bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating technologies in reproductive health: case studies of a consumer protection approach
Authors: Silver L.D. , Castilho S.R.
Published: July 2002

Objective: A consumer‐protection assessment and action program aimed at improving reproductive health technologies is reviewed.Methods: Evaluations employed both literature review, synthesis, market analysis and laboratory testing for conformity to standards of a wide range of products which affect reproductive health on the Brazilian market 1995–1997. Anti‐infective gynecological products, ampicillins, condoms, pregnancy tests, hormonal contraceptives, infant formulas, selected teratogens, bromocriptine and prostaglandins were studied. Actions include dissemination in periodicals and the mass media, consumer education, pressure for regulation, negotiations with manufacturers and legal action.Results: The program was effective in improving the supply and regulation of some, but not all products studied. Impact on health and utilization are unknown.Conclusion: A significant proportion of products studied are unsafe, ineffective or of sub‐standard quality. A combination of careful scientific work, strong links between scientists and social movements, dissemination and legal action, can effectively improve the quality of products which affect reproductive health.
Exogenous insulin‐like growth factor‐I stimulates an autoinductive IGF‐I autocrine/paracrine response in chondrocytes
Authors: Nixon Alan J. , Saxer Rachel A. , Brower‐Toland Brent D.
Published: July 2002

The modulation of insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) gene expression by chondrocytes following exogenous IGF‐I supplementation of culture was assessed to examine the hypothesis that constitutive IGF‐I mRNA activity is suppressed by exogenous administration of IGF‐I to cartilage in situ. Chondrocytes in monolayer culture were treated with 0, 10 or 100 ng/ml IGF‐I for 48 h and resultant IGF‐I and matrix gene expression patterns were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and northern blotting, respectively. Effective translation of proteoglycan (PG) as a response to IGF‐I was determined by dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) dye‐binding assay. To determine the temporal nature of the IGF‐I autocrine/paracrine response to exogenous IGF‐I, chondrocyte cultures were treated with 100 ng/ml IGF‐I and the IGF‐I mRNA response was assessed at 0, 4, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. Significant increases in chondrocyte density and in PG synthesis occurred during treatment of chondrocyte cultures with 10 and 100 ng/ml IGF‐I. Persistent exposure of chondrocytes to 100 ng/ml IGF‐I resulted in maximal IGF‐I mRNA response at 24 h, with declining message accumulation at 48 and 72 h. These data suggest that IGF‐I induces an autoinductive IGF‐I autocrine/paracrine transcriptional response. The clinical ramifications of these findings include support for the use of exogenous IGF‐I for cartilage repair where it could conceivably amplify and extend the effect of exogenous IGF‐I beyond the transitory persistence of supplemental IGF‐I ligand in repair constructs. © 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Meniscal repair using engineered tissue
Authors: Peretti Giuseppe M. , Caruso Enzo M. , Randolph Mark A. , Zaleske David J.
Published: July 2002

In this study, devitalized meniscal tissue pre‐seeded with viable cultured chondrocytes was used to repair a bucket‐handle incision in meniscal tissue transplanted to nude mice. Lamb knee menisci were devitalized by cyclic freezing and thawing. Chips measuring four by two by one‐half millimeters were cut from this devitalized tissue to serve as scaffolds. These chips were then cultured either with or without viable allogeneic lamb chondrocytes. From the inner third of the devitalized meniscal tissue, rectangles were also cut approximately 8 × 6 mm. A 4 mm bucket‐handle type incision was made in these blocks. The previously prepared chips either with (experimental group) or without viable chondrocytes (control group) were positioned into the incisions and secured with suture. Further control groups included blocks of devitalized menisci with incisions into which no chips were positioned and either closed with suture or left open with no suture. Specimens were transplanted to subcutaneous pouches of nude mice for 14 weeks. After 14 weeks, seven of eight experimental specimens (chips with viable chondrocytes) demonstrated bridging of the incision assessed by gross inspection and manual distraction. All the control groups were markedly different from the experimental group in that the incision remained grossly visible. Histological analysis was consistent with the differences apparent at the gross level. Only the experimental specimens (chips with viable chondrocytes) with gross bridging demonstrated obliteration of the interface between incision and scaffold. None of the control specimens revealed any cells or tissue filling the incision. Tissue engineering using scaffolds and viable cells may have an application in meniscal repair in vivo. © 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
The zebrafish as a model visual system
Authors: Bilotta Joseph , Saszik Shannon
Published: July 2002

The zebrafish has bacome an important vertebrate model in developmental neuroscience because it is a useful model for embryology, developmental biology, and genetic analysis. The similarities of its visual system to that of other vertebrates also make this animal a valuable model in vision science. The anatomical, physiological, and behavioral components of zebrafish visual processing have been studied in adult and in developing zebrafish. Its retinal anatomy continues to develop following hatching, providing an opportunity to correlate the development of retinal structure with visual physiology and behavior. In addition, a number of genetic mutations have been developed which are used to examine the contributions of genetics to visual development and function. This article will provide an overview of studies of zebrafish anatomical, physiological and behavioral processing, and the effects if genetic and environmental manipulations on visual development.
Depression and anxiety as a single disorder: evidence from brain stem auditory evoked potentials
Authors: Kimhi R , Barak Y , Levy D , Elizur A
Published: July 2002

