bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technical Note: Four‐dimensional deformable digital phantom for MRI sequence development
Authors: Hanson Hanna M. , Eiben Björn , McClelland Jamie R. , van Herk Marcel , Rowland Benjamin C.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

MR‐guided radiotherapy has different requirements for the images than diagnostic radiology, thus requiring development of novel imaging sequences. MRI simulation is an excellent tool for optimizing these new sequences; however, currently available software does not provide all the necessary features. In this paper, we present a digital framework for testing MRI sequences that incorporates anatomical structure, respiratory motion, and realistic presentation of MR physics.

Methods

The extended Cardiac‐Torso (XCAT) software was used to create T1, T2, and proton density maps that formed the anatomical structure of the phantom. Respiratory motion model was based on the XCAT deformation vector fields, modified to create a motion model driven by a respiration signal. MRI simulation was carried out with JEMRIS, an open source Bloch simulator. We developed an extension for JEMRIS, which calculates the motion of each spin independently, allowing for deformable motion.

Results

The performance of the framework was demonstrated through simulating the acquisition of a two‐dimensional (2D) cine and demonstrating expected motion ghosts from T2 weighted spin echo acquisitions with different respiratory patterns. All simulations were consistent with behavior previously described in literature. Simulations with deformable motion were not more time consuming than with rigid motion.

Conclusions

We present a deformable four‐dimensional (4D) digital phantom framework for MR sequence development. The framework incorporates anatomical structure, realistic breathing patterns, deformable motion, and Bloch simulation to achieve accurate simulation of MRI. This method is particularly relevant for testing novel imaging sequences for the purpose of MR‐guided radiotherapy in lungs and abdomen.
Inverse dynamics‐based formulation of finite horizon optimal control problems for rigid‐body systems
Authors: Katayama Sotaro , Ohtsuka Toshiyuki
Published: June 2021

We propose a formulation of the finite horizon optimal control problem (FHOCP) based on inverse dynamics for general open‐chain rigid‐body systems, which reduces the computational cost from the conventional formulation based on forward dynamics. We regard the generalized acceleration as a decision variable and inverse dynamics as an equality constraint. To treat under‐actuated systems with inverse dynamics that are well defined only to fully actuated systems, that is, to consider passive joints in this FHOCP, we add an equality constraint to zero the corresponding generalized torques. We include the contact forces in the decision variables of this FHOCP and treat the contact constraints using Baumgarte's stabilization method for numerical stability. We derive the optimality conditions and formulate the two‐point boundary‐value problem that can be efficiently solved using the recursive Newton–Euler algorithm (RNEA) and the partial derivatives of RNEA. We conducted three numerical experiments on model predictive control based on the proposed formulation to demonstrate its effectiveness. The first experiment involved simulating a swing‐up control of a four‐link arm with a passive joint and showed that the proposed formulation is effective for under‐actuated systems. The second one involved comparing the proposed formulation with the conventional forward‐dynamics‐based formulation with various numbers of joints and showed that the proposed formulation reduces computational cost regardless of the number of joints. The third experiment involved simulating a whole‐body control of a quadruped robot, a floating‐base system having four contacts with the ground, and showed that the proposed formulation is applicable even for floating‐base systems with contacts.
Stepwise migration: What drives the relocation of migrants upon return?
Authors: Croitoru Alin , Vlase Ionela
Published: June 2021

This study explores the drivers of migrants' internal relocation upon return from abroad. Acknowledging that return cannot be disconnected from prior international migration, as suggested by the new theoretical developments in stepwise migration (King & Skeldon, 2010), we provide quantitative and qualitative evidence to substantiate these patterns of stepwise migration among Romanian returnees. Building on the distinction between U‐turn and J‐turn, namely, return to the same place versus relocation to a different place within the origin country, our findings suggest that alongside the structural context and life course careers, individual sociodemographics and aspects of migration experience abroad play a significant role in explaining the choice of a J‐turn. Women, for instance, are more likely to relocate upon return than their male counterparts, whereas older returnees have lower odds of a J‐turn trajectory compared with younger migrants. Similarly, an increased length of stay abroad and repeated migrations are positively associated with a J‐turn.
Scale‐free protocol design for delayed regulated synchronization of multi‐agent systems subject to unknown, nonuniform, and arbitrarily large communication delays
Authors: Nojavanzadeh Donya , Liu Zhenwei , Saberi Ali , Stoorvogel Anton A.
Published: June 2021

In this article, we study scale‐free delayed regulated state/output synchronization for homogeneous and heterogeneous networks of multi‐agent systems (MAS) subject to unknown, nonuniform, and arbitrarily large communication delays. A delay transformation is utilized to transform the original MAS to a new system without delayed states. The proposed scale‐free dynamic protocols are developed for non‐introspective homogeneous and introspective heterogeneous MAS. The protocol design utilizes localized information exchange with neighbors and is solely based on the knowledge of agent models. In other words, the scale‐free protocol design is independent of information about the communication network or the size of the network.
Evaluation of bond‐slip behavior of reinforcement in ultra‐high‐performance fiber‐reinforced concrete
Authors: Wang Dan‐Dan , Shi Qian‐Qian , Wang Yi‐Xia , Kang Shao‐Bo
Published: June 2021

