bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pediatric lung transplantation: Results of volume reduction in smaller children
Authors: Martens Thomas , Kanakis Meletios , Spencer Helen , Muthialu Nagarajan
Published: June 2020

Pediatric LTX is challenged by the scarcity of suitable donor organs. To alleviate the problem of size matching, volume reduction of the donor is a possible option. Previous reports address mostly older teenagers, and data about younger patients are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether trimming had influence on the morbidity and mortality in slightly younger recipients, operated in a single center. Between 2015 and 2018, 20 patients were transplanted at the GOSH London. The mean age was 11.5 (±4.6) years. Nine patients underwent volume reduction prior to transplantation (T group). The other patients received classical bilateral LTX (NT group). Ischemia times were longer in the T group, but this difference was not statistically significant. We observed no 30‐day mortality. Hospital survival in the T group was 78% vs 90% in the NT group. After almost 3 years, mortality in the T group was 22% vs 28% in the NT group. None of these differences was statistically significant. The mean duration of MV, intensive care stay, and hospital stay were 11.5, 19.9, and 44.8 days, respectively. Results were equal in terms of morbidity, defined as respiratory and neurological complications or the need for ECMO. Results show that volume reduction prior to LTX is a feasible option, even in smaller children. While awaiting long‐term results, accepting larger donor organs could be a strategy to further reduce waiting list time and subsequently lower the mortality on the waiting list.
Efficacy of yokukansan compared with clonazepam for rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder: a preliminary retrospective study
Authors: Ozone Motohiro , Shimazaki Hayato , Ichikawa Hikaru , Shigeta Masahiro
Published: June 2020

Aim

Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is characterized by abnormal behaviours accordant with nightmares during rapid eye movement sleep and is considered a prodromal marker of dementia with Lewy body. Most common in the elderly population, RBD is generally treated with clonazepam (CZP), a long‐term acting benzodiazepine antiepileptic. As such, alternative drugs for RBD are urgently needed to minimize the adverse effects peculiar to benzodiazepines. The efficacy of yokukansan (YKS), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, on RBD was initially reported by Shinno et al. in 2008. However, no study has compared YKS with CZP. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the possibility of using YKS as an alternative to CZP.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at Jikei University Affiliated Hospital. The subjects were selected from 36 outpatients who had been diagnosed with RBD based on the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, third edition. Of the 23 who met the inclusion criteria but not the exclusion criteria, 11 were treated with YKS monotherapy, and 12 were treated with CZP monotherapy. The primary outcome was the total score on the Japanese version of the Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behaviour Disorder Questionnaire (RBDQ‐JP), and the secondary outcomes were the scores from the eight‐item Short‐Form Health Survey and factors 1 and 2 of the RBDQ‐JP.

Results

The mean total RBDQ‐JP score significantly improved from 52.5 to 21.7 (P = 0.002) after treatment with YKS (mean dosage: 3.0 g/day), which was similar to the change after CZP treatment (from 43.8 to 21.3). On RBDQ‐JP factor 1 (dream content), the mean score on five of six items significantly improved after treatment with YKS. There was no significant change in Short‐Form Health Survey scores after treatment with either drug. Potassium concentrations were within the normal range in patients treated with YKS.

Conclusions

The present results suggest that a small amount of YKS may be an alternative to CZP for RBD, without remarkable adverse events. Further study is needed to prospectively clarify the efficacy and safety of YKS in more detail.
A Guide to Benchmarking COVID‐19 Performance Data
Authors: George Bert , Verschuere Bram , Wayenberg Ellen , Zaki Bishoy Louis
Published: June 2020

If the COVID‐19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is that policy makers, experts, and public managers need to be capable of interpreting comparative data on their government's performance in a meaningful way. Simultaneously, they are confronted with different data sources (and measurements) on COVID‐19 without necessarily having the tools to assess these sources strategically. Because of the speed with which decisions are required and the different data sources, it can be challenging for any policy maker, expert, or public manager to make sense of how COVID‐19 has an impact, especially from a comparative perspective. Starting from the question “How can we benchmark COVID‐19 performance data across countries?,” this article presents important indicators, measurements, and their strengths and weaknesses, and concludes with practical recommendations. These include a focus on measurement equivalence, systems thinking, spatial and temporal thinking, multilevel governance, and multimethod designs.
Trust but sometimes verify: Regulatory enforcement in attestation‐based immigration programs
Authors: Rissing Ben A.
Published: June 2020

