bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with the inflammatory potential of the Brazilian population’s diet
Authors: Pereira Natália Oliveira , Carvalho Carolina Abreu de , Sperandio Naiara , Marques Karla Danielle Silva , Viola Poliana Cristina de Almeida Fonseca , Shivappa Nitin , Hébert James R. , França Ana Karina Teixeira da Cunha
Published: October 2020

The aim of the study was to assess the inflammatory potential of the Brazilian population’s diet and its association with demographic, socio-economic and anthropometric characteristics. A cross-sectional study was performed with 34 003 individuals aged 10 years and older, evaluated by the National Diet and Nutrition Survey from the Consumer Expenditure Survey (POF 2008–2009). The Energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII™) was determined using thirty-four dietary parameters calculated through non-consecutive 2-d dietary records. Positive scores indicate a pro-inflammatory diet, while negative scores indicate an anti-inflammatory diet. A bivariate and multivariate linear regression analysis based on a hierarchical theoretical model was performed to verify the factors associated with the E-DII. The mean of the E-DII was 1·04 (range of −4·77 to +5·98). The highest values of the pro-inflammatory E-DII were found among adolescents (1·42; P < 0·001) and individuals with higher income (1·10; P < 0·001) and level of education (1·18; P < 0·001). In the final model, the E-DII was associated with higher income quartiles and was higher in the Northeast and South regions, in white people, individuals with ≥9 years of education and adults and adolescents age group. The Brazilian population consumes a diet with high inflammatory potential, especially adolescents, white people and those with higher income and level of education. Thus, the index presented uneven distribution among the population, emphasising groups with higher dietary inflammatory potential. The socio-economic risk profile of a diet with higher inflammatory potential in medium-income countries is different from what is observed in high-income nations.
Overweight/obesity among 15- to 24-year-old women in Ghana: 21-year trend, future projections and socio-demographic correlates
Authors: Tuoyire Derek Anamaale
Published: October 2020

Although developing countries are experiencing some of the fastest rises in the prevalence of adult overweight and obesity, little is known about the pace of the problem among young people in transition from adolescence to adulthood. This study examined the trend and associated socio-demographic predictors of overweight/obesity (BMI ≥25kg/m2) from 1993 to 2014 among women aged 15–24 years in Ghana and projected the future prevalence from 2019 to 2040. Descriptive statistics, the arithmetic linear change model, and binary logistic regression were applied to data on women aged 15–24 years from five nationally representative Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 1993 (N=488), 1998 (N=517), 2003 (N=1832), 2008 (N=1693) and 2014 (N=1491). Overall, overweight/obesity among women aged 15–24 years almost tripled between the 1993 (6.8%; 95% CI=4.9–9.3) and 2014 (19.5%; 95% CI=17.3–21.2) surveys. Based on the arithmetic linear change model, overweight/obesity is projected to increase linearly to over 35% among the 15–24 year cohort of women by 2040. Age, educational level, wealth status, occupation, type of locality, ethnicity, frequency of viewing TV per week, parity and contraceptive use were found to be significant predictors of overweight/obesity among this sub-group of women. The trend of overweight/obesity demonstrated in this group of women could potentially provide momentum for further increases in the prevalence of overweight/obesity and associated health outcomes in the coming years in Ghana. This underscores the need for urgent national-level public health intervention efforts to curtail the problem.
Magnetic well and Mercier stability of stellarators near the magnetic axis
Authors: Landreman Matt , Jorge Rogerio
Published: October 2020

We have recently demonstrated that by expanding in small distance from the magnetic axis compared with the major radius, stellarator shapes with low neoclassical transport can be generated efficiently. To extend the utility of this new design approach, here we evaluate measures of magnetohydrodynamic interchange stability within the same expansion. In particular, we evaluate the magnetic well, Mercier's criterion, and resistive interchange stability near a magnetic axis of arbitrary shape. In contrast to previous work on interchange stability near the magnetic axis, which used an expansion of the flux coordinates, here we use the ‘inverse expansion’ in which the flux coordinates are the independent variables. Reduced expressions are presented for the magnetic well and stability criterion in the case of quasisymmetry. The analytic results are shown to agree with calculations from the VMEC equilibrium code. Finally, we show that near the axis, Glasser, Greene and Johnson's stability criterion for resistive modes approximately coincides with Mercier's ideal condition.
Genetic analyses of the parasitic nematode,Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, in Missouri and Kentucky reveal unexpected levels of diversity and population differentiation
Authors: Eggert L. S. , Berkman L. K. , Budd K. , Keller B. J. , Hildreth A. M. , Millspaugh J. J.
Published: October 2020

Wildlife translocations, which involve the introduction of naive hosts into new environments with novel pathogens, invariably pose an increased risk of disease. The meningeal wormParelaphostrongylus tenuisis a nematode parasite of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), which serves as its primary host and rarely suffers adverse effects from infection. Attempts to restore elk (Cervus canadensis) to the eastern US have been hampered by disease caused by this parasite. Using DNA sequence data from mitochondrial and nuclear genes, we examined the hypothesis that elk translocated within the eastern US could be exposed to novel genetic variants ofP. tenuisby detailing the genetic structure amongP. tenuistaken from white-tailed deer and elk at a source (Kentucky) and a release site (Missouri). We found high levels of diversity at both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA in Missouri and Kentucky and a high level of differentiation between states. Our results highlight the importance of considering the potential for increased disease risk from exposure to novel strains of parasites in the decision-making process of a reintroduction or restoration.
New Light on theHistoria Augusta
Authors: Stover Justin
Published: October 2020

