bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bone mineral density and risk of cardiovascular disease in men and women: the HUNT study
Authors: Bhatta Laxmi , Cepelis Aivaras , Vikjord Sigrid A. , Malmo Vegard , Laugsand Lars E. , Dalen Håvard , Langhammer Arnulf , Janszky Imre , Strand Linn B. , Brumpton Ben M.
Published: September 2021

The association between bone mineral density (BMD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not fully understood. We evaluated BMD as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and specifically atrial fibrillation (AF), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ischemic (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and heart failure (HF) in men and women. This prospective population cohort utilized data on 22 857 adults from the second and third surveys of the HUNT Study in Norway free from CVD at baseline. BMD was measured using single and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in the non-dominant distal forearm and T-score was calculated. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated from adjusted cox proportional hazards models. The analyses were sex-stratified, and models were adjusted for age, age-squared, BMI, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol use, and education level. Additionally, in women, we adjusted for estrogen use and postmenopause. During a mean follow-up of 13.6 ± 5.7 years, 2 928 individuals (12.8%) developed fatal or non-fatal CVD, 1 020 AF (4.5%), 1 172 AMI (5.1%), 1 389 IS (6.1%), 264 HS (1.1%), and 464 HF (2.0%). For every 1 unit decrease in BMD T-score the HR for any CVD was 1.01 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.04) in women and 0.99 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.03) in men. Point estimates for the four cardiovascular outcomes ranged from slightly protective (HR 0.95 for AF in men) to slightly deleterious (HR 1.12 for HS in men). We found no evidence of association of lower distal forearm BMD with CVD, AF, AMI, IS, HS, and HF.
Origins space telescope: from first light to life
Authors: Wiedner M. C. , Aalto S. , Armus L. , Bergin E. , Birkby J. , Bradford C. M. , Burgarella D. , Caselli P. , Charmandaris V. , Cooray A. , De Beck E. , Desert J. M. , Gerin M. , Goicoechea J. , Griffin M. , Hartogh P. , Helmich F. , Hogerheijde M. , Hunt L. , Karska A. , Kral Q. , Leisawitz D. , Melnick G. , Meixner M. , Matsuura M. , Milam S. , Pearson C. , Pesce D. W. , Pontoppidan K. M. , Pope A. , Rigopoulou D. , Roellig T. , Sakon I. , Staguhn J. , Stevenson K.
Published: September 2021

The Origins Space Telescope (Origins) is one of four science and technology definition studies selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in preparation of the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal survey in the US. Origins will trace the history of our origins from the time dust and heavy elements permanently altered the cosmic landscape to present-day life. It is designed to answer three major science questions: How do galaxies form stars, make metals, and grow their central supermassive black holes from reionization? How do the conditions for habitability develop during the process of planet formation? Do planets orbiting M-dwarf stars support life? Origins operates at mid- to far-infrared wavelengths from ~ 2.8 μm to 588 μm, and is more than 1000 times more sensitive than prior far-IR missions due to its cold (~ 4.5 K) aperture and state-of-the-art instruments.
A Parallel Dynamic Asynchronous Framework for Uncertainty Quantification by Hierarchical Monte Carlo Algorithms
Authors: Tosi Riccardo , Amela Ramon , Badia Rosa M. , Rossi Riccardo
Published: September 2021

The necessity of dealing with uncertainties is growing in many different fields of science and engineering. Due to the constant development of computational capabilities, current solvers must satisfy both statistical accuracy and computational efficiency. The aim of this work is to introduce an asynchronous framework for Monte Carlo and Multilevel Monte Carlo methods to achieve such a result. The proposed approach presents the same reliability of state of the art techniques, and aims at improving the computational efficiency by adding a new level of parallelism with respect to existing algorithms: between batches, where each batch owns its hierarchy and is independent from the others. Two different numerical problems are considered and solved in a supercomputer to show the behavior of the proposed approach.
Religion-Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review and Description of Techniques
Authors: de Abreu Costa Marianna , Moreira-Almeida Alexander
Published: September 2021

Systematic reviews have shown the efficacy of religion-adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (R-CBT); however, many clinicians lack practical knowledge of these protocols. We describe here the techniques of religious adaptation to CBT that have proved effective. We selected randomized clinical trials comparing R-CBT with control conditions in clients with a diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder and extracted the information from their adapted manuals. The most frequent religious adaptations were the integration of religious content to perform cognitive restructuring, psychoeducation and motivation; engagement in religious activities such as behavioral activation, meditation, or prayer to help cognitive restructuring, using religious values and coping strategies. A description of these techniques is presented here, as well as some practical examples.
Local search approaches for the test laboratory scheduling problem with variable task grouping
Authors: Mischek Florian , Musliu Nysret , Schaerf Andrea
Published: September 2021