Bond strength of steel reinforcement embedded in ultra‐high‐performance fiber‐reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) plays a vital role in the post‐cracking behavior of reinforced UHPFRC members in flexure or tension. This paper presents an analytical study on the bond strength of steel reinforcement in UHPFRC. Three different bond‐slip models, namely the modified fib model, Marchand model and the proposed model are compared in the analytical method and explicit equations are also proposed. Comparisons with test data suggest that the proposed model and explicit equations can evaluate the bond‐slip behavior of reinforcement with good accuracy. Marchand model shows similar predictions of bond‐slip behavior to the proposed model at different load levels, whereas the modified fib model is accurate only when the reinforcement nearly yields in tension. The embedment length required for embedded reinforcement to develop its yield and ultimate strengths can also be calculated from the analytical method and explicit equations.
A letter to my teacher: Interactive written teacher feedback
Authors: Keshavarz Mohammad Hossein , Polat Köseoǧlu Meryem
Published: June 2021

This study investigated the interactive function of teacher‐written feedback. To this end, 10 students from two English toward proficiency (ETP) classes in a private university in North Cyprus were asked to engage in a letter to my teacher (ALMT) activity during the feedback‐revision process in the course of their study. Moreover, the think‐aloud protocol and a semistructured interview were conducted with the same students and their classroom teachers. The results reveal that the teachers adjusted their feedback according to students’ requests in the ALMT, and the students expressed satisfaction with their teachers’ feedback. The results further indicate that the students viewed ALMT as their voice in the feedback process, which would lead to their writing improvement, and the teacher participants maintained that ALMT provided a constructive interaction with students and may have increased their self‐confidence, motivation, and self‐reflection skills.
Registrar becomes a catalyst for disruptive innovation
Authors: Enos Gary A.
Published: June 2021

Just before Helen B. Garrett, Ed.D., arrived at the University of Washington in 2016, the university found itself at a crossroads in defining the role of registrar going forward. The school was considering either downgrading the position to director status or amping up the role to encompass a broader focus on the full student experience. In hiring Garrett as the university's first Chief Officer of Enrollment Information Services as well as its University Registrar, university leadership chose to aim high.
Migration of CMSWEB cluster at CERN to Kubernetes: a comprehensive study
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Kuznetsov Valentin , Dziedziniewicz-Wojcik Katarzyna Maria , Pfeiffer Andreas , Paparrigopoulos Panos , Trigazis Spyridon , Tedeschi Tommaso , Ciangottini Diego
Published: June 2021

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment heavily relies on the CMSWEB cluster to host critical services for its operational needs. The cluster is deployed on virtual machines (VMs) from the CERN OpenStack cloud and is manually maintained by operators and developers. The release cycle is composed of several steps, from building RPMs to their deployment, validation, and integration tests. To enhance the sustainability of the CMSWEB cluster, CMS decided to migrate its cluster to a containerized solution based on Docker and orchestrated with Kubernetes (K8s). This allows us to significantly speed up the release upgrade cycle, follow the end-to-end deployment procedure, and reduce operational cost. In this paper, we give an overview of the CMSWEB VM cluster and the issues we discovered during this migration. We discuss the architecture and the implementation strategy in the CMSWEB Kubernetes cluster. Even though Kubernetes provides horizontal pod autoscaling based on CPUs and memory, in this paper, we provide details of horizontal pod autoscaling based on the custom metrics of CMSWEB services. We also discuss automated deployment procedure based on the best practices of continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) workflows. We present performance analysis between Kubernetes and VM based CMSWEB deployments. Finally, we describe various issues found during the implementation in Kubernetes and report on lessons learned during the migration process.
Tales from three countries: reflections during COVID-19 for mathematical education in the future
Authors: Krause Christina M. , Di Martino Pietro , Moschkovich Judit N.
Published: June 2021

How can school mathematics prepare citizens for a democratic society? Answers to this question are not static; they change as society and its problems change. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with its corresponding disease COVID-19 presents such a problem: what is needed to navigate this complex situation that involves, among other things, mathematics? Using the essay genre, we use three narratives from three countries—Italy, the USA (California), and Germany—to reflect on the goals of teaching mathematics during this crisis and examine aspects of each country’s standards for mathematics education. These three stories are framed by the authors’ backgrounds, experiences, interests, their country’s situation, and response to the pandemic. We first present the three narratives and then examine common issues across them that might provide insights beyond this current crisis, for preparing students to become active citizens. In particular, we focus on three issues: (1) developing a positive mindset toward mathematics to engage with and reflect on real-world problems, (2) improving interdisciplinary connections to the sciences to better understand how science professional practices and insights are similar or different from everyday practices, and (3) considering interpersonal and collective matters beyond the individual.
Spacetimes with continuous linear isotropies I: spatial rotations
Authors: MacCallum M. A. H.
Published: June 2021