Anxiety and depression are often interlinked as demonstrated by clinical, epidemiological, psychopharmacological and even genetic studies. However, robust biochemical and electrophysiological evidence for linkage or separation of mood and anxiety disorders is scarce. Brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BASEP) can easily and non-invasivly be measured in psychiatric patients and reflect neurophysiological processes in the brain stem. The aim of the present study was to evaluate BASEP in drug-free patients suffering from panic disorder or major depression and to compare these to healthy controls. Patients (n = 26; panic = 16, depression = 10) were diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-III-R criteria assessed by the Hamilton Anxiety and Hamilton Depression Scales, and all underwent 3 weeks of medications washout. All subjects (n = 36) completed the study. N3 latency was decreased in the patient group (P < 0.05), N3-5 interval was lengthened (P < 0.05), the N3 latency correlated with anxiety scores and depression scores correlated with the N3 and N5 latency periods. In conclusion, our small sample demonstrated shared electrophysiological variables in panic disorder and depression, further supporting the concept of spectrum disorder.
A Model Of Exemplary Midwifery Practice: Results Of A Delphi Study
Authors: Kennedy Holly Powell
Published: July 2002

What is unique and exemplary about the midwifery model of care? Does exemplary midwifery care result in improved outcomes for the recipient(s) of that care? These are the questions that the profession of midwifery grapples with today within the context of a changing health care arena. Exemplary midwives, and women who had received their care, came to consensus about these issues in a Delphi study.

A model of exemplary midwifery care is presented based on the identification of essential elements aligned within three dimensions: therapeutics, caring, and the profession of midwifery. Supporting the normalcy of pregnancy and birth, vigilance and attention to detail, and respecting the uniqueness of the woman, were several of many processes of care identified. The critical difference that emerged was the art of doing “nothing” well. By ensuring that normalcy continued through vigilant and attentive care, the midwives were content to foster the normal processes of labor and birth, intervening and using technology only when the individual situation required. Health care, whether in the gynecologic setting or during pregnancy, was geared to help the woman achieve a level of control of the process and outcome. The ultimate outcomes were optimal health in the given situation, and the experience of health care that is both respectful and empowering. The model provides structure for future research on the unique aspects of midwifery care to support its correlation with excellent outcomes and value in health care economics.
Jews
Authors: Gruen Erich S.
Published: December 2020

The Jews had a long history of dwelling under the hegemony of greater powers. After the end of the Davidic Dynasty, they fell beneath the shadow of a succession of overlords, whether near or far: Babylonians, Persians, Ptolemies, Seleucids, and Romans. A form of autonomy existed briefly for the Jews in the time of the Hasmoneans and Herod, but even that was cramped by the need to peer regularly over their shoulders at, and seek the collaboration of, either Seleucids or Romans. Under the circumstances, how would Jews formulate and express a sense of their own identity in the larger world of the Mediterranean and Near East – where they regularly played a subordinate role?
Fast Permeation of Small Ions in Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Buchsbaum Steven F. , Jue Melinda L. , Sawvel April M. , Chen Chiatai , Meshot Eric R. , Park Sei Jin , Wood Marissa , Wu Kuang Jen , Bilodeau Camille L. , Aydin Fikret , Pham Tuan Anh , Lau Edmond Y. , Fornasiero Francesco
Published: December 2020

Simulations and experiments have revealed enormous transport rates through carbon nanotube (CNT) channels when a pressure gradient drives fluid flow, but comparatively little attention has been given to concentration‐driven transport despite its importance in many fields. Here, membranes are fabricated with a known number of single‐walled CNTs as fluid transport pathways to precisely quantify the diffusive flow through CNTs. Contrary to early experimental studies that assumed bulk or hindered diffusion, measurements in this work indicate that the permeability of small ions through single‐walled CNT channels is more than an order of magnitude higher than through the bulk. This flow enhancement scales with the ion free energy of transfer from bulk solutions to a nanoconfined, lower‐dielectric environment. Reported results suggest that CNT membranes can unlock dialysis processes with unprecedented efficiency.
Controllable Cell Deformation Using Acoustic Streaming for Membrane Permeability Modulation
Authors: Guo Xinyi , Sun Mengjie , Yang Yang , Xu Huihui , Liu Ji , He Shan , Wang Yanyan , Xu Linyan , Pang Wei , Duan Xuexin
Published: December 2020

