bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shale structure implication in hydraulic fracturing production results: Case study in low resistivity low quality reservoir, offshore North West Java area
Authors: Kusuma D P , Haris A , Astuti T R P , Wibowo R A , Riyanto A , Saputra L I
Published: April 2020

Low-resistivity & low-quality reservoir has been successfully developed in ONWJ area by using hydraulic fracturing stimulation method to optimize production gain due to low-permeability reservoir property. The purpose of this research is to understand implication of shale structure for increasing gain production after hydraulic fracturing stimulation. Implementation of hydraulic fracturing was first completed at BerylE-1 and the well could produce 455 BOPD at 560 psi in reservoir 33 and 35. This reservoir was found in Upper Cibulakan Formation that consists of various lithology’s such as very fine-grained sandstone, shale, siltstone & thin tight carbonate that deposited in shallow marine neritic to littoral environment. Production anomaly occurs after hydraulic fracturing stimulation. Some of well in this reservoir show good incremental production, but in the other well there was no significantly incremental production in this reservoir. There were three types of shale structure classification based on effective porosity distribution: laminated shale, structural shale and dispersed shale. Shale structure for each well has been defined based on Thomas Stieber plot and calibrated using petrographic analysis from 8 sample depth point. Based on this method, reservoir 33 is dominated by structural shale while reservoir 35 is dominated by laminar shale. Production data and shale type from each well has been compared and it shows that hydraulic fracturing simulation will increase effective porosity and will also increase effective permeability value. In BerylD-1 well hydraulic fracturing only completed in reservoir 35 and produced 340 BOPD with initial water cut 0 %. Laminar shale that dominates in reservoir 35 has high factor to increasing production gain after hydraulic fracturing was applied. Release of clay that caused by hydraulic fracturing will increase effective porosity and permeability.
Estimation of rice productivity using Sentinel-2 imagery with NDVI algorithm in Cariu sub-district, Bogor, West Java
Authors: Sahararini A F , Supriatna  , Wibowo A
Published: April 2020

Cariu Sub-District is one of the leading rice producers in Bogor Regency, West Java, Indonesia and in a population of 45,921 in 2017 with a population growth rate of 0.64% based on projection results. The consequence of the increasing population growth rate is increasing rice consumption. Cariu Sub-District has not been able to self-sufficient food. In 2017, Cariu Sub-District had 5,107 hectares of rice harvested area with the productivity of 5.99 ton/hectares. Therefore, it is important to update information about rice planting areas in order to estimate its productivity accurately and to maintain Indonesian especially Cariu Sub-District food needs. This study aims to estimate the rice productivity in Cariu Sub-District, Bogor in 2017 using Sentinel-2 imagery based on remote sensing. In this study, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) method used for determines the rice growth phase. The result shows that the Sentinel-2 image utilization with NDVI algorithm can estimate rice productivity in 2017 in Cariu Sub-District. It was expected that the rice productivity obtained is almost by the data from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry in the Cariu Sub-District.
Estimation of erosion rate in Cileungsi upper watershed Bogor Regency
Authors: Widyasa P A , Kusratmoko E , Marko K
Published: April 2020

Land use of upper watersheds Cileungsi located in Bogor, West Java has always progressed from year to year due to increased human activities that have an impact on land degradation such as erosion. Soil erosion in Java estimated the loss of US $400 million per year. This study aims to estimate of erosion rate by using the Modify Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) is already integrated into the modeling Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). SWAT can provide simulation results based on the physical characteristics of the Hydrological Response Unit (HRU) that is considering climate parameters such as rainfall, temperature, solar radiation, humidity, and wind speed. The results showed that the highest rate of erosion on the upstream sub-basin 15 (Ci Janggel) to contribute to the erosion of 184 tons/ha/year classified as heavy erosion. The high rate of erosion occurs on the characteristics of the area with 25–45 % of slope, clay loam soils, land use, and agricultural drylands.
Water quality analysis of Saluran Tarum Barat, West Java, based on National Sanitation Foundation-Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI)
Authors: Cristable R M , Nurdin E , Wardhana W
Published: April 2020

The Saluran Tarum Barat, which is 68.74 kilometers long, starts in Klari, Karawang, West Java, and ends in Cawang, East Jakarta. The Saluran Tarum Barat runs alongside human activities and various environmental conditions. The initial part of the Saluran Tarum Barat is surrounded by agricultural activities, the central part by industrial activities, and the final part by infrastructure development activities. Those various activities and environmental conditions may have different effects on the water quality of the Saluran Tarum Barat. The purpose of this research is to ascertainthe water quality of the Saluran Tarum Barat based on physical, chemical, and biological parameters determined through the National Sanitation Foundation-Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI) method. The results showed that the water quality is classified in the medium category, with a value range of 55.06–67.92.
Exposure pattern of tobacco cultivation places due to climate change in Probolinggo district, East Java
Authors: Sobirin  , Dzikraini F , Indra T L
Published: April 2020

