bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcription factors CP2 and YY1 as prognostic markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas and a second independent cohort
Authors: Schnoell Julia , Jank Bernhard J. , Kadletz-Wanke Lorenz , Stoiber Stefan , Spielvogel Clemens P. , Gurnhofer Elisabeth , Kenner Lukas , Heiduschka Gregor
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The transcription factors YY1 and CP2 have been associated with tumor promotion and suppression in various cancers. Recently, simultaneous expression of both markers was correlated with negative prognosis in cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the expression of YY1 and CP2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients and their association with survival.

Methods

First, we analyzed mRNA expression and copy number variations (CNVs) of YY1 and CP2 using “The Cancer Genome Atlas” (TCGA) with 510 HNSCC patients. Secondly, protein expression was investigated via immunohistochemistry in 102 patients, who were treated in the Vienna General Hospital, utilizing a tissue microarray.

Results

The median follow-up was 2.9 years (1.8–4.6) for the TCGA cohort and 10.3 years (6.5–12.8) for the inhouse tissue micro-array (TMA) cohort. The median overall survival of the TCGA cohort was decreased for patients with a high YY1 mRNA expression (4.0 vs. 5.7 years, p = 0.030, corr. p = 0.180) and high YY1-CNV (3.53 vs. 5.4 years, p = 0.0355, corr. p = 0.213). Furthermore, patients with a combined high expression of YY1 and CP2 mRNA showed a worse survival (3.5 vs. 5.4 years, p = 0.003, corr. p = 0.018). The mortality rate of patients with co-expression of YY1 and CP2 mRNA was twice as high compared to patients with low expression of one or both (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.11–3.58, p = 0.021). Protein expression of nuclear YY1 and CP2 showed no association with disease outcome in our inhouse cohort.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that simultaneous expression of YY1 and CP2 mRNA is associated with shorter overall survival. Thus, combined high mRNA expression might be a suitable prognostic marker for risk stratification in HNSCC patients. However, since we could not validate this finding at genomic or protein level, we hypothesize that unknown underlying mechanisms which regulate mRNA transcription of YY1 and CP2 are the actual culprits leading to a worse survival.
The relationship between alexithymia, sensory phenotype and neurophysiological parameters in patients with chronic upper limb neuropathy
Authors: Isoardo Gianluca , Ciullo Stefano , Titolo Paolo , Fontana Elena , Battiston Bruno , Stella Maurizio , Luxardo Nicola , Laino Federica , Migliaretti Giuseppe , Stura Ilaria , Ardito Rita B. , Adenzato Mauro
Published: December 2020

In this study, we investigated the relationship between sensory abnormalities evaluated by quantitative sensory testing (QST) and alexithymia, depression and anxiety in patients with neuropathic pain involving the upper limbs. We enrolled 62 patients (34 with carpal tunnel syndrome, 7 with brachial plexopathy, 3 with cervical painful radiculopathy, 5 with ulnar entrapment neuropathy at elbow and 13 with post-burn hypertrophic scars) and 48 healthy controls. All underwent nerve conduction studies (NCS), evaluation of cold, heat pain and vibration detection threshold (VDT) by QST and evaluation of alexithymia by Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), depression by Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), anxiety by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), level of psychological distress by 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and perceived social support by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The general linear model analysis revealed a significant relationship between TAS-20 overall and TAS-20 sub-score for difficulty identifying feelings and VDT z-scores in the left index with no interaction by year of education and sensory NCS results. Our results demonstrated the association between impairment of vibratory sensation of the left hand, reflecting cutaneous mechanoceptor dysfunction, and alexithymia, particularly the difficulty to identify feelings. The importance of delivering to patients with neuropathic pain personalized care that takes into account not only the neurophysiological aspects but also the aspects of mental functioning is discussed.
Shorter, warmer winters may inhibit production of ephyrae in a population of the moon jellyfish Aurelia aurita
Authors: Loveridge Alexandra , Lucas Cathy H. , Pitt Kylie A.
Published: December 2020

Scyphozoan jellyfish blooms display high interannual variability in terms of timing of appearance and size of the bloom. To understand the causes of this variability, the conditions experienced by the polyps prior to the production of ephyrae in the spring were examined. Polyps reared from planula larvae of Aurelia aurita medusae collected from southern England (50°49′58.8; − 1°05′36.9) were incubated under orthogonal combinations of temperature (4, 7, 10 °C) and duration (2, 4, 6, 8 weeks), representing the range of winter conditions in that region, before experiencing an increase to 13 °C. Timing and success of strobilation were recorded. No significant production of ephyrae was observed in any of the 2- and 4-week incubations, or in any 10 °C incubation. Time to first ephyra release decreased with longer winter incubations, and more ephyrae were produced following longer and colder winter simulations. This experiment indicates that A. aurita requires a minimum period of cooler temperatures to strobilate, and contradicts claims that jellyfish populations will be more prevalent in warming oceans, specifically in the context of warmer winter conditions. Such investigations on population-specific ontogeny highlights the need to examine each life stage separately as well as in the context of its environment.
Study of backspatter using high-speed video of experimental gunshots
Authors: Schyma Christian , Baumann Fabienne , Madea Burkhard , Gotsmy Walther
Published: December 2020

