bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning Human Viewpoint Preferences from Sparsely Annotated Models
Authors: Hartwig S. , Schelling M. , Onzenoodt C. v. , Vázquez P.‐P. , Hermosilla P. , Ropinski T.
Published: July 2022

View quality measures compute scores for given views and are used to determine an optimal view in viewpoint selection tasks. Unfortunately, despite the wide adoption of these measures, they are rather based on computational quantities, such as entropy, than human preferences. To instead tailor viewpoint measures towards humans, view quality measures need to be able to capture human viewpoint preferences. Therefore, we introduce a large‐scale crowdsourced data set, which contains 58k annotated viewpoints for 3220 ModelNet40 models. Based on this data, we derive a neural view quality measure abiding to human preferences. We further demonstrate that this view quality measure not only generalizes to models unseen during training, but also to unseen model categories. We are thus able to predict view qualities for single images, and directly predict human preferred viewpoints for 3D models by exploiting point‐based learning technology, without requiring to generate intermediate images or sampling the view sphere. We will detail our data collection procedure, describe the data analysis and model training and will evaluate the predictive quality of our trained viewpoint measure on unseen models and categories. To our knowledge, this is the first deep learning approach to predict a view quality measure solely based on human preferences.
Turnover of Local Government Officials and Local Air Quality
Authors: He Lingyun , Chen Nini
Published: July 2022

This paper constructs a fixed effect model to study the impact of turnover of local government officials on local air quality, and the mechanism through which this effect takes place, using data from 282 prefecture‐level cities in China from 2015 to 2019. This research shows that turnover of local government officials led to a decline in local air quality, mainly due to a “responsibility gap period.” It also found that the heterogeneity of officials and the difference in the implementation of political initiatives by cities affected the length of the “responsibility gap period” – the shorter it was, the lower the air pollution was during official turnover. Air pollution in China is still severe and the Chinese central government should therefore further reform the turnover system to improve local air quality during the turnover of key local officials by shortening the “responsibility gap period.”
Study on preformed and in situ spinel containing alumina castable for steel ladle: Effect of fume silica content
Authors: Kumar Satyam , Sarkar Ritwik
Published: July 2022

In the present study, the effect of fume silica content on preformed and in situ spinel containing alumina spinel castable was studied by varying fume silica content at 1 and 4 wt.%. Spinel content for preformed alumina spinel castables varied from 10 to 30 wt.% and MgO content for in situ alumina spinel castables varied from 2.8 to 8.4 wt.%, respectively, and the distribution coefficient (q value) was maintained at .21 and .29 as per Dinger and Funk model. Different castable compositions were processed as per conventional processing technique and further evaluated for densification and strength studies after heat treatment at 110, 1000, and 1550°C. Fired samples at 1550°C were further evaluated for the hot modulus of rupture study at 1400°C and phase analysis study of the matrix phase. Also, the fired samples were studied for microstructural evaluation.
JUN activation modulates chromatin accessibility to drive TNFα‐induced mesenchymal transition in glioblastoma
Authors: Lv Xuejiao , Li Qian , Liu Hang , Gong Meihan , Zhao Yingying , Hu Jinyang , Wu Fan , Wu Xudong
Published: July 2022

Chromatin dynamics as well as genetic evolution underlies the adaptability of tumour cells to environmental cues. Three subtypes of tumour cells have been identified in glioblastoma, one of the commonest malignant brain tumours in adults. During tumour progression or under therapeutic pressure, the non‐mesenchymal subtypes may progress to the mesenchymal subtype, leading to unfavourable prognosis. However, the molecular mechanisms for this transition remain poorly understood. Here taking a TNFα‐induced cellular model, we profile the chromatin accessibility dynamics during mesenchymal transition. Moreover, we identify the JUN family as one of the key driving transcription factors for the gained chromatin accessibility. Accordingly, inhibition of JUN phosphorylation and therefore its transcription activity successfully impedes TNFα‐induced chromatin remodelling and mesenchymal transition. In line with these findings based on experimental models, JUN activity is positively correlated with mesenchymal features in clinical glioblastoma specimens. Together, this study unveils a deregulated transcription regulatory network in glioblastoma progression and hopefully provides a rationale for anti‐glioblastoma therapy.
Primary care access to radiology: Characteristics of trauma patients referred to the emergency department
Authors: Kusters Renske W. J. , Peters Nathalie A. L. R. , van Osch Frits H. M. , Simons Petra C. G. , Hulsbosch Mark H. H. M. , Janzing Heinrich M. J. , Barten Dennis G.
Published: July 2022

Rationale, Aims and Objectives

Low‐urgent Emergency Department (ED) attendances are a known contributing factor to ED crowding. In the Netherlands, general practitioners (GPs) have direct access to radiology facilities during office hours. Patients with radiographically confirmed traumatic injuries are subsequently referred to the ED. We analysed these ED trauma patients' characteristics, provided treatments and ED discharge diagnoses to identify the possibility of alternative care pathways.

Methods

Single‐centre retrospective observational study of trauma patients referred to the ED by the radiology department during office hours (January 2017–December 2017). Data were obtained from patient records. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the extracted data.