This study examines a little‐known but prolific form of regulation: organizations' self‐reported compliance attestations. The paper presents systematic analyses of multiple assessment procedures in the U.S. Department of Labor's (DoL) labor certification program, a frequent requirement for immigrant employment‐based permanent residency. In applications, employers attest to (i) recruiting a qualified immigrant and (ii) the lack of available U.S. workers. DoL assessment procedures to evaluate compliance include: reviewing attestations alone, auditing for supporting documentation (due to agent discretion, random selection, or automated triggers), or inspecting employer activities (due to agent discretion or automated triggers). Administrative records reveal differential approval by assessment procedure, and interviews reveal selective enforcement of DoL regulatory mandates. Reviews of attestations alone (95.9 percent approved) generally targeted employers' hiring of a qualified immigrant. Assessment procedures involving auditing and inspection granted fewer approvals and frequently also examined U.S. worker availability. Findings emphasize case sorting as a key process shaping enforcement.
Inflation, Unemployment, and Economic Growth in a Schumpeterian Economy*
Authors: Chu Angus C. , Cozzi Guido , Fan Haichao , Furukawa Yuichi
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we explore the relationship between inflation and unemployment in a monetary Schumpeterian growth model. Under the cash‐in‐advance (CIA) constraint on research and development (R&D), higher inflation reduces innovation and increases unemployment. Under the CIA constraint on consumption, higher inflation also reduces innovation but decreases unemployment instead. Therefore, the two CIA constraints imply drastically different relationships between inflation and unemployment. This theoretical result is consistent with our empirical finding, and it provides a plausible explanation for the mixed empirical results in the literature. Calibrating our model to aggregate data in the United States and the Eurozone, we also explore the relationship between inflation and unemployment quantitatively.
Evidence for misleading decision support in characterizing differences in tolerance to reduced central blood volume using measurements of tissue oxygenation
Authors: Schlotman Taylor E. , Akers Kevin S. , Cardin Sylvain , Morris Michael J. , Le Tuan , Convertino Victor A.
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

The physiological response to hemorrhage includes vasoconstriction in an effort to shunt blood to the heart and brain. Hemorrhaging patients can be classified as “good” compensators who demonstrate high tolerance (HT) or “poor” compensators who manifest low tolerance (LT) to central hypovolemia. Compensatory vasoconstriction is manifested by lower tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), which has propelled this measure as a possible early marker of shock. The compensatory reserve measurement (CRM) has also shown promise as an early indicator of decompensation.

METHODS

Fifty‐one healthy volunteers (37% LT) were subjected to progressive lower body negative pressure (LBNP) as a model of controlled hemorrhage designed to induce an onset of decompensation. During LBNP, CRM was determined by arterial waveform feature analysis. StO2, muscle pH, and muscle H+ concentration were calculated from spectrum using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) on the forearm.

RESULTS

These values were statistically indistinguishable between HT and LT participants at baseline (p ≥ 0.25). HT participants exhibited lower (p = 0.01) StO2 at decompensation compared to LT participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower StO2 measured in patients during low flow states associated with significant hemorrhage does not necessarily translate to a more compromised physiological state, but may reflect a greater resistance to the onset of shock. Only the CRM was able to distinguish between HT and LT participants early in the course of hemorrhage, supported by a significantly greater ROC AUC (0.90) compared with STO2 (0.68). These results support the notion that measures of StO2 could be misleading for triage and resuscitation decision support.
Field‐expedient thawing of fresh‐frozen plasma
Authors: Meledeo Michael Adam , Peltier Grantham C. , McIntosh Colby S. , Corley Jason B. , Bynum James A. , Cap Andrew P.
Published: June 2020

INTRODUCTION

Frozen plasma is superior to crystalloids for hemorrhage resuscitation but remains logistically challenging in austere environments because of specialized clinical equipment for on‐demand thawing. This research examines some ad hoc thawing techniques that have been implemented by military medical personnel.

METHODS

Fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP) units were thawed accordingly: using a slow cooker (three temperature settings) with preheated or room temperature water; affixing flameless ration heaters from meals ready‐to‐eat (MREs) to FFP and submerging in water; exposing FFP to electric kettle‐boiled water; incubating with a sous vide immersion circulator; or using a clinical thawer (control). Hemostatic function, thrombin generation, factor activities, and essential chemistry were measured after thawing.

RESULTS

Even at the highest temperatures, without preheated water the slow cooker doubled thawing time (62.5 min vs. control, 32.5 min; p < 0.0001), and the final temperature was 13.5°C versus 28.8°C in control (p < 0.01). When preheated, the slow cooker thawed in 31.3 minutes (p < 0.05), with a final temperature of 22.4°C. Kettle‐boiled water thawed in 23.0 minutes with a final temperature of 25.1°C. The sous vide thawed in 28.1 minutes, with a final temperature of 20.2°C. MRE heaters were insufficient. Functional measures were similar in all conditions.

DISCUSSION

In emergencies, protracted plasma thawing is unacceptable, and slower thawing methods also produced cryoprecipitate. Although no functional changes were observed with boiled water thawing, potential negative physiological impacts must be examined. Safe, controlled thawing can be obtained with the sous vide, although optimization requires further testing.
Blood component separation of pathogen‐reduced whole blood by the PRP method produces acceptable red cells but platelet yields and function are diminished
Authors: Herzig Maryanne C. , Fedyk Chriselda G. , Montgomery Robbie K. , Schaffer Beverly S. , Bynum James A , Pidcoke Heather F. , Cap Andrew P.
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated blood components processed by the platelet rich plasma (PRP) method from fresh whole blood (FWB) treated with a pathogen reduction technology (PRT). The effects of storage temperature on PRT treated platelet concentrates (PCs) were also examined.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

PRT was performed using riboflavin and ultraviolet light on FWB in citrate phosphate dextrose anticoagulant. Following PRT, red blood cells (RBCs), PCs, and plasma for fresh frozen plasma (FFP), were isolated by sequential centrifugation. RBCs were stored at 4°C, FFP at −80°C, and PC at 22°C or at 4°C. Components were assayed throughout their storage times for blood gases, chemistry and CBC, hemostatic function as well as platelet (PLT) and RBC integrity.

