bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adapting the Social-Ecological Framework for Chronic Pain Management and Successful Opioid Tapering
Authors: Wu Christine A. , Simon Ari J. , Modrich Michael A. , Stacey Michael W. , Matyas Bela T. , Shubrook Jay H.
Published: December 2019

Context

In 2015, Solano County's Medi-Cal insurer implemented a new policy to taper patients using high-dose opioids (≥120-mg morphine equivalent dose) to a safer level to follow best practices to address the opioid epidemic.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of the 2015 Solano County Medi-Cal prescribing policy, gain insight into the patient experience of undergoing opioid tapering, and generate hypotheses for further study.

Methods

Using a case series approach, researchers completed medical record reviews of affiliated clinical records, Solano County Vital Statistics, and California's prescription monitoring program in 2018. After exclusions, eligible patients were asked to participate in a comprehensive qualitative interview.

Results

Medical record reviews of 38 patients found the majority were not using opioids using them at a morphine equivalent dose of 90 mg or less. The reviews also found that mental illness and obesity prevalence were higher than Solano county baseline levels. Furthermore, naloxone was not prescribed to any of the 38 patients. Researchers reached 15 of the 38 patients by phone, and ultimately 6 completed the interview process. Themes and emergent concepts from interviews identified a lack of empathetic connection with health care professionals, poor understanding of overdose risks, persistent pain, and confirmed naloxone underuse.

Conclusion

Safer prescribing policies may take multiple years to fully implement and need to be employed across the jurisdiction to minimize doctor-shopping and adverse effects on patients with chronic pain. Approaching pain management through the social-ecological model can address potential root causes of addiction and establish a framework for doctors to provide compassionate care, community leadership, and advocacy for these patients.
Amniotic Umbilical Cord Particulate for Discogenic Pain
Authors: Buck Derek
Published: December 2019

Context

Discogenic low back pain is the most common type of low back pain and is a major cause of morbidity worldwide. Current nonoperative treatment options are limited in efficacy and lack evidence of long-term pain relief; thus, there is an unmet clinical need for an effective treatment for patients with discogenic pain. Amniotic membrane and umbilical cord (AMUC) particulate may be useful in relieving pain and inhibiting the degenerative cascade in patients with discogenic pain by reducing inflammation.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of AMUC particulate for discogenic pain.

Methods

Six months of conservative therapy failed in patients who had discogenic pain confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and provocative discography. They subsequently received intradiskal injection of 50 to 100 mg of AMUC particulate for cervical, lumbar, and lumbosacral disks.

Results

A total of 11 patients with 20 disks were included. Before treatment, all patients reported severe pain, and 10 patients took opioids daily. After treatment, the median reported pain relief was 40%, 50%, and 75% at 1-month (n=6), 3 months (n=8), and 6 months (n=5), respectively. Complete pain relief was noted in 1 patient; however, 2 patients (18%) reported no pain relief at 1 and 3 months. No adverse events, repeated procedures, or complications occurred.

Conclusion

This preliminary evidence suggests that a single intradiskal injection of AMUC particulate is safe and may provide symptomatic pain relief in some patients with discogenic pain.
From Biographical Text to Biopic: Adapting the Cultural Memory of the Eighteenth Century
Authors: Løfaldli Eli
Published: December 2019

The article investigates how recent biopics of eighteenth-century women can be seen to form and/or revise the cultural memory of the period, with a particular emphasis on how the individuals represented in biographical texts are portrayed as figures with which a modern audience can sympathize as the material is adapted for the screen. An analysis of changes that have been made in the adaptation processes of The Duchess (2009), A Royal Affair (2012), and The Scandalous Lady W (2015) shows some of the ways in which the concerns of the present are central to representations of the past. The cultural memory of eighteenth-century womanhood as constructed by and represented in biographical films of the past decade is inherently paradoxical: the almost exclusive focus on ‘scandalous’ women co-exists with consistent attempts to purge their life stories of elements that are regarded as scandalous today.
Social media-based visual humour use in tourism marketing: a semiotic perspective
Authors: Ge Jing
Published: December 2019

Tourism firms using visual social media marketing are struggling with its implementation, specifically in formulating engagement-based visual message strategies. Yet, creating such appealing posts can lead to positive brand and financial outcomes. Humour has been identified as a potent tool for social media communication, given its capability to develop social interactions. Yet, how humour works on social media is not well understood – specifically its visual form. Treating humour as a symbolic resource, this study adopted a compound content analysis-semiotic analysis to identify visual content and its symbolic meaning embedded in destination marketing organization (DMO)’s social media posts. 200 Sina Weibo posts containing humour images initiated by 5 Chinese provincial DMOs were collected. The results show 6 types of humour content and6 types of symbolic meaning – none of which are product-related. This study advances the tourism literature and humour theory, and offers tourism firms a holistic view of how to fully leverage social media-based visual humour to achieve consumer reach and engagement.
Humour in supplier-customer interactions: the views of Australian tourism operators
Authors: Pabel Anja , Pearce Philip L
Published: December 2019

