bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyzing the dominant SARS-CoV-2 transmission routes toward an ab initio disease spread model
Authors: Chaudhuri Swetaprovo , Basu Saptarshi , Saha Abhishek
Published: December 2020

Identifying the relative importance of the different transmission routes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is an urgent research priority. To that end, the different transmission routes and their role in determining the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic are analyzed in this work. The probability of infection caused by inhaling virus-laden droplets (initial ejection diameters between 0.5 µm and 750 µm, therefore including both airborne and ballistic droplets) and the corresponding desiccated nuclei that mostly encapsulate the virions post droplet evaporation are individually calculated. At typical, air-conditioned yet quiescent indoor space, for average viral loading, cough droplets of initial diameter between 10 µm and 50 µm are found to have the highest infection probability. However, by the time they are inhaled, the diameters reduce to about 1/6th of their initial diameters. While the initially near unity infection probability due to droplets rapidly decays within the first 25 s, the small yet persistent infection probability of desiccated nuclei decays appreciably only by O(1000s), assuming that the virus sustains equally well within the dried droplet nuclei as in the droplets. Combined with molecular collision theory adapted to calculate the frequency of contact between the susceptible population and the droplet/nuclei cloud, infection rate constants are derived ab initio, leading to a susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered-deceased model applicable for any respiratory event–vector combination. The viral load, minimum infectious dose, sensitivity of the virus half-life to the phase of its vector, and dilution of the respiratory jet/puff by the entraining air are shown to mechanistically determine specific physical modes of transmission and variation in the basic reproduction number R0 from first-principles calculations.
A new era in ferroelectrics
Authors: Das S. , Hong Z. , McCarter M. , Shafer P. , Shao Yu-Tsun , Muller D. A. , Martin L. W. , Ramesh R.
Published: December 2020

Topological structures in ferroic materials have drawn great interest in recent years due to the richness of the underlying physics and the potential for applications in next generation electronics. Recent advances in atomically precise thin-film materials synthesis and characterization of structural/physical phenomena at unprecedented length/energy/time scales have enabled us to study exotic phases and their associated physics [Rößler et al., Nature 442, 797 (2006); S. Das, Nature 568, 368 (2019); Yadav et al., Nature 530, 198 (2016); and Stoica et al., Nat. Mater. 18, 377 (2019)]. It is appropriate that, in the second century of ferroelectrics, some dramatic discoveries are propelling the field into directions heretofore unimaginable. In this review, we explore the recent progress in ferroelectric-oxide superlattices in which researchers can control structure and physical properties through the application of epitaxial strain, layer thickness, temperature, electric field, etc. We provide a discussion of exotic topological structures (e.g., closure domains, vortices, polar skyrmions, and other exotic phases) and associated functionalities in ferroelectric/paraelectric superlattices. We conclude with a brief overview of and prospects for how the field may evolve in the coming years.
A unified neurocomputational bilateral model of spoken language production in healthy participants and recovery in poststroke aphasia
Authors: Chang Ya-Ning , Lambon Ralph Matthew A.
Published: December 2020

Significance

Studies of healthy and impaired language have generated many verbally described hypotheses. While these verbal descriptions have advanced our understanding of language processing, some explanations are mutually incompatible, and it is unclear how they work mechanistically. We constructed a neurocomputational bilateral model of spoken language production to simulate a range of phenomena in healthy participants and patients with aphasia simultaneously, including language lateralization, impaired performance after left but not right damage, and hemispheric involvement in plasticity-dependent recovery. The model demonstrates how seemly contradictory findings can be simulated within a single framework. This provides a coherent mechanistic account of language lateralization and recovery from poststroke aphasia.
A dual role for α-synuclein in facilitation and depression of dopamine release from substantia nigra neurons in vivo
Authors: Somayaji Mahalakshmi , Cataldi Stefano , Choi Se Joon , Edwards Robert H. , Mosharov Eugene V. , Sulzer David
Published: December 2020

Significance

We report a long-sought& in vivo& physiological role for& α-synuclein (α-syn) in dopamine signaling. The results indicate that& α-syn is critical for activity-dependent dopamine plasticity, and that short repeated burst activity produces rapid presynaptic facilitation, while prolonged burst activity slowly depresses evoked dopamine release. We propose that the rapid facilitation is due to an enhanced fusion of synaptic vesicles at active zones during exocytosis while the depression is due to synaptic exhaustion. These results identify a& dynamic role of& α-syn, and are critical for defining& molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets for various neurological disorders, where the firing properties of neurons are severely altered.
Automatic analysis of passive constructions in Korean
Authors: Shin Gyu-Ho , Jung Boo Kyung
Published: December 2020

