bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The EU ETS and its companion policies: any insight for China's ETS?
Authors: Verde Stefano F. , Galdi Giulio , Alloisio Isabella , Borghesi Simone
Published: March 2021

This paper analyses the role that companion policies have had in the reduction of emissions regulated by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the related policy interactions, with a view to identifying relevant insights for China's forthcoming Emissions Trading System (ETS). The investigation rests on: (a) the observation of the EU's and China's ETSs and policy mixes; (b) economic theory concerning companion policies and ETS design; and (c) empirical ex-post evidence from the EU ETS. Three main conclusions emerge from the analysis. First, China's ETS, while not imposing a fixed cap on emissions, will not be immune to waterbed effects of companion policies. Second, the European experience stresses the importance of making explicit the objectives pursued by companion policies, and of balancing policies for innovation and policies for adoption of low-carbon technologies. Third, in the presence of a major market surplus, only permanent adjustments to allowance supply can be effective in raising prices.
Economic considerations of enhanced BRD control
Authors: Peel Derrell S.
Published: March 2021

Cattle producers and animal health professionals are increasingly frustrated by the inability to reduce the impacts of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Improved BRD control is difficult due to the complex nature of the disease; the complexity of cattle industry structure and function; and the imbalance of economic incentives for enhanced BRD control. Success in improving BRD control will depend on an industry-wide comprehensive effort to address lifetime animal health issues as well as correcting or offsetting imbalances in economic benefits and costs for enhanced animal health management across cattle production sectors.
R-GROUP AND WHITTAKER SPACE OF SOME GENUINE REPRESENTATIONS
Authors: Gao Fan
Published: March 2021

For a unitary unramified genuine principal series representation of a covering group, we study the associatedR-group. We prove a formula relating theR-group to the dimension of the Whittaker space for the irreducible constituents of such a principal series representation. Moreover, for certain saturated covers of a semisimple simply connected group, we also propose a simpler conjectural formula for such dimensions. This latter conjectural formula is verified in several cases, including covers of the symplectic groups.
Intraregional Comparisons of the Near‐Storm Environments of Storms Dominated by Frequent Positive Versus Negative Cloud‐to‐Ground Flashes
Authors: Eddy A. J. , MacGorman D. R. , Homeyer C. R. , Williams E.
Published: March 2021

We gridded 11 years of cloud‐to‐ground (CG) flashes detected by the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network during the warm season in 15 km × 15 km × 15 min grid cells to identify storms with substantial CG flash rates clearly dominated by flashes lowering one polarity of charge to the ground or the other (+CG flashes vs. −CG flashes). Previous studies in the central United States had found that the gross charge distribution of storms dominated by +CG flashes included a large upper negative charge over a large middle level positive charge, a reversal of the usual polarities. In each of seven regions spanning the contiguous United States (CONUS), we compared 17 environmental parameters of storms dominated by +CG flashes with those of storms dominated by –CG flashes. These parameters were chosen based on their expected roles in modulating supercooled liquid water content (SLWC) in the updraft because laboratory experiments have shown that SLWC affects the polarity of charge exchanged during rebounding collisions between riming graupel and small ice particles in the mixed phase region. This, in turn, would affect the vertical polarity of a storm's charge distribution and the dominant polarity of CG flashes. Our results suggest that the combination of parameters conducive to dominant +CG flash activity and, by inference, to anomalous storm charge structure varies widely from region to region, the lack of a favorable value of any particular parameter in a given region being offset by favorable values of one or more other parameters.
Long‐Term Variations of the Geomagnetic Activity: A Comparison Between the Strong and Weak Solar Activity Cycles and Implications for the Space Climate
Authors: Hajra Rajkumar , Marques de Souza Franco Adriane , Echer Ezequiel , José Alves Bolzan Mauricio
Published: March 2021

We study the long‐term variations of geomagnetic activity using more than five solar cycles of geomagnetic and solar wind observations. From the Dst index variation, 1523 geomagnetic storms were identified during January 1957 through December 2019, and 145 high‐intensity long‐duration continuous auroral electrojet (AE) activity (HILDCAA) events were identified using the AE index from January 1975 through December 2017. Among the storms, ∼3/4th were moderate (−50 nT ≥ Dst  > −100 nT), and only ∼1/4th were stronger in intensity (Dst ≤ −100 nT). Cross‐correlation analysis reveals a strong correlation (r = 0.58−0.78) between the magnetic storms and the F10.7 solar flux at 0−1‐year time lag and a weaker correlation (r = 0.59) between HILDCAAs and F10.7 at a ∼3‐year lag. This result is consistent with the magnetic storm occurrence rate centered around the solar cycle maximum with a secondary peak after the maximum, and HILDCAAs peaking around the descending phase. Wavelet analysis reveals a dominating ∼10–11‐year periodicity in the number of geomagnetic storms and HILDCAAs, geomagnetic activity indices, solar wind, and interplanetary parameters. The periodicity is attributed to the solar activity cycle variation. Solar wind speed induces additional longer (∼15−16 years) and shorter (∼3−5 years) scale variations in geomagnetic activity. Solar cycles 20 and 24 are found to be significantly weaker compared to the cycles 19, 21, 22, and 23 in solar flux, solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling, and resultant geomagnetic activity. If the decreasing trend of the solar and geomagnetic activities continues in cycle 25, this may have important implications for the space weather science and operations.
Climate Changes in the Upper Atmosphere: Contributions by the Changing Greenhouse Gas Concentrations and Earth's Magnetic Field From the 1960s to 2010s
Authors: Qian Liying , McInerney Joseph M. , Solomon Stan S. , Liu Hanli , Burns Alan G.
Published: March 2021

