bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic status differs between breast cancer patients treated with mastectomy and breast conservation, and affects patient-reported preoperative information
Authors: Frisell A. , Lagergren J. , Halle M. , de Boniface J.
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Breast cancer treatment is reported to be influenced by socioeconomic status (SES). Few reports, however, stem from national, equality-based health care systems. The aim of this study was to analyse associations between SES, rates of breast-conserving surgery (BCS), patient-reported preoperative information and perceived involvement in Sweden.

Methods

All women operated for primary breast cancer in Sweden in 2013 were included. Tumour and treatment data as well as socioeconomic data were retrieved from national registers. Postal questionnaires regarding preoperative information about breast-conserving options and perceived involvement in the decision-making process had previously been sent to all women receiving mastectomy.

Results

Of 7735 women, 4604 (59.5%) received BCS. In addition to regional differences, independent predictors of BCS were being in the middle or higher age groups, having small tumours without clinically involved nodes, being born in Europe outside Sweden, having a higher education than primary school and an intermediate or high income per household. Women with smaller, clinically node-negative tumours felt more often involved in the surgical decision and informed about breast-conserving options (both p < 0.001). In addition, women who perceived that BCS was discussed as an alternative to mastectomy were more often in a partnership (p < 0.001), not born in Sweden (p = 0.035) and had an employment (p = 0.031).

Conclusion

Socioeconomic factors are associated with surgical treatment even in a national health care system that is expected to offer all women the same standard of care. This should be taken into account and adapted to in preoperative counselling on surgical options in breast cancer.
Strategic Responses to Grand Challenges: Why and How Corporations Build Community Resilience
Authors: Hamann Ralph , Makaula Lulamile , Ziervogel Gina , Shearing Clifford , Zhang Alan
Published: November 2019

We explore why and how corporations seek to build community resilience as a strategic response to grand challenges. Based on a comparative case study analysis of four corporations strategically building community resilience in five place-based communities in South Africa, as well as three counterfactual cases, we develop a process model of corporate practices and contingent factors that explain why and how some corporations commit to community resilience building and whether they try to do so directly or indirectly. We thus help explain corporations’ strategic contributions to community resilience, and we emphasise the role of place-specific resources, social-ecological system viability, and limited statehood in motivating such organisational responses to grand challenges.
Reproduction, replication, analysis and adaptation of a term alignment approach
Authors: Repar Andraž , Martinc Matej , Pollak Senja
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we look at the issue of reproducibility and replicability in bilingual terminology alignment (BTA). We propose a set of best practices for reproducibility and replicability of NLP papers and analyze several influential BTA papers from this perspective. Next, we present our attempts at replication and reproduction, where we focus on a bilingual terminology alignment approach described by Aker et al. (Extracting bilingual terminologies from comparable corpora. In: Proceedings of the 51st annual meeting of the association for computational linguistics, vol. 1 402–411, 2013) who treat bilingual term alignment as a binary classification problem and train an SVM classifier on various dictionary and cognate-based features. Despite closely following the original paper with only minor deviations—in areas where the original description is not clear enough—we obtained significantly worse results than the authors of the original paper. We then analyze the reasons for the discrepancy and describe our attempts at adaptation of the approach to improve the results. Only after several adaptations, we achieve results which are close to the results published in the original paper. Finally, we perform the experiments to verify the replicability and reproducibility of our own code. We publish our code and datasets online to assure the reproducibility of the results of our experiments and implement the selected BTA models in an online platform making them easily reusable even by the technically less-skilled researchers.
Agricultural Big Data Analytics and the Ethics of Power
Authors: Ryan Mark
Published: November 2019

Agricultural Big Data analytics (ABDA) is being proposed to ensure better farming practices, decision-making, and a sustainable future for humankind. However, the use and adoption of these technologies may bring about potentially undesirable consequences, such as exercises of power. This paper will analyse Brey’s five distinctions of power relationships (manipulative, seductive, leadership, coercive, and forceful power) and apply them to the use agricultural Big Data. It will be shown that ABDA can be used as a form of manipulative power to initiate cheap land grabs and acquisitions. Seductive power can be exercised by pressuring farmers into situations they would not have otherwise chosen (such as installing monitors around their farm and limited access to their farm and machinery). It will be shown that agricultural technology providers (ATPs) demonstrate leadership power by getting farmers to agree to use ABDA without informed consent. Coercive power is exercised when ATPs threaten farmers with the loss of ABDA if they do not abide by the policies and requirements of the ATP or are coerced to remain with the ATP because of fear of legal and economic reprisal. ATPs may use ABDA to determine willingness-to-pay rates from farmers, using this information to force farmers into precarious and vulnerable positions. Altogether, this paper will apply these five types of power to the use and implementation of ABDA to demonstrate that it is being used to exercise power in the agricultural industry.
Floral Odors and the Interaction between Pollinating Ceratopogonid Midges and Cacao
Authors: Arnold Sarah E. J. , Forbes Samantha J. , Hall David R. , Farman Dudley I. , Bridgemohan Puran , Spinelli Gustavo R. , Bray Daniel P. , Perry Garvin B. , Grey Leroy , Belmain Steven R. , Stevenson Philip C.
Published: November 2019