Probolinggo District is one of the centers of tobacco producer in Indonesia, paiton tobacco as local varieties included in dry season type of tobacco (Voor Oogst). Rainfall as well as dry season dynamics in 2015 and 2016 which had already been global, is affected tobacco cultivation and additional values to farmers in Probolinggo district. This research has purpose to identify the exposure patterns of tobacco cultivation places in Probolinggo district related to climate change. Based on daily rainfall data during 1990–2016 from 50 rain gauge stations, parameters of exposure due to climate change are processed by using de Boer method and mapped by using Thiessen polygon method. Determination of level of exposure places are done by scoring method and map overlay technique, then associated with landuse. The analysis results showed that exposure pattern with low level tend to be in the coastal areas and lowlands, stretching from West to East. The higher elevation is, the higher level of exposure places.
Second order splitting of a class of fourth order PDEs with point constraints
Authors: Elliott Charles , Herbert Philip
Published: April 2020

We formulate a well-posedness and approximation theory for a class of generalised saddle point problems with a specific form of constraints. In this way we develop an approach to a class of fourth order elliptic partial differential equations with point constraints using the idea of splitting into coupled second order equations. An approach is formulated using a penalty method to impose the constraints. Our main motivation is to treat certain fourth order equations involving the biharmonic operator and point Dirichlet constraints for example arising in the modelling of biomembranes on curved and flat surfaces but the approach may be applied more generally. The theory for well-posedness and approximation is presented in an abstract setting. Several examples are described together with some numerical experiments.
Range preserving maps between the spaces of continuous functions with values in a locally convex space
Authors: Enami Yuta
Published: April 2020

Let

C
(
X
,
E
)

C(X,E)

be the linear space of all continuous functions on a compact Hausdorff space

X
X

with values in a locally convex space

E
E

. We characterize maps

T
:
C
(
X
,
E
)
→
C
(
Y
,
E
)

T:C(X,E)\to C(Y,E)

which satisfy

R
a
n

(
T
F
−
T
G
)
⊂

R
a
n

(
F
−
G
)

\mathrm {Ran}(TF-TG)\subset \mathrm {Ran}(F-G)

for all

F
,
G
∈
C
(
X
,
E
)

F,G\in C(X,E)

.
On Popa’s factorial commutant embedding problem
Authors: Goldbring Isaac
Published: April 2020

An open question of Sorin Popa asks whether or not every

R

U

\mathcal {R}^{\mathcal {U}}

-embeddable factor admits an embedding into

R

U

\mathcal {R}^{\mathcal {U}}

with factorial relative commutant. We show that there is a locally universal McDuff II

1

_1

factor

M
M

such that every property (T) factor admits an embedding into

M

U

M^{\mathcal {U}}

with factorial relative commutant. We also discuss how our strategy could be used to settle Popa’s question for property (T) factors if a certain open question in the model theory of operator algebras has a positive solution.
Xerostomia and polypharmacy among dependent older New Zealanders: a national survey
Authors: Thomson William Murray , Ferguson Catherine Anna , Janssens Barbara E , Kerse Ngaire M , Ting Graeme S , Smith Moira B
Published: April 2020

Background

Medication-induced xerostomia is common in older people. We investigated medication use and xerostomia in dependent older New Zealanders.

Methods

Medication and xerostomia data analysed from a nationally representative survey of dependent older people. Automatic interaction detection analysis identified medications combinations most strongly associated with xerostomia, and then xerostomia was modelled.

Results

Just over half were taking five to nine different medications; one in five was taking 10+. Xerostomia prevalence (29.4%; 95% confidence interval 26.5, 32.5) was higher among the latter and lowest in psychogeriatric patients. After controlling for age and sex, it was higher among people taking any antidepressant, and higher still with a tricyclic antidepressant and either a steroid or an anticholinergic, or among people taking a bronchodilator without prophylactic aspirin.

Conclusions

Health practitioners should work together to ensure that those with xerostomia are managed in a timely and appropriate manner. Medication review is an important component of that.
Steatohepatitis-Like Changes in Hepatocellular Adenoma
Authors: Liu Yongjun , Zen Yoh , Yeh Matthew M
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Our aim was to investigate the frequency of steatohepatitic morphology in hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) and correlate with its clinical parameters and risk factors underlying nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Methods

We examined a series of 41 liver resection specimens diagnosed with HCA for steatohepatitic changes. Background nonneoplastic liver was also evaluated. Clinical records were reviewed for risk factors of NAFLD/NASH.

Results

Six steatohepatitic HCAs (SH-HCAs) were identified, with an overall prevalence of six (14.6%) of 41, of which three were HNF1α inactivated and three were inflammatory, but none were β-catenin mutated. Five of the six patients with SH-HCA had at least one known risk factor for NAFLD/NASH, including obesity (n = 4; 66.7%), diabetes (n = 5; 83.3%), hypertension (n = 3; 50%), and dyslipidemia (n = 1; 16.7%). Compared with the patients without SH-HCA, the patients with SH-HCA had a higher frequency of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Of the six SH-HCAs, background nonneoplastic liver showed significant steatosis in three (50%) cases and steatohepatitic changes in one (16.7%) case.

