bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing the advantages of CFR-PEEK over titanium spinal stabilization implants in proton therapy—a phantom study
Authors: Poel R , Belosi F , Albertini F , Walser M , Gisep A , Lomax A J , Weber D C 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
High-density materials, such as titanium, used for spinal stabilization, introduces several critical issues in proton therapy (PT). Artefacts affect both contouring and dose calculation. Subsequently, artefacts need to be corrected which is a time-consuming process. Besides, titanium causes proton interactions that are unaccounted for in dose calculation. The result is a suboptimal treatment plan, and indeed decreased local controls have been reported for these patients. Carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFR-PEEK) implant material, which is of low density, potentially solves these issues. For this study, we designed a unique phantom to compare the effects of titanium and CFR-PEEK implants in PT. The phantom contains four interchangeable spinal inserts representing a native spine, and three different spinal stabilizations consisting of titanium only, CFR-PEEK only, and a combination of titanium and CFR-PEEK. All phantom scenarios received the standard treatment workup. Two planning approaches were investigated: a single field plan and a multi-field optimized plan with spinal cord sparing. For both plans we analyzed the following aspects: total volume of artefacts on CT images, time required for artefact correction, effect of planning CT correction on dose calculation, plan robustness to range and set up uncertainties, and finally the discrepancy between the calculated dose and the delivered dose with Gafchromic® film. The CFR-PEEK implant had a 90% reduction of artefacts on CT images and subsequently severely reduced the time for artefact correction with respect to the titanium-only implant. Furthermore, the CFR-PEEK as opposed to titanium did not influence the robustness of the plan. Finally, the titanium implants led to hardware-related discrepancies between the planned and the measured dose while the CFR-PEEK implant showed good agreement. As opposed to titanium, CFR-PEEK has none to minor effects on PT. The use of CFR-PEEK is expected to optimize treatment and possibly improve outcomes for patients that require spinal stabilization.
Encounter rates between bacteria and small sinking particles
Authors: Słomka Jonasz , Alcolombri Uria , Secchi Eleonora , Stocker Roman , Fernandez Vicente I 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
The ecological interaction between bacteria and sinking particles, such as bacterial degradation of marine snow particles, is regulated by their encounters. Current encounter models focus on the diffusive regime, valid for particles larger than the bacterial run length, yet the majority of marine snow particles are small, and the encounter process is then ballistic. Here, we analytically and numerically quantify the encounter rate between sinking particles and non-motile or motile micro-organisms in the ballistic regime, explicitly accounting for the hydrodynamic shear created by the particle and its coupling with micro-organism shape. We complement results with selected experiments on non-motile diatoms. The shape-shear coupling has a considerable effect on the encounter rate and encounter location through the mechanisms of hydrodynamic focusing and screening, whereby elongated micro-organisms preferentially orient normally to the particle surface downstream of the particle (focusing) and tangentially to the surface upstream of the particle (screening). Non-motile elongated micro-organisms are screened from sinking particles because shear aligns them tangentially to the particle surface, which reduces the encounter rate by a factor proportional to the square of the micro-organism aspect ratio. For motile elongated micro-organisms, hydrodynamic focusing increases the encounter rate when particle sinking speed is similar to micro-organism swimming speed, whereas for very quickly sinking particles hydrodynamic screening can reduce the encounter rate below that of non-motile micro-organisms. For natural ocean conditions, we connect the ballistic and diffusive limits and compute the encounter rate as a function of shape, motility and particle characteristics. Our results indicate that shear should be taken into account to predict the interactions between bacteria and sinking particles responsible for the large carbon flux in the ocean’s biological pump.
Synthetic Tracking Using ZTF Deep Drilling Data Sets
Authors: Zhai Chengxing , Ye Quanzhi , Shao Michael , Trahan Russell , Saini Navtej S. , Shen Janice , Prince Thomas A. , Bellm Eric C. , Graham Matthew J. , Helou George , Kulkarni Shrinivas R. , Kupfer Thomas , Laher Russ R. , Mahabal Ashish , Masci Frank J. , Rusholme Ben , Rosnet Philippe , Shupe David L. 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
The Zwicky Transit Facility (ZTF) is a powerful time domain survey telescope with a large field of view of 47

