bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Liability of Poorness: Why the Playing Field is Not Level for Poverty Entrepreneurs
Authors: Morris Michael H.
Published: September 2020

Entrepreneurship is increasingly emphasized as a pathway out of poverty. However, the complex, multi‐faceted nature of the poverty experience has important implications for the ability to launch and sustain viable businesses. All entrepreneurs must overcome the liabilities of newness and smallness, as reflected in a lack of legitimacy with stakeholders, inadequate resources and capabilities, an unclear identity, misunderstood roles and unclear role definitions, few established routines and procedures, and little bargaining power. However, poverty entrepreneurs face an additional barrier, which we term the liability of poorness. Four underlying dimensions of the liability of poorness are identified: literacy shortcomings, a scarcity mindset, significant non‐business distractions, and the lack of financial slack or a safety net. The manner in which each of these interacting elements exacerbate the entrepreneur's ability to address the liabilities of newness and smallness is explored. It is argued that, as the liability of poorness becomes greater, the vulnerability and fragility of the poverty entrepreneur's venture are apt to increase. Under such circumstances, significant external shocks and unexpected occurrences, such as the economic shutdown resulting from the COVID‐19 pandemic, typically have a more devastating impact on the ventures of the poor. Policies are needed to level the playing field.
The shapes of wine and table grape leaves: An ampelometric study inspired by the methods of Pierre Galet
Authors: Chitwood Daniel H.
Published: September 2020

Societal Impact Statement

Leaf shapes are critical to the identification of grapevine varieties. Historically, measures of grapevine leaves were used to enforce appellation law and leaf shape is used to this day to distinguish economically important clones that genetic analyses fail to discriminate. The ampelometry (“vine” + “process of measuring”) of Pierre Galet (1921‐2019), through quantitative measurements and hand‐drawings, illuminated the beauty of grapevine diversity for the world. Here, mathematical methods rigorously quantifying hand‐drawings of grapevine leaves are presented, with implications for how we document and preserve the stunning diversity of plants we so readily see with our eyes.

People have an innate ability to recognize different patterns in among plants. Quantifying these differences, that we assimilate so effortlessly with our senses, is more challenging. Grapevines are a special case in which leaf shape has been critical to identify varieties correctly. The distinct morphology of grapevine leaves lends itself to the application of mathematical approaches that quantify shape.

Here, corresponding points on every grapevine leaf (landmarks) and equidistant points between landmarks (pseudo‐landmarks) were used to capture intricate, local features in grapevine leaves: the curvature of veins, lobes, and sinuses and the shapes of serrations. Using these points, averaged leaf shapes for 60 varieties of wine and table grapes were calculated that quantify shape to the same resolution as hand drawings.

The overall morphological similarity of each variety to the other classified the leaves into two discrete groups: (i) deeply lobed and (ii) more entire—corresponding to the measurements of sinus depth put forward by the ampelographer Pierre Galet. Using the system of Galet, landmarks, and pseudo‐landmarks were converted into relative distance and angle measurements. Using a high number of landmarks and pseudolandmarks increased the accuracy of predicting variety correctly, compared to using a finite number of landmarks alone.

The ability to identify correctly a vine variety from leaf shape will have significant implications for the wine industry, from ensuring correct scion and rootstock plantings in vineyards, to enforcing appellation law to discerning clones that are genetically indistinguishable.
Interfacing DNA and Polydopamine Nanoparticles and Its Applications
Authors: Zandieh Mohamad , Hagar Blake M. , Liu Juewen
Published: September 2020

Polydopamine (PDA) is polymerized from dopamine under oxidative and basic conditions. PDA is a biocompatible material with great versatility for coating various surfaces and it can also form nanoparticles. DNA oligonucleotides are highly stable, and they can recognize a diverse range of molecules from complementary nucleic acids, proteins to small molecules and metal ions. To enhance the molecular recognition function of PDA, it is interfaced with DNA and the conjugates have achieved a wide range of applications in biomedical and analytical science. In this review, the chemistry of some catecholamines, including dopamine and PDA, is first briefly introduced and variables in the PDA synthesis are highlighted. Strategies to promote DNA adsorption on PDA are then discussed including the use of low pH and polyvalent metal ions. In addition, covalent attachment of DNA to PDA can be achieved by using amino or thiol‐modified DNA, forming highly stable conjugates. The specific applications of PDA–DNA conjugate are also delineated, including DNA extraction, biosensing, intracellular delivery, and DNA origami. Finally, some problems in the field are discussed, along with a few future research opportunities.
Characterizing e‐cigarette vaping‐associated lung injury in the pediatric intensive care unit
Authors: Reddy Anireddy , Jenssen Brian P. , Chidambaram Ambika , Yehya Nadir , Lindell Robert B.
Published: September 2020

Objective

Adolescent e‐cigarette use has risen to epidemic levels in the US, revealing a new phenomenon of e‐cigarette vaping‐associated lung injury (EVALI). It is important to better characterize EVALI in critically ill adolescents as this is a vulnerable and rapidly growing demographic.

Methods

This was a retrospective case series of patients ≤21 years old with confirmed or probable EVALI (as defined by the Centers for Disease Control) that resulted in admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a large tertiary academic children's hospital between August 2019 and January 2020.

