bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The acute effect and lag effect analysis between exposures to ambient air pollutants and spontaneous abortion: a case-crossover study in China, 2017–2019
Authors: Zhou Wenzheng , Ming Xin , Chen Qing , Liu Xiaoli , Yin Ping
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Recent studies demonstrated that living in areas with high ambient air pollution may have adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes, but few studies have investigated its association with spontaneous abortion. Further investigation is needed to explore the acute effect and lag effect of air pollutants exposure on spontaneous abortion.

Objective

To investigate the acute effect and lag effect between exposure to ambient air pollutants and spontaneous abortion.

Methods

Research data of spontaneous abortion were collected from the Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children (CQHCWC) in China. The daily ambient air pollution exposure measurements were estimated for each woman using inverse distance weighting from monitoring stations. A time-stratified, case-crossover design combined with distributed lag linear models was applied to assess the associations between spontaneous pregnancy loss and exposure to each of the air pollutants over lags 0–7 days, adjusted for temperature and relative humidity.

Results

A total of 1399 women who experienced spontaneous pregnancy loss events from November 1, 2016, to September 30, 2019, were selected for this study. Maternal exposure to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), particle matter 10 (PM10) nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) exhibited a significant association with spontaneous abortion. For every 20 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2, the RRs were 1.18 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.34), 1.12 (95% CI, 1.04–1.20), 1.15 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.30), and 1.92 (95% CI: 1.18, 3.11) on lag day 3, lag day 3, lag day 0, and lag day 3, respectively. In two-pollutant model combined with PM2.5 and PM10, a statistically significant increase in spontaneous abortion incidence of 18.0% (RR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.32) was found for a 20 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure, and 11.2% (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.20) for a 20 μg/m3 increase in PM10 exposure on lag day 3, similar to single-pollutant model analysis.

Conclusion

Maternal exposure to high levels of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2 during pregnancy may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion for acute effects and lag effects. Further research to explore sensitive exposure time windows is needed.
Low-cost client-side encryption and secure Internet of things (IoT) provisioning
Authors: Mamvong Joseph , Goteng Gokop , Gao Yue
Published: May 2022

Conclusion

Security and ease of provisioning of IoT devices onto cloud infrastructure is instrumental to the deployment of IoT devices. With not much information available on the ease of secure provisioning of IoT devices couple with inherent challenge of these devices in encrypting data before transmission to the cloud due to their constrained nature, this work implements a low-cost client-side encryption algorithm based on the AES to carry out data encryption at the IoT device’s communication end using a SAMG55 microprocessor, following which the device is securely provisioned to a cloud platform as shown in Fig. 3. Related work and direction for future work is further detailed in Online Resources 1 and Online Resources 2.
Hydrochemistry for the assessment of groundwater quality in the Kathua region, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Authors: Kouser Beena , Bala Anjali , Verma Omkar , Prashanth Manthena , Khosla Ashu , Pir Rayees Ahmad
Published: May 2022

Groundwater is a vital natural resource in the Kathua region of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Northern India, where it is used for domestic, irrigation, and industrial purposes. The main purpose of this study was to assess the hydrochemistry of the groundwater and to determine its suitability for drinking, irrigation, and industrial uses in the Kathua region. In this study, 75 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for the physicochemical parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids , pH, and various cations and anions. The analyzed data were computed for designing groundwater quality index to know the suitability for drinking purposes. The EC, sodium percentage, permeability index, and magnesium hazard were assessed to evaluate groundwater suitability for irrigation. Further, the corrosivity ratio was assessed to find the groundwater quality criteria for industrial purposes. The comprehensive results obtained from the water quality index indicate that almost all groundwater samples are suitable for drinking. The ionic abundance is in the order of Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+ for cations, and HCO3− > SO42− > Cl− > NO3− for anions, respectively. The Piper diagram shows that hydrochemistry of the groundwater is dominated by alkaline earth metals (Ca2+, Mg2+) and weak acids (HCO3−). According to the Gibbs diagram, the chemistry of groundwater is mainly controlled by the rock–water interaction process, indicating that most of the groundwater samples of the area are of bicarbonate type. The EC results classify the groundwater as excellent to good; the sodium percentage also indicates that the water is fit for irrigation. According to the Wilcox and USSLS diagrams, and permeability index, a majority of samples are suitable for irrigation with a few exceptions. The magnesium hazard depicts that there are few samples (19%), which are unsuitable for irrigation. According to the corrosivity ratio, 65 samples are safe for industrial use while the remaining 10 samples are considered to be unsafe. Thus, it is found that most of the groundwater in the area can be used for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes.
Study on the mechanism of anisotropic wellbore instability in continental shale in Songliao Basin
Authors: Li Shibin , Liang Kai , Wang Changhao , Jiao Yuxuan , Liu Hegao , Wang Chunhua
Published: May 2022

