bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shoot tip necrosis of in vitro plant cultures: a reappraisal of possible causes and solutions
Authors: Teixeira da Silva Jaime A. , Nezami-Alanagh Esmaeil , Barreal María E. , Kher Mafatlal M. , Wicaksono Adhityo , Gulyás Andrea , Hidvégi Norbert , Magyar-Tábori Katalin , Mendler-Drienyovszki Nóra , Márton László , Landín Mariana , Gallego Pedro Pablo , Driver John A. , Dobránszki Judit
Published: September 2020

Main conclusion

Shoot tip necrosis is a physiological condition that negatively impacts the growth and development of in vitro plant shoot cultures across a wide range of species.

Shoot tip necrosis is a physiological condition and disorder that can arise in plantlets or shoots in vitro that results in death of the shoot tip. This condition, which can spread basipetally and affect the emergence of axillary shoots from buds lower down the stem, is due to the cessation of apical dominance. STN can occur at both shoot multiplication and rooting stages. One of the most common factors that cause STN is nutrient deficiency or imbalance. Moreover, the presence or absence of plant growth regulators (auxins or cytokinins) at specific developmental stages may impact STN. The cytokinin to auxin ratio within an in vitro plant can be modified by varying the concentration of cytokinins used in the culture medium. The supply of nutrients to in vitro shoots or plantlets might also affect their hormonal balance, thus modifying the occurrence of STN. High relative humidity within culture vessels and hyperhydricity are associated with STN. An adequate supply of calcium as the divalent cation (Ca2+) can hinder STN by inhibiting the accumulation of phenolic compounds and thus programmed cell death. Moreover, the level of Ca2+affects auxin transport and ethylene production, and higher ethylene production, which can occur as a result of high relative humidity in or poor ventilation of the in vitro culture vessel, induces STN. High relative humidity can decrease the mobility of Ca2+within a plant, resulting in Ca2+deficiency and STN. STN of in vitro shoots or plantlets can be halted or reversed by altering the basal medium, mainly the concentration of Ca2+, adjusting the levels of auxins or cytokinins, or modifying culture conditions. This review examines the literature related to STN, seeks to discover the associated factors and relations between them, proposes practical solutions, and attempts to better understand the mechanism(s) underlying this condition in vitro.
Feasibility, safety, and long-term efficacy of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) for postsurgical gastroparesis: a single-center and retrospective study of a prospective database
Authors: Tan Jiacheng , Shrestha Sachin Mulmi , Wei Ming , Wang Panpan , Shi Jinjun , Lu Yanjia , Gao Qi , Lu Tong , Zhou Jun , Shi Ruihua
Published: September 2020

Background

Postsurgical gastroparesis is recognized as a gastrointestinal dysfunction syndrome following foregut surgery. Gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) is suggested as a minimally invasive therapy for gastroparesis. But the long-term efficacy and safety of G-POEM in treating postsurgical gastroparesis are rarely explored.

Methods

The primary outcomes included the symptomatic improvement based on gastroparesis cardinal symptoms index (GCSI) and the improvement of gastric emptying. The secondary outcomes included the improvement of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and complications of G-POEM.

Results

The severity of postsurgical gastroparesis was not associated with the onset time and the course of the disease. G-POEM significantly reduced GCSI throughout the follow-up period (p < 0.0001). For different anastomotic site, a significant improvement of GCSI was found at 6 month post-G-POEM (F4,165 = 74.18, p < 0.0001). Subscale analysis of GCSI showed that nausea/vomiting, post-prandial fullness/early satiety, and bloating were improved significantly at 6-month post-G-POEM (p < 0.0001, respectively). Half-emptying and whole-emptying time were significantly shortened in patients with different anastomotic site post-G-POEM (half-emptying time: F3,174 = 65.44, p < 0.0001; whole-emptying time: F3,174 = 54.85, p < 0.0001). The emptying of ioversol was obviously accelerated after G-POEM. GCSI wasn't related to pyloric length, pyloric diameter, and thickness of pyloric wall. GERDQ was also used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of G-POEM. For each time points, GERDQ didn't differ significantly in patients with different anastomotic site (F4,104 = 0.8075, p = 0.5231). For patients with different anastomotic site, GERDQ was improved significantly at different time points (F4,104 = 59.11, p < 0.0001). The higher the esophageal anastomotic site was, the faster G-POEM improved the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux. No one required re-hospitalization for any complication.

Conclusion

G-POEM is a minimally invasive therapy with long-term effectiveness and safety in treating postsurgical gastroparesis.
Risk of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in patients with metastatic cancer not receiving granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prophylaxis in US clinical practice
Authors: Averin Ahuva , Silvia Amanda , Lamerato Lois , Richert-Boe Kathryn , Kaur Manpreet , Sundaresan Devi , Shah Neel , Hatfield Mark , Lawrence Tatiana , Lyman Gary H. , Weycker Derek
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) prophylaxis in US patients with selected metastatic cancers and chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (FN) incidence and associated outcomes among the subgroup who did not receive prophylaxis.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study was conducted at four US health systems and included adults with metastatic cancer (breast, colorectal, lung, non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL]) who received myelosuppressive chemotherapy (2009–2017). Patients were stratified by FN risk level based on risk factors and chemotherapy (low/unclassified risk, intermediate risk without any risk factors, intermediate risk with ≥ 1 risk factor [IR + 1], high risk [HR]). G-CSF use was evaluated among all patients stratified by FN risk, and FN/FN-related outcomes were evaluated among patients who did not receive first-cycle G-CSF prophylaxis.

