bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new exploration of white globe appearance (WGA) in ulcerative lesions
Authors: Cheng Jinnian , Xia Jie , Zhuang Qian , Xu Xianjun , Wu Xiaowan , Wan Xinjian , Wang Jing , Zhou Hui
Published: August 2020

Aim White globe appearance (WGA), a small white lesion with a globular shape that can be clearly visualized by magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging (ME-NBI), was reported to be a reliable marker of early gastric cancer (EGC). However, we found that this endoscopic presentation could also be seen in non-cancerous tissues, especially in ulcerative lesions. This study aimed to further investigate the diagnostic value of WGA in differentiating non-cancerous lesions from EGC in ulcer-type cases.

Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 54 cases of EGC and 155 cases of non-cancerous lesions in this study, all of which had endoscopic imaging data of ME-NBI scanning and pathological data of biopsy or resected specimens. The correlation of the prevalence of WGA and ulcerative lesions, as well as the characteristics of WGA between the 2 groups were analyzed in this study.

Results WGA was more common in ulcerative lesions (27.6 %, 21/76) than in non-ulcerative lesions (3.8 %, 5/133) (p < 0.001) in our study. In the ulcerative cases, no significant difference in prevalence of WGA was observed between EGC and non-cancerous lesions (p = 0.532). Compared with WGA in EGC, WGA in non-cancerous lesions tended to show the characteristic of tree-branch-like vessels on globular shape (p < 0.001).

Conclusions WGA is more likely to occur in ulcerative lesions, and the presence of WGA alone cannot distinguish EGC from non-cancerous lesions in ulcer-type cases. In WGA-positive tissue, tree-branch-like vessels of globular shape may provide a certain clinical value in diagnosis of non-cancerous lesions or EGC.
Frakturreduktion durch körperliches Training – Welches Training für wen? Eine evidenzbasierte Übersicht über Trainingsstrategien bei Osteoporose
Authors: von Stengel Simon , Kemmler Wolfgang
Published: August 2020

Osteoporotische Frakturen sind ein hochrelevantes Problem unserer überalterten Gesellschaft. Die zentralen Zielparameter, welche in diesem Zusammenhang im Rahmen eines körperlichen Trainings angesteuert werden können, sind die Bereiche „Sturzhäufigkeit“ und „Knochenfestigkeit“ als wesentliche Determinanten des Frakturrisikos. Die Konzeption und Durchführung eines frakturwirksamen Trainings ist aus trainingswissenschaftlicher Sicht allerdings äußerst komplex und verlangt eine auf die anvisierte Zielsetzung und Personengruppe abgestimmte Komposition von Trainingsinhalten und Belastungsnormativen. Zur Senkung des Sturzrisikos sind neben einem gezielten Gleichgewichtstraining insbesondere multimodale Bewegungsprogramme, welche Gleichgewichts- und Kraftübungen beinhalten, geeignet. Für ein knochenwirksames Training können intensive osteogene Reize am Knochen über Muskelzüge im Rahmen eines Krafttrainings oder durch axiale Belastungen im Rahmen von gewichtstragenden High-impact-Übungen generiert werden. Ziel dieses Übersichtsartikels ist es, basierend auf der aktuellen Evidenz, Grundlagen und Strategien zur effektiven Frakturprophylaxe durch Sturzreduktion und positive Beeinflussung der Knochendichte durch körperliches Training herauszuarbeiten.
Diese Treffen hätten wirklich alle per E-Mail stattfinden
können
Authors: Mehnert-Theuerkauf Anja
Published: August 2020

„My God… those meetings really could all have been e-mails“
war ein witziger Cartoon in der täglichen Serie des New Yorker am Anfang der
Corona-Krise, in dem ein Mann im Homeoffice mit einem erstaunten Gesichtsausdruck
vor seinem Laptop sitzt 1. Im Frühjahr
dieses Jahres, als die Bedrohung durch den Ausbruch des Coronavirus noch weitgehend
unklar war, kamen viele Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter in klinischen Einrichtungen
kaum zum Luft holen, weil sie die Versorgung von Patienten und Angehörigen
an die neuen Bedingungen anpassen mussten: veränderte
Behandlungspläne wurden erstellt, Notfallszenarien festgelegt, ethische
Empfehlungen zur Entscheidungsfindung und Zuteilung von Ressourcen
veröffentlicht, Informationsstrategien diskutiert, webbasierte Technologien
erprobt.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Different Herbal Products against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis Using Agar Diffusion Test: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Bansal Rajinder , Bansal Manu , Wazir Nikhil Dev , Matta Mandeep Singh , Jain Sanjeev , Kaur Jaspreet
Published: August 2020

Introduction The main aim of this study is in vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of different herbal products, that is, propolis, garlic, neem, aloe vera, and rosemary, against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis using agar diffusion test.

