bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dissipation power homogenization of anisotropic linear viscoelastic composites
Authors: Mika M. , Horst T. , Landgraf R. , Ihlemann J.
Published: October 2019

The current work presents a thermodynamic consistent derivation of the volume‐specific dissipation power and energy function based on an anisotropic generalized Maxwell model. Further the equivalence to a physically meaningful effective dissipation power and energy density of a heterogeneous microstructure, exhibiting macroscopic direction‐dependent linear viscoelastic material behavior, is shown.
Introduction: The Cold War in the Classroom International Perspectives on Textbooks and Memory Practices
Authors: Christophe Barbara
Published: October 2019

In the introduction to the volume, Barbara Christophe presents the objectives of the book; namely to explore how the memory of the Cold War is negotiated in history textbooks, teacher narratives and the history classroom in a range of different countries. The multinational perspectives are of particular significance given that the story of the confrontaiton between East and West was once crucial for the articulation of political identites all over the world. Christophe discusses the various approaches employed by the authors of the book and the value of the volume’s findings for memory studies and history didactics.
The Cold War in South African History Textbooks
Authors: Chisholm Linda , Fig David
Published: October 2019

A remarkable feature of the Cold War is its coincidence with the period of apartheid in South Africa, in which it played an important role. This is evident in school textbooks, where it is a major topic in the final years of history. But while there is a growing body of work on the Cold War in Africa, there is a very small literature on its manifestation in South Africa and, with one exception, nothing on how school textbooks may have reinforced or challenged its main precepts. Linda Chisholm and Davig Fig seek to fill this research gap with a study of curricula and textbooks, showing that the most significant change since the apartheid period is that the convergence of anticommunism with black liberation movements has given way to a friendlier approach towards movements for decolonisation and the East than was previously evident.
Dictatorship and the Cold War in Official Chilean History Textbooks
Authors: Oteíza Teresa , Castro Claudia
Published: October 2019

Oteíza and Castro explain the importance of studying how the memory of the Cold War period is negotiated in official Chilean history textbooks, and particularly how these textbooks address dictatorships in Latin America and the role played by the USA in regard to them. The authors focus particularly on the historical actors, events and processes identified in the textbook discourse and how they are evaluated in the construction of a historical account of a past that is still open to debate. The study uses discourse analysis anchored in a social, ideological and socio-semiotic perspective.
Introduction to Part Three: Memory Practices in the Classroom
Authors: Gautschi Peter , Christophe Barbara , Thorp Robert
Published: October 2019

In their introduction to the third part of the volume, editors Peter Gautschi, Barbara Christophe and Robert Thorp explore the complexities and difficulties inherent in history teaching and the various approaches and methods employed to analyse it. They introduce the following chapters, which analyse classroom observations in Germany, Switzerland and Sweden, during lessons introducing the Cold War, and summarise the insights gained from these studies.
Pedagogical Entanglements and the Cold War: A Comparative Study on Opening History Lessons on the Cold War in Sweden and Switzerland
Authors: Thorp Robert
Published: October 2019

Thorp uses the case studies of two classrooms, one Swiss, one Swedish, exploring different pedagogical approaches to the Cold War and addressing the challenges posed to teachers of history in general. There is, he argues, a tension inherent in history that arises because history is both fixed yet also contingent upon who relates it. In this chapter, Thorp examines the degree to which the two teachers in his case study operate within this contingency. Thorp’s model of the narratological uses of history allows him to formulate a pedagogical approach which prioritises critical enquiry and the awareness of historical consciousness. Teaching the Cold War particularly reinforces this conclusion, because the topic can be addressed from radically different perspectives.
Between Radical Shifts and Persistent Uncertainties: The Cold War in Russian History Textbooks
Authors: Khodnev Alexander
Published: October 2019

Alexander Khodnev explores how, in four different Russian history textbooks, all widely used and all aimed at eleventh graders, the Cold War is approached and responsibility for its origins apportioned, aiming to understand how textbooks alter and are also shaped by the construction of historical memory and shifts in historiography. The chapter examines the extent to which each textbook upholds a patriotic ‘master narrative’, the standards of teaching in Russia which further establish this narrative and the lasting impact of the Soviet era on Russian textbooks. Yet Khodnev also considers how ambivalence is introduced into these textbooks through the inclusion of other countries’ histories, the history of decolonisation, the linguistic choices of different authors and the spatial design of each textbook.
Between Non-human and Individual Agents: The Attribution of Agency in Chapters on the Cold War in Flemish History Textbooks
Authors: Van Nieuwenhuyse Karel
Published: October 2019

