bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wasserstein autoregressive models for density time series
Authors: Zhang Chao , Kokoszka Piotr , Petersen Alexander
Published: April 2021

Data consisting of time‐indexed distributions of cross‐sectional or intraday returns have been extensively studied in finance, and provide one example in which the data atoms consist of serially dependent probability distributions. Motivated by such data, we propose an autoregressive model for density time series by exploiting the tangent space structure on the space of distributions that is induced by the Wasserstein metric. The densities themselves are not assumed to have any specific parametric form, leading to flexible forecasting of future unobserved densities. The main estimation targets in the order‐p Wasserstein autoregressive model are Wasserstein autocorrelations and the vector‐valued autoregressive parameter. We propose suitable estimators and establish their asymptotic normality, which is verified in a simulation study. The new order‐p Wasserstein autoregressive model leads to a prediction algorithm, which includes a data driven order selection procedure. Its performance is compared to existing prediction procedures via application to four financial return data sets, where a variety of metrics are used to quantify forecasting accuracy. For most metrics, the proposed model outperforms existing methods in two of the data sets, while the best empirical performance in the other two data sets is attained by existing methods based on functional transformations of the densities.
Skin microvascular function and renal hemodynamics in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Bouman Emma J. , Smits Mark M. , van Bommel Erik J. , Muskiet Marcel H. A. , Hesp Anne C. , Serné Erik H. , Joles Jaap A. , van Raalte Daniël H.
Published: April 2021

Objective

Diabetic kidney disease is a microvascular complication of diabetes. Here, we assessed the association between skin microvascular function and renal hemodynamic function in a cohort of well‐phenotyped adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods

We included 81 overweight/obese adults (age: 62 ± 8 years; BMI: 32 ± 4 kg/m2) with well‐controlled T2D and no renal impairment. Skin microvascular function was assessed by nailfold capillary density in rest and after arterial occlusion (ie, peak capillary density). Renal hemodynamic functions (ie, measured glomerular filtration rate [mGFR], effective renal blood flow [ERBF], filtration fraction [FF], and effective renal vascular resistance [ERVR]) were assessed by combined inulin and para‐aminohippurate clearances and blood pressure measurements.

Results

Skin capillary density was 45 ± 10 capillaries/mm2 at baseline and 57 ± 11 capillaries/mm2 during post‐occlusive peak; mGFR averaged 108 ± 20 ml/min. In multivariable regression analyses, positive associations between capillary density during post‐occlusive peak and mGFR (β = 0.224; p = 0.022) and ERBF (β = 0.203; p = 0.020) and a positive trend for hyperemia and mGFR (β = 0.391; p = 0.053) were observed, while a negative association for post‐occlusive capillary density with ERVR (β = −0.196; p = 0.027) was found.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that microvascular dysfunction in overweight adults with T2D is associated with lower mGFR and ERPF and higher ERVR. We hypothesize that increased renal vascular resistance may contribute to glomerular dysfunction due to impaired renal perfusion.
In vitro antifungal susceptibility patterns of Trichophytonbenhamiae complex isolates from diverse origin
Authors: Shamsizadeh Forough , Ansari Saham , Zarei Mahmoudabadi Ali , Hubka Vít , Čmoková Adéla , Guillot Jacques , Rafiei Abdollah , Zomorodian Kamiar , Nouripour‐Sisakht Sadegh , Diba Kambiz , Mohammadi Tooba , Zarrinfar Hossein , Rezaei‐Matehkolaei Ali
Published: April 2021

Background

Species from the Trichophyton benhamiae complex are mostly zoophilic dermatophytes which cause inflammatory dermatophytosis in animals and humans worldwide.

Objectives

This study was purposed to (a) to identify 169 reference and clinical dermatophyte strains from the T benhamiae complex species by molecular method and adhering to the newest taxonomy in the complex (b) to evaluate the in vitro antifungal susceptibility profile of these strains against eight common and new antifungal agents that may be used for the treatment of dermatophytosis.

Methods

All isolates, mainly originated from Europe but also from Iran, Japan and USA, were subjected to ITS‐rDNA sequencing. The in vitro antifungal susceptibility profiles of eight common and new antifungal drugs against the isolates were determined by CLSI M38‐A2 protocol and according to microdilution method.

Results

Based on the ITS‐rDNA sequencing, T benhamiae was the dominant species (n = 102), followed by T europaeum (n = 29), T erinacei (n = 23), T japonicum (n = 10), Trichophyton sp (n = 4) and T eriotrephon (n = 1). MIC ranges across all isolates were as follows: luliconazole: 0.0002–0.002 µg/ml, terbinafine: 0.008–0.125 µg/ml, efinaconazole: 0.008–0.125 µg/ml, ciclopirox olamine: 0.03–0.5 µg/ml, itraconazole: 0.06–2 µg/ml, griseofulvin: 0.25–4 µg/ml, amorolfine hydrochloride: 0.125–4 µg/ml and tavaborole: 1–16 µg/ml.

