bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neurofilament light chains in serum as biomarkers of axonal damage in early MS lesions: a histological–serological correlative study
Authors: Dietmann Anne-Sophie , Kruse Niels , Stork Lidia , Gloth Mareike , Brück Wolfgang , Metz Imke
Published: November 2022

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease associated with axonal injury, and neurofilament light chains in serum (sNfL) are considered a biomarker for this damage. We aimed to investigate the relationship between sNfL and the axonal damage in early MS lesions in a special cohort of biopsied patients. sNfL from 106 biopsied patients with 26 follow-up samples were analyzed using single-molecule array (SiMoA) technology. Findings were correlated with clinical parameters and histological findings of acute axonal damage (APP-positive spheroids) and axonal loss in different lesion stages. A median of 59 pg/ml sNfL was found (range 8–3101 pg/ml). sNfL levels correlated with APP-positive spheroids in early active demyelinating lesions that represent the earliest lesion stages (p < 0.01). A significant negative correlation between sNfL levels in follow-up blood samples and axonal density in normal-appearing white matter was also observed (p = 0.02). sNfL levels correlated with the Expanded Disability Status Score at biopsy (p < 0.01, r = 0.49) and at last clinical follow-up (p < 0.01, r = 0.66). In conclusion, sNfL likely represent a compound measure of recent and ongoing neuroaxonal damage. We found that sNfL in biopsied MS patients correlate with acute axonal damage in the earliest MS lesion stages. Determination of sNfL levels thus allows insight into brain pathology and underlines the relevance of relapse-associated lesional pathology. Axonal loss in normal-appearing white matter contributes to sNfL levels independent of relapses. Since sNfL levels correlate with clinical disability, they may predict the future disability of patients and help with individual treatment decisions.
AREP: an adaptive, machine learning-based algorithm for real-time anomaly detection on network telemetry data
Authors: Farkas Karoly
Published: November 2022

Abnormal behaviour detection is an essential task of real-time monitoring to secure the reliable operation of ICT infrastructures. This paper presents AREP, an adaptive, long short-term memory-based machine learning algorithm for real-time anomaly detection on network telemetry data. AREP is an improved version of Alter-Re$$^2$$

2

, the direct predecessor algorithm developed by our research team. AREP introduces automatic tuning of its two key parameters and includes an offset compensation component to increase accuracy. Unfortunately, AREP and its predecessors perform well only on time series showing specific patterns. Thus, we propose also a data type classification method to identify patterns on which AREP performs best. Moreover, we use an extended range of metrics in our performance evaluations, including area under the curve (AUC). AUC computation is based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. However, generating ROC curves is not straightforward due to the inherent adaptive threshold technique used by AREP and its predecessors, so we had to develop a novel ROC curve generation approach for these algorithms. We show through rigorous experiments that on network time series following specific data patterns AREP overperforms its predecessors and produces similar or even better performance than other state-of-the-art algorithms.
Temperature sensor integrated curl resonator chipless RFID tag for high capacity data identification applications
Authors: Malhat Hend A. , El-Refaay Esraa A. , Zainud-Deen Saber H.
Published: November 2022

This paper proposes a compact multi-bits chipless RFID tag using fully printed resonators with dual performance of tagging and sensing temperature. Each bit is modelled as curl resonator coupled to microstrip line and is printed on metal-backed Rogers RO4003 substrate. The proposed model is characterized by high attenuation of − 10 dB with narrow bandwidth and power reflection of − 3.2 dB. A parametric study on the effect of the tag dimensions of the transmission coefficient response is introduced. The resonance frequency of each bit is controlled via controlling the curl arm’s length. The multi-bits RFID tag is modelled using multi-curl resonators arranged next to microstrip line with different arm lengths. A multi-bits chipless RFID tags with 3-bits, 6-bits and 12-bits are designed in the frequency band from 3 to 7 GHz. The dimensions of 6-bits code are 60 × 17 mm2and for 12-bits code are 29.75 × 34 mm2. A temperature sensing capability is achieved via integrated Stanyl polyamide material with the curl resonator. The first bit is used for temperature sensing while the other bits are used for data encoding. The proposed chipless RFID tags are simulated using commercial software based on well defined numerical techniques; i.e. high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) based on finite element method (FEM) and verified with CST-microwave studio (CST-MWS) based on the finite integral technique (FIT).
Do sentiments of professors feedback change after migrating from in-person to online modalities? Pre- and during COVID-19 experience
Authors: Rodríguez-Galván Lilia Carolina , Abbas Asad , Ar Anil Yasin , Garza-González Beatriz , Alonso-Galicia Patricia Esther
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions to alter how they offer classes at an unprecedented pace. Due to ambiguities and lockdown restrictions, the transition phase negatively impacted students’ and professors emotions. As a result, lecturers had to cope with unfamiliar online class teaching responsibilities and develop new teaching dynamics. This work aims to analyze one of the most adversely affected procedures of teaching, the written feedback provided to students. This research strives to explore whether the professors’ feedback style altered from face-to-face education to online education on digital platforms during the COVID-19 restrictions. This exploratory-design study uses a mixed methodology to explain the subject on hand based on data collected from 117 undergraduate students. Sentiment lexicographers are utilized to address and identify the emotions expressed in the texts. Trust was the most frequent emotion expressed in face-to-face and online courses. It is also observed that the sentiments of joy and sadness changed significantly among online and face-to-face groups based on the professors’ feedback style and approach. Finally, the study reveals that the joy words and the sadness words associated with the learning process are the most commonly utilized sentiments. This study suggests that when the courses transitioned from face-to-face to online learning, the professors’ feedback changed to a more positive feeling that expressed appreciation for the students’ work, encouraging them to strive for their complete academic development, and usher them into a better learning environment.
Measuring relatives’ perceptions of end-of-life communication with physicians in five countries: a psychometric analysis
Authors: Koniewski Maciej , Barańska Ilona , Kijowska Violetta , van der Steen Jenny T. , Wichmann Anne B. , Payne Sheila , Gambassi Giovanni , Van Den Noortgate Nele , Finne-Soveri Harriet , Smets Tinne , Van den Block Lieve , Szczerbińska Katarzyna ,   PACE project
Published: November 2022

