bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic mechanism, baseline sensitivity and risk of resistance to oxathiapiprolin in oomycetes
Authors: Mboup Mamadou Kane , Sweigard James W , Carroll Anne , Jaworska Grazyna , Genet Jean‐Luc
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

Oxathiapiprolin is a piperidinyl thiazole isoxazoline fungicide discovered by DuPont and commercialized by Corteva Agriscience. It acts by inhibiting a novel fungal target, an oxysterol binding protein (OSBP), and is intrinsically highly active against oomycetes including grape downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) and potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans). Because the fungicide acts at a single site there is a need to determine the risk of resistance development.

RESULTS

Oxathiapiprolin controlled European Plasmopara viticola and Phytophthora infestans isolates at very low concentrations with half maximal effective concentration (EC50) values ranging from 0.001 to 0.0264 mg L−1 and 0.001 to 0.03 mg L−1, respectively. Laboratory mutagenesis studies performed with Phytophthora capsici using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation generated mutants with reduced sensitivity to oxathiapiprolin. All resistant mutants had a base pair change in the OSBP gene that resulted in an amino acid change. Most common substitutions were S768Y, G770V, G839W and L863W. Isolates of Plasmopara viticola and Phytophthora infestans with reduced sensitivity were also detected in field trial sites where oxathiapiprolin had been applied repeatedly each season over several consecutive years.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of oxathiapiprolin resistance development in Plasmopara viticola and Phytophthora infestans is medium to high and strict resistance management measures are required. Over‐exposure of target populations to single‐site fungicides during product development should be avoided.
Heterogeneous treatment effect analysis based on machine‐learning methodology
Authors: Gong Xiajing , Hu Meng , Basu Mahashweta , Zhao Liang
Published: October 2021

Heterogeneous treatment effect (HTE) analysis focuses on examining varying treatment effects for individuals or subgroups in a population. For example, an HTE‐informed understanding can critically guide physicians to individualize the medical treatment for a certain disease. However, HTE analysis has not been widely recognized and used, even given the explosive increase of data availability attributed to the arrival of the Big Data era. Part of the reason behind its underuse is that data are often of high dimension and high complexity, which pose significant challenges for applying conventional HTE analysis methods. To meet these challenges, a newly developed causal forest HTE method has been derived from the random forest machine‐learning algorithm. We conducted a systematic performance evaluation for the causal forest method against the conventional two‐step method by simulating scenarios with different levels of complexity for the analysis. Our results show that causal forest outperforms the conventional HTE method in assessing treatment effect, especially when data are complex (e.g., nonlinear) and high dimensional, suggesting that causal forest is a promising tool for real‐world applications of HTE analysis.
“They’re Killing our Imaginations”: Dialogue and Reflexive Writing Development in Historically Marginalized Students
Authors: Spence Lucy K. , Costa Priscila J.B.M. , Cullars Amanda
Published: October 2021

Writing and identity development are enhanced when students have opportunities to discuss and write about their lives and concerns. This qualitative study explored sites of possibility for reflective, dialogic pedagogy within middle and high school writing instruction. The context for the study were three rural school districts that were test‐focused, historically marginalized, and majority African American. We collected classroom observations, student and teacher interviews, and writing samples over one academic year, and used writing identity and reflexivity to understand how students engaged in reflexive writing. Reflexivity involves reflecting on interests, values, beliefs, and power in relation to ideas or purposes. Our results indicate that dialogue and writing about meaningful topics contributed to a reflexive writing cycle. Within this cycle, dialogue was central to reflection and writing decisions. Conversely, limited opportunities to reflect and engage in dialogue resulted in fewer instances of reflexivity in the writing samples.
Lithium Storage Performance Boosted via Delocalizing Charge in ZnxCo1−xPS3/CoS2 of 2D/3D Heterostructure
Authors: Zhong Hou‐Yang , Lu Xian , Zhong Yu , Zhao Yi , Liu Xin‐Ming , Cheng Dan‐Hong , Huang Xiao‐Ying , Du Ke‐Zhao , Wu Xiao‐Hui
Published: October 2021

A promising anode material consisting of bimetallic thiophosphate ZnxCo1−xPS3 and CoS2 with 2D/3D heterostructure is designed and prepared by an effective chemical transformation. Density functional theory calculations illustrate that the Zn2+ can effectively modulate the electrical ordering of ZnxCo1−xPS3 on the nanoscale: the reduced charge distribution emerging around the Zn ions can enhance the local built‐in electric field, which will accelerate the ions migration rate by Coulomb forces and provide tempting opportunities for manipulating Li+ storage behavior. Moreover, the merits of the large planar size enable ZnxCo1–xPS3 to provide abundant anchoring sites for metallic CoS2 nanocubes, generating a 2D/3D heterostructure with a strong electric field. The resultant ZnxCo1−xPS3/CoS2 can offer the combined advantages of bimetallic alloying and heterostructure in lithium storage applications, leading to outstanding performance as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries. Consequently, a high capacity of 794 mA h g−1 can be retained after 100 cycles at 0.2 A g−1. Even at 3.0 A g−1, a satisfactory capacity of 465 mA h g−1 can be delivered. The appealing alloying‐heterostructure and electrochemical performance of this bimetallic thiophosphate demonstrate its great promise for applications in practical rechargeable batteries.
Bioswitchable Delivery of microRNA by Framework Nucleic Acids: Application to Bone Regeneration
Authors: Li Songhang , Liu Yuhao , Tian Taoran , Zhang Tao , Lin Shiyu , Zhou Mi , Zhang Xiaolin , Lin Yunfeng , Cai Xiaoxiao
Published: October 2021

