bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Gain‐of‐Function Variant in Dopamine D2 Receptor and Progressive Chorea and Dystonia Phenotype
Authors: van der Weijden Marlous C.M. , Rodriguez‐Contreras Dayana , Delnooz Cathérine C.S. , Robinson Brooks G. , Condon Alec F. , Kielhold Michelle L. , Stormezand Gilles N. , Ma Kai Yu , Dufke Claudia , Williams John T. , Neve Kim A. , Tijssen Marina A.J. , Verbeek Dineke S.
Published: November 2020

Background

We describe a 4‐generation Dutch pedigree with a unique dominantly inherited clinical phenotype of a combined progressive chorea and cervical dystonia carrying a novel heterozygous dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) variant.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to identify the genetic cause of the disease and to further investigate the functional consequences of the genetic variant.

Methods

After detailed clinical and neurological examination, whole‐exome sequencing was performed. Because a novel variant in the DRD2 gene was found as the likely causative gene defect in our pedigree, we sequenced the DRD2 gene in a cohort of 121 Huntington‐like cases with unknown genetic cause (Germany). Moreover, functional characterization of the DRD2 variant included arrestin recruitment, G protein activation, and G protein‐mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase determined in a cell model, and G protein‐regulated inward‐rectifying potassium channels measured in midbrain slices of mice.

Result

We identified a novel heterozygous variant c.634A > T, p.Ile212Phe in exon 5 of DRD2 that cosegregated with the clinical phenotype. Screening of the German cohort did not reveal additional putative disease‐causing variants. We demonstrated that the D2S/L‐I212F receptor exhibited increased agonist potency and constitutive activation of G proteins in human embryonic kidney 239 cells as well as significantly reduced arrestin3 recruitment. We further showed that the D2S‐I212F receptor exhibited aberrant receptor function in mouse midbrain slices.

Conclusions

Our results support an association between the novel p.Ile212Phe variant in DRD2, its modified D2 receptor activity, and the hyperkinetic movement disorder reported in the 4‐generation pedigree. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Determination of a physically correct fractional‐order model for electrolytic computer‐grade capacitors
Authors: Cruz‐Duarte Jorge M. , Guía‐Calderón Manuel , Rosales‐García J. Juan , Correa Rodrigo
Published: November 2020

Electrolytic computer‐grade capacitors (ECGCs) are vastly implemented in energy storage systems. However, their models are not accurate and simple as other kinds of capacitors. For example, ECGCs and supercapacitors share many characteristics but have some differences because of their physicochemical properties, so it is wrong to assume their electrical behaviour is equivalent. In this work, we study the discharging response of ECGCs using four models obtained from fractional differential equations (FDEs) with integer initial conditions and causal fractional definitions, that is, Caputo and conformable operators. We also recall a correct procedure to achieve models from FDEs with physical consistency of units and avoiding additional and senseless constants. Thence, we perform a fitting procedure over an experimental dataset from six ECGCs via a hybrid solving procedure powered by the cuckoo search algorithm and interior‐point algorithm. Our results show that models based on the traditional ordinary differential equation give the worst description of discharge, while models containing the Mittag–Leffler function, with time to the power of fractional order as the argument, render the best description of ECGCs.
Chlorogenic Acid Alleviates Hyperglycemia‐Induced Cardiac Fibrosis through Activation of the NO/cGMP/PKG Pathway in Cardiac Fibroblasts
Authors: Qin Linhui , Zang Mingxi , Xu Yan , Zhao Rongrong , Wang Yating , Mi Yang , Mei Yingwu
Published: November 2020

Scope

Hyperglycemia‐induced cardiac fibrosis is one of the main causes of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DM). Chlorogenic acid (CGA) found in many foods has excellent hypoglycemic effectiveness, but it is not known whether CGA can improve DM by inhibiting cardiac fibrosis caused by hyperglycemia.

Methods and Results

Type I diabetic mice are induced by streptozotocin, and after treatment with CGA for 12 weeks, cardiac functions and fibrosis are determined. CGA significantly attenuates hyperglycemia‐induced cardiac fibrosis and improves cardiac functions. The mechanism of CGA on fibrotic inhibition is further studied by immunofluorescence, western blot and RNA interference technology in vivo and in vitro. The results show CGA exerted its anti‐fibrotic effects through activating the cyclic GMP/protein kinase G pathway (cGMP/PKG) to block hyperglycemia‐induced nuclear translocation of p‐Smad2/3, and then inhibiting pro‐fibrotic gene expression in cardiac fibroblasts without depending on its hypoglycemic function. Moreover, the data also revealed that CGA increased cGMP level and activated PKG in cardiac fibroblasts by enhancing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and NO production.

Conclusion

Besides lowering blood glucose, CGA also has an independent ability to inhibit cardiac fibrosis. Therefore, long‐term consumption of foods rich in CGA for diabetic patients will have great benefits to improve diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Low‐dose CT image and projection dataset
Authors: Moen Taylor R. , Chen Baiyu , Holmes David R. , Duan Xinhui , Yu Zhicong , Yu Lifeng , Leng Shuai , Fletcher Joel G. , McCollough Cynthia H.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

To describe a large, publicly available dataset comprising computed tomography (CT) projection data from patient exams, both at routine clinical doses and simulated lower doses.