Results

There were six eligible patients, with a median age of 17 years. All patients reported tetrahydrocannabinol as well as nicotine e‐cigarette use. Half of the patients had a preexisting diagnosis of asthma and four patients had mental health comorbidities. All patients presented with respiratory alkalosis and chest radiography showing diffuse bilateral infiltrates; two patients had pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous air and/or pneumothorax. The lowest documented ratio of oxygen saturation to inspired oxygen (SpO2:FiO2 or S/F ratio) ranged from 146 to 296. Two patients required an arterial line, with the lowest ratio of arterial oxygen to inspired oxygen (PaO2:FiO2 or P/F ratio) of 197 and 165. Two patients tested positive for rhinovirus and respiratory cultures were negative for all patients. Four patients underwent chest computed tomography imaging, which showed diffuse ground‐glass opacities. Every patient required noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, with one progressing to invasive ventilation. All patients received broad‐spectrum intravenous antibiotics and steroids, though there was considerable variability in dose, frequency, and duration of steroids. The hospital length of stay ranged from 5 to 16 days (median 8.3 days) with PICU length of stay ranging from 4 to 10 days (median 5.5 days). Four patients had pulmonary function testing before discharge, two of which showed decreased diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. There were no patient deaths.

Conclusions

This single‐center case series describes the presentation, course, and treatment of EVALI in a pediatric intensive care unit setting. Our results show nuanced differences in the presentation and management of the critically ill adolescent, and raise many questions about the long term implications on lung health, morbidity, and mortality. Importantly, these cases illustrate the critical care consequences of a public health phenomenon and should spur further research and policy to address the negative health effects of vaping.
Vaccinium myrtillus L. extract and its native polyphenol‐recombined mixture have anti‐proliferative and pro‐apoptotic effects on human prostate cancer cell lines
Authors: Del Bubba Massimo , Di Serio Claudia , Renai Lapo , Scordo Cristina Vanessa Agata , Checchini Leonardo , Ungar Andrea , Tarantini Francesca , Bartoletti Riccardo
Published: September 2020

Vaccinium myrtillus berry extract (VME) and a recombined standard mixture (RSM) of its main native phenolic compounds were investigated for cell growth inhibition and pro‐apoptotic activity on hormone‐dependent (LNCaP) and hormone‐independent (PC3 and DU‐145) prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines. Normal prostate epithelial cells (PrEC) were also studied in comparison. VME hindered anchorage‐dependent PCa cell proliferation in a dose‐dependent manner, that is, at 1/800 (v/v) dilution for LNCaP and PC3, and 1/100 (v/v) dilution for DU‐145 (corresponding to 14.15 and 113.2 μg cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside equivalents per ml of culture medium), respectively. VME had a growth inhibitory effect towards PrEC at the same dilution of DU‐145 cells although the IC50 values indicated that PrEC are more resistant than PCa cell lines. VME also reduced the anchorage‐independent growth of PCa cells. The study of the apoptotic profile (i.e., non‐apoptotic, early apoptotic, late apoptotic and necrotic cells) evidenced that the apoptotic rate (early+late) was statistically higher in all three cell lines exposed to VME compared to control. Anchorage‐dependent and anchorage‐independent growth inhibition of RSM was very similar to that displayed by VME. Moreover, RSM exerted its growth inhibitory effect also under hypoxia, the latter representing a biological condition known to sustain PCa proliferation and aggressiveness.
Benchmarking DFT Calculations of 1H and 13C Chemical Shifts in Monosubstituted Ferrocenes
Authors: Chamkin Aleksandr A.
Published: September 2020

Different density functional theory (DFT) approaches were tested for the computation of 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts in monosubstituted ferrocenes. The results were evaluated against experimental values. Generally, the conductor‐like polarizable continuum model and cc‐pVTZ basis set are recommended. The geometries providing the best accuracies are B3LYP‐optimized for 1H and M06‐L‐optimized for 13C. Functional rankings at these geometries are: TPSSh > M06‐L > CAM‐B3LYP > B3LYP > PBE0 > M06 (the first one is the most accurate) for 1H NMR computations and M06 > M06‐L > PBE0 > TPSSh > B3LYP > CAM‐B3LYP for 13C. The most accurate functionals have root‐mean‐square deviations of 0.08 ppm (1H, TPSSh) and 3.97 ppm (13C, M06) and showed similar accuracy for a set of disubstituted ferrocenes and decamethylferrocene. The utilization of Jensen's pcSseg‐2 basis set improves the results for 1H but worsens the results for 13C. The linear scaling is generally not recommended. The errors can be minimized using an appropriate method for a given nucleus, so the DFT‐assisted signal assignment is possible for substituted ferrocenes.
Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome in remission with benralizumab treatment after relapse with mepolizumab
Authors: Fujii Koki , Takahashi Hidenori , Hayakawa Nami , Iwasaki Yoshinobu
Published: September 2020

