bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoparticle Conjugation of Ginsenoside Rg3 Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development and Metastasis
Authors: Ren Zhigang , Chen Xinmei , Hong Liangjie , Zhao Xiaoxiong , Cui Guangying , Li Ang , Liu Yang , Zhou Lina , Sun Ranran , Shen Shen , Li Juan , Lou Jiamin , Zhou Heqi , Wang Junmei , Xu Guowang , Yu Zujiang , Song Yujun , Chen Xinhua
Published: December 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. The prognosis of HCC remains very poor; thus, an effective treatment remains urgent. Herein, a type of nanomedicine is developed by conjugating Fe@Fe3O4 nanoparticles with ginsenoside Rg3 (NpRg3), which achieves an excellent coupling effect. In the dimethylnitrosamine‐induced HCC model, NpRg3 application significantly prolongs the survival of HCC mice. Further research indicates that NpRg3 application significantly inhibits HCC development and eliminates HCC metastasis to the lung. Notably, NpRg3 application delays HCC‐induced ileocecal morphology and gut microbial alterations more than 12 weeks during HCC progression. NpRg3 administration elevates the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia, but decreases Firmicutes. Twenty‐nine predicted microbial gene functions are enriched, while seven gene functions are reduced after NpRg3 administration. Moreover, the metabolomics profile presents a significant progression during HCC development, but NpRg3 administration corrects tumor‐dominant metabolomics. NpRg3 administration decreases 3‐indolepropionic acid and urea, but elevates free fatty acids. Importantly, NpRg3 application remodels the unbalanced correlation networks between gut microbiota and metabolism during HCC therapy. In conclusion, nanoparticle conjugation of ginsenoside Rg3 inhibits HCC development and metastasis via the remodeling of unbalanced gut microbiota and metabolism in vivo, providing an antitumor therapy strategy.
Quality of argumentation by seventh‐graders in local socioscientific issues
Authors: Capkinoglu Esra , Yilmaz Serkan , Leblebicioglu Gulsen
Published: December 2019

The study's purpose was to evaluate the quality of argumentations presented by students in relation to local socioscientific issues (SSIs). The participants, 36 seventh‐grade students from state schools, were divided into three learning groups—outdoor group, newspaper group, and presentation group. Five local environment‐related SSIs were selected: an artificial lake, chicken coops, leather tanneries, base stations, and hydroelectric power plants (HPPs). Different data sources were provided to each group pertaining to their SSIs. The outdoor group learned through field trips, the newspaper group acquired information through newspapers, and the presentation group learned via presentations. Each group gathered data from their unique learning sources, which then formed the basis of their arguments. After a pilot study, each group experienced the same argumentation practice within smaller groups. The recorded discussions were transcribed, and the qualities of 582 argumentation episodes chronicled over a period of 10 weeks were evaluated using an analytical assessment tool. It emerged that the quality of argumentations of each group varied by the data sources and the contexts of the SSIs. While the newspaper group displayed the best performance in 4 out of 5 issues, the outdoor group had the lowest performance overall. In terms of generating high‐quality argumentations about the artificial lake, chicken coops, and base stations, the newspaper group ranked top, followed by the presentation group, and then the outdoor group. HPPs proved to be the most challenging context for students across all groups. The study sums up with discussions of the differences between the quality of argumentations of the various groups and the implications of the study's conclusions.
Axion scales and couplings with Stückelberg mixing
Authors: Choi Kiwoon , Shin Chang Sub , Yun Seokhoon
Published: December 2019

Abstract

We study the axion field range and low energy couplings in models with Stückelberg mixing between axions and U(1) gauge bosons. It is noted that the gauge- invariant axion combination ξ in the model is periodic modulo an appropriate shift of gauge-variant axions eaten by the massive U(1) gauge bosons, which in some cases makes the connection between the field range and the low energy couplings less transparent. We derive the field range of ξ for generic forms of the axion kinetic metric and U(1) charges, and identify the field basis for which all non-derivative couplings of ξ are quantized in a manner manifestly consistent with the periodicity of ξ. Generically Stückelberg mixing reduces the axion field range. In particular, the mixings between N axions and (N − 1) U(1) gauge bosons typically result in an exponentially reduced field range

$$ {M}_{\xi }=\mathcal{O}\left({k}^{-\left(N-1\right)}f/\sqrt{N!}\right) $$

M
ξ

=
O

k

−

N
−
1

f
/

N
!

for the residual gauge-invariant axion ξ in the limit N ≫ 1, where f and k denote the typical decay constant and the root mean square of the U(1) gauge charges of the original N axions. Using simple examples, we study also the reparameterization-invariant physical quantities such as the axion effective potential and 1PI couplings to gauge bosons, which are determined by the reparameterization-dependent axion couplings in the model.
Double parton distributions in the pion in the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model
Authors: Courtoy Aurore , Noguera Santiago , Scopetta Sergio
Published: December 2019

