bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heating and Drying of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks for Defects of Buildings by Application of Microwave Radiation
Authors: Sobotka Jindřich , Smolka Radim
Published: February 2020

Experiments of heating and drying of autoclaved aerated concrete blocks were divided into several areas, in which the depth of heating in relation to irradiation time intervals was checked. The impact of individual heating phases on the distribution of the irradiated field and comparison of drying rate at different lengths of the cycle “heating-cooling”. Theoretical potential of construction materials rehabilitation with the use of microwave radiation has been known for many years. This technique has been used by a number of companies in the construction practice. However, obtaining accurate information on suitable devices, procedures of their use, remedial action technique, positives and negatives and potential risks when using microwave radiation is very demanding since the findings obtained from practice are protected by individual companies for their own needs. It is understood that it is part of their “know-how”. The long-term research based on close cooperation between Civil Engineering Faculty, BUT Brno, and S. P. UNI company, tries to make accessible enough information on potential and suitable use of the microwave technology in practice, based on laboratory and in-situ experiments.
Reduction of Light Transmission by Glazing with Atmospheric Pollutants
Authors: Machová Petra , Vajkay František
Published: February 2020

Daylight has been used for centuries as the main source of light in interiors and has always been an implicit part of architecture ever since buildings exist. Daylight is an irreplaceable environmental factor and is a prerequisite for a healthy stay in buildings. Ensuring daylight access to the interior is a challenge when designing buildings. The aim is to provide enough daylight for the visual work that indoor building users do. The deposition of air pollutants on the glazing can significantly affect the transmission of daylight into buildings located in urban areas. This study shows the impact of air pollution on glazing permeability in three cities in the Czech Republic. The throughput was measured on a total of 9 windows for half a year. Air purity, exposure to rain, the slope of glazing and use of rooms are factors influencing the final permeability of the glazing. Where glazing is exposed to rain, dirt on the outside of the windows tends to accumulate. The final reduction in throughput is usually 4-8%, with some exceptions.
Mechanical, structural, and thermodynamic properties of TaC-ZrC ultra-high temperature ceramics using first principle methods
Authors: Farhadizadeh Ali Reza , Ghomi Hamid
Published: February 2020

In this research, a systematic investigation of the properties of stoichiometric ultra-high temperature ceramics

Z

r

x

T

a

8
−
x

C

8

is carried out. The mechanical properties including elastic constants, shear modulus, bulk modulus, Zener ratio, Poisson ratio, Pugh’s index are calculated and then the hardness (H) and

H

3

/

E

2

based on a semi-empirical approach are estimated. It exhibits that TaC possesses the lowest hardness equal to 22 GPa that increases to maximum hardness 30 GPa when a single Zr atom is substituted with Ta

(
Z

r

1

T

a

7

C

8

)
.

Afterwards, the partial density of states (PDOS) of mentioned ceramics was calculated and plotted. Since the density of states at the Fermi level has some value, it is inferred that they all are electrical conductors. The p-d hybridization, the states at the Fermi level and the Mulliken charges of each atom indicate that the covalent, metallic and ionic nature of bonding exist simultaneously among constituent elements.
Tax bargaining, fiscal contracts, and fiscal capacity in Ghana: A long-term perspective
Authors: Aboagye Prince Young , Hillbom Ellen
Published: February 2020

Many Sub-Saharan African countries are unable to generate sufficient tax revenues for public purposes. While it is widely accepted that governments’ ability to tax is shaped by politics, the precise mechanisms through which this relationship takes place in practice remain elusive. Based on a historical analysis of four major tax reforms in Ghana from the 1850s to the late 1990s, this article captures the various ways in which taxpayers negotiate with the state in an attempt to limit the extent of taxation, especially in cases where state reciprocity falls short of what people expect. Our evidence suggests that, far from being a recent development, effective taxation in Ghana has long depended on the ability of the state to convince taxpayers that tax revenues will be used for the public benefit. A history of misappropriation of tax revenues, overt corruption, and profligacy diminished taxpayers’ support for governments’ tax efforts. More generally, the article points to the importance of understanding how tax bargaining works in practice and people’s perceptions of their governments over the long term to overcome resistance to tax reforms.
Unravelling the complex story of intergenomic recombination in ABB allotriploid bananas
Authors: Cenci Alberto , Sardos Julie , Hueber Yann , Martin Guillaume , Breton Catherine , Roux Nicolas , Swennen Rony , Carpentier Sebastien Christian , Rouard Mathieu
Published: February 2020

Background and Aims

Bananas (Musa spp.) are a major staple food for hundreds of millions of people in developing countries. The cultivated varieties are seedless and parthenocarpic clones of which the ancestral origin remains to be clarified. The most important cultivars are triploids with an AAA, AAB or ABB genome constitution, with A and B genomes provided by M. acuminata and M. balbisiana, respectively. Previous studies suggested that inter-genome recombinations were relatively common in banana cultivars and that triploids were more likely to have passed through an intermediate hybrid. In this study, we investigated the chromosome structure within the ABB group, composed of starchy cooking bananas that play an important role in food security.

