bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutrition delivery after emergency laparotomy in surgical ward: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Nurkkala Juho , Lahtinen Sanna , Ylimartimo Aura , Kaakinen Timo , Vakkala Merja , Koskela Marjo , Liisanantti Janne
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Adequate nutrition after major abdominal surgery is associated with less postoperative complications and shorter hospital length of stay (LOS) after elective procedures, but there is a lack of studies focusing on the adequacy of nutrition after emergency laparotomies (EL). The aim of the present study was to investigate nutrition adequacy after EL in surgical ward.

Methods

The data from 405 adult patients who had undergone emergency laparotomy in Oulu University Hospital (OUH) between years 2015 and 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Nutrition delivery and complications during first 10 days after the operation were evaluated.

Results

There was a total of 218 (53.8%) patients who were able to reach cumulative 80% nutrition adequacy during the first 10 postoperative days. Patients with adequate nutrition (> 80% of calculated calories) met the nutritional goals by the second postoperative day, whereas patients with low nutrition delivery (< 80% of calculated calories) increased their caloric intake during the first 5 postoperative days without reaching the 80% level. In multivariate analysis, postoperative ileus [4.31 (2.15–8.62),P < 0.001], loss of appetite [3.59 (2.18–5.93),P < 0.001] and higher individual energy demand [1.004 (1.003–1.006),P = 0.001] were associated with not reaching the 80% nutrition adequacy.

Conclusions

Inadequate nutrition delivery is common during the immediate postoperative period after EL. Oral nutrition is the most efficient way to commence nutrition in this patient group in surgical ward. Nutritional support should be closely monitored for those patients unable to eat.

Trial registration number

Not applicable.
Clinical performance of long axial field of view PET/CT: a head-to-head intra-individual comparison of the Biograph Vision Quadra with the Biograph Vision PET/CT
Authors: Alberts Ian , Hünermund Jan-Niklas , Prenosil George , Mingels Clemens , Bohn Karl Peter , Viscione Marco , Sari Hasan , Vollnberg Bernd , Shi Kuangyu , Afshar-Oromieh Ali , Rominger Axel
Published: April 2021

Purpose

To investigate the performance of the new long axial field-of-view (LAFOV) Biograph Vision Quadra PET/CT and a standard axial field-of-view (SAFOV) Biograph Vision 600 PET/CT (both: Siemens Healthineers) system using an intra-patient comparison.

Methods

Forty-four patients undergoing routine oncological PET/CT were prospectively included and underwent a same-day dual-scanning protocol following a single administration of either 18F-FDG (n = 20), 18F-PSMA-1007 (n = 16) or 68Ga-DOTA-TOC (n = 8). Half the patients first received a clinically routine examination on the SAFOV (FOVaxial 26.3 cm) in continuous bed motion and then immediately afterwards on the LAFOV system (10-min acquisition in list mode, FOVaxial 106 cm); the second half underwent scanning in the reverse order. Comparisons between the LAFOV at different emulated scan times (by rebinning list mode data) and the SAFOV were made for target lesion integral activity, signal to noise (SNR), target lesion to background ratio (TBR) and visual image quality.

Results

Equivalent target lesion integral activity to the SAFOV acquisitions (16-min duration for a 106 cm FOV) were obtained on the LAFOV in 1.63 ± 0.19 min (mean ± standard error). Equivalent SNR was obtained by 1.82 ± 1.00 min LAFOV acquisitions. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in TBR were observed even for 0.5 min LAFOV examinations. Subjective image quality rated by two physicians confirmed the 10 min LAFOV to be of the highest quality, with equivalence between the LAFOV and the SAFOV at 1.8 ± 0.85 min. By analogy, if the LAFOV scans were maintained at 10 min, proportional reductions in applied radiopharmaceutical could obtain equivalent lesion integral activity for activities under 40 MBq and equivalent doses for the PET component of <1 mSv.

Conclusion

Improved image quality, lesion quantification and SNR resulting from higher sensitivity were demonstrated for an LAFOV system in a head-to-head comparison under clinical conditions. The LAFOV system could deliver images of comparable quality and lesion quantification in under 2 min, compared to routine SAFOV acquisition (16 min for equivalent FOV coverage). Alternatively, the LAFOV system could allow for low-dose examination protocols. Shorter LAFOV acquisitions (0.5 min), while of lower visual quality and SNR, were of adequate quality with respect to target lesion identification, suggesting that ultra-fast or low-dose acquisitions can be acceptable in selected settings.
Card-Based Cryptography Meets Formal Verification
Authors: Koch Alexander , Schrempp Michael , Kirsten Michael
Published: April 2021

