bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of varietal resistance on the yield loss function of wheat to nodorum blotch
Authors: Shankar Manisha , Reeves Karyn , Bradley Jason , Varischetti Ryan , Loughman Robert
Published: November 2020

Cultivar disease resistance ratings to nodorum blotch (caused by Parastagonospora nodorum) provide critical information to growers to assist with disease management. However, less has been done in terms of yield losses from diseases under different cultivar resistance scenarios. The purpose of this study was to characterize yield and quality loss responses to wheat nodorum blotch as influenced by variety partial resistance, epidemic intensity, and environment. The trial series includes four site/years in Western Australia. Five varieties, Magenta, Calingiri, Trojan, Janz, and Scout were used for all four trials. These varieties represented resistant/susceptible categories MRMS, MS, MSS, S, and SVS, respectively, and were selected on the basis that they were adapted to the western region, had similar maturities, and were resistant to diseases that were potential contaminants. Trials were sown in a strip‐plot design with three replicates and five disease levels, with intersecting main‐plots of varieties and disease levels, which facilitated comparisons across disease levels within varieties. Current categories of resistance were well reflected in yield and quality responses. A negative exponential relationship was observed between yield and disease, with a nonlinear yield loss function for both flag leaf and glume infection. This indicates that yield is most affected during early stages of disease on flag leaves and glumes. The functional form of yield loss response over four site years was similar among varieties, but varieties differed in their extent of disease expression. Partial resistance in commercial wheat varieties reduced yield loss by 40%–60% of losses observed in susceptible varieties.
How can crowdsourcing help tackle the COVID‐19 pandemic? An explorative overview of innovative collaborative practices
Authors: Vermicelli Silvia , Cricelli Livio , Grimaldi Michele
Published: November 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic has caused unprecedented public health and economic crises. As a response to face the current emergency, science and innovation communities are realizing a fundamental contribution to tackle the crisis. During the past few months, we have witnessed an impressive number of initiatives to encourage networking opportunities, to foster interactions between the different stakeholders involved (health care, industry, governments, academics, ordinary people), and to develop innovative solutions and collaborative infrastructures in support of the health sector. Adopting an open and collaborative approach and joining forces is essential in the fight against the COVID‐19 crisis. Also, the involvement of crowds as innovation partners can be of great support. Therefore, our work aims to review and classify those initiatives, based on the crowdsourcing model, that have been put into place to face the emergency generated by the novel coronavirus pandemic. We illustrate the 16 crowdsourcing initiatives devoted to the SARS‐CoV‐2 outbreak that we identified, detailing their development and implementation. Then, we propose a classification of them, along two dimensions: type of crowdsourcing configuration and kind of tasks, being able to find a relationship between these two aspects. Evidence from the analyzed projects suggests that across disparate domains, crowdsourcing can be an effective strategy in the response to the COVID‐19 pandemic. To conclude, we suggest some important implications for innovation best practices and lessons that can be learned for the future: crowdsourcing, harnessing the power of crowds and online communities, can help tackle the COVID‐19 pandemic, by providing original, actionable, quick, and low‐cost solutions to the challenges of the current health and economic crisis.
Charter School Authorizations as Disputes: How School Board Members Justify Their Votes in a Neoliberal Context1
Authors: Diehl David K.
Published: November 2020

For charter schools to open they must gain the approval of an authorizing body, most commonly a local school board. When deciding whether or not to authorize a particular charter, school board members often engage in public disputes that entail clashes between multiple and conflicting conceptualizations of the goals of education. Drawing on insights from pragmatic sociology and institutional theory, this paper examines videos of 119 public meetings to document how members of a large, urban school board drew on competing ways of conceptualizing the common good to justify their votes on charter school authorizations. Moreover, it also shows how the neoliberal context of contemporary education limited the range of justifications used. Even school board members who argued against charter school authorizations did with justifications draped in neoliberal language. Neoliberalism thus impacted decisions not by becoming cognitively taken‐for‐granted but rather by shaping the range of arguments made for or against the choice to authorize particular schools.
Anthropology and #MeToo: Reimagining fieldwork
Authors: King Tanya J. , Boarder Giles David , Meher Mythily , Gould Hannah
Published: November 2020

#MeToo deals in the everyday ambiguous and intersectional, providing a space for discussion of the grey areas of sexual propriety. Since 2017, when the term was mobilised spectacularly in the US entertainment industry, other industries have undertaken an examination of their own practices and norms. In this paper we consider the implications of this political moment for the discipline of anthropology, and specifically the idea of ‘the field’ in the context of anthropological training in Australia. We argue that fieldwork is tacitly, and sometimes explicitly, fetishised by anthropologists as a transformative domain in which the normative rules of gendered interaction are temporarily suspended in favour of fruitfully engaging informants. Drawing on Bourdieu, we argue that ‘the field’ (the methodological and symbolic space) is a ‘field’ (a domain of recognition) that junior anthropologists enter with the expectation that they will suffer as a necessary part of their initiation, placing some PhD students at an enhanced risk of sexual violence. We reflect on the attitude of anthropologists to fieldwork as part of a professional illusio, a belief in the value of ‘playing the game’ that limits our capacity to modify our methodology to make it safer for neophytes and to reimagine a more just discipline.
Compliance and attitudes of blood donors following transitioning from permanent to 12‐month deferral of men who have sex with men in Hong Kong
Authors: Lau Janice Ying‐Chui , Lee Cheuk‐Kwong , Chan Chin‐Pok , Leung Jennifer Ngar‐Sze , Poon Chin‐Man , Lee Shui‐Shan
Published: November 2020

Background and Objectives

Blood safety hinges not just on the scientific rationale for deferral period but potential donors' compliance with the prevailing policy. This study aimed to investigate donors' awareness, attitudes and compliance with the two‐phased policy implementation of time‐limited deferral for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Hong Kong.

