bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of patch antenna with polarization control module to achieve broad 3‐dB gain bandwidth over entire AR range
Authors: Jang Doyoung , Yoo Sungjun , Choo Hosung
Published: March 2020

This article proposes a novel patch antenna using a polarization control module to achieve a broad matching bandwidth and broad 3‐dB gain bandwidth over the entire axial ratio (AR) range. The proposed antenna consists of a shorted radiating patch, an L‐shaped indirect feed, and a polarization control module that can adjust AR properties over the entire AR range (−1 < AR < 1) with a broad 3‐dB gain bandwidth for use in various practical applications. The measured results demonstrate that the proposed antenna can adjust the polarization properties with a broadband matching bandwidth of more than 27% (370 MHz) and a broad 3‐dB gain bandwidth greater than 26% (351 MHz) over the entire AR range.
Electrofishing Encounter Probability, Survival, and Dispersal of Stocked Age-0 Muskellunge in Wisconsin Lakes
Authors: Dembkowski Daniel J. , Kerns Janice A. , Easterly Emma G. , Isermann Daniel A.
Published: March 2020

Boat electrofishing is often used to sample age-0 Muskellunge Esox masquinongy for indexing recruitment or evaluating stocking success. However, electrofishing samples typically result in low CPUE, prompting concerns regarding whether catch rates reflect actual abundance or whether boat electrofishing is generally ineffective for capturing age-0 Muskellunge (i.e., if fish are not being encountered by the gear). To address these concerns, we used radiotelemetry to evaluate the probability of encountering stocked age-0 Muskellunge (230–350 mm TL) during standardized fall electrofishing surveys in three Wisconsin lakes. Our approach also allowed us to evaluate short-term survival and dispersal from stocking locations. Despite limited dispersal (<2.5 km) from the stocking locations and relatively high short-term survival (75–94%) of radio-tagged fish, few age-0 Muskellunge were located within the path of the electrofishing boat (7–30%). Furthermore, the probability of encounter by boat electrofishing varied by as much as 6.3 times among lakes. Differences in encounter probability among lakes appeared to be related to lake basin and habitat characteristics. Overlays of electrofishing sampling effort and fish locations revealed that traditional shoreline electrofishing may not be an effective way of estimating age-0 Muskellunge CPUE. Modifications to electrofishing protocols, including increased effort in offshore areas and consideration of basin characteristics and habitat, may be needed to increase encounter probabilities and the utility of boat electrofishing for sampling age-0 Muskellunge.
A universal self‐eroding sacrificial bioink that enables bioprinting at room temperature
Authors: Aydin Levent , Kucuk Serdar , Kenar Halime
Published: March 2020

Natural polymer‐based hydrogel bioinks are widely used in bioprinting due to their suitability for recapitulation of in vivo cellular activities. However, preservation of the target geometry in a cell‐laden hydrogel is difficult to achieve. The aim of this study was to develop a universal sacrificial bioink that allows high cell viability and a better shape fidelity in the cell‐laden construct. A polysaccharide‐based universal sacrificial bioink was developed for microextrusion‐based bioprinting and was optimized to erode in 48 hours in the cell culture medium without formation of any undesired by‐products. The sacrificial hydrogel was prepared from alginate and agarose via a microwave oven assisted method and bioprinted at room temperature to generate microchannels in the cell‐laden hydrogel or to support a tubular structure and its biocompatibility determined by live/dead assay. Bioprinting time was significantly reduced, down to a few minutes for a large‐scale tissue model (1 minute 52 seconds for a 2 cm tubular structure), by means of a high bioprinting speed up to 25 mm/s. After 48 hours in the cell culture, the sacrificial bioink completely detached from the cell‐laden construct without causing any changes in its printed shape. Cell viability in the cell‐laden construct was observed to be more than 95% at the end of 3‐day culture. This novel sacrificial bioink enables bioprinting at room temperature without affecting oxygen and nutrient penetration into the cell‐laden hydrogel and allows retention of high cell viability and shape fidelity.
Rear‐side spectral irradiance at 1 sun and application to bifacial module power rating
Authors: Monokroussos Christos , Gao Qi , Zhang XiaoYu , Lee Eleanor , Wang Yihong , Zou Chris , Rimmelspacher Lorenz , Castro Johanna Bonilla , Schweiger Markus , Herrmann Werner
Published: March 2020

The air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) reference spectral irradiance distribution is defined in the international standard IEC 60904‐3, accounts for the direct, diffuse, and albedo components directing 1000 W/m2 (1 sun) of global irradiance at a photovoltaic (PV) module's front side. Bifacial PV modules, however, receive an additional irradiance contribution from the rear side, which is not accounted for in the reference irradiance. This work strives to shed light on the amount of expected light that arrives on the rear side of a PV module, when the front‐side irradiance and ambient conditions match the conditions used for the calculation of AM1.5G. For this purpose, an optical model was developed to simulate the rear‐side spectral irradiance of PV modules, whose validity was verified by outdoor measurements. The results show that the average rear‐side irradiance at a set of conditions as defined in IEC 60904‐3 lies in the range of 130 to 150 W/m2. The results of this work lay the foundation to define the bifacial Standard Test Conditions (BSTC), which can be used to support the technical specification IEC TS 60904‐1‐2 and international standard IEC 60904‐3 and establish supplementary requirements for the power rating and label verification of bifacial PV modules.
Cochleate‐Doped Liquid Crystal as Switchable Metamaterial Window Mediated by Molecular Orientation Modified Aggregation
Authors: Madhuri Pappu Lakshmi , Shuddhodana  , Judeh Zaher M. A. , Abdulhalim Ibrahim
Published: March 2020

