bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combining deep learning and fluorescence imaging to automatically identify fecal contamination on meat carcasses
Authors: Gorji Hamed Taheri , Shahabi Seyed Mojtaba , Sharma Akshay , Tande Lucas Q. , Husarik Kaylee , Qin Jianwei , Chan Diane E. , Baek Insuck , Kim Moon S. , MacKinnon Nicholas , Morrow Jeffrey , Sokolov Stanislav , Akhbardeh Alireza , Vasefi Fartash , Tavakolian Kouhyar
Published: February 2022

Food safety and foodborne diseases are significant global public health concerns. Meat and poultry carcasses can be contaminated by pathogens like E. coli and salmonella, by contact with animal fecal matter and ingesta during slaughter and processing. Since fecal matter and ingesta can host these pathogens, detection, and excision of contaminated regions on meat surfaces is crucial. Fluorescence imaging has proven its potential for the detection of fecal residue but requires expertise to interpret. In order to be used by meat cutters without special training, automated detection is needed. This study used fluorescence imaging and deep learning algorithms to automatically detect and segment areas of fecal matter in carcass images using EfficientNet-B0 to determine which meat surface images showed fecal contamination and then U-Net to precisely segment the areas of contamination. The EfficientNet-B0 model achieved a 97.32% accuracy (precision 97.66%, recall 97.06%, specificity 97.59%, F-score 97.35%) for discriminating clean and contaminated areas on carcasses. U-Net segmented areas with fecal residue with an intersection over union (IoU) score of 89.34% (precision 92.95%, recall 95.84%, specificity 99.79%, F-score 94.37%, and AUC 99.54%). These results demonstrate that the combination of deep learning and fluorescence imaging techniques can improve food safety assurance by allowing the industry to use CSI-D fluorescence imaging to train employees in trimming carcasses as part of their Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point zero-tolerance plan.
Brachytic2 mutation is able to counteract the main pleiotropic effects of brown midrib3 mutant in maize
Authors: Landoni Michela , Cassani Elena , Ghidoli Martina , Colombo Federico , Sangiorgio Stefano , Papa Gabriella , Adani Fabrizio , Pilu Roberto
Published: February 2022

Maize is the basis of nutrition of domesticated herbivores and one of the most promising energy crops. The presence of lignin in the cell wall, tightly associated to carbohydrates, prevents the physical access of enzymes such as cellulase, limiting the carbohydrate degradability and consequently the energy value. To increase the utilization of the biomass cellulose content, the challenge of breeding programs is to lower or modify the lignin components. In maize several mutations are able to modify the lignin content and in particular the mutation in brown midrib3 (bm3) gene appeared as one of the most promising in breeding programs. Unfortunately this mutation has several negative pleiotropic effects on various important agronomic traits such as stay green, lodging and susceptibility to several infections.The maize Brachyitic 2 (br2) gene encodes for a putative protein involved in polar movement of auxins. br2 mutant plants are characterized by shortening of lower stalk internodes, unusual stalk strength and tolerance to wind lodging, darker leaves persisting longer in the active green state in comparison to wild type plants, suggesting a possible utilization of br2 plants to counteract the negative effects of the bm3 mutation. In this work, we report the generation and a preliminary characterization of the double mutant bm3 br2, suggesting the potential use of this new genetic material to increase biomass cellulose utilization.
Accurate and rapid prediction of tuberculosis drug resistance from genome sequence data using traditional machine learning algorithms and CNN
Authors: Kuang Xingyan , Wang Fan , Hernandez Kyle M. , Zhang Zhenyu , Grossman Robert L.
Published: February 2022

Effective and timely antibiotic treatment depends on accurate and rapid in silico antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) predictions. Existing statistical rule-based Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) drug resistance prediction methods using bacterial genomic sequencing data often achieve varying results: high accuracy on some antibiotics but relatively low accuracy on others. Traditional machine learning (ML) approaches have been applied to classify drug resistance for MTB and have shown more stable performance. However, there is no study that uses deep learning architecture like Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) on a large and diverse cohort of MTB samples for AMR prediction. We developed 24 binary classifiers of MTB drug resistance status across eight anti-MTB drugs and three different ML algorithms: logistic regression, random forest and 1D CNN using a training dataset of 10,575 MTB isolates collected from 16 countries across six continents, where an extended pan-genome reference was used for detecting genetic features. Our 1D CNN architecture was designed to integrate both sequential and non-sequential features. In terms of F1-scores, 1D CNN models are our best classifiers that are also more accurate and stable than the state-of-the-art rule-based tool Mykrobe predictor (81.1 to 93.8%, 93.7 to 96.2%, 93.1 to 94.8%, 95.9 to 97.2% and 97.1 to 98.2% for ethambutol, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, isoniazid and ofloxacin respectively). We applied filter-based feature selection to find AMR relevant features. All selected variant features are AMR-related ones in CARD database. 78.8% of them are also in the catalogue of MTB mutations that were recently identified as drug resistance-associated ones by WHO. To facilitate ML model development for AMR prediction, we packaged every step into an automated pipeline and shared the source code at https://github.com/KuangXY3/MTB-AMR-classification-CNN.
Barriers to the donation of living kidneys for kidney transplantation
Authors: Min Kyungok , Koo Tai Yeon , Hwang Young Hui , Yang Jaeseok
Published: February 2022

