bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing potential of sparse‐input reanalyses for centennial‐scale land surface air temperature homogenisation
Authors: Gillespie Ian M. , Haimberger Leo , Compo Gilbert P. , Thorne Peter W.
Published: October 2020

Observations from the historical meteorological observing network contain many artefacts of non‐climatic origin which must be accounted for prior to using these data in climate applications. State‐of‐the‐art homogenisation approaches use various flavours of pairwise comparison between a target station and candidate neighbour station series. Such approaches require an adequate number of neighbours of sufficient quality and comparability – a condition that is met for most station series since the mid‐20th Century. However, pairwise approaches have challenges where suitable neighbouring stations are sparse, as remains the case in vast regions of the globe and is common almost everywhere prior to the early 20th Century. Modern sparse‐input centennial reanalysis products continue to improve and offer a potential alternative to pairwise comparison, particularly where and when observations are sparse. They do not directly ingest or use land‐based surface temperature observations, so they are a formally independent estimate. This may be particularly helpful in cases where structurally similar changes exist across broad networks, which challenges current techniques in the absence of metadata. They also potentially offer a valuable methodologically distinct method, which would help explore structural uncertainty in homogenisation techniques. The present study compares the potential of spatially‐interpolated sparse‐input reanalysis products to neighbour‐based approaches to perform homogenisation of global monthly land surface air temperature records back to 1850 based upon the statistical properties of station‐minus‐reanalysis and station‐minus‐neighbour series. This shows that neighbour‐based approaches likely remain preferable in data dense regions and epochs. However, the most recent reanalysis product, NOAA‐CIRES‐DOE 20CRv3, is potentially preferable in cases where insufficient neighbours are available. This may in particular affect long‐term global average estimates where a small number of long‐term stations in data sparse regions will make substantial contributions to global estimates and may contain missed data artefacts in present homogenisation approaches.
Effects of cyclic compression on intervertebral disc metabolism using a whole‐organ rat tail model
Authors: LePage Emma C. , Stoker Aaron M. , Kuroki Keiichi , Cook James L.
Published: October 2020

Many factors contribute to the development and progression of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. This study was designed to assess the effects of compressive load magnitude on IVD metabolism. It was hypothesized that as load magnitude increased, there would be a significant increase in release of proinflammatory and degradative biomarkers, and a significant decrease in tissue proteoglycan (GAG) and collagen contents compared with unloaded controls. IVD whole organ functional spinal units (FSU) consisting of cranial and caudal body halves, cartilage endplates, and IVD (n = 36) were harvested from the tails of six Sprague Dawley rats, and FSUs were cultured at 0.0 MPa, 0.5 MPa, or 1.0 MPa at 0.5 Hz for 3 days. After culture, media were collected for biomarker analysis and FSUs were analyzed for extracellular matrix composition. Significant differences were determined using a one‐way analysis of variance or Kruskal–Wallis test and post hoc analyses. Media concentrations of IFN‐γ, IL‐6, IL‐1β, and MMP‐8 were significantly higher in the 0.5 MPa compared with the 0.0 MPa group. Media concentrations of PGE2 and TIMP‐1 were significantly higher in the 1.0 MPa group compared with the 0.0 MPa group, and media PGE2 was significantly higher in the 1.0 MPa group compared with the 0.5 MPa group. Media GAG content was significantly higher in the 1.0 MPa group compared with the 0.0 MPa group, and percent GAG in the tissue was significantly lower in 0.5 MPa and 1.0 MPa groups compared with the 0.0 MPa group. Clinical Significance: These data suggest that there are magnitude‐dependent inflammatory and degradative IVD responses to cyclic loading, which may contribute to IVD degeneration.
High‐pressure pretreatment in albacore (Thunnus alalunga) for reducing freeze‐driven weight losses with minimal quality changes
Authors: Cartagena Lucía , Puértolas Eduardo , Martínez de Marañón Iñigo
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

This research evaluates the application of high‐pressure processing (HPP) before freezing to reduce weight loss related to thawing and cooking of frozen albacore steaks (Thunnus alalunga) with a minimal impact on fish quality (color, texture, soluble protein, lipid oxidation). Albacore steaks were HPP pretreated (200, 250, and 300 MPa for 0, 2, 4 and 6 min), frozen (−20 °C, 5 m s−1), thawed (4 °C; 24 h), and then analyzed.

RESULTS

At lower pressures (200 MPa) there was a clear effect of pressurization time on most of the fish quality parameters tested (thawing loss, L* value, b* value, ΔE, adhesiveness, springiness, salt‐soluble protein content), whereas at higher pressures (300 MPa) similar changes took place independently of the pressurization time. High‐pressure processing had no impact on lipid oxidation . A pressure of 200 MPa applied for 6 min decreased thawing, cooking, and total weight losses (53.7%, 55.4%, and 51.0% lower than the frozen control, respectively) although it led to noticeable changes in color. A pressure of 200 MPa applied for 2 min decreased thawing, cooking, and total weight losses by 23.2%, 44.0% and 33.7% with respect to the frozen control, respectively, with only minor changes in color.

