bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DEEP Study: Utility of the multidimensional pain inventory in persistent oro‐facial pain
Authors: Allison James R. , Penlington Chris , Durham Justin
Published: August 2021

Background

Persistent oro‐facial pain (POFP) is disabling, and patients’ treatment outcomes are difficult to predict; psychosocial factors play a role. The West Haven‐Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) is a self‐report measure, which to our knowledge, has not been studied across primary and secondary care in heterogeneous POFP.

Objective

Assess the MPI’s ability to predict clinical outcome in POFP patients across primary and secondary care settings receiving usual care.

Methods

About 146 patients receiving usual care for POFP were recruited from primary and secondary care medical and dental practices in north‐east England. Participants completed the MPI (v3) and Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) at recruitment, and after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The Patient Health Questionnaire‐4 (PHQ‐4) was completed at recruitment, 12, and 24 months. ‘Good’ and ‘poor’ outcome status was assigned to participants based on their mode dichotomised GCPS score across timepoints. Logistic regression was used with overall GCPS outcome (good/poor) as the dependent variable and MPI subscale scores, demographic variables, and PHQ‐4 scores as predictors.

Results

110 participants had a ‘good’, and 36 had a ‘poor’ outcome. In the ‘poor’ outcome group, age, mean income, and life control scores were lower; deprivation, months in pain, PHQ‐4, pain severity, interference, and affective distress scores were higher. In the ‘good’ group, MPI scores improved over time. Interference was the only consistent predictor of ‘poor’ outcome in the logistic regression model (OR: 1.14–1.98, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The MPI interference subscale may help to identify patients with POFP who are likely to have consistent pain‐related disability over time; it may therefore be useful clinically to identify patients likely to need early intervention.
No influence of hepatic steatosis on the 3‐year outcomes of patients with quiescent chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Chang Jin Won , Lee Jae Seung , Lee Hye Won , Kim Beom Kyung , Park Jun Yong , Kim Do Young , Ahn Sang Hoon , Kim Seung Up
Published: August 2021

The influence of hepatic steatosis on the natural history of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus is unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether concurrent steatosis in patients with CHB influences the probability of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss, fibrosis progression and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. This study enrolled treatment‐naïve patients with virologically (HBV DNA <2,000 IU/ml) and biochemically (alanine aminotransferase level <40 IU/L) quiescent CHB who underwent transient elastography between January 2004 and December 2015 and completed 3 years of follow‐up.

Results

The mean age of the study population (n = 720) was 52.0 years, and there were more men than women (n = 419, 58.2%). The mean HBV DNA level was 321.6 IU/ml. During the 3‐year period, 74 (10.3%) patients achieved HBsAg seroclearance. Lower HBV DNA levels (hazard ratio = 0.995, p < .05) were independently associated with HBsAg seroclearance, while hepatic steatosis was not (p > .05). Fibrosis progressed in 89 (12.4%) patients. Male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.720) and higher body mass index (OR = 1.083) were independently associated with an increased probability of fibrosis progression (all p < .05), while higher total cholesterol levels (OR = 0.991) and higher liver stiffness values (OR = 0.862) were independently associated with a decreased probability of fibrosis progression (all p < .05). HCC developed in 46 (6.4%) patients. Male gender (OR = 3.917) and higher AST levels (OR = 1.036) were independently associated with an increased probability of HCC development (p < .05). Hepatic steatosis was not associated with the probability of HBsAg seroclearance, fibrosis progression or HCC development in patients quiescent CHB in our study. Further studies with longer follow‐up periods are required to validate our findings.
Genetic signatures of divergent selection in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) are associated with the variation in temperature and precipitation across its distribution range
Authors: Postolache Dragos , Oddou‐Muratorio Sylvie , Vajana Elia , Bagnoli Francesca , Guichoux Erwan , Hampe Arndt , Le Provost Gregoire , Lesur Isabelle , Popescu Flaviu , Scotti Ivan , Piotti Andrea , Vendramin Giovanni G.
Published: August 2021

High genetic variation and extensive gene flow may help forest trees with adapting to ongoing climate change, yet the genetic bases underlying their adaptive potential remain largely unknown. We investigated range‐wide patterns of potentially adaptive genetic variation in 64 populations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) using 270 SNPs from 139 candidate genes involved either in phenology or in stress responses. We inferred neutral genetic structure and processes (drift and gene flow) and performed differentiation outlier analyses and gene‐environment association (GEA) analyses to detect signatures of divergent selection. Beech range‐wide genetic structure was consistent with the species’ previously identified postglacial expansion scenario and recolonization routes. Populations showed high diversity and low differentiation along the major expansion routes. A total of 52 loci were found to be putatively under selection and 15 of them turned up in multiple GEA analyses. Temperature and precipitation related variables were equally represented in significant genotype‐climate associations. Signatures of divergent selection were detected in the same proportion for stress response and phenology‐related genes. The range‐wide adaptive genetic structure of beech appears highly integrated, suggesting a balanced contribution of phenology and stress‐related genes to local adaptation, and of temperature and precipitation regimes to genetic clines. Our results imply a best‐case scenario for the maintenance of high genetic diversity during range shifts in beech (and putatively other forest trees) with a combination of gene flow maintaining within‐population neutral diversity and selection maintaining between‐population adaptive differentiation.
Phytophthora capsiciCBM1‐containing protein CBP3 is an apoplastic effector with plant immunity‐inducing activity
Authors: Yin Zhiyuan , Wang Nan , Duan Weiwei , Pi Lei , Shen Danyu , Dou Daolong
Published: August 2021

