bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear fluctuations in relativistic causal fluids
Authors: Miron-Granese Nahuel , Kandus Alejandra , Calzetta Esteban
Published: July 2020

Abstract

In the Second Order Theories (SOT) of real relativistic fluids, the non-ideal properties of the flows are described by a new set of dynamical tensor variables. In this work we explore the non-linear dynamics of those variables in a conformal fluid. Among all possible SOTs, we choose to work with the Divergence Type Theories (DTT) formalism, which ensures that the second law of thermodynamics is fulfilled non-perturbatively. The tensor modes include two divergence-free modes which have no analog in theories based on covariant generalizations of the Navier-Stokes equation, and that are particularly relevant because they couple linearly to a gravitational field. To study the dynamics of this irreducible tensor sector, we observe that in causal theories such as DTTs, thermal fluctuations induce a stochastic stirring force, which excites the tensor modes while preserving energy momentum conservation. From fluctuation-dissipation considerations it follows that the random force is Gaussian with a white spectrum. The irreducible tensor modes in turn excite vector modes, which back-react on the tensor sector, thus producing a consistent non-linear, second order description of the divergence-free tensor dynamics. Using the Martin-Siggia-Rose (MSR) formalism plus the Two-Particle Irreducible Effective Action (2PIEA) formalism, we obtain the one-loop corrected equations for the relevant two-point correlation functions of the model: the retarded propagator and the Hadamard function. The overall result of the self-consistent dynamics of the irreducible tensor modes at this order is a depletion of the spectrum in the UV sector, which suggests that tensor modes could sustain an inverse entropy cascade.
Effects of sub-chronic amylin receptor activation on alcohol-induced locomotor stimulation and monoamine levels in mice
Authors: Kalafateli Aimilia Lydia , Aranäs Cajsa , Jerlhag Elisabet
Published: July 2020

Rationale

Amylin receptors consist of the calcitonin receptor (CTR) and one of three receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs). The identification of amylin receptors in areas processing reward, namely laterodorsal tegmental area (LDTg), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and nucleus accumbens (NAc), has attributed them a role as reward regulators. Indeed, acute activation of amylin receptors by the amylin receptor agonist salmon calcitonin (sCT) attenuates alcohol-induced behaviours in rodents.

Objectives

The effects of long-term administration of sCT on alcohol-related behaviours and the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are not yet elucidated. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the effects of sub-chronic sCT treatment on the locomotor stimulatory responses to alcohol in mice and the molecular pathways involved.

Methods

We assessed the behavioural effects of sub-chronic sCT treatment by means of locomotor activity experiments in mice. We used western blot to identify changes of the CTR levels and ex vivo biochemical analysis to detect changes in monoamines and their metabolites.

Results

After discontinuation for 5 days of sCT treatment, alcohol did not induce locomotor stimulation in mice pre-treated with sCT when compared with vehicle, without altering secondary behavioural parameters of the locomotor activity experiment or the protein levels of the CTR in reward-related areas in the same set of animals. Moreover, repeated sCT treatment altered monoaminergic neurotransmission in various brain areas, including increased serotonin and decreased dopamine turnover in the VTA. Lastly, we identified a differential effect of repeated sCT and acute alcohol administration on alcohol-induced locomotion in mice, where sCT initially attenuated and later increased this alcohol response. It was further found that this treatment combination did not affect secondary behavioural parameters measured in this locomotor activity experiments.

Conclusions

These data suggest that sub-chronic sCT treatment differentially alters the ability of alcohol to cause locomotor stimulation, possibly through molecular mechanisms involving various neurotransmitter systems and not the CTR levels per se.
‘Relative Consent’ or ‘Presumed Consent’? Organ donation attitudes and behaviour
Authors: Costa-Font Joan , Rudisill Caroline , Salcher-Konrad Maximilian
Published: July 2020

Legislation, in the form of presumed consent, has been argued to boost organ donation but most evidence disregards the practice of seeking relative’s consent, which can either ‘veto’ donation decisions, or ‘legitimize them’, by removing any possible conflict with the donor’s family. We study the effect of presumed consent alongside family consent on individuals’ willingness to donate (WTD) one’s own and relatives’ organs, and on actual organ donation behaviours. Using data from 28 European countries for the period 2002–2010, we found that presumed consent (PC) policies are associated with increased willingness to donate organs, but this effect was attenuated once internal family discussions on organ donation were controlled for. Our findings indicate that relative’s consent acts as a veto of donation intentions and attenuates the effect of regulation on actual donations. More specifically, PC increases WTD one’s own and relatives’ organs in countries where no family consent is required. Consistently, we find that family consent attenuates the influence of regulatory environment on actual donations. The effect is driven by the influence of family discussions which increased WTD, and in combination with presumed consent translated into higher organ donation rates.
Care delivery among refugees and internally displaced persons affected by complex emergencies: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Ojeleke Olabayo , Groot Wim , Pavlova Milena
Published: July 2020

Aim

This study reviews the empirical evidence on care delivery in complex emergencies (CEs) to better understand ways of improving care delivery and mitigating inequity in care among refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in CEs.