CONCLUSION

High‐pressure processing pretreatment could be a promising tool for reducing weight loss in frozen fish when HPP conditions are properly selected. A pressure of 200 MPa applied for 2 min could be a good compromise treatment, cutting thawing and cooking losses in albacore, and reducing HPP‐mediated color alterations and the related possible consumer rejection. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Single dominant diatom can host diverse parasitic fungi with different degree of host specificity
Authors: Kagami Maiko , Seto Kensuke , Nozaki Daiki , Nakamura Takaki , Wakana Hirano , Wurzbacher Christian
Published: October 2020

Recent molecular surveys revealed an unexpected diversity of mycoplankton in lakes and oceans. The early diverging fungal lineages are known to be prominent parasites of phytoplankton. However, due to missing fungal reference data, their identity and ecology remain mostly unknown. To overcome this problem, we combined single‐spore‐based DNA barcoding during one sampling season of the eutrophic Lake Inba (Japan), which is dominated by two diatoms. By linking microscopically picked single fungal spore on two diatoms to subsequent DNA barcoding of ribosomal maker genes, we identified 12 distinct lineages, affiliated not only to the known parasitic phylum Chytridiomycota (chytrids), but also to the enigmatic phyla Rozellomycota and Aphelidiomycota. The detected Rozellomycota could be a hyperparasite of parasitic chytrid infecting diatoms. Host specificity appeared to be different among clades. However, the barcoding of single‐spore DNA could not clearly prove host specificity due to the limited number of samples and resolution in the targeted gene regions. The degree of host specificity was thus confirmed by the cross‐infection experiments. Five chytrid strains were generalists infecting all four diatoms strains, while the remaining three strains of chytrids were specialists exhibiting host preferences. Additional growth experiments indicated a trade‐off between host specificity and growth rate, so that generalists with more possible hosts grew slower than specialists with one host. Our results suggest that the combination of microscopy with single‐spore‐based barcoding is a promising approach to evaluate the complex host‐parasite interactions, while infection experiments can verify the interactions and shed light on the underlying ecological principles.
Influence of Transverse Cross‐Phases on Propagations of Optical Beams in Linear and Nonlinear Regimes
Authors: Liang Guo , Zhang Huicong , Fang Lei , Shou Qian , Hu Wei , Guo Qi
Published: October 2020

It is predicted that an orbital angular momentum (OAM) carried by an elliptic Gaussian beam (EGB) with a cross‐phase can induce an effective anisotropic diffraction (AD). At the so‐called critical OAM, such an OAM‐induced AD makes the spiraling elliptic Gaussian mode, which expands owing to the diffraction while keeping its elliptic degree changeless, exist in linearly isotropic media, where only the circular Gaussian mode is supposed to exist for a beam without an OAM. In this study, such a phenomenon is experimentally demonstrated via the propagations of the EGBs with the OAM in linearly and both‐linearly‐and‐nonlinearly isotropic media. In the former case, the spiraling elliptic Gaussian mode is observed at the critical OAM in the free space. In the latter case, the spiraling elliptic soliton predicted by Desyatnikov et al. is observed for the first time in cylindrical lead glass. The physics behind the spiraling elliptic soliton is the OAM‐induced AD, which preserves the elliptic degree of the EGB, whereas the nonlinearity only balances the diffraction of the EGB. The OAM‐induced AD is just a linear effect and has nothing to do with nonlinearity.
Finite Element Modeling of a Viscous Fluid Flowing through an External Gear Pump
Authors: de Bie Vincent G. , Hulsen Martien A. , Anderson Patrick D.
Published: October 2020

Gear pumps are frequently used for the transport of high‐viscosity fluids, for instance, for the extrusion of polymers. The flow rate of this extrusion process is regularly controlled by an external gear pump. In this work, the 2D flow of a viscous fluid through such an external gear pump is studied using the finite element method. Local mesh refinement based on the respective distance between moving boundaries is essential to capture the relatively narrow clearances in the pump. The gear pump works against the pressure driven flow, therefore its performance is strongly dependent on material and processing parameters. The flow of Newtonian and shear‐thinning fluids through the external gear pump is studied for a range of processing conditions. Pump curves are obtained that display the volumetric efficiency against the Hersey number, which is defined as viscosity times rotation speed divided by pressure difference over the pump. Analysis of the residence time of the fluid in the pump, shows that vortices are present in the inflow channel causing material to remain in the pump for longer times.
Randomized, Controlled Study of Opicapone in Japanese Parkinson's Patients with Motor Fluctuations
Authors: Takeda Atsushi , Takahashi Ryosuke , Tsuboi Yoshio , Nomoto Masahiro , Maeda Tetsuya , Nishimura Akihisa , Yoshida Kazuo , Hattori Nobutaka
Published: October 2020

Objectives

This placebo‐controlled, randomized study evaluated the efficacy and safety of opicapone 25‐mg and 50‐mg tablets in Japanese levodopa‐treated patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations.

