen Geräten an die Interaktion im Stehen und Gehen
Authors: Conradi Jessica
Published: April 2020

Die vorgestellte Arbeit zielt ab auf das ergonomische Design von Mensch-Computer-Schnittstellen, die während des Gehens verwendet werden. Dabei wird ein interdisziplinärer Ansatz verwendet, in den Aspekte der Physiologie (Gehen, Sehapparat), Psychologie (Lesen) sowie die technischen Rahmenbedingungen mobiler Displays einfließen.

Ziel der Arbeiten war es, den Einfluss der Gehbewegung auf das Lesen auf einem mobilen Handgerät zu quantifizieren und die benötigte Anpassung der GUI an die Gehbewegung zu eruieren. Dazu wurde ein Versuch durchgeführt, bei dem auf einem Smartphone dargestellte – kurze bzw. lange – Worte zu erkennen waren. Für unterschiedliche Gehgeschwindigkeiten (0; 2,5 und 5 km/h) und Darbietungsdauern der Wörter wurden Schwellenwerte für die Buchstabengröße bestimmt. Zusätzlich wurden für die unterschiedlichen Gehgeschwindigkeiten präferierte Schriftgrößen bestimmt und mit den Schwellenwerten verglichen.

Praktische Relevanz Die Nutzung von mobilen IT-Geräten wie Smartphones ist heutzutage allgegenwärtig. Auch während des Gehens wird das Smartphone häufig genutzt, unter anderem auch in Umgebungen, die der Aufmerksamkeit bedürfen. Dies führt zu Zwischenfällen und Unfällen, wie der Presse immer wieder zu entnehmen ist. Der vollständige Verzicht auf die Nutzung des Smartphones ist weder durchsetzbar noch sinnvoll, da verschiedene Anwendungen, wie z. B. Navigations-Apps gerade für diese Situation konzipiert sind. Daher sollten die Smartphone-Apps an das Gehen anpassbar sein. Eine Möglichkeit hier ist, die zentralen Informationen, die auf dem Smartphone dargestellt werden, „auf einen Blick“ erfassbar darzustellen. Hierzu liefert die vorgestellte Arbeit einen Beitrag, indem Schriftgrößen eruiert wurden, die in möglichst kurzer Zeit erfasst werden können.
Short time existence of the classical solution to the fractional mean curvature flow
Authors: Julin Vesa , La Manna Domenico Angelo
Published: April 2020

We establish short-time existence of the smooth solution to the fractional mean curvature flow when the initial set is bounded and

C^{1,1}

-regular. We provide the same result also for the volume preserving fractional mean curvature flow.
Patient-Reported Barriers and Facilitators to Seeking and Accessing Support in Gynecologic and Breast Cancer Survivors with Sexual Problems: A Systematic Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies
Authors: Dai Yunyun , Cook Olivia Y. , Yeganeh Ladan , Huang Chongmei , Ding Jinfeng , Johnson Claire E.
Published: April 2020

Background

Greater understanding of patient-reported barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing sexual health services will help formulate strategies to assist gynecologic and breast cancer patients to overcome obstacles to accessing sexual health support because they typically do not seek sexual education and/or treatment when confronted with sexual concerns.

Aim

The objectives of this systematic review were to (i) explore the patient-reported barriers to seeking and accessing support for sexual problems in gynecologic and breast cancer survivors, and (ii) identify strategies used to successfully overcome the barriers to accessing sexual health information and/or treatment.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures included factors that prevent and/or facilitate gynecologic and breast cancer patients with sexual concerns seeking and accessing sexual health-related services.

Methods

Systematic searches of major electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Chinese database CNKI) from January 2009 to July 2019 were used to identify the barriers and facilitators to seeking sexual education/treatment from the perspective of gynecologic and breast cancer survivors. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results

20 studies met the inclusion criteria including 12 qualitative, 6 quantitative, and 2 mixed methods studies. 4 interconnected themes were derived from 13 subthemes relating to the barriers/facilitators to seeking and accessing sexual health support. The most common barriers were embarrassment/discomfort in discussing sexual concerns, perceived discomfort of healthcare providers in discussing sexual issues, limitations of the healthcare system to address sexual problems, and the multidimensional nature of sexuality. Help-seeking for sexual health concerns was facilitated by: (i) oncology health professionals initiating and conducting open, honest discussions around sexual concerns with patients; (ii) the availability of information in multiple forms; and (iii) appropriate timing of information provision according to women's preferences.