Much of the existing literature on the tourism-humour relationship focuses on the perceptions of tourists. Little research exists on the views of tourism operators. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the perceptions of tourism operators when deliberately including humour into interactions with customers. The research is based on three workshops with tourism industry stakeholders in North Queensland. Three interactive workshops were delivered by the author from May to July 2017 with the purpose of informing tourism industry stakeholder on how to use humour effectively in interactions with customers. Twenty-three (23) participants joined the humour workshops. The findings of this study explore what tourism operators’ perspectives and concerns are when using humour with customers as a strategic tool for customer engagement.
Developing the humour repertoire concept to guide future tourism-humour research
Authors: Pabel Anja , Pearce Philip L.
Published: December 2019

The central interest in this study is to develop and position the humour repertoire concept for tourism and leisure research. The term humour repertoire encompasses the totality of a person’s abilities and skills to both appreciate and produce humour. Such skills include the individual’s humorous (travel) stories, jokes from their life and travels, and the ability to see travel and leisure situations as amusing. A framework outlining the role of the humour repertoire is presented and an online empirical study is reported to address select components of the conceptual scheme. The results show a weak association between humour appreciation and production, indicating that researchers examining humour in tourism need to be careful in building generic implications from select work. Attention is then given to the multiple social and contextual factors beyond the individual level that need to be considered when assessing humour in diverse tourism contexts. Fresh research directions are indicated by considering the richness of the repertoire framework and links to cognitive schema research.
3D texture-based face recognition system using fine-tuned deep residual networks
Authors: Zheng Siming , Rahmat Rahmita Wirza OK , Khalid Fatimah , Nasharuddin Nurul Amelina
Published: December 2019

As the technology for 3D photography has developed rapidly in recent years, an enormous amount of 3D images has been produced, one of the directions of research for which is face recognition. Improving the accuracy of a number of data is crucial in 3D face recognition problems. Traditional machine learning methods can be used to recognize 3D faces, but the face recognition rate has declined rapidly with the increasing number of 3D images. As a result, classifying large amounts of 3D image data is time-consuming, expensive, and inefficient. The deep learning methods have become the focus of attention in the 3D face recognition research. In our experiment, the end-to-end face recognition system based on 3D face texture is proposed, combining the geometric invariants, histogram of oriented gradients and the fine-tuned residual neural networks. The research shows that when the performance is evaluated by the FRGC-v2 dataset, as the fine-tuned ResNet deep neural network layers are increased, the best Top-1 accuracy is up to 98.26% and the Top-2 accuracy is 99.40%. The framework proposed costs less iterations than traditional methods. The analysis suggests that a large number of 3D face data by the proposed recognition framework could significantly improve recognition decisions in realistic 3D face scenarios.
Global transcriptome analysis of different stages of preimplantation embryo development in river buffalo
Authors: Pang Chun-Ying , Bai Ming-Zhou , Zhang Chi , Chen Junhui , Lu Xing-Rong , Deng Ting-Xian , Ma Xiao-Ya , Duan An-Qin , Liang Sha-sha , Huang Yun-Qi , Xiu Zhihui , Liang Xian-Wei
Published: December 2019

Background

Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) are divided into river buffalo and swamp buffalo subspecies and are essential livestock for agriculture and the local economy. Studies on buffalo reproduction have primarily focused on optimal fertility and embryonic mortality. There is currently limited knowledge on buffalo embryonic development, especially during the preimplantation period. Assembly of the river buffalo genome offers a reference for omics studies and facilitates transcriptomic analysis of preimplantation embryo development (PED).

Methods

We revealed transcriptomic profile of four stages (2-cell, 8-cell, Morula and Blastocyst) of PED via RNA-seq (Illumina HiSeq4000). Each stage comprised three biological replicates. The data were analyzed according to the basic RNA-seq analysis process. Ingenuity analysis of cell lineage control, especially transcription factor (TF) regulatory networks, was also performed.

