bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of energy-peaks characteristic in NaI(Tl) spectrometer for radionuclide identification in environmental radiation monitoring device
Authors: Kusuma Gina , Yuniarsari Lely , Santoso Budi , Prajitno Prawito , Kusuma Wijaya Sastra , Soekirno Santoso , Putu Susila I
Published: June 2020

The development of nuclear facilities has been emerging rapidly in this century, it’s causing the development of technology which concerns the quality of the environment is a must. Because this condition is related to the polluted nuclear radiation in the environment, especially in urban, and nuclear facilities. This causes an environmental radiation monitoring device is needed to determine abnormalities. Currently, the environmental radiation monitoring devices in the station only could monitors gross gamma radiation. The device cannot distinguish whether the increase in dose rate is due to abnormal events, or due to natural radiation. Therefore, we need a device that can have the ability of spectroscopy, thus it can distinguish the radionuclide source that causes an increase in the dose rate like NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometer. The device has been configured using a NaI(Tl) detector with a peak characteristic observation method with various conditions of acquisition time and dose rate. This was tested in laboratories using Cs-137 as a sample. Tests have been done by varying the value of time and dose rate when measure. Time used varies, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes with a varying dose rate of 0.1479, 0.1115, 0.0956 and 0.0802 |aSv/h. Data has been analyzed using the high summing ratio method to be able to distinguish measurement values using sample and background measurements. The result shows that the detector has stable when measuring for 30 minutes with FWHM value 60, and the dose rate is not less than 0.0802 |aSv/h, and it was able to distinguish background and source value from 1 -minute acquisition using a high summing ratio method.
A systematic literature reviews of multichannel analyzer based on FPGA for gamma spectroscopy
Authors: Tris Susanto Andeka , Prajitno Prawito , Kusuma Wijaya Sastra , Soekirno Santoso , Putu Susila I
Published: June 2020

Environmental radiation monitoring based gamma spectroscopy require a multichannel analyzer (MCA) which functions to record and analyze nuclear radiation spectrum data. There are currently many studies related to MCA based on field programmable gate array (FPGA). But, the scope of these published research is complex and fragmented. This systematic literature review (SLR) main objective to analyze research trends and emerging themes research of MCA based on FPGA for gamma spectroscopy that was developed during last 10 years. This review was conducted by selecting papers from leading journals in scientific databases namely ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore and Scopus. For papers selection process, specific keyword strings used for each database and paper selecting using inclusion and exclusion criterion. Selection of papers resulted in 38 selected papers. During 10 last 10 years, This reseach become hot of topic research especially in Asia. This SLR proves that performance of MCA based FPGA is reliable and compatible with various of detector types. This MCA has been used for spectroscopy applications such as monitoring radiation, diagnostic medicine, industrial imaging and security screening. The implications of this study can used as reference for future research of development MCA based FPGA for enviromental radiation monitoring based gamma spectroscopy.
A measurement low magnetic field at copper plate electromagnet
Authors: Wardoyo S , Djamal M , Budiman M
Published: June 2020

Discovery of electromagnets has had a great influence on the development of science and technology, which due to the nature of the magnetism that can be arranged so that it can provide practical benefits including electric motors, relays, power generators, and automatic door switches. In this research, an electromagnet the form of copper plate with hole in the middle for iron core. Each plate has an insulator that separates between each plate which is arranged in threads to form a helical coil of copper plate. Value obatained from design electromagnets using copper is 0 to 8 mT, with measurement using Gaussmeter as a reference in the development of sensors using giant magnetoresistance. The implications and application from this research is portable and concise high field in the form of copper plate models. In the future it potential apllication on biomedical and engineering.
Verification of dose distribution on the gamma knife perfexion radiosurgery using gafchromic EBT3 film: RANDO phantom study
Authors: Pranditayana I N , Setiadi A R. , Ramadhan M M , Tandian D , Pawiro S A.
Published: June 2020

Leksell gamma knife (LGK) is an advanced modality of radiation therapy sourced Co-60 radioactive for treating patient with intracranial lesion. Small field techniques with highly integrated radiation delivering to patients in single session must be calculated accurately and verified carefully. This study illustrates a procedure to verify the accuracy of dose distribution associated with Leksell Gamma Plan (LGP) using RANDO phantom and gafchromic EBT3 film dosimetry. First, we assessed the profile dose on LGK standard phantom with collimators size 4, 8 and 16 mm and compared the results with the profile dose based on RANDO to obtained Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) and beam-symmetry. Absorbed-dose distributions on RANDO with various combinations of lesion volume, collimator size, location and number of shots assessed by EBT3 film using LGK Perfexion. Scanned images of the measured films were processed following standard EBT3 film-handling procedures. Dose distribution calculation were performed using ImageJ software and MATLAB in-house software. The study shows different FHWM and beam symmetry of collimator size of 16 mm on standard phantom between LGP and measurement is 1.83 % and 1.58 % respectively whereas the discrepancy in RANDO phantom is 2.15 %, and 1.64 % respectively. Verification of max dose shows the smallest discrepancy on collimator size 16 single shot is 1.9 % on 7.61 cc superior lesion volume, where 12.12 Gy obtained by measurement and 12.36 Gy from LGP. In conclusion, collimator size 16 mm have a highest accuracy of FWHM and beam-symmetry value. However, on smaller lesion volume, collimator 16 mm with single shot give higher deviation dose value.
EEG-EMG based bio-robotics elbow orthotics control
Authors: Adila Ferdiansyah Faizal , Prajitno Prawito , Kusuma Wijaya Sastra
Published: June 2020