The Test Laboratory Scheduling Problem (TLSP) is a real-world scheduling problem that extends the well-known Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP) by several new constraints. Most importantly, the jobs have to be assembled out of several smaller tasks by the solver, before they can be scheduled. In this paper, we introduce different metaheuristic solution approaches for this problem. We propose four new neighborhoods that modify the grouping of tasks. In combination with neighborhoods for scheduling, they are used by our metaheuristics to produce high-quality solutions for both randomly generated and real-world instances. In particular, Simulated Annealing managed to find solutions that are competitive with the best known results and improve upon the state-of-the-art for larger instances. The algorithm is currently used for the daily planning of a large real-world laboratory.
The role of the dentist and orthodontist in recognizing oro-facial manifestations of acromegaly: a questionnaire-based study
Authors: Preo Giorgia , De Stefani Alberto , Dassie Francesca , Wennberg Alexandra , Vettor Roberto , Maffei Pietro , Gracco Antonio , Bruno Giovanni
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Oro-facial manifestations of acromegaly are among the earliest signs of the disease and are reported by a significant number of patients at diagnosis. Despite this high prevalence of acromegaly oral manifestation, dentists do not play a pivotal role in acromegaly identification and diagnosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the ability of dentists and orthodontists in the early recognition of the oro-facial manifestations of acromegaly.

Methods

A telematic questionnaire was administered to dentists and orthodontists. The questionnaire included photos with facial and oral-dental details and lateral teleradiography of acromegaly patients (ACRO).

Results

The study included 426 participants: 220 dentists and 206 orthodontists. Upon reviewing the photos, dentists most often observed mandibular prognathism and lips projection, while orthodontists also reported the impairment of relative soft tissue. Orthodontists, who usually use photos to document patients’ oral-facial characteristics, paid more attention to oral-facial impairment than dentists. During dental assessment, 90% of the participants usually evaluated tongue size and appearance, diastemas presence, and signs of sleep impairment (mainly orthodontists). Orthodontists were also more able to identify sella turcica enlargement at teleradiography. A total of 10.8% of the participants had ACRO as patients and 11.3% referred at least one patient for acromegaly suspicion.

Conclusion

The study highlighted dentists’ strategic role in identifying ACRO. Increasing dentists’ awareness about acromegaly clinical issues may improve early diagnosis, potentially resulting in an increased quality of life and decreased mortality among ACRO.
An Area Theorem for Joint Harmonic Functions on the Product of Homogeneous Trees
Authors: Atanasi Laura , Picardello Massimo A.
Published: September 2021

For harmonic functions v on the disc, it has been known for a long time that non-tangential boundedness a.e.is equivalent to finiteness a.e. of the integral of the area function of v (Lusin area theorem). This result also hold for functions that are non-tangentially bounded only in a measurable subset of the boundary, and has been extended to rank-one hyperbolic spaces, and also to infinite trees (homogeneous or not). No equivalent of the Lusin area theorem is known on higher rank symmetric spaces, with the exception of the degenerate higher rank case given by the cartesian product of rank-one hyperbolic spaces. Indeed, for products of two discs, an area theorem for jointly harmonic functions was proved by M.P. and P. Malliavin, who introduced a new area function; non-tangential boundedness a.e. is a sufficient condition, but not necessary, for the finiteness of this area integral. Their result was later extended to general products of rank-one hyperbolic spaces by Korányi and Putz. Here we prove an area theorem for jointly harmonic functions on the product of a finite number of infinite homogeneous trees; for the sake of simplicity, we give the proofs for the product of two trees. This could be the first step to an area theorem for Bruhat–Tits affine buildings, thereby shedding light on the higher rank continuous set-up.
Vertical integration vs. specialization: a nonparametric conditional efficiency estimate for the global semiconductor industry
Authors: Qiao Guangshun , Wang Zhan-ao
Published: September 2021

This paper applies a two-stage nonparametric approach to compare companies operating in different business models in the global semiconductor industry. Using panel data over 1999–2018 on 470 companies in the global semiconductor industry, we explore the operating performance of the semiconductor companies conditional on capital investment and between the integrated device manufacturers and the fabless-foundry business model. We find that vertically integrated device manufacturers are constrained heavily by capital investment. Disentangling the effects of capital investment and business model by a second-stage nonparametric regression, this paper identifies that the vertically specialized fabless-foundry business model helps to improve pure efficiency and mitigate the impact of business-cycle in the global semiconductor industry.
Morphological processing in developmental handwriting production: evidence from kinematics
Authors: Hess Stefan , Mousikou Petroula , Schroeder Sascha
Published: September 2021