Results

A total of 662 patients were included. The median age was 42 years (range: 1–100, interquartile range (IQR): 15–63) and patients presented to the ED with a median delay of 1 day (range: 0–112 days, IQR: 0–5). Most patients were referred for injuries involving the upper extremities (61.5%) and lower extremities (30%). A total of 48 additional diagnoses were made in the ED. The majority of injuries was classified as ‘minor’ (29.5%) or ‘moderate’ (68.3%) on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). The median length of stay in the ED was 65 min (range: 7–297 min, IQR: 43–102).

Conclusion

Most patients presented with low acuity injuries and often with a notable delay to the ED. This suggests that the majority of these patients do not necessarily need ED treatment, which may provide an opportunity to counter ED crowding.
Out of the classroom, into the home: Medical and dental students' lessons learned from a Geriatrics home visit
Authors: Goldlist Kady , Beltran Christine P. , Rhodes‐Kropf Jennifer , Sullivan Amy M. , Schwartz Andrea Wershof
Published: July 2022

Background

Home visits are an important part of Geriatrics education for medical and dental students (MS), and the lessons learned by students from these experiences inform further curriculum development. A mixed methods analysis of students' lessons learned from a single Geriatrics home visit shapes the future focus and impact of similar educational programs to ultimately improve the care of older adults.

Methods

Over a 3‐year period at Harvard Medical School, approximately 495 first year MS participated in an educational Geriatrics home visit to learn about the geriatric assessment. Three hundred and forty‐eight students completed voluntary anonymous evaluation forms, rating whether their interest in geriatrics increased after the home visit and describing two lessons learned. We analyzed the student responses and conducted a qualitative content analysis of the lessons learned, identifying major themes within the Geriatrics 5Ms Framework (Mobility, Mind, Medications, Multicomplexity, and Matters Most).

Results

Most students (70.7%) reported their interest in Geriatrics somewhat or greatly increased after the home visit. Three hundred and ten students (89% of participants) reported 605 lessons learned; 174 students' lesson learned related to Multicomplexity (56.1%), and 158 students reported a lesson related to Mobility (51%).

Discussion

After a Geriatrics home visit, a majority of students report an increase interest in Geriatrics. The most common lessons learned relate to Mobility and Multicomplexity, essential areas of focus in a Geriatrics curriculum. Educational home visits are an important opportunity to increase student interest in geriatrics and build their skills to improve the care of older adults using the Geriatrics 5Ms Framework.
Long‐term follow‐up and predictors of recurrence of Cushing's disease
Authors: Guignat Laurence , Bertherat Jérôme
Published: July 2022

Transsphenoidal surgery is the first‐line treatment for Cushing's disease to selectively remove the tumor. The rate of postoperative remission is estimated around 70%–80% in expert centers. However, the long‐term remission rate is lower because of recurrence during follow‐up that can be observed in 15% to 25% of the patients depending on the studies and duration of follow‐up. There is no significant predictive factor of recurrence before surgery, but postoperative corticotroph insufficiency and its duration has been found to be a protective factor for recurrence in many studies. The persistence of a positive response to desmopressin after surgery is associated with a higher rate of recurrence. Long term monitoring for recurrence with annual clinical and hormonal investigations after the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis postoperative recovery is advised. The biological tests used for the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome (24 h‐urinary‐free cortisol [UFC], late‐night salivary or serum cortisol, 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test) can be used to screen for recurrence. Several studies report that increased late night cortisol and alterations of dynamic testing can be observed before the increased 24 h‐UFC. For this reason it is suggested that late‐night salivary cortisol would be a very sensitive tool to diagnose recurrence, pending the realization of several assays in case of borderline or discrepant result. This review will summarize the knowledge about recurrence of Cushing's disease after pituitary surgery and the current recommendations for its monitoring and diagnosis.
Ontogenetic characteristics of the intestinal microbiota of Quasipaa spinosa revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing
Authors: Hou J. , Long J. , Xiang J. , Pan W. , Li D. , Liu X.
Published: July 2022

To analyse the correlation between the intestinal microbiota (IM) and differential development of Quasipaa spinosa across different stages of metamorphosis, we focused on four key developmental periods (15 days post-hatch [dph; Gosner stage, GS23], 60 dph [GS25], 90 dph [GS41] and 150 dph [GS25, GS41, GS42, GS46]) and used 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. Results showed that IM diversity in Q. spinosa was related to life history. Specifically, there was a significant difference between the aquatic and terrestrial stages, and IM diversity increased with age. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in tadpoles, whereas Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Fusobacteria were the dominant phyla at the metamorphosis stages. The composition of the IM at different stages and ages varied considerably, but the changes were not substantial among different development stages at 150 dph. This was probably because age has a greater influence than growth factors, and host selective pressure increases with age. This study provides a theoretical reference for subsequent studies on the IM, as well as for the prevention of amphibian endogenous pathogenic microbial diseases.
The influence of psychological safety on feedback conversations in general practice training
Authors: Ajjawi Rola , Bearman Margaret , Sheldrake Michelle , Brumpton Kay , O'Shannessy Megan , Dick Marie‐Louise , French Matthew , Noble Christy
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Fostering trainee psychological safety is increasingly being recognised as necessary for effective feedback conversations. Emerging literature has explored psychological safety in peer learning, formal feedback and simulation debrief. Yet, the conditions required for psychologically safe feedback conversations in clinical contexts, and the subsequent effects on feedback, have not been explored.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study using interviews and longitudinal audio‐diaries with 12 rural general practice trainees. The data were analysed using framework thematic analysis to identify factors across the data and as individual participant case studies with illustrative vignettes of dynamic interleaving of factors in judgements about feedback conversations.

