bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of air flows in Orthodox church by numerical simulation
Authors: Starkova L G , Surovtsov M M , Zotova D A
Published: April 2020

Frequently modern temples have certain problems with heating and ventilation, despite the strict design rules and the installation of religious buildings. There is a necessity to organize proper air exchange and ensure proper heating of the air throughout the space in a complex building. Moreover, to calculate the geometry of natural flows and supply jets, ensure the removal of polluted air bypassing crowded areas and the most important thing is to protect wall paintings and art objects from sedimentation of soot particles and dirt. Using the method of electronic digital modeling, the effectiveness of the proposed model of temple ventilation was confirmed, which is able to provide maximum protection and preservation of the interior decoration and works of art in the room at any mode of operation. Using the created model, specific design characteristics of ventilation and air heating systems were obtained and evaluated. Based on this, it was proposed to develop a project for their reconstruction.
Polychromy of objective-spatial heritage of the 19th century Voronezh as the basis for conceptual ideas of modern city coloristic
Authors: Yenin A E , Guriev A S , Guriev S N
Published: April 2020

Design objectives related to purposeful development of urban colouristics in general and colour design of public spaces in particular must be based on scientific and professional approach with due regard for colour culture of the region, natural colour landscape dynamics, and colour specificity of historical architecture. Colouristic analysis of objective-spatial environment of Voronezh in the 19th and early 20th centuries can become a colour identity basis for the development of conceptual design ideas of architectural and urban planning colouristics and shaping the city’s colour appearance.
Wastewater from the regeneration of cation-exchange filters for water treatment
Authors: Bykovsky N A , Kantor E A , Rahman P A , Puchkova L N , Fanakova N N
Published: April 2020

This scientific paper refers to the study of wastewater from the demineralized water production. The wastewater composition generated during the regeneration and washing of cation-exchange filters of the first and second stages in the water treatment shop of the Sterlitamak heat station was studied. Analysis of metal content in the wastewater of cation exchange filters was carried out by atomic absorption method on a «Saturn 3P1» apparatus. It is shown that these drains are of acidic type. More than 20 cations of various metals were found in the wastewater. The highest content is observed for sodium, calcium and magnesium ions in the drain. It is noted that the wastewater generated by the regeneration of cation-exchange filters without preliminary preparation is not suitable for electrochemical processing to produce acid and alkali.
Areas of sustainable development in island districts of Saint Petersburg
Authors: Granstrem M A
Published: April 2020

At the current period which is characterized by aggressive introduction of capital into the historic center of Saint Petersburg, without scientific concept which establishes the integrity of the historical environment, it is impossible to ensure preservation of the historic city as a whole. This justifies the need to create a methodological framework defining the factors of establishing and preservation of historical buildings. The subject of research is the specificity of ribbon buildings of Vasilyevsky Island and Petrogradskaya Side as one of the most important components of historic Saint Petersburg architectural environment which has remained until today. The object of the research is the territories of sustainable development as elements of historical architectural and planning environment which was formed by ribbon (background) buildings of the main island districts of Saint Petersburg.
Modern technologies of architectural and urban planning modeling in design and training
Authors: Lekareva N A , Enyutina E D , Utesheva G T
Published: April 2020

The article shows the relevance of the use of architectural and urban planning, including parametric modeling, as a creative approach not only to the design of the urban environment, but also to the training of future urban planners. Compositional methods of plastic modeling are considered that help to combine the research process and the creative search process, as well as the logic and stages of working with parametric tools. Examples of constructing a parametric object algorithm using modern software are presented.
Development of measures to reduce water consumption for own needs of waterworks
Authors: Vasiliev A L , Vorobyeva E V
Published: April 2020

The article presents the designs developed by the authors: a tubular drainage distribution device and a device for water-air washing quick filters. As a result of studies carried out in real conditions at Sludinsk water supply station in N. Novgorod during 2017-2018, the effectiveness of the developed devices is proved which is achieved by increasing the degree of distribution of washing water in the filter as well as by reducing the number of washes which leads to decrease in the flow rate of wash water at the station. The proposed measures to reduce water consumption for its own needs are relevant for any water treatment plant, since they will improve environmental situation and reduce the amount of river water supplied for treatment, which will lead to energy savings in the pumps of the first lift pumping station.
Issues of municipal wastes utilization in urban territories
Authors: Zakirova M N , Chuprina E V
Published: April 2020

In present work the analysis of the solid municipal waste management system of the city of Samara was carried out. The utility garbage generated by the city district of Samara and its handling methods were assessed. The experimental studies were carried out to determine the morphological composition of SMW formed from the activity of different age groups of the population. Ii was found that municipal waste composition was dominated by food, plastic and paper wastes which could be easily used as secondary raw materials. The lack of primary sorting was found to impede waste recycling processes. The measures to change the existing garbage disposal system in Samara were proposed.
Applied temperature analysis for designing technology of composite materials: parameter determination of aluminium alloys rolling
Authors: Doroshko G P , Mikheev V A
Published: April 2020

