bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical features, isolation, and complete genome sequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 from the first two patients in Vietnam
Authors: Phan Lan T. , Nguyen Thuong V. , Huynh Loan K. T. , Dao Manh H. , Vo Tho A. N. , Vu Nhung H. P. , Pham Hang T. T. , Nguyen Hieu T. , Nguyen Thuc T. , Le Hung Q. , Nguyen Thinh V. , Nguyen Quan H. , Huynh Thao P. , Nguyen Sang N. , Nguyen Anh H. , Nguyen Ngoc T. , Nguyen Thao N. T. , Nguyen Long T. , Luong Quang C. , Cao Thang M. , Pham Quang D.
Published: May 2020

In January 2020, we identified two severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2)‐infected patients in a familial cluster with one person coming from Wuhan, China. The complete genome sequences of two SARS‐CoV‐2 strains isolated from these patients were identical and 99.98% similar to strains isolated in Wuhan. This is genetically suggestive of human‐to‐human transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 and indicates Wuhan as the most plausible origin of the early outbreak in Vietnam. The younger patient had a mild upper respiratory illness and a brief viral shedding, whereas the elderly with multi‐morbidity had pneumonia, prolonged viral shedding, and residual lung damage. The evidence of nonsynonymous substitutions in the ORF1ab region of the viral sequence warrants further studies.
Kinetic modeling of ZnO‐rGO catalyzed degradation of methylene blue
Authors: Nisar Asif , Saeed Muhammad , Usman Muhammad , Muneer Majid , Adeel Muhammad , Khan Iltaf , Akhtar Javaid
Published: May 2020

Photodegradation of organic pollutants strongly depends on design of metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts. Graphene, if composited with ZnO, can effectively enhance its photocatalytic performance for the eradication of pollutants from aqueous medium. Here in, ZnO‐rGO is reported as highly active catalyst for degradation of methylene blue. A 200‐mg/L solution of methylene blue dye was completely degraded within 1 h in comparison to 74% and 56% degradation over ZnO and rGO, respectively. The commonly used mechanisms of heterogeneous catalytic reactions, the Langmuir‐Hinshelwood mechanism, and the Eley‐Rideal mechanisms, were used to describe the reaction kinetics. The Langmuir‐Hinshelwood mechanism was found as more favorable in this study. Apparent activation energy, Eap, true activation energy, ET, entropy, ΔS, and enthalpy, ΔH were calculated as 36.2 kJ/mol, 13.1 kJ/mol, 197.5 J/mol, and 23.1 kJ/mol, respectively.
Investigating uncertainties created by camera improvement in an optical survey
Authors: Bethoney N. David
Published: May 2020

Fish are an essential source of global food. Fishery‐independent data is critical to fisheries assessment and management. The uncertainties created by changing methods to collect this data must be understood. In the U.S. Northeast Atlantic, a drop camera survey of Atlantic sea scallops is a critical source of fishery‐independent data. From 1999 to 2016 the primary sampling unit of the survey was an analog 2.8 m2 image. In 2017 this image was replaced with a digital 2.3 m2 image. Here the key uncertainties associated with this change, an increased ability to detect small scallops and altered estimates of size frequencies and densities due to the survey's methods in the context of the smaller image size, are explored. Scallop detection differences were quantified using a maximum likelihood model and paired analog and digital images. The proportion of scallops measured by size in actual and simulated data and different methods of counting scallops along the edges of images were compared to explore these uncertainties. More scallops were detected in the digital images until scallops were greater than 75 mm in shell height, indicating the models developed here are needed to adjust scallop counts for analysis incorporating juveniles and data from the two cameras. The proportion of scallops measured did not match the simulation and was not linked to quadrat size. There was no significant difference in scallop density with different counting methods. This investigation spurred by altering the methods of a well‐established survey provided confidence in results with potential avenues for fine‐tuning.
Isocyanoacetate‐Aldehyde Polymerization: A Facile Tool toward Functional Oxazoline‐Containing Polymers
Authors: Cheng Tianyu , Chen Yizhao , Ding Jie , Qin Anjun , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: May 2020

As an important nitrogen source, isocyanides have been involved in numerous organic reactions. As a result, many complicated compounds have been successfully synthesized through isocyanide chemistry. However, compared with its popular research in organic reactions, the application of isocyanides in polymerization is less investigated. In this work, a new polymerization based on isocyanide monomers is established. By simply mixing diisocyanoacetates and dialdehydes in the presence of a catalytic system of CuCl/PPh3/organobase in dichloromethane at room temperature readily produces soluble and thermally stable oxazoline‐containing polymers with moderate weight‐averaged molecular weights (Mw up to 11 200) in excellent yields (up to 97%) after 6 h. Furthermore, introducing the tetraphenylethene moiety into the main chains endows the resultant polymers with aggregation‐induced emission, which can function as fluorescent probes for Fe3+ ion detection with high sensitivity and selectivity. This work not only enriches the family of isocyanide‐based polymerizations but also provides an efficient tool for the preparation of functional heterocycle‐containing polymers.
Fumarate hydratase c.914T > C (p.Phe305Ser) is a pathogenic variant associated with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome
Authors: Breen Kelsey E. , Carlo Maria I. , Kemel Yelena , Maio Anna , Chen Ying‐Bei , Zhang Liying , Ceyhan‐Birsoy Ozge , Mandelker Diana
Published: May 2020

Background

Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome (HLRCC), caused by heterozygous germline pathogenic variants in the FH, confers an increased risk for cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas and renal cancer.

