bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is there an HbA1c Threshold for Symptoms of Chronic
Hyperglycemia?
Authors: Müller Nicolle , Lehmann Thomas , Müller Ulrich Alfons , Kloos Christof
Published: June 2021

Aims of the study The minimum therapeutic goal regarding metabolic control
for people with diabetes mellitus is the “absence of symptoms of
hyperglycemia.” However, it is uncertain whether a level of HbA1c can be
defined that guarantees the absence of these symptoms. The aim was to define an
HbA1c threshold above which most patients show hyperglycemic symptoms.

Methods In a multicenter cross-sectional study, 137 patients with type 1
and 285 with type 2 diabetes were asked about their symptoms during periods of
hyperglycemia with a standardized questionnaire. Seventeen symptoms of
hyperglycemia were summarized to the total hyperglycemia symptom score (THSS;
min. 0; max. 68). The answers could be given according to the frequency and
intensity in the last 4 – 6 weeks.

Results The HbA1c threshold above which most patients showed hyperglycemic
symptoms was 10.05% for patients with diabetes type 1 and 8.9%.
for patients with type 2. Most confidence was reached on the symptoms of
frequent urination” and “tiredness.” The mean THSS was
19.4 (±9.0) and showed a positive correlation with age (r=0.167;
p<0.001) and HbA1c (r=0.254; p<0.001).

Conclusions We identified an HbA1c threshold above which most patients
show symptoms of hyperglycemia. In the treatment of people with diabetes
mellitus, a safety margin to this threshold should be maintained to preserve
well-being and avoid distress. However, since hyperglycemia symptoms are subject
to many influencing factors, an adjustment of the therapy—both
intensification and de-intensification—should always be carried out in
combination with the requested hyperglycemia symptoms and HbA1c value.
Desmethylbellidifolin Attenuates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis: Impact on Intestinal Barrier, Intestinal Inflammation and Gut Microbiota
Authors: Wu Jiaqi , Wu Yuzheng , Chen Yue , Liu Mengyang , Yu Haiyang , Zhang Yi , Wang Tao
Published: June 2021

Ulcerative colitis has been recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease predominantly disturbing the colon and rectum. Clinically, the aminosalicylates, steroids, immunosuppressants, and biological drugs are generally used for the treatment of ulcerative colitis at different stages of disease progression. However, the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs does not satisfy the patients due to the frequent drug resistance. Herein, we reported the anti-ulcerative colitis activity of desmethylbellidifolin, a xanthone isolated from Gentianella acuta, in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice. C57BL/6 mice were treated with 2% dextran sulfate sodium in drinking water to induce acute colitis. Desmethylbellidifolin or balsalazide sodium was orally administrated once a day. Biological samples were collected for immunohistological analysis, intestinal barrier function evaluation, cytokine measurement, and gut microbiota analysis. The results revealed that
desmethylbellidifolin alleviated colon shortening and body weight loss in dextran sulfate sodium-induced mice. The disease activity index was also lowered by desmethylbellidifolin after 9 days of treatment. Furthermore, desmethylbellidifolin remarkably ameliorated colonic inflammation through suppressing the expression of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α. The intestinal epithelial barrier was strengthened by desmethylbellidifolin through increasing levels of occludin, ZO-1, and claudins. In addition, desmethylbellidifolin modulated the gut dysbiosis induced by dextran sulfate sodium. These findings suggested that desmethylbellidifolin effectively improved experimental ulcerative colitis, at least partly, through maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines, and modulating dysregulated gut microbiota.
Enantiodivergent Synthesis of Halofuginone by Candida antarctica Lipase B (CAL-B)-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution in Cyclopentyl Methyl Ether (CPME)
Authors: Occhiato Ernesto G. , De Marchi Elisa , Arnodo Davide , Maffeis Elia , Scarpi Dina , Prandi Cristina
Published: June 2021

The synthesis of both enantiomers of a key intermediate in the synthesis of halofuginone was accomplished by a Candida antarctica lipase B (CAL-B)-catalyzed kinetic resolution of the corresponding racemate. When the resolution was carried out in the versatile solvent cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) using p-chlorophenylbutyrate (PCPB) as the acylating reagent, the highest enantiomeric ratio (E) values were measured, and highly enantioenriched (95% ee) compounds could be obtained in a single iteration. As an example, one of the two enantiomers was used as a starting material to prepare (+)-halofuginone in a three-step procedure.
Volumetry and Surgical Grading Systems for Vestibular Schwannoma Size Assessment and their Relationship to Postoperative Facial Nerve Function
Authors: Strauss Catharina , Rampp Stefan , Scheller Christian , Prell Julian , Strauss Christian , Doerfler Arnd , Engelhorn Tobias
Published: June 2021

Background and Study Aims Treatment modalities in vestibular schwannoma (VS) are difficult to compare since different techniques for size measurements are used. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between different tumor size grading systems regarding their compatibility as well as the relationship to facial nerve outcome facilitating comparisons of different studies.

