bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in prevalence of guideline‐based use of lipid‐lowering therapy in a large health system
Authors: Sidebottom Abbey C. , Vacquier Marc C. , Jensen Joseph C. , Bradley Steven M. , Knickelbine Thomas , Strauss Craig , Miedema Michael D.
Published: February 2020

Background

The 2013 ACC/AHA (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association) cholesterol guidelines provided an evidence‐based rationale for the allocation of lipid‐lowering therapy based on risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Adoption of these guidelines was initially suboptimal but whether this has improved over time remains unclear.

Hypothesis

Prevalence of guideline‐based statin therapy will increase over time.

Methods

Electronic health record data were used to create two cross‐sectional data sets of patients (age 40‐75) served in 2013 and 2017 by a large health system. Data sets included demographics, clinical risk factors, lipid values, diagnostic codes, and active medication orders during each period. Prevalence of indications for statin therapy according to the ACC/AHA guidelines and statin prescriptions were compared between each time period.

Results

In 2013, of the 219 376 adults, 57.7% of patients met statin eligibility criteria, of which 61.3% were prescribed any statin and 19.0% a high intensity statin. Among those eligible, statin use was highest in those with established ASCVD (83.9%) and lowest in those with elevated ASCVD risk >7.5% (39.3%). In 2017, of the 256 074 adults, 62.3% were statin eligible, of which 62.3% were prescribed a statin and 24.3% a high intensity statin. In 2017, 66.4% of statin eligible men were prescribed a statin compared to 57.4% of statin eligible women (P < 0.001). The use of ezetimibe (3.6% in 2013, 2.4% in 2017) and protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (<0.1% and 0.1%) was infrequent.

Conclusion

In a large health system, guideline‐based statin use has remained suboptimal. Improved strategies are needed to increase statin utilization in appropriate patients.
Artificial Neural Network–Based Multisensor Monitoring System for Collision Damage Assessment of Lithium‐Ion Battery Cells
Authors: Zhang Jian , Lv Dian , Simeone Alessandro
Published: February 2020

The sales of electric vehicles (EVs) have seen a significant upward trend in recent years. The occurrence of severe collision accidents has raised awareness concerning safety issues of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) which are the core components of EV energy storage systems. When collision accidents of vehicles occur, in most cases, the battery cells will immediately burn and even explode, whereas in some cases, despite not directly showing visual damages, the battery cells may lead to delayed catastrophic failures. Herein, the assessment of the battery cells collision damage based on sensor signal data is focused on by identifying potentially unsafe cells. A campaign of collision experimental tests and a series of electrical performance tests are conducted on single‐cell specimens. A cell damage characterization procedure is proposed and implemented on the battery cells after the collision tests. The impact force and z‐axis acceleration signal features and respective damage classes are input to an artificial neural network (ANN) pattern classifier to train a model to assess the battery cell collision damage.
A logically centralized slotted ALOHA‐based scheme for broadcast services in vehicular ad hoc networks
Authors: Peng Shenglong , Zhou Liang , Du Junyi , He Xuan
Published: February 2020

In the vehicular ad hoc networks, a slotted ALOHA‐based scheme for effective broadcast services is essential to disseminate the control and safety packets since it can avoid the slot collision issues. Existing slotted ALOHA‐based schemes, for example, VeMAC, simply abandon the conflicting slots for all the collided nodes, which leads to a high collision probability and low wireless resource utilization. To address this issue, a logically centralized slotted ALOHA‐based (LC‐SA) scheme is proposed in this article. Different from the traditional slotted ALOHA‐based schemes, the proposed LC‐SA scheme solves the slot release problem and improves the rate of successful channel access. In the LC‐SA scheme, a control node is enabled to reserve time slots for its neighbor nodes. In this way, a collided node within the communication range of the control node will continue to acquire this time slot if a collision is implied, while other collided nodes out of range will release this time slot to prevent another collision. Simulation results in both perfect and imperfect channel conditions are presented. The LC‐SA scheme is verified to have higher throughput than VeMAC, due to more a rapid channel access speed and fewer access collisions.
Studies on qualitative and quantitative detection of trehalose purity by terahertz spectroscopy
Authors: Huang Luelue , Li Chen , Li Bin , Liu Miaoling , Lian Miaomiao , Yang Shaozhuang
Published: February 2020

Terahertz spectroscopy was used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze four samples (three brands) of trehalose produced in China and other countries. The results show that the main characteristic peak was greatly affected by concentration, and the optimal detection concentration of trehalose was determined to be 25%–55% by transmission scanning. There were six significant characteristic absorption peaks in the trehalose spectrum, meaning that terahertz spectroscopy can be used for qualitative analysis, analogous to infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, the terahertz spectrum can effectively distinguish the three isomers of trehalose, whereas infrared spectroscopy cannot. Thus, it was found that the current commercially available trehalose is the α,α‐isomer. Quantitative analysis of the three brands of trehalose using terahertz spectroscopy matched the purity trends found by high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis, with the order of purity from highest to lowest being TREHA, Pioneer, and Huiyang. The actual quantitative values did differ between the two detection methods, but the variation in the values from the same sample obtained by the two detection methods was less than 5%, confirming that terahertz spectroscopy is very suitable for the rapid and relative quantitative detection of trehalose.
Production and evaluation of biosynthesized cellulose tubes as promising nerve guides for spinal cord injury treatment
Authors: Stumpf Taisa R. , Tang Linda , Kirkwood Kathlyn , Yang Xiuying , Zhang Jingchang , Cao Xudong
Published: February 2020

