bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased receptor expression supports vascular reactivity of the rabbit aorta during preservation
Authors: Cupitra Nelson Ivan , Calderón Juan C , Narvaez-Sanchez Raul
Published: September 2020

OBJECTIVES

The mechanistic understanding of vascular functional impairment during preservation time helps determine the optimal time frame in which explanted arteries can be used. The method of choice is to measure vascular reactivity and receptor expression. Our goal was to study the influence of preservation for 24 and 48 h on vascular reactivity and receptor expression in rabbit aorta.

METHODS

Aortic rings preserved in Krebs–Henseleit solution were evaluated fresh (t0), 24 h (t24) and 48 h (t48) after harvest for (i) vascular reactivity as sensitivity (pD2) and maximum effect in response to potassium chloride, U46619 (thromboxane-A2 agonist), phenylephrine, carbachol and isoproterenol, in an organ bath; and for (ii) expression of α1, β2 and thromboxane-prostanoid receptors, by immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

Compared to the control, after 24 h of preservation, potassium chloride-induced pD2 increased a significant 3.6%, whereas U46619-induced vasoconstriction decreased 9%. None of the agonists affected vasodilation. Intimal and medial α1 receptor expression increased 2.5-fold. After 48 h of preservation, α1 expression and vasoconstrictor responses remained similar to those after 24 h of preservation, but in vasodilation the carbachol-induced maximum effect decreased 30% whereas isoproterenol-induced pD2 increased 4% and the maximum effect increased 10%. TP and β2 expression in the intima and media increased 1.8- and 2.5-fold, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Up to 48 h of preservation, the adrenergic pathway and its receptors support vasoconstriction and vasodilation, despite a significant deterioration in the prostanoid pathway.
Shifts in the protist community associated with an anticyclonic gyre in the Alboran Sea (Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: García-Gómez Candela , Yebra Lidia , Cortés Dolores , Sánchez Antonio , Alonso Aitor , Valcárcel-Pérez Nerea , Gómez-Jakobsen Francisco , Herrera Inma , Johnstone Carolina , Mercado Jesús M
Published: September 2020

The diversity of protists was researched in the Alboran Sea (SW Mediterranean Sea) by means of high-throughput sequencing technologies based on the amplification of the V9 region of 18S rRNA. Samples were collected at different depths in seven stations following an environmental gradient from a coastal upwelling zone to the core of an oligotrophic anticyclonic gyre (AG). Sampling was performed during summer, when the water column was stratified. The superphyla Alveolata, Stramenopila and Rhizaria accounted for 84% of the total operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The most diverse groups were Dinophyceae (21% of OTUs), Marine Alveolates-II (MALV-II; 20%), Ciliophora (9%) and MALV-I (6%). In terms of read abundance, the predominant groups were Dinophyceae (29%), Bacillariophyta (14%), MALV-II (11%) and Ciliophora (11%). Samples were clustered into three groups according to the sampling depth and position. The shallow community in coastal stations presented distinguishable patterns of diatoms and ciliates compared with AG stations. These results indicate that there was a strong horizontal coupling between phytoplankton and ciliate communities. Abundance of Radiolaria and Syndiniales increased with depth. Our analyses demonstrate that the stratification disruption produced by the AG caused shifts in the trophic ecology of the plankton assemblages inducing a transition from bottom-up to top-down control.
Aerobic microbial communities in the sediments of a marine oxygen minimum zone
Authors: Bhattacharya Sabyasachi , Roy Chayan , Mandal Subhrangshu , Sarkar Jagannath , Rameez Moidu Jameela , Mondal Nibendu , Mapder Tarunendu , Chatterjee Sumit , Pyne Prosenjit , Alam Masrure , Haldar Prabir Kumar , Roy Rimi , Fernandes Svetlana , Peketi Aditya , Chakraborty Ranadhir , Mazumdar Aninda , Ghosh Wriddhiman
Published: September 2020

The ecology of aerobic microorganisms is never explored in marine oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) sediments. Here we reveal aerobic bacterial communities along ∼3 m sediment-horizons of the eastern Arabian Sea OMZ. Sulfide-containing sediment-cores retrieved from 530 mbsl (meters beneath the sea-level) and 580 mbsl were explored at 15–30 cm intervals, using metagenomics, pure-culture-isolation, genomics and metatranscriptomics. Genes for aerobic respiration, and oxidation of methane/ammonia/alcohols/thiosulfate/sulfite/organosulfur-compounds, were detected in the metagenomes from all 25 sediment-samples explored. Most probable numbers for aerobic chemolithoautotrophs and chemoorganoheterotrophs at individual sample-sites were up to 1.1 × 107 (g sediment)-1. The sediment-sample collected from 275 cmbsf (centimeters beneath the seafloor) of the 530-mbsl-core yielded many such obligately aerobic isolates belonging to Cereibacter, Guyparkeria, Halomonas, Methylophaga, Pseudomonas and Sulfitobacter which died upon anaerobic incubation, despite being provided with all possible electron acceptors and fermentative substrates. High percentages of metatranscriptomic reads from the 275 cmbsf sediment-sample, and metagenomic reads from all 25 sediment-samples, matched the isolates’ genomic sequences including those for aerobic metabolisms, genetic/environmental information processing and cell division, thereby illustrating the bacteria's in-situ activity, and ubiquity across the sediment-horizons, respectively. The findings hold critical implications for organic carbon sequestration/remineralization, and inorganic compounds oxidation, within the sediment realm of global marine OMZs.
Treatment issues in recurrentClostridioides difficileinfections and the possible role of germinants
Authors: Budi Noah , Safdar Nasia , Rose Warren E
Published: September 2020