Most plant species depend upon insect pollination services, including many cash and subsistence crops. Plants compete to attract those insects using visual cues and floral odor which pollinators associate with a reward. The cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, has a highly specialized floral morphology permitting pollination primarily by Ceratopogonid midges. However, these insects do not depend upon cacao flowers for their life cycle, and can use other sugar sources. To understand how floral cues mediate pollination in cacao we developed a method for rearing Ceratopogonidae through several complete lifecycles to provide material for bioassays. We carried out collection and analysis of cacao floral volatiles, and identified a bouquet made up exclusively of saturated and unsaturated, straight-chain hydrocarbons, which is unusual among floral odors. The most abundant components were tridecane, pentadecane, (Z)-7-pentadecene and (Z)-8-heptadecene with a heptadecadiene and heptadecatriene as minor components. We presented adult midges, Forcipomyia sp. (subgen. Forcipomyia), Culicoides paraensis and Dasyhelea borgmeieri, with natural and synthetic cacao flower odors in choice assays. Midges showed weak attraction to the complete natural floral odor in the assay, with no significant evidence of interspecific differences. This suggests that cacao floral volatiles play a role in pollinator behavior. Midges were not attracted to a synthetic blend of the above four major components of cacao flower odor, indicating that a more complete blend is required for attraction. Our findings indicate that cacao pollination is likely facilitated by the volatile blend released by flowers, and that the system involves a generalized odor response common to different species of Ceratopogonidae.
Optimal portfolio and spending rules for endowment funds
Authors: Kashif Muhammad , Menoncin Francesco , Owadally Iqbal
Published: November 2019

We investigate the role of different spending rules in a dynamic asset allocation model for university endowment funds. In particular, we consider the fixed consumption-wealth ratio (CW) rule and the hybrid rule which smoothes spending over time. We derive the optimal portfolios under these two strategies and compare them with a theoretically optimal (Merton) strategy. We show that the optimal portfolio with habit is less risky compared to the optimal portfolio without habit. A calibrated numerical analysis on U.S. data shows, similarly, that the optimal portfolio under the hybrid strategy is less risky than the optimal portfolios under both the CW and the classical Merton strategies, in typical market conditions. Our numerical analysis also shows that spending under the hybrid strategy is less volatile than the other strategies. Thus, endowments following the hybrid spending rule use asset allocation to protect spending. However, in terms of the endowment’s wealth, the hybrid strategy comparatively outperforms the conventional Merton and CW strategies when the market is highly volatile but under-performs them when there is strong stock market growth and low volatility. Overall, the hybrid strategy is effective in terms of stability of spending and intergenerational equity because, even if it allows short-term fluctuation in spending, it ensures greater stability in the long run.
Bone-filling mesh container versus percutaneous kyphoplasty in treating Kümmell’s disease
Authors: Duan Z.-K. , Zou J.-F. , He X.-L. , Huang C.-D. , He C.-J.
Published: November 2019

Summary

Kümmell’s disease (eponymous name for osteonecrosis and collapse of a vertebral body due to ischemia and non-union of anterior vertebral body wedge fractures after major trauma) cannot heal spontaneously. Bone-filling mesh container (BFMC) can significantly relieve pain, help the correction of kyphosis, and may prevent cement leakage. This pilot study may provide the basis for the design of future studies.

Purpose

To compare the effectiveness and safety of BFMC and percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for treatment of Kümmell’s disease.

Methods

From August 2016 to May 2018, 40 patients with Kümmell’s disease were admitted to Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital. Among them, 20 patients (20 vertebral bodies) received PKP (PKP group) and the other 20 received BFMC (BFMC group). Operation time, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Cobb’s angle changes, and related complications were recorded.

Results

All patients underwent operations successfully. VAS scores and ODI of both groups at each postoperative time point were lower than preoperatively, with statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Postoperative Cobb’s angle of both groups postoperatively was lower than preoperatively (p < 0.05). Cement leakage occurred in eight vertebrae (8/20) in the PKP group and in one vertebra (1/20) in the BFMC group. No complications such as pulmonary embolism, paraplegia, or perioperative death occurred during operation in both groups. Adjacent vertebral refractures occurred in five patients (5/20) in the PKP group and in four patients (4/20) in the BFMC group, with no significant difference in the incidence rate of refractures in both groups but the material is too small to verify statistically.

