bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
C2ShadowGAN: cycle-in-cycle generative adversarial network for shadow removal using unpaired data
Authors: Kang Sunwon , Kim Juwan , Jang In Sung , Lee Byoung-Dai
Published: November 2022

Recent advances in deep learning technology, and the availability of public shadow image datasets, have enabled significant performance improvements of shadow removal tasks in computer vision. However, most deep learning-based shadow removal methods are usually trained in a supervised manner, in which paired shadow and shadow-free data are required. We developed a weakly supervised generative adversarial network with a cycle-in-cycle structure for shadow removal using unpaired data. In addition, we introduced new loss functions to reduce unnecessary transformations for non-shadow areas and to enable smooth transformations for shadow boundary areas. We conducted extensive experiments using the ISTD and Video Shadow Removal datasets to assess the effectiveness of our methods. The experimental results show that our method is superior to other state-of-the-art methods trained on unpaired data.
Seismic response of a motorway bridge founded in an active landslide: a case study
Authors: Mantakas Antonios , Tsatsis Angelos , Loli Marianna , Kourkoulis Rallis , Gazetas George
Published: November 2022

A twin girder 7-pier bridge, belonging to the "Egnatia" highway that has been facing numerous challenging geohazards, is built within an active landslide. Its seismic performance is investigated here through a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between bridge, foundation, and the precarious slope, which might affect 4 of the piers. The numerical 3D modeling considers in a realistic way the coupled effects of topography, soil nonlinearity, slope instability, and reinforced-concrete plasticity during seismic loading (kinematic and inertial). Alternative foundation schemes and slope stabilizing techniques are generically compared and evaluated. The aim is to develop a multi-hazard risk assessment platform that could facilitate the long-term management of motorways while shedding some light on the multi-hazard soil-structure interaction (MH-SSI).
Probabilistic assessment of SMRFs with infill masonry walls incorporating nonlinear soil-structure interaction
Authors: Kazemi F. , Asgarkhani N. , Jankowski R.
Published: November 2022

Infill Masonry Walls (IMWs) are used in the perimeter of a building to separate the inner and outer space. IMWs may affect the lateral behavior of buildings, while they are different from those partition walls that separate two inner spaces. This study focused on the seismic vulnerability assessment of Steel Moment-Resisting Frames (SMRFs) assuming different placement of IMWs incorporating nonlinear Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI). The aim is to explore the damage states of IMWs and use their ability for improving the vulnerability of SMRFs. For this purpose, the three, five, seven, and nine story levels (3-Story, 5-Story, 7-Story, and 9-Story) SMRFs were modeled considering four soil types. Incremental Dynamic Analyses (IDAs) were performed to determine the seismic performance limit-state capacities of SMRFs considering the Far-Fault (FF) record subset suggested by FEMA P695. To accurately model the influence of IMWs on the seismic response of SMRFs, a Tcl programming algorithm was developed to intelligently monitor the damage states of IMWs in each floor level. Results of the analysis show that assuming different placement of IMWs can significantly increase the seismic limit-state capacities of SMRFs with and without considering SSI effects. In addition, IMWs can play a crucial role to improve the seismic performances as well as the seismic collapse probability, which may be suggested for retrofitting purposes.
Has social constructionism about race outlived its usefulness? Perspectives from a race skeptic
Authors: Hochman Adam
Published: November 2022

The phrase ‘social constructionism about race’ is so ambiguous that it is unable to convey anything very meaningful. I argue that the various versions of social constructionism about race are either false, overly broad, or better described as anti-realism about biological race. One of the central rhetorical purposes of social constructionism about race has been to serve as an alternative to biological racial realism. However, most versions of social constructionism about race are compatible with biological racial realism, and there are some race scholars who endorse both positions. Going a step further, David Reich has recently defended both social constructionism about race and racial hereditarianism. While Reich’s defense of racial hereditarianism is unconvincing, I show that most versions of social constructionism about race are indeed compatible with racial hereditarianism. I argue that we ought to replace the social constructionist “consensus” about race with the view that there are no races, only racialized groups.
Diagnostic value of core needle biopsy for determining HER2 status in breast cancer, especially in the HER2-low population
Authors: Chen Ruixian , Qi Yana , Huang Ya , Liu Weijing , Yang Ruoning , Zhao Xin , Wu Yunhao , Li Qintong , Wang Zhu , Sun Xin , Wei Bing , Chen Jie
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The status of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is important for treatment decision-making of breast cancer and was commonly determined by core needle biopsy (CNB). The concordance of CNB with surgical excision biopsy (SEB) has been verified, but remain unclear according to the newly developed classification of HER2 status. Our study aimed to re-evaluate the diagnostic value of CNB for determining HER2 status in breast cancer, especially in the HER2-low population.

Methods

Eligible breast cancer patients in West China Hospital between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2021 were enrolled consecutively and data were extracted from the Hospital Information System. The agreement of HER2 status between CNB and SEB was calculated by concordance rate and κ statistics, as well as the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values (PPV & NPV). Logistic models were used to explore potential factors associated with the discordance between both tests.

