bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental study of flying ballast at high speed railway applying track vibration
Authors: Talaee Mohammad Reza , Hakimzadeh Behtash
Published: May 2020

In this paper the complete approach is introduced for study of Ballast flying in wind tunnel considering track vibrations and aerodynamic loads. The air velocity profile under high speed train with speed of 300 km/h is introduced using an analytical approach and the intensity of under train wind is defined. About 50 kg of Iranian high speed railway ballast is adopted by random sampling and classified according to mass and aerodynamic shape. The critical velocities of ballast moving are measured by wind tunnel for all classification to obtain the ballast flying probability factor (BFPF) at two modes of with and without track vibration. Also, the conventional ballast flying risk mitigation methods in wind tunnel are reviewed and a new strategy for ballast flying risk mitigation is introduced and tested, based on the design of track surface by a special sieved group of ballasts with minimum flying probability factor. Results show that the BFPF increases in presence of vibration and the minimum value of BFPF is occurred at mass range of 150–200 g. It's stated that application of this group on the track surface may prevent from ballast flying due to passing of train with maximum speeds of 300 km/h.
Kinematic design of a hybrid planar-tripod mechanism for bone reduction surgery
Authors: Essomba Terence , Phu Sinh Nguyen
Published: May 2020

In the most severe cases of longitudinal bone fractures such as femur, tibias, humerus etc., the bone can be completely separated into two fragments. In order to guarantee the re-ossification of the bone, it is required to reposition the bone fragments together. This process requires a delicate surgery called “bone reduction surgery”. The most advanced technique relies on the use of a robotic manipulator to reposition the bone fragments with higher precision and stability than manual surgeries. The present work introduces the kinematic design of a new hybrid mechanical architecture to perform this task. It is composed of a 3-PRP planar mechanism attached with a 3-RPS tripod mechanism. The kinematic analysis of this mechanism is provided while taking account the tripod parasitic motion. Kinematic simulations using Matlab and Adams are performed to validate the kinematic and velocity models and the parasitic motion compensation provided by the planar mechanism. The workspace of this hybrid mechanism is then compared to the standard hexapod mechanism that is widely used in bone reduction surgery. It reveals that the proposed mechanism can generate a larger workspace with the same linkage dimensions.
A Systematic Review of Active Video Games on Youth’s Body
Composition and Physical Activity
Authors: Gao Zan , Zeng Nan , McDonough Daniel J. , Su Xiwen
Published: May 2020

In the past decade, active video games (AVGs) have started to find their way into
communities, schools, and homes as a possible solution to promote physical
activity (PA) and prevent childhood obesity. However, the evidence regarding its
effectiveness on body composition and objectively measured PA in youth remains
inconclusive. Thus, a systematic review on this topic is needed. This review
synthesizes effects of AVGs on body composition and PA in youth. The initial
search yielded 260 articles from 10 databases and 18 randomized-controlled
trials were included after evaluating against eligibility and removing
duplicates. Overall, AVGs showed positive effects in improving body composition
and PA in overweight/obese youth as compared to the control conditions
with only 2 studies displaying neutral effects on these outcomes as compared to
traditional PA or comparison programs. For healthy youth, more than half of the
studies (n = 10) demonstrated neutral effects of AVGs on these outcomes
whereas only 6 yielded positive effects compared to the control conditions.
Further, one study indicated that the control condition observed greater
improvement in body composition compared with an AVG intervention in healthy
youth. In summary, AVGs are deemed a promising addition to promote PA and health
among overweight/obese youth with the goal of fighting childhood
obesity.
Antibacterial activity of calcium hydroxide and chlorhexidine containing points against Fusobacterium nucleatum and Parvimonas micra
Authors: Rathke Andreas , Meisohle Dominik , Bokelmann Jens , Haller Bernd
Published: May 2020

Objective: Up to 90% of the flora of an infected root canal consists of obligate anaerobic bacteria. However, most studies have centred on microaerophiles. This quantitative assay investigated the antibacterial effects against Fusobacterium nucleatum and Parvimonas micra of gutta-percha (GP) points containing either calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) or chlorhexidine (CHX) compared to those of conventional GP points.

Methods: Standardized root canals were prepared in 192 bovine incisors. The canals were sterilized and then inoculated with one of two bacterial species (n=96 teeth per bacterium). After anaerobic incubation at 37ºC, the inoculum was removed and the canals were filled with one of the three points. Control teeth were filled with a saline/serum mixture. After 0, 1, 4 and 8 days of anaerobic incubation, the numbers of viable bacteria (CFU/ml) were determined on both the points and the canal wall dentin. Six replicates were carried out for each experiment.

Results: None of the points completely eradicated the bacteria in the canal. GP+CHX was significantly more effective than GP+Ca(OH)2 and GP (P<.05 in each case). The inhibitory effect of GP+Ca(OH)2 did not significantly differ from that of GP (P>.05). Compared to the controls, the antibacterial effect of the medicated points was reached initially.

