bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive dynamic surface control of nonaffine nonlinear system with time‐varying state constraints
Authors: Zhao Shiyi , Liang Hongjing , Du Peihao , Ma Hui
Published: November 2019

This paper investigates the problem of adaptive dynamic surface control for pure‐feedback time‐varying state constrained nonaffine nonlinear system. A continuous and semibounded condition is proposed of nonaffine function to ensure that the system can be controlled, and the invariant set is introduced for this mild condition. By employing the dynamic surface control technique, the “complexity explosion” problem caused by backstepping technique is averted in developed control method. Robust compensators are devised to weaken poor effect of disturbances and uncertainties. The time‐varying barrier Lyapunov functions are adopted to dispose the problem of time‐varying state constrains. Moreover, it is proved that the whole closed‐loop signals are bounded, the tracking error can converge to a small neighborhood of zero, and the system states are insured to maintain in the predefined compact sets. Finally, some simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
3D ToF‐SIMS view of interfacial diffusion between Cr2AlC coating and zircaloy substrate
Authors: Zhang Lei , Dai Chunli , Zhang Jie
Published: November 2019

A diffused interface between a ceramic coating and a metallic substrate is expected to signify a more solid bonding. In addition to depth profiling, a novel 3D view and imaging approach based on ToF‐SIMS analysis was developed to investigate the diffused species around the interface. The diffusion of Al species in a Cr2AlC ceramic coating and Zircaloy substrate system was investigated in both the as‐deposited and postannealed states. In terms of the 3D view and imaging of CsAl+ after Gaussian convolution, Al species visibly diffused into the substrate after annealing at 800°C for only 5 minutes compared with that in the as‐deposited sample.
Surviving the deluge of biosimulation data
Authors: Hospital Adam , Battistini Federica , Soliva Robert , Gelpí Josep Lluis , Orozco Modesto
Published: November 2019

New hardware, massively parallel and graphical processing unit‐based computers in particular, has boosted molecular simulations to levels that would be unthinkable just a decade ago. At the classical level, it is now possible to perform atomistic simulations with systems containing over 10 million atoms and to collect trajectories extending to the millisecond range. Such achievements are moving biosimulations into the mainstream of structural biology research, complementary to the experimental studies. The drawback of this impressive development is the management of data, especially at a time where the inherent value of data is becoming more apparent. In this review, we summarize the main characteristics of (bio)simulation data, how we can store them, how they can be reused for new, unexpected projects, and how they can be transformed to make them FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable).

This article is categorized under:

Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Dynamics and Monte‐Carlo Methods

Computer and Information Science > Databases and Expert Systems
On polarized scattering equations for superamplitudes of 11D supergravity and ambitwistor superstring
Authors: Bandos Igor
Published: November 2019

Abstract

We revisited the formalism of 110 polarized scattering equation by Geyer and Mason from the perspective of spinor frame approach and spinor moving frame formulation of the 110 ambitwistor superstring action. In particular, we rigorously obtain the equation for the spinor function on Riemann sphere from the supertwistor form of the ambitwistor superstring action, write its general solution and use it to derive the polarized scattering equation. We show that the expression used by Geyer and Mason to motivate their ansatz for the solution of polarized scattering equation can be obtained from our solution after a suitable gauge fixing. To this end we use the hidden gauge symmetries of the 110 ambitwistor superstring, including S0(16), and the description of ambitwistor superstring as a dynamical system in an 110 superspace enlarged by bosonic directions parametrized by 517 tensorial central charge coordinates $$ {Z}^{\underline{\mu}\underline {\nu }} $$

Z

μ
¯

ν
¯

and $$ {Z}^{\underline{\mu}\underline {\nu}\underline{\rho}\underline {\sigma}\underline{\kappa}} $$

Z

μ
¯

ν
¯

ρ
¯

σ
¯

κ
¯

. We have also found the fermionic superpartner of the polarized scattering equation. This happens to be a differential equation in fermionic variables imposed on the super­ amplitude, rather then just a condition on the scattering data as the bosonic polarized scattering equation is. D=10 case is also discussed stressing the similarities and differences with 110 systems. The useful formulation of 100 ambitwistor superstring considers it as a dynamical system in superspace enlarged with 126 tensorial central charge coordinates Zμνρσκ.
Direct glucosone-based synthesis and HILIC-ESI-MS/MS characterization of N-terminal fructosylated valine and valylhistidine for validation of enzymatic HbA1c assays in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus
Authors: Gerke Christoph , Buchholz Monika , Müller Holger , Meusinger Reinhard , Grimmler Matthias , Metzmann Erwin
Published: November 2019