Since the waiting time for deceased donor kidney transplantation continues to increase, living donor kidney transplantation is an important treatment for end stage kidney disease patients. Barriers to living kidney donation have been rarely investigated despite a growing interest in the utilization of living donor transplantation and the satisfaction of donor safety. Here, we retrospectively analyzed 1658 potential donors and 1273 potential recipients who visited the Seoul National University Hospital for living kidney transplantation between 2010 and 2017 to study the causes of donation discontinuation. Among 1658 potential donors, 902 (54.4%) failed to donate kidneys. The average number of potential donors that received work-up was 1.30 ± 0.66 per recipient. Among living donor kidney transplant patients, 75.1% received kidneys after work-up of the first donor and 24.9% needed work-up of two or more donors. Donor-related factors (49.2%) were the most common causes of donation discontinuation, followed by immunologic or size mismatches between donors and recipients (25.4%) and recipient-related factors (16.2%). Interestingly, withdrawal of donation consent along with refusal by recipients or family were the commonest causes, suggesting the importance of non-biomedical aspects. The elucidation of the barriers to living kidney donation could ensure more efficient and safer living kidney donation.
Theoretical discrimination index of postural instability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Vallée Rodolphe , Vallée Alexandre , Vallée Jean-Noël , Abidi Malek , Couillandre Annabelle , Termoz Nicolas , Pradat Pierre-François , de Marco Giovanni
Published: February 2022

To assess the usefulness of a theoretical postural instability discrimination index (PIth) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prospective regression analyzes were performed to identify the biomechanical determinants of postural instability unrelated to lower limb motor deficits from gait initiation factors. PIth was constructed using a logit function of biomechanical determinants. Discriminatory performance and performance differences were tested. Backward displacement of the pression center (APAamplitude) and active vertical braking of the mass center (Braking-index) were the biomechanical determinants of postural instability. PIth = − 0.13 × APAamplitude − 0.12 × Braking-index + 5.67, (P < 0.0001, RSquare = 0.6119). OR (APAamplitude) and OR (Braking-index) were 0.878 and 0.887, respectively, i.e., for a decrease of 10 mm in APAamplitude or 10% in Braking-index, the postural instability risk was 11.391 or 11.274 times higher, respectively. PIth had the highest discriminatory performance (AUC 0.953) with a decision threshold value $$\ge$$
≥
0.587, a sensitivity of 90.91%, and a specificity of 83.87%, significantly increasing the sensitivity by 11.11%. PIth, as objective clinical integrator of gait initiation biomechanical processes significantly involved in dynamic postural control, was a reliable and performing discrimination index of postural instability with a significant increased sensitivity, and may be useful for a personalized approach to postural instability in ALS.
Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to the direct health impact of COVID-19 in India, 2020
Authors: Singh Balbir B. , Devleesschauwer Brecht , Khatkar Mehar S. , Lowerison Mark , Singh Baljit , Dhand Navneet K. , Barkema Herman W.
Published: February 2022

COVID-19 has affected all countries. Its containment represents a unique challenge for India due to a large population (> 1.38 billion) across a wide range of population densities. Assessment of the COVID-19 disease burden is required to put the disease impact into context and support future pandemic policy development. Here, we present the national-level burden of COVID-19 in India in 2020 that accounts for differences across urban and rural regions and across age groups. Input data were collected from official records or published literature. The proportion of excess COVID-19 deaths was estimated using the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Washington data. Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) due to COVID-19 were estimated in the Indian population in 2020, comprised of years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD). YLL was estimated by multiplying the number of deaths due to COVID-19 by the residual standard life expectancy at the age of death due to the disease. YLD was calculated as a product of the number of incident cases of COVID-19, disease duration and disability weight. Scenario analyses were conducted to account for excess deaths not recorded in the official data and for reported COVID-19 deaths. The direct impact of COVID-19 in 2020 in India was responsible for 14,100,422 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 14,030,129–14,213,231) DALYs, consisting of 99.2% (95% UI 98.47–99.64%) YLLs and 0.80% (95% UI 0.36–1.53) YLDs. DALYs were higher in urban (56%; 95% UI 56–57%) than rural areas (44%; 95% UI 43.4–43.6) and in men (64%) than women (36%). In absolute terms, the highest DALYs occurred in the 51–60-year-old age group (28%) but the highest DALYs per 100,000 persons were estimated for the 71–80 years old age group (5481; 95% UI 5464–5500 years). There were 4,815,908 (95% UI 4,760,908–4,924,307) DALYs after considering reported COVID-19 deaths only. The DALY estimations have direct and immediate implications not only for public policy in India, but also internationally given that India represents one sixth of the world’s population.
Association between dietary acid load and clinical features of migraine headaches among Iranian individuals
Authors: Lotfi Keyhan , Askari Gholamreza , Mohammad Hamed , Fadel Abdulmannan , Khorvash Fariborz , Arab Arman
Published: February 2022

