bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of Mid- to Long-Term Outcomes in Patients Experiencing a Knee Dislocation: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies
Authors: Smith John-Rudolph H. , Belk John W. , Friedman Jamie L. , Dragoo Jason L. , Frank Rachel M. , Bravman Jonathan T. , Wolcott Michelle L. , McCarty Eric C.
Published: February 2021

Knee dislocations (KDs) are devastating injuries for patients and present complex challenges for orthopaedic surgeons. Although short-term outcomes have been studied, there are few long-term outcomes of these injuries available in the literature. The purpose of this study is to determine factors that influence mid- to long-term clinical outcomes following surgical treatment of KD. A review of the current literature was performed by searching PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase to identify clinical studies published from 2010 to 2019 with a minimum 2-year follow-up that reported outcomes following surgical treatment of KDs. Ten studies (6 level III, 4 level IV) were included. At mid- (2–10 y) to long-term (>10 y) follow-up, concomitant arterial, cartilage, and combined meniscus damage were predictive factors for inferior Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores when compared with patients without these associated injuries. Although concomitant neurological damage may influence short-term outcomes due to decreased mobility, at longer follow-up periods it does not appear to predict worse clinical outcomes when compared with patients without concomitant neurological injury. Frank and polytrauma KDs have been associated with worse mid- to long-term outcomes when compared with transient and isolated KDs. Patients who underwent surgery within 6 weeks of trauma experienced better long-term outcomes than those who underwent surgery longer than 6 weeks after the initial injury. However, the small sample size of this study makes it difficult to make valid recommendations. Lastly, female sex, patients older than 30 years at the time of injury and a body mass index (BMI) greater than 35 kg/m2 are factors that have been associated with worse mid- to long-term Lysholm and IKDC scores. The results of this review suggest that female sex, age >30 years, BMI >35 kg/m2, concomitant cartilage damage, combined medial and lateral meniscal damage, KDs that do not spontaneously relocate, and KDs associated with polytrauma may predict worse results at mid- to long-term follow-up.
Low-energy electron inelastic mean free path and elastic mean free path of graphene
Authors: Yang L. H. , Da B. , Yoshikawa H. , Tanuma S. , Hu J. , Liu J. W. , Tang D. M. , Ding Z. J.
Published: February 2021

Based on a recent experimental data of elastic transmissivity and the elastic reflectivity measured on graphene, we have performed a theoretical study on electron inelastic mean free path (IMFP) and elastic mean free path (EMFP) by an improved approximation in a classical electron trajectory framework. A hump feature, which is considered to be owing to the out-of-plane mode of the π + σ plasmon, is clearly shown in our IMFP results of multilayer graphene while it is not seen in that of monolayer graphene. The obtained EMFPs are one order of magnitude greater than previously reported results. This work shows that the classical electron trajectory framework still works for revealing the physics picture of low-energy electron interaction with graphene, even for the transverse direction of monolayer graphene, which is the thinnest material.
Numerical investigation of shock-turbulent mixing layer interaction and shock-associated noise
Authors: Shi Fangcheng , Gao Zhenxun , Jiang Chongwen , Lee Chun-Hian
Published: February 2021

Direct numerical simulation of shock-turbulent mixing layer interaction (STMLI) is conducted in this paper to study the influence of shock-turbulent interaction (STI) on the turbulence evolution and shock-associated noise. The results show that turbulent kinetic energy and pressure fluctuation around the interaction point of STI are both first increased and then reduced to a smaller value than that in the fully developed region of the turbulent mixing layer, while the Reynolds-stress anisotropy at the upper edge of STMLI is changed under the compression–expansion effect induced by the distorted shock tip and the reflected expansion wave. Additionally, it is found that shock-associated noise would increase the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) and amplify the high-frequency noise at the upstream observers. By applying the shock-leakage theory, the turbulence scale analysis, and the spectrum analysis, two generation mechanisms of shock-associated noise are identified: first, the influence of turbulence on the shock wave results in the shock unsteady movement, which generates a sound wave with cylindrical wave front; second, STI decreases the turbulence scale and increases the pressure fluctuation in the high-frequency band so as to strengthen the small-scale turbulence to radiate out more high-frequency noise. Finally, the shock strength effect on shock-associated noise is explored, and the shock-associated noise reduction is observed when decreasing the shock strength. By converting the OASPL difference to the equivalent acoustic pressure difference, a linear correlation between the shock-associated noise source strength and the shock strength is found.
Trade-off between variability and retention of memristive epitaxial SrTiO3 devices
Authors: Rieck Jan L. , Hensling Felix V. E. , Dittmann Regina
Published: February 2021