Previous studies have established the importance of the increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in causing trends in the thermosphere and ionosphere (T‐I). Recent work indicates that the changing Earth's magnetic field is also important. We conduct whole atmosphere model simulations to examine T‐I trends driven by these two drivers and their relative importance. We found that, (1) trends in the T‐I, driven by either of the two drivers, exhibited significant latitudinal and longitudinal variability; (2) in the thermosphere, trends were predominantly driven by the GHG driver except that the magnetic field driver played a small role in the neutral temperature trend (∼25%) in some regions mainly in the longitude sector ∼120°W–20°E. The magnetic field driver played a more important role in the ionosphere in the longitude sector ∼120°W–20°E. In this longitude sector, the two drivers were comparable in driving the trends of hmF2, NmF2, and electron temperature; the relative importance of the two drivers to the ion temperature trend additionally depends on altitude, with the GHG driver being the dominant driver at lower altitudes (∼200–320 km), and the two drivers becoming comparable above; (3) although the magnetic field driver is important in the longitude sector ∼120°W–20°E, it drove both negative and positive trends in roughly equal amounts, consequently, its contributions to the global average trends in the T‐I are negligible.
Imaging the Subsurface Plumbing Complex of Steamboat Geyser and Cistern Spring With Hydrothermal Tremor Migration Using Seismic Interferometry
Authors: Wu Sin‐Mei , Lin Fan‐Chi , Farrell Jamie , Keller William E. , White Erin B. , Hungerford Jefferson D. G.
Published: March 2021

Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park is the tallest active geyser on Earth and is believed to have hydrologic connection to Cistern Spring, a hydrothermal pool ∼100 m southwest from the geyser vent. Despite broad scientific interest, rare episodic Steamboat eruptions have made it difficult to study its eruption dynamics and underground plumbing architecture. In response to the recent reactivation of Steamboat, which has produced more than 130 eruptions since March 2018, we deployed a dense seismic nodal array surrounding the enigmatic geyser in the summer of 2019. The array recorded abundant 1–5 Hz hydrothermal tremor originating from phase‐transition events within both Steamboat Geyser and Cistern Spring. To constrain the spatiotemporal distribution of the tremor sources, an interferometric‐based polarization analysis was developed. The observed tremor locations indicate that the conduit beneath Steamboat is vertical and extends down to ∼120 m depth and the plumbing of Cistern includes a shallow vertical conduit connecting with a deep, large, and laterally offset reservoir ∼60 m southeast of the surface pool. No direct connection between Steamboat and Cistern plumbing structures is found. The temporal variation of tremor combined with in situ temperature and water depth measurements of Cistern reveals interaction between Steamboat and Cistern throughout the eruption/recharge cycles. The observed delayed responses of Cistern Spring in reaction to Steamboat eruptions and recharge suggest that the two plumbing structures may be connected through a fractured/porous medium instead of a direct open channel, consistent with our inferred plumbing structure.
Trophic Dynamics of Calanus hyperboreus in the Pacific Arctic Ocean
Authors: Choi Hyuntae , Won Haemin , Kim Jee‐Hoon , Yang Eun Jin , Cho Kyoung‐Ho , Lee Youngju , Kang Sung‐Ho , Shin Kyung‐Hoon
Published: March 2021

The zooplankton community composition in the Pacific Arctic Ocean depends heavily on the sea ice and hydrodynamic conditions. The calanoid copepod Calanus hyperboreus is a dominant Arctic zooplankton, but its diet sources in the Pacific Arctic are unclear. C. hyperboreus individuals were collected in the northern Chukchi Sea (NCS) and the northern‐East Siberian Sea (NESS), which display contrasting chlorophyll abundance and sea ice concentration in summer 2018. Nitrogen isotopes of individual amino acid and fatty acid compositions were measured to determine its trophic level (TL) and dominant diet. C. hyperboreus collected in the NCS had higher TL values (3.0 ± 0.2) and a relatively low proportion of C20:5(n‐3). In the NESS, C. hyperboreus had lower TL values (2.7 ± 0.2) and a larger percentage of C20:5(n‐3), suggesting a greater proportion of diatoms in its diet. Spatial TL variations of C. hyperboreus between the NCS and NESS may be caused by variations in phytoplankton composition (micro‐phytoplankton vs. nano‐ and picophytoplankton) as a result of surface seawater stratification triggered by the inflow of sea ice meltwater as well as summer Bering Sea water through the Bering Strait. These results suggest that the filter‐feeding copepod C. hyperboreus could be a useful indicator to understand trophic dynamics in zooplankton food web.
RF Energy Harvesting Using High Impedance Asymmetric Antenna Array Without Impedance Matching Network
Authors: Fakharian Mohammad M.
Published: March 2021

