bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The yield of chest computed tomography in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer
Authors: Suker Mustafa , Groot Koerkamp Bas , Nuyttens Joost J. , Dwarkasing Roy S. , Homs Marjolein Y. V. , Eskens Ferry A. L. M. , van Eijck Casper H. J.
Published: May 2020

Objective

To evaluate the incidence of pulmonary metastases on chest computed tomography (CT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC).

Methods

All patients diagnosed with LAPC in a single tertiary center (Erasmus MC) between October 2011 and December 2017 were reviewed. The staging chest CT scan and follow‐up chest CT scans were evaluated. Pulmonary nodules were divided into three categories: apparent benign, too small to characterize, and apparent malignant.

Results

In 124 consecutive patients diagnosed with LAPC, 119 (96%) patients underwent a staging chest CT scan at the initial presentation. In 88 (74%) patients no pulmonary nodules were found; in 16 (13%) patients an apparent benign pulmonary nodule was found, and in 15 (13%) patients a pulmonary nodule too small to characterize was found. Follow‐up chest CT scan(s) were performed in 111 (93%) patients. In one patient with either no pulmonary nodule or an apparent benign pulmonary nodule at initial staging, an apparent malignant pulmonary nodule was found on a follow‐up chest CT scan. However, a biopsy of the nodule was inconclusive. Of 15 patients in whom a pulmonary nodule too small to characterize was found at staging, 12 (80%) patients underwent a follow‐up CT scan; in 4 (33%) of these patients, an apparent malignant pulmonary nodule was found.

Conclusion

In patients with LAPC in whom at diagnosis a chest CT scan revealed either no pulmonary nodules or apparent benign pulmonary nodules, routine follow‐up chest CT scans is not recommended. Patients with pulmonary nodules too small to characterize are at risk to develop apparent malignant pulmonary nodules during follow‐up.
A boundary Schwarz lemma for mappings from the unit polydisc to irreducible bounded symmetric domains
Authors: Hamada Hidetaka , Kohr Gabriela
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we obtain a boundary Schwarz lemma for C1 (pluriharmonic, holomorphic) mappings from the unit polydisc in to irreducible bounded symmetric domains realized as the unit ball of an N‐dimensional simple JB*‐triple X. In particular, we obtain a version of the boundary Schwarz lemma for C1 (pluriharmonic, holomorphic) mappings from into the Euclidean unit ball in . These results are generalizations of recent results regarding boundary Schwarz lemma in higher dimensions.
Biorthogonal multiwavelets on the interval for solving multidimensional fractional optimal control problems with inequality constraint
Authors: Ashpazzadeh Elmira , Lakestani Mehrdad , Yildirim Ahmet
Published: May 2020

This article proposes a new numerical approach for solving fractional optimal control problems including state and control inequality constraints using new biorthogonal multiwavelets. The properties of biorthogonal multiwavelets are first given. The Riemann‐Liouville fractional integral operator for biorthogonal multiwavelets is utilized to reduce the solution of optimal control problems to a nonlinear programming one, to which existing, well‐developed algorithms may be applied. In order to save the memory requirement and computation time, a threshold procedure is applied to obtain algebraic equations. The method is computationally very attractive and gives very accurate results.
Walkerton E. Coli Outbreak: 20 Years Later
Authors: Clark Tom
Published: May 2020

In May 2000, the drinking water system in Walkerton, Canada, became contaminated with deadly bacteria. The losses were enormous, but the outbreak could have been minimized by common water treatment practices, including the use of chlorine residual and turbidity monitors.
The Influence of the Soft Yukawa Potential and Hard Core Interactions on Auxeticity of the Face Centered Cubic Crystal of Hard‐Core Repulsive Yukawa Particles
Authors: Tretiakov Konstantin V. , Wojciechowski Krzysztof W.
Published: May 2020

Elastic properties and Poisson's ratio of the face centered cubic (fcc) phases of three systems of particles which interact, respectively, through: 1) hard sphere potential (HSP), 2) repulsive Yukawa potential (RYP), and 3) hard‐core repulsive Yukawa potential (HCRYP), studied by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in the NpT ensemble, are compared in a broad range of pressures between melting and close packing. Partial auxeticity is observed in each of the considered systems and the role of the RYP and HSP, incorporated in HCRYP, is revealed. This study confirms intuitive expectations that the elastic properties of the system with particles interacting through HCRYP at high pressures are well approximated by hard spheres, whereas in the low pressures regime they are close to those obtained for the system with pure Yukawa interactions. It is also demonstrated that in the “transition region”, when the HCRYP system is neither close to RYP nor to HSP system, its Poisson's ratio in the directions [110][] exceeds the ranges given by RYP and HSP for those directions.
The STEM grading penalty: An alternative to the “leaky pipeline” hypothesis
Authors: Witteveen Dirk , Attewell Paul
Published: May 2020