Material and Methods In this retrospective study, preoperative magnetic resonance imaging of 100 patients with surgically treated VS was evaluated regarding total tumor volume and anatomical extension based on the Koos and Samii classification, as well as volumetric and maximal diameter measures. Three-dimensional constructive interference in steady state (3D-CISS) and T1 postcontrast volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) sequences were used. Facial nerve function was evaluated according to the House–Brackmann (HB) scale 6 months following complete tumor removal via the retrosigmoid approach.

Results Tumor size showed a moderate influence on postsurgical facial nerve function with correlations not exceeding 0.4. Severe palsy was observed mainly in patients with large tumors with Koos grade 4, Samii grade 4b, respectively a volume of at least 6 cm3 or a maximum diameter of 2.4 cm for HB ≥ 3 and a volume of 7.5 cm3 and maximum diameter of 3.2 cm for HB ≥ 4. In regard to volumetry, the Koos and Samii grading systems were highly comparable, whereas the maximal diameter showed consistently lower correlation values.

Conclusions The results of our study allow direct comparison of studies on surgery versus radiotherapy of VS. The data allow for translation of tumor sizes based on different grading systems. Comparison of microsurgical, radiotherapeutic and radiosurgical approaches should concentrate on patients with large tumors. Whereas smaller tumors were rarely associated with severe facial palsy, large tumors did not exclude the possibility of weak or no palsy 6 months after surgery.
Reading Aloud with Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Unit-Based Program to Enhance Language Enrichment and Support Early Foundational Relationships
Authors: Erdei Carmina , Klass Perri , Inder Terrie E.
Published: June 2021

Objective Early meaningful auditory experiences in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) enhance language outcomes and promote cognitive and social–emotional development.

Methods This is a descriptive report sharing our level III NICU experience of building a reading-aloud enrichment program with the goals of enhancing infant neurodevelopment and strengthening early parent–infant relationships.

Results We propose a roadmap for program development, outline challenges and possible ways to mitigate them, and highlight opportunities for further research in this area.

Key Points
The Shoulder Instability: An Overview
Authors: Zacharia Balaji , Prakas Arun , Vaidyanathan Subramanian , Roy Antony , Ayyub Mohammed Komalam
Published: June 2021

Instability of the shoulder joint is common but most of the time it is unrecognized by the treating surgeon. The symptoms can vary from subtle pain to shoulder dislocation. In many cases, there is no history of trauma. The shoulder joint is stabilized by both static and dynamic factors, and treatment is complex, with recurrence more common in young athletic individuals. Open and arthroscopic techniques of stabilization are available with specific indications for each of these methods. In this narrative review of shoulder instability, we describe the pathological anatomy, evaluation, natural history, classification, and treatment of shoulder instability.
Geomagnetic field impacts on second harmonic generation during high power radio wave-ionosphere interaction
Authors: Yellu A. D. , Scales W. A. , Bernhardt P. A. , Siefring C. L. , Briczinski S. , Nossa E. , McCarrick M. J. , Mahmoudian A. , Nickisch L. J.
Published: June 2021

Contained herein are results from an experimental study of geomagnetic field (B0) impacts on second harmonic generation (SHG) during the interaction of high power, high frequency radio waves with the ionosphere. These magnetic field effects on SHG are assessed by (1) considering the proximity of the pump frequency to the electron gyroharmonic frequency and (2) considering the pump antenna beam angle relative to the geomagnetic field direction. The observations show evidence of ion Bernstein mode wave-mixing processes in stimulated electromagnetic emissions (SEEs) simultaneously near the pump wave frequency (f0) and its second harmonic (2f0). In an experiment performed at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility, the transmit antenna beam was either oriented along or tilted away from B0, and f0 was stepped near the second harmonic of the electron gyrofrequency (2fce). SEEs ordered by the oxygen ion gyrofrequency (fci) are observed in spectra near 2f0 for: (1) a B0-oriented antenna beam when f0≈2fce and (2) f0<2fce, when the beam is tilted away, but not beyond a maximum angle from B0. The observations motivate further studies to develop SHG into important diagnostics for the modified ionosphere.
Accelerating seminumerical Fock-exchange calculations using mixed single- and double-precision arithmethic
Authors: Laqua Henryk , Kussmann Jörg , Ochsenfeld Christian
Published: June 2021