We present a study of the trade-off between the retention and variability of SrTiO3-based memristive devices. We identified the applied switching current and the device stoichiometry as main influence factors. We show that the SrO formation at the electrode interface, which has been revealed to improve the device retention significantly, is associated with an increased cycle-to-cycle and device-to-device variability. On the other hand, devices with homogeneous, Ti-terminated SrTiO3–Pt interfaces exhibit poor retention but the smallest variability. These results give valuable insights for the application of memristive SrTiO3 devices as non-volatile memory or in neural networks, where the control of variability is of key relevance.
Density functional theory study of single-molecule ferroelectricity in Preyssler-type polyoxometalates
Authors: Wang Fei , Lang Zhongling , Yan Likai , Stroppa Alessandro , Poblet Josep M. , de Graaf Coen
Published: February 2021

A detailed study on the single-molecule ferroelectric property of Preyssler-type polyoxometalates (POMs), [M3+P5W30O110]12− (M = La, Gd, and Lu), is performed by density functional theory calculations. Linked to one H2O molecule, the cation (M3+) encapsulated in the cavity of the Preyssler framework is off-centered, and it generates a permanent dipole, which is essential for a ferroelectric ground state. Accompanied with a 180° rotation of H2O, the switching of M3+ between two isoenergetic sites on both sides of the cavity results in a calculated barrier of 1.15 eV for Gd3+, leading to the inversion of electric polarization. The height of the barrier is in good agreement with the experimentally measured barrier for the Tb3+ ion, whose ionic radius is similar to Gd3+. The total polarization value of the crystal is estimated to be 4.7 µC/cm2 as calculated by the modern theory of polarization, which is quite close to the experimental value. Considering that the order of contributions to the polarization is M3+–H2O > counter-cations (K+) > [P5W30O110]15−, the interconversion of M3+–H2O between the two isoenergetic sites is predicted to be the main origin of ferroelectricity with a polarization contribution of 3.4 µC/cm2; the K+ counter-cations contribute by 1.2 µC/cm2 and it cannot be disregarded, while the framework appears to contribute negligibly to the total polarization. Our study suggests that a suitable choice of M3+–H2O could be used to tune the single-molecule ferroelectricity in Preyssler-type polyoxometalates.
Utilization of room temperature ionic liquids in the synthesis of Pt-based catalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Shaik Shajahan , Kim Hee Jin , Choi Sang-Il
Published: February 2021

Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been considered an interesting alternative to stabilizers in platinum (Pt) nanoparticle synthesis because they can prevent agglomeration of nanoparticles and act as a reaction medium. In addition, since RTILs remain in a liquid state over a wide range of temperatures, Pt catalyst processing steps, such as heat treatments and surface cleaning, can be omitted, and the Pt nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed under fuel cell operating conditions. Herein, we summarize the significant works on recent advances and developments using RTILs to prepare Pt-based catalysts related to the application in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Moreover, peculiar attention has been paid to the role of RTILs in improving the performance and efficiency of the RTILs and their effects on catalyst structure- and composition-control, detailed by examining several aspects. Finally, we outlook the challenges and opportunities of the research in the relevant fields for the development of ORR catalysts.
Thermal conduction through individual cellulose nanofibers
Authors: Adachi Kento , Daicho Kazuho , Furuta Makito , Shiga Takuma , Saito Tsuguyuki , Kodama Takashi
Published: February 2021

Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are abundant biomaterials that have attracted significant attention in the thermal management field for a wide range of applications including flexible heat dissipation materials and thermal insulators. While thermal transport properties of individual CNFs are significant for the fundamental understanding and design of advanced materials, experimental studies of the thermal transport properties of CNFs are limited to bulk scales and thermal measurement on individual CNFs has not been reported to date. We report here the experimental study on the thermal conductivity (κ) of individual CNFs using the well-established thermal bridge method. The κ of individual CNFs is found to be approximately 2.2 (±1.2) W/m K at 300 K, and the temperature dependent data from 40 to 320 K indicate that the phonon transport of CNFs is dominated by boundary scattering. Theoretical simulation results on κ of individual CNFs and cellulose bulk crystal support the experimental results and suggest that intermolecular interaction also impedes the thermal transport.
The evolution of red color vision is linked to coordinated rhodopsin tuning in lycaenid butterflies
Authors: Liénard Marjorie A. , Bernard Gary D. , Allen Andrew , Lassance Jean-Marc , Song Siliang , Childers Richard Rabideau , Yu Nanfang , Ye Dajia , Stephenson Adriana , Valencia-Montoya Wendy A. , Salzman Shayla , Whitaker Melissa R. L. , Calonje Michael , Zhang Feng , Pierce Naomi E.
Published: February 2021

Significance

Opsins are photosensitive receptors capturing specific wavelengths of incoming light to convey color vision across animals. Lack of reliable expression systems to study invertebrate Gqopsins has limited our ability to tease apart genotype–phenotype relationships underlying spectral tuning and visual adaptations in insects compared to homologous yet phylogenetically distant vertebrate Gtopsin lineages. We developed a robust method to express invertebrate opsin proteins in vitro, which we apply to study the visual system of a lycaenid butterfly. Our detailed molecular characterization of red-shifted long-wavelength and duplicate short-wavelength Gqinsect opsins, together with a broad mutagenesis approach for exploring invertebrate opsin sequence-visual pigment functions, begins pinpointing the proximate evolutionary mechanisms underlying the diversification of color vision systems across animal life.
Vintage thermology and modern-day infrared imaging
Authors: Oss Stefano
Published: February 2021

