bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interface characteristics of β-Ga2O3/Al2O3/Pt capacitors after postmetallization annealing
Authors: Hirose Masafumi , Nabatame Toshihide , Irokawa Yoshihiro , Maeda Erika , Ohi Akihiko , Ikeda Naoki , Sang Liwen , Koide Yasuo , Kiyono Hajime
Published: December 2020

Interface characteristics of frequency dispersion, flatband voltage (Vfb) shift, fixed charge (QIL), and interface state density (Dit) in β-Ga2O3/Al2O3/Pt capacitors were investigated after postmetallization annealing (PMA) at 300 °C in N2 using a conductance method and a photo-assisted capacitance-voltage technique. After PMA, no frequency dispersion was observed, and the QIL and Dit values related to interface states near the conduction band edge (Ec) were significantly reduced to the ranges of −4 to +1 × 1011 cm−2 and 3 to 8 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1 at Ec − E = 0.4 eV, respectively, in the capacitors subjected to a low postdeposition annealing (PDA) temperature region of 300–600 °C. In contrast, a large frequency dispersion, and high QIL (−2 × 1012 cm−2), and Dit (4–5 × 1012 cm−2 eV−1 at Ec − E = 0.4 eV) of the capacitors with a high PDA temperature region of 700–900 °C remained. This difference is considered to be due to hard structural changes at the multilayer level by the interdiffusion of Ga and Al at the β-Ga2O3/Al2O3 interface caused by PDA above 700 °C. In contrast, the average Dit values due to the electrons deeply trapped below the midgap between 2.6 and 3.3 eV decreased from 2 × 1012 to 1 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1 as the PDA temperature was increased from 300 to 900 °C, respectively, before PMA. No significant change in Dit below the midgap was observed, regardless of the PDA temperature after PMA. Note that the PMA treatment effectively improved only the interface properties near the Ec after treatment in the low PDA temperature region below 600 °C.
Motion estimation for ultrasound image sequences using deep learning
Authors: Bharadwaj Skanda , Almekkawy Mohamed
Published: December 2020

Increased number of medical images being used for medical praxis makes automatic processing of images a necessity. Conventional techniques of motion estimation in Ultrasound images such as exhaustive search-based block matching (ES-BM) are known to be computationally expensive and are unsuitable for portable devices. On the other hand, research in computer vision has helped the development of deep learning-based techniques for real-time motion estimation of day-to-day non-medical objects. In this paper, we propose to adopt one such deep neural network-based Fully Convolutional Siamese tracker along with Linear Kalman Filter (SiamFC-LKF) to track regions of interest in ultrasound image sequences. Siamese networks use two convolutional neural networks to create a feature map of the given reference block and the possible candidate blocks of subsequent frames. The candidate block of the subsequent frame with the maximum correlation value is considered as the tracked output. Since SiamFC does not consider any motion model, we introduce a linear Kalman filter to track the wall of the carotid artery. SiamFC-LKF and ES-BM were tested on five different image sequences of the longitudinal section of the carotid artery. Our experiments showed that SiamFC-LKF was 6 times faster and performed better than ES-BM in most of the cases.
A second chance for a first impression: Lexically guided perceptual learning reflects cumulative experience with a talker's phonetic input
Authors: Tzeng Christina Y. , Nygaard Lynne C. , Theodore Rachel M.
Published: December 2020

Listeners use lexical knowledge to modify the mapping from acoustics to speech sounds, but the timecourse of experience that informs lexically guided perceptual learning (LGPL) is unknown. Some data suggest that learning depends on initial exposure to atypical productions, while other data suggest that learning reflects only the most recent exposure. Here we seek to reconcile these findings by assessing the type and timecourse of exposure that promote robust LGPL. In experiment 1, listeners were exposed to ambiguous fricatives embedded in either /s/- or /∫/-biasing contexts and then categorized items from an ashi-asi continuum at test. Learning was observed; the /s/-bias group showed more asi responses compared to the /∫/-bias group. In experiment 2, listeners heard both clear and ambiguous productions. Order and lexical bias were manipulated between-subjects, and perceptual learning occurred regardless of the order in which the productions were heard. In experiment 3, listeners heard both /s/- and /∫/-biased productions. Order differed between two exposure groups, and no difference between groups was observed at test. Moreover, the results showed a monotonic decrease in learning across experiments, in line with decreasing exposure to stable lexically biasing contexts, and were replicated across novel stimulus sets. The current results did not replicate previous findings showing that either initial or most recent experience are critical for LGPL. Rather, LGPL appears to reflect an aggregation of a talker's input over time.
Critics question whether novel reactor is ‘walk-away safe’
Authors: Cho Adrian
Published: December 2020

Design approval nears for NuScale Power's small modular reactors, but deployment plans slip 3 years.
New chip-based lasers promise practical terahertz imaging
Authors: Service Robert F.
Published: December 2020

