bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early investments in state capacity promote persistently higher levels of social capital
Authors: Jensen Jeffrey L. , Ramey Adam J.
Published: May 2020

Social capital has been shown to positively influence a multitude of economic, political, and social outcomes. Yet the factors that affect long-run social capital formation remain poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that early state formation, especially investments in state capacity, are positively associated with higher levels of contemporary social capital and other prosocial attitudes. The channels by which early state capacity leads to greater social capital over time are even less understood. We contribute to both questions using the spatial and temporal expansion of the US postal network during the 19th century. We first show that county-level variation in post office density is highly correlated with a bevy of historical and contemporary indicators of social capital (e.g., associational memberships, civic participation, health, and crime). This finding holds even when controlling for historical measures of development and contemporary measures of income, inequality, poverty, education, and race. Second, we provide evidence of an informational mechanism by which this early investment in infrastructural capacity affected long-run social capital formation. Namely, we demonstrate that the expansion of the postal network in the 19th century strongly predicts the historical and contemporary location of local newspapers, which were the primary mode of impersonal information transmission during this period. Our evidence sheds light on the role of the state in both the origins of social capital and the channels by which it persists. Our findings also suggest that the consequences of the ongoing decline in local newspapers will negatively affect social capital.
Victimized immigrant women in Portugal: factors associated with formal and informal help-seeking (Las mujeres inmigrantes víctimas de agresión en Portugal: factores asociados a la búsqueda de ayuda formal e informal)
Authors: Gonçalves Mariana , Matos Marlene
Published: May 2020

Few studies have focused on immigrant women’s help-seeking that is due to factors such as having a history of multiple victimization. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of help-seeking and the factors associated with informal or formal sources. The participants were 84 immigrant women in Portugal who had experienced any form of violence in the host country. The results showed that 92% of the participants had experienced victimization for the first time in Portugal, and 58% had not sought any type of help. Lower length of stay in Portugal is a predictor for informal help-seeking, while being Caucasian, having a higher number of victimization experiences, having higher severity perception and having low psychological disadjustment were independent predictors for formal help-seeking. The relationship between victimization and help-seeking was fully mediated by the severity perception of victimization. The choice of where help is sought depends not only on the history of violence but also on structural factors, identification as a victim and the perception of danger. Practical implications are discussed at the preventive and intervention levels.
The effect of particulate matter on solar photovoltaic power generation over the Republic of Korea
Authors: Son Junghoon , Jeong Sujong , Park Hayoung , Park Chang-Eui
Published: May 2020

Degradation in air quality could be a potential factor for decreasing solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation. However, our understandings of the potential of airborne particulate matter (PM) to reduce actual solar PV power generation remain unclear. This study quantifies attenuation impacts of airborne PM on solar PV power generation on cloudless days at Yeongam and Eunpyeong-gu power plants installed in the Republic of Korea. The reduction rate of solar PV power generation according to the substantial amount of PM is calculated by constructing multiple regression models based on actual solar PV power generation record, observed meteorological parameters, and measured PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations for 2015–2017. At both power plants, PM2.5 and PM10 commonly reduce solar PV power generation by more than 10% of the maximum capacity under the conditions of ‘normal’ air quality, 35μg m−3and 80μg m−3for PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. Moreover, the reduction rate of solar PV power generation exceeds 20% of the maximum capacity under ‘bad’ air quality, 75μg m−3and 150μg m−3for PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. Results show that the negative impacts of PM on solar PV power generation should be considered in the process of policymaking on target solar power generation in Korea, as well as in countries with high PM emissions.
Annealing temperature induced improved crystallinity of YSZ thin film
Authors: Rusli N A , Muhammad R , Ghoshal S K , Nur H , Nayan N
Published: May 2020

Six YSZ thin films (YSZTFs) were prepared at varied annealing temperature (380 °C to 600 °C) by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method. Glancing angle x-ray diffraction (GAXRD) pattern revealed the polycrystalline nature of all films with crystallite size in the range of 9 to 15 nm. Sample annealed at 400 °C displayed the lowest microstrain (0.262) and crystallinity (60%). FESEM images disclosed dense, homogeneous and crack free growth of annealed samples compared to as-deposited one. EDX spectra detected the right elemental compositions of films. AFM images showed growth evolution of YSZ grains with size range between 0.2 to 5 nm and improved films’ surface roughness. HRTEM measurement of the studied YSZTFs exhibited lattice orientation and atomic structure of nucleated YSZ nanocrystallites. Furthermore, film annealed at 500 °C divulged less oriented structure because of dislocation.
One-pot phytosynthesis of nano-silver from Mentha longifolia L.: their characterization and evaluation of photodynamic potential
Authors: Javed Bilal , Nadhman Akhtar , Razzaq Abdul , Mashwani Zia-ur-Rehman
Published: May 2020

