bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Image enhancement of whole-body oncology [18F]-FDG PET scans using deep neural networks to reduce noise
Authors: Mehranian Abolfazl , Wollenweber Scott D. , Walker Matthew D. , Bradley Kevin M. , Fielding Patrick A. , Su Kuan-Hao , Johnsen Robert , Kotasidis Fotis , Jansen Floris P. , McGowan Daniel R.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To enhance the image quality of oncology [18F]-FDG PET scans acquired in shorter times and reconstructed by faster algorithms using deep neural networks.

Methods

List-mode data from 277 [18F]-FDG PET/CT scans, from six centres using GE Discovery PET/CT scanners, were split into ¾-, ½- and ¼-duration scans. Full-duration datasets were reconstructed using the convergent block sequential regularised expectation maximisation (BSREM) algorithm. Short-duration datasets were reconstructed with the faster OSEM algorithm. The 277 examinations were divided into training (n = 237), validation (n = 15) and testing (n = 25) sets. Three deep learning enhancement (DLE) models were trained to map full and partial-duration OSEM images into their target full-duration BSREM images. In addition to standardised uptake value (SUV) evaluations in lesions, liver and lungs, two experienced radiologists scored the quality of testing set images and BSREM in a blinded clinical reading (175 series).

Results

OSEM reconstructions demonstrated up to 22% difference in lesion SUVmax, for different scan durations, compared to full-duration BSREM. Application of the DLE models reduced this difference significantly for full-, ¾- and ½-duration scans, while simultaneously reducing the noise in the liver. The clinical reading showed that the standard DLE model with full- or ¾-duration scans provided an image quality substantially comparable to full-duration scans with BSREM reconstruction, yet in a shorter reconstruction time.

Conclusion

Deep learning–based image enhancement models may allow a reduction in scan time (or injected activity) by up to 50%, and can decrease reconstruction time to a third, while maintaining image quality.
Analysing the requirements for an Open Research Knowledge Graph: use cases, quality requirements, and construction strategies
Authors: Brack Arthur , Hoppe Anett , Stocker Markus , Auer Sören , Ewerth Ralph
Published: July 2021

Current science communication has a number of drawbacks and bottlenecks which have been subject of discussion lately: Among others, the rising number of published articles makes it nearly impossible to get a full overview of the state of the art in a certain field, or reproducibility is hampered by fixed-length, document-based publications which normally cannot cover all details of a research work. Recently, several initiatives have proposed knowledge graphs (KG) for organising scientific information as a solution to many of the current issues. The focus of these proposals is, however, usually restricted to very specific use cases. In this paper, we aim to transcend this limited perspective and present a comprehensive analysis of requirements for an Open Research Knowledge Graph (ORKG) by (a) collecting and reviewing daily core tasks of a scientist, (b) establishing their consequential requirements for a KG-based system, (c) identifying overlaps and specificities, and their coverage in current solutions. As a result, we map necessary and desirable requirements for successful KG-based science communication, derive implications, and outline possible solutions.
Investigating diagnosis, treatment, and burden of disease in patients with ankylosing spondylitis in Central Eastern Europe and the United States: a real-world study
Authors: Korotaeva T. , Dina O. , Holdsworth E. , Fallon L. , Milligan G. , Meakin S. , Wang L. , Vasilescu R. , Cappelleri J. C. , Deodhar A.
Published: July 2021

Introduction/Objectives

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory immune-mediated condition. We compared AS diagnosis, treatment, and burden in Central Eastern European countries (CEE), where this has been less researched, and the United States (US) from a real-world perspective.

Methods

Point-in-time survey of rheumatologists and their AS patients was conducted in the US (Apr–Oct 2018) and CEE (Aug–Nov 2019) via physician- and patient-completed record forms, including clinical and patient-reported outcomes. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, t-tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and generalized linear models.

Results

In total, 487 patients were recruited from 88 rheumatologists in the US and 922 patients from 126 rheumatologists in CEE. Time from onset of symptoms to final AS diagnosis was longer in CEE than the US (4.2 vs 2.7 years, p < 0.05). At diagnosis, a greater use of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and injected steroids was reported in CEE vs the US (43.7% vs 27.6%, p < 0.05; 19.3% vs 8.7%, p < 0.05). 22.9% of US patients received a biologic DMARD at diagnosis vs 10% of CEE patients (p < 0.05). At current consultation, biologic DMARD use in CEE was lower vs the US (27.9% vs 71.0%, p < 0.05). CEE vs US patients had greater disease activity (mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index 4.2 vs 3.1, p < 0.05) and worse quality of life (QoL; mean Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Questionnaire score 6.2 vs 8.4, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

AS patients in CEE vs the US faced slower diagnosis and worse access to biologics, disease activity, and QoL. Whether early access to biologics can improve symptoms, QoL, and daily activities in AS patients in CEE remains to be seen.

