bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
POST‐COMMUNIST TRUTHS: UNDERSTANDING HERTA MÜLLER IN ROMANIA
Authors: Bizuleanu Dana , Conkan Marius
Published: January 2020

Situated within the discourse of Romanian post‐Communist mentalities, this article aims to analyse Herta Müller's prose from a narratological and geocritical point of view. The works of this German‐language author are often interpreted as dissident literature and explored through the lens of narrative theory, autofiction, and her highly poetic language. Numerous Romanian authors have depicted the Communist ‘still life’ in their books, but Müller uses Communism as a framework and tool for metaphorising liminal and traumatic experiences. Focusing on Herta Müller's prose, this article explores three constituent layers: her poetics of fiction, the representation of imaginary spaces, and how her works are perceived in post‐Communist Romania. Müller's fictional worlds are fragmented and decentred, with a fractal configuration, as they are created by a network of transfer‐images that function in a rhizomatic manner. Communist Romania is turned into a mental space and becomes the frame for expressing different configurations of anguish. Comparing the Communist space found in Müller's writings to the actual Communist space of Romania reveals the way in which her works do not merely reflect a damaging socio‐political context, but actually expose the universal dystopia that is the consequence of any extremist ideology.
Issues Impacting Adverse Event Frequency and Severity: Differences Between Randomized Phase 2 and Phase 3 Clinical Trials for Lasmiditan
Authors: Kudrow David , Krege John H. , Hundemer Hans P. , Berg Paul H. , Khanna Rashna , Ossipov Michael H. , Pozo‐Rosich Patricia
Published: January 2020

Objective

We explore factors that may have contributed to differences in treatment‐emergent adverse events in the phase 2 and phase 3 lasmiditan clinical trials.

Background

Phase 2 and phase 3 trials showed that the centrally penetrant 5‐HT1F agonist, lasmiditan, was effective; higher frequency and severity of adverse events (AEs) were seen in phase 2.

Methods

This work represents a hybrid of a review of primary documents and study reports with additional post hoc analyses. Protocols, informed consents, data collection forms, and methodologies were reviewed. This information was supplemented by results from the clinical study reports and post hoc analyses of individual patient data from each trial.

Results

For lasmiditan 100 and 200 mg, in phase 2, the incidence of ≥1 AE was 72‐86% (26% severe), while in phase 3 was 36‐43% (2% severe). The most common AEs in all studies were CNS‐related. The phase 2 consent form was more descriptive of AEs than phase 3. In phase 2, patients recorded AEs and severity in a paper diary that warned about drowsiness and dizziness. In phase 3, patients recorded in electronic diaries whether they experienced unusual feelings after dosing with lasmiditan that they had not felt with a migraine before, and were contacted to determine if an AE had occurred. In phase 2, the AE Schwindel was variably translated from German as “vertigo” or “dizziness,” while phase 3 vertigo cases were queried to ensure there was a sensation of rotation or movement. History of recurrent dizziness and/or vertigo was exclusionary in phase 3.

Conclusions

This work illustrates how informed consent wording, AE collection methods, translation, exclusion criteria, and other factors may be important determinants for reporting of the frequency and severity of AEs in clinical trials.
Outcomes of lactulose plus branched‐chain amino acid infusion and lactulose alone for hepatic encephalopathy: A retrospective cohort study using a national inpatient database
Authors: Okada Akira , Yamana Hayato , Yamaguchi Satoko , Ikeda Kurakawa Kayo , Matsui Hiroki , Fushimi Kiyohide , Nangaku Masaomi , Kadowaki Takashi , Yasunaga Hideo
Published: January 2020

Aim

Previous randomized controlled trials of branched‐chain amino acid infusion for hepatic encephalopathy involved a small number of patients, and the effectiveness of branched‐chain amino acid infusion has not been clarified. We evaluated whether branched‐chain amino acid infusion in addition to lactulose treatment was associated with short‐term outcomes in a large population of patients.

Methods

Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we retrospectively identified inpatients with hepatic encephalopathy who received lactulose within 2 days of admission from July 2011 to March 2017. We divided the patients into those who received branched‐chain amino acid infusion within 2 days of admission in addition to lactulose treatment and those who did not. We conducted propensity‐score inverse probability of treatment weighting analyses to compare in‐hospital mortality, consciousness at discharge, in‐hospital complications, length of stay, and total hospitalization costs between the groups.

Results

We identified 8051 patients with hepatic encephalopathy treated with lactulose, including 7560 patients who received lactulose plus branched‐chain amino acid infusion and 491 who received lactulose alone. The lactulose plus branched‐chain amino acid infusion group had a significantly lower mortality than the lactulose alone group (9.6% vs. 15.0%, odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.44–0.82). The lactulose plus branched‐chain amino acid infusion group also had a lower proportion of patients with impaired mental status at discharge, and lower total hospitalization costs than the lactulose alone group.