This manuscript presents a rectenna with a high impedance asymmetric antenna array for ambient wireless energy harvesting at the 2.45 GHz frequency band. It is fulfilled without using any impedance matching networks, which demonstrations significant benefits over available rectennas as a function of the layout and cost with a wide range of input power level and load impedance. A rectenna prototype has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The rectenna configuration is etched on a single layer, commercial, low‐cost FR4 substrate. Simulation and experiments have been carried out. The results show that the proposed rectenna features a good characteristic of RF to DC conversion efficiency. Over 60% (up to 67%) RF‐DC conversion efficiency is realized for the input power levels from 12 to 21 dBm and load impedance between 1,200 and 8,100 Ω. The proposed rectenna can be suitable for powering many low‐power electronic devices, because of simple structure and low cost.
Standardizing human brain parcellations
Authors: Lawrence Ross M. , Bridgeford Eric W. , Myers Patrick E. , Arvapalli Ganesh C. , Ramachandran Sandhya C. , Pisner Derek A. , Frank Paige F. , Lemmer Allison D. , Nikolaidis Aki , Vogelstein Joshua T.
Published: March 2021

Using brain atlases to localize regions of interest is a requirement for making neuroscientifically valid statistical inferences. These atlases, represented in volumetric or surface coordinate spaces, can describe brain topology from a variety of perspectives. Although many human brain atlases have circulated the field over the past fifty years, limited effort has been devoted to their standardization. Standardization can facilitate consistency and transparency with respect to orientation, resolution, labeling scheme, file storage format, and coordinate space designation. Our group has worked to consolidate an extensive selection of popular human brain atlases into a single, curated, open-source library, where they are stored following a standardized protocol with accompanying metadata, which can serve as the basis for future atlases. The repository containing the atlases, the specification, as well as relevant transformation functions is available in the neuroparc OSF registered repository or https://github.com/neurodata/neuroparc.
A standardised approach for determining heat tolerance in cotton using triphenyl tetrazolium chloride
Authors: Jaconis Susan Y. , Thompson Alan J. E. , Smith Shanna L. , Trimarchi Chiara , Cottee Nicola S. , Bange Michael P. , Conaty Warren C.
Published: March 2021

Improving the heat tolerance of cotton is a major concern for breeding programs. To address this need, a fast and effect way of quantifying thermotolerant phenotypes is required. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) based enzyme viability testing following high-temperature stress can be used as a vegetative heat tolerance phenotype. This is because when live cells encounter a TTC solution, TTC undergoes a chemical reduction producing a visible, insoluble red product called triphenyl formazan, that can be quantified spectrophotometrically. However, existing TTC based cell viability assays cannot easily be deployed at the scale required in a crop improvement program. In this study, a heat stress assay (HSA) based on the use of TTC enzyme viability testing has been refined and improved for efficiency, reliability, and ease of use through four experiments. Sampling factors that may influence assay results, such as leaf age, plant water status, and short-term cold storage, were also investigated. Experiments conducted in this study have successfully downscaled the assay and identified an optimal sampling regime, enabling measurement of large segregating populations for application in breeding programs. The improved HSA methodology is important as it is proposed that long-term improvements in cotton thermotolerance can be achieved through the concurrent selection of superior phenotypes based on the HSA and yield performance in hot environments. Additionally, a new way of interpreting both heat tolerance and heat resistance was developed, differentiating genotypes that perform well at the time of a heat stress event and those that maintain a similar performance level to a non-stressed control.
Adequacy of early-stage breast cancer systemic adjuvant treatment to Saint Gallen-2013 statement: the MCC-Spain study
Authors: Gómez-Acebo Inés , Dierssen-Sotos Trinidad , Mirones Mónica , Pérez-Gómez Beatriz , Guevara Marcela , Amiano Pilar , Sala Maria , Molina Antonio J. , Alonso-Molero Jéssica , Moreno Victor , Suarez-Calleja Claudia , Molina-Barceló Ana , Alguacil Juan , Marcos-Gragera Rafael , Fernández-Ortiz María , Sanz-Guadarrama Oscar , Castaño-Vinyals Gemma , Gil-Majuelo Leire , Moreno-Iribas Conchi , Aragonés Nuria , Kogevinas Manolis , Pollán Marina , Llorca Javier
Published: March 2021

