bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-template–assisted micro-phase segregation in blended liquid-crystalline block copolymers films toward three-dimensional structures
Authors: Hibi Yusuke , Oguchi Yuki , Shimizu Yuta , Hashimoto Kayoko , Kondo Katsuya , Iyoda Tomokazu
Published: August 2020

Significance

Micro-phase segregation of block copolymers (BCPs) in thin films affords well-defined in-plane patterns, which are useful for designing mesoscale materials in diversified applications. This paper describes a strategy to construct highly ordered three-dimensional (3D) mesostructures via spontaneous multilayerization of such in-plane patterns, allowing more advanced and practical material designs. This multilayerization is controlled by sequential liquid crystallization of blended binary or ternary BCPs, inducing macro-phase segregation along the film-normal direction. The independent evolutions of the in-plane and out-of-plane segregations, driven by BCP micro-phase segregation and the sequential liquid crystallization, respectively, readily provide various 3D structures with high design freedom via a single-coating and -annealing process. This simple, yet effective and versatile, method facilitates a rational design of mesoscale materials.
Interrogatives as relativization markers in Indo-European
Authors: Auderset Sandra
Published: August 2020

The use of interrogative pronouns as relative clause markers is often mentioned as a typical feature of European languages. This study presents an empirical approach to the distribution of interrogative pronouns as relative clause markers in time and space in the Indo-European language family. Based on a comprehensive sample of ancient and modern Indo-European languages, it is shown that interrogative-marked relative clauses are present in all stages of Indo-European within and outside of Europe. An analysis by branch suggests that this constitutes a case of parallel innovations subsequently spreading via language contact. The study also shows that interrogatives are used as relative clause markers independently of whether they are inflected pronouns or invariable markers.
Professional identity development among student interpreters
Authors: Lee Juyeon
Published: August 2020

Conference interpreting is a professional field that requires specialized knowledge, skills, and ethics, and becoming a
professional in the field involves the adoption of a relevant professional identity. To understand how a professional identity begins to
emerge among students and what factors influence the process, a case study was conducted involving four participants who were attending a
graduate school of interpretation and translation in Korea. Multiple types of data were collected for qualitative analysis. The results show
that the students initially tended to connect professional identity primarily with linguistic identity. Over time, the participants began to
develop a better understanding of the profession through authentic learning experiences, real-world interpreting experiences, and
interactions with the instructors as mentors, all of which contribute to their professional identity formation process.
A typology of depiction marking
Authors: Akita Kimi
Published: August 2020

Ideophones and direct quotations are “depictive” signs, or vivid re-enactments of what they signify. Pursuing the typology of linguistic depiction, the current study proposes a three-way classification of depiction marking strategies: framing, foregrounding, and backgrounding. While well-known formal characteristics of ideophones, such as prosodic prominence and quotative constructions, illustrate framing and foregrounding, this paper discusses low-pitched quotative indexes in Japanese as backgrounding-type depiction markers. These quotatives immediately follow ideophones and exclamatory quotations and set them off. They also underlie the exceptional pitch pattern of heavy syllables in ideophones.
Zoroastrian Doctrine of Formation of Heavenly Bodies in Pahlavi Texts
Authors: Ahmadi Amir
Published: August 2020

This article is about the doctrine of the formation of celestial bodies in Pahlavi texts. The doctrine is peculiar. It clashes not only with the accounts of the Gāϑā and the Younger Avesta but also with the general cosmology of Pahlavi literature. Nonetheless it must be authoritative since it is found in our main sources of Zoroastrian (Pahlavi) cosmogony and there does not seem to be an alternative account of the formation of celestial bodies. It thus prompts us to look for its background. This article presents and discusses the texts that contain the Pahlavi doctrine, examines its Avestan roots, and shows the influence of Presocratic cosmogonic speculations on the doctrine. Further, comparative material allows us to propose a conceptual genealogy of the basic constituents of the doctrine.
Voluntary hypocapnic hyperventilation lasting 5 min and 20 min similarly reduce aerobic metabolism without affecting power outputs during Wingate anaerobic test
Authors: Dobashi Kohei , Fujii Naoto , Ichinose Masashi , Fujimoto Tomomi , Nishiyasu Takeshi
Published: August 2020

