bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consistent Aggregation with Superlative and Other Price Indices
Authors: von Auer Ludwig , Wengenroth Jochen
Published: December 2020

Various fields of economic analysis (e.g. growth and productivity) and economic policy (e.g. monetary and social policy) rely on accurate measures of price change. Unfortunately, the price index formulae that most price statisticians consider as particularly accurate—the superlative indices of Fisher, Törnqvist, and Walsh—are believed to violate the property of consistency in aggregation. This property, however, is indispensable for economic studies that attempt to disaggregate the overall result into the contributions of individual entities such as sectors of the economy or groups of products. The present paper introduces a thoroughly motivated formal definition of consistency in aggregation and proves that, contrary to general perception, the three superlative price indices can be considered as consistent in aggregation. Furthermore, many other price indices are shown to be consistent in aggregation. The theoretical findings are applied to the Swedish consumer price index.
The Proximal Robbins–Monro Method
Authors: Toulis Panos , Horel Thibaut , Airoldi Edoardo M.
Published: December 2020

The need for statistical estimation with large data sets has reinvigorated interest in iterative procedures and stochastic optimization. Stochastic approximations are at the forefront of this recent development as they yield procedures that are simple, general and fast. However, standard stochastic approximations are often numerically unstable. Deterministic optimization, in contrast, increasingly uses proximal updates to achieve numerical stability in a principled manner. A theoretical gap has thus emerged. While standard stochastic approximations are subsumed by the framework Robbins and Monro (The annals of mathematical statistics, 1951, pp. 400–407), there is no such framework for stochastic approximations with proximal updates. In this paper, we conceptualize a proximal version of the classical Robbins–Monro procedure. Our theoretical analysis demonstrates that the proposed procedure has important stability benefits over the classical Robbins–Monro procedure, while it retains the best known convergence rates. Exact implementations of the proximal Robbins–Monro procedure are challenging, but we show that approximate implementations lead to procedures that are easy to implement, and still dominate standard procedures by achieving numerical stability, practically without trade-offs. Moreover, approximate proximal Robbins–Monro procedures can be applied even when the objective cannot be calculated analytically, and so they generalize stochastic proximal procedures currently in use.
MLK4‐mediated phosphorylation of histone H3T3 promotes flowering by transcriptional silencing ofFLC/MAFinArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Wang Zhen , Kang Junmei , Armando Casas‐Mollano Juan , Dou Yongchao , Jia Shangang , Yang Qingchuan , Zhang Chi , Cerutti Heriberto
Published: December 2020

Casein kinase I (CK1), a ubiquitous Ser/Thr protein kinase in eukaryotes, plays a critical role in higher plant flowering. Arabidopsis CK1 family member MUT9‐LIKE KINASEs, such as MLK1 and MLK3, have been shown to phosphorylate histone H3 at threonine 3 (H3T3), an evolutionarily conserved residue, and the modification is associated with the transcriptional repression of euchromatic and heterochromatic loci. This study demonstrates thatmlk4‐3, a T‐DNA insertion mutant ofMLK4, flowered late, and that overexpression ofMLK4caused early flowering. The nuclear protein MLK4 phosphorylated histone H3T3 bothin vitroandin vivo, and this catalytic activity required the conserved lysine residue K175. mutation of MLK4 at K175 failed to restore the level of phosphorylated H3T3 (H3T3ph) or to complement the phenotypic defects ofmlk4‐3. TheFLC/MAF‐clade genes, includingFLC,MAF4andMAF5, were significantly upregulated inmlk4‐3. The double mutantmlk4‐3 flc‐3flowered earlier thanmlk4‐3, suggesting that functionalFLCis crucial for flowering repression inmlk4‐3. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that MLK4 bound toFLC/MAFchromatin and that H3T3ph occupancy at the promoter ofFLC/MAFwas negatively associated with its transcriptional level. In accordance, H3T3ph accumulated atFLC/MAFin35S::MLK4/mlk4‐3but diminished in35S::MLK4(K175R)/mlk4‐3 plants. Moreover, the amount of RNA Pol II deposited atFLC/MAFwas clearly enriched inmlk4‐3relative to the wild type. Therefore,MLK4‐dependent phosphorylation of H3T3 contributes to accelerating flowering by repressing the transcription of negative flowering regulatorFLC/MAF. This study sheds light on the delicate control of flowering by the plant‐specific CK1, MLK4, via post‐translational modification of histone H3.
Translation, Cross‐Cultural Adaptation, and Psychometric Analysis of the Attitudes Towards Homelessness Inventory for Use in Sweden
Authors: Klarare Anna , Wikman Anna , Söderlund Mona , McGreevy Jenny , Mattsson Elisabet , Rosenblad Andreas
Published: December 2020

Background

Homelessness is an increasing problem worldwide, and the origins of homelessness in high‐income countries are multifaceted. Due to stigma and discrimination, persons in homelessness delay seeking health care, resulting in avoidable illness and death. The Attitudes Towards Homelessness Inventory (ATHI) was developed to cover multiple dimensions of attitudes toward persons in homelessness and to detect changes in multiple segments of populations. It has, however, not previously been translated to Swedish.

