bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Good Governance Gone Bad
Authors: Ornston Darius
Published: May 2019

This chapter resolves the “Nordic paradox” by turning to the literature on small states. It begins with the unusually cohesive and encompassing social networks that characterize the Nordic states and explain how these social structures support effective policymaking and successful economic adjustment. More specifically, I illustrate how dense, high-trust relationships facilitate reform and restructuring through three mechanisms, the politics of persuasion, the politics of compensation, and the politics of coordination. At the same time, these dynamic forces increase the region's vulnerability to policy overshooting, overinvestment, and economic crises.
Henry R. Luce and the Security Ethos
Authors: Walker William O.
Published: May 2019

The introduction shows how Henry R. Luce in his 1941 essay, “The American Century,” gave concrete form to the security ethos: the belief that, for its own safety, the United States should provide political and economic leadership and act as the indispensable Good Samaritan around the world. For Luce, longstanding fear of foreigners was unacceptable. The United States should heed a providential calling to serve as a beacon of hope for peoples everywhere. In practical terms, especially after 1945 as the Cold War took hold, U.S. officials acted to create a broadly-based free-world society in which modernization was possible. Success in this undertaking depended on whether they could establish credibility with those Washington presumed to lead.
Contending with Decline
Authors: Walker William O.
Published: May 2019

This chapter charts the decline of the American Century in the mid-to-late 1960s. Ties with European allies were cordial, notably with West Germany. Also, U.S.-Soviet relations improved, as seen at the 1967 Glassboro summit meeting. Decline, however, overshadowed such gains. In the Middle East, black Africa, and Southwest Asia, the Johnson administration had trouble asserting leadership. And in the Americas, Washington often supported military regimes, thereby diminishing the chances for democracy. Also, Ho Chi Minh largely thwarted U.S. goals in Vietnam. The 1968 Tet Offensive, the gold crisis in March of that year, and reports by the Interagency Youth Committee on anti-American dissent around the world showed the eroding credibility of the United States and the American Century’s fading appeal.
An Improbable Quest
Authors: Walker William O.
Published: May 2019

The conclusion revisits the history of Luce’s American Century, surveying how this imagined community never lived up to either his expectations or those of the policymakers who tried but failed to bring the world under American leadership. As the American Century fell into dormancy after 1968, some former officials like Thomas L. Hughes tried to define it in terms Luce would not have recognized. The idea of an American Century largely vanished until the 1990s when neoconservatives revived it in an adulterated form, the Project for the New American Century. Then during Barack Obama’s presidency, Hillary Clinton called for a new American Century to contain China’s ambitions. Subsequently, Donald Trump’s aversion to exerting global leadership likely dashed all such hopes.
Institutions, Ideologies, and Combatant Experiences in FMLN Factions
Authors: Hoover Green Amelia
Published: May 2019

This chapter describes the variation in armed-group institutions across subgroups of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) and over time and reconstructs the ways that institutional variation affected FMLN combatants' mindsets. It specifically considers the FMLN's two largest subgroups: the Popular Forces of Liberation (FPL) and the Revolutionary Army of the People (ERP). From its inception in 1972, ERP leaders adopted a militarist orientation, believing a small revolutionary vanguard would provide inspiration for a broader uprising among the people. Politics were secondary; indeed, the ERP formed a political wing only after several years of existence as an armed revolutionary organization. The ERP's militarist approach emphasized the utility of civilians as allies to the military effort. The FPL, by contrast, initially followed a strategy of prolonged popular war. This approach emphasizes the political aspects of guerrilla war over the military aspects. It views civilians and civilian agreement as essential to the revolutionary project.
Introduction
Authors: Feldman Leah
Published: May 2019

You’re Komsomol, I’m “nonaligned”

But my heart is yours

Inseparable from your light.

Though I’m an idler of the revolution

My road is the wide one that you traveled

And our word is “ready!”

Sən komsomol, mən—“bitərəf” …

Fəqət mənim qəlbim sənin

Nur çəşməndən ayrılamaz,...
Postscript
Authors: Feldman Leah
Published: May 2019

This postscript discusses the poetry of Mikayil Refili through his collection “The Window” penned in the new Latin alphabet after the Latinization reforms, which severed supranational ties to the Turkic and Persianate world and cemented the creation of an Azerbaijani national canon. This section thus concludes the book by tracing the transformation of poetry in the 1920s, both institutionally through the consolidation of power in Moscow and the creation of the national republics, as well as aesthetically through the ways in which lexical shifts and script reforms shaped the weight of a new materialist conception of the poetic word.
Seeming to See
Authors: Roychoudhury Suparna
Published: May 2019

Faculty psychology was, from its earliest conception, premised on the presumed resemblance between the eye and the mind’s eye; ancient and medieval accounts of vision had taken sight and insight as contiguous or similar processes. However, Johannes Kepler’s mathematical optics revealed at the turn of the seventeenth century that the two are unconnected. Still, as lens technology advanced, an idea developed in Renaissance culture that imagination works rather like a distortive lens. This chapter shows that Shakespeare saw in the new mathematics of vision a framework for representing cataclysm: in Venus and Adonis he explores the traumatic severing of eye and mind’s eye; in King Lear he dismantles the age-old poetic association of blindness and wisdom.
Representing a Family of Letters
Authors: Rabinovitch Oded
Published: May 2019

