bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energetics and mechanisms for the acetonyl radical + O2 reaction: An important system for atmospheric and combustion chemistry
Authors: Weidman Jared D. , Turney Justin M. , Schaefer Henry F.
Published: March 2020

The acetonyl radical (•CH2COCH3) is relevant to atmospheric and combustion chemistry due to its prevalence in many important reaction mechanisms. One such reaction mechanism is the decomposition of Criegee intermediates in the atmosphere that can produce acetonyl radical and OH. In order to understand the fate of the acetonyl radical in these environments and to create more accurate kinetics models, we have examined the reaction system of the acetonyl radical with O2 using highly reliable theoretical methods. Structures were optimized using coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] with an atomic natural orbital (ANO0) basis set. Energetics were computed to chemical accuracy using the focal point approach involving perturbative treatment of quadruple excitations [CCSDT(Q)] and basis sets as large as cc-pV5Z. The addition of O2 to the acetonyl radical produces the acetonylperoxy radical, and multireference computations on this reaction suggest it to be barrierless. No submerged pathways were found for the unimolecular isomerization of the acetonylperoxy radical. Besides dissociation to reactants, the lowest energy pathway available for the acetonylperoxy radical is a 1-5 H shift from the methyl group to the peroxy group through a transition state that is 3.3 kcal mol−1 higher in energy than acetonyl radical + O2. The ultimate products from this pathway are the enol tautomer of the acetonyl radical along with O2. Multiple pathways that lead to OH formation are considered; however, all of these pathways are predicted to be energetically inaccessible, except at high temperatures.
Identifying the transition region between splashing and spreading of fuel drops
Authors: Bandari Anashe
Published: March 2020

Whether an impacting droplet splashes or spreads is determined by a number of parameters, and a transition region exists between the two behaviors.
Accumulation and transport of antimony and arsenic in terrestrial and aquatic plants in an antimony ore concentration area (south-west China)
Authors: Li Ling , Liao Lu , Fan Yuhong , Tu Han , Zhang Shui , Wang Bing , Liu Taoze , Wu Pan , Han Zhiwei
Published: March 2020

Environmental contextPhytoremediation requires an understanding of bioconcentration and translocation processes that determine behaviour and fate of potentially toxic elements. We studied the distribution of antimony and arsenic in terrestrial and aquatic soil-plant systems in an antimony ore zone. We found that the common climbing plant Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is suitable for phyto-stabilisation of antimony-bearing tailings, while tiger grass (Thysanolaena maxima) was able to extract antimony and arsenic from contaminated soils.
AbstractAntimony (Sb) pollution is a major environmental issue in China. Many historical abandoned tailings have released high concentrations of Sb and its associated element arsenic (As) to surrounding environments. This has prompted the need to understand accumulation and translocation processes that determine the behaviour and fate of Sb and As in contaminated soil–plant systems and to identify suitable plant species for phytoremediation. Here we investigate distribution of Sb and As in terrestrial and aquatic dominant plant species and associated soils, all of which are naturally found in an Sb ore concentration area in south-west China. Total Sb and As concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The percentage of soluble Sb and As in the total concentrations were determined; the results showed that the basic soil environment facilitates the release of Sb and As from contaminated soils, and that Sb has higher mobility than As. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) were used for evaluating the ability of plants to accumulate and transport Sb and As, respectively. The results indicated that all selected plant species have the potential to tolerate high concentrations of Sb and As. Consequently, this study suggested that Pueraria lobata (PL) can be used as the preferred species for phytostabilisation of abandoned Sb-bearing tailings, given that PL has well-developed roots and lush leaf tissues and the ability to translocate Sb from roots to aboveground parts. Thysanolaena maxima (TM) is suitable for phyto-extraction of Sb and As in contaminated soils.
Transcriptional suppression of AMPKα1 promotes breast cancer metastasis upon oncogene activation
Authors: Yi Yong , Chen Deshi , Ao Juan , Zhang Wenhua , Yi Jianqiao , Ren Xiaokun , Fei Junjie , Li Fengtian , Niu Mengmeng , Chen Hu , Luo Yangkun , Luo Zhijun , Xiao Zhi-Xiong Jim
Published: March 2020

Significance

Oncogenic hotspot mutations in PIK3CA and overexpression of HER2 are known as a driving force for human breast cancer metastasis. AMPK is pivotal in maintaining cellular energy homeostasis. In this study, we demonstrate that transcription inhibition of AMPKα1 is critically important in human advanced breast cancer with poor clinical outcomes, that AMPKα1 is transcriptionally inhibited in response to activation of PI3K/HER2, and that ΔNp63α, a tumor metastasis suppressor, is a direct transcriptional factor mediating oncogenic PI3K/HER2-induced transcriptional suppression of AMPKα1. In addition, inhibition of AMPK leads to disruption of cell–cell adhesion and promotes cancer metastasis. This study highlights a critical role for AMPK in the connection of cell–cell adhesion and cancer metastasis.
Clostridioides difficile
infection damages colonic stem cells via TcdB, impairing epithelial repair and recovery from disease
Authors: Mileto Steven J. , Jardé Thierry , Childress Kevin O. , Jensen Jaime L. , Rogers Ashleigh P. , Kerr Genevieve , Hutton Melanie L. , Sheedlo Michael J. , Bloch Sarah C. , Shupe John A. , Horvay Katja , Flores Tracey , Engel Rebekah , Wilkins Simon , McMurrick Paul J. , Lacy D. Borden , Abud Helen E. , Lyras Dena
Published: March 2020

