bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uniformly convergent scheme for two‐parameter singularly perturbed problems with non‐smooth data
Authors: Kumar Devendra , Kumari Parvin
Published: October 2020

A numerical scheme is constructed for the problems in which the diffusion and convection parameters (ϵ1andϵ2, respectively) both are small, and the convection and source terms have a jump discontinuity in the domain of consideration. Depending on the magnitude of the ratios, andtwo different cases have been considered separately. Through rigorous analysis, the theoretical error bounds on the singular and regular components of the solution are obtained separately, which shows that in both cases the method is convergent uniformly irrespective of the size of the parametersϵ1,ϵ2. Two test problems are included to validate the theoretical results.
Atatürk and military culture: What Atatürk says about war, soldiering and civil‐military relations?
Authors: Önen Hakkı G.
Published: October 2020

The founder of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Atatürk has a unique place for the Turkish military culture. However, this commitment has mostly remained symbolic and the military has acted highly different to what Atatürk had desired. Following his death in 1938, the military claimed a guardianship duty to preserve Atatürk's “secular” republic. They implemented periodic interventions against democratically elected governments. Yet indeed, Atatürk had been known with his critical stance against military interventions. He had frequently emphasized the importance of civilian supremacy. Indeed, with these periodic interventions, there emerged a “paradox” between the military implementations and Atatürk's ideas. To elaborate this “paradox,” this paper will compare Atatürk's opinions with military implementations. To do this, the paper will firstly analyze Atatürk's ideas about war, soldiering and civil‐military relations. Secondly, the paper will define the relationship between military culture and Kemalism. Lastly, the paper will make a general evaluation of Turkish civil‐military relations.
Genome‐wide mutation analysis in precancerous lesions of endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Li Lihong , Yue Pinli , Song Qianqian , Yen Ting‐Tai , Asaka Shiho , Wang Tian‐Li , Beavis Anna L , Fader Amanda N , Jiao Yuchen , Yuan Guangwen , Shih Ie‐Ming , Song Yan
Published: October 2020

Clinicopathological evidence supports endometrial atypical hyperplasia (AH) or endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia as the precursor of uterine endometrioid carcinoma (EC), the most common gynecologic malignancy. However, the pathogenic progression from AH to EC remains unclear. Here, we employed whole‐exome sequencing to identify somatic mutations and copy number changes in micro‐dissected lesions from 30 pairs of newly diagnosed AH and EC. We found that all but one pair of AHs shared the same DNA mismatch repair status as their corresponding ECs. The percentage of common mutations between AH lesions and corresponding ECs varied significantly, ranging from 0.1% to 82%. Microsatellite stable AHs had fewer cancer driver mutations than ECs (5 versus 7, p = 0.017), but among microsatellite unstable AHs and ECs there was no difference in mutational numbers (36 versus 38, p = 0.65). As compared to AH specimens, 19 (79%) of 24 microsatellite stable EC tumors gained new cancer driver mutations, most of which involved PTEN, ARID1A, PIK3CA, CTNNB1, or CHD4. Our results suggest that some AH lesions are the immediate precursor of ECs, and progression depends on acquisition of additional cancer driver mutations. However, a complex clonal relationship between AH and EC can also be appreciated, as in some cases both lesions diverge very early or arise independently, thus co‐developing with distinct genetic trajectories. Our genome‐wide profile of mutations in AH and EC shines new light on the molecular landscape of tumor progression. © 2020 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Globoidnan A, rabdosiin and globoidnan B as new phenolic markers in European‐sourced comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) root samples
Authors: Trifan Adriana , Wolfram Evelyn , Esslinger Nils , Grubelnik Andreas , Skalicka‐Woźniak Krystyna , Minceva Mirjana , Luca Simon Vlad
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Symphytum officinale L. (comfrey, Boraginaceae) is a cultivated or spontaneously growing medicinal plant that is traditionally used for the treatment of bone fractures, hematomas, muscle pains and joint pains. A wide range of topical preparations and dried roots for ex tempore applications are marketed in European drug stores or pharmacies.

Objective

The aim of this study was to perform the qualitative and quantitative analysis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and phenolic compounds in the hydroethanolic extracts of 16 commercial comfrey root batches purchased from 12 different European countries.

Methods

Liquid chromatography hyphenated with high‐resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐HRMS/MS) was used for the profiling of PAs and phenolic compounds, whereas LC‐MS/MS and liquid chromatography with diode array detection (LC‐DAD) were used for their quantification.

Results

20 PAs (i.e. intermedine, lycopsamine, acetylintermedine, acetyllycopsamine, symphytine, symphytine‐N‐oxide), 17 phenolic compounds (i.e. caffeic and rosmarinic acids, rabdosiin, globoidnan A, globoidnan B) and 9 nonphenolic compounds (sugars, organic and fatty acids) were fully or partly annotated in the analysed samples. In addition, the quantitative analyses revealed that globoidnan B, rabdosiin and globoidnan A are new phenolic markers that can be used together with rosmarinic acid and PAs for the quality control of commercial comfrey root batches.