Methods

Japanese adults (n = 437, age 39–83 years) with Parkinson's disease (United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society criteria) received opicapone 25‐mg (n = 145), opicapone 50‐mg (n = 145), or placebo (n = 147) tablets over the double‐blind treatment period (14–15 weeks). The primary efficacy assessment was change in OFF‐time; secondary efficacy assessments included OFF/ON‐time responders (≥1 hour change from baseline), total ON‐time, ON‐time with and without troublesome dyskinesia, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Results

The least squares mean (standard error) change in OFF‐time from baseline to the last visit was −0.42 (0.21) hour for the placebo group, −1.16 (0.22) hour for the opicapone 25 mg group, and −1.04 (0.21) hour for the opicapone 50 mg group. The percentage of ON‐time responders, changes in total ON‐time/ON‐time without troublesome dyskinesia, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale II (at OFF) all showed statistically significant improvements versus placebo for both opicapone tablet doses (P < 0.05). Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III (at ON) was improved versus placebo in patients who received opicapone 50 mg (P < 0.05). Adverse events were more common in patients treated with opicapone 25 mg (60.0%) or opicapone 50 mg (54.5%) versus placebo (48.3%). The most commonly reported adverse event was dyskinesia (placebo, 2.7%; opicapone 25 mg, 9.0%; opicapone 50 mg, 12.4%).

Conclusions

In Japanese patients, both opicapone 25 and 50 mg were significantly more effective than placebo with no dose‐dependent difference in efficacy, and both doses were well tolerated. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Dynamical properties of some rational systems of difference equations
Authors: Khan A. Q. , Qureshi S. M.
Published: October 2020

We explore the equilibrium points, local and global dynamics, rate of convergence, instability and boundedness of positive solution of some rational systems of difference equations. As an application of difference equations in mathematical biology, we also explore the local dynamics about equilibrium points of the discrete‐time Levin's model. Finally, obtained results are verified numerically.
Antibody‐free bioimprint aided sandwich ELISA technique for cell recognition and rapid screening for bacteria
Authors: Filby Benjamin W. , Hardman Matthew J. , Paunov Vesselin N.
Published: October 2020

We have developed and tested a novel ELISA‐like approach for bacterial detection based upon selective adhesion of targeted bacteria to microwells with prefabricated bacterial bioimprints. Bioimprints were produced from three bacterial species; Escherichia coli (Gram‐negative), Rhodococcus rhodochrous (Gram‐positive) and Sarcina aurantiaca (Gram‐negative), by using molding with curable silicone from dense layers of bacterial cells deposited on a glass substrate. We demonstrated that the surface functionalized whole cell bioimprints were able to selectively recognize and bind their own bacterial cell type. In order to detect target bacteria that are bound to the matching bioimprint, we also developed silica nanoparticles dual‐functionalized with (3‐glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GLYMO) coupled with 4‐hydroxyphenylboronic acid (4‐HPBA), SiO2NPs/GLYMO/4‐HPBA, which were further conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Bacterial detection was demonstrated to work in the established ELISA‐like protocol using the colorimetric reaction of the conjugated HRP with 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The bioimprints were used instead of capture antibodies and HRP‐coated dual functionalized silica nanoparticles instead of a secondary antibody with TMB as the enzyme‐converted reagent, producing a colored byproduct. This bacterial bioimprint‐based detection method does not rely on any antibodies, uses stable and inexpensive reagents, and could potentially find application for rapid diagnostics of bacterial pathogens in clinical samples at the point of care.
The psychological contract and volunteering: A systematic review
Authors: Hoye Russell , Kappelides Pam
Published: October 2020

This paper explores the use of the concept of the psychological contract in investigating the experience of volunteers and its potential to help develop strategies to attract, retain, and support volunteers and the mission of non‐profit organizations who their efforts support, through a systematic review of what we know about the psychological contract in relation to volunteers. Following the PRISMA, PIECES, and Warwick protocols, we conducted a search of empirical research in business and broader social sciences and humanities databases. From the initial 6,042 studies reviewed, 29 met the inclusion criteria that focused on peer‐reviewed journal articles published in English. The research questions and findings investigated by these studies were categorized using Alcover, Rico, Turnley, and Bolino's (2017) multiple‐exchange model of the PC: PC formation and development, information‐seeking behavior, identification (of the nature of the PC), PC fulfillment, and PC breach. We propose new directions for research on PC and volunteering, including suggestions for research methods and contexts.
Proton Pump Inhibitor Utilization in Veteran Patients on Combined Antithrombotic Therapy and Validation of Simplified Bleeding Risk Score
Authors: Patil Tanvi , Murphy Kimberly , Woodard Laura , Lebrecht Morgan
Published: October 2020

Background

Concomitant use of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents can increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleed (GIB). Use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has been proposed to decrease the risk of GIB in patients on combined antithrombotic therapy (CAT).

