bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disruptions and Diversions: The Demographic Consequences of Natural Disasters in Sparsely Populated Areas
Authors: Carson Dean B. , Carson Doris A. , Axelsson Per , Sköld Peter , Sköld Gabriella
Published: September 2020

TheEight Dsmodel (Carson and Carson 2014) explains the unique characteristics of human and economic geography for sparsely populated areas (SPAs) asdisconnected,discontinuous,diverse,detailed,dynamic,distant,dependentanddelicate. According to the model, SPAs are subject to dramatic changes in demographic characteristics that result from both identifiableblack swanevents and less apparenttipping pointsin longer-term processes of demographic change (Carson et al. 2011). The conceptual foundations for this assertion are clear. Populations in SPAs can experience large and long-term impacts on the overall demographic structure as a result of decisions by a relatively small number of people.High levels of migration and mobility cause constant shifts in the demographic profile and prime SPAs to adapt to many different demographic states (Carson and Carson 2014). The Northern Territory of Australia, for example, experienced previously unseen waves of pre-retirement aged migrants in the past decade or so (Martel et al. 2013) as evidence ofdetailedbut important changes to past trends. However, while dramatic demographic changes are conceptually possible and occasionally observable, there have been few attempts to examine the conditions under which such changes are likely to occur or not to occur. This is an important question particularly in relation to black swan events such as natural disasters because effective disaster management policy and planning is at least partially dependent on understanding who is affected and in what ways (Bird et al. 2013).
Wnt signaling in kidney: the initiator or terminator?
Authors: Meng Ping , Zhu Mingsheng , Ling Xian , Zhou Lili
Published: September 2020

The kidney is a key organ in the human body that excretes toxins and sustains the water–electrolyte balance. During embryonic development and disease progression, the kidney undergoes enormous changes in macrostructure, accompanied by a variety of microstructural histological changes, such as glomerular formation and sclerosis, tubule elongation and atrophy, interstitial establishment, and fibrosis progression. All of these rely on the frequent occurrence of cell death and growth. Notably, to overcome disease, some cells regenerate through self-repair or progenitor cell differentiation. However, the signaling mechanisms underlying kidney development and regeneration have not been elucidated. Recently, Wnt signaling has been noted to play an important role. Although it is a well-known developmental signal, the role of Wnt signaling in kidney development and regeneration is not well recognized. In this review, we review the role of Wnt signaling in kidney embryonic development, tissue repair, cell division, and progenitor cell differentiation after injury. Moreover, we briefly highlight advances in our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of Wnt signaling in mediating cellular senescence in kidney parenchymal and stem cells, an irreversible arrest of cell proliferation blocking tissue repair and regeneration. We also highlight the therapeutic targets of Wnt signaling in kidney diseases and provide important clues for clinical strategies.
Gaining insight on mitigation of rubeosis iridis by UPARANT in a mouse model associated with proliferative retinopathy
Authors: Locri Filippo , Pesce Noemi A. , Aronsson Monica , Cammalleri Maurizio , De Rosa Mario , Pavone Vincenzo , Bagnoli Paola , Kvanta Anders , Dal Monte Massimo , André Helder
Published: September 2020

Proliferative retinopathies (PR) lead to an increase in neovascularization and inflammation factors, at times culminating in pathologic rubeosis iridis (RI). In mice, uveal puncture combined with injection of hypoxia-conditioned media mimics RI associated with proliferative retinopathies. Here, we investigated the effects of the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) antagonist—UPARANT—on the angiogenic and inflammatory processes that are dysregulated in this model. In addition, the effects of UPARANT were compared with those of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies. Administration of UPARANT promptly decreased iris vasculature, while anti-VEGF effects were slower and less pronounced. Immunoblot and qPCR analysis suggested that UPARANT acts predominantly by reducing the upregulated inflammatory and extracellular matrix degradation responses. UPARANT appears to be more effective in comparison to anti-VEGF in the treatment of RI associated with PR in the murine model, by modulating multiple uPAR-associated signaling pathways. Furthermore, UPARANT effectiveness was maintained when systemically administered, which could open to novel improved therapies for proliferative ocular diseases, particularly those associated with PR.

Key messages

• Further evidence of UPARANT effectiveness in normalizing pathological iris neovascularization.

• Both systemic and local administration of UPARANT reduce iris neovascularization in a model associated with proliferative retinopathies.

