bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probing CP violation in photon self-interactions with cavities
Authors: Gorghetto Marco , Perez Gilad , Savoray Inbar , Soreq Yotam
Published: October 2021

Abstract

In this paper we study CP violation in photon self-interactions at low energy. These interactions, mediated by the effective operator $$ FFF\tilde{F} $$
FFF

F
˜

, where ($$ \tilde{F} $$

F
˜

) F is the (dual) electromagnetic field strength, have yet to be directly probed experimentally. Possible sources for such interactions are weakly coupled light scalars with both scalar and pseudoscalar couplings to photons (for instance, complex Higgs-portal scalars or the relaxion), or new light fermions coupled to photons via dipole operators. We propose a method to isolate the CP-violating contribution to the photon self-interactions using Superconducting Radio-Frequency cavities and vacuum birefringence experiments. In addition, we consider several theoretical and experimental indirect bounds on the scale of new physics associated with the above effective operator, and present projections for the sensitivity of the proposed experiments to this scale. We also discuss the implications of these bounds on the CP-violating couplings of new light particles coupled to photons.
From locality and unitarity to cosmological correlators
Authors: Jazayeri Sadra , Pajer Enrico , Stefanyszyn David
Published: October 2021

Abstract

In the standard approach to deriving inflationary predictions, we evolve a vacuum state in time according to the rules of a given model. Since the only observables are the future values of correlators and not their time evolution, this brings about a large degeneracy: a vast number of different models are mapped to the same minute number of observables. Furthermore, due to the lack of time-translation invariance, even tree-level calculations require an increasing number of nested integrals that quickly become intractable. Here we ask how much of the final observables can be “bootstrapped” directly from locality, unitarity and symmetries.

To this end, we introduce two new “boostless” bootstrap tools to efficiently compute tree-level cosmological correlators/wavefunctions without any assumption about de Sitter boosts. The first is a Manifestly Local Test (MLT) that any n-point (wave)function of massless scalars or gravitons must satisfy if it is to arise from a manifestly local theory. When combined with a sub-set of the recently proposed Bootstrap Rules, this allows us to compute explicitly all bispectra to all orders in derivatives for a single scalar. Since we don’t invoke soft theorems, this can also be extended to multi-field inflation. The second is a partial energy recursion relation that allows us to compute exchange correlators. Combining a bespoke complex shift of the partial energies with Cauchy’s integral theorem and the Cosmological Optical Theorem, we fix exchange correlators up to a boundary term. The latter can be determined up to contact interactions using unitarity and manifest locality. As an illustration, we use these tools to bootstrap scalar inflationary trispectra due to graviton exchange and inflaton self-interactions.
Influence of metal working fluid on chip formation and mechanical loads in orthogonal cutting
Authors: Denkena Berend , Krödel Alexander , Ellersiek Lars
Published: October 2021

Metal working fluids are used in machining processes of many hard-to-cut materials to increase tool life and productivity. Thereby, the metal working fluids act on the thermal and on the mechanical loads of the tool. The changing mechanical loads can mostly be attributed to the changing friction between rake face and chip and changes in the chip formation, e.g., the contact length between rake face and chip. However, analyzing those effects is challenging, since a detailed look at the chip formation process is prevented by the metal working fluid. In this paper, a novel planing test rig is presented, which enables high-speed recordings of the machining process and process force measurements while using metal working fluids. Experiments reveal that process forces are reduced with increasing pressure of the metal working fluid. However, the average friction coefficient only changes slightly, which indicates that the reduced process forces are mainly the result of reduced contact lengths between rake face and chip.
Principles of dose-setting in toxicology studies: the importance of kinetics for ensuring human safety
Authors: Borgert C. J. , Fuentes C. , Burgoon L. D.
Published: October 2021

Regulatory toxicology seeks to ensure that exposures to chemicals encountered in the environment, in the workplace, or in products pose no significant hazards and produce no harm to humans or other organisms, i.e., that chemicals are used safely. The most practical and direct means of ensuring that hazards and harms are avoided is to identify the doses and conditions under which chemical toxicity does not occur so that chemical concentrations and exposures can be appropriately limited. Modern advancements in pharmacology and toxicology have revealed that the rates and mechanisms by which organisms absorb, distribute, metabolize and eliminate chemicals—i.e., the field of kinetics—often determine the doses and conditions under which hazard, and harm, are absent, i.e., the safe dose range. Since kinetics, like chemical hazard and toxicity, are extensive properties that depend on the amount of the chemical encountered, it is possible to identify the maximum dose under which organisms can efficiently metabolize and eliminate the chemicals to which they are exposed, a dose that has been referred to as the kinetic maximum dose, or KMD. This review explains the rationale that compels regulatory toxicology to embrace the advancements made possible by kinetics, why understanding the kinetic relationship between the blood level produced and the administered dose of a chemical is essential for identifying the safe dose range, and why dose-setting in regulatory toxicology studies should be informed by estimates of the KMD rather than rely on the flawed concept of maximum-tolerated toxic dose, or MTD.
Urothelial cancer organoids: a tool for bladder cancer research
Authors: Meijer R. P.
Published: October 2021

Background

Bladder cancer ranks among the top ten most common tumor types worldwide and represents a growing healthcare problem, accounting for a large part of total healthcare costs. Chemotherapy is effective in a subset of patients, while causing severe side effects. Tumor pathogenesis and drug resistance mechanisms are largely unknown. Precision medicine is failing in bladder cancer, as bladder tumors are genetically and molecularly very heterogeneous. Currently, therapeutic decision-making depends on assessing a single fragment of surgically acquired tumor tissue.