Conclusions

This study brings new insights into the phytochemical complexity of S. officinale, revealing not only numerous toxic PAs, but also a significant number of valuable phenolic compounds that could contribute to the bioactivities of comfrey‐based preparations.
Cytogenetic signatures of recurrent pregnancy losses
Authors: Yatsenko Svetlana A. , Quesada‐Candela Cristina , Saller Devereux N. , Beck Stacy , Jaffe Ronald , Kostadinov Stefan , Yanowitz Judith , Rajkovic Aleksandar
Published: October 2020

Objectives

To investigate the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in the products of conception (POC) of patients with spontaneous miscarriages (SM) and with recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL) and to determine biological mechanisms contributing to RPL.

Methods

During a 20‐year period, 12 096 POC samples underwent classical chromosome analysis. Cytogenetic findings were compared between the SM and RPL cohorts.

Results

Analysis of RPL cohort has identified an increased incidence of inherited and de novo structural chromosome abnormalities, recurrent polyploid conceptions, and complex mosaic alterations. These abnormalities are the signature of genomic instability, posing a high risk of genetic abnormalities to offspring independent of maternal age. Predominance of male conceptions in the RPL cohort points toward an X‐linked etiology and gender‐specific intolerance for certain genetic abnormalities.

Conclusions

Our study showed several possible genetic etiologies of RPL, including parental structural chromosome rearrangements, predisposition to meiotic nondisjunction, and genomic instability. Loss of karyotypically normal fetuses might be attributed to defects in genes essential for fetal development, as well as aberrations affecting the X chromosome. Molecular studies of parental and POC genomes will help to identify inherited defects in genes involved in meiotic divisions and DNA repair to confirm our hypotheses, and to discover novel fetal‐essential genes.
Effectiveness of adjuvant FOLFOX vs 5FU/LV in adults over age 65 with stage II and III colon cancer using a novel hybrid approach
Authors: Lund Jennifer L. , Webster‐Clark Michael A. , Hinton Sharon Peacock , Shmuel Shahar , Stürmer Til , Sanoff Hanna K.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Estimates of cancer therapy effects can differ in clinical trials and clinical practice, partly due to underrepresentation of certain patient subgroups in trials. We utilize a hybrid approach, combining clinical trial and real‐world data, to estimate the comparative effectiveness of two adjuvant chemotherapy regimens for colon cancer.

Methods

We identified patients aged 66 and older enrolled in the Multicenter International Study of Oxaliplatin/5FU‐LV in the Adjuvant Treatment of Colon Cancer. Similar patients were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)‐Medicare database, initiating adjuvant chemotherapy with either 5‐fluorouracil (5FU) alone or in combination with oxaliplatin (FOLFOX). We used logistic regression to estimate the likelihood of trial enrollment as a function of age, sex, and substage. Using inverse odds of sampling weights (IOSW), we compared 5‐year mortality in patients randomized to FOLFOX vs 5FU using weighted Cox proportional hazards regression, the Nelson‐Aalen estimator for cumulative hazards, and bootstrapping for 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

There were 690 trial participants and 3834 SEER‐Medicare patients. The SEER‐Medicare population was older and had a higher proportion of stage IIIB and IIIC patients than the trial. After controlling for differences between populations, the IOSW 5‐year HR was 1.21 (0.89, 1.65), slightly farther from the null than the trial estimate (HR = 1.14, 95%CI: 0.87, 1.49).

Conclusions

This study supports mounting evidence of little to no incremental reduction in 5‐year mortality for FOLFOX vs 5FU in older adults with stage II‐III colon cancer, emphasizing the importance of combining clinical trial and real‐world data to support such conclusions.
An atomistic simulation towards molecular design of silica polymorphs nanoparticles in polysulfone based mixed matrix membranes for CO2/CH4 gas separation
Authors: Lock Serene Sow Mun , Lau Kok Keong , Jusoh Norwahyu , Shariff Azmi Mohd , Gan Chin Heng , Yiin Chung Loong
Published: October 2020

Incorporation of inorganic fillers into Polysulfone (PSF) to constitute mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) has become a viable solution to prevail over limitations of the pristine materials in natural gas sweetening process. Nevertheless, preparation of MMMs without defects and empirical investigation of membrane that exhibits characteristic of improved CO2/CH4 separation performance at experimental scale are difficult that require prior knowledge on compatibility between the filler and polymer. A computational framework has been conducted to construct validated PSF based MMMs using silica (SiO2) as inorganic fillers. It is known that nanosized SiO2 can coexist in varying polymorph configurations (ie, α‐Quartz, α‐Cristobalite, α‐Tridymite) but molecular simulation study of SiO2 polymorphs to form MMMs is limited. Therefore, this work is a pioneering study to elucidate feasibility in facile utilization of polymorphs to improve gas separation performance of MMMs. Physical properties and gas transport behavior of the simulated PSF based MMMs with different SiO2 polymorphs and loadings have been elucidated. The optimal MMM has been found to be PSF/25 wt% α‐Cristobalite at 55°C. The success in molecular simulation has shed light on how computational tools can provide understandings at molecular level to elucidate compatibility between varying pristine materials to MMMs for natural gas processing.
Isobaric Tag‐Based Protein Profiling across Eight Human Cell Lines Using High‐Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry and Real‐Time Database Searching
Authors: Liu Xinyue , Gygi Steven P. , Paulo Joao A.
Published: October 2020

