bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase-controlled field-effect micromixing using AC electroosmosis
Authors: Modarres Paresa , Tabrizian Maryam
Published: July 2020

The exploration and application of electrokinetic techniques in micro total analysis systems have become ubiquitous in recent years, and scientists are expanding the use of such techniques in areas where comparable active or passive methods are not as successful. In this work, for the first time, we utilize the concept of AC electroosmosis to design a phase-controlled field-effect micromixer that benefits from a three-finger sinusoidally shaped electrodes. Analogous to field-effect transistor devices, the principle of operation for the proposed micromixer is governed by the source-gate and source-drain voltage potentials that are modulated by introducing a phase lag between the driving electrodes. At an optimized flow rate and biasing scheme, we demonstrate that the source, gate, and drain voltage phase relations can be configured such that the micromixer switches from an unmixed state (phase shift of 0°) to a mixed state (phase shift of 180°). High mixing efficiencies beyond 90% was achieved at a volumetric flow rate of 4 µL/min corresponding to ~13.9 mm/s at optimized voltage excitation conditions. Finally, we employed the proposed micromixer for the synthesis of nanoscale lipid-based drug delivery vesicles through the process of electrohydrodynamic-mediated nanoprecipitation. The phase-controlled electrohydrodynamic mixing utilized for the nanoprecipitation technique proved that nanoparticles of improved monodispersity and concentration can be produced when mixing efficiency is enhanced by tuning the phase shifts between electrodes.
Programmable synchronization enhanced MEMS resonant accelerometer
Authors: Xu Liu , Wang Shudong , Jiang Zhuangde , Wei Xueyong
Published: July 2020

Acceleration measurement is of great significance due to its extensive applications in military/industrial fields. In recent years, scientists have been pursuing methods to improve the performance of accelerometers, particularly through seeking new sensing mechanisms. Herein, we present a synchronized oscillator-based enhancement approach to realize a fivefold resolution improvement of a microelectromechanical resonant accelerometer. Through the unidirectional electrical coupling method, we achieved synchronization of the sensing oscillator of the microelectromechanical resonant accelerometer and an external reading oscillator, which remarkably enhanced the stability of the oscillation system to 19.4 ppb and the resolution of the accelerometer to 1.91 μg. In addition, the narrow synchronization bandwidth of conventional synchronized oscillators was discussed, and hence, we propose a novel frequency automatic tracking system to expand the synchronization bandwidth from 113 to 1246 Hz, which covers the full acceleration measurement range of ±1 g. For the first time, we utilized a unidirectional electrical synchronization mechanism to improve the resolution of resonant sensors. Our comprehensive scheme provides a general and powerful solution for performance enhancement of any microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonant sensor, thereby enabling a wide spectrum of applications.
Intratumoural immunotherapies for unresectable and metastatic melanoma: current status and future perspectives
Authors: Middleton Mark R. , Hoeller Christoph , Michielin Olivier , Robert Caroline , Caramella Caroline , Öhrling Katarina , Hauschild Axel
Published: July 2020

The emergence of human intratumoural immunotherapy (HIT-IT) is a major step forward in the management of unresectable melanoma. The direct injection of treatments into melanoma lesions can cause cell lysis and induce a local immune response, and might be associated with a systemic immune response. Directly injecting immunotherapies into tumours achieves a high local concentration of immunostimulatory agent while minimising systemic exposure and, as such, HIT-IT agents are associated with lower toxicity than systemic immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), enabling their potential use in combination with other therapies. Consequently, multiple HIT-IT agents, including oncolytic viruses, pattern-recognition receptor agonists, injected CPIs, cytokines and immune glycolipids, are under investigation. This review considers the current clinical development status of HIT-IT agents as monotherapy and in combination with systemic CPIs, and the practical aspects of administering and assessing the response to these agents. The future of HIT-IT probably lies in its use in combination with systemic CPIs; data from Phase 2 trials indicate a synergy between HIT-IT and CPIs. Data also suggest that the addition of HIT-IT to a CPI might generate responses in CPI-refractory tumours, thereby overcoming resistance and addressing a current unmet need in unresectable and metastatic melanoma for treatment options following progression after CPI treatment.
Making up the shortages of the Bayes classifier by the maximum mutual information classifier
Authors: Lu Chenguang , Zou Xiaohui , Wang Wenfeng , Chen Xiaofeng
Published: July 2020