The Family Perceptions of Physician-Family Caregiver Communication scale (FPPFC) was developed to assess quality of physician-family end-of-life communication in nursing homes. However, its validity has been tested only in the USA and the Netherlands. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the FPPFC construct validity and its reliability, as well as the psychometric characteristics of the items comprising the scale. Data were collected in cross-sectional study in Belgium, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. The factorial structure was tested in confirmatory factor analysis. Item parameters were obtained using an item response theory model. Participants were 737 relatives of nursing home residents who died up to 3 months prior to the study. In general, the FPPFC scale proved to be a unidimensional and reliable measure of the perceived quality of physician-family communication in nursing home settings in all five countries. Nevertheless, we found unsatisfactory fit to the data with a confirmatory model. An item that referred to advance care planning performed less well in Poland and Italy than in the Northern European countries. In the item analysis, we found that with no loss of reliability and with increased coherency of the item content across countries, the full 7-item version can be shortened to a 4-item version, which may be more appropriate for international studies. Therefore, we recommend use of the brief 4-item FPPFC version by nursing home managers and professionals as an evaluation tool, and by researchers for their studies as these four items confer the same meaning across countries.
Fate of iatrogenic atrial septal defects following mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair – a subanalysis of the MITHRAS trial
Authors: Blazek Stephan , Unterhuber Matthias , Rommel Karl-Philipp , Kresoja Karl-Patrik , Kister Tobias , Besler Christian , Fengler Karl , Rosch Sebastian , Daehnert Ingo , Thiele Holger , Lurz Philipp , von Roeder Maximilian
Published: November 2022

Persisting iatrogenic atrial septal defects (iASD) after transcatheter mitral edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) are associated with impaired outcomes. We investigated the natural history of relevant iASDs with left-to-right shunting post-M-TEER, predictors of spontaneous closure of iASD between 1 and 6 months post-M-TEER, and outcomes (heart failure [HF] hospitalization) in patients with spontaneous closure versus those with persistent iASD 6 months post-M-TEER. Patients with a relevant iASD 1-month post-M-TEER, who were treated conservatively in the randomized controlled MITHRAS trial, underwent clinical follow-up including transesophageal echocardiography 6 months post-M-TEER. Overall, 36 patients (median 77 [interquartile range 65–81] years; 36% women) completed the 6-months follow-up. Six (17%) patients had a spontaneous closure of the iASD. The eccentricity index of the iASD 1-month after M-TEER was the strongest predictor for spontaneous closure (Odds ratio 3.78; 95% confidence interval 1.26–11.33, p = 0.01) and an eccentricity index of < 1.9 provided a sensitivity of 77% at a specificity of 83% for iASD persistence (Area under the curve 0.83, p < 0.001) within 6-months post M-TEER.

At follow-up, a numerical difference in the endpoint of HF hospitalization between the spontaneous closure and the residual shunt group (0% vs. 20%, p = 0.25) was observed. The eccentricity of the iASD was the strongest predictor for spontaneous closure at 1-months and an eccentricity index of < 1.9 is associated with a high persistence rate for 6 month after M-TEER.

Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03024268 Identifier: NCT03024268.