Carbohydrate‐binding module family 1 (CBM1) is a cellulose‐binding domain that is almost exclusively found in fungi and oomycetes. CBM1‐containing proteins (CBPs) have diverse domain architectures and play pivotal roles in the plant–microbe interaction. However, only a few CBPs have been functionally investigated. In this study, we identified PcCBP3 in an oomycete pathogen,Phytophthora capsici. PcCBP3 contains two tandem CBM1 domains and its orthologs from otherPhytophthoraspecies exhibit diversity including gene loss, pseudogenization, variations in sequences, and domain structures.PcCBP3is upregulated during infection and knockout ofPcCBP3results in significantly decreased virulence. Moreover, PcCBP3 requires signal peptide to induce BAK1‐dependent cell death inNicotiana benthamiana. Further studies indicate that PcCBP3‐triggered cell death and plant immunity require its N‐terminal region, which is conserved in CBM1‐containing proteins and other small, secreted, cysteine‐rich protein from oomycetes. These results suggest that PcCBP3 is an apoplastic effector and could be perceived by the plant immune system.
Amber light treatment produces hyperopia in tree shrews
Authors: Khanal Safal , Norton Thomas T , Gawne Timothy J
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Exposure to narrow‐band red light, which stimulates only the long‐wavelength sensitive (LWS) cones, slows axial eye growth and produces hyperopia in tree shrews and macaque monkeys. We asked whether exposure to amber light, which also stimulates only the LWS cones but with a greater effective illuminance than red light, has a similar hyperopia‐inducing effect in tree shrews.

Methods

Starting at 24 ± 1 days of visual experience, 15 tree shrews (dichromatic mammals closely related to primates) received light treatment through amber filters (BPI 500/550 dyed acrylic) either atop the cage (Filter group, n = 8, 300–400 human lux) or fitted into goggles in front of both eyes (Goggle group, n = 7). Non‐cycloplegic refractive error and axial ocular dimensions were measured daily. Treatment groups were compared with age‐matched animals (Colony group, n = 7) raised in standard colony fluorescent lighting (100–300 lux).

Results

At the start of treatment, mean refractive errors were well‐matched across the three groups (p = 0.35). During treatment, the Filter group became progressively more hyperopic with age (p < 0.001). By contrast, the Goggle and Colony groups showed continued normal emmetropization. When the treatment ended, the Filter group exhibited significantly greater hyperopia (mean [SE] = 3.5 [0.6] D) compared with the Goggle (0.2 [0.8] D, p = 0.01) and Colony groups (1.0 [0.2] D, p = 0.01). However, the refractive error in the Goggle group was not different from that in the Colony group (p = 0.35). Changes in the vitreous chamber were consistent with the refractive error changes.

Conclusions

Exposure to ambient amber light produced substantial hyperopia in the Filter group but had no effect on refractive error in the Goggle group. The lack of effect in the Goggle group could be due to the simultaneous activation of the short‐wavelength sensitive (SWS) and LWS cones caused by the scattering of the broad‐band light from the periphery of the goggles.
Does non‐strabismic amblyopia affect the quality of life of adults? Findings from a qualitative study
Authors: Kumaran Sheela Evangeline , Rakshit Archayeeta , Hussaindeen Jameel Rizwana , Khadka Jyoti , Pesudovs Konrad
Published: August 2021

Purpose

While much is known about the psychosocial impacts of strabismus, little is known about the effects of non‐strabismic amblyopia on quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to explore the long‐term impacts of anisometropic amblyopia.

Methods

A phenomenological qualitative investigation was carried out on a sample of adults with anisometropic amblyopia. Subjects participated in in‐depth telephone interviews and described how their eye condition affected different aspects of their life. The interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed iteratively to form emergent themes.

Results

Sixteen participants took part in the study (median age: 21.5 years; range: 18–36 years; 11 male and 5 female). Six themes emerged: (1) symptoms experienced by participants, (2) concerns and apprehensions, (3) emotional impacts, (4) activity limitations, (5) hassle and inconveniences and (6) economic and career implications. Symptoms reported by participants ranged from glare to difficulty concentrating. They were extremely concerned about the safety of their better eye and lived with several doubts and anxieties. Negative emotions such as grief and disappointment due to eye care negligence in childhood was apparent. Guilt and regretful feelings were present in those who did not comply with past treatment. Participants expressed several limitations in driving, reading, mobility (e.g., using stairs) and tasks requiring high resolution. Reported inconveniences associated with coping with their eye condition included having to travel across the country in search of a cure for their amblyopia. Economic impacts ranged from costs associated with accessing eye care and management to career choices being compromised.

