bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel mathematical teletraffic method to evaluate the interoperation of different standards with NOMA systems using order statistics
Authors: Borja‐Benítez Miguel A. , Vasquez‐Toledo Luis A. , Tirado‐Méndez José A. , Borja‐Benítez Berenice , Marcelin‐Jiménez Ricardo
Published: March 2020

Basically, nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) allows controllable interferences by nonorthogonal resource allocation with a tolerable increase in receiver complexity, using successive interference cancellation (SIC). In this paper, authors show a novel mathematical model of teletraffic for users accessing, simultaneously, to Wi‐Fi and LTE services by using NOMA, calculating the birth–death process by order statistics. This methodology has not been previously used. The mathematical model is represented by a two‐dimensional Markovian process where the users can born or die in one system or another, independently, and results are validated through simulations. The outcomes demonstrate an increment of the sum‐rate gain for a system where users are ordered in the power domain using order statistics, according to the signal interference plus noise ratio (SINR), compared to a system where these statistics are not employed. By using the proposed mathematical model, the sum‐rate gain increases around 15%, and it is also demonstrated that this algorithm foresees a steady behavior of the sum rate, even when the number of channels is augmented, contrary when no order statistics are employed, in which the sum rate decreases considerably. On the other hand, the blocking probability is also demonstrated based on the chance of moving from one technology to another.
Continuous capture of recombinant antibodies by ZnCl2 precipitation without polyethylene glycol
Authors: Dutra Gregory , Komuczki Daniel , Jungbauer Alois , Satzer Peter
Published: March 2020

The capture of recombinant antibodies from cell culture broth is the first critical step of downstream processing. We were able to develop a precipitation‐based method for the capture and purification of monoclonal antibodies based on divalent cations, namely ZnCl2. Traditional precipitation processes have to deal with high dilution factors especially for resolubilization and higher viscosity due to the use of PEG as precipitation or co‐precipitation agent. By the use of the crosslinking nature of divalent cations without the use of PEG, we kept viscosity from the supernatant and resolubilization dilution factors very low. This is especially beneficial for the solid–liquid separation for the harvest and wash of the precipitate in continuous mode. For this harvest and wash, we used tangential flow filtration that benefits a lot from low viscosity solutions, which minimizes the membrane fouling. With this precipitation based on ZnCl2, we were able to implement a very lean and efficient process. We demonstrated precipitation studies with three different antibodies, Adalimumab, Trastuzumab, and Denosumab, and a continuous capture case study using tangential flow filtration for precipitate recovery. In this study, we achieved yields of 70%.
Multisite survey of bacterial contamination in ready‐to‐eat meat products throughout the cooking and selling processes in urban supermarket, Nanjing, China
Authors: Wang Shao‐Kang , Fu Ling‐Meng , Chen Guo‐Wei , Xiao Hong‐Mei , Pan Da , Shi Ruo‐Fu , Yang Li‐Gang , Sun Gui‐Ju
Published: March 2020

Objective

Ready‐to‐eat (RTE) meat is a kind of popular instant food easily contaminated by microbes, which is one of the causes of foodborne diseases. This study analyzes the possible sources of RTE food bacterial contamination during processing and subsequent selling.

Method

Samples of eight kinds of RTE meat were collected from four supermarkets in Nanjing, China. The knives, chopping boards, trays(containers of food), clamps, air, water, and hands of the sales staff were sampled, and the enumeration of aerobic plate count and total coliforms and pathogenic bacteria was performed.

Results

The survey revealed that poor hygienic levels was the causes that RTE meat products were contaminated by bacteria at different levels. With regard to pathogen, the incidences of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were 4.2% and 2.1%, respectively. These results also revealed that the bacterial contamination of RTE food was caused by the air, as well as clamps, chopping boards, knives, trays, and hands of the operators. The total number of aerobic colonies were positively correlated with the amount of RTE food in one pot (r = .87728, p = .0217), and negatively correlated with the maximum temperature in the center of the meat (r = −.81633, p = .0475).

Conclusion

The high number of bacteria in RTE foods indicates potential food safety risks and the need to improve the health of supermarket sales staff. The most important thing is to determine how to raise hygiene awareness of employees through food safety education. Meanwhile, a comprehensive set of regulations on hand cleaning and disinfection should be developed to facilitate public health and reduce foodborne illness caused by the consumption of RTE food.
Validation of PAS Kinase, a Regulator of Hepatic Fatty Acid and Triglyceride Synthesis, as a Therapeutic Target for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: Swiatek Wojciech , Parnell K. Mark , Nickols G. Allen , Scharschmidt Bruce F. , Rutter Jared
Published: March 2020