• In the mouse models of rubeosis iridis associated with proliferative retinopathy, UPARANT displays stronger effects when compared with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor regimen.
How stationarity contradicts intergenerational equity
Authors: Asheim Geir B. , Banerjee Kuntal , Mitra Tapan
Published: September 2020

We show how the condition of stationarity may contradict intergenerational equity. By formalizing the intuition that less sensitivity remains for the continuation of the stream if sensitivity for the interests of the present is combined with stationarity, we point out conflicts (a) between stationarity and the requirement of not letting the present be dictatorial, and (b) between stationarity and equal treatment of generations. We use the results to interpret the non-stationarity of the Chichilnisky and Rank-discounted utilitarian social welfare functions. Non-stationarity combined with time invariance leads to time inconsistency. We illustrate how such non-stationary social welfare functions can be applied in the Ramsey model if time invariance is imposed.
Fungal bioremediation of soil co-contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and toxic metals
Authors: Li Qianwei , Liu Jicheng , Gadd Geoffrey Michael
Published: September 2020

Much research has been carried out on the bacterial bioremediation of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and toxic metals but much less is known about the potential of fungi in sites that are co-contaminated with both classes of pollutants. This article documents the roles of fungi in soil polluted with both petroleum hydrocarbons and toxic metals as well as the mechanisms involved in the biotransformation of such substances. Soil characteristics (e.g., structural components, pH, and temperature) and intracellular or excreted extracellular enzymes and metabolites are crucial factors which affect the efficiency of combined pollutant transformations. At present, bioremediation of soil co-contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and toxic metals is mostly focused on the removal, detoxification, or degradation efficiency of single or composite pollutants of each type. Little research has been carried out on the metabolism of fungi in response to complex pollutant stress. To overcome current bottlenecks in understanding fungal bioremediation, the potential of new approaches, e.g., gradient diffusion film technology (DGT) and metabolomics, is also discussed.

Key points

• Fungi play important roles in soil co-contaminated with TPH and toxic metals.

• Soil characteristics, enzymes, and metabolites are major factors in bioremediation.

• DGT and metabolomics can be applied to overcome current bottlenecks.
Automatic semantic segmentation of kidney cysts in MR images of patients affected by autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease
Authors: Kline Timothy L. , Edwards Marie E. , Fetzer Jeffrey , Gregory Adriana V. , Anaam Deema , Metzger Andrew J. , Erickson Bradley J.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

For patients affected by autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), successful differentiation of cysts is useful for automatic classification of patient phenotypes, clinical decision-making, and disease progression. The objective was to develop and evaluate a fully automated semantic segmentation method to differentiate and analyze renal cysts in patients with ADPKD.

Methods

An automated deep learning approach using a convolutional neural network was trained, validated, and tested on a set of 60 MR T2-weighted images. A three-fold cross-validation approach was used to train three models on distinct training and validation sets (n = 40). An ensemble model was then built and tested on the hold out cases (n = 20), with each of the cases compared to manual segmentations performed by two readers. Segmentation agreement between readers and the automated method was assessed.

Results

The automated approach was found to perform at the level of interobserver variability. The automated approach had a Dice coefficient (mean ± standard deviation) of 0.86 ± 0.10 vs Reader-1 and 0.84 ± 0.11 vs. Reader-2. Interobserver Dice was 0.86 ± 0.08. In terms of total cyst volume (TCV), the automated approach had a percent difference of 3.9 ± 19.1% vs Reader-1 and 8.0 ± 24.1% vs Reader-2, whereas interobserver variability was − 2.0 ± 16.4%.

Conclusion

This study developed and validated a fully automated approach for performing semantic segmentation of kidney cysts in MR images of patients affected by ADPKD. This approach will be useful for exploring additional imaging biomarkers of ADPKD and automatically classifying phenotypes.
The effect of pre-operative high doses of methylprednisolone on pain management and convalescence after total hip replacement in elderly: a double-blind randomized study
Authors: Gądek Artur , Liszka Henryk , Zając Małgorzata
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The aim of the study was to assess whether administration of a single dose of methylprednisolone in the group patients above 65 years of age will be effective in complex analgesic management after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods

Seventy-seven patients above 65 years old were double-blind randomized into two: the study and controls groups. Pre-operatively, the study group received as a single dose of 125 mg intravenous methylprednisolone, while the others saline solution as placebo. Peri-operatively, all the patients were administered opioid and nonopioid analgesic agents. We measured the levels of inflammatory markers (leukocytosis, C-reactive protein—CRP), pain intensity level (visual analog scale—VAS; numerical rating scale—NRS), the life parameters, and noted complications.

Results

Following administration of methylprednisolone were significantly lower levels of CRP on all the four post-operative days; leukocytosis on the second day; the VAS/NRS score at rest after six, 12, and 18 hours post-operatively, diminished the dose of parenteral opioid preparations (oxycodone hydrochloride), the duration of analgesia by peripheral nerve block was significantly higher as compared with the placebo group (p < 0.000001). No infectious complications were noted; there was one patient who developed post-operative delirium.

