bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome‐based prediction of multiple wheat quality traits in multiple years
Authors: Ibba Maria Itria , Crossa Jose , Montesinos‐López Osval A. , Montesinos‐López Abelardo , Juliana Philomin , Guzman Carlos , Delorean Emily , Dreisigacker Susanne , Poland Jesse
Published: July 2020

Wheat quality improvement is an important objective in all wheat breeding programs. However, due to the cost, time and quantity of seed required, wheat quality is typically analyzed only in the last stages of the breeding cycle on a limited number of samples. The use of genomic prediction could greatly help to select for wheat quality more efficiently by reducing the cost and time required for this analysis. Here were evaluated the prediction performances of 13 wheat quality traits under two multi‐trait models (Bayesian multi‐trait multi‐environment [BMTME] and multi‐trait ridge regression [MTR]) using five data sets of wheat lines evaluated in the field during two consecutive years. Lines in the second year (testing) were predicted using the quality information obtained in the first year (training). For most quality traits were found moderate to high prediction accuracies, suggesting that the use of genomic selection could be feasible. The best predictions were obtained with the BMTME model in all traits and the worst with the MTR model. The best predictions with the BMTME model under the mean arctangent absolute percentage error (MAAPE) were for test weight across the five data sets, whereas the worst predictions were for the alveograph trait ALVPL. In contrast, under Pearson's correlation, the best predictions depended on the data set. The results obtained suggest that the BMTME model should be preferred for multi‐trait prediction analyses. This model allows to obtain not only the correlation among traits, but also the correlation among environments, helping to increase the prediction accuracy.
CRISPR‐Cas system for biomedical diagnostic platforms
Authors: Wang Zhen , Cui Wenguo
Published: July 2020

Clustered short palindrome repeats with regular intervals, abbreviated as CRISPR, and functions as a self‐defense system for prokaryotes, detecting particular pathogenic nucleic acid, interfering with the functions of exoteric DNA, and protecting them against foreign invaders. In recent years, CRISPR has attracted increasing interests in the in vitro diagnostic field because of its inherent allele specificity, which is one of the critical factors for the successful application of this technology in the development of high‐precision treatment and diagnosis. Herein, this review article aims to provide an overview of CRISPR‐CRISPR associated proteins (Cas) based biomedical diagnostics, including the biological mechanism, biomaterials, and applications. This paper first briefly introduces the development history and biological characteristics of the CRISPR‐Cas system, and then summarizes the application status and development trend of the CRISPR‐Cas system in the detection and identification of particular pathogens, specifically displaying a brilliant prospect in the most recent outbreak of novel coronavirus (formerly named 2019‐nCoV). Moreover, its potential diagnostic power in oncogene mutations and single nucleotide variations detecting are assembled. Finally, we discuss challenges and future prospects of CRISPR‐Cas system based diagnostic platforms in biomedicine, hoping to further inspire the development of biomedical diagnostics.
Axial dynamic analysis of a Bishop nanorod with arbitrary boundary conditions
Authors: Uzun Büşra , Kafkas Uğur , Yaylı Mustafa Özgür
Published: July 2020

In the present work, axial vibrational behavior of nanorods with different boundary conditions is researched. Bishop's rod theory is implemented to simulate the axial deflection. Size‐dependency is captured by using Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory. Based on nonlocal deformable boundary conditions and Stokes’ transformation, a system of linear equations is derived and then constructed an Eigen value problem. Several numerical examples are presented to investigate the significance of various parameters such as geometric parameters, vibrational modes, various values of nonlocal parameter and axial spring parameters on the axial frequencies of nanorods. The numerical examples indicate that the deformable boundary conditions and small scale parameter have considerable effects on the axial vibration response.
Novel coronavirus and trauma surgery: successful infection control from a level I trauma centre
Authors: Jávor Péter , Varga Endre , Fekete Károly , Tóth Ferenc , Hartmann Petra
Published: July 2020

Purpose

In the absence of effective treatment options, the recent SARS-CoV2 pandemic poses a great challenge to the health and social sectors worldwide. Hereby, we would like to share our proposals in the hope that it will prove helpful for our colleagues in this difficult time.

Methods

The present recommendations are based on the opinion of experts as well as the experience of a group of traumatologists directly involved in the organization of traumatology wards. The reassignment of the healthcare personnel, the separation of the potentially infected patients and the different levels of restriction on the trauma care are all key elements of our protocol.

Results

Since the first SARS-CoV2-positive case was confirmed in Hungary, our trauma surgeons were able to avoid contamination with the help of the new guidelines, without reducing the quality of trauma care.