Materials and Methods In this study, total of 42 plates were prepared, 10 each of B. subtilis, S. aureus, and E. faecalis and 12 as test control (6 as positive and 6 as negative control). The effectiveness of five herbal products was ascertained by agar diffusion method against B. subtilis, S. aureus, and E. faecalis. Cultures of these test organisms were maintained on selective media slants in a test tube to collect sufficient number of microbial colonies for evaluation. The cultures were divided into three groups based upon microbes that were lawn cultured, respectively: In group A, 10 petri plates were having growth of B. subtilis; in group B, 10 petri plates were having growth of S. aureus; and in group C, 10 petri plates were having growth of E. faecalis. In all these 30 petri plates, five different herbal product discs were placed and these discs were designated as A (aloe vera), P (propolis), N (neem), R (rosemary), and G (garlic). Among remaining 12 petri plates, 4 petri plates were used as control (2 for positive and 2 for negative) for each of the bacteria.

Results Propolis and rosemary showed maximum zone of inhibition against B. subtilis. Garlic, neem, and aloe vera showed maximum zone of inhibition against S. aureus.

Conclusion All the herbal products showed zone of inhibition against S. aureus, B. subtilis, and E. faecalis.
Effect of double pulse laser irradiation on the dynamics of picosecond laser-produced plasma
Authors: H. Rao Kavya , Smijesh N. , Chetty D. , Litvinyuk I. V. , Sang R. T.
Published: August 2020

Measurements to control the morphology and characteristics of a picosecond laser produced chromium plasma plume upon double-pulse (DP) irradiation are presented and compared to their single-pulse (SP) counterpart. DP schemes are implemented by employing two geometries where the inter-pulse delay and the spatial separation are the control parameters. The ratio of plume length to plume width decreases upon increasing the inter-pulse delay and/or the energy of the second pulse in the collinear DP scheme. Interestingly, plasmas generated in the DP scheme at lower pressures resemble the expansion features of the plasma generated in the SP scheme at higher pressures. We find that DP schemes are advantageous for applications such as high harmonic generation and the production of quality thin films.
Enhancement of the ultraviolet photoluminescence of ZnO films: Coatings, annealing, and environmental exposure studies
Authors: Lapp Jeffrey , Thapa Dinesh , Huso Jesse , Canul Amrah , Grant Norton M. , McCluskey Matthew D. , Bergman Leah
Published: August 2020

To realize the many potential applications of ZnO films, it is vital to produce films with high optical quality that exhibit strong UV luminescence. By combining annealing at an optimal temperature followed by the deposition of a coating, one can achieve a significant enhancement of photoluminescence (PL). The effectiveness of the coating over time is a crucial point to be considered. Three types of coating materials were investigated: MgO, SiO2, and Al2O3. Due to its strong bond energy, MgO was found to be the most effective coating material for passivation of the surfaces of the ZnO films; SiO2 was the second best. The UV-PL intensity of MgO coated ZnO was found to increase by a factor of 52 relative to an uncoated film. The effectiveness of the coatings exhibited a linear correlation with their bond energies and is discussed in terms of competing mechanisms to surface passivation such as the adsorption of OH-groups; these can act as surface traps and diminish the UV-PL intensity. Annealing at 900 °C prior to the deposition of the coating was found to be an important step in realizing the optimal performance of the coating due to the reduction of Zn interstitials accompanied by improved crystallinity. Exposure to the environment, up to 294 days, results in the degradation of the UV-PL of the MgO coated film; this effect was not observed for the film coated with SiO2. This effect is discussed in terms of the strong reactivity of MgO with environmental contaminants from the OH-groups.
Gold Catalysed 1,4-Enyne Acetate Strategy for the Synthesis of 1H-Indenes and Partially Hydrogenated Methanonaphtho[1,2-c]furan-1,3(4H)-diones
Authors: Chen Xiaoyu , Holm Andrew Thomas , Chan Philip Wai Hong
Published: August 2020

A synthetic method to prepare 1H-indenes and partially hydrogenated methanonaphtho[1,2-c]furan-1,3(4H)-diones from gold(i)-catalysed 1,4-enyne acetate cycloisomerisation and oxidation or Diels–Alder reaction with maleic anhydride is described. The proposed mechanism involves Rautenstrauch rearrangement of the 1,4-enyne motif to give an insitu formed 1,3-cyclopentadiene intermediate. This is followed by 6-endo-dig cyclisation of the cyclic adduct and oxidation to give the aromatic carbocycle or Diels–Alder reaction with maleic anhydride to afford the bridged furan product.
Recent trends in soil fertility across the farms of East Gippsland
Authors: Crawford D. M. , Mitchard B. , Burton W. R.
Published: August 2020

Current data are needed to manage our soil resources but there are few recent purpose-built surveys of soil fertility, a critical asset for natural resources management. Instead, data collected for other purposes are re-used as has been the case in our area of interest here: managing the threat of soil erosion on farm land in East Gippsland. The dynamic nature of soil fertility challenges this approach, so we conducted a new survey using 234 paddocks selected at random. These new data were compared to re-purposed legacy data. Plant tissue samples from a selected subset were used to assess micronutrients. Separately, 27 paddocks that had been sampled during 1975–89 were re-tested to examine temporal changes. We concluded that many paddocks are now strongly or very strongly acidic and deficient in molybdenum (Mo) and boron (B). More specifically, those under dairying, cropping and horticulture are likely to have adequate phosphorus (P) while those grazed for meat and wool are likely to be deficient in P. We concluded that grazing enterprises need to either re-adopt soil testing and fertiliser treatment or adopt management practices suitable for acid soils deficient in P, Mo and B, if their paddocks are to support sustainable productive agriculture. Data from the re-tested paddocks suggest that, in general, many were once less acidic, highlighting the difficulties in using legacy data. Also, contrasts in soil pH and available P between paddocks under different management regimes, highlighted the difficulties in using re-purposed data. We concluded that a statistically designed survey is a preferable basis for natural resource management.
Optimal control of aging in complex networks
Authors: Sun Eric D. , Michaels Thomas C. T. , Mahadevan L.
Published: August 2020