Brain-computer interface (BCI) or also its advancement, hybrid brain-computer interface (hBCI), is a technology that is vastly developed. This technology has been used in many fields. BCI is a system that directly changes a human’s mind into data that can be extracted to information that can be meaningful to people. The development of this technology has applications as a rehabilitation aid for someone suffering from an inability to move his limbs, such as the arms. Through this research, it is hoped to be able to design an orthosis control system as a rehabilitation device by using a classification method with EEG and EMG signals, so that subjects who use this tool can carry out rehabilitation in upper arm movements especially in the elbow joint. The system utilized Raspberry Pi 3 B+ as the computer and ADS1299EEG-FE as analog front end for EEG and EMG. EEG frequency band power and EMG Vrms feature are extracted using Wavelet Transform and the model used for movement classification is Support Vector Machine. The results of the movement classification using both signals, using delta alpha ratio and root mean square features, obtained training accuracy for three movements namely relax, flexion, and extension of 90.3% and for testing accuracy of 85.2%. The combination of EEG and EMG signals are considered a promising approach for developing rehabilitation device of right arm limb.
A comparison of joint reversible data hiding methods in encrypted remote sensing satellite images
Authors: Syahputra Nasution Ali , Wibisono Gunawan
Published: June 2020

The distribution of remote sensing satellite data from the National Remote Sensing Data Bank (BDPJN) of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) to users via the internet requires security so that it is not used illegally by unauthorized parties. Encryption and reversible data hiding are two effective and popular privacy protection and confidential communication solutions. With encryption, data is randomized so it can’t be read. Whereas with reversible data hiding, the receiver can extract hidden data and restore the original image without distortion. In this paper, some remote sensing satellite images are used as input in the simulation that is analyzed and compared based on the three methods of joint reversible data hiding in encrypted images, i.e. Zhang’s work, Hong’s work, and Fatema’s work. The experimental results show that Hong’s et al. method reveals the best performance of the three methods. For example, when the block size is 8x8, the bit error rate (BER) of the SPOT-6 test image of Hong’s et al. method was 12.06%, which is slightly lower than the 14.01% Zhang’s method and 11.89% Fatema’s et al. method. Likewise, the quality of remote sensing satellite image (image_spot6) recovery represented by the peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) of Hong’s et al. method is 49.96 dB, which is quite higher than the 48.26 dB of Zhang’s method and 48.98 dB of Fatema’s et al. method.
Simple I-V acquisition module with high side current sensing principle for real time photovoltaic measurement
Authors: Wiyadi Eri , Wati Agustina , Hamzah Yanuar , Umar Lazuardi
Published: June 2020

This work presents a data acquisiti on module for measurement of current voltage (I-V) characteristic of photovoltaic module based on INA219 sensor Adafruit integrated with the Atmega328 Microcontroller. The module can be used to measure the photovoltaic DC current precisely, which is controlled using a developed software interface as a data logger display. The sensor works based on the principle of high side currents sensing consists of sense and load resistor to accommodate four sensors of 3 Amps in the maximum voltage range up to 26V. The measurement result in real-time is depicted in graphical form using visual studio software. Calibration and linearity tests result an error of of 0.76% and 0.572% for currents and voltages respectively. The result of linearity test shows a value of R = 0.98 for current and voltage of PV module compare to the calibrator.
Examination system of chicken meat quality based on hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Latifa Noferita Kaswati Engrid , Harmoko Saputro Adhi , Imawan Cuk
Published: June 2020

The freshness of the chicken meat will be degraded due to microbiological and chemical processes and will affect the quality of the chicken’s meat. Measurements of freshness were done by a laboratory test that usually destructively and takes a long time. In this study, a VNIR imaging system was built with a wavelength range of 400-1000 nm to determine the freshness of broiler chicken meat. The freshness of the chicken meat was analyzed by using the organoleptic and pH measurement approach. Classification using Random Forest (RF) modeling has been developed to predict the freshness of chicken meat. The freshness of chicken meat was evaluated by using the correction value of 85.5%. The Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) algorithm was successfully used to determine the pH. The pH measurement system for fresh chicken meat was evaluated using a correlation coefficient of 0.80 and RMSE 0.16. Meanwhile, for the spoiled chicken meat, pH was measured using a correlation coefficient of 0.84 and RMSE of 0.18. Both classification and regression methods indicate that this measurement system is adequate for predicting the quality of chicken meat.
Changes of mangrove area in Pangpang Bay, Banyuwangi 2014-2018 using Landsat-8 imagery
Authors: Cintya Pradipta Hapsari Khansa , Ayu Permatasari Dinda
Published: June 2020