Card-based cryptography provides simple and practicable protocols for performing secure multi-party computation with just a deck of cards. For the sake of simplicity, this is often done using cards with only two symbols, e.g., $$\clubsuit $$
♣
and $$\heartsuit $$
♡
. Within this paper, we also target the setting where all cards carry distinct symbols, catering for use-cases with commonly available standard decks and a weaker indistinguishability assumption. As of yet, the literature provides for only three protocols and no proofs for non-trivial lower bounds on the number of cards. As such complex proofs (handling very large combinatorial state spaces) tend to be involved and error-prone, we propose using formal verification for finding protocols and proving lower bounds. In this paper, we employ the technique of software bounded model checking (SBMC), which reduces the problem to a bounded state space, which is automatically searched exhaustively using a SAT solver as a backend. Our contribution is threefold: (a) we identify two protocols for converting between different bit encodings with overlapping bases, and then show them to be card-minimal. This completes the picture of tight lower bounds on the number of cards with respect to runtime behavior and shuffle properties of conversion protocols. For computing AND, we show that there is no protocol with finite runtime using four cards with distinguishable symbols and fixed output encoding, and give a four-card protocol with an expected finite runtime using only random cuts. (b) We provide a general translation of proofs for lower bounds to a bounded model checking framework for automatically finding card- and run-minimal (i.e., the protocol has a run of minimal length) protocols and to give additional confidence in lower bounds. We apply this to validate our method and, as an example, confirm our new AND protocol to have its shortest run for protocols using this number of cards. (c) We extend our method to also handle the case of decks on symbols $$\clubsuit $$
♣
and $$\heartsuit $$
♡
, where we show run-minimality for two AND protocols from the literature.
Tau oligomers accumulation sensitizes prostate cancer cells to docetaxel treatment
Authors: Martellucci Stefano , Clementi Letizia , Sabetta Samantha , Muzi Paola , Mattei Vincenzo , Bologna Mauro , Angelucci Adriano
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Human tau is a highly dynamic, multifunctional protein expressed in different isoforms and conformers, known to modulate microtubule turnover. Tau oligomers are considered pathologic forms of the protein able to initiate specific protein accumulation diseases, called tauopathies. In our study, we investigated the potential association between autophagy and tau oligomers accumulation and its role in the response of prostate cancer cells to docetaxel.

Methods

We evaluated in vitro the expression of tau oligomers in prostate cancer cell lines, PC3 and DU145, in presence of autophagy inhibitors and investigated the role of tau oligomers accumulation in resistance to docetaxel treatment.

Results

Tau protein was basally expressed in prostate cancer lines as several monomeric and oligomeric forms. The pharmacologic inhibition of autophagy induced in cancer cells the accumulation of tau protein, with a prevalent expression of oligomeric forms. Immunofluorescence analysis of untreated cells revealed that tau was visible mainly in dividing cells where it was localized on the mitotic spindle. Inhibition of autophagy determined an evident upregulation of tau signal in dividing cells and the presence of aberrant monoastral mitotic spindles. The accumulation of tau oligomers was associated with DNA DSB and increased cytotoxic effect by docetaxel.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that autophagy could exert a promoting role in cancer growth and during chemotherapy facilitating degradation of tau protein and thus blocking the antimitotic effect of accumulated tau oligomers. Thus, therapeutic strategies aimed at stimulating tau oligomers formation, such as autophagy inhibition, could be an effective adjuvant in cancer therapy.
Risk factors for need of reoperation in bilateral chronic subdural haematomas
Authors: Zolfaghari Shaian , Bartek Jiri , Djärf Felix , Wong San-San , Strom Isabelle , Ståhl Nils , Jakola Asgeir S. , Nittby Redebrandt Henrietta
Published: April 2021

Background

Chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) is one of the most common neurosurgical diseases. A subtype of CSDH is bilateral chronic subdural haematoma (bCSDH) which represents 20–25% of patients with CSDH and has a higher recurrence rate. There is no clear consensus on how bCSDH should be treated regarding upfront unilateral- or bilateral evacuation of both haematomas. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with reoperation of bCSDH.

Methods

A total of 326 patients with radiological evidence of bCSDH were included in this retrospective cohort study where 133 (40.8%) patients underwent primary bilateral evacuation and 193 (59.2%) primary unilateral evacuation. The two centres operated using different surgical approaches. Analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with reoperation of bCSDH. Reoperation rate was defined as reoperation of CSDH on either side of the hemisphere within 3 months after primary evacuation.

Results

The cohort had a total reoperation rate of 26.4%. Patients which underwent unilateral evacuation had a reoperation rate of 32.1%, and the bilateral group had a reoperation rate of 18.0% (p=0.005). Multivariable logistic regression identified unilateral evacuation (OR 1.91, p=0.022) and complications according to Ibanez (OR 2.20, p=0.032) to be associated with the need of reoperation of bCSDH. One-burr hole craniostomy with active subgaleal drain was primarily performed in bilateral approach (69.4%) whereas patients operated with minicraniotomy with passive subdural drain were primarily operated by unilateral evacuation of the larger symptomatic side (92.8%).

