Showing papers by "Bielefeld University published in 2017"
••
Theo Vos1, Amanuel Alemu Abajobir, Kalkidan Hassen Abate2, Cristiana Abbafati3 +775 more•Institutions (305)
TL;DR: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) provides a comprehensive assessment of prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) for 328 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2016.
10,401 citations
••
Valery L. Feigin1, Amanuel Alemu Abajobir2, Kalkidan Hassen Abate3, Foad Abd-Allah4 +267 more•Institutions (138)
TL;DR: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) study provides such information but does not routinely aggregate results that are of interest to clinicians specialising in neurological conditions as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Summary Background Comparable data on the global and country-specific burden of neurological disorders and their trends are crucial for health-care planning and resource allocation. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) Study provides such information but does not routinely aggregate results that are of interest to clinicians specialising in neurological conditions. In this systematic analysis, we quantified the global disease burden due to neurological disorders in 2015 and its relationship with country development level. Methods We estimated global and country-specific prevalence, mortality, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) for various neurological disorders that in the GBD classification have been previously spread across multiple disease groupings. The more inclusive grouping of neurological disorders included stroke, meningitis, encephalitis, tetanus, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, migraine, tension-type headache, medication overuse headache, brain and nervous system cancers, and a residual category of other neurological disorders. We also analysed results based on the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a compound measure of income per capita, education, and fertility, to identify patterns associated with development and how countries fare against expected outcomes relative to their level of development. Findings Neurological disorders ranked as the leading cause group of DALYs in 2015 (250·7 [95% uncertainty interval (UI) 229·1 to 274·7] million, comprising 10·2% of global DALYs) and the second-leading cause group of deaths (9·4 [9·1 to 9·7] million], comprising 16·8% of global deaths). The most prevalent neurological disorders were tension-type headache (1505·9 [UI 1337·3 to 1681·6 million cases]), migraine (958·8 [872·1 to 1055·6] million), medication overuse headache (58·5 [50·8 to 67·4 million]), and Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (46·0 [40·2 to 52·7 million]). Between 1990 and 2015, the number of deaths from neurological disorders increased by 36·7%, and the number of DALYs by 7·4%. These increases occurred despite decreases in age-standardised rates of death and DALYs of 26·1% and 29·7%, respectively; stroke and communicable neurological disorders were responsible for most of these decreases. Communicable neurological disorders were the largest cause of DALYs in countries with low SDI. Stroke rates were highest at middle levels of SDI and lowest at the highest SDI. Most of the changes in DALY rates of neurological disorders with development were driven by changes in YLLs. Interpretation Neurological disorders are an important cause of disability and death worldwide. Globally, the burden of neurological disorders has increased substantially over the past 25 years because of expanding population numbers and ageing, despite substantial decreases in mortality rates from stroke and communicable neurological disorders. The number of patients who will need care by clinicians with expertise in neurological conditions will continue to grow in coming decades. Policy makers and health-care providers should be aware of these trends to provide adequate services. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
2,995 citations
••
Autonomous University of Madrid1, Spanish National Research Council2, University of Queensland3, Jimma University4, United Arab Emirates University5, University of Cartagena6, University of Qom7, Mekelle University8, University of Belgrade9, Stanford University10, University of São Paulo11, Debre Berhan University12, Bahir Dar University13, Haramaya University14, Debre markos University15, University System of Georgia16, State University of New York System17, Christian Medical College & Hospital18, University of Peradeniya19, Bielefeld University20, Newcastle University21, University of Newcastle22, Howard University23, University of Delhi24, University of Mazandaran25, Juntendo University26, Yokohama City University27, Albert Einstein College of Medicine28
TL;DR: The GBD study provides annual updates on estimates of deaths, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a summary measure of fatal and non-fatal disease outcomes, for over 300 diseases and injuries, for 188 countries from 1990 to the most recent year.
1,601 citations
••
TL;DR: The number of adults with raised blood pressure increased from 594 million in 1975 to 1·13 billion in 2015, with the increase largely in low-income and middle-income countries, and the contributions of changes in prevalence versus population growth and ageing to the increase.
1,573 citations
••
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation1, Jimma University2, University of Alabama at Birmingham3, University of Oxford4, University of Cartagena5, University College London6, Harvard University7, Wellcome Trust8, University of Canterbury9, Madawalabu University10, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute11, University of Valencia12, Auckland University of Technology13, University of Coimbra14, Bielefeld University15, Mekelle University16, University of Massachusetts Boston17, University of Western Australia18, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research19, Heidelberg University20, New Generation University College21, Southern University College22, Simmons College23, Brown University24, University of Melbourne25, University of São Paulo26, University of Adelaide27, National Institutes of Health28, Columbia University29, Southern Illinois University Carbondale30, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare31, Teikyo University32, University of British Columbia33, Marshall University34, South African Medical Research Council35, Addis Ababa University36, Arba Minch University37, Northumbria University38, University of Edinburgh39, James Cook University40, Monash University41, University of Calgary42, University of Copenhagen43, University of Warwick44, National Research University – Higher School of Economics45, Duke University46, Northwestern University47
TL;DR: In international surveys, although there is uncertainty in some estimates, the rate of elevatedSBP (≥110-115 and ≥140 mm Hg) increased substantially between 1990 and 2015, and DALYs and deaths associated with elevated SBP also increased.
