bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Usability Evaluation of Visual Representation Formats for Emergency Department Records
Authors: Brown Nathaniel , Eghdam Aboozar , Koch Sabine
Published: June 2019

Background Integration of electronic information is a challenge for multitasking emergency providers, with implications for patient safety. Visual representations can assist sense-making of complex data sets; however, benefit and acceptability in emergency care is unproven.

Objectives This article evaluates visually focused alternatives to lists or tabular formats, to better understand possible usability in Emergency Department Information System (EDIS).

Methods A counterbalanced, repeated-measures experiment, satisfaction surveys, and narrative content analysis was conducted remotely by Web platform. Participants were 37 American emergency physicians; they completed 16 clinical cases comparing 4 visual designs to the control formats from a commercially available EDIS. They then evaluated two additional chart overview representations without controls.

Results Visual designs provided benefit in several areas compared to controls. Task correctness (90% to 76%; p = 0.003) and completion time (median: 49–74 seconds; p < 0.001) were superior for a medication history timeline with class and schedule highlighting. Completion time (median: 45–60 seconds; p = 0.03) was superior for a past medical history design, using pertinent diagnosis codes in highlighting rules. Less mental effort was reported for visual allergy (p = 0.04), past medical history (p < 0.001), and medication timeline (p < 0.001) designs. Most of the participants agreed with statements of likeability, preference, and benefit for visual designs; nonetheless, contrary opinions were seen, and more complex designs were viewed less favorably.

Conclusion Physician performance with visual representations of clinical data can in some cases exceed standard formats, even in absence of training. Highlighting of priority clinical categories was rated easier-to-use on average than unhighlighted controls. Perceived complexity of timeline representations can limit desirability for a subset of users, despite potential benefit.
Neuromuscular Blocking Agents and Rapid Sequence Induction for Laparoscopic Pyloromyotomy: Impact on Time to Extubation and Perioperative Complications
Authors: Swenker Dominique , van der Knijff-van Dortmont Anna , Gonzalez Candel Antonia , Keyzer-Dekker Claudia , Staals Lonneke
Published: June 2019

Introduction Infants with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis have gastric outlet obstruction, indicating a pyloromyotomy. To prevent aspiration, a rapid sequence induction (RSI) of anesthesia used to be preferred. However, due to concerns about the side-effects of this technique in infants, a modified RSI with gentle mask ventilation is nowadays mostly used. This research investigates if induction with succinylcholine (classic RSI), cisatracurium (modified RSI), or no neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) influences time until extubation and incidence of complications in infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.

Materials and Methods A retrospective chart review was performed, observing infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy in Erasmus Medical Centre-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, from January 2007 until July 2015. Baseline preoperative data, anesthesia and operation details, time to extubation, and reported complications were gathered. Inclusion criteria were maintenance of anesthesia with sevoflurane and a registered extubation time. Exclusion criteria were the use of combinations of NMBAs, repyloromyotomy, and conversion to laparotomy.

Results A total of 168 patients were included, of which 21 received succinylcholine, 107 cisatracurium, and 40 no NMBA. Mean duration of surgery was 29 minutes in all three groups; mean duration of anesthesia was 89, 82, and 77 minutes; mean time to extubation was 26, 25, and 23 minutes, respectively, without statistically significant difference. Complications were evenly distributed, no aspiration occurred.

Conclusion The use of succinylcholine, cisatracurium, or no NMBA at induction of anesthesia in infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy had no statistically significant effect on time until extubation and complication rates. A modified RSI seems to be safe and effective in these cases.
Does seeing gesture lighten or increase the
load?
Authors: Hostetter Autumn B. , Murch Stuart H. , Rothschild Lyla , Gillard Cierra S.
Published: June 2019

We examined the cognitive resources
involved in processing speech with gesture compared to the same speech without
gesture across four studies using a dual-task paradigm. Participants viewed videos of a woman describing
spatial arrays either with gesture or without. They then attempted to choose the
target array from among four choices. Participants’ cognitive load was measured
as they completed this comprehension task by measuring how well they could
remember the location and identity of digits in a secondary task. We found that addressees experience additional visuospatial load when processing gestures compared to speech alone, and that the load primarily comes when addressees attempt to use their memory of the descriptions with gesture to choose the target array. However,
this cost only occurs when gestures about horizontal spatial relations (i.e.,
left and right) are produced from the speaker’s egocentric perspective.
From touching to communicating
Authors: Kettner Viktoria A. , Carpendale Jeremy I. M.
Published: June 2019

Infants can extend their index fingers soon after birth, yet pointing gestures do not emerge until about 10 to 12 months. In the present study, we draw on the process-relational view, according to which pointing develops as infants learn how others respond to their initially non-communicative index finger use. We report on a longitudinal maternal diary study of 15 infants and describe four types of index finger use in the first year. Analysis of the observations suggests one possible developmental pathway: index finger extension becomes linked to infants’ attention around 7 to 9 months of age with the emergence of fingertip exploration and index finger extension towards out-of-reach objects infants wish to explore. Through parental responses infants begin to use index finger touch to refer in some situations, including asking and answering questions and to request, suggesting that some functions of pointing might originate in early index finger use.
Deontic modality in English-Thai legislative
translation
Authors: Satthachai Mali , Kenny Dorothy
Published: June 2019

