bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of repetitive pulsed high magnetic field with high repetition rate
Authors: Jiang Shan , Wang Shuang , Li Liang , Peng Tao
Published: April 2020

A novel system for generating a repetitive pulsed high magnetic field (RPHMF) with a high repetition rate has been developed at the Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center. This system consists of multiple capacitor bank modules and a monolithic coil magnet. All the capacitor bank modules are connected in parallel. The RPHMF is achieved by discharging the energy from the capacitor banks to the magnet with a time interval between every two capacitor bank modules. The repetition rate of the magnetic field pulses is controlled by adjusting the time interval. The amplitude and the polarity of the pulses are adjusted by changing the charging voltage of the capacitors and the polarity changing switches. Magnetic fields with a frequency of about 60 Hz and a peak value of about 20 T have been achieved, as well as the magnetic field pulses with increasing or declining peak values. With the diversity of the repeated magnetic field waveforms, the measurement of magnetization of the dispersible SmCo5 nanoparticle permanent magnet has been successfully carried out.
Alternating silicon oxy-nitride and silicon oxide stripe formation by nitric oxide (NO+) ion implantation
Authors: Mukherjee Joy , Bhowmik Dipak , Mukherjee Manabendra , Satpati Biswarup , Karmakar Prasanta
Published: April 2020

We report nitric oxide ion (NO+) beam induced nanoscale pattern formation on Si (100) surface. The patterns are found to be structurally as well as chemically periodic. A highly reactive 14 keV NO+ beam is developed in an Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion beam system and implanted on Si (100) surface at oblique angles to form a periodic nano-ripple pattern with specific silicon oxide and silicon oxy-nitride enriched sectors with different dielectric constants. Well-defined ripple patterns start to form at comparatively lower ion fluences due to an additional instability generation by the chemical reaction of NO+ ions with silicon. The chemical shift of the Si 2p peak in the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of an ion irradiated sample confirms the formation of silicon oxide and silicon oxy-nitride, whereas the local chemical nature of the ion induced ripple patterns, probed by electron energy loss spectroscopy, approves spatially resolved silicon oxide and silicon oxy-nitride stripe pattern formation. The ion modified layer thickness measured by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy has an excellent agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. The optical sensitivity of an NO+ bombarded chemically patterned Si surface is also studied by UV–Visible spectroscopy. Formation mechanisms and potential applications of such nano-scale spatially graded materials are discussed.
A Detailed Classification of Three-Centre Two-Electron Bonds
Authors: Gnanasekar Sharon Priya , Arunan Elangannan
Published: April 2020

We evaluate the three-centre two-electron (3c-2e) bonds using atoms in molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) theoretical analyses. They have been classified as ‘open (V)’ or ‘closed (Δ)’, depending on how the three centres were bonded. Herein, we show that they could be classified as V, L, Δ, Y, T and I (linear) arrangements depending on the way the three centres are bonded. These different structures are found in B2H6 (V), CH5+ (V), Me-C2H2+ (L), B3+ (Δ), C3H3+ (Δ), H3+ (Y), 2-norbornyl+ (T), SiH5+ (T), and Al2H7− (I). Our results suggest that CH3Li2+ does not contain a 3c-2e bond according to NBO analysis. Therefore, we propose that 3c-2e bonds are classified more accurately as V, L, Δ, Y, T, or I, based on the electron density topology.
The interpreter as a sequential coordinator in courtroom interaction
Authors: Licoppe Christian , Veyrier Clair-Antoine
Published: April 2020

We present here an ethnographic study of asylum court interpreting with remote participants and video links. First, we
describe the multimodal resources interpreters have at their disposal to manage turn-taking and begin interpreting while an asylum seeker’s
answer to a question has not come yet to a recognizable completion point. We distinguish between ‘implicit’ configurations, in which a
collaborative turn transition is apparently achieved through reorientations of body and gaze, the use of discourse markers, or other
conversational strategies, like overlaps and cases where a turn transition is achieved through the use of ‘explicit’ resources such as
instructions to stop and requests to give brief answers. We show that the collaborative production of such long answers is affected by the
remote placement of the interpreter, and that recurrent trouble in the management of turn transitions between the asylum seeker and the
interpreter during extended narratives may be detrimental to the asylum seeker’s case.
Fluctuations and pairing in Fe-based superconductors: light scattering experiments
Authors: Lazarević N , Hackl R
Published: April 2020

Inelastic scattering of visible light (Raman effect) offers a window into properties of correlated metals such as spin, electron and lattice dynamics as well as their mutual interactions. In this review we focus on electronic and spin excitations in Fe-based pnictides and chalcogenides, in particular but not exclusively superconductors. After a general introduction to the basic theory including the selection rules for the various scattering processes we provide an overview over the major experimental results. In the superconducting state below the transition temperature T
c the pair-breaking effect can be observed, and the gap energies may be derived and associated with the gaps on the electron and hole bands. In spite of the similarities of the overall band structures the results are strongly dependent on the family and may even change qualitatively within one family. In some of the compounds strong collective modes appear below T
c. In Ba1−x
K
x
Fe2As2, which has the most isotropic gap of all Fe-based superconductors, there are indications that these modes are exciton-like states appearing in the presence of a hierarchy of pairing tendencies. The strong in-gap modes observed in Co-doped NaFeAs are interpreted in terms of quadrupolar orbital excitations which become undamped in the superconducting state. The doping dependence of the scattering intensity in Ba