Materials and Methods

Three rounds of questionnaire survey were conducted between July 2017 and June 2019 covering the periods of pre‐implementation (Round A), post‐implementation without and with pre‐donation questionnaire revision (Round B and C). Chi‐square test and multivariable regression analysis were performed.

Results

Of 3085 donors recruited, 968, 1036 and 1081 completed the surveys in Round A, B and C, respectively. The non‐compliance rate of MSM remained stable at 0·6% (3/497), 0·4% (2/551) and 0·5% (3/587) among male donors in Round A, B and C, respectively. Two MSM donors from Round C complying with the prevailing policy were identified. About two‐thirds (60·7%) of respondents from Round B and C were unaware of the policy change. Overall, over 80% were either neutral or positive about the change.

Conclusion

Our study showed a consistently low non‐compliance rate of MSM over the three periods. The generally high level of acceptance of time‐limited deferral among donors lends support to science‐based policy development to protect blood safety. The identification of compliant MSM donors suggests that the 12‐month deferral is effective and acceptable to MSM. With a deferral period far exceeding the window period, it is a step towards a more equitable policy.
Myths and methodologies: Reliability of non‐invasive estimates of cardiac autonomic modulation during whole‐body passive heating
Authors: Akerman Ashley P. , Meade Robert D. , Notley Sean R. , Rutherford Maura M. , Kenny Glen P.
Published: November 2020

Observed individual variability in cardiac baroreflex sensitivity (cBRS) and heart rate variability (HRV) is extensive, especially during exposure to stressors such as heat. A large part of the observed variation may be related to the reliability (consistency) of the measurement. We therefore examined the test–retest reliability of cBRS and HRV measurements on three separate occasions in 14 young men (age: 24 (SD 5) years), at rest and during whole‐body heating (water‐perfused suit) to raise and clamp oesophageal temperature 0.6°C, 1.2°C and 1.8°C above baseline. Beat‐to‐beat measurements of RR interval and systolic blood pressure (BP) were obtained for deriving HRV (from RR), and cBRS calculated via (i) the spontaneous method, α coefficients and transfer function analysis at each level of heat strain, and (ii) during forced oscillations via squat–stand manoeuvres (0.1 Hz) before and after heating. Absolute values and changes in all cBRS estimates were variable but generally consistent with reductions in parasympathetic activity. cBRS estimates demonstrated poor absolute reliability (coefficient of variation ≥25%), but relative reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient; ICC) of some frequency estimates was acceptable (ICC ≥0.70) during low‐heat strain (ICC: 0.56–0.74). After heating, forced oscillations in BP demonstrated more favourable responses than spontaneous oscillations (better reliability, lower minimum detectable change). Absolute reliability of HRV estimates were poor, but relative reliability estimates were often acceptable (≥0.70). Our findings illustrate how measurement consistency of cardiac autonomic modulation estimates are altered during heat stress, and we demonstrate the possible implications on research design and data interpretation.
A Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Continuous Infusion of Cloxacillin during
Staphylococcus aureus
Bone and Joint Infections
Authors: Courjon Johan , Garzaro Margaux , Roger Pierre-Marie , Ruimy Raymond , Lavrut Thibaud , Chelli Mikaël , Raynier Jean-Luc , Chirio David , Demonchy Elisa , Cabane Laura , Jehl François , Trojani Christophe , Grillon Antoine , Goutelle Sylvain
Published: November 2020

Intravenous administration of antibiotics is recommended during the early phase of methicillin-susceptible
S. aureus
(MSSA) bone and joint infection (BJI). We sought to compare the plasma concentrations of cloxacillin administered alternately by continuous and intermittent infusion (CI and ItI) in patients with MSSA BJI. In this prospective crossover trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive either 3 days of CI (two 75-mg/kg 12-h cloxacillin infusions per day) and then 3 days of ItI (four 37.
Growth Dynamics and Antibiotic Elimination of Symbiotic Rickettsia buchneri in the Tick Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Authors: Oliver Jonathan D. , Price Lisa D. , Burkhardt Nicole Y. , Heu Chan C. , Khoo Benedict S. , Thorpe Cody J. , Kurtti Timothy J. , Munderloh Ulrike G.
Published: November 2020

This paper describes the growth of symbiotic
Rickettsia buchneri
within
Ixodes scapularis
through the life cycle of the tick and provides methods to eliminate
R. buchneri
from
I. scapularis
ticks.
cAMP-Independent Activation of the Unfolded Protein Response by Cholera Toxin
Authors: Banerjee Tuhina , Grabon Aby , Taylor Michael , Teter Ken
Published: November 2020