The Bayes classifier is often used because it is simple, and the maximum posterior probability (MPP) criterion it uses is equivalent to the least error rate criterion. However, it has issues in the following circumstances: (i) if information instead of correctness is more important, we should use the maximum likelihood criterion or maximum information criterion, which can reduce the rate of failure to report small probability events. (ii) For unseen instance classifications, the previously optimised classifier cannot be properly used when the probability distribution of true classes is changed. (iii) When classes’ feature distributions instead of transition probability functions (TPFs) are stable, it is improper to train the TPF, such as the logistic function, with parameters. (iv) For multi‐label classifications, it is difficult to optimise a group of TPFs with parameters that the Bayes classifier needs. This study addresses these issues by comparing the MPP criterion with the maximum likelihood criterion and maximum mutual information (MMI) criterion. It suggests using the MMI criterion for most unseen instance classifications. It presents a new iterative algorithm, the channel matching (CM) algorithm, for the MMI classification. It uses two examples to show the advantages of the CM algorithm: fast and reliable.
Design and implementation of real‐time monitoring system for atmospheric particles based on a cloud platform
Authors: Bao Li‐Qun , Wan Feng‐Feng
Published: July 2020

In order to reduce the cost of data acquisition and arrange the data acquisition nodes flexibly to meet the requirements of mobile pollution sources and unfixed data collection points, a real‐time monitoring system for atmospheric particles based on a cloud platform is proposed here. The movable data acquisition nodes for atmospheric particles are designed to collect the particle concentration data, which are uploaded to the cloud platform through the general packet radio service (GPRS) network. The android application gets the atmospheric particle concentration data from the cloud platform in real time. Data acquisition nodes can be flexibly added to the system. It greatly improves the sharing of atmospheric particle concentration data. The test results show that the system has stable performance and low error rate.
Avascular Necrosis of the Intermedioradial Carpal Bone in a 6-Month-Old Dog
Authors: Kenny Dan D. , O'Neill Turlough
Published: July 2020

A 6-month-old neutered male dog presented for investigation of right thoracic limb lameness of 6-week duration following an acute injury. Radiography and computed tomography revealed focal osteolysis of the intermedioradial carpal bone. Histopathology of the bone revealed osteonecrosis, bone resorption, fibrous proliferation and new bone formation suggestive of avascular necrosis. Pancarpal arthrodesis was performed to stabilize the carpus and resulted in resolution of lameness and return to normal exercise. Avascular necrosis of carpal bones is rare and unreported in skeletally immature dogs. The imaging and histopathological changes in this dog's intermedioradial carpal bone bear strong similarity to Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease and the two presentations may have a similar traumatic vascular pathology.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Advocacy and Communicating with the Public
Authors: Uretsky Madeline , Nowinski Christopher J.
Published: July 2020

Over the past 40 years, advocacy groups have been instrumental in raising awareness for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. More recently, advocates have emerged to educate about sports concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), including the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF). CTE is a neurodegenerative disease caused in part by repetitive head impacts (RHI). While the majority of CTE research has focused on studying former American football players, CTE has also been found in military personnel, victims of domestic violence, and contact sport athletes from high school to professional levels of play. Advocates' many goals include creating a culture of brain donation and modifying youth contact sports to decrease RHI. Here, we provide the first review of CTE advocacy, summarize the accomplishments of the CLF, and consider the connections between CTE advocacy, research, and legislation over the last decade.
Next-generation sequencing analysis reveals segmental patterns of microRNA expression in yak epididymis
Authors: Zhao Wangsheng , Quansah Eugene , Yuan Meng , Li Pengcheng , Yi Chuanping , Cai Xin , Zhu Jiangjiang
Published: July 2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as potent regulators of gene expression and are widely expressed in biological systems. In reproduction, they have been shown to have a significant role in the acquisition and maintenance of male fertility, whereby deletion of Dicer in mouse germ cells leads to infertility. Evidence indicates that this role of miRNAs extends from the testis into the epididymis, controlling gene expression and contributing to regional variations in gene expression. In this study, RNA sequencing technology was used to investigate miRNA expression patterns in the yak epididymis. Region-specific miRNA expression was found in the yak epididymis. In all, 683 differentially expressed known miRNAs were obtained; 190, 186 and 307 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified for caput versus corpus, corpus versus cauda and caput versus cauda region pairs respectively. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes results showed endocytosis as the most enriched pathway across region pairs, followed by protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, phagosome, spliceosome and biosynthesis of amino acids in region pair-specific hierarchical order. Gene ontology results showed varied enrichment in terms including cell, biogenesis, localisation, binding and locomotion across region pairs. In addition, significantly higher miR-34c expression was seen in the yak caput epididymidis relative to the corpus and cauda epididymidis.
“Actually, in my culture…” Identity, positioning, and intersubjectivity in cross-cultural interviews
Authors: Groves Olivia , Chen Honglin , Verenikina Irina
Published: July 2020

