bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon stocks and stock change on federal forest lands of the United States
Authors: Smith James E. , Domke Grant M. , Nichols Michael C. , Walters Brian F.
Published: March 2019

Forest land in the United States offsets more than 11% of total domestic greenhouse gas emissions each year through growth of live woody biomass and accumulation of carbon in trees, dead organic matter, and harvested wood products. Forest lands owned and managed by various agencies of the U.S. government cover 77 million hectares, which is 29% of U.S. forest land and an estimated 33%, or 17.2 Pg C, of forest carbon stocks. Here, we summarize forest inventory‐based estimates of forest carbon stocks and indications of carbon stock change on forest lands managed by agencies within the U.S. federal government. Within the conterminous USA, the proportion of forest land that is federally owned is higher in the West representing two‐thirds of forest carbon stocks; in the East, federal lands represent 9% of forest carbon. The majority of federal forests and forest carbon are managed by the U.S. Forest Service (13.8 Pg C), but 20% of federal forest carbon stocks, or 3.5 Pg C, are managed by other federal agencies (e.g., National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management). We also briefly review some broad characteristics of the forest inventory that affect forest carbon reported for the USA as included in greenhouse gas inventories such as for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reporting.
Molecularly Imprinted Electrochemical Sensor Based on Modified Reduced Graphene Oxide‐gold Nanoparticles‐polyaniline Nanocomposites Matrix for Dapsone Determination
Authors: Essousi Houda , Barhoumi Houcine , Jaffrezic‐Renault Nicole
Published: March 2019

This work was designed to develop an electrochemical sensor based on molecular imprinted polyaniline membranes onto reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode for dapsone (DDS) determination. The prepared RGO/AuNPs/PANI‐MIPs nanocomposite was characterized by Ultra‐Violet‐Visible (UV‐Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) images. The feature of the imprinted electrode was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and impedance spectroscopy (IS). Throughout this study several analytical parameters, such as incubation time, pH value, concentration of monomer/template molecules and electro‐polymerization cycles were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the experimental results showed best analytical performances for DDS detection with a sensitivity of 0.188 Ω/mol L−1, a linear range from 1.0×10−7 M to 1.0×10−3 M and a detection limit of 6.8×10−7 M. The bioanalytical sensor was applied to the determination of dapsone in real samples with high selectivity and recovery.
Decrease in urban energy intensity: Is there a role for urban spatial structure?
Authors: Liu Yong , Long Cuihong
Published: March 2019

Using satellite remote sensing data and the threshold panel model, this research explores the impact of urban spatial structure on urban energy intensity. The evaluation index of urban spatial structure includes compactness and elongation rate. Results from empirical studies of 30 cities in China from 1996 to 2016 indicate that urban spatial structure has a significant impact on urban energy intensity. There is a positive correlation between urban spatial structure elongation rate and urban energy intensity. However, with the increase in urban fixed assets investment, there is a negative correlation between elongation rate and energy intensity, which implies an inverted‐U relationship. The results also indicate that urban compactness is negatively correlated with urban energy intensity. Therefore, proper management of urban spatial structure can effectively promote the reduction in urban energy intensity. The elongation of urban suburb space and the compactness with the internal space of the city can be developed simultaneously. While playing the role of a spatial agglomeration economy, the negative effects of over agglomeration are avoided, which jointly promote the reduction in urban energy intensity.
How to make a haploid male
Authors: Ross Laura , Davies Nicholas G. , Gardner Andy
Published: March 2019

Haplodiploidy has evolved repeatedly among invertebrates, and appears to be associated with inbreeding. Evolutionary biologists have long debated the possible benefits for females in diplodiploid species to produce haploid sons–beginning their population's transition to haplodiploidy–and whether inbreeding promotes or inhibits this transition. However, little attention has been given to what makes a haploid individual male rather than female, and whether the mechanism of sex determination may modulate the costs and benefits of male haploidy. We remedy this by performing a theoretical analysis of the origin and invasion of male haploidy across the full range of sex-determination mechanisms and sib-mating rates. We find that male haploidy is facilitated by three different mechanisms of sex determination–all involving male heterogamety–and impeded by the others. We also find that inbreeding does not pose an obvious evolutionary barrier, on account of a previously neglected sex-ratio effect whereby the production of haploid sons leads to an abundance of granddaughters that is advantageous in the context of inbreeding. We find empirical support for these predictions in a survey of sex determination and inbreeding across haplodiploids and their sister taxa.
The association of five preoperative serum tumor markers and pathological features in patients with breast cancer
Authors: Lian Mingjian , Zhang Cuixia , Zhang Dongdong , Chen Ping , Yang Huijing , Yang Yuanyuan , Chen Shidong , Hong Guolin
Published: March 2019

Background

The utility of frequently used serum tumor markers in breast cancer remains controversial. The study aimed to investigate the role of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), cancer antigen 153 (CA153), cancer antigen 724 (CA724), and ferritin (FER) in the management of breast cancer and their relationships with pathological features.