Cholera toxin (CT) is an AB
5
protein toxin that activates the stimulatory alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein (Gsα) through ADP-ribosylation. Activation of Gsα produces a cytopathic effect by stimulating adenylate cyclase and the production of cAMP.
The Neutral Vaginal pH in Mice That Is Typical of Most Mammalian Species Should Not Deter Research Using Experimental Murine Models of
Candida
Vaginitis
Authors: Fidel Paul L.
Published: November 2020

For over three decades, investigators have used estrogen-dependent rodent animal models to study pathogenesis of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) or test promising antifungal drugs. One disparity not well publicized is that rodents maintain near neutral vaginal pH, which is in contrast to the acidic vaginal pH in women.
Simulations of Proposed Mechanisms of FtsZ-Driven Cell Constriction
Authors: Nguyen Lam T. , Oikonomou Catherine M. , Jensen Grant J.
Published: November 2020

FtsZ is thought to generate constrictive force to divide the cell, possibly via one of two predominant models in the field. In one, FtsZ filaments overlap to form complete rings which constrict as filaments slide past each other to maximize lateral contact.
A Selective Medium for Isolation and Detection of Candida auris, an Emerging Pathogen
Authors: Das Sourav , Singh Shreya , Tawde Yamini , Chakrabarti Arunaloke , Rudramurthy Shivaprakash M. , Kaur Harsimran , Shankarnarayan Shamanth A. , Ghosh Anup
Published: November 2020

Identification of
Candida auris
is challenging and requires molecular or protein profiling-based approaches, availability of which is limited in many routine diagnostic laboratories, necessitating the development of a cost-effective, rapid, and reliable method of identification. The objective of this study was to develop a selective medium for
C. auris
identification.
Dual Effects of Let-7b in the Early Stage of Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Authors: Yeh Yung-Ju , Tseng Ching-Ping , Hsu Sheng-Da , Huang His-Yuan , Lai Michael M. C. , Huang Hsien-Da , Cheng Ju-Chien
Published: November 2020

HCV is a leading cause of liver disease, with an estimated 71 million people infected worldwide. During HCV infection, type I interferon (IFN) signaling displays potent antiviral and immunomodulatory effects.
Epstein-Barr Virus-Encoded Latent Membrane Protein 1 and B-Cell Growth Transformation Induce Lipogenesis through Fatty Acid Synthase
Authors: Hulse Michael , Johnson Sarah M. , Boyle Sarah , Caruso Lisa Beatrice , Tempera Italo
Published: November 2020

Despite many attempts to develop novel therapies, EBV-specific therapies currently remain largely investigational, and EBV-associated malignancies are often associated with a worse prognosis. Therefore, there is a clear demand for EBV-specific therapies for both prevention and treatment of virus-associated malignancies.
Direct and Indirect Inhibition of
Salmonella
Peptide Deformylase by Nitric Oxide
Authors: Singhal Anshika , Fang Ferric C.
Published: November 2020

We have previously shown that the host-derived antimicrobial mediator nitric oxide (NO·) mobilizes zinc from bacterial metalloproteins. The present study demonstrates that NO· inactivates the essential iron-containing enzyme peptide deformylase, both by promoting its mismetallation by zinc and by directly modifying its metal-binding site. We explain how free intracellular zinc is detrimental for cells and reveal a new mechanism of NO·-mediated bacterial growth inhibition that is distinct from previously known targets.
PfEMP1 A-Type ICAM-1-Binding Domains Are Not Associated with Cerebral Malaria in Beninese Children
Authors: Joste V. , Guillochon E. , Fraering J. , Vianou B. , Watier L. , Jafari-Guemouri S. , Cot M. , Houzé S. , Aubouy A. , Faucher J. F. , Argy N. , Bertin G. I.
Published: November 2020

Cerebral malaria pathophysiology remains unknown despite extensive research. PfEMP1 proteins have been identified as the main
Plasmodium
antigen involved in cerebrovascular endothelium sequestration, but it is unclear which
var
gene domain is involved in
Plasmodium
cytoadhesion. EPCR binding is a major determinant of cerebral malaria whereas the ICAM-1-binding role is still questioned. Our study confirmed the EPCR-binding role in CM pathophysiology with a major overexpression of EPCR-binding domains in CM isolates. In contrast, ICAM-1-binding involvement appears less obvious with A-type ICAM-1-binding and dual receptor-binding domain expression in both CM and UM isolates. We did not find any variations in ICAM-1-binding motif sequences in CM compared to UM isolates. UM and CM patients infected with isolates expressing the ICAM-1-binding motif displayed similar IgG levels against DBLβ3 recombinant protein. Our study raises interrogations about the role of these domains in CM physiopathology and questions their use in vaccine strategies against cerebral malaria.
Genome-Wide Identification of Essential and Auxiliary Gene Sets for Magnetosome Biosynthesis in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense
Authors: Silva Karen T. , Schüler Margarete , Mickoleit Frank , Zwiener Theresa , Müller Frank D. , Awal Ram Prasad , Weig Alfons , Brachmann Andreas , Uebe René , Schüler Dirk
Published: November 2020

Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense
is one of the few tractable model magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) for studying magnetosome biomineralization. So far, knowledge on the genetic determinants of this complex process has been mainly gathered using reverse genetics and candidate approaches. In contrast, nontargeted forward genetics studies are lacking, since application of such techniques in MTB has been complicated for a number of technical reasons. Here, we report on the first comprehensive transposon mutagenesis study in MTB, aiming at systematic identification of auxiliary genes necessary to support magnetosome formation in addition to key genes harbored in the magnetosome island (MAI). Our work considerably extends the candidate set of novel subsidiary determinants and shows that the full gene complement underlying magnetosome biosynthesis is larger than assumed. In particular, we were able to define certain cellular pathways as specifically important for magnetosome formation that have not been implicated in this process so far.
Supplemental Material: Intracontinental extension and geodynamic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji belt, North China craton: Insights from coeval A-type granitic and mafic magmatism in eastern Liaoning Province
Authors: Liu Jian-Hui , al. et
Published: November 2020

Whole-rock geochemical data, LA-ICP-MS Zircon U-Th-Pb analytical data and Lu-Hf isotopes analytical data.
Clinical predictive factors for diagnosis of MOG-IgG and AQP4-IgG related paediatric optic neuritis: a Chinese cohort study
Authors: Yang Mo , Wu Yiqun , Lai Mengying , Song Honglu , Li Hongen , Sun Mingming , Xie Lindan , Zhou Huanfen , Xu Quangang , Wei Shihui , Wu Weiping
Published: November 2020

Background

Different glial-autoantibodies-related paediatric optic neuritis (ON) are associated with different clinical characteristics and prognosis that require different treatments. Because glial autoantibody detection is not available in some parts of the world and there is often a delay in obtaining results, clinical factors that can be used to predict the subtype of paediatric ON are needed.

Methods

This was a single-centre retrospective cohort study. Children who presented with their first ON attack and with complete clinical data were included in the analysis. Single and multiple parameters for predicting paediatric myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein immunoglobin-associated ON (MOG-ON) and aquaporin-4 immunoglobin-related ON (AQP4-ON) were calculated.

Results

78 paediatric patients had their first ON attack from January 2016 to December 2019, of whom 69 were included in the final analysis, including 33 MOG-ON cases, 17 AQP4-ON cases and 19 Seronegative-ON cases. For predicting paediatric MOG-ON, the most sensitive predictors were ‘male or optic disc swelling (ODS) or bilateral’ (sensitivity 0.97 (95% CI 0.82 to 1.00)) and ‘follow-up visual acuity (VA) ≤0.1 logMAR or ODS’ (sensitivity 0.97 (95% CI 0.82 to 1.00)), and the most specific factor was ‘Age ≤11 y and simultaneous CNS involvement’ (specificity 0.97 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.00)). For predicting paediatric AQP4-ON, the most sensitive predictor was ‘Female or without ODS’ (sensitivity 1.00 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.00)), and the most specific factors were Neurological history (sensitivity 0.94 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.98)) and follow-up VA >1.0 logMAR (sensitivity 0.96 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.99)).

Conclusion

According to our data from a Chinese paediatric cohort, using multiple parameters increases the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing paediatric MOG-ON and AQP4-ON. These can assist clinicians in diagnosing and treating paediatric ON when glial autoantibody status is not available.
Randomised sham-controlled double-blind trial evaluating remote ischaemic preconditioning in solid organ transplantation: a study protocol for the RIPTRANS trial
Authors: Uutela Aki , Helanterä Ilkka , Lemström Karl , Passov Arie , Syrjälä Simo , Åberg Fredrik , Mäkisalo Heikki , Nordin Arno , Lempinen Marko , Sallinen Ville
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) using a non-invasive pneumatic tourniquet is a potential method for reducing ischaemia-reperfusion injury. RIPC has been extensively studied in animal models and cardiac surgery, but scarcely in solid organ transplantation. RIPC could be an inexpensive and simple method to improve function of transplanted organs. Accordingly, we aim to study whether RIPC performed in brain-dead organ donors improves function and longevity of transplanted organs.

Methods and analyses

RIPTRANS is a multicentre, sham-controlled, parallel group, randomised superiority trial comparing RIPC intervention versus sham-intervention in brain-dead organ donors scheduled to donate at least one kidney. Recipients of the organs (kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, lungs) from a randomised donor will be included provided that they give written informed consent. The RIPC intervention is performed by inflating a thigh tourniquet to 300 mm Hg 4 times for 5 min. The intervention is done two times: first right after the declaration of brain death and second immediately before transferring the donor to the operating theatre. The sham group receives the tourniquet, but it is not inflated. The primary endpoint is delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney allografts. Secondary endpoints include short-term functional outcomes of transplanted organs, rejections and graft survival in various time points up to 20 years. We aim to show that RIPC reduces the incidence of DGF from 25% to 15%. According to this, the sample size is set to 500 kidney transplant recipients.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by Helsinki University Hospital Ethics Committee and Helsinki University Hospital’s Institutional Review Board. The study protocol was be presented at the European Society of Organ Transplantation congress in Copenhagen 14−15 September 2019. The study results will be submitted to an international peer-reviewed scientific journal for publication.

