bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of aortic stiffness with cognitive decline: Whitehall II longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Araghi Marzieh , Shipley Martin J. , Wilkinson Ian B. , McEniery Carmel M. , Valencia-Hernández Carlos A. , Kivimaki Mika , Sabia Séverine , Singh-Manoux Archana , Brunner Eric J.
Published: November 2019

Aortic stiffness is associated with an increased risk of cardio- and cerebrovascular disease and mortality and may increase risk of dementia. The aim of the present study is to examine the association between arterial stiffness and cognitive decline in a large prospective cohort study with three repeated cognitive assessment over 7 years of follow-up. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured among 4300 participants (mean ± standard deviation age 65.1 ± 5.2 years) in 2007–2009 and categorized based on the tertiles: (lowest third: < 7.41 m/s), (middle third: 7.41–8.91 m/s), and (highest third: > 8.91 m/s). A global cognitive score was calculated in 2007–2009, 2012–2013, and 2015–2016 based on responses to memory, reasoning and fluency tests. Standardized global cognitive score (mean = 0, SD = 1) in highest third versus lowest third of PWV category was lower at baseline (− 0.12, 95% CI − 0.18, − 0.06). Accelerated 7-year cognitive decline was observed among individuals with the highest PWV [difference in 7-year cognitive change for highest third versus lowest third PWV: − 0.06, 95% CI − 0.11, − 0.01, P < 0.01]. Higher aortic stiffness was associated with faster cognitive decline. Clinicians may be able to use arterial stiffness severity as an indicator to administer prompt treatments to prevent or delay the onset of cognitive decline or dementia. Future studies need to determine whether early intervention of vascular stiffness is effective in delaying these outcomes.
Quantifying the effects of road width on roadside vegetation and soil conditions in forests
Authors: Zhou Ting , Luo Xiaoying , Hou Yuping , Xiang Yanci , Peng Shaolin
Published: November 2019

Context

The majority of ecological studies of roads have focused on their deleterious effects, and these preconceptions have hampered a full evaluation of the ecological functions of roads. As an integrated indicator, road width represents comprehensive effects, including anthropogenic and natural disturbances.

Objectives

We try to explore the different effects produced by various road widths by considering changes in forest vegetation and soil.

Methods

We selected six study forests spanning from Shandong Province in the north to Guangdong Province in the south of China, and we assessed the influences of wide and narrow roads on plant species diversity, biomass, and soil properties along transects running from the forest edges and adjacent forest interior. We used a “shape-dependent model” to explain the factors that determine the magnitude of road effects on forests.

Results

Three variables measured in this study changed significantly with increasing distance from the road to the forest interior along wide roads: tree biomass, herbaceous plant biomass, and soil pH. However, no measurable biological or environmental effects were found from narrow roads. The different shapes of glades in a forest may be one reason for the various effects caused by roads of different widths.

Conclusions

Forest roads of different widths may have quite different ecological effects. While wider roads with large glades tend to have substantial negative impacts, small-enough roads may cause little disturbance to the forest. This suggests that not all forest roads should be perceived as the same, and narrow roads may be compatible with forest conservation.
Robust principal component analysis using facial reduction
Authors: Ma Shiqian , Wang Fei , Wei Linchuan , Wolkowicz Henry
Published: November 2019

We introduce a novel approach for robust principal component analysis (RPCA) for a partially observed data matrix. The aim is to recover the data matrix as a sum of a low-rank matrix and a sparse matrix so as to eliminate erratic noise (outliers). This problem is known to be NP-hard in general. A classical approach to solving RPCA is to consider convex relaxations. One such heuristic involves the minimization of the (weighted) sum of a nuclear norm part, that promotes a low-rank component, with an $$\ell _1$$

ℓ
1

norm part, to promote a sparse component. This results in a well-structured convex problem that can be efficiently solved by modern first-order methods. However, first-order methods often yield low accuracy solutions. Moreover, the heuristic of using a norm consisting of a weighted sum of norms may lose some of the advantages that each norm had when used separately. In this paper, we propose a novel nonconvex and nonsmooth reformulation of the original NP-hard RPCA model. The new model adds a redundant semidefinite cone constraint and solves small subproblems using a PALM algorithm. Each subproblem results in an exposing vector for a facial reduction technique that is able to reduce the size significantly. This makes the problem amenable to efficient algorithms in order to obtain high-level accuracy. We include numerical results that confirm the efficacy of our approach.
Acclimation to a thermoneutral environment abolishes age-associated alterations in heart rate and heart rate variability in conscious, unrestrained mice
Authors: Axsom Jessie E. , Nanavati Alay P. , Rutishauser Carolyn A. , Bonin Janet E. , Moen Jack M. , Lakatta Edward G.
Published: November 2019