Subject and methods

A systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed and Embase. A manual search was conducted in the WHO Global Index Medicus and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed English-language publications that reported results on care delivery in CEs were included for review. There was no limitation on the year or the geographical location of the studies. The content of the publications was qualitatively analysed, and the results are thematically presented in tabular form.

Results

Thirty publications were identified. Information regarding coverage, accessibility, quality, continuity and comprehensiveness of care service delivery was extracted and synthesized. Findings showed that constant insecurity, funding, language barriers and gender differences were factors impeding access to and coverage and comprehensiveness of care delivery in CEs. The review also showed a preference for traditional treatment among some refugees and IDPs.

Conclusion

Evidence from this systematic review revealed a high level of unmet healthcare need among refugees and IDPs and the need for a paradigm shift in the approach to care delivery in CEs. We recommend further research aimed at a more critical evaluation of care delivery in CEs with a view to providing a more innovative and context-specific care service delivery in these settings.
Do the ecological drivers of lake littoral communities match and lead to congruence between organism groups?
Authors: Tolonen Kimmo T. , Karjalainen Juha , Hämäläinen Heikki , Nyholm Kristiina , Rahkola-Sorsa Minna , Cai Yongjiu , Heino Jani
Published: July 2020

Lake littoral environments are heterogeneous, and different organisms typically show specific responses to this environmental variation. We examined local environmental and spatial factors affecting lake littoral biodiversity and the structuring of assemblages of phytoplankton, zooplankton and macroinvertebrates within and among three basins of a large lake system. We explored congruence of species composition and species richness among the studied organism groups to evaluate their general indicator potential to represent spatial variation in other groups. We expected that effects of water chemistry on plankton assemblages were stronger than effects of habitat characteristics. In contrast, we anticipated stronger effects of habitat on macroinvertebrates due to their mainly benthic mode of life. We also expected that within-basin spatial effects would be strongest on macroinvertebrates and weakest on phytoplankton. We predicted weak congruence in assemblage composition and species richness among the organism groups. Phytoplankton assemblages were mainly structured by the shared effects of water chemistry and large-scale spatial factors. In contrast to our expectations, habitat effects were stronger than water chemistry effects on zooplankton assemblages. However, as expected, macroinvertebrate species composition and richness were mainly affected by habitat conditions. Among-group congruence was weak for assemblage composition and insignificant for richness. Albeit weak, congruence was strongest between phytoplankton and zooplankton assemblages, as we expected. In summary, our analyses do not support the idea of using a single organism group as a wholesale biodiversity indicator.
Refactoring GrPPI: Generic Refactoring for Generic Parallelism in C++
Authors: Brown Christopher , Janjic Vladimir , Barwell Adam D. , Garcia J. Daniel , MacKenzie Kenneth
Published: July 2020

The Generic Reusable Parallel Pattern Interface (GrPPI) is a very useful abstraction over different parallel pattern libraries, allowing the programmer to write generic patterned parallel code that can easily be compiled to different backends such as FastFlow, OpenMP, Intel TBB and C++ threads. However, rewriting legacy code to use GrPPI still involves code transformations that can be highly non-trivial, especially for programmers who are not experts in parallelism. This paper describes software refactorings to semi-automatically introduce instances of GrPPI patterns into sequential C++ code, as well as safety checking static analysis mechanisms which verify that introducing patterns into the code does not introduce concurrency-related bugs such as race conditions. We demonstrate the refactorings and safety-checking mechanisms on four simple benchmark applications, showing that we are able to obtain, with little effort, GrPPI-based parallel versions that accomplish good speedups (comparable to those of manually-produced parallel versions) using different pattern backends.
Exploring people’s beliefs about the experience of time
Authors: Shardlow Jack , Lee Ruth , Hoerl Christoph , McCormack Teresa , Burns Patrick , Fernandes Alison S.
Published: July 2020

Philosophical debates about the metaphysics of time typically revolve around two contrasting views of time. On the A-theory, time is something that itself undergoes change, as captured by the idea of the passage of time; on the B-theory, all there is to time is events standing in before/after or simultaneity relations to each other, and these temporal relations are unchanging. Philosophers typically regard the A-theory as being supported by our experience of time, and they take it that the B-theory clashes with how we experience time and therefore faces the burden of having to explain away that clash. In this paper, we investigate empirically whether these intuitions about the experience of time are shared by the general public. We asked directly for people’s subjective reports of their experience of time—in particular, whether they believe themselves to have a phenomenology as of time’s passing—and we probed their understanding of what time’s passage in fact is. We find that a majority of participants do share the aforementioned intuitions, but interestingly a minority do not.
Value and Quality of Care in Head and Neck Oncology
Authors: Takes Robert P. , Halmos Gyorgy B. , Ridge John A. , Bossi Paolo , Merkx Matthias A.W. , Rinaldo Alessandra , Sanabria Alvaro , Smeele Ludi E. , Mäkitie Antti A. , Ferlito Alfio
Published: July 2020

Purpose of Review

The concept of value-based health care (VBHC) was articulated more than a decade ago. However, its clinical implementation remains an on-going process and a particularly demanding one for the domain of head and neck cancer (HNC). These cancers often present with fast growing tumors in functionally and cosmetically sensitive sites and afflict patients with differing circumstances and comorbidity. Moreover, the various treatment modalities and protocols have different effects on functional outcomes. Hence, the interpretation of what constitutes VBHC in head and neck oncology remains challenging.

