bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causal counterfactuals without miracles or backtracking
Authors: Gallow J. Dmitri
Published: November 2022

If the laws are deterministic, then standard theories of counterfactuals are forced to reject at least one of the following conditionals: 1) had you chosen differently, there would not have been a violation of the laws of nature; and 2) had you chosen differently, the initial conditions of the universe would not have been different. On the relevant readings—where we hold fixed factors causally independent of your choice—both of these conditionals appear true. And rejecting either one leads to trouble for philosophical theories which rely upon counterfactual conditionals—like, for instance, causal decision theory. Here, I outline a semantics for counterfactual conditionals which allows us to accept both (1) and (2). And I discuss how this semantics deals with objections to causal decision theory from Arif Ahmed.
Maternal hepatitis C prevalence and trends by county, US: 2016–2020
Authors: Ahrens Katherine A. , Rossen Lauren M. , Burgess Amanda R. , Palmsten Kristin , Ziller Erika C.
Published: November 2022

Background

Trends in the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among women delivering live births may differ in rural vs. urban areas of the United States, but estimation of trends based on observed counts may lead to unstable estimates in rural counties due to small numbers.

Objectives

The objective of the study was to use small area estimation methods to provide updated county‐level prevalence estimates and, for the first time, trends in maternal HCV infection among live births by county‐level rurality.

Methods

Cross‐sectional natality data from 2016 to 2020 were used to estimate maternal hepatitis C prevalence using hierarchical Bayesian models with spatiotemporal random effects to produce annual county‐level estimates of maternal HCV infection and trends over time. Models included a 6‐level rural–urban county classification, year, maternal characteristics and county‐specific covariates. Data were analysed in 2022.

Results

There were 90,764/18,905,314 live births (4.8 per 1000) with HCV infection reported on the birth certificate. Hepatitis C prevalence was higher among rural counties as compared to urban counties. Rural counties had the largest annual increases in maternal hepatitis C prevalence (per 1000 births) from 2016 to 2020 (micropolitan: 0.39; noncore: 0.40), with smaller increases among less densely populated urban counties (medium metro: 0.28; small metro: 0.28) and urban counties (large central metro:0.11; large fringe metro: 0.14).

Conclusions

The prevalence of maternal HCV infection was the highest in rural counties, and rural counties saw the greatest average prevalence increase during 2016–2020. County‐level data can help in monitoring rural–urban trends in maternal HCV infection to reduce geographic disparities.
Integrating communities' customary laws into marine small‐scale fisheries governance in Ghana: Reflections on the FAO Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small‐Scale Fisheries
Authors: Golo Harrison Kwame , Ibrahim Sulley , Erinosho Bolanle
Published: November 2022

Although Ghana has ratified several relevant treaties related to the ocean, and the country recognizes local communities' customary laws as an important source of law, there is limited research on the integration of customary laws and practices into marine small‐scale fisheries governance. This article addresses this gap by analysing customary law systems and practices of the various ethnic communities occupying the coastlines of the Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta regions. Our analysis draws on the ‘respect for cultures’ principle of the Food and Agriculture Organization's Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small‐Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication. The article focuses on the relevance of custodianship, consensus building and empowerment norms that are operational among Ghana's coastline ethnic groups. The article concludes with a research and policy agenda on the importance of and challenges around recognizing and integrating coastal communities' customary law into marine small‐scale fisheries governance in Ghana.
Hydrodynamic controls on sedimentary facies of tidal point bars: A case study in the Georgia coastal plain, USA
Authors: Souza Pricilla , Georgiou Ioannis Y. , Fitzgerald Duncan M. , Hughes Zoe J. , Howes Nick C. , Kulp Mark A.
Published: November 2022

Tidal point bars are commonly developed in coastal plain meandering channels. They form by the same basic processes as fluvial point bars but are further modified by tidal action. This study analyses the sedimentary facies of six active tidal point bars and their relationships. The bars are situated along the Georgia coastal plain, USA, in the lower and upper reaches of the fluvial marine transition and in tidal channels without upstream river input. Based on millimetric logging of 31 cores, nine sedimentary facies were identified, which are proposed to be used for the characterization of tidal point bars in other depositional settings. These bars share common sedimentary facies; however, the internal organization of these facies and their associations differ appreciably in response to complex local tidal processes and fluvial–tidal interactions. The increase in tidal influence results in prominent heterogeneous architectures, with greater concentration of heterolithic stratification (mostly inclined), bioturbation and evidence of flow reversals. In contrast, when freshwater river discharge overcomes tidal stages in the fluvial marine transition bars, structureless coarse‐grained facies with attendant erosional surfaces and decreased bioturbation are predominantly developed. In the lower reach of the fluvial marine transition, along the estuarine turbidity maximum, alternations of fluvial and tidal sedimentation are evidenced by a bimodal facies association, where alternations of gravel lag and muddy facies (massive to heterolithic) dominate. Moreover, despite differences in local hydrodynamics, coarsening‐upward sequences, mostly composed of structureless coarser facies, are consistently distributed along the upper parts of the bars, which may indicate overprinting of regional events such as storm surge‐related floodings in the sedimentological record. This study provides a basis for better identifying the hydrodynamic processes that shape coastal systems, such as estuarine and backbarrier environments. Additionally, those deposits are analogues for certain hydrocarbon reservoirs, thereby increasing knowledge of their facies distribution and aiding production optimization.
Cognitive dissonance induction as an “inoculator” against negative attitudes towards victims
Authors: Aguilar Pilar , Correia Isabel , de Vries Jan , Tortora Leda
Published: November 2022