Abstract: Importance Elevated systolic blood (SBP) pressure is a leading global health risk. Quantifying the levels of SBP is important to guide prevention policies and interventions. Objective To estimate the association between SBP of at least 110 to 115 mm Hg and SBP of 140 mm Hg or higher and the burden of different causes of death and disability by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2015. Design A comparative risk assessment of health loss related to SBP. Estimated distribution of SBP was based on 844 studies from 154 countries (published 1980-2015) of 8.69 million participants. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression was used to generate estimates of mean SBP and adjusted variance for each age, sex, country, and year. Diseases with sufficient evidence for a causal relationship with high SBP (eg, ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke) were included in the primary analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures Mean SBP level, cause-specific deaths, and health burden related to SBP (≥110-115 mm Hg and also ≥140 mm Hg) by age, sex, country, and year. Results Between 1990-2015, the rate of SBP of at least 110 to 115 mm Hg increased from 73 119 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 67 949-78 241) to 81 373 (95% UI, 76 814-85 770) per 100 000, and SBP of 140 mm Hg or higher increased from 17 307 (95% UI, 17 117-17 492) to 20 526 (95% UI, 20 283-20 746) per 100 000. The estimated annual death rate per 100 000 associated with SBP of at least 110 to 115 mm Hg increased from 135.6 (95% UI, 122.4-148.1) to 145.2 (95% UI 130.3-159.9) and the rate for SBP of 140 mm Hg or higher increased from 97.9 (95% UI, 87.5-108.1) to 106.3 (95% UI, 94.6-118.1). Loss of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) associated with SBP of at least 110 to 115 mm Hg increased from 148 million (95% UI, 134-162 million) to 211 million (95% UI, 193-231 million), and for SBP of 140 mm Hg or higher, the loss increased from 95.9 million (95% UI, 87.0-104.9 million) to 143.0 million (95% UI, 130.2-157.0 million). The largest numbers of SBP-related deaths were caused by ischemic heart disease (4.9 million [95% UI, 4.0-5.7 million]; 54.5%), hemorrhagic stroke (2.0 million [95% UI, 1.6-2.3 million]; 58.3%), and ischemic stroke (1.5 million [95% UI, 1.2-1.8 million]; 50.0%). In 2015, China, India, Russia, Indonesia, and the United States accounted for more than half of the global DALYs related to SBP of at least 110 to 115 mm Hg. Conclusions and Relevance In international surveys, although there is uncertainty in some estimates, the rate of elevated SBP (≥110-115 and ≥140 mm Hg) increased substantially between 1990 and 2015, and DALYs and deaths associated with elevated SBP also increased. Projections based on this sample suggest that in 2015, an estimated 3.5 billion adults had SBP of at least 110 to 115 mm Hg and 874 million adults had SBP of 140 mm Hg or higher.
1,494 citations
••
University of Oldenburg1, University of Vienna2, Zoological Society of London3, University College London4, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources5, Lincoln University (New Zealand)6, Free University of Berlin7, Leibniz Association8, University of Auckland9, Charles University in Prague10, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic11, Stellenbosch University12, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens13, University of Fribourg14, University of Sassari15, University of Porto16, Sapienza University of Rome17, Durham University18, University of Konstanz19, University of Concepción20, Charles Darwin Foundation21, CABI22, University of Göttingen23, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg24, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ25, United States Forest Service26, Bielefeld University27, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland28, Environment Agency29, National Museum of Natural History30, Institut national de la recherche agronomique31, University of Silesia in Katowice32
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a database of 45,813 first records of 16,926 established alien species and showed that the annual rate of first records worldwide has increased during the last 200 years, with 37% of all first records reported most recently (1970-2014).
Abstract: Although research on human-mediated exchanges of species has substantially intensified during the last centuries, we know surprisingly little about temporal dynamics of alien species accumulations across regions and taxa. Using a novel database of 45,813 first records of 16,926 established alien species, we show that the annual rate of first records worldwide has increased during the last 200 years, with 37% of all first records reported most recently (1970-2014). Inter-continental and inter-taxonomic variation can be largely attributed to the diaspora of European settlers in the nineteenth century and to the acceleration in trade in the twentieth century. For all taxonomic groups, the increase in numbers of alien species does not show any sign of saturation and most taxa even show increases in the rate of first records over time. This highlights that past efforts to mitigate invasions have not been effective enough to keep up with increasing globalization.