Objective

New preclinical model systems for bladder cancer are indispensable for developing therapeutic strategies tailored to individual patient and tumor characteristics. Organoids are small 3D tissue cultures that simulate small-size organs “in a dish” and tumoroids are a special type of cancer organoid (i.e., malignant tissue).

Materials and methods

Since 2016, we have collaborated with the renowned Hubrecht Institute to provide proof of concept of tissue-based bladder tumoroids mimicking parental tumors. We have developed a living biobank containing bladder organoids and tumoroids grown from over 50 patient samples, which reflect crucial aspects of bladder cancer pathogenesis.

Results

Histological and immunofluorescence analysis indicated that the heterogeneity and subclassification of tumoroids mimicked those of corresponding parental tumor samples. Thus, urothelial tumoroids mimic crucial aspects of bladder cancer pathogenesis.

Conclusion

Research with urothelial tumoroids will open up new avenues for bladder cancer pathogenesis and drug-resistance research as well as for precision medicine approaches.
Evaluation of convective parameters derived from pressure level and native ERA5 data and different resolution WRF climate simulations over Central Europe
Authors: Varga Ákos János , Breuer Hajnalka
Published: October 2021

The mean climatological distribution of convective environmental parameters from the ERA5 reanalysis and WRF regional climate simulations is evaluated using radiosonde observations. The investigation area covers parts of Central and Eastern Europe. Severe weather proxies are calculated from daily 1200 UTC sounding measurements and collocated ERA5 and WRF pseudo-profiles in the 1985–2010 period. The pressure level and the native ERA5 reanalysis, and two WRF runs with grid spacings of 50 and 10 km are verified. ERA5 represents convective parameters remarkably well with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9 for multiple variables and mean errors close to zero for precipitable water and mid-tropospheric lapse rate. Monthly mean mixed-layer CAPE biases are reduced in the full hybrid-sigma ERA5 dataset by 20–30 J/kg compared to its pressure level version. The WRF model can reproduce the annual cycle of thunderstorm predictors but with considerably lower correlations and higher errors than ERA5. Surface elevation differences between the stations and the corresponding grid points in the 50-km WRF run lead to biases and false error compensations in the convective indices. The 10-km grid spacing is sufficient to avoid such discrepancies. The evaluation of convection-related parameters contributes to a better understanding of regional climate model behavior. For example, a strong suppression of convective activity might explain precipitation underestimation in summer. A decreasing correlation of WRF-derived wind shear away from the western domain boundaries indicates a deterioration of the large-scale circulation as the constraining effect of the driving reanalysis weakens.
Microdebrider is less aerosol-generating than CO2 laser and cold instruments in microlaryngoscopy
Authors: Sanmark Enni , Oksanen Lotta-Maria A. H. , Rantanen Noora , Lahelma Mari , Anttila Veli-Jukka , Atanasova Nina , Hyvärinen Antti-Pekka , Kinnari Teemu , Geneid Ahmed
Published: October 2021

Objective

COVID-19 spreads through aerosols produced in coughing, talking, exhalation, and also in some surgical procedures. Use of CO2laser in laryngeal surgery has been observed to generate aerosols, however, other techniques, such cold dissection and microdebrider, have not been sufficiently investigated. We aimed to assess whether aerosol generation occurs during laryngeal operations and the effect of different instruments on aerosol production.

Methods

We measured particle concentration generated during surgeries with an Optical Particle Sizer. Cough data collected from volunteers and aerosol concentration of an empty operating room served as references. Aerosol concentrations when using different techniques and equipment were compared with references as well as with each other.

Results

Thirteen laryngological surgeries were evaluated. The highest total aerosol concentrations were observed when using CO2laser and these were significantly higher than the concentrations when using microdebrider or cold dissection (p < 0.0001,p < 0.0001) or in the background or during coughing (p < 0.0001,p < 0.0001). In contrast, neither microdebrider nor cold dissection produced significant concentrations of aerosol compared with coughing (p = 0.146,p = 0.753). In comparing all three techniques, microdebrider produced the least aerosol particles.