The present study deals with the ecofriendly one-pot synthesis and stabilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by using aqueous extract of Mentha longifolia branches. Spectrophotometric analysis of different ratios of reactants revealed that a 1 to 9 ratio of plant extract and silver salt solution respectively is the most suitable proportion for synthesis. Synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed initially by the observation of change in the color of the reaction mixture which was carried out at 60 °C by using 3 mM of silver salt and the pH of the reaction medium was maintained at 5.22. A characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band was observed at 495 nm of light wavelength. SEM images revealed that the nanoparticles are in ∼20–80 nm and are anisotropic and nearly spherical while EDX analysis showed the presence of elemental Ag with ∼90% signal intensity. Size distribution analysis of AgNPs was performed by dynamic light scattering technique and AgNPs were found in the range of ∼8–30 nm. ROS quantification revealed that the AgNPs have a quantum yield of 0.09 Φ which provides them the ability to proteolytically treat cancer and other microbial pathogenic cells. AgNPs did not report any photothermal activity to be used as photodynamic agents. These findings explain the redox potential of M. longifolia to bio-fabricate AgNPs and their abilities to generate ROS may help to curb dreading diseases.
Finite element analysis of the effect of porosity on residual stress in 2024 aluminium alloy GTAW
Authors: Poolperm Pattarawadee , Nakkiew Wasawat , Naksuk Nirut
Published: May 2020

Simulations of the welding process for butt joints using finite element analysis (FEA) of the effect of porosity are presented. The metal used was aluminium alloy (grade 2024), and the filler material was alloy ER5356. The simulations were performed using the commercial software ANSYS, considering a double ellipsoid heat source, temperature-dependent material properties, material deposits, mechanical analysis, transient heat transfer, and defects (porosity). In this study, the FEA simulations were constructed for two types of heat source (single- and double-ellipsoid) used in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and the calculated residual stress results were compared with the experimental values. Two double ellipsoid models were constructed for cases with and without porosity. The porosity was measured by three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT), and the size and location of pores were mapped onto the weld bead created by the birth-and-death technique.
Equivalence between Scalar-Tensor theories and f(R)-gravity: from the action to cosmological perturbations
Authors: Velásquez Joel , Castañeda Leonardo
Published: May 2020

In this paper we calculate the field equations for Scalar-Tensor from a variational principle, taking into account the Gibbons-York-Hawking type boundary term. We do the same for the theories f(R), following (Guarnizo (2010), Gen. Rel. Grav.
42, 2713–2728). Then, we review the equivalences between both theories in the metric formalism. Thus, starting from the perturbations for Scalar-Tensor theories, we find the perturbations for f(R) gravity under the equivalences. Working with two specific models of f(R), we explore the equivalences between the theories under conformal-Newtonian gauge. Further, we show the perturbations for both theories under the sub-horizon approach.
Reference genome and annotation updates lead to contradictory prognostic predictions in gene expression signatures: a case study of resected stage I lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Zheyang , Zhang Sainan , Li Xin , Zhao Zhangxiang , Chen Changjing , Zhang Juxuan , Li Mengyue , Wei Zixin , Jiang Wenbin , Pan Bo , Li Ying , Liu Yixin , Cao Yingyue , Zhao Wenyuan , Gu Yunyan , Yu Yan , Meng Qingwei , Qi Lishuang
Published: May 2020

RNA-sequencing enables accurate and low-cost transcriptome-wide detection. However, expression estimates vary as reference genomes and gene annotations are updated, confounding existing expression-based prognostic signatures. Herein, prognostic 9-gene pair signature (GPS) was applied to 197 patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma derived from previous and latest data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) processed with different reference genomes and annotations. For 9-GPS, 6.6% of patients exhibited discordant risk classifications between the two TCGA versions. Similar results were observed for other prognostic signatures, including IRGPI, 15-gene and ORACLE. We found that conflicting annotations for gene length and overlap were the major cause of their discordant risk classification. Therefore, we constructed a prognostic 40-GPS based on stable genes across GENCODE v20-v30 and validated it using public data of 471 stage I samples (log-rank P < 0.0010). Risk classification was still stable in RNA-sequencing data processed with the newest GENCODE v32 versus GENCODE v20–v30. Specifically, 40-GPS could predict survival for 30 stage I samples with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (log-rank P = 0.0177). In conclusion, this method overcomes the vulnerability of existing prognostic signatures due to reference genome and annotation updates. 40-GPS may offer individualized clinical applications due to its prognostic accuracy and classification stability.
Deep multiple instance learning classifies subtissue locations in mass spectrometry images from tissue-level annotations
Authors: Guo Dan , Föll Melanie Christine , Volkmann Veronika , Enderle-Ammour Kathrin , Bronsert Peter , Schilling Oliver , Vitek Olga
Published: May 2020

Motivation

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) characterizes the molecular composition of tissues at spatial resolution, and has a strong potential for distinguishing tissue types, or disease states. This can be achieved by supervised classification, which takes as input MSI spectra, and assigns class labels to subtissue locations. Unfortunately, developing such classifiers is hindered by the limited availability of training sets with subtissue labels as the ground truth. Subtissue labeling is prohibitively expensive, and only rough annotations of the entire tissues are typically available. Classifiers trained on data with approximate labels have sub-optimal performance.

