bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Area Deprivation Index: A novel tool for harmonizable risk assessment in Alzheimer's disease research
Authors: Zuelsdorff Megan , Larson Jamie L. , Hunt Jack F. V. , Kim Alice J. , Koscik Rebecca L. , Buckingham William R. , Gleason Carey E. , Johnson Sterling C. , Asthana Sanjay , Rissman Robert A. , Bendlin Barbara B. , Kind Amy J. H.
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Residence in a disadvantaged neighborhood associates with adverse health exposures and outcomes, and may increase risk for cognitive impairment and dementia. Utilization of a publicly available, geocoded disadvantage metric could facilitate efficient integration of social determinants of health into models of cognitive aging.

Methods

Using the validated Area Deprivation Index and two cognitive aging cohorts, we quantified Census block‐level poverty, education, housing, and employment characteristics for the neighborhoods of 2119 older adults. We assessed relationships between neighborhood disadvantage and cognitive performance in domains sensitive to age‐related change.

Results

Participants in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods (n = 156) were younger, more often female, and less often college‐educated or white than those in less disadvantaged neighborhoods (n = 1963). Disadvantaged neighborhood residence associated with poorer performance on tests of executive function, verbal learning, and memory.

Discussion

This geospatial metric of neighborhood disadvantage may be valuable for exploring socially rooted risk mechanisms, and prioritizing high‐risk communities for research recruitment and intervention.
Solving Acoustic Boundary Integral Equations Using High Performance Tile Low-Rank LU Factorization
Authors: Al-Harthi Noha , Alomairy Rabab , Akbudak Kadir , Chen Rui , Ltaief Hatem , Bagci Hakan , Keyes David
Published: June 2020

We design and develop a new high performance implementation of a fast direct LU-based solver using low-rank approximations on massively parallel systems. The LU factorization is the most time-consuming step in solving systems of linear equations in the context of analyzing acoustic scattering from large 3D objects. The matrix equation is obtained by discretizing the boundary integral of the exterior Helmholtz problem using a higher-order Nyström scheme. The main idea is to exploit the inherent data sparsity of the matrix operator by performing local tile-centric approximations while still capturing the most significant information. In particular, the proposed LU-based solver leverages the Tile Low-Rank (TLR) data compression format as implemented in the Hierarchical Computations on Manycore Architectures () library to decrease the complexity of “classical” dense direct solvers from cubic to quadratic order. We taskify the underlying boundary integral kernels to expose fine-grained computations. We then employ the dynamic runtime system to orchestrate the scheduling of computational tasks on shared and distributed-memory systems. The resulting asynchronous execution permits to compensate for the load imbalance due to the heterogeneous ranks, while mitigating the overhead of data motion. We assess the robustness of our TLR LU-based solver and study the qualitative impact when using different numerical accuracies. The new TLR LU factorization outperforms the state-of-the-art dense factorizations by up to an order of magnitude on various parallel systems, for analysis of scattering from large-scale 3D synthetic and real geometries.
Footprint-Aware Power Capping for Hybrid Memory Based Systems
Authors: Arima Eishi , Hanawa Toshihiro , Trinitis Carsten , Schulz Martin
Published: June 2020

High Performance Computing (HPC) systems are facing severe limitations in both power and memory bandwidth/capacity. By now, these limitations have been addressed individually: to improve performance under a strict power constraint, power capping, which sets power limits to components/nodes/jobs, is an indispensable feature; and for memory bandwidth/capacity increase, the industry has begun to support hybrid main memory designs that comprise multiple different technologies including emerging memories (e.g., 3D stacked DRAM or Non-Volatile RAM) in one compute node. However, few works look at the combination of both trends.

This paper explicitly targets power managements on hybrid memory based HPC systems and is based on the following observation: in spite of the system software’s efforts to optimize data allocations on such a system, the effective memory bandwidth can decrease considerably when we scale the problem size of applications. As a result, the performance bottleneck component changes in accordance with the footprint (or data) size, which then also changes the optimal power cap settings in a node. Motivated by this observation, we propose a power management concept called "Equation missing" and a profile-driven software framework to realize it. Our experimental result on a real system using HPC benchmarks shows that our approach is successful in correctly setting power caps depending on the footprint size while keeping around 93/96% of performance/power-efficiency compared to the best settings.
Sextic tensor field theories in rank 3 and 5
Authors: Benedetti Dario , Delporte Nicolas , Harribey Sabine , Sinha Ritam
Published: June 2020

Abstract

We study bosonic tensor field theories with sextic interactions in d < 3 dimensions. We consider two models, with rank-3 and rank-5 tensors, and U(N)3 and O(N)5 symmetry, respectively. For both of them we consider two variations: one with standard short-range free propagator, and one with critical long-range propagator, such that the sextic interactions are marginal in any d < 3. We derive the set of beta functions at large N , compute them explicitly at four loops, and identify the respective fixed points. We find that only the rank-3 models admit melonic interacting fixed points, with real couplings and critical exponents: for the short-range model, we have a Wilson-Fisher fixed point with couplings of order

$$ \sqrt{\epsilon } $$

ϵ

, in d = 3 − ϵ; for the long-range model, instead we have for any d < 3 a line of fixed points, parametrized by a real coupling g
1 (associated to the so-called wheel interaction). By standard conformal field theory methods, we then study the spectrum of bilinear operators associated to such interacting fixed points, and we find a real spectrum for small ϵ or small g
1.
Second moment fuzzy-field-theory-like matrix models
Authors: Šubjaková Mária , Tekel Juraj
Published: June 2020

