bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disease progression but not physical state per se determines mental wellbeing in ALS
Authors: Vázquez Medrano Cynthia R. , Aho-Özhan Helena E. A. , Weiland Ulrike , Uttner Ingo , Ludolph Albert C. , Lulé Dorothée
Published: July 2020

Background

Studies provide inconclusive results on the question whether loss of mental wellbeing is actually associated with decline in physical function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of mental wellbeing in ALS.

Methods

In total, n = 330 ALS patients were interviewed on parameters of mental wellbeing to evaluate the patients’ capacity of psychosocial adaptation. These parameters were global and subjective quality of life (QoL), and depressiveness. A subsample of n = 82 ALS patients were interviewed again within approximately a year (mean 14.34 ± 5.53 months).

Results

Both global and subjective QoL were stable, whereas depressiveness increased within the course of 1 year after diagnosis. Physical function decline was associated with mental wellbeing. Progression of physical disabilities and symptom duration were significant predictors of wellbeing in the sense that fast progression and short time since symptom onset (both indicating short time to adapt) were associated with low wellbeing.

Conclusions

There is evidence for subsamples in ALS with regard to mental wellbeing, which are mainly determined by clinical parameters. Those subjects being reported in the literature to present with high mental wellbeing are often long survivors. High progression rate and low physical function when attending the clinic for the first time should be red flags and need special attention in clinical counseling.
The specific PKC-α inhibitor chelerythrine blunts costunolide-induced eryptosis
Authors: Ghashghaeinia Mehrdad , Koralkova Pavla , Giustarini Daniela , Mojzikova Renata , Fehrenbacher Birgit , Dreischer Peter , Schaller Martin , Mrowietz Ulrich , Martínez-Ruiz Antonio , Wieder Thomas , Divoky Vladimir , Rossi Ranieri , Lang Florian , Köberle Martin
Published: July 2020

Costunolide, a natural sesquiterpene lactone, has multiple pharmacological activities such as neuroprotection or induction of apoptosis and eryptosis. However, the effects of costunolide on pro-survival factors and enzymes in human erythrocytes, e.g. glutathione and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) respectively, have not been studied yet. Our aim was to determine the mechanisms underlying costunolide-induced eryptosis and to reverse this process. Phosphatidylserine exposure was estimated from annexin-V-binding, cell volume from forward scatter in flow cytometry, and intracellular glutathione [GSH]i from high performance liquid chromatography. The oxidized status of intracellular glutathione and enzyme activities were measured by spectrophotometry. Treatment of erythrocytes with costunolide dose-dependently enhanced the percentage of annexin-V-binding cells, decreased the cell volume, depleted [GSH]i and completely inhibited G6PDH activity. The effects of costunolide on annexin-V-binding and cell volume were significantly reversed by pre-treatment of erythrocytes with the specific PKC-α inhibitor chelerythrine. The latter, however, had no effect on costunolide-induced GSH depletion. Costunolide induces eryptosis, depletes [GSH]i and inactivates G6PDH activity. Furthermore, our study reveals an inhibitory effect of chelerythrine on costunolide-induced eryptosis, indicating a relationship between costunolide and PKC-α. In addition, chelerythrine acts independently of the GSH depletion. Understanding the mechanisms of G6PDH inhibition accompanied by GSH depletion should be useful for development of anti-malarial therapeutic strategies or for synthetic lethality-based approaches to escalate oxidative stress in cancer cells for their sensitization to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
When Average Joe met the Inexperienced Superstar—a case study of the consequences for a university of a partnership with IKEA
Authors: Perez Vico Eugenia
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to explore how consequences from a university-wide partnership unfolded at various levels within a university and induced intra-organizational dynamics. This was achieved via an in-depth investigation of “The Bridge,” a collaborative partnership between the young mid-range Swedish Linnaeus University (“Average Joe”) and the home furnishing retail giant IKEA, which despite its global reach has only limited research capacity (the “Inexperienced Superstar”). Based on previous research that conceptualizes consequences of collaborations as changes in wide-ranging resource categories over time, this article develops a conceptual framework that advances the understanding of the consequences of collaborative efforts at both the level of faculty individuals and groups, as well as on a university-wide level. The study identified both differences and similarities between the two levels related to material, knowledge, and social resource mobilization, and revealed consequent tensions within the university due to an imbalance in material resource mobilization and social resource mobilization. The resource-based multi-level perspective that this study puts forward enables a more fine-grained and dynamic understanding of the conditions for undertaking and organizing university-wide long-term collaborative efforts.
Digital signatures: a tool to prevent and predict dishonesty?
Authors: Koning Luka , Junger Marianne , van Hoof Joris
Published: July 2020

