bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dental malformations associated with biallelic MMP20 mutations
Authors: Wang Shih‐Kai , Zhang Hong , Chavez Michael B. , Hu Yuanyuan , Seymen Figen , Koruyucu Mine , Kasimoglu Yelda , Colvin Connor D. , Kolli Tamara N. , Tan Michelle H. , Wang Yin‐Lin , Lu Pei‐Ying , Kim Jung‐Wook , Foster Brian L. , Bartlett John D. , Simmer James P. , Hu Jan C.‐C.
Published: June 2020

Background

Matrix metallopeptidase 20 (MMP20) is an evolutionarily conserved protease that is essential for processing enamel matrix proteins during dental enamel formation. MMP20 mutations cause human autosomal recessive pigmented hypomaturation‐type amelogenesis imperfecta (AI2A2; OMIM #612529). MMP20 is expressed in both odontoblasts and ameloblasts, but its function during dentinogenesis is unclear.

Methods

We characterized 10 AI kindreds with MMP20 defects, characterized human third molars and/or Mmp20−/− mice by histology, Backscattered Scanning Electron Microscopy (bSEM), µCT, and nanohardness testing.

Results

We identified six novel MMP20 disease‐causing mutations. Four pathogenic variants were associated with exons encoding the MMP20 hemopexin‐like (PEX) domain, suggesting a necessary regulatory function. Mutant human enamel hardness was softest (13% of normal) midway between the dentinoenamel junction (DEJ) and the enamel surface. bSEM and µCT analyses of the third molars revealed reduced mineral density in both enamel and dentin. Dentin close to the DEJ showed an average hardness number 62%–69% of control. Characterization of Mmp20−/− mouse dentin revealed a significant reduction in dentin thickness and mineral density and a transient increase in predentin thickness, indicating disturbances in dentin matrix secretion and mineralization.

Conclusion

These results expand the spectrum of MMP20 disease‐causing mutations and provide the first evidence for MMP20 function during dentin formation.
Do voiding urodynamic parameters predict the success of adjustable transobturator male system (ATOMS) to treat postprostatectomy urinary incontinence?
Authors: Virseda‐Chamorro Miguel , Ruiz Sonia , García Gonzalo , Queissert Fabian , Salinas Jesús , Arance Ignacio , Angulo Javier C.
Published: June 2020

Objective

To evaluate whether urodynamic voiding risk factors can be predictive of failure of postprostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPI) treatment with adjustable transobturator male system (ATOMS).

Materials and Methods

We carried out a longitudinal study on 77 males treated for PPI with ATOMS. Patients were submitted preoperatively to a urodynamic study. The postoperative outcome was checked by pad‐test. Treatment success was defined as daily pad‐test below 10 mL. Statistical analysis used were Fisher exact test, χ2 lineal by lineal test, Student t test, and logistic regression analysis. The signification level was set at 95% bilateral.

Results

Treatment was successful in 54 patients (70%) achieving continence. The urodynamic parameters that related to postoperative continence outcome were the cystometric bladder capacity (direct relationship with continence (P = .019), type of voiding (more probability to achieve continence in patients who voided voluntarily followed by patients with involuntary voiding and abdominal straining voiding) (P = .034), Bladder Outlet Obstruction Index (BOOI) (inversely related with continence) (P = .025), and maximum voiding abdominal pressure (inversely related with continence) (P = .049). Multivariate analysis showed that cystometric bladder capacity (odds ratio [OR], 1.01; confidence interval [CI], 1.02‐1.00), BOOI (OR, 0.97; CI, 0.99‐0.94), and maximum abdominal bladder pressure (OR, 0.97; CI, 0.98‐0.94) were independent risk factors to predict treatment success after ATOMS implant.

Conclusions

The study of functional voiding parameters is useful to know the risk factors that influence postoperative outcome of PPI with ATOMS device. These findings could be of primary importance to facilitate optimum patient selection for this implant and therefore improve operative results.
Factors affecting Australian aged care facility workers in administering oral medication to residents with swallowing difficulties
Authors: Sefidani Forough Aida , Lau Esther T. L. , Steadman Kathryn J. , Kyle Greg J. , Cichero Julie A. Y. , Serrano Santos Jose Manuel , Nissen Lisa M.
Published: June 2020