(

F
e

1
−
x

C
o

x

)

2

A
s

2

is associated with a nematic resonance above a quantum critical point and interpreted in terms of a critical enhancement at the maximal T
c. In the normal state the response from particle–hole excitations reflects the resistivity. In addition, there are strongly temperature-dependent contributions from presumably critical fluctuations in the energy range of k
B
T which can be compared to the elastic properties. Currently it is not settled whether the fluctuations observed by light scattering are related to spin or charge. Another controversy relates to putative two-magnon excitations, typically in the energy range below 0.5 eV. Whereas this response presumably originates from charge excitations in most of the Fe-based compounds theory and experiment suggest that the excitations in the 60 meV range in FeSe stem from localized spins in a nearly frustrated system.
Study on fatigue failure of glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic pipe
Authors: Wang Dapeng , Zhang Zhao , Wang Qingzhao
Published: April 2020

The long-term fatigue performance of a glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic pipe (RTP) is mainly determined by that of its glass fibre reinforcement layer. Glass fibre has an irregular network structure consisting of SiO4 tetrahedrons. In this network structure, there exists numerous defects. Under cyclic loading, cracks are initiated at these defects and grow steadily and perhaps even disruptively, ultimately leading to the fracture of the glass fibre. The mean stress corresponding to the occurrence of disruptive crack propagation is referred to as the critical fatigue stress. When the mean cyclic load is smaller than the critical value, the growing cracks stop propagating when in contact with high-energy chemical bonds. When the mean cyclic load is larger than the critical value, the glass fibre is doomed to fracture. In the present study, a series of fatigue tests was performed on a RTP subjected to cyclic loadings of different mean stresses. The numbers of cycles to failure at different mean stresses obtained from the tests were then used to estimate the critical fatigue stress of the RTP. The mechanism underlying the fatigue failure was analysed using fatigue mechanics and chemical bond theories.
Genetic controls of short- and long-term stomatal CO2 responses in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Johansson Karin S L , El-Soda Mohamed , Pagel Ellen , Meyer Rhonda C , Tõldsepp Kadri , Nilsson Anders K , Brosché Mikael , Kollist Hannes , Uddling Johan , Andersson Mats X
Published: April 2020

Background and Aims

The stomatal conductance (gs) of most plant species decreases in response to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration. This response could have a significant impact on plant water use in a future climate. However, the regulation of the CO2-induced stomatal closure response is not fully understood. Moreover, the potential genetic links between short-term (within minutes to hours) and long-term (within weeks to months) responses of gs to increased atmospheric CO2 have not been explored.

Methods

We used Arabidopsis thaliana recombinant inbred lines originating from accessions Col-0 (strong CO2 response) and C24 (weak CO2 response) to study short- and long-term controls of gs. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was used to identify loci controlling short- and long-term gs responses to elevated CO2, as well as other stomata-related traits.

Key Results

Short- and long-term stomatal responses to elevated CO2 were significantly correlated. Both short- and long-term responses were associated with a QTL at the end of chromosome 2. The location of this QTL was confirmed using near-isogenic lines and it was fine-mapped to a 410-kb region. The QTL did not correspond to any known gene involved in stomatal closure and had no effect on the responsiveness to abscisic acid. Additionally, we identified numerous other loci associated with stomatal regulation.

Conclusions

We identified and confirmed the effect of a strong QTL corresponding to a yet unknown regulator of stomatal closure in response to elevated CO2 concentration. The correlation between short- and long-term stomatal CO2 responses and the genetic link between these traits highlight the importance of understanding guard cell CO2 signalling to predict and manipulate plant water use in a world with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. This study demonstrates the power of using natural variation to unravel the genetic regulation of complex traits.
The Goal of Conversation
Authors: Szabó Zoltán Gendler
Published: April 2020

Dickie (2020) presents an argument against the traditional, broadly Gricean view of conversation. She argues that speakers must sometimes be more specific than required for sharing knowledge on a topic of common concern. Her proposed solution is to claim that the goal of conversation is not just sharing knowledge but also sharing cognitive focus. In response, I argue that her proposal faces both conceptual and empirical difficulties, and that the traditional view can handle the problem of non-specificity by acknowledging that in order to sustain mutual trust, conversational participants should be less than optimally efficient.
Surgery for Bentall endocarditis: short- and midterm outcomes from a multicentre registry
Authors: Sponga Sandro , Di Mauro Michele , Malvindi Pietro G , Paparella Domenico , Murana Giacomo , Pacini Davide , Weltert Luca , De Paulis Ruggero , Cappabianca Giangiuseppe , Beghi Cesare , De Vincentiis Carlo , Parolari Alessandro , Messina Antonio , Troise Giovanni , Salsano Antonio , Santini Francesco , Pierri Michele D , Di Eusanio Marco , Maselli Daniele , Actis Dato Guglielmo , Centofanti Paolo , Mancuso Samuel , Rinaldi Mauro , Cagnoni Giuseppe , Antona Carlo , Picichè Marco , Salvador Loris , Cugola Diego , Galletti Lorenzo , Pozzoli Alberto , De Bonis Michele , Lorusso Roberto , Bortolotti Uberto , Livi Ugolino ,   Italian Group of Research for Outcome in Cardiac Surgery (GIROC)
Published: April 2020

OBJECTIVES

Endocarditis after the Bentall procedure is a severe disease often complicated by a pseudoaneurysm or mediastinitis. Reoperation is challenging but conservative therapy is not effective. The aim of this study was to assess short- and midterm outcomes of patients reoperated on for Bentall-related endocarditis.