Naturally occurring fructosamines are of high clinical significance due to their potential use in diabetes mellitus monitoring (quantification of fructosylated hemoglobin, HbA1c) or for the investigation of their reactivity in consecutive reactions and harmfulness towards the organism. Here we report the specific synthesis of the fructosylated dipeptide l-valyl-l-histidine (Fru-Val-His) and fructosylated l-valine (Fru-Val). Both are basic tools for the development and validation of enzymatic HbA1c assays. The two fructosamine derivatives were synthesized via a protected glucosone intermediate which was coupled to the primary amine of Val or Val-His, performing a reductive amination reaction. Overall yields starting from fructose were 36% and 34% for Fru-Val and Fru-Val-His, respectively. Both compounds were achieved in purities > 90%. A HILIC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed for routine analysis of the synthesized fructosamines, including starting materials and intermediates. The presented method provides a well-defined and efficient synthesis protocol with purification steps and characterization of the desired products. The functionality of the fructosylated dipeptide has been thoroughly tested in an enzymatic HbA1c assay, showing its concentration-dependent oxidative degradation by fructosyl-peptide oxidases (FPOX).
Methods for constructing treatment episodes and impact on exposure-outcome associations
Authors: Pazzagli Laura , Brandt Lena , Linder Marie , Myers David , Mavros Panagiotis , Andersen Morten , Bahmanyar Shahram
Published: November 2019

Purpose

To assess the impact on exposure time and outcome misclassifications, and consequent impact on exposure-outcome associations from treatment episode construction. We investigated the dosage assumptions of 1 unit per day, and 1 DDD per day, versus actual prescribed dosage under different handling of gaps and overlaps of prescriptions.

Methods

Data on mirtazapine and citalopram exposure (years 2006–2014) from the Swedish Prescribed Drug register were used. Via a within individuals design we compared method A, based on actual dosage, with methods B and C based on 1 unit of drug per day and 1 DDD per day assumptions, respectively, including consideration of gaps and overlaps. Four outcomes were used, hospitalizations and outpatient visits for all and for psychiatric causes.

Results

Relative to method A, both alternative methods lead to misclassification of exposure time. With regard to outcome misclassifications, method B overestimates the effect of the exposure on the outcome in 77% and 100% of exposure definition comparisons for mirtazapine and citalopram respectively, while 23% of the comparisons for mirtazapine results in underestimation of exposure-outcome associations. Conversely, treatment episodes based on DDD (method C) result in underestimation of the exposure-outcome association in 100% and 87.5% of exposure definition comparisons for mirtazapine and citalopram respectively, while 12.5% of the comparisons for citalopram results in overestimation of the exposure-outcome associations.

Conclusions

The study provides results that have consistent clinical relevance. We have showed that a non-accurate construction of exposure time may lead to errors on outcome detection during exposed time, and consequently affect conclusions on safety or efficacy profile of a treatment.
Prognostic significance of semi-quantitative FDG-PET parameters in stage I non-small cell lung cancer treated with carbon-ion radiotherapy
Authors: Shrestha Suman , Higuchi Tetsuya , Shirai Katsuyuki , Tokue Azusa , Shrestha Shreya , Saitoh Jun-ichi , Hirasawa Hiromi , Ohno Tatsuya , Nakano Takashi , Tsushima Yoshito
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Prognostic significance of volumetric 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) parameters in carbon-ion radiotherapy (C-ion RT) treated stage I non-small cell lung cancer, and need of histology-wise separate cut-off values for risk stratification were assessed.

Methods

Thirty-nine patients (29 men and 10 women, 71.9 ± 8.3 years) who underwent FDG PET/CT examinations before C-ion RT were retrospectively evaluated. FDG-PET parameters: standardized uptake values (SUVmax, SUVpeak, and SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and clinicopathological variables were assessed for prognosis using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Mann-Whitney test compared medians of significant parameters between adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted for median-based low- and high-risk groups.

Results

Median follow-up period was 44.8 months. 1/2/3-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and local control (LC) rates were 94.9/84.3/70.8, 82.1/69.2/58.4 and 97.3/85.7/82.3%. Multivariate analysis revealed age (hazard ratio, HR: 1.09; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.0–1.19, p < 0.05) and MTV (HR 4.83, 95% CI 1.21–19.27, p < 0.03) predicted OS, and only MTV predicted PFS (HR 5.3, CI 1.32–21.35, p < 0.02) independently. Compared with AC, SCC had higher MTV (median, 6.625cm3 vs 0.2 cm3, p < 0.01). Single MTV cut-off based on overall cohort was insignificant in SCC for PFS (p > 0.02); separate cut-offs of MTV, 0.2 cm3 for AC (p < 0.03) and 6.625 cm3 for SCC (p < 0.05) were relevant.

Conclusion

Among all FDG PET/CT parameters, only MTV beared prognostic ability for stage I NSCLC treated with C-ion RT, and its histological variation may need consideration for risk-adapted therapeutic management.
Effects of a nutrition intervention on acute and late bowel symptoms and health-related quality of life up to 24 months post radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer: a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Forslund Marina , Ottenblad Anna , Ginman Claes , Johansson Silvia , Nygren Peter , Johansson Birgitta
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Radiotherapy to the prostate gland and pelvic lymph nodes may cause acute and late bowel symptoms and diminish quality of life. The aim was to study the effects of a nutrition intervention on bowel symptoms and health-related quality of life, compared with standard care.