Clostridioides difficile is the number one cause of hospital-acquired infections in the United States and one of the CDC's urgent-level pathogen threats. The inflammation caused by pathogenic C. difficile results in diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Patients who undergo clinically successful treatment for this disease commonly experience recurrent infections. Current treatment options can eradicate the vegetative cell form of the bacteria but do not impact the spore form, which is impervious to antibiotics and resists conventional environmental cleaning procedures. Antibiotics used in treating C. difficile infections (CDI) often do not eradicate the pathogen and can prevent regeneration of the microbiome, leaving them vulnerable to recurrent CDI and future infections upon subsequent non-CDI-directed antibiotic therapy. Addressing the management of C. difficile spores in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is important to make further progress in CDI treatment. Currently, no treatment options focus on reducing GI spores throughout CDI antibiotic therapy. This review focuses on colonization of the GI tract, current treatment options and potential treatment directions emphasizing germinant with antibiotic combinations to prevent recurrent disease.
Antidumping Duty Investigations and Decisions in the Global Forest Products Industry
Authors: Zhang Xufang , Sun Changyou , Gordon Jason , Li Cheng , Munn Ian A
Published: September 2020

Special tariffs have been increasingly adopted to protect domestic industries from potential injury caused by unfair international trade. In this study, a multinomial logit model is employed to examine the patterns and determinants of antidumping duty investigations in the global forest products industry. From 1995 to 2015, a total of 372 relevant cases are identified. The number of firms and the inclusion of unions as a petitioner generally improve the probability of an affirmative decision. The characteristics of petition countries have shown more impacts on the decisions than those of target countries. Developing countries have initiated a larger number of antidumping duty investigations in the global forest products industry, and furthermore, they are more inclined to adopt antidumping duties than developed countries. Countries with abundant forest resources and more forest products trade are more likely to make an affirmative decision. These findings will provide helpful information to industrial firms and government agencies in dealing with the challenges of global competition.

Study Implications

The findings reveal that getting more stakeholders involved in an antidumping duty investigation will increase the probability of trade intervention. The economic status in petition countries is the primary determinant of the decisions from antidumping duty investigations in the global forest products industry. Developing countries not only have initiated a large number of antidumping duty investigations in the forest products industry but also have been more inclined to adopt antidumping duties. Antidumping duty investigations offer an opportunity to countries with abundant forest resources and extensive forest products trade in case of unfair international competition.
Good practices in PSHA: declustering, b-value estimation, foreshocks and aftershocks inclusion; a case study in Italy
Authors: Taroni Matteo , Akinci Aybige
Published: September 2020

The classical procedure of the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) requires a Poissonian distribution of earthquakes. Seismic catalogues follow a Poisson distribution just after the application of a declustering algorithm that leaves only one earthquake for each seismic sequence (usually the stronger, i.e. the main shock). Removing earthquakes from the seismic catalogues leads to underestimation of the annual rates of the events and consequently associate with low seismic hazard as indicated by several studies. In this study, we aim investigating the performance of two declustering methods on the Italian instrumental catalogue and the impact of declustering on estimation of the b-value and on the seismic hazard analysis. To this end, first the spatial variation in the seismicity rate was estimated from the declustered catalogues using the adaptive smoothed seismicity approach, considering small earthquakes (Mw ≥ 3.0). We then corrected the seismicity rates using new approach that allows for counting all events in the complete seismic catalogue by simply changing the magnitude frequency distribution. The impact of declustering on seismic hazard analysis is illustrated using PSHA maps in terms of peak ground acceleration and spectral acceleration in 2 s, with 10 per cent and 2 per cent probability of exceedance in 50 yr, for Italy. We observed that the hazard calculated from the declustered catalogues was always lower than the hazard computed using the complete catalogue. These results are in agreement with previous results obtained in different parts of the world.
Does Issue Importance Predict Learning About Candidates?
Authors: Robison Joshua
Published: September 2020

A long-standing argument is that policy voting is more likely on issues the voter considers subjectively important. However, existing evidence is highly mixed. We leverage panel data from the 2008–2009 ANES Panel to investigate the relationship between subjective issue importance and a key mechanism thought to link it and policy voting: candidate knowledge. Using both lagged dependent variable and fixed-effect models, we find little evidence that subjective issue importance predicts candidate knowledge or learning. Our results suggest that one reason for lack of consensus about whether subjective issue importance moderates policy voting is the lack of a clear connection between it and this important mediator. Our results point to the need for stronger measures of subjective issue importance.
Pharmacokinetics of Mephedrone and Its Metabolites in Whole Blood and Plasma after Controlled Intranasal Administration to Healthy Human Volunteers
Authors: Czerwinska Joanna , Parkin Mark C , George Claire , Kicman Andrew T , Dargan Paul I , Abbate Vincenzo
Published: September 2020