METHODS

Seventy-three patients with Bentall procedure-related endocarditis were recorded in the Italian registry. The mean age was 57 ± 14 years and 92% were men; preoperative comorbidities included hypertension (45%), diabetes (12%) and renal failure (11%). The logistic EuroSCORE was 25%; the EuroSCORE II was 8%.

RESULTS

Preoperatively, 12% of the patients were in septic shock; left ventricular-aortic discontinuity was present in 63% and mitral valve involvement occurred in 12%. The most common pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (22%) and Streptococci (14%). Reoperations after a median interval of 30 months (1–221 months) included a repeat Bentall with a bioconduit (41%), a composite mechanical (33%) or biological valved conduit (19%) and a homograft (6%). In 1 patient, a heart transplant was required (1%); in 12%, a mitral valve procedure was needed. The hospital mortality rate was 15%. The postoperative course was complicated by renal failure (19%), major bleeding (14%), pulmonary failure (14%), sepsis (11%) and multiorgan failure (8%). At multivariate analysis, urgent surgery was a risk factor for early death [hazard ratio 20.5 (1.9–219)]. Survival at 5 and 8 years was 75 ± 6% and 71 ± 7%, with 3 cases of endocarditis relapse.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery is effective in treating endocarditis following the Bentall procedure although it is associated with high perioperative mortality and morbidity rates. Endocarditis relapse seems to be uncommon.
Obesity and weight loss are inversely related to mortality and cardiovascular outcome in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: data from the ORIGIN trial
Authors: Doehner Wolfram , Gerstein Hertzel C , Ried Janina , Jung Hyejung , Asbrand Christian , Hess Sibylle , Anker Stefan D
Published: April 2020

Aims

The association of body weight and weight change with mortality and cardiovascular (CV) outcome in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is not clearly established. We assessed the relationship between weight, weight change, and outcomes in patients with established CV risk factors and type 2 DM or pre-diabetes.

Methods and results

A total of 12 521 participants from the ORIGIN trial were grouped in BMI categories of low body weight [body mass index (BMI) < 22 kg/m2] normal (22–24.9), overweight (25–29.9), obesity Grades 1–3 (30–34.9, 35–39.9, ≥40 kg/m2, respectively). Outcome variables included total and CV mortality and composite outcomes of CV death, non-fatal stroke, or myocardial infarction plus revascularization or heart failure hospitalization. Follow-up was 6.2 years (interquartile range 5.8–6.7 years). After multivariable adjustment, lowest risks were seen in patients with overweight and mild obesity for total mortality [overweight: hazard ratio (HR) 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69–0.91); obesity Grade 1: HR 0.82 (0.71–0.95), both P < 0.01)] and CV mortality [overweight: HR 0.79 (0.66–0.94); obesity Grade 1: 0.79 (0.65–0.95), all compared to patients with normal BMI, P < 0.05]. Obesity of any severity was not associated with higher mortality. Low body weight was related to higher mortality [HR 1.28 (1.02–1.61); CV mortality: HR 1.34 (1.01–1.79), P < 0.05]. A continued 2-year weight loss was associated with higher risk of mortality [HR 1.32 (1.18–1.46), P < 0.0001] and CV mortality [HR 1.18 (1.02–1.35), compared to patients without weight loss, P < 0.05]. In turn, weight gain was not related to any adverse outcome.

Conclusion

Obesity in patients with DM or pre-diabetes and CV risk profile was not associated with higher mortality or adverse CV outcome. The lowest mortality risk was seen in patients with overweight and moderate obesity (BMI 25–35 kg/m2). Weight loss was an independent risk factor for higher mortality compared to no weight loss.
In silico pace-mapping: prediction of left vs. right outflow tract origin in idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias with patient-specific electrophysiological simulations
Authors: Doste Ruben , Sebastian Rafael , Gomez Juan Francisco , Soto-Iglesias David , Alcaine Alejandro , Mont Lluis , Berruezo Antonio , Penela Diego , Camara Oscar
Published: April 2020

Aims

A pre-operative non-invasive identification of the site of origin (SOO) of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias (OTVAs) is important to properly plan radiofrequency ablation procedures. Although some algorithms based on electrocardiograms (ECGs) have been developed to predict left vs. right ventricular origins, their accuracy is still limited, especially in complex anatomies. The aim of this work is to use patient-specific electrophysiological simulations of the heart to predict the SOO in OTVA patients.

Methods and results

An in silico pace-mapping procedure was designed and used on 11 heart geometries, generating for each case simulated ECGs from 12 clinically plausible SOO. Subsequently, the simulated ECGs were compared with patient ECG data obtained during the clinical tachycardia using the 12-lead correlation coefficient (12-lead ρ). Left ventricle (LV) vs. right ventricle (RV) SOO was estimated by computing the LV/RV ratio for each patient, obtained by dividing the average 12-lead ρ value of the LV- and RV-SOO simulated ECGs, respectively. Simulated ECGs that had virtual sites close to the ablation points that stopped the arrhythmia presented higher correlation coefficients. The LV/RV ratio correctly predicted LV vs. RV SOO in 10/11 cases; 1.07 vs. 0.93 P < 0.05 for 12-lead ρ.