Conclusion: Within the limitations of the in vitro model, the incorporation of commonly used medicaments in GP does not offer a long-lasting antibacterial advantage over non-medicated GP. (Eur J Dent 2012;6:434-439)
Bilateral geminated teeth with talon cusps: A case report
Authors: Sener Sevgi , Unlu Nimet , Basciftci Faruk Ayhan , Bozdag Guldane
Published: May 2020

Talon cusps and gemination are rare dental anomalies that can cause significant aesthetic and clinical problems. Bilateral talon cusps on geminated teeth have not been reported so far. The case of gemination with talon cusps on both maxillary central incisors was presented in this report. The main complaints of the patient were tongue irritation and aesthetic problems. The talon cusps were gradually reduced at 2 consecutive sittings and the exposed surface was treated with a fluoride gel. The aesthetical appearance was improved using a composite resin. Fixed orthodontic treatment was initiated for repositioning the left maxillary lateral incisor. A long term, multidisciplinary approach is necessary for the treatment of gemination with talon cusps. (Eur J Dent 2012;6:440-444)
Mental Practice Using Motor Imagery in Dysphagia Rehabilitation: A Survey of Practicing Speech-Language Pathologists
Authors: Szynkiewicz Sarah H. , Nobriga Christina V. , Cheung Ashley , Khoury Lauren , Piven Morgan , Quibin Kassandra
Published: May 2020

Mental practice (MP) using motor imagery is recognized as an effective clinical tool in rehabilitative medicine for improving motor performance. Preliminary data using MP in dysphagia rehabilitation are promising, though nothing is known about the current landscape among speech-language pathologists (SLPs) relating to MP implementation. This nationwide study surveys practicing SLPs about knowledge and practice patterns of using MP to gain a better understanding of the current knowledge, as well as perceived benefits and challenges in using MP. Descriptive data are reported and open-ended questions analyzed for emerging themes using inductive coding. Over half of the participants were familiar or somewhat familiar with motor imagery in the context of dysphagia rehabilitation, though only 16% of those SLPs reported using MP with a patient. Nearly 75% of respondents expressed interest in learning more about MP. Emerging themes include factors SLPs perceive to limit patient engagement, evidence-based practice concerns, and therapeutic environmental factors. More research on MP and access to training for clinicians is needed in the area of dysphagia rehabilitation to address acknowledged interest in MP.
Palatomaxillary Reconstruction: Fibula or Scapula
Authors: Badhey Arvind K. , Khan Mohemmed N.
Published: May 2020

Palatomaxillary reconstruction presents a unique challenge for the reconstructive surgeon. The maxillofacial skeleton preserves critical aerodigestive functions—it provides a stable hard palate to support mastication and separate the nasal and oral cavities, and buttress support to provide adequate midface contour. Free tissue transfer has become a routine part of the reconstructive ladder in managing palatomaxillary defects. While there is a wide variety of options for bony reconstruction within the head and neck, the fibula and the scapula, and their variations, have become two of the most commonly used options for midface reconstruction. This review will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both in specific regard to reconstruction of the palatomaxillary area.
Transpalatal Approaches to the Skull Base and Reconstruction: Indications, Technique, and Associated Morbidity
Authors: London Nyall R. , Chan Jimmy Y. W. , Carrau Ricardo L.
Published: May 2020

Multiple anterior surgical approaches are available to obtain access to the nasopharynx, clivus, and craniocervical junction. These include the direct and transoral robotic surgery transpalatal, maxillary swing, and endoscopic endonasal approaches. In this article, we describe the indications for these techniques, surgical steps, and associated morbidities. This article is a PubMed literature review. A review of the literature was conducted to assess the techniques, surgical steps, and associated morbidities with transpalatal approaches to the skull base and nasopharynx. The transpalatal approach has been traditionally utilized to obtain surgical access to the nasopharynx, clivus, and craniocervical junction. Morbidity includes velopalatine insufficiency due to shortening of the soft palate from scar contraction or neuromuscular damage, thus leading to hypernasal speech and dysphagia. Middle ear effusion and oronasal or oronasopharyngeal palatal fistula are additional potential morbidities. The choice of surgical approach depends on a variety of factors including the disease location and extent, surgeon experience, and available resources.
Corona: Freiwilliger Helfer in der Not
Authors: Heeser Alexandra
Published: May 2020

Einst Chef der Berliner Feuerwehr, dann Präsident des Technischen Hilfswerks (THW), jetzt Helfer in der Coronakrise: Die Rede ist von Albrecht Broemme, der in Berlin binnen kürzester Zeit federführend ein Corona-Behandlungszentrum für bis zu 1 000 Erkrankte errichten soll.
Kommentar: Geht nicht – gibt’s nicht
Authors: Ehrhardt-Joswig Jana
Published: May 2020

Die Coronakrise macht möglich, was bis vor kurzem als unmöglich galt. Auch im Gesundheitswesen starten digitale Lösungen in einer Geschwindigkeit durch, von der die Hersteller nicht zu träumen gewagt hätten. Selbst eine Tracking-App gilt mittlerweile als sehr wahrscheinlich.
Corona-Pandemie: Jetzt bloß nicht ausfallen
Authors: Doelfs Guntram , Kohrs Jens
Published: May 2020

Was nützen Tausende zusätzliche Intensivbetten, wenn den Kliniken das Personal dafür ausgeht? Weil Krankenhäuser zunehmend zu Corona-Hotspots werden, wächst die Sorge, dass sich Pflegekräfte und Ärzte massenhaft mit dem Virus infizieren.
Innovationen: Mediziner und Entwickler an einem Tisch
Authors: Reisinger Kathrin
Published: May 2020

