bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persistent decay of fresh xylem hydraulic conductivity varies with pressure gradient and marks plant responses to injury
Authors: Bonetti Sara , Breitenstein Daniel , Fatichi Simone , Domec Jean‐Christophe , Or Dani
Published: September 2020

Defining plant hydraulic traits is central to the quantification of ecohydrological processes ranging from land‐atmosphere interactions, to tree mortality and water‐carbon budgets. A key plant trait is the xylem specific hydraulic conductivity (Kx), that describes the plant's vascular system capacity to transport water. While xylem's vessels and tracheids are dead upon maturity, the xylem is neither inert nor deadwood, various components of the sapwood and surrounding tissue remaining alive and functional. Moreover, the established definition of Kx assumes linear relations between water flux and pressure gradient by tacitly considering the xylem as a “passive conduit”. Here, we re‐examine this notion of an inert xylem by systematically characterizing xylem flow in several woody plants using Kx measurements under constant and cyclic pressure gradients. Results show a temporal and pressure gradient dependence of Kx. Additionally, microscopic features in “living branches” are irreversibly modified upon drying of the xylem, thus differentiating the macroscopic definition of Kx for living and dead xylem. The findings highlight the picture of the xylem as a complex and delicate conductive system whose hydraulic behaviour transcends a passive gradient‐based flow. The study sheds new light on xylem conceptualization, conductivity measurement protocols, in situ long‐distance water transport and ecosystem modelling.
School‐based education to prevent bullying in high schools in Indonesia
Authors: Noboru Tamaki , Amalia Emmy , Hernandez Paul Michael R , Nurbaiti Lina , Affarah Wahyu Sulistya , Nonaka Daisuke , Takeuchi Rie , Kadriyan Hamsu , Kobayashi Jun
Published: September 2020

Background

The Global School‐based Health Survey showed that 20.6% of Indonesian students aged 13–17 years old were bullied. The proportion was lower than those reported from Southeast Asian countries (28.3–51.0%). School education was reported to contribute to the reduction of bullying, but no similar study has been done in Indonesia. This study aimed to explore the role of school‐based education in preventing bullying in high schools in Indonesia.

Methods

In‐depth interviews with principals and focus group discussions with teachers from five schools in Mataram City were conducted in 2018. Data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participant observations and document reviews were conducted to verify the data.

Results

Seven themes emerged: (i) Bullying as a problem; (ii) Causes of bullying; (iii) Effects of bullying; (iv) Curricular interventions; (v) Cultural interventions; (vi) Institutional interventions; and (vii) Challenges and recommendations regarding current interventions. Curricular interventions include Pancasila (state ideology or principles of the state’s philosophy) and civic education, and religious education, while cultural interventions include cultural practices and extracurricular activities. The schools provide an enabling environment by maintaining a good physical environment and implementing policies to prevent bullying. These activities promote the prevention of school bullying.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that moral education in curriculum and cultural activities are avenues for the prevention of school bullying. The implementation of both religious education and civic education encouraged the creation of values among students. In Indonesia, current interventions should be continued and must be modified to respond with societal changes.
Effects of temperature and leaf age on conidial germination and disease development of powdery mildew on rubber tree
Authors: Cao Xueren , Xu Xiangming , Che Haiyan , West Jonathan S. , Luo Daquan
Published: September 2020

Powdery mildew is an important disease of rubber trees worldwide. To assess the effects of temperature and leaf age on conidial germination and disease development, conidia were inoculated onto rubber tree seedlings with leaves at three phenological stages (copper bronze, colour‐changing, and light green) and then incubated at six constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C). Leaf age did not affect conidial germination (p = .296) whilst temperature did (p < .0001), although conidia were able to germinate at all tested temperatures. The estimated optimal temperature for conidial germination was 23.2°C. Leaf age, temperature, and their interactions had significant effects on conidial infection and hypha number (p < .0001). At 10 and 35°C, more than 2 and 4 days were needed for infection to complete, respectively, compared to <2, 1, 0.5, and 0.5 days for 15, 20, 25, and 35°C, respectively. Sporulation and mildew symptoms were only observed on those inoculated leaves of all stages at 20 and 25°C, and at the copper bronze stage only at 15°C. The latent period on the copper bronze leaves at 15°C was longer (9 days) than at 20 and 25°C (4 days). The latent period at 20 and 25°C increased from 4 to 7 days as the leaf development stage increased from copper bronze to light green. Therefore, temperature affected germination and postgermination growth of rubber tree powdery mildew, whereas leaf age primarily affected postgermination growth of the pathogen.
The Contemporary Presidency: The “Nuclear Option” Has Fizzled, Again: Here's Why and What to Do about It
Authors: Ba Heather , Cmehil‐Warn Christian , Sullivan Terry O.
Published: September 2020

