bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Developments in Some Long-Term Drought Drivers
Authors: de Jager Alfred , Corbane Christina , Szabo Filip
Published: February 2022

The droughts that hit North and North Western Europe in 2018 and 2019 served as a wake-up call that temperate regions are also affected by these kinds of slow progressing or creeping disasters. Long-term drivers, such as land-use changes, may have exacerbated the impacts of these meteorological droughts. These changes, which are spread over a long time span, may even be difficult to perceive for an individual, but make a big difference in how these rare weather events impact a region. In this paper, we introduce three long-term drivers: forest fires in Europe, global urbanisation, and global deforestation. We attempt to provide a first assessment of their trends, mainly using statistics derived from satellite imagery published in recent literature. Due to the complexity of drought impacts, and the scarcity of quantitative impact data, the relationship between drought impact and these three processes for land use change is difficult to quantify; however, hence we present a survey of the recent trends in these land use change processes and the possible mechanics by which they affect drought impacts. Based on this survey we can conclude that the extent and the number of wildfires have increased markedly in Europe since 2010. Deforestation is still occurring in the tropics, with a loss of 12% in the last 30 years but has halted in the northern regions. Urbanisation has more than doubled in the same time span in the tropics and subtropics, mostly at the expense of forests, while in Europe urbanisation took place mainly in the northern part of the continent. We can conclude that none of these implicit drought drivers followed a favourable trend in the last 30 years. With consistent and worldwide monitoring, for example, by using satellite imagery, we can regularly inform the scientific community on the trends in these drought impact affecting processes, thus helping decision makers to understand how far we have progressed in making the world resilient to drought impacts.
Super Bonding Strength of Al2O3 Nanoparticles Reinforced Sn Interlayer Steel/Aluminum Bimetal Casting
Authors: Ramadan Mohamed , Khaliq Abdul , Hafez K. M. , Alghamdi Abdulaziz S. , Fathy Naglaa , Harraz Farid A. , Ayadi Badreddine , Abdel Halim K. S.
Published: February 2022

For specialized applications, it is incumbent to develop new materials that enable manufacturers to develop new processes and designs. For better fuel economy, structural integrity, and lightweight applications, the development of bimetallic steel/aluminum (Al) alloys having a strong interfacial bond is required. Therefore, a mild steel/Al-bearing alloy bimetallic composite was investigated in this study. Firstly, a tin (Sn) interlayer was developed between the steel substrate and the Al-bearing alloy by the tinning process. For further improvement in the interfacial integrity, alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles were added to the Sn powder during the tinning process. Four different wt.% of Al2O3 nanoparticles of 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 were added and mixed thoroughly with Sn powder before mixing them with flux prior to the tinning process. Finally, molten Al-bearing alloy (Al–Sn-Si–Cu) was poured over the Al2O3 nanoparticles reinforced tinned steel substrate. A cross-section of the steel/Al-bearing alloy bimetallic composite was prepared for optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and shear testing. The cross-section microstructure of the steel/Al-bearing alloy bimetallic composite revealed irregular and discontinuous interfacial layers in the case of the low-temperature (170 °C) tinning process. However, a uniform, continuous interfacial layer was fabricated during the tinning process when additional preheat to the steel substrate and tinning process was adopted. It can be reported that low Al2O3 nanoparticles loading (0.25%) and steel substrate preheating were recommended for the better interfacial layer in the steel/Al-bearing alloy bimetallic composite.
Electrical Control of Optical Liquid-Crystal-Guided Microstructures
Authors: Kwasny Michal , Laudyn Urszula A.
Published: February 2022

This work investigates nematic liquid crystal (NLC) optical guiding structures designed in typical sandwich-like NLC cells. With the support of an electrically controlled spatial topology of director orientation, we manage a linear and nonlinear light propagation with the realization of optical beam switching.
Crystal Structures of Gallium(III) Halides with Bulky Ligands
Authors: Sun Manluan , Ge Sai , Zhao Jianguo , McDonald Robert , Ferguson Michael , Ma Guibin
Published: February 2022

