bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasmids Shape the Current Prevalence of
tmexCD1-toprJ1
among Klebsiella pneumoniae in Food Production Chains
Authors: Peng Kai , Wang Qian , Yin Yi , Li Yan , Liu Yuan , Wang Mianzhi , Qin ShangShang , Wang Zhiqiang , Li Ruichao
Published: October 2021

Tigecycline, the first member of the glycylcycline class of antibacterial agents, is frequently used to treat complicated infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The emergence of a novel plasmid-mediated efflux pump, TmexCD1-ToprJ1, conferring resistance to multiple antimicrobials, including tigecycline, poses a huge risk to human health.
Phylogenomics of SAR116 Clade Reveals Two Subclades with Different Evolutionary Trajectories and an Important Role in the Ocean Sulfur Cycle
Authors: Roda-Garcia Juan J. , Haro-Moreno Jose M. , Huschet Lukas A. , Rodriguez-Valera Francisco , López-Pérez Mario
Published: October 2021

The SAR116 clade of
Alphaproteobacteria
is a ubiquitous group of heterotrophic bacteria inhabiting the surface of the ocean, but the information about their ecology and population genomic diversity is scarce due to the difficulty of getting pure culture isolates. The combination of single-cell genomics and metagenomics has become an alternative approach to study these kinds of microbes.
Supplemental Material: Global-scale emergence of continental crust during the Mesoarchean–early Neoarchean
Authors: Wang Wei , al. et
Published: October 2021

Analytical methods, and supplemental figures and tables.
Influence of Chlorides of Mono- and Divalent Metals on the Oligomeric Composition of Lysozyme Crystallization Solutions and Further Crystal Growth
Authors: Marchenkova M. A. , Konarev P. V. , Boikova A. S. , Ilina K. B. , Pisarevsky Yu. V. , Kovalchuk M. V.
Published: October 2021

The influence of the precipitant type (LiCl, NaCl, KCl, NiCl2, and CuCl2) on the formation of oligomers (dimers and octamers) in lysozyme crystallization solutions at two protein concentrations has been investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The same solutions have been used to grow crystals in order to reveal the influence of the oligomeric composition on the crystal growth. The data obtained in this and previous studies on the influence of precipitant concentration yield an inversely proportional dependence of the total content of octamers and dimers on the cation atomic number, which is in agreement with the increase in the ion activity in the lyotropic series for Li+, Na+, and K+ and the increase in the ionic radius for Li+, Na+, K+, Ni2+, and Cu2+. It is shown that a decrease in the protein concentration in a crystallization solution leads to a decrease in octamer volume fraction at an invariable volume fraction of dimers and reduces the probability of crystal formation.
Prenatal ultrasonographic markers for prediction of complex gastroschisis and adverse perinatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sun Raphael C , Hessami Kamran , Krispin Eyal , Pammi Mohan , Mostafaei Shayan , Joyeux Luc , Deprest Jan , Keswani Sundeep , Lee Timothy C , King Alice , Belfort Michael A , Shamshirsaz Alireza A
Published: October 2021

Objective

We sought to perform a meta-analysis of the predictive value of antenatal ultrasonographic markers of bowel dilation, gastric dilation, polyhydramnios and abdominal circumference that predict complex gastroschisis and adverse perinatal outcomes

Data sources

PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase were searched for relevant articles up to December 2020. Studies reporting prenatal ultrasonographic markers including intra-abdominal bowel dilation (IABD), extra-abdominal bowel dilation (EABD), bowel wall thickness, polyhydramnios, abdominal circumference <5th percentile, gastric dilation (GD) and bowel dilation not otherwise specified (BD-NOS) were included. The primary outcome was prediction of complex gastroschisis; secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay for newborn, time to full enteral feeding, postnatal mortality rate, incidence of necrotising enterocolitis and short bowel syndrome.

Results

Thirty-six studies were included in this meta-analysis. We found significant associations between complex gastroschisis and IABD (OR=5.42; 95% CI 3.24 to 9.06), EABD (OR=2.27; 95% CI 1.40 to 3.66), BD-NOS (OR=6.27; 95% CI 1.97 to 19.97), GD (OR=1.88; 95% CI 1.22 to 2.92) and polyhydramnios (OR=6.93; 95% CI 3.39 to 14.18). Second trimester IABD and EABD have greater specificity for the prediction of complex gastroschisis than third trimester values with specificity of 95.6% (95% CI 58.1 to 99.7) and 94.6% (95% CI 86.7 to 97.9) for the second trimester IABD and EABD, respectively.

Conclusion

Prenatal ultrasonographic markers, especially the second trimester IABD and EABD, can identify fetuses that develop complex gastroschisis. Furthermore, these specific ultrasonographic markers can identify those babies at the highest risk for severe complications of this congenital anomaly and hence selected for future antenatal interventions.
Management of limbal stem cell deficiency by amnion-assisted conjunctival epithelial redirection using vacuum-dried amniotic membrane and fibrin glue
Authors: Dua Harminder Singh , Ting Darren Shu Jeng , AlSaadi Ahmed , Said Dalia G
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To study the outcome of a modified amnion-assisted conjunctival epithelial redirection (ACER) technique using vacuum-dried amnion (Omnigen) and fibrin glue for managing total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD).

