bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of machining parameters on the polymer concrete milling process
Authors: Kepczak Norbert , Zgorniak Piotr , Lajmert Paweł , Rosik Radoslaw , Sikora Malgorzata
Published: January 2020

The paper examines the wear of end mill cutters, the parameters of a workpiece’s surface layer and the values of cutting forces during the machining of polymer concrete, which is one of the most difficult-to-cut materials. Increased abrasive wear of the active cutting edges is a result of the heterogeneous structure of this material, and it has a negative effect on the cutting process, the durability of the cutting tools as well as the roughness of the workpiece. It is very important to determine the machining parameters for this material from a tool durability and quality of machining point of view. The research was divided into two stages. In the first stage, the appropriate machining parameters were determined based on the measurement of the components of the cutting force. In the second stage, durability tests of four end mill cutters were carried out. During the tests, the component cutting forces, tool wear and surface roughness were measured. The highest tool durability was recorded for the monolithic cemented carbide cutter with coating NC Mill G9F42120N 4F. Tools made of high-speed steel should not be used for machining polymer concrete, as they exhibited the highest intensity of tool wear. The rapid loss of machinability of these tools leads to a rapid increase in cutting force and the roughness of the machined surface. From an economic point of view, cemented carbide end mill cutters with coatings seem to be the appropriate choice for machining polymer concrete.
Single‐Port Laparoscopic Repair of Perforated Duodenal Ulcers
Authors: Nguyen Tri Huu , Dang Thanh Nhu , Schnelldorfer Thomas
Published: January 2020

Background

Laparoscopic single‐port surgery has widely been introduced for the treatment of various abdominal conditions. But controversies still exist regarding its potential advantages and risks, especially for emergency surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of a single‐port laparoscopic repair using straight laparoscopic instruments for the treatment of perforated duodenal ulcers.

Methods

A prospective consecutive case series was conducted including all patients with a perforated duodenal ulcer who underwent a laparoscopic single‐port repair at a single institution from January 2012 to June 2018. The operation was performed through a single port using conventional straight laparoscopic instruments and intra‐corporeal knot tying techniques.

Results

Out of 75 patients, simple closure of the perforation without omental patch was accomplished in 96% of cases. Conversion to an open operation was required in one patient (1.3%) due to a posterior duodenal perforation, and additional trocar placement was needed in another patient (1.3%). The mean incision length was 2.0 ± 0.2 cm. The mean operation time was 63.0 ± 26.6 min. Meantime a nasogastric tube remained in place was 2.9 ± 0.8 days. Mean duration of analgesic use was 2.8 ± 0.8 days. The rate of postoperative complications was 2.7%, including two patients with wound infections. There were no instances of intestinal leak or abscess. The postoperative hospital stay was 5.7 ± 1.2 days.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic single‐port repair using conventional straight laparoscopic instruments with intra‐corporeal knot tying technique was safe and feasible for patients with perforated duodenal ulcers with low risk factors. This method offers results comparable to those expected with the standard multiport laparoscopic approach with the addition of improved cosmetic outcomes.
Preoperative elevated E/e’ (≥ 15) with preserved ejection fraction is associated with the development of postoperative heart failure in intermediate-risk non-cardiac surgical patients
Authors: Higashi Midoriko , Shigematsu Kenji , Tominaga Kenji , Murayama Kazuya , Seo Daisuke , Tsuda Toshikazu , Maruta Gen , Iwashita Kohei , Yamaura Ken
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is an independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular morbidities and mortalities in cardiovascular and high-risk surgical patients. However, there were only a few investigations among intermediate-risk surgical patients. This study aimed to investigate postoperative heart failure (HF) in intermediate-risk surgical patients who had preoperative diastolic dysfunction with preserved ejection fraction (EF).

Methods

Consecutive patients underwent intermediate-risk surgery between January 2016 and December 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients with preserved EF were divided into three groups using one of the parameters of diastolic function: the ratio of early diastolic filling velocity to the peak diastolic velocity of mitral medial annulus (E/e’) ≥ 15, E/e’ between 8 and 15, and E/e’ < 8. Postoperative HF was defined as clinical symptoms and radiological evidence and low SpO2 less than 93%. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative HF and its relation to preoperative E/e’. Chi-squared test, unpaired t test with Welch’s correction, and multivariate logistic regression were used for analysis.

Results

In total, 965 patients were included in the final analysis. Postoperative HF developed in 36/965 (3.7%) patients with preserved EF. The incidence of postoperative HF was stratified according to the E/e’, and the rates of HF occurrence in patients with E/e’ < 8, 8–15, and ≥ 15 were 1.8%, 2.7%, and 15%, respectively (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Preoperative elevated E/e’ (≥ 15) was associated with the development of postoperative HF in intermediate-risk surgical patients with preserved EF.
Let us integrate sexual health—do psychiatrists integrate sexual health in patient management?
Authors: Seitz Tamara , Ucsnik Lucia , Kottmel Andrea , Bitzer Johannes , Teleky Bela , Löffler-Stastka Henriette
Published: January 2020