The St Gallen Conference endorsed in 2013 a series of recommendations on early breast cancer treatment. The main purpose of this article is to ascertain the clinical factors associated with St Gallen-2013 recommendations accomplishment. A cohort of 1152 breast cancer cases diagnosed with pathological stage < 3 in Spain between 2008 and 2013 was begun and then followed-up until 2017/2018. Data on patient and tumour characteristics were obtained from medical records, as well as their first line treatment. First line treatments were classified in three categories, according on whether they included the main St Gallen-2013 recommendations, more than those recommended or less than those recommended. Multinomial logistic regression models were carried out to identify factors associated with this classification and Weibull regression models were used to find out the relationship between this classification and survival. About half of the patients were treated according to St Gallen recommendations; 21% were treated over what was recommended and 33% received less treatment than recommended. Factors associated with treatment over the recommendations were stage II (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 4.2, 2.9–5.9), cancer positive to either progesterone (RRR = 8.1, 4.4–14.9) or oestrogen receptors (RRR = 5.7, 3.0–11.0). Instead, factors associated with lower probability of treatment over the recommendations were age (RRR = 0.7 each 10 years, 0.6–0.8), poor differentiation (RRR = 0.09, 0.04–0.19), HER2 positive (RRR = 0.46, 0.26–0.81) and triple negative cancer (RRR = 0.03, 0.01–0.11). Patients treated less than what was recommended in St Gallen had cancers in stage 0 (RRR = 21.6, 7.2–64.5), poorly differentiated (RRR = 1.9, 1.2–2.9), HER2 positive (RRR = 3.4, 2.4–4.9) and luminal B-like subtype (RRR = 3.6, 2.6–5.1). Women over 65 years old had a higher probability of being treated less than what was recommended if they had luminal B-like, HER2 or triple negative cancer. Treatment over St Gallen was associated with younger women and less severe cancers, while treatment under St Gallen was associated with older women, more severe cancers and cancers expressing HER2 receptors.
Author Correction: Cigarette smoke induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and suppresses efferocytosis through the activation of RhoA
Authors: Ito Hiroyuki , Yamashita Yoshiro , Tanaka Takeshi , Takaki Masahiro , Le Minh Nhat , Yoshida Lay-Myint , Morimoto Konosuke
Published: March 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Dynamic roles of inflammasomes in inflammatory tumor microenvironment
Authors: Jang Jeong-Hoon , Kim Do-Hee , Surh Young-Joon
Published: March 2021

The inflammatory tumor microenvironment has been known to be closely connected to all stages of cancer development, including initiation, promotion, and progression. Systemic inflammation in the tumor microenvironment is increasingly being recognized as an important prognostic marker in cancer patients. Inflammasomes are master regulators in the first line of host defense for the initiation of innate immune responses. Inflammasomes sense pathogen-associated molecular patterns and damage-associated molecular patterns, following recruitment of immune cells into infection sites. Therefore, dysregulated expression/activation of inflammasomes is implicated in pathogenesis of diverse inflammatory disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that inflammasomes play a vital role in regulating the development and progression of cancer. This review focuses on fate-determining roles of the inflammasomes and the principal downstream effector cytokine, IL-1β, in the tumor microenvironment.
A multiscale view of the Phanerozoic fossil record reveals the three major biotic transitions
Authors: Rojas Alexis , Calatayud Joaquin , Kowalewski Michał , Neuman Magnus , Rosvall Martin
Published: March 2021

The hypothesis of the Great Evolutionary Faunas is a foundational concept of macroevolutionary research postulating that three global mega-assemblages have dominated Phanerozoic oceans following abrupt biotic transitions. Empirical estimates of this large-scale pattern depend on several methodological decisions and are based on approaches unable to capture multiscale dynamics of the underlying Earth-Life System. Combining a multilayer network representation of fossil data with a multilevel clustering that eliminates the subjectivity inherent to distance-based approaches, we demonstrate that Phanerozoic oceans sequentially harbored four global benthic mega-assemblages. Shifts in dominance patterns among these global marine mega-assemblages were abrupt (end-Cambrian 494 Ma; end-Permian 252 Ma) or protracted (mid-Cretaceous 129 Ma), and represent the three major biotic transitions in Earth’s history. Our findings suggest that gradual ecological changes associated with the Mesozoic Marine Revolution triggered a protracted biotic transition comparable in magnitude to the end-Permian transition initiated by the most severe biotic crisis of the past 500 million years. Overall, our study supports the notion that both long-term ecological changes and major geological events have played crucial roles in shaping the mega-assemblages that dominated Phanerozoic oceans.
Ruthenium-catalysed hydroxycarbonylation of olefins
Authors: Dühren Ricarda , Kucmierczyk Peter , Jackstell Ralf , Franke Robert , Beller Matthias
Published: March 2021

A ruthenium-catalysed hydroxycarbonylation of olefins. We report a ruthenium-catalysed hydroxycarbonylation of unfunctionalized olefins.
Coating ligand-mediated dynamic formation of natural organic matter (NOM) corona on engineered nanoparticles in natural environments
Authors: Yang Chuan-Wang , Yuan Li , Zhou Hong-Zhi , Zhang Xin , Sheng Guo-Ping
Published: March 2021

Natural organic matter (NOM) can adsorb onto engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) and form a NOM-corona on the ENP–solution interface, thus affecting their fates in aquatic system.
Liquid fuel from waste tires: novel refining, advanced characterization and utilization in engines with ethyl levulinate as an additive
Authors: Mohan Akhil , Dutta Saikat , Balusamy Saravanan , Madav Vasudeva
Published: March 2021