Scholarly interest in legislative translation has grown
substantially over recent decades, with corpus-based approaches contributing to
our understanding of the relationship between translated legislation and source
texts, on the one hand, and translated and non-translated legislative texts in
the target language, on the other. To date, however, most studies have been
conducted on European languages. This study is part of a first attempt to use
corpus techniques to explore legislative translation from English into Thai.
Drawing on a purpose-built, 400,000-word, parallel corpus of international
treaties translated from English into Thai, and a one million-word monolingual
corpus of legislative texts originally written in Thai, we investigate how
instances of deontic modality are translated into Thai. We analyse the modal
strength of translations and conduct our inter-linguistic and intra-linguistic
comparisons in the light of Biel’s
(2014) concepts of equivalence and textual fit.
A corpus-based study of terminological variation in business
incorporation documents from the United States and Peru
Authors: Monteagudo Medina Mary Ann
Published: June 2019

This corpus-based terminological study explains terminological
variation in business incorporation documents. In United States (US) business
law, the geographic location, the variety of existing business entities and
their distinguishing features lead to different denominative variations, and
give rise to different degrees of equivalence. Consequently, asymmetries are
generated when such terminology is compared with the terminology used in
Spanish-speaking countries, particularly in Peru. Based on the typology of
causes of denominative variation proposed by Freixa Aymerich (2006, 52), this paper examines the
presence of dialectal and cognitive variations in US business law language as
compared to Peruvian business law language. Consequently, certain variants are
restricted to specific states or types of business organizations within the US
and are not used interchangeably. The results of this study may contribute to
the enrichment of legal translation studies in this subfield and offer
translators a systematic method to tackle equivalence issues in business
documents.
Effect of informational masking on auditory working memory
Authors: Basavanahalli Jagadeesh Anoop , Kumar U Ajith
Published: June 2019

Purpose:

The current study aimed at observing how informational maskers with varying degrees of linguistic information affect working memory (WM) performance. The linguistic information in the maskers was varied by increasing the number of speakers in the babbles as well as by time-reversal of these babbles.

Method:

Backward digit (BD) span was measured on 24 normal-hearing native speakers of Kannada language. BD spans were measured under six background conditions – quiet, 2- and 8-speaker babbles (2SB and 8SB), time-reversed 2- and 8- speaker babbles (2RB and 8RB), and speech spectrum noise. The digits were presented at 75 dB SPL and the SNR was maintained at +5 dB to ensure complete audibility and intelligibility of the target digits. Using an adaptive procedure, BD span was calculated as the average of the last four reversals.

Results:

One-way repeated measures ANOVA showed that the 2SB caused the greatest deterioration in the BD spans. The 8SB and the two RBs resulted in significantly better scores than the 2SB, but were statistically no different from each other. The speech spectrum noise caused negligible deteriorations on the BD spans and was statistically similar to the quiet background condition.

Conclusions:

Results showed that the lexical-semantic information in the masker (2SB) causes the greatest deterioration in the WM scores, followed by acoustic–phonetic information (8SB and RBs). Energetic masking resulted in minimal deterioration on the BD spans. These results are further discussed based interpretations from different theories and models of working memory and speech perception.
Vestibular assessment and management in adults
Authors: Khoza-Shangase Katijah , Sebothoma Ben , Seedat Tasneem
Published: June 2019

Background:

Vestibular assessment and management is within the scope of practice of audiology, and therefore audiologists are expected and required to assess and manage patients with vestibular disorders. Due to the developing nature of South Africa and the developing nature of audiology as a profession in the country, paucity of evidence-base regarding audiologists’ training and practice confidence in this field exists.

Objective:

To explore South African audiologists’ level of confidence and training in performing vestibular assessment and management.

Methods:

A survey research methodology with a cross-sectional research design was adopted, where a 29 item web-based survey was used to survey 32 audiologists from across the country. All audiologists surveyed were qualified and registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) independent practitioners. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results:

Just over half of the participants (53.6%) conducting vestibular assessments in their practices. More than half (65.6%) of the audiologists received formal education from the university; while only 40.6% received clinical training. 59.4% of the participants were not confident in performing vestibular assessment; while 65.5% of participants were not confident in performing vestibular management. Over 80% of audiologists who were not confident in performing vestibular assessment and management work in public hospitals where over 70% of the South African population accesses health care.