Conclusions

Branched‐chain amino acid infusion together with lactulose may improve the prognosis of hepatic encephalopathy.
The feasibility of psychometric measures for body image and lymphedema for routine practice
Authors: Hollyhead Cyan , Branney Peter
Published: January 2020

The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of the Male Genital Self‐Image Scale (MGSIS‐5) and Groin and Lower Limb Lymphedema questionnaire (G3L‐20) in a community sample of cisgender men aged 40 years and older. Psychometric measures can aid urologic practice by prompting patients to talk about aspects of their body that are either too sensitive or a natural part of aging. Importantly, reliable and valid measures can also contribute to an evidenced‐based‐practice‐based‐evidence cycle where they can establish the impact of changes recommended by research while using the results in turn to inform research. In this study, we examine two psychometric measures on the opposite ends of a psychological‐physical continuum; the MGSIS‐5 and the G3L‐20. A non‐experimental psychometric design was employed, administering the questionnaires online to a community sample of cisgender men aged 40 years old and above. Validity and reliability analyses were conducted. Thirty men completed the study; 14 aged 40 to 49, 14 aged 50 to 59 and 2 aged 60 to 69. The MGSIS‐5 and G3L‐20 show acceptable reliability and validity with one‐ and three‐component structures, respectively. The MGSIS‐5 and G3L‐20 show sufficient feasibility to justify the resources for studies with larger community samples and for pilot studies with clinical populations.
Interplay of spin, lattice, vibration, and charge degrees of freedom: Magneto‐dielectricity in Ca3Mn2O7
Authors: Sahlot Pooja , Sharma Gaurav , Sathe Vasant , Sinha Anil K. , Awasthi Anand M.
Published: January 2020

From low‐temperature Synchrotron X‐ray diffraction, a precise thermal characterization of octahedral distortions in single‐phase Ruddlesden‐Popper Ca3Mn2O7 is performed. Highly sensitive close‐steps temperature dependences of Mn‐O‐Mn bond angles connecting MnO6 octahedra clearly reveal the signature of spin ordering in the system. Spin‐lattice coupling is thus revealed via the structural distortions, responsible for the evolution of the magnetic state. Further, benchmark temperature anomalies observed in the unit cell volume and its polarization‐measure highlight the interplay between spin, lattice, and charge degrees of freedom. Strong spin‐lattice coupling is supported by the Raman spectroscopy results across the magnetic ordering. Dielectric study on Ca3Mn2O7 features relaxor‐like segmented dynamics below the antiferromagnetic ordering. Dipolar relaxations of different origins are spectrally resolved, exhibiting distinct H‐field alterations which identify their allegiance to different magnetic subphases. Dipole‐relaxation characteristics examined under applied magnetic field and the ensuing magneto‐dielectricity consistently correlate with the concurrent magnetic, structural, and vibrational features.
Expression signature of six‐snoRNA serves as novel non‐invasive biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis prediction of renal clear cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Yanyun , Yan Yuanyuan , Ma Rong , Lv Xuemei , Zhang Liwen , Wang Jinlong , Zhu Wenjing , Zhao Lan , Jiang Longyang , Zhao Lin , Wen Lijie , Yang Bo , Chen Yuzong , He Miao , Liu Mingyan , Wei Minjie
Published: January 2020

Increasing evidence has verified that small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) play significant roles in tumorigenesis and exhibit prognostic value in clinical practice. In the study, we analysed the expression profile and clinical relevance of snoRNAs from TCGA database including 530 ccRCC (clear cell renal cell carcinoma) and 72 control cases. By using univariate and multivariate Cox analysis, we established a six‐snoRNA signature and divided patients into high‐risk or low‐risk groups. We found patients in high‐risk group had significantly shorter overall survival and recurrence‐free survival than those in low‐risk group in test series, validation series and entire series by Kaplan‐Meier analysis. We also confirmed this signature had a great accuracy and specificity in 64 clinical tissue cases and 50 serum samples. Then, depending on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis we found the six‐snoRNA signature was an superior indicator better than conventional clinical factors (AUC = 0.732). Furthermore, combining the signature with TNM stage or Fuhrman grade were the optimal indicators (AUC = 0.792; AUC = 0.800) and processed the clinical applied value for ccRCC. Finally, we found the SNORA70B and its hose gene USP34 might directly regulate Wnt signalling pathway to promote tumorigenesis in ccRCC. In general, our study established a six‐snoRNA signature as an independent and superior diagnosis and prognosis indicator for ccRCC.
IL‐6 expression promoted by Poly(I:C) in cervical cancer cells regulates cytokine expression and recruitment of macrophages
Authors: Liu Xin , Meng Lihua , Chen Ling , Liang Ying , Wang Bingyu , Shao Qianqian , Wang Huayang , Yang Xingsheng
Published: January 2020