An apparatus of the 70 s for measuring thermal conductivity in different materials is used to visualize, through an infrared thermal imaging approach, temperature fields and the heat diffusion process. The observed temperature profiles also suggest solid grounds for a fair mathematical modelling of this phenomenon.
Three-dimensional spatial multi-point uniform light focusing through scattering media based on feedback wavefront shaping*
Authors: Yang Fan , Zhao Yang , Xiang Chengchao , Feng Qi , Ding Yingchun
Published: February 2021

We use feedback wavefront shaping technology to realize the multi-point uniform light focusing in three-dimensional (3D) space through scattering media only by loading the optimal mask once. General 3D spatial focusing needs to load the optimal mask multiple times to realize the spatial movement of the focal point and the uniformity of multi-point focusing cannot be guaranteed. First, we investigate the effects of speckle axial correlation and different axial distances on 3D spatial multi-point uniform focusing and propose possible solutions. Then we use our developed non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm suitable for 3D spatial focusing (S-NSGA) to verify the experiment of multi-point focusing in 3D space. This research is expected to have potential applications in the fields of optical manipulation and optogenetics.
Determination of retrorsine in orange peel by Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass
Authors: Chen Wuhai , Zeng Shaodong , Jia Ning , Liu Zuhong , Qi Ningli , Pan Xiaowei , Ye Jianzhi
Published: February 2021

A method for the determination of retrorsine in orange peel by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was established. The acetonitrile (containing 0.1% formic acid) was extracted, ionized by electrospray ionization with positive ion mode and determined by multi-reaction monitoring mode. The results showed a good linearity in the range of 0.2-2.0 ng/mL, and the correlation Coefficient R2 was 0.998453. The average recoveries of the three additive levels were more than 70% and the RSD was 0.19%-1.57%. The method was sensitive and rapid, and could be used for the determination of retrorsine in orange peel by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.
Flue Gas Treatment of Desulphurization Wastewater
Authors: Liu Xiaoyu , Yang Bing , Li RuoZheng
Published: February 2021

Desulfurization wastewater from thermal power plants has high salinity, strong corrosiveness and great harm to the environment, which is the key and difficult point to realize zero discharge of wastewater. The conventional evaporative crystallization process is complicated with many equipments and high investment cost and operation cost. Based on the problems of the traditional evaporation crystallization process, the field of zero discharge of desulphurization wastewater is more inclined to flue gas treatment. In this paper, the flue gas evaporation technology is introduced and analyzed, and various processes and combinations are analyzed and compared, as well as the cost comparison. Finally, it is confirmed that spray drying evaporation technology has the most market potential.
Study on Luminescent Properties of Sr2MgTeO6:Tm3+ Blue-Emitting Phosphors
Authors: Deng Bin , Yang Junhui , Liu Jinhua , Chen Jun , Zeng Fanhua , Wang Huanyou
Published: February 2021

A series of solid solution blue-emitting tellurate Sr2MgTeO6:Tm3+ phosphors were prepared at 1100 °C by the high-temperature solid-phase method. The single phase of Sr2MgTeO6:xTm3+ (x = 0.0025-0.10 mol) were checked by powder X-ray powder diffraction. Under 359 nm excitation, the Sr2MgTeO6:Tm3+ phosphors emit blue emission at 456 nm. The optimum doping concentration was 0.05 mol. The fluorescent decay lifetime of Sr2MgTeO6:0.05Tm3+phosphor is 0.318 ms. These results validated the Sr2MgTeO6:Tm3+ tellurate phosphor showed the great potential in the field of solid lighting as blue-emitting substitutes.
The Research of NOMA-MEC Network based on Untrusted Relay-Assisted Transmission in Power Internet of Things
Authors: Li Da , Li Bo , Qin Ningli , Jing Xiaosong , Du Changyu , Wan Chunyi
Published: February 2021

Mobile edge computing provides a promising architecture for the computing of power Internet of Things terminal equipment, which can effectively solve the problems of insufficient computing power and energy-limitation of terminal equipment. In addition, relay-assisted transmission is adopted because the equipment may be far away from the MEC server. However, relay may be attacked by malicious users and become untrusted relay. Therefore, destination-assisted jamming is proposed to improve the security performance of offload computing. In order to improve spectrum utilization, non-orthogonal multiple access technology is used to transmission. An alternate iterative algorithm is proposed to jointly optimize the power allocation and offloading time to maximize security energy efficiency. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Structured UH model considering induced anisotropy
Authors: Zhu Enyang , Wang Shaokun
Published: February 2021