Results

Among 1457 metastatic cancer patients, 20.5% and 28.1% were classified as HR and IR + 1, respectively. First-cycle G-CSF prophylaxis use was 48.5% among HR patients and 13.9% among IR + 1 patients. In the subgroup not receiving first-cycle G-CSF prophylaxis, FN incidence in cycle 1 was 7.8% for HR patients and 4.8% for IR + 1 patients; during the course, corresponding values were 16.9% and 15.9%. Most (> 90%) FN episodes required hospitalization, and mortality risk ranged from 7.1 to 26.9% across subgroups.

Conclusion

In this retrospective study, the majority of metastatic cancer chemotherapy patients for whom G-CSF prophylaxis is recommended did not receive it; FN incidence in this subgroup was notably high. Patients with elevated FN risk should be carefully identified and managed to ensure appropriate use of supportive care.
Correction to: Transmission studies of the newly described apple chlorotic fruit spot viroid using a combined RT-qPCR and droplet digital PCR approach
Authors: Leichtfried Thomas , Reisenzein Helga , Steinkellner Siegrid , Gottsberger Richard A.
Published: August 2020

Authors would like to update the given name and family name of authors which were incorrect in the original version.
Disposable plastic trays and their effect on polyether and vinyl polysiloxane impression accuracy—an in vitro study
Authors: Rues Stefan , Stober Thomas , Bargum Thomas , Rammelsberg Peter , Zenthöfer Andreas
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the dimensional accuracy of impressions taken by use of disposable stock plastic trays and to compare performance with that of metal trays.

Materials and methods

From a metallic model incorporating three precision balls and three abutment teeth, one-step dual-phase polyether (PE) and vinyl polysiloxane (VPS) impressions were taken using either metal or disposable plastic trays (n = 10 for each of the resulting four test groups). Respective plaster cast scans were aligned with the reference dataset to evaluate global (distance and angle deviations) and local (trueness and precision) accuracy. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to determine group differences.

Results

For all impression tray and material combinations, global accuracy was good (mean distance changes < 100 μm) with greatest deviations being observed for distances exceeding one quadrant of the dental arch. In general, distances measured in the plaster casts were too short. Only VPS impressions with plastic trays showed a different behavior with a large percentage of cross-arch distances exceeding the reference value. Mean local accuracy ranged between 6 and 14 μm (trueness), and 6 and 16 μm (precision). On abutment tooth level, metal trays were associated with a significantly better precision (p = 0.015).

Conclusions

The observed distortions of the studied impression trays and materials are small and should enable satisfying clinical impression-taking.

Clinical relevance

Cleaning and processing of metal trays before re-use are time-consuming. Especially for patients’ management with single crowns and small fixed dental prostheses, disposable plastic trays can be a viable and cost-effective alternative.
Supported discharge service versus inpatient care evaluation (SITE): a randomised controlled trial comparing effectiveness of an intensive community care service versus inpatient treatment as usual for adolescents with severe psychiatric disorders: self-harm, functional impairment, and educational and clinical outcomes
Authors: Ougrin Dennis , Corrigall Richard , Stahl Daniel , Poole Jason , Zundel Toby , Wait Mandy , Slater Victoria , Reavey Paula , Byford Sarah , Ivens John , Crommelin Maarten , Hayes Daniel , Middleton Kerry , Young Paul , Taylor Eric
Published: September 2020

Clinical guidelines recommend intensive community care service treatment (ICCS) to reduce adolescent psychiatric inpatient care. We have previously reported that the addition of ICCS led to a substantial decrease in hospital use and improved school re-integration. The aim of this study is to undertake a randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing an inpatient admission followed by an early discharge supported by ICCS with usual inpatient admission (treatment as usual; TAU). In this paper, we report the impact of ICCS on self-harm and other clinical and educational outcomes. 106 patients aged 12–18 admitted for psychiatric inpatient care were randomised (1:1) to either ICCS or TAU. Six months after randomisation, we compared the two treatment arms on the number and severity of self-harm episodes, the functional impairment, severity of psychiatric symptoms, clinical improvement, reading and mathematical ability, weight, height and the use of psychological therapy and medication. At six-month follow-up, there were no differences between the two groups on most measures. Patients receiving ICCS were significantly less likely to report multiple episodes (five or more) of self-harm (OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.05–0.64). Patients admitted to private inpatient units spent on average 118.4 (95% CI: 28.2–208.6) fewer days in hospitals if they were in the ICCS group compared to TAU. The addition of ICCS to TAU may lower the risk of multiple self-harm and may reduce the duration of inpatient stay, especially in those patients admitted for private care. Early discharge with ICCS appears to be a viable alternative to standard inpatient treatment.
Efficacy and safety results from a randomized double-blind study comparing proposed biosimilar ABP 798 with rituximab reference product in subjects with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Burmester Gerd , Drescher Edit , Hrycaj Pawel , Chien David , Pan Zhiying , Cohen Stanley
Published: September 2020