Van Nieuwenhuyse, utilising content and discourse analysis, compares chapters on the Cold War in four different Flemish textbooks used to teach twelfth grade, examining both how they portray the Soviet Union and the USA and which groups they assign agency to in this period (from non-human actors, such as nations, to individuals). Students, Van Nieuwenhuyse argues, must understand the importance of agency in history and in their daily lives, a significance which they can recognise through being taught history. The chapter proposes that an education in history which emphasises nuance, resists homogenisation and explicitly highlights different historiographical approaches to the Cold War in turn encourages students to realise the importance of individual and collective action in the past and future.
Generalized asymptotics for gauge fields
Authors: Giddings Steven B.
Published: October 2019

Abstract

An interesting question is to characterize the general class of allowed boundary conditions for gauge theories, including gravity, at spatial and null infinity. This has played a role in discussions of soft charges, where antipodal symmetry has typically been assumed. However, the existence of electric and gravitational line operators, arising from gauge­invariant dressed observables, for example associated to axial or Fefferman-Graham like gauges, indicates the existence of non-antipodally symmetric initial data. This note studies aspects of the solutions corresponding to such non-symmetric initial data. The explicit evolution can be found, via a Green function, and bounds can be given on the asymptotic behavior of such solutions, evading arguments for singular behavior. Likewise, objections to such solutions based on infinite symplectic form are also avoided, although these solutions may be superselected. Soft charge conservation laws, and their modification, are briefly examined for such solutions. This discussion strengthens (though is not necessary for) arguments that soft charges characterize gauge field degrees of freedom, but not necessarily the degrees of freedom associated to the matter sourcing the field.
Cosmetic Surgery and Self-esteem in South Korea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Yoon Sanghoo , Kim Young A.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Advances in medical technology coupled with rapid growth of web-based mass media and social networking services have considerably increased public access to cosmetic surgery. In South Korea, in particular, the number of people undergoing cosmetic surgery has been rapidly increasing, and studies related to cosmetic surgery have markedly increased. We report an integrative review of studies examining the relationship between cosmetic surgery and self-esteem in Korea. We aimed to identify relevant variables and determine their overall effect sizes.

Methods

This study was designed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Two researchers separately performed the literature search, selected 16 papers based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and analyzed them.

Results

Of the 16 papers on cosmetic surgery and self-esteem, 5 (33.3%) involved both men and women, and the remaining 11 (66.7%) involved only women. The respondents included teenagers and adults. The total number of respondents was 6296, with an average of 393.5 per paper. Most studies (n = 13, 81.3%) used the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Self-esteem was correlated with variables grouped into the following six categories: appearance management intention, cosmetic surgery intention, sociocultural attitude, body satisfaction, BMI, and stress. The effect sizes from the meta-analysis with correlation coefficients were 0.157, − 0.118, 0.023, 0.175, − 0.045, and − 0.085.

Conclusions

Among the relevant variables categorized in this study, sociocultural attitude, BMI, and stress showed weak effect sizes, and the appearance management intention, cosmetic surgery intention, and body satisfaction categories showed intermediate effect sizes. The results of this study are expected to serve as a concrete basis for the development of strategies to minimize the adverse effects of the ever-growing cosmetic surgery industry. This information can help elucidate the psychologic characteristics of individuals seeking cosmetic surgery and contribute to optimal medical outcomes.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
Low Incidence of Postoperative Leaks When Using Small‐Diameter Calibrated Bougies During Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Sakran Nasser , Raziel Asnat , Gralnek Ian M. , Perry Zvi , Mahawar Kamal K. , Shikora Scott A. , Goitein David
Published: October 2019

Background

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a well‐established bariatric procedure. A staple line leak is a recognized complication of LSG. Bougie size has been suggested to impact leak rates. In this study, we evaluate the impact of using 32–34F bougie sizes with LSG on early postoperative outcomes including staple line leaks within our practice.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort analysis of a prospectively maintained database of all LSG procedures performed between January 2012 and December 2018 at a single medical center. Data collected and analyzed included bougie size, postoperative leak rate, need for re‐operation, 12‐month excess weight loss, and 30‐day morbidity and mortality.

Results

During the study period, 3153 patients underwent LSG, of whom 1977 (62.7%) were female. Mean age and body mass index (BMI) were 42.9 ± 12.2 years (range 15–76 years) and 42.4 ± 5.2 kg/m2 (range 27–73), respectively. No intraoperative complications or mortality occurred. There was one case of perioperative mortality due to bleeding (0.03%). Early postoperative adverse events occurred in 131 patients (4.1%): 17 leaks (0.5%), 75 bleeds (2.4%), and 39 (1.2%) other.

Conclusion

The use of smaller‐sized (32–34F) bougies had no impact on staple line leaks in the hands of experienced bariatric surgeons at a high‐volume center.
Twelve Hundred Consecutive Pancreato‐Duodenectomies from Single Centre: Impact of Centre of Excellence on Pancreatic Cancer Surgery Across India
Authors: Shrikhande Shailesh V. , Shinde Rajesh S. , Chaudhari Vikram A. , Kurunkar Sagar R. , Desouza Ashwin L. , Agarwal Vandana , Bhandare Manish S.
Published: October 2019

Background

Pancreato‐duodenectomy (PD) is a technically challenging operation with significant morbidity and mortality. Over the period of time, Tata Memorial Centre has evolved into a high‐volume centre for management of pancreatic cancer. Aim of this study is to report the short‐ and long‐term outcomes of 1200 consecutive PDs performed at single tertiary cancer centre in India.