Methods

About 13,722 advanced cancer patients, including 560 with renal cell carcinoma, had germline analysis performed in the context of tumor‐normal sequencing under an IRB approved protocol.

Results

We report two unrelated individuals with early onset kidney cancer who both carried the c.914C > T (p.Phe305Ser) germline variant in the FH. Both tumors exhibited loss of FH staining by immunohistochemistry and/or positive 2SC staining. Subsequent familial testing discovered that a daughter of a proband who carried the variant had both cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas.

Conclusion

This combination of evidence suggests that the FH c.914C > T (p.Phe305Ser) is pathogenic for HLRCC.
Existence and Ulam's type stability results for a class of fractional boundary value problems on a star graph
Authors: Zhang Wei , Liu Wenbin
Published: May 2020

This paper is concerned with a nonlinear fractional boundary value problem on a star graph. By using a transformation, the suggested problem is converted into an equivalent system of fractional boundary value problem. Schaefer's fixed point theorem and Banach's contraction principle is used to establish its existence and uniqueness results. Further, different kinds of Ulam's type stability results for the proposed problem have been discussed. Finally, two examples are presented to illustrate the application of the obtained results.
Stability analysis of activation‐inhibition Boolean networks with stochastic function structures
Authors: Zhao Guodong , Liang Shuang , Li Haitao
Published: May 2020

This paper analyzes the stability of activation‐inhibition Boolean networks with stochastic function structures. First, the activation‐inhibition Boolean networks with stochastic function structures are converted to the form of logical networks by the method of semitensor product of matrices. Second, based on the obtained algebraic forms, we use matrices to denote the index set of possible logical operators and transition probabilities for activation‐inhibition Boolean networks. Third, equivalence criterions are presented for the stabilities analysis of activation‐inhibition Boolean networks with stochastic function structures. Finally, an example is given to verify the validity of the results.
Guidance for resumption of routine electrodiagnostic testing during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Desai Urvi , Kassardjian Charles D. , Del Toro David , Gleveckas‐Martens Nida , Srinivasan Jayashri , Venesy Deborah , Narayanaswami Pushpa ,   the AANEM Quality and Patient Safety Committee
Published: May 2020

As the world accommodates to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, routine in‐person medical services are resuming. The resumption of non urgent electrodiagnostic (EDX) testing faces unique challenges due to the long duration of the procedure and direct close contact with patients, including studies with risk of exposure to oropharyngeal secretions. We provide consensus guidance for resumption of EDX testing, addressing scheduling, patient arrival and registration, use of personal protective equipment, COVID‐19 screening and testing, the performance of EDX testing in outpatient and inpatient settings, cleaning and maintenance of the EDX equipment and laboratory, balancing trainee safety and training requirements, and patient care issues. These are broad recommendations that need to be adapted to local COVID‐19 risks, institutional guidelines and policies, and changing federal, state, and local regulations, and to changes in the pandemic over time.
Assessment and perception of student farm background in an introductory agriculture course
Authors: Boerngen Maria A. , Rickard Justin W.
Published: May 2020

As faculty continue to become generations removed from production agriculture, it may be difficult for some instructors to determine the production experience of students in their classrooms. This presents a unique issue in the broader field of agriculture education across disciplines in areas such as curriculum development and teaching methodology. The objective of this study was to quantify student self‐perceptions of their farming backgrounds and experiences in a non‐land‐grant university agriculture department. Students in an introductory agriculture course at Illinois State University were surveyed over four consecutive semesters to determine previous agricultural experience. Out of a total course enrollment of 775, 200 students indicated a farm background. This study focuses on these 200 students. Grain production experience was indicated by 79.5% of participants, and 52% of students reported livestock production experience, many of which (41.3%) were junior/4‐H/FFA‐based, which may influence student perception of commercial practices. Although 46.7% of respondents reported at least half of their family's household income was farm‐based, the proportion of household income generated by farming was greater for students indicating primarily grain farming backgrounds. Contrary to typical perceptions of “farm kids,” results of this study indicate low levels of production experience, and further evaluation of student and teacher agricultural experiences and perceptions is warranted.
Practical guide for pediatric pulmonologists on imaging management of pediatric patients with COVID‐19
Authors: Foust Alexandra M. , McAdam Alexander J. , Chu Winnie C. , Garcia‐Peña Pilar , Phillips Grace S. , Plut Domen , Lee Edward Y.
Published: May 2020

Understanding of coronavirus disease 2019 is rapidly evolving with new articles on the subject daily. This flood of articles can be overwhelming for busy practicing clinicians looking for key pieces of information that can be applied in daily practice. This review article synthesizes the reported imaging findings in pediatric Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) across the literature, offers imaging differential diagnostic considerations and useful radiographic features to help differentiate these entities from COVID‐19, and provides recommendations for requesting imaging studies to evaluate suspected cases of pediatric COVID‐19.
High Chemical and Thermal Stability of Ag Nanowire‐Based Transparent Conductive Electrodes Induced by Electroless Ag Nanoparticle Decoration
Authors: Arefpour Mona , Almasi Kashi Mohammad , Bagheli Mohammadreza
Published: May 2020