Acquisition and Validation Methods

The library was developed under local ethics committee approval. Projection and image data from 299 clinically performed patient CT exams were archived for three types of clinical exams: noncontrast head CT scans acquired for acute cognitive or motor deficit, low‐dose noncontrast chest scans acquired to screen high‐risk patients for pulmonary nodules, and contrast‐enhanced CT scans of the abdomen acquired to look for metastatic liver lesions. Scans were performed on CT systems from two different CT manufacturers using routine clinical protocols. Projection data were validated by reconstructing the data using several different reconstruction algorithms and through use of the data in the 2016 Low Dose CT Grand Challenge. Reduced dose projection data were simulated for each scan using a validated noise‐insertion method. Radiologists marked location and diagnosis for detected pathologies. Reference truth was obtained from the patient medical record, either from histology or subsequent imaging.

Data Format and Usage Notes

Projection datasets were converted into the previously developed DICOM‐CT‐PD format, which is an extended DICOM format created to store CT projections and acquisition geometry in a nonproprietary format. Image data are stored in the standard DICOM image format and clinical data in a spreadsheet. Materials are provided to help investigators use the DICOM‐CT‐PD files, including a dictionary file, data reader, and user manual. The library is publicly available from The Cancer Imaging Archive (https://doi.org/10.7937/9npb‐2637).

Potential Applications

This CT data library will facilitate the development and validation of new CT reconstruction and/or denoising algorithms, including those associated with machine learning or artificial intelligence. The provided clinical information allows evaluation of task‐based diagnostic performance.
Exploring Quantum Dots' Evolution and Possibilities
Authors: Ma Ruiqing (Ray)
Published: November 2020

I last served as guest editor for Information Display's special issue on quantum dots (QDs) in 2018. At the time, I wrote that I couldn't wait to see how far we got with the technology in a couple of years. Two years later, let's look at the progress we've made.
How Will Quantum Dots Enable Next‐Gen Display Technologies?
Authors: Ishida Takeshi , Nakanishi Yohei , Izumi Makoto , Berryman‐Bousquet Valerie
Published: November 2020

Although QD‐LED technology is still in its infancy, it has received significant interest from display makers. Here, a team of technologists from Sharp review the research and development efforts still needed for it to become an industrial‐level technology for display applications.
Safety and efficacy of pharmacologic weight loss in patients with cirrhosis
Authors: Fakhreddine Ali Y. , Bagsic Samantha , Fujioka Ken , Frenette Catherine T.
Published: November 2020

Background

Obesity poses unique risks in patients with advanced liver fibrosis; however, given surgical risks of bariatric surgery in cirrhosis treatment recommendations are currently limited to lifestyle interventions. This study seeks to inform a potential treatment gap by describing the safety and efficacy of pharmacologic weight loss in patients with advanced liver disease.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record was conducted for all patients in the Scripps Health system from 2005 to 2017 with established advanced liver fibrosis that were prescribed medications associated with weight loss. The primary outcome was safety as defined by the model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) score. Secondary outcomes included total body weight loss, reasons for medication discontinuation, medication adverse events, and hospitalization before and after medication initiation.

Results

Thirty‐eight patients and 63 prescriptions were included in the final analysis. The most frequently prescribed medication associated with weight loss was metformin (63%, n = 24) followed by a GLP‐1 agonist (39%, n = 15). There was no significant effect of weight‐loss medication on MELD score (p > 0.18) or number of hospitalizations when adjusting for subject (p > 0.26). There was a significant adjusted mean weight loss of 2.2 kg (p < 0.02) following prescription of a medication associated with weight loss. The Federal Drug Administration‐approved anti‐obesity medications as a group resulted in a significant adjusted weight loss of 7.22 kg (p < 0.013). In a linear mixed‐effects model accounting for subjects, weight loss was not independently associated with a change in MELD (t[51] = −1.972, p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Pharmacologic weight loss in patients with advanced liver fibrosis appears feasible based on preliminary safety and efficacy outcomes in this study. Future prospective studies are warranted to evaluate a potential significant treatment gap in the management of obesity in this vulnerable population.
Effect of nanoclay on relaxation and breakup of polyamide 6 threads in polystyrene matrix
Authors: Hashemi Astaneh Sarah , Goharpey Fatemeh , Foudazi Reza
Published: November 2020

In this work, we investigate the compatibilizing mechanism of nanoclay in binary polymer blends by measuring the interfacial tension of polystyrene/polyamide 6, PS/PA6, as a typical system, in the presence of nanoclay. The interfacial tension of PA6 nanocomposites and PS are determined with the breaking thread method by employing the Tomotika theory. The interfacial tension is reduced when organoclay is incorporated in the PA6 phase. To investigate the effect of the localization of nanoclay, nanoclay is intentionally located at the interface of PA6 and PS. Microscopic observations show that PA6 fiber remain unchanged and does not go through break‐up process; therefore, one can deduce that the apparent interfacial tension of the system reduces significantly when nanoclay particles saturate the interface.
Progress in the understanding of light‐ and elevated temperature‐induced degradation in silicon solar cells: A review
Authors: Chen Daniel , Vaqueiro Contreras Michelle , Ciesla Alison , Hamer Phillip , Hallam Brett , Abbott Malcolm , Chan Catherine
Published: November 2020