Conclusion

Reasonably adjusted patient care protocols in every medical field are key to contain the spread of infection and to avoid public health crisis. Sharing experience can be an important element of a successful fight against the recent pandemic.
Clinical AI: opacity, accountability, responsibility and liability
Authors: Smith Helen
Published: July 2020

The aim of this literature review was to compose a narrative review supported by a systematic approach to critically identify and examine concerns about accountability and the allocation of responsibility and legal liability as applied to the clinician and the technologist as applied the use of opaque AI-powered systems in clinical decision making. This review questions (a) if it is permissible for a clinician to use an opaque AI system (AIS) in clinical decision making and (b) if a patient was harmed as a result of using a clinician using an AIS’s suggestion, how would responsibility and legal liability be allocated? Literature was systematically searched, retrieved, and reviewed from nine databases, which also included items from three clinical professional regulators, as well as relevant grey literature from governmental and non-governmental organisations. This literature was subjected to inclusion/exclusion criteria; those items found relevant to this review underwent data extraction. This review found that there are multiple concerns about opacity, accountability, responsibility and liability when considering the stakeholders of technologists and clinicians in the creation and use of AIS in clinical decision making. Accountability is challenged when the AIS used is opaque, and allocation of responsibility is somewhat unclear. Legal analysis would help stakeholders to understand their obligations and prepare should an undesirable scenario of patient harm eventuate when AIS were used.
The joining of gamma titanium aluminides via the powder interlayer bonding method
Authors: Davies P. D. , Davies H. M. , Watkins I. , Britton D. A.
Published: July 2020

Powder interlayer bonding (PIB) is a joining technique originally developed to enable high-integrity repairs of aerospace components. The technique has previously been employed for the joining of titanium and nickel alloys utilised in the aerospace industry. This study expands on the application of the novel joining technique known as powder interlayer bonding (PIB), to the bonding of γ titanium aluminide (TiAl) material. PIB has been used to facilitate high-integrity joints in gamma titanium aluminides (TiAl), where full densification of the joint was achieved. The PIB technique described here used a metallic powder interlayer between the two faying surfaces of γ TiAl specimens. Bonds were formed in an inert atmosphere under induction heating. The PIB technique proved capable of producing high-integrity bonds in terms of microstructural evaluation, with very limited porosity retained after the bonding cycle. A brittle Ti2Al phase can be produced with heavily oxidised powder which is susceptible to cracking and will negatively affect mechanical properties.
Renormalization and energy conservation for axisymmetric fluid flows
Authors: Nobili Camilla , Seis Christian
Published: July 2020

We study vanishing viscosity solutions to the axisymmetric Euler equations without swirl with (relative) vorticity in $$L^p$$

L
p

with $$p>1$$

p
>
1

. We show that these solutions satisfy the corresponding vorticity equations in the sense of renormalized solutions. Moreover, we show that the kinetic energy is preserved provided that $$p>3/2$$

p
>
3
/
2

and the vorticity is nonnegative and has finite second moments.
Inter-laboratory study of an optimised peptide mapping workflow using automated trypsin digestion for monitoring monoclonal antibody product quality attributes
Authors: Millán-Martín Silvia , Jakes Craig , Carillo Sara , Buchanan Tom , Guender Marc , Kristensen Dan Bach , Sloth Trine Meiborg , Ørgaard Martin , Cook Ken , Bones Jonathan
Published: July 2020

Peptide mapping analysis is a regulatory expectation to verify the primary structure of a recombinant product sequence and to monitor post-translational modifications (PTMs). Although proteolytic digestion has been used for decades, it remains a labour-intensive procedure that can be challenging to accurately reproduce. Here, we describe a fast and reproducible protocol for protease digestion that is automated using immobilised trypsin on magnetic beads, which has been incorporated into an optimised peptide mapping workflow to show method transferability across laboratories. The complete workflow has the potential for use within a multi-attribute method (MAM) approach in drug development, production and QC laboratories. The sample preparation workflow is simple, ideally suited to inexperienced operators and has been extensively studied to show global applicability and robustness for mAbs by performing sample digestion and LC-MS analysis at four independent sites in Europe. LC-MS/MS along with database searching was used to characterise the protein and determine relevant product quality attributes (PQAs) for further testing. A list of relevant critical quality attributes (CQAs) was then established by creating a peptide workbook containing the specific mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios of the modified and unmodified peptides of the selected CQAs, to be monitored in a subsequent test using LC-MS analysis. Data is provided that shows robust digestion efficiency and low levels of protocol induced PTMs.
Validation of MALDI-MS imaging data of selected membrane lipids in murine brain with and without laser postionization by quantitative nano-HPLC-MS using laser microdissection
Authors: Eiersbrock Fabian B. , Orthen Julian M. , Soltwisch Jens
Published: July 2020