Although silver nanowires (AgNWs) are a promising material to replace indium tin oxide for use in transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs), they are easily degraded in contact with air and harsh environments due to surface corrosion and morphological instability. Herein, a facile approach is reported to improve both conductivity and stability of AgNW‐based TCEs (AG‐TCEs) in contact with atmospheric oxidation, water, alcoholic solutions, and acidic and alkaline environments without reducing their high transparency. This approach is based on very rapid electroless deposition of highly crystalline Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) on AgNWs, uniformly decorating the surface of AG‐TCEs at room temperature. Field‐emission scanning electron microscopic images reveal the formation of strong junctions between AgNWs induced by AgNPs. Exposing the resulting AG‐TCEs to HCl and NaOH solutions remarkably reduces their initial sheet resistance (Rs0), leading to ΔRs/Rs0 (%) of −26% and −37%, respectively. Moreover, decorated AG‐TCEs show high thermal stability after being annealed at 180 °C for 12 h.
Possible Effects of Antiferromagnetic Crystalline Phases on the Temperature Dependence of Coercivity for Ni and Co Nanowires Obtained by Electrodeposition
Authors: Peña-Garcia Ramón Raudel , do Nascimento-Junior Aldo Mendonça , Franco A. , Campos Cecília Leite do Amaral Veras , de Miranda Marcio Heraclyto Gonçalves , Padrón-Hernández Eduardo
Published: May 2020

Herein, the structural and magnetic properties of Ni and Co nanowires obtained by electrodeposition on alumina membranes are studied. Structural analysis shows the coexistence of Ni and Co metallic phases as well as NiO and CoO, which are associated with the preparation method. The magnetic study suggests the possibility of unidirectional anisotropy as a possible mechanism on the magnetization reversal in nickel and cobalt nanowires. For the experimental curves of coercivity versus temperature, there exists a critical value, below which only the dipole interactions are predominant. Above this temperature, the dipole magnetocrystalline and magnetostrictive energy compete in a complicated way. Alongside these three contributions, the coexistence of the “local unidirectional coupling” of antiferromagnetic nanoparticles that engage in random directions on nanowires is proposed.
4D Optically Reconfigurable Volumetric Metamaterials
Authors: Dobrykh Dmitry , Mikhailovskaya Anna , Ginzburg Pavel , Filonov Dmitry
Published: May 2020

Metamaterials are artificially created media, which allow introducing additional degrees of freedom into electromagnetic design by controlling constitutive material parameters. Reconfigurable time‐dependent metamaterials can further enlarge those capabilities by introducing a temporal variable as an additional controllable parameter. Herein, a first‐of‐its‐kind reconfigurable volumetric metamaterial‐based scatterer is demonstrated, wherein the electromagnetic properties are controlled dynamically with light. In particular, hybridized resonances in arrays of split ring resonators give rise to a collective mode that presents properties of artificial high‐frequency magnetism for centimeter waves. Resonant behavior of each individual ring is controlled with a photocurrent, which allows the fast tuning of macroscopic effective permeability. Thus, the artificial gigahertz magnon resonant excitation within a subwavelength spherical scatterer is governed by light intensity. 4D control over electromagnetic scattering in both space and time opens new avenues for modern applications, including wireless communications and automotive radars to name just a few.
Area‐Type Electronic Bipolar Resistive Switching of Pt/Al2O3/Si3N3.0/Ti with Forming‐Free, Self‐Rectification, and Nonlinear Characteristics
Authors: Kwon Dae Eun , Kim Jihun , Kwon Young Jae , Woo Kyung Seok , Yoon Jung Ho , Hwang Cheol Seong
Published: May 2020

Herein, electronic bipolar resistive switching of Pt/Al2O3/Si3N3.0/Ti device is investigated. The Pt/Si3N3.0/Ti device demonstrates bipolar resistive switching with set (reset) at negative (positive) bias, and the mechanism is revealed to be that the conduction filament, formed by percolation of the traps in defective silicon nitride thin film, is involved in the resistive switching. However, instead of the conduction filament, trapping and detrapping of the electrons in the trap sites of Si3N3.0 become the dominant switching mechanism by introducing an Al2O3 barrier layer between Pt and Si3N3.0, and the device has forming‐free, self‐rectifying, and nonlinear characteristics, which are necessary to the cross‐bar array (CBA) configuration. The optimized thickness of the Al2O3 barrier layer is 4 nm. A detailed electrical analysis is performed to identify the switching mechanism of the device. Also, the read/write margin is calculated using H simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis (HSPICE) to estimate the available CBA cell size.
Recent Progress on the Preparation of Cyclomatrix‐Polyphosphazene Based Micro/Nanospheres and Their Application for Drug Release
Authors: Mehmood Sahid , Wang Li , Yu Haojie , Haq Fazal , Fahad Shah , Bilal‐ul‐Amin  , Alim Uddin Md , Haroon Muhammad
Published: May 2020