A diversity of fascinating hollow and porous micro and nanoparticles are being developed for drug delivery purposes; however, their applications in other systems are barely touched. When filled by an active material, they form a tunable photonic metamaterial. Here, a small concentration of organic hollow cylinders called cochleates embedded into liquid crystals (LCs) is demonstrated to form a new switchable composite to control light scattering with voltage and temperature. The biocompatible cochleates, which are hollow, tube‐like, and hydrophilic in nature, can trap the liquid crystal molecules thus altering the system behavior. A switching device as thin as 6 µm with 12 wt% cochleates concentration is shown to be adequate to reveal a switchable privacy window. Possible molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal within the cochleate particles is suggested, and unexpected increase of the scattering with temperature depending on the applied voltage is observed as a result of change in the cochleate aggregation depending on the LC molecule orientation.
Does Balance Among Areas of Institutional Quality Matter for Economic Growth?
Authors: Bolen J. Brandon , Sobel Russell S.
Published: March 2020

Countries with better institutions, as measured by theEconomic Freedom of the Worldindex, have greater prosperity, growth, and well‐being. However, the previous literature has ignored interrelationships among the subareas, instead implicitly assuming substitutability and independence. We hypothesize that when some areas are weak, better scores in other areas are not a simple substitute. We find that including a simple measure of the within‐country standard deviation among coexisting area scores results in a meaningfully significant improvement in the empirical growth specifications. Based on our findings, this should become routine practice in future empirical work. We also explore interactions among areas and find ones with legal system and property rights most important to include. These findings suggest a need to reconsider the implicit assumption of independence among area scores, as well as a balanced approach to institutional reform in practice. Improving the worst areas is more beneficial to growth.
Hierarchical Architectured Ternary Nanostructures Photocatalysts with In(OH)3 Nanocube on ZnIn2S4/NiS Nanosheets for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Ye Lin , Wen Zhenhai , Li Zhaohui , Huang Haitao
Published: March 2020

Charge carriers separation and surface catalytic reactions are two crucial steps in photocatalytic processes; the rational design of photocatalysts by taking these two factors into consideration is thus of great importance to advance the associated performance. Herein, a self‐sacrificial strategy is developed to fabricate a ternary nanostructure photocatalyst, forming a hierarchical architecture of In(OH)3 nanocube decorated NiS‐ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) hybrid nanosheets (ZIS/In(OH)3‐NiS). Such a unique structure provides the hybrid photocatalyst with a facilitated path for efficiently separating the charge carrier and abundant sites for catalytic reactions. Systematic characterizations that reveal the strong electronic interactions in the ternary ZIS/In(OH)3‐NiS leads to fast electron transfer from excited ZnIn2S4 to NiS nanosheets, which provide catalytic sites for hydrogen evolution reaction. The comprehensive photocatalysis studies demonstrate that ZnIn2S4/In(OH)3‐NiS exhibits ultrahigh photocatalytic activity toward hydrogen generation with a high rate of 7010 μmol g−1 h−1, which ranks as one of the highest among ZnIn2S4‐based photocatalysts reported so far. This work provides an attractive and effective way to develop high‐activity photocatalysts without using precious metal cocatalysts. The investigation brings us one step closer to understanding the structure‐determining properties of nanohybrid architecture, and provides a valuable reference to develop cost‐effective and practical photocatalysts for a variety of applications.
Mechanical behavior of self‐stressing steel slag aggregate concrete filled steel tubular stub columns
Authors: Yu Feng , Fang Yuan , Zhang Yang , Xu Lin , Bai Rui
Published: March 2020

The mechanical behaviors of the self‐stressing steel slag aggregate concrete filled steel tubular (SSSACFST) stub column are investigated for practical structural applications. Twelve specimens under axial and eccentric compression are tested. The influences of different parameters, such as the eccentricity, the diameter–thickness ratio of the steel tube and the expansion rate of the steel slag aggregate concrete (SSAC) are studied. The experimental results show that the shear and the bending deformation dominate the failures of the specimens under axial and eccentric compression, respectively. The column with a high diameter–thickness ratio has a low ultimate bearing capacity and ultimate strain. The incremental range of the load capacity and the ultimate axial and circumferential strains of the specimens will be increased by raising the expansion rate of the SSAC. Based on the experimental results, the applicability of the current concrete filled steel tube design provisions for the SSSACFST stub columns is evaluated, and two analytical models for predicting the bearing capacity of the SSSACSFT stub columns under axial and eccentric compression are proposed.
A simplified kinematic approach for the shear strength of fiber‐reinforced concrete deep beams
Authors: Mihaylov Boyan , Rajapakse Chathura
Published: March 2020