The “belief in a just world” and the related “justice motive” can be construed as a fundamental drive‐in people's life. Paradoxically this “justice motive” may motivate people to be unfair by assigning blame to objectively innocent victims. In two experimental studies, we address the possibility that inducing cognitive dissonance can reduce the assigning of blame to innocent victims. Study 1 (n = 71) consisted of a 2 × 2 design in which participants were randomly assigned to two types of induction (Dissonance induction/Awareness Induction Only condition) and two victims' background conditions (innocent victim v non‐innocent victim). In Study 2 (n = 171) 3 types of induction were compared (Dissonance Induction/Awareness Induction/Control condition) with all victims' scenarios considering them innocent. Study 1 showed that innocent victims were less negatively evaluated in the Dissonance Induction condition compared to the Awareness Only Induction condition; non‐innocent victims were not differently evaluated in both conditions. Study 2 showed that innocent victims were less negatively evaluated in the Dissonance Induction condition compared to the Awareness Induction condition and the Control condition. Overall, findings suggest that cognitive dissonance induction can be an effective mechanism to reduce assigning blame to innocent victims.
Place and Policy Preferences – Spatial Divides in Attitudes towards Social Policies in Germany
Authors: Pinggera Michael
Published: November 2022

The rise of the knowledge economy has led to a bifurcation between prosperous, often urban, areas and “left‐behind” regions. While the literature has started to analyse the political implications of these developments for electoral behaviour and socio‐cultural attitudes, the structuring of social policy preferences by place remains unclear. Distinguishing between an economic (booming‐declining) and a geographic (urban–rural) dimension, I argue that differences in material self‐interest and ideological predispositions explain spatial divides in support for different types of social policies. Combining original survey data on voters' preferences with municipal‐level data in Germany, I show that general support for social policy is higher in declining than in booming regions. However, social investments (e.g., active labour market policies) are preferred over consumption policies (e.g., unemployment benefits) in booming and, to a smaller degree, in urban than in declining and rural regions. These findings contribute to a bigger discussion on compensating “left‐behind” regions.
The impact of preformed and de novo HLA‐DP antibodies in renal transplantation, a meta‐analysis
Authors: Pan Qinqin , You Yajie , Wang Xiaoyan , Fan Su , Ma Xiao , Chen Hao , Gao Ming , Gong Guangming , Shen Jie , Tan Ruoyun , Gu Min
Published: November 2022

The impact of preformed and de novo HLA‐DP antibodies after renal transplantation remains controversial and unclear. To address the clinical relevance of HLA‐DP antibodies on the outcomes in renal transplantation, we performed a random effect model meta‐analysis through a systematic review from inception to December 31, 2021. The outcome was graft loss or acute rejection. Finally five articles were identified as our inclusion criteria. The study which reported 1166 patients included in the final meta‐analysis of de novo HLA‐DP antibodies after transplantation showed an increased risk of graft loss or acute rejection (OR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.6–8.10, P = 0.002, I2 = 52%). In the subgroup study, we established that patients with HLA‐DP DSA after renal transplantation had a 8.85‐fold increased risk of graft loss or acute rejection compared with patients without HLA‐DP DSA (p = 0.003).While as for HLA‐DP NDSA after renal transplantation, 2.73‐fold increased risk of graft loss or acute rejection compared with patients without HLA‐DP antibodies (p = 0.04). Besides, the studies which reported 487 patients included in the final meta‐analysis of preformed HLA‐DP antibodies did not show an increased risk of graft loss or acute rejection (OR = 4.55, 95% CI = 0.79–26.16, P = 0.09, I2 = 57%). The results of our meta‐analysis suggested that de novo HLA‐DP antibodies especially de novo HLA‐DP DSA had a significant deleterious impact on the renal transplant risk of graft loss or acute rejection, while preformed HLA‐DP antibodies had a no significant deleterious impact on the risk. The routine detection of HLA‐DP antibodies after renal transplantation seems to be very important and may be as one of noninvasive biomarker‐guided risk stratification.
Reduction in sound discrimination in noise is related to envelope similarity and not to a decrease in envelope tracking abilities
Authors: Souffi Samira , Varnet Léo , Zaidi Meryem , Bathellier Brice , Huetz Chloé , Edeline Jean‐Marc
Published: November 2022