Results

To alleviate this challenge, we contribute a semi-supervised approach mi-CNN. mi-CNN implements multiple instance learning with a convolutional neural network (CNN). The multiple instance aspect enables weak supervision from tissue-level annotations when classifying subtissue locations. The convolutional architecture of the CNN captures contextual dependencies between the spectral features. Evaluations on simulated and experimental datasets demonstrated that mi-CNN improved the subtissue classification as compared to traditional classifiers. We propose mi-CNN as an important step toward accurate subtissue classification in MSI, enabling rapid distinction between tissue types and disease states.

Availability and implementation

The data and code are available at https://github.com/Vitek-Lab/mi-CNN_MSI.
MAGGIE: leveraging genetic variation to identify DNA sequence motifs mediating transcription factor binding and function
Authors: Shen Zeyang , Hoeksema Marten A , Ouyang Zhengyu , Benner Christopher , Glass Christopher K
Published: May 2020

Motivation

Genetic variation in regulatory elements can alter transcription factor (TF) binding by mutating a TF binding motif, which in turn may affect the activity of the regulatory elements. However, it is unclear which motifs are prone to impact transcriptional regulation if mutated. Current motif analysis tools either prioritize TFs based on motif enrichment without linking to a function or are limited in their applications due to the assumption of linearity between motifs and their functional effects.

Results

We present MAGGIE (Motif Alteration Genome-wide to Globally Investigate Elements), a novel method for identifying motifs mediating TF binding and function. By leveraging measurements from diverse genotypes, MAGGIE uses a statistical approach to link mutations of a motif to changes of an epigenomic feature without assuming a linear relationship. We benchmark MAGGIE across various applications using both simulated and biological datasets and demonstrate its improvement in sensitivity and specificity compared with the state-of-the-art motif analysis approaches. We use MAGGIE to gain novel insights into the divergent functions of distinct NF-κB factors in pro-inflammatory macrophages, revealing the association of p65–p50 co-binding with transcriptional activation and the association of p50 binding lacking p65 with transcriptional repression.

Availability and implementation

The Python package for MAGGIE is freely available at https://github.com/zeyang-shen/maggie. The accession number for the NF-κB ChIP-seq data generated for this study is Gene Expression Omnibus: GSE144070.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
IDMIL: an alignment-free Interpretable Deep Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) for predicting disease from whole-metagenomic data
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Arifur , Rangwala Huzefa
Published: May 2020

Motivation

The human body hosts more microbial organisms than human cells. Analysis of this microbial diversity provides key insight into the role played by these microorganisms on human health. Metagenomics is the collective DNA sequencing of coexisting microbial organisms in an environmental sample or a host. This has several applications in precision medicine, agriculture, environmental science and forensics. State-of-the-art predictive models for phenotype predictions from metagenomic data rely on alignments, assembly, extensive pruning, taxonomic profiling and reference sequence databases. These processes are time consuming and they do not consider novel microbial sequences when aligned with the reference genome, limiting the potential of whole metagenomics. We formulate the problem of predicting human disease from whole-metagenomic data using Multiple Instance Learning (MIL), a popular supervised learning paradigm. Our proposed alignment-free approach provides higher accuracy in prediction by harnessing the capability of deep convolutional neural network (CNN) within a MIL framework and provides interpretability via neural attention mechanism.

Results

The MIL formulation combined with the hierarchical feature extraction capability of deep-CNN provides significantly better predictive performance compared to popular existing approaches. The attention mechanism allows for the identification of groups of sequences that are likely to be correlated to diseases providing the much-needed interpretation. Our proposed approach does not rely on alignment, assembly and reference sequence databases; making it fast and scalable for large-scale metagenomic data. We evaluate our method on well-known large-scale metagenomic studies and show that our proposed approach outperforms comparative state-of-the-art methods for disease prediction.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/mrahma23/IDMIL.
Integrating biological knowledge and gene expression data using pathway-guided random forests: a benchmarking study
Authors: Seifert Stephan , Gundlach Sven , Junge Olaf , Szymczak Silke
Published: May 2020

Motivation

High-throughput technologies allow comprehensive characterization of individuals on many molecular levels. However, training computational models to predict disease status based on omics data is challenging. A promising solution is the integration of external knowledge about structural and functional relationships into the modeling process. We compared four published random forest-based approaches using two simulation studies and nine experimental datasets.

