bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE ENGINE THAT DRIVES THE INDUSTRY'S GROWTH
Authors: Tsujimura Takatoshi
Published: July 2020

Amid the turbulence brought on by the COVID‐19 pandemic, SID decided to hold this year's Display Week online. By making that shift, we'll be able to continue our mission while ensuring attendees’ safety. We've even discovered some digital tools that will help us improve the symposium experience, well after the pandemic has subsided. It isn't lost on me that our event was saved by the very thing we create: technology, specifically displays.
ID Asks/Bryan Reimer
Authors: Blankenbach Karlheinz
Published: July 2020

As a mobility futurist and automotive‐safety expert, Reimer has the industry's ear on emerging car technologies.
Reply: “Spinal nerve pathology in Guillain–Barré syndrome associated with COVID‐19 infection”
Authors: Oguz‐Akarsu Emel , Ozpar Rifat , Hakyemez Bahattin , Karli Necdet
Published: July 2020

See article on pages E74–E75 in this issue.
Personalized medicine for children with spinal muscular atrophy: Toward the holy grail
Authors: D'Silva Arlene , Farrar Michelle A.
Published: July 2020

See article on pages 351–357 in issue MUS 62:3.
Spinal nerve pathology in Guillain‐Barré syndrome associated with COVID‐19 infection
Authors: Berciano José , Gallardo Elena
Published: July 2020

See article on pages E76 in this issue.
A probable case of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis from an early modern crypt in Eastern Germany
Authors: Indra Lara I. , Alterauge Amelie , Lösch Sandra
Published: July 2020

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a non‐inflammatory joint disease mainly characterised by the ossification of the right anterior longitudinal ligament and the presence of enthesopathies. Studies have shown that the disease typically affects males of advanced age. This is a case report of a female individual, aged between 40 and 60 years, dating to 1,472–1,635 AD and found in Eastern Germany. A differential diagnosis was completed following macroscopic examination and radiographic imaging of the affected bones. The results show several pathological features that resemble skeletal characteristics of DISH, besides other diseases. Therefore, we discuss DISH and provide a differential diagnosis of additional pathologies. Our case is particularly important because ancient female DISH cases are underrepresented and the burial location indicates a possible noble or monastic context, both linked with a lifestyle known to be related to DISH.
Phase transitions and mechanical properties of nitrocellulose plasticized by glycidyl azide polymer and nitroglycerine
Authors: Comtois Etienne , Favis Basil D. , Dubois Charles
Published: July 2020

Films of nitrocellulose (NC), glycidyl azide polymer (GAP), and nitroglycerine (NG) have been evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile testing. The SEM micrographs demonstrate that, even at low GAP concentration, a portion of GAP will coalesce into spherical domains due to a saturation effect. This is related to the inability of higher molecular weight GAP to effectively situate itself between NC polymer chains. The addition of a small fraction of lower molecular weight NG completely changes this behavior. DMA confirms that two transitions are present and can be attributed to a plasticizer rich phase (β), a polymer rich phase (α) and that NC plasticized with GAP is in accordance with the Gordon‐Taylor equation. Tensile results show that the addition of a small fraction of NG to a NC/GAP based‐formulation increases elongation at break to values similar to that of the NC/NG base formulation. The combination of these two plasticizers, GAP and NG, allows for the plasticization of NC at significantly lower environmental and human toxicity levels.
Major challenges and opportunities in silicon solar module recycling
Authors: Tao Meng , Fthenakis Vasilis , Ebin Burcak , Steenari Britt‐Marie , Butler Evelyn , Sinha Parikhit , Corkish Richard , Wambach Karsten , Simon Ethan S.
Published: July 2020

This article examines some of the basic questions about silicon module recycling: (1) What can be recovered from silicon modules? (2) What recycling technologies are needed? (3) What are the potential revenues for different recycling scenarios? And (4) what are the major challenges for different recycling scenarios? Three recycling scenarios are considered: module reuse, component extraction, and material extraction. Recycling process sequences for different scenarios are outlined. The discussions conclude that module reuse generates the highest revenue with the fewest processing steps, while material extraction leads to the lowest revenue with the most processing steps. It is suggested that gentle and clean separation of silicon solar cells from the glass pane is a critical technology for silicon module recycling. It is also argued that two low‐concentration metals must be recovered from silicon modules: silver as a scarce material and lead as a toxic material. Their recovery requires chemical methods, while bulky materials including glass cullet, aluminum frame, and copper wiring can be recovered with physical methods. The silicon in the cells can be extracted with different qualities: ferro‐silicon, metallurgical‐grade silicon, or solar‐grade silicon, with a higher revenue and more complicated recycling process for purer silicon. Markets outside the solar industry for the recovered silicon should be explored. The biggest challenge for module reuse is to find a large and sustained market for hundreds of gigawatts peak of decommissioned modules a year, and the biggest challenge for component extraction is the many different module and cell structures on the market and cell efficiency variability. For all the three scenarios, the cost of collecting and processing waste modules is a common challenge.
Weak Gravity Conjecture in de Sitter Space‐Time
Authors: Antoniadis Ignatios , Benakli Karim
Published: July 2020