Conclusion

Luliconazole, efinaconazole and terbinafine were the most potent antifungals against T benhamiae complex isolates, regardless of the geographic locations where strains were isolated. These data might help dermatologists to develop effective therapies for successful treatment of infections due to T benhamiae complex species.
Biogeography of global drylands
Authors: Maestre Fernando T. , Benito Blas M. , Berdugo Miguel , Concostrina‐Zubiri Laura , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Eldridge David J. , Guirado Emilio , Gross Nicolas , Kéfi Sonia , Le Bagousse‐Pinguet Yoann , Ochoa‐Hueso Raúl , Soliveres Santiago
Published: April 2021

Despite their extent and socio‐ecological importance, a comprehensive biogeographical synthesis of drylands is lacking. Here we synthesize the biogeography of key organisms (vascular and nonvascular vegetation and soil microorganisms), attributes (functional traits, spatial patterns, plant–plant and plant–soil interactions) and processes (productivity and land cover) across global drylands. These areas have a long evolutionary history, are centers of diversification for many plant lineages and include important plant diversity hotspots. This diversity captures a strikingly high portion of the variation in leaf functional diversity observed globally. Part of this functional diversity is associated with the large variation in response and effect traits in the shrubs encroaching dryland grasslands. Aridity and its interplay with the traits of interacting plant species largely shape biogeographical patterns in plant–plant and plant–soil interactions, and in plant spatial patterns. Aridity also drives the composition of biocrust communities and vegetation productivity, which shows large geographical variation. We finish our review by discussing major research gaps, which include: studying regular vegetation spatial patterns; establishing large‐scale plant and biocrust field surveys assessing individual‐level trait measurements; knowing whether the impacts of plant–plant and plant–soil interactions on biodiversity are predictable; and assessing how elevated CO2modulates future aridity conditions and plant productivity.
Functional morphology of plants – a key to biomimetic applications
Authors: Speck Olga , Speck Thomas
Published: April 2021

Learning from living organisms has emerged from a mainly curiosity‐driven examination, where helpful functions of biological structures have been copied, into systematic biomimetic approaches that transfer a targeted function and its underlying principles from the biological model to a technical product. Plant biomimetics is based on functional morphology, which combines the knowledge gained from the morphology, anatomy and mechanics of plants and makes a statement about their form–structure–function relationship. Since the functional morphology of plants has become key to biomimetic applications, we present its central role in deciphering the functional principles that can be applied to engineering solutions. We consider that the future of biomimetics will include bioinspired developments that will contribute to better sustainability than that achieved by conventional products.
Repressors of anthocyanin biosynthesis
Authors: LaFountain Amy M. , Yuan Yao‐Wu
Published: April 2021

Anthocyanins play a variety of adaptive roles in both vegetative tissues and reproductive organs of plants. The broad functionality of these compounds requires sophisticated regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway to allow proper localization, timing, and optimal intensity of pigment deposition. While it is well‐established that the committed steps of anthocyanin biosynthesis are activated by a highly conserved MYB‐bHLH‐WDR (MBW) protein complex in virtually all flowering plants, anthocyanin repression seems to be achieved by a wide variety of protein and small RNA families that function in different tissue types and in response to different developmental, environmental, and hormonal cues. In this review, we survey recent progress in the identification of anthocyanin repressors and the characterization of their molecular mechanisms. We find that these seemingly very different repression modules act through a remarkably similar logic, the so‐called ‘double‐negative logic’. Much of the double‐negative regulation of anthocyanin production involves signal‐induced degradation or sequestration of the repressors from the MBW protein complex. We discuss the functional and evolutionary advantages of this logic design compared with simple or sequential positive regulation. These advantages provide a plausible explanation as to why plants have evolved so many anthocyanin repressors.
A transcriptional regulatory module controls lipid accumulation in soybean
Authors: Lu Long , Wei Wei , Li Qing‐Tian , Bian Xiao‐Hua , Lu Xiang , Hu Yang , Cheng Tong , Wang Zhou‐Ya , Jin Meng , Tao Jian‐Jun , Yin Cui‐Cui , He Si‐Jie , Man Wei‐Qun , Li Wei , Lai Yong‐Cai , Zhang Wan‐Ke , Chen Shou‐Yi , Zhang Jin‐Song
Published: April 2021

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most important oilseed crops. However, the regulatory mechanism that governs the process of oil accumulation in soybean remains poorly understood.

In this study, GmZF392, a tandem CCCH zinc finger (TZF) protein which was identified in our previous RNA‐seq analysis of seed‐preferred transcription factors, was found to function as a positive regulator of lipid production.