MALDI mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is a widely used technique to map the spatial distribution of molecules in sectioned tissue. The technique is based on the systematic generation and analysis of ions from small sample volumes, each representing a single pixel of the investigated sample surface. Subsequently, mass spectrometric images for any recorded ion species can be generated by displaying the signal intensity at the coordinate of origin for each of these pixels. Although easily equalized, these recorded signal intensities, however, are not necessarily a good measure for the underlying amount of analyte and care has to be taken in the interpretation of MALDI-MSI data. Physical and chemical properties that define the analyte molecules’ adjacencies in the tissue largely influence the local extraction and ionization efficiencies, possibly leading to strong variations in signal intensity response. Here, we inspect the validity of signal intensity distributions recorded from murine cerebellum as a measure for the underlying molar distributions. Based on segmentation derived from MALDI-MSI measurements, laser microdissection (LMD) was used to cut out regions of interest with a homogenous signal intensity. The molar concentration of six exemplary selected membrane lipids from different lipid classes in these tissue regions was determined using quantitative nano-HPLC-ESI-MS. Comparison of molar concentrations and signal intensity revealed strong deviations between underlying concentration and the distribution suggested by MSI data. Determined signal intensity response factors strongly depend on tissue type and lipid species.
Combined serum biomarker analysis shows no benefit in the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection
Authors: Klim S. M. , Amerstorfer F. , Glehr G. , Hauer G. , Smolle M. A. , Leitner L. , Leithner A. , Glehr M.
Published: July 2020

Purpose

In many cases, the diagnosis of a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) consisting of the clinical appearance, laboratory tests, and other diagnostic tools remains a difficult task. Single serum biomarkers are easy to collect, are suitable for periodical assessment, and are a crucial tool in PJI diagnosis, but limited sensitivity or specificity is reported in literature. The aim of this study was to combine the best-performing single serum biomarkers into a multi-biomarker model aiming to improve the diagnostic properties.

Methods

Within a 27-month period, 124 surgical procedures (aseptic or septic revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA)) were prospectively included. The serum leukocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6, procalcitonin, interferon alpha, and fibrinogen were assessed 1 day prior to surgery. Logistic regression with lasso-regularization was used for the biomarkers and all their ratios. After randomly splitting the data into a training (75%) and a test set (25%), the multi-biomarker model was calculated and validated in a cross-validation approach.

Results

CRP (AUC 0.91, specificity 0.67, sensitivity 0.90, p value 0.03) and fibrinogen (AUC 0.93, specificity 0.73, sensitivity 0.94, p value 0.02) had the best single-biomarker performances. The multi-biomarker model including fibrinogen, CRP, the ratio of fibrinogen to CRP, and the ratio of serum thrombocytes to CRP showed a similar performance (AUC 0.95, specificity 0.91, sensitivity 0.72, p value 0.01).

Conclusion

In this study, multiple biomarkers were tested for their diagnostic performance, with CRP and fibrinogen showing the best results regarding the AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. It was not possible to further increase the diagnostic accuracy by combining multiple biomarkers using sophisticated statistical methods.
Impact Response of Curved Composite Laminates: Effect of Radius and Thickness
Authors: Harris William , Soutis Constantinos , Atkin Christopher
Published: July 2020

This paper presents the results of drop-weight impact testing (5 J to 30 J) on curved ±55° E-glass-epoxy laminates of varying radii and wall thickness. Three radii (75 mm, 100 mm, and 125 mm) on laminates with an effective wall thickness of 2.5 mm, and three wall thicknesses (2.5 mm, 4.1 mm, and 6.6 mm) with a radius of 100 mm were investigated. The damage pattern remained consistent, with the exception of the damage area, across the tested energies and was dominated by internal matrix cracking and multiple delaminations. However, no damage was recorded following a 5 J impact on the 2.5 mm thick laminates with 100 mm and 125 mm radii, all energy was absorbed elastically, while the laminate with a 75 mm radius of curvature developed a damage area of over 80 mm2. The thicker laminates showed a reduced overall damage area but a greater number of delaminations. The relationship between laminate thickness and delamination threshold load was found to be in line with impact testing of flat plates, varying with the laminate thickness to the 3/2 power. However, the simplified beam theory and a fracture mechanics model developed for the prediction of delamination threshold of flat plates was found to underestimate the delamination threshold load (DTL) of the curved laminates studied by about 40%. An increase in the laminate’s flexural modulus of a factor of two is required to bring the model’s predictions in line with the DTL values measured experimentally, highlighting how curvature can enhance bending stiffness and alter damage evolution. Finally, a significant finding is that the DTL of the curved plates is around 15% lower than the value measured for the whole cylindrical pipe of same specifications. Testing curved sections rather than a whole pipe could reduce effort, but further work is required to confirm this statement.
Isotopic tiling theory for hyperbolic surfaces
Authors: Kolbe Benedikt , Evans Myfanwy E.
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we develop the mathematical tools needed to explore isotopy classes of tilings on hyperbolic surfaces of finite genus, possibly nonorientable, with boundary, and punctured. More specifically, we generalize results on Delaney–Dress combinatorial tiling theory using an extension of mapping class groups to orbifolds, in turn using this to study tilings of covering spaces of orbifolds. Moreover, we study finite subgroups of these mapping class groups. Our results can be used to extend the Delaney–Dress combinatorial encoding of a tiling to yield a finite symbol encoding the complexity of an isotopy class of tilings. The results of this paper provide the basis for a complete and unambiguous enumeration of isotopically distinct tilings of hyperbolic surfaces.
Dimensional Crossover in the Bose–Einstein Condensation Confined to Anisotropic Three-Dimensional Lattices
Authors: Witkowski K. K. , Kopeć T. K.
Published: July 2020

The Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) in three-dimensional (3D) anisotropic lattices is studied. We present theoretical results for the critical temperature for BEC, chemical potential, condensate fraction and relevant thermodynamic quantities like: internal energy, entropy, specific heat and compressibility as a function of anisotropy parameter being the ratio of the nearest-neighbor in-plane ($$t_\parallel$$

t
‖

) and out-of-plane ($$t_\perp$$

t
⊥

) hopping amplitudes. In particular, considered scenarios include weakly coupled two-dimensional (2D) planes ($$t_\perp /t_\parallel \ll 1$$

t
⊥

/

t
‖

≪
1

, relevant for layered structures) as well as a rod-like geometry of interacting one-dimensional (1D) chains ($$t_\parallel /t_\perp \ll 1$$

t
‖

/

t
⊥

≪
1

). The impact of the dimensional crossover as the system is tuned away from a set of disconnected 2D layers, or traverses from a set of separate 1D chains to a regime where a fully isotropic 3D structure emerges is elucidated. Both numerical and analytic approaches are employed, (the latter in a form of series expansions involving $$t_\parallel ,t_\perp$$

t
‖

,

t
⊥

amplitudes) for internal energy, entropy, specific heat and isothermal compressibility. The theoretical outcome of the present study may be of interest to a number of scenarios in solid-state physics, where the relevant quasi-particles are bosonic-like, as well as might be applicable to the physics of cold bosons loaded in artificially engineered 3D optical lattices.
Knowledge Transfer, Transitional Dynamics and Optimal Research & Development Policy in a Dynamic Monopoly Setting
Authors: Antony Jürgen , Klarl Torben
Published: July 2020

This paper focuses on the question of whether or not a reduction of the knowledge barrier is good for welfare. Based on a dynamic monopoly setting with simultaneous investment decisions in process as well as in product Research & Development (R&D), we show that a reduction of the knowledge barrier has ambiguous welfare consequences: due to a lower knowledge barrier, product quality and welfare increase in the short-run. However, this may not necessarily be the case in the long-run. One reason is that a positive long-lasting knowledge barrier shock triggers the monopolist sub-optimally to reduce its product R&D investments today and in the future at the cost of future product quality. This in turn may reduce welfare. Accordingly, to realize the first-best level of product quality, the long-run optimal R&D subsidy rate for product innovations increases with a reduction of the knowledge barrier.
A review on advanced physico-chemical and biological textile dye wastewater treatment techniques
Authors: Donkadokula Naresh Yadav , Kola Anand Kishore , Naz Iffat , Saroj Devendra
Published: July 2020

The utilization of dyes in textile industries has enormously increased in recent years and has created several environmental problems. Currently, several methods are in practice to treat wastewaters. Effective and efficient treatment techniques before the discharge of used water in the environment are the need of the hour. This short review covers the research and recent developments in advanced wastewater treatment techniques such as nanophotocatalysis, ceramic nanofiltration membranes, and biofilms. The primary intent of this review article is to contribute the ready-made references for the active researchers and scientists working in the field of wastewater treatment. This review has mainly focused on advanced physico-chemical and biological techniques for the treatment of textile dye wastewaters. Further, the influence of various operating factors on the treatment, advantages, and disadvantages of various techniques was also discussed. The recently developed materials for wastewater treatment are also summarized based on the latest available literature.

Graphic abstract
Erratum to: Spatio-temporal changes in the six major glaciers of the Chitral River basin (Hindukush Region of Pakistan) between 2001 and 2018
Authors: Gul Jawaria , Muhammad Sher , Liu Shi-yin , Ullah Siddique , Ahmad Shakeel , Hayat Huma , Tahir Adnan Ahmad
Published: July 2020

The article Spatio-temporal changes in the six major glaciers of the Chitral River basin (Hindukush Region of Pakistan) between 2001 and 2018, written by Jawaria GUL, Sher MUHAMMAD, LIU Shi-yin, Siddique ULLAH, Shakeel AHMAD, Huma HAYAT and Adnan Ahmad TAHIR, was originally published Online First without Open Access. After publication in volume 17, issue 3, page 572-587, the author decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an Open Access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to © The Author(s) 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The original version of this article has been revised due to a retrospective Open Access order.
A Review of Recent Trends and Challenges in Computational Modeling of Paper and Paperboard at Different Scales
Authors: Simon Jaan-Willem
Published: July 2020

Paper and paperboard are widely used in packaging products. The material behavior of paper and paperboard is very complex because different scales need to be considered in order to describe all relevant effects and phenomena. In particular, at least three scales can be distinguished: the fiber scale, network scale, and sheet scale. Since it is extremely challenging to measure the material behavior experimentally on all of these scales simultaneously, computational modeling of these materials has gained importance in recent years. This work aims at giving a systematic review of the numerical approaches and obtained results published in recent years. Focus is set on both the recent trends and achievements as well as challenges and open questions.
Fish Allergy: Fishing for Novel Diagnostic and Therapeutic Options
Authors: Dijkema D. , Emons J. A. M. , Van de Ven A. A. J. M. , Oude Elberink J. N. G.
Published: July 2020