Senate majorities of both parties have altered the rules of debate to speed up deliberations on presidential nominees, particularly on judicial nominations. These deployments of the Senate's “nuclear option,” however, have had no demonstrable effect with respect to judicial nominations. We suggest the evidence highlights the role of “opportunism” rather that partisan obstruction in delaying nominations. We also document how thwarting opportunism by removing substantive legislation in favor of exclusively considering judgeships early in an administration's tenure can speed up deliberations. We recommend seven specific reforms along these lines to improve the appointments process.
Dispositional monism and the ontological distinction between unmanifested and manifested powers
Authors: Livanios Vassilis
Published: September 2020

The vast majority of metaphysicians agree that powers (in contrast to categorical properties) can exist unmanifested. This paper focuses on the ontological distinction between unmanifested and manifested powers underpinning that fact and has two main aims. First, to determine the proper relata of the distinction and second, to show that an unrestricted version of dispositional monism faces serious difficulties to accommodate it. As far as the first aim is concerned, it is argued that the distinction in question, in order to be free of irrelevant features, must hold between an unmanifested power‐instance and the same power‐instance being manifested. To the second end, the paper examines two possible candidate distinctions (actual vs. possible, being‐in‐energeia vs. being‐in‐capacity). It is argued that the former fails to be a good fit for the role that the distinction under consideration should play in a dispositional monistic context. It is also argued that a specific version of the latter can ground a promising solution to the difficulty discussed in the paper. That solution, however, presupposes the inclusion of aspects of the Aristotelian metaphysical framework for powers to the dispositional monistic context.
Shoulder complaints more likely in volleyball players with a thickened bursa or supraspinatus tendon neovessels
Authors: Skazalski Christopher , Bahr Roald , Whiteley Rod
Published: September 2020

Shoulder problems are common in volleyball and greatly impede both training and player performance. Subacromial bursa (SAB) thickening and tendon neovascularity have shown relevance in other populations, but their relationship with the development of shoulder complaints has not been investigated in volleyball players or overhead‐throwing athletes. The study aim was to examine the role of SAB thickness, neovascularization of the supraspinatus tendon, shoulder strength, range of motion (ROM), player position, and age in the development of shoulder complaints in professional volleyball players. Players underwent preseason baseline testing (n = 86) and reported shoulder complaints during the subsequent 12‐week period. Generalized estimating equations were used to model for probabilities of complaints after adjusting for player position, SAB side‐to‐side difference, neovessel presence, shoulder external rotation (ER) ROM, and age. Outside hitters and opposites were 12.2‐fold more likely to develop complaints, and greater shoulder ER ROM increased risk by 8% for each additional degree. A side‐to‐side difference in SAB thickness ≥0.3 mm in the dominant compared with the non‐dominant arm was associated with a 10.2‐fold increased risk. Those with neovessels were 6.5 times more likely to develop complaints. Players without neovessels and with normal SAB thickness were very unlikely to develop complaints. This stark contrast to players with neovessels or increased SAB thickness, where nearly half of the players developed complaints, is of interest. Players with current complaints at baseline presented with greater IR:ER strength ratios; however, neither strength nor IR ROM at baseline was associated with an increased risk of developing complaints.
Towards Material Testing 2.0. A review of test design for identification of constitutive parameters from full‐field measurements
Authors: Pierron F. , Grédiac M.
Published: September 2020

Full‐field optical measurements like digital image correlation or the grid method have brought a paradigm shift in the experimental mechanics community. While inverse identification techniques like finite element model updating or the virtual fields method have been the object of significant developments, current test methods, inherited from the age of strain gauges or linear variable displacement transducers, are generally not well adapted to the rich information provided by these new measurement tools. This paper provides a review of the research dealing with the design and optimization of heterogeneous mechanical tests for the identification of material parameters from full‐field measurements, christened here Material Testing 2.0 (MT2.0).
Diurnal and seasonal variations on soil CO2 fluxes in tropical silvopastoral systems
Authors: Adame‐Castro Diana E. , Aryal Deb R. , Villanueva‐López Gilberto , López‐Martínez Jorge O. , Chay‐Canul Alfonso J. , Casanova‐Lugo Fernando
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to quantify the dynamics of soil CO2 fluxes in two silvopastoral systems based on Leucaena leucocephala, one associated with Panicum maximum (L + P) and another with Cynodon plectostachyus (L + C). We measured CO2 fluxes fortnightly during the dry and rainy seasons in the morning and the afternoon, with an infrared gas analyzer. Simultaneously, we measured soil temperature, soil moisture, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. Soil CO2 fluxes ranged from 6.0 ± 0.14 to 6.1 ± 0.12 µmol CO2/m2/s but no statistical differences were observed between systems. Soil CO2 flux in the L + P was 12.5% higher in the rainy season compared with the dry season but the season did not affect the fluxes in L + C. Regarding the diurnal variation, CO2 fluxes were 17.6%–34.8% higher in the morning compared with afternoon measurements. Soil moisture and temperature were higher in L + C, but the ambient temperature and relative humidity showed no statistical differences between systems. In both systems, soil temperature was greater in the afternoon, while the soil moisture and relative humidity were greater in the morning. The diurnal variation of soil CO2 fluxes in silvopastoral systems correlated positively with soil temperature and ambient temperature, but negatively with relative humidity. We concluded that soil CO2 fluxes did not vary between silvopastoral systems but respond differently to the seasons. The results have important implications on the establishment and management of Leucaena‐based silvopastoral systems for the mitigation of soil CO2 fluxes from extensive livestock production lands.
Integrating local knowledge into soil science to improve soil fertility
Authors: Cheik Sougueh , Jouquet Pascal
Published: September 2020