Conclusion

The obtained results demonstrate the potential of the developed in silico pace-mapping technique to complement standard ECG for the pre-operative planning of complex ventricular arrhythmias.
Prolonged left ventricular contraction duration in apical segments as a marker of arrhythmic risk in patients with long QT syndrome
Authors: Borowiec Karolina , Kowalski Mirosław , Kumor Magdalena , Duliban Joanna , Śmigielski Witold , Hoffman Piotr , Biernacka Elżbieta Katarzyna
Published: April 2020

Aims

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited cardiac ion channelopathy predisposing to life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to investigate left ventricular mechanical abnormalities in LQTS patients and establish a potential role of strain as a marker of arrhythmic risk.

Methods and results

We included 47 patients with genetically confirmed LQTS (22 LQT1, 20 LQT2, 3 LQT3, and 2 SCN3B) and 25 healthy controls. A history of cardiac events was present in 30 LQTS subjects. Tissue Doppler and speckle tracking echocardiography were performed and contraction duration was measured by radial and longitudinal strain. The radial strain characteristic was subdivided into two planes — the basal and the apical. Left ventricular ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain were normal in LQTS patients. Mean contraction duration was longer in LQTS patients compared with controls in regard to basal radial strain (491 ± 57 vs. 437 ± 55 ms, P < 0.001), apical radial strain (450 ± 53 vs. 407 ± 53 ms, P = 0.002), and longitudinal strain (445 ± 34 vs. 423 ± 43 ms, P = 0.02). Moreover, contraction duration obtained from apical radial strain analysis was longer in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic LQTS mutation carriers (462 ± 49 vs. 429 ± 55 ms, P = 0.024), as well as in subject with mutations other than LQT1 considered to be at higher risk (468 ± 50 vs. 429 ± 49 ms, P = 0.01).

Conclusion

Myocardial contraction duration is prolonged for both radial and longitudinal directions in LQTS patients. Regional left ventricular function analysis may contribute to risk stratification. Apical radial deformation seems to select subjects at higher risk of arrhythmic events.
The cloned SPI-1 type 3 secretion system can be functionally expressed outside Salmonella backgrounds
Authors: Patel Krupa , Cangelosi Chris , Warrier Vaishnavi , Wykoff Dennis , Wilson James W
Published: April 2020

Due to its potential for use in bacterial engineering applications, we previously cloned the SPI-1 type 3 secretion system (T3SS) genes from the genome of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain LT2. We have documented that this clone, while functionally expressed in S. Typhimurium strains, displays a severe expression defect in other Gram negative backgrounds including Escherichia coli. To address this issue, we compared SPI-1 DNA sequence across different backgrounds, fully sequenced the original SPI-1 clone, and cloned SPI-1 from other S. Typhimurium strains. In this process, we were able to successfully obtain SPI-1 clones that are functionally expressed in E. coli indicating the first such result for a full-length SP-1 T3SS clone. We discovered that the original cloning technique using a DNA homology-based capture method was the root of the expression defect and that the FRT-Capture technique is preferable over the homology-based method. This result paves the way for future studies and applications using cloned SPI-1 and other T3SS in non-Salmonella bacterial backgrounds.
Social values and health systems in health policy and systems research: a mixed-method systematic review and evidence map
Authors: Whyle Eleanor , Olivier Jill
Published: April 2020

Because health systems are conceptualized as social systems, embedded in social contexts and shaped by human agency, values are a key factor in health system change. As such, health systems software—including values, norms, ideas and relationships—is considered a foundational focus of the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR). A substantive evidence-base exploring the influence of software factors on system functioning has developed but remains fragmented, with a lack of conceptual clarity and theoretical coherence. This is especially true for work on ‘social values’ within health systems—for which there is currently no substantive review available. This study reports on a systematic mixed-methods evidence mapping review on social values within HPSR. The study reaffirms the centrality of social values within HPSR and highlights significant evidence gaps. Research on social values in low- and middle-income country contexts is exceedingly rare (and mostly produced by authors in high-income countries), particularly within the limited body of empirical studies on the subject. In addition, few HPS researchers are drawing on available social science methodologies that would enable more in-depth empirical work on social values. This combination (over-representation of high-income country perspectives and little empirical work) suggests that the field of HPSR is at risk of developing theoretical foundations that are not supported by empirical evidence nor broadly generalizable. Strategies for future work on social values in HPSR are suggested, including: countering pervasive ideas about research hierarchies that prize positivist paradigms and systems hardware-focused studies as more rigorous and relevant to policy-makers; utilizing available social science theories and methodologies; conceptual development to build common framings of key concepts to guide future research, founded on quality empirical research from diverse contexts; and using empirical evidence to inform the development of operationalizable frameworks that will support rigorous future research on social values in health systems.
Priority Setting as A Double-Edged Sword: How Modernization Strengthened the Role of Public Policy
Authors: Brook Or
Published: April 2020

This article questions the common view that the modernization of EU competition law has removed public policy considerations from the public enforcement of Article 101 TFEU. Based on a large quantitative and qualitative database including all of the Commission’s and five national competition authorities’ enforcement actions (N ≈ 1,700), it maintains that modernization has merely shifted the consideration of public policy from the substantive scope of Article 101(3) TFEU to procedural priority setting decisions. Instead of engaging in a complex balancing of competition and public policy considerations, the competition authorities have simply refrained from pursuing cases against anticompetitive agreements that raise public policy questions or settled those cases by accepting negotiated remedies. This outcome, the article claims, is a double-edged sword. The Commission’s attempt to narrow down the scope of Article 101(3) as part of modernization has not eliminated the role of public policy in the enforcement. Rather, undertakings can reasonably assume that restrictions of competition that produce some public policy objectives will not be enforced, even if they do not meet the conditions for an exception. These discretionary nonenforcement decisions have a detrimental impact on the effectiveness, uniformity, and legal certainty of EU competition law enforcement.

