bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The semantic development of borrowed derivational morphology
Authors: Schulte Marion
Published: April 2019

This study investigates the effects of borrowing on the semantics of a derivational suffix. It presents a case study that compares the borrowed Middle English suffix -eryto Middle French -erie, paying special attention to their respective semantic structures and analysing them with semantic maps. The semantic structure of the borrowed suffix -eryis very similar to that of its origin -erieand there is no evidence for semantic reduction as a result of the borrowing process. This stability is linked to sociolinguistic aspects of the contact situation. Substantial semantic changes do occur in the recipient language after the suffix has become an established word formation process, however. On the basis of empirical data, this paper makes a contribution to the study of derivational semantics and contact linguistics by proposing a methodology for the analysis of the semantic structure of (borrowed) derivational morphology.
Explicitness of deductive instruction and L2 development
Authors: Adrada-Rafael Sergio
Published: April 2019

This study investigated the effects that different types of instruction varying in explicitness had on 88 intermediate-level Spanish
learners’ development of the imperfect subjunctive on a reading task. Participants were randomly assigned to one of 3 experimental conditions that
differed in their degree of instructional explicitness (+/− deductive). One condition (+Deductive) received a detailed grammar explanation prior to
task; a second condition (−Deductive) received a hint about a new target form present in the reading task, and the third condition (Baseline) was not
presented with any grammar information or hint. The study consisted of 3 sessions, following a pre/post/delayed computerized test design with 2 weeks
between sessions. Results showed that the −Deductive condition performed as well as the +Deductive condition immediately and 2 weeks after treatment
for both Interpretation and Controlled production tests.
Degree intensifiers as expressives in Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Xie Zhiguo , Luo Qiongpeng
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we provide an empirical description and a theoretical analysis of the adverbial use ofhǎo‘(lit.) good’,lǎo‘(lit.) old’, andguài‘(lit.) strange’ in Mandarin Chinese. The three adverbs represent a small yet theoretically interesting class of lexical items. Because they manifest certain similarities to canonical degree adverbs such ashěn‘very’ andfēicháng‘extremely’, they have been usually treated as pure degree adverbs in the descriptive linguistics literature. Empirical evidence, however, shows that these adverbs actually fuse together both degree intensification and expressive meanings. For instance, they convey strong emotion on the part of the speaker and cannot appear in non-veridical contexts such as negation, modals, information-seeking questions, and antecedents of conditionals. We argue thathǎo, lǎo, andguàiare mixed-content lexical items. Based on their empirical behaviors, we follow recent advances in multidimensional semantics to propose a hybrid formal analysis ofhǎo, lǎo, andguàiby incorporating degree semantics into a multidimensional logic for conventional implicature.
韓漢同源說的問題與韓漢語言關係
Authors: Eom Ik-sang
Published: April 2019

抽象

有些韓語固有詞與對應的上古漢語詞類似。譬如，
表示「風」的韓語固有詞param和「風」字的漢語上古音*prəm類似。一些學者認爲這些韓漢類似詞一定是從同一詞源發展而來，提出韓漢同源說，主張韓語和漢語屬於同一語系。本文將從微觀和宏觀的視角探討該學說是否妥當，並指出韓漢同源說存在的一些問題。本文還將根據陳保亞(1996)的理論，考察了韓漢類似詞在Swadesh
(1952; 1955)的100核心詞（第一階詞）和200核心詞減除100核心詞（第二階詞）裏出現的數量。發現第一階核心詞目錄裏主要有「吾、汝、人、男、葉、眼、牙、街、白」等9個韓漢類似詞，第二階核心詞目錄裏也有「日（天）、其、腿、老、江、聞、轉、洗、風」等9個類似詞。韓漢類似詞的數量在第一階詞目錄和第二階詞目錄裏幾乎完全相同，分佈曲線趨向平直。陳保亞認為少數類似詞分佈曲線不上不下，走向平直就表明兩種語言為接觸關係。因此本文將論證韓語和漢語不是親屬關係而是接觸關係。
‘Intersemiotic translating’
Authors: Mossop Brian
Published: April 2019

Should transpositions between language and other sign systems be considered a kind of translation? The answer could be yes if the comparison is made to interlingual translating that features a high degree of variance. Here, however, the question will be whether there are any kinds of intersemiotic transposition that feature a high degree ofinvariance. Four criteria are suggested for defining invariance-oriented translation, and a variety of possible instances of invariant intersemiotic translation are considered, with special mention of transpositions to and from music.
A corpus-driven analysis of uncertainty and uncertainty management in Chinese premier press conference
interpreting
Authors: Shen Mingxia , Lv Qianxi , Liang Junying
Published: April 2019

This paper examines uncertainty encountered by expert interpreters at Chinese Premier Press Conferences by marking
interpreters’ five types of hesitation phenomena and analyzes uncertainty management strategies. Results show (1)
self-corrections, repetitions, and reformulations occur less frequently than pauses, indicating expert interpreter’s better
control of interpreting fluency; (2) speakers may impact interpreters’ hesitation with segment length positively correlated with
interpreters’ pauses, self-correction, and reformulation, and speaking rate explains the variance in the occurrence of filled
pauses; (3) pauses occur for retrieving lexical and morphological information, eliminating logical doubt, and explicating cultural
connotation; (4) expert interpreters adopt addition and rank shift more than ellipsis, simplification, splitting, and repetition
as uncertainty management strategies, showing an emphasis on adequacy, comprehensibility, and acceptability in their output.
Macro to nano: a microscopy study of a wrought magnesium alloy after deformation
Authors: Whitmore L C , Denk J , Zickler G A , Bourret G R , Huber O , Huesing N , Diwald O
Published: April 2019

