bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Duration of cytopenias with concomitant venetoclax and azole antifungals in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Rausch Caitlin R. , DiNardo Courtney D. , Maiti Abhishek , Jammal Nadya J. , Kadia Tapan M. , Marx Kayleigh R. , Borthakur Gautam , Savoy J. Michael , Pemmaraju Naveen , DiPippo Adam J. , Daver Naval G. , Chew Serena M. , Sasaki Koji , Issa Ghayas C. , Short Nicholas J. , Takahashi Koichi , Ohanian Maro N. , Ning Jing , Xiao Lianchun , Alvarado Yesid , Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P. , Ravandi Farhad , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Konopleva Marina Y.
Published: April 2021

Background

Venetoclax (VEN) combined with the hypomethylating agent (HMA) azacitidine improves survival in patients aged ≥75 years with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). VEN and HMA treatment can result in prolonged and often profound neutropenia, and this warrants antifungal prophylaxis. Azole antifungals inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4, the primary enzyme responsible for VEN metabolism; this results in VEN dose reductions for each concomitant antifungal. Limited clinical data exist on outcomes for patients treated with VEN, an HMA, and various azoles.

Methods

The time to neutrophil recovery (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] > 1000 cells/mm3) and platelet (PLT) recovery (PLT count > 100,000 cells/mm3) in 64 patients with newly diagnosed AML who achieved a response after course 1 of VEN plus an HMA were evaluated. HMA therapy included azacitidine (75 mg/m2 intravenously/subcutaneously for 7 days) or decitabine (20 mg/m2 intravenously for 5 or 10 days).

Results

Forty‐seven patients (73%) received an azole: posaconazole (n = 17; 27%), voriconazole (n = 9; 14%), isavuconazole (n = 20; 31%), or fluconazole (n = 1; 2%). The median time to ANC recovery were similar for patients who did receive an azole (37 days; 95% confidence interval [CI], 34‐38 days) and patients who did not receive an azole (39 days; 95% CI, 30 days to not estimable; P = .8). The median time to PLT recovery was significantly longer for patients receiving azoles (28 vs 22 days; P = .01). The median times to ANC recovery (35 vs 38 days) and PLT recovery (26 vs 32 days) were similar with posaconazole and voriconazole.

Conclusions

VEN plus an HMA resulted in neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, with the latter prolonged in patients receiving concomitant azoles. Concomitant posaconazole or voriconazole and VEN (100 mg) resulted in similar ANC and PLT recovery times, suggesting the safety of these dosage combinations during course 1.
Comorbidities and the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality among racially diverse patients with breast cancer
Authors: Connor Avonne E. , Schmaltz Chester L. , Jackson‐Thompson Jeannette , Visvanathan Kala
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

Women who have coexisting comorbidities at the time of breast cancer diagnosis have an increased risk of breast cancer and overall mortality. However, the associations between newly diagnosed comorbidities and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among these patients have not been examined.

METHODS

The authors compared the associations between coexisting and newly diagnosed CVD, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension and the risk of CVD mortality among patients with breast cancer identified in the Missouri Cancer Registry. In total, 33,099 women who had incident invasive breast cancer with inpatient and outpatient hospital discharge data within 2 years after breast cancer diagnosis were included: 9.3% were Black. Subdistribution hazard ratios (sdHRs) and 95% CIs were calculated for the risk of CVD‐related mortality using adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models, accounting for a competing risk of breast cancer deaths.

RESULTS

Within the first 2 years after breast cancer, the most reported newly diagnosed comorbidity was hypertension (9%), followed by CVD (4%), and type 2 diabetes (2%). CVD mortality was increased in women who had newly diagnosed CVD (sdHR, 2.49; 95% CI, 2.09‐2.99), diabetes (sdHR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.68‐2.77), or hypertension (sdHR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.71‐2.48) compared with women who did not have these conditions. Associations were similar by race. The strongest association was among women who received chemotherapy and then developed CVD (sdHR, 3.82; 95% CI, 2.69‐5.43).

CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring for diabetes, hypertension, and CVD from the time of breast diagnosis may reduce CVD mortality.
Optimal Transport Based Seismic Inversion:Beyond Cycle Skipping
Authors: Engquist Björn , Yang Yunan
Published: April 2021

Full‐waveform inversion (FWI) is today a standard process for the inverse problem of seismic imaging. PDE‐constrained optimization is used to determine unknown parameters in a wave equation that represent geophysical properties. The objective function measures the misfit between the observed data and the calculated synthetic data, and it has traditionally been the least‐squares norm. In a sequence of papers, we introduced the Wasserstein metric from optimal transport as an alternative misfit function for mitigating the so‐called cycle skipping, which is the trapping of the optimization process in local minima. In this paper, we first give a sharper theorem regarding the convexity of the Wasserstein metric as the objective function. We then focus on two new issues. One is the necessary normalization of turning seismic signals into probability measures such that the theory of optimal transport applies. The other, which is beyond cycle skipping, is the inversion for parameters below reflecting interfaces. For the first, we propose a class of normalizations and prove several favorable properties for this class. For the latter, we demonstrate that FWI using optimal transport can recover geophysical properties from domains where no seismic waves travel through. We finally illustrate these properties by the realistic application of imaging salt inclusions, which has been a significant challenge in exploration geophysics. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Cultural Dimensions of Early Pregnancy Loss: Spiritual and Religious Issues
Authors: Crockett Jamie E. , Rogers Jennifer L. , Binkley Erin E.
Published: April 2021