Conclusions

Microdebrider and cold dissection can be regarded as aerosol-generating relative to background reference concentrations, but they should not be considered as high-risk aerosol-generating procedures, as the concentrations are low and do not exceed those of coughing. A step-down algorithm from CO2laser to cold instruments and microdebrider is recommended to lower the risk of airborne infections among medical staff.
Consensus in anonymous asynchronous systems with crash-recovery and omission failures
Authors: Jiménez Ernesto , López-Presa José Luis , Patiño-Martínez Marta
Published: October 2021

In anonymous distributed systems, processes are indistinguishable because they have no identity and execute the same algorithm. Currently, anonymous systems are receiving a lot of attention mainly because they preserve privacy, which is an important property when we want to avoid impersonation attacks. On the other hand, Consensus is a fundamental problem in distributed computing. It is well-known that Consensus cannot be deterministically solved in pure asynchronous anonymous systems if processes can crash (the so-called crash-stop failure model). This impossibility holds even if message losses never occur in transmission. Failure detectors are an elegant and powerful abstraction for achieving deterministic Consensus in asynchronous distributed systems. A failure detector is a distributed object that gives the processes information about crashed processes. Failure detectors have attracted so much attention in the crash-stop failure model because they provide a totally independent abstraction.$$\varOmega $$Ωis the weakest failure detector to solve Consensus in classic asynchronous systems when a majority of processes never crash, and$$A\varOmega '$$AΩ′is its implementable version for anonymous systems. As far as we know, there is a lack of works in the literature which tackle Consensus in anonymous asynchronous systems where crashed process can recover (the so-called crash-recovery failure model) and also assuming errors in transmission operations (the so-called omission failure model). Extending failure models in the system allows us to design more realistic systems and solve more practical security problems (i.e., fair exchange and the secure multiparty computation). We present, in this paper, an algorithm to solve Consensus using$$A\varOmega '$$AΩ′in anonymous asynchronous systems under the crash-recovery and omission failure models. Another important contribution of this paper is a communication-efficient and latency-efficient implementation of$$A\varOmega '$$AΩ′for these new failure models.
MiRNA-182-5p aggravates experimental ulcerative colitis via sponging Claudin-2
Authors: Tang Siwen , Guo Wentao , Kang Liumin , Liang Jinghua
Published: October 2021

Tight junction proteins play crucial roles in maintaining the integrity of intestinal mucosal barrier. MiRNA-182-5p is capable of targeting claudin-2 which is one of the vital tight junction proteins and the effect and mechanism of miRNA-182-5p was explored here in the DSS-induced colitis model. The pathological conditions were evaluated via hematoxylin and eosin staining. The gene expression level was assessed via PCR. Quantitative immunohistochemistry analysis was performed for the measurement of claudin-2. microRNA.org online tool was used for target gene prediction. Luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay were performed to detect the target of miRNA-182-5p. The inflammatory and oxidative stress level were measured using corresponding kits. MiRNA-182-5p was highly expressed in colitis model and miRNA-182-5p inhibitor exerted protective effects on colitis induced by DSS in mice. The protective effects includded improvement of pathological changes, increases in anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative genes, and up-regulation of TGF-β1. Claudin-2 mRNA was predicted as the target of miRNA-182-5p, which was validated via luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. Claudin-2 overexpression was found in miRNA-182-5p inhibitor group. Consistent with the role of miRNA-182-5p, claudin-2 overexpression also exerted protective effects on DSS-induced colitis in mice. Inhibition of miRNA-182-5p exerted protective effects on colitis via targeting and upregulating claudin-2. The findings in study provide a new therapeutic strategy for colitis treatment and lay the foundation for future study.
Career experts’ conceptions of innovation in career development
Authors: Kettunen Jaana
Published: October 2021

This article reports the findings from a phenomenographic investigation into career experts’ conceptions of innovation in career development. The results show that conceptions of innovation in career development varied from (1) initiating service, (2) developing demographic-based programmes, (3) professionalising the sector to (4) exploiting cross-sectoral synergies. The findings give us a more profound understanding of critical aspects that may have an important role in improving innovation in career development.
Autism: Comorbidities and Treatment Patterns in the Real World, a Retrospective Cohort Study Among Children, Adolescents and Adults Newly Diagnosed with Autism
Authors: Shoaib Azza , Cepeda M. Soledad , Murray Gayle , Ochs-Ross Rachel
Published: October 2021

We used real world data to summarize comorbidities and interventions among patients newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Data were derived from two claims-based US healthcare databases; Medicaid and Optum to construct a retrospective cohort of 36,000 patients. Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD) was the most common co-morbidity (Medicaid: 50.09%; Optum: 44.16%), followed by mood disorder (Medicaid: 16.56% and Optum: 17.47%). Most patients received at least one type of treatment. Behavioral therapy was common (74.64% in Medicaid and 71.97% in Optum). More than half the cohorts received at least 1 pharmacotherapy. However, pharmacotherapies were diverse. Combination therapy and therapy switching was common. Understanding the clinical diversity and complexity of patients with ASD is an important first step in understanding unmet therapeutic needs.
Does the Source of Inheritance Matter in Bequest Attitudes? Evidence from Japan
Authors: Zhou Mengyuan
Published: October 2021