Aims

The aim of the present study was to translate, cross‐culturally adapt, and psychometrically test the ATHI for use in a Swedish healthcare context.

Methods

The project used a traditional forward‐ and back‐translation process in six stages: (1) two simultaneous translations by bilingual experts; (2) expert review committee synthesis; (3) blind back‐translation; (4) expert review committee deliberations; (5) pre‐testing with cognitive interviews including registered nurses (n = 5), nursing students (n = 5), and women in homelessness (n = 5); and (6) psychometric evaluations. The final ATHI questionnaire was answered by 228 registered nurses and nursing students in the year 2019.

Results

The translation process was systematically conducted and entailed discussions regarding semantic, idiomatic, experiential, and conceptual equivalence. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine if the collected data fitted the hypothesized four‐factor structure of the ATHI. Overall, it was found that the model had an acceptable fit and that the Swedish version of ATHI may be used in a Swedish healthcare context.

Linking Evidence to Action

The ATHI has been shown to be a psychometrically acceptable research instrument for use in a Swedish healthcare context. The systematic and rigorous process applied in this study, including experts with diverse competencies in translation proceedings and testing, improved the reliability and validity of the final Swedish version of the ATHI. The instrument may be used to investigate attitudes toward women in homelessness among nursing students and RNs in Sweden.
Urban foci of murine typhus involving cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis felis) collected from opossums in Mexico City
Authors: Santoyo‐Colín Verónica , Sánchez‐Montes Sokani , Salceda‐Sánchez Beatriz , Huerta‐Jiménez Herón , Alcántara‐Rodríguez Virginia , Becker Ingeborg , Gual‐Sill Fernando , López‐Pérez Andrés M.
Published: December 2020

Murine typhus, a neglected rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia typhi, is a common disease in several Latin‐American countries. The sylvatic life cycle of R. typhi encompasses the presence of several wild mammals, particularly opossums of the genus Didelphis and their associated fleas. Due to the colonization of wild environments by human populations, the increase in contact with opossum fleas has generated the presence of urban outbreaks of typhus. For this reason, the aim of our study was to identify the presence and diversity of Rickettsia sp. in fleas collected from opossums of an urban reserve in Mexico City. Opossums were captured from February to September 2017. For the detection of Rickettsia DNA, fragments of 800 bp of the citrate synthase (gltA) and the outer membrane protein B (ompB) were amplified. A total of 141 fleas (111 ♀, 30 ♂) of a single species (Ctenocephalides felis felis) were recovered from 31 Didelphis virginiana. Rickettsia DNA was detected in 17.7% (25/141) of the analysed fleas, recovered from seven infested opossums. The Maximum likelihood of sequences exhibited an identity of 99%–100% with sequences of R. typhi from southern United States. This work represents the first record of R. typhi in fleas from opossums in Mexico.
Europe ramps up defense R&D
Authors: Wallace Nicholas
Published: December 2020

A €7 billion fund is launched to bolster meager military spending by EU nations.
Reversible planar gliding and microcracking in a single-crystalline Ni-rich cathode
Authors: Bi Yujing , Tao Jinhui , Wu Yuqin , Li Linze , Xu Yaobin , Hu Enyuan , Wu Bingbin , Hu Jiangtao , Wang Chongmin , Zhang Ji-Guang , Qi Yue , Xiao Jie
Published: December 2020

Cracking the problem of cracking cathodes

Polycrystalline cathode materials that contain a combination of nickel, manganese, and cobalt have been used for advanced lithium batteries. These materials fracture at high voltage, which increases surface area and leads to more side reactions and shorter cycle life. Using single-crystalline samples as model materials, Bi
et al.
observed changes in nickel-rich cathodes to study the fracture behavior under well-characterized conditions. As the material is charged and lithium is removed, specific planes glide over one another and microcracks are observed. However, this process is reversed on discharge, removing all traces of the microcracking. The authors developed a diffusion-induced stress model to understand the origin of the planar gliding and propose ways to stabilize these nickel-rich cathodes in working batteries.

Science
, this issue p.
1313
Developmental clock and mechanism of de novo polarization of the mouse embryo
Authors: Zhu Meng , Cornwall-Scoones Jake , Wang Peizhe , Handford Charlotte E. , Na Jie , Thomson Matt , Zernicka-Goetz Magdalena
Published: December 2020

Timing and trigger of cell polarization

During mammalian embryo development, the first cell fate decision separates the progenitors of the trophectoderm (destined to form the placenta) from the inner cell mass (which forms all tissues of the embryonic and yolk sac). A key event for this first lineage segregation is the establishment of apicobasal cell polarity. This event is set to occur at a fixed developmental stage. The factors that trigger the establishment of cell polarity as well as its temporal regulation have remained unknown. Zhu
et al.
show in mouse embryos that three molecular regulators—Tfap2c, Tead4, and RhoA—are sufficient to advance the timing of cell polarization with subsequent cell fate specification and morphogenesis.