Objective

To describe the current utilization of PPIs in veteran patients on CAT and associated clinical predictors of GIB.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients on CAT receiving PPIs, with at least one of the CAT agents initiated between January 1, 2018 and October 30, 2018. Data were extracted from the computerized patient record system. Primary end point included estimating proportion of patients on CAT receiving PPI co‐therapy, describing patient characteristics, and identifying clinical predictors of GIB. Secondary outcomes included reporting GIB events and all‐cause mortality. Additional outcome was to validate the five‐factor risk score (FFRS) for GIB in patients on CAT and compare its overall predictive performance to HAS‐BLED score.

Results

This study reports an overall rate of PPI co‐therapy in patients on CAT of 40.9% (484/1181), with only 22.3% of patients on CAT receiving PPI for GIB prophylaxis. There was no difference in the mean follow up duration of PPI users and PPI co‐therapy (264.01 vs 271.92 days; p=0.3761). Current alcohol use (p=0.005), current smokers (p=0.022), chronic kidney disease (p=0.004), peptic ulcer disease (p<0.001), and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug use (p=0.048) were significant predictors of GIB in multivariate analyses of our study cohort. We further provide exploratory validation that use of a simplified FFRS to predict GIB showed a trend towards better overall predictive performance as compared to HAS‐BLED score (C‐statistic: 0.738; 95% CI 0.684–0.787 for FFRS vs C‐statistic: 0.596; 95% CI 0.538–0.653 for HAS‐BLED; p=0.0094).

Conclusion

This study reports lower rate of PPI co‐therapy in veteran patients on CAT per currently available guidance. Further we explore utilization of simplified FFRS model to predict GIB in patients on CAT with long‐term PPI co‐therapy.
Efficacy and safety of EBUS‐TBNA and EUS‐B‐FNA in children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Madan Karan , Iyer Hariharan , Madan Neha K. , Mittal Saurabh , Tiwari Pawan , Hadda Vijay , Mohan Anant , Pandey Ravindra M. , Kabra Sushil K. , Guleria Randeep
Published: October 2020

Background

Endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS‐TBNA) and transesophageal bronchoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (EUS‐B‐FNA) are established modalities for evaluation of mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy in adults. Limited literature is available on the utility of these modalities in the pediatric population. Herein, we perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis on the yield and safety of EBUS‐TBNA and EUS‐B‐FNA in children.

Methods

We performed a systematic search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases to extract the studies reporting the utilization of EBUS‐TBNA/EUS‐B‐FNA in children (<18 years of age). The pooled diagnostic yield and sampling adequacy (proportions with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were calculated using meta‐analysis of proportions using the random effects model. Details of any procedure‐related complications were noted.

Results

The search yielded 12 relevant studies (5 case series and 7 case reports on EBUS‐TBNA/EUS‐B‐FNA, 173 patients). Data from five case series (164 patients) were summarized for the calculation of the sampling adequacy and diagnostic yield. Safety outcomes were extracted from all publications. The pooled sampling adequacy and combined diagnostic yield of EBUS TBNA/EUS‐B‐FNA were 98% (95% CI, 92%–100%) and 61% (95% CI, 43%–77%), respectively. A procedure‐related major complication was reported in one patient (1/173, a major complication rate of 0.6%), and minor complications occurred in six patients (6/173, a minor complication rate of 3.5%).

Conclusions

EBUS‐TBNA and EUS‐B‐FNA are safe modalities for evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in the pediatric population. EBUS‐TBNA/EUS‐B‐FNA may be considered as the first‐line diagnostic modalities for this indication, as they have a good diagnostic yield and can avoid the need for invasive diagnostic procedures.
Meridional movement of geopotential height anomalies in the subtropics and the relationship to the base‐state flow
Authors: Gahtan Jennifer , Roundy Paul E.
Published: October 2020

Qualities of the meridional movements of geopotential height anomalies in the upper troposphere of the subtropics are analysed via wavelet analysis using a meridional–temporal partial Morlet wavelet. Results show that power, which represents increased presence or amplitude of waves with direct meridional movement, is increased in regions where the corresponding equatorial winds in the upper troposphere are westerly or weakly easterly. Furthermore, equatorward power is enhanced near subtropical jet exit regions whereas poleward power is enhanced in jet entrance regions. Regressions of upper‐tropospheric winds, geopotential height, and outgoing long‐wave radiation (OLR) against the wavelet transforms demonstrate that the wavelets are identifying signals with tropical–extratropical interactions that are connected to organized convection in the tropics. The relationship of power with background‐state flow characteristics, including the horizontal winds and shear, are evaluated. Instead of the zonal wind and meridional shear of the zonal wind (du/dy), both the meridional wind and the zonal shear of the meridional wind (dv/dx) appear to have a clearer relationship with the power. Power is favoured for waves whose movement is aligned in the same direction as the meridional wind, and reduced in the opposite direction. Additionally, power increases with increasing zonal shear of the meridional wind in the Northern Hemisphere and with decreasing zonal shear of the meridional wind in the Southern Hemisphere. Power in the equatorward direction is stronger than in the poleward direction and more heavily influenced by background flow characteristics. Furthermore, power for wavelets with smaller meridional and temporal scales tends to have a higher sensitivity to the background horizontal flow as compared to larger meridional and temporal scales.
Relapsing paradoxical reaction in miliary tuberculosis: a case report and literature review
Authors: Mobeireek Abdullah , Al Shekail Nasser A.
Published: October 2020