A better understanding of the reasons for bequests can be pivotal for fiscal policy and wealth inequality management, as the different motives underlying bequest behavior have varied implications. This study examines bloodline-based indirect reciprocity in bequest attitudes over three generations. In doing so, it extends the family tradition model to a bloodline-based family tradition model. This extended model suggests that the source of the inheritance impacts the amount of the bequest left to one’s children or spouse. To test the hypothesis, this study empirically analyzes survey data from the 2009 wave of the Preference Parameters Study for Japan. The results suggest that with some socioeconomic characteristics controlled for, those who have received an inheritance from their parents are more likely to intend to bequest as much as possible to their children, while Japanese females (males) who have received an inheritance from their spouse’s parents are more likely to intend to bequest as much as possible to both their children and their spouse (their spouse only). Hence, the source of the inheritance does matter in bequest attitudes, suggesting bloodline-based indirect reciprocity in bequest attitudes.
A Comprehensive Review on Thiophene Based Chemosensors
Authors: Fernandes Rikitha S. , Shetty Nitinkumar S. , Mahesha Priyanka , Gaonkar Santhosh L.
Published: October 2021

The recognition and sensing of various analytes in aqueous and biological systems by using fluorometric or colorimetric chemosensors possessing high selectivity and sensitivity, low cost has gained enormous attention. Furthermore, thiophene derivatives possess exceptional photophysical properties compared to other heterocycles, and therefore they can be employed in chemosensors for analyte detection. In this review, we have tried to explore the design and detection mechanism of various thiophene-based probes, practical applicability, and their advanced models (design guides), which could be thoughtful for the synthesis of new thiophene-based probes. This review provides an insight into the reported chemosensors (2008-2020) for thiophene scaffold as effective emission and absorption-based chemosensors.
Socio-Demographics, Gambling Participation, Gambling Settings, and Addictive Behaviors Associated with Gambling Modes: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Lind Kalle , Marionneau Virve , Järvinen-Tassopoulos Johanna , Salonen Anne H.
Published: October 2021

Online and land-based gambling differ in terms of participation and harms. Multimode gambling has also been distinguished as a separate mode. The current study uses the Finnish Gambling 2019 population study sample of 18–74-year-old past-year gamblers (N = 3,077) to evaluate how these gambling modes differ in terms of socio-demographics, gambling participation, gambling settings, and addictive behaviors. We used land-based gambling as the reference group in a multinomial regression model. Male gender (OR 1.48), age between 18 and 54 (OR 1.88), and high income (OR 1.87) were associated with online gambling. The odds of online gambling were higher among those who gambled at least monthly (OR 1.34) and among those with the highest gambling spending (OR 3.62). Younger age (OR 2.31), high income (OR 1.51), gambling at least four game types (OR 2.96), spending the most money on gambling (OR 4.56), and gambling in at least three gambling settings were associated with multimode gambling. Socio-demographics and gambling participation were indicators of gambling modes. Online gambling was more intensive while multimode gambling was more frequent and versatile than land-based gambling. However, this was not reflected as increased addictive behaviors, probably due to the harmful nature of Finnish land-based gambling.
Ethnic Diversity and Students’ Social Adjustment in Dutch Classrooms
Authors: Munniksma Anke , Ziemes Johanna , Jugert Philipp
Published: October 2021

Research in the US indicates that classroom diversity is related to better social adjustment of students, but research on this association in European classrooms is limited in scope and yields inconsistent findings. This study examined how classroom ethnic diversity is related to social adjustment of societally dominant versus minoritized ethnic groups, and how an open classroom climate for discussion contributes to this. This was examined in low to moderately diverse Dutch classrooms (2703 secondary school students, from 119 classrooms and schools, Mage = 14, 50% female, 18% foreign-born parents). Results revealed that students from minoritized groups reported lower social adjustment. For all students, classroom ethnic diversity was related to worse social adjustment which was partly explained by classroom socioeconomic status (SES). An open classroom climate for discussion did not moderate the relation between diversity and social adjustment. The findings indicate that students’ social adjustment is worse in ethnically diverse and low-SES classrooms, and an open classroom climate for discussion does not solve this.
A nonlinear viscoelastic–viscoplastic constitutive model for adhesives under creep
Authors: Chen Yi , Smith Lloyd V.
Published: October 2021

In this study, we consider the nonlinear viscoelastic–viscoplastic behavior of adhesive films in scarf joints. We develop a three-dimensional nonlinear model, which combines a nonlinear viscoelastic model with a viscoplastic model using the von Mises yield criterion and nonlinear kinematic hardening. We implement an iterative scheme for the viscoplastic solution and a numerical algorithm with stress correction for the combined viscoelastic–viscoplastic model into finite element analysis. The viscoelastic component of the model is calibrated using creep-recovery data from adhesive films in scarf joints. The viscoplastic parameters are calibrated from the residual strains of recovered creep tests with varying load durations. A two-dimensional form of the model shows good agreement with the three-dimensional model for the scarf joint considered in this work and is compared with experiment. The numerical results show favorable agreement with the experimental creep and recovery responses of two epoxy adhesive systems. We also discuss the contribution of nonlinear viscoelasticity and viscoplasticity to the stress/strain distribution along the adhesive center lines. Viscoplasticity tends to lower the stress concentration.
Die Guten ins Töpfchen … Auftrag einer forensischen Aufnahmestation (§ 64 StGB)?
Authors: Bezzel Adelheid
Published: October 2021