We investigate the applicability of single-precision (fp32) floating point operations within our linear-scaling, seminumerical exchange method sn-LinK [Laqua et al., J. Chem. Theory Comput. 16, 1456 (2020)] and find that the vast majority of the three-center-one-electron (3c1e) integrals can be computed with reduced numerical precision with virtually no loss in overall accuracy. This leads to a near doubling in performance on central processing units (CPUs) compared to pure fp64 evaluation. Since the cost of evaluating the 3c1e integrals is less significant on graphic processing units (GPUs) compared to CPU, the performance gains from accelerating 3c1e integrals alone is less impressive on GPUs. Therefore, we also investigate the possibility of employing only fp32 operations to evaluate the exchange matrix within the self-consistent-field (SCF) followed by an accurate one-shot evaluation of the exchange energy using mixed fp32/fp64 precision. This still provides very accurate (1.8 µEh maximal error) results while providing a sevenfold speedup on a typical “gaming” GPU (GTX 1080Ti). We also propose the use of incremental exchange-builds to further reduce these errors. The proposed SCF scheme (i-sn-LinK) requires only one mixed-precision exchange matrix calculation, while all other exchange-matrix builds are performed with only fp32 operations. Compared to pure fp64 evaluation, this leads to 4–7× speedups for the whole SCF procedure without any significant deterioration of the results or the convergence behavior.
A working-point perturbation method for the magnetoelectric sensor to measure DC to ultralow-frequency-AC weak magnetic fields simultaneously
Authors: Li Jinming , Sun Kunyu , Jin Zhejun , Li Yuanzhe , Zhou Aoran , Huang Yicong , Yang Shuya , Wang Chengmeng , Xu Jie , Zhao Guoxia , Wang Xia , Cao Derang , Zong Weihua , Li Shandong
Published: June 2021

Magnetoelectric (ME) sensors for the weak magnetic field measurement have attracted a lot of attention because of their high sensitivity and easy integration. However, the ME sensor performs well only at its working-point under a direct current (DC) bias field (Hbias) and mechanical resonance frequency (fres). The measurement of DC to ultralow frequency (0–100 Hz) weak magnetic fields has increasing demands, such as in geomagnetic anomaly fields, geological and mineral exploration, magnetocardiography, and magnetoencephalography. Unfortunately, fres of ME sensors is on the order of several tens of kilohertz, which is far higher than the ultralow frequency desired. Moreover, if the operation frequency deviates from fres, the sensitivity will deteriorate rapidly. In this study, a working-point perturbation method was used to measure the weak magnetic fields at 0–100 Hz with a high magnetic field resolution. (1) The perturbation of fres using an ultralow frequency (fac) magnetic field results in two modulation peaks with frequencies of fres ± fac. The frequency and resolution of the measured alternating current magnetic field can be obtained by varying fac and the modulation depth. A resolution around 1 nT for fac > 10 Hz and a lowest operation frequency of 0.1 Hz were achieved using our measurement system. (2) A high field resolution of 3 nT (better than the frequency perturbation method with a resolution of 16 nT at 0.1 Hz) can be achieved by the perturbation of Hbias at fres because the ME sensor is still working at the quasi-working-point and helped by lock-in amplifier technology.
Design of small molecular hole-transporting materials for stable and high-performance perovskite solar cells
Authors: Shao Jiang-Yang , Zhong Yu-Wu
Published: June 2021

Perovskite solar cells represent one of the most exciting developments in photovoltaics in the past decade, with the power conversion efficiencies of over 25% being achieved to date. In high-performance perovskite solar cells, hole-transporting materials are generally employed to extract and transport holes from perovskite. Among them, small molecular hole transporting materials have attracted intense interest due to their tunable energy levels, structural variety, and simple synthesis. The commonly used hole-transporting material is 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenyl amino)-9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD). Considering the high synthetic cost of spiro-OMeTAD and the device stability issue associated with the use of dopants, much research has been focused on the development of alternative high-performance hole-transporting materials. Herein, this review summarizes the recent developments in highly efficient small molecular hole-transporting materials with a power conversion efficiency close to or over 20%. On the basis of their structural features, three categories of small molecules are identified and discussed as highly efficient hole-transporting materials: spiro molecules with new terminal groups or a new spiro skeleton, star-shaped small molecular hole-transporting materials with three or four branches, and linear hole-transporting materials with a D-A, D-π-D, D-A-D, or D-A-π-A-D structure. The relationships of the optoelectronic properties of these hole-transporting materials and the device performance are discussed, with a comparison to those of model compounds in some cases. Finally, an outlook is addressed on the future development of hole-transporting materials for high-performance perovskite solar cells. We hope that this review can provide important guidance for the design and synthesis of new hole-transporting materials and finally help to promote the commercialization of perovskite solar cells.
Quantum dot membrane external-cavity surface-emitting laser at 1.5 μm
Authors: Phung H.-M. , Tatar-Mathes P. , Paranthoën C. , Levallois C. , Chevalier N. , Perrin M. , Kerchaoui A. , Kahle H. , Alouini M. , Guina M.
Published: June 2021

A membrane external-cavity surface-emitting laser (MECSEL) with an InAs/InP quantum dot (QD) based gain region is demonstrated. The pumping scheme employs a 90° off-axis parabolic mirror to focus the diode laser pump beam to a nearly circular pump spot. With this pump arrangement, the QD MECSEL with SiC heat spreaders produced 320 mW output power at room temperature with direct emission in the near-infrared at 1.5 μm. We report a record value of 86 nm for the tuning range at this wavelength region, owing to a broad QD gain bandwidth and wide tunability in MECSELs.
Competitive interplay of repulsive coupling and cross-correlated noises in bistable systems
Authors: Aravind Manaoj , Sinha Sudeshna , Parmananda P.
Published: June 2021