Significance

Clostridioides difficile
is the most common cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. It is responsible for more than half of all hospital enteric infections and >90% of mortalities resulting from these infections. Gut damage sustained during
C. difficile
infection is devastating, inducing epithelial damage deep into the gut tissue, to regions where stem cells responsible for tissue repair reside. Our work has shown that toxin-mediated damage during severe murine
C. difficile
infection alters the colonic epithelial protective barrier, which promotes colonic stem cell dysfunction, exacerbating disease and perturbing the repair capacity of the host. Furthermore, we have shown that this damage induces a chronically dysfunctional stem cell state, which prevents homeostatic cellular repair, possibly increasing susceptibility to subsequent infections or disease recurrence.
Host membrane lipids are trafficked to membranes of intravacuolar bacteriumEhrlichia chaffeensis
Authors: Lin Mingqun , Grandinetti Giovanna , Hartnell Lisa M. , Bliss Donald , Subramaniam Sriram , Rikihisa Yasuko
Published: March 2020

Significance

Biological membranes are essential for life. Although bacteria and eukaryotic cells have evolved to produce membranes of different compositions, several bacterial pathogens can hijack and utilize host-synthesized membrane lipids. Here, we show that an obligatory intracellular pathogen,Ehrlichia chaffeensis, deficient in biosynthesis of cholesterol and some glycerophospholipids, actively acquires host-derived membrane components within membrane-bound inclusions (vacuoles). The trafficking of host membrane components toEhrlichiaand membrane-bound inclusions appears to occur via endocytosis and autophagy induced by a bacteria-secreted protein. Numerous intraluminal vesicles were found inEhrlichiainclusions that may function as a membrane reserve for rapid proliferation ofEhrlichia. Our findings provide insights into host membrane assimilation by an intracellular pathogen, which can be exploited for antibacterial therapy.
Las metafunciones de Halliday en traducción
Authors: Chatzikoumi Eirini
Published: March 2020

This article addresses the contribution of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to translation and, specifically,
the use of Halliday’s metafunctions in translation studies research. The aim is to provide the state of the art of the main
findings and proposals of these studies regarding the role of metafunctions in translation and translation teaching, thus
evaluating their relevance and applicability in this field. In order to achieve this, six studies were reviewed, three of them
dedicated to metafunctional shifts and three to the use of metafunctions in translation teaching and evaluation. This critical
bibliographic review allowed for the corroboration of the contribution of SFL to the field of translation, and for the deduction
of relevant aspects for future research and teaching proposals. More precisely, the relevance of the incorporation of semantic
metafunctions in translator training and evaluation is confirmed, and the possibility of a distinction between obligatory and
optional metafunctional translation shifts is suggested.
Constructions, generalizations, and the unpredictability of language
Authors: Herbst Thomas
Published: March 2020

Attempts at predicting syntactic behavior from semantic or other generalizations are often unsatisfactory. It is argued that the notion of competition as used byGoldberg (2019)can serve as an explanation for unpredictability in language because established formulations that are preferred over others automatically distort the collocational profiles of verbs in argument structure constructions. As a consequence of this, an approach of seeing items as items-in-constructions (and not as elements attracted to them) is argued for. It is then shown how this items-in-constructions view can be applied to designing models of reference constructicons and mental constructicons.
Dendrochronology of U.S. immigration
Authors: Cruz Pedro , Wihbey John , Ghael Avni , Shibuya Felipe , Costa Stephen
Published: March 2020

Immigrants are central to the identity of the United States, the population of which has grown in number and diversity as
a function of new arrivals from around the globe. This article describes a visualization project that uses the visual metaphor of tree rings
to explore the contribution of immigrants to the country’s population. Immigrants and native-born persons are represented and differentiated
as cells in trees, with layered annual rings capturing patterns of population growth. These rings register, in their shape and color,
certain environmental conditions. In order to mimic the natural process by which growth rings are formed, we devised a computational system
that simulates the growth of trees as if cells were data-units. Dendrochronology involves dating certain events by analyzing patterns of
growth in trees. Analogously, in our visualizations the rings can be counted and dated, showing the chronological evolution of the
population. The dendrochronology theme is a poetic take on the data, yet it is also a functional and conceptual space that is used to
construct language and rationales on that data. The tree-growth process not only inspires the appearance of the visualizations but also
informs the rules of the computational system that creates them.
Feeling numbers
Authors: Campbell Sarah , Offenhuber Dietmar
Published: March 2020