Deep beams with shear span‐to‐depth ratios a/d ≤ 2.5 are used to resist large shear forces due to their ability to develop direct strut action. To further enhance the shear strength and crack control of such members, researchers have studied the use of fiber‐reinforced concrete (FRC). However, while this solution is promising, there is a need for rational mechanical models capable of predicting the shear strength of FRC deep beams in a sufficiently simple manner. This paper proposes such a model based on first principles: kinematics, equilibrium, and constitutive relationships. The proposed model simplifies an earlier two‐parameter kinematic theory (2PKT) for the complete shear behavior of FRC deep beams, to predict the shear strength and components of shear resistance in a straightforward manner. The new simplified method is validated by comparing the predicted results to 22 tests from the literature, as well as to FEM and 2PKT predictions. It is shown that the proposed simplified kinematic approach predicts well the shear strength with an average experimental‐to‐predicted shear strength ratio of 1.12 and a coefficient of variation of 12.9%. Furthermore, the model is used to discuss the effect of shear span‐to‐depth ratio and fiber volumetric ratio on the shear strength of FRC deep beams.
Genetic Family Reconstruction Characterizes Lake Sturgeon Use of Newly Constructed Spawning Habitat and Larval Dispersal
Authors: Hunter Robert D. , Roseman Edward F. , Sard Nicholas M. , DeBruyne Robin L. , Wang Jinliang , Scribner Kim T.
Published: March 2020

Since 2004, seven spawning reefs have been constructed in the St. Clair–Detroit River system to remediate lost spawning habitat and increase recruitment of Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens. Assessment of management actions by collecting and enumerating eggs and larvae provided evidence of spawning Lake Sturgeon and survival of eggs until larval dispersal at constructed reef sites. However, the number of spawners contributing sampled offspring (Ns), effective number of breeders (Nb), and extent of larval dispersal was unknown. Genetic reconstruction of familial relationships assigned eggs and larvae (n = 725) collected in 2015 and 2016 to full‐ and half‐sibling groups and estimated Ns, Nb, and genetic connectivity. We used a modified COLONY simulation module to simulate and convert 18 microsatellite loci (13 disomic and 5 polysomic) to 205 dominant present/absent markers to increase marker number and familial assignment accuracy in family reconstruction analysis. We assessed COLONY's ability to accurately infer familial relationships across small (n = 50), moderate (n = 125), and large (n = 750) larval sample sizes using two assumed allele frequency distributions for polysomic loci. We found that with fewer offspring sampled, COLONY underestimated Ns and with large sample sizes overestimated Ns. However, estimates were usually within 12–16% of the simulated true Ns. Across reefs, estimates of Ns were 151 in 2015 and 208 in 2016, and Nb was similar (158 in 2015 and 198 in 2016). Evidence of full‐ and half‐sibling larvae collected at multiple locations indicated that individual Lake Sturgeon spawned at multiple locations within years and larvae dispersed considerable distances. Estimating Ns, Nb, larval dispersal, and inferred genetic connectivity between locations provides managers with population demographic parameters to assess habitat remediation projects. Continued monitoring, including genetic family reconstruction, may provide insight into the long‐term effects of constructed spawning habitat on recruitment and population‐level genetic diversity.
Long‐term postnatal outcome of fetuses with prenatally suspected septo‐optic dysplasia
Authors: Shinar S. , Blaser S. , Chitayat D. , Selvanathan T. , Chau V. , Shannon P. , Agrawal S. , Ryan G. , Pruthi V. , Miller S. P. , Krishnan P. , Van Mieghem T.
Published: March 2020

Objectives

Septo‐optic dysplasia (SOD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by varying combinations of optic nerve hypoplasia, pituitary gland hypoplasia and abnormal cavum septi pellucidi. It is suspected on prenatal imaging when there is non‐visualization or hypoplasia of the septal leaflets. Long‐term postnatal outcomes of fetuses with prenatally suspected SOD have been documented poorly. The aims of this study were to describe the natural history of deficient septal leaflets, to quantify the incidence of postnatally confirmed SOD and to document the visual, endocrine and long‐term neurodevelopmental outcomes of these infants.

Methods

This was an observational retrospective study of all fetuses with prenatal imaging showing isolated septal agenesis, assessed at a single tertiary center over an 11‐year period. Pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcomes and pre‐ and postnatal imaging findings were reviewed. Neonatal evaluations or fetal autopsy reports were assessed for confirmation of SOD. Ophthalmologic, endocrine, genetic and long‐term developmental evaluations were assessed. Imaging findings and outcome were compared between infants with and those without postnatally confirmed SOD.

Results

Of 214 fetuses presenting with septal absence on prenatal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18 (8.4%) were classified as having suspected isolated septal agenesis suspicious for SOD. Uniform prenatal MRI findings in cases with suspected SOD included remnants of the leaflets of the cavum septi pellucidi, fused forniceal columns, normal olfactory bulbs and tracts and a normal optic chiasm. Twelve fetuses were liveborn and five (27.8%) had postnatally confirmed SOD. Only two of these five fetuses had additional prenatal imaging features (pituitary cyst, microphthalmia and optic nerve hypoplasia) supporting a diagnosis of SOD. The other three confirmed SOD cases had no predictive prenatal or postnatal imaging findings that reliably differentiated them from cases without confirmed SOD. Visual and endocrine impairments were present in two (40%) and four (80%) cases with confirmed SOD, respectively. In those with visual and/or endocrine impairment, developmental delay (median age at follow‐up, 2.5 (interquartile range, 2.5–7.0) years) was common (80%) and mostly severe. Neonates with isolated septal agenesis and a lack of visual or endocrine abnormalities to confirm SOD had normal development.