The weakest known criterion for local rotational symmetry (LRS) in spacetimes of Petrov type D is due to Goode and Wainwright (Gen Rel Grav 18:315, 1986). Here it is shown, using methods related to the Cartan-Karlhede procedure, to be equivalent to local spatial rotation invariance of the Riemann tensor and its first derivatives. Conformally flat spacetimes are similarly studied and it is shown that for almost all cases the same criterion ensures LRS. Only for conformally flat accelerated perfect fluids are three curvature derivatives required to ensure LRS, showing that Ellis’s original condition for that case is necessary as well as sufficient.
Evaluating Teacher Language Within General and Special Education Classrooms Serving Elementary Students with Autism
Authors: Sparapani Nicole , Reinhardt Vanessa P. , Hooker Jessica L. , Morgan Lindee , Schatschneider Christopher , Wetherby Amy M.
Published: June 2021

This study examined how teachers and paraprofessionals in 126 kindergarten-second grade general and special education classrooms talked with their 194 students with autism, and further, how individual student characteristics in language, autism symptoms, and social abilities influenced this talk. Using systematic observational methods and factor analysis, we identified a unidimensional model of teacher language for general and special education classrooms yet observed differences between the settings, with more language observed in special education classrooms—much of which included directives and close-ended questions. Students’ receptive vocabulary explained a significant amount of variance in teacher language beyond its shared covariance with social impairment and problem behavior in general education classrooms but was non-significant within special education classrooms. Research implications are discussed.
Power and Politics in New Service Development: An Insider Action Research Study
Authors: Dreyer-Gibney Katrin , Coghlan David , Coughlan Paul
Published: June 2021

This paper examines power dynamics and political challenges which an insider action researcher without line authority or formal power encountered while leading cross-functional New Service Development (NSD) initiatives in a traditional, publicly funded university. NSD, as any development activity, faces competing interests in organisations and often power dynamics and political tactics which may impede service actors’ development endeavours. The paper describes and reflects on how an insider action researcher together with service staff, managers and directors, conducted several different types of NSD initiatives. The paper draws on insider action research (IAR) principles, which engage theory with practice, and action with reflection. The study was carried out over an extended time period of almost three years. The paper concludes with a framework for addressing power dynamics and political action, identifying tactics available to service development actors when engaging in NSD.
The Unrecognized Role of VA Call Center and Primary Care Clerical Staff in Assisting Patients with Obtaining Needed Care
Authors: McGowan Michael , Medich Melissa , Rose Danielle , Stockdale Susan
Published: June 2021

Background

VA clerks, or medical support assistants (MSAs), are a critical part of patients’ primary care (PC) experiences and are often the first points of contact between Veterans and the healthcare system. Despite the important role they might play in assisting Veterans with accessing care, research is lacking on the specific tasks they perform and what training and preparation they receive to perform their roles.

Objective

Our primary aim in this study was to document MSA perceptions of their roles, the tasks they undertake helping Veterans with accessing healthcare, and additional training they may need to optimally perform their role.

Design

Thematic analysis of semi-structured qualitative interviews with VA call center and PC MSAs (n=29) collected as part of in-person site visits from August to October 2019.

Participants

MSAs at administrative call centers and primary care clinics in one large VA regional network representing 8 healthcare systems serving nearly 1.5 million Veterans.

Key Results

We identified three key findings from the interviews: (1) MSAs perform tasks in addition to scheduling that help Veterans obtain needed care; (2) MSAs may not be fully prepared for their roles as first points of contact; and (3) low status and lack of recognition of the important and complex tasks performed by MSAs contribute to high turnover.

Conclusions

As healthcare systems continue expanding virtual access, the roles of administrative call center and PC MSAs as first points of contact will be increasingly important for shaping patient experiences. Our research suggests that MSAs may need better training and preparation for the roles they perform assisting Veterans with accessing care, coupled with an intentional approach by healthcare systems to address MSAs’ concerns about recognition/compensation. Future research should explore the potential for enhanced MSA customer service training to improve the Veteran patient experience.
The ACLGIM LEAD Program: a Leadership Program for Junior-Mid-Career Faculty
Authors: Fitzgerald April S. , Fang Michele , Lee Rita S. , Gann Jillian , Burnet Deborah L.
Published: June 2021

Background

Junior to mid-career medical faculty often move into administrative and leadership roles without formal leadership training. Many national leadership training programs target senior rather than junior faculty.

Aim

To address the leadership development needs of junior and mid-career faculty.

Setting

Sessions at annual meetings combined with online learning, independent work, and leadership coaching.

Participants

79 junior-mid-career general internal medicine (GIM) faculty enrolled in five consecutive annual cohorts from 2014 to 2018.

Program Description

LEAD scholars participate in a full-day anchor session followed by selected workshops during the annual meeting. They then participate in monthly online sessions, complete a project, interview a senior leader, and receive leadership coaching from senior GIM faculty.

Program Evaluation

Post-program evaluation indicated the LEAD program was effective in helping participants understand what it means to be a good leader (93%, 37/40), become a more reflective leader (90%, 35/39), and apply principles of leadership to increase effectiveness in their role (88%, 34/39).

