bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retrospective analysis of diagnoses and outcomes of 45 cats with micturition disorders presenting as urinary incontinence
Authors: Lonc Kaitlin M. , Kaneene John B. , Carneiro Paulo A. M. , Kruger John M.
Published: December 2019

Background

In contrast to dogs, the causes and outcomes of urinary incontinence (UI) in cats are largely unknown.

Objectives

To determine the causes, identify comorbid conditions, and assess outcomes of cats with micturition disorders presenting as UI.

Animals

Forty‐five cats with UI.

Methods

Retrospective study. Medical records of cats presented from January 2006 to December 2017 were searched using 45 keywords related to UI. History, presenting complaint, and physical examination findings were used to confirm a diagnosis. Cases were categorized based on functional and anatomic localizations.

Results

Forty‐five cats met inclusion criteria. Spinal cord disease was the most common cause of UI (n = 18), followed by urethral (n = 17), bladder (n = 9), and ureteral (n = 1) disorders. Proportions of voiding and storage phase disorders were similar (53% and 47%, respectively). However, voiding‐phase disorders were observed more frequently in males and younger‐aged cats (P < .03). Urinary tract infection was detected in 11 of 28 (39%) cats. Outcomes were available in 38/45 cases; 16 cats (42%) regained continence, 3 (8%) improved with treatment, and 19 (50%) remained incontinent or were euthanized. Multiple variable logistic regressions indicated that spinal cord disease was significantly more likely to be associated with poor outcomes compared to bladder or urethral disorders (P < .04).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Urinary incontinence in cats was associated with a variety of congenital and acquired disorders that affected both phases of micturition with similar frequency. Incontinent cats with spinal cord disorders were common and warrant a more guarded prognosis than do cats with bladder or urethral disorders.
Soybean RNA interference lines silenced for eIF4E show broad potyvirus resistance
Authors: Gao Le , Luo Jinyan , Ding Xueni , Wang Tao , Hu Ting , Song Puwen , Zhai Rui , Zhang Hongyun , Zhang Kai , Li Kai , Zhi Haijian
Published: December 2019

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), a potyvirus, is the most prevalent and destructive viral pathogen in soybean‐planting regions of China. Moreover, other potyviruses, including bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), also threaten soybean farming. The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) plays a critical role in controlling resistance/susceptibility to potyviruses in plants. In the present study, much higher SMV‐induced eIF4E1 expression levels were detected in a susceptible soybean cultivar when compared with a resistant cultivar, suggesting the involvement of eIF4E1 in the response to SMV by the susceptible cultivar. Yeast two‐hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays showed that soybean eIF4E1 interacted with SMV VPg in the nucleus and with SMV NIa‐Pro/NIb in the cytoplasm, revealing the involvement of VPg, NIa‐Pro, and NIb in SMV infection and multiplication. Furthermore, transgenic soybeans silenced for eIF4E were produced using an RNA interference approach. Through monitoring for viral symptoms and viral titers, robust and broad‐spectrum resistance was confirmed against five SMV strains (SC3/7/15/18 and SMV‐R), BCMV, and WMV in the transgenic plants. Our findings represent fresh insights for investigating the mechanism underlying eIF4E‐mediated resistance in soybean and also suggest an effective alternative for breeding soybean with broad‐spectrum viral resistance.
Nurses’ articulations of the patients’ role when the vision is partnership: A qualitative study
Authors: Mondahl Julie , Frederiksen Kirsten
Published: December 2019

Although principles such as ‘patient participation’ and ‘patient involvement’ have become ideals in health‐care, they have proven to be difficult to apply in practice. In 2014, one Danish region issued an official document that included the vision of ‘the patient as partner’. However, little is known about how such a vision affects clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses’ views on how partnerships between them and patients are established considering this vision. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with eight nurses working in Danish hospitals. Then, we analysed the interviews in a Norman Fairclough‐inspired critical discourse analysis. During this three‐dimensional analysis, we identified three discourses. We found that a liberalistic discourse wins hegemony based on the nurses’ expectations of the patient's role. Nurses construct a picture of the patient's role, expecting the patient to be responsible and to participate. For the partnership to arise as envisioned, the patient is perceived as being dependent on the nurse's professional knowledge. Surprisingly, the nurses’ articulations of the patient's role were identical to the vision's elements. Therefore, we suggest that the vision reflects prevailing societal norms for individuals, thereby reflecting society's attitude towards people's responsibility for their own lives.
A contribution towards resolving the nomenclature of Citharexylum (Verbenaceae). II. Remarks on implicit typifications and lectotypification of names linked to Mesoamerican taxa
Authors: O'Leary Nataly , Moroni Pablo
Published: December 2019