Method

A retrospective, interventional case series of all patients with total LSCD who underwent limbal stem cell transplant (LSCT) using the modified ACER procedure between 2016 and 2019. The outcome was defined as: (1) success: complete corneal re-epithelialisation without conjunctivalisation; (2) partial success: sub-total corneal re-epithelialisation with partial non-progressive conjunctivalisation sparing the visual axis and (3) failure: conjunctivalisation affecting the visual axis.

Results

Ten patients (six men), with a mean age of 46.2±18.4 years, were included. The mean follow-up was 23.0±13.9 months. Causes of LSCD were chemical eye injury (30%), congenital aniridia-related keratopathy (30%), ocular surface malignancy (20%), Steven-Johnson syndrome (10%) and contact lens overuse (10%). 50% were bilateral. The time from diagnosis to ACER (for acquired causes) was 45.6±44.4 months. 80% of patients achieved a complete/partial success following ACER and 20% of patients required repeat LSCT. Auto-LSCT was associated with a significantly higher chance of success than allo-LSCT (p=0.048). The mean best-corrected-visual-acuity (logMAR) improved significantly from 1.76±0.64 preoperatively to 0.94±0.94 at final follow-up (p=0.009). Omnigen was available off-the-shelf stored at room temperature and its transparency enabled visualisation of the healing epithelium beneath.

Conclusion

LSCT using the modified ACER serves as an effective ocular surface reconstruction technique in managing total LSCD and improving vision. Vacuum-dried amnion provides advantages of easy handling, transparency and storage at room temperature.
Detecting plaque rupture? Soluble CD40 ligand for early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department
Authors: Body Richard
Published: October 2021

Background

In recent years there has been growing interest in the identification of novel biomarkers that may enable early exclusion of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in the Emergency Department (ED). Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) has been identified as a potential marker of coronary plaque destabilisation and platelet activation. We aimed to investigate the value of sCD40L measured at the time of ED presentation for enabling early diagnosis and exclusion of ACS.

Methods

We recruited patients presenting to the ED with suspected cardiac chest pain within the previous 24 h. We measured sCD40L in plasma samples taken at the point of ED presentation. All patients had troponin T measured at least 12 h after symptom onset and were followed up for 6 months for adverse events (death, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or the need for urgent revascularisation).

Results

706 patients were recruited to the study. sCD40L levels were significantly lower in smokers, in patients with hyperlipidaemia or prior coronary revascularisation and in patients taking statins, r angiotensin-converting enzyme or calcium blockers. There was no significant difference in sCD40L levels between patients with (median 33.8ng/ml, IQR 18.0–80.5) and without (36.3 ng/ml, IQR 14.2–94.3) AMI (p=0.92) or between patients who did (34.0 ng/ml, 14.2–94.3) and who did not (34.9, 18.2–80.4) develop adverse events (p=0.82). The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve was 0.50 (95% CI 0.45 to 0.56) for AMI and 0.49 (0.44–0.55) for adverse events. There was no trend towards increasing incidence of either outcome with ascending quintiles of sCD40L.

Conclusions

sCD40L is unhelpful in the ED diagnosis of ACS. Future work in this area should focus on other biomarkers.
The ABC of handover: a new tool for handover in the emergency department and its impact on practice
Authors: Farhan Maisse
Published: October 2021

Objectives

A two-part study identifying best practice for shift handover and introducing a new handover tool; the ABC of Handover. We evaluate its impact and explore user opinions. The ABC tool aims to standardise handover providing effective transition of responsibility in the E.D; enhancing patient safety.

Methods

Part 1 consensus based study; structured interviews identified current practice of handover. Best practice was identified and the ABC mnemonic was developed to classify information. Part 2: prospective observational before-and-after study exploring the effect of The ABC of Handover on clinical and organisational practice; measured by observing handovers and verifying the information transmitted by comparing to actual events occurring during the shift (providing a score). Observations were repeated after implementation of The ABC of Handover. Finally, questionnaire were used to appraise the tool.

Results

Interviews revealed lack of standardised practice and identified best practice including clinical and operational strategies to organise the next shift. The ABC method was developed which grouped “best practice” under those headings.