This paper presents a new manuscript of part of theHistoria Augustafrom Erlangen, which vindicates a more than century-old hypothesis by E. Patzig: that the 1489 Venice edition of the work is textually valuable. On this basis, and building on the recent work of R. Modonutti, I present five new passages that are not printed in modern editions of theHA, six lacunose passages restored, and propose that the lost Murbach manuscript is the source. Armed with this new evidence, I re-examine the question of the great lacuna between theLives of Maximus and Balbinusand theLives of the Two Valerians, showing that it is a codicological — and not authorial — feature.
A Feast in Carthage: Testing the Limits of ‘Secularity’ in Late Antiquity
Authors: Gassman Mattias P.
Published: October 2020

A now conventional model, developed by Robert Markus, sees late Roman cities as fundamentally secular landscapes. Focusing on Augustine's sermon against a feast of the genius of Carthage (Sermo 62), this article argues that narratives of ‘secularity’ have neglected pagans’ own attitudes and the circumstances that drove ordinary Christians’ participation in civic rites. Behind Augustine's charges of ‘idolatry’ lay the religious convictions of the feast's non-Christian sponsors and behind their expectations of Christian attendance lay the recent destruction of a pagan shrine on church property. For Augustine's listeners to construe the feast as religiously irrelevant was an expression not of routine social solidarity, but of fear before powerful patrons. What was ‘secular’ was open to doubt and negotiation, both here and in empire-wide celebrations such as the Kalends of January; the boundary between the ‘pagan’ and the ‘secular’ can be located only with careful attention to the diversity of opinions about each particular rite.
Presidential directives in a resistant bureaucracy
Authors: Acs Alex
Published: October 2020

Presidential directives are often assumed to be checked only by external actors, like Congress and the courts. But the internal constraints facing presidents can also be substantial. I study a model where a president can induce compliance with a directive by removing some subordinate agents (the appointees) but not others (the careerists), and where the relative contribution of each agent to the directive’s success is unobservable. The model suggests that theformalauthority presidents have to issue directives and remove subordinates can advance presidential goals, affording presidentsrealauthority. But real authority is not guaranteed, and the resulting uncertainty can shape presidential decision-making: when to issue a directive, how ambitious to make it, and which agencies to target. To illustrate, I analyse two prominent directives in Clinton’s regulatory planning order, E.O. 12866, showing why they targeted different agencies, despite belonging to the same order, and why compliance has been uneven.
A corpus-based quantitative analysis of twelve centuries of preterite and past participle morphology in Dutch
Authors: De Smet Isabeau , Van de Velde Freek
Published: October 2020

Germanic preterite morphology has been the subject of a bewildering number of studies, looking especially at the competition between the so-called strong inflection (operating with ablaut), and the so-called weak inflection (operating with suffixation). In this study over 250,000 observations from twelve centuries of Dutch were analyzed in a generalized linear mixed-effect model gauging the effects of a multitude of language-internal factors, ranging from various frequency measures to various form-related factors and how they interact with each other. This study confirms the well-known effects of token and type frequency, finding that formal similarities can be both a driving and conservative force in language change and demonstrates that not all members (i.e., preterites and past participles) of a verb paradigm change at the same time, which is both an effect of their frequency and their formal coherence within the paradigm.
Efficacy of an Early Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Acute Stress Disorder in Mexican Earthquake Victims
Authors: Durón-Figueroa Raúl , Cárdenas-López Georgina , Quero Soledad
Published: October 2020

Acute stress disorder (ASD) refers to the symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the first four weeks following the traumatic event. Recent theoretical models suggest that early detection of ASD provides an opportunity to implement early interventions to prevent the development of PTSD or ameliorate its symptomatology. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of the efficacy of an ASD treatment for earthquake victims, which would serve as an early intervention for PTSD. A single-case (n = 1) quasi-experimental design was used, with pre and post-assessments, as well as one, three and six-month follow-ups, with direct treatment replications. Fourteen participants completed the treatment and the follow-up measurements. The results obtained using a single-case analysis showed significant clinical improvement and clinically significant change when employing a clinical significance analysis and the reliable index of change. Statistical analyses of the dataset displayed statistically significant differences between the pre and post-assessments and the follow-up measures, as well as large effect sizes in all clinical measures. These results suggest that the treatment was an efficacious early intervention for PTSD during the months following the traumatic event, although some relevant study limitations are discussed in the text.
Erhöhte Leberwerte – Zufallsbefund in der Hausarztpraxis
Authors: Keerl Claudia , Bernsmeier Christine
Published: October 2020

