bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Luminescence of undoped commercial ZnS crystals: A critical review and new evidence on the role of impurities using photoluminescence and electrical transient spectroscopy
Authors: Saleh Muad , Lynn Kelvin G. , Jacobsohn Luiz G. , McCloy John S.
Published: February 2019

Bulk undoped ZnS materials exhibit relatively bright yet diverse luminescence behavior, which has, in recent years, been attributed to intrinsic defects. However, the luminescence also resembles that of doped materials, implying a role of impurities. Luminescence features have also been attributed to oxygen impurities causing defect clusters or energy band anti-crossing. Thus, this study couples optical and electrical techniques, such as band edge transmission, photoluminescence (PL), PL excitation, radioluminescence, thermoluminescence, optical deep level transient spectroscopy, and photoinduced current transient spectroscopy, to explore the identity of defect levels. ZnS materials studied are commercial single crystals made by physical vapor transport, high-pressure Bridgman, and powder processing. These undoped bulk ZnS exhibit luminescence behavior similar to that of reported doped ZnS powders (10−4 to 10−2 mol. % doping for luminescent materials). Dopants (such as Al, Cl, Cu, and Ag) are also commonly found impurities in ZnS; hence, it is reasonable to believe they have a role in the luminescence of nominally undoped ZnS. By comparing the variation in optical and electrical properties between samples to the processing method and the rich literature on intentionally doped ZnS, this study shows a possible dominant contribution of impurities and impurity-containing defects on the luminescence of bulk “undoped” ZnS. Hence, there is no need to resort to complex mechanisms to explain the luminescence, but rather the metal and halide impurities and their defect complexes determine the main characteristics of luminescence in this wide-bandgap semiconductor.
Piezoelectric control of resistance switching in VO2/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 heterostructure
Authors: Zhang Jingjiao , Kong Weilong , Liu Liang , Li Changjian , Fang Liang , Feng Yuan Ping , Tang Rujun , Su Xiaodong , Chen Jingsheng
Published: February 2019

The VO2/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin film heterostructure device was first grown to investigate the piezoelectric control of resistance switching in Vanadium dioxide (VO2) films with a PZT underlayer. The results show that upon applying a continuous gate-electric-field (Eb) on the heterostructure, a butterfly shape resistance (R) vs. Eb curve of VO2 was observed. This R-Eb curve agrees well with the strain vs. electric-field “butterfly” curve of the underlying PZT, indicating that the resistance changes in VO2 were induced by piezoelectric lattice strain at the VO2/PZT interface. A repeated pulsed Eb modulation of VO2 resistance was further demonstrated. The resistance of the VO2 film decreases under compressive strain and increases under tensile strain. The resistance of change of the VO2 film under different strains has been explained using the first-principles calculations. The above results show that repeatable resistance switching in the VO2 film can be realized in the VO2/PZT heterostructure with a small Eb around room temperature.
Jetting to dripping transition: Critical aspect ratio in step emulsifiers
Authors: Montessori Andrea , Lauricella Marco , Stolovicki Elad , Weitz David A. , Succi Sauro
Published: February 2019

Fully three-dimensional, time-dependent, direct simulations of the non-ideal Navier-Stokes equations for a two-component fluid shed light into the mechanism which inhibits droplet breakup in step emulsifiers below a critical threshold of the width-to-height (w/h) ratio of the microfluidic nozzle. Below w/h ∼ 2.6, the simulations provide evidence of a smooth topological transition of the fluid from the confined rectangular channel geometry to an isotropic (spherical) expansion of the fluid downstream the nozzle step. Above such threshold, the transition from the inner to the outer space involves a series of dynamical rearrangements which keep the free surface in mechanical balance. Such rearrangements also induce a backflow of the ambient fluid which, in turn, leads to jet pinching and ultimately to its rupture, namely, droplet formation. The simulations show remarkable agreement with the experimental value of the threshold, which is found around w/h ∼ 2.56.
Time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of pulsed laser ablation of pyroxene
Authors: Sloane Joshua , Smith Eric , Sedwick Raymond
Published: February 2019

Pulsed laser ablation experiments on pyroxene rock have been conducted. A 1064nm laser with a 0.7ns pulse width is used to generate ablation in vacuum. The resulting plasma plume is characterized with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Pyroxene is a mineral commonly found in S-Type asteroids. Laser ablation generates thrust, and can be used to move an asteroid off of an Earth impacting trajectory, or to a more favorable orbit for in-situ resource utilization. In addition, time-of-flight mass spectrometry can be used for in-situ analysis of asteroids. From the data collected in this experiment, a two-dimensional distribution of the positive ions is found as a function of speed and mass per charge. From the distribution, the specific impulse of the positive ions is found to be 6920 s. This is an overestimate of the overall efficiency, since it does not consider efficiency losses or the speed of neutrals and larger particles.
Realization of acoustic omnidirectional radiation with annular anisotropic zero-density metamaterial
Authors: Li Weiping , Liu Fengming , Mei Lingrui , Ke Manzhu , Liu Zhengyou
Published: February 2019