The first chapter studies the role of the family in the broader definition of authorship shared by the Perraults’ contemporaries. While modern studies of authorship often stress its legal regulation through censorship and copyright, this chapter shows that the discourse of authorship was much broader, and relied on the “new media” of the seventeenth century, such as biographical dictionaries, learned journals, and realistic novels. By analyzing the discourses that defined the Perraults’ reputations, as well as the representations of literary life more broadly, this chapter establishes the categories that defined authorship in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries and the key place of the family and kinship within them.
A mathematical landmark-based method for measuring worn molars in hominoid systematics
Authors: Dykes Susan J. , Pilbrow Varsha C.
Published: May 2019

Worn teeth pose a major limitation to researchers in the fields of extinct and extant hominoid systematics because they lack clearly identifiable anatomical landmarks needed to take measurements on the crown enamel surface and are typically discarded from a study. This is particularly detrimental when sample sizes for some groups are already characteristically low, if there is an imbalance between samples representing populations, sexes or dietary strategies, or if the worn teeth in question are type specimens of fossil species or other key specimens. This study proposes a methodology based predominantly on mathematically-derived landmarks for measuring size and shape features of molars, irrespective of wear. With 110 specimens of lower second molars from five species of extant hominoids (Pan troglodytes, P. paniscus, Gorilla gorilla, G. beringei, Homo sapiens), n ≥ 20 per species, n ≥ 10 per subspecies, good species separation in morphospace is achieved in a principal components analysis. Classification accuracy in a discriminant function analysis is 96.4% at the species level and 88.2% at the subspecies level (92.7% and 79.1%, respectively, on cross-validation). The classification accuracy compares favorably to that achieved by anatomically-derived measurements based on published research (94% and 84% at the species and subspecies level respectively; 91% and 76% on cross-validation). The mathematical landmarking methodology is rapid and uncomplicated. The results support the use of mathematical landmarks to enable the inclusion of worn molar teeth in dental studies so as to maximize sample sizes and restore balance between populations and/or sexes in hominoid systematic studies.
Effect of GARP on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via the regulation of TGFβ1 in vitro
Authors: Li Ruixue , Sun Jian , Yang Fei , Sun Yang , Wu Xingwen , Zhou Qianrong , Yu Youcheng , Bi Wei
Published: May 2019

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have multipotential differentiation and self-renewal potential, are possible cells for tissue engineering. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) can be produced by MSCs in an inactive form, and the activation of TGFβ1 functions as an important regulator of osteogenic differentiation in MSCs. Recently, studies showed that Glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP) participated in the activation of latent TGFβ1, but the interaction between GARP and TGFβ1 is still undefined. In our study, we successfully isolated the MSCs from bone marrow of rats, and showed that GARP was detected in bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). During the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, GARP expression was increased over time. To elucidate the interaction between GARP and TGFβ1, we downregulated GARP expression in BMSCs to examine the level of active TGFβ1. We then verified that the downregulation of GARP decreased the secretion of active TGFβ1. Furthermore, osteogenic differentiation experiments, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity analyses and Alizarin Red S staining experiments were performed to evaluate the osteogenic capacity. After the downregulation of GARP, ALP activity and Alizarin Red S staining significantly declined and the osteogenic indicators, ALP, Runx2, and OPN, also decreased, both at the mRNA and protein levels. These results demonstrated that downregulated GARP expression resulted in the reduction of TGFβ1 and the attenuation of osteoblast differentiation of BMSCs in vitro.
Syntactic Priming: Improving Senior High School Learners' Writing Proficiency
Authors: Alojado Meraflor Montajes
Published: May 2019

Syntactic priming is a tendency for a speaker or writer to repeat of a recently produced or heard in a language structure by processing and sharing the same underlying syntactic structure which serves as the intervention for the students who were having difficulties in writing specifically on coordinating conjunctions.  It would enhance the secondary students' writing proficiency in sentence construction to produce better-written outputs not only in educational context but also to the corporate world as well. This experimental research investigated the significant difference on the Grade 11 students Section Tulip before and after using syntactic priming as an intervention in writing. The researcher made use of structured test like pre-test and post-test to measure the effectiveness of syntactic priming in students' writing performances. Statistical techniques such as mean and t-test were also used. Analyzed data revealed that there was an increased on their scored mean from pre-test to post-test among thirty identified participants as poor writers. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test since the P-Value (0.000) was lesser than 0.5, the null hypothesis was rejected with 95% level of confidence based on the students' scores before and after taking the intervention which was not the same.
Design, Development, and Evaluation of a Microgrid for the Energy Management in a Small Poultry
Authors: Saavedra, Jr. Nicasio
Published: May 2019