Environmental changes are threatening current and future food security. In this context, it is imperative to design agricultural systems that are resilient to increasing frequent climate shocks, losses in biodiversity and soil fertility and to increasing demand from our societies because of population growth and consumption patterns. The emergence of sustainability science reminds us that soil management cannot be successfully approached by the independent actions of individual categories of actors, namely soil researchers or agronomists. Therefore, we advocate for more holistic and transdisciplinary research that takes into account the social, cultural, environmental and economic impacts of agricultural practices. Using examples of agricultural practices that aim to use the activity of termites to improve the services delivered by ecosystems (e.g. the Zai system), rather than considering them pests and trying to eradicate them from lands, we discuss the interest of traditional agricultural practices as sources of inspiration for soil scientists and for the identification of tomorrow's agricultural practices.
Patterns of blood use in Sweden from 2008 to 2017: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Auvinen Marja‐Kaisa , Zhao Jingcheng , Lassén Ewa , Lubenow Norbert , Seger Mollén Agneta , Watz Emma , Wikman Agneta , Edgren Gustaf
Published: September 2020

Background

Transfusion patterns in Sweden have not been characterized on a nationwide level.

Study Design and Methods

We conducted a nationwide descriptive cohort study in Sweden from 2008 to 2017. Data on blood donors, donations, component manufacture, transfusions, and transfused patients were extracted from Swedish portion of the Scandinavian Donations and Transfusions (SCANDAT3‐S) database.

Results

A total of 708 436 patients received 5 587 684 red cell, plasma, or platelet transfusions during the study period. The age‐standardized transfusion rate decreased markedly during the study period for red cell units (from 53 to 39 units/1000 persons) and plasma units (from 11 to 4.9 units/1000 persons), but remained relatively constant for platelet concentrates. The transfusion rate was 30%‐40% higher in males than in females in the first year of life, and higher in males over 45 years than in females. Between age 20 and 45, the majority of red cells were transfused to female patients with obstetric indications, whereas trauma was the predominant indication for male contemporaries. In females over 80 years, the largest proportion of red cells were administered due to trauma. Overall, hematological patients received 36% of all platelet units. There were large regional differences in transfusion rates for red cell units, ranging from less than 30 to greater than 60/1000 persons.

Conclusion

Transfusion rates in Sweden remain high but have decreased strikingly during the study period — with the exception of platelet transfusions. Based on the available data, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about whether transfusion rates can be further reduced.
Disseminated Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis infection and ascites in an FIV‐positive cat
Authors: Paharsingh India , Suepaul Rod , Gyan Lana , Hosein Ansarah , Pargass Indira
Published: September 2020

A domestic shorthair cat was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at The University of the West Indies with a history of anorexia, ataxia, and lethargy. On physical examination, moderate abdominal distension and a palpable abdominal fluid wave were noted. Dark yellow, cloudy fluid was collected via abdominocentesis. Fluid analysis indicated that the effusion was a transudate containing low numbers of macrophages and occasional neutrophils. Some of the macrophages contained rod‐shaped nonstaining structures of variable length (2‐4 um). These structures were also seen extracellularly in low numbers. The morphology of the structures was suggestive of Mycobacterium. The cat's condition continued to deteriorate, and it died within a few hours of being admitted. Further diagnostic tests revealed feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection with concurrent Mycobacterium avium subsp hominissuis infection. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of nontubercular mycobacterial‐related ascites in a cat.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2: implications for blood safety and sufficiency
Authors: Kiely Philip , Hoad Veronica C. , Seed Clive R. , Gosbell Iain B.
Published: September 2020

Background and Objective

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is a novel coronavirus, first identified in China at the end of 2019 and has now caused a worldwide pandemic. In this review, we provide an overview of the implications of SARS‐CoV‐2 for blood safety and sufficiency.

Material and Method

We searched the PubMed database, the preprint sites bioRxiv and medRxiv, the websites of the World Health Organization, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the US Communicable Diseases Center and monitored ProMed updates.

Results

An estimated 15%–46% of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections are asymptomatic. The reported mean incubation period is 3 to 7 days with a range of 1–14 days. The blood phase of SARS‐CoV‐2 appears to be brief and low level, with RNAaemia detectable in only a small proportion of patients, typically associated with more severe disease and not demonstrated to be infectious virus. An asymptomatic blood phase has not been demonstrated. Given these characteristics of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and the absence of reported transfusion transmission (TT), the TT risk is currently theoretical. To mitigate any potential TT risk, but more importantly to prevent respiratory transmission in donor centres, blood centres can implement donor deferral policies based on travel, disease status or potential risk of exposure.

