bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Characteristics of Solid Propellant Using a Defoamer
Authors: Park Sungjun , Choi Sunghan
Published: November 2019

This study investigates the characteristics of solid propellants with a defoamer. Particularly, this work is an important experiment to confirm the applicability of new raw materials in propellant formulation. The compatibility of a defoamer and oxidizer (AP) showed that the defoamer is suitable as propellant through the differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Additionally, the sensitivity test of the propellant with the defoamer was performed. The result indicated normality exists in the impact and friction sensitivity compared with the basic propellant. However, the wet propellant showed an impact sensitivity increase of 175 %. It means that it is very insensitive. When non‐silicone defoamer was applied, the viscosity of the propellant with defoamer was excellent, and the initial viscosity of the propellant was reduced by approximately 13 % compared with a basic propellant. Meanwhile, the initial viscosity of the silicone defoamer increased by approximately 42 %. The maximum tensile stress increased by approximately 1.8 %, and the elongation at the maximum tensile stress increased by 9 % when the non‐silicone defoamer was applied. However, the maximum tensile stress decreased by approximately 29.1 %, and the elongation at the maximum tensile stress reduced by 7.7 % when the silicone defoamer was applied. Therefore, the non‐silicone defoamer was considerably suitable for the propellant.
Acculturation of rural–urban migrants in urbanising China: a multidimensional and bicultural framework
Authors: Yue Zhongshan , Fong Eric , Li Shuzhuo , Feldman Marcus W.
Published: November 2019

In many developing countries, including China, large numbers of internal migrants move to cities from rural areas in pursuit of an urban dream, but few studies have addressed acculturation of rural–urban migrants. We construct a multidimensional (in terms of components of acculturation such as practices, values, and identifications) and bicultural acculturation framework to understand adaptation by these migrants. Using data from a Guangzhou survey of rural–urban migrants in 2015–2016 and latent class analysis, four categories are identified, including two subtypes of integration and two subtypes of separation, which provide partial support for Berry's four‐category acculturation model. The cultural distance hypothesis, that is, increasing cultural distance makes it more difficult for migrants to achieve integration, is partially confirmed at both individual and regional levels. These findings validate our theoretical framework for the pattern of acculturation.
Determinants of migration and household member arrangement among poor rural households in China: The case of North Jiangsu
Authors: Tang Shuangshuang
Published: November 2019

After decades of rural‐to‐urban migration, alleviating poverty among rural populations has become a priority of the central government of China. Migration is assumed to be a strategy for poor rural populations to cope with poverty. Nevertheless, extant research has paid little attention to migration determinants and household arrangements of poor rural populations in particular. Moreover, existing literature regarding migration in China from a household perspective is relatively scare. Therefore, based on a recent survey in North Jiangsu, China, this paper attempts to explore both migration determinants and the organisations of poor rural households in particular from a household perspective. The findings show that migration is an important livelihood strategy of poor rural households, triggered by limited farmland and major family events, which heavily relies on household structure and educational attainment of household members. In addition, it is observed that poor rural households adopt diversified strategies to arrange family members either within or outside the home village in order to boost household income. The findings reveal the importance of migration for poor rural households and the dilemmas that poor rural households tend to face. Reducing rural poverty in China requires policies that are more responsive to the needs of rural families for local employments, quality education, and long‐term insurance programmes.
Single-cell characterization and metabolic profiling of in vitro cultured human skeletal progenitors with enhanced in vivo bone forming capacity
Authors: Bolander Johanna , Herpelinck Tim , Chaklader Malay , Gklava Charikleia , Geris Liesbet , Luyten Frank P.
Published: November 2019

Cell populations and their interplay provide the basis of a cell-based regenerative construct. Serum-free preconditioning can overcome the less predictable behavior of serum expanded progenitor cells, but the underlying mechanism and how this is reflected in vivo remains unknown. Herein, the cellular and molecular changes associated with a cellular phenotype shift induced by serum-free preconditioning of human periosteum-derived cells were investigated. Following BMP-2 stimulation, preconditioned cells displayed enhanced in vivo bone forming capacity, associated with an adapted cellular metabolism together with an elevated expression of BMPR2. Single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed the activation of pathways and transcriptional regulators involved in bone development and fracture healing, providing support for the augmentation of specified skeletal progenitor cell populations. The reported findings illustrate the importance of appropriate in vitro conditions for the in vivo outcome. In addition, BMPR2 represents a promising biomarker for the enrichment of skeletal progenitor cells for in vivo bone regeneration.