Recent Findings

This monograph reviews developments in specific aspects of VBHC for HNC patients, including establishment of registries and quality indices (such as infrastructure, process, and outcome indicators). It emphasizes the importance of the multidisciplinary team, “time to treatment intervals,” and adherence to guidelines. The discussion addresses major indicators including survival, quality of life and functional outcomes, and adverse events. Also, strengths and weaknesses of nomograms, prognostic and decision models, and variation of care warrant attention.

Health care professionals, together with patients, must properly define quality and relevant outcomes, both for the individual patient as well as the HNC population. It is essential to capture and organize the relevant data so that they can be analyzed and the results used to improve both outcomes and value.
Geotourism, Iconic Landforms and Island-Style Speciation Patterns in National Parks of East Africa
Authors: Scoon Roger N.
Published: July 2020

Many of the national parks in East Africa are equally as famous for their iconic landforms as they are for their diversity and concentrations of fauna and flora. The newly formed Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark in northern Tanzania is the first geopark to be established in the region, but there is remarkable potential for geotourism in the majority of the national parks. The most spectacular landforms have been shaped by the East African Rift System. Formation of the two major rifts in the region, the Albertine Rift (or western branch) and the Gregory Rift (or eastern branch), was accompanied, or in some cases preceded, by extensive alkaline volcanism. The rifting and volcanism are primarily Late Cenozoic phenomenon that dissected and overprinted the older regional plateaus. Rifting impacted the regional drainage and captured major rivers, including the Victoria Nile. Chains of ribbon lakes formed in the rift valleys. The Albertine Rift consists of a sequence of sedimentary basins with deep freshwater lakes, but the shallow soda lakes of the Gregory Rift are associated with mostly volcanic terrains. Plateau-style volcanic outpourings smoothed out the older land surfaces, created near-lunar landscapes in parts of the rift valley, and built up rift shoulders to tremendous elevations. Magma erupted from central conduits formed giant stratovolcanoes which reveal evidence of explosive, Plinian-style volcanic activity. East Africa includes some of the largest and best preserved calderas on Earth. The Ngorongoro Caldera is a world heritage site. The ice-capped peaks of the two largest volcanoes in the region, Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, are among the highest free-standing mountains on Earth. The region includes active volcanoes, several of which are potentially hazardous as they are located near urban centres. Examples include Longonot-Hells Gate (Kenya), Mount Meru (Tanzania) and Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of Congo). East Africa is renowned for the unusual rapidity of Darwinian evolution during the past thirty million years, including evolution of primates and hominins, and it is not a coincidence that significant palaeoanthropological discoveries have been unearthed from the Oldupai Gorge and Laetoli sites in northern Tanzania. The evolutionary period coincides with the onset and persistence of rifting and volcanism. Speciation is following an island-style pattern in East Africa, despite the continental setting, as regional plateaus are being dissected by the ongoing rifting and volcanism into smaller and smaller geological terrains. This is illustrated by restriction of the endangered Mountain gorilla to regions where afromontane forests developed in rift-related uplands isolated by extensive savannah grasslands.
The COVID19 pandemic crisis and the relevance of a farm-system-for-nutrition approach
Authors: Bhavani R. V. , Gopinath R.
Published: July 2020

The Covid19 pandemic should be seen as a wake-up call for humanity, to reflect, rethink and redesign food systems that are safe, healthy, sustainable, and beneficial to all. This crisis has disrupted food supply chains, affecting lives and livelihoods. Hunger and malnutrition is expected to increase and the poor and vulnerable will suffer the most. There is urgent need to build resilient food systems. A location specific farm-system-for-nutrition approach, based on sustainable use of natural resources and local agri-food value chains can help improve household diet diversity and address nutrition deficiencies. The food-based approach can improve preparedness and resilience of communities to withstand the challenge posed by crises in general, and COVID19 in particular.
Mobilizing nascent ties: A Qualitative Structural Analysis of social(izing) capital in newcomer networks
Authors: Bakker Sabine R.
Published: July 2020

This paper investigates the processes involved when newly hired employees need to simultaneously build up and mobilize personal network ties during their organizational socialization. It focuses on the quality of ties at an early formative stage, characterized by the lack of a tie history between actors. Social capital theory would suggest that such nascent ties do not offer optimal channels for the kind and volume of resources that newcomers (need to) rely on during socialization. To better understand how this apparent mismatch between tie quality and resource needs is handled from an ego-centered perspective, the paper analyzes personal network data from 24 newcomers in nine organizations, using an adapted form of Qualitative Structural Analysis. Three tie-level qualities are found to explain how the lack of tie history may be alleviated, circumvented, or compensated. They comprise (a) variants of openness experienced with stronger ties, (b) perceptions of a lowered threshold towards weaker ties, and (c) sources of legitimacy regarding latent ties. Based on these findings, the paper presents an integrated conceptual model to clarify how nascent ties offer channels for network resources during socialization and discusses the need for further research on the role of specific moderators for the investigated processes.
The negative impact of wearing personal protective equipment on communication during coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Hampton T , Crunkhorn R , Lowe N , Bhat J , Hogg E , Afifi W , De S , Street I , Sharma R , Krishnan M , Clarke R , Dasgupta S , Ratnayake S , Sharma S
Published: July 2020

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 personal protective equipment has been reported to affect communication in healthcare settings. This study sought to identify those challenges experimentally.