GmZF392 promotes seed oil accumulation in both transgenic Arabidopsis and stable transgenic soybean plants by binding to a bipartite cis‐element, containing TG‐ and TA‐rich sequences, in promoter regions, activating the expression of genes in the lipid biosynthesis pathway. GmZF392 physically interacts with GmZF351, our previously identified transcriptional regulator of lipid biosynthesis, to synergistically promote downstream gene expression. Both GmZF392 and GmZF351 are further upregulated by GmNFYA, another transcription factor involved in lipid biosynthesis, directly (in the former case) and indirectly (in the latter case). Promoter sequence diversity analysis showed that the GmZF392 promoter may have been selected at the origin of the Glycine genus and further mildly selected during domestication from wild soybeans to cultivated soybeans.

Our study reveals a regulatory module containing three transcription factors in the lipid biosynthesis pathway, and manipulation of the module may improve oil production in soybean and other oilseed crops.
BRASSINOSTEROID‐SIGNALING KINASE 1 phosphorylating CALCIUM/CALMODULIN‐DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE functions in drought tolerance in maize
Authors: Liu Lei , Xiang Yang , Yan Jingwei , Di Pengcheng , Li Jing , Sun Xiujuan , Han Gaoqiang , Ni Lan , Jiang Mingyi , Yuan Jianhua , Zhang Aying
Published: April 2021

Drought stress seriously limits crop productivity. Although studies have been carried out, it is still largely unknown how plants respond to drought stress. Here we find that drought treatment can enhance the phosphorylation activity of brassinosteroid‐signaling kinase 1 (ZmBSK1) in maize (Zea mays).

Our genetic studies reveal that ZmBSK1 positively affects drought tolerance in maize plants. ZmBSK1 localizes in plasma membrane, interacts with calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM)‐dependent protein kinase (ZmCCaMK), and phosphorylates ZmCCaMK. Ser‐67 is a crucial phosphorylation site of ZmCCaMK by ZmBSK1.

Drought stress enhances not only the interaction between ZmBSK1 and ZmCCaMK but also the phosphorylation of Ser‐67 in ZmCCaMK by ZmBSK1. Furthermore, Ser‐67 phosphorylation in ZmCCaMK regulates its Ca2+/CaM binding, autophosphorylation and transphosphorylation activity, and positively affects its function in drought tolerance in maize.

Our results reveal an important role for ZmBSK1 in drought tolerance and suggest a direct regulatory mode of ZmBSK1 phosphorylating ZmCCaMK.
Can combining two environmental services under a single PES program result in better environmental outcomes and lower costs?
Authors: Ranjan Ram
Published: April 2021

This paper develops an integrated framework for modeling payment for ecosystem services (PES) mechanisms that deliver multiple environmental services. Specifically, under a community‐led PES, forest conservation is promoted to deliver carbon and stream water benefits. The upstream community is paid for avoided fuelwood harvesting through a United Nations programme on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) program, whereas additional income is generated from water sales to the downstream communities. A bio‐economic model derives optimal level of fuelwood harvesting, which in conjunction with the changing species composition of forests, streamflow hydrology and fire risks, impacts on the carbon and water generation potential of the PES project. Results indicate that forest conservation outcomes are better when water and carbon services are combined, however overall cost to the program is lower under a carbon‐based PES. Changing species composition of forests creates tradeoffs between water and carbon benefits. Forest fires further challenge the viability of PES schemes through reducing streamflow and carbon sequestration potential.

Recommendations for Resource Managers

Linking two or more environmental services under a single payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme could improve forest conservation through making it more attractive to the participating communities.

PES programs that combine multiple environmental services become economically attractive to participating communities through increasing their incomes. For instance, water and carbon driven services complement each other due to the overlapping benefits from improving forest biomass.

However, fire risks can lower the benefits from PES and dissuade community participation.

Similarly, the ecological and hydrological dimensions of PES projects that offer carbon and water benefits need to be understood and incorporated within PES framework design to enhance their durability.

Conservation of mixed forests is more responsive to water‐based PES payments, in comparison to monoculture oak forests, however, mixed forests are also more vulnerable to degradation in absence of cooking fuel subsidies.
Allopurinol for fibromyalgia pain in adults: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Fagundes Aécio C. , de Oliveira Enderson D. , Ferrari Samira G. , dos Santos Lúcia M. M. , Botelho Leonardo M. , Schmidt Sérgio R. G. , Andrade Cristiano F. , Lara Diogo R. , Souza Diogo O. , Schmidt André P.
Published: April 2021

Background

Allopurinol is a potent inhibitor of the enzyme xanthine oxidase used in the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. Because it is well known that purines exert multiple affects on pain transmission, we hypothesized that the inhibition of xanthine oxidase by allopurinol could be a valid strategy to treat pain in humans. This study aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of oral allopurinol versus placebo as an adjuvant therapy in patients displaying fibromyalgia.

Methods

This randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled study included 60 women with the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either oral allopurinol 300 mg (n = 31) or placebo (n = 29) twice daily during 30 days. The patients were submitted to evaluation for pain sensitivity, anxiety, depression, and functional status before treatment, and 15 and 30 days thereafter.

Results

Oral administration of allopurinol 300 mg twice daily was ineffective in improving pain scores measured by several tools up to 30 days of treatment (P > 0.05). Additionally, no significant effects of allopurinol over anxiety, depressive symptoms, and functional status of fibromyalgia patients were observed in the present study.