Conclusions

Only a quarter of fetuses with isolated septal agenesis suggestive of SOD will have postnatal confirmation of the diagnosis. Clinical manifestations of SOD are variable, but neurodevelopmental delay may be more prevalent than thought formerly. © 2020 Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Complexes of 3,5‐Dinitropyrazolyl‐4‐carboxylate
Authors: Guo Lili , Lv Xing‐Pu , Chen Jing‐Huo , Zhang Wenhua , Yang Guang
Published: March 2020

The synthesis and crystal structures of 3,5‐dinitro‐1H‐pyrazolyl‐4‐carboxylic acid (H2dnpzc) and its four complexes with Ca2+, Ba2+, Na+ and K+ are reported in this paper. Ca(dnpzc)·5H2O exhibits a 1D polymeric structure, whereas Ba(dnpzc)·4H2O possesses a 2D structure. The structure of Na2(dnpzc)·4H2O consists of 2D layers of [Na(dnpzc)]–n and 1D chains of [Na(H2O)3]+n. K2(dnpzc)·H2O has a true 3D structure. It was observed that the doubly deprotonated ligand (dnpzc2–) can act as a versatile bridge to form polymeric structures by varying combinations of its 8 potential donor atoms (two carboxy O atoms, two pyrazolyl N atoms and four nitro O atoms). Particularly in the structure of K2(dnpzc)·H2O, all the 8 donor atoms of dnpzc2– take part in the coordination and as many as 10 potassium atoms are connected by one ligand.
On a Generic Dimension of the Critical Locus
Authors: Oleksik Grzegorz
Published: March 2020

Let $$f:({\mathbb {C}}^n,0)\rightarrow \left( {\mathbb {C}},0\right) ,$$f:(Cn,0)→C,0,$$n\le 3,$$n≤3, be a nondegenerate singularity. In this article we give a combinatorial characterization of the dimension of the critical locus of f in terms of its support. We also show that this dimension can be read off from the Newton diagram of f, which solves one of Arnold’s problems in this case.
Rheological measurement of the nonlinear viscoelasticity of the ABS polymer and numerical simulation of thermoforming process
Authors: Cha Jemyung , Song Hyeong Yong , Hyun Kyu , Go Jeung Sang
Published: March 2020

The thickness distribution of thermoformed products is greatly affected by the viscoelastic behavior of the extruded polymer sheet. In this work, linear and nonlinear rheological experiments are carried out to characterize the viscoelastic properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene sheets under thermoforming conditions including a wide range of temperatures, strains, and strain rates. First, aspects of linear viscoelasticity such as the storage modulus and loss modulus are measured by small-amplitude oscillatory shear experiments. The discrete relaxation spectra and the Williams-Landel-Ferry parameters are obtained from the constructed linear master curves. Then, nonlinear time-dependent extensional viscosity is measured by uniaxial extensional experiments. The parameters of the damping function are evaluated using an optimization method. In addition, the effect of the orientation of the polymer is analyzed. The uniaxial extensional stress and viscosity in the extruder direction demonstrate higher resistance against tearing and extreme thickness reduction during processing. Finally, the linear and nonlinear input parameters for the numerical simulation are prepared. Numerical simulations are performed using the Wagner model with the obtained nonlinear viscoelasticity. The thickness distribution in thermoformed ABS sheets, obtained numerically, shows good agreement with the experimentally obtained values.
Additive manufacturing of metal-bonded grinding tools
Authors: Denkena Berend , Krödel Alexander , Harmes Jan , Kempf Fabian , Griemsmann Tjorben , Hoff Christian , Hermsdorf Jörg , Kaierle Stefan
Published: March 2020

Grinding tools with superabrasive grains can be manufactured from different bond materials. In several industrial applications, metallic bond systems are used. In general, these show good grain retention and offer a high thermal conductivity, when compared to the other widely used bond types such as vitrified and resin bonds. One drawback of the metallic bond is the lack of pores in the grinding layer. This is caused by the manufacturing processes that are typically used, like brazing or hot pressing. These generally produce very dense layers. The high density and low porosity lead to comparatively little space for the transport of lubricant, coolant, and chips. One approach to eliminate this disadvantage is to introduce cavities into the grinding layer, using the laser powder bed fusion technique (LPBF). In order to evaluate the general suitability of LPBF in combination with the bond material and diamond grains, grinding layer samples with a nickel-titanium bond were produced. The abrasive behavior of these samples was tested in scratch tests on cemented carbide to verify the applicability as grinding tools. While the diamond grains in the powder mixture are not part of the fusion process, they also did not interfere with the manufacturing process, and the scratch tests showed promising abrasive capabilities. The grinding layer itself withstood the process forces, and no grain breakout could be observed. This indicates that the grain retention forces are high enough for the grinding process and that NiTi has a high potential as a bonding material for the manufacturing of grinding tools via LPBF.
Tri-partitions and Bases of an Ordered Complex
Authors: Edelsbrunner Herbert , Ölsböck Katharina
Published: March 2020

