bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bargaining and Strategic Voting on Appellate Courts
Authors: PARAMESWARAN GIRI , CAMERON CHARLES M. , KORNHAUSER LEWIS A.
Published: March 2021

Many appellate courts and regulatory commissions simultaneously produce case dispositions and rules rationalizing the dispositions. We explore the properties of the American practice for doing this. We show that the median judge is pivotal over case dispositions, although she and others may not vote sincerely. Strategic dispositional voting is more likely when the case location is extreme, resulting in majority coalitions that give the appearance of less polarization on the court than is the case. The equilibrium policy created in the majority opinion generically does not coincide with the ideal policy of the median judge in either the dispositional majority or the bench as a whole. Rather, opinions approach a weighted center of the dispositional majority but often reflect the preferences of the opinion author. We discuss some empirical implications of the American practice for jointly producing case dispositions and rules.
The Epistemological Challenge of Truth Subversion to the Liberal International Order
Authors: Adler Emanuel , Drieschova Alena
Published: March 2021

Truth-subversion practices, which populist leaders utilize for political domination, are a significant source of current pressure on the Liberal International Order (LIO). Truth-subversion practices includefalse speak(flagrant lying to subvert the concept of facts),double speak(intentional internal contradictions in speech to erode reason), andflooding(the emission of many messages into the public domain to create confusion). Aiming to destroy liberal truth ideals and practices, truth subversion weakens epistemological security; that is, the experience of orderliness and safety that results from people's and institutions’ shared understandings of their common-sense reality. It privileges baseless claims over fact-based opinions, thus creating communities of the like-minded between which communication becomes impossible. Truth subversion challenges the LIO's three key institutions: democracy, markets, and multilateralism. If truth-subversion practices prevail, societal polarization, inaccurate information, and emotional inflaming strain democracy and human rights protections. Markets that depend for their functioning on accurate information can falter, and multilateralism that relies on communication and reasoned consensus can decay. International relations (IR) scholarship has recognized knowledge production practices as a key feature underlying the LIO, but has not yet identified challenges to those practices as a threat for the LIO. We discuss what the discipline can do to alleviate its blind spots.
Sustained ventricular tachycardia in a paediatric patient with acute COVID-19 myocarditis
Authors: Tseng Yu-Shan , Herron Christopher , Garcia Richard , Cashen Katherine
Published: March 2021

Although rare, children with active coronavirus disease 2019 are at risk of developing malignant arrhythmia. Herein, we present the first paediatric case of refractory ventricular tachycardia from acute fulminant myocarditis secondary to acute COVID-19 infection. This 5-year-old boy required venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, but made a complete recovery without significant morbidity.
Do nutritional warnings encourage healthier choices on food ordering websites? An exploratory experimental study in Uruguay
Authors: Gugliucci Vanessa , Machín Leandro , Curutchet María Rosa , Ares Gastón
Published: March 2021

Objective:

To evaluate if the inclusion of nutritional warnings in food ordering websites can discourage consumers from purchasing foods with excessive content of nutrients associated with non-communicable diseases (NCD).

Design:

Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two experimental conditions: control (n 225) or nutritional warnings (n 222). Nutritional warnings corresponded to separate black octagonal signs containing the word ‘Excess’ followed by the corresponding nutrient: total fat, saturated fat, sugars and sodium. Participants were asked to purchase a lunch for themselves using a simulated food ordering website.

Setting:

Online study in Uruguay.

Participants:

Convenience sample of 447 Uruguayan participants, recruited using social media.

Results:

In the control condition, 76 % of the participants selected a dish or a beverage with excessive content of at least one nutrient in the simulated food ordering website. When nutritional warnings were included, this percentage significantly decreased to 62 % (P = 0·002). In addition, nutritional warnings caused a significant reduction in the percentage of participants who selected dishes with excessive content of total fat: 50 % v. 62 % (P = 0·012).

Conclusions:

Results from the present work provide preliminary evidence that the inclusion of nutritional warnings in food ordering websites could discourage consumers from selecting dishes and beverages with excessive content of nutrients associated with NCD.
Economics of respiratory disease in dairy replacement heifers
Authors: Overton Michael W.
Published: March 2021

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a frequent disease concern in dairy cattle and is most commonly diagnosed in young dairy heifers. The impact of BRD is highly variable, depending on the accuracy and completeness of detection, effectiveness of treatment, and on-farm culling practices. Consequences include decreased rate of weight gain, a higher culling risk either as heifers or as cows, delayed age at first service, delayed age at first calving, and in some cases, lower future milk production. In this data set of 104,100 dairy replacement heifers from across the USA, 36.6% had one or more cases diagnosed within the first 120 days of age with the highest risk of new cases occurring prior to weaning. Comparison of the raising cost for heifers with BRD and those without a recorded history of BRD resulted in an estimated cost per incident case occurring in the first 120 days of age of $252 or $282, depending upon whether anticipated future milk production differences were considered or not. Current market conditions contributed to a cost estimate that is significantly higher than previously published estimates, driven in part by the losses associated with selective culling of a subset of heifers that experienced BRD.
ABSTRACT FORMS OF QUANTIFICATION IN THE QUANTIFIED ARGUMENT CALCULUS
Authors: PAVLOVIĆ EDI , GRATZL NORBERT
Published: March 2021

The Quantified argument calculus (Quarc) has received a lot of attention recently as an interesting system of quantified logic which eschews the use of variables and unrestricted quantification, but nonetheless achieves results similar to the Predicate calculus (PC) by employing quantifiers applied directly to predicates instead. Despite this noted similarity, the issue of the relationship between Quarc and PC has so far not been definitively resolved. We address this question in the present paper, and then expand upon that result.

