bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sexual transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus and its role in the spread of COVID-19: A living systematic review protocol
Authors: Duarte Giuliano , Ortiz-Muñoz Luis , Belén Morales María , Paz Acuña María , Rada Gabriel
Published: December 2020

Objective To provide a review of the literature on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the sexual fluids of patients with COVID-19 and to observe its possible sexual transmission in a timely, rigorous, and continuously updated manner. Data sources We will conduct searches in PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), grey literature, and a centralized repository in L·OVE (Living OVerview of Evidence). L·OVE is a platform that maps PICO questions to evidence from the Epistemonikos database. In response to the COVID-19 emergency, L·OVE was adapted to expand the range of evidence it covers and customized to group all COVID-19 evidence in one place. The search will cover the period until the day before submission to a journal. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies and methods We adapted an already published standard protocol for multiple parallel systematic reviews to the specificities of this question. We will include randomized trials evaluating the sexual transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Randomized trials evaluating the sexual transmission of other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, and non-randomized studies in COVID-19 will be searched if no direct evidence from randomized trials is found or if the direct evidence provides a low to a very low level of certainty for critical outcomes. Two reviewers will independently screen each study for eligibility, extract data, and assess the risk of bias. We will perform random-effects meta-analyses and use GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence for each outcome. A living, web-based version of this review will be openly available during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will resubmit the review if the conclusions change or if there are substantial updates. PROSPERO Registration (CRD42020189368).
Clinical and epidemiological characterization of patients with psoriasis and the prescription of biological therapy in Venezuela: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Rojano Rada Jairo , Terán Pereira Paulette , López Grassa Liliana
Published: December 2020

Introduction Psoriasis is a chronic disease that affects the skin. One hundred twenty-five million people around the world suffer from this condition. In specific groups of patients, the joints may also be involved. To control and follow-up patients with psoriasis, psoriasis area severity and dermatological quality of life measurements were established. Both parameters are necessary for the initiation of biological therapy, as specified in the psoriasis management guide (2015) of the national committee of rheumatological, immunological, and bone metabolism diseases of the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security. Objective To characterize the clinical and epidemiological variables and the prescription of biological therapy in patients with psoriasis who access the high-cost dispensing program of the Venezuelan Institute Social Security (IVSS) pharmacy. Methods This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Results A total of 374 patient records were assessed. The male gender was more frequent, with 56.1% (p <0.001), mostly from Caracas city. In comparing age groups with sex, a difference among these was observed (p <0.05). 57.5% previously used methotrexate, 6.68% biological, 3.2% topical steroids, and 31% did not report which type of previous therapy they had received. Amongst the clinical presentations, 70% corresponded to plaque psoriasis. 79% of the patients presented moderate activity according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI): Eleven percent were assessed with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI); 39% of them reported an extremely important effect. The anergic range of the Mantoux test represented 70.9% of the cases, and 0.3% took the booster evaluation. Chest X-ray was reported normal in 95% of the cases. The most demanded biological medicine was etanercept, in 52% of the cases. Conclusions Male gender and its association with psoriasis was an important finding. The need to improve the administrative components in completing the medication request formats and strengthen clinical measurements and good medical practice was also found.
Introduction of a workflow for tomographic analysis of formation stimulation using novel nano-based encapsulated acid systems
Authors: Petrakov Dmitry , Jafarpour Hamed , Qajar Jafar , Aghaei Hamed , Hajiabadi Hasan
Published: December 2020

During the production time, it is crucial to manage the reservoir efficient productivity and keep it at a profitable level. Matrix acidizing in carbonate reservoirs is a common course of action to increase the efficiency of production. The present project is based on an integrated multi-disciplinary plan as an arena to merge traditional and novel technologies in the field of petroleum engineering, petroleum geoscience, chemical engineering, computer vision and mineralogy. Some crucial parameters such as permeability/porosity changes occurred during carbonate acidizing are modelled and analyzed based on various modern technologies, such as, the novel digital rock technologies. A waste variety of nanoparticles is also used in order to design a novel acid mixture for stimulating the carbonate reservoirs. Specifically, this study is considered as a one-step forward in development of smart encapsulated acid systems using a range of hydrophobic silica nanoparticles in various grades of hydrophobicity. Moreover, the present study can be considered as the first practical example for application of digital rock physics in improvement of acidizing operation in Iran and Russia. The proposed research methods are consist of preparation of encapsulated acids, sample and data collection, conventional core analysis, digital core analysis, lab experiments and modelling and conclusion. Characterization of the efficiency of this process was once more characterized using the aforementioned digital rock technologies to visualize the effect of encapsulated acid fracturing operation, impact of surface modification of silica NPs on the etching efficiency, the physical properties of core samples, and subsequently the final productivity index. Thin section, SEM and FE-SEM analysis was then performed to further evidence the efficiency of this method. Moreover, the efficiency of this method was categorized based on the identified mineralogy and rock composition. It was concluded that the dissolution rate was significantly increased as a result of acid neutralization control and the reaction rate decreased which in turn resulted in more homogenous patterns of wormholes, higher permeability, and so, more successful acid treatment. Thanks to the reduced accessible surface of acid systems caused by their emulsion-based nature, it was found that this novel encapsulation process can reduce the risks of corrosion in all the equipment in surface and bottom hole. It naturally reduces the extra costs of corrosion-related damages and subsequent workover operations, which are the common need of most of the wells treated by conventional acid fracturing operations.
The factors and mechanisms of preservation and affirmation of the Serbian strategic culture
Authors: Kesić Dušan
Published: December 2020