Abstract

Two-parton correlations in the pion, a non perturbative information encoded in double parton distribution functions, are investigated in the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model. It is found that double parton distribution functions expose novel dynamical information on the structure of the pion, not accessible through one-body parton distributions, as it happens in several estimates for the proton target and in a previous evaluation for the pion, in a light-cone framework. Expressions and predictions are given for double parton distributions corresponding to leading-twist Dirac operators in the quark vertices, and to different regularization methods for the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model. These results are particularly relevant in view of forthcoming lattice data.
Gravitation in flat spacetime from entanglement
Authors: Godet Victor , Marteau Charles
Published: December 2019

Abstract

We explore holographic entanglement entropy for Minkowski spacetime in three and four dimensions. Under some general assumptions on the putative holographic dual, the entanglement entropy associated to a special class of subregions can be computed using an analog of the Ryu-Takayanagi formula. We refine the existing prescription in three dimensions and propose a generalization to four dimensions. Under reasonable assumptions on the holographic stress tensor, we show that the first law of entanglement is equivalent to the gravitational equations of motion in the bulk, linearized around Minkowski spacetime.
Disrupted parahippocampal and midbrain function underlie slower verbal learning in adolescent-onset regular cannabis use
Authors: Blest-Hopley Grace , O’Neill Aisling , Wilson Robin , Giampietro Vincent , Bhattacharyya Sagnik
Published: December 2019

Rationale

Prolonged use of cannabis, the most widely used illicit drug worldwide, has been consistently associated with impairment in memory and verbal learning. Although the neurophysiological underpinnings of these impairments have been investigated previously using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), while performing memory tasks, the results of these studies have been inconsistent and no clear picture has emerged yet. Furthermore, no previous studies have investigated trial-by-trial learning.

Objectives

We aimed to investigate the neural underpinnings of impaired verbal learning in cannabis users as estimated over repeated learning trials.

Methods

We studied 21 adolescent-onset regular cannabis users and 21 non-users using fMRI performed at least 12 h after last cannabis use, while they performed a paired associate verbal learning task that allowed us to examine trial-by-trial learning. Brain activation during repeated verbal encoding and recall conditions of the task was indexed using the blood oxygen level-dependent haemodynamic response fMRI signal.

Results

There was a significant improvement in recall score over repeated trials indicating learning occurring across the two groups of participants. However, learning was significantly slower in cannabis users compared to non-users (p = 0.032, partial eta-squared = 0.108). While learning verbal stimuli over repeated encoding blocks, non-users displayed progressive increase in recruitment of the midbrain, parahippocampal gyrus and thalamus (p = 0.00939, partial eta-squared = 0.180). In contrast, cannabis users displayed a greater but disrupted activation pattern in these regions, which showed a stronger correlation with new word-pairs learnt over the same blocks in cannabis users than in non-users.

Conclusions

These results suggest that disrupted medial temporal and midbrain function underlie slower learning in adolescent-onset cannabis users.
Is Ischemia‐Modified Albumin a Reliable Marker in Accurate Diagnosis of Appendicitis in Children?
Authors: Ulusoy Emel , Çitlenbik Hale , Akgül Fatma , Öztürk Ali , Şık Nihan , Ulusoy Oktay , Küme Tuncay , Yılmaz Durgül , Duman Murat
Published: December 2019

Background

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common abdominal emergencies. Despite all improvements in diagnostic techniques, there are still ongoing problems as proper diagnosis, misdiagnosis and perforated appendicitis. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the clinical value of IMA in patients with appendicitis and to determine the accurate diagnosis of appendicitis in clinically suspected patients.

Methods

Pediatric patients with acute abdominal pain who had the Pediatric Appendicitis Score (PAS) ≥ 7 (n = 109) and a control group of 35 patients were included in this prospective case–control study. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with appendicitis (pathologically confirmed) (n = 78) and no appendicitis (n = 31). No appendicitis included observation patients and negative appendectomy. Serum samples were collected for routine laboratory parameters and IMA before surgery.

Results

Patients with appendicitis had significantly higher IMA levels than no appendicitis and control groups (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001; respectively). Moreover, patients with negative appendectomy had significantly lower IMA levels than patients with appendicitis (p = 0.009). IMA and PAS were used together, and in the ROC analysis, we obtained 0.81 AUC for PAS and 0.89 AUC for PAS and IMA.

Conclusion

The current study indicated that IMA is a reliable marker for accurate diagnosis of appendicitis. The combination of IMA with PAS score has been shown to facilitate the diagnosis of appendicitis.
Periadrenal Volume is a Better Predictor of Prolonged Operative Time in Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Adrenalectomy than BMI
Authors: Pearlstein Sarah S. , Kuo Jennifer H. , Chabot John A. , Lee James A.
Published: December 2019

Background

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy is gaining traction as a minimally invasive technique. One of the purported relative contraindications is BMI given the smaller working space. We hypothesize that other anthropometric measurements may be better predictors of operative time.

Methods

An IRB‐approved, single‐institution, retrospective study of 83 patients who underwent laparoscopic retroperitoneal adrenalectomy evaluated the association of anthropometric measurements taken from cross‐sectional imaging and the primary outcome of operative time. Descriptive statistics were performed with Wilcoxon rank‐sum test for continuous variables (median; IQR) and Chi‐square (n; %) for categorical variables. A linear random effects model was used to model operative time.

