bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MAPK-interacting kinase 2 (MNK2) regulates adipocyte metabolism independently of its catalytic activity
Authors: Merrett James E. , Xie Jianling , Psaltis Peter J. , Proud Christopher G.
Published: July 2020

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-interacting kinases (MNKs) are serine/threonine protein kinases that are activated by the ERK1/2 (extracellular regulated kinase) and p38α/β MAPK pathways. The MNKs have previously been implicated in metabolic disease and shown to mediate diet-induced obesity. In particular, knockout of MNK2 in mice protects from the weight gain induced by a high-fat diet. These and other data suggest that MNK2 regulates the expansion of adipose tissue (AT), a stable, long-term energy reserve that plays an important role in regulating whole-body energy homeostasis. Using the well-established mouse 3T3-L1 in vitro model of adipogenesis, the role of the MNKs in adipocyte differentiation and lipid storage was investigated. Inhibition of MNK activity using specific inhibitors failed to impair adipogenesis or lipid accumulation, suggesting that MNK activity is not required for adipocyte differentiation and does not regulate lipid storage. However, small-interfering RNA (siRNA) knock-down of MNK2 did reduce lipid accumulation and regulated the levels of two major lipogenic transcriptional regulators, ChREBP (carbohydrate response element-binding protein) and LPIN1 (Lipin-1). These factors are responsible for controlling the expression of genes for proteins involved in de novo lipogenesis and triglyceride synthesis. The knock-down of MNK2 also increased the expression of hormone-sensitive lipase which catalyses the breakdown of triglyceride. These findings identify MNK2 as a regulator of adipocyte metabolism, independently of its catalytic activity, and reveal some of the mechanisms by which MNK2 drives AT expansion. The development of an MNK2-targeted therapy may, therefore, be a useful intervention for reducing weight caused by excessive nutrient intake.
The endocannabinoid system
Authors: Kilaru Aruna , Chapman Kent D.
Published: July 2020

Thirty years ago, the discovery of a cannabinoid (CB) receptor that interacts with the psychoactive compound in Cannabis led to the identification of anandamide, an endogenous receptor ligand or endocannabinoid. Research on endocannabinoids has since exploded, and additional receptors along with their lipid mediators and signaling pathways continue to be revealed. Specifically, in humans, the release of endocannabinoids from membrane lipids occurs on demand and the signaling process is rapidly attenuated by the breakdown of the ligand suggesting a tight regulation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Additionally, the varying distribution of CB receptors between the central nervous system and other tissues allows for the ECS to participate in a wide range of cognitive and physiological processes. Select plant-derived ‘phyto’cannabinoids such as Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) bind to the CB receptors and trigger the ECS, and in the case of Δ9-THC, while it has therapeutic value, can also produce detrimental effects. Current research is aimed at the identification of additional phytocannabinoids with minimal psychotropic effects with potential for therapeutic development. Although decades of research on the ECS and its components have expanded our understanding of the mechanisms and implications of endocannabinoid signaling in mammals, it continues to evolve. Here, we provide a brief overview of the ECS and its overlap with other related lipid-mediated signaling pathways.
Repair pathway choice for double-strand breaks
Authors: Xu Yixi , Xu Dongyi
Published: July 2020

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is at a constant risk of damage from endogenous substances, environmental radiation, and chemical stressors. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) pose a significant threat to genomic integrity and cell survival. There are two major pathways for DSB repair: nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). The extent of DNA end resection, which determines the length of the 3′ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) overhang, is the primary factor that determines whether repair is carried out via NHEJ or HR. NHEJ, which does not require a 3′ ssDNA tail, occurs throughout the cell cycle. 53BP1 and the cofactors PTIP or RIF1-shieldin protect the broken DNA end, inhibit long-range end resection and thus promote NHEJ. In contrast, HR mainly occurs during the S/G2 phase and requires DNA end processing to create a 3′ tail that can invade a homologous region, ensuring faithful gene repair. BRCA1 and the cofactors CtIP, EXO1, BLM/DNA2, and the MRE11–RAD50–NBS1 (MRN) complex promote DNA end resection and thus HR. DNA resection is influenced by the cell cycle, the chromatin environment, and the complexity of the DNA end break. Herein, we summarize the key factors involved in repair pathway selection for DSBs and discuss recent related publications.
Base excision repair and its implications to cancer therapy
Authors: Grundy Gabrielle J. , Parsons Jason L.
Published: July 2020

Base excision repair (BER) has evolved to preserve the integrity of DNA following cellular oxidative stress and in response to exogenous insults. The pathway is a coordinated, sequential process involving 30 proteins or more in which single strand breaks are generated as intermediates during the repair process. While deficiencies in BER activity can lead to high mutation rates and tumorigenesis, cancer cells often rely on increased BER activity to tolerate oxidative stress. Targeting BER has been an attractive strategy to overwhelm cancer cells with DNA damage, improve the efficacy of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, or form part of a lethal combination with a cancer specific mutation/loss of function. We provide an update on the progress of inhibitors to enzymes involved in BER, and some of the challenges faced with targeting the BER pathway.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Pediatric Feeding Disorders: Roles of the Speech-Language Pathologist and Behavioral Psychologist
Authors: Gosa Memorie M. , Dodrill Pamela , Lefton-Greif Maureen A. , Silverman Alan
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Pediatric feeding disorders (PFDs) present as a complex clinical challenge because of the heterogeneous underlying etiologies and their impact on health, safety, growth, and psychosocial development. A multidisciplinary team approach is essential for accurate diagnosis and prompt interventions to lessen the burdens associated with PFDs. The role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) as a member of the multidisciplinary team will be highlighted.