Trial registration number

NCT03855722.
In-Hospital Outcomes and Prevalence of Comorbidities in Patients with St-Elevation Myocardial Infarction with and without Infective Endocarditis: Insight from the National Inpatient Sample (2013-2014)
Authors: Albosta Michael , Jamal Shakeel M , Kichloo Asim , Wani Farah , Bailey Beth , Singh Jagmeet , Soni Ronak , Aljadah Michael , Beshay Melissa , Al Jayyousi Bashar , Haddad Nicholas , Kanjwal Khalil
Published: November 2020

In patients with infective endocarditis (IE), ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is an uncommon phenomenon. Due to limited data, we intend to evaluate the clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with STEMI with and without underlying IE. Mortality and morbidity are exponentially worse in STEMI with concomitant IE when compared with without IE. Patients with primary diagnosis of STEMI with and without IE were identified by querying the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database of the National Inpatient Sample for the years 2013 and 2014 based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. During 2013 and 2014, a total of 117,386 patients were admitted with the principle diagnosis of STEMI, out of whom 305 had comorbid IE. There was a significantly increased in-hospital mortality (27.5% vs 10.8%), length of stay (LOS) (14 days vs 5 days), acute kidney injury (AKI; 44.9% vs 18.7%), stroke (23.6% vs 3%), aortic valve replacement (9.5% vs 0.3%), mitral valve replacement (0.2%-5.2%), sepsis (50% vs 6%) and acute respiratory failure (36.7% vs 16.7%) in patients with STEMI with IE when compared with patients with STEMI and without comorbid IE. STEMI without IE had a higher number of angiographies (58.7% vs 25.9%) and percutaneous coronary interventions (50.7% vs 14.4%) during the hospital course when compared with STEMI with IE. In conclusions, hospitalized patients with STEMI with a concurrent diagnosis of IE are at higher risk of in-hospital mortality, increased LOS, AKI, stroke, valve replacements, and acute respiratory failure.
Defining best practices for tissue procurement in immuno-oncology clinical trials: consensus statement from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Surgery Committee
Authors: Gastman Brian , Agarwal Piyush K , Berger Adam , Boland Genevieve , Broderick Stephen , Butterfield Lisa H , Byrd David , Fecci Peter E , Ferris Robert L , Fong Yuman , Goff Stephanie L , Grabowski Matthew M , Ito Fumito , Lim Michael , Lotze Michael T , Mahdi Haider , Malafa Mokenge , Morris Carol D , Murthy Pranav , Neves Rogerio I , Odunsi Adekunle , Pai Sara I , Prabhakaran Sangeetha , Rosenberg Steven A , Saoud Ragheed , Sethuraman Jyothi , Skitzki Joseph , Slingluff Craig L , Sondak Vernon K , Sunwoo John B , Turcotte Simon , Yeung Cecilia CS , Kaufman Howard L
Published: November 2020

Immunotherapy is now a cornerstone for cancer treatment, and much attention has been placed on the identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers. The success of biomarker development is dependent on accurate and timely collection of biospecimens and high-quality processing, storage and shipping. Tumors are also increasingly used as source material for the generation of therapeutic T cells. There have been few guidelines or consensus statements on how to optimally collect and manage biospecimens and source material being used for immunotherapy and related research. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Surgery Committee has brought together surgical experts from multiple subspecialty disciplines to identify best practices and to provide consensus on how best to access and manage specific tissues for immuno-oncology treatments and clinical investigation. In addition, the committee recommends early integration of surgeons and other interventional physicians with expertise in biospecimen collection, especially in clinical trials, to optimize the quality of tissue and the validity of correlative clinical studies in cancer immunotherapy.
Use of heated tobacco products in smoke-free locations in Japan: the JASTIS 2019 study
Authors: Kiyohara Kosuke , Tabuchi Takahiro
Published: November 2020

Objective

We aimed to examine the use of heated tobacco products (HTPs) in locations where cigarette smoking was not allowed, and to explore the factors associated with such use among Japanese HTP users.

Methods

An internet-based self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted in 2019 as part of the Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey. The study subjects were respondents who self-reported having used HTPs in the last year. The proportions of those who had ever used or frequently used HTPs in locations where tobacco smoking was not allowed in the last year were calculated. These locations included home, restaurants and workplaces. Furthermore, potential factors associated with HTP use in such smoke-free locations were examined using multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Results

The proportion of HTP users who had ever used HTPs in smoke-free locations in the last year was 20.7% (148/716) at home, 11.8% (128/1081) in restaurants and 11.9% (113/950) in workplaces. The proportion of those who had frequently used HTPs in those locations was 9.5% (68/716) at home, 4.8% (52/1081) in restaurants and 8.0% (76/950) in workplaces. The statistically significant factors associated with HTP use varied by location. Generally, respondents who thought HTP use was not forbidden in places where tobacco smoking is forbidden were likely to use HTPs in such locations.

Conclusion

In Japan, a considerable number of people used HTPs in locations where tobacco smoking was not allowed. Policymakers should establish clear rules about use of HTPs in smoke-free environments.
Profitability of continuous-cover forestry in Norway spruce dominated peatland forest and the role of water table
Authors: Juutinen Artti , Shanin Vladimir , Ahtikoski Anssi , Rämö Janne , Mäkipää Raisa , Laiho Raija , Sarkkola Sakari , Laurén Ari , Penttilä Timo , Hökkä Hannu , Saarinen Markku
Published: November 2020