Paradoxical reaction (PR) after initiating anti‐tuberculous therapy (ATT) is a well‐recognized immune phenomenon. Less recognized, however, is a pulmonary reaction that is associated with miliary tuberculosis (TB), which can be a source of diagnostic confusion and progress to respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We report an elderly patient who developed PR associated with respiratory failure following ATT for miliary TB, with radiological and pathological documentation. He responded to corticosteroids, but relapsed twice when the dose was reduced. It is imperative to be familiar with this form of PR to avoid diagnostic pitfalls and initiate appropriate therapy.
Network‐based robust performance analysis for uncertain systems interconnected over an undirected graph
Authors: Zhang Dan , Xu Huiling , Chen Xuefeng , Zhai Xiaokai
Published: October 2020

This article aims at providing tractable conditions of robust performance (RP) analysis for interconnected uncertain system with networked communication, which is composed of heterogeneous uncertain subsystems connected over an undirected graph. Each subsystem communicates with its neighbors through local packet‐based communication network asynchronously and independently. First, the interconnected uncertain system with networked communication is modeled as a hybrid system. Then sufficient conditions in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), which are related to the interconnection structure and the maximum allowable transmission interval (MATI) of each local network, are derived such that the interconnected uncertain system is robustly asymptotically stable and achieves the desired RP. These conditions only depend on the parameters of individual subsystem and local network. Finally, an example of power system is given to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of our results.
Has the Presence of First‐Grade Core Reading Program Academic Vocabulary Changed Across Six Decades?
Authors: Fitzgerald Jill , Relyea Jackie Eunjung , Elmore Jeff , Hiebert Elfrieda H.
Published: October 2020

The purpose of the present study was to examine possible shifts in the presence of academic vocabulary across the past six decades for a continually best‐selling first‐grade core reading program. The authors examined seven program years dating from 1962 to 2013 and computationally determined four categories of academic vocabulary (science, mathematics, social studies, and general academic) in each program. The primary research question was, Did the volume of academic words in a program year rise with advancing years? A secondary supplementary question was, Did the propensity toward academic affinity of a program considered as a whole rise with advancing years? The authors employed two types of academic word measures: (1) A word was deemed to be academic or not, and if it was academic, it was assigned to one of the four academic categories, and then academic words were counted; and (2) a novel measure, academic affinity, was a continuous measure of the probability that a word was academic (in each of the four academic vocabulary categories). The authors conducted Poisson regression modeling and hierarchical generalized linear modeling. The main conclusions were that later first‐grade core reading program years included a moderately higher volume of science, social studies, and total academic words as compared with earlier years and that the science, social studies, and general academic affinity of the program as a whole was statistically higher in later years, but in practical terms, the change was not remarkable.
Learn strategies for leveraging technology to prevent spread of COVID‐19 on campus
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: October 2020

Before Joseph Thalheimer worked for the University of Central Florida (currently the second‐largest university in the United States), he worked as the Assistant Security Supervisor for the Orange County Convention Center, which sees 1.6 million visitors annually. It's an experience Thalheimer said prepped him for his future role at UCF as the Director of Emergency Management. UCF enrolls more than 69,000 students.
Glean insights for managing housing closures from global lessons learned during COVID‐19
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: October 2020

Prior to the COVID‐19 pandemic, no one expected to need a plan for moving students en masse out of housing mid‐semester or during an unplanned extended spring break. But as student affairs professionals so often do, they rose to the occasion and managed the unexpected situation. As you face the potential for having to move students out of housing (again) in case of a resurgence of the pandemic, you can plan with the benefit of hindsight.
Lead your team through crisis
Authors: House Vicki
Published: October 2020

There are numerous traits and skills needed to lead a team. However, when we lead through a crisis that could ultimately shift how we do business, inherent traits woven through a leader keep us moving forward through rapid change and nurture our team in the process. Whether we like it or not, life is wrapped in change, and it is here to stay.
A model driven and clustering method for service identification directed by metrics
Authors: Daghaghzadeh Mohammad , Babamir Seyed Morteza
Published: October 2020