Conclusion:

More audiologists are not confident in performing vestibular assessment and management, particularly those who are working in public hospitals. The findings raise implications for training and resource planning and allocation.
Spatial Analysis of Light Pollution Dynamics Around Bosscha Observatory and Timau National Observatory Based on VIIRS-DNB Satellite Images
Authors: Prastyo H A , Herdiwijaya D
Published: June 2019

Bosscha Observatory is the largest and oldest observatory in Indonesia that has been actively doing astronomical research since 1928. Bosscha Observatory was originally very suitable for observing astronomical objects because of its ideal night sky conditions and covered most of the northern and southern sky areas. However, starting at the end of 1980, the quality of the night sky at Bosscha Observatory has decreased along with the development of cities around the observatory. Therefore, the construction of a new observatory in Indonesia is currently underway, i.e. the Timau National Observatory. One of the main causes of the decreasing quality of the night sky at Bosscha Observatory is light pollution. Light pollution is one form of pollution caused by excessive light outside the room released into the sky, causing an increase in brightness of the night sky. The brightness increasing of the night sky causes relatively faint astronomical object, e.g. Milky Way Galaxy that is difficult to observe. Based on the analysis of the dynamics of light pollution in a radius of 20 km from Bosscha Observatory and at a radius of 90 km from the Timau National Observatory in 2013-2017 using VIIRS-DNB satellite imagery, it is known that there is a wide change in light pollution for the very low, low, medium, high, and very high. The average area of light pollution at a radius of 20 km from Bosscha Observatory for the category of very low, low, medium, high, and very high categories experienced a rate of -41.3 ± 135.2 km2 / year, 5.9 ± 97.2 km2 / year, 15.1 ± 14.6 km2 / year, 18.0 ± 42.6 km2 / year, and 2.1 ± 10.2 km2 / year. The rate of increase in the extent of light pollution for the medium, high, and very high categories occurs south of the Bosscha Observatory, which is towards the city of Bandung. The average area of light pollution in a 90 km radius from the Timau National Observatory for the very low, low, medium, and high categories experienced a rate of 20.8 ± 43.4 km2 / year, -22.1 ± 40.9 km2 / year, 3.0 ± 7.3 km2 / year, and -1.7 ± 7.3 km2 / year. Therefore, the night sky in the 128-268 degrees azimuth direction at Bosscha Observatory is relatively not ideal as a location for observing astronomical objects, and the Timau National Observatory is still relatively ideal as a location for observing astronomical objects, but it is necessary to monitor the dynamics of light pollution in the direction of 207-215 degrees azimuth which leads to Kupang City.
Search for blue straggler stars in open clusters from the VVV survey (preliminary result)
Authors: Amalina S N , Arifyanto M I
Published: June 2019

Blue straggler stars (BSS) are a group of stars that are found within some stellar clusters through their color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). The BSS are located on the upper-part of the CMD’s tum-off (TO) point along the zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) line. BSS are commonly found within intermediate-age to old stellar clusters, typically 108 years. Based on the catalogue of BSS in open clusters (OCs), the OCs toward the Galactic Center (GC) that host BSS are less than the ones toward the anti-center. Using the VVV survey data in near-infrared, we plan to investigate the presence of BSS in OCs toward the GC. To reach our objectives, we generally divide the works into: (1) determine cluster membership probability, (2) fit the decontaminated CMDs with its respectable isochrones, (3) detect any stars that fall into BSS area in CMD and recheck their position in spatial diagram. Out of the 4 OCs we planned to investigate, only 1 OC had been analyzed up to its membership probability; NGC 5999. However, we found 1541 stars as the most probable members, exceeded way too many compared to the literature. We still need to refine our method in the future work to clean more field stars.
The Formation of Binary Star Cluster in Our Galaxy from Fractal Stellar Distribution
Authors: Darma R , Arifyanto M I , Kouwenhoven M B N
Published: June 2019

Observations showed that there are star clusters in paired condition, called as binary star cluster. Some statistical studies attempted to identify the existence of binary and multiple clusters in our Galaxy and Magellanic Clouds. MIStiX survey also found that most of embedded younger star clusters (a few Myr) have clumpy structures, indicating star distribution in young clusters cannot be simply described as spherical shape. This structure can be the key-factor of the formation of primordial binary cluster in our Galaxy. In this work, we simulate the formation of binary star cluster from fractal distribution in isolated condition and under Galactic tidal field for 50 Myr. This aims to investigate the most probable condition to let the highly formation of binary star cluster in our Galaxy and the role of Galactic tidal field in that formation. We find that the clumpier structure of star cluster, the number of binary/multiple cluster will increase, and the same condition also occurs for the warmer condition or higher αvir
(the kinetic to potential energy ratio). But this number will decrease at larger time due to the merger processes between the star clusters. By these arguments, we conclude that the most probable condition of star cluster to let the highly formation of binary star cluster is the one with highly sub structured and warm condition. For such condition of star cluster, the fraction of binary/multiple in our Galaxy is 0.87 ± 0.06 at time 20 Myr and decreases to be 0.63 ± 0.09 at time 50 Myr, with reduction 0.24 ± 0.08. As comparison, this reduction is only 0.07 ± 0.05 for the same condition in isolated. The higher deflation shows that the Galactic tidal field has important role in the formation of binary star cluster, as well as the initial mass of star cluster. And we suggest the discovery of multiple clusters in this work is interesting to learn more deeply in the future work.
Photoionization modelling of the Wolf-Rayet planetary nebulae IC 4663 based on multiwavelength observations
Authors: Puspitaningrum E , Malasan H L
Published: June 2019