Swallowing difficulties are common in older people and can complicate the administration of oral medications. The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting healthcare workers in their practices of oral medication administration to aged care residents with swallowing difficulties. A purposeful sample of 17 healthcare workers composed of clinical/care managers, registered nurses (RNs), enrolled nurses (ENs), and assistants in nursing (AINs) from three aged care facilities in Queensland, Australia participated in semi‐structured interviews. Leximancer was used for quantitative content analysis. The responses centered on three main factors. Participants discussed workprocess‐related factors including time, workload, and stress and frustrations resulting from work processes. Medication‐related factors included strategies to facilitate medication administration, uncertainties around modifying medications, availability/cost of alternatives, multidisciplinary medication management, prescribing considerations, and polypharmacy. Resident‐related factors were discussed around individualized needs of residents especially those with dementia‐associated swallowing difficulties. Ideas differed among the four groups of participants. Managers discussed workprocess‐related factors pertaining to staff and facility. RNs focused on how clinical aspects of the medication practices were affected by work processes. ENs were task‐oriented and their responses focused on work processes. AIN responses centered on reliance on RNs in performing medication tasks. The findings suggest that healthcare workers' practices of medication administration to residents with swallowing difficulties are affected by various factors associated with work processes, medications, and resident characteristics. Although these factors affect all levels of healthcare workers, the needs of each group vary depending on their level of training and responsibilities.
Discovery and identification of proangiogenic chemical markers from Gastrodiae Rhizoma based on zebrafish model and metabolomics approach
Authors: Liu Mengyujie , Zhao Liang , Han Liwen , Li Haonan , Shi Yongping , Cui Jing , Wang Chenyang , Xu Li , Zhong Lihong
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Angiogenesis is closely related to a variety of diseases, and therapies based on angiogenesis are intensely investigated. Studies have shown that the use of Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR, Gastrodia elata) can benefit the treatment of ischemic cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis by stimulating angiogenesis.

Objective

This study tested the angiogenesis effects of a group of chemical markers isolated from GR.

Material and methods

Zebrafish model was used to evaluate angiogenesis by setting four groups: blank control group, model group, positive control group and treatment group (0.1, 1, and 100 μg/mL RGP). The Gray correlation analysis (GCA) was implemented to calculate the correlation coefficients of each compound between the peak area in liquid chromatography time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LC‐TOF‐MS) and the bioactivity, the top ten components with the correlation degree > 0.9 were listed.

Results and discussion

The optimum final concentration of GR on proangiogenesis effect was determined to be 100 μg/mL. Ten compounds, including gastrodin, parishin E, stigmasterol, p‐hydroxybenzyl alcohol, citric acid, etc., were identified to have high correlation coefficients with proangiogenic activity. Furthermore, the network pharmacologic analysis of these compounds revealed that the compounds systematically regulate the formation of new blood vessels via networked vital targets and signalling pathways.

Conclusion

GR can promote the growth of blood vessels, ten chemical components discovered contribute to this proangiogenesis activity. These chemical markers of GR thus provide a foundation for further studies on medicinal substances and quality evaluation of GR, also providing a scientific basis for modern interpretation of the processing theory of traditional Chinese medicine.
Urethral luminal epithelia are castration‐insensitive cells of the proximal prostate
Authors: Joseph Diya B. , Henry Gervaise H. , Malewska Alicia , Iqbal Nida S. , Ruetten Hannah M. , Turco Anne E. , Abler Lisa L. , Sandhu Simran K. , Cadena Mark T. , Malladi Venkat S. , Reese Jeffrey C. , Mauck Ryan J. , Gahan Jeffrey C. , Hutchinson Ryan C. , Roehrborn Claus G. , Baker Linda A. , Vezina Chad M. , Strand Douglas W.
Published: June 2020

Background

Castration‐insensitive epithelial progenitors capable of regenerating the prostate have been proposed to be concentrated in the proximal region based on facultative assays. Functional characterization of prostate epithelial populations isolated with individual cell surface markers has failed to provide a consensus on the anatomical and transcriptional identity of proximal prostate progenitors.

Methods

Here, we use single‐cell RNA sequencing to obtain a complete transcriptomic profile of all epithelial cells in the mouse prostate and urethra to objectively identify cellular subtypes. Pan‐transcriptomic comparison to human prostate cell types identified a mouse equivalent of human urethral luminal cells, which highly expressed putative prostate progenitor markers. Validation of the urethral luminal cell cluster was performed using immunostaining and flow cytometry.

Results

Our data reveal that previously identified facultative progenitors marked by Trop2, Sca‐1, KRT4, and PSCA are actually luminal epithelial cells of the urethra that extend into the proximal region of the prostate, and are resistant to castration‐induced androgen deprivation. Mouse urethral luminal cells were identified to be the equivalent of previously identified human club and hillock cells that similarly extend into proximal prostate ducts. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has long been considered an “embryonic reawakening,” but the cellular origin of the hyperplastic growth concentrated in the periurethral region is unclear. We demonstrate an increase in urethral luminal cells within glandular nodules from BPH patients. Urethral luminal cells are further increased in patients treated with a 5‐α reductase inhibitor.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrate that cells of the proximal prostate that express putative progenitor markers, and are enriched by castration in the proximal prostate, are urethral luminal cells and that these cells may play an important role in the etiology of human BPH.
Emulsion‐Tailored Pore Properties and Electrochemical Performance of Ni(OH)2 Spheres Using High Shear as Driving Force
Authors: Zhang Jingxue , Cui Hongtao
Published: June 2020