Service identification (SI) in the life cycle of service‐oriented architecture is a critical phase. Business models consisting of business process (BP) model and business entity (BE) model are the useful models that may be used for SI. To this end, SI is carried out by partitioning activities in BP based on the activities' use of the entities in BE. However, a proper partitioning activities to services, which is called a service design, is a challenge. This article aims to present a semiautomatized clustering method for partitioning the activities to services, which is directed by new proposed metrics cohesion, coupling, and granularity. With regard to the conflict of the metrics, a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) is used to clustering activities where the metrics are considered as objectives should be optimized. The MOEA produces a set of optimal solutions as proper identified services of a service design. Finally, we used three case studies to show the effectiveness of the proposed method and then evaluated the results.
Urban agriculture in Asia to meet the food production challenges of urbanization: A review
Authors: Akaeze Onyekachukwu , Nandwani Dilip
Published: October 2020

Urban expansion in Asia is concentrated in metropolitan areas. This has adversely affected in‐city food production by decreasing farmlands in and around urban centers. Asian countries have experienced fast disappearance of urban‐fringe farmland which at some point provided 70% of the vegetables consumed by the city's population. Uneven distribution of incomes, along with an increase in urban poverty, has further exacerbated the already critical problems of low quantity and quality and high prices of wholesome food. In India, it is estimated that five out of every six urban families typically spend 70% of their income on food. The United Nations Development Program reports that some 200 million people are employed in urban farming and related enterprises, contributing to the food supply of 800 million urban dwellers. Also, over 85% of the vegetables consumed by the urban population in some Chinese cities are reportedly grown within the bounds of the municipality and an estimated ¥ 2.6 trillion worth of products is produced in “urban‐like areas”. These statistics show that depending solely on rural agriculture to supply the food needs of urban dwellers in Asia is inadequate. This paper highlights compelling evidence in available literature lending support to urban agriculture as a viable option to overcoming food production challenges and adverse effects of urbanization such as environmental pollution and “urban poverty” in Asia.
Data mining privacy preserving: Research agenda
Authors: Kreso Inda , Kapo Amra , Turulja Lejla
Published: October 2020

In the modern days, the amount of the data and information is increasing along with their accessibility and availability, due to the Internet and social media. To be able to search this vast data set and to discover unknown useful data patterns and predictions, the data mining method is used. Data mining allows for unrelated data to be connected in a meaningful way, to analyze the data, and to represent the results in the form of useful data patterns and predictions that help and predict future behavior. The process of data mining can potentially violate sensitive and personal data. Individual privacy is under attack if some of the information leaks and reveals the identity of a person whose personal data were used in the data mining process. There are many privacy‐preserving data mining (PPDM) techniques and methods that have a task to preserve the privacy and sensitive data while providing accurate data mining results at the same time. PPDM techniques and methods incorporate different approaches that protect data in the process of data mining. The methodology that was used in this article is the systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. This article identifieds the current trends, techniques, and methods that are being used in the privacy‐preserving data mining field to make a clear and concise classification of the PPDM methods and techniques with possibly identifying new methods and techniques that were not included in the previous classification, and to emphasize the future research directions.

This article is categorized under:

Commercial, Legal, and Ethical Issues > Security and Privacy
Error bounds and enclosures: The development of numerical analysis and the impact of the contributions by Lothar Collatz
Authors: Alefeld Götz , Plum Michael , Wieners Christian
Published: October 2020

In 1933 Lothar Collatz published his very first article in Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (ZAMM) on error estimates for finite difference methods for partial differential equations. At that time, numerics meant calculations of approximations by hand and mechanical calculators. Then, in the next decades, parallel to the progress in computer technology, more and more methods were developed. Nevertheless, in all cases the accuracy of numerical approximations is limited, so that at least rough error bounds or, at best, tight enclosures are required for the reliability of the numerical scheme and the validation of the approximate results. Here, we recall the early development of numerical analysis of differential equations, of numerical iterations, and for the approximation of eigenvalues.
Bioinformatics Application with Kubeflow for Batch Processing in Clouds
Authors: Yuan David Yu , Wildish Tony
Published: October 2020

Bioinformatics pipelines make extensive use of HPC batch processing. The rapid growth of data volumes and computational complexity, especially for modern applications such as machine learning algorithms, imposes significant challenges to local HPC facilities. Many attempts have been made to burst HPC batch processing into clouds with virtual machines. They all suffer from some common issues, for example: very high overhead, slow to scale up and slow to scale down, and nearly impossible to be cloud-agnostic.

We have successfully deployed and run several pipelines on Kubernetes in OpenStack, Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services. In particular, we use Kubeflow on top of Kubernetes for more sophisticated job scheduling, workflow management, and first class support for machine learning. We choose Kubeflow/Kubernetes to avoid the overhead of provisioning of virtual machines, to achieve rapid scaling with containers, and to be truly cloud-agnostic in all cloud environments.