We report a patient with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (I‐HES) who achieved remission with benralizumab after relapsing on mepolizumab. An 83‐year‐old man was admitted to Showa General Hospital after presenting with hypoxaemia and multiple erythematous lesions. He showed a marked increase in blood eosinophil count. Skin biopsy revealed an invasion of eosinophils in the dermis. He was diagnosed with I‐HES. He was commenced on prednisolone 40 mg/day with a plan to wean this over time after pulse steroid therapy for three days. Mepolizumab was added when the prednisolone dose was 25 mg/day. Unfortunately, at a prednisolone dose of 5 mg/day, there was evidence of disease progression and the patient was switched to benralizumab. Prednisolone was tapered again and, finally, the patient was in remission. Benralizumab targets interleukin (IL)‐5R and induces antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity, thereby reducing the eosinophil counts in the tissue. This can be attributed to the therapeutic efficacy against I‐HES. We believe this report may help develop novel therapeutic strategies for I‐HES.
Identification of hybrid and linear parameter‐varying models via piecewise affine regression using mixed integer programming
Authors: Mejari Manas , Naik Vihangkumar V. , Piga Dario , Bemporad Alberto
Published: September 2020

This article presents a two‐stage algorithm for piecewise affine (PWA) regression. In the first stage, a moving horizon strategy is employed to simultaneously estimate the model parameters and to classify the training data by solving a small‐size mixed‐integer quadratic programming problem. In the second stage, linear multicategory separation methods are used to partition the regressor space. The framework of PWA regression is adapted to the identification of PWA AutoRegressive with eXogenous input (PWARX) models as well as linear parameter‐varying (LPV) models. The performance of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated on an academic example and on two benchmark experimental case studies. The first experimental example concerns modeling the placement process in a pick‐and‐place machine, while the second one consists in the identification of an LPV model describing the input‐output relationship of an electronic bandpass filter with time‐varying resonant frequency.
Filtering adaptive output feedback control for multivariable nonlinear systems with mismatched uncertainties and unmodeled dynamics
Authors: Ma Tong
Published: September 2020

This article synthesizes a filtering adaptive output feedback controller for multivariable nonlinear systems with mismatched uncertainties and unmodeled dynamics. The multivariable nonlinear systems under consideration have both matched and mismatched uncertainties, which satisfy the semiglobal Lipschitz condition. The unmodeled dynamics are bounded‐input bounded‐output stable. By adopting an estimation/cancellation strategy, a piecewise constant adaptive law drives the estimation error to zero at every time instant, which yields the adaptive parameters; a disturbance rejection control law is designed to compensate the nonlinear uncertainties within the bandwidth of low‐pass filters. The matched uncertainties are cancelled directly by adopting their opposite in the control signal, while a dynamic inversion of the system is required to eliminate the effect of the mismatched uncertainties on the output. A feedforward control law is designed to track a given command. Since the virtual reference system defines the best performance that can be achieved by the closed‐loop system, the uniform performance bounds are derived for the states and control signals via comparison. Both numerical and practical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed filtering adaptive output feedback control architecture, comparisons with the model reference adaptive control demonstrates the superiority of the proposed control method.
Bayesian learning of multiple directed networks from observational data
Authors: Castelletti Federico , La Rocca Luca , Peluso Stefano , Stingo Francesco C. , Consonni Guido
Published: September 2020

Graphical modeling represents an established methodology for identifying complex dependencies in biological networks, as exemplified in the study of co‐expression, gene regulatory, and protein interaction networks. The available observations often exhibit an intrinsic heterogeneity, which impacts on the network structure through the modification of specific pathways for distinct groups, such as disease subtypes. We propose to infer the resulting multiple graphs jointly in order to benefit from potential similarities across groups; on the other hand our modeling framework is able to accommodate group idiosyncrasies. We consider directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) as network structures, and develop a Bayesian method for structural learning of multiple DAGs. We explicitly account for Markov equivalence of DAGs, and propose a suitable prior on the collection of graph spaces that induces selective borrowing strength across groups. The resulting inference allows in particular to compute the posterior probability of edge inclusion, a useful summary for representing flow directions within the network. Finally, we detail a simulation study addressing the comparative performance of our method, and present an analysis of two protein networks together with a substantive interpretation of our findings.
Doping Transition Metals into TiO2‐CNT Nanocatalyst to Enhance the Selective Oxidation of H2S
Authors: Daraee Maryam , Baniadam Majid , Rashidi Alimorad , Maghrebi Morteza
Published: September 2020

In this research work, the transition metals (Ni, Co and W) have been doped into the TiO2‐CNT (X‐TC) nanocatalysts through sol‐gel method. The structure and composition of the synthesized catalysts were determined by various qualitative and quantitative techniques. Their performance was evaluated in selective oxidation of H2S to elemental sulfur and compared to those of the undoped TiO2‐CNT (TC). It was found that the all metals which were doped into the TC catalyst showed much better desulfurization performance than the TC. The H2S conversion of the catalysts followed the trend of Co5 %‐TC>Ni5 %‐TC>W5 %‐TC∼TC and Co10 %‐TC>Ni10 %‐TC>W10 %‐TC∼TC and the selectivity was almost higher than 99 % in all catalysts. In this regard, the 5 %Co‐TC had the higher H2S conversion of 99.5 %, sulfur selectivity of 99.6 % and sulfur yield of 99.1 % which is attributed to the lower band gap and higher specific surface area and pore volume in comparison to the other metal‐doped TC catalysts. In addition, the increase in the metal content to 10 wt. % decreased the H2S conversion and sulfur selectivity because the metal particles on TC deteriorated the surface area and pore volume of the catalysts. The high catalytic activity of metals doped catalysts can be attributed to doping active transition metals as active site on mesoporous support of TC.
A Graphene‐Based Supramolecular Nanoreactor for the Fast Synthesis of Imines in Water
Authors: Capasso Palmiero Umberto , Sponchioni Mattia , Margani Fatima , Moscatelli Davide , Galimberti Maurizio , Barbera Vincenzina
Published: September 2020