Methods

A total of 804 patients with breast mass who underwent breast surgery and 305 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Preoperative serum levels of CEA, CA125, CA153, CA724, and FER were measured. And the pathological features of all the patients were recorded. The association of preoperative serum tumor markers and pathological features was analyzed.

Results

Among the 804 patients, 355 were identified as malignant cases and 449 as benign cases. CEA, CA153, and FER of patients with breast cancer were higher than those of healthy volunteer group and patients with benign breast diseases. The area under curve (AUC) of CEA, CA153, and FER for distinguishing patients with breast cancer and subjects with non‐breast cancer was 0.688 (95% CI: 0.656‐0.721), 0.609 (95% CI: 0.574‐0.645), and 0.623 (95% CI: 0.586‐0.660), respectively. CA153 correlated with tumor size, node status, and TNM stage, whereas CA125 with node status. No statistic differences of the five markers were observed among the four molecular subtypes.

Conclusion

Preoperative levels of CEA, CA153, and FER exhibit low diagnostic accuracy for breast cancer (stage I‐III). CA153 correlates with tumor burden, suggesting its prognostic value. The five serum markers do not correlate with molecular subtypes.
FTY720 alleviates coxsackievirus B3‐induced myocarditis and inhibits viral replication through regulating sphingosine 1‐phosphate receptors and AKT/caspase‐3 pathways
Authors: Wang Xinggang , Li Minghui , Yu Ying , Liu Guijian , Yu Yong , Zou Yunzeng , Ge Junbo , Chen Ruizhen
Published: March 2019

Fingolimod (FTY720) after phosphorylation, as the ligand of sphingosine 1‐phosphate receptors (S1PRs), plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. In this article, FTY720 in the treatment of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)‐induced viral myocarditis was closely related to apoptosis and AKT/caspase‐3 apoptotic pathways. We found that CVB3 inhibited myocardial apoptosis at the early stage with upregulating p‐AKT level and downregulating activated caspase‐3 level for replication of virus progeny, whereas it promoted apoptosis at a late stage with downregulating p‐AKT and upregulating activated caspase‐3 for releasing the newly synthesized virus to spread. Interestingly, FTY720 could reverse this trend; it promoted apoptosis at an early stage and inhibited apoptosis at the late stage in vivo and vitro, which proved the antiviral effect. We also found that S1PR1, S1PR4, and S1PR5, rather than S1PR2 and S1PR3, were regulated by FTY720 in this process. The results confirmed that FTY720 alleviates CVB3‐induced myocarditis and inhibits viral replication through regulating S1PRs and AKT/caspase‐3 pathways with a bidirectional regulation of apoptosis.
Characterization of the biofilm phenotype of a Listeria monocytogenes mutant deficient in agr peptide sensing
Authors: Zetzmann Marion , Bucur Florentina Ionela , Crauwels Peter , Borda Daniela , Nicolau Anca Ioana , Grigore‐Gurgu Leontina , Seibold Gerd M. , Riedel Christian U.
Published: March 2019

Listeria monocytogenes is a food‐borne human pathogen and a serious concern in food production and preservation. Previous studies have shown that biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes and presence of extracellular DNA (eDNA) in the biofilm matrix varies with environmental conditions and may involve agr peptide sensing. Experiments in normal and diluted (hypoosmotic) complex media at different temperatures revealed reduced biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes EGD‐e ΔagrD, a mutant deficient in agr peptide sensing, specifically in diluted Brain Heart Infusion at 25°C. This defect was not related to reduced sensitivity to DNase treatment suggesting sufficient levels of eDNA. Re‐analysis of a previously published transcriptional profiling indicated that a total of 132 stress‐related genes, that is 78.6% of the SigB‐dependent stress regulon, are differentially expressed in the ΔagrD mutant. Additionally, a number of genes involved in flagellar motility and a large number of other surface proteins including internalins, peptidoglycan binding and cell wall modifying proteins showed agr‐dependent gene expression. However, survival of the ΔagrD mutant in hypoosmotic conditions or following exposure to high hydrostatic pressure was comparable to the wild type. Also, flagellar motility and surface hydrophobicity were not affected. However, the ΔagrD mutant displayed a significantly reduced viability upon challenge with lysozyme. These results suggest that the biofilm phenotype of the ΔagrD mutant is not a consequence of reduced resistance to hypoosmotic or high pressure stress, motility or surface hydrophobicity. Instead, agr peptide sensing seems to be required for proper regulation of biosynthesis, structure and function of the cell envelope, adhesion to the substratum, and/or interaction of bacteria within a biofilm.
How does investors' heterogeneous trust affect the complexity of financial products? A look into the development of online finance
Authors: Wang Zongrun , Yang Mei
Published: March 2019