1,301 citations
••
University of Alabama at Birmingham1, University of Hohenheim2, College of Health Sciences, Bahrain3, Jimma University4, Queensland Government5, University of Queensland6, Mekelle University7, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation8, University of Cartagena9, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital10, University of Manitoba11, University of Gondar12, University of São Paulo13, Aga Khan University14, New Generation University College15, Public Health Foundation of India16, Duy Tan University17, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention18, Bielefeld University19, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute20, Imperial College London21, University of Basel22, Baylor College of Medicine23, Boston Children's Hospital24, Yonsei University25, Tehran University of Medical Sciences26, Jordan University of Science and Technology27, University of London28, University of Melbourne29, University of Liverpool30, Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust31, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg32, United Nations Population Fund33, Iran University of Medical Sciences34, University of Ulm35, University of Sydney36, University of Porto37, University of British Columbia38, A.T. Still University39, Golestan University40, Harvard University41, Case Western Reserve University42, Marshall University43, University of KwaZulu-Natal44, AIIMS, New Delhi45, Utkal University46, Haramaya University47, Queensland University of Technology48, Jagiellonian University Medical College49, Wrocław Medical University50, Johns Hopkins University51, Hanoi Medical University52, National Research University – Higher School of Economics53, University of Bergen54, Norwegian Institute of Public Health55, Karolinska Institutet56, University of Tromsø57, Kyoto University58, Jackson State University59, Wuhan University60, University of Washington61
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report results of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 study on primary liver cancer incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 195 countries or territories from 1990 to 2015, and present global, regional, and national estimates on the burden of liver cancer attributable to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and alcohol, and an “other” group that encompasses residual causes.
Abstract: Importance Liver cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths globally. The most common causes for liver cancer include hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and alcohol use. Objective To report results of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 study on primary liver cancer incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 195 countries or territories from 1990 to 2015, and present global, regional, and national estimates on the burden of liver cancer attributable to HBV, HCV, alcohol, and an “other” group that encompasses residual causes. Design, Settings, and Participants Mortality was estimated using vital registration and cancer registry data in an ensemble modeling approach. Single-cause mortality estimates were adjusted for all-cause mortality. Incidence was derived from mortality estimates and the mortality-to-incidence ratio. Through a systematic literature review, data on the proportions of liver cancer due to HBV, HCV, alcohol, and other causes were identified. Years of life lost were calculated by multiplying each death by a standard life expectancy. Prevalence was estimated using mortality-to-incidence ratio as surrogate for survival. Total prevalence was divided into 4 sequelae that were multiplied by disability weights to derive years lived with disability (YLDs). DALYs were the sum of years of life lost and YLDs. Main Outcomes and Measures Liver cancer mortality, incidence, YLDs, years of life lost, DALYs by etiology, age, sex, country, and year. Results There were 854 000 incident cases of liver cancer and 810 000 deaths globally in 2015, contributing to 20 578 000 DALYs. Cases of incident liver cancer increased by 75% between 1990 and 2015, of which 47% can be explained by changing population age structures, 35% by population growth, and −8% to changing age-specific incidence rates. The male-to-female ratio for age-standardized liver cancer mortality was 2.8. Globally, HBV accounted for 265 000 liver cancer deaths (33%), alcohol for 245 000 (30%), HCV for 167 000 (21%), and other causes for 133 000 (16%) deaths, with substantial variation between countries in the underlying etiologies. Conclusions and Relevance Liver cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths in many countries. Causes of liver cancer differ widely among populations. Our results show that most cases of liver cancer can be prevented through vaccination, antiviral treatment, safe blood transfusion and injection practices, as well as interventions to reduce excessive alcohol use. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the identification and elimination of risk factors for liver cancer will be required to achieve a sustained reduction in liver cancer burden. The GBD study can be used to guide these prevention efforts.
1,208 citations
••
TL;DR: al. as discussed by the authors introduced the R package rptR for the estimation of ICC and R for Gaussian, binomial and Poisson-distributed data, which allows the quantification of coefficients of determination R2 as well as of raw variance components.
Abstract: Summary
Intra-class correlations (ICC) and repeatabilities (R) are fundamental statistics for quantifying the reproducibility of measurements and for understanding the structure of biological variation. Linear mixed effects models offer a versatile framework for estimating ICC and R. However, while point estimation and significance testing by likelihood ratio tests is straightforward, the quantification of uncertainty is not as easily achieved.
A further complication arises when the analysis is conducted on data with non-Gaussian distributions because the separation of the mean and the variance is less clear-cut for non-Gaussian than for Gaussian models. Nonetheless, there are solutions to approximate repeatability for the most widely used families of generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs).
Here, we introduce the R package rptR for the estimation of ICC and R for Gaussian, binomial and Poisson-distributed data. Uncertainty in estimators is quantified by parametric bootstrapping and significance testing is implemented by likelihood ratio tests and through permutation of residuals. The package allows control for fixed effects and thus the estimation of adjusted repeatabilities (that remove fixed effect variance from the estimate) and enhanced agreement repeatabilities (that add fixed effect variance to the denominator). Furthermore, repeatability can be estimated from random-slope models. The package features convenient summary and plotting functions.
Besides repeatabilities, the package also allows the quantification of coefficients of determination R2 as well as of raw variance components. We present an example analysis to demonstrate the core features and discuss some of the limitations of rptR.