Abstract

We solve a multitrace matrix model approximating the real quartic scalar field theory on the fuzzy sphere and obtain its phase diagram. We generalize this method to models with modified kinetic terms and demonstrate its use by investigating models related to the removal of the UV/IR mixing. We show that for the fuzzy sphere a modification of the kinetic part of the action by higher derivative term can change the phase diagram of the theory such that the triple point moves further from the origin.
An Application of Medial Limits to Iterative Functional Equations
Authors: Morawiec Janusz
Published: June 2020

Assume that$$(\Omega ,{\mathcal {A}},P)$$(Ω,A,P)is a probability space,$$f:[0,1]\times \Omega \rightarrow [0,1]$$f:[0,1]×Ω→[0,1]is a function such that$$f(0,\omega )=0$$f(0,ω)=0,$$f(1,\omega )=1$$f(1,ω)=1for every$$\omega \in \Omega $$ω∈Ω,$$g:[0,1]\rightarrow \mathbb R$$g:[0,1]→Ris a bounded function such that$$g(0)=g(1)=0$$g(0)=g(1)=0, and$$a,b\in \mathbb R$$a,b∈R. Applying medial limits we describe bounded solutions$$\varphi :[0,1]\rightarrow \mathbb R$$φ:[0,1]→Rof the equation$$\begin{aligned} \varphi (x)=\int _{\Omega }\varphi (f(x,\omega ))dP(\omega )+g(x) \end{aligned}$$φ(x)=∫Ωφ(f(x,ω))dP(ω)+g(x)satisfying the boundary conditions$$\varphi (0)=a$$φ(0)=aand$$\varphi (1)=b$$φ(1)=b.
Phase-Retrieval in Shift-Invariant Spaces with Gaussian Generator
Authors: Gröchenig Karlheinz
Published: June 2020

We study the problem of recovering a function of the form $$f(x) = \sum _{k\in \mathbb {Z}} c_k e^{-(x-k)^2}$$f(x)=∑k∈Zcke-(x-k)2 from its phaseless samples $$|f(\lambda )|$$|f(λ)| on some arbitrary countable set $$\Lambda \subseteq \mathbb {R}$$Λ⊆R. For real-valued functions this is possible up to a sign for every separated set with Beurling density $$D^-(\Lambda ) >2$$D-(Λ)>2. This result is sharp. For complex-valued functions we find all possible solutions with the same phaseless samples.
Common genetic predisposition for heart failure and cancer
Authors: Pfeffer Tobias J. , Pietzsch Stefan , Hilfiker-Kleiner Denise
Published: June 2020

Cardiovascular diseases and cancer are major causes of mortality in industrialized societies. They share common risk factors (e.g., genetics, lifestyle, age, infection, toxins, and pollution) and might also mutually promote the onset of the respective other disease. Cancer can affect cardiac function directly while antitumor therapies may have acute- and/or late-onset cardiotoxic effects. Recent studies suggest that heart failure might promote tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In both cancer and cardiovascular diseases, genetic predisposition is implicated in the disease onset and development. In this regard, genetic variants classically associated with cardiomyopathies increase the risk for toxic side effects on the cardiovascular system. Genetic variants associated with increased cancer risk are frequent in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy complicated by cancer, pointing to a common genetic predisposition for both diseases. Common risk factors, cardiotoxic antitumor treatment, genetic variants (associated with cardiomyopathies and/or cancer), and increased cardiac stress lead us to propose the “multi-hit hypothesis” linking cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In the present review, we summarize the current knowledge on potential connecting factors between cancer and cardiovascular diseases with a major focus on the role of genetic predisposition and its implication for individual therapeutic strategies and risk assessment in the novel field of oncocardiology.
Molekulare Therapien bei neuromuskulären Erkrankungen im Kindesalter – Große Hoffnungen und unbekannte Risiken
Authors: Blaschek Astrid , Vill Katharina , Müller-Felber Wolfgang , Schara Ulrike
Published: June 2020

Seltene neuromuskuläre Erkrankungen, wie spinale Muskelatrophie und Muskeldystrophie Duchenne, sind Erbkrankheiten, die sich bereits im Kindesalter zeigen. Die Therapieoptionen haben sich in den letzten Jahren entscheidend verändert. Großen Anteil daran haben neue molekulare Therapieansätze, die den direkten gentherapeutischen Ersatz des fehlenden Gens ermöglichen oder eine alternative Prozessierung des betroffenen Gens bzw. eines verwandten (Pseudo)Gens bewirken.