The present study aims to explore the applicability of automatic analysis to L2-Korean learner corpora, with a special focus on learners’ use of a clause-level construction. For this purpose, we investigate L1-Mandarin L2-Korean learners’ written production of two passive construction types in Korean – suffixal and periphrastic – by devising a pattern-extraction process through NLP techniques. We focus on reporting how the passive constructions are identified and extracted from learner writing automatically, given language-specific features involving the passive. A total of 72 essays were analysed by adapting an existing pipeline (developed byShin, forthcoming), with enhanced tokenisation and annotation through manual revision of the data. Results showed that our automatic pattern-finder identified more instances than manual extraction for the suffixal passive and yielded a perfect match with manual extraction for the periphrastic passive. Implications of the findings are discussed in regard to strengths and drawbacks of the automatic analysis of learner writing, with suggestions for improving currently available tools for learner corpus research in Korean.
Corrosion behaviour of friction stir processed Al–Mg2Si composites
Authors: Moharami Ali , Razaghian Ahmad
Published: December 2020

This study aimed to apply the multi-pass friction stir processing (FSP) to Al–25Mg2Si as-cast composite in some optimised conditions. Also, microstructural modification effects were assessed on the corrosion behaviour of composite in a 3.5-wt-% NaCl solution. The corrosion resistance of the FSPed composites enhanced as the number of passes increased from 1 to 3. The grain refinement of the Al matrix, uniform distribution of Mg2Si particles, reduction in solidification-induced porosities, and deeper penetration of surface Mg2Si particles improved stability and adhesion of the passive oxide layer, which prohibited the galvanic/pitting corrosion and diminished the corrosion rate.
Effects of different processes on microstructure and mechanical properties of H65 brass
Authors: Xie Lin , Li Jiayu , Gong Dianyao , Xu Jianzhong
Published: December 2020

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is used to study the effect of rolling reductions and annealing temperatures on texture evolution and special boundaries (SBs) of H65 brass. The results indicate that the texture components of H65 brass after annealed is mainly {110} (<110>//ND), which is due to the existence of a large number of high-angle boundaries (HABs) with high mobility and a small amount of incoherent Σ3 boundaries around the {110} component. Besides, the number of Σ3 boundaries and the ability to produce its family boundaries such as Σ9 and Σ27 might be influenced by the reduction rate and annealing temperature. The textures of annealed specimens are mainly Brass{110}<112>, S{123}<634> and {011}<111>, and the formation of a large number of annealing twins decreases the intensity of Cube{100}<001>. As annealing temperature increases, {110} texture grows and twin density increases, resulting in a decrease in strength but an increase in conductivity and plasticity.
Application of the second domain derivative in inverse electromagnetic scattering
Authors: Hagemann Felix , Hettlich Frank
Published: December 2020

We consider the inverse scattering problem of reconstructing a perfect conductor from the far field pattern of a scattered time harmonic electromagnetic wave generated by one incident plane wave. In order to apply iterative regularization schemes for the severely ill-posed problem the first and the second domain derivative of the far field pattern with respect to variations of the domain are established. Characterizations of the derivatives by boundary value problems allow for an application of second degree regularization methods to the inverse problem. A numerical implementation based on integral equations is presented and its performance is illustrated by a selection of examples.
Lithographically patterned polypyrrole multilayer microstructures via sidewall-controlled electropolymerization
Authors: Synodis Michael , Pyo Jun Beom , Kim Minsoo , Wang Xuan , Allen Mark G
Published: December 2020

Composite materials comprising multilayers of metal and conductive polymer can have applications in sensing, biomedical, and energy storage/conversion scenarios. One attribute of such metal/polymer composites is that they typically display highly anisotropic electrical properties, which makes them useful as materials for microelectronic or magnetic devices. However, incorporating the deposition of conductive polymers into scalable and manufacturable fabrication processes can be challenging, as the mechanisms for electropolymerization are complex. We previously demonstrated an additive approach to fabricate metal/polymer multilayer structures, using soft magnetic alloys as the metal component and polypyrrole (PPy) as the polymer component. To extend the utility of these composites, the deposition of many multiples of alternating metal/polymer pairs within specifically defined lithographic molds is highly desirable. However, since the lateral growth of electrodeposited PPy is typically faster than vertical growth, non-uniform layer geometry and growth of the polymer on and above the patterned molds are often observed. In this work, we achieve suppression of lateral PPy growth by control of electropolymerization bath counter-anions and passivation of underlying metal layers during deposition. The lateral-to-vertical growth rate uniformity ratio is reduced by a factor of six (to approximately unity) through polymerization parameter optimization and exploiting a continuous five-bath electrodeposition approach. The reduction in lateral growth rate enhances the scalability of multilayer structures that are fabricated using this additive electrodeposition-based approach and provides a manufacturable route to additive, lithographically patterned metal/polymer composites with tunable volume and geometry, without sacrificing the microstructure and properties of the composite.
Estimation of constants of thermal radiation using tungsten filament bulb.
Authors: Navalkar Vinita , Sawant Sumedh , Mourya Shubham
Published: December 2020