Methods

Using SNP markers called from RADSeq data, we studied the chromosome structure of 36 ABB genotypes spanning defined taxonomic subgroups. To complement our understanding, we searched for similar events within nine AB hybrid genotypes.

Key Results

Recurrent homologous exchanges (HEs), i.e. chromatin exchanges between A and B subgenomes, were unravelled with at least nine founding events (HE patterns) at the origin of ABB bananas prior to clonal diversification. Two independent founding events were found for Pisang Awak genotypes. Two HE patterns, corresponding to genotypes Pelipita and Klue Teparod, show an over-representation of B genome contribution. Three HE patterns mainly found in Indian accessions shared some recombined regions and two additional patterns did not correspond to any known subgroups.

Conclusions

The discovery of the nine founding events allowed an investigation of the possible routes that led to the creation of the different subgroups, which resulted in new hypotheses. Based on our observations, we suggest different routes that gave rise to the current diversity in the ABB cultivars, routes involving primary AB hybrids, routes leading to shared HEs and routes leading to a B excess ratio. Genetic fluxes took place between M. acuminata and M. balbisiana, particularly in India, where these unbalanced AB hybrids and ABB allotriploids originated, and where cultivated M. balbisiana are abundant. The result of this study clarifies the classification of ABB cultivars, possibly leading to the revision of the classification of this subgroup.
Local conspecific density does not influence reproductive output in a secondary cavity-nesting songbird
Authors: Hoover Jeffrey P , Davros Nicole M , Schelsky Wendy M , Brawn Jeffrey D
Published: February 2020

Density dependence is a conceptual cornerstone of avian population biology and, in territorial songbirds, past research has emphasized interactions among food limitation, density, and reproduction. Documenting the importance of density effects is central to understanding how selective forces shape life histories and population dynamics. During the 2008–2011 breeding seasons, we nearly doubled overall conspecific breeding densities on study sites, and manipulated nest box spacing to increase local breeding densities (defined as the number of pairs breeding within 200 m of a pair’s nest) of a secondary cavity-nesting songbird, the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea). Our primary objective was to test for effects of food limitation, as mediated by conspecific local densities, on measures of productivity. We monitored breeding pairs and recorded the total number of fledglings produced along with several components of reproductive output (clutch size, hatching success, nestling survival, and probability of attempting a second brood), rates of nestling provisioning, and nestling body condition prior to fledging. We predicted that if the availability of food were affected by local densities, then one or more of these parameters measuring reproduction would be affected negatively. We did not detect an effect of local density on total reproductive output or its components despite our vast range of local densities (1–27 pairs; i.e. 0.16–2.23 pairs ha–1). Further, we also did not detect differences in nestling provisioning rates and nestling body condition relative to local density. By breeding in a productive ecosystem rich in food resources, these warblers appear to avoid reduced reproductive output when breeding in high densities. Whereas density-dependent food limitation may commonly reduce reproductive output in many species, the ecological circumstances underlying when it does not occur merit further investigation and may provide new insights into what is driving territoriality and what are the primary factors affecting individual fitness.
Virtual screening web servers: designing chemical probes and drug candidates in the cyberspace
Authors: Singh Natesh , Chaput Ludovic , Villoutreix Bruno O
Published: February 2020

The interplay between life sciences and advancing technology drives a continuous cycle of chemical data growth; these data are most often stored in open or partially open databases. In parallel, many different types of algorithms are being developed to manipulate these chemical objects and associated bioactivity data. Virtual screening methods are among the most popular computational approaches in pharmaceutical research. Today, user-friendly web-based tools are available to help scientists perform virtual screening experiments. This article provides an overview of internet resources enabling and supporting chemical biology and early drug discovery with a main emphasis on web servers dedicated to virtual ligand screening and small-molecule docking. This survey first introduces some key concepts and then presents recent and easily accessible virtual screening and related target-fishing tools as well as briefly discusses case studies enabled by some of these web services. Notwithstanding further improvements, already available web-based tools not only contribute to the design of bioactive molecules and assist drug repositioning but also help to generate new ideas and explore different hypotheses in a timely fashion while contributing to teaching in the field of drug development.
Integrating multi-network topology for gene function prediction using deep neural networks
Authors: Peng Jiajie , Xue Hansheng , Wei Zhongyu , Tuncali Idil , Hao Jianye , Shang Xuequn
Published: February 2020

Motivation

The emergence of abundant biological networks, which benefit from the development of advanced high-throughput techniques, contributes to describing and modeling complex internal interactions among biological entities such as genes and proteins. Multiple networks provide rich information for inferring the function of genes or proteins. To extract functional patterns of genes based on multiple heterogeneous networks, network embedding-based methods, aiming to capture non-linear and low-dimensional feature representation based on network biology, have recently achieved remarkable performance in gene function prediction. However, existing methods do not consider the shared information among different networks during the feature learning process.