The Development of an Energy Management System for a Small Poultry is another solution to help the poultry raisers/farmers obtain a reasonable and renewable source of energy. A microgrid can be characterized by its integration of distributed energy resources and controllable loads. Such integration brings unique challenges to the microgrid management and control which can be significantly different from conventional power systems. The developed device is composed of the following major components: brooder, where the chicks are placed, and the electronic devices are installed; a relay which monitors and controls the power supply of the system; a solar panel and battery that captures and saves the energy from the sun; and an inverter that converts direct current to alternating current. The total power of the poultry is 33W and used 560W per day of the power source from the battery. Test results showed that the contribution of saving power consumption reached 83% and losses are 35.75%. The voltage of the battery in 100% reached to 12.4V down to 2% has 10.45V. The actual testing for amperes of the bulb is 2.5A, the counter has 0.6A, and the temperature has 0.25A. The actual wattage of bulb is 30W, and temperature has 3W.  The performance of the prototype was evaluated by twenty (20) panel of evaluators composed of electronic technicians and engineers, agriculturists, and poultry farmers using the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) Evaluation Instrument for Prototype Developed. The prototype got a grand mean of 4.72 with a descriptive rating of â€œExcellentâ€ which proves that the project reduces the consumption of electricity from the commercial power distribution.
Operating Systems Usability: A Comparative Study
Authors: Patayon Urbano , Mingoc Nerico
Published: May 2019

As usability testing becomes more popular and widely recognized, operating systems' users are still relying on reviews that are based on the price, standard feature and satisfaction survey as to which product will be patronized. Measuring usability requires assessment on three product attributes or factors namely: effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction. There are thirty-seven (37) respondents used in the study. Each respondent is required to perform the given task in each version of the Windows operating system. Time to complete the task and behavioral manifestations were recorded. Based on the data gathered and analyzed, results show that Windows 10 has the most number of the task with the highest completion rate in comparison with two operating systems in the study. Regarding efficiency, Windows 8 has the highest average task completion time. As to user satisfaction, the majority of the respondents were frustrated in the different task under Windows 8 while most of them are delighted in the tasks under Windows 7. Regarding engagement and boredom, the result reveals that users are engaged at the same time felt bored on tasks under Windows 10.
Transformational Leadership Skills among Public Elementary School Administrators
Authors: Poliden Susan
Published: May 2019

This study investigated the transformational leadership skills and leadership styles of the public elementary school administrators in Bokod District, Bokod, Benguet. Data gathered were summarized, analyzed and cross-tabulated. Descriptive statistics like weighted mean, percentages and ranks were computed from test results. Responses from the respondents were also classified according to the number of years as an administrator and the kind of designation whether a) Principal, b) Head Teacher, c) Teacher-in-Charge. Analysis for transformational leadership survey measured leadership skills on six factors: Charisma, Social, Vision, Transactional, Delegation, and Execution while analysis for the leadership style survey determined the leadership styles of the respondents whether they are authoritarian, democratic or laissez-faire. The public elementary school administrators of Bokod District have generally varied transformational leadership skills and leadership styles. The leadership styles practiced by the respondents regardless of the number of years as administrators and the kind of designations are Democratic followed by Laissez-faire and last, Authoritarian style of leadership. It is recommended that Charisma as transformational leadership skill be revisited and be strengthened by the school administrators, and the interplay of the different leadership styles is paramount in school management. Hence, the principals, head teachers and teachers-in-charge need to be flexible in their management at all times.
Salmonella Carriage among Patients in Fako Division, Cameroon: A Cross-sectional Study of Its Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors
Authors: Nkeza Awung , Anna Njunda Longdoh , Jules Clement Assob Nguedia
Published: May 2019

Introduction: This study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence and the risk factors of Salmonellosis in patients who were consulted in some medical facilities in Fako Division of Cameroon.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2017 to November 2018 in three hospitals in Fako division of Cameroon; Tiko District Hospital, Mutengene Medical Center and Buea Regional Hospital. A total of 510 individuals presenting with symptoms of Salmonellosis were administered comprehensive questionnaire. Salmonella enterica strains were cultured from stool and identified using API 20E. Data was entered into Excel and imported into STATA v.12 for Windows, for statistical analysis. Odd ratios were calculated to determine the risk factors associated with Salmonellosis.

Results: Fifty Salmonella enterica strains were isolated giving a prevalence of 9.8%. Univariate analysis showed the following risk factors for Salmonellosis: area of residence; suburban p=0.037, OR=5.7 95% CI (1.1-30.03) and rural p=0.077, OR=2.3 95% CI (0.91-5.76), overcrowding (2 persons in a room) p=0.047, OR=2.3 95% CI (1.01-5.41); drinking tap-water, p=0.032 OR=0.38(.16-.092); left-over drugs from the pharmacy, p=0.906 OR= 1.07(0.32-3.55) as being relatively significant risk factors.