The pore‐structural ordering in nanosheets‐interlinked clusters is a significant issue for the electrochemical performance of Ni(OH)2 as an electrode material for application in Faraday supercapacitors. Herein, the W/O emulsion stabilized by high shear mixer (HSM) is used as a medium to organize the pore structure in Ni(OH)2 nanosheets‐interlinked spheres. It is found that the water content in emulsion strongly affects the pore structure and surface area of Ni(OH)2 nanosheets‐interlinked spheres formed through the granulation effect of HSM. It is considered that the oil phase as continuous phase in emulsion can reduce the aggregation/agglomeration of Ni(OH)2 nanosheets, resulting from the strong intermolecular force between nanosheets. As a result, the oil phase in emulsion is beneficial to the formation of ordered pore structure and the increase of surface area in the produced spheres. The characterization results indicate that the sample prepared at a water content of 20 vol% has the largest specific surface area and the well‐defined pore structure enclosed with interlinked nanosheets. As a result, this sample presents excellent electrochemical performance and promoted cycling stability.
The emerging antioxidant paradigm of mesenchymal stem cell therapy
Authors: Stavely Rhian , Nurgali Kulmira
Published: June 2020

Mesenchymal stem cells (multipotent stromal cells; MSCs) have been under investigation for the treatment of diverse diseases, with many promising outcomes achieved in animal models and clinical trials. The biological activity of MSC therapies has not been fully resolved which is critical to rationalizing their use and developing strategies to enhance treatment efficacy. Different paradigms have been constructed to explain their mechanism of action, including tissue regeneration, trophic/anti-inflammatory secretion, and immunomodulation. MSCs rarely engraft and differentiate into other cell types after in vivo administration. Furthermore, it is equivocal whether MSCs function via the secretion of many peptide/protein ligands as their therapeutic properties are observed across xenogeneic barriers, which is suggestive of mechanisms involving mediators conserved between species. Oxidative stress is concomitant with cellular injury, inflammation, and dysregulated metabolism which are involved in many pathologies. Growing evidence supports that MSCs exert antioxidant properties in a variety of animal models of disease, which may explain their cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. In this review, evidence of the antioxidant effects of MSCs in in vivo and in vitro models is explored and potential mechanisms of these effects are discussed. These include direct scavenging of free radicals, promoting endogenous antioxidant defenses, immunomodulation via reactive oxygen species suppression, altering mitochondrial bioenergetics, and donating functional mitochondria to damaged cells. Modulation of the redox environment and oxidative stress by MSCs can mediate their anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective properties and may offer an explanation to the diversity in disease models treatable by MSCs and how these mechanisms may be conserved between species.

Significance statement The role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in ameliorating oxidative and nitrosative injury has received considerable attention in recent years. The reduction-oxidation (redox) environment regulates many physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms in cellular biology. Oxidative stress and redox imbalance are mediated by molecular constituents that are present in all living cells and share similar functions. The ability of MSCs to regulate these processes may offer an explanation to the diversity of disease models treatable by MSCs and to the effects of MSCs conserved between species. In this review, evidence of direct and indirect antioxidant mechanisms of MSC therapies is explored.
Synthesis of C2 Hybrid Amide‐Based PTC Catalysts and Their Comparison with Saturated Analogues
Authors: Majdecki Maciej , Niedbala Patryk , Jurczak Janusz
Published: June 2020

We investigated the synthesis and catalytic efficiency of four new C2 hybrid PTC catalysts and their saturated analogues with reduced double bond. These eight novel hybrid catalysts can be straightforwardly synthesized with good yields and high structural design diversity (with various linkers). The catalytic efficiency of our catalysts was systematically investigated using a glycine imine alkylation reaction, carried out under PTC conditions. It was found that saturated catalysts show both higher reaction yield (up to 98%) and enantioselectivity (up to 94% ee).
Knowledge, routines, and cognitive effects in nonmarket selection environments: An examination of the regulatory review of innovations
Authors: Polidoro Francisco
Published: June 2020

Research summary

Evolutionary models of technological evolution highlight the cognitive underpinning of routines that shape organizational adaptation. However, research thus far has overlooked the possibility that cognitive effects might also shape selection. This study redresses this imbalance by examining nonmarket selection, focusing for that purpose on the regulatory review of innovations. It proposes that the more knowledge about different technologies is available to regulatory agencies, the more evaluation incongruities they face when evaluating a focal innovation, which increases the time for its regulatory review. It also proposes that this effect is attenuated when regulatory agencies are more frequently confronted with innovations drawing on new technologies. By elucidating cognitive effects that shape nonmarket selection, this study has theoretical implications for research on technological evolution and organizational learning.

Managerial summary

This study highlights influences on the regulatory review of innovations, an important hurdle that firms in many industries must clear before launching innovations into the market. The regulatory review of an innovation is largely thought to be facilitated by knowledge about that innovation and the technology on which it builds. But, this view overlooks that knowledge about other technologies that exist in the same domain of an innovation can create evaluation incongruities that hamper its regulatory review, extending its regulatory review time. This effect is attenuated when regulatory agencies are more frequently confronted with new technologies, which makes them more aware of distinctions that different technologies entail, thus reducing incongruities in the review of subsequent innovations.
Internal agglomeration and productivity: Evidence from microdata
Authors: Rawley Evan , Seamans Robert
Published: June 2020

Research Summary: We study how internal agglomeration—geographic clustering of business establishments owned by the same parent company—influences establishment productivity. Using Census microdata on the population of U.S. hotels from 1987‐2007, we find that doubling the intensity of internal agglomeration is associated with a productivity increase of about 2% in pre‐existing establishments. We consider several mechanisms that may be driving the productivity effect and find evidence consistent with the idea that an economically meaningful component of the productivity effect is due to knowledge transfer between internally agglomerated establishments. We replicate our main findings with Census microdata on the full population of U.S. restaurants from 1987‐2007, suggesting that the internal agglomeration effects we document may generalize broadly to other industries with multi‐unit firms.