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a central nervous disorder that can result in permanent motor and sensory damage due to a severed communication pathway. Although there is currently no effective treatment, nerve guide tubes have been used to bridge the injured stumps and act as drug delivery systems. In this study, biosynthesized cellulose (BC) nerve guides were prepared, and nerve growth factor (NGF)—a model growth factor—was incorporated into the tubular nerve guide in order to obtain a nerve guide/drug delivery system to assist the regeneration. To achieve this, Gluconacetobacter hansenii was cultivated in a special bioreactor to produce biosynthesized cellulose tubes (BCTs) in situ, and the physical and mechanical properties of the BCTs obtained from different cultivation time points were evaluated. Our results showed that the properties of the BCTs were comparable to those of the native human neural tissues, and that the NGF released from the BCTs was bioactive for at least 7 days as evaluated by PC12 cell cultures in vitro. In summary, this study evaluated the use of BCT as a drug releasing nerve guide, and our results showed that the BCT is an attractive strategy to enhance nerve regeneration after the SCI.
Predicting peak summer monsoon precipitation over Pakistan in ECMWF SEAS5 and North American Multimodel Ensemble
Authors: Ehsan Muhammad Azhar , Tippett Michael K. , Kucharski Fred , Almazroui Mansour , Ismail Muhammad
Published: February 2020

The potential and actual forecast skill of peak summer monsoon precipitation (July–August [JA]) over the core summer monsoon region of Pakistan (CSMRP: 68°–76°E, 30°–36°N) is investigated. The predictions from the latest version of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecast System5 (SEAS5) and the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) initialized in the beginning of June, May, and April are utilized. The potential skill is estimated by signal‐to‐noise ratio and perfect model correlation. The forecast skill is evaluated using the temporal anomaly correlation as well as the ranked probability skill score for probabilistic forecasts. The SEAS5 generally captures the observed climatological mean and variability patterns of peak summer monsoon precipitation over the region, with some biases mainly located over the complex topography zones. Observed SST anomalies in the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) region are negatively correlated with observed peak summer monsoon precipitation over the region. The ENSO–precipitation connection is weakly reproduced in SEAS5 at Lead‐1 and fades gradually with increasing lead time. The potentially predictable component (signal) is small compared to the unpredictable part (noise). Nonetheless, statistically significant potential skill is found over the CSMRP. However, the forecast skill of peak summer monsoon precipitation over the region is lower than the potential skill in SEAS5. A multimodel ensemble average of five models shows little benefit in predicting peak monsoon precipitation over Pakistan. Extended spatial averaging has some impact on the skill; however, temporal averaging has no effect on the skill of the summer monsoon precipitation in SEAS5. Together these results show limitations of the current seasonal prediction models and demonstrate their inadequate performance in predicting peak summer monsoon precipitation over Pakistan.
Nonuniqueness of solution for initial value problems of impulsive Hilfer fractional differential equations
Authors: Zhang Xian‐Min
Published: February 2020

This paper is mainly concerned with the initial value problem (IVP) for two types of impulsive fractional differential equations (IFrDE) with the Hilfer‐generalized fractional derivative. For these IVPs of IFrDE, their equivalent integral equations with an arbitrary constant are built by constructing an approximate solution and calculating the error between the approximate solution and the exact solution, which uncover that there are many solutions for these IVPs of IFrDE. We offer some numerical examples to explain the obtained results.
Controlling the thermomechanical properties of biobased ABA triblock copolymers comprising polylactide (A) and poly(1,2‐propylene succinate) (B) with high molecular weight
Authors: Nishiwaki Yasumasa , Masutani Kazunari , Kimura Yoshiharu , Lee Chan‐Woo
Published: February 2020

Bis‐hydroxyl‐terminated poly(1,2‐propylene succinate) (PPS‐diols) with high molecular weight (10–40 kDa) are prepared by two‐step melt polycondensation of succinic acid and 1,2‐propanediol with Ti(BuO)4 as the catalyst. By using these PPS‐diols as macroinitiators, the ring‐opening polymerization of d‐ and l‐lactides is readily conducted to obtain enantiomeric ABA triblock copolymers consisting of poly(l‐lactide) and PPS (B) (t‐l‐PPS) as well as those of poly(d‐lactide) and PPS (B) (t‐d‐PPS) which have higher PPS compositions (20–70 wt%) in addition to high molecular weight (20–80 kD). The Tg, Tm, and ΔHm values of the t‐l‐PPS copolymers as well as the stereo mixtures of t‐l‐PPS/t‐d‐PPS are controlled to linearly decrease with increasing the PPS content. The copolymers also exhibit higher elastomeric properties with increasing the PPS content. The tensile properties of the copolymer films having higher PPS contents (both the single block copolymers and stereo mixtures) are comparable to those of the oil‐based thermoplastic elastomers. It is therefore concluded that these block copolymers can afford thermoplastic elastomers or flexible plastic materials having a 100% biobased content.
A p‐GaN‐Gated Hybrid Anode Lateral Diode with a Thicker AlGaN Barrier Layer
Authors: Su Shuai , Zhong Yaozong , Zhou Yu , Gao Hongwei , Zhan Xiaoning , Chen Xin , Guo Xiaolu , Sun Qian , Zhang Zihui , Bi Wengang , Yang Hui
Published: February 2020