Dishonesty is prevalent and causes great damage to society. On an individual level, besides reaping rewards, it also carries a psychological cost for those who engage in it. This principle is used to make people more honest with behavioral interventions, one of them being the well-known ‘signature nudge’. Digital transition in society has however led to changes in the way people sign, which may affect the effectiveness of this nudge. In two experiments, the current study investigates the relationship between digital signatures and honesty, building on previous research by examining novel signature types, the moderating role of personal characteristics, effect decay, and the predicting value of digital signature characteristics. Results show no effect of any signature intervention and no unilateral relation between digital signature characteristics and subsequent behavior. These findings contrast with earlier research and cast doubt on the use of signature interventions as a tool to prevent or predict dishonest behavior.
The Influence of the Silicon Content on the Formation of Fe23B6 Metastable Phases in Fe65Co11−xB20SixZr2Hf2 Bulk Amorphous Alloys
Authors: Nabiałek Marcin , Jeż Bartłomiej , Błoch Katarzyna
Published: July 2020

This study aims to determine the effect of addition of a small quantity of Si on the formation of nanocrystalline structure in rapidly cooled Fe-Co-B alloys. As part of the work, the following alloys were produced using a method involving the forcing of each respective liquid alloy into a copper mold: Fe65Co11−x
B20Si
x
Zr2Hf2 (where: x = 0; 0.25; 0.5; 0.75; 1). Analysis of recorded X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed that a nanocrystalline structure was obtained in the alloys. The intensity of the diffraction reflections was found to change with changing Si content. The Fe23B6 crystalline phase was present in the volume of each alloy. This phase has soft magnetic properties. The presence of the Fe23B6 phase was confirmed by measurements of the magnetic polarization of saturation as a function of temperature.
Heat Treatment of Recycled Battlefield Stainless-Steel Scrap for Cold Spray Applications
Authors: Massar Christopher , Tsaknopoulos Kyle , Sousa Bryer C. , Grubbs Jack , Cote Danielle L.
Published: July 2020

This work explores the impact of thermally preprocessing recycled austenitic stainless-steel powder for solid-state cold spray metal additive manufacturing with a focus on increasing deposition quality and coating density while maintaining mechanical integrity. The recycled stainless-steel scrap was gas-atomized using a novel mobile foundry manufactured by MolyWorks Materials Corporation. The powder was thermally treated based upon thermodynamic modeling using Thermo-Calc. The powder and sprayed specimens were characterized using particle size–shape analysis, microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and nanoindentation. Diffraction results highlighted the presence of both austenite and ferrite phases in the powder. Nanoindentation confirmed that thermally processing the feedstock powder at the austenitization temperature decreased the amount of ferrite present, which was consistent with the porosity observed in the deposits due to the lower yield strength of austenite relative to ferrite. The untreated powder deposits exhibited extensive porosity and microcracking, as opposed to the virtually fully dense deposit from the heat-treated powder.
Serine Incorporator 2 (SERINC2) Expression Predicts an Unfavorable Prognosis of Low-Grade Glioma (LGG): Evidence from Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Qi Chunxiao , Lei Lei , Hu Jinqu , Wang Gang , Liu Jiyuan , Ou Shaowu
Published: July 2020

Serine Incorporator 2 (SERINC2) is a transmembrane protein that incorporates serine into membrane lipids. The function of SERINC2 in tumors has been reported, but the role of SERINC2 in gliomas is not fully understood. RNA-sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (530 cases of low-grade glioma (LGG) and 173 cases of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)) and microarray data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (Accession No. GSE16011, 284 cases gliomas were included) were acquired. Bioinformatics analysis was performed as the primary method to examine the function of SERINC2 and its correlated genes in glioma. SERINC2 was highly expressed in GBM compared with LGG and normal brain tissues. Elevated SERINC2 expression predicted shorter 5-, 10-, and 15-year overall survival (OS) of LGG patients and isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH-1) mutation-type LGG patients but had no effect on the OS of GBM patients. Cox regression analysis showed that SERINC2 was an independent factor in LGG OS. Methylation analysis found that 13 CpG methylation sites (methylation450k) correlated with SERINC2 expression in LGG. The mRNA expression level of SERINC2 was significant lower in the DNA deletion group than in the intact and amplification groups. A total of 390 copositive and 244 conegative correlation genes with SERINC2 were obtained from LGG in TCGA-LGG and GSE16011. Gene ontology (GO) category and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses showed that the copositive correlation genes were primarily enriched in the mitotic process and cell cycle. Combining the results from the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of SERINC2 correlation genes and CytoHubba led to the selection of 10 hub genes (CDC20, FN1, AURKB, AURKA, KIF2C, BIRC5, CCNB2, UBE2C, CCNA2, and CENPE). OncoLnc analysis confirmed that high expression levels of these hub genes were associated with poor OS in LGG. Our results suggested that aberrant SERINC2 expression existed in glioma and that its expression might be a potential prognostic marker in LGG patients. CDC20, FN1, AURKB, AURKA, KIF2C, BIRC5, CCNB2, UBE2C, CCNA2, and CENPE may be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for LGG.
Estimating the costs for the airport operator and airlines of a drone-related shutdown: an application to Frankfurt international airport
Authors: Wendt Philippe , Voltes-Dorta Augusto , Suau-Sanchez Pere
Published: July 2020

