bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crown ethers as shift reagents in peptide epimer differentiation –conclusions from examination of ac-(H)FRW-NH2 petide sequences
Authors: Zimnicka Magdalena M.
Published: October 2020

Crown ethers with different ring sizes and substituents (18-crown-6, dibenzo-18-crown-6, dicyclohexano-18-crown-6, a chiral tetracarboxylic acid-18-crown-6 ether, dibenzo-21-crown-7, and dibenzo-30-crown-10) were evaluated as shift reagents to differentiate epimeric model peptides (tri-and tetrapeptides) using ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS). The stable associates of peptide epimers with crown ethers were detected and examined using traveling-wave ion mobility time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Synapt G2-S HDMS) equipped with an electrospray ion source. The overall decrease of the epimer separation upon crown ether complexation was observed. The increase of the effectiveness of the microsolvation of a basic moiety - guanidine or ammonium group in the peptide had no or little effect on the epimer discrimination. Any increase of the epimer separation, which referred to the specific association mode between crown substituents and a given peptide sequence, was drastically reduced for the longer peptide sequence (tetrapeptide). The obtained results suggest that the application of the crown ethers as shift reagents in ion mobility mass spectrometry is limited to the formation of complexes differing in stoichiometry rather than it refers to a specific coordination mode between a crown ether and a peptide molecule.
Systemic Inflammatory Burden Correlates with Severity and Predicts Outcomes in Patients with Cardiogenic Shock Supported by a Percutaneous Mechanical Assist Device
Authors: Diakos Nikolaos A. , Thayer Katherine , Swain Lija , Goud Maithri , Jain Pankaj , Kapur Navin K.
Published: October 2020

In-hospital mortality associated with cardiogenic shock (CS) remains high despite introduction of mechanical circulatory support. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether systemic inflammation is associated with clinical outcomes in CS. We retrospectively analyzed systemic cytokine levels and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a marker of low-grade inflammation, among 134 patients with CS supported by VA-ECMO or Impella. Sixty-one percent of patients survived CS and either underwent device explantation or were bridged to LVAD or cardiac transplant. IL6 was the predominant circulating cytokine. IL6 levels were reduced after circulatory support in survivors. NLR pre-device implantation was significantly lower in patients with earlier stages of cardiogenic shock. Compared with non-survivors, survivors had a lower pre-device NLR and NLR was independently predictive of survival after adjusting for other covariates. In summary, NLR is a widely available marker of inflammation and correlates with in-hospital mortality among patients with cardiogenic shock requiring percutaneous mechanical circulatory support.
Strategies for Reducing the Impact of Cycling on the Perineum in Healthy Males: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Litwinowicz Kamil , Choroszy Marcin , Wróbel Anna
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Perineal pressure associated with bicycle riding is the cause of several genitourinary pathologies, most notably Alcock’s syndrome and subsequent perineal numbness. The possible link between cycling-induced perineal numbness and erectile dysfunction makes the development of strategies for perineal protection in bicycle users critical.

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of strategies for reducing the impact of cycling on the perineum in healthy males.

Methods

We have conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of studies examining various means of reducing the impact of cycling on the perineum under the PRISMA guidelines.

Results

Out of 2217 screened studies, 22 met our inclusion criteria, and 6 qualified for meta-analysis. The strategies included various designs of saddles, changes in the cycling position, seat shock absorber, shorts with different padding, using the recumbent bike. Using the no-nose saddle and recumbent bike resulted in a significant reduction of perineal pressure and higher penile oxygen pressure compared with a standard saddle. Indirect evidence supports the protective effect of standing on the pedals every few minutes during cycling. More evidence is needed to support—or dismiss—other strategies.

Conclusions

Current evidence supports the use of no-nose saddles as a mean to reduce the negative impact of cycling on the perineum in healthy males at the cost of worse stability and increase of posterior seat pressure. Standing on the pedals every ten minutes might be an effective and potentially widely applicable strategy. The use of a recumbent bike appears to protect the perineum, but several concerns prevent its widespread use.
Instrumental and Pavlovian Mechanisms in Alcohol Use Disorder
Authors: Doñamayor Nuria , Ebrahimi Claudia , Garbusow Maria , Wedemeyer Friederike , Schlagenhauf Florian , Heinz Andreas
Published: October 2020

Purpose of Review

Current theories of alcohol use disorders (AUD) highlight the importance of Pavlovian and instrumental learning processes mainly based on preclinical animal studies. Here, we summarize available evidence for alterations of those processes in human participants with AUD with a focus on habitual versus goal-directed instrumental learning, Pavlovian conditioning, and Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigms.

Recent Findings

The balance between habitual and goal-directed control in AUD participants has been studied using outcome devaluation or sequential decision-making procedures, which have found some evidence of reduced goal-directed/model-based control, but little evidence for stronger habitual responding. The employed Pavlovian learning and PIT paradigms have shown considerable differences regarding experimental procedures, e.g., alcohol-related or conventional reinforcers or stimuli.