Significance statement A critical number of in vitro expanded progenitor cells provide the key driving force in a cell-based regenerative construct. Standard expansion protocols highly affect the initial cellular phenotype due to the focus on fast expansion rather than on the maintenance of the progenitor potential. This article describes a serum-free preconditioning regime of in vitro expanded human periosteum-derived cells that lead to a progenitor cell with enhanced in vivo bone forming capacity at the single cell level. This phenotype shift was associated with an adapted cellular metabolism and activation of pathways and transcriptional regulators involved in bone development and fracture healing, illustrating the importance of appropriate in vitro conditions for the in vivo outcome.
Translating intracarotid artery transplantation of bone marrow-derived NCS-01 cells for ischemic stroke: Behavioral and histological readouts and mechanistic insights into stem cell therapy
Authors: Kaneko Yuji , Lee Jea-Young , Tajiri Naoki , Tuazon Julian P. , Lippert Trenton , Russo Eleonora , Yu Seong-Jin , Bonsack Brooke , Corey Sydney , Coats Alexandreya B. , Kingsbury Chase , Chase Thomas N. , Koga Minako , Borlongan Cesar V.
Published: November 2019

The present study used in vitro and in vivo stroke models to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of adult human bone marrow-derived NCS-01 cells. Coculture with NCS-01 cells protected primary rat cortical cells or human neural progenitor cells from oxygen glucose deprivation. Adult rats that were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion, transiently or permanently, and subsequently received intracarotid artery or intravenous transplants of NCS-01 cells displayed dose-dependent improvements in motor and neurological behaviors, and reductions in infarct area and peri-infarct cell loss, much better than intravenous administration. The optimal dose was 7.5 × 106 cells/mL when delivered via the intracarotid artery within 3 days poststroke, although therapeutic effects persisted even when administered at 1 week after stroke. Compared with other mesenchymal stem cells, NCS-01 cells ameliorated both the structural and functional deficits after stroke through a broad therapeutic window. NCS-01 cells secreted therapeutic molecules, such as basic fibroblast growth factor and interleukin-6, but equally importantly we observed for the first time the formation of filopodia by NCS-01 cells under stroke conditions, characterized by cadherin-positive processes extending from the stem cells toward the ischemic cells. Collectively, the present efficacy readouts and the novel filopodia-mediated mechanism of action provide solid lab-to-clinic evidence supporting the use of NCS-01 cells for treatment of stroke in the clinical setting.

Significance statement The present study recognizes critical translational gaps in stem cell transplant dose, route, and timing after stroke, and acknowledges solid safety profile of mesenchymal stem cells. The study tested a human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell line called NCS-01 in oxygen glucose deprivation and middle cerebral artery occlusion models, which revealed the optimal dose of 7.5 × 106 cells/mL via the intracarotid artery within 3 days poststroke. Secretion of cytokines, specifically bFGF and IL-6, and filopodia formation, are potential mechanisms. Based on these preclinical data, the FDA in July 2019 approved intracarotid NCS-01 cell transplantation in ischemic stroke patients.
PtTe2‐Based Type‐II Dirac Semimetal and Its van der Waals Heterostructure for Sensitive Room Temperature Terahertz Photodetection
Authors: Xu Huang , Guo Cheng , Zhang Jiazhen , Guo Wanlong , Kuo Chia‐Nung , Lue Chin Shan , Hu Weida , Wang Lin , Chen Gang , Politano Antonio , Chen Xiaoshuang , Lu Wei
Published: November 2019

Recent years have witnessed rapid progresses made in the photoelectric performance of two‐dimensional materials represented by graphene, black phosphorus, and transition metal dichalcogenides. Despite significant efforts, a photodetection technique capable for longer wavelength, higher working temperature as well as fast responsivity, is still facing huge challenges due to a lack of best among bandgap, dark current, and absorption ability. Exploring topological materials with nontrivial band transport leads to peculiar properties of quantized phenomena such as chiral anomaly, and magnetic‐optical effect, which enables a novel feasibility for an advanced optoelectronic device working at longer wavelength. In this work, the direct generation of photocurrent at low energy terahertz (THz) band at room temperature is implemented in a planar metal–PtTe2–metal structure. The results show that the THz photodetector based on PtTe2 with bow‐tie‐type planar contacts possesses a high photoresponsivity (1.6 A W−1 without bias voltage) with a response time less than 20 µs, while the PtTe2–graphene heterostructure‐based detector can reach responsivity above 1.4 kV W−1 and a response time shorter than 9 µs. Remarkably, it is already exploitable for large area imaging applications. These results suggest that topological semimetals such as PtTe2 can be ideal materials for implementation in a high‐performing photodetection system at THz band.
Recent Progress of Metal Carbides Encapsulated in Carbon‐Based Materials for Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Yan Xiang‐Hui , Prabhu P. , Xu Hao , Meng Ziwei , Xue Tong , Lee Jong‐Min
Published: November 2019