This educational paper aims to assist physics teachers in explaining the concepts and principles of material composition and deformation by describing how to perform a microscopy investigation of a deformed wrought magnesium alloy test piece. By examining the changes taking place at the different length scales from macro to nano it is possible to understand how changes in the microstructure influence the macroscopic appearance and properties. The microscopy techniques employed for the investigation of each length scale—light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy—are explained along with the procedures of specimen preparation. A background is given to help teachers explain the microstructure of magnesium, the role of magnesium alloys in modern industrial and technological contexts and the historical developments of microscopy. The paper can also be used to assist teachers in laboratory courses to describe the principles and methods of scientific experiment. The work is fully referenced and a reading list is included, making it suitable as a teaching resource for academic courses or for solo study.
Imaging topology of Hofstadter ribbons
Authors: Genkina Dina , Aycock Lauren M , Lu Hsin-I , Lu Mingwu , Pineiro Alina M , Spielman I B
Published: April 2019

Physical systems with non-trivial topological order find direct applications in metrology (Klitzing et al 1980 Phys. Rev. Lett. 45 494–7) and promise future applications in quantum computing (Freedman 2001 Found. Comput. Math.
1 183–204; Kitaev 2003 Ann. Phys.
303 2–30). The quantum Hall effect derives from transverse conductance, quantized to unprecedented precision in accordance with the system’s topology (Laughlin 1981 Phys. Rev. B 23 5632–33). At magnetic fields beyond the reach of current condensed matter experiment, around

10

4

T, this conductance remains precisely quantized with values based on the topological order (Thouless et al 1982 Phys. Rev. Lett.
49 405–8). Hitherto, quantized conductance has only been measured in extended 2D systems. Here, we experimentally studied narrow 2D ribbons, just 3 or 5 sites wide along one direction, using ultracold neutral atoms where such large magnetic fields can be engineered (Jaksch and Zoller 2003 New J. Phys. 5 56; Miyake et al 2013 Phys. Rev. Lett.
111 185302; Aidelsburger et al 2013 Phys. Rev. Lett.
111 185301; Celi et al 2014 Phys. Rev. Lett.
112 043001; Stuhl et al 2015 Science
349 1514; Mancini et al 2015 Science
349 1510; An et al 2017 Sci. Adv.
3). We microscopically imaged the transverse spatial motion underlying the quantized Hall effect. Our measurements identify the topological Chern numbers with typical uncertainty of

5

%

, and show that although band topology is only properly defined in infinite systems, its signatures are striking even in nearly vanishingly thin systems.
A 3D nonlinear Maxwell’s equations solver based on a hybrid numerical method
Authors: Lin Aihua , Jakobsen Per Kristen
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we explore the possibility of solving 3D Maxwell’s equations in the presence of a nonlinear and/or inhomogeneous material response. We propose using a hybrid approach, which combines a boundary integral representation with a domain-based method. This hybrid approach has previously been successfully applied to 1D linear and nonlinear transient wave scattering problems. The basic idea of the approach is to propagate Maxwell’s equations inside the scattering objects forward in time using a domain-based method, while a boundary integral representation of the electromagnetic field is used to supply the domain-based method with the Required surface values. Thus, no grids outside the scattering objects are needed, and this greatly reduces the computational cost and complexity.
Forecast of seasonal water availability in Central Asia with near-real time GRACE water storage anomalies
Authors: Apel Heiko , Gouweleeuw Ben , Gafurov Abror , Güntner Andreas
Published: April 2019

Water availability during summer in Central Asia is controlled by the snow melt in the surrounding mountains. Reliable forecasts of river discharge during this period are essential for the management of water resources. This study tests the predictive power of GRACE gravity-based water storage anomalies in a linear regression framework for two large catchments. The results show substantial improvements of the forecasts in the larger Amudarya catchment compared to forecasts using just climate, snow cover, and discharge data. In this catchment, GRACE water storage anomalies even provide the largest share of explained variance. This leads to the conclusion that GRACE data can improve the forecast of seasonal water availability for large basins in Central Asia. The GRACE-FO mission launched in May 2018 opens up the possibility of operational forecasts utilizing upcoming near-real time products from satellite gravimetry for Central Asia and similar environments.
Influence of land use changes on submarine groundwater discharge
Authors: Rufí-Salís Martí , Garcia-Orellana Jordi , Cantero Gerard , Castillo Jordi , Hierro Almudena , Rieradevall Joan , Bach Joan
Published: April 2019

