bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical and Dopamine Transporter Imaging Characteristics of Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) and Glucosylceramidase Beta (GBA) Parkinson's Disease Participants in the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Simuni Tanya , Brumm Michael C. , Uribe Liz , Caspell‐Garcia Chelsea , Coffey Christopher S. , Siderowf Andrew , Alcalay Roy N. , Trojanowski John Q. , Shaw Leslie M. , Seibyl John , Singleton Andrew , Toga Arthur W. , Galasko Doug , Foroud Tatiana , Nudelman Kelly , Tosun‐Turgut Duygu , Poston Kathleen , Weintraub Daniel , Mollenhauer Brit , Tanner Caroline M. , Kieburtz Karl , Chahine Lana M. , Reimer Alyssa , Hutten Samantha , Bressman Susan , Marek Kenneth ,   Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative Investigators
Published: February 2020

Background

There are limited data on the phenotypic and dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging characterization of the Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with leucine rich kinase 2 (LRRK2) and glucosylceramidase beta (GBA) mutations.

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine baseline clinical and DAT imaging characteristics in GBA and LRRK2 mutation carriers with early PD compared with sporadic PD.

Methods

The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative is an ongoing observational longitudinal study that enrolled participants with sporadic PD, LRRK2 and GBA PD carriers from 33 sites worldwide. All participants are assessed annually with a battery of motor and nonmotor scales, 123‐I Ioflupane DAT imaging, and biologic variables.

Results

We assessed 158 LRRK2 (89% G2019S), 80 GBA (89 %N370S), and 361 sporadic PD participants with the mean (standard deviation) disease duration of 2.9 (1.9), 3.1 (2.0), and 2.6 (0.6) years, respectively. When compared with sporadic PD, the GBA PD patients had no difference in any motor, cognitive, or autonomic features. The LRRK2 PD patients had less motor disability and lower rapid eye movement behavior disorder questionnaire scores, but no meaningful difference in cognitive or autonomic features. Both genetic cohorts had a higher score on the impulse control disorders scale when compared with sporadic PD, but no difference in other psychiatric features. Both genetic PD cohorts had less loss of dopamine transporter on DAT imaging when compared with sporadic PD.

Conclusions

We confirm previous reports of milder phenotype associated with LRRK2‐PD. A previously reported more aggressive phenotype in GBA‐PD is not evident early in the disease in N370s carriers. This observation identifies a window for potential disease‐modifying interventions. Longitudinal data will be essential to define the slope of progression for both genetic cohorts.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01141023). © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Postanesthesia care unit delirium following robot‐assisted vs open retropubic radical prostatectomy: A prospective observational study
Authors: Beck Stefanie , Hoop Dennis , Ragab Haissam , Rademacher Cornelius , Meßner‐Schmitt Aurelie , von Breunig Franziska , Haese Alexander , Graefen Markus , Zöllner Christian , Fischer Marlene
Published: February 2020

Background

The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of early postoperative delirium in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) between robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in the extreme Trendelenburg position and open retropubic radical prostatectomy (ORP) in supine position.

Methods

Patients were screened for delirium signs 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes following extubation.

Results

PACU delirium was present in 39.3% of RARP (64/163) patients and 41.8% of ORP (77/184) patients. Higher age (OR 1.072, 95%CI: 1.034‐1.111, P < .001), total intravenous anesthesia (OR 2.001, 95%CI: 1.243‐3.221, P = .004), and anesthesia duration (OR 1.255, 95%CI: 1.067‐1.476, P = .006) were associated with PACU delirium, but no association was found between surgical technique and PACU delirium.

Conclusion

Compared with inhalational anesthesia, total intravenous anesthesia using propofol‐sufentanil, higher age, and longer duration of anesthesia were associated with PACU delirium. Based on these findings, adverse effects on postoperative recovery and delirium signs do not have to be considered in the choice of surgical approach for radical prostatectomy.

Trial registration

https://www.drks.de/, identifier: DRKS00010014.
Finite‐time stabilization for a class of nonlinear systems with time‐varying delay
Authors: Wang Xuhuan , Huang Shipei , Zou Wencheng , Xiang Zhengrong
Published: February 2020

This paper investigates the finite‐time stabilization problem for a class of nonlinear systems with time‐varying delay. Under suitable assumptions, a new state feedback control law is designed by using the adding a power integrator technique. By constructing an appropriate Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional, it is shown that the corresponding closed‐loop system is finite‐time stable. Two simulation examples are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
The calculation of riverine ecological instream flows and runoff profit‐loss analysis in a coal mining area of northern China
Authors: Wu Xijun , Lenon Gerard P. , Dong Ying
Published: February 2020

