bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconstructing patterns of coastal risk in space and time along the
US Atlantic Coast, 1970-2016
Authors: Armstrong Scott B. , Lazarus Eli D.
Published: May 2019

Abstract. Despite interventions intended to reduce impacts of coastal hazards, the risk of damage along the US Atlantic Coast continues to rise. This reflects a long-standing paradox in disaster science: even as physical and social insights into disaster events improve, the economic costs of disasters keep growing. Risk can be expressed as a function of three components: hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Risk may be driven up by coastal hazards intensifying with climate change, or by increased exposure of people and infrastructure in hazard zones. But risk may also increase because of interactions, or feedbacks, between hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Here, we present a data-driven model that describes trajectories of risk at the county scale along the US Atlantic Coast over the past five decades. We also investigate indications of feedbacks between risk components that help explain these trajectories. Our findings suggest that spatially explicit modelling efforts to predict future coastal risk need to address feedbacks between hazard, exposure, and vulnerability to capture emergent patterns of risk in space and time.
Simulating model uncertainty of subgrid-scale processes by sampling model errors at convective scales
Authors: Van Ginderachter Michiel , Degrauwe Daan , Vannitsem Stéphane , Termonia Piet
Published: May 2019

Abstract. Ideally, perturbation schemes in ensemble forecasts should be based on the statistical properties of the model errors. Often, however, the statistical properties of these model errors are unknown. In practice, the perturbations are pragmatically modelled and tuned to maximize the skill of the ensemble forecast. In this paper a general methodology is developed to diagnose the model error, linked to a specific physical process, based on a comparison between a target and a reference model. Here, the reference model is a configuration of the ALADIN (Aire Limitée Adaptation Dynamique Développement International) model with a parameterization of deep convection. This configuration is also run with the deep convection parameterization scheme switched off, degrading the forecast skill. The model error is then defined as the difference of the energy and mass fluxes between the reference model with scale-aware deep convection parameterization and the target model without deep convection parameterization. In the second part of the paper, the diagnosed model-error characteristics are used to stochastically perturb the fluxes of the target model by sampling the model errors from a training period in such a way that the distribution and the vertical and multivariate correlation within a grid column are preserved. By perturbing the fluxes it is guaranteed that that the total mass, heat and momentum remain conserved. The tests, performed over the period 11–20 April 2009, show that the ensemble system with the stochastic flux perturbations combined with the initial condition perturbations, not only outperforms the target ensemble, where deep convection is not parameterized, but for many variables it even performs better than the reference ensemble (with scale-aware deep convection scheme). The introduction of the stochastic flux perturbations reduces the small-scale erroneous spread while increasing the overall spread leading to a more skillful ensemble. The impact is largest in the upper troposphere with substantial improvements compared to other state-of-the-art stochastic perturbation schemes. At lower levels the improvements are smaller or neutral, except for temperature where the forecast skill is degraded.
Spatial and temporal variations in basal melting at Nivlisen ice shelf, East Antarctica, derived from phase-sensitive radars
Authors: Lindbäck Katrin , Moholdt Geir , Nicholls Keith W. , Hattermann Tore , Pratap Bhanu , Thamban Meloth , Matsuoka Kenichi
Published: May 2019

Abstract. Thinning rates of ice shelves vary widely around Antarctica and basal melting is a major component in ice shelf mass loss. In this study, we present records of basal melting, at unique spatial and temporal resolution for East Antarctica, derived from autonomous phase-sensitive radars. These records show spatial and temporal variations of ice shelf basal melting in 2017 and 2018 at Nivlisen, central Dronning Maud Land. The annually averaged melt rates are in general moderate (~ 0.8 m yr-1). Radar profiling of the ice-shelf shows variable ice thickness from smooth beds to basal crevasses and channels. The highest melt rates (3.9 m yr-1) were observed close to a grounded feature near the ice shelf front. Daily time-varying measurements reveal a seasonal melt signal 4 km from the ice shelf front, at an ice draft of 130 m, where the highest daily melt rates occurred in summer (up to 5.6 m yr-1). This seasonality indicates that summer-warmed ocean surface water was pushed by wind beneath the ice shelf front. We observed a different melt regime 35 km into the ice-shelf cavity, at an ice draft of 280 m, with considerably lower melt rates (annual average of 0.4 m yr-1) and no seasonality. We conclude that warm deep ocean water at present has limited effect on the basal melting of Nivlisen. On the other hand, a warming in surface waters, as a result of diminishing sea-ice cover has the potential to increase basal melting near the ice-shelf front. Many ice shelves like Nivlisen are stabilized by pinning points at their ice fronts and these areas may be vulnerable to future change.
Perfil socioeconômico de alunos do Prouni e ex-beneficiários do Programa Bolsa Família de uma Universidade sem fins lucrativos de São Paulo
Authors: Pires André , Romão Paulo Cesar Ricci
Published: May 2019