The increasing internationalization of education has brought diversification to university student populations. The demographic changes pose great challenges to interview practice as interviews are increasingly occurring in cross-cultural contexts and often involve participants from diverse cultural backgrounds. Recent research has demonstrated that the cultural identity of the interviewer, in particular, the insider or outsider positioning relative to the participants, can impinge upon the quantity and quality of the collected interview data and research outcomes. In this paper, we go beyond this conception of interviewer as either a cultural insider or outsider to examine how multiple identities and positionings are enacted by interviewer and interviewees in order to achieve intersubjectivity, or common ground, in cross-cultural research interviews. The paper contributes to understanding the complexity of cross-cultural interviews, in particular, the impact of positioning processes on the establishment of intersubjectivity and data construction.
Gallo-Romance lenition in Germanic loanwords
Authors: Vaan Michiel de
Published: July 2020

One of the earliest changes affecting Western Romance before the end of the Roman Empire was the lenition of
intervocalic *p, *t, *k to *b, *d, *g. We
find its effects in a number of Romance loanwords in West Germanic. The word for ‘market’ has not played a role in this discussion
because it is often attested with t in the West Germanic languages. Still, there are strong indications that the
word was borrowed into Germanic as *markadu after the lenition of intervocalic t in Romance. Its
phonological make-up is comparable to that of Latin vocatus, which was borrowed into Germanic as
*fogadu.
A contribution to Old English lexicography
Authors: García Fernández Laura
Published: July 2020

This article contributes to Old English Lexicography with the lemmatisation of five Old English class VII verbs. The scope is restricted toūtgangan, wiðhealdan, oferscēadan, onbefeallanandongangan, for which very little information can be gathered from the available lexicographical sources. Lemmatisation is a pending task because there is not a complete list with all the attested forms by dictionary word, and because the available corpora are unlemmatised. The methodology focuses on the manual revision of the inflectional forms (retrieved from the DOEC) using lexicographical and textual sources with the aim of providing the citations together with their translation into Present-Day English. As a result, this work provides insights on building dictionary entries for these verbs, including the list of inflectional forms attested in the corpus, the meaning definition, and the morphology of the word formation. The entries for these lemmas, if listed by the dictionaries, are often incomplete, but more importantly, they are not based on a lemmatised corpus.
The Leipzig-Jakarta list as a means to test Old English / Old Norse mutual intelligibility
Authors: Keller Jonas
Published: July 2020

The use of basic word lists has long been common in the fields of second language acquisition and language typology.
The application to the study of mutual intelligibility between closely related languages on the other hand has never gained much
traction. This article will analyse the degree of mutual intelligibility between the vocabularies of Old English (Anglian) and Old
Norse (Old Icelandic) with the use of the Leipzig-Jakarta List which ranks vocabulary by their resistance to borrowing. The
entries were transliterated to the International Phonetic Alphabet and truncated so that only the word-roots remained. The entries
were then compared using a rule-set based on phonetic deviations, the so-called Levenshtein Distance and a method derived from it
called ALINE. The study finds a relatively low phonetic distance between the lists and concludes that they are overall close
enough to be mutually intelligible.
Wain, wagon and wayfarer
Authors: Schulte Michael
Published: July 2020

The runic inscriptions of the older period contain a series of terms referring to the notion of speed, agility and alertness in a broader sense. Most of these forms that occur on runestones are conveniently explained in terms of bynames and individual names (cf.Brylla 1993). The paper explores the structure of this lexical field which has two major sub-groups: (1) Weapon names designating attack and swift motion, and (2) Personal names and bynames invoking the notions of speed, travel and alertness. Subgroup 1 includes East Germanic material, whereas subgroup 2 seems to be restricted to the Northwest Germanic linguistic territory. The recently discovered Rakkestad runestone from eastern Norway affirms the relevance of this interpretation of personal names and bynames. The paper argues that this linguistic discussion is of socio-cultural importance in an overarching perspective of Early Norse society.
Dear, my dear, my lady, your ladyship
Authors: Buyle Anouk
Published: July 2020

This paper investigates the use ofmyas part of address formulae by means of a corpus consisting of eight British English plays published between 1899 and 1912. For each conversational turn, address terms, speaker, addressee, power and solidarity dynamics, and speech acts have been identified. The address terms most frequently modified bymyhave been selected for further investigation, which allows an analysis of the alternation betweendearandmy dear, as well asmy lord/ladyandyour lordship/ladyship. Results show that, whenmyhas impact on the power dimension, the address formula withmyconstrues the addressee as less powerful than the speaker. Whenmyhas impact on the solidarity dimension, the address formula withmyconstrues the addressee as a close interlocutor. The functional import ofmyvaries depending on the address term it modifies, which is consistent with its function as a modulating element.
Deciphering Aspergillus fumigatus cyp51A-mediated triazole resistance by pyrosequencing of respiratory specimens
Authors: Novak-Frazer Lilyann , Anees-Hill Samuel P , Hassan Darin , Masania Rikesh , Moore Caroline B , Richardson Malcolm D , Denning David W , Rautemaa-Richardson Riina
Published: July 2020

Background

Infections caused by triazole drug-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus are an increasing problem. The sensitivity of standard culture is poor, abrogating susceptibility testing. Early detection of resistance can improve patient outcomes, yet tools for this purpose are limited.