1,044 citations
••
Bielefeld University1, BRICS2, University of Düsseldorf3, Oregon State University4, University of California, San Diego5, Aarhus University6, Roskilde University7, University of Copenhagen8, Joint Genome Institute9, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center10, Saint Petersburg State University11, Max Planck Society12, University of Vienna13, University of Technology, Sydney14, Centre national de la recherche scientifique15, Genome Institute of Singapore16, University of Warwick17, University of Tübingen18, Intel19, French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation20, Joint BioEnergy Institute21, Taipei Medical University22, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory23, Georgia Institute of Technology24, University of Calgary25, University of Göttingen26, National Health Research Institutes27, San Diego State University28, Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research29, Coordenadoria de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior30, Robert Koch Institute31, University of Maryland, College Park32, Newcastle University33, Leibniz Association34, ETH Zurich35
TL;DR: The Critical Assessment of Metagenome Interpretation (CAMI) challenge has engaged the global developer community to benchmark their programs on highly complex and realistic data sets, generated from ∼700 newly sequenced microorganisms and ∼600 novel viruses and plasmids and representing common experimental setups as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Methods for assembly, taxonomic profiling and binning are key to interpreting metagenome data, but a lack of consensus about benchmarking complicates performance assessment. The Critical Assessment of Metagenome Interpretation (CAMI) challenge has engaged the global developer community to benchmark their programs on highly complex and realistic data sets, generated from ∼700 newly sequenced microorganisms and ∼600 novel viruses and plasmids and representing common experimental setups. Assembly and genome binning programs performed well for species represented by individual genomes but were substantially affected by the presence of related strains. Taxonomic profiling and binning programs were proficient at high taxonomic ranks, with a notable performance decrease below family level. Parameter settings markedly affected performance, underscoring their importance for program reproducibility. The CAMI results highlight current challenges but also provide a roadmap for software selection to answer specific research questions.
593 citations
••
Leiden University1, University of Edinburgh2, University of Hertfordshire3, ASTRON4, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation5, Max Planck Society6, University of Sydney7, University of Hamburg8, Paris Diderot University9, Rhodes University10, Harvard University11, INAF12, Jagiellonian University13, Chalmers University of Technology14, Radboud University Nijmegen15, University of Manchester16, University of Oxford17, University of the Western Cape18, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute19, Open University20, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory21, University of Amsterdam22, Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe23, University of Orléans24, Centre national de la recherche scientifique25, Ruhr University Bochum26, University of Southampton27, University of Western Australia28, Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth29, University of Oulu30, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research31, Bielefeld University32, Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam33, European Southern Observatory34, University of Cape Town35
TL;DR: The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) as mentioned in this paper is a deep 120-168 MHz imaging survey that will eventually cover the entire northern sky, where each of the 3170 pointings will be observed for 8 h, which, at most declinations, is sufficient to produce ~5? resolution images with a sensitivity of ~100?Jy/beam and accomplish the main scientific aims of the survey, which are to explore the formation and evolution of massive black holes, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and large-scale structure.
Abstract: The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a deep 120-168 MHz imaging survey that will eventually cover the entire northern sky. Each of the 3170 pointings will be observed for 8 h, which, at most declinations, is sufficient to produce ~5? resolution images with a sensitivity of ~100 ?Jy/beam and accomplish the main scientific aims of the survey, which are to explore the formation and evolution of massive black holes, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and large-scale structure. Owing to the compact core and long baselines of LOFAR, the images provide excellent sensitivity to both highly extended and compact emission. For legacy value, the data are archived at high spectral and time resolution to facilitate subarcsecond imaging and spectral line studies. In this paper we provide an overview of the LoTSS. We outline the survey strategy, the observational status, the current calibration techniques, a preliminary data release, and the anticipated scientific impact. The preliminary images that we have released were created using a fully automated but direction-independent calibration strategy and are significantly more sensitive than those produced by any existing large-Area low-frequency survey. In excess of 44 000 sources are detected in the images that have a resolution of 25?, typical noise levels of less than 0.5 mJy/beam, and cover an area of over 350 square degrees in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right ascension 10h45m00s to 15h30m00s and declination 45°00?00? to 57°00?00?).
447 citations
••
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors use the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) to improve and expand the quantification of personal health-care access and quality for 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015.
••
TL;DR: A systematic review of the literature identified 12 definitions and 21 models that have been specifically developed for children and young people, with a critical number of definitions and models lacking for children under the age of ten or within a primary school context.
Abstract: Children and young people constitute a core target group for health literacy research and practice: during childhood and youth, fundamental cognitive, physical and emotional development processes take place and health-related behaviours and skills develop. However, there is limited knowledge and academic consensus regarding the abilities and knowledge a child or young person should possess for making sound health decisions. The research presented in this review addresses this gap by providing an overview and synthesis of current understandings of health literacy in childhood and youth. Furthermore, the authors aim to understand to what extent available models capture the unique needs and characteristics of children and young people. Six databases were systematically searched with relevant search terms in English and German. Of the n = 1492 publications identified, N = 1021 entered the abstract screening and N = 340 full-texts were screened for eligibility. A total of 30 articles, which defined or conceptualized generic health literacy for a target population of 18 years or younger, were selected for a four-step inductive content analysis. The systematic review of the literature identified 12 definitions and 21 models that have been specifically developed for children and young people. In the literature, health literacy in children and young people is described as comprising variable sets of key dimensions, each appearing as a cluster of related abilities, skills, commitments, and knowledge that enable a person to approach health information competently and effectively and to derive at health-promoting decisions and actions. Identified definitions and models are very heterogeneous, depicting health literacy as multidimensional, complex construct. Moreover, health literacy is conceptualized as an action competence, with a strong focus on personal attributes, while also recognising its interrelatedness with social and contextual determinants. Life phase specificities are mainly considered from a cognitive and developmental perspective, leaving children’s and young people’s specific needs, vulnerabilities, and social structures poorly incorporated within most models. While a critical number of definitions and models were identified for youth or secondary school students, similar findings are lacking for children under the age of ten or within a primary school context.