deg

2

. We apply the synthetic tracking technique to integrate a ZTF’s deep drilling data set, which consists of 133 nominal 30 s exposure frames spanning about 1.5 hr, to search for slowly moving asteroids down to approximately 23rd magnitude. We found 1168 objects from searching 40 of the 64 CCD-quadrant subfields, each of which covers a field size of about 0.73

deg

2

. While most of the objects are in the core region of the asteroid belt, there are asteroids belonging to families of Trojan, Hilda, Hungaria, Phocaea, and near-Earth-asteroids. Such an approach is effective and productive for discovering new asteroids. Here we report the data processing and results as well as discuss a potential deep drilling operation mode using this approach for survey facilities.
Review: mechanisms and consequences of chemical cross-talk in advanced Li-ion batteries
Authors: Harris Oliver C. , Lee Sophia E , Lees Cassandra , Tang Maureen 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Electrode cross-talk in Li-ion batteries refers to side reactions in which soluble products are generated at one electrode and consumed or further reacted at the other electrode. While these reactions impact battery lifetime directly, they perhaps have even greater consequence for battery management systems and state-of-health prediction. In this work, we review the current literature on cross-talk mechanisms, classify various reactions as firmly detrimental or beneficial to cell lifetime, and identify future scientific challenges in the area.
Disentangling elevation, annual flooding regime and salinity as hydrochemical determinants of halophyte distribution in non-tidal saltmarsh
Authors: Vélez-Martín Alberto , Davy Anthony J , Luque Carlos J , Castellanos Eloy M 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBackground and AimsHydrological disconnection, especially in a Mediterranean climate, creates coastal saltmarshes with an annual cycle of flooding that are unlike tidally inundated systems. Winter rainfall produces long, continuous hydroperiods, alternating with continuous exposure caused by evaporation in warm, rain-free summers. We aimed to distinguish the effects of elevation, hydroperiod and salinity on annual and perennial halophytes in such a system.MethodsWe recorded vegetation and sediment salinity in permanent quadrats on a marsh in the Doñana National Park, Spain, over seven consecutive years with widely differing rainfall. Elevation was determined from LIDAR data and the duration of the annual hydroperiod from satellite imagery. The independent effects of collaterally varying elevation, hydroperiod and salinity on species distribution were examined using generalized linear models and hierarchical partitioning.Key ResultsBoth hydroperiod and salinity were inversely related to elevation but interannual fluctuations in rainfall facilitated discrimination of independent effects of the three collaterally varying factors on halophyte distribution. Perennial distribution was strongly structured by elevation, whereas many annual species were more sensitive to hydroperiod. The independent effects of salinity varied according to individual species’ salt tolerance from positive to negative. Thus life-history and, in the case of annuals, phenology were important in determining the relative impact of elevation and hydroperiod.ConclusionsThe consequences of elevation for halophyte distribution in seasonally flooded saltmarshes are fundamentally different from those in tidal marshes, because protracted and frequent flooding regimes require different adaptations, and because of the unpredictability of flooding from year to year. These differences could explain greater species diversity in non-tidal marshes and the absence of key saltmarsh species prominent in tidal marshes. The vegetation of non-tidal marshes will be particularly susceptible to the more extreme annual cycles of temperature and rainfall predicted for Mediterranean climates.
Queen succession conflict in the paper wasp Polistes dominula is mitigated by age-based convention
Authors: Taylor Benjamin A , Cini Alessandro , Cervo Rita , Reuter Max , Sumner Seirian 
Published: April 2020