Proposed novel upgrading method for crude tire pyrolysis oil for utilization in diesel engines.
A 2D/2D S-scheme photo-Fenton catalyst based on ultrathin Bi2MoO6 and Fe2O3 hexagonal nanosheets for efficient tetracycline degradation
Authors: Wang Wenliang , Zhao Wenli , Huang Huimin , Chen Ruyao , Shi Haifeng
Published: March 2021

Fe2O3/Bi2MoO6 heterojunctions exhibit an observably improved photo-Fenton catalytic tetracycline degradation activity, which is accredited to an 2D/2D S-scheme charge transfer mechanism.
Selective hydrogenolysis of aryl ethers over a nitrogen-doped porous carbon supported Ni–CeO2 catalyst at low temperature
Authors: Jiang Ming , Chen Xiaopeng , Wang Linlin , Liang Jiezhen , Wei Xiaojie
Published: March 2021

The selective depolymerization of lignin into aromatics is a sustainable way to improve the economics of the overall biorefinery process.
Ginsenoside Rh4 alleviates antibiotic-induced intestinal inflammation by regulating the TLR4-MyD88-MAPK pathway and gut microbiota composition
Authors: Bai Xue , Fu Rongzhan , Duan Zhiguang , Liu Yannan , Zhu Chenhui , Fan Daidi
Published: March 2021

Rh4 can improve intestinal inflammation and induces potentially beneficial changes in the gut microbiota. It can be used as a potential supplement for antibiotic therapy, providing beneficial effects for host metabolism and immune regulation.
Preparation and anti-coking application of sol–gel SiO2 coating in a delayed coking furnace
Authors: Liu Jinglei , Wang Xiangxiang , Wang Hao , Xu Hong , Yang Jiangfeng
Published: March 2021

To isolate iron sulphide and reduce coke adhesion reactions that occur on the surface of a delayed coking furnace, a SiO2 coating was developed on Cr9Mo alloy by employing the sol–gel method.
A Neural Marker of Speech Intention: Evidence From Contingent Negative Variation
Authors: Kidwai Juhi , Brumberg Jonathan S. , Marsh Brianna M.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study investigated whether changes in brain activity preceding spoken words can be used as a neural marker of speech intention. Specifically, changes in the contingent negative variation (CNV) were examined prior to speech production in three different study designs to determine a method that maximizes signal detection in a speaking task.

Method

Electroencephalography data were collected in three different protocols to elicit the CNV in a spoken word task that varied the timing and type of linguistic information. The first protocol provided participants with the word to be spoken before the instruction of whether or not to speak, the second provided both the word and the instruction to speak, and the third provided the instruction to speak before the word. Participants (N= 18) were split into three groups (one for each protocol) and were instructed to either speak (Go) or refrain from speaking (NoGo) each word according to task instructions. The CNV was measured by analyzing the difference in slope between Go and NoGo trials.

Results

Statistically significant effects of hemispheric laterality on the CNV slope confirm the third protocol where the participants know they will speak in advance of the word, as the paradigm that reliably elicits a CNV response related to speech intention.

Conclusions

The maximal CNV response when the instruction is known before the word indicates the neural processing measured in this protocol may reflect a generalized speech intention process in which the speech-language systems become prepared to speak and then execute production once the word information is provided. Further analysis of the optimal protocol identified in this study requires additional experimental investigation to confirm its role in eliciting an objective marker of speech intention.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14111468
Variable flow and optimization of chiller loading effect on energy saving for screw vapor compression-single effect absorption hybrid chiller plant in hospital mechanical room ‒ case study: Tehran heart hospital
Authors: Boghosian Ronald , Mafi Mostafa , Panjeshahi Mohammad Hassan , Ataei Abtin
Published: March 2021

Chiller plants are the most energy consuming system during summer season in residential, commercial and hospital buildings. The highly variable cooling demand of the buildings connected to a hybrid chiller plant included absorption and vapor compression chillers to achieve higher energy efficiencies is one of the important issues. Cooling load sharing strategies and apply the variable water flow system in chiller plant have a significant impact on energy consumption and consequently with more productivity and environmentally protected. This paper examines the behavior and pattern of energy consumption in a hybrid chiller plant that includes a combination of two air-cooled screw vapor compression and three single effect absorption chillers. In order to properly understand the pattern of energy consumption, an existing mechanical room in a hospital in Tehran has been studied for five months, and its energy consumption has been compared with the optimized model. The results indicate that the sequence of the chiller function and the way in which they are placed in the circuit during a partial load, is in highest importance in view point of energy saving also by Applying of variable water flow system for optimized chiller loading the more energy saving is achieved for hybrid absorption and vapor compression chiller plant.
Effect of abrasive particle morphology along with other influencing parameters in magnetic abrasive finishing process
Authors: Ahmadi Farshid , Beiramlou Hassan , Yazdi Pouria
Published: March 2021