Results

Taking the correlation among the networks into account, we design a novel semi-supervised autoencoder method to integrate multiple networks and generate a low-dimensional feature representation. Then we utilize a convolutional neural network based on the integrated feature embedding to annotate unlabeled gene functions. We test our method on both yeast and human datasets and compare with three state-of-the-art methods. The results demonstrate the superior performance of our method. We not only provide a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the newly proposed algorithm but also provide a tool for extracting features of genes based on multiple networks, which can be used in the downstream machine learning task.

Availability

DeepMNE-CNN is freely available at https://github.com/xuehansheng/DeepMNE-CNN

Contact

jiajiepeng@nwpu.edu.cn; shang@nwpu.edu.cn; jianye.hao@tju.edu.cn
GPS-Palm: a deep learning-based graphic presentation system for the prediction ofS-palmitoylation sites in proteins
Authors: Ning Wanshan , Jiang Peiran , Guo Yaping , Wang Chenwei , Tan Xiaodan , Zhang Weizhi , Peng Di , Xue Yu
Published: February 2020

As an important reversible lipid modification, S-palmitoylation mainly occurs at specific cysteine residues in proteins, participates in regulating various biological processes and is associated with human diseases. Besides experimental assays, computational prediction of S-palmitoylation sites can efficiently generate helpful candidates for further experimental consideration. Here, we reviewed the current progress in the development of S-palmitoylation site predictors, as well as training data sets, informative features and algorithms used in these tools. Then, we compiled a benchmark data set containing 3098 known S-palmitoylation sites identified from small- or large-scale experiments, and developed a new method named data quality discrimination (DQD) to distinguish data quality weights (DQWs) between the two types of the sites. Besides DQD and our previous methods, we encoded sequence similarity values into images, constructed a deep learning framework of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and developed a novel algorithm of graphic presentation system (GPS) 6.0. We further integrated nine additional types of sequence-based and structural features, implemented parallel CNNs (pCNNs) and designed a new predictor called GPS-Palm. Compared with other existing tools, GPS-Palm showed a >31.3% improvement of the area under the curve (AUC) value (0.855 versus 0.651) for general prediction of S-palmitoylation sites. We also produced two species-specific predictors, with corresponding AUC values of 0.900 and 0.897 for predicting human- and mouse-specific sites, respectively. GPS-Palm is free for academic research at http://gpspalm.biocuckoo.cn/.
Bio2Rxn: sequence-based enzymatic reaction predictions by a consensus strategy
Authors: Zhang Tong , Tian Yu , Yuan Le , Chen Fu , Ren Ailin , Hu Qian-Nan
Published: February 2020

The development of sequencing technologies has generated large amounts of protein sequence data. The automated prediction of the enzymatic reactions of uncharacterized proteins is a major challenge in the field of bioinformatics. Here, we present Bio2Rxn as a web-based tool to provide putative enzymatic reaction predictions for uncharacterized protein sequences. Bio2Rxn adopts a consensus strategy by incorporating six types of enzyme prediction tools. It allows for the efficient integration of these computational resources to maximize the accuracy and comprehensiveness of enzymatic reaction predictions, which facilitates the characterization of the functional roles of target proteins in metabolism. Bio2Rxn further links the enzyme function prediction with more than 300 000 enzymatic reactions, which were manually curated by more than 100 people over the past 9 years from more than 580 000 publications.

Availability and implementation

Bio2Rxn is available at: http://design.rxnfinder.org/bio2rxn/.

Contact

qnhu@sibs.ac.cn

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Population structure of the New Zealand whelk, Cominella glandiformis (Gastropoda: Buccinidae), suggests sporadic dispersal of a direct developer
Authors: Donald Kirsten M , McCulloch Graham A , Dutoit Ludovic , Spencer Hamish G
Published: February 2020

We examined phylogeographic structure in the direct-developing New Zealand endemic intertidal mud whelk, Cominella glandiformis. Two hundred and ninety-six whelks from 12 sites were collected from sheltered shores around New Zealand’s four largest islands (North Island, South Island, Stewart Island and Chatham Island), encompassing the geographical range of this species. Despite being direct developers, gene flow among C. glandiformis populations may occur over short distances by adult floating, and over larger distances by rafting of egg masses. Primers were developed to amplify variable microsatellite regions at six loci. All loci were variable, with 8–34 alleles/loci. Observed and expected heterozygosities were high across all alleles, with minimal evidence of null alleles. The average number of alleles varied from 3.5 (Chatham Island) to 7.5 (Waitemata Harbour). Strong genetic structure was evident, with distinct ‘eastern’ and ‘western’ groups. Each group extended over a large geographic area, including regions of unsuitable habitat, but were linked by oceanic currents. We suggest that the intraspecific geographic genetic structure in C. glandiformis has arisen due a combination of ocean currents (promoting gene flow between geographically distant regions) and upwelling areas (limiting gene flow between certain regions).
NDRG1 deficiency is associated with regional metastasis in oral cancer by inducing epithelial–mesenchymal transition
Authors: de Lima Jefferson Muniz , Morand Grégoire B , Macedo Carolina Carneiro Soares , Diesel Luciana , Hier Michael P , Mlynarek Alex , Kowalski Luiz P , Maschietto Mariana , Alaoui-Jamali Moulay A , da Silva Sabrina Daniela
Published: February 2020