During ongoing taxonomic studies in Citharexylum (Verbenaceae), sixteen names were found in need of typification or typification remarks. As a result, six names (C. brachyanthum, C. danirae, C. flabellifolium, C. lucidum, C. rugendasii and C. tristachyum f. urbanii) are here lectotypified. Furthermore, remarks on implicit typifications by Harold Moldenke for another ten names (C. altamiranum, C. berlandieri, C. hexangulare, C. macradenium, C. ovatifolium, C. pauciflorum, C. pterocladum, C. recurvatum, C. schulzii and C. stenophyllum) are provided.
Micro‐morphological characteristics of seed and ovary trichomes of Iranian Glaucium Mill. species (Papaveraceae) and their taxonomic importance
Authors: Tavakkoli Zahra , Assadi Mostafa
Published: December 2019

Seeds and trichomes of 15 taxa of the genus Glaucium distributed in Iran were examined by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The seeds are slightly shiny to rather shiny, however, strongly shiny seeds were also observed in some species (G. corniculatum and G. grandiflorum). The basic shape of the seeds is semicircular to reniform, but reniform and elongated reniform seeds were found in G. oxylobum and G. elegans, respectively. The sculpturing of the testa surface are verrucate–rugulate (most frequent type), verrucate–granulate, verrucate–perforate, verrucate–lineolate, rugulate–granulate, rugulate and ocellate. Elongated polygonal epidermal cells dominate in most taxa investigated, but there are polygonal and irregular polygonal cells in a few taxa. The investigated species have two types of trichomes on the ovary: tuberculate and non‐tuberculate. The non‐tuberculate trichomes are of two subtypes: pilose and squamiform. Based on the number of cells, the squamiform trichomes were further divided into two groups (uniseriate and multiseriate) differing in shape, size and cellular structure. The results show that the micro‐morphological characteristics of seed and ovary trichomes provide useful and significant information for separation of species and taxa within species and a diagnostic key to the taxa is provided.
A Role for India in the Korean Peace Process: Contemplating Non‐Realist Approaches to Broaden Relations with the Korean Peninsula
Authors: Ouellette Dean J.
Published: December 2019

As part of its past “Look East” and now “Act East” policies, India seeks to increase the radius of its influence beyond South Asia by broadening relations with East Asian actors, including South Korea. New Delhi and Seoul continue to promote economic cooperation and explore ways to deepen their strategic partnership. However, for relations to grow substantively and enduringly, both will have to show greater concern, creativity, and caution—especially bearing in mind their mutual neighbor, China. This article explores how, through harnessing its unique longstanding relations with both Koreas and investing in non‐realist approaches resonant of people‐centered engagement, India as a middle power with major power aspirations can lay its footprint softly in Northeast Asia by playing a more pro‐active role to bolster and sustain inter‐Korean rapprochement and peacebuilding efforts.
The relationship between smartphone addiction risk and sleep duration and psychosocial comorbidities in health professional candidates
Authors: Selçuk Kevser Tarı , Ayhan Didem
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction risk and sleep duration and psychosocial comorbidities in health professional candidates.

Design and Methods

This descriptive correlational study was conducted in Bandırma, a district of Balıkesir, a province in Turkey, between February 2019 and June 2019 and included 408 students.

Findings

Although smartphone addiction risk was not associated with sleep duration, it was positively associated with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, and stress.

Practice Implications

Peer education programs are recommended to prevent smartphone addiction.
A prospective multicenter observational study of Viperidae polyvalent immune F(ab’)2 antivenom administration for the treatment of viper envenomation in dogs
Authors: Vanni Michele , Intorre Luigi , Corazza Michele , Meucci Valentina , Parti Sandro
Published: December 2019

Objective

To test an equine‐derived polyvalent viperid antivenom (EPVA) in the treatment of dogs with evidence of viper envenomation.

Design

Prospective, multicenter observational study.

Setting

Veterinary emergency and critical care hospitals.

Animals

A total of 82 client‐owned dogs with progressive clinical signs after viperid snakebite were enrolled in the study.

Interventions

Equine‐derived polyvalent viperid antivenom was administered at a dosage of 1 mL/kg body weight, either by IV infusion or SC injection.

Measurements and Main Results

A standardized snakebite severity score (SSS) was used to characterize the severity of envenomation and the clinical course after EPVA treatment. Most dogs had improved SSS both at 4 (65.8%) and 8 hours (81.7%) following EPVA administration. Five dogs died. At the 4‐week assessment, 3 dogs had slightly abnormal hematological or coagulation parameters; all other surviving dogs showed no abnormalities. Antivenom‐related acute or intermediate reactions occurred in 12 dogs (14.6%).

Conclusions

In the first study on antivenom in dogs in Italy, the effects of progressive viper envenomation were stabilized or reversed in the large majority of dogs receiving EPVA, as confirmed by the SSS analyses.
Necrotizing enterocolitis in haemolytic disease of the newborn: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ree Isabelle M.C. , de Grauw Anne M. , Bekker Vincent , de Haas Masja , te Pas Arjan B. , Oepkes Dick , Middeldorp Annemieke (J.) M. , Lopriore Enrico
Published: December 2019

Background and objectives

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common and often severe gastrointestinal emergency in newborn infants. While usually affecting (very) premature infants, an association between NEC and haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn (HDFN) has been suggested. HDFN may be an additional risk factor to develop NEC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of NEC in infants affected with moderate to severe HDFN in a large single centre cohort as compared to a broad population of infants without HDFN.