Utilizing recent developments in structural proof theory, we develop a G3-style sequent calculus for Quarc and briefly demonstrate its structural properties. We put these properties to use immediately to construct direct proofs of the meta-theoretical properties of the system. We then incorporate an abstract (and, as we shall see, logical) predicate into the system in a way that preserves all the structural properties. This allows us to identify a system of Quarc which is deductively equivalent to PC, and also yields a constructive method of demonstrating the Craig interpolation theorem (which speaks in favor of the aforementioned predicate being logical). We further generalize this extension to develop a bivalent system of Quarc with defining clauses that still maintains all the desirable properties of a good proof system.
Analysis of the electromagnetic wave illumination on the transmission lines with nonlinear terminations
Authors: Seifi Z. , Ghorbani A. , Abdipour A.
Published: March 2021

In this paper, an unconditionally stable time-domain method is proposed to investigate the external electromagnetic (EM) field illumination on the nonlinearly loaded transmission lines. In the proposed algorithm, the field to line coupling equations and linear/nonlinear boundary conditions are incorporated and expressed in a matrix form. The derived differential matrix equations are then discretized and solved using the proposed finite difference time domain (FDTD) method approach. The discretized nonlinear matrix equations are also solved by applying a globally convergent iterative method to ensure the stability of the method. Moreover, the experimental investigations are conducted using a transverse EM (TEM) cell for a single microstrip line and a power detector circuit as a nonlinearly loaded transmission line to confirm the accuracy and stability of the proposed method. With the merit of satisfactory accuracy and unconditional stability for the entire range of time steps, the presented approach would be applicable for analyzing the microwave linear/nonlinear circuits subjected to the external incident EM wave.
Pan‐Arctic Riverine Dissolved Organic Matter: Synchronous Molecular Stability, Shifting Sources and Subsidies
Authors: Behnke M. I. , McClelland J. W. , Tank S. E. , Kellerman A. M. , Holmes R. M. , Haghipour N. , Eglinton T. I. , Raymond P. A. , Suslova A. , Zhulidov A. V. , Gurtovaya T. , Zimov N. , Zimov S. , Mutter E. A. , Amos E. , Spencer R. G. M.
Published: March 2021

Climate change is dramatically altering Arctic ecosystems, leading to shifts in the sources, composition, and eventual fate of riverine dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Arctic Ocean. Here we examine a 6‐year DOM compositional record from the six major Arctic rivers using Fourier‐transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry paired with dissolved organic carbon isotope data (Δ14C, δ13C) to investigate how seasonality and permafrost influence DOM, and how DOM export may change with warming. Across the pan‐Arctic, DOM molecular composition demonstrates synchrony and stability. Spring freshet brings recently leached terrestrial DOM with a latent high‐energy and potentially bioavailable subsidy, reconciling the historical paradox between freshet DOM's terrestrial bulk signatures and high biolability. Winter features undiluted baseflow DOM sourced from old, microbially degraded groundwater DOM. A stable core Arctic riverine fingerprint (CARF) is present in all samples and may contribute to the potential carbon sink of persistent, aged DOM in the global ocean. Future warming may lead to shifting sources of DOM and export through: (1) flattening Arctic hydrographs and earlier melt modifying the timing and role of the spring high‐energy subsidy; (2) increasing groundwater discharge resulting in a greater fraction of DOM export to the ocean occurring as stable and aged molecules; and (3) increasing contribution of nitrogen/sulfur‐containing DOM from microbial degradation caused by increased connectivity between groundwater and surface waters due to permafrost thaw. Our findings suggest the ubiquitous CARF (which may contribute to oceanic carbon sequestration) underlies predictable variations in riverine DOM composition caused by seasonality and permafrost extent.
How Atmospheric Chemistry and Transport Drive Surface Variability of N2O and CFC‐11
Authors: Ruiz Daniel J. , Prather Michael J. , Strahan Susan E. , Thompson Rona L. , Froidevaux Lucien , Steenrod Stephen D.
Published: March 2021