Regional metastasis is the single most important prognostic factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Abnormal expression of N-myc downstream-regulated genes (NDRGs) has been identified to occur in several tumor types and to predict poor prognosis. In OSCC, the clinical significance of deregulated NDRG expression has not been fully established. In this study, NDRG1 relevance was assessed at gene and protein levels in 100 OSCC patients followed up by at least 10 years. Survival outcome was analyzed using a multivariable analysis. Tumor progression and metastasis was investigated in preclinical model using oral cancer cell lines (HSC3 and SCC25) treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and orthotopic mouse model of metastatic murine OSCC (AT84). We identified NDRG1 expression levels to be significantly lower in patients with metastatic tumors compared with patients with local disease only (P = 0.001). NDRG1 expression was associated with MMP-2, -9, -10 (P = 0.022, P = 0.002, P = 0.042, respectively) and BCL2 (P = 0.035). NDRG1 lower expression was able to predict recurrence and metastasis (log-rank test, P = 0.001). In multivariable analysis, the expression of NDRG1 was an independent prognostic factor (Cox regression, P = 0.013). In invasive OSCC cells, NDRG1 expression is diminished in response to EGF and this was associated with a potent induction of epithelial–mesenchymal transition phenotype. This result was further confirmed in an orthotopic OSCC mouse model. Together, this data support that NDRG1 downregulation is a potential predictor of metastasis and approaches aimed at NDRG1 signaling rescue can serve as potential therapeutic strategy to prevent oral cancer progression to metastasis.
Mutations in long-lived epithelial stem cells and their clonal progeny in pre-malignant lesions and in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Melis Marta , Zhang Tuo , Scognamiglio Theresa , Gudas Lorraine J
Published: February 2020

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are the most common cancers of the oral cavity, but the molecular mechanisms driving OSCC carcinogenesis remain unclear. Our group previously established a murine OSCC model based on a 10-week carcinogen [4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO)] treatment. Here we used K14CreERTAM;Rosa26LacZ mice to perform lineage tracing to delineate the mutational profiles in clonal cell populations resulting from single, long-lived epithelial stem cells, here called LacZ+ stem cell clones (LSCCs). Using laser-capture microdissection, we examined mutational changes in LSCCs immediately after the 10-week 4-NQO treatment and >17 weeks after 4-NQO treatment. We found a 1.8-fold ±0.4 (P = 0.009) increase in single-nucleotide variants and insertions/deletions (indels) in tumor compared with pre-neoplastic LSCCs. The percentages of indels and of loss of heterozygosity events were 1.3-fold±0.3 (P = 0.02) and 2.2-fold±0.7 (P = 0.08) higher in pre-neoplastic compared with tumor LSCCs. Mutations in cell adhesion- and development-associated genes occurred in 83% of the tumor LSCCs. Frequently mutated genes in tumor LSCCs were involved in planar cell polarity (Celsr1, Fat4) or development (Notch1). Chromosomal amplifications in 50% of the tumor LSCCs occurred in epidermal growth factor receptor, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and cell adhesion pathways. All pre-neoplastic and tumor LSCCs were characterized by key smoking-associated changes also observed in human OSCC, C>A and G>T. DeconstructSigs analysis identified smoking and head and neck cancer as the most frequent mutational signatures in pre-neoplastic and tumor LSCCs. Thus, this model recapitulates a smoking-associated mutational profile also observed in humans and illustrates the role of LSCCs in early carcinogenesis and OSCCs.
Design, challenges, and the potential of transcriptomics to understand social behavior
Authors: Lim Wen Kin , Mathuru Ajay S
Published: February 2020

Rapid advances in Ribonucleic Acid sequencing (or RNA-seq) technology for analyzing entire transcriptomes of desired tissue samples, or even of single cells at scale, have revolutionized biology in the past decade. Increasing accessibility and falling costs are making it possible to address many problems in biology that were once considered intractable, including the study of various social behaviors. RNA-seq is opening new avenues to understand long-standing questions on the molecular basis of behavioral plasticity and individual variation in the expression of a behavior. As whole transcriptomes are examined, it has become possible to make unbiased discoveries of underlying mechanisms with little or no necessity to predict genes involved in advance. However, researchers need to be aware of technical limitations and have to make specific decisions when applying RNA-seq to study social behavior. Here, we provide a perspective on the applications of RNA-seq and experimental design considerations for behavioral scientists who are unfamiliar with the technology but are considering using it in their research.
Sexual Health in Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Danish National Birth Cohort
Authors: Nøhr Ellen A , Nielsen Jan , Nørgård Bente M , Friedman Sonia
Published: February 2020

Background and Aims

Previous studies indicate an increased risk of sexual dysfunction in women with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] but none have examined sexual function in a large population-based cohort.