Observations of the central star planetary nebulae (CSPN) IC 4663 revealed its spectral features similar to WN sequence of massive Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. Because CSPN IC 4663 spectrum is dominated by broad He II and N V emission lines, it is classified as [WN3] spectral type. The similarity on the central stars composition of O(He) and IC 4663 provides evidence for evolutionary sequence [WN] → O(He). Evolution of CSPN IC 4663 followed evolution low-mass star, but experienced born-again scenario when it enters white dwarf phase. So it goes back to Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) phase. To investigate central star properties, the nebula and its evolutionary status, we constructed the spectral energy distribution (SED) model by using photoionization code CLOUDY based on data set from optic to far-IR wavelength (∼3 – 100 μm) and include the Postdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) stellar model atmosphere. The comparison between the nebular abundances from photoionization model result and AGB model gives initial 3M
⊙ star with Z = 0.02. The nebula ionized mass derived from the photoionization model also consistent with the prediction from AGB model.
Recurrent neural networks for hydrodynamic imaging using a 2D-sensitive artificial lateral line
Authors: Wolf Ben J , Warmelink Steven , van Netten Sietse M
Published: June 2019

The lateral line is a mechanosensory organ found in fish and amphibians that allows them to sense and act on their near-field hydrodynamic environment. We present a 2D-sensitive artificial lateral line (ALL) comprising eight all-optical flow sensors, which we use to measure hydrodynamic velocity profiles along the sensor array in response to a moving object in its vicinity. We then use the measured velocity profiles to reconstruct the object’s location, via two types of neural networks: feed-forward and recurrent. Several implementations of feed-forward neural networks for ALL source localisation exist, while recurrent neural networks may be more appropriate for this task. The performance of a recurrent neural network (the long short-term memory, LSTM) is compared to that of a feed-forward neural network (the online-sequential extreme learning machine, OS-ELM) via localizing a 6 cm sphere moving at 13 cm s−1. Results show that, in a 62 cm

9.5 cm area of interest, the LSTM outperforms the OS-ELM with an average localisation error of 0.72 cm compared to 4.27 cm, respectively. Furthermore, the recurrent network is relatively less affected by noise, indicating that recurrent connections can be beneficial for hydrodynamic object localisation.
European warm-season temperature and hydroclimate since 850 CE
Authors: Ljungqvist Fredrik Charpentier , Seim Andrea , Krusic Paul J , González-Rouco Jesús Fidel , Werner Johannes P , Cook Edward R , Zorita Eduardo , Luterbacher Jürg , Xoplaki Elena , Destouni Georgia , García-Bustamante Elena , Aguilar Camilo Andrés Melo , Seftigen Kristina , Wang Jianglin , Gagen Mary H , Esper Jan , Solomina Olga , Fleitmann Dominik , Büntgen Ulf
Published: June 2019

The long-term relationship between temperature and hydroclimate has remained uncertain due to the short length of instrumental measurements and inconsistent results from climate model simulations. This lack of understanding is particularly critical with regard to projected drought and flood risks. Here we assess warm-season co-variability patterns between temperature and hydroclimate over Europe back to 850 CE using instrumental measurements, tree-ring based reconstructions, and climate model simulations. We find that the temperature–hydroclimate relationship in both the instrumental and reconstructed data turns more positive at lower frequencies, but less so in model simulations, with a dipole emerging between positive (warm and wet) and negative (warm and dry) associations in northern and southern Europe, respectively. Compared to instrumental data, models reveal a more negative co-variability across all timescales, while reconstructions exhibit a more positive co-variability. Despite the observed differences in the temperature–hydroclimate co-variability patterns in instrumental, reconstructed and model simulated data, we find that all data types share relatively similar phase-relationships between temperature and hydroclimate, indicating the common influence of external forcing. The co-variability between temperature and soil moisture in the model simulations is overestimated, implying a possible overestimation of temperature-driven future drought risks.
The evolution, propagation, and spread of flash drought in the Central United States during 2012
Authors: Basara Jeffrey B , Christian Jordan I , Wakefield Ryann A , Otkin Jason A , Hunt Eric H , Brown David P
Published: June 2019

During 2012, flash drought developed and subsequently expanded across large areas of the Central United States (US) with severe impacts to overall water resources and warm-season agricultural production. Recent efforts have yielded a methodology to detect and quantify flash drought occurrence and rate of intensification from climatological datasets via the standardized evaporative stress ratio (SESR). This study utilizes the North American Regional Reanalysis and applied the SESR methodology to quantify the spatial and temporal development and expansion of flash drought conditions during 2012. Critical results include the identification of the flash drought epicenter and subsequent spread of flash drought conditions radially outward with varying rates of intensification. Further, a comparison of the SESR analyses with surface-atmosphere coupling metrics demonstrated that a hostile environment developed across the region, which limited the formation of deep atmospheric convection, exacerbated evaporative stress, and perpetuated flash drought development and enhanced its radial spread across the Central US.
Transformative thinking
Authors: Leonhardt Ulf
Published: June 2019

Best known for his work on invisibility cloaks and “transformative optics”, Ulf Leonhardt from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel talks to Joe McEntee about science in Israel, his career – and his new novel
Patently obvious
Authors: McKenzie James
Published: June 2019