41 handovers were observed before implementation and 42 after. Each handover was given a score according to the number of items it contained that were necessary to that particular shift. The mean score given to handovers pre-implementation was 34% with a modal value of 50%. Using The ABC of Handover the mean score was 86% with a modal value of 100%. All participants reported ease of use and improvement with the ABC tool.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates disparity in the understanding of shift handover and identifies best practice in the ABC of Handover which standardised and improved handover. It was successfully implemented and led to a change of practice and a global improvement, providing a framework for safe transition of shift responsibility. This can be used for training in handover for medical and nursing staff in the ED.
Neuroimaging Risk Factors for Participation Restriction after Acute Ischemic Stroke: 1-Year Follow-up Study
Authors: Qu Jian-Feng , Zhong Huo-Hua , Liang Wen-Cong , Chen Yang-Kun , Liu Yong-Lin , Li Wei
Published: October 2021

The aim of the present study was to determine the neuroimaging predictors of poor participation after acute ischemic stroke. A total of 443 patients who had acute ischemic stroke were assessed. At 1-year recovery, the Reintegration to Normal Living Index was used to assess participation restriction. We also assessed the Activities of Daily Living Scale and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Brain MRI measurement included acute infarcts and pre-existing abnormalities such as enlarged perivascular spaces, white matter lesions, ventricular-brain ratio, and medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTLA). The study included 324 men (73.1%) and 119 women (26.9%). In the univariate analysis, patients with poor participation after 1 year were older, more likely to be men, had higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission, with more histories of hypertension and atrial fibrillation, larger infarct volume, more severely enlarged perivascular spaces and MTLA, and more severe periventricular hyperintensities and deep white matter hyperintensities. Patients with participation restriction also had poor activities of daily living (ADL) and mRS score. Multiple logistic regression showed that, in model 1, age, male gender, NIHSS score on admission, and ADL on follow-up were significant predictors of poor participation, accounting for 60.2% of the variance. In model 2, which included both clinical and MRI variables, male gender, NIHSS score on admission, ADL on follow-up, and MTLA were significant predictors of poor participation, accounting for 61.2% of the variance. Participation restriction was common after acute ischemic stroke despite good mRS score. Male gender, stroke severity, severity of ADL on follow-up, and MTLA may be predictors of poor participation.

Trial registration number ChiCTR1800016665.
Long COVID following Mild SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Characteristic T Cell Alterations and Response to Antihistamines
Authors: Glynne Paul , Tahmasebi Natasha , Gant Vanya , Gupta Rajeev
Published: October 2021

Long COVID is characterized by the emergence of multiple debilitating symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Its etiology is unclear and it often follows a mild acute illness. Anecdotal reports of gradual clinical responses to histamine receptor antagonists (HRAs) suggest a histamine-dependent mechanism that is distinct from anaphylaxis, possibly mediated by T cells, which are also regulated by histamine. T cell perturbations have been previously reported in post-viral syndromes, but the T cell landscape in patients who have recovered from mild COVID-19 and its relationship to both long COVID symptoms and any symptomatic response to HRA remain underexplored. We addressed these questions in an observational study of 65 individuals who had recovered from mild COVID-19. Participants were surveyed between 87 and 408 days after the onset of acute symptoms; none had required hospitalization, 16 had recovered uneventfully, and 49 had developed long COVID. Symptoms were quantified using a structured questionnaire and T cell subsets enumerated in a standard diagnostic assay. Patients with long-COVID had reduced CD4+ and CD8+ effector memory (EM) cell numbers and increased PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) expression on central memory (CM) cells, whereas the asymptomatic participants had reduced CD8+ EM cells only and increased CD28 expression on CM cells. 72% of patients with long COVID who received HRA reported clinical improvement, although T cell profiling did not clearly distinguish those who responded to HRA. This study demonstrates that T cell perturbations persist for several months after mild COVID-19 and are associated with long COVID symptoms.
Residency interviews in the digital era
Authors: Beshar Isabel , Tate William J , Bernstein Dan
Published: October 2021

In the midst of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the US Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) required residency programme transition from in-person to virtual interviews for all applicants. The new virtual format upended a system that has relied on programmes and applicants balancing the likelihood of acceptance with the financial and time demands of cross-country travel.

In this commentary, we address the history of residency interviewing in the USA and the emerging changes that are taking place in light of virtual interviews. We discuss the advantages of the new online format, including the reduced cost for applicants and programmes, as well as the decreased carbon footprint.

We also discuss the inequities of virtual interviewing, involving a national maldistribution of interviews to only the top-tier candidates. We share previously unpublished data on the number of virtual interviews accepted by Stanford's 2020 residency applicants, compared with those conducted in person in 2019. We find Stanford applicants in all fields accepted more interviews: from a mean of 8 in 2019 to 14 in 2020, a change of 160% on average. Despite this, only half of Stanford 2020 applicants interviewing in the virtual format thought they had accepted more interviews than they would have in person.

We comment on how transitions to online interviewing may be affecting medical schools and applicants disproportionately. Ultimately, we highlight the need and offer ideas for additional regulation on behalf of the AAMC to ensure a more equitable distribution of interview opportunities.
The changing retail landscape for tobacco: dollar stores and the availability of cheap cigarettes among tobacco-related priority populations
Authors: Raskind Ilana G , Vishwakarma Monika , Schleicher Nina C , Andersen-Rodgers Elizabeth , Henriksen Lisa
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Dollar stores are rapidly altering the retail landscape for tobacco. Two of the three largest chains sell tobacco products in more than 24 000 stores across the USA. We sought to examine whether dollar stores are more likely to be located in disadvantaged neighbourhoods and whether dollar stores charge less for cigarettes than other tobacco retailers.