Key Points• The study provided evidence on the real-world approach to the diagnosis, treatment, and burden of axSpA (axial spondyloarthritis) in CEE compared with the US.• The study reported patients in CEE experienced longer delays in diagnosis and poorer access to biologics than in the US.• This may have resulted in higher disease activity, greater levels of pain, and poorer outcomes, as reported by patients with axSpA in CEE.
Over- and under-estimation of COVID-19 deaths
Authors: Ioannidis John P. A.
Published: July 2021

The ratio of COVID-19-attributable deaths versus “true” COVID-19 deaths depends on the synchronicity of the epidemic wave with population mortality; duration of test positivity, diagnostic time window, and testing practices close to and at death; infection prevalence; the extent of diagnosing without testing documentation; and the ratio of overall (all-cause) population mortality rate and infection fatality rate. A nomogram is offered to assess the potential extent of over- and under-counting in different situations. COVID-19 deaths were apparently under-counted early in the pandemic and continue to be under-counted in several countries, especially in Africa, while over-counting probably currently exists for several other countries, especially those with intensive testing and high sensitization and/or incentives for COVID-19 diagnoses. Death attribution in a syndemic like COVID-19 needs great caution. Finally, excess death estimates are subject to substantial annual variability and include also indirect effects of the pandemic and the effects of measures taken.
CIME: Context-aware geolocation of emergency-related posts
Authors: Scalia Gabriele , Francalanci Chiara , Pernici Barbara
Published: July 2021

Information extracted from social media has proven to be very useful in the domain of emergency management. An important task in emergency management is rapid crisis mapping, which aims to produce timely and reliable maps of affected areas. During an emergency, the volume of emergency-related posts is typically large, but only a small fraction is relevant and help rapid mapping effectively. Furthermore, posts are not useful for mapping purposes unless they are correctly geolocated and, on average, less than 2% of posts are natively georeferenced. This paper presents an algorithm, called CIME, that aims to identify and geolocate emergency-related posts that are relevant for mapping purposes. While native geocoordinates are most often missing, many posts contain geographical references in their metadata, such as texts or links that can be used by CIME to filter and geolocate information. In addition, social media creates a social network and each post can be enhanced with indirect information from the post’s network of relationships with other posts (for example, a retweet can be associated with other geographical references which are useful to geolocate the original tweet). To exploit all this information, CIME uses the concept of context, defined as the information characterizing a post both directly (the post’s metadata) and indirectly (the post’s network of relationships). The algorithm was evaluated on a recent major emergency event demonstrating better performance with respect to the state of the art in terms of total number of geolocated posts, geolocation accuracy and relevance for rapid mapping.
Analyzing alpha emitting isotopes of Pu, Am and Cm from NPP water samples: an intercomparison of Nordic radiochemical laboratories
Authors: Salminen-Paatero Susanna , Hou Xiaolin , Olszewski Grzegorz , Ekerljung Lina , Tovedal Annika , Vesterlund Anna , Andersson Angelica , Kangas Satu , Ramebäck Henrik
Published: July 2021

Radioanalytical methods for the determination of isotopes of Pu, Am and Cm in water samples from nuclear power plants were compared and further developed in a Nordic project (Optimethod) through two intercomparison exercises among Nordic laboratories. With this intercomparison, the analytical performance of some laboratories was improved by modification of the analytical method and adopting new techniques. The obtained results from the two intercomparisons for alpha emitting transuranium isotopes are presented, and the lessons learnt from these intercomparison exercises are discussed.
Pro-inflammatory cytokines and microRNAs in male infertility
Authors: Attia Hana , Finocchi Federica , Orciani Monia , Mehdi Meriem , Zidi Jrah Ines , Lazzarini Raffaella , Balercia Giancarlo , Mattioli Belmonte Monica
Published: July 2021

Background

Male infertility is a problem that affects 10–15% of men of reproductive age. In particular, gametogenesis is a complex process in which inflammation may play a central role through the secretion of cytokines and the expression of microRNAs. We assessed the potential role of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1α) and microRNAs (miR-146a-5p, miR-34a-5p and miR-23a-3p) in the seminal plasma of infertile men compared to controls, evaluating their correlation with seminal and biochemical parameters.

Methods and results

Expression of cytokines and microRNAs was analyzed by ELISA and q-PCR. Our data shows that IL-1α was significantly increased in the azoospermic group compared to controls, TNF-α mRNA was more expressed in the oligozoospermic group than controls. There were no significant differences in miRNAs expression among the three groups. The correlations between sperm parameters and inflammatory markers were evaluated, however no significance was highlighted.

Conclusions

The determination of each inflammatory marker separately in the seminal plasma of subfertile men, despite some significant differences, does not have a diagnostic value in male infertility even if an assay of selective pro-inflammatory cytokines and microRNAs in the semen may improve the diagnosis of male infertility.
Characterization of bacteriocin and chitinase producing bacterial isolates with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities
Authors: Yasir Muhammad , Zeshan Basit , Daud Nur Hardy A. , Shahid Izzah , Khalid Hafza
Published: July 2021