Results

The majority of the patients were white (40; 48.2%) women (46; 55.4%) with a median age of 54 with interquartile range (IQR) of 43–63 and a median BMI of 27.8 (IQR 21.2–38.6). On univariable analysis, factors that led to longer operative time included right‐sided operation (p = 0.04), male gender (p < 0.01), clinical diagnosis (p < 0.01), waist area (p < 0.01), waist/hip ratio (p < 0.01), periadrenal volume (p < 0.01), posterior adiposity index (PAI) (p < 0.01) and BMI (p < 0.01). Only side, order of operation, and periadrenal fat volume (p < 0.01, p = 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively) remained independent predictors of increased operative time on multivariable analysis.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that anthropometric measurements, specifically periadrenal fat volume, and side of operation, are better predictors for increased operative time in laparoscopic retroperitoneal adrenalectomies than BMI. This information can help facilitate appropriate patient selection for this operative approach.
IL-17 Induced Stromal Cell–Derived Factor-1 and Profibrotic Factor in Keloid-Derived Skin Fibroblasts via the STAT3 Pathway
Authors: Lee Seon-Yeong , Kim Eun Kyung , Seo Hyun Beom , Choi Jeong Won , Yoo Jin Hee , Jung Kyoung Ah , Kim Da-Som , Yang Seung Cheon , Moon Soo Jin , Lee Jung Ho , Cho Mi-La
Published: December 2019

Abstract

The pathogenesis of keloids has not been elucidated, and the disease is thought to be caused by abnormal secretion of proinflammatory mediators and irregular responses to other inflammatory signals mediated by keloid fibroblasts (KFs). In this study, we investigated whether a local increase in interleukin IL-17 in keloid tissues stimulates the production of stromal cell–derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in KFs causing further recruitment of IL-17-producing T helper 17 (Th17) cells, which subsequently creates a positive feedback loop. Histological assessment was performed and the change in the expression of IL-17, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α which of fibrosis and inflammation associated markers was examined. In addition, fibroblasts were treated with IL-17 in the presence or absence of STAT3 inhibitor STA-21; SDF-1 levels and fibrosis genes were measured. Our results showed that fibrotic reaction and expression of proinflammatory cytokines including IL-17 were most prominent in the growing margin (perilesional area) of keloid tissue and Th17 cells significantly infiltrated the perilesional area. In addition, IL-17 upregulated the expression of SDF-1, collagen, and α-SMA in KFs. Finally, STA-21 decreased SDF-1α expression and the expression of fibrosis genes in KFs even after IL-17 stimulation. Our study demonstrated that a local increase in IL-17 in keloid tissues stimulates the production of SDF-1 in KFs causing further recruitment of IL-17-producing T helper 17 (Th17) cells, which subsequently creates a positive feedback loop. These findings suggest that STAT3 inhibition can be used to treat keloid scars by reversing the vicious cycle between Th17 cells and KFs.
MetroMMC: Electron-Capture Spectrometry with Cryogenic Calorimeters for Science and Technology
Authors: Ranitzsch P. C.-O. , Arnold D. , Beyer J. , Bockhorn L. , Bonaparte J. J. , Enss C. , Kossert K. , Kempf S. , Loidl M. , Mariam R. , Nähle O. J. , Paulsen M. , Rodrigues M. , Wegner M.
Published: December 2019

Accurate decay data of radionuclides are necessary for many fields of science and technology, ranging from medicine and particle physics to metrology. However, data that are in use today are mostly based on measurements or theoretical calculation methods that are rather old. Recent measurements with cryogenic detectors and other methods show significant discrepancies to both older experimental data and theory in some cases. Moreover, the old results often suffer from large or underestimated uncertainties. This is in particular the case for electron-capture (EC) decays, where only a few selected radionuclides have ever been measured. To systematically address these shortcomings, the European metrology project MetroMMC aims at investigating six radionuclides decaying by EC. The nuclides are chosen to cover a wide range of atomic numbers Z, which results in a wide range of decay energies and includes different decay modes, such as pure EC or EC accompanied by $$\gamma $$γ- and/or $$\beta ^{+}$$β+-transitions. These will be measured using metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs), cryogenic energy-dispersive detectors with high-energy resolution, low-energy threshold and high, adjustable stopping power that are well suited for measurements of the total decay energy and X-ray spectrometry. Within the MetroMMC project, these detectors are used to obtain X-ray emission intensities of external sources as well as fractional EC probabilities of sources embedded in a $$4\pi $$4π absorber. Experimentally determined nuclear and atomic data will be compared to state-of-the-art theoretical calculations which will be further developed within the project. This contribution introduces the MetroMMC project and in particular its experimental approach. The challenges in EC spectrometry are to adapt the detectors and the source preparation to the different decay channels and the wide energy range involved, while keeping the good resolution and especially the low-energy threshold to measure the EC from outer shells.
The breaching experiment. Donald Trump and the normative foundations of democracy
Authors: Schedler Andreas
Published: December 2019