Background/objectives

ABP 798 is a proposed biosimilar to the originator biologic rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. This comparative clinical study evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and efficacy of ABP 798 versus rituximab reference product (RP) in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

Adults with moderate-to-severe RA with an inadequate response or intolerance to other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs including 1 or more tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapies (n = 311) received ABP 798, US-sourced rituximab RP (rituximab US), or EU-sourced rituximab RP (rituximab EU) (1000 mg, 2 weeks apart). At week 24, ABP 798- or rituximab EU-treated subjects received a second dose of the same treatment, while rituximab US-treated subjects transitioned to receive ABP 798. The key efficacy endpoint was DAS28-CRP change from baseline at week 24. Other efficacy endpoints included DAS28-CRP at other time points; ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 criteria; and hybrid ACR. The rituximab RP groups were pooled for all efficacy endpoints since PK equivalence had been established between rituximab US and rituximab EU.

Results

Clinical equivalence between ABP 798 and rituximab RP was established as the 90% confidence interval for DAS28-CRP change from baseline at week 24 fell within the prespecified equivalence margin (− 0.6, 0.6). Safety and immunogenicity profiles of ABP 798 were comparable across treatment groups and not affected by single transition from RP to ABP 798.

Conclusions

Clinical equivalence in terms of efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity was established between ABP 798 and rituximab RP in this comparative clinical trial in patients with moderate-to-severe RA.

Key Points• ABP 798 provided similar efficacy as rituximab reference product (RP) in patients with moderate-severe rheumatoid arthritis.• The safety and immunogenicity profiles for ABP 798 were similar to those for the rituximab RP.• The single transition from rituximab RP to ABP 798 did not show differences in efficacy, safety, or immunogenicity.
Mammal use of wildlife crossing structures along a new motorway in an area recently recolonized by wolves
Authors: Mysłajek Robert W. , Olkowska Emilia , Wronka-Tomulewicz Marta , Nowak Sabina
Published: September 2020

Wildlife crossing structures (WCSs) enhance connectivity between habitats of wild animals fragmented by fenced motorways, but factors affecting their use by targeted species remain understudied, particularly in areas recently recolonized by large carnivores. We investigated the use of WCS—6 overpasses (width 30-45m), 5 large underpasses (width 33–114 m) and 4 small underpasses (width 15–19 m)—located along the A4 motorway in the Lower Silesian Forest (western Poland), a large forest tract recently recolonised by wolves (Canis lupus). Identifying and counting tracks of mammals left on sand-beds as well as individuals recorded by camera traps were used to determine species diversity, number and activity patterns of mammals on WCS, and to reveal seasonal and temporal changes of WCS use over 3 years of study (2010–2013). WCSs were mostly used by wild species (51.5%), followed by humans (34.8%), livestock and pets (13.7%). Among wild species, ungulates were the most common (77.4% of crossings), while lagomorphs and carnivores were recorded less often (15% and 7.6% of crossings, respectively). The number of species and crossings of wild mammals, especially wild ungulates and wolves, was substantially higher on overpasses (mean effective number of species (Hill numbers):0D= 7.8,1D= 4.1 and2D= 3.3) than on underpasses (0D= 6.3,1D= 2.9 and2D= 2.3) and was not affected by distance between WCS and human settlements or WCS width. There was a higher diversity of wild species and more crossings under large extended bridges than on smaller underpasses. The number of species and number of crossings of wild mammals, domestic animals and people increased from 2010 to 2013. There was a significant difference in activity patterns, with almost all wild species being nocturnal, in contrast to people and dogs. There was no relationship between crossing time and rates of wild carnivores and potential prey. We conclude that overpasses, even with steep entrance slopes (25–26.5%) or integrated with moderately used gravel roads, maintain movement of wild terrestrial mammals much better than underpasses, and the presence of wolves does not hamper the movement of other wild species. As there are significant temporal changes in use of WCS by mammals, we recommend monitoring WCS in all seasons for at least 3 years as a minimum standard for the post-investment assessment of WCS utilization by animals.
Spatial analysis of urine zinc (Zn) concentration for women of reproductive age and school age children in Malawi
Authors: Phiri Felix P. , Ander E. Louise , Lark R. Murray , Joy Edward J. M. , Kalimbira Alexander A. , Suchdev Parminder S. , Gondwe Jellita , Hamilton Elliott M. , Watts Michael J. , Broadley Martin R.
Published: August 2020