Humans and animals constantly face challenging acoustic environments, such as various background noises, that impair the detection, discrimination and identification of behaviourally relevant sounds. Here, we disentangled the role of temporal envelope tracking in the reduction in neuronal and behavioural discrimination between communication sounds in situations of acoustic degradations. By collecting neuronal activity from six different levels of the auditory system, from the auditory nerve up to the secondary auditory cortex, in anaesthetized guinea‐pigs, we found that tracking of slow changes of the temporal envelope is a general functional property of auditory neurons for encoding communication sounds in quiet conditions and in adverse, challenging conditions. Results from a go/no‐go sound discrimination task in mice support the idea that the loss of distinct slow envelope cues in noisy conditions impacted the discrimination performance. Together, these results suggest that envelope tracking is potentially a universal mechanism operating in the central auditory system, which allows the detection of any between‐stimulus difference in the slow envelope and thus copes with degraded conditions.

image

Key points

In quiet conditions, envelope tracking in the low amplitude modulation range (<20 Hz) is correlated with the neuronal discrimination between communication sounds as quantified by mutual information from the cochlear nucleus up to the auditory cortex.

At each level of the auditory system, auditory neurons retain their abilities to track the communication sound envelopes in situations of acoustic degradation, such as vocoding and the addition of masking noises up to a signal‐to‐noise ratio of −10 dB.

In noisy conditions, the increase in between‐stimulus envelope similarity explains the reduction in both behavioural and neuronal discrimination in the auditory system.

Envelope tracking can be viewed as a universal mechanism that allows neural and behavioural discrimination as long as the temporal envelope of communication sounds displays some differences.
Implementation of a Model Predictive Control Strategy to Regulate Temperature Inside Plug-Flow Solar Reactor With Countercurrent Flow
Authors: Alsahlani Assaad , Randhir Kelvin , Hayes Michael , Schimmels Philipp , Ozalp Nesrin , Klausner James
Published: November 2022

Solar-driven thermochemical energy storage systems are proven to be promising energy carriers (solar fuels) to utilize solar energy by using reactive solid-state pellets. However, the production of solar fuel requires a quasi-steady-state process temperature, which represents the main challenge due to the transient nature of solar power. In this work, an adaptive model predictive controller (MPC) is presented to regulate the temperature inside a tubular solar reactor to produce solid-state solar fuel for long-term thermal storage systems. The solar reactor system consists of a vertical tube heated circumferentially over a segment of its length by concentrated solar power, and the reactive pellets (MgMn2O4) are fed from the top end and flow downwards through the heated tube. A countercurrent flowing gas supplied from the lower end interacts with flowing pellets to reduce it thermochemically at a temperature range of 1000—1500 °C. A low-order physical model was developed to simulate the dynamics of the solar reactor including the reaction kinetics, and the proposed model was validated numerically by using a 7-kW electric furnace. The numerical model then was utilized to design the MPC controller, where the control system consists of an MPC code linked to an adaptive system identification code that updates system parameters online to ensure system robustness against external disturbances (sudden change in the flow inside the reactor), model mismatches, and uncertainty. The MPC controller parameters are tuned to enhance the system performance with minimum steady-state error and overshoot. The controller is tested to track different temperature ranges between 500 °C and 1400 °C with different particles/gas mass flowrates and ramping temperature profiles. Results show that the MPC controller successfully regulated the reactor temperature within ± 1 °C of its setpoint and maintained robust performance with minimum input effort when subjected to sudden changes in the amount of flowing media and the presence of chemical reaction.
Aeroacoustic and Structural Achievements for a Morphing Blade Twist System Developed for the European Project “Shape Adaptive Blades for Rotorcraft Efficiency”
Authors: Ameduri Salvatore , Concilio Antonio , Visingardi Antonio , Federico Luigi , Barbarino Mattia , Vitagliano Pier Luigi
Published: November 2022

In line with target of the European Project “Shape Adaptive Blades for Rotorcraft Efficiency-SABRE”, that is to say, to mitigate the environmental impact of the rotorcraft, a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) morphing twist systems was developed and related performance and impact predicted. At first, the specifications of the system were generated for the reference rotorcraft. Secondly, the layout was selected basing on the capability of transferring twist. Thirdly, an advanced analysis was addressed to predict architecture performance its operational limit from a structural point of view. Then, the prototyping task was faced: a laboratory prototype was realized and tested. At this point, a review of the design and of the experimental outcomes was organized. On its basis two demonstrators were built: the former for tests in wind tunnel, the latter for validation in whirl tower. In parallel numerical investigations were addressed, to identify the optimal distribution of the SMA twist on the blade, in terms of aerodynamic-power benefits and acoustic impact of the selected solution.

The promising outcomes of the demonstration campaign and the novel contents of the concept, jointly to the favorable advice of the European Community, led CIRA to organize a dedicated exploitation strategy and to address its intellectual protection at European level.
Bridging the Scales Between Twin Level and Component Level Models of Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Courant Robert , Maas Jürgen
Published: November 2022