Is US president Donald Trump a threat to democracy? Alerting against his manifold transgressions of democratic norms, many comparative political scientists have thought so. Their practical worries, however, have been inconsistent with prevalent theories of democratic stability. As careful examination shows, his main democratic norm violations have been discursive, and they have revealed him to be, not an ideological enemy of democracy, but a self-centered actor without deep democratic commitments. None of this should ring democratic alarm bells. But it does. As I suggest, Donald Trump has been conducting a kind of sociological “breaching experiment” on the political science community which has exposed a remarkable divergence between our main theories of democratic stability (which focus on structures, political behavior, and self-interest) and our tacit convictions (about the causal relevance of actors, political language, and normative commitments).
Biphasic composite of calcium phosphate-based mesoporous silica as a novel bone drug delivery system
Authors: Prokopowicz Magdalena , Szewczyk Adrian , Skwira Adrianna , Sądej Rafał , Walker Gavin
Published: December 2019

We reported the new biphasic composites of calcium phosphate and mesoporous silica material (CaP@MSi) in the form of powders and pellets as a potential bone drug delivery system for doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX). The CaP@MSi powders were synthesized by cationic surfactant-templating method. The effects of 10, 20, and 30% CaP content in the CaP@MSi powders on the molecular surface structure, the cytotoxicity against osteoblast cells in vitro, and the mineralization potential in simulated body fluid were investigated. The CaP@MSi characterized by the highest mineralization potential (30% CaP content) were used for DOX adsorption and pelletization process. The CaP which precipitated in the CaP@MSi composites was characterized as calcium-deficient with the Ca:P molar ratio between 1.0 and 1.2. The cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that the CaP content in MSi increases osteoblasts viability indicating the CaP@MSi (30% CaP content) as the most biocompatible. The combination of CaP and MSi was an effective strategy to improve the mineralization potential of parent material. Upon immersion in simulated body fluid, the CaP of composite converted into the bone-like apatite. The obtained pellets preserved the mineralization potential of CaP@MSi and provided the prolonged 5-day DOX release. The obtained biphasic CaP@MSi composites seem to have an application potential as bone-specific drug delivery system.
Middleware’s Message: the Financial Technics of Codata
Authors: Castelle Michael
Published: December 2019

In this paper, I will argue for the relevance of certain distinctive features ofmessagingsystems, namely those in which data (a) can be sent and received asynchronously, (b) can be sent to multiple simultaneous recipients and (c) is received as a “potentially infinite” flow of unpredictable events. I will describe the social technology of thestock ticker, a telegraphic device introduced at the New York Stock Exchange in the 1860s, with reference to early twentieth century philosophers of synchronous experience (Bergson), simultaneous sign interpretations (Mead and Peirce), and flows of discrete events (Bachelard). Then, I will show how the ticker’s data flows developed into the 1990s-era technologies ofmessage queuesandmessage brokers, which distinguished themselves through theirasynchronousimplementation of ticker-like message feeds sent between otherwise incompatible computers and terminals. These latter systems’ characteristic “publish/subscribe” communication pattern was one in which conceptually centralized (if logically distributed) flows of messages would be “published,” and for which “subscribers” would be spontaneously notified when events of interest occurred. This paradigm—common to the so-called “message-oriented middleware” systems of the late 1990s—would re-emerge in different asynchronous distributed system contexts over the following decades, from “push media” to Twitter to the Internet of Things.
What’s in a Name?
Authors: Bourgeois-Law Gisèle
Published: December 2019

None
Fractional integral inequalities for generalized-$$\mathbf{m }$$-$$((h_{1}^{p},h_{2}^{q});(\eta _{1},\eta _{2}))$$-convex mappings via an extended generalized Mittag–Leffler function
Authors: Anastassiou George , Kashuri Artion , Liko Rozana
Published: December 2019

The authors discover a new identity concerning differentiable mappings defined on$$\mathbf{m }$$m-invex set via general fractional integrals. Using the obtained identity as an auxiliary result, some fractional integral inequalities for generalized-$$\mathbf{m }$$m-$$((h_{1}^{p},h_{2}^{q});(\eta _{1},\eta _{2}))$$((h1p,h2q);(η1,η2))-convex mappings by involving an extended generalized Mittag–Leffler function are presented. It is pointed out that some new special cases can be deduced from main results. Also these inequalities have some connections with known integral inequalities. At the end, some applications to special means for different positive real numbers are provided as well.
A Pattern Recognition Algorithm for Quantum Annealers
Authors: Bapst Frédéric , Bhimji Wahid , Calafiura Paolo , Gray Heather , Lavrijsen Wim , Linder Lucy , Smith Alex
Published: December 2019

The reconstruction of charged particles will be a key computing challenge for the high-luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) where increased data rates lead to a large increase in running time for current pattern recognition algorithms. An alternative approach explored here expresses pattern recognition as a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO), which allows algorithms to be run on classical and quantum annealers. While the overall timing of the proposed approach and its scaling has still to be measured and studied, we demonstrate that, in terms of efficiency and purity, the same physics performance of the LHC tracking algorithms can be achieved. More research will be needed to achieve comparable performance in HL-LHC conditions, as increasing track density decreases the purity of the QUBO track segment classifier.
How derivation modes and halting conditions may influence the computational power of P systems
Authors: Freund Rudolf
Published: December 2019