The northern Shaanxi province of China has severe water shortages, especially in coal mining areas, and it is very important to calculate the riverine ecological instream flows (EIFs) and analyse the runoff profit‐loss situation. Using the Kuye River as a case study, the EIF was calculated for different years and seasons using the instream flows rate (IFR) method and compared with the Tennant and the minimum monthly average flow (MAF) methods. The recommended value of the Kuye River EIF was obtained by an analysis of the results of these three methods. The river runoff profit‐loss situation associated with the EIF was also calculated and the main reason for the loss explained. The Kuye River EIF was calculated to be 1.69 to 11.14 m3/s by the IFR method, 1.94 to 8.50 m3/s by the Tennant method, and 3.81 to 10.87 m3/s by the MAF method. Based on these results, the EIF annual recommended value of the Kuye River was 4.00 m3/s for the 1961–2010 period. The wet season (July–October), average season (March–June), and dry season (November–following Feb) EIFs were 6.50, 3.50, and 2.00 m3/s, respectively. The Kuye River had a large surplus runoff within the EIF prior to1999, but from 1999 to 2010, the runoff and EIF were very close and the April to June average runoff did not meet the EIF. The main factors that affected the river runoff were rainfall, temperature, water and soil conservation, coal mining, and water consumption for industry and domestic use, with coal mining becoming a more important factor since 1999. This case study provides important technical support and guidance for the ecological restoration of the Kuye River basin, and the concept can be applied to other similar coal mining areas.
Drivers and challenges for transnational land–water–food investments by the Middle East and North Africa region
Authors: Hanna Ramy Lotfy
Published: February 2020

Over the last decade, transnational land–water investments in farmlands abroad by the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) economies have been adopted as an alternative strategy to address water–food scarcity and security narratives. Large‐scale land acquisitions in farmlands abroad are often attributed to the food and fuel crisis of 2007/8 and 2010/11. Land–water investments entail several drivers and challenges in light of demographic growth trends, physical water stress, commodity market fluctuations, food sovereignty concerns, and climate change uncertainties across diverse countries of the MENA region. Despite the ongoing reliance on virtual water trade to secure their food needs, transnational investments were adopted by MENA economies as an alternative strategy for water–food security. From a political economy standpoint, such investments are founded on state‐capital alliances to achieve both; profit as well as larger strategic objectives. Critical literature attempted to unpack transnational land–water investments through different analytical lenses including accumulation by dispossession, resources grabs, nexus, and water security mercantilism. Yet, the materialization of the investments on the ground go beyond these debates, and is often associated with challenges related to infrastructure, energy, investment climate, labor, as well as other environmental, social, and sovereign risks. Most importantly, land–water–food investments may also entail hydropolitical risks on local, national, and transboundary levels.

This article is categorized under:

Human Water > Water Governance

Engineering Water > Planning Water
Extracellular HMGB1 exacerbates autoimmune progression and recurrence of type 1 diabetes by impairing regulatory T cell stability
Authors: Zhang Jing , Chen Longmin , Wang Faxi , Zou Yuan , Li Jingyi , Luo Jiahui , Khan Faheem , Sun Fei , Li Yang , Liu Jing , Chen Zhishui , Zhang Shu , Xiong Fei , Yu Qilin , Li Jinxiu , Huang Kun , Adam Bao-Ling , Zhou Zhiguang , Eizirik Decio L. , Yang Ping , Wang Cong-Yi
Published: February 2020

Aims/hypothesis

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an evolutionarily conserved chromosomal protein, was rediscovered to be a ‘danger signal’ (alarmin) that alerts the immune system once released extracellularly. Therefore, it has been recognised contributing to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes, but its exact impact on the initiation and progression of type 1 diabetes, as well as the related molecular mechanisms, are yet to be fully characterised.

Methods

In the current report, we employed NOD mice as a model to dissect the impact of blocking HMGB1 on the prevention, treatment and reversal of type 1 diabetes. To study the mechanism involved, we extensively examined the characteristics of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and their related signalling pathways upon HMGB1 stimulation. Furthermore, we investigated the relevance of our data to human autoimmune diabetes.

Results

Neutralising HMGB1 both delayed diabetes onset and, of particular relevance, reversed diabetes in 13 out of 20 new-onset diabetic NOD mice. Consistently, blockade of HMGB1 prevented islet isografts from autoimmune attack in diabetic NOD mice. Using transgenic reporter mice that carry a Foxp3 lineage reporter construct, we found that administration of HMGB1 impairs Treg stability and function. Mechanistic studies revealed that HMGB1 activates receptor for AGE (RAGE) and toll-like receptor (TLR)4 to enhance phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)–Akt–mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling, thereby impairing Treg stability and functionality. Indeed, high circulating levels of HMGB1 in human participants with type 1 diabetes contribute to Treg instability, suggesting that blockade of HMGB1 could be an effective therapy against type 1 diabetes in clinical settings.

Conclusions/interpretation

The present data support the possibility that HMGB1 could be a viable therapeutic target to prevent the initiation, progression and recurrence of autoimmunity in the setting of type 1 diabetes.
Single‐Stage Immediate Breast Reconstruction Using Anatomical Silicone‐Based Implant and The Hammock Technique of Dermal‐Muscle Flap in Large and Ptotic breasts: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Ellabban Mohamed A. , Nawar Ahmed , Milad Hala , Ellabban Mohammed G.
Published: February 2020

Background

This study revisits the previously described technique of inverted‐T skin‐reducing mastectomy and dermal‐muscle pocket as a single‐stage breast reconstruction using anatomical implants in large and ptotic breasts. Refinements have been added to enhance the quality of implant coverage, improve aesthetic outcome, and augment the implant volume than previously described in the literature.