Conclusions

Although previous findings indicated that allopurinol could present intrinsic analgesic effects in both animals and humans, this study showed no benefit of the use of oral allopurinol as an adjuvant strategy during 30 days in women displaying fibromyalgia. However, considering previous promising results, new prospective studies are still valid to further investigate allopurinol and more selective purine derivatives in the management of pain syndromes.
Burnout, professional fulfillment, and post‐traumatic stress among pediatric solid organ transplant teams
Authors: Cousino Melissa K. , Bogle Carmel , Lim Heang M. , McCormick Amanda D. , Sturza Julie , Fredericks Emily M. , Magee John C. , Blume Elizabeth D.
Published: April 2021

Background

Adverse effects of clinician burnout have been studied across multiple specialties; however, there have been no studies examining rates of burnout among pediatric solid organ transplant teams. This study aimed to measure burnout, work exhaustion, professional fulfillment, and post‐traumatic stress symptoms among clinicians and administrators practicing in this high‐stress field.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study utilized a 50 item web‐based survey that included the Personal Fulfillment Index and the IES‐R. This survey was distributed across four pediatric solid organ transplant centers in North America. Basic demographics, clinician characteristics, and information regarding wellness and self‐care activities were collected. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed.

Results

One hundred and thirty five participants completed the survey, 76% were female and 78% were Caucasian. One‐third (34%) of participants endorsed burnout, while 43% reported professional fulfillment. Approximately 15% of respondents endorsed clinically significant levels of post‐traumatic stress symptoms related to patient deaths, with female clinicians more likely to endorse symptoms (p = .01). Nearly 80% of participants reported engaging in self‐care activities outside of work and only 10% of participants reported participation in hospital‐sponsored wellness programs.

Conclusions

Pediatric solid organ transplant team members exhibited moderate levels of burnout, professional fulfillment, and post‐traumatic stress. Female clinicians were the most likely to experience both work exhaustion and post‐traumatic stress symptoms. Transplant centers are encouraged to consider interventions and programming to improve clinician wellness.
The Question of Iterated Causation
Authors: Kovacs David Mark
Published: April 2021

This paper is about what I call the Question of Iterated Causation (QIC): for any instance of causation in which c1…ckcause effect e, what are the causes of c1…ck’s causing of e? In short: what causes instances of causation or, as I will refer to these instances, the “causal goings‐on”? A natural response (which I call “dismissivism”) is that this is a bad question because causal goings‐on aren’t apt to be caused. After rebutting several versions of dismissivism, I consider the view that QIC, though not illegitimate, is easy to answer: the causal goings‐on are apt to be caused but are plainly uncaused (“brutism”). However, I will argue that brutism too has a serious problem: namely, it leads to a highly implausible kind of armchair indeterminism. Next I consider some substantive candidate answers to QIC, none of which, I argue, is particularly promising. The paper’s final conclusion is twofold: QIC is at least as difficult as the more well‐known Question of Iterated Grounding; moreover, the largely overlooked regress problem that it raises gives us at least some defeasible reason to avoid causation in theory‐building.
Less is More? The Strategic Role of Retailer's Capacity
Authors: Tan Yinliang (Ricky) , Xiong Yan , Gao Haibing , Li Xi , Zhao Huazhong
Published: April 2021

Retailers are often short on capacity, so a logical assumption would be that retailers could improve their profits by acquiring more. In this study, we show that this is not necessarily true, because retailer's capacity has a strategic role in channel distribution. Specifically, we consider a setting with multiple suppliers and a common retailer. Our analysis reveals that, first, when the retailer's capacity is limited, its suppliers will compete head‐to‐head for the retailer's capacity, thereby driving down the equilibrium wholesale prices. Second, when the number of suppliers is large, the retailer finds it optimal to limit its own capacity to induce fierce competition among the suppliers. The result also holds when the suppliers and the retailer are contracted through two‐part tariffs. Third, when capacity is scarce, the retailer prefers two‐part tariffs to wholesale prices, while the suppliers prefer wholesale prices to two‐part tariffs. This is because two‐part tariffs enhance the retailer's capacity allocation power, which is translated into retailer profit. Nonetheless, when suppliers can freely choose between two‐part tariffs and wholesale prices, they always choose two‐part tariffs, leading to a form of prisoner's dilemma. We also demonstrate the robustness of our findings by considering substitutable and complementary products, exclusive contracts, and positive capacity cost. Our results underscore the importance of considering the retailer's capacity in channel management.
Beyond Repositioning: Crowd‐Sourcing and Geo‐Fencing for Shared‐Mobility Systems
Authors: He Qiao‐Chu , Nie Tiantian , Yang Yun , Shen Zuo‐Jun
Published: April 2021