Method

Bamford–Kowal–Bench speech discrimination in noise performance of healthcare workers was tested under simulated background noise conditions from a variety of hospital environments. Candidates were assessed for ability to interpret speech with and without personal protective equipment, with both normal speech and raised voice.

Results

There was a significant difference in speech discrimination scores between normal and personal protective equipment wearing subjects in operating theatre simulated background noise levels (70 dB).

Conclusion

Wearing personal protective equipment can impact communication in healthcare environments. Efforts should be made to remind staff about this burden and to seek alternative communication paradigms, particularly in operating theatre environments.
Signifying Islamic Psychology as a Paradigm: A Decolonial Move
Authors: Seedat Mohamed
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Recognizing the fluidity around the definitions and boundaries of Islamic psychology (IP), I propose that the assumption of decolonial thought may help IP reimagine its vision, orientation, and directions. Distinguished by three fundamentals – epistemic freedom, liberation, and humanization – paradigmatic IP may harvest psycho-spiritual, cognitive, and affective resources as well as methodological, ethical, and metaphysical substance through the creation of an archive of Islamic humanism to speak back to all areas of psychology and cognate disciplines focused on human behavior. The espousal of decolonial thought locates IP within larger bodies of solidarity and decolonizing scholarship committed to pluriversal and transformatory enactments of knowledge.
Whistler Mode Waves in the Compressional Boundary of Foreshock Transients
Authors: Shi Xiaofei , Liu Terry Z. , Angelopoulos Vassilis , Zhang Xiao‐Jia
Published: July 2020

Earth's foreshock is filled with backstreaming particles that can generate a variety of waves and foreshock transients. According to recent studies, these particles can be further accelerated while being scattered by field fluctuations, including waves, inside foreshock transients, contributing to particle acceleration at the parent bow shock. The properties of these waves and how they interact with particles and affect particle acceleration inside foreshock transients are still unclear, however. Here we take the first step to study one important type of these waves, whistler waves. We use Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) observations and employ multiple case studies to investigate the properties of whistler waves in the compressional boundaries of foreshock transients where THEMIS wave burst mode is triggered. We show that the whistler waves are quasi parallel propagating with bidirectional Poynting vectors, suggesting that they are locally generated. We focus on how they interact with electrons. We show that the diffusion surfaces for these waves in the electron velocity space match the observed electron phase space density distribution contours better when the modeled pitch angle diffusion coefficients from these waves are higher. We also demonstrate that higher‐energy electrons are more likely to be scattered by whistler waves. Our results suggest that whistler waves are important for scattering tens to hundreds of electronvolt electrons inside foreshock transients and elucidate electron dynamics and whistler wave properties in such environments.
β-catenin S45F mutation results in apoptotic resistance
Authors: Braggio Danielle , Zewdu Abeba , Londhe Priya , Yu Peter , Lopez Gonzalo , Batte Kara , Koller David , Costas Casal de Faria Fernanda , Casadei Lucia , Strohecker Anne M. , Lev Dina , Pollock Raphael E.
Published: July 2020

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is one of the key cascades regulating embryogenesis and tissue homeostasis; it has also been intimately associated with carcinogenesis. This pathway is deregulated in several tumors, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and desmoid tumors. It has been shown thatCTNNB1exon 3 mutations are associated with an aggressive phenotype in several of these tumor types and may be associated with therapeutic tolerance. Desmoid tumors typically have a stable genome with β-catenin mutations as a main feature, making these tumors an ideal model to study the changes associated with different types of β-catenin mutations. Here, we show that the apoptosis mechanism is deregulated in β-catenin S45F mutants, resulting in decreased induction of apoptosis in these cells. Our findings also demonstrate thatRUNX3plays a pivotal role in the inhibition of apoptosis found in the β-catenin S45F mutants. Restoration ofRUNX3overcomes this inhibition in the S45F mutants, highlighting it as a potential therapeutic target for malignancies harboring this specificCTNNB1mutation. While the regulatory effect of RUNX3 in β-catenin is already known, our results suggest the possibility of a feedback loop involving these two genes, with theCTNNB1S45F mutation downregulating expression ofRUNX3, thus providing additional possible novel therapeutic targets for tumors having deregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling induced by this mutation.
Giant electron–phonon coupling of the breathing plane oxygen phonons in the dynamic stripe phase of $$\hbox {La}_{1.67}\hbox {Sr}_{0.33}\hbox {NiO}_4$$
Authors: Merritt A. M. , Christianson A. D. , Banerjee A. , Gu G. D. , Mishchenko A. S. , Reznik D.
Published: July 2020