Este artigo objetiva apresentar, de maneira descritiva, o perfil socioeconômico de um conjunto reduzido de pessoas que foi beneficiário do Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) e que ingressou numa Universidade privada sem fins lucrativos do estado de São Paulo pelo Prouni. Os números do cadastro desta Universidade indicam que aqueles que recebem ou já receberam recursos do PBF perfazem o grupo provavelmente mais vulnerável em termos socioeconômicos. Ao buscar conhecer o perfil socioeconômico dos alunos originários do Programa Bolsa Família após a Educação Básica, o artigo oferece contribuições no sentido de evidenciar o acesso ao ensino superior de um grupo social até então distante dessa possibilidade. Todavia, o custo para isso se mostra particularmente alto quando se considera somente os bolsistas e ex-bolsistas do Programa Bolsa Família.
From the Sublime to the Picturesque: Dorothea's Husbands, Embodied in Rome
Authors: Thomas Claire
Published: May 2019

This article considers sightseeing as a useful metaphor for reading Dorothea's courtship and matrimonial journeys in George Eliot's Middlemarch. Through a focus on the visual idiom of the novel's Roman sections, I suggest that Dorothea's two husbands can be understood as embodiments of contrasting aesthetic categories of sightseeing: deathly Casaubon as the overwhelming sublime, while sunny Ladislaw is the manageable and accessible picturesque. Through a discussion of nineteenth-century travel to Italy, and its contingent expectations and disappointments, I chart Dorothea's journey from her first husband to her second, from Casaubon to Ladislaw, from the sublime to the picturesque.
A SCRUTINY ON THE CHANGES IN THE SELF-RESPECT, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION LEVELS OF THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PERFORMING INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM SPORTS
Authors: KIVRAK Ali Osman , ALTIN Mehmet
Published: May 2019

The objective of this study is to examine the changes in the self-respect, anxiety, and depression levels of the sportspeople studying at various departments of Selçuk University. The study group is constituted by totally 280 university students, 106 of whom doing individual and 174 doing team sports, being 123 females and 157 males. In the acquisition of the data, “Beck Depression Scale, Rosenberg Self-Perception Scale, and Beck Anxiety Scale were used. The diagnostic statistics of the data were conducted and their homogeneity and variances were tested. In the analysis of the data, Independent Samples t test was used and Pearson Correlation analysis was conducted. While no statistical change was observed in line with the age and accommodation factors, statistical significant changes were identified in the case of self-respect, anxiety and Depression levels in line with the gender and the type of sports done (p<0.05). It is contemplated that the changes between the female and male students stem from the cultural structure in addition to the social structure, social responsibility, and duties, and it can be said that the reason for the values of self-respect, anxiety, and Depression in students performing team sports are more positive than those of the students doing individual sports arises from the specific structure of the sportive branches.Keywords: University Student, Anxiety, Self-respect, Depression, Sports
Nurturing academic writing for students in an enrolled to registered nurse conversion course at university
Authors: Emmanuel Elizabeth N.M. , Chaseling Marilyn , Boyd Bill
Published: May 2019

A growing number of diploma-qualified nurses from vocational programs are enrolling in university Bachelor of Nursing programs to upgrade their qualifications. Universities typically provide these students with credit so they enter the Bachelor of Nursing program in second year. Known as pathway students, these students tend to miss the orientating opportunities that other students experience in their first-year university enrolment. This lack of first-year opportunity can be challenging for many pathway students, notably in academic writing. This paper reports on a tailored and scaffolded academic-writing teaching strategy designed for pathway students in their initial semester of learning. Both the students themselves, and teachers report evidence of improvements in academic writing amongst the pathway students.
A Note on the Matching Polytope of a Graph
Authors: Abreu Nair Maria Maia de , Costa Liliana Manuela Gaspar Cerveira da , Nascimento Carlos Henrique Pereira , Patuzzi Laura
Published: May 2019

The matching polytope of a graph G, denoted by M(G), is the convex hull of the set of the incidence vectors of the matchings G. The graph  G(M(G)), whose vertices and edges are the vertices and edges of M(G), is the skeleton of the matching polytope of G. In this paper, for an arbitrary graph, we prove that  the minimum degree of G(M(G))  is equal to the number of edges of G, generalizing a known result for trees. From this, we identify the vertices of the skeleton with the minimum degree and we prove that the union of stars and triangles characterizes regular skeletons of the matching polytopes of graphs.
Applications of fractional calculus to $ k $-uniformly starlike and $ k $-uniformly convex functions of order $ \alpha $
Authors: Akbarally Ajab , Darus Maslina
Published: May 2019

A new subclass of analytic functions $ k-SP_\lambda(\alpha) $ is introduced by applying certain operators of fractional calculus to $k$-uniformly starlike and $ k $-uniformly convex functions of order $ \alpha $. Some theorems on coefficient bounds and growth and distortion theorems for this subclass are found. The radii of close to convexity, starlikeness and convexity for this subclass is also derived.
Nonlinear functional random differential equations in Banach algebras
Authors: Dhage B. C.
Published: May 2019

