bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public health nurses’ experiences learning and delivering a group cognitive behavioral therapy intervention for postpartum depression
Authors: Layton Haley , Bendo Daniella , Amani Bahar , Bieling Peter J. , Van Lieshout Ryan J.
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Public Health Nurses (PHNs) often provide support to women with postpartum depression (PPD) in the absence of specialized training. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of six PHNs who were trained to deliver a group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for PPD in the public health setting, and to describe how learning and delivering this intervention affected their professional roles and personal lives.

Design

This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach.

Sample

Six PHNs who completed the CBT training program and delivered at least one CBT group in their community.

Measurements

Individual in‐depth interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed according to thematic derivation procedures.

Results

The themes that emerged from the interviews with the PHNs included: (a) components of the CBT training program that nurses most valued, (b) benefits of training for their professional role as a PHN, (c) implications for practice, and (d) using CBT skills in their personal lives.

Conclusions

The provision of CBT training to PHNs may not only positively impact their work with clients with mental illness, but may also have the potential to provide broader clinical and professional benefits for these skilled professionals and their other clients.
Earnings Component Volatilities: Capital Versus R&D Expenditures
Authors: Lev Baruch , Radhakrishnan Suresh , Tong Jamie Yixing
Published: November 2020

This study examines the relationship between R&D expenditures and product‐market, process‐cost, and technological innovation/disruption‐related uncertainties. For this purpose, the product‐market, process‐cost, and technological innovation related uncertainties are linked to earnings component volatilities. Specifically, product‐market uncertainty is measured by future sales volatility; process‐cost uncertainty by future cost of sales volatility; and technological innovation uncertainty by future special items volatility. The results show that the associations between R&D expenditures and future sales and cost of sales volatilities are lower than those of capital expenditures. However, the association between R&D expenditures and future special items volatility is higher than that of capital expenditures. Collectively, these findings provide insights into the debate on capitalizing versus expensing R&D expenditures.
Polls and Elections: The Economy and Events Still Matter (At Least a Little): Partisans' Presidential Approval in the Trump Era
Authors: Newman Brian , Otto Amber
Published: November 2020

Donald Trump's historically stable and polarized approval ratings raise concerns that partisans' evaluations of Trump are detached from real‐world conditions like the state of the economy and Trump's actions. We show that Republicans' (but not Democrats') approval and strength of (dis)approval tracked with stock market performance and perceptions of the economy. In addition, both Democrats and Republicans rewarded and punished Trump after major events. In some instances, Republicans and Democrats responded to events in similar ways, but in others, events further polarized partisans' views of Trump. At least to some degree, Republican approval responds to the economy and major events.
Effects of vocal demands on pupil dilation
Authors: Brych Mareike , Händel Barbara F. , Riechelmann Eva , Pieczykolan Aleksandra , Huestegge Lynn
Published: November 2020

Pupil dilation is known to be affected by a variety of factors, including physical (e.g., light) and cognitive sources of influence (e.g., mental load due to working memory demands, stimulus/response competition etc.). In the present experiment, we tested the extent to which vocal demands (speaking) can affect pupil dilation. Based on corresponding preliminary evidence found in a reanalysis of an existing data set from our lab, we setup a new experiment that systematically investigated vocal response‐related effects compared to mere jaw/lip movement and button press responses. Conditions changed on a trial‐by‐trial basis while participants were instructed to keep fixating a central cross on a screen throughout. In line with our prediction (and previous observation), speaking caused the pupils to dilate strongest, followed by nonvocal movements and finally a baseline condition without any vocal or muscular demands. An additional analysis of blink rates showed no difference in blink frequency between vocal and baseline conditions, but different blink dynamics. Finally, simultaneously recorded electromyographic activity showed that muscle activity may contribute to some (but not all) aspects of the observed effects on pupil size. The results are discussed in the context of other recent research indicating effects of perceived (instead of executed) vocal action on pupil dynamics.
The structure of emotion regulation strategies in adolescence: Differential links to internalizing and externalizing problems
Authors: te Brinke Lysanne W. , Menting Ankie T. A. , Schuiringa Hilde D. , Zeman Janice , Deković Maja
Published: November 2020

Emotion regulation is a multi‐modal construct, that includes both adaptive and maladaptive cognitive‐behavioral processes. However, many classifications of regulation strategies do not take this multi‐modality into account. In this study, two classification systems were integrated. Participants were 336 adolescents (56% boys, Mage = 15.41, SD = 1.45). Anger regulation strategies were measured with a questionnaire that assessed general strategies, and a vignette measure that assessed contextual strategies. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a 4‐factor classification that consisted of cognitive maladaptive, behavioral maladaptive, cognitive adaptive, and behavioral adaptive strategies. The four categories of regulation strategies were differentially associated with age, and gender and psychological problem differences were found. Adolescents with internalizing problems reported using a cognitive regulation style, adolescents with externalizing problems a behavioral regulation style, and adolescents with comorbid internalizing and externalizing problems a maladaptive regulation style. These findings highlight the multi‐modal nature of emotion regulation and may provide opportunities for treatment modifications.
Single Phase Liquid Cooling of High Heat Flux Devices With Local Hotspot in a Microgap With Nonuniform Fin Array
Authors: Hu Yuanchen , Sarvey Thomas , Bakir Muhannad S. , Joshi Yogendra
Published: November 2020