Twenty minutes of voluntary hypocapnic hyperventilation prior to exercise reduces the aerobic metabolic rate with a compensatory increase in the anaerobic metabolic rate without affecting exercise performance during the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). Thus, pre‐exercise hypocapnic hyperventilation may be a useful means of stressing the anaerobic energy system during training, ultimately improving anaerobic exercise performance. However, it remains unclear whether a shorter (e.g., 5 min) pre‐exercise hypocapnic hyperventilation is sufficient to reduce the aerobic metabolic rate during high‐intensity exercise. We therefore compared the effects of 5‐min and 20‐min pre‐exercise hypocapnic hyperventilation on aerobic metabolism during the 30‐s WAnT. Ten healthy young males and one female performed the WAnT following 20 min of spontaneous breathing (control trial) or 5 or 20 min of voluntary hypocapnic hyperventilation. Both the 5‐min and 20‐min hyperventilation reduced end‐tidal CO2 partial pressure (an index of arterial CO2 partial pressure) to ∼23 mmHg, whereas it remained unchanged during the spontaneous breathing. The peak, mean and minimum power outputs during the WAnT did not differ among the three trials. Oxygen uptake during the WAnT was lower in both the 5‐min (1493 ± 257 mL min−1) and 20‐min (1397 ± 447 mL min−1) hyperventilation trials than during the control trial (1847 ± 286 mL min−1), and was similar in the two hyperventilation trials. These results suggest that 5 min of pre‐exercise hypocapnic hyperventilation reduces aerobic metabolism during the 30‐s WAnT to a level similar to that seen with the 20‐min hyperventilation. Moreover, exercise performance was unaffected, which implies anaerobic metabolism was enhanced.
Mechanism and potential sites of potassium interaction with glutamate transporters
Authors: Wang Jiali , Zhang Kaiqi , Goyal Puja , Grewer Christof
Published: August 2020

In the mammalian glutamate transporters, countertransported intracellular K+ is essential for relocating the glutamate binding site to the extracellular side of the membrane. This K+-dependent process is believed to be rate limiting for the transport cycle. In contrast, extracellular K+ induces glutamate release upon transporter reversal. Here, we analyzed potential K+ binding sites using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and site-directed mutagenesis. Two candidate sites were identified by spontaneous K+ binding in MD simulations, one site (K1 site) overlapping with the Na1 Na+ binding site and the K2 site being localized under hairpin loop 2 (HP2). Mutations to conserved amino acid residues in these sites resulted in several transporters that were defective in K+-induced reverse transport and which bound K+ with reduced apparent affinity compared with the wild-type transporter. However, external K+ interaction was abolished in only one mutant transporter EAAC1D454A in the K1 site. Our results, for the first time, directly demonstrate effects of K1-site mutations on K+ binding, in contrast to previous reports on K+ binding sites based on indirect evidence. We propose that K+ binding to the K1 site is responsible for catalyzing the relocation step, whereas binding to the K2 site may have an as-of-yet unidentified regulatory function.
Axis potentials for stationary n-black-hole configurations
Authors: Hennig Jörg
Published: August 2020

We extend earlier discussions of the balance problem for two black holes and study stationary spacetimes containing an arbitrary number of n aligned rotating and (possibly) charged black holes. For these hypothetical equilibrium configurations, we obtain the most general form of the boundary data on the symmetry axis in terms of a finite number of parameters. Hence future investigations of n-black-hole configurations can be restricted to studying properties of these finite families of solutions.
Floquet states in dissipative open quantum systems
Authors: Sato S A , De Giovannini U , Aeschlimann S , Gierz I , Hübener H , Rubio A
Published: August 2020

We theoretically investigate basic properties of nonequilibrium steady states of periodically-driven open quantum systems based on the full solution of the Maxwell–Bloch equation. In a resonant driving condition, we find that the transverse relaxation, also known as decoherence, significantly destructs the formation of Floquet states while the longitudinal relaxation does not directly affect it. Furthermore, by evaluating the quasienergy spectrum of the nonequilibrium steady states, we demonstrate that Rabi splitting can be observed as long as the decoherence time is as short as one third of the Rabi-cycle. Moreover, we find that Floquet states can be formed even under significant dissipation when the decoherence time is substantially shorter than the cycle of driving, once the driving field strength becomes strong enough. In an off-resonant condition, we demonstrate that the Floquet states can be realized even in weak field regimes because the system is not excited and the decoherence mechanism is not activated. Once the field strength becomes strong enough, the system can be excited by multi-photon absorption and the decoherence process becomes active. As a result, the Floquet states are significantly disturbed by the environment even in the off-resonant condition. Thus, we show here that the suppression of energy transfer from light to matter is a key condition for the realization of Floquet states in both on- and off-resonant conditions not only because it prevents material damage but also because it contributes to preserving coherence.
White paper: from bound states to the continuum
Authors: Johnson Calvin W , Launey Kristina D , Auerbach Naftali , Bacca Sonia , Barrett Bruce R , R Brune Carl , Caprio Mark A , Descouvemont Pierre , Dickhoff W H , Elster Charlotte , Fasano Patrick J , Fossez Kevin , Hergert Heiko , Hjorth-Jensen Morten , Hlophe Linda , Hu Baishan , Id Betan Rodolfo M , Idini Andrea , König Sebastian , Kravvaris Konstantinos , Lee Dean , Lei Jin , Mercenne Alexis , Perez Rodrigo Navarro , Nazarewicz Witold , Nunes Filomena M , Płoszajczak Marek , Rotureau Jimmy , Rupak Gautam , Shirokov Andrey M , Thompson Ian , Vary James P , Volya Alexander , Xu Furong , Zegers Remco G T. , Zelevinsky Vladimir , Zhang Xilin
Published: August 2020