Method

This clinical focus article reviews the definition of PFDs and pertinent literature on factors that contribute to the development of PFDs, the accurate diagnosis, and current interventions for infants and children. As part of the multidisciplinary team, the SLP has an integral role in determining whether a child cannot or will not eat and working with the team to identify and carryout appropriate interventions. Collaboration between SLPs and psychologists/behavioral specialists in conjunction with the parents/caregivers as part of the multidisciplinary team is essential to the advancement of therapeutic goals.

Conclusions

Due to their complex nature, the successful management of PFDs is only possible with the care and expertise of a multidisciplinary team, which includes parents/caregivers. SLPs are important members of these multidisciplinary teams and provide valuable input for the accurate identification and effective remediation of PFDs.
Best Practices in Modified Barium Swallow Studies
Authors: Martin-Harris Bonnie , Canon Cheri L. , Bonilha Heather Shaw , Murray Joseph , Davidson Kate , Lefton-Greif Maureen A.
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The modified barium swallow study (MBSS) is a widely used videofluoroscopic evaluation of the functional anatomy and physiology of swallowing that permits visualization of bolus flow throughout the upper aerodigestive tract in real time. The information gained from the examination is critical for identifying and distinguishing the type and severity of swallowing impairment, determining the safety of oral intake, testing the effect of evidence-based frontline interventions, and formulating oral intake recommendations and treatment planning. The goal of this review article is to provide the state of the science and best practices related to MBSS.

Method

State of the science and best practices for MBSS are reviewed from the perspectives of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and radiologists who clinically practice and conduct research in this area. Current quandaries and emerging clinical and research trends are also considered.

Results

This document provides an overview of the MBSS and standards for conducting, interpreting, and reporting the exam; the SLPs' and radiologist's perspectives on standardization of the exam; radiation exposure; technical parameters for recording and reviewing the exam; the importance of an interdisciplinary approach with engaged radiologists and SLPs; and special considerations for examinations in children.

Conclusions

The MBSS is the primary swallowing examination that permits visualization of bolus flow and swallowing movement throughout the upper aerodigestive tract in real time. The clinical validity of the study has been established when conducted using reproducible and validated protocols and metrics applied according to best practices to provide accurate and reliable information necessary to direct treatment planning and limit radiation exposure. Standards and quandaries discussed in this review article, as well as references, provide a basis for understanding the current best practices for MBSS.
Natural scene text detection based on multiscale connectionist text proposal network
Authors: Huang Min , Lan Chaohao , Huang Wei , Tao Yang
Published: July 2020

The technique of recognising text in natural scene pictures is widely used in social production. For the existing identification methods, it is difficult to accurately identify in complex environments. The accuracy of the detection determines the efficiency of the identification. A text detection method based on Multiscale Connectionist Text Proposal Network is proposed. The Multiscale‐Region Proposal Network regresses and classifies the extracted region to obtain the final candidate region. Taking a large number of commodity image samples as a dataset, the multi‐scale joint text proposal network is used to detect and locate the text content area in the image. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm improves the detection accuracy in complex environments.
Designing a dual-channel supply chain network considering dependent demand and discount
Authors: Askarian-Amiri Fatemeh , Paydar Mohammad Mahdi , Safaei Abdul Sattar
Published: July 2020

Nowadays, organizations are faced with the growth of markets, satisfying customers’ demand and empowering in competing with rivals imposed new communication channels. Along with the rapid advancement of the Internet, many suppliers are interested in creating an electronic channel in addition to the traditional retailer channel for direct market participation. This distribution system which includes retailer channels and direct channels is called a dual-channel supply chain. This study reviews a leather supply chain network that has created a discounted online channel to expand its market share. In this study, a multi-period multi-product mathematical model is developed to maximize the profit and examine the effect of different discount schemes on demand and sales. To verify the proposed model, a real-world case study is conducted. The sensitivity analyses examined the important model parameters. The obtained results show that the responsiveness of the main retailers could be more than 95%. According to the sensitivity analysis, an appropriate discount rate is reported in the direct channel.
NTNT Methods – Efficacy and Safety Issue
Authors: Jaworucka-Kaczorowska Aleksandra
Published: July 2020

The management of elimination of the pathological reflux in the saphenous vein has been developed recently by introducing the endovenous thermal techniques (EVTA), which have become the first line treatment. However, thermal techniques require tumescent infiltration, what may be the cause of discomfort. Furthermore, the use of EVTA has a potential risk of thermal damage of superficial nerves and requires to wear stocking after the procedure.