The low number of baccalaureates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often viewed as problematic for the US's economic competitiveness, leading scholars to search for explanations for STEM retention. Our analyses of the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study indicate that the notion of a so‐called “leaky STEM pipeline” out of STEM majors overstates the problem because it neglects the substantial influx into STEM from other majors throughout college. Researchers concerned with STEM retention should focus on a broader defined group of “STEM‐actives”: A combination of freshman students who declared a STEM major or who take a considerable number of STEM credits. Among these students (N = 3,020) we examine the variation in the relatively lower grades that many individuals earn in STEM courses compared to their non‐STEM courses. The size of an undergraduate's “STEM‐grading penalty”—an individual grading disparity—in the first couple of college semesters is significantly associated with the probability of leaving STEM. The influence of this STEM‐penalty on STEM graduation chances is robust to college students’ variation in both general academic achievement and STEM‐specific preparation, thereby eliminating a large portion of the effect due to skills, performance, and selection. Our analyses expands on previous research regarding relative grading conducted within STEM‐fields.
Reviews and Prospectives of Co3O4‐Based Nanomaterials for Supercapacitor Application
Authors: Hu Xinran , Wei Lishuang , Chen Rui , Wu Qingsheng , Li Jiangfeng
Published: May 2020

Supercapacitors are considered to be one of the most promising development directions of energy storage systems because of their low cost, environmental protection and high energy density. The performance of supercapacitors is determined with the quality of electrode materials. Co3O4, a kind of electrode material for supercapacitor, has attracted more and more attention in recent years due to its advantages of high theoretical capacity, low cost and natural abundance. In this review, the synthesis and electrochemical properties of Co3O4‐based electrode materials are discussed in detail. Finally, the research and development prospect of Co3O4‐based electrode materials have been discussed.
The Dötz Benzannulation Reaction: A Booming Methodology for Natural Product Synthesis
Authors: Bera Turban , Pandey Kartikey , Ali Rashid
Published: May 2020

Since its finding in 1975, the Dötz benzannulation reaction has attracted a great attention of the scientific community as it permits the regio‐controlled construction of functionalised aromatic frameworks from acyclic precursors. In recent years, this beautifully simple yet much powerful technique for the formation of C−C bonds has opened‐up new possibilities in modern synthetic organic chemistry. In this Review, we report the developments in natural products synthesis by employing the Dötz benzannulation as a key transformation. Although, a flow of publications have witnessed a constant progress in this wonderful area of research, but to our best knowledge this is the first review which purely focuses on the applications of the Dötz benzannulation reaction in natural product synthesis. We are assured that this review will act as a promoter in amplifying the applications of the Dötz benzannulation in the domain of synthetic organic chemistry.
Rethinking the Characterization of Nanoscale Field‐Effect Transistors: A Universal Approach
Authors: Byrne Kristopher , Shik Alexander , Wisniewski David , Ruda Harry E.
Published: May 2020

Standard methods for calculating transport parameters in nanoscale field‐effect transistors (FETs), namely carrier concentration and mobility, require a linear connection between the gate voltage and channel conductance; however, this is often not the case. One reason often overlooked is that shifts in chemical and electric potential can partially compensate each other, commonly referred to as quantum capacitance. In nanoscale FETs, capacitance is often unmeasurable and an analytical formula is required, which assumes the conducting channel as metallic and common methods of determining threshold voltage no longer couple properly into transport equations. As present and future FET structures become smaller and have increased channel‐gate coupling, this issue will render standard methods impossible to use. This work discusses the validity of common methods of characterization for nanoscale FETs, develops a universal model to determine transport properties by only measuring the threshold voltage of an FET and presents a new parameter to easily classify FETs as either quantum capacitance‐limited or metallic approximated charge transport. Also considered in this work is electrical hysteresis from trap states and, in combination with the proposed universal model, novel techniques are introduced to measure and remove the errors associated with these effects often ignored in literature.
Electron‐Deficient and Quinoid Central Unit Engineering for Unfused Ring‐Based A1–D–A2–D–A1‐Type Acceptor Enables High Performance Nonfullerene Polymer Solar Cells with High Voc and PCE Simultaneously
Authors: Zhang Chao , Song Xin , Liu Kai‐Kai , Zhang Ming , Qu Jianfei , Yang Can , Yuan Gui‐Zhou , Mahmood Asif , Liu Feng , He Feng , Baran Derya , Wang Jin‐Liang
Published: May 2020

Here, a pair of A1–D–A2–D–A1 unfused ring core‐based nonfullerene small molecule acceptors (NF‐SMAs), BO2FIDT‐4Cl and BT2FIDT‐4Cl is synthesized, which possess the same terminals (A1) and indacenodithiophene unit (D), coupling with different fluorinated electron‐deficient central unit (difluorobenzoxadiazole or difluorobenzothiadiazole) (A2). BT2FIDT‐4Cl exhibits a slightly smaller optical bandgap of 1.56 eV, upshifted highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels, much higher electron mobility, and slightly enhanced molecular packing order in neat thin films than that of BO2FIDT‐4Cl. The polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on BT2FIDT‐4Cl:PM7 yield the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.5% with a Voc of 0.97 V, which is higher than that of BO2FIDT‐4Cl‐based devices (PCE of 10.4%). The results demonstrate that the subtle modification of A2 unit would result in lower trap‐assisted recombination, more favorable morphology features, and more balanced electron and hole mobility in the PM7:BT2FIDT‐4Cl blend films. It is worth mentioning that the PCE of 12.5% is the highest value in nonfused ring NF‐SMA‐based binary PSCs with high Voc over 0.90 V. These results suggest that appropriate modulation of the quinoid electron‐deficient central unit is an effective approach to construct highly efficient unfused ring NF‐SMAs to boost PCE and Voc simultaneously.
Biodegradable Nanocomposite with Dual Cell‐Tissue Penetration for Deep Tumor Chemo‐Phototherapy
Authors: Pan Xueting , Li Pengju , Bai Lintao , Ma Junjie , Li Shanshan , Zhang Fengrong , Liu Shuang , Wu Qingyuan , Shen Heyun , Liu Huiyu
Published: May 2020