The concept of black body is of primary importance in studying the energy transfer of thermal electromagnetic radiation at all wavelengths. Several physical bodies like incandescent lamps, electric heaters, stoves, the sun and the other stars, microwave background radiation, etc, are considered to be black bodies as their radiation spectra fits the black body radiation curve. The planck’s constant

h

, quantises the energy emitted by a black body in integral multiples of

h
ν

,

ν

being the frequency of the emitted radiation. We present here an experiment using a low cost apparatus to estimate the value of Planck Constant by studying the radiation of a 40 W tungsten filament bulb within the accuracies of 10%. Such an experiment can be easily implemented in undergraduate college laboratories. The experiment can also be used to verify the Stefan-Boltzmann law and Wien’s displacement law.
Development of light polarization experimental apparatus for remote laboratory in physics education
Authors: Ishafit  , Mundilarto  , Surjono H D
Published: December 2020

This paper describes the development of a light polarization experimental apparatus for a remote laboratory. The apparatus had been developed by controlling the analyzer rotation using a stepper motor controlled via the Arduino. Device control and data acquisition applications were developed with LabVIEW which provides remote control panel facilities and web publishing tools. With the developed apparatus, light polarization experiments about Malus’s law in physics teaching can be carried out remotely via the web. The results of the remote experiment show a good agreement with the theoretical predictions. It is concluded that the apparatus for remote laboratories is suitable for use in online experiment-based physics teaching
Determining Earth’s gravitational acceleration by free fall method with the presence of air resistance
Authors: Chou Naomi , Hsu Chen-Chia , Shen Ji-Lin
Published: December 2020

We show that the gravitational acceleration g near Earth’s surface can be easily determined with high accuracy by conducting the usual free fall experiment in high school or college physics laboratories. Unlike the conventional method of data analysis that uses formulas without taking air resistance into account, we consider the effect of air drag and solve the position function for the free falling object. The position function is then used to fit the experimental data and thus, determine the value of g. The average value of the determined g is found to differ from the gravitational field measured by gravimeters near the experimental site by 0.2%.
An Arduino-based experiment designed to estimate the heat capacity of a nichrome resistor
Authors: dos Reis W P N , Rodrigues D P , Rocha I L , Dutra R S , Souza P V S
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we propose a simple experiment to discuss some fundamental concepts of electricity and thermal physics, based on a very popular device within the current education scenario, the Arduino. In this proposal, we use the Arduino microcontroller as a data acquisition device to obtain the temperature of a nichrome resistor, that heats up in a circuit by Joule Effect over time. Using the data obtained, we developed a protocol to experimentally estimate the nichrome resistor heat capacity.
The Italian secondary-school graduation exam: connecting physics with the humanities
Authors: Colletti Leonardo
Published: December 2020

Connecting physics with the humanities is a fascinating challenge and a complicated cultural task. Yet, it is exactly what the Italian secondary-school graduation exam requires in its oral part. Although it has been criticized by teachers and students, here I provide a list of real school life examples and discuss why this can be a great, innovative opportunity for physics teachers to highlight the cultural power and richness of the discipline they teach.
Uniform circular motion measurements employing a smartphone using the phyphox app and a turntable
Authors: Gianino Concetto
Published: December 2020

This paper describes an experiment on uniform circular motion, carried out in a second year class of the High School ‘E. Fermi’ of Ragusa (Sicily/Italy), employing an old turntable and a smartphone using the phyphox app. Data analysis allowed us to confirm that the motion is maintained uniform for all three nominal values of the turntable frequencies. We were also able to measure angular accelerations, in both the switch on and final stop phases. Thanks to the easy availability of the equipment used, the activity can also be proposed as Hands up teaching, to be carried out during extracurricular hours in either single or group work.
Application of Bayesian tomography method to the visible spectroscopic diagnostic on HL-2A tokamak
Authors: Li Dong , Liu Liang , Svensson J , Wang T B , LI J X , He X X , Shi Z B , Xu Min
Published: December 2020

As the commission of a visible spectroscopic diagnostic to the HL-2A tokamak for the measurements of both bremsstrahlung continuum radiation and impurity line emission, a Bayesian tomography method has been developed to this diagnostic for the reconstruction of a 2D emission distribution from line-integrated data. In this method, Gaussian process prior is adopted as an effective way to regularize the smoothness of the emission field, which can be truncated to enforce non-negative constraint of the emission values. For the reliability and quality assessment, uncertainty of the reconstruction can be examined through its confidence interval derived from a posterior probability. Performance of this Gaussian process
tomography method is exemplified by the reconstructions of the bremsstrahlung continuum emission, which coincide with the equilibrium magnetic flux surfaces with respect to position and shape. In another case the reconstruction of CVI line emission in the visible range (n = 8→7, 529.05 nm) disclose the existence of a bright radiation belt due to the plasma–wall interaction.
Searching for Possible Exoplanet Transits from BRITE Data through a Machine Learning Technique
Authors: Yeh Li-Chin , Jiang Ing-Guey
Published: December 2020