Vor allem der Verlauf der 5q-assoziierten spinalen Muskelatrophie hat sich durch die Verfügbarkeit solcher kausalen Therapien deutlich verändert, während für die meisten Muskelerkrankungen die Ergebnisse laufender Studien noch ausstehen. Als erreichbares Therapieziel muss im Bereich der neuromuskulären Erkrankungen die Verlangsamung der Progredienz, aber nicht die vollständige Heilung angesehen werden. Aktuell sind nur limitierte Erfahrungen verfügbar. Insbesondere die langfristige Effektivität und die möglichen Risiken sind noch unbekannt. Daher sollten diese Therapien unbedingt unter streng überwachten Bedingungen zur Anwendung kommen.
Ernährung bei angeborenen Stoffwechselerkrankungen – ein Spagat zwischen Genuss und Therapie
Authors: Schiergens Katharina A. , Weiß Katharina J. , Dokoupil Katharina , Fleissner Sandra , Maier Esther M.
Published: June 2020

Bei vielen angeborenen Stoffwechselkrankheiten ist eine lebensbegleitende Diät von Geburt an fester Bestandteil der Therapie. Alternative medikamentöse Therapieansätze stehen erst für einige wenige Patienten zur Verfügung. Am Beispiel der Phenylketonurie und der Harnstoffzyklusstörungen wird das Prinzip der eiweißdefinierten Diät mit dem Schwerpunkt auf Kinder und Jugendliche erläutert. Die Herausforderungen, die sich bei dieser Ernährungstherapie ergeben, werden aufgezeigt.

Bei der eiweißdefinierten Diät erfolgt eine verminderte Zufuhr von natürlichem Protein, ergänzt durch die Gabe spezieller Aminosäuremischungen. Diese enthalten bei der Phenylketonurie kein Phenylalanin, bei den Harnstoffzyklusdefekten ausschließlich essenzielle Aminosäuren. Mithilfe der Diät soll zum einen eine gute metabolische Einstellung erreicht und die Anhäufung toxischer Metabolite vermieden werden. Zum anderen muss eine bedarfsdeckende Energie- und Nährstoffversorgung für das adäquate Wachstum und die Entwicklung des Kindes gewährleistet sein. Für die Patienten bedeutet dies, sich an restriktive Vorgaben bei der Lebensmittelauswahl halten zu müssen. Diese konkurrieren oft mit dem Bedürfnis nach Freiheit/Spontaneität und dem Genuss bei der Nahrungsaufnahme. Viele Patienten empfinden ihre Diät daher als drastische Einschränkung der Lebensqualität.

Eine konsequente Umsetzung der Diät ist entscheidend für die Prognose der Erkrankungen. Hierfür bringen die Patienten und ihre Familien oft unterschiedliche Voraussetzung und Fähigkeiten mit. Für Therapeuten stellt es eine große Herausforderung dar, die Patienten nicht nur bei der praktischen Umsetzung ihrer Diät in allen Lebensabschnitten zu unterstützen, sondern auch zu einer langfristigen Adhärenz zu motivieren, um ein bestmögliches Outcome zu erreichen.
Several ways one goal—methanogenesis from unconventional substrates
Authors: Kurth Julia M. , Op den Camp Huub J. M. , Welte Cornelia U.
Published: June 2020

Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas on earth. It is produced by methanogenic archaea, which play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Three main methanogenesis pathways are known: in the hydrogenotrophic pathway H2and carbon dioxide are used for methane production, whereas in the methylotrophic pathway small methylated carbon compounds like methanol and methylated amines are used. In the aceticlastic pathway, acetate is disproportionated to methane and carbon dioxide. However, next to these conventional substrates, further methanogenic substrates and pathways have been discovered. Several phylogenetically distinct methanogenic lineages (Methanosphaera,Methanimicrococcus,Methanomassiliicoccus,Methanonatronarchaeum) have evolved hydrogen-dependent methylotrophic methanogenesis without the ability to perform either hydrogenotrophic or methylotrophic methanogenesis. Genome analysis of the deep branchingMethanonatronarchaeumrevealed an interesting membrane-bound hydrogenase complex affiliated with the hardly described class 4 g of multisubunit hydrogenases possibly providing reducing equivalents for anabolism. Furthermore, methylated sulfur compounds such as methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, and methylmercaptopropionate were described to be converted into adapted methylotrophic methanogenesis pathways ofMethanosarcinalesstrains. Moreover, recently it has been shown that the methanogenMethermicoccus shengliensiscan use methoxylated aromatic compounds in methanogenesis. Also, tertiary amines like choline (N,N,N-trimethylethanolamine) or betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) have been described as substrates for methane production inMethanococcoidesandMethanolobusstrains. This review article will provide in-depth information on genome-guided metabolic reconstructions, physiology, and biochemistry of these unusual methanogenesis pathways.

Key points

•Newly discovered methanogenic substrates and pathways are reviewed for the first time.

• The review provides an in-depth analysis of unusual methanogenesis pathways.

• The hydrogenase complex of the deep branching Methanonatronarchaeum is analyzed.
Predictors for distant metastasis in head and neck cancer, with emphasis on age
Authors: van der Kamp Martine F. , Muntinghe Friso O. W. , Iepsma René S. , Plaat Boudewijn E. C. , van der Laan Bernard F. A. M. , Algassab Ayat , Steenbakkers Roel J. H. M. , Witjes Max J. H. , van Dijk Boukje A. C. , de Bock Geertruida H. , Halmos Gyorgy B.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Distant metastasis (DM) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is uncommon, but strongly deteriorates prognosis. Controversy exists regarding age as a predictor for the presence and development of DM. The aim of this study was to investigate age and other predictors for DM in HNSCC patients.

Methods

From 1413 patients diagnosed with a primary HNSCC between 1999 and 2010 in a tertiary referral centre, patient, disease and pathological characteristics were extracted from patient files. Uni- and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for DM as primary outcome.