In this study, we investigated effects of morphological processing on handwriting production in beginning writers of German. Children from Grades 3 and 4 were asked to copy words from a computer screen onto a pen tablet, while we recorded their handwriting with high spatiotemporal resolution. Words involved a syllable-congruent visual disruption (e.g., “Golfer”), a morpheme-congruent visual disruption (e.g., “Golfer”), or had no disruption (e.g., “Golfer”). We analyzed productions in terms of Writing Onset Duration and Letter Duration at the onset of the second syllable (“f” in “Gol.fer”) and the onset of the suffix (“e” in “Golf_er”). Results showed that durations were longer at word-writing onset only for words with a morpheme-congruent visual disruption. Also, letter durations were longer at the onset of the second syllable (i.e., “-fer”) and shorter at the onset of the suffix (i.e., “-er”) only for words with a syllable-congruent visual disruption. We interpret these findings within extant theories of handwriting production and offer an explanation for the observed effects before and during trajectory formation.
A future for seafood point-of-origin testing using DNA and stable isotope signatures
Authors: Cusa Marine , St John Glew Katie , Trueman Clive , Mariani Stefano , Buckley Leah , Neat Francis , Longo Catherine
Published: September 2021

Demand for seafood products is increasing worldwide, contributing to ever more complex supply chains and posing challenges to trace their origin and guarantee legal, well-managed, sustainable sources from confirmed locations. While DNA-based methods have proven to be reliable in verifying seafood authenticity at the species level, the verification of geographic origin remains inherently more complex. Both genetic and stable isotope analyses have been employed for determining point-of-origin with varying degrees of success, highlighting that their application can be effective when the right tool is selected for a given application. Developing an a priori prediction of their discrimination power for different applications can help avoid the financial cost of developing inappropriate reference datasets. Here, we reviewed the application of both techniques to seafood point-of-origin for 63 commercial finfish species certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, and showed that, even for those species where baseline data exist, real applications are scarce. To fill these gaps, we synthesised current knowledge on biological and biogeochemical mechanisms that underpin spatial variations in genetic and isotopic signatures. We describe which species’ biological and distribution traits are most helpful in predicting effectiveness of each tool. Building on this, we applied a mechanistic approach to predicting the potential for successful validation of origin to three case study fisheries, using combined genetic and isotopic methodologies to distinguish individuals from certified versus non-certified regions. Beyond ecolabelling applications, the framework we describe could be reproduced by governments and industries to select the most cost-effective techniques.

Graphic abstract
Significance of forms and foci of metacognitive regulation in collaborative science learning of less and more successful outcome groups in diverse contexts
Authors: Iiskala Tuike , Volet Simone , Jones Cheryl , Koretsky Milo , Vauras Marja
Published: September 2021

This study investigated how metacognitive regulation (MR), especially its forms and foci, was manifested in less and more successful outcome groups’ collaborative science learning in diverse learning contexts. Whilst previous research has shown that different forms and foci of MR exist in collaborative learning, their role in groups’ learning outcomes remains unexplored. Drawing conclusions from different studies has been difficult because these have used different conceptualisations and analytic methods. In the present study, the learning processes of less and more successful outcome groups from three diverse collaborative science learning contexts were scrutinised. The contexts differed in academic level, disciplinary subject, and national culture. The same theory-based conceptualisations, coding systems, coders, and analyses were used across contexts. In addition, the tasks studied were designed using the same guiding principles. Transcribed video and audio recordings of the groups’ verbal interactions for two distinct interaction segments from these tasks formed the basis of the analyses. Manifestation of forms and foci of MR were quantitatively and qualitatively illustrated in each context. The main findings show that the manifestation of MR of less and more successful outcome groups demonstrated similarities and differences in the three different learning contexts. This study contributes to a contextualised understanding of MR in collaborative science learning, and highlights the importance of using similar, rigorous analytical tools across diverse contexts.
CT pulmonary angiography appropriateness in a single emergency department: does the use of revised Geneva score matter?
Authors: Mirabile Alessandra , Lucarelli Nicola Maria , Sollazzo Enza Pia , Stabile Ianora Amato Antonio , Sardaro Angela , Mirabile Gianmario , Lorusso Filomenamila , Racanelli Vito , Maggialetti Nicola , Scardapane Arnaldo
Published: September 2021

Purpose

To assess the percentage of computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) procedures that could have been avoided by methodical application of the Revised Geneva Score (RGS) coupled with age-adjusted D-dimer cut-offs rather than only clinical judgment in Emergency Department patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE).

Material and methods

Between November 2019 and May 2020, 437 patients with suspected PE based on symptoms and D-dimer test were included in this study. All patients underwent to CTPA. For each patient, we retrospectively calculated the age-adjusted D-dimer cut-offs and the RGS in the original version. Finally, CT images were retrospectively reviewed, and the presence of PE was recorded.

Results

In total, 43 (9.84%) CTPA could have been avoided by use of RGS coupled with age-adjusted D-dimer cut-offs. Prevalence of PE was 14.87%. From the analysis of 43 inappropriate CTPA, 24 (55.81%) of patients did not show any thoracic signs, two (4.65%) of patients had PE, and the remaining patients had alternative thoracic findings.