Acoustic metamaterials are artificial structures with unique properties that offer great flexibility for manipulating acoustic waves. In this manuscript, we describe the fabrication of an annular anisotropic metamaterial with an azimuthal effective density approaching zero and demonstrate its robust omnidirectional radiation performance. Locating two sources at a distance from one another or placing a cross-shape obstacle between them inside the cavity of the metamaterial produces acoustic omnidirectional radiation over a wide frequency range. This is quite different from the behavior in the cavity mode. This anisotropic zero-density metamaterial can be considered as a source shifter, which may have applications in acoustic manipulation, acoustic communication, cloaking, and sonar systems.
Review of Scientific Instruments New Products
Authors: Mandelis Andreas
Published: February 2019

In order to supplement manufacturers’ information, this Department will welcome the submission by our readers of brief communications reporting measurements on the physical properties of materials which supersede earlier data or suggest new research applications.
Connectedness of the solution sets of inclusions
Authors: Zhukovskiy E. S.
Published: February 2019

A research scheme for investigating the connectedness of the set of solutions of an inclusion in a topological space is proposed. It is applied to analyze the fixed-point set of a Volterra set-valued map in the space of continuous functions

; conditions for it to be connected in the norm and weak topology of

are obtained. On this basis conditions are found which ensure that the solution set of Hammerstein’s delay integral inclusion is connected.

Bibliography: 14 titles.
A smooth version of Johnson’s problem on derivations of group algebras
Authors: Arutyunov A. A. , Mishchenko A. S.
Published: February 2019

We give a description of the algebra of outer derivations of the group algebra of a finitely presented discrete group in terms of the Cayley complex of the groupoid of the adjoint action of the group. This problem is a smooth version of Johnson’s problem on derivations of a group algebra. We show that the algebra of outer derivations is isomorphic to the one-dimensional compactly supported cohomology group of the Cayley complex over the field of complex numbers.

Bibliography: 34 titles.
Effect of medical students’ values on their clinical decision-making
Authors: Moyo Mpatisi , Shulruf Boaz , Weller Jennifer , Goodyear-Smith Felicity
Published: February 2019

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Personal and professional values of health-care practitioners influence their clinical decisions. AIM To investigate how medical students’ values influence their clinical decisions. METHODS Values of 117 medical students were measured using an instrument we developed, the Healthcare Practitioner Values Scale. Factors that students consider in clinical decision-making were identified in four clinical scenarios using qualitative coding. Differences in values between students who considered given factors in decision-making and students who did not consider the same factors were analysed. Random effects models were used to investigate which differences were explained by variation in the clinical scenarios and factors considered in decision-making. RESULTS Six factors that students consider in clinical decision-making were identified and grouped into three categories: patient-centred (patient perspective, family and social circumstances); clinical (patient safety, symptoms and treatment efficacy); and situational factors (health-care practitioner self-awareness and service cost). Students who prioritised spirituality placed more emphasis on patient-centred factors, and less emphasis on clinical factors in different scenarios; students who prioritised critical thinking placed less emphasis on patient-centred factors; and students who prioritised capability, professionalism and safety values placed more emphasis on situational factors. Total proportion of variance in value differences explained by factors and clinical scenarios was 25.2% for spirituality and 56.2% for critical thinking. DISCUSSION Students who prioritise different values consider different factors in their clinical decisions. Spirituality and critical thinking values are more likely to influence students’ decision-making approaches than other values. Improving students’ awareness of how their own values influence their decisions can help them improve their clinical decision-making.
Fate mapping reveals the age structure of the peripheral T cell compartment
Authors: Reynaldi Arnold , Smith Norah L. , Schlub Timothy E. , Tabilas Cybelle , Venturi Vanessa , Rudd Brian D. , Davenport Miles P.
Published: February 2019

Significance

The development of the peripheral T cell pool is typically described based on the maturation and survival of cells in the periphery, assuming all cells are created equal and have similar lifespans. We have developed a mouse model in which we can “timestamp” CD8+T cells produced at different ages and track their survival. We find that cells produced early in life persist and contribute to the adult pool. However, the dynamics of cell survival are dependent on the age at which they are produced, leading to a shifting population of cells with age. We propose that heterogeneity in the developmental origins of cells contributes to the phenotypic heterogeneity of individual cells observed in adult animals.
Six6 and Six7 coordinately regulate expression of middle-wavelength opsins in zebrafish
Authors: Ogawa Yohey , Shiraki Tomoya , Asano Yoshimasa , Muto Akira , Kawakami Koichi , Suzuki Yutaka , Kojima Daisuke , Fukada Yoshitaka
Published: February 2019