The confinement of organic synthesis within waterborne nanoreactors is regarded with increasing attention to improve its yield and reduce the environmental impact. However, many catalysts, such as graphene, are barely dispersible in aqueous media and many chemical reactions cannot be performed in the presence of water due to thermodynamic limitations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel strategies to carry out these processes in more sustainable conditions. To pursue this goal, in this work, a waterborne supramolecular nanoreactor is developed. The system comprises a polymeric micelle obtained from the self‐assembly of pyrrole‐based amphiphilic block copolymers. The active catalytic component is represented by few graphene layers, functionalized with pyrrole to enhance their interaction with the micelle core and hence their nanoencapsulation. Using this nanoreactor, it is possible to synthesize imines starting from primary amines and aldehydes or ketones with high yield and in short time (Y = 90% after 5 min) at room temperature. Moreover, an efficient strategy to recycle the reactor is proposed, thus increasing the potential of this technology.
A Generally Applicable Approach Using Sequential Deposition to Enable Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Fu Huiting , Gao Wei , Li Yuxiang , Lin Francis , Wu Xin , Son Jae Hoon , Luo Jingdong , Woo Han Young , Zhu Zonglong , Jen Alex K.‐Y.
Published: September 2020

Bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs) are prepared by a common one‐step solution casting of donor‐acceptor blends often encounter dynamic morphological evolution which is hard to control to achieve optimal performance. To overcome this hurdle, a generally applicable, sequential processing approach has been developed to construct high‐performance OSCs without involving tedious processes. The morphology of photoactive layers comprising a polymer donor (PM6) and a nonfullerene acceptor (denoted as Y6‐BO) can be precisely manipulated by tuning Y6‐BO layer with a small amount of 1‐chloronaphthalene additive to induce the structural order of Y6‐BO molecules to impact the blend phase. The results of a comparative investigation elucidate that such two‐step procedure can afford more favorable BHJ microstructure than that achievable with the single blend‐casting route. This translates into improved carrier generation and transport, and suppressed charge recombination. Consequently, the devices based on sequential deposition (SD) deliver a remarkable efficiency up to 17.2% (the highest for SD OSCs to date), outperforming that from the conventional BHJ devices (16.4%). The general applicability of this approach has also been tested on several other nonfullerene acceptors which show similar improvements. These results highlight that SD is a promising processing alternative to promote better photovoltaic performance and reduce production requirements.
How Humidity and Light Exposure Change the Photophysics of Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Ugur Esma , Alarousu Erkki , Khan Jafar I. , Vlk Aleš , Aydin Erkan , De Bastiani Michele , Balawi Ahmed H. , Gonzalez Lopez Sandra P. , Ledinský Martin , De Wolf Stefaan , Laquai Frédéric
Published: September 2020

Metal halide perovskites exhibit outstanding optical and electronic properties, but are very sensitive to humidity and light‐soaking. In this work, the photophysics of perovskites that have been exposed to such conditions are studied and, in this context, the impact of excess lead iodide (PbI2) is revealed. For exposed samples, the formation of subbandgap states and increased trap‐assisted recombination is observed, using highly sensitive absorption and time‐resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements, respectively. It appears that such exposure primarily affects the perovskite surface. Consequently, on n–i–p device level, the spiro‐OMeTAD/perovskite interface is more rapidly affected than its buried electron‐collecting interface. Moreover, both stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric MAPbI3‐based solar cells show reduced device performance mainly due to voltage losses. Overall, this study brings forward key points to consider in engineering perovskite solar cells with improved performance and material stability.
Integrated machine learning with semantic web for open government data recommendation based on cloud computing
Authors: Hsu I‐Ching , Lin Yin‐Hung
Published: September 2020

Open government data (OGD) is a type of trusted information that can be used to verify the correctness of information on social platforms. Finding interesting OGD to serve personalized needs to facilitate the development of social platforms is a challenging research topic. This study explores how to link the Taiwanese government's open data platform with Facebook and how to recommend related OGD. First, an integrated machine learning with semantic web into cloud computing framework is defined. Next, the linked data query platform (LDQP) is developed to validate its feasibility. The LDQP provides a graphical approach for personal query and links with related Facebook fan pages. LDQP automatically finds highly relevant OGD based on recent topics that users are following on Facebook when users login to Facebook via the LDQP. In this way, the LDQP query result can be dynamically adjusted and graphically displayed according to user's Facebook operations.
The Influence of Normalization Temperatures on Different Texture Components and Magnetic Properties of Nonoriented Electrical Steels
Authors: Wu Xiaolong , Yang Ping , Gu Xinfu , Pei Wei , Leng Yemin
Published: September 2020