Zusammenfassung. In der hausärztlichen Praxis finden sich im Rahmen der Abklärung unspezifischer Beschwerden oder während einer Gesundheitsvorsorgeuntersuchung bei 25 % aller untersuchten Patienten passager oder chronisch erhöhte Leberwerte. In der gesunden Bevölkerung zeigen sich erhöhte Leberwerte bei rund 2.5 %. Umgekehrt garantieren normale Leberwerte aber nicht immer eine gesunde Leber. Lebererkrankungen sind aber nicht nur häufig, sondern implizieren auch eine erhebliche Mortalität. Ihre Prävalenz nimmt stetig zu, und Lebererkrankungen stellen inzwischen die weltweit fünfthäufigste Todesursache dar. Führend in Prävalenz und verantwortlich für deren Anstieg sind insbesondere nicht-alkoholische Fettleber Erkrankung (NAFLD), alkohol-bedingte Leberschädigung (ARLD) und virale Hepatitiden. Wegen der Vielfalt möglicher Differenzialdiagnosen und dem gleichzeitigen Vorkommen mehrerer Ätiologien stellen sie eine diagnostische Herausforderung mit bedeutender prognostischer Implikation dar. Bei erhöhten Leberwerten sollten initial eine ausführliche Anamnese, sowie eine gründliche klinische Untersuchung durchgeführt werden. Hierdurch lassen sich mögliche Ursachen bereits auf wenige Differenzialdiagnosen eingrenzen. Anschliessend erfolgt je nach Ausmass der Leberwerterhöhung und klinischer Präsentation als Hepatitis oder cholestatischem Krankheitsbild ein Hepatopathiescreening. Die Labordiagnostik und obligate Ultraschalldiagnostik kann durch nicht-invasive Methoden (beispielweise Elastographie, Magnetresonanz-Cholangiopankreatikographie [MRI / MRCP], Computertomographie [CT]) und in ausgewählten Fällen durch invasive Methoden (Leberbiopsie, endoskopische retrograde Cholangiopankreatikographie [ERCP]) ergänzt werden. Im folgenden Artikel stellen wir die Abklärung erhöhter Leberwerte anhand von Algorithmen dar.
Arrhythmischer Puls als Zufallsbefund
Authors: Schaerli Nicolas , Kühne Michael
Published: October 2020

Zusammenfassung. Ein arrhythmischer Puls kann mittels klinischer oder technischer Untersuchungen wie Palpitation und EKG festgestellt werden. Aufgrund der rasanten Verbreitung der Wearables haben immer mehr Menschen in der gesamten Bevölkerung die Möglichkeit, bevor sie sich in medizinische Betreuung begeben, selber Pulskurven oder sogar EKGs abzuleiten, was die Zahl an zufällig detektiertem arrhythmischem Puls erhöht. Zufallsbefunde führen natürlich bei einem Teil der Betroffenen zu relevanten Diagnosen, andererseits sind sie für manche Patienten auch psychisch belastend. Daher ist es wichtig, die viel häufigeren benignen Ursachen von den Ursachen mit einer therapeutischen Konsequenz abzugrenzen und Patienten adäquat über ihren Rhythmus zu informieren. Gerade Bradyarrhythmien haben oft keine therapeutische Konsequenz, solange sie asymptomatisch sind. Schrittmacher sind meist nur bei symptomatischen Bradykardien indiziert. Dem Vorhofflimmern gilt besondere Aufmerksamkeit, aufgrund seiner Häufigkeit und der Tatsache, dass es, gerade unentdeckt, eine deutlich erhöhte Morbidität und Mortalität mit sich bringt. Supraventrikuläre und ventrikuläre Extrasystolen treten mit zunehmendem Alter häufiger auf. Oft sind sie «idiopathisch», sie können aber auch Ausdruck einer möglicherweise noch subklinischen Herzkrankheit sein.
Convective Aggregation and the Amplification of Tropical Precipitation Extremes
Authors: Dai Ni , Soden Brian J.
Published: October 2020

It is widely believed that precipitation extremes will increase in response to a warming climate, as inferred from both observations and numerical simulations. In the absence of changes in atmospheric circulations, extreme precipitation is expected to increase in already‐moist regions along a thermodynamical Clausius‐Clapeyron scaling. However, within the tropics, the sensitivities inferred from observations of interannual variability are roughly twice as large, implying an unknown contribution from atmospheric dynamics. In this paper, we use satellite observations and climate model simulations to investigate the relationship between convective aggregation and precipitation and the role that convective aggregation plays in amplifying the response of tropical precipitation extremes to interannual surface warming. We find that the occurrence of heavier precipitation coincides with a higher degree of convective aggregation. Extreme precipitation events and convective aggregation tend to increase during warm, El Niño events compared to colder, La Niña events. Although both the frequency and intensity of heavy to extreme precipitation can increase with increased aggregation during El Niño, the changes in frequency are more consistent among the observations and models than changes in intensity. In both the observations and models, increases in large‐scale convective aggregation contribute to roughly one third of the increase in extreme precipitation frequency due to interannual warming by shifting moderate‐to‐heavy precipitation events to more extreme precipitation intensities. The linkages between convective aggregation and precipitation extremes considered here offer insights into their potential response to anthropogenic warming.
Sensitivity of Atmospheric River Vapor Transport and Precipitation to Uniform Sea Surface Temperature Increases
Authors: McClenny Elizabeth E. , Ullrich Paul A. , Grotjahn Richard
Published: October 2020