This white paper reports on the discussions of the 2018 Facility for Rare Isotope Beams Theory Alliance (FRIB-TA) topical program ‘From bound states to the continuum: Connecting bound state calculations with scattering and reaction theory’. One of the biggest and most important frontiers in nuclear theory today is to construct better and stronger bridges between bound state calculations and calculations in the continuum, especially scattering and reaction theory, as well as teasing out the influence of the continuum on states near threshold. This is particularly challenging as many-body structure calculations typically use a bound state basis, while reaction calculations more commonly utilize few-body continuum approaches. The many-body bound state and few-body continuum methods use different language and emphasize different properties. To build better foundations for these bridges, we present an overview of several bound state and continuum methods and, where possible, point to current and possible future connections.
Electroencephalographic prediction of global and domain specific cognitive performance of clinically active Australian Nurses
Authors: Lees Ty , Maharaj Shamona , Kalatzis George , Nassif Najah T , Newton Phillip J , Lal Sara
Published: August 2020

Objective: To investigate the relationship between EEG activity and the global and domain specific cognitive performance of healthy nurses, and determine the predictive capabilities of these relationships. Approach: Sixty-four nurses were recruited for the present study, and data from 61 were utilised in the present analysis. Global and domain specific cognitive performance of each participant was assessed psychometrically using the Mini-mental state exam and the Cognistat, and a 32-lead monopolar EEG was recorded during a resting baseline phase and an active phase in which participants completed the Stroop test. Main results: Global cognitive performance was successfully predicted (81%–85% of variance) by a combination of fast wave activity variables in the alpha, beta and theta frequency bands. Interestingly, predicting domain specific performance had varying degrees of success (42%–99% of the variance predicted) and relied on combinations of both slow and fast wave activity, with delta and gamma activity predicting attention performance; delta, theta, and gamma activity predicting memory performance; and delta and beta variables predicting judgement performance. Significance: Global and domain specific cognitive performance of Australian nurses may be predicted with varying degrees of success by a unique combination of EEG variables. These proposed models image transitory cognitive declines and as such may prove useful in the prediction of early cognitive impairment, and may enable better diagnosis, and management of cognitive impairment.
Quasilinear dynamics of ordinary mode electromagnetic cyclotron instability driven by the interaction of rotating electron beam with magnetized plasma
Authors: Abbasi Rostami Sh , Khorashadizadeh S M , Niknam A R
Published: August 2020

The quasilinear theory is employed to study the temporal evolution of the cyclotron instability near the ordinary mode in a magnetized plasma in the presence of the rotating electron beam. The positive gradient region of the initial distribution function is eroded by the diffusion process driven by the wave fields. It is found that the wave non-linear effects modify the electron distribution function by transferring resonance particles to the valley between the plasma bulk and the bump on tail. This movement ultimately leads to flattening the distribution function in the interaction region, which is a saturation state.
Controlling stable tunneling in a non-Hermitian spin–orbit coupled bosonic junction
Authors: Luo Yunrong , Wang Xuemei , Luo Yuxin , Zhou Zheng , Zeng Zhao-Yun , Luo Xiaobing
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we study how to apply a periodic driving field to control stable spin tunneling in a non-Hermitian spin–orbit (SO) coupled bosonic double-well system. By means of a high-frequency approximation, we obtain the analytical Floquet solutions and their associated quasienergies and thus construct the general non-Floquet solutions of the dissipative SO coupled bosonic system. Based on detailed analysis of the Floquet quasienergy spectrum, the profound effect of system parameters and the periodic driving field on the stability of spin-dependent tunneling is investigated analytically and numerically for both balanced and unbalanced gain–loss between two wells. Under balanced gain and loss, we find that the stable spin-flipping tunneling is preferentially suppressed with the increase of gain–loss strength. When the ratio of Zeeman field strength to periodic driving frequency Ω/ω is even, there is a possibility that continuous stable parameter regions will exist. When Ω/ω is odd, nevertheless, only discrete stable parameter regions are found. Under unbalanced gain and loss, whether Ω/ω is even or odd, we can get parametric equilibrium conditions for the existence of stable spin tunneling. The results could be useful for the experiments of controlling stable spin transportation in a non-Hermitian SO coupled system.
Structural characteristics and elasticities of coesite and coesite-II at high pressure
Authors: Wu Ye , Huang Shengxuan , Huang Haijun , Wu Xiang , Liu Hanyu
Published: August 2020

Silica, SiO2, has attracted significant interest as one of the most important compounds in the fields of condensed-matter physics, materials science, and geoscience etc. Here, we theoretically investigate crystal structural characteristics and elastic properties of coesite and its high-pressure polymorph coesite-II at high pressures, which is critical to improve the understanding of densification mechanism of silica at high pressure. The driving mechanism for the pressure-induced transition pathways of coesite comes from both structural features and elastic effect. The phase transition of coesite to cosite-II is triggered by the shortening of Si1–O1 bond distance, and accompanied by elastic instability from a combination of softening elastic constants C
44 and C
46. The structural modulation of coesite-II along the b-axis direction, as proposed experimentally, results from, on the one hand, the bending of Si2–O15–Si3 angles and shortening of Si5–O4 and Si7–O4 distance with increasing pressure and, on the other hand, elastic softening associated with phonon instability. These results provide key insights into the densification mechanism of silica under high pressure.
Drift kinetic effects and local current drive induced modification of magnetic shear on sawtooth activity in EU DEMO
Authors: Zhou Lina , Liu Yueqiang , Siccinio Mattia , Fable Emiliano , Wu Tingting , Duan Ping , Chen Long
Published: August 2020