Materials and methods

Retrospective cohort study of medical records of neonates with and without HDFN, with a gestational age at birth ≥30 weeks and ≤38 weeks, and admitted to the Leiden University Medical Center between January 2000 and December 2016.

Results

A total of 3284 patient records of infants born in the study period were reviewed and 317 cases of HDFN were identified. The incidence of NEC was significantly higher among infants with HDFN compared to infants without HDFN: 4/317 affected infants (1·3%) vs. 11/2967 affected infants (0·4%, relative risk 3·40, 95% confidence interval: 1·09–10·63).

Conclusions

We observed a higher incidence of NEC in an overall late preterm to near term population of infants with moderate to severe HDFN, compared to infants born without HDFN. The clinician taking care of an HDFN‐affected infant should be cautious of this higher risk.
Hepatic CT attenuation differs in three species of freshwater turtles and hepatic Hounsfield units increase with folliculogenesis in wild Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii)
Authors: King Emily , Hostnik Eric T. , Junge Randall , Adkesson Michael J. , Newman Erin M. , Allender Matthew C.
Published: December 2019

Freshwater turtle species are suffering from anthropocentric‐caused population declines, making preservation of professionally managed populations increasingly important. Turtles under professional care have an increased risk to develop hepatic lipidosis, potentially resulting in early death. Computed tomography can provide an antemortem screening for increased fatty liver composition. A goal of this prospective analytical cross‐sectional study was to assess the hepatic attenuation measured as Hounsfield units (HU) in a wild population of a freshwater turtle species, and then compare hepatic HU to freshwater turtles under professional care. Ninety‐five wild Blanding's turtles (BT;Emydoidea blandingii) as well as 10 Vietnamese Pond turtles (VPT;Mauremys annamensis) and six Northern Snake‐Necked turtles (NSNT;Chelodina oblonga) under professional care underwent CT with quantification of hepatic HU. Hepatic HU were correlated to serum chemistry findings and the presence of follicles was recorded in BT. The mean (±SD) hepatic attenuation for 95 wild BT was 97.5 HU ±9.6. There were significant differences in hepatic attenuation among VPT, NSNT, and BT, with median HU values (range) of 5.39 HU (–6.45 to 61.50), 71.74 HU (59.44‐94.49), and 95.43 HU (74.41‐124.56), respectively. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values had a weak negative correlation to HU with a coefficient of –0.85 (P < .001). The hepatic attenuation was significantly higher for individuals undergoing folliculogenesis (P = .007). The decreased HU values were significantly negatively correlated with AST values. Findings supported the use of CT as an aid for guiding future management practices in freshwater turtles.
Comprehensive Studies on the Effect of Reducing Agents on Electrocatalytic Activity and Durability of Platinum Supported on Carbon Support for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Ravichandran Sabarinathan , Bhuvanendran Narayanamoorthy , Zhang Weiqi , Xu Qian , Khotseng Lindiwe , Su Huaneng
Published: December 2019

Platinum supported on carbon support (Pt/C) is currently the most common and practicable electrocatalyst for the real application of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this work, it was found that the nature of a reducing agent has noteworthy influence on Pt nanoparticles growth and distribution over acid-treated-Vulcan carbon support (Pt/AT-VC), which was employed to catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for PEMFC. Three distinct reducing agents, i.e., sodium borohydride (BH), sodium citrate (CA), and formaldehyde (FMY), were employed for Pt/AT-VC preparation through the impregnation-reduction approach. The impacts of the reducing agent on Pt nanoparticles size and its distribution over carbon support were scrutinized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The electrocatalytic performance for ORR was subsequently studied by a three-electrode setup with rotating ring-disc electrode (RRDE) characterization and practical fuel cell operation. The ORR kinetics and mechanism were confirmed from RRDE, and it was well correlated with the durability test and single-cell results. Based on the results, the catalysts’ performances for practical PEMFC can be arranged in the order of Pt/AT-VC (BH) < Pt/AT-VC (CA) < Pt/AT-VC (FMY), implying the significance of selecting the reducing agent for the preparation of Pt/C for PEMFC real application.
Experimental Study of Phase Inversion Phenomena in Electrical Submersible Pumps Under Oil/Water Flow
Authors: Bulgarelli Natan Augusto Vieira , Biazussi Jorge Luiz , Monte Verde William , Castro Marcelo Souza de , Bannwart Antonio Carlos
Published: December 2019