Color discrimination in the vertebrate retina is mediated by a combination of spectrally distinct cone photoreceptors, each expressing one of multiple cone opsins. The opsin genes diverged early in vertebrate evolution into four classes maximally sensitive to varying wavelengths of light: UV (SWS1), blue (SWS2), green (RH2), and red (LWS) opsins. Although the tetrachromatic cone system is retained in most nonmammalian vertebrate lineages, the transcriptional mechanism underlying gene expression of the cone opsins remains elusive, particularly for SWS2 and RH2 opsins, both of which have been lost in the mammalian lineage. In zebrafish, which have all four cone subtypes,
rh2
opsin gene expression depends on a homeobox transcription factor,
sine oculis
homeobox 7 (Six7). However, the
six7
gene is found only in the ray-finned fish lineage, suggesting the existence of another evolutionarily conserved transcriptional factor(s) controlling
rh2
opsin expression in vertebrates. Here, we found that the reduced
rh2
expression caused by
six7
deficiency was rescued by forced expression of
six6b
, which is a
six7-
related transcription factor conserved widely among vertebrates. The compensatory role of
six6b
was reinforced by ChIP-sequencing analysis, which revealed a similar pattern of Six6b- and Six7-binding sites within and near the cone opsin genes. TAL effector nuclease-induced genetic ablation of
six6b
and
six7
revealed that they coordinately regulate SWS2 opsin gene expression. Mutant larvae deficient for these transcription factors showed severely impaired visually driven foraging behavior. These results demonstrate that in zebrafish,
six6b
and
six7
govern expression of the SWS2 and RH2 opsins responsible for middle-wavelength sensitivity, which would be physiologically important for daylight vision.
Opposite regulation of Wnt/β-catenin and Shh signaling pathways by Rack1 controls mammalian cerebellar development
Authors: Yang Haihong , Zhu Qian , Cheng Juanxian , Wu Yan , Fan Ming , Zhang Jiyan , Wu Haitao
Published: February 2019

Significance

The molecular mechanisms underlying cerebellar development have not yet been fully understood. Here, we analyzed and revealed a critical function of receptor for activated C kinase 1 (Rack1), a WD40-repeat domain containing scaffolding protein, in the regulation of cerebellar patterning and fissure formation. We found that during embryonic and early postnatal development, Rack1 oppositely regulates Wnt/β-catenin and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathways in distinct developmental stages. Interestingly, we also found that Rack1-mediated stabilization of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1)/HDAC2 is essential for the activation of Shh signaling in granule neuron progenitors during cerebellar development. Together, we have demonstrated the crucial role of Rack1 for cerebellar morphogenesis by homeostatic regulation of two distinct morphogenic pathways.
Phosphoregulated FMRP phase separation models activity-dependent translation through bidirectional control of mRNA granule formation
Authors: Tsang Brian , Arsenault Jason , Vernon Robert M. , Lin Hong , Sonenberg Nahum , Wang Lu-Yang , Bah Alaji , Forman-Kay Julie D.
Published: February 2019

Significance

Activity-dependent translation, the reversible activation of translation in response to synaptic activity, is important for synaptic plasticity and long-term memory formation. How synaptic activity triggers translation of silenced mRNAs within neuronal granules, which are membraneless RNA–protein assemblies, is not clear. We show that the C-terminal region of the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), an abundant neuronal granule protein, phase separates in vitro with RNA and that its phase separation is fine-tuned by posttranslational modifications controlled in neurons by synaptic activity. We observe that phase separation is correlated with translation inhibition in vitro, providing a conceptual framework to unify FMRP’s diverse roles. Experimental and bioinformatic data suggest that phase separation may be a general mechanism linked to activity-dependent translation.
Unraveling materials Berry curvature and Chern numbers from real-time evolution of Bloch states
Authors: Shin Dongbin , Sato Shunsuke A. , Hübener Hannes , De Giovannini Umberto , Kim Jeongwoo , Park Noejung , Rubio Angel
Published: February 2019

Significance

It was established by Thouless, Kohmoto, Nightingale, and den Nijs in 1982 that the topology of the solid-state wavefunctions leads to quantization of transverse electrical conductivity of an insulator. This recognition has led to the development of the new field of topological materials characterized by symmetry-protected quantum numbers. Here, we propose a general and computationally efficient framework enabling one to unveil and predict materials-topological invariants in terms of physical observables, such as the bulk time-dependent current. We show how the quantized charge and spin Hall effect appears even for materials with a non-Abelian Berry phase. This dynamical approach is not necessarily restricted to density functional theory, but can be extended to other schemes and to other methods dealing with correlations explicitly.
Evolution of resilience in protein interactomes across the tree of life
Authors: Zitnik Marinka , Sosič Rok , Feldman Marcus W. , Leskovec Jure
Published: February 2019

Significance

The interactome network of protein–protein interactions captures the structure of molecular machinery that underlies organismal complexity. The resilience to network failures is a critical property of the interactome as the breakdown of interactions may lead to cell death or disease. By studying interactomes from 1,840 species across the tree of life, we find that evolution leads to more resilient interactomes, providing evidence for a longstanding hypothesis that interactomes evolve favoring robustness against network failures. We find that a highly resilient interactome has a beneficial impact on the organism’s survival in complex, variable, and competitive habitats. Our findings reveal how interactomes change through evolution and how these changes affect their response to environmental unpredictability.
Local frustration around enzyme active sites
Authors: Freiberger Maria I. , Guzovsky A. Brenda , Wolynes Peter G. , Parra R. Gonzalo , Ferreiro Diego U.
Published: February 2019