Three oxygen donor gallium(III) halide complexes, [GaX3(O=P(TMP)3] (TMP = trimethoxylphenyl and X = Cl− (1), Br− (2) and I− (3)), are prepared by oxidation in mixed solvents from their phosphine adducts of [GaX3(P(TMP)3]. Three crystalline compounds are obtained from the solutions and their crystal structures are determined in the solid state. It is rare to generate a crystalline phase for metal–adduct compounds of this bulky ligand; in this paper, three new crystal structures are presented.
Enhancement of Surface and Interface Properties of Low Carbon Steel by Hybrid ZnO and NiO Nanoparticles Reinforced Tin Coating
Authors: Abdel Halim K. S. , Ramadan Mohamed , Sherif El-Sayed M. , Hafez Khalid M. , Subhani Tayyab , Fathy Naglaa , Alghamdi Abdulaziz S. , Khedr Mohamed H.
Published: February 2022

Tin matrix nanocomposite coatings containing ZnO and NiO nanoparticles, both individually and combined, were deposited on low carbon steel substrates. The aim was to investigate the effect of reinforcement of nanoparticles on microstructural morphology and thickness of tin coatings, modification in the interfacial layer between coating and substrate, and the corrosion resistance of low carbon steel substrate. Optical and scanning electron microscopy were employed for microstructural observation, while potentiostat-galvanostat was utilized for electrochemical investigation. It was found that the tin nanocomposite coatings with nanoparticles significantly modified the coating thickness, intermetallic layer thickness, and surface corrosion resistance. Coatings through the direct tinning process are considered to be a simple and low-cost route for protecting metallic materials from corrosion, and the presence of ZnO and NiO nanoparticles in tin coatings further increases the corrosion resistance of low carbon steels.
A Continuing Educational Program Supporting Health Professionals to Manage Grief and Loss
Authors: Esplen Mary Jane , Wong Jiahui , Vachon Mary L. S. , Leung Yvonne
Published: February 2022

Health professionals working in oncology face the challenge of a stressful work environment along with impacts of providing care to those suffering from a life-threatening illness and encountering high levels of patient loss. Longitudinal exposure to loss and suffering can lead to grief, which over time can lead to the development of compassion fatigue (CF). Prevalence rates of CF are significant, yet health professionals have little knowledge on the topic. A six-week continuing education program aimed to provide information on CF and support in managing grief and loss and consisted of virtual sessions, case-based learning, and an online community of practice. Content included personal, health system, and team-related risk factors; protective variables associated with CF; grief models; and strategies to help manage grief and loss and to mitigate against CF. Participants also developed personal plans. Pre- and post-course evaluations assessed confidence, knowledge, and overall satisfaction. A total of 189 health professionals completed the program (90% nurses). Reported patient loss was high (58.8% > 10 deaths annually; 12.2% > 50). Improvements in confidence and knowledge across several domains (p < 0.05) related to managing grief and loss were observed, including use of grief assessment tools, risk factors for CF, and strategies to mitigate against CF. Satisfaction level post-program was high. An educational program aiming to improve knowledge of CF and management of grief and loss demonstrated benefit.
Artificial Intelligence Computing at the Quantum Level
Authors: Ayoade Olawale , Rivas Pablo , Orduz Javier
Published: February 2022

The extraordinary advance in quantum computation leads us to believe that, in the not-too-distant future, quantum systems will surpass classical systems. Moreover, the field’s rapid growth has resulted in the development of many critical tools, including programmable machines (quantum computers) that execute quantum algorithms and the burgeoning field of quantum machine learning, which investigates the possibility of faster computation than traditional machine learning. In this paper, we provide a thorough examination of quantum computing from the perspective of a physicist. The purpose is to give laypeople and scientists a broad but in-depth understanding of the area. We also recommend charts that summarize the field’s diversions to put the whole field into context.
3D Convolutional Neural Network-Based Denoising of Low-Count Whole-Body 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose and 89Zr-Rituximab PET Scans
Authors: de Vries Bart M. , Golla Sandeep S. V. , Zwezerijnen Gerben J. C. , Hoekstra Otto S. , Jauw Yvonne W. S. , Huisman Marc C. , van Dongen Guus A. M. S. , Menke-van der Houven van Oordt Willemien C. , Zijlstra-Baalbergen Josée J. M. , Mesotten Liesbet , Boellaard Ronald , Yaqub Maqsood
Published: February 2022