Commercially-acquired drones threaten airport operations due to limited knowledge of airspace safety regulations or deliberate action by drone operators. This study aims to determine whether the investment cost of a drone-defence system can be justified in relation to the financial cost of a drone-related shutdown. To that end, a case study of Frankfurt Airport is carried out with simulations of different disruptions during a peak-activity period similar to the 2018 Gatwick drone incident. With data on passenger traffic and airline schedules, we developed a passenger recovery algorithm to determine the amount of delays caused by the disruptions and the costs for the airport operator and the airlines. Results show that the investment in a drone-defence system is offset by the costs of a 48-h continued closure or several smaller closures, but since the largest share of costs is borne by the airlines, investments should be shared between both stakeholders.
Plasma-Functionalized Water: from Bench to Prototype for Fresh-Cut Lettuce
Authors: Schnabel Uta , Handorf Oliver , Stachowiak Joerg , Boehm Daniela , Weit Christoph , Weihe Thomas , Schäfer Jan , Below Harald , Bourke Paula , Ehlbeck Joerg
Published: July 2020

Fresh-cut produce like lettuce may contain a very high microbial load, including human pathogens. Therefore, the need for antimicrobial agents at post-harvest stages to mitigate microbial cross-contamination and growth is evident. Sanitation based on non-thermal plasma (NTP) reveals innovative food processing possibilities by application at different points along the food chain, for production, modification, and preservation, as well as in packaging of plant- and animal-based food. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of plasma-treated water (PTW) as antimicrobial process water additives for washing in fresh-cut lettuce processing. Antibacterial activities of PTW the natural occurring microflora of lettuce were examined. Different process variants of PTW application inside the washing process were investigated. Fresh-cut lettuce were investigated regarding microbiological safety and food quality. Samples were analyzed for antimicrobial and metabolic activity as well as metabolic vitality to prove food safety. The investigations for food quality included color and texture analyses and nitrate concentration detection in fresh tissue as well as microscopic measurements by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for tissue surface structure and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for cell organelle investigations. The application of PTW allowed up to 5 log10 cycle reduction, depending on the process variant and scale (lab and pilot scale). The increase of antimicrobial activity was accompanied by a reduction of metabolic activity, but not consequently by a decrease in metabolic vitality. Food quality was not affected by the use of PTW in the washing process of the fresh-cut lettuce. The promising results in color and texture were supported by the results of the microscopic assays. These promising results may lead to an industrial application of PTW as process water additive in fresh-cut produce processing to reduce the microbial load on the food surface and in addition in the process water or on food processing surfaces.
Fish as a source of (micro)nutrients to combat hidden hunger in Zambia
Authors: Nölle Nils , Genschick Sven , Schwadorf Klaus , Hrenn Holger , Brandner Sonja , Biesalski Hans Konrad
Published: July 2020

Fish is an excellent source of protein, but can also be a good source of micronutrients. In Zambia fish is the main animal food source for poor women and children, two groups which are likely to suffer from inadequate micronutrient supply (hidden hunger). Although the potential of fish to combat hidden hunger is increasingly recognized and fisheries and aquaculture have been identified as key resources in addressing food and nutrition security issues in Zambia, only limited information on the nutrient composition of consumed fish species and products is available. Thus the objectives of this paper are to give a quantitative description of the nutritional composition of fish and fish products consumed in Zambia, and to estimate their potential to the Recommended Daily Intakes (RDIs) of micronutrients. Therefore approximately forty fish species in various kinds of processing were collected and prepared following local customs. Samples were analysed for macronutrients such as protein and fat. Contents of B-vitamins and minerals were also analysed. Protein content was overall similar, while fat content and fatty acid composition varied considerably. Most fish contained high amounts of niacin and cobalamin, but small fish usually contained the most cobalamin. Small fish contained up to 32 times the amount of calcium than other fish and often contained more iron and zinc, too. Overall small fish species, which are commonly consumed by poor women and children, can be used to combat hidden hunger in Zambia, due to high levels of cobalamin, calcium, iron and zinc.
Potential health risk and levels of heavy metals in water resources of lead–zinc mining communities of Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria
Authors: Obasi Philip Njoku , Akudinobi Bennard Benedict
Published: July 2020

Heavy metals are potential health risk, especially in mining sites where they deteriorate from sulfide-rich ore bodies. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury are very carcinogenic, while others are toxic. The assessment of the levels of these metals in water resources of the lead–zinc mining communities of Enyigba, Mkpuma Akpatakpa, Ameka, Amorie, Amanchara and Alibaruhu was carried out, and the potential health risk has been investigated. These areas make up the main mining communities of Abakaliki, where active and abandoned mines are located. One hundred and six water samples were analyzed in two seasons using atomic absorption spectrophotometric and ultra-violet/visible spectroscopy. Result indicates levels of Pb2+ > Hg2+ > As2+ > Cd2+ > Mn2+ > Ag2+ > Se2+ > Ni2+ > Cr2+ > Cu2+ in water sources. High levels of Mn2+(63.45 mg/L), Pb2+(11.42 mg/L), Cr3+(14.60 mg/L), Ni2+(1.260), Cd2+(15.67 mg/L), Ag+(6.06 mg/L), Hg2+(2.60 mg/L), As(4.13 mg/L), Se2+(2.68 mg/L), Zn2+(10.53 mg/L) and Co2+(0.9 mg/L) above the WHO recommended standard for drinking water were observed. Only Cu2+ recorded safe concentrations in 100% samples analyzed. Levels of associated metals including Pb2+, As, Hg2+, Se2+ and Cd2+ are higher in groundwater especially in areas close to the active mines; this is due to mineralization in the area. Seasonal analysis shows a decreased concentration of chemical constituents in the rainy season relative to the dry season. Potential health risk is associated with accumulation of toxic heavy metals in tissues including Parkinson disease, arsenicosis, acrodynia, selenoises, Alzheimer’s disease, hair loss, mental imbalance and abortion in women abound in the areas. Alternative water supply sources and sensitization on the potential health risk are highly advocated in these communities.
Associations of coffee drinking with physical performance in the oldest-old community-dwelling men The Helsinki Businessmen Study (HBS)
Authors: Jyväkorpi Satu K. , Urtamo Annele , Kivimäki Mika , Strandberg Timo E.
Published: July 2020

