bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remanufacturing Mode Selection regarding Technology Development
Authors: Li Yaping , Wang Zongxian , Ma Junhai
Published: March 2021

We consider a Cournot game model between an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and an IR (independent remanufacturer). The OEM manufactures new products and decides the quality level. IR remanufactures and obtains OEM’s technology through technology licensing or joint R&D. To prevent the cannibalization of new products by remanufactured products, the OEM may be reluctant to disclose latest technology to the IR. When the IR chooses the technology licensing mechanism, it will be in a rather disadvantaged position in the competition. In contrast, joint R&D can avoid this dilemma. The two mechanisms are comparatively analyzed under static equilibrium and complex dynamics from three aspects: (1) the output of new and remanufactured products, (2) the profits of the OEM and the IR, and (3) TEI (total environmental impact) under technology licensing mechanism and joint R&D mechanism, respectively. Based on the theoretical and numerical analysis, we derive that the joint R&D mechanism can achieve a Pareto improvement over the royalty mechanism under certain conditions. The stability, bifurcation, chaos, and largest Lyapunov exponent are analyzed in the dynamic model. Numerical examples show that chaos may cause the OEM and the IR to lose profits or even be in deficit. But from the perspective of TEI, chaos can be beneficial. Interestingly, some conclusions in the static setting are reversed in the chaotic state. We propose a feedback adjustment method to eliminate chaos.
A Node Similarity and Community Link Strength‐Based Community Discovery Algorithm
Authors: Yang Haijuan , Cheng Jianjun , Yang Zeyi , Zhang Handong , Zhang Wenbo , Yang Ke , Chen Xiaoyun
Published: March 2021

Community structure is one of the common characteristics of complex networks. In the practical work, we have noted that every node and its most similar node tend to be assigned to the same community and that two communities are often merged together if there exist relatively more edges between them. Inspired by these observations, we present a community‐detection method named NSCLS in this paper. Firstly, we calculate the similarities between any node and its first‐ and second‐order neighbors in a novel way and then extract the initial communities from the network by allocating every node and its most similar node to the same community. In this procedure, some nodes located at the community boundaries might be classified in the incorrect communities. To make a redemption, we adjust their community affiliations by reclassifying each of them into the community in which most of its neighbors have been. After that, there might exist relatively larger number of edges between some communities. Therefore, we consider to merge such communities to improve the quality of the final community structure further. To this end, we calculate the link strength between communities and merge some densely connected communities based on this index. We evaluate NSCLS on both some synthetic networks and some real‐world networks and show that it can detect high‐quality community structures from various networks, and its results are much better than the counterparts of comparison algorithms.
Inhibitory Activity of Pyrroloisoxazolidine Derivatives against Chlamydia trachomatis
Authors: Ni Min , Xu Shunxin , Liu Ziyi , Xue Yin , Xie Wenxia , Yang Shengju , Liu Lingyan , Bao Xiaofeng
Published: March 2021

The obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is a group of worldwide human pathogens that can lead to serious reproductive problems. The frequent clinical treatment failure promoted the development of novel antichlamydial agents. Here, we firstly reported a group of pyrroloisoxazolidine‐inhibited C. trachomatis in a dose‐dependent manner in vitro. Among them, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity with IC50 values from 7.25 to 9.73 μM. The compounds disturbed the whole intracellular life cycle of C. trachomatis, mainly targeting the middle reticulate body proliferation stages. Besides, the compounds partially inhibited the chlamydial infection by reducing elementary body infectivity at high concentration. Our findings suggest the potential of pyrroloisoxazolidine derivatives as promising lead molecules for the development of antichlamydial agents.
The KRASG12C Inhibitor MRTX849 Reconditions the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Sensitizes Tumors to Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy
Authors: Briere David M. , Li Shuai , Calinisan Andrew , Sudhakar Niranjan , Aranda Ruth , Hargis Lauren , Peng David H. , Deng Jiehui , Engstrom Lars D. , Hallin Jill , Gatto Sole , Fernandez-Banet Julio , Pavlicek Adam , Wong Kwok-Kin , Christensen James G. , Olson Peter
Published: March 2021