In this paper the existence as well as the existence of the extremal solutions for first order nonlinear perturbed functional random differential equations is proved under

mixed Lipschitz, compactness and monotonic conditions.
Serious games going beyond the Call of Duty: Impact of an advertising literacy mini-game platform on adolescents’ motivational outcomes through user experiences and learning outcomes
Authors: De Jans Steffi , Hudders Liselot , Herrewijn Laura , Van Geit Klara , Cauberghe Veroline
Published: May 2019

As adolescents’ advertising literacy is not yet fully developed with regard to non-traditional advertising, they should be made more resilient to this contemporary advertising. Therefore, the current study conducted a three-level, between-subjects experiment (advertising literacy intervention: control condition versus informational booklet versus serious mini-game platform) to examine the effectiveness of advertising literacy interventions among adolescents (aged ten to sixteen). The results showed that an advertising literacy intervention (compared to no intervention) increased Belgian adolescents’ (N = 211, Mage = 13.22) perceived dispositional advertising literacy, and subsequently, their motivation to critically reflect on advertising. In addition, the advertising literacy serious mini-game platform (compared to the informational booklet) increased the experience of flow among the adolescents, which in turn positively affected enjoyment, and perceived learning. Perceived learning then further increased adolescents’ motivation to critically reflect on advertising and their motivation to interact with the learning materials.
Association Between Melanoma Risk and Height: A Narrative Review
Authors: Vena Gino A. , Cassano Nicoletta , Caccavale Stefano , Argenziano Giuseppe
Published: May 2019

The link between anthropometric indices, including height, and cancer risk and/or progression has attracted considerable interest in recent years. Adult height results from the complex interplay between genetic, hormonal, nutritional, and other environmental factors and has been found to contribute to the risk of several selected malignancies, although it has not been implicated as a real cause per se. A number of studies have investigated the height-melanoma relationship, showing controversial results so far. In this review, we summarize the epidemiological data regarding the association between height and melanoma risk and analyze the potential underlying mechanisms.
Williamson on Laws and Progress in Philosophy
Authors: Stoljar Daniel ,   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: May 2019

Williamson rejects the stereotype that there is progress in science but none in philosophy on the grounds (a) that it assumes that in science progress consists in the discovery of universal laws and (b) that this assumption is false, since in both science and philosophy progress consists at least sometimes in the development of better models. I argue that the assumption is false for a more general reason as well: that progress in both science and philosophy consists in the provision of better information about dependency structures.
Reply to Dennett, Knobe, Kuznetsov, and Stoljar on Philosophical Methodology
Authors: Williamson Timothy ,   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: May 2019

The paper replies to replies by Dennett, Knobe, Kuznetsov, and Stoljar to the author’s ‘Armchair Philosophy’.
Structure and floristic survey of a forest fragment in the Billings Reservoir, São Paulo
Authors: Silva Cleber Vinicius Vitorio , Almeida Josimar Ribeiro de , Silva Carlos Eduardo , Carvalho Lyanna Oliveira de , Silva Carlos Domingos da , Rigueiral Luccas Henrique Gomes , Paula Raphael Gomes de
Published: May 2019

The Atlantic Forest is the largest biome in the State of São Paulo, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems complexes on the planet, considered a conservation hotspot. This work aimed to list the plant species through the classification of the life forms of RAUNKIAER (1905), improved by CABRERA & WILLINK (1973). The survey of the species was carried out by prospecting’s in 54 quadratic plots of 36 m2, evenly distributed in a forest fragment of 48,010.91 m2. There recorded 97 species distributed in 47 families, with predominance Myrtaceae. The survey was carried out in December 2017, of the total number of species collected in the area of the fragment: 63 are trees, 17 are herbaceous, 6 are epiphytic, 4 are lianas, 3 are shrubs, 2 are palm trees, one is arborescent and one scandent. It is worth noting the registration of the vulnerable species Euterpe edulis, all botanical material is in the Herbarium RBR - UFRRJ - Institute of Biological and Health Sciences.
¿Qué es un recurso turístico? Un análisis Delphi a la Academia Hispana
Authors: Arnandis-i-Agramunt Ruben
Published: May 2019

Tras más de cincuenta años estudiando el desplazamiento de las personas con fines de ocio, argumentando por ello el desarrollo de equipamientos, infraestructuras e instalaciones, implementando políticas y planificaciones turísticas, evaluando programas y actuaciones, todavía la materia prima de la actividad turística, la que justifica la existencia de todos los elementos anteriores, sigue sin tener un espacio consensuado entre la academia. Esta investigación, tras una amplia revisión bibliográfica que evidencia esta situación descrita, implementa un Delphi entre veinticinco personas de la academia hispana cuyas investigaciones están directamente asociadas al tema de estudio. El objeto no era otro que encontrar los puntos de confluencia en torno al concepto de recurso y su relación con el turismo para, posteriormente, articular una propuesta que identifique los elementos básicos de todo recurso turístico. Los resultados obtenidos, tras dos rondas y un cuestionario de treinta y cuatro afirmaciones encontradas en la literatura valoradas con una escala Likert de 1 a 5, muestran un alto grado de acuerdo (hacia el consenso o el disenso), en la mayoría de aspectos evaluados en las tres dimensiones. Estos hallazgos aportan luz a algunos temas de debate. Sin embargo, también se manifiestan ciertas discrepancias, sobre todo alrededor de la tercera dimensión (la relación recurso–adaptación al uso turístico). Es, pues, una primera aproximación a la conceptualización de recurso turístico.