Single-phase liquid cooling in microchannels and microgaps has been successfully demonstrated for heat fluxes of ∼1 kW/cm2 for silicon chips with maximum temperature below 100 °C. However, effectively managing localized hotspots in heterogeneous integration, which refers to the integration of various components that achieve multiple functionalities, entails further thermal challenges. To address these, we use a nonuniform pin-fin array. Single phase liquid-cooling performance of four silicon test chips, thermal design vehicles (TDVs), each with a nonuniform pin-fin array, are experimentally examined. We evaluate multiple combinations of hotspot and background heat fluxes using four background heaters aligned upstream to downstream, and one additional hotspot heater located in the center. We examine the thermal performance of cylindrical fin-enhanced TDVs and hydrofoil fin-enhanced TDVs, both with two designs: one with increased fin density around the hotspot only, and another with increased fin density spanning the entire width of the channel. The resulting heat flux ratio of the localized hotspot to background heaters varies from 1 to 5. TDVs with spanwise increased hydrofoil fin density (spanwise hydrofoil) exhibit the best thermal performance with 6% to 14% lower hotspot temperature than others. TDVs with spanwise increased cylindrical fin (cylindrical spanwise) maintain a balance between hotspot cooling performance and pressure drops. In general, as the temperature of the hotspot remains around 70 °C with a heat flux of 625 W/cm2, the nonuniform fin-enhanced microgaps appears to be a promising hotspot thermal management approach. The pressure drop of hydrofoil spanwise chip is highest among all the cases.
Rewetting Analysis of a Pressurized Water Reactor Fuel Slab Using Improved Lumped Models
Authors: Pereira Gustavo D. , Su Jian
Published: November 2020

This work analyzes the rewetting of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel slab using improved lumped parameter formulations based on Hermite approximations for integrals. The time-dependent two-dimensional rewetting problem is transformed into a quasi-steady heat conduction problem in a reference system moving with the rewetting front by assuming a constant rewetting velocity. The lumped parameter formulations are applied in the slab thickness direction, reducing the two-dimensional problem into a one-dimensional heat conduction equation in the longitudinal direction. The rewetting velocity is obtained by combining the analytical solutions of the average temperature distributions in the reflooded wet region and the liquid deficient dry region at the rewetting front. The Peclet number is obtained as a function of the Biot numbers, dimensionless internal heat generation rate, and dimensionless initial temperatures. The obtained solutions compare favorably with available solutions in the literature.
Optimized reference spectrum for rating the façade sound insulation
Authors: Virjonen Petra , Hongisto Valtteri , Mäkelä Marko M. , Pahikkala Tapio
Published: November 2020

Objectively determined single-number-quantities (SNQs) describing the airborne sound insulation of a façade should correspond to the subjective perception of annoyance to road traffic sounds transmitted through a façade. The reference spectra for spectrum adaptation terms C and Ctr in standard ISO 717-7 (International Organization for Standardization, 2013) are not based on psycho-acoustic evidence. The aim of this study is to develop reference spectra which result in SNQs that explain the subjective annoyance of road traffic sounds transmitted through a façade well. Data from a psycho-acoustic experiment by Hongisto, Oliva, and Rekola [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 144(2), 1100–1112 (2018)] were used. The data included annoyance ratings for road traffic sounds (five different spectrum alternatives) attenuated by the façade (twelve different sound insulation spectrum alternatives), rated by 43 participants. The reference spectrum for each road traffic spectrum was found using mathematical optimization. The performance of the acquired SNQs was estimated with nested cross-validation. The SNQs determined with the optimized reference spectra performed better than the existing SNQs for two road traffic spectra out of five and for an aggregate of the five road traffic sound types. The results can be exploited in the development of standardized SNQs.
Acute Effects of Tissue Flossing Around the Upper Thigh on Neuromuscular Performance: A Study Using Different Degrees of Wrapping Pressure
Authors: Vogrin Matjaž , Kalc Miloš , Ličen Teja
Published: November 2020

Context: It has been recently demonstrated that tissue flossing around the ankle joint can be effectively used to improve ankle range of motion, jump, and sprint ability. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the acute effects of tissue flossing applied using different wrapping pressures. Objective: To investigate the acute effects of tissue flossing and the degree of floss band pressure, around the upper thigh on knee range of motion, strength, and muscle contractile characteristics. Design: Crossover design in 3 distinct sessions. Setting: University laboratory. Participants: A total of 19 recreationally trained volunteers (age 23.8[4.8] y) participated in this study. Intervention: Active knee extension and flexion performed for 3 sets of 2 minutes (2-min rest between sets with wrapped upper thigh). Individualized wrapping pressures were applied to create conditions of high and moderate vascular occlusion, while a loose band application served as a control condition. Main Outcome Measures: Participants were assessed for active straight leg raise test; tensiomyography displacement and contraction time for rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and biceps femoris muscles; and maximum voluntary contractions for knee extensors and flexors for pre, after, and 30 minutes after applying the floss band. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in maximum voluntary contractions for knee extensors and a significant shortening in rectus femoris contraction time for the moderate condition, which was associated with small to medium effects in favor of the moderate condition. There were no statistically significant changes observed between control and high conditions. The active straight leg raise test was unaffected regardless of intervention. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that tissue flossing around the upper thigh might have a localized as well as pressure-sensitive response, thereby improving neuromuscular function of the knee extensors.
Controls on eroded rock volume, a proxy for river incision, in Africa
Authors: Paul Jonathan D.
Published: November 2020