Wellbore instability is frequently encountered in the process of shale oil drilling. Due to the anisotropic strength characteristics of shale, most conventional models are not suitable for wellbore stability analysis in layered formation. In this paper, taking the continental shale in the north of Songliao Basin as the research object, the anisotropic elasticity and strength parameters of shale are measured experimentally. Based on pore elastic mechanics, an anisotropic wellbore stability model of layered shale is established, and the variation of collapse pressure under different formation conditions is analyzed. The results show that considering the elastic and strength anisotropy, the collapse pressure is the largest, and the influence of strength anisotropy is significantly greater than that of elastic anisotropy. The stability of horizontal wells drilled along the horizontal maximum principal stress is the optimal, followed by vertical wells and small angle directional wells. The actual drilling conditions of G101 well are basically consistent with the prediction results, which confirms the accuracy of the model. According to the traditional wellbore stability model, the equivalent density of collapse pressure in horizontal well section is 1.58 ~ 1.76 g/cm3. It is much lower than the collapse density of 1.86 g/cm3 calculated by the anisotropic model in this study. The findings of this study can help for better understanding of the mechanism of wellbore instability in horizontal wells in shale formations. The model can be used to guide the drilling engineering design of shale oil horizontal wells and reduce the losses caused by the instability of the wellbore.
Activated eco-waste of Posidonia oceanica rhizome as a potential adsorbent of methylene blue from saline water
Authors: Elmorsi Randa R. , Abou-El-Sherbini Khaled S. , Shehab El-Dein Waleed A. , Lotfy Hesham R.
Published: May 2022

A new activated adsorbent was produced from the debris of Posidonia oceanica rhizomes (POR). POR were activated in acetic acid and utilized as an eco-adsorbent for the removal of cationic dye methylene blue (MB) from saline solutions. The purified Posidonia oceanica rhizomes (PPOR) and its activated form (APOR) were characterized by elemental analysis, pH-metric titration, Fourier transformer infrared (FTIR), and surface area measurements, which inferred a remarkable activation of APOR. An enhancement in the free acidic sites was confirmed. The adsorption data obtained were analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin-Kaganer-Raduskavich (DKR), and Redlich and Peterson (RP) isotherm models. The obtained data from these isotherm models were tested using some error functions (residual root mean squares error (RMSE), sum square error (SSE), and chi-square test (X2) function). Temkin isotherm model was the best isotherm fits the experimental data of APOR. Kinetic data were evaluated by pseudo-first-order (PFO), pseudo-second-order (PSO), and intraparticle diffusion models. The adsorption rate was found to follow PSO model with a good correlation (R2 = 0.999–1). A suggested, endothermic, multilayer, combined electrostatic and physical adsorption mechanism may be responsible for the removal of MB from water utilizing APOR. Adsorption is anticipated to start with chemisorption on active functional groups of adsorbent’s surface followed by physisorption of the subsequent layers through adsorbate–adsorbate interaction. The removal process was successfully applied for MB-spiked saline and brackish water with removal efficiencies of 51.7–97.2%. The results revealed that activated Posidonia oceanica rhizomes is a promising adsorbent for the removal of the methylene blue dye from real saline and brackish water with high removal efficiencies.

Graphical Abstract
Implementation of EACS vaccination recommendations among people living with HIV
Authors: Breitschwerdt Sven , Schwarze-Zander Carolynne , Al Tayy Ahmad , Mutevelli Julia , Wasmuth Jan-Christian , Rockstroh Jürgen K. , Boesecke Christoph
Published: May 2022

Objectives

With modern combination antiretroviral Treatment (cART) a normal life expectancy among people living with HIV (PLWH) has become reality if started early enough prior to the onset of more pronounced immunodeficiency. Therefore, prevention measures against other infectious diseases among this vulnerable group have gained increased attention. Indeed, the EACS guidelines recommend vaccinations against HAV, HBV, HPV, Influenza, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and VZV in HIV-infected adults.

Methods

All PLWH under cART attending our ID outpatient clinic between April to June 2018, were assessed during consultation for vaccination status regarding pneumococcus, Hepatitis A and B, influenza, varicella, meningococcus and HPV using a pre-defined questionnaire, vaccination certificates and medical records. In addition, the cohort database was screened for Hepatitis A and B serology and HIV surrogate markers.

Results

A total of 305 PLWH (82.3% male, 17.7% female) was included, median age was 48 years (IQR 47–51). Median CD4 + T cell count was 543 (IQR 304–770), and for 297 (97.4%) PLWH CD4 + T cell count was ≥ 200/ul. The viral load was undetectable (< 40 copies/ml) in 289 (94.8%) cases. Highest vaccination rates were observed for HAV (87.4%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (77.4%) and Influenza (76.5%). 64.3% PLWH got vaccinated against HBV, whereas VZV vaccination only played a minor role, in the context of the high rate of cleared infections (99.0%). Lowest vaccination rates were detected for HPV (0%) and Neisseria meningitidis (3.0%).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that vaccination rates among PLWH are higher compared to the general German population. Implementation of EACS guidelines into daily routine though is not fully executed and the need for improving vaccination rates has to be emphasized. Centrally organized vaccination registers as well as electronic medical records could be helpful tools to detect a lack of vaccination coverage and send digital vaccination reminders particularly among risk groups.
Systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided versus landmark corticosteroid injection in the treatment of shoulder pain: an update
Authors: ElMeligie Mohamed Magdy , Allam Nashwa M. , Yehia Radwa M. , Ashour Ahmed A.
Published: May 2022