Conclusion

Lived experiences of people with anisometropic amblyopia indicate that the QoL impacts are multifaceted and substantial, even in the absence of strabismus. The results have the potential to influence patient‐practitioner relationship by opening newer horizons to communication and care while managing adult amblyopes.
Dispersion and utilization of lipid droplets mediates respiratory syncytial virus‐induced airway hyperresponsiveness
Authors: Dai Pei , Tang Zhongxiang , Qi Mingming , Liu Dan , Bajinka Ousman , Tan Yurong
Published: August 2021

Background

Respiratory viral infections (RSV) can induce acute asthma attacks, thereby destroying lung function and accelerating the progression of the disease. However, medications in the stable phase of asthma are often not effective for acute attacks induced by viral infections. We aimed to clarify the possible mechanism of viral infection–induced asthma through fatty acid metabolism.

Methods and Results

The airway resistances, inflammatory injuries, and oxidative stress in the RSV‐induced animal models were significantly higher than those in the control group at acute phase (7 days) and chronic phase (28 days). Moreover, the concentrations of the medium‐ and long‐chain fatty acids in lung tissue at (28 days) were significantly increased, including 14:0 (myristic acid), 16:0 (palmitic acid, PA), 18:1 (oleic acid, OA), and 18:2 (linoleic acid, LA) using non‐targeted metabonomics. Airway epithelial cells treated with RSV showed the reduced expression of FSP27, RAB8A, and PLIN5, which caused the fusion and growth of lipid droplet (LD), and increased expression of the LD dispersion gene perilipin 2. There was also a decrease in PPARγ expression and an increase in the fatty acid catabolism gene PPARα, causing lipid oxidation, free fatty acid releases, and an upsurge in IL‐1, IL‐2, IL‐4, and IL‐6 expression, which could be abrogated by GPR40 inhibitor. Treated mice or epithelial cells with C18 fatty acid exhibited inhibition of epithelial proliferation, increases of inflammation, and oxidative damage.

Conclusions

RSV promoted lipid dispersion and utilization, causing enlarged oxidative injuries and an upsurge in the pro‐inflammatory cytokines, leading to the progression of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR).
Potentiation of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy by Curcumin‐loaded Graphene Quantum Dots
Authors: Mushtaq Sana , Yasin Tariq , Saleem Muhammad , Dai Tianhong , Yameen Muhammad Arfat
Published: August 2021

Increasing resistance to existing antibiotics by microbes is currently the biggest dilemma. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy is a promising alternative for the treatment of multidrug‐resistant infections. The aim of the current study was to fabricate graphene quantum dots loaded with curcumin as photosensitizer for improved antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. The study involved fabrication of blank and curcumin‐loaded graphene quantum dots, their characterizations (TEM, UV‐visible and fluorescence emission spectra), cytotoxicity assay, ROS assay and investigation of enhanced antimicrobial photodynamic effect against resistant microbes. The fabrication of blank and loaded graphene quantum dots was confirmed by the observation of peak shift and changes in peak intensity of blank graphene quantum dots, curcumin alone compared with curcumin‐loaded graphene quantum dots in UV‐visible and fluoresce emission spectra. Cytotoxicity assay showed that 100 µm concentration was not toxic to NIH/3t3 fibroblasts. In ROS assay, the curcumin‐loaded formulation showed three‐fold increase in ROS production. Blue‐light (405 nm) irradiance of 30 J cm−2 and photosensitizer concentration of 100 µm showed ~3.5 log10 enhanced CUF reduction against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MRSA, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. In conclusion, curcumin‐loaded graphene quantum dots shoed enhanced antimicrobial photodynamic effects and can be used as an alternative effective treatment for resistant infections.
Performance‐dependent reward hurts performance: The non‐monotonic attentional load modulation on task‐irrelevant distractor processing
Authors: He Xin , Liu Weilin , Qin Nan , Lyu Lili , Dong Xue , Bao Min
Published: August 2021

Selective attention is essential when we face sensory inputs with distractions. In the past decades, Lavie's load theory of selective attention delineates a complete picture of distractor suppression under different attentional control load. The present study was originally designed to explore how reward modulates the load effect of attentional selection. Unexpectedly, it revealed new findings under extended attentional load that was not involved in previous work. Participants were asked to complete a rewarded attentive visual tracking task while presented with irrelevant auditory oddball stimuli, with their behavioral performance, event‐related potentials and pupillary responses recorded. We found that although the behavioral performance and pupil sizes varied unidirectionally with the attentional load, the processing of distractors as reflected by the mismatch negativity (MMN) increased first and then decreased. In contrast to the prediction of Lavie's theory that attentional control fails to effectively suppress distractor processing under high attentional control load, our finding suggests that extremely high attentional control load may instead require suppression of distractor processing at a stage as early as possible. Besides, P3a, a positive‐polarity response sometimes following the MMN, was not affected by the attentional load, but both N1 (a negative‐polarity component peaking ~100 ms from sound onset) and P3a were weakened at higher reward, indicating that reward leads to attenuated early processing of distractor and thus suppresses the attentional orienting towards distractors. These findings altogether complement Lavie's load theory of selective attention, presenting a more complex picture of how attentional load and reward affects selective attention.
Behavioral responsive regulation: Bringing together responsive regulation and behavioral public policy
Authors: Barak‐Corren Netta , Kariv‐Teitelbaum Yael
Published: August 2021