Poly(I:C) is a promising adjuvant for cancer treatment vaccines to enhance the host anti‐tumour immune response. However, the roles of poly(I:C) in the cervical cancer microenvironment and local immune reactions are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the roles of poly(I:C) in the cervical cancer. We analysed the cytokine transcription and secretion of cervical cancer cell lines and THP‐1–derived macrophages after poly(I:C) treatment, respectively. These results revealed that IL‐6 was significantly up‐regulated, and this up‐regulation was partly dose dependent. poly(I:C)‐stimulated supernatant of cervical cancer cells promoted M1‐type cytokine IL‐1β and IL‐6 expression of THP‐1–derived macrophages, but inhibited the expression of M2‐type cytokine, IL‐10 and CCL22. The recruitment of THP‐1–derived macrophages by poly(I:C)‐stimulated cervical cancer cell supernatant was also enhanced. Inhibition of IL‐6 expression in cervical cancer cells by siRNA transfection almost completely reversed the effects of poly(I:C) treatment. Finally, we found that phosphorylation of the NF‐κB signalling pathway in cervical cancer cells occurred quickly after poly(I:C) treatment. Moreover, the NF‐κB signalling pathway inhibitor PDTC significantly inhibited poly(I:C)‐induced IL‐6 expression. Taken together, these results suggest that poly(I:C) might regulate the effects of cervical cancer cells on tumour‐infiltrated macrophages, and subsequently promote a pro‐inflammatory tumour microenvironment.
Nurses’ perceptions regarding transitional care for adolescents and young adults with childhood‐onset chronic diseases
Authors: Suzuki Seigo , Kita Sachiko , Morisaki Mayumi , Kikuchi Ryota , Sato Iori , Iwasaki Miwa , Otomo Eiko , Sekiguchi Hiromi , Hirata Yoichiro , Sato Atsushi , Sugiyama Masahiko , Kamibeppu Kiyoko
Published: January 2020

Aim

Nurses are expected to have a role in the transition of care from pediatric to adult medical practices for adolescents and young adults with childhood‐onset chronic diseases. This study compares the experience, knowledge, and perceptions regarding the ideal care among adult unit and pediatric nurses regarding the transition to adult care for those with childhood‐onset chronic diseases.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study using self‐report questionnaires was conducted with nurses in a tertiary hospital in Tokyo. Questions were generated based on a literature review and expert discussion. Data from 1,064 participants were analyzed (adult unit nurses: n = 959, 90.1%; pediatric nurses: n = 105, 9.9%).

Results

Among 623 adult unit nurses who had care experience for adult patients with a childhood‐onset chronic disease, 458 nurses (73.6%) were unaware of the concept of transitional care. As the obstructive factors for transition, pediatric nurses recognized problems in healthcare providers' attitudes and lack of transitional care coordinators, while the adult unit nurses emphasized the patients' wishes to continue to receive pediatric healthcare. Most adult unit nurses expected pediatric nurses to function as transitional care coordinators.

Conclusion

Adult unit and pediatric nurses had different perceptions of the barriers in transitioning children with chronic diseases to adult care. It is important to have educational programs focusing on transitional care for all nurses, both to enable pediatric nurses to improve transition readiness of children with chronic diseases and to offer adult patients with a childhood‐onset chronic disease continuing support through adult unit nurses.
Swiprosin1/EFhd2 is involved in the monoaminergic and locomotor responses of psychostimulant drugs
Authors: Kogias Georgios , Zheng Fang , Kalinichenko Liubov S. , Kornhuber Johannes , Alzheimer Christian , Mielenz Dirk , Müller Christian P.
Published: January 2020

Psychostimulants are widely abused drugs that may cause addiction in vulnerable individuals. While the reward circuitry of the brain is involved in addiction establishment, various pathways in the brain may provide protection at the molecular level that limits the acute and chronic effects of drugs. These targets may be used for strategies designed to prevent and treat addiction. Swiprosin‐1/EF hand domain 2 (EFhd2) is a Ca2+‐binding cytoskeletal adaptor protein involved in sensation‐seeking behaviour, anxiety and alcohol addiction. Here, we tested how EFhd2 contributes to the physiological and behavioural effects of the psychostimulant drugs methamphetamine (METH) and cocaine. An in vivo microdialysis study in EFhd2 knockout mice revealed that EFhd2 controls METH‐ and cocaine‐induced changes in extracellular dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline levels through different mechanisms in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Electrophysiological recordings in a slice preparation showed that a lack of EFhd2 increases dopaminergic neuronal activity in the ventral tegmental area and increases the sensitivity of neurons to stimulation. We report a role of EFhd2 in METH‐induced locomotor activation and in the conditioned locomotor effects. No role, however, was observed in the establishment of METH‐ or cocaine‐induced conditioned place preference. These findings may suggest that EFhd2 modulates the activity of the dopaminergic system and the neurochemical effects of METH and cocaine, which translate into a modulation of the behavioural effects of these drugs at the level of the acute and conditioned locomotor activity.

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Mechanism of nonthermal induction of apoptosis by high‐intensity focused electromagnetic procedure: Biochemical investigation in a porcine model
Authors: Halaas Yael , Bernardy Jan
Published: January 2020

Background

Multiple studies have reported adipose tissue reduction after the application of the High‐Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) field technology, yet cellular level evidence of the mechanisms has remained scarce.

Objectives

This study aims to verify or refute previous single‐study histological evidence and further investigates the proposed mechanism of apoptotic induction.

Methods

The thigh of two Large White pigs was treated with HIFEM for 30 minutes. Fat punch biopsies were collected from the application area before, immediately after, and 8 hours post‐treatment. Control samples were taken from the abdomen immediately after and 8 hours post‐treatment. Samples were analyzed for pro‐apoptotic DNA markers (BAX, BCL‐2, TXNIP, MMP9, TNF‐α), the levels of free fatty acids (FFA), and the pH levels of the adipose tissue.