The existence of mangrove has important role for environment and living creatures. Mangrove is a habitat for various types of animals and can produce various environmental services, such as stabilizing coastlines. With many important roles of mangrove, monitoring the changes of mangrove area become important to give us the information. One of the effective ways in monitoring mangrove is using remote sensing system, in this case, Landsat 8. This research aims to identify the changes of mangrove area in Pangpang Bay conservation area during 2014-2018 by using Landsat 8 imagery. Composite of 564 RGB on Landsat 8 imagery was used for identification of mangrove and the classification method used in this research was maximum likelihood classification (MLC). The classification result indicated 3 land cover classes: water bodies, land and mangrove. The result of 564 RGB composite on Landsat 8 imagery showed that there was an increase of 283.04 ha in total mangrove area from 2014 to 2018. Pangpang Bay experiencing expansion of mangrove area from 2014 to 2018 because that place is a mangrove conservation area, so that the sustainability of mangrove is maintained.
Association of Arterial Stiffness With Kidney Function Among Adults Without Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Itano Seiji , Yano Yuichiro , Nagasu Hajime , Tomiyama Hirofumi , Kanegae Hiroshi , Makino Hirofumi , Higashi Yukihito , Kobayashi Yusuke , Sogawa Yuji , Satoh Minoru , Suzuki Kenji , Townsend Raymond R , Budoff Matthew , Bakris George , Kashihara Naoki
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Our aims were to assess whether arterial stiffness is associated with a higher risk for kidney dysfunction among persons without chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

We analyzed data from the national health checkup system in Japan; for our analyses, we selected records of individuals who completed assessments of cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and kidney function from 2005 to 2016. We excluded participants who had CKD at baseline, defined as the presence of proteinuria or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. We compared 2 groups of CAVI measurements—the highest quartile (≧8.1) and the combined lower 3 quartiles (<8.1). We used Cox proportional hazards models to assess associations between these 2 groups and subsequent CKD events, proteinuria, eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2, and rapid eGFR decline (greater than or equal to −3 ml/min/1.73 m2 per year).

RESULTS

The mean age of the 24,297 included participants was 46.2 years, and 60% were female. Over a mean follow-up of 3.1 years, 1,435 CKD events occurred. In a multivariable analysis, the hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the highest vs. combined lower quartiles of CAVI measurements were 1.3 (1.1, 1.5) for CKD events, 1.3 (0.96, 1.62) for proteinuria, 1.4 (1.1, 1.7) for eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2, and the odds ratio with 95% CI was 1.3 (1.1, 1.4) for rapid eGFR decline.

CONCLUSIONS

Persons with CAVI measurements ≧8.1 had a higher risk for CKD events compared with their counterparts with CAVI measurements <8.1. Greater arterial stiffness among adults without CKD may be associated with kidney dysfunction.
An algorithm for retrieval tools in foreign body ingestion and food impaction in children
Authors: Ergun Ergun , Ates Ufuk , Gollu Gulnur , Bahadir Kutay , Yagmurlu Aydin , Cakmak Murat , Aktug Tanju , Dindar Huseyin , Bingol-Kologlu Meltem
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study is to review the experience on managing foreign body ingestion in children with special emphasis on the endoscopic techniques and specific retrieval devices used for foreign body (FB) extraction. The charts of 341 children were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic data, ingested material, removal technique and tool, level of FB, complications, and outcomes were recorded. A total of 364 FBs were removed from 341 children. Among these, 56.5% (n: 206) were entrapped in esophagus, 39% (n: 142) were in stomach, and 4.5% (n: 16) in duodenum and intestine. The most frequently ingested items were coin (42.5%), button batteries (20.6%), and safety pins (12%). Optical forceps (37.9%) were the most commonly used tool and they were used during retrieval of esophageal FB by rigid endoscopy. Retrieval net (20.7%) was the second most common tool and the most common one during flexible endoscopy. Depending on our experience, we strongly advocate rigid endoscopy for esophageal FBs and food impaction in children because it allows both to use optical forceps with a strong grasping ability for blunt FBs and to position sharp and pointed objects inside the rigid endoscope. We recommend retrieval net as the first tool for the extraction of blunt objects and rat tooth retrieval forceps is the best tool for sharp and pointed FBs in stomach.
Molecular mechanism of the response of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii to D-fructose stress by the glutathione metabolism pathway
Authors: Liu Hong , Li Xin , Deng Jingzhi , Dai Lingyan , Liu Wei , Pan Bailing , Wang Chengtao , Zhang Dongjie , Li Zhijiang
Published: June 2020