The sawtooth activity is investigated for an EU DEMO reference plasma, including kinetic effects from both thermal particles and fusion-born alphas. Kinetic effects are studied in conjunction with modification of the magnetic shear near the q= 1 surface (q is the safety factor) due to local current drive. Kinetic stabilization on the internal kink mode is found by both the non-perturbative MHD-kinetic hybrid code MARS-K (Liu et al 2008 Phys. Plasmas
15 112503) and the perturbative semi-analytic Porcelli model. The latter predicts full stabilization of the mode, when the local magnetic shear s
1 at the q= 1 surface is less than 1 (e.g. s
1 ∼ 0.6 as is the case for the target EU DEMO plasma without local current drive). By increasing the local magnetic shear with local current drive up to s
1 ∼ 2.8, one of the Porcelli sawtooth crash criteria can be satisfied, by accessing the ion-kinetic regime. Direct MARS-K non-perturbative eigenvalue computations, on the other hand, predict less kinetic stabilization of the internal kink and more robust triggering of the sawtooth crash in EU DEMO. The general trend of the predicted results remains similar though, between the MARS-K model and the Porcelli model.
Plants as sensors: vegetation response to rainfall predicts root-zone water storage capacity in Mediterranean-type climates
Authors: Dralle David N , Jesse Hahm W , Rempe Daniella M , Karst Nathaniel , Anderegg Leander D L , Thompson Sally E , Dawson Todd E , Dietrich William E
Published: August 2020

In Mediterranean-type climates, asynchronicity between energy and water availability means that ecosystems rely heavily on the water-storing capacity of the subsurface to sustain plant water use over the summer dry season. The root-zone water storage capacity (

S

m
a
x

[L]) defines the maximum volume of water that can be stored in plant accessible locations in the subsurface, but is poorly characterized and difficult to measure at large scales. Here, we develop an ecohydrological modeling framework to describe how

S

m
a
x

mediates root zone water storage (S [L]), and thus dry season plant water use. The model reveals that where

S

m
a
x

is high relative to mean annual rainfall, S is not fully replenished in all years, and root-zone water storage and therefore plant water use are sensitive to annual rainfall. Conversely, where

S

m
a
x

is low, S is replenished in most years but can be depleted rapidly between storm events, increasing plant sensitivity to rainfall patterns at the end of the wet season. In contrast to both the high and low

S

m
a
x

cases, landscapes with intermediate

S

m
a
x

values are predicted to minimize variability in dry season evapotranspiration. These diverse plant behaviors enable a mapping between time variations in precipitation, evapotranspiration and

S

m
a
x

, which makes it possible to estimate

S

m
a
x

using remotely sensed vegetation data − that is, using plants as sensors. We test the model using observations of

S

m
a
x

in soils and weathered bedrock at two sites in the Northern California Coast Ranges. Accurate model performance at these sites, which exhibit strongly contrasting weathering profiles, demonstrates the method is robust across diverse plant communities, and modes of storage and runoff generation.
Stress distribution in highly porous SiO2 films: results of the molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Grigoriev F.V. , Sulimov V.B. , Tikhonravov A.V.
Published: August 2020

The stress distribution over the thickness of silicon dioxide thin films is studied using simulated thin film cluster. The atomistic cluster representing the film is deposited on a glassy substrate using the full-atomistic molecular dynamic simulation. The deposition angle is equal to 80°, which leads to the growth of a highly porous anisotropic film with low refractive index. The method for calculating the stress distribution is based on the integral relationship between the thickness-averaged stress and the stress distribution. In the present work, we focus on the application of this relationship to the atomistic modeling of stresses at the initial stage of thin film growth. It is found that in the transition layer between the substrate and the film the stress distribution function corresponds to the compressive stress. With the increase in film thickness, the stress distribution function changes sign and becomes tensile. It is shown that these results correspond to experimental data.
Improving the start-up parameters of a gas turbine engine by adaptation the air turbine starter
Authors: Popov Grigorii , Matveev Valery , Zubanov Vasilii , Novikova Yulia , Kolmakova Daria , Korneeva Anastasia
Published: August 2020