A database of 3023 river basins in Africa was assembled to investigate the relative effects of uplift and erosion on landscape development. The volume of rock eroded from each basin was calculated by integrating the difference between a topographic summit envelope fit across drainage divides and interfluves, and present-day topography over basin area. Africa is an excellent natural laboratory for this procedure because drainage patterns reflect the Neogene development of topographic basins and swells, themselves surficial manifestations of sub-lithospheric mantle convection. As a result, the loci of major offshore deltas and drainage divides have remained largely static, while epeirogenic (vertical) surface motions are more important than shortening. Eroded rock volume is presented as a proxy for fluvial incision and correlates strongly with long-wavelength gravity anomalies across Africa, but not with mean precipitation, which was calculated by merging satellite estimates with rain gauge data. This finding implies that spatial variations in epeirogenic uplift govern landscape evolution across the continent. Other variables that alter drainage basin geometry and the magnitude of eroded rock volumes, such as varying climate, bedrock erodibility, and drainage capture, are likely subordinate to these variations. First-order estimates of eroded rock volume onshore are potentially the most accurate indicator of offshore sedimentation because they implicitly include information pertaining to basin area and relief, which together control sediment load.
Mechanical twinning of monazite expels radiogenic lead
Authors: Fougerouse D. , Reddy S.M. , Seydoux-Guillaume A.-M. , Kirkland C.L. , Erickson T.M. , Saxey D.W. , Rickard W.D.A. , Jacob D. , Leroux H. , Clark C.
Published: November 2020

Mechanical twins form by the simple shear of the crystal lattice during deformation. In order to test the potential of narrow twins in monazite to record the timing of their formation, we investigated a ca. 1700 Ma monazite grain (from the Sandmata Complex, Rajasthan, India) deformed at ca. 980 Ma, by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atom probe tomography (APT). APT 208Pb/232Th ages indicate that the twin was entirely reset by radiogenic Pb loss during its formation at conditions far below the monazite closure temperature. The results are consistent with a model where Pb is liberated during rupture of rare earth element–oxygen (REE-O) bonds in the large [REE]O9 polyhedra during twinning. Liberated Pb likely migrated along fast diffusion pathways such as crystal defects. The combination of a quantitative microstructural investigation and nanogeochronology provides a new approach for understanding the history of accessory phases.
What families in the UK use to manage attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a survey of resource use
Authors: Fibert Philippa , Relton Clare
Published: November 2020

Objective

To identify interventions being used to manage attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the UK.

Design

A survey within the Sheffield Treatments for ADHD Research project. A convenience sample of participants in the UK who consented to join an observational cohort were asked closed questions about medication, behavioural change programmes and service use, and an open-ended question about what else they used.

Setting

A broad variety of non-National Health Service, non-treatment seeking settings throughout the UK, including local authority organisations, schools, ADHD and autism spectrum condition support groups and social media.

Participants

Families of children aged 5–18 with carer reported ADHD and Conners Global Index (CGI) T scores of 55+.

Results

Responses from 175 families were analysed. The mean age of the children was 10.21 (2.44), and two-thirds (n=114) had additional diagnoses. The majority used medications to manage ADHD (n=120) and had participated in a parenting class (n=130). Just over a quarter (28%, n=49) did not use ADHD medications, and used sleep medications. Just under half had consulted psychologists (n=83), and 32 had participated in other talking therapies such as psychotherapy, counselling and cognitive–behavioural therapy. A few used aids such as reward charts or fiddle toys (n=17) and participated in activities (mostly physical) (n=14). A substantial minority (78/175) had used non-mainstream treatments, the most popular being homoeopathy (n=32), nutritional interventions (n=21) and bodywork such as massage or cranial osteopathy (n=9).