While studies of basic learning processes in human participants with AUD support a role of Pavlovian and instrumental learning mechanisms in the development and maintenance of drug addiction, current studies are characterized by large variability regarding methodology, sample characteristics, and results, and translation from animal paradigms to human research remains challenging. Longitudinal approaches with reliable and ecologically valid paradigms of Pavlovian and instrumental processes, including alcohol-related cues and outcomes, are warranted and should be combined with state-of-the-art imaging techniques, computational approaches, and ecological momentary assessment methods.
Replanting a Deserted Field: Kardecism’s New Establishment in German-Speaking Countries
Authors: Kleinhempel Ullrich Relebogilwe
Published: October 2020

Kardecism has been reintroduced to all German-speaking countries over the past four decades. Here, its lines of tradition have factually been severed, since the Second World War. It has been reintroduced successfully by a handful of local influential personalities engaged in quests for new orientation in the fields of spirituality, therapy and medicine, striving for integrated views and practices and by Kardecist Brazilian professionals established here. This essay retraces the lines of tradition in countries of German culture which have influenced the genesis of Kardecism and which have contributed to its development here. In a systemic perspective, it takes aspects of therapy, philosophy, culture, religion, science and spirituality into view, including resonances to related movements from the 19th entry to the present. These factors are discussed as conditioning the reception and claim to legitimacy in present German-speaking societies. In addition to the perspectives of cultural and social history, the composition and developments on the realm of religious adherence here are taken into view as conditioning the reception of Kardecism. Its activities and organisation are presented. An account of its reintroduction is given from personal sources. The outlook for its further development and integration here are considered.
MERACLE: Constructive Layer-Wise Conversion of a Tensor Train into a MERA
Authors: Batselier Kim , Cichocki Andrzej , Wong Ngai
Published: October 2020

In this article, two new algorithms are presented that convert a given data tensor train into either a Tucker decomposition with orthogonal matrix factors or a multi-scale entanglement renormalization ansatz (MERA). The Tucker core tensor is never explicitly computed but stored as a tensor train instead, resulting in both computationally and storage efficient algorithms. Both the multilinear Tucker-ranks as well as the MERA-ranks are automatically determined by the algorithm for a given upper bound on the relative approximation error. In addition, an iterative algorithm with low computational complexity based on solving an orthogonal Procrustes problem is proposed for the first time to retrieve optimal rank-lowering disentangler tensors, which are a crucial component in the construction of a low-rank MERA. Numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms together with the potential storage benefit of a low-rank MERA over a tensor train.
Early Detection of Covid-19 in Canadian Provinces and its Anticipatory Measures for a Medical Emergency
Authors: Kamboj Vikram Kumar , Verma Chaman , Gupta Anish
Published: October 2020

The spread of COVID-19 is incearsing day by day and it has put the entire world and the whole humankind at the stack. The assets of probably the biggest economies are worried because of the enormous infectivity, and transmissibility of this ailment. Because of the developing extent of the number of cases and its ensuing weight on the organization and wellbeing experts, some expectation strategies would be required to anticipate the quantity of evidence in the future. In this paper, we have utilized time series forecasting approach entitled autoregressive integrated moving average, and bend fitting for the forecast of the quantity of COVID-19 cases in Canadian Province for 30 days ahead. The estimates of different parameters (number of positive cases, number of recouped cases, and decrease cases) got by the proposed strategy is exact inside a specific range, and will be a beneficial apparatus for overseers, and wellbeing officials to organize the clinical office in the distinctive Canadian Province.
Enabling robust and accurate navigation for UAVs using real-time GNSS precise point positioning and IMU integration
Authors: Chi C. , Zhan X. , Wang S. , Zhai Y.
Published: October 2020

Accurate navigation is required in many Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications. In recent years, GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) has been recognised as an efficient approach for providing precise positioning services. In contrast to the widely used Real-Time Kinematic (RTK), PPP is independent of reference stations, which greatly broadens its scope of application. However, the accuracy and reliability of PPP can be significantly decreased by poor GNSS satellite geometry and outage. In response, a real-time four-constellation GNSS PPP is applied to improve the geometry in this work, and PPP is tightly coupled with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to smooth the position and velocity output, thus improving the robustness of the navigation solution. Experimental flight tests are carried out using a UAV in an open-sky area, and GNSS-challenged environments are simulated. The results show that the four-constellation GNSS PPP/IMU integration reduces the Root-Mean-Square (RMS) Three-Dimensional (3D) positioning and velocity error by 76.4% and 67.1%, respectively, in open sky with respect to the one-GNSS PPP. Under scenarios where GNSS measurements are insufficient, the coupled system can still provide continuous solutions. Moreover, the coupled PPP/IMU system can also maintain the convergence of PPP during GNSS-challenged periods and can greatly shorten the re-convergence period of PPP when the UAV returns to the open sky.
What a city eats: Examining the dietary preferences of families living in communities at high risk for food insecurity
Authors: Cummer Elaina , Loyola Amador Claudia , Montez Kimberly , Skelton Joseph A. , Ramirez Brenda , Best Scott , Zimmer Rachel , Palakshappa Deepak
Published: October 2020