Conclusion: The prevalence was found to be higher among the very young and older people greater than 45 years. The risk factors identified in this study are: age, area of residence; overcrowding; consuming locally prepared yoghurt or Kosam; eating out or auto-medication by taking leftover drugs. These findings highlight the need of reinforcement of hygiene promotion especially in infants and overpopulated communities, educate on proper prescription and usage of drugs, in addition to the intensification of environmental interventions.
Characterization of Sesquiterpenes and Antibacterial Activities of Extracts from Piliostigma reticulatum (DL.) Hochst and Cleistopholis patens (Benth.) Engl & Diels against Shigella dysenteriae and Streptococcus pyogenes
Authors: Daniels A. O. , Owoyemi O. O. , Famurewa O. , Oluyege J. O.
Published: May 2019

Aim: The study characterized sesquiterpenes from the bark extracts of Piliostigma reticulatum and Cleistopholis patens and subsequently tested the extracts for their antibacterial activities. Methodology: Ground stem barks of P. reticulatum and C. patens were obtained and extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract from both plants were screened for antibacterial activities against Shigella dysenteriae and Streptococcus pyogenes using the agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, fractions obtained from the crude extracts were also assayed for antibacterial efficacy using the disc diffusion method. The phyto-constituents of the extracts were identified using Gas chromatography and mass spectra (GC-MS) and subsequent characterization was achieved via Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR).

Results: The results showed that P. reticulatum extract had more antibacterial activities on S. dysenteriae with zones of inhibition ranging from 6 mm – 14 mm while it had lesser inhibitory effect against S. pyogenes with zones of inhibition of 10 mm and 8 mm at concentrations of 100 mg/mL and 80 mg/mL respectively. However, C. patens was effective against S. pyogenes with zones of inhibition of 18 mm, 16 mm, 14 mm, 13 mm, and 8 mm at concentrations  of 100, 60, 40, 20 and 10 mg/mL respectively. Crude extracts from both plants exhibited higher antibacterial activity compared to purified fractions against test organisms. A number of five (5) Sesquiterpenes (azulenes, alpha and beta pinene, Germacrene D, Limonene, and Farnesol) were identified from the extracts of both plants.

Conclusion: The presence of sesquiterpenes in P. reticulatum and C. patens could be responsible for the antibacterial activities on the test organisms (S. dysenteriae and S. pyogenes) evaluated in this study and subsequently justify their use in folkloric medicine. Hence, the extracts obtained from P. reticulatum and C. patens could be considered as a potential and rich source of antibacterial agent to control infections posed by the test organisms (S. dysenteriae and S. pyogenes).
Comparison of pancreatic respiratory motion management with three abdominal corsets for particle radiation therapy: Case study
Authors: Dolde Kai , Schneider Sergej , Stefanowicz Sarah , Alimusaj Merkur , Flügel Beate , Saito Nami , Troost Esther G. C. , Pfaffenberger Asja , Hoffmann Aswin L.
Published: May 2019

Background and purpose

Abdominal organ motion seriously compromises the targeting accuracy for particle therapy in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This study compares three different abdominal corsets regarding their ability to reduce pancreatic motion and their potential usability in particle therapy.

Materials and methods

A patient‐individualized polyurethane (PU), a semi‐individualized polyethylene (PE), and a patient‐individualized three‐dimensional‐scan based polyethylene (3D‐PE) corset were manufactured for one healthy volunteer. Time‐resolved volumetric four‐dimensional‐magnetic resonance imaging (4D‐MRI) and single‐slice two‐dimensional (2D) cine‐MRI scans were acquired on two consecutive days to compare free‐breathing motion patterns with and without corsets. The corset material properties, such as thickness variance, material homogeneity in Hounsfield units (HU) on computed tomography (CT) scans, and manufacturing features were compared. The water equivalent ratio (WER) of corset material samples was measured using a multi‐layer ionization chamber for proton energies of 150 and 200 MeV.

Results

All corsets reduced the pancreatic motion on average by 9.6 mm in inferior–superior and by 3.2 mm in anterior‐posterior direction. With corset, the breathing frequency was approximately doubled and the day‐to‐day motion variations were reduced. The WER measurements showed an average value of 0.993 and 0.956 for the PE and 3DPE corset, respectively, and of 0.298 for the PU corset. The PE and 3DPE corsets showed a constant thickness of 2.8 ± 0.2 and 3.8 ± 0.2 mm, respectively and a homogeneous material composition with a standard deviation (SD) of 31 and 32 HU, respectively. The PU corset showed a variable thickness of 4.2 − 25.6 mm and a heterogeneous structure with air inclusions with an SD of 113 HU.