Hydrodynamic force loading platforms for controllable cell mechanical deformation play an essential role in modern cell technologies. Current systems require assistance from specific microstructures thus limiting the controllability and flexibility in cell shape modulation, and studies on real‐time 3D cell morphology analysis are still absent. This article presents a novel platform based on acoustic streaming generated from a gigahertz device for cell shape control and real‐time cell deformation analysis. Details in cell deformation and the restoration process are thoroughly studied on the platform, and cell behavior control at the microscale is successfully achieved by tuning the treating time, intensity, and wave form of the streaming. The application of this platform in cell membrane permeability modulation and analysis is also exploited. Based on the membrane reorganization during cell deformation, the effects of deformation extent and deformation patterns on membrane permeability to micro‐ and macromolecules are revealed. This technology has shown its unique superiorities in cell mechanical manipulation such as high flexibility, high accuracy, and pure fluid force operation, indicating its promising prospect as a reliable tool for cell property study and drug therapy development.
Revelations of ancient head shape: Cranial modification in the Cuzco region of Peru, Early Horizon to Inca Imperial Period
Authors: Andrushko Valerie A.
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Cranial vault modification (CVM), the intentional reshaping of the head, indicated group affiliation in prehistoric Andean South America. This study aims to analyze CVM data from the Cuzco region of Peru to illuminate patterns of early migration and settlement along with the later impact of the Inca Empire (AD 1438–1532) on the ethnic landscape.

Materials and Methods

419 individuals from 10 archaeological sites spanning over 2300 years were assessed for CVM using morphological analysis.

Results

CVM patterns show distinct temporal attributes: the tabular type of modification appeared first and dominated the early sample (900 BC–AD 600), followed by an influx of unmodified crania during the Middle Horizon (AD 600–1000). The annular type appeared later during the Late Intermediate Period (AD 1000–1438). In the subsequent period of Inca imperialism, modification rates were higher at sites in the Cuzco countryside than in Cuzco city sites.

Discussion

The study results, combined with archaeological and ethnohistoric data, reveal the sociopolitical transformations that occurred prior to and during the rise of the Inca Empire. The influx of unmodified crania during the Middle Horizon resulted at least partly from Wari occupation, while the appearance of the annular type during the LIP points to migration into the area, possibly from the Lake Titicaca region. In the Inca Imperial Period, Inca individuals at Cuzco city sites refrained from modification as a sign of their ethnic identity, while modification patterns in the Cuzco countryside likely reflect state‐coerced resettlement of different ethnic groups.
Weighted estimators of the complier average causal effect on restricted mean survival time with observed instrument–outcome confounders
Authors: Dharmarajan Sai H. , Li Yun , Lehmann Douglas , Schaubel Douglas E.
Published: December 2020

A major concern in any observational study is unmeasured confounding of the relationship between a treatment and outcome of interest. Instrumental variable (IV) analysis methods are able to control for unmeasured confounding. However, IV analysis methods developed for censored time‐to‐event data tend to rely on assumptions that may not be reasonable in many practical applications, making them unsuitable for use in observational studies. In this report, we develop weighted estimators of the complier average causal effect (CACE) on the restricted mean survival time in the overall population as well as in an evenly matchable population (CACE‐m). Our method is able to accommodate instrument–outcome confounding and adjust for covariate‐dependent censoring, making it particularly suited for causal inference from observational studies. We establish the asymptotic properties and derive easily implementable asymptotic variance estimators for the proposed estimators. Through simulation studies, we show that the proposed estimators tend to be more efficient than instrument propensity score matching‐based estimators or IPIW estimators. We apply our method to compare dialytic modality‐specific survival for end stage renal disease patients using data from the U.S. Renal Data System.
A‐ and B‐type starch granules from wheat exhibiting weak, medium, and strong gluten: An investigation of physicochemical, morphological, and in vitro digestion properties
Authors: Colussi Rosana , Dias Antunes Mariana , Gutkoski Luiz Carlos , Vanier Nathan Levien , Zavareze Elessandra da Rosa , Dias Alvaro Renato Guerra
Published: December 2020

Background and objectives

In this study, the characteristics of A‐ and B‐type starch granules from three wheat cultivars exhibiting weak, medium, and strong gluten forces were investigated. It was analyzed the wheat flour chemical composition and gluten content, wet starch extraction yield, and the physicochemical, morphological, and digestion properties of isolated A‐ and B‐type starch granules. The starches were characterized for swelling power, solubility, pasting properties, gel texture profile, thermal properties, relative crystallinity, morphology, and in vitro starch digestibility.

Findings

The starch extraction yield was higher for the wheat sample exhibiting weak gluten force, followed by the samples with medium and strong gluten. There was no difference between the A‐ and B‐type starch granules regarding starch extraction yield. The wheat starch physicochemical properties varied depending on gluten force and starch granule size, specified as A‐type or B‐type. Weak gluten‐containing wheat starch displayed a slower glucose release compared with the medium‐ and strong gluten‐containing samples. A‐type granules exhibited slower in vitro starch digestibility and digestion rate in the small intestine in all cultivars.

Conclusions

The obtained results allow a great application diversity of wheat starch granules through their separation based either on the genotype or on the granule size.