Results

DM occurred in 131 (9.3%) patients, of which 27 (1.9%) were diagnosed simultaneously with the primary tumour, 27 (1.9%) were diagnosed synchronous, and 77 (5.4%) were diagnosed metachronous. The most common site of DM was lung (51.1%), followed by bone (19.1%) and liver (11.5%). Multivariable analysis identified male gender (HR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.23–3.10) hypopharyngeal tumours (HR = 3.28, 95% CI 1.75–6.14), advanced T-stage (HR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.09–2.38), poor differentiation grade (HR = 2.49, 95% CI 1.07–5.78), regional lymph node metastasis (HR = 5.35, 95% CI 3.25–8.79) and extranodal extension of regional lymph nodes metastasis (HR = 3.06, 95% CI 1.39–6.72) as independent prognostic factors for the presence or development of DM. No relation with age was found.

Conclusion

Age is not related to the presence or development of DM. This study emphasizes the importance of screening for DM, especially in males, patients with hypopharyngeal tumours, advanced T-stage, histopathological poor differentiation grade, regional lymph node metastasis and extranodal extension.
Correction to: MR‑imaging pattern is not a predictor of occult atrial fibrillation in patients with cryptogenic stroke
Authors: Vollmuth Christoph , Stoesser Sebastian , Neugebauer Hermann , Hansel Anna , Dreyhaupt Jens , Ludolph Albert Christian , Kassubek Jan , Althaus Katharina
Published: June 2020

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.
Identification of areas of grading difficulties in prostate cancer and comparison with artificial intelligence assisted grading
Authors: Egevad Lars , Swanberg Daniela , Delahunt Brett , Ström Peter , Kartasalo Kimmo , Olsson Henrik , Berney Dan M. , Bostwick David G. , Evans Andrew J. , Humphrey Peter A. , Iczkowski Kenneth A. , Kench James G. , Kristiansen Glen , Leite Katia R. M. , McKenney Jesse K. , Oxley Jon , Pan Chin-Chen , Samaratunga Hemamali , Srigley John R. , Takahashi Hiroyuki , Tsuzuki Toyonori , van der Kwast Theo , Varma Murali , Zhou Ming , Clements Mark , Eklund Martin
Published: June 2020

The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) hosts a reference image database supervised by experts with the purpose of establishing an international standard in prostate cancer grading. Here, we aimed to identify areas of grading difficulties and compare the results with those obtained from an artificial intelligence system trained in grading. In a series of 87 needle biopsies of cancers selected to include problematic cases, experts failed to reach a 2/3 consensus in 41.4% (36/87). Among consensus and non-consensus cases, the weighted kappa was 0.77 (range 0.68–0.84) and 0.50 (range 0.40–0.57), respectively. Among the non-consensus cases, four main causes of disagreement were identified: the distinction between Gleason score 3 + 3 with tangential cutting artifacts vs. Gleason score 3 + 4 with poorly formed or fused glands (13 cases), Gleason score 3 + 4 vs. 4 + 3 (7 cases), Gleason score 4 + 3 vs. 4 + 4 (8 cases) and the identification of a small component of Gleason pattern 5 (6 cases). The AI system obtained a weighted kappa value of 0.53 among the non-consensus cases, placing it as the observer with the sixth best reproducibility out of a total of 24. AI may serve as a decision support and decrease inter-observer variability by its ability to make consistent decisions. The grading of these cancer patterns that best predicts outcome and guides treatment warrants further clinical and genetic studies. Results of such investigations should be used to improve calibration of AI systems.
Aquaporin 1 affects pregnancy outcome and regulates aquaporin 8 and 9 expressions in the placenta
Authors: Luo Hui , Liu Yi , Song Yizuo , Hua Ying , Zhu Xueqiong
Published: June 2020

To explore the effects of aquaporin (AQP) 1 on pregnancy outcome and the association between expression of AQP1 and other AQPs in the placenta and foetal membranes, the rate of copulatory plugs and pregnancy, amniotic fluid (AF) volume, osmolality and composition were determined in AQP1-knockout (AQP1−/−) mice at different gestational days (GD). The expression and location of AQP1 and other AQPs in the placenta and foetal membranes of AQP1−/− mice, AQP1-siRNA transfected WISH cells and oligohydramnios patients were also detected. Compared to control mice, AQP1−/− mice exhibited reduced copulation plug and successful pregnancy rates, but these effects were accompanied by a larger AF volume and lower AF osmolality at late gestation. AQP9 expression was significantly decreased in the placenta and foetal membranes of AQP1−/− mice, while AQP8 level was elevated in the foetal membranes of AQP1−/− mice. Moreover, AQP9 expression was suppressed in WISH cells after AQP1 downregulation. Furthermore, AQP9 expression was associated with AQP1 level in the placenta and foetal membranes in oligohydramnios. AQP1 may play a critical role in regulating pregnancy outcome and maternal-foetal fluid homeostasis. Changes in AQP1 expression may lead to compensatory alterations in AQP8 and AQP9 expression in the placenta.
Development and validation of a screening model for diabetes mellitus in patients with periodontitis in dental settings
Authors: Su Naichuan , Teeuw Wijnand J. , Loos Bruno G. , Kosho Madeline X. F. , van der Heijden Geert J. M. G.
Published: June 2020

Objectives

To identify predictors in patient profiles and to develop, internally validate, and calibrate a screening model for diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with periodontitis in dental settings

Materials and methods

The study included 204 adult patients with periodontitis. Patients’ socio-demographic characteristics, general health status, and periodontal status were recorded as potential predictors. The diabetic status was considered the outcome, classified into no DM, prediabetes (pre-DM), or DM. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to develop the model. The performance and clinical values of the model were determined.