Discussion

LEAD provides junior-mid-career medical faculty an opportunity to learn effective leadership skills and build a network.
Intersections of power: videoconferenced debriefing of a rural interprofessional simulation team by an urban interprofessional debriefing team
Authors: Dalinghaus Kathleen , Regehr Glenn , Nimmon Laura
Published: June 2021

Introduction Simulation as an educational tool is known to have benefits. Moreover, the use of simulation in continuing interprofessional development is vital in rural and remote communities with limited case volumes and resources. This study explored power dynamics between rural simulation participants and urban expert co-debriefers during a simulated operating room crisis and debriefing. The aim is to gain a rich understanding of rural/urban relational dynamics embedded within the constraints and affordances of videoconferencing technology.

Methods In situ observations of a videoconference-enabled simulation and debriefing were conducted, followed by seven semi-structured interviews, in this qualitative case study. A sociomateriality lens with additional sensitizing concepts of power from critical theory was employed to explore human and nonhuman interactions between rural learners, urban co-debriefers, and videoconferencing technology.

Results The interviews exposed subtle expressions of power dynamics at play that were curiously not observable in the enactment of the exercise. Rural learners appreciated the objectivity of the urban debriefers as well as the nurse/physician dyad. However, rural participants appeared to quietly dismiss feedback when it was incongruent with their context. Videoconference technology added both benefits and constraints to these relational dynamics.

Discussion Awareness of power relationships, and insights into affordances and constraints of videoconferencing may enhance operationalization of interprofessional simulation-based education (SBE) in rural and remote contexts.
Development of dental caries and risk factors between 1 and 7 years of age in areas of high risk for dental caries in Stockholm, Sweden
Authors: Anderson M. , Dahllöf G. , Warnqvist A. , Grindefjord M.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

To explore caries predictors at age 1 year and caries development at ages 5 and 7 years in two groups of children following different fluoride-based preventive programs.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cluster-randomized controlled intervention trial with two parallel arms comparing two prevention programs: one program included fluoride varnish applications every 6 months, the other did not; otherwise, the programs were the same. Participants were 1- and 3-year-old children enrolled at 23 dental clinics in high-risk areas in Stockholm, Sweden. The baseline examination included structured interviews. Caries data were extracted from dental records. The primary outcome measures were ICDAS 1–6 > 0 at baseline (age 1 year) and defs > 0 at ages 2, 3, 5, and 7 years. The secondary outcome measure at age 7 was DFS > 0.

Results

Continuous caries development occurred: defs > 0 in 23% at 5 years and in 42% at 7 years. We found no difference in caries development between children who had or had not received fluoride varnish as toddlers. At age 1-year, significant predictors for dental caries in later preschool years were immigrant background, family income, and sweets consumption. Fluoride toothpaste > once a day at 1 year had an OR < 1 for defs > 0 at 5- and 7 years.

Conclusions

For toddlers, fluoride varnish does not seem to be an adequate prevention tool. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste from 1 year of age could not arrest caries development. Immigrant background was the strongest predictor. A new toolbox as well as collaborative upstream actions for reducing free-sugar intake are needed.
Comorbidity and the association with 1-year mortality in hip fracture patients: can the ASA score and the Charlson Comorbidity Index be used interchangeably?
Authors: Ek Stina , Meyer Anna C. , Hedström Margareta , Modig Karin
Published: June 2021

Background

Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) has been suggested to be associated with mortality in hip fracture patients, to the same extent as more expensive and time-consuming tools. However, even CCI might be too time-consuming in a clinical setting.

Aim

To investigate whether the American Society of Anaesthesiologists score (ASA score), a simple grading from the anaesthesiologist’s examination, is comparable with CCI in the association with 1-year mortality after a hip fracture.

Methods

The study population was patients 60 + years registered in the Swedish Hip Fracture Registry with a first-time hip fracture between 1997 and 2017 (N = 165,596). The outcome was 1-year mortality, and the exposures were ASA score and CCI. The association between comorbidity and mortality was described with Kaplan–Meier curves and analyzed with Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

The Kaplan–Meier curves showed a stepwise increase in mortality for increasing values of both ASA and CCI. The Hazard Ratios (HRs) for the highest ASA (4–5) were 3.8 (95% Confidence Interval 3.5–4.2) for women and 3.2 (2.8–3.6) for men in the fully adjusted models. Adjusted HRs for the highest CCI (4 +) were 3.6 (3.3–3.9) for women and 2.5 (2.3–2.7) for men. Reference was the lowest score value for both tools. The correlation between the tools was moderate.