Significance

All known terrestrial protein enzymes fold robustly and explore the complex energy landscapes that are required for activity. The catalytic residues must be held together in precise positions that may conflict with the correct folding dynamics of the domain itself. We quantified these energetic conflicts and found that these are effectively present in extant enzymes, regardless of the protein oligomeric state, overall topology, and enzymatic class. The conservation of these energetic signatures is higher than the conservation quantified in the primary structures.
Gender, metaphor and migration in media representations
Authors: Arcimaviciene Liudmila
Published: February 2019

This study discusses the gendered use of metaphors in the media texts collected from the U.S. and UK online media sources in the time span of two years (2015–2017) on the topic of the EU 2015 migration. Using Metaphor Identification Procedure (Pragglejaz Group 2007), 88 media texts were analysed, following the criteria of topicality and gender. The findings reveal how the evoked frames of quantifiable and tradable objects, natural phenomena, crimes, war and terrorism contribute to suppressing positive emotions, related to empathy or compassion. It is also determined how the collective media voice is twisted by such underlying categories as competition, hierarchy and dominance that create an ideological opposition and relegate the collective migrant to the Other.
On belonging
Authors: Stolz Thomas , Levkovych Nataliya
Published: February 2019

This study aims at pinpointing certain properties of belong-constructions which might prove helpful for a future cross-linguistic inquiry into the grammar of those categories which associate with the notion belong in particular and with predicative possession in general. To this end, languages from two different regions – Mexico and Europe – are reviewed as to the evidence they provide of belong-constructions and their relation to other predicative-possessive categories. Cases of areal and genetic micro-variation in the domain of belong are discussed. The methodological issue of collecting data which are usually not featured in the descriptive-linguistic literature is raised as well.
Argument selectors
Authors: Witzlack-Makarevich Alena
Published: February 2019

This article opens a volume of detailed descriptions of grammatical relations in thirteen languages. It begins by outlining new developments in the research on grammatical relations in the recent years. It then introduces the framework for studying and describing grammatical relations developed in Bickel (2010b) and Witzlack-Makarevich (2011). This framework served as a guideline to the contributors of the present volume in preparing individual accounts. I first present the various properties of arguments, which are understood as compound categories made up of both generalized semantic roles S, A, P, T, and G, as well as of their lexical and referential specifications. I then proceed to various conditions on grammatical relations and, finally, introduce the concept of argument selectors and illustrate their common types with examples from the languages of the present volume, as well as from other languages.
Grammatical relations in Mandinka
Authors: Creissels Denis
Published: February 2019

In this paper, after establishing on a strictly language-internal basis the distinction between four possible syntactic positions for arguments in Mandinka predicative constructions, and analyzing alignment relationships in the coding properties of arguments, I discuss alignment in the syntactic operations and constructions likely to be relevant to the definition of grammatical relations. Most of them confirm the S = A ≠ P alignment apparent in the coding properties of arguments. However, Mandinka also has several constructions or operations with no differentiation between S, A and P, a few others in which A and P behave differently and S is aligned with P, and one with a tripartite treatment of S, A and P.
Grammatical relations in Yaqui
Authors: Guerrero Lilián
Published: February 2019

This paper describes a number of selectors for grammatical relations in Yaqui. The main selectors discussed in the paper include case marking, word order, suppletion, passive and valency-increasing mechanisms, control and anaphoric constructions. The study reveals two crucial aspects: Yaqui is a good example of a language where grammatical relations can be characterized as a construction-specific category, and the distinction between core and non-core arguments is essential to determine the selected argument in particular constructions.
Cyclin B3 is required for metaphase to anaphase transition in oocyte meiosis I
Authors: Li Yufei , Wang Leyun , Zhang Linlin , He Zhengquan , Feng Guihai , Sun Hao , Wang Jiaqiang , Li Zhikun , Liu Chao , Han Jiabao , Mao Junjie , Li Pengcheng , Yuan Xuewei , Jiang Liyuan , Zhang Ying , Zhou Qi , Li Wei
Published: February 2019

Meiosis with a single round of DNA replication and two successive rounds of chromosome segregation requires specific cyclins associated with cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) to ensure its fidelity. But how cyclins control the distinctive meiosis is still largely unknown. In this study, we explored the role of cyclin B3 in female meiosis by generating Ccnb3 mutant mice via CRISPR/Cas9. Ccnb3 mutant oocytes characteristically arrested at metaphase I (MetI) with normal spindle assembly and lacked enough anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) activity, which is spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) independent, to initiate anaphase I (AnaI). Securin siRNA or CDK1 inhibitor supplements rescued the MetI arrest. Furthermore, CCNB3 directly interacts with CDK1 to exert kinase function. Besides, the MetI arrest oocytes had normal development after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or parthenogenetic activation (PA), along with releasing the sister chromatids, which implies that Ccnb3 exclusively functioned in meiosis I, rather than meiosis II. Our study sheds light on the specific cell cycle control of cyclins in meiosis.
Resistance is futile: Centering forces yield for asymmetric cell division
Authors: Alper Joshua , Zanic Marija
Published: February 2019