Backspatter is biological material that is ejected from the entry wound against the line of fire. This phenomenon was also observed in wound ballistic simulations using so called "reference cubes" (12 cm edge length, 10% gelatin, 4 °C, paint pad beneath the cover). High-speed video records from 102 experimental shots to these target models using full metal jacketed bullets in the calibers .32 auto, .38 special, 9 mm Luger and .357 Magnum were analyzed for chronology, morphological appearance and velocity of fluid ejection. Generally, a short tail splashing of surface material occurred when the bullet was penetrating the target. In 51 shots from distance (≥ 5 cm), regardless of caliber and shot range, a linear jet of fluid started in connection with the first collapse of the temporary cavity. The initial velocity of the jet was measured between 6 and 45 m/s. The jet was streaming on for about 60 to 100 ms with a stochastic deviation of ± 13° to the horizontal. Close range and contact shots showed earlier and faster (up to 330 m/s) backspatter depending on the cartridge and the gap between muzzle and target. Gaseous aerosol-like spray and cone-like spatter indicated an increasing influence of muzzle gases with decreasing shot range. Even under standardized experimental conditions, variations of backspatter were observed in near/contact shots.
New combinations in Decalobanthus (Convolvulaceae)
Authors: Simões Ana Rita G. , Pisuttimarn Ponprom , Pornpongrungrueng Pimwadee , Chatrou Lars W.
Published: December 2020

The recent revisionary work of “Merremieae” has resulted in the segregation of the c. 100 species of the pantropical genus Merremia into six genera. Thus, the formerly monotypic genus Decalobanthus was expanded, aggregating 13 species of Merremia s.l. The genus delimitation is coherent, with strong molecular phylogenetic and morphological support. Decalobanthus, hence, consists of woody climbers with broadly cordate leaves, large yellow or white flowers, four-valved chartaceous capsules, and is mostly distributed in Asia and the Pacific. Four species have remained classified in Merremia s.l., although molecular and morphological evidence unequivocally suggests their placement in Decalobanthus. In the present work, these are formally transferred to the genus, which now extends to 17 species.
Energy-efficient scheduling of streaming applications in VFI-NoC-HMPSoC based edge devices
Authors: Tariq Umair Ullah , Ali Haider , Liu Lu , Panneerselvam John , Hardy James
Published: December 2020

Energy-aware high-performance computing is becoming a challenging facet for streaming applications at edge devices in Internet-of-Things (IoT) due to the high computational complexity involved. Therefore, the number of processors has increased significantly on the multiprocessor system subsequently, Voltage Frequency Island (VFI) recently adopted for an effective energy management mechanism in the large scale multiprocessor chip designs. In this paper, energy-aware scheduling of real-time streaming applications on edge-devices is investigated. First, an innovative re-timing based technique is developed to transform the dependent workload into an independent task model to avail resources and the wasted slack in the processors with a possible minimal prologue. Moreover, unlike the existing population-based optimization algorithms, a novel population-based algorithm, ARSH-FATI is proposed that can dynamically switch between explorative and exploitative search modes at run-time for performance trade-off. Finally, a communication contention-aware Earliest Edge Consistent Deadline First (EECDF) scheduling algorithm is presented. Our static scheduler ARHS-FATI collectively performs task mapping and ordering. Consequently, its performance is superior to the existing state-of-the-art approach proposed for homogeneous VFI based MPSoCs.
Regularity of solutions of elliptic equations in divergence form in modified local generalized Morrey spaces
Authors: Guliyev V. S. , Omarova M. N. , Ragusa M. A. , Scapellato A.
Published: December 2020

Aim of this paper is to prove regularity results, in some Modified Local Generalized Morrey Spaces, for the first derivatives of the solutions of a divergence elliptic second order equation of the form$$\begin{aligned} \mathscr {L}u{:}{=}\sum _{i,j=1}^{n}\left( a_{ij}(x)u_{x_{i}}\right) _{x_{j}}=\nabla \cdot f,\qquad \hbox {for almost all }x\in \Omega \end{aligned}$$Lu:=∑i,j=1naij(x)uxixj=∇·f,for almost allx∈Ωwhere the coefficients$$a_{ij}$$aijbelong to the Central (that is, Local) Sarason class CVMO andfis assumed to be in some Modified Local Generalized Morrey Spaces$$\widetilde{LM}_{\{x_{0}\}}^{p,\varphi }$$LM~{x0}p,φ. Heart of the paper is to use an explicit representation formula for the first derivatives of the solutions of the elliptic equation in divergence form, in terms of singular integral operators and commutators with Calderón–Zygmund kernels. Combining the representation formula with some Morrey-type estimates for each operator that appears in it, we derive several regularity results.
Resonances: tuning into the echoes of the ecological collective
Authors: Widdop Quinton Helen , Ward Kumara , Ahearn Marilyn , Carapeto Teresa
Published: December 2020