Methods

Patients were randomised to a nutrition intervention (n = 92) aiming to replace insoluble fibres with soluble and reduce intake of lactose, or a standard care group (n = 88) who were recommended to maintain their habitual diet. Bowel symptoms, health-related quality of life and intake of fibre and lactose-containing foods were assessed up to 24 months after radiotherapy completion. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the effects of the nutrition intervention on bowel symptoms during the acute (up to 2 months post radiotherapy) and the late (7 to 24 months post radiotherapy) phase.

Results

Most symptoms and functioning worsened during the acute phase, and improved during the late phase in both the intervention and standard care groups. The nutrition intervention was associated with less blood in stools (p = 0.047), flatulence (p = 0.014) and increased loss of appetite (p = 0.018) during the acute phase, and more bloated abdomen in the late phase (p = 0.029). However, these associations were clinically trivial or small.

Conclusions

The effect of the nutrition intervention related to dietary fibre and lactose on bowel symptoms from pelvic RT was small and inconclusive, although some minor and transient improvements were observed. The results do not support routine nutrition intervention of this type to reduce adverse effects from pelvic radiotherapy.
Immunoliposome-based fluorometric patulin assay by using immunomagnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Song Xinjie , Wang Danhua , Kim Myunghee
Published: November 2019

A fluorometric immunoassay is described for the determination of patulin, a highly toxic fungal metabolite. A rabbit anti-patulin-bovine serum albumin (BSA) IgG conjugate was prepared and used to compose immunoliposomes and immunomagnetic nanoparticles. The immunomagnetic nanoparticles are then added to the sample to form the patulin-antibody composites which can be magnetically separated. The immunoliposomes are then added to form a sandwich. After magnetic separation of the composites and adding n-octyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, the fluorophore sulforhodamine B (SRB) is released. Its fluorescence intensity was then measured at excitation/emission wavelengths of 550/585 nm. The immunoliposome-based immunomagnetic nanoparticle assay can detect 8 μg L−1 of patulin in apple juice without the need for extraction, separation, and purification. The detection limit falls within the European regulatory limit for infants and children’s products (10 μg L−1). The method is rapid, enviroment-friendly, and reliable.
Measuring income inequalities beyond the Gini coefficient
Authors: Luptáčik Mikuláš , Nežinský Eduard
Published: November 2019

Growing interest in the analysis of interrelationships between income distribution and economic growth has recently stimulated new theoretical and empirical research. Measures such as the head-count ratio for the poverty index or the widely used Gini coefficient are aggregated indicators describing the general extent of inequality without deeper insights into income distribution among households. To derive an indicator accounting for income distribution among income groups, we propose a new approach based on an output oriented DEA model where the input value is unitized to 1 for each country and weights restrictions imposed so as to favour a higher income share in the lower quantiles. We demonstrate the merits of this approach on the quintile income breakdown data of 29 European countries. Prioritizing lower income groups’ welfare, countries such as Slovenia and Slovakia can be equally favoured by the new proposed indicator while being assessed differently by the Gini index. An intertemporal analysis reveals a slight deterioration of income distribution in the majority of 29 European countries over the period of 2007–2016 in a Rawlsian sense.
Engineering a newly isolated Bacillus licheniformis strain for the production of (2R,3R)-butanediol
Authors: Song Chan Woo , Chelladurai Rathnasingh , Park Jong Myoung , Song Hyohak
Published: November 2019

Several microorganisms can produce 2,3-butanediol (BDO), an industrially promising chemical. In this study, a Bacillus licheniformis named as 4071, was isolated from soil sample. It is a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) strain and could over-produce 2,3-BDO. Due to its mucoid forming characteristics, UV-random mutagenesis was carried out to obtain a mucoid-free strain, 4071-15. As a result, capabilities of 4071-15 strain in terms of transformation efficiency of bacillus plasmids (pC194, pUB110, and pUCB129) and fermentation performance were highly upgraded compared to those of the parent strain. In particular, 4071-15 strain could produce 123 g/L of 2,3-BDO in a fed-batch fermentation in which the ratio of (2R,3S)- to (2R,3R)-form isomers was 1:1. To increase the selectivity of (2R,3R)-BDO, budC gene was deleted by using temperature-sensitive gene deletion process via homologous recombination. The 4071-15 △budC mutant strain dramatically increased selectivity of (2R,3R)-BDO to 91% [96.3 g/L of (2R,3R)-BDO and 9.33 g/L of (2R,3S)-BDO], which was 43% higher than that obtained by the parent strain. This study has shown the potential of an isolate for 2,3-BDO production, and that the ratio of 2,3-BDO can be controlled by genetic engineering depending on its industrial usage.
Consensus-based technical recommendations for clinical translation of renal T1 and T2 mapping MRI
Authors: Dekkers Ilona A. , de Boer Anneloes , Sharma Kaniska , Cox Eleanor F. , Lamb Hildo J. , Buckley David L. , Bane Octavia , Morris David M. , Prasad Pottumarthi V. , Semple Scott I. K. , Gillis Keith A. , Hockings Paul , Buchanan Charlotte , Wolf Marcos , Laustsen Christoffer , Leiner Tim , Haddock Bryan , Hoogduin Johannes M. , Pullens Pim , Sourbron Steven , Francis Susan
Published: November 2019