Background

Habitual coffee drinking has been associated with lower risk of various chronic diseases linked to poor physical performance.

Objective

We explored cross-sectional associations between coffee consumption and physical performance among oldest-old community-dwelling men in the Helsinki Businessmen Study (HBS).

Methods

A random sample of HBS survivors (n = 126, mean age 87 years) attended a clinic visit in 2017/2018, including measurements of body composition, physical performance [Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)], and cognition. Coffee consumption was retrieved from 3-day food diaries.

Results

Coffee consumption was positively associated with higher gait speed (p = 0.003), SPPB score (p = 0.035), and chair rise points (p = 0.043). Association of coffee with gait speed remained after adjustment for age, waist circumference, physical activity, pulse rate, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.

Conclusion

Higher coffee consumption was independently associated with better physical performance reflected as faster gait speed in oldest-old men.
Motor Abilities and the Motor Profile in Individuals with Williams Syndrome
Authors: Mayall Leighanne A. , D’Souza Hana , Hill Elisabeth L. , Karmiloff-Smith Annette , Tolmie Andrew , Farran Emily K.
Published: July 2020

Objectives

Motor difficulties are present across a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, impacting on the development of other domains and on overall quality of life. One population that shows difficulties with their motor abilities is composed of individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). The purposes of the current study were to investigate the motor profile of individuals with WS and to investigate the relationships between physical activity and motor performance in this group.

Methods

The motor performance of 36 individuals with WS was measured using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition (BOT2-SF) short form. Physical activity was also measured using our novel questionnaire. Performance on both measures was compared with that of typically developing (TD) children aged 4 to 7 years (N = 40).

Results

Results indicate that the individuals with WS (aged 12 to 50 years) performed at the level of TD 4- to 5-year olds with respect to overall motor ability. On examination of the motor profile, a relative strength in upper limb control and a relative weakness in balance were identified for this group. While a correlation was found between motor ability and the amount of physical activity that participants engaged in on a weekly basis in the TD group, no such relationship was found in the WS group.

Conclusions

The motor problems that individuals with WS show in childhood persist into older childhood and adulthood, and akin to the WS cognitive profile, there are relative strengths and weaknesses in the WS motor profile. The lack of correlation between physical activity and motor ability in the WS group may be due to the lack of opportunity to access age- and ability-appropriate activities.
Bayesian Inference for Multidimensional Scaling Representations with Psychologically Interpretable Metrics
Authors: Gronau Quentin F. , Lee Michael D.
Published: July 2020

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) models represent stimuli as points in a space consisting of a number of psychological dimensions, such that the distance between pairs of points corresponds to the dissimilarity between the stimuli. Two fundamental challenges in inferring MDS representations from data involve inferring the appropriate number of dimensions and the metric structure of the space used to measure distance. We approach both challenges as Bayesian model-selection problems. Treating MDS as a generative model, we define priors needed for model identifiability under metrics corresponding to psychologically separable and psychologically integral stimulus domains. We then apply a differential evolution Markov-chain Monte Carlo (DE-MCMC) method for parameter inference, and a Warp-III method for model selection. We apply these methods to five previous data sets, which collectively test the ability of the methods to infer an appropriate dimensionality and to infer whether stimuli are psychologically separable or integral. We demonstrate that our methods produce sensible results, but note a number of remaining technical challenges that need to be solved before the method can easily and generally be applied. We also note the theoretical promise of the generative modeling perspective, discussing new and extended models of MDS representation that could be developed.
Insights into drumlin development from ground-penetrating radar at Múlajökull, Iceland, a surge-type glacier
Authors: Woodard Jacob B. , Zoet Lucas K. , Benediktsson Ívar Ö. , Iverson Neal R. , Finlayson Andrew
Published: July 2020