Doped antiferromagnets host a vast array of physical properties and learning how to control them is one of the biggest challenges of condensed matter physics. $$\hbox {La}_{1.67}\hbox {Sr}_{0.33}\hbox {NiO}_4$$La1.67Sr0.33NiO4 (LSNO) is a classic example of such a material. At low temperatures holes introduced via substitution of La by Sr segregate into lines to form boundaries between magnetically ordered domains in the form of stripes. The stripes become dynamic at high temperatures, but LSNO remains insulating presumably because an interplay between magnetic correlations and electron–phonon coupling localizes charge carriers. Magnetic degrees of freedom have been extensively investigated in this system, but phonons are almost completely unexplored. We searched for electron–phonon anomalies in LSNO by inelastic neutron scattering. Giant renormalization of plane Ni–O bond-stretching modes that modulate the volume around Ni appears on entering the dynamic charge stripe phase. Other phonons are a lot less sensitive to stripe melting. Dramatic overdamping of the breathing modes indicates that dynamic stripe phase may host small polarons. We argue that this feature sets electron–phonon coupling in nickelates apart from that in cuprates where breathing phonons are not overdamped and point out remarkable similarities with the colossal magnetoresistance manganites.
Different computed tomography patterns of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) between survivors and non-survivors
Authors: Pan Feng , Zheng Chuansheng , Ye Tianhe , Li Lingli , Liu Dehan , Li Lin , Hesketh Richard L. , Yang Lian
Published: July 2020

This study aimed to compare the chest computed tomography (CT) findings between survivors and non-survivors with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Between 12 January 2020 and 20 February 2020, the records of 124 consecutive patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were retrospectively reviewed and divided into survivor (83/124) and non-survivor (41/124) groups. Chest CT findings were qualitatively compared on admission and serial chest CT scans were semi-quantitively evaluated between two groups using curve estimations. On admission, significantly more bilateral (97.6% vs. 73.5%, p = 0.001) and diffuse lesions (39.0% vs. 8.4%, p < 0.001) with higher total CT score (median 10 vs. 4, p < 0.001) were observed in non-survivor group compared with survivor group. Besides, crazy-paving pattern was more predominant in non-survivor group than survivor group (39.0% vs. 12.0%, p < 0.001). From the prediction of curve estimation, in survivor group total CT score increased in the first 20 days reaching a peak of 6 points and then gradually decreased for more than other 40 days (R2 = 0.545, p < 0.001). In non-survivor group, total CT score rapidly increased over 10 points in the first 10 days and gradually increased afterwards until ARDS occurred with following death events (R2 = 0.711, p < 0.001). In conclusion, persistent progression with predominant crazy-paving pattern was the major manifestation of COVID-19 in non-survivors. Understanding this CT feature could help the clinical physician to predict the prognosis of the patients.
Facile one-pot aqueous synthesis of highly soluble and luminescent CdSe quantum dots without nitrogen bubbling
Authors: Hashem Elhussein M. , Ahmed M. A. , Abdel Messih M. F.
Published: July 2020

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) have been widely used in a plethora of applications due to their relatively high photocatalytic abilities and unique properties.
Fabrication of plate-like Ta3N5 crystals through evaporation–deposition–re-evaporation of alkali halide fluxes onto tantalum substrates
Authors: Wagata Hajime , Yanai Minori , Kim Daewook , Suzuki Sayaka , Hojamberdiev Mirabbos , Yubuta Kunio , Terashima Chiaki , Teshima Katsuya
Published: July 2020

Plate-like Ta3N5 crystals with predominant {010} crystallographic planes covering the Ta substrate surface were fabricated through an evaporation–deposition–re-evaporation of alkali halide fluxes onto tantalum substrates.
A simultaneously GSH-depleted bimetallic Cu(ii) complex for enhanced chemodynamic cancer therapy
Authors: Cao Shuhua , Li Xuezhao , Gao Yong , Li Fahui , Li Kaoxue , Cao Xuanxuan , Dai Yiwen , Mao Lirong , Wang Shanshan , Tai Xishi
Published: July 2020

A bimetallic Cu(ii) complex was developed as a novel antitumor chemodynamic therapy agent with glutathione depletion properties.
Electroanalytical methods and their hyphenated techniques for novel ion battery anode research
Authors: Zhao Jianming , Cano Manuel , Giner-Casares Juan J. , Luque Rafael , Xu Guobao
Published: July 2020

An overview of the recent electroanalytical methods and their hyphenated techniques for the characterization of novel ion battery anodes is presented.
Chromogenic and fluorogenic “off–on–off” chemosensor for selective and sensitive detection of aluminum (Al3+) and bifluoride (HF2−) ions in solution and in living Hep G2 cells: synthesis, experimental and theoretical studies
Authors: Pramanik Samit , Manna Saikat Kumar , Pathak Sudipta , Mondal Debasish , Pal Kunal , Mukhopadhyay Subrata
Published: July 2020

A simple pyridine-dicarbohydrazide based colorimetric and fluorometric chemosensorLwas designed and synthesized for Al3+ion sensing in organo aqueous solution.
A low-cost paper-based flexible energy storage device using a conducting polymer nanocomposite
Authors: Devi Rama , Tapadia Kavita , Kant Tushar , Ghosale Archana , Shrivas Kamlesh , Karbhal Indrapal , Maharana Tungabidya
Published: July 2020