Fuel cells represent the most suitable energy conversion, capable of addressing energy crises and environmental pollution. Recently, as one of nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs), the MC@N‐C (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, W) catalysts, especially for Fe3C encased in carbon layer (denoted as Fe3C@N‐C) have emerged as promising replacements for costly Pt‐based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This review highlights the synthetic strategies undertaken such as hard template, soft template, and template‐free methods for deriving enhancements in electrocatalytic activity and durability. It also provides a comparison on the synthetic methods and catalytic performance and points out issues in the ORR measurements and activity comparison. In addition, understanding of the proposed active sites and corresponding mechanisms for ORR are covered. The recent advances shed light on contributions of morphology, hierarchical pore structures, density and dispersion of active sites, and synergistic effects of multiple active sites, which endow Fe3C@N‐C electrocatalysts with enhanced ORR performance. These interesting effects are attained as a result of increased exposure and accessibility of the active sites to O2 molecules, faster charge and mass transfer, and finally, protection of active sites by carbon shells. Finally, the challenges and perspectives to further improve performance of Fe3C@N‐C are discussed.
Nucleus‐specific modulation of phasic and tonic inhibition by endogenous neurosteroidogenesis in the murine thalamus
Authors: Christian Catherine A.
Published: November 2019

Neurosteroids are potent allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors (GABAARs). Although the effects of exogenous neurosteroids on GABAAR function are well documented, less is known about effects of neurosteroids produced by local endogenous biosynthesis. The neurosteroidogenic enzymes 5α‐reductase and 3α‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase are expressed in two nuclei of somatosensory thalamus, the thalamic reticular nucleus (nRT) and ventrobasal nucleus (VB). Here, the effects of acute blockade of neurosteroidogenesis by the 5α‐reductase inhibitor finasteride on phasic and tonic GABAAR‐mediated currents were examined in nRT and VB of mice. In nRT, finasteride altered the decay and amplitude, but not the frequency, of phasic currents, with no effect on tonic inhibition. In VB neurons, by contrast, finasteride reduced both the size and frequency of phasic currents, and also reduced the degree of tonic inhibition. These studies thus provide novel evidence for endogenous modulation of GABAAR function by 5α‐reduced neurosteroids in the mature thalamus.
The Potential for Learning Specialized Vocabulary of University Lectures and Seminars Through Watching Discipline‐Related TV Programs: Insights From Medical Corpora
Authors: Dang Thi Ngoc Yen
Published: November 2019

This study investigated the potential of discipline‐related television programs as sources for incidental learning of specialized vocabulary used in university lectures and seminars. First, a Medical Spoken Word List (MSWL) of 895 specialized word types was developed from a 556,074‐word corpus of medical lectures and seminars based on a mixed method: corpus‐driven analysis, specialized dictionary checking, and expert ratings. Then, an 11,036,771‐word corpus of 37 medical television programs was developed and analyzed to examine the extent to which the MSWL words were encountered in these programs. Adopting 5 encounters or more, 10 encounters or more, 15 encounters or more, and 20 encounters or more as the frequency cutoff points at which incidental learning may happen, this study found that the number of MSWL words that met these cutoff points increased as the number of episodes, seasons, and programs increased. This indicates that discipline‐related television programs are potential sources for incidental learning of specialized vocabulary used in lectures and seminars if these programs are watched regularly and in a sequential order.
Youth and Undergraduate Leadership Experiences as Pathways to Leadership Education
Authors: Chung Jessica , Personette Laura K.
Published: November 2019

This chapter demonstrates connections between experiential learning, leader identity development, and leadership educator professional identity development models to highlight how leadership experiences in today's youth and early adulthood offer potential pathways to the leadership education profession.
Preparing the Leadership Educator Through Graduate Education
Authors: Boyd Barry L. , Getz Cheryl A. , Guthrie Kathy L.
Published: November 2019

This chapter focuses on the teaching, mentoring, and scholarship on the preparation of future leadership educators through an exploration of the leadership learning framework, graduate faculty roles, and the framework for leadership educator professional development.
Leadership Education: Illuminating a Community of Practice
Authors: Jenkins Daniel M. , Endersby Lisa
Published: November 2019

This chapter explores the contexts and systems through which leadership educators organize, engage with one another, and the outputs they produce, as well as contemplate the complex pathways of membership within our field through the lens of communities of practice.
Reproductive behavior of the captive Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822)
Authors: Zhang Fuhua , Yu Yishuang , Yu Jiaming , Wu Shibao , Li Shaoshan , Wang Qiaoyun , Min Yue , Sun Ruyong
Published: November 2019