Conclusions

Approximately 15% of HCAs in our series demonstrated steatohepatitic changes. Lack of such morphology in β-catenin–mutated subtype suggests reassurance in this morphologic variant of HCA.
‘They know they’re not coming back’: resilience through displacement in the riskscape of Southwest Washington, DC
Authors: DiValli Jesse , Perkins Tracy
Published: April 2020

The lack of a strong national US strategy to respond to the threat of climate change places significant responsibility on urban areas to mitigate their risks through resilience planning. However, urban riskscapes include a complex and unequal layering of risks, with historically disadvantaged populations often bearing the brunt of many forms of cumulative risk while realising the fewest benefits from urban amenities. This article contributes to scholarship on resilience planning through an analysis of current development plans and resident perceptions in a neighbourhood in Southwest Washington, DC, by integrating insights on social inequality from the study of urban development, social capital and riskscapes.
Quantifying technical confounders in microbiome studies
Authors: Bartolomaeus Theda U P , Birkner Till , Bartolomaeus Hendrik , Löber Ulrike , Avery Ellen G , Mähler Anja , Weber Daniela , Kochlik Bastian , Balogh András , Wilck Nicola , Boschmann Michael , Müller Dominik N , Markó Lajos , Forslund Sofia K
Published: April 2020

Aims

Recent technical developments have allowed the study of the human microbiome to accelerate at an unprecedented pace. Methodological differences may have considerable impact on the results obtained. Thus, we investigated how different storage, isolation, and DNA extraction methods can influence the characterization of the intestinal microbiome, compared to the impact of true biological signals such as intraindividual variability, nutrition, health, and demographics.

Methods and results

An observative cohort study in 27 healthy subjects was performed. Participants were instructed to collect stool samples twice spaced by a week, using six different methods (naive and Zymo DNA/RNA Shield on dry ice, OMNIgene GUT, RNALater, 95% ethanol, Zymo DNA/RNA Shield at room temperature). DNA extraction from all samples was performed comparatively using QIAamp Power Fecal and ZymoBIOMICS DNA Kits. 16S rRNA sequencing of the gut microbiota as well as qPCRs were performed on the isolated DNA. Metrics included alpha diversity as well as multivariate and univariate comparisons of samples, controlling for covariate patterns computationally. Interindividual differences explained 7.4% of overall microbiome variability, whereas the choice of DNA extraction method explained a further 5.7%. At phylum level, the tested kits differed in their recovery of Gram-positive bacteria, which is reflected in a significantly skewed enterotype distribution.

Conclusion

DNA extraction methods had the highest impact on observed microbiome variability, and were comparable to interindividual differences, thus may spuriously mimic the microbiome signatures of various health and nutrition factors. Conversely, collection methods had a relatively small influence on microbiome composition. The present study provides necessary insight into the technical variables which can lead to divergent results from seemingly similar study designs. We anticipate that these results will contribute to future efforts towards standardization of microbiome quantification procedures in clinical research.
Spatial Distribution of a Tree Trunk Specialist Spider: Relative Role of Landscape Versus Microhabitat Drivers
Authors: Draney Michael L , Doll Jason C , Doerr Lydia R , Houghton Christopher J , Forsythe Patrick S
Published: April 2020

By completely censusing a 1 ha forest dynamics plot it was possible to identify the variables (spider mass, size, sex and tree species, size, and bark roughness) that influenced the spatial distribution of adult Drapetisca alteranda Chamberlin 1909 (Araneae: Linyphiidae), a sheet web spider that specializes in lower tree trunks in North American forests. To account for spatial autocorrelation, a conditional autoregressive random effect was included in the zero-inflated Poisson generalized linear mixed model. Parameters estimated were produced by Bayesian inference with vague prior probability distributions and the best of 16 models were selected using Watanabe-Akaike Information Criterion. The best model showed that larger diameter trees located at higher plot elevations were more likely to have D. alteranda present. Smooth bark tree species such as paper birch and American basswood tended to have the most spiders while rough bark species had the least. The relationship between tree diameter and D. alteranda abundance also varied by tree species. Paper birch and quaking aspen tend to produce a greater slope compared to the other species, indicating that as these trees get larger, the abundance of D. alteranda increases at a higher rate than on other tree species. Spider sex and size were not associated with height on the trunk or tree species selection, nor were they associated with microhabitats such as bark furrow depth. Landscape-level factors largely predict D. alteranda abundance and distribution, suggesting that spatial autocorrelation should be considered when modeling the abundance of even small organisms, such as spiders.
Association of beta-blockers and first-registered heart rhythm in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: real-world data from population-based cohorts across two European countries
Authors: Barcella Carlo A , Eroglu Talip E , Hulleman Michiel , Granfeldt Asger , Souverein Patrick C , Mohr Grimur H , Koster Rudolph W , Wissenberg Mads , de Boer Anthonius , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Folke Fredrik , Blom Marieke T , Gislason Gunnar H , Tan Hanno L ,   for the ESCAPE-NET Investigators
Published: April 2020

Aims

Conflicting results have been reported regarding the effect of beta-blockers on first-registered heart rhythm in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We aimed to establish whether the use of beta-blockers influences first-registered rhythm in OHCA.