Drumlins form at the ice/bed interface through subglacial processes that are not directly observable. The internal stratigraphy of drumlins provides insight into how they developed and associated subglacial processes, but traditional stratigraphic logging techniques are limited to natural exposures and excavations. Using ground-penetrating radar, we imaged the internal stratigraphy of seven drumlins from a recently exposed drumlin field in the forefield of Múlajökull, Iceland. Data were collected with 100 and 200 MHz antennas with maximum resolvable depths of 8 and 4 m, respectively. Longitudinal echograms contained coherent down-ice dipping reflectors over the lengths of the drumlins. Near the drumlin heads (i.e., stoss sides), down-glacier dipping beds lie at high angles to the surface, whereas on the lee sides, the down-glacier dipping beds lie at low angles, or conform, to drumlin surfaces. Transverse echograms exhibited unconformities along the flanks of drumlin heads and conformable bedding across the lee side widths of the drumlins. These observations were ground-truthed with stratigraphic logs from a subset of drumlins and good agreement was found. The stratigraphic patterns support previous conclusions that drumlins at Múlajökull formed on a deformable bed through both depositional and erosional processes which may alternate between its surge and quiescent phases.
The influence of size on the trophic interactions between juveniles of two syntopicTrachinotusspecies
Authors: Silva de Souza Joice , Neves dos Santos Luciano
Published: July 2020

Syntopic species with similar anatomic configuration may face strong competition for trophic resources, thus relying on developed mechanisms to ensure coexistence. The present study investigated the influence of body size on trophic interactions between juveniles of two closely related fish species at three sandy beaches in south-eastern Brazil. A total of 150 fish were sampled, where 103 were identified asTrachinotus carolinus(mean ± SE: weight = 9 g ± 1.13) and 47 asTrachinotus goodei(weight = 46.7 g ± 3.34). A significant size-difference between juvenileTrachinotuswas detected by a null-model analysis (P= 0.04), withT. carolinus(TL = 79.6 mm ± 2.4) presenting a smaller body size thanT. goodei(TL = 147.7 mm ± 4.2). The main prey items consumed byT. carolinuswerePerna perna(IAi = 0.76) andEmerita brasiliensis(IAi = 0.18), whereas the latter was the majorT. goodeidietary prey (IAi = 0.71). Both prey were correlated with larger-sized juveniles of each pompano species, whereas smaller fish shared non-preferred trophic items. Such opportunistic behaviour of smaller juveniles may account for the dietary overlap detected between theTrachinotusspecies (P= 0.09). Size-related dietary partitioning was observed for the largestT. goodeijuveniles, which displayed only a slight overlap withT. carolinus, and between juveniles belonging to the small and medium size groups of each pompano species. Therefore, food partitioning related to pompano body size seems to be especially important for the smallest juveniles, as they present the highest vacuity (particularlyT. carolinus) in the sampled beaches, suggesting that these individuals are under intra- and interspecific competitive pressure, which may affect local coexistence.
Why Georgia? A Curious and Unappreciated Pioneer on the Road to Early Youth Enfranchisement in the United States
Authors: SPRINGER MELANIE JEAN
Published: July 2020

In 1943, Georgia’s constitution was amended to lower the voting age to eighteen, making it the first—and for twelve years, the only—state in the Union to establish a voting-age requirement below twenty-one. Despite being widely considered at the time by several national and state political actors, Georgia’s reform represents an important and unappreciated historical puzzle. First, few would regard mid-twentieth-century Georgia as being even modestly progressive, especially regarding voting rights. Second, there is no evidence that an organized group lobbied for the reform. Further, there is no reason why lowering the voting age was inherently unique to Georgia qua Georgia. Instead, this study offers a detailed historical analysis highlighting the dedication of its young governor, and argues that Ellis Arnall’s political entrepreneurialism coupled with growing intraparty factionalism in Georgian politics and strategic timing facilitated this rare instance of electoral progressivism in the Deep South.
Racism Is Not Enough: Minority Coalition Building in San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver
Authors: Kim Jae Yeon
Published: July 2020

Scholars have long argued that the marginalized racial status shared by ethnic minority groups is a strong incentive for mobilization and coalition building in the United States. However, despite their members’ shared racial status as “Orientals,” different types of housing coalitions were formed in the Chinatowns of San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver during the 1960s and 1970s. Asian race-based coalitions appeared in San Francisco and Seattle, but not in Vancouver, where a cross-racial coalition was built between the Chinese and southern and eastern Europeans. Drawing on exogenous shocks and process tracing, this article explains how historical legacies—specifically, the political geography of settlement—shaped this divergence. These findings demonstrate how long-term historical analysis offers new insights into the study of minority coalition formation in the United States.
PAYG challenge for preferential migration
Authors: Aslanyan Gurgen , Mariev Oleg
Published: July 2020

The current study assesses the role of the pay-as-you-go system as an intergenerational redistributive mechanism while immigration control is considered. A theoretical model of a small open economy populated with overlapping generations of heterogeneous agents is used to show that skill-favouring immigration policies are, under rather permissive conditions, welfare depriving for the overall population. However, the policy-setting generation is shown to benefit from immigration control, thus decreasing the welfare for the future population.
Neither protective nor harmonized: the crossborder regulation of medical devices in the EU
Authors: Jarman Holly , Rozenblum Sarah , Huang Tiffany J.
Published: July 2020