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a long‐lived greenhouse gas that affects atmospheric chemistry and climate. In this work, we use satellite measurements of N2O, ozone (O3), and temperature from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument to calculate stratospheric loss of N2O, and thus its atmospheric lifetime. Using three chemistry transport models simulating the Aura period 2005–2017, we verify the stratospheric sink using MLS data and follow that loss signal down to the surface and compare with surface observations. Stratospheric loss has a strong seasonal cycle and is further modulated by the Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation (QBO); these cycles are seen equally in both observations and the models. When filtered for interannual variability, the modeled surface signal is QBO‐caused, and it reproduces the observed pattern, highlighting the potential role of the QBO in tropospheric chemistry and composition, as well as in model evaluation. The observed annual surface signal in the northern hemisphere matches well with the models run without emissions, indicating the annual cycle is driven mostly by stratosphere‐troposphere exchange (STE) flux of N2O‐depleted air and not surface N2O emissions. In the southern hemisphere (SH), all three models disagree and thus provide no guidance, except for indicating that modeling annual STE in the SH remains a major model uncertainty. Parallel model simulations of CFCl3, which has greater stratospheric loss that N2O and possibly surreptitious emissions, show that its interannual variations parallel those of N2O, and thus the observed N2O variability can identify the stratospheric component of the observed CFCl3variability.
The SET HASDM Density Database
Authors: Tobiska W. Kent , Bowman Bruce R. , Bouwer S. David , Cruz Alfredo , Wahl Kaiya , Pilinski Marcin D. , Mehta Piyush M. , Licata Richard J.
Published: March 2021

The SET HASDM density database is available for scientific studies through a SQL database with open community access. The information in the SET HASDM density database covers the period from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2019. Data records exist every 3 h during solar cycles 23 and 24. The database has a grid size of 10° × 15° (latitude, longitude) with 25 km altitude steps between 175 and 825 km. A description of the source of the database, its validation, its information content, and its accessibility are provided.
Irrigation of biomass plantations may globally increase water stress more than climate change
Authors: Stenzel Fabian , Greve Peter , Lucht Wolfgang , Tramberend Sylvia , Wada Yoshihide , Gerten Dieter
Published: March 2021

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is considered an important negative emissions (NEs) technology, but might involve substantial irrigation on biomass plantations. Potential water stress resulting from the additional withdrawals warrants evaluation against the avoided climate change impact. Here we quantitatively assess potential side effects of BECCS with respect to water stress by disentangling the associated drivers (irrigated biomass plantations, climate, land use patterns) using comprehensive global model simulations. By considering a widespread use of irrigated biomass plantations, global warming by the end of the 21st century could be limited to 1.5 °C compared to a climate change scenario with 3 °C. However, our results suggest that both the global area and population living under severe water stress in the BECCS scenario would double compared to today and even exceed the impact of climate change. Such side effects of achieving substantial NEs would come as an extra pressure in an already water-stressed world and could only be avoided if sustainable water management were implemented globally.
Deep learning-based enhancement of epigenomics data with AtacWorks
Authors: Lal Avantika , Chiang Zachary D. , Yakovenko Nikolai , Duarte Fabiana M. , Israeli Johnny , Buenrostro Jason D.
Published: March 2021

ATAC-seq is a widely-applied assay used to measure genome-wide chromatin accessibility; however, its ability to detect active regulatory regions can depend on the depth of sequencing coverage and the signal-to-noise ratio. Here we introduce AtacWorks, a deep learning toolkit to denoise sequencing coverage and identify regulatory peaks at base-pair resolution from low cell count, low-coverage, or low-quality ATAC-seq data. Models trained by AtacWorks can detect peaks from cell types not seen in the training data, and are generalizable across diverse sample preparations and experimental platforms. We demonstrate that AtacWorks enhances the sensitivity of single-cell experiments by producing results on par with those of conventional methods using ~10 times as many cells, and further show that this framework can be adapted to enable cross-modality inference of protein-DNA interactions. Finally, we establish that AtacWorks can enable new biological discoveries by identifying active regulatory regions associated with lineage priming in rare subpopulations of hematopoietic stem cells.
Spatiotemporal persistence of multiple, diverse clades and toxins of Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Authors: Will Robert C. , Ramamurthy Thandavarayan , Sharma Naresh Chand , Veeraraghavan Balaji , Sangal Lucky , Haldar Pradeep , Pragasam Agila Kumari , Vasudevan Karthick , Kumar Dhirendra , Das Bhabatosh , Heinz Eva , Melnikov Vyacheslav , Baker Stephen , Sangal Vartul , Dougan Gordon , Mutreja Ankur
Published: March 2021

Diphtheria is a respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Although the development of a toxin-based vaccine in the 1930s has allowed a high level of control over the disease, cases have increased in recent years. Here, we describe the genomic variation of 502 C. diphtheriae isolates across 16 countries and territories over 122 years. We generate a core gene phylogeny and determine the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes and variation within the tox gene of 291 tox+ isolates. Numerous, highly diverse clusters of C. diphtheriae are observed across the phylogeny, each containing isolates from multiple countries, regions and time of isolation. The number of antimicrobial resistance genes, as well as the breadth of antibiotic resistance, is substantially greater in the last decade than ever before. We identified and analysed 18 tox gene variants, with mutations estimated to be of medium to high structural impact.
Optimal proteome allocation and the temperature dependence of microbial growth laws
Authors: Mairet Francis , Gouzé Jean-Luc , de Jong Hidde
Published: March 2021