Subjects and methods

The study was performed in three centers in the UK, Egypt, and Libya. It included patients with large ptotic breasts with a breast cup size of D or larger. The areola‐to‐inframammary fold distance is of 8 cm or more, and a nipple‐sternal notch distance is 25 cm or more. Modification of the dermal‐muscle flap was made through dividing the medial and lateral ends of the de‐epithelialized flap at a distance of one inch to create wings that could be sutured to the free edge of pectoralis major muscle to act as a hammock.

Results

It included 42 patients, and the mean age of the patients was 44.4 years (range 28–62). The mean body mass index was 34.2 (range 24–42). The reconstruction was unilateral in 32 (76.2%) patients and bilateral in ten (23.8%) patients. The average implant volume was 498.5 CC (range 375–650). Seventeen (40.5%) patients had a symmetrizing breast reduction. The average follow‐up time was 52 weeks. Major complications were noticed in four (7.7%) breasts: Three breasts had major skin necrosis and one breast had hematoma that necessitated surgical evacuation. There were no reported cases of implant extrusion. Minor complications were recorded in six (11.5%) breasts; two had wound infection, and three had minor skin necrosis.

Conclusion

The hammock technique of dermal‐muscle flap is safe and versatile in large and ptotic breasts. It also creates a natural‐looking breast with bigger implants.
Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae are associated with lumbar degeneration: retrospective evaluation of 3855 consecutive abdominal CT scans
Authors: Hanhivaara Jaakko , Määttä Juhani H. , Niinimäki Jaakko , Nevalainen Mika T.
Published: February 2020

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) and associated spinal degenerative changes on abdominal CT scans in Caucasian population.

Material and methods

A total of 3855 abdominal CT scans of the year 2017 from a single hospital were retrospectively assessed for LSTV, disc degeneration (DD), and facet joint degeneration (FD). An age- and sex-matched 150-subject control group without LSTV was picked at random. Multivariable logistic regression was used for the analysis.

Results

LSTV was found in 1101 (29%) scans: Castellvi type I in 68%, type II in 16%, type III in 13%, and type IV in 3% of scans. Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of DD was significantly higher in Castellvi type II and III groups at multiple lumbar levels, and in IV group at L4/5 than in control group (p < 0.001–0.034). At L5/S1, the prevalence of DD was significantly higher in the control group than in type II, III, or IV groups (p < 0.001–0.017). After combining Castellvi types II, III, and IV into one group, significant differences were found at all lumbar levels except L2/3 (p < 0.001–0.016). Prevalence of FD was significantly higher at L4/5 in Castellvi groups I, II, and III than in the control group (p < 0.001–0.002). When Castellvi types II, III, and IV were combined into one group, significant differences were found at lumbar levels L2/3, L3/4, and L4/5 (p < 0.001–0.021).

Conclusion

Lumbosacral vertebrae of Castellvi types II, III, and IV are associated with greater lumbar degeneration, warranting meticulous evaluation of spinal anatomy, even on CT.

Key Points

• Lumbosacral transitional vertebra is a common incidental finding on abdominal CT scans with a high prevalence of 29%.

• When assessing whole lumbar spine, lumbosacral vertebrae of Castellvi types II, III, and IV were associated with greater lumbar degeneration, warranting careful evaluation of the lumbar spine on abdominal CT scans.
Diffractive trifocal lens implantation with or without excimer laser enhancement: is a touch-up procedure a negative predictor for refractive and subjective outcome?
Authors: von Beckerath Anne-Karen , Katz Toam , Harfst Anna , Druchkiv Vasyl , Frings Andreas
Published: February 2020

Purpose

To investigate the refractive results of a LASIK enhancement and its impact on treatment safety, efficacy, predictability and patient reported outcome in eyes after clear lens extraction and diffractive trifocal lens implantation.

Methods

A retrospective cohort multicentre study of Care Vision Refractive Centres in Germany compared two groups of patients. Group 1 consisted of eyes that had non-toric MIOL surgery only, whereas group 2 had a consecutive laser enhancement after 3 months follow-up. Refractive and subjective results of the two groups were compared. Patient reported outcome measurements were assessed by using a 30-item questionnaire with four subscales.

(Spectacle Dependence, Eye Comfort, Freedom and Looking/Feeling Well). Refractive results were reported following standard reporting in refractive surgery.

Results

139 eyes of 79 patients were included in which either MIOL surgery or MIOL surgery plus LASIK enhancement had been performed between January and December 2017. UDVA reached 0.1logMAR (0.8; 20/25) in 94% in group 2 and 85% in group 1. Compared to preoperative CDVA no change in Snellen lines of CDVA was shown in 89% in group 1 and in 93% in group 2. Spectacle dependence (P = 0.41), eye comfort (P = 0.15), freedom (P = 0.48) and looking/feeling well (P = 0.45) showed no statistically significant difference between both the groups.