The paper describes the process of optimizing the blades of a starter air turbine for a gas turbine engine launch system. This task was initiated by the necessity to use an existing turbine when starting a new engine. During the study, it was found that the turbine, although it ensures the conditions for the joint operation with the auxiliary power unit turbine and meet the strength constraints, it does not allow to start the engine within the required time. As a result of studies using mathematical optimization methods involving commercial programs, a variant was found to modernize the baseline turbine, which provides an acceptable value of torque on the shaft with an adequate start-up time at all operating modes with minimal design changes.
Study on connection between shape of wheel and resistance force from ground for small wheel typed rovers
Authors: Watanabe Tomohiro , Iizuka Kojiro
Published: August 2020

In recent years, the small wheel typed rovers are focused on as an exploring rover. However, running performance of the small wheel typed rovers is not good. It is difficult to compact the ground by wheels because weight of these rovers is small. Therefore, drawbar pull is low. In previous research, the movement method which improves the running performance of these rovers using effects which are given by vibration to the ground was proposed. Some experiments were carried out in order to confirm effective of proposed method. From theses experimental results, we could get knowledge that how to use vibration to improve running performance for the small wheel typed rovers. Moreover, it was confirmed that sinkage of the wheels to the ground is increased when vibration is given to the ground from the wheel. Sinkage of the wheels to the ground decrease running performance of rover. In this research, the relationship between the shape of wheel and resistance force from the ground was confirmed in order to propose the wheel which reduce subsidence amount to the ground when vibration is given to the ground. In experimental results, the wheel which has flange on side reduced subsidence amount to the ground.
Novel function for AP-1B during cell migration
Authors: Kell Margaret Johnson , Ang Su Fen , Pigati Lucy , Halpern Abby , Fölsch Heike
Published: August 2020

Kell and Ang et al. show that adaptor protein (AP)-1B expression in epithelial cells decreased the speed of collective cell migration. Consistent with this novel function, they demonstrate that AP-1B localized in membrane ruffles during cell migration using high-end fluorescence microcopy, stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy.
Living with a Smoker and Multiple Health-Risk Behaviors
Authors: Holahan Charles J , Holahan Carole K , Lim Sangdon , Powers Daniel A
Published: August 2020

Background

Behavioral medicine is showing growing theoretical and applied interest in multiple health-risk behaviors. Compared to engaging in a single health-risk behavior, multiple health-risk behaviors are linked to increased morbidity and mortality. A contextual determinant of multiple risk behaviors may be living with a smoker.

Purpose

This study investigated the role of living with a smoker in predicting multiple health-risk behaviors compared to a single health-risk behavior, as well as whether these multiple risk behaviors occur across both physical activity and dietary domains. Moreover, the study tested these effects across 3 years in longitudinal and prospective (controlling for health-risk behaviors at baseline) analyses.

Methods

Participants were 82,644 women (age M = 63.5, standard deviation = 7.36, age range = 49–81) from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. Analyses used multinomial and binary logistic regression.

Results

Living with a smoker was more strongly associated with multiple health-risk behaviors than with a single health-risk behavior. These multiple risk behaviors occurred across both physical activity and dietary domains. The effects persisted across 3 years in longitudinal and prospective analyses. Living with a smoker, compared to not living with a smoker, increased the odds of multiple health-risk behaviors 82% cross-sectionally and, across 3 years, 94% longitudinally and 57% prospectively.

Conclusions

These findings integrate research on multiple health-risk behaviors and on living with a smoker and underscore an unrecognized public health risk of tobacco smoking. These results are relevant to household-level interventions integrating smoking-prevention and obesity-prevention efforts.
Starting from common sense
Authors: Williamson Timothy
Published: August 2020

Can we escape our reliance on common sense? ‘Starting from common sense’ examines what common sense is, what it isn’t, and its usefulness as a check on philosophy. Aristotle, Thomas Reid, and G.E. Moore were all advocates of common sense—specifically, the common sense of their own time and place—whereas Bertrand Russell dismissed it as pre-scientific barbarism. There is a concern that common sense may become confused with common belief or used as a disguise for popular prejudice. Our evidence for philosophical experiments depends on common-sense methods of thinking. We have no choice but to start at common sense, but we do not have to end at it.
Clarifying terms
Authors: Williamson Timothy
Published: August 2020

The detection of ambiguity plays a central systematic role in philosophy. ‘Clarifying terms’ argues that an apparent dispute might mask an agreement and vice versa, depending on the words and concepts employed. If a concept is a dictionary definition, is a conception an encyclopaedia entry? One definition may be more useful than another, but not necessarily truer. Mathematics provides useful models. The view of Platonism is that there are such things as abstract objects that are non-physical, non-mental, and do not exist in space or time. Philosophers know that dictionary definitions are inadequate, but the clarity they seek aims towards questions, not indubitable answers.
Comparing theories
Authors: Williamson Timothy
Published: August 2020

‘Comparing theories’ starts with materialism—the ‘theory of everything’. Materialism is inconsistent with modern science, which recognizes non-matter such as space-time and electromagnetic fields. Dualism—a school of thought originating with Descartes—is inconstant with materialism or physicalism, as it holds that some things can be physical and some immaterial. Panpsychism is incompatible with dualism, as it imbues everything with consciousness. Rather than testing a single theory, scientists often test rival theories against each other. Scientists and philosophers fall into the trap of overfitting—changing theories to fit their preferred answers. When we practice the philosophical method, we seek good reasons to give one answer over another.
Model-building
Authors: Williamson Timothy
Published: August 2020