Despite the common presence of water in oil production, just recently, the scientific community has devoted efforts to studying the influence of emulsion phenomena effects related to oil production using pumps. In the context of this study of phase inversion phenomena, the influence of viscosities and rotational speeds in electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) are evaluated as part of this effort. This study is aimed at investigating the influence of viscosity in phase inversion phenomena. An eight-stage ESP was tested with three different rotational speeds and two different oil viscosities for the best efficiency point (BEP) flow rates. Initially, the total flow rate was obtained in relation to BEP using ESP performance curves for pure oil at 52 cP and 298 cP and rotational speeds of 800 rpm, 1200 rpm, and 2400 rpm. The total flow rate was kept constant and the water cut was increased from 0 to 100%. The inversion phase phenomenon was detected by performance improvement when the water cut increased. The factors analyzed were the head and efficiency of the ESP as a function of the water cut. The phase inversion experimental data obtained in this study were compared with literature models for horizontal pipes. The results of this comparison presented satisfactory agreement. The phase inversion phenomena occur in all eight stages at the same time. Hysteresis was observed in ESPs for oil viscosity of 52 cP and rotating speed of 800 rpm and 1200 rpm.
Energy Release Rate Approximation for Small Surface Cracks in Three-Dimensional Domains Using the Topological Derivative
Authors: Alidoost Kazem , Feng Meng , Geubelle Philippe H. , Tortorelli Daniel A.
Published: December 2019

The topological derivative describes the variation of a response functional with respect to infinitesimal changes in topology, such as the introduction of an infinitesimal crack or hole. In this three-dimensional fracture mechanics work, we propose an approximation of the energy release rate field associated with a small surface crack of any boundary location, direction, and orientation combination using the topological derivative. This work builds on the work of Silva et al. (“Energy Release Rate Approximation for Small Surface-Breaking Cracks Using the Topological Derivative,” J. Mech. Phys. Solids 59(5), pp. 925–939), in which the authors proposed an approximation of the energy release rate field which was limited to two-dimensional domains. The proposed method is computationally advantageous because it only requires a single analysis. By contrast, current boundary element and finite element-based methods require an analysis for each crack length-location-direction-orientation combination. Furthermore, the proposed method is evaluated on the non-cracked domain, obviating the need for refined meshes in the crack tip region.
Nearest Neighbor Gaussian Process Emulation for Multi-Dimensional Array Responses in Freeze Nano 3D Printing of Energy Devices
Authors: Segura Luis Javier , Zhao Guanglei , Zhou Chi , Sun Hongyue
Published: December 2019

Energy 3D printing processes have enabled the manufacturing of energy storage devices with complex structures, high energy density, and high power density. Among these processes, freeze nano printing (FNP) has risen as a promising process. However, quality problems are among the biggest barriers for FNP and other 3D printing processes. Particularly, the droplet solidification time in FNP governs the thermal distribution and subsequently determines the product solidification, formation, and quality. To describe the solidification time, a physical-based heat transfer model is built. But, it is computationally intensive. The objective of this work is to build an efficient emulator for the physical model. There are several challenges unaddressed before: (1) the solidification time at various locations, which is a multi-dimensional array response, needs to be modeled and (2) the construction and evaluation of the emulator at new process settings need to be quick and accurate. Here, we integrate joint tensor decomposition and nearest neighbor Gaussian process (NNGP) to construct an efficient multi-dimensional array response emulator with process settings as inputs. Specifically, structured joint tensor decomposition decomposes the multi-dimensional array responses at various process settings into the setting-specific core tensors and shared low-dimensional factorization matrices. Then, each independent entry of the core tensor is modeled with an NNGP, which addresses the computationally intensive model estimation problem by sampling the nearest neighborhood samples. Finally, tensor reconstruction is performed to make predictions of the solidification time for new process settings. The proposed framework is demonstrated by emulating the physical model of FNP and compared with alternative tensor (multi-dimensional array) regression models.
Thermoelastohydrodynamic Lubrication Simulation of Radial Shaft Sealing Rings
Authors: Thielen Stefan , Magyar Balázs , Sauer Bernd
Published: December 2019

Regarding the increasing demand in seal lifetime and energy efficiency, a detailed microscopic simulation is necessary—as an addition to experimental investigations—to better understand and improve radial shaft seals. For this purpose, typically thermoelastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) simulations are used. The published models range from rather simple elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) models to very sophisticated TEHL models. Only very few models take into account the roughness or microstructure of both contact surfaces, though, since this would require the consideration of transient effects. In this article, a transient TEHL model for the contact of radial shaft seals is presented. Studies of the sealing contact are conducted, and the possibility of investigating shaft microstructuring is shown.
Providing Grid Services With Heat Pumps: A Review
Authors: Lee Zachary E. , Sun Qingxuan , Ma Zhao , Wang Jiangfeng , MacDonald Jason S. , Max Zhang K.
Published: December 2019

The integration of variable and intermittent renewable energy generation into the power system is a grand challenge to our efforts to achieve a sustainable future. Flexible demand is one solution to this challenge, where the demand can be controlled to follow energy supply, rather than the conventional way of controlling energy supply to follow demand. Recent research has shown that electric building climate control systems like heat pumps can provide this demand flexibility by effectively storing energy as heat in the thermal mass of the building. While some forms of heat pump demand flexibility have been implemented in the form of peak pricing and utility demand response programs, controlling heat pumps to provide ancillary services like frequency regulation, load following, and reserve have yet to be widely implemented. In this paper, we review the recent advances and remaining challenges in controlling heat pumps to provide these grid services. This analysis includes heat pump and building modeling, control methods both for isolated heat pumps and heat pumps in aggregate, and the potential implications that this concept has on the power system.
The Influence of Structure on the Electrochemical and Thermal Response of Li-Ion Battery Electrodes
Authors: Patel Prehit , Nelson George J.
Published: December 2019