This article establishes a connection between twin level and component level models of magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA). Their magneto-mechanical behavior is characterized by the reorientation of martensitic variants along twin boundaries to minimize the energy with respect to the applied mechanical and magnetic loads. This reorientation is impaired by the dissipative nature of the so-called twinning stress, which results in a hysteretic behavior. For individual twin domains, the hysteresis can be directly described using meaningful inequalities. On component level, phenomenological hysteresis models are typically used, which can be more easily integrated in control schemes. This paper shows the conversion of the twinning stress distribution on twin level into the Everett-function for a generic Preisach-type phenomenological model describing the component level and vice versa. The proposed bidirectional approach bridges the different model scales for mechanical and magnetic loads by combining their corresponding parameters. The parameter conversion is validated using a numerical model on twin level that fully implements the switching domains.
Critical review of Ohmic and Schottky contacts to β-Ga2O3
Authors: Lyle Luke A. M.
Published: November 2022

Over the last decade, beta-phase gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) has developed an extensive interest for applications such as high-power electronics. Due to its ultrawide bandgap of ∼4.8 eV and predicted breakdown field of ∼8 MV/cm along with its ability to be grown from the melt, this material demonstrates immense promise for high-voltage switching. The pace of development for β-Ga2O3 over these past ten years has been rapid, and ample new information has been generated on metal/β-Ga2O3 interfaces. With the advent of high-quality melt-grown substrates and epitaxial layers, low ideality factors (<1.1) and high Schottky barrier heights (>2.2 eV) have been demonstrated for Schottky contacts. For Ohmic contacts, specific contact resistivities of the common Ti/Au metallization are routinely reported in the 10−5–10−6 Ω cm2 range. This critical and comprehensive review focuses on the fundamental physics of Ohmic and Schottky contacts to bulk and epitaxial β-Ga2O3 in the published literature. It centers on the influence of surface treatments and defects on electrical contacts, Ohmic contacts, and Schottky contacts to β-Ga2O3. Native upward band bending is observed on β-Ga2O3, and the influence of wet and dry etching on band bending along with Schottky barrier height and ideality factor is discussed. Work on Ohmic contacts concentrates on the conventional Ti/Au anneal but additional Ohmic metallizations such as conductive oxides and others are treated as well. Schottky contacts are examined with specific focus on Fermi level pinning, thermal stability of Schottky metallizations, and Schottky barrier inhomogeneity.
Early Activation of iNKT Cells Increased Survival Time of BALB/c Mice in a Murine Model of Melioidosis
Authors: Kasetthat Thitinan , Kamuthachad Ludthawun , Sermswan Rasana W. , Watarai Hiroshi , Matangkasombut Ponpan , Wongratanacheewin Surasakdi
Published: November 2022

Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused byBurkholderia pseudomallei. High interferon gamma (IFN-γ) levels in naive mice were reported to mediate protection againstB. pseudomalleiinfection.
Orientia tsutsugamushi OtDUB Is Expressed and Interacts with Adaptor Protein Complexes during Infection
Authors: Adcox Haley E. , Berk Jason M. , Hochstrasser Mark , Carlyon Jason A.
Published: November 2022

Orientia tsutsugamushi
is an etiologic agent of scrub typhus, a globally emerging rickettsiosis that can be fatal. The bacterium’s obligate intracellular lifestyle requires its interaction with host eukaryotic cellular pathways.
Physiological Benefits of Oxygen-Terminating Extracellular Electron Transfer
Authors: Tokunou Yoshihide , Toyofuku Masanori , Nomura Nobuhiko
Published: November 2022

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a process via which certain microorganisms, such as bacteria, exchange electrons with extracellular materials by creating an electrical link across their membranes. EET has been studied for the reactions on solid materials such as minerals and electrodes with implication in geobiology and biotechnology.
TCA and SSRI Antidepressants Exert Selection Pressure for Efflux-Dependent Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms in Escherichia coli
Authors: Ou Jin , Elizalde Paul , Guo Hao-Bo , Qin Hong , Tobe Brian T.D. , Choy John S.
Published: November 2022

Antidepressants are prescribed broadly for psychiatric conditions to alter neuronal levels of synaptic neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Two categories of antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs); both are among the most prescribed drugs in the United States.
The Hydrophobin Gene Family Confers a Fitness Trade-off between Spore Dispersal and Host Colonization in Penicillium expansum
Authors: Luciano-Rosario Dianiris , Eagan Justin L. , Aryal Niraj , Dominguez Eddie G. , Hull Christina M. , Keller Nancy P.
Published: November 2022

Hydrophobins are amphipathic secreted proteins uniquely found in filamentous fungi. These proteins self-assemble and constitute the outer most layer of fungal surfaces thus mediating multiple aspects of fungal interactions with their environments.
The Alginate and Motility Regulator AmrZ is Essential for the Regulation of the Dispersion Response by
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Biofilms
Authors: Kalia Manmohit , Resch Matthew D. , Cherny Kathryn E. , Sauer Karin
Published: November 2022

In
P. aeruginosa
, biofilm dispersion has been well-characterized with respect to dispersion cue perception, matrix degradation, and the consequences of dispersion. While the intracellular signaling molecule c-di-GMP has been linked to many of the phenotypic changes ascribed to dispersion, including the modulation of motility and matrix production, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms leading to matrix degradation and cells actively leaving the biofilm.
Interactive Analysis of Functional Residues in Protein Families
Authors: Price Morgan N. , Arkin Adam P.
Published: November 2022