For means of communication, persuasion is a natural and critical part of conveying a message. Data visualizations, being means of communication themselves, are used as rhetorical instruments, but how they persuade has yet to be fully understood. Based on George Campbell’s rhetorical theory, this paper presents the results of an empirical study testing the effectiveness of appeals to emotion through proximity techniques – the contextual framing of a visualization. The findings indicate that people feel greater interest towards a topic when the visualized data are more relevant to them, and that data representing events closer in time are more affecting.
Greece, the Netherlands and (the) Ukraine: A Corpus-Based Study of Definite Article Use with Country Names
Authors: Motschenbacher Heiko
Published: March 2020

This study investigates the grammatical behavior of English country names based on corpus linguistic evidence. An overview of the basic patterns of definite article use with country names as commonly described in English reference grammars and of the morphological structures of English country names is presented. Against this backdrop, the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) is used to explore which (groups of) country names occur more or less frequently with a definite article. The data analysis reveals that virtually all of the English country names examined are, to some extent, used in the syntactic position following a definite article. It is shown that certain grammatical constructions call for the use of a definite article in connection with country names. However, the morphology of the country names also has a strong influence on how often they are used with a definite article. Furthermore, it is argued that the minority of English country names that do not fit this morphological pattern may differ because they derive from other place name types that generally take a definite article.
Thoracic electrical impedance tomography in Chinese hospitals: a review of clinical research and daily applications
Authors: Zhao Zhanqi , Fu Feng , Frerichs Inéz
Published: March 2020

Chinese scientists and researchers have a long history with electrical impedance tomography (EIT), which can be dated back to the 1980s. No commercial EIT devices for chest imaging were available until the year 2014 when the first device received its approval from the China Food and Drug Administration. Ever since then, clinical research and daily applications have taken place in Chinese hospitals. Up to this date (2019.11) 47 hospitals have been equipped with 50 EIT devices. Twenty-three SCI publications are recorded and a further 21 clinical trials are registered. Thoracic EIT is mainly used in patients before or after surgery, or in intensive care units (ICU). Application fields include the development of strategies for protective lung ventilation (e.g. tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration, recruitment, choice of ventilation mode and weaning from ventilator), regional lung perfusion monitoring, perioperative monitoring, and potential feedback for rehabilitation. The main challenges for promoting clinical use of EIT are the financial cost and the education of personnel. In this review, the past, present and future of EIT in China are introduced and discussed.
Local hardening of Raman phonons in BaxSr1−xTiO3 thin films deposited by r.f. sputtering
Authors: Zelaya-Angel O , Melendez-Lira M , Reséndiz-Muñoz J , Fernández-Muñoz J L , Caballero-Briones F
Published: March 2020

Thin films of nanometric order of a solid solution of barium-strontium titanate Ba
x
Sr1−x
TiO3 (BSTO), in the entire 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 range, were deposited at 495 °C on quartz by RF reactive co-sputtering. The composition was controlled through the RF power (P) applied to the targets. X ray diffractograms (XRD) reveal that all the samples show the cubic perovskite crystalline structure. The percentage of elements (x) in the films were evaluated by usingof electron dispersion spectroscopy, also through the change of the (110) lattice interplanar spacing determination of BSTO by means of XRD patterns. Experimental data points of concentration of Ba (x) and Sr (1−x) as a function of P describe a symmetric sigmoidal curve. The average crystal size for the whole composition is around 20 nm as estimated from XRD data. Raman measurements in the 100–900 cm−1 range show that optic phonons experience local hardening in the x interval 0.6–0.8. Around this region of x it is, in general, expected in BSTO a crystalline cubic-tetragonal phase transition when is prepared at low substrates temperatures. Distortion of the unit cell is observed in that interval, which probably originates the local hardening of phonons.
Adaptive learning rate clipping stabilizes learning
Authors: Ede Jeffrey M , Beanland Richard
Published: March 2020

Artificial neural network training with gradient descent can be destabilized by ‘bad batches’ with high losses. This is often problematic for training with small batch sizes, high order loss functions or unstably high learning rates. To stabilize learning, we have developed adaptive learning rate clipping (ALRC) to limit backpropagated losses to a number of standard deviations above their running means. ALRC is designed to complement existing learning algorithms: Our algorithm is computationally inexpensive, can be applied to any loss function or batch size, is robust to hyperparameter choices and does not affect backpropagated gradient distributions. Experiments with CIFAR-10 supersampling show that ALCR decreases errors for unstable mean quartic error training while stable mean squared error training is unaffected. We also show that ALRC decreases unstable mean squared errors for scanning transmission electron microscopy supersampling and partial scan completion. Our source code is available at https://github.com/Jeffrey-Ede/ALRC.
Time for Better Access to High-Quality Abortion Data in the United States
Authors: Ahrens Katherine A , Hutcheon Jennifer A
Published: March 2020

Despite considerable lay attention on the regulation and legislation of abortion in the United States, important gaps remain in our understanding of its incidence and health and social consequences since its legalization in 1973. Many of these gaps in knowledge can be attributed to a lack of access to high-quality, individual-level abortion data over the past 46 years. Herein, we review the strengths and limitations of different, currently available methods for enumerating abortions in the United States and discuss how lack of access to high-quality data limits our surveillance and research activities of not only abortion but other important reproductive and perinatal health outcomes. We conclude by discussing some potential opportunities for improved access to high-quality abortion data in the United States.
Combatting Bias in the Criminal Courts of France, 1870s-1913
Authors: Donovan James
Published: March 2020