Conclusions

Families reported use of a wide variety of treatments to help with management of their children with ADHD in addition to their use of mainstream treatments.
A study to develop a robust method for measuring the detection efficiency of free-running InGaAs/InP single-photon detectors
Authors: López M. , Meda A. , Porrovecchio G. , Starkwood R. A. , Genovese M. , Brida G. , Šmid M. , Chunnilall C. J. , Degiovanni I. P. , Kück S.
Published: November 2020

The challenges faced in a comparison of measuring the detection efficiency of free-running InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche detectors (InGaAs/InP SPAD) were studied by four European National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) meeting at a single laboratory. The main purpose of this study is to develop a trustable measurement technique and to provide a snapshot of the methods used by the four NMIs for measuring such photon-counting detectors at telecom wavelengths in order to establish proper procedures for characterising such devices. The detection efficiency measurements were performed using different experimental setups and reference standards with independent traceability chains at the wavelength of 1550 nm. A dedicated model to correct the dead time and dark count effects on the SPAD’s free-running counting process was developed, allowing the correct value of the photon rate impinging on the detector to be recovered from simple ratemeter measurements. The detection efficiency was measured for mean photon number per pulse between 0.01 and 2.4, corresponding to photon rates between approximately 1100 photon/s and 193,000 photon/s, respectively. We found that the measured values reported by the participants are all consistent within the stated uncertainties, proving the consistency of the measurement approach developed.
Analyzing pedestrian-car interweaving in Chinese old urban residential communities
Authors: Wang Yan , Chen Qun
Published: November 2020

Pedestrian-car interweaving is a prominent problem in old residential communities in Chinese cities. To achieve a better pedestrian-car separation to create a safe and comfortable living environment in old residential communities, this paper investigated the mechanism of the flows of pedestrians and cars on a road network inside an old residential community. A method for calculating the flows of pedestrians and cars was proposed to identify the road segments or nodes where the pedestrian flows are interlaced or intersected with the vehicle flows. This method was applied to the estimation of the traffic in the Wangyuehu Community of Changsha City, China. The estimated distribution of community network traffic and pedestrian-car interweaving sites was consistent with the actual situation.
Neutralization of radionuclides
Authors: Albertini Gianni , Bassani Domenico , Cardone Fabio , Cherubini Giovanni , Guerriero Ettore , Rosada Alberto
Published: November 2020

Three cases are reviewed of radioactive material with anomalous decay after ultrasound irradiation. In the pure element thorium-228 in distilled water, the radioactivity decreased faster after cavitation than the natural decay. The more complex molecule of Nickel Nitrate, made of radioactive nickel-63, in solution of nitric acid and distilled water was investigated before and after ultrasound irradiation. The X-rays produced by Bremsstrahlung of the electrons from the beta decay of Ni-63 were recorded and a 13% decrease of intensity was measured after 100 s of sonication. A decrease of nickel and an increase of other elements was detected by mass spectrometry in the sonicated sample. The Cobalt-57 decay was investigated by detecting the gamma and X-ray intensity from the Iron-57 resulting after its beta emission. In this third case too, an anomalous decay was observed after sonication. These three cases of anomalous behavior can be explained at the light of the Deformed Space–Time theory. It assumes that a suitable sudden variation of energy density can induce a local deformation of space–time, thus violating the Local Lorentz Invariance. This variation can be created by the ultrasounds in the matter, thus, allowing reactions that cannot occur in a flat (Minkowskian) space–time. The “neutralization” of a radionuclide occurs when it undergoes a DST transformation changing the radionuclide into non-radioactive nuclides.
Unique equilibrium states for some intermediate beta transformations
Authors: Carapezza Leonard , López Marco , Robertson Donald
Published: November 2020

We prove uniqueness of equilibrium states for subshifts corresponding to intermediate beta transformations with [Formula: see text] having the property that the orbit of 0 is bounded away from 1.
Continuous-domain ant colony optimization algorithm based on reinforcement learning
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Wang Chenyu , Lin Wenjie , Lin Jiming
Published: November 2020

Improved ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms for continuous-domain optimization have been widely applied in recent years, but these improved methods have a weak perception of environmental information changes and only rely on the residues of the pheromones in the path to guide colony evolution. In this paper, we propose an ant colony algorithm based on the reinforcement learning model (RLACO). RLACO can acquire more environmental information by calculating the diversity of the ant colony, and, uses the diversity and other basic information of the ant colony to establish a reinforcement learning model. At different stages of evolution, the algorithm chooses an optimal strategy that can maximize the reward to improve the global search ability and convergence speed of the colony. The experimental results on CEC 2017 test functions show that the proposed algorithm is superior to other algorithms for continuous-domain optimization in convergence speed, accuracy and global search ability.
A Review of Models for Estimation of Moisture Evaporation Rate from Clothes Inside a Clothes Dryer
Authors: Rasti Mehdi , Jeong Ji Hwan
Published: November 2020

Heat pump tumble dryers, air-vented dryers and condenser dryers are widely used as clothes dryers. Clothes dryers use hot air to absorb moisture from textiles to get them dry after a wash by passing drying air through the drum. To simulate the drying process of clothes in the drum and to obtain the moisture evaporation rate, it is necessary to use an accurate model to predict the moisture transfer coefficient from the textile to the air in the drum as well as the mass transfer area between the drying air and the textile. In this study, a comprehensive review of the literature on the prediction of the moisture evaporation rate inside the drum of a clothes dryers was conducted. It was found that researchers generally used constant values, fitting models, dimensionless correlations, and Chilton–Colburn analogy to predict the area–mass transfer coefficient. Moreover, few researchers used the effectiveness model for the prediction of moisture evaporation rate. The comprehensive review of the literature showed that all of the previous models for prediction of the moisture evaporation rate have some limitations in terms of generality or accuracy. Therefore, the development of a new accurate model for prediction of the moisture evaporation rate inside the drum of clothes dryers is crucial.
Faceted Search with Object Ranking and Answer Size Constraints
Authors: Manioudakis Kostas , Tzitzikas Yannis
Published: November 2020