The ambition to improve regulators' responsiveness to regulatees has been the driving force of two of the most influential theories in regulation in the past decades: responsive regulation (RR) and behavioral public policy (BPP). Yet despite their substantial impact and shared ambitions, RR and BPP have rarely intersected. In this paper, we explore the intellectual evolution of RR and BPP and compare their differences in assumptions, methodology, and prescriptions. We argue that these differences can be leveraged to promote both theories and generate a synthesis – behavioral responsive regulation (BRR) – that surpasses its progenitors in helping to understand and improve regulation. We offer an expanded regulatory pyramid for BRR and illustrate the advantages of our approach in many contexts and particularly through the example of taxation. Finally, we argue that BRR promotes the effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy of regulation and is superior in these dimensions to both RR and BPP.
Spatial Birth–Death–Move Processes: Basic Properties and Estimation of their Intensity Functions
Authors: Lavancier Frédéric , Le Guével Ronan
Published: August 2021

Many spatiotemporal data record the time of birth and death of individuals, along with their spatial trajectories during their lifetime, whether through continuous-time observations or discrete-time observations. Natural applications include epidemiology, individual-based modelling in ecology, spatiotemporal dynamics observed in bioimaging and computer vision. The aim of this article is to estimate in this context the birth and death intensity functions that depend in full generality on the current spatial configuration of all alive individuals. While the temporal evolution of the population size is a simple birth–death process, observing the lifetime and trajectories of all individuals calls for a new paradigm. To formalise this framework, we introduce spatial birth–death–move processes, where the birth and death dynamics depends on the current spatial configuration of the population and where individuals can move during their lifetime according to a continuous Markov process with possible interactions. We consider non-parametric kernel estimators of their birth and death intensity functions. The setting is original because each observation in time belongs to a non-vectorial, infinite dimensional space and the dependence between observations is barely tractable. We prove the consistency of the estimators in the presence of continuous-time and discrete-time observations, under fairly simple conditions. We moreover discuss how we can take advantage in practice of structural assumptions made on the intensity functions and we explain how data-driven bandwidth selection can be conducted, despite the unknown (and sometimes undefined) second order moments of the estimators. We finally apply our statistical method to the analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of proteins involved in exocytosis in cells, providing new insights on this complex mechanism.
Modelling the COVID-19 Infection Trajectory: A Piecewise Linear Quantile Trend Model
Authors: Jiang Feiyu , Zhao Zifeng , Shao Xiaofeng
Published: August 2021

We propose a piecewise linear quantile trend model to analyse the trajectory of the COVID-19 daily new cases (i.e. the infection curve) simultaneously across multiple quantiles. The model is intuitive, interpretable and naturally captures the phase transitions of the epidemic growth rate via change-points. Unlike the mean trend model and least squares estimation, our quantile-based approach is robust to outliers, captures heteroscedasticity (commonly exhibited by COVID-19 infection curves) and automatically delivers both point and interval forecasts with minimal assumptions. Building on a self-normalized (SN) test statistic, this paper proposes a novel segmentation algorithm for multiple change-point estimation. Theoretical guarantees such as segmentation consistency are established under mild and verifiable assumptions. Using the proposed method, we analyse the COVID-19 infection curves in 35 major countries and discover patterns with potentially relevant implications for effectiveness of the pandemic responses by different countries. A simple change-adaptive two-stage forecasting scheme is further designed to generate short-term prediction of COVID-19 cumulative new cases and is shown to deliver accurate forecast valuable to public health decision-making.
On nonexistence of continuous families of stationary nonlinear modes for a class of complex potentials
Authors: Zezyulin D. A. , Slobodyanyuk A. O. , Alfimov G. L.
Published: August 2021

There are two cases when the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with an external complex potential is well known to support continuous families of localized stationary modes: the ‐symmetric potentials and the Wadati potentials. Recently, Kominis et al. have suggested that the continuous families can be also found in complex potentials of the form , where is an arbitrary real and is a real‐valued and bounded differentiable function. Here we study in detail nonlinear stationary modes that emerge in complex potentials of this type (for brevity, we call them W‐dW potentials). First, we assume that the potential is small and employ asymptotic methods to construct a family of nonlinear modes. Our asymptotic procedure stops at the terms of the order, where small characterizes amplitude of the potential. We therefore conjecture that no continuous families of authentic nonlinear modes exist in this case, but “pseudo‐modes” that satisfy the equation up to ‐error can indeed be found in W‐dW potentials. Second, we consider the particular case of a W‐dW potential well of finite depth and support our hypothesis with qualitative and numerical arguments. Third, we simulate the nonlinear dynamics of found pseudo‐modes and observe that, if the amplitude of W‐dW potential is small, then the pseudo‐modes are robust and display persistent oscillations around a certain position predicted by the asymptotic expansion. Finally, we study the authentic stationary modes that do not form a continuous family, but exist as isolated points. Numerical simulations reveal dynamical instability of these solutions.
Is Client Reporting on Contraceptive Use Always Accurate? Measuring Consistency and Change with a Multicountry Study
Authors: Tsui Amy O. , Cardona Carolina , Srivatsan Varsha , OlaOlorun Funmilola , Omoluabi Elizabeth , Akilimali Pierre , Gichangi Peter , Thiongo Mary ,   PMA Agile Team, Radloff Scott , Anglewicz Philip
Published: August 2021