Conclusion

Abdominal corsets may be effective devices to reduce pancreatic motion. For particle therapy, PE‐based corsets are preferred over PU‐based corset due to their material homogeneity and constant thickness.
Fast Yet Quantum‐Efficient Few‐Layer Vertical MoS2 Photodetectors
Authors: Maeso David , Castellanos‐Gomez Andres , Agraït Nicolas , Rubio‐Bollinger Gabino
Published: May 2019

Semiconducting 2D materials, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and other members of the transition‐metal dichalcogenide family, have emerged as promising materials for applications in high‐performance nanoelectronics that exhibit excellent electrical and optical properties. Highly efficient photocurrent (PC) generation is reported in vertical few‐layer MoS2 devices contacted with semitransparent metallic electrodes. The light absorption of the device can be improved by fabricating vertical photodevices using few‐layer flakes, achieving a photoresponse of up to 0.11 A W−1 and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of up to 30%. Because of the vertical design, the distance between electrodes can be kept in the range of a few nanometers, thus substantially reducing the collection time of photogenerated carriers and increasing the efficiency of the devices. The wavelength‐dependent PC, photoresponsivity, and EQE are measured over a photon energy range from 1.24 to 2.58 eV. Compared to previous in‐plane and vertical devices, these vertical few‐layer MoS2 photodevices exhibit very short response time, ≈60 ns, and a cutoff frequency of 5.5 MHz, while maintaining high photoresponsivity.
Room‐Temperature Reversible and Nonvolatile Tunability of Electrical Properties of Cr‐Doped In2O3 Semiconductor Thin Films Gated by Ferroelectric Single Crystal and Ionic Liquid
Authors: Xu Meng , Yan Jian‐Min , Chen Ting‐Wei , Xu Zhi‐Xue , Wang Hui , Guo Lei , Gao Guan‐Yin , Yan Shu‐Ying , Wang Fei‐Fei , Zhang Jin‐Xing , Zhao Weiyao , Li Xiao‐Guang , Luo Hao‐Su , Zheng Ren‐Kui
Published: May 2019

Integration of different functional materials into a device in which the physical properties can be tuned using an electric field in a reversible and nonvolatile manner is highly desired for the fabrication of compact and energy‐efficient multifunctional electronic devices. The integration of In2O3‐based semiconductor thin films with ferroelectric 0.71PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3‐0.29PbTiO3 (PMN‐0.29PT) single crystals in ferroelectric‐field‐effect‐transistor devices that allow for the tuning of carrier density, carrier type, Fermi level, and their related properties in a reversible and nonvolatile manner, is reported. Specifically, gating of In2–x
Crx
O3 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.05, 0.08, 0.11) films with a PMN‐0.29PT layer provides a means to reversibly tune and modulate the resistivity of the films up to an on‐and‐off ratio of 5.2 × 104% in a nonvolatile manner at room temperature. Such resistivity modulation is associated with reversible and nonvolatile transformation of the carrier type between n‐type and p‐type due to polarization switching. Additionally, reversible switching of resistivity is realized utilizing DEME‐TFSI ionic liquid as a top‐gate material. These results demonstrate that electrical‐voltage control of physical properties using PMN‐xPT as both substrate and gating material provides a highly effective approach to study the carrier‐density/type‐related physical properties of semiconductor films.
Highly Stretchable and Self‐Healable MXene/Polyvinyl Alcohol Hydrogel Electrode for Wearable Capacitive Electronic Skin
Authors: Zhang Jiaqi , Wan Lijia , Gao Yang , Fang Xiaoliang , Lu Ting , Pan Likun , Xuan Fuzhen
Published: May 2019

Capacitive strain sensors could become an important component of electronic skin (E‐skin) due to their low hysteresis and high linearity. However, to fully mimic the functionality of human skin, a capacitive strain sensor should be stretchable and self‐healable. The development of such a sensor is limited by electrode materials which generally lack self‐healability and/or stretchability. A highly stretchable and self‐healing MXene (Ti3C2Tx)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel electrode is developed for use in capacitive strain sensors for E‐skin. The incorporation of MXene into the PVA enhances the conductivity and self‐healability of the hydrogel. The electrode exhibits high stretchability at break (≈1200%) and instantaneous self healing (healing time ≈ 0.15 s). A capacitive sensor based on these electrodes shows high linearity, up to 200%, low hysteresis, a sensitivity of ≈0.40, and good mechanical durability (a 5.8% reduction in relative capacitance change after 10 000 cycles). Moreover, this sensor maintains its performance after a self‐healing test, proving its potential for the monitoring of human motion.
Loss of function BMP4 mutation supports the implication of the BMP/TGF‐β pathway in the etiology of combined pituitary hormone deficiency
Authors: Rodríguez‐Contreras Francisco J. , Marbán‐Calzón Mercedes , Vallespín Elena , del Pozo Ángela , Solís‐López Mario , Lobato‐Vidal Nerea , Fernández‐Elvira María , del Valle Rex‐Romero María , Heath Karen E. , González‐Casado Isabel , Campos‐Barros Ángel
Published: May 2019