Methods

To investigate the risk of sexual dysfunction in women with IBD, we used data from the Danish National Birth Cohort, a nationwide study of 92 274 pregnant women recruited during 1996–2002. We performed a cross-sectional study based on mothers who participated in the Maternal Follow-up in 2013–14. The outcome was self-reported sexual health. Information regarding demographics and IBD characteristics was retrieved from the Danish National Patient Register. Using regression models and adjusting for important confounders, we compared sexual function in women with and without IBD.

Results

The study population consisted of 38 011 women including 196 [0.5%] with Crohn’s disease [CD] and 409 [1.1%] with ulcerative colitis [UC]. Median age was 44 years. Compared to women without IBD, women with UC did not have significantly decreased sexual function, while women with CD had more difficulty achieving orgasm (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–2.30], increased dyspareunia [aOR 1.71; 95% CI 1.11–2.63] and deep dyspareunia [aOR 2.00; 95% CI 1.24–3.22]. The risk for difficulty achieving orgasm and deep dyspareunia was further increased within 2 years of an IBD-related contact/visit [aOR 1.81; 95% CI 1.11–2.95; and aOR 2.37; 95% CI 1.34–4.19].

Conclusions

Women with CD have significantly increased difficulty achieving orgasm and increased dyspareunia. Physicians should be cognizant of and screen for sexual dysfunction in this group of patients.
Orthotopic foetal lung tissue direct injection into lung showed a preventive effect against paraquat-induced acute lung injury in mice
Authors: Okabe Ryo , Chen-Yoshikawa Toyofumi F , Yoshizawa Akihiko , Hirashima Tsuyoshi , Saito Masao , Date Hiroshi , Takebe Takanori
Published: February 2020

OBJECTIVES

Lung transplantation is the only effective therapy for patients with end-stage lung disease but an organ shortage crisis necessitates the development of alternative therapies. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of foetal tissue transplantation to facilitate the regeneration of vital organs such as liver that have been damaged by lethal diseases. Herein, with the aim of restoring pulmonary function, we hypothesized that allogenic foetal lung tissue implantation would attenuate severe respiratory failure.

METHODS

Lung tissue from the foetuses of pregnant green fluorescent protein-C57BL/6 mice at 13.5 days of gestation was injected into the left lungs of recipient mice. Severe lung injury was induced by paraquat, and we analysed the survival rate and pathohistological findings after 1 month.

RESULTS

The survival rate of the therapy group was 39%, which was significantly higher than the vehicle group at 5.9% (P = 0.034). Immunochemical staining showed that positive cytoplasmic stained cells with anti-interleukin-10 antibody were identified in the gland-like structure of embryonic day 13.5 foetal lung. At 4 weeks after orthotopic implantation, haematoxylin and eosin staining showed reduced lung inflammatory cells, reduced lung oedema and increased active cell proliferation of foetal lung cells. Lung injury score showed that the airway septal thickening revealed statistically significant differences between vehicle and foetal lung therapy (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Immature foetal lungs improved the survival rate of mice with paraquat-induced severe lung injury, establishing the need for systematic follow-up studies. The anti-inflammatory cytokine in the tissue from embryonic day 13.5 foetal lung might suppress severe lung injury.
Spatio-temporal formation of biofilms and extracellular matrix analysis inAzospirillum brasilense
Authors: Viruega-Góngora Víctor I , Acatitla-Jácome Iris S , Reyes-Carmona Sandra R , Baca Beatriz E , Ramírez-Mata Alberto
Published: February 2020

Elucidation of biofilm structure formation in the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Azospirillum brasilense is necessary to gain a better understanding of the growth of cells within the extracellular matrix and its role in the colonization of plants of agronomic importance. We used immunofluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy to study spatio-temporal biofilm formation on an abiotic surface. Observations facilitated by fluorescence microscopy revealed the presence of polar flagellin, exopolysaccharides, outer major membrane protein (OmaA) and extracellular DNA in the Azospirillum biofilm matrix. In static culture conditions, the polar flagellum disaggregated after 3 days of biofilm growth, but exopolysaccharides were increasing. These findings suggest that the first step in biofilm formation may be attachment, in which the bacterium first makes contact with a surface through its polar flagellum. After attaching to the surface, the long flagella and OmaA intertwine the cells to form a network. These bacterial aggregates initiate biofilm development. The underlying mechanisms dictating how the biofilm matrix components of A. brasilense direct the overall morphology of the biofilm are not well known. The methods developed here might be useful in further studies that analyze the differential spatial regulation of genes encoding matrix components that drive biofilm construction.
Mind-Wandering Across the Age Gap: Age-Related Differences in Mind-Wandering Are Partially Attributable to Age-Related Differences in Motivation
Authors: Seli Paul , O’Neill Kevin , Carriere Jonathan S A , Smilek Daniel , Beaty Roger E , Schacter Daniel L
Published: February 2020

Objectives

A common finding in the mind-wandering literature is that older adults (OAs) tend to mind-wander less frequently than young adults (YAs). Here, we sought to determine whether this age-related difference in mind-wandering is attributable to age-related differences in motivation.

Method

YAs and OAs completed an attention task during which they responded to thought probes that assessed rates of mind-wandering, and they provided self-reports of task-based motivation before and after completion of the attention task.