Filaments of intense vapor transport called atmospheric rivers (ARs) are responsible for the majority of poleward vapor transport in the midlatitudes. Despite their importance to the hydrologic cycle, there remain many unanswered questions about changes to ARs in a warming climate. In this study we perform a series of escalating uniform SST increases (+2, +4, and +6K, respectively) in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 in an aquaplanet configuration to evaluate the thermodynamic and dynamical response of AR vapor content, transport, and precipitation to warming SSTs. We find that AR column integrated water vapor (IWV) is especially sensitive to SST and increases by 6.3–9.7% per degree warming despite decreasing relative humidity through much of the column. Further analysis provides a more nuanced view of AR IWV changes: Since SST warming is modest compared to that in the midtroposphere, computing fractional changes in IWV with respect to SST results in finding spuriously large increases. Meanwhile, results here show that AR IWV transport increases relatively uniformly with temperature and at consistently lower rates than IWV, as modulated by systematically decreasing low‐level wind speeds. Similarly, changes in AR precipitation are related to a compensatory relationship between enhanced near‐surface moisture and damped vertical motions.
Improved Fabry‐Pérot Electromagnetic Material Characterization: Application and Results
Authors: Possenti L. , Pascual‐García J. , Degli‐Esposti V. , Lozano‐Guerrero A. , Barbiroli M. , Martinez‐Inglés M. T. , Fuschini F. , Rodríguez J. V. , Vitucci E. M. , Molina‐García‐Pardo J. M.
Published: October 2020

While several mm‐wave and sub‐THz frequency bands are being proposed for next generation wireless systems to meet the increasing traffic demand, the electromagnetic properties of many common use materials at those frequencies still need to be determined. The evaluation of such properties is important for the design and deployment of future wireless networks. Recently, a simple method based on Fabry‐Pérot resonance has been proposed to address the need of easy material characterization at mm‐wave frequencies. In this study, the method has been improved and applied to the characterization of several materials at mm‐wave and sub‐THz frequencies, in order to assess its reliability, usability, and accuracy in practical cases. The method is shown to achieve a good accuracy level despite the very simple measurement setup and the great flexibility. However, some application limitations are highlighted and discussed in the paper. A method for electromagnetic material characterization based on an improved Fabry‐Pérot technique is presented.
β-catenin activates TGF-β-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition in adenomyosis
Authors: Yoo Jung-Yoon , Ku Bon Jeong , Kim Tae Hoon , Il Ahn Jong , Ahn Ji Yeon , Yang Woo Sub , Lim Jeong Mook , Taketo Maketo M. , Shin Jung-Ho , Jeong Jae-Wook
Published: October 2020

Adenomyosis is defined as the presence of ectopic nests of endometrial glands and stroma within the myometrium. Adenomyosis is a common cause of dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, and chronic pelvic pain but is often underdiagnosed. Despite its prevalence and severity of symptoms, its pathogenesis and etiology are poorly understood. Our previous study showed that aberrant activation of β-catenin results in adenomyosis through epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Using transcriptomic and ChIP-seq analysis, we identified activation of TGF-β signaling in the uteri of mutant mice that expressed dominant stabilized β-catenin in the uterus. There was a strong positive correlation between β-catenin and TGF-β2 proteins in women with adenomyosis. Furthermore, treatment with pirfenidone, a TGF-β inhibitor, increased E-cadherin expression and reduced cell invasiveness in Ishikawa cells with nuclear β-catenin. Our results suggest that β-catenin activates TGF-β-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition in adenomyosis. This finding describes the molecular pathogenesis of adenomyosis and the use of TGF-β as a potential therapeutic target for adenomyosis.
Environmental regulation of the chloride transporter KCC2: switching inflammation off to switch the GABA on?
Authors: Pozzi Davide , Rasile Marco , Corradini Irene , Matteoli Michela
Published: October 2020

Chloride homeostasis, the main determinant factor for the dynamic tuning of GABAergic inhibition during development, has emerged as a key element altered in a wide variety of brain disorders. Accordingly, developmental disorders such as schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) have been associated with alterations in the expression of genes codifying for either of the two cotransporters involved in the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch, KCC2 and NKCC1. These alterations can result from environmental insults, including prenatal stress and maternal separation which share, as common molecular denominator, the elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this review we report and systemize recent research articles indicating that different perinatal environmental perturbations affect the expression of chloride transporters, delaying the developmental switch of GABA signaling, and that inflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin 1β, may represent a key causal factor for this phenomenon. Based on literature data, we provide therefore a unifying conceptual framework, linking environmental hits with the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch in the context of brain developmental disorders.
Recent fall Eurasian cooling linked to North Pacific sea surface temperatures and a strengthening Siberian high
Authors: Li Baofu , Li Yupeng , Chen Yaning , Zhang Baohuan , Shi Xun
Published: October 2020