The paper discusses the issue of preservation and affirmation of the Serbian strategic culture with the aim of identifying some of the key factors and mechanisms that influence its articulation. As national culture represents a broader ideational basis of strategic culture, the case of the Serbian nation points to certain factors of national culture (literary heritage, history and geography) that determine the access to the issues of the use of force and war. When it comes to social institutions that have an impact on the education and behavior of individuals, and thus on preservation and affirmation of strategic culture, according to the criterion of contribution in this field, educational and media institutions are the most important. Therefore, the subject of this paper consists of presenting the way of articulating these factors of the Serbian strategic culture through educational and media institutions. The consideration of the role of these institutions also includes the presentation of the results of the research on the state of security culture among young people in the Republic of Serbia. The significance of this research stems from the fact that, among other things, it provides insights into the attitudes of high school students regarding the contributions of educational and media institutions in understanding security issues.
Strategic culture and legitimacy of violent power takeover
Authors: Milenković Miloš
Published: December 2020

Strategic culture, in a broader context, can be understood as the relationship between the most important social actors, primarily political and military, concerning force and its use. This paper focuses on the study of the relationship between strategic culture and the violent change of the highest state authorities. The basic hypothesis is that strategic culture, as a part of political and national culture, is one of the sources of the legitimacy for the use of force in the process of violent power takeover. The paper primarily analyzes the following political factors of strategic culture: (1) historical experience, (2) the political system, (3) the beliefs of elites, and (4) military organization and its influence on the decision for the use of force, as well as the choice of method of violent power takeover. An analysis of political factors through an obvious example of the violent power takeover such as the March 27, 1941 coup, shows the connection between strategic culture and the use of force, as well as the legitimacy (legality) of such an act.
LIFE CYCLE ASSESMENT OF A BIOFERTILIZER PRODUCTION PROCESS FROM WASTE FATS
Authors: CARLOS HERNANDEZ SALVADOR , DIAZ JIMENEZ LOURDES
Published: December 2020

A biofertilizer production process from waste fats is analyzed through Life Cycle Assessment. The stages included in the assessment were: storage of raw material, anaerobic digestion with biogas combustion, and composting with Eisenia foetida. The objective was to identify the environmental impacts of the different stages and propose alternatives to minimize them. The functional unit was “ the production of 120 kg of biofertilizer”. The inventory data was provided by the enterprise operating the process. Data regarding electricity generation were obtained from official national information. The method to evaluate the environmental impacts was CML (baseline) by using the software openLCA. The results showed that the “Compost” stage contributes the most with the environmental impact. This behavior is due to the use of electricity for pumping water and the fuel used in the aeration of composting. “Anaerobic digestion” presents an environmental load mainly due to the pumping of materials to other stages. The most significant effect is on the category “Marine aquatic ecotoxicity”. The reason for this situation is linked to the life cycle of the obtention of electricity and diesel. After that, some alternatives to minimize the environmental impacts are identified: i) to replace fossil fuels by biodiesel, ii) to incorporate solar energy since it receives high radiation. Replacement of biodiesel improves the environmental performance of the process, and the use of solar energy does not contribute to reducing the environmental load of the process.

Keywords: wastes revalorization, cleaner production, renewable energy, environmental impact, industrial bioprocesses.
Dall’ecologia politica attraverso il Capitalocene per una società ecologica
Authors: Piras Gioacchino
Published: December 2020

In the context of Political Ecology, this paper traces the main interpretations that have emphasized the need to rethink the relationship between nature and society in order to find new solutions to the ecological crisis. We will first consider the concept of Capitalocene as an alternative to that of Anthropocene; we will then analyze the reorganization of social relations proposed by Bookchin as well as the concretization of these principles in the democratic confederation of Rojava. The aim of this reflection is to study the social reorganization of democratic confederalism, in its anti-hierarchical, feminist, ecological and selfgoverning dimension, as a perspective in harmony with the theory of the oikeios and, therefore, as a real solution to the ecological crisis.
Gestire o nascondere i conflitti socio-ambientali? La Social Licence to Operate nelle attività petrolifere dell’Amazzonia ecuadoriana
Authors: Diantini Alberto , Pappalardo Salvatore Eugenio , Codato Daniele , De Marchi Massimo
Published: December 2020