Semiconductor lasers work with small coolers, enabling medical imaging and contraband detection.
BTN3A1 governs antitumor responses by coordinating αβ and γδ T cells
Authors: Payne Kyle K. , Mine Jessica A. , Biswas Subir , Chaurio Ricardo A. , Perales-Puchalt Alfredo , Anadon Carmen M. , Costich Tara Lee , Harro Carly M. , Walrath Jennifer , Ming Qianqian , Tcyganov Evgenii , Buras Andrea L. , Rigolizzo Kristen E. , Mandal Gunjan , Lajoie Jason , Ophir Michael , Tchou Julia , Marchion Douglas , Luca Vincent C. , Bobrowicz Piotr , McLaughlin Brooke , Eskiocak Ugur , Schmidt Michael , Cubillos-Ruiz Juan R. , Rodriguez Paulo C. , Gabrilovich Dmitry I. , Conejo-Garcia Jose R.
Published: December 2020

BTN3A1 governs antitumor responses

T lymphocytes are immune cells that can be activated through their gamma delta (γδ) or alpha beta (αβ) receptors. Both T cell types are found in human cancers, but current immunotherapies do not harness their coordinated antitumor activity. Payne
et al.
found that BTN3A1 and BTN2A1, two members of the butyrophilin family of proteins, partner to activate the most abundant subset of γδ T cells in peripheral blood. Antibodies targeting BTN3A1 redirect γδ T cells to attack cancer cells while also increasing the activity of tumor-specific αβ T cells. Thus, the killing of established tumors by different T cell subsets can be achieved through BTN3A1 targeting and may provide new strategies for cancer immunotherapy.

Science
, this issue p.
942
Genomic architecture of a genetically assimilated seasonal color pattern
Authors: van der Burg Karin R. L. , Lewis James J. , Brack Benjamin J. , Fandino Richard A. , Mazo-Vargas Anyi , Reed Robert D.
Published: December 2020

Untangling the genetics of plasticity

The common buckeye butterfly,
Junonia coenia
, exhibits plastic coloration; it has two color morphs, light tan and dark red, that depend on day length and temperature. By selecting for more and less color plasticity, van der Burg
et al.
generated butterfly lines that were used to map the genetic variants that underlie differential coloration. Genome-wide analysis and RNA sequencing identified the genes most likely to be associated with the differences in color plasticity. Inactivation of genes with CRISPR–Cas9 identified three genes that affected the red phenotype, and other techniques identified cis-regulatory, noncoding genomic variants that were correlated with coloration. From these results, the authors were able to model how genetically encoded plasticity and assimilation of the plastic trait likely evolved.

Science
, this issue p.
721
Food for thought
Authors: Egervari Gabor , Glastad Karl M. , Berger Shelley L.
Published: December 2020

The nuclear metabolic-epigenetic axis bridges the environment and genes to modulate behavior
RETRACTED: Asymmetric remote C–H borylation of aliphatic amides and esters with a modular iridium catalyst
Authors: Reyes Ronald L. , Sato Miyu , Iwai Tomohiro , Suzuki Kimichi , Maeda Satoshi , Sawamura Masaya
Published: December 2020

Targeting a distant C–H bond

Enzymes often have intricate active sites that bind one portion of a molecule to orient a distant portion for optimal reactivity. This type of orienting effect has proven a much greater challenge for small-molecule catalysts. Reyes
et al.
now report a simple ligand that can simultaneously bind to an iridium catalyst through a pyridine substituent while positioning an amide or ester reactant through a hydrogen-bonding urea. As a result, the catalyst exclusively borylates the site three carbons away from the carbonyl, with a second chiral ligand inducing high enantioselectivity.

Science
, this issue p.
970
One step forward, two steps back
Short Circuiting Policy
Leah Cardamore Stokes
Oxford University Press, 2020. 338 pp.
Authors: Ali Saleem H.
Published: December 2020

Interest groups and state-level political inertia have stalled many of America's clean energy initiatives
Past, present, and future of lead–acid batteries
Authors: Lopes Pietro P. , Stamenkovic Vojislav R.
Published: December 2020

Improvements could increase energy density and enable power-grid storage applications
Remodeling vasculature to avoid blindness
Authors: Podrez Eugene A. , Byzova Tatiana V.
Published: December 2020

Pathological vasculature marks itself for repair by deploying neutrophil extracellular traps
Steering iceberg armadas
Authors: Jaeger John M. , Shevenell Amelia E.
Published: December 2020

The Asian-Pacific tropics likely instigated millennial-scale climate changes
The ascent of Wikipedia
Wikipedia @ 20
Joseph Reagle and Jackie Koerner, editors
MIT Press, 2020. 376 pp.
Authors: Robinson Andrew
Published: December 2020

Scholars reflect on 20 years of crowdsourced knowledge
Functional Characterization of the γ-Aminobutyric Acid Transporter from Mycobacterium smegmatis MC
2
155 Reveals Sodium-Driven GABA Transport
Authors: Pavić Ana , Ji Yurui , Serafini Agnese , Garza-Garcia Acely , McPhillie Martin J. , Holmes Alexandra O. M. , de Carvalho Luiz Pedro Sório , Wang Yingying , Bartlam Mark , Goldman Adrian , Postis Vincent L. G.
Published: December 2020

The spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis increases its global health impact in humans. As there is transmission both to and from animals, the spread of the disease also increases its effects in a broad range of animal species.
Metagenome-Assembled Genome Sequence of
Kapabacteriales
Bacterium Strain Clear-D13, Assembled from a Harmful Algal Bloom Enrichment Culture
Authors: Al-Saud Shaikha , Florea Kyra M. , Webb Eric A. , Thrash J. Cameron
Published: December 2020

Metagenomic sequencing of a
Dolichospermum circinale
enrichment culture resulted in the assembly of several cocultured metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). One MAG was affiliated with the class
Kappabacteriales
and included 5,724,991 bp in 127 contigs, with a GC content of 48.4%.
Corneal Transplant Follow-up Study II: a randomised trial to determine whether HLA class II matching reduces the risk of allograft rejection in penetrating keratoplasty
Authors: Armitage W John , Winton Helen L , Jones Mark N A , Downward Lewis , Crewe Julie M , Rogers Chris A , Tole Derek M , Dick Andrew D
Published: December 2020

Purpose

A randomised trial to test the hypothesis that human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II matching reduces the risk of allograft rejection in high-risk penetrating keratoplasty (PK).