Results

Seventeen percent and 47% of patients were diagnosed with DM and pre-DM, respectively. Patients’ age, BMI, European background, cholesterol levels, previous periodontal treatment, percentage of the number of teeth with mobility, and with gingival recession were significantly associated with the diabetic status of the patients. The model showed a reasonable calibration and moderate to good discrimination with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.67 to 0.80. The added predictive values for ruling in the risk of DM and pre-DM were 0.42 and 0.11, respectively, and those for ruling it out were 0.05 and 0.17, respectively.

Conclusions

Predictors in patient profiles for screening of DM and pre-DM in patients with periodontitis were identified. The calibration, discrimination, and clinical values of the model were acceptable.

Clinical relevance

The model may well assist clinicians in screening of diabetic status of patients with periodontitis. The model can be used as a reliable screening tool for DM and pre-DM in patients with periodontitis in dental settings.
Immune suppression in gliomas
Authors: Grabowski Matthew M. , Sankey Eric W. , Ryan Katherine J. , Chongsathidkiet Pakawat , Lorrey Selena J. , Wilkinson Daniel S. , Fecci Peter E.
Published: June 2020

Introduction

The overall survival in patients with gliomas has not significantly increased in the modern era, despite advances such as immunotherapy. This is in part due to their notorious ability to suppress local and systemic immune responses, severely restricting treatment efficacy.

Methods

We have reviewed the preclinical and clinical evidence for immunosuppression seen throughout the disease process in gliomas. This review aims to discuss the various ways that brain tumors, and gliomas in particular, co-opt the body’s immune system to evade detection and ensure tumor survival and proliferation.

Results

A multitude of mechanisms are discussed by which neoplastic cells evade detection and destruction by the immune system. These include tumor-induced T-cell and NK cell dysfunction, regulatory T-cell and myeloid-derived suppressor cell expansion, M2 phenotypic transformation in glioma-associated macrophages/microglia, upregulation of immunosuppressive glioma cell surface factors and cytokines, tumor microenvironment hypoxia, and iatrogenic sequelae of immunosuppressive treatments.

Conclusions

Gliomas create a profoundly immunosuppressive environment, both locally within the tumor and systemically. Future research should aim to address these immunosuppressive mechanisms in the effort to generate treatment options with meaningful survival benefits for this patient population.
Alcohol and Placebo: The Role of Expectations and Social Influence
Authors: Bodnár Vivien , Nagy Krisztina , Cziboly Ádám , Bárdos György
Published: June 2020

The placebo effect is frequently present in our lives when an expectation, associated with any psychoactive material, leads to subjective and physiological changes. The present work studies the role of expectancies associated with ethanol/alcohol in changes to the subjective state. In experimental situations, we examine how these expectations—with or without social influences—affect participants when consuming alcoholic, pseudo-alcoholic, or non-alcoholic cocktails. Psychological and physical changes can, to a significant extent, arise from an expectation-driven placebo effect. We suggest that expectations of inebriation formed by socialization and experiences can explain most of the behavioural changes following alcohol consumption. These effects seem to be stronger if the alcohol consumption happens in a social context and weaker if it is individually. Regarding the information effect, we suppose that the expectations will positively affect the drunkenness, i.e. toward the placebo “direction”: those who believe they are consuming a non-alcoholic cocktail will be less inebriated than those who know their drink contains alcohol. In this study, we successfully demonstrate the expectation-induced classical placebo effect in the misinformed participants who were, in fact, consuming non-alcoholic drinks. The “social” alcohol consumption further enhances the true or believed effects of the alcohol, and thus the participants reported their subjective feelings in lines with their manipulated expectations. As regards the effect of the alcohol, therefore, many other factors contribute in addition to the alcohol itself, the most important of which seem to be group effect, suggestions and expectations.
Die Deutsche Frage und der Brexit. Eine außenpolitische Exemplifizierung, warum Deutschland die Auslösung von Artikel 50 nicht erwägt
Authors: Odrowski Simon
Published: June 2020

Während der Brexit nicht zuletzt mit der Wiederherstellung britischer Unabhängigkeit in der Außenpolitik begründet wurde, befürwortet Deutschland die tiefere Integration Europas in diesem sensiblen Bereich nationaler Souveränität. Das Beispiel des EAD zeigt, wie dasselbe Motiv – die Wahrung des nationalen Interesses – diese miteinander kontrastierenden europapolitischen Ansätze erklärt. Außenpolitisch veranschaulicht der EAD damit das generelle Verhältnis zwischen dem europäischen Einigungsprozess und der Deutschen Frage – und wieso Deutschland dem britischen Beispiel eines EU-Austritts nicht folgt.
Karst Types and Their Karstification
Authors: Veress Márton
Published: June 2020

Eighty-one karst types and their main characteristics are described in this study, including the conditions of their development, the main characteristics of their karstification and their characteristic features. The classification includes the karst types of the Earth, a concise description of each karst type and the possibilities of belonging to several types of various karst areas. The classification of types is hierarchical in terms of groups, subgroups, types and subtypes. Karst can be classified according to their momentary state (the group of static karst types) and to their development (group of dynamic karst types). The group of static karst types has the azonal and zonal subgroups. zonal karst types may be situated under any climate. These karst types are categorized according to their geological characteristics (age of karstification, constituting rock, extent of coveredness, structure), their elevation, expansion, the morphology of their surface, hydrology and to the effects occurring on the karst. Taking the above mentioned factors into consideration, the author distinguishes various types and describes their characteristics. Zonal karst types are also described (tundra karst, temperate karst, subtropical karst, tropical karst), karst types that can be distinguished based on their geomorphic evolution are identified and their characteristics are presented.
GIS-based sub-watershed prioritization through morphometric analysis in the outer Himalayan region of India
Authors: Sharma Swati , Mahajan A. K.
Published: June 2020