Acquisition time and injected activity of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET should ideally be reduced. However, this decreases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which impairs the diagnostic value of these PET scans. In addition, 89Zr-antibody PET is known to have a low SNR. To improve the diagnostic value of these scans, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) denoising method is proposed. The aim of this study was therefore to develop CNNs to increase SNR for low-count 18F-FDG and 89Zr-antibody PET. Super-low-count, low-count and full-count 18F-FDG PET scans from 60 primary lung cancer patients and full-count 89Zr-rituximab PET scans from five patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma were acquired. CNNs were built to capture the features and to denoise the PET scans. Additionally, Gaussian smoothing (GS) and Bilateral filtering (BF) were evaluated. The performance of the denoising approaches was assessed based on the tumour recovery coefficient (TRC), coefficient of variance (COV; level of noise), and a qualitative assessment by two nuclear medicine physicians. The CNNs had a higher TRC and comparable or lower COV to GS and BF and was also the preferred method of the two observers for both 18F-FDG and 89Zr-rituximab PET. The CNNs improved the SNR of low-count 18F-FDG and 89Zr-rituximab PET, with almost similar or better clinical performance than the full-count PET, respectively. Additionally, the CNNs showed better performance than GS and BF.
Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation in Individuals Living Alone in South Korea
Authors: Kong Kyoung Ae , Kim Young Eun , Lim Sunho , Kim Bo Young , Kim Ga Eun , Kim Soo In
Published: February 2022

This study compared the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in individuals living alone compared with those living with others and assessed the contribution of socio-demographic factors and physical health to these differences. We analyzed 2221 individuals living alone and 19,397 individuals living with others aged 20–80 years, drawn from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset in South Korea. The study group divided into three subgroups based on age to determine whether there were differences in mental health according to age. Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were evaluated by self-reported questionnaires. The sex- and age-adjusted prevalence rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were higher in those living alone than those living with others. The proportion of socio-economic status and physical health explaining the differences of depressive mood and suicidal ideation between the two groups was greater in the age group over 35 years old. Considering the difference in factors that explain depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among individuals living alone in the age group over 35 years of age and younger groups under 34 years of age, policies should be developed that will address the mental health needs of each age group.
A Conceptual Approach to Time Savings and Cost Competitiveness Assessments for Drone Transport of Biologic Samples with Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones)
Authors: Johannessen Karl Arne
Published: February 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones) are expected to save transport time and improve service reliability for transport of biologic samples, but few studies have evaluated the potential time savings of such services. The total transport time defined as time from sample ready for transport until arrival at the laboratory was used to assess the absolute and relative time savings of drones compared with ground transport, using ground distances from 4–7 km (urban model) to 179–262 km (rural district routes) with one to eight daily scheduled trips. Costs of existing ground transport were allocated to drone flight times as a proxy for drone cost competitiveness. Time savings were less than 20–30% in the urban model but 65–74% in the rural routes using drone speeds of 100 km/h, but the time between trips (route frequencies) and drone speeds influenced the relative time savings substantially. Cost of time gains per number of samples was less favorable using drones in the rural models due to lower transport volumes. This research concludes that drone solutions provide marginal gains for short-distance transports, whereas time savings are more promising in long transport models with appropriate scheduling and sufficiently high drone speeds.
Upland and Riparian Surface Soil Processes in an Urban Creek with Native and Non-Native Vegetation after Fire
Authors: Kinoshita Alicia M. , Becerra Rey , Miletić Marta , Mladenov Natalie
Published: February 2022