In nineteenth-century France, liberals assumed that a conservative judiciary was frequently biased in favour of the prosecution, and socialists assumed that juries were dominated by the upper classes and too unrepresentative of the population to render justice equitably. Agitation by the left to combat these perceived biases led to the adoption of two key reforms of the fin de siècle. One was the abolition in 1881 of the résumé, or summing-up of the case by the chief justice of the cour d’assises (felony court). Liberals thought this reform was necessary because judges allegedly often used the résumé to persuade jurors in favour of conviction, a charge repeated by modern historians. The other reform, beginning at about the same time, was to make jury composition more democratic. By 1880, newly empowered liberals (at least in Paris) had begun to reduce the proportion of wealthy men on jury lists. This was followed in 1908 by the implementation of a circular issued by the Minister of Justice ordering the jury commissions to inscribe working-class men on the annual jury lists. However, a quantitative analysis of jury verdicts suggests that the reforms of the early 1880s and 1908 had only modest impacts on jury verdicts. Ideas and attitudes seem to have been more important. This has implications regarding two key controversies among modern jurists: the extent to which judges influence jurors and the extent to which the characteristics of jurors influence their verdicts.
Combining p-values via averaging
Authors: Vovk Vladimir , Wang Ruodu
Published: March 2020

This paper proposes general methods for the problem of multiple testing of a single hypothesis, with a standard goal of combining a number of $p$-values without making any assumptions about their dependence structure. A result by Rüschendorf (1982) and, independently, Meng (1993) implies that the $p$-values can be combined by scaling up their arithmetic mean by a factor of 2, and no smaller factor is sufficient in general. A similar result by Mattner about the geometric mean replaces 2 by e. Based on more recent developments in mathematical finance, specifically, robust risk aggregation techniques, we extend these results to generalized means; in particular, we show that $K$  $p$-values can be combined by scaling up their harmonic mean by a factor of $\log K$ asymptotically as $K$ tends to infinity. This leads to a generalized version of the Bonferroni–Holm procedure. We also explore methods using weighted averages of $p$-values. Finally, we discuss the efficiency of various methods of combining $p$-values and how to choose a suitable method in light of data and prior information.
Global Overview of Ecosystem Services Provided by Riparian Vegetation
Authors: Riis Tenna , Kelly-Quinn Mary , Aguiar Francisca C , Manolaki Paraskevi , Bruno Daniel , Bejarano María D , Clerici Nicola , Fernandes María Rosário , Franco José C , Pettit Neil , Portela Ana P , Tammeorg Olga , Tammeorg Priit , Rodríguez-González Patricia M , Dufour Simon
Published: March 2020

Fluvial riparian vegetation (RV) links fluvial and terrestrial ecosystems. It is under significant pressure from anthropogenic activities, and, therefore, the management and restoration of RV are increasingly important worldwide. RV has been investigated from different perspectives, so knowledge on its structure and function is widely distributed. An important step forward is to convert existing knowledge into an overview easily accessible—for example, for use in decision-making and management. We aim to provide an overview of ecosystem services provided by RV by adopting a structured approach to identify the ecosystem services, describe their characteristics, and rank the importance of each service. We evaluate each service within four main riparian vegetation types adopting a global perspective to derive a broad concept. Subsequently, we introduce a guided framework for use in RV management based on our structured approach. We also identify knowledge gaps and evaluate the opportunities an ecosystem service approach offers to RV management.
Riskscapes of gender, disaster and climate change in Indonesia
Authors: Tickamyer Ann R , Kusujiarti Siti
Published: March 2020

Three prominent disasters in Indonesia demonstrate the importance of gender roles, relations and practices in delineating the social and spatial relations of Riskscapes, with implications for developing resilience to disaster and preparing for climate change. We build on a model of Riskscapes that incorporates power relations as a conceptual dimension and show how gender plays a central role in this, as well as intersecting with the other dimensions of Riskscape specification. We conclude with a series of hypotheses that can test the model and clarify and specify the ways gender requires incorporation into disaster and climate change Riskscape research, planning and action.
Recurrence of immunoglobulin A nephropathy after kidney transplantation: a narrative review of the incidence, risk factors, pathophysiology and management of immunosuppressive therapy
Authors: Infante Barbara , Rossini Michele , Di Lorenzo Adelaide , Coviello Nicola , Giuseppe Castellano , Gesualdo Loreto , Giuseppe Grandaliano , Stallone Giovanni
Published: March 2020