Im Zuge der aktuellen Reformdebatte des § 64 StGB werden Vorschläge zu einer frühen Weichenstellung gemacht, im Sinne einer Selektion durch eine spezialisierte Aufnahmestation. Als Beispiel wird die Regensburger Klinik genannt. Eine Einschätzung der Leistungsfähigkeit des Projektes aus den Jahren 2002/2003 wird im Rahmen der Ergebnisqualitätserfassung MRV (Maßregelvollzug) vorgelegt und legt den Schluss nahe, dass diese Spezialisierung keinen Effekt auf die Qualität der Therapie bzw. des Therapieverlaufes einschließlich des Outcome (Entlassung und Einjahres-Follow-up) hat. Ein negatives Outcome haben 48 % (Entlassjahre 2001–2019) der über 1500 Patienten der Klinik (Entlassung gem. § 67d Abs. 2, 4, 6 StGB); sie müssen die Therapie vorzeitig verlassen. Einige Risikofaktoren lassen sich insbesondere aus dem kriminologischen Spektrum identifizieren, zudem auch soziodemografische Determinanten wie Alter und Bildung. Weniger problematisch sind die ersten Phasen in der Therapie, vielmehr stellen die Erprobungsphasen am Ende einen risikobehafteten Zeitraum dar: Wer diese erfolgreich besteht, hat große Chancen auf ein straftatfreies Leben (78 %).
A rapid prototyping approach for custom training of autologous ear reconstruction
Authors: Mussi Elisa , Servi Michaela , Facchini Flavio , Volpe Yary , Furferi Rocco
Published: October 2021

Autologous ear reconstruction is the preferred treatment in case of partial or total absence of the patient external ear. This kind of surgery can be really challenging since precise replication of complex three-dimensional structure of the ear is crucial to provide the patients with aesthetically consistent reconstructed anatomy. Therefore, the results strongly depends on the “artistic skills” of the surgeon who is in charge to carry out a three-dimensional sculpture, which resembles the shape of a normal ear. In this context, the definition of a preoperative planning and simulation process based on the patient's specific anatomy may help the surgeon in speeding up the ear reconstruction process and, at the same time, to obtain better results, thus allowing a superior surgical outcome. In the present work the main required features for performing an effective simulation of the ear reconstruction are identified and a strategy for their interactive design and customization is devised with the perspective of a semi-automatization of the procedure. In detail, the paper provides a framework which start from the acquisition of 3D data from both a healthy ear of the patient (or, if not available e.g. due to bilateral microtia of the ear of one of his parents or from a template) and of costal cartilage. Acquired 3D data are properly processed to define the anatomical elements of the ear and to find, using nesting-based algorithms, the costal cartilage portions to be used for carving the ear itself. Finally, 3D printing is used to create a mockup of the ear elements and a prototype of the ear to be reconstructed is created. Validated on a test case, the devised procedure demonstrate its effectiveness.
The Implementation of Evidence-Based Obesity Education Curricula to Prevent Cancer in a Predominantly Mexican–American Community on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Authors: Valenzuela Roy , Morales Alma , Sheen Jon , Rangel Sylvia , Salinas Jennifer J.
Published: October 2021

Although cancer is the leading cause of death among Mexican-Americans, few community-based programs target obesity reduction as a way to reduce the prevalence of obesity-related cancer in underserved populations. Evidence suggests that obesity correlates with 13 types of cancer. The objective is to provide an overview of evaluation and selection of evidence-based content; details of the implementation process; modifications needed to tailor education programs to specific needs of different target audiences; and demonstrate challenges of implementing a community-based prevention program intended to reduce cancer incidence and mortality in Mexican-Americans. We used the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to develop a 10-topic menu of educational classes using elements of multiple evidence-based curricula. Outcome measures for physical activity and nutrition were determined using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Dietary Screener Questionnaire (DSQ). Weight status was determined using weight, body fat, and body mass index (BMI). To date, 2845 adults received wellness education from our program. Multiple delivery models were used to reach a larger audience; they included a 4-week model, 5-week model, employer model, low-income housing, 1- and 2-h sessions, and clinic encounters. Individuals were given education at multiple community locations including senior centers (14%), churches (0.6%), employers (17.6%), low-income housing (8.2%), community centers (16.6%), clinics (11.5%), and schools (32.5%). Our study indicates that our delivery model is feasible and can disseminate evidence-based obesity education. Further investigation is necessary to assess long-term behavioral change and to assess the most effective model for delivery.
Intent inference in shared-control teleoperation system in consideration of user behavior
Authors: Wang Liangliang , Li Qiang , Lam James , Wang Zheng , Zhang Zhengyou
Published: October 2021