Conclusions

Unilateral evacuation of bCSDH was associated with a higher risk for reoperation than upfront bilateral evacuations in this study. There is a need to further discuss the criteria for uni- or bilateral evacuation since patients are treated differently at different centres.
Die Wirkung von GRW-Investitionszuschüssen — ein Beitrag zum Aufholprozess?
Authors: Dettmann Eva , Brachert Matthias , Schneider Lutz , Titze Mirko
Published: April 2021

Die Gemeinschaftsaufgabe „Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur“ (GRW) ist das wichtigste regionalpolitische Programm in Deutschland und wurde nach der Wiedervereinigung in großem Umfang zur Unterstützung des wirtschaftlichen Transformationsprozesses in den neuen Bundesländern eingesetzt. Ein Überblick über nationale und internationale kausalanalytische Studien zur Wirkung von Investitionszuschüssen zeigt, dass solche Programme positive Effekte auf die Entwicklung insbesondere von Beschäftigung und Einkommen haben. Nicht nur die geförderten Betriebe profitieren von der Unterstützung, sondern die Regionen insgesamt. Auch wenn die Studien nicht bis in die frühen 1990er Jahre zurückreichen, kann man daraus schließen, dass die GRW zur wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung in Ostdeutschland beigetragen hat – und zum Aufholprozess.
Single arm, phase two study of low-dose metronomic eribulin in metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Chalasani Pavani , Farr Kiah , Wu Vicky , Jenkins Isaac , Liu Alex , Parker Stephanie , Gadi Vijayakrishna K. , Specht Jennifer , Linden Hannah
Published: April 2021

Background

Treatment options for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) refractory to anthracyclines and taxanes are limited. In a phase III trial, eribulin demonstrated a significant improvement in overall survival compared to treatment of physician’s choice, but had limited tolerability because of neutropenia and peripheral neuropathy. Based on prior studies of alternative treatment schedules with other therapies, we hypothesized that a low-dose metronomic schedule of eribulin would permit patients to remain on treatment more consistently without treatment delays, resulting in longer time to progression, and improved toxicity profile.

Methods

We conducted a multi-site single arm, phase II trial patients with MBC. All patients were treated with metronomic eribulin (0.9 mg/m2 administered intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle.) Treatment was continued until the patient developed disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or chose to stop the study. Patients must have had prior taxane exposure. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. Secondary end points were overall survival, response rate, and clinical benefit rate. Exploratory biomarkers were performed to analyze change in levels of circulating endothelial cells (CECs), circulating endothelial precursors, and carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) with response to therapy.

Findings

We consented 86 patients and 59 were evaluable for final analysis. Median age was 59 years; 78% had HER2 negative tumors. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.5 months with overall survival (OS) of 14.3 months. Objective response rate was 15% with clinical benefit rate of 48%. Reported grade 3 neutropenia and peripheral neuropathy were 18% and 5%, respectively. Treatment discontinuation due to toxicity was seen in 3% of patients.

Interpretation

Metronomic weekly low-dose eribulin is an active and tolerable regimen with significantly less myelosuppression, alopecia, and peripheral neuropathy than is seen with the approved dose and schedule, allowing longer duration of use and disease control, with similar outcomes compared to the standard dose regimen.
Statistical modeling processes through the lens of instrumental genesis
Authors: van Dijke-Droogers Marianne , Drijvers Paul , Bakker Arthur
Published: April 2021

Digital technology is indispensable for doing and learning statistics. When technology is used in mathematics education, the learning of concepts and the development of techniques for using a digital tool are known to intertwine. So far, this intertwinement of techniques and conceptual understanding, known as instrumental genesis, has received little attention in research on technology-supported statistics education. This study focuses on instrumental genesis for statistical modeling, investigating students’ modeling processes in a digital environment called TinkerPlots. In particular, we analyzed how emerging techniques and conceptual understanding intertwined in the instrumentation schemes that 28 students (aged 14–15) develop. We identified six common instrumentation schemes and observed a two-directional intertwining of emerging techniques and conceptual understanding. Techniques for using TinkerPlots helped students to reveal context-independent patterns that fostered a conceptual shift from a modelofto a modelfor. Vice versa, students’ conceptual understanding led to the exploration of more sophisticated digital techniques. We recommend researchers, educators, designers, and teachers involved in statistics education using digital technology to attentively consider this two-directional intertwined relationship.
Networking frameworks: a method for analyzing the complexities of classroom cultures focusing on justifying
Authors: Thanheiser Eva , Melhuish Kathleen , Sugimoto Amanda , Rosencrans Brenda , Heaton Ruth
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we network five frameworks (cognitive demand, lesson cohesion, cognitive engagement, collective argumentation, and student contribution) for an analytic approach that allows us to present a more holistic picture of classrooms which engage students in justifying. We network these frameworks around the edges of the instructional triangle as a means to coordinate them to illustrate the observable relationships among teacher, students(s), and content. We illustrate the potential of integrating these frameworks via analysis of two lessons that, while sharing surface level similarities, are profoundly different when considering the complexities of a classroom focused on justifying. We found that this integrated comparison across all dimensions (rather than focusing on just one or two) was a useful way to compare lessons with respect to a classroom culture that is characterized by students engaging in justifying.
Multi-environmental evaluation of winter oilseed rape genotypic performance using mixed models
Authors: Bocianowski Jan , Liersch Alina
Published: April 2021

The production of winter oilseed rape (WOSR) (Brassica napus) together with increasing seed yields per hectare is one of the strategies for breeding the genetic base of oilseed rape genotypes adapted to different environments. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the genotypic performance of 25 winter oilseed rape genotypes using mixed models. The plant material was examined in five locations in Poland. Field trials were carried out in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The REML/BLUP was used to estimate genetic parameters. Selection of genotypes was made on the basis of genetic values by the harmonic mean of relative performance these parameters. The mean heritability for genotype had an average value at a high accuracy of selection, while additionally it facilitated selection of agronomically superior individuals. Three restorer lines PN18, PN17 and PN21, CMS ogura line PN64 as well as hybrids PN66 × PN21 and PN64 × PN21 characterized good adaptability and stability of seed yield. There were similarities among the statistics ($$\hat{\mu } + \hat{g}$$