KRASG12C inhibitors, including MRTX849, are promising treatment options for KRAS-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PD-1 inhibitors are approved in NSCLC; however, strategies to enhance checkpoint inhibitor therapy (CIT) are needed. KRASG12C mutations are smoking-associated transversion mutations associated with high tumor mutation burden, PD-L1 positivity, and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. To evaluate the potential of MRTX849 to augment CIT, its impact on immune signaling and response to CIT was evaluated. In human tumor xenograft models, MRTX849 increased MHC class I protein expression and decreased RNA and/or plasma protein levels of immunosuppressive factors. In a KrasG12C-mutant CT26 syngeneic mouse model, MRTX849 decreased intratumoral myeloid-derived suppressor cells and increased M1-polarized macrophages, dendritic cells, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells. Similar results were observed in lung KrasG12C-mutant syngeneic and a genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model. In the CT26 KrasG12C model, MRTX849 demonstrated marked tumor regression when tumors were established in immune-competent BALB/c mice; however, the effect was diminished when tumors were grown in T-cell–deficient nu/nu mice. Tumors progressed following anti–PD-1 or MRTX849 single-agent treatment in immune-competent mice; however, combination treatment demonstrated durable, complete responses (CRs). Tumors did not reestablish in the same mice that exhibited durable CRs when rechallenged with tumor cell inoculum, demonstrating these mice developed adaptive antitumor immunity. In a GEM model, treatment with MRTX849 plus anti–PD-1 led to increased progression-free survival compared with either single agent alone. These data demonstrate KRAS inhibition reverses an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and sensitizes tumors to CIT through multiple mechanisms.
Preclinical Studies of OBI-999: A Novel Globo H–Targeting Antibody–Drug Conjugate
Authors: Yang Ming-Chen , Shia Chi-Sheng , Li Wan-Fen , Wang Chun-Chung , Chen I-Ju , Huang Teng-Yi , Chen Yu-Jung , Chang Hui-Wen , Lu Chi-Huan , Wu Yueh-Chin , Wang Nan-Hsuan , Lai Jiann-Shiun , Yu Cheng-Der , Lai Ming-Tain
Published: March 2021

Globo H (GH), a hexasaccharide, is expressed at low levels in normal tissues but is highly expressed in multiple cancer types, rendering it a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. OBI-999, a novel antibody–drug conjugate, is derived from a conjugation of a GH-specific mAb with a monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) payload through a site-specific ThioBridge and a cleavable linker. OBI-999 high homogeneity with a drug-to-antibody ratio of 4 (>95%) was achieved using ThioBridge. OBI-999 displayed GH-dependent cellular internalization and trafficked to endosome and lysosome within 1 and 5 hours, respectively. Furthermore, OBI-999 showed low nanomolar cytotoxicity in the assay with high GH expression on tumor cells and exhibited a bystander killing effect on tumor cells with minimal GH expression. Tissue distribution indicated that OBI-999 and free MMAE gradually accumulated in the tumor, reaching maximum level at 168 hours after treatment, whereas OBI-999 and free MMAE decreased quickly at 4 hours after treatment in normal organs. Maximum MMAE level in the tumor was 16-fold higher than in serum, suggesting that OBI-999 is stable during circulation and MMAE is selectively released in the tumor. Excellent tumor growth inhibition of OBI-999 was demonstrated in breast, gastric, and pancreatic cancer xenograft or lung patient–derived xenograft models in a dose-dependent manner. The highest nonseverely toxic dose in cynomolgus monkeys is 10 mg/kg determined by a 3-week repeated-dose toxicology study demonstrating an acceptable safety margin. Taken together, these results support further clinical development of OBI-999, which is currently in a phase I/II clinical study in multiple solid tumors (NCT04084366). OBI-999, the first GH-targeting ADC, displayed excellent tumor inhibition in animal models across multiple cancer types, including breast, gastric, pancreatic, and lung cancers, warranting further investigation in the treatment of solid tumors.
Do β-Blockers Cause Depression?
Authors: Riemer Thomas G. , Villagomez Fuentes Linda E. , Algharably Engi A.E. , Schäfer Marie S. , Mangelsen Eva , Fürtig Marc-Alexander , Bittner Nadine , Bär Annalena , Zaidi Touis Laila , Wachtell Kristian , Majic Tomislav , Dinges Martin J. , Kreutz Reinhold
Published: March 2021

β-Blockers are important drugs in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. They are suspected of inducing various psychiatric adverse events (PAEs), particularly depression, affecting cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We performed a systematic search for double-blind, randomized controlled trials investigating β-blockers to analyze the risk of PAEs or withdrawal of therapy due to PAEs. We extracted the frequencies of PAEs and rates of withdrawals and reviewed them to the number of exposed patients. For β-blockers versus placebo or other active treatment, we calculated odds ratios for individual PAEs and withdrawal rates. We retrieved overall 285 eligible studies encompassing 53 533 patients. The risk of bias was judged to be high in 79% of the studies. Despite being the most frequently reported PAE with a total of 1600 cases, depression did not occur more commonly during β-blockers than during placebo (odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.83–1.25]). β-Blocker use was also not associated with withdrawal for depression (odds ratio, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.51–1.84]). Similar results were obtained for comparisons against active agents. Among other PAEs, only unusual dreams, insomnia, and sleep disorder were possibly related to β-blocker therapy. In conclusion, this analysis of large-scale data from double-blind, randomized controlled trials does not support an association between β-blocker therapy and depression. Similarly, no effect for β-blockers was found for other PAEs, with the possible exceptions of sleep-related disorders. Consequently, concerns about β-blockers’ impact on psychological health should not affect their use in clinical practice.
Use of a Clinical Electrocardiographic Database to Enhance Atrial Fibrillation/Atrial Flutter Identification Algorithms Based on Administrative Data
Authors: Liu Hongwei , Collins Reid , Miller Robert J. H. , Southern Danielle A. , Arena Ross , Aggarwal Sandeep , Sajobi Tolulope , James Matthew T. , Wilton Stephen B.
Published: March 2021

Background

Administrative data have limited sensitivity for case finding of atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFL). Linkage with clinical repositories of interpreted ECGs may enhance diagnostic yield of AF/AFL.