Significance

Aging in many complex systems composed of interacting components leads to decay and eventual collapse/death. Repair delays this process at a cost, suggesting a trade-off between the cost of repair and the benefit of health and longevity. Using an interdependent network model of a complex system, we introduce a control theoretic and learning framework for maximizing longevity at minimal repair cost and determine the optimal maintenance schedule for the system. Our approach should be relevant to determining checking schedules for complex engineered and living systems.
Patellofemoral joint kinetics in females when using different depths and loads during the barbell back squat
Authors: Zavala Linnea , Flores Victoria , Cotter Joshua A. , Becker James
Published: August 2020

Back squats are a common strengthening exercise for knee and hip musculature. However, repetitive loaded movements like backs squats result in high patellofemoral joint loading and therefore may contribute to the development of common overuse injuries. Thus, it is important to understand how changing parameters such as squat depth or load influences patellofemoral loading. This study investigated differences in patellofemoral loading when experienced female lifters squatted to three depths (above parallel, parallel, and below parallel) and with three loads (unloaded, 50%, and 85% of depth‐specific one repetition maximums). Patellofemoral joint reaction forces (pfJRF) and stresses (pfJS) were calculated from biomechanical models incorporating knee extensor moments (KEM) and joint angles. Peak KEMs displayed a depth‐by‐load interaction such that within each depth, as load increased so did peak KEM. However, within each load, the effects of depth were different. Peak pfJRF also increased with load and was higher at below parallel than above or parallel depths. Peak pfJS also displayed a depth‐by‐load interaction, increasing with load within a given depth, and being greatest at the below parallel depths within a given load. If patellofemoral joint loading is a concern, clinicians or coaches should carefully monitor the depth and load combinations being used.
What do you hear? The effect of stadium noise on football players’ passing performances
Authors: Otte Fabian W. , Millar Sarah‐Kate , Klatt Stefanie
Published: August 2020

Stadium noise – created by spectators and fans – plays a critical part in the reality of professional sports. Due to a lack of research on the impact of these auditory cues and multimodal environments on motor performance, it is currently unclear how professional athletes experience and perceive stadium noise and how this potentially affects performance in practice. In order to explore the effect of stadium noise on athletes’ performance, this paper presents an experimental design using the unique and standardised football training tool known as the “Footbonaut”. Specifically, fifteen skilled German football players engaged in a standardised football‐specific technical training programme while subjected to four different auditory training conditions; these included both “positive” and “negative” stadium noise conditions, a “baseline” condition providing auditory guidance, and a “no (auditory) cue” condition. Performance data for passing accuracy and passing time were measured for training in each auditory condition. A repeated measures MANOVA revealed a significant main effect for passing time. Specifically, participants showed faster passing times in the baseline compared to the negative and no auditory cue conditions. Findings are presented and discussed from a constraints‐led perspective, allied to principles of ecological dynamics and nonlinear pedagogy. Particularly, the use of representative training experiences (including multimodal sensory and emotional information) appears to underline training to refine expert athletes’ adaptive coordination of complex motor actions.
Effect of ambient temperature on fat oxidation during an incremental cycling exercise test
Authors: Ruíz‐Moreno Carlos , Gutiérrez‐Hellín Jorge , González‐García Jaime , GiráLdez‐Costas Verónica , Brito de Souza Diego , Del Coso Juan
Published: August 2020

Aim: The objective of this current research was to compare fat oxidation rates during an incremental cycling exercise test in a temperate vs. hot environment.

Methods: Twelve healthy young participants were recruited for a randomised crossover experimental design. Each participant performed a VO2max test in a thermoneutral environment followed by two cycling ramp test trials, one in a temperate environment (18.3°C) and another in a hot environment (36.3°C). The ramp test consisted of 3‐min stages of increasing intensity (+10% of VO2max) while gas exchange, heart rate and perceived exertion were measured.

Results: During exercise, there was a main effect of the environment temperature on fat oxidation rate (F = 9.35, P = 0.014). The rate of fat oxidation was lower in the heat at 30% VO2max (0.42 ± 0.15 vs.0.37 ± 0.13 g/min; P = 0.042), 60% VO2max (0.37 ± 0.27 vs.0.23 ± 0.23 g/min; P = 0.018) and 70% VO2max (0.22 ± 0.26 vs.0.12 ± 0.26 g/min; P = 0.007). In addition, there was a tendency for a lower maximal fat oxidation rate in the heat (0.55 ± 0.2 vs.0.48 ± 0.2 g/min; P = 0.052) and it occurred at a lower exercise intensity (44 ± 14 vs.38% ± 8% VO2max; P = 0.004). The total amount of fat oxidised was lower in the heat (5.8 ± 2.6 vs 4.6 ± 2.8 g; P = 0.002). The ambient temperature also produced main effects on heart rate (F = 15.18, P = 0.005) and tympanic temperature (F = 25.23, P = 0.001) with no effect on energy expenditure (F = 0.01, P = 0.945).