At present, the commercially dominant and rapidly expanding PV‐device technology is based on the passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) design developed at UNSW. However, this technology has been found to suffer from a carrier‐induced degradation commonly referred to as ‘light‐ and elevated temperature‐induced degradation’ (LeTID) and can result in up to 16% relative performance losses. LeTID was recently shown to occur in almost every type of silicon wafer, independent of the doping material. Even though the degradation mechanism is known to recover under normal operation conditions, it is a lengthy process that drastically affects the energy yield, stability and, ultimately, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of installed systems. Despite the joint effort of many research groups, the root cause of the degradation is still unknown. Here, we provide an overview of the existing literature and describe key LeTID characteristics and how these have led to the development of various theories of the underlying mechanism. Further, given the continuously appearing and strong evidence of hydrogen involvement in LeTID, many mitigation methods concerning hydrogenation have been suggested. We discuss such reported methods, bearing in mind crucial consumer necessities in terms of sustained cell performance and minimised LCOE.
A Retrospective Analysis of Nonoperative Treatment Techniques for Idiopathic Toe Walking in Children: Outcomes and Predictors of Success
Authors: Bartoletta John , Tsao Elaine , Bouchard Maryse
Published: November 2020

Background

The lack of consensus regarding optimal nonoperative management of idiopathic toe walking (ITW) results in wide variation in treatment across providers and institutions. Untreated toe walking can cause persistence of abnormal gait and symptomatic foot deformity in adulthood.

Objective

To examine the outcomes of multiple commonly used nonoperative treatment techniques in a large cohort of children with ITW to better inform management of this condition.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Single tertiary care children's hospital from 2008 to 2015.

Patients

Two hundred four children with ITW, aged 4 to 7 years at time of diagnosis, nonoperatively managed in orthopedic surgery, rehabilitation medicine, neurodevelopmental medicine, neurology, or physical therapy clinics.

Interventions

Nonoperative techniques included observation, home stretching program, physical therapy program, use of ankle‐foot orthoses (AFOs), and serial casting.

Main Outcome Measures

Greater than or equal to 10° of ankle dorsiflexion with the knee extended or walking on toes less than 25% of the time at last visit. Failure of treatment was defined as not achieving resolution criteria or requiring surgical intervention following failed nonoperative management.

Results

Only 121 children (59.3%) attended at least one follow‐up visit. Of those, 55 (45.5%) had a successful outcome. Increasing severity of ITW was associated with increased rate of follow‐up (P = .03) and lower rates of successful treatment (P = .03). The use of AFOs was the only treatment modality associated with a successful outcome (unadjusted/adjusted odds ratio 3.97; [95% confidence interval, 1.80‐8.74] and 4.81 [95% confidence interval, 1.91‐12.1], respectively;P = .001).

Conclusions

Loss to follow‐up is common in children with ITW. Of those children who returned to clinic, less than half had a successful outcome. The only treatment technique statistically associated with short‐term resolution of toe walking was the use of AFOs.
Atmospheric plasma dielectric barrier discharge: A simple route to produce superhydrophilic TiO2@carbon nanostructure
Authors: Matouk Zineb , Torriss Badr , Rincón Rocío , Mirzaei Amir , Margot Joëlle , Chaker Mohamed
Published: November 2020

A one‐step technique for the deposition of superhydrophilic TiO2@carbon nanocomposites is described in this study. The nanocomposites are synthesized by injecting TiO2 nanoparticles suspended in isopropanol into a dielectric barrier discharge operating at atmospheric pressure (AP‐DBD) generated in an N2/N2O gas mixture. The influence of the voltage (3–8 kV) applied to a 2‐kHz‐operated AP‐DBD on the wettability of the as‐deposited TiO2@C nanocomposites is examined. The water contact angle is drastically reduced from 93° for the reference TiO2 powder to <5° for the deposited nanocomposite. This superhydrophilicity is not caused by the increase of the surface roughness determined by atomic force microscopy measurement but rather by the higher density of graphitic compounds at the surface, as confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements.
Newer bronchopulmonary dysplasia definitions and prediction of health economics impacts in very preterm infants
Authors: Kurihara Chie , Zhang Lishi , Mikhael Michel
Published: November 2020

Objective

To compare the abilities of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) definitions to predict hospital charges as a surrogate of disease complexity.

Methods

Retrospective study of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) less than 32 weeks gestational age. Subjects were classified according to the Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (2018), and Jensen BPD definitions as none, mild (1), moderate (2), or severe (3) BPD. Spearman's correlation was performed to evaluate the association of BPD definitions with health economics outcomes.