Conclusions

Both ASA and CCI show a similar stepwise association with 1-year mortality in hip fracture patients, despite measuring different factors and capturing different individuals at risk. Since the ASA score is already accessible for health care staff, it might be preferable to aid in prioritizing vulnerable hip fracture patients at risk of adverse outcomes.
On the flexural strength and stiffness of cast glass
Authors: Bristogianni Telesilla , Oikonomopoulou Faidra , Veer Fred A.
Published: June 2021

Cast glass has great potential for diverse load-bearing, architectural applications; through casting, volumetric glass components can be made that take full advantage of glass’s stated compressive strength. However, the lack of engineering, production and quality control standards for cast glass and the intertwined ambiguities over its mechanical properties-particularly due to the variety in chemical compositions and the lack of understanding of the influence of flaws occurring in the glass bulk-act as an impediment to its wide-spread application. Addressing the above uncertainties, this work studies a total of 64 silicate-based glass specimens, prepared in 20 * 30 * 350 mm beam size, either by kiln-casting at relatively low forming temperatures (970–1120 $$^{\circ }$$∘C), or by modification of industrially produced glass. For the kiln-casting of the specimens, pure and contaminated recycled cullet are used, either individually or in combination (composite glasses). The defects introduced in the glass specimens during the casting process are identified with digital microscopy and qualitative stress analysis using cross polarized light, and are categorized as stress-inducing, strength-reducing or harmless. The Impulse Excitation Technique is employed to measure the Young’s modulus and internal friction of the different glasses. Differential Scanning Calorimetry is used on a selection of glasses, to investigate changes in the glass transition range and fictive temperature of the kiln-cast glasses due to the slower cooling and prolonged annealing. The four-point bending experiments are shedding light upon the flexural strength and stiffness of the different glasses, while the fractographic analysis pinpoints the most critical defects per glass category. The experiments show the flexural strength of cast glass ranging between 30–73 MPa, according to the level of contamination and the chemical composition. The measured E moduli by both methods are in close agreement, ranging between 60–79 GPa. The comparison of the flexural strength with prior testing of cast glass involving shorter span fixtures showed a decreasing strength with increasing size for the contaminated specimens, but similar strengths for pure compositions. The results highlight the versatile role of defects in determining the glass strength and the complexity that arises in creating statistical prediction models and performing quality control.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE THEORY OF F-AUTOMATIC SETS
Authors: HAWTHORNE CHRISTOPHER
Published: June 2021

Fix an abelian group
$\Gamma $
and an injective endomorphism
$F\colon \Gamma \to \Gamma $
. Improving on the results of [2], new characterizations are here obtained for the existence of spanning sets, F-automaticity, and F-sparsity. The model theoretic status of these sets is also investigated, culminating with a combinatorial description of the F-sparse sets that are stable in
$(\Gamma ,+)$
, and a proof that the expansion of
$(\Gamma ,+)$
by any F-sparse set is NIP. These methods are also used to show for prime
$p\ge 7$
that the expansion of
$(\mathbb {F}_p[t],+)$
by multiplication restricted to
$t^{\mathbb {N}}$
is NIP.
Mit Achtsamkeit gegen Burnout
Authors: Otto Pamela , Kraus Alexander , Ewers Andre
Published: June 2021

Was ist zu diesem Thema bekannt?

Burnout mit den bekannten Ursachen existiert seit vielen Jahren in der Pflege. Achtsamkeitspraxis, eine Methode zur Unterstützung der Stressbewältigung, dient als Lösungsansatz für Pflegende.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Forschungsergebnisse weisen auf neuroplastische Veränderungen in Gehirnregionen, verantwortlich für Stressreaktion und Kortisolausschüttung, dass Achtsamkeitspraxis die Resilienz, Stressbewältigung, soziale Kognition und Emotionsregulation fördert und somit Burnout vorbeugen kann.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Pflegende ohne Burnout sind in der Lage die interpersonellen Beziehungen sowohl mit psychiatrisch erkrankten Personen als auch mit Kolleg_innen zu stärken und ein gesundes Arbeitsumfeld zu etablieren, indem sie dem berufsbezogenen Risiko des Pflegeberufs aktiv entgegenwirken.
Self-Reported Emotion Regulation Is Associated With Response to Test of Cardiac Vagal Function
Authors: Nakkas Can , Bösch Maria , LaMarca Roberto , Wyss Thomas , Annen Hubert , Brand Serge
Published: June 2021

Abstract. Parasympathetic function and emotional self-regulation (ESR) share neuroanatomic structures. Based on Porges’ Polyvagal Theory and the Neurovisceral Integration Model (NIM), we compared vagally mediated heart-rate variability (vmHRV) with psychometrically assessed ESR. We hypothesized that vmHRV and ESR would be associated during rest, a vagal function test, and recovery from that test. A significant association would justify the psychometric measuring of parasympathetic health, which is less burdensome than its psychophysiological assessment. Two hundred thirteen healthy males (aged: 18–26 years, M = 20.29 years) took part in the present study. They completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and underwent the Cold Face Test (CFT) for 4 min wearing ambulatory electrocardiograms. A High frequency (HF) band was used as a measure of vmHRV before, during, and after the CFT. Associations between the HF band and ESR were analyzed with partial rank correlations. There was no significant association between ERQ scores and the response to the CFT itself. But there was an almost significant association between the ERQ scale Cognitive Appraisal and baseline vmHRV, and a significant association between Cognitive Appraisal and cardiac recovery from the CFT, that is, participants with higher scores on that ESR scale revealed a tendency to exhibit greater vmHRV during baseline and they exhibited greater vagal withdrawal during recovery from the CFT. Cognitive appraisal as a psychometrically assessed emotion regulatory process was reflected in a more flexible parasympathetic activity (i.e., better cardiac vagal health) during recovery from an exclusively physiological stressor. This lends convergent validity to self-reported emotion regulation, and justification for its use as a measure of ESR as a trait, offering further support for the Polyvagal Theory and NIM.
Seafloor Seismometers Look for Clues to North Atlantic Volcanism
Authors: Lebedev Sergei , Bonadio Raffaele , Tsekhmistrenko Maria , de Laat Janneke , Bean Christopher
Published: June 2021