Understanding reproductive behavior is important for the conservation of endangered species, but research on the reproductive behavior of Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822) is still very scarce. In this study, we used focal animal sampling and all‐occurrence recording by an infrared monitor to observe the behaviors of two Sunda pangolins during a 5‐day breeding period at the Pangolin Research Base for Artificial Rescue and Conservation Breeding of South China Normal University (PRB‐SCNU). The behavioral characteristics and breeding strategies were analyzed, and the results were discussed together with information on other captive Sunda pangolin pairs at PRB‐SCNU. The results found that there was no obvious estrus behavior in the captive female, while the male could exhibit sexual excitement and courtship behavior after a brief introduction period. Repeated copulation continued over many days after the female accepted the courtship. The average duration of copulatory behavior was 248.9 ± 148.7 s (n = 25), and all copulation occurred between 20:00 and 08:00 hr in the natural day–night photoperiod. The mating position of Sunda pangolins was lateral–ventral and was classified as the ninth or eleventh pattern under both Dewsbury's and Dixson's classification systems. This study can provide scientific guidance for the captive breeding and management of Sunda pangolins and other pangolin species, which is of great significance for ex situ conservation tactics.
Introduction: Intellectual History in Imperial Practice
Authors: Koekkoek René , Richard Anne-Isabelle , Weststeijn Arthur
Published: November 2019

The introduction asks where the Dutch empire fits in the intellectual history of empire. It explains the need to examine the trope of Dutch exceptionalism over the long term in transnational and transimperial perspectives. Methodologically it argues for including meaningful practices as sources and to look beyond systemic thinkers and examine how ‘intermediate thinkers of empire’ from across the globe articulated their visions in practice. Drawing on the concepts of upward and downward hermeneutics, this entails examining the interactions between ideas and practice; how ideas formed and were formed by socio-cultural and political practice. Such a history of visions of empire sheds new light on historiography and public debate, precisely because dominant notions within these are rooted in the intellectual history of Dutch imperial practice.
Recent Developments in Primatology and Their Relevance to the Study of Tibetan Macaques
Authors: Sun Lixing , Li Jin-Hua , Sueur Cédric , Garber Paul A. , Fichtel Claudia , Kappeler Peter M.
Published: November 2019

Given their shared evolutionary history with humans, nonhuman primates play an exceptional role in the study of animal behavior, ecology, and evolution. This close phylogenetic relationship has led scholars from a diverse set of disciplines (e.g., biological and social sciences, notably psychology and anthropology) and theoretical perspectives (e.g., kinship theory, multilevel selection, social interactions, cultural traditions, competition, cooperation, innovation) to examine a broad range of research topics and methodologies in primatology. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that primatology is an intellectual “melting pot” in the study of animals.
Considering Social Play in Primates: A Case Study in Juvenile Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana)
Authors: Mayhew Jessica A. , Funkhouser Jake A. , Wright Kaitlin R.
Published: November 2019

Social play in animals has long intrigued ethologists, and current research in this field, especially pertaining to primates, has revealed that the behavioral lives of juveniles in particular are rich and behaviorally and socially complex. It is widely acknowledged that play contributes to the biological, social, and cognitive growth of juveniles, but the impact of this growth on fitness, future adult social relationships, or general social group experiences remains unknown. Comparative social play research can enhance our understanding of how play influences these variables critical to juvenile development and fitness. Comparisons across taxa with varying social organizations, e.g.,Macacaspp., can further this understanding. In this chapter, we introduce the 2017 social play network of Yulingkeng A1 infant and juvenile Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) and discuss how social play is organized in this species.
Social Media and Social Awareness
Authors: Ye Xinyue , Zhao Bo , Nguyen Thien Huu , Wang Shaohua
Published: November 2019

The human behaviors and interactions on social media have maintained themselves as highly dynamic real-time social systems representing individual social awareness at fine spatial, temporal, and digital resolutions. In this chapter, we introduce the opportunities and challenges that human dynamics-centered social media bring to Digital Earth. We review the information diffusion of social media, the multi-faced implications of social media, and some real-world cases. Social media, on one hand, has facilitated the prediction of human dynamics in a wide spectrum of aspects, including public health, emergency response, decision making, and social equity promotion, and will also bring unintended challenges for Digital Earth, such as rumors and location spoofing on the other. Considering the multifaceted implications, this chapter calls for GIScientists to raise their awareness of the complex impacts of social media, to model the geographies of social media, and to understand ourselves as a unique species living both on the Earth and in Digital Earth.
Digital Earth for Climate Change Research
Authors: Jia Gensuo , Zhang Li , Zhu Lanwei , Xu Ronghan , Liang Dong , Xu Xiyan , Bao Tao
Published: November 2019