JEL: K21, K230
MYB21 interacts with MYC2 to control the expression of terpene synthase genes in flowers of Freesia hybrida and Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Yang Zhongzhou , Li Yueqing , Gao Fengzhan , Jin Wei , Li Shuying , Kimani Shadrack , Yang Song , Bao Tingting , Gao Xiang , Wang Li
Published: April 2020

Previously, linalool was found to be the most abundant component among the cocktail of volatiles released from flowers of Freesia hybrida. Linalool formation is catalysed by monoterpene synthase TPS1. However, the regulatory network developmentally modulating the expression of the TPS1 gene in Freesia hybrida remains unexplored. In this study, three regulatory genes, FhMYB21L1, FhMYB21L2, and FhMYC2, were screened from 52 candidates. Two MYB transcription factor genes were synchronously expressed with FhTPS1 and could activate its expression significantly when overexpressed, and the binding of FhMYB21L2 to the MYBCORE sites in the FhTPS1 promoter was further confirmed, indicating a direct role in activation. FhMYC2 showed an inverse expression pattern compared with FhTPS1; its expression led to a decreased binding of FhMYB21 to the FhTPS1 promoter to reduce its activation capacity when co-expressed, suggesting a role for an MYB–bHLH complex in the regulation of the FhTPS1 gene. In Arabidopsis, both MYB21 and MYC2 regulators were shown to activate the expression of sesquiterpene synthase genes, and the regulatory roles of AtMYB21 and AtMYC2 in the expression of the linalool synthase gene were also confirmed, implying conserved functions of the MYB–bHLH complex in these two evolutionarily divergent plants. Moreover, the expression ratio between MYB21 and MYC2 orthologues might be a determinant factor in floral linalool emission.
Reconstruction with velocities
Authors: Zhu Hong-Ming , White Martin , Ferraro Simone , Schaan Emmanuel
Published: April 2020

Reconstruction is becoming a crucial procedure of galaxy clustering analysis for future spectroscopic redshift surveys to obtain subper cent level measurement of the baryon acoustic oscillation scale. Most reconstruction algorithms rely on an estimation of the displacement field from the observed galaxy distribution. However, the displacement reconstruction degrades near the survey boundary due to incomplete data and the boundary effects extend to ${\sim}100\, \mathrm{Mpc}/h$ within the interior of the survey volume. We study the possibility of using radial velocities measured from the cosmic microwave background observation through the kinematic Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect to improve performance near the boundary. We find that the boundary effect can be reduced to ${\sim}30-40\, \mathrm{Mpc}/h$ with the velocity information from Simons Observatory. This is especially helpful for dense low redshift surveys where the volume is relatively small and a large fraction of total volume is affected by the boundary.
LOFAR 144-MHz follow-up observations of GW170817
Authors: Broderick J W , Shimwell T W , Gourdji K , Rowlinson A , Nissanke S , Hotokezaka K , Jonker P G , Tasse C , Hardcastle M J , Oonk J B R , Fender R P , Wijers R A M J , Shulevski A , Stewart A J , ter Veen S , Moss V A , van der Wiel M H D , Nichols D A , Piette A , Bell M E , Carbone D , Corbel S , Eislöffel J , Grießmeier J-M , Keane E F , Law C J , Muñoz-Darias T , Pietka M , Serylak M , van der Horst A J , van Leeuwen J , Wijnands R , Zarka P , Anderson J M , Bentum M J , Blaauw R , Brouw W N , Brüggen M , Ciardi B , de Vos M , Duscha S , Fallows R A , Franzen T M O , Garrett M A , Gunst A W , Hoeft M , Hörandel J R , Iacobelli M , Jütte E , Koopmans L V E , Krankowski A , Maat P , Mann G , Mulder H , Nelles A , Paas H , Pandey-Pommier M , Pekal R , Reich W , Röttgering H J A , Schwarz D J , Smirnov O , Soida M , Toribio M C , van Haarlem M P , van Weeren R J , Vocks C , Wucknitz O , Zucca P
Published: April 2020

We present low-radio-frequency follow-up observations of AT 2017gfo, the electromagnetic counterpart of GW170817, which was the first binary neutron star merger to be detected by Advanced LIGO–Virgo. These data, with a central frequency of 144 MHz, were obtained with LOFAR, the Low-Frequency Array. The maximum elevation of the target is just 13${_{.}^{\circ}}$7 when observed with LOFAR, making our observations particularly challenging to calibrate and significantly limiting the achievable sensitivity. On time-scales of 130–138 and 371–374 d after the merger event, we obtain 3σ upper limits for the afterglow component of 6.6 and 19.5 mJy beam−1, respectively. Using our best upper limit and previously published, contemporaneous higher frequency radio data, we place a limit on any potential steepening of the radio spectrum between 610 and 144 MHz: the two-point spectral index $\alpha ^{610}_{144} \gtrsim$ −2.5. We also show that LOFAR can detect the afterglows of future binary neutron star merger events occurring at more favourable elevations.
Rational Inattention, Competitive Supply, and Psychometrics*
Authors: Caplin Andrew , Csaba Dániel , Leahy John , Nov Oded
Published: April 2020