Based on the structured unified hardening model (structured UH model), introducing rotational hardening, a structured UH model considering induced anisotropy is presented. Applying the transformed method, the presented model is extended in three-dimensional stress space. Comparing the test data with the model simulations, the structured UH model considering induced anisotropy is qualified to smoothly and continuously describe the behaviors of natural soils in cyclic loading.
Study on Power System Planning Modes under Market Environment at Home and Abroad
Authors: Li Nan , Zhang Fuqiang , Feng Junshu
Published: February 2021

Electricity market reform has long been a global development trend, and has achieved good benefits in European and American countries due to their earlier marketization driven by the economic development. By studying the typical power system planning process of foreign countries with mature electricity markets, this paper figures out the general mode of power system planning under the market environment: The power source planning is decided by the generators who shall assume sole responsibility for own profits or losses, and the power network planning is generally made by market regulators or regional transmission organizations.
Energy-saving-orientated ventilation optimization under safely feasible water-gas compartment in urban utility tunnels
Authors: Zhang Shuhao , Lv Shan , Huang Xiaomei , Peng Shini , Du Jianmei , Zhao Wei
Published: February 2021

Building an independent gas compartment in utility tunnel will require spending additional costs for construction, which is often hindered by the public budget limitations. To lay gas pipelines together with water pipelines compartment in utility tunnel was proposed, forming a water-gas compartment. Persistent ventilation consumes too much energy to cope with small possibility accident. Hence, the diffusion law of potential gas leakage and effect of the present combustible gas detection, alarming and ventilation systems were examined by a numerical simulation using the software Fluent based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The volume fraction of leaking methane accumulation law without ventilation were obtained. The results revealed that the present emergency measures for a single gas pipe compartment can be safely applied to the proposed water-gas compartment to guarantee the safety, which provides novel insights into and an important basis for the improvement of the related urban engineering design and relevant standards. Optimization scheme of ventilation was proposed and energy saved was calculated quantitatively.
The spatial distribution characteristics of the centrality advantage stations in Hangzhou metro planning (2005-2022)
Authors: Wu Fang , Zhu Yue , Zhu Wei , Wang Kaiqiang , Shen Peng , Wang Xin
Published: February 2021

The identification of the metro’s centrality advantage stations and regions is of great significance for in-depth understanding of the centrality layout of existing urban areas. This study selects all stations of the Hangzhou Metro Planning (2005-2022) as research cases. Based on the centrality of the complex network, it will study the spatial distribution characteristics of centrality advantage stations. The study found that: subway stations at each stage can be classified into four types of centrality advantages, and there are significant differences between these types, with a significance of 0.000; at the same time, the Type 1 and Type 2 of stations establish the core framework of the centrality advantages area; the gathering hot spot roughly establishes the range of the centrality advantage area distribution, which defines the boundary of the high advantage area. The transportation network advantage of the centrality advantage stations will be transformed into the TOD development advantage and potential of its surrounding area.
Experimental study on compressive strength and durability of steel slag cement non-burned and non-steamed brick
Authors: Cui Biying , Gao Bingcong , Li Qiang , Kang Hongzhen
Published: February 2021

Non-burned and non-steamed brick is made of steel slag, cement, additives and water mixing extrusion, The mix ratio is cement:stone powder: steel slag =l:2.7:13.5. This experiment studies three different sizes of steel slag cement non-burned and non-steamed brick. The researches show that: The density of steel slag cement non-burned and non-steamed brick is larger than that of ordinary brick; The strength and frost resistance of 240mm × 110mm × 50mm non-burned and non-steamed brick all meet the relevant requirements of MU15.0 in JC/T422-2007Non-fired rubbish gangue brick. The non-burned and non-steamed brick strength of 200mm × 100mm × 50mm and 200mm × 100mm × 60mm conforms to the relevant requirements of MU25.0 in JC/T422-2007 Non-fired rubbish gangue brick. After 15 freeze-thaw cycles, the mass loss rate is within 1%, but the strength loss rate is as high as 44%.
Lightweight display of bridge model based on WebGL Technology
Authors: Rong Xuewen , Zhang Zhiju , Fang Xiaoming , Dang Tao
Published: February 2021

For the inconvenience of BIM model display, remote browsing and remote interaction of bridge engineering, this paper achieves lightweight display, information browsing and user interaction of the BIM model Web page of Shichuan River Bridge based on BIMFACE secondary development platform. The lightweight display of bridge BIM model is realized by creating three-dimensional model, model format conversion, loading display model, calling function to achieve interaction function, etc. The result shows that this method can well realize lightweight display and interactive function of three-dimensional model Web page. Model lightweight display improves BIM model utilization efficiency and facilitates project management by project participants. In addition, it can be further developed for collaborative management and virtual reality of bridge projects.
Equivalent plane strain model of stone column reinforced foundation
Authors: Li Hongyuan
Published: February 2021