Conclusions

In patients with residual ametropia after MIOL implantation, LASIK provides a reliable, safe and efficient way to achieve the desired refractive outcome and patient satisfaction. We recommend performing Laser enhancement at 3 months after MIOL implantation (Bioptics) in trifocal MIOL patients that benefit from improvement of residual ametropia.
Structural proteomics, electron cryo-microscopy and structural modeling approaches in bacteria–human protein interactions
Authors: Chowdhury Sounak , Happonen Lotta , Khakzad Hamed , Malmström Lars , Malmström Johan
Published: February 2020

A central challenge in infection medicine is to determine the structure and function of host–pathogen protein–protein interactions to understand how these interactions facilitate bacterial adhesion, dissemination and survival. In this review, we focus on proteomics, electron cryo-microscopy and structural modeling to showcase instances where affinity-purification (AP) and cross-linking (XL) mass spectrometry (MS) has advanced our understanding of host–pathogen interactions. We highlight cases where XL-MS in combination with structural modeling has provided insight into the quaternary structure of interspecies protein complexes. We further exemplify how electron cryo-tomography has been used to visualize bacterial–human interactions during attachment and infection. Lastly, we discuss how AP-MS, XL-MS and electron cryo-microscopy and -tomography together with structural modeling approaches can be used in future studies to broaden our knowledge regarding the function, dynamics and evolution of such interactions. This knowledge will be of relevance for future drug and vaccine development programs.
Familial analysis reveals rare risk variants for migraine in regulatory regions
Authors: Techlo Tanya Ramdal , Rasmussen Andreas Høiberg , Møller Peter L. , Bøttcher Morten , Winther Simon , Davidsson Olafur B. , Olofsson Isa A. , Chalmer Mona Ameri , Kogelman Lisette J. A. , Nyegaard Mette , Olesen Jes , Hansen Thomas Folkmann
Published: February 2020

The most recent genome-wide association study of migraine increased the total number of known migraine risk loci to 38. Still, most of the heritability of migraine remains unexplained, and it has been suggested that rare gene dysregulatory variants play an important role in migraine etiology. Addressing the missing heritability of migraine, we aim to fine-map signals from the known migraine risk loci to regulatory mechanisms and associate these to downstream genic targets. We analyzed a large cohort of whole-genome sequenced patients from extended migraine pedigrees (1040 individuals from 155 families). We test for association between rare variants segregating in regulatory regions with migraine. The findings were replicated in an independent case-control cohort (2027 migraineurs, 1650 controls). We report an increased burden of rare variants in one CpG island and three polycomb group response elements near four migraine risk loci. We found that the association is independent of the common risk variants in the loci. The regulatory regions are suggested to affect different genes than those originally tagged by the index SNPs of the migraine loci. Families with familial clustering of migraine have an increased burden of rare variants in regulatory regions near known migraine risk loci, with effects that are independent of the variants in the loci. The possible regulatory targets suggest different genes than those originally tagged by the index SNPs of the migraine loci.
Planning for change? Assessing the integration of climate change and land-based livelihoods in Colorado BLM planning documents
Authors: Nave Julia , Knapp Corrine Noel , McNeeley Shannon
Published: February 2020

Many western communities are surrounded by public lands that support land-based and local economies. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision-making affects the vulnerability of those land-based livelihoods, especially in the context of climate change. We analyzed Colorado BLM planning documents to evaluate how they are considering climate change, sensitive resources, impacts, and land-based livelihoods in their planning processes using both quantitative word counts and qualitative coding. Documents published in recent years (2011–2015) include more mentions of climate change than older documents (1985–1997). However, the review showed that while climate change is discussed within the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) planning documents, the final Resource Management Plans contain few mentions of climate change. Further, there is minimal consideration of how climate change may impact land-based livelihoods. These results prompt questions about the planning process, how climate change considerations are integrated into the final documents, and how that impacts on-the-ground management. The review suggests a need for increased consideration of climate change throughout the BLM’s planning process so that landscapes can be managed with more attention and awareness to climate change and the associated impacts to resources and dependent communities.
Quantifying Soft Tissue Artefacts and Imaging Variability in Motion Capture of the Fingers
Authors: Metcalf C. D. , Phillips C. , Forrester A. , Glodowski J. , Simpson K. , Everitt C. , Darekar A. , King L. , Warwick D. , Dickinson A. S.
Published: February 2020

This study assessed the accuracy of marker-based kinematic analysis of the fingers, considering soft tissue artefacts (STA) and marker imaging uncertainty. We collected CT images of the hand from healthy volunteers with fingers in full extension, mid- and full-flexion, including motion capture markers. Bones and markers were segmented and meshed. The bone meshes for each volunteer’s scans were aligned using the proximal phalanx to study the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP), and using the middle phalanx to study the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP). The angle changes between positions were extracted. The HAWK protocol was used to calculate PIP and DIP joint flexion angles in each position based on the marker centroids. Finally the marker locations were ‘corrected’ relative to the underlying bones, and the flexion angles recalculated. Static and dynamic marker imaging uncertainty was evaluated using a wand. A strong positive correlation was observed between marker- and CT-based joint angle changes with 0.980 and 0.892 regression slopes for PIP and DIP, respectively, and Root Mean Squared Errors below 4°. Notably for the PIP joint, correlation was worsened by STA correction. The 95% imaging uncertainty interval was < ± 1° for joints, and < ± 0.25 mm for segment lengths. In summary, the HAWK marker set’s accuracy was characterised for finger joint flexion angle changes in a small group of healthy individuals and static poses, and was found to benefit from skin movements during flexion.
Automatic Assessment and Prediction of the Resilience of Utility Poles Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Computer Vision Techniques
Authors: Alam Md Morshedul , Zhu Zanbo , Eren Tokgoz Berna , Zhang Jing , Hwang Seokyon
Published: February 2020