Conclusion

The TT risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 appears to be low. The biggest risk to blood services in the current COVID‐19 pandemic is to maintain the sufficiency of the blood supply while minimizing respiratory transmission of SARS‐CoV‐19 to donors and staff while donating blood.
Ultrasonic Frequency Effects on the Melt Pool Formation, Porosity, and Thermal-Dependent Property of Inconel 718 Fabricated by Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Directed Energy Deposition
Authors: Ning Fuda , Jiang Dayue , Liu Zhichao , Wang Hui , Cong Weilong
Published: September 2020

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted (UV-A) directed energy deposition (DED) has become a promising technology to improve the as-built quality and mechanical performance of metal parts. Ultrasonic frequency, a critical parameter of the ultrasonic vibration, can remarkably affect the ultrasonic vibration behaviors in assisting DED processes. However, leveraging varied ultrasonic frequencies in UV-A DED attracts little attention, and the effects of ultrasonic frequency have been thus overlooked. Linking ultrasonic frequency and part performance emphasizes the need for an understanding of the underlying thermodynamics in the melt pool due to the key role of thermal history in the DED process. In this work, we fabricated Inconel 718 (IN718) parts using the UV-A DED process under different levels of ultrasonic vibration frequency (including 0, 25 kHz, 33 kHz, and 41 kHz). For the first time, melt pool size, temperature distribution, and peak temperature within the melt pool, as well as the peak temperature fluctuation within a layer deposition, were studied. Porosity and thermal-dependent properties including grain size and microhardness were also investigated. The results indicated that the increase in ultrasonic frequency led to an increase in both melt pool size and peak temperature. Moreover, the lowest porosity was obtained at an ultrasonic frequency of 25 kHz, while grain refinement and microhardness enhancement were achieved at the highest frequency of 41 kHz. This investigation provides great insights into the link among ultrasonic frequency, melt pool formation, temperature field, porosity, and thermal-dependent properties in the UV-A DED-built IN718 parts.
Temporal and spatial dependence of a yearlong record of sound
propagation from the Canada Basin to the Chukchi Shelf
Authors: Ballard Megan S. , Badiey Mohsen , Sagers Jason D. , Colosi John A. , Turgut Altan , Pecknold Sean , Lin Ying-Tsong , Proshutinsky Andrey , Krishfield Richard , Worcester Peter F. , Dzieciuch Matthew A.
Published: September 2020

The Pacific Arctic Region has experienced decadal changes in atmospheric conditions, seasonal sea-ice coverage, and thermohaline structure that have consequences for underwater sound propagation. To better understand Arctic acoustics, a set of experiments known as the deep-water Canada Basin acoustic propagation experiment and the shallow-water Canada Basin acoustic propagation experiment was conducted in the Canada Basin and on the Chukchi Shelf from summer 2016 to summer 2017. During the experiments, low-frequency signals from five tomographic sources located in the deep basin were recorded by an array of hydrophones located on the shelf. Over the course of the yearlong experiment, the surface conditions transitioned from completely open water to fully ice-covered. The propagation conditions in the deep basin were dominated by a subsurface duct; however, over the slope and shelf, the duct was seen to significantly weaken during the winter and spring. The combination of these surface and subsurface conditions led to changes in the received level of the sources that exceeded 60 dB and showed a distinct spacio-temporal dependence, which was correlated with the locations of the sources in the basin. This paper seeks to quantify the observed variability in the received signals through propagation modeling using spatially sparse environmental measurements.
CsrA Supports both Environmental Persistence and Host-Associated Growth of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Farrow John M. , Wells Greg , Palethorpe Samantha , Adams Mark D. , Pesci Everett C.
Published: September 2020

Acinetobacter baumannii
is an opportunistic and frequently multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that primarily infects critically ill individuals. Indirect transmission from patient to patient in hospitals can drive infections, supported by this organism’s abilities to persist on dry surfaces and rapidly colonize susceptible individuals. To investigate how
A. baumannii
survives on surfaces, we cultured
A. baumannii
in liquid media for several days and then analyzed isolates that lost the ability to survive drying.
An Evaluation of the Performance of the IMMY
Aspergillus
Galactomannan Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay When Testing Serum To Aid in the Diagnosis of Invasive Aspergillosis
Authors: White P. Lewis , Price Jessica S. , Posso Raquel , Vale Lorna , Backx Matthijs
Published: September 2020

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of the recently released IMMY
Aspergillus
galactomannan enzyme immunoassay (IMMY GM-EIA) when testing serum samples and to identify the optimal galactomannan index (GMI) positivity threshold for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA). This was a retrospective case/control study, comprising 175 serum samples obtained from 131 patients, 35 of whom had probable or possible invasive fungal disease (IFD) as categorized using recently revised, internationally accepted definitions.
Whole-Genome Sequence of Bacillus subtilis WS1A, a Promising Fish Probiotic Strain Isolated from Marine Sponge of the Bay of Bengal
Authors: Rahman M. Mahbubur , Paul Sulav Indra , Akter Tasmina , Tay Alfred Chin Yen , Foysal M. Javed , Islam M. Tofazzal
Published: September 2020