Asymmetric cell division relies on microtubule-based forces to asymmetrically position the mitotic apparatus. In this issue, Sallé et al. (2019. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201807102) use magnetic tweezers to induce asymmetric division in sea urchin zygotes, demonstrating that asymmetry could arise from a time-dependent weakening of centering forces.
Real-world Effectiveness and Safety of Vedolizumab for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The Scottish Vedolizumab Cohort
Authors: Plevris N , Chuah C S , Allen R M , Arnott I D , Brennan P N , Chaudhary S , Churchhouse A M D , Din S , Donoghue E , Gaya D R , Groome M , Jafferbhoy H M , Jenkinson P W , Lam W L , Lyons M , Macdonald J C , MacMaster M , Mowat C , Naismith G D , Potts L F , Saffouri E , Seenan J P , Sengupta A , Shasi P , Sutherland D I , Todd J A , Veryan J , Watson A J M , Watts D A , Jones G R , Lees C W
Published: February 2019

Background & Aims

Vedolizumab is an anti-a4b7 monoclonal antibody that is licensed for the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The aims of this study were to establish the real-world effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods

This was a retrospective study involving seven NHS health boards in Scotland between June 2015 and November 2017. Inclusion criteria included: a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease with objective evidence of active inflammation at baseline (Harvey–Bradshaw Index[HBI] ≥5/Partial Mayo ≥2 plus C-reactive protein [CRP] >5 mg/L or faecal calprotectin ≥250 µg/g or inflammation on endoscopy/magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]); completion of induction; and at least one clinical follow-up by 12 months. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to establish 12-month cumulative rates of clinical remission, mucosal healing, and deep remission [clinical remission plus mucosal healing]. Rates of serious adverse events were described quantitatively.

Results

Our cohort consisted of 180 patients with ulcerative colitis and 260 with Crohn’s disease. Combined median follow-up was 52 weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 26–52 weeks). In ulcerative colitis, 12-month cumulative rates of clinical remission, mucosal healing, and deep remission were 57.4%, 47.3%, and 38.5%, respectively. In Crohn’s disease, 12-month cumulative rates of clinical remission, mucosal healing, and deep remission were 58.4%, 38.9%, and 28.3% respectively. The serious adverse event rate was 15.6 per 100 patient-years of follow-up.

Conclusions

Vedolizumab is a safe and effective treatment for achieving both clinical remission and mucosal healing in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
A Validated Score Assessing the Risk of an Intra-Abdominal Abscess in Patients with Crohn’s Disease Presenting at the Emergency Department
Authors: Khoury Tawfik , Daher Saleh , Massarwa Muhammad , Hakimian David , Benson Ariel A , Viener Elez , Farah Raymond , Mari Amir , Hazou Wadi , Kadah Anas , Sbeit Wisam , Mahamid Mahmud , Israeli Eran
Published: February 2019

Background and Aims

A majority of acutely ill Crohn’s disease [CD] patients who present to Emergency Department [ED] will undergo an abdominal CT to rule out disease complications. We aimed to generate a simple non-invasive scoring model to predict the presence of an intra-abdominal abscess in CD patients in the ED.

Methods

We performed a retrospective case–control study at four Israeli hospitals from January 1, 2010 to May 30, 2018. Inclusion criteria included patients with an established diagnosis of CD that had cross-sectional abdominal imaging performed. A total of 322 patients were included, and 81 [25%] were diagnosed with an intra-abdominal abscess.

Results

In univariate analysis, ileo–colonic location (odds ratio [OR] 1.88, p = 0.0148), perianal CD [OR 7.01, p = 0.0004], fever [OR 1.88, p = 0.0247], neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [OR 1.12, p < 0.0001], and C-reactive protein [OR 1.10, p < 0.0001] were significantly associated with abscess formation, whereas current use of corticosteroids was negatively associated with abscess formation [OR 0.46, 95% CI, 0.2–0.88, p = 0.0192]. We developed a diagnostic score that included five parameters that were significant on multivariate regression analysis, with assignment of weights for each variable according to the coefficient estimate. A low cut-off score of ≤7 was associated with a negative predictive value [NPV] of 93% for abscess formation, whereas a high cut-off score of >9 was associated with a positive predictive value of 65%. We validated this score with an independent cohort [area under the curve of 0.881 and NPV of 98.5%].

Conclusion

We recommend incorporating this score as an aid for stratifying acutely ill CD patients in the ED with low or high probability of the presence of an intra-abdominal abscess.
Domestic Attitudes toward Regional Leadership: A Survey Experiment in Brazil
Authors: Guimarães Feliciano de Sá , Fernandes Ivan Filipe , Maldonado Gerardo
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we analyze citizens’ attitudes toward regional leadership, employing two sets of survey experiments. Using Brazil as a case study, we analyze the first set of experiments with two types of regional leadership—structural and institutional—across three different regional issues—economic integration, regime change, and regional conflict. We found that Brazilians do not support either type of leadership, whether in regional conflict or in regime change issues, but support institutional leadership in economic integration scenarios. In the second set, we included specific South American countries both in regional conflict and in regime change scenarios. We found that Brazilians prefer Brazil to stay away from acting as a leader once neighboring countries are named in the experiment. Our findings indicate that the literature on regional leadership should incorporate the level of domestic support to understand its implications to the exercise of regional leadership. We embedded our experiments within the project “The Americas and the World: Public Opinion and International Politics, 2014–2015.” We used a nationally representative sample of eighteen hundred respondents undertaken in 2014.
Bioenergetic deficits in Huntington’s disease iPSC-derived neural cells and rescue with glycolytic metabolites
Authors:   The HD iPSC Consortium, Kedaigle Amanda J , Fraenkel Ernest , Atwal Ranjit S , Wu Min , Gusella James F , MacDonald Marcy E , Kaye Julia A , Finkbeiner Steven , Mattis Virginia B , Tom Colton M , Svendsen Clive , King Alvin R , Chen Yumay , Stocksdale Jennifer T , Lim Ryan G , Casale Malcolm , Wang Ping H , Thompson Leslie M , Akimov Sergey S , Ratovitski Tamara , Arbez Nicolas , Ross Christopher A
Published: February 2019