Mephedrone is a popular synthetic cathinone, known for its psychostimulant effects. At present, there is no data available on the pharmacokinetics of mephedrone and its metabolites in concurrently collected whole blood and plasma samples after a controlled intranasal administration to healthy volunteers. In this study, six healthy male volunteers nasally insufflated 100 mg of pure mephedrone hydrochloride (Day 1). Whole blood and plasma samples were collected at different time points after the administration and were analyzed for the presence of mephedrone and its metabolites, dihydro-mephedrone (DHM), nor-mephedrone (NOR), hydroxytolyl-mephedrone (HYDROXY), 4-carboxy-mephedrone (4-CARBOXY) and dihydro-nor-mephedrone (DHNM), by validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry methods. All analytes were detected in whole blood and plasma for 6 h post administration, with mephedrone and NOR also being detectable on Day 2 in some participants. 4-CARBOXY, followed by NOR, was the most abundant metabolite in both matrices. Compared to other psychostimulants, mephedrone showed rapid absorption (mean Tmax of 52.5 ± 20.7 min in plasma and 55.0 ± 18.2 min in whole blood) and elimination (mean t1/2 of 1.98 ± 0.30 h in plasma and 2.12 ± 0.33 h in whole blood). In addition, statistical analysis showed that median whole blood to plasma distribution ratios, reported here for the first time, were statistically different from 1 (unity) for mephedrone (median: 1.11), DHM (median: 1.30) and NOR (median: 0.765). It is hoped that the study will aid forensic and clinical toxicologists in detection, identification and interpretation of cases associated with mephedrone use.
Knockdown ofcalreticulin, laccase, andSnf7Genes Through RNAi Is Not Effective to Control the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Hemiptera: Livideae)
Authors: Angelotti-Mendonça Jéssika , Bassan Meire M , Marques João Paulo R , Yamamoto Pedro T , Figueira Antonio , Piedade Sônia Maria De S , Mourão Filho Francisco A A
Published: September 2020

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, transmits the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter associated with huanglongbing (HLB), a devastating disease of the citrus industry. The use of genetically modified plants is an alternative to control this vector. Conversely, technology based on RNA interference (RNAi) for silencing specific genes of a target insect could be attempted. This work evaluated the knockdown effect of the target genes calreticulin (DcCRT), laccase (DcLAC), and Snf7 (DcSnf7) by RNAi through feeding D. citri in Murraya paniculata leaves after the uptake of an aqueous solution with dsRNA homologous to each vector target gene. Confocal microscopy revealed the uptake of the fluorescent-labeled dsRNA by detached leaves and the symplastic movement, allowing the ingestion by the feeding insect. A reduction in the survival rate was observed only 144 h after the beginning of feeding with dsRNA targeting DcSnf7; however, no reduction in transcript accumulation. The knockdown of the DcCRT and DcLAC genes was detected only 12 and 96 h after insect feeding, respectively. Additionally, a reduction in amino acid excretion from insects fed with dsRNA targets to DcCRT and DcLAC was observed 120 h after the beginning of feeding. However, the effects of the dsRNAs tested here appear to be minimal, both at the transcriptional and phenotype levels. For most concentrations and time points, no effects were observed. Therefore, the knockdown of genes DcCRT, DcLAC, and DcSnf7 do not appear to have the potential to control of D. citri through RNAi-mediated gene silencing.
Imputing single-cell RNA-seq data by considering cell heterogeneity and prior expression of dropouts
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Zhang Shihua
Published: September 2020

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides a powerful tool to determine expression patterns of thousands of individual cells. However, the analysis of scRNA-seq data remains a computational challenge due to the high technical noise such as the presence of dropout events that lead to a large proportion of zeros for expressed genes. Taking into account the cell heterogeneity and the relationship between dropout rate and expected expression level, we present a cell sub-population based bounded low-rank (PBLR) method to impute the dropouts of scRNA-seq data. Through application to both simulated and real scRNA-seq datasets, PBLR is shown to be effective in recovering dropout events, and it can dramatically improve the low-dimensional representation and the recovery of gene‒gene relationships masked by dropout events compared to several state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, PBLR also detects accurate and robust cell sub-populations automatically, shedding light on its flexibility and generality for scRNA-seq data analysis.
Proximity to Oil Refineries and Risk of Cancer: A Population-Based Analysis
Authors: Williams Stephen B , Shan Yong , Jazzar Usama , Kerr Preston S , Okereke Ikenna , Klimberg V Suzanne , Tyler Douglas S , Putluri Nagireddy , Lopez David S , Prochaska John D , Elferink Cornelis , Baillargeon Jacques G , Kuo Yong-Fang , Mehta Hemalkumar B
Published: September 2020

Background

The association between proximity to oil refineries and cancer rate is largely unknown. We sought to compare the rate of cancer (bladder, breast, colon, lung, lymphoma, and prostate) according to proximity to an oil refinery in Texas.

Methods

A total of 6 302 265 persons aged 20 years or older resided within 30 miles of an oil refinery from 2010 to 2014. We used multilevel zero-inflated Poisson regression models to examine the association between proximity to an oil refinery and cancer rate.