Results

Of 1829 eligible patients, 1097 (60.0%) and 1358 (74.2%) were consistent between CNB and SEB by pathological and clinical classifications, respectively, with κ value being 0.46 (0.43–0.49) and 0.57 (0.53–0.60). The sensitivity (50.9%–52.7%) and PPV (50.5%-55.2%) of CNB were especially low among IHC 1+ and 2+/ISH - subgroups by pathological classifications; however, it showed the highest sensitivity (77.5%) and the lowest specificity (73.9%) in HER2-low population by clinical classifications. Advanced N stages might be a stable indicator for the discordance between both tests.

Conclusion

The diagnostic value of CNB was limited for determining HER2 status in breast cancer, especially in HER2-low population.
Water Resources in Africa: The Role of Earth Observation Data and Hydrodynamic Modeling to Derive River Discharge
Authors: Tarpanelli Angelica , Paris Adrien , Sichangi Arthur W. , O`Loughlin Fiachra , Papa Fabrice
Published: November 2022

For more than a century, river discharge has been measured indirectly through observations of water level and flow velocity, but recently the number of gauging stations worldwide has decreased and the situation is particularly serious in African countries that suffer more than others from discontinuous and incomplete monitoring. As one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to extreme weather events and global warming, African countries need adequate and reliable monitoring. Decades of available Earth Observations data represent a tool complementary to the hydro-monitoring network and, in recent decades, they have demonstrated their potential, especially for data-poor regions. In this paper, a review of methods for hydrological and hydraulic modeling and for estimating river discharge by the use of satellite data, specifically radar altimetry and optical sensors, is provided, with particular focus on their role in the climate changes monitoring. More emphasis is placed on their relevance on African basins highlighting limits and advantages.
René Dubos, the Autochthonous Flora, and the Discovery of the Microbiome
Authors: Rasmussen Nicolas
Published: November 2022

Now characterised by high-throughput sequencing methods that enable the study of microbes without lab culture, the human “microbiome” (the microbial flora of the body) is said to have revolutionary implications for biology and medicine. According to many experts, we must now understand ourselves as “holobionts” like lichen or coral, multispecies superorganisms that consist of animal and symbiotic microbes in combination, because normal physiological function depends on them. Here I explore the 1960s research of biologist René Dubos, a forerunner figure mentioned in some historical accounts of the microbiome, and argue that he arrived at the superorganism concept 40 years before the Human Microbiome Project. This raises the question of why his contribution was not hailed as revolutionary at the time and why Dubos is not remembered for it.
Heterogeneous Multiscale Methods for the Landau–Lifshitz Equation
Authors: Leitenmaier Lena , Runborg Olof
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we present a finite difference Heterogeneous Multiscale Method for the Landau–Lifshitz equation with a highly oscillatory diffusion coefficient. The approach combines a higher order discretization and artificial damping in the so-called micro problem to obtain an efficient implementation. The influence of different parameters on the resulting approximation error is discussed. Further important factors that are taken into account are the choice of time integrator and the initial data for the micro problem which has to be set appropriately to get a consistent scheme. Numerical examples in one and two space dimensions and for both periodic as well as more general coefficients are given to demonstrate the functionality of the approach.
Thermal behaviour and fire and mechanical performance of carbon fibre-reinforced epoxy composites coated with flame-retardant epoxy gelcoats
Authors: Pomázi Ákos , Krecz Martin , Toldy Andrea
Published: November 2022

We investigated the industrial applicability of multifunctional flame-retardant epoxy gelcoats based on flame retardants containing phosphorus (P), in particular ammonium polyphosphate (APP, which acts in the solid phase), resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP, which mainly acts in the gas phase) and their combination. It was possible to apply most of the formulations via spraying with the use of a diluent, while gelcoats containing RDP were sprayable without a diluent. The presence of both flame retardants provided excellent fire performance, while the Shore D hardness of the gelcoats decreased significantly, which is favourable in terms of flexibility. We compared the effect of the composite (wet compression moulding and vacuum infusion) and gelcoat manufacturing (brushing and spraying) technologies on fire behaviour. Both vacuum infusion and spraying significantly decreased the peak heat release rate and the total heat release of the coated samples during the mass loss type cone calorimetry tests. The composites prepared by vacuum infusion and coated by spraying showed the best overall fire performance. Heat release rates, three-point bending test results and the dynamic mechanical analysis of the coated samples revealed that the flame retardancy of the composite base itself can be omitted.
Generic conjunctivitis
Authors: Kirkpatrick James Ravi
Published: November 2022