Methods

All transplants were matched for HLA class I antigens (≤2 mismatches at the A and B loci) and corneas were allocated to patients by cohort minimisation to achieve 0, 1 or 2 HLA class II antigen mismatches. The corneal transplants (n=1133) were followed for 5 years. The primary outcome measure was time to first rejection episode.

Results

Cox regression analysis found no influence of HLA class II mismatching on risk of immunological rejection (HR 1.13; 95% CI 0.79 to 1.63; p=0.51). The risk of rejection in recipients older than 60 years was halved compared with recipients ≤40 years (HR 0.51; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.73; p=0.0003). Rejection was also more likely where cataract surgery had been performed after PK (HR 3.68; 95% CI 1.95 to 6.93; p<0.0001). In univariate analyses, preoperative factors including chronic glaucoma (p=0.02), vascularisation (p=0.01), inflammation (p=0.03), ocular surface disease (p=0.0007) and regrafts (p<0.001) all increased the risk of rejection. In the Cox model, however, none of these factors was individually significant but rejection was more likely where≥2 preoperative risk factors were present (HR 2.11; 95% CI 1.26 to 3.47; p<0.003).

Conclusions

HLA class II matching, against a background of HLA class I matching, did not reduce the risk of allograft rejection. Younger recipient age, the presence of ≥2 preoperative risk factors and cataract surgery after PK all markedly increased the risk of allograft rejection.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN25094892.
Visual impairment and perceptual visual disorders in children with cerebral palsy in Nigeria
Authors: Duke Roseline Ekanem , Nwachukuw Justin , Torty Chima , Okorie Uche , Kim Min J , Burton Kathryn , Gilbert Clare , Bowman Richard
Published: December 2020

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of childhood physical disability globally. This study describes the spectrum of ocular morbidity and visual impairment in a community-based (recruited by key informants) sample of children with CP in Cross River State, Nigeria.

Methods

A paediatric neurologist clinically confirmed CP and assessed systemic comorbidity. Ophthalmological assessment included developmental age appropriate acuity tests, objective refraction and objective and subjective tests of perceptual visual dysfunction (PVD).

Results

388 children aged 4–15 years with CP were identified. Visual problems were reported by carers in only 55 (14%) cases. Binocular visual acuity impairment was seen in 20/201 by Lea symbols test (10%) and 213/388 (55%) by the mirror test. Abnormal visual fields were seen in 58/388 (14.9%); strabismus in 183 (47%) abnormal contrast sensitivity in 178 (46%) and abnormal saccades in 84 (22%), spherical refractive errors in 223 (58%), significant astigmatism in 36 (12%), accommodative dysfunction in 41 (10.6%), optic atrophy in 198 (51%). Perceptual visual disorders were present in 22 (6%) subjectively and 177 (46%) objectively. The estimated frequency of cerebral visual impairment (CVI) in children ranged from 61 (16%) to 191 (49%) if children with optic atrophy were included.

Conclusion

Children with CP have a wide spectrum of ocular morbidity and visual impairment, underestimated by carers. Children with CP require visual acuity assessments with a range of tests which account for associated comorbidities and oculomotor dysfunction. Functional vision assessments for PVD is important. CVI is common.
Leapfrogging laboratories: the promise and pitfalls of high-tech solutions for antimicrobial resistance surveillance in low-income settings
Authors: Okeke Iruka N , Feasey Nicholas , Parkhill Julian , Turner Paul , Limmathurotsakul Direk , Georgiou Pantelis , Holmes Alison , Peacock Sharon J
Published: December 2020

The scope and trajectory of today’s escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis is inadequately captured by existing surveillance systems, particularly those of lower income settings. AMR surveillance systems typically collate data from routine culture and susceptibility testing performed in diagnostic bacteriology laboratories to support healthcare. Limited access to high quality culture and susceptibility testing results in the dearth of AMR surveillance data, typical of many parts of the world where the infectious disease burden and antimicrobial need are high. Culture and susceptibility testing by traditional techniques is also slow, which limits its value in infection management. Here, we outline hurdles to effective resistance surveillance in many low-income settings and encourage an open attitude towards new and evolving technologies that, if adopted, could close resistance surveillance gaps. Emerging advancements in point-of-care testing, laboratory detection of resistance through or without culture, and in data handling, have the potential to generate resistance data from previously unrepresented locales while simultaneously supporting healthcare. Among them are microfluidic, nucleic acid amplification technology and next-generation sequencing approaches. Other low tech or as yet unidentified innovations could also rapidly accelerate AMR surveillance. Parallel advances in data handling further promise to significantly improve AMR surveillance, and new frameworks that can capture, collate and use alternate data formats may need to be developed. We outline the promise and limitations of such technologies, their potential to leapfrog surveillance over currently available, conventional technologies in use today and early steps that health systems could take towards preparing to adopt them.
Topographic heterogeneity of lung microbiota in end-stage idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: the Microbiome in Lung Explants-2 (MiLEs-2) study
Authors: Valenzi Eleanor , Yang Haopu , Sembrat John C , Yang Libing , Winters Spencer , Nettles Rachel , Kass Daniel J , Qin Shulin , Wang Xiaohong , Myerburg Michael M , Methé Barbara , Fitch Adam , Alder Jonathan K , Benos Panayiotis V , McVerry Bryan J , Rojas Mauricio , Morris Alison , Kitsios Georgios D
Published: December 2020