Methods and Results

We retrieved 369 ECGs from the institutional Marquette Universal System for Electrocardiography (MUSE) repository as validation samples, with rhythm coded as AF (n=49), AFL (n=50), or other competing rhythm diagnoses (n=270). With blinded, duplicate review of ECGs as the reference comparison, we compared multiple MUSE coding definitions for identifying AF/AFL. We tested the agreement between MUSE diagnosis and reference comparison, and calculated the sensitivity and specificity. Using a data set linking clinical registries, administrative data, and the MUSE repository (n=11 662), we assessed the incremental diagnostic yield of AF/AFL by incorporating ECG data to administrative data‐based algorithms. The agreement between MUSE diagnosis and reference comparison depended on the coding definitions applied, with the Cohen κ ranging from 0.57 to 0.75. Sensitivity ranged from 60.6% to 79.1%, and specificity ranged from 93.2% to 98.0%. A coding definition with AF/AFL appearing in the first 3 ECG statements had the highest sensitivity (79.1%), with little loss of specificity (94.5%). Compared with the algorithms with only administrative data, incorporating ECG data increased the diagnostic yield of preexisting AF/AFL by 14.5% and incident AF/AFL by 7.5% to 16.1%.

Conclusions

Routine ECG interpretation using MUSE coding is highly specific and moderately sensitive for AF/AFL detection. Inclusion of MUSE ECG data in AF/AFL case identification algorithms can identify cases missed using administrative data‐based algorithms alone.
Effects of Influenza Vaccine on Mortality and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Yedlapati Siva H. , Khan Safi U. , Talluri Swapna , Lone Ahmed N. , Khan Muhammad Zia , Khan Muhammad Shahzeb , Navar Ann M. , Gulati Martha , Johnson Heather , Baum Seth , Michos Erin D.
Published: March 2021

Background

Influenza infection causes considerable morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. We assessed the effects of the influenza vaccine on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Methods and Results

We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library through January 2020 for randomized controlled trials and observational studies assessing the effects of influenza vaccine on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease. Estimates were reported as random effects risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs. Analyses were stratified by study design into randomized controlled trials and observational studies. A total of 16 studies (n=237 058), including 4 randomized controlled trials (n=1667) and 12 observational studies (n=235 391), were identified. Participants' mean age was 69.2±7.01 years, 36.6% were women, 65.1% had hypertension, 31.1% had diabetes mellitus, and 23.4% were smokers. At a median follow‐up duration of 19.5 months, influenza vaccine was associated with a lower risk of all‐cause mortality (RR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60–0.93 [
P
=0.01]), cardiovascular mortality (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.80–0.84 [
P
<0.001]), and major adverse cardiovascular events (RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.80–0.94 [
P
<0.001]) compared with control. The use of the influenza vaccine was not associated with a statistically significant reduction of myocardial infarction (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.49–1.09 [
P
=0.12]) compared with control.

Conclusions

Data from both randomized controlled trials and observational studies support the use of the influenza vaccine in adults with cardiovascular disease to reduce mortality and cardiovascular events, as currently supported by clinical guidelines. Clinicians and health systems should continue to promote the influenza vaccine as part of comprehensive secondary prevention.
Effect of Thermal Interface Materials on Heat Dissipation of Light-Emitting Diode Headlamps with Thermally-Conductive Plastics
Authors: Lee Dong Kyu , Cha Yu-Jung , Kwak Joon Seop
Published: March 2021

We study the effect of thermal interface material such as thermal-conductive plastic on the dissipation of generated heat from the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based headlamp for the application of environment-friendly green energy in vehicles. The thermal distribution and the performances
of thermal-conductive plastic with heatsink are consistently investigated by using experimental and numerical results. Various thicknesses of thermal-conductive plastics from 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm used in this research work. Basically the thermal-conductive plastic reduces the thermal interface
resistance between the contact of two solid surfaces. As a result, High electrical power of about 15 W (1 A and 15 V) can be possible for applying to the high-power LED package without any damage. The soldering temperature of LED package without thermal-conductive plastic shows approximately
138.7 °C which is higher compared to the LED package with thermal-conductive plastic (124.3 °C). On the other hand, the soldering temperature increases from 124.3 to 127.6 °C with increasing the thicknesses of thermal-conductive plastic. In addition, the soldering temperature decreases
from 138.7 to 124.3 °C with increasing the thermal conductivities of thermal-conductive plastic. Finally, a highly thermal conductive property of thermal-conductive plastic will propose for optimum dissipation of generated heat from the LEDs-based headlamp. We also successfully estimate
the junction temperature of packaged LEDs by using soldering temperature.
Ganyong Starch Derived Hard Carbon Anodes for Sodium Ion Batteries
Authors: Arie Arenst Andreas , Hazel Kevin , Kristianto Hans , Muljana Henky , Stievano Lorenzo
Published: March 2021