Polyphosphazenes (PPZs) are the hybrid polymers composed of nitrogen and phosphorous atoms linked through alternate single and double bond. For the preparation of cyclomatrix polyphosphazene (CMPPZ) based micro/nanospheres, hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) was reacted with monomers containing hydroxyl and amino groups. The cross‐linked structure of CMPPZ is biodegradable and biocompatible in nature. The CMPPZ based micro/nanospheres have potential application in the field of biomedical. In this review article, we have described the different ways for the preparation of CMPPZ based micro/nanospheres and their drug release behavior. The average diameter size and surface morphology of the highly cross‐linked CMPPZ based micro/nanospheres depended on the concentration of both the monomers. This review article also emphasized on the drug release properties of the CMPPZ based micro/nanospheres.
Removal of Acid Blue 92 by Using Amino‐Functionalized Silica‐Pillared Clay as a New Nano‐Adsorbent: Equilibrium, Kinetic and Thermodynamic Parameters
Authors: Hassanimarand Mahsa , Anbia Mansoor , Salehi Samira
Published: May 2020

In this study, silica‐pillared clay (SPC) and functionalized samples by chitosan (SPC/CTS) and different amounts of poly diallyl dimethylammonium chloride (SPC/PDDA‐10, SPC/PDDA‐20, and SPC/PDDA‐30) have been synthesized and have been employed as some low‐cost and eco‐friendly adsorbents in the adsorptive removal of Acid Blue 92 (AB 92) from contaminated waters. The structural variation of functionalized and unfunctionalized samples confirmed by different techniques such as Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and N2 adsorption‐ desorption analysis. The SPC/PDDA‐30 was selected for further studies due to its effective adsorption. The optimum values of adsorbent dosage, dye concentration, contact time and pH were found 0.02 g, 120 mg/L, 120 min and 5.0 respectively by applying response surface methodology (RSM). The adsorption equilibrium data were satisfactorily predicted by the Langmuir model and the adsorption process best fitted with a pseudo‐second‐order model. Adsorption thermodynamic analysis indicated the uptake of AB 92 on SPC/PDDA‐30 was exothermic and spontaneous. The high adsorption capacity of the selected nanocomposite could maintain after five successive adsorption‐desorption cycles by using 0.5 M NaOH.
Construction of New Azo‐group Containing Polycyclic Imidazole Derivatives: Computational Mechanistic, Structural, and Fluorescence Studies
Authors: Abdullayev Yusif , Mammadov Ayaz , Karimova Nazani , Talybov Avtandil , Yolchuyeva Ulviyya , Autschbach Jochen
Published: May 2020

Three polycyclic aromatic imidazole derivatives 2‐phenyl‐1‐(4‐(phenyldiazenyl)phenyl)‐1H‐phenanthro[9,10‐d]imidazole (PRO), 2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐1‐(4‐(phenyldiazenyl)phenyl)‐1H‐phenanthro[9,10‐d]imidazole (PRO1), 2‐(2,4‐dichlorophenyl)‐1‐(4‐(phenyldiazenyl)phenyl)‐1H‐phenanthro[9,10‐d]imidazole (PRO2) are synthesized with one‐pot four component fusion reaction using 1,4‐dimethylpyperazinium dihydrosulfate ([Me2pi][HSO4]2) ionic liquid (IL) catalyst (3 mol%). Mechanistic studies are performed with DFT M06 L functional. The utilized IL catalyst holds two moles of HSO4− per one mole of 1,4‐dimethylpyperazinium (cation part), which increases its catalytic performance in a trans form (Figure 1). The IL catalytic effects are determined and described in the optimized transition state structures (Figure 2). Important transition states for the rate‐limiting step (▵G≠=26.56 kcal/mol), the five‐membered imidazole ring formation (▵G≠=6.9 kcal/mol), and the C(sp3)‐H (▵G≠=2.06 kcal/mol) activation are optimized. The PRO fluorescence properties are studied computationally (HOMO and LUMO energy gap=2.41 eV) and experimentally.
Synthesis of Chlorinated, Heteroatom‐Rich and Differently Fused Tricyclic β‐Lactams by Cu(I)‐Catalyzed Halogen Atom Transfer Radical Cyclization
Authors: Dawra Nisha , Ram Ram N. , Thakur Sujeet K.
Published: May 2020

The application of Cu (I)‐catalyzed halogen atom transfer radical cyclization (ATRC) for the synthesis of two different series of chlorinated, heteroatom rich and differently fused tricyclic β‐lactams has been demonstrated. N‐substituted‐3,4‐dihydropyrimidine‐2(1H)‐thiones synthesized by Biginelli reaction were used as starting materials for this synthetic pathway which upon S‐allylation/alkylation furnished 2‐allylthio/alkylthio‐1,4‐dihydropyrimidines (cyclic imines). Staudinger reaction of these cyclic imines with dichloroketene was employed to obtain the bicyclic dichloro‐S‐allyl/N‐allyl‐β‐lactams, which upon subsequent Cu(I)‐catalyzed ATRC produced two different series of tricyclic β‐lactams. The difference in the relative behavior of N‐allyl bicyclic dichloro‐β‐lactams and S‐allyl bicyclic dichloro‐β‐lactams towards ATRC was also introspected in terms of their relative rates of cyclization, the amount of catalyst loading needed and the stabilities of tricyclic‐β‐lactams obtained after cyclization. To study the relative reactivity of N‐allyl group and S‐allyl group towards ATRC, the bicyclic dichloro‐β‐lactams having both S‐allyl and N‐allyl groups were synthesized. The intramolecular competitive experiments revealed the high reactivity of S‐allyl group towards ATRC than the N‐allyl group.
Green Synthesis and Direct Z‐Scheme CdSe/BiOCl Heterojunctions for Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Shi Hongqi , Wei Xinwen , Zhang Jian , Long Qiang , Liu Wenjuan , Zhou Yongmin , Ding Yi
Published: May 2020