Background

Lung microbiota profiles in patients with early idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) have been associated with disease progression; however, the topographic heterogeneity of lung microbiota and their roles in advanced IPF are unknown.

Methods

We performed a retrospective, case-control study of explanted lung tissue obtained at the time of lung transplantation or rapid autopsy from patients with IPF and other chronic lung diseases (connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), cystic fibrosis (CF), COPD and donor lungs unsuitable for transplant from Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE)). We sampled subpleural tissue and airway-based specimens (bronchial washings and airway tissue) and quantified bacterial load and profiled communities by amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.

Findings

Explants from 62 patients with IPF, 15 patients with CTD-ILD, 20 patients with CF, 20 patients with COPD and 20 CORE patients were included. Airway-based samples had higher bacterial load compared with distal parenchymal tissue. IPF basilar tissue had much lower bacterial load compared with CF and CORE lungs (p<0.001). No microbial community differences were found between parenchymal tissue samples from different IPF lobes. Dirichlet multinomial models revealed an IPF cluster (29%) with distinct composition, high bacterial load and low alpha diversity, exhibiting higher odds for acute exacerbation or death.

Interpretation

IPF explants had low biomass in the distal parenchyma of all three lobes with higher bacterial load in the airways. The discovery of a distinct subgroup of patients with IPF with higher bacterial load and worse clinical outcomes supports investigation of personalised medicine approaches for microbiome-targeted interventions.
TFAP2A inhibits microRNA-126 expression at the transcriptional level and aggravates ischemic neuronal injury
Authors: Gao Zhiqiang , Zhang Jiang , Wu Yunxia
Published: December 2020

Neuronal injury induced by cerebral ischemia poses a serious health risk globally, and there is no effective clinical therapy. This study was performed to investigate the role of transcription factor AP-2 alpha (TFAP2A) in cerebral ischemia, and the underlying mechanisms, using an in-vitro model (PC-12 cells) of oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD), and an in-vivo model (rat) of transient global cerebral ischemia (tGCI). The results for CCK-8 and Hoechst staining showed that silencing of TFAP2A enhanced the viability and decreased the rate of apoptosis of PC12 cells subjected to OGD. ChIP assays were performed to evaluate the binding of TFAP2A to the promoter region of microRNA (miR)-126, and we found that TFAP2A inhibits the expression of miR-126. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that miR-126 targets polo like kinase 2 (PLK2), and that overexpression of PLK2 activates the IκBα–NF-κB signaling pathway and suppresses the growth of PC12 cells subjected to OGD. For our in-vivo assay, we used TTC staining to analyze the infarction area in the brain tissues of rats, and Nissl staining to evaluate the number of surviving brain neurons. The pathological conditions associated with neuronal injury in rat brain tissues were assessed by staining the tissues with hematoxylin–eosin. Our results indicate that TFAP2A downregulates miR-126, and thereby upregulates PLK2 and activates the IκBα–NF-κB pathway, which increased neuronal injury following cerebral ischemia.
THE ESTIMATES OF HÖLDER INDEX AND THE BOX DIMENSION FOR THE HADAMARD FRACTIONAL INTEGRAL
Authors: TIAN LONG
Published: December 2020

This paper focuses on the Hölder continuity and the Box Dimension to the [Formula: see text]th Hadamard Fractional Integral (HFI) on a given interval [Formula: see text]. We use [Formula: see text] to denote it. In this paper, two different methods are used to study this problem. By using the approximation method, we obtain that for [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], if [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]th Hölder continuous in [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text], and is [Formula: see text]th Hölder continuous on [Formula: see text]. Moreover, the Box Dimension of the graph of [Formula: see text] on the interval [Formula: see text] is less than or equal to [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is locally [Formula: see text]th Hölder continuous in [Formula: see text] with the same [Formula: see text], and the Box Dimension of [Formula: see text] on [Formula: see text] is less than or equal to [Formula: see text]. By using another method, we imply that, for [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], if [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]th Hölder continuous, and thus the Box Dimension of the graph of [Formula: see text] is no more than [Formula: see text]; if [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is locally [Formula: see text]th Hölder continuous in [Formula: see text], and is [Formula: see text]th Hölder continuous at [Formula: see text]. Then the Box Dimension of the graph to [Formula: see text] on [Formula: see text] is less than or equal to [Formula: see text]. We also give two examples to show that the above Hölder indexes given by the second method are optimal.
Generative Adversarial Networks-Based Stochastic Approach to the Modeling of Individual Jumping Loads
Authors: Duan Shuqian , Xiong Jiecheng , Qian Hui
Published: December 2020