Science
, this issue p.
eabd2703
Remembering seasonal coronaviruses
Authors: Guthmiller Jenna J. , Wilson Patrick C.
Published: December 2020

Antibodies against seasonal coronaviruses react with SARS-CoV-2
Magmatic record of continuous Neo-Tethyan subduction after initial India-Asia collision in the central part of southern Tibet
Authors: Huang Feng , Rooney Tyrone O. , Xu Ji-Feng , Zeng Yun-Chuan
Published: December 2020

The Lhasa Terrane in southern Tibet is the leading edge of the Tibet-Himalaya Orogen and represents a fragmentary record of terminal oceanic subduction. Thus, it is an ideal region for studying magmatism and geodynamic processes that occurred during the transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision and/or oceanic slab breakoff. Here we examine a suite of early Cenozoic mafic rocks (ca. 57 Ma) within the central part of Lhasa Terrane, southern Tibet, which erupted during a transitional phase between the onset of India-Asia continental collision and Neo-Tethyan slab breakoff. These rocks display a geochemical affinity with magmas produced by fluid-fluxed melting of the mantle wedge within a subduction zone environment. The whole-rock element and Sr-Nd isotope compositions of these mafic rocks are similar to those of Cretaceous subduction-related magmatism in southern Tibet, demonstrating the sustained influence of the Neo-Tethys Ocean slab on the mantle wedge during the onset of the collision of India and Asia. The results of our geochemical forward modeling constrain the conditions of melt generation at depths of 1.3−1.5 GPa with significant fluid additions from the Neo-Tethyan slab. These results provide the first petrological and geochemical evidence that slab flux-related magmatism continued despite the commencement of continental collision. While existing studies have suggested that magmas were derived from melting of the Neo-Tethyan slab during this period, our new results suggest that additional magma generation mechanisms were active during this transitional phase.
Effects of taking pregabalin (Lyrica) on the severity of dry eye, corneal sensitivity and pain after laser epithelial keratomileusis surgery
Authors: Paik Dong Won , Lim Dong Hui , Chung Tae-Young
Published: December 2020

Background

Corneal nerve damage after laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) is thought to be the cause of dry eye and pain. Therefore, we investigated whether taking pregabalin (Lyrica), which reduces peripheral neuropathic pain, alleviates corneal nerve sensitivity after surgery and reduces dry eye and pain.

Methods

Patients were treated with pregabalin (150 mg two times a day for 15 days) from the day before surgery onward and compared with those who did not receive the medications. Before surgery, the severity of dry eye was assessed. Then, corneal sensitivity was assessed by esthesiometry and pain was assessed according to the Visual Analogue Scale. Images of the sub-basal nerve plexus were analysed using confocal microscopy to evaluate nerve regeneration at 6 months.

Results

Forty eyes in the pregabalin group and 40 eyes in the control group were included in this study. No significant differences regarding the severity of dry eye, corneal sensitivity test results and nerve fibre density existed between the two groups until 6 months. The pregabalin group showed significantly reduced pain at 1 week.

Conclusions

Taking pregabalin during LASEK surgery may affect corneal nerve sensitivity and reduce pain. However, for up to 6 months thereafter, corneal sensitivity and nerve fibre density are not significantly different from findings in the control group, so pregabalin does not seem to affect nerve regeneration or structural changes.
Effect size reporting among prominent health journals: a case study of odds ratios
Authors: Chu Brian , Liu Michael , Leas Eric C , Althouse Benjamin M , Ayers John W
Published: December 2020

Background

The accuracy of statistical reporting that informs medical and public health practice has generated extensive debate, but no studies have evaluated the frequency or accuracy of effect size (the magnitude of change in outcome as a function of change in predictor) reporting in prominent health journals.

Objective

To evaluate effect size reporting practices in prominent health journals using the case study of ORs.

Design

Articles published in the
American Journal of Public Health
(
AJPH
),
Journal of the American Medical Association
(
JAMA
),
New England Journal of Medicine
(
NEJM
) and
PLOS One
from 1 January 2010 through 31 December 2019 mentioning the term ‘odds ratio’ in all searchable fields were obtained using PubMed. One hundred randomly selected articles that reported original research using ORs were sampled per journal for in-depth analysis.

Main outcomes and measures

We report prevalence of articles using ORs, reporting effect sizes from ORs (reporting the magnitude of change in outcome as a function of change in predictor) and reporting correct effect sizes.

Results

The proportion of articles using ORs in the past decade declined in
JAMA
and
AJPH
, remained similar in
NEJM
and increased in PLOS One, with 6124 articles in total. Twenty-four per cent (95% CI 20% to 28%) of articles reported the at least one effect size arising from an OR. Among articles reporting any effect size, 57% (95% CI 47% to 67%) did so incorrectly. Taken together, 10% (95% CI 7% to 13%) of articles included a correct effect size interpretation of an OR. Articles that used ORs in
AJPH
more frequently reported the effect size (36%, 95% CI 27% to 45%), when compared with
NEJM
(26%, 95% CI 17.5% to 34.7%),
PLOS One
(22%, 95% CI 13.9% to 30.2%) and
JAMA
(10%, 95% CI 3.9% to 16.0%), but the probability of a correct interpretation did not statistically differ between the four journals (χ
2
=0.56, p=0.90).