Results

A total of 21,519 expressed genes and 67,298 transcripts were predicted from approximately 81.94 Gb of raw data. Analysis of transcriptome-wide expression, gene coexpression networks, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) allowed for the characterization of gene-specific expression levels and relationships for each stage. The expression patterns of TFs, such as POU5F1, TEAD4, CDX4 and GATAs, were elucidated across diverse time series; most TF expression levels were increased during the blastocyst stage, during which time cell differentiation is initiated. All of these TFs were involved in the composition of the regulatory networks that precisely specify cell fate. These findings offer a deeper understanding of PED at the transcriptional level in the river buffalo.
Environmental Stakeholders' Perceptions of Urban Native Tree Species Values in Abuja City, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory
Authors: Ihuma J. O. , Madakan S. , Chima U. D.
Published: December 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the value perceptions of native tree species in urban landscape by three groups of environmental stakeholders – residents, estate developers and construction companies that reside in Abuja, the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. A Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) of landscape scale ecosystem functions and services valuation scenarios were used. A total of one hundred and eighty (180) sets of questionnaire were distributed equally among the three stakeholders (60 each) to ascertain their perceptions on the need to protect native tree species by asking them to rank eight reasons why the protection of native tree species is important in urban/city landscape. The reasons ranked were (i) Aesthetics and beautification of environment, (ii) Microclimatic and cooling effect, (iii) Windbreak, (iv) Erosion control, (v) Conservation of native tree species, (vi) Obstruction of view to enhance privacy (vii) Economic value of the species and, (viii) Any other reason. Results showed that Aesthetics and beautification of environment ranked first by a combination of all stakeholders, and also by Estate Developers alone, while Erosion control and Economic value of the species were ranked first by the Residents and the Construction Companies, respectively. Stakeholders’ mean scores for Aesthetics & beautification of environment, Microclimatic & cooling effect, Conservation of native tree species, and Obstruction of view to enhance privacy, varied significantly (p < 0.05) while there was no significant differences in their mean scores for Windbreak, Erosion control, and Economic value of the species. The differences in the stakeholders’ perception of the value of native trees as revealed by the rankings and significant differences in scores for some of the value criteria to a large extent underscore the values they place on them which in turn will influence their attitude towards the conservation and protection of the species. Therefore, the need for effective environmental education and enlightenment campaigns to sensitise all stakeholders on the overall values and roles of native trees in the city, is emphasized.
Phytochemical Screening for Antioxidant Properties of Germinated Foxtail Millet
Authors: D. Sangma Jelang Jelku , Suneetha W. Jessie , Kumari B. Anila , Devi K. B. Suneetha
Published: December 2019

Phytochemicals are a complex group of bioactive non-nutrient compounds of the plant kingdom and an integral part of the human diet. The present research was carried out to screen the phytochemicals in raw and germinated foxtail millets. The screening showed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, fixed oils and fats, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides in both raw and germinated foxtail millets. Amino acids were not detected in raw but present in germinated, indicating in prominent in the bio-availability of amino-acids due to germination. The absence of quinones indicated that extracts have not undergone any oxidation during storage.
Soil Morphology, Physico-chemical Properties, Classification and Potential of Selected Soils in Kenya
Authors: Karuma Anne N.
Published: December 2019

Four soil profiles (Yala, Galana, Baringo and Bondo) that represent different ecology, physiography and pedological variability were described to study their morphology, soil physico-chemical characteristics and to classify them using two internationally known soil classification systems. Soil samples were taken from designated pedogenic horizons for physical and chemical analysis in the laboratory. These soils are deep to very deep (> 110 cm) and well-drained except in Galana which was imperfectly drained, with varying textures. In Bondo, the soils are moderately acid (pH 5.6 – 6). In Baringo, the soil profile is acidic (< 5.0) while in Galana moderately alkaline (pH 7.3 - 8.3) and Yala soils are moderate to strongly acid (5.1 - 5.7). The organic carbon (< 0.6%) and organic matter levels (1 – 2%) were low and decreased down the profiles in all. The soils have low to moderate fertility. The base saturation of the studied soils is rated as very high (> 80%) in Galana and Baringo and low (< 50%) in Yala and Bondo pedons. The soils are non-saline as indicated by the low values of electrical conductivity (< 1.7dS/m) in the pedons. The soils are non-sodic (ESP < 6%) in Bondo and Yala, however moderately sodic (ESP 11-15%) in Galana and Baringo. Ochric horizon was the main diagnostic epipedon while ferralic, argillic and cambic horizons were the diagnostic B horizons. According to USDA Soil Taxonomy, the soils were classified as Typic Haplustox (Yala), Typic Haplocalcids (Galana), Typic Eutrudepts (Baringo) and Plinthic Haplustults (Bondo) corresponding to Haplic Ferralsols, Luvic Calcisols, Haplic Cambisol and Cutanic Plinthic Acrisols in the WRB for Soil Resources. The general fertility of the soils of the areas is discussed highlighting their potentials and constraints.
Rational Design of Binders for Stable Li‐S and Na‐S Batteries
Authors: Guo Qianyi , Zheng Zijian
Published: December 2019

Binders play a critical role in stabilizing the sulfur cathode of Li‐S and Na‐S batteries. Over the past decade, the design of binder molecules has gone through tremendous evolution from primarily maintaining the structural integrity of the electrode against volume change to rationally immobilizing polysulfide intermediate and facilitating electron/ion transport in the charge and discharge process. This article reviews the development of binder for Li‐S and Na‐S batteries from the perspective of molecular design, and comprehensively discusses the correlation between the functions of the binder molecules and the cell performance. It also points out the future challenge and the potential solutions to address them.
Designing with Light: Advanced 2D, 3D, and 4D Materials
Authors: Jung Kenward , Corrigan Nathaniel , Ciftci Mustafa , Xu Jiangtao , Seo Soyoung E. , Hawker Craig J. , Boyer Cyrille
Published: December 2019