Significance and novelty

Starch extraction from wheat with different gluten forces could be an alternative to obtain starch with different characteristics as well as the separation of A‐ and B‐type granules that would fulfill the needs of specific markets.
How are families included in the treatment of adults affected by eating disorders? A scoping review
Authors: Fleming Carmel , Le Brocque Robyne , Healy Karen
Published: December 2020

Objective

The involvement of families in the treatment of adults with eating disorders is recommended as a core component of comprehensive care, yet little is known about the optimal way to implement or routinely facilitate this. This article evaluates the recent evidence on the inclusion of families in treatment programs for adults with eating disorders.

Method

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify evidence of family inclusive treatment approaches for adults with eating disorders. A scoping review framework was applied to assess and synthesize findings.

Results

Sixty‐eight studies were identified. Substantial conceptual research contributing to the theoretical basis of current practice with families of adults with eating disorders and clinical applications in current use were identified. Most research used uncontrolled studies with few experimental designs, reflecting the standing of the extant literature. Common elements of existing approaches have been distinguished and shared core components of interventions identified.

Discussion

Results confirmed that family members of adults were willing to be involved with eating disorder treatment services and appeared to respond to interventions of varying intensity and duration. The impact on individual patients, and effect on treatment outcomes, are yet to be established. The localized settings of existing studies, the homogenous nature of interventions used, and the limited diversity in research subjects, make it difficult to generalize from the results to the wide range of adult eating disorder presentations seen in practice. Suggestions for future research and further clinical developments are discussed.
Financial sector transparency, financial crises and market power: Across‐countryevidence
Authors: Kusi Baah , Agbloyor Elikplimi , Gyeke‐Dako Agyapomaa , Asongu Simplice
Published: December 2020

The study investigates how financial sector transparency moderates the influence of financial crises on bank market power across 75 economies between 2004 and 2014. Using two‐step dynamic system generalized method of moments the study shows that while public sector‐led financial sector transparency reduces bank market power, private sector‐led financial sector transparency promotes bank market power given that private sector‐led transparency gives financial cost advantage to financially sound banks to solidify the market power and dominance. Similarly, while financial crises reduce the market power of banks implying that during financial crises banks lose their market power, financial sector transparency promotes the negative effect of financial crises on bank market power. This implies that during financial crises, financial sector transparency whether enforced through private or public sector, boosts the weakening effect of financial crises on bank market power. These findings imply that regulators can rely on financial transparency to tame bank market power to enhance banking competitiveness. The findings and results are consistent even when country, time and continental effects are controlled for.
Randomized, controlled, clinical trial to evaluate a xenogeneic collagen matrix as an alternative to free gingival grafting for oral soft tissue augmentation: A 6‐ to 8‐year follow‐up
Authors: McGuire Michael K. , Scheyer E. Todd , Lipton David I. , Gunsolley John C.
Published: December 2020

Background

The purpose of this follow up study was to determine if a xenogeneic collagen matrix (CMX) is as effective as free gingival graft (FGG) in preventing further recession 6+ years following vestibuloplasty.

Methods

This study was a single‐blind (examiner), randomized, controlled, split‐mouth study of 30 subjects with insufficient zones of KT (< 2 mm), associated with at least two, paired teeth. The study utilized a within subject treatment comparison to examine non‐inferiority according to primary and secondary endpoints 6+ years after therapy. The original study primary efficacy endpoint was keratinized tissue width (KTw); however, in this report, prevention of recession (Rec) was also examined, along with traditional, secondary clinical measures, histopathology of mucosal biopsies and exploratory, patient reported outcomes (PROs) for pain and satisfaction.

Results

A total of 23 of the 30 original, study patients were available for 6 to 8‐year postoperative assessment, and these patients were representative of the original patient population. For preventing further Rec, CMX was not inferior to FGG (ΔRec = −0.07 ± 1.26 mm for CMX and −0.17 ± 0.78 mm for FGG, P = 0.710). There were no adverse results observed, and histological assessment indicated normal, keratinized gingiva for both therapies. Tissue texture and color match to surrounding, native tissues were significantly better for CMX, and patients preferred CMX over FGG therapy.

Conclusions

CMX appears to be a suitable substitute for FGG 6+ years after therapy.
Estimating posterior quantity of interest expectations in a multilevel scalable framework
Authors: Fairbanks Hillary R. , Osborn Sarah , Vassilevski Panayot S.
Published: December 2020

Scalable approaches for uncertainty quantification are necessary for characterizing prediction confidence in large‐scale subsurface flow simulations with uncertain permeability. To this end we explore a multilevel Monte Carlo approach for estimating posterior moments of a particular quantity of interest, where we employ an element‐agglomerated algebraic multigrid (AMG) technique to generate the hierarchy of coarse spaces with guaranteed approximation properties for both the generation of spatially correlated random fields and the forward simulation of Darcy's law to model subsurface flow. In both these components (sampling and forward solves), we exploit solvers that rely on state‐of‐the‐art scalable AMG. To showcase the applicability of this approach, numerical tests are performed on two 3D examples—a unit cube and an egg‐shaped domain with an irregular boundary—where the scalability of each simulation as well as the scalability of the overall algorithm are demonstrated.
Effect of nickel phytate on flame retardancy of intumescent flame retardant polylactic acid
Authors: Gong Weiguang , Fan Min , Luo Ji , Liang Juan , Meng Xin
Published: December 2020