A p‐GaN‐gated hybrid anode lateral diode with a 45 nm‐thick AlGaN barrier is successfully fabricated through p‐GaN regrowth over recessed structure. This diode features a recessed p‐GaN‐gated ohmic hybrid anode, and the current flow from the anode to the cathode can be well controlled by the p‐GaN structure. With this architecture of regrown p‐GaN structure and thick AlGaN barrier, the forward turn‐on voltage (Von) and on‐resistance (Ron) of the diode can be reduced simultaneously. Both Von and Ron exhibit an excellent uniformity with an average value of 0.71 ± 0.02 V and 10.6 ± 0.27 Ω mm, respectively. Also, a high breakdown voltage (≈488 V) is achieved even in the absence of field plate structure. The fabrication process of the diode seems to be fully compatible with that of normally off high‐electron‐mobility transistors (HEMTs) with p‐GaN gate, which is successfully commercialized, enabling more convenient monolithic integration.
A one‐class peeling method for multivariate outlier detection with applications in phase I SPC
Authors: Martinez Waldyn G. , Weese Maria L. , Jones-Farmer L. Allison
Published: February 2020

In phase I of statistical process control (SPC), control charts are often used as outlier detection methods to assess process stability. Many of these methods require estimation of the covariance matrix, are computationally infeasible, or have not been studied when the dimension of the data, , is large. We propose the one‐class peeling (OCP) method, a flexible framework that combines statistical and machine learning methods to detect multiple outliers in multivariate data. The OCP method can be applied to phase I of SPC, does not require covariance estimation, and is well suited to high‐dimensional data sets with a high percentage of outliers. Our empirical evaluation suggests that the OCP method performs well in high dimensions and is computationally more efficient and robust than existing methodologies. We motivate and illustrate the use of the OCP method in a phase I SPC application on a , dimensional data set containing Wikipedia search results for National Football League (NFL) players, teams, coaches, and managers. The example data set and R functions,OCP.RandOCPLimit.R, to compute the respective OCP distances and thresholds are available in the supplementary materials.
TiO2 Nanoparticles Decorated on BiOCl Flakes with Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Shinde Deepali S. , Bhange Pallavi D. , Jha Ratnesh K. , Bhange Deu S.
Published: February 2020

Facile preparation route for BiOCl and BiOCl/TiO2 nanocomposites with TiO2 nanoparticles decorated on BiOCl flakes via solution combustion method is reported in the present paper. Structural, textural and optical properties of the prepared materials are extensively studied using various physicochemical characterization tools such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV‐vis spectroscopy (DRS), N2 adsorption‐desorption study (BET), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), etc. BiOCl/TiO2 nanocomposites show a red shift in the light absorption as compared to that of bare BiOCl which leads to the extended absorption in visible light region. Further photocatalytic experiments for Rhodamine B and phenol degradation demonstrate that the BiOCl/TiO2 nanocomposites have superior photocatalytic properties than bare BiOCl. Improved photocatalytic performance of BiOCl/TiO2 composites is attributed to the synergistic effect between BiOCl flakes and TiO2 nanoparticles, extended visible light absorption and delayed charge recombination.
Influence of Stirring Time on the Electrochemical Properties of NiCo2S4 Hexagonal Plates and NiCo−OH Nanoparticles as High‐Performance Pseudocapacitor Electrode Materials
Authors: Sajjad Muhammad , Xu Chen , Guan Linlin , Zhang Shuyu , Jiao Yangjing , Zhang Shuangshuang , Lin Yuting , Ren Yang , Zhou Xiaowei , Liu Zhu
Published: February 2020

This study investigated the morphology dependent electrochemical behavior tuned with different stirring times (1, 5, 10, 20, 40 min, and 1 hr.) for NiCo2S4 hexagonal plate (NCS hexagonal plate) and NiCo−OH nanoparticles (NiCo−OH NPs). The altered nanostructure properties are well supported by in‐depth structural and morphological analysis. When used as electrodes for supercapacitor, both NCS hexagonal plates and NiCo−OH NPs (prepared at stirring time of 20 min and 5 min, respectively) exhibit maximum specific capacitances of 833 and 733 mF cm−2 at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 along with superior rate and stable cycling performance due to their beneficial structural features. Moreover, the stability study showed 69.0 % and 67.0 % capacitance retention after 5000 cycles, indicating excellent stability of the samples. These outstanding properties manifest that the unique hierarchical structures promised as a suitable electrode material for the energy storage field shortly.
A Base‐Free Pd‐Precatalyst Mediated Suzuki‐Miyaura and Sonogashira Cross‐Coupling in Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: Thiyagamurthy Pandurangan , Khan Fazlur Rahman Nawaz
Published: February 2020

A volatile organic solvent‐free deep eutectic solvent (DES) was prepared by utilizing 1 : 10 ratio of potassium carbonate (PC) as a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as a hydrogen bond donor (HBD). Subsequently, DES was utilized as a solvent in the Pd‐catalyzed Suzuki‐Miyaura or Sonogashira cross‐coupling reactions of boronic acids or acetylenes respectively with in situ generated 2‐bromobenzo[2,3][1,4]oxazepino[7,6‐b]quinoline, 3 The anhydrous conditions without air exclusion, low catalyst loading, low toxicity, high efficiency, low cost, and bioavailability are the advantages of DES in C−C bond forming reactions. Moreover, a gram‐scale reaction under mild conditions with an excellent yield was productive. The one‐pot reaction of 6‐bromo‐2‐chloroquinoline‐3‐carbaldehyde, 1 through 2‐bromobenzo [2,3][1,4]oxazepino [7,6‐b]quinoline, 3 intermediate, and subsequent Suzuki‐Miyaura or Sonogashira coupling was successfully attempted.
Ursane‐ and oleane‐type triterpene glycosides from Ilex godajam
Authors: Huong Pham Thi Mai , Hanh Tran Thi Hong , Huong Phan Thi Thanh , Cuong Nguyen The , Hoan Duong Thi , Quang Tran Hong , Cuong Nguyen Xuan , Nam Nguyen Hoai
Published: February 2020