The solution of the problems for designing new materials by methods of applied temperature analysis of ATA provides the conversion of experimental data to a digitized form. Their application in the development of mass compositions of a new series of products with an aluminosilicate matrix, dispersion-hardened composites and conglomerates, in all cases it turned out to be useful and effective, the optimization of composition and structure was greatly simplified. In the presented work, ATA is used to determine the parameters of rolling sheet blanks of layered composites to a thickness providing the necessary strength of work in the composition. The correspondence to the principle of periodicity of temperature analysis - T
m
A of the number of passes of rolling the alloy of the {Al – Mg – Li} system, changes in sheet thickness, strain resistance and microhardness is established. A linear correlation of the parameters of the deformation process with a decrease in elasticity due to local contact integration of volume particles characteristic of Li compounds with respect to temperature is noted. Structural transformations by T
m
A microhardness are precisely limited by stationary temperatures of 171°C and 514°C mesh isothermal discrete scanning IDS. The obtained T
m
A diagrams were used to determine the parameters of the technology for overcoming the known limit of plastic deformation. It is experimentally proved that the optimum deformation range belongs to this temperature range by characteristic bends of the lines in the microhardness-temperature diagram at various penetration rates and hardening times.
Unsteady thermoelasticity problem for rigidly fixed round plate
Authors: Shlyakhtin D A , Dauletmuratova ZH M , Kalmova M A
Published: April 2020

A new closed form solution of the axisymmetric dynamic problem of the classical thermoelasticity theory is made for a rigidly fixed circular isotropic plate under temperature change on its front surfaces. The mathematical formulation of the problem under consideration includes linear equations of heat conduction and equilibrium in the spatial formulation on the assumption that the structures under study may neglect their inertia elastic characteristics. When constructing a common solution finite biorthogonal transformations are used. The given calculation ratios make it possible to determine the stress – strain state and the distribution nature of the temperature field in a rigidly fixed circular isotropic plate with an external temperature influence that is arbitrary in time.
Optimal size of an axisymmetric perfectly flexible membrane with a rigid centre loaded with a concentrated static force
Authors: Khapin A V , Abdeev B M , Makhiyev B E
Published: April 2020

The paper considers a physically linear mathematical model of an isotropic circular plate-membrane with a non-deformable central disk, concentrated load and zero bending stiffness with the account for finite displacements. On this basis, the extreme problem of determining the rational geometric parameters of an elastic element from the condition of the target sensitivity function maximum with the equation of constraint in the form of the Huber- Hencky-Mises strength energy hypothesis is solved. The analytical study of the influence of the Poisson’s ratio on the basic optimal dimensionless characteristic of the membrane, which is the ratio of radii, in comparison with the known calculation by the formulas of the classical linear theory of transverse bending of rigid plates is presented. The results of the work can be used in the process of design of high-precision capacitive, inductive and strain gauges of membrane type, widely used in mechanical engineering, aviation, instrument engineering and construction when designing pressure tanks with controlled overpressure of gas or liquid.
Stress condition of the elements of support blocks of fixed offshore platforms and resource evaluation of them
Authors: Starokon I V
Published: April 2020

The article analyzes the factors causing the stress state of the support blocks of fixed offshore platforms (FOPs). The data on the wind-wave regime of the Subbotinsky field of the Black Sea are analyzed, the parameters are determined and the cycles of wind-wave loads acting on the platform are systematized. Using the StructureCAD software package, the values of the effective equivalent stresses were determined from the weight of the structural elements of the FOP, the installed technological equipment, the floating forces of the aquatic environment and wind-wave loads under various conditions of the orientation of the wave beam with respect to the support block. Various design options for FOPs are analyzed and the problem of finding “zero elements” is solved. The proposed solutions will allow developing a comprehensive methodology for assessing the stress state of the support block of the FOP. Besides, for the purpose of determining the resource of the elements, the values of the equivalent stresses of the columns, horizontal belts and braces of the support block of the FOP are determined. The example of calculating the resource of platform elements is given.
Sagacity in antibody humanization for therapeutics, diagnostics and research purposes: considerations of antibody elements and their roles
Authors: Ling Wei-Li , Lua Wai-Heng , Gan Samuel Ken-En
Published: April 2020

The humanization of antibodies for therapeutics is a critical process that can determine the success of antibody drug development. However, the science underpinning this process remains elusive with different laboratories having very different methods. Well-funded laboratories can afford automated high-throughput screening methods to derive their best binder utilizing a very expensive initial set of equipment affordable only to a few. Often within these high-throughput processes, only standard key parameters, such as production, binding and aggregation are analyzed. Given the lack of suitable animal models, it is only at clinical trials that immunogenicity and allergy adverse effects are detected through anti-human antibodies as per FDA guidelines. While some occurrences that slip through can be mitigated by additional desensitization protocols, such adverse reactions to grafted humanized antibodies can be prevented at the humanization step. Considerations such as better antibody localization, avoidance of unspecific interactions to superantigens and the tailoring of antibody dependent triggering of immune responses, the antibody persistence on cells, can all be preemptively considered through a holistic sagacious approach, allowing for better outcomes in therapy and for research and diagnostic purposes.
Contribution of a joint Bayesian inversion of VLBI and gravimetric data to the estimation of the free inner core nutation and free core nutation resonance parameters
Authors: Ziegler Yann , Lambert Sébastien B , Nurul Huda Ibnu , Bizouard Christian , Rosat Séverine
Published: April 2020