Conclusion

A single dose of methylprednisolone significantly reduces the level of post-operative pain at rest on the day of THA in the group patients above 65 years of age, decreases the dose of opioid analgesic agents, and significantly decreases the level of inflammatory markers, without infectious processes.
Structure of the space of taboo-free sequences
Authors: Manuel Cassius , von Haeseler Arndt
Published: September 2020

Models of sequence evolution typically assume that all sequences are possible. However, restriction enzymes that cut DNA at specific recognition sites provide an example where carrying a recognition site can be lethal. Motivated by this observation, we studied the set of strings over a finite alphabet with taboos, that is, with prohibited substrings. The taboo-set is referred to as $$\mathbb {T}$$
T
and any allowed string as a taboo-free string. We consider the so-called Hamming graph $$\varGamma _n(\mathbb {T})$$

Γ
n

(
T
)

, whose vertices are taboo-free strings of length n and whose edges connect two taboo-free strings if their Hamming distance equals one. Any (random) walk on this graph describes the evolution of a DNA sequence that avoids taboos. We describe the construction of the vertex set of $$\varGamma _n(\mathbb {T})$$

Γ
n

(
T
)

. Then we state conditions under which $$\varGamma _n(\mathbb {T})$$

Γ
n

(
T
)

and its suffix subgraphs are connected. Moreover, we provide an algorithm that determines if all these graphs are connected for an arbitrary $$\mathbb {T}$$
T
. As an application of the algorithm, we show that about $$87\%$$

87
%

of bacteria listed in REBASE have a taboo-set that induces connected taboo-free Hamming graphs, because they have less than four type II restriction enzymes. On the other hand, four properly chosen taboos are enough to disconnect one suffix subgraph, and consequently connectivity of taboo-free Hamming graphs could change depending on the composition of restriction sites.
Higher-order semi-layerwise models for doubly curved delaminated composite shells
Authors: Szekrényes András
Published: September 2020

This work deals w ith the development and extension of higher-order models for delaminated doubly curved composite shells with constant radii of curvatures. The mechanical model is based on the method of four equivalent single layers and the system of exact kinematic conditions. A remarkable addition of this work compared to some previous ones, is a modified and improved continuity condition between the delaminated and undelaminated parts of the shell. Using the principle of virtual work, the equilibrium equations of the shell systems are brought to the stage and solved by using the classical Lévy plate formulation under simply supported conditions. Four different scenarios of elliptic and hyperbolic delaminated shells are investigated providing the solutions for the mechanical fields as well as for the J-integral. The analytical results are compared to 3D finite element calculations, and excellent agreement was obtained for the displacement components and normal stresses. On the contrary, it was found that the transverse shear stresses are captured quite differently by the proposed method and the finite element models. Although the role of shear stresses should not be underrated, they seem to be marginal because the distributions of the J-integral components are in very good agreement with the numerically determined energy release rates.
DeTrAs: deep learning-based healthcare framework for IoT-based assistance of Alzheimer patients
Authors: Sharma Sumit , Dudeja Rajan Kumar , Aujla Gagangeet Singh , Bali Rasmeet Singh , Kumar Neeraj
Published: September 2020

Healthcare 4.0 paradigm aims at realization of data-driven and patient-centric health systems wherein advanced sensors can be deployed to provide personalized assistance. Hence, extreme mentally affected patients from diseases like Alzheimer can be assisted using sophisticated algorithms and enabling technologies. Motivated from this fact, in this paper,
DeTrAs: Deep Learning-based Internet of Health Framework for the Assistance of Alzheimer Patients is proposed. DeTrAs works in three phases: (1) A recurrent neural network-based Alzheimer prediction scheme is proposed which uses sensory movement data, (2) an ensemble approach for abnormality tracking for Alzheimer patients is designed which comprises two parts:
(a) convolutional neural network-based emotion detection scheme and (b) timestamp window-based natural language processing scheme, and (3) an IoT-based assistance mechanism for the Alzheimer patients is also presented. The evaluation of DeTrAs depicts almost 10–20% improvement in terms of accuracy in contrast to the different existing machine learning algorithms.
Empirical fragility assessment using conditional GMPE-based ground shaking fields: application to damage data for 2016 Amatrice Earthquake
Authors: Miano A. , Jalayer F. , Forte G. , Santo A.
Published: September 2020

Recent earthquakes have exposed the vulnerability of existing buildings; this is demonstrated by damage incurred after moderate-to-high magnitude earthquakes. This stresses the need to exploit available data from different sources to develop reliable seismic risk components. As far as it regards empirical fragility assessment, accurate estimation of ground-shaking at the location of buildings of interest is as crucial as the accurate evaluation of observed damage for these buildings. This implies that explicit consideration of the uncertainties in the prediction of ground shaking leads to more robust empirical fragility curves. In such context, the simulation-based methods can be employed to provide fragility estimates that integrate over the space of plausible ground-shaking fields. These ground-shaking fields are generated according to the joint probability distribution of ground-shaking at the location of the buildings of interest considering the spatial correlation structure in the ground motion prediction residuals and updated based on the registered ground shaking data and observed damage. As an alternative to the embedded coefficients in the ground motion prediction equations accounting for subsoil categories, stratigraphic coefficients can be applied directly to the ground motion fields at the engineering bedrock level. Empirical fragility curves obtained using the observed damage in the aftermath of Amatrice Earthquake for residential masonry buildings show that explicit consideration of the uncertainty in the prediction of ground-shaking significantly affects the results.
Unlucky at work, unlucky in love: job loss and marital stability
Authors: Keldenich Carina , Luecke Christine
Published: September 2020