Graphical Abstract

a (red) is reflecting the mayor lengthwise dimension and b (blue) the mayor oblique dimension. The eccentricity index is calculated
by dividing a through b. (Open circle) is depicting an example for a round iASD and (Open rhombus) an example for an eccentric iASD 1 month after M-TEER.
Complete traceability multimedia fingerprinting codes resistant to averaging attack and adversarial noise with optimal rate
Authors: Vorobyev Ilya
Published: November 2022

In this paper we consider complete traceability multimedia fingerprinting codes resistant to averaging attacks and adversarial noise. Recently it was shown that there are no such codes for the case of an arbitrary linear attack. However, for the case of averaging attacks complete traceability multimedia fingerprinting codes of exponential cardinality resistant to constant adversarial noise were constructed in Egorova et al. (Probl Inf Transm 56(4):388–398, 2020). We continue this work and provide an improved lower bound on the rate of these codes.
The species-specificity of energy landscapes for soaring birds, and its consequences for transferring suitability models across species
Authors: Scacco Martina , Arrondo Eneko , Donázar J. Antonio , Flack Andrea , Sánchez-Zapata J. Antonio , Duriez Olivier , Wikelski Martin , Safi Kamran
Published: November 2022

Context

Soaring birds depend on atmospheric uplifts and are sensitive to wind energy development. Predictive modelling is instrumental to forecast conflicts between human infrastructures and single species of concern. However, as multiple species often coexist in the same area, we need to overcome the limitations of single species approaches.

Objectives

We investigate whether predictive models of flight behaviour can be transferred across species boundaries.

Methods

We analysed movement data from 57 white storks, Ciconia ciconia, and 27 griffon vultures, Gyps fulvus. We quantified the accuracy of topographic features, correlates of collision risk in soaring birds, in predicting their soaring behaviour, and tested the transferability of the resulting suitability models across species.

Results

59.9% of the total area was predicted to be suitable to vultures only, and 1.2% exclusively to storks. Only 20.5% of the study area was suitable to both species to soar, suggesting the existence of species-specific requirements in the use of the landscape for soaring. Topography alone could accurately predict 75% of the soaring opportunities available to storks across Europe, but was less efficient for vultures (63%). While storks relied on uplift occurrence, vultures relied on uplift quality, needing stronger uplifts to support their higher body mass and wing loading.

Conclusions

Energy landscapes are species-specific and more knowledge is required to accurately predict the behaviour of highly specialised soaring species, such as vultures. Our models provide a base to explore the effects of landscape changes on the flight behaviour of different soaring species. Our results suggest that there is no reliable and responsible way to shortcut risk assessment in areas where multiple species might be at risk by anthropogenic structures.
Using an inventory cluster approach for assessing bushfire preparedness and information needs in vulnerable communities
Authors: Ryan Barbara , King Rachel , Lokuge Weena , Karunasena Warna , Anderson Esther
Published: November 2022

Disasters cost the world $US268bn in 2020 in economic, property and human losses. In Queensland, the most disaster-prone of Australian states, flood, cyclone and bushfire will cost $466bn over the next 40 years. Individual preparation for natural hazards has been shown to reduce this cost by reducing adverse experiences, physical health problems and post-traumatic stress, and improving the speed of disaster recovery. This study categorises preparation activity into clusters according to the activity's purpose in order to survey residents of a bushfire-vulnerable area in Queensland, Australia. This cluster approach enabled identification of specific areas of weakness in preparation plans, finding that evacuation planning activity, and safety planning activity were especially weak. These results show that emergency agency communicators and community engagement practitioners can use cluster-based research to better plan messaging within their bushfire preparation communication campaigns to target and motivate specific safety behaviours. Improved safety of people and property will mitigate the costs of bushfires in Queensland in future.
Beyond plans, governance structures, and organizational strategies: how emotional mechanisms can make a difference in emergency response processes
Authors: Ravazzi Stefania
Published: November 2022

Emergency policies are among the most challenging policies that policy makers have to deal with, because of their extreme seriousness, the lack of time, and the high uncertainties that are involved. Policy analyses have demonstrated that good structural and organizational strategies are important, but not sufficient, to systematically guarantee a high level of resiliency in response processes. Some scholars have therefore suggested the need to verify whether individual cognitive and relational mechanisms can contribute to explaining the different levels of resiliency that emerge in emergency response processes. From such a perspective, this article presents the findings of a research that was aimed at testing whether emotional mechanisms matter. The affect infusion model was used to provide the analytical framework that was considered to identify the evidence necessary for the empirical research, and the ‘most similar system design’ was applied to select and compare two couples of emergency response processes with similar contextual, structural and organizational features, but different levels of resiliency. The empirical research was conducted from April 2020 to February 2021, through periods of job shadowing and semi-structured interviews with personnel from the public and private organizations involved in the response processes. The research has substantially corroborated the hypothesis and has highlighted that, despite very similar contextual, structural and organizational conditions, a negative emotional mechanism, triggered by fear and anxiety, was pervasive among managers involved in the two lower-resiliency emergency response processes, while a positive emotional mechanism, triggered by pride, was dominant among managers involved in the two lower-resiliency processes.
Response willingness in consecutive travel surveys: an investigation based on the National Household Travel Survey using a sample selection model
Authors: Wang Xinyi , Shaw F. Atiyya , Mokhtarian Patricia L. , Watkins Kari E.
Published: November 2022