The effects of normalization on different texture components and magnetic properties in G50W600 nonoriented electrical steel are studied by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The results show that normalization can coarsen surface {110}‐oriented grains and recrystallized rotated cube or {114}<481>‐oriented grains in the center. Moreover, the highest texture intensity change from original rotated cube texture to the {114}<481> texture with the increase of normalization temperature. Just after the completion of recrystallization in final sheets corresponding to hot‐rolled samples, {111}<112> is the main texture component, while that in final sheets corresponding to normalized samples is {114}<481>. The final sheets normalized at 920 and 980 °C have a higher iron loss and higher magnetic induction than the final sheets corresponding to hot‐rolled samples, which is caused by the fact that normalized samples show finer final grain size, higher volume faction of {100} and {110}, and lower volume fraction of γ‐fiber than hot‐rolled samples. With the increasing of annealing temperature and time, the magnetic induction and iron loss of normalized samples decrease. Furthermore, the final sheets normalized at 940 °C have the best magnetic properties. During final high temperature annealing, the non γ‐fiber oriented grains show a higher growth ability than γ‐fiber oriented grains.
An Ultramicroporous Metal–Organic Framework for Sieving Separation of Carbon Dioxide from Methane
Authors: Lin Rui-Biao , Li Libo , Alsalme Ali , Chen Banglin
Published: September 2020

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can be rationally constructed with optimal pore structure for highly selective gas separation, but developing efficient adsorbents to fulfill high sieving separation for important processes remains a challenge. Herein, an ultramicroporous MOF [Ca(C4O4)(H2O)] possessing rigid 1D pore channels is applied for high sieving separation of carbon dioxide over methane. This MOF, synthesized from calcium nitrate and squaric acid, contains well‐constrained squarate linkers declining rotations or distortions of organic moieties that could enlarge the pores. These highly rigid pore apertures show sieving size for carbon dioxide capture, but, owing to their size, shape, and rigidity, act as nanosieves to block the diffusion of methane. This material shows large CO2 uptake capacity of 3.0 mmol g−1 that is higher than some MOF sieves for CO2, with negligible coadsorption of CH4. The sieving effect of this adsorbent for CO2/CH4 mixture is validated by breakthrough experiments under ambient conditions, showing a productivity of 3012 mmol L−1 for captured CO2. Molecular modeling studies reveal the well accommodations of CO2 molecules in the pore channels of this MOF, facilitating to realize high sieving separation of carbon dioxide from methane.
Characteristics of the Surface Charge Accumulation and Capacitive‐Resistive Electric Field Transition for an HVDC GIL Insulator
Authors: Yang Wei , Zhu Taiyun , Tian Yu , Zhu Shenglong , Yang Xi
Published: September 2020

For a gas‐solid insulation system with direct current (DC) voltage, the surface charge accumulation and decay phenomenon are directly related to the capacitive‐resistive electric field transition process. The accumulated charges will affect the electrical insulation performance of a gas‐solid insulation system, which is a challenge for the development of DC gas‐insulated metal‐enclosed transmission line (GIL) equipment. In this paper, a study of the surface charge accumulation characteristics for a DC GIL insulator in the electric field transition process is presented. The charge accumulation model for the gas‐solid insulation system was established with consideration of the bulk charge conductivity in the solid dielectrics, the ion conductivity in the weakly ionized gas, and the charge conductivity at the interface. A surface potential measurement system was then built. The charge accumulation model was verified by measurements of the surface potential on a cylindrical insulator sample, and the charge accumulation characteristics on the surface of the GIL insulator were investigated. The simulation results indicate that the accumulated homopolar charges led to the decrease of the electric field strength near the conductor by 9.4% and the increase of the electric field strength near the GIL shell by 23.5%. The concave surface of the insulator mostly accumulated heteropolar charges, which led to an increase in the electric field intensity by 5.5%. The transition of the charge accumulation mechanism with the variation of the bulk conductivity was also analyzed. The convex surface of the insulator accumulated homopolar charges, and the concave surface mostly accumulated heteropolar charges when the bulk conductivity was between 10−14 and 10−17 S/m. However, with the further reduction of the bulk conductivity, the mechanism of the charge accumulation gradually became dominated by ion conductivity in the SF6 gas. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Social Determinants and COVID‐19 Disparities: Differential Pandemic Effects and Dynamics
Authors: McNeely Connie L. , Schintler Laurie A. , Stabile Bonnie
Published: September 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic has had disproportionately negative impacts on socially disadvantaged and underserved populations around the world. Inequality and the related social determinants that impact certain groups are directly related to the adverse health outcomes of vulnerable populations during the pandemic. People in disadvantaged communities are generally more prone to occupational exposure to the virus and tend to have limited access to health care and higher rates of comorbidities. Outcomes related to widespread school closures are also of particular concern for underserved communities. Additionally, these populations are more susceptible to the negative economic outcomes of the pandemic. There is an urgent need for research and policy solutions regarding the impact of the COVID‐19, with particular attention to the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, a foundation for which is offered in this discussion.
A Simple Approach to Assess the Performance of Non‐ideal Aluminum/Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Explosives as Compared to the Best Available Methods
Authors: Jafari Mohammad , Keshavarz Mohammad Hossein , Ebadpour Reza
Published: September 2020