This paper analyses the relationship between a husband’s job loss and marital stability, focusing on involuntary employment terminations due to plant closures or dismissals. Using discrete survival analysis techniques on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we find plant closures and dismissals to be associated with a 54 and 74% higher risk of marital dissolution respectively, though the strength of association varies significantly by how long ago the change in employment status occurred. We extend the previous literature by considering heterogeneity in the relationship depending on whether new employment was found. Our analysis shows that the dissolution risk remains elevated even in couples where the husband has taken up a new position. Surprisingly, the relative risk of dissolution following the first period in a new job after a job loss is about the same as the relative risk of dissolution following the first period without employment. The relationship between finding a new job and marital dissolution appears to be mediated by changes in working hours as well as wages. In two extensions, we also consider the role of the wife’s employment status in moderating the relationship and show that a wife’s job loss is not associated with a similar increase in the probability of divorce as a husband’s.
„Die ersten drei Einträge …“
Authors: Dehn-Hindenberg Andrea , Saßmann Heike , Dierks Marie-Luise , Haack Marius , Meyer Antje , Walter Ulla , Lange Karin
Published: September 2020

Hintergrund

Frauen mit Gestationsdiabetes mellitus (GDM) haben ein erhöhtes Risiko, später an Typ-2-Diabetes (T2D) zu erkranken. Für die Entwicklung individualisierter Strategien zur Prävention von T2D in dieser Hochrisikogruppe sind Kenntnisse über deren Risikobewusstsein, Wissensstand und Präferenzen bei der Informationssuche notwendig.

Fragestellung

Welche Strategien verfolgen Frauen mit GDM bei der Suche nach Informationen zu gesundheitsbezogenen Themen und wie sind ihr Kenntnisstand und ihr Risikobewusstsein bezogen auf T2D?

Methodik

Es wurden 6 Fokusgruppen und 8 Einzelinterviews mit insgesamt 33 Schwangeren mit GDM durchgeführt und mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Die behandelnden Ärztinnen und Ärzte sind für die Befragten die vertrauenswürdigste Informationsquelle. Alle Teilnehmerinnen nutzen zusätzlich das Internet, um sich über gesundheitsbezogene Themen zu informieren, obwohl sie die Inhalte der Websites nur als bedingt vertrauenswürdig einschätzen. Sie geben einzelne Begriffe in die Suchmaschine ein und berücksichtigen oft nur die ersten Einträge. Systematische Suchstrategien oder das gezielte Aufsuchen institutioneller, qualitätsgesicherter Websites wenden die Teilnehmerinnen in der Regel nicht an, sie weisen erhebliche Wissensdefizite bzgl. T2D auf. Eine realistische Risikowahrnehmung ist nur in Ansätzen vorhanden und motiviert kaum zu einer Lebensstiländerung.

Schlussfolgerung

Die befragten Frauen haben nur wenige Kenntnisse über T2D und ihr individuelles Erkrankungsrisiko. Ihre Fähigkeit, systematisch nach Gesundheitsinformationen im Internet zu suchen, ist sehr begrenzt. Um die Motivation zur Prävention von T2D zu stärken, sollten das Risikobewusstsein sowie Strategien zur systematischen Informationssuche durch geeignete, zielgruppenspezifische Maßnahmen gefördert werden.
Dehydrozingerone protects temozolomide-induced cognitive impairment in normal and C6 glioma rats besides enhancing its anticancer potential
Authors: Pathak Nandini , Cheruku Sri Pragnya , Rao Vanishree , Vibhavari R. J. A. , Sumalatha Suhani , Gourishetti Karthik , Rao C. Mallikarjuna , Kumar Nitesh
Published: September 2020