Background

Corticosteroid (CS) can be injected in a blind fashion (landmark-guided) or with ultrasound (US) guidance, and this may contribute to varying clinical results. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of US-guided versus landmark CS injections in the treatment of adult patients with shoulder pain.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing US-guided versus landmark CS injection regarding visual analogue scale (VAS), functional scores, disability scores, abduction degree, and side effects. The data were pooled as mean difference (MD), standardized mean difference (SMD), or risk ratios (RRs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using R software (meta package 4.9-0) for windows. Subgroup analysis and leave-one-out analysis were conducted.

Results

Eighteen RCTs, with a total of 1010 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled estimate favored the US-guided over landmark CS injection in terms of the mean change of VAS between 6 weeks and baseline (SMD = − 0.48, 95% CI [− 0.79, − 0.17]), the shoulder functional scores (SMD = 0.35, 95% CI [0.05, 0.65]) and shoulder abduction degree (MD = 8.78, 95% CI [3.11, 14.46]). Whilst no significant difference was found between the compared group regarding the overall shoulder disability scores (SMD = − 0.51, 95% CI (− 1.25, 0.22]) and side effects (RR = 0.45, 95% CI [0.15, 1.34]). None of the eligible study analyzed the cost-effectiveness of the US-guided method compared with the landmark method for CS injection.

Conclusion

Our analysis showed that US-guided CS injection was effective in the treatment of various shoulder diseases. Further research on the cost-effectiveness of US-guided CS methods is needed.
Making distributed edge machine learning for resource-constrained communities and environments smarter: contexts and challenges
Authors: Truong Hong-Linh , Truong-Huu Tram , Cao Tien-Dung
Published: May 2022

The maturity of machine learning (ML) development and the decreasing deployment cost of capable edge devices have proliferated the development and deployment of edge ML solutions for critical IoT-based business applications. The combination of edge computing and ML not only addresses the development cost barrier, but also solves the obstacles due to the lack of powerful cloud data centers. However, not only the edge ML research and development is still at an early stage and requires substantial skills normally missed in resource-constrained communities, but also various infrastructure constraints w.r.t. network reliability and computing power, and business contexts from the resource-constrained environments require different considerations to make edge ML applications context aware through smart and intelligent runtime strategies. In this paper, we analyze representative real-world business scenarios for edge ML solutions and their contexts in resource-constrained communities and environments. We identify and map the key distinguished contexts of distributed edge ML and discuss the impacts of these contexts on data and software components and deployment models. Finally, we present key research areas, how we should approach them, and possible tooling for making edge machine learning solutions smarter in resource-constrained communities and environments.
Characterization of biochars from woody agricultural wastes and sorption behavior comparison of cadmium and atrazine
Authors: Li Xiang , Huang Yufen , Liang Xiaoliang , Huang Lianxi , Wei Lan , Zheng Xiaodong , Albert Houssou Assa , Huang Qing , Liu Zhongzhen , Li Zhaojun
Published: May 2022

Woody agricultural wastes have created enormous pressure on the environment. In this study, mulberry and cinnamon woodchips were reclaimed and prepared for biochars through pyrolysis technique at four different temperatures. Physicochemical properties showed that mulberry biochar exhibited higher pH, CEC and ash content than cinnamon biochar at each temperature. All biochars were utilized as adsorbents to remove cadmium (Cd) and atrazine (AT) from water. The adsorption isotherms were found to be well fitted by Freundlich and Langmuir models. The maximum adsorption capacities were 5306.41 mg/kg for Cd adsorption and 538.89 mg/kg for AT adsorption, respectively. Moreover, the principal component analysis, XPS and FTIR analysis proved that precipitation with phosphate in biochars acted as the key property that governed the adsorption capacity of Cd, whereas the porosity demonstrated a significant impact on the adsorption capacity of AT. Partial least squares (PLS) model was considered to be more favorable for predicting AT adsorption than Cd adsorption. The results of the present paper will be helpful for selecting most effective biochars from locally available woody agricultural byproducts that are optimized for contaminants removal from environment.
Heat equation with an exponential nonlinear boundary condition in the half space
Authors: Furioli Giulia , Kawakami Tatsuki , Terraneo Elide
Published: May 2022

We consider the initial-boundary value problem for the heat equation in the half space with an exponential nonlinear boundary condition. We prove the existence of global-in-time solutions under the smallness condition on the initial data in the Orlicz space $$\mathrm {exp}L^2({\mathbb {R}}^N_+)$$

exp

L
2

(

R

+
N

)

. Furthermore, we derive decay estimates and the asymptotic behavior for small global-in-time solutions.
Recent Trends in Robotic Patrolling
Authors: Basilico Nicola
Published: May 2022

Purpose of Review

Robotic patrolling aims at protecting a physical environment by deploying a team of one or more autonomous mobile robots in it. A key problem in this scenario is characterizing and computing effective patrolling strategies that could guarantee some level of protection against different types of threats. This paper provides a survey of contributions that represent the recent research trends to deal with such a challenge.