After more than fifty years of looking into people's movement due to leisure purposes, and therefore arguing the development of equipment, infrastructures, and facilities, implementing policies and tourism planning, evaluating programs and actions, the raw material of tourism, which justifies the existence of the previous elements, has not still reached an agreement among researchers. This investigation, which demonstrates the previous evidence after a wide bibliographical review, set up a Delphi among twenty-five Hispanic researchers whose works are directly related to this matter. The aim was to seek areas of common ground, regarding the concept of resource and its relationship to tourism, in order to articulate a proposal to identify the key elements of a tourism resource. Results (after two rounds, a questionnaire with thirty-four statements found in literature, and a Likert 1–5 scale) have revealed a high level of agreement (towards consensus or dissent), in most assessed aspects of the three dimensions. These findings shed light on some points of discussion. Nevertheless, discrepancies about the third dimension (resource and adaptation to tourism purpose) have been observed. This is thus a first approximation of what tourism resource should be considered.
Los impactos del turismo en España: diferencias entre destinos de sol y playa y destinos de interior
Authors: Gómez Bruna Diana , Martín Duque Clara
Published: May 2019

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo la evaluación de los impactos económicos, socioculturales y medioambientales ocasionados por el turismo en España. En concreto, el artículo mide la percepción que de ellos tienen los residentes de 151 municipios turísticos valorando las posibles diferencias entre las percepciones de los residentes de destinos de sol y playa y de interior. Para ello, se han realizado 1027 encuestas analizadas a través de la prueba paramétrica para la comparación de medias (ANOVA). Este análisis ha permitido determinar, entre otras cuestiones, que los residentes de los destinos de sol y playa perciben los impactos del turismo de forma más negativa que los de los destinos de interior.

This article aims to evaluate the perception of the Spanish residents about the economic, sociocultural and environmental impacts that tourism generate in Spain. In particular, the article analyse the resident percepcion of the impacts in 151 spanish destinations making distinctions between coastal destinations and hinterland destinations. To this end we have made a one way ANOVA based on 1027 surveys. This analysis of the data shows that those resident who live in coastal areas perceive more strongly the negatives effects of tourism than those who live in hinterlands.
Salta (Argentina) como ciudad patrimonial y cosmopolita: la definición de un destino turístico “competitivo”
Authors: Troncoso Claudia Alejandra
Published: May 2019

El presente trabajo aborda los procesos de transformación reciente de Salta (Argentina), ciudad que se ha definido en las últimas décadas como un importante destino turístico en el contexto nacional. En años recientes, desde el gobierno provincial (con colaboración de empresarios y expertos), se gestó un proyecto de renovación del área histórica orientado a estimular la llegada de turista que acentuó el carácter patrimonial de la ciudad pero también buscó definirla como una ciudad cosmopolita. Como parte de este proceso, el centro histórico se perfiló como un espacio de consumo turístico que también atrajo a ciertos sectores de la sociedad local.

The paper deals with the recent processes that have transformed Salta into an important tourist destination in Argentina. In the last decades, provincial government (together with entrepreneurial actors and cultural and scientific experts) has launched an urban renewal program to revitalize the historic district and improve infrastructures to stimulate tourism. This reinforced the heritage aspects of Salta but also sought to show it as a cosmopolitan city. As part of this process historic district has become a space of consumption for tourist and privileged local society.
Proposal for a theoretical model for the analysis of the impact of cultural and personality factors on the demand for tourist services
Authors: Maseda Moreno Araceli , Soret Los Santos Ignacio , Vicente Pascual José Antonio
Published: May 2019

To determine the behaviours and motivations of tourists at each of the stages that make up tourist journeys is fundamental for the definition and development of the marketing and marketing strategies of all parties involved in the tourism sector.
For this reason, we propose a theoretical model of analysis of the different factors that influence the behaviours and motivations of the tourist.
This paper attempts to justify the influence that the culture of a place has upon the configuration of the personality of its inhabitants and whether these personalities give rise to different behaviours and motivations at each stage of the journey.
The theoretical model will enable all involved in the tourism sector to identify and prioritise actionable levers, which can be used in their marketing and sales plans, adapting their value proposition through mass customisation, on the basis of segmentation. This proposal for a theoretical model will determine the relational strategy to be followed with tourists and will enable it to be more profitable in the long term, by developing value for tourists and being more efficient with the available resources.