There is a need for more efficient and eco-friendly approaches to overcome increasing microbial infections. Bacteriocins and chitinases fromBacillusspp. can be powerful alternatives to conventional antibiotics and antifungal drugs, respectively. The purpose of this study was to assess the inhibitory potential of bacteriocins and chitinase enzymes against multiple resistant bacterial and fungal pathogens. Bacterial isolates were selected by growth on minimal salts medium and after that were morphologically and biochemically characterized. The physiochemical characterization of bacteriocins was carried out. The inhibitory potential of bacteriocins towards six pathogenic bacteria was determined by the well diffusion assay while chitinase activity towards three fungal strains was determined by the dual plate culture assay. Two bacterial strains (WW2P1and WRE4P2), out of nine showed inhibition ofK. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa, E. coliand MRSA while WW4P2was positive againstS. typhimuriumandE. coliand WRE10P2againstP. aeruginosa,S. pneumoniae. Two bacterial isolates (WW3P1and WRE10P2) were chosen for further study on the basis of their antifungal activities. Of these, WW3P1 isolate was more effective against A. fumigatus as well as A. niger. The proteinaceous nature of the bacteriocins was confirmed by treatment of the crude extract with proteinase K. It was found that the inhibitory activity of strain WW3P1 against E. coli was highest at 20 °C, and againstS. pneumoniae it was at 20 °C and pH 10 after treatment with EDTA. Inhibition by strain the WRE10P2against P. aeruginosa was highest at 20 °C and pH 14. It was found that EDTA increased the inhibitory activity of strain WW2P1againstP. aeruginosa,K. pneumoniaeandE. coliby 2 ± 0.235, 3.5 ± 0.288, 2.5 ± 1.040 times, respectively, of strain WRE4P2againstP. aeruginosaandE. coliby 2.5 ± 0.763, 2.7 ± 0.5 times, respectively, and of strain WRE10P2againstS. pneumoniaeby 3 ± 0.6236 times. The isolates have promising inhibitory activity, which should be further analyzed for the commercial production of antimicrobials.

Article highlights

The current study aimed to isolate the microbiome from wheat plant (Triticum aestivumL.), to screen for bacteriocin production and to assess its antimicrobial activity against human pathogens.

Forty-one phenotypically different bacterial colonies were subjected to bacteriocin purification from which 25 colonies showed positive reactions.

These 25 bacterial isolates were screened against six different human bacterial pathogens using the well diffusion method to check the antimicrobial activity. Out of nine bacterial isolates, WW3P1 and WRE10P2 were able to degrade the chitin and utilize it as their sole energy source. Strain WRE4P2 exhibited partial inactivation in its activity against MRSA after treatment with proteinase K.
Peer Gynt and Oedipus: Ibsen on Hegel's Precursors of Modernity
Authors: Levy Lior
Published: July 2021

G. W. F. Hegel sees Oedipus as an epitome of the philosophical quest for self-knowledge. In Hegel's readings of Oedipus, the latter becomes a distant reflection of the modern and mature Hegelian self, who consciously takes on this quest. Yet unlike Oedipus, whose search for the truth about his past is characterized by both metaphorical and literal blindness, the modern self knows itself, precisely because it understands its past and can thus appropriate and situate itself in relation to the present. For Hegel, self-understanding entails grasping the proper relationship between past and present, which in turn necessitates acknowledging his own relationship to Oedipus. This essay examines Henrik Ibsen's turn to the Hegelian engagement with the past (Oedipus being one crucial moment in the Hegelian story of the history of self-consciousness), by focusing on one of the most enigmatic scenes in his 1866 drama,Peer Gynt, where the Norwegian protagonist is cast as Oedipus. The scene examines the drama's own past—through an engagement with a dramatic ancestor—and focuses on the influence of the past on fashioning modern European identity. Moreover, it offers a critique of how the past is utilized in the creation and consolidation of that identity. With this, Ibsen offers an implicit critique of Hegel's understanding of Oedipus, and his encounter with the Sphinx in particular. Revisiting Oedipus through its modern reception, Ibsen questions the act by which the past is revealed as such and is put to work in the service of a particular present.
Clinical prediction of bacteremia and early antibiotics therapy in patients with solid tumors
Authors: Hyak Jonathan M. , Al Mohajer Mayar , Musher Daniel M. , Musher Benjamin L.
Published: July 2021

Objective:

To investigate the relationship between the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), early antibiotic use, and bacteremia in solid-tumor patients.

Design, setting, and participants:

We conducted a retrospective observational study of adults with solid tumors admitted to a tertiary-care hospital through the emergency department over a 2-year period. Patients with neutropenic fever, organ transplant, trauma, or cardiopulmonary arrest were excluded.

Methods:

Rates of SIRS, bacteremia, and early antibiotics (initiation within 8 hours of presentation) were compared using the χ2 and Student t tests. Binomial regression and receiver operator curves were analyzed to assess predictors of bacteremia and early antibiotics.

Results:

Early antibiotics were administered in 507 (37%) of 1,344 SIRS-positive cases and 492 (22%) of 2,236 SIRS-negative cases (P < .0001). Of SIRS-positive cases, 70% had blood cultures drawn within 48 hours and 19% were positive; among SIRS negative cases, 35% had cultures and 13% were positive (19% vs 13%; P = .003). Bacteremic cases were more often SIRS positive than nonbacteremic cases (60% vs 50%; P =.003), but they received early antibiotics at similar rates (50% vs 49%, P = .72). Three SIRS components predicted early antibiotics: temperature (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.31–2.29; P = .0001), tachycardia (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.10–1.69; P < .0001), and white blood-cell count (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.56–2.14; P < .0001). Only temperature (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.09–2.41; P = .01) and tachycardia (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.09–2.06; P = .01) predicted bacteremia. SIRS criteria as a composite were poorly predictive of bacteremia (AUC, 0.57).