Chemo‐phototherapy, as a promising cancer combination therapy strategy, has attracted widespread attention. However, the complex tumor microenvironment restricts the penetration depth of chemo‐phototherapy agents in the tumor region. Here, biodegradable amphiphilic gelatin (AG) wrapped nanocomposite (PRDCuS@AG) composed of doxorubicin and copper sulfide (CuS)‐loaded dendrimer is designed for deep tumor chemo‐phototherapy. PR in PRDCuS@AG represents arginine‐conjugated polyamidoamine dendrimer. PRDCuS@AG can rapidly biodegrade into PRDCuS by matrix metalloproteinases under near‐infrared light irradiation. The resulted PRDCuS harbors dual cell‐tissue penetration ability, which can effectively penetrate deep into the tumor tissue. In particular, PRDCuS@AG achieves photoacoustic imaging‐guided synergistic chemo‐phototherapy with 97% of tumor inhibition rate. Moreover, PRDCuS@AG can further degrade into 3 nm ultrasmall CuS, which can be eliminated from the body after treatment to avoid side effects. This strategy provides an insight that the development of chemo‐phototherapy agents with high penetration ability to overcome the limitation of current deep tumor therapy.
Low‐Energy Facets on CdS Allomorph Junctions with Optimal Phase Ratio to Boost Charge Directional Transfer for Photocatalytic H2 Fuel Evolution
Authors: Zhao Yan , Shao Chengtian , Lin Zhexing , Jiang Shujuan , Song Shaoqing
Published: May 2020

Low‐energy facets on CdS allomorph junctions with optimal phase ratio are designed to boost charge directional transfer for photocatalytic H2 fuel evolution. Fermi energy level difference between low‐energy facets as driving force promotes electrons directional transfer to hexagonal CdS(102) facet and holes to cubic CdS(111) facet. The optimal allomorphs CdS presents superior photocatalytic H2 evolution rate of 32.95 mmol g−1 h−1 with release in a large amount of visible H2 bubbles, which is much higher than single‐phase CdS with high‐energy facets and even supports noble metal photocatalysts. This scientific perspective on low‐energy facets of allomorph junctions with optimal phase ratio breaks the long‐held view of pursuing high‐energy crystal surfaces, which will break the understanding on surface structure crystal facet engineering of photocatalytic materials.
Mechanosensitive regulation of stanniocalcin-1 by zyxin and actin-myosin in human mesenchymal stromal cells
Authors: Zonderland Jip , Gomes David B. , Pallada Yves , Moldero Ivan L. , Camarero-Espinosa Sandra , Moroni Lorenzo
Published: May 2020

Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) secreted by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has anti-inflammatory functions, reduces apoptosis, and aids in angiogenesis, both in vitro and in vivo. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of its regulation. Here, we show that STC1 secretion is increased only under specific cell-stress conditions. We find that this is due to a change in actin stress fibers and actin-myosin tension. Abolishment of stress fibers by blebbistatin and knockdown of the focal adhesion protein zyxin leads to an increase in STC1 secretion. To also study this connection in 3D, where few focal adhesions and actin stress fibers are present, STC1 expression was analyzed in 3D alginate hydrogels and 3D electrospun scaffolds. Indeed, STC1 secretion was increased in these low cellular tension 3D environments. Together, our data show that STC1 does not directly respond to cell stress, but that it is regulated through mechanotransduction. This research takes a step forward in the fundamental understanding of STC1 regulation and can have implications for cell-based regenerative medicine, where cell survival, anti-inflammatory factors, and angiogenesis are critical.
Impact of genetically modified food knowledge, environmental, and food safety concerns on purchase intention of genetically modified food in mediating role of perceived risk: An empirical study in Thailand
Authors: Pattanapomgthorn Jintana , Sutduean Jutamat , Keohavong Bounmy
Published: May 2020

With the increasing population of world, science has stepped into genetically modified (GM) food. This has been innovated not just to increase the quantity of food but to instill the desired characteristics in a natural food item. Yet, many people are not responding to such GM food positively by considering it unnatural and artificial. The purpose of this research is to assess the impact of environmental consciousness, GM food knowledge and food safety concern on purchasing intention of GM food items in the mediating role of perceived risks in Thailand. A questionnaire‐based survey was conducted in this regard from 298 residents of Thailand and the data were then analyzed on SPSS and AMOS. The results of structural equation modeling have proved that environmental consciousness and food safety concerns have significant and positive impact on purchase intention of GM food, but GM food knowledge has insignificant impact. Perceived risk has been found as a significant mediator in the relationship between all independent variables and purchase intention of GM food. The study is unique as impact of GM food knowledge was not seen in the past on purchase intention of GM food while the mediating role of perceived risk was also not tested before. This study will facilitate citizens and tourists of Thailand to decide about GM food for their better health.
Hot spot 19F magnetic resonance imaging of inflammation
Authors: Bouvain Pascal , Temme Sebastian , Flögel Ulrich
Published: May 2020