Hyperactivation of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP‐1c), which transcriptionally induces expression of enzymes responsible for de novo lipogenesis and triglyceride (TG) formation, is implicated in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) pathogenesis. Posttranslational SREBP‐1c maturation and activation is stimulated by the protein per–arnt–sim kinase (PASK). PASK‐knockout mice are phenotypically normal on a conventional diet but exhibit decreased hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis on a high‐fat diet. We investigated the effects of pharmacologic PASK inhibition using BioE‐1115, a selective and potent oral PASK inhibitor, in Zucker fatty (fa)/fa) rats, a genetic model of obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance, and in a dietary murine model of NAFLD/NASH. Female Zucker (fa/fa) rats and lean littermate (fa/+) controls received BioE‐1115 (3‐100 mg/kg/day) and/or omega‐3 fatty acids, and blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, glucose tolerance, insulin, and serum TG were measured. C57BL/6J mice fed a high‐fat/high‐fructose diet (HF‐HFrD) were treated with BioE‐1115 (100 mg/kg/day) or vehicle. Body weight and fasting glucose were measured regularly; serum TG, body and organ weights, and liver TG and histology were assessed at sacrifice. Messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance of SREBP‐1c target genes was measured in both models. In Zucker rats, BioE‐1115 treatment produced significant dose‐dependent reductions in blood glucose, insulin, and TG (all greater than omega‐3 fatty acids) and dose dependently restored insulin sensitivity assessed by glucose tolerance testing. In HF‐HFrD mice, BioE‐1115 reduced body weight, liver weight, fasting blood glucose, serum TGs, hepatic TG, hepatic fibrosis, hepatocyte vacuolization, and bile duct hyperplasia. BioE‐1115 reduced SREBP‐1c target mRNA transcripts in both models. Conclusion: PASK inhibition mitigates many adverse metabolic consequences associated with an HF‐HFrD and reduces hepatic fat content and fibrosis. This suggests that inhibition of PASK is an attractive therapeutic strategy for NAFLD/NASH treatment.
Developing novel in silico prediction models for assessing chemical reproductive toxicity using the naïve Bayes classifier method
Authors: Zhang Hui , Shen Chen , Liu Ru‐Zhuo , Mao Jun , Liu Chun‐Tao , Mu Bo
Published: March 2020

Assessment of reproductive toxicity is one of the important safety considerations in drug development. Thus, in the present research, the naïve Bayes (NB)‐classifier method was applied to develop binary classification models. Six important molecular descriptors for reproductive toxicity were selected by the genetic algorithm. Then, 110 classification models were developed using six molecular descriptors and10 types of fingerprints with 11 different maximum diameters. Among these established models, the model based on six molecular descriptors and the SciTegic extended‐connectivity fingerprints with 20 maximum diameters (LCFC_20) displayed the best prediction performance for reproductive toxicity (NB‐1), which gave a 0.884 receiver operating characteristic (ROC) score and 91.8% overall prediction accuracy for the Training Set, and produced a 0.888 ROC score and 83.0% overall accuracy for the external Test Set I. In addition, for the external rat multi‐generation reproductive toxicity dataset (Test Set II), the NB‐1 model generated a 0.806 ROC score and 85.1% concordance. The generated prediction results indicated that the NB‐1 model could give robust and reliable predictions for a reproductive toxicity potential of chemicals. Thus, the established model could be applied to filter early‐stage molecules for potential reproductive adverse effects. In addition, six important molecular descriptors and new structural alerts for reproductive toxicity were identified, which could help medicinal chemists rationally guide the optimization of lead compounds and select chemicals with the best prospects of being safe and effective.
Evaluating emotional labor: A new approach
Authors: Öngöre Özgür
Published: March 2020

Emotional labor—the effort required to manage one's feelings or emotions at work—plays a significant part in many occupations. When it is manifested by emotional exhaustion or burnout, emotional labor can have negative effects on business operations, including high employee turnover. A study of 204 academics in Turkey, in which burnout was hypothesized as a mediator between emotional labor and intention to leave, shows that surface acting—the simulation of emotions that are not genuinely felt—is a cause of emotional exhaustion, and that emotional exhaustion is linked to intention to leave. The study also shows that naturally experienced emotions are negatively correlated to burnout. This indicates that managers seeking to retain employees should discourage surface acting and support natural feelings. A proposed approach to evaluating emotional labor based on business ethics seeks to enable managers to reduce the negative consequences of emotional labor while preserving the positive ones.
Serial section Raman tomography with 10 times higher depth resolution than confocal Raman microscopy
Authors: Böhm Thomas , Moroni Riko , Thiele Simon
Published: March 2020

Confocal Raman microscopy enables 3D imaging of various samples solely based on chemical contrast. However, optical artifacts impair resolution and image quality in subsurface imaging. With serial section Raman tomography, we show that serial ultrathin and semithin sectioning by ultramicrotomy can successfully be combined with subsequent confocal Raman imaging. This new 3D Raman imaging technique reaches a depth resolution of up to 100 nm, which is about 10‐fold better than in confocal Raman microscopy. Structurally complex and optically inhomogeneous samples can not only be imaged, but also be used to quantify structural parameters. Serial section Raman tomography is a promising method for materials science and possibly also for life sciences.
Modeling of Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant Production: Estimation of Kinetic Parameters by Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Câmara Jéssica M.D.A. , Sousa Magna A.S.B. , Barros Neto Eduardo L.
Published: March 2020