Despite BMP4 signaling being critical to Rathke's pouch induction and maintenance during early stages of pituitary development, its implication in the etiology of combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) and other clinical presentations of congenital hypopituitarism has not yet been definitely demonstrated. We report here the first CPHD patient with a de novo pathogenic loss‐of‐function variant in BMP4. A 6‐year‐old boy, with macrocephaly, myopia/astigmatism, mild psychomotor retardation, anterior pituitary hypoplasia and ectopic posterior pituitary, clinically diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, and central hypothyroidism, was referred for genetic analysis of CPHD. Targeted NGS analysis with a custom panel (n = 310 genes) identified a novel heterozygous de novo nonsense variant, NM_001202.5:c.794G > A, p.(Trp265*) in BMP4, which introduces a premature stop codon in the BMP4 pro‐domain, impairing the transcription of the TGF‐β mature peptide domain. Additional relevant variants in other genes implicated in pituitary development signaling pathways such as SMAD4 and E2F4 (BMP/TGF‐pathway), ALMS1 (NOTCH‐pathway), and TSHZ1 (Prokineticin‐pathway), were also identified. Our results support the implication of the BMP/TGF‐β signaling pathway in the etiology of CPHD and suggest that oligogenic contribution of additional inherited variants may modify the phenotypic expressivity of BMP4 pathogenic variants.
Oxygen Vacancy Diffusion and Condensation in Lithium‐Ion Battery Cathode Materials
Authors: Lee Sanghan , Jin Wooyoung , Kim Su Hwan , Joo Se Hun , Nam Gyutae , Oh Pilgun , Kim Young‐Ki , Kwak Sang Kyu , Cho Jaephil
Published: May 2019

Oxygen vacancies (OV) are native defects in transition metal (TM) oxides and their presence has a critical effect on the physicochemical properties of the oxide. Metal oxides are commonly used in lithium‐ion battery (LIB) cathodes and there is still a lack of understanding of the role of OVs in LIB research field. Here, we report on the behavior of OVs in a single‐crystal LIB cathode during the non‐equilibrium states of charge and discharge. We found that microcrack evolution in a single crystal occurs due to OV condensation in specific crystallographic orientations generated by the continuous migration of OVs and TM ions. Moreover, understanding the effects of the presence and diffusion of OVs in metal oxides enables the elucidation of most of the conventional mechanisms of capacity fading in LIBs and provides new insights for new electrochemical applications.
Influence of processing on the mechanical properties and morphology of starch‐based blends for film applications
Authors: Lekube Blanca Maria , Fahrngruber Barbara , Kozich Martin , Wastyn Marnik , Burgstaller Christoph
Published: May 2019

This article describes the effect of processing on the properties and morphology of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) blends and films with high starch content. Different process parameters were modified during compounding of blends and extrusion of blown films. Morphology was examined through scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical and optical characterization of films was carried out as well. Decreasing specific throughput during compounding led to an increase in strain at break of the blends from 66 to 497%. The tensile strength increased from 6 to 22 MPa as well. The highest elastic modulus and tear resistance were achieved at intermediate specific throughputs, whereas the maximum TPS particle size and the lowest color difference were obtained at high specific throughputs. A decrease of color difference from 6.4 to 2.2 was observed by reducing the temperature profile in 5 °C. In the case of blown film extrusion, increasing the temperature profile resulted in a reduction of color difference of the films from 7.9 to 4.2. In addition, tensile strength and strain at break slightly increased. Color difference decreased with decreasing screw speed as well. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47990.
Retracted: Physcion Synergistically Enhances the Cytotoxicity of Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Pan Xiaoping , Wang Chen , Zhang Ti
Published: May 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common human malignancy. Physcion is a naturally occurring anthraquinone derivative found in plant and marine sources. Our previous studies have indicated that physcion could suppress tumor growth and induce apoptosis in HCC. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of a combination of physcion and sorafenib on HCC. Our findings indicated that physcion could significantly augment the antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities of sorafenib in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the synergistic effect correlates with physcion‐induced suppression of Notch3/AKT signaling. This preclinical evidence highlights the potential application of physcion in the treatment of HCC. Anat Rec, 302:2171–2177, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy
Curation as “Interoperability With the Future”: Preserving Scholarly Research Software in Academic Libraries
Authors: Chassanoff Alexandra , Altman Micah
Published: May 2019

This article considers the problem of preserving research software within the wider realm of digital curation, academic research libraries, and the scholarly record. We conducted a pilot study to understand the ecosystem in which research software participates, and to identify significant characteristics that have high potential to support future scholarly practices. A set of topical curation dimensions were derived from the extant literature and applied to select cases of institutionally significant research software. This approach yields our main contribution, a curation model and decision framework for preserving research software as a scholarly object. The results of our study highlight the unique characteristics and challenges at play in building curation services in academic research libraries.
The Link Between Human Menstruation and Placental Delivery: A Novel Evolutionary Interpretation
Authors: Thomas Vernon G.
Published: May 2019