Nearly one in five clinically confirmed pregnancies ends in a loss before 20 weeks (Bardos et al., 2015). Despite the prevalence of miscarriage, many women and partners experience a lack of acknowledgment and support while also encountering complicated concerns related to the intersection of perinatal loss, culture, religious and spiritual issues, medical treatment, their reproductive stories, and grief (Randolph et al., 2015). Counselors working with these clients must address complex cultural considerations. As such, we review key cultural and religious/spiritual issues related to early pregnancy loss and offer recommendations for practice based on the current literature in the context of the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (2009) counseling competencies.
Application of Yoga as a Spiritual Practice to Enhance Counselor Wellness and Effectiveness
Authors: Maurya Rakesh Kumar , DeDiego Amanda C. , Bruce Mary Alice
Published: April 2021

In this article, we explore potential benefits of yoga, an ancient Indian tradition for spiritual growth and development, for counselors. Counselors use themselves as instruments to support clients and are constantly exposed to the traumatic experiences of clients, which may leave them susceptible to secondary traumatic stress or compassion fatigue (Shallcross, 2011). Yoga can help counselors not only in achieving holistic wellness but also in developing a way of being consistent with the characteristics of an effective counselor. Furthermore, yoga, as a spiritual practice, can empower counselors to embark on a spiritual journey driven by their own personal experiences.
Demographics, Stigma, and Religious Coping and Christian African Americans' Help Seeking
Authors: Avent Harris Janeé R. , Wahesh Edward , Barrow Marah , Fripp Jessica A.
Published: April 2021

This study investigated the relationship between demographic characteristics, mental health treatment stigma, religious coping, and help seeking among a sample of 488 Christian African Americans. The results indicated that religious coping, both negative and positive, accounted for a significant portion of variance and explained trends in lifetime counseling attendance above and beyond that explained by demographic characteristics and mental health treatment stigma variables.
Effect of the Additional Carboxyl Group in Half‐Sandwich Organometallic 2,4‐Dipicolinate Complexes on Solution Speciation and Structure
Authors: Mészáros János P. , Németi Gábor , Poljarevic Jelena M. , Holczbauer Tamás , May Nóra V. , Enyedy Éva A.
Published: April 2021

Solution speciation of Rh(η5‐C5Me5), Ru(η6‐p‐cymene) and Ru(η6‐toluene) complexes of 2,4‐pyridinedicarboxylic acid (2,4‐dipicH2) was studied and compared to that of 2‐picolinic acid (picH) in addition to their reactivity towards chloride and bromide ions, 1‐methylimidazole and guanosine. Structures of [Rh(η5‐C5Me5)(2,4‐dipicH)Cl] ⋅ 3H2O (1), 2[Ru(η6‐toluene)(2,4‐dipicH)Cl] ⋅ 3H2O (2) and [Ru(η6‐toluene)(2,4‐dipic)]3 ⋅ 7H2O (3) were analyzed by X‐ray diffraction. 1 and 2 show typical piano stool geometry, while 3 is a triangular complex stabilized via the monodentate coordination of the second carboxylate group to the neighboring Ru(II) center. High stability [M(arene)L(H2O/Cl)] species predominate at pH 7.4. 2,4‐Dipic forms more stable complexes with Ru(η6‐arene) than pic, with this difference being minor in the case of the Rh(η5‐C5Me5) complexes. A lower affinity of 2,4‐dipic complexes to halide ions was found compared to the corresponding pic complexes due to the additional COO− moiety.
A brief review of influenza virus infection
Authors: Javanian Mostafa , Barary Mohammad , Ghebrehewet Sam , Koppolu Veerendra , Vasigala VeneelaKrishnaRekha , Ebrahimpour Soheil
Published: April 2021

Influenza is an acute viral respiratory infection that affects all age groups and is associated with high mortality during pandemics, epidemics, and sporadic outbreaks. Nearly 10% of the world's population is affected by influenza annually, with about half a million deaths each year. Influenza vaccination is the most effective method for preventing influenza infection and its complications. The influenza vaccine's efficacy varies each season based on the circulating influenza strains and vaccine uptake rates. Currently, three antiviral drugs targeting the influenza virus surface glycoprotein neuraminidase are available for treatment and prophylaxis of disease. Given the significant burden of influenza infection globally, this review is focused on the latest findings in the etiology, epidemiology, transmission, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of influenza.
Effect of rainfall and altitude on the 2‐acetyl‐1‐pyrroline and volatile compounds profile of black glutinous rice (Thai upland rice)
Authors: Sansenya Sompong , Wechakorn Kanokorn
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

The aroma intensity of rice is mixed of more than 100 volatile compounds. Fragrant rice is famous in Thailand due to specific aroma. One important volatile compound that contributes to aromatic intensity and represents a characteristic compound for fragrant rice is 2‐acetyl‐1‐pyrroline (2AP). The production of volatile compounds and 2AP in rice is affected by various environmental factors, such as cultivation area, water content and temperature.