RESULTS

Component processing following PRT resulted in a significant drop in platelet recovery. Most PRT‐PC bags fell below AABB guidelines for platelet count. PRT‐PC also showed a decrease in clot strength and decreased aggregometry response. Platelet caspases were activated by PRT. Storage at 4°C improved platelet function. In PRT‐FFP, prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time (PT and aPTT) were prolonged; factors V, VII, VIII, and XI, protein C, and fibrinogen were significantly decreased. Free hemoglobin was elevated two‐fold in PRT‐RBC.

CONCLUSION

Blood components isolated by the PRP method from PRT‐treated WB result in a high percentage of PC that fail to meet AABB guidelines. FFP also shows diminished coagulation capacity. However, PRT‐RBC are comparable to control‐RBC. PRT‐WB retains acceptable hemostatic function but alternatives to the PRP method of component separation may be more suitable.
Equine herpesvirus 1‐associated ulcerative dermatitis in a horse
Authors: C Bergeron Camylle , Allano Marion , Cluzel Caroline , Doré Monique , Sauvé Frédéric
Published: June 2020

This case report describes the clinical and histopathological findings of an infection caused by equine herpesvirus‐1 (EHV‐1) in a horse showing respiratory signs and a papular, crusted and ulcerative dermatitis involving mucosae. This diagnosis was supported by real‐time PCR positive for EHV‐1 on nasal swabs and tissues.
Validation and comparison of four handheld tonometers in normal ex vivo canine eyes
Authors: Minella Andrea L. , Kiland Julie A. , Gloe Shawna , McLellan Gillian J.
Published: June 2020

Objectives

To determine the accuracy and precision of the Icare®TONOVET Plus rebound tonometer and the Tono‐Pen AVIA Vet™ applanation tonometer for intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement in normal ex vivo canine eyes and comparison to earlier models of these tonometers.

Animals & procedures

The anterior chambers of six normal dog eyes were cannulated ex vivo. IOP was measured with the TONOVET (TV01), TONOVET Plus, Tono‐Pen Vet™, and Tono‐Pen AVIA Vet™ at manometric IOPs ranging from 5 to 70 mm Hg. Data were analyzed by linear regression, ANOVA and Bland‐Altman plots. APvalue ≤ .05 was considered significant.

Results

Intraocular pressure values obtained using the TONOVET Plus and TV01 were significantly more accurate than with the Tono‐Pen VET and Tono‐Pen AVIA Vet, particularly at higher IOPs (30‐70 mm Hg). Accuracy was not significantly different between any of the devices in the low to normal physiologic IOP range (5‐25 mm Hg). Level of precision was high for all devices, though the TONOVET Plus was more precise than the Tono‐Pen Vet in the 5‐25 mmHg range and the TV01 was more precise than the Tono‐Pen AVIA Vet over the whole IOP range.

Conclusions

All devices underestimated IOP, particularly at higher pressures. Rebound tonometers were more accurate over the full range of IOP tested and in the high IOP range; however, there were no significant differences in accuracy among devices in the physiologic IOP range. All tonometers can provide clinically useful IOP readings in dogs, but rebound and applanation tonometers should not be used interchangeably.
An Innovative Online Knowledge Translation Curriculum in Graduate Education
Authors: Astle Barbara , Reimer‐Kirkham Sheryl , Theron Magdalena Julya , Lee Joyce W. K.
Published: June 2020

Background

There is increased acknowledgment of the importance of knowledge translation (KT) in the role of graduate‐prepared healthcare practitioners, such as nurses, as change agents in the mobilization of evidence‐based knowledge. The offering of flexible educational programming online and hybrid course delivery in higher education is a response to insufficient didactic methods for providing graduate students with the competencies to facilitate KT.

Aims

To describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a cohort‐based, online, innovative KT curriculum using a theoretical approach to KT called the Knowledge‐As‐Action Framework, which focuses on the knower, knowledge, and context as being inseparable. This process strategically engages with stakeholders to link practice concerns with existing realities, thus providing the best available knowledge to inform KT action in complex healthcare contexts.

Methods

The Model of Evidence‐Informed, Context‐Relevant, Unified Curriculum Development in Nursing Education guided the cohort‐based online KT course process. The development, implementation, and evaluation involved (a) an environmental scan, (b) a literature review, (c) faculty development, (d) curriculum design of two 10‐week courses, and (e) a summation of the concurrent participatory evaluation of the two courses, including faculty and student responses. The Knowledge‐As‐Action Framework is comprised of six interrelated dimensions as part of a “kite” metaphor, with the underlying premise that if any one of the dimensions results in an imbalance, the KT process may be grounded.