Did the mantle plume that fuels Iceland’s volcanoes today cause eruptions in Ireland and Great Britain long ago? A new project investigates, while also inspiring students and recording whale songs.
Author Correction: Saliva is more sensitive than nasopharyngeal or nasal swabs for diagnosis of asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 infection
Authors: Teo Alvin Kuo Jing , Choudhury Yukti , Tan Iain Beehuat , Cher Chae Yin , Chew Shi Hao , Wan Zi Yi , Cheng Lionel Tim Ee , Oon Lynette Lin Ean , Tan Min Han , Chan Kian Sing , Hsu Li Yang
Published: June 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Bisphenol A affects vipergic nervous structures in the porcine urinary bladder trigone
Authors: Makowska Krystyna , Lech Piotr , Majewski Mariusz , Rychlik Andrzej , Gonkowski Slawomir
Published: June 2021

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in the production of plastics approved for contact with feed and food. Upon entering living organisms, BPA, as a potent endocrine disruptor, negatively affects various internal organs and regulatory systems, especially in young individuals. Although previous studies have described the neurotoxic effects of BPA on various tissues, it should be underlined that the putative influence of this substance on the chemical architecture of the urinary bladder intrinsic innervation has not yet been studied. One of the most important neuronal substances involved in the regulation of urinary bladder functions is vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), which primarily participates in the regulation of muscular activity and blood flow. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the influence of various doses of BPA on the distribution pattern of VIP-positive neural structures located in the wall of the porcine urinary bladder trigone using the double-immunofluorescence method. The obtained results show that BPA influence leads to an increase in the number of both neurons and nerve fibres containing VIP in the porcine urinary bladder trigone. This may indicate that VIP participates in adaptive processes of the urinary bladder evoked by BPA.
The effects of ANC follow up on essential newborn care practices in east Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Amsalu Erkihun Tadesse , Kefale Bereket , Muche Amare , Fentaw Zinabu , Dewau Reta , Chanie Muluken Genetu , Melaku Mequannent Sharew , Yalew Melaku , Arefayine Mastewal , Bitew Gedamnesh , Adane Bezawit , Ayele Wolde Melese , Damtie Yitayish , Adane Metadel , Mekonnen Tefera Chane
Published: June 2021

In the situation of high maternal morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa, less than 80% of pregnant women receive antenatal care services. To date, the overall effect of antenatal care (ANC) follow up on essential newborn practice have not been estimated in East Africa. Therefore, this study aims to identify the effect of ANC follow up on essential newborn care practice in East Africa. We reported this review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). We searched articles using PubMed, Cochrane library, African journal online (AJOL), and HINARI electronic databases as well as Google/Google scholar search engines. Heterogeneity and publication bias between studies were assessed using I2 test statistics and Egger’s significance test. Forest plots were used to present the findings. In this review, 27 studies containing 34,440 study participants were included. The pooled estimate of essential newborn care practice was 38% (95% CI 30.10–45.89) in the study area. Women who had one or more antenatal care follow up were about 3.71 times more likely practiced essential newborn care compared to women who had no ANC follow up [OR 3.71, 95% CI 2.35, 5.88]. Similarly, women who had four or more ANC follow up were 2.11 times more likely practiced essential newborn care compared to women who had less than four ANC follow up (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.33, 3.35). Our study showed that the practice of ENBC was low in East Africa. Accordingly, those women who had more antenatal follow up were more likely practiced Essential newborn care. Thus, to improve the practice of essential newborn care more emphasis should be given on increasing antenatal care follow up of pregnant women in East Africa.
Exogenous copper sulfide in returned asteroid Itokawa regolith grains are likely relicts of prior impacting body
Authors: Burgess Katherine D. , Stroud Rhonda M.
Published: June 2021

Samples from asteroid 25143 Itokawa returned by the Hayabusa mission have been identified as LL4-6 ordinary chondrite materials and have shown it to be a rubble pile that aggregated after break-up of a parent body. Here we investigate particle RB-CV-0038 from the Itokawa regolith using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. We identify a cubanite-chalcopyrite-troilite-pyrrhotite assemblage, the phases and structure of which are indicative of low-temperature, aqueous alteration. Cubanite is stable only at temperatures below around 250 °C and has thus far only been identified in CI carbonaceous chondrites and the comet 81P/Wild2 sample suite. Chalcopyrite is also very rare in the meteorite record and is found mostly in R chondrites and some CK chondrites. Because the Itokawa parent body experienced significant thermal alteration with little evidence of low-temperature equilibration or aqueous alteration, we propose that the assemblage we identify is most likely exogenous and represents a component of an impacting body.
Substrate-dependent competition and cooperation relationships between Geobacter and Dehalococcoides for their organohalide respiration
Authors: Liang Yongyi , Lu Qihong , Liang Zhiwei , Liu Xiaokun , Fang Wenwen , Liang Dawei , Kuang Jialiang , Qiu Rongliang , He Zhili , Wang Shanquan
Published: June 2021