In this study, we propose an integrated model of two‐sided stochastic matching platforms to understand the design and operations of free‐float shared‐mobility systems. In particular, we address the joint design of incentives (via “crowd‐sourcing”) and spatial capacity allocations (enabled by “geo‐fencing”). From the platform's perspective, we formulate stylized models based on strategic double‐ended queues. We optimize the design and operations of such systems in a case study using a data set from a leading free‐float bicycle‐sharing system, and solve it via mixed‐integer second‐order conic programs (SOCPs). Both stylized results and computational studies generate insights about fundamental trade‐offs and triangular relationships among operational costs, capacity utilization rates and service levels. Interestingly, we identify the role of spatial capacity (parking) management to fine‐tune the market thickness (transient service availability) in such a two‐sided marketplace. We show that a “capacity‐dependent approximation” can be very close to optimality, and outperforms policies ignoring capacity management. We also demonstrate that this framework can be operationalized in multiple directions, which generates insights concerning matching efficiency, performance comparison between crowd‐sourcing and repositioning, strategic server behaviors and network externalities. Our insights guide the platform and the policy‐maker to embrace “crowd‐sourcing” and “geo‐fencing” technologies for shared‐mobility systems.
The Law: “If Men Were Angels”: The Legal Dynamics of Overseeing the Executive Branch
Authors: Selin Jennifer L. , Milazzo Caylie
Published: April 2021

One of the fundamental principles of American governance is that each branch of government has the necessary constitutional means and motives to resist the encroachment of the other branches. Oversight is an important part of this system. In this article, we identify the legal principles that govern legislative and judicial oversight of the executive branch. These legal parameters of oversight influence informal negotiations between the branches over executive information and have important consequences for the exercise of executive power.
What is a Good Calibration Question?
Authors: Hemming Victoria , Hanea Anca M. , Burgman Mark A.
Published: April 2021

Weighted aggregation of expert judgments based on their performance on calibration questions may improve mathematically aggregated judgments relative to equal weights. However, obtaining validated, relevant calibration questions can be difficult. If so, should analysts settle for equal weights? Or should they use calibration questions that are easier to obtain but less relevant? In this article, we examine what happens to the out‐of‐sample performance of weighted aggregations of the classical model (CM) compared to equal weighted aggregations when the set of calibration questions includes many so‐called “irrelevant” questions, those that might ordinarily be considered to be outside the domain of the questions of interest. We find that performance weighted aggregations outperform equal weights on the combined CM score, but not on statistical accuracy (i.e., calibration). Importantly, there was no appreciable difference in performance when weights were developed on relevant versus irrelevant questions. Experts were unable to adapt their knowledge across vastly different domains, and in‐sample validation did not accurately predict out‐of‐sample performance on irrelevant questions. We suggest that if relevant calibration questions cannot be found, then analysts should use equal weights, and draw on alternative techniques to improve judgments. Our study also indicates limits to the predictive accuracy of performance weighted aggregation, and the degree to which expertise can be adapted across domains. We note limitations in our study and urge further research into the effect of question type on the reliability of performance weighted aggregations.
Plutonium Disposition: Using and Explaining Complex Risk‐Related Methods
Authors: Greenberg Michael , Cox Louis Anthony
Published: April 2021

Applying risk assessment and management tools to plutonium disposition is a long‐standing challenge for the U.S. government. The science is complicated, which has helped push risk assessment and management tools in new creative directions. Yet, communicating effectively about increasingly complicated risk‐science issues like plutonium disposition requires careful planning and speakers who can address why specific tools are selected, the past record of applying these tools, why assumptions sometimes are applied instead of reliable data, and how uncertainty is characterized. Speakers addressing risk issues must also overcome obstacles in communication arising from expert–audience differences in knowledge and legal restrictions on disclosing information. This perspective seeks to highlight and illustrate five key risk questions, about probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and performance assessment (PA) in the context of managing plutonium defense nuclear waste: objectives, experience, gaps, transparency, and difficulty of applying and communicating using each tool. While the general public needs to be involved, some issues require a level of expertise that is typically beyond local communities and therefore an expert panel should support community access.
The Role of Budget Constraints in Sequential Elimination Tournaments*
Authors: Arve Malin , Chiappinelli Olga
Published: April 2021

We study how budget constraints affect effort provision in sequential elimination tournaments. Our main result is that the introduction of budget constraints has two opposing effects on the initial effort of the unconstrained contestants, and leads to a non‐monotonicity of this effort. This implies that if the budget asymmetry is not too large, total first‐stage effort from unconstrained contestants is larger than in the case with unconstrained contestants only. We also provide evidence that total first‐stage effort and total effort from unconstrained contestants might be larger in an asymmetric contest.
Site‐specific features of active muscle stiffness and proximal aponeurosis strain in biceps femoris long head
Authors: Miyamoto Naokazu , Hirata Kosuke
Published: April 2021