The photometric light curves of BRITE satellites were examined through a machine learning technique to investigate whether there are possible exoplanets moving around nearby bright stars. Focusing on different transit periods, several convolutional neural networks were constructed to search for transit candidates. The convolutional neural networks were trained with synthetic transit signals combined with BRITE light curves until the accuracy rate was higher than 99.7%. Our method could efficiently lead to a small number of possible transit candidates. Among these ten candidates, two of them, HD37465, and HD186882 systems, were followed up through future observations with a higher priority. The codes of convolutional neural networks employed in this study are publicly available at http://www.phys.nthu.edu.tw/~jiang/BRITE2020YehJiangCNN.tar.gz.
Experimental study of the impact of the number of blades on the profile drag of UAV helicopter rotors in hover
Authors: Panayotov F , Dobrev I , Massouh F , Todorov M
Published: December 2020

Due to the motion of tip and root vortices of helicopter rotor blades and the inevitable blade-vortex interactions in multi-blade rotors, the profile drag of all individual blades is increased, when compared to the absence of any blade-vortex interaction. Different factors like the speed of rotation of the rotor and the number of blades greatly impact the magnitude of the profile drag increase. This effect is additionally worsened with the low- Reynolds operational conditions of small-sized UAV helicopter rotors. In addition, there is an initial upward motion of the tip vortex and thus there are three scenarios for the blade-vortex encounter, depending on whether the vortex emitted by the previous blade is still above, on or below the plane of rotation of the blades. All those uncertainties motivated the authors to carry- out this present experimental study. The results are shown in a convenient form. In hover, the profile drag increase is shown to be greater with increased number of blades and higher rotational speeds as there is less time for the preceding vortex to clear the path of the following blade.
Functionally graded structural member with three longitudinal circular cylindrical cracks loaded in tension: a fracture analysis
Authors: Rizov V
Published: December 2020

The present paper is concerned with fracture analysis of a structural member of circular cross-section with three longitudinal circular cylindrical cracks. The cracks are located arbitrary in radial direction of the structural member. Beside, the three cracks have different lengths. A circular notch is cut-out in the mid-span. The structural member is loaded in tension by two axial forces applied at the ends. The material is functionally graded in radial direction. The mechanical behaviour of the material is non-linear elastic. The fracture is studied in terms of the strain energy release rate. The solutions to the strain energy release rate derived for three cracks are verified by considering the balance of the energy. A parametric investigation of the fracture is carried-out. The effects of locations of cracks and material gradient on the fracture are evaluated.
Evaluation of the load-bearing capacity of variously shaped steel-concrete slabs under short term loading
Authors: Vatulia G L , Smolyanyuk N V , Shevchenko A A , Orel Ye F , Kovalov M O
Published: December 2020

The article presents the evaluation results of load-bearing capacity exhaustion of steel-concrete slabs under concentrated and distributed short-term loading. The authors investigate the performance peculiarities of square, circular, and octagonal samples. The results of the experimental research were verified by comparison with the results of finite element modeling in the LIRA-SAPR software package. The obtained results proved the theoretical equations that allow to define the load-bearing capacity of steel-concrete slabs during their destruction over the cross-section and along the contact of sheet reinforcement with concrete. It is recommended to find the required intensity of sheet reinforcement anchoring from the condition of equality of ultimate loads. The authors provide further FEM analysis of square slabs to evaluate the impact of anchor spacing, the thickness of the steel sheet, and supporting conditions of slabs on their load-bearing capacity.
Numerical investigation on the effects of the aerodynamic shading between the tower and the blade of wind turbine generator with horizontal axis
Authors: Genov J A , Angelov I A
Published: December 2020

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the effects of the aerodynamic shading between the tower and the blade of NREL 5MW wind turbine generator. 3D models of the turbine and the tower are designed. They are reduced to plane models in order to simplify the convoluted, spatial aerodynamic interaction to a sequence of plane-2D problems. The plane models are numerically studied in Ansys Fluent, using dynamic-deformable mesh method. Visual and numerical results of the aerodynamic shading interaction are obtained. Force distributions on the blade and on the tower of NREL 5MW wind turbine generator are derived, for the exact moment when the aerodynamic shading occurs.
Comparative study of selected cryptocurrency
Authors: Nakov O , Gotseva D , Tomov Y
Published: December 2020