Considering the cognitive impairment induced by temozolomide (TMZ) in glioblastoma survivors, the present study was aimed to evaluate the protective effect of dehydrozingerone (DHZ) against TMZ-induced cognitive impairment (chemobrain) and C6 cell line-induced glioma in male Wistar rats. In both chemobrain and glioma models, TMZ was administered at a dose of 18 mg/kg i.v every 5th day and DHZ at a dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. daily. Additionally, glioma was induced by intracerebral injection of 5 × 104 C6 rat glioma cells in the cortex in the glioma model. Upon disease induction and treatment with TMZ + DHZ, spatial memory was assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM) test and episodic memory by the novel object recognition test (NORT). The induction of glioma was confirmed by histology of the cortex. Hippocampus and frontal cortex were subjected to antioxidant evaluation. Significant loss of spatial and episodic memory was observed with TMZ treatment which was significantly restored by DHZ. DHZ showed significant improvement in oxidative stress markers reversed the histopathological features in the cortex. TMZ-induced elevation of the glutathione level was also reversed by DHZ, indicating the role of DHZ in the reversal of TMZ resistance. In the glioma model, the improvement in cognition by DHZ correlated with the decrease in tumor volume. Altogether, the study results reveal the role of TMZ in worsening the memory and DHZ in reversing it, besides, improving its anticancer potential.
Estimating the Impact of Daily Weather on the Temporal Pattern of COVID-19 Outbreak in India
Authors: Gupta Amitesh , Pradhan Biswajeet , Maulud Khairul Nizam Abdul
Published: September 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread obstreperously in India. The increase in daily confirmed cases accelerated significantly from ~ 5 additional new cases (ANC)/day during early March up to ~ 249 ANC/day during early June. An abrupt change in this temporal pattern was noticed during mid-April, from which can be inferred a much reduced impact of the nationwide lockdown in India. Daily maximum (TMax), minimum (TMin), mean (TMean) and dew point temperature (TDew), wind speed (WS), relative humidity, and diurnal range in temperature and relative humidity during March 01 to June 04, 2020 over 9 major affected cities are analyzed to look into the impact of daily weather on COVID-19 infections on that day and 7, 10, 12, 14, 16 days before those cases were detected (i.e., on the likely transmission days). Spearman’s correlation exhibits significantly lower association with WS,TMax,TMin,TMean,TDew, but is comparatively better with a lag of 14 days. Support Vector regression successfully estimated the count of confirmed cases (R2 > 0.8) at a lag of 12–16 days, thus reflecting a probable incubation period of 14 ± 02 days in India. Approximately 75% of total cases were registered whenTMax,TMean,TMin,TDew, and WS at 12–16 days previously were varying within the range of 33.6–41.3 °C, 29.8–36.5 °C, 24.8–30.4 °C, 18.7–23.6 °C, and 4.2–5.75 m/s, respectively. Thus, we conclude that coronavirus transmission is not well correlated (linearly) with any individual weather parameter; rather, transmission is susceptible to a certain weather pattern. Hence multivariate non-linear approach must be employed instead.
Effect of Alkali Concentration on Swelling Characteristics of Transformed Kaolinitic Clays
Authors: Sruthi P. L. , Reddy P. H. P.
Published: September 2020

Soil–alkali interaction leads to abnormal soil behavior due to significant changes in mineralogy and morphology. The effect of alkali on the swelling behavior of natural clays has been explored in recent years, but the swelling behavior of alkali-transformed clay minerals is still unclear. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of alkali concentration on swelling characteristics of natural and alkali-transformed kaolinitic clays. The study was complemented further with micro-level investigations. Red earth and kaolin, which are regarded as non-swelling kaolinitic clays, were utilized. The results showed that alkalis induced greater swelling in natural clays than in alkali-transformed clays. The results revealed further that alkali-transformed clays exhibited decreases in swelling when exposed to increased alkali concentrations. Moreover, the degree of transformation played an important role in the swelling behavior of alkali-transformed kaolinitic clays when inundated with water and with various alkali concentrations. These variations may be attributed to the different extents of mineralogical and microstructural changes caused by alkali treatment.
Neuroinflammation and progressive myoclonus epilepsies: from basic science to therapeutic opportunities
Authors: Sanz Pascual , Serratosa José M.
Published: September 2020

Progressive myoclonus epilepsies (PMEs) are a group of genetic neurological disorders characterised by the occurrence of epileptic seizures, myoclonus and progressive neurological deterioration including cerebellar involvement and dementia. The primary cause of PMEs is variable and alterations in the corresponding mutated genes determine the progression and severity of the disease. In most cases, they lead to the death of the patient after a period of prolonged disability. PMEs also share poor information on the pathophysiological bases and the lack of a specific treatment. Recent reports suggest that neuroinflammation is a common trait under all these conditions. Here, we review similarities and differences in neuroinflammatory response in several PMEs and discuss the window of opportunity of using anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of several of these conditions.
Policy statement from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA): Only medical contraindications should be accepted as a reason for not receiving all routine immunizations as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Authors: Weber David J. , Talbot Thomas R. , Weinmann Allison , Mathew Trini , Heil Emily , Stenehjem Edward , Duncan Robert , Gross Alan , Stinchfield Patricia , Baliga Christopher , Wagner Jamie , Schaffner William , Echevarria Kelly , Drees Marci
Published: September 2020

SHEA endorses adhering to the recommendations by the CDC and ACIP for immunizations of all children and adults. All persons providing clinical care should be familiar with these recommendations and should routinely assess immunization compliance of their patients and strongly recommend all routine immunizations to patients. All healthcare personnel (HCP) should be immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases as recommended by the CDC/ACIP (unless immunity is demonstrated by another recommended method). SHEA endorses the policy that immunization should be a condition of employment or functioning (students, contract workers, volunteers, etc) at a healthcare facility. Only recognized medical contraindications should be accepted for not receiving recommended immunizations.
The Civil Governance of Death: The Making of Chinese Political Subjects at the End of Life
Authors: Liu Huwy-Min Lucia
Published: September 2020