Mice are among the most widely used translational models of cardiovascular aging and offer a method to quickly assess lifespan changes in a controlled environment. The standard laboratory temperature (20–22 °C), however, imposes a cold stress on mice that causes an increase in sympathetic nervous system–mediated activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) to maintain a core body temperature of 36–37 °C. Thus, while physiologic data obtained recapitulate human physiology to a certain degree, interpretations of previous research in mice may have been contaminated by a cold stress, due to housing mice below their thermoneutral zone (30 °C). The purpose of this investigation was to examine how chronic sympathetic stimulation evoked by acclimation to 20 °C might obscure interpretation of changes in autonomic modulation of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) that accompany advancing age. HR and HRV before and after administration of a dual-autonomic blockade were measured via in-vivo ECG in young (3 months) and aged (30 months) male C57BL/6 telemetry-implanted mice following temperature acclimation for 3 days at 30 °C or 20 °C. Mean basal and intrinsic HR of both young and aged mice became markedly reduced at 30 °C compared to 20 °C. In both age groups, HRV parameters in time, frequency, and non-linear domains displayed increased variability at 30 °C compared to 20 °C under basal conditions. Importantly, age-associated declines in HRV observed at 20 °C were ameliorated when mice were studied at their thermoneutral ambient temperature of 30 °C. Thus, an accurate understanding of autonomic modulation of cardiovascular functions in mice of advanced age requires that they are housed in a metabolically neutral environment.
Spatial distribution and impacts of climate change on Milicia excelsa in Benin, West Africa
Authors: Kakpo Sunday Berlioz , Aoudji Augustin Kossi Nounangnon , Gnanguènon-Guéssè Denis , Gbètoho Alain Jaures , Koura Kourouma , Djotan Géoffroy Kévin , Ganglo Jean Cossi
Published: November 2019

African teak (Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg) is an endangered multi-use species. Understanding the impact of climate change on the distribution of this species may improve the ability to anticipate or recognize its decline or expansion and to take appropriate conservation measures if necessary. Ecological niche modeling was projected in geographical space to study the current and future distribution of M. excelsa in Bénin. MaxEnt was used to estimate the potential geographic distribution of the species under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP). Miroc 5 summaries and two RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios were used as predictor variables for projections of the geographic potential of this species. The performance of the model was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC), true skill statistics (TSS) and partial receiver operating characteristics (Partial ROC). From the results, M. excelsa was more a secondary species in the Guinean climatic zone and part of the Sudanian-Guinean and Sudanian climatic zone. The projections show a significant decrease in suitable habitats for the species from the two RCP scenarios. Only a part of the Guinean climatic zone remained suitable and few protected areas will conserve in situ M. excelsa. For the sustainable conservation of M. excelsa, it is essential to strengthen the protection of sacred forests located in the Guinean climatic zone.
Groundwater modeling of Musi basin Hyderabad, India: a case study
Authors: Sundararajan N. , Sankaran S.
Published: November 2019

In general, groundwater flow and transport models are being applied to investigate a wide variety of hydrogeological conditions besides to calculate the rate and direction of movement of groundwater through aquifers and confining units in the subsurface. Transport models estimate the concentration of a chemical in groundwater which requires the development of a calibrated groundwater flow model or, at a minimum, an accurate determination of the velocity and direction of groundwater flow that is based on field data. All the available hydrogeological, geophysical and water quality data in Musi basin, Hyderabad, India, were fed as input to the model to obtain the groundwater flow velocities and the interaction of surface water and groundwater and thereby seepage loss was estimated. This in turn paved the way to calculate the capacity of the storage treatment plants (STP) to be established at the inlets of six major lakes of the basin. The total dissolved solid was given as the pollutant load in the mass transport model, and through model simulation, its migration at present and futuristic scenarios was brought out by groundwater flow and mass transport modeling. The average groundwater velocity estimated through the flow model was 0.26 m/day. The capacities of STP of various lakes in the study area were estimated based on the lake seepage and evaporation loss. Based on the groundwater velocity and TDS as pollutant load in the lakes, the likely contamination from lakes at present and for the next 20 years was predicted.
Enhancing the cement quality using polypropylene fiber
Authors: Elkatatny Salaheldin , Gajbhiye Rahul , Ahmed Anas , Mahmoud Ahmed Abdulhamid
Published: November 2019

Durability and long-term integrity of oil well cement are the most important parameters to be considered while designing the cement slurry, especially in the high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) environments. In this study, the effect of adding the polypropylene fiber (PPF) to Saudi Class G cement is evaluated under HPHT conditions. The effect of the PPF on the cement compressive and tensile strength, thickening time, density, free water, porosity, and permeability was studied. The effect of the PPF particles on the cement sheath microstructure was studied through powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope. The results obtained showed that PPF did not affect the cement rheology, density, and free water. The addition of PPF considerably decreased the thickening time and improved the tensile and compressive strength of the cement. 0.75% by weight of cement (BWOC) of PPF reduced the thickening time by 75%, from 317 to 78 min. The compressive strength of the cement increased by 17.8% after adding 0.5% BWOC of PPF, while the tensile strength increased by 18% when 0.75% of PPF is used which is attributed to the formation of stable forms of calcium silicate hydrates because of the ability of PPF to accelerate cement hydration process as indicated by the XRD results. The ability of the PPF to decrease the cement thickening time along with its ability to improve the cement strength suggests the use of PPF as an alternative for silica floor in shallow wells where a reduction in thickening time will decrease the wait on cement time. Porosity and permeability of the base cement were also decreased by incorporating PPF because of the pores filling effect of PPF particles as indicated by the microstructure analysis.
“What Do We Really Know about Local Peacekeeping Effects?”
Authors: Hultman Lisa , Tidblad-Lundholm Kajsa
Published: November 2019