For most microbes of interest, a genome sequence is available, but the function of its proteins is not known. Instead, proteins' functions are predicted from their similarity to other protein sequences.
Characterization of Novel
Klebsiella
Phage PG14 and Its Antibiofilm Efficacy
Authors: Mulani Mansura S. , Kumkar Shital N. , Pardesi Karishma R.
Published: November 2022

Klebsiella pneumoniae
is one of the members of the ESKAPE (
Enterococcus faecium
,
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
,
Acinetobacter baumannii
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, and
Enterobacter
species) group of pathogens and is responsible for nosocomial infections. The global increase of carbapenem-resistant
K. pneumoniae
has developed a substantial clinical threat because of the dearth of therapeutic choices available.
K. pneumoniae
is one of the commonly found bacteria responsible for biofilm-related infections.
Automated Real-Time PCR Detection of Tickborne Diseases Using the Panther Fusion Open Access System
Authors: Stellrecht Kathleen A. , Wilson Lisa I. , Castro Allan J. , Maceira Vincente P.
Published: November 2022

Since the incidence of tickborne diseases has been accelerating in the United States, automation for testing has become essential in affected regions. Unfortunately, because the need is regional, commercial test manufacturers have not yet provided answers for clinical laboratories.
Diverse Sensory Repertoire of Paralogous Chemoreceptors Tlp2, Tlp3, and Tlp4 in
Campylobacter jejuni
Authors: Taha  , Elgamoudi Bassam A. , Andrianova Ekaterina P. , Haselhorst Thomas , Day Christopher J. , Hartley-Tassell Lauren E. , King Rebecca M. , Najnin Tahria , Zhulin Igor B. , Korolik Victoria
Published: November 2022

Campylobacter jejuni
responds to extracellular stimuli via transducer-like chemoreceptors (Tlps). This remarkable sensory perception mechanism allows bacteria to sense environmental changes and avoid unfavorable conditions or to maneuver toward nutrient sources and host cells.
Anaesthetic management of a toddler with uncorrected tetralogy of Fallot undergoing surgery for epidural haematoma
Authors: Kanungo Aurobinda , Singh Nidhi , Barik Amiya Kumar
Published: November 2022

The literature on the anaesthetic management of a toddler presenting to the emergency department with an acute epidural haematoma with an uncorrected tetralogy of Fallot is sparse and management can be challenging. The main anaesthetic goals are to increase or maintain systemic vascular resistance and decrease pulmonary vascular resistance for cardiovascular stability, while maintaining cerebral perfusion pressure and decreasing intracranial pressure for cerebral protection. Thus, a balanced approach is desirable while managing such cases from emergency to the intensive care unit.
Economic evaluation of FLOT and ECF/ECX perioperative chemotherapy in patients with resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zeng Hanqing , Wang Chunjiang , Song Li-Ying , Jia Su-Jie , Zeng Xiaohui , Liu Qiao
Published: November 2022

Objective

The perioperative chemotherapy with fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin plus docetaxel (FLOT) was recommended by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology Guidelines for gastric cancer (2018 edition) for patients with resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (class IIA). However, the economic impact of FLOT chemotherapy in China remains unclear. The analysis aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of FLOT versus epirubicin, cisplatin plus fluorouracil or capecitabine (ECF/ECX) in patients with locally advanced resectable tumours.

Design

We developed a Markov model to compare the healthcare and economic outcomes of FLOT and ECF/ECX in patients with resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Costs were estimated from the perspective of Chinese healthcare system. Clinical and utility inputs were derived from the FLOT4 phase II/III clinical trial and published literature. Sensitivity analyses were employed to assess the robustness of our result. The annual discount rate for costs and health outcomes was set at 5%.

Outcome measures

The primary outcome of incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) was calculated as the cost per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

Results

The base-case analysis found that compared with ECF/ECX, the use of FLOT chemotherapy was associated with an additional 1.08 QALYs, resulting in an ICER of US$851/QALY. One-way sensitivity analysis results suggested that the HR of overall survival and progression-free survival had the greatest impact on the ICER. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that FLOT was more likely to be cost-effective compared with ECF/ECX at a willingness-to-pay threshold of US$31 513/QALY.

Conclusions

For patients with locally advanced resectable tumours, the FLOT chemotherapy is a cost-effective treatment option compared with ECF/ECX in China.

Trial registration number

NCT01216644.
Study protocol of the PROUD48 study comparing the effects of pemafibrate and omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters on ApoB-48 in statin-treated patients with dyslipidaemia: a prospective, multicentre, open-label, randomised, parallel group trial in Japan
Authors: Takeda Yasutaka , Sakuma Ichiro , Hiramitsu Shinya , Okada Mizuho , Ueda Shinichiro , Sakurai Masaru
Published: November 2022

Introduction

This study will compare the lowering effects of pemafibrate and omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters on fasting apolipoprotein B-48 (apoB-48), a surrogate marker reflecting postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia, which is a residual risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with statin treatment.