In the area of P systems, besides the standard maximally parallel derivation mode, many other derivation modes have been investigated, too. In this overview paper, many variants of hierarchical P systems using different derivation modes are considered and the effects of using different derivation modes, especially the maximally parallel derivation modes and the maximally parallel set derivation modes, on the generative and accepting power are illustrated. Moreover, an overview on some control mechanisms used for P systems is given. Furthermore, besides the standard total halting, we also consider different halting conditions such as unconditional halting and partial halting and explain how the use of different halting conditions may considerably change the computing power of P systems.
Fire and “Noise” in Late Paleolithic Camps: an Investigation of Issues in Locating Hearths
Authors: Sobkowiak-Tabaka Iwona , Diachenko Aleksandr
Published: December 2019

The acidic sandy environment of the Late Paleolithic sites on the North European Plain usually prevents preservation of not only organic debris such as burnt bones or charcoal but also heat-altered sediments or ash. Therefore, chemical analyses cannot be applied to identify traces of open fires. Instead, the detection of the location of hearths is approached through spatial statistics. This paper tests the utility of the methods which are most widely applied to solve the related research questions. Our analysis is accompanied by case studies on hearths at Late Paleolithic sites in Western Poland related to the Federmesser and Swiderian cultures. The discussion of the quadrant count method and kernel density analysis, ring and sector model, and nearest neighbor statistics show that the last named model is the most appropriate for locating Paleolithic hearths. A number of issues in the application of nearest neighbor statistics may be improved by the additional analysis of the vertical distribution of fire-affected artifacts and development of new approaches for identifying the areas affected by natural or human-made fires in the future.
A Comparative Study of Charging Voltage Curve Analysis and State of Health Estimation of Lithium-ion Batteries in Electric Vehicle
Authors: Han Xuebing , Feng Xuning , Ouyang Minggao , Lu Languang , Li Jianqiu , Zheng Yuejiu , Li Zhe
Published: December 2019

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells degrade after repeated cycling and the cell capacity fades while its resistance increases. Degradation of Li-ion cells is caused by a variety of physical and chemical mechanisms and it is strongly influenced by factors including the electrode materials used, the working conditions and the battery temperature. At present, charging voltage curve analysis methods are widely used in studies of battery characteristics and the constant current charging voltage curves can be used to analyze battery aging mechanisms and estimate a battery’s state of health (SOH) via methods such as incremental capacity (IC) analysis. In this paper, a method to fit and analyze the charging voltage curve based on a neural network is proposed and is compared to the existing point counting method and the polynomial curve fitting method. The neuron parameters of the trained neural network model are used to analyze the battery capacity relative to the phase change reactions that occur inside the batteries. This method is suitable for different types of batteries and could be used in battery management systems for online battery modeling, analysis and diagnosis.
Parental phubbing accelerates depression in late childhood and adolescence:A two‐path model
Authors: Xie Xiaochun , Xie Julan
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Phubbing is a social exclusion behavior related to mobile phone use. It undermines interpersonal relationships and mental health. This study aimed to test the connections between parental phubbing and depression in late childhood and adolescence, as well as the mediating roles of parental warmth, parental rejection, and relatedness need satisfaction.

Methods

We conducted two studies. Study 1 was a cross‐sectional study of 530 Chinese students (268 boys and 262 girls, Mage = 13.15 ± 0.64 years) who completed self‐report questionnaires. We conducted structural modeling to test the relationship between parental phubbing and depression. Study 2 used a short longitudinal design to validate the results of Study 1 and test the mediating roles of parental warmth, parental rejection, and relatedness need satisfaction. In Study 2, we recruited 293 Chinese students (151 boys, 141 girls, and one participant with no reported gender information, M age = 12.87 ± 0.74 years) to complete the questionnaires and applied structural equation modeling to analyze the data.

Results

Two sequential mediation effects were found. The first was parental phubbing → parental warmth → relatedness need satisfaction → depression (protection‐reduced effect). The second was parental phubbing → parental rejection → relatedness need satisfaction → depression (risk‐increased effect). Gender differences were non‐significant.

Conclusions

The study revealed that parental phubbing was associated with students’ depression in late childhood and adolescence through two paths. The present study highlights the need to establish family norms regulating mobile phone use to reduce phubbing.
Synaptic biomarkers in CSF aid in diagnosis, correlate with cognition and predict progression in MCI and Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Galasko Douglas , Xiao Meifang , Xu Desheng , Smirnov Denis , Salmon David P. , Dewit Nele , Vanbrabant Jeroen , Jacobs Dirk , Vanderstichele Hugo , Vanmechelen Eugeen ,   Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), Worley Paul
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Amyloid, Tau, and neurodegeneration biomarkers can stage Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Synaptic biomarkers may help track cognition.

Methods

In cognitively normal controls, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and AD, we investigated CSF biomarkers in relation to cognitive measures and as predictors of cognitive and global decline.