There is limited evidence regarding the possible role of dietary acid load (DAL) in the pathophysiology of migraine headaches. Therefore, we sought to examine DAL in relation to the clinical features of migraine including headache frequency, severity and duration, headache impact test-6 (HIT-6), and serum levels of nitric oxide (NO). In the present cross-sectional study, 262 patients (38 men and 224 women aged 20–50 years) were recruited through a simple random sampling method. Dietary intakes were obtained by using a validated 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). DAL was then calculated by two different methods; potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP). In total, 262 patients with a mean (SE) age of 36.1 (0.53) and a BMI of 25.55 (0.21) were included in the current study. After controlling for potential confounders, a higher DAL was positively associated with headache frequency in those with the highest DAL score compared to the lowest (PRAL; β = 2.33; 95% CI 0.78, 3.88; NEAP; β = 1.74; 95% CI 0.13, 3.34). Increasing NEAP from 28.96 to 35.89 resulted in a 3.43 and 2.74 increment in HIT-6 scores in the crude (95% CI 1.35, 5.52) and fully-adjusted models (95% CI 0.40, 5.07), respectively. Moreover, a higher dietary PRAL was significantly associated with migraine-related disability, as shown by HIT-6, in subjects of the third tertile compared to those in the first tertile after controlling for confounders (β = 2.42; 95% CI 0.13, 4.70). In conclusion, our study highlighted the importance of the acid–base properties of a diet in the pathophysiology of migraine headaches. However, further well-designed studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Urbanization favors high wage earners
Authors: Shutters Shade T. , Applegate J. M. , Wentz Elizabeth , Batty Michael
Published: February 2022

As cities increase in size, total wages grow superlinearly, meaning that average wages are higher in larger cities. This phenomenon, known as the urban wage premium, supports the notion that urbanization and the growth of cities contribute positively to human well-being. However, it remains unclear how the distribution of wages changes as cities grow. Here we segment the populations of U.S. cities into wage deciles and determine the scaling coefficient of each decile’s aggregate wages versus city size. We find that, while total wages of all deciles grow superlinearly with city size, the effect is uneven, with total wages of the highest wage earners growing faster than all other deciles. We show that this corresponds with the predominance of high-wage jobs in larger cities. Thus, the effects of urbanization are mixed -- it is associated with higher average wages but with increasing inequality, thus inhibiting prospects for long-term sustainability.
Pd-Catalyzed umpolung asymmetric allylic alkylation of hydrazones to vicinal tertiary and quaternary chiral carbon centers
Authors: Huang Shuai , Zhang Gao-Peng , Jiang Yang-Jie , Yu Fei-Le , Ding Chang-Hua , Hou Xue-Long
Published: February 2022

Vicinal tertiary and quaternary chiral carbon centers are constructed with high regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivities via Pd-catalyzed umpolung asymmetric allylic alkylation of hydrazones with monosubstituted allyl reagents by using Kündig type chiral N-heterocyclic carbene as the ligand.
Analysis of the solvent effects on the crystal growth of peripherally chlorinated boron subphthalocyanines
Authors: Wojtkiewicz Kacper , Lough Alan , Bender Timothy P.
Published: February 2022

For phenoxylated chloro-hexachloro boron subphthalocyanines, the same crystallographic state is observed via a variety of solvent diffusion crystal growth methods.
A self-templating scheme for the synthesis of NiCo2Se4 and BiSe hollow microspheres for high-energy density asymmetric supercapacitors
Authors: Xia Jingjing , Zhang Liuming , Xuan Shouguo , Ni Yonghong , Zhang Li
Published: February 2022

Porous hollow structures of electrode materials can enlarge the surface area in contact with electrolytes, accelerating the transport of ions and electrons during redox reactions to enhance the electrochemical performance of the electrode materials.
Thermal method usage features for multicomponent crystal screening
Authors: Boycov Denis E. , Manin Alex N. , Drozd Ksenia V. , Churakov Andrei V. , Perlovich German L.
Published: February 2022

In this work, the effectiveness of thermal methods, liquid-assisted grinding, and crystallization by a slow evaporation technique for the screening of multicomponent crystals of five quinolones with tyramine was investigated.
Ultrafast dissociation of ammonia: Auger Doppler effect and redistribution of the internal energy
Authors: Travnikova Oksana , Kukk Edwin , Hosseini Farzad , Granroth Sari , Itälä Eero , Marchenko Tatiana , Guillemin Renaud , Ismail Iyas , Moussaoui Roba , Journel Loïc , Bozek John , Püttner Ralph , Krasnov Pavel , Kimberg Victor , Gel'mukhanov Faris , Piancastelli Maria Novella , Simon Marc
Published: February 2022

Vibrationally-resolved resonant Auger electron–photoion coincidence measurements allow observing the Auger–Doppler effect in ammonia following ultrafast dissociation. About 43% of the internal energy left in the system is transferred to vibrations.
Generation of multiple triplet states in an orthogonal bodipy dimer: a breakthrough spectroscopic and theoretical approach
Authors: García-Moreno Inmaculada , Postils Verònica , Rebollar Esther , Ortiz Maria J. , Agarrabeitia Antonia R. , Casanova David
Published: February 2022

Mechanistic details of multiple deactivation channels for the triplet state generation and delayed luminescence in an orthogonal BODIPY dimer.
Insights into organic–inorganic hybrid molecular materials: organoimido functionalized polyoxomolybdates
Authors: Pardiwala Ankita , Kumar Shubham , Jangir Ritambhara
Published: February 2022

Lindqvist hexamolybdates with organoimido functionalization offer the possibility of developing new POM-based organic–inorganic hybrid materials.
Identification of Fe(iii)–OH species as a catalytic intermediate in plant peroxidases at high H2O2 concentration
Authors: Valle-Altamirano Rodolfo G. , Baratto Maria Camilla , Badillo-Ramírez Isidro , Gasteazoro Francisco , Pogni Rebecca , Saniger José M. , Valderrama Brenda
Published: February 2022