James McKenzie explains why physicists who want to succeed in business must nail down their intellectual property rights.
Landing in trouble
Authors: Holmes Steve
Published: June 2019

In reply to James McKenzie’s Transactions article “A question of timing”, which looked at SpaceX’s involvement in private space enterprise (May p19).
NASA contractor hit with $47m fine
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: June 2019

Falsified tests by a US metals manufacturer were behind the failure of two high-profile climate missions, as Peter Gwynne reports
Equidistribution of non-pluripolar products associated with quasi-plurisubharmonic functions of finite energy
Authors: Ahn Taeyong , Nguyen Ngoc Cuong
Published: June 2019

In this article, we consider currents given by the

p
p

-fold non-pluripolar product associated with a quasi-plurisubharmonic function of finite energy, and prove that normalized pull-backs of such currents converge to the Green

(
p
,
p
)

(p, p)

-current exponentially fast in the sense of currents for holomorphic endomorphisms of

P

k

\mathbb {P}^k

.
A further note on the concordance invariants epsilon and upsilon
Authors: Wang Shida
Published: June 2019

Hom gives an example of a knot with vanishing Upsilon invariant but nonzero epsilon invariant. We build more such knots that are linearly independent in the smooth concordance group.
Translating solitons 𝐶¹-asymptotic to two half-hyperplanes
Authors: Gama Eddygledson
Published: June 2019

We prove that the hyperplanes parallel to

e

n
+
1

\mathbf {e}_{n+1}

are the unique examples of translating solitons

C
1

−

C^1-

asymptotic to two half-hyperplanes outside a vertical cylinder in

R

n
+
1

\mathbb {R}^{n+1}

. This result generalizes a previous result due to F. Martín and the author.
Hausdorff dimension of pinned distance sets and the 𝐿²-method
Authors: Liu Bochen
Published: June 2019

We prove that for any compact set

E
⊂

R

2

E\subset \mathbb {R}^2

,

dim

H

⁡
(
E
)
>
1

\dim _{\mathcal {H}}(E)>1

, there exists

x
∈
E

x\in E

such that the Hausdorff dimension of the pinned distance set

Δ
x

(
E
)
=
{

|

x
−
y

|

:
y
∈
E
}

\begin{equation*} \Delta _x(E)=\{|x-y|: y \in E\} \end{equation*}

is no less than

min

{

4
3

dim

H

⁡
(
E
)
−

2
3

,
1
}

\min \left \{\frac {4}{3}\dim _{\mathcal {H}}(E)-\frac {2}{3}, 1\right \}

. This answers a question recently raised by Guth, Iosevich, Ou, and Wang, as well as improves results of Keleti and Shmerkin.
Quasi-isometric rigidity of a class of right-angled Coxeter groups
Authors: Bounds Jordan , Xie Xiangdong
Published: June 2019

We establish quasi-isometric rigidity for a class of right-angled Coxeter groups. Let

Γ
1

\Gamma _1

,

Γ
2

\Gamma _2

be joins of finite thick generalized

m
m

-gons with

m
∈
{
3
,
4
,
6
,
8
}

m\in \{3,4,6,8\}

. We show that the corresponding right-angled Coxeter groups are quasi-isometric if and only if

Γ
1

\Gamma _1

,

Γ
2

\Gamma _2

are isomorphic. We also give a construction of commensurable right-angled Coxeter groups.
Complete convergence and records for dynamically generated stochastic processes
Authors: Freitas Ana Cristina , Freitas Jorge , Magalhães Mário
Published: June 2019

We consider empirical multi-dimensional rare events point processes that keep track both of the time occurrence of extremal observations and of their severity, for stochastic processes arising from a dynamical system, by evaluating a given potential along its orbits. This is done both in the absence and presence of clustering. A new formula for the piling of points on the vertical direction of bi-dimensional limiting point processes, in the presence of clustering, is given, which is then generalised for higher dimensions. The limiting multi-dimensional processes are computed for systems with sufficiently fast decay of correlations. The complete convergence results are used to study the effect of clustering on the convergence of extremal processes, record time, and record values point processes. An example where the clustering prevents the convergence of the record times point process is given.
An actin-based protrusion originating from a podosome-enriched region initiates macrophage fusion
Authors: Faust James J. , Balabiyev Arnat , Heddleston John M. , Podolnikova Nataly P. , Baluch D. Page , Chew Teng-Leong , Ugarova Tatiana P.
Published: June 2019

Macrophage fusion resulting in the formation of multinucleated giant cells occurs in a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases, yet the mechanism responsible for initiating this process is unknown. Here, we used live cell imaging to show that actin-based protrusions at the leading edge initiate macrophage fusion. Phase-contrast video microscopy demonstrated that in the majority of events, short protrusions (∼3 µm) between two closely apposed cells initiated fusion, but occasionally we observed long protrusions (∼12 µm). Using macrophages isolated from LifeAct mice and imaging with lattice light sheet microscopy, we further found that fusion-competent protrusions formed at sites enriched in podosomes. Inducing fusion in mixed populations of GFP- and mRFP-LifeAct macrophages showed rapid spatial overlap between GFP and RFP signal at the site of fusion. Cytochalasin B strongly reduced fusion and when rare fusion events occurred, protrusions were not observed. Fusion of macrophages deficient in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein and Cdc42, key molecules involved in the formation of actin-based protrusions and podosomes, was also impaired both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, inhibiting the activity of the Arp2/3 complex decreased fusion and podosome formation. Together these data suggest that an actin-based protrusion formed at the leading edge initiates macrophage fusion.
Dormancy and endosperm presence influence the ex situ conservation potential in central European calcareous grassland plants
Authors: Tausch Simone , Leipold Martin , Reisch Christoph , Poschlod Peter
Published: June 2019