The rotational motions of the internal Earth layers induce resonances in the Earth nutations and tidal gravimetric response to external luni-solar gravitational forcings. The characterization of these resonances is a mean of investigating the deep Earth properties since their amplitudes and frequencies depend on a few fundamental geophysical parameters. In this work, we focus on the determination of the free core nutation and free inner core nutation periods and quality factors from the Bayesian inversion of VLBI and gravimetric data. We make a joint inversion of data from both techniques and show that, even if the results are only slightly different from the inversion of VLBI data alone, such approach may be valuable in the future if the accuracy of gravimetric data increases. We also briefly discuss the polar motion resonance, which is related to the Chandler Wobble as seen from the diurnal frequency band. Our overall estimates of the FCN period and quality factor, TFCN = (−430.2, −429.8) solar days and QFCN = (15 700, 16 700), respectively, are in good agreement with other studies, albeit slightly different for unclear reasons. Despite some concerns about the detection and characterization of the FICN, it seems that we could also successfully estimate its period, TFICN = (+600, +1300) solar days, and give a loose estimate of the upper bound on its quality factor.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease–associated GP2 Autoantibodies Inhibit Mucosal Immune Response to Adherent-invasive Bacteria
Authors: Derer Stefanie , Brethack Ann-Kathrin , Pietsch Carlotta , Jendrek Sebastian T , Nitzsche Thomas , Bokemeyer Arne , Hov Johannes R , Schäffler Holger , Bettenworth Dominik , Grassl Guntram A , Sina Christian
Published: April 2020

Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli have been suggested to play a pivotal role within the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Autoantibodies against distinct splicing variants of glycoprotein 2 (GP2), an intestinal receptor of the bacterial adhesin FimH, frequently occur in IBD patients. Hence, we aimed to functionally characterize GP2-directed autoantibodies as a putative part of IBD’s pathophysiology.

Ex vivo, GP2-splicing variant 4 (GP2#4) but not variant 2 was expressed on intestinal M or L cells with elevated expression patterns in IBD patients. The GP2#4 expression was induced in vitro by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The IBD-associated GP2 autoantibodies inhibited FimH binding to GP2#4 and were decreased in anti-TNFα-treated Crohn’s disease patients with ileocolonic disease manifestation. In vivo, mice immunized against GP2 before infection with adherent-invasive bacteria displayed exacerbated intestinal inflammation. In summary, autoimmunity against intestinal expressed GP2#4 results in enhanced attachment of flagellated bacteria to the intestinal epithelium and thereby may drive IBD’s pathophysiology.
Phenotypic Comparability from Genotypic Variability among Physically Structured Microbial Consortia
Authors: Hoffman Stephanie K , Seitz Kiley W , Havird Justin C , Weese David A , Santos Scott R
Published: April 2020

Microbiomes represent the collective bacteria, archaea, protist, fungi, and virus communities living in or on individual organisms that are typically multicellular eukaryotes. Such consortia have become recognized as having significant impacts on the development, health, and disease status of their hosts. Since understanding the mechanistic connections between an individual’s genetic makeup and their complete set of traits (i.e., genome to phenome) requires consideration at different levels of biological organization, this should include interactions with, and the organization of, microbial consortia. To understand microbial consortia organization, we elucidated the genetic constituents among phenotypically similar (and hypothesized functionally-analogous) layers (i.e., top orange, second orange, pink, and green layers) in the unique laminated orange cyanobacterial–bacterial crusts endemic to Hawaii’s anchialine ecosystem. High-throughput amplicon sequencing of ribosomal RNA hypervariable regions (i.e., Bacteria-specific V6 and Eukarya-biased V9) revealed microbial richness increasing by crust layer depth, with samples of a given layer more similar to different layers from the same geographic site than to their phenotypically-analogous layer from different sites. Furthermore, samples from sites on the same island were more similar to each other, regardless of which layer they originated from, than to analogous layers from another island. However, cyanobacterial and algal taxa were abundant in all surface and bottom layers, with anaerobic and chemoautotrophic taxa concentrated in the middle two layers, suggesting crust oxygenation from both above and below. Thus, the arrangement of oxygenated vs. anoxygenated niches in these orange crusts is functionally distinct relative to other laminated cyanobacterial–bacterial communities examined to date, with convergent evolution due to similar environmental conditions a likely driver for these phenotypically comparable but genetically distinct microbial consortia.
Rapid Epigenetic Adaptation in Animals and Its Role in Invasiveness
Authors: Carneiro Vitor Coutinho , Lyko Frank
Published: April 2020