In shared-control teleoperation, rather than directly executing a user’s input, a robot system assists the user via part of autonomy to reduce user’s workload and improve efficiency. Effective assistance is challenging task as it requires correctly inferring the user intent, including predicting the user goal from all possible candidates as well as inferring the user preferred movement in the next step. In this paper, we present a probabilistic formulation for inferring the user intent by taking consideration of user behavior. In our approach, the user behavior is learned from demonstrations, which is then incorporated in goal prediction and path planning. Using maximum entropy principle, two goal prediction methods are tailored according to the similarity metrics between user’s short-term movements and the learned user behavior. We have validated the proposed approaches with a user study—examining the performance of our goal prediction methods in approaching tasks in multiple goals scenario. The results show that our approaches perform well in user goal prediction and are able to respond quickly to dynamic changing of the user’s goals. Comparison analysis shows that the proposed approaches outperform the existing methods especially in scenarios with goal ambiguity.
Learning From Consultations Conducted by Community Pharmacists in Northern Ireland for Nonprescription Sildenafil: A Qualitative Study Using the Theoretical Domains Framework
Authors: Gordijn Rineke , Teichert Martina , Nicolai Melianthe P.J. , Elzevier Henk W. , Guchelaar Henk-Jan , Hughes Carmel M.
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Nonprescription sildenafil was introduced to the United Kingdom in 2018 as the first pharmacy service concerning sexual function, an important but often ignored factor for quality of life.

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate pharmacists’ views on providing nonprescription sildenafil, their perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to provide this service and strategies to overcome potential barriers, using a theory-based approach.

Methods

Community pharmacists were purposefully sampled in Northern Ireland, followed by snowball sampling. Face-to-face interviews were conducted between October 2019 and January 2020. The semi-structured interviews used a piloted topic guide based on the 14-domain Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and anonymized. Transcripts were analyzed deductively in NVivo 13, utilizing the TDF domains as coding categories. Within each domain, content analysis was utilized to identify barriers and facilitators.

Main Outcome Measure

Barriers and facilitators within the TDF domains for pharmacists to provide nonprescription sildenafil.

Results

Ten pharmacists were interviewed to reach data saturation. Eight pharmacists had experience with dispensing nonprescription sildenafil. They valued nonprescription sildenafil as an additional service (“Social/professional role and identity”). Training, concise product guidelines, and private consultation areas were important facilitators (“Environmental context and resources”). The service required trusting clients (“Optimism”), with concerns about abuse and men not visiting their GP. From experience gained, pharmacists became more confident dealing with difficult situations such as patients being vague about their medical history or alcoholism or mental problems as causes for erectile disfunction (ED) (“Skills” and “Beliefs about capabilities”). Pharmacists considered lifestyle and medication causes of ED important but preferred to focus on safe supply. In general, pharmacists were satisfied with the perceived professional recognition, using their clinical knowledge or helping patients resume sexual relationships (“Beliefs about consequences”).

Conclusion

Pharmacists welcomed nonprescription sildenafil to enhance their role as easily accessible healthcare providers for patients.
Description of Vaginal Laxity and Prolapse and Correlation With Sexual Function (DeVeLoPS)
Authors: Polland Allison , Duong Vi , Furuya Rachel , Fitzgerald Jocelyn J. , Wang Haijun , Iwamoto Aya , Bradley Sarah , Iglesia Cheryl B.
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Vaginal laxity (VL) is a sensation of vaginal looseness which may develop after pregnancy and vaginal delivery and may be affected by prior pelvic surgery, menopause and aging. Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a disorder in which pelvic organs descend from the normal position. VL has attracted recent attention due to the advent of energy-based treatments for this symptom.

Aim

To determine the correlation between VL symptoms and physical exam findings of POP, specifically the introital measurement of genital hiatus.

Methods

This was a multi-center cross-sectional study of sexually active women over 18 years of age with a parity of one or greater. Subjects completed the Vaginal Laxity Questionnaire (VLQ), the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20, and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and were asked if a sexual partner had commented on laxity. Subjects underwent pelvic exam, including the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q).

Main Outcomes Measures

Correlation between VL symptoms as measured by the VLQ and POP as measured by elements of the POP-Q.

Results

A total of 95 subjects with an average age was 54.3 ± 13.18 years were included. Sixty-three percent of patients were postmenopausal. The average VLQ score was 4.2 ± 1.35 and the average FSFI score was 23.42 out of 36. There was no significant correlation between VLQ score and POP or mid-vaginal caliber. Sensation of vaginal tightness was significantly associated with age (P=0.03) and menopausal status (P=0.04). Only 28% of partners commented on laxity and the majority commented on the vagina being tight (21%) rather than loose (7%).