To develop technical recommendations on the acquisition and post-processing of renal longitudinal (T1) and transverse (T2) relaxation time mapping. A multidisciplinary panel consisting of 18 experts in the field of renal T1 and T2 mapping participated in a consensus project, which was initiated by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action PARENCHIMA CA16103. Consensus recommendations were formulated using a two-step modified Delphi method. The first survey consisted of 56 items on T1 mapping, of which 4 reached the pre-defined consensus threshold of 75% or higher. The second survey was expanded to include both T1 and T2 mapping, and consisted of 54 items of which 32 reached consensus. Recommendations based were formulated on hardware, patient preparation, acquisition, analysis and reporting. Consensus-based technical recommendations for renal T1 and T2 mapping were formulated. However, there was considerable lack of consensus for renal T1 and particularly renal T2 mapping, to some extent surprising considering the long history of relaxometry in MRI, highlighting key knowledge gaps that require further work. This paper should be regarded as a first step in a long-term evidence-based iterative process towards ever increasing harmonization of scan protocols across sites, to ultimately facilitate clinical implementation.
Long-term hydrophilization of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for capillary filling microfluidic chips
Authors: Jahangiri Farzin , Hakala Tuuli , Jokinen Ville
Published: November 2019

We present a simple and facile method for long-term preservation of hydrophilicity of oxygen plasma-hydrophilized poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) by cold storage. We show that storage under temperature of − 80 °C can maintain superhydrophilicity of plasma-exposed PDMS for at least 100 days. Storage at − 15 °C and at 22 °C room temperature (RT) is shown to exhibit, respectively, about half and full recovery of the original hydrophobicity after 100 days in storage. Furthermore, we investigated the implications of the cold storage for microfluidic applications, the capillary filling rate and the ability of the flow to bypass geometrical obstacles in a microfluidic channel. It is shown that the preservation of capillary filling properties of microchannels is in close agreement with the contact angle (CA) measurements and that the colder the storage temperature, the better the capillary filling capability of the channels is preserved. We ascribe the significantly reduced recovery rate to reduced thermally activated relaxation phenomena such as diminished diffusion of low molecular weight species (LMW) in the polymer matrix at colder temperatures. This is supported by ATR-FTIR measurements of the OH vibration band over time for samples stored at different temperatures.
Testing the emission reduction claims of CDM projects using the Benford’s Law
Authors: Cole Matthew A. , Maddison David J. , Zhang Liyun
Published: November 2019

Benford’s Law suggests that the first digits of numerical data are heavily skewed towards low numbers. Data that fail to conform to Benford’s Law when conformity is to be expected may have been manipulated. Using Benford’s Law, we conduct digital frequency analysis on the emission reduction claims of Clean Development Mechanism projects. Digital frequency analysis indicates that although emission reduction claims made in project design documents do not conform to Benford’s Law, we cannot reject the null hypothesis that data on certified emission reductions do. Benford’s Law offers a rapid, low-cost means of identifying possible instances of data manipulation.
Linking the dimensions of policy-related research on obesity: a hybrid mapping with multicluster topics and interdisciplinarity maps
Authors: Kiss Anna , Fritz Péter , Lakner Zoltán , Soós Sándor
Published: November 2019

Mapping the intellectual structure and dynamics of complex, multidisciplinary domains has long been a challenging task for bibliometrics. Research subjects with outstanding social relevance are typically of this sort, being multifaceted and requiring a synthesis of various field-specific perspectives. Among such subjects, our work addresses policy-related research on obesity, and aims to uncover how this multilevel issue is represented in policy studies through its dense thematic interrelations, and at the interfaces of various research areas participating in the discourse. In doing so, we propose an analytic framework combining so-called hybrid methods of science mapping with the (traditional) use of alluvial diagrams, resulting in what we refer to as “multicluster topics” and “interdisciplinarity maps”. Therefore, the contribution of this paper can be considered both at the subject and at the methodological level.
PenQuest: a gamified attacker/defender meta model for cyber security assessment and education
Authors: Luh Robert , Temper Marlies , Tjoa Simon , Schrittwieser Sebastian , Janicke Helge
Published: November 2019

Attacks on IT systems are a rising threat against the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical information and infrastructures. At the same time, the complex interplay of attack techniques and possible countermeasures makes it difficult to appropriately plan, implement, and evaluate an organization’s defense. More often than not, the worlds of technical threats and organizational controls remain disjunct. In this article, we introduce PenQuest, a meta model designed to present a complete view on information system attacks and their mitigation while providing a tool for both semantic data enrichment and security education. PenQuest simulates time-enabled attacker/defender behavior as part of a dynamic, imperfect information multi-player game that derives significant parts of its ruleset from established information security sources such as STIX, CAPEC, CVE/CWE and NIST SP 800-53. Attack patterns, vulnerabilities, and mitigating controls are mapped to counterpart strategies and concrete actions through practical, data-centric mechanisms. The gamified model considers and defines a wide range of actors, assets, and actions, thereby enabling the assessment of cyber risks while giving technical experts the opportunity to explore specific attack scenarios in the context of an abstracted IT infrastructure. We implemented PenQuest as a physical serious game prototype and successfully tested it in a higher education environment. Additional expert interviews helped evaluate the model’s applicability to information security scenarios.
The Minnesota Model: A Clinical Assessment of Its Effectiveness in Treating Anxiety and Depression Compared to Addiction
Authors: Montague Hollie , Fairholm Ian
Published: November 2019