Results

Age-related differences in mind-wandering are partially explained by differences in motivation, and motivating YAs via incentive diminishes mind-wandering differences across these groups.

Discussion

We consider these results in the context of theories on age-related differences in mind wandering, with a specific focus on their relevance to the recently proposed motivational account of such age-related differences.
Sea ice, temperature, and prey effects on annual variations in mean lengths of a key Arctic fish, Boreogadus saida, in the Barents Sea
Authors: Dupont Nicolas , Durant Joël M , Langangen Øystein , Gjøsæter Harald , Stige Leif Christian
Published: February 2020

Oceanographic conditions in the Arctic are changing, with sea ice cover decreasing and sea temperatures increasing. Our understanding of the effects on marine populations in the area is, however, limited. Here, we focus on the Barents Sea stock of polar cod (Boreogadus saida). Polar cod is a key fish species for the transfer of energy from zooplankton to higher trophic levels in the Arctic food web. We analyse the relationships between 30-year data series on the length-at-age of polar cod cohorts (ages 0–4) and sea surface temperature, sea ice concentration, prey biomasses, predator indices, and length-at-age the previous year using multiple linear regression. Results for several ages showed that high length-at-age is significantly associated with low sea ice concentration and high length-at-age the previous year. Only length-at-age for age 1 shows a positive significant relationship with prey biomass. Our results suggest that retreating sea ice has positive effects on the growth of polar cod in the Barents Sea despite previous observations of a stagnating stock biomass and decreasing stock abundance. Our results contribute to identifying mechanisms by which climate variability affects the polar cod population, with implications for our understanding of how future climate change may affect Arctic ecosystems.
Poetry, Irrevocable Time and Myanmar’s Political Transition
Authors: Renshaw Catherine
Published: February 2020

ABSTRACT∞

This article is concerned with the response of Myanmar’s early contemporary poets to the experience of dictatorship and oppression, and the response of more recent poets to the uncertainty that followed political transition in 2010. The article argues that aesthetic differences in the styles of poetry that emerged during different periods reflect different understandings about temporality and the corresponding possibilities for claims of justice. The article suggests that the earlier poems, written during the period of military rule, represent what the philosopher Vladimir Jankélévitch calls ‘irreversible time.’ Later poems, written after the period of dictatorship, reflect an aesthetic of ‘irrevocable time.’ The article explains that we are yet to see, in Myanmar, the emergence of poetics representing time’s third domain: imprescriptible time (the time of jurisdiction, redress for crimes against humanity and the claims of justice).
Analysis of a two-dimensional stair-case warranty policy with preventive maintenance
Authors: Wang Jinting , Zhu Sheng , Du Simiao
Published: February 2020

We develop a mathematical model to study optimal preventive maintenance (PM) strategy under a two-dimensional stair-case warranty policy considering both age and usage of a product. During the warranty term, sellers implement preventive maintenance within the stair-case region of the warranty policy and upon failure a product is repaired minimally and immediately. Our objective is to find the optimal PM strategy that minimizes the seller’s cost of warranty while jointly considering the age and usage intervals of the PM policy and the level of PM executed. We also discuss how our results compare to those in a two-dimensional warranty policy with a rectangular region, and we find that the stair-case policy is preferable for sellers. An algorithm is provided to find the optimal solution and a numerical example is presented to illustrate how to find an optimal strategy with our proposed method. We show numerically that the expected total warranty cost is convex both in the age and the usage of the product under certain conditions.
Bounds for the Number of Cohomological Automorphic Representations of GL3/ℚ in the Weight Aspect
Authors: Marshall Simon
Published: February 2020

We prove a power saving over the trivial bound for the number of cohomological cuspidal automorphic representations of fixed level and growing weight on $GL_3/{\mathbb{Q}}$ by adapting the methods of our earlier paper on $GL_2$.
Extraction of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ni from Margarine Samples Using Extraction Induced by Emulsion Breaking Procedure Prior to Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Comparison of Results to Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake Values
Authors: Bakircioglu Kurtulus Yasemin , Bakircioglu Dilek , Babac Alper Can , Yurtsever Selcuk , Topraksever Nukte
Published: February 2020

Background

The emulsion induced by emulsion breaking (EIEB) procedure was previously reported for the extraction of copper, iron, manganese, and nickel from liquid oil samples such as vegetable oil.

Objective

To optimize the EIEB procedure for determination of copper, iron, manganese, and nickel in solid oil (margarine) samples by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS).

Methods

The extraction procedure uses a surfactant in nitric acid to form an emulsion followed by heating to break the emulsion. Optimization included variation of the test portion size, the type and concentration of the surfactant, the concentration of nitric acid in the aqueous solution, the emulsion agitation time, heating temperature, and the time required to break the emulsion.

Results

Mean element concentrations of 11 margarine samples were in the following ranges: Cu 0.031–0.131 µg/g, Fe 5.7–24.9 µg/g, Mn 0.542–1.11 µg/g, and Ni 0.108–0.134 µg/g. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the detection limits (µg/kg) were 4.8, 13, 1.5, and 23 for Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ni, respectively. The accuracy of the extraction procedure was determined by comparison to commonly used microwave digestion procedure. The EIEB results were not statistically different from the microwave digestion results when analyzed by GFAAS as determined by the statistical tests.