Non-thermal non-tumescent techniques (NTNT) were proposed as a valid, safe and effective alternative to EVTA with significant clinical improvement, high complete occlusion rate and high posttreatment patient satisfaction. The most common novel NTNT are catheter-directed cyanoacrylate adhesive closure (CAC) and mechanochemical ablation.

In the paper an overview of the currently available data regarding the NTNT efficacy and safety are presented.

Based on the literature, NTNT has a high efficacy, comparable with the EVTA techniques, with an acceptable risk increase. However further studies with long-term results are needed also with regard to safety aspects.
Perforator Variability of the Anterolateral Thigh Flap Identified on Computed Tomographic Angiography: Anatomic and Clinical Implications
Authors: Cohen Oriana D. , Abdou Salma A. , Nolan Ian T. , Saadeh Pierre B.
Published: July 2020

Background The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is a useful flap with minimal donor site morbidity. Preoperative computed tomographic angiography (CTA) for lower extremity reconstruction can determine vessel integrity and plan for recipient vascular targets. This study reviews lower extremity CTAs to further characterize ALT vascular anatomy and associated clinical implications thereof.

Patients and Methods Lower extremity CTA studies were retrospectively reviewed, and information on ALT cutaneous perforator location, origin, and course was collected.

Results A total of 58 lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) systems in 31 patients were included. Average age was 38.8 ± 15.9 years with mean body mass index of 27.2 ± 5.7 kg/m2. The majority of patients were females (23, 74.2%). The LCFA most commonly originated from the profunda femoris artery (87.3%), followed by the distal common femoral artery (9.1%). On average, there were 1.66 ± 0.69 cm perforators per extremity, with an average of 5.38 cm between adjacent perforators. Perforators originated from the descending branch of the LCFA in 89.6% of studies. Perforator caliber was <1 mm (29, 30.2%), 1 to 2 mm (55, 57.3%), or >2 mm (12, 12.5%). Mean distance from the most proximal perforator to the anterior superior iliac spine was 20.4 ± 4.82 cm. Perforators were musculocutaneous (46.9%), septocutaneous (34.4%), or septomyocutaneous (18.8%). In 58.1% of patients, only one thigh had easily dissectable septocutaneous and/or septomyocutaneous perforators, in which case preoperative CTA aided in donor thigh selection.

Conclusion ALT flap cutaneous perforator anatomy varies considerably. Using CTA, we report on rates of septocutaneous, myocutaneous, and septomyocutaneous perforators and underscore its utility in perforator selection.
Transition from snowplow to deflagration mode in a gas-prefilled parallel-plate plasma accelerator
Authors: Liu Shuai , Liu Chengying , Lin Tianyu , Zhang Yongpeng , Zhan Wei , Yu Menghan , Huang Yizhi , Yang Lanjun
Published: July 2020

The transition from snowplow mode to deflagration mode of a parallel-plate plasma accelerator under gas-prefilled conditions is studied. The accelerator is powered by a sinusoidal-wave power supply with a first half-period current of 24.3 μs. The current distribution of the current conduction channel is measured by magnetic probes, the optical emission spectrum by a spectroscopic system, and the plasma optical intensity by photodiodes. The parallel-plate plasma accelerator does not form a thin current sheet, but a wide and diffuse current conduction region when the capacitors are charged to 8 kV and 13 kV. The discharge mode is a transition from snowplow mode to deflagration mode, from the current leading edge to the trailing edge. The plasma front region continuously sweeps and ionizes the neutral gas within a certain thickness, which is characteristic of snowplow mode, whereas the plasma tail region is a stationary current conducting channel maintained by ablating the copper electrodes, which is characteristic of deflagration mode. The transition mechanism from snowplow mode to deflagration mode might be breakdown caused by rail electrode overvoltage.
Enhanced thermal stability of yttrium oxide-based RRAM devices with inhomogeneous Schottky-barrier
Authors: Piros Eszter , Petzold Stefan , Zintler Alexander , Kaiser Nico , Vogel Tobias , Eilhardt Robert , Wenger Christian , Molina-Luna Leopoldo , Alff Lambert
Published: July 2020

This work addresses the thermal stability of bipolar resistive switching in yttrium oxide-based resistive random access memory revealed through the temperature dependence of the DC switching behavior. The operation voltages, current levels, and charge transport mechanisms are investigated at 25 °C, 85 °C, and 125 °C, and show overall good temperature immunity. The set and reset voltages, as well as the device resistance in both the high and low resistive states, are found to scale inversely with increasing temperatures. The Schottky-barrier height was observed to increase from approximately 1.02 eV at 25 °C to approximately 1.35 eV at 125 °C, an uncommon behavior explained by interface phenomena.
Producing metaphor (and other forms of non-literal language) in
the laboratory
Authors: Katz Albert N.
Published: July 2020