Clinical Implications

Oncology health professionals need to develop an open, honest, accepting communication style and be accessible to women with cancer and their partners within healthcare systems.

Strengths & Limitations

The systematic review was conducted in accordance with guidelines. Variability in the primary aims and outcomes of the included studies precluded a meta-analysis.

Conclusions

Training programs for providers of oncology care should enhance their knowledge of sexual issues in gynecologic and/or breast cancer, enhance their communication skills with patients, and improve their ability to consult or refer patients to psycho-oncologists or other mental health professionals.
Editorial
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: April 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in ways that go beyond the immediate health dangers. Some of these could have been predicted and are likely to be temporary. Others may have lasting effects on society.
The impact of acquisitions on security technology
Authors: Rudd Martin
Published: April 2020

Recent years have seen an increase in the size and scale of deals happening in cyber security. In 2019, TD Ameritrade's annual survey of registered investment advisors (RIAs) showed nearly a six-fold increase in cyber security investments compared to the year before. 1 In particular, one growing trend is large tech companies acquiring cyber security start-ups.

It's vital that cyber security companies make business deals that work for them – they need to achieve their commercial objectives, while remaining true to their original goals. There is no one correct answer and each individual business must consider whether the benefits of an acquisition outweigh the risks, and what will allow it to best deliver on its cyber security mission, says Martin Rudd of Telesoft Technologies.
How can man and machine collaborate?
Authors: Kairinos Nikolas
Published: April 2020

There's no longer any doubt that the relationship between humanity and technology has seen monumental change throughout the past century – and indeed, this relationship will likely continue to evolve over time. The question is, what will our relationship with machines look like in the years to come? Predictions about whether we are set to live in a digital utopia or be subjugated by the machines we created are being hotly debated even as we speak.

New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will change many aspects of the world we know today.

For the data security sector, the changing relationship between man and machine is very noticeable. There are also many benefits that technologies such as AI will bring. However, the growing capability of hackers and their malware must be understood in depth, and businesses would do well to get ahead now with new AI defence mechanisms, argues Nikolas Kairinos of Fountech.ai.
A wake-up call for data integrity invulnerability
Authors: Kumar Rajeev , Agrawal Alka , Khan Raees Ahmad
Published: April 2020

Data has become the most valuable commodity today, as all human endeavours – from routine chores, healthcare, business enterprises to government policies – are all directed by it. 1 It is like a blank cheque, disclosure or modification of which may cause irreparable loss.
Fact or Fiction? Case C-616/17 and the Compatibility of the EU Authorisation Procedure for Pesticides with the Precautionary Principle
Authors: PAULINI Sophia
Published: April 2020

This contribution analyses whether the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) provides clarifications on the normative implications that the precautionary principle entails in the context of Regulation 1107/2009, laying out the EU authorisation procedure for pesticides, in its recent judgement in Case C-616/17. In this judgement, which is a response to a request for a preliminary ruling by a French criminal court on the compatibility of certain aspects of Regulation 1107/2009 with the precautionary principle, the CJEU concludes that the questions of the referring court reveal nothing capable of affecting the validity of the regulation. According to the CJEU, to ensure conformity with the precautionary principle, the EU legislature must establish a normative framework that makes available to competent authorities sufficient information to adequately assess the risks to health resulting from the pesticide in question. However, the CJEU’s substantive analysis of the compatibility of the different aspects of Regulation 1107/2009 with the precautionary principle is not conducted concretely in light of this legal standard, but constitutes a mere testing of the general adequacy of Regulation 1107/2009. Furthermore, the CJEU’s judgement examines Regulation 1107/2009 in a vacuum without considering problems that have occurred in its implementation or application.
National Governance of Public Health Responses in a Pandemic?
Authors: DOBBS Mary
Published: April 2020

The world is currently facing the worst pandemic in a century and we were caught unprepared. COVID-19 has proven highly contagious and with severe consequences that are still unfolding. As of 16 April 2020, there were over 2 millionconfirmedcases and over 136,000 related deaths reported worldwide.1Over 1 million of those confirmed cases were in the preceding 14 days, with the USA accounting for nearly half of those. Furthermore, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is now warning that the world is about to suffer the worst economic recession since the Great Depression in the 1920s.2
Thermal lens analysis in a diode-pumped 10 Hz 100 mJ Yb:YAG amplifier
Authors: Hariton Victor , João Celso Paiva , Pires Hugo , Galletti Mario , Figueira Gonçalo
Published: April 2020