Conclusion

The study showed good prevalence of PE diagnoses in our department using only physician assessment, although 9.84% CTPA could have been avoided by methodical application of RGS coupled with age-adjusted D-dimer cut-offs.
A preliminary analysis and discussion of the condominium building collapse in surfside, Florida, US, June 24, 2021
Authors: Lu Xinzheng , Guan Hong , Sun Hailin , Li Yi , Zheng Zhe , Fei Yifan , Yang Zhi , Zuo Lingxiao
Published: September 2021

On June 24, 2021, a 40-year-old reinforced concrete flat plate structure building in Miami suffered a sudden partial collapse. This study analyzed the overall performance and key components of the collapsed building based on the building design codes (ACI-318 and GB 50010). Punching shear and post-punching performances of typical slab-column joints are also studied through the refined finite element analysis. The collapse process was simulated and visualized using a physics engine. By way of these analyses, weak design points of the collapsed building are highlighted. The differences between the reinforcement detailing of the collapsed building and the requirements of the current Chinese code are discussed, together with a comparison of the punching shear and post-punching performances. The simulated collapse procedure and debris distribution are compared with the actual collapse scenes.
An improved method of anchoring chest drain and suture technique for Uni-portal VATS incision
Authors: Sun Zhiyong , Zheng Jiajie , Cao Ziang , Zhao Xiaojing
Published: September 2021

Uni-portal video-assisted thoracoscopic approach is currently a popular surgical technique in general thoracic surgery. After operation, a chest tube is usually placed through the incision to drain the effusion and gas from the thoracic cavity. In the conventional method, the retaining stitches should be taken out ten days after removing chest drain. To get better would-healing and avoid unsightly scar, we explored a method of anchoring chest drain and two-layer suture for Uni-portal incision without removing stitches post operation.
Predicting physical activity change in cancer survivors: an application of the Health Action Process Approach
Authors: Hardcastle Sarah J. , Maxwell-Smith Chloe , Hagger Martin S.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Previous research has not examined the utility of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) to predict physical activity (PA) change in cancer survivors. The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of a HAPA-based model in predicting temporal change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in cancer survivors.

Methods

Participants enrolled in the Wearable Activity Technology and Action Planning (WATAAP) trial completed validated questionnaires (n = 64) to assess HAPA constructs (action and maintenance self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, action planning, risk perceptions, and intention) and wore an ActiGraph to measure PA at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks later. Data were analyzed using variance-based structural equation modeling with residualized change scores for model variables.

Results

Consistent with predictions, changes in action self-efficacy (β = 0.490, p < 0.001, ES = 0.258) and risk perceptions (β = 0.312, p = 0.003, ES = 0.099) were statistically significant predictors of intention change over time. Changes in intention (β = 0.217, p = 0.029, ES = 0.040) and action planning (β = 0.234, p = 0.068, ES = 0.068) predicted changes in MVPA. Overall, the model accounted for significant variance in intention (R2 = 0.380) and MVPA (R2 = 0.228) change.

Conclusions

Changes in intention and action planning were important correlates of MVPA change over 24 weeks. Further, changes in action self-efficacy and risk perceptions predicted changes in intention. Implications for cancer survivors: interventions that foster risk perceptions and self-efficacy, strengthen intentions, and promote action planning may be effective in promoting sustained PA change in cancer survivors.
Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis prevalence in the NHS Grampian Medical Ambulatory clinic: diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic considerations in oncology patients
Authors: Kastora Stavroula Lila , Oduyoye Olusegun , Mahmood Shafaq
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Whilst upper extremity deep vein thromboses (UEDVT) account for approximately 5 to 10% of all cases of DVT, rigorous guidelines regarding diagnosis and management of presenting patients remain to be developed. The association of UEDVT with concurrent asymptomatic pulmonary embolism as well as the first presentation of malignancy deems essential rigorous research and clinical guideline development to ensure optimal patient care.

Methods

This retrospective audit study is the first to provide estimates of UEDVT prevalence in the North-East Deanery main hospital centre, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).

Results

Of the 605 patients attending the ARI Ambulatory Emergency Care (AEC) clinic with clinical suspicion of UEDVT, 38 (6.2%) had a confirmatory diagnosis. Underlying malignancy, presence of PICC line, and cardiovascular co-morbidities were identified as common confounding factors. Subclavian vein with concurrent extension to primarily the cephalic vein thrombosis was identified as the most commonly thrombosed venous territories. Importantly, oncology patients were found to have poorer survival outcomes following an UEDVT, in comparison to patients with other significant co-morbidities (cardiovascular, chronic renal disease, inflammatory bowel disease): HR 5.814 (95%CI 1.15, 29.25), p 0.012. Lastly, genetic associations were drawn between patient genetic status as tested for other co-morbidities and prothrombotic cellular cascades, suggesting rigorous VTE assessment in patients identified with congenital or acquired mutations, namely, in CALR, JAK, MSH 2/6, MYC, and FXN.