This study reports the draft genome sequence of a promising fish probiotic,
Bacillus subtilis
strain WS1A, that possesses antimicrobial activity against
Aeromonas veronii
and suppressed motile
Aeromonas
septicemia in
Labeo rohita
. The
de novo
assembly resulted in an estimated chromosome size of 4,148,460 bp, with 4,288 open reading frames.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Pseudomonas chilensis
Strain ABC1, Isolated from Soil
Authors: Valenzuela-Heredia Daniel , Henríquez-Castillo Carlos , Donoso Raúl , Lavín Paris , Pavlov María S. , Franchi Oscar , Campos José Luis
Published: September 2020

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of
Pseudomonas chilensis
strain ABC1, which was isolated from a soil interstitial water sample collected at the University Adolfo Ibañez, Valparaiso, Chile. We assembled PacBio reads into a single closed contig with 209× mean coverage, yielding a 4,035,896-bp sequence with 62% GC content and 3,555 predicted genes.
Colistin Resistance Gene
mcr-8
in a High-Risk Sequence Type 15 Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolate from Kenya
Authors: Kyany’a Cecilia , Musila Lillian
Published: September 2020

The emergence and rise of mobile colistin resistance genes are of great global concern due to the ease of transfer of resistance to other bacteria. This report describes the genome of a colistin- and multidrug-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolate bearing
mcr-8
, obtained from a hospitalized patient in Kenya.
Shotgun Metagenomic Survey of Maize Soil Rhizobiome
Authors: Babalola Olubukola Oluranti , Akinola Saheed Adekunle , Ayangbenro Ayansina Segun
Published: September 2020

The plant soil rhizobiome induces critical functions in the plant proximal environment. Linkages between soil microbiota and primary functional attributes are underexplored. Here, we present the metagenomes of maize soil rhizosphere organisms with functional diversity associated with farms at two different municipalities in North West and Gauteng provinces of South Africa. We describe a plenteous and diverse microbial community.
Paleomagnetic constraints on the duration of the Australia-Laurentia connection in the core of the Nuna supercontinent
Authors: Kirscher Uwe , Mitchell Ross N. , Liu Yebo , Nordsvan Adam R. , Cox Grant M. , Pisarevsky Sergei A. , Wang Chong , Wu Lei , Murphy J. Brendan , Li Zheng-Xiang
Published: September 2020

The Australia-Laurentia connection in the Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic supercontinent Nuna is thought to have initiated by ca. 1.6 Ga when both continents were locked in a proto-SWEAT (southwestern U.S.–East Antarctic) configuration. However, the longevity of that configuration is poorly constrained. Here, we present a new high-quality paleomagnetic pole from the ca. 1.3 Ga Derim Derim sills of northern Australia that suggests Australia and Laurentia were in the same configuration at that time. This new paleopole also supports a connection between Australia and North China and, in conjunction with previously reported data from all continents, indicates that the breakup of Nuna largely occurred between ca. 1.3 and 1.2 Ga.
Prospective study of change in liver function and fat in patients with colorectal liver metastases undergoing preoperative chemotherapy: protocol for the CLiFF Study
Authors: Parmar Kat L , O'Reilly Derek , Valle Juan W , Braun Michael , Naish Jo H , Williams Steve R , Lloyd William K , Malcomson Lee , Cresswell Katharine , Bamford Colin , Renehan Andrew G
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Preoperative chemotherapy in patients undergoing resection for colorectal liver metastases (CLM) improves oncological outcomes. However, chemotherapy-associated liver injury (occurring in two patterns: vascular and fat deposition) is a real clinical concern prior to hepatic resection. After major liver resection, regeneration of the residual liver is a prerequisite for recovery and avoidance of liver failure, but this regenerative capacity may be hindered by chemotherapy. Thus, there is a need to predict for this serious complication. Over the past two decades, several tests and derived indices have been developed, which have failed to achieve clinical utility, mainly as they were indirect measurements of liver function. Here, we will use a novel test of liver function (the liver maximum capacity (LiMAx) test), and measure liver fat using MRI.

Methods and analysis

This prospective study will assess changes in liver function longitudinally, measured by the LiMAx test, and liver fat, measured by advanced MRI using both MR spectroscopy and the modified Dixon method, in up to 35 patients undergoing preoperative chemotherapy for CLM. The primary outcomes will be the changes in liver function and fat compared with baseline prechemotherapy measurements. Secondary outcome measures include: routinely measured liver function blood tests, anthropometric measurements, postoperative histology and digital quantification of fat, postoperative complications and mortality and quality of life.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by a National Health Service Research Ethics Committee and registered with the Health Research Authority. Dissemination will be via international and national conferences and the National Institute for Health Research network. Manuscripts will be published.