Keywords: personality, culture, travel cycle, mass customisation, market segmentation.
« La seule constance… c’est l’inconstance »
Authors: MacKenzie1 Kaitlin , Dubois Florence
Published: May 2019

La présente étude se penche sur l’expérience d’individus qui visitent leurs proches dans les pénitenciers fédéraux au Canada, notamment sur les répercussions de l’utilisation d’un appareil de détection de drogues, le scanneur à ions, qui sert d’étape de contrôle des visiteurs des détenus. À partir de données tirées de huit entretiens non dirigés avec des personnes ayant connu des faux positifs sur le scanneur à ions lors de visites en prison, j’étudie les conséquences négatives de ce type de résultats, qui peuvent être assez fréquents, sur la vie des détenus et de leur famille. Même s’ils sont présentés comme des instruments objectifs et non biaisés, la manière dont les scanneurs à ions sont utilisés est empreinte de jugements moraux envers les individus qui visitent leurs proches détenus. J’aborde deux thèmes tirés de l’analyse : l’interaction entre le personnel carcéral et les familles des prisonniers ainsi que l’irrégularité et l’imprévisibilité des scanneurs à ions. L’analyse montre qu’il s’agit d’une technologie à risque d’erreurs qui participe à la stigmatisation – et même à la punition – des familles des détenus. En m’appuyant sur la littérature portant sur les conséquences collatérales de l’incarcération et sur les technologies du risque et de surveillance, je réfléchis à la manière dont les scanneurs à ions participent à l’extension des souffrances de l’incarcération aux visites en prison.
Indirect Discrimination and School Segregation of Roma Children in the Czech Republic
Authors: Añón Roig (tutora) María José , Gascón Cuenca (tutor) Andrés , Dalli Almiñana María Amparo , Dupont Pier-Luc , Calvo Sierra Ana
Published: May 2019

In DH v. Czech Republic (2007), the Czech government argued that Roma parents consented to the assignment of their children to ‘special’ schools. According to the government, parental consent undermined the claim that the disproportionate assignment of Roma children to inferior schools amounted to discrimination. The court rejected the argument, finding as a matter of law that parents could not choose to subject their children to discriminatory education, and as a matter of fact that the parents’ consent was not informed. Since the judgment, the Czech government continues to disproportionately assign Roma children to inferior schools, but it has revised the procedure they use to obtain parental consent for the assignment, and there are some indications that Roma parents indeed wish for their children to go to separate schooling from Czech children because they would be subjected to bullying and other intimidation in integrated schools. This memorandum examines circumstances in which the disparate impact of a government policy is said to result from choices made by the purported victims, and analyses of how courts have addressed the issue of agency and discrimination.
Quines normes? Una aproximació al debat sobre el concepte de malaltia mental
Authors: Ballesteros Virginia
Published: May 2019

Which norms? An approach to the debate on the concept of mental illness

Resum: En aquest article realitzem una aproximació al debat sobre el concepte de malaltia mental, des dels anys cinquanta fins al present, incorporant-hi elements de la filosofia i sociologia de la medicina, i atenent a les seues dimensions orgànica, subjectiva i social. Perfilem i avaluem les postures naturalistes i normativistes que han conformat el debat sobre la malaltia mental: des de l’antipsiquiatria a la psiquiatria crítica, passant per un naturalisme i construccionisme social forts.
Paraules clau: malaltia mental, naturalisme, construccionisme, antipsiquiatria, psiquiatria crítica.
 
Abstract: In this paper we approach the debate on the concept of mental illness from the 1950s to the present, by incorporating elements from the philosophy and sociology of medicine, considering its bodily, subjective, and social dimensions. We outline and evaluate the naturalist and normativist views that have shaped the debate on mental illness: from antipsychiatry to critical psychiatry, passing through strong naturalism and social constructionism.
Keywords: mental illness, naturalism, constructionism, antipsychiatry, critical psychiatry.
Introduction
Authors: Villegas Cristina , Nuño de la Rosa Laura
Published: May 2019

Introduction to the Special Issue on Philosophy of Biology
Edited by Laura Nuroga and Cristina Villegas
A metaphysical approach to holobiont individuality: Holobionts as emergent individuals
Authors: Suárez Javier , Triviño Vanessa
Published: May 2019

Abstract: Holobionts are symbiotic assemblages composed by a host plus its microbiome. The status of holobionts as individuals has recently been a subject of continuous controversy, which has given rise to two main positions: on the one hand, holobiont advocates argue that holobionts are biological individuals; on the other, holobiont detractors argue that they are just mere chimeras or ecological communities, but not individuals. Both parties in the dispute develop their argu-ments from the framework of the philosophy of biology, in terms of what it takes for a “conglomerate” to be considered an interesting individual from a biological point of view. However, the debates about holobiont individuality have important ontological implications that have remained vaguely explored from a metaphysical framework. The purpose of this paper is to cover that gap by presenting a meta-physical approach to holobionts individuality. Drawing upon a conception of natu-ral selection that puts the focus on the transgenerational recurrence of the traits and that supports the thesis that holobionts are units of selection, we argue that holobionts bear emergent traits and exert downward powers over the entities that compose them. In this vein, we argue, a reasonable argument can be made for conceiving holobionts as emergent biological individuals.
Keywords: emergence, holobiont, symbiosis, microbiome, biological individuality, trait-recurrence.
Bryophyte Phylogeny Poster (BPP)
Authors: Cole Theodor C H , Hilger Hartmut H , Goffinet Bernard
Published: May 2019