Advancement of lithium-ion batteries for transportation applications requires addressing two key challenges: increasing energy density and providing fast charging capabilities. The first of these challenges can be met using thicker electrodes. However, the implementation of thick electrodes inherently presents a trade-off with respect to fast charging. As the thickness is increased, transport limitations reduce the ability of the battery to meet aggressive charge conditions. At the particle scale, interactions between solid diffusion and reaction kinetics influence the effective storage of lithium. At the electrode scale, diffusion limitations can lead to local variations in salt concentrations and electric potential. These short-range and long-range effects can combine to influence local current and heat generation. In the present work, a pseudo-2D lithium-ion battery model is applied to understand how active material particle size, porosity, and electrode thickness impact local field variables, current, heat generation, and cell capacity within a single-cell stack. The model was built assuming that the active particles are representative spherical particles. The governing equations and boundary conditions were set following the common Newman model. Cell response under varied combinations of charge and discharge cycling is assessed for rates of 1 C and 5 C. Aggressive charge and discharge conditions lead to locally elevated C-rates and attendant increases in local heat generation. These variations can be impacted in part by tailoring electrode structures. To this end, results for parametric studies of active material particle size, porosity, and electrode thickness are presented and discussed.
Investigation of Horizontal Micro Kaplan Hydro Turbine Performance Using Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization
Authors: Abbas Ahmad I. , Qandil Mohammad D. , Al-Haddad Muhannad , Amano Ryoichi S.
Published: December 2019

This study investigates performance-based design optimization for a Kaplan hydro turbine at a maximum water head of 2.6 m (8.5 ft), a micro-sized horizontal Kaplan turbine with 7.6 cm (3.0 in) diameter that has fixed blades featured to attain the optimum performance for such type and size of hydro turbines. The optimization process includes solving design problems and enhance design development by applying a multi-disciplinary design optimization (MDO) technique. Varying the geometrical parameters of the turbine, i.e., dimensions, number of blades, blade wrap angles, and different rotational speeds (500–3000 rpm), are the relevant proposed disciplines of this study. Two multi-simulation matrices were solved by using the high-performance computing (HPC) cluster of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The first matrix includes different number of the blades (3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 blades) over six different rotational speeds (500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 rpm), while the second matrix includes 121 possible combinations of blade wrap angles starting at 60–60 deg (hub-shroud) angle to 110–110 deg angle with 5 deg increment alternated at both sides, the hub and the shroud.
Formation of large-area MoS2 thin films by oxygen-catalyzed sulfurization of Mo thin films
Authors: Jo Seong Soon , Li Yifei , Singh Akshay , Kumar Abinash , Frisone Sam , LeBeau James M. , Jaramillo Rafael
Published: December 2019

While transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) thin films are most commonly synthesized by vapor transport using solid metal oxide precursors, directly converting metal thin films to TMDs may be more scalable and controllable, e.g., to enable large-area coating by vacuum deposition. The thermodynamics are favorable for MoS2 formation from Mo in sulfur-rich environments, but sulfurization tends to be slow and the product is highly dependent on the chemical pathway taken. Here, the authors report on the role of trace oxygen gas (O2) for the sulfurization of Mo films. They study the formation of MoS2 from Mo films in H2S vapor, between 350 and 500 °C and with varying levels of O2. They find that the presence of trace levels of O2 accelerates the crystallization of MoS2 and affects the layer orientation, without changing the kinetics of mass transport or the final film composition. O2 acts as a catalyst to promote the crystallization of MoS2 at lower temperatures than otherwise possible. These results provide new insights into the growth of MoS2 by sulfurization and suggest that introducing an appropriate catalyst during chalcogenide phase formation could enable new processes for making homogeneous, large-area MoS2 films at low processing temperature on a variety of substrates.
Searching for Paralympians: Characteristics of Participants Attending “Search” Events
Authors: Dehghansai Nima , Baker Joseph
Published: December 2019

Initiatives have been designed to attract novice athletes and to enable transfer for experienced athletes. However, the authors have very little knowledge of the effectiveness of these programs. To further improve our understanding, this study explored the demographic and sporting careers of 225 participants attending one of the 10 Paralympian Search events held between 2016 and 2018. The sample consisted of participants with a wide range of impairments and sport experiential backgrounds. The majority of the participants reported having some experience in sports, suggesting that either the promotions reached athletes involved in sports already or the advertising appealed especially to this cohort. Athletes with impairments acquired at various stages of their lives (congenital, before adolescence, adolescence, early adulthood, and adulthood) displayed differences in their sporting trajectories, suggesting considerations for current developmental models. Furthermore, it should be considered to vary the testing locations of future events to increase the reach to rural areas and implement new methods to attract novice participants.
Dermal sheath contraction powers stem cell niche relocation during hair cycle regression
Authors: Heitman Nicholas , Sennett Rachel , Mok Ka-Wai , Saxena Nivedita , Srivastava Devika , Martino Pieter , Grisanti Laura , Wang Zichen , Ma’ayan Avi , Rompolas Panteleimon , Rendl Michael
Published: December 2019