Recent achievements and future opportunities for the design of 2D, 3D, and 4D materials using photochemical reactions are summarized. Light is an attractive stimulus for material design due to its outstanding spatiotemporal control, and its ability to mediate rapid polymerization under moderate reaction temperatures. These features have been significantly enhanced by major advances in light generation/manipulation with light‐emitting diodes and optical fiber technologies which now allows for a broad range of cost‐effective fabrication protocols. This combination is driving the preparation of sophisticated 2D, 3D, and 4D materials at the nano‐, micro‐, and macrosize scales. Looking ahead, future challenges and opportunities that will significantly impact the field and help shape the future of light as a versatile and tunable design tool are highlighted.
Wavevector and Frequency Multiplexing Performed by a Spin‐Decoupled Multichannel Metasurface
Authors: Xu He‐Xiu , Hu Guangwei , Jiang Menghua , Tang Shiwei , Wang Yanzhao , Wang Chaohui , Huang Yongjun , Ling Xiaohui , Liu Haiwen , Zhou Jiafeng
Published: December 2019

Achieving kaleidoscopic wavefront controls with a thin flat plate is pivotal for increasing data capacity yet still challenging in integrated optics. An anisotropic metasurface provides an efficient recipe primarily for linear polarization, but is less efficient for multiple functionalities at arbitrary spin states. Here, a strategy of realizing a spin‐decoupled high‐capacity multifunctional metasurface by multiplexing the frequency and wavevector degree of freedom (DoF) is reported. By integrating both geometric and dynamic phases in split ring resonators and crossbars in a chessboard configuration, the inherent limitation of spin‐flipped Pancharatnam–Berry phases can be completely decoupled between two spin states. Such released extraordinary DoF unprecedentedly increases the capability to yield kaleidoscopic wavefront control. To verify the significance, two proof‐of‐concept metadevices that are nearly impossible in conventional metasurfaces are experimentally demonstrated with four‐port wavefront manipulations, exhibiting spin‐, frequency‐, and wavevector‐dependent anomalous reflections, lensing, orbital angular momentum generation, and wavevector‐multiplexed vortex scattering, along with two‐dimensional holograms. Both numerical and experimental results illustrate quad‐distinct functionalities with up to ten channel beams and ≈93% efficiency, because of the completely suppressed crosstalk among different operation modes, angular wavevectors, and spins. The finding in triple‐DoF multiplexing is expected to generate great interest in electromagnetic integration with emerging DoFs.
Functionalization of 3‐Iodo‐N,N‐Diisopropylferrocene‐Carboxamide, a Pivotal Substrate to Open the Chemical Space to 1,3‐Disubstituted Ferrocenes
Authors: Erb William , Kadari Lingaswamy , Al‐Mekhlafi Khadega , Roisnel Thierry , Dorcet Vincent , Radha Krishna Palakodety , Mongin Florence
Published: December 2019

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Bar‐Coated Organic Thin‐Film Transistors with Reliable Electron Mobility Approaching 10 cm2 V−1 s−1
Authors: Bai Junhua , Jiang Yu , Wang Zhongli , Sui Ying , Deng Yunfeng , Han Yang , Geng Yanhou
Published: December 2019

The realization of high‐performance n‐type organic thin‐film transistors (OTFTs) via solution processing remains challenging, while these devices are considered highly desirable as basic elements for organic circuits. Apart from the designing of semiconducting materials, the controlling of thin‐film microstructures using specific processing techniques is also effective to enhance OTFT performance. In this work, bar coating—a meniscus‐guided and high throughput production compatible technique—is utilized to orient a diketopyrrolopyrrole‐based conjugated polymer (P4FTVT‐C32) for uniaxially aligned thin film with large crystalline grains, assisted by polyethylenimine ethoxylated interlayer. The anisotropic molecular arrangement of the bar‐coated thin films is confirmed by X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and polarized UV−vis absorption analyses. OTFTs based on the oriented thin films exhibit remarkable charge transport anisotropy. High saturation and linear mobility up to 9.38 and 8.35 cm2 V−1 s−1 along with high on/off ratio of 105–106 is achieved when the electric field is parallel to the coating direction. These are the highest reliable electron mobilities obtained from solution‐processed OTFTs, considering their high reliability factor >80%. These results demonstrate that the electron mobility of conjugated polymers can be significantly improved by proper solution processing at optimized interfaces.
‘Somebody Watching You’: Impact of Reflecting Teams on Hope in Couple Relationships
Authors: Allan Robert , Klarenbeek‐McKenna Misti , Day Deborah
Published: December 2019

Reflecting teams (RTs) represent both an epistemological stance and a therapeutic technique. Most commonly associated with narrative and systemic approaches to therapy, RTs offer an outsider perspective that can bring hope and alternative narratives and perspectives for therapists and clients to explore. Relational hope is a little researched concept in the field of couple therapy research. This study explores the experience of RTs in couple relationships and the aspects of the experience that couples describe as connected to a sense of hope for their relationship. The study also considers whether difference in attachment style shows any relationship with hope in couple relationships before and after the clients’ session with a reflecting team. Couples completed questionnaires about their attachment style, demographics, and relational hope and were given the option to complete an interview about their experience with the reflecting team within 1 month of their therapy session. Our findings suggest that RTs contribute positively to hope in couple relationships particularly for clients who present with an anxious attachment style. This direction for research is important because there is very little research about hope in couple relationships despite its importance (Merolla, 2014; Snyder, 2002) and there is no research about what aspects of a reflecting team contribute to hope in couple relationships. Analysis of interviews indicates a number of features of the reflecting team feedback that were valued by clients.
Pd nanoparticles supported on amphiphilic porous organic polymer as an efficient catalyst for aqueous hydrodechlorination and Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reactions
Authors: Lei Yizhu , Zhu Wenchao , Wan Yali , Wang Renshu , Liu Hailong
Published: December 2019