Introduction:

Food insecurity (FI) is the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy life. Community-based hunger relief programs often serve as emergency food sources for families with FI. However, these programs may not provide foods that diverse populations of people prefer. We sought to evaluate the dietary patterns and preferences of families living in food-insecure neighborhoods and utilizing a community-based hunger relief program, in order to improve the utilization of local nutritional programs.

Methods:

We examined the Help Our People Eat (HOPE) community-based mobile meal program. Free-listing interviews (n = 63) were conducted with English-(66%) and Spanish-speaking (34%) participants of the program. Participants were asked about FI risk, food preferences, and dietary behaviors at home.

Results:

The majority of participants (90%) had children in the household. About 60% reported not being able to afford the type of food they enjoyed. Most participants reported using stoves for cooking (80%). Participants overwhelmingly cooked with chicken, beef, and pork. The most common side dishes included potatoes, rice, and salad. Most participants reported no interest in cooking differently or learning new recipes.

Conclusions:

A common theme throughout interviews was that families prefer similar meals, but may prepare them differently based on the language spoken. Food preferences consisted of a high intake of carbohydrate-rich meals, perhaps because these foods may be cheaper and easier to access. Notably, new recipes and cooking methods were not a priority for these families, possibly due to the time and effort needed to learn them.
A novel system to collect dual pulse oximetry data for critical congenital heart disease screening research
Authors: Doshi Kavish , Rehm Gregory B. , Vadlaputi Pranjali , Lai Zhengfeng , Lakshminrusimha Satyan , Chuah Chen-Nee , Siefkes Heather M.
Published: October 2020

Introduction:

Access to patient medical data is critical to building a real-time data analytic pipeline for improving care providers’ ability to detect, diagnose, and prognosticate diseases. Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) is a common group of neonatal life-threatening defects that must be promptly diagnosed to minimize morbidity and mortality. CCHD can be diagnosed both prenatally and postnatally. However, despite current screening practices involving oxygen saturation analysis, timely diagnosis is missed in approximately 900 infants with CCHD annually in the USA and can benefit from increased data processing capabilities. Adding non-invasive perfusion measurements to oxygen saturation data can improve the timeliness and fidelity of CCHD diagnostics. However, real-time monitoring and interpretation of non-invasive perfusion data are currently limited.

Methods:

To address this challenge, we created a hardware and software architecture utilizing a Pi-top™ for collecting, visualizing, and storing dual oxygen saturation, perfusion indices, and photoplethysmography data. Data aggregation in our system is automated and all data files are coded with unique study identifiers to facilitate research purposes.

Results:

Using this system, we have collected data from 190 neonates, 130 presumably without and 60 with congenital heart disease, in total comprising 1665 min of information. From these data, we are able to extract non-invasive perfusion features such as perfusion index, radiofemoral delay, and slope of systolic rise or diastolic fall.

Conclusion:

This data collection and waveform analysis is relatively inexpensive and can be used to enhance future CCHD screening algorithms.
Socio-Legal Studies in Germany and the UK: Theory and Methods
Authors: Hendry Jennifer , Creutzfeldt Naomi , Boulanger Christian
Published: October 2020

This Special Issue considers the situated and contextualized development of socio-legal, or law and society, scholarship within two materially different legal and academic cultures, namely Germany and the United Kingdom, with a view to achieving a better understanding of why and how such differences in understanding and practice have arisen. The contributions are grouped into three themes. The first reflects upon the influence of institutional contexts and scholarly traditions in terms of the development of those approaches that come under the banner of socio-legal studies. The second features contributions that adopt a comparative perspective in terms of selected areas of law, pointing to notably different approaches taken in Germany and the UK, and considering the development of these respective situations. The third looks at the key contemporary trends, theoretical applications, and methodological approaches taken within both countries’ socio-legal academic contexts.
Comparative Genealogies of “Contract and Society”
Authors: Eller Klaas Hendrik
Published: October 2020