Methods and results

We included patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac cause from two large independent OHCA-registries from Denmark and the Netherlands. Beta-blocker use was defined as exposure to either non-selective beta-blockers, β1-selective beta-blockers, or α-β-dual-receptor blockers within 90 days prior to OHCA. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for the association of beta-blockers with first-registered heart rhythm using multivariable logistic regression. We identified 23 834 OHCA-patients in Denmark and 1584 in the Netherlands: 7022 (29.5%) and 519 (32.8%) were treated with beta-blockers, respectively. Use of non-selective beta-blockers, but not β1-selective blockers, was more often associated with non-shockable rhythm than no use of beta-blockers [Denmark: OR 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48–2.52; the Netherlands: OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.15–5.49]. Non-selective beta-blocker use was associated with higher proportion of pulseless electrical activity (PEA) than of shockable rhythm (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.01–5.65); the association with asystole was of similar magnitude, although not statistically significant compared with shockable rhythm (OR 2.34, 95% CI 0.89–6.18; data on PEA and asystole were only available in the Netherlands). Use of α-β-dual-receptor blockers was significantly associated with non-shockable rhythm in Denmark (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.03–1.42) and not significantly in the Netherlands (OR 1.37; 95% CI 0.61–3.07).

Conclusion

Non-selective beta-blockers, but not β1-selective beta-blockers, are associated with non-shockable rhythm in OHCA.
Selective optogenetic stimulation of fibroblasts enables quantification of hetero-cellular coupling to cardiomyocytes in a three-dimensional model of heart tissue
Authors: Funken Maximilian , Bruegmann Tobias , Sasse Philipp
Published: April 2020

Aims

Besides providing mechanical stability, fibroblasts in the heart could modulate the electrical properties of cardiomyocytes. Here, we aim to develop a three-dimensional hetero-cellular model to analyse the electric interaction between fibroblasts and human cardiomyocytes in vitro using selective optogenetic de- or hyperpolarization of fibroblasts.

Methods and results

NIH3T3 cell lines expressing the light-sensitive ion channel Channelrhodopsin2 or the light-induced proton pump Archaerhodopsin were generated for optogenetic depolarization or hyperpolarization, respectively, and characterized by patch clamp. Cardiac bodies consisting of 50% fibroblasts and 50% human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes were analysed by video microscopy and membrane potential was measured with sharp electrodes. Myofibroblast activation in cardiac bodies was enhanced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-stimulation. Connexin-43 expression was analysed by qPCR and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Illumination of Channelrhodopsin2 or Archaerhodopsin expressing fibroblasts induced inward currents and depolarization or outward currents and hyperpolarization. Transforming growth factor-β1-stimulation elevated connexin-43 expression and increased cell–cell coupling between fibroblasts as well as increased basal beating frequency and cardiomyocyte resting membrane potential in cardiac bodies. Illumination of cardiac bodies generated with Channelrhodopsin2 fibroblasts accelerated spontaneous beating, especially after TGF-β1-stimulation. Illumination of cardiac bodies prepared with Archaerhodopsin expressing fibroblasts led to hyperpolarization of cardiomyocytes and complete block of spontaneous beating after TGF-β1-stimulation. Effects of light were significantly smaller without TGF-β1-stimulation.

Conclusion

Transforming growth factor-β1-stimulation leads to increased hetero-cellular coupling and optogenetic hyperpolarization of fibroblasts reduces TGF-β1 induced effects on cardiomyocyte spontaneous activity. Optogenetic membrane potential manipulation selectively in fibroblasts in a new hetero-cellular cardiac body model allows direct quantification of fibroblast–cardiomyocyte coupling in vitro.
NUDT15 genotyping during azathioprine treatment in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: implications for a dose-optimization strategy
Authors: Xu Ye , Qiao Yu-Qi , Li Han-Yang , Zhou Mi , Cai Chen-Wen , Shen Jun , Ran Zhi-Hua
Published: April 2020

Background

NUDT15 R139C is an Asian-prevalent genetic variant related to azathioprine (AZA) intolerance in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, it remains unclear how to utilize the genotyping results to improve the step-up dosing strategy with an already low starting dose in Asian practice.

Methods

Clinical data of eligible IBD patients who received AZA therapy and NUDT15 R139C testing were retrospectively collected. The relationship between NUDT15 genotype, AZA doses, and AZA-induced toxicity and efficacy were comprehensively analysed.

Results

A total of 159 patients were included for toxicity analysis. Compared with the wild genotype, patients heterozygous for R139C are more prone to developing myelotoxicity and alopecia (P = 0.007; P = 0.042). In particular, they had a 5.4-fold risk of developing myelotoxicity when AZA dosage was increased from 25 mg/d to 50 mg/d (P < 0.001). Regarding efficacy, 115 patients who had received AZA for >4 months and maintained clinical remission on AZA monotherapy were included for further analysis. R139C heterozygotes were finally titrated to a significantly lower dose than the wild genotype [median (interquartile range): 0.83 (0.75–0.96) vs 1.04 (0.89–1.33) mg/kg/d, P = 0.001], whereas the clinical remission rates did not differ between groups (P = 0.88).