Seven triterpenoid glycosides namely ilekudinoside D (1), kudinoside H (2), mateside (3), suavissimoside R1 (4), 3β‐[(α‐L‐arabinopyranosyl)oxy]‐19α‐hydro‐xyolean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid 28‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl ester (5), ilexoside XXXI (6), and silphioside B (7) were isolated from a methanol extract of the Ilex godajam branches and leaves by various chromatographic separations. Their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of their NMR spectroscopic data as well as comparison of them with those reported. Compounds 1‐3 and 5‐7 were firstly isolated from I. godajam.
Kinetic modeling of thermal decomposition of sugarcane bagasse in the inert gas environment
Authors: Van Nam Huynh , Tam Truong Thanh , Tho Van Dinh Son
Published: February 2020

Sugarcane bagasse was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with the different heating rates, and nitrogen carrier from 30 to 800 oC. Through decreasing the sample's mass by temperature, the stage of thermal decomposition could be determined. Specifically, there were three stages of decomposition including moisture escape stage, decomposition of cellulose stage, hemicellulose and lignin decomposition stage. On the other hand, based on the results of TGA the activation energy of decomposition process was determined by the inverse of the Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa (FWO) method and Kissinger‐Akahira‐Sunose (KAS) method. The calculated results were compared with the activation energy by the Coats‐Redfern method and Criado method in order to find the kinetics of bagasse pyrolysis process. Accordingly, when the conversion of reaction was lower than 75 %, corresponding to the decomposing process of hemicellulose and cellulose, the thermal decomposing process of bagasse obeyed diffusion kinetics of model D2, D3 and D4.
An experimental and computational study of antioxidant activity of N‐phenylthiourea and N‐phenylselenourea analogues
Authors: Huong Dinh Quy , Duong Tran , Nam Pham Cam
Published: February 2020

The antioxidant performance of N‐phenylthiourea has been experimentally studied via the half maximal inhibitory concentration value (IC50) in combination with quantum calculations. In the experimental part, DPPH• (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging ability of N‐phenylthiourea (IC50) was measured to be 4.82.10‐4 M. Based on three antioxidant mechanisms being hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), single electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SETPT) and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET), the essential thermoparameters of N‐phenylthiourea derivatives were carried out at ROB3LYP/6‐311++G(2df,2p)//B3LYP/6‐311G(d,p) in both gas phase and ethanol in order to evaluate their antioxidant capacity. For the sake of comparison, N‐phenylselenourea derivatives were also taken into account. The computational results indicated that the antioxidant of N‐phenylselenourea is better than that of N‐phenulthiourea. Besides, potential energy surfaces of N‐phenylselenourea derivatives and HOO•radical were investigated. All the reactions were thermodynamically favored. The derivatives containing the electron donating group at the para position of N‐phenylselenourea considerably enhanced their antioxidant capacity. As a result, para‐N(CH3)2‐C6H4‐NH‐CSe‐NH2 was the best potential antioxidant in the studied compounds.
|Vub| determination and testing of lepton flavour universality in semileptonic Bc → D(∗) decays
Authors: Leljak Domagoj , Melić Blaženka
Published: February 2020

Abstract

In light of prospects for measurements of Bc → D(∗)lv decays in the upcoming Upgrade II of the LHC, we show that by using calculated Bc → D(∗) form factors a competitive extraction of the |Vub| CKM matrix element from the $$ {B}_c\to D\mu {\overline{v}}_{\mu } $$

B
c

→
Dμ

v
¯

μ

decay might be possible. To minimize experimental and theoretical uncertainties we provide the ratio |Vub|/|Vcb| by normalizing the $$ {B}_c\to {D}^{\left(\ast \right)}\mu {\overline{v}}_{\mu } $$

B
c

→

D

∗

μ

v
¯

μ

to $$ {B}_c\to J/\psi \mu {\overline{v}}_{\mu } $$

B
c

→
J
/
ψμ

v
¯

μ

decay. We also briefly examine the suggestion to extract |Vub|/|Vcs| from the theoretically interesting ratio of $$ {B}_c\to {D}^0e{\overline{v}}_e $$

B
c

→

D
0

e

v
¯

e

and $$ {B}_c\to {B}_se{\overline{v}}_e $$

B
c

→

B
s

e

v
¯

e

decay rates in the zero-recoil limit. With the present average value of |Vub|, the predicted branching ratios are estimated to be $$ BR\left({B}_c\to {D}^0\mu {\overline{\nu}}_{\mu}\right)=\left(2.4\pm 0.4\right)\cdotp {10}^{-5} $$
BR

B
c

→

D
0

μ

ν
¯

μ

=

2.4
±
0.4

·

10

−
5

and $$ BR\left({B}_c\to {D}^{\ast}\mu {\overline{\nu}}_{\mu}\right)=\left(7\pm 3\right)\cdotp {10}^{-5}, $$
BR