Hard carbons are one of the most promising carbon anode materials for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) due to the high specific capacity and excellent cycle properties. Among the precursors used to synthesize hard carbon, natural starches are of great interest due to their unique morphologies.
In this paper, ganyong starch based hard carbons (GSHC) were prepared by direct carbonization at various temperatures (700–1100) °C. The obtained hard carbons exhibit high reversible capacities of sodium-ion batteries of about 239 mAh g–1 at current density of 0.1
C. after 100 cycles. The excellent cycle profiles are attributed to the unique morphology and defect carbon structures.
Nanocrystalline Formation and Magnetic Properties in Fe2O3–C System by Mechanical Alloying
Authors: Lee Chung-Hyo
Published: March 2021

The effect of mechanical alloying (MA) on the solid state reaction of hematite and graphite system with a positive reaction heat was investigated using a mixture of elemental Fe2O3–C powders. The solid state reduction of hematite to Fe3O4
has been obviously observed after 3 hours of MA by a vibrating ball mill. A two-phase mixture of Fe3O4 and remaining Fe2O3 is obtained after 5 hours of MA. Saturation magnetization gradually increases with MA time due to the formation of Fe3O4
and then reaches 23 emu/g after 5 hours of MA. In addition, a Fe3O4 single phase is obtained by MA after 3 hours and subsequently heat treated up to 700°C. X-ray diffraction result shows that the average grain size of Fe3O4 prepared by
MA for 5 hours and heat treatment to be in the range of 92 nm. The saturation magnetization of Fe3O4 prepared by MA and heat treatment reaches a maximum value of 56 emu/g for 5 hours MA sample. It is also observed that the coercivity of 5 hours MA sample annealed at 700
°C is still high value of 113 Oe, suggesting that the grain growth of magnetite phase during annealing process tends to be suppressed.
High Performance Top-Emission Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes with Mg-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Used as an Electron Transport Layer
Authors: Kim Bada , Lee Dohyeong , Hwang Boram , Eun Yebin , Ha Mi-Young , Kim Chang Kyo
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we reported superior performance of solution-processed top-emission quantum dot light-emitting diodes (TE-QLEDs) with Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticle (NP) electron transport layer (ETL). The Mg-doped ZnO NPs were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Transmission electron microscopy
(TEM) analysis of the Mg-doped ZnO NPs with 0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt% Mg-doping concentrations revealed average diameters of 5.86 nm, 5.33 nm, 4.52 nm, and 4.37 nm, respectively. The maximum luminance, the current efficiency, and external quantum efficiency (EQE) were 178,561.8 cd/m2,
56.0 cd/A, and 14.43%, respectively. However, for the best performance of TE-QLED without Mg-doping in the ZnO NPs, the maximum luminance was only 101,523.4 cd/m2, the luminous efficiency was 27.8 cd/A, and the EQE was 6.91%. The improvement of the performance is attributed to the
suppression of electron transfer by an increase in the energy barrier between the cathode and Mg-doped ZnO NP ETL and the reduction in the Hall mobility of electron with increasing the Mg-doping in the ZnO NPs, resulting in the enhanced charge balance in the quantum dot (QD) emitting layer
(EML).
Biomimetic Structural Coloration Based on Spherical Silica Nanoparticles
Authors: Choi Ju-Hwan , Choi Dae-San , Ahn Ju-Hun , Leeghim Henzeh , Lee Chang-Yull
Published: March 2021

Structural colors based on nanostructured surfaces are an environmentally friendly alternative to dyes and pigments. In this study, structural colors were produced by spherical silica nanoparticles. By controlling the size of the spherical silica nanoparticles, the changes in color
were controlled. The sizes of the nanoparticles were controlled by adjusting the ammonia content in the conventional Stöber method. Spherical silica nanoparticle powders were obtained using a centrifuge and an ultrasonic grinder oven, which were subsequently dispersed in deionized water
and alcohol for dip coating. The particle sizes of the samples increased with increase in the amount of ammonia used in the synthesis process and were not affected by the dip coating. Spherical silica nanoparticles were uniformly arranged on the surface of the glass slides for all the samples
studied. Thus, the structural colors produced by the spherical silica nanoparticles changed according to the particle size, which can be controlled by the ammonia content during synthesis.
Novel Calcium Aminoclay (CaAC)-Vitamin C Hybrid: In-Vitro Cytotoxicity Assessment in HaCaT Cells and In-Vivo Embryotoxicity Assay in Zebrafish
Authors: Tran Vinh Van , Hoang Vu Khac Bui , Chun Hang-Suk , Moon Ju-Young , Lee Young-Chul
Published: March 2021