The high prevalence of sexual dysfunction and the importance of sexual health issues in general stress the need for a physician to integrate sexual health issues in patient management. In this study, we evaluate the frequency of psychiatrists addressing sexual health issues as well as their attitude towards sexual health. Plus, we want to evaluate the multi-professional network for patient treatment that is needed by physicians for collaboration with other medical specialists and health care professionals. At total 100 psychiatrists (age range 30–60 years), participating at the annual meeting of the Austrian Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, were invited to self-assess their caring for patients’ sexual health issues and answer a self-report questionnaire. The return rate was 74%. A third of the participating psychiatrists and psychotherapists stated to address sexual health in patients in daily routine. Twenty-five percent of the physicians suspected sexual health problems in 60–100% of their patients but did not ask the patients about this topic. Mentioned reasons why patients would not actively address sexual problems were rated by the survey participants “a different problem was more important”, “lack of time”, and “embarrassment”. Only few of the participating psychiatrists stated to offer a consultation in sexual health to the patients, none to offer sexual therapy. A mentioned reason was “lack of competence regarding sexual health”. Twelve percent referred the patients with sexual issues to a physician with another medical specialization, especially to experts in gynaecology and obstetrics, to experts in urology, or to andrologists. However, a need for a network in the field of sexual medicine was stated and an unawareness of a sexual health care network: where to refer the patients in need. Our data showed an increased need in the routine treatment and management of sexual health care in psychiatrists and psychotherapists. Plus, the data stresses the need for professional sexual medicine qualification and for extended cooperation between different medical fields and health care professionals in order to integrate sexual health topics professionally in daily routine.
The loess landslide on 15 march 2019 in Shanxi Province, China
Authors: Shi Wenhui , Li Yanrong , Zhang Weiwei , Liu Jin , He Shengdi , Mo Ping , Guan Fanfan
Published: January 2020

On 15 March 2019, a fatal deep-seated landslide occurred at the village of Zaoling in Xiangning County of Shanxi Province, China. Extending to an area of about 120 m by 85 m, with an estimated displaced mass volume of 72,000 m3, the landslide left 20 people dead, 13 injured, and 8 buildings destroyed. There were no precursory signals prior to the event, and usual triggering mechanisms for a landslide were absent. Investigation conducted immediately after the incident revealed that the landslide was initiated in a 1.0 to 1.5-m thick-softened layer located at 40 m depth along the contact between the loess and interbedded paleosol layer. This softened layer was highly saturated due to the perched water on top of the relatively impervious paleosol layer and became a critical weak zone since the shear strength of loess is very sensitive to water content. We suggest that the perched water originated from extensive long-term unsaturated seepage of rainwater and local rapid percolation along preferential channels such as sinkholes and root network. The Zaoling landslide confirms that unlike most landslides in non-loess areas, loess landslides can occur without identifiable triggering events. They can result from gradual build up of instability due to slow (in the span of hundred years) accumulation of deep soil water. Based on the lessons learned from this landslide event, suggestions are given for the planning of urban and rural development in loess areas. Due to the fact that the process leading to the development of such a landslide is largely concealed, further research should be aimed at gaining a more thorough understanding of the mechanism of this landslide type.
An Evolutionary Approach to Passive Learning in Optimal Control Problems
Authors: Blueschke D. , Savin I. , Blueschke-Nikolaeva V.
Published: January 2020

We consider the optimal control problem of a small nonlinear econometric model under parameter uncertainty and passive learning (open-loop feedback). Traditionally, this type of problems has been approached by applying linear-quadratic optimization algorithms. However, the literature demonstrated that those methods are very sensitive to the choice of random seeds frequently producing very large objective function values (outliers). Furthermore, to apply those established methods, the original nonlinear problem must be linearized first, which runs the risk of solving already a different problem. Following Savin and Blueschke (Comput Econ 48(2):317–338, 2016) in explicitly addressing parameter uncertainty with a large Monte Carlo experiment of possible parameter realizations and optimizing it with the Differential Evolution algorithm, we extend this approach to the case of passive learning. Our approach provides more robust results demonstrating greater benefit from learning, while at the same time does not require to modify the original nonlinear problem at hand. This result opens new avenues for application of heuristic optimization methods to learning strategies in optimal control research.
Forecasting China’s CO2 emissions by considering interaction of bilateral FDI using the improved grey multivariable Verhulst model
Authors: Jiang Hang , Kong Peiyi , Hu Yi-Chung , Jiang Peng
Published: January 2020

Because of the harmful influence of CO2 emissions on the environment and humans, issues related to CO2 emissions have received considerable attention in recent years. Based on the pollution haven hypothesis and pollution halo effect, the uncertain effect of bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) on CO2 emissions has recently been in focus. Moreover, because of the opposing capital flow of bilateral FDI, the interaction between inward FDI (IFDI) and outward FDI (OFDI) might have a trade-off effect on CO2 emissions. The accurate forecasting of CO2 emissions in China in light of effect of the bilateral FDI is important since the government can use it to regulate emissions’ reduction. The grey multivariable Verhulst model (GMVM) was formulated in this paper with the goal of forecasting CO2 emissions in China by considering the nonlinear, independent, and interaction-related effects of bilateral FDI on them. To enhance the accuracy of prediction, this paper used the Fourier series and the grey prediction model for residual modifications. The empirical results showed that the IFDI and the item of the interaction of bilateral FDI promoted CO2 emissions, whereas OFDI reduced them in China. These results also verified the higher precision of the improved GMVM relative to other models. This paper also used improved GMVM to further forecast CO2 emissions and provided suggestions for the Chinese government to plan for foreign investment, including selectively implementing bilateral FDI, and focusing on the trade-off in its interaction-related effects.
Reconciling Kinetic and Quantum Theory
Authors: Gaveau B. , Schulman L. S.
Published: January 2020