Studies about kinetics and modeling of production parameters for biosurfactants are essential to the development of efficient processes from an economic point of view. In this sense, this work evaluated the performance of four nonstructured models to explain the experimental data for biomass growth, substrate consumption, and rhamnolipid production using glycerol as carbon source and a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. The kinetic parameters of each model were estimated using a global search method known as genetic algorithm and numerical discretization of differential equations by the Runge–Kutta 4th order method. The main result of this study showed that the Monod model best represented the experimental data, with μmax values of 0.06 h−1, KS of 50.8 g L−1, YX/S of 0.43 g g−1, and YP/X equal to 0.017 g g−1.
Vagus nerve stimulation paired with tones for tinnitus suppression: Effects on voice and hearing
Authors: Kochilas Helen L. , Cacace Anthony T. , Arnold Amy , Seidman Michael D. , Tarver W. Brent
Published: March 2020

Objective

In individuals with chronic tinnitus, our interest was to determine whether daily low‐level electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve paired with tones (paired‐VNSt) for tinnitus suppression had any adverse effects on motor‐speech production and physiological acoustics of sustained vowels. Similarly, we were also interested in evaluating for changes in pure‐tone thresholds, word‐recognition performance, and minimum‐masking levels. Both voice and hearing functions were measured repeatedly over a period of 1 year.

Study design

Longitudinal with repeated‐measures.

Methods

Digitized samples of sustained frontal, midline, and back vowels (/e/, /o/, /ah/) were analyzed with computer software to quantify the degree of jitter, shimmer, and harmonic‐to‐noise ratio contained in these waveforms. Pure‐tone thresholds, monosyllabic word‐recognition performance, and MMLs were also evaluated for VNS alterations. Linear‐regression analysis was the benchmark statistic used to document change over time in voice and hearing status from a baseline condition.

Results

Most of the regression functions for the vocal samples and audiometric variables had slope values that were not significantly different from zero. Four of the nine vocal functions showed a significant improvement over time, whereas three of the pure tone regression functions at 2‐4 kHz showed some degree of decline; all changes observed were for the left ear, all were at adjacent frequencies, and all were ipsilateral to the side of VNS. However, mean pure‐tone threshold changes did not exceed 4.29 dB from baseline and therefore, would not be considered clinically significant. In some individuals, larger threshold shifts were observed. No significant regression/slope effects were observed for word‐recognition or MMLs.

Conclusion

Quantitative voice analysis and assessment of audiometric variables showed minimal if any evidence of adverse effects using paired‐VNSt over a treatment period of 1 year. Therefore, we conclude that paired‐VNSt is a safe tool for tinnitus abatement in humans without significant side effects.

Level of evidence

Level IV.
The torsion‐free part of the Ziegler spectrum of orders over Dedekind domains
Authors: Gregory Lorna , L'Innocente Sonia , Toffalori Carlo
Published: March 2020

We study theR‐torsion‐free part of the Ziegler spectrum of an order Λ over a Dedekind domainR. We underline and comment on the role of lattices over Λ. We describe the torsion‐free part of the spectrum when Λ is of finite lattice representation type.
Variations in gut bacterial communities between lesser white‐fronted geese wintering at Caizi and Shengjin lakes in China
Authors: Liu Gang , Gong Zhizhong , Li Qingyue
Published: March 2020

The avian gut microbiota plays an important role in shaping the health of its host. However, knowledge of gut bacteria in birds lags behind that of other animals. In this study, we investigated the gut bacterial communities of lesser white‐fronted geese (Anser erythropus) wintering at Shengjin Lake and Caizi Lake, China, using high‐throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). Altogether, 1,053,624 high‐quality sequences and 4,405 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were acquired from 30 fecal samples (15 per lake). The OTUs represented eight phyla and 17 classes from the Caizi Lake samples and seven phyla and 16 classes from the Shengjin Lake samples. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla. The spatial distance and the Chao1, Simpson, and Shannon indices showed that the alpha diversity differed significantly between the samples from both lakes. The phylogenetic tree and heatmap analyses showed that all the Caizi Lake samples were clustered together and all the Shengjin Lake samples were clustered together. These findings suggest that diet may be an important driver of gut microbial community structure in the birds from each lake, and the obvious differentiation in their gut microbial structures may indicate that the bacteria are highly sensitive to food sources at both lakes.
Materialien: Lieber kein Metall am Hals
Authors: Wetterau Jörg
Published: March 2020

Gold, Silber, Bronze – genau, von Medaillen ist die Rede. Was sie wirklich enthalten und warum die aus Porzellan der eisernen vorzuziehen ist, klärt dieser Beitrag.
Bilanz 2019: BASF
Authors: Bulmahn Maren
Published: March 2020

BASF setzte im Jahr 2019 weniger um als im Jahr zuvor. Die Ergebnisse der Basischemie sanken. Künftig will das Unternehmen stärker in China als in Europa und zudem in Batteriematerialien investieren.
Regionales Fonds‐Stipendiatentreffen in München
Authors: Bruckmoser Jonas
Published: March 2020