Rather than spending their careers trying to prove universal laws or creating something proven but underwhelming, scientists build manageable models. ‘Model-building’ focuses on how this approach can be applied to philosophy. Model-building is an alternative to philosophy’s historical reliance on counterexamples, which tends towards falsification or artificiality. Returning to linguistics, Rudolf Carnap built a complete system of semantics for an artificial formal language, thus discovering new insights about language itself. Where good models are available, we may get our best results by using several methods as our hypothesis becomes stronger if they are independently pulling in the right direction. The model-building methodology’s potential is only just being realized.
5. Simple complex questions
Authors: Ghazoul Jaboury
Published: August 2020

‘Simple complex questions’ contrasts top-down and bottom-up approaches to ecological puzzles. For example, plants evade herbivores with physical defences that render them toxic or unpalatable, and the predators then evolve their own defences. How can a tropical forest support over 1,000 different tree species in a 50-hectare plot? When trees in the same forest differ in their response to environmental changes, can we still describe their environment as a niche? In species-rich systems, is there stability in complexity? Do we need so many species? Even when answering this question, we might benefit from a less human-centred approach. Earth’s biological richness has resonance beyond the dominant species.
Evaluation of medication safety resources in pediatric hospitals
Authors: Nelson Kembral L , Morvay Shelly , Neidecker Marjorie , Sebastian Sonya , Fischer Jessica , Li Junan , Pai Vinita , Merandi Jenna
Published: August 2020

Purpose

As health systems continue to expand pharmacy and clinical services, the ability to evaluate potential medication safety risks and mitigate errors remains a high priority. Workload and productivity monitoring tools for the assessment of operational and clinical pharmacy services exist. However, such tools are not currently available to justify medication safety pharmacy services. The purpose of this study is to determine methods used to assess, allocate, and justify medication safety resources in pediatric hospitals.

Methods

A 32-question survey was designed and distributed utilizing the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) tool. The survey was disseminated to 46 pediatric hospitals affiliated with the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA). The survey was distributed in October 2018, and the respondents were given 3 weeks to submit responses. Data analysis includes the use of descriptive statistics. Categorical variables were summarized by frequencies and percentages to distinguish the differences between pediatric health systems.

Results

Of 26 respondents, 15.4% utilized metrics to justify medication safety resources. Metrics utilized were based on medication dispenses, projects, and error coding. Twenty-three percent of respondents were dissatisfied with current pharmacy-based medication safety resources within the organization. There was variability of medication safety resources within pediatric hospitals, including the number of dedicated full-time equivalents, time spent on tasks, and task prioritization.

Conclusion

Assessing medication safety resources at various pediatric hospitals highlights several potential barriers and opportunities. This information will serve as the foundation for the creation of a standardized workload assessment tool to assist pharmacy leaders with additional resource justification.
The Effect of Platelet-Rich Fibrin Matrix on Skin Rejuvenation: A Split-Face Comparison
Authors: Hu Shirley , Bassiri-Tehrani Michael , Abraham Manoj T
Published: August 2020

Background

Despite the increasingly popular use of platelet-rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) for facial rejuvenation, no studies have evaluated its effects on skin.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of PRFM on skin quality as measured by the Canfield VISIA Complexion Analysis System.

Methods

This was a 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted at a single center comparing 2 groups. Thirty patients received a PRFM injection in the mid-cheek region and nasolabial fold on one side of the face and saline on the contralateral side. The primary outcome measure was the difference between pre- and posttreatment total VISIA skin scores for each group at 6 and 12 weeks. The change in subscores for each skin parameter was also calculated.

Results

There were 30 participants, with a mean [standard deviation] age of 49.9 [13.9] years. At 6 weeks, the median change in total VISIA score (interquartile range) was –1.77 (2.36) in the PRFM group and –0.73 (2.09) in the saline group (P = 0.003). The only skin parameter that had a significantly different change in score between the groups was texture (P = 0.004). At 12 weeks, the change in median score was –1.31 (3.26) in the PRFM cohort and –0.76 (2.21) in the saline cohort (P = 0.34). There was no statistical significance in the change in score for any of the individual skin parameters.

Conclusions

PRFM can objectively improve skin quality compared with placebo. Texture was the only skin parameter that significantly improved, which is consistent with PRFM’s role as a filler agent. The results appear to persist for at least 6 weeks.

Level of Evidence: 1
Decombinator V4: an improved AIRR-C compliant-software package for T-cell receptor sequence annotation?
Authors: Peacock Thomas , Heather James M , Ronel Tahel , Chain Benny
Published: August 2020

Motivation

Analysis of the T-cell receptor repertoire is rapidly entering the general toolbox used by researchers interested in cellular immunity. The annotation of T-cell receptors (TCRs) from raw sequence data poses specific challenges, which arise from the fact that TCRs are not germline encoded, and because of the stochastic nature of the generating process.