Biodegradable polymers with flame retardancy have aroused great interest in the fabrication of biobased flame retardants. In this study, nickel phytate (PA‐Ni) was prepared by reaction of phytic acid from plant seeds with nickel acetate in water and then used as flame retardant added into polylactic acid (PLA) with intumescent flame retardant (IFR). With the loading of 4 wt% PA‐Ni and 11 wt% IFR, the resulted PLA composite can achieve a UL94 V‐0 test rating. The results show that the pHRR of PLA/11IFR/4PA‐Ni decreases by 62.3% compared with that of virgin PLA and residual char increases significantly. The flame retardant mechanism was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy–energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It is showed that PA‐Ni can improve the formation of continuous and compact char residues, and phosphorus‐containing compounds can act as a radical scavenger to quench free radicals generated during combustion, suggesting that gas‐phase flame retarded mechanism coexists with condensing phase flame retarded mechanism.
An effective method for delayed migration of dripping agent from linear low‐density polyethylene films
Authors: Yang Siqi , Zhu Dantong , Yang Fanghong , Li Wenfei , Yao Zhanhai , Liu Bingwei
Published: December 2020

Dripping agents are incorporated into polyethylene films to improve the hydrophility of the film surface and minimize the effects of fogging. A reactive‐type of dripping agent, 18,alkyl diethanolamine acrylic monoester (EDM), was synthesized and then grafted onto layered double hydroxides (LDHs) to delay its migration, which is due to the large size of LDHs. Then, the LDH‐g‐EDM compound was added to linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE), and dripping films were prepared for studying their properties. Mechanical properties, light transmission properties, elongational rheology properties, and thermal properties of LLDPE/EDM and LLDPE/LDHs‐g‐EDM films were determined. The contact angle of LLDPE/EDM film could reach 31.4° when the content of EDM was 2.0 wt%. Accelerated dripping experiments showed that the duration of dripping of the LLDPE/LDH‐g‐EDM film at 60 °C was prolonged to 18 days when the content of LDH was 0.6 wt% of the LLDPE matrix. This indicates that grafting EDM onto LDHs could delay its outward migration in LLDPE films.
Performance of nasal methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus screening for intra‐abdominal infections in critically ill adult patients
Authors: Bennett Sean , Mullen Chanda , Mistry Bhavin , Cucci Michaelia
Published: December 2020

Study Objective

Intra‐abdominal infections (IAIs) are a common reason for intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an uncommon pathogen in IAIs. Although more data are available in the setting of non‐abdominal sources, there are limited data on the performance of nasal MRSA screening for MRSA IAIs. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of nasal MRSA screening for MRSA IAIs in critically ill adult patients.

Design

This was a multicenter, retrospective, cohort study.

Setting

A 14‐hospital healthcare system between January 1, 2014, and August 31, 2019.

Patients

Adult patients admitted to an ICU for at least 24 h with a diagnosis code for an IAI, a nasal MRSA surveillance screen within 30 days, and an intra‐abdominal culture were eligible for inclusion.

Intervention

The primary outcome was to evaluate the performance of nasal MRSA screening for MRSA IAIs by calculating the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV).

Measurements and Main Results

Out of 863 patients randomly screened, a total of 192 patients were included. The study population had a mean age of 60 (SD ±15) years, and 101 (53%) patients were male. Six (3.1%) patients were positive for an MRSA IAI, of which four (66.7%) demonstrated a positive nasal MRSA screen. A total of 186 (96.8%) patients were negative for a MRSA IAI, of which 19 (10.2%) were nasal MRSA‐positive and 167 (89.8%) were nasal MRSA‐negative. Nasal MRSA screening demonstrated the following performance: accuracy 89.1% (95% CI: 83.8%–93.1%), sensitivity 66.7% (95% CI: 22.3%–95.7%), specificity 89.8% (95% CI: 84.5%–93.7%), PPV 17.4% (95% CI: 9.4%–30.0%), and NPV 98.8% (95% CI: 96.4%–99.6%). There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes, including renal replacement‐free days, ICU and hospital length of stay, and in‐hospital mortality.

Conclusions

Among critically ill adult patients with IAIs, a negative nasal MRSA screen within 30 days may help to empirically exclude MRSA as a causative pathogen.
Dissecting molecular details and functional effects of the high‐affinity copper binding site in plasminogen activator Inhibitor‐1
Authors: Chu Yuzhuo , Bucci Joel C. , Peterson Cynthia B.
Published: December 2020

Plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) is the primary inhibitor for plasminogen activators, tissue‐type plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (uPA). As a unique member in the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) family, PAI‐1 is metastable and converts to an inactive, latent structure with a half‐life of 1–2 hr under physiological conditions. Unusual effects of metals on the rate of the latency conversion are incompletely understood. Previous work has identified two residues near the N‐terminus, H2 and H3, which reside in a high‐affinity copper‐binding site in PAI‐1 [Bucci JC, McClintock CS, Chu Y, Ware GL, McConnell KD, Emerson JP, Peterson CB (2017) J Biol Inorg Chem 22:1123–1,135]. In this study, neighboring residues, H10, E81, and H364, were tested as possible sites that participate in Cu(II) coordination at the high‐affinity site. Kinetic methods, gel sensitivity assays, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) revealed that E81 and H364 have different roles in coordinating metal and mediating the stability of PAI‐1. H364 provides a third histidine in the metal‐coordination sphere with H2 and H3. In contrast, E81 does not appear to be required for metal ligation along with histidines; contacts made by the side‐chain carboxylate upon metal binding are perturbed and, in turn, influence dynamic fluctuations within the region encompassing helices D, E, and F and the W86 loop that are important in the pathway for the PAI‐1 latency conversion. This investigation underscores a prominent role of protein dynamics, noncovalent bonding networks and ligand binding in controlling the stability of the active form of PAI‐1.
Simple and rapid analysis of acetaminophen in human autopsy samples by vortex‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction‐thin layer chromatography‐image analysis
Authors: Jain Rajeev , Kumari Aparna , Khatri Indu
Published: December 2020

In the present work, we describe a simple, rapid, cost‐effective, environmentally friendly and high‐sample‐throughput analytical method based on coupling vortex‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction with thin layer chromatography analysis for quantitative determination of acetaminophen in whole human blood and tissues of stomach and liver. Followed by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction, 20 μL of sedimented phase (chloroform) was spotted on a thin layer chromatography plate and developed with mobile phase of chloroform: acetone (8:2, v/v). The developed plate was photographed under ultraviolet chamber at 254 nm and the image was processed for quantification of spots using freely available ImageJ software. Under the optimized conditions, the limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be in the range of 7.74–8.33 and 23.4–25.2 μg/spot, respectively. The method was found to be linear in the range of 30–300 μg/spot with a coefficient of determination of 0.996 and 0.998 in blood and tissue, respectively. The developed method has been successfully applied for the determination of acetaminophen in autopsy samples from a case of acetaminophen overdose. The method does not require any sophisticated high‐end instrumentation and can be routinely applied for determination of acetaminophen in complex biological samples in resource‐limited laboratories.
Erratum to: Probing the holographic dilaton
Authors: Elander Daniel , Piai Maurizio , Roughley John
Published: December 2020

Equation (3.24) contains a typo, the right-hand-side needs to be divided by 4. Figures 4 and 5 have been improved, and the cutoff artefacts are not visible any more. The caption of figure 5 has been amended accordingly.
Resolving modular flow: a toolkit for free fermions
Authors: Erdmenger Johanna , Fries Pascal , Reyes Ignacio A. , Simon Christian P.
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Modular flow is a symmetry of the algebra of observables associated to space-time regions. Being closely related to entanglement, it has played a key role in recent connections between information theory, QFT and gravity. However, little is known about its action beyond highly symmetric cases. The key idea of this work is to introduce a new formula for modular flows for free chiral fermions in 1 + 1 dimensions, working directly from the resolvent, a standard technique in complex analysis. We present novel results — not fixed by conformal symmetry — for disjoint regions on the plane, cylinder and torus. Depending on temperature and boundary conditions, these display different behaviour ranging from purely local to non-local in relation to the mixing of operators at spacelike separation. We find the modular two-point function, whose analytic structure is in precise agreement with the KMS condition that governs modular evolution. Our ready-to-use formulae may provide new ingredients to explore the connection between spacetime and entanglement.
Correction to: Gas turbine computational flow and structure analysis with isogeometric discretization and a complex-geometry mesh generation method
Authors: Bazilevs Yuri , Takizawa Kenji , Wu Michael C. H. , Kuraishi Takashi , Avsar Reha , Xu Zhaojing , Tezduyar Tayfun E.
Published: December 2020

An earlier version of this article included a number of typesetting mistakes. These were corrected on October 16, 2020. The publisher apologizes for the errors made during production. The symbol “Λn” was incorrectly published as “Γn” in equations 46 and 47. The correct equations are provided in this correction.
Kasuistik: Management eines limbalen Carcinoma in situ der Bindehaut
Authors: Brinkmann Max , Grisanti Salvatore , Fleischer Mariella , Mohi Armin
Published: December 2020

Das Carcinoma in situ (CIS) der Bindehaut stellt einen der häufigsten okulären Tumoren dar. Neben der klassischen chirurgischen Therapie besteht die Möglichkeit der Anwendung von Chemotherapeutika adjuvant oder als Monotherapie. Wir behandelten einen Patienten mit einem limbalen CIS ausschließlich konservativ mittels Applikation von Mitomycin(MMC)-Augentropfen. Drei Monate nach Abschluss zeigte sich kein Hinweis auf Dysplasien oder Malignität, und auch nach 12 Monaten ergab sich kein klinischer Hinweis auf ein Rezidiv. Bei der Therapie steht zwar weiterhin die chirurgische Sanierung im Vordergrund, in den letzten 15 Jahren zeigt sich jedoch ein Trend zu topischen Chemotherapeutika primär oder adjuvant bei einer Resektion nicht im Gesunden. Das Nebenwirkungspotenzial sowie der infrastrukturelle Aufwand sollten dabei stets berücksichtigt werden.
Nation-state attacks: the escalating menace
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: December 2020