Results

There were 90 normal controls (mean age 73.0, 58% women), 57 MCI (mean age 74.3, 35% women), and 46 AD (mean age 70.7, 41% women). CSF Aβ1‐42 and Neuronal Pentraxin 2 (NPTX2) were decreased, and CSF Tau, neurogranin, and SNAP25 increased in AD versus controls. Aβ1‐42/Tau or NPTX2/Tau discriminated AD and controls best. NPTX2/Tau correlated strongly with cognition in AD and MCI and predicted a 2–3‐year decline. We replicated findings in the ADNI cohort.

Discussion

CSF synaptic biomarkers, particularly NPTX2, which regulates synaptic homeostasis, relate to cognition and predict progression in AD beyond Aβ1‐42 and Tau. This is relevant for prognosis and clinical trials.
The ILO at 100: Institutional Innovation in an Era of Populism
Authors: Helfer Laurence R.
Published: December 2019

International organizations rarely die, but they often become irrelevant. The mere fact of the International Labour Organization's (ILO's) survival thus says little about its accomplishments or impact. Yet the ILO has a rich history of reinventing itself in response to shifts in global labor conditions, and it has responded to those changes with legal and policy innovations that once attracted widespread attention and praise but have recently been met mostly with indifference.
Reimagining Trade Agreements for Workers: Lessons from the USMCA
Authors: Santos Álvaro
Published: December 2019

A backlash against the post-Cold War order of liberal globalization has taken hold in the rich North Atlantic countries. Concerns about wages, working conditions, and economic opportunity are central to the critique of international trade agreements of the last three decades. While labor rights have progressively been included in trade agreements, they have done little to reshape workers’ well-being and workplace conditions. The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) may signal a pivot to a new model requiring reforms of domestic labor law and other issues important to workers. However, there is much more to be done to rebalance the power between capital and labor in trade agreements. In addition, for the United States and other rich countries, reform at home may be equally important.
The emergent structures in digital engineering work: what can we learn from dynamic DSMs of near-identical systems design projects?
Authors: Gopsill James A. , Snider Chris , Hicks Ben J.
Published: December 2019

Design structure matrices (DSMs) are widely known for their ability to support engineers in the management of dependencies across product and organisational architectures. Recent work in the field has exploited product lifecycle management systems to generate DSMs via the co-occurrence of edits to engineering files. These are referred to as dynamic DSMs and results have demonstrated both the efficacy and accuracy of dynamic DSMs in representing engineering work and emergent product architectures. The wide-ranging applicability of the theoretical model and associated analytical process to generate dynamic DSMs enables investigations into the evolving structures within digital engineering work. This paper uses this new capability and presents the results of the world’s first comparison of dynamic DSMs from a set of near-identical systems design projects. Through comparison of the dynamic DSMs’ end-of-project state, change propagation characteristics and evolutionary behaviour, 10 emergent structures are elicited. These emergent structures are considered in the context of team performance and design intent in order to explain and code the identified structures. The significance of these structures for the management of future systems design projects in terms of productivity and efficacy is also described.
Elution efficiency of healthcare pathogens from environmental sampling tools
Authors: West-Deadwyler Rolieria M. , Moulton-Meissner Heather A. , Rose Laura J. , Noble-Wang Judith A.
Published: December 2019

Standardizing healthcare surface sampling requires the evaluation of sampling tools for organism adherence. Here, 7 sampling tools were evaluated to assess their elution efficiencies in the presence of 5 pathogens. Foam sponges (80.6%), microfiber wipes (80.5%), foam swabs (77.9%), and cellulose sponges (66.5%) yielded the highest median elution efficiencies.
Hinge and ecomorphology of Legumen Conrad, 1858 (Bivalvia, Veneridae), and the contraction of venerid morphospace following the end-Cretaceous extinction
Authors: Collins Katie S. , Edie Stewart M. , Jablonski David
Published: December 2019

The Veneridae are the most speciose modern family of bivalves, and one of the most morphologically conservative and homoplastic, making subfamily- and sometimes even genus-level classification difficult. The widespread Cretaceous genus Legumen Conrad, 1858 is currently placed in the subfamily Tapetinae of the Veneridae, although it more closely resembles the Solenoida (razor clams, Pharidae and Solenidae) in general shell form. Here we provide high-resolution images of the Legumen hinge for the first time. We confirm from hinge morphology that Legumen belongs in Veneridae, but it should be referred to incertae subfamiliae, rather than retained in the Tapetinae, particularly in light of the incomplete and unstable understanding of venerid systematics. Legumen represents a unique hinge dentition and a shell form—and associated life habit—that is absent in the modern Veneridae despite their taxonomic diversity. Veneridae are hyperdiverse in the modern fauna, but strikingly ‘under-disparate,’ having lost forms while gaining species in the long recovery from the end-Cretaceous extinction.
Diaspora Identity and a New Generation: Armenian Diaspora Youth on the Genocide and the Karabakh War
Authors: Chernobrov Dmitry , Wilmers Leila
Published: December 2019