Declining survey response rates have increased the costs of travel survey recruitment. Recruiting respondents based on their expressed willingness to participate in future surveys, obtained from a preceding survey, is a potential solution but may exacerbate sample biases. In this study, we analyze the self-selection biases of survey respondents recruited from the 2017 U.S. National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), who had agreed to be contacted again for follow-up surveys. We apply a probit with sample selection (PSS) model to analyze (1) respondents’ willingness to participate in a follow-up survey (the selection model) and (2) their actual response behavior once contacted (the outcome model). Results verify the existence of self-selection biases, which are related to survey burden, sociodemographic characteristics, travel behavior, and item non-response to sensitive variables. We find that age, homeownership, and medical conditions have opposing effects on respondents’ willingness to participate and their actual survey participation. The PSS model is then validated using a hold-out sample and applied to the NHTS samples from various geographic regions to predict follow-up survey participation. Effect size indicators for differences between predicted and actual (population) distributions of select sociodemographic and travel-related variables suggest that the resulting samples may be most biased along age and education dimensions. Further, we summarized six model performance measures based on the PSS model structure. Overall, this study provides insight into self-selection biases in respondents recruited from preceding travel surveys. Model results can help researchers better understand and address such biases, while the nuanced application of various model measures lays a foundation for appropriate comparison across sample selection models.
A Review of Ultrasonic Reflectometry for the Physical Characterization of Lubricated Tribological Contacts: History, Methods, Devices, and Technological Trends
Authors: Schirru M. , Varga M.
Published: November 2022

Although “film thickness” and “viscosity” represent two of the most important physical parameters in lubricated tribological contacts, their in situ measurement in tribosystems is still difficult. Sensors based on ultrasonic reflectance are a class of sensing devices that allow the direct measurement of these properties. For tribologists especially, the condition changes of tribosystems are of interest, as they determine the smooth operation, proper lubrication condition or the tribosystems’ change to impending failures. Here, ultrasonic reflectance sensors can provide valuable transient information, as they are capable of measuring the evolution of film thickness and viscosity directly, non-invasive, and in situ, thereby bringing a large benefit over classic commercial condition monitoring sensors such as vibration sensors. This paper reviews the methods of operation of ultrasonic reflectance devices, their historical evolution, limitations, potentials, and outline trends of application for the challenges faced by the tribological community and society.
Phenolic profiles, phytochemical composition and vitamin C content of selected horticultural produce from Central Queensland
Authors: Johnson Joel B. , Mani Janice S. , Hoyos Beatriz E. , Naiker Mani
Published: November 2022

The Central Queensland region of Australia is a large producer of horticultural produce; however, there are limited studies on the phytochemical composition of the produce from this region. Additionally, some crops or cultivars are poorly known in domestic markets; hence are currently only grown for niche markets. There is opportunity to expand production of these crops if they contain higher levels of health-benefiting compounds compared to existing cultivars. Hence this work aimed to elucidate the phytochemical composition of such under-marketed and/or under-utilised crops, including their phenolic acid and flavonoid profiles. The samples included nine cucurbits, two citrus fruits, dragonfruit and Brazilian cherry. The vitamin C (ascorbic acid) content was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection, while the phenolic profiles were gathered using targeted liquid chromatograph tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Antioxidant activity was quantified using the FRAP and CUPRAC assays, while total phenolic content was measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The results revealed extensive variation in the levels of health-benefiting compounds between the samples. The phenolic profiles of several species/cultivars are reported for the first time. The highest ascorbic acid content was found in blood orange skin (817 mg/100 g DW), while the highest total phenolic content was found in blood orange skin (1988 mg GAE/100 g). Samples showing high antioxidant capacity included blood orange skin, Brazilian cherry and spaghetti squash. These results may support the prospect of marketing several of the crops/cultivars as functional food crops in domestic or export markets.
Design of an isolated renewable hybrid energy system: a case study
Authors: Nassar Yasser F. , Alsadi Samer Y. , El-Khozondar Hala J. , Ismail Mohamoud S. , Al-Maghalseh Maher , Khatib Tamer , Sa’ed Jaser A. , Mushtaha Mohammed H. , Djerafi Tarek
Published: November 2022

In addition to the fact that most renewable energies such as solar and wind energy have become more competitive in the global energy market, thanks to the great development in conversion technologies, it believes that renewable energy can play a crucial role in global environmental issues. However, in Palestine, the situation is different from anywhere else; renewable energy is not only an economic option, but an absolute necessity to get out of the energy crisis that Palestinian cities suffer from long years ago and continue nowadays.The cornerstone of the present research is focusing on the availability of renewable energy resources in Jenin Governorate (JG)—West Bank (WB)—Palestine. Two-year time-series of hourly solar, wind, biomass, and 1-year hourly electrical load data are used in the analysis in this paper. The energy potentials were estimated using System Advisor Model software (SAM), and the optimum combination and sizing of the hybrid renewable energy system were determined using Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER). The proposed Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) consists of an 80 MW PV solar field, 66 MW wind farm, and 50 MW biomass system with an initial investment of $323 M. The proposed HRES generates 389 GWh/yr and is enough to meet 100% of the electrical demand of JG (372 GWh/yr) with excess in electricity generation of about 4.57% and the unmeet electric load is about 109.6 MWh/yr which is equivalent to less than 2 h off in a year. The estimated Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) was found as 0.313 $/kWh.
Clarifying the driving forces behind our ecological crisis: a general model
Authors: Takács-Sánta András
Published: November 2022