Composite explosives containing aluminum/ammonium perchlorate (Al/AP) are widely used for blasting cut of old warship, blasting droll and decoupled charge of blast underwater. The available complex computer codes and empirical methods cannot usually provide a reliable estimation of detonation velocities of explosives containing Al/AP. This work introduces a reliable method for the desk calculation of detonation velocity. The percent of the reacted Al with detonation products and decomposition of AP, as well as composition of the detonation products, are specified according to the distribution of oxygen atoms between Al, C(s), CO(g) and H2(g). The values of the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the new model are lower than one of the best available methods for CHNO explosives (260 experimental data) and CHNOFCl explosives (50 measured data). For composite explosives, CHNOFClAl and CHNOFClAlAP, the MAPE value of the new model is 3.50, corresponding to 55 experimental data, which is much smaller than the MAPE values of the BKW computer code (8.37) and the comparative empirical model (14.20).
Biomass Burning Effects on the Climate over Southern West Africa During the Summer Monsoon
Authors: Dajuma Alima , Silué Siélé , Ogunjobi Kehinde O. , Vogel Heike , N’Datchoh Evelyne Touré , Yoboué Véronique , Diedhiou Arona , Vogel Bernhard
Published: September 2020

Biomass Burning (BB) aerosol has attracted considerable attention due to its detrimental effects on climate through its radiative properties. In Africa, fire patterns are anticorrelated with the southward-northward movement of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Each year between June and September, BB occurs in the southern hemisphere of Africa, and aerosols are carried westward by the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) and advected at an altitude of between 2 and 4 km. Observations made during a field campaign of Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) (Knippertz et al., Bull Am Meteorol Soc 96:1451–1460, 2015) during the West African Monsoon (WAM) of June–July 2016 have revealed large quantities of BB aerosols in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) over southern West Africa (SWA).

This chapter examines the effects of the long-range transport of BB aerosols on the climate over SWA by means of a modeling study, and proposes several adaptation and mitigation strategies for policy makers regarding this phenomenon. A high-resolution regional climate model, known as the Consortium for Small-scale Modelling – Aerosols and Reactive Traces (COSMO-ART) gases, was used to conduct two set of experiments, with and without BB emissions, to quantify their impacts on the SWA atmosphere. Results revealed a reduction in surface shortwave (SW) radiation of up to about 6.5 W m−2 and an 11% increase of Cloud Droplets Number Concentration (CDNC) over the SWA domain. Also, an increase of 12.45% in Particulate Matter (PM25) surface concentration was observed in Abidjan (9.75 μg m−3), Accra (10.7 μg m−3), Cotonou (10.7 μg m−3), and Lagos (8 μg m−3), while the carbon monoxide (CO) mixing ratio increased by 90 ppb in Abidjan and Accra due to BB. Moreover, BB aerosols were found to contribute to a 70% increase of organic carbon (OC) below 1 km in the PBL, followed by black carbon (BC) with 24.5%. This work highlights the contribution of the long-range transport of BB pollutants to pollution levels in SWA and their effects on the climate. It focuses on a case study of 3 days (5–7 July 2016). However, more research on a longer time period is necessary to inform decision making properly.

This study emphasizes the need to implement a long-term air quality monitoring system in SWA as a method of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The inversion formula and 6j symbol for 3d fermions
Authors: Albayrak Soner , Meltzer David , Poland David
Published: September 2020

Abstract

In this work we study the 6j symbol of the 3d conformal group for fermionic operators. In particular, we study 4-point functions containing two fermions and two scalars and also those with four fermions. By using weight-shifting operators and harmonic analysis for the Euclidean conformal group, we relate these spinning 6j symbols to the simpler 6j symbol for four scalar operators. As one application we use these techniques to compute 3d mean field theory (MFT) OPE coefficients for fermionic operators. We then compute corrections to the MFT spectrum and couplings due to the inversion of a single operator, such as the stress tensor or a low-dimension scalar. These results are valid at finite spin and extend the perturbative large spin analysis to include non-perturbative effects in spin.
Exploring exceptional Drinfeld geometries
Authors: Blair Chris D. A. , Thompson Daniel C. , Zhidkova Sofia
Published: September 2020

Abstract

We explore geometries that give rise to a novel algebraic structure, the Exceptional Drinfeld Algebra, which has recently been proposed as an approach to study generalised U-dualities, similar to the non-Abelian and Poisson-Lie generalisations of T-duality. This algebra is generically not a Lie algebra but a Leibniz algebra, and can be realised in exceptional generalised geometry or exceptional field theory through a set of frame fields giving a generalised parallelisation. We provide examples including “three-algebra geometries”, which encode the structure constants for three-algebras and in some cases give novel uplifts for CSO(p, q, r) gaugings of seven-dimensional maximal supergravity. We also discuss the M-theoretic embedding of both non-Abelian and Poisson-Lie T-duality.
Migration patterns and job satisfaction: evidence from European doctorate holders
Authors: Jewell Sarah , Kazakis Pantelis
Published: September 2020