Features of jumping loads are essentially high-dimensional random variables but have been simplistically modeled owing to the lack of proper mathematical tools. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) in conjunction with deep learning technology are adopted herein for modeling the jumping loads. Conditional GANs (CGANs) combined with Wasserstein GANs (WGANs) with gradient penalty (WGANs-GP) are adopted in the impulse modeling, where a multi-layer perceptron and a convolutional neural network are employed for the discriminator and generator, respectively. As for the impulse amplitude sequence and interval sequence modeling, similar CGANs combined with WGANs-GP are adopted, where recurrent neural networks are employed for both the generator and discriminator. A large amount of measured individual jumping loads are utilized in training GANs to ensure the generated samples can simulate the real ones well. After training, the individual jumping loads are simulated by connecting the generated impulse samples, based on the generated impulse amplitude sequence samples and interval sequence samples. The simulated jumping loads can be used to assess the vibration performance of assembly structures, such as grandstands, concert halls, and gym floors. Moreover, the established GANs can be extended to the modeling of other stochastic dynamic excitations.
Some important results on 𝒯-Direct codes
Authors: Devi Meenakshi , Raja Durai R. S. , Kumar Ashwini , Xu Hongjun
Published: December 2020

[Formula: see text]-Direct codes are an extension to the class of linear codes having complementary duals (LCD codes). Defined over a finite field [Formula: see text], it is comprised of [Formula: see text] linear codes [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the dual with respect to [Formula: see text]. A 2-Direct code [Formula: see text] with respect to [Formula: see text] is comprised of only LCD codes: [Formula: see text]. On the contrary, two LCD codes do not set up a [Formula: see text]-Direct code in general. This paper presents some important and generalized results on [Formula: see text]-Direct codes, in that it attempts to construct [Formula: see text]-Direct codes from LCD codes. The class of [Formula: see text]-cyclic maximum rank distance (MRD) codes as having complementary duals over [Formula: see text] are generalized. Dual bases such as self-dual basis and self-dual normal basis play a crucial role in constructions. Further, construction implausibility of [Formula: see text]-Direct codes from almost self-dual bases is also dealt. Results obtained are demonstrated through examples.
Mathematical modeling and analysis of schistosomiasis transmission dynamics
Authors: Mustapha Umar T. , Musa Salihu S. , Lawan Muhammad A. , Abba Aliyu , Hincal Evren , Mohammed Musa D. , Garba Bashir D. , Yunus Rabiu B. , Adamu Shehu A. , He Daihai
Published: December 2020

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease from the family of Schistosomatidae and genus Schistosoma, which is caused by blood flukes. The disease is endemic in many countries and still a serious threat to global public health and development. In this paper, a new deterministic model is designed and analyzed qualitatively to explore the dynamics of schistosomiasis transmission in human, cattle and snail populations. Results from our mathematical analysis show that the model has a disease-free equilibrium (DFE) which is locally asymptotically stable (LAS) whenever a particular epidemiological threshold quantity, also known as basic reproduction number ([Formula: see text]) is less than unity. Further analysis shows that the model has a unique endemic equilibrium (EE) which is globally asymptotically stable whenever [Formula: see text] and unstable when [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, we adopt partial rank correlation coefficient for sensitivity analysis to reveal the most important parameters for effective control and mitigation of schistosomiasis disease in a community. Finally, we obtain some numerical results by simulating the entire dynamics of the model, which show that the infections in the compartments of each population decrease with respect to time. This further indicates that avoiding contact with infected human, cattle or infested water is vital to prevent the spread of schistosomiasis disease infection.
Extending the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways at the City Scale to Inform Future Vulnerability Assessments — The Case of Boston, Massachusetts
Authors: Lino Jayne , Rohat Guillaume , Kirshen Paul , Dao Hy
Published: December 2020

Climate change will impact cities’ infrastructure and urban dwellers, who often show differentiated capacity to cope with climate-related hazards. The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) are part of an emerging research field which uses global socioeconomic and climate scenarios, developed by the climate change research community, to explore how different socioeconomic pathways will influence future society’s ability to cope with climate change. While the SSPs have been extensively used at the global scale, their use at the local and urban scale has remained rare, as they first need to be contextualized and extended for the particular place of interest. In this study, we present and apply a method to develop multi-scale extended SSPs at the city and neighborhood scale. Using Boston, Massachusetts, as a case study, we combined scenario matching, experts’ elicitation, and participatory processes to contextualize and make the global SSPs relevant at the urban scale. We subsequently employed the extended SSPs to explore future neighborhood-level vulnerability to extreme heat under multiple plausible socioeconomic trajectories, highlighting the usefulness of extended SSPs in informing future vulnerability assessments. The large differences in outcomes hint at the enormous potential of risk reduction that social and urban planning policies could trigger in the next decades.
Beyond Uniform Equivalence between Answer-set Programs
Authors: Oetsch Johannes , Seidl Martina , Tompits Hans , Woltran Stefan
Published: December 2020