Conclusions

The EIEB procedure was shown to be equivalent to the commonly used microwave digestion procedure for extraction of analytes from margarine samples.

Highlights

The optimized EIEB extraction procedure is simple, rapid, low cost, and environmentally friendly. It has improved detection limits and allows calibration with aqueous standards.
Fecal Calprotectin, CRP and Leucocytes in IBD Patients: Comparison of Biomarkers With Biopsy Results
Authors: Kyle Barry D , Agbor Terence A , Sharif Shajib , Chauhan Usha , Marshall John , Halder Smita L S , Ip Stephen , Khan Waliul I
Published: February 2020

Background

This study aimed to compare fecal calprotectin (FC) levels with other commonly used parameters as part of patient care during evaluation for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods

We recruited adult IBD patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) and compared the results of the patient’s biopsy results (i.e., inflamed versus noninflamed) for six sites (i.e., ileum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum) with concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), total leucocytes and fecal calprotectin (FC).

Results

We found that FC was significantly elevated in a concentration-dependent manner that correlated with the number of active inflammation sites reported in biopsy. Although CRP and leucocyte measurements trended upwards in line with inflammation reported from biopsy, the results were highly variable and highlighted poor reliability of these biomarkers for indicating IBD inflammation.

Conclusions

These results strongly suggest that FC correlates best with biopsy reports and is a superior marker than CRP and leucocytes.
Krishnamon, a new genus for the cavernicolous crab Telphusa austeniana Wood-Mason, 1871 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) from Meghalaya state, northeastern India
Authors: Pati Sameer K , Yeo Darren C J , Ng Peter K L
Published: February 2020

Telphusa austeniana Wood-Mason, 1871 is a poorly known potamid crab described from a single female specimen from Meghalaya state, northeastern India, and its position in Tiwaripotamon Bott, 1970 has been questioned. Its systematic position is now clarified based on the examination of the female holotype and a male specimen recently collected from a cave near the type locality. The species is transferred from Tiwaripotamon to a new genus, Krishnamongen. nov. on the basis of the differences in the structures of the epigastric cristae, male pleon, male sixth pleonal somite, male telson, gonopods, and vulvae. The geographic distributions of the two genera are some 1,000 km apart. The new genus has affinities with Doimon Yeo & Ng, 2007, and Indochinamon Yeo & Ng, 2007, but can be distinguished mainly by its extremely slender and elongated ambulatory legs. While Krishnamon austenianum (Wood-Mason, 1871) comb. nov. is now recorded from limestone caves, it does not, however, possess the troglomorphic features of an obligate troglobite.
The family Anchistioididae Borradaile, 1915 (Decapoda: Caridea) is a synonym of Palaemonidae Rafinesque, 1815 based on molecular and morphological evidence
Authors: Chow Lai Him , De Grave Sammy , Tsang Ling Ming
Published: February 2020

Several systematic revisions of the superfamily Palaemonoidea Rafinesque, 1815 (Natantia) have been published, with molecular studies complementing morphological examination. Yet, the true systematic positions of two families within the superfamily have remained uncertain, one of these being Anchistioididae Borradaile, 1915, the second being Desmocarididae Borradaile, 1915. We constructed a further phylogeny of Palaemonoidea based on two mitochondrial and five nuclear markers to resolve this issue. AnchistioidesPaulson, 1875 (the sole genus of Anchistioididae) is recovered nested within Palaemonidae Rafinesque, 1815, calling into question the validity of Anchistioididae as a distinct family. We also review the morphological characters that have been used to support family level status of Anchistioides including mouthparts adaptations, telson ornamentation, larval morphology, the presence of an appendix interna on the first pleopod in both sexes, and the mandible with a distally flared molar process. Although the latter two characters appear to be synapomorphic to the genus, we contend that these are ambiguous and not well founded to support the family-level status of the genus. As a consequence, and supported by the phylogenetic results, Anchistioididae is herein considered to be a synonym of Palaemonidae.
Combatting Human Trafficking Holistically through Proactive Financial Investigations
Authors: Coster van Voorhout Jill E B
Published: February 2020

Human trafficking — a crime with enormous human cost — is mostly money-driven. By focusing on its financial aspects, this article argues that enhancing financial investigations by making them proactive is crucial to combat this low-risk and high-profit offence holistically. By providing insight into research carried out as of 2015 in the framework of an anti-human trafficking public–private financial partnership in the Netherlands, this article indicates some concrete improvement in detecting potential victims in bank records, thereupon following financial flows, and ultimately discerning the structures, networks, interactions and patterns of this offence. While these findings specifically relate to the Dutch context, this contribution sets out actionable ways forward for other states as well. After detailing how to approach hard, soft and open source data, this article also explains how to improve international cooperation throughout the entire chain, from banks to financial intelligence units and law enforcement. Such enhancements are urgently needed if we are to live up to the international community’s pledge under three Sustainable Development Goals to combat human trafficking, so as to leave no one behind in our global economy.
Ambient Ultraviolet Radiation and Sebaceous Carcinoma Incidence in the United States, 2000–2016
Authors: Sargen Michael R , Mai Zhi-Ming , Engels Eric A , Goldstein Alisa M , Tucker Margaret A , Pfeiffer Ruth M , Cahoon Elizabeth K
Published: February 2020

Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is an aggressive skin tumor. Although ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is an important risk factor for some skin cancer types, no population-level study has evaluated for an association between UVR and SC risk. Herein, we examined satellite-based ambient UVR in relation to SC incidence using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 cancer registry data (2000–2016). There were 3503 microscopically confirmed cases of SC diagnosed during the study period. For non-Hispanic whites, there was an association between increasing ambient UVR and SC risk (incidence rate ratio [per UVR quartile] = 1.15, 95% confidence interval = 1.11 to 1.19; two-sided P < .001) including among individuals with and without putative Muir-Torre syndrome. In contrast, there was no association between ambient UVR and SC risk for other race and ethnicities. Our findings support a role for UVR in SC tumorigenesis, which suggests that photoprotection may reduce SC risk, particularly for high-risk populations (eg, Muir-Torre syndrome).
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Utilization in the Pediatric Drowning Population
Authors: Moffett Brady S , Lee Soyoon , Woodend Kristen , Sigdel Binayak , Dutta Ankhi
Published: February 2020

Background

Management of pediatric drowning often includes evaluation and treatment of infectious disease. There are few data describing the infections associated with pediatric drowning.

Methods

A descriptive retrospective study was designed, and patients aged < 19 years admitted for > 24 hours to our institution after a drowning were included from January 2011 through June 30, 2017. Data collection included patient demographics, submersion injury details, resuscitation details, patient admission details, chest radiograph on admission, use of intubation and mechanical ventilation, hospital length of stay, culture data, antimicrobial use, and mortality. Descriptive statistical methods (mean and standard deviation, median and range, percentage) were used to characterize the patient population, and Fisher exact test was used to evaluate the association between antimicrobial use in the first 72 hours of admission and mortality.

Results

A total of 114 patients met study criteria (male, 59.7%; median age, 3.7 years [range, 0.15–17.79 years]). Median hospital length of stay was 2 days (range, 1–60 days). Intensive care unit admission occurred in 80.7%, intubation occurred in 46.5%, and mortality was 18.4%. The most common submersion location was a pool (76.3% [n = 87]) with water primarily characterized as freshwater (82.5% [n = 94]). Reported submersion time for the majority of patients was < 5 minutes (54.4%) with cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 78.1%. In the first 72 hours after admission, culture were obtained in 40 patients (35.1%), and 27.5% of these cultures were positive. The primary organisms identified were consistent oropharyngeal flora. Antimicrobials were initiated in 50% of the patient population with clindamycin as most common. There was not a significant association between antimicrobial use in the first 72 hours after admission and mortality (17.2% vs 19.6%, P = .81).

Conclusions

Infectious disease associated with pediatric drowning in pools is uncommon. Empiric use of antimicrobials does not appear to affect outcomes.
Influence of Patient Characteristics on Antibiotic Use Rates Among Preterm Infants
Authors: Flannery Dustin D , Mukhopadhyay Sagori , Jensen Erik A , Gerber Jeffrey S , Passarella Molly R , Dysart Kevin , Aghai Zubair H , Greenspan Jay , Puopolo Karen M
Published: February 2020

Background

The antibiotic use rate (AUR) has emerged as a potential metric for neonatal antibiotic use, but reported center-level AURs are limited by differences in case mix. The objective of this study was to identify patient characteristics associated with AUR among a large cohort of preterm infants.

Methods

Retrospective observational study using the Optum Neonatal Database, including infants born from January 1, 2010 through November 30, 2016 with gestational age 23–34 weeks admitted to neonatal units across the United States. Exposures were patient-level characteristics including length of stay, gestational age, sex, race/ethnicity, bacterial sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and survival status. The primary outcome was AUR, defined as days with ≥ 1 systemic antibiotic administered divided by length of stay. Descriptive statistics, univariable comparative analyses, and generalized linear models were utilized.

Results

Of 17 910 eligible infants, 17 836 infants (99.6%) from 1090 centers were included. Median gestation was 32.9 (interquartile range [IQR], 30.3–34) weeks. Median length of stay was 25 (IQR, 15–46) days and varied by gestation. Overall median AUR was 0.13 (IQR, 0–0.26) and decreased over time. Gestational age, sex, and race/ethnicity were independently associated with AUR (P < .01). AUR and gestational age had an unexpected inverse parabolic relationship, which persisted when only surviving infants without bacterial sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis were analyzed.

Conclusions

Neonatal AURs are influenced by patient-level characteristics besides infection and survival status, including gestational age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Neonatal antibiotic use metrics that account for patient-level characteristics as well as morbidity case mix may allow for more accurate comparisons and better inform neonatal antibiotic stewardship efforts.