The article “Violence reduction or relocation? Effects of United Nations troops presence on local levels of violence” by Laura Peitz and Gregor Reisch is one of several recent articles that explore the local effects of peacekeeping deployments. We provide an overview of accumulated knowledge and conflicting findings, and identify a few remaining gaps in the literature. The finding that more peacekeepers are better at reducing violence has been replicated by several studies, although a few studies have identified conditional effects. Taken together, studies find that peacekeepers can reduce both violence between armed actors and violence against civilians. While Peitz and Reisch do not make a distinction between different perpetrators, previous work suggest that peacekeepers are better at reducing violence against civilians by non-state actors. Peitz and Reisch are thus far one of the few studies that explores the impact of the type of peacekeepers – although the findings are ambiguous. Lastly, there is a tension in the literature between Peitz and Reisch, who claim that peacekeepers diffuse violence to nearby location, and other studies that find no such relocation effect, or even the opposite. Future work should continue to explore the local effects of peacekeeping, directing attention to questions about types of peacekeepers, local conditions as enabling factors, the role of military capabilities (as opposed to capacity), and actions taken on the ground.
Comorbid amyloid‐β pathology affects clinical and imaging features in VCD
Authors: Leijenaar Jolien F. , Groot Colin , Sudre Carole H. , Bergeron David , Leeuwis Anna E. , Cardoso M. Jorge , Carrasco Ferran Prados , Laforce Robert , Barkhof Frederik , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Scheltens Philip , Prins Niels D. , Ossenkoppele Rik
Published: November 2019

Introduction

To date, the clinical relevance of comorbid amyloid‐β (Aβ) pathology in patients with vascular cognitive disorders (VCD) is largely unknown.

Methods

We included 218 VCD patients with available cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 levels. Patients were divided into Aβ+ mild‐VCD (n = 84), Aβ− mild‐VCD (n = 68), Aβ+ major‐VCD (n = 31), and Aβ− major‐VCD (n = 35). We measured depression with the Geriatric Depression Scale, cognition with a neuropsychological test battery and derived white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and gray matter atrophy from MRI.

Results

Aβ− patients showed more depressive symptoms than Aβ+. In the major‐VCD group, Aβ− patients performed worse on attention (P = .02) and executive functioning (P = .008) than Aβ+. We found no cognitive differences in patients with mild VCD. In the mild‐VCD group, Aβ− patients had more WMH than Aβ+ patients, whereas conversely, in the major‐VCD group, Aβ+ patients had more WMH. Atrophy patterns did not differ between Aβ+ and Aβ− VCD group.

Discussion

Comorbid Aβ pathology affects the manifestation of VCD, but effects differ by severity of VCD.
2019 Barnard Prize Winner- A Nation of Ink and Paint: Map Drawing and Geographic Pedagogy in the American Ceylon Mission
Authors: Balmforth Mark E.
Published: November 2019

Emma Willard's map-drawing geographic pedagogy revolutionized early nineteenth-century American education, turning students into participants in the crafting of the new nation. This essay explores the conditions under which map drawing was transported to American missionary schools in South Asia and helped instigate a Tamil nation in British Ceylon. What did the missionaries intend the teaching method to impart? What were the consequences of this pedagogical form on dominant Tamil portrayals of space and identity in Ceylon? To answer these questions and to track the foreign career of American didactic mapmaking, this essay draws on print and manuscript archival materials, including two maps by a Tamil student at the American Ceylon Mission named Robert Breckenridge. The essay argues that the use of map-drawing pedagogy in Ceylon partially transmitted American ways of being in the world, which were consequential for local spatial knowledges and the crafting of a Tamil national identity on the island.
Spanish Wine Cooperatives’ Business Performance: Innovation Capabilities and Miles and Snow Strategies
Authors: Ferrer Juan-Ramón , Abella-Garcés Silvia , Maza María-Teresa
Published: November 2019

Agricultural cooperatives’ economic performance and efficiency today have great economic and social relevance. Consistent with the recent literature, this article examines wine cooperatives and compares them with wine investor-owned firms, studying their innovation capabilities, Miles and Snow strategies, and performance. A survey was conducted in all the wineries in Spain, with 339 responses. The interactions between the independent variables and the dependent variable were analyzed using the logit regression model. The study points out that cooperatives do not have fewer innovation capabilities, nor are they more inefficient, than investor-owned firms, although the factors that modulate their economic performance are different. (JEL Classifications: L66, M10, P13, Q13)
ORBIFOLD ASPECTS OF CERTAIN OCCULT PERIOD MAPS
Authors: ZHENG ZHIWEI
Published: November 2019

We first characterize the automorphism groups of Hodge structures of cubic threefolds and cubic fourfolds. Then we determine for some complex projective manifolds of small dimension (cubic surfaces, cubic threefolds, and nonhyperelliptic curves of genus 3 or 4), the action of their automorphism groups on Hodge structures of associated cyclic covers, and thus confirm conjectures made by Kudla and Rapoport in (Pacific J. Math.260(2) (2012), 565–581).
Japan’s Central Asia Policy Revisited: National Identity, Interests, and Foreign Policy Discourses
Authors: Insebayeva Sabina
Published: November 2019