The 20th century has been characterized by an exponential population growth, with a high density in coastal zones. The aim of this work is to study the impact of land use changes on the hydrological cycle, and possible consequences in marine environment. The study has focused on the relationship between coastal urbanisation and submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) that may cause an alteration in the biogeochemical cycles of marine ecosystems. An analysis of land use changes, historical salinities and nutrients data in the Maresme (Barcelona) coastal zone have revealed that the percentage of urban and forest zone land use has increased since 1990, corresponding to a decrease of nutrients in coastal waters through SGD. These impacts may cause changes in coastal biogeochemical cycles, like the decrease in chlorophyll concentrations. Results denote the correlation between land use, coastal aquifer dynamics and the effects of SGD in coastal environments.
Cesarean Delivery and Hypertension in Early Adulthood
Authors: Ferraro Alexandre Archanjo , Barbieri Marco Antônio , da Silva Antonio Augusto Moura , Goldani Marcelo Zubaran , Fernandes Maria Teresa Bechere , Cardoso Viviane Cunha , Stein Aryeh David , Bettiol Heloisa
Published: April 2019

The rate of cesarean delivery (CD) is high in many parts of the world. Birth via CD has been associated with adverse later health outcomes, such as obesity, asthma, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. Few studies have focused on hypertension. We investigated the associations of CD with hypertension, systolic blood pressure (BP), and diastolic BP and tested whether body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) was a mediator of these associations in a birth cohort (n = 2,020) assembled in 1978–1979 and followed up in 2002–2004 in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. The CD rate was 32.0%. Hypertension was present in 11.7% of persons born via CD and 7.7% of those born vaginally. Being born by CD increased the odds of hypertension by 51% (odds ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 2.07). After adjustment for confounders, this estimate changed little (odds ratio = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.06). In a mediation analysis, odds ratios for the indirect and direct effects were 1.18 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.25) and 1.31 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.65), respectively. CD also had indirect effects on both systolic and diastolic BP via BMI. Our findings suggest that CD is associated with young-adult hypertension and that this association is at least partially mediated by BMI. This has implications for countries struggling with the burden of noncommunicable diseases and where CD rates are high.
The transparency method and knowing our reasons
Authors: Keeling Sophie
Published: April 2019

Subjects can know what their attitudes are and also their motivating reasons for those attitudes – for example, S can know that she believes that q and also that she believes that q for the reason that p. One attractive account of self-knowledge of attitudes appeals to the ‘transparency method’ (TM). According to TM, subjects answer the question of whether they believe that q by answering the world-directed question of whether q is true. Something similar also looks intuitive in the case of self-knowledge of motivating reasons, but cashing out such a view requires determining what the relevant world-directed question would be. This paper argues that subjects learn why they believe that q by answering the world-directed question ‘what are good reasons for believing that q?’ I argue for this against an alternative that I develop from Boyle 2011a.
Unsupervised discovery of phenotype-specific multi-omics networks
Authors: Shi W Jenny , Zhuang Yonghua , Russell Pamela H , Hobbs Brian D , Parker Margaret M , Castaldi Peter J , Rudra Pratyaydipta , Vestal Brian , Hersh Craig P , Saba Laura M , Kechris Katerina
Published: April 2019

Motivation

Complex diseases often involve a wide spectrum of phenotypic traits. Better understanding of the biological mechanisms relevant to each trait promotes understanding of the etiology of the disease and the potential for targeted and effective treatment plans. There have been many efforts towards omics data integration and network reconstruction, but limited work has examined the incorporation of relevant (quantitative) phenotypic traits.

Results

We propose a novel technique, sparse multiple canonical correlation network analysis (SmCCNet), for integrating multiple omics data types along with a quantitative phenotype of interest, and for constructing multi-omics networks that are specific to the phenotype. As a case study, we focus on miRNA–mRNA networks. Through simulations, we demonstrate that SmCCNet has better overall prediction performance compared to popular gene expression network construction and integration approaches under realistic settings. Applying SmCCNet to studies on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and breast cancer, we found enrichment of known relevant pathways (e.g. the Cadherin pathway for COPD and the interferon-gamma signaling pathway for breast cancer) as well as less known omics features that may be important to the diseases. Although those applications focus on miRNA–mRNA co-expression networks, SmCCNet is applicable to a variety of omics and other data types. It can also be easily generalized to incorporate multiple quantitative phenotype simultaneously. The versatility of SmCCNet suggests great potential of the approach in many areas.

Availability and implementation

The SmCCNet algorithm is written in R, and is freely available on the web at https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/SmCCNet/index.html.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
DNA metabarcoding to assess diet partitioning and feeding strategies in generalist vertebrate predators: a case study on three syntopic lacertid lizards from Morocco
Authors: Pereira Ana , Xavier Raquel , Perera Ana , Salvi Daniele , Harris D James
Published: April 2019

DNA metabarcoding is a fast and simple alternative to traditional microscopy methods, which have been the main tool for identification of prey in dietary studies of lizards. In this study, we applied a metabarcoding approach based on COI and 16S rRNA amplicons to assess diet partitioning and feeding strategies in three syntopic lizards from Taza, Morocco: Scelarcis perspicillata chabanaudi, Scelarcis perspicillata pellegrini and Podarcis vaucheri. In order to avoid competition, these lizards are expected to consume different prey species because they occupy distinct trophic niches, use different foraging strategies and express different dorsal pigmentation patterns. Given the spotted pattern of S. p. chabanaudi, we hypothesize a sit-and-wait foraging strategy with a less diverse diet and a higher consumption of mobile prey relative to the striped S. p. pellegrini and P. vaucheri which, as potential active foragers, are expected to have a higher diet diversity. Previous diet assessments using microscopy on faecal remains seem to contradict these expectations. Our results show that, as expected, the diet of S. p. chabanaudi is less diverse than the diet of S. p. pellegrini. Regarding P. vaucheri, our dietary data are consistent with the hypothesis that this species behaves as an active forager, owing to its high niche overlap with S. p. pellegrini. Advantages and limitations of molecular barcoding compared with the microscopy approach to the analysis of lizard diets are discussed.
Complexities in the Exchange of Private Information in Inter-Organisational Networks: The Challenge of Justification
Authors: Van Haute Dorien , Roets Griet , Vandenbroeck Michel
Published: April 2019