To what extent does inadequate market regulation contribute to poor health outcomes? A series of prominent scandals involving harmful medical devices has made improving the regulation of these devices an urgent problem for the European Union (EU). This is, however, a specific example of a general phenomenon. The EU remains first and foremost a large and integrated market within which the EU institutions have considerable regulatory authority. Even if there is little EU commitment to a health or social policy agenda, its use of that regulatory authority shapes health care cost and quality and should be understood as health policy. We use data from EU-level and national policy documents to analyse the EU's current regulatory framework for medical devices and assess its likely future efficacy. Despite revising the medical devices directive to require more stringent pre-authorization requirements for high-risk medical devices and improvements in post-market surveillance, the key underlying problems of market fragmentation and patient safety persist. Without strong and consistent support for the implementation of the new directive, the likely result is the status quo, with significant consequences for health in Europe.
Bicameralism and government formation: does bicameral incongruence affect bargaining delays?
Authors: Giannetti Daniela , Pedrazzani Andrea , Pinto Luca
Published: July 2020

The effects of bicameral legislatures on government formation have attracted scholarly attention since Lijphart’s (1984) seminal contribution. Previous research found support for the ‘veto control hypothesis,’ showing that bicameralism affects coalition governments’ composition and duration. However, the effects of bicameralism on the duration of the bargaining process over government formation have yet to be explored. Our work contributes to this area of research by focusing on the impact of bicameralism on bargaining delays. We show that the duration of the bargaining process over government formation decreases at increasing levels of partisan incongruence of the two chambers, especially in those legislative assemblies in which the upper chamber plays a relevant role in the policy-making process. Such empirical evidence is in contrast with the conventional expectation according to which bicameralism should delay the government formation process, as it introduces an additional element of complexity in the bargaining environment. We test our hypothesis by using a novel data set about the partisan composition of upper and lower chambers in 12 Western and Eastern European democracies over the postwar period.
Nicht-invasive Diagnostik der chronischen koronaren Herzkrankheit – CT-Koronarangio­graphie und Stress-MRT
Authors: Müggler Oliver , Manka Robert , Alkadhi Hatem , Eberhard Matthias
Published: July 2020

Zusammenfassung. Die koronare Herzkrankheit (KHK) ist eine der führenden Todesursachen weltweit. In den 2019 erschienenen, aktualisierten Guidelines der Europäischen Gesellschaft für Kardiologie (ESC) für die Diagnose und Management der chronischen koronaren Herzkrankheit wird der nicht-invasiven Bildgebung ein deutlich höherer Stellenwert eingeräumt als in vorherigen Ausgaben. Die berechnete Vortestwahrscheinlichkeit für das Vorliegen einer KHK, die auf Alter, Geschlecht und Symptomen basiert, wurde im Vergleich zu den älteren Guidelines nach unten korrigiert, um der bisher überschätzten Prävalenz der KHK Sorge zutragen. Bei Patienten, bei denen das Vorliegen einer obstruktiven KHK klinisch nicht ausgeschlossen werden kann, gibt es verschiedene Strategien mittels nicht-invasiver Herzbildgebung eine KHK zu diagnostizieren: CT-Koronarangiographie, funktionelle kardiale Bildgebung und eine Kombination aus Herzkatheter und funktioneller Untersuchung. In der vorliegenden Übersichtsarbeit werden Stärken und Schwächen der einzelnen, nicht-invasiven kardialen Bildgebungsmodalitäten zur Beurteilung einer chronischen KHK, mit Schwerpunkt auf CT-Koronarangiographie und Stress-Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT), zusammengefasst.
Screening cardiovascular patients for aortic aneurysms (SCAN) – high prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in coronary heart disease patients requiring intervention
Authors: Reutersberg Benedikt , Salvermoser Michael , Haller Bernhard , Schäffer Christoph , Knipfer Eva , Laugwitz Karl-Ludwig , Eckstein Hans-Henning
Published: July 2020

Summary: Background: Since the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in Europe has declined to about 2.5%, general screening programs of elderly men are being called into question. On the other hand, other vascular diseases (e.g. coronary heart disease, CHD) are associated with a higher prevalence of AAA. This might have an impact on future targeted AAA screening programs. This study aimed to reevaluate the current prevalence of AAA in male patients with CHD, in order to assess whether CHD patients should be offered a targeted AAA ultrasound screening program. Patients and methods: The SCAN (Screening Cardiovascular Patients for Aortic Aneurysms) study prospectively evaluated the AAA prevalence in 1000 consecutive male CHD patients (70.1 ± 11.2 years) requiring any coronary intervention at an university hospital. All patients received transverse and longitudinal ultrasound scans of the abdominal aorta. Aortic diameter was assessed using the outer-to-outer measurement-technique. Primary endpoint was the prevalence of AAA. Secondary outcomes included stratification in 1-, 2-, or 3-vessel CHD. Results: AAA was detected in 85 patients (median diameter 38 mm, range 30–80 mm), corresponding to an overall prevalence of 8.5%. AAA prevalence was significantly associated with CHD severity: 5.6% in 1-vessel, 7.1% in 2-vessel, and 10.8% in 3-vessel CHD (P = 0.037). The multivariable analysis showed, that age per 10 years increase (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.9, P = 0.001) and hyperlipidemia (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3–3.8, P = 0.003) were significantly associated with an AAA. The likelihood to be diagnosed with an AAA was significantly lower in non-smokers (OR 0.24, 95% CI, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study confirms that CHD requiring any type of coronary intervention is strongly associated with AAA in male patients. AAA prevalence increases with CHD severity. Since the AAA prevalence is still significantly higher than in the general population, targeted ultrasound screening should be considered for all CHD patients.
Personality and Dementia Risk in England and Australia
Authors: Aschwanden Damaris , Sutin Angelina R. , Luchetti Martina , Stephan Yannick , Terracciano Antonio
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Evidence for the relationship between personality and dementia risk comes mainly from American samples. We tested whether personality-dementia links extend to populations from England and Australia. Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA; N = 6,887; Follow-up mean: 5.64 years) and the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA; N = 2,778; Follow-up mean: 10.96 years) were analyzed using Cox PH models. In both samples, higher Neuroticism was associated with increased dementia risk. In ELSA, lower Conscientiousness was related to increased risk. In HILDA, Conscientiousness had a similar effect but did not reach statistical significance. The present work found a consistent association for Neuroticism and suggests similar personality-dementia links across demographic groups and high-income countries.
Big Questions, Few Answers About What Happens Under Lake Ice
Authors: Hampton Stephanie , Powers Stephen , Devlin Shawn , McKnight Diane
Published: July 2020