Our planet is undergoing one of the most rapid climate changes in Earth’s history. The current change is particularly significant because it is most likely a consequence of human activities since the 19th century. The Digital Earth platform, which includes Earth-orbiting satellites, ground-based observations, and other technologies for collecting, analyzing and visualizing data, has enabled scientists to see our climate and its impacts at regional and global scales. The Digital Earth platform offers valuable information on the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and cryosphere to understand Earth’s past and present, and it supports Earth system models for climate prediction and projection. This chapter gives an overview of the advances in climate change studies based on Digital Earth and provides case studies that utilize Digital Earth in climate change research, such as in the observation of sensitive factors for climate change, global environmental change information and simulation systems, and synchronous satellite-aerial-ground observation experiments, which provide extremely large and abundant datasets. The mapping of climate extremes and impacts improves preparedness for climate change-related risks and provides robust evidence to support climate risk management and climate change adaptation for the public, decision makers, investors, and vulnerable communities. However, Digital Earth faces the challenges of multisource data coordination and integration, requiring international partnerships between governments and other organizations to advance open data policies and practices.
Digital Earth for Disaster Mitigation
Authors: Konecny Milan , Bandrova Temenoujka , Kubicek Petr , Marinova Silvia , Stampach Radim , Stachon Zdenek , Reznik Tomas
Published: November 2019

This chapter describes the state-of-the-art of the potential of Digital Earth for progressively better solutions for disaster mitigation. The chapter illustrates the use of strong Digital Earth tools for data sharing and important potential for users, such as 2D or multi-D visualizations. Milestones of developments in early warning, disaster risk management and disaster risk reduction concepts are highlighted as a continuous movement between sustainable development and original concepts of disaster risk reduction. Improved solutions have been based on new research directions formulated in Sustainable Development Goals tasks and by expanding the possibilities of new effective solutions via newly organized data ecosystems generated by the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management, the Group on Earth Observations and the Group on Earth Observations System of Systems, Copernicus and, more recently, the Digital Belt and Road initiative. The new trends in spatial big data are emphasized; the most important for disaster risk reduction are the basic theses of the U.N. Conference in Sendai. This chapter describes three aspects: innovative Digital Earth development, national and local disaster risk assessment and the benefits arising from the use of maps and dynamic data, and analyses of the contributions of cartography to disaster risk reduction.
Digital Earth Platforms
Authors: Alderson Troy , Purss Matthew , Du Xiaoping , Mahdavi-Amiri Ali , Samavati Faramarz
Published: November 2019

In this chapter, we provide a thorough discussion on Digital Earth with particular focus on Discrete Global Grid Systems (DGGS), which are a standardized representation of the Earth. We describe the necessary components of a DGGS, such as the underlying 2D representation, indexing system, projection, and cell types. We also discuss a selection of well-known public and commercial DGGSs followed by current DGGS standards.
Digital Earth in Europe
Authors: Marconcini Mattia , Esch Thomas , Bachofer Felix , Metz-Marconcini Annekatrin
Published: November 2019

In recent years, with the advancements in technology and research as well as changes in society, Digital Earth transformed. It evolved from its original concept of a 3D multilayer representation of our planet into a more practical system design to fulfil the demand for information sharing, which now embraces fields such as global climate change, food security and natural disaster prevention. In this novel scenario, Europe has become one of the major players at the global level; accordingly, the goal of this chapter is to provide a general overview of the major European contributions to the overall objectives of Digital Earth. These include the establishment of a European spatial data infrastructure through the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) directive, the initiation of the Galileo and Copernicus programs that provide a wealth of big data from space, the launch of novel cloud-based platforms for data processing and integration and the emergence of citizen science. An outlook on major upcoming initiatives is also provided.
Digital Earth in Australia
Authors: Mohamed-Ghouse Zaffar Sadiq , Desha Cheryl , Perez-Mora Luis
Published: November 2019

Australia must overcome a number of challenges to meet the needs of our growing population in a time of increased climate variability. Fortunately, we have unprecedented access to data about our land and the built environment that is internationally regarded for its quality. Over the last two decades Australia has risen to the forefront in developing and implementing Digital Earth concepts, with several key national initiatives formalising our digital geospatial journey in digital globes, open data access and ensuring data quality. In particular and in part driven by a lack of substantial resources in space, we have directed efforts towards world-leading innovation in big data processing and storage. This chapter highlights these geospatial initiatives, including case-uses, lessons learned, and next steps for Australia. Initiatives addressed include the National Data Grid (NDG), the Queensland Globe, G20 Globe, NSW Live (formerly NSW Globe), Geoscape, the National Map, the Australian Geoscience Data Cube and Digital Earth Australia. We explore several use cases and conclude by considering lessons learned that are transferrable for our colleagues internationally. This includes challenges in: 1) Creating an active context for data use, 2) Capacity building beyond ‘show-and-tell’, and 3) Defining the job market and demand for the market.
Digital Earth in Russia
Authors: Baturin Yuri M. , Dmitrieva Valentina T. , Eremchenko Eugene N. , Massel Lyudmila V. , Nikonov Oleg A. , Romanov Alexei A. , Tikunov Vladimir S. , Zakharova Alena A.
Published: November 2019