Bryophyte Phylogeny Poster

This educational poster presents an overview of the evolutionary relationships among nonvascular land plants based on data published up to spring 2019. The phylogenetic tree depicts the divisions, subclasses, orders, and families of "bryophytes", listing the main apomorphies and plesiomorphies as well as diagnostic and nondiagnostic anatomical, morphological, and phytochemical features also for the higher ranks within the tree. The intuitive color-coding facilitates memorization and teaching. Translations are now available in 16 languages (all freely accessible via ResearchGate and other platforms). This is part of a series of educational posters on the phylogeny of land plants
Some Suggestions for Teaching Undergraduate Business Statistics Courses
Authors: Egodawatte Gunawardena
Published: May 2019

Student anxiety is high in many business statistics courses. Often, students fail in these courses because they rely highly on grades rather than on meaningful learning. Instructors also feel the pressure because their students do not attempt to learn deeply. I taught Quantitative Methods courses for a number of years in a University in Ontario, Canada. In this paper, I have critically analyzed some of the challenges that instructors face in teaching these courses and suggested some solutions based on an educational point of view. Continuous assessment, portfolio construction, and improving the efficiency of instructor evaluations are three key suggestions for consideration.

As these challenges are common to most undergraduate courses in business statistics, the suggestions would mainly help to raise student motivation, encourage students to learn deeply, and increase instructor efficiency.
Functional expression and activity screening of all human cytochrome P450 enzymes in fission yeast
Authors: Durairaj Pradeepraj , Fan Linbing , Du Wei , Ahmad Shabir , Mebrahtu Dawit , Sharma Shishir , Ashraf Rana Azeem , Liu Jiaxin , Liu Qian , Bureik Matthias
Published: May 2019

Here, a complete set of recombinant fission yeast strains that coexpress each of the 57 human cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes together with their natural human electron transfer partner(s) was cloned. This strain collection was tested with two luminogenic probe substrates, and 31 human CYPs (including the orphan enzymes CYP2A7, CYP4A22 and CYP20A1) were found to metabolize at least one of these. Since other substrates are known for the remaining enzymes, all human CYPs are now shown to be active. Interestingly, CYP5A1 was found for the first time to work on a substrate other than prostaglandin H2, and, moreover, to catalyze an aliphatic hydroxylation reaction that consumes molecular oxygen. Also, the ability of CYP11A1 to catalyze an aryl hydroxylation is another unexpected result.
Metabolomic analysis of C2C12 myoblasts induced by the transcription factorFOXO1
Authors: Matsuda Rintaro , Uchitomi Ran , Oyabu Mamoru , Hatazawa Yukino , Kamei Yasutomi
Published: May 2019

The transcription factorFOXO1 is considered to play roles in the regulation of energy metabolism in various tissues. To determine the metabolic changes occurring due toFOXO1 activation, we analyzed the metabolic profile of C2C12 myoblasts expressing aFOXO1‐estrogen receptor fusion protein using capillary electrophoresis with electrospray ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (CE‐TOFMS). InFOXO1‐activated cells, the metabolite levels during glycolysis are higher and the gene expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, an enzyme that inhibits glucose utilization, is increased. In addition, the metabolite levels of numerous amino acids are decreased, with increased gene expression of branched chain amino acid metabolism enzymes. Our results suggest thatFOXO1 suppresses glucose utilization and promotes the use of proteins/amino acids as energy sources in muscle cells, potentially during starvation.
Development of a rotational set‐up correction device for stereotactic head radiation therapy: A performance evaluation
Authors: Usui Keisuke , Isobe Akira , Hara Naoya , Muroi Tomoya , Sajiki Osamu , Ogawa Koichi , Shikama Naoto , Sasai Keisuke
Published: May 2019

We developed a new head supporting device to provide accurate correction of rotational setup during image‐guided radiation therapy (IGRT), evaluating its correction performance and the efficacy of dose distribution in stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) using a helical tomotherapy (HT) system. The accuracy of rotational motion was measured using an electronic inclinometer; we compared device angles and measurement values from 0.0° to 3.0°. The correction accuracy was investigated based on the distance between rotational centers in the device and on megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT); the correction values were compared using distances in the range of 0.0–9.0 cm using a head phantom with a rotational error of 1.5°. For an SRT with a simultaneous integrated boost plan and a rotational error of 3.0° in yaw angle using a head phantom, and for a single‐isocenter SRT for multiple brain metastases in the data of three patients, dosimetric efficacy of the HT unit was evaluated for calculated dose distributions with MVCT after rotational correction. This device can correct pitch and yaw angles within 0.3° and can be corrected to within 0.5° for each rotational angle according to the result of MVCT correction regardless of the rotational center position. In the head phantom study, the device had a beneficial impact on rotational correction; D99% for the target improved by approximately 10% with rotational correction. Using patient data with the device, the mean difference based on the treatment planning data was 0.3% for D99% and −0.1% for coverage index to the target. Our rotational setup correction device has high efficacy, and can be used for IGRT.
Dosimetric comparison of distal esophageal carcinoma plans for patients treated with small‐spot intensity‐modulated proton versus volumetric‐modulated arc therapies
Authors: Liu Chenbin , Bhangoo Ronik S. , Sio Terence T. , Yu Nathan Y. , Shan Jie , Chiang Jennifer S. , Ding Julia X. , Rule William G. , Korte Shawn , Lara Pedro , Ding Xiaoning , Bues Martin , Hu Yanle , DeWees Todd , Ashman Jonathan B. , Liu Wei
Published: May 2019