Innovationen in Kliniken und deren Umfeld sind lebenswichtig im doppelten Sinne: medizinisch und wirtschaftlich. Doch wie kann vermieden werden, dass am medizinischen Bedarf „vorbei entwickelt“ wird? Damit das nicht passiert, bringen verschiedene Initiativen Entwickler und Anwender zusammen.
Krankenhaussanierung: Überleben in schwierigen Zeiten
Authors: Lang Michael
Published: May 2020

Viele Kliniken stehen vor dem finanziellen Kollaps. Hinzu kommt die unklare mittelfristige Finanzierungslage aufgrund der aktuellen Versorgungskrise. Dr. Reinhard Wichels erklärt die Hintergründe der Misere und zeigt, wie finanziell angeschlagene Kliniken wieder auf die Erfolgsspur kommen.
Evaluation of health intervention: a case of preschool children in Egypt
Authors: Megally Rania , Ghoneim Hebatallah
Published: May 2020

“Good health and well-being” is the third of the Sustainable Development Goals, but it cannot be achieved without achieving goal two, “No Hunger.” Nutrition status is the foundation for healthy individuals, especially children. Developing countries have to set policies to solve malnutrition in order to ensure better health and well-being. This led the researchers to evaluate the impact of nutrition intervention on health outcomes in preschool children in Egypt, a lower middle-income country with high levels of poverty, food insecurity, and anemia. The prevalence of anemia represents a major public health problem in the country; reaching 39.6%.The analysis is based on a control randomized design to measure the impact of nutrition intervention. The sample of this study consisted of 405 children across seven kindergarten classes in Egypt. The results of the study did not show a significant improvement in rates of anemia, stunting, and obesity, likely due to the short treatment period. The results of this research are expected to provide important insights for policy implications under the assumption that this may be a vital step in the process of improving children’s health and school performance. Moreover, the results were inspiring enough that this randomized control trial research design has been applied to another study, using a longer-period nutrition program with a larger sample size that will measure the impact of nutrition interventions on children’s health and cognition as reflected in the children’s school performance and later in their productivity in the labor market.
Estimating temporary populations: a systematic review of the empirical literature
Authors: Panczak Radoslaw , Charles-Edwards Elin , Corcoran Jonathan
Published: May 2020

The estimation of temporary populations is a well-established field, but despite growing interest they are yet to form part of the standard suite of official population statistics. This systematic review seeks to review the empirical literature on temporary population estimation and identify the contemporary “state of the art”. We identify a total of 96 studies that attempt to estimate or describe a method of estimation. Our findings reveal strong growth in the number of studies in recent decades that in part has been driven by the rise in both the type and availability of new sources of information, including mobile phone data. What emerges from this systematic review is the lack of any “gold standard” data source or methodology for temporary population estimation. The review points to a number of important challenges that remain for estimating temporary populations, both conceptually and practically. What remains is the need for clear definitions along with identification of appropriate data and methods that are able to robustly capture and measure the diverse array of spatial behaviours that drive temporary population dynamics. To our knowledge, this is the first review on this topic that brings together literature from various disciplines and collates methods used for estimation.
Plastic pigs and public secrets in translational neonatology in Denmark
Authors: Dam Mie S. , Sangild Per T. , Svendsen Mette N.
Published: May 2020

This paper explores how a translational research platform in Denmark uses piglets as infant models. Drawing on meanings of “public” as “open” and “visible,” we track how researchers and clinicians together and separately turn research piglets and premature infants into both public and un-public beings in laboratory and clinical settings. In these complex multispecies relationships, researchers and clinicians alike create and retain certain “zones of unknowing” in which intimate cross-species care relations are fostered. While critical social scientists call for greater public recognition of animals in accounts of human health, our study demonstrates that “zones of unknowing” enable the involved professionals to care simultaneously for neonatal beings and the greater public good. To account for the efforts involved in contributing to the greater public good, we introduce the term “publication work.” We argue that publication work relies as much on porosity between species and spaces as on actively drawing boundaries between species and between public and private spaces. Plastic pigs and public secrets are crucial to realise the ambition of more-than-human public health.
Parametric study of ultra-intense laser interaction with uniform and nano-porous near-critical plasmas
Authors: Rezaei S. , Yazdani E. , Jafari M. J.
Published: May 2020

Responses of the uniform near-critical plasma (UNCP) and nano-porous near-critical plasma (NPNCP) upon interaction with a short-intense laser have been scrutinized using two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell simulations. Maximum proton energy variation by the deposition of uniform and nano-porous layers in front of a solid target for a wide range of laser intensities (normalized amplitude a0 = 5–25) and average densities of the front layer ne = 0.3 − 3nc (where nc is the critical density) has been parametrically studied. It is found that the proton maximum energy for the front layers with sub-10 µm thicknesses is independent of the target porosity and density. However, in the relatively thick targets, the nano-porous structure decreases the laser energy absorption and, subsequently, the maximum proton energy compared to the uniform one. The results indicate that by employing UNCPs instead of NPNCPs, at the moderate laser intensity, the maximum proton energy reveals a 23% enhancement. This increment could be explained by rapid self-focusing of the laser pulse and dominant direct laser electron acceleration regime on the well-formed plasma channel in the UNCP layer. However, in the case of NPNCPs, the laser scattering from the plasma structure makes it less intense and more disordered, which influences the efficient laser energy coupling to the electrons.
Defects of laser-irradiated KDP crystals with different fluences studied by photoluminescence spectroscopy
Authors: Li Xiangcao , Liu Bao’an , Yan Chunyan , Ren Jie , Liu Chang , Ju Xin
Published: May 2020