Results

The levels of FFA in the treated adipose tissue increased on average by 127.1% immediately post‐treatment and by 134.1% 8 hours post‐treatment, indicating a rapid breakdown of lipids. The average recorded adipose pH changed from 7.30 ± 0.12 at baseline to 6.60 ± 0.07 immediately post‐treatment (P = .001) and to 7.19 ± 0.12 8 hours post‐treatment. The levels of BAX, TXNIP, MMP9, and TNF‐α increased post‐treatment while BCL‐2 decreased. Control samples showed constant levels of pH and pro‐apoptotic markers. The FFAs in the control samples were increased by 41.6%‐51.4%.

Conclusion

The changes in the levels of the pro‐apoptotic markers conformed to the previously reported elevated fat apoptosis post‐HIFEM treatments. These effects were accompanied by an increase in FFA levels, and by reduced pH levels, due to the increased acidity in the adipose tissue. Further research is required to explore the potential of nonthermal induction of apoptosis.
The role of local leaders in regional development funding: Evidence from an elite survey
Authors: Merkaj Elvina , Lucchetti Riccardo , Fiorillo Fabio
Published: January 2020

Many postsocialist countries are run by an elite with links to the socialist legacy and often share similar challenges and issues. We investigate formal and informal factors shaping the role of mayors in accessing regional development funds in Albania, a postsocialist country. With data from one of the largest elite (mayors) survey, we analyze both channels of influence of the mayors: the number of applications and the success rate. We find that mayors bring their communities more funds using formal leadership qualities that intensify the number of submissions. On the other hand, informal leadership remains important in explaining the success rate, as by using networking channels leaders enhance the probability to get financed. Political power is also decisive in the process.
Inheritance of anthracnose resistance (Colletotrichum scovillei) in ripe and unripe Capsicum annuum fruits
Authors: Giacomin Renata Mussoi , Ruas Claudete de Fátima , Moreira Aline Fabiana Paladini , Guidone Gustavo Henrique Migliorini , Baba Viviane Yumi , Rodrigues Rosana , Gonçalves Leandro Simões Azeredo
Published: January 2020

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum spp., is one of the most common diseases affecting sweet pepper and chilli pepper production worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical zones. This disease results in severe fruit damage both pre‐ and postharvest. The development of resistant cultivars is the most effective strategy for disease control, which requires knowing the genetic basis of resistance. In this study, we analysed the inheritance of resistance of Capsicum annuum to Colletotrichum scovillei at two fruit development stages. The ripe and unripe fruits were inoculated by conidia suspension, and anthracnose severity was evaluated for 8 days using a score scale. It was found that the inheritance of resistance has independent expression in ripe and unripe fruits. In both cases, two main genes are responsible for resistance with polygenic effects. Genetic control, with a quantitative aspect, is more affected by dominance than the additive effects, in both fruit development stages of C. annuum.
The relationship between villous height and growth performance, small intestinal mucosal enzymes activities and nutrient transporters expression in weaned piglets
Authors: Wang Min , Yang Chan , Wang Qiye , Li Jianzhong , Huang Pengfei , Li Yali , Ding Xueqin , Yang Huansheng , Yin Yulong
Published: January 2020

Intestinal villi are important structures for digesting and absorbing nutrients. It was hypothesized that intestinal villous height (VH) is related to growth performance, and that VH is associated with digestive and absorptive capabilities in piglets. Sixty 21‐d‐old weaned piglets were fed identical diets for 28 days. The piglets were grouped according to jejunal or ileal VH at the end of the experiment, including short, middle and high VH groups. The final BW (quadratic, p = .003), ADG (liner, p = .052; quadratic, p = .030) and G: F (liner, p = .074; quadratic, p = .005) were greater in higher VH piglets compared with the shorter VH piglets. Significant linear relationships were recorded between jejunal VH and maltase (linear, p = .003) and sucrase (linear, p = .004) activities. Besides, jejunal VH was significantly associated with maltase (r = 0.357, p = .007), sucrase (r = 0.394, p = .003) and alkaline phosphate (r = 0.288, p = .033) activities. Jejunal Slc1a1 (linear, p = .004) mRNA expression increased as VH increased, while Slc7a1 (linear, p = .007) expression decreased as VH increased, and Slc1a1 (r = 0.292, p = .031) expression was positively related to VH. In the ileum, Slc5a1 (linear, p = .002) and Slc1a1 (linear, p < .001) expression increased as VH increased, whereas Slc7a1 (linear, p = .045) expression decreased as VH increased. A positive relationship between ileal VH and Slc5a1 (r = 0.331, p = .018), Slc1a1 (r = 0.444, p = .001) and Slc6a19 (r = 0.314, p = .026), respectively, was established. Additionally, Slc7a9 (r = 0.0271, p = .057) expression tended to be positively associated with VH in ileum. In conclusion, the growth performance of piglets increased with increasing VH, which may via affecting mucosal enzymes activities and nutrient transporters’ mRNA expression.
The fungal community and its interaction with the concentration of short‐chain fatty acids in the caecum and colon of weaned piglets
Authors: Li Jiayan , Luo Yuheng , Chen Daiwen , Yu Bing , He Jun , Huang Zhiqing , Mao Xiangbing , Zheng Ping , Yu Jie , Luo Junqiu , Tian Gang , Yan Hui , Wang Quyuan , Wang Huifen
Published: January 2020