••
TL;DR: In this article, the authors calculated the QCD equation of state using Taylor expansions that include contributions from up to sixth order in the baryon strangeness and electric charge chemical potentials.
Abstract: We calculated the QCD equation of state using Taylor expansions that include contributions from up to sixth order in the baryon strangeness and electric charge chemical potentials. Calculations have been performed with the Highly Improved Staggered Quark action in the temperature range T epsilon [135 MeV 330 MeV] using up to four different sets of lattice cutoffs corresponding to lattices of size N sigma 3x N tau with aspect ratio N sigma/N tau = 4 and N tau=6-16. The strange quark mass is tuned to its physical value and we use two strange to light quark mass ratios ms/ml = 20 and 27 which in the continuum limit correspond to a pion mass of about 160 and 140 MeV respectively. Sixth order results for Taylor expansion coefficients are used to estimate truncation errors of the fourth order expansion. We show that truncation errors are small for baryon chemical potentials less then twice the temperature (mu(B) 0.9.
••
TL;DR: This work developed a method to estimate glass transition temperatures based on the molar mass and molecular O:C ratio of SOA components, and used the global chemistry climate model EMAC with the organic aerosol module ORACLE to predict the phase state of atmospheric SOA.
Abstract: Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) are a large source of uncertainty in our current understanding of climate change and air pollution. The phase state of SOA is important for quantifying their effects on climate and air quality, but its global distribution is poorly characterized. We developed a method to estimate glass transition temperatures based on the molar mass and molecular O:C ratio of SOA components, and we used the global chemistry climate model EMAC with the organic aerosol module ORACLE to predict the phase state of atmospheric SOA. For the planetary boundary layer, global simulations indicate that SOA are mostly liquid in tropical and polar air with high relative humidity, semi-solid in the mid-latitudes and solid over dry lands. We find that in the middle and upper troposphere SOA should be mostly in a glassy solid phase state. Thus, slow diffusion of water, oxidants and organic molecules could kinetically limit gas-particle interactions of SOA in the free and upper troposphere, promote ice nucleation and facilitate long-range transport of reactive and toxic organic pollutants embedded in SOA.
••
TL;DR: This protocol allows users to generate high-quality SIM data while accounting and correcting for common artifacts, and allows researchers from students to imaging professionals to create an optimal SIM imaging environment regardless of specimen type or structure of interest.
Abstract: Linear 2D- or 3D-structured illumination microscopy (SIM or3D-SIM, respectively) enables multicolor volumetric imaging of fixed and live specimens with subdiffraction resolution in all spatial dimensions. However, the reliance of SIM on algorithmic post-processing renders it particularly sensitive to artifacts that may reduce resolution, compromise data and its interpretations, and drain resources in terms of money and time spent. Here we present a protocol that allows users to generate high-quality SIM data while accounting and correcting for common artifacts. The protocol details preparation of calibration bead slides designed for SIM-based experiments, the acquisition of calibration data, the documentation of typically encountered SIM artifacts and corrective measures that should be taken to reduce them. It also includes a conceptual overview and checklist for experimental design and calibration decisions, and is applicable to any commercially available or custom platform. This protocol, plus accompanying guidelines, allows researchers from students to imaging professionals to create an optimal SIM imaging environment regardless of specimen type or structure of interest. The calibration sample preparation and system calibration protocol can be executed within 1-2 d.
••
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors revisited their previous argument that electroweak bubble walls can "run away", that is, achieve extreme ultrarelativistic velocities γ ~ 1014.
Abstract: In extensions of the Standard Model with extra scalars, the electroweak phase transition can be very strong, and the bubble walls can be highly relativistic. We revisit our previous argument that electroweak bubble walls can "run away," that is, achieve extreme ultrarelativistic velocities γ ~ 1014. We show that, when particles cross the bubble wall, they can emit transition radiation. Wall-frame soft processes, though suppressed by a power of the coupling α, have a significance enhanced by the γ-factor of the wall, limiting wall velocities to γ ~ 1/α. Though the bubble walls can move at almost the speed of light, they carry an infinitesimal share of the plasma's energy.
••
TL;DR: It will be demonstrated that a fundamental understanding of the combustion process can be instrumental to derive design criteria for the molecular structure of fuel candidates, which can then be targets for the analysis of synthetic pathways and the development of catalytic production routes.