Faceted Search is a widely used interaction scheme in digital libraries, e-commerce, and recently also in Linked Data. Surprisingly, object ranking in the context of Faceted Search is not well studied in the literature. In this article, we propose an extension of the model with two parameters that enable specifying the desired answer size and the granularity of the sought object ranking. These parameters allow tackling the problem of
too big
or
too small
answers and can specify
how refined
the sought ranking should be. Then, we provide an algorithm that takes as input these parameters and by considering the hard-constraints (filters), the soft-constraints (preferences), as well as the statistical properties of the dataset (through various frequency-based ranking schemes), produces an object ranking that satisfies these parameters, in a transparent way for the user. Then, we present extensive simulation-based evaluation results that provide evidence that the proposed model also improves the answers and reduces the user’s cost. Finally, we propose GUI extensions that are required and present an implementation of the model.
Utilizing Smart City Cyber-physical Infrastructure for Tracking and Monitoring Pandemics like COVID-19 with the ICCC as the Nerve Centre
Authors: Roy Dibyendu , Agarwal Nitin , Mukherjee Amitava , Angne Jitendra , Farhan Anees , Sorathiya Deven , Devarajan R. , Nair Manukumar Velayudhan
Published: November 2020

Managing the ongoing COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) pandemic has presented both challenges and new opportunities for urban local body administrators. With the Indian government's Smart City mission taking firm roots in some of the Indian cities, the authors share their learnings and experiences of how a Smart City Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) can be extended to become the nerve centre of pandemic-related operations and management, leveraging the Smart City IoT infrastructure such as surveillance cameras for monitoring and enforcement. The authors are of the opinion that the lessons learned and experiences gained from these cities are extremely valuable and can easily be replicated in other cities in a relatively short time period, thus providing a standard and uniform method across the nation for handling epidemics in the future.
Epigenetic Signatures and Plasticity of Intestinal and Other Stem Cells
Authors: Saxena Madhurima , Shivdasani Ramesh A.
Published: November 2020

The cardinal properties of adult tissue stem cells are self-renewal and the ability to generate diverse resident cell types. The daily losses of terminally differentiated intestinal, skin, and blood cells require “professional” stem cells to produce replacements. This occurs by continuous expansion of stem cells and their immediate progeny, followed by coordinated activation of divergent transcriptional programs to generate stable cells with diverse functions. Other tissues turn over slowly, if at all, and vary widely in strategies for facultative stem cell activity or interconversion among mature resident cell types (transdifferentiation). Cell fate potential is programmed in tissue-specific configurations of chromatin, which restrict the complement of available genes and cis-regulatory elements, hence allowing specific cell types to arise. Using as a model the transcriptional and chromatin basis of cell differentiation and dedifferentiation in intestinal crypts, we discuss here how self-renewing and other tissues execute homeostatic and injury-responsive stem cell activity.
Double Coating of Iron-Containing Carbonaceous Thin Film for Enhanced Bifunctional Catalysis for Use in Air Electrodes
Authors: Maruyama Jun , Maruyama Shohei , Mizuhata Hirotaka , Takenaka Shinobu , Yoshida Akihito
Published: November 2020

Bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions are essential components of zinc–air batteries (ZABs) for the air electrode. Carbonaceous materials have been investigated as these catalysts since the early stage of ZAB research. Recent studies have revealed promising carbonaceous materials with heteroatoms and transition metals doped into the surface or incorporated as nanoparticles, although the activity still needs improvement. In this study, the double coating of carbonaceous thin film containing Fe and N on a graphitic carbon fiber surface was performed via sublimation, deposition, and pyrolysis of iron phthalocyanine (FePc). In the first coating, the thin film and Fe nano-aggregates on the surface were generated, which were encapsulated in the carbonaceous shell to generate protrusions in the second coating. The presence of the protrusion enhanced the oxygen reduction activity. Such protrusion was also formed by the single coating with a sufficient FePc feed; however, the activity enhancement was limited. Contrarily, the double coating considerably enhanced the activity and surpassed that of Pt in the high potential region. In addition, the oxygen evolution reaction was improved by the FePc-derived thin film coating. The durability was confirmed by the stable cycling performance of ZAB with the double-coated electrode.
How Synthetic Quench Rate and Composition Affect the Performance of Lithium Nickel Manganese Oxide Cathode Materials
Authors: Burke Sven , Whitacre Jay F.
Published: November 2020