Invasive species represent a serious ecological threat for many ecosystems worldwide and provide a unique opportunity to investigate rapid adaptation and evolution. Genetic variation allows populations of organisms to be both robust and adaptable to different environmental conditions over evolutionary timeframes. In contrast, invasive animals can rapidly adapt to new environments, with minimal genetic diversity. Thus, the extent to which environmental effects can trigger epigenetic responses is particularly interesting for understanding the role of epigenetics in rapid adaptation. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the different epigenetic mechanisms that control gene expression, and emphasize the importance of epigenetics for environmental adaptation. We also discuss recent publications that provide important examples for the role of epigenetic mechanisms in environmental adaptation. Furthermore, we present an overview of the current knowledge about epigenetic modulation as an adaptive strategy for invasive species. A particularly interesting example is provided by the marbled crayfish, a novel, monoclonal freshwater crayfish species that has colonized diverse habitats within a few years. Finally, we address important limitations of current approaches and highlight the potential importance of less well-known mechanisms for non-genetic organismal adaptation.
Earrings, Sutures, and Pointed Links
Authors: Xie Yi
Published: April 2020

We prove a rank inequality on the instanton knot homology and the Khovanov homology of a link in $S^3$. The key step of the proof is to construct a spectral sequence relating Baldwin–Levine–Sarkar’s pointed Khovanov homology to a singular instanton invariant for pointed links.
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Levels Can Be Used to Rule Out Cirrhosis in Hepatitis B e Antigen-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B: Results From the SONIC-B Study
Authors: Sonneveld Milan J , Hansen Bettina E , Brouwer Willem P , Chan Henry L-Y , Piratvisuth Teerha , Jia Ji-Dong , Zeuzem Stefan , Chien Rong-Nan , de Knegt Robert J , Wat Cynthia , Pavlovic Vedran , Gaggar Anuj , Xie Qing , Buti Maria , de Man Robert A , Janssen Harry L A ,   SONIC-B Study Group
Published: April 2020

Background

Serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels correlate with the duration of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and may predict the extent of hepatic fibrosis.

Methods

We analyzed data from the SONIC-B database, which contains data from 8 global randomized trials and 2 large hepatology centers. Relationship between HBsAg levels and presence of significant fibrosis (Ishak 3–4) or cirrhosis (Ishak 5–6) were explored, and clinically relevant cutoffs were identified to rule out cirrhosis.

Results

The dataset included 2779 patients: 1866 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive; 322 with cirrhosis. Among HBeAg-positive patients, lower HBsAg levels were associated with higher rates of significant fibrosis (odds ratio [OR], 0.419; P < .001) and cirrhosis (OR, 0.435; P < .001). No relationship was observed among HBeAg-negative patients. Among HBeAg-positive patients, genotype-specific HBsAg cutoffs had excellent negative predictive values (>97%) and low misclassification rates (≤7.1%) and may therefore have utility in ruling out cirrhosis. Diagnostic performance of the HBsAg cutoffs was comparable among patients in whom cirrhosis could not be ruled out with fibrosis 4 (FIB-4).

Conclusions

Hepatitis B virus genotype-specific HBsAg cutoffs may have utility in ruling out presence of cirrhosis in HBeAg-positive patients with genotypes B, C, and D and can be an adjunct to FIB-4 to reduce the need for further testing.
The My Cancer Genome clinical trial data model and trial curation workflow
Authors: Jain Neha , Mittendorf Kathleen F , Holt Marilyn , Lenoue-Newton Michele , Maurer Ian , Miller Clinton , Stachowiak Matthew , Botyrius Michelle , Cole James , Micheel Christine , Levy Mia
Published: April 2020

Objective

As clinical trials evolve in complexity, clinical trial data models that can capture relevant trial data in meaningful, structured annotations and computable forms are needed to support accrual.

Material and Methods

We have developed a clinical trial information model, curation information system, and a standard operating procedure for consistent and accurate annotation of cancer clinical trials. Clinical trial documents are pulled into the curation system from publicly available sources. Using a web-based interface, a curator creates structured assertions related to disease-biomarker eligibility criteria, therapeutic context, and treatment cohorts by leveraging our data model features. These structured assertions are published on the My Cancer Genome (MCG) website.

Results

To date, over 5000 oncology trials have been manually curated. All trial assertion data are available for public view on the MCG website. Querying our structured knowledge base, we performed a landscape analysis to assess the top diseases, biomarker alterations, and drugs featured across all cancer trials.

Discussion

Beyond curating commonly captured elements, such as disease and biomarker eligibility criteria, we have expanded our model to support the curation of trial interventions and therapeutic context (ie, neoadjuvant, metastatic, etc.), and the respective biomarker-disease treatment cohorts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort to capture these fields in a structured format.

Conclusion

This paper makes a significant contribution to the field of biomedical informatics and knowledge dissemination for precision oncology via the MCG website.