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient, and Zn deficiency remains a major global public health challenge. Recognised biomarkers of population Zn status include blood plasma or serum Zn concentration and proxy data such as dietary Zn intake and prevalence of stunting. Urine Zn concentration is rarely used to assess population Zn status. This study assessed the value of urine Zn concentration as a biomarker of population Zn status using a nationally representative sample of non-pregnant women of reproductive age (WRA) and school-aged children (SAC) in Malawi. Spot (casual) urine samples were collected from 741 WRA and 665 SAC. Urine Zn concentration was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with specific gravity adjustment for hydration status. Data were analysed using a linear mixed model with a spatially correlated random effect for between-cluster variation. The effect of time of sample collection (morning or afternoon), and gender (for SAC), on urine Zn concentration were examined. There was spatial dependence in urine Zn concentration between clusters among SAC but not WRA, which indicates that food system or environmental factors can influence urine Zn concentration. Mapping urine Zn concentration could potentially identify areas where the prevalence of Zn deficiency is greater and thus where further sampling or interventions might be targeted. There was no evidence for differences in urine Zn concentration between gender (P = 0.69) or time of sample collection (P = 0.85) in SAC. Urine Zn concentration was greater in afternoon samples for WRA (P = 0.003). Relationships between urine Zn concentration, serum Zn concentration, dietary Zn intake, and potential food systems covariates warrant further study.
Energy and exergy analysis of a novel turbo-compounding system for supercharging and mild hybridization of a gasoline engine
Authors: Salek Farhad , Babaie Meisam , Ghodsi Ali , Hosseini Seyed Vahid , Zare Ali
Published: September 2020

Number of hybrid vehicles has increased around the world significantly. Automotive industry is utilizing the hybridization of the powertrain system to achieve better fuel economic and emissions reduction. One of the options recently considered in research for hybridization and downsizing of vehicles is to employ waste heat recovery systems. In this paper, the addition of a turbo-compound system with an air Brayton cycle (ABC) to a naturally aspirated engine was studied in AVL BOOST software. In addition, a supercharger was modeled to charge extra air into the engine and ABC. The engine was first validated against the experimental data prior to turbo-compounding. The energy and exergy analysis was performed to understand the effects of the proposed design at engine rated speed. Results showed that between 16 and 18% increase in engine mechanical power can be achieved by adding turbo-compressor. Furthermore, the recommended ABC system can recover up to 1.1 kW extra electrical power from the engine exhaust energy. The energy and exergy efficiencies were both improved slightly by turbo-compounding and BSFC reduced by nearly 1% with the proposed system. Furthermore, installing the proposed system resulted in increase in backpressure up to approximately 23.8 kPa.
Decision-facilitating information in hidden-action setups: an agent-based approach
Authors: Leitner Stephan , Wall Friederike
Published: September 2020

The hidden-action model captures a fundamental problem of principal-agent theory and provides an optimal sharing rule when only the outcome but not the effort can be observed (Holmström in Bell J Econ 10(1):74, 1979). However, the hidden-action model builds on various explicit and also implicit assumptions about the information of the contracting parties. This paper relaxes key assumptions regarding the availability of information included in the hidden-action model in order to study whether and, if so, how fast the optimal sharing rule is achieved and how this is affected by the various types of information employed in the principal-agent relation. Our analysis particularly focuses on information about the environment and about feasible actions for the agent. We follow an approach to transfer closed-form mathematical models into agent-based computational models and show that the extent of information about feasible options to carry out a task only has an impact on performance if decision makers are well informed about the environment, and that the decision whether to perform exploration or exploitation when searching for new feasible options only affects performance in specific situations. Having good information about the environment, on the contrary, appears to be crucial in almost all situations.
Detailed Balance = Complex Balance + Cycle Balance: A Graph-Theoretic Proof for Reaction Networks and Markov Chains
Authors: Müller Stefan , Joshi Badal
Published: September 2020

We further clarify the relation between detailed-balanced and complex-balanced equilibria of reversible chemical reaction networks. Our results hold for arbitrary kinetics and also for boundary equilibria. Detailed balance, complex balance, “formal balance,” and the new notion of “cycle balance” are all defined in terms of the underlying graph. This fact allows elementary graph-theoretic (non-algebraic) proofs of a previous result (detailed balance = complex balance + formal balance), our main result (detailed balance = complex balance + cycle balance), and a corresponding result in the setting of continuous-time Markov chains.
The GNG neural network in analyzing consumer behaviour patterns: empirical research on a purchasing behaviour processes realized by the elderly consumers
Authors: Migdał-Najman Kamila , Najman Krzysztof , Badowska Sylwia
Published: August 2020