Generalizing the decomposition of a connected planar graph into a tree and a dual tree, we prove a combinatorial analog of the classic Helmholtz–Hodge decomposition of a smooth vector field. Specifically, we show that for every polyhedral complex, K, and every dimension, p, there is a partition of the set of p-cells into a maximal p-tree, a maximal p-cotree, and a collection of p-cells whose cardinality is the p-th reduced Betti number of K. Given an ordering of the p-cells, this tri-partition is unique, and it can be computed by a matrix reduction algorithm that also constructs canonical bases of cycle and boundary groups.
Total factor productivity, its components and drivers
Authors: Haider Franz , Kunst Robert , Wirl Franz
Published: March 2020

We consider how the growth of total factor productivity (TFP) was affected by R&D, trade, information and communication technology, and catching-up for the period from 1990 to 2006. Our contributions are: Firstly, to decompose TFP growth into two distinct measures for catching-up and for innovation using the Malmquist index; secondly, to update related investigations. Summarizing our findings, catching-up effects are statistically important, whereas frontier shifts tend to be smaller with increasing distance to the frontier, and large differences exist and persist between sectors and countries.
The composition induced crossover in nonlinear dielectric response in (1 − x) Pb(Zr0.70Ti0.30)O3–x BiMn2O5 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.055, 0.11, 0.15, 0.22, and 1) ceramics
Authors: Miga S. , Molak A. , Balin K.
Published: March 2020

Ceramics based on lead zirconate-titanate Pb(Zr0.70Ti0.30)O3 (PZT), bismuth manganite (BM) and the composite (1 − x) PZT–x BM were obtained. A systematic study of linear and nonlinear dielectric susceptibilities temperature and frequency dependences was conducted. A composition-induced crossover in nonlinear dielectric susceptibility was detected. The so-called scaled nonlinear susceptibility, a3, was obtained from experimental values of the real part of the linear and third-order nonlinear dielectric susceptibilities. The value for a3 was negative for low BM content in the whole temperature range specific to discontinuous ferroelectric phase transitions and relaxor behavior. In contradiction, a3 was positive for BM and for the composite with sufficiently high BM content. The positive a3 was attributed to a subsystem of dipoles created by trapped charges. Hopping charge transfer, which is a dominant mechanism for conduction in manganites, is responsible for the positive a3 and for the colossal magnitude of the imaginary part of the linear dielectric susceptibility. The concentration of the ions was determined using scanning electron microscopy. The chemical disorder and the precipitation of ions determined using time of flight–secondary ion mass spectrometry correspond to a crossover in the electrical features.
Experimental Investigation of Phase Relations in the ZrO2-La2O3-Yb2O3 System
Authors: Ilatovskaia M. , Sun S. , Saenko I. , Savinykh G. , Fabrichnaya O.
Published: March 2020

The phase equilibria in the La2O3-Yb2O3 system were investigated using differential thermal analysis, and the phase transformations temperatures were verified. Microstructure investigation using scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of eutectoid reactions in the system. The heat capacity of LaYbO3 with a perovskite structure was measured in the temperature range from 250 to 1250 K using differential scanning calorimetry. The experimental results of the present work as well as reliable literature data were used to derive a thermodynamic description of the La2O3-Yb2O3 system. Isothermal sections of the ZrO2-La2O3-Yb2O3 system were constructed based on x-ray and microstructural investigations. The tie-lines change from Pyrochlore + $${\text{Yb}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{3} \_{\text{C}}$$

Yb
2

O
3

_
C

to $${\text{LaYbO}}_{3} \_{\text{Perovskite}}$$

LaYbO
3

_
Perovskite

 + Fluorite was explained by a solid-state reaction occurring in the range between 1673 and 1873 K. The heat effect observed at 1858 K using DTA confirms the phase transformation, and its temperature was established more precisely at 1808 ± 15 K using stepwise heat treatment.
Improvement of Cardiac Function After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in Morbidly Obese Patients Without Cardiac History Measured by Cardiac MRI
Authors: de Witte Dennis , Wijngaarden Leontine H. , van Houten Vera A. A. , van den Dorpel Marinus A. , Bruning Tobias A. , van der Harst Erwin , Klaassen René A. , Niezen Roelf A.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Metabolic syndrome in patients with morbid obesity causes a higher cardiovascular morbidity, eventually leading to left ventricular hypertrophy and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is considered the gold standard modality for treatment of morbid obesity and might even lead to improved cardiac function. Our objective is to investigate whether cardiac function in patients with morbid obesity improves after RYGB.

Materials and Methods

In this single center pilot study, 15 patients with an uneventful cardiac history who underwent RYGB were included from May 2015 to March 2016. Cardiac function was measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI), performed preoperatively and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperative. LVEF and myocardial mass and cardiac output were measured.

Results

A total of 13 patients without decreased LVEF preoperative completed follow-up (mean age 37, 48.0 ± 8.8). There was a significant decrease of cardiac output 12 months postoperative (8.3 ± 1.8 preoperative vs. 6.8 ± 1.8 after 12 months, P = 0.001). Average myocardial mass declined by 15.2% (P < 0.001). After correction for body surface area (BSA), this appeared to be non-significant (P = 0.36). There was a significant improvement of LVEF/BSA at 6 and 12 months postoperative (26.2 ± 4.1 preoperative vs. 28.4 ± 3.4 and 29.2 ± 3.6 respectively, both P = 0.002). Additionally, there was a significant improvement of stroke volume/BSA 12 months after surgery (45.8 ± 8.0 vs. 51.9 ± 10.7, P = 0.033).