Photoluminescence (PL) bands from potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals are studied by time-resolved PL spectroscopy. KDP crystals irradiated at a laser fluence of 11.5 J/cm2 are found to have the highest probability of phosphorus–oxygen hole center defects and the lowest probability of phosphorus-oxygen electric center defects, in contrast to the probabilities of these defects for KDP crystals irradiated at 9.0 J/cm2. The probabilities of these two defects occurring in retired components are found to be intermediate between those for crystals irradiated at the two different fluences. The two types of defects may result from two different mechanisms and may interconvert under certain conditions. Thus, there are differences between the defects in KDP crystals irradiated at a high laser fluence and those in retired components.
Ultrawide bandwidth and large-angle electromagnetic wave absorption based on triple-nested helix metamaterial absorbers
Authors: He Zidong , Wu Liwen , Liu Yu , Lu Yao , Wang Fanqi , Shao Wen , Fu Shihong , Tong Guoxiu
Published: May 2020

This article presents ultrawide bandwidth (BW) and large-angle helical metamaterial absorbers (HMMAs) consisting of a periodic array of coaxially nested magnetic helices. The enhanced properties of these HMMAs, including ultrawide BW, polarization insensitivity, and wide-angle absorption, are confirmed and illustrated experimentally. Large helix diameter (20–30 mm), small coupling constant (close to 1), and small and large helix nesting (5 and 20 mm) help in the enhancement of the absorption properties. Current distributions and coupling property of these HMMAs are provided, and results reveal that the synergistic effect of the LC resonance and dipole responses of the patterned structure is responsible for the broadband absorption mechanism. HMMAs consisting of a 14 × 14 array of a triple-nested helix exhibit optimal performance. The effective BW with reflection loss below −10 dB (90% attenuation) is up to 27.68 GHz at 8–40 GHz. The HMMAs also show polarization insensitivity in the incident range of 0°–315° and angle insensitivity at all incident angles in the range of 35°–70°. Therefore, our findings here provide a valuable guide to the design and fabrication of chiral MMAs, in particular, the ultrawide BW and large-angle chiral MMAs at microwave or millimeter wave frequencies.
InFeO3 photoelectrode with two-dimensional superlattice for visible- and ultraviolet-light-driven water splitting
Authors: Zhang B. , Seki M. , Zhou H. , Chen J. , Tabata H.
Published: May 2020

Thin film of indium iron oxide, InFeO3, with a two-dimensional natural superlattice structure was proposed as one of the candidate photoelectrodes for visible- and ultraviolet-light-driven water splitting. A first principle calculation shows that InFeO3 is a charge transfer-type insulator with a bandgap energy (Eg) of 2.5 eV. Flat band potentials are calculated from Mulliken electronegativities, and they show an appropriately placed conduction band to enable H2 evolution. Despite its wide Eg, the photocurrent of InFeO3 in the visible region is comparable to that of α-Fe2O3 (Eg = 2.1 eV), a conventional oxide photoelectrode, possibly owing to its intrinsic structural anisotropy, reducing recombination losses of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Furthermore, InFeO3 shows enhanced light absorption and photocurrent in the ultraviolet region compared with α-Fe2O3. The onset potential of photocurrent of InFeO3 is significantly lower than that of α-Fe2O3. These properties suggest that InFeO3 is a promising candidate for water splitting by visible and ultraviolet light.
High green-emission carbon dots and its optical properties: Microwave power effect
Authors: Sutanto H. , Alkian I. , Romanda N. , Lewa I. W. L. , Marhaendrajaya I. , Triadyaksa P.
Published: May 2020

The nature of carbon quantum dot (CD) luminescence is still broadly investigated based on different CD synthesis processes. This study aims at investigating the effect of microwave power on optical characteristics of CDs using microwave radiation techniques. CDs are synthesized with citric acid as a source of carbon and urea as a passivation agent. CDs have been successfully synthesized, and an increase in the CD burn-off percentage was observed with an increase in the microwave power. The TEM test results show that the dimensions of the CDs resulted are in the range of 3.4–9.5 nm with an average size of 6 nm at 450 W. The results of the FTIR functional group structural analysis show that a CD has N—H and O—H stretching bonds. According to the results of UV–Vis analysis, the CDs have absorption peaks at 335 nm and 407 nm, which indicates a π → π* electronic transition from the C=C bond and an n → π* transition from the C=O bond. Using the Tauc-plot method, the CD energy bandgap values were found to be 2.47 eV, 2.51 eV, 2.51 eV, 2.52 eV, and 2.53 eV at CD 300, CD 450, CD 600, CD 850, and CD 1000, respectively. The optical multichannel analyzer test results show that the peak emission waves produced by CDs are 536 nm and 532 nm with the strongest bright green light at CD 1000. Time-resolved photoluminescence testing shows that the CD decay time generally ranges from 5 ns. Overall, an increase in the microwave power causes an increase in the percentage of burn-off, energy bandgap, absorption intensity, and CD emission intensity.
Excitonic effects on photophysical processes of polymeric carbon nitride
Authors: Li Yuanjin , Jin Sen , Xu Xiaoliang , Wang Hui , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: May 2020