RESULTS

Our research employed 29 samples of fragrant colored rice (Luempua black glutinous rice cultivar) from Phetchabun province, Thailand from three harvested rice seasons (2015–2017). The cultivation areas of rice samples exhibited differences in rainfall (976.6–1260.5 mm y r−1) and altitude (26.26–1033.41 m). All volatile compounds and 2AP were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). In 29 rice samples, 2AP levels decreased with increasing of rainfall. The increase in altitude seems to increase 2AP levels, but some high‐altitude cultivation areas resulted in low 2AP content. A variety of volatile compounds was observed in 29 rice samples from different cultivation areas. The results showed that differences in altitude and rainfall affected the production of volatile compounds in fragrant colored rice. Moreover, our results indicated that different environmental conditions in cultivation areas potentially affect volatile compound production during rice growth.

CONCLUSION

The increase in 2AP levels under low rainfall conditions and the assortment of volatile compound varieties produced in colored rice grown in different cultivation areas may be useful information for rice cultivation management striving to produce rice with high aromatic intensities. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
First Experience of ARTip Cruise VITOM‐assisted OPF Removal of Frontal Fibro‐osseous Lesion: Operative Video
Authors: Bignami Maurizio , Arosio Alberto Daniele , Dalfino Gianluca , Sileo Giorgio , Czaczkes Camilla , Valenzise Valerio , Zannella Stefano , Demelas Laura , Castelnuovo Paolo , Volpi Luca
Published: April 2021

View Video S1
Effects of Pulsed‐Wave Photobiomodulation Therapy on Human Spermatozoa
Authors: Espey Burkhard T. , Kielwein Karin , van der Ven Hans , Steger Klaus , Allam Jean‐Pierre , Paradowska‐Dogan Agnieszka , van der Ven Katrin
Published: April 2021

Background and Objectives

Previous studies reported that photobiomodulation (PBM) positively affects the mitochondrial respiratory chain in sperm, resulting in improved motility and velocity. As laser settings are not yet fully established, the present study aimed at optimizing PBM on human sperm. In addition, possible side‐effects of PBM on sperm DNA fragmentation level and acrosomal integrity have been analyzed.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

A pulsed laser‐probe (wavelength 655 nm, output power 25 mW/cm², impulse duration 200 nanoseconds) was used. Native fresh liquefied semen samples underwent radiation with energy doses of 0 (control), 4, 6, and 10 J/cm². Sperm parameters were assessed at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after radiation using a computer‐assisted sperm analysis system. Motility and velocity of sperm from asthenozoospermic patients (n = 42) and normozoospermic controls (n = 22) were measured. The amount of DNA strand breaks was analyzed using ligation‐mediated quantitative polymerase chain reaction in patients with asthenozoospermia (n = 18) and normozoospermia (n = 13). Post‐irradiance acrosomal integrity was investigated using flow cytometry based on CD46 protein expression (n = 7).

Results

Exposure to laser energy‐doses of 4 and 6 J/cm² improved sperm motility and velocity in asthenozoospermic patients. PBM exhibited no significant effect on DNA fragmentation level and expression of CD46 serving as a biomarker for acrosome integrity.

Conclusion

PBM improves sperm motility parameters by maintaining DNA and acrosome integrity and, therefore, represents a promising new tool for assisted reproductive therapy. In particular, improving sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients by PBM in future may contribute to increasing the chance for successful intrauterine insemination. The present trial has no clinical registration number, as only in vitro studies were performed. The study was approved by the local ethics committee and performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2021 The Authors. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Let's play: Me and my AI‐powered avatar as one team
Authors: Butt Asad H. , Ahmad Hassan , Goraya Muhammad A. S. , Akram Muhammad S. , Shafique Muhammad N.
Published: April 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have altered the gaming industry, thanks to their newly incepted functionalities, which have enhanced the consumer experience. Building on innovation diffusion theory, technology acceptance model, and flow theory, this study highlights an AI‐powered avatar concept. This study explores the roles of perceived easiness, usefulness, advantage, compatibility, enjoyment, customization, and interactivity in forming the gamers' intention to play with AI‐powered avatars. A survey data of 500 respondents from China having experience playing online video games is used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results offer significant support to the proposed relationships related to adopting an AI‐powered avatar and the consumers' psychological association with its adoption. Consequently, the results imply that AI‐powered avatars should allow gamers to customize, interact, and take assistance to move up levels with an enjoyable experience. Moreover, this study also suggests that digital technologies such as AI could be integrated into the gaming environment for a more pleasing and immersive experience.
Unternehmen: Was Werte wert sind
Authors: Bulmahn Maren
Published: April 2021

Ob Motto, Slogan oder Credo: Firmen brauchen genauso wie Menschen ein Leitmotiv. Wissen Sie, welche Organisation welchen Spruch propagiert?
Bilanz 2020: Abbvie
Authors: Bulmahn Maren
Published: April 2021