We introduce “trusting effects” to market complexity strategy and, through modeling, measure the decision‐making behavior of financial institutions' complexity choices as online and offline finance develops into different stages. We find that the complexity of financial products is not only determined by the intrinsic value and structure of products but also largely influenced by the behavior of investors. In addition, the characteristics of financial institutions, as well as different investor structures, also affect the complexity of the products and the equilibrium. Therefore, financial institutions attempt to exploit investors' biases and cognitive limitations through complexity strategies and ultimately obtain excess returns.
Stress urinary incontinence after vaginal prolapse repair: development and internal validation of a prediction model with and without the stress test
Authors: van der Ploeg J. Marinus , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Zwolsman Sandra E. , van der Vaart C. Huub , Roovers Jan‐Paul W.R.
Published: March 2019

Objective

To develop a prediction model for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after vaginal prolapse repair (postoperative stress urinary incontinence [POSUI]) and assess the value of a preoperative stress test.

Patients and methods

Secondary analysis of two trials in which women were randomised for prolapse repair with or without a midurethral sling (MUS). The trials included women with (CUPIDO‐1, n = 134) and without (CUPIDO‐2, n = 225) coexisting SUI. POSUI was defined as bothersome SUI one year after surgery and/or treatment of SUI in the first postoperative year. Logistic regression analysis was used to define a reference model, which was extended with the preoperative stress test. The stress test was performed with and without reduction of the prolapse. Missing values were imputed 20 times, with bootstrap resampling for internal validation of discriminatory ability.

Results

Three hundred fifty‐six women could be included. POSUI occurred in 17% of the women (n = 61). The reference model included age (<55 years), point Ba of the pelvic organ prolapse quantification system (<−1), vaginal parity (≤3), subjective urinary incontinence, and MUS. The stress test had an odds ratio of 2.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2‐4.6) in the extended model, which increased the optimism‐corrected area under the receiver‐operating curve from 0.74 to 0.76. The stress test was especially valuable in women with a 10% to 30% POSUI risk, where a stress test substantially impacted the POSUI risk. In more than 50% of the women, the stress test had no additional value in predicting POSUI.

Conclusion

A preoperative stress test is not valuable for women at low risk of SUI after vaginal prolapse repair.
Can we replace the catheter when evaluating urinary residuals?
Authors: Araklitis George , Paganotto Maria , Hunter Jo , Thiagamoorthy Ganesh , Robinson Dudley , Cardozo Linda
Published: March 2019

Aims

To test the different formulae to calculate the bladder volume using ultrasound; the accuracy of patients hearing/feeling “bubbles” at the end of urodynamics testing as a measure of being empty; and how good we are at estimating PVR using X‐ray at the end of video urodynamics testing.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study. Using Sonosite 180 plus, bladder volumes were calculated as, height × width × depth × proportionality constant (0.52, 0.625, 0.65, and 0.7) Patients were asked whether the patient heard or felt “bubbles” at the end of the investigation. Each patient was fluoroscopically screened and the clinician estimated the volume and compared with single‐use catheter volume.

Results

A total of 85 patients were assessed. All four formulae were significantly correlated. The PC, 0.52, correlated best (r = 0.938,
P < 0.001) with no significant difference with the actual volumes (
P = 0.275). The “bubbles test” had a positive predictive value of 93%. A video postvoid residual (PVR) estimation significantly correlated with catheterised bladder volume (
r = 0.842,
P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the estimated and actual bladder volumes (
P = 0.579).

Conclusion

This study showed that although all four formulae correlated significantly, the PC of 0.52 was the only formula without a significant difference from the actual volume. More work is needed to produce patient individualised PC. Our clinicians were able to accurately estimate the PVR on X‐ray. This study has identified the best formula to accurately estimate bladder volume and that video estimation along with the “bubbles” test can avoid unnecessary intervention.
Scale‐up and Sustainability Evaluation of Biopolymer Production from Citrus Waste Offering Carbon Capture and Utilisation Pathway
Authors: Durkin Alex , Taptygin Ivan , Kong Qingyuan , Gunam Resul Mohamad F. M. , Rehman Abdul , Fernández Ana M. L. , Harvey Adam P. , Shah Nilay , Guo Miao
Published: March 2019

Poly(limonene carbonate) (PLC) has been highlighted as an attractive substitute to petroleum derived plastics, due to its utilisation of CO2 and bio‐based limonene as feedstocks, offering an effective carbon capture and utilisation pathway. Our study investigates the techno‐economic viability and environmental sustainability of a novel process to produce PLC from citrus waste derived limonene, coupled with an anaerobic digestion process to enable energy cogeneration and waste recovery maximisation. Computational process design was integrated with a life cycle assessment to identify the sustainability improvement opportunities. PLC production was found to be economically viable, assuming sufficient citrus waste is supplied to the process, and environmentally preferable to polystyrene (PS) in various impact categories including climate change. However, it exhibited greater environmental burdens than PS across other impact categories, although the environmental performance could be improved with a waste recovery system, at the cost of a process design shift towards energy generation. Finally, our study quantified the potential contribution of PLC to mitigating the escape of atmospheric CO2 concentration from the planetary boundary. We emphasise the importance of a holistic approach to process design and highlight the potential impacts of biopolymers, which is instrumental in solving environmental problems facing the plastic industry and building a sustainable circular economy.
Design and Characterization of a Cook‐Off Resistant High‐Energy Booster Explosive Based on CL‐20/FOX‐7
Authors: Li Xiaodong , Zhang Ximing , Yang Wu , Song Changgui , Sun Hongyan , Wang Jingyu
Published: March 2019