This article focuses on the nature of Japan’s foreign policy formulation and legitimization through a study of its interaction with Central Asian countries. The article examines foreign policy discourse that constructs Japan’s “self” vis-à-vis Central Asian “other.” It reveals the textual mechanism through which reality, objects, and subjects are constructed, and it interprets the official statements contained in several foreign policy initiatives, in particular, the “Eurasian (Silk Road) Diplomacy,” the “Central Asia plus Japan,” and the “Arc of Freedom and Prosperity,” as an attempt to understand the intersubjective knowledge and analytical lens through which Japanese foreign policy makers conceive and interpret the constructed “reality,” produce foreign policy choices, and choose among identified alternatives.
“Orange Plague”: World War II and the Symbolic Politics of Pro-state Mobilization in Putin’s Russia
Authors: Luxmoore Matthew
Published: November 2019

This article examines the symbolic politics of three pro-state movements that emerged from the “preventive counterrevolution” launched by the Kremlin in response to Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. In 2005, youth movement Nashi played upon war memory at its rallies and branded the opposition “fascist”; in 2012, the Anti-Orange Committee countered opposition protests with mass gatherings at Moscow’s war commemoration sites; in 2015, Antimaidan brought thousands onto Russia’s streets to denounce US-backed regime change and alleged neo-Nazism in Kiev. I show how evocation of the enemy image, through reference to the war experience, played a key role in the symbolism of the preventive counterrevolution. Interviews with activists in these movements discussing their symbolic politics reveal an opposing victim/victor narrative based on an interplay of two World War II myths—the “Great Victory” and the “fascist threat.” Moving beyond approaches that view the Soviet and Russian World War II cult as a triumphalist narrative of the Great Victory over fascism, I conclude that its threat component is an understudied element.
In My Name: The Impact of Regional Identity on Civilian Attitudes in the Armed Conflict in Donbas
Authors: Kudelia Serhiy , van Zyl Johanna
Published: November 2019

This article examines the effect of shared group membership on civilian attitudes regarding insurgent forces during an armed conflict. We rely on the original survey conducted in eight towns of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in May–June 2015. Based on the bivariate and multivariate analysis of the survey results, this article finds that a sense of shared identity with rebel forces at the start of the armed conflict in Donbas had a strong independent effect on civilian views of insurgents. Those respondents who identified themselves as residents of the region were more likely to attribute ideational motives to insurgents, report no knowledge of civilian victimization caused by rebel forces, and feel secure in their presence. By contrast, respondents identifying themselves as Ukrainian citizens were more likely to attribute material motives to insurgents, indicate their responsibility for attacks against civilians, and feel intimidated during direct encounters with rebels. These findings point to broader significance of identity cleavages in explaining the Donbas conflict.
Circadian misalignment imposed by nocturnal feeding tends to increase fat deposition in pigs
Authors: van Erp Rik J. J. , de Vries Sonja , van Kempen Theo A. T. G. , Den Hartog Leo A. , Gerrits Walter J. J.
Published: November 2019

Misalignment of day/night and feeding rhythms has been shown to increase fat deposition and the risk for metabolic disorders in humans and rodents. In most studies, however, food intake and intake patterns are not controlled. We studied the effects of circadian misalignment on energy expenditure in pigs while controlling for food intake as well as intake patterns. Twelve groups of five male pigs were housed in respiration chambers and fed either during the day (10.00–18.00 hours; DF) or night (22.00–06.00 hours; NF), bihourly the same sequential meals, representing 15, 10, 25, 30 and 20 % of the daily allowance. Paired feeding was applied to ensure equal gross energy intake between treatments. Apparent total tract digestibility, energy balances and heat partitioning were measured and analysed using a mixed linear model. Apparent total tract energy and DM digestibility tended to be lower for NF-pigs than DF-pigs (P < 0·10). Heat production was 3 % lower for NF-pigs than DF-pigs (P < 0·026), increasing fat retention by 7 % in NF-pigs (P = 0·050). NF-pigs were less active than DF-pigs during the feeding period, but more active during the fasting period. RMR was greater for DF-pigs than NF-pigs during the fasting period. Methane production was 30 % greater in NF-pigs than DF-pigs (P < 0·001). In conclusion, circadian misalignment has little effect on nutrient digestion, but alters nutrient partitioning, ultimately increasing fat deposition. The causality of the association between circadian misalignment and methane production rates remains to be investigated.
On the quotients of mapping class groups of surfaces by the Johnson subgroups
Authors: ZEMAN TOMÁŠ
Published: November 2019

We study quotients of mapping class groups
${\Gamma _{g,1}}$
of oriented surfaces with one boundary component by the subgroups
${{\cal I}_{g,1}}(k)$
in the Johnson filtrations, and we show that the stable classifying spaces
${\mathbb {Z}} \times B{({\Gamma _\infty }/{{\cal I}_\infty }(k))^ + }$
after plus-construction are infinite loop spaces, fitting into a tower of infinite loop space maps that interpolates between the infinite loop spaces
${\mathbb {Z}} \times B\Gamma _\infty ^ + $
and
${\mathbb {Z}} \times B{({\Gamma _\infty }/{{\cal I}_\infty }(1))^ + } \simeq {\mathbb {Z}} \times B{\rm{Sp}}{({\mathbb {Z}})^ + }$
. We also show that for each level k of the Johnson filtration, the homology of these quotients with suitable systems of twisted coefficients stabilises as the genus of the surface goes to infinity.
A personalized requirement identifying model for design improvement based on user profiling
Authors: Li Jing , Zhang Xinwei , Wang Keqin , Zheng Chen , Tong Shurong , Eynard Benoit
Published: November 2019