This article deals with advanced notions of equivalence between nonmonotonic logic programs under the answer-set semantics, a topic of considerable interest, because such notions form the basis for program verification and are useful for program optimisation, debugging, and modular programming. In fact, there is extensive research in answer-set programming (ASP) dealing with different notions of equivalence between programs. Prominent among these notions is
uniform equivalence
, which checks whether two programs have the same semantics when joined with an arbitrary set of facts. In this article, we study a family of more fine-grained versions of uniform equivalence, viz.
relativised uniform equivalence with projection
, which extends standard uniform equivalence in terms of two additional parameters: one for specifying the input alphabet and one for specifying the output alphabet for programs. In particular, the second parameter is used for
projecting
answer sets to a set of designated output atoms. Answer-set projection, in particular, allows to compare programs that make use of different auxiliary atoms, which is important for practical programming aspects. We introduce novel semantic characterisations for the program correspondence problems under consideration and analyse their computational complexity. In the general case, deciding these problems lies on the third level of the polynomial hierarchy. Therefore, this task cannot be efficiently reduced to propositional answer-set programs itself (under the usual complexity-theoretic assumptions). However, reductions to
quantified Boolean formulas
(QBFs) are feasible. Indeed, we provide efficient (in fact, linear-time constructible) reductions to QBFs and discuss simplifications for certain special cases. These QBF reductions yield the basis for a prototype implementation, the system cc ⊤, for deciding correspondence problems by using off-the-shelf QBF solvers. We discuss an application of cc ⊤ for verifying the correctness of solutions by students drawn from a laboratory course on logic programming and knowledge representation at the Technische Universität Wien, employing relativised uniform equivalence with projection as the underlying program correspondence notion.
Book announcement: Introduction to Multi-Armed Bandits
Authors: Slivkins Aleksandrs
Published: December 2020

"Introduction to multi-armed bandits" is a broad and accessible textbook which emphasizes connections to economics and operations research.
Electrochemical Investigation of Cu Electroplating with Supercritical CO2 Emulsion Using a Rotating Disk Electrode under High Pressure
Authors: Higuchi Kazuhito , Chang Tso-Fu Mark , Sone Masato
Published: December 2020

The electrochemical properties of Cu deposition by plating solution with supercritical CO2 emulsion (Sc-CO2-E) were investigated using a specially constructed electrochemical measuring apparatus with a rotating disk electrode operable under high pressure. Polarization characteristics were examined with and without mixing Sc-CO2-E into the CuSO4-H2SO4 electroplating solution. Further, the relationship between the limiting current density and the rotation speed of the rotating electrode, that is, Levich plot, was obtained. As a result, a significant increase in the limiting current was observed by mixing Sc-CO2-E. In addition, as a result of estimating the diffusion coefficient D
0 of Cu ion and kinematic viscosity coefficient ν of the plating solution when Sc-CO2-E was mixed from gradients of the Levich plot, it was clarified that D
0 increased more than twice and ν decreased less than 1/2 compared to before mixing Sc-CO2-E. Therefore, it was suggested that mixing to emulsify the supercritical CO2 and the plating solution can greatly enhance the transfer of Cu ions by convection. Consequently, the use of Cu electrodeposition with Sc-CO2-E should enable plating in narrow spaces where convection cannot reach the level of supply of Cu ions, which was difficult with conventional plating.
Optical Coherence Tomography of Peri-Ocular Skin Cancers: An Optical Biopsy
Authors: Bergeron Sabrina , Arthurs Bryan , Sanft Debra-Meghan , Mastromonaco Christina , Burnier Jr. Miguel N.
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging has been used as a diagnostic tool for retinal disease for several years, and OCT apparatuses are becoming increasingly powerful. However, OCT has yet to reach its full potential in ophthalmology clinics. Alike retinal layers, it has been shown that OCT is able to generate cross-sectional images of the skin and allows visualization of skin lesions in a histopathology-like manner. Objective: We aim to validate OCT as an imaging modality for peri-ocular skin cancer. Through a series of cases, we highlight findings for 3 common eyelid malignancies: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and sebaceous carcinoma. We propose an OCT image-based signature for basal cell carcinoma. Methods: This is a prospective study. Fifty-eight lesions suspicious of malignancy from 57 patients were subjected to OCT imaging prior to the surgical excision of the lesion. OCT images were analysed and scored according to previously identified OCT features. Eight representative examples are presented, highlighting the OCT patterns for each malignancy side by side to its corresponding histopathological sections. Results: Out of the 58 lesions analysed, 53 were malignant. A loss of the dermal-epidermal junction is observed in all malignant lesions. A strong link is observed between the presence of subepithelial hyporeflective nests on OCT and the diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (present in 83% of cases). Conversely, lesions of epithelial origin such as squamous cell carcinoma are most often represented on OCT by acanthosis. Two supplementary cases, one basal cell carcinoma and one sebaceous carcinoma, are provided to illustrate how OCT imaging is a valuable tool in cases where clinical observations may be unusual. Conclusions: We provide evidence supporting the use of OCT for the evaluation of peri-ocular cancers. OCT enables visualization of the skin layers in vivo, before biopsy. Our results show that certain OCT features can contribute to include or exclude a diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma. By integrating this non-invasive imaging methodology into the routine assessment of peri-ocular skin lesions, especially in health care centres where access to specialists is limited, OCT imaging can increase clinical precision, reduce delays in patient referral and enhance patient care.
Endovascular repair of mycotic aortic aneurysms confers good medium-term outcomes and aneurysmal sac resolution
Authors: Lim YT , Tay WM , Lo ZJ , Pua U , Quek LHH , Tan BP , Chandrasekar S , Tan GWL
Published: December 2020

