bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution and functional analysis of odorant‐binding proteins in three rice planthoppers: Nilaparvata lugens, Sogatella furcifera, and Laodelphax striatellus
Authors: He Peng , Chen Guang‐Lei , Li Shuo , Wang Jun , Ma Yun‐Feng , Pan Yu‐Feng , He Ming
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

The white‐backed planthopper (WBPH) Sogatella furcifera, the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens, and the small brown planthopper (SBPH) Laodelphax striatellus are three notorious rice pests that cause annual losses in rice yield through sap‐sucking and virus transmission. Odorant‐binding proteins (OBPs) are crucial olfactory genes involved in host‐seeking behavior.

RESULTS

We discovered the presence of 12, 12, and 16 OBPs in WBPH, BPH, and SBPH, respectively, including two novel OBPs in BPH and seven novel OBPs in SBPH. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that most of these OBPs have homologous genes, and one group (SfurOBP11, NlugOBP8, and LstrOBP2) show a slower evolution rate and are more conserved. Further, in vitro binding studies demonstrated that the three OBPs have similar binding affinities for some rice plant volatiles. Finally, RNA interference (RNAi) successfully inhibited the mRNA expression of the three OBPs, and in vivo behavioral tests showed that the OBP‐deficient rice planthoppers were partly anosmic and lost some of their ability to locate rice plants.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate the crucial role of the rice planthopper OBP genes in seeking rice plants. This information complements the current genetic resources for the development of RNAi‐based transgenic rice and other pest management technologies. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
The ensemble‐adjusted Ignorance Score for forecasts issued as normal distributions
Authors: Siegert Stefan , Ferro Christopher A. T. , Stephenson David B. , Leutbecher Martin
Published: December 2018

This study considers the application of the Ignorance Score (IS, also known as the Logarithmic Score) for ensemble verification. In particular, we consider the case where an ensemble forecast is transformed to a normal forecast distribution, and this distribution is evaluated by the IS. It is shown that the IS systematically depends on the ensemble size, such that larger ensembles yield better expected scores. An ensemble‐adjusted IS is proposed, which extrapolates the score of an m‐member ensemble to the score that the ensemble would achieve if it had fewer or more than m members. Using the ensemble adjustment, a fair version of the IS is derived, which is optimized if ensembles are statistically consistent with the observations. The benefit of the ensemble adjustment is illustrated by comparing ISs of ensembles of different sizes in a seasonal climate forecasting context and a medium‐range weather forecasting context. An ensemble‐adjusted score can be used for a fair comparison between ensembles of different sizes, and to accurately estimate the expected score of a large operational ensemble by running a much smaller hindcast ensemble.
Detection of bodies in maritime rescue operations using unmanned aerial vehicles with multispectral cameras
Authors: Gallego Antonio‐Javier , Pertusa Antonio , Gil Pablo , Fisher Robert B.
Published: December 2018

In this study, we use unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with multispectral cameras to search for bodies in maritime rescue operations. A series of flights were performed in open‐water scenarios in the northwest of Spain, using a certified aquatic rescue dummy in dangerous areas and real people when the weather conditions allowed it. The multispectral images were aligned and used to train a convolutional neural network for body detection. An exhaustive evaluation was performed to assess the best combination of spectral channels for this task. Three approaches based on a MobileNet topology were evaluated, using (a) the full image, (b) a sliding window, and (c) a precise localization method. The first method classifies an input image as containing a body or not, the second uses a sliding window to yield a class for each subimage, and the third uses transposed convolutions returning a binary output in which the body pixels are marked. In all cases, the MobileNet architecture was modified by adding custom layers and preprocessing the input to align the multispectral camera channels. Evaluation shows that the proposed methods yield reliable results, obtaining the best classification performance when combining green, red‐edge, and near‐infrared channels. We conclude that the precise localization approach is the most suitable method, obtaining a similar accuracy as the sliding window but achieving a spatial localization close to 1 m. The presented system is about to be implemented for real maritime rescue operations carried out by Babcock Mission Critical Services Spain.
Assessing surface water–groundwater interactions in a complex river‐floodplain wetland‐isolated lake system
Authors: Li Yunliang , Zhang Qi , Lu Jianrong , Yao Jing , Tan Zhiqiang
Published: December 2018