Obligate and non-obligate organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) play central roles in the geochemical cycling and environmental bioremediation of organohalides. Their coexistence and interactions may provide functional redundancy and community stability to assure organohalide respiration efficiency but, at the same time, complicate isolation and characterization of specific OHRB. Here, we employed a growth rate/yield tradeoff strategy to enrich and isolate a rare non-obligate tetrachloroethene (PCE)-respiring Geobacter from a Dehalococcoides-predominant microcosm, providing experimental evidence for the rate/yield tradeoff theory in population selection. Surprisingly, further physiological and genomic characterizations, together with co-culture experiments, revealed three unique interactions (i.e., free competition, conditional competition and syntrophic cooperation) between Geobacter and Dehalococcoides for their respiration of PCE and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), depending on both the feeding electron donors (acetate/H2 vs. propionate) and electron acceptors (PCE vs. PCBs). This study provides the first insight into substrate-dependent interactions between obligate and non-obligate OHRB, as well as a new strategy to isolate fastidious microorganisms, for better understanding of the geochemical cycling and bioremediation of organohalides.
Electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions in water
Authors: Ding Qi , Li Chen , Wang Haijun , Xu Chuanlai , Kuang Hua
Published: June 2021

Electrochemical sensors demonstrate outstanding performance at detecting heavy metal ions, with a high specific surface area and high sensitivity which can excellently complete the on-site detection of trace heavy metal ions in water.
Understanding electrochemical cation insertion into prussian blue from electrode deformation and mass changes
Authors: Saeed Saeed , Boyd Shelby , Tsai Wan-Yu , Wang Ruocun , Balke Nina , Augustyn Veronica
Published: June 2021

Alkali ion insertion into Prussian blue from aqueous electrolytes is characterized with operando AFM and EQCM, showing coupling of current with deformation and mass change rates.
Ionic additive strategy to control nucleation and generate larger single crystals of 3D covalent organic frameworks
Authors: Wang Xiaohan , Enomoto Riku , Murakami Yoichi
Published: June 2021

To generate large single crystals of 3D covalent organic frameworks, the active use of ionic additives, which can greatly impact crystal size, is proposed.
Switchable synthesis of cyclic carbamates by carbon dioxide fixation at atmospheric pressure
Authors: Toda Yasunori , Shishido Minoru , Aoki Tatsuya , Sukegawa Kimiya , Suga Hiroyuki
Published: June 2021

A base-promoted switchable synthesis of five- and six-membered cyclic carbamates using atmospheric pressure carbon dioxide as the C1 source is reported.
Mechanophotonic aspects of a room temperature phosphorescent flexible organic microcrystal
Authors: Kumar Avulu Vinod , Rohullah Mehdi , Ravi Jada , Godumala Mallesham , Annadhasan Mari , Chandrasekar Rajadurai
Published: June 2021

A novel crystal of PTX-2CF3 exhibits room temperature phosphorescence and mechanical flexibility. This flexible crystal efficiently transduces optical emission both in the straight and bent geometries.
Insight into the effect of the configuration entropy of additives on the Seebeck coefficient
Authors: Nandal Vikas , Wei Qingshuo , Seki Kazuhiko
Published: June 2021

Thermogalvanic cells have attracted considerable attention because of their potential to directly convert waste heat into electricity by using redox reactions under continuous operation with a simple, cost-effective design.
State-of-the-art and perspectives in the use of biochar for electrochemical and electroanalytical applications
Authors: Kalinke Cristiane , de Oliveira Paulo R. , Bonacin Juliano A. , Janegitz Bruno C. , Mangrich Antonio S. , Marcolino-Junior Luiz H. , Bergamini Márcio F.
Published: June 2021

Biochar is a versatile carbon-based material for the development of low-cost and environmentally friendly electrochemical devices.
Deep eutectic solvent-based green absorbents for the effective removal of volatile organochlorine compounds from biogas
Authors: Makoś-Chełstowska Patrycja , Słupek Edyta , Gębicki Jacek
Published: June 2021

Volatile organochlorine compounds (VOXs) present in biogas can cause many technological and environmental problems.
Investigation of mineral-element migration upon pyrolysis and quantitative prediction of volatiles in coal using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Zhu Wenkun , Li Xiaohui , Sun Rui , Zhang Yao , Yan Yonghong , Yu Xin , Ren Xiaohan
Published: June 2021

With the separation of the initial pyrolysis of coal and the laser ablation interaction, mineral-element migration upon pyrolysis and quantitative prediction of volatiles were investigated by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).
Development of manganese dioxide-based nanoprobes for fluorescence detection and imaging of glutathione
Authors: Qaitoon Ali , Yong Jiaxi , Zhang Zexi , Liu Jie , Xu Zhi Ping , Zhang Run
Published: June 2021