A brief overview of the history of Digital Earth in Russia, its current status and prospects for further development are proposed and discussed in this chapter. The anticipation of the concept of Digital Earth in Russian culture is demonstrated and explained. Conclusions about the specificity of the development of the concept of Digital Earth in Russia due to its geographical, historical and cultural characteristics are drawn, and development factors are revealed. The vital need for the concept in ensuring the effective governance and sustainable development of the country is emphasized. Theoretical and applied results achieved by the Russian Digital Earth community are presented. Special attention is paid to the outreach of the Digital Earth vision to state governance, business, society and education. The key importance of international cooperation for the successful implementation of Digital Earth in Russia is explained.
Digital Earth Challenges and Future Trends
Authors: van Genderen John , Goodchild Michael F. , Guo Huadong , Yang Chaowei , Nativi Stefano , Wang Lizhe , Wang Cuizhen
Published: November 2019

The previous 25 chapters introduced relevant technologies, applications, and other topics related to Digital Earth. Respective challenges and future research were also proposed by various authors. In this concluding chapter, we briefly review Digital Earth past and present, followed by a set of challenges and future trends, speculating on how Digital Earth may evolve over the coming years. Such challenges and trends are discussed in the context of science drivers, technological advances, application adoption, and relevant virtual—physical community building.
Remote Sensing Satellites for Digital Earth
Authors: Fu Wenxue , Ma Jianwen , Chen Pei , Chen Fang
Published: November 2019

The term remote sensing became common after 1962 and generally refers to nonintrusive Earth observation using electromagnetic waves from a platform some distance away from the object of the study. After more than five decades of development, humankind can now use different types of optical and microwave sensors to obtain large datasets with high precision and high resolution for the atmosphere, ocean, and land. The frequency of data acquisition ranges from once per month to once per minute, the spatial resolution ranges from kilometer to centimeter scales, and the electromagnetic spectrum covers wavebands ranging from visible light to microwave wavelengths. Technological progress in remote sensing sensors enables us to obtain data on the global scale, remarkably expanding humanity’s understanding of its own living environment from spatial and temporal perspectives, and provides an increasing number of data resources for Digital Earth. This chapter introduces the developments and trends in remote sensing satellites around the world.
Geospatial Information Processing Technologies
Authors: Li Zhenlong , Gui Zhipeng , Hofer Barbara , Li Yan , Scheider Simon , Shekhar Shashi
Published: November 2019

The increasing availability of geospatial data offers great opportunities for advancing scientific discovery and practices in society. Effective and efficient processing of geospatial data is essential for a wide range of Digital Earth applications such as climate change, natural hazard prediction and mitigation, and public health. However, the massive volume, heterogeneous, and distributed nature of global geospatial data pose challenges in geospatial information processing and computing. This chapter introduces three technologies for geospatial data processing: high-performance computing, online geoprocessing, and distributed geoprocessing, with each technology addressing one aspect of the challenges. The fundamental concepts, principles, and key techniques of the three technologies are elaborated in detail, followed by examples of applications and research directions in the context of Digital Earth. Lastly, a Digital Earth reference framework called discrete global grid system (DGGS) is discussed.
Entanglement content of quantum particle excitations. Part II. Disconnected regions and logarithmic negativity
Authors: Castro-Alvaredo Olalla A. , De Fazio Cecilia , Doyon Benjamin , Szécsényi István M.
Published: November 2019

Abstract

In this paper we study the increment of the entanglement entropy and of the (replica) logarithmic negativity in a zero-density excited state of a free massive bosonic theory, compared to the ground state. This extends the work of two previous publications by the same authors. We consider the case of two disconnected regions and find that the change in the entanglement entropy depends only on the combined size of the regions and is independent of their connectivity. We subsequently generalize this result to any number of disconnected regions. For the replica negativity we find that its increment is a polynomial with integer coefficients depending only on the sizes of the two regions. The logarithmic negativity turns out to have a more complicated functional structure than its replica version, typically involving roots of polynomials on the sizes of the regions. We obtain our results by two methods already employed in previous work: from a qubit picture and by computing four-point functions of branch point twist fields in finite volume. We test our results against numerical simulations on a harmonic chain and find excellent agreement.
Increased risk for postoperative periprosthetic fracture in hip fracture patients with the Exeter stem than the anatomic SP2 Lubinus stem
Authors: Mellner Carl , Mohammed Jabbar , Larsson Magnus , Esberg Sandra , Szymanski Maciej , Hellström Nils , Chang Cecilia , Berg Hans E. , Sköldenberg Olof , Knutsson Björn , Morberg Per , Mukka Sebastian
Published: November 2019

Background

The purpose of this study was to compare the cumulative incidence of postoperative periprosthetic fracture (PPF) in a cohort of femoral neck fracture (FNF) patients treated with two commonly used cemented stems: either a collarless, polished, tapered Exeter stem or the anatomic Lubinus SP2 stem.