Herein, a simple approach is demonstrated for the fabrication of a paper-based flexible symmetrical supercapacitor as an energy saving device with composite functional materials of nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) and polypyrrole (PPy).
Monodisperse NiPd alloy nanoparticles decorated on mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride as a catalyst for the highly efficient chemoselective reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketone compounds
Authors: Bayrak Cetin , Menzek Abdullah , Sevim Melike
Published: July 2020

The study reported chemoselective reduction with selectivity (>99%) by the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated ketones with a catalyst of NiPd alloy nanoparticles decorated on mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (NiPd/mpg-C3N4).
Hsa_circ_0026134 expression promoted TRIM25- and IGF2BP3-mediated hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion via sponging miR-127-5p
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhu Liang , Yang Guowei , Zhou Bo , Wang Jianhua , Qu Xudong , Yan Zhiping , Qian Sheng , Liu Rong
Published: July 2020

Increasing evidence shows that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a regulatory role in cancer. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the characteristics and effects of hsa_circ_0026134 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated hsa_circ_0026134 expression in 20 pairs of clinical tissues from HCC patients; expression of hsa_circ_0026134 in different cell lines; effect of hsa_circ_0026134 on proliferation and invasion of HCC cell lines; and the regulatory mechanisms and interactions among hsa_circ_0026134, miR-127-5p, tripartite motif-containing protein 25 (TRIM25) and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3). hsa_circ_0026134 expression was increased in HCC samples and cell lines. Down-regulation of hsa_circ_0026134 attenuated HCC cell proliferation and metastatic properties. Micro (mi)RNA (miR)-127-5p was sponged by hsa_circ_0026134. Rescue experiments indicated that inhibition of miR-127-5p expression promoted cell proliferation and invasion even after hsa_circ_0026134 silencing. TRIM25 and IGF2BP3 were targets of miR-127-5p. Overexpression of TRIM25 or IGF2BP3 promoted cell proliferation and invasion in cells overexpressing miR-127-5p. Down-regulation of hsa_circ_0026134 suppressed TRIM25- and IGF2BP3-mediated HCC cell proliferation and invasion via promotion of miR-127-5p expression, which have been confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. The present study provides a new treatment target for HCC.
A temperature inversion with atomic iron in the ultra-hot dayside atmosphere of WASP-189b
Authors: Yan F. , Pallé E. , Reiners A. , Molaverdikhani K. , Casasayas-Barris N. , Nortmann L. , Chen G. , Mollière P. , Stangret M.
Published: July 2020

Temperature inversion layers are predicted to be present in ultra-hot giant planet atmospheres. Although such inversion layers have recently been observed in several ultra-hot Jupiters, the chemical species responsible for creating the inversion remain unidentified. Here, we present observations of the thermal emission spectrum of an ultra-hot Jupiter, WASP-189b, at high spectral resolution using the HARPS-N spectrograph. Using the cross-correlation technique, we detect a strong Fe I signal. The detected Fe I spectral lines are found in emission, which is direct evidence of a temperature inversion in the planetary atmosphere. We further performed a retrieval on the observed spectrum using a forward model with an MCMC approach. When assuming a solar metallicity, the best-fit result returns a temperature of 4320−100+120 K at the top of the inversion, which is significantly hotter than the planetary equilibrium temperature (2641 K). The temperature at the bottom of the inversion is determined as 2200−800+1000 K. Such a strong temperature inversion is probably created by the absorption of atomic species like Fe I.
Fish distribution patterns in the White Drin (Drini i Bardhë) river, Kosovo
Authors: Grapci-Kotori Linda , Vavalidis Theocharis , Zogaris Dimitris , Šanda Radek , Vukić Jasna , Geci Donard , Ibrahimi Halil , Bilalli Astrit , Zogaris Stamatis
Published: July 2020

Fish assemblages and their distributions in the western Balkan rivers have rarely been investigated. This study provides initial insights into the spatial patterns of fish distributions in the main-stem of the White Drin in Kosovo. Sampling primarily utilized back-pack electrofishing at 11 sites along the river's entire main stem, recording 21 species. Identification of most fish species was confirmed through DNA barcode analyses; two yet unnamed species are present and some taxonomic problems were discovered. The abundance of non-native species was low (5.9% of the catch) but seven of the eight non-natives have established populations. A longitudinal fish zonation pattern was described for the first time in this river; fish assemblages in an upstream-to-downstream gradient were characterized by a decrease of cold-water species (salmonids, minnows) and an increase of large-river cyprinids and non-native species. Multivariate ordination and network analyses demarcate preliminary fish assemblage types and specific environmental and anthropogenic pressure attributes are shown to influence assemblage structure. Natural assemblage patterns may be locally disrupted by anthropogenic pressures such as pollution and hydromorphological disturbances, however most sites show semi-natural features and conditions. Recommendations for conservation and further research are provided.
Body Composition of National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I Female Soccer Athletes through Competitive
Seasons
Authors: Roelofs Erica , Bockin April , Bosch Tyler , Oliver Jonathan , Bach Christopher W. , Carbuhn Aaron , Stanforth Philip R. , Dengel Donald R.
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine body composition of National Collegiate
Athletic Association Division I female soccer players by position and season.
One hundred seventy-five female athletes were categorized by positions of
forward (n=47), midfielder (n=51), defender (n=57), and
goalkeeper (n=20). A dual X-ray absorptiometry scan assessed percent
body fat, total lean mass, total fat mass, arm and leg lean mass and fat mass,
and visceral adipose tissue. Goalkeepers had significantly higher total, arm,
and leg lean mass and fat mass compared to all other positions (p<0.05).
For seasonal changes, body fat percentage was significantly higher in winter
off-season (26.7%) compared to summer off-season (25.7%) and
pre-season (25.8%; p<0.01) for all positions. Total and leg lean
mass was significantly lower in winter off-season compared to all other seasons,
and total lean mass was significantly higher in summer off-season than
pre-season (p<0.01). Overall, goalkeepers were significantly different
than all other positions. Body fat percentage increased and lean mass decreased
in winter off-season indicating potential undesired changes in training
and/or nutrition over the break whereas lean mass was the highest in
summer off-season potentially reflecting the emphasis on resistance training and
increased volume of training.
Current Insights into Exercise-based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Nichols Simon , McGregor Gordon , Breckon Jeff , Ingle Lee
Published: July 2020