We show that in a dilute gas the wave function’s spreading is limited by scattering off other particles. This shows that quantum mechanics can be consistent with the kinetic theory of gases.
Iceland as a therapeutic landscape: white wilderness spaces for well-being
Authors: Brooke Kaelan , Williams Allison
Published: January 2020

Therapeutic landscapes are reputed to have a lasting repute for realizing healing. Traditional therapeutic landscapes have recognized natural environments as often sought after places for well-being. Such places promote wellness via their close encounter with nature, facilitating relaxation and restoration, and enhancing a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual healing. The physical environment of Iceland is explored through a case study approach, primarily employing data from the field notebooks of post-secondary students travelling in Iceland, as well as the authors’ ethnographic field experience in Iceland. Iceland is examined using both a traditional understanding of therapeutic landscapes, as well as the contemporary understanding of the coloured landscape. In addition to the colour white, reflected in the glacial ice, moving water, and geo-thermal steams, black and various other colours in combination are discussed.
Pathways Through Peer Assessment: Implementing Peer Assessment in a Lower Secondary Physics Classroom
Authors: Ketonen Laura , Hähkiöniemi Markus , Nieminen Pasi , Viiri Jouni
Published: January 2020

Peer assessment has been shown to advance learning, for example, by improving one’s work, but the variance of learning benefits within or between studies has not been explained. The purpose of this case study was to examine what kinds of pathways students have through peer assessment and to study which factors affect them when peer assessment is implemented in the early stage of physics studies in the context of conducting and reporting inquiry. Data sources used include field notes, audio recordings of lessons, student lab reports, written peer feedback, and student interviews. We examined peer assessment from the perspective of individual students and found 3 profiles of peer assessment: (1) students that improved their lab report after peer assessment and expressed other benefits, (2) students that did not improve their lab report but expressed other benefits, and (3) students that did not experience any benefits. Three factors were found to explain these differences in students’ pathways: (1) students’ engagement in conducting and reporting inquiry, (2) the quality of received feedback, and (3) students’ understanding of formative assessment. Most students experienced some benefits of peer assessment, even if they did not put effort into their own work or receive constructive feedback. Nevertheless, in this case study, both improving one’s work and experiencing other benefits of peer assessment required sufficient accomplishment of all 3 factors.
An analysis of the current status and future of biosecurity frameworks for the Indonesian seaweed industry
Authors: Kambey Cicilia S. B. , Campbell Iona , Sondak Calvyn F. A. , Nor Adibi R. M. , Lim Phaik E. , Cottier-Cook Elizabeth J.
Published: January 2020

Indonesia is the world largest producer of the red seaweeds Kappaphycus and Eucheuma; however, this country is facing significant challenges such as disease outbreaks, epiphyte infestations and a loss in seedling quality. Biosecurity practices have been widely adopted in other aquaculture sectors and when enforced can help to limit the introduction and spread of diseases and pests. To assess current capacity for biosecurity in seaweed aquaculture in Indonesia, a systematic analysis of policy frameworks including legislation, regulatory tools, and national standards was conducted. Biosecurity themes and risks were used to evaluate current national biosecurity content. The results identified major challenges faced by the industry in order to implement biosecurity policies in practice. Barriers to implementation included unspecific reference to the seaweed aquaculture sector, limited variety of approaches to biosecurity, limited use of up-to-date scientific evidence, insufficient guidance for the use of precaution and insufficient inclusion of specific biosecurity hazards. In general, although national regulations are currently under revision, current policies indicate a lack of clarity where biosecurity is included. Six recommendations are suggested to incorporate proactive biosecurity actions into current frameworks, with the aim of improving the health and sustainability of the seaweed aquaculture sector in Indonesia.
3D printing method for next-day acetabular fracture surgery using a surface filtering pipeline: feasibility and 1-year clinical results
Authors: Weidert Simon , Andress Sebastian , Linhart Christoph , Suero Eduardo M. , Greiner Axel , Böcker Wolfgang , Kammerlander Christian , Becker Christopher A.
Published: January 2020

Introduction

In orthopedic surgery, 3D printing is a technology with promising medical applications. Publications show promising results in acetabular fracture surgery over the last years using 3D printing. However, only little information about the workflow and circumstances of how to properly derive the 3D printed fracture model out of a CT scan is published.

Materials and methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with acetabular fractures in a level 1 trauma center. DICOM data were preoperatively used in a series of patients with acetabular fractures. The 3D mesh models were created using 3D Slicer (https://www.slicer.org) with a newly introduced surface filtering method. The models were printed using PLA material with FDM printer. After reduction in the printed model, the acetabular reconstruction plate was bent preoperatively and sterilized. A clinical follow-up after 12 months in average was conducted with the patients.