Methods

1200 PDs were performed from 1992 to 2017. Prospectively maintained database was used to retrospectively assess the short‐ and long‐term outcomes.

Results

Study cohort was divided into periods A and B (500 and 700 patients, respectively). Both groups were comparable for demographic variables. Overall morbidity and mortality in entire cohort were 31.2% and 3.9%, respectively. Period B documented significant reduction in post‐operative mortality (5.4% vs 2.8%), post‐pancreatectomy haemorrhage (5.8% vs 3%) and bile leaks (3.4% vs 1.3%). However, incidence of delayed gastric emptying and clinically relevant post‐operative pancreatic fistula was higher in period B. With median follow‐up of 25 months, 3‐year overall survival and disease‐free survival for patients with pancreatic cancer were 43.7% and 38.7%, respectively, and that for periampullary tumours were 65.9% and 59.4%, respectively. Period B also corresponded with dissemination of technical expertise across diverse regions of India with specialised training of 35 surgeons.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates the feasibility of delivering high‐quality care in a dedicated high‐volume centre even in a country with low incidence of pancreatic cancer with marked disparities in medical care and socio‐economic conditions. Improved outcomes underscore the need to promote regionalisation via a dedicated training programme.
The Pathophysiology, Presentation and Management of Ischaemic Colitis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Demetriou George , Nassar Ahmed , Subramonia Sriram
Published: October 2019

There are currently no guidelines on the long‐term management of patients after an episode of acute ischaemic colitis. Our aim was to review the literature on the pattern of presentation and the pathophysiology of this condition and to understand the current status of the acute and long‐term management of ischaemic colitis. Furthermore, we aim to provide recommendations for the clinicians in regard to the acute and long‐term management of ischaemic colitis. A review of the English literature over the last 15 years was performed using Embase and Medline. Search terms were ischaemic OR ischemic, colitis OR colon. Two reviewers screened the papers against pre‐determined eligibility criteria. A senior consultant surgeon performed a final overview. Three hundred sixty‐eight papers were identified on the initial search; 318 were irrelevant and 17 were conference abstracts; both were excluded. Thirty‐three full articles were assessed for suitability; nine were further excluded. Twenty‐four articles were included in the final analysis and cross‐referenced against those listed in the systematic reviews. There is a large clinical heterogeneity in inclusion criteria (histological, radiological, endoscopic, surgical specimen). Twelve out of 24 articles included patients only based on histological diagnosis. The definition of right and left (or nonright) ischaemic colitis was variable based on whether hepatic or splenic flexure was used as the cut‐off point. Five retrospective case series highlighted that patients with isolated right‐sided ischaemic colitis had a worse prognosis than those with left‐sided colitis (higher mortality, need for surgery, length of hospital stay). The overall recurrence was 9%. There is a need for a higher‐level evidence to guide clinicians on the long‐term management of patients following an episode of acute colonic ischaemia. Further evidence is required to determine whether right colonic ischaemia should be managed differently from left.
Characterization of infections and hypogammaglobulinemia treated with the combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab
Authors: Mortimer Joanne E. , Kruper Laura , Jung Jae , Wong Louise , Cooper Jill , Stewart Daphne , Chung Samuel , Yu Kim Wai , Dadwal Sanjeet , Yuan Yuan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

We update a patient series that reported a high incidence of infection with Gram-positive cocci in women treated with the combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab and further characterize this clinical problem.

Patients

Treating physicians and advanced practice partners identified women who developed infections while on treatment with pertuzumab and trastuzumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy and enrolled them onto this registry trial.

Results

Between March, 2014 and May, 2017, 48 patients with HER2-positive breast cancers were reported to have 59 individual infections. The median age was 48 years. Twenty-four patients received neoadjuvant therapy, 17 were treated for metastatic disease, and 7 were treated in the adjuvant setting. Pertuzumab and trastuzumab were combined with carboplatin and docetaxel in 24 (49%) patients, docetaxel in 10 (21%), nab-paclitaxel in 12 (24%), and without other agents in 2 (4%). Granulocyte growth factors were administered in 24 (49%) patients and no patients were documented to be neutropenic. Folliculitis developed in 25 (52%) patients and was counted as a single infection. Abscesses developed at a number of sites in 24 (49%) patients, including a septic knee requiring total knee replacement. Paronychia occurred in 7 (15%) patients, and 5 (10%) developed cellulitis. When cultures were obtained, Gram-positive cocci were consistently identified. Hypogammaglobulinemia was documented in 14 (36%) of the 33 patients tested.