The consistency of self‐reported contraceptive use over short periods of time is important for understanding measurement reliability. We assess the consistency of and change in contraceptive use using longitudinal data from 9,390 urban female clients interviewed in DR Congo, India, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. Clients were interviewed in‐person at a health facility and four to six months later by phone. We compared reports of contraceptive use at baseline with recall of baseline contraceptive use at follow‐up. Agreement between these measures ranged from 59.1 percent in DR Congo to 84.4 percent in India. Change in both contraceptive method type (sterilization, long‐acting, short‐acting, nonuse) and use status (user, nonuser, discontinuer, adopter, switcher) was assessed comparing baseline to follow‐up reports and retrospective versus current reports within the follow‐up survey. More change in use was observed with panel reporting than within the cross section. The percent agreement between the two scenarios of change ranged from 64.8 percent in DR Congo to 84.5 percent in India, with cross‐site variation. Consistently reported change in use status was highest for nonusers, followed by users, discontinuers, adopters, and switchers. Inconsistency in self‐reported contraceptive use, even over four to six months, was nontrivial, indicating that studying measurement reliability of contraceptive use remains important.
Generalized bioelectric impedance‐based equations underestimate body fluids in athletes
Authors: Coratella Giuseppe , Campa Francesco , Matias Catarina N. , Toselli Stefania , Koury Josely C. , Andreoli Angela , Sardinha Lui­s B. , Silva Analiza M.
Published: August 2021

The current study aimed: (i) to external validate total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) derived from athlete and non‐athlete predictive equations using radioisotope dilution techniques as a reference criterion in male and female athletes; (ii) in a larger sample, to determine the agreement between specific and generalized equations when estimating body fluids in male and female athletes practicing different sports. A total of 1371 athletes (men: n = 921, age 23.9 ± 1.4 y; women: n = 450, age 27.3 ± 6.8 y) participated in this study. All athletes underwent bioelectrical impedance analyses, while TBW and ECW were assessed with dilution techniques in a subgroup of 185 participants (men: n = 132, age 21.7 ± 5.1 y; women: n = 53, age 20.3 ± 4.5 y). Two specific and eight generalized predictive equations were tested. Compared to the criterion methods, no mean bias was observed using the athlete‐specific equations for TBW and ECW (−0.32 to 0.05, p > 0.05) and the coefficient of determination ranged from R2 = 0.83 to 0.94. The majority of the generalized predictive equations underestimated TBW and ECW (p < 0.05); R2 ranged from 0.66 to 0.89. In the larger sample, all the generalized equations showed lower TBW and ECW values (ranging from −6.58 to −0.19, p < 0.05) than specific predictive equations; except for TBW in female power/velocity (one equation) athletes and team sport (two equations). The use of generalized BIA‐based equations leads to an underestimation of TBW, and ECW compared to athlete‐specific predictive equations. Additionally, the larger sample indicates that generalized equations overall provided lower TBW and ECW compared to the athlete‐specific equations.
Particle removal optimization in rotating dissolved air flotation used in paper‐recycling wastewater treatment
Authors: Hasannattaj Jelodar Abbas , Amini Rad Hasan , Borghei Seyed Mehdi , Vossoughi Manuchehr , Rouhollahi Rahmatollah
Published: August 2021