The study indicates the viability of geographic information system and remote sensing data for the analysis as well as estimation of the stage and the rate of erosional processes in a Himalayan watershed for improved planning and management. The Gaj watershed lies in the outer Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh, India, which has been characterized in to nine sub-watersheds for studying the geomorphological evolution of each separately for comparative assessment irrespective of any scale issue. The method involves the use of 30 m Cartosat (digital elevation model) for operative and time-saving data extraction of morphometric and hypsometric parameters. The estimated hypsometric integral values and the shape of the hypsometric curves reveal varying degree of erosional stages of the sub-watersheds demanding attention over the denudation activities. The results have helped in the qualitative discussions and prioritizing the sub-watershed for sustainable soil–water conservation and management, which can be useful for controlling the erosional activities at right locations in the study area.
Characteristics of low-rank coal reservoir and exploration potential in Junggar Basin: new frontier of low-rank CBM exploration in China
Authors: Yu Yuanjiang , Wang Yonghua
Published: June 2020

Low-rank coal reservoirs of Badaowan Formation and Xishanyao Formation are mainly developed in Junggar Basin. This paper discussed their features and coalbed methane (CBM) exploration potential based on geological survey, coal samples testing and mathematical fitting analysis. The pores are mainly small-micro- and large pores, and the porosity is 3.25–27.4% with an average of 9–10.51%; and macro-cracks and micro-fissures are well developed leading to a great variation of the permeability. The shallow coal reservoirs are mostly undersaturated, and the gas saturation tends to increase toward the deep coalbed. The J2x has a stronger methane adsorption and storage capacity than that of J1b and better physical properties, making CMB recovery easier. The coalbed reservoirs in middle-east of southern margin, eastern part and hinterland of Junggar Basin reach methane-rich to extremely methane-rich coalbeds and have strong ability to adsorb and store CBM. Coal seam gas shows generally, and the measured gas-bearing property is good. Low-rank CBM accounts for the majority of CBM resources in the basin. According to Langmuir volume, the gas provinces are classified into four types of blocks, i.e., CBM-poor (< 8 m3/t), CBM-bearing (8–15 m3/t), relatively CBM-rich (15–20 m3/t) and CBM-rich (> 20 m3/t). The relatively CBM-rich blocks cover block of well Qing 1 to Qi 8, Changji–Urumqi–Fukang area and slope belt of northwest margin to basin hinterland; while the CBM-rich blocks include most of eastern Junggar Basin. Since 2005, a series of special exploration and research of CBM have been carried out successively, and significant progress has been made in exploration of deep and shallow combination, conventional (gas) and unconventional (gas) combination. Recently shallow CBM exploration has achieved gas extraction at Dahuangshan coal mine, industrial gas flow wells in western Baiyanghe, and breakthrough of deep CBM exploration in Baijiahai area has been made, which confirmed the great development potential of low-rank CBM. The southern margin and the east of Junggar Basin have become the new frontier of low-rank CBM exploration in China.
Short-term effects of biochar on soil CO2 efflux in boreal Scots pine forests
Authors: Zhu Xudan , Zhu Tingting , Pumpanen Jukka , Palviainen Marjo , Zhou Xuan , Kulmala Liisa , Bruckman Viktor J. , Köster Egle , Köster Kajar , Aaltonen Heidi , Makita Naoki , Wang Yixiang , Berninger Frank
Published: June 2020

Key message

During the first summer, wood biochar amendments increased soil temperature, pH, and soil CO2effluxes in a xeric boreal Scots pine forest. The increase of soil CO2efflux could be largely explained by increases in by soil temperature. Higher biochar application rates (1.0 vs 0.5 kg m−2) led to higher soil CO2efflux while the pyrolysis temperature of biochar (500 or 650 °C) had no effect on soil CO2efflux.

Context

Using biochar as a soil amendment has been proposed to increase the carbon sequestration in soils. However, a more rapid soil organic matter turnover after biochar application might reduce the effectiveness of biochar applications for carbon sequestration. By raising the pyrolysis temperature, biochar with lower contents of labile carbohydrates can be produced.

Aims

To better understand the effects of biochar on boreal forest soil, we applied two spruce biochar with different pyrolysis temperatures (500 °C and 650 °C) at amounts of 1.0 and 0.5 kg m−2 in a young xeric Scots pine forest in southern Finland.

Methods

Soil CO2, microbial biomass, and physiochemical properties were measured to track changes after biochar application during the first summer.

Results

Soil CO2 increased 14.3% in 1.0 kg m−2 treatments and 4.6% in 0.5 kg m−2. Soil temperature and pH were obviously higher in the 1.0 kg m−2 treatments. Differences in soil CO2 among treatments disappear after correcting by soil temperature and soil moisture.