The main objective of this research was to critically examine the concept of Social Licence to Operate (SLO) in an oil concession of the Ecuadorian Amazon inhabited by indigenous villages. In this paper we present the qualitative data of the semi-structured interviews and the household survey with village residents. The main findings revealed the important role of the involvement of communities in the decision-making processes (procedural fairness), people’s perceptions of company’s socio-environmental impacts, the management of forms of protest and social services in the communities. Particularly, the results suggested that procedural fairness and the respect of communities’ right of self-determination are the basic requisite for the application of the SLO concept in the study area.
Relative Privilege, Risk, and Sense of Community: Understanding Latinx Immigrants’ Empowerment and Resilience Processes Across the United States
Authors: Buckingham Sara L. , Brodsky Anne E.
Published: December 2020

Latinx immigrants regularly navigate adversity and oppression through resilience and empowerment; however, little research has sought to delineate when, how, and why they may engage in either process. Through the Transtheoretical Model of Empowerment and Resilience, this paper examines how Latinx immigrants living in distinct U.S. contexts interact with their communities. Seventy‐three Latinx immigrants (ages 18 to 70, M = 40.85, SD = 13.65) participated in 12 focus groups in Albuquerque, NM; Maricopa County, AZ; Baltimore, MD; and Richmond, VA. Participants had lived in the United States for less than 1 to 39 years (M = 14.19, SD = 8.72) and had varying immigration statuses. Analyses revealed that empowerment and resilience goals diverged by individuals’ beliefs in the degree to which external change was vital, possible, and theirs to attempt. Beliefs coincided with the fundamental risk posed, based on the interaction of a context’s conditions with an individual’s characteristics and sense of community. Results indicate that while resilience is important to navigate risky settings, it may uphold oppressive power structures because it is consistent with the status quo. Interventions to spur external change should involve empowering processes, including facilitating gains in relative privilege and fostering sense of community.
Modeling flux in tangential flow filtration using a reverse asymmetric membrane for Chinese hamster ovary cell clarification
Authors: Zhang Da , Patel Parag , Strauss Daniel , Qian Xianghong , Wickramasinghe S. Ranil
Published: December 2020

Tangential flow filtration is advantageous for bioreactor clarification as the permeate stream could be introduced directly to the subsequent product capture step. However, membrane fouling coupled with high product rejection has limited its use. Here, the performance of a reverse asymmetric hollow fiber membrane where the more open pore structure faces the feed stream and the barrier layer faces the permeate stream has been investigated. The open surface contains pores up to 40 μm in diameter while the tighter barrier layer has an average pore size of 0.4 μm. Filtration of Chinese hamster ovary cell feed streams has been investigated under conditions that could be expected in fed batch operations. The performance of the reverse asymmetric membrane is compared to that of symmetric hollow fiber membranes with nominal pore sizes of 0.2 and 0.65 μm. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to observe the locations of particle entrapment. The throughput of the reverse asymmetric membrane is significantly greater than the symmetric membranes. The membrane stabilizes an internal high permeability cake that acts like a depth filter. This stabilized cake can remove particulate matter that would foul the barrier layer if it faced the feed stream. An empirical model has been developed to describe the variation of flux and transmembrane pressure drop during filtration using reverse asymmetric membranes. Our results suggest that using a reverse asymmetric membrane could avoid severe flux decline associated with fouling of the barrier layer during bioreactor clarification.
Potential of Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ Peptide Analogs for Drug Development
Authors: Wtorek Karol , Janecka Anna
Published: December 2020

Nociceptin receptor (NOP) belongs to the family of opioid receptors but was discovered and characterized much later than the so called classical opioid receptors, μ, δ and κ (or MOP, DOP and KOP, resp.). Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is the endogenous ligand of this receptor and it controls numerous important functions in the central nervous system and in the periphery, so its analogs may be developed as innovative drugs for the treatment of a variety of conditions and pathological states. Availability of potent and selective ligands with high affinity to NOP receptor is essential to fully understand the role of NOP‐N/OFQ system in the body, which in turn may lead to designing novel therapeutics. Here, we have focused on reviewing the structure of potent peptide‐based agonists, antagonists, biased analogs and bivalent ligands that target NOP receptor.
Moisture‐Resistant FAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cell with 22.25 % Power Conversion Efficiency through Pentafluorobenzyl Phosphonic Acid Passivation
Authors: Akman Erdi , Shalan Ahmed Esmail , Sadegh Faranak , Akin Seckin
Published: December 2020