Results

One hundred and sixty‐eight infants were included with mean birth weight of 1197 g and mean gestational age of 28.4 weeks. More infants were classified as no BPD according to CNN definition (79%) in comparison to NICHD 2018 (64.3%) and Jensen (59.5%) definitions. There were fewer infants as the grade of severity increased for all definitions, this was most linear for Jensen definition with Grade 1 present in 25%, Grade 2 in 12.5%, and Grade 3 in 3%. A stronger correlation with NICU length of stay, NICU hospital charges, NICU charges per day, and first year of life hospital charges was detected for Jensen definition (correlation coefficient of 0.58, 0.66, 0.64, 0.67, respectively) in comparison to CNN and NICHD 2018 definitions (p < .0001).

Conclusion

Jensen BPD definition had the strongest correlation with first year health economics outcomes in our study. Validating recent BPD definitions using population‐based data is imperative to improve family counseling and enhance the designs of quality improvement initiatives and therapeutic research studies targeting patient‐centric outcomes.
Development of a machine learning algorithm for early detection of opioid use disorder
Authors: Segal Zvi , Radinsky Kira , Elad Guy , Marom Gal , Beladev Moran , Lewis Maor , Ehrenberg Bar , Gillis Plia , Korn Liat , Koren Gideon
Published: November 2020

Background

Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects an estimated 16 million people worldwide. The diagnosis of OUD is commonly delayed or missed altogether. We aimed to test the utility of machine learning in creating a prediction model and algorithm for early diagnosis of OUD.

Subjects and methods

We analyzed data gathered in a commercial claim database from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2018 of 10 million medical insurance claims from 550 000 patient records. We compiled 436 predictor candidates, divided to six feature groups ‐ demographics, chronic conditions, diagnosis and procedures features, medication features, medical costs, and episode counts. We employed the Word2Vec algorithm and the Gradient Boosting trees algorithm for the analysis.

Results

The c‐statistic for the model was 0.959, with a sensitivity of 0.85 and specificity of 0.882. Positive Predictive Value (PPV) was 0.362 and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) was 0.998. Significant differences between positive OUD‐ and negative OUD‐ controls were in the mean annual amount of opioid use days, number of overlaps in opioid prescriptions per year, mean annual opioid prescriptions, and annual benzodiazepine and muscle relaxant prescriptions. Notable differences were the count of intervertebral disc disorder‐related complaints per year, post laminectomy syndrome diagnosed per year, and pain disorders diagnosis per year. Significant differences were also found in the episodes and costs categories.

Conclusions

The new algorithm offers a mean 14.4 months reduction in time to diagnosis of OUD, at potential saving in further morbidity, medical cost, addictions and mortality.
Development of ‘multiresistance rice’ by an assembly of herbicide, insect and disease resistance genes with a transgene stacking system
Authors: Li Chuanxu , Zhang Jianguo , Ren Zhiyong , Xie Rong , Yin Changxi , Ma Weihua , Zhou Fei , Chen Hao , Lin Yongjun
Published: November 2020

Background

Weeds, diseases and pests pose serious threats to rice production and cause significant economic losses. Cultivation of rice varieties with resistance to herbicides, diseases and pests is believed to be the most economical and environmentally friendly method to deal with these problems.

Results

In this study, a highly efficient transgene stacking system was used to assembly the synthetic glyphosate‐tolerance gene (I. variabilis‐EPSPS*), lepidopteran pest resistance gene (Cry1C*), brown planthopper resistance genes (Bph14*andOsLecRK1*), bacterial blight resistance gene (Xa23*) and rice blast resistance gene (Pi9*) onto a transformable artificial chromosome vector. The construct was transferred into ZH11 (a widely usedjaponicarice cultivar Zhonghua 11) viaAgrobacterium‐mediated transformation and ‘multiresistance rice’ (MRR) with desirable agronomic traits was obtained. The results showed that MRR had significantly improved resistance to glyphosate, borers, brown planthopper, bacterial blight and rice blast relative to the recipient cultivar ZH11. Besides, under the natural occurrence of pests and diseases in the field, the yield of MRR was significantly higher than that of ZH11.

Conclusion

A multigene transformation strategy was employed to successfully develop rice lines with multiresistance to glyphosate, borers, brown planthopper, bacterial blight and rice blast, and the obtained MRR is expected to have great application potential. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Antibacterial mechanism of Biochanin A and its efficacy for the control of Xanthomonas axonopodispv.glycines in soybean
Authors: Hu Kai‐Xuan , Shi Xin‐Chi , Xu Dong , Laborda Pablo , Wu Gui‐Chun , Liu Feng‐Quan , Laborda Pedro , Wang Su‐Yan
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines (Xag) is a hazardous pathogen able to cause bacterial pustule disease in soybean, reducing crop yield and quality. Although flavonoids rutin and genistein are known to play an important role in soybean defence, soybean is only able to produce Biochanin A in low concentration.

RESULTS

In this work, Biochanin A was found to produce higher antibacterial activity against Xag in comparison with genistein (minimum inhibitory concentration < 100 μg/mL). Biochanin A was able to inhibit DNA synthesis and flagella formation in Xag, and altered the composition of the bacterial membrane. These effects reduced swimming motility, extracellular protease activity and biofilm formation. Further, Biochanin A was tested for the control of Xag in soybean leaves, showing similar, or even higher, inhibitory ability in comparison with some products commonly used for the control of this pathogen.