In order to solve our ecological crisis, it is crucial to have a fair understanding of its background. In this article I integrate the most important driving forces of human transformation of the biosphere into a general model. First, I show that it is the economic subsystem of society that produces nearly all human transformation of the biosphere. Then I differentiate between direct driving forces, which are the number of people/households, the economic output per capita/per household, the environmental impact of technologies, the structure of the economy and the geographical pattern of the economy; and indirect ones, which are the mind of people, social institutions, biological factors and physical geographical features. The behavior of individuals, groups of people and organizations mediates between indirect and direct driving forces. The model also shows us the basic strategies of environmental sustainability. Cultural changes are needed to attenuate the direct driving forces. In turn, these changes will happen only if those desiring them will have enough power to reshape social institutions and the mind of people.
Gain-switched watt-level thulium-doped fiber laser and amplifier operating at 1.7 μm
Authors: Xiao Yang , Xiao Xusheng , Liu Lutao , Guo Haitao
Published: November 2022

A 1.7 μm gain-switched thulium-doped all-fiber laser with a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration, utilizing a bandpass fiber filter and a 1550 nm erbium/ytterbium-codoped fiber MOPA, is demonstrated. The influences of pump pulse parameters (repetition rate and pulse duration) and laser cavity structures (ring and linear) on the laser performances were experimentally investigated. To the best of our knowledge, the power quenching and drop were observed in the 1.7 μm gain-switched thulium-doped fiber lasers for the first time, resulting from the mode-locked-resembling operation and nonlinear effects. Moreover, the fiber ring-cavity laser was more stable than the linear-cavity laser in the time domain and power. Finally, a laser with a maximum average power of 1.687 W, a slope efficiency of 19.7%, a single-pulse energy of 16.87 μJ, a pulse width of 425 ns, a repetition rate of 100 kHz and a peak power of 39.69 W was obtained.
Timing of shear deformation in the Singhbhum Shear Zone, India: implications for shear zone-hosted polymetallic mineralization
Authors: Pal Dipak C , Selby David , Sarangi Akshay Kumar
Published: November 2022

The Singhbhum Shear Zone in eastern India hosts several Fe oxide–Cu–Au (IOCG)-type polymetallic deposits, mined primarily for U, Cu and apatite, with elevated concentrations of rare earth elements, Ni, Co, Mo, Te and Au in association with low-Ti magnetite. Although the main stages of hydrothermal U, Cu and rare earth element mineralization are known to be Palaeoproterozoic in age, the age of shear deformation in the host shear zone has hitherto not been constrained. Here, we report Re–Os ages of syn-shearing massive molybdenite occurring along shear surfaces transecting the uranium ores in the Jaduguda uranium deposit. Integrating the obtained Re–Os age of c. 1.64–1.59 Ga of molybdenite, the known ages of mineralization and the known tectonothermal events in the adjoining Proterozoic Mobile Belt, we propose that the main stages of polymetallic hydrothermal mineralization pre-dated the pervasive shear deformation event in the Singhbhum Shear Zone. We further suggest that the shear zone was not the principal foci of the hydrothermal mineralization of the main stages. Instead, the shear zone was localized during the Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic transition (c. 1.64–1.59 Ga) along pre-existing crustal-scale extensional faults which had earlier been the foci of hydrothermal alteration and mineralization in Palaeoproterozoic time (c. 1.9–1.8 Ga). Shear deformation and metamorphism have reconstituted/redistributed existing mineral/metal inventories with/without neo-mineralization.
Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers following an identified nosocomial COVID-19 exposure during waves 1–3 of the pandemic in Ireland
Authors: McGrath J. , McAloon C. G. , More S. J. , Garrett S. , Reidy C. , Geary U. , Noonan N. , Bergin C.
Published: November 2022

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have increased exposure and subsequent risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). This case-control study was conducted to investigate the contemporaneous risks associated with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst HCWs following in-work exposure to a confirmed coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) case. We assessed the influence of demographic (age, sex, nationality, high risk co-morbidities and vaccination status) and work-related factors (job role, exposure location, contact type, personal protective equipment (PPE) use) on infection risk following nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 exposure. All contact tracing records within the hospital site during waves 1–3 of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland were screened to identify exposure events, cases and controls. In total, 285 cases and 1526 controls were enrolled, as a result of 1811 in-work exposure events with 745 index cases. We demonstrate that male sex, Eastern European nationality, exposure location, PPE use and vaccination status all impact the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection following nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 exposure. The findings draw attention to the need for continuing emphasis on PPE use and its persisting benefit in the era of COVID-19 vaccinations. We suggest that non-work-related factors may influence infection risk seen in certain ethnic groups and that infection risk in high-risk HCW roles (e.g. nursing) may be the result of repeated exposures rather than risks inherent to a single event.
Characteristics of Strong Storms at the Pre‐Convection Stage From Satellite Microwave Sounder Observations
Authors: Wei Xiaocheng , Min Min , Li Jun , Sun Fenglin , Qin Danyu , Yao Zhigang
Published: November 2022