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have shown great promise for photovoltaic applications, owing to their low‐cost assembly, exceptional performance, and low‐temperature solution processing. However, the advancement of PSCs towards commercialization requires improvements in efficiency and long‐term stability. The surface and grain boundaries of perovskite layer, as well as interfaces, are critical factors in determining the performance of the assembled cells. Defects, which are mainly located at perovskite surfaces, can trigger hysteresis, carrier recombination, and degradation, which diminish the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of the resultant cells. This study concerns the stabilization of the α‐FAPbI3 perovskite phase without negatively affecting the spectral features by using 2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorobenzyl phosphonic acid (PFBPA) as a passivation agent. Accordingly, high‐quality PSCs are attained with an improved PCE of 22.25 % and respectable cell parameters compared to the pristine cells without the passivation layer. The thin PFBPA passivation layer effectively protects the perovskite layer from moisture, resulting in better long‐term stability for unsealed PSCs, which maintain >90 % of the original efficiency under different humidity levels (40–75 %) after 600 h. PFBPA passivation is found to have a considerable impact in obtaining high‐quality and stable FAPbI3 films to benefit both the efficiency and the stability of PSCs.
Exergoeconomic analysis of a pumped heat electricity storage system based on a Joule/Brayton cycle
Authors: Dietrich Axel , Dammel Frank , Stephan Peter
Published: December 2020

Storing electrical energy in the form of thermal energy, pumped heat electricity storage (PHES) systems are a location‐independent alternative to established storage technologies. Detailed analyses, considering the transient operation of PHES systems based on commercially available or state‐of‐the‐art technology, are currently not publicly accessible. In this work, numerical models that enable a transient simulation of PHES systems are developed using the process simulation software EBSILON® Professional. A PHES system based on a Joule/Brayton cycle is designed, considering commercially available and state‐of‐the‐art components. Employing the developed models and an exergoeconomic analysis, the transient operation of the PHES system is simulated and evaluated. The analyzed PHES system reaches a round‐trip efficiency of 42.9%. The exergoeconomic analysis shows that PHES systems have higher power‐specific costs than established storage technologies. They can currently not be economically operated at the day‐ahead market for Germany and Austria, which is predominantly resulting from high purchased equipment costs. However, PHES systems have the advantage of being location‐independent.
Translation of “The Black Woman: A Portrait”
Authors: de Sant'Anna Machado Taís , Perry Keisha‐Khan Y.
Published: December 2020

This essay introduces the translation of the text “The Black Woman: A Portrait” by Afro‐Brazilian feminist anthropologist Lélia Gonzalez. She is one of the most celebrated black feminist activist‐scholars in Brazil, and was one of the first black women to receive a Ph.D. in anthropology. In her short life, she traveled extensively around the Americas giving lectures on the plight and resistance of black Brazilians, and was one of the most prolific writers. She has been compared to Angela Davis, and would add Claudia Jones, because of her black left feminist ideas. “The Black Woman: A Portrait” is one of the first essays she published over four decades ago in 1979. The essay focuses on the life of a black woman in Rio de Janeiro, highlights essential elements of Brazilian gendered racialized history, some of which have been well‐documented in the anthropological literature on Brazil written in English. This translation project represents an example of the radical citational practices that the Cite Black Women project proposes.
Does environment quality and public spending on environment promote life expectancy in China? Evidence from a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag approach
Authors: Shah Muhammad Haroon , Wang Nianyong , Ullah Irfan , Akbar Ahsan , Khan Karamat , Bah Kebba
Published: December 2020

Environmental quality has become a growing concern for Chinese society since the last 2 decades in China. The large contribution of different pollutants severely affected the environmental quality that untimely affects life expectancy in the country. In this backdrop, the present study investigates the impact of environmental quality and public spending on the environment for life expectancy in China using the period 1999Q1–2017Q4. We employ nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) approach for the empirical assessment. The outcomes of the study reveal the existence of a long‐run relationship between environmental quality, public spending on the environment and life expectancy in China. The empirical finding reported that life expectancy reacts differently in response to positive and negative shocks of environmental quality both in the long‐ and short‐run. Environmental quality and spending on the environment increase the life expectancy, furthermore, population has a positive and significant association with life expectancy only in short run while in long run it does not affect. Hence, the government needs to roll out policies to enhance environmental quality and ensure adequate funding for environmental preservation, to achieve both longevity of society and sustainability of the eco‐system.
The role of novel motor unit magnetic resonance imaging to investigate motor unit activity in ageing skeletal muscle
Authors: Birkbeck Matthew G. , Blamire Andrew M. , Whittaker Roger G. , Sayer Avan Aihie , Dodds Richard M.
Published: December 2020

Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized disease, more common in older adults, which manifests as a loss of muscle strength and mass. The pathophysiology of sarcopenia is still poorly understood with many mechanisms suggested. Age associated changes to the neuromuscular architecture, including motor units and their constituent muscle fibres, represent one such mechanism. Electromyography can be used to distinguish between different myopathies and produce counts of motor units. Evidence from electromyography studies suggests that with age, there is a loss of motor units, increases to the sizes of remaining units, and changes to their activity patterns. However, electromyography is invasive, can be uncomfortable, does not reveal the exact spatial position of motor units within muscle and is difficult to perform in deep muscles. We present a novel diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging technique called ‘motor unit magnetic resonance imaging (MUMRI)’. MUMRI aims to improve our understanding of the changes to the neuromuscular system associated with ageing, sarcopenia and other neuromuscular diseases. To date, we have demonstrated that MUMRI can be used to detect statistically significant differences in fasciculation rate of motor units between (n = 4) patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (mean age ± SD: 53 ± 15) and a group of (n = 4) healthy controls (38 ± 7). Patients had significantly higher rates of fasciculation compared with healthy controls (mean = 99.1/min, range = 25.7–161.0 in patients vs. 7.7/min, range = 4.3–9.7 in controls; P < 0.05. MUMRI has detected differences in size, shape, and distribution of single human motor units between (n = 5) young healthy volunteers (29 ± 2.2) and (n = 5) healthy older volunteers (65.6 ± 14.8). The maximum size of motor unit territories in the older group was 12.4 ± 3.3 mm and 9.7 ± 2.7 mm in the young group; P < 0.05. MUMRI is an entirely non‐invasive tool, which can be used to detect physiological and pathological changes to motor units in neuromuscular diseases. MUMRI also has the potential to be used as an intermediate outcome measure in sarcopenia trials.
Efficient and reproducible depletion of hepatitis B virus from plasma derived extracellular vesicles
Authors: Jung Stephanie , Jacobs Karolin Fiona Kirsten , Shein Mikhail , Schütz Anne Kathrin , Mohr Fabian , Stadler Herbert , Stadler Daniela , Lucko Aaron Michael , Altstetter Sebastian Maximilian , Wilsch Florian , Deng Li , Protzer Ulrike
Published: December 2020

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging fundamental players in viral infections by shuttling viral components, mediating immune responses and likely the spread of the virus. However, the obstacles involved in purifying EVs and removing contaminating viral particles in a reliable and effective manner bottlenecks the full potential for the development of clinical and diagnostic treatment options targeting EV. Because of the similarities in size, density, membrane composition and mode of biogenesis of EVs and virions there are no standardized approaches for virus‐removal from EV preparations yet. Functional EV studies also require EV samples that are devoid of antibody contaminants. Consequently, the study of EVs in virology needs reliable and effective protocols to purify EVs and remove contaminating antibodies and viral particles. Here, we established a protocol for EV purification from hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐containing plasma by a combination of size‐exclusion chromatography and affinity‐based purification. After purification, EV samples were free of virus‐sized particles, HBV surface antigen, HBV core antigen, antibodies or infectious material. Viral genomic contamination was also decreased following purification. By using appropriate antibodies and size parameters, this protocol could potentially be applied to purification of EVs from other viral samples. In summary, we established a fast, reproducible and robust approach for the removal of HBV from EV preparations. Looking forward to the point of purifying EVs from clinical samples, this method should enable studies shedding light on the underlying mechanisms of EVs in viral infections and their diagnostic and prognostic potential.
Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney
Authors: Gilad Noa , Weissmann‐Brenner Alina , Gilboa Yinon , Dekel Benjamin , Achiron Reuven , Perlman Sharon
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To assess the prenatal growth pattern of the normal kidney contralateral to a multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK).

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted in a single referral center over 4 years. Cases diagnosed prenatally as MCDK and confirmed postnatally constituted the study group. For creation of nomograms, only isolated cases of MCDK were included.

Results

Sixty‐one fetuses had a diagnosis of an MCDK during the study period. After exclusion of cases with associated malformations, 47 fetuses remained, providing 94 measurements for creation of nomograms. The growth pattern of the normal kidney contralateral to an MCDK was linear throughout gestation (percentile = 20.01 + 1.5 gestational age; linear R2 = 0.753; r = 0.868) and was significantly higher during the third trimester (29–38 weeks' gestation) compared to the second trimester (22–28 weeks' gestation; P < .001). A comparison of the growth pattern of the normal kidney contralateral to the MCDK to the growth pattern of a solitary kidney revealed a significant higher compensatory trend during the third trimester (P < .0001). The mean kidney lengths at 22 and 38 weeks' gestation correlated with the 52nd and 88th and with the 84th and 90th percentiles for the normal kidney contralateral to the MCDK and a solitary kidney, respectively.