MicroRNAs (miRs) play an important role in regulating gene expression. Limited by their instabilities, miR therapeutics require delivery vehicles. Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) are potentially applicable to drug delivery because they prominently penetrate tissue and are taken up by cells. However, tFNA‐based miR delivery strategies have failed to separate the miRs after they enter cells, affecting miR efficiency. In this study, an RNase H‐responsive sequence is applied to connect a sticky‐end tFNA (stFNA) and miR‐2861, which is a model miR, to target the expression of histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The resultant bioswitchable nanocomposite (stFNA–miR) enables efficient miR‐2861 unloading and deployment after intracellular delivery, thereby inhibiting the expression of HDAC5 and promoting osteogenic differentiation. stFNA–miR also facilitated ideal bone repair via topical injection. In conclusion, a versatile miR delivery strategy is offered for various biomedical applications that necessitate modulation of gene expression.
Macroscopic MOF Architectures: Effective Strategies for Practical Application in Water Treatment
Authors: Yao Yiyuan , Wang Chaohai , Na Jongbeom , Hossain Mohammed Shahriar A. , Yan Xin , Zhang Hao , Amin Mohammed A. , Qi Junwen , Yamauchi Yusuke , Li Jiansheng
Published: October 2021

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have potential applications in removing pollutants such as heavy metals, oils, and toxins from water. However, due to the intrinsic fragility of MOFs and their fine powder form, there are still technical barriers to their practical application such as blockage of pipes, difficulty in recovery, and potential environmental toxicity. Therefore, attention has focused on approaches to convert nanocrystalline MOFs into macroscopic materials to overcome these limitations. Recently, strategies for shaping MOFs into beads (0D), nanofibers (1D), membranes (2D), and gels/sponges (3D) with macrostructures are developed including direct mixing, in situ growth, or deposition of MOFs with polymers, cotton, foams or other porous substrates. In this review, successful strategies for the fabrication of macroscopic materials from MOFs and their applications in removing pollutants from water including adsorption, separation, and advanced oxidation processes, are discussed. The relationship between the macroscopic performance and the microstructure of materials, and how the range of 0D to 3D macroscopic materials can be used for water treatment are also outlined.
A Comparison of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation and Evolution on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic and Disordered Graphite Negative Electrodes in Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhu Haoyu , Russell Joshua A. , Fang Zongtang , Barnes Pete , Li Lan , Efaw CoreyM. , Muenzer Allison , May Jeremy , Hamal Kailash , Cheng I. Francis , Davis Paul H. , Dufek EricJ. , Xiong Hui
Published: October 2021

The presence and stability of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on graphitic electrodes is vital to the performance of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, the formation and evolution of SEI remain the least understood area in LIBs due to its dynamic nature, complexity in chemical composition, heterogeneity in morphology, as well as lack of reliable in situ/operando techniques for accurate characterization. In addition, chemical composition and morphology of SEI are not only affected by the choice of electrolyte, but also by the nature of the electrode surface. While introduction of defects into graphitic electrodes has promoted their electrochemical properties, how such structural defects influence SEI formation and evolution remains an open question. Here, utilizing nondestructive operando electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EChem‐AFM) the dynamic SEI formation and evolution on a pair of representative graphitic materials with and without defects, namely, highly oriented pyrolytic and disordered graphite electrodes, are systematically monitored and compared. Complementary to the characterization of SEI topographical and mechanical changes during electrochemical cycling by EChem‐AFM, chemical analysis and theoretical calculations are conducted to provide mechanistic insights underlying SEI formation and evolution. The results provide guidance to engineer functional SEIs through design of carbon materials with defects for LIBs and beyond.
The Dehydrogenation of H‐S Bond into Sulfur Species on Supported Pd Single Atoms Allows Highly Selective and Sensitive Hydrogen Sulfide Detection
Authors: Liu Bo , Zhang Linjuan , Luo Yuanyuan , Gao Lei , Duan Guotao
Published: October 2021