Results

The self-sufficient prediction error approach should be applied when large numbers of relevant pathways are expected. The competing methods hunting and learner of functional enrichment should be used when low numbers of relevant pathways are expected or the most strongly associated pathways are of interest. The hybrid approach synthetic features is not recommended because of its high false discovery rate.

Availability and implementation

An R package providing functions for data analysis and simulation is available at GitHub (https://github.com/szymczak-lab/PathwayGuidedRF). An accompanying R data package (https://github.com/szymczak-lab/DataPathwayGuidedRF) stores the processed and quality controlled experimental datasets downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Marx, Say’s Law and Commodity Money
Authors: Trigg Andrew B
Published: May 2020

Under Marx’s critique of Say’s Law, as originally devised by Say and James Mill, money hoarding leads to a shortfall in aggregate demand. This paper responds to a Post Keynesian argument that hoarding does not restrict aggregate demand since for Marx money consists of a produced commodity, and hoarding is just one form of commodity demand. Drawing on Marx’s monetary writings, a new monetary equilibrium is suggested in which produced gold is used to replace wear and tear in circulation. An alternative critique of Say’s Law is thus proposed as a contribution to understanding the complexity of Marx’s monetary foundations.
A strategy for large-scale comparison of evolutionary- and reaction-based classifications of enzyme function
Authors: Holliday Gemma L , Brown Shoshana D , Mischel David , Polacco Benjamin J , Babbitt Patricia C
Published: May 2020

Determining the molecular function of enzymes discovered by genome sequencing represents a primary foundation for understanding many aspects of biology. Historically, classification of enzyme reactions has used the enzyme nomenclature system developed to describe the overall reactions performed by biochemically characterized enzymes, irrespective of their associated sequences. In contrast, functional classification and assignment for the millions of protein sequences of unknown function now available is largely done in two computational steps, first by similarity-based assignment of newly obtained sequences to homologous groups, followed by transferring to them the known functions of similar biochemically characterized homologs. Due to the fundamental differences in their etiologies and practice, `how’ these chemistry- and evolution-centric functional classification systems relate to each other has been difficult to explore on a large scale. To investigate this issue in a new way, we integrated two published ontologies that had previously described each of these classification systems independently. The resulting infrastructure was then used to compare the functional assignments obtained from each classification system for the well-studied and functionally diverse enolase superfamily. Mapping these function assignments to protein structure and reaction similarity networks shows a profound and complex disconnect between the homology- and chemistry-based classification systems. This conclusion mirrors previous observations suggesting that except for closely related sequences, facile annotation transfer from small numbers of characterized enzymes to the huge number uncharacterized homologs to which they are related is problematic. Our extension of these comparisons to large enzyme superfamilies in a computationally intelligent manner provides a foundation for new directions in protein function prediction for the huge proportion of sequences of unknown function represented in major databases. Interactive sequence, reaction, substrate and product similarity networks computed for this work for the enolase and two other superfamilies are freely available for download from the Structure Function Linkage Database Archive (http://sfld.rbvi.ucsf.edu).
Dynamics of the Stool Virome in Very Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Liang Guanxiang , Conrad Maire A , Kelsen Judith R , Kessler Lyanna R , Breton Jessica , Albenberg Lindsey G , Marakos Sarah , Galgano Alissa , Devas Nina , Erlichman Jessi , Zhang Huanjia , Mattei Lisa , Bittinger Kyle , Baldassano Robert N , Bushman Frederic D
Published: May 2020

Background and Aims

Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is a well-known correlate of the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. However, few studies have examined the microbiome in very early-onset [VEO] IBD, which is defined as onset of IBD before 6 years of age. Here we focus on the viral portion of the microbiome—the virome—to assess possible viral associations with disease processes, reasoning that any viruses potentially associated with IBD might grow more robustly in younger subjects, and so be more detectable.

Methods

Virus-like particles [VLPs] were purified from stool samples collected from patients with VEO-IBD [n = 54] and healthy controls [n = 23], and characterized by DNA and RNA sequencing and VLP particle counts.

Results

The total number of VLPs was not significantly different between VEO-IBD and healthy controls. For bacterial viruses, the VEO-IBD subjects were found to have a higher ratio of Caudovirales vs to Microviridae compared to healthy controls. An increase in Caudovirales was also associated with immunosuppressive therapy. For viruses infecting human cells, Anelloviridae showed higher prevalence in VEO-IBD compared to healthy controls. Within the VEO-IBD group, higher levels of Anelloviridae DNA were also positively associated with immunosuppressive treatment. To search for new viruses, short sequences enriched in VEO-IBD samples were identified, and some could be validated in an independent cohort, although none was clearly viral; this provides sequence tags to interrogate in future studies.