μ
^

+

g
^

), adaptability and stability of genetic values in the discrimination of the most productive genotypes by best linear unbiased predictor analysis. Mixed models can be recommended as a potential selection method for the inclusion of new plant material in different oilseed rape breeding programs aimed at developing new WOSR cultivars.
Measurement of inequality of opportunity: A normative approach
Authors: Bosmans Kristof , Öztürk Z. Emel
Published: April 2021

We develop a normative approach to the measurement of inequality of opportunity. That is, we measure inequality of opportunity by the welfare gain obtained in moving from the actual income distribution to the optimal income distribution of the total available income. Our study brings together the main approaches in the literature: we axiomatically characterize social welfare functions, we obtain prominent allocation rules as their optima, and we derive familiar classes of inequality of opportunity measures. Our analysis captures moreover the key philosophical distinctions in the literature: ex post versus ex ante compensation, and liberal versus utilitarian reward.
Symmetry fundamentalism in quantum mechanics
Authors: Schroeren David
Published: April 2021

Modern particle physics suggests an intriguing vision of physical reality: we are to imagine the symmetries of the world as fundamental, whereas the material constituents of the world (such as particles and fields) are ontologically derivative of them. This paper develops a novel ontology for non-relativistic quantum mechanics which gives precise metaphysical content to this vision.
Intracardiac hydatid cyst located in right ventricular outflow tract: a rare site
Authors: Gupta Aviral , Mishra Sarvesh C. , Jaiswal Sushila , Pande Shantanu
Published: April 2021

Intracardiac hydatid cyst is relatively uncommon and involvement of right ventricular outflow tract is extremely rare. We report a rare case of intracardiac hydatid cyst involving the right ventricular outflow tract and do a review of literature.
Disaster Tales as Communication Tool for Increasing Risk Resilience
Authors: Mazzoglio Paola , Macchia Stefano , Gallo Enrico , Winter Julia , Claps Pierluigi
Published: April 2021

Agencies in charge of flood management use disaster reports (DRs) as the preferred source of information on past flooding events. A systematic survey of DRs prepared by Italian agencies suggests that DRs could be widely enhanced in view of targeting more effective communication to citizens, reinforcing the communication pillar in civil protection planning and management, and improving the resilience of the population to extreme events. Without loss of the rigor and details required for all the usual technical uses of DRs, we suggest recompiling them in the form of “disaster tales” (DTs), as tools that offer wider knowledge of the events to improve people’s preparedness and self-protection behavior. Recent major flooding events have demonstrated the communication potential that videos and pictures taken by citizens have for risk perception and disaster preparedness. By watching and listening to what has happened the communication recipient can better understand the feelings of the people experiencing an emergency. The structure of the improved reports, we suggest, will finally integrate data, graphs, and maps with interactive tools and be able to present handier multimedia views of the events. Application to three case studies of flooding in Italy illustrates how to concretely implement the suggested disaster reports to create more readily accessible disaster tales.
Colonial Law in India and the Victorian Imagination
Authors: Neti Leila
Published: April 2021

Situated at the intersection of law and literature, nineteenth-century studies and post-colonialism, Colonial Law in India and the Victorian Imagination draws on original archival research to shed new light on Victorian literature. Each chapter explores the relationship between the shared cultural logic of law and literature, and considers how this inflected colonial sociality. Leila Neti approaches the legal archive in a distinctly literary fashion, attending to nuances of voice, character, diction and narrative, while also tracing elements of fact and procedure, reading the case summaries as literary texts to reveal the common turns of imagination that motivated both fictional and legal narratives. What emerges is an innovative political analytic for understanding the entanglements between judicial and cultural norms in Britain and the colony, bridging the critical gap in how law and literature interact within the colonial arena.
Nitrate Supply Routes and Impact of Internal Cycling in the North Atlantic Ocean Inferred From Nitrate Isotopic Composition
Authors: Deman F. , Fonseca‐Batista D. , Roukaerts A. , García‐Ibáñez M. I. , Le Roy E. , Thilakarathne E. P. D. N. , Elskens M. , Dehairs F. , Fripiat F.
Published: April 2021