The utility poles of electric power distribution lines are very vulnerable to many natural hazards, while power outages due to pole failures can lead to adverse economic and social consequences. Utility companies, therefore, need to monitor the conditions of poles regularly and predict their future conditions accurately and promptly to operate the distribution system continuously and safely. This article presents a novel pole monitoring method that uses state-of-the-art deep learning and computer vision methods to meet the need. The proposed method automatically captures the current pole inclination angles using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method calculates the bending moment exerted on the poles due to wind and gravitational forces, as well as cable weight, to compare it with the moment of rupture. The method also includes a machine learning-based model that is built by using a support vector machine to predict the resilience conditions of a pole after a wind event in a faster manner. The three modules of the proposed method are effective tools to classify pole conditions and are expected to enable utility companies to increase the resilience of their systems.
Plasma parasitemia as assessed by quantitative PCR in relation to clinical disease severity in African adults with falciparum malaria with and without HIV co-infection
Authors: Berg Aase , Patel Sam , Tellevik Marit G. , Haanshuus Christel G. , Dalen Ingvild , Otterdal Kari , Ueland Thor , Moyo Sabrina J. , Aukrust Pål , Langeland Nina
Published: February 2020

Purpose

When considering malaria disease severity, estimation of parasitemia in erythrocytes is important, but sometimes misleading, since the infected erythrocytes may be sequestered in peripheral capillaries. In African children and Asian adults with falciparum malaria, parasitemia as assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in plasma seems to be a valuable indicator of disease severity, but data on African adults as well as the impact of co-infection with HIV is lacking.

Methods

In 131 patients with falciparum malaria in a public tertiary teaching hospital in Mozambique, plasma malaria parasitemia as assessed by qPCR, compared to qualitative malaria PCR in blood cell fraction, was related to malaria disease severity and HIV co-infection.

Results

Of the 131 patients with falciparum malaria, based on positive qualitative PCR in the blood cell fraction, 93 patients (72%) had positive malaria qPCR in plasma. Patients with severe malaria as defined by the WHO criteria had higher malaria quantitative plasma parasitemia (median 143 genomes/µL) compared to those with uncomplicated malaria (median 55 genomes/µL, p = 0.037) in univariate analysis, but this difference was attenuated after adjusting for age, sex and HIV co-infection (p = 0.055). A quarter of the patients with severe malaria had negative qPCR in plasma.

Conclusions

This study of adult African in-patients with falciparum malaria with and without HIV co-infection, neither confirms nor rejects previous studies of malaria qPCR in plasma as an indicator of disease severity in patients with falciparum malaria. There is a need for further and larger studies to clarify if parasitemia as assessed malaria qPCR in plasma could be a surrogate marker of disease severity in falciparum malaria.
Corruption and complexity: a scientific framework for the analysis of corruption networks
Authors: Luna-Pla Issa , Nicolás-Carlock José R.
Published: February 2020

According to United Nations, corruption is a systemic and adaptive phenomenon that requires comprehensive and multidisciplinary approaches for its effective prevention and combat. However, traditional approaches lack the analytical tools to handle the structural and dynamical aspects that characterize modern social, political and technological systems where corruption takes place. On this matter, complex systems science has emerged as a comprehensive framework to study highly adaptive phenomena from natural to socio-technical settings. Thus, in this article we present an empirical approach to model corruption using the concepts and tools of complexity science, mainly, complex networks science. Under this framework, we describe a major corruption scandal that took place in Mexico involving a network of hundreds of shell companies used to embezzle billions of dollars. We describe the structure and dynamics of this corporate network using available information related to their personnel and the date of the companies’ creation. We measured some global parameters, such as density, diameter, average path length, and average degree in order to provide systematic evidence on which corporate characteristics are likely to signal corruption. Moreover, this analysis also provides an objective perspective of the systemic nature of events where companies are abused for corrupt purposes, and the shortcomings of reductionistic analyses. Major corruption scandals comprise both legal and illegal deeds, in addition to several parties acting simultaneously over extended time periods. As a whole, such scandals pose enormous challenges for the study of law and put the legal design of administrative and criminal controls to the test.
Extreme-scale particle-based simulations on advanced HPC platforms
Authors: Iwasawa M. , Namekata D. , Nomura K. , Tsubouchi M. , Makino J.
Published: February 2020

We overview the current status and future development directions of our framework for developing particle simulator (FDPS). Many of particle-based simulation codes share the same characteristic that the most time-consuming part of the simulation is the calculation of the interactions between particles, and a large fraction of programming effort is spent for procedures to make the force calculation efficient, such as the decomposition of computational domain, exchange of particles between domains, exchange of information necessary to calculate the interaction to particles in different domains, and efficient neighbor search. The basic idea of FDPS is to provide generic and high-performance library for these procedures. Using these procedures, researchers or application programmers in various fields can write their programs without taking care of parallelization and performance tuning. In order to make FDPS useful on advanced HPC platforms at present and in (near) future, we investigated its performance on several modern platforms and learned what can be the bottleneck. In this paper we summarize what we learned.
Associations between prosocial behavior, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing symptoms during adolescence: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Memmott‐Elison Madison K. , Holmgren Hailey G. , Padilla‐Walker Laura M. , Hawkins Alan J.
Published: February 2020

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta‐analysis investigating the consistency and strength of relations between prosocial behavior, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing symptoms from preadolescence (i.e., 1–9 years) to late adolescence (i.e., 19–25 years). This study directly addresses inconsistencies and gaps in the available literature by providing the field with a detailed, synthesized description of these associations.