Conclusions

Overall, this study offers the first report of UEDVT presentations in the UK with no restrictions of patient performance status or underlying co-morbidities and provides a rounded clinical picture of patient characteristics, diagnosis, management, and prognostic associations in view of rigorous guideline development.
Mathematics textbooks and curriculum resources as instruments for change
Authors: Rezat Sebastian , Fan Lianghuo , Pepin Birgit
Published: September 2021

In this survey paper we aim to provide an overview of research on mathematics textbooks and, more broadly, curriculum resources as instruments for change related to mathematical content, instructional goals and practices, and student learning of mathematics. In particular, we elaborate on the following themes: (1) The role of curriculum resources as instruments for change from a theoretical perspective; (2) The design of curriculum resources to mediate the implementation of reform ideas and innovative practice; (3) Teachers’ influence on the implementation of change through curriculum resources; (4) Students’ influence on the implementation of change through curriculum resources; and (5) Evidence of curriculum resources yielding changes in student-related factors or variables. We claim that, whilst textbooks and curriculum resources are influential, they alone cannot change teachers’ teaching nor students’ learning practices in times of curricular change. Moreover, more knowledge is needed about features of curriculum resources that support the implementation of change. We contend that curriculum innovations are likely to be successful, if teachers and students are supported to co- and re-design the relevant curriculum trajectories and materials in line with the reform efforts and their own individual needs.
All around suboptimal health — a joint position paper of the Suboptimal Health Study Consortium and European Association for Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine
Authors: Wang Wei , Yan Yuxiang , Guo Zheng , Hou Haifeng , Garcia Monique , Tan Xuerui , Anto Enoch Odame , Mahara Gehendra , Zheng Yulu , Li Bo , Kang Timothy , Zhong Zhaohua , Wang Youxin , Guo Xiuhua , Golubnitschaja Olga ,   On Behalf of Suboptimal Health Study Consortium and European Association for Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine
Published: September 2021

First two decades of the twenty-first century are characterised by epidemics of non-communicable diseases such as many hundreds of millions of patients diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases and the type 2 diabetes mellitus, breast, lung, liver and prostate malignancies, neurological, sleep, mood and eye disorders, amongst others. Consequent socio-economic burden is tremendous. Unprecedented decrease in age of maladaptive individuals has been reported. The absolute majority of expanding non-communicable disorders carry a chronic character, over a couple of years progressing from reversible suboptimal health conditions to irreversible severe pathologies and cascading collateral complications. The time-frame between onset of SHS and clinical manifestation of associated disorders is the operational area for an application of reliable risk assessment tools and predictive diagnostics followed by the cost-effective targeted prevention and treatments tailored to the person.

This article demonstrates advanced strategies in bio/medical sciences and healthcare focused on suboptimal health conditions in the frame-work of Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine (3PM/PPPM). Potential benefits in healthcare systems and for society at large include but are not restricted to an improved life-quality of major populations and socio-economical groups, advanced professionalism of healthcare-givers and sustainable healthcare economy. Amongst others, following medical areas are proposed to strongly benefit from PPPM strategies applied to the identification and treatment of suboptimal health conditions:

Stress overload associated pathologies

Male and female health

Planned pregnancies

Periodontal health

Eye disorders

Inflammatory disorders, wound healing and pain management with associated complications

Metabolic disorders and suboptimal body weight

Cardiovascular pathologies

Cancers

Stroke, particularly of unknown aetiology and in young individuals

Sleep medicine

Sports medicine

Improved individual outcomes under pandemic conditions such as COVID-19.
Engineering the Structure of Multi-thread Fancy Bouclé Yarn: Individual Effects of the Number of Wraps and the Overfeed Ratio
Authors: Alshukur Malek , Macintyre Lisa
Published: September 2021

This study is about the influence of the number of wraps and the overfeed ratio on the fancy bouclé yarn structure. The bouclé yarns of this study were made on a hollow-spindle spinning system. The number of wraps and the overfeed ratio were increased incrementally and individually in two different experiments. It was found that there were significant linear relationships between increasing the overfeed ratio and increasing the number and size of fancy bouclé profiles, but at the expense of decreasing their circularity ratio and changing the bouclé yarn morphology. However, increasing the number of wraps made a significant linear reduction to the size of fancy bouclé profile but without affecting their number. This study aids bouclé yarn manufacturers to increase their understanding of the structure and aesthetics of bouclé yarns. It also shows them how the morphology of bouclé profiles may change when the overfeed ratio or the number of wraps is changed. In particular, variants of bouclé profiles may appear, which can increase the potential for those variants to attract the attention of designers and consumers. It also can strengthen the manufacturers’ capabilities to satisfy the needs of a wide range of consumers, by creating a wider range of novelty clothing.
Improvement in mechanical properties in AlN-h-BN composites with high thermal conductivity
Authors: Liu Zetan , Zhao Shiqiang , Yang Tian , Zhou Ji
Published: September 2021