Since contracts form a basic institution of every legal order, the interdisciplinary orientation of concepts of contracts reveals socio-legal inclinations of a legal order more broadly. Contrasting the UK and US Common Law of contracts with developments under German law, this Article examines the relation between normative and social science approaches, notably rooted in economics, economic sociology, and social theory in the genealogy of contract law. A shared leitmotif over the 20th century has been the drive to account for the societal embeddedness of contract. However, conceptualizations of “Contract and Society” differ considerably between legal orders in their disciplinary ingredients and design. In the US, and to a lesser extent also in the UK, the rather continuous reception of legal realism has paved the way for broad interdisciplinary perspectives on contract law, ranging from classical socio-legal, empirical work (e.g., Macaulay), economics (e.g., Williamson), sociology (e.g., Powell), and critical theory (e.g., Kennedy) to today’s landscape, where essentially instrumental and ideal-normative theories compete. Alternatively, in Germany, where the realist heritage was more ephemeral, the transformations of contract law were processed from within legal discourse and foremost in their effects on private autonomy as conceptualized, for example, in German idealism, discourse theory and critical theory. Similarly, the “constitutionalization” of contract law—even if championed for fostering private law’s reflexivity—has, for the most part, defied a socio-legal orientation. Finally, the Article highlights the path dependencies with which these different starting points translate in current debates around the role of contract in transnational governance.
Gender in Socio-Legal Teaching and Research in Germany
Authors: Schultz Ulrike
Published: October 2020

Gender in socio-legal teaching and research in Germany is a story of impediments, hindrances, and of singleperson initiatives—my personal history being a part of this. But it is also a story of influences upon the impulse and inspiration to undertake socio-legal work. My Article is therefore influenced by (feminist) standpoint theory (Harding 1991). Germany has had a very conservative family culture and, over the past decades, many of the legal regulations that infringed upon women have had to be adapted, in what was quite a tedious political process, to comply with the German Constitution’s gender equality clause. Only in the past decade has gender awareness in law faculties increased and gained acceptance, usually as a result of greater focus on diversity issues, and anti-discrimination legislation. Obstacles have resulted from a lack of cooperation between the actors in social sciences and law, as well as in academia and gender equality practice, and a lack of understanding between more conservative and more progressive women. Socio-legal research was, and is, needed to deliver empirical evidence and provide theoretical foundations for cultural and legal changes as societies progress towards gender equality. Socio-legal teaching is needed to alert lawyers to necessary change, to enable them to undertake informed critique, and to prepare them to act. There are, however, marked deficits in socio-legal teaching and research on gender. In spite of an increased political acceptance, gender equality is still mainly a women’s project.
Diversity and systematics of Middle-Late Ordovician calcified cyanobacteria and associated microfossils from Ordos Basin, North China
Authors: Liu Lijing , Wu Yasheng , Bao Hongping , Jiang Hongxia , Zheng Lijing , Chen Yanlong
Published: October 2020

Calcified cyanobacteria are of considerable research value for reconstructing the ecology of Paleozoic and Mesozoic benthic communities on carbonate platforms due to their ability to produce oxygen and fix nitrogen and CO2. The diversity and abundance of calcified cyanobacteria was initially suggested to have declined in the Middle and Late Ordovician, although more recent work suggests that complex and diverse assemblages persisted throughout the Ordovician. Here, calcified cyanobacteria and associated microfossil flora from the Middle and Late Ordovician of the Ordos Basin, North China Block, are systematically described for the first time based on 1330 thin sections from seven outcrop profiles and four drill cores. In total, there are 18 species belonging to 16 genera, including a new species,Proaulopora ordosian. sp.Girvanella,Subtifloria,Acuasiphonoria,Xianella, and Oscillatoriaceae gen. indet. are assigned to Osillatoriales of cyanobacteria;Ortonella,Hedstroemia,Cayeuxia,Zonotrichites,Proaulopora, andPhacelophytonare assigned to Nostocales of cyanobacteria; andGarwoodia,Renalcis,Izhella,Rothpletzella, andWetheredellaare assigned to calcified Microproblematica. A literature survey of Ordovician microfloral assemblages shows that cyanobacteria and associated microfossils occur in reef, open platform, lagoon, and tidal facies. Most genera occur on at least two independent blocks, and many have a cosmopolitan distribution in similar sedimentary facies. Our research suggests that calcified cyanobacteria and associated microfossils formed complex ecosystems and played greater ecological roles on carbonate platforms during the late Middle and Late Ordovician than was previously thought.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/1812ccf8-136c-4cff-92ba-faeaf06523ef
Sensitivity analysis for network observations with applications to inferences of social influence effects
Authors: Xu Ran , Frank Kenneth A.
Published: October 2020

The validity of network observations is sometimes of concern in empirical studies, since observed networks are prone to error and may not represent the population of interest. This lack of validity is not just a result of random measurement error, but often due to systematic bias that can lead to the misinterpretation of actors’ preferences of network selections. These issues in network observations could bias the estimation of common network models (such as those pertaining to influence and selection) and lead to erroneous statistical inferences. In this study, we proposed a simulation-based sensitivity analysis method that can evaluate the robustness of inferences made in social network analysis to six forms of selection mechanisms that can cause biases in network observations—random, homophily, anti-homophily, transitivity, reciprocity, and preferential attachment. We then applied this sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of inferences for social influence effects, and we derived two sets of analytical solutions that can account for biases in network observations due to random, homophily, and anti-homophily selection.
Reconciling the Theoretical and Empirical Study of International Norms: A New Approach to Measurement
Authors: GIRARD TYLER
Published: October 2020