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is the underlying cause of end-stage renal failure in 30–50% of kidney transplant recipients. It represents the primary cause of end-stage renal disease for 25% of the dialysis population and 45% of the transplant population. For patients with GN requiring renal replacement therapy, kidney transplantation is associated with superior outcomes compared with dialysis. Recurrent GN was previously considered to be a minor contributor to graft loss, but with the prolongation of graft survival, the effect of recurrent disease on graft outcome assumes increasing importance. Thus the extent of recurrence of original kidney disease after kidney transplantation has been underestimated for several reasons. This review aims to provide updated knowledge on one particular recurrent renal disease after kidney transplantation, immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). IgAN is one of the most common GNs worldwide. The pathogenesis of IgAN is complex and remains incompletely understood. Evidence to date is most supportive of a several hit hypothesis. Biopsy is mandatory not only to diagnose the disease in the native kidney, but also to identify and characterize graft recurrence of IgAN in the kidney graft. The optimal therapy for IgAN recurrence in the renal graft is unknown. Supportive therapy aiming to reduce proteinuria and control hypertension is the mainstream, with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive treatment tailored for certain subgroups of patients experiencing a rapidly progressive course of the disease with active lesions on renal biopsy and considering safety issues related to infectious complications.
Barrett’s Registry Collaboration of academic centers in Ireland reveals high progression rate of low-grade dysplasia and low risk from nondysplastic Barrett’s esophagus: report of the RIBBON network
Authors: O’Byrne Lisa M , Witherspoon Jolene , Verhage Roy J J , O’Brien Marie , Muldoon Cian , Ryan Ciara , Buckley Martin , Murphy Thomas , Reynolds Rob , Patchett Stephen , Kay Elaine , Azam Halsema , Robb William , Arumugasamy Mayilone , Mathuna Padraic Mc , Leyden Jan , Gargan Siobhan , Doherty Glen , Sheahan Kieran , Collins Chris , Nath Amar , O’Sullivan Jacintha , Donohoe Claire L , Ravi Narayanasamy , O’Toole Dermot , Reynolds John V
Published: March 2020

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is the main pathological precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or EAC from nondysplastic BE (NDBE), low-grade dysplasia (LGD) and indefinite for dysplasia (IND) varies widely between population-based studies and specialized centers for many reasons, principally the rigor of the biopsy protocol and the accuracy of pathologic definition. In the Republic of Ireland, a multicenter prospective registry and bioresource (RIBBON) was established in 2011 involving six academic medical centers, and this paper represents the first report from this network. A detailed clinical, endoscopic and pathologic database registered 3,557 patients. BE was defined strictly by both endoscopic evidence of Barrett’s epithelium and the presence of specialized intestinal metaplasia (SIM). A prospective web-based database was used to gather information with initial and follow-up data abstracted by a data manager at each site. A total of 2,244 patients, 1,925 with no dysplasia, were included with complete follow-up. The median age at diagnosis was 60.5 with a 2.1:1 male to female ratio and a median follow-up time of 2.7 years (IQR 1.19–4.04), and 6609.25 person years. In this time period, 125 (5.57%) progressed to HGD/EAC, with 74 (3.3%) after 1 year of follow-up and 38 (1.69%) developed EAC, with 20 (0.89%) beyond 1 year. The overall incidence of HGD/EAC was 1.89% per year; 1.16% if the first year is excluded. The risk of progression to EAC alone overall was 0.57% per year, 0.31% excluding the first year, and 0.21% in the 1,925 patients who had SIM alone at diagnosis. Low-grade dysplasia (LGD) progressed to HGD/EAC in 31% of patients, a progression rate of 12.96% per year, 6.71% with the first year excluded. In a national collaboration of academic centers in Ireland, the progression rate for NDBE was similar to recent population studies. Almost one in two who progressed was evident within 1 year. Crucially, LGD diagnosed and confirmed by specialist gastrointestinal pathologists represents truly high-risk disease, highlighting the importance of expertise in diagnosis and management, and providing indirect support for ablative therapies in this context.
Gender differences in networking
Authors: Mengel Friederike
Published: March 2020

Gender differences in networking have been cited as an important reason behind gender earnings and promotion gaps. Despite this fact there is comparatively little evidence on whether such differences exist or what they look like. We conduct a series of experiments to gain insight into these questions. The experiments are designed to understand differences in the strategic use of networks, when both men and women have the same opportunities to network. While we do find evidence of gender earnings and promotion gaps in the lab, we do not find evidence of gender differences in network formation, except for the fact that men display more homophily than women. Women and men do, however, not systematically differ in terms of the number of links formed or received nor in terms of their centrality in the network. Earnings and promotion gaps appear partly because male decision makers are more likely to reward their (predominantly male) network neighbours with increased earnings as well as promotion.
Networks and trade costs in commodity markets during the late nineteenth century: a new dataset and evidence
Authors: Pütz Alexander , Siklos Pierre L , Sulewski Christoph
Published: March 2020

A new dataset of weekly wheat prices during the 1898–1914 is generated. Using variance decompositions from vector autoregressive models, a network of nine wheat markets during the sample period is constructed and information spillovers between these markets are analyzed. Our results indicate that trade costs are a significant determinant of the relative importance of information transmission in the continental European wheat trade.
Rethinking youth bulge theory in policy and scholarship: incorporating critical gender analysis
Authors: Pruitt Lesley
Published: March 2020