Among the preclinical molecular imaging approaches, lately fluorine (19F) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has garnered significant scientific interest in the biomedical research community, due to the unique properties of fluorinated materials and the 19F nucleus. Fluorine is an intrinsically sensitive nucleus for MRI—there is negligible endogenous 19F in the body and, thus, no background signal which allows the detection of fluorinated materials as “hot spots” by combined 1H/19F MRI and renders fluorine‐containing molecules as ideal tracers with high specificity. In addition, perfluorocarbons are a family of compounds that exhibit a very high fluorine payload and are biochemically as well as physiologically inert. Perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions (PFCs) are well known to be readily taken up by immunocompetent cells, which can be exploited for the unequivocal identification of inflammatory foci by tracking the recruitment of PFC‐loaded immune cells to affected tissues using 1H/19F MRI. The required 19F labeling of immune cells can be accomplished either ex vivo by PFC incubation of isolated endogenous immune cells followed by their re‐injection or by intravenous application of PFCs for in situ uptake by circulating immune cells. With both approaches, inflamed tissues can unambiguously be detected via background‐free 19F signals due to trafficking of PFC‐loaded immune cells to affected organs. To extend 19F MRI tracking beyond cells with phagocytic properties, the PFC surface can further be equipped with distinct ligands to generate specificity against epitopes and/or types of immune cells independent of phagocytosis. Recent developments also allow for concurrent detection of different PFCs with distinct spectral signatures allowing the simultaneous visualization of several targets, such as various immune cell subtypes labeled with these PFCs. Since ligands and targets can easily be adapted to a variety of problems, this approach provides a general and versatile platform for inflammation imaging which will strongly extend the frontiers of molecular MRI.

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > in vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Cardiovascular Disease
Hydroflux Synthesis and Characterization of the Non‐Centrosymmetric Oxomanganate(V) KSrMnO4
Authors: Albrecht Ralf , Doert Thomas , Ruck Michael
Published: May 2020

Bluish‐green crystals of the oxomanganate(V) KSrMnO4 were synthesized under hydroflux conditions with KOH at about 200 °C starting from KMnO4 and Sr(NO3)2. The product formation depends on the hydroxide concentration and the strontium‐manganese ratio of the starting materials. By changing these parameters, also other reaction products, such as α‐SrMnO3 and Sr5[MnO4]3OH, are obtained. KSrMnO4 crystallizes in the non‐centrosymmetric orthorhombic space group P212121 with a = 743.26(7) pm, b = 575.72(6) pm and c = 987.2(1) pm. The crystal structure consists of isolated [MnO4]3– tetrahedra surrounded by Sr2+ and K+ cations. The group‐subgroup relation to KBaMnO4 and to the aristotype α‐K2SO4 are discussed. UV/Vis spectra and magnetic data agree with the oxidation state +V of manganese. KSrMnO4 is paramagnetic, but orders as an antiferromagnet below 4.6(1) K. Thermal analysis of KSrMnO4 revealed the decomposition at about 950 °C to α‐SrMnO3.
Some remarks on the work: On the theory of plastic deformations and the residual stresses caused by them in the material, by H. Hencky, ZAMM 4 (1924), 323–334
Authors: Bruhns Otto T.
Published: May 2020

In this article, the work of H. Hencky: “On the theory of plastic deformations and the residual stresses caused by them in the material” (Zur Theorie plastischer Deformationen und der hierdurch im Material hervorgerufenen Nachspannungen), which he presented in April 1924 at the first International Conference for Applied Mechanics in Delft and which in the same year appeared at ZAMM, is explained, commented on and placed in the context of the further development of plasticity theory.
Influence of a programme for prevention of early childhood caries on early orthodontic treatment needs
Authors: Wagner Yvonne , Knaup I. , Knaup T. J. , Jacobs C. , Wolf M.
Published: May 2020

Objectives

The aim of this prospective birth cohort study was to evaluate the effect of the programme for prevention (PP) of early childhood caries and the resulting need for orthodontic treatment in 8-year-old German children.

Material and methods

Children who had been enrolled in a caries-risk-related recall system with continuous dental care starting at the time of birth (prevention group, PG) were compared with children of the same birth cohort whose parents decided not to participate in the programme (control group, CG). All children (n = 289) participating in the last PP evaluation at the age of 5 years were invited again and examined by blinded clinicians. Dental caries was scored using the WHO diagnostic criteria expanded to d1-level without radiography. Impressions were taken of children with premature tooth loss to analyse space conditions.

Results

Two hundred twenty-seven children (mean age 8.4 ± 0.6 years; 46.7% female) were examined. Children in the PG (n = 127) showed significantly lower caries prevalence and experience (3.1%, 0.4 ± 1.0 d3–4mft) than children in the CG (37.3%, 3.9 ± 3.5 d3–4mft). Orthodontic analysis found a higher prevalence of premature tooth extraction, followed by a greater extent of space loss in the CG (41.0%; 3.3 ± 4.4 mm) vs. PG (7.9%; 0.4 ± 1.9 mm) and an increase in early orthodontic treatment need (KIG P3, IOTN 5).