High‐temporal‐resolution geostationary satellite infrared measurements are always used to capture and predict typical characteristics at the cloud top of rapidly developing strong storms at the pre‐convection or convection initiation (CI) stage. However, the large false alarm rate of CI nowcasting is difficult to avoid due to the complex and unpredictable trigger factors. Although the microwave measurement technique can observe thick clouds and even the precipitation within clouds due to the weaker atmospheric extinction effect on microwave, microwave data from polar‐orbiting satellites are rarely used to observe the CI due to their relatively low temporal resolution. In this study, we analyze several previously unknown CI characteristics over the East Asia region from 2016 to 2019 based on spatially and temporally matched Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder data. These typical CI samples are initially identified by using continuous infrared images from the Himawari‐8 geostationary satellite. The results show that there is a distinct cloud optical depth at the pre‐convection stage in the western (deep cloud clusters) and eastern (shallow cloud clusters) Tibetan Plateau (TP). The shallow precipitating cloud clusters of the CI over the eastern TP are possibly attributed to the favorable local dynamic and thermal conditions stem from the Asian monsoon. Another notable finding shows that the fast‐developing CI over the ocean has thick clouds compared with the samples over the land. Overall, the unique CI characteristics found from microwave observations in this study indicate that the future geostationary microwave sounder technologies will almost certainly provide some new findings and enhance early warning capabilities about convection.
PM2.5 Exchange Between Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Free Troposphere in North China Plain and Its Long‐Range Transport Effects
Authors: Jin Xipeng , Cai Xuhui , Huang Qianqian , Wang Xuesong , Song Yu , Kang Ling , Zhang Hongsheng
Published: November 2022

This study estimates long‐term PM2.5 exchange flux between the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and free troposphere (FT) in the North China Plain. The effect of PM2.5 long‐range transport (LRT) on air quality in downwind regions is also assessed. The PM2.5 exchange fluxes are calculated based on a mass budget method with data from WRF‐Chem simulations, during wintertime months (November, December, and January) in 2014, 2016, and 2017 (represent moderate, heavier, and less polluted years). The overall PM2.5 exchange exhibits clear topographical correlation and diurnal variation. The plain area is characterized by a considerable upward flux of −0.13 μg m−2 s−1 (in a 3‐year average), acting as an effective source for LRT. ABL height variation contributes significantly to the diurnal cycle of PM2.5 vertical exchange. Over the mountainside and ridge areas, the PM2.5 exchange flux is downward and its diurnal variation is weak, due to the dominant cross‐mountain descent flows. Four LRT patterns in the FT are identified, that is, eastward, southward, recirculation, and local stagnation. They can affect air quality in Northeast China, Yangtze River Delta, South Korea, and Japan. Indicating with averages and standard deviations, the PM2.5 concentration increases (relative contribution) for these four target regions over the 3‐year winter period are respectively 5.5 ± 4.8 μg m−3 (12.6 ± 10.9%), 4.6 ± 4.5 μg m−3 (8.4 ± 6.4%), 4.4 ± 3.9 μg m−3 (5.2 ± 4.4%), and 1.6 ± 0.9 μg m−3 (2.6 ± 1.6%). While the maximum impacts can be 36.7 μg m−3 (59%), 31.1 μg m−3 (41%), 25.7 μg m−3 (30%), and 7.2 μg m−3 (13%), respectively.
How Hot Is Too Hot? Disentangling Mid‐Cretaceous Hothouse Paleoclimate From Diagenesis
Authors: Fetrow A. C. , Snell K. E. , Di Fiori R. V. , Long S. P. , Bonde J. W.
Published: November 2022

The North American Newark Canyon Formation (NCF; ∼113–98 Ma) presents an opportunity to examine how terrestrial carbonate facies reflect different aspects of paleoclimate during one of the hottest periods of Earth's history. The lower NCF type section preserves heterogeneous palustrine facies and the upper NCF preserves lacustrine deposits. We combined carbonate facies analysis withδ13C,δ18O, and Δ47data sets to assess which carbonate facies preserve stable isotope signals that are most representative of climatic conditions. Palustrine facies record the heterogeneity of the original wetland environment in which they formed. Using the pelmicrite facies that formed in deeper wetlands, we interpret a lower temperature zone (35–40°C) to reflect warm season water temperatures. In contrast, a mottled micrite facies which formed in shallower wetlands records hotter temperatures (36–68°C). These hotter temperatures reflect radiatively heated “bare‐skin” temperatures that occurred in a shallow depositional setting. The lower lacustrine unit has been secondarily altered by hydrothermal fluids while the upper lacustrine unit likely preserves primary temperatures andδ18Owaterof catchment‐integrated precipitation. Resultantly, the palustrine pelmicrite and lacustrine micrite are the facies most likely to reflect ambient climate conditions, and therefore, are the best facies to use for paleoclimate interpretations. Average warm season water temperatures of 41.1 ± 3.6°C and 37.8 ± 2.5°C are preserved by the palustrine pelmicrite (∼113–112 Ma) and lacustrine micrite (∼112–103 Ma), respectively. These data support previous interpretations of the mid‐Cretaceous as a hothouse climate and demonstrate the importance of characterizing facies for identifying the data most representative of past climates.
Modeling of the Subsolar Magnetopause Motion Under Interplanetary Magnetic Field Southward Turning
Authors: Xu Qiuyu , Tang Binbin , Sun Tianran , Li Wenya , Zhang Xiaoxin , Wei Fei , Guo Xiaocheng , Wang Chi
Published: November 2022