This article discusses how the Chinese Communist Party governed death in Shanghai during the first half of the People's Republic of China. It examines how officials nationalized funeral institutions, promoted cremation, and transformed what they believed to be the unproductivity of the funeral industry into productivity (by raising pigs in cemeteries, for instance). I show how each of these policies eliminated possible sources of identity that were prevalent in conceptualizing who the dead were and what their relationships with the living could be. Specifically, in addition to the construction of socialist workers, the state worked to remove cosmopolitan, associational, religious, and relational ideas of self. By modifying funerary rituals and ways of interment, the Chinese state aimed to produce individualized and undifferentiated political subjects directly tied to the party-state. The civil governance of death aimed to produce citizen-subjects at the end of life.
The association between body dysmorphic symptoms and suicidality among adolescents and young adults: a genetically informative study
Authors: Krebs Georgina , Fernández de la Cruz Lorena , Rijsdijk Frühling V. , Rautio Daniel , Enander Jesper , Rück Christian , Lichtenstein Paul , Lundström Sebastian , Larsson Henrik , Eley Thalia C. , Mataix-Cols David
Published: September 2020

Background

Previous research indicates that body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is associated with risk of suicidality. However, studies have relied on small and/or specialist samples and largely focussed on adults, despite these difficulties commonly emerging in youth. Furthermore, the aetiology of the relationship remains unknown.

Methods

Two independent twin samples were identified through the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden, at ages 18 (N = 6027) and 24 (N = 3454). Participants completed a self-report measure of BDD symptom severity. Young people and parents completed items assessing suicidal ideation/behaviours. Logistic regression models tested the association of suicidality outcomes with: (a) probable BDD, classified using an empirically derived cut-off; and (b) continuous scores of BDD symptoms. Bivariate genetic models examined the aetiology of the association between BDD symptoms and suicidality at both ages.

Results

Suicidal ideation and behaviours were common among those with probable BDD at both ages. BDD symptoms, measured continuously, were linked with all aspects of suicidality, and associations generally remained significant after adjusting for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Genetic factors accounted for most of the covariance between BDD symptoms and suicidality (72.9 and 77.7% at ages 18 and 24, respectively), but with significant non-shared environmental influences (27.1 and 22.3% at ages 18 and 24, respectively).

Conclusions

BDD symptoms are associated with a substantial risk of suicidal ideation and behaviours in late adolescence and early adulthood. This relationship is largely explained by common genetic liability, but non-shared environmental effects are also significant and could provide opportunities for prevention among those at high-risk.
Failed policy attempts for measuring English speaking abilities in college entrance exams
Authors: Goto Butler Yuko , Lee Jiyoon , Peng Xiaolin
Published: September 2020

English as a foreign language education in East Asia has received repeated criticism for its lack of success in developing sufficient English oral proficiency among its students (Muller at al., 2014). In response to the criticism, the governments of China, Japan and South Korea attempted to include assessment of students’ speaking abilities as part of their high-stakes college entrance exams, hoping for positive washback effects in both primary- and secondary-school English education as well as on shadow education (i.e., non-formal private-sector education). These attempts often failed. In South Korea, a new test called the National English Ability Test (NEAT), which included direct assessment of students’ speaking skill among other skills, was developed in 2012. However, the government's plan to use NEAT to replace the current exam – the Korean College Scholastic Aptitude Test (KCSAT) – was quickly dropped before its implementation. In China, the government has tried to promote more communicative methods of English education through incorporating English speaking test in high-stakes tests such as the Gaokao – college admission tests – in addition to reducing the weight of English in the traditional paper-based exams. However, the policies have received heavy resistance at the regional level and have not been implemented at the national level. In Japan, the government asked universities to accept designated external proficiency tests as part of the Common Test, the existing college entrance exam, in order to make up for the exam's missing speaking component. After a mountain of criticism from test users, implementation of the plan is still pending. In this light, the aim of this paper is to discuss why these policy attempts failed. While these policy attempts occurred in three different contexts, we could see striking underlying commonalities. We argue that these policy attempts were made based on a set of beliefs separate from the reality of the stakeholders (e.g., students, parents and teachers). More specifically, the failures can be largely attributed to the governments’ monolithic view of the English language and their insufficient consideration for equity rather than equality.
Affording autism an early brain development re-definition
Authors: Klin Ami , Micheletti Megan , Klaiman Cheryl , Shultz Sarah , Constantino John N. , Jones Warren
Published: September 2020

The national priority to advance early detection and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has not reduced the late age of ASD diagnosis in the US over several consecutive Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance cohorts, with traditionally under-served populations accessing diagnosis later still. In this review, we explore a potential perceptual barrier to this enterprise which views ASD in terms that are contradicted by current science, and which may have its origins in the current definition of the condition and in its historical associations. To address this perceptual barrier, we propose a re-definition of ASD in early brain development terms, with a view to revisit the world of opportunities afforded by current science to optimize children's outcomes despite the risks that they are born with. This view is presented here to counter outdated notions that potentially devastating disability is determined the moment a child is born, and that these burdens are inevitable, with opportunities for improvement being constrained to only alleviation of symptoms or limited improvements in adaptive skills. The impetus for this piece is the concern that such views of complex neurodevelopmental conditions, such as ASD, can become self-fulfilling science and policy, in ways that are diametrically opposed to what we currently know, and are learning every day, of how genetic risk becomes, or not, instantiated as lifetime disabilities.
Latent class trajectories of infant temperament and associations with problem behavior at two years of age
Authors: Giesbrecht Gerald F. , Letourneau Nicole , Dewey Deborah ,   the APrON Study Team
Published: September 2020