Recently, polymeric carbon nitride (nominally, g-C3N4) has attracted extensive attention due to its photoresponsive applications such as photocatalysis, photoluminescence, and photoelectrochemistry. Due to unique compositions and structures, strong excitonic effects of g-C3N4 network derived from low dielectric property have led to complicated photophysical processes. Studying exciton-related photophysical processes in g-C3N4 is of great significance for gaining in-depth understandings of the relationship between excitonic effects and photoresponsive behaviors. In this Perspective, we highlight the impacts of excitonic effects on photophysical processes of g-C3N4, in which excitonic behaviors like excitation, recombination, nonradiative relaxation, and annihilation are summed up. In addition, the key role of excitonic regulation in optimizing photoresponsive properties of g-C3N4 is also summarized, where the relevance between different photoinduced species and structural factors is emphasized. This Perspective will present a comprehensive understanding of excitonic effects-dominated photophysical processes of g-C3N4 and pave a new way for the design of novel photoresponsive polymeric semiconductors with strong excitonic effects.
Fire history in Andean Araucaria–Nothofagus forests: coupled influences of past human land-use and climate on fire regimes in north-west Patagonia
Authors: González Mauro E. , Muñoz Ariel A. , González-Reyes Álvaro , Christie Duncan A. , Sibold Jason
Published: May 2020

Historical fire regimes are critical for understanding the potential effects of changing climate and human land-use on forest landscapes. Fire is a major disturbance process affecting the Andean Araucaria forest landscape in north-west Patagonia. The main goals of this study were to reconstruct the fire history of the Andean Araucaria–Nothofagus forests and to evaluate the coupled influences of climate and humans on fire regimes. Reconstructions of past fires indicated that the Araucaria forest landscape has been shaped by widespread, stand-replacing fires favoured by regional interannual climate variability related to major tropical and extratropical climate drivers in the southern hemisphere. Summer precipitation and streamflow reconstructions tended to be below average during fire years. Fire events were significantly related to positive phases of the Southern Annular Mode and to warm and dry summers following El Niño events. Although Euro-Chilean settlement (1883–1960) resulted in widespread burning, cattle ranching by Pehuenche Native Americans during the 18th and 19th centuries also appears to have changed the fire regime. In the context of climate change, two recent widespread wildfires (2002 and 2015) affecting Araucaria forests appear to be novel and an early indication of a climate change driven shift in fire regimes in north-west Patagonia.
Re-introducing fire in sagebrush steppe experiencing decreased fire frequency: does burning promote spatial and temporal heterogeneity?
Authors: Davies Kirk W. , Bates Jon D.
Published: May 2020

Fire frequency has decreased in many shrub-steppe communities. Re-introducing fire may be needed to increase spatial and temporal variability in vegetation, but is often hindered by concerns of undesired vegetation shifts. These concerns arise, in part, because long-term effects of fire re-introduction in these communities after prolonged fire exclusion and other departures from historical conditions are unknown. To better understand the effects of re-introducing fire, we evaluated plant community response to re-introducing fire for 12 years post fire in six mountain big sagebrush communities. Herbaceous biomass production was 1.7-fold greater in burned compared with unburned areas at the conclusion of the study. Exotic annual grasses appeared to be problematic in the first 8 years post fire, but became inconsequential (~1% cover) by the end of the study. Re-introducing fire promoted other shrubs (excluding sagebrush) that were probably inhibited by competition from sagebrush. Sagebrush cover and density remained low in burned areas for the duration of the study, because of limited recruitment in the years immediately post fire and competition from herbaceous vegetation. Re-introducing fire appears to increase temporal and spatial heterogeneity in shrub-steppe communities experiencing prolonged fire exclusion and, therefore, may be needed to maintain a diversity of plant communities.
Risks in neural machine translation
Authors: Canfora Carmen , Ottmann Angelika
Published: May 2020

The new paradigm of neural machine translation is leading to profound changes in the translation industry. Surprisingly good results have led to high expectations; however, there are substantial risks that have not yet been sufficiently taken into account. Risks exist on three levels: first, what kind of damage can clients and end users incur in safety-critical domains if the NMT result contains errors; second, who is liable for damage caused by the use of NMT; third, what cyber risks can the use of NMT entail, especially when free online engines are used. When establishing sustainable measures to reduce such risks, we also need to consider general principles of human behaviour if we want to make sure that all agents comply with provisions and requirements.
Machine translation, ethics and the literary translator’s voice
Authors: Kenny Dorothy , Winters Marion
Published: May 2020