A vast number of human cell lines are available for cell culture model‐based studies, and as such the potential exists for discrepancies in findings due to cell line selection. To investigate this concept, the authors determine the relative protein abundance profiles of a panel of eight diverse, but commonly studied human cell lines. This panel includes HAP1, HEK293T, HeLa, HepG2, Jurkat, Panc1, SH‐SY5Y, and SVGp12. A mass spectrometry‐based proteomics workflow designed to enhance quantitative accuracy while maintaining analytical depth is used. To this end, this strategy leverages TMTpro16‐based sample multiplexing, high‐field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry, and real‐time database searching. The data show that the differences in the relative protein abundance profiles reflect cell line diversity. The authors also determine several hundred proteins to be highly enriched for a given cell line, and perform gene ontology and pathway analysis on these cell line‐enriched proteins. An R Shiny application is designed to query protein abundance profiles and retrieve proteins with similar patterns. The workflows used herein can be applied to additional cell lines to aid cell line selection for addressing a given scientific inquiry or for improving an experimental design.
Bioavailability of zinc and iron in durum wheat: A trade‐off between grain weight and nutrition?
Authors: Tran Binh T.T. , Cavagnaro Timothy R. , Able Jason A. , Watts‐Williams Stephanie J.
Published: October 2020

Societal Impact Statement

Micronutrients such as zinc and iron are critical for human health. For the world's population that relies on cereal products to obtain micronutrients, the bioavailability (absorption of nutrients in the gut) can be hindered by an anti‐nutritional compound, phytate. Phytate accumulation in grain is affected by soil properties including phosphorus availability and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Here, we investigated the effects of AM fungi and soil phosphorus fertilization on micronutrient bioavailability in durum wheat and found that fertilization greatly decreased the bioavailability of micronutrients, but AM fungi can take up more micronutrients, which can lead to improved bioavailability when the soil is not fertilized.

The bioavailability of micronutrients (zinc [Zn] and iron [Fe]) in cereal crops such as durum wheat is critically important for human nutrition. Bioavailability is a product of complex interactions between plant phosphorus (P) uptake and storage in grain (as phytate), and plant micronutrient uptake. The bioavailability of Zn and Fe in cereal grain is affected by soil nutrient concentrations and associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, but has been scarcely studied.

A geographically diverse collection of 101 durum wheat genotypes was surveyed for grain bioavailability of Zn and Fe. Ten genotypes were then selected and grown with and without AM fungal inoculation and soil P fertilization to understand the effects of manipulating soil P availability and uptake on micronutrient bioavailability.

The strongest negative effect on grain micronutrient bioavailability was soil P fertilization, however, it also led to increased grain weight. Crop variety selection had the greatest variation in the P‐fertilized soil, but AM fungal inoculation had a positive effect on bioavailability in one variety in the non‐fertilized soil.

In order to grow more nutritious durum wheat crops, variety selection and AM fungal inoculation are important considerations. In general, there is a trade‐off between grain weight (yield) and micronutrient bioavailability in grain that could be addressed through breeding P‐deficiency tolerant varieties.
Structural basis for thioredoxin isoform‐based fine‐tuning of ferredoxin‐thioredoxin reductase activity
Authors: Juniar Linda , Tanaka Hideaki , Yoshida Keisuke , Hisabori Toru , Kurisu Genji
Published: October 2020

Photosynthetic electron transport occurs on the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. Ferredoxin (Fd), the final acceptor in the electron transport chain, distributes electrons to several Fd‐dependent enzymes including Fd‐thioredoxin reductase (FTR). A cascade from Fd to FTR further reduces Thioredoxin (Trx), which tunes the activity of target metabolic enzymes eventually in a light‐dependent manner. We previously reported that 10 Trx isoforms in Arabidopsis thaliana can be clustered into three classes based on the kinetics of the FTR‐dependent reduction (high‐, middle‐, and low‐efficiency classes). In this study, we determined the X‐ray structure of three electron transfer complexes of FTR and Trx isoform, Trx‐y1, Trx‐f2, and Trx‐m2, as representative examples of each class. Superposition of the FTR structure with/without Trx showed no main chain structural changes upon complex formation. There was no significant conformational change for single and complexed Trx‐m structures. Nonetheless, the interface of FTR:Trx complexes displayed significant variation. Comparative analysis of the three structures showed two types of intermolecular interactions; (i) common interactions shared by all three complexes and (ii) isoform‐specific interactions, which might be important for fine‐tuning FTR:Trx activity. Differential electrostatic potentials of Trx isoforms may be key to isoform‐specific interactions.
Trigonelline induces browning in 3T3‐L1 white adipocytes
Authors: Choi Minji , Mukherjee Sulagna , Yun Jong Won
Published: October 2020