Objectives

To develop and validate a pyrosequencing technique to detect resistance-conferring cyp51A polymorphisms from clinical respiratory specimens and A. fumigatus isolates.

Methods

Method validation was performed by Sanger sequencing and pyrosequencing of 50 A. fumigatus isolates with a spectrum of triazole susceptibility patterns. Then, 326 Aspergillus quantitative PCR (qPCR)-positive respiratory samples collected over a 27 month period (January 2017–March 2019) from 160 patients at the UK National Aspergillosis Centre were assessed by cyp51A pyrosequencing. The Sanger sequencing and pyrosequencing results were compared with those from high-volume culture and standard susceptibility testing.

Results

The cyp51A genotypes of the 50 isolates analysed by pyrosequencing and Sanger sequencing matched. Of the 326 Aspergillus qPCR-positive respiratory specimens, 71.2% were reported with no A. fumigatus growth. Of these, 56.9% (132/232) demonstrated a WT cyp51A genotype and 31.5% (73/232) a resistant genotype by pyrosequencing. Pyrosequencing identified the environmental TR34/L98H mutation in 18.7% (61/326) of the samples in contrast to 6.4% (21/326) pan-azole resistance detected by culture. Importantly, pyrosequencing detected resistance earlier than culture in 23.3% of specimens.

Conclusions

The pyrosequencing assay described could detect a wide range of cyp51A polymorphisms associated with triazole resistance, including those not identified by commercial assays. This method allowed prompt recognition of resistance and the selection of appropriate antifungal treatment when culture was negative.
OrderRex clinical user testing: a randomized trial of recommender system decision support on simulated cases
Authors: Kumar Andre , Aikens Rachael C , Hom Jason , Shieh Lisa , Chiang Jonathan , Morales David , Saini Divya , Musen Mark , Baiocchi Michael , Altman Russ , Goldstein Mary K , Asch Steven , Chen Jonathan H
Published: July 2020

Objective

To assess usability and usefulness of a machine learning-based order recommender system applied to simulated clinical cases.

Materials and Methods

43 physicians entered orders for 5 simulated clinical cases using a clinical order entry interface with or without access to a previously developed automated order recommender system. Cases were randomly allocated to the recommender system in a 3:2 ratio. A panel of clinicians scored whether the orders placed were clinically appropriate. Our primary outcome included the difference in clinical appropriateness scores. Secondary outcomes included total number of orders, case time, and survey responses.

Results

Clinical appropriateness scores per order were comparable for cases randomized to the order recommender system (mean difference -0.11 order per score, 95% CI: [-0.41, 0.20]). Physicians using the recommender placed more orders (median 16 vs 15 orders, incidence rate ratio 1.09, 95%CI: [1.01-1.17]). Case times were comparable with the recommender system. Order suggestions generated from the recommender system were more likely to match physician needs than standard manual search options. Physicians used recommender suggestions in 98% of available cases. Approximately 95% of participants agreed the system would be useful for their workflows.

Discussion

User testing with a simulated electronic medical record interface can assess the value of machine learning and clinical decision support tools for clinician usability and acceptance before live deployments.

Conclusions

Clinicians can use and accept machine learned clinical order recommendations integrated into an electronic order entry interface in a simulated setting. The clinical appropriateness of orders entered was comparable even when supported by automated recommendations.
Evaluation of patient-level retrieval from electronic health record data for a cohort discovery task
Authors: Chamberlin Steven R , Bedrick Steven D , Cohen Aaron M , Wang Yanshan , Wen Andrew , Liu Sijia , Liu Hongfang , Hersh William R
Published: July 2020

Objective

Growing numbers of academic medical centers offer patient cohort discovery tools to their researchers, yet the performance of systems for this use case is not well understood. The objective of this research was to assess patient-level information retrieval methods using electronic health records for different types of cohort definition retrieval.

Materials and Methods

We developed a test collection consisting of about 100 000 patient records and 56 test topics that characterized patient cohort requests for various clinical studies. Automated information retrieval tasks using word-based approaches were performed, varying 4 different parameters for a total of 48 permutations, with performance measured using B-Pref. We subsequently created structured Boolean queries for the 56 topics for performance comparisons. In addition, we performed a more detailed analysis of 10 topics.

Results

The best-performing word-based automated query parameter settings achieved a mean B-Pref of 0.167 across all 56 topics. The way a topic was structured (topic representation) had the largest impact on performance. Performance not only varied widely across topics, but there was also a large variance in sensitivity to parameter settings across the topics. Structured queries generally performed better than automated queries on measures of recall and precision but were still not able to recall all relevant patients found by the automated queries.