The influence of noise on synchronization has potential impact on physical, chemical, biological, and engineered systems. Research on systems subject to common noise has demonstrated that noise can aid synchronization, as common noise imparts correlations on the sub-systems. In our work, we revisit this idea for a system of bistable dynamical systems, under repulsive coupling, driven by noises with varying degrees of cross correlation. This class of coupling has not been fully explored, and we show that it offers new counter-intuitive emergent behavior. Specifically, we demonstrate that the competitive interplay of noise and coupling gives rise to phenomena ranging from the usual synchronized state to the uncommon anti-synchronized state where the coupled bistable systems are pushed to different wells. Interestingly, this progression from anti-synchronization to synchronization goes through a domain where the system randomly hops between the synchronized and anti-synchronized states. The underlying basis for this striking behavior is that correlated noise preferentially enhances coherence, while the interactions provide an opposing drive to push the states apart. Our results also shed light on the robustness of synchronization obtained in the idealized scenario of perfectly correlated noise, as well as the influence of noise correlation on anti-synchronization. Last, the experimental implementation of our model using bistable electronic circuits, where we were able to sweep a large range of noise strengths and noise correlations in the laboratory realization of this noise-driven coupled system, firmly indicates the robustness and generality of our observations.
(Pandanaceae), a new species endemic to north-eastern Queensland (Australia)
Authors: Callmander Martin W. , Buerki Sven , Zich Frank A. , Field Ashley R. , Gallaher Timothy
Published: June 2021

Pandanus grayorum Callm., Buerki & Gallaher (Pandanaceae) is newly described from the Wet Tropics of north-eastern Queensland in Australia. It is the second Australian species other than P. gemmifer H.St.John known to reproduce by axillary plantlets on aerial branches. It can be distinguished from P. gemmifer and P. solms-laubachii F.Muell. by the dimensions of its leaves, shape and dimensions of its syncarps, and by the morphology of its phalanges. The placement of P. grayorum in a molecular phylogeny confirmed morphological evidence and showed that the new species clusters with P. gemmifer and P. solms-laubachii in a clade closely related to the P. tectorius Parkinson complex. Pandanus grayorum is known from near the banks of the lower reaches of Mulgrave, Russell, Johnstone and Moresby rivers and associated subcoastal flood plains. Most collection records are from areas outside national parks and a preliminary conservation assessment of Vulnerable is suggested using the IUCN Red List. Finally, a key to north-eastern Queensland Pandanus species is also provided.
Accurate genomic variant detection in single cells with primary template-directed amplification
Authors: Gonzalez-Pena Veronica , Natarajan Sivaraman , Xia Yuntao , Klein David , Carter Robert , Pang Yakun , Shaner Bridget , Annu Kavya , Putnam Daniel , Chen Wenan , Connelly Jon , Pruett-Miller Shondra , Chen Xiang , Easton John , Gawad Charles
Published: June 2021

Significance

Primary template-directed amplification (PTA) is a major improvement in whole genome amplification, which is required to study intratissue cellular evolution. As presented in the manuscript, PTA produces significantly improved and reproducible genome sequencing coverage and variant detection from a single genome of a single cell. Applications of measuring genetic diversity from single cells with PTA presented in the manuscript include examining the acquisition of genetic changes during normal development and aging, measuring the consequences of specific perturbations such as genome editing, and characterizing the evolution of clonal populations during cancer formation.
Fe K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy of corrosion phases of archaeological iron: results, limitations, and the need for complementary techniques
Authors: Simon Hayley , Cibin Giannantonio , Freestone Ian , Schofield Eleanor
Published: June 2021

Data analysis methods for iron x-ray absorption spectroscopy can provide extensive information about the oxidation state and co-ordination of an Fe-species. However, the extent to which techniques developed using a single-phase iron sample may be applied to complex, mixed-phase samples formed under real-world conditions is not clear. This work uses a combination of pre-edge fitting and linear combination analysis to characterise the near edge region of the x-ray absorption spectrum (XANES) for a set of archaeological iron corrosion samples from a collection of cast iron cannon shot excavated from the Mary Rose shipwreck and compares the data with phase compositions determined by synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction (SXPD). Archaeological powder and cross-section samples were compared to a library of iron standards and diffraction data. The XANES are consistent with previous observations that generation of the chlorinated phase akaganeite, β-FeO(OH,Cl), occurs in those samples which have been removed form passive storage and subjected to active conservation. However, the results show that if any metallic species is present in the sample, the contribution from Fe(0) to the spectral region containing a pre-edge for oxidised iron—Fe(II) and Fe(III)—causes the analysis to be less effective and the conclusions unreliable. Consequently, while the pre-edge fitting methodology may be applied to a mixture of iron oxides or oxyhydroxides, the procedure is inappropriate for a mixed metal-oxide sample without the application of a complimentary technique, such as SXPD.
Bending bad—testing caramel wafer bars (#TestATunnocks)
Authors: Birch Stephen M I , Bates Joanna , Bell Michael , Christofidou Katerina A. , Corkhill Claire L , Hearnden Vanessa , Lopez Elisa Alonso , Mason Louise C , Southworth Amanda , Dean Julian S
Published: June 2021