The current study compared and assessed the effectiveness of the Minnesota model in reducing psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression among two groups: individuals with clinically diagnosed addiction only (n = 29) and individuals with clinically diagnosed anxiety/depression in the absence of addiction (n = 25). Anxiety and depression were measured using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, respectively. Two one-way analyses of covariance found no significant differences in post-intervention anxiety and depression scores when comparing the addiction group and the anxiety/depression group (F(1, 51) = 0.075, p = 0.786 and F(1, 51) = 0.302, p = 0.585, respectively). Reliable change index calculations also indicated that both the addiction group and the anxiety/depression group exhibited clinically significant reductions in anxiety and depression following treatment. These findings are considered in light of key methodological limitations, and the theoretical and therapeutic implications are discussed.
Management of Lipid Abnormalities in Patients with Diabetes
Authors: Sillars Anne , Sattar Naveed
Published: November 2019

Purpose of Review

To describe lipid abnormalities in diabetes, when they occur and the evidence base for lipid management with established and new drugs to prevent diabetes complications. We also discuss how to manage statin intolerance.

Recent Findings

Statins remain first-line therapy in patients with diabetes, though newer therapies to reduce LDL-C have emerged, including ezetimibe as an add-on therapy to statins, and injectable PCSK9 inhibitors, both of which are safe and effective in diabetes. Emerging evidence suggests a need to consider lipid-lowering therapies more often in younger patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Statins remain the cornerstone of lipid management in diabetes but other options are increasing. There is also now evidence for better managing apparent statin intolerance. Notably, younger patients lose the most life years from their diabetes, an observation that future guidelines need to consider.
Endothelial Cell-Specific Transcriptome Reveals Signature of Chronic Stress Related to Worse Outcome After Mild Transient Brain Ischemia in Mice
Authors: Wegner Stephanie , Uhlemann Ria , Boujon Valérie , Ersoy Burcu , Endres Matthias , Kronenberg Golo , Gertz Karen
Published: November 2019

Vascular mechanisms underlying the adverse effects that depression and stress-related mental disorders have on stroke outcome are only partially understood. Identifying the transcriptomic signature of chronic stress in endothelium harvested from the ischemic brain is an important step towards elucidating the biological processes involved. Here, we subjected male 129S6/SvEv mice to a 28-day model of chronic stress. The ischemic lesion was quantified after 30 min filamentous middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and 48 h reperfusion by T2-weighted MRI. RNA sequencing was used to profile transcriptomic changes in cerebrovascular endothelial cells (ECs) from the infarct. Mice subjected to the stress procedure displayed reduced weight gain, increased adrenal gland weight, and increased hypothalamic FKBP5 mRNA and protein expression. Chronic stress conferred increased lesion volume upon MCAo. Stress-exposed mice showed a higher number of differentially expressed genes between ECs isolated from the ipsilateral and contralateral hemisphere than control mice. The genes in question are enriched for roles in biological processes closely linked to endothelial proliferation and neoangiogenesis. MicroRNA-34a was associated with nine of the top 10 biological process Gene Ontology terms selectively enriched in ECs from stressed mice. Moreover, expression of mature miR-34a-5p and miR-34a-3p in ischemic brain tissue was positively related to infarct size and negatively related to sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) mRNA transcription. In conclusion, this study represents the first EC-specific transcriptomic analysis of chronic stress in brain ischemia. The stress signature uncovered relates to worse stroke outcome and is directly relevant to endothelial mechanisms in the pathogenesis of stroke.
Illicit/cheap cigarettes in South Africa
Authors: van der Zee Kirsten , van Walbeek Corné , Magadla Sibahle
Published: November 2019

Using wave 5 of the National Income Dynamics Study (conducted in 2017), this paper investigates the market for very low-priced cigarettes in South Africa, which, in all probability, are illicit. Since the sum of the excise tax and VAT in 2017 amounted to R16.30 (1.22 USD) per pack, any cigarettes selling for R20 (1.50 USD) per pack or less are likely to be illicit, assuming reasonable production costs. By this definition, approximately 30% of cigarettes consumed in South Africa in 2017 were illicit. Illicit cigarettes are found across all nine provinces. At the margin, the purchase of illicit cigarettes is associated with lower socio-economic characteristics, such as having lower levels of income and education. As illicit cigarettes undermine both the fiscal and health agendas of tobacco taxation policy, these results highlight the need for the South African government to implement urgently effective measures in order to curb illicit trade.
Combination Immunotherapy Strategies in Breast Cancer
Authors: Chun Brie M. , Page David B. , McArthur Heather L.
Published: November 2019

Purpose of Review

We summarize combination immunotherapy strategies for the treatment of breast cancer, with a focus on metastatic disease. First, a general overview of combination approaches is presented according to breast cancer subtype. Second, additional review of promising combination approaches is presented.