Rotating dissolved air flotation (RDAF) has been utilized for several decades in paper‐recycling wastewater treatment; however, it has rarely been addressed in the literature, which makes research into this system challenging and complicated. However, in this work, a full‐scale industrial wastewater treatment system for a paper‐recycling mill in Mazandaran province, Iran, was evaluated. Experiments indicated that under the same wastewater and chemical conditions, there are differences in the removal efficiencies. This finding was investigated by conducting simulation in ANSYS CFX R18.0 and experimentation simultaneously. Thus, the main purpose of this research was to optimize the operation to achieve the highest removal efficiencies in a cost‐effective manner. For simulation, the flow was considered as a two‐phase homogeneous flow with a continuous solid–fluid phase, which discharges into the separation zone at different scenarios. Particles with diameters of 250, 500 and 1000 μm were introduced at four frame rotating speeds of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 rpm. Measured qualitative parameters of the effluent included COD, BOD, TSS, TDS, conductivity and turbidity, whose removal efficiency ranges were (32.2%–54.8%), (32.7%–54.47%), (94.5%–97.1%), (0.47%–0.55%), (0.48%–0.59%) and (more than 55%), respectively. Moreover, the optimum rotating speeds of the frame for particles with diameters of 250, 500 and 1000 μm were obtained as 0.25, 0.5 and 0.125 rpm, respectively; these values were compared and found to agree with the experimental results.
A Computational Gait Model With a Below-Knee Amputation and a Semi-Active Variable-Stiffness Foot Prosthesis
Authors: McGeehan Michael A. , Adamczyk Peter G. , Nichols Kieran M. , Hahn Michael E.
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Simulations based on computational musculoskeletal models are powerful tools for evaluating the effects of potential biomechanical interventions, such as implementing a novel prosthesis. However, the utility of simulations to evaluate the effects of varied prosthesis design parameters on gait mechanics has not been fully realized due to the lack of a readily-available limb loss-specific gait model and methods for efficiently modeling the energy storage and return dynamics of passive foot prostheses. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a forward simulation-capable gait model with lower-limb loss and a semi-active variable-stiffness foot (VSF) prosthesis. Methods: A seven-segment 28-DoF gait model was developed and forward kinematics simulations, in which experimentally observed joint kinematics were applied and the resulting contact forces under the prosthesis evolved accordingly, were computed for four subjects with unilateral below-knee amputation walking with a VSF. Results: Model-predicted resultant ground reaction force (GRFR) matched well under trial-specific optimized parameter conditions (mean R2: 0.97, RMSE: 7.7% body weight (BW)) and unoptimized (subject-specific, but not trial-specific) parameter conditions (mean R2: 0.93, RMSE: 12% BW). Simulated anterior-posterior center of pressure demonstrated a mean R2 = 0.64 and RMSE = 14% foot length. Simulated kinematics remained consistent with input data (0.23 deg RMSE, R2 > 0.99) for all conditions. Conclusions: These methods may be useful for simulating gait among individuals with lower-limb loss and predicting GRFR arising from gait with novel VSF prostheses. Such data are useful to optimize prosthesis design parameters on a user-specific basis.
Pandemic-Driven Online Teaching—The Natural Setting for a Flipped Classroom?
Authors: Lai Victor K.
Published: August 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic forced a sudden shift to online teaching and learning in April 2020, one of the more significant challenges faced by instructors is encouraging and maintaining student engagement in their online classes. This paper describes my experience of flipping an online classroom for a core Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics class to promote student engagement and collaboration in an online setting. Comparing exam scores with prior semesters involving in-person, traditional lecture-style classes suggests that students need a certain degree of adjustment to adapt to this new learning mode. A decrease in student rating of teaching (SRT) scores indicates that students largely prefer in-person, traditional lectures over an online flipped class, even though written comments in the SRT contained several responses favorable to flipping the class in an online setting. Overall, SRT scores on a department level also showed a similar decrease, which suggests students were less satisfied with the quality of teaching overall throughout the department, with this flipped method of instruction neither improving nor worsening student sentiment toward online learning. In addition, whereas most students liked the prerecorded lecture videos, they were less enthusiastic about using breakout rooms to encourage student collaboration and discussion. Further thought and discussion on best practices to facilitate online student interaction and collaboration are recommended, as online learning will likely continue to grow in popularity even when in-person instruction resumes after the pandemic.
A Finite Element Algorithm for Large Deformation Biphasic Frictional Contact Between Porous-Permeable Hydrated Soft Tissues
Authors: Zimmerman Brandon K. , Maas Steve A. , Weiss Jeffrey A. , Ateshian Gerard A.
Published: August 2021

The frictional response of porous and permeable hydrated biological tissues such as articular cartilage is significantly dependent on interstitial fluid pressurization. To model this response, it is common to represent such tissues as biphasic materials, consisting of a binary mixture of a porous solid matrix and an interstitial fluid. However, no computational algorithms currently exist in either commercial or open-source software that can model frictional contact between such materials. Therefore, this study formulates and implements a finite element algorithm for large deformation biphasic frictional contact in the open-source finite element software FEBio. This algorithm relies on a local form of a biphasic friction model that has been previously validated against experiments, and implements the model into our recently-developed surface-to-surface (STS) contact algorithm. Contact constraints, including those specific to pressurized porous media, are enforced with the penalty method regularized with an active–passive augmented Lagrangian scheme. Numerical difficulties specific to challenging finite deformation biphasic contact problems are overcome with novel smoothing schemes for fluid pressures and Lagrange multipliers. Implementation accuracy is verified against semi-analytical solutions for biphasic frictional contact, with extensive validation performed using canonical cartilage friction experiments from prior literature. Essential details of the formulation are provided in this paper, and the source code of this biphasic frictional contact algorithm is made available to the general public.
Numerical Investigation of Laminar Impinging Jet Cooling of a Protruded Heat Source
Authors: Ganguly Abhisek , Pramanik Shantanu , Mookherjee Orkodip , Sengupta Sayantan
Published: August 2021

Thermofluid dynamics of an unconfined steady two-dimensional laminar jet impinging on an isothermal protruded heater is numerically studied for low jet inlet Reynolds number (Re) between 50 and 250. Results are shown for a range of impingement distances (h/W) between 1 and 10 for Prandtl numbers (Pr) 0.71 and 7.56. The volumetric entrainment increases with increasing h/w and decreasing Re. The reattachment distance of the wall jet appears to increase with Re and shows discernible deviation from the backward-facing step flow prediction for Re>150. Correlations are presented for average heater surface and sidewall Nusselt numbers as functions of Re and h/w for Pr=0.71 and Pr=7.56. In an overall convection dominant heat transfer, a relatively warmer and diffusion-dominated recirculation zone is identified adjacent to the sidewall with a low Nusselt number, which enhances significantly at Pr=7.56 when Re is increased above 100. At a low impingement distance, integrated kinetic energy flux shows greater magnitude in the impingement region but with a higher rate of decay. The integrated heat flux is greatly influenced by Re, and the effect is more pronounced at Pr=0.71. Self-similar behavior is observed for the velocity and heat flux profiles throughout the length in the developed region and for the temperature distribution over the heater surface. Both high Re and high h/w seem to adversely affect the self-similar behavior owing to a slower wall jet development.
Assessment of a Computationally Efficient Method for Industrial Simulations of Transient Heat Transfer During Autoclave Curing
Authors: Catalani Iacopo , Balduzzi Francesco , Mariani Stefano , Ferrara Giovanni , Bianchini Alessandro
Published: August 2021