Trial registration number

This study is registered online atwww.clinicaltrials.gov(registration numberNCT03562234).
Study protocol of a population-based cohort investigating Physical Activity, Sedentarism, lifestyles and Obesity in Spanish youth: the PASOS study
Authors: Gómez Santiago Felipe , Homs Clara , Wärnberg Julia , Medrano Maria , Gonzalez-Gross Marcela , Gusi Narcis , Aznar Susana , Cascales Elena Marín , González-Valeiro Miguel , Serra-Majem Lluis , Terrados Nicolás , Tur Josep A , Segú Marta , Lassale Camille , Benavente-Marín Juan Carlos , Labayen Idoia , Zapico Augusto García , Sánchez-Gómez Jesús , Jiménez-Zazo Fabio , Alcaraz Pedro Emilio , Sevilla-Sanchez Marta , Herrera-Ramos Estefania , Pulgar Susana , Bibiloni Maria del Mar , Sancho Olga , Schröder Helmut
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Physical activity (PA) is essential to healthy mental and physical development in early life. However, the prevalence of physical inactivity, which is considered a key modifiable driver of childhood obesity, has reached alarming levels among European youth. There is a need to update the data for Spain, in order to establish if current measures are effective or new approaches are needed.

Methods and analysis

We present the protocol for Physical Activity, Sedentarism, lifestyles and Obesity in Spanish youth (PASOS). This observational, nationally representative, multicentre study aims to determine the PA levels, sedentary behaviours and prevalence of physical inactivity (defined as <60 min of moderate to vigorous PA per day) in a representative sample of Spanish children and adolescents. The PASOS study has recruited a representative random sample of children and adolescents aged 8–16 years from 242 educational centres in the 17 ‘autonomous regions’ into which Spain is divided. The aim is to include a total of 4508 youth participants and their families. Weight, height and waist circumference will be measured by standardised procedures. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, quality of life, sleep duration, PA and sedentary behaviour are being measured by validated questionnaires. PA is measured by the Physical Activity Unit 7-item Screener. A representative subsample (10% of participants) was randomly selected to wear accelerometers for 9 days to obtain objective data on PA. Parents are asked about their educational level, time spent doing PA, diet quality, self-perceived stress, smoking habit, weight, height, their child’s birth weight and if the child was breast fed.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain. Main findings of the study will be disseminated to the scientific community and to general public by media conferences, social media and a website.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN34251612.
Towards a conceptual framework of the working alliance in a blended low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy intervention for depression in primary mental health care: a qualitative study
Authors: Doukani Asmae , Free Caroline , Michelson Daniel , Araya Ricardo , Montero-Marin Jesús , Smith Sarah , Cerga-Pashoja Arlinda , Kakuma Ritsuko
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To examine and adapt a conceptual framework of the working alliance (WA) in the context of a low-intensity blended (psychological well-being practitioner (PWP) plus computerised program) cognitive behavioural therapy intervention (b-CBT) for depression.

Design

Patient involvement was enlisted to collaboratively shape the design of the project from the onset, before data collection. In-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with participants who experienced b-CBT as part of the E-compared trial. A thematic analysis was conducted using a constant comparative method informed by grounded theory.

Setting

Recruitment was carried out in four psychological primary care services across the UK.

Participants

Nineteen trial participants with major depressive disorder who completed at least one computerised program and face-to-face session with a PWP in the b-CBT arm were recruited to the study.

Results

Qualitative interviews that were guided by WA theory and patient involvement, revealed four themes: (1) a healthcare provider (PWP and computerised program) with good interpersonal competencies for building a working relationship with the client (‘bond’); (2) collaborative efforts between the client and the provider to appropriately identify what the client hopes to achieve through therapy (‘goals’); (3) the selection of acceptable therapeutic activities that address client goals and the availability of responsive support (‘task’) and (4) the promotion of active engagement and autonomous problem solving (‘usability heuristics’). Participants described how the PWP and computerised program uniquely and collectively contributed to different WA needs.

Conclusions

This study is the first to offer a preliminary conceptual framework of WA in b-CBT for depression, and how such demands can be addressed through blended PWP-computerised program delivery. These findings can be used to promote WA in technological design and clinical practice, thereby promoting engagement to b-CBT interventions and effective deployment of practitioner and program resources.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN12388725.
Efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin with rituximab versus rituximab alone in childhood-onset steroid-dependent and frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome: protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Hogan Julien , Perez Aubriana , Sellier-Leclerc Anne-Laure , Vrillon Isabelle , Broux Francoise , Nobili Francois , Harambat Jerome , Bessenay Lucie , Audard V , Faudeux Camille , Morin Denis , Pietrement Christine , Tellier Stephanie , Djeddi Djamal , Eckart Philippe , Lahoche Annie , Roussey-Kesler G , Ulinski Tim , Boyer Olivia , Plaisier Emmanuelle , Cloarec Sylvie , Jolivot Anne , Guigonis Vincent , Guilmin-Crepon Sophie , Baudouin Veronique , Dossier Claire , Deschênes Georges
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Guidelines for the treatment of steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) and frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome (FRNS) are lacking. Given the substantial impact of SDNS/FRNS on quality of life, strategies aiming to provide long-term remission while minimising treatment side effects are needed. Several studies confirm that rituximab is effective in preventing early relapses in SDNS/FRNS; however, the long-term relapse rate remains high (~70% at 2 years). This trial will assess the association of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIgs) to rituximab in patients with SDNS/FRNS and inform clinicians on whether IVIg’s immunomodulatory properties can alter the course of the disease and reduce the use of immunosuppressive drugs and their side effects.