Drawing on posthumanist and new materialism theorising, we take the concept of resonance for an a/r/tographic ‘walk’ to know, be and do differently, to challenge human-centric separatist ways that have resulted in our current socioecological crises. Beginning with Ingold’s knotty thinking, we identify the notion of resonance as a node for exploring and thinking about interactions in the world. Guided by Barad’s proposition of entangling ethico-onto-epistemic ways, our a/r/tographic thought experiments find resonances that echo through bodies, through connections as nature, through deep-time and modern spaces to notice and attend to intraactions within the ecological collective. Through art-full, thought-full scholartistic enquiry, we explore diffractive encounters to consider resonance as a conceptual tool for tuning into and harmonising with the entanglements of body–mind–space–time–matter. We pose this exploration of resonance as the start of a knotty theory conversation for shifting into a new ‘common world’ knowing, being and doing.
The Influence of Individual Characteristics and Institutional Norms on Bureaucrats’ Use of Cost–Benefit Analysis: A Choice Experiment
Authors: Hammes Johanna J. , Nerhagen Lena , Fors Heather C.
Published: December 2020

A commonly assumed reason for the delegation of authority from a legislature (politicians) to bureaucracies is that the bureaucrats have an information advantage over the politicians, including knowledge of cost–benefit analysis (CBA). But it is reasonable to assume that the bureaucrats use their information advantage by taking all relevant aspects of policy into account? We model the use of CBA using a delegation model and then test the theoretical predictions with empirical data collected from five Swedish government agencies. The empirical results lend support both for the hypothesis that risk aversion concerning the environmental outcome, the bureaucrats’ environmental attitudes, and the cost of taking CBA information into account have a considerable impact on the probability of using information from a CBA. Hence risk averse and bureaucrats with strong environmental preferences are less likely and bureaucrats with low cost of doing a CBA more likely than other bureaucrats to use CBA information. Finally, a binding governmental budget constraint may positively influence a bureaucrat’s choice of using CBA information. A tentative conclusion is therefore that it may be possible to increase the use of CBA by making the budgetary consequences of policies much clearer and demanding due consideration of costs.
The use of strategies from the social sciences to inform pipeline development programs for under-represented minority faculty and students in the health sciences
Authors: Matthews Alicia K. , Allen-Meares Paula , Watson Karriem , Crooks Natasha , Smith Ariel , Hart Alysha , Estrella Mayra L. , Kim Sage
Published: December 2020

Representation of under-represented minority (URM) faculty in the health sciences disciplines is persistently low relative to both national and student population demographics. Although some progress has been made through nationally funded pipeline development programs, demographic disparities in the various health sciences disciplines remain. As such the development of innovative interventions to help URM faculty and students overcome barriers to advancement remains a national priority. To date, the majority of pipeline development programs have focused on academic readiness, mentorship, and professional development. However, insights from the social sciences literature related to “extra-academic” (e.g., racism) barriers to URM persistence in higher education suggest the limitations of efforts exclusively focused on cognitively mediated endpoints. The purpose of this article is to synthesize findings from the social sciences literature that can inform the enhancement of URM pipeline development programs. Specifically, we highlight research related to the social, emotional, and contextual correlates of URM success in higher education including reducing social isolation, increasing engagement with research, bolstering persistence, enhancing mentoring models, and creating institutional change. Supporting URM’s success in the health sciences has implications for the development of a workforce with the capacity to understand and intervene on the drivers of health inequalities.
Evaluating intervention strategies in controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread in care homes: An agent-based model
Authors: Nguyen Le Khanh Ngan , Howick Susan , McLafferty Dennis , Anderson Gillian H. , Pravinkumar Sahaya J. , Van Der Meer Robert , Megiddo Itamar
Published: December 2020

Background:

Care homes are vulnerable to widespread transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with poor outcomes for staff and residents. Infection control interventions in care homes need to not only be effective in containing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but also feasible to implement in this special setting which is both a healthcare institution and a home.

Methods:

We developed an agent-based model that simulates the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 via contacts between individuals, including residents, staff members, and visitors in a care home setting. We explored a representative care home in Scotland in our base case and explore other care home setups in an uncertainty analysis. We evaluated the effectiveness of a range of intervention strategies in controlling the spread of COVID-19.

Results:

In the presence of the reference interventions that have been implemented in many care homes, including testing of new admissions, isolation of symptomatic residents, and restricted public visiting, routine testing of staff appears to be the most effective and practical approach. Routine testing of residents is no more effective as a reference strategy while routine testing of both staff and residents only shows a negligible additive effect. Modeling results are very sensitive to transmission probability per contact, but the qualitative finding is robust to varying parameter values in our uncertainty analysis.