We propose a generalisation of the Weak Gravity Conjecture in de Sitter space by studying charged black‐holes and comparing the gravitational and an abelian gauge forces. Using the same condition as in flat space, namely the absence of black‐hole remnants, one finds that for a given mass m there should be a state with a charge q bigger than a minimal value , depending on the mass and the de Sitter radius l, in Planck units. In the large radius flat space limit (large l), leading to the known result , while in the highly curved case (small l) qmin behaves as . We also discuss the example of the gauged R‐symmetry in  supergravity.
Synthesis and bioactivity of (13Z,15E)‐octadecadienal: A sex pheromone component from Micromelalopha siversi Staudinger (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae)
Authors: Liu Fu , Guo Li , Zhang Sufang , Kong Xiangbo , Zhang Zhen
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

Micromelalopha siversi (Staudinger) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is a defoliator of poplar trees, Populus spp. (Salicaceae). In our previous study, 13,15‐octadecadienal has been conformed as a female‐produced candidate sex pheromone component of M. siversi, but the Z/E stereochemistry of the 1,3‐diene system has not been identified so far.

RESULTS

Four unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes, Z13,E15‐18:Ald, Z13,Z15‐18:Ald, E13,E15‐18:Ald, and E13,Z15‐18:Ald, were synthesized from the commercially available 12‐bromo‐1‐decanol mainly by alkylation of lithium alkyne, normal Wittig or Wittig–Schlosser olefination, and hydroboration‐protonolysis. According to gas chromatography (GC) analysis of pheromone gland extracts, Z13,E15‐18:Ald was the main component, and a small amount of Z13,Z15‐18:Ald was also detected, with a ratio of approximately 7:3. However, the results of GC‐electroantennographic detection (GC‐EAD) showed that Z13,E15‐18:Ald was the only compound with electrophysiological activity, whereas Z13,Z15‐18:Ald elicited no activity. In the field, traps baited with only Z13,E15‐18:Ald resulted in much superior results to those with Z13,Z15‐18:Ald as well as the Z13,E15‐18:Ald and Z13,Z15‐18:Ald binary mixture.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on geometrically selective synthesis and bioactivity tests, the active sex pheromone component of M. siversi has been identified as Z13,E15‐18:Ald, the pheromone component that has not been identified in Lepidoptera before. The synthetic component was attractive to male moths in preliminary field traps, which provides novel technologies to monitor and control this pest.
RNAi‐mediated mortality in southern green stinkbug Nezara viridula by oral delivery of dsRNA
Authors: Sharma Rohit , Christiaens Olivier , Taning Clauvis NT , Smagghe Guy
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

The southern green stinkbug, Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is an important emerging polyphagous pest infesting soybean in the United States, Brazil and Argentina. The indiscriminate use of synthetic insecticides to control stinkbugs has limited the effectiveness of current management strategies. Alternatively, RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a novel mode of action to control pests in an eco‐friendly manner.

RESULTS

Here, we assessed the potential of RNAi technology by oral delivery of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) for the control of N. viridula. Initially, ten candidate genes were tested by microinjection assay to select the best target genes for oral delivery. Seven genes resulted in more than 90% mortality after microinjection. To evaluate RNAi efficacy by oral delivery of dsRNA, five genes were tested by feeding the insects on gene‐specific dsRNA mixed with an artificial diet. Significant mortality of 43% and 45% was observed after 14 days of treatment with dsαCop and dsvATPase A, respectively. To elucidate the lower RNAi efficacy via oral delivery of dsRNA, ex vivo dsRNA degradation in the saliva and the midgut juice was performed, which indicated that the reduced RNAi efficacy is accompanied by a rapid degradation of dsRNA by digestive secretions.

CONCLUSION

This study proves that RNAi can be triggered by orally delivered dsRNA in N. viridula and can be exploited to control this economically important pest. The reduced stability of dsRNA in saliva and midgut that was observed indicates a need to further improve RNAi efficacy, for example by use of specific formulations.
An index to assess the extent and success of river and floodplain restoration: Recognising dynamic response trajectories and applying a process‐based approach to managing river recovery
Authors: Fuller Ian C. , Death Russell G. , Garcia J. Horacio , Trenc Neven , Pratt Renae , Pitiot Claudie , Matoš Bojan , Ollero Alfredo , Neverman Andrew , Death Amanda
Published: July 2020