Fish allergy is one of the most common food allergies. The currently recommended treatment commonly consists of avoiding all fish species. Recent literature suggests that these recommendations are overprotective for the majority of fish-allergic patients. This review summarizes recent findings and provides practical information regarding management of fish allergy in the individual patient. After precise history taking supported by additional specific IgE measurements and/or skin prick tests, fish-allergic patients can generally be categorized into the following clinical clusters: (A) poly-sensitized patients reacting to all fish species due to their sensitization to the panallergen β-parvalbumin, (B) mono-sensitized patients with selective reactions to individual fish species only, and (C) oligo-sensitized patients reacting to several specific fish. A number of allergens including parvalbumin, enolase, and aldolase can be involved. Depending on the specific cluster the patient belongs to, oral food challenges for one or more fish species can be performed with the aim to provide safe alternatives for consumption. This way, several alternative fish species can be identified for mono- and oligo-sensitized patients that can safely be consumed. Notably, even poly-sensitized patients generally tolerate fish species low in β-parvalbumin such as tuna and mackerel, particularly when processed. Taken together, allergological evaluation of patients with a documented fish allergy should be strongly considered, as it will allow the majority of patients to safely reintroduce one or more fish species.
Cohort splitting from plastic bet-hedging: insights from empirical and theoretical investigations in a wolf spider
Authors: Rádai Zoltán
Published: July 2020

Bet-hedging strategies help organisms to decrease variance in their fitness in unpredictably changing environments, by which way lineage fitness can be maximized in the given environment. As one strategy, diversified bet-hedging helps to achieve that by increasing phenotypic variation in fitness-related traits. For example, in diversified tracking, parents may divide the developmental phenotypes of their offspring within broods, leading to cohort splitting among the progeny. Such diversification, though, should be probabilistic and sensitive to no external stimuli. However, it was recently highlighted that plasticity in response to environmental stimuli may be part of a more dynamic case of bet-hedging. Current understanding and empirical observations of such a plastic bet-hedging remain limited. Here I use a theoretical investigation relying on empirical grounds in a specific case of cohort splitting in the wolf spider Pardosa agrestis (Westring 1861). I investigated whether cohort splitting might be a bet-hedging strategy in females of P. agrestis, and whether it would be expected to be static or plastic bet-hedging. Results show that cohort splitting is likely a bet-hedging strategy in this species, by which females maximize their lineage fitness. Also, cohort splitting appears to arise from plastic bet-hedging, as in simulated populations where both static and plastic bet-hedging females occur, the latter have considerably higher geometric mean fitness. I discuss theoretical and empirical observations in light of the current theory, and draw predictions on specific aspects of this case of plastic bet-hedging.
Macrofollicular Variant of Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma (MV-FTC) with a Somatic DICER1 Gene Mutation: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Hellgren L. Samuel , Hysek Martin , Jatta Kenbugul , Zedenius Jan , Juhlin C. Christofer
Published: July 2020

Benign thyroid lesions such as multinodular goiter and adenomatoid nodules are well-circumscribed lesions displaying a macrofollicular growth pattern and lack of nuclear atypia. The highly unusual macrofollicular variant of follicular thyroid carcinoma (MV-FTC) mirrors these attributes and is thereby misclassified by cytological examination of fine-needle aspiration biopsies. The MV-FTC diagnosis is instead suggested following histological investigation, in which malignant attributes, most commonly capsular invasion, are noted. The bulk of MV-FTCs described in the literature arise in younger female patients and carry an excellent prognosis. A recent coupling to mutations in the DICER1 tumor suppressor gene has been proposed, possibly indicating aberrancies in micro-RNA (miRNA) patterns as responsible of the tumorigenic process. We describe the cytological, histological and molecular phenotype of a 35 mm large MV-FTC arising in the right thyroid lobe of a 33-year-old female with a family history of multinodular goiter. The tumor was encapsulated and strikingly inconspicuous in terms of cellularity and atypia, but nevertheless displayed multiple foci with capsular invasion. A next-generation molecular screening of tumor DNA revealed missense variants in DICER1 (p. D1709N) and MET (p. T1010I), but no established fusion gene events. After sequencing of germline DNA, the DICER1 mutation was confirmed as somatic, while the MET variant was constitutional. The patient is alive and well, currently awaiting radioiodine treatment. This MV-FTC mirrors previous publications, suggesting that these tumors carry a favorable prognosis and predominantly arise in younger females. Moreover, DICER1 mutations should be considered a common driver event in the development of MV-FTCs.
Variance of Lattice Point Counting in Thin Annuli
Authors: Colzani Leonardo , Gariboldi Bianca , Gigante Giacomo
Published: July 2020