The personalization of products and services has become an inevitable trend in the manufacturing and service industry, but it is very difficult to identify users' personalized requirements accurately. This paper solves this problem by constructing an identifying model for personalized requirement based on user profiling. Firstly, the framework of the proposed model and the process of identifying the user's personalized requirements with this model are introduced, and then an experimental scheme for obtaining users' profiling data is designed. On this basis, an experiment is performed by investigating users' requirements for the computer to obtain the data, and the data are used for the analysis based on the proposed model. The analysis result shows that the model can reveal the difference among heterogeneous users well, find out the implicit requirements of users, and identify the gap between existing products and users' personalized requirements, which provides support to the subsequent improvement of product design.
Depletion-of-susceptibles bias in influenza vaccine waning studies: how to ensure robust results
Authors: Lipsitch M. , Goldstein E. , Ray G. T. , Fireman B.
Published: November 2019

Vaccine effectiveness studies are subject to biases due to depletion-of-persons at risk of infection, or at especially high risk of infection, at different rates from different groups (depletion-of-susceptibles bias), a problem that can also lead to biased estimates of waning effectiveness, including spurious inference of waning when none exists. An alternative study design to identify waning is to study only vaccinated persons, and compare for each day the incidence in persons with earlier or later dates of vaccination to assess waning in vaccine protection as a function of vaccination time (namely whether earlier vaccination would result in lower subsequent protection compared to later vaccination). Prior studies suggested under what conditions this alternative would yield correct estimates of waning. Here we define the depletion-of-susceptibles process formally and show mathematically that for influenza vaccine waning studies, a randomised trial or corresponding observational study that compares incidence at a specific calendar time among individuals vaccinated at different times before the influenza season begins will not be vulnerable to depletion-of-susceptibles bias in its inference of waning as a function of vaccination time under the null hypothesis that none exists, and will – if waning does actually occur – underestimate the extent of waning. Such a design is thus robust in the sense that a finding of waning in that inference framework reflects actual waning of vaccine-induced immunity. We recommend such a design for future studies of waning, whether observational or randomised.
DIGITAL IMAGING AND ARCHAEOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE CASCAJAL BLOCK: ESTABLISHING CONTEXT AND AUTHENTICITY FOR THE EARLIEST KNOWN OLMEC TEXT
Authors: Englehardt Joshua D. , Insaurralde Caballero Mirta A. , Melgar Tísoc Emiliano R. , Velázquez Maldonado Luis R. , Guzmán Torres Viridiana , Bernard Henri Noel , Carrasco Michael D.
Published: November 2019

Although the Cascajal Block (CB), an incised greenstone slab from southeastern Veracruz, Mexico, arguably contains the earliest written text in the New World, debate remains regarding the object's authenticity, dating, and cultural affiliation. To address these issues, this article details recent analyses of the CB via polynomial texture mapping (PTM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PTM revealed new details that have resulted in a new epigraphic drawing of the block's incised text and allowed for improved identification of several constituent signs. Spectrometric analysis confirmed that the chemical composition of the CB matrix is consistent with serpentine and identified a uniform patina on its surface, which provided additional contextual data. SEM micrographs of polymer replica molds taken from the incised text evidence manufacturing traces that correspond to lapidary techniques observed on other Formative-period Olmec objects of secure provenience. Results assist in clarifying the archaeological contexts of the object and confirm that in terms of symbols, material, and manufacture the CB conforms to other Formative-period Olmec objects, supporting the object's authenticity, dating, and cultural affiliation.
Association between palliative care and the rate of advanced care planning: A systematic review
Authors: Koffler Shahar , Mintzker Yishai , Shai Ayelet
Published: November 2019

Objective

Advanced care planning (ACP) is central to patients' dignity and autonomy; however, in many countries it is underutilized. Studies that tested the effects of palliative care (PC) often included the rate of documented ACP as a secondary end point. We aimed to assess the contribution of PC to the rate of ACP among terminally ill patients by systematically reviewing relevant clinical trials.

Method

PUBMED and “Cochrane trials” databases were screened for clinical trials published until October 2017 that compared the addition of PC to standard treatment and that had ACP as a primary or a secondary end point. Studies were assessed for validity by three investigators using the Cochrane Collaboration tool and the ROBINS-I tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and for cohort studies, respectively.

Results

Twenty-six trials with 37,924 patients were included. Four were RCTs, nine were cohort studies, and 12 were cross-sectional studies. Randomized trials had the lowest risk of bias. There was a positive correlation between the addition of PC and ACP in 25 studies, among them four randomized trials.