Conclusions

These data thus document perturbations to normal viral populations associated with VEO-IBD, and provide a biomarker—Anelloviridae DNA levels—potentially useful for reporting the effectiveness of immunosuppression.
Hierarchical Effects of Tamarix aphylla Afforestation in a Sand Dune Environment on Vegetation Structure and Plant Diversity
Authors: Katz Ofir , Stavi Ilan
Published: May 2020

One method of controlling dune encroachment is afforestation, which may result in biodiversity loss because of habitat change and adverse effects of trees on ecosystem functioning. We carried out a study on the effects of planting discrete areas with Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karsten trees, over 50 years ago, in a semiarid dunefield in the northern Negev, Israel. We surveyed the vegetation and sampled litter and soil in five microhabitats formed by this afforestation scheme. Afforestation had spatially and functionally hierarchical effects on vegetation and plant diversity. The strongest effect was associated with land-use change, showing reduced species richness (by 30–50 percent) and litter production following afforestation. The second strongest effect was associated with salt accumulation in T. aphylla leaves and litter, which increases soil salinity under T. aphylla canopies by 4–5, forming “salinity islands,” and leading to over 30 percent decrease in plant cover and aboveground biomass. The assumed effect of trees in blocking solar irradiance and wind was observed only outside canopies and had a weak impact on plant cover. Therefore, afforestation can increase plant diversity at the regional scale, but at the local (microhabitat) scale it has an overall adverse effect on measured ecosystem functions.
Association of Epigenetic Age and p16
INK4a With Markers of T-Cell Composition in a Healthy Cohort
Authors: Burd Christin E , Peng Juan , Laskowski Bryon F , Hollyfield Jennifer L , Zhang Suohui , Fadda Paolo , Yu Lianbo , Andridge Rebecca R , Kiecolt-Glaser Janice K
Published: May 2020

How the measurement of aging biomarkers in peripheral blood T-lymphocytes (PBTLs) is influenced by cell composition is unclear. Here, we collected peripheral blood and isolated CD3+ PBTLs from 117 healthy couples between the ages of 21 and 72. Each sample was profiled for Horvath epigenetic clock (DNAm), p16INK4a expression, cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity and 74 mRNA markers of PBTL subtype, differentiation, immune checkpoints, and cytokine production. Correlations between individual aging biomarkers (DNAm or p16INK4a) and PBTL mRNAs were corrected for chronological age, sex, and couple. DNAm measurements correlated with CMV seropositivity as well as PBTL mRNAs indicative of effector function (CD8A, EOMES, TBX21, GZMB), poor proliferative capacity (KLRG1, CD57), differentiation (CD45RO, CD45RA), and immune checkpoints (PDCD1, TIGIT, LAG3, CD160, CD244). In contrast, only three PBTL mRNAs, CD28, CD244, and p14ARF, showed a significant association with p16INK4a. p16INK4a expression also showed a weaker association with immunosenescent PBTL subsets than DNAm in flow cytometry analyses. These data suggest that PBTL composition has a greater influence on DNAm than p16INK4a and link accelerated epigenetic aging to immunosenescent phenotypes.
A Metabolite Composite Score Attenuated a Substantial Portion of the Higher Mortality Risk Associated With Frailty Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Marron Megan M , Harris Tamara B , Boudreau Robert M , Clish Clary B , Moore Steven C , Murphy Rachel A , Murthy Venkatesh L , Sanders Jason L , Shah Ravi V , Tseng George C , Wendell Stacy G , Zmuda Joseph M , Newman Anne B
Published: May 2020

Background

Frailty is more prevalent among black versus white older Americans. We previously identified 37 metabolites associated with the vigor to frailty spectrum using the Scale of Aging Vigor in Epidemiology (SAVE) among older black men from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) study. Here, we sought to develop a metabolite composite score based on the 37 SAVE-associated metabolites and determine whether the composite score predicts mortality and whether it attenuates the association between frailty and mortality among older black men.

Methods

Plasma metabolites were measured using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Most of the 37 metabolites were organic acids/derivatives or lipids. Metabolites were ranked into tertiles: tertiles associated with more vigorous SAVE scores were scored 0, mid-tertiles were scored 1, and tertiles associated with frailer SAVE scores were scored 2. Composite scores were the sum of metabolite tertile scores. We examined mortality associations using Cox regression. Percent attenuation estimated the extent to which metabolites attenuated the association between frailty and mortality.

Results

One standard deviation frailer SAVE was associated with 30% higher mortality, adjusting for age and site (p = .0002); this association was attenuated by 56% after additionally adjusting for the metabolite composite score. In this model, one standard deviation higher metabolite composite score was associated with 46% higher mortality (p < .0001). Metabolite composite scores also predicted mortality (p = .045) in a validation sample of 120 older adults (40% men, 90% white).