In this study we report full‐depth water column profiles for nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition (δ15N and δ18O) of nitrate (NO3−) during the GEOTRACES GA01 cruise (2014). This transect intersects the double gyre system of the subtropical and subpolar regions of the North Atlantic separated by a strong transition zone, the North Atlantic Current. The distribution of NO3− δ15N and δ18O shows that assimilation by phytoplankton is the main process controlling the NO3− isotopic composition in the upper 150 m, with values increasing in a NO3− δ18O versus δ15N space along a line with a slope of one toward the surface. In the subpolar gyre, a single relationship between the degree of NO3− consumption and residual NO3− δ15N supports the view that NO3− is supplied via Ekman upwelling and deep winter convection, and progressively consumed during the Ekman transport of surface water southward. The co‐occurrence of partial NO3− assimilation and nitrification in the deep mixed layer of the subpolar gyre elevates subsurface NO3− δ18O in comparison to deep oceanic values. This signal propagates through isopycnal exchanges to greater depths at lower latitudes. With recirculation in the subtropical gyre, cycles of quantitative consumption‐nitrification progressively decrease subsurface NO3− δ18O toward the δ18O of regenerated NO3−. The low NO3− δ15N observed south of the Subarctic Front is mostly explained by N2 fixation, although a contribution from the Mediterranean outflow is required to explain the lower NO3− δ15N signal observed between 600 and 1500 m depth close to the Iberian margin.
P Fluxes and Prokaryotic Cycling at Benthic Boundary Layer in the Deep Southeastern Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Sisma‐Ventura Guy , Herut Barak , Silverman Jacob , Katz Timor , Rubin‐Blum Maxim , Rahav Eyal
Published: April 2021

The role of prokaryotic microbial productivity in P cycling in the benthic boundary layer (BBL) of deep‐sea sediments (350–1,900 m bottom depths) was studied in the P‐impoverished southeastern Mediterranean Sea (SEMS) using sediment cores and incubation reactors. Our results show that orthophosphate (PO4) benthic fluxes were negative (consumption) at a rate of −11.0 ± 3.3 µmolem−2d−1, while the dissolved organic phosphate (DOP) flux was positive (production) at rate of 4.5 ± 1.6 µmolem−2d−1. Therefore, the SEMS sedimentary BBL acts as an active net sink for P, similar to other impoverished subtropical oceanic gyres, yet at much shallower water depths and much closer to the terrestrial margin. Considering the water column integrated P mass, and the sedimentary net removal fluxes of P, we calculated a turnover time of ∼90 years for the bottom water in the SEMS, which is similar to the deep water residence time in this basin. Apart abiotic removal of PO4 under oxic conditions (e.g., co‐precipitation with iron, forming iron‐phosphate minerals), prokaryotic microbial utilization played an important role in generating DOP through aerobic respiration in the BBL, resulting in a net release of DOP. Our study demonstrates that microbial communities in the BBL play an important role in regulating P concentrations, fluxes and forms in the energy‐starved environment of the SEMS seabed. These results may contribute to our understanding of water column P dynamics in the low nutrient low chlorophyll basins.
Modeling Phytoplankton Blooms and Inorganic Carbon Responses to Sea‐Ice Variability in the West Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Schultz C. , Doney S. C. , Hauck J. , Kavanaugh M. T. , Schofield O.
Published: April 2021

The ocean coastal‐shelf‐slope ecosystem west of the Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is a biologically productive region that could potentially act as a large sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The duration of the sea‐ice season in the WAP shows large interannual variability. However, quantifying the mechanisms by which sea ice impacts biological productivity and surface dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) remains a challenge due to the lack of data early in the phytoplankton growth season. In this study, we implemented a circulation, sea‐ice, and biogeochemistry model (MITgcm‐REcoM2) to study the effect of sea ice on phytoplankton blooms and surface DIC. Results were compared with satellite sea‐ice and ocean color, and research ship surveys from the Palmer Long‐Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. The simulations suggest that the annual sea‐ice cycle has an important role in the seasonal DIC drawdown. In years of early sea‐ice retreat, there is a longer growth season leading to larger seasonally integrated net primary production (NPP). Part of the biological uptake of DIC by phytoplankton, however, is counteracted by increased oceanic uptake of atmospheric CO2. Despite lower seasonal NPP, years of late sea‐ice retreat show larger DIC drawdown, attributed to lower air‐sea CO2 fluxes and increased dilution by sea‐ice melt. The role of dissolved iron and iron limitation on WAP phytoplankton also remains a challenge due to the lack of data. The model results suggest sediments and glacial meltwater are the main sources in the coastal and shelf regions, with sediments being more influential in the northern coast.
Can Smartphones Detect Geomagnetic Storms?
Authors: Odenwald S. F.
Published: April 2021

Several smartphone models on the Android and iOS platforms have been investigated for their ability to detect geomagnetic storms. Although this capability could have scientific application, there is a growing commercial interest in using smartphones for precision location applications not involving the GPS system. Under these circumstances, geomagnetic storms could in principle interfere with navigation accuracy. The ability of smartphones to detect geomagnetic disturbances has been tested by developing synthetic magnetometer data for two historical storm events: October 29, 2003 (G5) and July 15, 2012 (G2). These were created by combining typical sensor noise profiles with actual magnetic observatory data, and also by using a Helmholtz coil to calibrate the magnetometer responsivity near 1 microTesla. A comparison of the iPhone 6S, Samsung Note 5, Galaxy S8, and S9 responses based upon their actual ambient noise measurements reveals that for the high and mid‐latitude simulations, storms stronger than G2 (Kp = 6) provided indications of detectability, with the strongest detections occurring for the high‐latitude simulations. The low‐latitude simulated observations near North American latitudes of +38° tended to register storm events at about G4 (Kp = 8) or above. The degree to which geomagnetic storms interfere with precision position measurement applications can be significant at high latitudes for the occasional strong storm events during the peak of the sunspot cycle, but are probably not a significant source of error at other times for most low‐latitude conditions.
Exploring Venus by Balloon
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: April 2021