Recent work in translation studies has established the literary translator’s voice as an ethical concern, but
there has been little empirical research so far into how the translator’s voice is affected in workflows involving machine
translation. In this article, we investigate how the use of neural machine translation influences the textual voice (Alvstad et al. 2017) of renowned translator from English into German, Hans-Christian
Oeser. Based on an experiment in which Oeser post-edits an excerpt from a novel he had previously translated, we show how his
textual voice is somewhat diminished in his post-edited work compared to its stronger manifestation in his translation work. At
the same time Oeser’s contextual voice (ibid.) remains strong in his comments on the text he produces in post-editing mode. The
article is offered as a methodological intervention and represents an initial attempt to design studies in literary machine
translation that put the focus on human translators, allowing their voices to be heard more clearly than has previously been the
case.
Asymmetric assembly of centromeres epigenetically regulates stem cell fate
Authors: Dattoli Anna Ada , Carty Ben L. , Kochendoerfer Antje M. , Morgan Conall , Walshe Annie E. , Dunleavy Elaine M.
Published: May 2020

Centromeres are epigenetically defined by CENP-A–containing chromatin and are essential for cell division. Previous studies suggest asymmetric inheritance of centromeric proteins upon stem cell division; however, the mechanism and implications of selective chromosome segregation remain unexplored. We show that Drosophila female germline stem cells (GSCs) and neuroblasts assemble centromeres after replication and before segregation. Specifically, CENP-A deposition is promoted by CYCLIN A, while excessive CENP-A deposition is prevented by CYCLIN B, through the HASPIN kinase. Furthermore, chromosomes inherited by GSCs incorporate more CENP-A, making stronger kinetochores that capture more spindle microtubules and bias segregation. Importantly, symmetric incorporation of CENP-A on sister chromatids via HASPIN knockdown or overexpression of CENP-A, either alone or together with its assembly factor CAL1, drives stem cell self-renewal. Finally, continued CENP-A assembly in differentiated cells is nonessential for egg development. Our work shows that centromere assembly epigenetically drives GSC maintenance and occurs before oocyte meiosis.
Electronic structure of metal-doped aluminum clusters by quantum Monte Carlo method
Authors: Cândido L. , Brito B. G. A. , Teixeira Rabelo J. N. , Hai G.-Q.
Published: May 2020

Using the fixed-node diffusion quantum Monte Carlo method (FN-DMC), the density functional theory (DFT), and the Hartree-Fock (HF) approximation, we investigate the valence electron binding energies of atomic clusters. Calculations are applied to the metal-doped anionic aluminum clusters

XAl

4
−

(X = K, Rb, Ag, and Au) and their vertical detachment energies (VDE) are obtained. A comparison between the FN-DMC results and the HF ones allows us to quantify the electron correlation effects and their impact on the stability of the clusters. The analysis reveals that the electron correlation enhances the vertical detachment energies of the atomic clusters significantly.
Microcanonical thermostatistics of aggregation transition in a system with anisotropically interacting molecules
Authors: Trugilho L. F. , Rizzi L. G.
Published: May 2020

Microcanonical thermostatistics analysis has been introduced as an important method in the study of phase transitions observed in intrinsically small systems, such as folding transitions in proteins and surface adsorption transitions of polymeric chains. Here we consider a lattice model and apply microcanonical analysis to investigate the aggregation transition of a system with anisotropically interacting molecules. By performing multicanonical Monte Carlo simulations we are able to obtain free-energy profiles from where we extract physical quantities related to the aggregation transition such as its transition temperature, latent heat, and free-energy barriers. Our results confirms that the aggregation transition is a first-order type of transition and that it is related to the nucleation of molecules into elongated aggregates. Also, our analysis revealed an unexpected non-monotonic behavior for the free-energy barrier as a function of the anisotropic ratio ξ between strong and weak interactions of the molecules, indicating that the nucleation kinetics might be also influenced by ξ.
Erratum: Muon scattering tomography of spent fuel dry storage
casks
Authors: Y. Li  , D. Han  , X. Wang  , Y. Wang  , X. Wei  , G. Chen  , Y. Yu  , X. Chen  , Y. Li
Published: May 2020

Please see the PDF file for details.
Denitrification hotspots in intertidal mixing zones linked to geologic heterogeneity
Authors: Heiss James W , Michael Holly A , Koneshloo Mohammad
Published: May 2020

The mixing between fresh and saline groundwater in beach aquifers promotes biogeochemical transformations that affect nutrient fluxes to the coastal ocean. We performed variable-density groundwater flow and reactive transport simulations with geostatistical representations of sedimentary structure to understand the influence of heterogeneity on groundwater dynamics and denitrification in intertidal mixing zones. Ensemble-averaged simulation results show that heterogeneity can enhance mixing between fresh and saline groundwater and increase residence time, resulting in up to 80% higher nitrate removal relative to equivalent effective homogeneous aquifer sediment. Denitrification hotspots form in high permeability structures where DOC and nitrate are readily supplied by convergent flow. The results provide a physical explanation for the formation of denitrification hotspots observed in beach aquifers and illustrate for the first time the influence of sediment heterogeneity on rates and spatial patterns of biogeochemical processes in intertidal aquifers that are critical mediators of land-sea solute fluxes along world coastlines.
Towards solving of the Illiteracy phenomenon for VEP-based brain-computer interfaces
Authors: Volosyak Ivan , Rezeika Aya , Benda Mihaly , Gembler Felix , Stawicki Piotr
Published: May 2020