The introduction of heterojunctions is an effective way to improve catalytic activity in photocatalytic composites. Herein, a series of CdSe quantum dot‐modified BiOCl heterojunction composites were successfully prepared by a green in‐situ deposition protocol. Photocatalytic ability of CdSe/BiOCl composite can be simply tailored by adjusting CdSe amount. The obtained CdSe/BiOCl composites showed superior photodegradation capability and excellent stability. The optimum BiOCl composite with 1.0% CdSe modification exhibited a 1.5 times higher degradation rate than pure BiOCl nanosheets, and photodegradation efficiency maintains still high after four cycles. Physical characterization confirms the formation of heterostructure, while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectrum demonstrate composite with higher separation efficiency of photo‐generated electron‐hole pairs. At last, the heterojunction of Z‐Scheme satisfies the photocatalytic mechanism of CdSe/BiOCl, and the holes (h+) with superoxide radicals (⋅O2−) are the main active factors in photodegradation process based on the experiment of scavengers.
Reversible Conductive Inkjet Printing of Healable and Recyclable Electrodes on Cardboard and Paper
Authors: Kang Dong Jin , Jüttke Yvonne , González‐García Lola , Escudero Alberto , Haft Marcel , Kraus Tobias
Published: May 2020

Conductive inkjet printing with metal nanoparticles is irreversible because the particles are sintered into a continuous metal film. The resulting structures are difficult to remove or repair and prone to cracking. Here, a hybrid ink is used to obviate the sintering step and print interconnected particle networks that become highly conductive immediately after drying. It is shown that reversible conductive printing is possible on low‐cost cardboard samples after applying standard paper industry coats that are adapted in terms of surface energy and porosity. The conductivity of the printed films approaches that of sintered standard inks on the same substrate, but the mobility of the hybrid particle film makes them less sensitive to cracks during bending and folding of the substrate. Damages that occur can be partially repaired by wetting the film such that particle mobility is increased and particles move to bridge insulating gaps in the film. It is demonstrated that the conductive material can be recovered from the cardboard at the end of its life time and be redispersed to recycle the particles and reuse them in conductive inks.
Manipulating Film Morphology of All‐Polymer Solar Cells by Incorporating Polymer Compatibilizer
Authors: Zhong Wenkai , Hu Qin , Ying Lei , Jiang Yufeng , Li Kang , Zeng Zhaomiyi , Liu Feng , Wang Cheng , Russell Thomas P. , Huang Fei , Cao Yong
Published: May 2020

Morphology control in multiblend all‐polymer solar cells is crucial for improving charge generation processes. Herein, it is demonstrated that the film morphology of the light‐harvesting layer of all‐polymer solar cells can be manipulated by incorporating a copolymer as the compatibilizer. Through in situ grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering characterization, the insights of the crystallization kinetics of the polymer blends from solution to thin‐film state are provided. Of particular importance is that by kinetic and thermodynamic control of the film‐processing conditions, an optimal morphology with appropriate nanoscale fibrillar structure in a well‐mixed matrix is achieved. These findings indicate that the interplay between the crystalline regions and weakly/noncrystalline regions that are induced by the compatibilizer polymer plays a critical role in determining the morphology in multicomponent blend all‐polymer solar cells.
PARCIV: Recognizing physical activities having complex interclass variations using semantic data of smartphone
Authors: Usman Sarwar Muhammad , Rehman Javed Abdul , Kulsoom Farzana , Khan Suleman , Tariq Usman , Kashif Bashir Ali
Published: May 2020

Smartphones are equipped with precise hardware sensors including accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer. These devices provide real‐time semantic data that can be used to recognize daily life physical activities for personalized smart health assessment. Existing studies focus on the recognition of simple physical activities but they lacked in providing accurate recognition of physical activities having complex interclass variations. Therefore, this research focuses on the accurate recognition of physical activities having complex interclass variations. We propose a two‐layered approach calledPARCIVthat first clusters similar activities based on semantic data and then recognize them using a machine learning classifier. Our two‐layered approach first bounds the highly indistinguishable activities in clusters to avoid misclassification with other distinguishable activities and thereafter recognize them on a fine‐grained level within each cluster. To evaluate our approach, we make an android application that collects labeled data by using smartphone sensors from 10 participants, while performing activities.PARCIVrecognizes distinguishable as well as indistinguishable activities with high accuracy of 99% on the self‐collected dataset. Furthermore,PARCIVachieve 95% accuracy on the publicly available dataset used by state‐of‐the‐art studies.PARCIVoutperforms various state‐of‐the‐art studies by 8%‐17% for simple activities as well as complex activities.
Component‐aware orchestration of cloud‐based enterprise applications, from TOSCA to Docker and Kubernetes
Authors: Bogo Matteo , Soldani Jacopo , Neri Davide , Brogi Antonio
Published: May 2020