Developing efficient and recyclable heterogeneous catalysts for organic reactions in water is important for the sustainable development of chemical industry. In this work, Pd nanoparticles supported on DABCO‐functionalized porous organic polymer was successfully prepared through an easy copolymerization and successive immobilization method. Characterization results indicated that the prepared catalyst featured big surface area, hierarchical porous structure, and excellent surface amphiphilicity. We demonstrated the use of this amphiphilic catalyst in two case reactions, i.e. the aqueous hydrodechlorination and Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reactions. Under mild reaction conditions, the catalyst showed high catalytic activities for the two reactions. In addition, the catalyst could be easily recovered and reused for several times. Also, no obvious Pd leaching and aggregation of Pd nanoparticles occurred up during the consecutive reactions.
Estimation of Protein and Fatty Acid Composition in Shell‐Intact Cottonseed by Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Qingkang , Xing Huixian , Liu Xiangliu , Mao Lili , Wei Ze , Zhang Haijun , Wang Liyuan , Wang Haoran , Saeed Muhammad , Zhang Guihua , Song Xianliang , Sun Xue‐Zhen , Yuan Yanchao
Published: December 2019

Rapid and accurate analysis of cottonseed protein content and the composition of fatty acids (especially, saturated fatty acids) is often required in cotton production and breeding programs. This study aimed to establish a set of effective estimation models for these parameters. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration equations using partial least‐squares regression for protein concentration, oil concentration, and five fatty acids of shell‐intact cottonseeds were established based on 90 varieties, and the prediction abilities of the calibration models were verified using 45 other varieties. The prediction abilities of the NIRS calibration equations were basically consistent with external validation results. Each equation was assessed based on the ratio of performance to deviation (RPDp). Protein content and seed total fatty acid (STA) content had high RPDp values (3.687 and 3.530, respectively), whereas cottonseed kernel total fatty acid (KTA) content, linoleic acid (18:2), stearic acid (18:0), myristic acid (14:0), and palmitic acid (16:0) exhibited relatively high RPDp (2.866, 2.836, 2.697, 2.676, and 2.506, respectively). The calibration model for oleic acid (18:1) had a low RPDp (1.945). The results indicated that NIRS can be used to rapidly determine contents of STA, KTA, protein, stearic acid (18:0), myristic acid (14:0), and palmitic acid (16:0) in shell‐intact cottonseed.
Electrical conductivity of waxes as model systems for polyethylene: Role of water
Authors: Hosier Ian , Vaughan Alun , Quirke Nick
Published: December 2019

Novel experimental and theoretical studies of the electrical conductivity of high‐purity dodecane, paraffin wax, and low‐density polyethylene (PE) are reported herein. The role of the charge density, water content, and phase changes in determining conductivity as the temperature increases from 25 to 65 °C, a temperature range relevant to applications of insulating materials, is determined. Low levels of absorbed water determine the measured conductivity for T < 50 °C and this can be explained by taking account of the charge carriers produced by the autoionization of water. In comparison to commercial PE and lubricating oils, the temperature dependence of the conductivity of dry n‐dodecane is anomalously high. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48765.
Geo‐environmental evaluation for the preventive conservation of open‐air archaeological sites: the case of the Roman Necropolis of Carmona (Spain)
Authors: Elez Javier , Cañaveras Juan Carlos , Benavente David , Fernández‐Cortés Angel , Cuezva Soledad , Sánchez‐Moral Sergio
Published: December 2019

The Necropolis of Carmona, which has more than 600 tombs carved in calcarenites, is among the most important Roman burial sites preserved in southern Spain. The tombs in the Necropolis show severe alteration and multiple weathering processes after being excavated at the end of the nineteenth century without a preventive conservation plan. The archaeological site shows strong anthropic modifications related to different excavation stages and in relation to the construction of facilities for the visiting public. In particular, the exposure of the buried tombs to meteoric conditions and anthropic modification of natural drainage have led to an important acceleration of the deterioration of the tombs. The conservation status of the Necropolis was defined through a comprehensive geo‐environmental study that combined field observations and laboratory data, modelling and digital mapping and environmental monitoring. Results allow a methodology to be developed providing guidelines to minimize potential risks when excavating new tombs (now buried) in the future. Moreover, the most suitable prospective areas can be defined inside the Necropolis in terms of the environmental, geological and geomorphological conditions which will enhance the preservation of newly exhumed tombs. Geo‐environmental preventive conservation methods that we propose can be entirely applied to other large archaeological sites completely exposed to open‐air atmospheric conditions.
Are choices based on conditional or conjunctive probabilities in a sequential risk‐taking task?
Authors: Haffke Peter , Hübner Ronald
Published: December 2019