The aim of this study was to disentangle the role migration plays in several job satisfaction dimensions for academic researchers. We employ a novel database, MORE2, to track the migratory behaviour of European doctorate holders and use a multinomial treatment model to deal with selections bias. We find that more migratory individuals demonstrate higher levels of job satisfaction across several dimensions. These findings are in line with the hypothesis that economic agents who migrate more are better at processing information and find more suitable employment.
Mesh-augmented transvaginal repair of recurrent or complex anterior pelvic organ prolapse in accordance with the SCENIHR opinion
Authors: Naumann Gert , Hüsch Tanja , Mörgeli Claudia , Kolterer Anna , Tunn Ralf
Published: September 2020

Introduction and hypothesis

To evaluate the performance of mesh-augmented repair of anterior pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with or without apical vaginal wall involvement in women with recurrent or complex prolapse.

Methods

This multicenter cohort study included women undergoing surgery with Calistar S (Promedon, Argentina) for anterior POP between 2016 and 2018. The SCENIHR opinion was considered for patient selection, surgeon’s experience and choice of implant. Patients were prospectively invited to assess effectiveness and safety by anamnesis, validated questionnaires and pelvic examination. A composite endpoint defined by POP-Q ≤ 1, absence of a vaginal bulge symptom and repeated surgery for POP was used to define treatment success. Descriptive statistics were applied. McNemar or Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used as paired samples tests. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results

A total of 107 non-fertile women with a mean age of 70.6 years were enrolled. Ninety-three (86.9%) women presented with recurrent prolapse. The mean follow-up time was 18.5 months. Treatment success was achieved in 76% of cases according the composite endpoint, with 98% reaching POP-Q ≤ 1 and a significant improvement in quality of life (p < 0.001). Mesh exposure occurred in six (5.6%) patients, although none required further surgery. Four (3.7%) patients reported dyspareunia, and a single (0.9%) patient displayed a prominence due to mesh folding.

Conclusions

Mesh-augmented repair of anterior POP is effective and safe in women with recurrent or complex prolapse. Hence, in a select patient population, the benefits of mesh-augmented POP repair still outweigh the risks.
Changes in oral health-related quality of life among Austrian preschool children following dental treatment under general anaesthesia
Authors: Boukhobza Sarra , Stamm Tanja , Glatthor Johannes , Meißner Nicola , Bekes Katrin
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To analyse possible changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) before and after dental treatment under dental general anaesthesia (DGA) among Austrian preschool children.

Methods

A consecutive sample of 89 parents of children aged 2 to 5 years, suffering from early childhood caries (ECC) and scheduled for DGA, were recruited from two locations in Austria (Vienna and Salzburg). Parents self-completed the German version of the ECOHIS before (baseline) and 4 weeks (T4) after their child’s dental treatment. The ECOHIS consists of 13 questions and is divided into two main parts, namely, the child impact section (9 items) and the family impact section (4 items).

Results

A total of 80 children (89%) completed a sufficient number ECOHIS questions at baseline and the follow-up assessment after 4 weeks. “Pain in the teeth, mouth, and jaws” and “difficulty eating some foods” from the child section and parents’ ratings of “feeling upset” and “guilty” were the most frequently reported impacts at baseline. The ECOHIS total score decreased significantly from a mean of 14.60 to 9.89 (p < 0.001) after DGA treatment, revealing a large effect size for the child (0.8) section, family (0.6) section, and the total score (0.8). Parents rated their child’s overall and oral health significantly higher after the DGA treatment (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Significant improvements in oral health-related quality of life were observed 4 weeks after DGA in children suffering from ECC.

Clinical relevance

ECC has an impact on OHRQoL. Rehabilitation under general anaesthesia makes a sustainable improvement.
Algebraic Boundaries Among Typical Ranks for Real Binary Forms of Arbitrary Degree
Authors: Brambilla Maria Chiara , Staglianò Giovanni
Published: September 2020

We show that the algebraic boundaries of the regions of real binary forms with fixed typical rank are always unions of dual varieties to suitable coincident root loci.
Renewable cellulosic nanocomposites for food packaging to avoid fossil fuel plastic pollution: a review
Authors: Qasim Umair , Osman Ahmed I. , Al-Muhtaseb Ala’a H. , Farrell Charlie , Al-Abri Mohammed , Ali Muzaffar , Vo Dai-Viet N. , Jamil Farrukh , Rooney David W.
Published: September 2020