AbstractReproduction in cooperative animal groups is often dominated by one or a few individuals, with the remaining group members relegated to nonreproductive helping roles. This reproductive skew can evolve if helpers receive fitness benefits such as potential future inheritance of the breeding position, but the mechanisms by which inheritance is determined are not well resolved. Polistes paper wasps form highly reproductively skewed groups and inheritance of the breeding position is likely to play a key role in the maintenance of this social structure, making them excellent models for the processes by which simple societies are maintained. Reproductive succession is thought to be determined via an age-based convention in some Polistes species, but there is also evidence for contest-based succession systems in which the replacement queen uses physical aggression to overpower and thereby subordinate her nestmates. Here, we provide evidence that queen succession in colonies of the European paper wasp Polistes dominula is determined via convention rather than contest, with little disruption to the colony’s social functioning. We use queen removal experiments and fine-scale behavioral analyses to confirm that age is a strong predictor of succession, and that behavioral responses to queen removal are restricted to the oldest individuals rather than being experienced equally across the group. We provide the most comprehensive and detailed experimental analysis on the dynamics of breeder succession in a cooperatively breeding invertebrate to date, thereby shedding light on the mechanisms by which animal societies are able to maintain cohesion in the face of within-group conflict.
Molecular phylogeny and biogeography ofTriplophysastone loaches in the Central Chinese Mountains
Authors: Wu Huihui , Gu Qianhong , Zhou Chuanjiang , Tang Yongtao , Husemann Martin , Meng Xiaolin , Zhang Jianxin , Nie Guoxing , Li Xuejun 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe geological structure and history of mountains often cause highly complex patterns of evolution. The origin and diversity of the genus Triplophysa is considered to be closely associated with the rapid and persistent rise of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Species of the genus are widely distributed in the QTP and adjacent regions, and are strongly adapted to its extreme environments. However, the Central Chinese Mountains (CCM), which are far apart from the QTP, also have many Triplophysa populations and yet their taxonomy, phylogeny and origin are unknown. We used three mitochondrial genes of 266 individuals from 29 sites in the CCM to shed light on the evolution of these Triplophysa populations. Phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation revealed seven distinct molecular operational taxonomic units (mOTUs) in the CCM, each with low genetic diversity. Molecular clock and biogeographic analyses suggested that vicariance events resulting from the rapid uplifting of the Qinling and Taihang Mountains initialized diversification in the Pliocene. During the early Pleistocene, dispersal events in the central parts of the Yellow River drainage altered genetic diversity and led to the currently observed biogeographic patterns. Our results suggest the presence of at least six species of Triplophysa in the CCM and more are likely to be discovered in the future.
Morphometrics and genetics highlight the complex history of Eastern Mediterranean spiny mice
Authors: Renaud Sabrina , Hardouin Emilie A , Chevret Pascale , Papayiannis Katerina , Lymberakis Petros , Matur Ferhat , Garcia-Rodriguez Oxala , Andreou Demetra , Çetintaş Ortaç , Sözen Mustafa , Hadjisterkotis Eleftherios , Mitsainas George P 
Published: April 2020

AbstractSpiny mice of the Acomys cahirinus group display a complex geographical structure in the Eastern Mediterranean area, as shown by previous genetic and chromosomal studies. To better elucidate the evolutionary relationships between insular populations from Crete and Cyprus and continental populations from North Africa and Cilicia in Turkey, genetic and morphometric variations were investigated, based on mitochondrial D-loop sequences, and the size and shape of the first upper molar. The Cypriot and the Cilician populations show idiosyncratic divergence in molar size and shape, while Cretan populations present a geographical structure with at least three differentiated subpopulations, as shown by congruent distributions of haplogroups, Robertsonian fusions and morphometric variation. A complex history of multiple introductions is probably responsible for this structure, and insular isolation coupled with habitat shift should have further promoted a pronounced and rapid morphological evolution in molar size and shape on Crete and Cyprus.
Phylogeography and genetic structure of an iconic tree of the Sonoran Desert, the Cirio (Fouquieria columnaris), based on chloroplast DNA
Authors: Martínez-Noguez Josué J , León de la Luz José Luis , Delgadillo Rodríguez José , García-De León Francisco J 
Published: April 2020