Conclusion

These metabolites may provide a deeper characterization of the higher mortality that is associated with frailty among older adults.
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to Inform Care of People With Dementia—A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Ayton Darshini R , Gardam Madeleine L , Pritchard Elizabeth K , Ruseckaite Rasa , Ryan Joanne , Robinson Sandra J , Brodaty Henry , Ward Stephanie A , Ahern Susannah
Published: May 2020

Background and Objectives

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) captures the patient’s perspective regarding quality of life, daily functioning, symptom severity, and overall health, and how these may be impacted by health care or other interventions. PROMs are used in clinical quality registries (CQRs) for a number of diseases to assess the patient’s perspective of the impact of clinical care on quality-of-life. This scoping review aimed to identify dementia-specific PROMs, determine how the PROMs are being used, and whether they are used within dementia registries.

Research Design and Methods

Three electronic databases were searched using Medical Subject Heading terms for dementia, quality of life, and patient-reported outcomes. Data were extracted on the PROMs used and the methods and mode of administering the PROM.

Results

Seven dementia-specific PROMs were identified, however none were used in a dementia registry. All the PROMs were used at the patient level to identify patient needs and health service impacts. Three PROMs were also used at a system level to examine difference in care models. The majority of the PROMs were administered via a researcher or clinician and were predominantly completed by a proxy.

Discussion and Implications

PROMs provide an opportunity for a patient with dementia to share experiences and perspectives of care. A number of dementia-specific PROMs exist, yet none are used in dementia registries and the majority of studies utilize PROMs via a proxy. The use of PROM for patients with dementia, particularly in the context of dementia registries, requires further exploration and consideration.
Juridification of maternal deaths in Ethiopia: a study of the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) system
Authors: Melberg Andrea , Teklemariam Lidiya , Moland Karen Marie , Aasen Henriette Sinding , Sisay Mitike Molla
Published: May 2020

Juridification of maternal health care is on the rise globally, but little is known about its manifestations in resource constrained settings in sub-Saharan Africa. The Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) system is implemented in Ethiopia to record and review all maternal and perinatal deaths, but underreporting of deaths remains a major implementation challenge. Fear of blame and malpractice litigation among health workers are important factors in underreporting, suggestive of an increased juridification of birth care. By taking MPDSR implementation as an entry point, this article aims to explore the manifestations of juridification of birth care in Ethiopia. Based on multi-sited fieldwork involving interviews, document analysis and observations at different levels of the Ethiopian health system, we explore responses to maternal deaths at various levels of the health system. We found an increasing public notion of maternal deaths being caused by malpractice, and a tendency to perceive the juridical system as the only channel to claim accountability for maternal deaths. Conflicts over legal responsibility for deaths influenced birth care provision. Both health workers and health bureaucrats strived to balance conflicting concerns related to the MPDSR system: reporting all deaths vs revealing failures in service provision. This dilemma encouraged the development of strategies to avoid personalized accountability for deaths. In this context, increased juridification impacted both care and reporting practices. Our study demonstrates the need to create a system that secures legal protection of health professionals reporting maternal deaths as prescribed and provides the public with mechanisms to claim accountability and high-quality birth care services.
Factors influencing non-prescription sales of antibiotics among patent and proprietary medicine vendors in Kano, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Adamu Abdu A , Gadanya Muktar A , Jalo Rabiu I , Uthman Olalekan A , Wiysonge Charles S
Published: May 2020

Patent and proprietary medicine vendors (PPMVs) increase access to antibiotics through non-prescription sales in their drug retail outlets. This fosters irrational antibiotic use among people, thus contributing to the growing burden of resistance. Although training programmes on antibiotic use and resistance exist, they have disproportionately targeted health workers in hospital settings. It’s unclear if there is a relationship between such trainings and non-prescription sales of antibiotics among PPMVs which are more embedded in communities. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted to elicit the determinants of non-prescription antibiotic sales among PPMVs in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. Through brainstorming, causal loop diagrams (CLDs) were used to illustrate the dynamics of factors that are responsible for non-prescription antibiotic sales. Multilevel logistic regression model was used to determine the relationship between training on antibiotic use and resistance and non-prescription antibiotic sales, after controlling for potential confounders. We found that two-third (66.70%) of the PPMVs reported that they have sold non-prescribed antibiotics. A total of three CLDs were constructed to illustrate the complex dynamics of the factors that are related to non-prescription antibiotic sales. After controlling for all factors, PPMVs who reported that they had never received any training on antibiotic use and resistance were twice as more likely to sell antibiotic without prescription compared with those who reported that they have ever received such training (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.27–3.37). This finding suggests that there is an association between training on antibiotic use and resistance and non-prescription sales of antibiotics. However, the complex dynamics of the factors should not be ignored as it can have implications for the development of intervention programmes. Multifaceted and multicomponent intervention packages (incorporating trainings on antibiotic use and resistance) that account for the inherent complexity within the system are likely to be more effective for this setting.
Introduction: Chris Freeman’s “History, Co-Evolution and Economic Growth”: an affectionate reappraisal
Authors: Dosi Giovanni , Nuvolari Alessandro
Published: May 2020