Conclusion

Biochar increased soil CO2 mainly by raising soil temperature in the short term. Higher biochar application rates led to higher soil CO2 effluxes. The increase in soil CO2 efflux may be transient. More studies are needed to get the optimum biochar amount for carbon sequestration in boreal forest.
Die Auswahl zukünftiger Kinder
Authors: Tarkian Tatjana
Published: June 2020

Wie ist die Auswahl zukünftiger Kinder in moralischer Hinsicht zu beurteilen? Der Beitrag untersucht diese Frage auf der Basis eines liberalen Prinzips der reproduktiven Freiheit, welches Handlungsspielräume und Privatsphäre in Fragen der Fortpflanzung verteidigt, wenn nicht gewichtige moralische Gründe aufgezeigt werden können, welche den Handlungen der beteiligten Personen Grenzen setzen. Er beschränkt sich auf die negative Auswahl, d. h. die Auswahl von (möglichen) gesunden Kindern anstelle von zukünftigen Kindern mit Behinderung oder gesundheitlicher Beeinträchtigung. Erörtert werden selektionsbefürwortende Überlegungen, welche das Wohlergehen des zukünftigen Kindes in den Fokus rücken, und zwei grundsätzlich selektionskritische Argumente. Das erste verweist auf parentale Tugenden, welche mit der Auswahl zukünftiger Kinder unvereinbar wären. Bei dem zweiten handelt es sich um den Einwand der Diskriminierung von Menschen mit Behinderung. Das Ergebnis der Diskussion ist, dass es zukünftigen Eltern in den meisten Fällen freisteht, die Entscheidung über die Auswahl ihrer Kinder im Licht ihrer Ziele und Werte zu treffen.
Preconceptional Maternal Vegetable Intake and Paternal Smoking Are Associated with Pre-implantation Embryo Quality
Authors: Hoek Jeffrey , Schoenmakers Sam , Baart Esther B. , Koster Maria P. H. , Willemsen Sten P. , van Marion Eva S. , Steegers Eric A. P. , Laven Joop S. E. , Steegers-Theunissen Régine P. M.
Published: June 2020

Inadequate nutrition and lifestyle behaviors, particularly during the periconception period, are associated with a negative impact on embryonic and subsequent fetal development. We investigated the associations between parental nutritional and lifestyle factors and pre-implantation embryo development. A total of 113 women and 41 partners, with a corresponding 490 embryos, who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment subscribed to the mHealth coaching platform “Smarter Pregnancy.” At baseline, nutrition and lifestyle behaviors (intake of fruits, vegetables, folic acid, and smoking and alcohol use) were identified and risk scores were calculated. A lower risk score represents healthier behavior. As outcome measure, a time-lapse morphokinetic selection algorithm (KIDScore) was used to rank pre-implantation embryo quality on a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (good) after being cultured in the Embryoscope™ time-lapse incubator until embryonic day 3. To study the association between the nutritional and lifestyle risk scores and the KIDScore in men and women, we used a proportional odds model. In women, the dietary risk score (DRS), a combination of the risk score of fruits, vegetables, and folic acid, was negatively associated with the KIDScore (OR 0.86 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.98),p = 0.02). This could mainly be attributed to an inadequate vegetable intake (OR 0.76 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.96),p = 0.02). In men, smoking was negatively associated with the KIDscore (OR 0.53 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.85),p < 0.01). We conclude that inadequate periconceptional maternal vegetable intake and paternal smoking significantly reduce the implantation potential of embryos after ICSI treatment. Identifying modifiable lifestyle risk factors can contribute to directed, personalized, and individual recommendations that can potentially increase the chance of a healthy pregnancy.
Oleic Acid Counters Impaired Blastocyst Development Induced by Palmitic Acid During Mouse Preimplantation Development: Understanding Obesity-Related Declines in Fertility
Authors: Yousif Maisoon D. , Calder Michele D. , Du Jin Tong , Ruetz Kelsey N. , Crocker Kylie , Urquhart Brad L. , Betts Dean H. , Rafea Basim Abu , Watson Andrew J.
Published: June 2020

Obesity is associated with altered fatty acid profiles, reduced fertility, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) success. The effects of palmitic acid (PA), oleic acid (OA), and their combination on mouse preimplantation development, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway gene expression, lipid droplet formation, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) were characterized. Two-cell stage mouse embryos collected from superovulated and mated CD1 females were placed into culture with KSOMaa medium, or PA alone or in combination with OA for 46 h. PA significantly reduced blastocyst development in a concentration-dependent manner, which was prevented by co-treatment with OA. PA and OA levels in mouse reproductive tracts were assessed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). LC-MS indicated higher concentrations of PA in the mouse oviduct than the uterus. Transcript analysis revealed that PA alone groups had increased ER stress pathway (ATF3, CHOP, and XBP1 splicing) mRNAs, which was alleviated by OA co-treatment. OA co-treatment significantly increased lipid droplet accumulation and significantly decreased mitochondrial ROS from PA treatment alone. PA treatment for only 24 h significantly reduced its impact on blastocyst development from the 2-cell stage. Thus, PA affects ER stress pathway gene expression, lipid droplet accumulation, and mitochondrial ROS in treated preimplantation embryos. These mechanisms may serve to offset free fatty acid exposure effects on preimplantation development, but their protective ability may be overwhelmed by elevated PA.
The Role of Collective Food Identity in Local Food Demand
Authors: Moreno Francisco , Malone Trey
Published: June 2020