Although the effect of temperature on microbial growth has been widely studied, the role of proteome allocation in bringing about temperature-induced changes remains elusive. To tackle this problem, we propose a coarse-grained model of microbial growth, including the processes of temperature-sensitive protein unfolding and chaperone-assisted (re)folding. We determine the proteome sector allocation that maximizes balanced growth rate as a function of nutrient limitation and temperature. Calibrated with quantitative proteomic data forEscherichia coli, the model allows us to clarify general principles of temperature-dependent proteome allocation and formulate generalized growth laws. The same activation energy for metabolic enzymes and ribosomes leads to an Arrhenius increase in growth rate at constant proteome composition over a large range of temperatures, whereas at extreme temperatures resources are diverted away from growth to chaperone-mediated stress responses. Our approach points at risks and possible remedies for the use of ribosome content to characterize complex ecosystems with temperature variation.
Bioinformatis analysis reveals possible molecular mechanism of PXR on regulating ulcerative colitis
Authors: Guo Hanze , Chi Yan , Chi Naiyu
Published: March 2021

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of IBD. Pregnane X Receptor (PXR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. In order to deepen understanding and exploration of the molecular mechanism of regulation roles of PXR on UC, biological informatics analysis was performed. First, 878 overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between UC and normal samples were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE59071 and GSE38713) by using the "limma" R language package. Then WGCNA analysis was performed by 878 DEGs to obtain co-expression modules that were positively and negatively correlated with clinical traits. GSEA analysis of PXR results obtained the signal pathways enriched in the PXR high and low expression group and the active genes of each signal pathway. Then the association of PXR with genes that are both active in high expression group and negatively related to diseases (gene set 1), or both active in low expression group and negatively related to diseases (gene set 2) was analyzed by String database. Finally, carboxylesterase 2 (CES2), ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK1), PPARG coactivator 1 alpha (PPARGC1A), cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily B member 6 (CYP2B6) from gene set 1 and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8) from gene set 2 were screened out. After the above analysis and reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) verification, we speculated that PXR may exert a protective role on UC by promoting CES2, ABCG2, PCK1, PPARGC1A, CYP2B6 expression and inhibiting CXCL8 expression in their corresponding signal pathway in intestinal tissue.
Modelling and predicting the spatio-temporal spread of COVID-19, associated deaths and impact of key risk factors in England
Authors: Sartorius B. , Lawson A. B. , Pullan R. L.
Published: March 2021

COVID-19 caseloads in England have passed through a first peak, and at the time of this analysis appeared to be gradually increasing, potentially signalling the emergence of a second wave. To ensure continued response to the epidemic is most effective, it is imperative to better understand both retrospectively and prospectively the geographical evolution of COVID-19 caseloads and deaths at small-area resolution, identify localised areas in space–time at significantly higher risk, quantify the impact of changes in localised population mobility (or movement) on caseloads, identify localised risk factors for increased mortality and project the likely course of the epidemic at high spatial resolution in coming weeks. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical space–time SEIR model to assess the spatiotemporal variability of COVID-19 caseloads (transmission) and deaths at small-area scale in England [Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA), 6791 units] and by week (using observed data from week 5 to 34 of 2020), including key determinants, the modelled transmission dynamics and spatial–temporal random effects. We also estimate the number of cases and deaths at small-area resolution with uncertainty projected forward in time by MSOA (up to week 51 of 2020), the impact mobility reductions (and subsequent easing) have had on COVID-19 caseloads and quantify the impact of key socio-demographic risk factors on COVID-19 related mortality risk by MSOA. Reductions in population mobility during the course of the first lockdown had a significant impact on the reduction of COVID-19 caseloads across England, however local authorities have had a varied rate of reduction in population movement which our model suggest has substantially impacted the geographic heterogeneity in caseloads at small-area scale. The steady gain in population mobility, observed from late April, appears to have contributed to a slowdown in caseload reductions towards late June and subsequent start of the second wave. MSOA with higher proportions of elderly (70+ years of age) and elderly living in deprivation, both with very distinct geographic distributions, have a significantly elevated COVID-19 mortality rates. While non-pharmaceutical interventions (that is, reductions in population mobility and social distancing) had a profound impact on the trajectory of the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in England, increased population mobility appears to have significantly contributed to the second wave. A number of contiguous small-areas appear to be at a significant elevated risk of high COVID-19 transmission, many of which are also at increased risk for higher mortality rates. A geographically staggered re-introduction of intensified social distancing measures is advised and limited cross MSOA movement if the magnitude and geographic extent of the second wave is to be reduced.
Use of catheter with 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymer coating is associated with long-term availability of central venous port
Authors: Iida Yuuki , Hongo Kumiko , Onoda Takanobu , Kita Yusuke , Ishihara Yukio , Takabayashi Naoki , Kobayashi Ryo , Hiramatsu Takeyuki
Published: March 2021