A survey of layered lithium-rich nickel manganese oxides cathodes, (formula Li[NixLi(1/3–2x/3)Mn(2/3−x/3)]O2), was conducted. We varied the nickel content from 0.1 to x = 0.25, and the post-calcination quench rate was controlled by employing three different methods: direct metal contact, water immersion, and liquid nitrogen immersion. Both composition and quench methodology impacted materials properties and electrochemical function. We observed that there is a synthetic limit for LLRNMO cathodes that occurs in the range of 0.17 > x > 0.10 below which quenching proved to be critically important in determining phase content and electrochemical behavior. Galvanostatic testing revealed the specific discharge capacities of the LLRNMO cathodes increased over the course of cycling, while the XRD characterization after cycling revealed reduced transition metal ordering. We found that the layered lithium-rich nickel manganese oxide materials made with water quenching performed the best with initial C/20 capacities increasing from around 200 mAh g−1 to over 250 mAh g−1 after 28 cycles while retaining C/2 capacities in excess of 200 mAh g−1.
Highly Sensitive Hydrazine Detection Using a Vertically Oriented ZnO Nanosheet-based Field-Effect Transistor
Authors: Khan Marya , Khan Mohammad Rizwan , Al-Mohaimeed Amal M. , Algarni Tahani Saad , Khosla Ajit , Ahmad Rafiq
Published: November 2020

Hydrazine, a highly toxic compound, is used worldwide in industries as a reducing agent for numerous applications. It has a harmful effect on humans and the environment; therefore, advanced analytical techniques are utilized to monitor hydrazine levels to minimize exposure. In this work, we report the fabrication of vertically oriented ZnO nanosheets based solution-gated field-effect transistor (FET) sensor for the low concentration detection of hydrazine. The ZnO nanosheets between source-drain electrodes were encapsulated with Nafion matrix to enhance stability and selectivity during hydrazine detection. The ZnO nanosheets-based solution-gated FET sensor’s sensing properties are compared with and without different concentrations of hydrazine in buffer solution. Conductance of the solution-gated FET hydrazine sensor showed substantial change upon addition of different concentrations of hydrazine. The fabricated hydrazine sensor exhibits high sensitivity (12150 μA μM−1 cm−2) in the linear response range of 5–110 nM. The low detection limit (∼1.2 nM; signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3), high sensitivity, stability, and reproducibility are due to the direct growth of nanosheets that provide the controlled morphology and enhanced surface area. Besides, solution-gated FET hydrazine sensor was successfully applied to detect hydrazine in water samples for practical validation of developed hydrazine sensors.
Effect of Ammonia on the Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Base
Authors: Abbasi Reza , Wang Huanhuan , R. C. Lattimer Judith , Xu Hui , Wu Gang , Yan Yushan
Published: November 2020

We investigated the effect of ammonia on the activity of seven benchmark oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts, Pt/C, Pd/C, Au/C, Ag/C, commercial Fe–N–C, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-based Fe–N–C (Fe-ZIF), and ZIF-based Fe,Co–N–C (Fe,Co-ZIF) in alkaline media and direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC) relevant conditions using a rotating disk electrode. We found that ammonia exposure causes considerable ORR activity loss for all studied electrocatalysts. Should we rank the electrocatalysts in terms of their ORR activity loss and their irreversible ORR activity loss as the result of exposure to ammonia (from the highest loss to the lowest loss), we get Au/C > Pt/C ≈ Pd/C > Ag/C » commercial Fe–N–C > Fe-ZIF ≈ Fe,Co-ZIF and Pd/C > Au/C > Ag/C > commercial Fe–N–C > Fe-ZIF ≈ Fe,Co-ZIF > Pt/C, respectively. The ammonia oxidation reaction activity and adsorptive properties of the Gerisher-Mauerer reaction intermediates do not govern the trend of the ORR activity loss of Pt/C, Pd/C, Au/C, and Ag/C electrocatalysts. Notably, we found that Pt/C electrocatalyst shows the lowest irreversible ORR activity loss, while Fe-ZIF and Fe,Co-ZIF electrocatalysts show the lowest overall ORR activity loss. Our comprehensive study suggests that Pt-based, Fe-ZIF, and Fe,Co-ZIF electrocatalysts are promising cathode candidates for future DAFCs.
Selective Electrochemical Sensing of Riboflavin Based on Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Gold Nanoparticle/Pencil Graphite Electrode
Authors: Dokur Ebrar , Gorduk Ozge , Sahin Yucel
Published: November 2020

In this study; an easy, practical, and selective sensor has been developed for the electrochemical determination of riboflavin. To prepare the modified electrode, the gold nanoparticle was deposited on the pencil graphite electrode (AuNP/PGE) by the method of chronoamperometry at −3.0 V for 30 s in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution containing 10 mM tetrachloroaurate. Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (f-MWCNT) solution was dropped on prepared AuNP/PGE and the functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube/gold nanoparticle/pencil graphite electrode (f-MWCNT/AuNP/PGE) was prepared for measurements. Characterization studies of the prepared sensor were performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. The surface morphology of the prepared sensor was investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used to carry out electrochemical measurements in phosphate buffer solution pH 4.0. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) values were found to be 0.0352 and 0.118 μmol l−1, respectively. The fabricated sensor showed excellent anti-interference ability against ascorbic acid (AA) and glucose (G). The applicability of the constructed sensor to real samples was investigated and good recovery values were achieved. As a result, it has been seen that the modified electrode is applicable in applications of riboflavin determination.
Exosome and Melatonin Additively Attenuates Inflammation by Transferring miR‐34a, miR‐124, and miR‐135b
Authors: Heo June Seok , Lim Ja-Yun , Yoon Dae Wui , Pyo Sangshin , Kim Jinkwan
Published: November 2020