Generic sentences involving phrasal conjunctions present a prima facie problem for the standard theory of generics according to which they express quasi-universal generalisations about what is characteristic for members of a particular kind. For example, the sentence ‘Elephants live in Africa and Asia’ is true, even though it is uncharacteristic for an elephant to live in both Africa and Asia. In response to this problem, theorists have recently proposed radical departures from the standard view. This paper argues that such departures are unwarranted: not only do they fail to fully accommodate the data involving generic conjunctions, their scope is overly narrow, since the phenomena in question also arise in non-generic contexts. I propose a new theory of generics that aims to account for generic conjunctions in a principled manner and which sheds new light on the mereological commitments of natural language.
Online learning of network bottlenecks via minimax paths
Authors: Åkerblom Niklas , Hoseini Fazeleh Sadat , Haghir Chehreghani Morteza
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we study bottleneck identification in networks via extracting minimax paths. Many real-world networks have stochastic weights for which full knowledge is not available in advance. Therefore, we model this task as a combinatorial semi-bandit problem to which we apply a combinatorial version of Thompson Sampling and establish an upper bound on the corresponding Bayesian regret. Due to the computational intractability of the problem, we then devise an alternative problem formulation which approximates the original objective. Finally, we experimentally evaluate the performance of Thompson Sampling with the approximate formulation on real-world directed and undirected networks.
Regularising transformations for the $$(n,\,n+1)$$-Liénard equations
Authors: Filipuk Galina
Published: November 2022

We discuss regularising transformations for the Liénard equations of the form $$y''=F(z,y)y'+G(z,y)$$

y

′
′

=
F

(
z
,
y
)

y
′

+
G

(
z
,
y
)

, where F and G are polynomials of degrees n and $$n+1$$

n
+
1

respectively using the geometric approach. As a particular case we find a transformation for the Duffing–van der Pol equation which leads to the regularisation.
miRNA-559 and MTDH as possible diagnostic markers of psoriasis: Role of PTEN/AKT/FOXO pathway in disease pathogenesis
Authors: Aldabbas Rana , Shaker Olfat G. , Ismail Manal F. , Fathy Nevine
Published: November 2022

Psoriasis is a persistent, inflammatory, autoimmune skin disorder which can be elicited by genetic and environmental factors. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) that are abnormally expressed in psoriasis have emerged as an interesting candidate in psoriasis pathogenesis. However, the expression profile and function of miRNA-559, and its direct target metadherin (MTDH), in psoriasis need to be further illuminated. This study intended to assess miRNA-559 and MTDH levels in skin and sera of psoriatic patients and to investigate their clinical significance in an attempt for developing novel distinct tools for early diagnosis of psoriasis. Moreover, this study aimed at exploring participation of miRNA-559 in regulating MTDH/PTEN/AKT pathway in psoriasis. Expression levels of miRNA-559, AKT, FOXO1 and PTEN were measured by real-time qRT-PCR, whereas MTDH and p27 levels were assessed by ELISA in lesional, non-lesional tissues and serum of 20 psoriatic patients and 20 matching controls. Correlation study was conducted between different parameters. The diagnostic performance of miRNA-559 and MTDH in psoriasis was estimated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Expression of miRNA-559 in psoriatic patients was significantly downregulated in both lesional tissues and serum as compared to controls. Conversely, MTDH protein level showed significant increase in both tissues and serum of psoriatic patients and was inversely correlated with miRNA-559 level. Meanwhile, levels of PTEN, AKT and FOXO1 were dramatically changed in psoriatic patients compared to controls. Furthermore, serum miRNA-559 and MTDH displayed comparable diagnostic accuracy in discriminating psoriatic patients from controls. Yet, miRNA-559 demonstrated superior diagnostic performance than MTDH in psoriasis diagnosis. Together, the current findings provide the first suggestion of a new mechanism by which downregulation of miRNA-559 might induce proliferation in psoriasis through modulating PTEN/AKT/FOXO1 pathway by positive regulation of MTDH. Thus, miRNA-559 and MTDH might be proposed as promising diagnostic biomarkers of psoriasis.
Neurocognition in adults with intracranial tumors: does location really matter?
Authors: Sleurs Charlotte , Zegers Catharina M. L. , Compter Inge , Dijkstra Jeanette , Anten Monique H. M. E. , Postma Alida A. , Schijns Olaf E. M. G. , Hoeben Ann , Sitskoorn Margriet M. , De Baene Wouter , De Roeck Laurien , Sunaert Stefan , Van Elmpt Wouter , Lambrecht Maarten , Eekers Daniëlle B. P.
Published: November 2022

Objective

As preservation of cognitive functioning increasingly becomes important in the light of ameliorated survival after intracranial tumor treatments, identification of eloquent brain areas would enable optimization of these treatments.

Methods

This cohort study enrolled adult intracranial tumor patients who received neuropsychological assessments pre-irradiation, estimating processing speed, verbal fluency and memory. Anatomical magnetic resonance imaging scans were used for multivariate voxel-wise lesion-symptom predictions of the test scores (corrected for age, gender, educational level, histological subtype, surgery, and tumor volume). Potential effects of histological and molecular subtype and corresponding WHO grades on the risk of cognitive impairment were investigated using Chi square tests. P-values were adjusted for multiple comparisons (p < .001 and p < .05 for voxel- and cluster-level, resp.).

Results

A cohort of 179 intracranial tumor patients was included [aged 19–85 years, median age (SD) = 58.46 (14.62), 50% females]. In this cohort, test-specific impairment was detected in 20–30% of patients. Higher WHO grade was associated with lower processing speed, cognitive flexibility and delayed memory in gliomas, while no acute surgery-effects were found. No grading, nor surgery effects were found in meningiomas. The voxel-wise analyses showed that tumor locations in left temporal areas and right temporo-parietal areas were related to verbal memory and processing speed, respectively.