During the coronavirus pandemic, there have been significant challenges in the remote teaching and demonstration of experiments, especially those that require laboratory testing equipment. With a desire to give students a feel for our materials laboratory on open days and allow them to gain a deeper understanding of what materials science and engineering is about, we have designed an experiment focused on composite materials that can be performed remotely and without specialist equipment. This enabled students to experience a bend test sensorily through seeing, hearing and feeling it, creating a strong link to then being able to relate it to the pre-prepared experimental data taken in the laboratory. This fun, easy-to-run and engaging experiment allowed a shared experience and encouraged a discussion about students’ observations, differences in results and implications of the bend strength of sandwich composites. We have found it not only works well universally by all ages but can be used with younger children to think about words such as ‘stronger’, ‘stiffer’ and ‘flexible’ and how materials can be different in different directions.
Identification of 27 abnormalities from multi-lead ECG signals: an ensembled SE_ResNet framework with Sign Loss function
Authors: Zhu Zhaowei , Lan Xiang , Zhao Tingting , Guo Yangming , Kojodjojo Pipin , Xu Zhuoyang , Liu Zhuo , Liu Siqi , Wang Han , Sun Xingzhi , Feng Mengling
Published: June 2021

Objective. Cardiovascular disease is a major threat to health and one of the primary causes of death globally. The 12-lead ECG is a cheap and commonly accessible tool to identify cardiac abnormalities. Early and accurate diagnosis will allow early treatment and intervention to prevent severe complications of cardiovascular disease. Our objective is to develop an algorithm that automatically identifies 27 ECG abnormalities from 12-lead ECG databases. Approach. Firstly, a series of pre-processing methods were proposed and applied on various data sources in order to mitigate the problem of data divergence. Secondly, we ensembled two SE_ResNet models and one rule-based model to enhance the performance of various ECG abnormalities’ classification. Thirdly, we introduce a Sign Loss to tackle the problem of class imbalance, and thus improve the model's generalizability. Main results. In the PhysioNet/Computing in Cardiology Challenge (2020), our proposed approach achieved a challenge validation score of 0.682, and a full test score of 0.514, placed us 3rd out of 40 in the official ranking. Significance. We proposed an accurate and robust predictive framework that combines deep neural networks and clinical knowledge to automatically classify multiple ECG abnormalities. Our framework is able to identify 27 ECG abnormalities from multi-lead ECG signals regardless of discrepancies in data sources and the imbalance of data labeling. We trained our framework on five datasets and validated it on six datasets from various countries. The outstanding performance demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed framework.
Iridium in crater confirms asteroid wiped out dinosaurs
Authors: Johnston Hamish
Published: June 2021

Strong evidence that the dinosaurs were killed off 66 million years ago by an asteroid hitting Earth has been found in the Chicxulub crater under the Gulf of Mexico.
UK creates high-risk, high-reward research agency
Authors: Randall Ian
Published: June 2021

The UK has announced the creation of a new, independent research agency that will aim to fund high-risk, high-reward science and technology.
Pandemic disproportionately affects female academics
Authors: Allen Michael
Published: June 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted female academics in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine
China powers ahead in neutrino physics
Authors: Xin Ling
Published: June 2021

Ling Xin examines the legacy of the recently closed Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment on neutrino physics, US–China collaborations and future neutrino facilities
Scientists back Harvard researcher over China links
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: June 2021

Scientists from around the world have issued an open letter in support of the Harvard University nanoscientist Charles Lieber who has been charged by the US government over lying about his connections with institutions supported by the Chinese government.
Don’t be cowed
Authors: Durrani Matin
Published: June 2021

Physics and physicists are helping to understand how much methane cows belch out
Recognizing religious diversity
Authors: Wood Sebastian
Published: June 2021

Sebastian Wood says that science needs to welcome different faiths and do more to build bridges between the two communities
A century of nuclear isomers
Authors: Walker Philip , Podolyák Zsolt
Published: June 2021

One hundred years after “nuclear isomers” were first discovered, Philip Walker and Zsolt Podolyák pick five examples of these long-lived, excited nuclear states to show why they are so important in medical physics and beyond
The surprises essential to life
Authors: Appell David
Published: June 2021

David Appell reviews Seven Pillars of Science: the Incredible Lightness of Ice, and Other Scientific Surprises by John Gribbin
Living in a materials world
Authors: Commissariat Tushna
Published: June 2021

Materials scientist Arnab Basu, head of radiation-detection technology developer Kromek, talks to Tushna Commissariat about founding a spin-off, the challenges of COVID-19 and looking to the future
Counting muons in schools
Authors: Ferguson Andrew
Published: June 2021