The structure for compound III formed after exposure of plant heme peroxidases to excess H2O2 seems to be a hydroxylated form, providing new evidence for understanding the structural basis of the substrate-induced suicidal behavior of these enzymes.
A combined experimental and DFT study on the catalysis performance of a Co-doped MoS2 monolayer for hydrodesulfurization reaction
Authors: Zhang Xinlin , Zheng Yi , Chen Jiaxing , Xue Haowen , Liu Yongjun
Published: February 2022

The effects of Co-doped monolayer MoS2 on the thiophene hydrodesulfurization process were studied via experiments and DFT.
Efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline by Z-scheme CuSnO3/g-C3N4 heterojunctions coupling with H2O2 under visible light irradiation
Authors: Li Yuzhen , Wang Shaojie , Xia Yunsheng , Gao Lizhen
Published: February 2022

Possible schemes for electron–hole separation and transport at the 20% CSO–CN composite interface.
Structure and mechanism behind the inhibitory effect of water soluble metalloporphyrins on Aβ1–42aggregation
Authors: Zhang Qianqian , Liu Yiqing , Wu Jinming , Zeng Lizhen , Wei Jingjing , Fu Shitao , Ye Huixian , Li Hailing , Gao Zhonghong
Published: February 2022

If the tetraphenylporphyrin of a metalloporphyrin and an amyloid protein have opposite charge properties, the metalloporphyrin will be an effective inhibitor of this amyloid protein.
Seed assisted synthesis of an anionic metal–organic framework membrane for selective and permeable hydrogen separation
Authors: Yu Guangli , Shangguan Xiangyang , Wang Ziyang , Rong Huazhen , Wang Kangjun , Zhang Yajing , Shao Tianci , Zou Xiaoqin
Published: February 2022

Hydrogen selective metal–organic framework membranes with excellent performance are in demand and synthesized here.
Exploration of plant-derived natural polyphenols toward COVID-19 main protease inhibitors: DFT, molecular docking approach, and molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Ma Yufei , Tao Yulian , Qu Hanyang , Wang Cuihong , Yan Fei , Gao Xiujun , Zhang Meiling
Published: February 2022

The combination of molecular dynamics simulations and quantitative calculations as a powerful tool for screening molecules.
Fingerprint of semi-crystalline structure memory in the thermal and ionic conduction properties of amorphous ureasil–polyether hybrid solid electrolytes
Authors: Palácio Gustavo , Pulcinelli Sandra H. , Santilli Celso V.
Published: February 2022

Ionic conduction of amorphous ureasil–polyelectrolytes containing Li+ cations (U-PEO:LiTFSI) affected by the persistent PEO chain building blocks of the crystalline polymer.
Facile fabrication of single-atom catalysts by a plasma-etching strategy for oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Rao Peng , Wu Daoxiong , Qin Yan-Yang , Luo Junming , Li Jing , Jia Chunman , Deng Peilin , Huang Wei , Su Yaqiong , Shen Yijun , Tian Xinlong
Published: February 2022

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are one of the most promising candidates for catalyzing various electrochemical reactions, due to their maximum atom utilizations and unique electronic structures.
Determining non-radiative decay rates in TADF compounds using coupled transient and steady state optical data
Authors: Sem Stefano , Jenatsch Sandra , Stavrou Kleitos , Danos Andrew , Monkman Andrew P. , Ruhstaller Beat
Published: February 2022

Understanding the role of non-radiative decay rates in TADF OLEDs by comparing PLQY and ELQY simulated values. Quantification of the non-radiative decay rates in TADF compounds with a sophisticated fitting procedure.
Titanium isopropoxide-mediated cis-selective synthesis of 3,4-substituted butyrolactones from CO2
Authors: Sahari Aleksi , Do Cuong Dat , Mannisto Jere K. , Antico Emanuele , Amaratunga Angelo , Hopmann Kathrin H. , Repo Timo
Published: February 2022

Titanium-mediated 1,2-activation of Grignard reagents enables α and β insertion of carbon dioxide and arylaldehyde to prepare cis-3,4 butyrolactones.
Inserting protonated phenanthroline derivatives into the interchain voids of anionic halometallate units to generate hybrid materials with tunable photochromic performance
Authors: Li Gang-Mei , Liang Zhen-Gang , Xue Zhen-Zhen , Han Song-De , Pan Jie , Wang Guo-Ming
Published: February 2022

We offer a general method for tuning the photochromic functionality of a hybrid halometallate via inserting coplanar phenanthroline derivatives into the interchain voids of anionic chlorobismuthate chains.
Morphology control of SAPO-34 and its catalytic performance for methanol to olefin reaction
Authors: Guo Lei , Zhu Weiping , Xing Aihua , Li Fei , Guo Zhihui
Published: February 2022

SAPO-34 molecular sieves with various special morphologies were synthesized using mixed templates and by varying the silicon content in the gel.
The Kröhnke synthesis of benzo[a]indolizines revisited: towards small, red light emitters
Authors: Badaro Jaqueline S. A. , Koszarna Beata , Bousquet Manon H. E. , Ouellette Erik T. , Jacquemin Denis , Gryko Daniel T.
Published: February 2022