Vitamin C (VC) is well-known as a hydrophilic antioxidant commonly used in cosmeceutical formulations due to its protection and maintenance of youthful skin. Aminoclay (AC), a synthetic organic-nanoclay, has shown great potential for delivery of VC. However, the practical cosmeceutical
applications of aminoclay for delivery of VC are severely limited due to the paucity of reported research on its cytotoxicity to human skin. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated the biosafety of a calcium aminoclay-vitamin C (CaAC-VC) hybrid through an In-Vitro cytotoxicity
assessment in HaCaT cells and an In-Vivo embryotoxicity assay in zebrafish. HaCaT cell viability and changes in the morphology and hatching rate of the zebrafish were investigated. The results indicated that the CaAC-VC hybrid showed a lower cytotoxicity relative to pure VC and that
as such, it should be considered to be a promising candidate for VC-delivery applications.
Enhancement of Charge Injection in Organic Field-Effect Transistors Through Semiconducting Organic Buffer Layer
Authors: Lee Gyujeong , Park Hea-Lim , Lee Sin-Hyung , Kim Min-Hoi , Lee Sin-Doo
Published: March 2021

We investigate the effect of a semiconducting organic buffer layer (SOBL) on the injection and transport of charges in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). Here, two different injection barriers at the source/organic semiconductor interface are respectively studied with the aid
of a numerical simulation: one is intermediate (0.4 eV), and the other is large energy barriers (0.6 eV). The introduction of nanostructure buffer layer, or SOBL, exhibits the decrease of potential loss at the contact interfaces, improving the electrical performance of the OFETs. It is also
found that the energy level as well as the mobility of the SOBL plays an important role in determining the injection properties at the metal/organic hetero-interfaces and thus improving the device performance. Our systematic investigation on the injection barrier by the introduction of the
nanostructure buffer layer will provide a useful guideline for the fabrication of high-performance FETs with molecular semiconductors.
The Effect of Ball Milling on Properties and Sintering of Nanostructured TiB2
Authors: Kim Seong-Eun , Shon In-Jin
Published: March 2021

TiB2 powder was milled in a high-energy ball mill (Pulverisette-5 planetary mill) at 250 rpm for various time periods (0, 1, 4, and 10 h) and consolidated by the high frequency induction heated sintering (HFIHS). The effect of milling on the sintering behavior and crystallite
size of TiB2 powders were investigated. A nanostructured dense TiB2 specimen with a relative density of up to 98% was readily achieved within very short time (two min). The ball milling effectively refined the crystallite structure of TiB2 powders and facilitated
the subsequent consolidation. The sinter-onset temperature was reduced remarkably by the prior milling for 10 h. Accordingly, the relative density and mechanical properties of TiB2 compact increased as the milling time increased.
Effect of Calcination Temperature on Photocatalytic Degradation Performance of Electrospun β-Ga2O3 Nanofibers
Authors: Ji Myeongjun , Kim Jeong Hyun , Ryu Cheol-Hui , Lee Young-In
Published: March 2021

In the present work, Ga2O3 nanofibers were successfully synthesized by electrospinning a solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and gallium nitrate, followed by temperature-controlled calcination treatment of the as-spun PVP and gallium nitrate composite nanofibers.
The crystallinity and crystallite size of the Ga2O3 nanofibers can be readily controlled by varying the calcination temperature. From the physicochemical analysis results of the synthesized nanofiber, it was found that the nanofiber calcined at a higher temperature showed
a higher crystallinity and a larger crystallite size. The photocatalytic degradation results on rhodamine-B (Rho B) revealed that the photocatalytic activity of the Ga2O3 nanofibers can be improved by optimizing the conflicting characteristics, crystallinity and crystallite
size, through the control of the calcination temperature. The photocatalytic activity of a nanofiber calcined at 800 °C for the degradation of Rho B under ultraviolet irradiation exhibits 2.39 and 1.16 times higher than that of nanofibers synthesized at 700 °C and 900 °C, respectively,
which is ascribed to relatively efficient charge transfer and dye molecule adsorption by its proper crystallinity and crystallite size.
Extreme Rainfall in Taiwan: Seasonal Statistics and Trends
Authors: Henny Lexi , Thorncroft Chris D. , Hsu Huang-Hsiung , Bosart Lance F.
Published: March 2021

Taiwan regularly experiences precipitation extremes of hundreds of millimeters per day, especially between May and September. In this study, Taiwan’s extreme rainfall (ER) is analyzed over a 56-yr time period in different seasons and geographic regions, using a recently released, high-resolution gridded rainfall dataset. ER is defined using a seasonally and geographically varying 99th-percentile threshold to better resolve the characteristics of the most intense rainfall seen in different locations and times of year. The resulting monthly ER rates are largest in typhoon season and smallest in fall, winter, and spring. ER is spatially homogeneous in the mei-yu and typhoon seasons and concentrated in northern Taiwan during the rest of the year. A trend analysis revealed a positive trend in island-mean ER for the winter, spring, and typhoon seasons. In winter and spring, these trends are most pronounced in the north. In the mei-yu season, ER has increased most over the southwestern mountain slopes; in typhoon season, ER has increased consistently over much of Taiwan. These changes often exceed 1% yr−1. In many areas, typhoon season accounts for the largest fraction of the observed annual ER trend. TCs produce most of the observed typhoon season ER and ER trend, with nearly half of the typhoon season ER trend being associated with increases in TC frequency and duration around central and northern Taiwan. Certain regional changes in ER characteristics, particularly in areas with low sample size or complex seasonal contributions, merit further investigation in future work.
The Relationship between Temperature Changes and Peacemaking Events between Farming and Nomadic Groups in Northern China over the Past 2000 Years
Authors: Su Yun , Kang Yuan , Zhai Xianshuai , Fang Xiuqi
Published: March 2021