How should the success of river and floodplain restoration be assessed? What should we be restoring? We contend that the benchmark for restoration should be the river in its “natural,” that is, quasi‐equilibrium condition prior to deliberate modification. The pre‐modification condition of the river represents a quasi‐equilibrium state in which the river accommodates and adjusts to catchment water and sediment fluxes, whether in a pristine or modified catchment. The resulting assemblage of river landforms (e.g., bars, channels, backwaters) is in balance with the prevailing flood and sediment regime. Furthermore, equilibrium channel forms can adjust to changes in, for example, flood magnitude and frequency via for example, channel expansion or contraction. A restored river system is one that once was anthropogenically restricted, but now has regained capacity to adjust its form. River restoration needs understanding of the history and trajectory of pre‐modification channels, so that the “right” river type can be restored. To assess the scope and success of restoration, we propose using a natural character index (NCI). The NCI is the ratio between a parameter which describes the form and function of a river now (observed) and the same parameter measured at a point or points in time past (expected). Exemplar parameters include sinuosity, floodplain width, active channel width, bar area (at a given flow) and riparian vegetation. Measurement of these parameters utilizes a combination of aerial photos, archive maps and LiDAR‐derived terrain models, the availability of which necessarily limits and determines what parameters can be used in NCI assessment. LiDAR is a useful tool providing an opportunity to comprehend pre‐modification river and floodplain character. We illustrate the NCI concept and its potential for use in assessing restoration effects using examples from New Zealand, Spain and Croatia. The result is an index of use as a “first cut” preliminary assessment for river practitioners.
Lateral Monolayer MoSe2–WSe2 p–n Heterojunctions with Giant Built‐In Potentials
Authors: Jia Shuai , Jin Zehua , Zhang Jing , Yuan Jiangtan , Chen Weibing , Feng Wei , Hu Pingan , Ajayan Pulickel M. , Lou Jun
Published: July 2020

2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have exhibited strong application potentials in new emerging electronics because of their atomic thin structure and excellent flexibility, which is out of field of tradition silicon technology. Similar to 3D p–n junctions, 2D p–n heterojunctions by laterally connecting TMDs with different majority charge carriers (electrons and holes), provide ideal platform for current rectifiers, light‐emitting diodes, diode lasers and photovoltaic devices. Here, growth and electrical studies of atomic thin high‐quality p–n heterojunctions between molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) and tungsten diselenide (WSe2) by one‐step chemical vapor deposition method are reported. These p–n heterojunctions exhibit high built‐in potential (≈0.7 eV), resulting in large current rectification ratio without any gate control for diodes, and fast response time (≈6 ms) for self‐powered photodetectors. The simple one‐step growth and electrical studies of monolayer lateral heterojunctions open up the possibility to use TMD heterojunctions for functional devices.
Single‐Photomolecular Nanotheranostics for Synergetic Near‐Infrared Fluorescence and Photoacoustic Imaging‐Guided Highly Effective Photothermal Ablation
Authors: Xiao Ya‐Fang , Xiang Chenyang , Li Shengliang , Mao Cong , Chen Haoting , Chen Jia‐Xiong , Tian Shuang , Cui Xiao , Wan Yingpeng , Huang Zhongming , Li Xiaozhen , Zhang Xiao‐Hong , Guo Weisheng , Lee Chun‐Sing
Published: July 2020

Multi‐modality imaging‐guided cancer therapy is considered as a powerful theranostic platform enabling simultaneous precise diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, recently reported multifunctional systems with multiple components and sophisticate structures remain major obstacles for further clinical translation. In this work, a single‐photomolecular theranostic nanoplatform is fabricated via a facile nanoprecipitation strategy. By encapsulating a semiconductor oligomer (IT‐S) into an amphiphilic lipid, water‐dispersible IT‐S nanoparticles (IT‐S NPs) are prepared. The obtained IT‐S NPs have a very simple construction and possess ultra‐stable near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence (FL)/photoacoustic (PA) dual‐modal imaging and high photothermal conversion efficiency of 72.3%. Accurate spatiotemporal distribution profiles of IT‐S NPs are successfully visualized by NIR FL/PA dual‐modal imaging. With the comprehensive in vivo imaging information provided by IT‐S NPs, tumor photothermal ablation is readily realized under precise manipulation of laser irradiation, which greatly improves the therapeutic efficacy without any obvious side effects. Therefore, the IT‐S NPs allow high tumor therapeutic efficacy under the precise guidance of FL/PA imaging techniques and thus hold great potential as an effective theranostic platform for future clinical applications.
Elongated‐Geminiarene: Syntheses, Solid‐State Conformational Investigations, and Application in Aromatics/Cyclic Aliphatics Separation
Authors: Wu Jia‐Rui , Wang Yan , Yang Ying‐Wei
Published: July 2020

Energy‐saving separation and purification of industrially important compounds with similar physical and chemical properties by novel molecular crystalline materials are of great importance and highly desired. Here a newly enlarged version of geminiarene, namely elongated‐geminiarene (ElGA), is first designed and synthesized. Taking advantages of both geminiarenes and biphenarenes, ElGA shows great features including scalable synthesis, nanometer‐sized cavity, rich blend of conformational features, and excellent solid‐state host–guest properties. Significantly, the functional crystalline materials of ElGA are highly effective in the separation of aromatics and cyclic aliphatics, showing a preference for dimethylbenzene over its corresponding hydrogenation products and paving a new avenue for separation science and industry.
Novel Bimodal Silver Nanowire Network as Top Electrodes for Reproducible and High‐Efficiency Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Xiong Yuan , Booth Ronald E. , Kim Taesoo , Ye Long , Liu Yuxuan , Dong Qi , Zhang Maojie , So Franky , Zhu Yong , Amassian Aram , O'Connor Brendan T. , Ade Harald
Published: July 2020