Results

Evaluation revealed (a) intentionality of the core processes of curriculum work; (b) effectiveness of indicators for evaluating the KT courses; (c) leadership should be added as a learning domain for KT; (d) the Knowledge‐As‐Action Framework provided an integrated, philosophical, and evidence‐based approach to KT; (e) cohort model facilitated a community of inquiry; and (f) the formalized structured approach of the courses with ongoing supervision and mentoring allowed for timely completion.

Linking Evidence to Action

Teaching and learning in an online cohort model created a community of inquiry and facilitated experiential learning. The active engagement of students with their practice‐based stakeholders promoted change in clinical settings and enhanced students’ professional development to lead change.
Enhancing Classroom Engagement Through Padlet as a Learning Tool: A Case Study
Authors: Megat Mohd. Zainuddin Norziha , Mohd Azmi Nurulhuda Firdaus , Mohd Yusoff Rasimah Che , Shariff Sya Azmeela , Wan Hassan Wan Azlan
Published: June 2020

Activities conducted in classrooms are important to acquire students’ understanding and participation in a learning environment. Some of perceived barriers that prevent students to participate in classroom activities include difficulty to speak, shy, fear to interact or provide comments. This paper focuses on using Padlet for e-learning and presents the activities of engaging and stimulating students in active learning. This is one way of how instructors can obtain information from each student by encouraging participation. The research employs quantitative approach. A semi-structured questionnaire was distributed among 39 postgraduate students who enrolled in the Business Statistics for Data Science course. Factors such as motivation, active learning, collaboration, learning opportunity, usefulness, ease of use, and satisfaction were used to measure their engagement. The findings show that active learning through Padlet has a significant effect on improving students’ engagement in classroom activities.
Cyberbully Detection Using Term Weighting Scheme and Naïve Bayes Classifier
Authors: Mohamad Rabii Rafeena , Md Siraj Maheyzah
Published: June 2020

The internet especially social media has been a major platform where people interact with each other. We are able to interact with each other regardless of time and place because of the advancement of technology. Unfortunately, not all of the interaction that goes on are good or positive. One of the negative interaction that can happen online is cyberbullying which has rapidly increase throughout the years, whether it be through social media, emails or texting. Therefore, it is important to prevent cyberbullying from occurring which is why this research is done. Detection the presence of cyberbullying is one if the main issue in avoiding it from happening. Cyberbullying detection can be challenging because the many languages used in the world, most of the time slangs and informal languages are used and special characters like emoji are also used during online conversation. The aim of this research is to detect the presence of text cyberbullying from online post. Two term weighting schemes and two classification algorithms are compared in this research. The weighting schemes used namely Entropy and Term Frequency -  Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) for feature selection and Naïve Bayes algorithm is used and compared with Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm. As a result, it shows that Naïve Bayes classifier yields a better accuracy when used with TF-IDF which is 97.60%. Hopefully this research is able give other researchers an insight, particularly to those who are interested in a similar area.
On Evaluation of Career Education Courses
Authors: Hloušková Lenka , Veselá Jana
Published: June 2020

Career counselling services in the Czech Republic are not a frequent subject of empirical research and a similar situation is in the case of career education courses. The aim of this empirical study is to provide empirical evidence on which evaluation of the career education courses provided by university counselling centres could be based. Empirical evidence, on which we base evaluation process proposal, is represented by results of qualitative research on the topic of meeting the learning and educational needs of clients of university counselling centres through career education courses. The empirical survey was conducted using grounded theory design, but for the purpose of this article, we only work with statements of 32 students of three public universities in Brno who, in the course of their studies, attended at least one career education course. First, the needs and situations that led the students to the decision to participate in career education courses are described in the text. Further ways of meeting the learning and educational needs are described and attention is paid also to factors that influence meeting the needs. Subsequently, with reference to the existing approaches to evaluation of career counselling services and discovered links between the outputs and impact of the courses, a proposal of career education courses structure which combines evaluation focusing on the process and evaluation focusing on the outputs of the career education processes is presented. The proposed structure of the evaluation process may become an inspiration for the approach to career education courses evaluation as well as for their innovation.
The Decarboniztion of Gas Turbine Power
Authors: Langston Lee S.
Published: June 2020

The gas turbine industry is facing the prospects of meeting proposed national and international targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and for the promotion of sustainable energy. The evolving role of gas turbines to decarbonize the world’s energy conversion systems has been the theme of articles in the Global Gas Turbine News (GGTN) in the last three issues, of September 2019, December 2019 and March 2020. The articles are reviewed here
Explicit Aerodynamic Model Characterization of a Multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Quasi-Steady Flight
Authors: Rodríguez de Cos Carlos , Acosta José Ángel
Published: June 2020