Winter Eurasian cooling after the mid-1990s has been verified by numerous studies, although in recent decades, the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere have been rapidly warming globally. Because the cooling is not uniform at different spatial and temporal scales, over time, this change may not truly reflect the nature of climate fluctuations. Here, by using three types of data (reanalysis, weather station, and remote sensing image data) to assess variations in Eurasian seasonal cooling, we examine the causes of these changes. During a 30-year climatology (1989–2018), we show that a significant (P < 0.05) abrupt change in the autumn Eurasian air temperature trend occurred in 2003. Our results suggest that from 2004–2018, the autumn Eurasian temperature reveals a significant cooling trend (P < 0.05). We demonstrate that the autumn cooling in Eurasia is likely influenced by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Siberian high (SH). Since 2004, the strengthening of the PDO and SH explains approximately 54% and 18% of the autumn cooling in Eurasia, respectively. We also find that the cooling in autumn is stronger than that in winter.
MIR2111-5 locus and shoot-accumulated mature miR2111 systemically enhance nodulation depending on HAR1 in Lotus japonicus
Authors: Okuma Nao , Soyano Takashi , Suzaki Takuya , Kawaguchi Masayoshi
Published: October 2020

Legumes utilize a shoot-mediated signaling system to maintain a mutualistic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules. In Lotus japonicus, shoot-to-root transfer of microRNA miR2111 that targets TOO MUCH LOVE, a nodulation suppressor in roots, has been proposed to explain the mechanism underlying nodulation control from shoots. However, the role of shoot-accumulating miR2111s for the systemic regulation of nodulation was not clearly shown. Here, we find L. japonicus has seven miR2111 loci, including those mapped through RNA-seq. MIR2111-5 expression in leaves is the highest among miR2111 loci and repressed after rhizobial infection depending on a shoot-acting HYPERNODULATION ABERRANT ROOT FORMATION1 (HAR1) receptor. MIR2111-5 knockout mutants show significantly decreased nodule numbers and miR2111 levels. Furthermore, grafting experiments using transformants demonstrate scions with altered miR2111 levels influence nodule numbers in rootstocks in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, miR2111 accumulation in leaves through MIR2111-5 expression is required for HAR1-dependent systemic optimization of nodule number.
Observation of phonon trapping in the continuum with topological charges
Authors: Tong Hao , Liu Shengyan , Zhao Mengdi , Fang Kejie
Published: October 2020

Phonon trapping has an immense impact in many areas of science and technology, from the antennas of interferometric gravitational wave detectors to chip-scale quantum micro- and nano-mechanical oscillators. It usually relies on the mechanical suspension—an approach, while isolating selected vibrational modes, leads to serious drawbacks for interrogation of the trapped phonons, including limited heat capacity and excess noises via measurements. To circumvent these constraints, we realize a paradigm of phonon trapping using mechanical bound states in the continuum (BICs) with topological features and conducted an in-depth characterization of the mechanical losses both at room and cryogenic temperatures. Our findings of mechanical BICs combining the microwave frequency and macroscopic size unveil a unique platform for realizing mechanical oscillators in both classical and quantum regimes. The paradigm of mechanical BICs might lead to unprecedented sensing modalities for applications such as rare-event searches and the exploration of the foundations of quantum mechanics in unreached parameter spaces.
Author Correction: MiR-31 promotes mammary stem cell expansion and breast tumorigenesis by suppressing Wnt signaling antagonists
Authors: Lv Cong , Li Fengyin , Li Xiang , Tian Yuhua , Zhang Yue , Sheng Xiaole , Song Yongli , Meng Qingyong , Yuan Shukai , Luan Liming , Andl Thomas , Feng Xu , Jiao Baowei , Xu Mingang , Plikus Maksim V. , Dai Xing , Lengner Christopher , Cui Wei , Ren Fazheng , Shuai Jianwei , Millar Sarah E. , Yu Zhengquan
Published: October 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
A network-ready random-access qubits memory
Authors: Langenfeld Stefan , Morin Olivier , Körber Matthias , Rempe Gerhard
Published: October 2020

Photonic qubits memories are essential ingredients of numerous quantum networking protocols. The ideal situation features quantum computing nodes that are efficiently connected to quantum communication channels via quantum interfaces. The nodes contain a set of long-lived matter qubits, the channels support the propagation of light qubits, and the interface couples light and matter qubits. Toward this vision, we here demonstrate a random-access multi-qubit write-read memory for photons using two rubidium atoms coupled to the same mode of an optical cavity, a setup that is known to feature quantum computing capabilities. We test the memory with more than ten independent photonic qubits, observe no noticeable cross-talk, and find no need for re-initialization even after ten write-read attempts. The combined write-read efficiency is 26% and the coherence time approaches 1 ms. With these features, the node constitutes a promising building block for a quantum repeater and ultimately a quantum internet.
Optimizing practice scheduling requires quantitative tracking of individual item performance
Authors: Eglington Luke G. , Pavlik Jr Philip I.
Published: October 2020