Altered cellular metabolism is believed to be an important contributor to pathogenesis of the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington’s disease (HD). Research has primarily focused on mitochondrial toxicity, which can cause death of the vulnerable striatal neurons, but other aspects of metabolism have also been implicated. Most previous studies have been carried out using postmortem human brain or non-human cells. Here, we studied bioenergetics in an induced pluripotent stem cell-based model of the disease. We found decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in HD cells compared to controls across differentiation stages and protocols. Proteomics data and multiomics network analysis revealed normal or increased levels of mitochondrial messages and proteins, but lowered expression of glycolytic enzymes. Metabolic experiments showed decreased spare glycolytic capacity in HD neurons, while maximal and spare respiratory capacities driven by oxidative phosphorylation were largely unchanged. ATP levels in HD neurons could be rescued with addition of pyruvate or late glycolytic metabolites, but not earlier glycolytic metabolites, suggesting a role for glycolytic deficits as part of the metabolic disturbance in HD neurons. Pyruvate or other related metabolic supplements could have therapeutic benefit in HD.
Low-mass halo perturbations in strong gravitational lenses at redshift z ∼ 0.5 are consistent with CDM
Authors: Ritondale E , Vegetti S , Despali G , Auger M W , Koopmans L V E , McKean J P
Published: February 2019

We use a sample of 17 strong gravitational lens systems from the BELLS GALLERY survey to quantify the amount of low-mass dark matter haloes within the lensing galaxies and along their lines of sight, and to constrain the properties of dark matter. Based on a detection criterion of 10σ, we report no significant detection in any of the lenses. Using the sensitivity function at the 10σ level, we have calculated the predicted number of detectable cold dark matter (CDM) line-of-sight haloes to be μl = 1.17 ± 1.08, in agreement with our null detection. Assuming a detection sensitivity that improved to the level implied by a 5σ threshold, the expected number of detectable line-of-sight haloes rises to μl = 9.0 ± 3.0. Whilst the current data find zero detections at this sensitivity level (which has a probability of P$^{{\rm 5}\sigma }_{{\rm CDM}}(n_{\rm det}=0)$ = 0.0001 and would be in strong tension with the CDM framework), we find that such a low-detection threshold leads to many spurious detections and non-detections and therefore the current lack of detections is unreliable and requires data with improved sensitivity. Combining this sample with a subsample of 11 SLACS lenses, we constrain the half-mode mass to be log (Mhm) < 12.26 at the 2σ level. The latter is consistent with resonantly produced sterile neutrino masses ms < 0.8 keV at any value of the lepton asymmetry at the 2σ level.
In-depth Sampling of High-risk Populations to Characterize HIV Transmission Epidemics Among Young MSM Using PrEP in France and Quebec
Authors: Chaillon Antoine , Delaugerre Constance , Brenner Bluma , Armero Alix , Capitant Catherine , Nere Marie Laure , Leturque Nicolas , Pialoux Gilles , Cua Eric , Tremblay Cecile , Smith Davey M , Goujard Cecile , Meyer Laurence , Molina Jean Michel , Chaix Marie Laure
Published: February 2019

Background

A better understanding of HIV transmission dynamics among populations at high risk is important for development of prevention strategies. We determined HIV transmission networks from infected individuals enrolled in the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) IPERGAY trial in combination with the ANRS PRIMO and Montreal PHI cohorts to identify and characterize active clusters of transmission in this high-risk population.

Methods

Genotypic resistance tests were performed on plasma samples from 31 IPERGAY participants. Reverse transcriptase sequences were analyzed in combination with unique HIV pol sequences from 1351 individuals enrolled in the PRIMO ANRS cohort (1999–2014) and 511 individuals enrolled in the Montreal PHI cohort (1996–2016). Network analyses were performed to infer putative relationships between all participants.

Results

Overall, 1893 participants were included. Transmission network analyses revealed that 14 individuals (45.2%) from the IPERGAY trial were involved in 13 clusters sampled over a median period (interquartile range) of 2 (0.3–7.8) years, including 7 dyads and 6 larger clusters ranging from 4 to 28 individuals. When comparing characteristics between clustering individuals enrolled in the PRIMO cohort (n = 377) and in IPERGAY (n = 14), we found that IPERGAY participants had a higher viral load (5.93 vs 5.20 log10 copies/mL, P = .032) and reported a higher number of partners in the last 2 months (P < .01).