Methods and analysis

This is a prospective, multicentre, open-label, randomised, parallel group, comparative trial. Adult Japanese patients with dyslipidaemia receiving statin treatment for more than 4 weeks with a fasting triglyceride level ≥177 mg/dL will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive pemafibrate (0.4 mg orally per day) or omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters (4 g orally per day) for 16 weeks. The primary endpoint is the percentage change in fasting apoB-48 from baseline to 16 weeks. The key secondary endpoints include the change in fasting apoB-48 from baseline to 16 weeks, the percentage changes in clinical variables from baseline to 16 weeks and the incidence of adverse events. A total sample size of 128 was set by considering the increased drop-out rate due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to estimation based on a two-sided alpha of 0.05 and a power of 0.8 for apoB-48.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol has been approved by the Certified Review Board of the University of the Ryukyus for Clinical Research Ethics (No. CRB7200001) and will be performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The results of the study will be disseminated through publications and conference presentations to participants, healthcare professionals and the public.

Trial registration number

jRCTs071200011.
Slow change since the Little Ice Age at a far northern glacier with the potential for system reorganization: Thores Glacier, northern Ellesmere Island, Canada
Authors: Kochtitzky Will , Copland Luke , Wohlleben Trudy , Iqaluk Pilipoosie , Girard Catherine , Vincent Warwick F. , Culley Alexander I.
Published: November 2022

Relatively little is known about the glaciers of northern Ellesmere Island, Canada. Here we describe the first field and remote sensing observations of Thores Glacier, located 50 km inland from the Arctic Ocean. The glacier is slow-moving, with maximum velocities of 26 m a−1 and a maximum observed thickness of 360 ± 4.3 m. There has been little change in terminus position since at least 1959, with a maximum advance of 170 m at the northwest terminus ending on land and retreat up to 130 m at the southeast terminus ending in Thores Lake. There is little evidence for change since the Little Ice Age as bedrock weathering patterns suggest retreat of no more than 20–30 m around most of the glacier margin. The supraglacial drainage network is generally poorly developed, without moulins and with few crevasses, and therefore no evidence of water reaching the glacier bed. This is supported by one-dimensional modelling, which suggests current basal temperatures of −7.0 °C to −12.0 °C along the centerline. Thores Glacier currently dams Thores Lake, which causes drainage to flow to the southeast. However, if the glacier thins or retreats sufficiently, regional drainage will reverse and flow to the north, and Thores Lake would no longer exist.
Energy reconstruction for large liquid scintillator detectors with machine learning techniques: aggregated features approach
Authors: Gavrikov Arsenii , Malyshkin Yury , Ratnikov Fedor
Published: November 2022

Large-scale detectors consisting of a liquid scintillator target surrounded by an array of photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs) are widely used in the modern neutrino experiments: Borexino, KamLAND, Daya Bay, Double Chooz, RENO, and the upcoming JUNO with its satellite detector TAO. Such apparatuses are able to measure neutrino energy which can be derived from the amount of light and its spatial and temporal distribution over PMT channels. However, achieving a fine energy resolution in large-scale detectors is challenging. In this work, we present machine learning methods for energy reconstruction in the JUNO detector, the most advanced of its type. We focus on positron events in the energy range of 0–10 MeV which corresponds to the main signal in JUNO – neutrinos originated from nuclear reactor cores and detected via the inverse beta decay channel. We consider the following models: Boosted Decision Trees and Fully Connected Deep Neural Network, trained on aggregated features, calculated using the information collected by PMTs. We describe the details of our feature engineering procedure and show that machine learning models can provide the energy resolution $$\sigma = 3\%$$

σ
=
3
%

at 1 MeV using subsets of engineered features. The dataset for model training and testing is generated by the Monte Carlo method with the official JUNO software.
On the expected performance of the SORGENTINA-RF fusion neutron source
Authors: Fonnesu Nicola , Scaglione Salvatore , Spassovsky Ivan Panov , Zito Pietro , Pietropaolo Antonino ,   The SRF Collaboration, Agostini Pietro , Angiolini Massimo , Alberghi Ciro , Candido Luigi , Capogni Marco , Capone Mauro , Cataldo Sebastiano , Contessa Gian Marco , D’Annibale Francesco , D’Arienzo Marco , Del Dotto Alessio , Diamanti Dario , Dongiovanni Danilo , Farini Mirko , Ferrari Paolo , Fiore Angela , Flammini Davide , Frisoni Manuela , Gadani Gianni , Gentili Angelo , Grasso Giacomo , Guardati Manuela , Guidoni David , Lamberti Marco , Lepore Luigi , Mancini Andrea , Mariani Andrea , Marinari Ranieri , Marzo Giuseppe A. , Mastroianni Bruno , Moro Fabio , Orefice Agostina , Orsetti Valerio , Pinna Tonio , Rizzo Antonietta , Rydzy Alexander , Salvi Stefano , Santoli Demis , Santucci Alessia , Saraceno Luca , Sartorio Camillo , Sermenghi Valerio , Serra Emanuele , Simonetti Andrea , Terranova Nicholas , Tosti Silvano , Ubaldini Alberto , Utili Marco , Voukelatou Konstantina , Zola Danilo , Zummo Giuseppe
Published: November 2022