Conclusion

RYGB in patients with morbid obesity with uneventful history of cardiac disease leads to improvement of cardiac function.
Autoimmunity in Acute Myocarditis: How Immunopathogenesis Steers New Directions for Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Bruestle Karina , Hackner Klaus , Kreye Gudrun , Heidecker Bettina
Published: March 2020

Purpose of Review

Over the last decade, myocarditis has been increasingly recognized as common cause of sudden cardiac death in young adults and heart failure overall. The purpose of this review is to discuss hypothesis of development of non-infectious myocarditis, to provide a description of the immunopathogenesis and the most common mechanisms of autoimmunity in myocarditis, and to provide an update on therapeutic options.

Recent Findings

A new entity of myocarditis is immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) induced myocarditis. ICIs are used in advanced cancer to “disinhibit” the immune system and make it more aggressive in fighting cancer. This novel drug class has doubled life expectancy in metastatic melanoma and significantly increased progression free survival in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, but comes with a risk of autoimmune diseases such as myocarditis resulting from an overly aggressive immune system.

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the heart with major public health impact. Thorough understanding of its immunopathogenesis is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
ESMO 2019—personal non-small lung cancer highlights
Authors: Horvath Lena , Pircher Andreas
Published: March 2020

This article intends to summarize personal non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) highlights of the ESMO 2019 meeting. Again, immunotherapy in the first-line setting of wildtype NSCLC was a major aspect and the search of the optimal biomarker for therapy stratification continues. Moreover, important data on the use of osimertinib, a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor in the first-line setting of EGFR-mutated NSCLC were presented, emerging as the preferred therapeutic strategy in these patients. The ideal treatment sequence, however, remains discussed controversially. The treatment of rare genetic alterations was another important topic, covering updated data on effective NTRK and ROS1 inhibition. In conclusion, ESMO 2019 fueled the lung cancer community with inspiring new data, contributing to a more individualized, hopefully improved lung cancer treatment and continuing to decrease lung cancer mortality.
Overexpression of Purinergic P2X4 Receptors in Hippocampus Rescues Memory Impairment in Rats with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Zhang Ping-An , Sun Qian , Li Yong-Chang , Weng Rui-Xia , Wu Rui , Zhang Hong-Hong , Xu Guang-Yin
Published: March 2020

Purinergic receptors have been reported to be involved in brain disorders. In this study, we explored their roles and mechanisms underlying the memory impairment in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM rats exhibited a worse performance in the T-maze and Morris water maze (MWM) than controls. Microglia positive for P2X purinoceptor 4 (P2X4R) in the hippocampus were reduced and activated microglia were increased in T2DM rats. Long Amplicon PCR (LA-PCR) showed that DNA amplification of the p2x4r gene in the hippocampus was lower in T2DM rats. Minocycline significantly reduced the number of activated microglia and the mean distance traveled by T2DM rats in the MWM. Most importantly, P2X4R overexpression suppressed the activated microglia and rescued the memory impairment of T2DM rats. Overall, T2DM led to excessive activation of microglia in the hippocampus, partly through the DNA damage-mediated downregulation of P2X4Rs, thus contributing to memory impairment.
Nanomechanical characterization and modeling of anodized porous aluminum oxide thin films with photografted anti-biofouling polymer brushes on their pore walls
Authors: Bakhti Hamzah , Laghrissi Ayoub , Roth Artjom , Azrar Lahcen , Es-Souni Mohammed
Published: March 2020

Nanocomposites are known for their unique properties with many potential applications. In the present work, porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) thin films were processed on glass substrates and subsequently photo-grafted with a zwitterionic anti-biofouling polymer. This allows to fabricate scratch-resistant, transparent anti-biofouling films. The microstructure and how it is affected by nanomechanical testing are investigated by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It is shown that the polymer forms a thin layer on the pore walls and in deionized water, the pore diameter changes due to swelling of the polymer. The nanomechanical and scratch resistance properties are studied using a nanoindenter testing system. The experimental results are validated via numerical calculations. The values of the elastic modulus and hardness are shown to be in good agreement with the numerical ones, and under dry conditions, higher values were obtained in comparison to wet films. There is also a large agreement between modeling and microscopic deformation behavior of the films. Finally, the critical loads in dry and wet conditions for the non-coated AAO samples are approximately the same, while for the coated samples, the critical load is reached rapidly in wet condition in comparison to the dry one.
Estimation and forecasting of PM10 air pollution in Ankara via time series and harmonic regressions
Authors: Akdi Y. , Okkaoğlu Y. , Gölveren E. , Yücel M. E.
Published: March 2020