Despite extensive research on international norms, our approach to measurement has not kept pace with theoretical advancements. Existing research often relies on single indicators to facilitate cross-national analysis or employs case-study designs that provide greater nuance but restricted scope. Given these limitations, this note argues that item-response theory (IRT) provides a framework for strengthening the link between our theoretical understanding of norms and empirical measurement of norm adoption. In turn, I develop a modified Bayesian model with substantively informed dynamic priors. The proposed approach is evaluated with the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) equality norm, using 13 policies and laws across 196 countries (1990–2017). The results are broadly consistent with theoretical expectations while also providing new empirical evidence on the evolution of the norm across space and time. This note highlights the significant potential in greater interaction between both latent measurement approaches and scholarship on international norms.
The efficacy of recombinant protein lbk39 for the diagnosis of leishmaniosis in dogs
Authors: Pereira Joyce Carvalho , Dos Santos Sousa Pedro , De Souza Ligia Moraes Barizon , Pasquali Aline Kuhn Sbruzzi , Bates Michelle , Bates Paul , Thomaz Soccol Vanete
Published: October 2020

Visceral leishmaniosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases on the planet and dogs are the main reservoir of canine visceral leishmaniosis (CVL) in endemic areas. They play an important role in human infection because in dogs the disease appears long time after infection, and they can move uncontrollably, contributing to disperse the parasite. To take the decision to treat the animals or for euthanasia, in an elimination programme, in order to reduce the parasitic load, it is necessary to diagnose correctly, having more effective tools. Our group has developed a new recombinant antigen-based kinesin-related gene of Leishmania braziliensis (Lbk39), which shows 59% amino acid identity to the L. infantum homologue. The Lbk39 gene was synthesized, inserted into the pLEXSY-sat2 vector and transfected into L. tarentolae cells by electroporation. The recombinant protein was secreted in the culture with a C-terminal histidine marker, purified, generating a product at 337.68 μg mL−1. A total of 152 sera from dog's endemic and non-endemic areas were used, being 78 positives and 75 negatives. The antigen Lbk39 showed 100% sensitivity and 96.1% specificity. We compared this antigen with other antigens such as total extract of the parasite, TRDPP, and our data indicate that Lbk39 has potential application in the diagnosis of CVL through antibody detection.
Virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Horigome Toshiro , Kurokawa Shunya , Sawada Kyosuke , Kudo Shun , Shiga Kiko , Mimura Masaru , Kishimoto Taishiro
Published: October 2020

Background

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is currently being used to treat social anxiety disorder (SAD); however, VRET's magnitude of efficacy, duration of efficacy, and impact on treatment discontinuation are still unclear.

Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis of studies that investigated the efficacy of VRET for SAD. The search strategy and analysis method are registered at PROSPERO (#CRD42019121097). Inclusion criteria were: (1) studies that targeted patients with SAD or related phobias; (2) studies where VRET was conducted for at least three sessions; (3) studies that included at least 10 participants. The primary outcome was social anxiety evaluation score change. Hedges' g and its 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random-effect models. The secondary outcome was the risk ratio for treatment discontinuation.

Results

Twenty-two studies (n = 703) met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The efficacy of VRET for SAD was significant and continued over a long-term follow-up period: Hedges' g for effect size at post-intervention, −0.86 (−1.04 to −0.68); three months post-intervention, −1.03 (−1.35 to −0.72); 6 months post-intervention, −1.14 (−1.39 to −0.89); and 12 months post-intervention, −0.74 (−1.05 to −0.43). When compared to in vivo exposure, the efficacy of VRET was similar at post-intervention but became inferior at later follow-up points. Participant dropout rates showed no significant difference compared to in vivo exposure.

Conclusion

VRET is an acceptable treatment for SAD patients that has significant, long-lasting efficacy, although it is possible that during long-term follow-up, VRET efficacy lessens as compared to in vivo exposure.
Health and health-care utilisation in old age: the case of older men living alone
Authors: Frausing Kristian Park , Smærup Michael , Larsen Per Lindsø , Maibom Kirsten , Juel Knud , Munk Karen Pallesgaard
Published: October 2020