Managerial Summary: Internal agglomeration is the geographic clustering of business establishments owned by the same parent company. This paper uses detailed Census data on hotels and restaurants to show how internal agglomeration influences performance. Interestingly, knowledge sharing between owned establishments in the same metropolitan area appears to be a key driver of the internal agglomeration effect.
Identifying internal markets for resource redeployment
Authors: Dickler Teresa A. , Folta Timothy B.
Published: June 2020

Research summary

This article explores one important way in which multi‐business firms have advantages over single‐business firms. By having flexibility to reallocate resources, such as human capital, production capacity, or equipment, between businesses in their portfolio, they may be able to efficiently expand in markets with strong opportunities and contract in less attractive markets. We provide empirical evidence confirming that compared to single‐business firms in the same industry and of the same size, businesses in multi‐business firms expand revenues 12% more aggressively, and retrench revenues 37% more aggressively, on average. This first generalizable test of the theory also reveals that the relative advantage of multi‐business firms escalates with lower internal resource adjustment costs, higher external transaction costs, and greater opportunity differences with the portfolio.

Managerial summary

In this article, we show an important way in which multi‐business firms have advantages over single‐business firms. By having flexibility to reallocate resources, such as employees, production capacity, or equipment, between businesses in their portfolio, they may be able to efficiently expand in markets with strong opportunities and contract in less attractive markets. We provide empirical evidence confirming that compared to similar single‐business firms in the same industry and of the same size, businesses in multi‐business firms expand revenues 12% more aggressively, and retrench revenues 37% more aggressively, on average. The article also provides theoretical predictions about when the advantage is most pronounced.
Replication using templates: Does the unit learn from itself, the template, or both?
Authors: Lawrence Megan
Published: June 2020

Research Summary:

Replication of practices is an important value‐creating strategy for multi‐unit firms, yet they often struggle to share knowledge internally across locations. Drawing on the replication and learning literatures and using data from aFortune100 retail chain that implemented a new restocking practice in 280 stores, I examine whether and how templates influence unit learning when replicating new practices. Stores were divided into districts, each with one randomly chosen template and 6–10 replicating stores. A replicating store's prior performance relative to that of its template influences the extent to which the store learns from the template versus from its own experience. These findings suggest that replication involves simultaneously and dynamically learning from both transferred knowledge and knowledge gained from experience.

Managerial Summary:

Transferring valuable practices within the firm is an important yet difficult task for many firm types, especially multi‐unit firms. One way that firms choose to transfer practices is through the use of templates—working examples of the new practice that act as models. Using data from aFortune100 retail chain, I show that the use of templates affects the way in which units learn to implement the practice. Because managers face tradeoffs when devoting attention to implementing the new practice, they must balance learning from the template with incorporating their own local experience with the new practice. Overall, my results suggest that choosing many templates is less important than choosing a few templates with superior performance for firms whose units or contexts are similar.
Transformation of Nanomaterials and Its Implications in Gut Nanotoxicology
Authors: Setyawati Magdiel Inggrid , Zhao Zhitong , Ng Kee Woei
Published: June 2020

Ingestion of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) is inevitable due to their widespread utilization in the agrifood industry. Safety evaluation has become pivotal to identify the consequences on human health of exposure to these ingested ENMs. Much of the current understanding of nanotoxicology in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is derived from studies utilizing pristine ENMs. In reality, agrifood ENMs interact with their microenvironment, and undergo multiple physicochemical transformations, such as aggregation/agglomeration, dissolution, speciation change, and surface characteristics alteration, across their life cycle from synthesis to consumption. This work sieves out the implications of ENM transformations on their behavior, stability, and reactivity in food and product matrices and through the GIT, in relation to measured toxicological profiles. In particular, a strong emphasis is given to understand the mechanisms through which these transformations can affect ENM induced gut nanotoxicity.
Large‐Area Boron‐Doped 1.6 Ω cm p‐Type Czochralski Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells with a Stable Open‐Circuit Voltage of 736 mV and Efficiency of 22.0%
Authors: Vicari Stefani Bruno , Soeriyadi Anastasia , Wright Matthew , Chen Daniel , Kim Moonyong , Zhang Yuchao , Hallam Brett
Published: June 2020