Results

In total, 12 patients included. Mean printing time was 8:40 h. The calculated mean printing time without applying the surface filter was 25:26 h. This concludes an average printing time reduction of 65%. Mean operation time was 3:16 h, and mean blood loss was 853 ml. Model creation time was about 11 min, and mean printing time of the 3D model was 8:40 h, preoperative model reduction time was 5 min on average, and preoperative bending of the plate took about 10 min. After 12 months, patients underwent a structured follow-up. Harris Hip Score was 75.7 points, the Modified Harris Hip Score 71.6 points and the Merle d’Aubigne Score 11.1 points on average.

Conclusions

We presented the first clinical practical technique to use 3D printing in acetabular fracture surgery. By introducing a new surface filtering pipeline, we reduced printing time and cost compared to the current literature and the state of the art. Low costs and easy handling of the 3D printing workflow make it usable in nearly every hospital setting for acetabular fracture surgery.
Phylogenetic placement of Leptosphaeria polylepidis, a pathogen of Andean endemic Polylepis tarapacana, and its newly discovered mycoparasite Sajamaea mycophila gen. et sp. nov.
Authors: Piątek Marcin , Rodriguez-Flakus Pamela , Domic Alejandra , Palabral-Aguilera Arely N. , Gómez M. Isabel , Flakus Adam
Published: January 2020

Polylepis tarapacana forms one of the highest-altitude woodlands worldwide. Its populations are experiencing a decline due to unsustainable land-use practices, climate change, and fungal infection. In Sajama National Park in Bolivia, Polylepis tarapacana is affected by a disease caused by the pleosporalean fungus Leptosphaeria polylepidis, recently described in 2005. In this study, the integrative morphological and molecular analyses using sequences from multiple DNA loci showed that it belongs to the genus Paraleptosphaeria (Leptosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales). Accordingly, the appropriate new combination, Paraleptosphaeria polylepidis, is made. Pseudothecia of Pa. polylepidis were found to be overgrown by enigmatic conidiomata that were not reported in the original description of this fungus. Morphological and molecular analyses using sequences from two DNA loci revealed that they belong to an undescribed genus and species in the family Dictyosporiaceae (Pleosporales). The new generic and specific names, Sajamaea and S. mycophila, are introduced for this unusual fungus.
Wettability alteration and oil recovery by spontaneous imbibition of smart water and surfactants into carbonates
Authors: Ahmadi Saeb , Hosseini Mostafa , Tangestani Ebrahim , Mousavi Seyyed Ebrahim , Niazi Mohammad
Published: January 2020

Naturally fractured carbonate reservoirs have very low oil recovery efficiency owing to their wettability and tightness of matrix. However, smart water can enhance oil recovery by changing the wettability of the carbonate rock surface from oil-wet to water-wet, and the addition of surfactants can also change surface wettability. In the present study, the effects of a solution of modified seawater with some surfactants, namely C12TAB, SDS, and TritonX-100 (TX-100), on the wettability of carbonate rock were investigated through contact angle measurements. Oil recovery was studied using spontaneous imbibition tests at 25, 70, and 90 °C, followed by thermal gravity analysis to measure the amount of adsorbed material on the carbonate surface. The results indicated that Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO42− ions may alter the carbonate rock wettability from oil-wet to water-wet, with further water wettability obtained at higher concentrations of the ions in modified seawater. Removal of NaCl from the imbibing fluid resulted in a reduced contact angle and significantly enhanced oil recovery. Low oil recoveries were obtained with modified seawater at 25 and 70 °C, but once the temperature was increased to 90 °C, the oil recovery in the spontaneous imbibition experiment increased dramatically. Application of smart water with C12TAB surfactant at 0.1 wt% changed the contact angle from 161° to 52° and enhanced oil recovery to 72%, while the presence of the anionic surfactant SDS at 0.1 wt% in the smart water increased oil recovery to 64.5%. The TGA analysis results indicated that the adsorbed materials on the carbonate surface were minimal for the solution containing seawater with C12TAB at 0.1 wt% (SW + CTAB (0.1 wt%)). Based on the experimental results, a mechanism was proposed for wettability alteration of carbonate rocks using smart water with SDS and C12TAB surfactants.
Evaluation of copper chaperone ATOX1 as prognostic biomarker in breast cancer
Authors: Blockhuys Stéphanie , Brady Donita C. , Wittung-Stafshede Pernilla
Published: January 2020

Copper is involved in different hallmarks of cancer, including metastasis, but responsible copper-binding proteins and pathways are not clear. The copper chaperone ATOX1 was recently shown to play a role in breast cancer cell migration, which is a key step in metastasis. Since most cancer-related deaths are due to metastasis, we hypothesized that ATOX1 mRNA expression may be associated with breast cancer disease progression and thus, a prognostic biomarker in breast cancer. We therefore studied the association of ATOX1 expression levels with clinicopathological parameters and survival for 1904 breast cancer patients using the METABRIC data set. Our results indicate ATOX1 expression levels as a potential prognostic biomarker for ER-positive subtypes and early stages of breast cancer. Pre-clinical studies and clinical trials are desired to identify the molecular roles of ATOX1 in these conditions.
Non-tropical Cyclone Related Winter Heavy Rainfall Events over the Philippines: Climatology and Mechanisms
Authors: Olaguera Lyndon Mark , Matsumoto Jun , Dado Julie Mae B. , Narisma Gemma Teresa T.
Published: January 2020