Recent Findings

Starting from a set of basic and recurring modeling landmarks, the formulations of robotic patrolling studied by current research are diverse and, to some extent, complementary. Some works propose optimal approaches where the objective function is based on the idleness induced by the patrolling strategy on locations of the environment. On-line methods focus on handling events that can dynamically alter the patrolling task. Adversarial methods, where an underlying game-theoretical interaction with an attacker is modeled, consider sophisticated attacker behaviors.

The wide spectrum of heterogenous approaches and techniques shows a common trend of moving towards more realistic models where constraints, dynamic environments, limited attacker capabilities, and richer strategy representations are introduced. The results provide complementarities and synergies towards more effective robotic patrolling systems, paving the way to a set of interesting open problems.
Prioritarianism
Authors: Arneson Richard J.
Published: May 2022

Prioritarianism holds that improvements in someone's life (gains in well-being) are morally more valuable, the worse off the person would otherwise be. The doctrine is impartial, holding that a gain in one person's life counts exactly the same as an identical gain in the life of anyone equally well off. If we have some duty of beneficence to make the world better, prioritarianism specifies the content of the duty. Unlike the utilitarian, the prioritarian holds that we should not only seek to increase human well-being, but also distribute it fairly across persons, by tilting in favor of the worse off. A variant version adds that we should also give priority to the morally deserving – to saints over scoundrels. The view is a standard for right choice of individual actions and public policies, offering a distinctive alternative to utilitarianism (maximize total well-being), sufficiency (make everyone's condition good enough) and egalitarianism (make everyone's condition the same).
An Image of the Times
Authors: Jørgensen Nils-Johan
Published: May 2022

Here is a witty and learned literary excursion into the world of humour and comic literature as revealed inter alia by the works of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Oliver Goldsmith and Henry Fielding - leading in the second half to some glorious insights and observations provided by the author's life experience in the world of diplomacy. It is a rich and fascinating mix of literary idiom, the theatre of the absurd and the comic element of the human condition.
A Metropolitan History of the Dutch Empire
Authors: Kuipers Matthijs
Published: May 2022

This book analyses popular imperial culture in the Netherlands around the turn of the twentieth century. Despite the prominent role that the Dutch empire played in many (sometimes unexpected) aspects of civil society, and its significance in mobilising citizens to participate in causes both directly and indirectly related to the overseas colonies, most people seem to have remained indifferent towards imperial affairs. How, then, barring a few jingoist outbursts during the Aceh and Boer Wars, could the empire be simultaneously present and absent in metropolitan life?

Drawing upon the works of scholars from fields as diverse as postcolonial studies and Habsburg imperialism, A Metropolitan History of the Dutch Empire argues that indifference was not an anomaly in the face of an all-permeating imperial culture, but rather the logical consequence of an imperial ideology that treated 'the metropole' and 'the colony' as entirely separate entities. The various groups and individuals who advocated for imperial or anti-imperial causes - such as missionaries, former colonials, Indonesian students, and boy scouts - had little unmediated contact with one another, and maintained their own distinctive modes of expression. The author concludes that we should not assume that the metropolitan invisibility of colonial culture rendered it powerless.
The Big Picture versus Minutiae: Geophytes, Plant Foods, and Ancient Human Economies
Authors: Erlandson Jon M. , Gill Kristina M. , Braje Todd J.
Published: May 2022

In a rejoinder to Gill et alia (2021), Martin (2022) accuses us of perpetuating misconceptions about human nutrition and erroneously describing geophytes as a dietary staple. We provide authoritative definitions for the terms “essential” and “dietary staple” to show that it is Martin who mischaracterizes and misunderstands the foundational role of geophytes and other plant foods to human diets and subsistence economies in Native North America outside of the Arctic. Recent data demonstrate that carbohydrate-rich geophytes were abundant, regularly utilized, and essential resources on the Northern Channel Islands, a dietary staple that was a rich source of calories and complemented the protein-rich shellfish and finfish that were also staple foods for the Island Chumash.
Private Investigators and Public Speakers
Authors: SANDGREN ALEXANDER
Published: May 2022

Near the end of ‘Naming the Colours’, Lewis (1997) makes an interesting claim about the relationship between linguistic and mental content; we are typically unable to read the content of a belief off the content of a sentence used to express that belief or vice versa. I call this view ‘autonomism’. I motivate and defend autonomism and discuss its importance in the philosophy of mind and language. In a nutshell, I argue that the different theoretical roles that mental and linguistic content play suggest these kinds of content should be understood as sensitive to different things.
“I Have Never Felt More Utterly Yours”: Presence, Intimacy, and Long-Distance Marriages in the First World War
Authors: Fox Aimée
Published: May 2022