Conclusion: A hot environment notably reduced fat oxidation rates during a ramp exercise test. Exercising in the heat should not be recommended for those individuals seeking to increase fat oxidation during exercise.
Mesonic condensation in isospin matter under rotation *
Authors: Zhang Hui , Hou Defu , Liao Jin-Feng
Published: August 2020

We investigate mesonic condensation in isospin matter under rotation. Using the two-flavor NJL effective model in the presence of global rotation, we demonstrate two important effects of rotation on its phase structure: a rotational suppression of the scalar-channel condensates, in particular, the pion condensation region; and a rotational enhancement of the rho condensation region with vector-channel condensate. A new phase diagram for isospin matter under rotation is mapped out on the

plane where the three distinct phases, corresponding to the

-dominated regions, respectively, are separated by a second-order line at low isospin chemical potential as well as a first-order line at high rotation and are further connected at a tri-critical point.
Gauge dependence of the perturbative QCD predictions under the momentum-space subtraction scheme *
Authors: Zeng Jun , Wu Xing-Gang , Zheng Xu-Chang , Shen Jian-Ming
Published: August 2020

The momentum-space subtraction (MOM) scheme is one of the most frequently used renormalization schemes in perturbative QCD (pQCD) theory. In this paper, we discuss in detail the gauge dependence of the pQCD predictions obtained under the MOM scheme. Conventionally, a renormalization scale ambiguity exists for the fixed-order pQCD predictions; this assigns an arbitrary range and error for the fixed-order pQCD prediction and makes the discussions on the issue of the gauge dependence much more involved. The principle of maximum conformality (PMC) adopts the renormalization group equation to determine the magnitude of the coupling constant; hence, it determines the effective momentum flow of the process, which is independent of the choice of renormalization scale. Thus, no renormalization scale ambiguity exists in PMC predictions. To focus our attention on the MOM scheme's gauge dependence, we first apply the PMC to deal with the pQCD series. As an explicit example, we adopt the Higgs boson decay width

up to its five-loop QCD contribution, to demonstrate the behavior of the gauge dependence before and after applying the PMC. Interaction vertices are chosen to define five different MOM schemes: mMOM, MOMh, MOMq, MOMg, and MOMgg. Under these MOM schemes, we obtain

,

,

,

, and

; here, the central values correspond to the Landau gauge with the gauge parameter

, the first errors correspond to

, and the second ones arise through taking

. The uncertainty of the Higgs mass

causes an extra error of

(or

) keV for all the aforementioned MOM schemes. It is found that the Higgs decay width

depends very weakly on the choice of MOM scheme, which is consistent with renormalization group invariance. It is found that the gauge dependence of

under the

scheme is less than ±1%, which is the smallest gauge dependence among all the aforementioned MOM schemes.
Electrical and spectral energy measurement techniques of pulsed continuous spectrum radiation sources
Authors: Kireev S G , Shashkovskiy S G , Tumashevich K A
Published: August 2020

The techniques of total spectral energy and electrical measurements of high-current pulsed arc discharge are presented and substantiated. On the example of a flash lamp, three working circuits were reviewed and the following values were obtained: time dependences for circuit electrical parameters, values of the energy deposition into plasma, and radiative efficiencies for different spectral ranges.
GC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics of plasma and urine to evaluate metabolic changes in prostate cancer
Authors: Struck-Lewicka Wiktoria , Wawrzyniak Renata , Artymowicz Małgorzata , Kordalewska Marta , Markuszewski Marcin , Matuszewski Marcin , Gutknecht Piotr , Siebert Janusz , Markuszewski Michał Jan
Published: August 2020

Prostate cancer (CaP) is a common cancer in men. Its late detection and inefficient diagnosis are a challenge for researchers who are currently searching for new cancer-related indicators that would facilitate better detectability of CaP and explain its pathogenesis. In the present preliminary study, endogenous volatile metabolites were detected in plasma and urine samples by using the metabolic fingerprinting approach. The analyses were performed using the GC-QqQ/MS technique in the scan mode. The detected and putatively identified metabolites were statistically analyzed using advanced univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Eleven urinary and three plasma metabolites were selected as statistically significant in patients with CaP as compared to those in healthy controls. Supervised methods such as logistic regression and quadratic support vector machine were applied to obtain the classification models. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the models were above 83%, 85%, and 81%, respectively. The putatively identified metabolites were associated with biochemical pathways such as tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, carbohydrate conversion, and steroidal lipid metabolism that are mainly involved in energy production for cell growth and proliferation.
Biogas yields during anaerobic co-digestion of corn stover and cattle manure with different proportions
Authors: Jie Libin , Liu Shengyong , Zhang Shuqing , Peng Lei , Wang Jiong , Pan Yibo
Published: August 2020