Conclusion

While word-based automated methods of cohort retrieval offer an attractive solution to the labor-intensive nature of this task currently used at many medical centers, we generally found suboptimal performance in those approaches, with better performance obtained from structured Boolean queries. Future work will focus on using the test collection to develop and evaluate new approaches to query structure, weighting algorithms, and application of semantic methods.
scampy – A sub-halo clustering and abundance matching based python interface for painting galaxies on the dark matter halo/sub-halo hierarchy
Authors: Ronconi Tommaso , Lapi Andrea , Viel Matteo , Sartori Alberto
Published: July 2020

We present a computational framework for ‘painting’ galaxies on top of the dark matter halo/sub-halo hierarchy obtained from N-body simulations. The method we use is based on the sub-halo clustering and abundance matching (SCAM) scheme which requires observations of the 1- and 2-point statistics of the target (observed) population we want to reproduce. This method is particularly tailored for high redshift studies and thereby relies on the observed high-redshift galaxy luminosity functions and correlation properties. The core functionalities are written in C++ and exploit Object Oriented Programming, with a wide use of polymorphism, to achieve flexibility and high computational efficiency. In order to have an easily accessible interface, all the libraries are wrapped in python and provided with an extensive documentation. We validate our results and provide a simple and quantitative application to reionization, with an investigation of physical quantities related to the galaxy population, ionization fraction, and bubble size distribution. The library is publicly available at https://github.com/TommasoRonconi/scampy with full documentation and examples at https://scampy.readthedocs.io.
Transcriptional interference at tandem lncRNA and protein-coding genes: an emerging theme in regulation of cellular nutrient homeostasis
Authors: Shuman Stewart
Published: July 2020

Tandem transcription interference occurs when the act of transcription from an upstream promoter suppresses utilization of a co-oriented downstream promoter. Because eukaryal genomes are liberally interspersed with transcription units specifying long non-coding (lnc) RNAs, there are many opportunities for lncRNA synthesis to negatively affect a neighboring protein-coding gene. Here, I review two eukaryal systems in which lncRNA interference with mRNA expression underlies a regulated biological response to nutrient availability. Budding yeast SER3 is repressed under serine-replete conditions by transcription of an upstream SRG1 lncRNA that traverses the SER3 promoter and elicits occlusive nucleosome rearrangements. SER3 is de-repressed by serine withdrawal, which leads to shut-off of SRG1 synthesis. The fission yeast phosphate homeostasis (PHO) regulon comprises three phosphate acquisition genes – pho1, pho84, and tgp1 – that are repressed under phosphate-replete conditions by 5′ flanking lncRNAs prt, prt2, and nc-tgp1, respectively. lncRNA transcription across the PHO mRNA promoters displaces activating transcription factor Pho7. PHO mRNAs are transcribed during phosphate starvation when lncRNA synthesis abates. The PHO regulon is de-repressed in phosphate-replete cells by genetic manipulations that favor ‘precocious’ lncRNA 3′-processing/termination upstream of the mRNA promoters. PHO lncRNA termination is governed by the Pol2 CTD code and is subject to metabolite control by inositol pyrophosphates.
Brain foods - the role of diet in brain performance and health
Authors: Ekstrand Bo , Scheers Nathalie , Rasmussen Martin Krøyer , Young Jette Feveile , Ross Alastair B , Landberg Rikard
Published: July 2020

The performance of the human brain is based on an interplay between the inherited genotype and external environmental factors, including diet. Food and nutrition, essential in maintenance of brain performance, also aid in prevention and treatment of mental disorders. Both the overall composition of the human diet and specific dietary components have been shown to have an impact on brain function in various experimental models and epidemiological studies. This narrative review provides an overview of the role of diet in 5 key areas of brain function related to mental health and performance, including: (1) brain development, (2) signaling networks and neurotransmitters in the brain, (3) cognition and memory, (4) the balance between protein formation and degradation, and (5) deteriorative effects due to chronic inflammatory processes. Finally, the role of diet in epigenetic regulation of brain physiology is discussed.
Healthcare-seeking behaviour in reporting of scabies and skin infections in Ghana: A review of reported cases
Authors: Boateng Laud A ,   The Ghana Southampton Scabies Research Partnership, Adom Frempong , Angwaawie Paul , Boateng Laud , Danquah Esther , Dotse Winfred-Gborgborsti , Frimpong-Amenyo Rita-Patricia , Head Michael , Lamptey Rudolph , Lartey Abraham , Lartey Margaret , Osazuwa Roseline , Osei Bright , Patamia Ann Sena , Sevor Emmanuel Kofi , Sika Adolph , Yakubu Castro , Adom Frempong , Angwaawie Paul , Boateng Laud , Danquah Esther , Dotse Winfred-Gborgborsti , Frimpong-Amenyo Rita-Patricia , Head Michael , Lamptey Rudolph , Lartey Abraham , Lartey Margaret , Osazuwa Roseline , Osei Bright , Patamia Ann Sena , Sevor Emmanuel Kofi , Sika Adolph , Yakubu Castro
Published: July 2020

Background

Scabies is a neglected tropical disease. In resource-poor settings, scabies and other skin infections are often unreported to a health centre, or misdiagnosed. Dermatological expertise and training are often lacking. Little is known about patient healthcare-seeking behaviour. This study reviewed diagnosed skin infections reported to urban (Greater Accra) and rural (Oti region) study health centres in Ghana over six months in 2019.