Methods

Data were collected from a statewide random sample of licensed tobacco retailers in California (n=7678) in 2019. Logistic regression modelled odds of a census tract containing at least one dollar store as a function of tract demographics. Linear mixed models compared price of the cheapest cigarette pack by store type, controlling for tract demographics.

Results

Census tracts with lower median household income, rural status and higher proportions of school-age youth were more likely to contain at least one dollar store. The cheapest cigarette pack cost less in dollar stores compared with all store types examined except tobacco shops. Estimated price differences ranged from $0.32 (95% CI: 0.14 to 0.51) more in liquor stores and $0.39 (95% CI: 0.22 to 0.57) more in convenience stores, to $0.82 (95% CI: 0.64 to 1.01) more in small markets and $1.86 (95% CI: 1.61 to 2.11) more in stores classified as ‘other’.

Conclusions

Dollar stores may exacerbate smoking-related inequities by contributing to the availability of cheaper cigarettes in neighbourhoods that are lower income, rural and have greater proportions of youth. Pro-equity retail policies, such as minimum price laws and density reduction policies, could mitigate the health consequences of dollar stores’ rapid expansion.
Relationship of critical speed derived from a 10-min submaximal treadmill test to 5-km and 10-km running performances
Authors: Follador Lucio , de Borba Edilson Fernando , da Silva Sergio Gregorio
Published: October 2021

It has been shown that the critical speed (CS) predicted from a perceptually self-regulated 10-min submaximal treadmill test (T10) is reliable and closely matches the CS estimated from conventional methods. To assess the relationship between the T10 and 5-km and 10-km running performances, 36 recreational runners (mean SD: age: 32.2 ± 6.2 years, height: 173.2 ± 7.3 cm, weight: 70.9 ± 8.8 kg, maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max): 53.3 ± 6.1 mL·kg−1·min−1) performed a ramp incremental test and 2 T10 tests (the first as a familiarization trial). Results showed that the T10 CS (3.9 ± 0.44 m·s−1) was significantly correlated with runners’ last 6 months best performances in 5 km (20.3 ± 2.7 min; r = –0.90) and 10 km (42.7 ± 5.7 min; r = –0.91), the V̇O2max (r = 0.75), the speed associated with the gas exchange threshold (vGET: 3.38 ± 0.36 m·s−1; r = 0.76), the speed associated with the second ventilatory threshold (vVT2: 4.15 ± 0.49 m·s−1; r = 0.84), and the speed associated with the V̇O2max (vV̇O2max: 4.78 ± 0.54 m·s−1; r = 0.87). Moreover, 79% and 83% of the variance in 5-km and 10-km performances could be explained solely by the CS predicted from the T10. Results evidenced the strong relationship and practical performance relevance of the T10 CS test.

Novelty: Critical speed derived from a 10-min submaximal treadmill test (T10) is significantly correlated with 5-km and 10-km running performances. The T10 critical speed test may represent a useful tool for assessing running performance capabilities.
Spatially homogeneous black hole solutions in $$z=4$$ Hořava–Lifshitz gravity in $$(4+1)$$ dimensions with Nil geometry and $$H^2\times R$$ horizons
Authors: Naderi F. , Rezaei-Aghdam A. , Mahvelati-Shamsabadi Z.
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we present two new families of spatially homogeneous black hole solution for $$z=4$$

z
=
4

Hořava–Lifshitz Gravity equations in $$(4+1)$$

(
4
+
1
)

dimensions with general coupling constant $$\lambda $$
λ
and the especial case $$\lambda =1$$

λ
=
1

, considering $$\beta =-1/3$$

β
=
-
1
/
3

. The three-dimensional horizons are considered to have Bianchi types II and III symmetries, and hence the horizons are modeled on two types of Thurston 3-geometries, namely the Nil geometry and $$H^2\times R$$

H
2

×
R

. Being foliated by compact 3-manifolds, the horizons are neither spherical, hyperbolic, nor toroidal, and therefore are not of the previously studied topological black hole solutions in Hořava–Lifshitz gravity. Using the Hamiltonian formalism, we establish the conventional thermodynamics of the solutions defining the mass and entropy of the black hole solutions for several classes of solutions. It turned out that for both horizon geometries the area term in the entropy receives two non-logarithmic negative corrections proportional to Hořava–Lifshitz parameters. Also, we show that choosing some proper set of parameters the solutions can exhibit locally stable or unstable behavior.
Control of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Duration by Assessing Functional Connectivity of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Signals
Authors: Yaqub M. Atif , Hong Keum-Shik , Zafar Amad , Kim Chang-Seok
Published: October 2021