The preservation of plant species under ex situ conditions in seed banks strongly depends on seed longevity. However, detailed knowledge on this seed ecological aspect is limited and comparative studies from central European habitats are scarce. Therefore, we investigated the seed longevity of 39 calcareous grassland species in order to assess the prospects of ex situ storage of seeds originating from a single, strongly threatened habitat. Seed longevity (p50) was determined by artificially ageing the seeds under rapid ageing conditions (45 °C and 60 % eRH (equilibrium relative humidity)), testing for germination and calculating survival curves. We consulted seed and germination traits that are expected to be related to seed longevity. P50 values strongly varied within calcareous grassland species. The p50 values ranged between 3.4 and 282.2 days. We discovered significantly positive effects of physical dormancy and endosperm absence on p50. Physiological dormancy was associated to comparatively short longevity. These relationships remained significant when accounting for phylogenetic effects. Seed mass, seed shape, and seed coat thickness were not associated with longevity. We therefore recommend more frequent viability assessments of stored endospermic, non-physically and physiologically dormant seeds.
Life history and age-dependent mortality processes in tropical reptiles
Authors: Cayuela Hugo , Akani Godfrey C , Hema Emmanuel M , Eniang Edem A , Amadi Nioking , Ajong Stephanie N , Dendi Daniele , Petrozzi Fabio , Luiselli Luca
Published: June 2019

Actuarial senescence appears to be a common process, and senescence patterns are highly variable across the tree of life. To date, studies on animal senescence have largely focused on model species, such as as fruit flies, humans and a few other endotherms. In contrast, our knowledge about ageing remains fragmentary in ectotherm vertebrates, such as reptiles. Here, we examined life history and age-dependent mortality patterns in three tropical tortoises (Kinixys erosa, Kinixys homeana and Kinixys nogueyi) and snakes (Bitis gabonica, Bitis nasicornis and Causus maculatus). Our study revealed that tortoises of the genus Kinixys had a higher survival and a lower recruitment than snakes of the genera Bitis and Causus, indicating a slower life history. Furthermore, we confirmed that survival decreased more slowly with age in tortoises than in snakes. In addition, we highlighted contrasting patterns of age-dependent mortality among the three genera. In Kinixys, the relationship between mortality rate and age was positive and linear, suggesting gradual senescence over tortoise lifetime. In contrast, the relationship between mortality rate and age was negative and sharp in Bitis and Causus, possibly owing to a ‘negative senescence’. Our study is one of the few to have examined and compared the demography and age-dependent mortality patterns of tropical reptiles. Among other things, our results suggest that although negative senescence has never been reported in endotherm vertebrates, it could be a common phenomenon in ectotherms.
Chanzyme TRPM7 protects against cardiovascular inflammation and fibrosis
Authors: Rios Francisco J , Zou Zhi-Guo , Harvey Adam P , Harvey Katie Y , Nosalski Ryszard , Anyfanti Panagiota , Camargo Livia L , Lacchini Silvia , Ryazanov Alexey G , Ryazanova Lillia , McGrath Sarah , Guzik Tomasz J , Goodyear Carl S , Montezano Augusto C , Touyz Rhian M
Published: June 2019

Aims

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 7 (TRPM7) cation channel is a chanzyme (channel + kinase) that influences cellular Mg2+ homeostasis and vascular signalling. However, the pathophysiological significance of TRPM7 in the cardiovascular system is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of this chanzyme in the cardiovascular system focusing on inflammation and fibrosis.

Methods and results

TRPM7-deficient mice with deletion of the kinase domain (TRPM7+/Δkinase) were studied and molecular mechanisms investigated in TRPM7+/Δkinase bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and co-culture systems with cardiac fibroblasts. TRPM7-deficient mice had significant cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and inflammation. Cardiac collagen and fibronectin content, expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (SMAD3, TGFβ) and cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-12, tumour necrosis factor-α] and phosphorylation of the pro-inflammatory signalling molecule Stat1, were increased in TRPM7+/Δkinase mice. These processes were associated with infiltration of inflammatory cells (F4/80+CD206+ cardiac macrophages) and increased galectin-3 expression. Cardiac [Mg2+]i, but not [Ca2+]i, was reduced in TRPM7+/Δkinase mice. Calpain, a downstream TRPM7 target, was upregulated (increased expression and activation) in TRPM7+/Δkinase hearts. Vascular functional and inflammatory responses, assessed in vivo by intra-vital microscopy, demonstrated impaired neutrophil rolling, increased neutrophil: endothelial attachment and transmigration of leucocytes in TRPM7+/Δkinase mice. TRPM7+/Δkinase BMDMs had increased levels of galectin-3, IL-10, and IL-6. In co-culture systems, TRPM7+/Δkinase macrophages increased expression of fibronectin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and TGFβ in cardiac fibroblasts from wild-type mice, effects ameliorated by MgCl2 treatment.