In this article, we explore the role of the early 20th-century Armenian genocide and the unresolved Karabakh conflict of the 1990s in identity shaping among the new generation of Armenian diaspora—those who grew up after the establishment of the independent Armenian state in 1991. We draw on original interviews with diasporic youth in France, the United Kingdom, and Russia—diasporas that were largely built in the aftermath of the genocide and the Karabakh war. Diaspora youth relate to these events through transmitted collective memories, but also reconnect with the distant homeland’s past and present in new ways as they engage with new possibilities of transnational digital communication and mobility. Their experiences of identity shed light on how the new generation of diasporic Armenians defines itself in relation to the past; how this past is (re)made present in their interpretations of the Karabakh conflict and in everyday behaviors; and how diasporic youth experience the dilemmas of “moving on” from traumatic narratives that for a long time have been seen as foundational to their identity.
Unravelling Quasi-Continuous 14C Profiles by Laser Ablation AMS
Authors: Yeman C , Christl M , Hattendorf B , Wacker L , Welte C , Brehm N , Synal H-A
Published: December 2019

Laser ablation (LA) accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a novel method for rapid online radiocarbon (14C) analysis of carbonates. The quasi-continuous 14C profiles obtained with this technique demand a customized data evaluation protocol to relate the acquired 14C data to the analyzed sample. We take into account the mixing effects due to the minimal counting (integration) time of the AMS, the finite width of the laser beam and the gas washout of the ablation volume. Thereby we mathematically describe our LA setup with a system function that acts on the produced CO/CO2 (COX) from the sample resulting in a mixing of the 14C profiles obtained by AMS analysis. Furthermore, we analyze the long-term target memory effect in the gas ion source and establish a routine for correction. The correction routine is tested with a stalagmite comprising a growth stop that is analyzed at different scanning velocities indicating that only the slow scanning velocity can provide the necessary resolution to determine the width of the growth stop of 365 μm.
Oral intake of slowly digestible α-glucan, isomaltodextrin, stimulates glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion in the small intestine of rats
Authors: Komuro Yoshihiko , Kondo Takashi , Hino Shingo , Morita Tatsuya , Nishimura Naomichi
Published: December 2019

To investigate whether oral intake of highly branched α-glucan isomaltodextrin (IMD) could stimulate ileal glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion, we examined (1) the digestibility of IMD, (2) the digestion and absorption rates of IMD, in rat small intestine and (3) portal GLP-1 concentration in rats given IMD. In Expt 1, ileorectostomised rats were given a 3 % IMD diet for 10 d. Separately, a 16-h in vitro digestion of IMD, using porcine pancreatic α-amylase and brush-border membrane vesicles from rat small intestine, was conducted. In Expt 2, upon 24-h fasting, rats were given any of glucose, IMD and high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) (1 g/kg of body weight). In Expt 3, caecectomised rats were given 0·2 % neomycin sulphate and a 5 % IMD diet for 10 d. The in vivo and in vitro digestibility of IMD was 70–80 %. The fraction of IMD digested in vitro for the first 120 min was 67 % of that in maize starch. The AUC for 0–120 min of plasma glucose concentration was significantly lower in HAMS group and tended to be lower in IMD group than in the glucose group. Finally, we also observed that, when compared with control rats, glucose of IMD significantly stimulated and improved the concentration of portal active GLP-1 in antibiotic-administered, caecectomised rats. We concluded that IMD was slowly digested and the resulting glucose stimulated GLP-1 secretion in rat small intestine. Oral delivery of slowly released IMD glucose to the small intestine probably exerts important, yet unknown, physiological effects on the recipient.
Crazy Like a Fox? Are Leaders with Reputations for Madness More Successful at International Coercion?
Authors: McManus Roseanne W.
Published: December 2019

According to the ‘Madman Theory’ promoted by Richard Nixon and early rationalist scholars, being viewed as mentally unstable can help a leader coerce foreign adversaries. This article offers the first large-N test of this theory. The author introduces an original perception-based measure of leaders' reputations for madness, coded based on news reports, and analyzes its effect on both general deterrence and crisis bargaining. The study also tests several hypotheses about the conditions under which perceived madness is expected to be more or less helpful. The author finds that perceived madness is harmful to general deterrence and is sometimes also harmful in crisis bargaining, but may be helpful in crisis bargaining under certain conditions. The analysis suggests that the harmful effect of perceived madness results from a commitment problem.
Reading Hawaiian Shakespeare: Indigenous Residue Haunting Settler Colonial Racism
Authors: YIM LAURA LEHUA
Published: December 2019

As scholarly work on race in Shakespeare studies continues to develop, this article examines how important insights from critical Indigenous studies can help us to refine and enhance this work to more fully see historical moments at which Shakespeare's works have been appropriated in response to the oppression of settler colonialism. Taking an 1893 political cartoon from a New York newspaper as a representation of settler violence against Queen Lili‘uokalani of Hawai‘i, this essay traces the uses of Banquo's ghost in Hawaiian newspapers as a figure that haunts the racializing elimination of Native rule.
Genetic analysis of activity, brain and behavioral associations in extended families with heavy genetic loading for bipolar disorder
Authors: Vreeker Annabel , Fears Scott C. , Service Susan K. , Pagani Lucia , Takahashi Joseph S. , Araya Carmen , Araya Xinia , Bejarano Julio , Lopez Maria C. , Montoya Gabriel , Montoya Claudia Patricia , Teshiba Terri M. , Escobar Javier , Cantor Rita M. , López-Jaramillo Carlos , Macaya Gabriel , Molina Julio , Reus Victor I. , Sabatti Chiara , Ophoff Roel A. , Freimer Nelson B. , Bearden Carrie E.
Published: December 2019

Background

Disturbed sleep and activity are prominent features of bipolar disorder type I (BP-I). However, the relationship of sleep and activity characteristics to brain structure and behavior in euthymic BP-I patients and their non-BP-I relatives is unknown. Additionally, underlying genetic relationships between these traits have not been investigated.