The unique anxieties experienced by married couples remain under-examined aspects of both the First World War and the early twentieth century. Drawing on the writings of four upper-middle-class couples, this article reveals the complex ways in which couples sought to maintain intimacy across transnational time and space during the war. The author argues that, elements of modern marriage were clearly present in these relationships. Wartime separation gave couples space to develop new forms of intimacy and affection. Through creative, often abstract, alternatives developed to affect a sense of presence, spouses were able to know, embody, and imagine one another. While separated couples frequently desired and imagined physical reunion, its fleeting nature was emotionally wearing and often undermined intimacy and togetherness in immediate and long-lasting ways. Exploring the subjective experiences of these couples challenges the tendency to periodize marriage in distinct categories such as patriarchal or companionate, and also invites us to reframe our understanding of the spatial dimensions of separation and intimacy.
Upscaling of a Cahn–Hilliard Navier–Stokes model with precipitation and dissolution in a thin strip
Authors: von Wolff Lars , Pop Iuliu Sorin
Published: May 2022

We consider a phase-field model for the incompressible flow of two immiscible fluids. This model extends widespread models for two fluid phases by including a third, solid phase, which can evolve due to e.g. precipitation and dissolution. We consider a simple, two-dimensional geometry of a thin strip, which can still be seen as the representation of a single pore throat in a porous medium. Under moderate assumptions on the Péclet number and the capillary number, we investigate the limit case when the ratio between the width and the length of the strip goes to zero. In this way, and employing transversal averaging, we derive an upscaled model. The result is a multi-scale model consisting of the upscaled equations for the total flux and the ion transport, while the phase-field equation has to be solved in cell problems at the pore scale to determine the position of interfaces. We also investigate the sharp-interface limit of the multi-scale model, in which the phase-field parameter approaches 0. The resulting sharp-interface model consists only of Darcy-scale equations, as the cell problems can be solved explicitly. Notably, we find asymptotic consistency, that is, the upscaling process and the sharp-interface limit commute. We use numerical results to investigate the validity of the upscaling when discontinuities are formed in the upscaled model.
A drop in a nonlinear shear flow
Authors: Favelukis Moshe
Published: May 2022

The fluid mechanics problem of an initially spherical drop subjected to a two-directional nonlinear cubic shear flow, under creeping flow conditions, is theoretically studied. This physical situation is described by four dimensionless numbers: the capillary number (Ca), the viscosity ratio (λ), the linear velocity ratio (G) and the nonlinear intensity of the flow (E). Analytical expressions for the external and internal flows of a spherical drop as well as for the shape of the deformed drop were obtained by applying Lamb's general solution to the Stokes equations. The internal and external streamlines of a spherical drop (Ca = 0) suggest interesting and unusual shapes which are sometimes also accompanied by many stagnation points. Whenλ = ∞, the drop becomes a solid sphere with an angular velocity$\omega ={-} (1 - G)/2$independent ofE. For the familiar simple shear flow in thex-direction (G = 0,E = 0), Taylor's theory, valid at$Ca \ll 1$andλ = O(1), predicts an ellipsoidal drop oriented at an azimuthal angleϕ = 45°; asCaincreases, the deformation increases and the drop attains a peanut shape. For other linear or nonlinear cases, the drop is aligned atϕ = ±45°, and a spherical drop with no deformation is possible atCa ≠ 0. In a highly viscous drop$(\lambda \gg 1)$, the drop remains almost spherical even atCa = O(1), oriented atϕ = 0° or 90° (G ≠ 1), and its deformation is independent ofCa.
A homogenization approach for buoyancy-induced flows over micro-textured vertical surfaces
Authors: Ahmed Essam Nabil , Bottaro Alessandro , Tanda Giovanni
Published: May 2022

Asymptotic homogenization is employed to formulate upscaled effective boundary conditions at a smooth virtual surface for a natural-convection flow over a periodically roughened vertical wall, to bypass the expensive numerical resolution of flow and temperature fields near and within wall corrugations. Microscale problems are found by expanding near-wall variables in terms of a small parameter

$\epsilon$

, the ratio between the microscopic and the macroscopic length scales. The expressions of the upscaled velocity and temperature boundary conditions are provided up to second-order accuracy in

$\epsilon$

. The case of transverse square ribs is considered as a representative example. The classical Navier-slip condition for the streamwise and the spanwise velocity components is modified at second order by the gradient of the normal stress and the time derivative of the shear stress. The streamwise slip velocity is additionally corrected by a buoyancy term at first order and a temperature-gradient term at second order. The normal velocity at the virtual surface appears only as a second-order transpiration condition. A Robin-like condition for the temperature is found, where the wall temperature is corrected with a temperature-gradient term representing thermal slip. The accuracy levels and the applicability range of the effective conditions to mimic the macroscopic flow behaviour are investigated under laminar flow conditions, in comparison with results of full feature-resolving simulations. A formal validity limit for the approximation is sought in terms of a single accuracy criterion (