Conclusions

Articles that used ORs in prominent journals frequently omitted presenting the effect size of their predictor variables. When reported, the presented effect size was usually incorrect. When used, ORs should be paired with accurate effect size interpretations. New editorial and research reporting standards to improve effect size reporting and its accuracy should be considered.
Does working beyond the statutory retirement age have an impact on health and functional capacity? The Finnish Retirement and Aging cohort study
Authors: KC Prakash , Virtanen Marianna , Pentti Jaana , Kivimäki Mika , Vahtera Jussi , Stenholm Sari
Published: December 2020

Objective

This study aimed to compare the development of self-rated health, psychological distress and physical functioning between those retired on time and those who continued working beyond the individual retirement age.

Methods

The study population consisted of 2340 public sector employees from the Finnish Retirement and Aging study. Participants were categorised into no extension of employment (retired at the individual retirement date or <3 months past) and extension of employment (≥12 months). Propensity score matching (1:1 ratio) was used to identify comparable group of participants in the no-extension (n=574) and extension (n=574) groups by taking into account preretirement characteristics and their interactions.

Results

The prevalence of suboptimal self-rated health and psychological distress changed a little among the extension group during the follow-up from 1 year before (T1) to 18 months (T2) and 30 months (T3) after individual pensionable date. Compared with no extension, the risk of having suboptimal self-rated health in the extension group was 0.89 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.17) at T1, 1.16 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.53) at T2 and 0.96 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.37) at T3. For psychological distress, the corresponding risk ratios were 0.93 (0.65 to 1.32), 1.15 (0.78 to 1.69) and 1.04 (0.61 to 1.79). The mean differences in the number of physical functioning difficulties between the extension and no-extension groups were 0.06 (−0.16 to 0.29) at T1, 0.05 (−0.18 to 0.27) at T2 and −0.11 (−0.39 to 0.17) at T3.

Conclusions

This study found no evidence that voluntarily extending the working career beyond retirement age would pose a risk to health and physical functioning among ageing workers.
Geometrical Model of Spiking and Bursting Neuron on a Mug-Shaped Branched Manifold
Authors: Gheouali Mohamed , Benzekri Tounsia , Lozi René , Chen Guanrong
Published: December 2020

Based on the Hodgkin–Huxley and Hindmarsh–Rose models, this paper proposes a geometric phenomenological model of bursting neuron in its simplest form, describing the dynamic motion on a mug-shaped branched manifold, which is a cylinder tied to a ribbon. Rigorous mathematical analysis is performed on the nature of the bursting neuron solutions: the number of spikes in a burst, the periodicity or chaoticity of the bursts, etc. The model is then generalized to obtain mixing burst of any number of spikes. Finally, an example is presented to verify the theoretical results.
Stability Properties of 1-Dimensional Hamiltonian Lattices with Nonanalytic Potentials
Authors: Bountis Anastasios , Kaloudis Konstantinos , Oikonomou Thomas , Manda Bertin Many , Skokos Charalampos
Published: December 2020

We investigate the local and global dynamics of two 1-Dimensional (1D) Hamiltonian lattices whose inter-particle forces are derived from nonanalytic potentials. In particular, we study the dynamics of a model governed by a “graphene-type” force law and one inspired by Hollomon’s law describing “work-hardening” effects in certain elastic materials. Our main aim is to show that, although similarities with the analytic case exist, some of the local and global stability properties of nonanalytic potentials are very different than those encountered in systems with polynomial interactions, as in the case of 1D Fermi–Pasta–Ulam–Tsingou (FPUT) lattices. Our approach is to study the motion in the neighborhood of simple periodic orbits representing continuations of normal modes of the corresponding linear system, as the number of particles [Formula: see text] and the total energy [Formula: see text] are increased. We find that the graphene-type model is remarkably stable up to escape energy levels where breakdown is expected, while the Hollomon lattice never breaks, yet is unstable at low energies and only attains stability at energies where the harmonic force becomes dominant. We suggest that, since our results hold for large [Formula: see text], it would be interesting to study analogous phenomena in the continuum limit where 1D lattices become strings.
Smart Home Personal Assistants
Authors: Edu Jide S. , Such Jose M. , Suarez-Tangil Guillermo
Published: December 2020

Smart Home Personal Assistants (SPA) are an emerging innovation that is changing the means by which home users interact with technology. However, several elements expose these systems to various risks: (i) the open nature of the voice channel they use, (ii) the complexity of their architecture, (iii) the AI features they rely on, and (iv) their use of a wide range of underlying technologies. This article presents an in-depth review of SPA’s security and privacy issues, categorizing the most important attack vectors and their countermeasures. Based on this, we discuss open research challenges that can help steer the community to tackle and address current security and privacy issues in SPA. One of our key findings is that even though the attack surface of SPA is conspicuously broad and there has been a significant amount of recent research efforts in this area, research has so far focused on a small part of the attack surface, particularly on issues related to the interaction between the user and the SPA devices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first article to conduct such a comprehensive review and characterization of the security and privacy issues and countermeasures of SPA.
A Survey of Android Malware Detection with Deep Neural Models
Authors: Qiu Junyang , Zhang Jun , Luo Wei , Pan Lei , Nepal Surya , Xiang Yang
Published: December 2020