Conclusions

According to our study, the normal kidney contralateral to an MCDK has a unique growth pattern during intrauterine life, with dominant growth during the third trimester. The exact mechanism for this pattern, in comparison to early renal hypertrophy shown in solitary kidneys, is currently not clear. These data provide relevant information for the multidisciplinary prenatal counseling of future parents regarding the future renal outcome.
In vivo biochemical assessment of cartilage with gagCEST MRI: Correlation with cartilage properties
Authors: Brinkhof Sander , Nizak Razmara , Sim Sotcheadt , Khlebnikov Vitaliy , Quenneville Eric , Garon Martin , Klomp Dennis W.J. , Saris Daniel
Published: December 2020

To assess articular cartilage in vivo, a noninvasive measurement is proposed to evaluate damage of the cartilage. It is hypothesized that glycosaminoglycan chemical exchange saturation transfer (gagCEST) can be applied as a noninvasive imaging technique as it would relate to electromechanical indentation and GAG content as measured with biochemical assays. This pilot study applies gagCEST MRI in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients to assess substantially damaged articular cartilage. The outcome was verified against electromechanical indentation and biochemical assays to assess the potential of gagCEST MRI. Five TKA patients were scanned on a 7.0 T MRI with a gagCEST sequence. Articular resurfacing cuts after TKA were obtained for electromechanical and biochemical analyses. The gagCEST MRI measurements on the medial condyle showed a moderate correlation with the GAG content, although sensitivity on the lateral condyle was lacking. Additionally, a strong negative correlation of gagCEST MRI with the electromechanical measurements was observed in the regression analysis. Correlation of gagCEST MRI with electromechanical measurements was shown, but the correlation of gagCEST MRI with GAG content was not convincing. In conclusion, gagCEST could be a useful tool to assess the GAG content in articular cartilage noninvasively, although the mismatch in heterogeneity requires further investigation.
Don't waste other people's time
Authors: Hodges Dawn Z.
Published: December 2020

One of the worst things a leader, manager, or boss can do is waste their employees’ time. By doing so, you are keeping your employees from being as productive as they could be.
Wrongful convictions and forensic science
Authors: Bonventre Catherine L.
Published: December 2020

More than 2,600 exonerations have been documented in the United States since 1989. Forensic science—in the form of postconviction DNA testing—has played a critical role in the revelation that wrongful convictions are a problematic feature of criminal justice. Yet, forensic science is also among the many factors—including eyewitness misidentification, false confessions, informants, and more—that are correlates of wrongful convictions. Forensic science contributes to erroneous convictions when analysts provide invalid testimony at trial or when such evidence fails to correct false crime theories. Moreover, while intentional forensic misconduct certainly exists, the effects of confirmation biases may present a greater threat to forensic analyses. The preceding mechanisms and reform efforts are discussed.

This article is categorized under:

Jurisprudence and Regulatory Oversight > Expert Evidence and Narrative
Water Depletion and Land Subsidence in Iran Using Gravity, GNSS, InSAR and Precise Levelling Data
Authors: Hinderer Jacques , Saadat Abdoreza , Cheraghi Hamideh , Bernard Jean-Daniel , Djamour Yahya , Amighpey Masoomeh , Arabi Seyavash , Nankali Hamidreza , Tavakoli Farokh
Published: December 2020

Population growth, coupled with the expansion of exploitation of groundwater resources for agricultural and industrial purposes, has led Iran to face the necessity of proper use and sustainable management of existing water resources. In this study we will use the existing valuable geodetic data (gravity, GNSS, precise levelling, InSAR) in Iran to better understand the surface deformation and gravity variations caused by underground water depletion attributed to drastic pumping. Based on repetition of first order precise leveling network of Iran, about 44 subsidence areas are identified and continuous data collected by the Iranian permanent GNSS and geodynamic network (IPGN), as well as InSAR data, indicate strong elevation changes in some parts of the country. GRACE satellite gravity solutions over Iran also show a general gravity decrease between 2002 and 2016. New absolute gravity campaigns were performed in Iran in 2017 and 2018 in the frame of the TRIGGER French-Iranian program. Several new absolute gravity stations were established and former stations, first measured between 2000 and 2007, were repeated showing that the gravity values of many stations have changed in time. Most of these changes indicate a gravity decrease mostly linked to mass deficit due to water depletion. On the contrary some stations show a large gravity increase that can be merely explained by land subsidence itself linked to water depletion by poroelastic effects.
Additivity Coefficients for all Classes in the Algebra of Darboux-Like Maps on $$\mathbb {R}$$
Authors: Ciesielski K. C. , Natkaniec T. , Rodríguez-Vidanes D. L. , Seoane-Sepúlveda J. B.
Published: December 2020

The class $$\mathbb D$$
D
of generalized continuous functions on $$\mathbb {R}$$
R
known under the common name of Darboux-like functions is usually described as consisting of eight families of maps: Darboux, connectivity, almost continuous, extendable, peripherally continuous, those having perfect road, and having either the Cantor Intermediate Value Property or the Strong Cantor Intermediate Value Property. The algebra $$\mathcal {A}(\mathbb D)$$

A
(
D
)

of classes of functions generated by these families contains 17 atoms. In this work we will calculate the values of the additivity coefficient $${{\,\mathrm{A}\,}}(\mathcal {F})$$

A

(
F
)

for all atoms $$\mathcal {F}$$
F
in the algebra $$\mathcal {A}(\mathbb D)$$

A
(
D
)