Conclusions

We identify a novel anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic role for TRPM7 and suggest that its protective effects are mediated, in part, through Mg2+-sensitive processes.
Scientometric analysis of the term 'microbiota' in research publications (1999–2017): a second youth of a century-old concept
Authors: Baudoin Lesya , Sapinho David , Maddi Abdelghani , Miotti Luis
Published: June 2019

Great progress in microbiota research during last decades resulted in a growing corpus of publications mentioning the term ‘microbiota’. Specifically, the human microbiota increasingly recognised nowadays as one of the most important health challenges is becoming an emerging research front. By examining over 28 000 microbiota-related papers from the Web of Science database, our study aims to characterise the evolution of publication patterns in this field between 1999 and 2017. The corpus is first analysed in terms of breakdown by journal subject categories, then an additional insight in the structuring of the microbiota research into different topics is provided by means of topic modelling. Our results demonstrate that over time (i) a substantial increase in the publications number is accompanied by a broad diversification of associated journal subject categories; (ii) the research focus moved outside from its primary research field showing successive shifts from dentistry and ecologically centred areas, through agri-food applied topics, towards the most recent clinical applications. The trends in thematic structure of the field presented from a historical perspective suggest that the current systemic approach to host–microbiota relationship inherited from the ecological background of the concept of microbiota has opened up a number of new research directions and perspectives.
Role of Research Educator in sequential course-based undergraduate research experience program
Authors: Light Caitlin , Fegley Megan , Stamp Nancy
Published: June 2019

In our First-Year Research Immersion (FRI) program, students take a sequence of three CUREs (course-based undergraduate research experiences). Each Research Educator (Research Assistant Professor, aka RE) oversees the day-to-day work of about 30 first-year and 25 second-year students in a dedicated research-training lab. Instead of the typical work-load division for faculty between their teaching responsibilities (typically lecture) and research programs, REs combine these two responsibilities into one endeavour that better engages and teaches beginning students intending to major in science or engineering. Although more challenging for REs, their work in FRI expands their professional development substantially. Examples from the microbiology research track (specifically, Microbial Biofilms in Human Health) illustrate both the challenges and rewards for the REs.
Spectral Limitations of Quadrature Rules and Generalized Spherical Designs
Authors: Steinerberger Stefan
Published: June 2019

We study manifolds $M$ equipped with a quadrature rule $$\begin{equation} \int_{M}{\phi(x)\,\mathrm{d}x} \simeq \sum_{i=1}^{n}{a_i \phi(x_i)}.\end{equation*}$$We show that $n$-point quadrature rules with nonnegative weights on a compact $d$-dimensional manifold cannot integrate more than at most the 1st $c_{d}n + o(n)$ Laplacian eigenfunctions exactly. The constants $c_d$ are explicitly computed and $c_2 = 4$. The result is new even on $\mathbb{S}^2$ where it generalizes results on spherical designs.
Beyond the Grid: Engineering, Institutions and Finance
Authors: Harris Laurence
Published: June 2019

In sub-Saharan Africa existing, reliable supplies of electricity are inadequate to meet actual demand from those connected to the grid and potential effective demand from those without grid access. If strategies for generation, transmission and distribution systems, were unchanged the potential growth of demand accompanying economic growth and desired increases in living standards would be constrained by worsening shortages. This paper outlines the major tasks electrification strategies in Africa face and focuses on aspects of financing them. It proposes that a holistic analytical perspective, the Financial Systems Framework, is valuable for identifying and addressing distinct but linked problems in financing African electrification strategies.
Effect of tannin-containing hays on enteric methane emissions and nitrogen partitioning in beef cattle1
Authors: Stewart Elizabeth K , Beauchemin Karen A , Dai Xin , MacAdam Jennifer W , Christensen Rachael G , Villalba Juan J
Published: June 2019