Central venous port (CVP) is a widely used totally implantable venous access device. Recognition of risks associated with CVP-related complications is clinically important for safe, reliable, and long-term intravenous access. We therefore investigated factors associated with CVP infection and evulsion, including the device type. A total of 308 consecutive patients with initial CVP implantation between January 2011 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed, and the association of clinical features with CVP-related complications were analyzed. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 11 (3.6%) and 39 (12.7%) patients, respectively. The overall rate of CVP availability at six months was 91.4%. Malignancy and 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer-coated catheter use were negatively associated with the incidence of CVP infections. Accordingly, malignancy and MPC polymer-coated catheter use were independent predictors for lower CVP evulsion rate (odds ratio, 0.23 and 0.18, respectively). Furthermore, both factors were significantly associated with longer CVP availability (hazard ratio, 0.24 and 0.27, respectively). This retrospective study identified factors associated with CVP-related complications and long-term CVP availability. Notably, MPC polymer-coated catheter use was significantly associated with a lower rate of CVP infection and longer CVP availability, suggesting the preventive effect of MPC coating on CVP infection.
Learning the best nanoscale heat engines through evolving network topology
Authors: Ashida Yuto , Sagawa Takahiro
Published: March 2021

The quest to identify the best heat engine has been at the center of science and technology. Considerable studies have so far revealed the potentials of nanoscale thermal machines to yield an enhanced thermodynamic efficiency in noninteracting regimes. However, the full benefit of many-body interactions is yet to be investigated; identifying the optimal interaction is a hard problem due to combinatorial explosion of the search space, which makes brute-force searches infeasible. We tackle this problem with developing a framework for reinforcement learning of network topology in interacting thermal systems. We find that the maximum possible values of the figure of merit and the power factor can be significantly enhanced by electron-electron interactions under nondegenerate single-electron levels with which, in the absence of interactions, the thermoelectric performance is quite low in general. This allows for an alternative strategy to design the best heat engines by optimizing interactions instead of single-electron levels. The versatility of the developed framework allows one to identify full potential of a broad range of nanoscale systems in terms of multiple objectives.
Fabrication of a fluorescent probe for reversibly monitoring mitochondrial membrane potential in living cells
Authors: Guo Dingyi , Sun Jie , Tian Minggang , Lin Weiying
Published: March 2021

A fluorescent probe for reversibly monitoring mitochondrial membrane potential in living cells has been constructed successfully, which could be employed to visualize cell damage by reactive oxygen species.
Optogenetic modulation of real-time nanoscale dynamics of HCN channels using photoactivated adenylyl cyclases
Authors: Tanwar Meenakshi , Kateriya Suneel , Nair Deepak , Jose Mini
Published: March 2021

Modulation of real-time reversible nanoscale distribution of HCN2 channels using optogenetic activation of cAMP in live cells.
Ensemble machine learning methods: predicting electron stopping powers from a small experimental database
Authors: Mehnaz  , Yang L. H. , Da B. , Ding Z. J.
Published: March 2021

With a small database of electron SPs and basic material properties, the ensemble ML technique enabled to predict SPs for the elements for which no data exist as well as to extrapolate SPs to lower energies where other theoretical approaches failed.
Role of honey in preventing radiation-induced oral mucositis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: An Wei , Li Shaoqing , Qin Lizheng
Published: March 2021

Honey is a natural substance with antioxidant properties. Honey can prevent and reduce oral mucositis caused by radiation and relieve severe pain.
Ultrathin structures derived from interfacially modified polymeric nanocomposites to curb electromagnetic pollution
Authors: Sushmita Kumari , Formanek Petr , Fischer Dieter , Pötschke Petra , Madras Giridhar , Bose Suryasarathi
Published: March 2021

Electronic devices and modern communication networks have enhanced electromagnetic (EM) pollution, necessitating finding robust alternate materials to suppress it.
Efficient in vivo wound healing using noble metal nanoclusters
Authors: Li Kuo , Li Dan , Li Cheng-Hsuan , Zhuang Pengfei , Dai Chunmei , Hu Xiangka , Wang Dahao , Liu Yuanye , Mei Xifan , Rotello Vincent M.
Published: March 2021

Intraperitoneal administration of Au or Ag nanoclusters promotes wound healing, as demonstrated using a mouse skin wound model. These nanoclusters provide a potential strategy for large wounds, wounds in difficult-to-dress areas and in fragile skins.
A multi-functional light-driven actuator with an integrated temperature-sensing function based on a carbon nanotube composite
Authors: Xiao Yiwen , Lin Jian , Xiao Jing , Weng Mingcen , Zhang Wei , Zhou Peidi , Luo Zhiling , Chen Luzhuo
Published: March 2021

A multi-functional light-driven actuator is fabricated based on a carbon nanotube composite, which integrates the temperature-sensing function.
ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging to investigate the behaviour of proteins subjected to freeze–thaw cycles in droplets, wells, and under flow
Authors: Tiernan Hannah , Byrne Bernadette , Kazarian Sergei G.
Published: March 2021