Aerobots could help reveal secrets of Earth’s mysterious twin planet.
The impact of socioeconomic and stimulus inequality on human brain physiology
Authors: Parameshwaran Dhanya , Sathishkumar S. , Thiagarajan Tara C.
Published: April 2021

The brain undergoes profound structural and dynamical alteration in response to its stimulus environment. In animal studies, enriched stimulus environments result in numerous structural and dynamical changes along with cognitive enhancements. In human society factors such as education, travel, cell phones and motorized transport dramatically expand the rate and complexity of stimulus experience but diverge in access based on income. Correspondingly, poverty is associated with significant structural and dynamical differences in the brain, but it is unknown how this relates to disparity in stimulus access. Here we studied consumption of major stimulus factors along with measurement of brain signals using EEG in 402 people in India across an income range of $0.82 to $410/day. We show that the complexity of the EEG signal scaled logarithmically with overall stimulus consumption and income and linearly with education and travel. In contrast phone use jumped up at a threshold of $30/day corresponding to a similar jump in key spectral parameters that reflect the signal energy. Our results suggest that key aspects of brain physiology increase in lockstep with stimulus consumption and that we have not fully appreciated the profound way that stimulus expanding aspects of modern life are changing our brain physiology.
Imaging current distribution in a topological insulator Bi2Se3 in the presence of competing surface and bulk contributions to conductivity
Authors: Jash Amit , Kumar Ankit , Ghosh Sayantan , Bharathi A. , Banerjee S. S.
Published: April 2021

Two-dimensional (2D) topological surface states in a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI) should produce uniform 2D surface current distribution. However, our transport current imaging studies on Bi2Se3 thin film reveal non-uniform current sheet flow at 15 K with strong edge current flow. This is consistent with other imaging studies on thin films of Bi2Se3. In contrast to strong edge current flow in thin films, in single crystal of Bi2Se3 at 15 K our current imaging studies show the presence of 3.6 nm thick uniform 2D sheet current flow. Above 70 K, this uniform 2D sheet current sheet begins to disintegrate into a spatially non-uniform flow. The flow becomes patchy with regions having high and low current density. The area fraction of the patches with high current density rapidly decreases at temperatures above 70 K, with a temperature dependence of the form $$1/\left| {T - 70} \right|^{0.35}$$

1
/

T
-
70

0.35

. The temperature scale of 70 K coincides with the onset of bulk conductivity in the crystal due to electron doping by selenium vacancy clusters in Bi2Se3. Thus our results show a temperature dependent competition between surface and bulk conductivity produces a temperature dependent variation in uniformity of current flow in the topological insulator.
Partial shading by solar panels delays bloom, increases floral abundance during the late-season for pollinators in a dryland, agrivoltaic ecosystem
Authors: Graham Maggie , Ates Serkan , Melathopoulos Andony P. , Moldenke Andrew R. , DeBano Sandra J. , Best Lincoln R. , Higgins Chad W.
Published: April 2021

Habitat for pollinators is declining worldwide, threatening the health of both wild and agricultural ecosystems. Photovoltaic solar energy installation is booming, frequently near agricultural lands, where the land underneath ground-mounted photovoltaic panels is traditionally unused. Some solar developers and agriculturalists in the United States are filling the solar understory with habitat for pollinating insects in efforts to maximize land-use efficiency in agricultural lands. However, the impact of the solar panel canopy on the understory pollinator-plant community is unknown. Here we investigated the effects of solar arrays on plant composition, bloom timing and foraging behavior of pollinators from June to September (after peak bloom) in full shade plots and partial shade plots under solar panels as well as in full sun plots (controls) outside of the solar panels. We found that floral abundance increased and bloom timing was delayed in the partial shade plots, which has the potential to benefit late-season foragers in water-limited ecosystems. Pollinator abundance, diversity, and richness were similar in full sun and partial shade plots, both greater than in full shade. Pollinator-flower visitation rates did not differ among treatments at this scale. This demonstrates that pollinators will use habitat under solar arrays, despite variations in community structure across shade gradients. We anticipate that these findings will inform local farmers and solar developers who manage solar understories, as well as agriculture and pollinator health advocates as they seek land for pollinator habitat restoration in target areas.
Distinct transcriptomic response to Newcastle disease virus infection during heat stress in chicken tracheal epithelial tissue
Authors: Saelao Perot , Wang Ying , Chanthavixay Ganrea , Yu Vivian , Gallardo Rodrigo A. , Dekkers Jack C. M. , Lamont Susan J. , Kelly Terra , Zhou Huaijun
Published: April 2021