Climate change affects relationships between regions. The sequence of peacemaking events between farming and nomadic groups in northern China from the Western Han to the Qing dynasty was constructed based on historical documents. We analyzed the impacts of climate change on ethnic relationships using war and temperature sequence data from previous studies. The main results are as follows: 1) There were 504 peacemaking events between farming and nomadic groups, with an average frequency of 2.4 times per decade. Paying tribute (68.9%) occurred significantly more frequently than intermarriage for pacification (31.1%). The sequences showed different stages. 2) There were more peacemaking events during cold periods and fewer during warm periods. Intermarriage for pacification played a greater role in peacemaking during warm periods, while paying tribute was more important during cold periods. 3) High-incidence stages of war and of peacemaking events alternated. Peacemaking events occurred more frequently during cold periods and wars occurred more frequently during warm periods. 4) During warm periods, farming and nomadic groups had enough power to contend with each other, wars occurred frequently, and intermarriage was often used for peacemaking. During cold periods, agriculture and animal husbandry declined, both sides weakened, and the power difference between them usually increased. Wars rarely occurred, and paying tribute was often used for peacemaking. Ethnic relationships are affected by many factors. As a background factor influencing land productivity, climate indirectly affected conflict-resolution measures between farming and nomadic groups. We can hereby consider ways to manage interregional ethnic relationships under global climate change today.
Regional Consortia: A Framework for Public Health Laboratory Collaboration and Service Sharing
Authors: Ned-Sykes Renée M. , Pentella Michael , Kurimski Lorelei , Zanto Susanne , Matt Charles E. , Bean Christine , Gibson Deborah , Breckenridge Karen , Su Bertina , Ridderhof John
Published: March 2021

Public health laboratories (PHLs) provide specialized testing services for programs focused on the prevention and control of communicable diseases, early detection of congenital disorders, testing for antimicrobial resistance, and identification of environmental contaminants, among other responsibilities. Although national public health programs and partners provide some funding support, training, and technical resources to PHLs, no dedicated funding is provided from federal programs to fully support comprehensive PHL services across the United States or the underlying infrastructure needed for PHLs to provide and ensure their core functions and capabilities. Public health laboratories have begun to rely on a “community of practice” approach to addressing various service needs by creating and formalizing regional consortia, which are organized groups of geographically clustered PHLs that share expertise, capacities, and capabilities to enhance PHL services. The number of states participating in these networks increased from 13 to 48 from 2015 to 2020, including participation by multiple local PHLs and a territorial PHL. These consortia have enabled strengthening of partnerships and collaboration among PHLs to address regional priorities and challenges. We explore the background and evolution of regional consortia, outline some of their practices and activities, review lessons learned from these successful collaborations, and discuss the positive effect they have on the national public health system.
Optimized Railway Track Condition Monitoring and Derailment Prevention System Supported by Cloud Technology
Authors: Chellaswamy C. , Geetha T. S. , Surya Bhupal Rao M. , Vanathi A.
Published: March 2021

This paper describes an easy way to monitor railway track abnormalities and update information on the track’s status to the cloud. Abnormalities present in railway tracks should be identified promptly and rectified to ensure safe and smooth travel. In this paper, a cloud-based track monitoring system (CTMS) is proposed for the monitoring of track conditions. The micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers which are mounted in the axle are used to measure the railway track abnormality. The measured signal is optimized using the flower pollination optimization algorithm (FPOA). Because of signaling problems in the global positioning system (GPS), it is difficult to estimate the exact location of the abnormality in real time. A new method is introduced to overcome this problem. It provides the location of an abnormality even when the GPS signal is absent. The performance of the CTMS is compared with three different speed scenarios of the vehicle. The information about the abnormality on the track can be shared with other trains that pass through the same location so that the driver can reduce speed in that location to avoid derailment. Finally, an experimental setup was developed and the performance of CTMS is studied under four different irregularity cases.
Protocol to Assess the Impact of Crude Oil Price Fluctuations on Future Asphalt Prices
Authors: Cardinal Kaylyn M. , Khalafalla Mohamed , Rueda-Benavides Jorge
Published: March 2021