In sharp contrast to the numerous studies on bacteria, very little is known about the fungal community in mammalian gut. Recent studies on human and mice highlighted the importance of “mycobiota” in the metabolism and gut health of host, but our knowledge on the fungal composition and distribution in swine gut is very limited. In the current study, the fungal community in the caecal and colonic digesta from five weaned piglets was analysed based on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 region, and its relationship with the concentration of short‐chain fatty acids was also investigated. Results revealed that the fungal profile in the caecal and colonic digesta of the piglets was distinct, and the caecal fungal diversity was significantly higher (p < .05). Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were the two predominant fungal phyla in the caecum and colon of the piglets. Comparing with that in colon, the abundance of Saccharomycopsis, Wallemia and Mrakia showed significantly higher (p < .05), and the abundance of Scheffersomyces, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Mucor was significantly lower in the caecum (p < .05). Canonical correspondence analysis showed a correlation between the fungal community and the concentration of isobutyrate, isovalerate, propionate and acetate in the digesta samples. Spearman's correlation indicated that the low‐abundance genera, Fusarium, Plectosphaerella and Metarhizium, were positively correlated with of isobutyrate (p < .05), while Xeromyces were negatively correlated with acetate (p < .05), and Cornuvesica was negatively correlated with both acetate and propionate (p < .05). Results illuminated a probable interaction between the fungal composition and the bacterial degradation of protein and complex carbohydrates in the diet. These findings would be helpful to enhance our understanding of fungi in swine gut and provide a foundation for future work on the function of mycobiota in pigs.
Abomasal emptying rate of diarrhoeic and healthy suckling calves fed with oral rehydration solutions
Authors: Hildebrandt Thomas , Scheuch Eberhard , Weitschies Werner , Schneider Felix , Grimm Michael , Bachmann Lisa , Vervuert Ingrid
Published: January 2020

The aim of the study was to determine the abomasal emptying rate (AER) of calves suffering from naturally occurring diarrhoea compared with that of healthy calves. Furthermore, the effects of an oral rehydration solution (ORS) mixed into milk replacer on the AER were determined. Acetaminophen absorption test (APAT) was performed to estimate the AER. Sixty Holstein–Frisian calves (age < 14 days) were included in the study and divided into groups as follows: healthy calves (H; n = 16), healthy calves fed with ORS (HORS; n = 14), diarrhoeic calves (D; n = 15) and diarrhoeic calves fed with ORS (DORS; n = 15). For the APAT, the calves were fed 2 L of milk replacer containing 50 mg acetaminophen (AP)/kg body weight. Venous blood samples were collected before and after milk replacer and AP intake in 30–60 min intervals for 12 hr. During the APAT, no significant differences in median maximum acetaminophen concentration (Cmax) were observed among all groups. Time to reach maximum acetaminophen concentration (Tmax) in DORS (median 390 min, 25/75 quartiles: 300/480 min) was significantly higher compared with that in H (median: 270 min 25/75 quartiles: 210/315 min) and HORS (median: 300 min (25/75 quartiles: 240/360 min). Non‐linear regression revealed that the calculated abomasal half‐life (AP t1/2) tended to be delayed in DORS (median: 652 min, 25/75 quartiles: 445/795 min, p = .10). The area under the AP curve values (AUC) from 0 to 120 min and 0 to 240 min of the observation period were significantly higher in H than D and DORS. In conclusion, significant differences in the AER indices reflected delayed abomasal emptying in diarrhoeic calves. Furthermore, the hypertonic ORS tended to have an additive delaying impact on the AER, which needs attention for the feeding management of diarrhoeic calves.
Determinants of Public‐Sector Efficiency: Decentralization and Fiscal Rules
Authors: Christl Michael , Köppl‐Turyna Monika , Kucsera Dénes
Published: January 2020

This paper investigates the determinants of public‐sector efficiency, in particular the role of fiscal decentralization and fiscal rules. For 23 European countries over the period from 1995 to 2015, we construct a measure of public‐sector performance consisting of nine distinct indices for each area of public policy, such as administration, health education, economic performance, security and infrastructure.

We use several efficiency techniques, e.g., free disposal hull and order‐m, and investigate input‐and output‐oriented efficiency in the public sector. We analyse in depth the impact of fiscal decentralization and fiscal rules on public‐sector efficiency. We conclude that, whereas decentralization fosters efficiency, fiscal rules have no effect. Moreover, fiscal rules, when combined with decentralization, may harm efficiency, which is consistent with the ratchet effect.
Uncertainty and unmet care needs before and after surgery in patients with gastric cancer: A survey study
Authors: Lee Ji Yea , Jang Yeonsoo , Kim Sanghee , Hyung Woo Jin
Published: January 2020

Uncertainty and unmet care needs constantly change in patients with cancer. However, there is a lack of information regarding the changing pattern of these variables. This study aimed to examine the changes in uncertainty and unmet care needs at diagnosis and after surgery among patients with gastric cancer. In total, 86 individuals completed a self‐reported questionnaire. Data were collected twice – to measure uncertainty and unmet care needs at cancer diagnosis (T1), and after surgery (T2) – and analyzed using descriptive analysis and a dependent t‐test. Uncertainty was moderate at both periods but significantly higher at T1. Unmet care needs were highest in the information domain and lowest in the sexuality domain at both T1 and T2. Only the physical/daily living domain were significantly higher at T2, whereas the information, psychological, and patient care/support domains were significantly higher at T1. Different levels of uncertainty and unmet needs were identified at T1 and T2. Healthcare providers should assess changing unmet care needs at each stage of the cancer trajectory and provide related nursing care and information to this population, even immediately after diagnosis.
Heat stress during flowering in cereals – effects and adaptation strategies
Authors: Jagadish S. V. Krishna
Published: January 2020