Conclusions

IBD patients with R139C heterozygote are highly susceptible to AZA-induced myelotoxicity at an escalated dose of 50 mg/d. Thus, they may require a smaller dose increase after a starting dose of 25 mg/d. The final target dose of these patients could be set lower than that of the wild genotypes without compromising efficacy.
Association between advanced paternal age and congenital heart defects: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Joinau-Zoulovits F , Bertille N , Cohen J F , Khoshnood B
Published: April 2020

STUDY QUESTION

Is there an association between advanced paternal age and congenital heart defects (CHD)?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Advanced paternal age is associated with a 16% increase in the overall odds of CHD.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

CHD are the most common congenital malformations. Several risk factors for CHD have been identified in the literature, but the association between advanced paternal age and CHD remains unclear.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

We conducted a systematic literature search on MEDLINE and EMBASE (1960–2019) to identify studies assessing the association between advanced paternal age (≥35 years) and the risk of CHD, unrestrictive of language or sample size. We used a combination of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and free text words such as ‘paternal age’, ‘paternal factors’, ‘father’s age’, ‘parental age’, ‘heart’, ‘cardiac’, ‘cardiovascular’, ‘abnormalities, congenital’, ‘birth defects’, ‘congenital malformations’ and ‘congenital abnormalities’.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

We included observational studies aiming at assessing the association between paternal age and CHD. The included population could be live births, fetal deaths and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly. To be included, studies had to provide either odds ratios (OR) with their 95% confidence interval (CI) or sufficient information to recalculate ORs with 95% CIs per paternal age category. We excluded studies if they had no comparative group and if they were reviews or case reports. Two independent reviewers selected the studies, extracted the data and assessed risk of bias using a modified Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. We used random-effects meta-analysis to produce summary estimates of crude OR. Associations were also tested in subgroups.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Of 191 studies identified, we included nine studies in the meta-analysis (9 917 011 participants, including 34 447 CHD), including four population-based studies. Five studies were judged at low risk of bias. Only one population-based study specifically investigated isolated CHD. The risk of CHD was higher with advanced paternal age (summary OR 1.16, 95% CI, 1.07–1.25). Effect sizes were stable in population-based studies and in those with low risk of bias.

LIMITATIONS AND REASONS FOR CAUTION

The available evidence did not allow to assess (i) the risk of isolated CHD in population-based studies, (ii) the association between paternal age and the risk for specific CHD and (iii) the association between paternal age and CHD after adjustment for other risk factors, such as maternal age.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Our findings suggest that advanced paternal age may be a risk factor for CHD. However, because the association is modest in magnitude, its usefulness as a criterion for targeted screening for CHD seems limited.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

None.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019135061.
Performance of stock assessments for mixed-population fisheries: the illustrative case of Atlantic bluefin tuna
Authors: Morse Molly R , Kerr Lisa A , Galuardi Benjamin , Cadrin Steven X
Published: April 2020

Accounting for movement and mixing in stock assessment is important for managing sustainable fisheries, particularly for highly migratory species. However, many fisheries management approaches continue to use single-stock, single-area models to assess mixed-population stocks that are known to have complex movement dynamics. We evaluated a single-stock, single-area stock assessment model’s performance on fishery pseudodata generated using a spatially complex operating model that incorporates movement and mixing of simulated Atlantic bluefin tuna-like populations. Structural model misspecification produced positively biased perceptions of size and productivity of the smaller western population, based on supplement by the larger eastern population, and negatively biased perceptions of the size and productivity of the eastern population due to net movement of fish out of the eastern stock area. This bias could lead to unintended overexploitation of the smaller western population and potential for foregone yield of the larger eastern population. Our findings provide a greater understanding of the effects of movement and mixing on single-stock, single-area model-based management approaches and emphasize the importance of explicitly considering these dynamics in ensuring the sustainability of highly migratory species like Atlantic bluefin tuna.
Schemes Supported on the Singular Locus of a Hyperplane Arrangement in ℙn
Authors: Migliore Juan , Nagel Uwe , Schenck Henry
Published: April 2020

A hyperplane arrangement in $\mathbb P^n$ is free if $R/J$ is Cohen–Macaulay (CM), where $R = k[x_0,\dots ,x_n]$ and $J$ is the Jacobian ideal. We study the CM-ness of two related unmixed ideals: $ J^{un}$, the intersection of height two primary components, and $\sqrt{J}$, the radical. Under a mild hypothesis, we show these ideals are CM. Suppose the hypothesis fails. For equidimensional curves in $\mathbb P^3$, the Hartshorne–Rao module measures the failure of CM-ness and determines the even liaison class of the curve. We show that for any positive integer $r$, there is an arrangement for which $R/J^{un}$ (resp. $R/\sqrt{J}$) fails to be CM in only one degree, and this failure is by $r$. We draw consequences for the even liaison class of $J^{un}$ or $\sqrt{J}$.
Can a Low-Cost Eye Tracker Assess the Impact of a Valent Stimulus? A Study Replicating the Visual Backward Masking Paradigm
Authors: Vlastos Dimitris D , Kyritsis Markos , Varela Vasiliki-Alexia , Gulliver Stephen R , Papaioannou-Spiroulia Afroditi
Published: April 2020