Semitransparent organic photovoltaics (ST‐OPVs) provide a potentially facile route for some applications in building integrated photovoltaics. One of the challenges in developing large‐scale, printable ST‐OPVs is to address the need for high‐performance and fully solution‐processed top electrodes, allowing the replacement of the evaporated thin metallic films (Ag, Au, and Al). Silver nanowire (AgNW) is considered a promising candidate for the substitution due to its excellent transparency, conductivity, and solution processability. Herein, a novel bimodal AgNW (AgNW‐BM) electrode is reported, comprising AgNWs of two different aspect ratios. It is shown that the AgNW‐BM film achieves lower sheet resistance and higher visible transmittance than each monodisperse AgNW film, respectively. Furthermore, ST‐OPVs based on PTB7‐Th:IEICO‐4F with AgNW‐BM top electrodes are fabricated, which can obtain a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.49% with an average visible transmittance (AVT) of 33%. The ST‐devices also demonstrate an enhanced reproducibility and excellent color‐rendering index of 90. In addition, the bimodal top electrode is successfully implemented in the PM6:Y6 system with a higher PCE of 9.79% and with an AVT of 23%, demonstrating the universality for various semiconductor systems. Our work provides a simple strategy to realize fully solution‐processed, highly efficient ST‐OPVs.
The influence of aging on the fracture characteristics of recycled aggregate concrete through three methods
Authors: Fallahnejad Hossein , Davoodi Mohammad Reza , Nikbin Iman Mohammadpour
Published: July 2020

In this research, to assess the impact of aging on the fracture properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), three‐point bending tests were carried out on 260 specimens. Then, work of fracture method (WFM), size effect method (SEM), and boundary effect method (BEM) were utilized for analysis of fracture parameters. The result showed that fracture energy values for RAC were 4.2%, 7.1%, 22.7% and 24.2% less than natural aggregate concrete (NAC) ones at 3, 7, 28 and 90 days, respectively. Based on calculation of the characteristic length, the behavior of RAC is more ductile than NAC at early ages. However, through time, the ductility of RAC becomes less than NAC. On average, the ratio of fracture energy achieved from WFM (GF) to initial fracture energy achieved from SEM (Gf) for RAC and NAC was 2.38 and 2.14, respectively. The comparison of fracture energy obtained by BEM and modified WFM showed that these values were close to each other.
Clinical noninvasive imaging and spectroscopic tools for dermatological applications: Review of recent progress
Authors: Attia Amalina Binte Ebrahim , Bi Renzhe , Dev Kapil , Du Yao , Olivo Malini
Published: July 2020

Dermatologists mainly entrust visual clinical examinations in conjunction with histopathology for an informed skin condition diagnosis, which is invasive and not adequate to assess skin conditions still present in subcutaneous skin layers. With emerging complementary imaging and spectroscopic technologies currently available, the assessment of skin conditions is more accessible than before. This review article will cover these technologies including: photoacoustic imaging, reflectance confocal microscopy, multiphoton microscopy, optical coherence tomography and confocal Raman spectroscopy. The basic concepts of these technologies and their configurations will be touched on, together with their limitations and future directions. The review article will discuss how these technologies are utilized for cutaneous applications, examining studies accomplished either in vivo on humans or on ex vivo human specimens.
The nature, significance, and influence of perceived personal experience of climate change
Authors: Reser Joseph P. , Bradley Graham L.
Published: July 2020

Following a previous 2014 review of perceived personal experience of climate change, the authors review relevant research published or reported between January 2014 and mid‐year 2019. The review findings suggest that the nature, significance, and influence of perceived personal experience of natural environment changes, conditions, and events deemed to be likely consequences of global climate change have been problematically conceptualized, researched, reported, and understood by many climate change scientists and by reporters of climate change science and their audiences. The nature,psychologicalsignificance, andpsychologicaladaptation and issue engagement influence of personal experience of perceived environmental manifestations of climate change are arguably central considerations with respect to the human dimensions of climate change. These matters encompass public understanding of climate change science, both internal and external adaptation processes, and the psychological impacts of the ongoing stressor of climate change. They also affect issue engagement and behavioral change. It is increasingly necessary that existing issues with discipline‐based assumptive worlds, constructs and measures—and often unclear research and policy questions and objectives—be identified, clarified, and addressed. This particularly matters when researchers and policy makers are addressing public risk perceptions, understandings, and responses to global climate change, ideally to inform and enhance policies directed at climate change mitigation and adaptation, or, alternatively framed, directed towards public issue engagement and ‘psychologically significant’ as well as ‘environmentally significant’ behavioral change.