Key words

knowledge representation, My Cancer Genome, precision oncology, knowledge curation, cancer informatics, clinical trial data model
Pain Management for Pediatric Burns in the Outpatient Setting: A Changing Paradigm?
Authors: Shahi Niti , Meier Maxene , Phillips Ryan , Shirek Gabrielle , Goldsmith Adam , Recicar John , Zuk Jeannie , Bielsky Alan , Yaster Myron , Moulton Steven
Published: April 2020

Childhood burns are common and distressing for children and their parents. Pain is the most common complaint and often thought to be undertreated, which can negatively influence the child’s care and increase the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder. There is limited literature on the role of opioids and multimodal therapy in the treatment of pediatric outpatient burns. We sought to evaluate the current use of opioids (including the use of multimodal therapies), storage, and disposal of opioids in this patient population. Parents of burn-injured children 8 months to 18 years old, who were seen in an outpatient setting within 2 weeks of their burn injury, were queried from April to December 2019 regarding their child’s pain control, opioid medication use, over-the-counter pain medication use, opioid storage, and disposal. A total of 142 parents of burn-injured children and their parents were surveyed. The median age of the burn-injured children was 2.7 years old and the majority (54.2%; 77/142) were male. The mean total body surface area (TBSA) was 1.8% and half sustained burn injuries to one or both hands. The most frequently used regimens for constant and/or breakthrough pain control were acetaminophen (62.7%) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; 68.3%). Less than one fifth (26/142;18%) of patients were prescribed opioids and 88% filled their prescription. The median number of doses of opioids prescribed was eight doses, with a median of four doses of opioids unused. Only three patients used all of their prescribed opioids and no patient ≥12 years old used their entire prescription. Burns greater than 3% TBSA, irrespective of burn injury location, were associated with opioid prescription (P = .003). Approximately 40% (10/26) of parents who filled their child’s opioid prescription stored the opioid in a locked area. Fewer than one third (7/26) of patients were educated on how to dispose of excess opioid pain medication. Overall, most pediatric outpatient burn injuries can be successfully managed with over-the-counter medications. Providers, who care for burn-injured children ≤ 12 years old with burns that cover ≥3% TBSA in the outpatient setting, should consider no more than four opioid doses for initial pain control. This guideline, coupled with family and provider-centered education on multimodal therapy at the time of initial presentation and safe use of opioids, are important first steps to minimizing the use of opioids in the management of small area burns in children.
Dense Breast Notification Letters: What Do Breast Radiologists Think?
Authors: Baird Grayson L , Dibble Elizabeth H , Mainiero Martha B , Miles Randy C , Lourenco Ana P
Published: April 2020

Objective

The Food and Drug Administration is currently creating national standards for language used in letters sent to women after mammography concerning dense breasts. The purpose of the current study is to survey breast radiologists on their opinions about language to be included in dense breast notification (DBN) letters.

Methods

An anonymous survey (17 questions and 10 open-ended response fields) was sent to Society of Breast Imaging members between May 2019 and June 2019. Analyses were conducted using a chi-square test and the generalized linear model.

Results

A total of 262 surveys were completed (25% response rate). The majority of breast radiologists believe letters should be sent to patients (91%), with most (66%) believing that patients should receive DBN letters regardless of having dense breasts or not. The majority of breast radiologists believe DBNs should be sent to referring physicians (69%), include statements that define masking (89%), inform patients that dense breasts are associated with cancer risk (77%), inform patients about the possible benefits of supplemental screening (86%), be written at the sixth- or eighth-grade reading level (92%), and should be provided in other languages in addition to English (89%); half of the respondents (51%) believe the letters should contain BI-RADS density descriptors.

Conclusion

There is consensus that patients and referring physicians should receive DBN letters and that those letters should address masking, increased cancer risk, and supplemental screening. Respondents believe the letters should be written at a sixth- or eighth-grade reading level.
Characterization of an Ecdysteroid-Regulated 16 kDa Protein Gene in Chinese Oak Silkworm, Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)
Authors: Chen Miao-Miao , Zhong Liang , Zhao Chun-Shan , Wang Feng-Cheng , Ji Wan-Jie , Zhang Bo , Liu Shu-Yu , Liu Yan-Qun , Li Xi-Sheng
Published: April 2020