Scientists long eschewed studying lakes in winter, expecting that cold temperatures and ice cover limited activity below the surface. Recent findings to the contrary are changing limnologists’ views.
The Mosquito, the Virus, the Climate: An Unforeseen Réunion in 2018
Authors: DiSera Laurel , Sjödin Henrik , Rocklöv Joacim , Tozan Yesim , Súdre Bertrand , Zeller Herve , Muñoz Ángel G.
Published: July 2020

The 2018 outbreak of dengue in the French overseas department of Réunion was unprecedented in size and spread across the island. This research focuses on the cause of the outbreak, asserting that climate played a large role in the proliferation of the Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which transmitted the disease, and led to the dengue outbreak in early 2018. A stage‐structured model was run using observed temperature and rainfall data to simulate the life cycle and abundance of the Ae. albopictus mosquito. Further, the model was forced with bias‐corrected subseasonal forecasts to determine if the event could have been forecast up to 4 weeks in advance. With unseasonably warm temperatures remaining above 25°C, along with large tropical‐cyclone‐related rainfall events accumulating 10–15 mm per event, the modeled Ae. albopictus mosquito abundance did not decrease during the second half of 2017, contrary to the normal behavior, likely contributing to the large dengue outbreak in early 2018. Although subseasonal forecasts of rainfall for the December–January period in Réunion are skillful up to 4 weeks in advance, the outbreak could only have been forecast 2 weeks in advance, which along with seasonal forecast information could have provided enough time to enhance preparedness measures. Our research demonstrates the potential of using state‐of‐the‐art subseasonal climate forecasts to produce actionable subseasonal dengue predictions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time subseasonal forecasts have been used this way.
Historical Evaluation and Future Projections of 100‐m Wind Energy Potentials Over CORDEX‐East Asia
Authors: Li Delei , Feng Jianlong , Dosio Alessandro , Qi Jifeng , Xu Zhenhua , Yin Baoshu
Published: July 2020

Countries in East Asia have set ambitious goals for the development of wind energy to meet the increasing energy demand and to mitigate anthropogenic climate change. However, few studies have investigated changes in wind energy over East Asia under future climatic conditions. In this study, we investigate future changes of 100‐m wind speed and wind energy potential over the CORDEX‐East Asia region under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario, by using ensemble simulations from the regional climate model Consortium for small‐scale modeling in CLimate Mode (CCLM). A multivariate bias adjustment method based on the N‐dimensional probability density function transform is used to correct raw simulated horizontal wind components. The comparison between future climate (2021–2050 and 2070–2099) and the present climate (1971–2000) shows decreases in wind speed, wind power density, and wind energy output over most of the CORDEX‐East Asia region, especially in the tropics. Projected increases are pronounced over the Himalayan regions, the Indo‐China Peninsula, the South China Sea, and the western Pacific Ocean in summer and over northeastern China, parts of Western China and the Indo‐China Peninsula in winter. Interannual and intra‐annual variability of wind power density are projected to intensify significantly for most of the CORDEX‐East Asia region. The occurrence of weak wind speeds (<3 m/s) is projected to increase, while strong wind speeds (>11 m/s) are projected to decrease over most of the ocean.
What Controls the Water Vapor Isotopic Composition Near the Surface of Tropical Oceans? Results From an Analytical Model Constrained by Large‐Eddy Simulations
Authors: Risi Camille , Muller Caroline , Blossey Peter
Published: July 2020