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to create neuroplasticity in healthy and diseased populations. The control of stimulation duration by providing real-time brain state feedback using neuroimaging is a topic of great interest. This study presents the feasibility of a closed-loop modulation for the targeted functional network in the prefrontal cortex. We hypothesize that we cannot improve the brain state further after reaching a specific state during a stimulation therapy session. A high-definition tDCS of 1[Formula: see text]mA arranged in a ring configuration was applied at the targeted right prefrontal cortex of 15 healthy male subjects for 10[Formula: see text]min. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor hemoglobin chromophores during the stimulation period continuously. The correlation matrices obtained from filtered oxyhemoglobin were binarized to form subnetworks of short- and long-range connections. The connectivity in all subnetworks was analyzed individually using a new quantification measure of connectivity percentage based on the correlation matrix. The short-range network in the stimulated hemisphere showed increased connectivity in the initial stimulation phase. However, the increase in connection density reduced significantly after 6[Formula: see text]min of stimulation. The short-range network of the left hemisphere and the long-range network gradually increased throughout the stimulation period. The connectivity percentage measure showed a similar response with network theory parameters. The connectivity percentage and network theory metrics represent the brain state during the stimulation therapy. The results from the network theory metrics, including degree centrality, efficiency, and connection density, support our hypothesis and provide a guideline for feedback on the brain state. The proposed neuro-feedback scheme is feasible to control the stimulation duration to avoid overdosage.
Decoherence in two-dimensional quantum walks with two- and four-state coins
Authors: Yang Yu-Guang , Wang Xi-Xi , Li Jian , Li Dan , Zhou Yi-Hua , Shi Wei-Min
Published: October 2021

Two-dimensional quantum walks using a two-state coin have simpler experimental implementation than two-dimensional quantum walks using a four-state coin. However, decoherence occurs inevitably during the evolution of quantum walks due to the coupling between the quantum systems and their environment. Thus, it is interesting to investigate the robustness against decoherence for two- and four-state two-dimensional quantum walks. Here, we investigate the effects of the decoherence on two- and four-state two-dimensional quantum walks produced by the broken-link-type noise and compare their robustness against the broken-link-type noise. Specifically, we analyze the quantum correlation between the two spatial dimensions x and y by using measurement-induced disturbance for the two-state quantum walks, i.e. the alternate walk and the Pauli walk, and the four-state quantum walks, i.e. the Grover, Hadamard and Fourier walks, respectively. Our analysis shows that the two-state walks are more robust against the broken-link-type noise than the four-state walks.
Connections between Weyl geometry, quantum potential and quantum entanglement
Authors: Liang Shi-Dong , Huang Wenjing
Published: October 2021

The Weyl geometry promises potential applications in gravity and quantum mechanics. We study the relationships between the Weyl geometry, quantum entropy and quantum entanglement based on the Weyl geometry endowing the Euclidean metric. We give the formulation of the Weyl Ricci curvature and Weyl scalar curvature in the n-dimensional system. The Weyl scalar field plays a bridge role to connect the Weyl scalar curvature, quantum potential and quantum entanglement. We also give the Einstein–Weyl tensor and the generalized field equation in 3D vacuum case, which reveals the relationship between Weyl geometry and quantum potential. Particularly, we find that the correspondence between the Weyl scalar curvature and quantum potential is dimension-dependent and works only for the 3D space, which reveals a clue to quantize gravity and an understanding why our space must be 3D if quantum gravity is compatible with quantum mechanics. We analyze numerically a typical example of two orthogonal oscillators to reveal the relationships between the Weyl scalar curvature, quantum potential and quantum entanglement based on this formulation. We find that the Weyl scalar curvature shows a negative dip peak for separate state but becomes a positive peak for the entangled state near original point region, which can be regarded as a geometric signal to detect quantum entanglement.
Look Here: Learning Geometrically Consistent Refinement of Inverse-Depth Images for 3D Reconstruction
Authors: Săftescu Ştefan , Gadd Matthew , Newman Paul
Published: October 2021

Building good 3D maps is a challenging and expensive task, which requires high-quality sensors and careful, time-consuming scanning. We seek to reduce the cost of building good reconstructions by correcting views of existing low-quality ones in a post-hoc fashion using learnt priors over surfaces and appearance. We train a convolutional neural network model to predict the difference in inverse-depth from varying viewpoints of two meshes — one of low-quality that we wish to correct, and one of high-quality that we use as a reference. Our full model runs at 11.3[Formula: see text]Hz when aggregating four input views. In contrast to previous work, we pay attention to the problem of excessive smoothing in corrected meshes. We address this with a suitable network architecture, and introduce a loss-weighting mechanism that emphasizes edges in the prediction. Furthermore, smooth predictions result in geometrical inconsistencies. To deal with this issue, we present a loss function which penalizes re-projection differences that are not due to occlusions. Future applications of this work will incorporate semantic scene understanding in a multi-task learning setting. We explore the efficacy of the proposed system in terms of gross error correction and generalization capability by showing its performance in practice on a subset of the Kitti Odometry dataset, complete with a component-wise ablation study. We evaluate correctness and completeness measures of surface reconstruction across viewpoints and show that the proposed system is introspective in regions lacking sufficient high-quality supervision — indeed, models trained with geometric consistency loss create a lot more surface in areas that were not supervised, in one case filling in 67.97% or 8010[Formula: see text]m2 of an unlabeled input region. Finally, we assess the practical applicability of our method at large-scale by experiments over the full scope of the Kitti Odometry dataset. Broadly, as a measure of effectiveness, our model reduces gross errors by 45.3–77.5%, up to five times more than previous work. We also assess the practical applicability of our method to 3D reconstruction at large scales and find that compared to the baseline our model shows better stability in correctness when improving completeness of surfaces, and is effective in reducing median total error by up to 21.8[Formula: see text]cm.
Isomorphisms of discriminant algebras
Authors: Biesel Owen , Gioia Alberto
Published: October 2021