Cyber attacks by nation states, or groups acting on their behalf, are as old as hacking itself. The cyber realm quickly established itself as a natural extension of intelligence operations and even replaced old-school spying in many cases. Increasingly it is also seen as an integrated part of, and most likely a precursor to, conventional military operations. But what does this mean for enterprises, big and small? As Dave Klein, senior director of cybersec engineering & architecture at Guardicore, explains in this interview, even if you think your business is an unlikely target for such attacks, you could be at risk.

Cyber attacks by nation states, or groups acting on their behalf, are as old as hacking itself.

The cyber realm quickly established itself as a natural extension of intelligence operations. Increasingly it is also seen as an integrated part of conventional military operations. But what does this mean for enterprises, big and small? As Dave Klein of Guardicore explains in this interview, even if you think your business is an unlikely target for such attacks, you could be at risk.
Where conventional security control validation falls short when evaluating organisational threats
Authors: Evangelakos Gus
Published: December 2020

Information security challenges seem to grow more difficult every year – and that state of affairs is unlikely to change any time soon. In addition to the uneven playing field that defenders inhabit (attackers need only be right once, while defenders must be right every time), external events have conspired to make modern information security a more difficult task.
Assessing the impact of remote work during COVID-19 on clinical and translational scientists and staff in Colorado
Authors: Gilmartin Heather M. , Connelly Brigid , Hebbe Annika , Battaglia Catherine , Kwan Bethany M.
Published: December 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has required many clinical and translational scientists and staff to work remotely to prevent the spread of the virus. To understand the impact on research programs, we assessed barriers to remote work and strategies implemented to support virtual engagement and productivity. A mixed-methods RedCap survey querying the remote work experience was emailed to Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) scientists and staff in April 2020. Descriptive analyses, Fisher’s Exact tests, and content analysis were conducted. Respondents (n = 322) were primarily female (n = 240; 75%), 21–73 years old (mean = 42 years) with a PhD (n = 139; 44%) or MD (n = 56; 55%). Prior to COVID-19, 77% (n = 246) never or rarely (0–1 day a week) worked remotely. Remote work somewhat or greatly interfered with 76% (n = 244) of researchers’ programs and 71% (n = 231) reported slowing or stopping their research. Common barriers included missing interactions with colleagues (n = 198; 62%) and the absence of routines (n = 137; 43%). Strategies included videoconferencing (n = 283; 88%), altering timelines and expectations (n = 180; 56%). Scientists and staff experienced interference with their research when they shifted to remote work, causing many to slow or stop research programs. Methods to enhance communication and relationships, support productivity, and collectively cope during remote work are available.
The exceptionalism of risk: Trump's Wall and travel ban
Authors: Clapton William
Published: December 2020

Risk has recently become a core aspect of the study and practice of security. This raises the question of how the governing of security issues has changed and how risk is situatedvis-à-visother approaches, particularly securitisation theory. One approach is to distinguish securitisation and risk within typologies of ideal-type logics of security, which suggest that while both are useful, securitisation and risk are fundamentally different. One of the crucial distinctions made here is that risk is geared towards the longer-term, routine, and ‘normal’ governance of security issues, while securitisation involves the employment of exceptional measures justified via invocations of existential threat. This article interrogates this distinction, arguing that the division between risk as the normal or routine and securitisation as the exceptional is not as clear as has been suggested in either theory or practice. Risk can and repeatedly has resulted in exceptionalism. This argument is demonstrated empirically through an analysis of the immigration practices and policies of the Trump administration, particularly the travel ban and the declaration of a national emergency to fund construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border.
Characterizing and Assessing Temporal Heterogeneity: Introducing a Change Point Framework, with Applications on the Study of Democratization
Authors: Hermansen Gudmund Horn , Knutsen Carl Henrik , Nygård Håvard Mokleiv
Published: December 2020

Various theories in political science point to temporal heterogeneity in relationships of interest. Yet, empirical research typically ignores such heterogeneity or employs fairly crude measures to evaluate it. Advances in models for change point detection offer opportunities to study temporal heterogeneity more carefully. We customize a recent such method for political science purposes, for instance so that it accommodates panel data, and provide an accompanying R-package. We evaluate the methodology, and how it behaves when different assumptions about the number and abrupt nature of change points are violated, by using simulated data. Importantly, the methodology allows us to evaluate changes to different quantities of interest (for various estimators). It also allows us to provide comprehensive estimates concerning uncertainty in the timing and size of changes. We illustrate the utility of this flexible change point methodology on two types of regression models (Probit and OLS) in two empirical applications. We first re-investigate the proposition by Albertus (2017) that labor-dependent agriculture had a more pronounced negative effect on democratic survival before the “third wave of democratization.” Next, we utilize data extending from the French revolution to the present, from V-Dem, to examine the time-variant nature of the income–democracy relationship.
RADIOCARBON DATING OF A LATE ANTIQUE NECROPOLIS FROM FELANITX (MALLORCA, BALEARIC ISLANDS)
Authors: Mas Florit C , Cau Ontiveros M Á , Van Strydonck M , Boudin M , Cardona F , Munar S
Published: December 2020