Interpretation

Patients with intracranial tumors affecting the left temporal areas and right temporo-parietal areas might specifically be vulnerable for lower verbal memory and processing speed. These specific patients at-risk might benefit from early-stage interventions. Furthermore, based on future validation studies, imaging-informed surgical and radiotherapy planning could further be improved.
Lunacy and Scepticism: Notes on the Logic of Doubt Concerning the Existence of an External World
Authors: Sunday Grève Sebastian
Published: November 2022

This article develops a logical (or semantic) response to scepticism about the existence of an external world. Specifically, it is argued that any doubt about the existence of an external world can be proved to be false, but whatever appears to be doubt about the existence of an external world thatcannotbe proved to be false is nonsense, insofar as it must rely on the assertion of something that is logically impossible. The article further suggests that both G. E. Moore and Ludwig Wittgenstein worked towards the same solution but left their work unfinished.
Data Augmentation Using Spectral Warping for Low Resource Children ASR
Authors: Kathania Hemant Kumar , Kadyan Viredner , Kadiri Sudarsana Reddy , Kurimo Mikko
Published: November 2022

In low resource children automatic speech recognition (ASR) the performance is degraded due to limited acoustic and speaker variability available in small datasets. In this paper, we propose a spectral warping based data augmentation method to capture more acoustic and speaker variability. This is carried out by warping the linear prediction (LP) spectra computed from speech data. The warped LP spectra computed in a frame-based manner are used with the corresponding LP residuals to synthesize speech to capture more variability. The proposed augmentation method is shown to improve the ASR system performance over the baseline system. We have compared the proposed method with four well-known data augmentation methods: pitch scaling, speaking rate, SpecAug and vocal tract length perturbation (VTLP), and found that the proposed method performs the best. Further, we have combined the proposed method with these existing data augmentation methods to improve the ASR system performance even more. The combined system consisting of the original data, VTLP, SpecAug and the proposed spectral warping method gave the best performance by a relative word error rate reduction of 32.13% and 10.51% over the baseline system for Punjabi children and TLT-school corpus, respectively. The proposed spectral warping method is publicly available at https://github.com/kathania/Spectral-Warping.
Total syntheses of surugamides and thioamycolamides toward understanding their biosynthesis
Authors: Kuranaga Takefumi
Published: November 2022

Peptidic natural products have received much attention as potential drug leads, and biosynthetic studies of peptidic natural products have contributed to the field of natural product chemistry over the past several decades. However, the key biosynthetic intermediates are generally not isolated from natural sources, and this can hamper a detailed analysis of biosynthesis. Furthermore, reported unusual structures, which are targets for biosynthetic studies, are sometimes the results of structural misassignments. Chemical synthesis techniques are imperative in solving these problems. This review focuses on the chemical syntheses of surugamides and thioamycolamides toward understanding their biosynthesis. These studies can provide the key biosynthetic intermediates that can reveal the biosynthetic pathways and/or true structures of these natural products.

Graphical abstract
Developing positional awareness in sustainability science: four archetypes for early career scientists working in an SDG world
Authors: Schrage Jesse , Barraclough Alicia D. , Wilkerson Brooke , Cusens Jarrod , Fuller Jessica
Published: November 2022

Although the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework to guide and inform research at the interface between science and policy, engaging in sustainability science is not a value-free process and implies making a number of choices. This is especially pertinent to early career researchers (ECRs) who are faced with the need to engage with the content and frame of the SDGs, while navigating critical engagement in knowledge production. Here, we propose a framework to help early career sustainability scholars navigate these tensions. We describe four archetypes at play in sustainability research and argue that these positions allow ECRs to reflexively navigate their roles and purposes in sustainability research.
Mechanical and Microstructural Analysis of Friction Surfaced Aluminum Coatings on Silicon Nitride Ceramic Substrates
Authors: Atil H. B. , Leonhardt M. , Grant R. J. , Barrans S. M.
Published: November 2022

The lack of suitable techniques for joining Si

$$_{3}{\text{N}}_{4}$$

3

N
4

ceramics with metals has limited the usage of this otherwise outstanding material for composite applications. In this study, aluminum AlMgSi0.5 (EN AW-6060) was coated onto silicon nitride Si

$$_{3}{\text{N}}_{4}$$

3

N
4

ceramic substrates using friction surfacing technology. Experimental work revealed that the harmful effects of thermal shock (e.g., substrate cracking, coating delamination) observed with other material combinations can be avoided by selecting materials with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, low Young’s modulus and high thermal conductivity. Design of experiments derived models for coating thickness and bonding strength fit the data well (i.e., the regression model accounts for most of the variation in the response variable). Whereas the coating thickness is predominately dependent on the rotational speed used, the bonding strength is also affected by the traverse speed. Coating thicknesses upto 2.03 mm and bonding strengths of 42.5 MPa were achieved. Deposition rates exceed those of physical vapor deposition by a magnitude of ×1000 and bonding strength is on-par with thin-film metallization. Scanning transmission electron microscope analysis revealed formation of a glassy phase at the interface. Using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis high silicon and oxygen content with smaller percentages of aluminum and nitrogen were detected. High-resolution transmission electron microscope imaging revealed no distinct lattice structure leading to the assumption that the composition is predominantly amorphous and consists of SiAlON.
An In Situ Resistance-Based Method for Tracking the Temporal Evolution of Recovery and Recrystallization in Ni-Base Single-Crystal Superalloy at Super-Solvus Temperatures
Authors: Perry S. J. , D’Souza N. , Collins D. M. , Roebuck B. , Dong H. B.
Published: November 2022