Deep Learning (DL) is a disruptive technology that has changed the landscape of cyber security research. Deep learning models have many advantages over traditional Machine Learning (ML) models, particularly when there is a large amount of data available. Android malware detection or classification qualifies as a big data problem because of the fast booming number of Android malware, the obfuscation of Android malware, and the potential protection of huge values of data assets stored on the Android devices. It seems a natural choice to apply DL on Android malware detection. However, there exist challenges for researchers and practitioners, such as choice of DL architecture, feature extraction and processing, performance evaluation, and even gathering adequate data of high quality. In this survey, we aim to address the challenges by systematically reviewing the latest progress in DL-based Android malware detection and classification. We organize the literature according to the DL architecture, including FCN, CNN, RNN, DBN, AE, and hybrid models. The goal is to reveal the research frontier, with the focus on representing code semantics for Android malware detection. We also discuss the challenges in this emerging field and provide our view of future research opportunities and directions.
An Overview of End-to-End Entity Resolution for Big Data
Authors: Christophides Vassilis , Efthymiou Vasilis , Palpanas Themis , Papadakis George , Stefanidis Kostas
Published: December 2020

One of the most critical tasks for improving data quality and increasing the reliability of data analytics is
Entity Resolution
(ER), which aims to identify different descriptions that refer to the same real-world entity. Despite several decades of research, ER remains a challenging problem. In this survey, we highlight the novel aspects of resolving Big Data entities when we should satisfy more than one of the Big Data characteristics simultaneously (i.e., Volume and Velocity with Variety). We present the basic concepts, processing steps, and execution strategies that have been proposed by database, semantic Web, and machine learning communities in order to cope with the loose
structuredness
, extreme
diversity
, high
speed,
and large
scale
of entity descriptions used by real-world applications. We provide an end-to-end view of ER workflows for Big Data, critically review the pros and cons of existing methods, and conclude with the main open research directions.
A Survey on IoT Big Data
Authors: Bansal Maggi , Chana Inderveer , Clarke Siobhán
Published: December 2020

Driven by the core technologies, i.e., sensor-based autonomous data acquisition and the cloud-based big data analysis, IoT automates the actuation of data-driven intelligent actions on the connected objects. This automation enables numerous useful real-life use-cases, such as smart transport, smart living, smart cities, and so on. However, recent industry surveys reflect that data-related challenges are responsible for slower growth of IoT in recent years. For this reason, this article presents a systematic and comprehensive survey on IoT Big Data (IoTBD) with the aim to identify the uncharted challenges for IoTBD. This article analyzes the state-of-the-art academic works in IoT and big data management across various domains and proposes a taxonomy for IoTBD management. Then, the survey explores the IoT portfolio of major cloud vendors and provides a classification of vendor services for the integration of IoT and IoTBD on their cloud platforms. After that, the survey identifies the IoTBD challenges in terms of 13 V’s challenges and envisions IoTBD as “Big Data 2.0.” Then the survey provides comprehensive analysis of recent works that address IoTBD challenges by highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to assess the recent trends and future research directions. Finally, the survey concludes with discussion on open research issues for IoTBD.
Functional Aggregate Queries with Additive Inequalities
Authors: Khamis Mahmoud Abo , Curtin Ryan R. , Moseley Benjamin , Ngo Hung Q. , Nguyen Xuanlong , Olteanu Dan , Schleich Maximilian
Published: December 2020

Motivated by fundamental applications in databases and relational machine learning, we formulate and study the problem of answering
functional aggregate queries
(FAQ) in which some of the input factors are defined by a collection of additive inequalities between variables. We refer to these queries as FAQ-AI for short.

To answer FAQ-AI in the Boolean semiring, we define
relaxed
tree decompositions and
relaxed
submodular and fractional hypertree width parameters. We show that an extension of the InsideOut algorithm using Chazelle’s geometric data structure for solving the semigroup range search problem can answer Boolean FAQ-AI in time given by these new width parameters. This new algorithm achieves lower complexity than known solutions for FAQ-AI. It also recovers some known results in database query answering.

Our second contribution is a relaxation of the set of polymatroids that gives rise to the
counting
version of the submodular width, denoted by #subw. This new width is sandwiched between the submodular and the fractional hypertree widths. Any FAQ and FAQ-AI over one semiring can be answered in time proportional to #subw and respectively to the relaxed version of #subw.