Newcastle disease (ND) has a great impact on poultry health and welfare with its most virulent (velogenic) strain. In addition, issues exacerbated by the increase in global temperatures necessitates a greater understanding of the host immune response when facing a combination of biotic and abiotic stress factors in poultry production. Previous investigations have revealed that the host immune response is tissue-specific. The goal of this study was to identify genes and/or signaling pathways associated with immune response to NDV (Newcastle disease virus) in the trachea, an essential organ where NDV replicate after the infection, by profiling the tissue specific transcriptome response in two genetically distinct inbred chicken lines when exposed to both abiotic and biotic stressors. Fayoumis appear to be able to respond more effectively (lower viral titer, higher antibody levels, immune gene up-regulation) and earlier than Leghorns. Our results suggest NDV infection in Fayoumis appears to elicit proinflammatory processes, and pathways such as the inhibition of cell viability, cell proliferation of lymphocytes, and transactivation of RNA, more rapidly than in Leghorns. These differences in immune response converge at later timepoints which may indicate that Leghorns eventually regulate its immune response to infection. The profiling of the gene expression response in the trachea adds to our understanding of the chicken host response to NDV infection and heat stress on a whole genome level and provides potential candidate genes and signaling pathways for further investigation into the characterization of the time-specific and pathway specific responses in Fayoumis and Leghorns.
Superposition principle applies to human walking with two simultaneous interventions
Authors: Rasouli Fatemeh , Kim Seok Hun , Reed Kyle B.
Published: April 2021

Gait rehabilitation therapies provide adjusted sensory inputs to modify and retrain walking patterns in an impaired gait. Asymmetric walking is a common gait abnormality, especially among stroke survivors. Physical therapy interventions using adaptation techniques (such as treadmill training, auditory stimulation, visual biofeedback, etc.) train gait toward symmetry. However, a single rehabilitation therapy comes up short of affecting all aspects of gait performance. Multiple-rehabilitation therapy applies simultaneous stimuli to affect a wider range of gait parameters and create flexible training regiments. Understanding gait responses to individual and jointly applied stimuli is important for developing improved and efficient therapies. In this study, 16 healthy subjects participated in a four-session experiment to study gait kinetics and spatiotemporal outcomes under training. Each session consisted of two stimuli, treadmill training and auditory stimulation, with symmetric or asymmetric ratios between legs. The study hypothesizes a linear model for gait response patterns. We found that the superposition principle largely applies to the gait response under two simultaneous stimuli. The linear models developed in this study fit the actual data from experiments with the r-squared values of 0.95 or more.
Metformin prevents stroke damage in non-diabetic female mice with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Grissi Maria , Boudot Cédric , Assem Maryam , Candellier Alexandre , Lando Mathilde , Poirot-Leclercq Sabrina , Boullier Agnès , Bennis Youssef , Lenglet Gaëlle , Avondo Carine , Lalau Jean-Daniel , Choukroun Gabriel , Massy Ziad A. , Kamel Saïd , Chillon Jean-Marc , Hénaut Lucie
Published: April 2021

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) worsens ischemic stroke severity in both patients and animals. In mice, these poorer functional outcomes are associated with decreased brain activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a molecule that recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke. The antidiabetic drug metformin, a well-known activator of AMPK, has improved stroke outcomes in diabetic patients with normal renal function. We investigated whether chronic metformin pre-conditioning can rescue AMPK activity and prevent stroke damage in non-diabetic mice with CKD. Eight-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were assigned to CKD or SHAM groups. CKD was induced through right kidney cortical electrocautery, followed by left total nephrectomy. Mice were then allocated to receive metformin (200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 5 weeks until stroke induction by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). The infarct volumes were lower in CKD mice exposed to metformin than in vehicle-treated CKD mice 24 h after tMCAO. Metformin pre-conditioning of CKD mice improved their neurological score, grip strength, and prehensile abilities. It also enhanced AMPK activation, reduced apoptosis, increased neuron survival and decreased microglia/macrophage M1 signature gene expression as well as CKD-induced activation of the canonical NF-κB pathway in the ischemic lesions of CKD mice.
Mid-trimester prediction of spontaneous preterm birth with automated cervical quantitative ultrasound texture analysis and cervical length: a prospective study
Authors: Burgos-Artizzu Xavier P. , Baños Nuria , Coronado-Gutiérrez David , Ponce Julia , Valenzuela-Alcaraz Brenda , Moreno-Espinosa Ana L. , Grau Laia , Perez-Moreno Álvaro , Gratacós Eduard , Palacio Montse
Published: April 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate a novel automated test based on ultrasound cervical texture analysis to predict spontaneous Preterm Birth (sPTB) alone and in combination with Cervical Length (CL). General population singleton pregnancies between 18 + 0 and 24 + 6 weeks’ gestation were assessed prospectively at two centers. Cervical ultrasound images were evaluated and the occurrence of sPTB before weeks 37 + 0 and 34 + 0 were recorded. CL was measured on-site. The automated texture analysis test was applied offline to all images. Their performance to predict the occurrence of sPTB before 37 + 0 and 34 + 0 weeks was evaluated separately and in combination on 633 recruited patients. AUC for sPTB prediction before weeks 37 and 34 respectively were as follows: 55.5% and 65.3% for CL, 63.4% and 66.3% for texture analysis, 67.5% and 76.7% when combined. The new test improved detection rates of CL at similar low FPR. Combining the two increased detection rate compared to CL alone from 13.0 to 30.4% for sPTB < 37 and from 14.3 to 42.9% sPTB < 34. Texture analysis of cervical ultrasound improved sPTB detection rate compared to cervical length for similar FPR, and the two combined together increased significantly prediction performance. This results should be confirmed in larger cohorts.
Enantioselective effect of cysteine functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles in U87 MG and GM08680 human cells and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria
Authors: Martínez-Carmona Marina , Cela Carmela , Kuznetsova Vera A. , Geoghegan Joan A. , Gun'ko Yurii K.
Published: April 2021