For each integer [Formula: see text], we define a category whose objects are discriminant algebra functors in rank [Formula: see text], namely, choices of how to attach functorially to each rank-[Formula: see text] algebra a quadratic algebra with the same discriminant. We show that the discriminant algebra functors defined by Loos, Rost, and the present authors are all isomorphic in this category, and prove furthermore that in ranks [Formula: see text] discriminant algebra functors are unique up to unique isomorphism.
Mal’tsev bases for partially commutative nilpotent groups
Authors: Timoshenko E. I.
Published: October 2021

We construct an ordered set of commutators in a partially commutative nilpotent group [Formula: see text]. This set allows us to define a canonical form for each element of [Formula: see text]. Namely, we construct a Mal’tsev basis for the group [Formula: see text]
BigApple force and its implications to finite nuclei and astrophysical objects
Authors: Das H. C. , Kumar Ankit , Kumar Bharat , Biswal S. K. , Patra S. K.
Published: October 2021

The secondary component of the GW190814 event left us with a question, “whether it is a supermassive neutron star or lightest black-hole?” Recently, Fattoyev et al. obtained an energy density functional (EDF) named as BigApple, which reproduces the mass of the neutron star is 2.60 [Formula: see text] which is well consistent with GW190814 data. This study explores the properties of finite nuclei, nuclear matter and neutron stars by using the BigApple EDF along with four well-known relativistic mean-field forces, namely NL3, G3, IOPB-I and FSUGarnet. The finite nuclei properties like binding energy per particle, skin thickness, charge radius, single-particle energy, and two-neutron separation energy are well predicted by the BigApple for a series of nuclei. The calculated nuclear matter quantities, such as incompressibility, symmetry energy and slope parameters at saturation density, are consistent with the empirical or experimental values where ever available. The predicted canonical tidal deformability by the BigApple parameter set is well-matched with the GW190814 data. Also, the dimensionless moment of inertia lies in the range given by the analysis of PSR J0737-3039A.
A functorial approach to monomorphism categories for species I
Authors: Gao Nan , Külshammer Julian , Kvamme Sondre , Psaroudakis Chrysostomos
Published: October 2021

We introduce a very general extension of the monomorphism category as studied by Ringel and Schmidmeier which in particular covers generalized species over locally bounded quivers. We prove that analogues of the kernel and cokernel functor send almost split sequences over the path algebra and the preprojective algebra to split or almost split sequences in the monomorphism category. We derive this from a general result on preservation of almost split morphisms under adjoint functors whose counit is a monomorphism. Despite of its generality, our monomorphism categories still allow for explicit computations as in the case of Ringel and Schmidmeier.
On orthodox P-restriction semigroups
Authors: Wang Shoufeng , Shum K. P.
Published: October 2021

The investigation of orthodox [Formula: see text]-restriction semigroups was initiated by Jones in 2014 as generalizations of orthodox [Formula: see text]-semigroups. The aim of this paper is to further study orthodox [Formula: see text]-restriction semigroups based on the known results of Jones. After establishing a construction theorem for orthodox [Formula: see text]-restriction semigroups, we introduce proper [Formula: see text]-restriction semigroups (which are necessarily orthodox) and prove that every (finite) orthodox [Formula: see text]-restriction semigroup has a (finite) proper cover. Our results enrich and extend existing results for restriction semigroups and orthodox [Formula: see text]-semigroups.
A versatile approach based on convolutional neural networks for early identification of diseases in tomato plants
Authors: Chandra N. V. Megha , Reddy K. Ashish , Sushanth G. , Sujatha S.
Published: October 2021

Agriculture is one of the primary occupations in many countries. Tomatoes are grown by many farmers in countries where the water resource is available in abundance. Improper methods of cultivation and failure to identify the diseases when it is in the nascent stage results in the reduction of crop yield thus affecting the outcome of cultivation. This paper proposes a novel method of early identification of diseases in tomato plants by making use of convolutional neural networks (CNN) and image processing. Dataset from an open repository was considered for training and testing and the algorithm was capable of identifying nine different varieties of diseases that affect the tomato plant at its early stages. The images of tomato leaves were fed for identification through processing and classification. An optimum model was developed by analyzing various architectures of CNN including the VGG, ResNet, Inception, Xception, MobileNet and DenseNet. The performance of each of these architectures was compared and various metrics like the accuracy, loss, precision, recall and area under the curve (AUC) were analyzed.
Interaction of the generalized Duffin–Kemmer–Petiau equation with a non-minimal coupling under the cosmic rainbow gravity
Authors: Hosseinpour M. , Hassanabadi H. , Kriz J. , Hassanabadi S. , Lütfüoğlu B. C.
Published: October 2021