This article is categorized under:

 Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change
The business of rapid transition
Authors: Newell Peter
Published: July 2020

In a context of climate emergency and calls from the IPCC for “transformative systemic change,” we need to revisit the role of business in helping to accelerate responses to climate crisis. The scale and depth of the challenges facing business have intensified in ways which force us to refocus our research on questions of urgency and speed, as well as the growing need for new and alternative business models and a fundamental re‐balancing of the economy. There is a large literature dealing with business responses to climate change from a range of perspectives and disciplines covering issues such as corporate strategy and public policy engagement. But I argue that the question of the nature and speed of change now required, and whether there are historical and contemporary precedents for accelerated transitions within and beyond business, must assume a more central place in our research. This must be alongside growing efforts to understand how business will adapt to climate chaos. This conclusion implies a closer engagement and cross‐fertilization of ideas with scholars of sustainability transitions, for example. Here, there is growing interest in the question of how to accelerate transitions, but where greater attention is required to the role of business actors.

This article is categorized under:

The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Decarbonizing Energy and/or Reducing Demand

Policy and Governance > Private Governance of Climate Change
A shooting method for nonlinear boundary value problems in a thermal piezoelectric semiconductor plate
Authors: Zhao MingHao , Yang Changhai , Fan CuiYing , Zhang QiaoYun
Published: July 2020

Based on the pyroelectricity, piezoelectricity, and thermoelasticity in nonlinear constitutive equations, we report a thermal piezoelectric semiconductor model under a mechanical load, a Schottky contact boundary condition, and a temperature gradient. To solve this nonlinear boundary value problem, we propose a shooting method. In comparison with the results obtained by COMSOL, the shooting method is reliable. Furthermore, the influence of the temperature gradient on the extended displacements and stress fields is discussed. The numerical results show that a small change in the temperature has the remarkable effect on a mechanical electric field in thermal piezoelectric semiconductors.
Vibrations and buckling of orthotropic small‐scale plates with complex shape based on modified couple stress theory
Authors: Mazur Olga , Kurpa Lidiya , Awrejcewicz Jan
Published: July 2020

Free vibrations of microplates with non‐classical shape are considered in the paper. Governing equations are based on the modified couple stress theory and Kirchhoff–Love plate theory. It is assumed that the plate is isotropic or orthotropic and satisfy various boundary conditions. An analysis is performed by the variational‐structural method which is based on R‐functions theory and Ritz method. The testing of the proposed method is carried out by comparison with known in literature results and analytical solutions. The developed method is applied to the study of the influence of the material length scale parameter, boundary conditions, shape parameters, material characteristics on vibration frequencies. Also, size‐dependent analysis for buckling of the isotropic and orthotropic microplate subjected to uniaxial load is performed by the proposed approach. Critical loads for a plate with complex shape, different types of boundary conditions and material are calculated in order to study their effect on buckling.
A quantum circuit interpretation of evaporating black hole geometry
Authors: Zhao Ying
Published: July 2020

Abstract

We give a quantum circuit interpretation of evaporating black hole geometry. We make an analogy between the appearance of island for evaporating black hole and the transition from two-sided to one-sided black hole in the familiar example of perturbed thermofield double. If Alice perturbs thermofield double and waits for scrambling time, she will have a one-sided black hole with interior of her own. We argue that by similar mechanism the radiation gets access to the interior (island forms) after Page time. The growth of the island happens as a result of the constant transitions from two-sided to one-sided black holes.
Non-Gaussian entanglement renormalization for quantum fields
Authors: Fernández-Melgarejo J.J. , Molina-Vilaplana J.
Published: July 2020

Abstract

In this work, a non-Gaussian cMERA tensor network for interacting quantum field theories (icMERA) is presented. This consists of a continuous tensor network circuit in which the generator of the entanglement renormalization of the wavefunction is nonperturbatively extended with nonquadratic variational terms. The icMERA circuit nonperturbatively implements a set of scale dependent nonlinear transformations on the fields of the theory, which suppose a generalization of the scale dependent linear transformations induced by the Gaussian cMERA circuit. Here we present these transformations for the case of self-interacting scalar and fermionic field theories. Finally, the icMERA tensor network is fully optimized for the λϕ4 theory in (1 + 1) dimensions. This allows us to evaluate, nonperturbatively, the connected parts of the two- and four-point correlation functions. Our results show that icMERA wavefunctionals encode proper non-Gaussian correlations of the theory, thus providing a new variational tool to study phenomena related with strongly interacting field theories.
Toric varieties and Gröbner bases: the complete $$\mathbb {Q}$$-factorial case
Authors: Rossi Michele , Terracini Lea
Published: July 2020