In this study, monthly particulate matter (PM10) values in Ankara (39.9334° N, 32.8597° E) from January 1993 to December 2017 are examined. The PM10 are those thoracic particles whose aerodynamic diameter is less than 10 μm (micrometers), and it is of critical health importance due to the penetrability to the lower airways. As an alternative to classical unit root tests, a unit root test primarily based on periodograms is introduced owing to its advantages over alternatives. After examining the stationarity of the series through periodogram-based test as well as its standard rivals, periodic components in the series are examined and it is observed that the series has both periodic and seasonal components. These components are modeled, using the inherent dynamics of a time series alone, within a trigonometric harmonic regression setup, eventually yielding the forecast values for 2018 that turns out to be superior to those obtained by means of ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average). This is a striking result since the modeling framework requires no assumptions, no parameter estimations except for the variance of the white noise series, no simulations of the power of tests, no adjustments of test statistics with respect to sample size and no preliminary work as to independent variable which is simply time, i.e., the period of forecast.
ROS-Responsive Berberine Polymeric Micelles Effectively Suppressed the Inflammation of Rheumatoid Arthritis by Targeting Mitochondria
Authors: Fan Xing-xing , Xu Meng-ze , Leung Elaine Lai-Han , Jun Cai , Yuan Zhen , Liu Liang
Published: March 2020

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, which attacks human joint system and causes lifelong inflammatory condition. To date, no cure is available for RA and even the ratio of achieving remission is very low. Hence, to enhance the efficacy of RA treatment, it is essential to develop novel approaches specifically targeting pathological tissues. In this study, we discovered that RA synovial fibroblasts exhibited higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial superoxide level, which were adopted to develop ROS-responsive nano-medicines in inflammatory microenvironment for enhanced RA treatment. A selenocystamine-based polymer was synthesized as a ROS-responsive carrier nanoplatform, and berberine serves as a tool drug. By assembling, ROS-responsive berberine polymeric micelles were fabricated, which remarkably increased the uptake of berberine in RA fibroblast and improved in vitro and in vivo efficacy ten times higher. Mechanistically, the anti-RA effect of micelles was blocked by the co-treatment of AMPK inhibitor or palmitic acid, indicating that the mechanism of micelles was carried out through targeting mitochondrial, suppressing lipogenesis and finally inhibiting cellular proliferation. Taken together, our ROS-responsive nano-medicines represent an effective way of preferentially releasing prodrug at the inflammatory microenvironment and improving RA therapeutic efficacy.
Exploring relationships between health professionals through the implementation of a reablement program for people with dementia: A mixed methods study
Authors: Culph Jennifer , Clemson Lindy , Scanlan Justin , Craven Luke , Jeon Yun-Hee , Laver Kate
Published: March 2020

Aims:

Implementation of novel interventions occurs within broad organisational contexts, which contain many relationships and moving parts. Efforts need to be made to understand these relationships as they are an important predictor of successful implementation. This study examines the relationships between health professionals involved in the implementation of an evidence-based community program for people with dementia and their carers in Australia, The Care of People with dementia in their Environments program.

Methods:

This study utilised mixed methods including in-depth interviews and organisational diagrams. Qualitative data from 28 interviews were collected from occupational therapists, nurses and their managers. Recruitment ensured a variety of different organisational contexts were represented. Thematic analysis was used to capture key emergent themes.

Findings:

The strongest relationships were usually between the occupational therapist and their manager. Strong trusting relationships with managers were instrumental in advocating for the need for reablement programs and the occupational therapy professional role in dementia care. Large teams of occupational therapists were seen to be beneficial in supporting each other in case complexities. Relationships between occupational therapists and nurses were often missing or perceived as weak relationships. A conducive physical environment contributed to stronger more collaborative relationships, where individuals were visible and therefore felt to be more approachable.

Conclusion:

Our study highlights the additional preparation work that is required of organisations to consider relationships in their strategies for implementation.
Unique equilibrium states, large deviations and Lyapunov spectra for the Katok map
Authors: WANG TIANYU
Published: March 2020

We study the thermodynamic formalism of a $C^{\infty }$ non-uniformly hyperbolic diffeomorphism on the 2-torus, known as the Katok map. We prove for a Hölder continuous potential with one additional condition, or geometric $t$-potential $\unicode[STIX]{x1D711}_{t}$ with $t<1$, the equilibrium state exists and is unique. We derive the level-2 large deviation principle for the equilibrium state of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D711}_{t}$. We study the multifractal spectra of the Katok map for the entropy and dimension of level sets of Lyapunov exponents.
Contextual review: the instinctive impulse and unstructured normativism in judicial review
Authors: Knight Dean R
Published: March 2020

Contextual review is a judicial method that rejects doctrinal or categorical methods to guide judicial supervision of administrative action. Judges are invited to assess the circumstances of a claim in the round without any doctrinal scaffolding to control the depth of scrutiny; in other words, intervention turns on an instinctive judicial impulse or overall evaluative judgement. This paper identifies and explains the various instances where this method is deployed in judicial review in Anglo-Commonwealth administrative law. The efficacy of this style of review is also evaluated, using rule of law standards to frame the analysis. Its increasing popularity is a worrying turn, in part because its reliance on unstructured normativism undermines the rule of law.
BERNSTEIN–SATO ROOTS FOR MONOMIAL IDEALS IN POSITIVE CHARACTERISTIC
Authors: QUINLAN-GALLEGO EAMON
Published: March 2020