Results

We observed that proximity to an oil refinery was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of incident cancer diagnosis across all cancer types. For example, persons residing within 0-10 (risk ratio [RR] = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07 to 1.19) and 11-20 (RR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.11) miles were statistically significantly more likely to be diagnosed with lymphoma than individuals who lived within 21-30 miles of an oil refinery. We also observed differences in stage of cancer at diagnosis according to proximity to an oil refinery. Moreover, persons residing within 0-10 miles were more likely to be diagnosed with distant metastasis and/or systemic disease than people residing 21-30 miles from an oil refinery. The greatest risk of distant disease was observed in patients diagnosed with bladder cancer living within 0-10 vs 21-30 miles (RR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.65), respectively.

Conclusions

Proximity to an oil refinery was associated with an increased risk of multiple cancer types. We also observed statistically significantly increased risk of regional and distant/metastatic disease according to proximity to an oil refinery.
Women, Peace, and Security: Mapping the (Re)Production of a Policy Ecosystem
Authors: Kirby Paul , Shepherd Laura J
Published: September 2020

The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda is a global peace and security architecture conventionally understood as emerging from a suite of UN Security Council resolutions and accompanying member state action plans over the last twenty years. The agenda serves as a major international gender equality initiative in its own right and as a prominent example of the broadening of security practices in global politics. In this paper, we present the first truly systematic analysis of the agenda, drawing on a novel dataset of 213 WPS policy documents from across the UN system, national government initiatives, and regional and international organizations published between 2000 and 2018. We argue that the degree of variation in the WPS agenda is frequently underestimated in conventional models of norm diffusion and policy transfer, and instead propose an account of the agenda as a dynamic ecosystem shaped by reproduction and contestation. Our empirical mapping runs counter to established narratives about the development of the agenda, producing insights into the pace and location of the growth of WPS; the hierarchy of its key “pillars”; the emergence of new issues; the development of rival versions of the agenda; and the role of domestic institutions in shaping WPS policy. We find support for the claim that the WPS agenda is pluralizing in significant ways and provide illustrations of points of fracture within the agenda at large. Our argument has significant implications for the WPS research agenda and for scholarship on security norms and policy more broadly.
Human Metapneumovirus Infection and Genotyping of Infants in Rural Nepal
Authors: Perchetti Garrett A , Wilcox Naomi , Chu Helen Y , Katz Joanne , Khatry Subarna K , LeClerq Steven C , Tielsch James M , Jerome Keith R , Englund Janet A , Kuypers Jane
Published: September 2020

Background

Acute respiratory tract infections are a serious clinical burden in infants; human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important etiological agent. We investigated genotypic variation and molecular epidemiological patterns among infants infected with HMPV in Sarlahi, Nepal, to better characterize infection in a rural, low-resource setting.

Methods

Between May 2011 and April 2014, mid-nasal swabs were collected from 3528 infants who developed respiratory symptoms during a longitudinal maternal influenza vaccine study. Sequencing glycoprotein genes permitted genotyping and analyses among subtypes.

Results

HMPV was detected by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 187 (5%) infants, with seasonality observed during fall and winter months. Phylogenetic investigation of complete and partial coding sequences for the F and G genes, respectively, revealed that 3 genotypes were circulating: A2, B1, and B2. HMPV-B was most frequently detected with a single type predominating each season. Both HMPV genotypes exhibited comparable median viral loads. Clinically significant differences between genotypes were limited to increased cough duration and general respiratory symptoms for type B.

Conclusions

In rural Nepal, multiple HMPV genotypes circulate simultaneously with an alternating predominance of a single genotype and definitive seasonality. No difference in viral load was detected by genotype and symptom severity was not correlated with RT-PCR cycle threshold or genotype.
Molecular pathogenesis of pediatric thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Mitsutake Norisato , Saenko Vladimir
Published: September 2020

There has been little understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of pediatric thyroid cancers. Most of them are histologically classified as papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Ionizing radiation is the most important environmental factor to induce PTC, especially in children. Particularly, radiation-related pediatric PTCs after the Chernobyl accident provided invaluable information. In addition, the recent accumulation of sporadic pediatric PTC cases, partly due to advances in diagnostic imaging, has also provided insight into their general pathogenesis. In PTC development, basically two types of genetic alterations, fusion oncogenes, mainly RET/PTC, and a point mutation, mainly BRAFV600E, are thought to play a key role as driver oncogenes. Their frequencies vary depending on patient age. The younger the age, the more prevalent the fusion oncogenes are. Higher incidence of fusion oncogenes was also observed in cases exposed to radiation. In short, fusion oncogenes are associated with both age and radiation and are not evidence of radiation exposure. The type of driver oncogene is shifted toward BRAFV600E during adolescence in sporadic PTCs. However, until about this age, fusion oncogenes seem to still confer dominant growth advantages, which may lead to the higher discovery rate of the fusion oncogenes. It has been postulated that RET/PTC in radiation-induced PTC is generated by ionizing radiation; however, there is an interesting hypothesis that thyroid follicular cell clones with pre-existing RET/PTC were already present, and radiation may play a role as a promoter/progressor but not initiator. Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (TERT) promoter mutations, which are the strongest marker of tumor aggressiveness in adult PTC cases, have not been detected in pediatric cases; however, TERT expression without the mutations may play a role in tumor aggressiveness. In this paper, the recent information regarding molecular findings in sporadic and radiation-associated pediatric PTCs is summarized.
Splenosis mimicking lymphadenopathy
Authors: Chorbińska Joanna , Krajewski Wojciech , Sroczyński Maciej , Guziński Maciej , Zdrojowy Romuald
Published: September 2020