Findings

Findings identify the influence of intrapersonal (e.g. confidence and comfort to seek help), interpersonal (e.g. trust and relationship) and sociocultural factors (e.g. living and working in a rural community) that contribute to psychological safety in the context of everyday feedback conversations. Multiple factors interplayed in feedback conversations where registrars could feel safe and unsafe within one location and even at the one time.

Discussion

Participants felt psychologically safe to engage their educators in sanctioned systems of conversation related to the immediate care of the patient and yet unsafe to engage in less patient related performance conversations despite the presence of multiple positive interpersonal factors. The concept of a safe ‘container’ (contained space) is perhaps idealised when it comes to feedback conversations about performance in the informal and emergent spaces of postgraduate training. More research is needed into understanding how clinical environments can sanction feedback conversations in clinical environments.
Theistic Arguments from Horrendous Evils
Authors: Ooi Daryl
Published: July 2022

While the existence of horrendous evils has generally been taken to be evidence against the existence of God, some philosophers have suggested that it may be evidence for the existence of God. This paper introduces three main kinds of theistic arguments from horrendous evils: the argument from objectively horrifying evils, the pragmatic argument from evil, and an argument from reasonable responses. For each of these arguments, I will first reconstruct a standard version of the argument, before suggesting ways the argument may be challenged, or further developed.
Hecke action on the principal block
Authors: Bezrukavnikov Roman , Riche Simon
Published: July 2022

In this paper we construct an action of the affine Hecke category (in its ‘Soergel bimodules’ incarnation) on the principal block of representations of a simply connected semisimple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field of characteristic bigger than the Coxeter number. This confirms a conjecture of G. Williamson and the second author, and provides a new proof of the tilting character formula in terms of antispherical$p$-Kazhdan–Lusztig polynomials.
Acoustic radiation force of a sphere with a hemispherically split boundary condition in a plane wave
Authors: Wang Jie , Zhang Xiaofeng , Zhang Guangbin
Published: July 2022

In this paper, an analytical expression of the acoustic radiation force (ARF) for a spherical particle with a hemispherically split impedance boundary in a plane wave is deduced. Numerical calculations are carried out by considering the effect of the magnitude and phase of the acoustic impedance on the ARF. Computation results show that the increase in the magnitude of the acoustic impedance results in an overall decrease in the ARF, whereas the phase of the acoustic impedance results in a decrease in the ARF in the low frequency region. As the frequency increases, the positive phase angle leads to a decrease in the ARF, and the negative phase angle causes the ARF to increase rapidly. For a hemispherically split impedance sphere, the values of the ARF range from those of the rigid sphere and uniform impedance sphere. The finite-element models for the calculation of the ARF of a hemispherically split impedance boundary sphere are established and the correctness of the analytical theory is proved by numerical comparison. This work is expected to contribute theoretical support to the acoustic manipulation of particles with a nonuniform hemispherically split structure.
Sex-dependent signaling of social isolation
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: July 2022

The neurological effects of social isolation stress differ between males and females.
Hsp70 Inhibits the Replication of Fowl Adenovirus Serotype 4 by Suppressing Viral Hexon with the Assistance of DnaJC7
Authors: Cao Jie , Liu Shuhui , Liu Meng , Wang Shuaiwen , Bi Zhenwei , Fan Wentao , Shi Zhiyu , Song Suquan , Yan Liping
Published: July 2022

FAdV-4, as the main cause of HHS, has quickly spread all over the world in recent years, seriously threatening the poultry industry. The aim of this study was to identify the important host proteins that have the potential to regulate the life cycle of FAdV-4.
Mycobacteriosis in Various Pet and Wild Birds from Germany: Pathological Findings, Coinfections, and Characterization of Causative Mycobacteria
Authors: Schmidt Volker , Köhler Heike , Heenemann Kristin , Möbius Petra
Published: July 2022

In this study, the causative agents and confounding factors of mycobacteriosis in a set of pet and some wild birds from Germany were examined. Not only
Mycobacterium genavense
, but also
M. avium
subsp.
avium
and
M. avium
subsp.
hominissuis
, contributed to mycobacteriosis in these birds.
Direct Colorimetry of Imipenem Decomposition as a Novel Cost-Effective Method for Detecting Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteria
Authors: Kotsakis Stathis D. , Lambropoulou Anastasia , Miliotis Georgios , Tzelepi Eva , Miriagou Vivi , Tzouvelekis Leonidas S.
Published: July 2022