The biogas production characteristics of anaerobic fermentation of cattle manure and corn stover with different proportions were studied to provide basis for improving efficiency. The dry matter mass ratio of corn stover and cattle manure was set as 1:1,1:2,1:3 and 2:1 respectively. The anaerobic co-digestion was carried out under the fermentation conditions of 8% TS and medium temperature (35±1°C), analysing the change rule of each biomethane production index. The results showed that when the mass ratio of corn stover to cattle manure was 2:1, daily biogas production was up to 80 mL; compared with 1:2 and 1:3, the maximum cumulative biomethane production volume of 4540mL increased by 21.67% and 30.12% respectively. The highest volume fraction of methane is 72%.
Numerical Simulation of Compression Characteristic of Layered Rock Mass in Coal Series Strata
Authors: Meng Xiangshuai , Lu Haifeng , Huang Jian
Published: August 2020

Taking layered rock mass of coal series strata as the research object, numerical model of its uniaxial compression is established by FLAC3D software. The layered rock mass is regarded as discontinuous medium, and interface in FLAC3D is used to simulate layer. Compression failure characteristic of layered rock mass under the condition of single structural plane and multiple structural planes are studied systematically, and numerical solution is compared with theoretical solution. The results show that for single structural plane rock mass, under the same axial pressure, when dip is in the range of 0°-25° and 80°-90°, the compression strength does not change with dip. In the range of 25°-80°, with the increase of dip of structural plane, the compression strength curve of the rock mass shows a “U” shape, which decreases first and then increases, the change of numerical solution and theoretical solution is basically the same; When dip of structural plane is fixed and the number of structural plane in the same group increases, the compression strength of rock mass decreases with the increase of the number of structural plane. This is because rock mass with multiple structural planes is relatively broken, the compression strength of rock mass is reduced. The research results can provide theoretical reference for stability analysis of surrounding rock in stope and tunnel.
Dynamic load test analysis of upper bearing arch bridge
Authors: luo Wenbo , Hu Chuanwen , He Mao , Wang Lei , Wang Jianwei , Chen Shunchao
Published: August 2020

The bridge load test is an important means to evaluate the completed performance, construction quality and structural bearing capacity of the bridge structure, including determining the dynamic load test to determine the natural frequency, damping ratio and vibration mode of the bridge structure or structure, so as to determine the structural rigidity. The quality is an important factor to determine the basis. However, for the dynamic characteristics measurement method of the upper bearing arch bridge, the specification does not give a detailed detection method or recommendations. Combining with the analysis results of the field test data of the upper bearing arch bridge, this paper obtains a more accurate arrangement of test points.
Study on speciation distribution and chemical reaction mechanism of sulfur during coal combustion
Authors: Cao Na , Zhang Cheng , Zhou Hui
Published: August 2020

The combustion and pyrolysis of coal is a very complex process including pyrolysis, volatile combustion and coke burnout. There are many homogeneous and heterogeneous chemical reactions in this process. In this paper, the thermodynamic equilibrium calculation model is used to predict the possible speciation distribution and chemical reaction mechanism of mercury and sulfur in coal combustion and pyrolysis. This will provide a theoretical basis for the removal of mercury and sulfur by mild thermal upgrading of coal before combustion and the control of mercury and sulfur emissions during coal combustion.
Automatic Control of Food Packaging Machinery
Authors: Tianfei Dong
Published: August 2020

At this stage, in the process of rapid development of food packaging machinery, the dependence on technology is stronger. However, in the process of food packaging machinery automation design, more foreign technology is introduced, which will affect the research level of food packaging machinery automation in my country to a certain extent. Therefore, we need to pay attention to the research work on the localization of food packaging machinery automation in my country, and the development and innovation of drive technology and numerical control technology. Only in this way can we integrate digital technology into the development and research of food packaging machinery and equipment, and gradually improve the level of automation, energy saving and greening of food packaging machinery.
Solidification sequence and phase equilibria in Ti-47Al-22Nb and Ti-47Al-20Nb ternary alloys
Authors: Xu Xiangjun , Xu Shuai , Fashu Simbarashe
Published: August 2020

The phase transformation sequences and phase equilibria in Ti-47Al-20Nb and Ti-47Al-22Nb (at.%) alloys were investigated through experiments and computational (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) techniques. Experiments to study nonequilibria phase transformations involved quenching the alloys from high temperature followed by composition and microstructure characterization. The computed results show that with increase in temperature, the α + β + γ tie-triangle phase region shifts towards low Nb content. On the contrary, experimental results show that with increase in temperature the tie-triangle of α + β + γ moves towards high Nb content. These changes are attributed to the expansion of the α phase region and corresponding changes of the primary α, β and γ phase regions with increase in temperature. In the experimentally studied alloys, a part of the α phase transformed to γ phase by massive transformation and most of the β phase transformed to γ phase in high Nb content alloys.
Mechanical, DMA and Sound Acoustic behaviour of Flax woven fabric reinforced Epoxy composites
Authors: Vinu Kumar S M , Senthil Kumar K L , Siddhi Jailani H , Rajamurugan G
Published: August 2020