Stone column replacement of soft soil foundation construction method is more and more used in water conservancy projects. On the one hand, the stone column has high permeability, which enhances the dissipation capacity of excess pore water pressure; on the other hand, it has a high stiffness, which reduces the additional stress in the soil, and therefore reduces the excess pore water pressure. These two mechanisms work together to improve the bearing capacity of soil. In the previous plane strain transformation model of column-soil, only the high permeability of stone column is simply considered, while the stiffness of stone column is ignored. According to the previous research results, and based on the principle of genetic algorithm, this paper puts forward two conversion models which only consider the permeability of stone column and one conversion model which considers two kinds of action mechanism of gravel pile at the same time. The results of finite element calculation show that the transformation method considering the two mechanisms of stone columns are more consistent with the axisymmetric model.
Effect of cryogenic treatment of cemented tungsten carbide tools for die application
Authors: Yooliengpun C , Bandasak N , Tuchinda K , Diewwanit O
Published: February 2021

This study investigated effects of cryogenic treatment and post tempering on microstructure parameters and mechanical properties of cemented tungsten carbide for die applications. Carbide grain size was increased after the cryogenic treatment resulted in an increased carbide contiguity. After tempering process, tungsten carbide grain size was reduced and more uniform in size distribution with less in WC-Co debonding. The fracture toughness of cryogenically treated carbide which evaluated from microstructure parameter was slightly increased from 20 to 21.1 MPa · m1/2. After tempering, the fracture toughness was almost unchanged compared to that of untreated sample and the number of tempering cycles did not affect the fracture toughness. However, hardness and scratch resistance were improved 10% and 60%, respectively, by cryogenic treatment. Increasing the number of post tempering cycles after applying the cryogenic treatment result in reducing hardness but did not affected the scratch resistance of the cemented tungsten carbide. In addition, results of ball on disc tribological testing indicated that wear resistance of the cemented tungsten carbide could be improved by cryogenic treatment due to the higher hardness and scratch resistance as expected. The wear volume was increased with the number of tempering cycles. Therefore, sliding wear resistance and scratch resistance applications in which material surface failure behaviour is mainly controlled by surface hardness, post tempering process might not be required.
Determination of damping ratio using Monte-Carlo method
Authors: Peng Q , Ding Y , Huang Y , Zhu Z
Published: February 2021

This paper highlights an innovant method for calculating the damping ratio using Monte-Carlo method. Compared with other approaches reported in the literature, the clear benefit of the method is the ability to directly determinate the damping ratio upon irregular stress-stain curves through Python. By using Monte-Carlo method, it is found that (i) the computed damping ratios are consistent with the undrained cyclic triaxial result on a dense reference sand specimen; (ii) while total random samplings number for each hysteresis loop greater than 5000 times, the method could provide a satisfactory analysis.
Experimental measurements through ultrasounds for viscoelasticity analysis
Authors: Maiorano A , Napolitano Dell’Annunziata G , Rocca E
Published: February 2021

Among the different methodologies useful to determinate polymers viscoelastic properties in literature, it is possible to find some different techniques based on the ultrasounds pulse-echo methods which show several limits in the properties estimation of the tested materials. In this scenario, the proposed manuscript focuses on an innovative non-destructive technique of viscoelastic materials by means of ultrasounds, which could be suitably employed on polymers. The developed procedure is aimed to evaluate the material response in terms of loss factor within different temperatures and induced excitation frequencies. To carry out the viscoelasticity analysis through ultrasounds, a bench has been set up and the data acquisition has been performed by means of the pulse-echo method on three different tires tread specimens and, then, a post-process algorithm has been implemented in order to determine the viscoelastic behavior in terms of loss factor. The comparison of the achieved results with the temperature sweep master curves, which were determined by means of standard Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (D.M.A.) testing on the same polymers, has provided an indication of the goodness of the proposed procedure.
Stability analysis of intrinsic camera calibration using probability distributions
Authors: Zhan Kun , Fritsch Dieter , Wagner Joerg F
Published: February 2021

The currently most widely used calibration method in geometric computer vision is based on Zhang’s method. This approach is easy to implement and delivers detailed result evaluations. One drawback, however, might be that the unexperienced user may obtain unstable and unrepeatable calibration results despite small re-projection errors. Therefore, the data must be interpreted with caution and there is definitely a need for further consideration beside re-projections to be taken for better estimations. So far, statistical inference has been used for presenting precision measures only. In our work, we extend the statistical approach quantitatively using large bundles of images and get calibrations from randomly chosen subsets. Then a Maximum Likelihood Estimation of intrinsic parameters is implemented and the statistical behaviour is analyzed. In addition, the recovered expected values of parameters are utilized as ground truth to scrutinize the single influencing factors of the imaging configuration. According to the results we found out that the image block plays a significant role for camera calibration with regard to the orientation of the imaging configuration. Including also suitable manufactured calibration boards as well as other operational issues, finally a well-designed image block provides a repeatable and reliable calibration.
Edible film coating to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut kiwi
Authors: Gullifa G.
Published: February 2021