Despite a proliferation of articles focused on consumer willingness-to-pay for locally produced foods, few studies have systemically considered the role of food identity in the price premium of local foods. This article uses primary and secondary data to fill that gap. Using data from 9,329 U.S. households, we identify what foods each state considers a part of their collective food identity. We then compare each state's collective food identity to the actual production within the state. Finally, we utilize a discrete choice experiment (N = 484) focused on a state with one such collective food identity to test whether a consumer's preference for local foods is a function of the collective food identity within the state. Results from the open-ended survey suggest that each state connects with their food production in unique ways and that not all state identities are consistent with actual agricultural production. Results from the discrete choice experiment suggest that consumers are more willing to pay a premium for the local food that is a part of their local food identity than for a similar product that is not a part of their local food identity. Our findings imply that future research on consumer preferences for local food systems should consider the relationship between food culture and geography.
Regulatory and strategic considerations for addressing immunogenicity and related responses in biopharmaceutical development programs
Authors: Vandivort Tyler C. , Horton David B. , Johnson Steven B.
Published: June 2020

The last three decades have seen the biotherapeutic drug market evolve from promising concept to market dominance in a range of clinical indications. This growth has been spurred by the success of established drug classes like monoclonal antibodies, but also by the introduction of biosimilars, and more recently, multiple novel cell and gene therapies. Biotherapeutic drug development presents many unique challenges, but unintended immune responses are among the most common reasons for program attrition. Anti-drug antibodies can impact the safety and efficacy of drug products, and related immune responses, like the cytokine release syndrome that occurred in the infamous TGN-1412 clinical trial, can be challenging to predict with nonclinical models. For this reason, it is important that development programs proceed with a scientifically grounded and measured approach to these responses. This process begins at the discovery stage with the application of “quality by design,” continues into the clinic with the development of quality assays and management strategies, and culminates in the effective presentation of this information in regulatory documents. This review provides an overview of some of the key strategic and regulatory considerations for biotherapeutics as they pertain to immunogenicity and related responses.
Habermasian utopia or Sunstein's echo chamber? The ‘dark side’ of hashtag hijacking and feminist activism
Authors: Dempsey Willis Reilly Anne
Published: June 2020

Society thinks, talks, and communicates in ways which are inherently different now from the pre-Internet era. Hashtags in particular have transformed community formation around a particular topic, issue, or goal. A new and relatively under-studied phenomenon is that of ‘hashtag hijacking’, where individuals or groups use a particular hashtag to draw attention to arguments and narratives which undermine or oppose the hashtag's objective. Most of the current literature looks at hashtag hijacking as a positive outlet for counter-discourse/counter-narratives to challenge dominant groups. This study, however, looks at the ‘dark side’ of hashtag hijacking, where groups use trolling tactics similar to the Alt_Right to reinforce misogynistic views. The hijacking of three hashtags is explored in this study: #notacriminal, #women2drive, and #mydressmychoice, to explore feminist theories on the role of social media in a ‘public space’. Does Twitter function as one common public sphere where inequalities are so deeply embedded that minority voices have no hope of being heard? Or does Twitter function as a meeting place for multiple competing public spheres, thus allowing minority – and in this case feminist – voices to be heard?
Paleo-Critical Zones, windows into the changing life and landscapes during the Quaternary Period
Authors: Ashley Gail M.
Published: June 2020

The Critical Zone (CZ) as visualized in 1998 was a way to integrate the research of the four scientific spheres (lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere) at the surface of Earth and to study the linkages, feedbacks and record of processes. Rather than closeting studies by a variety of disciplines into their respective pigeonholes the CZ perspective provides the symbiotic framework from which the tendrils of improved understanding can radiate outward to new disciplines and/or feedback into the component disciplines. During the last 2 decades, CZ research has been limited to the modern environment. Knowledge gained from the modern and the focus on interpreting ancient records allows for the development of paleo-CZs (PCZs). PCZs provide a powerful tool for improved understanding of the landscapes during the Quaternary Period and the response of this thin skin to glaciations, sea level fluctuations and evolving life. Case studies from hominins in East Africa andHomo sapiensin the Americas provide examples of the rich records stored in PCZs. As we move into the space age, the CZ can provide a platform from which to guide future exploration of the proto Critical Zones on the rocky planets and asteroids of our solar system.
The Rise and Fall of Social Democracy, 1918–2017
Authors: BENEDETTO GIACOMO , HIX SIMON , MASTROROCCO NICOLA
Published: June 2020

We describe the electoral history of one of Europe’s most successful party families over the past 100 years in 31 countries. With a unique and newly collected dataset of national election results and a large number of economic and social variables measured for each country-election observation, we find that two main factors drive the electoral performance of social democratic parties: public-sector spending and the size of the manufacturing sector. Our findings suggest that most of the fall in support for social democratic parties in recent years is correlated with a decline in the number of industrial workers as well as a reduction in the propensity of social democratic parties’ core supporters (industrial workers and public-sector employees) to vote for them.
Canada in the North America Region: Implications of the Trump Presidency
Authors: Macdonald Laura
Published: June 2020

The election of Donald Trump and his decision to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) represented a shock to the Canadian and Mexican governments and business elites. Drawing on the New Regionalism(s) Approach (NRA), this article reviews the response of the Canadian state to the crisis in the North American regional project. I argue that this newer theoretical approach better explains the dynamics of regionalization or regional decomposition than mainstream theories by integrating the role played by uneven globalization, normative and ideational dimensions, and civil society in processes of regional integration and/or decomposition.