This study explores the influence of thermo-mechanical behavior and microstructure on recovery and recrystallization in single-crystal superalloys during casting and subsequent solution heat treatment, using miniature testing. Here, the temporal evolution of resistance was measured usingin situelectrothermal mechanical testing (ETMT) to track the process of recovery and recrystallization (RX). It was found that recrystallization is dominant only when recovery is incomplete and is dependent on both the history dependence of the strain path as well as the magnitude of the accumulated plastic strain. A precursor to recrystallization is the occurrence of subgrains and deformation twins on the sample surface, where a characteristic butterfly-type morphology of γ′ precipitates is always observed in highly strained regions. The migration of RX grain boundaries is accompanied by the elimination of lattice curvature associated with the density of geometrically necessary dislocations. Homogenized samples provide the most reliable results, while interpreting resistivity changes with recovery and recrystallization is more challenging when inhomogeneity (microsegregation, local variation of mechanical properties) in as-cast material prevails.
Phase Equilibria in the Ti-Rich Part of the Ti-Al-Nb System—Part II: High-Temperature Phase Equilibria Between 1000 and 1300 °C
Authors: Distl B. , Hauschildt K. , Pyczak F. , Stein F.
Published: November 2022

The knowledge of phase equilibria in the Ti-Al-Nb system above 1000 °C is of importance for the manufacturing of TiAl-based parts for high-temperature structural applications. Especially the extended homogeneity range of the cubic (βTi,Nb) phase, which is determined by its Al solubility, and the position and extension of the high-temperature (αTi) phase is of crucial importance for the hot-workability and microstructure control of these alloys. However, the phase diagrams reported in the literature are very contradicting especially regarding these aspects. For this reason, a systematic reinvestigation of the phase equilibria in this part of the system was carried out. A total of 17 ternary alloys were synthesized, heat-treated at 1000-1300 °C, and analyzed by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-energy XRD (HEXRD), and differential thermal analysis (DTA) to determine composition and type of equilibrium phases as well as transition temperatures. With this information, isothermal sections of the Ti-rich part of the Ti-Al-Nb system at 1000, 1100, 1200, and 1300 °C were established. An isolated (βTi,Nb)ophase field is found to be stable at 1000 and 1100 °C. Furthermore, the formation and homogeneity range of (αTi) at high temperatures as well as the presence of Ti3Al at 1200 °C is experimentally investigated and discussed. Based on the observed phase equilibria and transition temperatures, an improved reaction scheme for the entire Ti-Al-Nb system is proposed.
Clinical observation on acupuncture for 80 patients with abdominal obesity in Germany: based on the theory of unblocking and regulating the Belt Vessel
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Xiong Hang , Ma Shuhui , Dai Jingzhang
Published: November 2022

Objective

To observe the efficacy of unblocking and regulating the Belt Vessel acupuncture method for patients with abdominal obesity in Germany and its influence on the body fat parameters and glycolipids metabolism.

Methods

A total of 82 cases of abdominal obesity in Germany were selected. There were two dropout cases in the treatment process. All of the patients received acupuncture at Daimai (GB26), Daheng (SP15), Tianshu (ST25), Zhongwan (CV12), Shuidao (ST28), Waiguan (TE5), and Zulinqi (GB41). The patients received acupuncture therapy once every 2–3 d, 3 times a week. The treatment duration lasted 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, the body mass (BM), waist circumference (WC), abdominal circumference (AC), hip circumference (HC), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and fasting blood glucose (GLU) were measured respectively, and the body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and body fat rate (BFR) were calculated.

Results

After treatment, the total effective rate was 72.5%; the levels of BM, WC, AC, HC, BMI, WHR, WHtR, BFR, TC, LDL-C, and GLU declined significantly compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), while the TG and HDL-C slightly declined, but the differences were statistically insignificant (P>0.05).