We maintain that Chris Freeman’s approach to the study of the interplay between technical change and economic growth is still a very fertile source of insights. Alas, in much of mainstream research Freeman’s contribution is hardly considered. We show that this is a result of the basic assumptions of neoclassical growth theory (both “old” and “new”) that prevent a pregnant treatment of technical and institutional change. We conclude that if we want to make real progress with understanding the long-run dynamics of capitalist systems, Freeman’s “reasoned history” is an invaluable starting point.
Development of a Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Method for the Detection and Quantification of 12 Flavoring Agents in Supplementary Feed
Authors: Lee Mi Jin , Lee Jeong Min , Kim Sungjin , Park Hye Jin , Jeon Cheon Seok , Hong Hyun Jin , Choi Sung Min , Cho Soon Kil , Ahn Jong Sung , Kim Ho Jin
Published: May 2020

A flavoring agent is a compound that serves to add flavor with a pleasant scent and is used as a feed additive. Current flavor analysis methods include reflux pretreatment, titration, neutralization titration, and inversion; these are all analytical methods in which deviations and errors between experiments are generated. Titration methods are characterized by difficult selectivity analysis both for mixtures containing two or more types of flavoring agents and also for very low content samples. Current analysis methods are therefore particularly unsuitable for these sample types. Thus, more precise and accurate analysis of flavor agents is needed. This study intends to develop and verify a multi-component simultaneous analysis method that can accurately confirm the guaranteed content of 12 flavor agents of supplementary feeds distributed in the market, the goal being to establish a universally trusted method. Method validation was performed according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) and International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) guidelines. Method

validation was performed in terms of linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy, and precision. The limits of detection (LOD) for the instrument employed in these experiments ranged from 0.44–4.77 mg/kg, and the limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 1.32–14.31 mg/kg. Average recoveries of the 12 flavoring agents ranged from 75.1–111.4%. Maximum %RSD values for intraday and interday peak area variation are 13.09% and 13.08%, respectively. A novel and simple method for detecting 12 flavoring agents in animal feed supplements using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) was developed.
Postmortem Brain–Blood Ratios of Codeine, Fentanyl, Oxycodone and Tramadol
Authors: Nedahl Michael , Johansen Sys Stybe , Linnet Kristian
Published: May 2020

The analgesics, codeine, fentanyl, oxycodone and tramadol, frequently occur in postmortem cases and determining their role in the cause of death can be challenging. However, postmortem blood is susceptible to redistribution and may not be available in cases of severe blood loss, putrefaction or burns. Brain tissue may serve as a viable supplement to blood or on its own, as it is resistant to postmortem redistribution and often available as a sample matrix when blood is not available. We present brain and blood concentrations and brain–blood ratios of the four analgesics from 210 autopsy cases. The cases were classified according to the presumed cause of death: A: The compound was believed to have solely caused a fatal intoxication. B: The compound was assumed to have contributed to a fatal outcome in combination with other drugs, alcohol or disease. C: The compound was not regarded as being related to the cause of death. Blood and brain samples were prepared by automatic solid phase extraction and quantified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The squared correlation coefficients between concentrations in brain tissue and blood ranged 0.45–0.91. The median brain–blood ratios were codeine 1.8 (range 0.47–4.6), fentanyl 2.1 (range 0.29–16), oxycodone 1.8 (range 0.11–6.0) and tramadol 1.8 (range 0.047–6.8). A significantly higher brain–blood ratio of codeine was observed in cases where heroin had been administered, although there was a wide overlap. Intravenous and transdermal fentanyl administration could not be distinguished based on the blood or brain concentration or the brain–blood ratio. The results of this study may benefit the toxicological investigation in postmortem cases where one of the four analgesics are suspected of having contributed to or caused a fatal intoxication.
Experimental Assessment of the Economic Injury Level of the Cereal Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Winter Wheat
Authors: Steinger Thomas , Klötzli Françoise , Ramseier Hans
Published: May 2020

The cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus L., is an economically important pest species, reducing crop yields in many cereal growing parts of the world. Available studies on yield depression in winter wheat in relation to the density of O. melanopus revealed inconsistent results, creating uncertainty about economic thresholds for pest control. We present results from a series of controlled field trials over a 4-yr period (2014–2017) in Switzerland to examine the impact of artificial defoliation (0, 20, 40, and 60% of flag leaf area removed in 1-m2 field plots) on yield and yield components in winter wheat. The applied defoliation treatments correspond to field infestations levels of approximately 2–6 larvae per stem. Analysis of the combined data from 11 location-years revealed a significant linear decrease in yield per ear with increasing defoliation intensity. Yield per ear declined at a rate of 1.14% (SE = 0.28) per 10 percentage-point increase in defoliation. Similar results were found in a parallel series of field trials in which a 40% defoliation treatment was applied to eight common wheat cultivars. Interestingly, however, three cultivars showed complete tolerance in yield to defoliation. Data from two trials with natural defoliation by larvae revealed equally low levels of yield loss by feeding of O. melanopus. Based on the experimentally derived yield loss function, we calculated economic injury levels for a range of crop values. These will serve as benchmarks in the development of IPM decision-support tools for managing cereal leaf beetles in winter wheat.
Arthropod Invasions Versus Soybean Production in Brazil: A Review
Authors: Pozebon Henrique , Marques Rafael P , Padilha Guilherme , O´Neal Matthew , Valmorbida Ivair , Bevilaqua Julia G , Tay Wee Tek , Arnemann Jonas André
Published: May 2020

Soybean production in Brazil has been markedly affected by invasions of non-native arthropod species that feed on the crop, severely impacting biodiversity, food security, health, and economic development. Data on soybean production losses and increase in insecticide usage over the last two decades have not been explored in association with past invasion events, and the dynamics underlying the recent blitz of invasive species into Brazil remain largely unclear. We provide a review of arthropod invasions in the Brazilian soybean agroecosystem since 1990, indicating that the introductions of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) MEAM1 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae), and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are likely correlated with periods of increase in insecticide usage for soybean production. Using these three cases as examples, we review factors that could lead to increased likelihood of future invasions by particular pests, outlining four possible criteria to evaluate potential invasiveness of non-native arthropods: likelihood of entry, likelihood of establishment, biological features of the species, and availability of control measures. Spodoptera litura (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Aphis glycines (Matsumura) (Hemiptera: Sternorrhynca) are examples of highly damaging soybean pests, related to one or more of these factors, that could be introduced into Brazil over the next years and which could lead to problematic scenarios. Melanagromyza sojae (Zehnter) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) also meets these criteria and has successfully invaded and colonized Brazilian soybean fields in recent years. Our review identifies current issues within soybean pest management in Brazil and highlights the need to adopt management measures to offset future costs and minimize lost revenue.
Patentability and de-extinct animals in Europe: the patented woolly mammoth?
Authors: McMahon Aisling , Doyle David M
Published: May 2020

De-extinction is a hot topic within conservation science but the potential patentability of de-extinct animals in Europe has hitherto been unexplored. This article addresses this lacuna, examining the legal, commercial, and ethical implications of patenting de-extinct animals under European patent law. The article is organized into four parts. Part I explores the reasons why patents are relevant and may be applied for in this context. Part II provides an overview of the scientific techniques currently being used in de-extinction projects, setting the foundation for the analysis of patentability which follows. Part III then critically assesses whether recreated animals would qualify as patent eligible subject matter under European patent law. It also investigates the extent to which European patent exclusions such as those on animal varieties, essentially biological processes, and the morality provisions might apply and whether recreated animals would meet the novelty requirement for patentability. Part IV concludes by highlighting the possible ramifications of patenting such animals, elucidating the chasm between the cultural and symbolic significance held by such animals, and their lack of differential treatment in the patent law sphere. It argues that de-extinction reignites questions around the scope of patents, and the role of ethical considerations within patent decision-making which warrant urgent reconsideration.
The Missing Reading of the Parable: Comment on ‘The Twelfth Camel, or the Economics of Justice’, by F Ost [(2011) 2(2) J Int Disp Settlement 333–51]
Authors: Sassoli de Bianchi Massimiliano
Published: May 2020

In a very educational article, François Ost took us through 12 different readings of the ancient Bedouin parable of the 12 camels. In this note, we observe that the judge’s stratagem of introducing the 12th camel, which is ultimately returned to him, not only allows for solving the dispute, in pragmatic terms, but also yields the only repartition that respects to the letter the will expressed in the testament. We also show that when the stratagem of adding a camel (or more than a single camel) is available, it necessarily yields the correct outcome. Our solution, which we believe is new in relation to this ancient parable, allows one to carry forward Ost’s invitation to use this remarkable story to think about justice and the act of justice.
A case of prostate stromal sarcoma involving the rectum
Authors: Ueda Shin , Okada Keisuke , Kanzawa Maki , Fukuda Teruo , Furukawa Junya , Fujisawa Masato
Published: May 2020

Sarcomas and related proliferative lesions of the specialized stroma of the prostate are very rare and have been classified into prostate stromal sarcoma (PSS) and prostatic stromal tumor of uncertain malignant potential based on histology. We herein describe a case of PSS. A 40-year-old male presented at a hospital with urinary distention. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large prostate mass, and the diagnosis was prostate sarcoma of uncertain differentiation by ultrasound-guided needle biopsy. Total pelvic exenteration was performed and a pathological diagnosis of PSS was ultimately reached. Ten months later, there have been no signs of metastasis or recurrence.