The supported metal catalysts on scaffolds usually reveal multiple active sites, resulting in the occurrence of side reaction and being detrimental to the achievement of highly consistent catalysis. Single atom catalysts (SACs), possessed with highly consistent single active sites, have great potentials for overcoming such issues. Herein, the authors used SACs to modulate kinetic process of gas sensitive reaction. The supported Pd SACs, established by a metal organic frameworks‐templated approach, promoted greatly the detection capacity to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas with a very high sensitivity and selectivity. Density functional theory calculations show that the supported Pd SACs not only increased the number of electrons transferring from H2S molecules to Pd SACs, but strengthened surface affinity to H2S. Moreover, the HS bonds of H2S molecules absorbed on Pd atomic sites are more likely to be dehydrogenated directly into sulfur species. Significantly, quasi in situ XPS analysis confirmed the presence of sulfur species during H2S detection process, which may be a major cause for such detection signal. Based on these results, a suitable sensing principle for H2S gas driven by Pd SACs was put forward. This work will enrich catalytic electronics in chemiresistive gas sensing.
Strategies for Large‐Scale Fabrication of Perovskite Films for Solar Cells
Authors: Liu Pei , Tang Guanqi , Yan Feng
Published: October 2021

The development of large‐area fabrication of perovskite solar cells is essential to their commercial applications. In this review, the recent progress of this field is first summarized. Then, the crystallization mechanism of perovskite films is addressed, followed by detailed descriptions on the deposition methods and optimization strategies for large‐area perovskite films. Finally, an outlook is provided for further improvement.
Cd3(C3N3S3)2 Polymer/Sn Schottky Heterojunction for Broadband‐Solar Highly Selective Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Li Xudong , Zhang Jinfeng , Dai Kai , Fan Ke , Liang Changhao
Published: October 2021

Solar‐driven carbon dioxide reduction is a promising strategy to manage the global carbon balance. Here, we built the Sn/Cd3(C3N3S3)2 (CdTMT) composite to achieve nearly 99% selectivity in the conversion of CO2 to CO. The Gibbs free energy reveals the lower activation energy barrier of CdTMT and Sn to the formation of the *OCHO intermediate. The metal Sn on the surface of CdTMT to form the Schottky heterojunction significantly improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers, and the surface plasmon resonance of Sn can expand and enhance the visible light response range and absorption intensity, boosting the photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction, which was about 3.7 times that of the pure CdTMT. Therefore, this study can provide new insights into the design and construction of metal–organic semiconductors to realize high‐selectivity heterojunctions in CO2 photoreduction conversion.
The diffusion of innovation theory and the effects of IFRS adoption by multinational corporations on capital market performance: a cross‐countryanalysis
Authors: Elmghaamez Ibrahim Khalifa , Attah‐Boakye Rexford , Adams Kweku , Agyemang Jacob
Published: October 2021

This article seeks to contribute to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) literature by examining the effects of adopting IFRS on stock market performance worldwide from the diffusion of innovation theory perspective. Our study revealed several interesting findings after using combinations of unique panel data sets from 110 countries worldwide and conducting a robust empirical analysis from 1995 to 2014. First, we found a positive association between late mandatory IFRS adoption and stock market integration in Europe. Second, our findings indicate a significant negative association between early IFRS adoption and the following financial indicators: stock market trading volumes, stock market capitalization, market turnover, and market return. Third, our study reveals an insignificant association between early IFRS adoption and stock price volatility alongside stock market development. Our findings are robust and have significant practical and policy implications for regulators and policymakers of multinational corporations.
Effect of vinyl chloride exposure on cardiometabolic toxicity
Authors: Zelko Igor N. , Taylor Breandon S. , Das Trinath P. , Watson Walter H. , Sithu Israel D. , Wahlang Banrida , Malovichko Marina V. , Cave Matthew C. , Srivastava Sanjay
Published: October 2021

Vinyl chloride (VC) is an organochlorine mainly used to manufacture its polymer polyvinyl chloride, which is extensively used in the manufacturing of consumer products. Recent studies suggest that chronic low dose VC exposure affects glucose homeostasis in high fat diet‐fed mice. Our data suggest that even in the absence of high fat diet, exposure to VC (0.8 ppm, 6 h/day, 5 day/week, for 12 weeks) induces glucose intolerance (1.0 g/kg, i.p.) in male C57BL/6 mice. This was accompanied with the depletion of hepatic glutathione and a modest increase in lung interstitial macrophages. VC exposure did not affect the levels of circulating immune cells, endothelial progenitor cells, platelet‐immune cell aggregates, and cytokines and chemokines. The acute challenge of VC‐exposed mice with LPS did not affect lung immune cell composition or plasma IL‐6. To examine the effect of VC exposure on vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis, LDL receptor‐KO mice on C57BL/6 background maintained on western diet were exposed to VC for 12 weeks (0.8 ppm, 6 h/day, 5 day/week). Unlike the WT C57BL/6 mice, VC exposure did not affect glucose tolerance in the LDL receptor‐KO mice. Plasma cytokines, lesion area in the aortic valve, and markers of lesional inflammation in VC‐exposed LDL receptor‐KO mice were comparable with the air‐exposed controls. Collectively, despite impaired glucose tolerance and modest pulmonary inflammation, chronic low dose VC exposure does not affect surrogate markers of cardiovascular injury, LPS‐induced acute inflammation in C57BL/6 mice, and chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis in the LDL receptor‐KO mice.
Perceiving gender while perceiving language: Integrating psycholinguistics and gender theory
Authors: Tripp Alayo , Munson Benjamin
Published: October 2021