The paper sheds light on the use of a self-learning GNG neural network for identification and exploration of the purchasing behaviour patterns. The test has been conducted on the data collected from consumers aged 60 years and over, with regard to three product purchases. The primary data used to explore the purchasing behaviour patterns was collected during a survey carried out among the elderly students at the Universities of Third Age in Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Poland, in the years 2017–2018. Finally, a total of six different types of purchasing patterns have been identified, namely the ‘thoughtful decision’, the ‘sensitive to recommendation’, the ‘beneficiary, the ‘short thoughtful decision’, the ‘habitual decision’ and ‘multiple’ patterns. The most significant differences in the purchasing patterns of the three national samples have been identified with regard to the process of purchasing a smartphone, while the most repetitive patterns have been identified with regard to the purchasing of a new product. The results significantly support the GNG network’s validity for identification of consumer behaviour patterns. The application of this method allowed quick and effective to identify and segment consumers groups as well as facilitated the mapping of the differences among these groups and to compare the consumption behaviour expressed by consumers on different markets. The identified consumer purchase patterns may play a basic role for marketers to understand consumer behaviour and then propose tailored strategies in international marketing.
Kinder im Blick? Kindeswohl in Zeiten von Corona
Authors: Jentsch Birgit , Schnock Brigitte
Published: September 2020

Die Corona-Krise hat große Auswirkungen auf das Wohlergehen von Kindern sowie auf die Möglichkeiten von Fachkräften der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe, Familien im Bedarfsfall ausreichend zu unterstützen. Es häufen sich Anzeichen, dass insbesondere die Wahrnehmung von Kindeswohlgefährdung und die Gestaltung der Kommunikation und Beziehung zwischen Familie und Fachkraft erhebliche neue Herausforderungen stellen. Der Artikel beschreibt den Diskurs über diese Herausforderungen und Umsetzungsstrategien in den ersten Wochen von COVID-19.
Sub-gap defect density characterization of molybdenum oxide: An annealing study for solar cell applications
Authors: Scirè Daniele , Procel Paul , Gulino Antonino , Isabella Olindo , Zeman Miro , Crupi Isodiana
Published: September 2020

The application of molybdenum oxide in the photovoltaic field is gaining traction as this material can be deployed in doping-free heterojunction solar cells in the role of hole selective contact. For modeling-based optimization of such contact, knowledge of the molybdenum oxide defect density of states (DOS) is crucial. In this paper, we report a method to extract the defect density through nondestructive optical measures, including the contribution given by small polaron optical transitions. The presence of defects related to oxygen-vacancy and of polaron is supported by the results of our opto-electrical characterizations along with the evaluation of previous observations. As part of the study, molybdenum oxide samples have been evaluated after post-deposition thermal treatments. Quantitative results are in agreement with the result of density functional theory showing the presence of a defect band fixed at 1.1 eV below the conduction band edge of the oxide. Moreover, the distribution of defects is affected by post-deposition treatment.
Rubber compounds made of reactivated EPDM for fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators: an experimental study
Authors: Habieb Ahmad Basshofi , Milani Federico , Milani Gabriele , Cerchiaro Renato
Published: September 2020

Rubber recycling technology is a popular issue in many research fields, considering the huge amount of rubber waste in the environment. This paper discusses an application of regenerated ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) to produce vulcanized items such as fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators (FREIs), which are nowadays considered efficient low-cost seismic protection devices for low rise buildings (e.g., made by masonry) in developing countries. Two types of regenerated EPDM are studies and blended with two different virgin rubbers, Vistalon 3666 and Dutral 4038. The first virgin rubber is used to produce a compound with a hardness of around 30 Shore A, while the latter exhibits 60 Shore A. The present study, which is part of a wider research project aimed at the production of low cost un-bonded seismic isolation devices, focuses exclusively on the determination of both crosslinking degree through rheometer tests and elasticity/mechanical properties of the rubber pads, before and after ageing (hardness, tensile strength, elongation-at-break, stretch-stress behavior before and after ageing). The results show that the compounds with the second reactivated EPDM (type B) exhibit the most satisfactory performance, before and after ageing. This paper discusses also the method of fabrication of FREIs, obtained by the interposition of pads made by the selected recycled rubber and dry glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) textiles. The hardness tests performed on the sliced FREI specimen indicate that the vulcanization temperature used in the production is roughly suitable to obtain the expected rubber properties.
Phytoplankton community structure and water quality assessment in an ecological restoration area of Baiyangdian Lake, China
Authors: Zhu H. , Liu X. G. , Cheng S. P.
Published: September 2020

Shihoudian Lake is one of the ecological restoration engineering pilot sites of Baiyangdian Lake, China. To evaluate the phytoplankton characteristics and eutrophication status in Shihoudian Lake, we investigated the community structure of phytoplankton, including the species composition, density, biomass dominance, biodiversity and water quality parameters, in autumn 2018 and spring and summer 2019. The relationships between the community structure and the main environmental factors were analysed using a multivariate statistical method. A total of 143 species of phytoplankton were identified, belonging to 53 genera and eight phyla, and Cyanophyta and Prochlorophyta were the most dominant phyla. Both the density and the biomass were the highest in the summer. A redundancy analysis showed that total phosphorus and chemical oxygen demand were the primary influencing factors of the community distribution of Cyanophyta. Evaluation of the comprehensive diversity index and water quality index revealed that the water of Shihoudian Lake was lightly to moderately polluted, providing scientific evidence for eco-environmental protection and remediation.
Quality Tolerance Limits: Framework for Successful Implementation in Clinical Development
Authors: Bhagat Ruma , Bojarski Lukasz , Chevalier Soazig , Görtz Dagmar R. , Le Meignen Stéphanie , Makowski Marcin , Nadolny Patrick , Pillwein Marion , Suprin Melissa , Turri Sabine
Published: September 2020