Zygosaccharomyces rouxii produces high levels of 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone in YPD medium supplemented with 120 g/L D-fructose and 180 g/L NaCl after 5  d. D-fructose has a stress effect on Z. rouxii, and GSH-Px is a main enzyme involved in the defense of Z. rouxii against oxygen stress according to our previous report. In order to further explore the molecular mechanism of the glutathione metabolism pathway in Z. rouxii in response to D-fructose stress, changes in the expression of genes and proteins involved in the synthesis of glutathione precursor amino acids and enzymes were observed. In addition, changes in the intermediates related to glutathione synthesis in Z. rouxii were reported. The results indicated that some gene-encoding enzymes involved in the glutamate, cysteine and glycine biosynthesis pathways and key genes involved in glutathione synthesis were upregulated. The expression levels of other genes, except SHMT, were consistent with the qRT-PCR results. The contents of γ-glutamylcysteine and glutathione amide in the D-fructose group were higher than those in the control group. In the D-fructose stress groups, the metabolic flux towards glutathione synthesis was increased. These results might provide more in-depth and detailed theoretical support for the oxidative stress defense mechanism of Z. rouxii under D-fructose stress.
Transcriptomic analysis reveals MAPK signaling pathways affect the autolysis in baker's yeast
Authors: Li Xiao , Ye Han , Xu Chao-Qun , Shen Xiang-ling , Zhang Xiao-Long , Huang Cong , Cheng Ben , Tan Ya-Li , Xiao Ze-Tao , Pei Yu-Peng , Zou Kun
Published: June 2020

Yeast autolysis refers to the process in which cells degrade and release intracellular contents under specific conditions by endogenous enzymes such as proteases, nucleases and lipid enzymes. Protein-rich baker's yeast is widely used to produce yeast extract in food industry, however, the molecular mechanism related to baker's yeast autolysis is still unclear. In this study, RNA-seq technology and biochemical analysis were performed to analyze the autolysis processes in baker's yeast. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 27 autolysis-related euKaryotic Ortholog Groups (KOG) and three types of autolysis-induced Gene Ontology (GO) were identified and analyzed in detail. A total of 143 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways under autolysis were also assigned. Interestingly, the DEGs were significantly enriched in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways and metabolic pathways, and key genes MID2, MTL1, SLT2, PTP2, HKR1 and GPD1 may play important roles in autolysis. Further quantitative PCR was performed to verify the expression pattern in baker's yeast autolysis. Together, all these results indicated that MAPK pathways might play an essential role during autolysis process through inhibiting the metabolism and disrupting cell wall in baker's yeast. This result may provide important clues for the in-depth interpretation of the yeast autolysis mechanism.
A Novel Microbialite-Associated Phototrophic Chloroflexi Lineage Exhibiting a Quasi-Clonal Pattern along Depth
Authors: Saghaï Aurélien , Zivanovic Yvan , Moreira David , Tavera Rosaluz , López-García Purificación
Published: June 2020

Chloroflexales (Chloroflexi) are typical members of the anoxygenic photosynthesizing component of microbial mats and have mostly been characterized from communities associated to hot springs. Here, we report the assembly of five metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of a novel lineage of Chloroflexales found in mesophilic lithifying microbial mats (microbialites) in Lake Alchichica (Mexico). Genomic and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the bins shared 92% of their genes, and these genes were nearly identical despite being assembled from samples collected along a depth gradient (1–15 m depth). We tentatively name this lineage Candidatus Lithoflexus mexicanus. Metabolic predictions based on the MAGs suggest that these chlorosome-lacking mixotrophs share features in central carbon metabolism, electron transport, and adaptations to life under oxic and anoxic conditions, with members of two related lineages, Chloroflexineae and Roseiflexineae. Contrasting with the other diverse microbialite community members, which display much lower genomic conservation along the depth gradient, Ca. L. mexicanus MAGs exhibit remarkable similarity. This might reflect a particular flexibility to acclimate to varying light conditions with depth or the capacity to occupy a very specific spatial ecological niche in microbialites from different depths. Alternatively, Ca. L. mexicanus may also have the ability to modulate its gene expression as a function of the local environmental conditions during diel cycles in microbialites along the depth gradient.
Uncovering the physical controls of deep subduction zone slow slip using supervised classification of subducting plate features
Authors: McLellan Morgan , Audet Pascal
Published: June 2020

Deep slow slip events (SSEs) at subduction zones have significantly contributed to refining our understanding of the megathrust earthquake cycle at the brittle-ductile transition. However, the specific combination of factors that determine their occurrence has not yet been fully explored. Here we evaluate the contribution of several of these characteristics using globally mapped geophysical data that are used as proxies for physical properties of the subducting plate. This is performed by classifying 25 km-wide, trench-parallel segments into binary classes based on the observation (or lack thereof) of deep, short- or long-term SSEs. The five characteristics explored here include subducting plate age, sediment thickness, relative plate velocity, slab dip, and plate surface roughness. We use these characteristics to train six Machine Learning models based on different learning algorithms: Gaussian Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, Linear Discriminant Analysis, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and K-Nearest Neighbour. Short-term SSE models show that subducting plate age, relative velocity, and sediment thickness have the strongest predictive power with the first two characteristics negatively correlating and sediment thickness positively correlating with SSE occurrence, respectively. These results are consistent with a conceptual model where slow slip is controlled by conditions favoring the enduring release (and possible storage) of fluids near the source region. However, the relationship between these features and elevated pore fluid pressures is not established here and further evidence is needed to validate this hypothesis. We then use a final model constructed as a weighted average of the best performing models to make predictions on the probability of SSE occurrence, with predicted short-term SSE occurrence in South America, the Aleutians, Sumatra, Vanuatu and Solomon, as well as long-term SSE occurrence in the Aleutians, Izu-Bonin, Kuril-Kamchatka, Mariana, and Tonga-Kermadec. Overall, long-term SSE models do not perform as well as the short-term SSE models which may indicate that long-term SSEs are controlled by a different and/or extended set of physical characteristics than the short-term SSEs.
Joint detection and classification of rockfalls in a microseismic monitoring network
Authors: Feng Liang , Pazzi Veronica , Intrieri Emanuele , Gracchi Teresa , Gigli Giovanni
Published: June 2020