Primary-school children, and the rest of us too, are continuously being showered by unseen muons, a heavier relative of the more familiar electron. I was therefore excited to read about a successful US-based outreach project that allows members of the public to make muon detectors for less than $100 and observe these tiny particles for themselves.
Convergence analysis of the finite difference ADI scheme for the heat equation on a convex set
Authors: Bialecki Bernard , Dryja Maksymilian , Fernandes Ryan
Published: June 2021

It is well known that for the heat equation on a rectangle, the finite difference alternating direction implicit (ADI) method converges with order two. For the first time in the literature, we bound errors of the finite difference ADI method for the heat equation on a convex set for which it is possible to construct a partition consistent with the boundary. Numerical results indicate that the ADI method may also work for some nonconvex sets for which it is possible to construct a partition consistent with the boundary.
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) Exposure Hazard Assessment: An Algorithm for Generating Exposure Index Based on Direct Instrument Readings
Authors: Austigard Åse Dalseth , Smedbold Hans Thore
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Increased use of small affordable alarm sensors with logging or network capabilities has improved the ability to monitor exposure. The large datasets generated from these monitors calls for development of a computer algorithm to assess these data.

Methods

We examined 88 time series of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) from wastewater works previously used for developing the exposure index. The time series covered 331 h, where 16 h had readings different from zero.

Results

The developed algorithm reproduced the manual assessed index almost perfectly (linear regression β = 1.02, R2 = 0.97, P < 0.001). Time-weighted average (TWA) values of the 88 time series showed a mean value of 0.04 ppm (range 0.0–0.9). The mean index value was 18 (range 0–337), with a good linear fit (β = 0.002, R2 = 0.93, and P < 0.001). The index gave us a better resolution and basis for risk assessment than the TWA, and managed to combine evaluation of TWA and exceedance of ceiling value in one number.

Conclusions

As long as peaks above ceiling value occur, we find alarm tools with an H2S sensor to be an essential personal protective equipment against H2S. The proposed method has been verified, and it removes some common human errors in graph evaluation. Use of the index is a possible way of quantifying risk level in exposure to H2S in one single number and provides better understanding of the risk of exposure, as it eases the analysis and evaluation of large numbers of time series.
Recent ecophysiological, biochemical and evolutional insights into plant carnivory
Authors: Adamec Lubomír , Matušíková Ildikó , Pavlovič Andrej
Published: June 2021

Background

Carnivorous plants are an ecological group of approx. 810 vascular species which capture and digest animal prey, absorb prey-derived nutrients and utilize them to enhance their growth and development. Extant carnivorous plants have evolved in at least ten independent lineages, and their adaptive traits represent an example of structural and functional convergence. Plant carnivory is a result of complex adaptations to mostly nutrient-poor, wet and sunny habitats when the benefits of carnivory exceed the costs. With a boost in interest and extensive research in recent years, many aspects of these adaptations have been clarified (at least partly), but many remain unknown.

Scope

We provide some of the most recent insights into substantial ecophysiological, biochemical and evolutional particulars of plant carnivory from the functional viewpoint. We focus on those processes and traits in carnivorous plants associated with their ecological characterization, mineral nutrition, cost–benefit relationships, functioning of digestive enzymes and regulation of the hunting cycle in traps. We elucidate mechanisms by which uptake of prey-derived nutrients leads to stimulation of photosynthesis and root nutrient uptake.

Conclusions

Utilization of prey-derived mineral (mainly N and P) and organic nutrients is highly beneficial for plants and increases the photosynthetic rate in leaves as a prerequisite for faster plant growth. Whole-genome and tandem gene duplications brought gene material for diversification into carnivorous functions and enabled recruitment of defence-related genes. Possible mechanisms for the evolution of digestive enzymes are summarized, and a comprehensive picture on the biochemistry and regulation of prey decomposition and prey-derived nutrient uptake is provided.
Optimizing blood–brain barrier permeation through deep reinforcement learning for de novo drug design
Authors: Pereira Tiago , Abbasi Maryam , Oliveira José Luis , Ribeiro Bernardete , Arrais Joel
Published: June 2021

Motivation

The process of placing new drugs into the market is time-consuming, expensive and complex. The application of computational methods for designing molecules with bespoke properties can contribute to saving resources throughout this process. However, the fundamental properties to be optimized are often not considered or conflicting with each other. In this work, we propose a novel approach to consider both the biological property and the bioavailability of compounds through a deep reinforcement learning framework for the targeted generation of compounds. We aim to obtain a promising set of selective compounds for the adenosine A2A receptor and, simultaneously, that have the necessary properties in terms of solubility and permeability across the blood–brain barrier to reach the site of action. The cornerstone of the framework is based on a recurrent neural network architecture, the Generator. It seeks to learn the building rules of valid molecules to sample new compounds further. Also, two Predictors are trained to estimate the properties of interest of the new molecules. Finally, the fine-tuning of the Generator was performed with reinforcement learning, integrated with multi-objective optimization and exploratory techniques to ensure that the Generator is adequately biased.

Results

The biased Generator can generate an interesting set of molecules, with approximately 85% having the two fundamental properties biased as desired. Thus, this approach has transformed a general molecule generator into a model focused on optimizing specific objectives. Furthermore, the molecules’ synthesizability and drug-likeness demonstrate the potential applicability of the de novo drug design in medicinal chemistry.