Significance of results

In this systematic review, PC was associated with improvement in the rate of ACP. Understanding the significant effect of PC on the completion of ACP is an additional emphasis on the importance of this treatment among terminally ill patients.
Influence of 2,4-D, dicamba, and glyphosate on clethodim efficacy of volunteer glyphosate-resistant corn
Authors: Harre Nick T. , Young Julie M. , Young Bryan G.
Published: November 2019

Management of volunteer glyphosate-resistant (GR) corn may be problematic in soybean resistant to glyphosate and 2,4-D or dicamba, as auxinic herbicides often antagonize graminicide efficacy. Field and greenhouse trials were conducted using mixtures of 2,4-D or dicamba in combination with glyphosate and clethodim-A (formulated without an adjuvant) or clethodim-SM (adjuvant-inclusive formulation) to determine the effect on volunteer GR corn control. Neither auxinic herbicide reduced clethodim efficacy, regardless of clethodim rate or formulation in field trials. However, the addition of glyphosate to these mixtures at the 35 g ai ha−1 clethodim dose reduced control from clethodim-A and clethodim-SM by 62% to 75% and 27% to 47%, respectively. Increasing the clethodim dose to 105 g ha−1 or greater in combination with glyphosate and either auxinic herbicide generally restored clethodim efficacy (74% to 98% control); in one site-year, the addition of glyphosate plus dicamba to clethodim-A at 140 g ha−1 still reduced control by 34%. In greenhouse experiments, clethodim-A efficacy was reduced by 17% and 28% when applied with glyphosate plus 420 and 1,680 g ae ha−1 2,4-D, respectively, in the absence of crop oil concentrate (COC). Increasing the dose of dicamba in a similar mixture had a negligible effect. Irrespective of auxinic herbicide dose, the inclusion of COC to clethodim-A mixtures with glyphosate plus 2,4-D or dicamba resulted in ≥ 90% control. These results specify an enhanced risk of reduced clethodim efficacy on volunteer GR corn when glyphosate is added to mixtures containing 2,4-D or dicamba. To optimize control from these mixtures, clethodim should be applied at ≥ 105 g ha−1 and should include an activator adjuvant in the form of COC and/or an adjuvant-inclusive clethodim formulation. This recommendation contrasts with several labels of clethodim that do not require COC when applied with adjuvant-loaded glyphosate products.
Tuberculosis: Diagnostic Challenges in Rural Africa
Authors: Masawa Ngisi , Bani Farida , Ndege Robert
Published: November 2019

Abstract. Tuberculosis (TB) remains among the top 10 infectious diseases with highest mortality globally since the 1990s despite effective chemotherapy. Among 10 million patients that fell ill with tuberculosis in the year 2017, 36 % were undiagnosed or detected and not reported; the number goes as high as 55 % in Tanzania, showing that the diagnosis of TB is a big challenge in the developing countries. There have been great advancements in TB diagnostics with introduction of the molecular tests such as Xpert MTB/RIF, loop-mediated isothermal amplification, lipoarabinomannan urine strip test, and molecular line-probe assays. However, most of the hospitals in Tanzania still rely on the TB score chart in children, the WHO screening questions in adults, acid-fast bacilli and chest x-ray for the diagnosis of TB. Xpert MTB/RIF has been rolled-out but remains a challenge in settings where the samples for testing must be transported over many kilometers. Imaging by sonography – nowadays widely available even in rural settings of Tanzania – has been shown to be a useful tool in the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Despite all the efforts and new diagnostics, 30–50 % of patients in high-burden TB countries are still empirically treated for tuberculosis. More efforts need to be placed if we are to reduce the death toll by 90 % until 2030.
Ultraschallkurs in Ifakara (Tansania) mit Fallbeispielen
Authors: Neugebauer Felix , Tuma Jan , Rohaceck Martin , Weisser Maja , Stieger Roland , Serra Andreas
Published: November 2019

Zusammenfassung. Zwei Praxisfälle aus dem Ultraschallkurs in Ifakara, Tansania, werden vorgestellt. Fall 1 zeigt den diagnostischen Wert von Abdomen- und Thoraxultraschall bei einem polytraumatisierten Patienten mit Milzruptur. In Fall 2 werden die sonografischen Zeichen der pulmonalen und extrapulmonalen Tuberkulose dargestellt.
Leisten fachspezifische Studierfähigkeitstests im deutschsprachigen Raum eine valide Studienerfolgsprognose?
Authors: Schult Johannes , Hofmann Arvid , Stegt Stephan J.
Published: November 2019

Zusammenfassung. Fachspezifische Studierfähigkeitstests werden in mehreren zulassungsbeschränkten Studiengängen als Auswahlinstrument eingesetzt. Eine Metaanalyse von Hell, Trapmann und Schuler (2007) ermittelte eine hohe prognostische Validität solcher Tests. Seitdem hat es allerdings umfassende Veränderungen des Bildungssystems (z. B. Bologna-Prozess, Änderungen der Schulsysteme) sowie eine stete Weiterentwicklung der Testverfahren gegeben. Zur Klärung der Frage, ob fachspezifische Studierfähigkeitstests nach wie vor eine gute Erfolgsprognose liefern, schreibt die vorliegende Arbeit die Metaanalyse von Hell et al. (2007) fort. Die prognostische Validität im deutschsprachigen Raum ist stabil geblieben (ρ = .427, K = 54 Stichproben, N = 8410 Personen). Es fanden sich höhere Validitäten bei neueren Studien, Zeitschriftenartikeln mit Peer-Review, universitären Stichproben sowie bei kürzerem Abstand zwischen Test und Studiennotenerfassung. Zudem zeigten sich Fachunterschiede bezüglich der prognostischen Validität beispielsweise zugunsten von Sozialwissenschaften (ρ = .510). Die Studierfähigkeitstests besitzen außerdem eine inkrementelle Validität über die Abiturnote hinaus (Δ R² = .081, k = 31, n = 3999). Die Befunde sprechen dafür, dass die Testverfahren einen hilfreichen Beitrag zur erfolgreichen Studierendenauswahl liefern (als Alternative oder Ergänzung zur Abiturnote).
Sozio-emotionale Kompetenzen mehrsprachiger Kindergartenkinder und deren Wechselwirkungen mit den Sprachleistungen im Deutschen
Authors: Ertanir Beyhan , Kratzmann Jens , Sachse Steffi
Published: November 2019