B
c

→

D
∗

μ

ν
¯

μ

=

7
±
3

·

10

−
5

,
and the semileptonic ratios for testing the lepton flavour universality in these Bc decays are Rc(D0) = 0.64 ± 0.05 and Rc(D∗) = 0.55 ± 0.05. We also provide q2 distributions and various angular observables of Bc→ D(∗)lν decays.
O(d, d) covariant string cosmology to all orders in α′
Authors: Bernardo Heliudson , Brandenberger Robert , Franzmann Guilherme
Published: February 2020

Abstract

Recently, all duality invariantα′-corrections to the massless NS-NS sector of string theory on time-dependent backgrounds were classified and the form of their contribution to the action were calculated. In this paper we introduce matter sources in the resulting equations of motion in an O(d, d) covariant way. We show that either starting with the corrected equations and sourcing them with matter or considering corrections to the matter sourced lowest order equations give the same set of equations that defines string cosmology to all orders inα′. We also discuss perturbative and non-perturbative de Sitter solutions including matter.
Recommender systems and their ethical challenges
Authors: Milano Silvia , Taddeo Mariarosaria , Floridi Luciano
Published: February 2020

This article presents the first, systematic analysis of the ethical challenges posed by recommender systems through a literature review. The article identifies six areas of concern, and maps them onto a proposed taxonomy of different kinds of ethical impact. The analysis uncovers a gap in the literature: currently user-centred approaches do not consider the interests of a variety of other stakeholders—as opposed to just the receivers of a recommendation—in assessing the ethical impacts of a recommender system.
Direct-acting antiviral treatment downregulates immune checkpoint inhibitor expression in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Szereday Laszlo , Meggyes Matyas , Berki Timea , Miseta Attila , Farkas Nelli , Gervain Judit , Par Alajos , Par Gabriella
Published: February 2020

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is associated with increased TIM-3, PD-1 immune checkpoint receptors expression that inhibits adaptive T cells and increases NK cell cytotoxicity against T helper cells, both resulting T cell exhaustion. Elimination of the virus with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) may modify host immune response via altering these immune checkpoint receptors’ expression. We conducted a prospective study to analyze changes in TIM-3, PD-1 and their ligands galectin-9, PD-L1 expression by peripheral blood T cell subpopulations, NK cell subpopulations, and monocytes by multicolor flow cytometry in 14 CHC patients successfully treated with 12 weeks of dasabuvir, ombitasvir, and paritaprevir/ritonavir plus ribavirin. Blood samples were collected before, at the end of treatment, and 12 and 24 weeks later. Sustained virological response (SVR) was associated with increased percentage of peripheral blood CD3+ T and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and decreased percentage of NKbright cells. After DAA treatment, decreased TIM-3 expression by CD4+ T cells, by NKbright, and by NKT cells was found. Expression of immune checkpoint molecules’ ligand PD-L1 by NK cells and by regulatory T cells and galectin-9 by NK cells and monocytes also decreased significantly at SVR. Our data suggest that DAA treatment not only inhibits viral replication but may alter host adaptive and innate immune responses. A decrease in immune checkpoint molecules and their ligands expression both on adaptive and on innate immune cells may contribute to the recovery of exhausted adaptive immune responses and to sustained virological response.
Crossed Modules of Monoids II: Relative Crossed Modules
Authors: Böhm Gabriella
Published: February 2020

This is the second part of a series of three strongly related papers in which three equivalent structures are studied:

Internal categories in categories of monoids; defined in terms of pullbacks relative to a chosen class of spans.

Crossed modules of monoids relative to this class of spans.

Simplicial monoids of so-called Moore length 1 relative to this class of spans.

The most important examples of monoids that are covered are small categories (treated as monoids in categories of spans) and bimonoids in symmetric monoidal categories (regarded as monoids in categories of comonoids). In this second part we define relative crossed modules of monoids and prove their equivalence with the relative categories of Part I.
Jugend und transnationale Mobilität
Authors: Mangold Katharina , Schröer Wolfgang
Published: February 2020

Einleitung in den Schwerpunkt „Jugend und transnationale Mobilität“, die die Hauptaspekte der Beiträge kurz skizziert.
Stabilization of nickel nanoparticle suspensions with the aid of polymer and surfactant: static bottle tests and dynamic micromodel flow tests
Authors: Yi Siyuan , Babadagli Tayfun , Li Huazhou
Published: February 2020

Nickel nanoparticles can work as catalyst for the aquathermolysis reactions between water and heavy oil. A homogeneous and stable suspension is needed to carry the nickel nanoparticles into deeper reservoirs. This study conducts a detailed investigation on how to achieve stabilized nickel nanoparticle suspensions with the use of surfactant and polymer. To stabilize the nickel nanoparticle suspension, three surfactants including sodium dodecyl sulfate, cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and polyoxyalkalene amine derivative (Hypermer) along with xanthan gum polymer were introduced into the nickel nanoparticle suspension. Static stability tests and zeta potential measurements were conducted to determine the polymer/surfactant recipes yielding the most stable nickel nanoparticle suspensions. Dynamic micromodel flow tests were also conducted on three suspensions to reveal how the nickel nanoparticles would travel and distribute in porous media. Test results showed that when the injection was initiated, most nickel nanoparticles were able to pass through the gaps between the sand grains and produced in the outlet of the micromodel; only a small number of the nickel nanoparticles were attached to the grain surface. A higher nickel concentration in the suspension may lead to agglomeration of nickel nanoparticles in porous media, while a lower concentration can mitigate this agglomeration. Moreover, clusters tended to form when the nickel nanoparticle suspension carried an electrical charge opposite to that of the porous media. Follow-up waterflood was initiated after the nanofluid injection. It was found that the waterflood could not flush away the nanoparticles that were remaining in the micromodel.
The intuitive cooperation hypothesis revisited: a meta-analytic examination of effect size and between-study heterogeneity
Authors: Kvarven Amanda , Strømland Eirik , Wollbrant Conny , Andersson David , Johannesson Magnus , Tinghög Gustav , Västfjäll Daniel , Myrseth Kristian Ove R.
Published: February 2020