A new interpretation of human menstruation is presented, resulting from a cross‐disciplinary investigation of evolution, developmental biology, and physiology. A process evolutionarily associated with childbirth expresses itself as menstruation in women for whom frequent and continual failure to conceive has become the default situation. In humans and Old World primates, contractile uterine spiral arterioles evolved as the complement of the highly invasive hemochorionic placenta and is the selected phenotype. Placental progesterone withdrawal during the last stage of birth leads to arrested blood flow through maternal spiral arterioles, allowing detachment of the deciduous placenta with minimal maternal hemorrhage. In nonpregnant females, progesterone withdrawal from a degenerating corpus luteum initiates menstruation and stops blood flow through uterine spiral arterioles. Both events share similar physiological mechanisms and sequences. This explanation may improve our understanding of a recurrent event experienced by half of the human population and for a quarter of their adult reproductive life.
Novel In Silico Analyses of Repetitive Spider Silk Sequences to Understand the Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Fibrous Protein Materials
Authors: Jung Dooyup , Yang Yun Jung , Cha Hyung Joon
Published: May 2019

The mechanical properties of spider silks have diverged as spiders have diversely speciated. Because the main components of silks are proteins, it is valuable to investigate their sequences. However, silk sequences have been regarded as difficult information to analyze due to their imbalance and imperfect tandem repeats (ITR). Here, an in silico approach is applied to systemically analyze a group of silk sequences. It is found that every time new spider groups emerge, unique trimer motifs appear. These trimer motifs are used to find additional clues of evolution and to determine relationships with mechanical properties. For the first time, crucial evidence is provided that shows silk sequences coevolved with spider species and the mechanical properties of their fibers to adapt to new living environments. This novel approach can be used as a platform for analyzing other groups of ITR‐harboring proteins and to obtain information for the design of tailor‐made fibrous protein materials.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (CBT‐SP): Implications for meeting standard of care expectations with suicidal patients
Authors: Bryan Craig J.
Published: May 2019

Accumulating evidence supports the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (CBT‐SP) as an empirically supported treatment approach for suicidal patients. In light of these findings, several procedures pulled from CBT‐SP have been recommended for standard care with suicidal patients. The present article provides an overview of the procedures used in CBT‐SP and discusses how these procedures meet, or even exceed, standard of care expectations for outpatient mental healthcare clinicians. Finally, the relevance of clinician fidelity to the CBT‐SP model when evaluating standard of care expectations is discussed.
Effectiveness of postoperative radiotherapy after radical cystectomy for locally advanced bladder cancer
Authors: Fischer‐Valuck Benjamin W. , Michalski Jeff M. , Mitra Nandita , Christodouleas John P. , DeWees Todd A. , Kim Eric , Smith Zachary L. , Andriole Gerald L. , Arora Vivek , Bullock Arnold , Carmona Ruben , Figenshau Robert S. , Grubb Robert L. , Guzzo Thomas J. , Knoche Eric M. , Malkowicz S. Bruce , Mamtani Ronac , Pachynski Russell K. , Roth Bruce J. , Zaghloul Mohamed S. , Gay Hiram A. , Baumann Brian C.
Published: May 2019

Background

Local‐regional failure (LF) for locally advanced bladder cancer (LABC) after radical cystectomy (RC) is common even with chemotherapy and is associated with high morbidity/mortality. Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) can reduce LF and may enhance overall survival (OS) but has no defined role. We hypothesized that the addition of PORT would improve OS in LABC in a large nationwide oncology database.

Methods

We identified ≥ pT3pN0‐3M0 LABC patients in the National Cancer Database diagnosed 2004‐2014 who underwent RC ± PORT. OS was calculated using Kaplan‐Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to identify predictors of OS. Propensity matching was performed to match RC patients who received PORT vs those who did not.

Results

15,124 RC patients were identified with 512 (3.3%) receiving PORT. Median OS was 20.0 months (95% CI, 18.2‐21.8) for PORT vs 20.8 months (95% CI, 20.3‐21.3) for no PORT (P = 0.178). In multivariable analysis, PORT was independently associated with improved OS: hazard ratio 0.87 (95% CI, 0.78‐0.97); P = 0.008. A one‐to‐three propensity match yielded 1,858 patients (24.9% receiving PORT and 75.1% without). In the propensity‐matched cohort, median OS was 19.8 months (95% CI, 18.0‐21.6) for PORT vs 16.9 months (95% CI, 15.6‐18.1) for no PORT (P = 0.030). In the propensity‐matched cohort of urothelial carcinoma patients (N = 1,460), PORT was associated with improved OS for pT4, pN+, and positive margins (P < 0.01 all).