We present two algorithms determining all the complete and simplicial fans admitting a fixed non-degenerate set of vectorsVas generators of their 1-skeleton. The interplay of the two algorithms allows us to discerning if the associated toric varieties admit a projective embedding, in principle for any values of dimension and Picard number. The first algorithm is slower than the second one, but it computes all complete and simplicial fans supported byVand lead us to formulate a topological-combinatoric conjecture about the definition of a fan. On the other hand, we adapt the Sturmfels’ arguments on the Gröbner fan of toric ideals to our complete case; we give a characterization of the Gröbner region and show an explicit correspondence between Gröbner cones and chambers of the secondary fan. A homogenization procedure of the toric ideal associated toVallows us to employing GFAN and related software in producing our second algorithm. The latter turns out to be much faster than the former, although it can compute only the projective fans supported byV. We provide examples and a list of open problems. In particular we give examples of rationally parametrized families of$$\mathbb {Q}$$Q-factorial complete toric varieties behaving in opposite way with respect to the dimensional jump of the nef cone over a special fibre.
Short‐ and Long‐Term Outcomes of Laparoscopic Organ‐Sparing Resection for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Authors: Zhang Ren‐Chao , Ma Jun , Mou Yi‐Ping , Zhou Yu‐Cheng , Jin Wei‐Wei , Lu Chao
Published: July 2020

Background

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) are rare neoplasms associated with a long life expectancy after resection. In this setting, patients may benefit from laparoscopic organ‐sparing resection. Studies of laparoscopic organ‐sparing resection for PNENs are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short‐ and long‐term outcomes of laparoscopic organ‐sparing resection for PNENs.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed for patients with PNENs who underwent laparoscopic organ‐sparing pancreatectomy between March 2005 and May 2018. The patients’ demographic data, operative results, pathological reports, hospital courses and morbidity, mortality, and follow‐up data (until August 2018) were analysed.

Results

Thirty‐five patients were included in the final analysis. There were 9 male and 26 female patients, with a median age of 46 years (range 25–75 years). The mean BMI was 24.6 ± 3.3 kg/m2. Nine patients received laparoscopic enucleation (LE), 20 received laparoscopic spleen‐preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP), and 6 received laparoscopic central pancreatectomy. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, transfusion rate, and postoperative hospital stay were 186.4 ± 60.2 min, 165 ± 73.0 ml, 0 days, and 9 days (range 5–23 days), respectively. The morbidity rate, grade ≥ III complication rate, and grade ≥ B pancreatic fistula rate were 34.2%, 11.4%, and 8.7%, respectively, with no mortality. The rate of follow‐up was 94.3%, and the median follow‐up time was 55 months (range 3–158 months). One patient developed recurrence 36 months after LE and was managed with surgical resection. The other patients survived without metastases or recurrence during the follow‐up. One patient had diabetes after LSPDP, and no patients had symptoms of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Nineteen patients who underwent LSPDP (16 with the Kimura technique and 3 with the Warshaw technique) were followed. Normal patency of the splenic artery and vein was observed in 14 and 14 patients within 1 month of surgery and in 15 and 14 patients 6 months or more after the operation, respectively. Partial splenic infarction was observed in 3 patients within 1 month of surgery and in no patients 6 months or more after the operation. Three patients eventually developed collateral venous vessels around the gastric fundus and reserved spleen, with one case of variceal bleeding.

Conclusions

Laparoscopic organ‐sparing resection for selected cases of PNENs is safe and feasible and has favourable short‐ and long‐term outcomes.
Leitlinienbasierte Aufarbeitung und Befundung von Lymphonodektomiepräparaten und Sentinel-Lymphknoten gynäkologischer Malignome
Authors: Höhn Anne Kathrin , Brambs Christine E. , Erber Ramona , Hiller Grit Gesine Ruth , Mayr Doris , Schmidt Dietmar , Schmoeckel Elisa , Horn Lars‑Christian
Published: July 2020

Die Aufarbeitung von Lymphonodektomiepräparaten gynäkologischer Malignome orientiert sich an den nationalen AWMF-Leitlinien und internationalen Empfehlungen. Die Definition von Mikrometastasen und isolierten Tumorzellen entspricht den Festlegungen der UICC(Union Internationale Contre le Cancer)/TNM(TNM-Klassifikation maligner Tumoren). Deren Nachweis soll im Befundbericht erwähnt werden sowie in die Tumorklassifikation einfließen. Alle übersandten Lymphknoten (LK) sollen untersucht werden mit vollständiger Einbettung aller LK bis 0,3 cm und Lamellierung aller größeren Lymphknoten parallel zu ihrer kurzen Achse in ca. 0,2 cm dicken Scheiben. Bestandteile des histologischen Befundberichtes sind: Zahl der befallenen LK im Verhältnis zur Zahl der entfernten/untersuchten LK entsprechend der Entnahmelokalisationen, metrische Ausdehnung der größten LK-Metastase, Fehlen/Nachweis einer extrakapsulären Ausbreitung. Zuschnitt und Einbettung von Sentinel-LK mit oder ohne Schnellschnittuntersuchung erfolgt in Analogie zu Nicht-Sentinel-LK mit Anfertigung von ca. 3 HE-gefärbten Stufenschnitten in einem Abstand von ca. 200 µm sowohl vom Gefrier- als auch Paraffinblock. Stellen sich die Sentinel-LK in der HE-Färbung negativ dar, soll ein immunhistochemisches Ultrastaging erfolgen.
Quantitative Short-pulse Acoustic Microscopy and Application to Materials
Characterization
Authors: Matikas Theodore E.
Published: July 2020