Conclusions

Both PKP and BFMC technologies can significantly relieve pain and help the correction of kyphosis while treating Kümmell’s disease. Moreover, the BMFC may prevent cement leakage.
Conditioning Regimens for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Primary Immunodeficiency
Authors: Lum S. H. , Hoenig M. , Gennery A. R. , Slatter M. A.
Published: November 2019

Purpose of Review

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an established curative treatment for children with primary immunodeficiencies. This article reviews the latest developments in conditioning regimens for primary immunodeficiency (PID). It focuses on data regarding transplant outcomes according to newer reduced toxicity conditioning regimens used in HCT for PID.

Recent Findings

Conventional myeloablative conditioning regimens are associated with significant acute toxicities, transplant-related mortality, and late effects such as infertility. Reduced toxicity conditioning regimens have had significant positive impacts on HCT outcome, and there are now well-established strategies in children with PID. Treosulfan has emerged as a promising preparative agent. Use of a peripheral stem cell source has been shown to be associated with better donor chimerism in patients receiving reduced toxicity conditioning. Minimal conditioning regimens using monoclonal antibodies are in clinical trials with promising results thus far.

Reduced toxicity conditioning has emerged as standard of care for PID and has resulted in improved transplant survival for patients with significant comorbidities.
Update on Menopausal Hormone Therapy for Fracture Prevention
Authors: Stepan Jan J. , Hruskova Hana , Kverka Miloslav
Published: November 2019

Purpose of Review

The goal of the review is to assess the appropriateness of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) for the primary prevention of bone loss in women at elevated risk in the early years after menopause.

Recent Findings

Estrogen alone or combined with progestin to protect the uterus from cancer significantly reduces the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures. MHT increases type 1 collagen production and osteoblast survival and maintains the equilibrium between bone resorption and bone formation by modulating osteoblast/osteocyte and T cell regulation of osteoclasts. Estrogens have positive effects on muscle and cartilage. Estrogen, but not antiresorptive therapies, can attenuate the inflammatory bone-microenvironment associated with estrogen deficiency. However, already on second year of administration, MHT is associated with excess breast cancer risk, increasing steadily with duration of use.

MHT should be considered in women with premature estrogen deficiency and increased risk of bone loss and osteoporotic fractures. However, MHT use for the prevention of bone loss is hindered by increase in breast cancer risk even in women younger than 60 years old or who are within 10 years of menopause onset.
Immune-Mediated Colitis
Authors: Menon Tara , Afzali Anita
Published: November 2019

Purpose of review

This review addresses our current knowledge of immune-mediated colitis (IMC) and offers a practical guide to its management.

Recent findings

Due to the similarity in clinical, endoscopic, and histologic findings between IMC and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastroenterologists have tailored their approach to IMC management to that of IBD.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are monoclonal antibodies that augment the T-cell anti-tumor response of the immune system and have demonstrated their importance in the treatment of a wide range of malignancies. With the growing benefits of ICIs, there are immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that mirror many known autoimmune diseases. Diarrhea and IMC are the most common and severe irAEs noted. No standardized guidelines exist in the management of these irAEs.
Quantification of the bacterial community of drinking water-associated biofilms under different flow velocities and changing chlorination regimes
Authors: Tsvetanova Z.
Published: November 2019

Microbial growth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) depends on a great number of factors, and its control represents a great challenge for management of these engineering systems. The present case study assessed the influence that a pair of factors—water chlorination and flow velocity—had on the biofilms formed in a model DWDS in 626 days. The culturable bacteria number and biomass of the biofilms developed under the flow velocities of 0.3 m/s, 0.5 m/s, 0.7 m/s and 1 m/s were determined during three consecutively applied regimes of water chlorination to 0.05 mg/l (in 380 days), 0.42 mg/l (in 46 days) and 0.14 mg/l free chlorine (in 200 days). The results demonstrated that biofilm formation was a prolonged process directly depended on flow velocity at drinking water chlorination to 0.05 mg/l. The increase in the water chlorination to 0.42 mg/l chlorine resulted in both the reduction in culturable bacteria number and biomass removal, but the bacteria killing and the biofilm removal were distinct processes. The biocide action of chlorine was faster and more effective than its biomass removal effect. The chlorine decreasing from 0.42 to 0.14 mg/l resulted in increasing the biofilm HPC densities, although the biomass removal process was still continuing. The study carried out contributes for better understanding the biofilm behavior in DWDS and demonstrates that biofilm formation could be managed within a DWDS through operational decisions on parameters that can be changed and controlled as flow velocity and chlorination to safeguard drinking water quality.
Irrigation of a golf course with UV-treated wastewater: effects on soil and turfgrass bacteriological quality
Authors: Bihadassen Brahim , Hassi Mohammed , Hamadi Fatima , Aitalla Aicha , Bourouache Mohamed , EL Boulani Abdellah , Mimouni Rachida
Published: November 2019