This study investigates non-tropical cyclone (TC) related boreal winter heavy rainfall events that lead to extensive flooding (HRF) over the Philippines through a case study and composite analysis. The HRF event examined occurred during January 16–22, 2017 over Cagayan de Oro City (CDO) in Mindanao Island (122–127°E, 5–10°N). The accumulated rainfall over CDO reached by about 180 mm from 00 UTC January 16 to 00 UTC January 17, 2017, exceeding the climatological maximum daily rainfall in January over this area. The interaction of a westward propagating cyclonic circulation over Mindanao Island (MCC) and a shearline that is associated with an eastward-propagating cyclonic and anticyclonic circulations along 20–40°N, led to enhanced moisture convergence and rainfall over CDO. The climatology of these non-TC related HRF events was examined through composite analysis of the HRF events documented in the Dartmouth Flood Observatory archive from 1979 to 2017. The authors identified 34 of such cases over the Philippines, in which 25 occurred over Mindanao Island. The composites of the circulation features of these 25 cases resemble those during the January 2017 case. A vorticity budget analysis was performed to explain the propagation tendency of the MCC. The results show that the MCC only propagated westward when the magnitudes of the stretching and advection terms of the vorticity tendency equation are almost comparable with each other, together with the weakening of the southerly winds around Mindanao Island. This study reveals how cold fronts over the north Pacific together with the MCC induces HRF events over the Philippines.
Sulfur speciation in soured reservoirs: chemical equilibrium and kinetics
Authors: Basafa Mahsan , Hawboldt Kelly
Published: January 2020

Reservoir souring is a widespread phenomenon in reservoirs undergoing seawater injection. Sulfate in the injected seawater promotes the growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and archaea-generating hydrogen sulfide. However, as the reservoir fluid flows from injection well to topside facilities, reactions involving formation of different sulfur species with intermediate valence states such as elemental sulfur, sulfite, polysulfide ions, and polythionates can occur. A predictive reactive model was developed in this study to investigate the chemical reactivity of sulfur species and their partitioning behavior as a function of temperature, pressure, and pH in a seawater-flooded reservoir. The presence of sulfur species with different oxidation states impacts the amount and partitioning behavior of H2S and, therefore, the extent of reservoir souring. The injected sulfate is reduced to H2S microbially close to the injection well. The generated H2S partitions between phases depending on temperature, pressure, and pH. Without considering chemical reactivity and sulfur speciation, the gas phase under test separator conditions on the surface contains 1080 ppm H2S which is in equilibrium with the oil phase containing 295.7 ppm H2S and water phase with H2S content of 8.8 ppm. These values are higher than those obtained based on reactivity analysis, where sulfur speciation and chemical reactions are included. Under these conditions, the H2S content of the gas, oil, and aqueous phases are 487 ppm, 134 ppm, and 4 ppm, respectively.
A review of experimental studies on sand screen selection for unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs
Authors: Ahad Nur Aqilah , Jami Morteza , Tyson Stephen
Published: January 2020

Sand production is a problem that affects hydrocarbon production from unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs. Several factors, such as the strength of the reservoir, its lithification and cementation and reduction in pore pressure, may cause sand to be separated from the rock and transported by hydrocarbons to the well. Producing sand commonly causes erosion and corrosion of downhole and surface equipment, leading to production interruptions and sometimes forces operators to shut-in wells. Several different methods of sand control are available to reduce the impact of sand production. The reviewed papers suggest that the most suitable methods for unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs are stand-alone screens and gravel packs. Because of the cost and complexity of gravel packs, stand-alone screens are usually the first choice. These screens have different geometries, and selection of the most suitable screen depends on the particle size distribution of the grains in the formation and other reservoir and production parameters. A screen retention test, run in a laboratory with screen samples and typical sands, is often used to ensure that the screen is suitable for the reservoir. This paper reviews the main causes of sand production, the properties of unconsolidated sandstones that predispose reservoirs to sand production problems and the selection criteria for the most suitable mitigation method. The process of selecting a screen using experimental screen retention tests is reviewed, and the limitations of these tests are also discussed. Some numerical simulations of experimental tests are also reviewed, since this represents a very cost-effective alternative to laboratory experiments.
Identification, characterization and expression analysis of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) microRNAs
Authors: Paul Sujay , de la Fuente-Jiménez Juan Luis , Manriquez Camila Garibay , Sharma Ashutosh
Published: January 2020

microRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved, short (~ 21-nucleotide), endogenous, non-coding RNA molecules that play major roles in post-transcriptional silencing by guiding target mRNA cleavage or translational inhibition. In this study, applying high-stringent genome-wide computational-based approaches, a total of 28 putative miRNAs belonging to 17 miRNA families were identified from an antioxidant-rich medicinal plant passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). Inter-tissue (leaves and fruits) and inter-varietal (yellow and purple fruit varieties) quantitative study of six putative passion fruit miRNAs (ped-miR160, ped-miR164, ped-miR166, ped-miR393, ped-miR394, and ped-miR398) showed differential expression. Using psRNATarget tool, a total of 25 potential target proteins of the characterized passion fruit miRNAs were also identified. Most of the target proteins identified in this study, including SQUAMOSA promoter binding, Class III HD-Zip, NAC, Scarecrow, APETALA2, Auxin response factor, MYB, and superoxide dismutase, were found to be involved in development, metabolism, and defense/stress response signaling.
Gas Sensitivity of In0.3Ga0.7As Surface QDs Coupled to Multilayer Buried QDs
Authors: Wang Guodong , Liu Zengguang , Wang Junjun , Yang Yingli , Liu Xiaolian , Zhang Xinran , Zhang Liwei , Cao Guohua
Published: January 2020

A detailed analysis of the electrical response of In0.3Ga0.7As surface quantum dots (SQDs) coupled to 5-layer buried quantum dots (BQDs) is carried out as a function of ethanol and acetone concentration while temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra are also analyzed. The coupling structure is grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy. Carrier transport from BQDs to SQDs is confirmed by the temperature-dependent PL spectra. The importance of the surface states for the sensing application is once more highlighted. The results show that not only the exposure to the target gas but also the illumination affect the electrical response of the coupling sample strongly. In the ethanol atmosphere and under the illumination, the sheet resistance of the coupling structure decays by 50% while it remains nearly constant for the reference structure with only the 5-layer BQDs but not the SQDs. The strong dependence of the electrical response on the gas concentration makes SQDs very suitable for the development of integrated micrometer-sized gas sensor devices.
Correction to: The Effectiveness of Two Methods of Prescribing Load on Maximal Strength Development: A Systematic Review
Authors: Thompson Steve W. , Rogerson David , Ruddock Alan , Barnes Andrew
Published: January 2020

While typesetting the entries of the Table 1 were incorrectly aligned. The correct Table 1 has been copied below.
Epidemiology of TORCH Infections and Understanding the Serology in Their Diagnosis
Authors: Batra Priyam , Batra Megha , Singh Sarman
Published: January 2020

TORCH, as coined by Nahmias et al. consists of Toxoplasmosis, other infections (includes, syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis viruses, varicella virus and Parvovirus B19), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Herpes simplex virus. These infections are transmitted prenatally, perinatally, and postnatally through transplacental passage, contact with blood and vaginal secretions or from exposure to breast milk for CMV, HIV and HSV and infection generally manifests at birth, in infancy or in later years of life. The disease burden is maximum in low to middle-income countries. As treatment and prevention strategies are available for most of these infections, early recognition including prenatal serological screening are important. But routine full screening of ‘TORCH panel” is not recommended in low risk asymptomatic pregnant women. It is indicated in pregnancies with congenital infections, fetal hydrops, fetal brain lesions, unexplained IUGR, in pregnant women with non-vesicular rash or other signs and symptoms suggestive of systemic infections or in women with a history of contact with a person with such illness. The following article highlights the importance of serological tests for the diagnosis of TORCH infections.
Centrality and shortest path length measures for the functional analysis of urban drainage networks
Authors: Reyes-Silva Julian D. , Zischg Jonatan , Klinkhamer Christopher , Rao P. Suresh C. , Sitzenfrei Robert , Krebs Peter
Published: January 2020

The objective of this research is to evaluate whether complex dynamics of urban drainage networks (UDNs) can be expressed in terms of their structure, i.e. topological characteristics. The present study focuses on the application of topological measures for describing the transport and collection functions of UDNs, using eight subnetworks of the Dresden sewer network as study cases. All UDNs are considered as weighted directed graphs, where edge weights correspond to structural and hydraulic pipe characteristics which affect flow. Transport functions are evaluated in terms of travel time distributions (TTDs), under the hypothesis that frequency distributions of Single Destination Shortest Paths (SDSP) of nodes to the outlet had similar shapes than TTDs. Assessment of this hypothesis is done based on two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests and comparisons of statistical moments. Collection analysis, i.e. determination of flow paths, is done based on two approaches: (1) using Edge Betweenness Centrality (EBC), and (2) based on the number of SDSP going through an edge connecting a node to the outlet, referred as Paths. Hydrodynamic simulation results are used to validate the outcomes of graph analysis with actual flow behaviors. Results indicate that given an appropriate edge weighting factor, in this case Residence Time, SDSP has the potential to be used as an indicator for flow transport in UDNs. Moreover, both EBC and Paths values were highly correlated to average flows. The first approach, however, proved to be inadequate for estimating flows near the outlet but appropriate for identifying different paths in meshed systems, while the second approach lead to better results in branched networks. Further studies regarding the influence of UDNs layout are needed.
Populism’s Threat to Democracy: Comparative Lessons for the United States
Authors: Weyland Kurt
Published: January 2020