Enterprise IT is currently facing the challenge of coordinating the management of complex, multicomponent applications across heterogeneous cloud platforms. Containers and container orchestrators provide a valuable solution to deploy multicomponent applications over cloud platforms, by coupling the lifecycle of each application component to that of its hosting container. We hereby propose a solution for going beyond such a coupling, based on the OASIS standard TOSCA and on Docker. We indeed propose a novel approach for deploying multicomponent applications on top of existing container orchestrators, which enables managing each component independently from the container used to run it. We also present prototype tools that implement our approach, and we show how we effectively exploited them to carry out a concrete case study.
System‐of‐systems tools and techniques for the analysis of cyber‐physical systems
Authors: Guariniello Cesare , Raz Ali Khalid , Fang Zhemei , DeLaurentis Daniel
Published: May 2020

Dynamic and real‐time adaptive configuration of Cyber‐Physical Systems (CPSs) results in increased complexity due to a variety of heterogeneous and interdependent variables and creates unique challenges. For example, (a) Emergent Behavior: How do we ensure that system constituents dynamically and adaptively collaborate to produce a consistent repeatable functionality while supporting the capability to upgrade the individual entities through technology infusion; (b) Scale: How do we ensure scalability of these systems by managing complexity; and (c) Risk Management: How do we evaluate and manage the risks associated with the connection and interdependencies of heterogenous systems. Design and development of this new generation of CPSs can be viewed through the lens of System‐of‐Systems (SoS) methodology which is designed to analyze and assess the evolving topologies created by interactions within a large complex system operating in dynamic and uncertain environment. In this paper, we propose the use of several SoS tools and techniques for the analysis and design of next‐generation CPSs. Our SoS methodologies address features such as diversity of component systems, complex hierarchical structures, dynamic and emergent behavior, and interactions between components. Therefore, they are suitable to treat some of the challenging features of CPSs. However, it is necessary to modify these methodologies to address specific aspects of CPSs. Constraints and metrics from SoS methodology, applied to the design space, will support decision on component systems and the topology of their connections, and provide a set of “good designs,” with desired characteristics.
In Situ Visualization of Performance-Related Data in Parallel CFD Applications
Authors: Alves Rigel F. C. , Knüpfer Andreas
Published: May 2020

This paper aims at investigating the feasibility of using ParaView as visualization software for the analysis and optimization of parallel CFD codes’ performance. The currently available software tools for reading profiling data do not match the generated measurements to the simulation’s original mesh and somehow aggregate them (rather than showing them on a time-step basis). A plugin for the open-source performance tool Score-P has been developed, which intercept an arbitrary number of manually selected code regions (mostly functions) and send their respective measurements – amount of executions and cumulative time spent – to ParaView (through its in situ library, Catalyst), as if they were any other flow-related variable. Results show that (i) the impact of mesh partition algorithms on code performance and (ii) the load imbalances (and their eventual relationship to mesh size/simulation physics) become easier to investigate.
AdS/CFT unitarity at higher loops: high-energy string scattering
Authors: Meltzer David
Published: May 2020

Abstract

What is the space of weakly-coupled, gravitational theories which contain massive, higher-spin particles? This class of theories is highly constrained and it is conjectured their ultraviolet completion must be string theory. We provide more evidence for this conjecture by studying the Regge limit in large N , 4d CFTs with single-trace operators of unbounded spin. We show that in the Regge limit, these theories have bulk scattering amplitudes which are consistent with the string theory prediction to all orders in 1/N for large, but finite, coupling. In the language of Regge theory, we show Pomeron exchange naturally exponentiates in the 1/N expansion. To do this, we solve the bootstrap equations at tree-level and then use the Lorentzian inversion formula to find the one-loop correlator in the Regge limit. This is a unitarity method for AdS/CFT which can be repeated iteratively to make all orders statements. We also explain under what conditions the tree-level result exponentiates in the 1/N expansion at arbitrary coupling. Finally, we comment on further inelastic effects and show they give subleading contributions at large coupling. As a consistency check, we recover results from bulk Einstein gravity in the limit where all higher-spin particles decouple.
Holographic interfaces in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 SYM: Janus and J-folds
Authors: Bobev Nikolay , Gautason Friðrik Freyr , Pilch Krzysztof , Suh Minwoo , van Muiden Jesse
Published: May 2020

Abstract

We find the holographic dual to the three classes of superconformal Janus interfaces in

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 4 SYM that preserve three-dimensional

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 4,

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 2, and

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 1 supersymmetry. The solutions are constructed in five-dimensional SO(6) maximal gauged supergravity and are then uplifted to type IIB supergravity. Corresponding to each of the three classes of Janus solutions, there are also AdS4
× S
1
× S
5 J-fold backgrounds. These J-folds have a non-trivial SL(2, ℤ) monodromy for the axio-dilaton on the S
1 and are dual to three-dimensional superconformal field theories.
Cell-specific conditional deletion of interleukin-1 (IL-1) ligands and its receptors: a new toolbox to study the role of IL-1 in health and disease
Authors: Pinteaux Emmanuel , Abdulaal Wesam H , Mufazalov Ilgiz A , Humphreys Neil E , Simonsen-Jackson Maj , Francis Sheila , Müller Werner , Waisman Ari
Published: May 2020