Wildfires can pose environmental challenges in urban watersheds by altering the physical and chemical properties of soil. Further, invasive plant species in urban riparian systems may exacerbate changes in geomorphological and soil processes after fires. This research focuses on the 2018 Del Cerro fire, which burned upland and riparian areas surrounding Alvarado Creek, a tributary to the San Diego River in California. The study site has dense and highly flammable non-native vegetation cover (primarily Arundo donax) localized in the stream banks and has primarily native vegetation on the hillslopes. We estimated the post-fire organic matter and particle distributions for six time points during water years 2019 and 2020 at two soil depths, 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm, in upland and riparian areas. We observed some of the largest decreases in organic matter and particle-size distribution after the first post-fire rainfall event and a general return to initial conditions over time. Seasonal soil patterns were related to rainfall and variability in vegetation distribution. The riparian soils had higher variability in organic matter content and particle-size distributions, which was attributed to the presence of Arundo donax. The particle-size distributions were different between upland and riparian soils, where the riparian soils were more poorly graded. Overall, the greatest change occurred in the medium sands, while the fine sands appeared to be impacted the longest, which is a result of decreased vegetation that stabilized the soils. This research provides a better understanding of upland and riparian soil processes in an urban and Mediterranean system that was disturbed by non-native vegetation and fire.
Capsaicin, the Spicy Ingredient of Chili Peppers: Effects on Gastrointestinal Tract and Composition of Gut Microbiota at Various Dosages
Authors: Xiang Qunran , Tang Xin , Cui Shumao , Zhang Qiuxiang , Liu Xiaoming , Zhao Jianxin , Zhang Hao , Mao Bingyong , Chen Wei
Published: February 2022

Capsaicin (CAP) is an ingredient of peppers that has biological activities at low doses but causes gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort at high doses. However, the GI effects of high doses of CAP and the evaluation criteria to determine this remain unknown. To elucidate the dose-related effects of CAP on GI health, CAP was administered to mice at 40, 60, and 80 mg/kg doses. The results showed that 40 mg/kg CAP did not negatively affect GI tissues, while 60 and 80 mg/kg CAP damaged GI tissues and caused significant inflammation in the jejunum, ileum, and colon. The levels of serum substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were CAP-dose-dependent, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content significantly increased in the 80 mg/kg group. Correlation analysis revealed that the underlying mechanisms might be related to the regulation of gut microbiota, especially Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, and Butyricimonas. These results suggest that oral administration of 60 and 80 mg/kg CAP in mice causes intestinal inflammation and high levels of serum neuropeptides and cecal SCFAs, which may be related to alterations in gut microbiota.
A Hydrogeologic Framework for Understanding Surface Water and Groundwater Interactions in a Watershed System in the Willamette Basin in Western Oregon, USA
Authors: Ochoa Carlos G. , Jarvis William Todd , Hall Jesse
Published: February 2022

A broad understanding of local geology and hydrologic processes is important for effective water resources management. The objectives of this project were to characterize the hydrogeologic framework of the Oak Creek Watershed (OCW) geographical area and examine the connections between surface water and groundwater at selected locations along the main stem of Oak Creek. The OCW area comprises the Siletz River Volcanic (SRV) Formation in the upper portion of the watershed and sedimentary rock formations in the valley. Past hydrologic and geologic studies and our field measurement data were synthesized to create a hydrogeologic framework of the watershed, including a geologic interpretation and a conceptual model of shallow, deep, and lateral groundwater flow throughout the OCW. The highly permeable geology of the SRV formation juxtaposed against the Willamette Basin’s sedimentary geology creates areas of opposing groundwater flow characteristics (e.g., hydraulic conductivity) in the watershed. The Corvallis Fault is the primary interface between these two zones and generally acts as a hydraulic barrier, deflecting groundwater flow just upstream of the fault interface. The extreme angle of the Corvallis Fault and adjacent less permeable sedimentary geology might facilitate subsurface bulk water storage in selected locations. The stream-aquifer relationships investigated showed gaining conditions are prominent in the upper watershed’s northern volcanic region and transition into neutral and losing conditions in the downstream southern sedimentary region in the valley. Agriculture irrigation seepage in the valley appeared to contribute to streamflow gaining conditions. Results from this case study contribute critical information toward enhancing understanding of local hydrogeologic features and potential for improved SW-GW resources management in areas near coastal ranges such as those found in the Pacific Northwest, USA.
Biomarker Signatures of Two Phenotypical Prefrailty Types in the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing
Authors: Piankova Palina , Romero-Ortuno Roman , O’Halloran Aisling M.
Published: February 2022