Niche relocated by muscle contraction

Regulation of adult stem cells by their microenvironment, or niche, is essential for tissue homeostasis and for regeneration after injury and during aging. Normal regression of hair follicles during the hair cycle poses a particular challenge for maintaining a functional proximity of stem cells to their niche, especially the specialized mesenchymal cells of the dermal papilla. Using mice as a model organism, Heitman
et al.
demonstrate that the follicle dermal sheath is an active smooth muscle that drives tissue remodeling through coordinated cell contraction, enabling renewed contact between the dermal papilla and hair follicle stem cells during hair follicle regression. This biomechanical mechanism of niche relocation may be utilized in other stem cell niche systems.

Science
, this issue p.
161
Intrinsic quantized anomalous Hall effect in a moiré heterostructure
Authors: Serlin M. , Tschirhart C. L. , Polshyn H. , Zhang Y. , Zhu J. , Watanabe K. , Taniguchi T. , Balents L. , Young A. F.
Published: December 2019

Quantum anomalous Hall goes intrinsic

Quantum anomalous Hall effect—the appearance of quantized Hall conductance at zero magnetic field—has been observed in thin films of the topological insulator Bi
2
Se
3
doped with magnetic atoms. The doping, however, introduces inhomogeneity, reducing the temperature at which the effect occurs. Two groups have now observed quantum anomalous Hall effect in intrinsically magnetic materials (see the Perspective by Wakefield and Checkelsky). Serlin
et al.
did so in twisted bilayer graphene aligned to hexagonal boron nitride, where the effect enabled the switching of magnetization with tiny currents. In a complementary work, Deng
et al.
observed quantum anomalous Hall effect in the antiferromagnetic layered topological insulator MnBi
2
Te
4
.

Science
, this issue p.
900
, p.
895
; see also p.
848
Effect of oxandrolone and timing of pubertal induction on final height in Turner syndrome: final analysis of the UK randomised placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Gault Emma Jane , Cole Tim J , Casey Sarah , Hindmarsh Peter C , Betts Peter , Dunger David B , Donaldson Malcolm D C
Published: December 2019

The UK Turner syndrome (TS) study examined the effect on final height of oxandrolone 0.05 mg/kg/day (maximum dose 2.5 mg) versus placebo from 9 years of age; and delaying ethinylestradiol induction of puberty by 2 years from 12 (E12) to 14 (E14) years in growth hormone-treated girls with TS. The study ran from 1999 to 2013. By 2011, eighty-two of 92 participants had reached final height and an interim analysis using the Super-Imposition by Translation And Rotation model showed significant increases in final height with both oxandrolone and E14. The analysis has been repeated now that all 92 patients have reached final height. Oxandrolone still significantly increased final height by 4.1 cm (95% CI 1.6 to 6.6, n=92) compared with 4.6 cm previously. However, the E14 effect was no longer significant at 2.7 cm (95% CI −0.8 to 6.1, n=56) compared with 3.8 cm previously.
Community emergency medicine: taking the ED to the patient: a 12-month observational analysis of activity and impact of a physician response unit
Authors: Joy Tony , Ramage Lisa , Mitchinson Sophie , Kirby Oliver , Greenhalgh Rob , Goodsman Danë , Davies Gareth
Published: December 2019

Background and objectives

International and national health policies advocate greater integration of emergency and community care. The Physician Response Unit (PRU) responds to 999 calls ‘taking the Emergency Department to the patient’. Operational since 2001, the service was reconfigured in September 2017. This article presents service activity data and implications for the local health economy from the first year since remodelling.

Methods

A retrospective descriptive analysis of a prospectively maintained database was undertaken. Data collected included dispatch information, diagnostics and treatments undertaken, diagnosis and disposition. Treating clinical teams recorded judgments whether patients managed in the community would have been (1) conveyed to an emergency department (ED)and (2) admitted to hospital, in the absence of the PRU. Hospital Episode Statistics data and NHS referencing costs were used to estimate the monetary value of PRU activity.

Results

1924 patients were attended, averaging 5.3 per day. 1289 (67.0%) patients were managed in the community. Based on the opinion of the treating team, 945 (73.3%) would otherwise have been conveyed to hospital, and 126 (9.7%) would subsequently have been admitted. The service was estimated to deliver a reduction of 868 inpatient bed days and generate a net economic benefit of £530 107.