There is a substantial body of literature showing that men and women speak differently and that these differences are endemic to the speech signal. However, the psycholinguistic mechanisms underlying the integration of social category perception and language are still poorly understood. Speaker attributes such as emotional state, age, sex, and race have often been treated in the literature as dissociable, but perceptual systems for social categories demonstrably rely on interdependent cognitive processes. We introduce adiversity scienceframework for evaluating the existing literature on gender and speech perception, arguing that differences in beliefs about gender may be defined as differences inbeliefs about differences. Treating individual, group, and societal level contrasts in ideological patterns as phenomenologically distinctive, we enumerate six ideological arenas which define claims about gender and examine the literature for treatment of these issues. We argue that both participants and investigators predictably show evidence of differences in ideological attitudes toward the normative definition of persons. The influence of social knowledge on linguistic perception therefore occurs in the context of predictable variation in both attention andinattentionto people and the distinguishing features which mark them salient as kinds. We link experiences of visibility, invisibility, and hypervisibility with ideological variation regarding the significance of physiological, linguistic, and social features, concluding that gender ideologies are implicated both in linguistic processing and in social judgments of value between groups. We conclude with a summary of the key gaps in the current literature and recommendations for best practices studies that may use in future investigations of socially meaningful variation in speech perception.

This article is categorized under:

Linguistics > Language in Mind and Brain

Psychology > Language

Linguistics > Language Acquisition

Psychology > Perception and Psychophysics
Charged Particles in Near-Earth Space
Authors: Koskinen Hannu E. J. , Kilpua Emilia K. J.
Published: October 2021

In this chapter we discuss the concepts that govern the motion of charged particles in the geomagnetic field and the principles how they stay trapped in the radiation belts. The basic particle orbit theory can be found in most plasma physics textbooks. We partly follow the presentation in Koskinen (Physics of space storms, from solar surface to the earth. Springer-Praxis, Heidelberg, 2011). A more detailed discussion can be found in Roederer and Zhang (Dynamics of magnetically trapped particles. Springer, Heidelberg, 2014). A classic treatment of adiabatic motion of charged particles is Northrop (The adiabatic motion of charged particles. Interscience Publishers, Wiley, New York, 1963).
Plasma Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere
Authors: Koskinen Hannu E. J. , Kilpua Emilia K. J.
Published: October 2021

Understanding the role of plasma waves, extending from magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves at ultra-low-frequency (ULF) oscillations in the millihertz range to very-low-frequency (VLF) whistler-mode emissions at frequencies of a few kHz, is necessary in studies of sources and losses of radiation belt particles. In order to make this theoretically heavy part of the book accessible to a reader, who is not familiar with wave–particle interactions, we have divided the treatise into three chapters. In the present chapter we introduce the most important wave modes that are critical to the dynamics of radiation belts. The drivers of these waves are discussed in Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-82167-8_5 and the roles of the wave modes as sources and losses of radiation belt particles are dealt with in Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-82167-8_6.
Thermal QCD Axions across Thresholds
Authors: D’Eramo Francesco , Hajkarim Fazlollah , Yun Seokhoon
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Thermal axion production in the early universe goes through several mass thresholds, and the resulting rate may change dramatically across them. Focusing on the KSVZ and DFSZ frameworks for the invisible QCD axion, we perform a systematic analysis of thermal production across thresholds and provide smooth results for the rate. The QCD phase transition is an obstacle for both classes of models. For the hadronic KSVZ axion, we also deal with production at temperatures around the mass of the heavy-colored fermion charged under the Peccei-Quinn symmetry. Within the DFSZ framework, standard model fermions are charged under this symmetry, and additional thresholds are the heavy Higgs bosons masses and the electroweak phase transition. We investigate the cosmological implications with a specific focus on axion dark radiation quantified by an effective number of neutrino species and explore the discovery reach of future CMB-S4 surveys.
Chern-Simons-matter theories at large baryon number
Authors: Watanabe Masataka
Published: October 2021

Abstract

We study SU(2) Chern-Simons theories at level k coupled to a scalar on T2 × ℝ at large baryon number. We find a homogeneous but anisotropic ground state configuration for any values of k on the IR fixed-point of those models. This classical analysis is valid as long as we take the baryon number large. As a corollary, by comparing the symmetry breaking pattern at large chemical potential, we find that the theory does not reduce to the singlet sector of the O(4) Wilson-Fisher fixed-point at large-k, as expected from general grounds. This paper will be one primitive step towards quantitative analysis of Chern-Simons-matter dualities using the large charge expansion.
Vagal stimulation in heart failure
Authors: Dusi Veronica , De Ferrari Gaetano Maria
Published: October 2021