Currently, the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) carbapenemase-producing enterobacteria (CPE), mostly in the clinical setting, is among the most pressing public health problems worldwide. In order to effectively control CPE, use of reliable and affordable methods detecting carbapenemase genes or the respective β-lactamases is of vital importance.
Clinical utility of histopathology data: urological cancers
Authors: Varma Murali , Williamson Sean
Published: July 2022

Cancer datasets recommend standardised reporting of histopathological data items with elements categorised as either core (required) or non-core (recommended), irrespective of the clinical scenario. However, the clinical significance of a data item in an individual case would depend on the clinicopathological setting as well as local management guidelines. A data item that is critical for patient management in one clinical scenario may be largely irrelevant in another patient. Pathologists must understand how their data are used in clinical practice so that they can focus their limited resources appropriately. We briefly review the use of histopathological data in the management of urological cancers, highlighting scenarios where a data item may be of limited clinical utility.
Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during landscape fire events and the risk of cardiorespiratory emergency department attendances: a time-series study in Perth, Western Australia
Authors: Shirangi Adeleh , Lin Ting , Iva′nova′ Ivana , Yun Grace , Williamson Grant J , Franklin Peter , Jian Le , Burch Rowena , Dewan Ashraf , Santos Bradley , Eaton Nathan , Xiao Jianguo
Published: July 2022

Background

Landscape fires (LFs) are the main source of elevated particulate matter (PM2.5) in Australian cities and towns. This study examined the associations between daily exposure to fine PM2.5during LF events and daily emergency department attendances (EDA) for all causes, respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods

Daily PM2.5was estimated using a model that included PM2.5measurements on the previous day, remotely sensed aerosols and fires, hand-drawn tracing of smoke plumes from satellite images, fire danger ratings and the atmosphere venting index. Daily PM2.5was then categorised as high (≥99th percentile), medium (96th–98th percentile) and low (≤95th percentile). Daily EDA for all-cause and cardiorespiratory conditions were obtained from the Western Australian Emergency Department Data Collection. We used population-based cohort time-series multivariate regressions with 95% CIs to assess modelled daily PM2.5and EDA associations from 2015 to 2017. We estimated the lag-specific associations and cumulative risk ratios (RR) at lags of 0–3 days, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, weather and time.

Results

All-cause EDA and overall cardiovascular presentations increased on all lagged days and up to 5% (RR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.06) and 7% (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.12), respectively, at the high level. High-level exposure was also associated with increased acute lower respiratory tract infections at 1 (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.29) and 3 (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.23) days lags and transient ischaemic attacks at 1 day (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.53) and 2 (RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.42) days lag.

Conclusions

Exposure to PM2.5concentrations duringLFswas associated with an increased risk of all-cause EDA, overall EDA cardiovascular diseases, acute respiratory tract infections and transient ischaemic attacks.
’To be honest, I’m really scared’: perceptions and experiences of intimidation in the LMIC-based tobacco control community
Authors: Matthes Britta Katharina , Zatoński Mateusz , Alebshehy Raouf , Carballo Mercedes , Gilmore Anna B
Published: July 2022

Background

It is well-evidenced that environmental or human rights advocacy comes with risks for those involved. Much less is known about the risks of tobacco control advocacy despite the emphasis on tobacco industry conduct. This study explores the experiences and perceptions of intimidation among members of the tobacco control community in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods

We interviewed six experts representing each of the World Health Organization (WHO) regions to inform an online survey conducted among the LMIC-based tobacco control community. Thematic analysis was used for analysing qualitative data while quantitative data were analysed descriptively.

Results

Twenty-three participants from five WHO regions completed the survey. Almost three-quarters of survey participants reported that they, or another member of the tobacco control community in their country, had experienced intimidation. The most frequently reported forms of intimidation were discreditation on social or traditional media, legal threats/action and threatening messages. Physical intimidation, theft/burglary, cyberattacks and surveillance were individually rare but reported collectively by over 40% of participants. Results suggested intimidation might be increasing and changing in nature, and undermines tobacco control efforts: it affects organisations’ capacity and agenda, their ability to build relationships with those needed to advance policy, as well as the well-being of individuals. Participants used a range of strategies in response to intimidation and reported that they would benefit from better support.

Conclusion

This exploratory study suggests that intimidation is a crucial challenge for the tobacco control community. There are several measures the global tobacco control community could take, including establishing an international support mechanism and building capacity to deal with intimidation and draw attention to it.
Is tobacco a driver of footfall among small retailers? A geographical analysis of tobacco purchasing using electronic point of sale data
Authors: Tunstall Helena , Shortt Niamh K , Kong Amanda Y , Pearce Jamie
Published: July 2022

Objective

Opponents of policies designed to reduce tobacco retail availability argue that tobacco products are a vital driver of ‘footfall’ in small retailers. This study considers the changing contribution of tobacco to footfall and revenue among convenience stores across Britain, compares tobacco to other ‘footfall driver’ products and assesses whether tobacco’s importance varies by neighbourhood deprivation and urban/rural status.