Splenosis is an autotransplantation of splenic tissue following traumatic rupture of the spleen or splenectomy. Generally, splenosis is asymptomatic. Therefore, most cases are incidental findings made during surgery, autopsy or after imaging studies for other purposes. Splenosis is a benign phenomenon, but it often shows similarity to the metastatic process. We present a case of asymptomatic intraperitoneal splenosis occurring in a 57-year-old male, in whom computed tomography urography showed lymphadenopathy suggesting a neoplastic process. A reconnaissance laparotomy was performed, and specimens were taken and sent for histopathological examination. The microscopic image of all the collected lesions corresponded to the normal spleen tissue. Due to an increasing number of traffic accidents, it is worth taking abdominal splenosis into consideration in the differential diagnosis of tumor-like changes, especially in patients with a history of splenic trauma or spleen removal. As a result, unnecessary surgery can be avoided in many cases.
XMM–Newton study of X-ray sources in the field of Willman 1 dwarf spheroidal galaxy★
Authors: Saeedi Sara , Sasaki Manami
Published: September 2020

We present the results of the analysis of three XMM–Newton observations of the Willman 1 dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Wil 1). X-ray sources are classified on the basis of spectral analysis, hardness ratios, X-ray-to-optical flux ratio, X-ray variability, and cross-correlation with available catalogues in optical and infrared wavelengths. We catalogued 97 sources in the field of Wil 1. Our classification shows the presence of a β-type symbiotic star in Wil 1. We classified one M dwarf foreground star in the field of Wil 1. Moreover, 54 sources are classified as background active galactic nuclei and galaxies. Our study shows that the luminosity of the X-ray sources of Wil 1 does not exceed ∼1034 erg s−1 in the energy range of 0.2–12.0 keV, which is similar to observed luminosities of sources in nearby dwarf spheroidal galaxies.
A deep Chandra survey for faint X-ray sources in the Galactic globular cluster M30, and searches for optical and radio counterparts
Authors: Zhao Yue , Heinke Craig O , Cohn Haldan N , Lugger Phyllis M , Guillot Sebastien , Echiburú Constanza , Shishkovsky Laura , Strader Jay , Chomiuk Laura , Bahramian Arash , Miller-Jones James C A , Maccarone Thomas J , Tremou Evangelia , Sivakoff Gregory R
Published: September 2020

We present a deep (∼330 ks) Chandra survey of the Galactic globular cluster M30 (NGC 7099). Combining the new Cycle 18 with the previous Cycle 3 observations we report a total of 10 new X-ray point sources within the 1${_{.}^{\prime}}$03 half-light radius, compiling an extended X-ray catalogue of a total of 23 sources. We incorporate imaging observations by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array from the MAVERIC survey to search for optical and radio counterparts to the new and old sources. Two X-ray sources are found to have a radio counterpart, including the known millisecond pulsar PSR J2140−2310A, the radio position of which also matches a previously reported faint optical counterpart which is slightly redder than the main sequence. We found optical counterparts to 18 of the 23 X-ray sources, identifying two new cataclysmic variables (CVs), five new CV candidates, two new candidates of RS CVn type of active binary (AB), and two new candidates of BY Dra type of AB. The remaining unclassified X-ray sources are likely background active galactic nuclei (AGNs), as their number is consistent with the expected number of AGN at our X-ray sensitivity. Finally, our analysis of radial profiles of different source classes suggests that bright CVs are more centrally distributed than faint CVs in M30, consistent with other core-collapsed globular clusters.
SiO emission as a probe of cloud–cloud collisions in infrared dark clouds
Authors: Cosentino G , Jiménez-Serra I , Henshaw J D , Caselli P , Viti S , Barnes A T , Tan J C , Fontani F , Wu B
Published: September 2020

Infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) are very dense and highly extincted regions that host the initial conditions of star and stellar cluster formation. It is crucial to study the kinematics and molecular content of IRDCs to test their formation mechanism and ultimately characterize these initial conditions. We have obtained high-sensitivity Silicon Monoxide, SiO(2–1), emission maps towards the six IRDCs, G018.82–00.28, G019.27+00.07, G028.53–00.25, G028.67+00.13, G038.95–00.47, and G053.11+00.05 (cloud A, B, D, E, I, and J, respectively), using the 30-m antenna at the Instituto de Radioastronomía Millimétrica (IRAM30m). We have investigated the SiO spatial distribution and kinematic structure across the six clouds to look for signatures of cloud–cloud collision events that may have formed the IRDCs and triggered star formation within them. Towards clouds A, B, D, I, and J, we detect spatially compact SiO emission with broad-line profiles that are spatially coincident with massive cores. Towards the IRDCs A and I, we report an additional SiO component that shows narrow-line profiles and that is widespread across quiescent regions. Finally, we do not detect any significant SiO emission towards cloud E. We suggest that the broad and compact SiO emission detected towards the clouds is likely associated with ongoing star formation activity within the IRDCs. However, the additional narrow and widespread SiO emission detected towards cloud A and I may have originated from the collision between the IRDCs and flows of molecular gas pushed towards the clouds by nearby H ii regions.
Candidate Periodically Variable Quasars from the Dark Energy Survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Authors: Chen Yu-Ching , Liu Xin , Liao Wei-Ting , Holgado A Miguel , Guo Hengxiao , Gruendl Robert A , Morganson Eric , Shen Yue , Zhang Kaiwen , Abbott Tim M C , Aguena Michel , Allam Sahar , Avila Santiago , Bertin Emmanuel , Bhargava Sunayana , Brooks David , Burke David L , Rosell Aurelio Carnero , Carollo Daniela , Kind Matias Carrasco , Carretero Jorge , Costanzi Matteo , da Costa Luiz N , Davis Tamara M , De Vicente Juan , Desai Shantanu , Diehl H Thomas , Doel Peter , Everett Spencer , Flaugher Brenna , Friedel Douglas , Frieman Joshua , García-Bellido Juan , Gaztanaga Enrique , Glazebrook Karl , Gruen Daniel , Gutierrez Gaston , Hinton Samuel R , Hollowood Devon L , James David J , Kim Alex G , Kuehn Kyler , Kuropatkin Nikolay , Lewis Geraint F , Lidman Christopher , Lima Marcos , Maia Marcio A G , March Marisa , Marshall Jennifer L , Menanteau Felipe , Miquel Ramon , Palmese Antonella , Paz-Chinchón Francisco , Plazas Andrés A , Sanchez Eusebio , Schubnell Michael , Serrano Santiago , Sevilla-Noarbe Ignacio , Smith Mathew , Suchyta Eric , Swanson Molly E C , Tarle Gregory , Tucker Brad E , Varga Tamas Norbert , Walker Alistair R
Published: September 2020

Periodically variable quasars have been suggested as close binary supermassive black holes. We present a systematic search for periodic light curves in 625 spectroscopically confirmed quasars with a median redshift of 1.8 in a 4.6 deg2 overlapping region of the Dark Energy Survey Supernova (DES-SN) fields and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 (SDSS-S82). Our sample has a unique 20-year long multi-color (griz) light curve enabled by combining DES-SN Y6 observations with archival SDSS-S82 data. The deep imaging allows us to search for periodic light curves in less luminous quasars (down to r ∼23.5 mag) powered by less massive black holes (with masses ≳ 108.5M⊙) at high redshift for the first time. We find five candidates with significant (at >99.74% single-frequency significance in at least two bands with a global p-value of ∼7 × 10−4–3× 10−3 accounting for the look-elsewhere effect) periodicity with observed periods of ∼3–5 years (i.e., 1–2 years in rest frame) having ∼4–6 cycles spanned by the observations. If all five candidates are periodically variable quasars, this translates into a detection rate of ${\sim }0.8^{+0.5}_{-0.3}$% or ${\sim }1.1^{+0.7}_{-0.5}$ quasar per deg2. Our detection rate is 4–80 times larger than those found by previous searches using shallower surveys over larger areas. This discrepancy is likely caused by differences in the quasar populations probed and the survey data qualities. We discuss implications on the future direct detection of low-frequency gravitational waves. Continued photometric monitoring will further assess the robustness and characteristics of these candidate periodic quasars to determine their physical origins.
Stellar flares versus luminosity: XUV-induced atmospheric escape and planetary habitability
Authors: Atri Dimitra , Mogan Shane R Carberry
Published: September 2020

Space weather plays an important role in the evolution of planetary atmospheres. Observations have shown that stellar flares emit energy in a wide energy range (1030–1038 erg), a fraction of which lies in X-rays and extreme ultraviolet (XUV). These flares heat the upper atmosphere of a planet, leading to increased escape rates, and can result in atmospheric erosion over a period of time. Observations also suggest that primordial terrestrial planets can accrete voluminous H/He envelopes. Stellar radiation can erode these protoatmospheres over time, and the extent of this erosion has implications for the planet’s habitability. We use the energy-limited equation to calculate hydrodynamic escape rates from these protoatmospheres irradiated by XUV stellar flares and luminosity. We use the flare frequency distribution of 492 FGKM stars observed with TESS to estimate atmospheric loss in habitable zone planets. We find that for most stars, luminosity-induced escape is the main loss mechanism, with a minor contribution from flares. However, flares dominate the loss mechanism of ∼20 per cent M4–M10 stars. M0–M4 stars are most likely to completely erode both their proto- and secondary atmospheres, and M4–M10 are least likely to erode secondary atmospheres. We discuss the implications of these results on planetary habitability.
A Phase II and Pharmacodynamic Trial of RO4929097 for Patients With Recurrent/Progressive Glioblastoma
Authors: Peereboom David M , Ye Xiaobu , Mikkelsen Tom , Lesser Glenn J , Lieberman Frank S , Robins H Ian , Ahluwalia Manmeet S , Sloan Andrew E , Grossman Stuart A
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Cancer stem-like cells are a major cause of resistance to therapy in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) as well as other cancers. Tumor cells are maintained in a stem-like proliferative state in large part through the Notch signaling pathway. The function of this pathway in turn depends on gamma secretase activity. Inhibition of this enzyme therefore inhibits the Notch pathway and tumor growth as measured by a reduction in the formation of brain tumor neurospheres in murine models. RO4929097 is an oral gamma secretase inhibitor.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the 6-mo progression-free survival rate (PFS6) in patients with progressive GBM and to inhibit by 50% the generation of neurospheres in fresh tissue resected from patients treated with RO4929097.