A growing number of older men are living alone. They are often referred to as an at-risk group in health-care systems. The purpose of this article is to establish an overview of these men's health and health-care utilisation. We do so by drawing on three sources: an online survey with health-care professionals, data from a national self-report health study and register-based data on health-care utilisation. The results show that older men living alone generally have lower health scores than older men co-habiting and that, among older men living alone, lower educational level is associated with lower health scores but also a greater use of free-of-charge health-care services. Health-care professionals conducting preventive home visits consider older men's social needs the most pronounced problem for the men's wellbeing and call for new services to be custom made for them. In this article, we discuss differences between older men living in rural and urban areas and between those who are single, divorced or widowed. We conclude that health and social care systems must differentiate between sub-groups of older men living alone when developing new services and that free-of-charge services, such as general practitioners and home care, should be considered as vehicles for addressing health inequities.
Exposure to early childhood maltreatment and its effect over time on social cognition
Authors: Crawford Katherine M. , Choi Karmel , Davis Kathryn A. , Zhu Yiwen , Soare Thomas W. , Smith Andrew D.A.C. , Germine Laura , Dunn Erin C.
Published: October 2020

Social cognitive deficits can have many negative consequences, spanning social withdrawal to psychopathology. Prior work has shown that child maltreatment may associate with poorer social cognitive skills in later life. However, no studies have examined this association from early childhood into adolescence. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; n = 4,438), we examined the association between maltreatment (caregiver physical or emotional abuse; sexual or physical abuse), assessed repeatedly (every 1–3 years) from birth to age 9, and social cognitive skills at ages 7.5, 10.5, and 14 years. We evaluated the role of both the developmental timing (defined by age at exposure) and accumulation of maltreatment (defined as the number of occasions exposed) using a least angle regression variable selection procedure, followed by structural equation modeling. Among females, accumulation of maltreatment explained the most variation in social cognitive skills. For males, no significant associations were found. These findings underscore the importance of early intervention to minimize the accumulation of maltreatment and showcase the importance of prospective studies to understand the development of social cognition over time.
Transcatheter occlusion of an anomalous origin of left coronary artery from pulmonary artery in an adult as an alternative to surgery
Authors: Sagar Pramod , Sivakumar Kothandam
Published: October 2020

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery causes heart failure and death in infancy. In rare adult survivors with well-developed collaterals, surgical left coronary ligation to arrest steal is often combined with bypass grafting. Transcatheter left coronary artery closure in a symptomatic adult as an alternative to surgical ligation resulted in complete resolution of inducible ischaemia on myocardial perfusion imaging.
Prognostic factors of primary brain metastasis from SCLC treated by whole-brain radiotherapy
Authors: Okada Yukinori , Kobayashi Mariko , Shinozaki Mio , Abe Tatsuyuki , Nakamura Naoki
Published: October 2020

Background:

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has poor prognosis owing to the high risk of distant metastasis.

Purpose:

To identify the prognosticators of brain metastasis from SCLC treated by whole-brain radiotherapy.

Material and methods:

We evaluated patients diagnosed with primary brain metastasis from SCLC between 1 January 2010 and 30 September 2019. Age, sex, disease stage at the first examination, time to the diagnosis of brain metastasis, state of other lesions at the diagnosis of brain metastasis, haematological parameters, neurologic symptoms, whole-brain radiotherapy dose, imaging findings of the brain metastasis (single or multiple), and chemotherapy and radiotherapy status were investigated for correlations with survival from the diagnosis of brain metastasis.

Results:

A total of 24 participants were evaluated. After radiotherapy, the median survival period was 118·5 (22–998) days, and 21 patients died during the follow-up period. Multivariate stepwise analysis of the four parameters of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level (within vs. above the reference value), platelet level (continuous variable), neurologic symptoms (with versus. without), and NSE (neuron-specific enolase) level (continuous variable) identified the following significant differences: neurologic symptoms were 3·81 (95% CI 1·07–13·5, p = 0·04), and NSE was 1·01 (95% CI 1·00–1·01, p = 0·04).

Conclusion:

NSE and neurologic symptoms are prognosticators of brain metastasis from SCLC treated by whole-brain radiotherapy.
Recommodification and the Welfare State in Re/Financialised Austerity Capitalism: Further Eroding Social Citizenship?
Authors: Dukelow Fiona
Published: October 2020

This article reviews the recommodification of social policy in the context of financialised austerity capitalism and post-crisis welfare states. It sets out an understanding of recommodification as a multiple set of processes that involve the state in labour market-making, by shaping labour’s ‘saleability’. Under conditions of finance-dominated austerity capitalism, the article argues that recent dynamics of recommodification complicate the long established Piersonian observations. For Pierson, recommodification signifies how elements of the welfare state that shelter individuals from market pressures are dismantled and replaced with measures which buffer their labour market participation. This article examines ways in which recent policy trends in recommodification, whether by incentivising or coercive means, increase exposure to labour market risks and connect with the growing inequalities between capital and labour under post-crisis re/financialised austerity capitalism. This analysis is paired with a synoptic review of recent labour market trends and reforms across the European Union. As recommodification evolves, the insecurity it institutes raises fundamental questions about the underlying nature of social citizenship which are also addressed.
Dual-band B-shaped antenna array for satellite applications
Authors: Hassan Muhammad Mateen , Hussain Muzhair , Khan Adnan Ahmed , Rashid Imran , Bhatti Farooq Ahmed
Published: October 2020