Conclusions

The PP was an effective approach for preventing caries-related premature tooth loss in children and conserving relevant arch length.

Clinical relevance

Children who received continuous dental care starting at the time of birth showed better oral health with less premature loss of deciduous teeth and lower need for orthodontic treatment at the age of 8 years.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00003438,https://drks-neu.uniklinik-freiburg.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00003438
Tunnel technique with enamel matrix derivative in addition to subepithelial connective tissue graft compared with connective tissue graft alone for the treatment of multiple gingival recessions: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Górski Bartłomiej , Górska Renata , Wysokińska-Miszczuk Joanna , Kaczyński Tomasz
Published: May 2020

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of the modified coronally advanced tunnel technique (MCAT) combined with subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) with or without enamel matrix derivative (EMD), in the treatment of gingival recession types 1 and 2.

Materials and methods

A total of 20 patients with 150 multiple gingival recessions (GR) were included in the study. On one side, MCAT was combined with SCTG and EMD (tests), whereas MCAT with SCTG was applied on the contralateral side (controls). Clinical parameters were measured at baseline and 6 months after surgery. Visual analog scales (VAS) and questionnaires were used to assess patient-reported outcomes and the root coverage esthetic score (RES) for professional esthetic evaluation.

Results

MCAT+SCTG+EMD was not superior with regard to root coverage. At 6 months, average root coverage (ARC) was 87.4% for SCTG+EMD-treated and 90.9% for SCTG-treated defects (p = 0.4170). Complete root coverage (CRC) was observed in 86.7% (tests) and 85.3% (controls) of the cases (p = 0.9872). Significantly less pain was reported using VAS (p = 0.0342) post-operatively in the SCTG+EMD group. Professional assessment of esthetic outcomes using RES showed a significant difference (9.25 versus 8.71, p = 0.0103) in favor of the test group.

Conclusions

Both treatment modalities were equally effective in treatment of multiple GR and led to similar improvements in clinical parameters. However, the application of EMD as an adjunct resulted in less post-operative pain and better professionally assessed esthetic outcomes.

Clinical relevance

Patients’ early morbidity and 6-month esthetic outcomes following GR coverage with MCAT might be influenced by means of EMD utilization.
Annotating Argument Schemes
Authors: Visser Jacky , Lawrence John , Reed Chris , Wagemans Jean , Walton Douglas
Published: May 2020

Argument schemes are abstractions substantiating the inferential connection between premise(s) and conclusion in argumentative communication. Identifying such conventional patterns of reasoning is essential to the interpretation and evaluation of argumentation. Whether studying argumentation from a theory-driven or data-driven perspective, insight into the actual use of argumentation in communicative practice is essential. Large and reliably annotated corpora of argumentative discourse to quantitatively provide such insight are few and far between. This is all the more true for argument scheme corpora, which tend to suffer from a combination of limited size, poor validation, and the use of ad hoc restricted typologies. In the current paper, we describe the annotation of schemes on the basis of two distinct classifications: Walton’s taxonomy of argument schemes, and Wagemans’ Periodic Table of Arguments. We describe the annotation procedure for each, and the quantitative characteristics of the resulting annotated text corpora. In doing so, we extend the annotation of the preexisting US2016 corpus of televised election debates, resulting in, to the best of our knowledge, the two largest consistently annotated corpora of schemes in argumentative dialogue publicly available. Based on evaluation in terms of inter-annotator agreement, we propose further improvements to the guidelines for annotating schemes: the argument scheme key, and the Argument Type Identification Procedure.
Where’s Europe?
Authors: Heffernan Mike
Published: May 2020

This commentary wonders why these canonical textbooks, conceived and written in the UK as the country was integrating itself economically and politically into the European project, make so little reference to Europe as a conceptual, analytical or geopolitical framework. These highly successful textbooks have helped create an idea of modern human geography as an essentially Anglo-American social science, different in form, content and objectives from earlier, largely European versions of the discipline.
Testing UAV-derived topography for hydraulic modelling in a tropical environment
Authors: Mazzoleni M. , Paron P. , Reali A. , Juizo D. , Manane J. , Brandimarte L.
Published: May 2020

The past few years have seen the raise of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in geosciences for generating highly accurate digital elevation models (DEM) at low costs, which promises to be an interesting alternative to satellite data for small river basins. The reliability of UAV-derived topography as input to hydraulic modelling is still under investigation: here, we analyse potentialities and highlight challenges of employing UAV-derived topography in hydraulic modelling in a tropical environment, where weather conditions and remoteness of the study area might affect the quality of the retrieved data. We focused on a stretch of the Limpopo River in Mozambique, where detailed ground survey and airborne data were available. First, we tested and compared topographic data derived by UAV (25 cm), RTK-GPS (50 cm DEM), LiDAR (1 m DEM) and SRTM (30 m DEM); then, we used each DEM as input data to a hydraulic model and compared the performance of each DEM-based model against the LiDAR based model, currently used as benchmark by practitioners in the area. Despite the challenges experienced during the field campaign—and described here—, the degree of accuracy in terrain modelling produced errors in water depth calculations within the tolerances adopted in this typology of studies and comparable in magnitude to the ones obtained from high-precision topography models. This suggests that UAV is a promising source of geometric data even in natural environments with extreme weather conditions.
“Truly free consent”? Clarifying the nature of police legitimacy using causal mediation analysis
Authors: Pósch Krisztián , Jackson Jonathan , Bradford Ben , Macqueen Sarah
Published: May 2020

Objectives

To test whether normative and non-normative forms of obligation to obey the police are empirically distinct and to assess whether they exhibit different dynamics in terms of the downstream effects of police-citizen contact.