Methods

In this retrospective multicenter cohort study of a consecutive series of patients, we included 2528 patients of age 60 years and above with an FNF who were treated with either hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty using either a polished tapered Exeter stem or an anatomic Lubinus SP2 stem. The incidence of PPF was assessed at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively.

Results

The incidence of PPF was assessed at a median follow-up of 47 months postoperatively. Thirty nine patients (1.5%) sustained a PPF at a median of 27 months (range 0–96 months) postoperatively. Two of the operatively treated fractures were Vancouver A (5%), 7 were Vancouver B1 (18%), 10 were Vancouver B2 (26%), 7 were Vancouver B3 (18%), and 13 were Vancouver C (32%). The cumulative incidence of PPF was 2.3% in the Exeter group compared with 0.7% in the SP2 group (p < 0.001). The HR was 5.4 (95% CI 2.4–12.5, p < 0.001), using the SP2 group as the denominator.

Conclusions

The Exeter stem was associated with a higher risk for PPF than the Lubinus SP2 stem. We suggest that the tapered Exeter stem should be used with caution in the treatment of FNF.

Trial registration

The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT03326271).
PIRCHE-II: an algorithm to predict indirectly recognizable HLA epitopes in solid organ transplantation
Authors: Geneugelijk Kirsten , Spierings Eric
Published: November 2019

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches between donors and recipients may lead to alloreactivity after solid organ transplantation. Over the last few decades, our knowledge of the complexity of the HLA system has dramatically increased, as numerous new HLA alleles have been identified. As a result, the likelihood of alloreactive responses towards HLA mismatches after solid organ transplantation cannot easily be assessed. Algorithms are promising solutions to estimate the risk for alloreactivity after solid organ transplantation. In this review, we show that the recently developed PIRCHE-II (Predicted Indirectly ReCognizable HLA Epitopes) algorithm can be used to minimize alloreactivity towards HLA mismatches. Together with the use of other algorithms and simulation approaches, the PIRCHE-II algorithm aims for a better estimated alloreactive risk for individual patients and eventually an improved graft survival after solid organ transplantation.
Obese living kidney donors: a comparison of hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic versus laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy
Authors: Takagi Kosei , Kimenai Hendrikus J. A. N. , IJzermans Jan N. M. , Minnee Robert C.
Published: November 2019

Background

The aim of this study was to examine the difference in outcome between hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic and laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy in obese donors, and the impact of donor body mass index on outcome.

Methods

Out of 1108 living donors who underwent hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic or laparoscopic donor nephrectomy between 2010 and 2018, 205 were identified having body mass index ≥ 30. These donors were included in this retrospective study, analyzing postoperative outcomes and remnant renal function.

Results

Out of 205 donors, 137 (66.8%) underwent hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy and 68 donors (33.2%) underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Postoperative outcome did not show any significant differences between the hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy group and the laparoscopic donor nephrectomy group in terms of major complications (2.2% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.72), postoperative pain scale (4 vs. 4, P = 0.67), and the length of stay (3 days vs. 3 days, P = 0.075). The results of kidney function in donors after nephrectomy demonstrated no significant differences between the groups. Additional analysis of 29 donors with body mass index ≥ 35 (14.1%) as compared with 176 donors with body mass index 30–35 (85.9%) revealed no significant differences between groups in postoperative outcomes as well as kidney function after donation.

Conclusion

Our results show that laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy for obese donors is safe and feasible with good postoperative outcomes. There were no significant differences regarding postoperative outcome between hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Furthermore, the outcome in donors with body mass index ≥ 35 was comparable to donors with body mass index 30–35.
The influence of values in shared (medical) decision making
Authors: Baldt Bettina
Published: November 2019

Definition of the problem

The Shared Decision Making model is becoming increasingly popular also in the German-speaking context, but it only considers values of patients to be relevant for medical decisions. Nevertheless, studies show that the values of physicians are also influential in medical decisions. Moreover, physicians are often unaware of this influence, which makes it impossible to control it.

Arguments

The influence of both patients’ and physicians’ values is examined from an empirical and normative perspective. The review about the empirical data provides a necessary overview about the status quo, whereas I deduct rules for value-influenced behaviour in the decision making process in the normative approach. Therefore, different scenarios are taken into account to explore in which situations it is acceptable for physicians to let their values be part of the decision making process. The conscious use of values is only possible, when physicians are aware of their influence. To raise awareness, the best option would be to educate future physicians about it in their training. Therefore, this article provides a teaching concept for a unit that could be part of an ethics class for physicians in training. Furthermore, patient’s rights and responsibilities in the decision making process are discussed.