Zusammenfassung. Gegenstand des vorliegenden Beitrags sind die bislang kaum betrachteten sozio-emotionalen Kompetenzen mehrsprachiger Kindergartenkinder und deren reziproke Beziehungen mit den sprachlichen Kompetenzen im Deutschen. Unter Heranziehung längsschnittlicher Daten ( N = 216) konnte in dieser Untersuchung gezeigt werden, dass die mehrsprachigen Kinder als Gruppe über altersangemessene sozio-emotionale Kompetenzen verfügen und diese im Zusammenhang mit den sprachlichen Leistungen der Kinder ( r = .18- .27, p ≤ .001) stehen. Eine Cross-lagged-panel-Analyse ergab ferner, dass frühe sozio-emotionale Kompetenzen den Zuwachs an Sprachkompetenzen nach einem Jahr prädizieren (ß = .08, p ≤ .05), allerdings der frühe Wortschatz nicht zur Vorhersage späterer sozio-emotionaler Kompetenzen beiträgt. Diese Befunde weisen auf einen unidirektionalen Zusammenhang in der frühen Kindheit hin. Abschließend werden Implikationen für zukünftige Forschung und pädagogische Praxis diskutiert.
Ocean Heat Content and the Intraseasonal Oscillation
Authors: Rydbeck A. V. , Jensen T. G. , Smith T. A. , Flatau M. K. , Janiga M. A. , Reynolds C. A. , Ridout J. A.
Published: November 2019

Intraseasonal sea surface temperature anomalies generally cool during the convectively active phase of the intraseasonal oscillation in the Indian Ocean, but the behavior of intraseasonal ocean heat content anomalies is quite different. This is demonstrated using satellite observations and ocean reanalysis data. Ocean heat content anomalies increase during the convectively active phase of the intraseasonal oscillation and decrease during the convectively suppressed phase. Much of the intraseasonal variability of ocean heat content is westward propagating, moving in the opposite direction of the intraseasonal oscillation's convective envelope. While sea surface temperature anomalies are strongly regulated by variations in surface fluxes, their out of phase relationship with ocean heat content suggests that different processes are modulating the reservoir of warm water in the upper ocean. We hypothesize that oceanic equatorial waves are the primary forcing of intraseasonal ocean heat content anomalies during intraseasonal oscillation events.
Reevaluating Volcanic Deformation Using Atmospheric Corrections: Implications for the Magmatic System of Agung Volcano, Indonesia
Authors: Yip Stanley Tze Hou , Biggs Juliet , Albino Fabien
Published: November 2019

A major challenge in using satellite interferometry (interferometric synthetic aperture radar) for volcanic monitoring in the tropics is distinguishing volcano deformation from atmospheric noise. We reanalyzed interferometric synthetic aperture radar time series from 2007–2009 from Agung volcano, Indonesia, which had previously been used as evidence for unrest. Using uncorrected data, we find an apparent velocity of 5.0±2.7 cm/yr consistent with previous reports, but we show that this signal is consistent with predictions of atmospheric contributions derived from weather models (European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts‐High‐Resolution). Following the correction, we find a velocity of 1.4±4.2 cm/yr and conclude that there was no significant deformation related to the inflation of a shallow magma source from 2007–2009. We discuss the implications for the inferred magma storage system at Agung and consider which other reported signals might have been wrongly attributed to deformation and should be reanalyzed.
Investigating ENSO‐Related Temperature Variability in Equatorial Pacific Core‐Tops Using Mg/Ca in Individual Planktic Foraminifera
Authors: Rongstad Brigitta L. , Marchitto Thomas M. , Serrato Marks Gabriela , Koutavas Athanasios , Mekik Figen , Ravelo Ana Christina
Published: November 2019

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the largest source of interannual climate variability on Earth today; however, future ENSO remains difficult to predict. Evaluation of paleo‐ENSO may help improve our basic understanding of the phenomenon and help resolve discrepancies among models tasked with simulating future climate. Individual foraminifera analysis allows continuous down‐core records of ENSO‐related temperature variability through the construction and comparison of paleotemperature distributions; however, there has been little focus on calibrating this technique to modern conditions. Here, we present data from individual measurements of Mg/Ca in two species of planktic foraminifera, surface dwelling Globigerinoides ruber and thermocline dwelling Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, from nine core tops across the equatorial Pacific (n ≈ 70 per core for each species). Population variance, kernel probability density functions, and quantile‐quantile analyses are used to evaluate the shape of each Mg/Ca‐temperature distribution and to compare them to modern conditions using monthly temperatures from the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation. We show that populations of individual Mg/Ca measurements in both G. ruber and N. dutertrei reflect site‐specific temperature distribution shapes and variances across the equatorial Pacific when accounting for regional differences in depth habitats. Individual measurements of both taxa capture zonal increases in population variance from the western equatorial Pacific to the central equatorial Pacific and a spatially heterogeneous eastern equatorial Pacific, consistent with modern conditions. Lastly, we show that populations of individual Mg/Ca measurements are able to recover meaningful differences in temperature variability between sites within the eastern equatorial Pacific, lending support to this tool's application for paleo‐ENSO reconstructions.
Germline genetic variation in prostate susceptibility does not predict outcomes in the chemoprevention trials PCPT and SELECT
Authors:   the PRACTICAL consortium, Ahmed Mahbubl , Goh Chee , Saunders Edward , Cieza-Borrella Clara , Kote-Jarai Zsofia , Schumacher Fredrick R. , Eeles Ros
Published: November 2019