Effects of chiral cysteine on the mesoporous silica nanoparticles interaction with biological systems.
Effect of modification of binary solvent molecules on ε-CL-20 crystal morphology: a molecular dynamics study
Authors: Zhao Yanpeng , Su Guanwen , Liu Guozhao , Wei Hongyuan , Dang Leping
Published: April 2021

The effects of thirteen binary solvent systems on the growth of CL-20 were studied by molecular dynamics simulation, and the effect of antisolvent properties on the solvent inhibition was systematically investigated.
High-entropy energy materials: challenges and new opportunities
Authors: Ma Yanjiao , Ma Yuan , Wang Qingsong , Schweidler Simon , Botros Miriam , Fu Tongtong , Hahn Horst , Brezesinski Torsten , Breitung Ben
Published: April 2021

An overview of high-entropy materials for energy applications, including H2 catalysis and storage, CO2 conversion, O2 catalysis and electrochemical energy storage, is given and the challenges and opportunities within this field are discussed.
A closed-loop and scalable process for the production of biomass-derived superhydrophilic carbon for supercapacitors
Authors: Fu Rong , Yu Chang , Li Shaofeng , Yu Jinhe , Wang Zhao , Guo Wei , Xie Yuanyang , Yang Le , Liu Kunlun , Ren Weicheng , Qiu Jieshan
Published: April 2021

A closed-loop and scalable approach was presented to synthesize biomass-derived carbon materials with superhydrophilic features for high-performance supercapacitors.
Reduced graphene oxide/polyaniline wrapped carbonized sponge with elasticity for energy storage and pressure sensing
Authors: Huang Shichao , Li Jialun , Zhang Xueyu , Yang Xijia , Wang Liying , Li Xuesong , Lü Wei
Published: April 2021

Reduced graphene oxide/polyaniline wrapped carbonized sponge with elasticity for energy storage and pressure sensing.
Boosting the ultrahigh initial coulombic efficiency of porous carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteriesvia in situfabrication of a passivation interface
Authors: Zhang Minghao , Li Yu , Wu Feng , Wang Zhaohua , Bai Ying , Wu Chuan
Published: April 2021

In this study we have prepared a nitrogen and oxygen rich porous carbon material (NOPC) and designed a uniform passivation layer of CMC on the material by using a one-step method, which suppresses the decomposition of electrolytes and results in an excellent ICE of 90%.
Three-dimensional/two-dimensional photonic crystal hydrogels for biosensing
Authors: Shen Peiyan , Zhang Yuqi , Cai Zhongyu , Liu Ruixiang , Xu Xiaoying , Li Ran , Wang Ji-Jiang , Yang De’an
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we review the advances made in the development of photonic crystal hydrogel biosensors.
Salient target detection in hyperspectral image based on visual attention
Authors: Zhao Minghua , Yue Liqin , Hu Jing , Du Shuangli , Li Peng , Wang Li
Published: April 2021

Salient target detection in hyperspectral image is a significant task in image segmentation, target tracking, image classification and so on. Many existing saliency detection algorithms for hyperspectral image detection cannot present the boundary of the salient target well and the description of the target is not enough. A method based on visual attention to detect the salient target of hyperspectral image is proposed in this paper. In this method, frequency‐tuned (FT) salient detection model is combined with spectral salient to detect target in hyperspectral image. FT model is used to get target with clear border, and spectral information is made full use of to improve the accuracy of target detection. Firstly, FT is used to detect saliency of hyperspectral image and the saliency map is generated. Then, spectral information of the hyperspectral image is measured by similarity, and the spectral saliency is obtained by calculating spectral angle distance between the spectral vectors. Finally, the FT's saliency map and the spectral saliency map are combined to form the final saliency target maps. Experimental results show that our method is superior to other methods in saliency target detection of hyperspectral image, and the precision‐recall curve and F‐measure are better as well.
Circular polarized patch antenna with wide 3‐dB axial ratio beamwidth and suppressed backward cross‐polarized radiation for high‐precision marine navigation applications
Authors: Liu Hongmei , Zhang Yan , Wang Yao , Fang Shaojun , Wang Zhongbao
Published: April 2021

Here, a circular polarized (CP) patch antenna with a wide 3‐dB axial ratio beamwidth (ARBW) and suppressed backward cross‐polarized radiation is proposed. A narrow slot is inserted into the ground to widen the 3‐dB ARBWs of the CP antenna. An annular metal strip loaded with a circular row of L‐shaped bent metal branches is etched around the circular radiation patch to reduce backward cross‐polarized radiation, as well as to further increase the 3‐dB ARBW. To validate, a prototype is designed at 1.575 GHz and fabricated. The experimental results show that the 10‐dB impedance matching bandwidth of the fabricated prototype is 25.8%, and the 3‐dB CP bandwidth is 5.1%. Besides, 3‐dB ARBWs of 238° and 259° are obtained at the two principal planes, respectively, with the front‐back ratio of more than 26 dB. Satisfactory agreement is achieved between measurement results and simulated ones.