Capturing affective response to valent stimuli using eye tracking is of interest not only to academic research but also to commercial equipment developers (e.g. car dashboards). In order to investigate whether a low-cost eye tracker can effectively detect participants’ physiological response to negatively valent stimuli, 44 participants aged 19–24 (mean = 24.7, SD = 5.8) were recruited to complete the visual backward masking paradigm in a repeated-measure experimental design. Saccadic duration and pupil sizes were recorded using a lower-end 60-Hz tracker. Data was analysed using a mix of parametric and non-parametric tests. Our results suggest that valence in the form of fearful vs neutral faces has a significant main effect on both saccadic duration [V = 931, P < 0.001, d = 0.96] and pupil size [t(43) = 29.81, P < 0.001, d = 3.91)]. Our findings were further supported by Bayes factor analysis, which showed that saccadic duration data was 24 times more likely to occur, and pupil size measurement data was 89 times more likely, under the alternative hypothesis, showing that differences in valence had a main effect. The combined evidence produced by our Bayesian analysis, the large effect sizes of our frequentist analysis and the significant effect on two separate measurements lead us to suggest that, under the right conditions, low-cost eye trackers can successfully detect changes in saccadic duration and pupil sizes as a result of physiological responses to threat-relevant visual stimuli.
Unified Medical Language System resources improve sieve-based generation and Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT)–based ranking for concept normalization
Authors: Xu Dongfang , Gopale Manoj , Zhang Jiacheng , Brown Kris , Begoli Edmon , Bethard Steven
Published: April 2020

Objective

Concept normalization, the task of linking phrases in text to concepts in an ontology, is useful for many downstream tasks including relation extraction, information retrieval, etc. We present a generate-and-rank concept normalization system based on our participation in the 2019 National NLP Clinical Challenges Shared Task Track 3 Concept Normalization.

Materials and Methods

The shared task provided 13 609 concept mentions drawn from 100 discharge summaries. We first design a sieve-based system that uses Lucene indices over the training data, Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) preferred terms, and UMLS synonyms to generate a list of possible concepts for each mention. We then design a listwise classifier based on the BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) neural network to rank the candidate concepts, integrating UMLS semantic types through a regularizer.

Results

Our generate-and-rank system was third of 33 in the competition, outperforming the candidate generator alone (81.66% vs 79.44%) and the previous state of the art (76.35%). During postevaluation, the model’s accuracy was increased to 83.56% via improvements to how training data are generated from UMLS and incorporation of our UMLS semantic type regularizer.

Discussion

Analysis of the model shows that prioritizing UMLS preferred terms yields better performance, that the UMLS semantic type regularizer results in qualitatively better concept predictions, and that the model performs well even on concepts not seen during training.

Conclusions

Our generate-and-rank framework for UMLS concept normalization integrates key UMLS features like preferred terms and semantic types with a neural network–based ranking model to accurately link phrases in text to UMLS concepts.
Development of Artificial Urine Certified Reference Material for Quantification of Neonicotinoid Insecticides
Authors: Otake Takamitsu , Nakayama Shoji F , Isobe Tomohiko , Hanari Nobuyasu
Published: April 2020

Background

Neonicotinoid insecticides (neonicotinoids) are widely used, however, they can negatively affect human health. Thus, neonicotinoids and their metabolites in human urine are analyzed globally to assess exposure levels and health risks. To properly assess the exposure levels and health risks, accurate analytical results are a necessity.

Objective

This study aims to develop urine certified reference material (CRM), NMIJ CRM 7408-a, for the quantification of neonicotinoids.

Method

To develop NMIJ CRM 7408-a, commercially available artificial urine was used as the raw material to which the target neonicotinoids were added. Analyses of neonicotinoids in NMIJ CRM 7408-a were carried out by isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS).

Results

Sample homogeneity was assessed, with the results showing that acetamiprid, clothianidin, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam exhibited sufficiently homogeneous distributions in the material. The relative uncertainties due to inhomogeneity were 1.2–7.0%. The results obtained from long-term stability assessment indicated that the target neonicotinoids were stable. The relative uncertainties due to instability were 9.4–17.2% (for an expiry date of 21 months). The characterization for providing concentration values was carried out using one (clothianidin and thiacloprid) or two (acetamiprid and thiamethoxam) analytical methods. The certified values of the target neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, clothianidin, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam) were 0.19–1.38 µg/kg.

Conclusions

This is the first frozen artificial urine CRM in which neonicotinoids were quantified by IDMS and will be useful for evaluating the accuracy of analysis and validation of analytical methods for the determination of neonicotinoids in urine.