$C$

), which combines the effects of the Grashof number and the ribs’ density. The introduced model is further tested on different rib geometries.
Droplet breakup in airflow with strong shear effect
Authors: Xu Zhikun , Wang Tianyou , Che Zhizhao
Published: May 2022

The deformation and breakup of droplets in airflows is important in spray and atomisation processes, but the shear effect in non-uniform airflow is rarely reported. In this study, the deformation and breakup of droplets in a shear flow of air is investigated experimentally using high-speed imaging, digital image processing and particle image velocimetry. The results show that in airflow with a strong shear effect, the droplet breakup exhibits unique features due to the uplift and stretching produced by the interaction between the deformed droplet and the shear layer. The breakup process can be divided into three stages according to the droplet morphology and the breakup mechanism, namely the sheet breakup, the swing breakup and the rim breakup stages. Theoretical analysis reveals that the swing breakup is governed by the transverse Rayleigh–Taylor instability. A regime map of the droplet breakup is produced, and the transitions between different regimes are obtained theoretically. The stretching liquid film during the droplet deformation and the fragment size distribution after droplet breakup are analysed quantitatively, and the results show that they are determined by the competition of breakup at different stages affected by the shear. Finally, the effect of the droplet viscosity is investigated, and the viscosity inhibits the droplet breakup in a strong shear airflow.
A new titanopteranMagnatitan jongheonin. gen. n. sp. from southwestern Korean Peninsula
Authors: Park Tae-Yoon S. , Kim Do-Yoon , Nam Gi-Soo , Lee Mirinae
Published: May 2022

Titanopterans are spectacular, giant, predatory insects mainly known from the Triassic, but they are known from a few localities in Central Asia (including European Russia) and Australia. The Nampo Group is a nonmarine sequence, located on the southwestern Korean Peninsula, the age of which has remained controversial, due to lack of proper age-constraining fossils. Here, we report a new titanopteranMagnatitan jongheonin. gen. n. sp. from the Amisan Formation, Nampo Group. The division of the radius anterior and radius posterior beyond the distal half of the fossil wing is a characteristic of the family Paratitanidae. This is the first discovery of a titanopteran fossil outside of Central Asia and Australia, suggesting a possible circum-Tethys oceanic distribution. Given the possibly widespread distribution of titanopterans, this group might have played a critical role as giant predatory insects in Triassic terrestrial ecology. Because titanopterans have never been found beyond the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, the occurrence of a titanopteran corroborates the Triassic age of the Nampo Group.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/10177029-0044-424f-9816-e3fb057cfe85
Competition between Prostephanus truncatus and Sitophilus oryzae on maize: the species that gets there first matters
Authors: Baliota G. V. , Scheff D. S. , Morrison W. R. , Athanassiou C. G.
Published: May 2022

Laboratory tests were carried out in order to examine the population growth of Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on maize. These two species were placed either simultaneously or one species was allowed to colonize the kernels 7 days earlier than the other, at two temperatures, 26 and 30 °C for 65 days. Apart from progeny production, grain quality parameters, such as insect-damaged kernels (IDK) and undamaged kernels (NDK), the weight of frass and kernel weight were measured. Our data confirms that temperature plays a key role in the competition of these two species; P. truncatus seems to perform better at the higher temperature (30 °C), regardless of the presence of an additional species. Moreover, the results of the present study demonstrates that P. truncatus outcompetes S. oryzae. Sitophilus oryzae produced fewer progeny than P. truncatus in all combinations. Given the outcome of a competition, we hypothesize that most of the kernel damage was due to feeding by P. truncatus. Based on these data, we surmise that P. truncatus has a competitive advantage as an invasive species in new areas with stored maize, even in the presence of S. oryzae.
Parasitoids ofLobesia botrana(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the Douro Demarcated Region vineyards and the prospects for enhancing conservation biological control
Authors: Carlos Cristina , Gonçalves Fátima , Villemant Claire , Paredes Daniel , Salvação Juliana , Torres Laura
Published: May 2022

The more restrictive regulations of pesticides in Europe have led to an increase in conservation biological control (CBC) research. However, little attention has been paid to the main determinants ofLobesia botranaparasitism. The Douro Demarcated Region landscape offers scope for the use of CBC. The study was conducted between 2002 and 2015 aiming at: (i) identifying parasitoids associated withL. botranaand evaluating their impact as biological control agents in each generation of the pest, and (ii) evaluating the effect of both the proportion of ecological infrastructures (EI) near the vineyards, and the impact of management practices (chemical treatments and ground cover) on the parasitism ofL. botrana. A total of 3226 larvae/pupae ofL. botranawere collected (15% were parasitized and 485 parasitoids emerged). A complex of 16 taxa of parasitoids was identified, the majority belonging to Hymenoptera. The most abundant wereElachertussp. (Eulophidae),Campoplex capitatorAubert (Ichneumonidae), andBrachymeria tibialis(Walker) (Chalcididae), which represented 62.5, 12.6, and 12.0% of the total assemblage of parasitoids which emerged, respectively. The percentage of parasitism ranged from 0.0 to 61.5% (first generation), from 0.0 to 36.8% (second generation), and from 0.0 to 12.1% (third generation). Importantly, it was found that the parasitism rate was higher in vineyards with ground cover. In addition, EI in the area surrounding the vineyards produced a significant increase in parasitism. These results suggest potential for CBC ofL. botranaif EI around vineyards, and ground cover with native perennial plants within vineyards, are encouraged.
Socialist Accumulation and Its “Primitives” in Romania
Authors: Cucu Alina-Sandra
Published: May 2022