In this contribution, we focus on the question of how social workers actually deal with the complexity of sharing private information in three local networks of social provision that aim to combat child poverty. Building on the existing body of social work research, we discuss how practices for exchanging private information are enmeshed in a field of tension between both regulation and discretion. This complexity reveals a major challenge for social workers to justify their interventions. Based on a combination of qualitative semi-structured interviews with social workers in the network and participant observation during the network meetings, we examine the strategies of discretion, considerations and potential justifications of social workers in dealing with private information. Our analysis reveals three major themes: (i) legitimacy to act, (ii) deserving versus undeserving families and (iii) powerlessness to collectively act. We conclude that a rights-based approach can be crucial as a normative value orientation and as a point of reference to enable social workers in justifying how and why they exchange private information about families in poverty situations.
Quantification and In Silico Toxicity Assessment of Tazarotene and its Impurities for a Quality and Safe Drug Product Development
Authors: Nagulakonda NVVSS Narayana Murty , Ananthula Ravi Shekar , Krishnamurthy T , Rao Muguda Ravi Prasada , Rao Gollapalli Nageswara
Published: April 2019

Tazarotene is internationally accepted common name for ethyl 6-[(4,4-dimethylthiochroman-6-yl)ethynyl]nicotinate. It is a synthetic retinoid used for the topical treatment of mild to moderate plaque psoriasis, acne vulgaris and photo aging. To ensure the quality of drug product and drug substance, a LC–MS compatible UHPLC method was developed for quantification of drug and its related substances. Stationary phase with fused core particle technology is used for the separation of impurities. Limit of quantification and limit of detection of the method are 0.1 and 0.03%, respectively. Precision of the method for Tazarotene and all its related substances is less than 2.2% RSD. The correlation coefficient is >0.999. Accuracy of method is ranged from 95.3% to 107.0%. Application of this method in stability analysis has been demonstrated by analyzing stressed samples. Experimental design is used for the verification of robustness of the method. To ensure the safety, an in silico toxicity of the drug and its related substances were determined using TOPKAT and DEREK toxicity predictions Both UHPLC and in silico methods were validated as per the ICH Q2 and ICH M7 guidelines, which will enable a rapid product development of Tazarotene topical formulations while ensuring the safety and quality of product.
Mycoplasma genitalium in Symptomatic Male Urethritis: Macrolide Use Is Associated With Increased Resistance
Authors: Li Yang , Su Xiaohong , Le Wenjing , Li Sai , Yang Zhaoyan , Chaisson Christine , Madico Guillermo , Gong Xiangdong , Reed George W , Wang Baoxi , Rice Peter A
Published: April 2019

Background

Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) causes symptomatic urethritis in men, and can infect alone or together with other sexually transmitted infection (STI) agents.

Methods

The prevalence of MG and other STIs was determined in 1816 men with symptomatic urethritis. Resistance of MG to macrolides and fluoroquinolones was determined by sequencing; the impact of recent antimicrobial usage on the distribution of MG single or mixed infections was determined.

Results

Overall, prevalence of MG infection was 19.7% (358/1816). Fifty-four percent (166/307) of MG infections occurred alone in the absence of other STI agents. Men with single MG infection self-administered or were prescribed antibiotics more often in the 30 days prior to enrollment than subjects with urethritis caused by MG coinfection (P < .0001). Higher rates (96.7%) of infection with macrolide resistance in MG were identified in men who had taken macrolides prior to enrollment (P < .03). Overall, 88.9% (303/341) of 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes contained mutations responsible for macrolide resistance; 89.5% (308/344) of parC and 12.4% (42/339) of gyrA genes had mutations responsible for fluoroquinolone resistance. Approximately 88% (270/308) of MG had combined mutations in 23S rRNA and parC genes; 10.4% (32/308) had mutations in all 3 genes.

Conclusions

MG was the single pathogen identified in 11% of men with symptomatic urethritis. Overall, nearly 90% of MG infections were resistant to macrolides and fluoroquinolones. Men who took macrolides in the 30 days prior to enrollment had higher rates (97%) of macrolide-resistant MG. Resistance was associated with numerous mutations in 23SrRNA, parC, and gyrA genes.
Friendship Bias in Ethnic Categorization
Authors: Boda Zsófia
Published: April 2019