A manganese dioxide-based nanoprobe is developed for fluorescence detection and imaging of glutathione (GSH) in yeast cells and onion tissues.
In situ fabrication of a Ni–Fe–S hollow hierarchical sphere: an efficient (pre)catalyst for OER and HER
Authors: Yin Zhuoxun , Zhang Shu , Li Jinlong , Ma Shangkun , Chen Wei , Ma Xinzhi , Zhou Yang , Zhang Zhuanfang , Wang Xin
Published: June 2021

Mixed Ni–Fe–S hierarchical hollow microspheres as highly active and stable bifunctional catalysts for full water splitting show favourably comparable performance to Pt/C and IrO2.
Constructing electron transfer pathways and active centers over W18O49 nanowires by doping Fe3+ and incorporating g-C3N5 for enhanced photocatalytic nitrogen fixation
Authors: Wang Libo , Li Mohan , Zhang Qiu , Li Fengyan , Xu Lin
Published: June 2021

A compound constructed from fluffy and porous g-C3N5 with OV-rich Fe-W18O49 was employed in the photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. The formation rate of ammonia reached 131.6 μmol g−1 h−1 when Fe-W18O49/g-C3N5 was employed as the catalyst.
Porous framework-based hybrid materials for solar-to-chemical energy conversion: from powder photocatalysts to photoelectrodes
Authors: Kim Hyunwoo , Kim Nayeong , Ryu Jungki
Published: June 2021

Porous framework materials such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) can be considered promising materials for solar-to-chemical energy conversion.
Multidisciplinary study on the hydrogelation of the digold(i) complex [{Au(9N-adeninate)}2(μ-dmpe)]: optical, rheological, and quasi-elastic neutron scattering perspectives
Authors: Blasco Daniel , López-de-Luzuriaga José M. , Monge Miguel , Olmos M. Elena , Rodríguez-Castillo María , Amaveda Hippolyte , Mora Mario , García Sakai Victoria , Martínez-González José A.
Published: June 2021

Non-conventional experimental techniques such as rheology or QENS will aid synthetic inorganic chemists to broaden the knowledge on gold(i) hydrometallogels’ structure and properties and to understand their expected relationship.
Tuning the selectivity of CO2 hydrogenation using ceramic hollow fiber catalytic modules
Authors: Jogdand Shunottara M. , Bedadur Prachiti R. , Torris Arun , Kharul Ulhas K. , Naidu V. Satyam , Devi R. Nandini
Published: June 2021

The unique structural features and advantageous pore distributions of alumina hollow fibers can be exploited to tune the selectivity in heterogeneous catalysis.
MFP‐Net: Multi‐scale feature pyramid network for crowd counting
Authors: Lei Tao , Zhang Dong , Wang Risheng , Li Shuying , Zhang Weijiang , Nandi Asoke K.
Published: June 2021

Although deep learning has been widely used for dense crowd counting, it still faces two challenges. Firstly, the popular network models are sensitive to scale variance of human head, human occlusions, and complex background due to repeated utilization of vanilla convolution kernels. Secondly, the vanilla feature fusion often depends on summation or concatenation, which ignores the correlation of different features leading to information redundancy and low robustness to background noise. To address these issues, a multi‐scale feature pyramid network (MFP‐Net) for dense crowd counting is proposed in this paper. The proposed MFP‐Net makes two contributions. Firstly, the feature pyramid fusion module is designed that adopts rich convolutions with different depths and scales, not only to expand the receptive field, but also to improve the inference speed of models by using parallel group convolution. Secondly, a feature attention‐aware module is added in the feature fusion stage. The module can achieve local and global information fusion by capturing the importance of the spatial and channel domains to improve model robustness. The proposed MFP‐Net is evaluated on five publicly available datasets, and experiments show that the MFP‐Net not only provides better crowd counting results than comparative models, but also requires fewer parameters.
Infrared imaging enhancement through local window‐based saliency extraction with spatial weight
Authors: Li Tong , Zhao Jufeng , Wu Xiaohui , Mao Haifeng , Cui Guangmang
Published: June 2021

Infrared image enhancement is an effective way to solve contrast reduction or details degradation in infrared imagery. An infrared enhancement approach based on local saliency extraction is proposed here. First, saliency maps are extracted within a local window by combining spatial weight. Second, with the change of the window size, potential targets and details in different sizes can be extracted. Considering window sizes as the scales, the saliency maps are obtained and infrared images are enhanced at different scales, and finally, multi‐scale fusion is used to achieve the enhancement. Eight popular infrared enhancement approaches are introduced for comparison. Subjective qualitative observation experiments show that our strategy based on local saliency analysis and multi‐scale fusion can well extract potential targets and areas of varying size from the source images with different sizes, to obtain a good enhancement effect. Meanwhile, we introduce six objective evaluation methods to measure the results, and the evaluation data to prove the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The experiments also indicate the real‐time processing capability of the proposed method. The proposed method is finally well applied in the hardware system and shows its good performance.