Drawing on the Romanian case, this article argues against looking at state socialist regimes through the lens of exceptionalism, and assesses the merits of analysing them from the perspective of primitive accumulation. Integrating socialist projects into a longer history of modernization, capital formation, and struggles over labour and land allows me to develop a four-step argument about primitive socialist accumulation in Romania. First, I argue that, in Romania, peasant dispossession had underpinned capital formation for roughly 150 years before the communist takeover. Second, these mechanisms of primitive accumulation constituted crucial matrices for class formation that were irreducible to ideal-typical processes of proletarianization. Third, the articulation between peasant dispossession and strategies of keeping labour cheap was state-led, mandated, or protected, and stood at the core of all modernization projects for the whole period under discussion. And fourth, seen through these lenses, the communist collectivization and nationalization in the 1950s appears as one instance, among others, in a longue-durée history of primitive accumulation in the region.
Frontal sinus pneumatisation: an isolated finding or a sign of concomitant anatomical variation?
Authors: Badran K H , Tarifi A , Shatarat A , Badran D
Published: May 2022

Objective

To determine the association between frontal sinus pneumatisation and concomitant anatomical variations in paranasal sinuses as seen on computed tomography.

Methods

A total of 403 patients who underwent paranasal sinus computed tomography were allocated to three groups according to the degree of frontal sinus pneumatisation (type 1 – hypoplasia; type 2 – medium size; and type 3 – hyperplasia). In this unique model, the prevalence of ipsilateral variations on paranasal sinuses on each side of the head were analysed separately within each pneumatisation group.

Results

The type 3 frontal sinus pneumatisation group showed a greater association with ipsilateral variations of the sphenoid bone. Variations included pneumatisation of the anterior clinoid process, lateral sphenoid recess, pterygoid process and greater wing, and exposure of Vidian canal. This group also showed significant associations with male gender, and the presence of frontal and Onodi cells.

Conclusion

Interpretation of the paranasal sinus variations is imperative for pre-operative evaluation in functional endoscopic sinus surgery, particularly in patients with frontal sinus hyperplasia. Attention to variation on the ipsilateral side is informative.
Effects of a multi-strain probiotic on hippocampal structure and function, cognition, and emotional well-being in healthy individuals: a double-blind randomised-controlled trial
Authors: Ascone Leonie , Garcia Forlim Caroline , Gallinat Jürgen , Kühn Simone
Published: May 2022

Background

Animal studies have shown beneficial effects of probiotic supplementation on the hippocampus (HC) and cognitive performance. Evidence in humans is scarce. It was hypothesised that probiotic supplementation is associated with enhanced hippocampal (HC) regional grey matter volume (rGMV), as well as HC functional connectivity (FC). Relatedly improvements in mnestic and navigational performance, or emotional well-being, were expected to be observed in healthy human volunteers.

Methods

A randomised-controlled, double-blind trial (RCT) was conducted in N = 59 volunteers (age Mean = 27.1, s.d. = 6.7), applying a multi-strain probiotic (Vivomixx®) v. non-probiotic milk-powder placebo, each with 4.4 g/day, for 4 weeks. Volumetric data was extracted from 3T structural magnetic resonance images of total HC and -subfields. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and FreeSurfer-based analyses were performed. Potential neuroplastic change beyond HC was explored using whole-brain-VBM for white- and GMV. Seed-based FC was calculated based on HC. Cognitive tests included visual, map-based, object-location, and verbal memory, and spatial navigation. Mental health status (stress, anxiety, depression, and emotion-regulation) was assessed using self-reports.

Results

There were no changes in HC-total, -subfield GMV, or FC, through probiotics. VBM revealed no changes at a whole-brain-level. There were no effects on cognitive performance or mental health. Evidence in favor of the null-hypothesis, using Bayesian statistics, was consistent.