Trigonelline, a major alkaloid component of fenugreek, has been demonstrated to have several biological activities, including antidiabetic and anticancer effects. This study aimed to examine the possible application of trigonelline as an anti‐obesity compound based on an investigation of its enhancement of lipid catabolism and induction of browning in white adipocytes. Trigonelline induces browning of 3T3‐L1 white adipocytes by enhancing the expressions of brown‐fat signature proteins and genes as well as beige‐specific genes, including Cd137, Cited1, Tbx1, and Tmem26. Trigonelline also improves lipid metabolism in white adipocytes by decreasing adipogenesis and lipogenesis as well as promotes lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. Moreover, trigonelline increases the expression of Cox4, Nrf1, and Tfam genes that are responsible for mitochondrial biogenesis. Mechanistic studies revealed that the browning effect of trigonelline in 3T3‐L1 white adipocytes is mediated by activating β3‐AR and inhibiting PDE4, thereby stimulating the p38 MAPK/ATF‐2 signaling pathway. Considering its high bioavailability in humans and the results of this study, trigonelline may have potential as an anti‐obesity compound.
Understanding changes of the continuous ranked probability score using a homogeneous Gaussian approximation
Authors: Leutbecher Martin , Haiden Thomas
Published: October 2020

Improving ensemble forecasts is a complex process which involves proper scores such as the continuous ranked probability score (CRPS). A homogeneous Gaussian (hoG) model is introduced in order to better understand the characteristics of the CRPS. An analytical formula is derived for the expected CRPS of an ensemble in the hoG model. The score is a function of the variance of the error of the ensemble mean, the mean error of the ensemble mean and the ensemble variance. The hoG model also provides a score decomposition into reliability and resolution components. We examine whether the hoG model provides a useful approximation of the CRPS when applied to operational ECMWF medium‐range ensemble forecasts. The hoG approximation describes the spatial variations of the CRPS well while moderately overestimating the mean score. Seasonal averages over large domains are within 10% of the actual CRPS. Furthermore, the ability to approximate score changes is evaluated by (a) comparing raw ensemble forecasts with postprocessed ensemble forecasts, and (b) by examining score changes associated with a recent upgrade of the IFS. Overall, the hoG approximation predicts the actual CRPS changes well. One of the main anticipated applications of the hoG approximation are new diagnostics in verification software used by NWP developers routinely. The purpose of the diagnostics is to help developers explain impacts of forecast system changes on the CRPS in terms of the changes in mean error, changes in error variance and changes in ensemble variance. The diagnostics require little additional computational resources compared to the alternative of verifying postprocessed versions of the ensemble forecasts. Therefore, it will be feasible to apply the diagnostics easily to all variables that are examined as part of the model development process.
Interference in Atomic Magnetometry
Authors: Jiang Min , Xu Wenjie , Li Qing , Wu Ze , Suter Dieter , Peng Xinhua
Published: October 2020

Atomic magnetometers are highly sensitive detectors of magnetic fields that monitor the evolution of the macroscopic magnetic moment of atomic vapors, and opening new applications in biological, physical, and chemical science. However, the performance of atomic magnetometers is often limited by hidden systematic effects that may cause misdiagnosis for a variety of applications, for example, in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and in biomagnetism. In this work, a hitherto unexplained interference effect in atomic magnetometers is uncovered, which causes an important systematic effect to greatly deteriorate the accuracy of measuring magnetic fields. A standard approach to detecting and characterizing the interference effect in, but not limited to, atomic magnetometers is presented. As applications of the work, the effect of the interference in NMR structural determination and locating the brain electrophysiological symptom is considered, and it is shown that it will help to improve the measurement accuracy by taking interference effects into account. Through the experiments, good agreement is indeed found between the prediction and the asymmetric amplitudes of resonant lines in ultralow‐field NMR spectra—an effect that has not been understood so far. It is anticipated that the work will stimulate interesting new researches for magnetic interference phenomena in a wide range of magnetometers and their applications.
Using two‐dimensional modeling to evaluate strategies of sediment reduction and evacuation for Nanshi river under Guishan dam operations
Authors: Su Ho‐Ting , You Gene Jiing‐Yun , Chu Chia‐Chu
Published: October 2020

This paper presents a unique case study of Nanshi River in Taiwan which may be able to serve as the basis for decision making and river maintenance operations or as a reference for other cases. This study area is composed of regions from upstream alluvial channel to delta‐front and the Guishan Dam reservoir, with a surplus of material supply to transport capacity in the whole region. Dredging is a standard method by which to deal with the accumulation of sediment within a watercourse; however, our understanding of hydrodynamics and sedimentation is limited by the complexity of the sedimentation process. In addition, most of the similar geomorphological studies did not pay attention to the upstream effects of reservoirs on alluvial channels. Similar examples are more often observed in estuaries and coastal zones. Our objective was to evaluate the morphological impact of river dredging implemented in conjunction with downstream gate operations by employing a 2D hydraulic sediment model, SRH‐2D. With the assistance of the model simulations, we revealed that the deposition in the study area is under the interaction among three main mechanisms: headward deposition of the dam, channel width contraction in midstream, and progressive deposition of sediment from the confluence. Accordingly, this study suggested that dredging focuses on the creation of deep trenches in the midstream and upstream sections. It is also important to coordinate gate operations at Guishan Dam with peak flows in order to facilitate the transport of sediment to the reservoir for subsequent discharge via empty flushing. Regarding the effect of Guishan Dam removal, it would have a more pronounced effect on head cutting which leading to erosion in the reservoir and the downstream transport of substantial quantities of sediment, but its effect would be limited to a certain distance. However, dam removal is not considered a viable option considering the need for local water storage and the benefits of the dam in terms of tourism.
Surface roughness and electrical conductivity of the SnO2 ultra‐thin layers investigated by X‐ray reflectivity
Authors: Asgharizadeh Saeid , Lazemi Masoud , Rozati Seyed Mohammad , Sutton Mark , Bellucci Stefano
Published: October 2020