The International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) E6(R2) (International Council for Harmonisation (ICH). ICH harmonised guideline: integrated addendum to ICH E6(R1): guideline for good clinical practice E6(R2). 2016. https://database.ich.org/sites/default/files/E6_R2_Addendum.pdf. Accessed 5 Dec 2019) introduced Quality Tolerance Limits (QTLs) to the industry, and in doing so, modernized quality control for clinical trials. QTLs provide measured feedback on clinical trial parameters previously only used by statistical and clinical functions to track trial progress toward endpoints. Elevating these measures as part of the Quality Management System (QMS) provides greater visibility across clinical trial functions and the enterprise as well as to measures that are important indicators of the state of participant protection and reliability of trial results. In support of this new requirement, TransCelerate developed a framework to guide industry sponsors and their agents in implementing QTLs. This QTL Framework is intended to aid industry’s ability to improve the quality of clinical research through the implementation of QTLs in a way that helps protect trial participants and reliability of trial results while meeting Health Authority (HA) expectations. The framework is intended to maximize efficiency and minimize confusion in the implementation of QTLs. The framework includes proposed approaches for implementation of QTLs for a clinical trial as defined in Section 5.0.4 and 5.0.7 of ICH E6(R2) (International Council for Harmonisation (ICH). ICH harmonised guideline: integrated addendum to ICH E6(R1): guideline for good clinical practice E6(R2). 2016. https://database.ich.org/sites/default/files/E6_R2_Addendum.pdf. Accessed 5 Dec 2019) and considerations for setting thresholds.
Modelling and parameter identification of steel–concrete composite beams in 3D rigid finite element method
Authors: Abramowicz Małgorzata , Berczyński Stefan , Wróblewski Tomasz
Published: September 2020

This study presents spatial vibration modelling of steel–concrete composite beams. Structures of this type are commonly used as elements of composite floors and primary carrying girders in bridge structures. Two-dimensional models used to date did not enable analysis of all eigenmodes, specifically torsional, flexural horizontal, and distortional. A discrete computational model was developed in the convention of the rigid finite element method, the so-called RFEM model. It was assumed that the concrete slab and the steel I-section would be modelled separately. This approach realistically reflects the actual performance of the connection, comprising studs connecting the concrete slab and the steel section. The model was used to analyse two steel–concrete composite beams with different connector spacings. The paper presents the results of experiments conducted on the two composite beams. Their dynamic characteristics, including frequency and vibration modes, were determined with impulse response methods. Based on experimental research, identification of connection parameters with substitute longitudinal moduli of elasticity of reinforced concrete was conducted. A comparison of experimental results with those calculated with the model confirmed their good agreement.
The Effects of Transobturator Tape Surgery on Sexual Functions in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence
Authors: Kizilkan Yalcin , Tohma Yusuf Aytac , Senel Samet , Gunakan Emre , Oguzulgen Ahmet Ibrahim , Aktas Binhan Kagan , Bulut Suleyman , Gokkaya Cevdet Serkan , Ozden Cuneyt , Ozkardes Hakan , Ayhan Ali
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) can adversely affect the patient’s sexual function.

Aim

To evaluate the sexual functions in women who underwent transobturator tape (TOT) surgery because of stress urinary incontinence and factors affecting the treatment results.

Methods

The study was conducted in 2 tertiary level clinics between 2013 and 2019 and included sexually active patients with a diagnosis of SUI who underwent TOT operation. The preoperative and postoperative (6 months after surgery) Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire short form (PISQ-12) scores of the patients were evaluated. The patients were evaluated according to the score changes of an increased score (benefited) and the same or lower score (did not benefit). The PISQ-12 questionnaire has 3 subdomains of behavioral-emotive (Q: 1–4), physical (Q: 5–9), and partner-related (Q: 10–12). Each question is scored from 0 to 4, giving a total ranging from 0 to 48. A higher PISQ-12 score indicates better sexual function.

Main Outcome Measure

PISQ-12.

Results

The study included 117 patients with a median age of 52 years (range, 32–67 years), and 51.3% of the patients were postmenopausal. When the preoperative and postoperative PISQ-12 scores were evaluated in the whole group, there was a statistically significant improvement (from 24.66 to 26.52, P = .001). In the analysis of domains, there was a statistically significant improvement in physical score (from 11.68 to 13.53, P < .001), whereas behavioral-emotive and partner-related scores did not significantly change. In the multivariate analysis of menopausal status, parity and presence of diabetes mellitus were all independently and significantly associated with poor PISQ-12 outcome (OR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.41–4.81, P = .002; OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.03–2.47, P = .034; and OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.28–4.58, P = .007, respectively).