The positive effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are primarily activated through molecular secretions known as paracrine activity, which regulates the function of various cell types including immune cells. Accumulating evidence shows that exosomes of soluble factors released from MSCs are potential alternative agents for stem cell‐based therapy, although the exact underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential effects of exosomes produced by adipose‐derived MSCs and to examine the changes in anti‐inflammatory genes in concurrence with the polarization of M2 macrophages in cellular models ex vivo. Isolated exosomes were used to investigate the inflammatory modulation in pro‐inflammatory cytokine‐treated fibroblasts and THP‐1 cells. The anti‐inflammatory mRNA expression associated with M2 macrophages was significantly upregulated after exosome treatment in an interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha‐treated inflammatory environment. Furthermore, melatonin‐stimulated exosomes exerted superior anti‐inflammatory modulation via exosomal miRNAs miR‐34a, miR‐124, and miR‐135b, compared with exosomes. Our results indicate that melatonin‐stimulated exosomes originating from adipose‐derived MSCs are safe and efficient tools for regenerative medicine to treat inflammatory diseases.
Characterization of an IncR Plasmid with Two Copies of ISCR-Linked qnrB6 from ST968 Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Qian Changrui , Zhu Xinyi , Lu Junwan , Shen Kai , Chen Qianqian , Zhou Wangxiao , Liu Hongmao , Lu Wei , Zhou Danying , Sun Zhewei , Lin Xi , Li Kewei , Bao Qiyu , Xu Teng , Lu Shunfei
Published: November 2020

To characterize the molecular structure of IncR plasmid-related sequences, comparative genomic analysis was conducted using 261 IncR plasmid backbone-related sequences. Among the sequences, 257 were IncR plasmids including the multidrug-resistance IncR plasmid pR50-74 from Klebsiella pneumoniae strain R50 of this work, and the other four were from bacterial chromosomes. The IncR plasmids were derived from different bacterial genera or species, mainly Klebsiella pneumoniae (70.82%, 182/257), Escherichia coli (11.28%, 29/257), Enterobacter cloacae (7.00%, 18/257), and Citrobacter freundii (3.50%, 9/257). The bacterial chromosomes carrying IncR plasmid backbone sequences were derived from Proteus mirabilis AOUC-001 and Klebsiella pneumoniae KPN1344, among others. The IncR backbone sequence of P. mirabilis AOUC-001 chromosome shows the highest identity with that of pR50-74. Complex class 1 integrons carrying various copies of ISCR1-sdr-qnrB6-△qacE/sul1 (ISCR1-linked qnrB6 unit) were identified in IncR plasmids. In addition to two consecutive copies of qnrB6-qacE-sul1, the other resistance genes encoded on pR50-74 are all related to mobile genetic elements, such as IS1006, IS26, and the class 1 integron. This study provides a clear understanding of the mobility and plasticity of the IncR plasmid backbone sequence and emphasizes the important role of ISCR in the recruitment of multicopy resistance genes.
Serum TNF-α Level Is Associated with Disease Severity in Adult Patients with Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis Nephritis
Authors: Wu Haiting , Wen Yubing , Yue Cai , Li Xuemei , Gao Ruitong
Published: November 2020

Background. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory factor involved in the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV). The association between serum TNF-α and disease severity in adult patients with IgAV nephritis (IgAV-N) has been inadequately evaluated. Methods. Serum TNF-α was measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay in 53 renal biopsy-proved IgAV-N patients, 53 healthy controls, and 53 IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients. The correlations of clinicopathologic parameters of IgAV-N patients with serum TNF-α were analyzed. Results. In this cross-sectional study, the median age of IgAV-N patients was 29 (25-37) years, and 67.9% were female. Serum TNF-α was significantly higher in the IgAV-N group than in the healthy group [7.4 (5.7-9.4) pg/mL vs. 5.9 (5.0, 7.1) pg/mL,

P
=
0.001

], but comparable with sex, age, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) grade-matched IgAN patients. Serum creatinine (

P
=
0.006

) and serum cystatin C (

P
=
0.001

) were positively correlated with serum TNF-α level, while albumin (

P
=
0.014

) and eGFR (

P
=
0.021

) were negatively correlated with serum TNF-α level. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that eGFR (