Floodplain systems are most often hydrologically complex settings characterized by highly variable surface water–groundwater interactions that are subjected to wide‐ranging wetting and drying over seasonal timeframes. This study used field methods, statistical analysis, and the Darcy's law approach to explore surface water–groundwater dynamics, interactions, and fluxes in a geographically complex river‐floodplain wetland‐isolated lake system (Poyang Lake, China). The floodplain system of Poyang Lake is affected by strongly seasonal shifts between dry and wet processes that cause marked changes in surface water and groundwater flow regimes. Results indicate that wetland groundwater is more sensitive to variations in river levels than the seasonal isolated lakes. In general, groundwater levels are lower than those of the isolated lakes but slightly higher than river levels. Statistical analysis indicates that the river hydrology plays a more significant role than the isolated lakes in controlling floodplain groundwater dynamics. Overall, the river shows gaining conditions and occasionally losing conditions with highly variable Darcy fluxes of up to +0.4 and −0.2 m/day, respectively, whereas the isolated lakes are more likely to show slightly losing conditions (less than −0.1 m/day). Although seasonal flux rates range from 7.5 to 48.2 m/day for surface water–groundwater interactions in the floodplain, the flux rates for river–groundwater interactions were around four to seven times higher than that of the isolated lake–groundwater interactions. The outcomes of this study have important implications for improving the understanding of the water resources, water quality, and ecosystem functioning for both the river and the lake.
A likelihood‐based approach to transcriptome association analysis
Authors: Qian Jing , Ray Evan , Brecha Regina L. , Reilly Muredach P. , Foulkes Andrea S.
Published: December 2018

Elucidating the mechanistic underpinnings of genetic associations with complex traits requires formally characterizing and testing associated cell and tissue‐specific expression profiles. New opportunities exist to bolster this investigation with the growing numbers of large publicly available omics level data resources. Herein, we describe a fully likelihood‐based strategy to leveraging external resources in the setting that expression profiles are partially or fully unobserved in a genetic association study. A general framework is presented to accommodate multiple data types, and strategies for implementation using existing software packages are described. The method is applied to an investigation of the genetics of evoked inflammatory response in cardiovascular disease research. Simulation studies suggest appropriate type‐1 error control and power gains compared to single regression imputation, the most commonly applied practice in this setting.
New metrics for meta‐analyses of heterogeneous effects
Authors: Mathur Maya B. , VanderWeele Tyler J.
Published: December 2018

We provide two simple metrics that could be reported routinely in random‐effects meta‐analyses to convey evidence strength for scientifically meaningful effects under effect heterogeneity (ie, a nonzero estimated variance of the true effect distribution). First, given a chosen threshold of meaningful effect size, meta‐analyses could report the estimated proportion of true effect sizes above this threshold. Second, meta‐analyses could estimate the proportion of effect sizes below a second, possibly symmetric, threshold in the opposite direction from the estimated mean. These metrics could help identify if (1) there are few effects of scientifically meaningful size despite a “statistically significant” pooled point estimate, (2) there are some large effects despite an apparently null point estimate, or (3) strong effects in the direction opposite the pooled estimate also regularly occur (and thus, potential effect modifiers should be examined). These metrics should be presented with confidence intervals, which can be obtained analytically or, under weaker assumptions, using bias‐corrected and accelerated bootstrapping. Additionally, these metrics inform relative comparison of evidence strength across related meta‐analyses. We illustrate with applied examples and provide an R function to compute the metrics and confidence intervals.
Photocatalytic Selectivities of Ethane, Methane and Dimethylether Controlled by Reaction Conditions and TiO2 Structure in the Degradation of Acetic Acid
Authors: Ngo Son , Betts Lynn M. , Dappozze Frederic , Guillard Chantal
Published: December 2018

The impact of photon flux, humidity and residence time using TiO2 P25 and of the surface area of a series of CristalActiv PC TiO2 anatase, on the selectivities of products formed in the continuous photocatalytic degradation of gaseous acetic acid (AA) on the scale of a few hundred ppm, in the presence or absence of O2, was investigated. Under a continuous flow of air HCHO and C2H6 were the most important products detected. CH3OH was also formed but to a lesser extent. Under a continuous flow of N2, the formation of these three products decreases whereas CH3OCH3, an interesting product which can be used as alternative fuel and CH4, is yielded. The impact of the experimental conditions on product formation, taking into account the intermediate formation of H2O2 and the favorable impact of the surface area on the formation of CH4 in the absence of oxygen and its opposite effect on the formation of C2H6 in the presence of air, was discussed.The presence of rutile phase in TiO2 P25 was also highlighted.
Multimetal Borides Nanochains as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting
Authors: Li Yingjie , Huang Bolong , Sun Yingjun , Luo Mingchuan , Yang Yong , Qin Yingnan , Wang Lei , Li Chunji , Lv Fan , Zhang Weiyu , Guo Shaojun
Published: December 2018

The development of cost‐efficient, active, and stable electrode materials as bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting is crucial to high‐performance renewable energy storage and conversion devices. In this work, the synthesis of Co‐based multi‐metal borides nanochains with amorphous structure is reported for boosting the oxygen evolution (OER) and hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) by one‐pot NaBH4 reduction of Co2+, Ni2+, and Fe2+ under ambient temperature. In all the investigated Co‐based metal borides, NiCoFeB nanochains show the excellent OER performance with a low overpotential of 284 mV at 10 mA cm‐2 and Tafel slope of 46 mV dec‐1, respectively, together with excellent catalytic stability, and robust HER performance with an overpotential of 345 mV at 10 mA cm‐2. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the excellent electrocatalytic performance is mainly attributed to optimal electronic structure by tuning the Co‐3d band activities by the incorporation of Ni and Fe for enhanced water splitting via the potentially existed Co0 state. Moreover, the electrolyzer using NiCoFeB nanochains as anode and cathode offers 10 mA cm‐2 at a cell voltage of 1.81 V, comparable to commercial Pt/C // Ir/C, providing a simple method to design and explore highly efficient and cheap bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting.
Bromide Induced Room‐Temperature Formation of Photoactive Formamidinium‐Based Perovskite for High‐Efficiency, Low‐Cost Solar Cells
Authors: Lv Xinding , Dong Xuemei , Ye Zhili , Zhou Junshuai , Deng Fei , Zheng Yan‐Zhen , Tao Xia
Published: December 2018