AbstractWe have examined the phylogeographical distribution of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) lineages of Fouquieria columnaris (Kellogg) Kellogg ex Curran (Fouquieriaceae) in the Sonoran Desert, to understand how historical climatic and/or geological changes have influenced genetic patterns in the species. Using two chloroplast intergenic DNA spacers (psbJ-petA and ndhF-rpl32), we found low levels of nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0025) but high levels of haplotype diversity (h = 0.9339). Analysis of 28 haplotypes revealed four lineages, one belonging to the continental massif and three to the peninsula of Baja California. This structure may be explained and dated by three events: (1) formation of the Gulf of California during the late Miocene (7.24 Mya), (2) activity of the Tres Vírgenes volcanic field (1.20 Mya) and (3) opening of the mid-peninsula seaway during the late Pleistocene (1.53 Mya). Furthermore, the cpDNA lineages show evidence for population contraction during the Last Glacial Maximum, with a subsequent population expansion in the Holocene.
Impact of Community-Based Mass Testing and Treatment on Malaria Infection Prevalence in a High-Transmission Area of Western Kenya: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Samuels Aaron M , Odero Nobert Awino , Odongo Wycliffe , Otieno Kephas , Were Vincent , Shi Ya Ping , Sang Tony , Williamson John , Wiegand Ryan , Hamel Mary J , Kachur S Patrick , Slutsker Laurence , Lindblade Kim A , Kariuki Simon K , Desai Meghna R 
Published: April 2020

Abstract

Background
Global gains toward malaria elimination have been heterogeneous and have recently stalled. Interventions targeting afebrile malaria infections may be needed to address residual transmission. We studied the efficacy of repeated rounds of community-based mass testing and treatment (MTaT) on malaria infection prevalence in western Kenya.

Methods
Twenty clusters were randomly assigned to 3 rounds of MTaT per year for 2 years or control (standard of care for testing and treatment at public health facilities along with government-sponsored mass long-lasting insecticidal net [LLIN] distributions). During rounds, community health volunteers visited all households in intervention clusters and tested all consenting individuals with a rapid diagnostic test. Those positive were treated with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine. Cross-sectional community infection prevalence surveys were performed in both study arms at baseline and each year after 3 rounds of MTaT. The primary outcome was the effect size of MTaT on parasite prevalence by microscopy between arms by year, adjusted for age, reported LLIN use, enhanced vegetative index, and socioeconomic status.

Results
Demographic and behavioral characteristics, including LLIN usage, were similar between arms at each survey. MTaT coverage across the 3 annual rounds ranged between 75.0% and 77.5% in year 1, and between 81.9% and 94.3% in year 2. The adjusted effect size of MTaT on the prevalence of parasitemia between arms was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], .79–1.08) and 0.92 (95% CI, .76–1.10) after year 1 and year 2, respectively.

Conclusions
MTaT performed 3 times per year over 2 years did not reduce malaria parasite prevalence in this high-transmission area.

Clinical Trials Registration
NCT02987270.
Genetic basis and molecular biology of cardiac arrhythmias in cardiomyopathies
Authors: Marian Ali J , Asatryan Babken , Wehrens Xander H T 
Published: April 2020