Method

Fifty‐five studies met the inclusion criteria, containing 742 independent correlational effect sizes. Statistical information and other study information was coded and entered into Comprehensive Meta‐analysis III software, which was used to analyze results.

Results

Results showed that higher levels of prosocial behavior were significantly associated with lower levels of externalizing behaviors, as expected. Additionally, more reported prosocial behavior was related to less reported internalizing symptoms. Follow‐up analyses revealed specific relationships between prosocial behavior and aggression, deviant peer association, risky sexual behavior, substance use, delinquency/general externalizing behavior, depression, and general internalizing behaviors (i.e., emotional problems, negative emotionality). A variety of moderators of these associations were considered, including age and sex.

Conclusions

Findings are discussed in the context of the broader research literature, weaknesses in the field are noted, and numerous meaningful directions for future research are presented.
Geochemical characteristics of the Nyemo intrusion and crust–mantle interactions in southern Gangdese, Tibet
Authors: Zhang Xiong , Zhao Xiaoyan , Yang Zhusen , Pei Yingru , Zhao Miao
Published: February 2020

The Gangdese magmatic belt across the southern Tibetan Plateau is juxtaposed with the Indus–Yurlung Zangbo suture zone (IYS), and many mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) are exposed in the belt, thus providing a window for observing deep crust–mantle processes related to the Indo-Asian collision. The Nyemo intrusion is located in the middle part of the Gangdese magmatic belt and comprises host diorites with abundant MMEs. Compared with other parts of the Gangdese magmatic belt, the host rock of the Nyemo intrusion has a mineral composition similar to that of the MME, although differences are observed in chemical contents. To explore the genetic type of the MMEs and the deep processes of the Gangdese magmatic belt, the Nyemo intrusion is selected as the research object for this paper. Here, we report zircon U–Pb geochronological and whole-rock geochemical data for host diorites and MMEs, and electron probe data for hornblendes in diorites and MMEs, and combine mineralogy, petrology, petrogeochemistry and isotope geochemistry analyses. Research has shown that diorites in the Nyemo intrusion belong to the medium-K, metaluminous series. The light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) are significantly fractionated, and the LREE/HREE values are 5.77–7.71. The (87Sr/86Sr)i values of the diorites range from 0.704260 to 0.704287, and the εNd(t) values are from 3.73 to 4.17. The MMEs in the Nyemo intrusion have a limited range of SiO2 contents, are calc-alkaline with metaluminous affinity, and have relatively high contents of MgO (4.34–5.00 wt %) with Mg# (Mg2+/Mg2+ + Fe2+) values of 42.36–43.53, which is close to that of evolved basic magma. The contents of REEs vary from 108.87 to 120.59 ppm and show obvious Eu anomalies. The (87Sr/86Sr)i values of the MMEs range from 0.704680 to 0.704704, and the εNd(t) values are 0.35–3.74. The crystallization temperature of the hornblende in the diorite is 820 °C, the formation depth is 5.39 km, the oxygen fugacity is ΔNNO + 0.88 and the water content is 5.95 %. The crystallization temperature of the hornblende in the MMEs is 880 °C, the formation depth is 12.18 km, the oxygen fugacity is ΔNNO + 0.38 and the water content is 8.27 %. The Nyemo MMEs are formed by magma mingling, and originate from the partial melting of the depleted mantle, while the host diorite originates from partial melting of the juvenile crust with the addition of mantle material. The formation of the Gangdese magmatic belt is related to the Indo-Asian continental collision. The break-off of the subducted Neo-Tethyan oceanic plate triggered partial melting of the asthenosphere, which resulted in accumulation of the basaltic magma and then caused the partial melting of the juvenile crust with the addition of mantle material, thus forming a variety of granitic rocks and the large Gangdese magmatic belt.
Importance of isolated forest fragments and low intensity agriculture for the long-term conservation of the green peafowl Pavo muticus
Authors: Shwe Nay Myo , Sukumal Niti , Oo Khin Maung , Dowell Simon , Browne Stephen , Savini Tommaso
Published: February 2020