Conclusion

The unblocking and regulating the Belt Vessel acupuncture method can significantly reduce body fat parameters such as BM, AC, and BFR, and correct the disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with abdominal obesity in Germany.
Recent Trends in Wind Energy Conversion System with Grid Integration Based on Soft Computing Methods: Comprehensive Review, Comparisons and Insights
Authors: Abdelateef Mostafa M. , El-Hay Enas A. , ELkholy Mahmoud M.
Published: November 2022

Wind energy is an effective and promising renewable energy source to produce electrical energy. Wind energy conversion systems (WECS) have been developing on a wide scale worldwide. The expansion of wind energy demand tends to produce high-quality output power in terms of grid integration. Due to the intermittent nature of wind energy, great challenges are found regarding WECS modeling, control, and grid integration. This paper introduces a comprehensive review of WECS and their grid-interface systems based on soft computing methods. To achieve this aim, more than 300 articles are organised and only 160 papers are presented in this review. This is intended to cover a broad range of topics concerning the configurations of WECS, electrical generators, and various topologies of power converters used for control and grid integration. Furthermore, international grid codes for wind energy integration with electric grids, particularly frequency, power factor, and low voltage ride through (LVRT) capability are investigated. The major controller approaches and topologies for grid and generator converters are discussed. Different aspects of modern control of WECS are introduced either for grid-side or generator-side. Moreover, control strategies for maximum power point tracking methods are compared along with methods of frequency control. This review paper introduces a comprehensive and a useful summery for the recent work in literature regarding WECS. Detailed modelling, control, and grid integration along with comparisons and discussion are introduced.
Consolidated Overview of Notifiable Adverse Events in the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Program Through 2020
Authors: Lucas Todd , Cooney Caroline , Prainito Amber , Godfrey Catherine , Kiggundu Valerian , Thomas Anne Goldzier , Ridzon Renee , Toledo Carlos
Published: November 2022

Purpose of Review

Through December 2020, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) supported more than 25 million voluntary medical male circumcisions (VMMC) as part of the combined HIV prevention strategy in 15 African countries. PEPFAR monitors defined adverse events (AEs) occurring within 30 days of VMMC through its notifiable adverse event reporting system (NAERS). All NAERS reports through December 2020 were reviewed to quantify AE type, severity, and relation to the VMMC procedure. Interventions to improve client safety based on NAERS findings are described.

Recent Findings

Fourteen countries reported 446 clients with notifiable adverse events (NAEs); 394/446 (88%) were determined VMMC-related, representing approximately 18 NAE reports per million circumcisions. Fatalities comprised 56/446 (13%) with 24/56 (43%) of fatalities determined VMMC-related, representing 0.96 VMMC-related fatalities per million circumcisions. The remaining 390 NAEs were non-fatal with 370/390 (95%) VMMC-related. Multiple programmatic changes have been made based on NAERS data to improve client safety.

Client safety is paramount in this surgical program designed for individual and population-level benefit. Surveillance of rare but severe complications following circumcision has identified pre-existing or new safety concerns and guided continuous programmatic improvement.
Intramuscular hemorrhages in the pathway of an electric current through the body — two case reports
Authors: Mittal Pawan , Bohnert Michael
Published: November 2022

Intramuscular hemorrhages at autopsy can have a variety of traumatic as well as non-traumatic causes, but their recognition in electrical deaths is almost a rarity. We report on two autopsy cases of electrical fatalities, the first relating to a portion of the right upper human extremity, consisting (only) of the forearm and hand, while the other case relates to a female child who died after a high voltage electrical shock. In both cases, layered dissection of the upper limb revealed fresh intramuscular hemorrhages in the skeletal muscles that could be topographically related to the path taken by the current through the body. Externally visible electric marks were present in both cases. The hemorrhages were most likely caused by current-induced tetanic muscle contractions, producing an internal muscle trauma with rupture of fibers and bleedings. In complex situations, such as inconspicuous marks or a complete lack of visible signs on the body, the finding may be helpful in solving the case in consideration of the case history and circumstances. The vitality, topography, and pattern of the hemorrhages are discussed in the light of the available literature.
Towards “Born-Accessible” Educational Publishing
Authors: Mrva-Montoya Agata
Published: November 2022

This paper reports on how accessibility is being slowly implemented in the current editorial and production workflows of Australian educational publishers. The findings follow from an online questionnaire commissioned by the Australian Publishers Association completed by 65 educational publishers. The paper shows that many publishers have started working on accessibility implementation, but some of them are still at the scoping stage. While many of the participants believe that the quality of “born-accessible” publication is better for all users, they are concerned about the amount of work and financial cost involved. Overall, publishers understand the need for accessibility implementation, but require further practical support and training. Publishers are also interested in working out the best workflows, timing and processes, and most cost-effective way of implementing accessibility.
‘Some Useful Hints for Improving the Elegance and Dignity of her Attire’: Thomas Hope and Henry Moses, Greek Vases and Neoclassical Fashion
Authors: Van Keuren Frances , Zohn Kristen Miller
Published: November 2022