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems use brain activity as an input signal and enable communication without requiring bodily movement. This novel technology may help impaired patients and users with disabilities to communicate with their environment. Over the years, researchers investigated the performance of subjects in different BCI paradigms, stating that 15%–30% of BCI users are unable to reach proficiency in using a BCI system and therefore were labelled as BCI illiterates. Recent progress in the BCIs based on the visually evoked potentials (VEPs) necessitates re-considering of this term, as very often all subjects are able to use VEP-based BCI systems. This study examines correlations among BCI performance, personal preferences, and further demographic factors for three different modern visually evoked BCI paradigms: (1) the conventional Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs) based on visual stimuli flickering at specific constant frequencies (fVEP), (2) Steady-State motion Visual Evoked Potentials (SSmVEP), and (3) code-modulated Visual Evoked Potentials (cVEP). Demographic parameters, as well as handedness, vision correction, BCI experience, etc., have no significant effect on the performance of VEP-based BCI. Most subjects did not consider the flickering stimuli annoying, only 20 out of a total of 86 participants indicated a change in fatigue during the experiment. 83 subjects were able to successfully finish all spelling tasks with the fVEP speller, with a mean (SD) information transfer rate of 31.87 bit/min (9.83) and an accuracy of 95.28% (5.18), respectively. Compared to that, 80 subjects were able to successfully finish all spelling tasks using SSmVEP, with a mean information transfer rate of 26.44 bit/min (8.04) and an accuracy of 91.10% (6.01), respectively. Finally, all 86 subjects were able to successfully finish all spelling tasks with the cVEP speller, with a mean information transfer rate of 40.23 bit/min (7.63) and an accuracy of 97.83% (3.37).
Dark solitons embedded in a stable periodic pulse train emitted by a fiber ring laser
Authors: Huang Shen , Shao Guodong , Song Yufeng , Zhao Luming , Shen Deyuan , Tang Dingyuan
Published: May 2020

We report on the experimental observation of dark solitons embedded in a stable periodic pulse train emitted by a net normal dispersion cavity fiber laser. Our experimental result shows that in addition of forming in a continuous-wave background, a dark soliton could also be formed in a stable periodic pulse train background. Numerical simulations have well reproduced the experimental result. Moreover, numerical simulations also show that as a result of the periodic pulse train background the formed dark soliton could exhibit a dark pulse envelope that is much broader than its actual pulse width.
Markov random walks on homogeneous spaces and Diophantine approximation on fractals
Authors: Prohaska Roland , Sert Cagri
Published: May 2020

In the first part, using the recent measure classification results of Eskin–Lindenstrauss, we give a criterion to ensure a.s. equidistribution of empirical measures of an i.i.d. random walk on a homogeneous space

G

/

Γ

G/\Gamma

. Employing renewal and joint equidistribution arguments, this result is generalized in the second part to random walks with Markovian dependence. Finally, following a strategy of Simmons–Weiss, we apply these results to Diophantine approximation problems on fractals and show that almost every point with respect to Hausdorff measure on a graph directed self-similar set is of generic type, so, in particular, well approximable.
Dual decline in gait speed and cognition is associated with future dementia: evidence for a phenotype
Authors: Montero-Odasso Manuel , Speechley Mark , Muir-Hunter Susan W , Pieruccini-Faria Frederico , Sarquis-Adamson Yanina , Hachinski Vladimir , Bherer Louis , Borrie Michael , Wells Jennie , Garg Amit X , Tian Qu , Ferrucci Luigi , Bray Nick W , Cullen Stephanie , Mahon Joel , Titus Josh , Camicioli Richard ,   The Canadian Gait and Cognition Network
Published: May 2020

Background

concurrent declines in gait speed and cognition have been associated with future dementia. However, the clinical profile of ‘dual decliners’, those with concomitant decline in both gait speed and cognition, has not been yet described. We aimed to describe the phenotype and the risk for incident dementia of those who present with dual decline in comparison with non-dual decliners.

Methods

prospective cohort of community-dwelling older adults free of dementia at baseline. We evaluated participants’ gait speed, cognition, medical status, functionality, incidence of adverse events and dementia, biannually over 7 years. Gait speed was assessed with a 6-m electronic walkway and global cognition using the MoCA test. We compared characteristics between dual decliners and non-dual decliners using t-test, chi-square and hierarchical regression models. We estimated incident dementia using Cox models.

Results

among 144 participants (mean age 74.23 ± 6.72 years, 54% women), 17% progressed to dementia. Dual decliners had a 3-fold risk (HR: 3.12, 95%CI: 1.23–7.93, P = 0.017) of progression to dementia compared with non-dual decliners. Dual decliners were significantly older with a higher prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia (P = 0.002). Hierarchical regression models show that age and sex alone explained 3% of the variation in the dual decliners group. Adding hypertension and dyslipidemia increased the explained variation by 8 and 10%, respectively. The risk of becoming a dual decliner was 4-fold higher if hypertension was present.