Conclusions

These results demonstrate high rates of HIV transmission clustering among young high-risk MSM enrolled in the IPERGAY trial. In-depth sampling of high-risk populations may help to uncover unobserved transmission intermediaries and improve prevention efforts that could be targeted to the most active clusters.
Effects of SHAM on the Sensitivity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea to QoI Fungicides
Authors: Liang Hongjie , Li Jinli , Luo Chaoxi , Li Jianhong , Zhu Fu-Xing
Published: February 2019

It is a common practice to add salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) into artificial medium in the in vitro sensitivity assay of fungal phytopathogens to the quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides. The rationale for adding SHAM is to inhibit fungal alternative oxidase, which is presumed to be inhibited by secondary metabolites of plants. Therefore, the ideal characteristics of SHAM should be almost nontoxic to phytopathogens and have no significant effect on control efficacy of fungicides. However, this study showed that the average effective concentration for 50% inhibition (EC50) of mycelial growth values of SHAM were 97.5 and 401.4 μg/ml for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea, respectively. EC50 values of the three QoI fungicides azoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl, and trifloxystrobin in the presence of SHAM at 20 and 80 μg/ml for S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea, respectively, declined by 52.7 to 78.1% compared with those without SHAM. For the dicarboximide fungicide dimethachlone, the average EC50 values in the presence of SHAM declined by 18.2% (P = 0.008) for S. sclerotiorum and 35.9% (P = 0.012) for B. cinerea. Pot experiments showed that SHAM increased control efficacy of the three QoI fungicides against the two pathogens by 43 to 83%. For dimethachlone, SHAM increased control efficacy by 134% for S. sclerotiorum and 86% for B. cinerea. Biochemical studies showed that SHAM significantly inhibited peroxidase activity (P = 0.024) of B. cinerea and esterase activity (P = 0.015) of S. sclerotiorum. The strong inhibitions of SHAM per se on mycelial growth of B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum and significant influences on the sensitivity of the two pathogens to both the QoI fungicides and dimethachlone as well as inhibitions on peroxidase and esterase indicate that SHAM should not be added in the in vitro assay of sensitivity to the QoI fungicides.
Tranexamic Acid for the Prevention and Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage
Authors: Sentilhes L. , Lasocki S. , Ducloy-Bouthors A.S. , Deruelle P. , Dreyfus M. , Perrotin F. , Goffinet F. , Deneux-Tharaux C.
Published: February 2019

(Br J Anaesth. 2015;114:576–587)

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal mortality, accounting for one-quarter of all maternal deaths worldwide. Uterotonics after birth are the only intervention that has been shown to be effective for PPH prevention. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic agent, has therefore been investigated as a potentially useful complement to this for both prevention and treatment because its hypothesized mechanism of action in PPH supplements that of uterotonics and because it has been proven to reduce blood loss in elective surgery, bleeding in trauma patients, and menstrual blood loss. This review covers evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for PPH prevention after cesarean (n1/410) and vaginal (n1/42) deliveries and for PPH treatment after vaginal delivery (n1/41). It discusses TXA efficacy and side effects overall and in relation to the various doses studied for both indications.
Protecting Mothers and Babies: A Delicate Balancing Act
Authors: Rasmussen S.A. , Barfield W. , Honein M.A.
Published: February 2019

(N Engl J Med. 2018;379:907–909)

Ensuring that a pregnant woman has access to potentially life-saving treatments while safeguarding her fetus is a delicate balancing act that requires careful evaluation of risks and benefits to both the mother and fetus. In the present perspective article, Rasmussen and colleagues discuss the recent safety signal released by multiple organizations regarding the use of dolutegravir, an antiretroviral medication, during pregnancy and the potential for neural tube defects.
What are the Risk Factors Associated With Hospital Birth Among Women Planning to Give Birth in a Birth Center in Washington State?
Authors: Stephenson-Famy A. , Masarie K.S. , Lewis A. , Schiff M.A.
Published: February 2019

(Birth. 2018;45:130–136)

In the United States, the proportion of women having out-of-hospital births nearly doubled between 2004 and 2015 (0.87% to 1.5%). In 2015, nearly one third of all out-of-hospital deliveries took place in free-standing birth centers. In 2012, 3.4% of deliveries in Washington State were out-of-hospital, one of the highest proportions in the United States. In 2015, 1.5% of all Washington State deliveries were in birth centers. While studies on out-of-hospital births tend to focus on neonatal and maternal outcomes for women planning home birth, few evaluate risk factors among women planning a delivery in a birth center who ultimately delivered in a hospital. Using Washington State birth certificate data, this study aimed to identify maternal characteristics and risk factors associated with hospital birth in women planning to deliver at a birth center.
Retrospective Review of Universal Preoperative Pregnancy Testing: Results and Perspectives
Authors: Gong X. , Poterack K.A.
Published: February 2019

(Anesth Analg. 2018;127:e4–e5)