INTRODUCTION Mycotic aortic aneurysm (MAA) is a life-threatening condition. Endovascular repair (EVAR) of aortic aneurysms has been found to be a safe and effective alternative to open repair. We aimed to present the short- to medium-term outcomes for EVAR of MAA in our cohort. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of 23 consecutive patients with MAA who underwent EVAR in our hospital from January 2008 to July 2017. RESULTS The mean age of our study population was 62 years. The mean aneurysmal size was 3.2 cm. Abdominal MAAs (n = 16, 70%) were the most common, followed by thoracic MAAs (n = 4, 17%). There was no 30-day mortality in our cohort. Endoleak (Types 1, 3, 4) was detected in 3 (13%) cases. At the one-month surveillance computed tomography aortogram, all patients had a reduction in aneurysmal size and 5 (22%) had complete aneurysmal sac resolution. 7 (30%) patients had sac resolution at six months and 8 (35%) patients, at 12 months. The overall survival was 91%, 80% and 61% at one, 12 and 60 months, respectively. CONCLUSION EVAR is a feasible and durable method for the repair of MAA, with a five-year overall survival of 61%. All patients in our study had a reduction in aneurysmal size at one month, with 65% having complete aneurysmal sac resolution by 12 months.
Two New Species of the Genus Haliclona from Korea
Authors: KIM HYUNG JUNE , KANG DONG WON
Published: December 2020

Two new marine sponges, Haliclona (Reniera) oceanus sp. nov. and Haliclona (Reniera) juckdoensis sp. nov. of the family Chalinidae were collected from Ieodo Ocean Research Station, Ulleung-do Island, Korea by SCUBA in 2016-2017. Morphologically distinct from each other, both species are assigned to the genus Haliclona subgenus Reniera. Haliclona (Reniera) oceanus sp. nov. is similar to H. (H.) ieoensis Kim et al. 2017 in shape, habitat, growth form, but it differs in color, ectosomal, choanosomal skeleton and spicule size. Haliclona (Reniera) juckdoensis sp. nov. is similar to H. (R.) hongdoensis Kang and Sim 2007 in habitat, ectosomal, choansomal skeleton but it differs in spicule size.
Two new species of Flintiella Angrisano 1995 (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Stactobiini) from northern Brazil
Authors: DE LIEGE GAMA NETO JAIME , RIBEIRO JOSÉ MOACIR FERREIRA , PASSOS MAHEDY ARAUJO BASTOS
Published: December 2020

Two new species of Flintiella Angrisano 1995 are described and illustrated from specimens collected with light traps in the states of Pará and Roraima, northern Brazil. Flintiella serrana sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species in the genus by the subgenital plate with incised apex, and two pairs of ventral processes. Flintiella triaena sp. nov. is distinctive with no clearly similar congeners and can be distinguished from all known species in the genus by the trident-like subgenital plate in ventral view. Additionally, we record the genus Flintiella for the first time in Roraima State.
Global and Regional Patterns in High Ice Water Content Conditions
Authors: Rugg Allyson , Haggerty Julie , Protat Alain
Published: December 2020

Conditions of high ice water content (HIWC; defined herein as at least 1.0 g m−3) are often found in the anvils of convective systems and can cause engine damage and/or failure in aircraft. We use ice water content (IWC) retrievals from satellite-borne radar and lidar (CloudSat and CALIOP) to provide the first analysis of global HIWC frequency using 11 years of data (2007–17). Results show that HIWC is generally present in 1%–2% of CloudSat and CALIOP IWC retrievals between flight level 270 (FL270; 27 000 ft or 8.230 km) and FL420 (42 000 ft or 12.801 km) in areas with frequent convection. Similar rates of HIWC are found over midlatitude oceans at relatively low altitudes (below FL270). Possible nonconvective mechanisms for the formation of this low-level HIWC are discussed, as are the uncertainties suggesting that the results at these low altitudes are an overestimation of the true threat of HIWC to aircraft engines. The satellite IWC retrievals are also used to validate an HIWC diagnostic tool that provides storm-scale statistics on HIWC over the contiguous United States (CONUS) during the summer convective season (May–August from 2012 to 2019). Results over the CONUS suggest that HIWC over the Great Plains is highest in June, when a point in the region is under HIWC conditions for approximately 25 h of 30 days on average. The mean area-equivalent diameters of HIWC conditions in some areas of the Great Plains exceed 350 km, and the conditions can persist for 4–5 h.
Lingual Osteoma—A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Sun Hsueh-An , Lee Wei-Ting , Hsu Heng-Jui
Published: December 2020

Osteomas are rare benign bony tumors located in the tongue area. In most cases, patients presenting with a lingual osteoma are asymptomatic but may complain of the sensation of having a foreign body. Fewer than 100 cases of lingual osteoma have been reported worldwide. Here, we present 2 cases of tongue base osteoma that were treated with excision under a laryngoscope.
You can’t always get what you want: The role of change goal importance, goal feasibility and momentary experiences for volitional personality development
Authors: Lücke Anna J , Quintus Martin , Egloff Boris , Wrzus Cornelia
Published: December 2020