Methods

Relationships between sleep and activity phenotypes, assessed using actigraphy, with structural neuroimaging (brain) and cognitive and temperament (behavior) phenotypes were investigated in 558 euthymic individuals from multi-generational pedigrees including at least one member with BP-I. Genetic correlations between actigraphy-brain and actigraphy-behavior associations were assessed, and bivariate linkage analysis was conducted for trait pairs with evidence of shared genetic influences.

Results

More physical activity and longer awake time were significantly associated with increased brain volumes and cortical thickness, better performance on neurocognitive measures of long-term memory and executive function, and less extreme scores on measures of temperament (impulsivity, cyclothymia). These associations did not differ between BP-I patients and their non-BP-I relatives. For nine activity-brain or activity-behavior pairs there was evidence for shared genetic influence (genetic correlations); of these pairs, a suggestive bivariate quantitative trait locus on chromosome 7 for wake duration and verbal working memory was identified.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that increased physical activity and more adequate sleep are associated with increased brain size, better cognitive function and more stable temperament in BP-I patients and their non-BP-I relatives. Additionally, we found evidence for pleiotropy of several actigraphy-behavior and actigraphy-brain phenotypes, suggesting a shared genetic basis for these traits.
Vague language in Hong Kong English, ‘Something like that’
Authors: Quammie–Wallen Patrice
Published: December 2019

The computational analysis of corpora, a body of ‘naturally occurring language texts chosen to characterize a state of variety of a language’ (Sinclair, 1991: 171) provided the opportunity to reveal otherwise unobservable features and patterns across varieties, registers and languages. One such language feature is a ‘lexical bundle’ otherwise known as an n-gram. Vague terms in any language variety can often present themselves in the form of not just individual words (e.g.things,plenty, scores,stuff) but as a group of words that tend to co-occur: a lexical bundle (e.g.loads of,stuff like that,and so on,or what have you). In this paper, the function in Hong Kong English (HKE) of the vague n-gram ‘something like that’ will be explored via corpus methodology to account for its observed hyper-usage in Hong Kong society.
Time to Forget
Authors: Niessen Cornelia , Göbel Kyra , Siebers Michael , Schmid Ute
Published: December 2019

Abstract. Emerging technologies at work encourage the collection and storage of large amounts of data. However, these vast quantities of data are likely to impair efficient work decisions by employees over time, with negative consequences for the organization. As human attention increasingly represents the scarce resource at work, the present paper focuses on a mechanism of attentional control at work – namely, intentionally forgetting unwanted and outdated internal (e. g., knowledge) and external (e. g., digital objects) information. The purpose of this paper is threefold. Based on a short review of the research on intentional forgetting, a prototypical conceptualization of an interactive assistive system (Dare2Del, cognitive companion) is provided, which should support employees in temporally ignoring or permanently deleting outdated information. Then, we completed a critical incident study to examine why and when employees might want to forget information at work, and to identify in which working situations an assistive system should be particularly helpful.
Hepatic gene expression explains primary drug toxicity in bipolar disorder
Authors: Birkl-Toeglhofer Anna Maria , Birkl Christoph , Llenos Ida Cirila , Weis Serge , Haybaeck Johannes
Published: December 2019

In bipolar disorder (BPD), long-term psychotropic drug treatment is often necessary to prevent relapse or recurrence. Nevertheless, adverse drug effects including disturbances in hepatic metabolism are observed and still poorly understood. Here, the association between hepatic gene expression and histopathological changes of the liver was investigated. By the use of microarrays (Affymetrix U133 plus2.0), a genome-wide expression study was performed on BPD patients with psychotropic drug treatment (n = 29) compared to unaffected controls (n = 20) and validated by quantitative real-time PCR. WebGestalt was used to identify over-represented functional pathways of the Reactome database. Association analyses between histopathological changes and differentially expressed genes comprised in the over-represented functional pathways were performed using regression analyses, from which feature-expression heatmaps were drawn. The majority of identified genes were underexpressed and involved in energy supply, metabolism of lipids and proteins, and the innate immune system. Positive associations were found for genes involved in all pathways and degenerative changes. The strongest negative association was observed between genes involved in energy supply and hepatic activity, as well as inflammation. In summary, we found a possible association between gene expression involved in various biological pathways and histopathological changes of the liver in BPD. Further, we found support for the probable primary toxic effect of psychotropic drugs on hepatic injury in BPD. Even if the safety of psychotropic drugs improves, adverse effects especially on hepatic function should not be underestimated.