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging was used in combination with PDMS flow cells, and effectively applied to monitor the effect of repeat freeze thaw cycles (FTCs) on protein secondary structure, revealing higher aggregate levels with increasing FTCs.
Promiscuous dye binding by a light-up aptamer: application for label-free multi-wavelength biosensing
Authors: Connelly Ryan P. , Madalozzo Pedro F. , Mordeson Jack E. , Pratt Andrew D. , Gerasimova Yulia V.
Published: March 2021

Promiscuous interactions of the DAP-10–42 aptamer with arylmethane dyes and thioflavin T open a venue to design a multi-wavelength label-free biosensor. As a proof-of-principle, a split aptasensor for point-mutation differentiation is characterized.
Evaluation of the effect ofMoringa peregrinabark on the crystal habit and size of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals in different stages of crystallization using experimental and theoretical methods
Authors: Menon Sindhu , Al Mamari Hajar Khalfan , Al Zaabi Hajar Hassan , Al Ajmi Zainab Sulaiman , Al Haddabi Laila Hamed , Jayachandran V. P. , Shinisha C. B.
Published: March 2021

Moringa peregrinabark extract is found to successfully retard the nucleation and aggregation of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals and distort their shape, a mechanism for which is proposed using molecular modeling.
Role of free volumes and segmental dynamics on ion conductivity of PEO/LiTFSI solid polymer electrolytes filled with SiO2 nanoparticles: a positron annihilation and broadband dielectric spectroscopy study
Authors: Utpalla P. , Sharma S. K. , Deshpande S. K. , Bahadur J. , Sen D. , Sahu M. , Pujari P. K.
Published: March 2021

Free volume, semi-crystalline morphology and ionic conductivity of PEO–LiTFSI–SiO2 nanoparticles electrolyte.
From starphenes to non-benzenoid linear conjugated polymers by substrate templating
Authors: Mohammed Mohammed S. G. , Lawrence James , García Fátima , Brandimarte Pedro , Berdonces-Layunta Alejandro , Pérez Dolores , Sánchez-Portal Daniel , Peña Diego , de Oteyza Dimas G.
Published: March 2021

We reveal the templating effect of substrates with two-fold or three-fold symmetry on the reactivity of acene-based reactants. This allows us to choose whether to form and characterize non-benzenoid conjugated polymers or starphene-derivatives.
Biocompatible, flexible and conductive polymers prepared by biomass-derived ionic liquid treatment
Authors: Lu Yannan , Liu Ruqing , Hang Xiao-Chun , Young David James
Published: March 2021

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is a promising, biocompatible conductive polymer for bio-integrated electronics with health-care applications.
The synthesis of SAPO-34 zeolite for an improved MTO performance: tuning the particle size and an insight into the formation mechanism
Authors: Zhou Yida , Shi Huaizhong , Wang Bolun , Chen Guangrui , Yi Jian , Li Jiyang
Published: March 2021

Effect of gel systems, additives and crystallization conditions on the size of SAPO-34 and the MTO performance has been studied.
Asymmetric synthesis of dihydro-1,3-dioxepines by Rh(ii)/Sm(iii) relay catalytic three-component tandem [4 + 3]-cycloaddition
Authors: Xu Chaoran , Qiao Jianglin , Dong Shunxi , Zhou Yuqiao , Liu Xiaohua , Feng Xiaoming
Published: March 2021

Catalytic asymmetric tandem carbonyl ylide formation/[4 + 3]-cycloaddition of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters, aldehydes and α-diazoacetates was achieved by using a bimetallic rhodium(ii)/chiral N,N′-dioxide–Sm(iii) complex catalyst.
YBaCuO-type perovskites as potential air electrodes for SOFCs. The case of YSr2Cu2FeO7+δ
Authors: López-Paz Sara A. , Marín-Gamero Rafael , Martínez de Irujo-Labalde Xabier , Sánchez-Marcos Jorge , Perez-Coll Domingo , Alario y Franco Miguel Ángel , García-Martín Susana
Published: March 2021

The electrochemical properties of YSr2Cu2FeO7+δ with YBaCuO-type structure have been studied.
Structural basis of the human Scribble–Vangl2 association in health and disease
Authors: How Jing Yuan , Stephens Rebecca K. , Lim Krystle Y.B. , Humbert Patrick O. , Kvansakul Marc
Published: March 2021

Scribble is a critical cell polarity regulator that has been shown to work as either an oncogene or tumor suppressor in a context dependent manner, and also impacts cell migration, tissue architecture and immunity. Mutations in Scribble lead to neural tube defects in mice and humans, which has been attributed to a loss of interaction with the planar cell polarity regulator Vangl2. We show that the Scribble PDZ domains 1, 2 and 3 are able to interact with the C-terminal PDZ binding motif of Vangl2 and have now determined crystal structures of these Scribble PDZ domains bound to the Vangl2 peptide. Mapping of mammalian neural tube defect mutations reveal that mutations located distal to the canonical PDZ domain ligand binding groove can not only ablate binding to Vangl2 but also disrupt binding to multiple other signaling regulators. Our findings suggest that PDZ-associated neural tube defect mutations in Scribble may not simply act in a Vangl2 dependent manner but as broad-spectrum loss of function mutants by disrupting the global Scribble-mediated interaction network.
Peripheral arteriopathy caused by Notch3 gain-of-function mutation involves ER and oxidative stress and blunting of NO/sGC/cGMP pathway
Authors: Neves Karla B. , Morris Hannah E. , Alves-Lopes Rhéure , Muir Keith W. , Moreton Fiona , Delles Christian , Montezano Augusto C. , Touyz Rhian M.
Published: March 2021