In this work, a novel coating strategy able to prolonge the shelf-life of fresh-cut kiwi is proposed and the effectiveness of the procedure was evaluated over a period of 15 days in order to propose innovative minimally processed fruits as ready-to-eat. Chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose were compared as coating material while a number of pretreatments were tested in order to assess the most performing strategy leading to the most stable product. The complete characterization of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) was achieved by Solide Phase Micro Extraction associated to gaschromatography and mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) and correlated to the weight losses occurring with the increase of aging. The obtained results suggested that the involvement of carboxymethyl cellulose and ascorbic acid on pretreated fresh-cut kiwi, permitted to extend the shelf-life of the fruit until 15 days during storage at 4°C.
Seismic performance of reinforced concrete tall buildings with conventional and non-conventional construction systems
Authors: Arita L , Lezameta R , Huaco G , Garber D
Published: February 2021

Currently in the city of Lima there is a limited number of high-rise buildings. Therefore, there is not much literature on this type of building in Peru. Peruvian codes focus on medium and low-rise buildings. For this reason, studies are required to analyze and design these tall buildings more appropriately according to the reality of the country. In this article, a pushover modal analysis of 6 types of 35-Story reinforced concrete buildings in the city of Lima will be developed. Three building models with different structural systems and square and rectangular plan are proposed, being the areas of 29m × 29m and 52m × 26m respectively. These structural systems are rigid core and frames with an energy dissipation system (fluid viscous dampers and shear-link-bozzo dissipators SLB) in order to study their behavior against seismic stresses. These buildings were based on the criteria and requirements of the current codes in the country as well as the distribution of the floor plan of buildings commonly used for offices and homes. Natural periods (T) were found to range from 2.6 to 3.3 seconds for rigid core buildings. There is an increase for viscous damping buildings from 4.2 to 5.4 seconds and also for SLB devices to range from 3.7 to 4.6 seconds. In turn, modal static nonlinear analysis was performed to obtain the capacity curves for each type of building, which were compared with the seismic demands according to the design provisions of the Peruvian seismic standard E.030 and an average of design spectra. of acceleration records of severe seismic events in Peru and scaled in a range of 0.2T to 1.5T. The performance points for each building case were determined following the ATC-40 methodologies, finding that tall buildings with a rigid core have approximately twice the stiffness of buildings with SLB dampers, as well as low ductility, unlike buildings with dissipators, that have a high ductility.
The dissolution of hematite deposits on model spent ion exchange resins using direct current
Authors: Tokar E A , Matskevich A I , Sokolnitskaya T A , Egorin A M
Published: February 2021

The method of dissolving hematite deposits intensification, containing cobalt radionuclides, on ion exchangers KU 2-8, modelling spent ion exchange resin, was proposed. Defined, that with direct current increasing and with acids concentration increasing, the efficiency of hematite deposits dissolution is increasing and could exceed 99%. The hematite dissolution accompanied by radionuclides secondary adsorption due to ion exchange that could be removed with sodium nitrate solution was presented.
Optimization of structural elements in highly seismic areas using neural networks
Authors: Arana V. , Sanchez M. , Vidal P.
Published: February 2021

The aim of this research is to use Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to dimension structural elements in regular 6-storey buildings. The necessary data for the training of the algorithm was elaborated manually with the help of the ETABS software, these were 30 buildings of reinforced concrete with a system of structural walls. The configuration and training of the neural network was carried out in the MATLAB software. The validation was carried out in an additional analyzed building in which the concrete savings were calculated, and the requirements of the current regulations were verified. Finally, the dimensioning obtained with the neural network generated a reduction of more than 10% in the total volume of concrete used in a 6-level building and establishes that the algorithm used provides effective results for an optimal design.
Evaluation of the Influence of Different Grades of Reinforcing Steel on the Seismic Performance of Concrete reinforced Frame Structures with Nonlinear Static Analysis
Authors: Navarro D , Valero R , Orihuela J
Published: February 2021

In this investigation, the elasto-plastic behavior and the seismic performance of concrete reinforced frame structures reinforced are evaluated by applying the Pushover method. This evaluation is done on several cases: with high ductility steel (Grade 40), conventional steel (Grade 60) and high strength steel (Grade 75). For the previous, the capacity curve graph obtained from the displacement coefficient method was used to measure the capacity of the structure. In addition, the performance of the structure for different levels of seismic design are evaluated with the resulting values of ductility and rigidity of each case. The results showed that reinforcing a structure with a Grade 40 reinforcing steel increases the energy dissipation capacity, and if reinforced with a Grade 75 reinforcing steel increases the strength capacity in the structure. Finally, the comparative result of the various cases are presented to demonstrate the influence of reinforcing steel on the plastic behavior of concrete reinforced frame structures.
Optical dispersion equations for metals applicable to the Far-IR through EUV spectral range
Authors: Forouhi A R , Bloomer I
Published: February 2021

The long-standing problem of finding a general formulation of optical dispersion for metals, valid over a wide spectral range of photon energy E is tackled. To this end, equations for refractive index n and extinction coefficient k as functions of E are developed. Functions

n

E

and

k

E

respectively represent real and imaginary parts of complex index of refraction

N

E

.