We give asymptotic estimates of the variance of the number of integer points in translated thin annuli in any dimension.
Latent Class Analysis of Mental Health in Middle Childhood: Evidence for the Dual-Factor Model
Authors: Petersen Kimberly J. , Humphrey Neil , Qualter Pamela
Published: July 2020

Mental health is complex, comprising both mental distress and well-being. This study used latent class analysis to identify common combinations of mental distress and well-being (‘mental health classes’) among schoolchildren aged 8–9 years (N = 3340).
Thirteen items, measuring a range of conduct problems, emotional symptoms, and subjective well-being, were included in the analysis. Four mental health classes were identified: (1) complete mental health (n = 1895, 57%), (2) vulnerable (n = 434, 13%), (3) emotional symptoms but content (n = 606, 18%), and (4) conduct problems but content (n = 404, 12%). The classes were reliably identified across different datasets, and for males and females. Differential relations with covariates indicated that mental health classes were distinct and externally valid. The results supported the dual-factor model of mental health, suggesting that mental distress and subjective well-being are separate continua. Three of the four possible combinations of high and low distress and subjective well-being posited by the dual-factor model were found using this inductive statistical method. Importantly, our analysis also revealed two ‘symptomatic but content’ groups, differentiated by symptom domain (internalising/externalising). The covariate analyses between mental health classes and sociodemographic factors, prior academic attainment, school connectedness, and peer support, indicated that there are nuanced relations between those variables and particular constellations of mental distress and well-being. As one of the few dual-factor studies to focus on middle childhood, the current study adds important new evidence that contributes to our understanding of the complexities of mental health among schoolchildren.
The schooling response to a sustained increase in low-skill wages: evidence from Spain 1989–2009
Authors: Lacuesta Aitor , Puente Sergio , Villanueva Ernesto
Published: July 2020

The response of human capital accumulation to changes in the anticipated returns to schooling determines the type of skills supplied to the labor market, the productivity of future cohorts, and the evolution of inequality. Unlike the USA, the UK or Germany, Spain has experienced between 1995 and 2008 a drop in the returns to medium and tertiary education and, with a lag, a drop in schooling attainment of recent cohorts, providing the setup to estimate the response of different forms of human capital acquisition to relative increases in low-skill wages. We measure the expected returns to schooling using skill-specific wages bargained in collective agreements at the province–industry level. We argue that those wages are easily observable by youths and relatively insensitive to shifts in the supply of workers. Our preferred estimates suggest that a 10% increase in the ratio of wages of unskilled workers to the wages of mid-skill workers increases the fraction of males completing at most compulsory schooling by between 2 and 6.5 percentage points. The response is driven by males from less educated parents and comes at the expense of students from the academic high school track—rather than the vocational training track.
Real-time biomass feedstock particle quality detection using image analysis and machine vision
Authors: Gudavalli Chandrakanth , Bose Elizabeth , Donohoe Bryon S. , Sievers David A.
Published: July 2020

A common and costly challenge in the nascent biorefinery industry is the consistent handling and conveyance of biomass feedstock materials, which can vary widely in their chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. Solutions to cope with varying feedstock qualities will be required, including advanced process controls to adjust equipment and reject feedstocks that do not meet a quality standard. In this work, we present and evaluate methods to autonomously assess corn stover feedstock quality in real time and provide data to process controls with low-cost camera hardware. We explore the use of neural networks to classify feedstocks based on actual processing behavior and pixel matrix feature parameterization to further assess particle attributes that may explain the variable processing behavior. We used the pretrained ResNet neural network coupled with a gated recurrent unit (GRU) time-series classifier trained on our image data, resulting in binary classification of feedstock anomalies with favorable performance. The textural aspects of the image data were statistically analyzed to determine if the textural features were predictive of operational disruptions. The significant textural features were angular second moment, prominence, mean height of surface profile, mean resultant vector, shade, skewness, variation of the polar facet orientation, and direction of azimuthal facets. Expansion of these models is recommended across a wider variety of labeled feedstock images of different qualities and species to develop a more robust tool that may be deployed using low-cost cameras within biorefineries.
Residual stress variation in SiCf/SiC composite during heat treatment and its effects on mechanical behavior
Authors: Chen Xiaowu , Cheng Guofeng , Zhang Junmin , Guo Feiyu , Zhou Haijun , Liao Chunjin , Wang Hongda , Zhang Xiangyu , Dong Shaoming
Published: July 2020