Mitte Dezember 2019 trafen sich im bayerischen Raum ansässige Stipendiaten des Fonds der Chemischen Industrie (FCI) an der Technischen Universität München (TUM). Die Veranstaltung hatten Bernhard Rieger, Professor für makromolekulare Chemie, und sein Arbeitskreis organisiert. Die 13 Nachwuchswissenschaftler, die durch ein Liebig‐ oder Kekulé‐Stipendium des FCI gefördert werden, tauschten sich aus und gaben in kurzen Vorträgen Einblicke in ihre Arbeitsprojekte.
A study on improving nursing clinical competencies in a surgical department: A participatory action research
Authors: Afshar Mohammad , Sadeghi‑Gandomani Hamidreza , Masoudi Alavi Negin
Published: March 2020

Aims

The purpose of the present study was to improve clinical competencies in nursing staff in a selected surgical department in Kashan/Iran during 2016–2018.

Design

This was a participatory action research.

Methods

This action research was implemented in four steps of problem identification, planning, action and reflection. Interviews, focus groups and observation were used for the qualitative part. Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire‐II, job satisfaction and patients' satisfaction questionnaires were completed before and after the study. Qualitative content analysis, paired and independentttest were used for data analysis.

Results

Three main problems could affect the clinical competencies including professional insufficiency, basic shortages and external influences. Three changes were implemented in the surgical department including improving education, involving nursing students in patients' education and increasing the motivations by peer evaluation and selecting the nurse of the week. The changes significantly increased patients' satisfaction, nurses' job satisfaction and work effectiveness.
Measuring the Stability of Supramolecular Complexes in the Proximity of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Naranjo Teresa , Villalva Julia , Pérez Emilio M.
Published: March 2020

The decoration of SWNTs with supramolecular motifs is a common strategy for their subsequent noncovalent functionalization. However, due to the lack of a standard methodology, there are no quantitative measurements showing the extent to which the supramolecular equilibria are affected by one of the host‐guest couple being anchored to the SWNT. Here, we use a method we initially developed to quantify association of small organic molecules to the walls of SWNTs to compare association constants of two host‐guest systems, a Hamilton receptor‐cyanuric acid derivative and a crown ether‐ammonium couple, in solution and when the host is covalently attached to the SWNTs. Our data show that association does occur, but the stability of the complexes is significantly affected, as reflected in a sizable reduction in their association constant, when compared to solution.
The effect of trust of a political party as a moderating variable on the leadership towards voters' loyalty
Authors: Hermanto Agus , Narindro Laser
Published: March 2020

This paper aims to conducting an analysis and research with a view to testing and analyzing the effects of leadership on voter loyalty with political communication, a party's image, and voter satisfaction as the intervening (mediating) variables. This research employing a survey method was conducted in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta precisely in July 2013 until August 2013 where the population consisted of fixed voters in the area of Jakarta which, according to the data from the General Elections Commission of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (Komisi Pemilihan Umum [KPU] Daerah Khusus Ibukota [DKI] Jakarta), the number of fixed voters in the regional‐head election in 2012 amounted to 6,996,951 people. The sample size was calculated using Slovin's formula with a 5% error level and obtained a sample of 400 respondents selected randomly. The implications of this research is The higher the variableLeadershipis, the higher the values of the variablesPolitical CommunicationandA Party's Imageare. VariablesA Party's ImageandVoter Satisfactionwhich have a significant and positive influence onVoter Loyalty. VariablesLeadershipandPolitical Communicationwhich are not significant on the variableVoter Loyalty(Y4), Moreover, this research also discovers thatA Party's Imagemediates the influence ofLeadershiponVoter Loyalty. Loyalty of voters results from a process which is both complex and consists of multiple factors involving the individual voters themselves, the environment, and political parties.
Dissecting expression profiles of gastric precancerous lesions and early gastric cancer to explore crucial molecules in intestinal‐type gastric cancer tumorigenesis
Authors: Zhang Yajing , Wu Xi , Zhang Chengli , Wang Jiaqi , Fei Guijun , Di Xuebing , Lu Xinghua , Feng Lin , Cheng Shujun , Yang Aiming
Published: March 2020