Previous formulations, most of which are based on various combinations of Drude and Lorentz models, are either useable only over a limited spectral range or do not accurately fit experimental data. The formulation overcomes these shortcomings by exploiting concepts set forth by Forouhi and Bloomer in 1986, 1988 and 2019 publications pertaining to optical dispersion of semiconductors and insulators. These concepts are centered on time-dependent perturbation theory and consistency with principle of causality. The new expression for

k

E

is based on three types of events initiated by photon-electron interactions in metals: intraband electron dipole transitions; interband electron dipole transitions; inelastic collisions of electrons. Expression for

n

E

is obtained as Hilbert transform of

k

E

.

It is demonstrated that the new dispersion equations satisfy Titchmarsh’s Theorem, a mathematical theorem that conveys the principle of causality, which in turn establishes the theoretical validity of the formulation. Equations for

n

E

and

k

E

are fitted to published experimental data of metals encompassing all metal groups of the periodic table. Reported data span various ranges of energy, from far-infrared to extreme-ultraviolet. Excellent fits between calculated and experimental spectra are achieved. Having established consistency with Titchmarsh’s Theorem and by extension, causality, plus agreement with experimental findings suggests this formulation represents a valid description of optical dispersion of metals.
Balance and cognitive decline in older adults in the cardiovascular health study
Authors: Meunier Claire C , Smit Ellen , Fitzpatrick Annette L , Odden Michelle C
Published: February 2021

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated an association between gait speed and cognitive function. However, the relationship between balance and cognition remains less well explored. This study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship of balance and cognitive decline in older adults.

Methods

A cohort of 4,811 adults, aged ≥65 years, participating in the Cardiovascular Health Study was followed for 6 years. Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) were used to measure cognition. Tandem balance measures were used to evaluate balance. Regression models were adjusted for demographics, behavioural and disease factors.

Results

Worse balance was independently associated with worse cognition in cross-sectional analysis. Longitudinally, participants aged ≥76 years with poorer balance had a faster rate of decline after adjustment for co-variates: −0.97 points faster decline in 3MSE per year (95% confidence interval (CI): −1.32, −0.63) compared to the participants with good balance. There was no association of balance and change in 3MSE among adults aged <76 years (P value for balance and age interaction < 0.0001). DSST scores reflected −0.21 (95% CI: −0.37, −0.05) points greater decline when adjusted for co-variates. In Cox proportional hazard models, participants with worse balance had a higher risk of being cognitively impaired over the 6 years of follow-up visits (adjusted HR:1.72, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.29).

Conclusions

Future studies should evaluate standing balance as a potential screening technique to identify individuals at risk of cognitive decline. Furthermore, a better understanding of the pathophysiological link between balance and cognition may inform strategies to prevent cognitive decline.
Synergistic Effects of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma and Hyaluronic Acid Injections on Facial Skin Rejuvenation
Authors: Hersant Barbara , SidAhmed-Mezi Mounia , Aboud Celine , Niddam Jeremy , Levy Samuel , Mernier Thibaud , La Padula Simone , Meningaud Jean-Paul
Published: February 2021

Background

Many therapeutic options are currently available for facial skin rejuvenation, but little evidence exists about the efficacy of combining such procedures.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess and investigate the synergistic effect of hyaluronic acid (HA) and autologous platelet-rich plasma (a-PRP) injections on facial skin rejuvenation.

Methods

For this randomized controlled prospective study, 93 eligible patients were enrolled and randomized into 3 intervention groups to undergo a series of 3 treatment sessions with either a-PRP, HA, or a mixture of a-PRP and HA (Cellular Matrix; Regen Lab) injected into facial cheeks.

Results

A total of 93 patients were included. Treatment with Cellular Matrix led to a very significant improvement in the overall facial appearance compared with treatment with a-PRP or HA alone (P < 0.0001). Participants treated with Cellular Matrix showed a 20%, 24%, and 17% increase in FACE-Q score at 1, 3, and 6 months posttreatment, respectively. For the HA group, the improvement in FACE-Q score was 12%, 11%, and 6% at 1, 3, and 6 months posttreatment, respectively, whereas for the a-PRP group the improvement was 9%, 11%, and 8% at 1, 3, and 6 months posttreatment, respectively. Biophysical measurements showed significantly improved skin elasticity for the Cellular Matrix group compared with the groups receiving a-PRP or HA alone. No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

Combining a-PRP and HA seems to be a promising treatment for facial rejuvenation with a highly significant improvement in facial appearance and skin elasticity compared with a-PRP or HA alone.