State‐of‐the art perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are obtained by using a high‐crystalline and uniform morphological perovskite film that usually requires a thermal procedure to induce its crystallization. Room temperature processing photoactive perovskite film represents a feasible approach to break through the technology barrier arising from high temperature annealing procedures; however, the photovoltaic performance of fabricated PSCs varies significantly in most routine laboratories with ambient temperature altering. Herein, the authors report for the first time that highly photoactive black phase FA‐based perovskite films with high performance and reproducibility can be room temperature processed via the Br induced crystallization effect. It is found that Br adding content varies as a function of ambient temperature fluctuation from 35–40 to 20–25 °C. The halide Br/I formulation are 0.2/2.8 and 0.5/2.5 for room‐temperature perovskite crystallization in ambient temperatures of 35–40 and 20‐25 °C, yieldings solar to electric power conversion efficiency of 19.59 and 17.53% with high reproducibility, respectively. This efficiency (19.59%) is comparable to the best‐performing PSCs based on thermal processing perovskite films. This work provides a valuable and practical guide to room‐temperature fabrication of PSCs with high efficiency and reproducibility by delicate control of halide anions.
Reusing granite sawing waste in self‐compacting concrete with polypropylene fiber at low‐volume fractions
Authors: Karmegam Aarthi , Kalidass Arunachalam
Published: December 2018

This study aims to experimentally investigate the possibilities of reusing Granite Sawing waste (GSW) in Fibre Reinforced Self Compacting Concrete (FRSCC) using Polypropylene (PP) fibers. The effectiveness of GSW at 5, 10, 15, and 20% by weight instead of cement was investigated. The PP fibers were used at volume fractions of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15%. In order to study the microstructure and to identify the elements of the FRSCC, SEM was used. Fresh and hardened properties were evaluated. Flyash was used as an additional mineral admixture while superplasticizer was also added to achieve required flow parameters. The GSW along with PP fibers increases the compressive strength of FRSCC. An improvement in splitting tensile strength was also observed.
Couch Revisited: A Theoretical Treatment of The Information‐Technological Media of Imgur, Reddit, and Twitter
Authors: Julien Chris
Published: December 2018

In this paper, I argue that unique locations of digital interactions constitute distinct information‐technological media. I first apply a close reading of Couch's () work to digital sociology, and then analyze three popular social media networks: www.Imgur.com, www.Reddit.com, and www.Twitter.com. I close with a theoretical application of Couch's paradigm for analyzing the qualities of information technologies.
Reconceptualizing Sight Words: Building an Early Reading Vocabulary
Authors: Rawlins Amanda , Invernizzi Marcia
Published: December 2018

Sight word learning occurs in most early elementary classrooms. Some kindergarten students face the prospect of learning up to 100 sight words, and many teachers feel pressure to ensure that students know lists of words by the year's end. The authors offer five assertions about sight word learning to direct teachers and administrators toward the research behind word learning and building an early reading vocabulary. The discussion includes how we learn words, how teachers can choose words for early readers, how teachers can ensure that the words stick, and how teachers can choose instructional activities around sight word learning.
Conclusion
Authors: Gill Nick
Published: December 2018

This chapter identifies the key contributions of the book and reflects on ethnography as an approach to studying legal actors, communication and decision making. In terms of contributions, the book highlights the messy, contingent, discretionary, unreliable, inconsistent and unjust processes through which legal doctrine is translated into bureaucratic practice in the context of large scale, international asylum decision making systems. In particular the book explores two central axes of tension: between fairness and efficiency, and between consistency and variety. In terms of the effectiveness of legal ethnographies, the chapter argues that the ethnographies contained within the volume amply exemplify the standards of excellence that the literature on ethnography suggests that we use to evaluate ethnographic work.
The “Inner Belief” of French Asylum Judges
Authors: Kobelinsky Carolina
Published: December 2018

The judges of the French Court of Asylum, in charge of examining the cases of asylum seekers rejected by the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons, affirm that there are very few technical legal aspects involved in asylum proceedings. They argue that the case law is not consistent and that the domestic law provides a vague definition of who is a refugee. Aside from these legal points, judges examine the “sincerity” of the applicant’s narrative as well as his or her attitude during the hearing. Judges agree to say that the rulings ultimately rely on their intime conviction (inner belief). Drawing on ethnographic data, the chapter explores the emotions and moral values involved in the construction of this inner belief.
Asylum Procedures in Greece: The Case of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Minors
Authors: Giannopoulou Chrisa , Gill Nick
Published: December 2018