Methods

We conducted an analysis of electronic point of sale systems data from 1253 convenience stores in Britain in 4 weeks in 2016 and 2019. We calculated the number and value of purchased basket types (Tobacco Only, Non-Tobacco, Mixed) in each year and by neighbourhood characteristics.

Results

The mean numbers of baskets per store containing tobacco fell by 47% during 2016–2019, a greater decline than any other footfall driver product. The sales value of tobacco products rose sharply over this time period due to increasing unit price. However, the proportion of store turnover accounted for by tobacco transactions declined. There were marked falls in the turnover from non-tobacco products in Mixed tobacco baskets. The proportion of baskets containing tobacco and the value of turnover from these baskets was greater in more deprived and urban areas but these places also experienced larger reductions over time, narrowing differences between areas.

Conclusion

Tobacco’s importance as a driver of footfall and related turnover among convenience retailers has reduced significantly in Britain in recent years, particularly in deprived and urban areas, undermining industry claims that tobacco is essential to the viability of these businesses.
Chiral anomalous processes in magnetospheres of pulsars and black holes
Authors: Gorbar Eduard V. , Shovkovy Igor A.
Published: July 2022

We propose that chirally asymmetric plasma can be produced in the gap regions of the magnetospheres of pulsars and black holes. We show that, in the case of supermassive black holes situated in active galactic nuclei, the chiral charge density and the chiral chemical potential are very small and unlikely to have any observable effects. In contrast, the chiral asymmetry produced in the magnetospheres of magnetars can be substantial. It can trigger the chiral plasma instability that, in turn, can lead to observable phenomena in magnetars. In particular, the instability should trigger circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in a wide window of frequencies, spanning from radio to near-infrared. As such, the produced chiral charge has the potential to affect some features of fast radio bursts.
CAPABILITIES PATHWAY TO FIRM PERFORMANCE: MODERATING ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMISM IN THE FOOD MANUFACTURING FIRMS OF PAKISTAN
Authors: NAZ SHEHLA , HAQ NAVEED UL , NASIR SOBIA
Published: July 2022

This study examines the significant influence of entrepreneurial orientation (EO), big data analytics capabilities (BDACs), and artificial intelligence capabilities (AICs) on the firm performance (FP) of manufacturing industries of Pakistan using environmental dynamism (ED) as a moderator. For this purpose, we developed a model based on the dynamic capabilities (DCs) view of enterprises and contingency theory (CT) that describes EO’s role in adopting big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and FP. The data of 240 respondents were collected and analysed using SPSS and Smart PLS software from the survey of Pakistani food manufacturing firms. The results of our study extend the DC perspective and CT to provide a clearer understanding of the organisation’s DCs while also giving managers theoretically supported counsel on matching their EO with their firms’ technology capabilities. The findings discovered that EO, big data analytics, and AICs were positively related to FP. Moreover, it illustrates that ED does not moderate the relationship between BDACs, AICs and FP. The findings of this study have important implications for the manufacturing industry in terms of improving an effective method and organisation performance through EO.
Geostrategy and Great Power Relations: A Reanalysis of the Basic Trends of Sino-Japanese Relations
Authors: Zhu Feng
Published: July 2022

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Japan have fought against the epidemic through high-level contacts, donation and so on. The Chinese proverb “mountains and rivers on foreign land, wind and moon under the same sky” gave warmth of friendship to the bilateral relations. However, since Yoshihide Suga won the election, the Sino-Japanese relations have taken a worsening turn. The current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida further takes counterbalancing China as top priority. The “anti-COVID-19 diplomacy” in 2020 had very limited improvement on Sino-Japanese relations. It is clear that since the implementation of the U.S. strategic competition policy against China, Japan, without hesitation, turns to the “national interest theory” and “international contribution theory” by positioning to counterbalance China. Japan has become one of the few Asian countries that have completely sided with US in the China–US strategic competition. Since the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, the principle of “good-neighborhood” has been totally replaced by the seemingly determined approach of “counterbalance” proposed by Japanese politicians. Japan has gone beyond the issue of its neighboring areas, trying to assist the United States’ strategic containment of China, which has added a new variable to China’s neighboring diplomacy.
GPU Devices for Safety-Critical Systems: A Survey
Authors: Perez-Cerrolaza Jon , Abella Jaume , Kosmidis Leonidas , Calderon Alejandro J. , Cazorla Francisco , Flores Jose Luis
Published: July 2022

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) devices and their associated software programming languages and frameworks can deliver the computing performance required to facilitate the development of next-generation high-performance safety-critical systems such as autonomous driving systems. However, the integration of complex, parallel, and computationally demanding software functions with different safety-criticality levels on GPU devices with shared hardware resources contributes to several safety certification challenges. This survey categorizes and provides an overview of research contributions that address GPU devices’ random hardware failures, systematic failures, and independence of execution.
Is My Transaction Done Yet? An Empirical Study of Transaction Processing Times in the Ethereum Blockchain Platform
Authors: Pacheco Michael , Oliva Gustavo , Rajbahadur Gopi Krishnan , Hassan Ahmed
Published: July 2022