Der US‐Pharmakonzern Abbvie hat sich aus Zusammenführungen und Abspaltungen entwickelt. Im vergangenen Jahr stieg der Umsatz mit Antirheumamitteln und neurotoxischen Proteinen.
Most men with artificial urinary sphincter cuff erosion have low serum testosterone levels
Authors: Wolfe Avery R. , Ortiz Nicolas M. , Baumgarten Adam S. , VanDyke Maia E. , West Mary L. , Dropkin Benjamin M. , Joice Gregory A. , Sanders Sarah C. , Hudak Steven J. , Morey Allen F.
Published: April 2021

Aims

To evaluate the relationship between serum testosterone (T) levels and artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) cuff erosion in a population of incontinent men who underwent AUS placement.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of our single‐surgeon AUS database was performed to identify men with T levels within 24 months of AUS placement. Men were stratified into two groups based on serum testosterone: low serum testosterone (LT) (<280 ng/dl) and normal serum testosterone (NT) (>280 ng/dl). Multivariable analysis was performed to control for risk factors. The outcome of interest was the incidence of and time to spontaneous urethral cuff erosion; other risk factors for cuff erosion were also evaluated.

Results

Among 161 AUS patients with serum testosterone levels, 84 (52.2%) had LT (mean: 136.8 ng/dl, SD: 150.4 ng/dl) and 77 (47.8%) had NT (mean: 455.8 ng/dl, SD: 197.3 ng/dl). Cuff erosion was identified in 42 men (26.1%) at a median of 7.1 months postoperatively (interquartile range: 3.6–13.4 months), most of whom (30/42, 71.4%) were testosterone deficient. LT levels were less common (54/119, 45.4%) in the non‐erosion cohort (p = 0.004). Men with low T were nearly three times as likely to suffer AUS erosion than men with normal T (odds ratio = 2.519, p = 0.021). LT level was the only factor associated with AUS erosion on multivariable analysis.

Conclusions

LT is an independent risk factor for AUS cuff erosion. Men with LT are more likely to present with cuff erosion, but there is no difference in time to erosion.
A Quantitative Molecular Orbital Perspective of the Chalcogen Bond
Authors: de Azevedo Santos Lucas , van der Lubbe Stephanie C. C. , Hamlin Trevor A. , Ramalho Teodorico C. , Matthias Bickelhaupt F.
Published: April 2021

Invited for this month's cover are the groups of Prof. Dr. Teodorico C. Ramalho (Federal University of Lavras and University Hradec Kralove) and Prof. Dr. F. Matthias Bickelhaupt (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Radboud University). The cover picture shows the key message of their work, that is, the covalency of the chalcogen bonds, in an elegantly simple and attractive manner. To that end, the chalcogen bonds are represented by schematic 3D structures of the bond donor D2Ch and the bond acceptor A–, and their attractive interaction in green. Then, a colorful molecular orbital (MO) diagram where the HOMO–LUMO mixing is represented by the mixing of red (HOMO) and blue (LUMO) into purple (MO) is presented. Read the full text of their Full Paper at 10.1002/open.202000323.
Physical activity, diet, and weight loss in patients recruited from primary care settings: An update on obesity management interventions
Authors: de Lannoy Louise , Cowan Theresa , Fernandez Angela , Ross Robert
Published: April 2021

Background

Obesity and related comorbidities are the most common chronic conditions in North America where behavior modification including the adoption of physical activity (PA) and a healthful diet are primary treatment strategies. Patients are more likely to engage in behavior modification if encouraged by their physician; however, behavioral counseling in primary care rarely occurs due to lack of training and resources. A more effective method may be to refer patients from clinical settings to other health professionals.

Objective

This systematic review examines the effectiveness of behavior‐based counseling for obesity management among participants referred from clinical settings.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE were used to identify randomized clinical trials (2014–2020) for weight loss with the following inclusion criteria: trial duration ≥12 months, included a control or usual care group, recruited adults with overweight or obesity from primary care and/or treated in the primary care setting, and the intervention included counseling on PA and diet.

Results

Seventeen studies, encompassing 21 different intervention groups with 6185 unique participants (56% female) met the inclusion criteria. All participants had overweight or obesity, with a body mass index between 28.2 and 41.0 kg/m2. In 11 (52%) of the intervention groups, significant weight loss in the intervention group was observed compared to usual care (mean weight loss: 4.9[2.1] kg vs. 1.0[0.9] kg). In 13 out of 18 interventions (72%) reporting weight loss at two time points, weight regain was observed by 12 months. Statistically significant weight loss was observed in one intervention (of two total) that was longer than 12 months.