Results

In this study, we report the release of Decombinator V4, a tool for the accurate and fast annotation of large sets of TCR sequences. Decombinator was one of the early Python software packages released to analyse the rapidly increasing flow of T-cell receptor repertoire sequence data. The Decombinator package now provides Python 3 compatibility, incorporates improved sequencing error and PCR bias correction algorithms, and provides output which conforms to the international standards proposed by the Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire Community.

Availability and implementation

The entire Decombinator suite is freely available at: https://github.com/innate2adaptive/Decombinator.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Cross-frequency coupling between gamma oscillations and deep brain stimulation frequency in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Muthuraman Muthuraman , Bange Manuel , Koirala Nabin , Ciolac Dumitru , Pintea Bogdan , Glaser Martin , Tinkhauser Gerd , Brown Peter , Deuschl Günther , Groppa Sergiu
Published: August 2020

The disruption of pathologically enhanced beta oscillations is considered one of the key mechanisms mediating the clinical effects of deep brain stimulation on motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. However, a specific modulation of other distinct physiological or pathological oscillatory activities could also play an important role in symptom control and motor function recovery during deep brain stimulation. Finely tuned gamma oscillations have been suggested to be prokinetic in nature, facilitating the preferential processing of physiological neural activity. In this study, we postulate that clinically effective high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus imposes cross-frequency interactions with gamma oscillations in a cortico-subcortical network of interconnected regions and normalizes the balance between beta and gamma oscillations. To this end we acquired resting state high-density (256 channels) EEG from 31 patients with Parkinson’s disease who underwent deep brain stimulation to compare spectral power and power-to-power cross-frequency coupling using a beamformer algorithm for coherent sources. To show that modulations exclusively relate to stimulation frequencies that alleviate motor symptoms, two clinically ineffective frequencies were tested as control conditions. We observed a robust reduction of beta and increase of gamma power, attested in the regions of a cortical (motor cortex, supplementary motor area, premotor cortex) and subcortical network (subthalamic nucleus and cerebellum). Additionally, we found a clear cross-frequency coupling of narrowband gamma frequencies to the stimulation frequency in all of these nodes, which negatively correlated with motor impairment. No such dynamics were revealed within the control posterior parietal cortex region. Furthermore, deep brain stimulation at clinically ineffective frequencies did not alter the source power spectra or cross-frequency coupling in any region. These findings demonstrate that clinically effective deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus differentially modifies different oscillatory activities in a widespread network of cortical and subcortical regions. Particularly the cross-frequency interactions between finely tuned gamma oscillations and the stimulation frequency may suggest an entrainment mechanism that could promote dynamic neural processing underlying motor symptom alleviation.
How Do Presenting Symptoms and Outcomes Differ by Race/Ethnicity Among Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection? Experience in Massachusetts
Authors: McCarty Thomas R , Hathorn Kelly E , Redd Walker D , Rodriguez Nicolette J , Zhou Joyce C , Bazarbashi Ahmad Najdat , Njie Cheikh , Wong Danny , Trinh Quoc-Dien , Shen Lin , Stone Valerie E , Chan Walter W
Published: August 2020

Background

Population-based literature suggests severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection may disproportionately affect racial/ethnic minorities; however, patient-level observations of hospitalization outcomes by race/ethnicity are limited. Our aim in this study was to characterize coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–associated morbidity and in-hospital mortality by race/ethnicity.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of 9 Massachusetts hospitals including all consecutive adult patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Measured outcomes were assessed and compared by patient-reported race/ethnicity, classified as white, black, Latinx, Asian, or other. Student t test, Fischer exact test, and multivariable regression analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 379 patients (aged 62.9 ± 16.5 years; 55.7% men) with confirmed COVID-19 were included (49.9% white, 13.7% black, 29.8% Latinx, 3.7% Asian), of which 376 (99.2%) were insured (34.3% private, 41.2% public, 23.8% public with supplement). Latinx patients were younger, had fewer cardiopulmonary disorders, were more likely to be obese, more frequently reported fever and myalgia, and had lower D-dimer levels compared with white patients (P < .05). On multivariable analysis controlling for age, gender, obesity, cardiopulmonary comorbidities, hypertension, and diabetes, no significant differences in in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit admission, or mechanical ventilation by race/ethnicity were found. Diabetes was a significant predictor for mechanical ventilation (odds ratio [OR], 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–3.23), while older age was a predictor of in-hospital mortality (OR, 4.18; 95% CI, 1.94–9.04).