For decades ‘youth bulge’ theory has dominated understandings of youth in mainstream International Relations. Youth bulge theory has also become part of some public media analyses, mainstream political rhetoric, and even officially enshrined in the foreign policy of some states. Through the ‘youth bulge’ lens, youth—especially males—have been presented as current or future perpetrators of violence. However, this article argues that the youth bulge thesis postulated in mainstream IR is based on flawed theoretical assumptions. In particular, supporters of youth bulge theory fail to engage with existing research by feminist IR scholars and thus take on a biological essentialist approach. This has led to theoretical and practical misunderstandings of the roles youth play in relation to conflict, peace and security. These partial and biased understandings have also resulted in less effective policy-making. In critically reflecting on the ‘youth bulge’ thesis, this article argues that applying gender analysis is crucial to understanding the involvement of young people in general—and young men in particular—in conflict. Doing so will contribute to advancing more accurate analysis in scholarship and policy-making.
Utility of the MARS-5 in Assessing Medication Adherence in IBD
Authors: Stone James K , Shafer Leigh Anne , Graff Lesley A , Lix Lisa , Witges Kelcie , Targownik Laura E , Haviva Clove , Sexton Kathryn , Bernstein Charles N
Published: March 2020

Introduction

We aimed to validate the Medication Adherence Report Scale-5 (MARS-5) as a tool for assessing medication adherence in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to determine predictors of medication adherence.

Methods

One hundred twelve (N = 112) adults with confirmed IBD participating in the longitudinal Manitoba Living With IBD Study were eligible. Demographics, IBD type, surgeries, disease activity (using the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptom Inventory and fecal calprotectin levels), perceived stress, and medication use were collected biweekly through online surveys. The MARS-5 scores were obtained at baseline and at 1 year. Correlation between medication monitoring data and MARS-5 scores was performed and the optimal MARS-5 cutoff point for adherence assessment determined. Predictors of medication adherence were assessed at both ≥90% and ≥80%.

Results

Participants were predominantly female (71.4%), mean age was 42.9 (SD = 12.8), and the majority (67.9%) had Crohn disease (CD). Almost half (46.4%) were taking more than 1 IBD medication, with thiopurines (41.9%) and biologics (36.6%) the most common. Only 17.9% (n = 20) were nonadherent at a <90% level; of those, 90% (n = 18) were using oral medications. The MARS-5 was significantly associated with adherence based on medication monitoring data at baseline (r = 0.48) and week 52 (r = 0.57). Sensitivity and specificity for adherence ≥80% and ≥90% were maximized at MARS-5 scores of >22 and >23, respectively. Having CD (OR = 4.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-15.7) was the only significant predictor of adherence.

Conclusion

MARS-5 is a useful measure to evaluate adherence in an IBD population. In this highly adherent sample, disease type (CD) was the only predictor of medication adherence.
Intrahepatic Viral Kinetics During Direct-Acting Antivirals for Hepatitis C in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection: The AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5335S Substudy
Authors: Balagopal Ashwin , Smeaton Laura M , Quinn Jeffrey , Venuto Charles S , Morse Gene D , Vu Vincent , Alston-Smith Beverly , Cohen Daniel E , Santana-Bagur Jorge L , Anthony Donald D , Sulkowski Mark S , Wyles David L , Talal Andrew H
Published: March 2020

Background

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) targeting hepatitis C virus (HCV) have revolutionized outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection.

Methods

We examined early events in liver and plasma through A5335S, a substudy of trial A5329 (paritaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, dasabuvir, with ribavirin) that enrolled chronic genotype 1a HCV-infected persons coinfected with suppressed HIV: 5 of 6 treatment-naive enrollees completed A5335S.

Results

Mean baseline plasma HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) = 6.7 log10 IU/mL and changed by −4.1 log10 IU/mL by Day 7. In liver, laser capture microdissection was used to quantify HCV. At liver biopsy 1, mean %HCV-infected cells = 25.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.4%–42.9%), correlating with plasma HCV RNA (Spearman rank correlation r = 0.9); at biopsy 2 (Day 7 in 4 of 5 participants), mean %HCV-infected cells = 1.0% (95% CI, 0.2%–1.7%) (P < .05 for change), and DAAs were detectable in liver. Plasma C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) concentrations changed by mean = −160 pg/mL per day at 24 hours, but no further after Day 4.

Conclusions

We conclude that HCV infection is rapidly cleared from liver with DAA leaving <2% HCV-infected hepatocytes at Day 7. We extrapolate that HCV eradication could occur in these participants by 63 days, although immune activation might persist. Single-cell longitudinal estimates of HCV clearance from liver have never been reported previously and could be applied to estimating the minimum treatment duration required for HCV infection.
Dengue Endemicity, Force of Infection, and Variation in Transmission Intensity in 13 Endemic Countries
Authors: Nealon Joshua , Bouckenooghe Alain , Cortes Margarita , Coudeville Laurent , Frago Carina , Macina Denis , Tam Clarence C
Published: March 2020