We address the power scaling issue in end-pumped laser rod amplifiers by studying, experimentally and numerically, the magnitude of thermal lensing in a high-energy diode-pumped Yb:YAG crystal. The spatio-temporal temperature profile of the gain medium and the focal length of the induced thermal lens are determined numerically. The influence of the repetition rate and pumping power on the temperature distribution is analyzed. Experimental measurements covered repetition rates between 1 and 10 Hz and up to 4 kW pumping power.
A Data Driven Approach to Study the Social and Political Statuses of Urban Communities in Kunming
Authors: Chang Charles
Published: April 2020

This article presents a data-driven approach to the study of the social and political statuses of urban communities in modern Kunming. Such information is lacking in government maps and documents. Using data from a wide variety of sources, many unconventional, I subject them to critical evaluation and computational analysis to extract information that can be used to produce a land use map of sufficient detail and accuracy to allow scholars to address and even answer questions of a socio-political, economic and, indeed, humanistic nature. My method can also be applied to other Chinese cities and to cities elsewhere that lack accurate information.
Active Learning Approaches for Labeling Text: Review and Assessment of the Performance of Active Learning Approaches
Authors: Miller Blake , Linder Fridolin , Mebane Walter R.
Published: April 2020

Supervised machine learning methods are increasingly employed in political science. Such models require costly manual labeling of documents. In this paper, we introduce active learning, a framework in which data to be labeled by human coders are not chosen at random but rather targeted in such a way that the required amount of data to train a machine learning model can be minimized. We study the benefits of active learning using text data examples. We perform simulation studies that illustrate conditions where active learning can reduce the cost of labeling text data. We perform these simulations on three corpora that vary in size, document length, and domain. We find that in cases where the document class of interest is not balanced, researchers can label a fraction of the documents one would need using random sampling (or “passive” learning) to achieve equally performing classifiers. We further investigate how varying levels of intercoder reliability affect the active learning procedures and find that even with low reliability, active learning performs more efficiently than does random sampling.
Introvert and pharynx ofMafangscolex, a Cambrian palaeoscolecid
Authors: Yang Jie , Smith Martin R , Zhang Xi-guang , Yang Xiao-yu
Published: April 2020

Palaeoscolecid worms are widespread in the Palaeozoic period, and are of key importance to understanding the emergence of moulting animals (superphylum Ecdysozoa). However, palaeoscolecids lack a diagnostic set of morphological characters, and as such are unlikely to form a natural (monophyletic) group. Consequently, detailed anatomical study of individual taxa is necessary in order to evaluate the phylogenetic significance of palaeoscolecids. New specimens ofMafangscolexfrom the Cambrian Stage 3 Xiaoshiba Lagerstätte in Kunming, China, provide the first detailed account of a proboscis in Palaeoscoelcidasensu stricto, a core group of palaeoscolecids characterized by having a tessellating scleritome of phosphatic plates and platelets. The eversible mouthparts ofMafangscolexcomprise an armoured, hexaradially symmetrical introvert, a ring of coronal spines and quincuncially arranged pharyngeal armature, with a range of tooth morphologies. Taken together, this configuration strikingly resembles the proboscis arrangement inferred for the ancestral ecdysozoan. The six-fold symmetry represents an important difference from the pentaradial priapulan proboscis. The retention of key aspects of the ancestral ecdysozoan body plan suggests that palaeoscolecids represent a useful window on the earliest stages of ecdysozoan evolution.
ON SOME QUESTIONS OF PARTITIO NUMERORUM: TRES CUBI
Authors: VAUGHAN R. C.
Published: April 2020

This paper is concerned with the function r3(n), the number of representations of n as the sum of at most three positive cubes,
$$r_3(n) = {\mathrm{card}}\{\mathbf m\in\mathbb Z^3: m_1^3+m_2^3+m_3^3=n, m_j\ge1\}.$$
, Our understanding of this function is surprisingly poor, and we examine various averages of it. In particular
$${\sum_{m=1}^nr_3(m),\,\sum_{m=1}^nr_3(m)^2}$$
and
$${\sum_{\substack{ n\le x\\ n\equiv a\,\mathrm{mod}\,q }} r_3(n).\}$$
Embedded Turkification: Nation Building and Violence within the Framework of the League of Nations 1919–1937
Authors: Liebisch-Gümüş Carolin
Published: April 2020