In this chapter I argue for the utility of
studying nonliteral language production in the laboratory. Three
aspects of nonliteral language production were provided as examples:
first, inducing non-literal language in interactive communication
(and identifying features of the produced language); second, using
production techniques to identify the discourse context in which
nonliteral language emerges and, finally, examining how production
techniques can inform about the basic cognitive mechanisms that
underlie metaphor usage.
Metaphor production and metaphor interpretation
Authors: Musolff Andreas
Published: July 2020

Metaphor production and interpretation are
intricately connected: the former has the latter as its ostensive
target; however, interpretation processes can trigger new metaphor
formulations which were unforeseen by the original speaker and would
have to count as new productions. This paper looks at corpus- and
survey-based evidence of innovative interpretative metaphor use that
changes the default meanings of established figurative
constructions. Specifically, we look at interpretation-induced
changes in the meaning of corporeal metaphors, on the basis of a (1)
corpus of British political discourse and (2) a questionnaire survey
of more than 1000 respondents from 31 linguistic backgrounds in 10
countries.

The corpus-based evidence presented in the first part consists of
metaphor-production data that show how situational variation in
metaphor use can over time create a semantic-pragmatic drift that
changes the dominant meaning of a conventional metaphor expression,
thus illustrating diachronic variation. The questionnaire survey,
which forms the material for the second part reveals four distinct
models for body-focused readings (i.e. nation as
geobody, as hierarchical functional whole, as part of speaker’s
body, as part of larger body), plus further
person-focused readings. These data show synchronic
variation.

By highlighting significant variation, both data sets put in question
the standard theory model of ‘automatic’ metaphor processing and
extension. Instead, they indicate a strong production element in
metaphor interpretation – and of interpretive aspects in metaphor
production.
How nice does it sound?
Authors: Ervas Francesca
Published: July 2020

The chapter presents irony as a form of the
reductio ad absurdum argument having a specific
emotional charge, which cannot be found either in literal arguments
or in other arguments containing figurative language. The claim of
the chapter is that irony production depends on the ironist’s
ability to convey the emotional charge together with the point she
invites the addressee(s) to infer. An empirical study is presented
aiming (1) to understand whether and when participants produce
(non-sarcastic/sarcastic) ironic vs. literal arguments having a
positive vs. negative emotional charge and (2) to check whether and
when participants revise their own (non-sarcastic/sarcastic) ironic
vs. literal arguments when they are at the addressee’s side, in both
critical and praise irony conditions.
How defaultness shapes our language production
Authors: Giora Rachel
Published: July 2020

The paper focuses on discourse production.
It shows that language production unfolds via resonating (Du Bois, 2014) with default
interpretations. Default interpretations are defined as automatic
responses. However, for an automatic response to be considered a
default, it has to be (i) novel; (ii) free of semantic an omaly
(Beardsley, 1958) and
internal incongruity (Partington, 2011); and (iii) free of contextual
information, intonation, discourse markers, etc. Results show that
constructions, shown to be interpreted sarcastically or
metaphorically when in isolation, were processed faster than
nondefault counterparts when in discourse. As a result, corpus-based
studies, displaying default interpretations, show that speakers’
discourse is unfolding via utterances’ default rather than
nondefault interpretations. This applies here to Hebrew but also to
English, German, and Russian.
Figurative production in a computer-mediated discussion
forum
Authors: Nacey Susan
Published: July 2020

When people undergo traumatic events, they
frequently turn to metaphor in an attempt to make what might
initially seem indescribable into something comprehensible to
others, and/or to help themselves reach a clearer understanding of
what has happened to them. This investigation explores such
metaphorical language produced in computer-mediated discourse by
survivors of relationship abuse to communicate about various aspects
of their experience, thus shedding light on a traditionally “taboo”
subject that many people find difficult to broach. The analysis
first explores the ways survivors “frame” their experience through a
particular source domain, and then looks at the various source
domain “scenarios” that are drawn upon to elaborate
particular salient details of the abuse. The chapter thus builds
upon established theories about metaphorical frames and scenarios to
explore what we may learn about a particular group (i.e.
relationship abuse survivors) through analyzing their production of
metaphor. In this way, it demonstrates why the theory of metaphor
and the field of figurative language production matter in the real
world.
Figurative language
Authors: Ruiz de Mendoza Ibáñez Francisco José
Published: July 2020

The present paper discusses two aspects of
the production of figures of speech. The first one is their
relatedness, which is established on the basis of an analysis of
their cognitive configuration in terms of combinations of cognitive
operations. Such operations are applied to the creation of basic
figures of speech such as metaphor, metonymy, understatement,
overstatement, irony, paradox, and oxymoron. Other traditional
figurative uses of language are then accounted for with reference to
these more basic ones. The second aspect that this paper addresses
is the question of constraints on figurative thinking. In this
respect, it reviews previous proposals on the topic and extends
their application to other cases of figurative language use. The
resulting account links figurative language up with the notion of
embodied cognition.
Imaging resident and recruited macrophage contribution to Wallerian degeneration
Authors: Boissonnas Alexandre , Louboutin Floriane , Laviron Marie , Loyher Pierre-Louis , Reboussin Elodie , Barthelemy Sandrine , Réaux-Le Goazigo Annabelle , Lobsiger Christian S. , Combadière Béhazine , Mélik Parsadaniantz Stéphane , Combadière Christophe
Published: July 2020