Conclusion

Both physical and psychological statuses should be taken into consideration when planning treatment in patients with urinary incontinence, and it should be noted that postsurgical sexual function status may not be positively affected in postmenopausal, multiparous, and diabetic patients.
AM stands the test of time
Authors: Nickels Liz
Published: August 2020

Comprehensive powder characterization and supply chain optimization is vital if the metal 3D printing market is to bridge the gap between technology and certification, according to global testing company Element.
New View on the Canadian Burden of Stroke: Productivity Loss in Adults Who Return to Work
Authors: Wein Theodore , Mancini Johanna , Rogoza Raina M. , Pericleous Louisa
Published: September 2020

An often overlooked facet of the indirect costs affecting working-age stroke survivors is the challenges experienced by those who return to work. This study quantified the productivity loss in 20 stroke survivors who returned to work which amounted to 53.0 missed work days and an average indirect cost of $10,298 (CAD) in the year following a stroke. Despite the quantified productivity loss, 75% of patients reported no significant disability and a high proportion were self-employed compared to the Canadian population, indicating that socioeconomic factors may be driving patient decisions to return to work.
Epistemological Disjunctivism and the Value of Presence
Authors: de Bruijn David
Published: September 2020

Epistemological disjunctivists make two strong claims about perceptual experience's epistemic value: (1) experience guarantees the knowledgeable character of perceptual beliefs; (2) experience's epistemic value is “reflectively accessible”. In this paper I develop a form of disjunctivism grounded in a presentational view of experience, on which the epistemic benefits of experience consist in the way perception presents the subject with aspects of her environment. I show that presentational disjunctivism has both dialectical and philosophically fundamental advantages over more traditional expositions. Dialectically, presentational disjunctivism resolves a puzzle disjunctivists face in their posture vis-à-vis skeptical scenarios. More systematically, presentational disjunctivism provides an especially compelling view of disjunctivism as an internalist view of perceptual consciousness by explaining the way perceptual presence manifests the subject's rationality in a distinct way.
Symposium ‘understanding and managing satiety: processes and opportunities’
Authors: Mandalari Giuseppina
Published: September 2020

This brief report summarises a framework for understanding satiety presented at the 13th European Nutrition Conference, FENS 2019 – Malnutrition in an Obese World: European Perspectives. Aspects of satiety phenotyping and role of food hedonics in satiation are considered in the context of appetite control and obesity. Almonds are evaluated for their unique composition and structure which affect their behaviour in the human gastrointestinal tract. Their role in appetite control and management of satiety has been explored.
The state of GMOs on social media
Authors: Wirz Christopher D. , Howell Emily L. , Brossard Dominique , Xenos Michael A. , Scheufele Dietram A.
Published: September 2020

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between state-level variables and Twitter discourse on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Using geographically identified tweets related to GMOs, we examined how the sentiments expressed about GMOs related to education levels, news coverage, proportion of rural and urban counties, state-level political ideology, amount of GMO-related legislation introduced, and agricultural dependence of each U.S. state. State-level characteristics predominantly did not predict the sentiment of the discourse. Instead, the topics of tweets predicted the majority of variance in tweet sentiment at the state level. The topics that tweets within a state focused on were related to state-level characteristics in some cases.
Dietary fibre intake and its associations with depressive symptoms in a prospective adolescent cohort
Authors: Swann Olivia G. , Breslin Monique , Kilpatrick Michelle , O’Sullivan Therese A. , Mori Trevor A. , Beilin Lawrence J. , Lin Ashleigh , Oddy Wendy H.
Published: September 2020

Depression is a major cause of disability in adolescents. Higher dietary fibre intake has been associated with lower depressive symptoms in adults, but there is a lack of research in adolescents. We examined the association between dietary fibre intake (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) FFQ) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory for Youth) in adolescents with prospective data from the Raine Study Gen2 14- and 17-year follow-ups (n 1260 and 653). Odds of moderate/extreme (clinically relevant) depressive symptoms by quartile of fibre intake were calculated using mixed-effects logistic regression for all participants, in a paired sample without moderate/extreme depressive symptoms at 14 years and in a sub-sample of participants with available inflammatory data at the ages of 14 and 17 years (n 718 and 547). Odds of moderate/extreme depressive symptoms were lower in the fourth (highest) quartile of overall fibre intake (OR 0·273, 95 % CI 0·09, 0·81) compared with the first (lowest) quartile, adjusting for sex, age, energy intake, adiposity, and family and lifestyle factors. However, further adjustment for dietary patterns attenuated the results. Associations of depressive symptoms with cereal or fruit and vegetable fibre intake were not significant in the final model. Adjustment for inflammation had no effect on OR. The association between a higher dietary fibre intake and lower odds of clinically relevant depressive symptoms may be more reflective of a high-fibre diet with all its accompanying nutrients than of an independent effect of fibre.
Dairy expansion: a case study of spring-calving pasture-based dairy production systems in Ireland
Authors: Ramsbottom G. , Horan B. , Pierce K. M. , Roche J. R.
Published: September 2020