In the last few years, blockchain technologies have gained immense popularity both among researchers and in socio-economic life. Companies from various fields of industry implement projects based on blockchain technology. Pandemics like Covid-19 put almost all industries to the test. The work of the transport industry during the crisis is directly related to the work of the financial and banking sector. The problems that transport companies would experience from blocking the banking system during a subsequent pandemic would be solved in an innovative way using different cryptocurrencies. This article aims to make a comparative analysis of some cryptocurrencies, as well as to comment on the problems associated with them. The analysis can be used to develop blockchain-based applications in the transport industry.
Operation of diesel engine with fuels treated with nanoparticle additives
Authors: Ivanov Zdravko , Mihaylov Veselin , Sitnik Lech , Sroka Zbigniew
Published: December 2020

Treatment of materials with nano-sized elements is widely used in the automotive industry. This application is associated both with surface treatment of parts and in the form of various mixtures. The use of nanoparticles as an additive to oils and fuels aims to impact the energy efficiency of the engine in order to improve mechanical losses and its environmental performance. Improving mechanical losses leads to a reduction in energy consumption and hence to a reduction in carbon emissions. Published research in this regard has shown an impact on various physical processes related to engine performance. In this paper are shown the results from performed studies on a direct injected diesel engine when working with oil and fuel additives, based on carbon nanoparticles. The results show an improvement in the operation of the fuel injection system and reduction in the mechanical losses in the engine.
Preparation of a quinoa straw-derived porous carbon material and a Fe3O4-contained composite material for removal of rhodamine B from water
Authors: Wang Zhixiao , Zhou Qinghua , Chen Siji , Liang Dadong , Tang Shanshan , Chen Huan , Chen Guang , Xia Yuhan , Zhang Bolun
Published: December 2020

In this work, quinoa straw (QS) is considered as a sustainable biomass resource to produce adsorbent materials for wastewater treatment. Two materials, a porous carbon material derived from QS (PCQS) and a Fe3O4-containing composite material based on the PCPS (Fe3O4@PCQS), were prepared. PCQS was prepared via carbonization and subsequent chemical activation of the QS using NaOH. Thereafter, PCQS was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, IR, XPS, and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis. As a carbon material with heterogeneous pores, PCQS has a BET specific surface area of 3435.21 m2 g−1, which is about 175 times higher than that of the precursor QS (19.60 m2 g−1). The PCQS had an adsorption capacity of 1778.1 mg g−1 toward rhodamine B (RhB), and the adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Freundlich isotherm model. The PCQS was further modified by synthesizing Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles on the surface of PCQS to give Fe3O4@PCQS. The adsorption capacity of Fe3O4@PCQS toward RhB reached 1156.2 mg g−1, and it could be rapidly separated from water by applying an external magnetic field. The PCQS and Fe3O4@PCQS exhibited acceptable reusability which was evaluated through ten successive adsorption/desorption cycles. In summary, the adsorption capacities of PCQS and Fe3O4@PCQS toward RhB are comparable with most current adsorbents, including the graphene-based materials, which shows that QS is a promising biomass feedstock to prepare carbon-based materials and composites.
Fault-tolerant quantum error correction for Steane’s seven-qubit color code with few or no extra qubits
Authors: Reichardt Ben W
Published: December 2020

Steane’s seven-qubit quantum code is a natural choice for fault-tolerance experiments because it is small and just two extra qubits are enough to correct errors. However, the two-qubit error-correction technique, known as ‘flagged’ syndrome extraction, works slowly, measuring only one syndrome at a time. This is a disadvantage in experiments with high qubit rest error rates. We extend the technique to extract multiple syndromes at once, without needing more qubits. Qubits for different syndromes can flag errors in each other. This gives equally fast and more qubit-efficient alternatives to Steane’s error-correction method, and also conforms to planar geometry constraints. We further show that Steane’s code and some others can be error-corrected with no extra qubits, provided there are at least two code blocks. The rough idea is that two seven-qubit codewords can be temporarily joined into a twelve-qubit code, freeing two qubits for flagged syndrome measurement.
Are We Putting Human Rights into Social Work Practice in Kosovo?
Authors: Krasniqi Vjollca , McPherson Jane , Villarreal-Otálora Tatiana
Published: December 2020

In this article, we explore how social workers are putting human rights into practice in Kosovo. We present a snapshot of the current human rights context in Kosovo; we discuss frameworks for rights-based practice within social work; and we explain the evolution of Kosovar social work education and the role of human rights within it. Ultimately, we focus on the results of a new survey that uses Albanian translations of the Human Rights Methods in Social Work scales to explore the use of eight rights-based practice methods by 100 social workers situated in Kosovo’s Centres for Social Work. In our sample, social workers endorsed the four micro (individually focused) practice methods—accountability, strengths perspective, anti-discrimination and participation—at higher rates than the four more macro (community/policy)-focused methods—capacity-building, micro/macro, collaboration and activism. We use these results to call for further training to support rights-based practice, emphasising the interdependence of micro and macro methods in advancing human rights as well as social work ethics. In conclusion, we offer suggestions that will allow social work to act as an agent of transformative change and social justice in Kosovo.
Effect of Aging on the Viscoelastic Properties of Hippocampal Subfields Assessed with High-Resolution MR Elastography
Authors: Delgorio Peyton L , Hiscox Lucy V , Daugherty Ana M , Sanjana Faria , Pohlig Ryan T , Ellison James M , Martens Christopher R , Schwarb Hillary , McGarry Matthew D J , Johnson Curtis L
Published: December 2020