Conclusion

In this observational cohort, PORT was associated with improved OS in LABC. While the data should be interpreted cautiously, these results lend support to the use of PORT in selected patients with LABC, regardless of histology. Prospective trials of PORT are warranted.
Prevention of gastric cancer by Helicobacter pylori eradication: A review from Japan
Authors: Uno Yoshiharu
Published: May 2019

Japan introduced a Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy strategy in 2013, with the aim of decreasing the number of gastric cancer‐related death, the number of new cases of gastric cancer, and associated medical costs. Five years have passed since then, but no reduction in the annual number of gastric cancer has been observed. In addition, it was suggested that the number of deaths due to gastric cancer could be reduced to 30,000 a year by 2020, but the annual death toll in 2017 remained at more than 45,000. Based on the above evidence, it was examined whether it was possible to reach the target value based on the data from the last 5 years. The number of deaths per year in 2020 is predicted to be more than 40,000, which is clearly different from the target value. Logically, the effect of the strategy might appear by 2023. However, there is a possibility that the risk of gastric cancer may increase in some populations due to the influence of proton pump inhibitors and dysbiosis in the gastric microbiome. To solve these problems, combined therapy with PPIs and aspirin for patients after H pylori eradication should be considered.
Intervention training using peer role‐play and standardised patients in psychodynamic psychotherapy trainees
Authors: Nikendei Christoph , Huber Julia , Ehrenthal Johannes C. , Herzog Wolfgang , Schauenburg Henning , Schultz Jobst‐Hendrik , Dinger Ulrike
Published: May 2019

Background

Innovative teaching models promoting beneficial therapist behaviour are central to the improvement of psychotherapeutic practice. This study investigated the effects of peer role‐play (RP) and standardised patients (SP) in the context of an intervention skill training course during psychodynamic psychotherapy training.

Methods

In a mixed‐method approach, effects of intervention training with RP and SP on trainees’ self‐efficacy and intervention use during treatment were investigated using trainees’ self‐report questionnaires, qualitative interviews and psychotherapy session observer ratings. Twenty graduate psychotherapy students (17 female; mean age 36 years) participated in an intervention skill seminar. We assessed subjective ratings of intervention competence before and after training as well as acceptance of the training format. For a subsample of 11 participants, we examined changes in frequency and competency of intervention use with session‐based observer ratings during their current outpatient treatments. Furthermore, 10 participants reflected on their training experiences in open interviews, evaluated using inductive content analysis.

Findings

The trainees’ self‐efficacy for the trained interventions increased significantly after training. The training was well accepted and subjectively associated with learning success. Training transfer effects were observed regarding higher frequency and competence in the domain of clarifying and mirroring interventions during participants’ outpatient psychotherapy sessions. Qualitative analysis showed training effects for self‐reflection regarding intervention use, while also promoting the development of therapeutic self‐understanding.

Conclusion

Our findings provide further evidence that RP and SP training can assist the development of psychotherapy skills. Hence, the regular implementation of RP and SP training during graduate psychotherapy training seems feasible.
Management of S‐ICD lead in a patient requiring sternotomy
Authors: Saour Basil , Kaplan Rachel , Ward Austin , Churyla Andrei , Kim Susan , Knight Bradley
Published: May 2019

Key Clinical Message

In patients who have had a prior subcutaneous ICD implanted, a sternotomy can be safely performed without the need for replacement of the ICD. Appropriate tools and closure technique during reimplantation are essential for this to be a possibility.
Comparison of Storage Methods for Microfluidically Produced Water‐in‐Oil Droplets
Authors: Grösche Maximilian , Korvink Jan G. , Rabe Kersten S. , Niemeyer Christof M.
Published: May 2019

Microfluidically produced water‐in‐oil droplets are an important platform for biochemical research. To investigate the structural integrity of droplets during transfer and storage processes, different methods were compared. Storage as isolated droplets inside plastic tubing or a designed microfluidic chamber led to moderate decreases in droplet volume but only slight changes in monodispersity, whereas bulk storage in an Eppendorf cup led to the complete loss of monodispersity. It is further demonstrated that on‐chip storage of the droplets in a fluidic microcavity array avoids coalescence and enables a reduction in volume with the concurrent increase in the concentration of entrapped proteins, which is relevant for applications in life science.
Crystal Structures of DOTMA Chelates from Ce3+ to Yb3+: Evidence for a Continuum of Metal Ion Hydration States
Authors: Woods Mark , Payne Katherine M. , Valente Edward J. , Kucera Benjamin E. , Young Victor G.
Published: May 2019

The crystal structures of chelates formed between each stable paramagnetic lanthanide ion and the octadentate polyamino carboxylate ligand DOTMA are described. A total of 23 individual chelates structures were obtained; in each chelate the coordination geometry around the metal ion is best described as a twisted square antiprism (torsion angle −25.0°–−31.4°). Despite the uniformity of the general coordination geometry provided by the DOTMA ligand, there is a considerable variation in the hydration state of each chelate. The early Ln3+ chelates are associated with a single inner sphere water molecule; the Ln‐OH2 interaction is remarkable for being very long. After a clear break at gadolinium, the number of chelates in the unit cell that have a water molecule interacting with the Ln3+ decreases linearly until at Tm3+ no water is found to interact with the metal ion. The Ln‐OH2 distance observed in the chelates of the later Ln3+ ions are also extremely long and increase as the ions contract (2.550–2.732 Å). No clear break between hydrated and dehydrated chelates is observed; rather this series of chelates appear to represent a continuum of hydration states in which the ligand gradually closes around the metal ion as its ionic radius decreases (with decreased hydration) and the metal drops down into the coordination cage.