Spray pyrolysis technique was applied to deposit two sets of ultra‐thin layers of tin dioxide (SnO2). For the first and second sets, 0.01 and 0.05 molar precursor solutions were prepared, respectively. In both sets, utilizing the X‐ray reflectivity (XRR) technique, the effect of precursor concentration (PC) and precursor volume (PV) on the layer structure are investigated. The layer thickness of the samples, in each set, is a PV‐dependent parameter. For the same PV, samples with higher PC have a larger thickness and higher density. The electron density profiles deduced from XRR data analyses establish a link between measured values of sheet resistance and electron densities. The samples with higher PV and PC show less sheet resistance. The quantum size effect was utilized to show that the surface roughness for layers of more than almost 200 Å of samples in set two plays no role in the layer conductivity. Meanwhile, the same effect explains, adequately, the role of the surface roughness in the resistivity of the ultra‐thin layers in Set 1.
Energetic Metal–Organic Frameworks Derived Highly Nitrogen‐Doped Porous Carbon for Superior Potassium Storage
Authors: Tong Huigang , Wang Changlai , Lu Jian , Chen Shi , Yang Kang , Huang Minxue , Yuan Qing , Chen Qianwang
Published: October 2020

The carbonaceous materials with low cost and high safety have been considered as promising anodes for potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs). However, it is still a challenge to design a carbonaceous material with long cycle life and high rate performance due to the poor K+ reaction kinetics. Herein, this article reports a N‐doped porous carbon framework (NPCF) with a high nitrogen content of 13.57 at% within high doping level of the pyrrolic N and pyridinic N, which exhibits a high reversible capacity of 327 mA h g−1 over 100 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1, excellent rate capability (144 and 105 mA h g−1 at 10 and 20 A g−1, respectively) and great cyclability of 258.9 mA h g−1 after 2000 cycles at 1 A g−1. Such a high rate performance and excellent cycling stability anode material is seldom reported in PIBs. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the pyrrolic and pyridinic N‐doping are helpful to enhance the K adsorption ability, thereby increasing the specific capacity.
The versatility of creaky phonation: Segmental, prosodic, and sociolinguistic uses in the world's languages
Authors: Davidson Lisa
Published: October 2020

Creaky phonation (also known as creaky voice, vocal fry, laryngealization, or glottalization) is a voice quality that refers to shortened and thickened vocal folds that vibrate at a low and quasi‐regular fundamental frequency with a long period of damping. Cross‐linguistically, creaky phonation can span either short or long domains. When implemented on individual vowels or consonants (as in Zapotec or Montana Salish), it can signal phonemic contrast with other voice qualities, or it can be an additional acoustic cue to enhance other contrasts, such as tone (as in Mandarin or Cantonese). Another segmental use of creaky phonation in many languages is as a variant of glottal stop. Creaky phonation can also be implemented as a prosodic element that signals the end of a phrase (as in English or Mandarin), or indicates relinquishing a conversational turn (as in Finnish). It can also express meaning in a social interaction, such as irritation (in Vietnamese). Lastly, creaky phonation can be deployed as a sociolinguistic marker to establish identities, convey affect, or distinguish one speech group from another within the same language. In some social circumstances, such as the perception that young women use creaky phonation at greater rates than men do, it can be evaluated negatively by listeners. As creaky phonation can be combined with linguistic elements at various levels and is easily perceptible, it has taken on a remarkable number of roles in our linguistic repertoires.

This article is categorized under:

Linguistics > Language in Mind and Brain
Estimation of Explosive Energy Output by EXPLO5 Thermochemical Code
Authors: Suceska Muhamed , Dobrilovic Mario , Bohanek Vjecislav , Stimac Barbara
Published: October 2020

Detonation velocity, detonation pressure, and detonation heat are usually used as a measure of explosive's performance. However, they do not answer the question how fast an explosive can accelerate the surrounding metal liner. A semi‐empirical solution to this problem was proposed byR. W. Gurneyin 1943. In this paper we used thermochemical calculations to calculate energy of detonation products along the expansion isentrope and to estimate the Gurney energy and cylinder wall velocity from it. It was found that for the same degree of the products expansion, experimentally determined Gurney energy is systematically less than calculated detonation energy due to the energy losses. At about threefold expansion of the products, the detonation energy matches very well with an experimental Gurney energy.
Stress-constrained optimization using graded lattice microstructures
Authors: Thillaithevan Dilaksan , Bruce Paul , Santer Matthew
Published: October 2020