Conclusions:

SIRS criteria are frequently used to determine the need for early antibiotics, but they are poor predictors of bacteremia in solid-tumor patients. More reliable models are needed to guide judicious use of antibiotics in this population.
STORYTELLING AND THE HIGH COUNTRY: READING LYNG V. NORTHWEST INDIAN CEMETERY PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION (1988)
Authors: Lloyd Dana
Published: July 2021

In Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association, 485 U.S. 439 (1988), the Supreme Court declared constitutional the Forest Service's development plan in an area of the Six Rivers National Forest (known as the High Country) that is central to the religious practice of the Yurok, Karuk, and Tolowa Nations. The Court admitted that “[i]t is undisputed that the Indian respondents’ beliefs are sincere and that the Government's proposed actions will have severe adverse effects on the practice of their religion” (447). Nevertheless, because the disputed area was on public land, the Court thought that the government should be allowed to manage its property in any way it saw fit, regardless of the severe adverse effects on the religious practice of the local Indigenous nations. In this article, I read materials from the trial that led to the Lyng decision, focusing on the Indigenous witnesses and their testimony that has been largely ignored in the Lyng decision. The U.S. legal framework of free exercise does not allow the courts to fully consider the stories told by the Indigenous witnesses in trial. A law-and-literature approach allows me, though, to tell a different story about the High Country, one that centers Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty.
BelinurusBronn, 1839 (Chelicerata, Xiphosura) has priority overBellinurusPictet, 1846
Authors: Lamsdell James C. , Clapham Matthew E.
Published: July 2021

In the first half of the nineteenth century, a marked shift occurred in our understanding and treatment of the chelicerate fossil record, with the differentiation and recognition of entirely extinct genera for the first time. At the heart of this taxonomic revolution were the Eurypterida (sea scorpions) and Xiphosura (horseshoe crabs), although both groups were in fact considered crustaceans until Lankester's (1881) seminal comparative anatomical study of the extant xiphosuranLimulusMüller, 1785 and modern scorpions. The oldest available eurypterid genus isEurypterusdeKay, 1825; the oldest available fossil arachnid genus name is that of the scorpionCyclophthalmusCorda, 1835. However, there has been considerable historical confusion over the oldest available fossil xiphosuran genus name, which has been recognized alternately asBelinurusKönig (with a publication date of either 1820 or 1851) or the synonymousBellinurusPictet, 1846. Most recent treatments (e.g., Selden and Siveter, 1987; Anderson and Selden, 1997; Anderson et al., 1997; Lamsdell, 2016, 2021; Bicknell and Pates, 2020) have favoredBellinurusPictet, 1846 as the available name; however, Haug and Haug (2020) recently argued thatBelinurusKönig, 1820 is valid and has priority, a position then followed by Lamsdell (2020), prompting a reinvestigation of the taxonomic history of the genus. Upon review, it is clear that neither of the previously recognized authorities forBelinurusare accurate and that the two candidate type species for each genus are, in fact, synonyms. Given the convoluted and at times almost illogical history of the competing names, along with the most recent controversy as to which has priority, we present a complete history of the treatment of the genus to resolve the issue.
Cetacean strandings along the German North Sea coastline 1604–2017
Authors: Christian Kinze Carl , Czeck Richard , Herr Helena , Siebert Ursula
Published: July 2021

The occurrence of 19 cetacean species along the German North Sea coastline as well as the lower reaches of the major rivers discharging into the German Bight is reviewed for the period 1604–2017 based on records of dead animals, either stranded dead or put to death. The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is considered the most abundant and only native species in German coastal and riverine waters. Based on written sources its presence can be traced back to at least 1651, although with statistical data only available from 1990. Finds of further 18 species have been documented: white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas), killer whale (Orcinus orca), beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), narwhal (Monodon monoceros), Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens), northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) and humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). This review corrects several false species assignments earlier introduced in literature based on incorrect scientific or ambiguous German vernacular names and recovers lost records of beluga whale, northern bottlenose whale, sperm whale and fin whale.
Sounding a Quietening: Breastfeeding Choreographies and the Sonic–Corporeal Dialogue of Maternal Experience
Authors: MCGRATH AOIFE
Published: July 2021

Let Down (2018) is a practice-as-research (PaR) dance performance that communicates women's experiences of breastfeeding in Northern Ireland, a jurisdiction with one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world, due, in part, to the social stigma attached to breastfeeding in public. Choreographed in collaboration with a composer and social scientists, Let Down is a duet for two lactating women who dance alongside a digitally transposed and augmented soundscape of sonic aspects of maternal experience, and improvise to the live sounds produced by infants in the audience. The work responds to a ‘quietening’ of maternal corporeality in some Western societies through a feminist dramaturgy of sonic disruption that refigures intermedial relations between sound and movement in performance to make unheard experience sensible. Attending to the complex sociopolitical and affective terrain that informed the work's creation, I discuss how a methodology of ‘quietening’ developed during the choreographic process generated space for a dialogue between private and public spheres of experience. I propose that the methodological concept of quietening offers both an alternative approach to choreographies of affect, and a critical framework for questioning representations of socially ‘quietened’ corporealities.
Verified secure compilation for mixed-sensitivity concurrent programs
Authors: SISON ROBERT , MURRAY TOBY
Published: July 2021