Highlights

NMIJ CRM 7408-a, which has been certified for four neonicotinoids, was developed by NMIJ.
COVID-19 pandemic and derogation to human rights
Authors: Lebret Audrey
Published: April 2020

Under international human rights law, States can limit the exercise of most human rights if it is necessary to protect the rights of others or collective interests. The exceptional circumstances brought by the COVID-19 global pandemic lead to more extensive, on both their scope and their duration, restrictions of human rights than in usual times. This article introduces the States’ specific right to derogate to human rights in circumstances of public emergency and the conditions of a legitimate derogation in the context of COVID-19. It argues that States must ensure that the general measures they adopt to face the crisis do not disproportionally harm vulnerable people.
A safe and reusable imaging chamber compatible with organic solvents
Authors: Colombini Martin , Pasierbek Pawel , Masselink Wouter
Published: April 2020

High refractive index organic solvents are commonly used as an imaging medium in tissue clearing approaches. While effective, such solvents provide serious concerns for the safety of users and the equipment, especially in a central microscopy unit. To overcome these concerns, we have developed a large and reusable imaging chamber compatible with the universal mounting frame AK (PeCon GmbH). This chamber is easy to assemble and significantly improves the working environment in a central microscopy unit, where hazardous chemicals could negatively affect equipment and people. To encourage the uptake of these chambers, the design is made publicly available for download.
Broadcasting the Movement and Branding Political Microcelebrities: Finnish Anti-Immigration Video Practices on YouTube
Authors: Laaksonen Salla-Maaria , Pantti Mervi , Titley Gavan
Published: April 2020

This paper examines how the video-sharing platform YouTube was utilized by networks of anti-immigration activists that began emerging in Finland during the so-called refugee crisis in 2015. By combining network analysis with qualitative analysis, we identified three central strategies of video activism: movement building through documentation, discursive controversy generation, and personal branding practices. These strategies are firmly supported by the affordances of YouTube and by the way in which the platform enables the building of varying scales of media presence. Consequently, our findings highlight the increasingly common practice of microcelebrity branding in online political communication. This notion demonstrates the affinities between fragmented and contingently mobilized anti-immigration movements and the personalizing and performance-oriented logics of social media presence, in particular when explored from a post-movement perspective. In the algorithmic environment of YouTube, microcelebrity is a political and a platform-specific genre that occupies the post-movement political space by generating sustainable algorithmic visibility.
tCO2e—a new pricing model for LNG?
Authors: Roberts Peter
Published: April 2020

The concept of commercializing natural gas through liquefaction to give liquefied natural gas (LNG), with the capacity for that LNG to be shipped worldwide to meet the demand for clean energy, is well known. The options for, and the opportunities for evolution in, how LNG is priced (whether locally, regionally or even globally, with indexation to crude oil prices or to reported gas hub prices) have also been widely discussed in industry literature. But into the LNG pricing mix, we could soon be adding a new value measure which could have the capacity to shape the way in which LNG production projects are configured—tCO2e (or, to give it its full name, tCO2e/tLNG).
Central nervous system blastomycosis clinical characteristics and outcomes
Authors: Majdick Kathryn , Kaye Keaton , Shorman Mahmoud A
Published: April 2020

Blastomycosis is a local or systemic infection, caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis (B. dermatitidis) or B. gilchristii. Blastomycosis has been described as “the great pretender,” alluding to the fact that it manifests in a wide range of symptoms and disease severity. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement, although rare, carries significant mortality. Due to the limited published reports of CNS blastomycosis, we present an updated cohort with eight cases of proven or probable CNS blastomycosis describing presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes. Headache was the most common presenting symptom. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) proved to be the superior imaging study. All patients in our cohort were diagnosed by histopathological staining or cultures of tissue or fluid obtained from CNS or extra-CNS lesions. All patients that received treatment with Liposomal amphrotericin B for at least 10 days followed by a prolonged azole therapy did not have relapse. Two patients with late diagnoses died during hospitalization. Our findings confirm the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of CNS blastomycosis to improve outcomes especially with an azole that have a high CNS penetration and a good intrinsic activity for B. dermatitidis such as voriconazole.
The little things matter: relating the abundance of ultrafaint satellites to the hosts’ assembly history
Authors: Bose Sownak , Deason Alis J , Belokurov Vasily , Frenk Carlos S
Published: April 2020

Ultrafaint dwarf galaxies ($M_\star \le 10^{5}\, {\rm M}_\odot$) are relics of an early phase of galaxy formation. They contain some of the oldest and most metal-poor stars in the Universe which likely formed before the epoch of hydrogen reionization. These galaxies are so faint that they can only be detected as satellites of the Milky Way. They are so small that they are not resolved in current cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. Here, we combine very high-resolution cosmological N-body simulations with a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation to study the demographics and spatial distribution of ultrafaint satellites in Milky Way-mass haloes. We show that the abundance of these galaxies is correlated with the assembly history of the host halo: at fixed mass, haloes assembled earlier contain, on average, more ultrafaint satellites today than haloes assembled later. We identify simulated galactic haloes that experience an ancient Gaia-Enceladus-Sausage-like and a recent LMC-like accretion event and find that the former occurs in 33 per cent of the sample and the latter in 9 per cent. Only 3 per cent experience both events and these are especially rich in ultrafaint satellites, most acquired during the ancient accretion event. Our models predict that the radial distribution of satellites is more centrally concentrated in early-forming haloes. Accounting for the depletion of satellites by tidal interactions with the central disc, we find a very good match to the observed radial distribution of satellites in the Milky Way over the entire radial range. This agreement is mainly due to the ability of our model to track ‘orphan’ galaxies after their subhaloes fall below the resolution limit of the simulation.
A new look at Sco OB1 association with Gaia DR2
Authors: Yalyalieva L , Carraro G , Vazquez R , Rizzo L , Glushkova E , Costa E
Published: April 2020