Limited information is available on site‐specific features of muscle stiffness and aponeurosis strain of the biceps femoris long head (BFlh) during contractions. Therefore, understanding of the mechanics and etiology of hamstring strain injuries remains difficult. As a first step to gain further insight into them, the present study aimed to identify whether active muscle stiffness and proximal aponeurosis strain during contractions are varied along the long axis of the BFlh. The BFlh muscle shear wave speed (proxy for stiffness) was measured in the proximal, central, and distal sites during 20%, 50%, and 80% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) of knee flexion exerted with the hip and knee joints flexed at 40° and 30°, respectively, using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Further, a segmental strain of the BFlh proximal aponeurosis was assessed in the proximal, central, and distal sites during isometric knee flexion, using B‐mode ultrasonography. The shear wave speed was significantly higher in the distal site than the proximal and central sites at 20% MVC (p ≤ .002, with a large effect size), whereas no significant difference was found between the three sites at 50% and 80% MVC. The BFlh proximal aponeurosis strain showed no significant difference between the proximal, central, and distal sites at any contraction intensity. These findings indicate that site‐specific differences in muscle stiffness and proximal aponeurosis strain are substantially small and that muscle stiffness and proximal aponeurosis strain of the BFlh at moderate‐to‐high contraction intensity is not exceptional in the site where a sprinting‐type hamstring strain typically occurs.
Dying to be (A)Gendered: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Trans/Nonbinary People’s Experiences with Eating Disorders
Authors: zamantakis alithia , Lackey Dresden
Published: April 2021

Recent studies have found trans individuals to experience high rates of eating disorders. Prior studies have mixed findings of eating disorder rates of trans/nonbinary people with eating disorders. Recent and prior studies, though, have primarily originated within Public Health and Psychology, with little to no research examining trans/nonbinary people’s experiences with eating disorders in the field of Sociology. As such, we analyzed 16 blogs and vlogs (video blogs) of trans/nonbinary people speaking and/or writing about the onset of their eating disorders, reasons for development of eating disorders, and experiences in accessing treatment. Content analysis of these blogs and vlogs serve as an exploratory analysis to provide suggestions for future research, including: institutional cisnormativity in eating disorder treatment, the use of eating disorders as a way of coping with the anxieties of doing gender in a binary society, and the relations of body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria.
Accuracy of health‐related quality of life in identifying systolic dysfunction in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ávila Matheus Ribeiro , Figueiredo Pedro Henrique Scheidt , Lima Vanessa Pereira , Silva Whesley Tanor , Vianna Marcus Vinícius Accetta , Fernandes Laís Helena Carvalho , de Azevedo Alda Cristina Alves , Lima Márcia Maria Oliveira , de Carvalho Bastone Alessandra , do Carmo Pereira Nunes Maria , Mediano Mauro Felippe Felix , da Costa Rocha Manoel Otávio , Costa Henrique Silveira
Published: April 2021

Objective

Systolic dysfunction is a well‐established marker of mortality in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC). However, its diagnosis is expensive and useful tools for screening these patients are required. The evaluation of the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) detects the patient’s perception of the disease’s impact. However, its accuracy in identifying patients with CC and systolic dysfunction is unknown. The study aimed to verify the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the physical and mental components related to HRQoL in identifying patients with CC and systolic dysfunction.

Methods

75 patients with CC, aged 49 (95% confidence interval: 47–51) years, were evaluated by echocardiography and Short‐Form of Health Survey (SF‐36) questionnaire. Systolic dysfunction was defined by left ventricular ejection fraction <52% for men and <54% for women and left ventricular diastolic diameter >55 mm.

Results

Most patients (73%) had systolic dysfunction, with lower HRQoL values in the physical functioning, physical role functioning and general health perceptions domains and in the physical component summary. The accuracy of identifying patients with systolic dysfunction by the scores of physical components was 73% and 62% of mental components. The optimal cut‐off point was 46 for physical and 54 for mental components, with respective positive predictive values of 91% and 80%.

Conclusion

The evaluation of the HRQoL by the SF‐36, a low‐cost instrument, can be useful in identifying patients with systolic dysfunction, assisting in the screening and risk stratification of patients.
Overlapping and stress‐specific transcriptomic and hormonal responses to flooding and drought in soybean
Authors: Tamang Bishal G. , Li Song , Rajasundaram Dhivyaa , Lamichhane Suman , Fukao Takeshi
Published: April 2021