Proving only over source code that programs do not leak sensitive data leaves a gap between reasoning and reality that can only be filled by accounting for the behaviour of the compiler. Furthermore, software does not always have the luxury of limiting itself to single-threaded computation with resources statically dedicated to each user to ensure the confidentiality of their data. This results in mixed-sensitivity concurrent programs, which might reuse memory shared between their threads to hold data of different sensitivity levels at different times; for such programs, a compiler must preserve the value-dependent coordination of such mixed-sensitivity reuse despite the impact of concurrency. Here we demonstrate, using Isabelle/HOL, that it is feasible to verify that a compiler preserves noninterference, the strictest kind of confidentiality property, for mixed-sensitivity concurrent programs. First, we present notions of refinement that preserve a concurrent value-dependent notion of noninterference that we have designed to support such programs. As proving noninterference-preserving refinement can be considerably more complex than the standard refinements typically used to verify semantics-preserving compilation, our notions include a decomposition principle that separates the semantics preservation from security preservation concerns. Second, we demonstrate that these refinement notions are applicable to verified secure compilation, by exercising them on a single-pass compiler for mixed-sensitivity concurrent programs that synchronise using mutex locks, from a generic imperative language to a generic RISC-style assembly language. Finally, we execute our compiler on a non-trivial mixed-sensitivity concurrent program modelling a real-world use case, thus preserving its source-level noninterference properties down to an assembly-level model automatically. All results are formalised and proved in the Isabelle/HOL interactive proof assistant. Our work paves the way for more fully featured compilers to offer verified secure compilation support to developers of multithreaded software that must handle data of multiple sensitivity levels.
On the alleged existence of a vowel /y:/ in early Modern English
Authors: CERCIGNANI FAUSTO
Published: July 2021

Many scholars have held that in late Middle English, in the London dialects from which Standard English grew there existed a vowel /y:/ developed from various native sources and/or used as a substitute for Old French or Anglo-Norman /y/. The aim of this article is to accurately review the relevant evidence adduced by E. J. Dobson and other scholars in favour of a variation between early Modern English /y:/ and /iu/ with a view to offering conclusions based on a direct presentation of the original sources. It will be shown that even the early writers on orthography and pronunciation who correctly describe a sound [y] (as they knew it from French, Scottish and Northern English, as well as from other languages) cannot be adduced as evidence for the existence of a vowel /y:/ in early Modern English.
The Spanish Petition System, Hospital/ity, and the Formation of a Mulato Community in Sixteenth-Century Mexico
Authors: Valerio Miguel A.
Published: July 2021

In 1568, a group of Mexican mulatos unsuccessfully petitioned the Spanish crown for a license to build a hospital. The mulatos’ petition, however, is an important document that speaks to the legal avenues Afro-Mexicans explored in the mid sixteenth century in their attempts to improve their social position. Through an analysis of how the petition process played out, this article demonstrates how that process epitomized the growing limits placed on Afro-Mexican autonomy by colonial administrators. I contend that this case attests to the difficulties Afro-Mexicans continually encountered in their efforts to establish safety nets through such institutions as hospitals and cofradías, following the example of other colonial subjects. Over time, however, the mulatos’ attempts to institutionalize their privileges as permanent fixtures of colonial society, for example, in petitioning to establish a hospital, intensified the opposition of local royal authorities. I also argue that the petition reveals a Mexican mulato community taking form as a common goal brought the mulatos together, setting in motion a process of community-building through petitioning. Finally, the petition process allows us to see how mulato-ness was understood at the time, broadening our understanding of the category at the time as well as its transformations. The article thus contributes to the study of Afro-Mexicans’ use of the Spanish legal system in the mid sixteenth century, as well as their engagement with the Spanish petition system, two topics that have received little scholarly attention.
Detailed Geologic Mapping Helps Identify Health Hazards
Authors: Derouin Sarah
Published: July 2021

A team of geologists and nursing researchers created an interactive radon hazard map for Kentucky residents—and it was possible only because of the high-resolution bedrock mapping in the state.
The Influence of Spacecraft Latitudinal Offset on the Accuracy of Corotation Forecasts
Authors: Turner Harriet , Owens Mathew J. , Lang Matthew S. , Gonzi Siegfried
Published: July 2021