Herein, large‐area defect‐engineered p‐type silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells using standard 1.6 Ω cm commercial‐grade boron‐doped Czochralski (Cz) silicon wafers are fabricated. It is demonstrated that despite achieving an open‐circuit voltage of 735 mV with an efficiency of 21.6% for gettered samples, without appropriate treatment, the cells are heavily susceptible to boron–oxygen‐related light‐induced degradation (LID), with the effective lifetime at maximum power point decreasing to 13 μs. This degradation results in a loss of efficiency of more than 3.1%abs (14.3%rel) after 48 h of light soaking. However, the addition of an advanced hydrogenation postcell fabrication process increases the efficiency by 0.2%abs to 21.8%, and dramatically reduces susceptibility of LID, decreasing the extent of degradation to 0.2%abs (0.9%rel). A peak stable independently measured efficiency of 22.0% with an open‐circuit voltage (VOC) of 736 mV is achieved with the addition of a dedicated high‐temperature prefabrication hydrogenation. These results indicate that p‐type Cz wafers can be used to fabricate stable, next‐generation high‐efficiency solar cells using silicon heterojunctions or other passivated contact architectures requiring VOCS well above 700 mV.
Applicability of models provided by technical standards to estimate the static modulus of elasticity of concretes produced with recycled coarse aggregates
Authors: Sousa Fernando Henrique F. , Kazmierczak Claudio de Souza , Quinino Uziel C. D. M. , Fernandes Ana Júlia M. M. , Kulakowski Marlova Piva
Published: June 2020

This work determines the applicability of models provided by international standards to estimate the static modulus of elasticity of concretes produced with recycled coarse aggregates, identifying the influence of the compressive strength, bulk specific gravity and porosity on the static modulus of elasticity, and the relation between these parameters and the estimated modulus of elasticity. Recycled aggregates produced from concrete and of ceramic blocks were used in a replacement rate of 30% to the natural aggregates, in three classes of strength. The static modulus of elasticity of the concretes produced with recycled aggregates has a higher relationship to the compressive strength than the other properties, the static modulus of elasticity compared to the estimated modulus of elasticity shows good relation only for concretes produced entirely with natural aggregates and the modulus of elasticity of concretes with recycled coarse aggregates cannot be estimated by the models proposed by the technical standards.
COVID‐19: providing support for men with prostate cancer
Authors: Craske Emma , Rylance Amy
Published: June 2020

Men with prostate cancer are understandably worried about the impact of COVID‐19 on their care. Prostate Cancer UK is helping to provide support and reassurance but the authors warn that men with prostate cancer must not be forgotten in the efforts to rebuild services after the threat of COVID‐19 becomes less pressing.
Focus groups and serious gaming in climate change communication research—A methodological review
Authors: Wibeck Victoria , Neset Tina‐Simone
Published: June 2020

This article explores the methodological challenges and opportunities of climate change communication research in a digital landscape. It scrutinizes the potential and limitations of combining group‐based qualitative interview methods, such as focus groups, with new digital media tools such as serious games. The paper brings together three strands of research: Climate change communication studies, methods literature on focus groups, and literature on (digital) serious gaming. Our review demonstrates that studies that deliberately combine focus groups methods with serious gaming have hitherto been scarce. There is a proliferation of digital visualization tools in climate change communication. We therefore see the need to critically explore what and how the integration of digital tools into qualitative group‐based studies can contribute to enhancing research into climate change communication and knowledge development. To illuminate the opportunities and challenges for the integration of serious gaming in focus group studies in the area of climate change communication, we bring in a few illustrative examples from a research project that integrated focus group methodology with a serious game on climate adaptation in Nordic agriculture. Introducing digital serious games in focus group‐based climate change communication studies can benefit climate change communication research in at least three ways: (a) by spurring participants’ in‐depth discussions, facilitating analysis of how sense‐making occurs; (b) by providing opportunities to evaluate features of the game itself and to develop it for different target audiences; and (c) by forming part of participatory climate change communication activities, engaging lay people and/or experts in co‐creating knowledge.

This article is categorized under:

Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change
Graviton-photon mixing. Exact solution in a constant magnetic field
Authors: Ejlli Damian
Published: June 2020

Abstract

In this work I study the effect of graviton-photon mixing in a constant external magnetic field and find for the first time in the literature exact solution of the equations of motion. In particular, I apply the effect of graviton-photon mixing to the case of interaction of gravitational waves with an external magnetic field and calculate the intensity Stokes parameter of the produced electromagnetic radiation. The obtained results are new and extend previous results obtained by using approximation methods.
Far-forward neutrinos at the Large Hadron Collider
Authors: Bai Weidong , Diwan Milind , Garzelli Maria Vittoria , Jeong Yu Seon , Reno Mary Hall
Published: June 2020

Abstract

We present a new calculation of the energy distribution of high-energy neutrinos from the decay of charm and bottom hadrons produced at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In the kinematical region of very forward rapidities, heavy-flavor production and decay is a source of tau neutrinos that leads to thousands of charged-current tau neutrino events in a 1 m long, 1 m radius lead neutrino detector at a distance of 480 m from the interaction region. In our computation, next-to-leading order QCD radiative corrections are accounted for in the production cross-sections. Non-perturbative intrinsic-k

T
effects are approximated by a simple phenomenological model introducing a Gaussian k