A cook‐off resistant high‐energy booster explosive based on hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL‐20) and 1,1‐diamino‐2,2‐dinitroethylene (FOX‐7) was prepared by the solvent‐slurry process with ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and acrylate rubber (ACM) as binders. Small‐scale cook‐off test was used to select formulations that have cook‐off resistant ability and their performance were further compared. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to characterize the morphology and particle size of CL‐20, FOX‐7 and molding powders. The mechanical sensitivity, thermal decomposition performance, and detonation velocity of the CL‐20/FOX‐7 boosters were also measured and analyzed. The results showed that the mechanical sensitivity of CL‐20/FOX‐7 boosters was significantly lower than those of CL‐20 based PBX without FOX‐7. The maximum measured detonation velocity of the booster is 8576 m ⋅ s−1. These combined properties indicate that CL‐20/FOX‐7 booster can be used as an insensitive booster.
Redox Processes in Reduced Graphite Oxide Decorated by Carboxyl Functional Groups
Authors: Kobets Anna A. , Iurchenkova Anna A. , Asanov Igor P. , Okotrub Aleksander V. , Fedorovskaya Ekaterina O.
Published: March 2019

The reduction of graphite oxide makes it possible to obtain a graphene material with a developed surface, high conductivity and remarkable electrochemical behavior. The study of the electrochemical activity of oxygen‐containing functional groups on the graphene surface is important for the creation of electrochemical energy sources and sensors. In this work, the reduced graphite oxide is selectively decorated by carboxyl functional groups. The initial and carboxylated reduced graphite oxide are studied by SEM microscopy, FTIR, Raman, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is shown that a large number of carboxyl groups added to reduced graphite oxide surface change the sample morphology. Studying of reduced graphite oxide and carboxylated reduced graphite oxide by cyclic voltammetry shows reversible redox processes, which is associated with oxidation and reduction of the hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups. In addition, the dependence of peak potentials on the pH value is studied.
Berry‐Phase in a Periodically Driven Single Molecule Magnet Transistor
Authors: González Gabriel
Published: March 2019

The electron transport through a single molecule magnet transistor in the presence of a local transverse magnetic field and ac‐driven gate voltage has been considered. The conductance has been calculated as a function of the electron energy and transverse magnetic field by using the Floquet and Landauer formalism. It is shown that the time periodic potential causes zero transmission resonances that oscillate as a function of the transverse magnetic field due to the Berry phase interference associated with two quantum tunneling paths. It has been found that these Berry phase oscillations can be detected in the conductance as a function of the transverse magnetic field for an incoming electron with a specific energy.
On the omega probability distribution
Authors: Okorie Idika E. , Nadarajah Saralees
Published: March 2019

Dombi, Jónás, Tóth, and Árva (Quality and Reliability Engineering International, 2018, doi: 10.1002/qre.2425) introduced the omega probability distribution. They stated that main properties of this distribution are “difficult to deal with” analytically. In this note, we derive closed‐form expressions for all of the main properties of the omega distribution. A real data illustration of the derived expressions is also given.
On identification of agonistic interaction: Hepatitis B and C interaction on hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Lin Sheng‐Hsuan , Huang Yen‐Tsung , Yang Hwai‐I
Published: March 2019

Agonistic interaction is one of the most important types of mechanistic interaction, which is difficult to be distinguished from synergistic interaction by empirical data. In this study, we propose four approaches that suffice to identify and estimate the agonistic interaction: (1) to make a strong assumption that synergism does not exist; (2) to exploit information from a third factor by assuming that this factor is a necessary component for the background condition of synergistic interaction but is not involved in other mechanisms; (3) to consider a third factor necessary for the background condition of agonistic interaction but not involved in other mechanisms; and (4) similar to (3) but to allow flexibility that the third factor may have a main effect on the outcome and/or a synergistic effect with the two risk factors of interest. We applied the proposed methods to quantify the agonism of Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) infections on liver cancer using a Taiwanese cohort study (n = 23 820; HBV carrier n = 4149 (17.44%), HCV carrier n = 1313 (5.52%)). The result demonstrated that agonistic interaction is more dominant compared with synergistic interaction, which explains the findings that the dual infected patients do not have a significantly higher risk of liver cancer than those with single infection. By exploiting an additional risk factor that satisfies certain assumptions, these approaches potentially fill the gap between mechanistic and causal interactions, contributing the comprehensive understanding of causal mechanisms.
Including operational aspects in the planning of power systems with large amounts of variable generation: A review of modeling approaches
Authors: Helistö Niina , Kiviluoma Juha , Holttinen Hannele , Lara Jose Daniel , Hodge Bri‐Mathias
Published: March 2019