Knowledge of the ambient solar wind is important for accurate space weather forecasting. A simple‐but‐effective method of forecasting near‐Earth solar wind speed is “corotation,” wherein solar wind structure is assumed to be fixed in the reference frame rotating with the Sun. Under this approximation, observations at a source spacecraft can be rotated to a target location, such as Earth. Forecast accuracy depends upon the rate of solar wind evolution, longitudinal and latitudinal separation between the source and target, and latitudinal structure in the solar wind itself. The time‐evolution rate and latitudinal structure of the solar wind are both strongly influenced by the solar cycle, though in opposing ways. A latitudinal separation (offset) between source and target spacecraft is typically present, introducing an error to corotation forecasts. In this study, we use observations from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) and near‐Earth spacecraft to quantify the latitudinal error. Aliasing between the solar cycle and STEREO orbits means that individual contributions to the forecast error are difficult to isolate. However, by considering an 18‐month interval near the end of solar minimum, we find that the latitudinal‐offset contribution to corotation forecast error cannot be directly detected for offsets <6°, but is increasingly important as offsets increase. This result can be used to improve solar wind data assimilation, allowing representivity errors in solar wind observations to be correctly specified. Furthermore, as the maximum latitudinal offset between L5 and Earth is ≈5°, corotation forecasts from a future L5 spacecraft should not be greatly affected by latitudinal offset.
A pseudo-softmax function for hardware-based high speed image classification
Authors: Cardarilli Gian Carlo , Di Nunzio Luca , Fazzolari Rocco , Giardino Daniele , Nannarelli Alberto , Re Marco , Spanò Sergio
Published: July 2021

In this work a novel architecture, named pseudo-softmax, to compute an approximated form of the softmax function is presented. This architecture can be fruitfully used in the last layer of Neural Networks and Convolutional Neural Networks for classification tasks, and in Reinforcement Learning hardware accelerators to compute the Boltzmann action-selection policy. The proposed pseudo-softmax design, intended for efficient hardware implementation, exploits the typical integer quantization of hardware-based Neural Networks obtaining an accurate approximation of the result. In the paper, a detailed description of the architecture is given and an extensive analysis of the approximation error is performed by using both custom stimuli and real-world Convolutional Neural Networks inputs. The implementation results, based on CMOS standard-cell technology, compared to state-of-the-art architectures show reduced approximation errors.
Uncovering the multi-level response of Glycine max L. to the application of allelopathic biostimulant from Levisticum officinale Koch
Authors: Szparaga Agnieszka , Kocira Sławomir , Findura Pavol , Kapusta Ireneusz , Zaguła Grzegorz , Świeca Michał
Published: July 2021

The interest expressed by the agriculture in the category of innovative biostimulants is due to the intensive search for natural preparations. Our study is the first ever to report a complex approach to the use of allelopathic extracts from Levisticum officinale Koch. roots in soybean cultivation, includes analyses of morphological observations, and analyses of biochemical indicators. Hot method of aqueous extraction was applied. The extracts were administered via foliar application and soil treatment. Lovage extracts had high contents of polyphenolic compounds and rich micro- and macroelemental composition. The infusions did not contain gibberellic acid and indole-3-acetic acid but the abscisic acid and saccharose, glucose, and fructose were found. The extracts modified soybean plant physiology, as manifested by changes in biometric traits. Plants responded positively by increased yield. Seeds from the treated plants had higher contents of micro- and macroelements, as well as total concentrations of lipids (with a slight decrease in protein content). In addition, they featured changes in their amino acid profile and fatty acid composition. The application of allelopathic biostimulant caused increased concentrations of isoflavones and saponins. The natural biostimulants from Levisticum officinale may become a valuable tool in the sustainable agriculture.
Impacts of lipid-related metabolites, adiposity, and genetic background on blood eosinophil counts: the Nagahama study
Authors: Nishi Kenta , Matsumoto Hisako , Tashima Noriyuki , Terada Satoru , Nomura Natsuko , Kogo Mariko , Morimoto Chie , Sunadome Hironobu , Nagasaki Tadao , Oguma Tsuyoshi , Nakatsuka Yoshinari , Murase Kimihiko , Kawaguchi Takahisa , Tabara Yasuharu , Sonomura Kazuhiro , Matsuda Fumihiko , Chin Kazuo , Hirai Toyohiro
Published: July 2021

Blood eosinophil count is a useful measure in asthma or COPD management. Recent epidemiological studies revealed that body mass index (BMI) is positively associated with eosinophil counts. However, few studies focused on the role of adiposity and fatty acid-related metabolites on eosinophil counts, including the effect of genetic polymorphism. In this community-based study involving 8265 participants (30–74 year old) from Nagahama city, we investigated the relationship between eosinophil counts and serum levels of fatty acid-related metabolites. The role ofMDC1, a gene that is related to eosinophil counts in our previous study and encodes a protein that is thought to be involved in the repair of deoxyribonucleic acid damage, was also examined taking into account its interaction with adiposity. Serum levels of linoleic acid (LA) and β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) were negatively associated with eosinophil counts after adjustment with various confounders; however, there were positive interactions between serum LA and BMI and between serum BHB and BMI/body fat percentages in terms of eosinophil counts. In never-smokers, there was positive interaction for eosinophil counts between the CC genotype ofMDC1rs4713354 and BMI/body fat percentages. In conclusion, both serum LA and BHB have negative impacts on eosinophil counts, while adiposity shows robust positive effects on eosinophil counts, partly via genetic background in never-smokers.
Correction: Spontaneous particle desorption and “Gorgon” drop formation from particle-armored oil drops upon cooling
Authors: Cholakova Diana , Valkova Zhulieta , Tcholakova Slavka , Denkov Nikolai , Binks Bernard P.
Published: July 2021