In this current investigation, alkali and Trimethoxymethylsilane treated custom made (irregular type) basket woven fabric at different weight percentages (0, 25, 35 and 45 wt.% and named as Pure epoxy, 25 FE, 35 FE, and 45 FE respectively) were reinforced with epoxy resin to develop flax/epoxy composites and tested for mechanical, dynamic mechanical, and sound absorption properties as per ASTM standards. Mechanical results revealed that, amongst the composites, 45 FE showed highest tensile strength, flexural strength, Impact strength and Shore D hardness of 91.07 MPa, 109.5 MPa, 295.65 J m−1, and 85.23 respectively, whereas ILSS property did not shows much appreciable progress even at high fiber loadings. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests were conducted for five different frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 10 Hz) at varying temperature and properties such as storage modulus (E′), loss modulus (E″), and damping (tanδcurve) were evaluated. DMA properties of the composites have found to be improved after reinforced with the treated flax fabric. Effectiveness coefficient (C) confirms that 45FE composites exhibited better strong fiber-matrix interface and shows good agreement with cole-cole plot analysis. Sound absorption performance of the composites were determined in terms of sound absorption coefficient (SAC) using Impedance tube system for the frequency range 0–6400 Hz. Results indicated that flax-epoxy composites exhibit better sound absorption properties at medium and higher frequency levels. SEM analysis was carried out to understand the cause of failure in mechanically fractured composites. Moreover, morphologies of the fibers were also studied by XRD technique.
Speedup of Grover’s search algorithm and closed timelike curves
Authors: Yee Ki Hyuk , Bang Jeongho , Alsing Paul M , Miller Warner A , Ahn Doyeol
Published: August 2020

The quadratic reduction of query complexity of Grover’s search algorithm (GA), while significant, would not be enough to enjoy exponentially fast data searching in large-scale quantum computation. One of the ways to enhance the speedup in the framework of Grover’s algorithm is to employ a novel quantum operation, i.e., inversion against an unknown state; however, this is not possible at least in quantum theory. We thus extend the Grover algorithm assisted by closed timelike curves (CTCs), in which the unknown-state inversion is achievable by combining the superposition of two unknown states with cloning. We dubbed this refined algorithm CTC-assisted Grover algorithm (CTC-GA). We show that the CTC-GA can vastly reduce the query complexity compared to the original algorithm; remarkably, from polynomial to poly-logarithmic. These results will provide a broader intuition for exponential quantum speedup of data searching problems.
Correlation of Cs flux and work function of a converter surface during long plasma exposure for negative ion sources in view of ITER
Authors: Cristofaro S , Friedl R , Fantz U
Published: August 2020

Negative hydrogen ion sources for NBI systems at fusion devices rely on the surface conversion of hydrogen atoms and positive ions to negative hydrogen ions. In these sources the surface work function is decreased by adsorption of caesium (work function of 2.1 eV), enhancing consequently the negative ion yield. However, the performance of the ion source decreases during plasma pulses up to one hour, suggesting a deterioration of the work function. Fundamental investigations are performed in a laboratory experiment in order to study the impact of the plasma on the work function of a freshly caesiated stainless steel surface. A work function of 2.1 eV is achieved in the first 10 s of plasma, while further plasma exposure leads to the removal of Cs from the surface and to the change of the work function: a value of around 1.8–1.9 eV is measured after 10–15 min of plasma exposure and then the work function increases, approaching the work function of the substrate (≥4.2 eV) after 5 h. The Cs removal must be counteracted by continuous Cs evaporation, and investigations performed varying the Cs flux towards the surface have shown that a Cs flux of at least 1.5 × 1016 m−2s−1 is required to maintain a work function of 2.1 eV during long plasma exposure at the laboratory experiment.
Using deep learning to enhance event geometry reconstruction for the telescope array surface detector
Authors: Ivanov D , Kalashev O E , Kuznetsov M Yu , Rubtsov G I , Sako T , Tsunesada Y , Zhezher Y V
Published: August 2020

The extremely low flux of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) makes their direct observation by orbital experiments practically impossible. For this reason all current and planned UHECR experiments detect cosmic rays indirectly by observing the extensive air showers (EAS) initiated by cosmic ray particles in the atmosphere. The world largest statistics of the ultra-high energy EAS events is recorded by the networks of surface stations. In this paper we consider a novel approach for reconstruction of the arrival direction of the primary particle based on the deep convolutional neural network. The latter is using raw time-resolved signals of the set of the adjacent trigger stations as an input. The Telescope Array (TA) Surface Detector (SD) is an array of 507 stations, each containing two layers plastic scintillator with an area of 3 m2. The training of the model is performed with the Monte-Carlo dataset. It is shown that within the Monte-Carlo simulations, the new approach yields better resolution than the traditional reconstruction method based on the fitting of the EAS front. The details of the network architecture and its optimization for this particular task are discussed.
Dimensions of automorphism group schemes of finite level truncations of 𝐹-cyclic 𝐹-crystals
Authors: Ding Zeyu , Xiao Xiao
Published: August 2020

Let

M

π

\mathcal {M}_{\pi }

be an

F
F

-cyclic

F
F

-crystal over an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic defined by a permutation

π
\pi

and a set of prescribed Hodge slopes. We prove combinatorial formulas for the dimension

γ

M

π

(
m
)