We present three applications of our FAQ-AI framework to relational machine learning:
k
-means clustering, training linear support vector machines, and training models using non-polynomial loss. These optimization problems can be solved over a database asymptotically faster than computing the join of the database relations.
Beneficial Effect of Li5FeO4 Lithium Source for Li-Ion Batteries with a Layered NMC Cathode and Si Anode
Authors: Dose Wesley M. , Villa Cesar , Hu Xiaobing , Dunlop Alison R. , Piernas-Muñoz Maria Jose , Maroni Victor A. , Trask Stephen E. , Bloom Ira , Dravid Vinayak , Johnson Christopher S.
Published: December 2020

The energy density of lithium-ion batteries can be increased by replacing the traditional graphite anode with a high capacity silicon anode. However, volume changes and interfacial instabilities cause a large irreversible capacity and a continual loss of lithium during cycling, which lead to rapid capacity loss. In this work, we add Li5FeO4 (LFO) to a LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 (NMC) cathode as a pre-lithiation additive, which increases the lithium inventory and extends the cycle life of Si-graphite/NMC full cells, and decreases the NMC particle degradation. LFO delivers a large 764 mAh g−1
LFO capacity below 4.7 V vs Li/Li+. By tuning the LFO content in Si-graphite/LFO-NMC full cells, we show higher capacity, improved retention, lower impedance, and superior rate performance compared to full cells without LFO. Post-test characterizations demonstrate that LFO inclusion in the cathode matrix leads to less NMC secondary particle segregation/cracking and a thinner surface reduced layer on the NMC particles. The beneficial effects of LFO endure after the lithium reserve has been exhausted, highlighting a lasting synergy between the lithium source and electrode active materials. This study introduces a new approach to simultaneously increase lithium inventory and reduce cathode degradation, and makes critical advances toward enabling Si anodes for lithium-ion batteries.
Methodologies for Large-Size Pouch Lithium-Ion Batteries End-of-Life Gateway Detection in the Second-Life Application
Authors: Attidekou Pierrot S. , Milojevic Zoran , Muhammad Musbahu , Ahmeid Mohamed , Lambert Simon , Das Prodip K.
Published: December 2020

In electric vehicles, the battery pack is deemed to reach the end-of-life (EoL) when the capacity of the lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) drops below 80% of their nominal capacity. This leads to an emerging market of reuse and repurposing of retired LiBs in less power demanding applications. However, longevity, safety, higher performance and system warranty are the requirements of such a novel market and detecting batteries degradation level and their “real” EoL in the second-life applications before recycling is paramount. Here, we present a combination of diagnosis methodologies applied on large-size pouch LiBs from a dismantled first-generation Nissan Leaf retired battery pack, cycled with different accelerated ageing cycling procedures. While the capacity-based state of health is limited, the degradation modes and the “real” EoL were successfully detected by the incremental capacity analysis (ICA) and infrared (IR) thermal techniques. The ICA and IR measurements can be utilised to detect quantitative changes or different qualitative spacious non-uniform ageing changes over the large-size LiB’s surface. Moreover, these methodologies represent an important first step for “real” EoL prediction a hundred cycles earlier and can be applied on large-size pouch cells with different chemistries in second-life applications.
Strategy for Long Cycling Performance of Graphite/LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 Full-Cell Through High-Efficiency Slurry Preparation
Authors: Duong Minh Van , Nguyen Hoang Van , Garg Akhil , Tran Man Van , Le Phung My Loan
Published: December 2020

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have a profound impact on our modern society because of its diverse applications. In the state-of-the-art battery technology, the procedure for slurry preparation remains an important challenge which is vital for electrochemical performance enhancement and usually exhibits higher cost. In this work, two procedures are designated for the preparation of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NMC111) cathode slurry. In procedure A, a mixture of active material and conductive carbons are blended with an additional NMP solvent, while, in procedure B, the NMP is introduced after mixing in dry of active material and carbons. Half-cell prepared by the method A exhibited better capacity and cyclability, which delivered 158.8 mAh g−1 and retained 89.8% capacity compared to 151.2 mAh g−1 and 81.3% obtained by the method B at 0.1 C rate. Full-cell also showed its superior performance with a maximum capacity of 155.5 mAh g−1 and 93.9% retention after 100 cycles. In the rate capability test, the cells fabricated by method A could perform well up to 2 C while, for method B, the cell shows poor performance. These outstanding performances were explained by the small charge transfer resistance of the cathode-based method A due to the well-dispersed electrode compositions.
Accuracy and Precision Evaluation of International Standard Spherical Model by Digital Dental Scanners
Authors: Cai Hong Xin , Jia Qi , Shi HaoYu , Jiang Yujie , Xue Jingnan , Chen ChunXu , Gong Haotian , Liu Jie , Lee Eui-Seok , Jiang Heng Bo
Published: December 2020

With the popularization of digital technology and the exposure of traditional technology’s defects, computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) has been widely used in the field of dentistry. And the accuracy of the scanning system determines the ultimate accuracy of the prosthesis, which is a very important part of CAD/CAM, so we decided to evaluate the accuracy of the intraoral and extraoral scanners. In this study, we selected the sphere model as the scanning object and obtained the final result through data analysis and 3D fitting. In terms of trueness and precision, the scanner of SHINING was significantly different from that of others; however, there was no significant difference between TRIOS and CEREC. SHINING showed the lowest level of accuracy, with CEREC slightly lower than TRIOS. The sphere model has also been proven to be scanned successfully.
First General Zagreb Index of Generalized F-sum Graphs
Authors: Awais H. M. , Javaid Muhammad , Ali Akbar
Published: December 2020

The first general Zagreb (FGZ) index (also known as the general zeroth-order Randić index) of a graph