This chapter demonstrates how ‘nonlegal forms of normative ordering’ (Merry 1988: 870) such as those that inhere in national discourses and perceptions, and that are held by legal subjects themselves, can interrupt and recast formal legal structures. The chapter focuses on unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in Greece and their experiences of residing both in shelters and refugee camps. The ethnographic material presented includes narratives of the minors about their life in Greece while waiting for the examination of their asylum application. The chapter highlights the shortcomings of reception for unaccompanied minors in Greece, the ways in which care is often experienced as constraint by unaccompanied minors, and the ways in which they are able to exert agency and defy their categorization as vulnerable victims.
Data Flow in the Smart City: Open Data Versus the Commons
Authors: Beckwith Richard , Sherry John , Prendergast David
Published: December 2018

Much of the recent excitement around data, especially ‘Big Data,’ focuses on the potential commercial or economic value of data. How that data will affect people isn’t much discussed. People know that smart cities will deploy Internet-based monitoring and that flows of the collected data promise to produce new values. Less considered is that smart cities will be sites of new forms of citizen action—enabled by an ‘economy’ of data that will lead to new methods of collectivization, accountability, and control which, themselves, can provide both positive and negative values to the citizenry. Therefore, smart city design needs to consider not just measurement and publication of data but also the implications of city-wide deployment, data openness, and the possibility of unintended consequences if data leave the city.
The City as Perpetual Beta: Fostering Systemic Urban Acupuncture
Authors: Fredericks Joel , Caldwell Glenda Amayo , Foth Marcus , Tomitsch Martin
Published: December 2018

Applying the concept of perpetual beta to cities proposes a continual and never complete process of city-making. Building on this notion, this chapter employs a conceptual framework of urban acupuncture for conducting and analysing localised small-scale community engagement activities through situated pop-up interventions. Pop-up interventions ‘hack’ public space by temporarily changing the feel of a place to promote awareness around civic issues. We argue that the use of situated pop-up interventions has the potential to provide more inclusive forms of community engagement by combining digital and physical media. The proposed framework employs pop-up activism to facilitate a middle-out approach that encourages citizens to actively identify topics for discussion. Two pop-up interventions in different locations in Australia are discussed in the chapter to assess in what way a systemic level of impact can arise from different processes of city hacking that are facilitated through a distributed, decentralised, yet concerted and regular local approach. We argue that a concerted process of implementing small urban interventions can contribute to an ongoing commitment to participatory city-making. Further work will show how each local intervention can contribute to translating the notion of perpetual beta into systemic change beyond the boundaries of their individual locale and—taken together—across different urban environments of the city.
Economic Resilience Through Community-Driven (Real Estate) Development in Amsterdam-Noord
Authors: Bouw Matthijs , Thoma Despo
Published: December 2018

Shifts in the perception of risks and precedents of unsuccessful urban planning efforts in the twenty-first century highlight the conflicting nature of ‘control’ and ‘flexibility’ in modern urban practices. This essay argues that urban planning can be revisited today through the lens of the ‘commons’. The notion of commons can be seen as the key to approach top-down and bottom-up initiatives in a systematic way. In this contribution, we argue that collective self-building in Amsterdam-Noord is a type of commons-based urban planning that occupies a unique territory in between state-led and market-led practices, and private efforts of urban development. By correlating the evolving definitions of the commons with the omnipresent dilemmas of urban planning, this essay intends to draw a link between the two, arguing for a more resilient form of city-making. We argue that commons-based urban planning offers a resilient alternative to the master plan, as one of its key strengths lies in the economic and social models it is based on. Finally, this essay attempts to examine the ways new technologies allow us today to revisit and reform the understanding of self-initiation and shared resources in urban environments.
Working in Beta: Testing Urban Experiments and Innovation Policy Within Dublin City Council
Authors: McDermott Fiona
Published: December 2018

This chapter describes Dublin City Council (DCC) Beta, an initiative developed as part of the City Council’s Architects’ Division to experiment, innovate and quickly test ideas directly ‘on the street’. Through the detailing of a number of Beta Projects, it illustrates how a project is initiated, what the key processes are, what the role of the citizen is and how the outcomes of completed projects are measured and formalised. It also discusses the Beta Model, highlighting the opportunities and challenges that such a model present for other city governments. Ultimately, it addresses the question of how such an initiative can increase the potential for more inclusive, immediate and innovative approaches to urban problems in a context of risk‐averse city governments with increasing constraints of both resources and finance alongside a growing demand for greater democratic authorship and ownership of the built environment.
Cloud computing deployment: a cost-modelling case-study
Authors: Ellman Jeremy , Lee Nathan , Jin Nanlin
Published: December 2018

There are wide range of cloud services commercially available.
However there is limited research that investigates the strengths and weaknesses of their cost models in relation to different types of usage requirements. We propose a new costing model that systematically evaluates cloud services,
and which combines compute, disk storage, and memory requirements. This paper demonstrates the proposed costing model on a data set that was derived from a real-world industrial data centre workload by calculating the precise cost of service provision from two leading cloud providers.
Quality of life of patients with inflammatory bowel disease using immunobiological therapy
Authors: Almeida Raphael Souza de , Lisboa Ana Carolina Ribeiro , Moura Alex Rodrigues
Published: December 2018

Objectives To assess the quality of life of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using immunobiological therapy and to relate the general and domain scores of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) to the immunobiological drug in use and the clinical and sociodemographic variables.