Conclusions

In this multicenter cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the largest health system in Massachusetts, there was no association between race/ethnicity and clinically relevant hospitalization outcomes, including in-hospital mortality, after controlling for key demographic/clinical characteristics. These findings serve to refute suggestions that certain races/ethnicities may be biologically predisposed to poorer COVID-19 outcomes.
Antibody Responses and Clinical Outcomes in Adults Hospitalized With Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Post hoc Analysis of LOTUS China Trial
Authors: Ren Lili , Fan Guohui , Wu Wenjuan , Guo Li , Wang Yeming , Li Xia , Wang Conghui , Gu Xiaoying , Li Caihong , Wang Ying , Wang Geng , Zhou Fei , Liu Zhibo , Ge Qing , Zhang Yi , Li Hui , Zhang Lulu , Xu Jiuyang , Wang Chen , Wang Jianwei , Cao Bin
Published: August 2020

Background

The characteristics of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and antibody against major antigen proteins related to clinical outcomes in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients were still less known.

Methods

NAbs and antibodies targeting nucleocapsid (N), spike protein (S), and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) in longitudinal plasma samples from the LOTUS China trial were measured by microneutralization assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Viral load was determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A total of 576 plasma and 576 throat swabs were collected from 191 COVID-19 patients. Antibody titers related to adverse outcome and clinical improvement were analyzed. Multivariable adjusted generalized linear mixed model for random effects were developed.

Results

After day 28 post symptoms onset, the rate of antibody positivity reached 100% for RBD-immunoglobulin M (IgM), 97.8% for S-IgM, 100% for N-immunoglobulin G (IgG), 100% for RBD-IgG, 91.1% for N-IgM, and 91.1% for NAbs. The NAbs titers increased over time in both survivors and nonsurvivors and correlated to IgG antibodies against N, S, and RBD, whereas its presence showed no statistical correlation with death. N-IgG (slope −2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] −3.04 to −1.18, P < .0001), S-IgG (slope −2.44, 95% CI −3.35 to −1.54, P < .0001), and RBD-IgG (slope −1.43, 95% CI −1.98 to −.88, P < .0001) were negatively correlated with viral load. S-IgG titers were lower in nonsurvivors than survivors (P = .020) at week 4 after symptoms onset.

Conclusions

IgM and IgG against N, S, and RBD and NAbs developed in most severe COVID-19 patients and do not correlate clearly with clinical outcomes. The levels of IgG antibodies against N, S, and RBD were related to viral clearance.
Duration of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infectivity: When Is It Safe to Discontinue Isolation?
Authors: Rhee Chanu , Kanjilal Sanjat , Baker Meghan , Klompas Michael
Published: August 2020

Defining the duration of infectivity of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has major implications for public health and infection control practice in healthcare facilities. Early in the pandemic, most hospitals required 2 negative RT-PCR tests before discontinuing isolation in patients with Covid-19. Many patients, however, have persistently positive RT-PCR tests for weeks to months following clinical recovery, and multiple studies now indicate that these generally do not reflect replication-competent virus. SARS-CoV-2 appears to be most contagious around the time of symptom onset, and infectivity rapidly decreases thereafter to near-zero after about 10 days in mild-moderately ill patients and 15 days in severely-critically ill and immunocompromised patients. The longest interval associated with replication-competent virus thus far is 20 days from symptom onset. This review summarizes evidence-to-date on the duration of infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, and how this has informed evolving public health recommendations on when it is safe to discontinue isolation precautions.
Mechanism of ventricular premature beats elicited by left stellate ganglion stimulation during acute ischaemia of the anterior left ventricle
Authors: Boukens Bastiaan J D , Dacey Michael , Meijborg Veronique M F , Janse Michiel J , Hadaya Joseph , Hanna Peter , Swid M Amer , Opthof Tobias , Ardell Jeffrey L , Shivkumar Kalyanam , Coronel Ruben
Published: August 2020

Aims

Enhanced sympathetic activity during acute ischaemia is arrhythmogenic, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. During ischaemia, a diastolic current flows from the ischaemic to the non-ischaemic myocardium. This ‘injury’ current can cause ventricular premature beats (VPBs) originating in the non-ischaemic myocardium, especially during a deeply negative T wave in the ischaemic zone. We reasoned that shortening of repolarization in myocardium adjacent to ischaemic myocardium increases the ‘injury’ current and causes earlier deeply negative T waves in the ischaemic zone, and re-excitation of the normal myocardium. We tested this hypothesis by activation and repolarization mapping during stimulation of the left stellate ganglion (LSG) during left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion.

Methods and results

In nine pigs, five subsequent episodes of acute ischaemia, separated by 20 min of reperfusion, were produced by occlusion of the LAD and 121 epicardial local unipolar electrograms were recorded. During the third occlusion, left stellate ganglion stimulation (LSGS) was initiated after 3 min for a 30-s period, causing a shortening of repolarization in the normal myocardium by about 100 ms. This resulted in more negative T waves in the ischaemic zone and more VPBs than during the second, control, occlusion. Following the decentralization of the LSG (including removal of the right stellate ganglion and bilateral cervical vagotomy), fewer VPBs occurred during ischaemia without LSGS. During LSGS, the number of VPBs was similar to that recorded before decentralization.

Conclusion

LSGS, by virtue of shortening of repolarization in the non-ischaemic myocardium by about 100 ms, causes deeply negative T waves in the ischaemic tissue and VPBs originating from the normal tissue adjacent to the ischaemic border.