Methods

Study staff received classroom and clinical dermatology training. Skin infection diagnoses and anonymised patient information were recorded. Descriptive statistics and spatial analysis described patient demographics, and distance travelled to clinic, noting bypassing of their nearest centre.

Results

Overall, 385 cases of skin infections were reported across the Greater Accra and Oti study clinics, with 45 scabies cases (11.6%). For scabies, 29 (64.4%) cases were in males. Scabies was the third most common diagnosis, behind bacterial dermatitis (102, 26.5%) and tinea (75, 19.5%). In the rural Oti region, 48.4% of patients bypassed their nearest clinic, travelling a mean 6.2 km further than they theoretically needed to. Females travelled further in comparison to males.

Conclusions

There must be greater public and professional awareness of scabies and skin infections as high-burden but treatable conditions, along with assessment of their community burden.
Process of Retirement Planning Scale: Psychometric Properties of the Complete and Short Spanish Versions
Authors: Seidl Juliana , Neiva Elaine Rabelo , Noone Jack H , Topa Gabriela
Published: July 2020

Workers who plan for retirement generally adjust better to this phase of life. Therefore, retirees, researchers, and practitioners benefit from the development of retirement preparation measures and interventions. The Process of Retirement Planning Scale (PRePS), originally developed in New Zealand, considers retirement planning as a multidimensional process that happens in 4 stages: representations, goals, decisions, and behaviors. This study aimed to validate the complete and short versions of the PRePS in Spanish. The translated complete version was administrated in a sample of 1,827 Spanish employees aged from 26 to 68 (M = 46.8; SD = 11.9), which was further randomly split into 3 subsamples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that both the complete version and the short version of the scale had satisfactory psychometric properties. The complete Spanish PRePS contains 37 items, which reflects 4 dimensions: financial (10 items), lifestyle (9 items), psychosocial (8 items), and health planning (10 items) and 4 stages: representations (12 items), goals (4 items), decisions (8 items), and preparedness (13 items). The short Spanish PRePS contains 24 items. Age, gender, and general self-efficacy were significant predictors of the PRePS dimensions, offering validity evidence from the standpoint of construct nomological network. The advantages of using the PRePS for researchers, professionals, and Spanish policy makers are discussed. As this scale has already been adapted to 5 different languages—English, Turkish, Korean, Portuguese, and now Spanish—cross-national studies about retirement planning are encouraged.
A data-driven method for reconstructing and modelling social interactions in moving animal groups
Authors: Escobedo R. , Lecheval V. , Papaspyros V. , Bonnet F. , Mondada F. , Sire C. , Theraulaz G.
Published: July 2020

Group-living organisms that collectively migrate range from cells and bacteria to human crowds, and include swarms of insects, schools of fish, and flocks of birds or ungulates. Unveiling the behavioural and cognitive mechanisms by which these groups coordinate their movements is a challenging task. These mechanisms take place at the individual scale and can be described as a combination of interactions between individuals and interactions between these individuals and the physical obstacles in the environment. Thanks to the development of novel tracking techniques that provide large and accurate datasets, the main characteristics of individual and collective behavioural patterns can be quantified with an unprecedented level of precision. However, in a large number of studies, social interactions are usually described by force map methods that only have a limited capacity of explanation and prediction, being rarely suitable for a direct implementation in a concise and explicit mathematical model. Here, we present a general method to extract the interactions between individuals that are involved in the coordination of collective movements in groups of organisms. We then apply this method to characterize social interactions in two species of shoaling fish, the rummy-nose tetra (
Hemigrammus rhodostomus
) and the zebrafish (
Danio rerio
), which both present a burst-and-coast motion. From the detailed quantitative description of individual-level interactions, it is thus possible to develop a quantitative model of the emergent dynamics observed at the group level, whose predictions can be checked against experimental results. This method can be applied to a wide range of biological and social systems.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Multi-scale analysis and modelling of collective migration in biological systems’.
Noise-induced effects in collective dynamics and inferring local interactions from data
Authors: Jhawar Jitesh , Guttal Vishwesha
Published: July 2020