This article traces intersections between Turkey's relations with the League of Nations and violent homogenization in Anatolia in the two decades following World War I. It advances the argument that the strife for creating a homogenous population—a core element of Turkish nation building—was embedded in the international order. This is explained on two levels. First, the article stresses the role of international asymmetries on the mental horizon of the Turkish nation builders. The League's involvement in the allied plans to partition Turkey had the organization wrapped up in a mélange of humanitarian concerns, civilizing doctrine, and imperialist interests. Turkish nationalists wanted to avoid those imperialist pitfalls and overcome international minority protection by means of Turkification. They saw international humanitarianism as an obstacle to their nationalist line. Second, the article highlights the ways in which the League itself supported the Kemalists’ drive for Turkification, either directly, especially in the case of the “population transfer” between Greece and Turkey, or indirectly through prioritizing Turkey's sovereignty over minority concerns.
Age and growth of the Japanese butterfish Psenopsis anomala in the waters off north-eastern Taiwan
Authors: Wang Shyh-Bin , Hung Li-Yu , Liu Kwang-Ming
Published: April 2020

The catch of Japanese butterfish, Psenopsis anomala in Taiwan is greater than those of any other nation; however, the biology, particularly the age and growth, of this economically important fish species is little known. This study describes the age and growth of P. anomala based on 734 specimens (340 females, 363 males, 31 unsexed) caught by trawl fishery in the north-eastern waters off Taiwan from March 2007 to July 2008. The age of specimens was estimated by counting the growth annuli in sagittal otoliths. The periodicity of annulus deposition on otolith was estimated to be one year with opaque zone deposited between July and August based on marginal increment analysis. The maximum age for both sexes was estimated to be ~4. The female portion of the population was dominated by the 3+ age class, while the male portion was dominated by the 2∞ age class. The parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function with standard error estimated based on the observed length at age using a non-linear method are as follows: L∞ = 25.47 ± 0.65 cm, k = 0.30 ± 0.03 year−1, and t0 = −1.84 ± 0.16 year for females (n = 350), and L∞ = 22.39 ± 0.45 cm, k = 0.46 ± 0.04 year−1, and t0 = −1.38 ± 0.13 year for males (n = 378). The growth performances of P. anomala reported from different geographic regions were compared, and the potential influences of sample size distribution on the estimated growth parameters were further discussed.
The network structure of core depressive symptom-domains in major depressive disorder following antidepressant treatment: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Berlim Marcelo T. , Richard-Devantoy Stephane , dos Santos Nicole Rodrigues , Turecki Gustavo
Published: April 2020

Background

Network analysis (NA) conceptualizes psychiatric disorders as complex dynamic systems of mutually interacting symptoms. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous clinical condition, and very few studies to date have assessed putative changes in its psychopathological network structure in response to antidepressant (AD) treatment.

Methods

In this randomized trial with adult depressed outpatients (n = 151), we estimated Gaussian graphical models among nine core MDD symptom-domains before and after 8 weeks of treatment with either escitalopram or desvenlafaxine. Networks were examined with the measures of cross-sectional and longitudinal structure and connectivity, centrality and predictability as well as stability and accuracy.

Results

At baseline, the most connected MDD symptom-domains were fatigue–cognitive disturbance, whereas at week 8 they were depressed mood–suicidality. Overall, the most central MDD symptom-domains at baseline and week 8 were, respectively, fatigue and depressed mood; in contrast, the most peripheral symptom-domain across both timepoints was appetite/weight disturbance. Furthermore, the psychopathological network at week 8 was significantly more interconnected than at baseline, and they were also structurally dissimilar.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the utility of focusing on the dynamic interaction between depressive symptoms to better understand how the treatment with ADs unfolds over time. In addition, depressed mood, fatigue, and cognitive/psychomotor disturbance seem to be central MDD symptoms that may be viable targets for novel, focused therapeutic interventions.
Online population control surveys: A new method for investigating foodborne outbreaks
Authors: Taylor M. , Galanis E.
Published: April 2020