Intestinal‐type gastric cancer (IGC) has a clear and multistep histological evolution. No studies have comprehensively explored gastric tumorigenesis from inflammation through low‐grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) and high‐grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) to early gastric cancer (EGC). We sought to investigate the characteristics participating in IGC tumorigenesis and identify related prognostic information within the process. RNA expression profiles of 94 gastroscopic biopsies from 47 patients, including gastric precancerous lesions (GPL: LGIN and HGIN), EGC, and paired controls, were detected by Agilent Microarray. During IGC tumorigenesis from LGIN through HGIN to EGC, the number of activity‐changed tumor hallmarks increased. LGIN and HGIN had similar expression profiles when compared to EGC. We observed an increase in the stemness of gastric epithelial cells in LGIN, HGIN, and EGC, and we found 27 consistent genes that might contribute to dedifferentiation, including five driver genes. Remarkably, we perceived that the immune microenvironment was more active in EGC than in GPL, especially in the infiltration of lymphocytes and macrophages. We identified a five‐gene signature from the gastric tumorigenesis process that could independently predict the overall survival and disease‐free survival of GC patients (log‐rank test: p < 0.0001), and the robustness was verified in an independent cohort (n > 300) and by comparing with two established prognostic signatures in GC. In conclusion, during IGC tumorigenesis, cancer‐like changes occur in LGIN and accumulate in HGIN and EGC. The immune microenvironment is more active in EGC than in LGIN and HGIN. The identified signature from the tumorigenesis process has robust prognostic significance for GC patients. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Synthesis of 1,6‐didecylnaphtho[1,2‐b:5,6‐b']difuran‐based copolymers by direct heteroarylation polymerization
Authors: Muller Evan W. , Burney‐Allen Alfred A. , Shaw Jessica , Wheeler David L. , Duzhko Volodimyr , Jeffries‐EL Malika
Published: March 2020

The use of direct CH arylation cross‐coupling polymerization was evaluated for the synthesis of donor–acceptor conjugated co‐polymers using the novel donor 1,6‐didecylnaphtho[1,2‐b:5,6‐b']difuran and either thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione (TPD) or 1,4‐diketopyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole (DPP) as the acceptor. Thiophene and furan moieties were used to flank the DPP group and the impact of these heterocycles on the polymers' properties was evaluated. The alkyl chains on the diketopyrrolopyrrole monomers were varied to engineer the solubility and morphology of the materials. All of the polymers have similar optoelectronic properties with narrow optical band gaps around 1.3 eV, which is ideal for solar energy harvesting. Unfortunately, these polymers also had high‐lying highest occupied molecular orbital levels of −4.8 to −5.1, and as a result bulk‐heterojunction photovoltaic cells fabricated using the soluble fullerene derivative PC71BM as the electron‐acceptor and these polymers as donor materials exhibited poor performance due to limited Voc values. An examination of the films from these blends indicates that film‐thickness and morphology were also a major hindrance to performance and a potential point of improvement for future materials.
Thermolytic Deposition of MoS2 Nanolayer for Si Solar Cell Applications
Authors: Satha Suresh , Sahu Rajkumar , Mun Jonghun , Kim Keunjoo
Published: March 2020

The thermolytic deposition of MoS2 nanolayers for use in Si solar cells is investigated for which a thin MoS2 nanolayer is grown on a crystalline Si substrate by the thermolysis method. The deposited MoS2 nanolayer and Si substrate are annealed and show a transition from an amorphous to a crystalline phase as the annealing temperature increases. The MoS2 (002) crystalline peak at 14.04° appears at an annealing temperature of 450 °C. The heterojunction interface of MoS2/np‐Si shows a mixed amorphous and crystalline phase. The Al/MoS2 has better Ohmic contact compared with Al/Si. The MoS2 nanolayer is introduced into the cell structure of a SiNx/a‐Si(n)/MoS2/np‐Si cell, the cell shows a photoconversion efficiency of 11.47%.
Microscopic Insights into the Formation of Methane Hydrate in the Absence/Presence of Electrolyte Ions
Authors: Liu Tingsong , Liu Ni , Chen Litao
Published: March 2020

The formation of methane hydrate can be effectively inhibited by the electrolyte ions, but it remains to be a long‐term challenge to describe its molecular mechanism. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to explore the inhibition process of electrolyte solutions at molecular level. The simulation results manifest that the presence of electrolyte ions reduces the possibility of water molecules forming cage clusters of hydrates. Additionally, the growth rate of hydrates is closely related to the ionic concentration and ionic strength of the electrolyte solutions while has no obvious relationship with the ionic species. Finally, the defect structure of the hydrate was noticed and it was found that a little of ions can replace the water molecules in the clathrate structure to form a cage.
A new method for scaling of earthquake records using input energy of structures
Authors: Davarnia Daniel , Farahmand Azar Bahman
Published: March 2020

Nonlinear response history analysis is conducted as the most trusted and accurate method in the seismic analysis and design of buildings. Since the selection of appropriate records is inherent in this procedure, numerous attempts have been made to use earthquake records that represent a good prediction of future earthquakes. Scaling existing earthquake records is considered as one of the most important tools to fulfill this goal. This paper introduces a new method for scaling ground motion time histories in which elastic input energy is considered as intensity measure. In the new scaling procedure, the scale factor is obtained by minimizing the residual between the elastic input energy of structures for the desired records and the maximum probable input energy of the target spectrum. The efficiency and the accuracy of the proposed method are evaluated and compared with those resulting from the method of ASCE/SEI 7. The results demonstrate that the records scaled with the proposed method lead to more accurate and efficient demand parameters.
Computational models to explore the complexity of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cancer
Authors: Cortesi Marilisa , Liverani Chiara , Mercatali Laura , Ibrahim Toni , Giordano Emanuele
Published: March 2020