This research was carried out to assess the impact of treated wastewater irrigation on soil bacteriological and physicochemical properties and turfgrass bacteriological quality. Two golf courses were studied: a golf course A irrigated with freshwater (FW) and a golf course B irrigated with UV-treated wastewater (UV-TW). The physicochemical parameters (electrical conductivity and pH) of the soil were determined. FW, UV-TW, lake-stored water (LSW), turfgrass, and soil were collected, and their bacteriological parameters were determined. These parameters include: Escherichia coli, faecal enterococci, and faecal coliform. The results showed that the soil irrigated with treated wastewater (S-TW) showed a significant increase in the pH when compared with the soil irrigated with freshwater (S-FW). However, no significant difference was recorded in soil electrical conductivity. Faecal indicators concentration of the irrigation water samples varied considerably, and the concentrations in LSW frequently exceed those of the water at the output of the treatment plant (UV-TW). The comparison of the faecal contamination between the two golf courses indicates no significant difference in E. coli and faecal coliform concentrations. However, a significant difference was detected in faecal enterococci contamination. This study confirms that, under appropriate conditions, treated wastewater produced by M’zar wastewater treatment plant can be used as an alternative water resource for golf courses irrigation in Agadir city, Morocco.
Revisiting dominant practices in floodwater harvesting systems: making flood events worth their occurrence in flood-prone areas
Authors: Malota Mphatso , Mchenga Joshua
Published: November 2019

The lower Shire valley region in Malawi has long been characterized by floods which have accounted for many fatalities and disaster-related economic losses in the region. Rain-fed crop production has also been adversely affected by such floods, subsequently leading to the region registering the highest levels of poverty in the country due to low agricultural crop production. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods and based on what is practiced in the region and elsewhere, recommended strategies that would lower the risk of engaging in crop production under floodwater harvesting. Study results revealed that farmers in the region have sought to dig networks of water ponds and shallow wells as coping strategies to future water scarcity at a scheme level. The absence of well-designed networks of field waterways in the irrigation schemes results in an unequal distribution of floodwaters among field plots. The study concluded that in addition to digging a network of shallow wells and small water ponds to enhance infiltration of floodwaters and increasing groundwater recharge, a resilient and low-risk package of the floodwater harvesting system in the region must also include (1) construction of floodwater diversion structures to increase the chances of flooding even from relatively small rainfall storms, (2) construction of floodwater field distribution channel networks to facilitate field to field distribution of floodwaters, and (3) formulating water distribution rules to enhance equal floodwater distribution among field plots.
Correction to: Characterization of oogonia stem cells in mice by Fragilis
Authors: Sheng Xiaoyan , Tian Chenglei , Liu Linlin , Wang Lingling , Ye Xiaoying , Li Jie , Zeng Ming , Liu Lin
Published: November 2019

In the original publication the labelling of Figure 1D, Y-axis is incorrectly published. The correct labeling should be read as Fragilis+/SSEA1+ and the correct figure is provided in this correction.
Cochlear protein biomarkers as potential sites for targeted inner ear drug delivery
Authors: Naples James G. , Miller Lauren E. , Ramsey Andrew , Li Daqing
Published: November 2019

The delivery of therapies to the cochlea is notoriously challenging. It is an organ protected by a number of barriers that need to be overcome in the drug delivery process. Additionally, there are multiple sites of possible damage within the cochlea. Despite the many potential sites of damage, acquired otologic insults preferentially damage a single location. While progress has been made in techniques for inner ear drug delivery, the current techniques remain non-specific and our ability to deliver therapies in a cell-specific manner are limited. Fortunately, there are proteins specific to various cell-types within the cochlea (e.g., hair cells, spiral ganglion cells, stria vascularis) that function as biomarkers of site-specific damage. These protein biomarkers have potential to serve as targets for cell-specific inner ear drug delivery. In this manuscript, we review the concept of biomarkers and targeted- inner ear drug delivery and the well-characterized protein biomarkers within each of the locations of interest within the cochlea. Our review will focus on targeted drug delivery in the setting of acquired otologic insults (e.g., ototoxicity, noise-induce hearing loss). The goal is not to discuss therapies to treat acquired otologic insults, rather, to establish potential concepts of how to deliver therapies in a targeted, cell-specific manner. Based on our review, it is clear that future of inner ear drug delivery is a discipline filled with potential that will require collaborative efforts among clinicians and scientists to optimize treatment of otologic insults.
Piloting national diagnostic assessment for strategic calculation
Authors: Graven Mellony , Venkat Hamsa
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we share the results of the piloting of national diagnostic assessments for strategic calculation with Grade 3 learners in South Africa. The diagnostic assessment pilot intervention was focused on promoting strategic use of calculation strategies and aimed to move learners on from the concrete one-to-one counting methods that persist in this grade and into higher grades. Working with a broader team of mathematics education specialists, including international leaders in the field and department of education representatives, we designed a series of assessments that focus on key calculation strategies such as bridging through ten. Each assessment, comprised a pre- and repeat post-assessment, was accompanied by interim lesson starters for teacher use in eight 10-min mental mathematics sessions. These were designed to develop learner fluency in each of the focal strategies and related skills. The pre- and post-assessments allow teachers to track improvement in student learning. The pilot focused on the “bridging through ten” strategy in seven classes across the Eastern Cape and Gauteng provinces. Positive results indicate that the format of these assessments paired with the lesson starters is potentially useful for broader national trialling and implementation. This work feeds into the need for diagnostic assessments that inform teaching focused on strategic efficiency rather than simply accepting correct answers produced through highly inefficient methods.
Microfoundations
Authors: Foss Nicolai J. , Linder Stefan
Published: November 2019