We present and discuss photometric optical data in the area of the OB association Sco OB1 covering about 1 deg2. UBVI photometry is employed in tandem with Gaia DR2 data to investigate the three-dimensional structure and the star formation history of the region. By combining parallaxes and proper motions, we identify seven physical groups located between the young open cluster NGC 6231 and the bright nebula IC 4628. The most prominent group coincides with the sparse open cluster Trumpler 24. We confirm the presence of the intermediate-age star cluster VdB-Hagen 202, which is unexpected in this environment, and provide for the first time estimates of its fundamental parameters. After assessing individual groups membership, we derive mean proper motion components, distances, and ages. The seven groups belong to two different families. To the younger family (family I) belong several pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars as well. These are evenly spread across the field, and also in front of VdB-Hagen 202. VdB-Hagen 202, and two smaller, slightly detached, groups of similar properties form family II, which do not belong to the association, but are caught in the act of passing through it. As for the younger population, this forms an arc-like structure from the bright nebula IC 4628 down to NGC 6231, as previously found. Moreover, the PMS stars density seems to increase from NGC 6231 northward to Trumpler 24.
Progress of liquid crystal adaptive optics for applications in ground-based telescopes
Authors: Zhang Xingyun , Cao Zhaoliang , Mu Quanquan , Li Dayu , Peng Zenghui , Yang Chengliang , Liu Yonggang , Xuan Li
Published: April 2020

Liquid crystal (LC) adaptive optics systems (AOS) can potentially be used in ground-based large aperture telescopes, because of their high spatial resolution, low cost and compact size. However, their disadvantages, such as low energy efficiency and slow response speed, still hinder their application. In this paper, we demonstrate solutions to these problems. With newly synthesized fast nematic LC material and using an overdriving technique, the response time of a LC wavefront corrector was reduced to 0.75 ms. Under an open-loop control scheme, a novel optical system was designed to improve the energy efficiency of LC AOS. With those problems resolved, a LC AOS was built for a 1.23-m telescope. This system has a disturbance rejection bandwidth of 80 Hz, and could fully use the energy of 400–900 nm wavebands. Observation results showed that the diffraction limit resolution imaging of the telescope could be obtained after correction, which indicates that the LC AOS is ready to be used in ground-based telescopes for visible waveband imaging.
Roman Italy, 4th Century bce to 3rd Century ce
Authors: Patterson John R.
Published: April 2020

The history of Roman Italy is a vast subject, so the topics highlighted and the bibliography presented here are inevitably highly selective. The geographical scope is limited to Italy south of the river Po (Sicily and Sardinia, as provinces in antiquity, are excluded); the notional starting point chosen is the late 4th century bce (when Rome reorganized its alliances to create a structure which, in less than a hundred years, subjugated most of the peninsula); the (equally notional) conclusion is the reign of Diocletian, when Italy was subjected to taxation and subdivided into provinces. While the history of Roman Italy under the Republic can be seen as a narrative punctuated by episodes of warfare (the Samnite Wars, the conquest of Sicily, Hannibal’s invasion of Italy, the Social War, the Civil Wars), and the first sections of the article, after General Overviews and Key Background Works are roughly structured in this way, material on the history of Italy under the Empire can more appropriately be organized in thematic form. After an introduction to Rome and Italy under the Principate, much of the remainder of the article is thus divided between The Cities of Imperial Italy and The Italian Countryside. Under the first heading is gathered material on city administration, on local elites and sub-elites, and on civic buildings, as well as some key individual urban sites. The second heading covers material on rural Italy under the Republic (by way of background), on issues of population and migration, on the rural properties of the senatorial elite and the emperors, on agriculture and land division, on the archaeological techniques used to reconstruct settlement in the ancient landscape, on sanctuaries, and on the alimenta of the early 2nd century ce. The article concludes with a selection of studies of particular regions (underlining the significant degree of regional variation to be found across Italy). Publications in English are particularly highlighted where available, but (not surprisingly) many fundamental books and articles on Roman Italy have been published in Italian (or other European languages), and these too are included, so far as possible. There is some intersection between some of the topics covered here and other articles in the Oxford Bibliographies collection; in these cases, the relevant Oxford Bibliographies articles have been cited and the reader is referred to them for more bibliographical detail, while a limited number of key pieces of scholarship is cited here.