Continuous-cover forestry (CCF) is expected to reduce the negative environmental impacts of peatland forestry in comparison with rotation forestry (RF), but the unknown profitability of CCF on peatlands limits its application in practice. The profitability of CCF was analyzed by simulating management scenarios with a process-based ecosystem model, EFIMOD, which was complemented to describe the interplay between tree growth and water table depth, which is typical of peatland forests. A variety of harvest intervals and post-harvest basal areas for a mature Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) dominated stand was simulated on a nutrient-rich peatland site. Conventional RF was simulated for comparison. CCF provided a higher profit than RF. The best financial performance was obtained with a 15-year harvest interval regardless of interest rate, although the overall profitability of CCF depended on the interest rate used. Ditch network maintenance was needed to maintain the stand growth only when the post-harvest basal area was smaller than 10 m2·ha−1. There were many CCF scenarios in which the difference in the net present value of harvest revenues was within 10% compared with the best CCF scenario. Hence, there are many relatively profitable CCF harvesting alternatives for forest management in boreal spruce-dominated peatland forests.
Microfossil and strontium isotope chronology used to identify the controls of Miocene reefs and related facies in NW Cyprus
Authors: Cannings Torin , Balmer Elizabeth M. , Coletti Giovanni , Ickert Ryan B. , Kroon Dick , Raffi Isabella , Robertson Alastair H. F.
Published: November 2020

The existing chronostratigraphic framework in NW Cyprus of two-phase, Early and Late Miocene reef and associated facies development is tested and improved using a combination of calcareous nannofossil, benthic and planktonic foraminiferal, and also Sr isotope dating. Following localized Late Oligocene neritic carbonate deposition (e.g. benthic foraminiferal shoals), reefs and related facies (Terra Member) began to develop
c.
24 Ma (Aquitanian) and terminated
c.
16 Ma (end-Burdigalian). Early Miocene reef and marginal facies were then extensively redeposited as multiple debris-flow deposits until
c.
13.7 Ma, influenced by a combination of global sea-level fall (related to growth of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet) and local- to regional-scale tectonics. Reef growth and related deposition resumed (Koronia Member)
c.
9.1 Ma (Tortonian), then terminated by
c.
6.1 Ma (Middle Messinian), followed by the Messinian salinity crisis. Neritic accumulation in NW Cyprus began earlier (Late Oligocene), than in southern Cyprus (Early Miocene). The Early Miocene reefs developed on a roughly north–south-trending structural high in the west (Akamas Peninsula area) whereas the Late Miocene reefs developed on both flanks of the neotectonic Polis graben. The two-phase reef development is mirrored in SE Cyprus and in some other Mediterranean areas (e.g. southern Turkey, Israel, Italy, southern Spain).

Supplementary material:
Global positioning system locations of dated samples, the Sr isotope method and the samples examined for planktonic foraminifera biostratigraphy are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5205315
Chapter 7 Exploration implications
Authors: Wilson A. O.
Published: November 2020

Exploration of the Jurassic hydrocarbon system in the Arabian Intrashelf Basin area is in a mature state. Given the scale of the present day anticlinal structures and the adjacent synclines, all of the supergiant conventional fields trapped in huge anticlines have already been discovered. The theme throughout this Memoir has been to present the evolution of the self-contained Callovian–Tithonian Arabian Intrashelf Basin hydrocarbon system. Its size,
c.
1200 × 450 km, is greater than that of the UK, larger than the Black Sea and almost as large as Turkey or the area of Texas and New Mexico in the USA. It is geologically much simpler than these regions, both in the exceptionally remarkable continuity of facies within the sequences that developed and filled the intrashelf basin and its relative tectonic simplicity, including up to the present day. The cross-sections, facies maps, depositional profiles and other data and interpretations presented in this Memoir have documented this remarkable continuity. The source rock interval is well-defined everywhere it occurs and is mature; enough oil has been generated and migrated so that every sealed trap with reservoir facies will have oil. Around and within the basin, shallow water ramp facies in each sequence are in the reservoir facies and the early-formed porosity has been preserved. The carbonate seals and, even more so, the evaporite seals are remarkably laterally continuous. Therefore the big issue in future exploration is finding a sealed trap with potential reserves large enough to be worth drilling when compared to known reserves and estimates of future production. This chapter discusses some possibilities for stratigraphic traps and unconventional plays. Potential plays have been and/or can be identified, but finding them in the present day structural setting is likely to be very difficult.
Balancing the Scales: A Configurational Approach to Work-Life Balance
Authors: Rothbard Nancy P. , Beetz Arianna M. , Harari Dana
Published: November 2020

Work-life balance is a topic eliciting much attention and scholarship. Yet what scholars mean by work-life balance is wide-ranging. This review focuses on work-life balance scholarship published primarily between 2000 and 2020. To understand what constitutes balance, we integrate this research with work on enrichment and depletion, two constructs that contribute to work-life balance. We identify four configurations of enrichment and depletion that undergird different levels of work-life balance: ( a) low enrichment and high depletion (no balance), ( b) low enrichment and low depletion (minimal balance), ( c) high depletion and high enrichment (balance), and ( d) low depletion and high enrichment (balance/flourishing). We examine how other factors, such as cognitive and behavioral factors, other individual differences, and organizational factors, relate to enrichment, depletion, and work-life balance. We conclude with future research directions and practical implications, urging scholars and practitioners to consider novel work-life concerns from the lenses of enrichment and depletion.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer: Clinical Impact and Mechanisms of Response and Resistance
Authors: Bagchi Sreya , Yuan Robert , Engleman Edgar G.
Published: November 2020