Author, artist, designer and collector Thomas Hope (1769–1831) published his influential Costume of the Ancients in 1809 and in an enlarged version in 1812. This article identifies archaeological sources for figures in the plates of Costume of the Ancients and seeks to explain why Hope altered his sources by adding patterns from Greek vases. The process of adding Greek vase patterns is traced from preliminary drawings by Hope at the Gennadius Library in Athens, through a second album of final drawings at the Gennadius Library by Henry Moses, the principal engraver for Costume of the Ancients, and to Moses’s plates in Costume of the Ancients. The argument provides evidence that Hope’s choices of added patterns were made with an eye to how they could serve to improve contemporary Neoclassical dress. That this was Hope’s intention was stated in the 1809 edition of Costume of the Ancients, where he expressed the desire to ‘present to his fair model some useful hints for improving the elegance and dignity of her attire’. Signed etchings from Moses’s Sketches in Outline (1808), an untitled pamphlet of 1808–1809, and Designs of Modern Costume (1812) provided examples of ideal contemporary dress in the Greek style. Moses’s etchings accomplished this by incorporating Greek patterns from Costume of the Ancients, along with its Greek drapery types that were adapted to conform with contemporary dress forms. Unsigned fashion plates from Lady’s Magazine from 1807 to 1809 exhibit these same patterns and drapery types, and may have been designed by Moses.
Agroecological settings and seed recycling account only partially for potato seed degeneration in Ecuador
Authors: Navarrete Israel , López Victoria , Andrade-Piedra Jorge L. , Almekinders Conny J. M. , Kromann Peter , Struik Paul C.
Published: November 2022

Potato production in low-income countries is threatened by seed degeneration, i.e., the accumulation of seed-borne diseases and pests in potato seed tubers when these are vegetatively propagated over consecutive cycles, leading to a reduction in seed quality and yielding ability. Agroecological settings and seed recycling (on-farm propagation over consecutive cycles) determine the process of seed degeneration. However, it is poorly understood how these factors affect this process. Therefore, to reduce this knowledge gap, we analysed two datasets collected in Ecuador, one from a multi-annual field experiment and one from a farmers’ seed study. The experiment, carried out from 2013 to 2016, aimed to assess seed degeneration at agroecological settings present in three different altitudes. The farmers’ seed study, in which 260 farmers were surveyed in 2018, aimed to understand potato seed degeneration in farmers’ fields under diverse agroecological settings. Our results of the multi-annual field experiment showed that agroecological settings have a heterogeneous influence on the presence of seed-borne diseases and pests. We also found that both the agroecological settings at the three altitudes and the number of on-farm propagation cycles affected the rates at which seed-borne diseases and pests on the seeds increased and yield decreased. However, the farmers’ seed study challenged these results by indicating that this was not clear on farms. Combining these results, this article shows that agroecological settings and seed recycling only partially explain the process of seed degeneration. This suggests that more research about seed degeneration needs to also take place under farmers’ conditions to fully understand the complex of potato performance factors. We expect that such research will support the design of improved seed interventions, while simultaneously it may generate discussion about when potato seed degeneration plays an important role in productivity.
Determinants of household adoption of solar energy technology in Seychelles in a context of 100% access to electricity
Authors: Etongo Daniel , Naidu Harini
Published: November 2022

Seychelles is among four countries in the African continent with 100% access to electricity, of which over 90% of the energy is generated from fossil fuels. The energy transition is a crucial enabler of sustainable development and climate resilience. Therefore, this study seeks to understand the determinants of solar PV uptake based on a stratified random sample of 130 households on Mahe Island, Seychelles. We applied logistic regression and descriptive statistics to analyze the driving factors of a household decision regarding the adoption of a solar PV system. Results indicated that access to credit and monthly household income influenced the adoption of solar PV systems at the 1% significance level. Independent variables such as gender, age, and education of household heads, including family size that were significant in other studies, were not significant in the current study. Cost-saving (100%), energy security (91.7%), and environmentally friendly perceptions (76.7%), and access to loans (56.7%), were chief among the motivational drivers of the 60 households that had adopted solar PV systems. Whereas, for the non-adopters, the four most essential barriers cited were cheap electricity (82.9%), high initial cost (65.7%), existing loans (52.9%), and long payback time (40.0%). For the communal approach to solar PV systems in Seychelles to be successful, the adoption barriers that occur at the level of households should be considered.
Clean clothes or dirty clothes? Outbreak investigation of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii related to laundry contamination through multilocus sequence typing (MLST)
Authors: Lee Alfred Lok Hang , Leung Eddie Chi Ming , Wong Ben Wai Hong , Wong Leo Chun Hei , Wong Yoyo Lok Yiu , Hung Rosana Ka Yin , Ho Sindy Sin Yee , Chow Viola Chi Ying
Published: November 2022

Objective:

To investigate the source in an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRA) in a general hospital due to contamination of a laundry evaporative cooler and the laundry environment using multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Methods:

For CRA culture, clinical samples were collected from infected patients and close contacts, and environmental sampling was performed in patient surroundings and laundry facilities. MLST was used for the molecular typing of representative CRA isolates. Bacterial isolates with identical sequence types were considered epidemiologically linked and attributable to the same source. OXA genes in Acinetobacter baumannii were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results:

In total, 58 patients were affected in this outbreak. The mean patient age was 75.3, and 50% were female. The most common diagnoses at admission were skin and soft-tissue infection (n = 12, 20.7%) and pneumonia (n = 12, 20.7%). OXA-23 was positive in 64.7% of isolates. A CRA isolate from the evaporative cooler in the laundry was identical to that of 11 patients across 3 wards, belonging to ST345. Isolates from 3 laundry linen racks were identical to those of 7 patients from 3 wards, classified as ST1145. Isolates found on another linen rack and a pajama shelf were identical to isolates from 3 other patients from 2 wards, belonging to ST2207. There was no significant difference between sequence type distributions of clinical and environmental isolates (P = .12), indicating high likelihood of CRA originating from the same source.