Methods This was a descriptive observational cross-sectional study, conducted from June to September 2018 in a tertiary hospital in Sergipe, which included 47 patients with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease. The IBDQ questionnaire was applied together with a sociodemographic questionnaire, and the clinical data and the history of the disease were analyzed.

Results Female, mixed-race, married patients from the countryside of the state of Sergipe, Brazil, who had never undergone any intestinal surgery, represented most of the study participants. 24 patients were on infliximab and 23 were on adalimumab. Variables such as gender, type of immunobiological drug and duration of its use, and association of therapy with other medications were shown to statistically significantly influence the report quality of life (p-value < 0.05).

Conclusion Further studies with larger samples are necessary to allow a more accurate delimitation of the impact of clinical and sociodemographic variables on the quality of life of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
UK funding helps Hardide apply coating technology to a wider range of aircraft components
Authors: Atkinson Simon
Published: December 2018

In the UK, Hardide Coatings Ltd, which is based in Bicester, Oxfordshire, has been awarded funding by a nationwide aerospace initiative, to further the application of its innovative coating technology to aircraft components.
Conference report: 20th International Sealing Conference
Authors: Atkinson Simon
Published: December 2018

The latest International Sealing Conference was held recently at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. Here, we provide a review of the event, based on a brief report submitted to Sealing Technology by Lothar Hörl, from the university's Institute of Machine Components. A list of the papers that appear in the conference proceedings is also provided.
Estimates of Law Enforcement Costs by Crime Type for Benefit-Cost Analyses
Authors: Hunt Priscillia Evelyne , Saunders Jessica , Kilmer Beau
Published: December 2018

Crime is an important outcome in many social policy evaluations. Benefits to society from preventing crime are based on avoiding victimization and freeing criminal justice system resources. For the latter, analysts need information about the marginal cost of policing for different types of crime across jurisdictions; however, this information is not readily available. This paper details key economic concepts relevant to law enforcement services, and then combines publicly available police expenditure data with insights from observational and time-diary studies to generate state-level, crime-specific, average variable cost estimates for crime-response services conducted by police by crime type. Since there is considerable uncertainty concerning various parameters underpinning these calculations, we use Monte Carlo simulation methods to incorporate the uncertainty into our estimates. This study finds that the U.S. population-weighted average variable cost of law enforcement response per police-reported Part 1 violent crime is $10,900, ranging from $6900 to $15,400 at the 10th and 90th percentiles, respectively. For a Part 1 property crime, the equivalent figure is $1300, with a range from $700 to $1700.
Reducing Door-to-Needle Times for Ischaemic Stroke to a Median of 30 Minutes at a Community Hospital
Authors: Kamal Noreen , Shand Elaine , Swanson Robert , Hill Michael D. , Jeerakathil Thomas , Imoukhuede Oje , Heinrichs Irvin , Bakker Jackie , Stoyberg Carol , Fowler Laura , Duckett Sandy , Holsworth Scott , Mann Balraj , Valaire Shelley , Bestard Jennifer
Published: December 2018

Background

Alteplase is an effective treatment for ischaemic stroke patients, and it is widely available at all primary stroke centres. The effectiveness of alteplase is highly time-dependent. Large tertiary centres have reported significant improvements in their door-to-needle (DTN) times. However, these same improvements have not been reported at community hospitals.

Methods

Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) is a community hospital of 370 beds that serves approximately 150,000 people in their acute stroke catchment area. The RDRHC participated in a provincial DTN improvement initiative, and implemented a streamlined algorithm for the treatment of stroke patients. During this intervention period, they implemented the following changes: early alert of an incoming acute stroke patient to the neurologist and care team, meeting the patient immediately upon arrival, parallel work processes, keeping the patient on the Emergency Medical Service stretcher to the CT scanner, and administering alteplase in the imaging area. Door-to-needle data were collected from July 2007 to December 2017.

Results

A total of 289 patients were treated from July 2007 to December 2017. In the pre-intervention period, 165 patients received alteplase and the median DTN time was 77 minutes [interquartile range (IQR): 60–103 minutes]; in the post-intervention period, 104 patients received alteplase and the median DTN time was 30 minutes (IQR: 22–42 minutes) (p< 0.001). The annual number of patients that received alteplase increased from 9 to 29 in the pre-intervention period to annual numbers of 41 to 63 patients in the post-intervention period.