“Microfoundations” has become prominent in the discourse of management scholars. But what is it and how does it matter? This Element provides a characterization of microfoundations based on classical work on the methodology of social science and documents and discusses its manifestations in management research over the last one and a half decades. It also covers the relation of microfoundations to multilevel research; criticisms of microfoundations; and empirical research strategies for microfoundations.
Predictive analysis of stitched aerospace structures for advanced aircraft
Authors: Horton B. , Song Y. , Jegley D. , Collier F. , Bayandor J.
Published: November 2019

In recent years, the aviation industry has taken a leading role in the integration of composite structures to develop lighter and more fuel efficient aircraft. Among the leading concepts to achieve this goal is the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) concept. The focus of most PRSEUS studies has been on developing an hybrid wing body structure, with only a few discussing the application of PRSEUS to a tube-wing fuselage structure. Additionally, the majority of investigations for PRSEUS have focused on experimental validation of anticipated benefits rather than developing a methodology to capture the behavior of stitched structure analytically. This paper presents an overview of a numerical methodology capable of accurately describing PRSEUS’ construction and how it may be implemented in a barrel fuselage platform resorting to high-fidelity mesoscale modeling techniques. The methodology benefits from fresh user defined strategies developed in a commercially available finite element analysis environment. It further proposes a new approach for improving the ability to predict deformation in stitched composites, allowing for a better understanding of the intricate behavior and subtleties of stitched aerospace structures.
What to lobby on? Explaining why large American firms lobby on the same or different issues
Authors: Selling Niels
Published: November 2019

What determines whether or not firms lobby on the same policy issues? Scholars offer two broad answers to this question. Firms that are (1) similar or (2) connected through interorganizational ties target the same policy issues. In this article, I argue that the co-occurrence of these two conditions produces the opposite outcome, namely a tendency to lobby on different issues. This expectation draws on ideas from collective action theory and the literature on issue niches. From these, I derive the following assumptions: similar firms share political objectives and they should, when possible, act collectively by jointly delegating their lobbying activities. The reason for doing this is that it allows them to focus on their issue niches. However, the ability to delegate hinges on coordination and monitoring, which is facilitated by interorganizational relations. To test this proposition, I study the largest American corporations. The dependent variable isactivity overlap, a measure of the extent to which firms lobby on the same issues. According to expectations, activity overlap is reduced when firms operate in the same industry and, simultaneously, enjoy favorable conditions for social interactions, such as a concentrated market structure. These results lend support to collective action theory.
Distinguishing prisoners who think about suicide from those who attempt suicide
Authors: Favril Louis , O'Connor Rory C.
Published: November 2019

Background

Many people who consider suicide do not translate these intentions into action. Although prisoners constitute a particularly high-risk group for suicide, little is known about the factors that distinguish those who think about suicide from those who attempt suicide.

Methods

Participants were 1326 adult offenders (1203 men) randomly selected from 15 Belgian prisons, representing 14% of the national prison population. Multivariate regression analysis compared prisoners who attempted suicide (n = 277) with those who thought about suicide but never made an attempt (n = 312) on a range of established risk factors.

Results

Among the 589 participants reporting a lifetime history of suicidal ideation (44% of the total sample), almost half (47%) had made a suicide attempt. Relative to those who only thought about suicide, participants who attempted suicide were more likely to be violent offenders (aOR 2.33, 95% CI 1.49–3.62) and have a history of non-suicidal self-injury (aOR 3.19, 95% CI 2.09–4.86). The presence of self-reported mental disorder diagnosis (aOR = 2.84, 95% CI 1.91–4.24) and illicit substance abuse (aOR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.24–3.28) also independently differentiated prisoners who attempted v. considered suicide.