In this study, a new analytical model to describe the time‐dependent subsolar magnetopause motion under interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) southward turning has been developed. This model, based on the scenario of magnetopause erosion due to magnetic reconnection, can be approximated by both linear and non‐linear functions. The linear function is simplified under the assumption of constant magnetopause erosion under southward IMF, and the non‐linear function is derived by assuming that the magnetopause erosion decays exponentially. In the limit of a short time, the non‐linear function is essentially the same as the linear function. By comparing with global magnetohydrodynamic simulations, the linear function performs well within the first 10 minutes, and the error then increases with time. The non‐linear function describes the magnetopause motion more accurately with respect to, and consistent with simulations for a time interval of ∼40 min. This model has also been successfully applied to data‐driven simulations of the 17 March 2015 geomagnetic storm event, suggesting the possible applicability of this model in reality.
Automated Detection of coronaL MAss Ejecta origiNs for Space Weather AppliCations (ALMANAC)
Authors: Williams Thomas , Morgan Huw
Published: November 2022

Alerts of potentially hazardous coronal mass ejection (CME) are based on the detection of rapid changes in remote observations of the solar atmosphere. This paper presents a method that detects and estimates the central coordinates of CME eruptions in Extreme Ultraviolet data, with the dual aim of providing an early alert, and giving an initial estimate of the CME direction of propagation to a CME geometrical model. In particular, we plan to link the Automated detection of coronaL MAss ejecta origiNs for space weather AppliCations (ALMANAC) method to the CME detection and characterization module of the Space Weather Empirical Ensemble Package, which is a fully automated modular software package for operational space weather capability currently being developed for the UK Meteorological Office. In this work, ALMANAC is applied to observations by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). As well as presenting the method, a proof of concept test is made on a limited set of data associated with 20 halo CMEs recorded by the Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) catalog near the activity maximum of solar cycle 24. SDO/AIA data for each event is processed at 6 min cadence to identify the on‐disk location and time of each CME. The absolute mean deviance between the ALMANAC and CDAW source event coordinates are within 37.05 ± 29.71 min and 11.01 ± 10.39°. These promising results give a solid foundation for future work, and will provide initial constraints to an automated CME alert and forecasting system.
Evaluation of candidate reference genes stability for gene expression analysis by reverse transcription qPCR in Clostridium perfringens
Authors: Williams Michele L. , Ghanem Mostafa
Published: November 2022

Identification of stable reference genes for normalization purposes is necessary for obtaining reliable and accurate results of reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analyses. To our knowledge, no reference gene(s) have been validated for this purpose in Clostridium perfringens. In this study, the expression profile of ten candidate reference genes from three strains of C. perfringens were assessed for stability under various experimental conditions using geNorm in qbase + . These stability rankings were then compared to stability assessments evaluated by BestKeeper, NormFinder, delta Ct, and RefFinder algorithms. When comparing all the analyses; gyrA, ftsZ, and recA were identified within the most stable genes under the different experimental conditions and were further tested as a set of reference genes for normalization of alpha toxin gene expression over a 22-h period. Depending on the condition, rpoA and rho might also be suitable to include as part of the reference set. Although commonly used for the purpose of normalizing RT-qPCR data, the 16S rRNA gene (rrs) was found to be an unsuitable gene to be used as a reference. This work provides a framework for the selection of a suitable stable reference gene set for data normalization of C. perfringens gene expression.
A time-delayed model for the spread of COVID-19 with vaccination
Authors: Al-Tuwairqi Salma M. , Al-Harbi Sara K.
Published: November 2022

A mathematical model is presented in this paper to investigate the effects of time delay in vaccine production on COVID-19 spread. The model is analyzed qualitatively and numerically. The qualitative analysis indicates that the system variables are non-negative, bounded, and biologically meaningful. Moreover, the model has produced two equilibrium points: the free equilibrium point, which can exist without conditions, and the endemic equilibrium point, which can exist if the control reproduction number, $${\mathcal {R}}_c$$

R
c

, is not less than one. In addition, the local stability of the equilibrium points is investigated and agrees with the numerical analysis results. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted for $${\mathcal {R}}_c$$

R
c

. In particular, we examine the effect of the vaccine’s time delay, vaccine rate, and vaccine efficiency on the model dynamics.
Facile green synthesis of a dahlia-like anatase/TiO2(B) phase junction for boosting the photocatalytic degradation of persistent tetracycline
Authors: Wang Qian , Wang Xuhua , Hao Pin , Fang Xinxin , Huang Fang , Shi Xifeng , Cui Guanwei , Song Chengyuan , Tang Bo
Published: November 2022