A study devoted to assessing the neutronic performance of the SORGENTINA-RF fusion neutron source is here presented. The calculation is performed considering the characteristics of the accelerated mixed deuterium/tritium ion beam from the ion source, the transport of ions into the titanium layer that constitutes the ion beam target, their implantation and the fusion reaction cross section. An investigation has been done by varying the ion composition of the beam in order to assess if and to what extent diatomic and triatomic ion species affect the neutron emission rate of the plant. This calculation is also instrumental to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of equipping the ion source with a filtering system to remove secondary ions from the beam.
Metrology with synchrotron radiation at PTB
Authors: Gottwald Alexander , Krumrey Michael , Scholze Frank , Richter Mathias
Published: November 2022

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) is the national metrology institute of the Federal Republic of Germany and has been using synchrotron radiation (SR) for more than 40 years. Starting at the former facility BESSY I, the storage ring BESSY II (see corresponding article in this volume) has been used for this purpose since 1998, especially in the X-ray range, as well as PTB's own metrology light source (MLS) for lower photon energies since 2008. Both facilities are located in Berlin-Adlershof and are operated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin within the framework of contractual agreements with PTB. The basic motivation of the work is radiometry. The two storage rings MLS and BESSY II are used as primary source standards and cryogenic radiometers as primary detector standards. The article gives a brief overview of the present status, scientific highlights, the technological development and upgrade plans for the decade 2023–2033 as well as a perspective of next scientific challenges.
Design and Implementation of a Sense Amplifier for Low-Power Cardiac Pacemaker
Authors: Bikki Pavankumar , Dhiraj Yenduri , Nivas Kumar R. V. S.
Published: November 2022

This paper presents the implementation of a sense amplifier for a low-power cardiac pacemaker using the Differential Voltage Current Conveyor (DVCC). Two significant aspects of the pacemaker are sensing and pacing. The pulse generator, which is the heart of the pacemaker, consists of a sense amplifier, a logic unit and a timing control unit. The sense amplifier comprises an instrumentation amplifier, a bandpass filter and a comparator that are used to detect the QRS complex wave from the cardiac signal. Based on the output of a sense amplifier, the logic unit and the timing control unit decide whether to pace the heart or not, which achieves the requirement of the demand pacing. In this paper, a novel design of the sense amplifier using a DVCC is proposed, and the simulations are performed using 130-nm TSMC technology. Furthermore, the modes of the pacemaker VVI, DDD and rate-responsive algorithms have been implemented using the structural approach in VHDL by taking into consideration the timing cycles of a pacemaker. The design analysis shows that the proposed model of pacemaker is highly efficient and consumes significantly less energy.
On-Chip GaN Planar Transformer Design for Highly Integrated RF Systems
Authors: Derkaoui Mokhtaria , Benhadda Yamina , Chaabene Ghacen , Spiteri Pierre
Published: November 2022

The work presented in this paper concerns the design of an on-chip GaN transformer. The integrated transformer is composed of two planar stacked coils with spiral octagonal geometry. A comparison is done on different analytical methods to calculate the inductance of the transformer spiral planar coils. Three transformers with different outer diameters are compared to illustrate the influence of the coil geometry. The estimated inductance and dc series resistance are evaluated. Using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3 software, the thermal effect is illustrated in the integrated transformer operating at high frequencies. The different parasitic effects created by the planar stacked layers are validated by the equivalent electrical circuit, and the different electrical parameters are calculated.
Impacts of Electric Vehicle Connected with Charging Station Using Student Psychology Optimization Algorithm (SPOA) and AdaBoost Algorithm
Authors: Murugan M. , Satheesh Kumar S. , Panneer Selvam M. , Rajesh P. , Shajin Francis H.
Published: November 2022

This paper presents an electric vehicle connected to a charging station based on the proposed method. The proposed technique is the joint execution of the Student Psychology Optimization Algorithm (SPOA) and the AdaBoost algorithm and is therefore called the SPOA-AdaBoost algorithm. In particular, the annualized social cost depends on CS and EVCS set from the objective function of the allocation model. The EVCS is linked with the CS and allows the charging service for electric vehicles. The vehicle-to-grid functions of electric vehicles are properly considered under the present optimization model. The EV load demands are considered as controllable resources, and EV optimal optimization problems are connected with allocation problems. When EV arrives at the charging station, it reports its own energy demand and expected departure time using the EVCS operator. Every EVCS could attack the details of electric vehicles via the proposed method. With this proper action, this method manages the energy demand and the total supply. The constraints are the power flow equations, equivalent load demands on the buses, branch current constraints, discrete size restrictions for CS, constraints on CS outputs, EV participation on V2G activities, mutual exclusivity of the EV charge and discharge statuses, EV Owner charge satisfaction, EV Owner satisfaction charge, EV SOC restrictions, Occupied CF quantities, and EVCS CF sufficiency. Among these, the execution of the present model done by the MATLAB/Simulink platform and the performance of the proposed model is likened with other systems.
DMPRA: A Dynamic Reconfiguration Mechanism for a Dual-Mode Programmable Reconfigurable Array Architecture
Authors: Li Kangle , Jiang Lin , Huang Xingjie , Yang Kun , Xie Xiaoyan , Deng Junyong , Shan Rui
Published: November 2022