Level of Evidence: 3
Activation of bovine oocytes by protein synthesis inhibitors: new findings on the role of MPF/MAPKs†
Authors: Valencia Cecilia , Pérez Felipe Alonso , Matus Carola , Felmer Ricardo , Arias María Elena
Published: February 2021

The present study evaluated the mechanism by which protein synthesis inhibitors activate bovine oocytes. The aim was to analyze the dynamics of MPF and MAPKs. MII oocytes were activated with ionomycin (Io), ionomycin+anisomycin (ANY) and ionomycin+cycloheximide (CHX) and by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The expression of cyclin B1, p-CDK1, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, and p-P38 were evaluated by immunodetection and the kinase activity of ERK1/2 was measured by enzyme assay. Evaluations at 1, 4, and 15 hours postactivation (hpa) showed that the expression of cyclin B1 was not modified by the treatments. ANY inactivated MPF by p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15 at 4 hpa (P < 0.05), CHX increased pre-MPF (p-CDK1Thr161 and p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15) at 1 hpa and IVF increased p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15 at 17 hours postfertilization (hpf) (P < 0.05). ANY and CHX reduced the levels of p-ERK1/2 at 4 hpa (P < 0.05) and its activity at 4 and 1 hpa, respectively (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, IVF increased p-ERK1/2 at 6 hpf (P < 0.05); however, its kinase activity decreased at 6 hpf (P < 0.05). p-JNK in ANY, CHX, and IVF oocytes decreased at 4 hpa (P < 0.05). p-P38 was only observed at 1 hpa, with no differences between treatments. In conclusion, activation of bovine oocytes by ANY, CHX, and IVF inactivates MPF by CDK1-dependent specific phosphorylation without cyclin B1 degradation. ANY or CHX promoted this inactivation, which seemed to be more delayed in the physiological activation (IVF). Both inhibitors modulated MPF activity via an ERK1/2-independent pathway, whereas IVF activated the bovine oocytes via an ERK1/2-dependent pathway. Finally, ANY does not activate the JNK and P38 kinase pathways.
Anterior resection syndrome: a randomized clinical trial of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (ramosetron) in male patients with rectal cancer
Authors: Ryoo S -B , Park J W , Lee D W , Lee M A , Kwon Y -H , Kim M J , Moon S H , Jeong S -Y , Park K J
Published: February 2021

Background

No effective treatment exists for anterior resection syndrome (ARS) following sphincter-saving surgery for rectal cancer. This RCT assessed the safety and efficacy of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ramosetron, for ARS.

Methods

A single-centre, randomized, controlled, open-label, parallel group trial was conducted. Male patients with ARS 1 month after rectal cancer surgery or ileostomy reversal were enrolled and randomly assigned (1 : 1) to 5 μg of ramosetron (Irribow®) daily or conservative treatment for 4 weeks. Low ARS (LARS) score was calculated after randomization and 4 weeks after treatment. The study was designed as a superiority test with a primary endpoint of the proportion of patients with major LARS between the groups. Primary outcome analysis was based on the modified intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed by monitoring adverse events during the study.

Results

A total of 100 patients were randomized to the ramosetron (49 patients) or conservative treatment group (51 patients). Two patients were excluded, and 48 and 50 patients were analysed in the ramosetron and control groups, respectively. The proportion of major LARS after 4 weeks was 58 per cent (28 of 48 patients) in the ramosetron group versus 82 per cent (41 of 50 patients) in the control group, with a difference of 23.7 per cent (95 per cent c.i. 5.58 to 39.98, P = 0.011). There were minor adverse events in five patients, which were hard stool, frequent stool or anal pain. These were not different between the two groups. There were no serious adverse events.

Conclusion

Ramosetron could be safe and feasible for male patients with ARS.

Trial registration number

NCT02869984 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).
Influence of Holding Conditions and Storage Duration ofHalyomorpha halys(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Eggs on Adventive and Quarantine Populations ofTrissolcus japonicus(Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) Behavior and Parasitism Success
Authors: Ludwick Dalton C , Leake Layne B , Morrison William R , Lara Jesús R , Hoddle Mark S , Talamas Elijah J , Leskey Tracy C
Published: February 2021

Halyomorpha halys (Stål) is an invasive pest in the United States and other countries. In its native range, H. halys eggs are parasitized by a co-evolved parasitoid, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead). In the United States, T. japonicus, a classical biological control candidate, is being redistributed in many states where adventive populations exist. To establish if H. halys egg holding conditions affect T. japonicus foraging behavior or successful parasitism, naïve, female parasitoids from an adventive population were allowed to forage in laboratory bioassay arenas with either fresh or frozen (−20 or −80°C) egg masses, the latter held for five durations ranging from 1 h to 112 d. Parasitoid movements were recorded for 1 h. Thereafter, parasitoids were transferred with the same egg mass for 23 h. Additionally, female parasitoids from a quarantine colony were exposed to: 1) pairs of fresh egg masses and egg masses frozen at −40°C (>24 h) or 2) a single fresh egg mass or egg mass frozen at −40°C (<1 h). All exposed egg masses were held to assess progeny emergence. In the foraging bioassay, holding temperature and storage duration appeared to influence host-finding and host quality. Egg masses held at −80°C and fresh egg masses resulted in significantly greater levels of parasitism and progeny emergence compared with eggs held at −20°C. No differences were recorded between egg masses held at −40°C for ≤1 h and fresh egg masses. These results will help refine methods for preparation of egg masses for sentinel monitoring and parasitoid mass rearing protocols.