We introduce a simple method of recovering attention costs from choice data. Our method rests on a precise analogy with production theory. Costs of attention determine consumer demand and consumer welfare, just as a competitive firm’s technology determines its supply curve and profits. We implement our recovery method experimentally, outline applications, and link our work to the broader literature on inattention and mistaken decisions.
Role of Organic Solute Transporter Alpha/Beta in Hepatotoxic Bile Acid Transport and Drug Interactions
Authors: Beaudoin James J , Bezençon Jacqueline , Sjöstedt Noora , Fallon John K , Brouwer Kim L R
Published: April 2020

Organic solute transporter (OST) α/β is a key bile acid transporter expressed in various organs, including the liver under cholestatic conditions. However, little is known about the involvement of OSTα/β in bile acid-mediated drug-induced liver injury (DILI), a major safety concern in drug development. This study investigated whether OSTα/β preferentially transports more hepatotoxic, conjugated, primary bile acids and to what extent xenobiotics inhibit this transport. Kinetic studies with OSTα/β-overexpressing cells revealed that OSTα/β preferentially transported bile acids in the following order: taurochenodeoxycholate > glycochenodeoxycholate > taurocholate > glycocholate. The apparent half-maximal inhibitory concentrations for OSTα/β-mediated bile acid (5 µM) transport inhibition by fidaxomicin, troglitazone sulfate, and ethinyl estradiol were: 210, 334, and 1050 µM, respectively, for taurochenodeoxycholate; 97.6, 333, and 337 µM, respectively, for glycochenodeoxycholate; 140, 265, and 527 µM, respectively, for taurocholate; 59.8, 102, and 117 µM, respectively, for glycocholate. The potential role of OSTα/β in hepatocellular glycine-conjugated bile acid accumulation and cholestatic DILI was evaluated using sandwich-cultured human hepatocytes (SCHH). Treatment of SCHH with the farnesoid X receptor agonist chenodeoxycholate (100 µM) resulted in substantial OSTα/β induction, among other proteomic alterations, reducing glycochenodeoxycholate and glycocholate accumulation in cells+bile 4.0- and 4.5-fold, respectively. Treatment of SCHH with troglitazone and fidaxomicin together under cholestatic conditions resulted in increased hepatocellular toxicity compared with either compound alone, suggesting that OSTα/β inhibition may accentuate DILI. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the role of OSTα/β in preferential disposition of bile acids associated with hepatotoxicity, the impact of xenobiotics on OSTα/β-mediated bile acid transport, and the role of this transporter in SCHH and cholestatic DILI.
Diesel Exhaust Extract Exposure Induces Neuronal Toxicity by Disrupting Autophagy
Authors: Barnhill Lisa M , Khuansuwan Sataree , Juarez Daniel , Murata Hiromi , Araujo Jesus A , Bronstein Jeff M
Published: April 2020

The vast majority of neurodegenerative disease cannot be attributed to genetic causes alone and as a result, there is significant interest in identifying environmental modifiers of disease risk. Epidemiological studies have supported an association between long-term exposure to air pollutants and disease risk. Here, we investigate the mechanisms by which diesel exhaust, a major component of air pollution, induces neurotoxicity. Using a zebrafish model, we found that exposure to diesel exhaust particulate extract caused behavioral deficits and a significant decrease in neuron number. The neurotoxicity was due, at least in part, to reduced autophagic flux, which is a major pathway implicated in neurodegeneration. This neuron loss occurred alongside an increase in aggregation-prone neuronal protein. Additionally, the neurotoxicity induced by diesel exhaust particulate extract in zebrafish was mitigated by co-treatment with the autophagy-inducing drug nilotinib. This study links environmental exposure to altered proteostasis in an in vivo model system. These results shed light on why long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution increases neurodegenerative disease risk and open up new avenues for exploring therapies to mitigate environmental exposures and promote neuroprotection.
L’inscription de l’hypothèque en droit des sûretés OHADA
Authors: Moutil Firmin Ghislain
Published: April 2020

L’inscription peut-elle être perçue comme une condition de validité de l’hypothèque ? L’acte uniforme donne une réponse imprécise. Aux termes de l’article 206 de l’AUS, « Tant que l’inscription n’est pas faite, l’acte d’hypothèque est inopposable aux tiers et constitue, entre les parties, une promesse synallagmatique qui les oblige à procéder à la publicité ». L’examen de cette disposition laisse voir qu’au-delà du rôle de publicité assigné à l’inscription hypothécaire, le législateur OHADA tend à faire aussi de l’inscription une condition implicite de validité de l’hypothèque en considérant l’hypothèse comme étant une promesse synallagmatique en l’absence de l’inscription, ce d’autant qu’en l’absence d’inscription de l’hypothèque consentie, le créancier reste chirographaire. Une telle ambivalence de l’article 206 de l’AUS pourrait être, non seulement sujette à de nombreux contentieux, mais aussi à l’origine du détournement de l’objet de l’inscription. Pour se prémunir de tout ceci, la meilleure approche pour le législateur OHADA pourrait consister en la réécriture de l’article 206 de l’AUS afin de lever toute équivoque sur la nature de l’inscription qui demeure avant tout une exigence de publicité et non une condition de formation de la convention d’hypothèque en l’absence de laquelle la convention d’hypothèque est nulle entre le créancier bénéficiaire d’hypothèque et le constituant.