CONCLUSIONS

The antibacterial properties of Biochanin A against Xag have been studied for the first time, revealing new insights on the potential applications of this isoflavonoid for the management of bacterial pustule disease. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Migration trajectories of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella in China inferred from population genomic variation
Authors: Chen Ming‐Zhu , Cao Li‐Jun , Li Bing‐Yan , Chen Jin‐Cui , Gong Ya‐Jun , Yang Qiong , Schmidt Thomas L , Yue Lei , Zhu Jia‐Ying , Li Hu , Chen Xue‐Xin , Hoffmann Ary Anthony , Wei Shu‐Jun
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is a notorious pest of cruciferous plants. In temperate areas, annual populations of DBM originate from adult migrants. However, the source populations and migration trajectories of immigrants remain unclear. Here, we investigated migration trajectories of DBM in China using genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped using double‐digest RAD (ddRAD) sequencing. We first analyzed patterns of spatial and temporal genetic structure among southern source and northern recipient populations, then inferred migration trajectories into northern regions using discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC), assignment tests, and spatial kinship patterns.

RESULTS

Temporal genetic differentiation among populations was low, indicating that sources of recipient populations and migration trajectories are stable. Spatial genetic structure indicated three genetic clusters in the southern source populations. Assignment tests linked northern populations to the Sichuan cluster, and central–eastern populations to the southern and Yunnan clusters, indicating that Sichuan populations are sources of northern immigrants and southern and Yunnan populations are sources of central–eastern populations. First‐order (full‐sib) and second‐order (half‐sib) kin pairs were always found within populations, but ~ 35–40% of third‐order (cousin) pairs were found in different populations. Closely related individuals in different populations were found at distances of 900–1500 km in ~ 35–40% of cases, while some were separated by > 2000 km.

CONCLUSION

This study unravels seasonal migration patterns in the DBM. We demonstrate how careful sampling and population genomic analyses can be combined to help understand cryptic migration patterns in insects. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Non‐host volatiles disturb the feeding behavior and reduce the fecundity of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae
Authors: Dardouri Tarek , Gomez Laurent , Ameline Arnaud , Costagliola Guy , Schoeny Alexandra , Gautier Hélène
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

The association of crops of value with companion plants could be one of the strategies to reduce the harmful effects of pests. We hypothesize that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by some aromatic plants may negatively impact M. persicae, disturbing its feeding behavior and consequently its reproduction.

RESULTS

VOCs emitted from six potential companion plant species affected the reproduction of M. persicae feeding on pepper plants, Capsicum annuum. Reproduction of M. persicae was reduced when exposed to VOCs from leaves of Ocimum basilicum and flowers of Tagetes patula. Thus, species and phenology of the companion plant can influence the effect. The VOCs from O. basilicum and T. patula also reduced phloem feeding by the aphids based on electropenetrography (EPG).

CONCLUSION

The reduced fecundity of M. persicae could be linked to aphid feeding disruption provoked by the VOCs emitted by O. basilicum in the vegetative stage or T. patula cv. Nana in the flowering stage. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Compositional Investigations on the Spin Thermoelectric Effect in Ta100–xCux/Yttrium Iron Garnet Thin Films
Authors: Yin Yinong , Tiwari Ashutosh
Published: November 2020

Herein, the performance of spin thermoelectric devices comprising Ta100–xCux/yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films is investigated. Metallic electrodes of Ta100–xCux (x = 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7) are fabricated on high‐quality YIG films by magnetron sputtering technique. On each film, an undoped Ta electrode is also fabricated for the sake of precise comparison of spin thermoelectric performance. The hybrid Ta100–xCux/YIG devices thus prepared are examined in a longitudinal geometry for the measurement of thermal voltages (Vt). The experiments show that the voltages generated across the Ta100–xCux films with x = 2, 3, and 4 are higher compared with the ones across pure Ta, whereas it is slightly lower for x = 7 film. Such improvement in Vt is ascribed to an increase in the resistivity of Ta100–xCux that strengthens the spin thermoelectric voltage. However, the surface of TaCu alloy films is observed to become rougher as the Cu ratio increases, which affects the injection of spin current across the interface. Due to the interplay between the resistivity and interfacial roughness of TaCu electrodes, the best thermoelectric response is obtained in the Ta97Cu3/YIG system, which is five times higher than the one obtained for undoped Ta/YIG.
A framework for improving the efficiency of operational testing through Bayesian adaptive design
Authors: Sieck Victoria R.C. , Christensen Fletcher G.W.
Published: November 2020

When developing a product, it is important to consider product performance from a user perspective. This type of evaluation can be done through operational testing—assessing the ability of representative users to satisfactorily accomplish tasks with the product in operationally representative environments. This process can be expensive and time‐consuming, but is critical to understanding whether the product can adequately do the job for which it was designed. We show how an existing design of experiments (DOEs) process for operational testing can be leveraged to construct a Bayesian adaptive design. This design, nested within the larger design created by the DOE process, allows interim analyses to stop testing early for success or futility. Representative simulations are presented to demonstrate how these interim analyses can be used in an operational test setting, and reductions in necessary test events are shown. The application of Bayesian‐adaptive design methods will allow future operational testing to be conducted in less time and at less expense, on average, without compromising the ability of the existing process to verify the product meets the user's needs.
Sulfur isotope analysis of cysteine and methionine via preparatory liquid chromatography and elemental analyzer isotope ratio mass spectrometry
Authors: Phillips Alexandra A. , Wu Fenfang , Sessions Alex L.
Published: November 2020

Rationale

Sulfur isotope analysis of organic sulfur‐containing molecules has previously been hindered by challenging preparatory chemistry and analytical requirements for large sample sizes. The natural‐abundance sulfur isotopic compositions of the sulfur‐containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine, have therefore not yet been investigated despite potential utility in biomedicine, ecology, oceanography, biogeochemistry, and other fields.