Methods and analysis

We conduct an open-label multicentre, randomised, parallel group in a 1:1 ratio, controlled, superiority trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a single infusion of rituximab followed by IVIg compared with rituximab alone in childhood-onset FRNS/SDNS. The primary outcome is the occurrence of first relapse within 24 months. Patients are allocated to receive either rituximab alone (375 mg/m²) or rituximab followed by IVIg, which includes an initial Ig dose of 2 g/kg, followed by 1.5 g/kg injections once a month for the following 5 months (maximum dose: 100 g).

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the ethics committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes) of Ouest I and authorised by the French drug regulatory agency (Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des Produits de Santé). Results of the primary study and the secondary aims will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications.

Trial registration number

NCT03560011.
Impact of home-based family planning counselling and referral on modern contraceptive use in Karachi, Pakistan: a retrospective, cross-sectional matched control study
Authors: Hackett Kristy , Henry Elizabeth , Hussain Imtiaz , Khan Mirbaz , Feroz Khalid , Kaur Navdep , Sato Ryoko , Soofi Sajid , Canning David , Shah Iqbal
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To assess: (1) the impact of a reproductive health program on modern contraceptive use from baseline to program close; (2) the sustained impact from baseline to follow-up 36 months later; and (3) the exposure-adjusted impact at program close and follow-up.

Design

Retrospective, cross-sectional matched control study.

Setting

Karachi, Pakistan.

Participants

2561 married women aged 16–49 years.

Interventions

The Willows Program, a community-based family planning counselling and referral program implemented from 2013 to 2015.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome was community-level modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR), measured for January 2013 (baseline), June 2015 (program close) and at follow-up 36 months later. A secondary outcome was exposure-adjusted mCPR (among women reporting a family planning home visit) at program close and at follow-up.

Results

There was no significant effect on community-level mCPR at program close (2.4 percentage point increase in intervention over comparison; 95% CI −2.2 to 7.0) or at follow-up (1.9 percentage point decrease; 95% CI −6.7 to 2.8). Only 18% of women in the intervention area reported receiving a family planning visit in the preceding 5 years. Among those reporting a visit, we observed a significant 10.3 percentage point increase (95% CI 4.6 to 15.9) from baseline to close, and a non-significant 2.0 percentage point increase (95% CI −3.8 to 7.8) from baseline to follow-up, relative to matched women in the comparison area. The cost per new modern method user was US$1089, while the cost per user-year during the intervention period was US$455.

Conclusions

The program had a positive short-term effect on women who received a family planning visit; however, this effect was not sustained. Program coverage was low and did not significantly increase community-level family planning use. Findings highlight the need to increase community coverage of high-quality counselling and contextually relevant interventions for family planning demand generation.
No standarisation or harmonisation in anti-doping testing frequency
Authors: Cuddihy Bill
Published: September 2020

The use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) has undermined the credibility of sports for many years, with cycling and athletics, especially badly hit. The World Anti-Doping Agency has been tasked with leading the fight against the use of PEDs in sport and has been largely successful in achieving standardisation and harmonisation in terms of rules and regulations but has not addressed the question of testing frequency to any meaningful extent. This study, which focuses on athletics, shows vast differences in testing rates around the world with some of the most successful countries in athletics doing very little testing compared to many other countries.
Comparing racing performance following arthroscopic surgery of metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal and carpal joints in Thoroughbred racehorses rehabilitated using conventional and underwater treadmill therapies
Authors: Potenza Korin N , Huggons Nick A , Jones Andrew R E , Rosanowski Sarah M , McIlwraith C Wayne
Published: September 2020

Background

Rehabilitation of horses using underwater treadmill therapy has been shown to improve joint range of motion, joint mobility, stride length and proprioceptive parameters with experimental studies. However, studies investigating the prognosis and return to function following rehabilitation are lacking.

Methods

A retrospective study of Thoroughbred racehorses treated with arthroscopic surgery for osteochondral fragments of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) or metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints or carpal joints undergoing conventional rehabilitation or underwater treadmill assisted rehabilitation at the same facility were included. The objective of the current study was to investigate if underwater treadmill assisted rehabilitation following arthroscopy in the Thoroughbred racehorse was positively associated with returning to racing, time to return to racing and postoperative racing performance including Beyer Speed Figures.

Results

Surgery was performed on 165 horses on 174 surgical occasions; 70 (40.2 per cent) underwent underwater treadmill rehabilitation, with the remainder undergoing conventional rehabilitation. The time to return to racing was a median of 227 (IQR 185–281) days and 239 (IQR 205–303) days for underwater treadmill and conventional rehabilitation, respectively (P=0.16). Of the horses that raced presurgery, 83 per cent (58/70) of underwater treadmill rehabilitated horses and 61 per cent (63/104) of horses undergoing conventional rehabilitation returned to racing following surgery (P=0.02).