It is clear for the transportation industry that asphalt prices are heavily affected by changes in the crude oil market. This occurs because asphalt is a byproduct of the process of refining crude oil. However, there is still a lack of research on assessing the economic implications of this relationship. This paper assesses those implications through an innovative statistical process designed to quantify the economic correlation between asphalt and crude oil price fluctuations in Alabama. The proposed statistical process is used in this paper to model the relationship between the Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT’s) monthly asphalt price index and a national crude oil index published by the US Energy Information Administration. The process quantifies the relationship between these two commodities in relation to two metrics: (1) the time gap between an observed change in the crude oil index and its corresponding impact on the asphalt price index and (2) the magnitude of that impact. It was found that the most likely time gap between crude oil and asphalt price fluctuations in Alabama is 3 months, with a change ratio of 0.58. This means that a 1% increase in the price of crude oil would most likely affect the Alabama asphalt market 3 months later with a price increase of about 0.58%. Recognizing that these are just average values, the paper also presents a risk assessment tool that provides ALDOT with the probability of occurrence of different scenarios taking into consideration the observed variability in time gaps and change ratios.
Burning rate augmentation in solid fuel ramjets by swirling inlet air stream
Authors: Tahsini Amir Mahdi
Published: March 2021

The influence of the inlet swirling flow on the regression rate of the fuel in the combustion chamber of the solid fuel ramjet is investigated in this study using numerical simulations. The finite-volume solver of the compressible turbulent reacting flow is developed to study the flow field where the burning rate is computed using the conjugate heat transfer method for the solid fuel. The correlation is found for the maximum regression rate versus an imposed inlet swirl when the linear distribution of the circumferential velocity is applied at the inlet stream. Although the regression rate augmentation is considerable due to the swirling flow field in the combustor, it is shown that the swirl is effective if is applied near the shear layer of the backstep flow in the combustor. The modified swirler with short blades is suggested to be used in solid fuel ramjets to increase the regression rate of the fuel and improve the performance, but with lower pressure loss.
Preparing End-of-Life Talks in Palliative Care: Exploratory Remarks on a Social Process
Authors: Cotovio Martins Alexandre , Binet Michel , Monteiro David , Brás Oriana
Published: March 2021

In this article, we develop an exploratory analysis of some of the interactional strategies developed by palliative care (PC) professionals in order to prepare end-of-life (EoL) talks with patients and their families, namely in the frame of specifically social problem-solving work which they develop on a daily basis. In this sense, our object of analysis is not EoL talks in themselves, but the broader social processes that tend to precede them in PC, that is, all the work both of approaching the patient and his or her family and of coordination within the teams that PC professionals routinely do in order to propitiate EoL talk. In this way, we don’t envisage EoL talks as a conversation between two parties, with a patient on one side and a doctor on the other side, but as a wider social process which relies upon strong and previous professional engagement. The analysis conducted herein was carried out on data collected under the projects ETIC – Managing EoL trajectories in palliative care: a study on the work of healthcare professionals (Ref. PTDC/SOC-SOC/30092/2017) and Building paths towards death: an analysis of everyday work in palliative care (Ref. PTDC/CS-SOC/119621/2010), both financed by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT); in particular the data obtained through 17 months (12 in the first project and 5 in the second one, still in progress) of ethnographic observation carried out at two hospital internment units providing PC in Mainland Portugal and 42 (37 in the first project and 5 in the second one, still in progress) in-depth interviews to professionals in PC – physicians, nurses, and social workers. As main results, we present several theoretical and empirical elements relevant to the analysis of the field of EoL communication in the context of interactions between healthcare professionals, patients and their families. Following earlier studies on the same theme, we show how the work of preparing EoL conversations refers to a broader social process preceding those conversations. We believe that our findings may contribute to elucidating this dimension of the intervention of PC professionals, thus being instrumental for the future definition of systematised guidelines and recommendations in the framework of PC.
‘Nobody feels safe’: Vulnerability, fear and the micro-politics of ordinary voice in crime news television
Authors: Higgins Kathryn Claire
Published: March 2021

The new prominence of ordinary voice in crime journalism – claims to have seen things, experienced things, felt things ‘first-hand’ – has the potential to decenter elite perspectives and open up crime news narratives to the voices of systemically criminalized subjects. However, I argue in this paper that the political potential of ordinary voice can only be realized in and through concrete instances of its use, and so needs to be examined within news texts as sites of micro-political struggle over meaning. Looking at Australian current affairs television coverage of so-called ‘African gang’ crime in Melbourne, this paper approaches crime news texts as sites of vulnerability politics, where different and sometimes competing claims to vulnerability encounter one another and struggle for public recognition. A close multi-modal analysis of three episodes of current affairs television uncovers four specific strategies of textual composition and presentation by which the criminalization of Black African youth is able to persist despite the testimonial interventions of the criminalized: appropriation, marginalization, subjugation and calculation. The paper concludes by considering the implications of this analysis for future studies of ordinary voice and citizen testimony in news reporting.
Why Does Construct Validity Matter in Measuring Implementation Fidelity? A Methodological Case Study
Authors: van Dijk Wilhelmina , Huggins-Manley A. Corinne , Gage Nicholas A. , Lane Holly B. , Coyne Michael
Published: March 2021