Interethnic friendships are highly beneficial for decreasing ethnic prejudice. However, this is not true when friends identifying with different ethnic groups perceive each other as of the same ethnicity. We investigate the extent to which people categorize their friends “incorrectly”, that is, not matching these friends’ self-identifications. We thus move beyond the established practice of conceptualizing ethnic categorization as an individual characteristic (“who is categorized into which ethnicity”), and define it on the level of pairwise relations (who categorizes whom into which ethnicity), which enables us to model the effect of friendship on ethnic categorization. Using dynamic social network models, we also disentangle this effect from the simultaneous effect of categorization on friendship, taking characteristics (e.g. self-identifications) of both the observed and the observing individual into account. On data of 12 Hungarian high-school classes with one minority group, the Roma, we find that students of the majority group tend to select and keep friends whom they observe as majority members. In contrast, students of the minority group do not prefer other minority members when choosing friends, but tend to categorize their existing friends as minority peers. We conclude that these are two different manifestations of the preference for same-ethnic friends.
The experience of transitions in care in very old age: implications for general practice
Authors: Scheibl Fiona , Fleming Jane , Buck Jackie , Barclay Stephen , Brayne Carol , Farquhar Morag
Published: April 2019

Background

It can be challenging for general practitioners to support their oldest old patients through the complex process of relocation.

Objective

To provide a typology of the experiences of moving in very old age that is clinically useful for practitioners navigating very old people’s relocation.

Methods

Qualitative analysis of data from a mixed-methods UK population-based longitudinal study, Cambridge City over-75s Cohort (CC75C), from Year 21 follow-up onwards. Interviews with participants aged ≥95 years old and proxy informants (Year 21: 44/48, 92%, subsequent attrition all deaths). Thematic analysis of qualitative data available from 26/32 participants who moved before they died.

Results

Individuals who moved voluntarily in with family experienced gratitude, and those who moved into sheltered house or care homes voluntarily had no regrets. One voluntary move into care was experienced with regret, loss and increased isolation as it severed life-long community ties. Regret and loss were key experiences for those making involuntary moves into care, but acceptance, relief and appreciation of increased company were also observed. The key experience of family members was trauma. Establishing connections with people or place ahead of moving, for example through previous respite care, eased moving. A checklist for practitioners based on the resulting typology of relocation is proposed.

Conclusions

Most of the sample moved into residential care. This study highlights the importance of connections to locality, people and place along with good family relationships as the key facilitators of a healthy transition into care for the oldest old. The proposed checklist may have clinical utility.
Three Doses of Vitamin D and Cognitive Outcomes in Older Women: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Castle Monica , Fiedler Nancy , Pop Lilliana Claudia , Schneider Stephen J , Schlussel Yvette , Sukumar Deeptha , Hao Lihong , Shapses Sue A
Published: April 2019

Vitamin D may affect cognitive performance, but previous studies are either short term or observational. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation on domain-specific cognitive measures in postmenopausal women. Overweight/obese women with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels less than 30 ng/mL were recruited. Vitamin D3 supplementation (600, 2,000, or 4,000 IU/d) was randomly assigned in a double-blinded manner for 1 year. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, osteocalcin (total and undercarboxylated), amyloid beta, parathyroid hormone, and estradiol were analyzed before and after supplementation. Cognitive tests were administered after treatment. The women (58 ± 6 years; body mass index, 30.0 ± 3.5 kg/m2) had a baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 22.6 ± 5.8 ng/mL that increased to 30.2 ± 5.6, 36.0 ± 4.9, and 40.8 ± 7.0 ng/mL in the 600, 2,000, and 4,000 IU/d groups, respectively (p < .001). Participants taking 2,000 IU/d compared to other doses performed better in learning and memory tests (p < .05), yet the 4,000 IU/d group had a slower reaction time compared to the 600 IU/d group. Multiple regression indicated that serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin predicted tasks associated with reaction time and executive function, whereas body mass index and parathyroid hormone negatively predicted reaction time and executive function (p ≤ .01). These data suggest that vitamin D has differential effects on domain-specific cognitive measures and that a higher dose may negatively affect reaction time.
The Role of Maternal Relationship in the Persisting Effect of Combat Exposure
Authors: Carr Dawn C , Taylor Miles G , Meyer Alex , Sachs-Ericsson Natalie J
Published: April 2019

Background and Objectives

The veteran population is aging. Combat exposure is associated with negative health and psychological outcomes in some, but not all veterans; others even appear to experience gains. One mechanism driving these varied responses might be early life relationships. This study investigated the extent to which the quality of early maternal relationships influences the association between combat exposures and life satisfaction (LS) among older male veterans.

Research Design and Methods

Data were drawn from a pooled sample of male veterans in the Health and Retirement Study who completed the 2013 Veteran Mail Survey (N = 1,160). We used ordinary least squares regression to examine the association between combat exposures (with and without exposure to death) and LS, and the moderating effect of maternal relationship quality on this association.

Results

We found a significant positive association between maternal relationship quality and LS, and a significant association of combat that was dependent on maternal relationship quality. Specifically, combat-exposed veterans with poor maternal relationship quality reported lower LS, whereas combat-exposed veterans with high relationship quality reported higher LS—relative to their noncombat-exposed counterparts. The effects of exposure to death of hazardous toxins did not mediate or moderate this relationship.