Conclusions

Our data continue to support an increased risk of infections with Gram-positive cocci as a potentially serious adverse event in women treated with pertuzumab and trastuzumab.
Colonic duplication presenting as a huge abdominal mass in an adult female
Authors: Cheng Kung-Chuan , Ko Sheung-Fat , Lee Ko-Chao
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Duplications of the alimentary tract are a rare congenital malformation. Most of the cases are symptomatic and diagnosed before 2 years of age. Here, we report a young female presented with a huge abdominal mass, and colonic duplication was confirmed during laparotomy.

Case presentation

A 29-year-old female had chronic constipation treated with laxative agents. She presented to the emergency room with abdominal cramping for 3 days, accompanied with intermittent fever and vomiting. A huge movable abdominal mass was noted during physical examination. Computerized tomography showed a long segmental dilated bowel lumen with stool impaction and bowel wall thickening of the dilated lumen in the left abdomen, highly suggestive of a long tubular colon duplication. The patient underwent subtotal colectomy. Specimen subsequently confirmed the diagnosis for colonic duplication from cecum to sigmoid colon, and the duplicated colon was found on the antimesenteric side of the native colon. She had a stable postoperative course and was discharged 9 days later.

Discussion

Duplications of the alimentary tract are a rare congenital anomaly. Colonic duplication is an even more unusual malformation of this type. It can be classified into cystic or tubular type according to the gross morphology and may or may not be associated with other congenital anomalies. Most common presentation includes abdominal distention, refractory constipation, and bowel obstruction like many other colorectal conditions. Thus, its indistinct symptoms make it difficult to be diagnosed preoperatively. The recommended treatment is surgical resection of the duplicated lumen along with the attached native colon.
Contribution of plant food bioactives in promoting health effects of plant foods: why look at interindividual variability?
Authors: Morand Christine , Tomás-Barberán Francisco A.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Research has identified plant-based diets as the most protective for our health; it is now essential to focus on good food associations and the beneficial constituents in plant foods. From a growing body of evidence, some categories of food phytochemicals are increasingly considered to play a crucial role in the cardiometabolic health effects associated with plant food consumption. However, the heterogeneity in responsiveness to plant food bioactive intake that is frequently observed in clinical trials can hinder the identification of the effects of these compounds in specific subpopulations and likely lead to underestimating their actual contribution to the health effects of their food sources.

Results

The magnitude and the main factors responsible for this between-subject variation in response to the consumption of the major families of food phytochemicals have been poorly documented so far. Thus, research efforts in this area must be developed. More importantly, capturing the interindividual variability in response to plant food bioactive intake, together with identifying the main determinants involved, is a crucial step that will enable the development and production of plant food products, thereby satisfying the nutritional needs and conferring benefits to different categories of populations.

Conclusion

The development of a science-based personalised nutrition approach focusing on plant foods rich in specific bioactive compounds could contribute to alleviating the dramatic burden of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
The network structure of schizotypy in the general population
Authors: Polner Bertalan , Faiola Eliana , Urquijo Maria F. , Meyhöfer Inga , Steffens Maria , Rónai Levente , Koutsouleris Nikolaos , Ettinger Ulrich
Published: October 2019

Schizotypal personality traits show similarity with schizophrenia at various levels of analysis. It is generally agreed that schizotypal personality is multidimensional; however, it is still debated whether impulsive nonconformity should be incorporated into theories and measurement of schizotypy. In addition, relatively little is known about the network structure of the four-dimensional model of schizotypal personality. To estimate the network structure of schizotypy, we used data from participants recruited from the community (N = 11,807) who completed the short version of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences, a widespread self-report instrument that assesses the positive, negative, disorganised and impulsive domains of schizotypy. We performed community detection, then examined differences between communities in terms of centralities and compared the strength of edges within and between communities. We found communities that almost perfectly corresponded to the a priori-defined subscales (93% overlap, normalised mutual information = 0.74). Items in the disorganisation community had higher closeness centrality relative to items in the other communities (Cliff’s Δs ranged from 0.55 to 0.83) and weights of edges within the disorganisation community were stronger as compared to the negative schizotypy and impulsive nonconformity communities (Cliff’s Δs = 0.33). Our findings imply that the inclusion of impulsive nonconformity items does not dilute the classical three-factor structure of positive, negative and disorganised schizotypy. The high closeness centrality of disorganisation concurs with theories positing that cognitive slippage and associative loosening are core features of the schizophrenic phenotype.
Duration gap analysis revisited method in order to improve risk management: the case of Chinese commercial bank interest rate risks after interest rate liberalization
Authors: Ausloos Marcel , Ma Qianhui , Kaur Parmjit , Syed Babar , Dhesi Gurjeet
Published: October 2019