Kubeflow on Kubernetes also creates some new challenges in deployment, data access, performance monitoring, etc. We will discuss the details of these challenges and provide our solutions. We will demonstrate how our solutions work across all three very different clouds for both classical pipelines and new ones for machine learning.
Analytical description of CP violation in oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos traversing the Earth
Authors: Ioannisian Ara , Pokorski Stefan , Rosiek Janusz , Ryczkowski Michał
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Flavour oscillations of sub-GeV atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos, traversing different distances inside the Earth, are a promising source of information on the leptonic CP phase δ. In that energy range, the oscillations are very fast, far beyond the resolution of modern neutrino detectors. However, the necessary averaging over the experimentally typical energy and azimuthal angle bins does not wash out the CP violation effects. In this paper we derive very accurate analytic compact expressions for the averaged oscillations probabilities. Assuming spherically symmetric Earth, the averaged oscillation probabilities are described in terms of two analytically calculable effective parameters. Based on those expressions, we estimate maximal magnitude of CP-violation effects in such measurements and propose optimal observables best suited to determine the value of the CP phase in the PMNS mixing matrix.
Towards a benchmark of abdominal CT use during duty shifts: 15-year sample from the Netherlands
Authors: Mengou Iliana V. , Yakar Derya , Kasalak Ömer , Kwee Thomas C.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

To investigate temporal changes in the utilization and patient impact of abdominal CT during duty shifts in the past 15 years.

Methods

This study included a random sample of 1761 abdominal CT scans that were made during evening and night duty shifts in a tertiary care center between 2005 and 2019.

Results

The number of CT scans significantly increased (almost threefold) between 2005 and 2019 (Mann–Kendall tau of 0.829, P < 0.001). The proportion of negative CT scans (i.e., the absence of findings related to the reason that the CT scan was made and no disease deterioration or other new and clinically relevant findings compared to a previous imaging examination when available) was 40.0% (700/1749) in the entire 15-year study frame and did not significantly change over time (Mann–Kendall tau of − 0.219, P = 0.276). The overall frequency of same-day hospital discharge after negative CT was 20.6% (150/729) in the past 15 years and showed a significant increase over time (Mann–Kendall tau of 0.505, P = 0.010). The overall proportion of CT scans with incidental findings was 3.4% (60/1761) and remained statistically stable over the past 15 years (Mann–Kendall tau of − 0.057, P = 0.804).

Conclusion

Over the past 15 years, the number of CT scans and the frequency of same-day hospital discharge after negative CT have increased, while the proportions of negative CT scans and incidental findings have remained stable in our tertiary care center. The data from this study can be used for interinstitutional benchmarking to define, monitor, and improve the appropriateness of imaging utilization.
Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in autoimmune hepatitis: Diagnostic value of liver magnetic resonance parametric mapping including extracellular volume fraction
Authors: Mesropyan Narine , Kupczyk Patrick , Dold Leona , Weismüller Tobias J. , Sprinkart Alois M. , Mädler Burkhart , Pieper Claus C. , Kuetting Daniel , Strassburg Christian P. , Attenberger Ulrike , Luetkens Julian A.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune-mediated chronic liver disease that leads to severe fibrosis and cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of T1 and T2 mapping as well as extracellular volume fraction (ECV) for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in AIH patients.

Methods

In this prospective study, 27 patients (age range: 19–77 years) with AIH underwent liver MRI. T1 and T2 relaxation times as well as ECV were quantified by mapping techniques. The presence of significant fibrosis (≥ F2) was defined as magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)-based liver stiffness ≥ 3.66 kPa. MRE was used as reference standard, against which the diagnostic performance of MRI-derived mapping parameters was tested. Diagnostic performance was compared by utilizing receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results

MRE-based liver stiffness correlated with both, hepatic native T1 (r = 0.69; P < 0.001) as well as ECV (r = 0.80; P < 0.001). For the assessment of significant fibrosis, ECV yielded a sensitivity of 85.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 60.1–96.0%) and a specificity of 84.6% (CI 60.1–96.0%); hepatic native T1 yielded a sensitivity of 85.7% (CI 60.1–96.0%); and a specificity of 76.9% (CI 49.7–91.8%). Diagnostic performance of hepatic ECV (area under the curve (AUC): 0.885), native hepatic T1 (AUC: 0.846) for assessment of significant fibrosis was similar compared to clinical fibrosis scores (APRI (AUC: 0.852), FIB-4 (AUC: 0.758), and AAR (0.654) (P > 0.05 for each comparison)).

Conclusion

Quantitative mapping parameters such as T1 and ECV can identify significant fibrosis in AIH patients. Future studies are needed to explore the value of parametric mapping for the evaluation of different disease stages.
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Children: Clinicopathological Profile and Outcomes of Management
Authors: Thomas John K. , Kurian Jujju Jacob , Cherian Anish Jacob , Hephzibah Julie , Paul M. J. , Abraham Deepak Thomas
Published: October 2020

Background

We aim to analyze the clinicopathological profile and outcomes of management for children with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods

Relevant clinical data of children ≤ 18 years of age managed for PTC between January 2006 and July 2018 as well as details of their follow‐up till December 2019 were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