Wallerian degeneration (WD) is a process of autonomous distal degeneration of axons upon injury. Macrophages (MPs) of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are the main cellular agent controlling this process. Some evidence suggests that resident PNS-MPs along with MPs of hematogenous origin may be involved, but whether these two subsets exert distinct functions is unknown. Combining MP-designed fluorescent reporter mice and coherent anti–Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging of the sciatic nerve, we deciphered the spatiotemporal choreography of resident and recently recruited MPs after injury and unveiled distinct functions of these subsets, with recruited MPs being responsible for efficient myelin stripping and clearance and resident MPs being involved in axonal regrowth. This work provides clues to tackle selectively cellular processes involved in neurodegenerative diseases.
On the Evolution of Compositional Language
Authors: Barrett Jeffrey A. , Cochran Calvin , Skyrms Brian
Published: July 2020

We present here a hierarchical model for the evolution of compositional language. The model has the structure of a two-sender/one-receiver Lewis signaling game augmented with executive agents who may learn to influence the behavior of the basic senders and receiver. The model shows how functional agents might coevolve representational roles even as they evolve a reliable compositional language in the context of costly signaling. When successful, the evolved language captures both the compositional structure of properties in the world and the compositional structure of successful actions involving those properties.
Twistor representation of Jackiw –Teitelboim gravity
Authors: Wieland Wolfgang
Published: July 2020

Jackiw –Teitelboim (JT) gravity is a 1 + 1-dimensional toy model for quantum gravity in four spacetime dimensions. In the absence of matter, JT gravity is a topological field theory and there are no local observables. The introduction of a boundary changes the situation. What was an unphysical gauge direction before turns into a physical boundary degree of freedom (a gravitational edge mode). Starting from the BF formulation of JT gravity, we develop a twistor representation for the boundary charges of JT gravity. We introduce point sources in the bulk and study the coupled gravity plus matter system at the quantum level. Eigenstates of quasi-local energy are built from the tensor product of unitary irreducible representations of

S
L

(

2
,
R

)

. Empty patches of AdS2 are characterised by the continuous series representations, point sources are related to the discrete series representations. Physical states are constructed by fusing the

S
L

(

2
,
R

)

representations into an

S
L

(

2
,
R

)

invariant singlet. The singlet lies in the kernel of the constraints, which are the analogue of the Wheeler – De Witt equations in the presence of distributional matter sources.
Reversible dynamics with closed time-like curves and freedom of choice
Authors: Tobar Germain , Costa Fabio
Published: July 2020

The theory of general relativity predicts the existence of closed time-like curves (CTCs), which theoretically would allow an observer to travel back in time and interact with their past self. This raises the question of whether this could create a grandfather paradox, in which the observer interacts in such a way to prevent their own time travel. Previous research has proposed a framework for deterministic, reversible, dynamics compatible with non-trivial time travel, where observers in distinct regions of spacetime can perform arbitrary local operations with no contradiction arising. However, only scenarios with up to three regions have been fully characterised, revealing only one type of process where the observers can verify to both be in the past and future of each other. Here we extend this characterisation to an arbitrary number of regions and find that there exist several inequivalent processes that can only arise due to non-trivial time travel. This supports the view that complex dynamics is possible in the presence of CTCs, compatible with free choice of local operations and free of inconsistencies.
Measurement and analysis of high-frequency voltage errors in the Josephson arbitrary waveform synthesizer
Authors: Kraus M , Drung D , Behr R , Palafox L , Kieler O , Bauer S , Herick J
Published: July 2020

This paper reports on the comparison of two Josephson arbitrary waveform synthesizers for frequencies up to 500 kHz. Both independent pulse-driven Josephson arrays produce a 10 mV RMS sinusoidal voltage. They are alternately connected to an analog-to-digital converter which serves as a transfer standard. The setup is capable to of synthesizing quantum-based waveforms using two different pulse-bias techniques. We use the Zero-Compensation method and a two-pole high-pass filter structure in the pulse-bias configuration of one system (the reference) to minimize the amplitude error for signal frequencies up to 500 kHz. Consequently, we are able to directly detect the high-frequency voltage errors in the other system (the device under test). The setup is used to measure differences between both systems, and the influence of parameter variation on the results with Type A uncertainties of 0.4 µV/V (k = 1) in measurement times of 60 s. We find that the dominant sources of deviations above 10 kHz can be traced to the influence of the output cabling and the pulse bias on the synthesized voltage signal. Our analysis explains the origin and the reduction of these high-frequency voltage errors.
Dense multi-scale entropy and it’s application in mechanical fault diagnosis
Authors: Zhao Dongfang , Liu Shulin , Cheng Shouguo , Sun Xin , Wang Lu , Wei Yuan , Zhang Hongli
Published: July 2020