Notch3 mutations cause Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), which predisposes to stroke and dementia. CADASIL is characterised by vascular dysfunction and granular osmiophilic material (GOM) accumulation in cerebral small vessels. Systemic vessels may also be impacted by Notch3 mutations. However vascular characteristics and pathophysiological processes remain elusive. We investigated mechanisms underlying the peripheral vasculopathy mediated by CADASIL-causing Notch3 gain-of-function mutation. We studied: (i) small arteries and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from TgNotch3R169C mice (CADASIL model), (ii) VSMCs from peripheral arteries from CADASIL patients, and (iii) post-mortem brains from CADASIL individuals. TgNotch3R169C vessels exhibited GOM deposits, increased vasoreactivity and impaired vasorelaxation. Hypercontractile responses were normalised by fasudil (Rho kinase inhibitor) and 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA; endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor). Ca2+ transients and Ca2+ channel expression were increased in CADASIL VSMCs, with increased expression of Rho guanine nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) and ER stress proteins. Vasorelaxation mechanisms were impaired in CADASIL, evidenced by decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation and reduced cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) levels, with associated increased soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) oxidation, decreased sGC activity and reduced levels of the vasodilator hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In VSMCs from CADASIL patients, sGC oxidation was increased and cGMP levels decreased, effects normalised by fasudil and 4-PBA. Cerebral vessels in CADASIL patients exhibited significant oxidative damage. In conclusion, peripheral vascular dysfunction in CADASIL is associated with altered Ca2+ homoeostasis, oxidative stress and blunted eNOS/sGC/cGMP signaling, processes involving Rho kinase and ER stress. We identify novel pathways underlying the peripheral arteriopathy induced by Notch3 gain-of-function mutation, phenomena that may also be important in cerebral vessels.
Concurrent Validity Between Two Sound Sequencing Tasks Used to Identify Childhood Apraxia of Speech in School-Age Children
Authors: Preston Jonathan L. , Benway Nina R. , Leece Megan C. , Caballero Nicole F.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To assess the concurrent validity of two tasks used to inform diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), this study evaluated the agreement between the Syllable Repetition Task (SRT) and the Maximum Repetition Rate of Trisyllables (MRR-Tri).

Method

A retrospective analysis was conducted with 80 children 7–16 years of age who were referred for treatment studies. All children had a speech sound disorder, and all completed both the SRT and the MRR-Tri. On each task, children were classified as meeting or not meeting the tool's threshold for CAS based on the sound sequencing errors demonstrated.

Results

The two tasks were in agreement for 47 participants (59% of the sample); both tasks classified 13 children as meeting the threshold for CAS and 34 children as not meeting the threshold for CAS. However, the two tasks disagreed on CAS classification for 33 children (41% of the sample). Overall, the MRR-Tri identified more children as having sound sequencing errors indicative of CAS (
n
= 39) than did the SRT (
n
= 20).

Conclusions

These two tasks of sound sequencing differ in the children they identify with CAS, possibly due to aspects of the underlying task requirements (e.g., time pressure). The SRT and the MRR-Tri should not be used in isolation to identify CAS but may be useful as part of a balanced CAS assessment battery that includes additional tasks that inform the nature of the impairment and that aid treatment planning.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14110280
SVM‐based online learning for interference‐aware multi‐cell mmWave vehicular communications
Authors: Li Dapeng , Zhu Jiangpei , Zhao Haitao , Wang Xiaoming , Jiang Rui
Published: March 2021

This paper proposes a data‐driven method of mmWave beam selection in multi‐cell systems to achieve a near‐optimal fast beam allocation with low complexity. In particular, an online learning algorithm based on support vector machine (SVM) equipped with the radial basis function kernel, namely SVM‐based online beam selection (SBOS) algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm starts with an adaptive beam selection process for certain traffic pattern that uses an SVM learning model to adaptively refine the beam selection strategy. Specifically, SVM‐based model labels the feedback (the average information rate) from the cellular system, then learns from samples, and makes the scheme space smaller by maximising samples' minimum distances to all labelled samples in the sample space constrained by newly learned boundaries. Then, according to the aggregated data about the traffic patterns and the performance of corresponding beam selection strategy, SBOS algorithm exploits beam selection schemes recorded in the database or explores new schemes for unknown situations, respectively, and how to tune the hyperparameters for the SBOS algorithm is discussed. Furthermore, the extensive simulation results show that the proposed algorithm achieves a better performance versus upper confidence bound and Random methods.
Non‐fragile H∞ control for LPV‐based CACC systems subject to denial‐of‐service attacks
Authors: Huang Cong , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: March 2021