Recent Findings

Combination strategies utilizing chemotherapy or radiotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibition are being evaluated across multiple phase III trials. Dual immunotherapy strategies, such as dual immune checkpoint inhibition or combined co-stimulation/co-inhibition, have supportive preclinical evidence and are under early clinical investigation. Modulation of the immune microenvironment via cytokines and vaccination strategies, as well as locally focused treatments to enhance antigenic responses, are active areas of research.

Pre-clinical and translational research sheds new light on numerous ways the immune system may be modulated to fight against cancer. We describe current and emerging combination approaches which may improve patient outcomes in metastatic breast cancer.
An Overview of the Homozygous Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Mutation c.3700 A>G (p.Ile1234Val) in Qatar
Authors: Hammoudeh Samer , Gadelhak Wessam , AbdulWahab Atqah , Al-Langawi Mona , Janahi Ibrahim A.
Published: November 2019

Purpose of Review

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a monogenic recessive disease with multisystem involvement. The cause is a mutation in the gene that encodes the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The aim is to review the literature involving the CFTR I1234V mutation and to provide recommendations for future research activities.

Recent Findings

The prevalence rates of CFTR mutations vary across the globe. The CFTR I1234V mutation is the most common mutation in Qatar, and one of the most common in the Arabian Gulf region.

Areas for future research include testing of the CFTR transcript and activity levels in different samples including nasal cells and organoids. Another area is applying Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology as a tool for gene editing.
Carbon-Cycle Feedbacks Operating in the Climate System
Authors: Williams Richard G. , Katavouta Anna , Goodwin Philip
Published: November 2019

Climate change involves a direct response of the climate system to forcing which is amplified or damped by feedbacks operating in the climate system. Carbon-cycle feedbacks alter the land and ocean carbon inventories and so act to reduce or enhance the increase in atmospheric CO2 from carbon emissions. The prevailing framework for carbon-cycle feedbacks connect changes in land and ocean carbon inventories with a linear sum of dependencies on atmospheric CO2 and surface temperature. Carbon-cycle responses and feedbacks provide competing contributions: the dominant effect is that increasing atmospheric CO2 acts to enhance the land and ocean carbon stores, so providing a negative response and feedback to the original increase in atmospheric CO2, while rising surface temperature acts to reduce the land and ocean carbon stores, so providing a weaker positive feedback for atmospheric CO2. The carbon response and feedback of the land and ocean system may be expressed in terms of a combined carbon response and feedback parameter, λcarbon in units of W m− 2K− 1, and is linearly related to the physical climate feedback parameter, λclimate, revealing how carbon and climate responses and feedbacks are inter-connected. The magnitude and uncertainties in the carbon-cycle response and feedback parameter are comparable with the magnitude and uncertainties in the climate feedback parameter from clouds. Further mechanistic insight needs to be gained into how the carbon-cycle feedbacks are controlled for the land and ocean, particularly to separate often competing effects from changes in atmospheric CO2 and climate forcing.
Institutionalization risk and costs associated with agitation in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Cloutier Martin , Gauthier‐Loiselle Marjolaine , Gagnon‐Sanschagrin Patrick , Guerin Annie , Hartry Ann , Baker Ross A. , Duffy Ruth , Gwin Keva , Sanon Aigbogun Myrlene ,   Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Agitation in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may predict institutionalization. This study assessed the incremental risk and costs associated with agitation in individuals with AD.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set (June 2005–February 2018) was conducted. Incremental risk of institutionalization associated with agitation was estimated and used with the number of institutionalized individuals with AD and agitation and costs of living by residential setting in the United States (literature‐based), to estimate incremental institutionalization costs.

Results

The analysis included 11,348 individuals with AD: 6603 (58.2%) with and 4745 (41.8%) without agitation. Compared with individuals without agitation, those with agitation were 20% more likely to be institutionalized (odds ratio = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.08–1.33). Total incremental cost of institutionalization associated with agitation was $4.3 billion ($50,588/individual).

Discussion

Agitation is associated with a higher risk of institutionalization among patients with AD, which translates into a substantial economic burden.
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions for Pandemic Influenza: Communication, Training, and Guidance Needs of Public Health Officials
Authors: Kenney Jasmine , Crumly Julie , Qualls Noreen
Published: November 2019

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to identify the needs of state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) public health officials in communicating, implementing, and monitoring nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during an influenza pandemic.

Methods:

A Web-based survey collected data from a nonrandom sample of STLT health departments.

Results:

A total of 267 of 346 public health officials responded (77.2% response rate). STLTs identified the general public, families, childcare programs, K-12 schools, and workplaces as their priority audiences for NPI communication. Training needs included NPI decision-making strategies, triggers for implementing NPIs, and communicating NPI recommendations to families and communities, as well as a more practical orientation and real-world examples of how to incorporate NPI guidance into preparedness and response activities. Information is needed on health messaging for various populations and settings and on the legal authority for implementing specific NPIs.