Conclusions

The applied multi-strain probiotic did not elicit any effects concerning hippocampal structural plasticity, cognition, or mental well-being in young, healthy adults. For future studies, longer application/observation RCTs, perhaps in stressed, otherwise psychologically/ cognitively vulnerable, or ageing groups, with well-founded strain selection and investigation of mechanism, are advised.
Learn multi-step object sorting tasks through deep reinforcement learning
Authors: Bao Jiatong , Zhang Guoqing , Peng Yi , Shao Zhiyu , Song Aiguo
Published: May 2022

Robotic systems are usually controlled to repetitively perform specific actions for manufacturing tasks. The traditional control methods are domain-dependent and model-dependent with cost of much human efforts. They cannot meet the new requirements of generality and flexibility in many areas such as intelligent manufacturing and customized production. This paper develops a general model-free approach to enable robots to perform multi-step object sorting tasks through deep reinforcement learning. Taking projected heightmap images from different time steps as input without extra high-level image analysis and understanding, critic models are designed to produce a pixel-wise Q value map for each type of action. It is a new trial to apply pixel-wise Q value-based critic networks to solve multi-step sorting tasks that involve many types of actions and complex action constraints. The experimental validations on simulated and realistic object sorting tasks demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Qualitative results (videos), code for simulated and realistic experiments, and pre-trained models are available at https://github.com/JiatongBao/DRLSorting
The determinants of the changing speed of spread of COVID-19 across Italy
Authors: Cocco Pierluigi , De Matteis Sara
Published: May 2022

The COVID-19 epidemic showed inter-regional differences in Italy. We used an ecological study design and publicly available data to compare the basic reproduction number (R0), the doubling time of the infection (DT) and the COVID-19 cumulative incidence (CI), death rate, case fatality rate (CFR) and time lag to slow down up to a 50-days doubling time in the first and the second 2020 epidemic waves (δDT50) by region. We also explored socio-economic, environmental and lifestyle variables with multiple regression analysis. COVID-19 CI and CFR changed in opposite directions in the second vs. the first wave: the CI increased sixfold with no evidence of a relationship with the testing rate; the CFR decreased in the regions where it was initially higher but increased where it was lower. The R0 did not change; the initially mildly affected regions, but not those where the first wave had most severely hit, showed a greater δDT50 amplitude. Vehicular traffic, average temperature, population density, average income, education and household size showed a correlation with COVID-19 outcomes. The deadly experience in the first epidemic wave and the varying preparedness of the local health systems might have contributed to the inter-regional differences in the second COVID-19 epidemic wave.
Morphological, Immunohistochemical, and Ultrastructural Studies of the Donkey's Eye with Special Reference to the AFGF and ACE Expression
Authors: Attaai Abdelraheim H , Hussein Manal T , Aly Khaled H , Abdel-Maksoud Fatma M
Published: May 2022

The donkey is mainly used as a working animal for riding and pack transport, as well as for dairy and meat production. Eye afflictions are common in donkeys, thus requiring a detailed study. A few studies had focused on the donkey's eye, and most of them had considered it, merely, a horse's eye. This study aimed to investigate the anatomy, histology, ultrastructure, and immunohistochemical features of the donkey's eye. The results were recorded and compared to those of horses in certain dimensions. Unlike horses, the donkey's eye is more circular in the contour of the cornea, has smaller lenticular thickness, and has longer anterior and vitreous chambers. Positive immunoreactivity to acidic fibroblast growth factor in the basal cell layers of the cornea was observed, indicating their role in cell differentiation and the renewal of the epithelium. Moreover, the corneal keratocytes expressed angiotensin-converting enzyme, which plays a role in corneal homeostasis and wound healing. Additionally, telocytes, hyalocytes, and other immune cells were observed within the iris and ciliary processes. Hence, this work is an updated detailed study of the morphology and ultrastructure of the donkey's eye and reveals some similarities and dissimilarities to the horse's eyes, which should be considered in clinical practice.
Dissipation and Bathymetric Sensitivities in an Unstructured Mesh Global Tidal Model
Authors: Blakely Coleman P. , Ling Guoming , Pringle William J. , Contreras María Teresa , Wirasaet Damrongsak , Westerink Joannes J. , Moghimi Saeed , Seroka Greg , Shi Lei , Myers Edward , Owensby Margaret , Massey Chris
Published: May 2022

The mechanisms and geographic distribution of global tidal dissipation in barotropic tidal models are examined using a high resolution unstructured mesh finite element model. Mesh resolution varies between 2 and 25 km and is especially focused on inner shelves and steep bathymetric gradients. Tidal response sensitivities to bathymetric changes are examined to put into context response sensitivities to frictional processes. We confirm that the Ronne Ice Shelf dramatically affects Atlantic tides but also find that bathymetry in the Hudson Bay system is a critical control. We follow a sequential frictional parameter optimization process and use TPXO9 data‐assimilated tidal elevations as a reference solution. From simulated velocities and depths, dissipation within the global model is estimated and allows us to pinpoint dissipation at high resolution. Boundary layer dissipation is extremely focused with 1.4% of the ocean accounting for 90% of the total. Internal tide friction is much more distributed with 16.7% of the ocean accounting for 90% of the total. Often highly regional dissipation can impact basin‐scale and even ocean wide tides. Optimized boundary layer friction parameters correlate very well with the physical characteristics of the locality with high friction factors associated with energetic tidal regions, deep ocean island chains, and ice covered areas. Global complex M2 tide errors are 1.94 cm in deep waters. Total global boundary layer and internal tide dissipation are estimated, respectively, at 1.83 and 1.49 TW. This continues the trend in the literature toward attributing more dissipation to internal tides.