The hypothesis that intuition promotes cooperation has attracted considerable attention. Although key results in this literature have failed to replicate in pre-registered studies, recent meta-analyses report an overall effect of intuition on cooperation. We address the question with a meta-analysis of 82 cooperation experiments, spanning four different types of intuition manipulations—time pressure, cognitive load, depletion, and induction—including 29,315 participants in total. We obtain a positive overall effect of intuition on cooperation, though substantially weaker than that reported in prior meta-analyses, and between studies the effect exhibits a high degree of systematic variation. We find that this overall effect depends exclusively on the inclusion of six experiments featuring emotion-induction manipulations, which prompt participants to rely on emotion over reason when making allocation decisions. Upon excluding from the total data set experiments featuring this class of manipulations, between-study variation in the meta-analysis is reduced substantially—and we observed no statistically discernable effect of intuition on cooperation. Overall, we fail to obtain compelling evidence for the intuitive cooperation hypothesis.
Control and Suppression in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley during the 1960s
Authors: TEMBY OWEN
Published: February 2020

During the 1960s, Sarnia was the wealthiest city in Ontario and the one with the dirtiest air. Its economy was dominated by Chemical Valley, the city’s petrochemical industry. Chemical Valley firms and executives were civically active, donating to public causes, dominating the local chamber of commerce, and working closely with provincial and municipal officials to ensure a friendly business environment. They also maintained a monopoly on information about local air pollution levels and were not required by government to adhere to clean air regulations. However, like the rest of the chemical industry at the time, Chemical Valley was exposed to an onslaught of negative publicity, raising the threat of regulation and loss of their control over emissions data and production processes. This article illustrates how economic elites in Sarnia prevented the problematization and regulation of air pollution. In doing so, it describes the actors in the policy system and examines its recourse to suppress dissent when activists sought to raise the air pollution issue.
Écouter la première lettre de Paul aux Corinthiens aujourd'hui : quelques impressions, questions et hypothèses
Authors: Gerber Daniel
Published: February 2020

It is a fact: we are ‘the unforeseen readers’ of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, which moreover was written ‘more for the ear than the eye’. The present article follows the epistle through from beginning to end, taking account of those things that our academic habits sometimes make us forget. Attention is directed, among other things, towards the manner in which the apostle – conscious of his lack of authority over some of his audience – is seized from the outset of the epistle by the need to convince the Corinthian community that they must be true to themselves, following the call of the God who has ultimately chosen to make himself known by Christ crucified. For each of the themes addressed by Paul throughout the epistle a range of impressions, questions or hypotheses are noted.
Zacchaeus and the Unripe Figs: A New Argument for the Original Language of Tatian's Diatessaron
Authors: Mills Ian N.
Published: February 2020

Did Tatian write his gospel in Greek or Syriac? Treatments of this most beleaguered crux in Diatessaronic studies have largely depended on a now defunct approach to the source material. The ‘New Perspective’ on Tatian's Diatessaron wants for a new study of this old question. A problematic arrangement of textual data at Luke 19.4 offers unrecognised evidence that Tatian composed in Greek – namely, contradictory testimonia to the Syriac word for Zacchaeus’ ‘sycamore’ in Tatian's gospel reflect different etymological translations of a distinctive, Greek textual variant.
The Bunger Hills: 60 years of geological and geophysical research
Authors: Tucker Naomi M. , Hand Martin , Clark Chris
Published: February 2020

Correlation of Rodinian and Gondwanan crustal domains relies on a thorough knowledge of those vestiges preserved today. The Bunger Hills hold a critical place in East Antarctica, recording the Mesoproterozoic assembly of Australo-Antarctica in Rodinia and the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian amalgamation of Indo- and Australo-Antarctica in Gondwana. It is situated in a region of disputed overlap between the different components of Rodinia and Gondwana, where there is little consensus on the location of sutures in this region and thus often speculative geological interpretations. The Bunger Hills therefore provide an opportunity to better understand the tectonic setting and palaeogeography during the assembly of these supercontinents. Recent work has confirmed that the Bunger Hills are one of few rare outcrops in Wilkes Land, East Antarctica that can be directly correlated with the broader Musgrave–Albany–Fraser–Wilkes Orogen (MAFWO). Whilst other constituent terranes of the MAFWO have been intensely studied, our geological knowledge of the Bunger Hills was comparatively limited until recently. In light of recent geological and geophysical developments, this contribution serves as an updated and concise standalone reference for the present state of knowledge of the Neoarchean–Cambrian evolution of the Bunger Hills region.
Introduction: Thinking Beyond Europe’s Cultural Borders
Authors: Andrèn Mats
Published: February 2020