\gamma _{\mathcal {M}_{\pi }}(m)

of the automorphism group scheme of

M

π

\mathcal {M}_{\pi }

at finite level

m
m

and the number of connected components of the endomorphism group scheme at finite level

m
m

. As an application, we show that if

M

π

\mathcal {M}_{\pi }

is a nonordinary Dieudonné module defined by a cycle

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, then
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\gamma _{\mathcal {M}_{\pi }}(m+1) - \gamma _{\mathcal {M}_{\pi }}(m) > \gamma _{\mathcal {M}_{\pi }}(m) - \gamma _{\mathcal {M}_{\pi }}(m-1)

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Test–retest reliability of RC21X: a web-based cognitive and neuromotor performance measurement tool
Authors: Saganis Xanthia , Goreczny Anthony J , Kondraske George , Berman Masha , Comnick Ian , Allen Tyler , Nussbaum Paul D
Published: August 2020

Objective

As computerized cognitive testing becomes increasingly popular in clinical and research settings, conducting studies on efficacy and psychometric properties is essential. One such program is RC21X, a web-based brain performance measurement tool. Based on empirically supported neurocognitive and neuromotor tasks, the 12-min test consists of 15 modules measuring memory, motor coordination, processing speed, and executive functioning. Because individuals may use RC21X repeatedly to track changes in cognitive performance, establishing reliability of the program is imperative. The current study examined test–retest reliability of RC21X within a 2-week period.

Method

The sample consisted of 222 individuals: 192 (86.5%) were male, and 30 (13.5%) were female. Average age was 44.06 years (SD = 17.76), with ages ranging from 7 to 82 years. We computed Pearson’s correlation coefficients for module and composite scores to determine reliability between performance at times 1 and 2.

Results

All correlations were statistically significant (p < .001). The 2-week test–retest reliability for composite score was 0.72, with subtest coefficients ranging from 0.54 on an auditory memory recognition task to 0.89 on a finger tapping task. We replicated these analyses with participants’ (n = 43) test sessions 3 and 4; we found similar results to those from test 1 and test 2 analyses, suggesting stability of results over multiple administrations.

Conclusions

Results for RC21X were comparable to existing literature that supports moderate to high reliability of other computer-based tests. Although future research needs to investigate validity of RC21X, our findings support potential applications in research, clinical use, and personal brain performance measurement.
HaploGrouper: a generalized approach to haplogroup classification
Authors: Jagadeesan Anuradha , Ebenesersdóttir S Sunna , Guðmundsdóttir Valdis B , Thordardottir Elisabet Linda , Moore Kristjan H S , Helgason Agnar
Published: August 2020

Motivation

We introduce HaploGrouper, a versatile software to classify haplotypes into haplogroups on the basis of a known phylogenetic tree. A typical use case for this software is the assignment of haplogroups to human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or Y-chromosome haplotypes. Existing state-of-the-art haplogroup-calling software is typically hard-wired to work only with either mtDNA or Y-chromosome haplotypes from humans.

Results

HaploGrouper exhibits comparable accuracy in these instances and has the advantage of being able to assign haplogroups to any kind of haplotypes from any species—given an extant annotated phylogenetic tree defined by sequence variants.

Availability and implementation

The software is available at the following URL https://gitlab.com/bio_anth_decode/haploGrouper.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A Machine Learning-Based Model to Evaluate Readability and Assess Grade Level for the Web Pages
Authors: Pantula Muralidhar , Kuppusamy K S
Published: August 2020

Evaluating readability of web documents has gained attention due to several factors such as improving the effectiveness of writing and to reach a wider spectrum of audience. Current practices in this direction follow several statistical measures in evaluating readability of the document. In this paper, we have proposed a machine learning-based model to compute readability of web pages. The minimum educational standards required (grade level) to understand the contents of a web page are also computed. The proposed model classifies the web pages into highly readable, readable or less readable using specified feature set. To classify a web page with the aforementioned categories, we have incorporated the features such as sentence count, word count, syllable count, type-token ratio and lexical ambiguity. To increase the usability of the proposed model, we have developed an accessible browser extension to perform the assessments of every web page loaded into the browser.
Cronkhite–Canada syndrome: from clinical features to treatment
Authors: Wu Ze-Yu , Sang Li-Xuan , Chang Bing
Published: August 2020

Cronkhite–Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare acquired polyposis with unknown etiology. To date, >500 cases have been reported worldwide. CCS is typically characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea and skin changes (e.g. alopecia, pigmentation, and nail atrophy). Endoscopic features include diffuse polyps throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract, except for the esophagus. Pathological types of polyps in CCS mainly include inflammatory, hyperplastic, hamartomatous, and adenomatous polyps. CCS can be complicated by many diseases and has a canceration tendency with a high mortality rate. Moreover, there is no uniform standard treatment for CCS. A review of the reported cases of CCS is presented herein, with the goal of improving our understanding of this disease.
Health reform and Indigenous health policy in Brazil: contexts, actors and discourses
Authors: de M Pontes Ana Lucia , Santos Ricardo Ventura
Published: August 2020