Conclusion

Underwater treadmill rehabilitation is superior in returning a Thoroughbred racehorse to racing following arthroscopic surgery of the carpus and/or MCP/MTP joints.
The littoral zone of polar lakes: inshore–offshore contrasts in an ice-covered High Arctic lake
Authors: Bégin Paschale N. , Rautio Milla , Tanabe Yukiko , Uchida Masaki , Culley Alexander I. , Vincent Warwick F.
Published: September 2020

In ice-covered polar lakes, a narrow ice-free moat opens up in spring or early summer, and then persists at the edge of the lake until complete ice loss or refreezing. In this study, we analyzed the horizontal gradients in Ward Hunt Lake, located in the Canadian High Arctic, and addressed the hypothesis that the transition from its nearshore open-water moat to offshore ice-covered waters is marked by discontinuous shifts in limnological properties. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observed an abrupt increase in below-ice concentrations of chlorophyll a beyond the ice margin, along with a sharp decrease in temperature and light availability and pronounced changes in benthic algal pigments and fatty acids. There were higher concentrations of rotifers and lower concentrations of viruses at the ice-free sampling sites, and contrasts in zooplankton fatty acid profiles that implied a greater importance of benthic phototrophs in their inshore diet. The observed patterns underscore the structuring role of ice cover in polar lakes. These ecosystems do not conform to the traditional definitions of littoral versus pelagic zones but instead may have distinct moat, ice-margin, and ice-covered zones. This zonation is likely to weaken with ongoing climate change.
Superconductivity and intra-unit-cell electronic nematic phase in the three-band model of cuprates
Authors: Zegrodnik Michal , Biborski Andrzej , Spałek Jozef
Published: September 2020

The intra-unit-cell nematic phase is studied within the three-band Emery model of the cuprates by using the diagrammatic expansion of the Gutzwiller wave function (DE-GWF). According to our analysis a spontaneous rotational (C4) symmetry breaking of the electronic wave function, leading to the nematic behavior, can appear due to electron correlations induced mainly by the onsite Coulomb repulsion, even in the absence of the corresponding intersite oxygen–oxygen repulsion term. The latter has been considered as the triggering factor of the nematic state formation in a number of previous studies. Also, we show that at the transition to the nematic phase, electron concentration transfer from d- to p-orbitals takes place, apart from the usually discussed px∕py polarization. The nematicity appears in a similar doping range as the paired phase, showing that both phases may have a common origin, even though they compete. As we show a coexistence region of both superconductivity and nematicity appears in a relatively wide doping range. The results are discussed in view of the experimental findings corresponding to the relation between nematicity and pseudogap behavior.

Graphical abstract
A novel measure for influence nodes across complex networks based on node attraction
Authors: Wang Bin , Guan Wanghao , Sheng Yuxuan , Sheng Jinfang , Dai Jinying , Zhang Junkai , Li Qiong , Dong Qiangqiang , Chen Long
Published: September 2020

The real-world network is heterogeneous, and it is an important and challenging task to effectively identify the influential nodes in complex networks. Identification of influential nodes is widely used in social, biological, transportation, information and other networks with complex structures to help us solve a variety of complex problems. In recent years, the identification of influence nodes has received a lot of attention, and scholars have proposed various methods based on different practical problems. This paper proposes a new method to identify influential nodes, namely Attraction based on Node and Community (ANC). By considering the attraction of nodes to nodes and nodes to community structure, this method quantifies the attraction of a node, and the attraction of a node is used to represent its influence. To illustrate the effectiveness of ANC, we did extensive experiments on six real-world networks and the results show that the ANC algorithm is superior to the representative algorithms in terms of the accuracy and has lower time complexity as well.
Characteristics of vehicular traffic flow at nonsignalized intersection: Simulation study by Lárraga and Alvarez-Icaza model
Authors: Moradi Javad , Belbasi Somayyeh
Published: September 2020

This paper develops Lárraga and Alvarez-Icaza (LAI) cellular automata model which is based on safe human reaction. Vehicles are moving at two single-lane streets with periodic boundary condition and pass from intersection point via yielding mechanism avoiding collision. The model characteristics and fundamental diagrams have been obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. Our results suggest that LAI model with yielding mechanism is able to reproduce the realistic acceleration and deceleration capabilities, which are desired parameters. Moreover, the plateau region in total current illustrates the hardness of the yielding mechanism and limited speed strategy, which is applied near the intersection point.
A LOOK AT THE U.S. BUSINESS CYCLES THROUGH THE LENS OF A TANK MODEL
Authors: JUNG YONGSEUNG
Published: September 2020

This paper sets up a two-agent new Keynesian model to explore the role of financial frictions over the post-war U.S. business cycle. The estimated model via maximum likelihood shows that the share of constrained households which has been substantial since the 1960s has significantly increased during the Great Recession. It also finds that the cost-push shock has been most important in explaining the behavior of the detrended output. The cost-push shock has also played a pivotal role in the fluctuation of inflation during the Great Recession, while the monetary policy shock which has been important in the behavior of inflation before the financial crisis has a negligible role during the Great Recession.