Flooding and drought are serious constraints that reduce crop productivity worldwide. Previous studies identified genes conferring tolerance to both water extremes in various plants. However, overlapping responses to flooding and drought at the genome‐scale remain obscure. Here, we defined overlapping and stress‐specific transcriptomic and hormonal responses to submergence, drought and recovery from these stresses in soybean (Glycine max). We performed comparative RNA‐sequencing and hormone profiling, identifying genes, hormones and biological processes that are differentially regulated in an overlapping or stress‐specific manner. Overlapping responses included positive regulation of trehalose and sucrose metabolism and negative regulation of cellulose, tubulin, photosystem II and I, and chlorophyll biosynthesis, facilitating the economization of energy reserves under both submergence and drought. Additional energy‐consuming pathways were restricted in a stress‐specific manner. Downregulation of distinct pathways for energy saving under each stress suggests energy‐consuming processes that are relatively unnecessary for each stress adaptation are turned down. Our newly developed transcriptomic‐response analysis revealed that abscisic acid and ethylene responses were activated in common under both stresses, whereas stimulated auxin response was submergence‐specific. The energy‐saving strategy is the key overlapping mechanism that underpins adaptation to both submergence and drought in soybean. Abscisic acid and ethylene are candidate hormones that coordinate transcriptomic energy‐saving processes under both stresses. Auxin may be a signaling component that distinguishes submergence‐specific regulation of the stress response.
Comparison of Model Predictive Control and Distance Constrained-Adaptive Concurrent Dynamic Programming Algorithms for Extended Range Electric Vehicle Optimal Energy Management
Authors: Kalia Aman V. , Fabien Brian C.
Published: April 2021

Intelligent energy management of hybrid electric vehicles is feasible with a priori information of route and driving conditions. Model predictive control (MPC) with finite horizon road grade preview has been proposed as a viable predictive energy management approach. We propose that our novel distance constrained-adaptive concurrent dynamic programming (DC-ACDP) approach can provide better energy management than MPC without any road grade information in context of an extended range electric vehicle (EREV). In this article, we have evaluated and compared the MPC and DC-ACDP energy management strategies for a real-world driving scenario. The simulations were conducted for a 160 km drive with road grade variation between +4% and –1%. Results show that the DC-ACDP approach is near-optimal and improves overall energy consumption by a maximum of 4.25%, in comparison to the simple MPC with a finite horizon road grade preview implementation. Additionally, a higher value for energy storage system state of charge (SOC) tracking penalty p2 results in the net energy consumption for MPC to converge toward that of DC-ACDP. A combination of the MPC and DC-ACDP approach is also evaluated with only 1.25% maximum improvement over simple MPC.
Flow Past Spherical Pipeline Inspection Gadgets in an Automated Launching System
Authors: Sekaran Aarthi , Stratton Will
Published: April 2021

Pipeline inspection gadgets (PIGs) are routinely used in pipeline maintenance, cleaning, and inspection. A fundamental understanding of the fluid flow around the PIG and consequently its impact on the operation is however still lacking. The surrounding flow and the dynamics of the PIG vary significantly based on the PIG shape and orientation to flow. Previous studies of PIG motion typically employed empirical experimental or reduced numerical data to extrapolate PIG velocities and pressure drops along the pipeline—while this could resolve issues specific to the case being studied, it does not go very far in developing an overall understanding of the dynamics of the system. Our study aims at analyzing a range of configurations for spherical PIGs in a natural gas pipeline to analyze flow patterns around them and determine their impact on PIG motion. Given the nature of the automated launcher analyzed, we carry out unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) simulations of a section of the launcher assembly, including the PIG in its initial position, at different field operating conditions. We simulate this setup for both single and multiple PIGs to determine alterations in the flow for a given launch sequence and outline the limitations of the setup. We then use the results from these simulations to determine the optimum configuration for a successful launch.
Near-Wall Velocimetry in the Impingement-Zones of a Microdroplet and a Round Jet Stream
Authors: Kanjirakat Anoop , Sadr Reza , Alvarado Jorge
Published: April 2021

Near-wall fluid velocimetry in the impingement zone of a microdroplet stream on a flat surface is reported utilizing microparticle tracking velocimetry (μPTV). The results are then compared with the near-wall fluid velocimetry in the impingement region of a steady microjet stream. The presence of tracer particles in the fluid results in a small random movement of the droplets away from the orifice axis, causing a change in the location of the droplet impingement center. A new method to find the center of impingement is described, and an algorithm is developed to obtain the radial velocities in the impingement zone at three out-of-plane heights of 2, 7, and 10 ± 2 μm from the wall. Single-frame double-exposed images of low loading fluorescent tracer particles are used for the experiments. As the impingement frequency of the droplet stream is much higher than the image-capturing rate of the camera, each double-exposed image corresponds to a random instance within the impingement period of the droplets. The presented results show the occurrence of a higher normalized root-mean-square along with positive skewness of the measured radial velocity values for the droplet stream. These indicate higher velocity fluctuations or fluid mixing characteristics induced by the droplet-crown propagation for the droplet stream when compared to that of a jet stream. The near-wall velocity measurements support previously reported observations of the enhanced convection heat transfer characteristics for a droplet stream case.
Automated Structural Design Based on Expert’s Knowledge and Fuzzy Control
Authors: Yagawa Genki , Mochizuki Yoshihiko , Yoshimura Shinobu
Published: April 2021

This paper describes an application of both expert’s knowledge and fuzzy control to the automated design of structures subjected to coupled phenomena such as structural deformation, fracture, heat conduction and so on.

As a basic strategy of designing structures considering coupled phenomena, the “generate and test” strategy is generally adopted because of its simplicity and broad applicability. Although expert’s knowledge is often utilized as one of design modification techniques in the strategy, it is not so good at quantitative modification. Then a fuzzy control technique is introduced in the present study to improve its ability of quantitative design modification.