P
=
0.007

) was an independent clinical predictor of serum TNF-α. Patients with higher pathological classification grade also had higher serum TNF-α. Conclusions. Serum TNF-α is associated with renal function and the pathological classification of adult patients with IgAV-N. TNF-α is a potential biomarker for the assessment of IgAV-N severity.
Spontaneous Activity Induced by Gaussian Noise in the Network-Organized FitzHugh-Nagumo Model
Authors: Zheng Qianqian , Shen Jianwei , Xu Yong
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we show some dynamical and biological mechanisms of the short-term memory (the fixed point attractor) through the toggle switch in the FitzHugh-Nagumo model (FN). Firstly, we obtain the bistable conditions, show the effect of Gaussian noise on the toggle switch, and explain the short-term memory’s switch mechanism by mean first passage time (MFPT). Then, we obtain a Fokker-Planck equation and illustrate the meaning of the monostable and bistable state in the short-term memory. Furthermore, we study the toggle switch under the interaction of network and noise. Meanwhile, we show that network structure and noise play a vital role in the toggle switch based on network mean first passage time (NMFPT). And we illustrate that the modest clustering coefficient and noise are necessary to maintain memories. Finally, the numerical simulation shows that the analytical results agree with it.
Effect of Dapagliflozin on Glycemic Variability in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes under Insulin Glargine Combined with Other Oral Hypoglycemic Drugs
Authors: Luo Menghui , Kong Xiaocen , Wang Huiying , Zhai Xiaofang , Cai Tingting , Ding Bo , Hu Yun , Jing Ting , Su Xiaofei , Li Huiqin , Ma Jianhua
Published: November 2020

Aim. To evaluate the effect of an inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2 inhibitor, dapagliflozin) on glycemic variability in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) under insulin glargine combined with oral hypoglycemic drugs, using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS). Methods. This prospective, self-controlled, single-center clinical trial recruited 36 patients with T2D under combined insulin glargine and oral hypoglycemic drugs. General clinical data were collected. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and C-peptide levels were assessed before and four weeks of dapagliflozin (10 mg per day) treatment. Blood glucose was monitored for 72 hours before and after treatment using CGMS. Results. After treatment with dapagliflozin, FBG decreased from

6.74
±
1.78

to

5.95
±
1.13

 mmol/L (

p
<
0.05

); PBG decreased from

13.04
±
2.99

to

10.92
±
3.26

 mmol/L (

p
<
0.05

); HbA1c decreased from

7.37
±
0.96
%

to

6.94
±
0.80
%

. The proportion of patients with

HbA
1
c
<
7
%

increased from 27.8% to 58.3%, and the proportion of patients with

HbA
1
c
<
7
%

and without level 2 hypoglycemia increased from 27.8% to 55.6% (

p
<
0.05

). CGMS data showed reduction of the 24 h MBG, MAGE, time-above-range (TAR, >10 mmol/L), high blood glucose index (HBGI), glucose management indicator (GMI), and incremental area under the curve of the glucose level more than 10 mmol/L (

AUC
>
10

) and an increase of time-in-range (TIR, 3.9-10 mmol/L) with treatment. Homeostasis model assessment for pancreatic beta-cell function (HOMA-beta) increased significantly with treatment (

p
<
0.05

), and fewer insulin doses were required after the treatment, without increasing in hypoglycemia and urinary tract infection. Further, a stratified analysis showed that patients with higher pretreatment HbA1c and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) had greater improvement in glycemic control. Conclusion. Dapagliflozin may reduce blood glucose levels, ameliorate glycemic variability, and improve pancreatic beta-cell function in patients with T2D under insulin glargine combined with other oral hypoglycemic drugs, especially in those with poor glucose control and abdominal obesity.
GPS Data in Urban Online Car-Hailing: Simulation on Optimization and Prediction in Reducing Void Cruising Distance
Authors: Wang Yuxuan , Chen Jinyu , Xu Ning , Li Wenjing , Yu Qing , Song Xuan
Published: November 2020

Ride-hailing, as a popular shared-transportation method, has been operated in many areas all over the world. Researchers conducted various researches based on global cases. They argued on whether car-hailing is an effective travel mode for emission reduction and drew different conclusions. The detailed emission performance of the ride-hailing system depends on the cases. Therefore, there is an urgent demand to reduce the overall picking up distance during the dispatch. In this study, we try to satisfy this demand by proposing an optimization method combined with a prediction model to minimize the global void cruising distance when solving the dispatch problem. We use Didi ride-hailing data on one day for simulation and found that our method can reduce the picking up distance by 7.51% compared with the baseline greedy algorithm. The proposed algorithm additionally makes the average waiting time of passengers more than 4 minutes shorter. The statistical results also show that the performance of our method is stable. Almost the metric in all cases can be kept in a low interval. What is more, we did a day-to-day comparison. We found that, despite the different spatial-temporal distribution of orders and drivers on different day conditions, there are little differences in the performance of the method. We also provide temporal analysis on the changing pattern of void cruising distance and quantity of orders on weekdays and weekends. Our findings show that our method can averagely reduce more void cruising distance when ride-hailing is active compared with the traditional greedy algorithm. The result also shows that the method can stably reduce void cruising distance by about 4000 to 5000 m per order across one day. We believe that our findings can improve deeper insight into the mechanism of the ride-hailing system and contribute to further studies.