Following the work of Mustaţă and Bitoun, we recently developed a notion of Bernstein–Sato roots for arbitrary ideals, which is a prime characteristic analogue for the roots of the Bernstein–Sato polynomial. Here, we prove that for monomial ideals the roots of the Bernstein–Sato polynomial (over $\mathbb{C}$) agree with the Bernstein–Sato roots of the mod $p$ reductions of the ideal for $p$ large enough. We regard this as evidence that the characteristic-$p$ notion of Bernstein–Sato root is reasonable.
A taxonomic and taphonomic study of Pleistocene fossil deposits from the western Nefud Desert, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Stewart Mathew , Louys Julien , Breeze Paul S. , Clark-Wilson Richard , Drake Nick A. , Scerri Eleanor M.L. , Zalmout Iyad S. , Al-Mufarreh Yahya S. A. , Soubhi Saleh A. , Haptari Mohammad A. , Alsharekh Abdullah M. , Groucutt Huw S. , Petraglia Michael D.
Published: March 2020

Over the past decade, a growing interest has developed on the archaeology, palaeontology, and palaeoenvironments of the Arabian Peninsula. It is now clear that hominins repeatedly dispersed into Arabia, notably during pluvial interglacial periods when much of the peninsula was characterised by a semiarid grassland environment. During the intervening glacial phases, however, grasslands were replaced with arid and hyperarid deserts. These millennial-scale climatic fluctuations have subjected bones and fossils to a dramatic suite of environmental conditions, affecting their fossilisation and preservation. Yet, as relatively few palaeontological assemblages have been reported from the Pleistocene of Arabia, our understanding of the preservational pathways that skeletal elements can take in these types of environments is lacking. Here, we report the first widespread taxonomic and taphonomic assessment of Arabian fossil deposits. Novel fossil fauna are described and overall the fauna are consistent with a well-watered semiarid grassland environment. Likewise, the taphonomic results suggest that bones were deposited under more humid conditions than present in the region today. However, fossils often exhibit significant attrition, obscuring and fragmenting most finds. These are likely tied to wind abrasion, insolation, and salt weathering following fossilisation and exhumation, processes particularly prevalent in desert environments.
Radiocarbon Dating of the Neolithic Settlement at Makriyalos, Pieria, North Greece
Authors: Maniatis Yannis , Pappa Maria
Published: March 2020

Radiocarbon (14C) dating was performed on samples from the prehistoric settlement at Makriyalos, northern Greece, a “flat extended” (rather than tell) site. Two separate occupation phases, Makriyalos I and II, were clearly distinguished on different sides of a low hill and belonged to the Late Neolithic I and II periods, respectively. Individual phases related to the use of circuit ditches and borrow pits were also recognized and dated. Phase modeling was applied in order to establish the sequence and duration of use of different features. The earliest activity seems to be around 5450 BC, among the earliest dates in northern Greece for the beginning of the LN and perhaps reflecting some earlier activity. The transition from LNI to LNII occurred at around 4950 BC without discontinuity earlier than other sites in Macedonia but perhaps same time as Thessaly. Intermediate ditch cutting phases occurred at 5300 and 5050 BC. A cemetery in the area of the settlement, initially thought to relate to the LNII phase of the settlement, was shown to date in the EBA period (beginning of 3rd millennium BC).
Eliminating turbulent self-interaction through the parallel boundary condition in local gyrokinetic simulations
Authors: Ball Justin , Brunner Stephan , C.J. Ajay
Published: March 2020

In this work, we highlight an issue that may reduce the accuracy of many local nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations – turbulent self-interaction through the parallel boundary condition. Given a sufficiently long parallel correlation length, individual turbulent eddies can span the full domain and ‘bite their own tails’, thereby altering their statistical properties. Such self-interaction is only modelled accurately when the simulation domain corresponds to a full flux surface, otherwise it is artificially strong. For Cyclone Base Case parameters and typical domain sizes, we find that this mechanism modifies the heat flux by approximately 40 % and it can be even more important. The effect is largest when using kinetic electrons, low magnetic shear and strong turbulence drive (i.e. steep background gradients). It is found that parallel self-interaction can be eliminated by increasing the parallel length and/or the binormal width of the simulation domain until convergence is achieved.
The Battle over National Schooling in Bohemia and the Czech and German National School Associations: A Comparison (1880–1914)
Authors: Zvánovec Mikuláš
Published: March 2020

Liberal political changes in the Habsburg monarchy during the 1860s and 1870s, especially those caused by the December Constitution of 1867 and the ensuing schooling laws, created the necessary legal framework for German and Czech school associations to establish national monolingual schools in Bohemia—the so-called minority schools. These local organizations, however, were soon superseded by central school associations, namely the German association in Vienna (Deutscher Schulverein) and the Czech one in Prague (Ústřední Matice Školská). Founded in 1880, these associations were aimed at schools in the linguistically, and therefore nationally, contested regions along the “language frontier.” This study focuses on the dynamics of the national contestation over schooling prior to World War I and compares the activities of these two associations against the background of political democratization, mass mobilization, and the social questions of the fin de siècle. The comparative analysis of the proclamations, activities, and political contacts of the competing central school associations aims at revising theses about the position and meaning of these organizations and shows their very close interdependence upon political processes, especially on the unsuccessful Czech-German negotiations on a national compromise for Bohemia.