Cardiac rehabilitation is a package of lifestyle secondary prevention
strategies designed for patients with coronary heart disease and chronic
heart failure. A community-based cardiac rehabilitation programme provides
patients with a structured exercise training intervention alongside
educational support and psychological counselling. This review provides an
update regarding the clinical benefits of community-based cardiac
rehabilitation from a psycho-physiological perspective, and also focuses on
the latest epidemiological evidence regarding potential survival benefits.
Behaviour change is key to long-term adoption of a healthy and active
lifestyle following a cardiac event. In order for lifestyle interventions
such as structured exercise interventions to be adopted by patients,
practitioners need to ensure that behaviour change programmes are mapped
against patient’s priorities and values, and adapted to their level
of readiness and intention to engage with the target behaviour. We review
the evidence regarding behaviour change strategies for cardiac patients and
provide practitioners with the latest guidance. The ‘dose’
of exercise training delivered to patients attending exercise-based cardiac
rehabilitation is an important consideration because an improvement in peak
oxygen uptake requires an adequate physiological stimulus to invoke positive
physiological adaptation. We conclude by critically reviewing the latest
evidence regarding exercise dose for cardiac patients including the role of
traditional and more contemporary training interventions including high
intensity interval training.
Estudo comparativo da função e qualidade de vida de pacientes submetidos à artroplastia total do joelho com plataformas tibiais fixa e móvel
Authors: Nacca Daiane Cavenaghi , Amaro Joicemar Tarouco , Miyahira Mateus Kenji Christo , Novaretti João Victor , Astur Diego Costa , Cohen Moisés
Published: July 2020

Objetivo Comparar a função e qualidade de vida dos pacientes submetidos a artroplastia total de joelho (ATJ) com plataforma tibial fixa e plataforma tibial móvel.

Métodos Foram avaliados 240 pacientes com diagnóstico de osteoartrose de joelho, em um ensaio clínico, randomizados em dois grupos: grupo A, composto por 120 pacientes submetidos a ATJ com plataforma tibial fixa, e grupo B, formado por 120 pacientes com plataforma móvel. Todos foram avaliados de acordo com a função e qualidade de vida pelos questionários de Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) e Short Form Health Survey(SF-36), e escores de dor, por meio da escala visual analógica (EVA) de dor, no pré-operatório e com 6meses, 1ano, 2anos, 4anos e 8anos de cirurgia.

Resultados Com relação aos diversos domínios do SF-36, o comportamento médio dos escores de capacidade funcional, aspectos físicos, dor e aspectos emocionais foram estatisticamente diferentes ao longo do seguimento, em ambos os grupos. Os demais domínios de qualidade de vida não apresentaram diferenças. Assim como na EVA de dor, o escore médio do WOMAC de dor apresentou melhora ao longo do seguimento em ambos os grupos. Entretanto, com dois anos de seguimento, foram estaticamente piores no grupo A, se igualando ao grupo B nos outros momentos de acompanhamento.

Conclusão Com 2anos de pós-operatório, os escores de dor do WOMAC e daEVA foram piores no grupo submetido aATJ com plataforma tibial fixa. Porém, as diferenças não permaneceram no médioprazo, sugerindo que a artroplastia com plataforma tibial móvel tem uma vantagem no curto prazo, podendo auxiliar no processo de reabilitação.
Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Breast Responsive to Platinum and Taxane-Based Chemotherapy: A Rare Entity and Review Literature
Authors: Pandey Jagjit K. , Kumar Amarjeet , Ranjan Amit ,   Surabhi
Published: July 2020

Pure primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the breast is a rare malignancy which constitutes < 0.1% of all primary invasive breast carcinomas. It is considered to be more aggressive compared with other infiltrating ductal cancers, and knowledge concerning treatment patterns and outcomes is limited. We treated a 50-year-old woman with SCC of left breast, having metastatic fixed axillary lymph nodes. The tumor was hormone receptor negative. Paclitaxel and carboplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given with a good response, followed by modified radical mastectomy. Adjuvant radiotherapy was given to the chest and axilla in view of two lymph nodes positive for tumor out of 12. No local and systemic recurrence encountered in 1 year of follow-up. Surgery along with platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy is an effective mode of treatment for SCC in other parts of the body. More data is necessary to formulate management guidelines, and further define if there is any role for systemic chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormonal blockade.
The influence of impurities on the formation of nanocone structures on silicon surface irradiated by low energy helium plasma
Authors: Shi Quan , Kajita Shin , Ohno Noriyasu , Tokitani Masayuki , Nagata Daisuke , Feng Shuangyuan
Published: July 2020