In the past, power system planning was based on meeting the load duration curve at minimum cost. The increasing share of variable generation (VG) makes operational constraints more important in the planning problem, and there is more and more interest in considering aspects such as sufficient ramping capability, sufficient reserve procurement, power system stability, storage behavior, and the integration of other energy sectors often through demand response assets. In VG integration studies, several methods have been applied to combine the planning and operational timescales. We present a four‐level categorization for the modeling methods, in order of increasing complexity: (1a) investment model only, (1b) operational model only, (2) unidirectionally soft‐linked investment and operational models, (3a) bidirectionally soft‐linked investment and operational models, (3b) operational model with an investment update algorithm, and (4) co‐optimization of investments and operation. The review shows that using a low temporal resolution or only few representative days will not suffice in order to determine the optimal generation portfolio. In addition, considering operational effects proves to be important in order to get a more optimal generation portfolio and more realistic estimations of system costs. However, operational details appear to be less significant than the temporal representation. Furthermore, the benefits and impacts of more advanced modeling techniques on the resulting generation capacity mix significantly depend on the system properties. Thus, the choice of the model should depend on the purpose of the study as well as on system characteristics.

This article is categorized under:

Wind Power > Systems and Infrastructure

Energy Systems Analysis > Economics and Policy

Energy Policy and Planning > Economics and Policy
Diboson at the LHC vs LEP
Authors: Grojean Christophe , Montull Marc , Riembau Marc
Published: March 2019

Abstract

We use the current CMS and ATLAS data for the leptonic pp → WW, WZ channels to show that diboson production is, for a broad class of flavour models, already competitive with LEP-1 measurements for setting bounds on the dimension six operators parametrising the anomalous couplings between the quarks and the electroweak gauge bosons, at least under the assumption that any new particle is heavier than a few TeV. We also make an estimate of the HL-LHC reach with 3 ab−1. We comment on possible BSM interpretations of the bounds, and show the interplay with other searches for a simplified model with vector triplets. We further study the effect of modified Z-quark-quark couplings on the anomalous triple gauge coupling bounds. We find that their impact is already significant and that it could modify the constraints on δg
1z
and δκ

γ
by as much as a factor two at the end of HL-LHC (λ

z
is only marginally affected), requiring a global fit to extract robust bounds. We stress the role of flavour assumptions and study explicitly flavour universal and minimal flavour violation scenarios, illustrating the differences with results obtained for universal theories.
Minimally Invasive Parathyroidectomy without Intraoperative PTH Performed after Positive Ultrasonography as the only Diagnostic Method in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Schneider Ralph , Hinrichs Jakob , Meier Beate , Walz Martin K. , Alesina Pier Francesco
Published: March 2019

Background

A positive and concordant result of at least two diagnostic modalities is generally recommended prior to focused parathyroidectomy. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of surgery and the accurateness of preoperative ultrasonography (US) as single localization modality in patients who underwent parathyroidectomy without the adjunct of intraoperative Parathormone (PTH) measurement.

Methods

The cases with a preoperative US as the only localization technique, who underwent parathyroidectomy between 10/1999 and 12/2017, were selected from a prospectively maintained database. Therefore, a total number of 242 patients with a mean age of 58.6 ± 13.7 years were included in the present study. US was performed by referral endocrinologist or by the surgeon during office visits.

Results

The overall “cure rate” was 99.2% (240 out of 242 patients). In 228/242 patients (94.2%), a drop of perioperative PTH levels consistent with the definition of cure was observed on the day of surgery. In four of the remaining 14 patients, healing was confirmed by PTH level dropping into the normal range on the first postoperative day. Eight patients were cured after a reoperation was performed at our department. Postoperative complications included one case of permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (0.4%).

Conclusions

If performed by an experienced endocrinologist and/or endocrine surgeon, a positive US could be the only preoperative localization study in patients with pHPT. Moreover, the add‐value of intraoperative PTH is limited. Major advantages of US are a very high accuracy, the ease of performance (accessibility) and its cost‐effectiveness compared with Sesta‐MIBI scintigraphy.
Lipidomics characterization of the alterations of Trichoderma brevicompactum membrane glycerophospholipids during the fermentation phase
Authors: Bai Yunfan , Gao Yuran , Lu Xin , Wang Huiyu
Published: March 2019