In this study, we survey the generalized Duffin–Kemmer–Petiau oscillator containing a non-minimal coupling interaction in the context of rainbow gravity in the presence of the cosmic topological defects in space-time. In this regard, we intend to investigate relativistic quantum dynamics of a spin-0 particle under the modification of the dispersion relation according to the Katanaev–Volovich geometric approach. Thus, based on the geometric model, we study the aforementioned bosonic system under the modified background by a few rainbow functions. In this way, by using an analytical method, we acquire energy eigenvalues and corresponding wave functions to each scenario. Regardless of rainbow gravity function selection, the energy eigenvalue can present symmetric, anti-symmetric, and symmetry breaking characteristics. Besides, one can see that the deficit angular parameter plays an important role in the solutions.
Super-Resolution AFM Imaging Based on Enhanced Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Han Guoqiang , Wu Teng , Lv Luyao , Li Huaidong , Lin Hong , Lin Chenyu , Luo Jian
Published: October 2021

Atomic force microscope (AFM) is a powerful nanoscale instrument, which can obtain the true surface morphology of samples. There are strict requirements for the detailed features in AFM images, so it is necessary to mine the deep information in the images. Nevertheless, the standard AFM scanning process takes a very long time to obtain high-quality images. For most cases, the original images of AFM are with low resolution. In order to get the more detailed texture and feature information as much as possible, a super-resolution convolutional neural network algorithm based on enhanced data set is proposed in AFM imaging. By learning the mapping relationship between low-resolution images and high-resolution images from the image database, the high-resolution image is finally obtained. Aiming at the problem of long scanning time and too small training database of AFM image, adaptive histogram equalization is used to expand and enhance the training set of AFM images. Compared with the traditional super-resolution methods, the subjective and objective evaluation of the reconstructed image verifies the feasibility of the proposed algorithm.
A delayed reaction–diffusion viral infection model with nonlinear incidences and cell-to-cell transmission
Authors: Ge Qing , Wang Xia , Rong Libin
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we propose a reaction–diffusion viral infection model with nonlinear incidences, cell-to-cell transmission, and a time delay. We impose the homogeneous Neumann boundary condition. For the case where the domain is bounded, we first study the well-posedness. Then we analyze the local stability of homogeneous steady states. We establish a threshold dynamics which is completely characterized by the basic reproduction number. For the case where the domain is the whole Euclidean space, we consider the existence of traveling wave solutions by using the cross-iteration method and Schauder’s fixed point theorem. Finally, we study how the speed of spread in space affects the spread of cells and viruses. We obtain the existence of the wave speed, which is dependent on the diffusion coefficient.
Solubility study of graphene in chlorinated dihydrolevoglucosenone by first-principle calculation
Authors: Yuan Songyang , Chen Fang , Liu Jun , Huang Peng , Zhang Shaolin
Published: October 2021

Proper solvent matching is always a vital issue to prepare graphene-based high-concentration and stable functional inks in a printed flexible electronics field. In this work, a series of chlorinated dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene) was modeled and their solubility properties toward pristine and defected graphene were evaluated. The reaction free energy, reaction rate constant and transport state of pristine Cyrene and four types of chlorinated Cyrenes have been calculated to simulate the reaction process and explore the possibility of the synthesis. The solvation free energy and [Formula: see text]-surface of pristine graphene and defected graphene in each solvent have been calculated to reveal the dissolution process and mechanism. This work evidences that the dissolution capability of pristine Cyrene towards pristine and defected graphene could be greatly enhanced by a chlorination reaction. The chlorinated Cyrene could be a powerful solvent for fabricating graphene-based electronic inks.
Second-stage spectrum of corona of two graphs
Authors: Varghese Renny P
Published: October 2021

The derived graph of a simple graph [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is the graph having the same vertex set as [Formula: see text], in which two vertices are adjacent if and only if their distance in [Formula: see text] is two. The spectrum of derived graph of [Formula: see text] is called the second-stage spectrum of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we will determine the second-stage spectrum (Laplace and signless Laplace spectrum) of the corona of two regular graphs with diameter less than or equal to two. The energy of the derived graph is called the second-stage energy of [Formula: see text]. Here, we proved that the class of graphs [Formula: see text] is integral if and only if [Formula: see text] is a perfect square and the second-stage energy depends only on number of vertices. Moreover, we discuss some applications like the number of spanning trees, the Kirchhoff index and Laplacian-energy-like invariant of the newly constructed graph.
Decoupling of Carbon Emissions from Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis Based on 264 Prefecture-Level Cities in China
Authors: KANG Wenmei , LIANG Benfan , XIA Keyu , XUE Fei , LI Yu
Published: October 2021