Most adults want to change aspects of their personality. However, previous studies have provided mixed evidence on whether such change goals can be successfully implemented, perhaps partly due to neglecting the goals’ importance and feasibility as well as the experience of trait-relevant situations and states. This study examined associations between change goals and changes in self-reported Big Five traits assessed four times across two years in an age-heterogeneous sample of 382 adults (255 younger adults, Mage = 21.6 years; 127 older adults, Mage = 67.8 years). We assessed trait-relevant momentary situations and states in multiple waves of daily diaries over the first year ( M = 43.9 days). Perceived importance and feasibility of change goals were analysed as potentially moderating factors. Contrary to our hypotheses, the results demonstrated that neither change goals nor goal importance or feasibility were consistently associated with trait change, likely due to inconsistent associations with momentary situations and behaviours. The results suggest that wanting to change one’s traits does not necessarily lead to changes without engaging in trait-relevant situations and behaviours. These findings provide novel insights into the boundary conditions of volitional personality development.
Current developments and future directions in COPD
Authors: Mathioudakis Alexander G. , Vanfleteren Lowie E.G.W. , Lahousse Lies , Higham Andrew , Allinson James P. , Gotera Carolina , Visca Dina , Singh Dave , Spanevello Antonio
Published: December 2020

The European Respiratory Society journals publish respiratory research and policy documents of the highest quality, offering a platform for the exchange and promotion of scientific knowledge. In this article, focusing on COPD, the third leading cause of death globally, we summarise novel research highlights focusing on the disease's underlying mechanisms, epidemiology and management, with the aim to inform and inspire respiratory clinicians and researchers.
Moose genomes reveal past glacial demography and the origin of modern lineages
Authors: Dussex Nicolas , Alberti Federica , Heino Matti T. , Olsen Remi-Andre , van der Valk Tom , Ryman Nils , Laikre Linda , Ahlgren Hans , Askeyev Igor V. , Askeyev Oleg V. , Shaymuratova Dilyara N. , Askeyev Arthur O. , Döppes Doris , Friedrich Ronny , Lindauer Susanne , Rosendahl Wilfried , Aspi Jouni , Hofreiter Michael , Lidén Kerstin , Dalén Love , Díez-del-Molino David
Published: December 2020

Background

Numerous megafauna species from northern latitudes went extinct during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition as a result of climate-induced habitat changes. However, several ungulate species managed to successfully track their habitats during this period to eventually flourish and recolonise the holarctic regions. So far, the genomic impacts of these climate fluctuations on ungulates from high latitudes have been little explored. Here, we assemble ade-novogenome for the European moose (Alces alces) and analyse it together with re-sequenced nuclear genomes and ancient and modern mitogenomes from across the moose range in Eurasia and North America.

Results

We found that moose demographic history was greatly influenced by glacial cycles, with demographic responses to the Pleistocene/Holocene transition similar to other temperate ungulates. Our results further support that modern moose lineages trace their origin back to populations that inhabited distinct glacial refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Finally, we found that present day moose in Europe and North America show low to moderate inbreeding levels resulting from post-glacial bottlenecks and founder effects, but no evidence for recent inbreeding resulting from human-induced population declines.

Conclusions

Taken together, our results highlight the dynamic recent evolutionary history of the moose and provide an important resource for further genomic studies.
Distribution and prognostic value of left ventricular global longitudinal strain in elderly patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: Povlsen Jonas Agerlund , Rasmussen Vibeke Guldbrand , Vase Henrik , Jensen Kaare Troels , Terkelsen Christian Juhl , Christiansen Evald Høj , Tang Mariann , Pedersen Anders Lehmann Dahl , Poulsen Steen Hvitfeldt
Published: December 2020

Aims

The aim of present study was to examine the preoperative prevalence and distribution of impaired left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) in elderly patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and to determine the predictive value of LVGLS on survival.

Methods

We included 411 patients with symptomatic severe AS treated with TAVR during a 5-year period, where a baseline echocardiography including LVGLS assessment was available.

Results

Mean age was 80.1 ± 7.1 years and aortic valve area (AVA) index 0.4 ± 0.1 cm2. 78 patients died during a median follow-up of 762 days. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 50 ± 13% and mean LVGLS was − 14.0%. LVEF was preserved in 60% of patients, while impaired LVGLS > − 18% was seen in 75% of the patients. Previous myocardial infarction, LVEF < 50%, LVGLS > − 14%, low gradient AS (< 4.0 m/s), tricuspid regurgitant gradient > 30 mmHg were identified as significant univariate predictors of all-cause mortality. On multivariate analysis LVGLS > − 14% (HR 1.79 [1.02–3.14], p = 0.04) was identified as the only independent variable associated with all-cause mortality. Reduced survival was observed with an impaired LVGLS > − 14% in the total population (p < 0.002) but also in patients with high AS gradient with preserved LVEF. LVGLS provided incremental prognostic value with respect to clinical characteristics, AVA and LVEF (χ2 19.9, p = 0.006).

Conclusions

In patients with symptomatic AS undergoing TAVR, impaired LVGLS was highly prevalent despite preserved LVEF. LVGLS > − 14% was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, and survival was reduced if LVGLS > − 14%.