Background

Esophageal carcinoma is the eighth most common cancer in the world. Volumetric‐modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is widely used to treat distal esophageal carcinoma due to high conformality to the target and good sparing of organs at risk (OAR). It is not clear if small‐spot intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT) demonstrates a dosimetric advantage over VMAT. In this study, we compared dosimetric performance of VMAT and small‐spot IMPT for distal esophageal carcinoma in terms of plan quality, plan robustness, and interplay effects.

Methods

35 distal esophageal carcinoma patients were retrospectively reviewed; 19 patients received small‐spot IMPT and the remaining 16 of them received VMAT. Both plans were generated by delivering prescription doses to clinical target volumes (CTVs) on phase‐averaged 4D‐CT's. The dose‐volume‐histogram (DVH) band method was used to quantify plan robustness. Software was developed to evaluate interplay effects with randomized starting phases for each field per fraction. DVH indices were compared using Wilcoxon rank‐sum test. For fair comparison, all the treatment plans were normalized to have the same CTVhigh D95% in the nominal scenario relative to the prescription dose.

Results

In the nominal scenario, small‐spot IMPT delivered statistically significantly lower liver Dmean and V30Gy[RBE], lung Dmean, heart Dmean compared with VMAT. CTVhigh dose homogeneity and protection of other OARs were comparable between the two treatments. In terms of plan robustness, the IMPT and VMAT plans were comparable for kidney V18Gy[RBE], liver V30Gy[RBE], stomach V45Gy[RBE], lung Dmean, V5Gy[RBE], and V20Gy[RBE], cord Dmax and , liver Dmean, heart V20Gy[RBE], and V30Gy[RBE], but IMPT was significantly worse for CTVhigh D95%, , and D5%‐D95%, CTVlow D95%, heart Dmean, and V40Gy[RBE], requiring careful and experienced adjustments during the planning process and robustness considerations. The small‐spot IMPT plans still met the standard clinical requirements after interplay effects were considered.

Conclusions

Small‐spot IMPT decreases doses to heart, liver, and total lung compared to VMAT as well as achieves clinically acceptable plan robustness. Our study supports the use of small‐spot IMPT for the treatment of distal esophageal carcinoma.
Treatment Strategies in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Methotrexate Management: Results From a Prospective Cohort
Authors: Moura Cristiano S. , Schieir Orit , Valois Marie‐France , Thorne Carter , Bartlett Susan J. , Pope Janet E. , Hitchon Carol A. , Boire Gilles , Haraoui Boulos , Hazlewood Glen S. , Keystone Edward C. , Tin Diane , Bykerk Vivian P. , Bernatsky Sasha ,   the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort Investigators
Published: May 2019

Objective

To assess real‐world practice patterns surrounding treatment initiation and adjustments over time for methotrexate (MTX) and non‐MTX–based treatment strategies in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

We studied a multicenter, incident early RA cohort (enrolled 2007–2017 within 1 year of symptoms) who fulfilled American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria. Adult patients with RA were eligible if treatment with MTX (± other disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs [DMARDs]) was initiated within 90 days of cohort entry. We compared time until treatment change for 4 initial MTX‐based therapies and time to second treatment change after the first change. The definition of treatment change included changing of route for MTX monotherapy, adding or stopping a DMARD or biologic, and changing dose/frequency of a DMARD or biologic.

Results

There was great variability of treatment at initiation and during therapy adjustment. In 1,484 patients with early RA, the majority initiated MTX monotherapy (oral or subcutaneous [SC]). Patients receiving SC MTX monotherapy changed treatment less (45% versus 79%) and remained on treatment longer (hazard ratio [HR] 0.52 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.4–0.67]) than those receiving oral MTX monotherapy. Most therapy adjustments involved adding a DMARD or changing to a non‐MTX DMARD. Those adults taking biologics and who were receiving triple therapy had a longer time without treatment change (HR 0.26 [95% CI 0.16–0.42] and HR 0.57 [95% CI 0.38–0.85], respectively).