Ethereum is one of the most popular platforms for the development of blockchain-powered applications. These applications are known as ÐApps. When engineering ÐApps, developers need to translate requests captured in the front-end of their application into one or more smart contract transactions. Developers need to pay for these transactions and, the more they pay (i.e., the higher the gas price), the faster the transaction is likely to be processed. Developing cost-effective ÐApps is far from trivial, as developers need to optimize the balance between cost (transaction fees) and user experience (transaction processing times). Online services have been developed to provide transaction issuers (e.g., ÐApp developers) with an estimate of how long transactions will take to be processed given a certain gas price. These estimation services are crucial in the Ethereum domain and several popular wallets such as Metamask rely on them. However, despite their key role, their accuracy has not been empirically investigated so far. In this article, we quantify the transaction processing times in Ethereum, investigate the relationship between processing times and gas prices, and determine the accuracy of state-of-the-practice estimation services. Our results indicate that transactions are processed in a median of 57 seconds and that 90% of the transactions are processed within 8 minutes. We also show that higher gas prices result in faster transaction processing times with diminishing returns. In particular, we observe no practical difference in processing time between expensive and very expensive transactions. With regards to the accuracy of processing time estimation services, we observe that they are equivalent. However, when stratifying transactions by gas prices, we observe that Etherscan’s Gas Tracker is the most accurate estimation service for the very cheap and cheap transactions. EthGasStation’s Gas Price API, in turn, is the most accurate estimation service for regular, expensive, and very expensive transactions. In a post-hoc study, we design a simple linear regression model with only one feature that outperforms the Gas Tracker for very cheap and cheap transactions and that performs as accurately as the EthGasStation model for the remaining categories. Based on our findings, ÐApp developers can make more informed decisions concerning the choice of the gas price of their application-issued transactions.
Influence of Salt Anions on the Reactivity of Polymer Electrolytes in All-Solid-State Sodium Batteries
Authors: Peta Gayathri , Alon-Yehezkel Hadas , Bublil Shaul , Penki Tirupathi Rao , Breuer Ortal , Elias Yuval , Fayena-Greenstein Miryam , Aurbach Doron
Published: July 2022

Solid-state batteries have received renewed attention in recent years. The present study compares all-solid-state sodium batteries containing sodium metal anodes, NaTi2(PO4)3 (NTP) cathodes and PEO polymer electrolyte (PE) with two salts—NaPF6 and NaClO4. Electrochemical properties were determined by means of both AC and DC measurements. For fresh symmetric cells, it seems like using NaClO4 as the salt leads to a lower interfacial resistance, but during contact with Na anodes, PEO:NaClO4 PE produces an unstable interface whereas PEO-NaPF6 forms a stable interface upon contact with sodium anodes. Battery prototypes with PEO:NaClO4 showed a better performance than those using PEO:NaPF6 in terms of specific capacity and energy content, as NaPF6 produces HF by-product which impairs the performance of full cells. However, the use of composite solid electrolyte containing PEO:NaPF6 and TiO2 nanotubes alleviates detrimental effects of HF and thus enables a better performance of SS Na battery prototypes. This is probably due to the titania particles acting as a scavenger of HF, an inevitable contaminant in electrolyte systems containing PF6
− anions. On adding TiO2 to polymer electrolytes, of both salts, the performance improves, what means that the TiO2 has several positive effects in these systems.
Transition Metal Oxides and Li2CO3 as Precursors for the Synthesis of Ni-Rich Single-Crystalline NCM for Sustainable Lithium-Ion Battery Production
Authors: Ruess Raffael , Ulherr Mark A. , Trevisanello Enrico , Schröder Steffen , Henss Anja , Janek Jürgen
Published: July 2022

Single-crystalline Ni-rich LiNi1-x-y
Co
x
Mn
y
O2 (SC-NCM) cathode active materials promise to increase the lifetime of high energy Li-ion batteries. SC-NCM consist of large primary particles that offer low surface area, limiting detrimental chemical reactions while exhibiting high morphological stability. A typical SC-NCM synthesis starts from the same Ni1-x-y
Co
x
Mn
y
(OH)2 and LiOH∙H2O precursors commonly used for conventional spherical poly-crystalline NCM (PC-NCM), but requires higher temperatures and additional post-processing. Consequently, the cost and environmental impact of the production of Ni-rich SC-NCM is higher compared to the production of PC-NCM. In this study, we demonstrate a synthesis of SC-NCM that does not require the same highly engineered precursors as used for PC-NCM. We propose a more energy-efficient and cost-effective route that involves simple blending of NiO, MnO, Co3O4 and Li2CO3 which yields single-crystalline LiNi0.83Co0.11Mn0.06O2 with 2–3 μm particle size and good structural quality. It is shown by in situ XRD during synthesis that—while the reaction suffers from slow kinetics—the elevated temperature and longer reaction time, which are in any case required for the crystal growth, are sufficient to also complete the reaction. Furthermore, it is shown that this material is structurally and electrochemically equivalent to the material commonly synthesized from hydroxide-based precursors.
Ion-Permselective Polyphenylene Sulfide-Based Solid-State Separator for High Voltage LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Battery
Authors: Yu Chongchen , Zhou Haitao , Wu Jian-Chun , Han Jiacheng , Zhou Haiyun , Ling Feng , Hou Dong , Gao Hongquan
Published: July 2022