Conclusions:

Our model predictions suggest that routine testing should target staff in care homes in conjunction with adherence to strict hand hygiene and using personal protective equipment to reduce risk of transmission per contact.
Determinants of public employment services: exploring the relationship between benefit conditionality and partisan politics
Authors: Fredriksson Daniel
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyse determinants of resources devoted to public employment services (PES). It has proven difficult to disentangle ‘carrots’ (placement and services) from ‘sticks’ (sanctions and monitoring) when tracking the development of PES spending. This has contributed to ambivalence concerning the role of partisan politics, especially since welfare states have been argued to increasingly emphasize the ‘sticks’ aspect of the PES, irrespective of ideological orientation. This suggests that the role of partisan politics should be analysed together with ‘demanding’ activation, which is made possible with novel data on unemployment benefit conditionality. The analysis includes 16 welfare states and results indicate that left and secular centre-right parties are associated with increased resources devoted to PES, but that effects of partisan politics are contingent on the form and extent of benefit conditionality. Increased conditionality is associated with higher PES spending, thus nuancing the cost-containment argument for activation.
Can academic hope increase academic engagement in Iranian students who are university applicants? investigating academic buoyancy as a mediator
Authors: Azadianbojnordi Mah , Bakhtiarpour Saeed , Makvandi Behnam , Ehteshamizadeh Parvin
Published: December 2020

In Iran, a large number of adolescents compete every year to enter university, given the better job opportunities that may exist after graduation. The hope of having more education affects students’ academic engagement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between academic hope and academic engagement with the mediating role of academic buoyancy, using the Academic Hope Scale, Academic Buoyancy Scale, and Academic Engagement Scale. The participants in the study were 353 Iranian students in the last year of high school who had applied to enter university in 2019. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling procedures. The results showed that there was a direct significant relationship between academic hope ( p ≤ .01, β = 0.19) and academic buoyancy ( p ≤ .01, β = 0.25) with academic engagement. There was a direct and significant relationship between academic hope and academic buoyancy ( p ≤ .01, β = 0.33). And academic buoyancy partially mediated the relationship between academic hope and academic engagement. The discussion concerns the potential benefits of implementing interventions designed to enhance academic hope to increase learners’ academic engagement.
Moisture evolution in North Xinjiang (northwest China) during the last 8000 years linked to the westerlies’ winter half-year precipitation
Authors: Zhang Xiaonan , Zhou Aifeng , Huang Zhendong , An Chengbang , Zhao Yongtao , Yin Liying , Russell James M.
Published: December 2020

Winter half-year precipitation dominates variations in hydroclimatic conditions in North Xinjiang, but few researchers have focused on this very important aspect of the Holocene climate. Here we report multiproxy evidence of Holocene hydroclimate changes from the sediments of Wulungu Lake in North Xinjiang. The site is a closed terminal lake fed mainly by meltwater from snow and ice, and today the area is climatically dominated by the westerlies. Grain-size end-member analysis implies an important mode of variation that indicates a gradually increasing moisture trend, with superimposed centennial-scale variations, since 8000 cal yr BP. From 8000 to 5350 cal yr BP, a permanent lake developed, and the lake level gradually rose. Between 5350 and 500 cal yr BP, the moisture status increased rapidly, with the wettest climate occurring between 3200 and 500 cal yr BP. After 500 cal yr BP, the lake level fell. The trend of increasing Holocene wetness indicates a rising winter precipitation in North Xinjiang during the Holocene. This was due to an increase in upwind vapor concentrations caused by increased evaporation and strength of the westerlies, which were determined by the increasing boreal winter insolation and its latitudinal gradient.
Charts, Indexes, and Files: Surveillance, Information Management, and the Visualization of Subversion in Mainline Protestantism
Authors: McVicar Michael J.
Published: December 2020

This essay explores how some Americans came to view the Federal Council of Churches (FCC) and, more broadly, ecumenical mainline Protestantism as a threat to the national security interests of the United States. By focusing on the efforts of various elements in the federal bureaucracy—including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Chemical Warfare Service, and Military Intelligence—and the work of average Americans to investigate the FCC, the essay examines how techniques of surveillance and information management helped shape the way Americans came to understand religion in the twentieth century. The essay develops three interconnected themes: first, the rise of America's national security surveillance establishment in the United States after World War I; second, the development of new methods of information management and visualization in corporate and state bureaucracies; and, third, the rise of voluntary, private surveillance in the wake of World War I. Through these three themes, the essay highlights how a network of federal bureaucrats, business leaders, and average citizens used graphs, indexes, and files to interpret mainline, ecumenical Christianity as a threat to domestic security in the United States. Ultimately, the project suggests that scholarly efforts to assess fissures in U.S. Protestantism have focused too much on controversies over belief and theology—especially those related to evolutionary theory, eschatology, and scriptural inerrancy—and paid far too little attention to the emerging bureaucratic systems of state and corporate surveillance that helped to document, visualize, and disseminate these accusations in the first place.
CLUSTERING OF CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATES: SITE-SPECIFIC CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCES IDENTIFIED BY DENSE RADIOCARBON SAMPLING
Authors: Demján Peter , Pavúk Peter
Published: December 2020