There are significant potential complications associated with surgery and anesthesia during the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, preoperative pregnancy testing before elective surgical procedures is widely implemented, most commonly via urine pregnancy testing. The authors of the present review performed a retrospective analysis of immediate preoperative pregnancy tests at the Mayo Clinic Arizona, which has routine universal screening of women between menarche and menopause, and discussed the effectiveness of the screenings.
Regional Anesthesia in the Patient Receiving Antithrombotic or Thrombolytic Therapy: American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Evidence-based Guidelines (Fourth Edition)
Authors: Horlocker T.T. , Vandermeuelen E. , Kopp S.L. , Gogarten W. , Leffert L.R. , Benzon H.T.
Published: February 2019

(Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018;43:263–309)

The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) convened its Fourth Consensus Conference on Regional Anesthesia and Anticoagulation in conjunction with the European Society of Anesthesiology (ESA) in response to emerging patient safety issues. Among these are the heightened risk of neuraxial bleeding due to increasingly potent antithrombotic medications, changing standards for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention, and conflicting recommendations by various bodies and societies. Spinal hematoma is an uncommon and catastrophic complication of epidural or spinal anesthesia. Previous versions of this report have been published in 1998, 2003 and 2010 as ASRA Consensus Documents. For this update, authors performed a systematic and general review of relevant literature published between 2010 and 2017. The members represented ASRA, ESA, and the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP).
Comparison of Double Intravenous Vasopressor Automated System Using Nexfin Versus Manual Vasopressor Bolus Administration for Maintenance of Hemodynamic Stability During Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery: A Randomized Double-blind Controlled Trial
Authors: Sng B.L. , Du W. , Lee M.X. , Ithnin F. , Mathur D. , Leong W.L. , Sultana R. , Han N.R. , Sia A.T.H.
Published: February 2019

(Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2018;35:390–397)

Maternal hypotension is common when spinal anesthesia is administered for cesarean delivery. This can lead to maternal and fetal adverse effects. In an attempt to prevent maternal hypotension, various strategies have been used, such as intravenous fluid boluses and administration of intravenous vasopressors. None of these techniques, however, have been able to eliminate spinal-induced hypotension. Vasopressors (phenylephrine or ephedrine) are some of the most common strategies for the prevention of maternal hypotension. Because of the frequent fluctuations of blood pressure (BP) that occur during spinal anesthesia, though, it has been difficult to determine the optimal timing and dosing of vasopressors during cesarean delivery.
Management Strategies for Unintentional Dural Puncture: A Canadian Experience Survey in an Academic Setting
Authors: Russell S.
Published: February 2019

(Can J Anesth. 2018;65:728–729)

Unintentional dural puncture (UDP) complicates epidural anesthesia from 0.5% to 4% of the time. The most common complication is the development of a postdural puncture headache (PDPH). In Winnipeg, Canada, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to learn about common practices for managing obstetrical UDP. The survey included questions regarding clinical experience in obstetrical anesthesia, epidural insertion technique, UDP management, and PDPH management.
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Needle Movements During Combined Spinal-epidural Anaesthesia With and Without Ultrasound Assistance
Authors: Chin A. , Crooke B. , Heywood L. , Brijball R. , Pelecanos A.M. , Abeypala W.
Published: February 2019

(Anaesthesia. 2018;73:466–473)

Ultrasound-assisted neuraxial techniques have been used with increasing frequency to facilitate central neuraxial blockade. Advocates of the technique believe the use of ultrasound can enhance the safety and efficacy of neuraxial procedures by improving identification of the correct interspace and decreasing unnecessary needle movements. A recent review also found improved safety with ultrasound-assisted neuraxial procedures. However, it is still unclear as to which subpopulation benefits the most from the use of ultrasound. This randomized controlled trial aimed to determine the efficacy of performing preprocedural neuraxial ultrasound in women undergoing cesarean section with combined spinal-epidural (CSE) anesthesia. It also sought to identify factors associated with technical success of CSE.
Addressing the Elephant in the Room: A Shame Resilience Seminar for Medical Students
Authors: Bynum William E. , Adams Ashley V. , Edelman Claire E. , Uijtdehaage Sebastian , Artino Anthony R. , Fox James W.
Published: February 2019

Problem

Medical schools face the challenge of developing efficacious resources to promote well-being and foster resilience in students. The authors developed, implemented, and evaluated a shame resilience seminar for second-year clerkship medical students.

Approach

In February 2018, the authors conducted a 2.5-hour seminar (part of a longitudinal series) about shame, a common and potentially damaging emotion. The seminar consisted of a large-group session to introduce the psychology of shame, during which speakers shared their personal experiences with the emotion. Next, a small-group session allowed students to discuss their reactions to the large-group content in a safe and familiar environment. Before the seminar, faculty development was provided to small-group leaders (upper-level medical students and faculty) to increase their comfort leading discussions about shame. Students completed a pre/post retrospective survey immediately following the seminar.

Outcomes

The authors found statistically significant increases in students’ confidence in identifying shame and differentiating it from guilt; in their attitudes regarding the importance of identifying shame reactions in themselves and others; and in their willingness to reach out to others during a shame reaction. Surveys of group leaders revealed no reports of significant student distress during or after the seminar.

Next Steps

This seminar represents a reproducible means of promoting shame resilience in medical students. The speakers’ personal shame experiences and the safety of the small groups for discussions about shame were central to the seminar’s apparent success. Next steps include developing an empirically derived, longitudinal shame resilience curriculum spanning the medical school years.