To improve the performance and power efficiency of various algorithms in specific applications, reconfigurable architecture has become an effective choice in academia and industry. However, due to the slow context updates and the insufficient flexibility, the existing reconfigurable architectures suffer from performance bottlenecks. Therefore, this paper proposed a dynamic reconfiguration mechanism applied to dual-mode programmable reconfigurable array architecture. This mechanism adopts Huffman-like coding and mask addressing, and through the H-tree transmission network, it can transmit the reconfiguration instruction/context to a specific processing element or processing element cluster in unicast, multicast, or broadcast modes within a clock cycle and shut down unnecessary processing elements or processing element clusters according to the current configuration. Meanwhile, a homogeneous reconfigurable array is designed to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed dynamic reconfiguration mechanism. In this array, the processing element supports both instruction flow and data flow modes. Finally, the proposed work is implemented in register transfer level synthesis and a field-programmable gate array prototype, and its performance is verified using high-efficiency video coding algorithm. The results show that the proposed reconfiguration mechanism can effectively improve the hardware resource utilization and reconfiguration efficiency, it also can achieve the performance breakthrough of the reconfigurable architecture.
Optimization of Performance Parameters of Phase Frequency Detector Using Taguchi DoE and Pareto ANOVA Techniques
Authors: Sharma Jyoti , Sharma Gaurav Kumar , Varma Tarun , Boolchandani Dharmendar
Published: November 2022

This paper utilizes Taguchi design of experiments and Pareto analysis of variance statistical approaches to demonstrate circuit optimization. The phase-frequency detector (PFD) circuit based on dynamic logic has been chosen for optimization. For various MOSFETs of PFD, three levels and three factors of power supply and width of PMOS and NMOS ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]) are considered to be critical performance governing factors. The Taguchi technique determines the level of significance of a factor that influences a given performance parameter. The crucial factor for a given response is determined via ANOVA analysis. The optimum values for the parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] are likewise determined using this procedure to maximize the circuit’s overall performance. Taguchi DoE and Pareto Anova analyses have been performed using the Minitab software. Simulating the circuit with GPDK 180 nm CMOS technology using these methods ensures that the acquired parameters are correct for best performance. The Cadence Virtuoso tool has been used to conduct pre-layout and post-layout simulations. The simulation outcomes are reasonably close to the ANOVA predicted result. Phase noise, power dissipation, and frequency of operation of the proposed PFD are [Formula: see text] dBc/Hz, 9.83 [Formula: see text]W, and 10.21 GHz, respectively, and it occupies a chip area of 300.41 [Formula: see text]. The proposed PFD is used to implement a charge-pump PLL which performs effectively with a settling time of 2.59 [Formula: see text]s.
A Quality-Driven Iterative Evolution Approach for Software Architecture
Authors: Wang Tong , Li Bixin , Zhu Lingyuan
Published: November 2022

The quality attributes of software architecture (SA) determine whether SA can be easily understood, tested, modified and so on, so quality-driven architecture evolution is important for keeping the viability and competitiveness. SA evolution is a process, and it contains multiple steps, such as SA quality measurement, SA modification, code co-evolution and so on. In order to guarantee that the software can be continuously improved and iteratively evolved in the future, we need to focus on all steps. However, most existing approaches only focus on one aspect, so they did not pay attention to how to finish the evolution process. In this paper, we propose a quality-driven iterative evolution approach for SA. This approach focuses on the whole process. In the first step, we use a quantitative approach to measure the architecture quality. Then, we construct the conflict graph to detect conflicts between evolution requirements to generate the final evolution scheme. In the third step, we modify architecture based on the evolution scheme. Finally, we co-evolve file dependency graph (FDG) based on the modified architecture. By focusing on the above steps, our approach can support a complete quality-driven architecture evolution process and obtain the maximum benefit in terms of the combined SA quality. We conduct our experiments with four open source projects, the experimental results indicate that our approach can improve SA quality, and our approach can effectively co-evolve the FDG to lay the foundation for the next evolution.
Prediction of the Influence of Higher Modes on the Dynamic Response of High-Rise Buildings Subjected to Narrow-Banded Ground Motions
Authors: Diaz-Martinez Gerardo , Teran-Gilmore Amador
Published: November 2022

This paper presents the results of a study aimed at assessing the effects of higher modes of vibration on the nonlinear dynamic response of tall framed-buildings subjected to narrow-banded motions. For this purpose, analytical models of a 20-story building were developed under the consideration of two types of hysteretic behavior and subjected to 20 seismic excitations having a dominant period of motion of 1[Formula: see text]s. While the fundamental period of vibration of the building equals 2.7[Formula: see text]s, its second period is close to 1[Formula: see text]s; as a result, the selected seismic excitations over-stimulate the participation of the second mode in the overall dynamic response of the building. The circumstances under which the contribution of higher modes gives place to an excessive response of the upper stories are identified, and quantitative measures are presented. From an engineering point of view, parameters that predict an excessive response of higher-level floors are proposed.