Conclusions:

Future NPI recommendations by CDC should continue to be based on feedback solicited from STLT health departments. To fill identified gaps, CDC used these findings to create NPI guidance and materials to assist in prepandemic planning and preparedness for STLTs and various community settings.
Dietary choline supplementation attenuated high-fat diet-induced inflammation through regulation of lipid metabolism and suppression of NFκB activation in juvenile black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii)
Authors: Jin Min , Pan Tingting , Tocher Douglas R. , Betancor Mónica B. , Monroig Óscar , Shen Yuedong , Zhu Tingting , Sun Peng , Jiao Lefei , Zhou Qicun
Published: November 2019

The present study aimed to investigate whether dietary choline can regulate lipid metabolism and suppress NFκB activation and, consequently, attenuate inflammation induced by a high-fat diet in black sea bream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii). An 8-week feeding trial was conducted on fish with an initial weight of 8·16 ± 0·01 g. Five diets were formulated: control, low-fat diet (11 %); HFD, high-fat diet (17 %); and HFD supplemented with graded levels of choline (3, 6 or 12 g/kg) termed HFD + C1, HFD + C2 and HFD + C3, respectively. Dietary choline decreased lipid content in whole body and tissues. Highest TAG and cholesterol concentrations in serum and liver were recorded in fish fed the HFD. Similarly, compared with fish fed the HFD, dietary choline reduced vacuolar fat drops and ameliorated HFD-induced pathological changes in liver. Expression of genes of lipolysis pathways were up-regulated, and genes of lipogenesis down-regulated, by dietary choline compared with fish fed the HFD. Expression ofnfκband pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver and intestine was suppressed by choline supplementation, whereas expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines was promoted in fish fed choline-supplemented diets. In fish that received lipopolysaccharide to stimulate inflammatory responses, the expression ofnfκband pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver, intestine and kidney were all down-regulated by dietary choline compared with the HFD. Overall, the present study indicated that dietary choline had a lipid-lowering effect, which could protect the liver by regulating intrahepatic lipid metabolism, reducing lipid droplet accumulation and suppressing NFκB activation, consequently attenuating HFD-induced inflammation inA. schlegelii.
Tectonism and volcanism enhanced by deglaciation events in southern Iceland
Authors: Van Vliet-Lanoë Brigitte , Bergerat Françoise , Allemand Pascal , Innocentd Christophe , Guillou Hervé , Cavailhes Thibault , Guðmundsson Águst , Chazot Gilles , Schneider Jean-Luc , Grandjean Philippe , Liorzou Celine , Passot Sophie
Published: November 2019

Southern Iceland is one of the main outlets of the Icelandic ice sheet and is subject to seismicity of both tectonic and volcanic origins along the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ). A sedimentary complex spanning Marine Isotopic Stage 6 (MIS 6) to the present includes evidence of both activities. It includes a continuous sedimentary record since the Eemian interglacial period, controlled by a rapid deglaciation, followed by two marine glacioisostasy-forced transgressions, separated by a regression phase connected to an intra-MIS 5e glacial advance. This record has been constrained by tephrostratigraphy and dating. Analysis of this record has provided better insights into the interconnectedness of hydrology and volcanic and tectonic activity during deglaciations and glaciations. Low-intensity earthquakes recurrently affected the water-laid sedimentation during the early stages of unloading, accompanying rifting events, dyke injection, and fault reactivations. During full interglacial periods, earthquakes were significantly less frequent but of higher magnitude along the SISZ, due to stress accumulation, favored by low groundwater levels and more limited magma production. Occurrence of volcanism and seismicity in Iceland is commonly related to rifting events. Subglacial volcanic events seem moreover to have been related to stress unlocking related to limited or full unloading/deglaciation events. Major eruptions were mostly located at the melting margin of the ice sheet.
Educating Children, Civilizing Society: Missionary Schools and Non-European Teachers in South Dutch New Guinea, 1902–1942
Authors: Derksen Maaike
Published: November 2019

This article addresses the colonial project of “civilizing” and educating indigenous people in the farthest corners of the Dutch empire – South Dutch New Guinea (1902–1942), exploring the entanglement between colonial education practice and the civilizing mission, unravelling the variety of actors in colonial education in South Dutch New Guinea. Focusing on practice, I highlight that colonial education invested heavily in disciplining the bodies, minds, and beliefs of indigenous peoples to align them with Western Catholic standards. This observation links projects to educating and disciplining indigenous youth to the consolidation of colonial power. Central to these intense colonial interventions in the lives of Papuans were institutions of colonial education, managed by the Catholic mission but run by non-European teachers recruited from elsewhere in the Dutch colony. Their importance as proponents of the “civilizing mission” is largely unappreciated in the historiography of missionary work on Papua.
Kinematics-based end-effector path control of a mobile manipulator system on an uneven terrain using a two-stage Support Vector Machine
Authors: Jangid Hitesh , Jain Subham , Teka Beteley , Raja Rekha , Dutta Ashish
Published: November 2019