Modern theories attach much attention to interest rate-related problems. We discuss the impacts of the interest rate liberalization, in China, for ten commercial banks of three markedly different ownership types. The methodology is based on revisited interest rate sensitivity analysis, duration analysis and value-at-risk analysis. The situation is examined within both vertical (composition of operating income and interest rate sensitivity gap for the ten banks in the same year) and horizontal (one bank over a 7-year period) aspects. Thereafter, we discuss the present management of interest rate risks by such banks. We conclude with several suggestions on how such commercial banks risk management can be refocused and on how their cases can be used for comforting other banking cases.
Identifying female pelvic cancer survivors with low levels of physical activity after radiotherapy: women with fecal and urinary leakage need additional support
Authors: Lindgren Anna , Dunberger G. , Steineck G. , Bergmark K. , Enblom A.
Published: October 2019

Objective

To investigate the frequency of physical activity among female pelvic cancer survivors (i.e., gynecological, rectal, and anal cancer survivors) and to investigate if survivors who practiced physical activity less than once a week differed from survivors practicing physical activity at least once a week with respect to urinary and fecal leakage, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life (QoL), and depressed and anxious mood.

Methods

Female pelvic cancer survivors (n = 578, mean age 64 years) answered a questionnaire 6–48 months after radiotherapy. A multivariable regression model analyzed factors covarying with frequency of physical activity. We compared QoL and depressed and anxious mood between women practicing physical activity at least or less than once a week.

Results

Of 568 women delivering data, 186 (33%) practiced physical activity less than once a week while 382 (67%) practiced physical activity at least weekly. Women who leaked a large or all volume of stools (p = 0.01), had just elementary school level of education (p < 0.001), smokers (p = 0.049), or had lymphedema without receiving lymphedema treatment (p = 0.030) were more likely to practice physical activity less than weekly (50%, 45%, 45%, and 37%, respectively) compared with other women. Women practicing physical activity at least weekly reported better QoL (p < 0.001) and lower frequency of depressed mood (p = 0.044) compared with the others.

Conclusions

Female cancer survivors experiencing fecal leakage were less likely to practice weekly physical activity than survivors without leakage. The survivors practicing weekly physical activity experienced better QoL and experienced depressed mood less frequently than the others.
Post-Variscan thermal history of the Intra-Sudetic Basin (Sudetes, Bohemian Massif) based on apatite fission track analysis
Authors: Botor Dariusz , Anczkiewicz Aneta A. , Mazur Stanisław , Siwecki Tomasz
Published: October 2019

The Intra-Sudetic Basin, a ~ 12 km deep Variscan intramontane basin, has the best preserved post-orogenic sedimentary record available at the NE margin of the Bohemian Massif. Apatite fission track (AFT) analyses have been performed on 16 sedimentary and volcanic samples of Carboniferous to Cretaceous age from the Intra-Sudetic Basin to improve understanding of the post-Variscan thermal evolution. AFT central ages range from 50.1 ± 8.8 to 89.1 ± 7.1 Ma (Early Eocene to Coniacian), with 13 of them being Late Cretaceous. The mean track length values range from 12.5 ± 0.4 to 13.8 ± 0.5 (except for one sample 14.4 ± 0.2) µm. This relatively short mean track length together with the unimodal track length distributions and rather low standard deviation (0.8 to 1.7 µm) in most samples indicate a long stay in the partial annealing zone during slow cooling. However, in the northern part of the Intra-Sudetic Basin, samples show a wider track length distribution (standard deviation of 1.8 to 2.1 µm) that could indicate a more complex thermal evolution possibly related to Mesozoic reheating. Vitrinite reflectance data combined with thermal models based on the AFT results indicate that the Carboniferous strata reached maximum palaeotemperatures in the latest Carboniferous to Early Permian time, corresponding to a major coalification event. The second phase of temperature rise occurred due to Late Mesozoic sedimentary burial, but it had no influence on maturation of the Carboniferous organic matter. Final cooling phase in the Late Cretaceous–Paleogene was related to tectonic inversion of the Intra-Sudetic Basin, which occurred after deposition of a significant thickness of Cenomanian–Turonian sediments. Thermal modelling demonstrates that ~ 4 km thick cover of Upper Cretaceous sediments is required to obtain a good match between our AFT data and modelled time–temperature paths. This outcome supports a significant amount of Late Cretaceous–Paleogene inversion within the Variscan belt of Central Europe.
Efficacy of enteral nutrition in patients with Crohn’s disease on maintenance anti-TNF-alpha antibody therapy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Hirai Fumihito , Takeda Teruyuki , Takada Yasumichi , Kishi Masahiro , Beppu Tsuyoshi , Takatsu Noritaka , Miyaoka Masaki , Hisabe Takashi , Yao Kenshi , Ueki Tosiharu
Published: October 2019