Given the challenges related to reducing socio-economic and health inequalities, building specific health system approaches for Indigenous peoples is critical. In Brazil, following constitutional reforms that led to the universalization of health care in the late 1980s, a specific health subsystem was created for Indigenous peoples in 1999. In this paper, we use a historical perspective to contextualize the creation of the Indigenous Health Subsystem in Brazil. This study is based on data from interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous subjects and document-based analysis. In the 1980s, during the post-dictatorship period in Brazil, the emergence of Indigenous movements in the country and the support for pro-Indigenous organizations helped establish a political agenda that emphasized a broad range of issues, including the right to a specific health policy. Indigenous leaders established alliances with participants of the Brazilian health reform movement, which resulted in broad debates about the specificities of Indigenous peoples, and the need for a specific health subsystem. We highlight three main points in our analysis: (1) the centrality of a holistic health perspective; (2) the emphasis on social participation; (3) the need for the reorganization of health care. These points proved to be convergent with the development of the Brazilian health reform and were expressed in documents of the Indigenist Missionary Council (CIMI) and the Union of Indigenous Nations (UNI). They were also consolidated in the final report of the First National Conference on the Protection of Indigenous Health in 1986, becoming the cornerstone of the national Indigenous health policy declared in 1999. Our analysis reveals that Indigenous people and pro-Indigenous groups were key players in the development of the Indigenous Health Subsystem in Brazil.
Predictors of nursing leadership in Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Nanyonga Rose Clarke , Bosire Edna N , Heller David J , Bradley Elizabeth , Reynolds Nancy R
Published: August 2020

Evidence regarding the role of nurses-in-leadership and how to engage nurses in policy decisions is minimal in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this study was: (1) to assess the leadership practices of nurses-in-leadership in Uganda (by self-report) and from the perspective of ‘followers’ (direct-report, peers, co-workers, other); and (2) to determine factors (positively) associated with leadership practices. We surveyed 480 nurses, 120 in leadership roles (Response Rate 57%) and 360 ‘followers’ (Response Rate 60%), who were recruited from five hospitals in Kampala, Uganda. We used the Leadership Practice Inventory (Self and Observer), a project-specific demographic questionnaire and Denison’s Organizational Culture Survey (DOCS). Sixty-three per cent of the respondents held a registered nursing certificate; 79% had received formal leadership training; 47% were based in private for-profit (PFP) hospitals, 28% in private not-for-profit (PNFP) and 25% in public hospitals. Among the five leadership practices, nurses-in-leadership used the practice of Model the Way (M = 8.27, SD = 1.30), Challenge the Process (M = 8.12, SD = 1.30) and Encourage the Heart (M = 8.04, SD = 1.51) more frequently (on a 10-point Likert Scale). Inspire a Shared Vision (M = 7.82, SD = 1.57) and Enable Others to Act (M = 7.62, SD = 1.66) practices were used less frequently. The same rank order was true for leadership scores from the perception of followers. However, leadership scores by followers were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the nurse leader self-reported scores across all sub-scales. Leadership practice scores were higher in public than private hospitals (P < 0.0001). Organizational culture (OC) was associated (P < 0.001) with leadership practices. Although overall leadership practice scores were generally high, the less frequent use of Inspire and Enable practices suggests opportunities for targeted improvement. Moreover, differences between self-reported and leadership scores by followers suggest perception gaps between leaders and their followers. The positive relationship between public hospital settings and self-reported leadership practices among nurses-in-leadership suggests that important nursing leadership practices are possible even in a low-resource clinical setting.
Molecular dynamics simulations informed by membrane lipidomics reveal the structure–interaction relationship of polymyxins with the lipid A-based outer membrane of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Jiang Xukai , Yang Kai , Yuan Bing , Han Meiling , Zhu Yan , Roberts Kade D , Patil Nitin A , Li Jingliang , Gong Bin , Hancock Robert E W , Velkov Tony , Schreiber Falk , Wang Lushan , Li Jian
Published: August 2020

Background

MDR bacteria represent an urgent threat to human health globally. Polymyxins are a last-line therapy against life-threatening Gram-negative ‘superbugs’, including Acinetobacter baumannii. Polymyxins exert antimicrobial activity primarily via permeabilizing the bacterial outer membrane (OM); however, the mechanism of interaction between polymyxins and the OM remains unclear at the atomic level.

Methods

We constructed a lipid A-based OM model of A. baumannii using quantitative membrane lipidomics data and employed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations with umbrella sampling techniques to elucidate the structure–interaction relationship and thermodynamics governing the penetration of polymyxins [B1 and E1 (i.e. colistin A) representing the two clinically used polymyxins] into the OM.

Results

Polymyxin B1 and colistin A bound to the A. baumannii OM by the initial electrostatic interactions between the Dab residues of polymyxins and the phosphates of lipid A, competitively displacing the cations from the headgroup region of the OM. Both polymyxin B1 and colistin A formed a unique folded conformation upon approaching the hydrophobic centre of the OM, consistent with previous experimental observations. Polymyxin penetration induced reorientation of the headgroups of the OM lipids near the penetration site and caused local membrane disorganization, thereby significantly increasing membrane permeability and promoting the subsequent penetration of polymyxin molecules into the OM and periplasmic space.

Conclusions

The thermodynamics governing the penetration of polymyxins through the outer leaflet of the A. baumannii OM were examined and novel structure–interaction relationship information was obtained at the atomic and membrane level. Our findings will facilitate the discovery of novel polymyxins against MDR Gram-negative pathogens.