The goal of this study is to understand the mechanisms controlling the isotopic composition of the water vapor near the surface of tropical oceans, at the scale of about a hundred kilometers and a month. In the tropics, it has long been observed that the isotopic compositions of rain and vapor near the surface are more depleted when the precipitation rate is high. This is called the “amount effect.” Previous studies, based on observations or models with parameterized convection, have highlighted the roles of deep convective and mesoscale downdrafts and rain evaporation. But the relative importance of these processes has never been quantified. We hypothesize that it can be quantified using an analytical model constrained by large‐eddy simulations. Results from large‐eddy simulations confirm that the classical amount effect can be simulated only if precipitation rate changes result from changes in the large‐scale circulation. We find that the main process depleting the water vapor compared to the equilibrium with the ocean is the fact that updrafts stem from areas where the water vapor is more enriched. The main process responsible for the amount effect is the fact that when the large‐scale ascent increases, isotopic vertical gradients are steeper, so that updrafts and downdrafts deplete the subcloud layer more efficiently.
COVID-19 PICU guidelines: for high- and limited-resource settings
Authors: Kache Saraswati , Chisti Mohammod Jobayer , Gumbo Felicity , Mupere Ezekiel , Zhi Xia , Nallasamy Karthi , Nakagawa Satoshi , Lee Jan Hau , Di Nardo Matteo , de la Oliva Pedro , Katyal Chhavi , Anand Kanwaljeet J. S. , de Souza Daniela Carla , Lanziotti Vanessa Soares , Carcillo Joseph
Published: July 2020

Background

Fewer children than adults have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the clinical manifestations are distinct from those of adults. Some children particularly those with acute or chronic co-morbidities are likely to develop critical illness. Recently, a multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) has been described in children with some of these patients requiring care in the pediatric ICU.

Methods

An international collaboration was formed to review the available evidence and develop evidence-based guidelines for the care of critically ill children with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Where the evidence was lacking, those gaps were replaced with consensus-based guidelines.

Results

This process has generated 44 recommendations related to pediatric COVID-19 patients presenting with respiratory distress or failure, sepsis or septic shock, cardiopulmonary arrest, MIS-C, those requiring adjuvant therapies, or ECMO. Evidence to explain the milder disease patterns in children and the potential to use repurposed anti-viral drugs, anti-inflammatory or anti-thrombotic therapies are also described.

Conclusion

Brief summaries of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection in different regions of the world are included since few registries are capturing this data globally. These guidelines seek to harmonize the standards and strategies for intensive care that critically ill children with COVID-19 receive across the world.

Impact

At the time of publication, this is the latest evidence for managing critically ill children infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Referring to these guidelines can decrease the morbidity and potentially the mortality of children effected by COVID-19 and its sequalae.

These guidelines can be adapted to both high- and limited-resource settings.
ISG15 induces ESRP1 to inhibit lung adenocarcinoma progression
Authors: Qu Tongyuan , Zhang Wenshuai , Qi Lisha , Cao Lu , Liu Changxu , Huang Qiujuan , Li Guangning , Li Lingmei , Wang Yalei , Guo Qianru , Guo Yuhong , Ren Danyang , Gao Yanan , Wang Jinpeng , Meng Bin , Zhang Bin , Cao Wenfeng
Published: July 2020

Our previous work demonstrated that Epithelial Splicing Regulatory Protein 1 (ESRP1) could inhibit the progression of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). When ESRP1 was upregulated, the interferon (IFN) pathway was activated and Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) expression increased exponentially in our microarray result. In this study, we aim to explore the function of ISG15 and its interactions with ESRP1 and to provide new insights for ADC treatment. ISG15 expression in lung ADC tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. The effect of ISG15 on lung ADC progression was examined by in vitro and in vivo assays. The mechanism of action on ESRP1 regulating ISG15 was investigated using Western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence staining, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and a dual luciferase reporter system. The ISGylation between ISG15 and ESRP1 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation. Patients with high ISG15 expression were associated with higher survival rates, especially those with ISG15 expression in the nucleus. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that upregulation of ISG15 inhibited EMT in lung ADC. ESRP1 upregulated the expression of ISG15 through CREB with enriched ISG15 in the nucleus. Importantly, ISG15 promoted ISGylation of ESRP1 and slowed the degradation of ESRP1, which demonstrated that ESRP1 and ISG15 formed a positive feedback loop and jointly suppressed EMT of lung ADC. In conclusion, ISG15 serves as an independent prognostic marker for long-term survival in lung ADC patients. We have revealed the protective effect of ISG15 against lung ADC progression and the combinatorial benefit of ISG15 and ESRP1 on inhibiting EMT. These findings suggest that reconstituting ISG15 and ESRP1 may have the potential for treating lung ADC.
Insulators for 2D nanoelectronics: the gap to bridge
Authors: Illarionov Yury Yu. , Knobloch Theresia , Jech Markus , Lanza Mario , Akinwande Deji , Vexler Mikhail I. , Mueller Thomas , Lemme Max C. , Fiori Gianluca , Schwierz Frank , Grasser Tibor
Published: July 2020

Nanoelectronic devices based on 2D materials are far from delivering their full theoretical performance potential due to the lack of scalable insulators. Amorphous oxides that work well in silicon technology have ill-defined interfaces with 2D materials and numerous defects, while 2D hexagonal boron nitride does not meet required dielectric specifications. The list of suitable alternative insulators is currently very limited. Thus, a radically different mindset with respect to suitable insulators for 2D technologies may be required. We review possible solution scenarios like the creation of clean interfaces, production of native oxides from 2D semiconductors and more intensive studies on crystalline insulators.