In the last years, the research on unmanned aerial systems (UASs) has shown a marked growth and the models to simulate UASs have been deeply studied. Although onboard controller algorithms have increased their complexity, most of them still rely on simplistic models. In essence, aerodynamic forces/torques are generally considered either insignificant compared to propulsion and inertial forces or acceptably modeled with constant aerodynamic coefficients estimated in a particular flight regime. However, the increase of power in the onboard computers allows to make controller algorithms more complex, and therefore, to increase the total performance of the UAS. In this regard, this work provides an explicit aerodynamic model for multirotor UAS that, unlike most of the current models, does not need iterations to be adjusted to the flight conditions at a higher computational cost. This explicit nature makes it an excellent choice for being implemented in onboard computers, thus covering a broad range of applications, from controller design to numerical analysis (e.g., the capture nonlinear phenomena like bifurcations). To obtain this accurate explicit mathematical aerodynamic model, a thorough analysis of a batch of simulations is carried out. In these simulations, the aerodynamic forces and torques are estimated using computer fluid dynamics (CFD), and the propulsive effects are taken into account via blade element momentum theory (BEMT). A study of its implementation for different regimes and platforms is also provided, as well as some potential applications of the solution, like robust control strategies or machine learning.
Facilitation as an Act of Love: A Self-Study of How a Facilitator’s Pedagogy Changed Over Time in the Process of Supporting a Community of Learners
Authors: Luguetti Carla , Oliver Kimberly L. , Parker Melissa
Published: June 2020

Purpose: This study aims to understand how a facilitator’s pedagogy changed over time in the process of supporting a community of learners to teach using an activist sport approach. Methods: Self-study framed this four-semester research project. Participants included the lead author, two critical friends, 10 preservice teachers, and 110 youth. Data collected included lead researcher’s field notes and debriefing meetings between the lead author and the two critical friends. Results: Findings identified the facilitator’s: (a) struggles to create a democratic learning space in a university context, (b) discomfort with giving up control and allowing for various degrees of preservice teachers’ engagement, and (c) negotiation of feeling of saudade (the love that remains after someone is gone) while creating a group identity. Discussion/Conclusion: A pedagogy of facilitation as an act of love offers genuine possibilities for decolonizing and reinventing reality by naming, critiquing, and challenging/negotiating forms of oppression.
High-Intensity Interval Training and Health Optimizing Physical Education: Achieving Health and Educative Outcomes in Secondary Physical Education—A Pilot Nonrandomized Comparison Trial
Authors: Dudley Dean , Weaver Nathan , Cairney John
Published: June 2020

Although high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is perceived to be an efficient way to meet health outcomes in physical education (PE), the effect of HIIT on the learning environment of students is unknown. Purpose: This study compared two PE interventions lasting 8 weeks and assessed the potential efficacy of embedding HIIT into a PE program to meet concurrent health and educative outcomes. Methods: Participants (N = 166; mean age = 12.91 years) were assigned to one of two study conditions according to intact groupings: HIIT program (n = 84) and dynamic PE (DPE) program (n = 82). Assessments occurred at baseline and postintervention. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to test the intervention effects in each group. Results: Postintervention analysis demonstrated increases in health indices of both groups and comparing the effect size of each intervention revealed no difference. Systematic direct observation revealed effects for the provision of terminal feedback within the HIIT intervention (g = 1.03) when compared with the DPE intervention. A self-report questionnaire revealed changes in motivation toward PE among students allocated to the HIIT group were trivial, whereas students exposed to the DPE program displayed increased levels of motivation toward their PE experience. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that HIIT may elicit positive changes in PE settings by creating a “time potential” leading to an increased opportunity to learn without negating health gains. The DPE program proved to be move favorable in terms of student motivations to learn during PE.
Genomic Study of
bla
IMI
-Positive Enterobacter cloacae Complex in Singapore over a Five-Year Study Period
Authors: Octavia Sophie , Koh Tse Hsien , Ng Oon Tek , Marimuthu Kalisvar , Venkatachalam Indumathi , Lin Raymond T. P. , Teo Jeanette W. P.
Published: June 2020

The
bla
IMI
gene is rarely detected outside the
Enterobacter
genus. Genomic characterization of 87
bla
IMI
-positive
Enterobacter cloacae
complex members revealed that the largest phylogenomic clade was made up of
E. cloacae
subsp.
cloacae
(71.3%), followed by the newly described species
E. bugandensis
(13.8%),
E. sichuanensis
(10.
Optimal Response to Quorum-Sensing Signals Varies in Different Host Environments with Different Pathogen Group Size
Authors: Zhou Liqin , Slamti Leyla , Lereclus Didier , Raymond Ben
Published: June 2020

Quorum sensing describes the ability of microbes to alter gene regulation according to their local population size. Some successful theory suggests that this is a form of cooperation, namely, investment in shared products is only worthwhile if there are sufficient bacteria making the same product. This theory can explain the genetic diversity in these signaling systems in Gram-positive bacteria, such as
Bacillus
and
Staphylococcus
sp. The possible advantages gained by rare genotypes (which can exploit the products of their more common neighbors) could explain why different genotypes can coexist. We show that while these social interactions can occur in simple laboratory experiments, they do not occur in naturalistic infections using an invertebrate pathogen,
Bacillus thuringiensis
. Instead, our results suggest that different genotypes are adapted to differently sized hosts. Overall, social models are not easily applied to this system, implying that a different explanation for this form of quorum sensing is required.
Leishmania
Encodes a Bacterium-like 2,4-Dienoyl-Coenzyme A Reductase That Is Required for Fatty Acid β-Oxidation and Intracellular Parasite Survival
Authors: Semini Geo , Paape Daniel , Blume Martin , Sernee M. Fleur , Peres-Alonso Diego , Calvignac-Spencer Sébastien , Döllinger Jörg , Jehle Stefan , Saunders Eleanor , McConville Malcolm J. , Aebischer Toni
Published: June 2020