Conclusion

Community hospitals staffed with community neurologists can achieve median DTN times of 30 minutes or less.
Cefazolin as surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis in hysterectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Pop-Vicas Aurora , Johnson Stephen , Safdar Nasia
Published: December 2018

Objective

Current practice guidelines recommend cefazolin, cefoxitin, cefotetan, or ampicillin-sulbactam as first-line antibiotic prophylaxis in hysterectomy. We undertook this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine whether cefazolin, with limited antianaerobic spectrum, is as effective in preventing surgical site-infection (SSI) as the other first-choice antimicrobials that have more extensive antianaerobic activity.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and EMBASE for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) in any language up to January 23, 2018. We only included trials that measured SSI (our primary outcome) defined as superficial, deep, or organ space. We excluded trials of β-lactams no longer in clinical use.

Results

In terms of SSI incidence, cefazolin use was not inferior to its comparator in 12 of 13 individual RCTs included in the analysis. The meta-analysis summary estimate showed a significantly higher SSI risk with cefazolin versus cefoxitin or cefotetan (risk ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.04–2.77; P = .03). However, most studies included nonstandardized dosing and duration of antimicrobial prophylaxis, had indeterminate or high risk of bias, did not include patients with gynecological malignancies, and/or were older RCTs not reflective of current clinical practices.

Conclusion

Due to inherent limitations associated with old RCTs with limited relevance to contemporary surgery, an RCT of cefazolin versus regimens with significant antianaerobic spectrum is needed to establish the optimal choice for SSI prevention in hysterectomy.
One-day point prevalence as a method for estimating antibiotic use in nursing homes
Authors: Barney Grant R. , Felsen Christina B. , Dumyati Ghinwa K.
Published: December 2018

Antibiotic use tracking in nursing homes is necessary for stewardship and regulatory requirements but may be burdensome. We used pharmacy data to evaluate whether once-weekly sampling of antibiotic use can estimate total use; we found no significant differences in estimated and measured antibiotic use.
It is time to define antimicrobial never events
Authors: Liu Jiajun , Kaye Keith S. , Mercuro Nicholas J. , Davis Susan L. , Patel Twisha S. , Petty Lindsay A. , Pais Gwendolyn M. , Scheetz Marc H.
Published: December 2018

Inappropriate antibiotic use is associated with increased antimicrobial resistance and adverse events that can lead to further downstream patient harm. Preventative strategies must be employed to improve antibiotic use while reducing avoidable harm. We use the term “antibiotic never events” to globally recognize and define the most inappropriate antibiotic use.
Efficacy of psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies for Bulimia nervosa
Authors: Svaldi Jennifer , Schmitz Florian , Baur Julia , Hartmann Andrea S. , Legenbauer Tanja , Thaler Charlotte , von Wietersheim Jörn , de Zwaan Martina , Tuschen-Caffier Brunna
Published: December 2018

Background

Bulimia nervosa (BN), a mental disorder that causes significant impairment, can be treated with psychological, pharmacological, nutrition-based and self-help interventions. We conducted a pre-registered meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the efficacy of these interventions in up to 19 different interventions.

Methods

Database search terms were combined for BN and RCTs from database inception to March 2017. Abstinence from binge eating episodes, compensatory behaviors, the absence of a BN diagnosis and reduction of symptom severity were considered as primary outcome variables, reduction of self-reported eating pathology and depression served as secondary outcome variables. Retrieved RCTs were meta-analyzed using fixed and random effects models.

Results

RCT (79 trials; 5775 participants) effects post-treatment revealed moderate to large intervention effects for psychotherapy [mostly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)] for primary outcome variables. Slightly reduced effects were obtained for self-help and moderate effects for pharmacotherapy. Similarly, psychotherapy yielded large to very large effects in regard to secondary outcome variables, while moderate to large effects were observed for self-help, Pharmacotherapy and combined therapies. Meta-analyses for the pre to post changes within group confirmed these findings. Additionally, follow-up analyses revealed the sustainability of psychotherapies in terms of large effects in primary outcome criteria, while these effects were moderate for self-help, pharmacotherapy, and combined therapies.

Conclusions

Most psychological and pharmacological interventions revealed to be effective in BN treatment. Taking effect size, sustainability of the intervention, as well as the consistency of findings and available evidence into consideration, CBT can be recommended as the best intervention for the initial treatment of BN.
The devil is in the detail: exploring the intrinsic neural mechanisms that link attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomatology to ongoing cognition
Authors: Vatansever Deniz , Bozhilova Natali S. , Asherson Philip , Smallwood Jonathan
Published: December 2018

Background

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental condition that profoundly affects quality of life. Although mounting evidence now suggests uncontrolled mind-wandering as a core aspect of the attentional problems associated with ADHD, the neural mechanisms underpinning this deficit remains unclear. To that extent, competing views argue for (i) excessive generation of task-unrelated mental content, or (ii) deficiency in the control of task-relevant cognition.