Heat stress during flowering has differential impact on male and female reproductive organ viability leading to yield losses in field crops. Unlike flooded rice, dryland cereals such as sorghum, pearl millet and wheat have optimised their flower opening during cooler early morning or late evening hours to lower heat stress damage during flowering. Although previous studies have concluded that pollen viability determines seed set under heat stress, recent findings have revealed pearl millet and sorghum pistils to be equally sensitive to heat stress. Integrating flower opening time during cooler hours with increased pollen and pistil viability will overcome heat stress‐induced damage during flowering under current and future hotter climatic conditions.
Shifts in plant–microbe interactions over community succession and their effects on plant resistance to herbivores
Authors: Howard Mia M. , Kao‐Kniffin Jenny , Kessler André
Published: January 2020

Soil microorganisms can influence the development of complex plant phenotypes, including resistance to herbivores. This microbiome‐mediated plasticity may be particularly important for plant species that persist in environments with drastically changing herbivore pressure, for example over community succession.

We established a 15‐yr gradient of old‐field succession to examine the herbivore resistance and rhizosphere microbial communities of Solidago altissima plants in a large‐scale field experiment. To assess the functional effects of these successional microbial shifts, we inoculated S. altissima plants with microbiomes from the 2nd, 6th and 15th successional years in a glasshouse and compared their herbivore resistance.

The resistance of S. altissima plants to herbivores changed over succession, with concomitant shifts in the rhizosphere microbiome. Late succession microbiomes conferred the strongest herbivore resistance to S. altissima plants in a glasshouse experiment, paralleling the low levels of herbivory observed in the oldest communities in the field.

While many factors change over succession and may contribute to the shifts in rhizosphere communities and herbivore resistance we observed, our results indicated that soil microbial shifts alone can alter plants' interactions with herbivores. Our findings suggest that changes in soil microbial communities over succession can play an important role in enhancing plant resistance to herbivores.
Dynamic inference for non‐Markov transition probabilities under random right censoring
Authors: Dobler Dennis , Titman Andrew
Published: January 2020

The main contribution of this article is the verification of weak convergence of a general non‐Markov (NM) state transition probability estimator by Titman, which has not yet been done for any other general NM estimator. A similar theorem is shown for the bootstrap, yielding resampling‐based inference methods for statistical functionals. Formulas of the involved covariance functions are presented in detail. Particular applications include the conditional expected length of stay in a specific state, given occupation of another state in the past, and the construction of time‐simultaneous confidence bands for the transition probabilities. The expected lengths of stay in a two‐sample liver cirrhosis dataset are compared and confidence intervals for their difference are constructed. With borderline significance and in comparison to the placebo group, the treatment group has an elevated expected length of stay in the healthy state given an earlier disease state occupation. In contrast, the Aalen‐Johansen (AJ) estimator‐based confidence interval, which relies on a Markov assumption, leads to a drastically different conclusion. Also, graphical illustrations of confidence bands for the transition probabilities demonstrate the biasedness of the AJ estimator in this data example. The reliability of these results is assessed in a simulation study.
The Internet of Things: Social dimensions
Authors: Lupton Deborah
Published: January 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a vast, dispersed system in which a diverse array of objects, humans, and other living things is connected via “smart” technologies and the Internet. In this article, I present a thematic review of the literature that focuses on the social dimensions of the IoT. Drawing on research published in sociology, anthropology, cultural geography, critical urban studies, science and technology studies, environmental studies, and human–computer interaction studies and design, I outline key conceptual approaches and then discuss four major themes emerging across these dispersed but cognate literatures: (a) techno‐utopian imaginaries, (b) risks and harms, (c) lived experiences, and (d) interventions into futures. As I show, to date, most of the social research literature has focused on the topics of smart cities and smart homes in the context of the Global North. Some researchers have begun to employ innovative methods to generate new and alternative ways of imagining IoT technologies. The article concludes with proposing directions for future research. These include directing more attention to publics' role in intervening in the futures of IoT, to applications of smart technologies beyond the smart city and home, and the IoT in the context of the Global South.
Bloodstream infection by multidrug‐resistant Streptococcus oralis in a leukemic patient with febrile neutropenia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Watanabe Noriyuki , Kobayashi Kiyoko , Koyama Sachie , Tabira Mayu , Matsuno Junpei , Taji Yoshitada , Akuzawa Yu , Ishikawa Maho , Maeda Tomoya , Imai Kazuo , Tarumoto Norihito , Asou Norio , Mitsutake Kotaro , Ebihara Yasuhiro
Published: January 2020

We reported the case of a patient with leukemia who developed febrile neutropenia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Blood culture results revealed the presence of Streptococcus oralis, while antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed the resistance to penicillin and cephem. Furthermore, isolates were not susceptible to either meropenem or daptomycin but not to vancomycin. S oralis is known to belong to Streptococcus mitis group and be a causative agent of bacteremia in the neutropenic patients, but multidrug resistance of S oralis is rare. Our findings suggest that we might pay attention to the emergence of the microorganisms acquiring multidrug resistance in neutropenic patients.
Simulation-Based Assessment of Performance Indicator for Data Center Cooling Optimization
Authors: Petrongolo John , Nemati Kourosh , Fouladi Kamran
Published: January 2020