The Trypanosomatidae are protozoan parasites that infect insects, plants, and animals and have evolved complex monoxenous (single host) and dixenous (two hosts) lifestyles. A number of species of Trypanosomatidae, including
Leishmania
spp., have evolved the capacity to survive within intracellular niches in vertebrate hosts. The adaptations, metabolic and other, that are associated with development of intracellular lifestyles remain poorly defined. We show that genomes of
Leishmania
and Trypanosomatidae that can survive intracellularly encode a 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase that is involved in catabolism of a subclass of fatty acids. The trypanosomatid enzyme shows closest similarity to the corresponding bacterial enzymes and is located in the mitochondrion and essential for intracellular growth of
Leishmania
. The findings suggest that acquisition of this gene by lateral gene transfer from bacteria by ancestral monoxenous Trypanosomatidae likely contributed to the development of a dixenous lifestyle of these parasites.
Plugging Small RNAs into the Network
Authors: Barquist Lars
Published: June 2020

Small RNAs (sRNAs) have been discovered in every bacterium examined and have been shown to play important roles in the regulation of a diverse range of behaviors, from metabolism to infection. However, despite a wide range of available techniques for discovering and validating sRNA regulatory interactions, only a minority of these molecules have been well characterized. In part, this is due to the nature of posttranscriptional regulation: the activity of an sRNA depends on the state of the transcriptome as a whole, so characterization is best carried out under the conditions in which it is naturally active.
Discovery of two new super-eruptions from the Yellowstone hotspot track (USA): Is the Yellowstone hotspot waning?
Authors: Knott Thomas R. , Branney Michael J. , Reichow Marc K. , Finn David R. , Tapster Simon , Coe Robert S.
Published: June 2020

Super-eruptions are amongst the most extreme events to affect Earth’s surface, but too few examples are known to assess their global role in crustal processes and environmental impact. We demonstrate a robust approach to recognize them at one of the best-preserved intraplate large igneous provinces, leading to the discovery of two new super-eruptions. Each generated huge and unusually hot pyroclastic density currents that sterilized extensive tracts of Idaho and Nevada in the United States. The ca. 8.99 Ma McMullen Creek eruption was magnitude 8.6, larger than the last two major eruptions at Yellowstone (Wyoming). Its volume exceeds 1700 km3, covering ≥12,000 km2. The ca. 8.72 Ma Grey’s Landing eruption was even larger, at magnitude of 8.8 and volume of ≥2800 km3. It covers ≥23,000 km2 and is the largest and hottest documented eruption from the Yellowstone hotspot. The discoveries show the effectiveness of distinguishing and tracing vast deposit sheets by combining trace-element chemistry and mineral compositions with field and paleomagnetic characterization. This approach should lead to more discoveries and size estimates, here and at other provinces. It has increased the number of known super-eruptions from the Yellowstone hotspot, shows that the temporal framework of the magmatic province needs revision, and suggests that the hotspot may be waning.
An intensified East Asian winter monsoon in the Japan Sea between 7.9 and 6.6 Ma
Authors: Matsuzaki Kenji M. , Suzuki Noritoshi , Tada Ryuji
Published: June 2020

The Japan Sea was a semi-closed marginal sea mainly connected to the subarctic northwestern Pacific via shallow seaways during the late Miocene. We use a multiple regression analysis with common extant radiolarian species groups to estimate the sea-surface temperature (SST) for the period between 9.1 and 5.3 Ma. Our results show a cooling of 8 °C between 7.9 and 6.6 Ma, when the SST dropped from 24 °C to 16 °C. We infer that this cooling dominantly reflects wintertime cooling related to an intensified East Asian winter monsoon. On the other hand, cooling of the summertime SST occurred from 6.6 to 5.8 Ma, suggesting that the late Miocene global cooling is composed of a wintertime cooling phase from 7.9 to 6.6 Ma and summertime cooling phase from 6.6 to 5.8 Ma.
Robin Lee
Authors: Griffiths Ian , Holmes Peter , Sullivan Martin , Wright Norman
Published: June 2020

A respected and popular academic at University of Glasgow Veterinary School, he played a key role in the development of investigative radiology of small animals.
Skeletal muscle of females and males with constitutional thinness: a low intramuscular lipid content and oxidative profile
Authors: Bailly Mélina , Germain Natacha , Féasson Léonard , Costes Frédéric , Estour Bruno , Hourdé Christophe , N. Merlet Angèle , Thomas Thierry , Hager Jorg , Pereira Bruno , Thivel David , Courteix Daniel , Galusca Bogdan , Verney Julien
Published: June 2020