Conclusion

This study provides preliminary evidence that behavioural and mental health factors are implicated in the transition from thoughts to acts of suicide in prisoners. Prospective studies are warranted to explore whether these risk factors predict progression from ideation to action over time.
Childhood cognitive skill trajectories and suicide by mid-adulthood: an investigation of the 1958 British Birth Cohort
Authors: Richard-Devantoy Stéphane , Orri Massimiliano , Bertrand Josie-Anne , Greenway Kyle T. , Turecki Gustavo , Gunnell David , Power Chris , Geoffroy Marie-Claude
Published: November 2019

Background

Poor cognitive abilities and low intellectual quotient (IQ) are associated with an increased risk of suicide attempts and suicide mortality. However, knowledge of how this association develops across the life-course is limited. Our study aims to establish whether individuals who died by suicide by mid-adulthood are distinguishable by their child-to-adolescence cognitive trajectories.

Methods

Participants were from the 1958 British Birth Cohort and were assessed for academic performance at ages 7, 11, and 16 and intelligence at 11 years. Suicides occurring by September 2012 were identified from linked national death certificates. We compared mean mathematics and reading abilities and rate of change across 7–16 years for individuals who died by suicide v. those still alive, with and without adjustment for potential early-life confounding factors. Analyses were based on 14 505 participants.

Results

Fifty-five participants (48 males) had died by suicide by age 54 years. While males who died by suicide did not differ from participants still alive in reading scores at age 7 [effect size (g) = −0.04, p = 0.759], their reading scores had a less steep improvement up to age 16 compared to other participants. Adjustments for early-life confounding factors explained these differences. A similar pattern was observed for mathematics scores. There was no difference between individuals who died by suicide v. participants still alive on intelligence at 11 years.

Conclusions

While no differences in tests of academic performance and IQ were observed, individuals who died by suicide had a less steep improvement in reading abilities over time compared to same-age peers.
The behavior of ions in water is controlled by their water affinity
Authors: Collins Kim D.
Published: November 2019

The strong, long-range electrostatic forces described by Coulomb's law disappear for ions in water, and the behavior of these ions is instead controlled by their water affinity – a weak, short-range force which arises from their charge density. This was established experimentally in the mid-1980s by size-exclusion chromatography on carefully calibrated Sephadex®G-10 (which measures the effective volume and thus the water affinity of an ion) and by neutron diffraction with isotopic substitution (which measures the density and orientation of water molecules near the diffracting ion and thus its water affinity). These conclusions have been confirmed more recently by molecular dynamics simulations, which explicitly model each individual water molecule. This surprising change in force regime occurs because the oppositely charged ions in aqueous salt solutions exist functionally as ion pairs (separated by 0, 1 or 2 water molecules) as has now been shown by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy; this cancels out the strong long-range electrostatic forces and allows the weak, short-range water affinity effects to come to the fore. This microscopic structure of aqueous salt solutions is not captured by models utilizing a macroscopic dielectric constant. Additionally, the Law of Matching Water Affinity, first described in 1997 and 2004, establishes that contact ion pair formation is controlled by water affinity and is a major determinant of the solubility of charged species since only a net neutral species can change phases.
Experimental Study of Reinforcement Learning in Mobile Robots Through Spiking Architecture of Thalamo-Cortico-Thalamic Circuitry of Mammalian Brain
Authors: Azimirad Vahid , Fattahi Sani Mohammad
Published: November 2019

In this paper, the behavioral learning of robots through spiking neural networks is studied in which the architecture of the network is based on the thalamo-cortico-thalamic circuitry of the mammalian brain. According to a variety of neurons, the Izhikevich model of single neuron is used for the representation of neuronal behaviors. One thousand and ninety spiking neurons are considered in the network. The spiking model of the proposed architecture is derived and prepared for the learning problem of robots. The reinforcement learning algorithm is based on spike-timing-dependent plasticity and dopamine release as a reward. It results in strengthening the synaptic weights of the neurons that are involved in the robot’s proper performance. Sensory and motor neurons are placed in the thalamus and cortical module, respectively. The inputs of thalamo-cortico-thalamic circuitry are the signals related to distance of the target from robot, and the outputs are the velocities of actuators. The target attraction task is used as an example to validate the proposed method in which dopamine is released when the robot catches the target. Some simulation studies, as well as experimental implementation, are done on a mobile robot named Tabrizbot. Experimental studies illustrate that after successful learning, the meantime of catching target is decreased by about 36%. These prove that through the proposed method, thalamo-cortical structure could be trained successfully to learn to perform various robotic tasks.
State responsibility and positive obligations in the European Court of Human Rights: The contribution of the ICJ in advancing towards more judicial integration
Authors: Garciandia Rosana
Published: November 2019

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) follows its own rules regarding the responsibility of states, although the international law of state responsibility enshrined in the International Law Commission (ILC) Articles on State Responsibility for Internationally Wrongful Acts (ARSIWA) remains, as general international law, relevant to its decisions. However, case law of the ECtHR shows that the Court is departing from certain ARSIWA principles as it adopts a broad interpretation of rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) giving rise to positive obligations.1