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex biological process that plays a key role in cancer progression and metastasis formation. Its activation results in epithelial cells losing adhesion and polarity and becoming capable of migrating from their site of origin. At this step the disease is generally considered incurable. As EMT execution involves several individual molecular components, connected by nontrivial relations, in vitro techniques are often inadequate to capture its complexity. Computational models can be used to complement experiments and provide additional knowledge difficult to build up in a wetlab. Indeed in silico analysis gives the user total control on the system, allowing to identify the contribution of each independent element. In the following, two kinds of approaches to the computational study of EMT will be presented. The first relies on signal transduction networks description and details how changes in gene expression could influence this process, both focusing on specific aspects of the EMT and providing a general frame for this phenomenon easily comparable with experimental data. The second integrates single cell and population level descriptions in a multiscale model that can be considered a more accurate representation of the EMT. The advantages and disadvantages of each approach will be highlighted, together with the importance of coupling computational and experimental results. Finally, the main challenges that need to be addressed to improve our knowledge of the role of EMT in the neoplastic disease and the scientific and translational value of computational models in this respect will be presented.

This article is categorized under:

Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods
Charming new B-physics
Authors: Jäger Sebastian , Kirk Matthew , Lenz Alexander , Leslie Kirsten
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We give a comprehensive account of the flavour physics of Beyond-Standard-Model (BSM) effects in b → c$$ \overline{c} $$

c
¯

cs transitions, considering the full set of 20 four-quark operators. We discuss the leading-order structure of their RG mixing with each other as well as the QCD-penguin, dipole, and FCNC semileptonic operators they necessarily mix with, providing compact expressions. We also provide the first complete results for BSM effects in the lifetime observables ∆Γs and τ (Bs)/τ(Bd), as well as for the semileptonic CP-asymmetry $$ {a}_{sl}^s $$

a
sl
s

. From a global analysis, we obtain stringent constraints on 16 of the 20 BSM operators, including the 10 operators $$ {Q}_{1\dots 10}^{c\prime } $$

Q

1
…
10

c
′

involving a right-handed strange quark. Focussing on CP-conserving new physics, the constraints correspond to NP scales of order 10 TeV in most cases, always dominated by exclusive and/or radiative B-decays via RGE mixing. For the remaining four operators, including the two Standard-Model (SM) ones, larger effects are experimentally allowed, as previously noted in [1]. We extend that paper’s scope to the CP-violating case, paying attention to the impact on the decay rate and time-dependent CP-violation in Bd → J/ψKS. Contrary to common lore, we show that quantifiable constraints arise for new physics in either of the two SM operators, with the uncertain non-perturbative matrix element of the colour-suppressed (or equivalently, colour-octet) operator determined from the data. For new physics in the coefficient $$ {C}_1^c $$

C
1
c

, suppressed in the SM, we find (in addition to CP-conserving new physics) two perfectly viable, narrow bands of complex Wilson coefficients. Somewhat curiously, one of them contains a region where the fitted matrix element for the colour-suppressed operator is in agreement with naive factorization, contrarily to a widely held belief that large non- factorizable contributions to Bd → J/ψKS are implied by experimental data.
Deconfinement on axion domain walls
Authors: Anber Mohamed M. , Poppitz Erich
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We study SU(Nc) gauge theories with Dirac fermions in representations ℛ of nonzeroN-ality, coupled to axions. These theories have an exact discrete chiral symmetry, which has a mixed ’t Hooft anomaly with general baryon-color-flavor backgrounds, called the “BCF anomaly” in [1]. The infrared theory also has an emergent$$ {\mathrm{\mathbb{Z}}}_{N_c}^{(1)} $$ℤNc11-form center symmetry. We show that the BCF anomaly is matched in the infrared by axion domain walls. We argue that$$ {\mathrm{\mathbb{Z}}}_{N_c}^{(1)} $$ℤNc1is spontaneously broken on axion domain walls, so that nonzeroN-ality Wilson loops obey the perimeter law and probe quarks are deconfined on the walls. We give further support to our conclusion by using a calculable small-circle compactification to study the multi-scale structure of the axion domain walls and the microscopic physics of deconfinement on their worldvolume.
More on the entropy product and dual CFTs
Authors: Golchin Hanif
Published: March 2020

Abstract

In this paper, we check the universality of the entropy product for some black hole and black ring solutions. Applying the asymptotic symmetry group (ASG) analysis, we also find the central charges of the dual CFTs for these solutions. It has been observed [16] that if the entropy product for a solution is universal, it is possible to read the central charges of the dual CFTs from the entropy product as $$ {c}_i\sim \frac{\partial }{\partial {N}_i}\left({S}_{+}{S}_{-}\right), $$