Constitutional thinness (CT) is a nonpathological state of underweight. The current study aimed to explore skeletal muscle energy storage in individuals with CT and to further characterize muscle phenotype at baseline and in response to overfeeding. Thirty subjects with CT (15 females, 15 males) and 31 normal-weight control subjects (16 females, 15 males) participated in the study. Histological and enzymological analyses were performed on muscle biopsy specimens before and after overfeeding. In the skeletal muscle of CT participants compared with controls, we observed a lower content of intramuscular triglycerides for type I (−17%, p < 0.01) and type IIA (−14%, p < 0.05) muscle fibers, a lower glycogen content for type I (−6%, p < 0.01) and type IIA (−5%, p < 0.05) muscle fibers, a specific fiber-type distribution, a marked muscle hypotrophy (−20%, p < 0.001), a low capillary-to-fiber ratio (−19%, p < 0.001), and low citrate synthase activity (−18%, p < 0.05). In response to overfeeding, CT participants increased their intramuscular triglycerides content in type I (+10%, p < 0.01) and type IIA (+9%, p < 0.01) muscle fibers. CT individuals seem to present an unusual muscle phenotype and different adaptations to overfeeding compared with normal-weight individuals, suggesting a specific energy metabolism and muscle adaptations. ClinicalTrials.gov registration no. NCT02004821.

Novelty Low intramuscular triglycerides and glycogen content in skeletal muscle of constitutionally thin individuals. Low oxidative capacity, low capillary supply, and fiber hypotrophy in skeletal muscle of constitutionally thin individuals. Increase in intramuscular triglycerides in constitutional thinness in response to overfeeding.
Bat bites and rabies: the Canadian scene
Authors: Fenton M. Brock , Jackson Alan C. , Faure Paul A.
Published: June 2020

Bats are susceptible to rabies. Although bats may appear to be asymptomatic carriers of rabies for a few days, eventually they fall ill to the viral infection and die. Two of at least four bat-specific variants of rabies virus in Canada have killed humans. Rabies is usually transmitted by biting, but bats are small mammals so their bites may go unnoticed. People exposed to rabid animals should receive postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). With 60 known human deaths from 1950 to 2009, rabies is rare in Canada and the United States of America compared with India where it kills over 100 people annually. In Asia and Africa, most human rabies is acquired from dog bites. In Brazil, dog and bat bites together account for >80% of human rabies. In Canada, rabies is a disease primarily confined to wildlife (foxes, racoons, skunks, and bats). The public image of bats is negatively affected by their association with diseases. Too often bats are victimized by allegations of their role in deadly diseases such as rabies, Ebola, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In general, bats are not dangerous, but humans should seek treatment if they are bitten by one. (Graphical abstract shows a 4-g elegant myotis biting MBF’s finger—photo by Sherri and Brock Fenton.)
Computational Aeroelastic method for rotor based on MBDYN
Authors: Xiao Zhongyun , Mou Bin , Jiang Xiong , Han Wei
Published: June 2020

A framework of numerical formulations for the aeroelastic analysis of helicopter rotor is presented in this paper. The blade structural dynamics are modeled by an open source multibody dynamic software MBDYN, which solves finite element equation of elastic bodies in general motions. Then the structural deformation is transformed to blade surface grid by radial base function (RBF) interpolation, and volume grids are regenerated by RBF and TFI methods. Lastly, the fluid governing equations are solved. By integrating the above methods, S76 hovering rotors are simulated and compared to the test data. Results show that elastic torsion decreases local angle of attack. For status at [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], the shock and shock-induced separation are reduced on the outboard blade, which has remarkable effects on the prediction of rotor hovering performance.
Future developments for ground models
Authors: de Freitas Michael H.
Published: June 2020

A ground model is now an accepted part of any ground engineering that requires a prediction to be made of how the ground on and around a site will respond to the engineering changes caused by construction. However, until now it has not been possible to quantify how predictions of such responses can be improved by developing the ground model. Thanks to the instrumentation provided by glass fibres that can be inserted into the ground, a stream of factual evidence of ground response to engineering change has been provided from measuring the Brillouin spectra of fibres as they deform. Thus, it is both possible and timely to research the ways in which a ground model can be improved to assist the quantitative prediction of ground response to engineering change. This paper outlines and summarizes key areas where further work is needed. The fundamental need is to enable a ground model to be a quantitative source for predicting ground response; ways for achieving this, through the development of field and laboratory testing, are described. Augmenting the currently accepted descriptions of rocks and soils will also be needed as these are biased towards describing what earth materials ‘are’ when what is also needed are descriptions of what earth materials ‘do’; that is, how they respond to change. Such descriptions include all scales of observation from the ‘mass’ to the ‘material’; however, there are inherent problems with quantifications that cross scales. A ground model will contain information that crosses many scales from 1:1 to 1:50 000 and a better understanding is required of what a mix of scales does to the data generated from such models. Attention must also be paid to the inputs made from non-geologists and how they can be incorporated into a ground model, especially those from drillers and laboratory staff. These are the people who probably see more of the ground than most consultants and designers, and how it responds to drilling and testing; that is, to engineering change, the very topic that needs to be strengthened in ground models. Such practitioners will need appropriate teaching and training for them to make these contributions. The research for such advances is an ideal field for those in academia who wish to collaborate with industry; it is technically possible and timely.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Ground models in engineering geology and hydrogeology collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/Ground-models-in-engineering-geology-and-hydrogeology
A Survey of the Model Transfer Approaches to Cross-Lingual Dependency Parsing
Authors: Das Ayan , Sarkar Sudeshna
Published: June 2020