Surface characteristics play a very important role in medical implants and among surface features, surface roughness is very effective in some medical applications. Among the various methods used to improve surface roughness, magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) process has been widely used in medical engineering. In this study, the effect of abrasive particle morphology along with four other process parameters, including type of work metal, finishing time, speed of finishing operation, and the type of abrasive powder were experimentally evaluated. Full factorial technique was used for design of experiment. Three commonly used metals in orthopedic implants i.e., Ti-6Al-4V alloy, AZ31 alloy and austenitic stainless-steel 316LVM, were selected for this study. Also, two types of magnetic abrasive particles with different shapes (spherical and rod-shaped) were considered in the experiments. The results of the experiments indicated that the morphology of the abrasive particles and the finishing time had the greatest effect on surface roughness and using rod-shaped abrasive particles resulted in better surface quality comparing to the spherical particles. Besides, the surface quality of steel 316LVM after MAF was the best among the other examined metals. Interaction plots of ANOVA also showed that interactions of material with morphology of abrasive particles, and material with machining time were found to be reasonably significant.
Blended Learning Practices in Russian Higher Education: Benefits, Challenges, Perspectives
Authors: Nikiforova Marina
Published: March 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and a forced lockdown in spring 2020 made us reconsider the way we deliver higher education. Today we are all adopting new teaching tools and methods and redesigning our materials to be meant for diverse educational contexts. The present paper deals with the phenomenon of blended learning, which is a relatively new approach in Russian higher education. We introduce and critically discuss the concept of blended learning and given our own experience and the data of the survey we have conducted we analyze the strengths and weaknesses of blended learning approach and assess the prospects of its implementation in Russian higher education.
Humanistic orientation of Russian higher education as a new vector of its development
Authors: Gilmeeva Rimma , Shibankova Luitsiia
Published: March 2021

The relevance of the problem is due to the fact that the system of education in the global educational environment turned to be dependable from the challenges of a dynamic socio-cultural reality. High-technological industry with the growing role of knowledge in all the spheres of life activity, and in the sphere of an intellectual labour implies reconsideration of higher school functions as valuable social institutions. The article reveals the potential of higher schools connected with regeneration of knowledge, and with an efficient development of professional-corporative identity of the personnel, interaction with stake-holders, and regeneration of the crisis of reliability in the educational organization. The problem of preserving humanitarian values of education in the process of training as an active subject of knowledge society continues to be principally essential. Therefore, there appeared the need to search for a relatively new socio-cultural model of the university, which will be able to preserve an idea of humanity and fundamentality of higher education. The authors’ scientific positions will be of interest to the University-teachers, the researchers, the young scientists and the post-graduate students.
Teacher-student interaction in the context of higher education
Authors: Makarova Elena
Published: March 2021

The article addresses the issue of teacher-student relationship in Russian higher education environment. The aim of the study is to identify challenges and problems faced by first- and second-year Russian students in interaction with university teaching staff and consider ways of solving them. The paper presents the analysis of student survey results, which contained closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative and qualitative research methods, applied in the study, allowed to confirm students’ needs for respectful attitude and teacher’s support. Respectful teacher’s attitude was found to be more significant for harmonizing classroom environment than teacher’s ability to effectively transfer subject-related knowledge. Recommendations on establishing balanced teacher-student relationship and minimizing anxiety in higher education settings are given. The findings are in relation to teacher development programmes and their potential in providing teaching staff with pedagogical and psychological knowledge for establishing cooperative teaching and learning. Suggestions for further research including teacher-student interaction from teacher’s perspective are outlined.
The stages of students’ behaviour change functioning as predictors of dropout
Authors: Szabó Csilla Marianna , Matar Haneen
Published: March 2021

Due to the expansion of higher education, the number of students attending universities has significantly grown for the last few decades. However, many students drop out of higher education due to several reasons, such as lack of motivation, inadequate learning techniques, or teachers’ requirements. One of the main reasons is motivation, which is closely connected to behaviour change. The concept is taken from the medicine discipline but can properly be applied in education as well. The stage of behaviour change can predict the possible risk of dropout. The current research was conducted among the freshmen IT students in two countries (Hungary, Israel) at the beginning of their second university semester in order to measure and identify at which stage of the behaviour change cycle they are situated. The results could draw university management’s attention whether they need to introduce and implement any prevention programs to avoid students’ dropout.
Video presentations, video conferences, seminar discourse or oral student presentation? - Are "traditional" academic genres changing or even disappearing?
Authors: Kreß Beatrix , Schweiger Kathrin
Published: March 2021

The pandemic situation caused a transfer of teaching and learning into digital surroundings. This contribution shows adaptions and changes, caused by this, in different scientific communicative genres in the written and in the oral form, accompanied by shifts and modifications in the teaching and learning communication as a whole. Starting from the well-known scientific genres and forms of academic teaching and the targeted learning outcomes, coping strategies in the digital setting are described and reflected and certain consequences are pointed out. The advantages and disadvantages of this development can be discussed only after a longer-term observation, but some effects are indicated in this contribution.
Latissimus dorsi tendon transfers: a historical journey
Authors: Turkmen Ismail , Koraman Emre , Poyanlı Oguz
Published: March 2021