Cultural borders play a significant part in modern European history as well as in the present. This Focus has been chosen in order to enhance reflections on the transcendence of cultural borders; how the crossing is conducted, why we want to move beyond cultural borders, and what actually lies beyond them. The individual articles investigate ways to transcend borders, primarily those of the European nation state, in different genres from the nineteenth century onward. This editorial article introduces the theme of thinking beyond borders and presents the contributions to this Focus. It attempts to situate the issue of Europe´s cultural borders within European history by delving into three relevant themes: the cultural construction of borders, the growing number of recognized nationalities, and the practices of Europeanization.
Memory of Water: Boundaries of Political Geography and World Literature
Authors: Leppänen Katarina
Published: February 2020

The fact that dystopian literature has a great potential for envisioning alternative futures is elaborated in this article in relation to the Finnish/British author Emmi Itäranta’s Memory of Water (2013). Itäranta’s gloomy low-fi novel is read alongside contemporary ecocritical theory with a focus on issues of vernacular cultures and knowledges versus ideas of cosmopolitan planetary citizenship. Reflections are made about the profound nature of the concept of borders: cultural, temporal, informational, geographical, political, in the event of massive catastrophes. The article investigates how Rob Nixon’s concept of ‘slow violence’ and Ursula Heise’s ‘eco-cosmopolitanism’ are played out in a novel, and how the novel in turn poses important questions for ecocritical theory. Thus, the interplay between ecocritical literary theory, on the one hand, and literature, on the other, is highlighted. What can dystopia make visible in contemporary theory?
Retrospective analysis of portal dosimetry pre-treatment quality assurance of hybrid IMRT breast treatment plans
Authors: Koo Meghan , Darko Johnson , Osei Ernest
Published: February 2020

Background:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and sensitivity of the Varian portal dosimetry (PD) system as a quality assurance (QA) tool for breast intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans.

Materials and methods:

Four hundred portal dose images from 200 breast cancer patient IMRT treatment plans were analysed. The images were obtained using Varian PortalVision electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) on Varian TrueBeam Linacs. Three patient plans were selected, and the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) positions were randomly altered by a mean of 0·5, 1, 1·5 and 2 mm with a standard deviation of 0·1 mm on 50, 75 and 100% of control points. Using the improved/global gamma calculation algorithm with a low-dose threshold of 10% in the EPID, the change in gamma passing rates for 3%/3 mm, 2%/2 mm and 1%/1 mm criterion was analysed as a function of the introduced error. The changes in the dose distributions of clinical target volume and organ at risk due to MLC positioning errors were also analysed.

Results:

Symmetric and asymmetric breast or chest wall plan fields are different in delivery as well as in the QA. An average gamma passing rate of 99·8 ± 0·5 is presented for 3%/3 mm symmetric plans and 96·9 ± 4·5 is presented for 3%/3 mm asymmetric plans. An average gamma passing rate of 98·4 ± 4·3 is presented for 2%/2 mm symmetric plans and 89·7 ± 9·5 is presented for 2%/2 mm asymmetric plans. A large-induced error in MLC positioning (2·0 mm, 100% of control points) results in an insignificant change in dose that would be delivered to the patient. However, EPID portal dosimetry is sensitive enough to detect even the slightest change in MLC positioning error (0·5 mm, 50% of control points).

Conclusions:

Stricter pre-treatment QA action levels can be established for breast IMRT plans utilising EPID. For improved sensitivity, a multigamma criteria approach is recommended. The PD tool is sensitive enough to detect MLC positioning errors that contribute to even insignificant dose changes.
Incumbency advantage and shocks in the electorate: the adoption of voluntary voting
Authors: Argote Pablo
Published: February 2020

Although the advantage that incumbents may have over challengers has been extensively studied, less is known about how incumbency advantage is affected by the adoption of voluntary voting. In this paper, I study incumbency advantage in Chile, a country that adopted voluntary voting in 2012. I find that incumbency advantage substantively decreases with voluntary voting. The primary mechanism explaining such reduction was the entry of high-quality challengers, who invested their campaign resources much more efficiently compared to office-holders. Overall, this paper contributes to the literature on electoral accountability by identifying how sensible is incumbency advantage to voluntary voting and the entry of high-quality challengers. Indeed, as incumbency advantage decreases when capable challengers compete for office, it suggests that “scaring-off” skilled candidates is one of the drivers of such advantage.
Equatorial Plasma Bubble Zonal Drift Velocity Variations in Response to Season, Local Time, and Solar Activity across Southeast Asia
Authors: Sarudin I. , Hamid N. S. A. , Abdullah M. , Buhari S. M. , Shiokawa K. , Otsuka Y. , Yatini C. Y.
Published: February 2020

This work investigated the zonal drift velocity, VE, of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) which was calculated from the zonal keogram of the rate of total electron content index obtained using the Global Positioning System data from the Malaysia Real‐Time Kinematics GNSS Network over Southeast Asia across the period 2008 until 2013 (498 nights). In general, a long‐term study on the VE of EPBs and its dependence on the season, local time, and solar activity over Southeast Asia by using Global Positioning System multipoint receivers has never been conducted before. The case study showed that the VE estimated from Malaysia Real‐Time Kinematics GNSS Network was basically within a similar range to that of the 630‐nm airglow images obtained at Kototabang, Indonesia. Furthermore, the VE of EPBs was higher during high solar‐activity period, which was in line with past studies. The time range of the EPB VE peak is more accurately determined compared to previous studies. In high solar activity conditions, a peak of VE was observed at 2130 LT (equinox), 2200 LT (June solstice), and after 2300 LT (December solstice). After this peak, the EPB VE steadily decreased with time during the equinox and was varied throughout the night during June solstice. Moreover, it was found to differ with time from the evening to the postmidnight period during December solstice.
Structural and dynamic insights revealing how lipase binding domain MD1 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa foldase affects lipase activation
Authors: Viegas Aldino , Dollinger Peter , Verma Neha , Kubiak Jakub , Viennet Thibault , Seidel Claus A. M. , Gohlke Holger , Etzkorn Manuel , Kovacic Filip , Jaeger Karl-Erich
Published: February 2020