Conclusion

We found large variability in the way MTX‐based therapies are prescribed in clinical practice. Our findings support the use of SC MTX monotherapy or MTX combination as initial therapy. For subsequent treatment after initial MTX‐based therapy, those patients initiating either biologics or triple therapy had a longer time to treatment change than oral MTX monotherapy.
Changes in Lipid Levels and Incidence of Cardiovascular Events Following Tofacitinib Treatment in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis: A Pooled Analysis Across Phase III and Long‐Term Extension Studies
Authors: Gladman Dafna D. , Charles‐Schoeman Christina , McInnes Iain B. , Veale Douglas J. , Thiers Bruce , Nurmohamed Mike , Graham Dani , Wang Cunshan , Jones Thomas , Wolk Robert , DeMasi Ryan
Published: May 2019

Objective

The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is higher in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) compared to the general population. Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of PsA. Because tofacitinib increases circulating lipid levels in some patients, we evaluated CVD risk factors and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with active PsA receiving tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg twice daily plus conventional synthetic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Methods

Data were pooled from 2 phase III studies (Efficacy and Safety of Tofacitinib in Psoriatic Arthritis [OPAL Broaden] and Tofacitinib in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis With Inadequate Response to TNF Inhibitors [OPAL Beyond]) and 1 ongoing long‐term extension (Open‐Label Extension Study of Tofacitinib in Psoriatic Arthritis [OPAL Balance], data cutoff January 2017; database not locked). Outcomes included fasting lipid levels, blood pressure, hypertension‐related adverse events (AEs; including hypertension, high blood pressure, and increased blood pressure), and MACE.

Results

Overall, 783 tofacitinib‐treated patients were included. Percentage increases from baseline in low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐c) and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c) levels ranged from 9% to 14% for tofacitinib 5 mg and 10 mg at 3 and 6 months; no meaningful changes in LDL‐c:HDL‐c or total cholesterol:HDL‐c ratios were observed. Blood pressure remained stable for 24 months. Fifty‐eight patients (7.4%) had hypertension‐related AEs; none were fatal (incidence rate [IR] per 100 patient‐years 4.81 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.65–6.22]). Five patients (0.6%) had MACE (IR 0.24 [95% CI 0.05–0.70]); 2 were fatal.

Conclusion

Serum lipid level increases at month 3 following tofacitinib treatment in PsA were consistent with observations in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. The IR of hypertension‐related AEs and MACE was low; long‐term follow‐up is ongoing.
Dissipative Catalysis with a Molecular Machine
Authors: Biagini Chiara , Fielden Stephen D. P. , Leigh David A. , Schaufelberger Fredrik , Di Stefano Stefano , Thomas Dean
Published: May 2019

We report on catalysis by a fuel‐induced transient state of a synthetic molecular machine. A [2]rotaxane molecular shuttle containing secondary ammonium/amine and thiourea stations is converted between catalytically inactive and active states by pulses of a chemical fuel (trichloroacetic acid), which is itself decomposed by the machine and/or the presence of additional base. The ON‐state of the rotaxane catalyzes the reduction of a nitrostyrene by transfer hydrogenation. By varying the amount of fuel added, the lifetime of the rotaxane ON‐state can be regulated and temporal control of catalysis achieved. The system can be pulsed with chemical fuel several times in succession, with each pulse activating catalysis for a time period determined by the amount of fuel added. Dissipative catalysis by synthetic molecular machines has implications for the future design of networks that feature communication and signaling between the components.
Distributed optimization for economic power dispatch with event‐triggered communication
Authors: Shi Xiasheng , Zheng Ronghao , Lin Zhiyun , Yan Gangfeng
Published: May 2019

This paper focuses on the economic power dispatch problem in a smart grid by using the distributed consensus with event‐triggered communication mechanism based on continuous‐time multi‐agent systems over balanced directed networks, where there are many generation units working cooperatively to achieve an optimal solution. The event‐triggered communication mechanism means that the information transmission between agents is triggered by event instead of time. The triggering condition and algorithm for each agent are fully decentralized. At each instant time, each agent updates its state by employing the states collected from itself and its neighboring agents at their last triggering time. Finally, two examples are given to analyze the feasibility of above proposed algorithm.
Improving the accuracy of flux balance analysis through the implementation of carbon availability constraints for intracellular reactions
Authors: Lularevic Maximilian , Racher Andrew J. , Jaques Colin , Kiparissides Alexandros
Published: May 2019

Constraint‐based modeling methods, such as Flux Balance Analysis (FBA), have been extensively used to decipher complex, information rich ‐omics datasets to elicit system‐wide behavioral patterns of cellular metabolism. FBA has been successfully used to gain insight in a wide range of applications, such as range of substrate utilization, product yields and to design metabolic engineering strategies to improve bioprocess performance. A well‐known challenge associated with large genome‐scale metabolic networks is that they result in underdetermined problem formulations. Consequently, rather than unique solutions, FBA and related methods examine ranges of reaction flux values that are consistent with the studied physiological conditions. The wider the reported flux ranges, the higher the uncertainty in the determination of basic reaction properties, limiting interpretability of and confidence in the results. Herein, we propose a new, computationally efficient approach that refines flux range predictions by constraining reaction fluxes on the basis of the elemental balance of carbon. We compared carbon constraint FBA (ccFBA) against experimentally‐measured intracellular fluxes using the latest CHO GEM (iCHO1766) and were able to substantially improve the accuracy of predicted flux values compared with FBA. ccFBA can be used as a stand‐alone method but is also compatible with and complimentary to other constraint‐based approaches.