The objective of this study was to determine whether feeding tannin-containing hays to heifers and mature beef cows influences enteric methane (CH4) emissions and nitrogen (N) excretion relative to feeding traditional legume and grass hays. Fifteen mature beef cows (Exp. 1) and 9 yearling heifers (Exp. 2) were each randomly assigned to treatment groups in an incomplete bock design with 2 periods and 6 types of hays with 3 hays fed each period (n = 5 cows and 3 heifers per treatment). Groups were fed tannin-containing [birdsfoot trefoil (BFT), sainfoin (SAN), small burnet (SML)] or non-tannin-containing [alfalfa (ALF), cicer milkvetch (CMV), meadow bromegrass (MB)] hays. Each period consisted of 14 d of adjustment followed by 5 d of sample collection. Nine cows and 9 heifers were selected for the measurement of enteric CH4 emissions (sulfur hexafluoride tracer gas technique), and excretion of feces and urine, while dry matter intake (DMI) was measured for all animals. The concentration of condensed tannins in SAN and BFT was 2.5 ± 0.50% and 0.6 ± 0.09% of dry matter (DM), respectively, while SML contained hydrolyzable tannins (4.5 ± 0.55% of DM). Cows and heifers fed tannin-containing hays excreted less urinary urea N (g/d; P < 0.001) and showed lower concentrations of blood urea N (mg/dL; P < 0.001) than animals fed ALF or CMV, indicating that tannins led to a shift in route of N excretion from urine to feces. Additionally, cows fed either BFT or CMV showed the greatest percentage of retained N (P < 0.001). Enteric CH4 yield (g/kg of DMI) from heifers (P = 0.089) was greatest for MB, while daily CH4 production (g/d) from heifers (P = 0.054) was least for SML. However, digestibility of crude protein was reduced for cows (P < 0.001) and heifers (P < 0.001) consuming SML. The results suggest that tannin-containing hays have the potential to reduce urinary urea N excretion, increase N retention, and reduce enteric CH4 emissions from beef cattle. The non-bloating tannin-free legume CMV may also reduce environmental impacts relative to ALF and MB hays by reducing N excretion in urine and increasing N retention.
Post Kampala
Authors: Hartig Annegret
Published: June 2019

Since the Kampala Amendments filled the placeholder in the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) with a comprehensive definition of the crime of aggression, States Parties have felt encouraged to implement the so-called ‘crime of crimes’ into domestic law. This article gives an overview of how these early implementers defined the crime of aggression and designed provisions on domestic jurisdiction. The fast track approach to domestic implementation would have been to copy the definition contained in Article 8bis of the ICC Statute and extend the existing jurisdictional regime applicable to other international crimes. Instead, states often opted for a (slightly) modified definition and occasionally decided to deviate from the jurisdictional provisions applicable to other core crimes.
Safety and efficacy of cabazitaxel in 660 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in real-world settings: results of a Japanese post-marketing surveillance study
Authors: Suzuki Kazuhiro , Matsubara Nobuaki , Kazama Hirotaka , Seto Takeshi , Tsukube Shoko , Matsuyama Hideyasu
Published: June 2019

This PMS demonstrated that cabazitaxel was generally tolerated and showed promising efficacy in Japanese patients with mCRPC treated in real-world settings. Results are consistent with those of pre-registration clinical trials.
Why Allianz v West Tankers Still Applies under the Brussels Regulation (Recast): An Analysis of Nori Holdings v Bank Otkritie [2018] EWHC 1343 (Comm)
Authors: Lee Serena , Phua Myron
Published: June 2019

This article analyses Nori Holdings v Bank Otkritie [2018] EWHC 1343 (Comm)—the only English decision hitherto holding that EU law’s prohibition on anti-suit injunctions based on arbitration agreements established in Allianz v West Tankers survives the Brussels Regulation (recast). We argue that Males J’s rejection of AG Wathelet’s hypothesis in his Gazprom opinion to the effect that the Regulation (recast) has overruled West Tankers is largely persuasive. At the same time, we also identify two problematic aspects of the judgment. Namely, we contend that the High Court was arguably wrong (i) to interpret AG Wathelet as envisaging that a case would ‘move in and out’ of the Regulation and (ii) to interpret Gazprom as holding that Member State courts are permitted to enforce all arbitral ‘anti-suit’ awards, including those enjoining a party from litigating in another EU Member State.
Statistical analysis about the God’s traits in Quran
Authors: Liu Junqi , Mahmoudi Mohammad Reza , Abasalizadeh Ali
Published: June 2019

The fact about the way God has described himself or how Muslims regard God’s traits is a significant point because that is the path to know the truth about God in his own words, and the verification of Muslims understanding of God through their thoughts and behaviors in accordance with Quran can be studied. In Islamic mysticism, the names and traits of God are categorized into two groups: beauty and divine glory. Although there have been widespread studies in regard to God’s traits, casting a statistical view on these traits can help with the understanding of God, because it would ease the recognition of the way God has introduced himself or envisages traits he most used for himself which in its turn will enlighten the path a Muslim should take. Therefore, with regard to statistics in this work, we would like to study the idea that which group of God’s traits (beauty or divine grace) is more repeated or what the proportion of the two is, and also what difference there is between the Meccan and Medinan suras in the description of God.
Statistical Mechanics: A Tale of Two Theories
Authors: Frigg Roman , Werndl Charlotte
Published: June 2019

There are two theoretical approaches in statistical mechanics, one associated with Boltzmann and the other with Gibbs. The theoretical apparatus of the two approaches offer distinct descriptions of the same physical system with no obvious way to translate the concepts of one formalism into those of the other. This raises the question of the status of one approach vis-à-vis the other. We answer this question by arguing that the Boltzmannian approach is a fundamental theory while Gibbsian statistical mechanics (GSM) is an effective theory, and we describe circumstances under which Gibbsian calculations coincide with the Boltzmannian results. We then point out that regarding GSM as an effective theory has important repercussions for a number of projects, in particular attempts to turn GSM into a nonequilibrium theory.