Dengue endemicity varies but comparative, multicountry data are extremely limited. An improved understanding is needed to prioritize prevention, including vaccination, which is currently recommended only under specific epidemiological conditions. We used serological study data from 46 geographical sites in 13 countries to estimate dengue force of infection (FOI, the proportion of children seroconverting per year) under assumptions of either age-constant or age-varying FOI, and the age at which 50% and 80% of children had been infected. After exclusions, 13 661 subjects were included. Estimated constant FOI varied widely, from 1.7% (Singapore) to 24.1% (the Philippines). In the site-level analysis 44 sites (96%) reached 50% seroconversion and 35 sites (75%) reached 80% seroconversion by age 18 years, with significant heterogeneity. These findings confirm that children living in dengue-endemic countries receive intense early dengue exposure, increasing risk of secondary infection, and imply serosurveys at fine spatial resolutions are needed to inform vaccination campaigns.
HIV-1 DNA decay dynamics in early treated individuals: practical considerations for clinical trial design
Authors: Bayón-Gil Ángel , Puertas Maria C , Urrea Víctor , Bailón Lucía , Morón-López Sara , Cobarsí Patricia , Brander Christian , Mothe Beatriz , Martinez-Picado Javier
Published: March 2020

Background

Initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) soon after HIV-1 infection limits the establishment of viral reservoirs. Thus, early treated individuals are preferred candidates to evaluate novel viral remission strategies. However, their cART-dependent HIV-1 DNA decay dynamics are still poorly defined. This can hamper the design and interpretation of results from clinical trials intended to further reduce viral reservoirs.

Objectives

To clarify the duration of cART needed for the HIV-1 reservoir to be stabilized in early treated individuals.

Methods

We characterized the longitudinal decline of total HIV-1 DNA levels by droplet digital PCR in 21 individuals initiating cART within 6 months after estimated HIV-1 acquisition. Measurements were taken at cART initiation, after 6 months and annually until Year 4. Correlations between virological and clinical parameters were statistically analysed. Statistical modelling was performed applying a mixed-effects model.

Results

Total HIV-1 DNA experienced a median overall decrease of 1.43 log10 units (IQR = 1.17–1.69) throughout the 4 years of follow-up. Baseline levels for total HIV-1 DNA, viral load, absolute CD4+ T cell count and CD4+/CD8+ ratio correlate with final HIV-1 DNA measurements (R2 = 0.68, P < 0.001; R2 = 0.54, P = 0.012; R2 = −0.47, P = 0.031; and R2 = −0.59, P = 0.0046, respectively). Statistical modelling shows that after 2 years on cART the viral reservoir had reached a set point.

Conclusions

A waiting period of 2 years on cART should be considered when designing interventions aiming to impact latent HIV-1 reservoir levels and viral rebound kinetics after cART discontinuation, in order to facilitate interpretation of results and enhance the chance of viral control.
DNMT1 promotes cell proliferation via methylating hMLH1 and hMSH2 promoters in EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Wu Xiao-Yu , Chen Hua-Chun , Li Wen-Wen , Yan Jia-Dong , Lv Ruo-Ya
Published: March 2020

Aberrant DNA methylation is a common form of epigenetic alterations and it has been proved to be closely related to many cancers, while its role in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not clear. This study focuses on the role of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) in EGFR-mutated NSCLC pathogenesis. First, the expression of DNMT1 was up-regulated, while the expressions of human mutL homolog 1(hMLH1) and human mutS homolog 2 (hMSH2) were down-regulated in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients and cell line HCC827. The results of the correlation analysis showed that DNMT1 expression was inversely correlated with the expressions of hMLH1 and hMSH2. Then, we found that DNMT1 enhanced the promoter methylation levels of hMLH1 and hMSH2, thus suppressing their expressions. DNMT1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of HCC827 cells, while both hMLH1 knockdown and hMSH2 knockdown could eliminate its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. In xenograft mouse models, lentiviral vector-sh-DNMT1 could significantly reduce tumor volumes, confirmed that DNMT1 inhibited tumor cell proliferation in vivo. In conclusion, DNMT1 suppressed the expressions of hMLH1 and hMSH2 via elevating their promoter methylation, thus promoting cell proliferation in EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
MicroRNA-1323 downregulation promotes migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by targeting tumour protein D52
Authors: Xu Yuanying , Liu Meiyan
Published: March 2020

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies globally in women, with high mortality rate as a result of tumour metastasis. MicroRNAs play vital roles in the occurrence and development of human cancer. This study aimed to investigate the biological roles of miR-1323 in BC. The expression levels of miR-1323 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR assay. The effect of miR-1323 on BC cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and colony formation assay. Wound healing analysis and Matrigel Transwell assay were conducted to evaluate miR-1323-mediated BC cell migration and invasion. A luciferase reporter assay was used to test the target of miR-1323. We found that miR-1323 levels were downregulated in BC tissues and serums. Low-miR-1323 levels were associated with lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stage. Tumour protein D52 (TPD52) was identified as a direct target of miR-1323. Low expression of miR-1323 contributed to the overexpression of TPD52 leading to enhanced BC progression. Our findings suggest that silencing of miR-1323 enhances BC development by regulating TPD52 expression, suggesting that miR-1323 and TPD52 may serve as potential therapeutic targets for BC treatment.
Radiation on Medfly Larvae of tsl Vienna-8 Genetic Sexing Strain Displays Reduced Parasitoid Encapsulation in Mass-Reared Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Authors: Suárez Lorena , Buonocore Biancheri María Josefina , Sánchez Guillermo , Cancino Jorge , Murúa Fernando , Bilbao Mariana , Molina Diego , Laria Osvaldo , Ovruski Sergio M
Published: March 2020