The biological membrane lipid composition has been demonstrated to greatly influence the secretion of secondary metabolites. This study was conducted to investigate the periodical alterations of whole cellular lipids and their associations with secondary products in Trichoderma brevicompactum. An electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry-based lipidomics strategy was used to acquire the metabolic profiles of membrane lipids during fermentation. Univariate analyses showed that most fungi glycerophospholipids were significantly altered at the early phase compared with the late phase. In addition, correlation analyses showed high correlations between phosphatidylcholine alterations and fermentation duration. In addition, the fermentation-associated alterations of phosphatidylcholines were found to be in accordance with the degrees of unsaturation of acyl-chains. Harzianum A reached a maximum on the 12th day, while trichodermin and 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one showed the highest abundances on the 9th day, both of which were inclined to correlate with the alterations of phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines, respectively. These findings demonstrated that the alterations of the membrane lipid species in Trichoderma spp. were associated with the fermentation phases and might influence the secretion of specific secondary products, which may be useful in studying the optimization of secondary products in Trichoderma spp.
What outcomes are important to patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease, their caregivers, and health‐care professionals? A systematic review
Authors: Tochel Claire , Smith Michael , Baldwin Helen , Gustavsson Anders , Ly Amanda , Bexelius Christin , Nelson Mia , Bintener Christophe , Fantoni Enrico , Garre‐Olmo Josep , Janssen Olin , Jindra Christoph , Jørgensen Isabella F. , McKeown Alex , Öztürk Buket , Ponjoan Anna , Potashman Michele H. , Reed Catherine , Roncancio‐Diaz Emilse , Vos Stephanie , Sudlow Cathie ,   the ROADMAP consortium
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Clinical trials involving patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) continue to try to identify disease‐modifying treatments. Although trials are designed to meet regulatory and registration requirements, many do not measure outcomes of the disease most relevant to key stakeholders.

Methods

A systematic review sought research that elicited information from people with AD, their caregivers, and health‐care professionals on which outcomes of the disease were important. Studies published in any language between 2008 and 2017 were included.

Results

Participants in 34 studies described 32 outcomes of AD. These included clinical (memory, mental health), practical (ability to undertake activities of daily living, access to health information), and personal (desire for patient autonomy, maintenance of identity) outcomes of the disease.

Discussion

Evidence elicited directly from the people most affected by AD reveals a range of disease outcomes that are relevant to them but are not commonly captured in clinical trials of new treatments.
Mountain Rescue Casualty Care and the Undergraduate Medical Elective
Authors: Larsen Jennifer , Blagnys Hannah , Cooper Ben , Press Christopher , Sambridge Neil , Livesey Matthew , Watt Catherine , Allewell Christopher , Chapman Neil
Published: March 2019

Many UK medical curricula lack dedicated prehospital education other than first aid courses and basic life support training. In contrast, nonmedical mountain rescue team members receive advanced prehospital training addressing scene management and various clinical interventions. This article reports a condensed mountain rescue casualty care course designed for medical students by a mountain rescue team. The course was offered as part of a student-selected module during phase 3A at the University of Sheffield Medical School. Within the module, students also learned the relevant biomedical sciences and clinical skills to construct their knowledge of mountain rescue casualty care.
Post-Hurricane Distress Scale (PHDS): A Novel Tool for First Responders and Disaster Researchers
Authors: Carl Yonatan , Ortiz Ediricardo Rodríguez , Cintrón Moisés , Vega Andy , Font Cristina , Stukova Marina , Blundell Andrew , Gutierréz Ashley N. , Burgos Raúl Ferrer
Published: March 2019

Objective

The aim of this study was the construction and validation of a novel research instrument to quantify the degree of post-hurricane trauma and distress in an affected population. The Post-Hurricane Distress Scale (PHDS) has quantitative measures of both acute and prolonged distress, attributable to meteorological and hydrological disasters.

Methods

A careful evaluation of existing questionnaires, as well as extensive canvasing of the post-Maria population of Puerto Rico, availed the construction of the PHDS. The PHDS consists of 20 items, organized into 4 subscales. The PHDS was pre-validated (n=79), revised, and then distributed to a broad sampling of the post-Hurricane Maria Puerto Rican population (n=597). Validation, including factor analysis, analyses of concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and internal reliability, was performed.

Results

After comparing various scales, factor loading profiles, concurrent validities, and models of fit, we show that the PHDS is best scored as a single 0–6 distress scale. When compared with the Traumatic Exposure Severity Scale, the PHDS shows superior concurrent validity, more accurately predicting scores for the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory, Impact of Event Scale – Revised, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Scale. The PHDS shows good internal reliability and discriminant validity.

Conclusions

The PHDS represents a novel, useful instrument for disaster first-responders and researchers. The prompt identification of high-risk populations is possible using this instrument. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:82-89)
Addressing Community Needs During the Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts Through Community Assessments for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER)—United States Virgin Islands, 2017-2018
Authors: Schnall Amy Helene , Roth Joseph (Jay) , Ellis Brett , Seger Krystal , Davis Michelle , Ellis Esther M.
Published: March 2019

Objectives

Two category 5 storms hit the US Virgin Islands (USVI) within 13 days of each other in September 2017. This caused an almost complete loss of power and devastated critical infrastructure such as the hospitals and airports

Methods

The USVI Department of Health conducted 2 response Community Assessments for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPERs) in November 2017 and a recovery CASPER in February 2018. CASPER is a 2-stage cluster sampling method designed to provide household-based information about a community’s needs in a timely, inexpensive, and representative manner.