Abstract: Sustainably produced biofuels, especially when they are derived from lignocellulosic biomass, are being discussed intensively for future ground transportation. Traditionally, research activities focus on the synthesis process, while leaving their combustion properties to be evaluated by a different community. This Review adopts an integrative view of engine combustion and fuel synthesis, focusing on chemical aspects as the common denominator. It will be demonstrated that a fundamental understanding of the combustion process can be instrumental to derive design criteria for the molecular structure of fuel candidates, which can then be targets for the analysis of synthetic pathways and the development of catalytic production routes. With such an integrative approach to fuel design, it will be possible to improve systematically the entire system, spanning biomass feedstock, conversion process, fuel, engine, and pollutants with a view to improve the carbon footprint, increase efficiency, and reduce emissions.
••
TL;DR: A similarity analysis of the usefulness of different face parts for expression recognition demonstrated that faces cluster according to the emotion they express, rather than by low-level physical features.
Abstract: Which facial features allow human observers to successfully recognize expressions of emotion? While the eyes and mouth have been frequently shown to be of high importance, research on facial action units has made more precise predictions about the areas involved in displaying each emotion. The present research investigated on a fine-grained level, which physical features are most relied on when decoding facial expressions. In the experiment, individual faces expressing the basic emotions according to Ekman were hidden behind a mask of 48 tiles, which was sequentially uncovered. Participants were instructed to stop the sequence as soon as they recognized the facial expression and assign it the correct label. For each part of the face, its contribution to successful recognition was computed, allowing to visualize the importance of different face areas for each expression. Overall, observers were mostly relying on the eye and mouth regions when successfully recognizing an emotion. Furthermore, the difference in the importance of eyes and mouth allowed to group the expressions in a continuous space, ranging from sadness and fear (reliance on the eyes) to disgust and happiness (mouth). The face parts with highest diagnostic value for expression identification were typically located in areas corresponding to action units from the facial action coding system. A similarity analysis of the usefulness of different face parts for expression recognition demonstrated that faces cluster according to the emotion they express, rather than by low-level physical features. Also, expressions relying more on the eyes or mouth region were in close proximity in the constructed similarity space. These analyses help to better understand how human observers process expressions of emotion, by delineating the mapping from facial features to psychological representation.
••
08 Nov 2017TL;DR: The realistic avatars were rated significantly more human-like when used as avatars for the others and evoked a stronger acceptance in terms of virtual body ownership (VBO) and there was some indication of a potential uncanny valley.
Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of avatar realism on embodiment and social interactions in Virtual Reality (VR) We compared abstract avatar representations based on a wooden mannequin with high fidelity avatars generated from photogrammetry 3D scan methods Both avatar representations were alternately applied to participating users and to the virtual counterpart in dyadic social encounters to examine the impact of avatar realism on self-embodiment and social interaction quality Users were immersed in a virtual room via a head mounted display (HMD) Their full-body movements were tracked and mapped to respective movements of their avatars Embodiment was induced by presenting the users' avatars to themselves in a virtual mirror Afterwards they had to react to a non-verbal behavior of a virtual interaction partner they encountered in the virtual space Several measures were taken to analyze the effect of the appearance of the users' avatars as well as the effect of the appearance of the others' avatars on the users The realistic avatars were rated significantly more human-like when used as avatars for the others and evoked a stronger acceptance in terms of virtual body ownership (VBO) There also was some indication of a potential uncanny valley Additionally, there was an indication that the appearance of the others' avatars impacts the self-perception of the users
••
TL;DR: This survey analyzes 62 different SQA systems, which are systematically and manually selected using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, leading to 72 selected publications out of 1960 candidates, and identifies common challenges, structure solutions, and provide recommendations for future systems.
Abstract: Semantic Question Answering (SQA) removes two major access requirements to the Semantic Web: the mastery of a formal query language like SPARQL and knowledge of a specific vocabulary. Because of the complexity of natural language, SQA presents difficult challenges and many research opportunities. Instead of a shared effort, however, many essential components are redeveloped, which is an inefficient use of researcher’s time and resources. This survey analyzes 62 different SQA systems, which are systematically and manually selected using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, leading to 72 selected publications out of 1960 candidates. We identify common challenges, structure solutions, and provide recommendations for future systems. This work is based on publications from the end of 2010 to July 2015 and is also compared to older but similar surveys.
••
19 Sep 2017TL;DR: The research conducted to date on empathic agents is presented in light of the principles and mechanisms of empathy found in humans and some of the main challenges this exciting area will be facing in the future are discussed.
Abstract: This article surveys the area of computational empathy, analysing different ways by which artificial agents can simulate and trigger empathy in their interactions with humans. Empathic agents can be seen as agents that have the capacity to place themselves into the position of a user’s or another agent’s emotional situation and respond appropriately. We also survey artificial agents that, by their design and behaviour, can lead users to respond emotionally as if they were experiencing the agent’s situation. In the course of this survey, we present the research conducted to date on empathic agents in light of the principles and mechanisms of empathy found in humans. We end by discussing some of the main challenges that this exciting area will be facing in the future.
••
TL;DR: It is argued that these narrow personality characteristics constitute a valid level of the personality hierarchy and may be especially useful for providing a deep and contextualized description of the individual, but also for the prediction of specific outcomes.