Discussion and Implications

Findings indicate that maternal relationships had a lasting influence on whether combat contributed to a positive, negative, or neutral long-term effect on wellbeing. Findings support previous studies that suggest early life factors may play an important role in the fostering of resilient health outcomes over the life course. Implications for preventative strategies in soldiers are discussed.
Industry evolution in Varieties of Capitalism: a comparison of the Danish and US wind turbine industries
Authors: Menzel Max-Peter , Kammer Johannes
Published: April 2019

In this study, we combine Klepper’s framework on the evolution of industries with the Varieties of Capitalism approach to argue that industry evolution is mediated by institutional differences. We expect that new industries will evolve with a stronger connection to established industries in coordinated marked economies than in liberal market economies. Our assumptions are supported by a survival analysis of USA and Danish wind turbine manufacturers from 1974 to 2014. Yet, the emergence of a dominant design biases the results.
Reverse Contributors? African State Parties, ICSID and the Development of International Investment Law
Authors: Akinkugbe Olabisi D
Published: April 2019

International investment disputes involving African States before the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) have generated significant critical inquiry. Yet, not enough academic literature has been devoted to accounting for the implications that arise from the disputes involving African States to the development of the ICSID case law and international investment law in general. This article addresses this gap by conceptualizing African States parties before ICSID tribunals as reverse contributors. While the article acknowledges the critiques of ICSID vis-à-vis African State parties, it contends that, over time, the involvement of African States in ICSID disputes has generated opportunities for the clarification, confirmation and development of ICSID jurisprudence. Although the article is not a case for African exceptionalism, it contributes to the dearth of materials that revisit the participation of African States before ICSID, while simultaneously acknowledging the need for reforms.
Comparison of short- and long-term outcomes between 3-field and modern 2-field lymph node dissections for thoracic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis
Authors: Fan Ningbo , Yang Han , Zheng Jiabo , Chen Dongni , Wang Weidong , Tan Zihui , Huang Yuanheng , Lin Peng
Published: April 2019

OBJECTIVES

Our goal was to compare short- and long-term outcomes between 3-field lymphadenectomy (3-FL) and modern 2-field lymphadenectomy (2-FL) in patients with thoracic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

We reviewed clinical outcomes for 298 patients with thoracic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent 3-FL or modern 2-FL from March 2008 to December 2013 at a major cancer hospital in Guangzhou, southern China. Propensity score matching was used to balance baseline differences, and 83 pairs of cases were selected. Postoperative complications, recurrence patterns and survival outcomes were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

Compared with modern 2-FL, 3-FL led to higher overall operative morbidity rates [78.3% vs 61.4%, odds ratio (OR) 2.266, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.143–4.490; P = 0.019], with higher recurrent nerve palsy rates (47.0% vs 19.3%, OR 3.712, 95% CI 1.852–7.438; P < 0.0001), more respiratory failures (18.1% vs 6.0%, OR 3.441, 95% CI 1.189–9.963; P = 0.023) and longer postoperative hospital stays (23 vs 17 days, P = 0.002). The 5-year overall survival rate (58.5% vs 59.4%; P = 0.960) and the 5-year disease-free survival rate 50.1% vs 54.5%; P = 0.482) were comparable between the 2 groups. Multivariable analysis showed that additional cervical lymph node dissection was not associated with overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) 1.039, 95% CI 0.637–1.696; P = 0.878] and disease-free survival (HR 0.868, 95% CI 0.548–1.376; P = 0.547). The overall recurrence rate and cervical nodal recurrence rate were not significantly different between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Additional cervical lymphadenectomy did not lead to added survival benefit when compared with modern 2-FL in patients with thoracic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Recurrence was similar in patients undergoing 3-FL and modern 2-FL. 3-FL resulted in more postoperative complications.
The effect of smoking intensity on all-cause and cause-specific mortality—a Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Vie Gunnhild Åberge , Wootton Robyn E , Bjørngaard Johan Håkon , Åsvold Bjørn Olav , Taylor Amy E , Gabrielsen Maiken Elvestad , Davey Smith George , Romundstad Pål Richard , Munafò Marcus R
Published: April 2019

Background

Smoking is an important cause of mortality and recent studies have suggested that even low-intensity smoking might be associated with increased mortality. Still, smoking is associated with lower socio-economic status as well as other potential risk factors, and disease onset might motivate smoking cessation, thus residual confounding and reverse causality might bias results. We aimed to assess the evidence of a causal relationship between smoking intensity and cause-specific as well as all-cause-mortality using Mendelian randomization analyses.

Methods

We included 56 019 participants from the Norwegian HUNT2 Study and 337 103 participants from UK Biobank, linked to national registry data on causes of death. We estimated associations of self-reported smoking as well as the genetic variant rs1051730 as an instrument for smoking intensity with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. We subsequently meta-analysed the results from the two cohorts.

Results

Each effect allele of the rs1051730 was associated with a 9% increased hazard of all-cause mortality [95% confidence interval (CI) 6–11] among ever smokers. Effect alleles were also associated with death by neoplasms [hazard ratio (HR) 1.11, 95% CI 1.06–1.15], circulatory diseases (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.11) and respiratory diseases (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.05–1.26) among ever smokers. The association was stronger among ever than never smokers for all-cause mortality (p < 0.001), neoplasms (p = 0.001) and respiratory diseases (p = 0.038).