Conclusions

Sustained weight loss regardless of the behavior‐based, intervention strategy remains a challenge for most adults. Given the established benefits of routine PA and a healthful diet, prioritizing the adoption of healthy behaviors regardless of weight loss may be a more effective strategy for ensuring long‐term health benefit.
H2 promoting effect in Cr/PNP‐catalyzed ethylene tetramerization: A density functional theory study
Authors: Yin Fangqian , Zhu Tingchun , Dong Chunhua , Li Bin , Zhang Le
Published: April 2021

It is well known that hydrogen promotes catalyst activity in Cr/PNP‐catalyzed ethylene tetramerization, but the mechanism of this effect is unclear. A density functional theory (DFT) study was conducted to explore this effect, and conformation changes were carefully taken into consideration to build a clear reaction pathway. Three components in the ethylene tetramerization catalytic cycle were examined in detail: the production of 1‐hexene from metallacycloheptane, the production of 1‐octene from metallacyclononane, and the formation of an active centre on the Cr/PNP catalyst. This result indicates that the formation of an active centre on the catalyst becomes more favorable upon the imposition of hydrogen, where hydrogen functions as a second ligand. This easing effect could be the key factor leading to the outperformed Cr/PNP catalyst activity in ethylene tetramerization.
Mitochondrial changes associated with viral infectious diseases in the paediatric population
Authors: Romero‐Cordero Sonia , Noguera‐Julian Antoni , Cardellach Francesc , Fortuny Clàudia , Morén Constanza
Published: April 2021

Infectious diseases occur worldwide with great frequency in both adults and children, causing 350,000 deaths in 2017, according to the latest World Health Organization reports. Both infections and their treatments trigger mitochondrial interactions at multiple levels: (i) incorporation of damaged or mutated proteins into the complexes of the electron transport chain; (ii) impact on mitochondrial genome (depletion, deletions and point mutations) and mitochondrial dynamics (fusion and fission); (iii) membrane potential impairment; (iv) apoptotic regulation; and (v) generation of reactive oxygen species, among others. Such alterations may result in serious adverse clinical events with considerable impact on the quality of life of the children and could even cause death. Herein, we use a systematic review to explore the association between mitochondrial alterations in paediatric infections including human immunodeficiency virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes viruses, various forms of hepatitis, adenovirus, T‐cell lymphotropic virus and influenza. We analyse how these paediatric viral infectious processes may cause mitochondrial deterioration in this especially vulnerable population, with consideration for the principal aspects of research and diagnosis leading to improved disease understanding, management and surveillance.
Biomimetic Mechanically Enhanced Carbon Nanotube Fibers by Silk Fibroin Infiltration
Authors: Yin Zhe , Liang Xiaoping , Zhou Ke , Li Shuo , Lu Haojie , Zhang Mingchao , Wang Haomin , Xu Zhiping , Zhang Yingying
Published: April 2021

Natural materials, such as silk, nacre, and bone, possess superior mechanical properties which are derived from their unique hierarchical structures. Individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered as one of the strongest materials. However, macroscopic CNT fibers usually have breaking strength far below that of individual CNTs. In this work, by mimicking the structure of natural silk fibers, strong and stiff CNT fibers are prepared by infiltrating silk fibroin (SF) into CNT fibers. There are abundant hydrogen bonds in SF, contributing to the enhanced interactions between neighboring CNTs. Glycerol is selected to promote the formation of β‐sheet conformation in SF, leading to further enhanced strength and modulus. Remarkably, the SF infiltrated CNT fibers show breaking strength of 1023 MPa, toughness of 10.3 MJ m−3, and Young's modulus of 81.3 GPa, which are 250%, 132%, and 442% of the pristine CNT fibers. The structure of the SF and the interactions between CNTs and SF are studied via Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation. Mimicking the hierarchical structures of natural silk fibers and enhance the interfacial load transfer by infiltrating SF are effective for reinforcing CNT fibers, which may be useful in the design and preparation of other structural materials.
Relationship between the Microstructure and Impact Toughness of the Coarse‐Grained Heat‐Affected Zone for Offshore Engineering Steels with Different Mg Contents
Authors: Pan Xiaoqian , Zhi Jianjun , Fan Zhengjie , Zhang Yinhui , Yang Jian
Published: April 2021

The relationship between the microstructure and impact toughness of coarse‐grained heat affected zone for offshore engineering steels with 0.0002 and 0.0042 wt% Mg, termed as 2 and 42Mg, respectively, is clarified. With increasing the Mg content from 0.0002 to 0.0042 wt%, the average impact energy at −40 °C decreases from 201 to 59 J. The prior austenite grain size (PAGS) increases from ≈92 to ≈163 μm, the average thickness of lath bainites increases from ≈234 to ≈361 nm. The addition of Mg makes the particle increase in number and refine in size, but the amount of the effective pinning particles at the temperature close to 1350 °C in 42Mg is smaller than that in 2Mg, which leads to the larger austenite grain growth rate and larger PAGS in 42Mg. The larger PAGS with the higher bainite transformation temperature and smaller PAG boundary density in 42Mg makes the bainite coarser. So, in 2Mg, the effective bainitic grain size with misorientation above 45° is smaller and the density of high‐angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) is larger, resulting in its higher toughness. Besides, the coalesced bainite containing cementite colonies in 42Mg makes the bimodal bainitic lath thicknesses and heterogeneous microhardness distribution, reducing the toughness.
Analysis of INCOSE Systems Engineering journal and international symposium research topics
Authors: Oosthuizen Rudolph , Pretorius Leon
Published: April 2021