Data center power consumption has grown substantially in the past 20 years. According to the United States Data Center Energy Usage Report, the data center consumption in 2014 was estimated at 70 billion kWh, which accounted for 1.8% of the total U.S. electricity. The present effort investigates the effects of various data center parameters on a new set of metrics called the performance indicator to help assess and optimize the cooling performance of data centers. The three metrics in the performance indicator include power usage effectiveness ratio (PUEr), thermal conformance, and thermal resilience. The data center parameters investigated include computer room air handler (CRAH) setpoints, room configuration layouts, and containment strategies. The results show that the CRAH setpoint significantly influences the PUEr with higher setpoint values resulting in lower PUEr values. Room configuration layout changes and containment strategies showed substantial effects on thermal conformance and thermal resilience. The thermal conformance was increased approximately 10% with room configuration changes without changing the PUEr. Full hot aisle containment also improved the thermal conformance by 7.4%.
Influencing Greater Adoption of Eco-Driving Practices Using an Associative Graphical Display
Authors: Potvin-Bernal J. , Hansma B. , Donmez B. , Lockwood P. , Shu L. H.
Published: January 2020

Substantial energy savings during the use phase of internal combustion and electric automobiles can be achieved by increasing eco-driving behavior, particularly reduced acceleration and braking. However, motivating widespread adoption of this behavior is challenging due to incompatibility with drivers’ values and priorities, and disassociation between drivers’ actions and observable consequences. Informational approaches, e.g., training programs and educational campaigns, are either difficult to scale up or largely ineffective, with drivers reluctant to make long-term changes. Alternatively, behavior can be influenced by redesigning the context within which the behavior occurs. Such an intervention must be effective across demographics and underlying behaviors to achieve ubiquity. The current study investigates the perceived effect on the driving style of a simple graphical dashboard display depicting an animated coffee cup. This display incorporates associative mental models and contextual relevance to increase the salience of inefficient vehicle movements and nudge drivers to adopt smoother driving. An online Amazon Mechanical Turk survey (92 participants) revealed a significant preference for the coffee-cup over a dial-gauge display when controlling for demographic variables. This result offers a preliminary indication that a behavioral nudge may be effective in influencing drivers to adopt eco-driving practices.
Gold nanoparticles growing in a polymer matrix: What can we learn from spectroscopic imaging ellipsometry?
Authors: Guyot Corentin , Leclère Philippe , Voué Michel
Published: January 2020

Despite an increasing number of studies and the apparent simplicity of these model systems, the mechanisms of the growth of metal nanoparticles in a polymer matrix and, in particular, that of gold nanoparticles is still not fully understood. Usually, reported results concern global (ca. surface-averaged) measurements. Furthermore, the optical properties of plasmonic nanocomposites are difficult to investigate when the metal volume fraction is very low, typically less than 1%. This is especially true in the case of gold for which the localized plasmon resonance is less sharp than in the case of silver and, therefore, less easy to probe. In this article, the optical properties of gold-doped nanocomposites have been studied at the (sub)micrometer scale using spatially resolved spectroscopic ellipsometry. At low gold volume fraction, the thermal annealing of the composite leading to the in situ growth of the gold nanoparticles induces a local inhomogeneity of the Ψ and Δ ellipsometric images that can be analyzed in terms of heterogeneity of the gold fraction. Spectroscopic imaging ellipsometry confirms the existence of gold-depleted regions in the vicinity of the largest gold particles.
Respiratory Physiology of Lactococcus lactis in Chemostat Cultures and Its Effect on Cellular Robustness in Frozen and Freeze-Dried Starter Cultures
Authors: Johanson Anna , Goel Anisha , Olsson Lisbeth , Franzén Carl Johan
Published: January 2020

Lactococcus lactis
is used in large quantities by the food and biotechnology industries.
L. lactis
can use oxygen for respiration if heme is supplied in the growth medium. This has been extensively studied in batch cultures using various mutants, but quantitative studies of how the cell growth affects respiratory metabolism, energetics, and cell quality are surprisingly scarce. Our results demonstrate that the respiratory metabolism of
L. lactis
is remarkably flexible and can be modulated by controlling the specific growth rate. We also link the physiological state of cells during cultivation to the quality of frozen or freeze-dried cells, which is relevant to the industry that may lack understanding of such relationships. This study extends our knowledge of respiratory metabolism in
L. lactis
and its impact on frozen and freeze-dried starter culture products, and it illustrates the influence of cultivation conditions and microbial physiology on the quality of starter cultures.
Phase Separation of Epstein-Barr Virus EBNA2 and Its Coactivator EBNALP Controls Gene Expression
Authors: Peng Qiu , Wang Lujuan , Qin Zailong , Wang Jia , Zheng Xiang , Wei Lingyu , Zhang Xiaoyue , Zhang Xuemei , Liu Can , Li Zhengshuo , Wu Yangge , Li Guiyuan , Yan Qun , Ma Jian
Published: January 2020