In animal groups, individual decisions are best characterized by probabilistic rules. Furthermore, animals of many species live in small groups. Probabilistic interactions among small numbers of individuals lead to a so-called
intrinsic noise
at the group level. Theory predicts that the strength of intrinsic noise is not a constant but often depends on the collective state of the group; hence, it is also called a
state-dependent noise
or a
multiplicative noise
. Surprisingly, such noise may produce collective order. However, only a few empirical studies on collective behaviour have paid attention to such effects owing to the lack of methods that enable us to connect data with theory. Here, we demonstrate a method to characterize the role of stochasticity directly from high-resolution time-series data of collective dynamics. We do this by employing two well-studied individual-based toy models of collective behaviour. We argue that the group-level noise may encode important information about the underlying processes at the individual scale. In summary, we describe a method that enables us to establish connections between empirical data of animal (or cellular) collectives and the phenomenon of noise-induced states, a field that is otherwise largely limited to the theoretical literature.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Multi-scale analysis and modelling of collective migration in biological systems’.
An agent-based approach for modelling collective dynamics in animal groups distinguishing individual speed and orientation
Authors: Bernardi Sara , Scianna Marco
Published: July 2020

Collective dynamics in animal groups is a challenging theme for the modelling community, being treated with a wide range of approaches. This topic is here tackled by a discrete model. Entering in more details, each agent, represented by a material point, is assumed to move following a first-order Newtonian law, which distinguishes speed and orientation. In particular, the latter results from the balance of a given set of behavioural stimuli, each of them defined by a direction and a weight, that quantifies its relative importance. A constraint on the sum of the weights then avoids implausible simultaneous maximization/minimization of all movement traits. Our framework is based on a minimal set of rules and parameters and is able to capture and classify a number ofcollectivegroup dynamics emerging from differentindividualpreferred behaviour, which possibly includes attractive, repulsive and alignment stimuli. In the case of a system of animals subjected only to the first two behavioural inputs, we also show how analytical arguments allow us toa priorirelate the equilibrium interparticle spacing to critical model coefficients. Our approach is then extended to account for the presence of predators with different hunting strategies, which impact on the behaviour of a prey population. Hints for model refinement and applications are finally given in the conclusive part of the article.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Multi-scale analysis and modelling of collective migration in biological systems’.
Collective migration and patterning during early development of zebrafish posterior lateral line
Authors: Colombi Annachiara , Scianna Marco , Preziosi Luigi
Published: July 2020

The morphogenesis of zebrafish posterior lateral line (PLL) is a good predictive model largely used in biology to study cell coordinated reorganization and collective migration regulating pathologies and human embryonic processes. PLL development involves the formation of a placode formed by epithelial cells with mesenchymal characteristics which migrates within the animal myoseptum while cyclically assembling and depositing rosette-like clusters (progenitors of neuromast structures). The overall process mainly relies on the activity of specific diffusive chemicals, which trigger collective directional migration and patterning. Cell proliferation and cascade of phenotypic transitions play a fundamental role as well. The investigation on the mechanisms regulating such a complex morphogenesis has become a research topic, in the last decades, also for the mathematical community. In this respect, we present a multiscale hybrid model integrating a discrete approach for the cellular level and a continuous description for the molecular scale. The resulting numerical simulations are then able to reproduce both the evolution of
wild-type
(i.e. normal) embryos and the pathological behaviour resulting form experimental manipulations involving laser ablation. A qualitative analysis of the dependence of these model outcomes from cell-cell mutual interactions, cell chemical sensitivity and internalization rates is included. The aim is first to validate the model, as well as the estimated parameter values, and then to predict what happens in situations not tested yet experimentally.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Multi-scale analysis and modelling
of collective migration in biological systems'.
Collective information processing in human phase separation
Authors: Jayles Bertrand , Escobedo Ramón , Pasqua Roberto , Zanon Christophe , Blanchet Adrien , Roy Matthieu , Tredan Gilles , Theraulaz Guy , Sire Clément
Published: July 2020