Several latissimus dorsi tendon transfer techniques for shoulder problems have been previously described and developed. These techniques involve the transfer in obstetric palsy, transfer in irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears and subscapularis tears, and transfer in reverse shoulder arthroplasty. We detail the differences in planning and surgery and the need for different approaches. This historical and technical description provided in this study will benefit surgeons wishing to use the procedure.
Laparoscopically assisted Adenomyomectomy Using the Double/Multiple-Flap Method with Temporary Occlusion of the Bilateral Uterine Artery and Utero-Ovarian Vessels in Comparison with the Double/Multiple-Flap Only Method
Authors: Ji Limei , Jin Lanying , Zheng Shunjie , Shao Mingjun , Cui Dawei , Hu Min
Published: March 2021

Introduction Adenomyomectomy is the most conservative surgical treatment for adenomyosis. However, the surgical efficacy of this treatment and the best approach to use are still debated. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic adenomyomectomy using the double/multiple-flap method combined with temporary occlusion of the bilateral uterine artery and the utero-ovarian vessels to treat symptomatic adenomyosis.

Patients We recruited 155 patients with symptomatic adenomyosis and divided them into group A (n = 76) and group B (n = 79), with each group treated using a different surgical approach. All eligible women were informed of the potential complications, benefits, and alternatives of each approach before they were assigned into one of the two groups. In group A, we performed laparoscopic adenomyomectomy with the double/multiple-flap method while in group B, we performed a double/multiple-flap adenomyomectomy combined with temporary occlusion of the bilateral uterine artery and utero-ovarian vessels. Over a 24-month follow-up period, we evaluated operating time, intraoperative blood loss, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, anti-Mullerian hormone levels, uterine volume, and relief of menorrhagia.

Results There were no significant differences between groups A and B with respect to VAS scores, relief of menorrhagia and uterine volume at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months after surgery (p > 0.05). Both groups showed significant improvement of these parameters after surgery compared with preoperative values (p < 0.05). Blood loss in group B was significantly lower than in group A (p < 0.001) while there was no significant difference in operating times (p > 0.05). Levels of AMH did not differ significantly between the groups throughout the follow-up period (p > 0.05).

Conclusion Laparoscopic adenomyomectomy with temporary occlusion of the bilateral uterine artery and the utero-ovarian vessels offers a feasible surgical option to treat symptomatic adenomyoma.
Protection-failure mechanism of alkalinization and cathodic protection focusing on coating/metal interfaces
Authors: Yang Chao , Han Qing , Wang Anquan , Yang Yong , Li Xiyan
Published: March 2021

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is a more rapid and convenient method for evaluating the anti-corrosion performance of the coatings, especially for the analysis of the evolution of water diffusion. However, due to the limitation of the coating/metal interfaces, the electrochemical reaction at interfaces has still not cleared. Therefore, focusing on coating/metal interfaces, in this paper, the protection-failure mechanism of two methods including alkalinization and cathodic protection for anti-corrosion at interfaces is also discussed.
Coupling of multiple plasma polarization modes in particles–multilayer film system for surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: Liu Runcheng , Zha Zhipeng , Li Can , Shafi Muhammad , Peng Qianqian , Liu Mei , Zhang Chao , Du Xuejian , Jiang Shouzhen
Published: March 2021

Since localized surface plasmon (LSP) is capable of generating strong electromagnetic fields, it has achieved extensive applications in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). As opposed to this, surface plasmon polariton (SPP) has been rarely employed for its weak electric field enhancement. The present study proposed an Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) and multilayer Au/Al2O3 film (MLF) hybrid system, acting as an efficient SERS substrate by coupling LSPs and SPPs resonances. The dispersion relationship indicates that the light scattered by the AgNPs excites the SPP in the MLF, while the electric field is bound to the Au/Al2O3 interface and is significantly enhanced. As revealed from the simulated results, SPPs were generated in the MLF and then coupled with each other to generate a bulk plasmon polariton (BPP). As impacted by BPP, the electric fields stimulated by LSP displayed a dramatic increase. Besides, the electric field exhibited increased intensity with the layer of film. As rhodamine 6G (R6G) and malachite green (MG) were employed as the probe molecules, the AgNPs/MLF hybrid structure demonstrated highly sensitive SERS performance, complying with the theoretical simulations. Specific to the mentioned SERS substrate, R6G and MG had the limit of detection of 1.2 × 10−10M and 7.9 × 10−9M, respectively, demonstrating the prominent prospects of the NPs/MLF hybrid structure in SERS.
Postbiosynthetic modification of a precursor to the nitrogenase iron–molybdenum cofactor
Authors: Srisantitham Suppachai , Badding Edward D. , Suess Daniel L. M.
Published: March 2021