Forming nanocone structures on a silicon (Si) surface by low (<100 eV) energy helium plasma has been proposed in recent years as a simple method for fabricating black Si, which is an attractive material for photon absorption through the solar spectrum. In this study, different appearances of the Si surface were observed and analyzed with a scanning electron microscope. By introducing impurities of molybdenum and tungsten during plasma irradiation, it was revealed that the formation and the distribution of nanocones have a clear dependence on the amount of impurities on the surface.
NUrF—Optimization of in situ UV–vis and fluorescence and autonomous characterization techniques with small-angle neutron scattering instrumentation
Authors: Dicko Cedric , Engberg Adam , Houston Judith E. , Jackson Andrew J. , Pettersson Anders , Dalgliesh Robert M. , Akeroyd Frederick A. , Venero Diego Alba , Rogers Sarah E. , Martel Anne , Porcar Lionel , Rennie Adrian R.
Published: July 2020

We have designed, built, and validated a (quasi)-simultaneous measurement platform called NUrF, which consists of neutron small-angle scattering, UV–visible, fluorescence, and densitometry techniques. In this contribution, we illustrate the concept and benefits of the NUrF setup combined with high-performance liquid chromatography pumps to automate the preparation and measurement of a mixture series of Brij35 nonionic surfactants with perfluorononanoic acid in the presence of a reporter fluorophore (pyrene).
Global existence, nonexistence, and decay of solutions for a viscoelastic wave equation with nonlinear boundary damping and source terms
Authors: Yu Jiali , Shang Yadong , Di Huafei
Published: July 2020

This paper deals with a high order viscoelastic wave equation with nonlinear boundary damping–source interactions. By the combination of Galerkin approximation and potential well methods, we obtain the global existence of weak solutions. Under some appropriate assumptions on the boundary damping–source terms and the relaxation function g, we establish general decay and blow-up results associated with solution energy. Estimates of the lifespan of solutions are also given.
Modeling the dielectric constants of crystals using machine learning
Authors: Morita Kazuki , Davies Daniel W. , Butler Keith T. , Walsh Aron
Published: July 2020

The relative permittivity of a crystal is a fundamental property that links microscopic chemical bonding to macroscopic electromagnetic response. Multiple models, including analytical, numerical, and statistical descriptions, have been made to understand and predict dielectric behavior. Analytical models are often limited to a particular type of compound, whereas machine learning (ML) models often lack interpretability. Here, we combine supervised ML, density functional perturbation theory, and analysis based on game theory to predict and explain the physical trends in optical dielectric constants of crystals. Two ML models, support vector regression and deep neural networks, were trained on a dataset of 1364 dielectric constants. Analysis of Shapley additive explanations of the ML models reveals that they recover correlations described by textbook Clausius–Mossotti and Penn models, which gives confidence in their ability to describe physical behavior, while providing superior predictive power.
An on-demand bench-top fabrication process for fluidic chips based on cross-diffusion through photopolymerization
Authors: Kimoto Takumi , Suzuki Kou , Fukuda Takashi , Emoto Akira
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to fabricate fluidic chips. The method utilizes molecular cross-diffusion, induced by photopolymerization under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in a channel pattern, to form the channel structures. During channel structure formation, the photopolymer layer still contains many uncured molecules. Subsequently, a top substrate is attached to the channel structure under adequate pressure, and the entire chip is homogenously irradiated by UV light. Immediately thereafter, a sufficiently sealed fluidic chip is formed. Using this fabrication process, the channel pattern of a chip can be designed quickly by a computer as binary images, and practical chips can be produced on demand at a benchtop, instead of awaiting production in specialized factories.
BAlN alloy for enhanced two-dimensional electron gas characteristics of GaN/AlGaN heterostructures
Authors: Lin Rongyu , Liu Xinwei , Liu Kaikai , Lu Yi , Liu Xinke , Li Xiaohang
Published: July 2020

Emerging wide bandgap BAlN alloys have potential for improved III-nitride power devices, including high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Yet, few relevant studies have been carried out. In this work, we have investigated the use of the B0.14Al0.86N alloy as part or the entirety of the interlayer between the GaN buffer and the AlGaN barrier in the conventional GaN/AlGaN heterostructure. The numerical results show considerable improvement of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) concentration with small 2DEG leakage into the ternary layer by replacing the conventional AlN interlayer by either the B0.14Al0.86N interlayer or the B0.14Al0.86N/AlN hybrid interlayer. Consequently, the transfer characteristics can be improved. The saturation current can be enhanced as well. For instance, the saturation currents for HEMTs with the 0.5 nm B0.14Al0.86N/0.5 nm AlN hybrid interlayer and the 1 nm B0.14Al0.86N interlayer are 5.8% and 2.2% higher than that for the AlN interlayer when VGS−Vth = +3 V.