Residual stress originated from thermal expansion mismatch determines the mechanical properties of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Here, continuous SiC fiber reinforced SiC matrix (SiCf/SiC) composites were fabricated by nano-infiltration and transient eutectic-phase (NITE) method, and the residual stress of the composites was investigated using high-temperature Raman spectrometer. With temperature increasing from room temperature to 1400 °C, the residual stresses of the matrix and the fiber decrease from 1.29 to 0.62 GPa and from 0.84 to 0.55 GPa in compression respectively, while that of the interphase decreases from 0.16 to 0.10 GPa in tension. The variation of residual stress shows little effect on the tensile strength of the composites, while causes a slight decrease in the tensile strain. The suppression of fiber/matrix debonding and fiber pulling-out caused by the residual stress reduction in the interphase is responsible for the decreasing tensile strain. This work can open up new alternatives for residual stress analysis in CMCs.
Enhanced ferro-/piezoelectric properties of tape-casting-derived Er3+-doped Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.9Zr0.1O3 optoelectronic thick films
Authors: Xu Jie , Lu Qiling , Lin Jinfeng , Lin Cong , Zheng Xinghua , Lin Tengfei , Wu Xiao
Published: July 2020

Er3+-doped Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.9Zr0.1O3 (xEr-BCTZ, x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.015) multifunctional thick films were prepared by the tape-casting method, using sol-gel-derived nano-sized powders as the matrix material. The surface morphologies, photoluminescence, and electrical properties were investigated. Dense microstructures with pure perovskite structure were obtained in the thick films. By doping an appropriate amount of Er3−, the samples exhibit superior up-conversion photoluminescence performance and simultaneously enhanced electrical performances. In addition, relatively higher texture fractions (with the largest value of 83.5%) were realized through introducing plate-like BaTiO3 templates to make the thick film grow by the [001]c orientation. And the ferro-/piezoelectric properties of the thick films were further improved, showing potential in the applications of micro-optoelectronic devices.
Linearization-based methods for the calibration of bonded-particle models
Authors: Jarolin Kolja , Dosta Maksym
Published: July 2020

In the work at hand, two methods for the calibration of the elastic material parameters of bonded-particle models (BPMs) are proposed. These methods are based on concepts of classical mechanics and enable a faster calibration compared to the conventional trial and error strategy. Moreover, they can be used to counter-check the consistency of the BPM. In the first method, the mathematical model is linearized and solved in a classical matrix-vector formulation similar to a finite element scheme. Further linearization in the second approach enables the direct calculation of the elastic stiffness tensor, reducing computational costs massively. To analyze the capabilities and limitations of both methods, they have been applied in three different case studies. Obtained results have shown that the new strategy allows us to significantly reduce the calculation time.
Interpretable policy derivation for reinforcement learning based on evolutionary feature synthesis
Authors: Zhang Hengzhe , Zhou Aimin , Lin Xin
Published: July 2020

Reinforcement learning based on the deep neural network has attracted much attention and has been widely used in real-world applications. However, the black-box property limits its usage from applying in high-stake areas, such as manufacture and healthcare. To deal with this problem, some researchers resort to the interpretable control policy generation algorithm. The basic idea is to use an interpretable model, such as tree-based genetic programming, to extract policy from other black box modes, such as neural networks. Following this idea, in this paper, we try yet another form of the genetic programming technique, evolutionary feature synthesis, to extract control policy from the neural network. We also propose an evolutionary method to optimize the operator set of the control policy for each specific problem automatically. Moreover, a policy simplification strategy is also introduced. We conduct experiments on four reinforcement learning environments. The experiment results reveal that evolutionary feature synthesis can achieve better performance than tree-based genetic programming to extract policy from the neural network with comparable interpretability.
Nominal contracts and the payment system
Authors: Tomura Hajime
Published: July 2020

This paper introduces into an overlapping generations model the civil court’s inability to distinguish different qualities of goods of the same kind. This friction prevents the enforcement of real credit contracts through the civil court. Given this environment, fiat money is introduced into the model as an intrinsically useless, but recognizable instrument for the court. With fiat money, there exists an equilibrium in which agents write pledgeable nominal debt contracts, while fiat money circulates as both a means of debt repayment and a means of payment for goods. This result does not require dynamic inefficiency or lack of double coincidence of wants. However, there can occur a shortage of real money balances for debt repayments, because lenders must pay fiat money for borrowers’ output before receiving the repayment of debt, in order for borrowers to obtain fiat money to repay debt. The central bank can resolve this bottleneck if it provides an elastic money supply through a discount window within each period. These results replicate two institutional features of the current monetary system—that is, fiat money being legal tender and a discount window offered by the central bank—in an unified framework.
Gender Differences in the Emotional Response and Subjective Sexual Arousal Toward Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse: A Pupillometric Study
Authors: Carvalho Joana , Rosa Pedro J.
Published: July 2020

Background

Gender differences in sexual response have targeted individuals' emotional appraisal of mainstream erotica. Yet, evidence reveals that men and women commonly endorse non-normative sexual interests, and no evidence has been collected on their emotional responses toward deviant sexual stimuli.

Aim

This study was aimed at evaluating gender differences in the emotional responses toward non-consensual sexual intercourse, thus revealing individuals' appraisal of non-normative sexual contents. In order to provide an initial background to interpret findings, this study further tested the association between individuals' emotional responses and sexual self-schemas (SSSs).

Methods

29 men and 45 women (all heterosexual) were voluntarily exposed to audiovisual presentations of non-consensual/physically forced sexual intercourse in a laboratory context. Markers of emotional response were collected by psychophysiological and self-report means.