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made an indelible mark in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Starting with the approval of anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (anti-CTLA-4) for advanced-stage melanoma in 2011, ICIs—which now also include antibodies against programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1)—quickly gained US Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of a wide array of cancer types, demonstrating unprecedented extension of patient survival. However, despite the success of ICIs, resistance to these agents restricts the number of patients able to achieve durable responses, and immune-related adverse events complicate treatment. Thus, a better understanding of the requirements for an effective and safe antitumor immune response following ICI therapy is needed. Studies of both tumoral and systemic changes in the immune system following ICI therapy have yielded insight into the basis for both efficacy and resistance. Ultimately, by building on these insights, researchers should be able to combine ICIs with other agents, or design new immunotherapies, to achieve broader and more durable efficacy as well as greater safety. Here, we review the history and clinical utility of ICIs, the mechanisms of resistance to therapy, and local and systemic immune cell changes associated with outcome.
Effects of SGLT2 Inhibitors on Kidney and Cardiovascular Function
Authors: Vallon Volker , Verma Subodh
Published: November 2020

SGLT2 inhibitors are antihyperglycemic drugs that protect kidneys and the heart of patients with or without type 2 diabetes and preserved or reduced kidney function from failing. The involved protective mechanisms include blood glucose–dependent and –independent mechanisms: SGLT2 inhibitors prevent both hyper- and hypoglycemia, with expectedly little net effect on HbA1C. Metabolic adaptations to induced urinary glucose loss include reduced fat mass and more ketone bodies as additional fuel. SGLT2 inhibitors lower glomerular capillary hypertension and hyperfiltration, thereby reducing the physical stress on the filtration barrier, albuminuria, and the oxygen demand for tubular reabsorption. This improves cortical oxygenation, which, together with lesser tubular gluco-toxicity, may preserve tubular function and glomerular filtration rate in the long term. SGLT2 inhibitors may mimic systemic hypoxia and stimulate erythropoiesis, which improves organ oxygen delivery. SGLT2 inhibitors are proximal tubule and osmotic diuretics that reduce volume retention and blood pressure and preserve heart function, potentially in part by overcoming the resistance to diuretics and atrial-natriuretic-peptide and inhibiting Na-H exchangers and sympathetic tone.
High Performance Pt Nanocatalysts for the Oxidation of Methanol and Ethanol in Acid Media by Effect of Functionalizing Carbon Supports with Ru Organometallic Compounds
Authors: Martínez-Loyola J. C. , Siller-Ceniceros A. A. , Sánchez-Castro M. E. , Sánchez M. , Torres-Lubián J. R. , Escobar-Morales B. , Ornelas C. , Alonso-Lemus I. L. , Rodríguez-Varela F. J.
Published: November 2020

The Intermittent Microwave Heating (IMH) assisted polyol method was used to disperse Pt nanoparticles on Vulcan XC-72 (C) and reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) functionalized with [(η
6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH)RuCl2]2 (Ru-dim) and [(η
6-C6H4(CHMe2)Me)RuCl2]2 (Ru-cym). The nanocatalysts were labeled as Pt/CRu-dim, Pt/CRu-cym, Pt/rGORu-dim and Pt/rGORu-cym. Their catalytic activity was evaluated for the Methanol (MOR) and Ethanol Oxidation Reactions (EOR). 1H and APT 13C NMR characterization showed the coordination of arene ligands with ruthenium atoms, supporting the formation of Ru-dim and Ru-cym. Raman spectroscopy indicated that C and rGO preserve their graphitic band structure after functionalization. Functionalization of the supports resulted in the development of several surface chemical groups. The electrochemical characterization showed that: i) Pt/CRu-dim was the nanocatalyst with the highest catalytic activity for the MOR, demonstrating also a high performance for the EOR; ii) Pt/rGORu-cym showed a good electrocatalytic behavior for both reactions at more negative potentials, nevertheless delivering lower current densities (j). In terms of the organic molecule, higher j values have been obtained from the MOR, compared to the EOR. The results showed that these nanocatalysts can be considered as anode materials in Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells applications.
Elastic Analysis for Rotating Functionally Graded Annular Disk with Exponentially-Varying Profile and Properties
Authors: Lin Wen-Feng
Published: November 2020

Functionally graded materials have been widely used in engineering and human health applications. The issues about mechanical behavior of functionally graded material have received considerable attention. However, because of the complexity of material property, geometric profile, and mechanical load, there is still lack of proper analytic solutions about deformation and stress in many articles. The principal goal of this research is to study the effect of mechanical load on deformation and stress in rotating thin-walled functionally gradient material annular disk with exponentially-varying profile and properties. The inner and outer surfaces of annular disk are subjected to different pressures simultaneously. For this purpose, the infinitesimal theory of elasticity and axisymmetric plane stress assumptions has been proposed to formulate the governing equation. The governing equation is a generalized confluent hypergeometric differential equation, based on Whittaker’s functions; this is the first time that closed-form solutions of mechanical behaviors are revealed about proposed functionally gradient material model. Besides, another four boundary conditions are also discussed, i.e., the inner and outer surfaces of the annular disk are considered to be the combinations of free and clamped conditions. Numeric examples of two different functionally graded material properties are given to demonstrate displacement and stress solutions. Moreover, uniform disks made of homogeneous material under different boundary conditions are investigated, which are special cases of the proposed rotating functionally gradient material disks. Finally, some conclusions are made at the end of the present paper.
A Novel Intelligent Recommendation Algorithm Based on Mass Diffusion
Authors: Tian Guanglai , Zhou Shuang , Sun Gengxin , Chen Chih-Cheng
Published: November 2020