A numerical approach for transient computational fluid dynamics analyses of the autoclave curing process is presented, aimed at finding a trade-off between accuracy and computational cost that can make it industry-affordable. A steady-state, conjugated heat transfer analysis is carried out for the simultaneous simulation of solid and fluid regions to obtain a spatial distribution of the heat-transfer coefficient. This distribution and the curing temperature diagram are then used as boundary conditions for a transient heat-transfer simulation of the solid parts only. Results are compared to both experiments and coupled fluid–solid, steady-state conjugated heat-transfer simulations proving that the proposed methodology is accurate and less computationally expensive than a fully coupled, fluid–solid simulation.
Pre-Lubricated Polypropylene Injector for Breast Implant Delivery
Authors: Chiang Hsiao-Hung , Su Chen-Ying , Lin Hsiu-Peng , Chen Chiao-Pei , Yu Ting-Chu , Fang Hsu-Wei
Published: August 2021

Breast augmentation is a common esthetic surgery, and there are two major surgical methods for breast implant delivery: the finger method and the plastic film method. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and we have developed a prelubricated polypropylene (PP) injector that might be the most suitable device for delivering breast implants. By covering the interior surface of the injector with a hydrophilic coating, the friction coefficient was significantly reduced when a silicone sled was slid against the prelubricated PP injector. To confirm if the prelubricated PP injector would not damage the breast implant, fatigue testing was performed, and the results showed that the injector did not cause rupture or microleakage of the breast implant. In addition, the cell viability result demonstrated that the prelubricated PP injector was biocompatible. In addition, the prelubricated PP injector provides a small incision site and stability during breast implant delivery. Our results provided evidence that the prelubricated PP injector is a smooth and safe method for breast implant delivery.
Sloshing of Fluid Between Rotating Inner Vertical Shaft and Stationary Outer Casing
Authors: Yonezawa Koichi , Nishimura Kosuke , Sano Takeshi , Miyagawa Kazuyoshi , Tsujimoto Yoshinobu
Published: August 2021

Unsteady behaviors of free surface around a rotating vertical shaft in cylindrical stationary casing were investigated. Experiments were carried out with various rotating frequency of the shaft at two initial water levels. An axi-symmetrical free surface oscillation took place when the rotational speed of the shaft became larger than a certain value. The frequency of the free surface oscillation decreased as the rotating frequency increased. A theoretical model was developed, and the mechanisms of the free surface oscillation were clarified. The oscillation was found to be a sloshing mode excited by the change of fluid angular velocity, caused by the change of wetted areas on the inner rotating shaft and outer stationary casing, associated with the change in free surface height.
In-Situ Calibrated Digital Process Twin Models for Resource Efficient Manufacturing
Authors: Adeniji David , Schoop Julius
Published: August 2021

The chief objective of manufacturing process improvement efforts is to significantly minimize process resources such as time, cost, waste, and consumed energy while improving product quality and process productivity. This paper presents a novel physics-informed optimization approach based on artificial intelligence (AI) to generate digital process twins (DPTs). The utility of the DPT approach is demonstrated in the case of finish machining of aerospace components made from gamma titanium aluminide alloy (γ-TiAl). This particular component has been plagued with persistent quality defects, including surface and sub-surface cracks, which adversely affect resource efficiency. Previous process improvement efforts have been restricted to anecdotal post-mortem investigation and empirical modeling, which fail to address the fundamental issue of how and when cracks occur during cutting. In this work, the integration of in-situ process characterization with modular physics-based models is presented, and machine learning algorithms are used to create a DPT capable of reducing environmental and energy impacts while significantly increasing yield and profitability. Based on the preliminary results presented here, an improvement in the overall embodied energy efficiency of over 84%, 93% in process queuing time, 2% in scrap cost, and 93% in queuing cost has been realized for γ-TiAl machining using our novel approach.
A Comparison of Characteristics of Periodic Surface Micro/Nano Structures Generated Via Single Laser Beam Direct Writing and Particle Lens Array Parallel Beam Processing
Authors: Rajab Fatema H. , Al-Jumaily Anmar K. , A.S Tayf Tariq , Stanescu Sorin Laurentiu , AlShaer Ahmad W. , Li Lin , Al-Hamd Rwayda Kh. S.
Published: August 2021