The pressure on systems engineering is ever‐increasing to support the development and implementation of systems that meet a complex environment's demands. As a growing discipline, systems engineering requires insight into past research to identify opportunities for future growth. Analyzing the bibliometric data on published research provides valuable information on a scientific discipline's past progress and future prospects. Therefore, this paper extracts the research topics published in INCOSE's journal Systems Engineering and the annual international symposium proceedings to analyze their composition and allocation to papers. The implemented process applies natural language processing and topic modeling to extract the main topics from these papers' titles and abstracts. Analyzing these research topics' composition and mapping them to processed articles helps to understand their relative importance. The analysis's output confirms the importance of modeling in systems engineering, as it is the most popular topic. The additional focus of research papers on the systems engineering process, practice, and methodologies also indicates that the field is still growing and evolving. Some important topics to systems engineering, which were not found as prominent topics, are humans' roles in systems, verification and validation, and other specialty fields. This new knowledge about the structure of research into systems engineering can identify future research project opportunities to continue growing the field.
Oral contraception and overdiagnosis of T‐shaped uterus: keep calm and rescan
Authors: Leone F. P. G. , Cammarata S.
Published: April 2021

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Coelho Neto et al. Click here to view the article.
Ultrasound and Doppler findings in pregnant women with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection
Authors: Soto‐Torres E. , Hernandez‐Andrade E. , Huntley E. , Mendez‐Figueroa H. , Blackwell S. C.
Published: April 2021

Objectives

To describe and compare ultrasound and Doppler findings in pregnant women who were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) with findings in those who were SARS‐CoV‐2‐negative, evaluated during the pandemic period.

Methods

In this retrospective case–control study, we analyzed data from 106 pregnant women who tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 at the time of, or within 1 week of, an ultrasound scan between 1 May and 31 August 2020. Scans were either performed for routine fetal evaluation or indicated due to a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 test. Forty‐nine women were symptomatic and 57 were asymptomatic. For comparison, we analyzed data from 103 pregnant women matched for maternal age, parity, body mass index and gestational age at the time of the ultrasound scan. These control women did not report symptoms of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection at the time of the ultrasound scan or at the time of admission for delivery and had a negative SARS‐CoV‐2 test at admission for delivery. Fetal biometry, fetal anatomy, amniotic fluid volume and Doppler parameters, including umbilical and fetal middle cerebral artery pulsatility indices, cerebroplacental ratio and biophysical profile (BPP), were evaluated as indicated. Biometric and Doppler values were converted to Z‐scores for comparison. Our primary outcome, an adverse prenatal composite outcome (APCO) included any one or more of: small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) fetus, oligohydramnios, abnormal BPP, abnormal Doppler velocimetry and fetal death. Comorbidities, delivery information and neonatal outcome were compared between the two groups.

Results

Eighty‐seven (82.1%) women who were positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 had a body mass index > 25 kg/m2. SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive women had a higher prevalence of diabetes (26/106 (24.5%) vs 13/103 (12.6%); P = 0.03), but not of pre‐eclampsia (21/106 (19.8%) vs 11/103 (10.7%); P = 0.08), compared with controls. The prevalence of APCO was not significantly different between SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive women (19/106 (17.9%)) and controls (9/103 (8.7%)) (P = 0.06). There were no differences between SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive women and controls in the prevalence of SGA fetuses (12/106 (11.3%) vs 6/103 (5.8%); P = 0.17), fetuses with abnormal Doppler evaluation (8/106 (7.5%) vs 2/103 (1.9%); P = 0.08) and fetuses with abnormal BPP (4/106 (3.8%) vs 0/103 (0%); P = 0.14). There were two fetal deaths in women who were positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 and these women had a higher rate of preterm delivery ≤ 35 weeks of gestation (22/106 (20.8%) vs 9/103 (8.7%); odds ratio, 2.73 (95% CI, 1.19–6.3); P = 0.01) compared with controls.

Conclusions

There were no significant differences in abnormal fetal ultrasound and Doppler findings observed between pregnant women who were positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 and controls. However, preterm delivery ≤ 35 weeks was more frequent among SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive women. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Introduction to GeomInt
Authors: Nagel Thomas , Görke Uwe-Jens , Konietzky Heinz , Maßmann Jobst , Nest Mathias , Steeb Holger , Wuttke Frank , Kolditz Olaf
Published: April 2021

The use of the subsurface as a source of resources, a storage space and for installing underground municipal or traffic infrastructure has become much more intensive and diverse in recent years. In addition to classical anthropogenic interventions such as mining, oil and gas production or tunnel construction, other forms of underground use have come into the focus of economic, political and scientific research, particularly in connection with the transformation of energy systems.
Code Descriptions
Authors: Bilke Lars , Fischer Thomas , Naumov Dmitri , Pötschke Daniel , Rink Karsten , Sattari Amir Shoarian , Schmidt Patrick , Wang Wenqing , Yoshioka Keita
Published: April 2021

The FFS method (see Sect. 10.1007/978-3-030-61909-1_3) was developed to simulate direct shear tests. To provide a tool for the project work and get things easier done a graphical user interface (GUI) was also created. The GUI simply calls all necessary functions by letting the user either fill form fields or choose input files from the working folder. The rock parameters and the conditions of the direct shear test with the normal stress levels and shear displacements have to be selected. If an experiment is simulated the lab results can be selected as a text file so a visual comparison is possible. The geometry has to be loaded as a point cloud or an artificial surface can be generated. With small modifications the code can do multiple executions using artificial surfaces.
Control of Systemic Metabolism by Astrocytes in the Brain
Authors: Le Thuc Ophélia , Gruber Tim , Tschöp Matthias H. , García-Cáceres Cristina
Published: April 2021