Methods

Cysteine and methionine were subjected to hot acid hydrolysis followed by quantitative oxidation in performic acid to yield cysteic acid and methionine sulfone. These stable, oxidized products were then separated by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and verified via offline liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The sulfur isotope ratios (δ34S values) of purified analytes were then measured via combustion elemental analyzer coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS). The EA was equipped with a temperature‐ramped chromatographic column and programmable helium carrier flow rates.

Results

On‐column focusing of SO2 in the EA/IRMS system, combined with reduced He carrier flow during elution, greatly improved sensitivity, allowing precise (0.1–0.3‰ 1 s.d.) δ34S measurements of 1 to 10 μg sulfur. We validated that our method for purification of cysteine and methionine was negligibly fractionating using amino acid and protein standards. Proof‐of‐concept measurements of fish muscle tissue and bacteria demonstrated differences up to 4‰ between the δ34S values of cysteine and methionine that can be connected to biosynthetic pathways.

Conclusions

We have developed a sensitive, precise method for measuring the natural‐abundance sulfur isotopic compositions of cysteine and methionine isolated from biological samples. This capability opens up diverse applications of sulfur isotopes in amino acids and proteins, from use as a tracer in organisms and the environment, to fundamental aspects of metabolism and biosynthesis.
Fault estimation for discrete time‐variant systems subject to actuator and sensor saturations
Authors: Li Yueyang , Liu Shuai , Li Yibin , Zhao Dong
Published: November 2020

This article studies the H∞ fault estimation (FE) problem for linear discrete time‐variant systems with actuator and sensor saturations. To handle the saturation nonlinearities for FE problem, a pair of an auxiliary linear model and an associated performance function augmenting from the conventional H∞ performance index are constructed. Based on this pair, the original FE problem is readdressed as a two‐step optimization issue with an indefinite quadratic cost function. For a feasible optimization solution, the partial equivalence between a stationary point for a quadratic optimization problem and a projection for vectors in indefinite inner‐product space is utilized. A Krein‐space based inner product interpretation for the indefinite cost function is established and optimal linear estimation technique is employed to derive the stationary point of the aforementioned indefinite quadratic cost function. The existence condition of the fault estimator is explicitly obtained, and the fault is reconstructed analytically via a forward recursion algorithm. Two examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed FE scheme.
Diver tracking in open waters: A low‐cost approach based on visual and acoustic sensor fusion
Authors: Remmas Walid , Chemori Ahmed , Kruusmaa Maarja
Published: November 2020

The design of a robust perception method is a substantial component towards achieving underwater human–robot collaboration. However, in complex environments such as the oceans, perception is still a challenging issue. Data‐fusion of different sensing modalities can improve perception in dynamic and unstructured ocean environments. This study addresses the control of a highly maneuverable autonomous underwater vehicle for diver tracking based on visual and acoustic signals data fusion measured by low‐cost sensors. The underwater vehicle U‐CAT tracks a diver using a 3‐degree‐of‐freedom fuzzy logic Mamdani controller. The proposed tracking approach was validated through open water real‐time experiments. Combining acoustic and visual signals for underwater target tracking provides several advantages compared to previously done related research. The obtained results suggest that the proposed solution ensures effective detection and tracking in poor visibility operating conditions.
In Situ Formation of Mixed‐Dimensional Surface Passivation Layers in Perovskite Solar Cells with Dual‐Isomer Alkylammonium Cations
Authors: Mahmud Md Arafat , Duong The , Yin Yanting , Peng Jun , Wu Yiliang , Lu Teng , Pham Huyen T. , Shen Heping , Walter Daniel , Nguyen Hieu T. , Mozaffari Naeimeh , Tabi Grace Dansoa , Liu Yun , Andersson Gunther , Catchpole Kylie R. , Weber Klaus J. , White Thomas P.
Published: November 2020