In this work, we propose a novel method for predicting stress within a multiscale lattice optimization framework. On the microscale, a scalable stress is captured for each microstructure within a large, full factorial design of experiments. A multivariate polynomial response surface model is used to represent the microstructure material properties. Unlike the traditional solid isotropic material with a penalization-based stress approach or using the homogenized stress, we propose the use of real microscale stress components with macroscale strains through linear superposition. To examine the accuracy of the multiscale stress method, full-scale finite element simulations with non-periodic boundary conditions were performed. Using a range of microstructure gradings, it was determined that 6 layers of microstructures were required to achieve periodicity within the full-scale model. The effectiveness of the multiscale stress model was then examined. Using various graded structures and two load cases, our methodology was shown to replicate the von Mises stress in the center of the unit lattice cells to within 10% in the majority of the test cases. Finally, three stress-constrained optimization problems were solved to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. Two stress-constrained weight minimization problems were demonstrated, alongside a stress-constrained target deformation problem. In all cases, the optimizer was able to sufficiently reduce the objective while respecting the imposed stress constraint.
The nutritional and cardiovascular health benefits of rapeseed oil-fed farmed salmon in humans are not decreased compared with those of traditionally farmed salmon: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: de Roos Baukje , Wood Sharon , Bremner David , Bashir Shabina , Betancor Monica B. , Fraser William D. , Duthie Susan J. , Horgan Graham W. , Sneddon Alan A.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Farmed fish are increasingly raised on feeds containing vegetable oils, which affects their composition and possibly health properties. We investigated the effects of consuming farmed salmon, raised on different feeding regimes, on nutrient status and health outcomes in healthy subjects.

Methods

Salmon were grown on feeds containing mainly fish oil (FO) or rapeseed oil (RO), resulting in an eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content of fillets of 2.1 or 0.9 g/100 g, respectively. In a randomized parallel controlled trial, 51 healthy subjects were allocated to consume 2 portions/week of FO salmon (n = 17), RO salmon (n = 17) or no additional salmon (Control, n = 17) as part of their habitual diet, for 18 weeks. We collected blood at 0, 9 and 18 weeks to measure omega-3 index (O3I) in red blood cells, plasma markers of cardiovascular risk, serum 25(OH)-vitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) and plasma trace elements.

Results

After 18 weeks, O3I was similarly increased in subjects consuming 2 portions/week of FO or RO salmon compared to control (both p < 0.05). Serum 25(OH)D3 was significantly higher, whereas plasma triacylglycerols were significantly lower in subjects consuming RO salmon compared to control (both p < 0.05). Heart rate was significantly lower in subjects consuming FO salmon after 9 weeks, compared to control (p < 0.01). Salmon consumption did not affect other markers.

Conclusion

Consuming two portions/week of salmon raised on rapeseed oil rather than fish oil increased the O3I and vitamin D status, and decreased plasma triacylglycerols. These outcomes endorse opportunities for developing more sustainable feeds within aquaculture food systems.

Clinical trial registry

This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01916434.
A mobile VR-based respiratory biofeedback game to foster diaphragmatic breathing
Authors: Rockstroh Christoph , Blum Johannes , Göritz Anja S.
Published: October 2020

Virtual reality (VR) has become popular in mental health research. Several studies have explored the use of VR in the context of biofeedback protocols. In the present paper, we report on the development and evaluation of a VR-based respiratory biofeedback game to foster diaphragmatic breathing. The game integrates respiratory biofeedback, restorative VR and gamification. The game is designed to run on a mobile, all-in-one VR headset. Notably, an integrated VR hand controller is utilized as a sensor to detect respiration-induced movements of the diaphragm. In a longitudinal within-subjects study, we explored the feasibility of the game and tested the effectiveness of six training sessions. Participants reported a pleasant user experience. Moreover, the results show that the brief VR-based breathing training increased perceived breath awareness, improved diaphragmatic breathing, increased relaxation, decreased perceived stress, reduced symptoms of burnout and boosted relaxation-related self-efficacy. Future studies need to address the generalizability and long-term stability of the results, compare the approach with existing treatments and fine-tune the training components.
DeepCOMO: from structure-activity relationship diagnostics to generative molecular design using the compound optimization monitor methodology
Authors: Yonchev Dimitar , Bajorath Jürgen
Published: October 2020

The compound optimization monitor (COMO) approach was originally developed as a diagnostic approach to aid in evaluating development stages of analog series and progress made during lead optimization. COMO uses virtual analog populations for the assessment of chemical saturation of analog series and has been further developed to bridge between optimization diagnostics and compound design. Herein, we discuss key methodological features of COMO in its scientific context and present a deep learning extension of COMO for generative molecular design, leading to the introduction of DeepCOMO. Applications on exemplary analog series are reported to illustrate the entire DeepCOMO repertoire, ranging from chemical saturation and structure–activity relationship progression diagnostics to the evaluation of different analog design strategies and prioritization of virtual candidates for optimization efforts, taking into account the development stage of individual analog series.
Characterisation of the Contaminants Generated from a Large-Scale Ex-Situ Underground Coal Gasification Study Using High-Rank Coal from the South Wales Coalfield
Authors: Sadasivam Sivachidambaram , Zagorščak Renato , Thomas Hywel Rhys , Kapusta Krzysztof , Stańczyk Krzysztof
Published: October 2020