Astrocytes are specialized glial cells that are embedded in a framework of neurons and act as an interface between neurons and the vasculature in the brain. This privileged, interconnecting position has recently been shown to render these cells crucial in the central control of systemic metabolism by allowing them to sense and convey blood-borne information within the brain and, in turn, critically fine-tune properties of neuronal networks that calibrate energy intake and expenditure. For decades, however, these neuronal networks have largely occupied the limelight regarding the study of energy homeostasis. Accordingly, the aim of this chapter is to summarize the paradigm shift currently taking place in studies of the central control of energy balance occurring over the last years, from a rather “neurocentric” view towards a more holistic perspective in which the role of other cell types, such as astrocytes, is increasingly appreciated. Finally, we will discuss recent cutting-edge methodological approaches emerging in the field that allow for the study of astrocytes, presently or yet to be conceived, which will provide a further and more complete understanding of the central regulation of energy metabolism.
Tax Incentives in Developing Countries: A Case Study—Singapore and Philippines
Authors: Mosquera Valderrama Irma , Balharová Mirka
Published: April 2021

The aim of this chapter is twofold. The first aim is to analyse the main features of the tax incentives in developing countries with a case study of two countries, Singapore and the Philippines. Singapore has been regarded in literature as one of the countries that has successfully attracted foreign direct investment; however, it is not yet clear whether this is the result of tax incentives or any other measure. The Philippines is at the time of writing in the process of introducing a comprehensive tax reform program (CTRP) that aims to redesign the tax incentives to become more competitive in the region and to achieve social and economic growth. These countries also belong to the same region (i.e. South East Asia), and therefore, the comparison of the incentives in these countries can also contribute to best practices in the region. Following this comparison, the second aim of this chapter is to evaluate the tax incentives granted in Singapore and the Philippines taking into account a new proposed evaluative framework for tax incentives in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Tax Expenditure Reporting and Domestic Revenue Mobilization in Africa
Authors: Redonda Agustin , von Haldenwang Christian , Aliu Flurim
Published: April 2021

The use of tax expenditures (TEs) is an important fiscal practice that is often overlooked in public spending debates. The fiscal cost as well as the lack of effectiveness of TEs can be significant. This chapter describes the state of TE reporting across the world, focusing on Africa. It begins by explaining in detail what TEs are and what their role in government expenditure is. It proceeds by offering examples of the fiscal cost of these provisions, their (in)effectiveness, and the reasons why they are often hard to remove. The main portion of the chapter focuses on the lack and inconsistency of TE reporting. The chapter provides the first results of the “Global Tax Expenditures Database” (GTED), an ongoing project aiming to increase transparency and boost research in the TE field. The GTED reveals that over 64% of African countries do not provide any information on their TEs, while most of the countries that do report on TEs leave out important information such as the policy objectives and beneficiaries of those provisions. Lastly, using the available data, the chapter reports that, on average, TEs in African countries account for 2.8% of GDP and 17.8% of total tax revenue, and being as high as 7.8% (in Senegal) and 58.4% (in Mauritania), respectively.
Neural Feature Selection for Learning to Rank
Authors: Purpura Alberto , Buchner Karolina , Silvello Gianmaria , Susto Gian Antonio
Published: April 2021

LEarning TO Rank (LETOR) is a research area in the field of Information Retrieval (IR) where machine learning models are employed to rank a set of items. In the past few years, neural LETOR approaches have become a competitive alternative to traditional ones like LambdaMART. However, neural architectures performance grew proportionally to their complexity and size. This can be an obstacle for their adoption in large-scale search systems where a model size impacts latency and update time. For this reason, we propose an architecture-agnostic approach based on a neural LETOR model to reduce the size of its input by up to 60% without affecting the system performance. This approach also allows to reduce a LETOR model complexity and, therefore, its training and inference time up to 50%.
Application of Advanced Simulation Methods for the Tolerance Analysis of Mechanical Assemblies
Authors: Bacharoudis Konstantinos , Popov Atanas , Ratchev Svetan
Published: April 2021

In the frame of a statistical tolerance analysis of complex assemblies, for example an aircraft wing, the capability to predict accurately and fast specified, very small quantiles of the distribution of the assembly key characteristic becomes crucial. The problem is significantly magnified, when the tolerance synthesis problem is considered in which several tolerance analyses are performed and thus, a reliability analysis problem is nested inside an optimisation one in a fully probabilistic approach. The need to reduce the computational time and accurately estimate the specified probabilities is critical. Therefore, herein, a systematic study on several state of the art simulation methods is performed whilst they are critically evaluated with respect to their efficiency to deal with tolerance analysis problems. It is demonstrated that tolerance analysis problems are characterised by high dimensionality, high non-linearity of the state functions, disconnected failure domains, implicit state functions and small probability estimations. Therefore, the successful implementation of reliability methods becomes a formidable task. Herein, advanced simulation methods are combined with in-house developed assembly models based on the Homogeneous Transformation Matrix method as well as off-the-self Computer Aided Tolerance tools. The main outcome of the work is that by using an appropriate reliability method, computational time can be reduced whilst the probability of defected products can be accurately predicted. Furthermore, the connection of advanced mathematical toolboxes with off-the-self 3D tolerance tools into a process integration framework introduces benefits to successfully deal with the tolerance allocation problem in the future using dedicated and powerful computational tools.
Digital Innovation Hubs for Enhancing the Technology Transfer and Digital Transformation of the European Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Lanz Minna , Latokartano Jyrki , Pieters Roel
Published: April 2021