Outcomes

Pupil activation, namely pupil diameter ratio, during exposure to the video clips was captured with an eye tracker. Positive and negative emotions and subjective sexual arousal toward the clips were also collected. In addition, participants responded to the SSS scale assessing individuals' sexual self-perceptions.

Results

Findings revealed a small degree of gender differences. While men reported significantly more positive emotions toward the clip displaying a woman as recipient to non-consensual sex, no further differences were found. Also, participants revealed an increased pupil diameter ratio only in the first moments of the video clips. SSSs, including themes of aggression and power, were associated with men's emotional responses toward the clips, while no associations were found in women.

Clinical Translation

Despite its preliminary nature, the current study provides evidence on the emotional mechanisms underpinning human sexual response, and may eventually translate to conceptualizing models with a focus on non-normative sexual behavior.

Strengths & Limitations

To our best knowledge, this is the first study researching gender specificities in the emotional appraisal of non-consented sex. Current findings may help to understand individuals' deviant sexual interests and establish a framework for future research in this area. However, it is worth noting that lack of previous research prevents the generalization of findings and limits our interpretation of data.

Conclusion

Findings revealed a small degree of gender differences in the emotional appraisal of non-consensual sexual intercourse, and suggested partial evidence in the relationship between sexual self-perceptions and emotional responses to forced sex.
Dietary valine levels affect growth, protein utilisation, immunity and antioxidant status in juvenile hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ ×Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂)
Authors: Zhou Zhiyu , Wu Xiaoyi , Gatlin Delbert M. , Wang Xiao , Mu Wei , Ye Bo , Ma Lei
Published: July 2020

A 6-week growth trial was conducted to evaluate the influences of dietary valine (Val) levels on growth, protein utilisation, immunity, antioxidant status and gut micromorphology of juvenile hybrid groupers. Seven isoenergetic, isoproteic and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain graded Val levels (1·21, 1·32, 1·45, 1·58, 1·69, 1·82 and 1·94 %, DM basis). Each experimental diet was hand-fed to triplicate groups of twelve hybrid grouper juveniles. Results showed that weight gain percentage (WG%), protein productive value, protein efficiency ratio, and feed efficiency were increased as dietary Val level increased, reaching a peak value at 1·58 % dietary Val. The quadratic regression analysis of WG% against dietary Val levels indicated that the optimum dietary Val requirement for hybrid groupers was estimated to be 1·56 %. Gut micromorphology and expression of growth hormone in pituitary, insulin-like growth factor 1, target of rapamycin and S6 kinase 1 in liver were significantly affected by dietary Val levels. In serum, fish fed 1·58 % dietary Val had higher superoxide dismutase, catalase, lysozyme activities and IgM concentrations than fish fed other dietary Val levels. Fish fed 1·58 % dietary Val had higher expression of NF-E2-related factor 2 in head kidney than fish fed other dietary Val levels. Generally, the optimum dietary Val requirement for maximal growth of hybrid groupers was estimated to be 1·56 % of DM, corresponding to 3·16 % of dietary protein, and dietary Val levels affected growth, protein utilisation, immunity and antioxidant status in hybrid groupers.
Private Placements of Equity and Firm Value: Value Enhancing or Value Destroying?
Authors: Kang Jun-Koo , Park James L.
Published: July 2020

This paper reassesses two conflicting hypotheses on the valuation impacts of private placements of equity (PPEs), the monitoring/certification hypothesis and the managerial entrenchment hypothesis, by focusing on the shareholder approval, active buyer, and premium pricing features of PPEs. We find that PPEs with these features have significant positive announcement returns and insignificant mean long-run returns, while the corresponding announcement and long-run returns for PPEs without such features are significantly negative. Firms with value-enhancing PPE features are better governed and use proceeds more efficiently. Thus, the heterogeneous nature of PPEs helps reconcile the puzzling return patterns and conflicting hypotheses regarding PPEs.
A STOCHASTIC ANALYSIS OF BIKE-SHARING SYSTEMS
Authors: Tao Shuang , Pender Jamol
Published: July 2020

As more people move back into densely populated cities, bike sharing is emerging as an important mode of urban mobility. In a typical bike-sharing system (BSS), riders arrive at a station and take a bike if it is available. After retrieving a bike, they ride it for a while, then return it to a station near their final destinations. Since space is limited in cities, each station has a finite capacity of docks, which cannot hold more bikes than its capacity. In this paper, we study BSSs with stations having a finite capacity. By an appropriate scaling of our stochastic model, we prove a mean-field limit and a central limit theorem for an empirical process of the number of stations withkbikes. The mean-field limit and the central limit theorem provide insight on the mean, variance, and sample path dynamics of large-scale BSSs. We also leverage our results to estimate confidence intervals for various performance measures such as the proportion of empty stations, the proportion of full stations, and the number of bikes in circulation. These performance measures have the potential to inform the operations and design of future BSSs.