A mobile manipulator system (MMS) consists of a robotic arm mounted on a mobile platform that is used in rescue and relief, space exploration, warehouse automation, etc. As the total system has 14 Degrees of Freedom (DOF), it does not have a closed-form inverse kinematics (IK) solution. A learning-based method is proposed, which uses the forward kinematics data to learn the IK relation for motion of an MMS on a rough terrain, using a one-class support vector machine (SVM) framework. Once trained, the model estimates the joint probability distribution of the MMS configuration and end-effector position. This distribution is used to find the MMS configuration for a given desired end-effector path. Past research using a Kohonen Self organizing map (KSOM) neural network-based open-loop control method has shown that the MMS deviates from its desired path while moving on an uneven terrain due to unknown disturbances such as wheel slip, slide, and terrain deformation. Therefore, a new sequential two-stage SVM-based end-effector path-tracking control scheme is proposed to control the end-effector path. In this scheme, the error in the end-effector path is continuously tracked with the help of a Microsoft Kinect 2.0 (Microsoft Regional Sales, Singapore 119968) and is sent as a feedback to the controller. Once the error reaches a threshold value, the error correction step of the controller gets activated to correct the error until the desired accuracy is reached. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is proved through extensive simulations and experiments conducted on 3D terrain in which it is shown that the end effector can follow the desired path with an average experimental error of around 2 cm between the desired and final corrected path.
Design-to-Workspace Synthesis of a Cable Robot Used in Legs Training Machine
Authors: Lamine Houssein , Romdhane Lotfi , Saafi Houssem , Bennour Sami
Published: November 2019

This paper deals with a continuous design task of a planar cable robot used in a gait training machine called the cable-driven legs trainer. The design of cable robots requires satisfying two constraints, that is, tensions in the cables must remain non-negative, and cable interferences should be avoided. The carried design approach is based on interval analysis, which is one of the most efficient methods to obtain certified results. The constraints of non-negative tensions and cable to end-effector interference are solved using interval analysis tools. By means of a dynamic simulation, the reached workspace and the produced wrenches of the cable robot are evaluated as a set of interval vectors. An optimization algorithm is then designed to optimize the cable robot structure for the gait training machine. The robot is designed to produce non-negative tensions in the cables and to avoid collision at all times within the desired workspace and under the required external loads.
COINTEGRATION IN FUNCTIONAL AUTOREGRESSIVE PROCESSES
Authors: Franchi Massimo , Paruolo Paolo
Published: November 2019

This article defines the class of ${\cal H}$-valued autoregressive (AR) processes with a unit root of finite type, where ${\cal H}$ is a possibly infinite-dimensional separable Hilbert space, and derives a generalization of the Granger–Johansen Representation Theorem valid for any integration order $d = 1,2, \ldots$. An existence theorem shows that the solution of an AR process with a unit root of finite type is necessarily integrated of some finite integer order d, displays a common trends representation with a finite number of common stochastic trends, and it possesses an infinite-dimensional cointegrating space when ${\rm{dim}}{\cal H} = \infty$. A characterization theorem clarifies the connections between the structure of the AR operators and (i) the order of integration, (ii) the structure of the attractor space and the cointegrating space, (iii) the expression of the cointegrating relations, and (iv) the triangular representation of the process. Except for the fact that the dimension of the cointegrating space is infinite when ${\rm{dim}}{\cal H} = \infty$, the representation of AR processes with a unit root of finite type coincides with the one of finite-dimensional VARs, which can be obtained setting ${\cal H} = ^p $ in the present results.
Lower Assouad Dimension of Measures and Regularity
Authors: HARE KATHRYN E. , TROSCHEIT SASCHA
Published: November 2019

In analogy with the lower Assouad dimensions of a set, we study the lower Assouad dimensions of a measure. As with the upper Assouad dimensions, the lower Assouad dimensions of a measure provide information about the extreme local behaviour of the measure. We study the connection with other dimensions and with regularity properties. In particular, the quasi-lower Assouad dimension is dominated by the infimum of the measure’s lower local dimensions. Although strict inequality is possible in general, equality holds for the class of self-similar measures of finite type. This class includes all self-similar, equicontractive measures satisfying the open set condition, as well as certain “overlapping” self-similar measures, such as Bernoulli convolutions with contraction factors that are inverses of Pisot numbers.

We give lower bounds for the lower Assouad dimension for measures arising from a Moran construction, prove that self-affine measures are uniformly perfect and have positive lower Assouad dimension, prove that the Assouad spectrum of a measure converges to its quasi-Assouad dimension and show that coincidence of the upper and lower Assouad dimension of a measure does not imply that the measure is s-regular.
Separation dimension and degree
Authors: SCOTT ALEX , WOOD DAVID R.
Published: November 2019

The separation dimension of a graph G is the minimum positive integer d for which there is an embedding of G into ℝd, such that every pair of disjoint edges are separated by some axis-parallel hyperplane. We prove a conjecture of Alon et al. [SIAM J. Discrete Math. 2015] by showing that every graph with maximum degree Δ has separation dimension less than 20Δ, which is best possible up to a constant factor. We also prove that graphs with separation dimension 3 have bounded average degree and bounded chromatic number, partially resolving an open problem by Alon et al. [J. Graph Theory 2018].