T
-smearing of the parton distribution functions, which might also mimic perturbative effects due to multiple initial-state soft-gluon emissions. The transition from partonic to hadronic states is described by phenomenological fragmentation functions. To study the effect of various input parameters, theoretical predictions for

$$ {D}_s^{\pm } $$

D
s
±

production are compared with LHCb data on double-differential cross-sections in transverse momentum and rapidity. The uncertain- ties related to the choice of the input parameter values, ultimately affecting the predictions of the tau neutrino event distributions, are discussed. We consider a 3+1 neutrino mixing scenario to illustrate the potential for a neutrino experiment to constrain the 3+1 parameter space using tau neutrinos and antineutrinos. We find large theoretical uncertainties in the predictions of the neutrino fluxes in the far-forward region. Untangling the effects of tau neutrino oscillations into sterile neutrinos and distinguishing a 3+1 scenario from the standard scenario with three active neutrino flavours, will be challenging due to the large theoretical uncertainties from QCD.
Ambrosetti–Prodi Type Results for Dirichlet Problems of Fractional Laplacian-Like Operators
Authors: Biswas Anup , Lőrinczi József
Published: June 2020

We establish Ambrosetti–Prodi type results for viscosity and classical solutions of nonlinear Dirichlet problems for fractional Laplace and comparable operators. In the choice of nonlinearities we consider semi-linear and super-linear growth cases separately. We develop a new technique using a functional integration-based approach, which is more robust in the non-local context than a purely analytic treatment.
Overcoming polyploidy pitfalls: a user guide for effective SNP conversion into KASP markers in wheat
Authors: Makhoul M. , Rambla C. , Voss-Fels K. P. , Hickey L. T. , Snowdon R. J. , Obermeier C.
Published: June 2020

Key message

Conversion of SNP chip assays into locus-specific KASP markers requires adapted strategies in polyploid species with high genome homeology. Procedures are exemplified by QTL-associated SNPs in hexaploid wheat.

Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers are commonly used in marker-assisted commercial plant breeding due to their cost-effectiveness and throughput for high sample volumes. However, conversion of trait-linked SNP markers from array-based SNP detection technologies into KASP markers is particularly challenging in polyploid crop species, due to the presence of highly similar homeologous and paralogous genome sequences. We evaluated strategies and identified key requirements for successful conversion of Illumina Infinium assays from the wheat 90 K SNP array into robust locus-specific KASP markers. Numerous examples showed that commonly used software for semiautomated KASP primer design frequently fails to achieve locus-specificity of KASP assays in wheat. Instead, alignment of SNP probes with multiple reference genomes and Sanger sequencing of relevant genotypes, followed by visual KASP primer placement, was critical for locus-specificity. To identify KASP assays resulting in false calling of heterozygous individuals, validation of KASP assays using extended reference genotype sets including heterozygous genotypes is strongly advised for polyploid crop species. Applying this strategy, we developed highly reproducible, stable KASP assays that are predictive for root biomass QTL haplotypes from highly homoeologous wheat chromosome regions. Due to their locus-specificity, these assays predicted root biomass considerably better than the original trait-associated markers from the Illumina array.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Long-term follow-up outcomes of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: a longitudinal pooled analysis of six phase 2 trials
Authors: Jerome Lisa , Feduccia Allison A. , Wang Julie B. , Hamilton Scott , Yazar-Klosinski Berra , Emerson Amy , Mithoefer Michael C. , Doblin Rick
Published: June 2020

Rationale

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic condition that has wide-ranging negative effects on an individual’s health and interpersonal relationships. Treatments with long-term benefits are needed to promote the safety and well-being of those suffering from PTSD.

Objectives

To examine long-term change in PTSD symptoms and additional benefits/harms after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD.

Methods

Participants received two to three active doses of MDMA (75–125 mg) during blinded or open-label psychotherapy sessions with additional non-drug therapy sessions. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM IV (CAPS-IV) at baseline, 1 to 2 months after the last active MDMA session (treatment exit), and at least 12 months post final MDMA session (LTFU). A mixed-effect repeated-measures (MMRM) analysis assessed changes in CAPS-IV total severity scores. The number of participants who met PTSD diagnostic criteria was summarized at each time point. Participants completed a long-term follow-up questionnaire.

Results

There was a significant reduction in CAPS-IV total severity scores from baseline to treatment exit (LS mean (SE) = − 44.8 (2.82), p < .0001), with a Cohen’s d effect size of 1.58 (95% CI = 1.24, 1.91). CAPS-IV scores continued to decrease from treatment exit to LTFU (LS mean (SE) = − 5.2 (2.29), p < .05), with a Cohen’s d effect size of 0.23 (95% CI = 0.04, 0.43). The number of participants who no longer met PTSD criteria increased from treatment exit (56.0%) to LTFU (67.0%). The majority of participants reported benefits, including improved relationships and well-being, and a minority reported harms from study participation.

Conclusions

PTSD symptoms were reduced 1 to 2 months after MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, and symptom improvement continued at least 12 months post-treatment. Phase 3 trials are investigating this novel treatment approach in a larger sample of participants with chronic PTSD.

Trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00090064, NCT00353938, NCT01958593, NCT01211405, NCT01689740, NCT01793610
Robust late twenty-first century shift in the regional monsoons in RegCM-CORDEX simulations
Authors: Ashfaq Moetasim , Cavazos Tereza , Reboita Michelle Simões , Torres-Alavez José Abraham , Im Eun-Soon , Olusegun Christiana Funmilola , Alves Lincoln , Key Kesondra , Adeniyi Mojisola O. , Tall Moustapha , Sylla Mouhamadou Bamba , Mehmood Shahid , Zafar Qudsia , Das Sushant , Diallo Ismaila , Coppola Erika , Giorgi Filippo
Published: June 2020

We use an unprecedented ensemble of regional climate model (RCM) projections over seven regional CORDEX domains to provide, for the first time, an RCM-based global view of monsoon changes at various levels of increased greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing. All regional simulations are conducted using RegCM4 at a 25 km horizontal grid spacing using lateral and lower boundary forcing from three General Circulation Models (GCMs), which are part of the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP5). Each simulation covers the period from 1970 through 2100 under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5). Regional climate simulations exhibit high fidelity in capturing key characteristics of precipitation and atmospheric dynamics across monsoon regions in the historical period. In the future period, regional monsoons exhibit a spatially robust delay in the monsoon onset, an increase in seasonality, and a reduction in the rainy season length at higher levels of radiative forcing. All regions with substantial delays in the monsoon onset exhibit a decrease in pre-monsoon precipitation, indicating a strong connection between pre-monsoon drying and a shift in the monsoon onset. The weakening of latent heat driven atmospheric warming during the pre-monsoon period delays the overturning of atmospheric subsidence in the monsoon regions, which defers their transitioning into deep convective states. Monsoon changes under the RCP2.6 scenario are mostly within the baseline variability.
The Rhipicephalus appendiculatus tick vector of Theileria parva is absent from cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) populations and associated ecosystems in northern Uganda
Authors: Obara I. , Githaka N. , Nijhof A. , Krücken J. , Nanteza A. , Odongo D. , Lubembe D. , Atimnedi P. , Mijele D. , Njeri A. , Mwaura S. , Owido G. , Ahmed J. , Clausen P. H. , Bishop R. P.
Published: June 2020

Rhipicephalus appendiculatusis the major tick vector ofTheileria parva, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite that causes the most economically important and lethal disease of cattle in East and central Africa. The African cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is the major wildlife host ofT. parvafrom southern Uganda and Kenya to southern Africa. We show herein thatR. appendiculatusappears to be absent from the two largest national parks in northern Uganda.Syncerus cafferis common in both of these national parks, specifically Murchison falls (MFNP) and Kidepo Valley (KVNP). We re-confirmed the previously reported absence ofT. parvain buffalo sampled in the two northern parks based on RLB data using a nested PCR based on theT. parvap104 gene. By contrast,T. parva-infectedR. appendiculatusticks and parasite-infected buffalo were present in Lake Mburo (LMNP) in South central Uganda. This suggests that the distribution ofR. appendiculatus, which is predicted to include the higher rainfall regions of northern Uganda, may be limited by additional, as yet unknown factors.
Analytische Ermittlung des Nutschlitzanteils der Stator-Rotor-Kapazität zur Vorausberechnung und Reduzierung von Lagerspannungen in elektrischen Maschinen
Authors: Stockbrügger Jan Ole , Ponick Bernd
Published: June 2020

Schnellschaltende Zweipunkt-Wechselrichter ermöglichen einen verlust- und geräuscharmen drehzahlveränderbaren Betrieb einer elektrischen Maschine. Der Trend zu umrichtergespeisten Antrieben wird durch sinkende Anschaffungskosten zusätzlich verstärkt. Die durch das Schalten der Leistungstransistoren erzeugten steilen Spannungsflanken und die vom Umrichter verursachte inhärente Gleichtaktspannung führen jedoch zu unerwünschten parasitären Effekten. Die Gleichtaktspannung, auch als Common-Mode-Spannung bezeichnet, wird durch den Umrichter in die Motorwicklung eingeprägt. Über die Wicklung-Rotor-Kapazität entsteht ein Abbild der Common-Mode-Spannung auf der Motorwelle, die auch an den Motorlagern anliegt und die Durchschlagsfestigkeit des Schmierfilms der Lager überschreiten und zu EDM-Lichtbogenentladungen führen kann, welche in der Beschädigung der Motorlager resultieren.

Für die Bestimmung der an den Motorlagern anliegenden Spannung ist die Ermittlung der Kapazität zwischen Statorblechpaket und Rotor erforderlich. Die kapazitive Kopplung zwischen dem Stator und dem Rotor im Aktivteil der elektrischen Maschine wird mithilfe eines Zylinderkondensators modelliert. Der Einfluss der Nutöffnung des Statorblechpakets kann mittels des Carter-Faktors berücksichtigt werden. In diesem Artikel wird durch FEM-Simulationen der Einfluss der Permittivität des im Nutschlitz eingesetzten Materials untersucht und eine analytische Bestimmung der Stator-Rotor-Kapazität unter Berücksichtigung der dielektrischen Eigenschaften des Nutschlitzmaterials erarbeitet.
First nation-wide study of diabetic retinopathy in Poland in the years 2013–2017
Authors: Kozioł Milena , Nowak Michał S. , Udziela Monika , Piątkiewicz Paweł , Grabska-Liberek Iwona , Szaflik Jacek P.
Published: June 2020

Aims

To assess the prevalence and time trends of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in the overall population of Poland from 2013 to 2017 and diagnose the risk factors of occurring DR among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

Data from all levels of healthcare services at public and private institutions recorded in the National Health Fund (NHF) database were evaluated. International Classification of Diseases codes (ICD-9 and ICD-10) and unique NHF codes were used to identify DM type 1 and type 2 patients, DR and treatment procedures including laser photocoagulation, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), anti-VEGF and steroid intravitreal injections.