Abstract: It has been argued that facets do not represent the bottom of the personality hierarchy-even more specific personality characteristics, nuances, could be useful for describing and understanding individuals and their differences. Combining 2 samples of German twins, we assessed the consensual validity (correlations across different observers), rank-order stability, and heritability of nuances. Personality nuances were operationalized as the 240 items of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). Their attributes were examined by analyzing item residuals, controlling for the variance of the facet the item had been assigned to and all other facets. Most nuances demonstrated significant (p < .0002) cross-method agreement and rank-order stability. A substantial proportion of them (48% in self-reports, 20% in informant ratings, and 50% in combined ratings) demonstrated a significant (p < .0002) component of additive genetic variance, whereas evidence for environmental influences shared by twins was modest. Applying a procedure to estimate stability and heritability of true scores of item residuals yielded estimates comparable with those of higher-order personality traits, with median estimates of rank-order stability and heritability being .77 and .52, respectively. Few nuances demonstrated robust associations with age and gender, but many showed incremental, conceptually meaningful, and replicable (across methods and/or samples) predictive validity for a range of interest domains and body mass index. We argue that these narrow personality characteristics constitute a valid level of the personality hierarchy. They may be especially useful for providing a deep and contextualized description of the individual, but also for the prediction of specific outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record
••
TL;DR: It is demonstrated why well-established formal procedures for model selection, such as those based on standard information criteria, tend to favor models with numbers of states that are undesirably large in situations where states shall be meaningful entities.
Abstract: We discuss the notorious problem of order selection in hidden Markov models, that is of selecting an adequate number of states, highlighting typical pitfalls and practical challenges arising when analyzing real data. Extensive simulations are used to demonstrate the reasons that render order selection particularly challenging in practice despite the conceptual simplicity of the task. In particular, we demonstrate why well-established formal procedures for model selection, such as those based on standard information criteria, tend to favor models with numbers of states that are undesirably large in situations where states shall be meaningful entities. We also offer a pragmatic step-by-step approach together with comprehensive advice for how practitioners can implement order selection. Our proposed strategy is illustrated with a real-data case study on muskox movement. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.
••
TL;DR: It is argued that virtual reality can provide an alternative setting that combines the benefits of mobile eye tracking with the flexibility and control provided by lab experiments, and provides a unique opportunity for shopper research in particular regarding the use of augmented reality to provide shopper assistance.
••
University of Washington1, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation2, Johns Hopkins University3, Jimma University4, Washington University in St. Louis5, Karolinska Institutet6, Dalarna University7, Teikyo University8, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute9, Public Health Agency of Canada10, University of Toronto11, University College London12, University of Gothenburg13, Stanford University14, University of Alberta15, University of São Paulo16, German Cancer Research Center17, University of Sydney18, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital19, University of Salerno20, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research21, Public Health Foundation of India22, Catholic University of Portugal23, Bielefeld University24, University Medical Center Groningen25, University of Massachusetts Boston26, Hamdan bin Mohammed e-University27, University of California, San Diego28, Yonsei University29, The George Institute for Global Health30, University of Oxford31, Heidelberg University32, University of Cape Town33, South African Medical Research Council34, Jordan University of Science and Technology35, Seoul National University36, Southern University College37, Brown University38, University of Wisconsin-Madison39, Tufts Medical Center40, San Francisco VA Medical Center41, United Nations Population Fund42, Tohoku University43, Osaka University44, Monash Medical Centre45, Monash University46, University of Milan47, University of Ulm48, Marshall University49, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina50, Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences51, Norwegian Institute of Public Health52, University of Bergen53, University of Alabama at Birmingham54, University of Tsukuba55, Northwestern University56, Kyoto University57
TL;DR: By 2013, cardiovascular deaths attributed to reduced G FR outnumbered ESRD deaths throughout the world, and reduced GFR ranked below high systolic BP, high body mass index, and high fasting plasma glucose as a risk factor for disability-adjusted life years in both developed and developing world regions.
Abstract: The burden of premature death and health loss from ESRD is well described. Less is known regarding the burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to reduced GFR. We estimated the prevalence of reduced GFR categories 3, 4, and 5 (not on RRT) for 188 countries at six time points from 1990 to 2013. Relative risks of cardiovascular outcomes by three categories of reduced GFR were calculated by pooled random effects meta-analysis. Results are presented as deaths for outcomes of cardiovascular disease and ESRD and as disability-adjusted life years for outcomes of cardiovascular disease, GFR categories 3, 4, and 5, and ESRD. In 2013, reduced GFR was associated with 4% of deaths worldwide, or 2.2 million deaths (95% uncertainty interval [95% UI], 2.0 to 2.4 million). More than half of these attributable deaths were cardiovascular deaths (1.2 million; 95% UI, 1.1 to 1.4 million), whereas 0.96 million (95% UI, 0.81 to 1.0 million) were ESRD-related deaths. Compared with metabolic risk factors, reduced GFR ranked below high systolic BP, high body mass index, and high fasting plasma glucose, and similarly with high total cholesterol as a risk factor for disability-adjusted life years in both developed and developing world regions. In conclusion, by 2013, cardiovascular deaths attributed to reduced GFR outnumbered ESRD deaths throughout the world. Studies are needed to evaluate the benefit of early detection of CKD and treatment to decrease these deaths.