A rockfall (RF) is a ubiquitous geohazard that is difficult to monitor or predict and poses a significant risk for people and transportation in several hilly and mountainous environments. The seismic signal generated by RF carries abundant physical and mechanical information. Thus, signals can be used by researchers to reconstruct the event location, onset time, volume and trajectory, and develop an efficient early warning system. Therefore, the precise automatic detection and classification of RF events are important objectives for scientists, especially in seismic monitoring arrays. An algorithm called DESTRO (DEtection and STorage of ROckfalls) aimed at combining seismic event automatic detection and classification was implemented ad hoc within the MATLAB environment. In event detection, the STA/LTA (short-time-average through long-time-average) method combined with other parameters, such as the minimum duration of an RF and the minimum interval time between two continuous seismic events is used. Furthermore, nine significant features based on the frequency, amplitude, seismic waveform, duration and multiple station attributes are newly proposed to classify seismic events in a RF environment. In particular, a three-step classification method is proposed for the discrimination of five different source types: RFs, earthquakes (EQs), tremors, multispike events (MSs) and subordinate MS events. Each component (vertical, east–west and north–south) at each station within the monitoring network is analysed, and a three-step classification is performed. At a given time, the event series detected from each component are integrated and reclassified component by component and station by station into a final event-type series as an output result. By this algorithm, a case study of the seven-month-long seismic monitoring of a former quarry in Central Italy was investigated by means of four triaxial velocimeters with continuous acquisition at a sampling rate of 200 Hz. During this monitoring period, a human-induced RF simulation was performed, releasing 95 blocks (in which 90 blocks validated) of different sizes from the benches of the quarry. Consequently, 64.9 per cent of EQs within 100 km were confirmed in a one-month monitoring period, 88 blocks in the RF simulation were classified correctly as RF events and 2 blocks were classified as MSs given their small energy. Finally, an ad hoc section of the algorithm was designed specifically for RF classification combined with EQ recognition. The algorithm could be applied in slope seismic monitoring to monitor the dynamic states of rock masses, as well as in slope instability forecasting and risk evaluation in EQ-prone areas.
GPU implementation of curved-grid finite-difference modelling for non-planar rupture dynamics
Authors: Zhang Wenqiang , Zhang Zhenguo , Li Mengyang , Chen Xiaofei
Published: June 2020

A deep understanding of earthquake physics requires a large amount of numerical simulations on seismic wave propagation and dynamic rupture. However, the corresponding intensive computational expense of simulations at traditional CPU (central processing unit) platforms make related researches time-consuming. There are many mature graphics processing unit (GPU) programs that can dramatically accelerate the calculation of seismic wave propagation. Unfortunately, there are few discussions about GPU implementations for rupture dynamics. In this work, we extend our 3-D curved-grid finite-difference method (CG-FDM) for rupture dynamics to the GPU platform using the CUDA (compute unified device architecture) programming language. By taking advantage of the new features of the NVIDIA Volta architecture, we implement the GPU-based program for rupture dynamics that is not only efficient but also easy to maintain. The GPU-based CG-FDM program is two orders of magnitude faster than our previous serial CPU-based program and still has a considerable advantage compared with the parallel one. The reliability and correctness of the program are carefully examined by the comparisons of the benchmarks from the ‘Southern California Earthquake Center/U.S. Geological Survey (SCEC/USGS) Dynamic Earthquake Rupture Code Verification Exercise’. The performance improvements of the GPU-based CG-FDM can save a lot of computing time, allowing researchers to perform much more numerical simulations of rupture dynamics to reveal more details of earthquake physics.
Coalescence Phenomenon of Quantum Cohomology of Grassmannians and the Distribution of Prime Numbers
Authors: Cotti Giordano
Published: June 2020

The occurrence and frequency of a phenomenon of resonance (namely the coalescence of some Dubrovin canonical coordinates) in the locus of small quantum cohomology of complex Grassmannians are studied. It is shown that surprisingly this frequency is strictly subordinate and highly influenced by the distribution of prime numbers. Two equivalent formulations of the Riemann hypothesis are given in terms of numbers of complex Grassmannians without coalescence: the former as a constraint on the disposition of singularities of the analytic continuation of the Dirichlet series associated to the sequence counting non-coalescing Grassmannians, and the latter as asymptotic estimate (whose error term cannot be improved) for their distribution function.
In-hospital interventions for reducing readmissions to acute care for adults aged 65 and over: An umbrella review
Authors: Conroy Tiffany , Heuzenroeder Louise , Feo Rebecca
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The aim of this umbrella review was to synthesize existing systematic review evidence on the effectiveness of in-hospital interventions to prevent or reduce avoidable hospital readmissions in older people (≥65 years old).

Data sources

A comprehensive database search was conducted in May 2019 through MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE and Epistemonikos.