G

can be defined as

M

γ

G

=

∑

u
v
∈
E

G

d
G

γ
−
1

u

+

d
G

γ
−
1

v

, where

γ

is a real number. As

M

γ

G

is equal to the order and size of

G

when

γ
=
0

and

γ
=
1

, respectively,

γ

is usually assumed to be different from 0 to 1. In this paper, for every integer

γ
≥
2

, the FGZ index

M

γ

is computed for the generalized F-sums graphs which are obtained by applying the different operations of subdivision and Cartesian product. The obtained results can be considered as the generalizations of the results appeared in (IEEE Access; 7 (2019) 47494–47502) and (IEEE Access 7 (2019) 105479–105488).
Investigation of the Hydraulic Servo System of the Rolling Mill Using Nonsingular Terminal Sliding Mode-Active Disturbance Rejection Control
Authors: Guo Jining , Zhang Haoyu , Liu Desheng
Published: December 2020

In order to improve the disturbance rejection ability and tracking accuracy of the hydraulic servo system of the rolling mill, this study combines nonsingular terminal sliding mode control (NTSMC) with active disturbance rejection control (ADRC). A fourth-order extended state observer was designed to estimate the disturbance of the system in real time. The stability of the control system was tested using the Lyapunov method. System effectiveness was verified through simulation experiments. Simulation results showed that the designed state observer can estimate the total disturbance of the system in real time and that the chattering of the control input can be eliminated by the introduction of a state observer. In terms of uncertainty in the system model caused by load changes and external interference signals, the nonsingular terminal sliding mode-active disturbance rejection control method exhibited better disturbance rejection capacity and a higher tracking accuracy than NTSMC.
Attenuation of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate‐Induced Steatohepatitis by Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract in Mice
Authors: Huang Tao , Zhang Yurong , Zhang Wenjuan , Lin Tingting , Chen Luoting , Yang Bei , Wu Lei , Yang Jianhua , Zhang Dalei
Published: December 2020

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), an environmentally persistent pollutant, has been revealed to elicit hepatic toxicity. In the current study, we investigated the protective role of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) against PFOS‐caused steatohepatitis in mice. Animals were exposed intragastrically to PFOS (10 mg/kg/day), GSPE (150 mg/kg/day), or their combination. After 21 days of treatment, mice exposed to PFOS exhibited steatosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the liver. Nevertheless, simultaneous administration of GSPE resumed the declined serum hepatic enzyme activities and histological abnormalities in PFOS‐exposed mice. Furthermore, GSPE supplementation reduced the contents of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) and expression of lipid metabolism‐associated genes CD36 and fatty acid‐binding protein 4 (FABP4) in the liver of mice treated with PFOS. Moreover, GSPE suppressed the generation of lipid peroxidative product malondialdehyde and restored the activity of superoxide dismutase in the liver of PFOS‐exposed mice. In addition, GSPE repressed the PFOS‐induced hepatic overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α). Our results demonstrate that GSPE attenuates PFOS‐caused steatohepatitis in mice by regulating lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response.
Efficacy of Electroconvulsive Therapy for Neuropathic Pain Comorbid with Major Depression
Authors: Ueda Masashi , Konishi Yuki , Sakurai Kohei , Ikenouchi Atsuko , Yoshimura Reiji
Published: December 2020

We report a case of a 41-year-old male with postinjury neuropathic pain comorbid with major depression in which electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was effective in relieving both neuropathic pain and major depression. A total of 12 sessions of bilateral ECT were performed using a Thymatron® (Somatics LLC; Lake Bluff, IL). After ECT, the patient was subsequently maintained on paroxetine, eszopiclone (2 mg/day), and alprazolam. There was no relapse for at least one year after the last ECT. This case indicates that ECT might be an alternative treatment for major depression associated with chronic neuropathic pain after traumatic injury.
A Clinical Model for the Prediction of Acute Exacerbation Risk in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Wu Qi , Xu Yong , Zhang Ke-jia , Jiang Shi-min , Zhou Yao , Zhao Ying
Published: December 2020

Objective. To develop and validate a risk assessment model for the prediction of the acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE‐IPF) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods. We enrolled a total of 110 patients with IPF, hospitalized or treated as outpatients at Xuzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from July 2012 to July 2020. Of these, 78 and 32 patients were randomly assigned to training and test groups, respectively. The risk factors for AE‐IPF were analyzed using logistic regression analysis, and a nomographic model was constructed. The accuracy, degree of calibration, and clinical usefulness of the model were assessed with the consistency index (C‐index), calibration diagram, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Finally, the stability of the model was tested using internal validation. Results. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that a history of occupational exposure, diabetes mellitus (DM), essential hypertension (EH), and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO)% predicted were independent risk factors for AE‐IPF prediction. The nomographic model was constructed based on these independent risk factors, and the C‐index was 0.80. The C‐index for the internal validation was 0.75, suggesting that the model had good accuracy. The decision curve indicated that for a threshold value of 0.04–0.66, greater clinical benefit was obtained with the AE‐IPF risk prediction model. Conclusion. A customized AE‐IPF prediction model based on a history of occupational exposure, DM, EH, and DLCO% predicted provided a reference for the clinical prediction of AE‐IPF.
The Distance Laplacian Spectral Radius of Clique Trees
Authors: Zhang Xiaoling , Zhou Jiajia
Published: December 2020