c
i

∼

∂

∂

N
i

S
+

S
−

,
where Ni is a conserved charge of the solution like angular momentum or electric charge. In this work we consider some other families of solutions and we check that the same behavior is valid for them. Moreover, in the case of solutions containing the conical singularity, we find the central charges using the ASG analysis. We show that the central charges receive a contribution from the conical characteristic κ of the solution, however it is still possible to read the central charges from the entropy product.
The proton in high definition: revisiting photon-initiated production in high energy collisions
Authors: Harland-Lang L.A.
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We re-examine the current state of the art for the calculation of photon- initiated processes at the LHC, as formulated in terms of a photon PDF in the proton that may be determined rather precisely from the known proton structure functions. We in particular demonstrate that a by construction more precise calculation is provided by a direct application of the structure function approach, best known from the case of Higgs Boson production via vector boson fusion. This avoids any artificial scale variation uncertainties, which can otherwise be rather significant for processes calculated within the standard approach thus far. To understand the source of these, we present a detailed comparison of the structure function approach and its relation to the photon PDF. We then provide precise predictions for the photon-initiated contribution to lepton pair production at the LHC, including the lepton pair transverse momentum distribution. Thus, by a direct application of the structure function formalism we show how the contribution from initial-state photons at the LHC may for the first time be included with high precision in a universal and straightforward way, providing a high definition picture of the photon content of the proton.
Speech recognition with hearing aids for 10 standard audiograms
Authors: Dörfler C. , Hocke T. , Hast A. , Hoppe U.
Published: March 2020

Background

Improvement of speech perception in quiet is an important goal of hearing aid provision. In practice, results are highly variable. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between type and extent of hearing loss (audiogram type), maximum word recognition score, and aided speech perception.

Materials and methods

Pure tone and speech audiometric data of 740 ears in 370 patients were reviewed. All subjects visited our hearing center for hearing aid evaluation between 2012 and 2017. The maximum word recognition score (WRSmax) and the monosyllabic speech recognition score with hearing aids, WRS65(HA) were analyzed for 10 different standard audiogram types.

Results

The WRS65(HA) with hearing aids for different degrees of hearing loss is, within error boundaries, comparable to previous investigations and shows a difference of 10–20 percentage points to the WRSmax. This difference tends to be larger for flat and moderately sloping audiograms compared to steep-sloping audiograms. The ratio WRS65(HA)/WRSmax can be interpreted as an efficiency factor for hearing aid provision, since it relates speech recognition with hearing aids to the maximally achievable information carrying capacity of the hearing impaired.

Conclusion

The expectation regarding hearing aid provision has to be adjusted according to maximum word recognition score, the derived quality measures, degree of hearing loss, and audiogram type.
Alcohol consumption in relation to carotid subclinical atherosclerosis and its progression: results from a European longitudinal multicentre study
Authors:   IMPROVE Study group, Laguzzi Federica , Baldassarre Damiano , Veglia Fabrizio , Strawbridge Rona J. , Humphries Steve E. , Rauramaa Rainer , Smit Andries J. , Giral Philippe , Silveira Angela , Tremoli Elena , Hamsten Anders , de Faire Ulf , Frumento Paolo , Leander Karin
Published: March 2020

Background/Aim

The association between alcohol consumption and subclinical atherosclerosis is still unclear. Using data from a European multicentre study, we assess subclinical atherosclerosis and its 30-month progression by carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) measurements, and correlate this information with self-reported data on alcohol consumption.

Methods

Between 2002–2004, 1772 men and 1931 women aged 54–79 years with at least three risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) were recruited in Italy, France, Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland. Self-reported alcohol consumption, assessed at baseline, was categorized as follows: none (0 g/d), very-low (0 − 5 g/d), low (> 5 to  ≤ 10 g/d), moderate (> 10 to ≤ 20 g/d for women,  > 10 to ≤ 30 g/d for men) and high (> 20 g/d for women, > 30 g/d for men). C-IMT was measured in millimeters at baseline and after 30 months. Measurements consisted of the mean and maximum values of the common carotids (CC), internal carotid artery (ICA), and bifurcations (Bif) and whole carotid tree. We used quantile regression to describe the associations between C-IMT measures and alcohol consumption categories, adjusting for sex, age, physical activity, education, smoking, diet, and latitude.

Results

Adjusted differences between median C-IMT values in different levels of alcohol consumption (vs. very-low) showed that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with lower C-IMTmax[− 0.17(95%CI − 0.32; − 0.02)], and Bif-IMTmean[− 0.07(95%CI − 0.13; − 0.01)] at baseline and decreasing C-IMTmean[− 0.006 (95%CI − 0.011; − 0.000)], Bif-IMTmean[− 0.016(95%CI − 0.027; − 0.005)], ICA-IMTmean[− 0.009(95% − 0.016; − 0.002)] and ICA-IMTmax[− 0.016(95%: − 0.032; − 0.000)] after 30 months. There was no evidence of departure from linearity in the association between alcohol consumption and C-IMT.