Yellow to red-emitting 6-nitrobenzo[a]indolizines possessing up to four substituents on all three conjugated rings are efficiently prepared from pyridinium salts and substituted 1-chloro-2-nitrobenzenes.
Insights into pathological mechanisms and interventions revealed by analyzing a mathematical model for cone metabolism
Authors: Dobreva Atanaska , Camacho Erika Tatiana , Larripa Kamila , Rǎdulescu Anca , Schmidt Deena R. , Trejo Imelda
Published: February 2022

This work analyzes a mathematical model for the metabolic dynamics of a cone photoreceptor, which is the first model to account for energy generation from fatty acids oxidation of shed photoreceptor outer segments (POS). Multiple parameter bifurcation analysis shows that joint variations in external glucose, the efficiency of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), lipid utilization for POS renewal, and oxidation of fatty acids affect the cone’s metabolic vitality and its capability to adapt under glucose-deficient conditions. The analysis further reveals that when glucose is scarce, cone viability cannot be sustained by only fueling energy production in the mitochondria, but it also requires supporting anabolic processes to create lipids necessary for cell maintenance and repair. In silico experiments are used to investigate how the duration of glucose deprivation impacts the cell without and with a potential GLUT1 or oxidation of fatty acids intervention as well as a dual intervention. The results show that for prolonged duration of glucose deprivation, the cone metabolic system does not recover with higher oxidation of fatty acids and requires greater effectiveness of GLUT1 to recover. Finally, time-varying global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is applied to assess the sensitivity of the model outputs of interest to changes and uncertainty in the parameters at specific times. The results reveal a critical temporal window where there would be more flexibility for interventions to rescue a cone cell from the detrimental consequences of glucose shortage.
The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey Deep fields
Authors: McCheyne I. , Oliver S. , Sargent M. , Kondapally R. , Smith D. , Haskell P. , Duncan K. , Best P. N. , Sabater J. , Bonato M. , Calistro Rivera G. , Cochrane R. K. , Campos Varillas M. C. , Hurley P. , Leslie S. K. , Małek K. , Magliocchetti M. , Prandoni I. , Read S. , Rottgering H. J. A. , Tasse C. , Vaccari M. , Wang L.
Published: February 2022

The far-infrared radio correlation (FIRC) is one of the strongest correlations in astronomy, yet a model that explains this comprehensively does not exist. The new LOFAR all Sky Survey (LoTSS) deep field, ELAIS-N1, allows exploration of this relation in previously unexplored regions of parameter space of radio frequency (150 MHz), luminosity (L150 < 1024.7), redshift (z ∼ 1), and stellar mass M* < 1011.4. We present accurate deblended far-infrared (FIR) flux measurements with robust errors at 24, 100, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm from Spitzer and the Herschel Space Observatory using XID+. We find that the FIRC has a strong mass dependence, the evolution of which takes the form qTIR(M*) = (2.00 ± 0.01)+(−0.22 ± 0.02)(log(M/M*)−10.05). This matches recent findings in regards to the star formation rate–radio luminosity relation at 150 MHz and results from radio observations in COSMOS at 1.4 GHz with the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). Our results provide tighter constraints on the low-redshift end of the FIRC and at lower frequency than the COSMOS observations. In addition, we find a mild evolution with redshift, with a best fit relation qTIR(z) = (1.94 ± 0.01)(1 + z)−0.04 ± 0.01. This evolution is shallower than that suggested by previous results at 150 MHz with the differences explained by the fact that previous studies did not account for the mass dependence. Finally, we present deblended FIR fluxes for 79 609 galaxies across the LoTSS deep fields: Boötes, ELAIS-N1, and Lockman Hole.
The protoplanetary disk population in the ρ-Ophiuchi region L1688 and the time evolution of Class II YSOs
Authors: Testi L. , Natta A. , Manara C. F. , de Gregorio Monsalvo I. , Lodato G. , Lopez C. , Muzic K. , Pascucci I. , Sanchis E. , Miranda A. Santamaria , Scholz A. , De Simone M. , Williams J. P.
Published: February 2022

Context. Planets form during the first few Myr of the evolution of the star-disk system, possibly before the end of the embedded phase. The properties of very young disks and their subsequent evolution reflect the presence and properties of their planetary content.

Aims. We present a study of the Class II/F disk population in L1688, the densest and youngest region of star formation in Ophiuchus. We also compare it to other well-known nearby regions of different ages, namely Lupus, Chamaeleon I, Corona Australis, Taurus and Upper Scorpius.

Methods. We selected our L1688 sample using a combination of criteria (available ALMA data, Gaia membership, and optical and near-IR spectroscopy) to determine the stellar and disk properties, specifically stellar mass (M⋆), average population age, mass accretion rate (Ṁacc) and disk dust mass (Ṁdust). We applied the same procedure in a consistent manner to the other regions. Results. In L1688 the relations between Ṁacc and M⋆, Mdust and M⋆, and Ṁacc and Mdust have a roughly linear trend with slopes 1.8–1.9 for the first two relations and ~1 for the third, which is similar to what found in the other regions. When ordered according to the characteristic age of each region, which ranging from ~ 0.5 to ~5 Myr, Ṁacc decreases as t−1, when corrected for the different stellar mass content; Mdust follows roughly the same trend, ranging between 0.5 and 5 Myr, but has an increase of a factor of ~3 at ages of 2–3 Myr. We suggest that this could result from an earlier planet formation, followed by collisional fragmentation that temporarily replenishes the millimeter-size grain population. The dispersion of Ṁacc and Mdust around the best-fitting relation with M⋆, as well as that of Ṁacc versus Mdust are equally large. When adding all the regions together to increase the statistical significance, we find that the dispersions have continuous distributions with a log-normal shape and similar widths (~0.8 dex).