Conclusions

The PRU model provides community emergency medical care and early patient contact with a senior clinical decision-maker. It engages with community providers in order to manage 67.0% of patients in the community. We believe the PRU offers an effective model of community emergency medicine and helps to integrate local emergency and community providers.
Cu–TiO2 nanocomposite coatings prepared from sol-enhanced electrodeposition
Authors: He Zhen , Zhang Shengping , Yin Li , Hayat Muhammed D. , Cao Peng
Published: December 2019

A series of [Formula: see text]-modified Cu coatings were developed via a sol-enhanced electrodeposition process. The effect of [Formula: see text] sol on the properties of fabricated [Formula: see text] nanocomposites is studied. Phase composition and microstructures of [Formula: see text] deposits were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical properties of the fabricated [Formula: see text] coatings were also examined. The proper addition of [Formula: see text] sol gives rise to refined coating surface with well-distributed [Formula: see text] nanoparticles, leading to significantly enhanced properties. The microhardness and wear resistance of the [Formula: see text] nanocomposite coating (12 mL/L [Formula: see text] sol) upsurges owing to the strengthening effect of highly dispersed [Formula: see text] nanoparticles. We also suggest that the excessive addition of [Formula: see text] sol should be avoided as it will result in an inferior coating quality with a loose structure for the prepared [Formula: see text] deposits.
Propagation characteristics of astigmatic mixed-pattern solitons in strongly nonlocal nonlinear media
Authors: Dai Zhiping , Jia Shuai , Yang Zhenjun
Published: December 2019

This paper discusses the propagation characteristics of astigmatic mixed-pattern solitons in strongly nonlocal nonlinear media. From the initial expression of the astigmatic mixed-pattern soliton, it is found that the propagation pattern of solitons can be divided into three different cases: oval type, two-petal type and four-petal type. We further derive the beam propagation expression, and solve the analytical expressions of the intensity, beam width, power and curvature of the soliton. Through numerical simulation, we made a series of graphs and carried on the necessary elaboration. The propagation dynamics are described emphatically and the propagation characteristics are discussed in detail.
IntaRNAhelix-composing RNA–RNA interactions from stable inter-molecular helices boosts bacterial sRNA target prediction
Authors: Gelhausen Rick , Will Sebastian , Hofacker Ivo L. , Backofen Rolf , Raden Martin
Published: December 2019

Efficient computational tools for the identification of putative target RNAs regulated by prokaryotic sRNAs rely on thermodynamic models of RNA secondary structures. While they typically predict RNA–RNA interaction complexes accurately, they yield many highly-ranked false positives in target screens. One obvious source of this low specificity appears to be the disability of current secondary-structure-based models to reflect steric constraints, which nevertheless govern the kinetic formation of RNA–RNA interactions. For example, often — even thermodynamically favorable — extensions of short initial kissing hairpin interactions are kinetically prohibited, since this would require unwinding of intra-molecular helices as well as sterically impossible bending of the interaction helix. Another source is the consideration of instable and thus unlikely subinteractions that enable better scoring of longer interactions. In consequence, the efficient prediction methods that do not consider such effects show a high false positive rate.

To increase the prediction accuracy we devise IntaRNAhelix, a dynamic programming algorithm that length-restricts the runs of consecutive inter-molecular base pairs (perfect canonical stackings), which we hypothesize to implicitly model the steric and kinetic effects. The novel method is implemented by extending the state-of-the-art tool IntaRNA.

Our comprehensive bacterial sRNA target prediction benchmark demonstrates significant improvements of the prediction accuracy and enables more than 40-times faster computations. These results indicate — supporting our hypothesis — that stable helix composition increases the accuracy of interaction prediction models compared to the current state-of-the-art approach.
Inclined Perimeter Drains Performance as Liquefaction Countermeasure Techniques Below Existing Buildings
Authors: Garcıáa-Torres Samy , Madabhushi Gopal Santana Phani
Published: December 2019

Reducing the risk of structural damage due to earthquake-induced liquefaction in new and existing buildings is a challenging problem in geotechnical engineering. Drainage countermeasure techniques against liquefaction have been studied over the last decades with an emphasis on the use of vertical drains. This technique aims to allow a rapid dissipation of excess pore pressures generated in the soil during the earthquake thereby limiting the peak excess pore pressures and consequently improve the structural response. Rapid drainage in the post-earthquake period in the presence of these drains helps quick recovery of the soil strength. Recent studies propose different variations in the vertical drains arrangement to improve the excess pore pressure redistribution in the soil around structures. However, conventional arrangements for existing buildings do not achieve an adequate proximity from the drains to the soil below the foundation. To address this, the performance of inclined and vertical perimeter drain arrangements are studied in this paper. Dynamic centrifuge tests were carried out for the different arrangements in order to evaluate the excess pore pressure generation due to ground shaking and the following dissipation together with the foundation settlement and dynamic response.
Development of calibration models for rapid determination of moisture content in rubber sheets using portable near-infrared spectrometers
Authors: Puttipipatkajorn Amorndej , Puttipipatkajorn Amornrit
Published: December 2019