Results

Almost 70% of homes were damaged or destroyed, 81.2% of homes still needed repair, and 10.4% of respondents felt their home was unsafe to live in approximately 5 months after the storms. Eighteen percent of individual respondents indicated that their mental health was “not good” for 14 or more days in the past month, a significant increase from 2016.

Conclusion

The CASPERs helped characterize the status and needs of residents after the devastating hurricanes and illustrate the evolving needs of the community and the progression of the recovery process. CASPER findings were shared with response and recovery partners to promote data-driven recovery efforts, improve the efficiency of the current response and recovery efforts, and strengthen emergency preparedness in USVI. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:53-62)
ADOPT: An augmented set-based design framework with optimisation
Authors: Georgiades Alex , Sharma Sanjiv , Kipouros Timoleon , Savill Mark
Published: March 2019

During the early stages of any system design, a thorough exploration of the design space can prove to be challenging and computationally expensive. The challenges are further exacerbated when dealing with complex systems, such as an aircraft, due to the high dimensionality of their design space. Arising from the Toyota Product Development System, set-based design allows parallel evaluation of multiple alternative configurations in the early design stages. At the same time, optimisation methods can be employed at later stages to fine-tune the engineering characteristics of design variants. Presented in this paper, is the Augmented set-based Design and OPTimisation (ADOPT) Framework that introduces a novel methodology for integrating the two areas. This allows for a thorough design-space exploration while ensuring the optimality of the selected designs. The framework has been developed using a process-independent and tool-agnostic approach so that it can be applied to the design process of varying kinds of systems. To demonstrate the implementation and potential benefits, the framework has been applied to the design of a generic aircraft fuel system. The results from the case study and the framework itself are discussed, with a number of areas for further development and future work being identified and presented.
Decision on the “Prosecution's Request for a Ruling on Jurisdiction Under Article 19(3) of the Statute” (Int'l Crim. Ct.)
Authors: Freuden Sarah
Published: March 2019

On September 6, 2018, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (Court) issued its “Decision on the ‘Prosecution's Request for a Ruling on Jurisdiction Under Article 19(3) of the Statute.’” The decision is notable both for the procedural posture—the Prosecution submitted its request prior to opening a preliminary examination—and the majority's conclusion that the Court may exercise territorial jurisdiction over alleged deportation from Myanmar, a nonstate party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Rome Statute or Statute), to a state party, Bangladesh.
Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia
Authors: Lyons Scott W.
Published: March 2019

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a historic agreement on July 9, 2018, in Asmara, Eritrea, ending over two decades of open hostilities and war. The Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship (Joint Declaration) marks a fundamental change for the Horn of Africa, with the reconciliation possibly altering the economic and political dynamics of the region. The Joint Declaration resulted from several key developments occurring over a few weeks from June through early July 2018. Ethiopia announced its acceptance of the original Algiers Agreement, dated December 12, 2000, which had never been implemented, and its willingness to abide by the 2002 international Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) ruling that awarded disputed territory to Eritrea, including the border town of Badme. Previously, Ethiopia had rejected the ruling and asked for a new ruling. Ethiopia had also previously insisted that relations must be restored before any territorial resolution. President Afwerki agreed to negotiate, after stating for years that Ethiopia had to withdraw its troops from the disputed town of Badme first. A few weeks before the signing of the Joint Declaration, the Eritrean foreign minister visited Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, marking the first bilateral meeting between the two since the war began.
Views Adopted by the Committee under Article 5 (4) of the Optional Protocol, Concerning Communication Nos. 2747/2016 & 2807/2016 (H.R. Comm.)
Authors: Kalantry Sital
Published: March 2019

On July 17, 2018, the Human Rights Committee, the monitoring body of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), rendered decisions in two similar cases brought by two French nationals against the French state. Both petitioners were Muslim women who challenged Act No. 2010-1192 of 11 October 2010, a French law under which wearing of the niqab, also known as a “full-face veil,” in public spaces is prohibited. These seminal cases constitute the first time that an international arbiter of human rights has ruled that France's face-veil ban violates the human rights of its citizens.
Cuore and the cinema: reframing the Risorgimento for the First World War
Authors: Boylan Amy
Published: March 2019