A two-dimensional model of the fusion first wall with a cooling channel is designed to demonstrate effectiveness of the present technique.
An Intelligent Knowledge Based Approach to Support Engineering Design Practice
Authors: Chern Jyh-Huei
Published: April 2021

Today, engineering designs are tackling projects of increasing complexity and cost. The constraints are getting more complex, there are new materials and processes to exploit and stricter regulations and legal requirements to satisfy. Making products more quickly and efficiently is even more important in these times of increasing economic competition. Over recent years, use of computer tools in the design-analysis-manufacture stages has led to decreased lead times and reduced product costs. In particular, in the engineering design process, it has become clear that more extensive computer based support tools would result in greater gains. These include tools that help the designer maintain consistency in the design representation, help in documentation of information such as design intent, perform knowledge based manufacturing analysis and help in the generation of intelligent manufacturing plans. Progress has been made in the representation of design entities, as can be seen, for example, in geometric modeling. However, as this article point out, the techniques and methodologies underlying current Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems are an insufficient basis for realizing automation of the engineering design process. This article proposes that an integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques with geometric modeling systems can better meet the requirements of Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) design practice.
An Opportunistic Approach to Conceptual Design
Authors: Shanmugavelu Ilango , Esterline Albert , Riley Donald R. , Erdman Arthur G.
Published: April 2021

This paper addresses automation of the conceptual design stage of the overall design process, the stage that contributes the most to the cost and quality of the final product. An opportunistic constraint-based approach to conceptual design is proposed here. This approach combines some important aspects of the constraint-based transformational approach (for strongly connected systems) with aspects of the decompositional approach (for weakly connected systems) through the ability to change focus from one component to another depending on the available information and the ability to refine constraint networks hierarchically. Thus this approach enables one to address problems, such as linkage synthesis, that fall between strongly connected systems and weakly connected systems. Here design problem solving is basically viewed as an instance of the constraint satisfaction problem. Constraints are represented using hypergraphs and are manipulated through hypergraph grammars. The design strategy proposed here includes techniques to reorder the domain of a variable, to select the free choices of variables in an under-constrained system, and to select the “generator” set of constraints in an over-constrained system. A classification of constraints along with representation and reasoning guidelines is presented as a step toward implementing our approach in a way that exploits the nature of different types of constraints. An application is being developed in the linkage synthesis domain to demonstrate and validate the proposed approach.
Data Filtration and Distributed Computer Architecture for Expert Systems
Authors: Trovato Stephen A. , Touchton Robert A.
Published: April 2021

The timely recognition and accurate classification of emergency situations is an important task for nuclear plant operators. The Reactor Emergency Action Level Monitor (REALM) expert system was developed to provide advice to operators during emergency situations. A technique for filtering plant sensor data was developed for REALM and is broadly applicable to power plant monitoring tasks. Innovative computer architecture and verification and validation methods were developed during a research program to implement REALM at Con Edison’s Indian Point 2 nuclear plant.
A PHIGS+ Model Rendering System for Simulation of Spatial Mechanisms
Authors: Montgomery David E. , Keil Mitchel J. , Myklebust Arvid
Published: April 2021

A device independent system is described for the visualization, modeling, and animation of spatial mechanisms and robots. New ideas and methods are presented to simplify the interactive specification of scene rendering and color parameters using the ISO standard for 3-D graphics, the Programmer’s Hierarchical Interactive Graphic System (PHIGS) and its extensions PHIGS+.

The parallels between the PHIGS hierarchical structure and spatial mechanism modeling are described from the level of mechanism through links, joints, geometry primitives to PHIGS graphics primitives.

Perception and evaluation of spatial mechanism designs are significantly improved by the use of shaded, lighted, depth cued models under animation. The method is coupled to new algorithms for automatic interference detection and reshaping of mechanism links to avoid collisions.

The suitability of PHIGS+ for the modeling and simulation of open loop mechanisms is also described. Examples are presented for rendering and animation of spatial mechanisms on a Raster Technologies (Alliant) GX4000 workstation with a hardware based PHIGS+ graphics subsystem, UNIX, NeWS, and C.
Simulation of Range-Finding Devices by Geometric Modelling
Authors: Yao H. , Dong Z. , Podhorodeski R.
Published: April 2021

The development and testing of object recognition algorithms for range-finding devices requires range-data for a wide variety of scene objects and environments, and further requires an appreciation of the accuracy associated with range-data. A method for generating pseudo (simulated) range-data, based on geometric scene models and modified z-buffer algorithm, is presented in this work. The method provides a versatile and flexible tool for research on 3-D object recognition. Initial investigation of the accuracy associated with range-finding devices is considered. An analytical model for a range-finding device is developed using a homogeneous matrix representation. Differentiation of the resulting object position coordinates is utilized to examine the error in the object position coordinates resulting from relevant device mechanism inaccuracies.