Methods

In a cross-sectional investigation of a large neurotypical cohort (n = 184), we examined alterations in the intrinsic brain functional connectivity architecture of the default mode (DMN) and frontoparietal (FPN) networks during resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in relation to ADHD symptomatology, which could potentially underlie changes in ongoing thought within variable environmental contexts.

Results

The results illustrated that ADHD symptoms were linked to lower levels of detail in ongoing thought while the participants made more difficult, memory based decisions. Moreover, greater ADHD scores were associated with lower levels of connectivity between the DMN and right sensorimotor cortex, and between the FPN and right ventral visual cortex. Finally, a combination of high levels of ADHD symptomology with reduced FPN connectivity to the visual cortex was associated with reduced levels of detail in thought.

Conclusions

The results of our study suggest that the frequent mind-wandering observed in ADHD may be an indirect consequence of the deficient control of ongoing cognition in response to increasing environmental demands, and that this may partly arise from dysfunctions in the intrinsic organisation of the FPN at rest.
Ships, Bread, and Work: Agrarian Conflict in the Mediterranean Countryside, 1914–1923
Authors: Hudson-Richards Julia
Published: December 2018

This article examines the collapse of the citrus industry in València, Spain during the last years of World War I. In it, I argue that the strikes represent a key moment in the proletarianization of the region's agricultural working classes. By 1914, citrus had become one of Spain's most profitable exports, and prior to the 1917 crash, the landed and monied interests in control of the industry had enforced the notion of inter-class cooperation, which broke down under the economic stress of the War. In the wake of the collapse and the strikes that followed, workers began to organize in earnest and began to work towards improving working conditions and establishing fairer work contracts.
“The Martyrs of the Saucepan:” Parisian Cooks, French Gastronomic Reputation, and Occupational Health around 1900
Authors: Bruegel Martin
Published: December 2018

Cooks exploited the leverage offered by the publication of information about the prevailing insalubrity in restaurant kitchens when Paris was at the center of global attention during the World Fairs of 1889 and 1900. They framed the issue of workers’ health in connection with consumer safety and gastronomic reputation. Their movement succeeded in securing the law of July 11, 1903 with its encompassing, indeed ecological and ergonomic (rather than toxicological) perception of health risks on the job. Its principles benefitted a great majority of workers and employees. The chronicle of labor's contribution to the identification and regulation of health and safety issues on the job refutes claims about the indifference of the French working-class movement with regard to workers’ health. Attention to the cooks’ workplace experience, their politics, and the elaboration of labor legislation is an antidote to the tendency of narrating state- and institution-building as the history of providential individuals with big ideas.
Making Capitalism with Gangsters: Unfree Labor in Shanghai's Cotton Mills, 1927–1937
Authors: Choi Wai Kit
Published: December 2018

It is thought that workers under capitalism enjoy the freedom of changing employment at will, but studies show that unfree labor has historically existed alongside capitalist development. One explanation for the use of unfree labor under capitalism highlights the functional needs of production. However, thebaoshengong, a form of bonded labor that was used in cotton mills in Shanghai from 1927 to 1937, problematizes this approach. Though thebaoshengongsystem was not an efficient mode of labor control, it was put in place. Rejecting the functionalist account, I show that capitalist unfree labor is not necessarily spurred by production requirements. As the Shanghai case will demonstrate, unfree labor was used when the power dynamics in the larger socio-political context outside the immediate abode of production—namely, the conflict and collaboration between different forms of domination such as gang, patriarchal, capitalist, and state powers—superseded the functional considerations of the capitalists.
WINNER PLAYS STRUCTURE IN RANDOM KNOCKOUT TOURNAMENTS
Authors: Cao Yang , Ross Sheldon M.
Published: December 2018

Suppose there arenplayers, with playerihaving valuevi> 0, and suppose that a game betweeniandjis won byiwith probabilityvi/(vi+vj). In the winner plays random knockout tournament, we suppose that the players are lined up in a random order; the first two play, and in each subsequent game the winner of the last game plays the next in line. Whoever wins the game involving the last player in line, is the tournament winner. We give bounds on players’ tournament win probabilities and make some conjectures. We also discuss how simulation can be efficiently employed to estimate the win probabilities.
La Crosse virus: a scoping review of the global evidence
Authors: Harding S. , Greig J. , Mascarenhas M. , Young I. , Waddell L. A.
Published: December 2018

Urbanisation and climate change are altering the pattern of California serogroup viruses in North America. As La Crosse virus (LACV) is the most pathogenic of the California serogroup, it is important to identify changes in distribution, transmission and pathogenesis. A scoping review (ScR) was prioritised to summarise the global evidence on LACV. A comprehensive search strategy was used, identified references were screened for relevance and relevant articles were characterised. Each step was conducted by two independent reviewers using pre-tested forms. Analysis identified areas of research saturation and gaps. The ScR included 481 research articles that were mostly journal articles (78.2%) conducted in North America (90.9%) from 1969 to 2016. Most evidence focused on epidemiology (44.9%), virus characteristics (25.8%), transmission conditions (18.7%) and pathogenesis of LACV in hosts (18.3%). Fewer studies evaluated the accuracy of diagnostic tests (8.7%), the efficacy of treatments (3.5%), prevention and control strategies (3.1%), the economic burden of infection (0.6%) and social impact (0.2%) of LACV. None of the literature predicted the impact of climate change on LACV, nor were any cases reported in Canada. These findings are intended to guide research to close knowledge gaps and inform evidence-based decisions surrounding activities for the prevention and control of LACV.
Regulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Stiffness and Adhesion by [Ca2+]i: An Atomic Force Microscopy-Based Study
Authors: Zhu Yi , He Li , Qu Jing , Zhou Yong
Published: December 2018