Multi-scale entropy (MSE) is a widely recognized feature extraction approach to mechanical fault diagnosis, for it can effectively estimate the complexity of nonlinear time series. For MSE algorithm, due to the sensitivity of entropy estimation on series length, the scale factors are often required to be limited to a small range. Nevertheless, in the existing MSE methods, the scale factors can only be set to positive integers with a fixed minimum step size, which may result in insufficient analysis precision and cannot provide high-quality feature vectors with sufficient eigenvalues for intelligent diagnosis in the limited scale range. In view of the above defects, this paper subdivides the scale factors and proposes dense multi-scale entropy. In the suggested method, the number of data points in the raw sequence is expanded on the premise of guaranteeing the characteristics of the original series. Based on this, the timescale of the original series is refined and more intensive scale factors with higher precision can be provided. The superiority of the method developed in this work is verified by using CWRU bearing and reciprocating compressor gas valve fault data sets, and the results indicate that the method of this paper can provide more precise analysis scale and feature vectors with higher quality for intelligent diagnosis.
Ge quantum wire memristor
Authors: Böckle R , Sistani M , Staudinger P , Seifner M S , Barth S , Lugstein A
Published: July 2020

Despite being known of for decades, the actual realization of memory devices based on the memristive effect is progressing slowly, due to processing requirements and the need for exotic materials which are not compatible with today’s complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Here, we report an experimental study on a Ge quantum wire device featuring distinct signatures of memristive behavior favorable for integration in CMOS platform technology. Embedding the quasi-1D Ge quantum wire into an electrostatically modulated back-gated field-effect transistor, we demonstrate that individual current transport channels can be addressed directly by controlling the surface trap assisted electrostatic gating. The resulting quantization of the current represents the ultimate limit of memristors with practically zero off-state current and low footprint. In addition, the proposed device has the advantage of non-destructive successive reading cycles capability. Importantly, our findings provide a framework towards fully CMOS compatible ultra-scaled Ge based memristors.
Effect of 3D printing raster angle on reversible thermo-responsive composites using PLA/paper bilayer
Authors: Shin Sanghun , So Hongyun
Published: July 2020

In this study, an efficient fabrication method to realize a reversible thermo-responsive composite (TRC) and the effect of raster angle were investigated. For the facile fabrication of reversible TRCs, polylactic acid and commercial printing paper were used to generate a polymer/paper bilayer. Using the fused deposition modeling method of three-dimensional printing, three types of TRCs were fabricated and compared depending on the printing angle condition. Above the glass transition temperature, the polymer is relaxed, allowing straightening by the constraining paper layer; subsequently, it recovers its initial shape during cooling. Because the deposited filament arrays shrank in the longitudinal direction and expanded in another direction during heating, the raster angle was considered for better actuating performance. Thus, horizontal-type TRCs exhibited a greater range of average actuating performance compared with vertical-type TRCs (up to ∼24.7% increase in changing rate). Hence, this study supports a rapid, low-cost, and efficient fabrication method for soft robotics applications, including smart devices, grippers, and actuators.
Dynamic loss and magnetization loss of HTS coated conductors, stacks, and coils for high-speed synchronous machines
Authors: Zhang Hongye , Machura Philip , Kails Kevin , Chen Hongyi , Mueller Markus
Published: July 2020

Dynamic loss is an essential parameter to consider for the design of high temperature superconducting (HTS) synchronous machine windings. For aerospace electric propulsion systems, the fundamental frequency component and harmonics in electric machines can attain kHz level because of the high rotating speed. However, for HTS coated conductors (CC), the existing definition of dynamic loss only considers the HTS layer, the validity of which at high frequencies is questionable. Besides, the variation of dynamic loss and magnetization loss under skin effect due to high frequency is still unknown. Additionally, the influence of shielding effects among distinct turns on the dynamic loss of HTS stacks and coils remains unclear. In response to the above concerns, by use of the
H
-formulation based numerical multilayer modelling method which considers all layers of a CC, the frequency dependence of dynamic loss and magnetization loss of HTS CCs, stacks and coils over a wide range up to 20 kHz has been investigated. Results show that the existing definition of the dynamic region is no longer valid at kHz level, which shrinks rapidly with increasing frequency and magnetization loss plays a progressively important role due to skin effect. Meanwhile, the shielding effect in HTS stacks and coils can enhance the significance of dynamic loss. This paper clarifies the characteristics of dynamic loss and magnetization loss of HTS CCs, stacks, and coils over a wide frequency band, which can serve as a useful reference for accurate loss controlling of machine windings in future aerospace HTS propulsion systems.
A New Visual Analytics Toolkit for ATLAS Computing Metadata
Authors: Grigorieva M A , Alekseev A A , Galkin T P , Klimentov A A , Korchuganova T A , Milman I E , Padolski S V , Pilyugin V V , Titov M A
Published: July 2020