A new acoustic microscopy method was developed for providing
near-surface elastic property mapping of a material. This method has a
number of advantages over the traditional V(z) technique. First, it enables
one to perform measurements in an automated mode that only requires user
intervention in the setup phase. This automated mode makes it feasible to
obtain quantitative microscopy images of the elastic property over an area
on the material being tested. Also, it only requires a conventional
ultrasonic system operating in pulsed mode for collecting the data, rather
than a specialized tone-burst system, which is needed in the traditional
quantitative scanning acoustic microscopy technique. Finally, unlike the
traditional method, the new experimental process does not require
calibration of the systems electronics or additional reference data taken
under hard-to-duplicate identical conditions from a material that does not
exhibit surface acoustic waves.
Do beds of subtidal estuarine seagrass constitute a refuge for macrobenthic biodiversity threatened intertidally?
Authors: Barnes R. S. K. , Claassens L.
Published: July 2020

Biodiversity differentials between macrobenthic assemblages associated with adjacent intertidal and subtidal areas of a single seagrass system were investigated for the first time. Assemblage metrics of conservation relevance—faunal abundance and its patchiness, faunal richness, and beta diversity—were examined at four contrasting dwarf-eelgrass localities in the Knysna estuarine bay, part of South Africa's Garden Route National Park but a system whose intertidal areas are heavily impacted anthropogenically. Faunal assemblages were significantly different across all localities and between subtidal and intertidal levels at each locality although their taxonomic distinctness was effectively constant. Although, as would be expected, there were clear trends for increases in overall numbers of species towards the mouth at all levels, few generalities relating to the relative importance of the subtidal seagrass habitat were evident across the whole system—magnitude and direction of differentials were contingent on locality. Shore-height related differences in assemblage metrics were minor in the estuarine and lagoonal zones but major in the marine compartment, although the much greater subtidal faunal abundance there was largely consequent on the superabundance of a single species (the microgastropod Alaba pinnae), intertidal zones then displaying the greater species diversity due to greater equitability of species densities. Along its axial channel, the Knysna subtidal seagrass does not support richer versions of the intertidal polychaete-dominated assemblages fringing it; instead, it supports different and more patchily dispersed gastropod-dominated ones. At Knysna at least, the subtidal hardly constitutes a reservoir of the seagrass biodiversity present intertidally.
Impact of the thermomechanical load on subsurface phase transformations during cryogenic turning of metastable austenitic steels
Authors: Hotz Hendrik , Kirsch Benjamin , Aurich Jan C.
Published: July 2020

When machining metastable austenitic stainless steel with cryogenic cooling, a deformation-induced phase transformation from γ-austenite to α′-martensite can be realized in the workpiece subsurface. This leads to a higher microhardness and thus improved fatigue and wear resistance. A parametric and a non-parametric model were developed in order to investigate the correlation between the thermomechanical load in the workpiece subsurface and the resulting α′-martensite content. It was demonstrated that increasing passive forces and cutting forces promoted the deformation-induced phase transformation, while increasing temperatures had an inhibiting effect. The feed force had no significant influence on the α′-martensite content. With the proposed models it is now possible to estimate the α′-martensite content during cryogenic turning by means of in-situ measurement of process forces and temperatures.
Dioxygen at Biomimetic Single Metal-Atom Sites: Stabilization or Activation? The Case of CoTPyP/Au(111)
Authors: Armillotta F. , Pividori A. , Stredansky M. , Seriani N. , Vesselli E.
Published: July 2020

By means of a combined experimental and computational approach, we show that a 2D metal–organic framework self-assembled at the Au(111) termination is able to mimic the O2 stabilization and activation mechanisms that are typical of the biochemical environment of proteins and enzymes. 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl)21H,23H-porphyrin cobalt(III) chloride (CoTPyP) molecules on Au(111) bind dioxygen forming a covalent bond at the Co center, yielding charge injection into the ligand by exploiting the surface trans-effect. A weakening of the O–O bond occurs, together with the development of a dipole moment, and a change in the molecule’s magnetic moment. Also the bonding geometry is similar to the biological counterpart, with the O2 molecule sitting on-top of the Co atom and the molecular axis tilted by 118°. The ligand configuration lays between the oxo- and the superoxo-species, in agreement with the observed O–O stretching frequency measured in situ at near-ambient pressure conditions.
A Telehealth-supported, Integrated care with CHWs, and MEdication-access (TIME) Program for Diabetes Improves HbA1c: a Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Vaughan Elizabeth M. , Hyman David J. , Naik Aanand D. , Samson Susan L. , Razjouyan Javad , Foreyt John P.
Published: July 2020

Background

Many individuals with diabetes live in low- or middle-income settings. Glycemic control is challenging, particularly in resource-limited areas that face numerous healthcare barriers.

Objective

To compare HbA1c outcomes for individuals randomized to TIME, aTelehealth-supported,Integrated care with CHWs (Community Health Workers), andMEdication-access program (intervention) versus usual care (wait-list control).