During the years leading up to and during the First World War, patriotic films featuring self-sacrificing child protagonists formed an important sub-genre of Italian film production. This article looks at Film Artistica Gloria’s Cuore series (1915–1916), adapted from De Amicis’ novel, with particular attention given to the two war-themed films, Il tamburino sardo (UK: The Sardinian Drummer Boy, 1915) and La piccola vedetta lombarda (The Little Lookout from Lombardy, 1915). An examination of the way in which advertising, reviews, and promotional materials worked to reframe these Risorgimento stories within a new historical context shows how the transmedial relationship between the novel, films and paracinematic texts helped to transform De Amicis’s civically-minded patriotic tales into an endorsement of Italy’s intervention in the First World War.
The future of walnut–fruit forests in Kyrgyzstan and the status of the iconic Endangered apple Malus niedzwetzkyana
Authors: Wilson Brett , Mills Morena , Kulikov Maksim , Clubbe Colin
Published: March 2019

Forest ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and provide valuable ecosystem services, but are declining worldwide. Malus niedzwetzkyana, an Endangered wild relative of domesticated apples, is an important component of the walnut–fruit forests of Central Asia. Its iconic pink blossom and genetic properties give it special cultural and scientific significance, but livestock grazing and firewood collection threaten its survival. The conservation of the species and its native forest ecosystem is critical and urgent. This study provides information on the ecology and population of M. niedzwetzkyana and the threats affecting its habitat, improving our understanding of its distribution and proposing measures to reduce threats. We collected ecological data and assessed population structure and threats at four forest sites in southern Kyrgyzstan. We mapped 149 individuals, creating the largest known dataset for this species. We developed species distribution models for M. niedzwetzkyana to identify climatically suitable regions and potential areas for restoration. Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve contained the largest expanse of pristine forest and the most stable M. niedzwetzkyana population, followed by Kara-Alma Forestry Unit. Forests in the Gava Forestry Unit and Dashman Reserve were most extensively damaged by humans and livestock. The wild apple's favoured habitat was south-west facing slopes with a gradient < 30° and a relatively open canopy. Overall, the study population was vulnerable to extinction with limited regeneration potential. We recommend short-term population enhancement through planting projects and increased protection of individuals in pristine sites. Community-based conservation initiatives should be prioritized in extensively damaged sites, and larger-scale reforestation of these forests needs to be considered.
Taphonomy and paleobiology
Authors: Behrensmeyer Anna K. , Kidwell Susan M. , Gastaldo Robert A.
Published: March 2019

Taphonomy plays diverse roles in paleobiology. These include assessing sample quality relevant to ecologic, biogeographic, and evolutionary questions, diagnosing the roles of various taphonomic agents, processes and circumstances in generating the sedimentary and fossil records, and reconstructing the dynamics of organic recycling over time as a part of Earth history. Major advances over the past 15 years have occurred in understanding (1) the controls on preservation, especially the ecology and biogeochemistry of soft-tissue preservation, and the dominance of biological versus physical agents in the destruction of remains from all major taxonomic groups (plants, invertebrates, vertebrates); (2) scales of spatial and temporal resolution, particularly the relatively minor role of out-of-habitat transport contrasted with the major effects of time-averaging; (3) quantitative compositional fidelity; that is, the degree to which different types of assemblages reflect the species composition and abundance of source faunas and floras; and (4) large-scale variations through time in preservational regimes (megabiases), caused by the evolution of new bodyplans and behavioral capabilities, and by broad-scale changes in climate, tectonics, and geochemistry of Earth surface systems. Paleobiological questions regarding major trends in biodiversity, major extinctions and recoveries, timing of cladogenesis and rates of evolution, and the role of environmental forcing in evolution all entail issues appropriate for taphonomic analysis, and a wide range of strategies are being developed to minimize the impact of sample incompleteness and bias. These include taphonomically robust metrics of paleontologic patterns, gap analysis, equalizing samples via rarefaction, inferences about preservation probability, isotaphonomic comparisons, taphonomic control taxa, and modeling of artificial fossil assemblages based on modern analogues. All of this work is yielding a more quantitative assessment of both the positive and negative aspects of paleobiological samples. Comparisons and syntheses of patterns across major groups and over a wider range of temporal and spatial scales present a challenging and exciting agenda for taphonomy in the coming decades.
The biomolecular paleontology of continental fossils
Authors: Briggs Derek E. G. , Evershed Richard P. , Lockheart Matthew J.
Published: March 2019

The preservation of compounds of biological origin (nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and resistant biopolymers) in terrigenous fossils and the chemical and structural changes that they undergo during fossilization are discussed over three critical stratigraphic levels or “time slices.” The youngest of these is the archeological record (e.g., <10 k.y. B.P.), when organic matter from living organisms undergoes the preliminary stages of fossilization (certain classes of biomolecule are selectively preserved while others undergo rapid degradation). The second time slice is the Tertiary. Well-preserved fossils of this age retain diagenetically modified biomarkers and biopolymers for which a product-precursor relationship with the original biological materials can still be identified. The final time slice is the Carboniferous. Organic material of this age has generally undergone such extensive diagenetic degradation that only the most resistant biopolymers remain and these have undergone substantial modification. Trends through time in the taphonomy and utility of ancient biomolecules in terrigenous fossils affect their potential for studies that involve chemosystematic and environmental data.