Mots-clés: Inscription, hypothèque, garantie immobilière, sûreté, droit OHADA

Can registration be seen as a condition of validity of the mortgage? The uniform act gives an imprecise answer. According to Article 206 of the AUS, “As long as the mortgage deed is not registered, it shall not be binding on third parties and shall constitute to the parties thereto an exchange of promises which shall impose on them the obligation to have the deed registered” The review of this provision shows that beyond the advertising role assigned to mortgage registration, the OHADA legislator also tends to make the registration an implied term of validity of the mortgage by considering the hypothesis as being a synallagmatic promise in the absence of registration, especially since in the absence of registration of the hypothec granted, the creditor remains unsecured. Such an equivalence of Article 206 of the UAS could be not only subject to many litigations, but also to the misappropriation of the object of registration. To guard against all this, the best approach for the OHADA legislator could be to rewrite Article 206 of the UAS to remove any ambiguity about the nature of the listing, which remains primarily a requirement for publicity, not a formal condition of the mortgage agreement in the absence of which the mortgage agreement is void between the mortgage beneficiary and the grantor.
Improving Graduate Medical Education Through Faculty Empowerment Instead of Detailed Guidelines
Authors: van Loon Karsten A. , Scheele Fedde
Published: April 2020

Calls for improvement and reform in graduate medical education (GME) have led to more detail in educational and curricular guidelines. The current level of detail in curriculum guidelines for GME training programs is high, encompassing, for example, competency frameworks, entrustable professional activities, and milestones. In addition, faculty must employ an increasing number of assessment tools and elaborate portfolio systems for their residents. It is questionable whether any further increase in curriculum detail and assessment formats leads to better GME programs. Focusing on this type of system development may even lead to less engaged faculty if faculty are not encouraged to use their own professional judgment and creativity for teaching residents. Therefore, faculty members must be empowered to engage in curricular innovation, since system development alone will not result in better training programs. Raising faculty members’ awareness of their virtues and value as teachers and involving them in the debate about how GME can be enhanced might increase their engagement in resident training.
Association of the First 1,000 Days Systems-Change Intervention on Maternal Gestational Weight Gain
Authors: Blake-Lamb Tiffany , Boudreau Alexy Arauz , Matathia Sarah , Perkins Meghan E. , Roche Brianna , Cheng Erika R. , Kotelchuck Milton , Shtasel Derri , Taveras Elsie M.
Published: April 2020

OBJECTIVE:

To examine the associations of a clinical and public health systems-change intervention on the prevalence of excess gestational weight gain among high-risk, low-income women.

METHODS:

In a quasi-experimental trial, we compared the prevalence of excess gestational weight gain among women before (n=643) and after (n=928) implementation of the First 1,000 Days program in two community health centers in Massachusetts. First 1,000 Days is a systematic program starting in early pregnancy and lasting through the first 24 months of childhood to prevent obesity among mother–child pairs. The program includes enhanced gestational weight gain tracking and counseling, screening for adverse health behaviors and sociocontextual factors, patient navigation and educational materials to support behavior change and social needs, and individualized health coaching for women at high risk for excess gestational weight gain based on their prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) or excess first-trimester weight gain. The primary outcome was gestational weight gain greater than the 2009 Institute of Medicine (now known as the National Academy of Medicine) guidelines according to prepregnancy BMI.

RESULTS:

Among 1,571 women in the analytic sample, mean (SD) age was 30.0 (5.9) years and prepregnancy BMI was 28.1 (6.1); 65.8% of women started pregnancy with BMIs of 25 or higher, and 53.2% were Hispanic. We observed a lower prevalence (55.8–46.4%; unadjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.69, 95% CI 0.49–0.97), similar to results in a multivariable analysis (adjusted OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49–0.99), of excess gestational weight gain among women with prepregnancy BMIs between 25 and 29.9. Among women who were overweight at the start of pregnancy, the lowest odds of excess gestational weight gain were observed among those with the most interaction with the program's components. Program enrollment was not associated with reduced excess gestational weight gain among women with prepregnancy BMIs of 30 or higher.

CONCLUSIONS:

Implementation of a systems-change intervention was associated with modest reduction in excess gestational weight gain among women who were overweight but not obese at the start of pregnancy.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03191591.
Brachial Plexus Birth Injury in the Preterm Infant: Suspecting the Unsuspected
Authors: Wang Kemble K. , Waters Peter M. , Bas Marcel A. , Bauer Andrea S.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Prematurity is usually considered as a protective factor for brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI). However, BPBI can occur in the preterm infant, and can cause significant dysfunction and morbidity. There is scant literature regarding this subgroup of patients with BPBI.