Decades of research has shown that spacing practice trials over time can improve later memory, but there are few concrete recommendations concerning how to optimally space practice. We show that existing recommendations are inherently suboptimal due to their insensitivity to time costs and individual- and item-level differences. We introduce an alternative approach that optimally schedules practice with a computational model of spacing in tandem with microeconomic principles. We simulated conventional spacing schedules and our adaptive model-based approach. Simulations indicated that practicing according to microeconomic principles ofefficiencyresulted in substantially better memory retention than alternatives. The simulation results provided quantitative estimates of optimal difficulty that differed markedly from prior recommendations but still supported a desirable difficulty framework. Experimental results supported simulation predictions, with up to 40% more items recalled in conditions where practice was scheduled optimally according to the model of practice. Our approach can be readily implemented in online educational systems that adaptively schedule practice and has significant implications for millions of students currently learning with educational technology.
Harmonised LUCAS in-situ land cover and use database for field surveys from 2006 to 2018 in the European Union
Authors: d’Andrimont Raphaël , Yordanov Momchil , Martinez-Sanchez Laura , Eiselt Beatrice , Palmieri Alessandra , Dominici Paolo , Gallego Javier , Reuter Hannes Isaak , Joebges Christian , Lemoine Guido , van der Velde Marijn
Published: October 2020

Accurately characterizing land surface changes with Earth Observation requires geo-located ground truth. In the European Union (EU), a tri-annual surveyed sample of land cover and land use has been collected since 2006 under the Land Use/Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS). A total of 1351293 observations at 651780 unique locations for 106 variables along with 5.4 million photos were collected during five LUCAS surveys. Until now, these data have never been harmonised into one database, limiting full exploitation of the information. This paper describes the LUCAS point sampling/surveying methodology, including collection of standard variables such as land cover, environmental parameters, and full resolution landscape and point photos, and then describes the harmonisation process. The resulting harmonised database is the most comprehensive in-situ dataset on land cover and use in the EU. The database is valuable for geo-spatial and statistical analysis of land use and land cover change. Furthermore, its potential to provide multi-temporal in-situ data will be enhanced by recent computational advances such as deep learning.
Non-invasive imaging of radiocesium dynamics in a living animal using a positron-emitting 127Cs tracer
Authors: Suzui Nobuo , Shibata Takuya , Yin Yong-Gen , Funaki Yoshihito , Kurita Keisuke , Hoshina Hiroyuki , Yamaguchi Mitsutaka , Fujimaki Shu , Seko Noriaki , Watabe Hiroshi , Kawachi Naoki
Published: October 2020

Visualizing the dynamics of cesium (Cs) is desirable to understand the impact of radiocesium when accidentally ingested or inhaled by humans. However, visualization of radiocesium in vivo is currently limited to plants. Herein, we describe a method for the production and purification of 127Cs and its use in visualizing Cs dynamics in a living animal. The positron-emitting nuclide 127Cs was produced using the 127I (α, 4n) 127Cs reaction, which was induced by irradiation of sodium iodide with a 4He2+ beam from a cyclotron. We excluded sodium ions by using a material that specifically adsorbs Cs as a purification column and successfully eluted 127Cs by flowing a solution of ammonium sulfate into the column. We injected the purified 127Cs tracer solution into living rats and the dynamics of Cs were visualized using positron emission tomography; the distributional images showed the same tendency as the results of previous studies using disruptive methods. Thus, this method is useful for the non-invasive investigation of radiocesium in a living animal.
Noninvasive temporal detection of early retinal vascular changes during diabetes
Authors: Saghiri Mohammad Ali , Suscha Andrew , Wang Shoujian , Saghiri Ali Mohammad , Sorenson Christine M. , Sheibani Nader
Published: October 2020

Diabetes associated complications, including diabetic retinopathy and loss of vision, are major health concerns. Detecting early retinal vascular changes during diabetes is not well documented, and only few studies have addressed this domain. The purpose of this study was to noninvasively evaluate temporal changes in retinal vasculature at very early stages of diabetes using fundus images from preclinical models of diabetes.
Non-diabetic and Akita/+ male mice with different duration of diabetes were subjected to fundus imaging using a Micron III imaging system. The images were obtained from 4 weeks- (onset of diabetes), 8 weeks-, 16 weeks-, and 24 weeks-old male Akita/+ and non-diabetic mice. In total 104 fundus images were subjected to analysis for various feature extractions. A combination of Canny Edge Detector and Angiogenesis Analyzer plug-ins in ImageJ were utilized to quantify various retinal vascular changes in fundus images. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine significant differences in the various extracted features from fundus images of diabetic and non-diabetic animals. Our novel image analysis method led to extraction of over 20 features. These results indicated that some of these features were significantly changed with a short duration of diabetes, and others remained the same but changed after longer duration of diabetes. These patterns likely distinguish acute (protective) and chronic (damaging) associated changes with diabetes. We show that with a combination of various plugging one can extract over 20 features from retinal vasculature fundus images. These features change during diabetes, thus allowing the quantification of quality of retinal vascular architecture as biomarkers for disease progression. In addition, our method was able to identify unique differences among diabetic mice with different duration of diabetes. The ability to noninvasively detect temporal retinal vascular changes during diabetes could lead to identification of specific markers important in the development and progression of diabetes mediated-microvascular changes, evaluation of therapeutic interventions, and eventual reversal of these changes in order to stop or delay disease progression.
A site-specific map of the human plasma glycome and its age and gender-associated alterations
Authors: Merleev Alexander A. , Park Dayoung , Xie Yixuan , Kailemia Muchena J. , Xu Gege , Ruhaak L. Renee , Kim Kyoungmi , Hong Qiuting , Li Qiongyu , Patel Forum , Wan Yu-Jui Yvonne , Marusina Alina I. , Adamopoulos Iannis E. , Lal Nelvish N. , Mitra Anupum , Le Stephanie T. , Shimoda Michiko , Luxardi Guillaume , Lebrilla Carlito B. , Maverakis Emanual
Published: October 2020