The intracellular concentration of calcium ion ([Ca2+]i) is a critical regulator of cell signaling and contractility of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In this study, we employed an atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation-based approach to investigate the role of [Ca2+]i in regulating the cortical elasticity of rat cremaster VSMCs and the ability of rat VSMCs to adhere to fibronectin (Fn) matrix. Elevation of [Ca2+]i by ionomycin treatment increased rat VSMC stiffness and cell adhesion to Fn-biofunctionalized AFM probes, whereas attenuation of [Ca2+]i by 1,2-Bis (2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N’,N’-tetraacetic acid tetrakis (acetoxymethyl ester) (BAPTA-AM) treatment decreased the mechanical and matrix adhesive properties of VSMCs. Furthermore, we found that ionomycin/BAPTA-AM treatments altered expression of α5 integrin subunits and α smooth muscle actin in rat VSMCs. These data suggest that [Ca2+]i regulates VSMC elasticity and adhesion to the extracellular matrix by a potential mechanism involving changing dynamics of the integrin–actin cytoskeleton axis.
FREGE’S CONSTRAINT AND THE NATURE OF FREGE’S FOUNDATIONAL PROGRAM
Authors: PANZA MARCO , SERENI ANDREA
Published: December 2018

Recent discussions on Fregean and neo-Fregean foundations for arithmetic and real analysis pay much attention to what is called either ‘Application Constraint’ ($AC$) or ‘Frege Constraint’ ($FC$), the requirement that a mathematical theory be so outlined that it immediately allows explaining for its applicability. We distinguish between two constraints, which we, respectively, denote by the latter of these two names, by showing how$AC$generalizes Frege’s views while$FC$comes closer to his original conceptions. Different authors diverge on the interpretation of$FC$and on whether it applies to definitions of both natural and real numbers. Our aim is to trace the origins of$FC$and to explore how different understandings of it can be faithful to Frege’s views about such definitions and to his foundational program. After rehearsing the essential elements of the relevant debate (§1), we appropriately distinguish$AC$from$FC$(§2). We discuss six rationales which may motivate the adoption of different instances of$AC$and$FC$(§3). We turn to the possible interpretations of$FC$(§4), and advance a Semantic$FC$(§4.1), arguing that while it suits Frege’s definition of natural numbers (4.1.1), it cannot reasonably be imposed on definitions of real numbers (§4.1.2), for reasons only partly similar to those offered by Crispin Wright (§4.1.3). We then rehearse a recent exchange between Bob Hale and Vadim Batitzky to shed light on Frege’s conception of real numbers and magnitudes (§4.2). We argue that an Architectonic version of$FC$is indeed faithful to Frege’s definition of real numbers, and compatible with his views on natural ones. Finally, we consider how attributing different instances of$FC$to Frege and appreciating the role of the Architectonic$FC$can provide a more perspicuous understanding of his foundational program, by questioning common pictures of his logicism (§5).
Global Estimates of Inorganic Nitrogen Deposition Across Four Decades
Authors: Ackerman Daniel , Millet Dylan B. , Chen Xin
Published: December 2018

Atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen is critical to the function of ecosystems and elemental cycles. During the industrial period, humans have doubled the amount of inorganic nitrogen in the biosphere and radically altered rates of atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Despite this rapid change, estimates of global nitrogen deposition patterns generally have low, centennial‐scale temporal resolution. Lack of information on annual‐ to decadal‐scale changes in global nitrogen deposition makes it difficult for scientists researching questions on these finer timescales to contextualize their work within the global nitrogen cycle. Here we use the GEOS‐Chem Chemical Transport Model to estimate wet and dry deposition of inorganic nitrogen globally at a spatial resolution of 2° × 2.5° for 12 individual years in the period from 1984 to 2016. During this time, we found an 8% increase in global inorganic nitrogen deposition from 86.6 to 93.6 TgN/year, a trend that comprised a balance of variable regional patterns. For example, inorganic nitrogen deposition increased in areas including East Asia and Southern Brazil, while inorganic nitrogen deposition declined in areas including Europe. Further, we found a global increase in the percentage of inorganic nitrogen deposited in chemically reduced forms from 30% to 35%, and this trend was largely driven by strong regional increases in the proportion of chemically reduced nitrogen deposited over the United States. This study provides spatially explicit estimates of inorganic nitrogen deposition over the last four decades and improves our understanding of short‐term human impacts on the global nitrogen cycle.