Methods

Analysing data from the Scottish Community Engagement Trial of procedurally just policing, we use natural effect modelling for causally ordered mediators to assess causal pathways that include—but also extend beyond—the experimental treatment to procedural justice.

Results

Normative and non-normative forms of obligation are empirically distinct. Normative obligation to obey the police is sensitive to procedurally just or unjust police behaviour, and influences cooperation with the police and traffic law compliance in a way that is consistent with procedural justice theory. Non-normative obligation to obey the police is ‘sticky’ and unresponsive.

Conclusions

Legitimacy can resonably be defined partly as normative obligation with its expected beneficial downstream effects, so long as it is measured properly.
Three-dimensional guidance including shape sensing of a stentgraft system for endovascular aneurysm repair
Authors: Jäckle Sonja , García-Vázquez Verónica , Eixmann Tim , Matysiak Florian , von Haxthausen Felix , Sieren Malte Maria , Schulz-Hildebrandt Hinnerk , Hüttmann Gereon , Ernst Floris , Kleemann Markus , Pätz Torben
Published: May 2020

Purpose

During endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedures, medical instruments are guided with two-dimensional (2D) fluoroscopy and conventional digital subtraction angiography. However, this requires X-ray exposure and contrast agent is used, and the depth information is missing. To overcome these drawbacks, a three-dimensional (3D) guidance approach based on tracking systems is introduced and evaluated.

Methods

A multicore fiber with fiber Bragg gratings for shape sensing and three electromagnetic (EM) sensors for locating the shape were integrated into a stentgraft system. A model for obtaining the located shape of the first 38 cm of the stentgraft system with two EM sensors is introduced and compared with a method based on three EM sensors. Both methods were evaluated with a vessel phantom containing a 3D-printed vessel made of silicone and agar-agar simulating the surrounding tissue.

Results

The evaluation of the guidance methods resulted in average errors from 1.35 to 2.43 mm and maximum errors from 3.04 to 6.30 mm using three EM sensors, and average errors from 1.57 to 2.64 mm and maximum errors from 2.79 to 6.27 mm using two EM sensors. Moreover, the videos made from the continuous measurements showed that a real-time guidance is possible with both approaches.

Conclusion

The results showed that an accurate real-time guidance with two and three EM sensors is possible and that two EM sensors are already sufficient. Thus, the introduced 3D guidance method is promising to use it as navigation tool in EVAR procedures. Future work will focus on developing a method with less EM sensors and a detailed latency evaluation of the guidance method.
‘Better off, as judged by themselves’: do people support nudges as a method to change their own behavior?
Authors: GOLD NATALIE , LIN YILING , ASHCROFT RICHARD , OSMAN MAGDA
Published: May 2020

In this study, we investigated how people evaluate behavioral interventions (BIs) that are targeted at themselves, aiming to promote their own health and wellbeing. We compared the impact on people's assessments of the acceptability of using BIs to change their own behavior of: the transparency of the BI (transparent or opaque); the designer of the BI (researchers, government policy-makers, advertisers); and three types of arguments regarding their efficacy (positive, positive + negative, negative). Our target BIs were actual interventions that have been used in a range of policy domains (diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking, personal finances). We found that transparent BIs were considered more acceptable than opaque BIs. On average, all BIs were considered acceptable for changing participants’ own behavior, except for the opaque BI in the finance context; there was differential acceptability of BIs across contexts, with finance clearly least acceptable. However, the perceived effectiveness of the BIs was at least as influential a predictor of acceptability ratings as the ease of identification of the behavior change mechanism across the five contexts. Furthermore, effectiveness was partially mediated by desire to change, suggesting that people do think BIs make them better off, ‘as judged by themselves’.
Just the Facts: Hypertension in the emergency department
Authors: Sibley Aaron K. , Atkinson Paul , Shayne Philip
Published: May 2020

A 65-year-old female smoker complains of dizziness and mild headache. While at the local pharmacy buying acetaminophen, she decides to check her blood pressure to see if it could be “causing her symptoms.” Her initial measurement is 220/96 mm Hg. In consultation with the on-duty pharmacist she is instructed to immediately attend the emergency department (ED) for management of her hypertension.
Learning from a Peace Process: Theory, Practice and the Case of Northern Ireland
Authors: Mitchell David
Published: May 2020