Conclusion

VL was not correlated with physical exam findings quantifying POP or sexual function. This study emphasizes the need to develop a more standardized definition of VL and a better assessment tool for VL symptoms.
Nephrotoxic Mushroom Poisoning: Global Epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, and Management
Authors: Diaz James H.
Published: October 2021

Because mushroom poisonings are increasing worldwide after ingestions of known, newly described, and formerly considered edible species, the objectives of this review are to describe the global epidemiology of nephrotoxic mushroom poisonings, to identify nephrotoxic mushrooms, to present a toxidromic approach to earlier diagnoses of nephrotoxic mushroom poisonings based on the onset of acute renal failure, and to compare the outcomes of renal replacement management strategies. Internet search engines were queried with the keywords to identify scientific articles on nephrotoxic mushroom poisonings and their management during the period of 1957 to the present. Although hepatotoxic, amatoxin-containing mushrooms cause most mushroom poisonings and fatalities, nephrotoxic mushrooms, most commonly Cortinarius species, can cause acute renal insufficiency and failure. Several new species of nephrotoxic mushrooms have been identified, including Amanita proxima and Tricholoma equestre in Europe and Amanita smithiana in the United States and Canada. In addition, the edible, hallucinogenic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis has been noted recently via mass spectrometry as a rare cause of acute renal insufficiency. Renal replacement therapies including hemodialysis are often indicated in the management of nephrotoxic mushroom poisonings, with renal transplantation reserved for extracorporeal treatment failures.
Half‐Century History of Crop Nitrogen Budget in the Conterminous United States: Variations Over Time, Space and Crop Types
Authors: Zhang Jien , Cao Peiyu , Lu Chaoqun
Published: October 2021

Spatiotemporal patterns of crop nitrogen (N) budget have important implications for agricultural N management and environmental policy. Previous studies examined crop N budget in different countries but often overlooked cross‐crop differences at sub‐national scales. In this study, we synthesize multiple databases to examine the N budget of eight major crops in the United States at the county scale during 1970–2019. Our analyses show that national crop N use efficiency (NUE) increased from 0.55 kg N kg−1 N in the 1970s to 0.65 kg N kg−1 N in the 2010s. Four out of eight crops such as corn, rice, cotton, and sorghum demonstrated an increasing NUE trend during the study period, whereas the other crops overall presented a declining NUE trend. Nationwide, about 41% of the total N input was not used by these crops (i.e., N surplus) over the study period, of which temporal variation was mainly driven by corn due to its large planting area and high N input. The national N surplus first increased in the 1970s and remained relatively stable till the 2000s. Since the early 2010s, however, N surplus began to decline and approached the levels in the early 1970s—an encouraging development that may lead to decreased N pollution to the environment. The hotspots of national N surplus coincided with corn‐ and rice‐producing counties. The sub‐national variations and temporal dynamics in crop N budget revealed in this study highlight the urgent need to understand the farm‐level crop N balance and the dominant factors controlling crop NUE for mitigating N pollution.
Scaling Deep Decarbonization Technologies
Authors: Holmes K. J. , Zeitler E. , Kerxhalli‐Kleinfield M. , DeBoer R.
Published: October 2021

The 2020s represent an unprecedented time to address climate change in the United States given the opportunities provided by its large renewable resource base and decreasing technology costs, and the threat to humans and ecosystems due to rapidly emerging climate impacts. This study addresses technical, societal, and policy issues for scaling deep decarbonization technologies, describing and extending the analysis presented at a National Academy of Sciences workshop convening modeling, industry, and other experts. Prominent modeling studies estimate that solar and wind electricity generation technologies must be deployed at more than four times their current highest annual rates, and solutions are needed for low‐carbon firm generation and energy storage. These studies also show electric vehicle sales needing to increase from 300,000 vehicles per year to annual sales in the tens of millions. Scaling these technologies poses substantive challenges. Other more difficult emissions reductions will need to come from decarbonizing corporate value chains and the heavy industry sector. Negative emissions technologies will compete as mitigation options but scaling these pose substantial resource requirements. Further, decarbonization is not simply an issue of technologies. Reaching net‐zero emissions is a transformation of society occurring over decades, not years. The societal aspects of decarbonization involves developing a social compact around the need to decarbonize and benefits that will accrue. Policy elements encompass federal, sub‐national, economic, and regulatory approaches. Because technologies, political priorities, and societal opinions will change over this time, consensus‐building scientific institutions including the National Academies will enable the independent technical and policy advice needed.
Researchers Trace Threats to Groundwater in India
Authors: Padma T.
Published: October 2021

A handful of new studies analyze the depletion and contamination of groundwater, as well as the effects of climate change—and how communities are responding.
Fires Lit for Agriculture Boost Air Pollution in Southeast Asia
Authors: Cook Terri
Published: October 2021

Reducing fires lit for agricultural management and deforestation, which unduly affect poorer populations, could help prevent 59,000 premature deaths per year.
Wetlands of North Africa During the Mid‐Holocene Were at Least Five Times the Area Today
Authors: Chen Weizhe , Ciais Philippe , Qiu Chunjing , Ducharne Agnès , Zhu Dan , Peng Shushi , Braconnot Pascale , Huang Chunju
Published: October 2021