AbstractCardiac arrhythmias are common, often the first, and sometimes the life-threatening manifestations of hereditary cardiomyopathies. Pathogenic variants in several genes known to cause hereditary cardiac arrhythmias have also been identified in the sporadic cases and small families with cardiomyopathies. These findings suggest a shared genetic aetiology of a subset of hereditary cardiomyopathies and cardiac arrhythmias. The concept of a shared genetic aetiology is in accord with the complex and exquisite interplays that exist between the ion currents and cardiac mechanical function. However, neither the causal role of cardiac arrhythmias genes in cardiomyopathies is well established nor the causal role of cardiomyopathy genes in arrhythmias. On the contrary, secondary changes in ion currents, such as post-translational modifications, are common and contributors to the pathogenesis of arrhythmias in cardiomyopathies through altering biophysical and functional properties of the ion channels. Moreover, structural changes, such as cardiac hypertrophy, dilatation, and fibrosis provide a pro-arrhythmic substrate in hereditary cardiomyopathies. Genetic basis and molecular biology of cardiac arrhythmias in hereditary cardiomyopathies are discussed.
Feeding exogenous dsRNA interferes with endogenous sRNA accumulation inParamecium
Authors: Karunanithi Sivarajan , Oruganti Vidya , de Wijn Raphael , Drews Franziska , Cheaib Miriam , Nordström Karl , Simon Martin , Schulz Marcel H 
Published: April 2020

AbstractSupply of exogenous dsRNA (exo-dsRNA), either by injection or by feeding, is a fast and powerful alternative to classical knockout studies. The biotechnical potential of feeding techniques is evident from the numerous studies focusing on oral administration of dsRNA to control pests and viral infection in crops/animal farming. We aimed to dissect the direct and indirect effects of exo-dsRNA feeding on the endogenous short interfering RNA (endo-siRNA) populations of the free-living ciliate Paramecium. We introduced dsRNA fragments against Dicer1 (DCR1), involved in RNA interference (RNAi) against exo- and few endo-siRNAs, and an RNAi unrelated gene, ND169. Any feeding, even the control dsRNA, diminishes genome wide the accumulation of endo-siRNAs and mRNAs. This cannot be explained by direct off-target effects and suggests mechanistic overlaps of the exo- and endo-RNAi mechanisms. Nevertheless, we observe a stronger down-regulation of mRNAs in DCR1 feeding compared with ND169 knockdown. This is likely due to the direct involvement of DCR1 in endo-siRNA accumulation. We further observed a cis-regulatory effect on mRNAs that overlap with phased endo-siRNAs. This interference of exo-dsRNA with endo-siRNAs warrants further investigations into secondary effects in target species/consumers, risk assessment of dsRNA feeding applications, and environmental pollution with dsRNA.
M∖L is Not Closed
Authors: Lima Davi , Matheus Carlos , Gustavo Moreira Carlos , Vieira Sandoel 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
We show that $1+3/\sqrt{2}$ is a point of the Lagrange spectrum $L$ that is accumulated by a sequence of elements of the complement $M\!\setminus\! L$ of the Lagrange spectrum in the Markov spectrum $M$. In particular, $M\!\setminus\! L$ is not a closed subset of $\mathbb{R}$, so that a question by T. Bousch has a negative answer.
Neglected Variables in the Interpretation of Serum Procalcitonin Levels in Patients With Septic Shock
Authors: Gilbert David N 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
The interpretation of serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in septic patients is facilitated by reviewing the known stimuli that activate the PCT family of genes. Herein we describe 7 pathways that, alone or in combination, can increase serum PCT levels. As a marker of activation of innate immunity, high PCT levels affect clinical diagnosis, can be trended as a measure of “source” control, and can guide duration of antibacterial therapy in septic patients. Low PCT levels reflect little to no activation of an innate immune response, influence the differential diagnosis, and support the discontinuation of empiric antibiotic therapy. Understanding the pathways that result in elevated serum PCT levels is necessary for interpretation and subsequent clinical management.
Free market versus state or something else?: civic sector and competition law’s roles during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
Authors: Wakui Masako 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
COVID-19 is a highly transmittable disease. Until a vaccine is found, social distancing is the only way to prevent the virus from killing millions. Lockdown may also be necessary. Such measures inevitably cause an economic recession, so supplementing individuals’ incomes prove vital. Without income support, employees must go to work and risk contracting and spreading the virus. Instituting protective measures is the role of the government; however, a dysfunctional government causes citizens to seek alternative solutions from either the civic sector or charitable organizations.