Alterations in the human glycome have been associated with cancer and autoimmunity. Thus, constructing a site-specific map of the human glycome for biomarker research and discovery has been a highly sought-after objective. However, due to analytical barriers, comprehensive site-specific glycoprofiling is difficult to perform. To develop a platform to detect easily quantifiable, site-specific, disease-associated glycan alterations for clinical applications, we have adapted the multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry method for use in glycan biomarker research. The adaptations allow for highly precise site-specific glycan monitoring with minimum sample prep. Using this technique, we successfully mapped out the relative abundances of the most common 159 glycopeptides in the plasma of 97 healthy volunteers. This plasma glycome map revealed 796 significant (FDR < 0.05) site-specific inter-protein and intra-protein glycan associations, of which the vast majority were previously unknown. Since age and gender are relevant covariants in biomarker research, these variables were also characterized. 13 glycopeptides were found to be associated with gender and 41 to be associated with age. Using just five age-associated glycopeptides, a highly accurate age prediction model was constructed and validated (r2 = 0.62 ± 0.12). The human plasma site-specific glycan map described herein has utility in applications ranging from glycan biomarker research and discovery to the development of novel glycan-altering interventions.
Seroprevalence of measles antibodies and factors associated with susceptibility: a national survey in Mexico using a plaque reduction neutralization test
Authors: Díaz-Ortega José Luis , Ferreira-Guerrero Elizabeth , Cruz-Hervert Luis Pablo , Delgado-Sánchez Guadalupe , Ferreyra-Reyes Leticia , Yanes-Lane Mercedes , Mongua-Rodríguez Norma , Montero-Campos Rogelio , Castañeda-Desales Deyanira , García-García Lourdes
Published: October 2020

Measles continues to be one of the leading causes of child mortality worldwide, even though a highly effective vaccine has existed for more than 40 years. We aimed to describe the seroprevalence of measles antibodies in Mexico in 2012 and the risk factors associated with susceptibility. A total of 7,785 serum samples were analyzed from the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Mexico. This national survey is representative of the general population, including noninstitutionalized adult, adolescent, and child populations. Antibody titers were classified into protective (> 120 mIU/mL) or susceptible (≤ 120 mIU/mL) levels. The weighted seroprevalence and susceptibility of the overall population were 99.37% (95% CI 99.07–99.58) and 0.63% (95% CI 0.42–0.93), respectively. Among 1-to-4-year-old children, 2.18% (95% CI 1.36–3.48) were susceptible to measles. Among adolescents and young adults, the prevalence of susceptibility was as follows: those 15–19 years of age had a prevalence of 0.22% (95% CI 0.09–0.57), and those 30–39 years of age had a prevalence of 1.17% (95% CI 0.47–2.85). Susceptibility was associated with young age, living in Mexico City, living in crowded households and unknown or nonvaccinated status among 1- to 5-year-old children. Although the overall sample population seroprevalence for measles is above 95%, increased susceptibility among younger children signals the importance of the timely administration of the first vaccine dose at 12 months of age. Furthermore, increased susceptibility among specific subgroups indicates the need to reinforce current vaccination policies, including the immunization of unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated individuals from 10 to 39 years of age.
Development of a non-radiometric method for measuring the arterial input function of a 11C-labeled PET radiotracer
Authors: Shetty H. Umesha , Zoghbi Sami S. , Morse Cheryl L. , Kowalski Aneta , Hirvonen Jussi , Innis Robert B. , Pike Victor W.
Published: October 2020

Positron emission tomography (PET) uses radiotracers to quantify important biochemical parameters in human subjects. A radiotracer arterial input function (AIF) is often essential for converting brain PET data into robust output measures. For radiotracers labeled with carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.4 min), AIF is routinely determined with radio-HPLC of blood sampled frequently during the PET experiment. There has been no alternative to this logistically demanding method, neither for regular use nor validation. A 11C-labeled tracer is always accompanied by a large excess of non-radioactive tracer known as carrier. In principle, AIF might be obtained by measuring the molar activity (Am; ratio of radioactivity to total mass; Bq/mol) of a radiotracer dose and the time-course of carrier concentration in plasma after radiotracer injection. Here, we implement this principle in a new method for determining AIF, as shown by using [11C]PBR28 as a representative tracer. The method uses liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for measuring radiotracer Am and then the carrier in plasma sampled regularly over the course of a PET experiment. Am and AIF were determined radiometrically for comparison. The new non-radiometric method is not constrained by the short half-life of carbon-11 and is an attractive alternative to conventional AIF measurement.
A national observation study of cancer incidence and mortality risks in type 2 diabetes compared to the background population over time
Authors: Bjornsdottir Hulda Hrund , Rawshani Araz , Rawshani Aidin , Franzén Stefan , Svensson Ann-Marie , Sattar Naveed , Gudbjörnsdottir Soffia
Published: October 2020