This paper presents an analysis of contaminants generated from large-scale, laboratory-based, underground coal gasification (UCG) experiments using a high-rank coal from the South Wales Coalfield. The experiments were performed at atmospheric and elevated pressures (30 bar) by varying the oxidants’ composition. The experiments were designed to predict the amount of produced water and contaminants generated at each stage of the operating conditions. The mass balance of water supplied and produced in the experiments was accounted for. Chemical analyses of produced water, char and ash contents were performed to quantify the inorganic and organic chemical parameters. Most of the contaminant concentrations in the produced water from the 30-bar pressure experiment were lower than the concentrations generated from the atmospheric pressure experiment. The measured concentrations of the inorganic chemical species and the inorganic parameters of the coal seam water from the South Wales Coalfield were used in theoretical calculations to predict the dominant equilibrium species concentrations in a hypothetical scenario of effluent contaminated groundwater. The biodegradation of organic contaminants such as phenol, benzene and sorbed fractions of inorganic contaminants from the produced water on iron oxide in the ash residue was predicted using existing biotransformation kinetics and surface complexation models, respectively. The biodegradation of phenol and benzene would be a slow process even at optimum conditions and the iron oxide left in the cavity can act as a sorbent for a few inorganic species. The evidence from the present study suggests future work towards (i) developing an appropriate water treatment process during gas cleaning, (ii) operational procedure (pressure and proportions of oxidant) and (iii) developing UCG-specific experimental prediction of contaminant transportation and transformation kinetics.
Sexual Satisfaction and Frequency of Orgasm in Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain due to Endometriosis
Authors: Hämmerli Silvan , Kohl-Schwartz Alexandra , Imesch Patrick , Rauchfuss Martina , Wölfler Monika M. , Häberlin Felix , von Orelli Stephanie , Leeners Brigitte
Published: October 2020

Background

Dyspareunia, one of the main symptoms of the chronic gynecological pelvic pain disorder endometriosis, may interfere with the likelihood of reaching an orgasm, yet for women with dyspareunia, no data on orgasm rates in different sexual activities are available.

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability to reach an orgasm and its association with sexual satisfaction during different sexual activities in women with a chronic pelvic pain disorder and in healthy control women.

Methods

A set of questionnaires including the brief index of sexual functioning and global sexual functioning was used to evaluate sexuality in women affected with endometriosis (n = 434) and a nonaffected control group (n = 434) recruited in German-speaking countries.

Outcomes

The primary outcome measure of this study was the orgasm rate during different types of sexual activities.

Results

Only the ability to have an orgasm during sexual intercourse (P = .002) but not during masturbation (P = .509) or partnered noncoital sexual activities (P = .229) is affected by endometriosis. Dyspareunia was associated with a reduced ability to experience an orgasm during intercourse for endometriosis patients (P = .020) and control women (P = .006). The ability to orgasm during noncoital sexual activities (P = .006) and sexual intercourse (P = .038) was associated with a higher sexual satisfaction in women with endometriosis. For controls, only the ability to achieve an orgasm with sexual intercourse was associated with sexual satisfaction (P = .038).

Clinical implications

Sexual counselling as part of medical support could help couples living with chronic pelvic pain of the female partner integrate noncoital sexual activities in their sex lives, leading to fewer sex-related problems and higher sexual desire and satisfaction.

Strengths and limitations

This study is the first to examine different ways of achieving an orgasm and sexual satisfaction in a large group of women with endometriosis and a matched control group. The breadth of the questionnaire allowed a differentiated analysis of factors influencing the likelihood of achieving an orgasm and overall sexual satisfaction. The one limitation is that the length and the intimate nature of the questionnaire possibly resulted in reluctance to answer this part of the questionnaire.

Conclusion

Partnered noncoital sexual activities may represent an alternative to reach orgasm for women with endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain or anorgasmia during sexual intercourse.
‘Artists Hidden from Human Gaze’: Visual Culture and Mysticism in the Nineteenth-Century Convent
Authors: Jordan Kate
Published: October 2020

This article offers a reading of nineteenth-century Roman Catholic theology through the sacred art produced by and for women religious. The practices and devotions that the article explores, however, are not those that drew from the institutional Church but rather from the legacies of mysticism, many of which were shaped in women’s religious communities. Scholars have proposed that mysticism was stripped of its intellectual legitimacy and relegated to the margins of theology by post-Enlightenment rationalism, thereby consigning female religious experience to the politically impotent private sphere. The article suggests, however, that, although the literature of women’s mysticism entered a period of decline from the end of the Counter-Reformation, an authoritative female tradition, expressed in visual and material culture, continued into the nineteenth century and beyond. The art that emerged from convents reflected the increasing visibility of women in the Roman Catholic Church and the burgeoning of folkloric devotional practices and iconography. This article considers two paintings as evidence that, by the nineteenth century, the aporias1 of Christian theology were consciously articulated by women religious though the art that they made: works which, in turn, shaped the creed and culture of the institutional Church. In so doing, the article contributes to the growing body of scholarship on the material culture of religion.
THE ADDITIVE GROUPS OF AND WITH PREDICATES FOR BEING SQUARE-FREE
Authors: BHARDWAJ NEER , TRAN CHIEU-MINH
Published: October 2020