Conclusions

Our results indicate a causal effect of smoking intensity on all-cause mortality and death by neoplasms and respiratory diseases. There was weaker evidence of a causal effect of smoking intensity on death by circulatory diseases.
Comparative validation of an epigenetic mortality risk score with three aging biomarkers for predicting mortality risks among older adult males
Authors: Gao Xu , Colicino Elena , Shen Jincheng , Just Allan C , Nwanaji-Enwerem Jamaji C , Wang Cuicui , Coull Brent , Lin Xihong , Vokonas Pantel , Zheng Yinan , Hou Lifang , Schwartz Joel , Baccarelli Andrea A
Published: April 2019

Background

A ‘mortality risk score’ (MS) based on ten prominent mortality-related cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites was previously associated with all-cause mortality, but has not been verified externally. We aimed to validate the association of MS with mortality and to compare MS with three aging biomarkers: telomere length (TL), DNA methylation age (DNAmAge) and phenotypic age (DNAmPhenoAge) to explore whether MS can serve as a reliable measure of biological aging and mortality.

Methods

Among 534 males aged 55–85 years from the US Normative Aging Study, the MS, DNAmAge and DNAmPhenoAge were derived from blood DNA methylation profiles from the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, and TL was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results

A total of 147 participants died during a median follow-up of 9.4 years. The MS showed strong associations with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer mortality. After controlling for all potential covariates, participants with high MS (>5 CpG sites with aberrant methylation) had almost 4-fold all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 3.84, 95% confidence interval: 1.92–7.67) compared with participants with a low MS (0–1 CpG site with aberrant methylation). Similar patterns were observed with respect to CVD and cancer mortality. MS was associated with TL and DNAmPhenoAge acceleration but not with DNAmAge acceleration. Although the MS and DNAmPhenoAge acceleration were independently associated with all-cause mortality, the former exhibited a higher predictive accuracy of mortality than the latter.

Conclusions

MS has the potential to be a prominent predictor of mortality that could enhance survival prediction in clinical settings.
Robust 1-bit compressed sensing via hinge loss minimization
Authors: Genzel Martin , Stollenwerk Alexander
Published: April 2019

This work theoretically studies the problem of estimating a structured high-dimensional signal $\boldsymbol{x}_0 \in{\mathbb{R}}^n$ from noisy $1$-bit Gaussian measurements. Our recovery approach is based on a simple convex program which uses the hinge loss function as data fidelity term. While such a risk minimization strategy is very natural to learn binary output models, such as in classification, its capacity to estimate a specific signal vector is largely unexplored. A major difficulty is that the hinge loss is just piecewise linear, so that its ‘curvature energy’ is concentrated in a single point. This is substantially different from other popular loss functions considered in signal estimation, e.g. the square or logistic loss, which are at least locally strongly convex. It is therefore somewhat unexpected that we can still prove very similar types of recovery guarantees for the hinge loss estimator, even in the presence of strong noise. More specifically, our non-asymptotic error bounds show that stable and robust reconstruction of $\boldsymbol{x}_0$ can be achieved with the optimal oversampling rate $O(m^{-1/2})$ in terms of the number of measurements $m$. Moreover, we permit a wide class of structural assumptions on the ground truth signal, in the sense that $\boldsymbol{x}_0$ can belong to an arbitrary bounded convex set $K \subset{\mathbb{R}}^n$. The proofs of our main results rely on some recent advances in statistical learning theory due to Mendelson. In particular, we invoke an adapted version of Mendelson’s small ball method that allows us to establish a quadratic lower bound on the error of the first-order Taylor approximation of the empirical hinge loss function.
Complementary Asymptotically Sharp Estimates for Eigenvalue Means of Laplacians
Authors: Harrell II Evans M , Provenzano Luigi , Stubbe Joachim
Published: April 2019

We present asymptotically sharp inequalities, containing a 2nd term, for the Dirichlet and Neumann eigenvalues of the Laplacian on a domain, which are complementary to the familiar Berezin–Li–Yau and Kröger inequalities in the limit as the eigenvalues tend to infinity. We accomplish this in the framework of the Riesz mean $R_1(z)$ of the eigenvalues by applying the averaged variational principle with families of test functions that have been corrected for boundary behaviour.
In vitro antimicrobial activity against Abiotrophia defectiva and Granulicatella elegans biofilms
Authors: Gonzalez Moreno Mercedes , Wang Lei , De Masi Margherita , Winkler Tobias , Trampuz Andrej , Di Luca Mariagrazia
Published: April 2019

Objectives

To determine the efficacy of different antibiotics (alone or in combination) against Abiotrophia defectiva and Granulicatella elegans biofilms and to investigate the anti-biofilm activity of gentamicin alone versus blood culture isolates from both species.

Methods

The activity of benzylpenicillin, clindamycin, daptomycin, fosfomycin, gentamicin, levofloxacin and rifampicin against 24-hour-old biofilms of A. defectiva and G. elegans was investigated in vitro by conventional microbiological methods and isothermal microcalorimetry.

Results

For planktonic bacteria, the MIC values of tested antibiotics ranged from 0.016 to 64 mg/L, as determined by microcalorimetry. Higher antibiotic concentrations, ranging from 1 to >1024 mg/L, were needed to produce an effect on biofilm bacteria. Gentamicin was an exception as it was active at 1 mg/L against both planktonic and biofilm G. elegans. A synergistic effect was observed when daptomycin was combined with benzylpenicillin, gentamicin or rifampicin against A. defectiva biofilms and when gentamicin was combined with rifampicin or levofloxacin against G. elegans biofilms. A. defectiva clinical isolates displayed greater variability in gentamicin susceptibility as compared with G. elegans strains.