Age-related memory impairments have been linked to differences in structural brain parameters, including the integrity of the hippocampus (HC) and its distinct hippocampal subfields (HCsf). Imaging methods sensitive to the underlying tissue microstructure are valuable in characterizing age-related HCsf structural changes that may relate to cognitive function. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a noninvasive MRI technique that can quantify tissue viscoelasticity and may provide additional information about aging effects on HCsf health. Here, we report a high-resolution MRE protocol to quantify HCsf viscoelasticity through shear stiffness, μ, and damping ratio, ξ, which reflect the integrity of tissue composition and organization. HCsf exhibit distinct mechanical properties—the subiculum had the lowest μ and both subiculum and entorhinal cortex had the lowest ξ. Both measures correlated with age: HCsf μ was lower with age (P < 0.001) whereas ξ was higher (P = 0.002). The magnitude of age-related differences in ξ varied across HCsf (P = 0.011), suggesting differential patterns of brain aging. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using MRE to assess HCsf microstructural integrity and suggests incorporation of these metrics to evaluate HC health in neurocognitive disorders.
Locating microseismic events using both head and direct waves travelling in vertical transverse isotropic media
Authors: Kim Dowan , Byun Joongmoo , Seol Soon Jee
Published: December 2020

Microseismic monitoring is widely used to detect hydraulic fractures. Accurate mapping of microseismic events is essential to detect such fractures enhancing productivity. The eikonal solver is an efficient forward-modelling method used to map microseismic events. However, traditional eikonal solvers do not distinguish between head and direct waves, computing only the traveltimes of the waves that arrive first. We developed a new eikonal solver that computes the traveltimes of direct waves by imposing new constraints on the conventional, vertical transverse isotropy solver. We then performed numerical experiments exploiting the traveltimes of direct waves. We used the traveltimes of only the first arrivals, and those of both first and direct arrivals, when performing inverted event mapping. The results showed that the uncertainties of event locations were minimized when both head and direct waves were analysed due to the increased both the number of available data and the travelling path diversity. Also, we found that the use of only direct-arrival traveltimes was valuable when head-wave first arrivals were difficult to detect because the signal-to-noise ratio was low.
Preaching and politics in the Welsh Marches, 1643–63: the case of Alexander Griffith*
Authors: Bowen Lloyd
Published: December 2020

This article considers the nature and development of episcopalian identities and attitudes during the mid-seventeenth century by examining the case of Alexander Griffith. Griffith has been known to historians as an unbending ‘Anglican’, an exemplar of obdurate royalism and a man who was in the vanguard of resistance to the puritan experiments in Wales during the 1640s and 1650s. However, the discovery of Griffith’s sermon book in the Folger Shakespeare Library throws a different light on the nature of his career and the development of his opinions. Griffith’s sermons reveal that he made accommodations with local Presbyterians in the 1640s and even helped head-up their campaign to introduce the Directory for Public Worship into Wales and the Marches. The sermon book provides the opportunity for a new and more nuanced reading of the numerous tracts he published against the Commission for the Propagation of the Gospel in Wales during the 1650s. The article argues that both his sermons and published works reveal Griffith as an implacable opponent of radical separatists, but that he was willing to accommodate with and adapt to moderate parliamentarian regimes. His position shifted at the Restoration when he articulated his conviction in two high profile assize sermons that the Act of Uniformity provided the best defence against the spectre of radical religion and political dissolution. This article reveals that Griffith was a more important figure than has generally been acknowledged and that his religious and political positions were more complex than previous studies have allowed.
The demography of the Canary Islands from a genetic perspective
Authors: Fregel Rosa , Ordóñez Alejandra C , Serrano Javier G
Published: December 2020

The establishment of European colonies across the world had important demographic consequences because it brought together diverse and distant civilizations for the first time. One clear example of this phenomenon is observed in the Canary Islands. The modern Canarian population is mainly the result of the admixture of natives of North African origin and European colonizers. However, additional migratory flows reached the islands due to the importation of enslaved Africans to cultivate sugarcane and the intense commercial contact with the American continent. In this review, we evaluate how the genetic analysis of indigenous, historical and current populations has provided a glimpse into the Canary Islands’ complex genetic composition. We show that each island subpopulation’s characterization is needed to fully disentangle the demographic history of the Canarian archipelago. Finally, we discuss what research avenues remain to be explored to improve our knowledge of the impact that the European colonization had on its native population.
A comprehensive evaluation of methods for Mendelian randomization using realistic simulations and an analysis of 38 biomarkers for risk of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Qi Guanghao , Chatterjee Nilanjan
Published: December 2020

Background

Previous studies have often evaluated methods for Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis based on simulations that do not adequately reflect the data-generating mechanisms in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and there are often discrepancies in the performance of MR methods in simulations and real data sets.