The Sahara was significantly wetter and greener than today during the mid‐Holocene (∼6,000 years before present), and those conditions were likely maintained by feedbacks from evaporating wetlands and riparian zones. A lack of spatially continuous wetland reconstruction is the major obstacle to investigating their impacts on climate and vegetation during that epoch. Here, we estimate high‐resolution gridded wetland distribution up to 15″ in the mid‐Holocene North Africa obtained with three statistical and hydrological modeling approaches forced by enhanced and calibrated precipitation from climate models. These wetland models have good performance for present‐day conditions and reproduce mid‐Holocene hydrological elements evaluated by 297 paleo‐records. Simulation results show that 18.9 ± 4.0% of land surface in North Africa was covered by wetlands during the mid‐Holocene. Our results highlight the impact of natural climate change on wetland areas and provide a data set for modeling studies to include wetland feedbacks.
Hygroscopic Seeding Effects of Giant Aerosol Particles Simulated by the Lagrangian‐Particle‐Based Direct Numerical Simulation
Authors: Chen Sisi , Xue Lulin , Yau M. K.
Published: October 2021

This study investigated the microphysical responses to seeding giant aerosol particles and supersaturation fluctuations. A Lagrangian‐particle‐based direct numerical simulation is used to resolve the interactions among individual aerosols, droplets, and the fluctuating supersaturation field within a turbulent, adiabatic air parcel. It is shown that the giant seeding particles exert strong solute effects throughout the entire simulation to alter the subsequent collision–coalescence process, implying the importance of including the solute term in droplet growth. Small‐scale supersaturation fluctuations in adiabatic cloud regions have a negligible influence on aerosol activation and droplet condensation. This is because in regions free of entrainment and/or large‐scale mixing, the weak supersaturation fluctuations can be quickly smoothed out via diffusion and remain relatively small in magnitude (with a standard deviation <). In contrast, the activation in our simulations is determined by the seeding modulation of the parcel‐mean supersaturation.
Kinetic Alfven Waves Near a Dissipative Layer
Authors: Leonovich A. S. , Kozlov D. A. , Vlasov A. A.
Published: October 2021

The spatial structure of kinetic Alfven waves near a dissipative layer is examined. The type of dispersion for kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) changes inside the dissipative layer: from ”cold,” when the transverse (across the magnetic shells) wavelength is determined by the electron skin depth in plasma, to ”warm” dispersion, when the wavelength is determined by the ion Larmor radius. The characteristic transverse length of a KAW is complex in the dissipative layer, because it decays strongly when interacting with background plasma electrons. The features of phase shifts between the transverse electromagnetic field components of Alfven oscillations are considered. Phase shift can be used to identify the type of Alfven waves observed by satellites in the vicinity of the dissipative layer. The Alfven wave energy absorption in the dissipative layer can lead to the formation of electron fluxes (with electron energies of 2–5 eV) toward the ionosphere and initiate here the stable auroral red (SAR) arcs. An analytical formula is proposed for determining the density of the electron flux toward the ionosphere and the flux of the energy transferred by them.
Sensitivity of Tsunami Scenarios to Complex Fault Geometry and Heterogeneous Slip Distribution: Case‐Studies for SW Iberia and NW Morocco
Authors: Serra C. S. , Martínez‐Loriente S. , Gràcia E. , Urgeles R. , Gómez de la Peña L. , Maesano F. E. , Basili R. , Volpe M. , Romano F. , Scala A. , Piatanesi A. , Lorito S.
Published: October 2021

The SW Iberian margin is one of the most seismogenic and tsunamigenic areas in W‐Europe, where large historical and instrumental destructive events occurred. To evaluate the sensitivity of the tsunami impact on the coast of SW Iberia and NW Morocco to the fault geometry and slip distribution for local earthquakes, we carried out a set of tsunami simulations considering some of the main known active crustal faults in the region: the Gorringe Bank (GBF), Marquês de Pombal (MPF), Horseshoe (HF), North Coral Patch (NCPF) and South Coral Patch (SCPF) thrust faults, and the Lineament South strike‐slip fault. We started by considering for all of them relatively simple planar faults featuring with uniform slip distribution; we then used a more complex 3D fault geometry for the faults constrained with a large 2D multichannel seismic dataset (MPF, HF, NCPF, and SCPF); and finally, we used various heterogeneous slip distributions for the HF. Our results show that using more complex 3D fault geometries and slip distributions, the peak wave height at the coastline can double compared to simpler tsunami source scenarios from planar fault geometries. Existing tsunami hazard models in the region use homogeneous slip distributions on planar faults as initial conditions for tsunami simulations and therefore underestimate tsunami hazard. Complex 3D fault geometries and non‐uniform slip distribution should be considered in future tsunami hazard updates. The tsunami simulations also support the finding that submarine canyons attenuate the wave height reaching the coastline, while submarine ridges and shallow shelves have the opposite effect.