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has a strong pathophysiological rationale as a potentially beneficial treatment for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Despite several promising preclinical studies and pilot clinical studies, the two large, controlled trials—NECTAR-HF and INOVATE-HF—failed to demonstrate the expected benefit. It is likely that clinical application of VNS in phase III studies was performed before a sufficient degree of understanding of the complex pathophysiology of autonomic electrical modulation had been achieved, therefore leading to an underestimation of its potential benefit. More knowledge on the complex dose–response issue of VNS (i.e., pulse amplitude, frequency, duration and duty cycle) has been gathered since these trials and a new randomized study is currently underway with an adaptive design and a refined approach in an attempt to deliver the proper dose to a more selected group of patients.
Patients with Crohn's Disease Undergoing Abdominal Surgery: Clinical and Prognostic Evaluation Based on a Single‐Center Cohort in China
Authors: Wu Enhao , Duan Ming , Han Jianqiu , Zhang Hanzhe , Zhou Yan , Cao Lei , Gong Jianfeng , Guo Zhen , Li Yi , Zhu Weiming
Published: October 2021

Background

The incidence and prevalence of Crohn's disease (CD) are increasing in China, but there are few reports on the characteristics of patients requiring abdominal surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of these patients and the potential risk factors for postoperative complications and surgical recurrence.

Methods

In this observational, retrospective single‐center cohort analysis, patients with CD who had undergone at least one abdominal surgery at our center from 2007 to 2020 were included. Data were collected from a prospectively maintained database. Clinical factors were assessed by logistic regression models, Kaplan–Meier methods, and Cox proportional hazards regression models. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was determined by a concordance index (C‐index) and calibration curve and was validated using bootstrap resampling.

Results

In the 1639 patients, clinical characteristics were evaluated. In a multivariable logistic regression model, penetrating behavior (P = 0.002), emergency surgery (P = 0.010), and smoking status (P = 0.015) were significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative septic complications. In contrast, staged surgery (P = 0.009) was inversely associated with postoperative complications. Upper gastrointestinal disease (P = 0.042), penetrating behavior (P = 0.027), emergency at initial surgery (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with an increased risk of surgical recurrence after the index surgery in our Cox regression model, whereas staged surgery (P = 0.036) was significantly associated with a decreased risk. The C‐index of the nomogram for predicting recurrence was 0.744 (P = 0.015), and calibration curves showed good agreement between predictions of 3, 5, and 10 years of recurrence and actual observations.

Conclusions

There are several disease‐ and surgery‐associated risk factors of postoperative adverse outcomes in patients with CD undergoing abdominal surgery. This is important in optimizing the management of CD which has evolved into a global disease with rising prevalence in newly industrialized countries including China.
Filling the matrix: an ANOVA-based method to emulate regional climate model simulations for equally-weighted properties of ensembles of opportunity
Authors: Christensen Ole B. , Kjellström Erik
Published: October 2021

Collections of large ensembles of regional climate model (RCM) downscaled climate data for particular regions and scenarios can be organized in a usually incomplete matrix consisting of GCM (global climate model) x RCM combinations. When simple ensemble averages are calculated, each GCM will effectively be weighted by the number of times it has been downscaled. In order to facilitate more equal and less arbitrary weighting among downscaled GCM results, we present a method to emulate the missing combinations in such a matrix, enabling equal weighting among participating GCMs and hence among regional consequences of large-scale climate change simulated by each GCM. This method is based on a traditional Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) approach. The method is applied and studied for fields of seasonal average temperature, precipitation and surface wind and for the 10-year return value of daily precipitation and of 10-m wind speed for a completely filled matrix consisting of 5 GCMs and 4 RCMs. We quantify the skill of the two averaging methods for different numbers of missing simulations and show that ensembles where lacking members have been emulated by the ANOVA technique are better at representing the full ensemble than corresponding simple ensemble averages, particularly in cases where only a few model combinations are absent. The technique breaks down when the number of missing simulations reaches the sum of the numbers of GCMs and RCMs. Also, the method is only useful when inter-simulation variability is limited. This is the case for the average fields that have been studied, but not for the extremes. We have developed analytical expressions for the degree of improvement obtained with the present method, which quantify this conclusion.
Comparison of manual versus automated measurement of Cobb angle in idiopathic scoliosis based on a deep learning keypoint detection technology
Authors: Sun Yu , Xing Yaozhong , Zhao Zian , Meng Xianglong , Xu Gang , Hai Yong
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The present study compared manual and automated measurement of Cobb angle in idiopathic scoliosis based on deep learning keypoint detection technology.

Methods

A total of 181 anterior–posterior spinal X-rays were included in this study, including 165 cases of idiopathic scoliosis and 16 normal adult cases without scoliosis. We labeled all images and randomly chose 145 as the training set and 36 as the test set. Two state-of-the-art deep learning object detection models based on convolutional neural networks were used in sequence to segment each vertebra and locate the vertebral corners. Cobb angles measured from the output of the models were compared to manual measurements performed by orthopedic experts.