Results

The overall registered prevalence of DR in the entire population of Poland was 0.81%. The mean prevalence of DR was 20.01% in the population with type 1 DM and 9.70% in the population with type 2 DM. In the study period, women represented 56.36% of all individuals registered with DR and 55.09% of all DM patients. In Poland, only 6.34% of all DM patients with DR received specific treatment with laser photocoagulation of the retina (82.32%), PPV (11.56%), anti-VEGF or steroid injections (5.15% and 0.97%, respectively). Cox regression hazard analysis showed that the risk of DR was associated with DM treatment only by GPs, female sex, coexisting systemic diseases and urban residence in both type 1 and type 2 DM.

Conclusions

A 5-year retrospective analysis reveals the mean prevalence of DR in the population with type 1 and type 2 DM in Poland was rather low.
Atlantic Oscillation indices in meridional distribution
Authors: Osińska Maria , Jędrasik Jan
Published: June 2020

The goal of this study was to define new oscillation indices of the Atlantic Ocean covering latitudes of both hemispheres, for the period from 1900 until 2014. Indices described sea level atmospheric pressure (SLP) oscillations between neighbouring cells of global atmospheric circulation (northern and southern Hadley, Ferrel and polar cells) and were calculated using two methods: conventional (based on SLP values in selected stations) and extreme values method (counted using maximum or minimum SLP from adequate areas). Twelve time series of new Atlantic Oscillation indices have been obtained—six conventional and six extreme, which have been presented in continuous form and through selection data by seasons: December–February (DJF), and June–August (JJA). The indices’ time series showed similarities in shared maxima and minima moments and long-lasting increasing tendency of five extreme and three conventional indices. There were strong correlations between oscillation indices describing variability in Hadley cells on both hemispheres (conventional 0.593–0.907, extreme 0.088–0.908). A strong correlation occurred between Southern Atlantic and Antarctic South Atlantic Extreme indices (0.668 to 0.979). Overall, stronger connections were found between extreme indices than the conventional ones, and most regularities were found in the Southern Hemisphere oscillations and wintertime indices (DJF for Northern and JJA for Southern Hemisphere). Power spectrum analysis showed major impact of 6- and 12-month periods, as well as less distinct significance of approximately 5.5-year-long interval and its multiples.
Coastal armoring and sinking property values: the case of seawalls in California
Authors: Brucal Arlan , Lynham John
Published: June 2020

Rising sea levels necessitate careful consideration of different forms of coastal protection but cost-benefit analysis is limited when important non-market social costs have not been measured. Seawalls protect individual properties but can potentially impose negative externalities on neighboring properties via accelerated beach loss. We conduct a hedonic valuation of seawalls in two coastal California counties: San Diego and Santa Cruz. We find no strong evidence to suggest that the presence of a seawall is positively correlated with the value of the home protected. However, we find that seawalls are strongly negatively correlated with the value of neighboring properties in Santa Cruz but not in San Diego county, suggesting that the effect of seawalls depend on certain geographical attributes. Our results are robust to accounting for the public-good nature of locational attributes and the potential spatial dependence of housing prices. Simulation reveals that doubling the extent of seawalls in San Diego and Santa Cruz could reduce property tax revenues by $7 million and $54 million, respectively.
Movement and vocal intonation together evoke social referencing in companion dogs when confronted with a suspicious stranger
Authors: Salamon A. , Száraz J. , Miklósi Á. , Gácsi M.
Published: June 2020

Dogs have been claimed to engage in social referencing by responding in a way that corresponded with their owners' reaction in some contexts. We aimed to assess how owners’ actions affect family dogs’ behaviour in two ambiguous lifelike situations. In Experiment 1, two groups were tested; in the suspicious owner (SO) group, owners behaved suspiciously (N = 25), in the reassuring owner (RO) group, owners behaved in a reassuring manner (N = 28) facing a ‘threatening stranger’. The sitting owners provided voice intonation and body posture changes as cues for the dogs when the stranger entered the room. Dogs looked longer at the owners and stayed longer near them in the SO group but their tendency to approach the stranger did not differ between the groups. Although the owners’ behaviours seemed to have relevant effects on dogs’ responses, we note that these looking and proximity seeking behaviours might also be explained by reactions to the owners’ behaviour alone. In Experiment 2, all dogs (N = 19) were tested in both the SO and RO conditions in a slightly different procedure. Depending on the condition, owners took one step forward/backward and spoke happily/worryingly. The procedural differences and the larger distance between the stranger and the owner allowed the dog more time to perceive the behaviour of both the stranger and the owner, which made the distinction between alternative explanations for the dogs’ behaviour easier to interpret. Dogs spent more time behind their owners in the SO condition and more dogs approached the stranger in the RO condition. Dogs’ avoidance of the stranger when the owner behaved suspiciously and their tendency to approach the stranger only when the owner displayed positive emotions, can be best explained by social referencing.