The extensive use of petroleum-based synthetic and non-biodegradable materials for packaging applications has caused severe environmental damage. The rising demand for sustainable packaging materials has encouraged scientists to explore abundant unconventional materials. For instance, cellulose, extracted from lignocellulosic biomass, has gained attention owing to its ecological and biodegradable nature. This article reviews the extraction of cellulose nanoparticles from conventional and non-conventional lignocellulosic biomass, and the preparation of cellulosic nanocomposites for food packaging. Cellulosic nanocomposites exhibit exceptional mechanical, biodegradation, optical and barrier properties, which are attributed to the nanoscale structure and the high specific surface area, of 533 m2 g−1, of cellulose. The mechanical properties of composites improve with the content of cellulose nanoparticles, yet an excessive amount induces agglomeration and, in turn, poor mechanical properties. Addition of cellulose nanoparticles increases tensile properties by about 42%. Barrier properties of the composites are reinforced by cellulose nanoparticles; for instance, the water vapor permeability decreased by 28% in the presence of 5 wt% cellulose nanoparticles. Moreover, 1 wt% addition of filler decreased the oxygen transmission rate by 21%. We also discuss the eco-design process, designing principles and challenges.
Association Between Depression and HIV Care Engagement Outcomes Among Patients Newly Initiating ART in Lilongwe, Malawi
Authors: Stockton Melissa A. , Gaynes Bradley N. , Hosseinipour Mina C. , Pettifor Audrey E. , Maselko Joanna , Mphonda Steven M. , Kulisewa Kazione , Udedi Michael , Pence Brian W.
Published: September 2020

As in other sub-Saharan countries, the burden of depression is high among people living with HIV in Malawi. However, the association between depression at ART initiation and two critical outcomes—retention in HIV care and viral suppression—is not well understood. Prior to the launch of an integrated depression treatment program, adult patients were screened for depression at ART initiation at two clinics in Lilongwe, Malawi. We compared retention in HIV care and viral suppression at 6 months between patients with and without depression at ART initiation using tabular comparison and regression models. The prevalence of depression among this population of adults newly initiating ART was 27%. Those with depression had similar HIV care outcomes at 6 months to those without depression. Retention metrics were generally poor for those with and without depression. However, among those completing viral load testing, nearly all achieved viral suppression. Depression at ART initiation was not associated with either retention or viral suppression. Further investigation of the relationship between depression and HIV is needed to understand the ways depression impacts the different aspects of HIV care engagement.
Challenges in Investigating the Effective Components of Feedback from Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) in Youth Mental Health Care
Authors: van Sonsbeek Maartje A. M. S. , Hutschemaekers Giel J. M. , Veerman Jan W. , Vermulst Ad , Kleinjan Marloes , Tiemens Bea G.
Published: September 2020

BackGround

Studies on feedback in youth mental health care are scarce and implementation of feedback into clinical practice is problematic.

Objective

To investigate potentially effective components of feedback from Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) in youth mental health care in the Netherlands through a three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial in which a literature-based, multi-faceted implementation strategy was used.

Method

Participants were randomly allocated to three conditions (basic feedback about symptoms and quality of life; basic feedback supplemented with clinical support tools; discussion of the feedback of the second condition with a colleague while following a standardized format for case consultation) using a block randomization procedure, stratified by location and participants’ age. The youth sample consisted of 225 participants (mean age = 15.08 years; 61.8% female) and the parent sample of 234 mothers and 54 fathers (mean age of children = 12.50 years; 47.2% female). Primary outcome was symptom severity. Secondary outcomes were quality of life and end-of-treatment variables. Additionally, we evaluated whether being Not On Track (NOT) moderated the association between condition and changes in symptom severity.

Results

No significant differences between conditions and no moderating effect of being NOT were found. This outcome can probably be attributed to limited power and implementation difficulties, such as infrequent ROM, unknown levels of viewing and sharing of feedback, and clinicians’ poor adherence to feedback conditions.

Conclusions

The study contributes to our limited knowledge about feedback from ROM and underscores the complexity of research on and implementation of ROM within youth mental health care.

Trial registrationDutch Trial Register NTR4234 .
Historicity and Religiosity in Heidegger’s Interpretation of the Reality: With an Outlook to Adolf Reinach’s Contribution to Heidegger’s Phenomenological Conception
Authors: Varga-Jani Anna
Published: September 2020

The question of whether Heidegger’s phenomenological contribution to the philosophy of being originates from his pre-philosophical attitude to theology or rather, it is the methodological question of phenomenology which influenced his thinking, is one of the most essential questions in Heidegger-research. Though, this has already been elaborated on in a broader sense, the publication of the Black Notes has opened new dimensions for discussion. It is not the aim of this paper to represent Heidegger’s concept of the history of being in the light of the new debates, but rather to confirm the thesis, that, in spite of the ‘turn’; in Heidegger’s thinking, his phenomenological hermeneutics was inspired, above all, by his reflection on Christianity. Moreover, the paper will question whether the linearity of Heidegger’s thinking about the historical being remains on the horizon of the religious phenomenon, as it is thematized in his early papers and lectures. While Heidegger’s early phenomenological approaches to religion and theology have been sufficiently elaborated on by several authors, and the phenomenological–hermeneutical relevance has been proven in his thinking, the linkage between the early philosophical approaches to the problem of religiosity and of historical being arising newly in Heidegger’s thinking from the 1930s is missing. The present paper will not just refer to the thesis that Heidegger’s theological background contributed to his questioning of being, and that it was influenced in different ways, but makes an attempt to reveal the internal dynamics of Heidegger’s early thinking prior to the publication of Being and Time and the time of composing the Contributions to Philosophy of those of Heidegger’s lectures which remain in the parallel analysis of religiosity and historicity.