It is possible to improve the machinability of aluminum nitride-hexagonal boron nitride (AlN-h-BN) ceramics while maintaining high strength and high thermal conductivity. The composite ceramics with 0–30 wt% BN as secondary phase were prepared by hot pressed sintering, using yttrium oxide (Y2O3) as sintering aid. The phase composition, density, microstructure, mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, and dielectric properties were investigated. The sintering additives were favorable to purify the grain boundaries and improve densification, reacting with oxide impurities on the surface of raw material powder particles. The optimum BN content improved the flexural strength and fracture toughness of composite ceramics with 475 MPa and 4.86 MPa·m1/2, respectively. With increasing the amount of BN, the thermal conductivity and hardness of composites gradually decreased, but the minimum value of thermal conductivity was still 85.6 W·m−1·K−1. The relative dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent of the samples ranged from 6.8 to 8.3 and from 2.4 × 10−3 to 6.4 × 10−3, respectively, in 22–26 GHz.
Nanozymes in Point-of-Care Diagnosis: An Emerging Futuristic Approach for Biosensing
Authors: Das Bhaskar , Franco Javier Lou , Logan Natasha , Balasubramanian Paramasivan , Kim Moon Il , Cao Cuong
Published: September 2021

Nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes (or nanozymes) have attracted great attention in the past few years owing to their capability not only to mimic functionality but also to overcome the inherent drawbacks of the natural enzymes. Numerous advantages of nanozymes such as diverse enzyme-mimicking activities, low cost, high stability, robustness, unique surface chemistry, and ease of surface tunability and biocompatibility have allowed their integration in a wide range of biosensing applications. Several metal, metal oxide, metal–organic framework-based nanozymes have been exploited for the development of biosensing systems, which present the potential for point-of-care analysis. To highlight recent progress in the field, in this review, more than 260 research articles are discussed systematically with suitable recent examples, elucidating the role of nanozymes to reinforce, miniaturize, and improve the performance of point-of-care diagnostics addressing the ASSURED (affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment-free and deliverable to the end user) criteria formulated by World Health Organization. The review reveals that many biosensing strategies such as electrochemical, colorimetric, fluorescent, and immunological sensors required to achieve the ASSURED standards can be implemented by using enzyme-mimicking activities of nanomaterials as signal producing components. However, basic system functionality is still lacking. Since the enzyme-mimicking properties of the nanomaterials are dictated by their size, shape, composition, surface charge, surface chemistry as well as external parameters such as pH or temperature, these factors play a crucial role in the design and function of nanozyme-based point-of-care diagnostics. Therefore, it requires a deliberate exertion to integrate various parameters for truly ASSURED solutions to be realized. This review also discusses possible limitations and research gaps to provide readers a brief scenario of the emerging role of nanozymes in state-of-the-art POC diagnosis system development for futuristic biosensing applications.
Design of the Airbag Inflation System Applicable to Conventional and Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Yurchenko Nina F. , Breed David S. , Zhang Shaowei
Published: September 2021

The emergency transformation of various aspects of life and business these days requires prompt evaluation of autonomous vehicles. One of the primary reassessments deals with the applicability of the vehicle passive safety system to the protection of arbitrarily positioned passengers. To mitigate possible risks caused by the simultaneous deployment of several big airbags, a new principle of their operation is required. Herein, the aspirated inflator for a driver airbag is developed that can provide 50L-airbag inflation within 30–40 ms. As a result, about 3/4 of the air is to be entrained into an airbag from the vehicle compartment. The process is initiated by a supersonic pulse jet (1/3 air volume) generated pyrotechnically. Then the Prandtl–Meyer problem formulation enables guiding linear and angular dimensions of the essential parts of the device. Accordingly, a family of experimental models of varied geometry is fabricated and tested to determine their operational effectiveness in a range of motive pressure within ~ 3–7 MPa. Experiments are performed on a specially designed facility equipped with compressed-air tanks and a high-speed valve to mimic the inflator operation with the pyrotechnic gas generator. The aspirated inflator operability is characterized using multivariate measurements of pressure fields, high-speed video-recording of the airbag inflation process, and evaluation of aspiration (entrainment) ratio. The average volume aspiration ratio measured at 300 K is found to reach 2.8 and it’s expected to almost double at 1200 K.
Examining the Short-Term Natural History of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip in Infancy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zomar Bryn O. , Mulpuri Kishore , Schaeffer Emily K.
Published: September 2021

Background

This study was an update on the AAOS clinical practice guideline’s analysis of the natural history of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). The objective was to delineate the natural history of clinical instability or radiologic abnormalities of the hip in infants by identifying the proportion of cases that resolved without treatment compared to cases that progressed and/or required treatment.

Methods

We performed a literature search of PUBMED to identify studies which evaluated the natural history of DDH. We used the same search strategy as that utilized in the previous AAOS guidelines, updated to include articles published between September 2013 and May 2021. We assessed the quality of included articles using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine level of evidence and reported study demographics and outcomes using summary statistics.

Results

Twenty-four articles met our eligibility criteria. Most included studies were retrospective (14/24), investigated either the incidence of DDH (8/24) or assessed screening programs (7/24). The most prevalent study population followed were Graf 2A hips (7/24). Most studies were low quality with level of evidence 3 (13/24) or 4 (7/24). Sample sizes ranged from 9 to 3251. Twenty studies reported the number of cases resolved over the follow-up period with a mean rate of 84.3% (95% confidence interval 76.1, 92.6).