Conclusions. This detailed study of L1688 confirms the general picture of Class II/F disk properties and extends it to a younger age. The amount of dust observed at ~1 Myr is not sufficient to assemble the majority of planetary systems, which suggests an earlier formation process for planetary cores. The dust mass traces to a large extent the disk gas mass evolution, even if the ratio Mdust/Mdisk at the earliest age (0.5–1 Myr) is not known. Two properties are still not understood: the steep dependence of Ṁacc and Mdust on M⋆ and the cause of the large dispersion in the three relations analyzed in this paper, in particular that of the Ṁacc versus Mdust relation.
VVVX Near-IR Photometry for 99 Low-mass Stars in the Gaia EDR3 Catalog of Nearby Stars
Authors: Mejías A. , Minniti D. , Alonso-García J. , Beamín J. C. , Saito R. K. , Solano E.
Published: February 2022

Context. Red dwarf stars, which represent 75% of stars in the Milky Way, can be studied in great detail in the solar neighborhood, where the sample is more complete.

Aims. We intend to better characterize red-dwarf candidates selected from the Gαìα Catalog of Nearby Stars using optical and near-infrared multi-filter photometry from the Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea extended (VVVX) Survey, the DECam Plane Survey, the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.

Methods. We performed a cross-matching procedure among the positions of a color-selected sample of M dwarfs in the VVVX Survey and the Gaia Early Data Release 3 sub-catalog of nearby stars. We explored their stellar parameters and spectral types using the Virtual Observatory SED Analyzer (VOSA). Radii were also obtained from the computed luminosities and Teff using the Stefan-Boltzmann equation. Masses and ages were computed for some of the objects using evolutionary tracks and isochrones. Additional mass estimations were obtained with the MKs – M*, relation. We then validated our results for the stellar parameters of two of our objects with spectra obtained with the TripleSpec instrument at the SOAR telescope, as well as those of our total amount of stars through a direct comparison with an independent sample from the literature. We revised the objects in our sample and compared their proper motion vectors with other sources within 30′′ to identify possible companions and probed their renormalized unit weight error (RUWE) values to identify unresolved companions.

Results. We present a catalog of physical parameters for 99 low-mass objects with distances from 43.2 to 111.3 pc. Effective temperatures range from 2500 to 3400 K, with the majority of stars in the sample compatible with the status of M4 dwarfs. We obtained a good agreement between the stellar parameters computed with VOSA and the estimations from observed spectra, also when comparing with an independent sample from the literature. The distribution of masses obtained with VOSA is concentrated toward the very low-mass regime. Eight objects present values of RUWE ≥ 1.4 and seven are consistent with being part of a binary system.
Crater production on Titan and surface chronology
Authors: Rossignoli N. L. , Di Sisto R. P. , Parisi M. G.
Published: February 2022

Context. Impact crater counts on the Saturnian satellites are a key element for estimating their surface ages and placing constraints on their impactor population. The Cassini mission radar observations allowed crater counts to be made on the surface of Titan, revealing an unexpected scarcity of impact craters that show high levels of degradation.

Aims. Following previous studies on impact cratering rates on the Saturnian satellites, we modeled the cratering process on Titan to constrain its surface chronology and to assess the role of centaur objects as its main impactors.

Methods. A theoretical model previously developed was used to calculate the crater production on Titan, considering the centaur objects as the main impactors and including two different slopes for the size-frequency distribution (SFD) of the smaller members of their source population. A simple model for the atmospheric shielding effects is considered within the cratering process and our results are then compared with other synthetic crater distributions and updated observational crater counts. This comparison is then used to compute Titan’s crater retention age for each crater diameter.

Results. The cumulative crater distribution produced by the SFD with a differential index of s2 = 3.5 is found to consistently predict large craters (D > 50km) on the surface of Titan, while it overestimates the number of smaller craters. As both the modeled and observed distributions flatten for craters with D ≲ 25 km due to atmospheric shielding, the difference between the theoretical results and the observational crater counts can be considered as a proxy for the scale to which erosion processes have acted on the surface of Titan throughout the Solar System age. Our results for the surface chronology of Titan indicate that craters with D > 50 km can prevail over the Solar System age, whereas smaller craters may be completely obliterated due to erosion processes acting globally.
A “no-drift” runaway pile-up of pebbles in protoplanetary disks
Authors: Hyodo Ryuki , Ida Shigeru , Guillot Tristan
Published: February 2022

Context. Forming planetesimals from pebbles is a major challenge in our current understanding of planet formation. In a protoplanetary disk, pebbles drift inward near the disk midplane via gas drag and they may enter a zone of reduced turbulence (dead zone). In this context, we identified that the backreaction of the drag of pebbles onto the gas could lead to a runaway pile-up of pebbles, the so-called no-drift mechanism for the formation of planetesimals.

Aims. We improve upon the previous study of planetesimal formation from accumulating pebbles via the no-drift mechanism by investigating the nature and characteristics of the resultant planetesimal belt.