Methods

We use a simulation framework that generates data on full GWAS for two traits under a realistic model for effect-size distribution coherent with the heritability, co-heritability and polygenicity typically observed for complex traits. We further use recent data generated from GWAS of 38 biomarkers in the UK Biobank and performed down sampling to investigate trends in estimates of causal effects of these biomarkers on the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Results

Simulation studies show that weighted mode and MRMix are the only two methods that maintain the correct type I error rate in a diverse set of scenarios. Between the two methods, MRMix tends to be more powerful for larger GWAS whereas the opposite is true for smaller sample sizes. Among the other methods, random-effect IVW (inverse-variance weighted method), MR-Robust and MR-RAPS (robust adjust profile score) tend to perform best in maintaining a low mean-squared error when the InSIDE assumption is satisfied, but can produce large bias when InSIDE is violated. In real-data analysis, some biomarkers showed major heterogeneity in estimates of their causal effects on the risk of T2D across the different methods and estimates from many methods trended in one direction with increasing sample size with patterns similar to those observed in simulation studies.

Conclusion

The relative performance of different MR methods depends heavily on the sample sizes of the underlying GWAS, the proportion of valid instruments and the validity of the InSIDE assumption. Down-sampling analysis can be used in large GWAS for the possible detection of bias in the MR methods.
Healthcare inequality in compensation claims concerning acute hospital services: a Danish register-based study
Authors: BIRKELAND Søren , MORSØ Lars , FLØJSTRUP Marianne , MIKKELSEN Kim Lyngby , BOGH Søren Bie
Published: December 2020

Objective

Although citizens’ equal right to acute healthcare of appropriate quality is an oft-cited goal for modern societies, healthcare disparities may persist. We aimed to investigate inequality in compensation claims and compensation payments regarding acute healthcare services.

Design and setting

We conducted a cross-sectional study of compensation claim patterns using the Danish Patient Compensation Association (DPCA) registries.

Participants, interventions and main outcome measures

We used register data on all cases managed by DPCA relating to acute hospital healthcare for adults (aged > 18 years) from 2007 to 2017.

Results

In total, the DPCA had 5556 compensation claims for injuries caused by acute care services during the years 2007–2017. Age group of 50–64 years (odds ratio (OR) = 1.37 compared with those aged 18–49 years; P < 0.001), marriage (OR = 1.14; P < 0.001), higher income (OR = 1.55; P < 0.001) and Danish origin (OR = 1.49; P < 0.001) were statistically associated with higher odds for filing a compensation claim; men (OR = 0.83; P < 0.001) and those with many co-morbidities were much less represented (OR = 0.24; P < 0.001). Male gender (OR = 1.25; P < 0.001) and higher age (OR = 2.55 (80+ years); P < 0.001) were associated with higher odds for a compensation award. Failed diagnosis was also more often at stake in men (OR = 1.38; P < 0.001) and in patients aged 50–64 years (OR = 1.17; P < 0.001) but occurred less often in patients with multiple morbidities (OR = 0.68; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Findings from our Danish material suggest some inequality in compensation claims and compensation payments regarding acute healthcare services.
Effectiveness of health consumer representative involvement in implementation of interventions to change health professional behaviour
Authors: Oakman Jodi , Cahill Liana S , Clune Samantha , Neilson Cheryl , Shields Nora , Tse Tamara , O’keefe Sophie , Frederico Margarita , Graco Marnie , Holland Anne E , Jolliffe Laura , Carey Leeanne , Lewis Virginia , Brown Graham , Cox Narelle , Morris Meg E , Lannin Natasha A
Published: December 2020

Background

The adoption of research evidence to improve client outcomes may be enhanced using the principles of implementation science. This systematic review aimed to understand the effect of involving consumers to change health professional behaviours and practices. The barriers and enablers to consumer engagement will also be examined.

Methods

We searched Medline, CINAHL, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and PDQ-Evidence from 2004 to February 2019. Implementation studies involving consumers in at least one phase (development, intervention or facilitation) of an intervention that aimed to change health professional behaviour to align with evidence-based practice were included. Studies in the areas of paediatrics and primary care were excluded. Two review authors independently screened studies for inclusion, and one author extracted data and conducted quality assessments with review of a second author. Knowledge translation interventions were categorized using the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care taxonomy. The primary outcome was measures of change in health professional behaviour.