Correction for ‘Spontaneous particle desorption and “Gorgon” drop formation from particle-armored oil drops upon cooling’ by Diana Cholakova et al., Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 2480–2496, DOI: 10.1039/C9SM02354B.
MicroRNAs targeting VEGF are related to vascular dysfunction in preeclampsia
Authors: Witvrouwen Isabel , Mannaerts Dominique , Ratajczak Jessica , Boeren Evi , Faes Ellen , Van Craenenbroeck Amaryllis H. , Jacquemyn Yves , Van Craenenbroeck Emeline M.
Published: July 2021

In preeclampsia (PE), pre-existent maternal endothelial dysfunction leads to impaired placentation and vascular maladaptation. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway is essential in the placentation process and VEGF expression is regulated through post-transcriptional modification by microRNAs (miRNAs). We investigated the expression of VEGF-related circulating miR-16, miR-29b, miR-126, miR-155 and miR-200c in PE vs healthy pregnancies (HPs), and their relation with vascular function, oxidative stress (OS) and systemic inflammation. In this case–control study, 24 women with early PE (<34 weeks) were compared with 30 women with HP. Circulating microRNA levels (RT-qPCR), OS and systemic inflammation were assessed in plasma samples (PE 29.5 vs HP 25.8 weeks) and related to extensive in vivo vascular function (flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), modified FMD (mFMD), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV), heart rate corrected augmentation index (AIx75) and reactive hyperemia index (RHI)). FMD, CF-PWV, AIx75 and RHI were all significantly impaired in PE (P<0.05). PE patients had reduced levels of miR-16 (5.53 ± 0.36 vs 5.84 ± 0.61) and increased levels of miR-200c (1.34 ± 0.57 vs 0.97 ± 0.68) (P<0.05). Independent of age and parity, miR-16 was related to impaired FMD (β 2.771, 95% C.I.: 0.023–5.519, P=0.048) and mFMD (β 3.401, 95% C.I.: 0.201–6.602, P=0.038). Likewise, miR-200c was independently associated with CF-PWV (β 0.513, 95% C.I.: 0.034–0.992, P=0.036). In conclusion, circulating levels of miR-16 were lower in PE, which correlated with impaired endothelial function. Circulating miR-200c was increased in PE and correlated with higher arterial stiffness. These findings suggest a post-transcriptional dysregulation of the VEGF pathway in PE and identify miR-16 and miR-200c as possible diagnostic biomarkers for PE.
Proactive spectrum monitoring with spectrum monitoring data transmission in dynamic spectrum sharing network: Joint design of precoding and antenna selection
Authors: Zhang Y. , Hu G. , Cai Y.
Published: July 2021

A proactive spectrum monitoring and spectrum monitoring data (SMD) transmission coexistence system is investigated in dynamic spectrum sharing network, where a spectrum monitor (SM) aims to monitor the spectrum information from the electromagnetic signal sent by the suspicious transmitter to the suspicious destination by using a portion of its antennas and transmit its SMD to the spectrum data fusion center by using the rest antennas. The SMD transmission of the SM can also be employed to jam the suspicious destination to realise the effective proactive spectrum monitoring. Thus, the precoding and antenna selection scheme are jointly designed at the SM to maximise the sum of the achievable spectrum monitoring rate and the SMD transmission rate. The scenario that the SM can assess the statistical channel state information of the suspicious links based on the spectrum information obtained from the spectrum database as the spectrum management node is then considered. The spectrum monitoring/SMD transmission success probability is also derived, and a trade‐off between them is further revealed. Simulation results show that the proposed schemes can obtain higher sum rate of the spectrum monitoring and the SMD transmission, which also verifies its effectiveness and above “security‐reliability” trade‐off.
Evolution of skewness and kurtosis of cosmic density fields
Authors: Einasto Jaan , Klypin Anatoly , Hütsi Gert , Liivamägi Lauri-Juhan , Einasto Maret
Published: July 2021

Aims. We investigate the evolution of the one-point probability distribution function (PDF) of the dark matter density field and the evolution of its moments for fluctuations that are Gaussian in the linear regime.

Methods. We performed numerical simulations of the evolution of the cosmic web for the conventional ΛCDM model. The simulations covered a wide range of box sizes L = 256 − 4000 h−1 Mpc, mass, and force resolutions, and epochs from very early moments z = 30 to the present moment z = 0. We calculated density fields with various smoothing lengths to determine the dependence of the density field on the smoothing scale. We calculated the PDF and its moments variance, skewness, and kurtosis. We determined the dependence of these parameters on the evolutionary epoch z, on the smoothing length Rt, and on the rms deviation of the density field σ using a cubic-cell and top-hat smoothing with kernels 0.4 h−1 Mpc ≤ Rt ≤ 32 h−1 Mpc.