Individual differences in temperament have been well-described, but individual differences in temperament trajectories require elaboration. Specifically, it is unknown if subgroups of infants display different developmental patterns and if these patterns relate to later behavioral problems. The aims were to identify distinct developmental patterns in broad dimensions of temperament among typically developing infants, to determine whether these developmental patterns differ by sex, to evaluate how developmental patterns within each dimension of temperament relate to developmental patterns within other dimensions of temperament, and to determine whether developmental patterns of infant temperament are associated with internalizing and externalizing behavior at 2 years of age. Data from the longitudinal Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition study (n= 1,819) were used to model latent class trajectories of parent-reported infant temperament at 3, 6, and 12 months. Four to five unique latent trajectories were identified within each temperament dimension. Sex was not associated with trajectory groups. Developmental coordination was observed between trajectories of negative emotionality and regulatory capacity, and between regulatory capacity and positive affect, but not between positive affect and negative emotionality. Negative emotionality and regulatory capacity predicted internalizing and externalizing behavior. Patterns of development in infant temperament, and not just intensity of temperament, contribute toward later problem behavior.
Unexpected increase of aortic stiffness in juvenile Spondyloarthropathies
Authors: Dedeoglu Reyhan , Yildiz Mehmet , Karagozlu Fatih , Oztunc Funda , Ulug Nujin , Akdeniz Beste , Adrovic Amra , Haslak Fatih , Sahin Sezgin , Barut Kenan , Kasapcopur Ozgur
Published: September 2020

Juvenile spondyloarthropathy is an umbrella term for a group of childhood rheumatic diseases that can cause chronic arthritis extending to the axial skeleton before the age of 16. Although ankylosing spondylitis has aortic involvement as one of its most important effects, this relationship has not been extensively studied in children with juvenile spondyloarthropathy. Here, a cross-sectional study of the elastic properties of the aorta of 43 patients with juvenile spondyloarthropathy and 19 healthy controls is reported. Aortic stiffness assessed by echocardiography was used to predict the presence of aortitis, supplemented by pulsed-wave tissue Doppler indices. The right ventricular fractional area change was found to be significantly lower in the patients with juvenile spondyloarthropathy than in the healthy controls; aortic strain and distensibility were also significantly lower, and aortic stiffness index β was significantly higher; and the aortic root diameter change was significantly lower. According to HLA-B27 positivity, there was no difference in the stiffness parameters between the two groups. There was a significant correlation between juvenile Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index and aortic diameter change, between juvenile Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index and aortic stiffness. Thus, juvenile spondyloarthropathy is linked to high aortic stiffness parameters.
PRE- and POST-applied herbicide options for alfalfa interseeded with corn silage
Authors: Osterholz William R. , Dias José Luiz C. S. , Grabber John H. , Renz Mark J.
Published: September 2020

Establishment of alfalfa by interseeding it with corn planted for silage can enhance crop productivity but weed management is a challenge to adoption of the practice. Although a simple and effective approach to weed management would be to apply a glyphosate-based herbicide, concerns about herbicide resistance and limitations in available alfalfa varieties exist. Field experiments were conducted to compare the efficacy and selectivity of PRE, POST, and PRE followed by POST herbicide programs to a glyphosate-only strategy when interseeding alfalfa with corn. Experiment 1 compared PRE applications of acetochlor, mesotrione, S-metalochlor, metribuzin, and flumetsulam. Results indicate that acetochlor and metribuzin, and S-metalochlor used at a rate of 1.1 kg ai ha−1 were the most effective and selective PRE herbicides 4 wk after treatment (WAT), but each resulted in greater overall weed cover than glyphosate by 8 WAT. Experiment 2 evaluated applications of bentazon, bromoxynil, 2,4-DB, and mesotrione at early and late POST times. Several herbicides used POST exhibited similar effectiveness and selectivity as glyphosate, including early applications of bromoxynil (0.14 kg ai ha−1) and 2,4-DB (0.84 or 1.68 kg ai ha−1), as well as late applications of bromoxynil (0.42 kg ai ha−1), 2,4-DB (0.84 kg ai ha−1), and mesotrione (0.05 or 0.11 kg ai ha−1). A third experiment compared applications of acetochlor PRE, bromoxynil POST, and a combination of acetochlor PRE with bromoxynil POST. All treatments were effective and safe for use in this interseeded system, although interseeded alfalfa provided 65% to 70% weed suppression in corn planted for silage without any herbicide. Herbicide treatments had no observable impacts on corn and alfalfa yields, so weed management was likely of limited economic importance. However, weed competitiveness can vary based on several different factors including weed species, density, and site-specific factors, and so further investigations under different environments and conditions are needed.
Hydraulic Injection‐Induced Velocity Changes Revealed by Surface Wave Coda and Polarization Data at a Shale Play Site in Southwest China
Authors: Zhang Yan , Niu Fenglin , Tao Kai , Ning Jieyuan , Chen Haichao , Tang Youcai
Published: September 2020