Results

The mean Cobb angle in test cases was 27.4° ± 19.2° (range 0.00–91.00°) with manual measurements and 26.4° ± 18.9° (range 0.00–88.00°) with automated measurements. The automated method needed 4.45 s on average to measure each radiograph. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for the reliability of the automated measurement of the Cobb angle was 0.994. The Pearson correlation coefficient and mean absolute error between automated positioning and expert annotation were 0.990 and 2.2° ± 2.0°, respectively. The analytical result for the Spearman rank-order correlation was 0.984 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The automated measurement results agreed with the experts’ annotation and had a high degree of reliability when the Cobb angle did not exceed 90° and could locate multiple curves in the same scoliosis case simultaneously in a short period of time. Our results need to be verified in more cases in the future.
Motion preservation surgery for scoliosis with a vertebral body tethering system: a biomechanical study
Authors: Nicolini Luis Fernando , Kobbe Philipp , Seggewiß Jana , Greven Johannes , Ribeiro Marx , Beckmann Agnes , Da Paz Stephanie , Eschweiler Jörg , Prescher Andreas , Markert Bernd , Stoffel Marcus , Hildebrand Frank , Trobisch Per D.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

There is a paucity of studies on new vertebral body tethering (VBT) surgical constructs especially regarding their potentially motion-preserving ability. This study analyses their effects on the ROM of the spine.

Methods

Human spines (T10-L3) were tested under pure moment in four different conditions: (1) native, (2) instrumented with one tether continuously connected in all vertebrae from T10 to L3, (3) additional instrumented with a second tether continuously connected in all vertebrae from T11 to L3, and (4) instrumented with one tether and one titanium rod (hybrid) attached to T12, L1 and L2. The instrumentation was inserted in the left lateral side. The intersegmental ROM was evaluated using a magnetic tracking system, and the medians were analysed.
Please check and confirm the author names and initials are correct. Also, kindly confirm the details in the metadata are correct. The mentioned information is correct

Results

Compared to the native spine, the instrumented spine presented a reduction of less than 13% in global ROM considering flexion–extension and axial rotation. For left lateral bending, the median global ROM of the native spine (100%) significantly reduced to 74.6%, 66.4%, and 68.1% after testing one tether, two tethers and the hybrid construction, respectively. In these cases, the L1-L2 ROM was reduced to 68.3%, 58.5%, and 38.3%, respectively. In right lateral bending, the normalized global ROM of the spine with one tether, two tethers and the hybrid construction was 58.9%, 54.0%, and 56.6%, respectively. Considering the same order, the normalized L1-L2 ROM was 64.3%, 49.9%, and 35.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

The investigated VBT techniques preserved global ROM of the spine in flexion–extension and axial rotation while reduced the ROM in lateral bending.
Effects of climate change on bioclimatic indices in vineyards along Lake Neuchatel, Switzerland
Authors: Comte Valentin , Schneider Léonard , Calanca Pierluigi , Rebetez Martine
Published: October 2021

In this study, we investigated the consequences of climate change on bioclimatic indices in vineyards along the edge of Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland. Like in other vineyards all around the world, the typicity of wines and the phenology of vines have changed, particularly since the 1970s. Trends in the growing season average temperature and in Huglin’s heliothermal index show that the climate in the Neuchatel vineyards changed from very cool or cool to temperate during the last decades. Trends in the cool night index and in the prior to harvest cool night index both indicate that in the near future this wine region will frequently experience temperate instead of cool nights during the weeks leading up to harvest. Our results highlight the need for adaptation strategies, such as an upward elevational shift for Pinot Noir, as climatic conditions will become too warm at its current location in the next decades. They also show that conditions in this region are already favorable for more thermophilic varieties such as Merlot. In the context of global warming, this kind of analysis should be conducted throughout winegrowing regions in order to develop efficient adaptation strategies at the microclimatic scale.
The temporal pattern of VR sickness during 7.5-h virtual immersion
Authors: Chen Shanshan , Weng Dongdong
Published: October 2021

In this study, we assessed the relationship between exposure duration and VR sickness severity during 7.5-h virtual immersion. First, we showed that the VR sickness severity was positively correlated to the exposure duration: the longer participants were exposed to the VR environment, the more severe sickness symptoms they had. Second, we showed a dynamic sickness adaptation process during a long time of VR exposure: the sickness adaption effect that had already been established could be broken as the exposure duration continued to increase, and a new sickness adaption process would establish. Moreover, we showed a distinguishable symptom profile of HMD compared with LCD, which was insusceptible of exposure duration. This is the first report presenting the temporal pattern of VR sickness during such long-duration exposure. Our study could offer a predictive model of VR sickness severity level during long virtual immersion and provide suggestions for the use of VR technology for scientific study, clinical application, and business entertainment.
Review on Manufacture of Military Composite Helmet
Authors: Liang Yazhen , Chen Xiaogang , Soutis Constantinos
Published: October 2021