The decomposition of commonly used commercial electrolytes under high voltage and the continuous side reactions at the graphite anode make the rapid capacity decay of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4(LNMO)/graphite full cell during cycling. In this work, we adopt ion-permselective polyphenylene sulfide-based solid state separator (PPS-SSS) for LNMO batteries, PPS-SSS can effectively prevent the proton diffusion, block the HF generated on the LNMO cathode from attacking the anode SEI layer, and mitigate the Mn2+ transfer. The PPS-SSS with anodic polyethylene (PE) protection (PE-PPS-CSSS) significantly improved the cycling performance of LNMO batteries. In the LNMO/Li half-cell system, 93% capacity retention rate can be achieved after 140 cycles at 0.5 C, and in the LNMO/graphite full-cell system, 85% of the initial capacity can be maintained after 100 cycles. Moreover, flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are applied to explore the interfacial reactions of LNMO/graphite batteries and reveal the key mechanism for the stable cycling using PPS-SSS.
Self-Crosslinking Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Diglycidyl Ether in Water-in-Salt Electrolytes for Minimal Hydrogen Evolution Reactions and Extended LiTFSI Solubility
Authors: Burton Tobias F. , Zhu Yachao , Droguet Lea , Jommongkol Rossukon , Zigah Dodzi , Grimaud Alexis , Tarascon Jean-Marie , Fontaine Olivier
Published: July 2022

Water-in-salt electrolytes - WISEs - are prevailing thanks to their compelling extended voltage window due to the reduced free water molecules at the electrode interface. However, as has been reported elsewhere, free-water content still can be reduced further. In our previous work, an unstable phenomenon of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and salt precipitation/dissolution issue were revealed. Herein, we propose a novel approach in order to alleviate those issues using poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PDE) as an additive. Indeed, upon mixing LiTFSI, water and PDE at high concentrations, we observed a ring-opening reaction of PDE that was confirmed via Raman spectroscopy, FTIR and ionic conductivity measurements. These crosslinked networks could also increase the solubility limits of LiTFSI in water, which was identified by adding more LiTFSI or LiOTf. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement demonstrated that these crosslinked electrolytes effectively suppress the crystallization of water molecules with the WISE. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurements revealed that these novel crosslinked electrolytes considerably reduce free water content which effectively drives the HER to more negative potentials. More significantly, the SEI formed with these novel electrolytes remains present and stable on the electrode surface after a resting period of 1 h. Our work herein offers a new approach to tackling SEI instability and precipitation/dissolution issues.
Design and Production of DNA-Based Electrochemical and Biological Biosensors for the Detection and Measurement of Gabapentin Medication in Clinical Specimens
Authors: Aghazadeh Hamed , Ebnetorab Seyed Mohammad Ali , Shahriari Nasim , Ghaffari Hossein , Gheshlaghi Esmaeil Farmani , Taheri Parastoo
Published: July 2022

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is the clinical practice of measuring specific drugs at designated intervals to maintain a constant concentration in a patient’s bloodstream, thereby optimizing individual dosage regimens. Hence, the extant study was conducted to design and produce an electrochemical and biological biosensor to detect and measure Gabapentin medication. The present study was a laboratory-applied intervention, which used a pencil graphite electrode modified with α-Fe2O3 and MOS2 nanostructures in one step and DNA in the second address layer, by using Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) electrochemical sensing techniques to detect Gabapentin medication in clinical specimens such as serum, plasma, and urine. The functional mechanism of the biosensor is designed in such a way that the effect of interaction between drug and DNA leads to drug detection, and with increasing concentration of Gabapentin analyte, the amount of visible current by DNA is reduced. Significantly, this reduction in current after reaction with Gabapentin can be demonstrated using the Differential Pulse Voltammogram (DPV) curve. The designed biosensor provided some features, including inexpensiveness, simple and fast sensor biodegradation process, appropriate stability of sensor, low Limit of Detection (LOD), extensive linearity range, ease of application without requiring laboratory technician, and selectivity of biosensor materials. Electrochemical and biological biosensors have some advantages rather than the common analytical methods; hence, these biosensors can be used widely in the future. High selectivity, low cost of production and low energy consumption, accuracy and precision, short response time, adaptability, simple preparedness, minimization capability, high-speed data collecting, low LOD, minor operational volume, and robust measurement. On the other hand, biosensors have received great attention over recent years due to their continuous application, the high selectivity of biological compounds, such as enzymes and antibodies, and the ability to measure nonpolar compounds.
Perspective—Challenges and Benchmarking in Scale-Up of Ni-Rich Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Venkatachalam Praneash , Karra Chanakya , Duru Kamala Kumari , Maram Pardha Saradhi , Madhavan Asha Anish , Kalluri Sujith
Published: July 2022