After setting the goal of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, it has become an irresistible trend for China to decouple carbon emissions from its economic growth. Since cities play a central role in reducing carbon emissions, the issues such as whether and when their carbon dioxide emissions can be decoupled from economic growth have become the focus of attention. Based on the carbon dioxide emissions of 264 prefecture-level cities in China from 2000 to 2017, this paper uses the Tapio decoupling index to measure the decoupling relationship between carbon emissions and economic growth of cities, analyzes the space–time evolution characteristics of carbon emissions and decoupling indexes by stages, and explores the relationship between carbon emissions and socio-economic development characteristics such as per capita GDP and industrial structure. The main conclusions drawn therefrom are as follows: (i) From 2000 to 2017, the city-wide carbon emissions rose from 2.484 billion tons in 2000 to 7.462 billion tons in 2017, registering a total increase of 200.40%. But the growth rate of carbon emissions within cities has been significantly reduced. (ii) As years passed by, the number of cities that achieved strong decoupling saw a significant increase, from zero in the 10th–11th Five-Year Plan period to 14 in the 12th Five-Year Plan period and the first two years of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, accounting for 5.3% of the total number of cities. (iii) There is an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between per capita carbon emissions and per capita GDP, which is consistent with the EKC curve hypothesis, but Chinese cities are still in the growth stage of the quadratic curve currently. The correlation between per capita CO2 emission and the proportion of the secondary industry was positive. The results of this study are expected to provide experience for the low-carbon development of cities in China and other developing countries, and provide references for the formulation and evaluation of policies and measures related to low-carbon economic development based on the decoupling model.
The influence of volcanic supply on the composition of modern river sands: the case study of the Ofanto River, southern Italy
Authors: Tenuta Mariano , Donato Paola , Dominici Rocco , De Rosa Rosanna
Published: October 2021

The Ofanto River drains volcanic rocks from the Monte Vulture, lacustrine–fluviolacustrine deposits associated with the same volcano and sedimentary deposits of the Southern Apennines and the Bradanic foredeep sequences. Comparing the modal composition of river sands and the outcrop area of different lithologies in the different sub-basins, an over-concentration of the volcaniclastic fraction, mainly represented by loose crystals of clinopyroxene, garnet and amphibole, is shown. This has been related to the preferential erosion of pyroclastic deposits, characterized by high production of sand-sized loose minerals, together with the carbonate lability and the low sand-sized detritus production from claystones and marls. The occurrence of volcaniclastic components upstream of Monte Vulture can be explained as a contribution from the lacustrine–fluviolacustrine deposits cropping out in the upstream sector or from pyroclastic fall deposits of Monte Vulture and/or Campanian volcanoes. This research shows that the volcanic record in the fluvial sands of the Ofanto River comes from weathering and sorting processes of volcaniclastic deposits rather than of the lavas building the main edifice. Therefore, caution must be taken during palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstructions when relating the type and abundance of the volcanic component in sediments to the weathering stage and evolutionary history of the volcano.
DSSAE: Deep Stacked Sparse Autoencoder Analytical Model for COVID-19 Diagnosis by Fractional Fourier Entropy
Authors: Wang Shui-Hua , Zhang Xin , Zhang Yu-Dong
Published: October 2021

(
Aim
) COVID-19 has caused more than 2.28 million deaths till 4/Feb/2021 while it is still spreading across the world. This study proposed a novel artificial intelligence model to diagnose COVID-19 based on chest CT images. (
Methods
) First, the two-dimensional fractional Fourier entropy was used to extract features. Second, a custom
deep stacked sparse autoencoder (DSSAE)
model was created to serve as the classifier. Third, an improved multiple-way data augmentation was proposed to resist overfitting. (
Results
) Our DSSAE model obtains a micro-averaged F1 score of 92.32% in handling a four-class problem (COVID-19, community-acquired pneumonia, secondary pulmonary tuberculosis, and healthy control). (
Conclusion
) Our method outperforms 10 state-of-the-art approaches.
ApproxNet: Content and Contention-Aware Video Object Classification System for Embedded Clients
Authors: Xu Ran , Kumar Rakesh , Wang Pengcheng , Bai Peter , Meghanath Ganga , Chaterji Somali , Mitra Subrata , Bagchi Saurabh
Published: October 2021

Videos take a lot of time to transport over the network, hence running analytics on the live video on embedded or mobile devices has become an important system driver. Considering such devices, e.g., surveillance cameras or AR/VR gadgets, are resource constrained, although there has been significant work in creating lightweight deep neural networks (DNNs) for such clients, none of these can adapt to changing runtime conditions, e.g., changes in resource availability on the device, the content characteristics, or requirements from the user. In this article, we introduce ApproxNet, a video object classification system for embedded or mobile clients. It enables novel dynamic approximation techniques to achieve desired inference latency and accuracy trade-off under changing runtime conditions. It achieves this by enabling two approximation knobs within a single DNN model rather than creating and maintaining an ensemble of models, e.g., MCDNN [MobiSys-16]. We show that ApproxNet can adapt seamlessly at runtime to these changes, provides low and stable latency for the image and video frame classification problems, and shows the improvement in accuracy and latency over ResNet [CVPR-16], MCDNN [MobiSys-16], MobileNets [Google-17], NestDNN [MobiCom-18], and MSDNet [ICLR-18].