Despite of the fact that more and more accessory devices are integrated to functionalize a ballistic helmet system, its core ballistic protective function needs to be improved with weight reduction was and still is the main course in engineering design. The two major generic classes of synthetic fibres for ballistic composites are Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre (0.97 g/cm3) and aramid fibre (1.44 g/cm3). In the area of military helmets, these fibres are constructed into different topologies, draping/forming into double-curvature geometric shape in multiple plies, serving as reinforcement for composite shell. The preforming ways influence the subsequent impregnation / solidification and curing step in manufacture, in terms of the fibre orientation and fibre volume fraction. The inherent structural heterogeneity thus leads to scatter in permeability and composite thickness, and have further impact in generating process-induced defects. During the processing, the fibre continuity without wrinkles, together with voids-free are determinative factors to a quality final part. The aim of this paper is to review the manufacturing technologies characterised by thermo-mechanical forming and Liquid Composite Moulding (LCM), relating their processing parameters respectively to the properties of reinforcements in one dimension (1D), two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D), along with that of the matrix in dry or wet phase, interdependency of them are sought.
Multi-view attention-convolution pooling network for 3D point cloud classification
Authors: Wang Wenju , Wang Tao , Cai Yu
Published: October 2021

Classifying 3D point clouds is an important and challenging task in computer vision. Currently, classification methods using multiple views lose characteristic or detail information during the representation or processing of views. For this reason, we propose a multi-view attention-convolution pooling network framework for 3D point cloud classification tasks. This framework uses Res2Net to extract the features from multiple 2D views. Our attention-convolution pooling method finds more useful information in the input data related to the current output, effectively solving the problem of feature information loss caused by feature representation and the detail information loss during dimensionality reduction. Finally, we obtain the probability distribution of the model to be classified using a full connection layer and the softmax function. The experimental results show that our framework achieves higher classification accuracy and better performance than other contemporary methods using the ModelNet40 dataset.
Microphysics and Optical Attenuation in Fog: Observations from Two Coastal Sites
Authors: Wang Qing , Yamaguchi Ryan T. , Kalogiros John A. , Daniels Zachary , Alappattu Denny P. , Jonsson Haflidi , Alvarenga Oswaldo , Olson Alex , Wauer Benjamin J. , Ortiz-Suslow David G. , Fernando Harindra Joseph
Published: October 2021

A total of 15 fog events from two field campaigns are investigated: the High Energy Laser in Fog (HELFOG) project (central California) and the Toward Improving Coastal Fog Prediction (C-FOG) project (Ferryland Newfoundland). Nearly identical sensors were used in both projects to sample fog droplet-size spectra, wind, turbulence, and thermodynamic properties near the surface. Concurrent measurements of visibility were made by the present weather detector in both experiments, with the addition of a two-ended transmissometer in the HELFOG campaign. The analyses focused first on contrasting the observed fog microphysics and the associated thermodynamics from fog events in the two locations. The optical attenuation by fog was investigated using three methods: (1) derived from Mie theory using the measured droplet-size distribution, (2) parametrized as a function of fog liquid water content, and (3) parametrized in terms of total fog droplet number concentration. The consistency of these methods was investigated. The HELFOG data result in an empirical relationship between the meteorological range and liquid water content. Validation of such relationship is problematic using the C-FOG data due to the presence of rain and other factors. The parametrization with droplet number concentration only does not provide a robust visibility calculation since it cannot represent the effects of droplet size on visibility. Finally, a preliminary analysis of the mixed fog/rain case is presented to illustrate the nature of the problem to promote future research.
Bring Your Non-self to Work? The Interaction Between Self-decentralization and Moral Reasoning
Authors: Vu Mai Chi , Burton Nicholas
Published: October 2021

Spirituality continues to exert a strong influence in people’s lives both in work and beyond. However, given that spirituality is often non-formalized and personal, we continue to know little about how moral reasoning is strategized. In this paper, we examine how Buddhist leader-practitioners interpret and operationalize a process of self-decentralization based upon Buddhist emptiness theory as a form of moral reasoning. We find that Buddhist leader-practitioners share a common understanding of a self-decentralized identity and operationalize self-decentralization through two practices in Buddhist philosophy—skillful means and the middle way—to foreground social outcomes. However, we also find that practitioners face tensions and challenges in moral reasoning relates to agency—the ‘re-centering’ of the self as an enlightened self and the use of karmic reasoning to justify (un)ethical behavior—and contextual constraints that lead to feelings of vulnerability and exclusion. We present a model that elaborates these processes and invite further research that examines novel approaches and dynamic interpretations of the self in moral reasoning.
Systematic review of the receptor tyrosine kinase superfamily in neuroblastoma pathophysiology
Authors: Rozen Esteban Javier , Shohet Jason Matthew
Published: October 2021

Background

Neuroblastoma is a devastating disease accounting for 15% of all childhood cancer deaths. Yet, our understanding of key molecular drivers such as receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in this pathology remains poorly clarified. Here, we provide a systematic analysis of the RTK superfamily in the context of neuroblastoma pathogenesis.