Results

There were 82 children with PTC that were managed during the study period. At presentation, 39 (47.6%) had cervical lymphadenopathy, while 9 (11%) had systemic metastasis. Majority of patients 39 (47.6%) underwent total thyroidectomy with a selective neck dissection, while total thyroidectomy alone was performed in 26 (31.7%). Following surgery, hypocalcemia was seen in 39 (47.6%): 28 (34.1%) were temporary, while 11 (13.4%) were permanent. Twenty‐eight (34%) developed persistent disease after surgery and 131I therapy. Significant risk factors for persistence and metastatic disease were metastatic cervical lymph node at presentation (p = 0.002) and tumor size (p = 0.014), respectively. The mean duration of follow‐up was 60.3 (range 12–150) months with a mean overall disease‐free survival of 60 months (95% CI 57.11, 77.95).

Conclusion

Children with papillary thyroid cancers present with aggressive disease, 47.6% with cervical nodal metastasis and 11% with distant metastasis in this cohort. The rate of post‐thyroidectomy hypocalcemia in this study is substantial, and efforts to reduce it are actively being pursued. The presence of metastatic cervical lymph node at presentation (p = 0.002) and tumor size (p = 0.014) were the only significant risk factors for persistent and metastatic disease, respectively, in this study.
Early results of a real-world series with two transapical transcatheter mitral valve replacement devices
Authors: Ludwig S. , Kalbacher D. , Schofer N. , Schäfer A. , Koell B. , Seiffert M. , Schirmer J. , Schäfer U. , Westermann D. , Reichenspurner H. , Blankenberg S. , Lubos E. , Conradi L.
Published: October 2020

Aims

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) with dedicated devices promises to fill the treatment gap between open-heart surgery and edge-to-edge repair for patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR). We herein present a single-centre experience of a TMVR series with two transapical devices.

Methods and results

A total of 11 patients were treated with the Tendyne™ (N = 7) or the Tiara™ TMVR systems (N = 4) from 2016 to 2020 either as compassionate-use procedures or as commercial implants. Clinical and echocardiographic data were collected at baseline, discharge and follow-up and are presented in accordance with the Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium (MVARC) definitions.

The study cohort [age 77 years (73, 84); 27.3% male] presented with primary (N = 4), secondary (N = 5) or mixed (N = 2) MR etiology. Patients were symptomatic (all NYHA III/IV) and at high surgical risk [logEuroSCORE II 8.1% (4.0, 17.4)]. Rates of impaired RV function (72.7%), severe pulmonary hypertension (27.3%), moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation (63.6%) and prior aortic valve replacement (63.6%) were high. Severe mitral annulus calcification was present in two patients. Technical success was achieved in all patients. In 90.9% (N = 10) MR was completely eliminated (i.e. no or trace MR). Procedural and 30-day mortality were 0.0%. At follow-up NYHA class was I/II in the majority of patients. Overall mortality after 3 and 6 months was 10.0% and 22.2%.

Conclusions

TMVR was performed successfully in these selected patients with complete elimination of MR in the majority of patients. Short-term mortality was low and most patients experienced persisting functional improvement.

Graphic abstract
The influence of environmental condition on the creation of organic compounds in Pinus sylvestris L. rhizosphere, roots and needles
Authors: Magdziak Zuzanna , Gąsecka Monika , Waliszewska Bogusława , Zborowska Magdalena , Mocek Andrzej , Cichy Wojciech J. , Mazela Bartłomiej , Kozubik Tomisław , Mocek-Płóciniak Agnieszka , Niedzielski Przemysław , Goliński Piotr , Mleczek Mirosław
Published: October 2020

Key message

Studied organic molecules in Pinus sylvestris L. seem to have acted as a safety net for metal transport, chelation and sequestration, allowing adaptation and growth under highly polluted conditions.

Pinus sylvestris L. is known for its ability to survive in areas of highly elevated metal pollution, such as flotation tailings. The aim of the study was to estimate the content of selected organic molecules (including aliphatic low molecular weight organic acids (ALMWOAs), phenolic compounds and terpenes) and the physiological mechanisms underlying differences in metal/metalloid tolerance of P. sylvestris growing in unpolluted (soil) and polluted (flotation tailings) areas. The dominant ALMWOAs in rhizosphere soil extracts were citric acid followed by malic and oxalic acids, whereas in flotation tailings malic and oxalic acids. In roots and needles, the content of ALMOWAs was significantly higher in P. sylvestris L. tissue from flotation tailings in comparison to soil. Phenolic compounds were detected only in roots and needles, with a generally higher content of nearly all detected compounds from flotation tailings. The composition of roots did not contain all the compounds detected in needles. The profile of needles additionally contained four hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic and salicylic acids. In pine needles, 24 volatile terpenes were identified in total. The content of these compounds in pine needles from the polluted area was markedly different from the unpolluted area. The dominant volatile monoterpenes in P. sylvestris L. needles from the unpolluted area was three carene, while in pine needles from the polluted area monoterpenes α-pinene was dominant.