Cross-lingual dependency parsing approaches have been employed to develop dependency parsers for the languages for which little or no treebanks are available using the treebanks of other languages. A language for which the cross-lingual parser is developed is usually referred to as the target language and the language whose treebank is used to train the cross-lingual parser model is referred to as the source language. The cross-lingual parsing approaches for dependency parsing may be broadly classified into three categories: model transfer, annotation projection, and treebank translation. This survey provides an overview of the various aspects of the model transfer approach of cross-lingual dependency parsing. In this survey, we present a classification of the model transfer approaches based on the different aspects of the method. We discuss some of the challenges associated with cross-lingual parsing and the techniques used to address these challenges. In order to address the difference in vocabulary between two languages, some approaches use only non-lexical features of the words to train the models while others use shared representations of the words. Some approaches address the morphological differences by chunk-level transfer rather than word-level transfer. The syntactic differences between the source and target languages are sometimes addressed by transforming the source language treebanks or by combining the resources of multiple source languages. Besides cross-lingual transfer parser models may be developed for a specific target language or it may be trained to parse sentences of multiple languages. With respect to the above-mentioned aspects, we look at the different ways in which the methods can be classified. We further classify and discuss the different approaches from the perspective of the corresponding aspects. We also demonstrate the performance of the transferred models under different settings corresponding to the classification aspects on a common dataset.
Investigation of Thermal Properties of β-Ga2O3 Nanomembranes on Diamond Heterostructure Using Raman Thermometry
Authors: Zheng Yixiong , Swinnich Edward , Seo Jung-Hun
Published: June 2020

The β-Ga2O3 nanomembrane (NM)/diamond heterostructure is one of the promising ultra-wide bandgap heterostructures that offers numerous complementary advantages from both materials. In this work, we have investigated the thermal properties of the β-Ga2O3 NM/diamond heterostructure with three different thicknesses of β-Ga2O3 nanomembranes (NMs), namely 100 nm, 1000 nm, and 4000 nm thick β-Ga2O3 NMs using Raman thermometry. The thermal property—temperature relationships of these β-Ga2O3 NM/diamond heterostructures, such as thermal conductivity and interfacial thermal boundary conductance were determined under different temperature conditions (from 100 K to 500 K with a 40 K interval). The result provides benchmark knowledge about the thermal conductivity of β-Ga2O3 NMs over a wide temperature range for the design of novel β-Ga2O3-based power electronics and optoelectronics.
Association Study of Puberty-Related Candidate Genes in Chinese Female Population
Authors: Omariba Gideon , Xiao Junhua
Published: June 2020

Puberty is a transition period where a child transforms to an adult. Puberty can be affected by various genetic factors and environmental influences. In mammals, the regulation of puberty is enhanced by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis). A number of genes such as GnRH, Kiss1, and GPR54 have been reported as key regulators of puberty onset. In this study, we have conducted an association study of puberty-related candidate genes in Chinese female population. Gene variations reported to be related with some traits in a population may not exist in others due to different genetic and ethnic backgrounds, hence the need for this kind of study. The genotyping of SNPs was based on multiplex PCR and the next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform of Illumina. We finally performed association study using PLINK software. Our results confirmed that SNPs rs34787247 in LIN28, rs74795793 and rs9347389 in OCT-1, and rs379202 and rs10491080 in ZEB1 genes showed a significant association with puberty. With the result, it is reasonable to conclude that these genes affect the process of puberty in Shanghai Chinese female population, yet the mechanism remains to be investigated by further study.
Flow Improvement in Evacuation Planning with Budget Constrained Switching Costs
Authors: Dhungana Ram Chandra , Dhamala Tanka Nath
Published: June 2020

Many large-scale natural and human-created disasters have drawn the attention of researchers towards the solutions of evacuation planning problems and their applications. The main focus of these solution strategies is to protect the life, property, and their surroundings during the disasters. With limited resources, it is not an easy task to develop a universally accepted model to handle such issues. Among them, the budget-constrained network flow improvement approach plays significant role to evacuate the maximum number of people within the given time horizon. In this paper, we consider an evacuation planning problem that aims to shift a maximum number of evacuees from a danger area to a safe zone in limited time under the budget constraints for network modification. Different flow improvement strategies with respect to fixed switching cost will be investigated, namely, integral, rational, and either to increase the full capacity of an arc or not at all. A solution technique on static network is extended to the dynamic one. Moreover, we introduce the static and dynamic maximum flow problems with lane reversal strategy and also propose efficient algorithms for their solutions. Here, the contraflow approach reverses the direction of arcs with respect to the lane reversal costs to increase the flow value. As an implementation of an evacuation plan may demand a large cost, the solutions proposed here with budget constrained problems play important role in practice.