We investigated temporal variations of seismic wave velocity associated with hydraulic fracturing using Green's functions computed from ambient noise data. In October and November of 2014, we set up a broadband array at a shale play site inside the Sichuan basin where a pilot horizontal drilling and hydraulic injections were conducted. We first computed cross‐correlation functions using continuous data recorded by 21 three‐component broadband sensors deployed around the treatment well. We then employed a running window correlation‐based coda wave interferometry technique to measure apparent velocity changes from the daily Green's functions of all the station pairs in the frequency range of 1 to 3 Hz. We found significant velocity changes right after the hydraulic fracturing, which exhibited a clear direction‐dependent pattern. S wave velocity along raypaths parallel to the well trajectory showed a clear increase while those perpendicular exhibited a small decrease. The anisotropic changes in seismic velocity observed here were also confirmed from surface wave horizontal particle motion data. By comparing our observations with normal stress changes calculated with a half‐space elastic model, we speculate that stress changes induced by the hydraulic fracturing were likely to be responsible for the observed anisotropic changes in seismic velocity. Our results suggest that time‐lapse seismic imaging with ambient noise data provides a promising probe for monitoring geomechanical changes related to exploitation of unconventional oil and gas resources.
Characterization of Regional Drought Over Water and Energy Limited Zones of India Using Potential and Actual Evapotranspiration
Authors: Rehana S. , Monish N. T.
Published: September 2020

Understanding the drought characteristics is critical for water resources management in water stressed countries such as India. Previous studies evaluating drought assessments over India considered precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) as drivers using standardized precipitation‐evapotranspiration index (SPEI). The suitability of actual evapotranspiration (AET), which accounts for both water and energy based evaporative demands, in drought characterization is limited. In this study, SPEI is restructured with AET to characterize the regional drought over water and energy limited regions as standardized precipitation actual evapotranspiration index (SPAEI). For this, AET estimated based on Budyko framework and remote sensing‐based AET data has been used. The original formulation of SPEI is limited toward capturing the seasonality present in P and PET. The SPEI is restructured to account for the water availability deficit in the drought assessment rather than the actual atmospheric water demand in a given period to capture the strong seasonality of rainfall. The study compared the drought characteristics with both PET and AET for various meteorological homogeneous zones of India, which are characterized as water‐limited (Central, North, West, South, and Jammu and Kashmir, J&K) and energy‐limited (Northeast and Northeast hills) zones. Overall, the proposed new drought index based on AET can be promising toward drought intensity, extreme drought areal extents, shorter‐time scale drought frequencies, and longer‐time scale drought durations for water‐limited zones. The proposed drought indices based on AET can be robust for the drought assessment under consideration of water energy along with land and vegetation variability and can provide more insights for water‐limited regions.
The Two‐Dimensional Evolution of Thermospheric ∑O/N2 Response to Weak Geomagnetic Activity During Solar‐Minimum Observed by GOLD
Authors: Cai Xuguang , Burns Alan G. , Wang Wenbin , Qian Liying , Solomon Stanley C. , Eastes Richard W. , Pedatella Nicholas , Daniell Robert E. , McClintock William E.
Published: September 2020

We conduct observational and modeling studies of thermospheric composition responses to weak geomagnetic activity (nongeomagnetic storms). We found that the thermospheric O and N2 column density ratio (∑O/N2) in part of the Northern Hemisphere measured by Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) exhibited large and long‐lived depletions during weak geomagnetic activity in May and June 2019. The depletions reached 30% of quiet time values, extended equatorward to 10°N and lasted more than 10 hr. Furthermore, numerical simulation results are similar to these observations and indicate that the ∑O/N2 depletions were pushed westward by zonal winds. The ∑O/N2 evolution during weak geomagnetic activity suggests that the formation mechanism of the ∑O/N2 depletions is similar to that during a geomagnetic storm. The effects of weak geomagnetic activity are often ignored but, in fact, are important for understanding thermosphere neutral composition variability and hence the state of the thermosphere‐ionosphere system.
Borehole Diameter Controls Thermal‐Induced Convection and Evaporation From a Shallow Water Table
Authors: Levintal Elad , Dragila Maria I. , Lensky Nadav G. , Weisbrod Noam
Published: September 2020

Understanding air exchange via boreholes, shafts, and wells is important for Earth and environmental sciences because of their potential role for increased evaporation and greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we investigated the effect of atmospheric temperature variability on air transport via a borehole as a function of its diameter. Field experiment included five boreholes with diameters ranging from 0.10 to 0.38 m and a depth of 3 m with an artificial water table at −2.7 m. Temperature was recorded in each borehole at 1‐min intervals for 1 year. Diurnal and seasonal air temperature changes triggered thermal instability, mainly during winter nights, which initiated thermal‐induced convection within the boreholes. The thermal‐induced convection penetrated deeper into the borehole as the diameter increased, doubling the water table evaporation rate for the largest borehole relative to the smallest. Borehole diameter plays an important role in controlling air exchange rates between the subsurface and the atmosphere.