Calibrated radiocarbon (14C) determinations are commonly used in archaeology to assign calendar dates to a site’s chronological phases identified based on additional evidence such as stratigraphy. In the absence of such evidence, we can perform dense 14C sampling of the site to attempt to identify periods of heightened activity, separated by periods of inactivity, which correspond to archaeological phases and gaps between them. We propose a method to achieve this by hierarchical cluster analysis of the calibrated 14C dates, followed by testing of the different clustering solutions for consistency based on silhouette coefficient and statistical significance using randomization. Separate events identified in such a way can then be regarded as evidence for distinct phases of activity and used to construct a site-specific sequence. This can be in turn used as a Bayesian prior to further narrow down the distributions of the calibrated 14C dates. We assessed the validity of the method using simulated data as well as real-life archaeological data from the Bronze Age settlement of Troy. A Python implementation of the method is available online at https://github.com/demjanp/clustering_14C.
MÖBIUS–FROBENIUS MAPS ON IRREDUCIBLE POLYNOMIALS
Authors: MARTÍNEZ F. E. BROCHERO , OLIVEIRA DANIELA , REIS LUCAS
Published: December 2020

Let n be a positive integer and let

$\mathbb{F} _{q^n}$
be the finite field with

$q^n$
elements, where q is a prime power. We introduce a natural action of the projective semilinear group
${\mathrm{P}\Gamma\mathrm{L}} (2, q^n)={\mathrm{PGL}} (2, q^n)\rtimes {\mathrm{Gal}} ({\mathbb F_{q^n}} /\mathbb{F} _q)$
on the set of monic irreducible polynomials over the finite field

$\mathbb{F} _{q^n}$
. Our main results provide information on the characterisation and number of fixed points.
Association between dairy product intake and body composition among South Asian adults from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study
Authors: Murphy Bridget , Talegawkar Sameera A. , O’Connor Joyce , Kandula Namratha R. , Kanaya Alka M. , Allison Matthew A. , Parekh Niyati
Published: December 2020

South Asians, who are at a disproportionately greater risk of atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD), represent a rapidly growing population in the USA. The relationship between dairy products, a major component of South Asian diets, and body composition – an established risk factor for ASCVD, is unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine associations between dairy intake and multiple measures of body composition (BMI, waist and hip circumference, waist:hip ratio, abdominal lean mass, subcutaneous, visceral, and intermuscular fat areas) among South Asian adults in the USA. A baseline analysis was conducted using existing data from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America cohort. In women, the highest (>1·9 servings/d) v. lowest (<1 serving/d) tertile of dairy intake was associated with 53 % lower odds of a waist circumference >80 cm (95 % CI 0·25, 0·89, Pfor trend<0·05). No associations were observed between dairy intake and measures of body composition. However, >3 servings of low-fat yogurt/week was associated with a 9·9 cm2 lower visceral fat area (95 % CI –19·07, –0·72, P<0·05) and 2·3 cm2 lower intermuscular fat area (95 % CI –3·76, –0·79, P<0·05) as compared with those with three servings/week. Milk and cheese were not associated with body composition measures. These analyses suggest that higher consumption of low-fat yogurt is associated with lower visceral and intermuscular fat in the whole sample, and women with higher dairy intake have lower waist circumference. Our study supports dietary incorporation of dairy products, and recognises the utility of multidimensional measures of central adiposity.
CREATIVITY AND TRANSNATIONAL COMMERCIAL LAW: FROM CARCHEMISH TO CAPE TOWN
Authors: Goode Roy
Published: December 2020

This article examines the creative aspects of a range of international commercial law instruments which have in common that they seek to bypass traditional doctrine in order to increase commercial efficiency and ease of transacting. In short, the purpose of the harmonising measure is functional in that it seeks to overcome a serious obstacle to cross-border trade by providing commercially sensible solutions to typical problems regardless whether this disturbs established legal theory, which should always the servant of the law, not its master. Creativity applies not only to the formulation of an instrument but also to its interpretation. Those entrusted with preparing a commentary on the detail of such an instrument are likely to face difficult issues of interpretation which may take years to surface and may only be resolved by a willingness to risk error in order to provide the reader with clear guidance rather than sheltering behind the presentation of alternative interpretations, while at the same time resisting the temptation to ascribe to words in a convention the meaning they would have under one's own national law.

At least one of the instruments examined was conceptually flawed; it is mentioned to highlight the danger of over-ambition in delineating the sphere of application of the convention concerned. Undisciplined creativity comes at a cost. Another convention, and a highly successful one, is referred to only to demonstrate the value of creative ambiguity.
Dàgáárè (Central)
Authors: Angsongna Alexander , Akinbo Samuel
Published: December 2020