Since 1 April 2015, European dairy milk quotas have been removed resulting in the intensification of dairy production within EU countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical and economic impacts of the initial intensification undertaken within Irish grazing dairy systems. Physical and financial data for 868 seasonal calving dairy farmers with records for each of the years 2013–2017 inclusive were used in this analysis. All analyses were undertaken using a mixed-model framework in PROC MIXED. The overall level of fat plus protein productivity of studied farms increased by 51% during the 5-year period through a combination of increased production per cow, increased operational scale and system intensification. Overall farm net profit was highly variable between years and was greatest in 2017 (€133 836) and least in 2016 (€65 176). When farms were characterized into milk production expansion quartiles, farms in Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 increased output by +7, +25, +44 and +86%, respectively. Whereas total farm profit (€/farm) declined for Q1 farms between 2013/2014 and 2016/2017 (€−5257; −7%), the greater expansion undertaken in Q2, Q3 and Q4 resulted in increases of €3046 (+4%), €20 810 (+25%) and €51 604 (+62%), respectively. In all strategies studied, farm profit increased due to a combination of increased revenues, increased pasture utilization and a dilution of per unit production costs. Further investigation of the longer term impacts of expansion is merited, not just in terms of economic indicators, but also in terms of environmental and socio-cultural change.
Machiavelli's Principio: Political Renewal and Innovation in the Discourses on Livy
Authors: Arum Eero
Published: September 2020

Although Machiavelli argues that “return to first principles” is a necessary and perhaps even sufficient condition for counteracting political corruption, few scholars have engaged in a sustained textual analysis of Discourses III.1, the chapter in which he outlines the meaning of this enigmatic concept. Reassessing Machiavelli's exempla in this chapter will reveal that return to first principles consists in the revival of the ethos of innovation and public-spiritedness that accompanies every successful political founding. This process of renewal entails reviving the psychological forces that initially guide human beings to establish new political orders, including fear of violent death and longing for glory. Existing interpretations of D III.1 have tended to emphasize renewal through fear-invoking punishment, neglecting Machiavelli's examples of renewal through exemplary acts of civic virtue. A careful analysis of instruments and agents of return to first principles will illustrate how both spectacular punishment and virtuous acts of self-sacrifice converge to counteract corruption and foster political innovation.
Sensitivity to syntactic violation and semantic ambiguity in English modal verbs: A self-paced reading study
Authors: Mifka-Profozic Nadia , O’Reilly David , Guo Juan
Published: September 2020

The present study is, to our knowledge, the first self-paced reading experiment to investigate the effects of syntactic violation and semantic ambiguity on processing English modal auxiliaries. Forty undergraduate students, native speakers of English, took part in the study and read 36 target sentences, each containing a modal verb in context. Two of the most frequent English modals,canandmay, were used in three distinct categories of modal expression: agent-oriented/ability, epistemic possibility, and speaker-oriented/permission. The two modal auxiliaries were manipulated such that they were either congruent or incongruent with the context, or in the case of permission felicitous or infelicitous relative to the context. We found that incongruent modal use in an agent-oriented context resulted in a reading penalty that was observed in a spillover on the segments following the modal and the lexical verb. Incongruent modal use to express epistemic possibility significantly affected reading times immediately after the modal auxiliary, and also spilt over to the following segments. Reading times in sentences expressing speaker-oriented modality were not affected by inconsistency in the use of the modal verb unmarked for formality in a formal context. The substantive and methodological implications of findings are discussed.
Three phases of Gene × Environment interaction research: Theoretical assumptions underlying gene selection
Authors: Zhang Xiaoya , Belsky Jay
Published: September 2020

Some Gene × Environment interaction (G×E) research has focused upon single candidate genes, whereas other related work has targeted multiple genes (e.g., polygenic scores). Each approach has informed efforts to identify individuals who are either especially vulnerable to the negative effects of contextual adversity (diathesis stress) or especially susceptible to both positive and negative contextual conditions (differential susceptibility). A critical step in all such molecular G×E research is the selection of genetic variants thought to moderate environmental influences, a subject that has not received a great deal of attention in critiques of G×E research (beyond the observation of small effects of individual genes). Here we conceptually distinguish three phases of G×E work based on the selection of genes presumed to moderate environmental effects and the theoretical basis of such decisions: (a) single candidate genes, (b) composited (multiple) candidate genes, and (c) GWAS-derived polygenic scores. This illustrative, not exhaustive, review makes it clear that implicit or explicit theoretical assumptions inform gene selection in ways that have not been clearly articulated or fully appreciated.
Live birth following a single oocyte fertilized with ICSI and embryo transfer on day 2: a case report
Authors: Sciorio Romualdo , Angelaki Elisavet , Al-Azemi Naser
Published: September 2020

In this report, we present a case of a couple who obtained a live birth with a single oocyte fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The oocyte was collected at 36 h post trigger and was found to be at metaphase II when sperm injection was performed. At 18 h post injection, the oocyte was found to be fertilized with two clear pronuclei. The embryo divided and generated a four-cell embryo on day 2, which was replaced to the uterine cavity. Pregnancy test gave a positive β-human chorionic gonadotropin result, the scan performed at 7 weeks, revealed the presence of one amniotic sac with fetal heartbeat. Healthy live birth was obtained after 39 weeks of gestation.