Protein condensates can be assembled via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), a process involving the concentration of molecules in a confined liquid-like compartment. LLPS allows for the compartmentalization and sequestration of materials and can be harnessed as a sensitive strategy for responding to small changes in the environment. This study identified the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) proteins EBNA2 and EBNALP, which mediate virus and cellular gene transcription, as transcription factors that can form liquid-like condensates at superenhancer sites of MYC and Runx3. This study discovered the first identified LLPS of EBV proteins and emphasized the importance of LLPS in controlling host gene expression.
Evasion of a Human Cytomegalovirus Entry Inhibitor with Potent Cysteine Reactivity Is Concomitant with the Utilization of a Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan-Independent Route of Entry
Authors: Murray M. J. , Bonilla-Medrano N. I. , Lee Q. L. , Oxenford S. J. , Angell R. , Depledge D. P. , Reeves M. B.
Published: January 2020

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is major pathogen of nonimmunocompetent individuals that remains in need of new therapeutic options. Here, we identify a potent antiviral compound (4,4′-diisothiocyano-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid [DIDS]), its mechanism of action, and the chemical properties required for its activity. In doing so, the data argue that cysteine-reactive compounds could have the capacity to be developed for anti-HCMV activity. Importantly, the data show that entry of DIDS-resistant virus became independent of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) but, concomitantly, became more sensitive to neutralizing antibody responses. This serendipitous observation suggests that retention of an interaction with HSPGs during the entry process
in vivo
may be evolutionarily advantageous through better evasion of humoral responses directed against HCMV virions.
Linking Sfl1 Regulation of Hyphal Development to Stress Response Kinases in Candida albicans
Authors: Unoje Ohimai , Yang Mengli , Lu Yang , Su Chang , Liu Haoping
Published: January 2020

Candida albicans
is a commensal as well as a pathogen of humans.
C. albicans
is able to mount a cellular response to a diverse range of external stimuli in the host and switch reversibly between the yeast and hyphal growth forms. Hyphal development is a key virulence determinant. Here, we studied how
C. albicans
senses different environmental signals to control its growth forms. Our study results suggest that robust hyphal development requires downregulation of two transcriptional repressors, Nrg1 and Sfl1. Acidic pH or cationic stress inhibits hyphal formation via stress-responsive kinases and Sfl1.
High Genomic Diversity and Heterogenous Origins of Pathogenic and Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Household Settings Represent a Challenge to Reducing Transmission in Low-Income Settings
Authors: Montealegre Maria Camila , Talavera Rodríguez Alba , Roy Subarna , Hossain Muhammed Iqbal , Islam Mohammad Aminul , Lanza Val F. , Julian Timothy R.
Published: January 2020

Escherichia coli
is reported in high levels in household soil in low-income settings. When
E. coli
reaches a soil environment, different mechanisms, including survival, clonal expansion, and genetic exchange, have the potential to either maintain or generate
E. coli
variants with capabilities of causing harm to people. In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing to identify that
E. coli
isolates collected from rural Bangladeshi household soils, including pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant variants, are diverse and likely originated from multiple diverse sources. In addition, we observed specialization of the accessory genome of this Bangladeshi
E. coli
compared to
E. coli
genomes available in current sequence databases. Thus, to address the high level of pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant
E. coli
transmission in low-income settings, interventions should focus on addressing the heterogeneous origins and high diversity.
Whole-Genome-Sequence-Based Characterization of Extensively Drug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Hospital Outbreak
Authors: Makke Ghiwa , Bitar Ibrahim , Salloum Tamara , Panossian Balig , Alousi Sahar , Arabaghian Harout , Medvecky Matej , Hrabak Jaroslav , Merheb-Ghoussoub Samar , Tokajian Sima
Published: January 2020

Carbapenem-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
(CRAB) has been implicated in hospital outbreaks worldwide. Here, we present a whole-genome-based investigation of an extensively drug-resistant CRAB outbreak rapidly spreading and causing high incidences of mortality at numerous wards of a large tertiary hospital in Lebanon. This is the first study of its kind in the region. Two circulating clones were identified using a combination of molecular typing approaches, short- and long-read sequencing and Bayesian transmission network analysis. One clone carried
bla
OXA-23
on Tn
2006
(ST-1305, ST-195, and ST-218), and another carried
bla
OXA-72
on a pMAL-1 plasmid (ST-502 and ST-2059, a new ST). A pMAL-2 plasmid was circulating between the two clones. The approaches implemented in this study and the obtained findings facilitate the tracking of outbreak scenarios in Lebanon and the region at large.
Consent for babies born following surrogate pregnancies
Authors: Hodgson Heather Sharon , Nye Abigail , Finlay Fiona
Published: January 2020

Surrogate pregnancies are becoming more common, but the law governing who can give consent following surrogate births is complex. Parental responsibility (PR) may be held by a variety of individuals, depending on the specific circumstances.

We conducted a survey of paediatric medical staff within Health Education South West to establish knowledge regarding consent for a baby before a parental or adoption order is obtained. Our results showed that 19% of the 47 respondents answered all scenarios correctly. 43% of respondents knew that the surrogate mother had PR in all scenarios; however, 13% incorrectly assumed that either intended parent always had PR. Knowledge of other individuals who could provide consent in the scenarios was variable.

Our survey revealed poor understanding regarding medicolegal aspects of consent in these complex situations, emphasising the need for more specific published guidance for primary and secondary healthcare professionals encountering these babies in the early postnatal period.