••
University of Washington1, Harvard University2, University of California, San Francisco3, Virginia Tech4, Lund University5, Jimma University6, University of Sydney7, University of Mazandaran8, Tehran University of Medical Sciences9, University of the Philippines Manila10, Mekelle University11, University of Belgrade12, Haramaya University13, Wageningen University and Research Centre14, University of London15, Debre markos University16, Ohio State University17, Diego Portales University18, University of Ottawa19, Örebro University20, University of Peradeniya21, Universidade Federal de Sergipe22, Bielefeld University23, Academy of Medical Sciences, United Kingdom24, Addis Ababa University25, West Virginia University26, Hamdan bin Mohammed e-University27, Canterbury Christ Church University28, Curtin University29, University of Tartu30, University of Kragujevac31, University of Aberdeen32, Heidelberg University33, Seoul National University34, Ball State University35, Southern University College36, State University of New York System37, Mansoura University38, Aswan University39, Imperial College London40, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais41, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai42, University of Pittsburgh43, University of Porto44, Erasmus University Rotterdam45, Yonsei University46, Auckland University of Technology47, Brandeis University48, Alberto Hurtado University49, University of Bologna50, Nanjing University51, Kyoto University52, Jackson State University53, Wuhan University54
TL;DR: Health spending is associated with economic development but past trends and relationships suggest that spending will remain variable, and low in some low-resource settings, although for the poorest countries external support might remain essential.
••
TL;DR: A systematic comparison of major theoretical approaches that offer explanations of underlying mechanisms for the effect of both uni- and multidimensional views on aging on health outcomes is provided.
••
TL;DR: Peroxiredoxins are thiol peroxidases with multiple functions in the antioxidant defense and redox signaling network of the cell and the ability of Prxs to interfere with multiple cellular components, including crosstalk with Ca2+-linked signaling pathways, hormone signaling, and protein homeostasis is revealed.
Abstract: Significance: Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are thiol peroxidases with multiple functions in the antioxidant defense and redox signaling network of the cell. Our progressing understanding assigns both local and global significance to plant Prxs, which are grouped in four Prx types. In plants they are localized to the cytosol, mitochondrion, plastid, and nucleus. Antioxidant defense is fundamentally connected to redox signaling, cellular communication, and acclimation. The thiol–disulfide network is central part of the stress sensing and processing response and integrates information input with redox regulation. Recent Advances: Prxs function both as redox sensory system within the network and redox-dependent interactors. The processes directly or indirectly targeted by Prxs include gene expression, post-transcriptional reactions, including translation, post-translational regulation, and switching or tuning of metabolic pathways, and other cell activities. The most advanced knowledge is available for the ...
••
TL;DR: In this article, the authors collected data from a representative group of 2000 persons over age 15 in Germany by means of computer assisted personal interviews (CAPI) that were based on the long version of the questionnaire used in the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q47).
Abstract: Background Persons with low health literacy have difficulty dealing with the health care system and understanding health-related information. Studies from multiple countries have shown that low health literacy negatively affects health, health-related and illness-related behavior, and the utilization of health care resources. The data available till now on health literacy in Germany have been sparse. The goal of this study is to acquire representative data on the health literacy of the German population. Methods In a cross-sectional study, we collected data from a representative group of 2000 persons over age 15 in Germany by means of computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI) that were based on the long version of the questionnaire used in the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q47). Sociodemographic data were also collected. Results The respondents were a representative sample of the German population. 54.3% of them were found to have limited health literacy. Multiple logistic regression revealed associations of limited health literacy with advanced age (odds ratio [OR] 1.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.36; 2.48]), an immigrant background (OR 1.87 [1.27; 2.75]), low self-assessed social status (OR 5.25 [3.57; 7.72]), and low functional literacy (OR 1.94 [1.49; 2.52]). Conclusion The low health literacy of many Germans can impair communication between doctors and patients and exacerbate existing problems in health policy. In the future, greater effort will have to be made to foster health literacy, make health-related information for patients easier to understand, and intensify research in the field of health literacy.
••
21 Jun 2017TL;DR: In a standardized assembly task, AR-based in-situ assistance is tested against conventional pictorial instructions using a smartphone, Microsoft HoloLens and Epson Moverio BT-200 smart glasses as well as paper-based instructions to propose operational definitions of time segments and other optimizations for standardized benchmarking of AR assembly instructions.
Abstract: Augmented Reality (AR) gains increased attention as a means to provide assistance for different human activities. Hereby the suitability of AR does not only depend on the respective task, but also to a high degree on the respective device. In a standardized assembly task, we tested AR-based in-situ assistance against conventional pictorial instructions using a smartphone, Microsoft HoloLens and Epson Moverio BT-200 smart glasses as well as paper-based instructions. Participants solved the task fastest using the paper instructions, but made less errors with AR assistance on the Microsoft HoloLens smart glasses than with any other system. Methodically we propose operational definitions of time segments and other optimizations for standardized benchmarking of AR assembly instructions.