A new dahlia-like TiO2 possessing both an anatase/TiO2(B) phase junction and high specific surface area is fabricated by a facile and green DES-tuning strategy and is able to greatly boost the photocatalytic degradation of persistent tetracycline.
On reachable set problem for impulse switched singular systems with mixed delays
Authors: Zhang Xinyue , Feng Zhiguang , Zhang Xun
Published: November 2022

This paper focuses on the reachable set problem for impulse switched singular (ISS) systems with mixed time‐varying delays via the Lyapunov theory. To solve the state boundary of system, a real‐bounded lemma is developed by analyzing the impulse switching point under bounded disturbance input and initial function. Based on real‐bounded lemma and integral inequality technology, a sufficient condition for reachable set of ISS system is established in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) to ensure that the reachable state of system is limited to a closed bounded set. Simulation results are given to verify the validity of the obtained theoretical results for the reachable state criterion.
More accurate cardinality estimation in data streams
Authors: Lu Jie , Chen Hongchang , Zhang Zheng , Xie Jichao
Published: November 2022

Many sketches based on estimator sharing have been proposed to estimate cardinality with huge flows in data streams. However, existing sketches suffer from large estimation errors due to allocating the same memory size for each estimator without considering the skewed cardinality distribution. Here, a filtering method called SuperFilter is proposed to enhance existing sketches. SuperFilter intelligently identifies high‐cardinality flows from the data stream, and records them with the large estimator, while other low‐cardinality flows are recorded using a traditional sketch with small estimators. The experimental results show that SuperFilter can reduce the average absolute error of cardinality estimation by over 81% compared with existing approaches.
Flexible transparent silver nanowires conductive films fabricated with spin‐coating method
Authors: Shi Liren
Published: November 2022

Flexible transparent silver nanowires (AgNWs) conductive films were fabricated on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate via a two‐stage spin coating method by commercial AgNWs with 20, 40, and 60 nm in diameter, respectively. The electrical and optical and mechanical properties and microstructures were studied by transmittance and haze and sheet resistance and blending cycle measurements and scanning electron microscopy. The flexible transparent AgNWs conductive film with 13 Ω∙sq−1 of sheet resistance and 89.7% of light transmittances at 550 nm and 4.23% of haze was obtained. There is little difference in light transmittance in the visible light range for the conductive films with AgNWs of 20, 40, and 60 nm in diameter, respectively; however, the sheet resistances of the films are 24.8, 28.8, and 62.4 Ω∙sq−1 respectively, indicating that the AgNWs networks with smaller diameters exhibit more connectivity at a given area coverage. After 1000 bending cycles, the sheet resistances of the three films are still low. This research work provides guidance for the preparation of high‐performance flexible transparent AgNWs conductive films by the spin coating method.
Quantitative analysis of common‐mode current in flyback converter with balance winding
Authors: Xu Ce , Zhang Fanghua
Published: November 2022

The balance winding of the transformer is a compact and flexible technique for the common‐mode (CM) noise reduction of isolated power converters. A proper design of the grounding and turn number of the balance winding will generate an inverse displacement current to balance the CM noise flowing through the transformer. However, a trial and error process to find the optimum design is necessary for practical applications due to the unexplored source of calculation errors. In this paper, a quantitative analysis method of CM currents flowing through all the paths between windings is proposed for error quantifications. Based on an interleaved transformer, the capacitances are extracted with the help of electric field simulations, and the contribution of each path to the CM noise is analysed. Although the paths between adjacent layers are dominant in the CM noise, it is proved that ignoring non‐adjacent inter‐layer paths will lead to calculation errors due to the high voltage difference even with low capacitances. As both the application and verification of the proposed quantitative analysis method, the accurate evaluation of noise reduction effects and determination of the optimum balance winding turns can be achieved in experiments.
Transient DC bias suppression strategy of dual active bridge based on dual integral sliding mode‐direct power control
Authors: Zhaolong Sun , Ziwei Liu , Baolong Liu
Published: November 2022

The transient DC bias current will be generated when the input voltage or load of the dual active bridge (DAB) converter suddenly changes, resulting in the excessive peak value of the inductor current and saturation of the transformer core. An improved three‐phase‐shift (ITPS) strategy based on double integral sliding mode‐direct power control (DISM‐DPC) is proposed in this paper to suppress DC bias current without additional hardware. The proposed ITPS determines the steady‐state phase shift ratio through an inductor RMS current optimisation strategy. The transient phase shift strategy can be determined by the transient DC bias current model, which eliminates the DC bias within one switching cycle and effectively reduces the current impact. In addition, a dual‐loop compensation control method of power inner loop and output voltage outer loop is proposed. Compared with the steady‐state control method, the transient optimisation method of double‐loop compensation control can stabilise the output voltage quickly, effectively reduce the transient impact of the current and improve the dynamic performance of the circuit operation. The experimental results verify the theoretical analysis and prove the effectiveness of the scheme.