Exploring those trends in the state responsibility regime of the ECHR, this article argues that, by clarifying certain ARSIWA provisions, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) can play an important role by contributing to a higher degree of judicial integration on the law of state responsibility. It is desirable that the ICJ takes any upcoming opportunity to provide greater clarity on the challenges and nuances of the applicability of the law of state responsibility, in particular as it relates to positive obligations. That would contribute to a more systematic use of those rules by regional courts such as the ECtHR, and ultimately to guaranteeing a greater protection of human rights.
Congenital coronary collateral
Authors: Moreira Rita I. , Ferreira Rui C.
Published: November 2019

Intercoronary communications are a very rare congenital coronary artery anomalies. We report a case of a man who underwent elective coronary angiography that showed a bidirectional direct intercoronary communication between right coronary and left circumflex arteries.
Diet quality of Japanese adults with respect to age, sex, and income level in the National Health and Nutrition Survey, Japan
Authors: Kurotani Kayo , Ishikawa-Takata Kazuko , Takimoto Hidemi
Published: November 2019

Objective:

Although several studies in Western countries show that higher socioeconomic status is associated with higher diet quality, no study has observed this association in Japan. In the current study, we examined the association between diet quality and the combinations of age, sex, and household income, and also compared the dietary intake between diet quality levels according to household income.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

National Health and Nutrition Survey, Japan in 2014.

Participants:

2785 men and 3215 women.

Results:

Higher Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top scores (better diet quality) were observed in older women, especially those with higher household income, whereas lower scores were observed in younger men with lower household income. Those having low quality diet, especially in low income households, had higher odds of not meeting the recommended amounts of the Japanese dietary guidelines, than those having high quality diet.

Conclusions:

Diet quality in Japanese adults differed by age and sex as well as by household income level. A different approach to diet quality improvement is needed according to population characteristics including not only age and sex but also social economic status.
A systematic review of the integration of palliative care in dementia management
Authors: Senderovich Helen , Retnasothie Sivarajini
Published: November 2019

Objective

Dementia is a progressive illness with a complex biopsychosocial constellation of symptoms faced by millions of individuals and families worldwide. Palliative care teams have specialized in symptom management and end-of-life care for decades; however, the role of palliative care in dementia management is not yet well elucidated. The aim of this systematic review was to understand the impact of palliative care in dementia management.

Method

This systematic review was conducted using a prospective study protocol. Medline and PubMed were searched from January 1, 1998 to October 2017. Eligible studies included single-blind cluster, two-arm parallel cluster, or unblinded randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, retrospective cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, concurrent mixed methods study, qualitative study, and Delphi studies.

Results

Four key themes were identified in this review: goals of care and end-of-life conversations, symptom management, emergency room visits, and prescribing behavior. In each domain, palliative care consultation either showed benefit or was postulated to have benefit if implemented.

Significance of results

Although the literature to support or refute thematic conclusions is not large, there was a trend toward patient care benefit across several domains. Large RCTs with longer follow-up across different settings should be undertaken to solidify the themes and trends outlined in this review. Understanding the views of healthcare providers including referral sources (i.e., general practitioners and specialists) through qualitative research could optimize palliative care referrals, implement palliative care recommendations, and improve a targeted palliative care education curriculum.
NATURAL FORMALIZATION: DERIVING THE CANTOR-BERNSTEIN THEOREM IN ZF
Authors: SIEG WILFRIED , WALSH PATRICK
Published: November 2019

Natural Formalizationproposes a concrete way of expanding proof theory from the meta-mathematical investigation of formal theories to an examination of “the concept of the specifically mathematical proof.” Formal proofs play a role for this examination in as much as they reflect the essential structure and systematic construction of mathematical proofs. We emphasize three crucial features of our formal inference mechanism: (1) the underlying logical calculus is built forreasoning with gapsand forproviding strategic directions, (2) the mathematical frame is a definitional extension of Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory and has a hierarchically organized structure of concepts and operations, and (3) the construction of formal proofs is deeply connected to the frame through rules for definitions and lemmas.

To bring these general ideas to life, we examine, as a case study, proofs of the Cantor–Bernstein Theorem that do not appeal to the principle of choice. A thorough analysis of the multitude of “different” informal proofs seems to reduce them to exactly one. Thenatural formalizationconfirms that there is one proof, but that it comes in two variants due to Dedekind and Zermelo, respectively. In this way it enhances the conceptual understanding of the represented informal proofs. The formal, computational work is carried out with the proof search system AProS that serves as a proof assistant and implements the above inference mechanism; it can be fully inspected athttp://www.phil.cmu.edu/legacy/Proof_Site/.

We must—that is my conviction—take the concept of the specifically mathematical proof as an object of investigation.