Conclusion

older adults with a concurrent decline in gait speed and cognition represent a group at the highest risk of progression to dementia. Older adults with dual decline have a distinct phenotype with a higher prevalence of hypertension, a treatable condition.
Differences in xylem development between Dutch and Japanese tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) correlate with cytokinin levels in hypocotyls
Authors: Qi Xiaohua , Takahashi Hirokazu , Kawasaki Yasushi , Ohta Yuya , Isozaki Masahide , Kojima Mikiko , Takebayashi Yumiko , Sakakibara Hitoshi , Imanishi Shunsuke , Chen Xuehao , Nakazono Mikio
Published: May 2020

Background and Aims

Dutch tomato cultivars tend to have a greater yield than Japanese cultivars even if they are grown under the same conditions. Factors contributing to the increased yield of the Dutch cultivars were a greater light use efficiency and greater leaf photosynthetic rate. On the other hand, the relationship between tomato yields and anatomical traits is still unclear. The aim of this study is to identify the anatomical traits related to the difference in yield between Dutch and Japanese cultivars.

Methods

Anatomical properties were compared during different growth stages of Dutch and Japanese tomatoes. Hormone profiles and related gene expression in hypocotyls of Dutch and Japanese cultivars were compared in the hypocotyls of 3- and 4-week-old plants.

Key results

Dutch cultivars have a more developed secondary xylem than Japanese cultivars, which would allow for greater transport of water, mineral nutrients and phytohormones to the shoots. The areas and ratios of the xylem in the hypocotyls of 3- to 6-week-old plants were larger in the Dutch cultivars. In reciprocal grafts of the Japanese and Dutch cultivars, xylem development at the scion and rootstock depended on the scion cultivar, suggesting that some factors in the scion are responsible for the difference in xylem development. The cytokinin content, especially the level of N6-(Δ 2-isopentenyl) adenine (iP)-type cytokinin, was higher in the Dutch cultivars. This result was supported by the greater expression of Sl-IPT3 (a cytokinin biosynthesis gene) and Sl-RR16/17 (a cytokinin-responsive gene) in the Dutch cultivars.

Conclusions

These results suggest that iP-type cytokinins, which are locally synthesized in the hypocotyl, contribute to xylem development. The greater xylem development in Dutch cultivars might contribute to the high yield of the tomato.
Automated inference of Boolean models from molecular interaction maps using CaSQ
Authors: Aghamiri Sara Sadat , Singh Vidisha , Naldi Aurélien , Helikar Tomáš , Soliman Sylvain , Niarakis Anna
Published: May 2020

Motivation

Molecular interaction maps have emerged as a meaningful way of representing biological mechanisms in a comprehensive and systematic manner. However, their static nature provides limited insights to the emerging behaviour of the described biological system under different conditions. Computational modelling provides the means to study dynamic properties through in silico simulations and perturbations. We aim to bridge the gap between static and dynamic representations of biological systems with CaSQ, a software tool that infers Boolean rules based on the topology and semantics of molecular interaction maps built with CellDesigner.

Results

We developed CaSQ by defining conversion rules and logical formulas for inferred Boolean models according to the topology and the annotations of the starting molecular interaction maps. We used CaSQ to produce executable files of existing molecular maps that differ in size, complexity and the use of Systems Biology Graphical Notation (SBGN) standards. We also compared, where possible, the manually built logical models corresponding to a molecular map to the ones inferred by CaSQ. The tool is able to process large and complex maps built with CellDesigner (either following SBGN standards or not) and produce Boolean models in a standard output format, Systems Biology Marked Up Language-qualitative (SBML-qual), that can be further analyzed using popular modelling tools. References, annotations and layout of the CellDesigner molecular map are retained in the obtained model, facilitating interoperability and model reusability.

Availability and implementation

The present tool is available online: https://lifeware.inria.fr/∼soliman/post/casq/ and distributed as a Python package under the GNU GPLv3 license. The code can be accessed here: https://gitlab.inria.fr/soliman/casq.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Factorized embeddings learns rich and biologically meaningful embedding spaces using factorized tensor decomposition
Authors: Trofimov Assya , Cohen Joseph Paul , Bengio Yoshua , Perreault Claude , Lemieux Sébastien
Published: May 2020

Motivation

The recent development of sequencing technologies revolutionized our understanding of the inner workings of the cell as well as the way disease is treated. A single RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) experiment, however, measures tens of thousands of parameters simultaneously. While the results are information rich, data analysis provides a challenge. Dimensionality reduction methods help with this task by extracting patterns from the data by compressing it into compact vector representations.

Results

We present the factorized embeddings (FE) model, a self-supervised deep learning algorithm that learns simultaneously, by tensor factorization, gene and sample representation spaces. We ran the model on RNA-Seq data from two large-scale cohorts and observed that the sample representation captures information on single gene and global gene expression patterns. Moreover, we found that the gene representation space was organized such that tissue-specific genes, highly correlated genes as well as genes participating in the same GO terms were grouped. Finally, we compared the vector representation of samples learned by the FE model to other similar models on 49 regression tasks. We report that the representations trained with FE rank first or second in all of the tasks, surpassing, sometimes by a considerable margin, other representations.

Availability and implementation

A toy example in the form of a Jupyter Notebook as well as the code and trained embeddings for this project can be found at: https://github.com/TrofimovAssya/FactorizedEmbeddings.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.