The goal of ‘learning’ from peace processes is widely expressed in conflict resolution scholarship and practice but inadequately understood. This article investigates what kinds of knowledge can be learned from a peace process, the theoretical and methodological bases of such learning, and what impact it may have. The article begins with an interdisciplinary discussion of reasons to learn, the kinds of lessons proposed in the peace process literature and how theories of learning may be applied to a peace process. Following this is a case study of the sharing of the Northern Ireland peacemaking experience with other conflict-affected societies, especially through facilitated dialogues between decision-makers. This contributes to a comprehensive ideal model of learning from peace processes – something which, it is argued, may result in ‘transformative learning’ and a ‘policy paradigm shift’ towards de-escalatory conflict management. A definition of a peace process ‘lesson’ is offered to guide future research.
Optimization Analysis of Stratospheric Airship Suspended Curtains
Authors: Xie Wei cheng , Wang Xiao liang , Duan Deng ping , Tang Ji wei
Published: May 2020

There has been considerable interest in stratospheric airships as a cost-effective alternative to earth orbit satellites for sightseeing, aerial photography, communication and carrying weapons, etc. Many countries have plans to develop the airship owing to its greatly expected usage. The suspended curtain plays a vital role in force transmission in stratospheric airships but lacks attention. In this paper, the relationship between the optimal shape of suspended curtain and load conditions was studied through CAE Abaqus and Isight. Firstly, by using secondary development function of Abaqus, parametric FEA models of suspended curtains and envelopes have been established, several parameters were used to describe the shape of suspended curtains. Secondly, parameters of the suspended curtain shape were optimized under different loading conditions by means of the genetic algorithm. Lastly, through the analysis of the results, some conclusions are summarized: The relationship between n1(n2) and nb was found to be linear when the suspended curtain is subjected to vertical load. The stress transfer law of suspended curtain and inflatable membrane structure under the inclined load were also obtained, which are valuable for the structural engineering design of stratospheric airships..
Recognizing Different Lifeways and Subsistence Practices through Analysis of the Material Cultures of Mound Sites in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Authors: Garcia Anderson Marques
Published: May 2020

In the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, the term cerrito was traditionally used to designate archaeological phenomena that emerge in the form of mounds in different landscapes. Except for recent research developed in the southwestern region of the Patos Lagoon, few advances have occurred since the 1980s in the study of cerritos in Brazil. This article presents an analysis of the lithic industries of sites with mounds in the southwestern region of the Patos Lagoon and in the central region in the current territory of Rio Grande do Sul. The results, along with other data from the sites, suggest that coastal sites were occupied by sedentary fisher-hunter-gatherers, who also possibly domesticated certain plants. Lithic material was scarce there and was mainly produced from pebbles and quartz cobbles using the anvil technique. In contrast, central region formations presented mounds on outcrops, using land, pebbles, and boulders; the area was occupied by a hunter-gatherer group that had projectile points and other instruments carved mainly by façonnage and débitage.
Anti-HIV drugs promote β-amyloid deposition and impair learning and memory in BALB/c mice
Authors: Zulu S.S. , Abboussi O. , Simola N. , Mabandla M.V. , Daniels W.M.U.
Published: May 2020

Objectives:

Growing evidence suggested that antiretroviral (ARV) drugs may promote amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation in HIV-1-infected brain and the persistence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs). It has also been shown that lipid peroxidation upregulates β-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) expression and subsequently promotes Aβ peptide production. In the present study, we examined whether chronic exposure to the anti-HIV drugs tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and nevirapine induces lipid peroxidation thereby promoting BACE1 and Aβ generation and consequently impair cognitive function in mice.

Methods:

TDF or nevirapine was orally administered to female BALB/c mice once a day for 8 weeks. On the 7th week of treatment, spatial learning and memory were assessed using the Morris water maze test. The levels of lipid peroxidation, BACE1, amyloid β 1-42 (Aβ1-42) and Aβ deposits were measured in the hippocampal tissue upon completion of treatment.

Results:

Chronic administration of nevirapine induced spatial learning and memory impairment in the Morris water maze test, whereas TDF did not have an effect. TDF and nevirapine administration increased hippocampal lipid peroxidation and Aβ1-42 concentration. Nevirapine further upregulated BACE1 expression and Aβ deposits.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that chronic exposure to TDF and nevirapine contributes to hippocampal lipid peroxidation and Aβ accumulation, respectively, as well as spatial learning and memory deficits in mice even in the absence of HIV infection. These findings further support a possible link between ARV drug toxicity, Aβ accumulation and the persistence of HANDs.
AN INTERPOLATION IN CLAUDIAN, DE RAPTV PROSERPINAE 2.343–7
Authors: Gervais Kyle
Published: May 2020

In his recent monograph on textual criticism, Richard Tarrant discusses the history, problems and practices of diagnosing interpolations in Latin texts, and persuasively argues for ‘restor[ing] interpolation to the editor's armoury’. In the hopes of better arming future editors, I identify a possible interpolation in the second book of Claudian's De Raptu Proserpinae (= DRP). The passage in question describes the celebrations in the underworld that attend the wedding of Pluto and Proserpina; joining in the holiday mood, the Furies let their snaky hair down to enjoy a drink of wine while they light festive torches for the nuptials (DRP 2.343–7):oblitae scelerum formidatique furorisEumenides cratera parant et uina ferocicrine bibunt flexisque minis iam lene canentes 345extendunt socios ad pocula plena cerastaset festas alio succendunt lumine taedas.
Introducing a sinusoidal equation to describe lactation curves for cumulative milk yield and composition in Holstein cows
Authors: Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh Navid , Darmani Kuhi Hassan , France James , López Secundino
Published: May 2020