In foodborne outbreak investigations, case-control and cohort studies are used to test hypotheses and identify a source, but these studies are resource-intensive and may have challenges of representativeness, temporality or accessibility. We used online surveys to collect population control data for two foodborne outbreaks and compared the data collected to our cases and existing population exposure data. Online survey population controls were comparable to cases based on age and sex. Exposure data collected through online surveys were more precise than existing control data, represented the disease-specific exposure period and could be easily modified. In one outbreak the online control exposure data differed from established population data. In both outbreaks, the information from the online population control survey supported the hypothesis of the investigation. Our findings demonstrate that online surveys were a rapid and representative way to collect responses from controls during outbreak investigations.
Environmentally clean access to Antarctic subglacial aquatic environments
Authors: Michaud Alexander B. , Vick-Majors Trista J. , Achberger Amanda M. , Skidmore Mark L. , Christner Brent C. , Tranter Martyn , Priscu John C.
Published: April 2020

Subglacial Antarctic aquatic environments are important targets for scientific exploration due to the unique ecosystems they support and their sediments containing palaeoenvironmental records. Directly accessing these environments while preventing forward contamination and demonstrating that it has not been introduced is logistically challenging. The Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling (WISSARD) project designed, tested and implemented a microbiologically and chemically clean method of hot-water drilling that was subsequently used to access subglacial aquatic environments. We report microbiological and biogeochemical data collected from the drilling system and underlying water columns during sub-ice explorations beneath the McMurdo and Ross ice shelves and Whillans Ice Stream. Our method reduced microbial concentrations in the drill water to values three orders of magnitude lower than those observed in Whillans Subglacial Lake. Furthermore, the water chemistry and composition of microorganisms in the drill water were distinct from those in the subglacial water cavities. The submicron filtration and ultraviolet irradiation of the water provided drilling conditions that satisfied environmental recommendations made for such activities by national and international committees. Our approach to minimizing forward chemical and microbiological contamination serves as a prototype for future efforts to access subglacial aquatic environments beneath glaciers and ice sheets.
Going National: Immigration Enforcement and the Politicization of Local Police
Authors: Zoorob Michael
Published: April 2020

This article develops a theory of when and how political nationalization increases interest in local elections using evidence from county sheriff elections. A quintessentially local office, the sheriff has long enjoyed buffers from ideological or partisan politics. However, many sheriff elections since 2016 were waged on ideological grounds as progressive challengers—often backed by outside money—linked their campaigns to opposition to President Trump. I argue that this “redirected nationalization” becomes possible when a salient national issue impinges on a local government service, enabling challengers to expand the scope of conflict against valence-advantaged incumbents. In the highly nationalized 2018 midterm election, the question of cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the nation’s jails provided a compelling link between local sheriffs and national politics, infusing new interest and energy in these races. Although redirected nationalization can help align local policies with voter preferences, the politicization of local law enforcement also might undermine police professionalism and credibility.
The use of transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural therapy for a patient with multi-morbidity: a case study
Authors: Walshe Lisa , Allen Chris
Published: April 2020

Multi-morbidity, having more than two diagnosed health conditions, is becoming increasingly common within healthcare services. Approximately one third of these patients are likely to have a mental health condition. Those with multi-morbidity with physical and mental health conditions have poorer outcomes in terms of their health, increased mortality rates, and higher usage of healthcare services.

This paper presents a case of a patient with multi-morbidity, with associated mental health conditions of anxiety and depression. She was seen as part of an integrated service which provides psychological support at home alongside the nursing team. The intervention used was based on transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural therapy (tCBT), provided over nine initial sessions and two additional booster sessions. Self-report measures were completed at intervals throughout the intervention and at follow-up. Improvements on the depression and anxiety measures were seen over the initial nine sessions, followed by a relapse at the 3-month follow-up. This was the result of a deterioration in physical health which led to a deterioration in mental health. The booster sessions mitigated further deterioration in mental health, despite the physical health worsening during this time.

This case suggests that tCBT can be helpful in reducing anxiety and depression in people with multi-morbidity. However, additional booster sessions may be required as further physical deterioration can re-trigger core beliefs and result in further mental health problems.

Key learning aims

(1)

Transdiagnostic CBT can be beneficial for patients with multi-morbidity.

(2)

Integrated care addressing both physical and mental health problems is beneficial for people with multi-morbidity.

(3)

Monitoring deterioration in physical health is important, as this has an impact on mental health and may need addressing through psychological support.