Conclusion

We found most mild-to-moderate DDH can resolve without treatment in early infancy, especially in physiologically immature (Graf 2A) hips. More high-quality evidence is needed to properly assess the natural history of DDH as only one included study was a randomized trial.
Numerical investigation of the breakup mode and trajectory of liquid jet in a gaseous crossflow at elevated conditions
Authors: Zhu Y. , Sun X. , Sethi V. , Gauthier P. , Guo S. , Bai R. , Yan D.
Published: September 2021

The commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software STAR-CCM+ was used to simulate the flow and breakup characteristics of a Liquid Jet Injected into the gaseous Crossflow (LJIC) under real engine operating conditions. The reasonable calculation domain geometry and flow boundary conditions were obtained based on a civil aviation engine performance model similar to the Leap-1B engine which was developed using the GasTurb software and the preliminary design results of its low-emission combustor. The Volume of Fluid (VOF) model was applied to simulate the breakup feature of the near field of LJIC. The numerical method was validated and calibrated through comparison with the public test data at atmospheric conditions. The results showed that the numerical method can capture most of the jet breakup structure and predict the jet trajectory with an error not exceeding ±5%. The verified numerical method was applied to simulate the breakup of LJIC at the real engine operating condition. The breakup mode of LJIC was shown to be surface shear breakup at elevated condition. The trajectory of the liquid jet showed good agreement with Ragucci’s empirical correlation.
Are There Any Inherently Public Functions for International Law?
Authors: Benvenisti Eyal
Published: September 2021

In “Are There ‘Inherently Sovereign Functions’ in International Law?”, Frédéric Mégret provides a deeply insightful reflection on “the essence of the state” from the point of view of international law, outlining a theory about the inherently sovereign functions in international law. He carefully identifies existing norms of international law that articulate certain public functions to be performed solely by the state rather than delegating them to private actors. Mégret offers functional and intrinsic rationales, suggesting that individuals have a right to benefit from certain public functions exercised by state authority, such as legislation and adjudication, what perhaps could be termed “the human right to the state.” In this essay, I suggest that it is indeed possible to derive such demands from the requirements of stable and sustainable governance that are embedded in the concept of sovereign responsibility, as well as from the rights associated with democracy and self-determination. I further argue that Mégret's inquiry can and must be extended also to explore the other side of the coin: the role of international law in facilitating (and possibly limiting) the delegation of public authority to unaccountable international organizations and other global governance bodies.
Defining the Rights of Sovereignty
Authors: Lee Daniel
Published: September 2021

In the recent theoretical scholarship on sovereignty, it has become commonplace to encounter the numerous ways in which state sovereignty has been quietly “outsourced” and “pooled” with other agents and institutions, especially international institutions aimed at promoting global governance and commerce. Frédéric Mégret's fascinating article, which contributes to this growing body of scholarship, adds an important twist to this literature, by focusing specifically on the privatization of state sovereignty—that is, how various sovereign functions, once thought to be essential or “inherent” to statehood, have now been outsourced and handed over to private actors. While Mégret's analysis concerns the consequences of privatized sovereignty on modern public international law, there is a rich pre-modern legal history anticipating the conceptual and normative problems explored in this piece. This essay focuses on some of those early modern sources, especially the theory of Jean Bodin (c.1530–1596), which bear a striking resemblance to Mégret's analysis. Like Mégret, Bodin, the preeminent theorist of state sovereignty, approached the concept of sovereignty by focusing on those qualities that were regarded to be exclusive.
A snapshot of U.S. IRB review of COVID-19 research in the early pandemic
Authors: Taylor Holly A. , Serpico Kimberley , Lynch Holly Fernandez , Baumann John , Anderson Emily E.
Published: September 2021

Background/Objective:

Along with the greater research enterprise, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) had to quickly adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. IRBs had to review and oversee COVID-related research, while navigating strict public health measures and a workforce largely relegated to working from home. Our objectives were to measure adjustments to standard IRB review processes, IRB turnaround time and document and any novel ethical issues encountered.

Methods:

Structured data requests were sent to members of the Consortium to Advance Effective Research Ethics Oversight directing Human Research Protection Programs (HRPP).

Results:

Fourteen of the 32 HRPP director members responded to a questionnaire about their approach to review and oversight during COVID-19. Eleven of the 14 provided summary data on COVID-19-specific protocols and six of the 11 provided protocol-related documents for our review. All respondents adopted at least one additional COVID-19-specific step to their usual review process. The average turnaround time for convened and expedited IRB reviews was 15 calendar days. In our review of the documents from 194 COVID-19-specific protocols (n = 302 documents), we identified only a single review that raised ethical concerns unique to COVID-19.