A large number of ecdysteroid-regulated 16 kDa proteins (ESR16s) of insects have been isolated and annotated in GenBank; however, knowledge on insect ESR16s remain limited. In the present study, we characterized an ecdysteroid-regulated 16 kDa protein gene isolated in Chinese oak silkworm, Antheraea pernyi Guérin-Méneville (‘ApESR16’ in the following), an important silk-producing and edible insect. The obtained cDNA sequence of ApESR16 is 1,049 bp, harboring an open reading frame of 441 bp that encodes a polypeptide of 146 amino acids. CD-search revealed that ApESR16 contains the putative cholesterol/lipid binding sites on conserved domain Npc2_like (Niemann–Pick type C-2) belonging to the MD-2-related lipid-recognition superfamily. Sequence comparison revealed that ApESR16 exhibits 51–57% identity to ESR16s of lepidopteran insects, 36–41% identity to ESR16 or NPC2a of nonlepidopteran insects, and 28–32% identity to NPC2a of vertebrates, indicating a high sequence divergence during the evolution of animals. Phylogenetic analysis found that the used sequences were divided into two groups corresponding to vertebrates and invertebrates, and the used insect sequences were also well clustered according to their families. The A. pernyi ESR16 mRNA is expressed during all four developmental stages and in all tested tissues. Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-E) into A. pernyi diapausing pupae triggering diapause termination induced upregulation of ESR16 mRNA compared to the diapausing pupae, with the highest expression level at day 2 in the ovaries but day 12 in the fat body. Our results suggested that ApESR16 might be a diapause-related gene and plays a vital role in the pupal diapause of A. pernyi.
Effects of Photoperiod on the Development of Forensically Important Blow Fly Chrysomya rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
Authors: Bauer Amely M , Bauer Alexandra , Tomberlin Jeffery K
Published: April 2020

Estimation of the time of colonization (TOC) is often based on laboratory studies that document arthropod development. Precise data for forensically important species, such as blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae), are essential for accuracy in the estimate of TOC. Calliphorid development is a quantitative trait and thus depends on a host of variables. In calliphorids, studies showed photoperiod can play a role in development. However, there has been little research to date on the effects of photoperiod, and available data indicate the impact is species-specific. In this study, the effects of photoperiod on the development of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart), were examined. Chrysomya rufifacies is a fly of great medical and legal importance and is often encountered on vertebrate remains in temperate and tropic regions throughout the world, including North and Central America, Asia, and Australia. Larvae were reared under light regimes of 12, 16, and 24 h of light at 28.5 ± 0.0°C, 86.2 ± 0.3 RH. Minimum development time for each stage did not differ significantly for the applied photoperiods, nor were there significant differences in total minimum postembryonic development time. Photoperiod did not significantly affect larval size or growth rate. The data suggest that light durations investigated in this study do not influence the development of C. rufifacies. This indicates that photoperiod may not be a concern for forensic entomologists in Texas, United States, or other areas with similar conditions when estimating the TOC for this species. Validation efforts are encouraged to verify this conclusion.
Penetrance of Breast and Ovarian Cancer in Women Who Carry a BRCA1/2 Mutation and Do Not Use Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy: An Updated Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Jinbo , Bae Eunchan , Zhang Lingjiao , Hughes Kevin , Parmigiani Giovanni , Braun Danielle , Rebbeck Timothy R
Published: April 2020

Background

Use of risk-reducing Salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) substantially reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer for women who carry a BRCA1/2 mutation. It is important to adjust for RRSO use in the estimation of BRCA1/2 penetrance of breast and ovarian cancer.

Methods

We searched PubMed for penetrance estimates of breast and ovarian cancer from studies that genotyped individual patients and explicitly adjusted for RRSO use by censoring follow-up at the age of RRSO. We meta-analyzed penetrance estimates from 7 identified studies. We implemented the resulting penetrance estimates in a Mendelian risk prediction model as iplemented in the software package BRCAPRO, which we applied to estimate carrier probabilities in 2 BRCA cohorts.

Results

Penetrance estimates by age 70 years for breast cancer were 64.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 59.5% to 69.4%) for BRCA1 mutation carriers and 61.0% (95% CI = 48.1% to 72.5%) for BRCA2 mutation carriers, and for ovarian cancer they were 48.3% (95% CI = 38.8% to 57.9%) and 20.0% (95% CI = 13.3% to 29.0%), respectively. When integrated into BRCAPRO, our estimates led to good calibration and different estimates of carrier probabilities for some individuals when evaluating the models in 2 cohorts.

Conclusions

The report updates penetrance estimates for BRCA1/2-associated cancer. We report higher estimates than previously reported, which did not adjust for RRSO. Differential use of RRSO may partially explain heterogeneity in the currently available penetrance estimates. For some individuals, using our estimates in BRCAPRO may result in changes in estimated carrier probabilities, which warrants validation in future studies.
Rabies exposure in travellers to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South and Central America—a German Airport study
Authors: Heitkamp Christian , Stelzl Daniel Robert , Ramharter Michael , Bühler Silja
Published: April 2020

Background

Rabies causes thousands of deaths worldwide and trips to rabies endemic countries are popular. Travellers are often uncertain whether pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is advisable since they find it difficult to estimate the exposure risk during travel and the availability of post-exposure prophylaxis in endemic regions. The aim of this study was to determine the potential rabies exposures in travellers and to assess their knowledge on rabies. Secondly, we explored the access to appropriate post-exposure medical care in respective countries.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study at Frankfurt Airport. Returning adult travellers arriving from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South and Central America were invited to participate in this questionnaire-based study while waiting in the baggage claim area.