The distance Laplacian matrix of a connected graph

G

is defined as

ℒ

G

=
Tr

G

−
D

G

, where

D

G

is the distance matrix of

G

and

Tr

G

is the diagonal matrix of vertex transmissions of

G

. The largest eigenvalue of

ℒ

G

is called the distance Laplacian spectral radius of

G

. In this paper, we determine the graphs with maximum and minimum distance Laplacian spectral radius among all clique trees with

n

vertices and

k

cliques. Moreover, we obtain

n

vertices and

k

cliques.
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia as First Manifestation of Rhupus
Authors: Espinosa-Orantes Alejandra , Hernandez-Vera Martha Adriana , Juarez-Villa Jose Daniel , Anahí Guadalupe Gutiérrez-Espinoza , Flores Guillermo
Published: December 2020

“Rhupus” syndrome is a rare condition that describes the coexistence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which prevalence among patients with SLE varies from 0.01% to 9.7%. There are few reported cases of the association between autoimmune hemolytic anemia and rheumatoid arthritis with systemic lupus erythematosus (rhupus). We report a rare case of rhupus in a 29-year-old woman, associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
A Rare Case of Synchronous Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma with a Lung Mass: A Diagnostic and Management Dilemma
Authors: Limberis Catherine Lynne , Nayler Simon , Rapoport Bernardo Leon
Published: December 2020

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma has presented an increasing burden globally, with the occurrence of metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma being a relatively rare event but presenting with significant challenges in management, and a paucity of treatment options. Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia is similarly an infrequent diagnosis. We present a rare case of a synchronous diagnosis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia with an associated lung mass with squamous differentiation. The considered origin of the lung mass was either metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma or a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, representing a third primary malignancy. The report highlights complexities in diagnosis and management, particularly in a patient with multiple synchronous malignancies. It further emphasizes the need for expanded global availability of specific therapies, including PD-1 inhibitors.
Duration of Oral Antibiotics Administration for Cetuximab-Induced Acneiform Eruption
Authors: Park Ji-Hye , Choi YoungHwan , Kim Hyun Je , Oh Se Jin , Lee Dong-Youn , Lee Jong Hee , Lee Joo-Heung
Published: December 2020

Background: Acneiform eruption is the most common cutaneous adverse event associated with cetuximab. As it can affect quality of life and adversely affect chemotherapy schedule, additional medical care is required. Objectives: To investigate the adherence to and the duration of antibiotic administration to treat cetuximab-induced acneiform eruption. Methods: Medical data of patients who were referred to the Department of Dermatology were reviewed from January 2013 to June 2018. Dermatologists assessed the severity of acneiform eruption and prescribed tetracycline-class antibiotics according to the severity every 2 or 4 weeks. We investigated the duration and amount of oral antibiotic administration and analyzed the factors that may affect the control of acneiform eruption statistically. Results: A total of 207 of 267 patients referred to the Department of Dermatology showed acneiform eruption; 124 patients were treated with minocycline, 34 patients with doxycycline, 27 patients with both, and 22 patients with topical agents. The mean duration of oral antibiotic medication was 82.7 days. A statistical analysis of the factors that prolonged the use of antibiotics for more than 90 days showed that male and younger age were risk factors. Shorter time interval from starting cetuximab to starting antibiotics was associated with longer duration of antibiotic use, statistically. Conclusions: Cetuximab-induced acneiform eruption can be well controlled with tetracycline-class antibiotics in about 3 months. It can last longer in male and younger patients. The sooner and the more severe it appears, the longer it can last.
A Preliminary Inventory of the Transformations of Scientific Imaging
Authors:   Georgia Institute of Technology, Rosenberger Robert
Published: December 2020

Imaging technologies “transform” an object of study into something we can visually perceive in the form of an image. In science and medicine, imaging technologies enact a large variety of transformations, sometimes changing the spatiality of an object of study (e.g., making a small thing big enough to see, bringing close something far away, etc.), or changing its temporality (e.g., providing a picture of a single moment). I make use of the postphenomenological philosophical perspective, and in particular the work of its founder, Don Ihde, for guidance in exploring the different ways that imaging technologies transform our world in the process of rendering it available to visual perception. The main project of this paper is to develop a provisional categorization of a large variety of image transformations common to science and medicine.
Seamlessness as Disenfranchisement: The Digital State of Pigs and How to Resist
Authors:   Tallinn University of Technology, Drechsler Wolfgang
Published: December 2020

If it is the tendency of technology, and especially of information and communication technology, particularly in the context of the smart city, not to empower the human person but rather to disenfranchise them by curtailing their capability to judge and choose, how can one counter this dynamic? Code, make, talk, and pray are suggested as possible modes of resistance.
Overcoming Substantivism-Determinism with Pragmatist Philosophy of Technology
Authors:   Tallinn University of Technology, Pietarinen Ahti-Veikko
Published: December 2020

Carl Sagan (1990) famously lamented how “we live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows about science and technology. This is a clear prescription for disaster”. One might add that in contemporary societies, people know about the philosophy of science and technology even less.