Methods:

Patients were identified through a retrospective search of a prospective BPBI registry at a single tertiary pediatric referral center. Prematurity was defined as birth at or before gestational age of 36 (6/7) weeks. Thirty-six arms in 34 patients were included in this study. Data were obtained from patient charts documenting standardized brachial plexus clinical examinations at each visit, medical imaging, questionnaires for parents, and outside perinatal records brought in by parents.

Results:

The youngest infant identified with BPBI was born at 23 weeks’ gestation. Median birth weight was 3005 g (range: 580 to 4600 g). Twenty-nine arms in 28 patients were categorized into the “late preterm group” [34 to 36 (6/7) weeks gestation], and 7 arms in 6 patients were categorized into the “early preterm group” (<34 wk). Four of 6 (67%) subjects in the early preterm group were delivered vaginally in the breech position, compared with 4 of 28 subjects (14%) in the late preterm group (P=0.02). All 3 twin gestation infants with BPBI were the younger twin and born vaginally in the breech position. Delayed diagnosis (>7 d) occurred in 11 arms in 10 subjects (31%). Median delay in diagnosis was 73 days (range: 10 to 1340 d). Spontaneous recovery of antigravity elbow flexion occurred in 65% of arms (at median 5 mo, range: 1 to 17 mo). Overall, 89% (32/36) of arms with BPBI had residual neurological deficit and 53% (19/36) of arms underwent at least 1 surgical intervention at latest follow-up (median age at latest follow-up: 60 mo, range: 1 to 237 mo).

Conclusions:

BPBI in preterm infants is rare but does occur and can cause significant morbidity. Delayed diagnosis of BPBI is common in preterm infants. A high index of suspicion should be maintained to avoid delayed diagnosis that may jeopardize treatment options. Preterm infants may be more susceptible to birth trauma from breech deliveries and shoulder dystocia, as evidenced by far higher incidence of these factors compared with term infants with BPBI in literature.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—case series.
Estimation and Tracking of Blood Pressure Using Routinely Acquired Photoplethysmographic Signals and Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Schlesinger Oded , Vigderhouse Nitai , Moshe Yair , Eytan Danny
Published: April 2020

Objectives:

Continuous tracking of blood pressure in critically ill patients allows rapid identification of clinically important changes and helps guide treatment. Classically, such tracking requires invasive monitoring with its associated risks, discomfort, and low availability outside critical care units. We hypothesized that information contained in a prevalent noninvasively acquired signal (photoplethysmograph: a byproduct of pulse oximetry) combined with advanced machine learning will allow continuous estimation of the patient’s blood pressure.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study with split sampling for model training and testing.

Setting:

A single urban academic hospital.

Patients:

Three-hundred twenty-nine adult patients admitted to a critical care unit.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

One hundred thirty-six thousand four-hundred fifty-nine photoplethysmography waveforms of length 30 seconds were used for training (60%), validation (20%), and testing (20%) of the blood pressure estimation network. Each sample had an associated systolic, mean, and diastolic blood pressures extracted from concurrently recorded invasive arterial line waveforms. Blood pressure estimation using photoplethysmography waveforms is achieved using advanced machine learning methods (convolutional neural networks and a Siamese architectural configuration) calibrated for each patient on a single, first available photoplethysmography sample and associated blood pressure reading. The average estimation bias error was 0.52, 0.1, and –0.76 mm Hg for diastolic, mean, and systolic blood pressure, respectively, with associated mean absolute errors of 4.11, 5.51, and 7.98 mm Hg. If used to identify clinically important changes in blood pressure from the initial baseline, with a threshold of a 10 mm Hg increase or decrease in blood pressure, our algorithm shows an accuracy of 85%, 78%, and 74% for diastolic, mean, and systolic blood pressure, respectively. We also report the network’s performance in detecting systolic and diastolic hypo- or hypertension with accuracies ranging from 86% to 97%.

Conclusions:

Using advanced machine learning tools, we show that blood pressure estimation can be achieved using a common noninvasively recorded signal, the photoplethysmography. Such tools can allow for better monitoring of patients that do not have invasively recorded blood pressure, both in the critical care setting and on inpatient wards.
Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery for Treatment of Residual or Recurrent Endolymphatic Sac Tumor Following Previous Microsurgical Resection
Authors: Totten Douglas J. , Manzoor Nauman F. , Sherry Alexander D. , Khattab Mohamed H. , Link Michael J. , Cmelak Anthony J. , Haynes David S. , Rivas Alejandro , Carlson Matthew L. , Attia Albert
Published: April 2020

Objective:

To report and discuss the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or fractionated radiotherapy (FRT) for tumor control following surgical resection of endolymphatic sac tumors (ELST).

Study Design:

Retrospective case series.

Setting:

Multi-institutional academic referral centers.

Patients:

Patients undergoing surgical resection for ELST followed by SRS or FRT.

Intervention(s):

Surgical resection followed by radiotherapy.

Main Outcome Measures:

Local tumor control.

Results:

Two of the five patients experienced tumor recurrence after gross total microsurgical at 78 and 11 months, respectively. The former patient received salvage 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and while the latter patient underwent three courses of salvage SRS for recurrence, two of which were in-field and was disease-free at last follow up. Two additional patients underwent subtotal tumor resection (STR) followed by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and are currently without disease. One patient underwent STR followed by proton-beam therapy (PBT) and was free of disease at most recent follow-up.

Conclusion:

SRS/FRT remains a useful adjuvant for treatment of residual or recurrent ELSTs, where the risk of revision microsurgical resection is high.