Availability and implementation

All code is publicly available in the https://github.com/larngroup/De-Novo-Drug-Design.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
MNHN-Tree-Tools: a toolbox for tree inference using multi-scale clustering of a set of sequences
Authors: Haschka Thomas , Ponger Loic , Escudé Christophe , Mozziconacci Julien
Published: June 2021

Genomic sequences are widely used to infer the evolutionary history of a given group of individuals. Many methods have been developed for sequence clustering and tree building. In the early days of genome sequencing, these were often limited to hundreds of sequences but due to the surge of high throughput sequencing, it is now common to have millions of sampled sequences at hand. We introduce MNHN-Tree-Tools, a high performance set of algorithms that builds multi-scale, nested clusters of sequences found in a FASTA file. MNHN-Tree-Tools does not rely on multiple sequence alignment and can thus be used on large datasets to infer a sequence tree. Herein, we outline two applications: a human alpha-satellite repeats classification and a tree of life derivation from 16S/18S rDNA sequences.

Availability and implementation

Open source with a Zlib License via the Git protocol: https://gitlab.in2p3.fr/mnhn-tools/mnhn-tree-tools.

Manual

A detailed users guide and tutorial: https://gitlab.in2p3.fr/mnhn-tools/mnhn-tree-tools-manual/-/raw/master/manual.pdf.

Website and FAQ

http://treetools.haschka.net.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Smart homes: potentials and challenges
Authors: El-Azab Rasha
Published: June 2021

Decentralized distributed clean-energy sources have become an essential need for smart grids to reduce the harmful effects of conventional power plants. Smart homes with a suitable sizing process and proper energy-management schemes can share in reducing the whole grid demand and even sell clean energy to the utility. Smart homes have been introduced recently as an alternative solution to classical power-system problems, such as the emissions of thermal plants and blackout hazards due to bulk plants/transmission outages. The appliances, sources and energy storage of smart homes should be coordinated with the requirements of homeowners via a suitable energy-management scheme. Energy-management systems are the main key to optimizing both home sources and the operation of loads to maximize home-economic benefits while keeping a comfortable lifestyle. The intermittent uncertain nature of smart homes may badly affect the whole grid performance. The prospective high penetration of smart homes on a smart power grid will introduce new, unusual scenarios in both generation and loading. In this paper, the main features and requirements of smart homes are defined. This review aims also to address recent proposed smart-home energy-management schemes. Moreover, smart-grid challenges with a high penetration of smart-home power are discussed.
Phase Resetting in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Subserves Childhood Attention and Is Impaired by Epilepsy
Authors: Wong Simeon M , Arski Olivia N , Warsi Nebras M , Pang Elizabeth W , Kerr Elizabeth , Smith Mary Lou , Dunkley Benjamin T , Ochi Ayako , Otsubo Hiroshi , Sharma Roy , Jain Puneet , Donner Elizabeth , Snead O Carter , Ibrahim George M
Published: June 2021

The neural mechanisms that underlie selective attention in children are poorly understood. By administering a set-shifting task to children with intracranial electrodes stereotactically implanted within anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for epilepsy monitoring, we demonstrate that selective attention in a set-shifting task is dependent upon theta-band phase resetting immediately following stimulus onset and that the preferred theta phase angle is predictive of reaction time during attentional shift. We also observe selective enhancement of oscillatory coupling between the ACC and the dorsal attention network and decoupling with the default mode network during task performance. When transient focal epileptic activity occurs around the time of stimulus onset, phase resetting is impaired, connectivity changes with attentional and default mode networks are abolished, and reaction times are prolonged. The results of the present work highlight the fundamental mechanistic role of oscillatory phase in ACC in supporting attentional circuitry and present novel opportunities to remediate attention deficits in children with epilepsy.
Importance of blood pressure control in Kawasaki disease with expanded multiple giant coronary aneurysms with a 32 mm maximum diameter: a case report
Authors: Moritoh Yuji , Kamada Masahiro , Matsumoto Shinsaku , Kido Koji
Published: June 2021

Background

Ruptured coronary artery aneurysm is rare, but the most serious complications of an acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD) with giant coronary artery aneurysm (GCAA). Progressive or super GCAA, which rapidly dilates and continue to increase over a diameter of 10 mm, are more susceptible to rupture.

Case summary

We report the case of a 6-year-old boy with KD who had multiple super GCAAs with a high risk of GCAA rupture. On admission to our hospital, he presented with fever, chest pain, and Stage II hypertension. Echocardiographic Z-scores adjusted for body surface area were used for measurements. The coronary artery diameter of segment 1 was 24.3 mm with a Z-score of 20.8; the diameter of segment 3 was 24.4 mm; the diameter of the left anterior descending branch was 32.6 mm with a Z-score of 20.1. The super GCAAs showed a tendency to expand compared to the latest echocardiography, and thrombus formation was observed in the super GCAA of segment 3. The patient was treated with anti-inflammatory therapy, antithrombotic therapy, and antihypertensive therapy with continuous arterial pressure monitoring with the goal of not exceeding the 5th percentile of the normal standard during the period when there was a risk of progressive coronary aneurysm expansion. He was discharged without any neurological complications.