Conclusions:

MLST confirmed that contamination of the laundry evaporative cooler and surrounding environment caused a polyclonal CRA hospital outbreak. Hospital laundry is an important area for infection control and outbreak investigations of CRA.
GUDEA'S IRANIAN SLAVES: AN ANATOMY OF TRANSREGIONAL FORCED MOBILITY
Authors: Bartash Vitali
Published: November 2022

Through philological and historical analysis focused on Gudea's slave dossier, this article elucidates the causes and mechanisms that brought Iranian slaves to early southern Mesopotamia. The slave dossier documents a brief but intensive influx of Elamite slaves to Lagash on the lower Tigris during the reign of Gudea, ca. 2130–2110 B.C., who fought the powerful polity of Anshan in Fars. The author argues that consequent political instability and economic inequality in Elam fuelled three mechanisms of slave relocation. First, royal troops brought captives. Second, the palace bought foreigners from abroad and locally. Third, royals received Iranians as gifts or tribute (“kids led by one's side”) from locals and Iranian states in areas where Gudea campaigned. Finally, locals gave their Iranian slaves back to the palace as gifts. On a theoretical level, the study distils four elements shared by all forms of slave mobility: the giver and the receiver, the economic and political relations between them that cause slave transfer, the physical and social spaces between which the transfer occurs, and the slaves and their demographic characteristics.
Shallow mixing layers over hydraulically smooth bottom in a tilted open channel
Authors: Proust Sébastien , Berni Céline , Nikora Vladimir I.
Published: November 2022

Shallow mixing layers (SMLs) behind a splitter plate were studied in a tilted rectangular open-channel flume for a range of flow depths and the initial shear parameter

${\lambda = (U_{2}-U_{1})/(U_{2}+U_{1})}$

, where

$U_1$

and

$U_2$

are streamwise velocities of the slow and fast streams, respectively. The main focus of the study is on (i) key parameters controlling the time-averaged SMLs; and (ii) the emergence and spatial development of Kelvin–Helmholtz coherent structures (KHCSs) and large- and very-large-scale motions (LSMs and VLSMs) and associated turbulence statistics. The time-averaged flow features of the SMLs are mostly controlled by bed-friction length scale

$h/c_f$

and shear parameter

$\lambda$

as well as by time-averaged spanwise velocities

$V$

and momentum fluxes

$UV$

, where

$h$

and

$c_f$

are flow depth and bed-friction coefficient, respectively. For all studied cases, the effect of shear layer turbulence on the SML growth is comparatively weak, as the fluxes

$UV$

dominate over the spanwise turbulent fluxes. Initially, the emergence of KHCSs and their length scales largely depend on

$\lambda$

. The KHCSs cannot form if

${\lambda \lessapprox 0.3}$

and the turbulence behind the splitter plate resembles that of free mixing layers. Further downstream, shear layer turbulence becomes dependent on the bed-friction number

$S = c_f \delta _v /(4 h \lambda )$

, where

$\delta _v$

is vorticity thickness. When

$S \gtrapprox 0.01$

, the KHCSs are longitudinally stretched and the scaled transverse turbulent fluxes decrease with increasing

$S$

. The presence and streamwise development of LSMs/VLSMs away from the splitter plate depends on the

$\lambda$

-value, particularly when

$\lambda > 0.3$

, resembling LSMs/VLSMs in conventional open-channel flows when

$\lambda$

is small.
Modelling the decay of finite-span starting and stopping wall jets in an external stream
Authors: Steinfurth Ben , Weiss Julien
Published: November 2022

The flow under consideration is a wall jet that results from an inclined jet in cross-flow emitted into a zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layer from a slot-like outlet of width$b=0.5\,\mathrm {mm}$and span$L=20\,\mathrm {mm}$. Despite the finite jet span, the velocity decay and wall-normal spreading rate in the symmetry plane can be described with power laws almost identical to those for the two-dimensional flow determined by Zhou & Wygnanski (AIAA J., vol. 31, 1993, pp. 848–853). This is explained by the lack of significant lateral spreading found in the present configuration due to a self-amplifying inward-directed fluid motion, fundamentally differing from conditions found in the absence of an external stream. Regions with ‘approximately self-similar’ properties also exist in the case of unsteady velocity programmes where the fluid is ejected in a pulsatile fashion. Here, the wall jet is enclosed by a leading vortex structure and a deceleration wave, for which the time-dependent locations can be predicted by means of empirical constants. This yields models for the major properties inside the advancing and diffusing wall jet that only require knowledge regarding the velocity ratio, the ejected momentum flux and the kinematic viscosity, representing an extension to scaling laws for steady wall jets in still ambience established by Narasimhaet al.(Aeronaut. Q., vol. 77, 1973, pp. 355–359).