Dimensional engineering of perovskite solar cells has attracted significant research attention recently because of the potential to improve both device performance and stability. Here, a novel 2D passivation scheme for 3D perovskite solar cells is demonstrated using a mixed cation composition of 2D perovskite based on two different isomers of butylammonium iodide. The dual‐cation 2D perovskite outperforms its single cation 2D counterparts in surface passivation quality, resulting in devices with an impressive open‐circuit voltage of 1.21 V for a perovskite composition with an optical bandgap of ≈1.6 eV, and a champion efficiency of 23.27%. Using a combination of surface elemental analysis and valence electron spectra decomposition, it is shown that an in situ interaction between the 2D perovskite precursor and the 3D active layer results in surface intermixing of 3D and 2D perovskite phases, providing an effective combination of defect passivation and enhanced charge transfer, despite the semi‐insulating nature of the 2D perovskite phase. The demonstration of the synergistic interaction of multiple organic spacer cations in a 2D passivation layer offers new opportunities for further enhancement of device performance with mixed dimensional perovskite solar cells.
Zinc Ion Triggered Controllable Binary/Ternary Memory Conversion Behaviors in Polyimides Containing Pendant Porphyrin Group
Authors: Guo Jiacong , Geng Jianzhao , Tian Guofeng , Ji Deyang , Qi Shengli , Wu Dezhen
Published: November 2020

Compared with typical binary polymeric memory materials, functional polymers with ternary memory performance possess significant potential to achieve ultra‐high‐density data storage. The reported ternary memory polymers are normally driven by dual‐mechanism. However, the involved thermodynamically unstable mechanisms (field‐induced conformation change or conductive filament formation/fracture) may result in the poor reliability of memory devices under high‐temperature working atmosphere. Another strategy to realize ternary memory is introducing charge trapping/de‐trapping mechanism by attaching charge trap atom/group at electron donor, which is proved not always effective. Moreover, the synergistic two mechanisms may have difficulty for clarifying the relationship between memory performance and chemical structures, which is the core issue of polymer memory materials. Besides, some multi‐level memory materials need the cooperative participation of artificially setting compliance current, which is the extension of typical binary memory and may cause a more complicated technique and logic circuit. Herein, based on charge‐transfer mechanism, a concise and effective strategy to realize ternary memory application is proposed. By inserting a Zn ion, the charge‐transfer process occurring in electron donors can lead to the novel electrical tri‐stability memory behaviors. This work can provide a novel idea for achieving reliable and intrinsic ternary high‐density data storage applications.
Enhancing CO2 Electrocatalysis on 2D Porphyrin‐Based Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheets Coupled with Visible‐Light
Authors: Zhou Yue , Zheng Lirong , Yang Deren , Yang Haozhou , Lu Qichen , Zhang Qinghua , Gu Lin , Wang Xun
Published: November 2020

2D catalysts combined with single atom sites are promising candidates to promote CO2 reduction performance, but the ability to target stable materials with distinct structure still remains challenging. Herein, a series of single metal atoms anchored 2D metal–organic framework nanosheets (MOF‐NS‐M) with visualized and well‐ordered mesoporous structures are fabricated and exhibit enhanced CO2 reduction activity and selectivity with the assistance of visible‐light. Encouragingly, the CO Faradaic efficiency of MOF‐NS‐Co exceeds 90% in a wide potential window of −0.5 to −1.0 V versus RHE and reaches 98.7% with 100 mV positive shift compared with the result measured under dark. The catalytic kinetics studies show a fast initial electron transfer to CO2 to form *COO−, thanks to the sufficient exposed active sites resulting from the nanosheet nature and adjusted electron transfer pathway caused by the porphyrin photoswitch.
Choosing the fitness function for the job: Automated generation of test suites that detect real faults
Authors: Salahirad Alireza , Almulla Hussein , Gay Gregory
Published: November 2020

The article from this special issue was previously published in Software Testing, Verification and Reliability, Volume 29, Issue 4–5, 2019. For completeness we are including the title page of the article below. The full text of the article can be read in Issue 29:4–5 on Wiley Online Library: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/stvr.1701
The effective flexural stiffness of segment joints in large‐diameter tunnel under various loading conditions
Authors: Huang Linchong , Huang Shuai , Lai Zhengshou , Liang Yu
Published: November 2020

Large‐diameter shield‐driven tunnels are widely adopted in road projects to accommodate the increasing traffic load all over the world. As the diameter of lining ring increases, the jointed segmental lining will be subject to more complex external loading condition, which results in highly nonuniform and nonlinear internal forces. The segment joints, depending on loading condition, would exhibit different mechanical behaviors. An accurate characterization of the effective flexural stiffness of the joints is essential to the accurate evaluation of the lining internal forces. In this work, the mechanical behaviors of the joints are categorized into six different cases, and in each case the effective flexural stiffness of the joints is derived accordingly. To calculate the lining internal forces, the force method equations are first established, with the consideration of various external loading condition (e.g., earth pressure, grout buoyancy force). In the force method equations, the effective joints stiffness is also a variable, which will be adjusted based on the mechanical behavior of the joints. The nonlinear force method equations are then solved by the fixed‐point iteration method. The proposed framework is applied to a large‐diameter shield‐driven tunnel in China. It is found that the joints at different locations exhibit distinct effective flexural stiffness. The joints subject to positive moment exhibit quite greater flexural stiffness than that subject to negative moment. The grout buoyancy force is shown to have significant impact on internal force distribution and deformation of the lining. A field monitoring was carried out on the tunnel segments during the construction, and the monitoring data are in good agreement with the calculation results, which further confirms the correctness of the conclusions mentioned above.
Smartphones for public transport planning and recommendation in developing countries—A review
Authors: Verma Rohit , Chakraborty Sandip
Published: November 2020

In this era of connected systems that have penetrated everywhere, transport units have become a significant source of data, collected from commuters, vehicles, drivers, or any section being touched by the transport system. These data, which have both spatial as well as temporal aspects, is utilized for a plethora of services like travel assistant systems, multi‐modal transport solutions, real‐time travel information, smart parking, autonomous vehicles, to name a few. With the current buzz of sustainable transport, the use of public transport systems have been popularized owing to the economic and environmental savings. In this review article, we provide a highlight of works, which have tried to utilize techniques to improve multiple sections of the public transport system, primarily focusing on developing economies, thus improving the overall commute experience at various countries.