Enteral nutrition (EN) is effective in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients and has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on loss of response to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antibody therapy; however, the current level of evidence is not sufficient. The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine whether EN in combination anti-TNF-alpha antibody therapy is useful in maintaining remission. PubMed was used to identify all relevant studies. A total of nine articles were identified including one randomized control trial, two prospective cohort studies, and six retrospective cohort studies. We performed a meta-analysis on all these articles to assess the remission maintenance effect of EN (n = 857). The remission or response maintenance effect in the EN group was 203/288 (70.5%), which was higher than 306/569 (53.8%) in the non-EN group. The odds ratio for long-term remission or response using fixed effects model and random effects model were 2.23 (95% CI 1.60–3.10) and 2.19 (95% CI 1.49–3.22), respectively. The usefulness of EN was unclear in two prospective studies that were conducted immediately after remission induction with anti-TNF-alpha antibody therapy was detected. Differences in the definition of relapse and the observation period among articles were considered to be limitations. This analysis suggests that EN is effective for maintaining remission in patients already in remission or response as a result of anti-TNF-alpha antibody maintenance therapy.
Measuring geometric accuracy in magnetic resonance imaging with 3D-printed phantom and nonrigid image registration
Authors: Nousiainen Katri , Mäkelä Teemu
Published: October 2019

Objective

We aimed to develop a vendor-neutral and interaction-free quality assurance protocol for measuring geometric accuracy of head and brain magnetic resonance (MR) images. We investigated the usability of nonrigid image registration in the analysis and looked for the optimal registration parameters.

Materials and methods

We constructed a 3D-printed phantom and imaged it with 12 MR scanners using clinical sequences. We registered a geometric-ground-truth computed tomography (CT) acquisition to the MR images using an open-source nonrigid-registration-toolbox with varying parameters. We applied the transforms to a set of control points in the CT image and compared their locations to the corresponding visually verified reference points in the MR images.

Results

With optimized registration parameters, the mean difference (and standard deviation) of control point locations when compared to the reference method was (0.17 ± 0.02) mm for the 12 studied scanners. The maximum displacements varied from 0.50 to 1.35 mm or 0.89 to 2.30 mm, with vendors’ distortion correction on or off, respectively.

Discussion

Using nonrigid CT–MR registration can provide a robust and relatively test-object-agnostic method for estimating the intra- and inter-scanner variations of the geometric distortions.
Institutional strategies related to test-taking behavior in low stakes assessment
Authors: Schüttpelz-Brauns Katrin , Hecht Martin , Hardt Katinka , Karay Yassin , Zupanic Michaela , Kämmer Juliane E.
Published: October 2019

Low stakes assessment without grading the performance of students in educational systems has received increasing attention in recent years. It is used in formative assessments to guide the learning process as well as in large-scales assessments to monitor educational programs. Yet, such assessments suffer from high variation in students’ test-taking effort. We aimed to identify institutional strategies related to serious test-taking behavior in low stakes assessment to provide medical schools with practical recommendations on how test-taking effort might be increased. First, we identified strategies that were already used by medical schools to increase the serious test-taking behavior on the low stakes Berlin Progress Test (BPT). Strategies which could be assigned to self-determination theory of Ryan and Deci were chosen for analysis. We conducted the study at nine medical schools in Germany and Austria with a total of 108,140 observations in an established low stakes assessment. A generalized linear-mixed effects model was used to assess the association between institutional strategies and the odds that students will take the BPT seriously. Overall, two institutional strategies were found to be positively related to more serious test-taking behavior: discussing low test performance with the mentor and consequences for not participating. Giving choice was negatively related to more serious test-taking behavior. At medical schools that presented the BPT as evaluation, this effect was larger in comparison to medical schools that presented the BPT as assessment.
Effective removal of the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) on a landscape level: long term monitoring and removal efforts in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
Authors: Kamoroff Colleen , Daniele Ninette , Grasso Robert L. , Rising Rebecca , Espinoza Travis , Goldberg Caren S.
Published: October 2019

Invasive alien species are a major threat to freshwater ecosystems, and American bullfrogs are among the world’s 100 most prominent aquatic invasive species causing negative direct and indirect effect on native aquatic fauna worldwide. Bullfrogs were intentionally introduced into Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park in the 1950s where they became well established in the subsequent years. Starting in 2005, the National Park Service (NPS) began bullfrog removal, targeting various life stages using hand, net, and spear techniques. Starting in 2015, the NPS conducted environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys and deployed audio recordings devices to ensure adequate detection of bullfrogs. During the first year of cencerted effort in the Valley in 2005, the NPS removed 86% of all recorded bullfrog. The subsequent decade was spent searching for individuals with lower return on effort. In 2012, the NPS removed the last observed signs of bullfrog breeding, and the last observed bullfrog in 2019. Following removal of the breeding bullfrog population, the NPS began restoration projects for species of special concern. The NPS introduced the federally threatened California red-legged frogs (Rana draytonii) into Yosemite Valley beginning in 2016. This is the first published successful eradication of bullfrogs on a landscape level. National Parks and Monuments often provide refuges for imperiled wildlife and should be managed to remove invasive species. Our work highlights effective bullfrog removal is obtainable and can lead to local recovery of endangered species.
A Non-parametric Test and Predictive Model for Signed Path Dependence
Authors: Dias Fabio S. , Peters Gareth W.
Published: October 2019