Design

Randomized clinical trial.

Participants

Low-income Latino(a) adults with type 2 diabetes.

Interventions

TIME consisted of (1) CHW-participant telehealth communication via mobile health (mHealth) for 12 months, (2) CHW-led monthly group visits for 6 months, and (3) weekly CHW-physician diabetes training and support via telehealth (video conferencing).

Main Measures

Investigators compared TIME versus control participant baseline to month 6 changes of HbA1c (primary outcome), blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), weight, and adherence to seven American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of care. CHW assistance in identifying barriers to healthcare in the intervention group were measured at the end of mHealth communication (12 months).

Key Results

A total of 89 individuals participated. TIME individuals compared to control participants had significant HbA1c decreases (9.02 to 7.59% (− 1.43%) vs. 8.71 to 8.26% (− 0.45%), respectively,p = 0.002), blood pressure changes (systolic: − 6.89 mmHg vs. 0.03 mmHg,p = 0.023; diastolic: − 3.36 mmHg vs. 0.2 mmHg, respectively,p = 0.046), and ADA guideline adherence (p < 0.001) from baseline to month 6. At month 6, more TIME than control participants achieved> 0.50% HbA1c reductions (88.57% vs. 43.75%,p < 0.001). BMI and weight changes were not significant between groups. Many (54.6%) TIME participants experienced> 1 barrier to care, of whom 91.7% had medication issues. CHWs identified the majority (87.5%) of barriers.

Conclusions

TIME participants resulted in improved outcomes including HbA1c. CHWs are uniquely positioned to identify barriers to care particularly related to medications that may have gone unrecognized otherwise. Larger trials are needed to determine the scalability and sustainability of the intervention.

Clinical Trial

NCT03394456, accessed athttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03394456
Modelling students’ academic confidence, personality and academic emotions
Authors: Sander Paul , de la Fuente Jesús
Published: July 2020

The research presented here is founded on the Big Five trait approach to personality which has been shown to be related to academic success, students’ academic confidence or self-efficacy and the emotions related to academic achievement.To explore whether Personality characteristics would be differentially associated with Academic Confidence and both would jointly predict Academic Emotions.A bespoke online platform was used to survey undergraduate students in two Spanish universities. The data was used to assess bivariate correlation and to build Structural Equation Models.A total of 1398 undergraduate students studying Psychology, Primary Education, or Educational Psychology degree programmes completed the validated Spanish version of the Academic Behavioural Confidence scale. Of those, 636 also completed a validated Spanish language scale to assess Personality along the Big Five dimensions and 551 of the 1398 students complete a validated Spanish language scale to assess Academic Emotions. A total of 527 students completed all three scales.The correlations showed that the student Personality traits of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion and Agreeableness were significantly and positively related to their Academic Confidence whilst Neuroticism was negatively correlated with the degree of Academic Confidence. Similarly student Academic Confidence correlated positively with positive Academic Emotions and negatively with negative Academic Emotions. Structural Equation Modelling resulted in a model of excellent fit that linked the personality traits of Conscientiousness and Neuroticism with overall Academic Confidence and Academic Emotion scores. The methodological issues around the findings along with the implications for undergraduate learning and teaching are discussed.
Advances in low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technologies applied for characterization of pore space inside rocks: a critical review
Authors: Guo Jian-Chun , Zhou Hang-Yu , Zeng Jie , Wang Kun-Jie , Lai Jie , Liu Yu-Xuan
Published: July 2020

NMR serves as an important technique for probing rock pore space, such as pore structure characterization, fluid identification, and petrophysical property testing, due to the reusability of cores, convenience in sample processing, and time efficiency in laboratory tests. In practice, NMR signal collection is normally achieved through polarized nuclei relaxation which releases crucial relaxation messages for result interpretation. The impetus of this work is to help engineers and researchers with petroleum background obtain new insights into NMR principals and extend existing methodologies for characterization of unconventional formations. This article first gives a brief description of the development history of relaxation theories and models for porous media. Then, the widely used NMR techniques for characterizing petrophysical properties and pore structures are presented. Meanwhile, limitations and deficiencies of them are summarized. Finally, future work on improving these insufficiencies and approaches of enhancement applicability for NMR technologies are discussed.
An end-to-end graph convolutional kernel support vector machine
Authors: Corcoran Padraig
Published: July 2020

A novel kernel-based support vector machine (SVM) for graph classification is proposed. The SVM feature space mapping consists of a sequence of graph convolutional layers, which generates a vector space representation for each vertex, followed by a pooling layer which generates a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) representation for the graph. The use of a RKHS offers the ability to implicitly operate in this space using a kernel function without the computational complexity of explicitly mapping into it. The proposed model is trained in a supervised end-to-end manner whereby the convolutional layers, the kernel function and SVM parameters are jointly optimized with respect to a regularized classification loss. This approach is distinct from existing kernel-based graph classification models which instead either use feature engineering or unsupervised learning to define the kernel function. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing deep learning baseline models on a number of datasets.