This article is categorized under:

Application Areas > Society and Culture

Technologies > Internet of Things
Contextual impacts on individual and synchronous breathing rate variations in three captive odontocete groups
Authors: Serres Agathe , Hao Yujiang , Wang Ding
Published: November 2020

Breathing rates are often collected both in the wild and in captivity to inform on cetaceans' internal state. However, few studies have investigated the effect of various factors on this breathing rate. We investigated the variations of individual and synchronous breathing rates depending on individual features (species, sex, age), displayed behavior, social parameters (social grouping), and environmental parameters (diurnal variation, presence of enrichment, unusual events, and presence of visitors in three groups of captive odontocetes (Yangtze finless porpoises, Neophocaena asiaeorentalis asiaeorientalis, East‐Asian finless porpoises, Neophocaena asiaeorentalis sunameri, bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus). Both individual and synchronous breathing rates were the highest when animals engaged in energetic or social behaviors. Individual breathing rate decreased but synchronous breathing rate increased with the presence of enrichment. Both rates increased during unusual events (e.g., pool cleaning, presence of a diver in the pool, noise, transport) and when public was present for Yangtze finless porpoises. Finally, synchronous breathing rate increased for Yangtze finless porpoises when experiencing social separation. We suggest that individual and synchronous breathing rates are useful parameters to measure, both in wild and captive animals, to obtain information on their arousal/stress state. However, these rates should be interpreted with caution and should be used together with other parameters to allow more accurate inferences.
CFT unitarity and the AdS Cutkosky rules
Authors: Meltzer David , Sivaramakrishnan Allic
Published: November 2020

Abstract

We derive the Cutkosky rules for conformal field theories (CFTs) at weak and strong coupling. These rules give a simple, diagrammatic method to compute the double-commutator that appears in the Lorentzian inversion formula. We first revisit weakly-coupled CFTs in flat space, where the cuts are performed on Feynman diagrams. We then generalize these rules to strongly-coupled holographic CFTs, where the cuts are performed on the Witten diagrams of the dual theory. In both cases, Cutkosky rules factorize loop diagrams into on-shell sub-diagrams and generalize the standard S-matrix cutting rules. These rules are naturally formulated and derived in Lorentzian momentum space, where the double-commutator is manifestly related to the CFT optical theorem. Finally, we study the AdS cutting rules in explicit examples at tree level and one loop. In these examples, we confirm that the rules are consistent with the OPE limit and that we recover the S-matrix optical theorem in the flat space limit. The AdS cutting rules and the CFT dispersion formula together form a holographic unitarity method to reconstruct Witten diagrams from their cuts.
QED factorization of non-leptonic B decays
Authors: Beneke Martin , Böer Philipp , Toelstede Jan-Niklas , Vos K. Keri
Published: November 2020

Abstract

We show that the QCD factorization approach for B-meson decays to charmless hadronic two-body final states can be extended to include electromagnetic corrections. The presence of electrically charged final-state particles complicates the framework. Nevertheless, the factorization formula takes the same form as in QCD alone, with appropriate generalizations of the definitions of light-cone distribution amplitudes and form factors to include QED effects. More precisely, we factorize QED effects above the strong interaction scale ΛQCD for the non-radiative matrix elements $$ \left\langle {M}_1{M}_2\left|{Q}_i\right|\overline{B}\right\rangle $$

M
1

M
2

Q
i

B
¯

of the current-current operators from the effective weak interactions. The rates of the branching fractions for the infrared-finite observables $$ \overline{B}\to {M}_1{M}_2\left(\gamma \right) $$

B
¯

→

M
1

M
2

γ

with photons of maximal energy ∆E ≪ ΛQCD is then obtained by multiplying with the soft-photon exponentiation factors. We provide first estimates for the various electromagnetic corrections, and in particular quantify their impact on the πK ratios and sum rules that are often used as diagnostics of New Physics.
Global aspects of spaces of vacua
Authors: Sharon Adar
Published: November 2020

Abstract

We study “vacuum crossing”, which occurs when the vacua of a theory are exchanged as we vary some periodic parameter θ in a closed loop. We show that vacuum crossing is a useful non-perturbative tool to study strongly-coupled quantum field theories, since finding vacuum crossing in a weakly-coupled regime of the theory can lead to nontrivial consequences in the strongly-coupled regime. We start by discussing a mechanism where vacuum crossing occurs due to an anomaly, and then discuss some applications of vacuum crossing in general. In particular, we argue that vacuum crossing can be used to check IR dualities and to look for emergent IR symmetries.