Changing material surface micro/nanostructures using laser beam texturing is a valuable approach in wide applications such as control of cell/bacterial adhesion and proliferation, solar cells and optical metamaterials. Here, we report a comparison of the characteristics of surface micro/nanostructures produced using single beam laser direct writing and particle lens array parallel laser beam patterning. A Nd:YVO4 nanosecond pulsed laser at the wavelength of 532 nm was used in the laser direct writing method to texture the stainless steel surface submerged in water and in air with different scanning patterns. Changes in surface morphology, wettability, surface chemistry, and optical reflectivity were analyzed. In the particle lens array method, an excimer nanosecond laser at 248 nm wavelength was adopted to produce surface patterns on GeSbTe (GST) film coated on a polycarbonate substrate by splitting and focusing a single laser beam into millions of parallel breams. Single beam laser direct writing shows that the surface of high roughness and oxygen percentage content presented high wettability and low reflectivity characteristics. However, the controllability of the type of surface micro/nanopatterns is limited. The parallel laser beam processing using particle lens array allows rapid production of user designed periodic surface patterns at nanoscale overcoming the optical diffraction limit with a high degree of controllability. Controlling the uniformity of the particle lens array is a challenge.
Categorical perception of lexical tones based on acoustic-electric stimulation
Authors: Niu Yadong , Liu Yuhe , Wu Xihong , Chen Jing
Published: August 2021

The effect of low-frequency acoustic input on the categorical perception of lexical tones was investigated with simulated electric-acoustic hearing. A synthesized T1-T2 (flat-rising) tone continuum of Mandarin monosyllables /i/ was used, and they were manipulated as five conditions: unprocessed, low-frequency acoustic-only, electric-only, electric-acoustic stimulation, and bimodal stimulation. Results showed the performance under electric-only condition was the significantly lowest, and the difference of other pairwise comparisons between conditions was quite small. These findings suggest that the low-frequency acoustic input can shape the categorical perception, and the combinations of acoustic and electric hearing within or across ears have no significant effect.
Analysis of a passive radio frequency excited acoustic transducer
Authors: Hu Lejun , Thompson Charles , Remillard Grace , Chandra Kavitha
Published: August 2021

In this work, the physical processes that govern the operation of a passive acoustic transducer are analyzed and modeled. The wireless battery-free transducer derives its power from an externally applied electromagnetic field generated by a radio transmitter. The audio signal is encoded in the backscattered electromagnetic field. Electro-mechano-acoustical analogies are developed and presented. Power generation, sound transduction, and radio frequency backscatter transmission of the audio signal are analyzed. The resonant frequency of the passive acoustic transducer derived from this analysis is comparable to those reported in the literature.
Failure to protect?
Authors: Piller Charles
Published: August 2021

A study of asthmatic children, most of them Black, shows how a common clinical trial design can expose vulnerable participants to serious risks
High-fat diet–induced colonocyte dysfunction escalates microbiota-derived trimethylamine
N
-oxide
Authors: Yoo Woongjae , Zieba Jacob K. , Foegeding Nora J. , Torres Teresa P. , Shelton Catherine D. , Shealy Nicolas G. , Byndloss Austin J. , Cevallos Stephanie A. , Gertz Erik , Tiffany Connor R. , Thomas Julia D. , Litvak Yael , Nguyen Henry , Olsan Erin E. , Bennett Brian J. , Rathmell Jeffrey C. , Major Amy S. , Bäumler Andreas J. , Byndloss Mariana X.
Published: August 2021

Gut bugs and systemic disease risk

What people eat has an immediate selective effect on the microbial populations resident in the gut. A high-fat diet is associated with the occurrence of microbes that catabolize choline and the accumulation of trimethylamine
N
-oxide (TMAO) in the bloodstream, a contributing factor for heart disease. Yoo
et al
. explored the microbial organisms and pathways that convert choline into TMAO in mice. Although gene clusters for choline metabolism are found widely among the microbiota, it is only the facultative anaerobes that become abundant in hosts on a high-fat diet. A high-fat diet impairs mitochondrial uptake of oxygen into host enterocytes and elevates nitrate in the mucus, which in turn weakens healthy anaerobic gut function. Facultative anaerobes such as the pathobiont
Escherichia coli
become dominant, which leads to an overall increase in the amount of choline catabolized into the precursor for TMAO. Whether this pathway plays a role in heart disease remains unclear. —CA
Molecular phenotyping reveals the identity of Barrett’s esophagus and its malignant transition
Authors: Nowicki-Osuch Karol , Zhuang Lizhe , Jammula Sriganesh , Bleaney Christopher W. , Mahbubani Krishnaa T. , Devonshire Ginny , Katz-Summercorn Annalise , Eling Nils , Wilbrey-Clark Anna , Madissoon Elo , Gamble John , Di Pietro Massimiliano , O’Donovan Maria , Meyer Kerstin B. , Saeb-Parsy Kourosh , Sharrocks Andrew D. , Teichmann Sarah A. , Marioni John C. , Fitzgerald Rebecca C.
Published: August 2021

Identifying the origin of cancer

Many cancers are classified on the basis of the organ or tissue from which they originated. However, identifying the specific cells and conditions that precede tumorigenesis can help us understand and better treat the resulting disease. Nowicki-Osuch
et al
. used a single-cell approach to investigate the cell of origin for Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and the mechanisms leading to the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) (see the Perspective by Geboes and Hoorens). Analyses of healthy human esophageal tissues, mutational lineage tracing, and organoid models revealed that BE originates from the gastric cardia and that EAC arises from undifferentiated BE cells. This analysis provides a map of the transcriptional landscape of the healthy esophagus that can be compared with mouse models of disease. —LMZ