Conclusion

I conclude that it is necessary to take the influence of values (more) into account and include this knowledge into the training of physicians. Conclusively, recommendations for patients and physicians and their dealing with values in shared decision making processes are suggested.
The mathematics of ageing:
Authors: Feichtinger Gustav , Grass Dieter , Winkler-Dworak Maria
Published: November 2019

Age is a crucial variable in social sciences and particularly in population dynamics. In this paper, we link methods from formal demography and Operations Research to investigate age-structured models to study the greying of academia. As scientific productivity is usually found to decrease at advanced ages, there was a vivid discussion on the ageing among tenured professors and faculty staff of universities. We investigate population ageing in academia from two perspectives. First, we propose a two-state optimal control model to explain the substantial variations of scientific production over the life cycle of researchers. We identify conditions under which typical hump-shaped age-specific patterns of scientific production turn out to be optimal for individual researchers. The second part of the paper deals with the dynamics of the age structure of scientific institutions. Similar to the university professors, many European learned societies experienced a rapid ageing of their member population, where they face the dilemma that keeping young, i.e. electing young entrants, has the drawback of reducing the replacement rate of members. It turns out that electing a mix of young and old members delivers the optimal solution of the problem, i.e. guaranteeing a young age structure, while ensuring a high recruitment rate.
Predictive prosthetic socket design: part 2—generating person-specific candidate designs using multi-objective genetic algorithms
Authors: Steer J. W. , Grudniewski P. A. , Browne M. , Worsley P. R. , Sobey A. J. , Dickinson A. S.
Published: November 2019

In post-amputation rehabilitation, a common goal is to return to ambulation using a prosthetic limb, suspended by a customised socket. Prosthetic socket design aims to optimise load transfer between the residual limb and mechanical limb, by customisation to the user. This is a time-consuming process, and with the increase in people requiring these prosthetics, it is vital that these personalised devices can be produced rapidly while maintaining excellent fit, to maximise function and comfort. Prosthetic sockets are designed by capturing the residual limb’s shape and applying a series of geometrical modifications, called rectifications. Expert knowledge is required to achieve a comfortable fit in this iterative process. A variety of rectifications can be made, grouped into established strategies [e.g. in transtibial sockets: patellar tendon bearing (PTB) and total surface bearing (TSB)], creating a complex design space. To date, adoption of advanced engineering solutions to support fitting has been limited. One method is numerical optimisation, which allows the designer a number of likely candidate solutions to start the design process. Numerical optimisation is commonly used in many industries but not prevalent in the design of prosthetic sockets. This paper therefore presents candidate shape optimisation methods which might benefit the prosthetist and the limb user, by blending the state of the art from prosthetic mechanical design, surrogate modelling and evolutionary computation. The result of the analysis is a series of prosthetic socket designs that preferentially load and unload the pressure tolerant and intolerant regions of the residual limb. This spectrum is bounded by the general forms of the PTB and TSB designs, with a series of variations in between that represent a compromise between these accepted approaches. This results in a difference in pressure of up to 31 kPa over the fibula head and 14 kPa over the residuum tip. The presented methods would allow a trained prosthetist to rapidly assess these likely candidates and then to make final detailed modifications and fine-tuning. Importantly, insights gained about the design should be seen as a compliment, not a replacement, for the prosthetist’s skill and experience. We propose instead that this method might reduce the time spent on the early stages of socket design and allow prosthetists to focus on the most skilled and creative tasks of fine-tuning the design, in face-to-face consultation with their client.
Ventricular Flow Field Visualization During Mechanical Circulatory Support in the Assisted Isolated Beating Heart
Authors: Aigner P. , Schweiger M. , Fraser K. , Choi Y. , Lemme F. , Cesarovic N. , Kertzscher U. , Schima H. , Hübler M. , Granegger M.
Published: November 2019

Investigations of ventricular flow patterns during mechanical circulatory support are limited toin vitroflow models orin silicosimulations, which cannot fully replicate the complex anatomy and contraction of the heart. Therefore, the feasibility of using echocardiographic particle image velocimetry (Echo-PIV) was evaluated in an isolated working heart setup. Porcine hearts were connected to an isolated, working heart setup and a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) was implanted. During different levels of LVAD support (unsupported, partial support, full support), microbubbles were injected and echocardiographic images were acquired. Iterative PIV algorithms were applied to calculate flow fields. The isolated heart setup allowed different hemodynamic situations. In the unsupported heart, diastolic intra-ventricular blood flow was redirected at the heart’s apex towards the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). With increasing pump speed, large vortex formation was suppressed, and blood flow from the mitral valve directly entered the pump cannula. The maximum velocities in the LVOT were significantly reduced with increasing support. For the first time, cardiac blood flow patterns during LVAD support were visualized and quantified in anex vivomodel using Echo-PIV. The results reveal potential regions of stagnation in the LVOT and, in future the methods might be also used in clinical routine to evaluate intraventricular flow fields during LVAD support.