Improvements in the mass rearing of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) on larvae of the Vienna-8 temperature-sensitive lethal genetic sexing strain of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) (= GSS Vienna-8) at the San Juan biofactory, Argentina, are currently under way. Lowering cost production is a key factor regarding parasitoid rearing. Thus, the variation in mass-reared parasitoid encapsulation levels and the incidence of superparasitism were determined; also, the gamma radiation dose-effect relation on host larvae and the influence of Mediterranean fruit fly strain were considered. Naked Mediterranean fruit fly larvae of both GSS Vienna-8 and a wild bisexual strain (= WBS) aged 6-d-old were irradiated at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 Gy, and exposed to parasitoid females. Melanization level was tested for encapsulated parasitoid larval first-instars (= L1). Non-irradiated and irradiated WBS larvae at 20–40 Gy displayed a significantly higher incidence of encapsulation when compared with GSS Vienna-8 larvae. The low melanized level in encapsulated parasitoid L1 was the most common melanization process at 72 h puparium dissection. A high melanized level was only found in non-irradiated WBS larvae. Irradiated GSS Vienna-8 larvae can neutralize the host immunological reactions over irradiated WBS larvae much more quickly. Superparasitism intensity in both Mediterranean fruit fly strains was not affected by radiation doses. High levels of superparasitism seemingly helped to overcome the host’s immune reaction by the surviving parasitoid larva. Parasitoid emergence increased from 60 Gy onwards in both Mediterranean fruit fly strains. Radiation in GSS Vienna-8 larvae may favor host’s antagonistic reactions decrease in relation with D. longicaudata development.
Development of Binomial Sequential Sampling Plans for Sugarcane Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Commercial Grain Sorghum
Authors: Lindenmayer Jessica C , Giles Kristopher L , Elliott Norman C , Knutson Allen E , Bowling Robert , Brewer Michael J , Seiter Nicholas J , McCornack Brian , Brown Sebe A , Catchot Angus L , Royer Tom A
Published: March 2020

The sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner) is a significant economic pest of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the Southern United States. Current nominal and research-based economic thresholds are based on estimates of mean aphids per leaf. Because enumerating aphids per leaf is potentially time consuming, binomial sequential sampling plans for M. sacchari were developed that allow users to quickly classify the economic status of field populations and determine when an economic threshold has been exceeded. During 2016 and 2017, counts of M. sacchari were recorded from 281 sampling events in 140 sorghum fields located in six states (Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi) . Regression analysis was used to describe the relationships between the mean M. sacchari density per two-leaf sample and proportion of plants infested with one or more aphids. Tally thresholds of T50 and T100 aphids per two-leaf sample were selected based on goodness of fit and practicality. Stop lines for both tally thresholds were developed for selected economic thresholds using Wald’s sequential probability ratio test. Model validations using an additional 48 fields demonstrated that reliable classification decisions could be made with an average of 11 samples regardless of location. This sampling system, when adopted, can allow users to easily and rapidly determine when M. sacchari infestations need to be treated.
A rare case of emphysematous pancreatitis: managing a killer without the knife
Authors: Page Daniel , Ratnayake Sujith
Published: March 2020

Emphysematous pancreatitis (EP) is a rare and severe complication of acute pancreatitis carrying a high mortality with only a handful of case reports and small studies reporting these cases and their management. The presence of emphysematous pancreatitis is often indicative of infected pancreatic necrosis with the mainstay of treatment being pancreatic necrosectomy; however there are cases where it may be appropriate to have a trial of conservative management, and there is a small body of evidence to support this. This paper describes a case of an 87-year-old male with acute emphysematous pancreatitis successfully managed with conservative cares.
Probability of simultaneous parallax detection for free-floating planet microlensing events near Galactic Centre
Authors: Ban M
Published: March 2020

The event rate and the efficiency of mass estimation for free-floating planet (FFP) microlensing events were determined from the simulation of the simultaneous parallax observations by Euclid, WFIRST, and LSST. The stellar population from the Besançon Galactic model toward (l, b) = (1°, −1.°75) was applied to our 3D microlensing model, and 30 000 parallax observations were simulated for each following FFP lens masses: Jupiter mass, Neptune mass, and Earth mass assuming the population of one FFP per star. The interstellar dust, unresolved stellar background, nearby star blending was modelled. A signal-to-noise limit considering a finite source effect determined the event detectability. The Euclid–WFIRST combination yielded 30.7 Jupiter-mass FFPs during two 30-d periods per year in parallax observation. The parallax event rate decreases to 3.9 FFPs for Earth-mass planets. The mass estimation from the parallax light curve allowed recovery of FFP masses to within a factor of 2 for 20–26 per cent of cases. The Euclid–LSST combination yielded 34.5 Jupiter-mass FFPs down to 0.5 Earth-mass FFPs for the same periods and the mass is recovered to within a factor of 2 in 20–40 per cent of cases. The event rate will be normalized by the unknown FFP abundance to recover the number of expected detections.