Results

Over a one-month recruitment phase in March 2019, we enrolled 3066 travellers; 2929 were included in the analysis. The gender ratio was balanced; the median age was 42 years (range 18–83 years). Participants arrived from Asia (46%), Africa (29%), Central/South America (13%), the Middle East (8%) and the Caribbean (8%). Forty-five per cent sought pretravel advice and 22% received ≥2 injections of rabies PrEP. Travellers with pretravel advice from tropical medicine specialists reached significantly higher knowledge scores than others. We found that potential rabies exposure occurred in 2.0% (57/2915) of travellers with 31% (13/42) of the contacts being unprovoked; 19% (8/42) of the exposed sought medical care and 3/8 were adequately treated before returning to Germany. Risk factors for animal exposure were: male sex, young age, trips to Asia and a long stay abroad (>4 weeks).

Conclusions

A total of 2% of returning travellers (n = 2915) experienced a potential rabies exposure during their journey. A majority of the exposed individuals did not seek medical care; those seeking medical care were often treated inadequately. Rabies information must be emphasised during pretravel counselling and PrEP should be offered generously, especially to travellers with high exposure risks.
A single mass gathering resulted in massive transmission of COVID-19 infections in Malaysia with further international spread
Authors: Che Mat Nor Fazila , Edinur Hisham Atan , Abdul Razab Mohammad Khairul Azhar , Safuan Sabreena
Published: April 2020

Malaysia has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia with more than 35% of new COVID-19 cases linked to the Sri Petaling gathering, a Moslem missionary movement attended by more than 19 000 people of different nationalities, in March 2020 in Kuala Lumpur. From this cluster, 1701 samples have been tested positive out of 21 920 tests carried out. Thus, mass gathering during COVID-19 pandemic period should be banned to curb disease transmission.
The 21-cm signals from ultracompact minihaloes as a probe of primordial small-scale fluctuations
Authors: Furugori Kunihiko , Abe Katsuya T , Tanaka Toshiyuki , Hashimoto Daiki , Tashiro Hiroyuki , Hasegawa Kenji
Published: April 2020

Ultracompact minihaloes (UCMHs) can form after the epoch of matter–radiation equality, if the density fluctuations of dark matter have significantly large amplitude on small scales. The constraint on the UCMH abundance allows us to access such small-scale fluctuations. In this paper, we present that, through the measurement of 21-cm fluctuations before the epoch of reionization, we can obtain a constraint on the UCMH abundance. We calculate the 21-cm signal from UCMHs and show that UCMHs provide the enhancement of the 21-cm fluctuations. We also investigate the constraint on the UCMH abundance and small-scale curvature perturbations. Our results indicate that the upcoming 21-cm observation, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), provides the constraint on amplitude of primordial curvature power spectrum, ${\cal A}_{\zeta } \lesssim 10^{-6}$ on 100 ≲ k ≲ 1000 Mpc−1. Although it is not stronger than the one from the non-detection of gamma-rays induced by dark matter annihilation in UCMHs, the constraint by the SKA will be important because this constraint is independent of the dark matter particle model.
Stellar angular momentum distribution linked to galaxy morphology
Authors: Sweet Sarah M , Glazebrook Karl , Obreschkow Danail , Fisher Deanne B , Burkert Andreas , Lagos Claudia D P , Espejo Salcedo Juan M
Published: April 2020

We study the spatially resolved stellar specific angular momentum j* in a high-quality sample of 24 Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area galaxies covering a broad range of visual morphology, accounting for stellar velocity and velocity dispersion. The shape of the spaxelwise probability density function of normalized s = j*/j*mean, PDF(s), deviates significantly from the near-universal initial distribution expected of baryons in a dark matter halo and can be explained by the expected baryonic effects in galaxy formation that remove and redistribute angular momentum. Further we find that the observed shape of the PDF(s) correlates significantly with photometric morphology, where late-type galaxies have a PDF(s) that is similar to a normal distribution, whereas early types have a strongly skewed PDF(s) resulting from an excess of low-angular momentum material. Galaxies that are known to host pseudo-bulges (bulge Sérsic index nb < 2.2) tend to have less skewed bulge PDF(s), with skewness (b1rb) ≲ 0.8. The PDF(s) encodes both kinematic and photometric information and appears to be a robust tracer of morphology. Its use is motivated by the desire to move away from traditional component-based classifications which are subject to observer bias, to classification on a galaxy’s fundamental (stellar mass and angular momentum) properties. In future, PDF(s) may also be useful as a kinematic decomposition tool.
Multi-epoch X-ray burst modelling: MCMC with large grids of 1D simulations
Authors: Johnston Zac , Heger Alexander , Galloway Duncan K
Published: April 2020