While several tests for serial correlation in financial markets have been proposed and applied successfully in the literature, such tests provide rather limited information to construct predictive econometric models. This manuscript addresses this gap by providing a model-free definition of signed path dependence based on how the sign of cumulative innovations for a given lookback horizon correlates with the future cumulative innovations for a given forecast horizon. Such concept is then theoretically validated on well-known time series model classes and used to build a predictive econometric model for future market returns, which is applied to empirical forecasting by means of a profit-seeking trading strategy. The empirical experiment revealed strong evidence of serial correlation of unknown form in equity markets, being statistically significant and economically significant even in the presence of trading costs. Moreover, in equity markets, given a forecast horizon of one day, the forecasting strategy detected the strongest evidence of signed path dependence; however, even for longer forecast horizons such as 1 week or 1 month the strategy still detected such evidence albeit to a lesser extent. Currency markets also presented statistically significant serial dependence across some pairs, though not economically significant under the trading formulation presented.
Commonly used estimates of the genetic contribution to disease are subject to the same fallacies as bad luck estimates
Authors: Björk Jonas , Andersson Tomas , Ahlbom Anders
Published: October 2019

The scientific debate following the initial formulation of the “bad luck” hypothesis in cancer development highlighted how measures based on analysis of variance are inappropriately used for risk communication. The notion of “explained” variance is not only used to quantify randomness, but also to quantify genetic and environmental contribution to disease in heritability coefficients. In this paper, we demonstrate why such quantifications are generally as problematic as bad luck estimates. We stress the differences in calculation and interpretation between the heritability coefficient and the population attributable fraction, the estimated fraction of all disease events that would not occur if an intervention could successfully prevent the excess genetic risk. We recommend using the population attributable fraction when communicating results regarding the genetic contribution to disease, as this measure is both more relevant from a public health perspective and easier to understand.
Indeterminism in Physics, Classical Chaos and Bohmian Mechanics: Are Real Numbers Really Real?
Authors: Gisin Nicolas
Published: October 2019

It is usual to identify initial conditions of classical dynamical systems with mathematical real numbers. However, almost all real numbers contain an infinite amount of information. I argue that a finite volume of space can’t contain more than a finite amount of information, hence that the mathematical real numbers are not physically relevant. Moreover, a better terminology for the so-called real numbers is “random numbers”, as their series of bits are truly random. I propose an alternative classical mechanics, which is empirically equivalent to classical mechanics, but uses only finite-information numbers. This alternative classical mechanics is non-deterministic, despite the use of deterministic equations, in a way similar to quantum theory. Interestingly, both alternative classical mechanics and quantum theories can be supplemented by additional variables in such a way that the supplemented theory is deterministic. Most physicists straightforwardly supplement classical theory with real numbers to which they attribute physical existence, while most physicists reject Bohmian mechanics as supplemented quantum theory, arguing that Bohmian positions have no physical reality.
Effect of seeding methods and hatchery periods on sea cultivation of Saccharina latissima (Phaeophyceae): a Norwegian case study
Authors: Forbord Silje , Steinhovden Kristine B. , Solvang Torfinn , Handå Aleksander , Skjermo Jorunn
Published: October 2019

To reach the goal of an industrialised macroalgae industry in Norway and other high-cost countries in the near future, a standardised seedling production method to improve quality control and predictability of cultivated biomass is essential. A total of 11 different treatments for seeding twine or rope with meiospores, gametophytes or juvenile sporophytes from the kelp Saccharina latissima were measured for growth (frond length, frond area, biomass yield and density) and protein content after 80 and 120 days at sea. Meiospore- and gametophyte-seeded twines were pre-cultivated in the hatchery for 14–42 days prior to deployment, while juvenile sporophytes of different ages were seeded on ropes directly on the day of deployment using a commercial binder to attach the seedlings. The results showed that seeding with meiospores pre-cultivated in the hatchery for 42 days (S42) before deployment gave significantly longer fronds (77.0 ± 6.7 cm) and a higher biomass yield (7.2 ± 0.1 kg m−1) at sea compared to other treatments. The poorest growth was measured for the direct-seeded sporophytes pre-cultivated in free-floating cultures for 35 days prior to deployment (D35; 34.4 ± 2.4 cm frond length and 1.6 ± 0.4 kg m−1). Image analysis was used to measure the coverage of the twine substrate before deployment, and a correlation was found between substrate coverage and frond length at sea, indicating that this can be used as a tool for quantity and quality control during the hatchery phase and before deployment. The protein content did not reveal any large differences between the treatments after 120 days of cultivation.
On Orthogonal Projections for Dimension Reduction and Applications in Augmented Target Loss Functions for Learning Problems
Authors: Breger A. , Orlando J. I. , Harar P. , Dörfler M. , Klimscha S. , Grechenig C. , Gerendas B. S. , Schmidt-Erfurth U. , Ehler M.
Published: October 2019