Results

Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of three studies found support for consumer involvement in changing healthcare professionals’ behaviour (Hedges’ g = 0.41, 95% CI [0.27, 0.57], P < 0.001). Most knowledge translation studies involved consumers during the development phase only (n = 12). Most studies (n = 9) included one type of knowledge translation intervention. Professional interventions (including education of health professionals, educational outreach, and audit and feedback) were described in 13 studies.

Conclusions

Consumer involvement rarely moves beyond the design phase of knowledge translation research in healthcare settings. Further research of the barriers to and effect of increased consumer engagement across all stages of knowledge translation interventions is needed.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42019119179.
On collaborative reinforcement learning to optimize the redistribution of critical medical supplies throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Bednarski Bryan P , Singh Akash Deep , Jones William M
Published: December 2020

Objective

This work investigates how reinforcement learning and deep learning models can facilitate the near-optimal redistribution of medical equipment in order to bolster public health responses to future crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials and Methods

The system presented is simulated with disease impact statistics from the Institute of Health Metrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Census Bureau. We present a robust pipeline for data preprocessing, future demand inference, and a redistribution algorithm that can be adopted across broad scales and applications.

Results

The reinforcement learning redistribution algorithm demonstrates performance optimality ranging from 93% to 95%. Performance improves consistently with the number of random states participating in exchange, demonstrating average shortage reductions of 78.74 ± 30.8% in simulations with 5 states to 93.50 ± 0.003% with 50 states.

Conclusions

These findings bolster confidence that reinforcement learning techniques can reliably guide resource allocation for future public health emergencies.
Effect of Small Group Communication Counseling Intervention Strategy on Knowledge and Intention Towards Painting Among Internally Displaced Persons of the Farmers/Herdsmen Conflict in Benue State
Authors: Gever Verlumun Celestine , Talabi Felix Olajide , Anibueze Anselm U , Okpara Chukwuemeka Vincent , Ugwuoke Joel C
Published: December 2020

Although progress has been made in examining different aspects of the conflict between farmers and herdsmen in Nigeria, literature is yet to focus on how to empower displaced persons of the conflict with knowledge and skills that will make them self-sufficient. In this study, we extended literature on the conflict by examining the effectiveness of a small group communication counselling intervention on knowledge and intention towards painting. We categorized the IDPs into 20 small groups made up of 9 persons and 14 smaller groups made up of 4 persons. Within the framework of human capital theory and theory of planned behaviour, we tested two hypotheses and found that though both the treatment and control groups did not significantly differ in their mean scores on knowledge and intention towards the painting skill before the treatment, they significantly differed after the treatment with the treatment group reporting better knowledge of painting skill and positive intentions towards it. We also found that the smaller group of four persons scored higher in knowledge of painting than the larger group with up to nine members. We highlighted the implications of these results on efforts aimed at improving the lives of displaced persons.
Cartel Prosecution
Authors: Argenton Cédric , Geradin Damien , Stephan Andreas
Published: December 2020

This chapter describes the various stages of cartel prosecution, from the first request of information by the European Commission to the final decision and judicial review. It shows that, after the Commission services have uncovered some cartel activity, they need to investigate the matter and build a legal case leading to a formal infringement decision. Until the coming into force of Regulation 1/2003, that was the only legal route available. Since, the defendants and the Commission may agree to settle the case. In both circumstances, however, sanctions take the exclusive form of corporate fines. Both the existence (and scope) of an infringement and the size of fines can be contested through judicial review. The chapter also discusses the way firms which are part of a cartel are, or should be, sanctioned.
International Human Rights Litigation
Authors: Bradley Curtis A
Published: December 2020

This chapter focuses on litigation under the Alien Tort Statute, which provides for jurisdiction over suits brought by aliens for torts in violation of international law. The chapter begins by exploring Congress’s likely intent in enacting the Statute in 1789, and how the Statute may have related to Article III of the Constitution (concerning the powers of the federal courts). The chapter then describes how the Statute received little attention until the Filartiga decision in 1980, which allowed for it to be used by aliens to sue other aliens for human rights abuses committed abroad. The chapter proceeds to explore a variety of doctrinal issues relating to this human rights litigation, including the source of the cause of action, the standards for bringing a claim, and the ability to sue corporations. The chapter also considers the contours of the Torture Victim Protection Act, which Congress enacted in 1992 to facilitate certain human rights claims. The chapter then discusses limitations on Alien Tort Statute litigation imposed by the Supreme Court in its 2004 decision in Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, as well as the rise of suits brought against corporate defendants brought under the Statute. The chapter concludes by discussing the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, in which the Court substantially curtailed the territorial reach of claims that could be brought under the Statute, and the Court’s 2018 decision in Jesner v. Arab Bank, in which the Court disallowed suits under the Statute against foreign corporations.