In this study, we examined participants' choice behavior in a sequential risk‐taking task. We were especially interested in the extent to which participants focus on the immediate next choice or consider the entire choice sequence. To do so, we inspected whether decisions were either based on conditional probabilities (e.g., being successful on the immediate next trial) or on conjunctive probabilities (of being successful several times in a row). The results of five experiments with a simplified nine‐card Columbia Card Task and a CPT‐model analysis show that participants' choice behavior can be described best by a mixture of the two probability types. Specifically, for their first choice, the participants relied on conditional probabilities, whereas subsequent choices were based on conjunctive probabilities. This strategy occurred across different start conditions in which more or less cards were already presented face up. Consequently, the proportion of risky choices was substantially higher when participants started from a state with some cards facing up, compared with when they arrived at that state starting from the very beginning. The results, alternative accounts, and implications are discussed.
Schooling the Quantum Generations: Textbooks and Quantum Cultures from the 1910s to the 1930s
Authors: Badino Massimiliano
Published: December 2019

Ever since Thomas Kuhn's influential The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962), textbooks have suffered a bad reputation. They have been accused of distorting—at times purportedly—history and of feeding students with an unacceptably simplified and optimistic view of science. This attitude started to change only in recent times. With the increase of attention paid not only to how theories are conceived, but also how they are practiced, disseminated, and appropriated, historians have rehabilitated textbooks as a legitimate site of knowledge production. In this paper, I adopt textbooks as an instrument to unfold multiple facets of the culture that allowed quantum physics to flourish between 1900 and the early 1930s. I organize the article around two stories about two major textbooks, i.e., Sommerfeld′s Atombau und Spektrallinien and Dirac′s Principles of Quantum Mechanics. I explore the complex pedagogical cultures underlying these two masterpieces and how they intersect local agendas.
A colorimetric fluorescent probe for rapid and specific detection of nitrite
Authors: Xu Zujun , Shi Wenxiu , Yang Chengjun , Xu Jing , Liu Huapeng , Xu Jing , Zhu Baocun
Published: December 2019

The method of fluorescent probes has been an important technique for detection of nitrite (NO2−). As an important inorganic salt, excessive nitrite would threaten humans and the environment. In this paper, a colorimetric fluorescent probe P‐N (1,2‐diaminoanthraquinone) with rapid response and high selectivity, which could detect NO2− by visual colour changes and fluorescence spectroscopy is presented. The probe P‐N solution (pH 1) changed from pink to colourless with the addition of NO2− and fluorescence intensity at 639 nm clearly decreased. Good linear exists between fluorescence intensities and NO2− concentrations for the range 0–16 μM, and the detection limit was 54 nM (based on a 3σ/slope). Moreover, probe P‐N could also detect NO2− in real water samples, and results were all satisfactory. Probe P‐N shows great practical application value for detecting NO2− in the environment.
Bioinformatic Identification of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) Cold‐Shock Genes and Biological Evidence of their Cold‐Inducible Promoters
Authors: Nguyen Ly Ngoc , Novak Neža , Baumann Martina , Koehn Jadranka , Borth Nicole
Published: December 2019

Lower cultivation temperature dramatically affects cell growth and cellular productivity in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) and is often used in industrial applications with the aim to enhance productivity. Cold‐inducible proteins whose activity is induced at lower temperature play an important role in understanding the mechanisms of cold‐induced changes in gene expression. One of these mechanisms is increased transcription of specific target genes controlled by sequence elements in cold‐inducible promoters. This study provides a list of cold‐inducible genes and endogenous cold‐inducible promoters of CHO cells. Transcriptome data before and after a temperature shift from 37 to 33 °C are analyzed to identify 94 cold‐inducible genes, which are highly expressed and have a high fold change in expression after the temperature shift. Cold‐inducible promoters are identified from the top ten cold‐inducible genes, showing up to 11‐fold increased luciferase expression at lowered temperature in transient transfections. Additionally, several common transcription factor binding sites are identified in the top cold‐inducible promoter sequences and expression of their corresponding transcription factors over temperature‐shift cultivation is evaluated. These may be responsible for enhanced promoter activity under lower temperature and can be used as engineering targets.
Improved protein A resin for antibody capture in a continuous countercurrent tangential chromatography system
Authors: Fedorenko Dmitriy , Dutta Amit K. , Tan Jasmine , Walko Jonathan , Brower Mark , Pinto Nuno D. S. , Zydney Andrew L. , Shinkazh Oleg
Published: December 2019