The use of orthogonal projections on high-dimensional input and target data in learning frameworks is studied. First, we investigate the relations between two standard objectives in dimension reduction, preservation of variance and of pairwise relative distances. Investigations of their asymptotic correlation as well as numerical experiments show that a projection does usually not satisfy both objectives at once. In a standard classification problem, we determine projections on the input data that balance the objectives and compare subsequent results. Next, we extend our application of orthogonal projections to deep learning tasks and introduce a general framework of augmented target loss functions. These loss functions integrate additional information via transformations and projections of the target data. In two supervised learning problems, clinical image segmentation and music information classification, the application of our proposed augmented target loss functions increases the accuracy.
A novel hybrid BPSO–SCA approach for feature selection
Authors: Kumar Lalit , Bharti Kusum Kumari
Published: October 2019

Nature is a great source of inspiration for solving complex problems in real-world. In this paper, a hybrid nature-inspired algorithm is proposed for feature selection problem. Traditionally, the real-world datasets contain all kinds of features informative as well as non-informative. These features not only increase computational complexity of the underlying algorithm but also deteriorate its performance. Hence, there an urgent need of feature selection method that select an informative subset of features from high dimensional without compromising the performance of the underlying algorithm. In this paper, we select an informative subset of features and perform cluster analysis by employing a cross breed approach of binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) and sine cosine algorithm (SCA) named as hybrid binary particle swarm optimization and sine cosine algorithm (HBPSOSCA). Here, we employ a V-shaped transfer function to compute the likelihood of changing position for all particles. First, the effectiveness of the proposed method is tested on ten benchmark test functions. Second, the HBPSOSCA is used for data clustering problem on seven real-life datasets taken from the UCI machine learning store and gene expression model selector. The performance of proposed method is tested in comparison to original BPSO, modified BPSO with chaotic inertia weight (C-BPSO), binary moth flame optimization algorithm, binary dragonfly algorithm, binary whale optimization algorithm, SCA, and binary artificial bee colony algorithm. The conducted analysis demonstrates that the proposed method HBPSOSCA attain better performance in comparison to the competitive methods in most of the cases.
The *hope-wh puzzle
Authors: Uegaki Wataru , Sudo Yasutada
Published: October 2019

Clause-embedding predicates come in three major varieties: (i)responsive predicates(e.g.know) are compatible with both declarative and interrogative complements; (ii)rogative predicates(e.g.wonder) are only compatible with interrogative complements; and (iii)anti-rogative predicates(e.g.hope) are only compatible with declarative complements. It has been suggested that these selectional properties are at least partly semantic in nature. In particular, it has been proposed that the anti-rogativity of neg-raising predicates likebelievecomes from the triviality in meaning that would arise with interrogative complements. This paper puts forward a similar semantic explanation for non-veridical preferential predicates such ashope, which are anti-rogative, unlike their veridical counterparts such asbe happy, which are responsive.
Variation patterns of landslide basal friction revealed from long-period seismic waveform inversion
Authors: Yu Dan , Huang Xinghui , Li Zhengyuan
Published: October 2019

A catastrophic landslide struck the Xiaoba village in Fuquan, Guizhou, southwestern China at about 8:30 p.m. (Beijing Time, UTC + 8) on August 27, 2014. The landslide and induced impulse water waves destroyed two villages and killed 23 persons. By reprocessing seismic signals from a seismic network deployed in the surrounding area of the landslide, we recognized the event from low-frequency seismic signals and subsequently performed a long-period seismic waveform inversion to obtain its force–time history. The inversion results reveal that the maximum force for the landslide is 5 × 109 N, and the duration of the landslide is 38.4 s. The landslide reached its maximum velocity of 12.4 m/s at 13.2 s after its initiation, and the mass center plugged into the quarry at 24.2 s. Based on the inversion results, we estimated basal friction of the landslide. We found the friction coefficient rapidly reduces to a relatively steady-state value of ~ 0.4 at a steady-state distance of 35 m and subsequently reduces in a near-linear manner that satisfies the empirical formula$$ \mu = - 1.4d + 0.44 $$μ=-1.4d+0.44, where$$ d $$dis sliding distance in km. The reduction in friction revealed by the formula is compatible with the finding of previous studies for landslides of similar volume in landslide acceleration stage. However, our result does not make it possible for the friction coefficient to increase again in landslide deceleration stage that a velocity-dependent friction law would allow. The friction variation patterns can be used to constrain input parameters in numerical landslide simulation, which can predicate runout distance and deposit areas for massive landslides to carry out landslide hazard assessment.