Methods. We performed 1D diffusion-advection simulations of drifting pebbles in the outer region of a modeled dead zone by including a pebble-gas backreaction to the radial drift of pebbles and including planetesimal formation via the streaming instability. We independently considered the parameters that regulate gas accretion (αacc) and vertical stirring of pebbles in the disk midplane (αmid). In this study, the pebble-to-gas mass flux (Fp/g) was fixed as a parameter.

Results. We find that, for a constant Fp/g, after the criteria of the no-drift mechanism are satisfied, planetesimals initially form within a narrow ring whose width expands as accumulating pebbles radially diffuse over time. The system finally reaches a steady-state where the width of the planetesimal belt no longer changes, followed by a continuous formation of planetesimals. A non-negligible total mass of planetesimals (more than one Earth mass) is formed via the no-drift mechanism for a disk having Fp/g ≳ 0.1 for more than ~10–100 kyr with nominal parameters: a gas mass flux of ≳10−8 M⊙ yr−1, τs ≃ 0.01−0.1, αmid ≲ 10−4, and αacc ≃ 10−3−10−2 at r ≲ 10 au, where r, τs, αmid, and αacc are the heliocentric distance, the Stokes number, and the parameters in a dead zone controlling the efficiencies of vertical turbulent diffusion of pebbles (i.e., scale height of pebbles) and gas accretion of the α-disk (i.e., gas surface density), respectively.
Sensorgesteuerte Bewegungsanalyse bei Musikerinnen und Musikern
Authors: Möller Dirk , Griefahn Annika
Published: February 2022

Der ideale Auftritt mit dem perfekten Klang des Instruments und dem fehlerfreien Spiel steht bei Musikerinnen und Musikern eindeutig im Mittelpunkt. Diesem Ziel ordnen sie oftmals die eigene Gesundheit unter. Muskuloskelettale Beschwerden sind daher häufig und haben vielfältige und sehr individuelle Ursachen, weshalb ein guter Clinical-Reasoning-Prozess von zentraler Bedeutung ist. Dieser kann durch moderne Technologie, etwa die sensorgesteuerte Bewegungsanalyse, unterstützt werden.
Ophthalmology Medical Student Directors, Associate Residency Program Directors, and Program Directors: A Benchmarking Study of Work and Life Metrics
Authors: Dagi Glass Lora R. , De Moraes C. Gustavo , Wright Melissa A. , Winn Bryan J. , Chen Royce W. S. , Cioffi George A.
Published: February 2022

Introduction During a time of increased interest in physician well-being, this study benchmarks current work life, home life, and burnout scores for ophthalmology medical student directors (MSD), associate program directors (APD), and program directors (PD).

Methods An anonymous cross-sectional survey was disseminated through the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) listserve, with queries regarding leadership positions, work time allotment, extracurricular activities, family life, and burnout. Answers were analyzed descriptively through Fisher's exact test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Poisson regression models.

Results Nineteen percent of listed MSD, 15% of APD, and 29% of PD queried responded to the survey. MSD, APD, and PD are statistically similar in terms of work and home life, with the exception of time spent performing administrative tasks for the position. PD spend more time on administrative tasks, and are paid more. All groups score positively on burnout surveys.

Conclusion This benchmarking survey demonstrates that MSD, APD, and PD are intensively involved in both their work and home lives, with a seemingly high correlation of sense of worth both personally and in their careers.
Does AGE–RAGE Stress Play a Role in the Development of Coronary Artery Disease in Obesity?
Authors: Prasad Kailash , Khan Amal S. , Bhanumathy Kalpana K.
Published: February 2022

This article deals with the role of AGE (advanced glycation end products)–RAGE (receptor for AGE) stress (AGE/sRAGE) in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) in obesity. CAD is due to atherosclerosis in coronary artery. The serum/plasma levels of AGE and sRAGE are reduced, while AGE–RAGE stress and expression of RAGE are elevated in obese individuals. However, the levels of AGE are elevated in obese individuals with more than one metabolic syndrome. The increases in the AGE–RAGE stress would elevate the expression and production of atherogenic factors, including reactive oxygen species, nuclear factor-kappa B, cytokines, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and growth factors. Low levels of sRAGE would also increase the atherogenic factors. The increases in the AGE–RAGE stress and decreases in the levels of sRAGE would induce development of atherosclerosis, leading to CAD. The therapeutic regimen for AGE–RAGE stress–induced CAD in obesity would include lowering of AGE intake, prevention of AGE formation, degradation of AGE in vivo, suppression of RAGE expression, blockade of AGE–RAGE interaction, downregulation of sRAGE expression, and use of antioxidants. In conclusion, the data suggest that AGE–RAGE stress is involved in the development of CAD in obesity, and the therapeutic interventions to reduce AGE–RAGE would be helpful in preventing, regressing, and slowing the progression of CAD in obesity.
Sacubitril-Valsartan in Patients with Ischemic Cardiomyopathy Undergoing Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting—Is It Safe?
Authors: Narayan Pradeep , Kumar Satish , Kapoor Lalit
Published: February 2022