Dàgáárè /dàgááɹɪ̀/ (ISO 639-3) is a Mabia language (Bodomo 1997) of Niger-Congo family. It is spoken by about 1.5 million The map in Figure 1 shows the areas, in northwestern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso, where Dàgáárè is spoken predominantly. There are four broad dialects of Dàgáárè. These include Northern Dàgáárè [dàgàɹà], spoken in Lawra /lóɹáː/, Nandom /nàndɔ̀ː/ and Burkina Faso; Southern Dàgáárè /wáːlɪ́/, spoken around Kaleo /kàlèó/ and in Wa /wá/; Western Dàgáárè /bɪ̀ɹɪ̀fɔ̀/ spoken in Lassie /lààsɪ̀ɛ́/, Tuna /tʊ́ːnà/ and along the western side of the Black Volta river in Burkina Faso. The other dialect is Central Dàgáárè. These broad dialects are further divided into sub-dialects, as there are internal variations in these dialect groups (Bodomo 2000). This paper’s primary focus is on Central Dàgáárè, which comprises the varieties spoken in and around Jirapa /ʤɪ̀ɹɛ́bǎː/, Han /hɛ̌ŋ/, Ullo /úlò/, Daffiama /dàfɪ̀ɛ́mɛ́/, Nadowli /nàdòlí/, Charikpong /tʃɛ̀ɹɪ̀kpóŋ/, Sombo /sʊ̀mbɔ́/ and Duong /dùóŋ/.
Prediction of psychosis: model development and internal validation of a personalized risk calculator
Authors: Lee Tae Young , Hwang Wu Jeong , Kim Nahrie S. , Park Inkyung , Lho Silvia Kyungjin , Moon Sun-Young , Oh Sanghoon , Lee Junhee , Kim Minah , Woo Choong-Wan , Kwon Jun Soo
Published: December 2020

Background

Over the past two decades, early detection and early intervention in psychosis have become essential goals of psychiatry. However, clinical impressions are insufficient for predicting psychosis outcomes in clinical high-risk (CHR) individuals; a more rigorous and objective model is needed. This study aims to develop and internally validate a model for predicting the transition to psychosis within 10 years.

Methods

Two hundred and eight help-seeking individuals who fulfilled the CHR criteria were enrolled from the prospective, naturalistic cohort program for CHR at the Seoul Youth Clinic (SYC). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-penalized Cox regression was used to develop a predictive model for a psychotic transition. We performedk-means clustering and survival analysis to stratify the risk of psychosis.

Results

The predictive model, which includes clinical and cognitive variables, identified the following six baseline variables as important predictors: 1-year percentage decrease in the Global Assessment of Functioning score, IQ, California Verbal Learning Test score, Strange Stories test score, and scores in two domains of the Social Functioning Scale. The predictive model showed a cross-validated Harrell'sC-index of 0.78 and identified three subclusters with significantly different risk levels.

Conclusions

Overall, our predictive model showed a predictive ability and could facilitate a personalized therapeutic approach to different risks in high-risk individuals.
An evaluation of the efficacy of two add-on ecological momentary intervention modules for depression in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (ZELF-i)
Authors: Bastiaansen Jojanneke A. , Ornée Daan A. , Meurs Maaike , Oldehinkel Albertine J.
Published: December 2020

Background

Depression treatment might be enhanced by ecological momentary interventions (EMI) based on self-monitoring and person-specific feedback. This study is the first to examine the efficacy of two different EMI modules for depression in routine clinical practice.

Methods

Outpatients starting depression treatment at secondary mental health services (N = 161; MIDS−DEPRESSION = 35.9, s.d. = 10.7; MAGE = 32.8, s.d. = 12.1; 46% male) participated in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with three arms. Two experimental groups engaged in 28 days of systematic self-monitoring (5 times per day), and received weekly feedback on either positive affect and activities (Do-module) or negative affect and thinking patterns (Think-module). The control group received no additional intervention. Participants completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms (primary outcome), social functioning, and empowerment before and after the intervention period, and at four measurements during a 6-month follow-up period.

Results

Of the 90 (out of 110) participants who completed the intervention, 86% would recommend it. However, the experimental groups did not show significantly more or faster changes over time than the control group in terms of depressive symptoms, social functioning, and empowerment. Furthermore, the trajectories of the two EMI modules were very similar.

Conclusions

We did not find statistical evidence that this type of EMI augments the efficacy of regular depression treatment, regardless of module content. We cannot rule out that EMIs have a positive impact on other domains or provide a more efficient way of delivering care. Nonetheless, EMI's promise of effectiveness has not materialized yet.
Identification of determinants of healthy ageing in Italy: results from the national survey IDAGIT
Authors: Guastafierro Erika , Rocco Ilaria , Quintas Rui , Corso Barbara , Minicuci Nadia , Vittadello Fabio , Andreotti Alessandra , Denitto Floriana , Crepaldi Valeria , Forgione Margherita , Leonardi Matilde , Sattin Davide
Published: December 2020