We examined changing patterns in cancer incidence and deaths in diabetes compared to the background population. A total of 457,473 patients with type 2 diabetes, included between 1998 and 2014, were matched on age, sex, and county to five controls from the population. Incidence, trends in incidence and post-cancer mortality for cancer were estimated with Cox regression and standardised incidence rates. Causes of death were estimated using logistic regression. Relative importance of risk factors was estimated using Heller’s relative importance model. Type 2 diabetes had a higher risk for all cancer, HR 1.10 (95% CI 1.09–1.12), with highest HRs for liver (3.31), pancreas (2.19) and uterine cancer (1.78). There were lesser increases in risk for breast (1.05) and colorectal cancers (1.20). Type 2 diabetes patients experienced a higher HR 1.23 (1.21–1.25) of overall post-cancer mortality and mortality from prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers. By the year 2030 cancer could become the most common cause of death in type 2 diabetes. Persons with type 2 diabetes are at greater risk of developing cancer and lower chance of surviving it. Notably, hazards for specific cancers (e.g. liver, pancreas) in type 2 patients cannot be explained by obesity alone.
New 3D measurements of large redwood trees for biomass and structure
Authors: Disney Mathias , Burt Andrew , Wilkes Phil , Armston John , Duncanson Laura
Published: October 2020

Large trees are disproportionately important in terms of their above ground biomass (AGB) and carbon storage, as well as their wider impact on ecosystem structure. They are also very hard to measure and so tend to be underrepresented in measurements and models of AGB. We show the first detailed 3D terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) estimates of the volume and AGB of large coastal redwoodSequoia sempervirenstrees from three sites in Northern California, representing some of the highest biomass ecosystems on Earth. Our TLS estimates agree to within 2% AGB with a species-specific model based on detailed manual crown mapping of 3D tree structure. However TLS-derived AGB was more than 30% higher compared to widely-used general (non species-specific) allometries. We derive an allometry from TLS that spans a much greater range of tree size than previous models and so is potentially better-suited for use with new Earth Observation data for these exceptionally high biomass areas. We suggest that where possible, TLS and crown mapping should be used to provide complementary, independent 3D structure measurements of these very large trees.
Use of open source monitoring hardware to improve the production of MOFs: using STA-16(Ni) as a case study
Authors: Massingberd-Mundy Felicity , Poulston Stephen , Bennett Stephen , Yeung Hamish Hei-Man , Johnson Timothy
Published: October 2020

Affordable and readily available microelectronics are becoming prevalent in teaching laboratories however these useful and economic tools are not used widely in either academia or industry. Herein we report how a metal organic framework (MOF) synthetic route can be optimized using an in situ monitoring apparatus designed in-house on open source hardware for under $100. We demonstrate that the MOF can be produced at atmospheric pressure, an improvement over previous reports, but also with a reduction in reaction time of 93%. This improvement in reaction time was predicted after a single experiment using the monitoring kit showing how efficiencies in the lab can be gained with very little experimental and monetary overhead while minimising the resources used.
An observational study of innate immune responses in patients with acute appendicitis
Authors: Peeters Toon , Martens Sandrina , D’Onofrio Valentino , Stappers Mark H. T. , van der Hilst Jeroen C. H. , Houben Bert , Achten Ruth , Joosten Leo A. B. , Gyssens Inge C.
Published: October 2020

Acute appendicitis is a common surgical emergency worldwide. Exaggerated immune responses could be associated with appendicitis. This study aimed at characterizing immune responses towards a large variety of gut commensals and pathogens, and pattern recognition receptor (PRR) ligands, and investigating the course of systemic inflammation in a prospective cohort of acute appendicitis patients. PBMC responses of 23 patients of the cohort and 23 healthy controls were characterized more than 8 months post-surgery. Serum cytokine levels were measured in 23 patients at the time of appendicitis and after one month. CRP, WBC and percentage of neutrophils were analyzed in the total cohort of 325 patients. No differences in PBMC responses were found between patients and controls. Stronger IL-10 responses were found following complicated appendicitis. A trend towards lower IL-8 responses was shown following gangrenous appendicitis. Serum IL-10 and IL-6 were significantly elevated at presentation, and IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α levels were higher in complicated appendicitis. Routine biomarkers could predict severity of appendicitis with high specificities, but low sensitivities. Cytokine responses in patients following acute appendicitis did not differ from healthy controls. Higher serum cytokine levels were found in acute complicated and gangrenous cases. Further research into discriminative biomarkers is warranted.
Universality in spectral condensation
Authors: Pavithran Induja , Unni Vishnu R. , Varghese Alan J. , Premraj D. , Sujith R. I. , Vijayan C. , Saha Abhishek , Marwan Norbert , Kurths Jürgen
Published: October 2020

Self-organization is the spontaneous formation of spatial, temporal, or spatiotemporal patterns in complex systems far from equilibrium. During such self-organization, energy distributed in a broadband of frequencies gets condensed into a dominant mode, analogous to a condensation phenomenon. We call this phenomenon spectral condensation and study its occurrence in fluid mechanical, optical and electronic systems. We define a set of spectral measures to quantify this condensation spanning several dynamical systems. Further, we uncover an inverse power law behaviour of spectral measures with the power corresponding to the dominant peak in the power spectrum in all the aforementioned systems.