Sacubitril-valsartan has been used selectively in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and ischemic cardiomyopathy due to safety concerns. The aim of this prospective observational study was to assess the safety profile of sacubitril-valsartan in patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF <40%) undergoing CABG. Primary outcome was tolerability and safety profile. Thirty consecutive patients undergoing CABG with EF <40% were included. No mortality or readmissions occurred during 6 months follow-up. One (3.3%) patient experienced hypotension requiring discontinuation. Mild (8.9%) elevation in blood urea nitrogen, p = 0.35; along with a significant increase in serum creatinine (0.12mg/DL), p = 0.02; and potassium (0.23 mmol/L), p 0.003 was seen during follow-up. Sacubitril-valsartan is well tolerated in patients with reduced EF undergoing CABG.
When even the prime minister sits on the municipal council. Analysing the value of ‘localness’ and Finnish MPs’ incentives to ‘cumulate’ in an open-list voting system
Authors: Arter David , Söderlund Peter
Published: February 2022

This article addresses a curiously neglected question, namely why do the vast majority of Finnish MPs—one of the highest levels in the world—hold a seat on the municipal council? The basic presumption is that Finnish parliamentarians are not first and foremost ‘office-seekers’; they do not seek municipal council office as a primary goal. Rather, they view municipal elections as a means of attaining localness, either as a personal vote-earning attribute (PVEA) or then as a representational attribute, bolstering their credentials as ‘local MP’ for the municipality. To test this reasoning, the analysis focuses on MPs’ decisions on whether to contest the four municipal elections between 2008 and 2021 (n = 796). The results show that the incentive to ‘cumulate’ is greatest for first-term legislators and those occupying marginal list positions at the previous general election, but that the incidence of dual mandate-holding does not rise systematically with the size of the municipality whilst national celebrity trumps localness as the primary vote-earning attribute. The evidence is also consonant with the view that dual mandate-holding is as much a representational merit as an electoral imperative.
Mobilization of expert knowledge and advice for the management of the Covid-19 emergency in Italy in 2020
Authors: Camporesi Silvia , Angeli Federica , Fabbro Giorgia Dal
Published: February 2022

This qualitative case study is part of the international research project ESCaPE (Evaluating Scientific Advice in a Pandemic Emergency) and aims at understanding how expert advice has been sought, produced and utilized in the management of the Covid-19 emergency in Italy in 2020. Italy was the first country after China having to face the devastating effects of the Covid-19 soon to be pandemic. The state of national emergency was declared on January 31st, 2020, and the Italian Government sought expert advice as an important resource in the management of the pandemic. The Covid-19 crisis in Italy witnessed the emergence of different expert advisory groups: some envisaged by the law; some instituted ad hoc and tasked to deal with specific aspects of the emergency; and others that were already in place before the pandemic but that came to play a crucial role during the unfolding of the outbreak. This case study relies on a mix of both primary (stakeholder interviews) and secondary data collection (official documents and communications by expert advisory bodies, ministerial decrees, and policy documents). Our research shows three main findings: (a) the near-complete overlap of technical advice and political response in the first phase of the pandemic in Spring 2020, with a key policy role played by the advice provided by the Technical and Scientific Committee (CTS); (b) a predominance of epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists over social scientists in the mobilisation of experts for the management of the crisis in Italy; (c) a shift in containment policies from an emergency-based, very strict, national lockdown in the spring of 2020, to proactive risk-informed colour-coded regional restrictions in the fall and winter of 2020. Our case study ends at the end of 2020 and provides an overview and encompassing representation of the mobilization of experts, and of selected types of evidence, to manage the unprecedented health emergency, in year 1 of the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy. Our findings suggest that expert politics can lead to the confirmation of knowledge hierarchies that privilege hard sciences, and corroborate prior literature indicating that economic and social expertize has not been well integrated into public health expert advice, constituting a major challenge for policymaking during a health emergency.
Non-resonant piezoelectric linear motor with alternating normal contact force
Authors: Wang Yin , Yang Cheng , Cui Changcai
Published: February 2022

A non-resonant piezoelectric linear motor with alternating normal contact force is developed to realize a piezoelectric linear motor with high precision, large stroke, and strong thrust. The motor employs four piezoelectric stacks to excite the non-resonant state vibration of two driving feet, which alternately push the mover to generate unidirectional motion. Through the analysis of the working principle of the motor, the structure of the motor is designed and manufactured. The test results show the feasibility of the motor. Furthermore, the operating results show that the flatness of the contact surface strongly affects the performance of the motor. The design criteria of the motor are proposed, thus providing a basis for the optimization of the motor.
Non-Gaussian speed distributions: OMNI multisatellite data and simulations based on two temperature model
Authors: Shah Asif , UL-Haque Qamar- , Mahmood Shahzad , Ur-Rehman Saeed-
Published: February 2022

The multi-satellite OMNI solar wind speed data are analyzed, and six distinct types of non-Gaussian probability distributions are investigated. These include the three and four peak probability distributions, bell-shaped probability distribution with nipple-like single peak, bimodal, kinky-flat-top, and bump-on-tail speed distributions. It is also found that cumulative probability distributions for these included the shock-like, sudden jumps, and linear trends toward the peak value of one. This work also studies temperature probability distributions for laser-solid coupling, by analyzing the simulation data for the two temperature model. It is very surprising to find that non-Gaussian temperature distributions resulting from laser–solid interaction match with those found in solar wind data. Therefore, it is concluded that high frequency electromagnetic radiation is a valid candidate for shaping non-Gaussian speed distributions in solar wind.