The paper presents a 1 × 2 B-shaped antenna array for dual-band operation at 4 and 8 GHz. The antenna design consists of a rectangular patch with two annular-strip lines fabricated on the top layer and finite ground plane on the bottom layer. The array is formed by designing an optimum T-shaped microstrip line for impedance matching. The dimensions of the antenna array are 78 × 36 × 1.6 mm3. Full-wave simulations have been conducted and the measured results are in good consent with the simulated results. The measured impedance bandwidth (reference −10 dB) has been observed at 3.84–4.16 and 7.78–8.38 GHz. Measured peak gain and radiation efficiency at 4 and 8 GHz are 8.3, 9.4 dB and 82.5 and 81.2%, respectively.
Development and Psychometric Properties of the Job Insecurity Appraisals Scale (JIAS-6)
Authors: Bazzoli Andrea , Brondino Margherita , De Witte Hans , Pasini Margherita
Published: October 2020

Abstract. This contribution introduces the Job Insecurity Appraisals Scale (JIAS-6), a tool that measures job insecurity primary appraisals (i.e., challenge and hindrance). Starting from the transactional theory of stress and extending previous unpublished versions of the same scale, the authors developed JIAS-6, using two samples of Italian workers ( N1 = 204 and N2 = 328). JIAS also addresses methodological and theoretical limitations of other primary appraisal scales. In Study 1, using a calibration sample, a series of confirmatory factorial analyses (CFAs) were performed and results showed that the final version of the scale fits the data well, while Study 2 findings (using a validation sample) replicated those obtained in Study 1 and provided support for strict measurement invariance across contract type, age, and gender, while scalar invariance was supported across job insecurity levels. Furthermore, we provided evidence of the relationship between job insecurity appraisals measured by JIAS-6 and other theoretically relevant constructs. The initial validation of JIAS-6 opens several new fruitful lines of research for job insecurity scholars.
Signatures of Hydrologic Function Across the Critical Zone Observatory Network
Authors: Wlostowski Adam N. , Molotch Noah , Anderson Suzanne P. , Brantley Susan L. , Chorover Jon , Dralle David , Kumar Praveen , Li Li , Lohse Kathleen A. , Mallard John M. , McIntosh Jennifer C. , Murphy Sheila F. , Parrish Eric , Safeeq Mohammad , Seyfried Mark , Shi Yuning , Harman Ciaran
Published: October 2020

Despite a multitude of small catchment studies, we lack a deep understanding of how variations in critical zone architecture lead to variations in hydrologic states and fluxes. This study characterizes hydrologic dynamics of 15 catchments of the U.S. Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) network where we hypothesized that our understanding of subsurface structure would illuminate patterns of hydrologic partitioning. The CZOs collect data sets that characterize the physical, chemical, and biological architecture of the subsurface, while also monitoring hydrologic fluxes such as streamflow, precipitation, and evapotranspiration. For the first time, we collate time series of hydrologic variables across the CZO network and begin the process of examining hydrologic signatures across sites. We find that catchments with low baseflow indices and high runoff sensitivity to storage receive most of their precipitation as rain and contain clay‐rich regolith profiles, prominent argillic horizons, and/or anthropogenic modifications. In contrast, sites with high baseflow indices and low runoff sensitivity to storage receive the majority of precipitation as snow and have more permeable regolith profiles. The seasonal variability of water balance components is a key control on the dynamic range of hydraulically connected water in the critical zone. These findings lead us to posit that water balance partitioning and streamflow hydraulics are linked through the coevolution of critical zone architecture but that much work remains to parse these controls out quantitatively.
Bayesian Inference of Mantle Viscosity From Whole‐Mantle Density Models
Authors: Rudolph M. L. , Moulik P. , Lekić V.
Published: October 2020

The long‐wavelength geoid is sensitive to Earth's mantle density structure as well as radial variations in mantle viscosity. We present a suite of inversions for the radial viscosity profile using whole‐mantle models that jointly constrain the variations in density, shear‐ and compressional‐wavespeeds using full‐spectrum tomography. We use a Bayesian approach to identify a collection of viscosity profiles compatible with the geoid, while enabling uncertainties to be quantified. Depending on tomographic model parameterization and data weighting, it is possible to obtain models with either positive‐ or negative‐buoyancy in the large low shear velocity provinces. We demonstrate that whole‐mantle density models in which density and VS variations are correlated imply an increase in viscosity below the transition zone, often near 1,000 km. Many solutions also contain a low‐viscosity channel below 650 km. Alternatively, models in which density is less‐correlated with VS—which better fit normal mode data—require a reduced viscosity region in the lower mantle. This feature appears in solutions because it reduces the sensitivity of the geoid to buoyancy variations in the lowermost mantle. The variability among the viscosity profiles obtained using different density models is indicative of the strong nonlinearities in modeling the geoid and the limited resolving power of the geoid kernels. We demonstrate that linearized analyses of model resolution do not adequately capture the posterior uncertainty on viscosity. Joint and iterative inversions of viscosity, wavespeeds, and density using seismic and geodynamic observations are required to reduce bias from prior assumptions on viscosity variation and scalings between material properties.
A Warm Summer is Unlikely to Stop Transmission of COVID‐19 Naturally
Authors: Su Ming , Peng Shushi , Chen Lili , Wang Bin , Wang Ying , Fan Xiarui , Dong Zhaomin
Published: October 2020