Study Selection

Systematic reviews and other research syntheses, including meta-analyses, exploring the effectiveness of hospital-based interventions to reduce readmissions for people aged 65 and older, irrespective of gender or clinical condition, were included for review. If a review did not exclusively focus on this age group, but data for this group could be extracted, then it was considered for inclusion. Only reviews in English were included.

Data extraction

Data extracted for each review included the review objective, participant details, setting and context, type of studies, intervention type, comparator and findings.

Results of data synthesis

Twenty-nine reviews were included for analysis. Within these reviews, 11 intervention types were examined: in-hospital medication review, discharge planning, comprehensive geriatric assessment, early recovery after surgery, transitional care, interdisciplinary team care, in-hospital nutrition therapy, acute care geriatric units, in-hospital exercise, postfall interventions for people with dementia and emergency department-based palliative care. Except for discharge planning and transitional care, none of the interventions significantly reduced readmissions among older adults.

Conclusion

There is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of existing hospital-based interventions to reduce readmissions for people aged 65 and older.
Hospital surveillance predicts community pneumococcal antibiotic resistance in Vietnam
Authors: Dai V T T , Beissbarth J , Thanh P V , Hoan P T , Thuy H N L , Huu T N , Bright K , Satzke C , Mulholland E K , Temple B , Smith-Vaughan H C
Published: June 2020

Background

In Vietnam, Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of disease, including meningitis. Antibiotics are available without physician prescription at community pharmacies and rates of antibiotic non-susceptibility are high. Appropriate treatment and antibiotic stewardship need to be informed by surveillance data.

Objectives

To report community-based pneumococcal antibiotic susceptibility testing data from children enrolled in a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine trial in Ho Chi Minh City [the Vietnam Pneumococcal Project (ViPP)] and compare these with published hospital-based data from the nationwide Survey of Antibiotic Resistance (SOAR) to determine whether hospital surveillance data provide an informative estimate of circulating pneumococcal resistance.

Methods

Pneumococcal isolates from 234 nasopharyngeal swabs collected from ViPP participants at 12 months of age underwent antibiotic susceptibility testing using CLSI methods and the data were compared with SOAR data.

Results

Antibiotic susceptibility testing identified penicillin-non-susceptible pneumococci in 93.6% of pneumococcus-positive ViPP swabs (oral, non-meningitis breakpoints). Non-susceptibility to erythromycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin and tetracycline also exceeded 79%. MDR, defined as non-susceptibility to three or more classes of antibiotic, was common (94.4% of swabs). Low or no resistance was detected for ceftriaxone (non-meningitis breakpoints), ofloxacin and vancomycin. Antibiotic non-susceptibility rates in ViPP and SOAR were similar for several antibiotics tested.

Conclusions

A very high proportion of pneumococci carried in the community are MDR. Despite wide disparities in population demographics between ViPP and SOAR, the non-susceptibility rates for several antibiotics were comparable. Thus, with some qualification, hospital antibiotic susceptibility testing data in Vietnam can inform circulating pneumococcal antibiotic non-susceptibility in young children, the group at highest risk of pneumococcal disease, to guide antibiotic prescribing and support surveillance strategies.
National survey of radiation oncologists’ practice patterns regarding hormone-naïve prostate cancer with bone metastases
Authors: Nakamura Katsumasa , Ishikawa Hitoshi , Akimoto Tetsuo , Aoki Manabu , Kariya Shinji , Kawamura Hidemasa , Kumano Tomoyasu , Kozuka Takuyo , Konishi Kenta , Sakaguchi Masakuni , Takayama Kenji ,   Other authors are shown in Appendix
Published: June 2020

Objective

To explore radiation oncologists’ attitudes and practice patterns of radiotherapy for hormone-naïve prostate cancer with bone metastases in Japan.

Methods

An internet-based survey was distributed to board-certified radiation oncologists of the Japanese Society of Radiation Oncology. Three hypothetical cases were assumed: hormone-naïve prostate cancer with single, three or multiple non-symptomatic bone metastases. The respondents described their attitude regarding such cases, treatment methods and the radiotherapy dose fractionation that they would recommend.

Results

Among the 1013 board-certified radiation oncologists in Japan, 373 (36.8%) responded to the questionnaire. Most of the respondents (85.0%) believed that radiotherapy may be applicable as a primary treatment for hormone-naïve prostate cancer with bone metastases in some circumstances. For Case 1 (single bone metastasis), 55.0% of the respondents recommended radiotherapy for the prostate and bone metastasis. For Case 2 (three bone metastases), only 24.4% recommended radiotherapy for all lesions, and 31.4% recommended radiotherapy for the prostate only. For Case 3 (multiple bone metastases), 49.1% of the respondents stated that there was no indication for radiotherapy. However, 34% of the respondents still preferred to administer radiotherapy for the prostate. The radiotherapy techniques and dose fractionations varied widely among the respondents.