Low intensity subsistence agriculture is generally believed to be less damaging to wildlife than intensive farming. As Myanmar is undergoing rapid modernization, subsistence farming may shift to intensive agriculture, resulting in increased threats to species of conservation concern such as the green peafowl Pavo muticus. Here we investigate habitat use of the green peafowl in a low intensity agricultural landscape surrounding a small forest fragment in southern Shan State, Myanmar. The forest belongs to Nan Kone Buddha Monastery and the green peafowl is protected from hunting in the area on the basis of religious beliefs. We established three survey transects with a total length of 3,414 m. During February 2016–January 2017 we conducted surveys twice daily for 4 consecutive days every month, walking all transects in both directions in the mornings and afternoons and recording visual and auditory peafowl encounters. We estimated peafowl density to be 2.63 animals/km2 in the less disturbed western part of the study area and 1.13 animals/km2 in the eastern part, which had higher levels of human disturbance. The peafowl's habitat use was significantly non-random, with forest patches being the most utilized habitat, followed by croplands. Within a 300 m buffer zone around the forest patch, the order of habitat preference was crop > scrub > fallow, with crop significantly preferred over the other two habitats. We conclude that preserved isolated forest blocks adjacent to community-managed agricultural areas are important for green peafowl conservation, and discuss the implications for long-term conservation management of the species.
Effective parameters of a metamaterial composed of dielectric coated conducting cylindrical rods
Authors: Awan Z. A. , Ullah Hassan , Ullah Ahsan , Ashraf Afshan
Published: February 2020

In the first part, the scattering characteristics of an isolated dielectric coated conducting rod have been investigated. The types of considered coatings for the scattering analysis are realistic materials including barium strontium titanate, magnetodielectric, gallium arsenide, and silicon carbide. It is found that the gallium arsenide coating can be used to significantly reduce the scattering from a thin perfectly electric conducting cylindrical rod at specific observation angles. In the second part, the effective permittivity and permeability of metamaterials composed of two dimensional periodic arrangements of these dielectric coated conducting cylindrical rods have been studied. An increase in the double negative (DNG) bandwidth of a metamaterial composed of barium strontium titanate coated conducting rods has been observed in contrast to the corresponding bandwidth of a metamaterial composed of only barium strontium titanate material rods. Also an additional plasmonic epsilon negative (ENG) bandwidth has been found in case of a metamaterial composed of barium strontium titanate coated conducting rods. It is further studied that the widest ENG, mu negative, and DNG bandwidths exist for a metamaterial composed of gallium arsenide rods.
Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement in der Pflegeausbildung
Authors: Gronwald Stephan , Weber Jasmin
Published: February 2020

Zusammenfassung. Die Arbeitsbedingungen in der Pflege frühzeitig in die richtigen Wege zu leiten, beginnt bereits bei der Ausbildung des Pflegefachpersonals. Sowohl Lehrende als auch Auszubildende brauchen grundlegende Kenntnisse, wie sie die Arbeit mitgestalten können. Die Erweiterung des Curriculums um die Kompetenzen eines systemischen Prozessberaters für betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement bringt dabei für beide Seiten Vorteile.
Quantifying Nutrient Budgets for Sustainable Nutrient Management
Authors: Zhang X. , Davidson E. A. , Zou T. , Lassaletta L. , Quan Z. , Li T. , Zhang W.
Published: February 2020

Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, provide vital support for human life, but overloading nutrients to the Earth system leads to environmental concerns, such as water and air pollution on local scales and climate change on the global scale. With an urgent need to feed the world's growing population and the growing concern over nutrient pollution and climate change, sustainable nutrient management has become a major challenge for this century. To address this challenge, the growing body of research on nutrient budgets, namely the nutrient inputs and outputs of a given system, has provided great opportunities for improving scientific knowledge of the complex nutrient cycles in the coupled human and natural systems. This knowledge can help inform stakeholders, such as farmers, consumers, and policy makers, on their decisions related to nutrient management. This paper systematically reviews major challenges, as well as opportunities, in defining, quantifying, and applying nutrient budgets. Nutrient budgets have been defined for various systems with different research or application purposes, but the lack of consistency in the system definition and its budget terms has hindered intercomparison among studies and experience‐sharing among researchers and regions. Our review synthesizes existing nutrient budgets under a framework with five systems (i.e., Soil‐Plant system, Animal system, Animal‐Plant‐Soil system, Agro‐Food system, and Landscape system) and four spatial scales (i.e., Plot and Farm, Watershed, National, and Global scales). We define these systems and identify issues of nitrogen and phosphorus budgets within each. Few nutrient budgets have been well balanced at any scale, due to the large uncertainties in the quantification of several major budget terms. The type and level of challenges vary across spatial scales and also differ among nutrients. Improvement in nutrient budgets will rely not only on the technological advancement of scientific observations and models but also on better bookkeeping of human activity data. While some nutrient budget terms may need decades, or even centuries, of research to be well quantified within desirable levels of uncertainties, it is imperative to effectively communicate to interested stakeholders our understanding of nutrient budgets so that scientists and a variety of stakeholders can work together to address the sustainable nutrient management challenge of this century.
Validation and Accuracy Analysis of the Collection 6.1 MODIS Aerosol Optical Depth Over the Westernmost City in China Based on the Sun‐Sky Radiometer Observations From SONET
Authors: Huang Guan , Chen Yonghang , Li Zhengqiang , Liu Qiong , Wang Yanyu , He Qianshan , Liu Tongqiang , Liu Xin , Zhang Yang , Gao Jiacheng , Yao Yifeng
Published: February 2020