Rubber sheets are one of the primary products of natural rubber and are the main raw material in various rubber industries. The quality of a rubber sheet can be visually examined by holding it against clear light to inspect for any specks and impurities inside, but its moisture content is difficult to evaluate based on a visual inspection and this might lead to unfair trading. Herein, we developed a rapid, robust and nondestructive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based method for moisture content determination in rubber sheets. A set of 300 rubber sheets were divided into a calibration (200 samples) and prediction groups (100 samples). The calibration set was used to develop NIRS calibration equation using different calibration models, Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR), Least Square Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Among the models investigated, the ANN model with the first derivative of spectral preprocessing presented the best prediction with a coefficient of determination ([Formula: see text] of 0.993, root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.126% and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.179%. The results indicated that the proposed NIRS-ANN model will be able to reduce human error and provide a highly accurate estimate of the moisture content in a rubber sheet compared to traditional wet chemistry estimation methods according to AOAC standards.
Empirics for Marginal Product of Capital
Authors: Hung Ly Dai
Published: December 2019

We characterize the marginal product of capital on a cross-section data of 88 economies over 1980–2013. The marginal product of capital is increasing on savings misallocation rate, measuring the fraction of savings unconverted into investment, on productivity growth and on financial openness. One country with a higher marginal product of capital makes more domestic investment, receives more foreign direct investment (FDI) and equities inflows, but accumulates more foreign debts and reserves. Moreover, it also has a higher financial development level.
Hybrid binary Sine Cosine Algorithm and Ant Lion Optimization (SCALO) approaches for feature selection problem
Authors: Hans Rahul , Kaur Harjot
Published: December 2019

These days, a massive quantity of data is produced online and is incorporated into a variety of datasets in the form of features, however there are lot of features in these datasets that may not be relevant to the problem. In this perspective, feature selection aids to improve the classification accuracy with lesser number of features, which can be well thought-out as an optimization problem. In this paper, Sine Cosine Algorithm (SCA) hybridized with Ant Lion Optimizer (ALO) to form a hybrid Sine Cosine Ant Lion Optimizer (SCALO) is proposed. The proposed algorithm is mapped to its binary versions by using the concept of transfer functions, with the objective to eliminate the inappropriate features and to enhance the accuracy of the classification algorithm (or in any case remains the same). For the purpose of experimentation, this research considers 18 diverse datasets and moreover, the performance of the binary versions of SCALO is compared with some of the latest metaheuristic algorithms, on the basis of various criterions. It can be observed that the binary versions of SCALO perform better than the other algorithms on various evaluation criterions for solving feature selection problem.
A* search
Authors: Davis James W. , Hachtel Jeff
Published: December 2019

A search for algorithmic answers returns unique results.
FailAmp
Authors: Briggs Ian , Das Arnab , Baranowski Mark , Sharma Vishal , Krishnamoorthy Sriram , Rakamarić Zvonimir , Gopalakrishnan Ganesh
Published: December 2019

We present FailAmp, a novel LLVM program transformation algorithm that makes programs employing structured index calculations more robust against soft errors. Without FailAmp, an offset error can go undetected; with FailAmp, all subsequent offsets are relativized, building on the faulty one. FailAmp can exploit ISAs such as ARM to further reduce overheads. We verify correctness properties of FailAMP using an SMT solver, and present a thorough evaluation using many high-performance computing benchmarks under a fault injection campaign. FailAmp provides full soft-error detection for address calculation while incurring an average overhead of around 5%.
Multisensor Adaptive Control System for IoT-Empowered Smart Lighting with Oblivious Mobile Sensors
Authors: Karapetyan Areg , Chau Sid Chi-Kin , Elbassioni Khaled , Azman Syafiq Kamarul , Khonji Majid
Published: December 2019

The Internet-of-Things (IoT) has engendered a new paradigm of integrated sensing and actuation systems for intelligent monitoring and control of smart homes and buildings. One viable manifestation is that of IoT-empowered smart lighting systems, which rely on the interplay between smart light bulbs (equipped with controllable LED devices and wireless connectivity) and mobile sensors (possibly embedded in users’ wearable devices such as smart watches, spectacles, and gadgets) to provide automated illuminance control functions tailored to users’ preferences (e.g., of brightness, color intensity, or color temperature). Typically, practical deployment of these systems precludes the adoption of sophisticated but costly location-aware sensors capable of accurately mapping out the details of a dynamic operational environment. Instead, cheap
oblivious mobile sensors
are often utilized, which are plagued with uncertainty in their relative locations to sensors and light bulbs. The imposed volatility, in turn, impedes the design of effective smart lighting systems for uncertain indoor environments with multiple sensors and light bulbs. With this in view, the present article sheds light on the adaptive control algorithms and modeling of such systems. First, a general model formulation of an oblivious multisensor illuminance control problem is proposed, yielding a robust framework agnostic to a dynamic surrounding environment and time-varying background light sources. Under this model, we devise efficient algorithms inducing continuous adaptive lighting control that minimizes energy consumption of light bulbs while meeting users’ preferences. The algorithms are then studied under extensive empirical evaluations in a proof-of-concept smart lighting testbed featuring LIFX programmable bulbs and smartphones (deployed as light sensing units). Lastly, we conclude by discussing the potential improvements in hardware development and highlighting promising directions for future work.