. We also determine the values $${{\,\mathrm{A}\,}}(\mathcal {F})$$

A

(
F
)

for a lot of other families $$\mathcal {F}\in \mathcal {A}(\mathbb D)$$

F
∈
A
(
D
)

. Open questions and new directions of research shall also be provided.
Higher stand densities can promote soil carbon storage after conversion of temperate mixed natural forests to larch plantations
Authors: Na Meng , Sun Xiaoyang , Zhang Yandong , Sun Zhihu , Rousk Johannes
Published: December 2020

Soil carbon (C) reservoirs held in forests play a significant role in the global C cycle. However, harvesting natural forests tend to lead to soil C loss, which can be countered by the establishment of plantations after clear cutting. Therefore, there is a need to determine how forest management can affect soil C sequestration. The management of stand density could provide an effective tool to control soil C sequestration, yet how stand density influences soil C remains an open question. To address this question, we investigated soil C storage in 8-year pure hybrid larch (Larix spp.) plantations with three densities (2000 trees ha−1, 3300 trees ha−1 and 4400 trees ha−1), established following the harvesting of secondary mixed natural forest. We found that soil C storage increased with higher tree density, which mainly correlated with increases of dissolved organic C as well as litter and root C input. In addition, soil respiration decreased with higher tree density during the most productive periods of warm and moist conditions. The reduced SOM decomposition suggested by lowered respiration was also corroborated with reduced levels of plant litter decomposition. The stimulated inputs and reduced exports of C from the forest floor resulted in a 40% higher soil C stock in high- compared to low-density forests within 8 years after plantation, providing effective advice for forest management to promote soil C sequestration in ecosystems.
Assisting humans in privacy management: an agent-based approach
Authors: Kurtan A. Can , Yolum Pınar
Published: December 2020

Image sharing is a service offered by many online social networks. In order to preserve privacy of images, users need to think through and specify a privacy setting for each image that they upload. This is difficult for two main reasons: first, research shows that many times users do not know their own privacy preferences, but only become aware of them over time. Second, even when users know their privacy preferences, editing these privacy settings is cumbersome and requires too much effort, interfering with the quick sharing behavior expected on an online social network. Accordingly, this paper proposes a privacy recommendation model for images using tags and an agent that implements this, namely pelte. Each user agent makes use of the privacy settings that its user have set for previous images to predict automatically the privacy setting for an image that is uploaded to be shared. When in doubt, the agent analyzes the sharing behavior of other users in the user’s network to be able to recommend to its user about what should be considered as private. Contrary to existing approaches that assume all the images are available to a centralized model, pelte is compatible to distributed environments since each agent accesses only the privacy settings of the images that the agent owner has shared or those that have been shared with the user. Our simulations on a real-life dataset shows that pelte can accurately predict privacy settings even when a user has shared a few images with others, the images have only a few tags or the user’s friends have varying privacy preferences.
Decidability in robot manipulation planning
Authors: Vendittelli Marilena , Cristofaro Andrea , Laumond Jean-Paul , Mishra Bud
Published: December 2020

Consider the problem of planning collision-free motion of n objects movable through contact with a robot that can autonomously translate in the plane and that can move a maximum of $$m \le n$$

m
≤
n

objects simultaneously. This represents the abstract formulation of a general class of manipulation planning problems that are proven to be decidable in this paper. The tools used for proving decidability of this simplified manipulation planning problem are, in fact, general enough to handle the decidability problem for the wider class of systems characterized by a stratified configuration space. These include, e.g., problems of legged and multi-contact locomotion, bi-manual manipulation. In addition, the approach described does not restrict the dynamics of the manipulation system modeled.
Correction to: The role of advanced end-use technologies in long-term climate change mitigation: the interlinkage between primary bioenergy and energy end-use
Authors: Tsutsui Junichi , Yamamoto Hiromi , Sakamoto Shogo , Sugiyama Masahiro
Published: December 2020

A Correction to this paper has been published: 10.1007/s10584-020-02951-8
Seizure triggered by flicker electroretinogram in a patient with no history of epilepsy
Authors: Heinrich Sven P. , Agostini Hansjürgen
Published: December 2020

Purpose

It is well known that repetitive flash stimulation may trigger seizures in susceptible individuals. Nevertheless, reports of such incidents occurring during recording of a flash electroretinogram (ERG) are extremely rare. Here, we describe the case of a photic-induced seizure triggered during an ERG recording in the absence of a history of epilepsy or other paroxysmal events.

Methods

A 14-year-old male patient presented with reduced visual acuity and impaired mesopic vision. Ophthalmological exams confirmed the patient’s complaints but were inconclusive as to the underlying pathophysiology. An ERG recording was performed, during which the 30-Hz flicker stimulus triggered a seizure.

Results

The ERG was essentially normal, with the exception of a 7-Hz rhythm superimposed onto the flicker ERG response that was recorded when the seizure developed.