Toward the Kashi region in northwest of China, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals from Collection 6 (C6) MYD, Collection 6.1 (C6.1) MOD, and C6.1 MYD during 2016–2017 are compared with ground‐based measurements from the Sun‐sky Radiometer Network (SONET), and the first comprehensive evaluation of the Dark Target (DT) and Deep Blue (DB) retrievals with a 10‐km spatial resolution in the latest C6.1 MYD AOD data set during 2016–2018 is presented. In general, C6.1 MYD AOD products (both of DT and DB algorithm) are the most effective in Kashi of the three collections, and there is an overall underestimation of DB AOD, while DT AOD that slightly outperformed DB AOD in Kashi is overestimated on the whole. As to the factors that influence the accuracy of MODIS AOD, for DB algorithm, the overestimations of the surface reflectance and Single Scattering Albedo that DB aerosol model assumed can cause underestimation of DB AOD retrievals over Kashi, while the ones for DT algorithm are opposite. Besides, the coarse dust particles with lower veracity are predominant in Kashi region, which illustrated that the errors of particle size assumption in C6.1 MYD DT and DB algorithms will make large inversion error of MODIS AOD. Moreover, whatever DB or DT algorithm, the accuracy of AOD is diminished as the aerosol loading increases. The more realistic aerosol models and surface characterizations are necessary during the process of generating the MODIS aerosol retrievals in Kashi region.
Estimating Biogenic Silica Production of Rhizaria in the Global Ocean
Authors: Llopis Monferrer Natalia , Boltovskoy Demetrio , Tréguer Paul , Sandin Miguel Méndez , Not Fabrice , Leynaert Aude
Published: February 2020

Siliceous polycystines and phaeodarians are open‐ocean planktonic protists found throughout the water column and characterized by complex siliceous skeletons that are formed, at least partly, through the uptake of silicic acid. These protists contribute to the marine organic carbon (C) and biogenic silica (bSi) pools, but little is known about their contribution to the silica (Si) biogeochemical cycle. Here we report the first measurements of the Si uptake rate of polycystine and phaeodarian cells from samples collected in the Mediterranean Sea using the 32Si‐based method. The elementary composition (bSi, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen) of these organisms was also measured. Combining our results with published data on the distribution and abundance of Polycystina and Phaeodaria in the global ocean, we conclude that these organisms could contribute from 0.2 to 2.2 mmol Si m−2 of the marine standing stock of bSi and from 2 to 58 Tmol Si yr−1 (1% to 19%) of the global oceanic biogenic silica production. The implications for the global marine Si cycle are discussed.
Symbiont replacements reset the co-evolutionary relationship between insects and their heritable bacteria
Authors: Mao Meng , Bennett Gordon M
Published: February 2020

Auchenorrhynchan insects (Hemiptera) generally depend on two bacterial symbionts for nutrition. These bacteria experience extreme genome reduction and loss of essential cell functions that require direct host support, or the replacement of failing symbionts with more capable ones. However, it remains unclear how hosts adapt to integrate symbionts into their systems, particularly when they are replaced. Here, we comparatively investigated the evolution of host-support mechanisms in the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (GWSS), and the aster leafhopper, Macrosteles quadrilineatus (ALF). ALF harbors the ancestral co-symbionts of the Auchenorrhyncha that have tiny genomes, Sulcia (190 kb) and Nasuia (112 kb). In GWSS, Sulcia retains an expanded genome (245 kb), but Nasuia was replaced by the more capable Baumannia (686 kb). To support their symbionts, GWSS and ALF have evolved novel mechanisms via horizontal gene transfer, gene duplication, and co-option of mitochondrial support genes. However, GWSS has fewer support systems targeting essential bacterial processes. In particular, although both hosts use ancestral mechanisms to support Sulcia, GWSS does not encode all of the same support genes required to sustain Sulcia-ALF or Nasuia. Moreover, GWSS support of Baumannia is far more limited and tailored to its expanded capabilities. Our results demonstrate how symbiont replacements shape host genomes and the co-evolutionary process.
The nuclear gene rpl18 regulates erythroid maturation via JAK2-STAT3 signaling in zebrafish model of Diamond–Blackfan anemia
Authors: Chen Cheng , Lu Mengjia , Lin Shuo , Qin Wei
Published: February 2020

Diamond–Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare, inherited bone marrow failure syndrome, characterized by red blood cell aplasia, developmental abnormalities, and enhanced risk of malignancy. However, the underlying pathogenesis of DBA is yet to be understood. Recently, mutations in the gene encoding ribosomal protein (RP) L18 were identified in DBA patients. RPL18 is a crucial component of the ribosomal large subunit but its role in hematopoiesis remains unknown. To genetically model the ribosomal defect identified in DBA, we generated a rpl18 mutant line in zebrafish, using CRISPR/Cas9 system. Molecular characterization of this mutant line demonstrated that Rpl18 deficiency mirrored the erythroid defects of DBA, namely a lack of mature red blood cells. Rpl18 deficiency caused an increase in p53 activation and JAK2-STAT3 activity. Furthermore, we found inhibitors of JAK2 or STAT3 phosphorylation could rescue anemia in rpl18 mutants. Our research provides a new in vivo model of Rpl18 deficiency and suggests involvement of signal pathway of JAK2-STAT3 in the DBA pathogenesis.