Significance

Biological metalloclusters catalyze many of the global-scale redox interconversions of the elements, such as the nitrogenase-mediated reduction of N
2
to bioavailable NH
3
. Understanding the mechanisms of these transformations requires knowledge of how the clusters’ individual metal ions contribute to their physical properties and chemical reactivity. This has been an ongoing challenge for the Fe–S clusters of nitrogenases, which feature many Fe sites that are difficult to distinguish spectroscopically. Using the L-cluster (a key biosynthetic precursor to the Mo nitrogenase catalytic cofactor) as a case study, we show that chemical modification of nitrogenase cofactors is a promising strategy for simplifying their spectroscopic analysis and relating their electronic structures to their geometric structures.
Time-resolved turbulent dynamo in a laser plasma
Authors: Bott Archie F. A. , Tzeferacos Petros , Chen Laura , Palmer Charlotte A. J. , Rigby Alexandra , Bell Anthony R. , Bingham Robert , Birkel Andrew , Graziani Carlo , Froula Dustin H. , Katz Joseph , Koenig Michel , Kunz Matthew W. , Li Chikang , Meinecke Jena , Miniati Francesco , Petrasso Richard , Park Hye-Sook , Remington Bruce A. , Reville Brian , Ross J. Steven , Ryu Dongsu , Ryutov Dmitri , Séguin Fredrick H. , White Thomas G. , Schekochihin Alexander A. , Lamb Donald Q. , Gregori Gianluca
Published: March 2021

Significance

Our laser-plasma experiment has reproduced the physical process thought to be responsible for generating and sustaining magnetic fields in turbulent plasmas (the “fluctuation dynamo”), and has accessed the viscosity-dominated regime of relevance to most of the plasma in the universe. These measurements are also time resolved, which provides evolutionary information about the fluctuation dynamo (including the field’s growth rate) previously available only from simulations. The efficient amplification of large-scale magnetic fields seen in our experiment could explain the origin of large-scale fields that are observed in turbulent astrophysical plasmas, but are not predicted by current analytical calculations or idealized simulations of the fluctuation dynamo.
Gradient descent dynamics in the mixed p-spin spherical model: finite-size simulations and comparison with mean-field integration
Authors: Folena Giampaolo , Franz Silvio , Ricci-Tersenghi Federico
Published: March 2021

We perform numerical simulations of a long-range spherical spin glass with two and three body interaction terms. We study the gradient descent dynamics and the inherent structures found after a quench from initial conditions well thermalized at temperature T
in. In very large systems, the dynamics perfectly agrees with the integration of the mean-field dynamical equations. In particular, we confirm the existence of an onset initial temperature, within the liquid phase, below which the energy of the inherent structures undoubtedly depends on T
in. This behavior is in contrast with that of pure models, where there is a ‘threshold energy’ that attracts all the initial configurations in the liquid. Our results strengthen the analogy between mean-field spin glass models and supercooled liquids.
Precision Verification: Effect of Experiment Design on False Acceptance and False Rejection Rates
Authors: Lim Chun Yee , Markus Corey , Loh Tze Ping
Published: March 2021

Objectives

We examined the false acceptance rate (FAR) and false rejection rate (FRR) of varying precision verification experimental designs.

Methods

Analysis of variance was applied to derive the subcomponents of imprecision (ie, repeatability, between-run, between-day imprecision) for complex matrix experimental designs (day × run × replicate; day × run). For simple nonmatrix designs (1 day × multiple replicates or multiday × 1 replicate), ordinary standard deviations were calculated. The FAR and FRR in these different scenarios were estimated.

Results

The FRR increased as more samples were included in the precision experiment. The application of an upper verification limit, which seeks to cap FRR at 5% for multiple experiments, significantly increased the FAR. The FRR decreases as the observed imprecision increases relative to the claimed imprecision and when a greater number of days, runs, or replicates are included in the verification design. Increasing the number or days, runs, or replicates also reduces the FAR for between-day imprecision and repeatability.

Conclusions

Design of verification experiments should incorporate the local availability of resources and analytical expertise. The largest imprecision component should be targeted with a greater number of measurements. Consideration of both FAR and FRR should be given when committing a platform into service.
sepal: identifying transcript profiles with spatial patterns by diffusion-based modeling
Authors: Andersson Alma , Lundeberg Joakim
Published: March 2021

Motivation

Collection of spatial signals in large numbers has become a routine task in multiple omics-fields, but parsing of these rich datasets still pose certain challenges. In whole or near-full transcriptome spatial techniques, spurious expression profiles are intermixed with those exhibiting an organized structure. To distinguish profiles with spatial patterns from the background noise, a metric that enables quantification of spatial structure is desirable. Current methods designed for similar purposes tend to be built around a framework of statistical hypothesis testing, hence we were compelled to explore a fundamentally different strategy.

Results

We propose an unexplored approach to analyze spatial transcriptomics data, simulating diffusion of individual transcripts to extract genes with spatial patterns. The method performed as expected when presented with synthetic data. When applied to real data, it identified genes with distinct spatial profiles, involved in key biological processes or characteristic for certain cell types. Compared to existing methods, ours seemed to be less informed by the genes’ expression levels and showed better time performance when run with multiple cores.

Availabilityand implementation

Open-source Python package with a command line interface (CLI), freely available at https://github.com/almaan/sepal under an MIT licence. A mirror of the GitHub repository can be found at Zenodo, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.4573237.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.