Folding and cellular localization of many proteins of Gram-negative bacteria rely on a network of chaperones and secretion systems. Among them is the lipase-specific foldase Lif, a membrane-bound steric chaperone that tightly binds (KD = 29 nM) and mediates folding of the lipase LipA, a virulence factor of the pathogenic bacterium P. aeruginosa. Lif consists of five-domains, including a mini domain MD1 essential for LipA folding. However, the molecular mechanism of Lif-assisted LipA folding remains elusive. Here, we show in in vitro experiments using a soluble form of Lif (sLif) that isolated MD1 inhibits sLif-assisted LipA activation. Furthermore, the ability to activate LipA is lost in the variant sLifY99A, in which the evolutionary conserved amino acid Y99 from helix α1 of MD1 is mutated to alanine. This coincides with an approximately three-fold reduced affinity of the variant to LipA together with increased flexibility of sLifY99A in the complex as determined by polarization-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. We have solved the NMR solution structures of P. aeruginosa MD1 and variant MD1Y99A revealing a similar fold indicating that a structural modification is likely not the reason for the impaired activity of variant sLifY99A. Molecular dynamics simulations of the sLif:LipA complex in connection with rigidity analyses suggest a long-range network of interactions spanning from Y99 of sLif to the active site of LipA, which might be essential for LipA activation. These findings provide important details about the putative mechanism for LipA activation and point to a general mechanism of protein folding by multi-domain steric chaperones.
A new polychelidan lobster preserved with its eggs in a 165 Ma nodule
Authors: Jauvion Clément , Audo Denis , Bernard Sylvain , Vannier Jean , Daley Allison C. , Charbonnier Sylvain
Published: February 2020

Crustacean eggs are rare in the fossil record. Here we report the exquisite preservation of a fossil polychelidan embedded within an unbroken nodule from the Middle Jurassic La Voulte-sur-Rhône Lagerstätte (France) and found with hundreds of eggs attached to the pleon. This specimen belongs to a new species, Palaeopolycheles nantosueltae sp. nov. and offers unique clues to discuss the evolution of brooding behaviour in polychelidan lobsters. In contrast to their development, which now relies on a long-lived planktic larval stage that probably did not exist in the early evolutionary steps of the group, the brood size of polychelidan lobsters seems to have remained unchanged and comparatively small since the Jurassic. This finding is at odds with reproductive strategies in other lobster groups, in which a long-lived planktic larval stage is associated with a large brood size.
A zinc non-halide dopant strategy enables efficient perovskite CsPbI3 quantum dot-based light-emitting diodes
Authors: Li Jinhang , Chen Jiawei , Xu Leimeng , Liu Sinan , Lan Si , Li Xiansheng , Song Jizhong
Published: February 2020

A zinc non-halide dopant strategy is employed to clarify the internal mechanism of Zn2+ doping without the introduction of halide ions and enhance the emission properties evidenced by the EQE of the QLEDs from 7.5% to 14.6% after Zn2+ doping.
Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition Ta3N5 synthesis leading to high current density during PEC oxygen evolution
Authors: Nurlaela Ela , Nakabayashi Mamiko , Kobayashi Yuji , Shibata Naoya , Yamada Taro , Domen Kazunari
Published: February 2020

The plasma CVD method brought about a Ta3N5 dual layer structure, recording a high photoelectrochemical O2 evolution current under sunlight irradiation.
Homo- and heteroleptic trimethoxy terpyridine–Cu(ii) complexes: synthesis, characterization, DNA/BSA binding, DNA cleavage and cytotoxicity studies
Authors: Jain Surbhi , Bhar Kishalay , Kumar Sandeep , Bandyopadhyaya Shreetama , Tapryal Suman , Mandal Chandi C. , Sharma Anuj K.
Published: February 2020

In the current study, four novel mononuclear Cu(ii) complexes with terpyridine (L) and different co-ligands (phen, bipy, and imd) were synthesized and characterized in detail, whereLis 4′-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine.
A convenient detection system consisting of efficient Au@PtRu nanozymes and alcohol oxidase for highly sensitive alcohol biosensing
Authors: Lv Feng , Gong Yuzhu , Cao Yingying , Deng Yaoyao , Liang Shufeng , Tian Xin , Gu Hongwei , Yin Jun-Jie
Published: February 2020

A convenient alcohol detection method involving efficient Au@PtRu nanozymes and alcohol oxidase was developed.
Colloidal PbS quantum dot stacking kinetics during deposition via printing
Authors: Chen Wei , Tang Haodong , Li Nian , Scheel Manuel A. , Xie Yue , Li Depeng , Körstgens Volker , Schwartzkopf Matthias , Roth Stephan V. , Wang Kai , Sun Xiao Wei , Müller-Buschbaum Peter
Published: February 2020

The particle self-organization behavior of small-sized quantum dots is studied in situ with grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and during the drying process two phase transitions are found.