The European manufacturers are dealing with shorter product life-cycles and smaller batch sizes. Especially, the high-value products tend to be fully personalised, which makes the automatisation of the production difficult. However, the trend is that the production needs to be predictable and fully traceable to the process and even to the tool level. This adds pressure to have better data collection methods and also to increase of automation in different levels of production. The emergence of new technologies in the field of robotics allows the utilisation of automation in flexible manner. Within all areas of robotics, the demand for collaborative systems is rising as well. The level of desired collaboration and increased flexibility will only be reached if the systems are developed as whole e.g. perception, reasoning and physical manipulation. However, at the same time there is concerns on how to attract capable personnel to the factories. In order to fully implement and utilise the new robotics technologies the industry needs capable resources. For answering these needs there has been several attempts to build different types of industrial ecosystems to facilitate better the technology and knowledge transfer, and share of expertise. The main aim of the paper is to review recent actions regarding the robotics projects forming industrial ecosystems in the Horizon 2020 framework programme, and then introduce the TRINITY Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) project approach to form an industrial ecosystem in the field of robotics.
Plenoptic Inspection System for Automatic Quality Control of MEMS and Microsystems
Authors: Kirschmann Moritz A. , Pierer Jörg , Steinecker Alexander , Schmid Philipp , Erdmann Arne
Published: April 2021

Optical quality control of MEMS and microsystems is challenging as these structures are micro-scale and three dimensional. Here we lay out different optical systems that can be used for 3D optical quality control in general and for such structures in particular. We further investigate one of these technologies – plenoptic cameras and characterize them for the described task, showing advantages and disadvantages. Key advantages are a huge increase in depth of field compared to conventional microscope camera systems allowing for fast acquisition of non-flat systems and secondly the resulting total focus images and depth maps. Finally we conclude that these advantages render plenoptic cameras a valuable technology for the application of quality control.
Application of a Standardized Design Procedure in the Development of Automated Micro-assembly Processes
Authors: Saunders Gordon , Müller Tobias
Published: April 2021

Automated precision assembly of e.g. optical systems requires development efforts in manifold domains, such as part feeding, handling, alignment, bonding and quality control. The use of systematic design procedure enables the rapid and complete development of new applications and use cases using existing equipment. Combined with modular equipment and subsystems, the use of a standardized design process significantly reduces development time and therefore costs. A generic methodology based on the functional decomposition of assembly task requirements and a coherent synthesis of functional process building blocks can be an answer to reduced process ramp-up time, more stable processes and enable concurrent engineering for novel tool and process development.
Live Video Assistance Systems for Assembly Processes
Authors: Kittl Christian , Streibl Markus
Published: April 2021

Work processes and assembly processes are increasingly gaining in complexity in the industrial context and demand a wealth of knowledge from assembly employees, as well as from service and maintenance personnel. The article describes a system developed in order to support assembly workers using a live video assistance system in combination with “wearables” - in particular smart glasses - in complex assembly processes by experts and reports findings from an acceptance analysis study.
Resource Interface Matchmaking as a Part of Automatic Capability Matchmaking
Authors: Siltala Niko , Järvenpää Eeva , Lanz Minna
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a case study for capability matchmaking method and specifically focuses on interface matchmaking process. This method can be utilised during production system design or reconfiguration by system integrators or end users. They will benefit from fast and automatic resource searches over large resource catalogues. The paper binds together the process around the capability and interface matchmaking, which are presented more in detail in our earlier publications. In this paper, the use of matchmaking process is exemplified, and a verification of the method is provided with two test cases.
Investigation on the Convergence of the Genetic Algorithm of an Aerodynamic Feeding System Due to the Enlargement of the Solution Space
Authors: Kolditz Torge , Ince Caner-Veli , Raatz Annika
Published: April 2021

To meet the demands for flexible assembly technology, an aerodynamic feeding system has been developed. The system autonomously finds the optimal configuration of four parameters – two angles of inclination, nozzle pressure and component speed – using a genetic algorithm, which has been presented in earlier work. To increase the flexibility of the feeding system, an actuator was implemented, that enables the variation of the nozzle position orthogonally to the moving direction of the components. This paper investigates the effects of the more flexible flow against the components on their behavior when passing the nozzle. Additionally, the nozzle position was implemented into the genetic algorithm as a fifth parameter. Therefore, the impact of the enlargement of the solution space of the genetic algorithm due to the implementation of a fifth parameter is investigated in this paper as well.