The excavation of a building in the village of Felanitx in the eastern part of the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands) has revealed the existence of a small necropolis. The inhumations did not provide grave goods except for a bronze belt buckle for which the typological study suggests a Late Antique chronology. The stratigraphical sequence however seems to suggest a possible evolution of the space across time since some graves are cut by others. In order to obtain an absolute date for the necropolis and to verify if there are chronological differences between the graves, a total of 6 human bones samples have been14C dated by AMS. The results of the radiocarbon dating confirm a Late Antique chronology (4th to 7th century AD) for the graves but do not suggest a chronological evolution. Despite the fact that the knowledge of the necropolis is still fragmentary, the results are extremely important because they provide an absolute date for a Late Antique necropolis in the Mallorcan rural area.
Democracy, Autocracy, and Everything in Between: How Domestic Institutions Affect Environmental Protection
Authors: von Stein Jana
Published: December 2020

As major global challenges intensify in the twenty-first century, which domestic institutions will best enable countries to take decisive and positive action? This article explores this question in the realm of environmental policy. Scholars and practitioners have long argued that ‘democracy’ yields the best environmental outcomes, but others now maintain that ‘eco-authoritarianism’ may be the best way forward. The author unpacks the theoretical mechanisms behind these debates, and adds important nuance in making three arguments. First, the link between elections and eco-policy depends on what citizens want. Secondly, the relationship between civil liberties protections and environmentalism depends on which actors within society hold power. Finally, political constraints make environmental policy change – be it environmentally friendly or damaging – more difficult. The study empirically tests these arguments and finds strong support for the expectations regarding elections and civil liberties. There is only limited evidence that constraints stymie eco-policy change.
Lawyers in transition – Palestinian Arab lawyers in the first decade of the Jewish state
Authors: Amir Gal , Ben Ze'ev Na'ama
Published: December 2020

This article traces the careers of 12 Palestinian Arab lawyers who practised law during the last years of the British Mandate in Palestine (1920–1948), and who became Israeli citizens after 1948. The State of Israel made efforts to limit the professional practice of Palestinian lawyers and to supervise them. Yet, despite the pressures, most of them continued their legal practice and became active in the Israeli public sphere. We show that the Palestinian lawyers’ struggle to maintain their practice in Israel was used to assert autonomy for the legal profession, and concurrently, it was perceived as a touchstone for minority civil rights in the state.
Law and Gospel Order: resolving commercial disputes in colonial Philadelphia
Authors: Sahle Esther
Published: December 2020

Trade in the early modern Atlantic grew a great deal. While acknowledging that this growth had important economic, social and cultural consequences, scholars have yet to fully explain its causes. This paper argues that formal religious institutions were key. Based on records from colonial Philadelphia, it shows how the Quaker meeting created a legal forum to resolve commercial disputes. The meeting enforced its verdicts by gathering and disseminating information about disputes locally and across the Atlantic world through the Society of Friends’ formal organisation of meetings. Thereby, it re-enforced reputation mechanisms, facilitating the expansion of Philadelphia's trade.
Reflections
Authors: Hayhoe Ruth
Published: December 2020

These reflections were invited by the editors of this special issue to provide a frame for analysing the significance of this set of articles on “Higher education and the state in Greater China.” They are framed around the three elements of modernity identified by Francis Fukuyama in his book The Origins of Political Order – the modern state, the rule of law and accountable government. They also highlight comparative dimensions among the three societies of Greater China.
THE “BORDERS” OF BRITISH HONDURAS AND THE SAN PEDRO MAYA OF KAXIL UINIC VILLAGE
Authors: Houk Brett A. , Bonorden Brooke
Published: December 2020

Having fled the violence of the Caste War in Mexico (1847−1901), the San Pedro Maya occupied nearly two dozen small villages in the forests of western British Honduras and the northeastern Peten from the 1850s to the 1930s. With no physically demarcated borders between British Honduras and its neighbors present prior to the late 1880s, archival and archaeological data demonstrate that the San Pedro Maya moved freely through the lightly populated forests of the area. Ultimately, however, the San Pedro Maya's ambivalence toward the border between British Honduras and Guatemala provided the Belize Estate and Produce Company (BEC) with an excuse to evict them from their villages in the 1930s. In this article, we present archival information and archaeological data from Kaxil Uinic, a small San Pedro Maya village in British Honduras, to examine the following issues: the conflicting views of the border held by the San Pedro Maya and their colonial counterparts; the evidence for ties between Kaxil Uinic and Icaiche, Mexico; and the roles chicle smuggling and commercial logging had in the eviction of the San Pedro Maya from BEC lands.