How grave is the threat that populist leaders pose to democracy? To elucidate the prospects of the United States under president Donald Trump, I conduct a wide-ranging comparative analysis of populism’s regime impact in Europe and Latin America. The investigation finds that the risks have been overestimated. Populist leaders manage to suffocate democracy only when two crucial conditions coincide. First, institutional weakness, which comes in various types, creates vulnerabilities to populist power grabs. Second, even in weaker institutional settings populist leaders can only succeed with their illiberal machinations if acute yet resolvable crises or extraordinary bonanzas give them overwhelming support which enables them to override and dismantle institutional constraints to power concentration. Because none of these conditions prevail in the United States, an undemocratic involution is very unlikely. First, the federal system of checks and balances, rooted in an unusually rigid constitution, remains firm and stable. Second, President Trump encountered neither acute crises nor a huge windfall; consequently, his mass support has remained limited. Facing strong resistance from an energized opposition party and a vibrant civil society, the U.S. populist cannot destroy democracy. Instead, Trump’s transgressions of norms of civility have sparked an intense counter-mobilization that may inadvertently revitalize U.S. democracy.
Using Gaia to measure the atmospheric dynamics in AGB stars
Authors: Chiavassa Andrea , Freytag Bernd , Schultheis Mathias
Published: January 2020

We use 3D radiative-hydrodynamics simulations of convection with CO5BOLD and the post-processing radiative transfer code Optim3D to compute intensity maps in the Gaia G band [325–1030 nm]. We calculate the intensity-weighted mean of all emitting points tiling the visible stellar surface (i.e., the photo-center) and evaluate its motion as a function of time. We show that the convection-related variability accounts for a substantial part to the Gaia DR2 parallax error of our sample of semiregular variables. Finally, we denote that Gaia parallax variations could be exploited quantitatively to extract stellar parameters using appropriate RHD simulations corresponding to the observed star.
The carbon star R Sculptoris sheds its skin
Authors: Wittkowski Markus
Published: January 2020

We describe near-IR H-band VLTI-PIONIER aperture synthesis images of the carbon AGB star R Sculptoris with an angular resolution of 2.5 mas. The data show a stellar disc of diameter ∼ 9 mas exhibiting a complex substructure including one dominant bright spot with a peak intensity of 40% to 60% above the average intensity. We interpret the complex structure as caused by giant convection cells, resulting in large-scale shock fronts, and their effects on clumpy molecule and dust formation seen against the photosphere at distances of 2–3 stellar radii. Moreover, we derive fundamental parameters of R Scl, which match evolutionary tracks of initial mass 1.5 ± 0.5 M⊙. Our visibility data are best fit by a dynamic model without a wind, which may point to problems with current wind models at low mass-loss rates.
Tomography of the red supergiant star μ Cep
Authors: Kravchenko K. , Chiavassa A. , Van Eck S. , Jorissen A. , Merle T. , Freytag B.
Published: January 2020

A tomographic method, aiming at probing velocity fields at depth in stellar atmospheres, is applied to the red supergiant star μ Cep and to snapshots of 3D radiative-hydrodynamics simulation in order to constrain atmospheric motions and relate them to photometric variability.
Magnetic fields of AGB and post-AGB stars
Authors: Vlemmings Wouter
Published: January 2020

There is ample evidence for the presence of strong magnetic fields in the envelopes of (post-)Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars as well as supergiant stars. The origin and role of these fields are still unclear. This paper updates the current status of magnetic field observations around AGB and post-AGB stars, and describes their possible role during these stages of evolution. The discovery of magnetically aligned dust around a supergiant star is also highlighted. In our search for the origin of the magnetic fields, recent observations show the signatures of possible magnetic activity and rotation, indicating that the magnetic fields might be intrinsic to the AGB stars.
MAGRITTE: a new multidimensional accelerated general-purpose radiative transfer code
Authors: De Ceuster Frederik , Yates Jeremy , Boyle Peter , Decin Leen , Hetherington James
Published: January 2020

Magritte is a new deterministic radiative transfer code. It is a ray-tracing code that computes the radiation field by solving the radiative transfer equation along a fixed set of rays for each grid cell. Its ray-tracing algorithm is independent of the type of input grid and thus can handle smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) particles, structured as well as unstructured grids. The radiative transfer solver is highly parallelized and optimized to have well scaling performance on several computer architectures. Magritte also contains separate dedicated modules for chemistry and thermal balance. These enable it to self-consistently model the interdependence between the radiation field and the local thermal and chemical states. The source code for Magritte will be made publically available at github.com/Magritte-code.
Central Stars of Planetary Nebulae in Galactic Open Clusters: Providing additional data for the White Dwarf Initial-to-Final-Mass Relation
Authors: Fragkou Vasiliki , Parker Quentin A. , Zijlstra Albert , Shaw Richard , Lykou Foteini
Published: January 2020

Accurate (< 10%) distances of Galactic star clusters allow a precise estimation of the physical parameters of any physically associated Planetary Nebula (PN) and also that of its central star (CSPN) and its progenitor. The progenitor’s mass can be related to the PN’s chemical characteristics and, furthermore, provides additional data for the widely used white dwarf (WD) initial-to-final mass relation (IFMR) that is crucial for tracing the development of both carbon and nitrogen in entire galaxies. To date, there is only one PN (PHR1315- 6555) confirmed to be physically associated with a Galactic open cluster (ESO 96 -SC04) that has a turn-off mass ∼2Mʘ. Our deep HST photometry was used for the search of the CSPN of this currently unique PN. In this work, we present our results.
The dust production rate of carbon-rich stars in the Magellanic Clouds
Authors: Nanni Ambra , Groenewegen Martin A. T. , Aringer Bernhard , Marigo Paola , Rubele Stefano , Bressan Alessandro
Published: January 2020