The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has a complex heterogeneous distributed computing infrastructure, which is used to process and analyse exabytes of data. Metadata are collected and stored at all stages of data processing and physics analysis. All metadata could be divided into operational metadata to be used for the quasi on-line monitoring, and archival to study the behaviour of corresponding systems over a given period of time (i.e. long-term data analysis). Ensuring the stability and efficiency of complex and large-scale systems, such as those in the ATLAS Computing, requires sophisticated monitoring tools, and the long-term monitoring data analysis becomes as important as the monitoring itself. Archival metadata, which contains a lot of metrics (hardware and software environment descriptions, network states, application parameters, errors) accumulated for more than a decade, can be successfully processed by various machine learning (ML) algorithms for classification, clustering and dimensionality reduction. However, the ML data analysis, despite the massive use, is not without shortcomings: the underlying algorithms are usually treated as “black boxes”, as there are no effective techniques for understanding their internal mechanisms. As a result, the data analysis suffers from the lack of human supervision. Moreover, sometimes the conclusions made by algorithms may not be making sense with regard to the real data model. In this work we will demonstrate how the interactive data visualization can be applied to extend the routine ML data analysis methods. Visualization allows an active use of human spatial thinking to identify new tendencies and patterns found in the collected data, avoiding the necessity of struggling with the instrumental analytics tools. The architecture and the corresponding prototype of Interactive Visual Explorer (InVEx) - visual analytics toolkit for the multidimensional data analysis of ATLAS computing metadata will be presented. The web-application part of the prototype provides an interactive visual clusterization of ATLAS computing jobs, search for computing jobs non-trivial behaviour and its possible reasons.
Poly(ester amide) microspheres are efficient vehicles for long-term intracerebral growth factor delivery and improve functional recovery after stroke
Authors: Memanishvili Tamar , Monni Emanuela , Tatarishivili Jemal , Lindvall Olle , Tsiskaridze Alexander , Kokaia Zaal , Tornero Daniel
Published: July 2020

Growth factors promote plasticity in injured brain and improve impaired functions. For clinical application, efficient approaches for growth factor delivery into the brain are necessary. Poly(ester amide) (PEA)-derived microspheres (MS) could serve as vehicles due to their thermal and mechanical properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) exerts both vascular and neuronal actions, making it suitable to stimulate post-stroke recovery. Here, PEA (composed of adipic acid, L-phenyl-alanine and 1,4-butanediol) MS were loaded with VEGF and injected intracerebrally in mice subjected to cortical stroke. Loaded MS provided sustained release of VEGF in vitro and, after injection, biologically active VEGF was released long-term, as evidenced by high VEGF immunoreactivity, increased VEGF tissue levels, and higher vessel density and more NG2+ cells in injured hemisphere of animals with VEGF-loaded as compared to non-loaded MS. Loaded MS gave rise to more rapid recovery of neurological score. Both loaded and non-loaded MS induced improvement in neurological score and adhesive removal test, probably due to anti-inflammatory action. In summary, grafted PEA MS can act as efficient vehicles, with anti-inflammatory action, for long-term delivery of growth factors into injured brain. Our data suggest PEA MS as a new tool for neurorestorative approaches with therapeutic potential.
The Swiss Data Cube: Earth Observations for monitoring Switzerland’s environment in space and time
Authors: Giuliani Gregory , Peduzzi Pascal , Chatenoux Bruno , Richard Jean-Philippe , Poussin Charlotte , Schaepman Michael , Small David , Steinmeier Charlotte , Psomas Achilleas , Ginzler Christian
Published: July 2020

Pressures on natural resources are increasing and a number of challenges need to be overcome to meet the needs of a growing population in a period of environmental variability. The key to sustainable development is achieving a balance between the exploitation of natural resources for socioeconomic development and maintaining ecosystem services that are critical to human’s wellbeing and livelihoods. Some of these environmental issues can be monitored using remotely sensed Earth Observations (EO) data that are increasingly available from freely and openly accessible repositories. Hereafter, we present the Swiss Data Cube, a unique Analysis Ready Data archive of satellite imagery and some use cases to monitor Sustainable Development Goals.
The ICOS Atmosphere use case: from raw data to knowledge of societal relevance
Authors: Hellström M , Karstens U , Pantazatou K , Vermeulen A , Smith N
Published: July 2020

In order to effectively tackle the on-going changes in global climate, stakeholders and policy makers across the globe need timely and accurate information they can trust on a wide range of topics. Here we briefly describe how observational data on greenhouse gas concentrations collected from the ICOS network of measurement stations in Europe is transformed via atmospheric modelling into information on how emission and uptake of greenhouse gases vary over time and space, and interpreted by experts to create knowledge usable by decision makers.
Quality Assessment of Semantic Tags in OpenStreetMap
Authors: Hoffmann E J , Werner M , Zhu X X
Published: July 2020

A comprehensive understanding of urban areas includes deep knowledge about locations and functions of buildings within. In most developed countries cadastral data is available for this research, but from a global perspective the only free and comprehensive data source is OpenStreetMap (OSM).