Conclusion

In this European population at high risk of CVD, findings show an inverse relation between moderate alcohol consumption and carotid subclinical atherosclerosis and its 30-month progression, independently of several potential confounders.
Fetal profile in fetuses with open spina bifida
Authors: Prodan Natalia , Hoopmann Markus , Sonek Jiri , Oettling Christoph , Abele Harald , Wagner Philipp , Kagan Karl Oliver
Published: March 2020

Objective

To determine whether the frontomaxillary facial (FMF) angle and the prefrontal space ratio (PFSR) are helpful in screening for open spinal defects by ultrasound in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Methods

The FMF angle and the PFSR were measured in fetuses with spina bifida according to standardized protocols. The normal range of the PFSR was previously published by our group. To determine the normal values for the FMF angle in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, we used the same stored images from the above-mentioned study.

Results

71 affected and 279 normal fetuses were included in this study. Median gestational ages in the two groups were 21.1 weeks and 21.6 weeks, respectively. In fetuses with spina bifida, the FMF angle was significantly smaller than in the normal population (72.9° versus 79.6°). However, the measurement was below the fifth centile in only 22.5% of the affected fetuses. The PFSR was similar in both groups.

Conclusions

The FMF angle is smaller in second and third trimester fetuses with open spina bifida. However, the difference is not large enough to implement this marker in current screening programs.
Impact of embryo quality and endometrial thickness on implantation in natural cycle IVF
Authors: Tomic Vlatka , Kasum Miro , Vucic Katarina
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of the endometrial thickness and embryo quality on the implantation potential in natural cycle IVF (NC-IVF).

Methods

A retrospective single-center study was performed on 552 single embryo transfers after NC-IVF. The ‘quality' of the embryos was evaluated trough the number and regularity of blastomeres, degree of fragmentation, and nuclear content of cells. Endometrial thickness was measured in millimeters with transvaginal ultrasound on the day of hCG application.

Results

Our findings showed a statistically significant difference in successful implantation until a plateau of 10 mm is reached (p = 0.001). Only one pregnancy was achieved where endometrial thickness was less than 7 mm, and this resulted in an early miscarriage. The predictors of favorable implantation were fragmentation (≤ 10%, p < 0.05) and the number of blastomeres (preferably 8-cell, p < 0.01) on day 3. Embryo quality (R = 0.052) and endometrial thickness (R = 0.18) were closely related to pregnancy rate. The overall implantation rate per embryo transfer was 18.8%.

Conclusions

Embryo quality and endometrial thickness have a significant impact on implantation in NC-IVF. Highest implantation potential has an 8-cell embryo with ≤ 10% fragmentation in the third day following oocyte retrieval. Endometrial thickness of at least 7 mm seems to be the optimal edge of successful pregnancy.
Area Under the Expiratory Flow–Volume Curve (AEX): Assessing Bronchodilator Responsiveness
Authors: Ioachimescu Octavian C. , Stoller James K.
Published: March 2020

Background

Area under expiratory flow–volume curve (AEX) is a useful spirometric tool in stratifying respiratory impairment. The AEX approximations based on isovolumic flows can be used with reasonable accuracy when AEX is unavailable. We assessed here pre- to post-bronchodilator (BD) variability of AEX4 as a functional assessment tool for lung disorders.

Methods

The BD response was assessed in 4330 subjects by changes in FEV1, FVC, and AEX4, which were derived from FVC, peak expiratory flow, and forced expiratory flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% FVC. Newly proposed BD response categories (negative, minimal, mild, moderate and marked) have been investigated in addition to standard criteria.

Results

Using standard BD criteria, 24% of subjects had a positive response. Using the new BD response categories, only 23% of subjects had a negative response; 45% minimal, 18% mild, 9% moderate, and 5% had a marked BD response. Mean percent change of the square root AEX4 was 0.3% and 14.3% in the standard BD-negative and BD-positive response groups, respectively. In the new BD response categories of negative, minimal, mild, moderate, and marked, mean percent change of square root AEX4 was − 8.2%, 2.9%, 9.2%, 15.0%, and 24.8%, respectively.

Conclusions

Mean pre- to post-BD variability of AEX4 was < 6% and stratified well between newly proposed categories of BD response (negative, minimal, mild, moderate and marked). We suggest that AEX4 (AEX) could become a useful measurement for stratifying dysfunction in obstructive lung disease and invite further investigation into indications for using bronchodilator agents or disease-modifying, anti-inflammatory therapies.
Introduction to clinical research based on modern epidemiology
Authors: Hoshino Junichi
Published: March 2020

Over the past 20 years, recent advances in science technologies have dramatically changed the styles of clinical research. Currently, it has become more popular to use recent modern epidemiological techniques, such as propensity score, instrumental variable, competing risks, marginal structural modeling, mixed effects modeling, bootstrapping, and missing data analyses, than before. These advanced techniques, also known as modern epidemiology, may be strong tools for performing good clinical research, especially in large-scale observational studies, along with relevant research questions, good databases, and the passion of researchers. However, to use these methods effectively, we need to understand the basic assumptions behind them. Here, I will briefly introduce the concepts of these techniques and their implementation. In addition, I would like to emphasize that various types of clinical studies, not only large database studies but also small studies on rare and intractable diseases, are equally important because clinicians always do their best to take care of many kinds of patients who suffer from various kidney diseases and this is our most important mission.