Continuous countercurrent tangential chromatography (CCTC) enables steady‐state continuous bioprocessing with low‐pressure operation and high productivity. CCTC has been applied to initial capture of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) from clarified cell culture harvest and postcapture polishing of mAb; however, these studies were performed with commercial chromatography resins designed for conventional column chromatography. In this study, a small particle size prototype agarose resin (20–25 µm) with lower cross‐linking was co‐developed with industrial partner Purolite and tested with CCTC. Due to increased binding capacity and faster kinetics, the resulting CCTC process showed more than a 2X increase in productivity, and a 2X reduction in buffer consumption over commercial protein A resins used in previous CCTC studies, as well as more than a 10X productivity increase versus conventional column operation. Single‐pass tangential flow filtration was integrated with the CCTC system, enabling simple control of eluate concentration. A scale‐up exercise was conducted to provide a quantitative comparison of CCTC and batch column chromatography. These results clearly demonstrate opportunities for using otherwise unpackable soft small particle size resins with CCTC as the core of a continuous bioprocessing platform.
Development of isoporous microslit silicon nitride membranes for sterile filtration applications
Authors: Wright Evan , Miller Joshua J. , Csordas Matthew , Gosselin Andrew R. , Carter Jared A. , McGrath James L , Latulippe David R. , Roussie James A.
Published: December 2019

The widely used 0.2/0.22 µm polymer sterile filters were developed for small molecule and protein sterile filtration but are not well‐suited for the production of large nonprotein biological therapeutics, resulting in significant yield loss and production cost increases. Here, we report on the development of membranes with isoporous sub‐0.2 μm rectangular prism pores using silicon micromachining to produce microslit silicon nitride (MSN) membranes. The very high porosity (~33%) and ultrathin (200 nm) nature of the 0.2 µm MSN membranes results in a dramatically different structure than the traditional 0.2/0.22 µm polymer sterile filter, which yielded comparable performance properties (including gas and hydraulic permeance, maximum differential pressure tolerance, nanoparticle sieving/fouling behavior). The results from bacteria retention tests, conducted according to the guidance of regulatory agencies, demonstrated that the 0.2 µm MSN membranes can be effectively used as sterile filters. It is anticipated that the results and technologies presented in this study will find future utility in the production of non‐protein biological therapeutics and in other biological and biomedical applications.
Cardiovascular death and progression to end-stage renal disease after major surgery in elderly patients
Authors: Lysak N. , Hashemighouchani H. , Davoudi A. , Pourafshar N. , Loftus T. J. , Ruppert M. , Efron P. A. , Rashidi P. , Bihorac A. , Ozrazgat-Baslanti T.
Published: December 2019

Background

Reliable estimates for risk of cardiovascular-specific mortality and progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among elderly patients undergoing major surgery are not available. This study aimed to develop simple risk scores to predict these events.

Methods

In a single-centre cohort of elderly patients undergoing major surgery requiring hospital stay longer than 24 h, progression to ESRD and long-term cardiovascular-specific mortality were modelled using multivariable subdistribution hazard models, adjusting for co-morbidity, frailty and type of surgery.

Results

Before surgery, 2·9 and 11·9 per cent of 16 655 patients had ESRD and chronic kidney disease (CKD) respectively. During the hospital stay, 46·9 per cent of patients developed acute kidney injury (AKI). Patients with kidney disease had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular-specific (CV) mortality compared with patients without kidney disease (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for CKD without AKI 1·60, 95 per cent c.i. 1·25 to 2·01; AKI without CKD 1·70, 1·52 to 1·87; AKI with CKD 2·80, 2·50 to 3·20; ESRD 5·21, 4·32 to 6·27), as well as increased progression to ESRD (AKI without CKD 5·40, 3·44 to 8·35; CKD without AKI 8·80, 4·60 to 17·00; AKI with CKD 31·60, 19·90 to 49·90). CV Death and ESRD Risk scores were developed to predict CV mortality and progression to ESRD. Calculated CV Death and ESRD Risk scores performed well with c-statistics: 0·77 (95 per cent c.i. 0·76 to 0·78) and 0·82 (0·78 to 0·86) respectively at 1 year.

Conclusion

Kidney disease in elderly patients undergoing major surgery is associated with a high risk of CV mortality and progression to ESRD. Risk scores can augment the shared decision-making process of informed consent and identify patients requiring postoperative renal-protective strategies.
LncRNA LUCAT1 contributes to cell proliferation and migration in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via sponging miR‐539
Authors: Nai Yongjun , Pan Chao , Hu Xueteng , Ma Yong
Published: December 2019

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive and dreadful malignancies worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as vital regulators in the development of human malignancies and other disorders. This study aimed to characterize the role of lncRNA lung cancer‐associated transcript 1 (lncRNA LUCAT1), a novel cancer‐related lncRNA, in human PDAC. Here we initially analyzed the expression patterns of lncRNA LUCAT1 and evaluated its clinical significance. The qRT‐PCR analysis and in situ hybridization staining showed that lncRNA LUCAT1 expression was significantly increased in tumorous tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Additionally, we found that increased lncRNA LUCAT1 expression was linked to larger tumor size and lymphatic invasion. Consistently, lncRNA LUCAT1 was remarkably up‐regulated in PDAC cell lines. To better understand the biological role of lncRNA LUCAT1, we evaluated the effects of lncRNA LUCAT1 knockdown on PDAC cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration, and invasion using MTT assays, flow cytometry, Transwell migration, and invasion assays, respectively. Functional studies demonstrated that lncRNA LUCAT1 knockdown dramatically suppressed PDAC cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and inhibited cell migration and invasion. Tumor xenograft in vivo assays displayed that lncRNA LUCAT1 inhibited tumorigenecity of PDAC cells. Mechanistic studies uncovered that lncRNA LUCAT1 acted as a molecular sponge of miR‐539 and that miR‐539 mediated the effects of lncRNA LUCAT1 on PDAC cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and motility. Collectively, our findings may offer some novel insights into understanding lncRNA LUCAT1 in PDAC.
Age comorbidity scores as risk factors for 90‐day mortality in patients with a pancreatic head adenocarcinoma receiving a pancreaticoduodenectomy: A National Population‐Based Study
Authors: Shia Ben‐Chang , Qin Lei , Lin Kuan‐Chou , Fang Chih‐Yuan , Tsai Lo‐Lin , Kao Yi‐Wei , Wu Szu‐Yuan
Published: December 2019