Conclusions

Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles vary widely between Abiotrophia and Granulicatella biofilms, and synergistic effects of the tested antibiotics were heterogeneous. The clinical relevance of these in vitro observations needs to be confirmed in experimental in vivo conditions and human trials, before guidelines for the treatment of A. defectiva and G. elegans infections are established. This study suggests the benefit of further clinical exploration of antibiotic combinations with anti-biofilm effect.
Determination of Selected Opiates in Hair Samples Using Microextraction by Packed Sorbent: A New Approach for Sample Clean-up
Authors: Rosado Tiago , Barroso Mário , Vieira Duarte Nuno , Gallardo Eugenia
Published: April 2019

In this article the development and validation of an analytical method using microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) to determine tramadol (TRM), codeine (COD), morphine (MOR), 6-acetylcodeine (6-AC), 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) and fentanyl (FNT) in hair samples by gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS-MS) is presented. The MEPS used a mixed mode sorbent, and the steps for sample cleanup were conditioning (three cycles of 250 μL of methanol and three cycles of 250 μL formic acid 2%); sample load (15 cycles of 150 μL); wash (150 μL of 3.36% formic acid); and elution (eight cycles of 100 μL of ammonium hydroxide 2.36% (in methanol)). Linearity was obtained from the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) up to 5 ng/mg, with all target compounds revealing determination coefficients >0.99. The LLOQs achieved were 0.01 ng/mg for TRM, COD and 6-AC, and 0.025 ng/mg for MOR, 6-MAM and FNT. The recoveries ranged from 74 to 90% (TRM), 51 to 59% (COD), 22 to 36% (MOR), 69 to 99% (6-AC), 53 to 61% (6-MAM) and 75 to 86% (FNT). Precision and accuracy revealed coefficients of variation typically below 15% and relative errors within a ±15% interval, respectively. This new approach has proven to be an excellent alternative to classic procedures, reducing the volumes of organic solvents required.
Outcomes of Early Use of an End of Range Axilla Orthotic in Children Following Burn Injury
Authors: Thomas Rhianydd , Wicks Stephanie , Toose Claire , Pacey Verity
Published: April 2019

Scar contracture is a significant complication of burn injury. This study aimed to describe outcomes of early axilla orthotic use at end of range abduction in children, following a burn to the axilla region. A retrospective review of 76 children (mean age 3.9 years [SD 3.6]) treated at a tertiary children’s hospital from 2006 to 2016 was conducted. No child developed axilla contracture for the duration of the 2-year study follow-up with no adverse events recorded. If orthotic use was ceased <60 days post-burn, it was considered not an essential intervention to maintain range of movement, leaving 49 children using the orthotic ≥60 days. Compared with the children who ceased orthotic use in <60 days, children who required the orthotic ≥60 days had a significantly higher frequency of deep-dermal burn (59 vs 25%, p = .01), flame mechanism (25 vs 5%, p = .03), and burn injury distribution involving the anterior trunk, flank, and arm (18 vs 3%, p = .03). Early signs of contracture, considered loss of full axilla range or significant banding, developed in nine children within 3 months post-burn. With intensive therapy, all returned to full axilla range by 9 months post-burn. Children with skin tension at end of range shoulder movement at the 1-month clinical assessment were 11 times more likely to develop early signs of contracture (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9–62.1, p = .007). Intensive orthotic use at end of range shoulder abduction in children with axilla burns is well tolerated. When undertaken with ongoing therapist review, full axilla range can be maintained.
Practical Sampling Plan for Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Tomato Crops
Authors: Lopes Mayara C , Ribeiro Arthur V , Costa Thiago L , Arcanjo Lucas de P , Farias Elizeu S , Santos Abraão A , Ramos Rodrigo S , De Araújo Tamíris A , Picanço Marcelo C
Published: April 2019

The pea leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), is an important pest of tomato crops worldwide. Conventional sampling plans are the starting point for the development of pest control decision-making. The present study aimed to develop a conventional sampling plan for L. huidobrensis during the vegetative and reproductive stages of tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.). The best sampling unit for vegetative and reproductive stages of tomato crops was determined. The frequency distributions of L. huidobrensis densities in tomato crops were assessed, and the ideal number of samples to constitute the sampling plan was determined. The basal leaf of the middle section of the plant canopy was the best plant part for sampling. Pea leafminer densities were fitted to the negative binomial distribution with a common aggregation parameter (Kcommon = 0.7289) that represents all tomato fields. The sampling plan consists of 73 samples per field, irrespective of field size (1, 5, or 10 ha). Evaluations using this sampling plan were performed in 47 min, 1 h 9 min, and 1 h 25 min at a cost of US$1.74, US$2.54, and US$3.12 per sampling in fields of 1, 5, and 10 ha, respectively. The sampling plan developed in this study may lead to more well-informed decision-making for controlling L. huidobrensis in tomato fields up to 10 ha. Additionally, it is inexpensive (up to US$3.12 per sampling area), fast (up to 1 h 25 min per sampling area), and practical (it can be used in tomato crops at the vegetative and reproductive stages).