METHODS

In this phase II and pharmacodynamic study, patients with recurrent GBM received RO4929097 in a study of 2 groups. Group A patients had unresectable disease and received drug in a standard phase II design. Group B patients had resectable disease and received drug before and after surgical resection. Endpoints included PFS6 and the inhibition of neurosphere formation in the resected tumor samples.

RESULTS

A total of 47 patients received treatment, 7 of whom had tumor resection. The PFS6 was 4%, and the inhibition of neurosphere formation occurred in 1 of 7 patient samples.

CONCLUSION

RO4929097 was inactive in recurrent GBM patients and demonstrated minimal inhibition of neurosphere formation in fresh tissue samples.
The Bishop as Lawmaker in Late Medieval Europe
Authors: Dorin Rowan
Published: September 2020

Throughout the later Middle Ages, bishops across Latin Christendom issued statutes to guide the clergy and instruct the faithful within their dioceses. Following the lead of medieval jurists, modern scholars have understood this local episcopal legislation as disseminating and reinforcing the so-called ‘universal law’ promulgated by popes and general church councils. Yet a closer look at the surviving corpus of diocesan statutes reveals bishops’ readiness to wield selective citations and editorial omissions so as to shape local knowledge of church law in accordance with episcopal priorities. More broadly, this article contends that such local law-making also offered bishops a means to resist the papacy’s increasing claims to legislative and jurisdictional supremacy within the church. Faced with a wealth of new legislation that was firmly papalist in its origin and presentation, many bishops opted to emphasize their law-making authority by framing their borrowings of the universal law as emanations of their own episcopal will. The resulting corpus of diocesan statutes thus expressed in practice a vision of episcopal authority that differed sharply from the prescriptions of popes and jurists, and which presaged the explosive ecclesiological controversies of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
The Effectiveness of Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurostimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain and Chronic Neuropathic Pain of the Lower Extremity: A Comprehensive Review of the Published Data
Authors: Nagpal Ameet , Clements Nathan , Duszynski Belinda , Boies Brian
Published: September 2020

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of dorsal root ganglion neurostimulation for the treatment of refractory, focal pain in the pelvis and lower extremities.

Design

Systematic review.

Outcome Measures

The primary outcome was ≥50% pain relief. Secondary outcomes were physical function, mood, quality of life, opioid usage, and complications.

Results

One pragmatic randomized controlled trial, four prospective cohort studies, and eight case series met the inclusion criteria. A worst-case scenario analysis from the randomized controlled trial reported ≥50% pain relief in 74% of patients with dorsal root ganglion neurostimulation vs. 51% of patients who experienced at least 50% relief with spinal cord stimulation at 3 months. Cohort data success rates ranged from 43% to 83% at ≤6 months and 27% to 100% at >6 months. Significant improvements were also reported in the secondary outcomes assessed, including mood, quality of life, opioid usage, and health care utilization, though a lack of available quantitative data limits further statistical analysis. Complication rates vary, though the only randomized controlled trial reported a higher rate of adverse events than that seen with traditional neurostimulation.

Conclusions

In accordance with the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system, low-quality evidence supports dorsal root ganglion neurostimulation as a more effective treatment than traditional neurostimulation for pain and dysfunction associated with complex regional pain syndrome or causalgia. Very low-quality evidence supports dorsal root ganglion neurostimulation for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain, chronic neuropathic groin pain, phantom limb pain, chronic neuropathic pain of the trunk and/or limbs, and diabetic neuropathy.
Immorality and Transgressive Art: An Argument for Immoralism in the Philosophy of Art
Authors: Li Zhen
Published: September 2020

The position of immoralism in analytic aesthetics and the philosophy of art holds that a work's moral defects can sometimes contribute to its artistic value. This position has suffered massive criticism in recent years. In support of immoralism, I present in this paper a new argument by examining immorality in the artistic genre of transgressive art. I argue that in the category of transgressive art, due to the nature of immorality that is a transgressive and liberating force against morality's authority, being immoral can contribute directly to an artwork's artistic value by contributing to the realization of its artistic aim.
First limits from a 3D-vector directional dark matter search with the NEWAGE-0.3b’ detector
Authors: Yakabe Ryota , Nakamura Kiseki , Ikeda Tomonori , Ito Hiroshi , Yamaguchi Yushiro , Taishaku Ryosuke , Nakazawa Miki , Ishiura Hirohisa , Nakamura Takuma , Shimada Takuya , Tanimori Toru , Kubo Hidetoshi , Takada Atsushi , Sekiya Hiroyuki , Takeda Atsushi , Miuchi Kentaro
Published: September 2020

The first directional dark matter search with three-dimensional tracking with head–tail sensitivity (3D-vector tracking analysis) was performed with a gaseous three-dimensional tracking detector, or the NEWAGE-0.3b’ detector. The search was carried out from 2013 July to 2017 August (Run14 to Run18) at the Kamioka underground laboratory. The total livetime is 434.85 d, corresponding to an exposure of 4.51 kg$\>$d. A 90 % confidence level upper limit on spin-dependent WIMP-proton cross-section of $4.3\times10^{2}$ pb for WIMPs with the mass of 150 GeV$\>c^{-2}$ is obtained.
A Tale of Two Crises: The 2008 Mortgage Meltdown and the 2020 COVID-19 Crisis
Authors: Spatt Chester S
Published: September 2020