Discussion

We speculated that the patient's hypertension was the cause of an expanding coronary artery aneurysm. In conclusion, KD patients with super GCAA may benefit from aggressive blood pressure control with continuous arterial pressure monitoring.
Cyclical Government Spending: Theory and Empirics
Authors: Roulleau-Pasdeloup Jordan
Published: June 2021

This paper shows that part of what is usually labelled discretionary government spending actually varies systematically over the cycle. I exploit the pervasive gap between ordinary least squares and two-stage least squares local government spending multipliers to estimate how cyclical the systematic part of government spending is. Estimating a structural open-economy New Keynesian model on United States state-level data, I find that when employment decreases by $1\%$, the systematic component of government spending decreases by $0.23\%$. I also find that the empirical specification in Nakamura and Steinsson, ‘Fiscal Stimulus in a monetary union’ (American Economic Review, 2014) does a good job in recovering the true impact multiplier effect, but that it overestimates the long-run cumulative effect.
‘You Felt Disembodied’: Reconfiguring Vulnerabilities Through Metalepsis in Harry Parker’s Anatomy of A Soldier
Authors: Marcellin Katia
Published: June 2021

Harry Parker’s first novel, Anatomy of a Soldier (2016), is a trauma narrative intermingling several timelines and told from the perspectives of forty-four object-narrators. This produces temporal and focal shifts in the narrative, which occur through stylistic metalepsis, that is, through discrepancies that blur the boundaries between causes and effects or between entities. This article proposes to examine how the use of metalepsis in this novel reconfigures the representation of trauma. Through metalepsis, Parker’s novel seeks to come as close as possible to the reality of the traumatized psyche, to materialize the space left blank by the shattering force of the traumatic event. Yet, beyond that representational issue, metalepsis also fulfils an ethical function in the novel: by performing rather than showing the workings of trauma, the narrative produces, and includes the reader in, a fragile yet tangible community of shared vulnerabilities.
Factors influencing health-related quality of life of patients with a left ventricular assist device: a systematic review and thematic synthesis
Authors: Levelink Michael , Brütt Anna Levke
Published: June 2021

Aims

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly being used in the treatment of advanced heart failure. Left ventricular assist device patients frequently report improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) post-implantation. However, HRQOL varies over time and between patients, which can be explained by patient-related and environmental factors, as individual studies suggest. This review aims to synthesize qualitative evidence on factors influencing HRQOL of LVAD patients.

Methods and results

We systematically searched the databases PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and CINAHL for qualitative studies on factors influencing HRQOL of patients with continuous flow LVADs. The included papers were synthesized using a thematic synthesis. The results were validated in discussion with a patient and practical implications were jointly developed. We included 11 papers and developed 7 themes that represent influencing factors for HRQOL of LVAD patients: disease experiences, emotional reactivity, heart failure and mechanical circulatory support symptoms, medical care, self-care, self-concept, and social environment.

Conclusion

The identified themes highlight influencing factors on HRQOL. These help to explain variation in patient outcomes and to better consider the individual situation in rehabilitation. Based on the results, four strategies are proposed for promoting psychosocial outcomes: facilitate self-care, ensure social support, offer psychosocial support, and manage patient expectations.
Simulation of broad-band ground motions with consistent long-period and short-period components using the Wasserstein interpolation of acceleration envelopes
Authors: Okazaki Tomohisa , Hachiya Hirotaka , Iwaki Asako , Maeda Takahiro , Fujiwara Hiroyuki , Ueda Naonori
Published: June 2021

Practical hybrid approaches for the simulation of broad-band ground motions often combine long-period and short-period waveforms synthesized by independent methods under different assumptions for different period ranges, which at times can lead to incompatible time histories and frequency properties. This study explores an approach that generates consistent broad-band waveforms using past observation records, under the assumption that long-period waveforms can be obtained from physics-based simulations. Specifically, acceleration envelopes and Fourier amplitude spectra are transformed from long-period to short-period using machine learning methods, and they are combined to produce a broad-band waveform. To effectively obtain the relationship of high-dimensional envelopes from limited amount of data, we (1) formulate the problem as the conversion of probability distributions, which enables the introduction of a metric known as the Wasserstein distance, and (2) embed pairs of long-period and short-period envelopes into a common latent space to improve the consistency of the entire waveform. An experimental application to a past earthquake demonstrates that the proposed method exhibits superior performance compared to existing methods as well as neural network approaches. In particular, the proposed method reproduces global properties in the time domain, which confirms the effectiveness of the embedding approach as well as the advantage of the Wasserstein distance as a measure of dissimilarity of the envelopes. This method serves as a novel machine learning approach that maintains consistency both in the time-domain and frequency-domain properties of waveforms.