Conclusions:

Our data provide a snapshot of how HRPPs approached the review of COVID-19-specific protocols at the start of the pandemic in the USA. While not generalizable to all HRPPs, these data indicate that HRPPs can adapt and respond quickly response to a pandemic and likely need little novel expertise in the review and oversight of COVID-19-specific protocols.
A stakeholder engagement method navigator webtool for clinical and translational science
Authors: Kwan Bethany M. , Ytell Kate , Coors Marilyn , DeCamp Matthew , Morse Brad , Ressalam Julie , Reno Jenna E. , Himber Meleah , Maertens Julie , Wearner Robyn , Gordon Kaylee , Wynia Matthew K.
Published: September 2021

Stakeholder engagement is increasingly expected by funders and valued by researchers in clinical and translational science, yet many researchers lack access to expert consultation or training in selecting appropriate stakeholder engagement methods. We describe the development of a novel Stakeholder Engagement Navigator webtool. We conducted an environmental scan and literature review, along with investigator interviews, surveys, and engagement expert facilitated group discussion. We formally reviewed and cataloged 29 distinct engagement methods. To develop the webtool, we used an iterative design process that followed Design Thinking phases: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. As prioritized during user testing, the Stakeholder Engagement Navigator webtool both educates and guides investigators in selecting an engagement method based on key criteria. The V1.0 Navigator webtool filters methods first by purpose of engagement (noted by 62% of users as the highest priority criteria), then by budget, time per stakeholder interaction, and total interactions. The tool is available at DICEMethods.org. The Stakeholder Engagement Navigator webtool is a user-centered, interactive webtool suitable for use by researchers seeking guidance on appropriate stakeholder engagement methods for clinical and translational research projects.
A computational simulation-based framework for estimating potential product impact during product design
Authors: Mabey Christopher S. , Armstrong Andrew G. , Mattson Christopher A. , Salmon John L. , Hatch Nile W. , Dahlin Eric C.
Published: September 2021

The impact of engineered products is a topic of concern in society. Product impact may fall under the categories of economic, environmental or social impact, with the last category defined as the effect of a product on the day-to-day life of people. Design teams lack sufficient tools to estimate the social impact of products, and the combined impacts of economic, environmental and social impacts for the products they are designing. This paper aims to provide a framework for the estimation of product impact during product design. To estimate product impact, models of both the product and society are required. This framework integrates models of the product, scenario, society and impact into an agent-based model to estimate product impact. Although this paper demonstrates the framework using only social impact, the framework can also be applied to economic or environmental impacts individually or all three concurrently. Agent-based modelling has been used previously for product adoption models, but it has not been extended to estimate product impact. Having tools for impact estimation allows for optimising the product design parameters to increase the potential positive impact and reduce potential negative impact.
Litigation and Lobbying in Support of the Marque: The Scotch Whisky Association, c. 1945–c. 1990
Authors: Bower Julie , Higgins David M.
Published: September 2021

We examine the Scotch Whisky Association’s (SWA) role in protecting “Scotch whisky” between c. 1945 and c. 1990. Using new archival evidence, we demonstrate that the SWA intensively lobbied the UK government to achieve coordination between domestic and European regulations governing Scotch whisky and whisky. The SWA’s nonmarket activities were consonant with some trade associations but in other respects they were atypical. The SWA extended its activities to supranational bodies and engaged in extensive domestic and foreign litigation. The key message from this article is that the SWA built the world-renowned appellation “Scotch whisky” even though this marque was not registered as an appellation until the late twentieth century.
Mechanisms of dynamic near-wake modulation of a utility-scale wind turbine
Authors: Abraham Aliza , Martínez-Tossas Luis A. , Hong Jiarong
Published: September 2021

The current study uses large eddy simulations to investigate the transient response of a utility-scale wind turbine wake to dynamic changes in atmospheric and operational conditions, as observed in previous field-scale measurements. Most wind turbine wake investigations assume quasi-steady conditions, but real wind turbines operate in a highly stochastic atmosphere, and their operation (e.g. blade pitch, yaw angle) changes constantly in response. Furthermore, dynamic control strategies have been recently proposed to optimize wind farm power generation and longevity. Therefore, improved understanding of dynamic wake behaviours is essential. First, changes in blade pitch are investigated and the wake expansion response is found to display hysteresis as a result of flow inertia. The time scales of the wake response to different pitch rates are quantified. Next, changes in wind direction with different time scales are explored. Under short time scales, the wake deflection is in the opposite direction of that observed under quasi-steady conditions. Finally, yaw changes are implemented at different rates, and the maximum inverse wake deflection and time scale are quantified, showing a clear dependence on yaw rate. To gain further physical understanding of the mechanism behind the inverse wake deflection, the streamwise vorticity in different parts of the wake is quantified. The results of this study provide guidance for the design of advanced wake flow control algorithms. The lag in wake response observed for both blade pitch and yaw changes shows that proposed dynamic control strategies must implement turbine operational changes with a time scale of the order of the rotor time scale or slower.