Healthy ageing is a public health problem globally. In Europe, the dependency ratio of the elderly is expected to increase by 21.6 per cent to 51.2 per cent in 2070. The World Health Organization (WHO) study on healthy ageing started in 2002 as a concept whereby all people of all ages should be able to live in a healthy, safe and socially inclusive way. The aim of this study is to present preliminary results of the project Identification of Determinants of Healthy Ageing in Italy (IDAGIT) that aimed to collect data on the active and healthy ageing of the Italian population aged over 18 using the conceptual framework of the WHO's ageing model. To link the determinants of the IDAGIT studies to those of the WHO model, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis which reported these variables as significant (in order of factor loading): smoking, cognition score, comorbidity, outdoor built environment, participation, working expertise and income. Considering comorbidity, 83.8 per cent of the sample declared not having any chronic diseases or to have only one, and regarding neurological diseases, only nine people had received a diagnosis of stroke. Regarding gender, the personal determinants and physical and social environments did not result in statistically significant differences, whereas we found statistical differences between the aged groups in all variables analysed. These results provide a first bio-psycho-social perspective on ageing in the Italian population.
Legitimacy under institutional complexity: Mapping stakeholder perceptions of legitimate institutions and their sources of legitimacy in global renewable energy governance
Authors: Nasiritousi Naghmeh , Faber Hugo
Published: December 2020

The legitimacy of international institutions has in recent years received growing interest from scholars, yet analyses of stakeholder perceptions of the legitimacy of institutions that coexist within a governance field have been few in number. Motivated by the proliferation of institutions in the field of global climate and energy governance, this study maps stakeholder perceptions of legitimate institutions and their sources of legitimacy in global renewable energy governance. Specifically, the article makes three contributions to the existing literature. Theoretically, it unpacks the legitimacy concept and offers a multidimensional conception of legitimacy. Methodologically, it captures these different dimensions of legitimacy by relying on three open survey questions. Empirically, it maps legitimacy perceptions among climate and energy experts and not only shows which institutions are considered most legitimate, but also why they are considered legitimate and how this varies between different stakeholders. The article thereby contributes to the literature on legitimacy by providing new insights into the sources of legitimacy among international institutions that operate under institutional complexity.
Responses to Critics: What Makes Mysticism Critical? (Or, What Makes Critique Mystical?)
Authors: Palmquist Stephen R.
Published: December 2020

After summarizing the content of my book, Kant and Mysticism (Palmquist 2019), I warn against four preliminary misconceptions. The book never argues that Kant viewed himself as a mystic, fully acknowledges Kant’s negative view of mysticism, offers no comprehensive overview of mystical traditions, and aims to initiate a dialogue, not to have the final word. I then respond to the foregoing essays by the five critics.
Collaboration of primary care and public health at the local level: observational descriptive study of French local health contracts
Authors: Kendir Candan , Breton Eric , Le Bodo Yann , Bourgueil Yann
Published: December 2020

Aim:

In this paper, we report on a study investigating the involvement of primary care providers in French local health contracts.

Background:

Worldwide actions are carried out to improve collaboration between primary care and public health to strengthen primary healthcare and consequently community health. In France, the local health contract is an instrument mobilising local stakeholders from different sectors to join in their actions to improve the health of the population.

Methods:

We developed an instrument to analyse the frequency and nature of involvement of primary care providers in 428 action plans extracted from a sample of 17 contracts (one per French region). The number of primary care actions were counted, and thematic analyses were conducted to identify the nature and level of involvement of the professionals.

Findings:

Primary care providers were involved in 20.1% (n = 86) of the action plans and were mostly described as a target of the action rather than leaders or partners. Within those action plans, 76.7% (n = 66) of these action plans aimed to improve access to care for local communities; an issue that appears as the main driver of collaboration between public health and primary care actors.
The Illiberal Challenge in the EU: Exploring the Parallel with Illiberal Minorities and the Example of Hungary
Authors: Körtvélyesi Zsolt
Published: December 2020

The long history of liberal multiculturalist theories grappling with the challenge posed by illiberal minorities – Parallel with the illiberal challenge in the European Union – Differences between the state/minority focus, the cultural/political considerations, the individual/systemic violations – Why these do not undermine the parallel – Propositions from multiculturalist theories to draw the line between toleration and legitimate interference – Severity, internal consensus, the exit option, and historical agreements – Forms of engagement to strengthen coherence, fairness, and solidarity
Quantifying Climate Signals: Spicity, Orthogonality, and Distance
Authors: Huang Rui Xin , Yu Lu‐Sha , Zhou Sheng‐Qi
Published: December 2020

The variability of water masses has been analyzed using temperature and salinity or density and various forms of spicity/spiciness. The objective way of comparing these spicity/spiciness functions is not the difference between these definitions; instead, it is through the application of these functions in tracing water masses and climate signal analysis. The major advantage of the spicity function introduced by Huang et al. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, is that this function in combination with density gives rise to an orthogonal coordinate, in which the signals are separated into two independent components. In addition, a new quantity, distance, is introduced, that can be used to trace water masses both along and across isopycnal surfaces. Spicity can serve as an appropriate tool to extract globally varying water mass properties as a supplement to variations of density alone.
Improving the Physical Basis for Updraft Dynamics in Deep Convection Parameterizations
Authors: Peters J. M. , Morrison H. , Zhang G. J. , Powell S. W.
Published: December 2020