Conclusion

Most of the respondent radiation oncologists believed that radiotherapy may be beneficial for hormone-naïve prostate cancer with bone metastases.
On Scott’s semantics for many-valued logic
Authors: Niki Satoru , Schuster Peter
Published: June 2020

The semantics in ordered abelian groups Scott proposed for Łukasiewicz’s many-valued logic fails to be sound for one direction of one of the rules Scott gave for implication. We show this by a counterexample Urquhart has used to justify that in his own semantics, every formula has to have a least point at which it is valid. While this condition would make Scott’s semantics sound, it would cause a problem with its completeness. The question arises whether one can still amend Scott’s semantics so as to make it both sound and complete or better stick to Urquhart’s semantics anyway.
Potential use of Nikkomycin Z as an anti- Sporothrix spp. drug
Authors: Poester Vanice Rodrigues , Munhoz Lívia Silveira , Larwood David , Martinez Marife , Stevens David A , Xavier Melissa Orzechowski
Published: June 2020

Sporotrichosis, the most common subcutaneous mycosis in several countries, is caused by the dimorphic fungus, Sporothrix spp. Given some limitations in the treatment of this disease, and the high potential of nikkomycin Z (NikZ) as an antifungal against dimorphic fungi, this study aimed to evaluate the in vitro susceptibility of Sporothrix spp. to NikZ alone and with the drug of choice, itraconazole (ITZ). Seventeen clinical isolates of three Sporothrix spp. species (10 S. brasiliensis, six S. schenckii sensu stricto and one S. globosa) were tested in microdilution and checkerboard assays. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC), fractional inhibitory and fungicidal concentration indexes (FICi and FFCi) were analyzed. MIC of NikZ alone could be determined against S. globosa (12.5 μg/ml) and against 67% (4/6) and 30% (3/10) of the S. schenckii sensu stricto and S. brasiliensis isolates, respectively (≤ 400 μg/ml). Synergism with ITZ was showed against almost all the isolates tested (94%; 16/17), including reversing resistance to ITZ alone in some isolates. Our study shows the potential of NikZ in sporotrichosis treatment. Further studies in experimental models are needed to understand the possible future application of this drug as an alternative therapy or as an adjuvant in sporotrichosis treatment.

Lay Abstract

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous and lymphatic infection, caused by fungi of Sporothrix spp. Our study shows the potential of NikZ to inhibiting Sporothrix species in vitro. Further studies are needed to understand the future application of this drug to sporotrichosis treatment.
Looking for MACHOs in the spectra of fast radio bursts
Authors: Katz Andrey , Kopp Joachim , Sibiryakov Sergey , Xue Wei
Published: June 2020

We explore a novel search strategy for dark matter in the form of massive compact halo objects (MACHOs) such as primordial black holes or dense mini-haloes in the mass range from $10^{-4}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ to $0.1\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$. These objects can gravitationally lens the signal of fast radio bursts (FRBs), producing a characteristic interference pattern in the frequency spectrum, similar to the previously studied femtolensing signal in gamma-ray burst spectra. Unlike traditional searches using microlensing, FRB lensing will probe the abundance of MACHOs at cosmological distance scales (∼Gpc) rather than just their distribution in the neighbourhood of the Milky Way. The method is thus particularly relevant for dark mini-haloes, which may be inaccessible to microlensing due to their finite spatial extent or tidal disruption in galaxies. We find that the main complication in FRB lensing will be interstellar scintillation in the FRB’s host galaxy and in the Milky Way. Scintillation is difficult to quantify because it heavily depends on turbulence in the interstellar medium, which is poorly understood. We show that, nevertheless, for realistic scintillation parameters, FRB lensing can set competitive limits on compact dark matter object, and we back our findings with explicit simulations.
J1110+4817 – a compact symmetric object candidate revisited
Authors: Krezinger Máté , Frey Sándor , An Tao , Jaiswal Sumit , Zhang Yingkang
Published: June 2020