Background

To estimate easily assessed preoperative factors for predicting 90‐day mortality in patients with a pancreatic head adenocarcinoma (PHA) receiving a pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database of patients with a PHA who received a pancreaticoduodenectomy. Basic demographic characteristics, including gender and age, were categorized. The selection of preoperative comorbidities was based on the preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists score and Charlson comorbidity index.

Results

We enrolled 8490 patients with a PHA who received a pancreaticoduodenectomy without distant metastasis. Currently, a pancreaticoduodenectomy for a PHA achieves an overall 90‐day mortality rate of 8.39%. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that an older age (65‐74 and ≥75 years) and specific comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, dementia, and sepsis) were significant independent prognostic factors for predicting 90‐day mortality after a pancreaticoduodenectomy. After adjustment, the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of subjects with middle and high comorbidity scores for 90‐day mortality in 65 to 74‐year‐old patients were 1.36 (1.05‐1.75) and 2.25 (1.03‐4.90), respectively, compared to subjects with low comorbidity scores. The aHRs (95% CIs) of subjects with middle and high comorbidity scores for 90‐day mortality in ≥75‐year‐old patients were 1.35 (1.07‐1.78) and 2.07 (1.19‐3.62), respectively, compared to those with low comorbidity scores.

Conclusions

Elderly patients with a PHA and moderate or high comorbidity scores have an increased risk of 90‐day mortality after a pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Synthesis, Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Evaluation of New Coumarin‐Tagged β‐Lactam Triazole Hybrid
Authors: Dhawan Sanjeev , Awolade Paul , Kisten Prishani , Cele Nosipho , Pillay Ashona‐Singh , Saha SouravTaru , Kaur Mandeep , Jonnalagadda Sreekantha B. , Singh Parvesh
Published: December 2019

A series of coumarin‐tagged β‐lactam triazole hybrids (10a–10o) were synthesized and tested for their cytotoxic activity against MDA‐MB‐231 (triple negative breast cancer), MCF‐7 (estrogen receptor positive breast cancer (ER+)) and A549 (human lung carcinoma) cancer cell lines including one normal cell line, HEK‐293 (human embryonic kidney). Two compounds 10b and 10d exhibited substantial cytotoxic effect against MCF‐7 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 53.55 and 58.62 μm, respectively. More importantly, compounds 10b and 10d were non‐cytotoxic against HEK‐293 cell lines. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies suggested that the nitro and chloro group at the C‐3 position of phenyl ring are favorable for anticancer activity, particularly against MCF‐7 cell lines. Furthermore, antimicrobial evaluation of these compounds revealed modest inhibition of examined pathogenic strains with compounds 10c and 10i being the most promising antimicrobial agents against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans, respectively.
Distal transradial access for cardiac catheterization: A systematic scoping review
Authors: Coomes Eric A. , Haghbayan Hourmazd , Cheema Asim N.
Published: December 2019

Objective

Systematically review the literature for cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography via distal transradial access (dTRA) and its outcomes.

Background

dTRA, via anatomical snuffbox, may have several advantages over conventional transradial access (cTRA) for percutaneous cardiac procedures, including easier left‐sided access for aorto‐coronary grafts, future proximal radial artery preservation, and patient and operator comfort. However, its procedural characteristics and safety profile remain unclear.

Methods

Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched from inception to September 2018. Two authors independently performed two‐stage selection and data extraction. Reports assessing the dTRA approach for cardiac intervention in adults reporting any outcomes were eligible. Descriptive summary statistics were calculated from pooled data.

Results

A total of 19 publications comprising 4,212 participants undergoing dTRA were included. Mean age was 63.8 years, and 23.0% were female. dTRA was primarily undertaken for assessment of stable coronary artery disease (87.6%), with 41.7% for diagnostic procedures and 46.9% undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The overall success rate for undertaking the dTRA approach was 95.4% (69–100%). Complications occurred in 2.4% of cases, of which the leading complications were bleeding/hematoma (18.2%). Complication rates did not significantly differ between dTRA and cTRA. The occurrence of radial artery occlusion in patients undergoing dTRA was low (1.7%).

Conclusions

Observational data demonstrate that dTRA is a safe and feasible method for percutaneous cardiac procedures, with high rates of procedural success and low rates of complication. As data comparing dTRA with cTRA remain limited, future high‐quality randomized comparative studies are required.