In our digital societies, individuals massively interact through digital interfaces whose impact on collective dynamics can be important. In particular, the combination of social media filters and recommender systems can lead to the emergence of polarized and fragmented groups. In some social contexts, such segregation processes of human groups have been shown to share similarities with phase separation phenomena in physics. Here, we study the impact of information filtering on collective segregation behaviour of human groups. We report a series of experiments where groups of 22 subjects have to perform a collective segregation task that mimics the tendency of individuals to bond with other similar individuals. More precisely, the participants are each assigned a colour (red or blue) unknown to them, and have to regroup with other subjects sharing the same colour. To assist them, they are equipped with an artificial sensory device capable of detecting the majority colour in their ‘environment’ (defined as their
k
nearest neighbours, unbeknownst to them), for which we control the perception range,
k
= 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13. We study the separation dynamics (emergence of unicolour groups) and the properties of the final state, and show that the value of
k
controls the quality of the segregation, although the subjects are totally unaware of the precise definition of the ‘environment’. We also find that there is a perception range
k
= 7 above which the ability of the group to segregate does not improve. We introduce a model that precisely describes the random motion of a group of pedestrians in a confined space, and which faithfully reproduces and allows interpretation of the results of the segregation experiments. Finally, we discuss the strong and precise analogy between our experiment and the phase separation of two immiscible materials at very low temperature.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Multi-scale analysis and modelling of collective migration in biological systems’.
Assessing the variations in breast/ovarian cancer risk for Chinese BRCA1/2 carriers
Authors: Li Ang , Zi Yi , Luo Jiaqi , You Xiaobin , Lan Zhaoji , Zhou Tianliangwen , Wu Yangming , Zhi Qihuan , Su Huijun , Zhu Mei , Xu Siwen , Gao Yun , Zhong Zaixuan , Xie Ling , Wang Yuanqin , Lin Qiuping , Li Xiaoting , Zhan Jiamin , Weng Hui , Li Dan , Xu Shulan , Sun Gang , Shi Yujian
Published: July 2020

Background

Cancer risks vary in different BRCA1/2 mutations. Previous studies based on Caucasian population have identified regions associated with elevated/reduced risks of breast/ovarian cancers. Since ethnic differences are known to affect BRCA1/2 mutation spectra, we are interested in defining Chinese-specific ovarian/breast cancer cluster regions (OCCR/BCCR) and comparing with previously reported Caucasian-based cluster regions. We also aim to characterize the distribution and estimate the cancer risks of different Chinese recurrent mutations.

Methods

7,919 (3,641 unselected cancer-free women + 4,278 female cancer patients) individuals were included in the study. Germline BRCA1/2 status were detected with amplicon-based next-generation sequencing. BRCA1/2 carriers were defined as bearing likely pathogenic or pathogenic mutations. We calculated odds ratio (OR) of breast cancer and OR of ovarian cancer, and their ratio of the two ORs (ROR) for each region. ROR > 1 indicated elevated odds of breast cancer and/or decreasing odds of ovarian cancer; ROR < 1 indicated increasing odds of ovarian cancer and/or decreasing breast cancer odds. The frequency, distribution and penetrance of six known Chinese founder mutations were characterize respectively. Haplotype analysis and age estimation were performed on the most prevalent and widely-spread founder mutation BRCA1:c.5470_5477del.

Results

A total of 729 subjects were detected with germline BRCA1/2 deleterious mutations, including 236 BRCA1 and 122 BRCA2 mutations. The putative Chinese OCCR/BCCR are partially overlapped with Caucasian-based OCCR/BCCR and shared structural-functional characteristics. The six known Chinese founder mutations vary greatly in both distribution and penetrance. The two most prevalent and widely-spread mutations are estimated to convey low penetrance, while the area-restricted founder mutations seemed to confer higher or nearly complete penetrance. The most prevalent founder mutation BRCA1:c.5470_5477del accounting for 9.5% - 18% of BRCA1 carriers is estimated to have emerged ∼2,090 years ago (70 B.C.) during the Han Dynasty, about 290 years (∼14.5 generations) prior to the Three Kingdoms Period when a major population migration occurred.

Conclusion

BRCA1/2 carriers with different genotypes have significantly different cancer risks. Hence ideally risk assessment should be mutation-specific, rather than concerning a single figure. The probably most ancient Chinese founder mutation may have originated more than 2,000 years ago.
The left inferior frontal gyrus is causally involved in selective semantic retrieval: Evidence from tDCS in primary progressive aphasia
Authors: Wang Zeyi , Ficek Bronte N , Webster Kimberly T , Onyike Chiadi U , Desmond John E , Hillis Argye E , Frangakis Constantine E , Brian Caffo , Kyrana Tsapkini
Published: July 2020

Lesion and imaging studies have shown that the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) is involved in selective semantic retrieval of information from the temporal lobes. However, causal, i.e., interventional, evidence is sparse. In the present study we addressed this question by testing whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left IFG in a group of individuals with primary progressive aphasia may improve semantic fluency, a task that relies to selective semantic retrieval. Semantic fluency improved significantly more in the tDCS vs. sham condition immediately post-treatment and improvement lasted up to 2 months. We further addressed the question of who will benefit most from such an intervention by testing possible demographic, clinical and functional connectivity variables that may predict the behavioral tDCS effect. We found that patients with stronger baseline functional connectivity between the subareas of the left IFG opercularis and triangularis, and between the middle temporal pole and superior temporal gyrus. were the most likely to benefit from tDCS over the left IFG. We thus provided causal evidence that the left IFG is the neural substrate of selective semantic retrieval and tDCS over the left IFG may improve semantic fluency in individuals with stronger baseline functional connectivity.