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) showed various transmission rate (Rt) across different regions. The determination of the factors affecting transmission rate is urgent and crucial to combat COVID‐19. Here we explored variation of Rt between 277 regions across the globe and the associated potential socioeconomic, demographic, and environmental factors. At global scale, the Rt started to decrease approximately 2 weeks after policy interventions initiated. This lag from the date of policy interventions initiation to the date when Rt started to decrease ranges from 9 to 19 days, largest in Europe and North America. We find that proportion of elderly people or life expectancy can explain ~50% of variation in transmission rate across the 277 regions. The transmission rate at the point of inflection (RI) increases by 29.4% (25.2–34.0%) for 1% uptick in the proportion of people aged above 65, indicating that elderly people face ~2.5 times higher infection risk than younger people. Air temperature is negatively correlated with transmission rate, which is mainly attributed to collinearities between air temperature and demographic factors. Our model predicted that temperature sensitivity of RI is only −2.7% (−5.2–0%) per degree Celsius after excluding collinearities between air temperature and demographic factors. This low temperature sensitivity of RI suggests that a warm summer is unlikely to impede the spread of COVID‐19 naturally.
The Role of Shear Fabric in Controlling Breakdown Processes During Laboratory Slow‐Slip Events
Authors: Scuderi Marco M. , Tinti Elisa , Cocco Massimo , Collettini Cristiano
Published: October 2020

Understanding the physical mechanisms at the origin of slow‐slip events has been proven a very challenging task. In particular, little is known on the role of fault heterogeneity during slow slip. In this study, we provide evidences that fault fabric controls slip velocity time histories during slow‐slip events generated in the laboratory. We performed experiments using a double‐direct biaxial shear apparatus and two different fault gouges, homogeneous quartz powder, and heterogeneous anhydrite/dolomite mixture. We measure details of fault slip to resolve the slip velocity function and volumetric deformation that, coupled with an analysis of the resulting microstructure, allow us to infer the mechanical processes at play. Our results show that slow‐slip events can be generated for both fault gouges when k ~ kc with similar values of breakdown work. The shear fabric exerts a strong influence during the coseismic breakdown stage. In quartz, where most of the slip occurs on a very localized slipping surface, the peak slip velocity is attained near the final stage of friction breakdown and therefore a relevant amount of the mechanical work is absorbed during slip acceleration. In anhydrite/dolomite mixture, the peak slip velocity is suddenly reached after a relatively small drop in friction, accompanied by fault dilation, implying that most of the mechanical work is absorbed during slip deceleration. For anhydrite/dolomite mixture these results are likely related to heterogeneous slip distribution along the observed foliation. Taken together, these observations suggest that the mechanics of slow‐slip events depends on shear zone fabric.
On the Contributions of Incipient Vortex Circulation and Environmental Moisture to Tropical Cyclone Expansion
Authors: Martinez Jonathan , Nam Chaehyeon Chelsea , Bell Michael M.
Published: October 2020

This study investigates the contributions of incipient vortex circulation and midlevel moisture to tropical cyclone (TC) expansion within an idealized numerical modeling framework. We find that the incipient vortex circulation places the primary constraint on TC expansion. Increasing the midlevel moisture further promotes expansion but mostly expedites the intensification process. The expansion rate for initially large vortices exhibits a stronger response to increasing the midlevel moisture compared to initially small vortices. Previous studies have noted a proclivity for relatively small TCs to stay small and relatively large TCs to stay large; that is, TCs possess a sort of “memory” with respect to their incipient circulation. We reproduce this finding with an independent modeling framework and further demonstrate that an initially large vortex can expand more quickly than its relatively smaller counterpart; therefore, with all other factors contributing to expansion held constant, the contrast in size between the two vortices will increase with time. Varying the incipient vortex circulation is associated with subsequent variations in the amount and scale of outer‐core convection. As the incipient vortex circulation decreases, outer‐core convection is relatively scarce and characterized by small‐scale, isolated convective elements. On the contrary, as the incipient vortex circulation increases, outer‐core convection abounds and is characterized by relatively large rainbands and mesoscale convective systems. A combined increase in the amount and scale of outer‐core convection permits an initially large vortex to converge a substantially greater amount of absolute angular momentum compared to its relatively smaller counterpart, resulting in distinct expansion rates.