The causes and consequences of the 2008 mortgage meltdown and 2020 COVID-19 crisis are quite different: the 2008 mortgage meltdown reflected infection of the financial system due to excess leverage and poor-quality mortgage loans, and the recent crisis reflects a substantial global economic shock to contain the viral outbreak of the coronavirus. Yet the financial and medical systems share many elements, such as opacity and interconnectedness as well as adequate buffers and reserves. We examine these themes as well as asset pricing, moral hazard (though it was at the root of the crisis only in the Great Recession), the consequences for government as a systemic actor, economic concentration, and capital market regulation in the two crises. In both crises, interventions in financial markets and disruptions in the housing market played important, but differing, roles. The recent crisis elucidates open questions about the foundation of financial economics and risk sharing.
COMPARISON OF RADON MASS EXHALATION RATE MEASUREMENTS FROM BUILDING MATERIALS BY TWO DIFFERENT METHODS
Authors: Soares Sandra , Kessongo Joaquim , Bahu Yoenls , Peralta Luis
Published: September 2020

The aim of this study is to measure the radon mass exhalation rate from common granite building materials used in the east and northeast part of Portugal. Twelve cubic shaped samples were measured. Nine of them without any coating and three coated with different materials (varnish, hydrorepellent and liquid silicone). The radon measurements were performed with two different techniques: one using passive detectors and other using an active detector. For the passive method, CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors were used. The active method used the RAD7 DURRIDGE detector. Radon mass exhalation rates obtained from both methods present relatively low values in the 11–45 mBq kg−1 h−1 range for the analysed samples. Concerning the coated samples, the measured values are on average four times lower than the ones without coating. Overall, the measured values for both methods present a good agreement.
Psychotic Experiences and Schizotypy in Early Adolescence Predict Subsequent Suicidal Ideation Trajectories and Suicide Attempt Outcomes From Age 18 to 38 Years
Authors: O′Hare Kirstie J M , Poulton Richie , Linscott Richard J
Published: September 2020

Subclinical risk markers for schizophrenia predict suicidality, but little is known about the nature of the relationship. Suicidal ideation is often considered homogenous, but distinguishing passive from active ideation (ie, thoughts of death vs thoughts of killing oneself) and different temporal patterns may further the understanding of risk factors. We tested whether schizotypy and psychotic experiences (PEs) in early adolescence predict subsequent growth trajectories of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt outcomes. Participants were 1037 members of the population-representative Dunedin Study cohort. PE was measured at 11 years and schizotypy at 13 and 15 years. Outcomes were passive and active suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt, measured at 18, 21, 26, 32, and 38 years. Passive ideation was best represented by 2 trajectories, including persistent and transient ideation classes. Schizotypy predicted membership in the smaller persistent class (odds ratio [OR] = 1.21, P = .041), whereas PE was not associated with class membership. The probability of suicide attempts was 13.8% in the persistent ideation class, compared with 1.8% in the transient class. Active ideation was best represented by a 1-class model, the intercept of which was predicted by schizotypy (OR = 1.23, P = .015). Suicide attempts were predicted by schizotypy (OR = 1.53, P = .040) and PE (OR = 3.42, P = .046), and this was partially mediated by indirect effects via the active ideation trajectory. Findings indicate that adolescent schizotypy and PE are related to subsequent suicidal ideation and attempts. Suicidal ideation is heterogeneous, and schizotypy is specifically related to a persistent passive ideation subgroup.
Gender identity and wives’ labor market outcomes in West and East Germany between 1983 and 2016
Authors: Sprengholz Maximilian , Wieber Anna , Holst Elke
Published: September 2020

We exploit the natural experiment of German reunification in 1990 to investigate if the institutional regimes of the formerly socialist (rather gender-equal) East Germany and the capitalist (rather gender-traditional) West Germany resulted in differing gender norms regarding who should be the family breadwinner. We use data for three periods between 1983 and 2016 from the German Socio-Economic Panel. Density discontinuity tests and fixed-effects regressions suggest that married couples in West (but not East) Germany diminished the wife’s labor market outcomes in order to avoid situations where she would earn more than him. However, the significance of the male breadwinner norm seems to decline in West Germany since reunification, converging to the more gender egalitarian East Germany. Our work provides evidence that political and institutional frameworks can shape fairly persistent gender identity norms that influence household economic decisions for some time, even when these frameworks change.
Calling Social Work to the Movement for Educational Justice
Authors: Ball Annahita
Published: September 2020

The persistent and systemic inequities within the U.S. public education system have grave implications for children’s and youth’s outcomes, yet these inequities go far beyond academics. Marginalized and vulnerable students experience injustices across the educational system, including disproportionality in school discipline, unequal access to advanced courses, and poor conditions for learning. Social work has a solid history of addressing issues that intersect across families, schools, and communities, but the profession has had little engagement in the recent educational justice movement. As educational scholars advance a movement to address educational inequities, it will be increasingly important for social work researchers to provide valuable insight into the multiple components that make up youth development and support positive well-being for all individuals within a democratic society. This article encourages social work researchers to extend lines of inquiry that investigate educational justice issues by situating social work practice and research within educational justice and suggesting an agenda for future social work research that will advance equity for all students.