Background

The development of prostate cancer can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Numerous germline SNPs influence prostate cancer susceptibility. The functional pathways in which these SNPs increase prostate cancer susceptibility are unknown. Finasteride is currently not being used routinely as a chemoprevention agent but the long term outcomes of the PCPT trial are awaited. The outcomes of the SELECT trial have not recommended the use of chemoprevention in preventing prostate cancer. This study investigated whether germline risk SNPs could be used to predict outcomes in the PCPT and SELECT trial.

Methods

Genotyping was performed in European men entered into the PCPT trial (n = 2434) and SELECT (n = 4885). Next generation genotyping was performed using Affymetrix® Eureka™ Genotyping protocols. Logistic regression models were used to test the association of risk scores and the outcomes in the PCPT and SELECT trials.

Results

Of the 100 SNPs, 98 designed successfully and genotyping was validated for samples genotyped on other platforms. A number of SNPs predicted for aggressive disease in both trials. Men with a higher polygenic score are more likely to develop prostate cancer in both trials, but the score did not predict for other outcomes in the trial.

Conclusion

Men with a higher polygenic risk score are more likely to develop prostate cancer. There were no interactions of these germline risk SNPs and the chemoprevention agents in the SELECT and PCPT trials.
Homogenous generation of dopaminergic neurons from multiple hiPSC lines by transient expression of transcription factors
Authors: Mahajani Sameehan , Raina Anupam , Fokken Claudia , Kügler Sebastian , Bähr Mathias
Published: November 2019

A major hallmark of Parkinson's disease is loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). The pathophysiological mechanisms causing this relatively selective neurodegeneration are poorly understood, and thus experimental systems allowing to study dopaminergic neuron dysfunction are needed. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) differentiated toward a dopaminergic neuronal phenotype offer a valuable source to generate human dopaminergic neurons. However, currently available protocols result in a highly variable yield of dopaminergic neurons depending on the source of hiPSCs. We have now developed a protocol based on HBA promoter-driven transient expression of transcription factors by means of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors, that allowed to generate very consistent numbers of dopaminergic neurons from four different human iPSC lines. We also demonstrate that AAV vectors expressing reporter genes from a neuron-specific hSyn1 promoter can serve as surrogate markers for maturation of hiPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons. Dopaminergic neurons differentiated by transcription factor expression showed aggravated neurodegeneration through α-synuclein overexpression, but were not sensitive to γ-synuclein overexpression, suggesting that these neurons are well suited to study neurodegeneration in the context of Parkinson’s disease.
Brain age prediction using deep learning uncovers associated sequence variants
Authors: Jonsson B. A. , Bjornsdottir G. , Thorgeirsson T. E. , Ellingsen L. M. , Walters G. Bragi , Gudbjartsson D. F. , Stefansson H. , Stefansson K. , Ulfarsson M. O.
Published: November 2019

Machine learning algorithms can be trained to estimate age from brain structural MRI. The difference between an individual’s predicted and chronological age, predicted age difference (PAD), is a phenotype of relevance to aging and brain disease. Here, we present a new deep learning approach to predict brain age from a T1-weighted MRI. The method was trained on a dataset of healthy Icelanders and tested on two datasets, IXI and UK Biobank, utilizing transfer learning to improve accuracy on new sites. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PAD in the UK Biobank data (discovery set:$$N=12378$$N=12378, replication set:$$N=4456$$N=4456) yielded two sequence variants, rs1452628-T ($$\beta =-0.08$$β=−0.08,$$P=1.15\times{10}^{-9}$$P=1.15×10−9) and rs2435204-G ($$\beta =0.102$$β=0.102,$$P=9.73\times 1{0}^{-12}$$P=9.73×10−12). The former is nearKCNK2and correlates with reduced sulcal width, whereas the latter correlates with reduced white matter surface area and tags a well-known inversion at 17q21.31 (H2).
Anisotropic polymer nanoparticles with controlled dimensions from the morphological transformation of isotropic seeds
Authors: Hua Zan , Jones Joseph R. , Thomas Marjolaine , Arno Maria C. , Souslov Anton , Wilks Thomas R. , O’Reilly Rachel K.
Published: November 2019

Understanding and controlling self-assembly processes at multiple length scales is vital if we are to design and create advanced materials. In particular, our ability to organise matter on the nanoscale has advanced considerably, but still lags far behind our skill in manipulating individual molecules. New tools allowing controlled nanoscale assembly are sorely needed, as well as the physical understanding of how they work. Here, we report such a method for the production of highly anisotropic nanoparticles with controlled dimensions based on a morphological transformation process (MORPH, for short) driven by the formation of supramolecular bonds. We present a minimal physical model for MORPH that suggests a general mechanism which is potentially applicable to a large number of polymer/nanoparticle systems. We envision MORPH becoming a valuable tool for controlling nanoscale self-assembly, and for the production of functional nanostructures for diverse applications.