Social recommendation algorithm is a common tool for recommending interesting or potentially useful items to users amidst the sea of online information. The users usually have various relationships, each of which has its unique impact on the recommendation results. It is unlikely to make accurate recommendations solely based on one relationship. Based on user-item bipartite graph, this paper establishes a multisubnet composited complex network (MSCCN) of multiple user relationships and then extends the mass diffusion (MD) algorithm into a novel intelligent recommendation algorithm. Two public online datasets, namely, Epinions and FilmTrust, were selected to verify the effect of the proposed algorithm. The results show that the proposed intelligent recommendation algorithm with two types of relationships made much more accurate recommendations than that with a single relationship and the traditional MD algorithm.
Influence of the Skid Resistance of Ultrathin Wearing Course with Various Types of Asphalt Binders
Authors: Liu Hongfu , Guo Teng , Yang Chenxi , Huang Yunyong , Li Xuelian
Published: November 2020

Ultrathin wearing course (UTWC) has been widely applied in both asphalt pavements preventive maintenance and functional overlay. This study’s objective is to evaluate the influence of different modified asphalt binders with warm mix additives on the skid resistance of UTWC and to reveal the attenuation law of skid resistance of UTWC. Three types of modified asphalt binders (Styrene‐Butadiene‐Styrene‐ (SBS‐) modified asphalt, Acrylester Rubber‐ (AR‐) modified asphalt, and SinoTPS‐modified asphalt) and sasobit warm mix asphalt additive were selected to prepare asphalt mixtures. The Model Mobile Load Simulator 3 (MMLS3) was used to simulate repeated vehicle loading and abrasion. The British Pendulum Number (BPN) and Mean Texture Depth (MTD) were chosen to evaluate the skid resistance of the UTWC. The Analysis of Range (ANOR) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to verify the significance of asphalt binder on the antiskid performance of the UTWC. ANOR and ANOVA show that the influence of different modified asphalt binders on the skid resistance of the UTWC is significant. The SinoTPS modified asphalt mixture can maintain high texture roughness before and after abrasion, providing excellent and durable skid resistance. The influence of the addition of a warm mixing additive on the skid resistance of UTWC is not significant, and changes in microtexture mainly reflect its impact on antiskid performance. The decay curve of three modified asphalt binders of the skid resistance of the UTWC can be well fitted into an exponential function. The conclusion will play an essential role in selecting the asphalt binder in a UTWC to improve the antiskid performance.
Intrusion Detection into Cloud-Fog-Based IoT Networks Using Game Theory
Authors: Pirozmand Poria , Ghafary Mohsen Angoraj , Siadat Safieh , Ren Jiankang
Published: November 2020

The Internet of Things is an emerging technology that integrates the Internet and physical smart objects. This technology currently is used in many areas of human life, including education, agriculture, medicine, military and industrial processes, and trade. Integrating real-world objects with the Internet can pose security threats to many of our day-to-day activities. Intrusion detection systems (IDS) can be used in this technology as one of the security methods. In intrusion detection systems, early and correct detection (with high accuracy) of intrusions is considered very important. In this research, game theory is used to develop the performance of intrusion detection systems. In the proposed method, the attacker infiltration mode and the behavior of the intrusion detection system as a two-player and nonparticipatory dynamic game are completely analyzed and Nash equilibrium solution is used to create specific subgames. During the simulation performed using MATLAB software, various parameters were examined using the definitions of game theory and Nash equilibrium to extract the parameters that had the most accurate detection results. The results obtained from the simulation of the proposed method showed that the use of intrusion detection systems in the Internet of Things based on cloud-fog can be very effective in identifying attacks with the least amount of errors in this network.
Robust Design Optimization of Car-Door Structures with Spatially Varied Material Uncertainties
Authors: Zhao Yuee , Dong Hai , Liang Haibin
Published: November 2020

This paper presents an effective approach for robust design optimization of car-door structures with spatially varied material properties. This spatially varied material property causes structural response quantities; for example, the natural frequency and the lateral stiffness coefficient become random variables. In this regard, the Karhunen-Loève expansion is first used to represent the elastic modulus and the mass density random fields as a series of random variables. Then, a stochastic finite-element model is formulated for uncertainty quantification of the car-door structure. Combined with a polynomial-based response surface model to mimic the true performance indicator, this allows one to efficiently evaluate probability constraints for the robust design optimization of the uncertain car-door structure. In numerical simulations, design variables of the uncertain car-door structure are defined as thickness values of the tailor rolled blank structure at various regions, whereas multiple design objectives are formulated via the structural weight, the first-order natural frequency, and the lateral stiffness coefficient. Results have shown that the mean value of performance indicators can be generally improved, whereas the response variance is further minimized to archive the robust design objective. The probability-based constraint is significant to relate the Pareto optimum set to the targeted structural safety level. The proposed approach is simple, suggesting an attractive tool for the robust design optimization of car-door structures with spatially varied material uncertainties.