Conclusions

The present case highlights the possibility that the 30-Hz ERG flash stimulus triggers a seizure in patients with no previous paroxysmal events. Literature evidence suggests that the likelihood of such an incident could be reduced by stimulating monocularly.
Development of a Field Deployable Firebrand Flux and Condition Measurement System
Authors: Zen Simone , Thomas Jan C. , Mueller Eric V. , Dhurandher Bhisham , Gallagher Michael , Skowronski Nicholas , Hadden Rory M.
Published: December 2020

A new instrument to quantify firebrand dynamics during fires with particular focus on those associated with the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) has been developed. During WUI fires, firebrands can ignite spot fires, which can rapidly increase the rate of spread (ROS) of the fire, provide a mechanism by which the fire can pass over firebreaks and are the leading cause of structure ignitions. Despite this key role in driving wildfire dynamics and hazards, difficulties in collecting firebrands in the field and preserving their physical condition (e.g. dimensions and temperature) have limited the development of knowledge of firebrand dynamics. In this work we present a new, field-deployable diagnostic tool, an emberometer, designed to provide measurement of firebrand fluxes and information on both the geometry and the thermal conditions of firebrands immediately before deposition by combining a visual and infrared camera. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to calibrate and validate the developed imaging techniques. The emberometer was then deployed in the field to explore firebrand fluxes and particle conditions for a range of fire intensities in natural pine forest environments. In addition to firebrand particle characterization, field observations with the emberometer enabled detailed time history of deposition (i.e. firebrand flux) relative to concurrent in situ fire behaviour observations. We highlight that deposition was characterised by intense, short duration “showers” that can be reasonably associated to spikes in the average fire line intensity. The results presented illustrate the potential use of an emberometer in studying firebrand and spot fire dynamics.
A Novel Modeling Approach to Stochastically Evaluate the Impact of Pore Network Geometry, Chemistry and Topology on Fluid Transport
Authors: Apostolopoulou Maria , Stamatakis Michail , Striolo Alberto , Dusterhoft Ron , Hull Rob , Day Richard
Published: December 2020

Fine-grained sandstones, siltstones, and shales have become increasingly important to satisfy the ever-growing global energy demands. Of particular current interest are shale rocks, which are mudstones made up of organic and inorganic constituents of varying pore sizes. These materials exhibit high heterogeneity, low porosity, varying chemical composition and low pore connectivity. Due to the complexity and the importance of such materials, many experimental, theoretical and computational efforts have attempted to quantify the impact of rock features on fluids diffusivity and ultimately on permeability. In this study, we introduce a stochastic kinetic Monte Carlo approach developed to simulate fluid transport. The features of this approach allow us to discuss the applicability of 2D vs 3D models for the calculation of transport properties. It is found that a successful model should consider realistic 3D pore networks consisting of pore bodies that communicate via pore throats, which however requires a prohibitive amount of computational resources. To overcome current limitations, we present a rigorous protocol to stochastically generate synthetic 3D pore networks in which pore features can be isolated and varied systematically and individually. These synthetic networks do not correspond to real sample scenarios but are crucial to achieve a systematic evaluation of the pore features on the transport properties. Using this protocol, we quantify the contribution of the pore network’s connectivity, porosity, mineralogy, and pore throat width distribution on the diffusivity of supercritical methane. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to rank the significance of the various network features on methane diffusivity. Connectivity is found to be the most important descriptor, followed by pore throat width distribution and porosity. Based on such insights, recommendations are provided on possible technological approaches to enhance fluid transport through shale rocks and equally complex pore networks. The purpose of this work is to identify the significance of various pore network characteristics using a stochastic KMC algorithm to simulate the transport of fluids. Our findings could be relevant for applications that make use of porous media, ranging from catalysis to radioactive waste management, and from environmental remediation to shale gas production.
Reference Pose Generation for Long-term Visual Localization via Learned Features and View Synthesis
Authors: Zhang Zichao , Sattler Torsten , Scaramuzza Davide
Published: December 2020

Visual Localization is one of the key enabling technologies for autonomous driving and augmented reality. High quality datasets with accurate 6 Degree-of-Freedom (DoF) reference poses are the foundation for benchmarking and improving existing methods. Traditionally, reference poses have been obtained via Structure-from-Motion (SfM). However, SfM itself relies on local features which are prone to fail when images were taken under different conditions, e.g., day/night changes. At the same time, manually annotating feature correspondences is not scalable and potentially inaccurate. In this work, we propose a semi-automated approach to generate reference poses based on feature matching between renderings of a 3D model and real images via learned features. Given an initial pose estimate, our approach iteratively refines the pose based on feature matches against a rendering of the model from the current pose estimate. We significantly improve the nighttime reference poses of the popular Aachen Day–Night dataset, showing that state-of-the-art visual localization methods perform better (up to 47%) than predicted by the original reference poses. We extend the dataset with new nighttime test images, provide uncertainty estimates for our new reference poses, and introduce a new evaluation criterion. We will make our reference poses and our framework publicly available upon publication.