Compact symmetric objects (CSOs) are radio-emitting active galactic nuclei (AGNs) typically with a double-lobed radio structure confined to within 1 kpc. CSOs represent the earliest evolutionary phase of jetted AGNs. Some of them may eventually evolve into large-scale extended double sources, while others stall within the host galaxy and die out, depending on the longevity of nuclear activity, the jet power, and parameters of the surrounding galactic environment. Studying CSOs is a useful tool for understanding the evolution of the galaxies and the interactions between the jets and the medium of the host galaxy. Based on milliarcsec-resolution imaging observations using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), it is not always straightforward to distinguish between a compact double-lobed or a core–jet structure. The quasar J1110+4817 was considered a CSO candidate in the literature earlier, but because of the lack of clear evidence, it could not be securely classified as a CSO. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of archival multifrequency VLBI observations combined with accurate Gaia optical astrometric information. Lower frequency VLBI images reveal an extended radio feature nearly perpendicular to the main structural axis of the source, apparently emanating from the brighter northern feature, which is rare among the known CSOs. While the presence of a binary AGN system cannot be fully excluded, the most plausible explanation is that J1110+4817 is a CSO.
Mergers of equal-mass binaries with compact object companions from mass transfer in triple star systems
Authors: Leigh Nathan W C , Toonen Silvia , Portegies Zwart Simon F , Perna Rosalba
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we consider triple systems composed of main-sequence (MS) stars, and their internal evolution due to stellar and binary evolution. Our focus is on triples that produce white dwarfs (WDs), where Roche lobe overflow of an evolving tertiary triggers accretion on to the inner binary via a circumbinary disc (CBD) driving it towards a mass ratio of unity. We present a combination of analytic- and population synthesis-based calculations performed using the SeBa code to constrain the expected frequency of such systems, given a realistic initial population of MS triples, and provide the predicted distributions of orbital periods. We identify the parameter space for triples that can accommodate a CBD, to inform future numerical simulations of suitable initial conditions. We find that ≳10 per cent of all MS triples should be able to accommodate a CBD around the inner binary, and compute lower limits for the production rates. This scenario broadly predicts mergers of near equal-mass binaries, producing blue stragglers (BSs), Type Ia supernovae, gamma-ray bursts and gravitational wave-induced mergers, along with the presence of an outer WD tertiary companion. We compare our predicted distributions to a sample of field BS binaries, and argue that our proposed mechanism explains the observed range of orbital periods. Finally, the mechanism considered here could produce hypervelocity MS stars, WDs, and even millisecond pulsars with masses close to the Chandrasekhar mass limit, and be used to constrain the maximum remnant masses at the time of any supernova explosion.
Three-dimensional models of core-collapse supernovae from low-mass progenitors with implications for Crab
Authors: Stockinger G , Janka H-T , Kresse D , Melson T , Ertl T , Gabler M , Gessner A , Wongwathanarat A , Tolstov A , Leung S-C , Nomoto K , Heger A
Published: June 2020

We present 3D full-sphere supernova simulations of non-rotating low-mass (∼9 M⊙) progenitors, covering the entire evolution from core collapse through bounce and shock revival, through shock breakout from the stellar surface, until fallback is completed several days later. We obtain low-energy explosions (∼0.5–1.0 × 1050 erg) of iron-core progenitors at the low-mass end of the core-collapse supernova (LMCCSN) domain and compare to a super-AGB (sAGB) progenitor with an oxygen–neon–magnesium core that collapses and explodes as electron-capture supernova (ECSN). The onset of the explosion in the LMCCSN models is modelled self-consistently using the vertex-prometheus code, whereas the ECSN explosion is modelled using parametric neutrino transport in the prometheus-HOTB code, choosing different explosion energies in the range of previous self-consistent models. The sAGB and LMCCSN progenitors that share structural similarities have almost spherical explosions with little metal mixing into the hydrogen envelope. A LMCCSN with less second dredge-up results in a highly asymmetric explosion. It shows efficient mixing and dramatic shock deceleration in the extended hydrogen envelope. Both properties allow fast nickel plumes to catch up with the shock, leading to extreme shock deformation and aspherical shock breakout. Fallback masses of $\mathord {\lesssim }\, 5\, \mathord {\times }\, 10^{-3}$ M⊙ have no significant effects on the neutron star (NS) masses and kicks. The anisotropic fallback carries considerable angular momentum, however, and determines the spin of the newly born NS. The LMCCSN model with less second dredge-up results in a hydrodynamic and neutrino-induced NS kick of >40 km s−1 and a NS spin period of ∼30 ms, both not largely different from those of the Crab pulsar at birth.
Automatic disturbance identification for linear quadratic Gaussian control in adaptive optics
Authors: Wang Jiaying , Guo Youming , Kong Lin , Zhang Lanqiang , Gu Naiting , Chen Kele , Rao Changhui
Published: June 2020

Linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control is an appealing control strategy to mitigate disturbances in adaptive optics (AO) systems. The key of this method is to quickly and consecutively build an accurate dynamical model to track time-varying disturbances such as turbulence, wind load and vibrations. In order to address this problem, we propose an automatic identification method consisting mainly of an improved spectrum separation procedure and a parameter optimization process based on the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The improved spectrum separation can pick out perturbation peaks more accurately, especially when some peaks are very close together. Moreover, compared with the Levenberg–Marquardt method and the maximum-likelihood technique based on grids, the PSO algorithm has a faster convergence speed and lower computational burden, and thus is easier to implement. The entire identification process can run automatically online without human intervention. This identification method is verified with a synthetic disturbance profile in a simulation. Furthermore, the performance of the method is evaluated with consecutive measurement data recorded by the 1-m New Vacuum Solar Telescope at the Fuxian Solar Observatory.
Expansions of tree amplitudes for Einstein–Maxwell and other theories
Authors: Zhou Kang , Hu Shi-Qian
Published: June 2020

The expansions of tree-level scattering amplitudes for one theory into amplitudes for another theory, which have been studied in recent work, exhibit hidden connections between different theories that are invisible in the traditional Lagrangian formulism of quantum field theory. In this paper, the general expansion of tree Einstein–Maxwell amplitudes into the Kleiss–Kuijf basis of tree Yang–Mills amplitudes has been derived by applying a method based on differential operators. The obtained coefficients are shared by the expansion of tree $\phi^4$ amplitudes into tree BS (bi-adjoint scalar) amplitudes and the expansion of tree special Yang–Mills scalar amplitudes into tree BS amplitudes, as well the expansion of tree Dirac–Born–Infeld amplitudes into tree non-linear sigma model amplitudes.