In reading intervention research, implementation fidelity is assumed to be positively related to student outcomes, but the methods used to measure fidelity are often treated as an afterthought. Fidelity has been conceptualized and measured in many different ways, suggesting a lack of construct validity. One aspect of construct validity is the fidelity index of a measure. This methodological case study examined how different decisions in fidelity indices influence relative rank ordering of individuals on the construct of interest and influence our perception of the relation between the construct and intervention outcomes. Data for this study came from a large state-funded project to implement multi-tiered systems of support for early reading instruction. Analyses were conducted to determine whether the different fidelity indices are stable in relative rank ordering participants and if fidelity indices of dosage and adherence data influence researcher decisions on model building within a multilevel modeling framework. Results indicated that the fidelity indices resulted in different relations to outcomes with the most commonly used fidelity indices for both dosage and adherence being the worst performing. The choice of index to use should receive considerable thought during the design phase of an intervention study.
Hepatoprotective effect of galangin on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity via the LKB1/AMPK pathway
Authors: Chen Meng , Song Xinyan , Jiang Jifang , Xing Lei , Wang Pengfei
Published: March 2021

To investigate the protective effects of galangin on liver toxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in mice. Mouse hepatotoxicity model was established by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of 10 ml/kg body weight CCl4 that diluted with corn oil to a proportion of 1:500 on Kunming mice. The mice were randomly divided into five groups named control group, model group, and 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg galangin group. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were analyzed by ELISA. Liver histopathological examination was observed via optical microscopy. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and glutathion (GSSG) were analyzed to assess oxidative stress. Finally, western blot assay was carried out to analyse the expression levels of total AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phospho-AMPK (p-AMPK), total liver kinase B1 (LKB1), and phospho-LKB1 (p-LKB1). Compared with the control group, in the model group, the levels of AST, ALT, MDA, and GSSG increased significantly ( p < 0.01); the activity of SOD and GSH decreased significantly ( p < 0.01); and the histopathological examination revealed liver necrosis. However, treatment with galangin (5 and 10 mg/kg) significantly reversed these CCl4-induced liver damage indicators. Furthermore, treatment with galangin (10 mg/kg) significantly increased the p-AMPK and p-LKB1 expression levels ( p < 0.01). This study supports the hepatoprotective effect of galangin against hepatotoxicity, perhaps occurring mainly through the LKB1/AMPK-mediated pathway.
Does the Weather Contribute to Admissions of Neck of Femur Fractures?
Authors: Koizia Louis J. , Dani Melanie , Brown Hannah , Lee Malcolm , Reilly Peter , Fertleman Michael B.
Published: March 2021

Background:

The effects of weather on overall mortality are well documented. Anecdotally, icy conditions are perceived to result in more falls and admissions for neck of femur (NOF) fractures. The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether relationships could be extracted or at least not ruled out by analysing a small dataset, and so give impetus to a larger project.

Methods:

Seven trauma units across North West London were identified and NOF fracture data extracted for 5 years. Visual inspection of the time series, consideration of the weather on specific days and correlation analysis were used to assess associations between fracture numbers and a variety of weather parameters (temperature, rainfall, wind and ice risk).

Results:

Overall, 10929 individuals with hip fractures were admitted over the 5-year period. The highest number of admissions in a day was 14. No clear association was found between a weather parameter and daily admissions. However, when accumulated to a weekly timescale, a negative relationship with maximum temperature was found. No seasonal cycle was detected.

Conclusion:

The lack of a daily relationship and presence of a weekly relationship points to a possible delayed response to weather or insufficient daily data to extract a signal. The inconclusive results also indicate a larger data sample is required in future studies. In addition, even in cold weather an urban environment may not create icy conditions, being ameliorated by the heat island effect and gritting.
Very long chain fatty acid metabolism is required in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Tcheng Matthew , Roma Alessia , Ahmed Nawaz , Smith Richard W. , Jayanth Preethi , Minden Mark D. , Schimmer Aaron D. , Hess David A. , Hope Kristin , Rea Kevin A. , Akhtar Tariq A. , Bohrnsen Eric , D’Alessandro Angelo , Mohsen Al-Walid , Vockley Jerry , Spagnuolo Paul A.
Published: March 2021

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells have an atypical metabolic phenotype characterized by increased mitochondrial mass, as well as a greater reliance on oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) for survival. To exploit this altered metabolism, we assessed publicly available databases to identify FAO enzyme overexpression. Very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD; ACADVL) was found to be overexpressed and critical to leukemia cell mitochondrial metabolism. Genetic attenuation or pharmacological inhibition of VLCAD hindered mitochondrial respiration and FAO contribution to the tricarboxylic acid cycle, resulting in decreased viability, proliferation, clonogenic growth, and AML cell engraftment. Suppression of FAO at VLCAD triggered an increase in pyruvate dehydrogenase activity that was insufficient to increase glycolysis but resulted in adenosine triphosphate depletion and AML cell death, with no effect on normal hematopoietic cells. Together, these results demonstrate the importance of VLCAD in AML cell biology and highlight a novel metabolic vulnerability for this devastating disease.