The aim of the work reported here was to investigate the appropriateness of a sinusoidal function by applying it to model the cumulative lactation curves for milk yield and composition in primiparous Holstein cows, and to compare it with three conventional growth models (linear, Richards and Morgan). Data used in this study were 911 144 test-day records for milk, fat and protein yields, which were recorded on 834 dairy herds from 2000 to 2011 by the Animal Breeding Centre and Promotion of Animal Products of Iran. Each function was fitted to the test-day production records using appropriate procedures in SAS (PROC REG for the linear model and PROC NLIN for the Richards, Morgan and sinusoidal equations) and the parameters were estimated. The models were tested for goodness of fit using adjusted coefficient of determination $\lpar {R_{{\rm adj}}^2 } \rpar $, root mean square error (RMSE), Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC). $R_{{\rm adj}}^2 $ values were generally high (>0.999), implying suitable fits to the data, and showed little differences among the models for cumulative yields. The sinusoidal equation provided the lowest values of RMSE, AIC and BIC, and therefore the best fit to the lactation curve for cumulative milk, fat and protein yields. The linear model gave the poorest fit to the cumulative lactation curve for all production traits. The current results show that classical growth functions can be fitted accurately to cumulative lactation curves for production traits, but the new sinusoidal equation introduced herein, by providing best goodness of fit, can be considered a useful alternative to conventional models in dairy research.
Timing of entry of Streptococcus uberis into the mammary gland of the dairy cow
Authors: Hillerton J Eric
Published: May 2020

Streptococcus uberis do not colonise the teat canal and appear to invade the mammary gland of the dairy cow by direct entry though the canal. When they enter the mammary gland, and the early resulting processes, are unclear. Experimental infusions of the lactating mammary gland have been made to determine outcomes of infection, mastitis and disease. Infusion of 500 cfu bacteria was made immediately after milking (8 and 16 h intermilking interval) and 1, 4 or 12 h prior to milking. A mastitis resulted from all infusions, probably in response to the skim milk carrier. Infusions post milking resulted in clinical mastitis in more than half of the quarters, whereas infusion 1 h premilking created no clinical mastitis. Infusion 4 or 12 h pre milking resulted in the most severe reactions, with all quarters developing moderate to severe clinical mastitis. This was more rapid with the 4 h pre milking group. The results demonstrate that the initial inflammatory response caused by an invasion of the mammary gland is not necessarily protective against establishment of a pathogen, and that especially the response to invasion in the intermilking interval is often insufficient to prevent infection and/or disease.
No Time to Move: Motion, Painting and Temporal Experience
Authors: Shardlow Jack
Published: May 2020

This paper is concerned with the senses in which paintings do and do not depict various temporal phenomena, such as motion, stasis and duration. I begin by explaining the popular – though not uncontroversial – assumption that depiction, as a pictorial form of representation, is a matter of an experiential resemblance between the pictorial representation and that which it is a depiction of. Given this assumption, I illustrate a tension between two plausible claims: that paintings do not depict motion in the sense that video recordings do, and that paintings do not merely depict objects but may depict those objects as engaged in various activities, such as moving. To resolve the tension, I demonstrate that we need to recognise an ambiguity in talk of the appearance of motion, and distinguish between the depiction of motion and the depiction of an object as an object that is moving. Armed with this distinction, I argue that there is an important sense in which paintings depict neither motion, duration, nor – perhaps more controversially – stasis.
An Unusual Imported Bronze Jug Handle from Late Iron Age Easton, Suffolk
Authors: Beveridge Ruth , Woolhouse Tom
Published: May 2020

Developer-funded excavation in Easton, Suffolk, investigated part of a long-lived Iron Age settlement and Roman farmstead. One late Iron Age pit contained an unusual bronze handle, most likely from a jug, the form of which appears to be unique in Britain. The closest parallels are products of Italian workshops in the late first century b.c. This paper describes the likely form of the vessel and discusses the significance of its presence at a rural settlement on the ‘border’ of the Iceni and Trinovantes/Catuvellauni.
Race, the Canadian Census, and Interactive Political Development
Authors: Thompson Debra
Published: May 2020

This article explores the erratic history of counting by race on the Canadian census. It argues that the political development of racial classifications on Canadian censuses has been shaped by the interactions among evolving global ideas about race, the programmatic beliefs of international epistemic communities of statisticians and census designers, and domestic institutions involved in the administration of the census. First, Canadian census designers drew from shifting global conceptions about the nature of race and racial difference, which normatively defined the legitimate ends of race policies. Second, Canadian census designers often paid heed to the programmatic beliefs of the international statistical community about the appropriateness of collecting racial data. Finally, evolving political institutions involved in the administration of the census mediated these transnational ideas, molding them to fit the Canadian national context through institutional and cultural translative processes. Theoretically, this research makes the case that focusing on interactive political development can augment the theoretical toolbox of American political development, enabling a more comprehensive picture of the emergence, dynamism, and persistence of the Canadian racial order.