This paper is concerned with a non‐fragile state feedback control issue for linear parameter‐varying collaborative adaptive cruise control systems subject to denial‐of‐service attacks. The dynamics of the collaborative adaptive cruise control system is described by a linear model where the deviation of the position and the velocity are selected as the state variables. The attack model is utilized, thereby better reflecting the randomly occurring phenomenon of the denial‐of‐service attacks based on a sequence of binary random variables. The main objective of this note is to develop a non‐fragile state feedback control scheme such that, for denial‐of‐service attacks and possible parameter variations in controller gains, the exponential mean‐square stability and the predefined performance index for the system states are guaranteed simultaneously. By using the matrix analysis techniques and Lyapunov stability theory, sufficient conditions for the desired controller are established and solved based on the solutions to the linear matrix inequality conditions. Finally, a three‐car model is provided to check the feasibility of the designed control scheme.
CSIS: Compressed sensing‐based enhanced‐embedding capacity image steganography scheme
Authors: Agrawal Rohit , Ahuja Kapil
Published: March 2021

Image steganography plays a vital role in securing secret data by embedding it in the cover images. Usually, these images are communicated in a compressed format. Existing techniques achieve this but have low embedding capacity. Hence, the goal here is to enhance the embedding capacity while preserving the visual quality of the stego‐image. It is also intended to ensure that the scheme is resistant to steganalysis attacks. This paper proposes a compressed sensing image steganography (CSIS) scheme to achieve these goals. In CSIS, the cover image is sparsified block‐wise, linear measurements are obtained, and then permissible measurements are selected. Next, the secret data is encrypted, and 2 bits of this encrypted data are embedded into each permissible measurement. For the reconstruction of the stego‐image, ADMM and LASSO are used for the resultant optimization problem. Experiments are performed on several standard greyscale images and a colour image. Higher embedding capacity, 1.53 times more compared to the most recent scheme, is achieved. An average of 37.92 dB PSNR value, and average values close to 1 for both the mean SSIM index and the NCC coefficients are obtained, which is considered good. These metrics show that CSIS substantially outperforms existing similar steganography schemes.
Investigation of novel thermoelectric sensor array configurations operating under non‐uniform temperature distribution conditions for the measurement of maximum output power in an energy harvesting system
Authors: Thankakan Rakesh , Samuel Nadar Edward Rajan
Published: March 2021

This research work proposes a configuration study of thermoelectric module (TEM) sensor array operating under uniform and non‐uniform temperature distribution (NUTD) conditions. The four different (10 × 10) TEM array configurations, which are electrically connected in series‐parallel (SP), all‐tied (AT), bridge‐joint (BJ), and bee‐hive (BH), are considered to evaluate its performance under six cases of NUTD conditions. The electrical characteristics of the various sensor array configurations has been analysed and tested under both temperature distribution conditions using MATLAB‐Simulink. A comparison of results of the various configurations is carried out in terms of maximum output power, voltage and current corresponding to maximum power, utilization factor, losses, relative error, standard deviation, and root mean square error. The maximum output power obtained from various cases of NUTD conditions confirm that the performance of bridge‐joint configuration is best than all other configurations in the field of thermoelectric energy harvesting systems.
Experience of Enhancing Cross-Border Collaboration in professional training of industry personnel
Authors: Filatova Oksana , Gordeev Maksim , Gorbunova Larisa , Nagaeva Irina , Mishunenkova Olga
Published: March 2021

The article considers the problem of the fourth industrial revolution influence on changing the forms and educational technologies of personnel professional training of industry personnel and justifies the importance of cooperation between educational organizations of different countries in coordinating professional training programs. The authors explain the importance of harmonization and coordination processes of the Bologna project by the factors of the objective pattern of changing the technological paradigm and the formation of technoscience, diversifying educational technologies, which is actualized by the growing need for new generation specialists. The article emphasizes the importance of international cooperation and international interdisciplinary interaction in the development of forms and technologies of professional training in the logic (The Project of the Digital Competition of EU). On the example of educational projects of Russia and China in nuclear energy, the authors show the mutual influence of factors for the development of professional education in different countries. The article analyzes promising areas of professional training, based on the experience of mutual cooperation and the practice of diversifying programs in Russia and China, including the development of nuclear medicine, wind energy, ASU SMART- cities, the creation of digital products and environmental projects. The methodology of the article is based on research in the field of professional education in the context of informatization and the strategy of digitalization of production technologies, noting the special importance of engineering training in China.
Intercultural Competence in Practice: Internship Abroad in the B.A. Program “International Information Management” at the Hildesheim University Foundation
Authors: Mennecke Olga
Published: March 2021

This article outlines the relationship between the internship abroad and intercultural competence, which has become a key qualification in the context of globalized higher education. The aspects of the intercultural-orientated curriculum and its challenges are described based on the concrete example of the internship implementation.