Results. We focus on the third (skewness S) and fourth (kurtosis K) moments of the distribution functions: their dependence on the smoothing scale Rt, the amplitude of the fluctuations σ, and the redshift z. Moments S and K, calculated for density fields at different cosmic epochs and smoothed with various scales, characterise the evolution of different structures of the web. Moments calculated with small-scale smoothing (Rt ≈ (1 − 4) h−1 Mpc) characterise the evolution of the web on cluster-type scales. Moments found with strong smoothing (Rt ≳ (5 − 15) h−1 Mpc) describe the evolution of the web on supercluster scales. During the evolution, the reduced skewness S3 = S/σ and reduced kurtosis S4 = K/σ2 present a complex behaviour: at a fixed redshift, curves of S3(σ) and S4(σ) steeply increase with σ at σ ≲ 1 and then flatten out and become constant at σ ≳ 2. When we fixed the smoothing scale Rt, the curves at large σ started to gradually decline after reaching the maximum at σ ≈ 2. We provide accurate fits for the evolution of S3, 4(σ, z). Skewness and kurtosis approach constant levels at early epochs S3(σ)≈3 and S4(σ)≈15.

Conclusions. Most of the statistics of dark matter clustering (e.g. halo mass function or concentration-mass relation) are nearly universal: they mostly depend on the σ with a relatively modest correction to apparent dependence on the redshift. We find just the opposite for skewness and kurtosis: the dependence of the moments on the evolutionary epoch z and smoothing length Rt is very different. Together, they uniquely determine the evolution of S3, 4(σ). The evolution of S3 and S4 cannot be described by current theoretical approximations. The often used lognormal distribution function for the PDF fails to even qualitatively explain the shape and evolution of S3 and S4.
The linen factory park of “Biysk linen company OAO” (open joint-stock company) landscape gardening redesign project in Biysk city
Authors: Shenmayer N.A. , Litvinova M.M. , Konyukhova V.V. , Romanova S.S.
Published: July 2021

The aim of this research is to develop more rational proposal to improve the green area on the territory of Biysk city park in terms of its recreation, protective, sanitary and hygienic, aesthetic and research purposes. The inventory of green plantations was carried out according to the method of V.S. Theodoronsky, I.O. Bogovaya by enumeration survey of growing stand on the park area. The inventory results of green areas and the assessment of green plantations health are shown in this work, the land-use planning and landscape gardening compliance of the area were examined too. According to the results of the study, the causes are established and the methods are set for the green plantations redesign of the park area. The list of arboreal and herbaceous plants and landscape design solutions were chosen by taking into account the environmental conditions of the Altai Territory.
Geoecological problems of civil engineering in the riverside zone (case study of the Volga riverside zone)
Authors: Vasilieva Darya , Baranova Margarita , Kholopov Yuriy
Published: July 2021

In the context of widespread urbanization an increase in the area of built-up areas is taking place. At the same time land plots previously occupied by industrial enterprises, forest and agricultural land, etc. are used for construction. Development of new territories can lead to the activation of exogenous geological processes and the increase of environmental problems associated with geological hazards (karst, erosion, landslides, subsidence, waterlogging and flooding of land, etc.). The aim of the article is to study the influence of civil construction on the geoecological condition of the territory by the example of the bank zone of the Volga river within the city of Samara.
Application of AEC (RES) as a way to increase the competitiveness of industrial organizations
Authors: Tyutrina Alena Y.
Published: July 2021

This article considers the necessity to replace traditional sources of electricity with renewable ones. An industrial enterprise is chosen as an object, on the basis of which the economic efficiency of installing microgrid as an active energy complex is calculated within the framework of the seventh goal of sustainable economic development.
Study of the limits of resistance of endophytic fungi Fusarium equiseti and Cylindrocarpon magnusianum to the action of copper and chromium (VI)
Authors: Islamova Nadezhda , Bukharina Irina , Isupova Anastasiya
Published: July 2021

Endophytic fungi are promising subjects for study as agents for increasing plant resistance. They have a wide distribution area, diverse morphology and are able to adapt to stressful environmental conditions. We have carried out studies on the effect of different concentrations of copper and chromium on the growth of endophytic fungi Fusarium equiseti and Cylindrocarpon magnusianum. The results showed that these micromycetes are able to adapt to a high content of heavy metals in the environment and, therefore, can be used in the development of technologies for increasing plant resistance.
Environmental risks in the development of the regional socio-economic system and ensuring the environmental safety of Russian regions and the Republic of South Ossetia
Authors: Kallagov Boris , Kharebov Elkan , Totrova Irina , Zakirova Elina
Published: July 2021

In recent decades, the rapidly developing industrial revolution has overshadowed environmental aspects. At the same time, the environmental factor can become a catalyst for negative trends associated with man-made disasters and the health of the region’s population. In this regard, the most important function of public authorities is the development of a set of legislative acts providing for environmental safety, considering the interests of economic entities in the context of effective functioning, ensuring control over compliance with this legislation. In the presented article, the authors analyse the experience of legislative regulation in the field of environmental protection in the Russian Federation. The authors examine in detail the environmental risks in the North Caucasian Federal District and the Republic of South Ossetia, which are closely linked by economic relations and which have many similar problems.