(4)

Formulation for people with multi-morbidity needs to include mental and physical health factors and their interaction.
Substantial Increase in the Joint Occurrence and Human Exposure of Heatwave and High‐PM Hazards Over South Asia in the Mid‐21st Century
Authors: Xu Yangyang , Wu Xiaokang , Kumar Rajesh , Barth Mary , Diao Chenrui , Gao Meng , Lin Lei , Jones Bryan , Meehl Gerald A.
Published: April 2020

Extreme heat occurrence worldwide has increased in the past decades. Greenhouse gas emissions, if not abated aggressively, will lead to large increases in frequency and intensity of heat extremes. At the same time, many cities are facing severe air pollution problems featuring high‐PM episodes that last from days to weeks. Based on a high‐resolution decadal‐long model simulation using a state‐of‐the‐science regional chemistry‐climate model that is bias corrected against reanalysis, here we show that when daily average wet‐bulb temperature of 25 °C is taken as the threshold for severe health impacts, heat extremes frequency averaged over South Asia increases from 45 ± 5 days/year in 1997–2004 to 78 ± 3 days/year in 2046–2054 under RCP8.5 scenario. With daily averaged PM2.5 surface concentration of 60 μg/m3 defined as the threshold for such “unhealthy” extremes, high‐PM extremes would occur 132 ± 8 days/year in the Decade 2050 under RCP8.5. Even more concerning, due to the potential health impacts of two stressors acting in tandem, is the joint occurrence of the heatwave and high‐PM hazard (HHH), which would have substantial increases of 175% in frequency and 79% in duration. This is in contrast to the 73–76% increase for heatwave or high PM when assessed individually. The fraction of land exposed to prolonged HHH increases by more than tenfold in 2050. The alarming increases in just a few decades pose great challenges to adaptation and call for more aggressive mitigation. For example, under a lower emission pathway, the frequency of HHH will only increase by 58% with a lower frequency of high‐PM extremes.
Surface Deformation and Induced Seismicity Due to Fluid Injection and Oil and Gas Extraction in Western Texas
Authors: Deng Fanghui , Dixon Timothy H. , Xie Surui
Published: April 2020

Texas is experiencing increasing seismicity, likely related to the oil and gas production process. We used satellite InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) to monitor surface deformation at three study sites in western Texas with similar geologic characteristics. The deformation data were compared to earthquake distribution, groundwater changes, volumes of produced and injected fluid, and calculated pore pressure change and Coulomb failure stress change to assess causes of deformation and seismicity. Site 1 experienced surface uplift due to fluid injection but no increase in seismicity. The average media properties were estimated based on the deformation using a poroelastic model. Site 2 experienced subtle surface subsidence and elevated seismicity. Subsidence here might reflect groundwater withdrawal. Simulated pore pressure changes using MODFLOW suggest the earthquakes are likely induced by fluid injection. Site 3 experienced significant surface subsidence and seismicity. InSAR time series, water level data, and oil/gas extraction history suggest that subsidence in the northern part of this site reflects oil/gas extraction, while subsidence in the southern part is mainly due to groundwater withdrawal. An Okada tensile model was used to derive the equivalent source strength causing the subsidence, then Coulomb failure stress changes associated with this source were calculated. We found that pore pressure change (simulated using MODFLOW) due to fluid injection is likely the main contributor to elevated seismicity at this site. Variations in oil/gas production activity, seismicity, and surface deformation between our three sites suggest the importance of local rock structure and media properties in determining susceptibility to induced seismicity.
Dust from Colliding Asteroids Masqueraded as a Planet
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: April 2020

New analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images suggests that Fomalhaut b, once believed to be an extrasolar planet, is, in fact, a cloud of dust that likely formed from the collision of enormous asteroids.
Differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells into functional chondrocytes by a small molecule that induces Sox9
Authors: Lee Jiyun , Lee Chang Youn , Park Jun-Hee , Seo Hyang-Hee , Shin Sunhye , Song Byeong-Wook , Kim Il-Kwon , Kim Sang Woo , Lee Seahyoung , Park Jong-Chul , Lim Soyeon , Hwang Ki-Chul
Published: April 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease that results from the disintegration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. Because cartilage and chondrocytes lack the ability to self-regenerate, efforts have been made to utilize stem cells to treat OA. Although various methods have been used to differentiate stem cells into functional chondrocytes, the currently available methods cannot induce stem cells to undergo differentiation into chondrocyte-like cells without inducing characteristics of hypertrophic chondrocytes, which finally lead to cartilage disintegration and calcification. Therefore, an optimized method to differentiate stem cells into chondrocytes that do not display undesired phenotypes is needed. This study focused on differentiating adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) into functional chondrocytes using a small molecule that regulated the expression of Sox9 as a key factor in cartilage development and then explored its ability to treat OA. We selected ellipticine (ELPC), which induces chondrocyte differentiation of ASCs, using a GFP-Sox9 promoter vector screening system. An in vivo study was performed to confirm the recovery rate of cartilage regeneration with ASC differentiation into chondrocytes by ELPC in a collagenase-induced animal model of OA. Taken together, these data indicate that ellipticine induces ASCs to differentiate into mature chondrocytes without hypertrophic chondrocytes in vitro and in vivo, thus overcoming a problem encountered in previous studies. These results indicate that ELPC is a novel chondrocyte differentiation-inducing drug that shows potential as a cell therapy for OA.
Tankyrase inhibition ameliorates lipid disorder via suppression of PGC-1α PARylation in db/db mice
Authors: Wang Hong , Kuusela Sara , Rinnankoski-Tuikka Rita , Dumont Vincent , Bouslama Rim , Ramadan Usama Abo , Waaler Jo , Linden Anni-Maija , Chi Nai-Wen , Krauss Stefan , Pirinen Eija , Lehtonen Sanna
Published: April 2020

Objective

Human TNKS, encoding tankyrase 1 (TNKS1), localizes to a susceptibility locus for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here, we addressed the therapeutic potential of G007-LK, a TNKS-specific inhibitor, for obesity and T2DM.

Methods

We administered G007-LK to diabetic db/db mice and measured the impact on body weight, abdominal adiposity, and serum metabolites. Muscle, liver, and white adipose tissues were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting to determine TNKS inhibition, lipolysis, beiging, adiponectin level, mitochondrial oxidative metabolism and mass, and gluconeogenesis. Protein interaction and PARylation analyses were carried out by immunoprecipitation, pull-down and in situ proximity ligation assays.

Results

TNKS inhibition reduced body weight gain, abdominal fat content, serum cholesterol levels, steatosis, and proteins associated with lipolysis in diabetic db/db mice. We discovered that TNKS associates with PGC-1α and that TNKS inhibition attenuates PARylation of PGC-1α, contributing to increased PGC-1α level in WAT and muscle in db/db mice. PGC-1α upregulation apparently modulated transcriptional reprogramming to increase mitochondrial mass and fatty acid oxidative metabolism in muscle, beiging of WAT, and raised circulating adiponectin level in db/db mice. This was in sharp contrast to the liver, where TNKS inhibition in db/db mice had no effect on PGC-1α expression, lipid metabolism, or gluconeogenesis.

Conclusion

Our study unravels a novel molecular mechanism whereby pharmacological inhibition of TNKS in obesity and diabetes enhances oxidative metabolism and ameliorates lipid disorder. This happens via tissue-specific PGC-1α-driven transcriptional reprogramming in muscle and WAT, without affecting liver. This highlights inhibition of TNKS as a potential pharmacotherapy for obesity and T2DM.
NUSAP1 potentiates chemoresistance in glioblastoma through its SAP domain to stabilize ATR
Authors: Zhao Yuzu , He Jiang , Li Yongsen , Lv Shengqing , Cui Hongjuan
Published: April 2020

NUSAP1, which is a microtubule-associated protein involved in mitosis, plays essential roles in diverse biological processes, especially in cancer biology. In this study, NUSAP1 was found to be overexpressed in GBM tissues in a grade-dependent manner compared with normal brain tissues. NUSAP1 was also highly expressed in GBM patients, dead patients, and GBM cells. In addition, NUSAP1 was found to participate in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage in GBM cells. Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) are a primary sensor of DNA damage, and ATR is also a promising target in cancer therapy. Here, we found that NUSAP1 positively regulated the expression of ATR. Mechanistically, NUSAP1 suppressed the ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of ATR. The SAP (SAF-A/B, Acinus, and PIAS) domain is a common motif of many SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) E3 ligases, and this domain is involved in substrate recognition and ligase activity. This study further demonstrated that the SAP domain of NUSAP1 promoted the sumoylation of ATR, and thereby antagonized the ubiquitination of ATR. These results suggest that NUSAP1 stabilizes ATR by sumoylation. Moreover, NUSAP1 potentiated chemotherapeutic resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) and doxorubicin (DOX) through its SAP domain. Overall, this study indicates that NUSAP1 is a promising therapeutic target in GBM.