The recent surge of research in the development of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as an alternative to the lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has shown that the SIBs can reduce the load of the LIBs in certain areas. However, the development of SIBs in the commercial arenas is yet to be tapped. This perspective delineates the importance of Ni-rich cathodes and various strategies to ameliorate the performance of the Ni-rich cathodes in the SIBs. Also, discussed various synthesis routes for the industrial-scale synthesis of Ni-rich materials and tried to elucidate the importance of SC cathodes and the necessity to develop those in SIBs.
Application Value of Emergency Bedside Echocardiography in Early Warning of Acute and Severe Shock and Clinical Classification
Authors: Ye Juan , Lin Yan , Chen Shaolin
Published: July 2022

Objective. A case-control study was conducted to explore the application value of emergency bedside echocardiography in early warning of acute and severe shock and clinical classification. Methods. A total of 135 critically ill patients admitted to ICU from August 2019 to November 2020 were divided into shock group (

n
=
53

) and nonshock group (

n
=
82

) according to the occurrence of shock. The internal diameter index of inferior vena cava was measured and recorded by bedside ultrasound in patients with shock before and after treatment and in patients without shock. Shock index and inferior vena cava diameter deformation index (SCI) were calculated according to the results. The diagnostic time and curative effect of different ultrasonic examination methods for the types of shock were compared and analyzed. Results. At admission, the maximum and minimum ventilation of inferior vena cava in patients without shock were higher than those in the shock group, and the internal diameter deformation index of inferior vena cava in the shock group was higher than that in the shock group (

P
<
0.05

). In the shock group, IVCmax and IVCmin before and after treatment were higher than those before resuscitation, while SCI was lower than that before resuscitation. The results of ROC curve analysis showed that SCI and IVCmin were significantly better than IVCmax and IVCmin in predicting shock area and slightly better than IVCmin. There was significant difference in diagnosis time between the two groups (

P
<
0.05

). The specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of emergency ultrasound diagnosis were lower than those of clinical diagnosis (

P
<
0.05

). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of emergency ultrasound diagnosis were lower than those of clinical diagnosis (

P
<
0.05

). The sensitivity and positive predictive value of the emergency ultrasound group were higher than those of the routine ultrasound group (

P
<
0.05

). The diagnosis rate of shock type AUC in the emergency ultrasound group was 0.854, and the diagnostic value was high. Conclusion. IVCmax, IVCmin, and SCI obtained by bedside ultrasound have certain clinical significance for the diagnosis and treatment of shock. Emergency bedside ultrasound examination and measurement of shock patients are helpful to quickly evaluate and identify the types of early shock.
Evidence Prediction Method Based on Sentence Selection for Legal Documents
Authors: Bai Huijie
Published: July 2022

In order to solve the problem that it is difficult to find evidence from a large number of legal document statements and the irrelevant statements in a large number of document sample data will cause a great interference to the prediction results and further improve the accuracy of evidence prediction, this paper puts forward an intelligent evidence criterion prediction method for legal documents based on the comprehensive consideration of legal problems, the nature of statements, and the characteristics of answers. The binary cross-entropy of different statements is used to obtain the interaction information between different statements. Through experiments, it is found that the score of Joint F1 proposed in this paper is 70.07%, which is more accurate than the mainstream model and also verifies the effectiveness of the scheme.
Combination of the Focus-Forming Assay and Digital Automated Imaging Analysis for the Detection of Dengue and Zika Viral Loads in Cultures and Acute Disease
Authors: Bolívar-Marin Sara , Bosch Irene , Narváez Carlos F.
Published: July 2022

Optimized methods for the detection of flavivirus infections in hyperendemic areas are still needed, especially for working with patient serum as a starting material. The focus-forming assay (FFA) reveals critical aspects of virus-host interactions, as it is a quantitative assay to determine viral loads. Automated image analysis provides evaluations of relative amounts of intracellular viral protein at the single-cell level. Here, we developed an optimized FFA for the detection of infectious Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) viral particles in cell cultures and clinical serum samples, respectively. Vero-76 cells were infected with DENV-2 (16681) or ZIKV (PRVA BC59). Using a panel of anti-DENV and anti-ZIKV NS1-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), the primary mAbs, concentration, and the optimal time of infection were determined. To determine whether intracellular accumulation of NS1 improved the efficiency of the FFA, brefeldin A was added to the cultures. Focus formation was identified by conventional optical microscopy combined with CellProfiler™ automated image analysis software. The FFA was used with spike assays for ZIKV and clinical specimens from natural infection by DENV-1 and DENV-2. mAb 7744-644 for ZIKV and mAb 724-323 for DENV used at a concentration of 1 μg/ml and a time of 24 hours postinfection produced the best detection of foci when combining conventional counting and automated digital analysis. Brefeldin A did not improve the assessment of FFUs or their digitally assessed intensity at single-cell level. The FFA showed 95% ZIKV recovery and achieved the detection of circulating DENV-1 and DENV-2 in the plasma of acutely ill patients. The combination of the two techniques optimized the FFA, allowing the study of DENV and ZIKV in culture supernatants and clinical specimens from natural infection in hyperendemic areas.