Hilbert 1918
The relationship of prenatal and infant antibiotic exposure with childhood overweight and obesity: a systematic review
Authors: Baron Ruth , Taye Meron , Besseling-van der Vaart Isolde , Ujčič-Voortman Joanne , Szajewska Hania , Seidell Jacob C. , Verhoeff Arnoud
Published: November 2019

This study aimed to assess the evidence regarding the relationship between early-life antibiotic exposure and childhood overweight/obesity by reviewing observational studies on prenatal antibiotic exposure and systematic reviews on infant antibiotic exposure. A search in Pubmed, Embase and Google Scholar covering the period 1st January till 1st December 2018 led to the identification of five studies on prenatal antibiotic exposure and four systematic reviews on infant antibiotic exposure. Positive trends between prenatal antibiotic exposure and overweight/obesity were reported in all studies; two studies reported a significant overall relationship and the other three reported significant relationships under certain conditions. Effect sizes ranged from odds ratio (OR): 1.04 (0.62–1.74) to relative risk (RR): 1.77 (1.25–2.51). Regarding infant antibiotics, one review concluded there was substantial evidence that infant antibiotic exposure increased the risk of childhood overweight/obesity [pooled effect sizes: RR: 1.21 (1.09–1.33) for overweight and RR: 1.18 (1.12–1.25) for obesity]. Two reviews concluded there was some evidence for a relationship [pooled effect sizes: OR: 1.05 (1.00–1.11) and OR: 1.11 (1.02–1.20)]. The fourth review concluded the studies were too heterogeneous for meta-analyses and the evidence regarding the relationship between infant antibiotic exposure and childhood overweight/obesity was inconclusive. More well-designed studies are needed that include data on intra-partum antibiotics and address important potential confounders (including maternal and childhood infections). This review points to some evidence of a relationship between early-life antibiotic exposure and childhood overweight/obesity; this is especially evident in certain children (i.e. exposed to multiple and broad-spectrum antibiotics, earlier postnatal exposure and male gender) and merits further research.
Integrating fall and spring herbicides with a cereal rye cover crop for horseweed (Conyza canadensis) management prior to soybean
Authors: Sherman Austin D. , Haramoto Erin R. , Green J. D.
Published: November 2019

Horseweed is one of Kentucky’s most common and problematic weeds in no-till soybean production systems. Emergence in the fall and spring necessitates control at these times because horseweed is best managed when small. Control is typically achieved through herbicides or cover crops (CCs); integrating these practices can lead to more sustainable weed management. Two years of field experiments were conducted over 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018 in Versailles, KY, to examine the use of fall herbicide (FH; namely, saflufenacil or none), spring herbicide (SH; namely, 2,4-D; dicamba; or none), and CC (namely, cereal rye or none) for horseweed management prior to soybean. Treatments were examined with a fully factorial design to assess potential interactions. The CC biomass in 2016 to 2017 was higher relative to 2017 to 2018 and both herbicide programs reduced winter weed biomass in that year. The CC reduced horseweed density while growing and after termination in 1 yr. The FH reduced horseweed density through mid-spring. The FH also killed winter weeds that may have suppressed horseweed emergence; higher horseweed density resulted by soybean planting unless the CC was present to suppress the additional spring emergence. If either FH or CC was used, SH typically did not result in additional horseweed control. The SH killed emerged plants but did not provide residual control of a late horseweed flush in 2017 to 2018. These results suggest CCs can help manage spring flushes of horseweed emergence when nonresidual herbicide products are used, though this effect was short-lived when less CC biomass was present.
Free Gravity Waves in the Ocean Excited by Seismic Surface Waves: Observations and Numerical Simulations
Authors: Sementsov K. A. , Nosov M. A. , Kolesov S. V. , Karpov V. A. , Matsumoto H. , Kaneda Y.
Published: November 2019

The Dense Oceanfloor Network System for Earthquakes and Tsunamis (DONET) is a submarine cabled real‐time seafloor observatory network for precise earthquake and tsunami monitoring. Ten DONET observatories were in operation during the 2011 Tohoku‐Oki event near the Pacific coast of Honshu Island. Each observatory was equipped with an ocean bottom pressure gauge (PG) and a three‐component ocean bottom seismometer (OBS). A comparative analysis of the PG and OBS records revealed that shortly after seismic surface waves traversed the DONET region, free gravity waves were observed within the water layer. The period of these gravity waves was approximately 170 s, the peak‐to‐peak amplitude was approximately 3.5 cm, the length was on the order of 22 km, and the phase velocity was 134 m/s. We performed numerical simulations of the observed gravity waves using a combined 2D/3D numerical model. The ground motions required for the simulation were reconstructed from records provided by the DONET OBSs and the nearest ground‐based GPS stations. The synthetic bottom pressure variations are in good agreement with the DONET PG records. The synthetic displacements of the ocean surface throughout the simulation domain showed that the observed gravity waves were excited directly above the submarine slopes. Theoretical estimates and numerical experiments revealed the generation mechanism of the observed gravity waves.