Type-I X-ray bursts are recurring thermonuclear explosions on the surface of accreting neutron stars. Matching observed bursts to computational models can help to constrain system properties, such as the neutron star mass and radius, crustal heating rates, and the accreted fuel composition, but systematic parameter studies to date have been limited. We apply Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to 1D burst models for the first time, and obtain system parameter estimations for the ‘Clocked Burster’, GS 1826−238, by fitting multiple observed epochs simultaneously. We explore multiple parameters which are often held constant, including the neutron star mass, crustal heating rate, and hydrogen composition. To improve the computational efficiency, we precompute a grid of 3840 kepler models – the largest set of 1D burst simulations to date – and by interpolating over the model grid, we can rapidly sample burst predictions. We obtain estimates for a CNO metallicity of $Z_\mathrm{CNO} = 0.010^{+0.005}_{-0.004}$, a hydrogen fraction of $X_0 = 0.74^{+0.02}_{-0.03}$, a distance of $d \sqrt{\xi _\mathrm{b}} = 6.5^{+0.4}_{-0.6}\, \mathrm{kpc}$ , and a system inclination of $i = {69^{+2}_{-3}}^{\circ }$.
Probiotics for dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Krüger Jenifer F , Hillesheim Elaine , Pereira Amanda C S N , Camargo Carolina Q , Rabito Estela I
Published: April 2020

Context

Dementia is the fifth leading cause of death in the world. Animal studies indicate that in addition to the aging process, intestinal microbiota may play an important role in the neurodegeneration process through the modulation of the gut-brain axis.

Objective

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effectiveness of probiotic and synbiotic supplementation on the cognitive function of individuals with dementia.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, BVS, SciELO, CENTRAL, Embase, and grey literature were searched from their inception to January 2019.

Study Selection

We included data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that addressed dementias and assessed the following outcomes: cognitive function; inflammatory, oxidative stress, and metabolic markers; nutritional status; and intestinal microbiota composition.

Data Extraction

Data searches, article selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessments were performed according to the Cochrane guidelines. Data were pooled by inverse-variance random-effects meta-analyses. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) was used to assess the quality of evidence.

Results

Data from 3 RCTs involving 161 individuals with Alzheimer’s disease receiving Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains showed no beneficial effect of probiotic supplementation on cognitive function (standardized mean difference, 0.56; 95%CI: −0.06 to 1.18), with very low certainty of evidence. However, probiotic supplementation improved plasma triglycerides, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin resistance, and plasma malondialdehyde. No RCTs included synbiotic supplementation or assessed microbiota composition.

Conclusion

Current evidence regarding the use of probiotics and synbiotics for individuals with dementia is insufficient to support their clinical application.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO registration no: CRD42018116148.
Effects of corn supplementation and age on performance and reproduction of beef females grazing lush spring pasture
Authors: Henley Parker A , Meteer William T , Chapple Wesley P , Redden Miles E , Shike Daniel W
Published: April 2020

This study evaluated how corn supplementation and age of female affected body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), artificial insemination (AI) pregnancy rate, and blood metabolites (nonesterified fatty acid [NEFA], β-hydroxybutyrate [BHBA], and blood urea nitrogen [BUN]) when grazing lush spring pasture. Angus and Angus × Simmental beef females (n = 361) were blocked by location, stratified by BW and BCS, and then were assigned to groups (n = 8 groups/treatment combination; 9–14 females/group). The study utilized a stratified, randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The four treatment combinations were: yearling heifers receiving no supplement (CON-H); yearling heifers receiving supplement of dry-rolled corn (SUPP-H; 1.81 kg as-fed/heifer/d) for 42 d; 2-yr-old lactating cow-calf pairs receiving no supplement (CON-C); and 2-yr-old lactating cow-calf pairs receiving supplement of dry-rolled corn (SUPP-C; 1.81 kg as-fed/cow/d) for 42 d. Supplementation began at AI (end of April) when cows began grazing tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea schreb)-red clover (Trifolium pratense) pastures. Pasture forage was collected weekly for analysis. Throughout the study, forage crude protein decreased (P < 0.01) over time, but acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber, dry matter, forage height, and forage mass all increased (P < 0.01) over time. Females receiving SUPP tended (P = 0.10) to have greater BW and greater BW change over the supplementation period. Supplementation × age effects for BCS were detected (P = 0.04); SUPP-H had greater BCS than all other treatment combinations at d 42. Cow BHBA was greater (P < 0.01) compared with heifers. Female NEFA increased (P < 0.01) from d 12 to 42. Control females had greater (P = 0.02) serum NEFA concentrations compared with SUPP females. Control females had greater (P = 0.03) BUN concentrations compared with SUPP females. Cow BUN was greater (P < 0.01) than heifer BUN. Supplementation effects were not detected (P ≥ 0.25) for AI or overall pregnancy rate. In conclusion, there were no supplementation × age interactions excluding d 42 BCS. Supplementation regardless of female age tended to improve d 42 BW and BW change. Cow BHBA and BUN was greater compared with the heifers, whereas the supplemented females had decreased NEFA and BUN. Cows tended to have greater AI pregnancy rates than heifers, but supplementation did not affect AI or overall pregnancy rates.