This article presents a new deep convective parameterization that determines cloud characteristics based on a specified cloud size distribution. The vertical profiles of cloud properties are determined by analytic equations, which formulate entrainment with an inverse relationship to cloud width. In line with recent studies of large eddy simulations (LES), cloud widths are assumed to be constant with height and vertical mass flux (M) characteristics of the clouds are therefore regulated by the vertical velocity profile. The parameterization is configured to work with existing cloud baseMclosure formulations, with the closure predicting the total cloud area rather than the cloud baseMdirectly. Analytic formula are also used to connect the vertical wind shear magnitude to the cloud size distribution, wherein larger shear magnitudes result in more numerous large updrafts than weaker shear magnitudes, which is in line with recent research results. The parameterization is compared against 10 deep convective LES with varying thermodynamic and vertical wind shear profiles. Results show dramatic improvements in the prediction of normalizedM, detrainment, and the properties of detrained air over the existing Zhang and McFarlane (1995) scheme. In particular, the new model is able to correctly portray the transition from a bottom‐heavyMprofile in weakly sheared environments, to a top‐heavyMprofile in strongly sheared environments.
Assessing the Projection Correction of Coronal Mass Ejection Speeds on Time‐of‐Arrival Prediction Performance Using the Effective Acceleration Model
Authors: Paouris Evangelos , Vourlidas Angelos , Papaioannou Athanasios , Anastasiadis Anastasios
Published: December 2020

White light images of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are projections on the plane‐of‐sky (POS). As a result, CME kinematics are subject to projection effects. The error in the true (deprojected) speed of CMEs is one of the main causes of uncertainty to Space Weather forecasts, since all estimates of the CME time‐of‐arrival (ToA) at a certain location within the heliosphere require, as input, the CME speed. We use single viewpoint observations for 1,037 flare‐CME events between 1996 and 2017 and propose a new approach for the correction of the CME speed assuming radial propagation from the flare site. Our method is uniquely capable to produce physically reasonable deprojected speeds across the full range of source longitudes. We bound the uncertainty in the deprojected speed estimates via limits in the true angular width of a CME based on multiview‐point observations. Our corrections range up to 1.37–2.86 for CMEs originating from the center of the disk. On average, the deprojected speeds are 12.8% greater than their POS speeds. For slow CMEs (VPOS < 400 km/s) the full ice‐cream cone model performs better while for fast and very fast CMEs (VPOS > 700 km/s) the shallow ice‐cream model gives much better results. CMEs with 691–878 km/s POS speeds have a minimum ToA mean absolute error (MAE) of 11.6 h. This method, is robust, easy to use, and has immediate applicability to Space Weather forecasting applications. Moreover, regarding the speed of CMEs, our work suggests that single viewpoint observations are generally reliable.
An Interannual Probabilistic Assessment of Subsurface Water Storage Over Europe Using a Fully Coupled Terrestrial Model
Authors: Hartick Carl , Furusho‐Percot Carina , Goergen Klaus , Kollet Stefan
Published: December 2020

The years 2018 and 2019 were two of the hottest and driest in Mid‐Europe, highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment of available water resources. In this study, we propose a probabilistic, terrestrial water assessment method, which utilizes a terrestrial forward model that closes the coupled water and energy cycles, from groundwater to the top of the atmosphere. In this methodology, the model is initialized with the current state of the water year and forced with a climatologic ensemble of atmospheric forcing to account for atmospheric uncertainty and natural variability. The simulations result in an ensemble of ensuing water years that are analyzed for subsurface water storage anomalies. The methodology was applied to the water years 2011/2012 and 2018/2019 and showed an increased probability of a significant water deficit in regions that had a water deficit in the previous year. This was also observed in an evaluation simulation. The results were compared to simulations with perfect forcing and uncertain initial conditions, and showed predictability at the interannual timescale and beyond, depending on the strength of the anomaly. The methodology was then applied to 2019/2020 to provide an outlook of the evolution of the current anomalies. The results emphasize the importance of accounting for groundwater dynamics in applied terrestrial models to account for long‐term memory effects in the terrestrial water cycle in forward simulations, over large spatial scales. This method of probabilistic subsurface water storage assessment may provide crucial information to public and industrial sectors for long‐term water resource planning.
LSD1: more than demethylation of histone lysine residues
Authors: Perillo Bruno , Tramontano Alfonso , Pezone Antonio , Migliaccio Antimo
Published: December 2020

Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) represents the first example of an identified nuclear protein with histone demethylase activity. In particular, it plays a special role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression, as it removes methyl groups from mono- and dimethylated lysine 4 and/or lysine 9 on histone H3 (H3K4me1/2 and H3K9me1/2), behaving as a repressor or activator of gene expression, respectively. Moreover, it has been recently found to demethylate monomethylated and dimethylated lysine 20 in histone H4 and to contribute to the balance of several other methylated lysine residues in histone H3 (i.e., H3K27, H3K36, and H3K79). Furthermore, in recent years, a plethora of nonhistone proteins have been detected as targets of LSD1 activity, suggesting that this demethylase is a fundamental player in the regulation of multiple pathways triggered in several cellular processes, including cancer progression. In this review, we analyze the molecular mechanism by which LSD1 displays its dual effect on gene expression (related to the specific lysine target), placing final emphasis on the use of pharmacological inhibitors of its activity in future clinical studies to fight cancer.