Methods

Statistical correlations for all RTK family members’ expression to neuroblastoma patient survival across 10 independent patient cohorts were annotated, synthesized, and ranked using the R2: Genomics Analysis and Visualization Platform. Gene expression of selected members across different cancer cell lines was further analyzed in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, part of the Cancer Dependency Map portal (depmap portal (http://depmap.org)). Finally, we provide a detailed literature review for highly ranked candidates.

Results

Our analysis defined two subsets of RTKs showing robust associations with either better or worse survival, constituting potential novel players in neuroblastoma pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy. We review the available literature regarding the oncogenic functions of these RTKs, their roles in neuroblastoma pathophysiology, and potential utility as therapeutic targets.

Conclusions

Our systematic analysis and review of the RTK superfamily in neuroblastoma pathogenesis provides a new resource to guide the research community towards focused efforts investigating signaling pathways that contribute to neuroblastoma tumor establishment, growth, and/or aggressiveness and targeting these druggable molecules in novel therapeutic strategies.
Firm Liability When Third Parties and Consumers Incur Cumulative Harm
Authors: Friehe Tim , Langlais Eric , Schulte Elisabeth
Published: October 2021

This paper analyzes liability rules when consumers and third parties/the environment incur harm. Expected harm is convex in the level of output and modeled as a power function. We show that the social ranking of liability rules previously established for the case in which only consumers suffer harm (Strict Liability dominates No Liability and Negligence) may be reversed if harm to third parties or the environment is sufficiently important.
The in-situ exploration of Jupiter’s radiation belts
Authors: Roussos Elias , Allanson Oliver , André Nicolas , Bertucci Bruna , Branduardi-Raymont Graziella , Clark George , Dialynas Konstantinos , Dandouras Iannis , Desai Ravindra T. , Futaana Yoshifumi , Gkioulidou Matina , Jones Geraint H. , Kollmann Peter , Kotova Anna , Kronberg Elena A. , Krupp Norbert , Murakami Go , Nénon Quentin , Nordheim Tom , Palmaerts Benjamin , Plainaki Christina , Rae Jonathan , Santos-Costa Daniel , Sarris Theodore , Shprits Yuri , Sulaiman Ali , Woodfield Emma , Wu Xin , Yao Zonghua
Published: October 2021

Jupiter has the most complex and energetic radiation belts in our Solar System and one of the most challenging space environments to measure and characterize in-depth. Their hazardous environment is also a reason why so many spacecraft avoid flying directly through their most intense regions, thus explaining how Jupiter’s radiation belts have kept many of their secrets so well hidden, despite having been studied for decades. In this paper we argue why these secrets are worth unveiling. Jupiter’s radiation belts and the vast magnetosphere that encloses them constitute an unprecedented physical laboratory, suitable for interdisciplinary and novel scientific investigations: from studying fundamental high energy plasma physics processes which operate throughout the Universe, such as adiabatic charged particle acceleration and nonlinear wave-particle interactions, to exploiting the astrobiological consequences of energetic particle radiation. The in-situ exploration of the uninviting environment of Jupiter’s radiation belts presents us with many challenges in mission design, science planning, instrumentation, and technology. We address these challenges by reviewing the different options that exist for direct and indirect observations of this unique system. We stress the need for new instruments, the value of synergistic Earth and Jupiter-based remote sensing and in-situ investigations, and the vital importance of multi-spacecraft in-situ measurements. While simultaneous, multi-point in-situ observations have long become the standard for exploring electromagnetic interactions in the inner Solar System, they have never taken place at Jupiter or any strongly magnetized planet besides Earth. We conclude that a dedicated multi-spacecraft mission to Jupiter is an essential and obvious way forward for exploring the planet’s radiation belts. Besides guaranteeing numerous discoveries and huge leaps in our understanding of radiation belt systems, such a mission would also enable us to view Jupiter, its extended magnetosphere, moons, and rings under new light, with great benefits for space, planetary, and astrophysical sciences. For all these reasons, in-situ investigations of Jupiter’s radiation belts deserve to be given a high priority in the future exploration of our Solar System. This article is based on a White Paper submitted in response to the European Space Agency’s call for science themes for its Voyage 2050 programme.
Extremal lifetimes of persistent cycles
Authors: Chenavier Nicolas , Hirsch Christian
Published: October 2021

Persistent homology captures the appearances and disappearances of topological features such as loops and cavities when growing disks centered at a Poisson point process. We study extreme values for the lifetimes of features dying in bounded components and with birth resp. death time bounded away from the threshold for continuum percolation and the coexistence region. First, we describe the scaling of the minimal lifetimes for general feature dimensions, and of the maximal lifetimes for cavities in the Čech filtration. Then, we proceed to a more refined analysis and establish Poisson approximation for large lifetimes of cavities and for small lifetimes of loops. Finally, we also study the scaling of minimal lifetimes in the Vietoris-Rips setting and point to a surprising difference to the Čech filtration.