The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays a key role in many physiological processes and during the inflammatory and immune response to most common diseases. IL-1 exists as two agonists, IL-1α and IL-1β that bind to the only signaling IL-1 type 1 receptor (IL-1R1), while a second decoy IL-1 type 2 receptor (IL-1R2) binds both forms of IL-1 without inducing cell signaling. The field of immunology and inflammation research has, over the past 35 years, unraveled many mechanisms of IL-1 actions, through in vitro manipulation of the IL-1 system or by using genetically engineered mouse models that lack either member of the IL-1 family in ubiquitous constitutive manner. However, the limitation of global mouse knockout technology has significantly hampered our understanding of the precise mechanisms of IL-1 actions in animal models of disease. Here we report and review the recent generation of new conditional mouse mutants in which exons ofIl1a,Il1b,Il1r1, andIl1r2genes flanked by loxP sites (fl/fl) can be deleted in cell-/tissue-specific constitutive or inducible manner by Cre recombinase expression. Hence, IL-1αfl/fl, IL-1βfl/fl, IL-1R1fl/fl, and IL-1R2fl/flmice constitute a new toolbox that will provide a step change in our understanding of the cell-specific role of IL-1 and its receptor in health and disease and the potential development of targeted IL-1 therapies.
Air-coupled ultrasound detection of natural defects in wood using ferroelectret and piezoelectric sensors
Authors: Tiitta M. , Tiitta V. , Gaal M. , Heikkinen J. , Lappalainen R. , Tomppo L.
Published: May 2020

Air-coupled ultrasound was used for assessing natural defects in wood boards by through-transmission scanning measurements. Gas matrix piezoelectric (GMP) and ferroelectret (FE) transducers were studied. The study also included tests with additional bias voltage with the ferroelectret receivers. Signal analyses, analyses of the measurement dynamics and statistical analyses of the signal parameters were conducted. After the measurement series, the samples were cut from the measurement regions and the defects were analyzed visually from the cross sections. The ultrasound responses were compared with the results of the visual examination of the cross sections. With the additional bias voltage, the ferroelectret measurement showed increased signal-to-noise ratio, which is especially important for air-coupled measurement of high-attenuation materials like wood. When comparing the defect response of GMP and FE sensors, it was found that FE sensors had more sensitive dynamic range, resulting from better s/n ratio and short response pulse. Classification test was made to test the possibility of detecting defects in sound wood. Machine learning methods including decision trees, k-nearest neighbor and support vector machine were used. The classification accuracy varied between 72 and 77% in the tests. All the tested machine learning methods could be used efficiently for the classification.
Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric oncology — recommendations by the Oncology Task Force of the ESPR
Authors: Schäfer Jürgen F. , Granata Claudio , von Kalle Thekla , Kyncl Martin , Littooij Annemieke S. , Di Paolo Pier Luigi , Sefic Pasic Irmina , Nievelstein Rutger A. J. ,   on behalf of the Oncology Task Force of the ESPR
Published: May 2020

The purpose of this recommendation of the Oncology Task Force of the European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR) is to indicate reasonable applications of whole-body MRI in children with cancer and to address useful protocols to optimize workflow and diagnostic performance. Whole-body MRI as a radiation-free modality has been increasingly performed over the last two decades, and newer applications, as in screening of children with germ-line mutation cancer-related gene defects, are now widely accepted. We aim to provide a comprehensive outline of the diagnostic value for use in daily practice. Based on the results of our task force session in 2018 and the revision in 2019 during the ESPR meeting, we summarized our group’s experiences in whole-body MRI. The lack of large evidence by clinical studies is challenging when focusing on a balanced view regarding the impact of whole-body MRI in pediatric oncology. Therefore, the final version of this recommendation was supported by the members of Oncology Task Force.
Sub-annual fluorescence measurements of coral skeleton: relationship between skeletal luminescence and terrestrial humic-like substances
Authors: Kaushal Nikita , Yang Liudongqing , Tanzil Jani T. I. , Lee Jen Nie , Goodkin Nathalie F. , Martin Patrick
Published: May 2020

Some massive coral core slices reveal luminescent bands under ultraviolet light, which have been attributed to terrestrial humic acids in the skeleton. Coral luminescence has therefore been used to reconstruct past climate and hydrological variability. However, it has remained unresolved how closely coral luminescence at sub-annual resolution is related to terrestrial humic acid concentrations. This study presents a solution-based fluorescence method to quantify terrestrial humic substances in less than 4 mg of coral powder. The results show that in corals from Malaysia and Singapore, the luminescence green-to-blue ratio is correlated with skeletal concentrations of terrestrial humic substances (R2 > 0.40, p < 0.001) at two sites that are exposed to terrestrial dissolved organic matter from peatlands on Sumatra. In contrast, coral cores from two other sites located far from major terrestrial organic matter sources show lower green-to-blue values and no convincing correlation with fluorescence intensity of terrestrial humic substances in the skeleton. Abiogenic aragonite precipitation experiments with both terrestrial and marine organic matter sources confirmed that terrestrial humic substances are readily incorporated into aragonite, but not fluorescent organic matter from marine sources. The results of this study suggest that in coral cores with high luminescence green-to-blue ratios (> 0.6) and large downcore variability (range of ≥ 0.05), the green-to-blue ratio is strongly linked to variation in terrestrial humic substances. Coral cores therefore have the potential to reconstruct past variation in terrigenous dissolved organic carbon fluxes.
Citrus Leafminer Management: Jasmonic Acid versus Efficient Pesticides
Authors: Elazab Doaa S. , Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim , El-Mahdy Marwa T. , Amro Ahmed
Published: May 2020

The citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton) is a significant pest for Citrus spp. worldwide. Hence, the effectiveness of jasmonic acid (JA) was compared to three pesticides, abamectin, thiamethoxam, and acetamiprid, against P. citrella infesting mandarin (Citrus reticulata L.) and lime (C. aurantifolia L.) seedlings. Mortality rate was significantly different due to JA and other pesticides treatments. Moreover, on the 3rd day after treatment, JA demonstrated the highest reduction percentage of leafminer (77.08 and 33.33%) on mandarin and lime, respectively. By the 10th day after treatment, JA and abamectin displayed 100% reduction in both plant species. Furthermore, the foliar application of JA enhanced the most vegetative characteristics in the treated seedlings, including growth rate (shoot length/root length), fresh and dry weights of shoot and root as well as the number of leaves/seedling. Moreover, soluble protein content was increased significantly under JA treatment in the two Citrus spp. Jasmonic acid showed a good biological activity, which gives a practical reason to recommend it to be integrated in pest management programs as an alternative product for controlling P. citrella.
Wearable sensors can reliably quantify gait alterations associated with disability in people with progressive multiple sclerosis in a clinical setting
Authors: Angelini Lorenza , Hodgkinson William , Smith Craig , Dodd Jessie Moorman , Sharrack Basil , Mazzà Claudia , Paling David
Published: May 2020

Gait disability in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) is difficult to quantify using existing clinical tools. This study aims to identify reliable and objective gait-based biomarkers to monitor progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in clinical settings. During routine clinical visits, 57 people with secondary progressive MS and 24 healthy controls walked for 6 minutes wearing three inertial motion sensors. Fifteen gait measures were computed from the sensor data and tested for between-session reliability, for differences between controls and people with moderate and severe MS disability, and for correlation with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores. The majority of gait measures showed good to excellent between-session reliability when assessed in a subgroup of 23 healthy controls and 25 people with MS. These measures showed that people with MS walked with significantly longer step and stride durations, reduced step and stride regularity, and experienced difficulties in controlling and maintaining a stable walk when compared to controls. These abnormalities significantly increased in people with a higher level of disability and correlated with their EDSS scores. Reliable and objective gait-based biomarkers using wearable sensors have been identified. These biomarkers may allow clinicians to quantify clinically relevant alterations in gait in people with progressive MS within the context of regular clinical visits.
Guideline adherence in German routine care of children and adolescents with ADHD: an observational study
Authors: Mücke Kristina , Plück Julia , Steinhauser Susanne , Hellmich Martin , Scholz Kristin , Sonneck Astrid , Winkler Lisa , Döpfner Manfred
Published: May 2020

Although guidelines for the assessment and treatment of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence have been available in Germany for several years, there are barely any data on adherence to guidelines in national routine care. Therefore, the study aimed at a nationwide evaluation of guideline adherence (GA) for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in German routine care in various groups of health care providers (HCPs). Besides a detailed description of GA, the study focused on examining possible differences between professional groups. Furthermore, data based on global self-reports of clinicians were compared with ratings of documented care in individual patients. Protocols of 73 clinicians regarding their handling of ADHD in routine care for 167 patients were rated according to German guideline recommendations for ADHD care. GA was measured as the proportion of components fulfilled in each individual patient as documented by the HCP. The results were compared to a preceding interview with clinicians regarding their GA. Multilevel models were constructed to detect differences in GA between professional groups. Based on mandatory guideline components, adherence rates of 38.9–72.7% were found and classified as moderate (33.3% < GA ≤ 66.6%) to high (GA > 66.6%). The comparison of the GA between the professional groups generally yielded only small differences. Correlations between GA reported globally by the HCPs and GA documented and rated for individual cases were low. Overall, most rates of GA for ADHD in German routine care lay within a moderate range. Targets for enhancement of GA may be the involvement of teachers and schools in the treatment process, the implementation of psychoeducational methods in general, as well as a careful examination of patients, including monitoring of treatment effects during titration trials. The development of further strategies to monitor the quality of ADHD routine care is needed.
An efficient statistical model checker for nondeterminism and rare events
Authors: Budde Carlos E. , D’Argenio Pedro R. , Hartmanns Arnd , Sedwards Sean
Published: May 2020

Statistical model checking avoids the state space explosion problem in verification and naturally supports complex non-Markovian formalisms. Yet as a simulation-based approach, its runtime becomes excessive in the presence of rare events, and it cannot soundly analyse nondeterministic models. In this article, we present : a statistical model checker that combines fully automated importance splitting to estimate the probabilities of rare events with smart lightweight scheduler sampling to approximate optimal schedulers in nondeterministic models. As part of the Modest Toolset, it supports a variety of input formalisms natively and via the Jani exchange format. A modular software architecture allows its various features to be flexibly combined. We highlight its capabilities using experiments across multi-core and distributed setups on three case studies and report on an extensive performance comparison with three current statistical model checkers.