For this study we selected 42 cities across the globe covering a wide range of climate zones as well as cultures and assess the accuracy of building function labels in OSM indirectly by comparing them to Google Places. We state that points-of-interest (POIs) are reasonably covered in Google Places due to a large number of users and a business perspective driving its development. We study how many semantic building tags are in accordance with the proposed scheme by OSM. In this regard Los Angeles has the best coverage, followed by Amsterdam and Cologne. In Melbourne, Paris, and Sydney we find the most matching building functions of OSM and Google Places.

In summary, we conclude that OSM is not ready to provide ground truth labels for each place on the globe, but can serve as a powerful and rich label source in selected study areas. Our study gives a first insight where obtaining training labels from OSM is a valid and reliable approach.
Data cities and astrospatial architecture: An urban ethos from electromagnetic fluxes
Authors: Jackson D
Published: July 2020

Light remains the origin and sustenance of all forms of life on Earth—but human living is being transformed by ingenious applications of astrospatial technologies that were devised to fly to other planets. This century’s networked architectures of semiconductors, satellites, scanners and sensors manipulate diverse electromagnetic frequencies to convert light into unprecedented formats and contents of data that are destined to inform most human behaviours in future. Telematics and informatics are taking our civilisation far beyond the milieu of modernism enabled by Edison’s 1879 demonstration of electric incandescence, and the transmillennial ‘digital age’ underpinned by portable computers and mobile telephony.
GF5-Based Water Quality Monitoring of East Dongting Lake, China
Authors: Zhang Qing , Zhou Mei , Li Qingli , Sun Li , Hu Menghan , Qiu Song
Published: July 2020

Water quality monitoring is not only the basis for effective comprehensive management of water environment and control of water pollution, but also an important basis for risk assessment of algal blooms and construction of ecological safety. In this study, we used GF5-Advanced Hyperspectral Imager (AHSI) products to monitor the water quality of East Dongting Lake in winter. Through analyzing the obtained spectral reflectance, we calibrated our empirical models for retrieving the water quality parameters including chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentration, total suspended matter (TSM) concentration and transparency (Secchi disk depth: SDD). This study preliminarily confirmed the potential of GF5-AHSI images in retrieving water quality parameters and could provide some useful information for the local environmental protection departments and Dongting Lake researchers.
HUSH app: digital tools to explore the natural patrimony of urban areas
Authors: Liucci L , Bianchini G , Fanò L , Melelli L , Nazzareni S , Perugini D , Spiga D , Tedeschi T , Vercillo F
Published: July 2020

In recent years, urban trekking and geotourism have gained relevance in the tourism industry. This has been accompanied by an increasing use of digital tools and techniques for developing immersive touristic experiences. The HUSH project aim is to enhance and disseminate the scientific and naturalistic heritage of urban areas by means of a mobile application. The naturalistic and geological components with relevant scientific value are first identified and tagged as Points of Interest (POIs). Then, high quality multimedia contents are created for each of them. Using the HUSH app and implementing Augmented Reality techniques, users can explore these contents by framing the POIs with their device. They can decide which POIs they want to visit by using keyword-search, by selecting a predefined path or by means of ‘intelligent search’, which applies data mining techniques to users’ data. Moreover, they can propose the addition of new POIs by using the Scientific Reporter tool and rate POIs they visit.
Food Security TEP - Supporting sustainable intensification of food production from Space
Authors: Muerth M , Migdall S , Hodrius M , Niggemann F , Holzapfel M , Bach H , Gilliams S , van Roey T , Cuomo A , Harwood P , Pace N , San Miguel Sanchez I , Dean A , Suwala J , Romeo A , Alonso I , Mougnaud P , Volden E
Published: July 2020

The Food Security Thematic Exploitation Platform (TEP) supported by ESA is a cloud platform for the extraction of information from EO data for services in the food security sector. To respond to the needs of its large user community, the platform is developed in an agile mode in close coordination with its users. Thereby it targets to foster smart, data-intensive agricultural and aquacultural applications in the scientific, private and public domain. During the first two years of platform development, the Food Security TEP project team has deployed a number of service pilot applications. This paper presents those focusing on the support of micro-financing and irrigation for African farmers and on supporting coastal aquaculture development in Africa.
Development of a tool for automatic bare soil detection from multitemporal satellite optical imagery for digital soil mapping applications
Authors: Mzid N , Pignatti S , Pascucci S , Huang W , Casa R
Published: July 2020

Understanding the variability of soil attributes allows to improve the farm production efficiency, accompanied by a reduction in environmental impacts and effective usage of resources. Several studies confirmed the potential of optical remote sensing data for quantifying soil attributes, such as clay content, soil organic carbon and texture classes A challenging issue in spatial-temporal soil surveying by remote sensing data is the limited availability of cloud-free images or affected by cloud/shadow. Further, imagery with high temporal resolution is extremely important for observing terrestrial surfaces. This study investigates the use of multispectral (Sentinel-2 MSI) satellite imagery at the regional/local scale, for the automated detection of agricultural bare soil occurrence, exploiting bands covering the spectral range from visible to shortwave infrared. The study objective is to provide bare soil time series that could be subsequently exploited in digital soil mapping (DSM) approaches based on multispectral or, also in view of the next future missions, hyperspectral remote sensing data.