We consider the structures
$(\mathbb {Z}; \mathrm {SF}^{\mathbb {Z}})$
,
$(\mathbb {Z}; <, \mathrm {SF}^{\mathbb {Z}})$
,
$(\mathbb {Q}; \mathrm {SF}^{\mathbb {Q}})$
, and
$(\mathbb {Q}; <, \mathrm {SF}^{\mathbb {Q}})$
where
$\mathbb {Z}$
is the additive group of integers,
$\mathrm {SF}^{\mathbb {Z}}$
is the set of
$a \in \mathbb {Z}$
such that
$v_{p}(a) < 2$
for  every prime p and corresponding p-adic valuation
$v_{p}$
,
$\mathbb {Q}$
and
$\mathrm {SF}^{\mathbb {Q}}$
are defined likewise for rational numbers, and
$<$
denotes the natural ordering on each of these domains. We prove that the second structure is model-theoretically wild while the other three structures are model-theoretically tame. Moreover, all these results can be seen as examples where number-theoretic randomness yields model-theoretic consequences.
CLASSES OF BARREN EXTENSIONS
Authors: DOBRINEN NATASHA , HATHAWAY DAN
Published: October 2020

Henle, Mathias, and Woodin proved in [21] that, provided that${\omega }{\rightarrow }({\omega })^{{\omega }}$holds in a modelMof ZF, then forcing with$([{\omega }]^{{\omega }},{\subseteq }^*)$overMadds no new sets of ordinals, thus earning the name a “barren” extension. Moreover, under an additional assumption, they proved that this generic extension preserves all strong partition cardinals. This forcing thus produces a model$M[\mathcal {U}]$, where$\mathcal {U}$is a Ramsey ultrafilter, with many properties of the original modelM. This begged the question of how important the Ramseyness of$\mathcal {U}$is for these results. In this paper, we show that several classes of$\sigma $-closed forcings which generate non-Ramsey ultrafilters have the same properties. Such ultrafilters include Milliken–Taylor ultrafilters, a class of rapid p-points of Laflamme,k-arrow p-points of Baumgartner and Taylor, and extensions to a class of ultrafilters constructed by Dobrinen, Mijares, and Trujillo. Furthermore, the class of Boolean algebras$\mathcal {P}({\omega }^{{\alpha }})/{\mathrm {Fin}}^{\otimes {\alpha }}$,$2\le {\alpha }<{\omega }_1$, forcing non-p-points also produce barren extensions.
UNIFORM DEFINABILITY OF INTEGERS IN REDUCED INDECOMPOSABLE POLYNOMIAL RINGS
Authors: BARONE MARCO , CARO NICOLÁS , NAZIAZENO EUDES
Published: October 2020

We prove first-order definability of the prime subring inside polynomial rings, whose coefficient rings are (commutative unital) reduced and indecomposable. This is achieved by means of a uniform formula in the language of rings with signature $(0,1,+,\cdot )$. In the characteristic zero case, the claim implies that the full theory is undecidable, for rings of the referred type. This extends a series of results by Raphael Robinson, holding for certain polynomial integral domains, to a more general class.
Latin Literature
Authors: Whitton Christopher
Published: October 2020

First up, a brace of major Teubner editions. Marcus Deufert's De rerum natura marks a significant moment in Lucretian studies. I suspect that most people, at least in the Anglosphere, are still using Cyril Bailey's venerable Oxford Classical Text (revised in 1922) for everyday reading, if not the equally antique Loeb (W. D. Rouse, 1924). In broadest outline, text-critical views haven't changed much since: a ‘closed’ tradition, in which two Carolingian manuscripts rejoicing in the workaday names Oblongus and Quadratus are prime witnesses, but often problematic ones; a mass of manuscripts from Renaissance Italy, which editors consult primarily for conjectures. But the last century has seen plenty of important work, and Deufert can report more precisely on the various corrections made in O and Q; affirm that all Italian manuscripts descend from O, and give them a stemma; pan many more humanist conjectures; wade in the muddy river (xxi) of modern interventions; and offer his own solutions to, or non liquet on, textual problems small and large. The result is a text with plenty of novelties (and many questions left open), and an edition with a very different look.
Reception
Authors: Bridges Emma , Stead Henry
Published: October 2020

Bloomsbury's Imagines series, edited by Filippo Carlà-Uhink and Martin Lindner, focuses on classical receptions in the visual and performing arts. It has blazed into 2020 with three edited volumes and one monograph. The monograph by Carlà-Uhink is on the reception of classical Greece in theme parks, and the edited volume that has landed on our desk is Classical Antiquity in Video Games. In this attractive volume, clad in the stylish graphics of Alientrap's Apotheon (2015), Christian Rollinger has assembled a vital collection of essays on the underexplored subject. As he emphatically proclaims, ‘Video games are everywhere’ (xiii) and this book is a lifeline for countless university teachers faced with the task of supervising students enthusiastically writing about the ever-expanding mass of classically inspired games.
The Media Spectacle of a Techno-City: COVID-19 and the South Korean Experience of the State of Emergency
Authors: Kang Jaeho
Published: October 2020

This essay provides a critical observation of the South Korean government's distinctive management of COVID-19 with particular reference to the state of emergency. It reveals that the success of South Korea's handling of the pandemic is largely attributed by a majority of Western media to the efficient deployment of both information and communication technologies and Confucian collectivism, two components that seem contradictory yet not incompatible under the rubric of techno-Orientalism. Analyzing the intensification of surveillance and the rapid datafication of society, this essay argues that the current state of emergency is not a breakdown of normality but a continuation of the state of crisis and disaster that rules a developing country like South Korea. In doing so, the essay seeks to facilitate a critical discussion about a new mode of democracy in the era of pandemic that increasingly grapples with tensions between individual freedom and public health.