We present our new investigation aimed to estimate the mass-loss and dust production rates of carbon-rich stars (C-stars) in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). We compute dust growth and radiative transfer in circumstellar envelopes of C-stars for a grid of stellar parameters and for selected optical constants that simultaneously reproduce the main colour–colour diagrams in the infrared. We employ these grids of spectra to fit the spectral energy distribution of C-stars in the MCs. We find that our estimates can be significantly different from the other ones in the literature.
A Masing BAaDE’s Window
Authors: Sjouwerman Lorant O. , Pihlström Ylva M. , Trapp Adam C. , Stroh Michael C. , Quiroga-Nuñez Luis Henry , Lewis Megan O. , Michael Rich R. , Morris Mark R. , van Langevelde Huib Jan , Claussen Mark J ,   the BAaDE collaboration
Published: January 2020

We report on the Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamic Evolution (BAaDE) survey which has observed 19 000 MSX color selected red giant stars for SiO maser emission at 43 GHz with the VLA and is in the process of observing 9 000 of these stars with ALMA at 86 GHz in the Southern sky. Our setup covers the main maser transitions, as well as those of isotopologues and selected lines of carbon-bearing species. Observations of this set of lines allow a far-reaching catalog of line-of-sight velocities in the dust-obscured regions where optical surveys cannot reach. Our preliminary detection rate is close to 70%, predicting a wealth of new information on the distribution of metal rich stars, their kinematics as function of location in the Galaxy, as well as the occurrence of lines and line ratios between the different transitions in combination with the spectral energy distribution from about 1 to 100 μm. Similar to the OH/IR stars, a clear kinematic signature between disk and bulge stars can be seen. Furthermore, the SiO J = →10 (v=3) line plays a prominent role in the derived maser properties.
MIKE High Resolution Spectroscopy of Raman-scattered O VI and C II Lines in the Symbiotic Nova RR Telescopii
Authors: Heo Jeong-Eun , Lee Hee-Won , Angeloni Rodolfo , Palma Tali , Di Mille Francesco
Published: January 2020

We present a high-resolution optical spectrum of the symbiotic nova RR Tel obtained with MIKE at Magellan-Clay telescope. RR Tel is a wide binary system of a hot white dwarf and a Mira with an orbital period of a few decades, where the white dwarf is accreting through gravitational capture of some fraction of material shed by the Mira. We find broad emission features at 6825, 7082, 7023, and 7053 Å, which are formed through Raman scattering of far-UV O VI ⋋⋋ 1032 and 1038 Å, C II ⋋⋋ 1036 and 1037 Å with atomic hydrogen. Raman O VI features exhibit clear double-peak profiles indicative of an accretion flow with a characteristic speed ∼ 30 km s−1, whereas the Raman C II features have a single Gaussian profile. We perform a profile analysis of the Raman O VI by assuming that O VI emission traces the accretion flow around the white dwarf with a fiducial scale of 1 AU. A comparison of the restored fluxes of C II ⋋⋋ 1036 and 1037 from Raman C II features with the observed C II ⋋ 1335 multiplet is consistent with the distance of RR Tel ∼ 2.6 kpc based on interstellar extinction of C II.
Rotating and magnetic stellar models of intermediate-mass stars up to the AGB
Authors: Mendes Luiz T. S. , Landin Natália R. , Ventura Paolo
Published: January 2020

Aiming at investigating the roles of rotation and magnetic fields on AGB stars, the rotating version of the ATON stellar evolution code is being extended in order to account for intermediate--mass stars and their later evolutionary stages. Here we report some preliminary results on the effects of rotation and of a large-scale magnetic field on the structure and evolution of 3 and 5 M⊙ stellar models from the pre-main sequence up to the AGB.
Calibrating TP-AGB stellar models and chemical yields through resolved stellar populations in the Small Magellanic Cloud
Authors: Pastorelli Giada , Marigo Paola , Girardi Léo ,   the STARKEY project team
Published: January 2020

Most of the physical processes driving the TP-AGB evolution are not yet fully understood and they need to be modelled with parameterised descriptions. We present the results of the on-going calibration of the TP-AGB phase based on a complete sample of AGB stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SAGE-SMC survey). We computed large grids of TP-AGB models with several combinations of third dredge-up and mass-loss prescriptions with the COLIBRI code. The SMC AGB population is modelled with the population synthesis code TRILEGAL according to the space-resolved star formation history derived with the deep photometry from the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds. We put quantitative constraints on the efficiencies of the third dredge-up and mass loss by requiring the models to reproduce the star counts and the luminosity functions of the observed Oxygen-, Carbon-rich and extreme-AGB stars and we investigate the impact of the best-fitting prescriptions on the chemical yields.