We investigated the biomarker signatures of two previously reported phenotypical prefrailty (PF) types in the first wave of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA): PF1 (unexplained weight loss and/or exhaustion) and PF2 (one or two among slowness, weakness, and low physical activity). Binary logistic regression models evaluated the independent associations between available plasma biomarkers and each PF type (compared to robust and compared to each other), while adjusting for age, sex, and education. A total of 5307 participants were included (median age 61 years, 53% women) of which 1473 (28%) were prefrail (469 PF1; 1004 PF2), 171 were frail, and 3663 were robust. The PF2 median age was eight years older than the PF1 median age. Higher levels of lutein and zeaxanthin were independently associated with the lower likelihood of PF1 (OR: 0.77, p < 0.001 and OR: 0.81, p < 0.001, respectively). Higher cystatin C was associated with PF1 (OR: 1.23, p = 0.001). CRP (OR: 1.19, p < 0.001), cystatin C (OR: 1.36, p < 0.001), and HbA1c (OR: 1.18, p < 0.001) were independently associated with PF2, while a higher total (OR: 0.89, p = 0.004) and HDL (OR: 0.87, p < 0.001) cholesterol seemed to be PF2-protective. While PF1 seemed to be inversely associated with serum carotenoid concentrations and hence has an oxidative signature, PF2 seemed to have pro-inflammatory, hyperglycemic, and hypolipidemic signatures. Both PF types were associated with higher cystatin C (lower kidney function), but no biomarkers significantly distinguished PF1 vs. PF2. Further research should elucidate whether therapies for different PF types may require targeting of different biological pathways.
Blended Therapies and Mobile Phones for Improving the Health of Female Victims of Gender Violence
Authors: García Yolanda , Ferrás Carlos
Published: February 2022

We carried out a case study with a group of female victims of gender violence (n = 39) with the objective of evaluating a blended psychotherapeutic intervention. The results show that blended therapies with mobile text messages combined with face-to-face group therapies significantly improved the health of these women. Mood states and the symptoms of depression were measured with a PHQ-9 personal health questionnaire and evolved positively. In the group of women (n = 39) the scores improved from an initial 13.5 (SD = 7.2, range 3–34) to 6.0 at the end of the period of messages (SD = 5.2, range 0–18), which was a significant difference (t (39) = 2.02; p = 0.000). Most of the women stated that the messages had helped them improve their mood (91.6%) and their general health (83.3%), which made them feel more connected to their social environment (80.6%). We observed that adherence to medication for each woman improved. With mixed therapies and mobile phones, social service professionals can incorporate technology into daily practices and offer personalized attention and daily counseling to victims of gender-based violence.
Towards an Understanding of Population Health Data in a Single NHS Trust during COVID-19
Authors: Fowler Davis Sally , Choppin Simon , Kelly Shona
Published: February 2022

The objective of this study was to determine the further care needs of people discharged from the hospital following a COVID-19 illness from April–September 2020. Methods: In partnership with an NHS trust in the UK, data analysis was undertaken by linking data from the Trust, to facilitated a triage process. The intention was to provide information in a format that enabled an examination of the population data and highlight any inequality in provision. Data were mapped onto the indices of multiple deprivation, and a range of text and graphical methods were used to represent the population data to the hospital leadership. The visual representation of the demographics and deprivation of people discharged during a critical period of the pandemic was intended to support planning for community services. The results demonstrated that just under half of those discharged were from the poorest fifth of the English population and that just under half were aged 75 or older. This reflected the disproportional effect of COVID-19 on those who were poorer, older or had pre-existing multiple morbidities. Referral to community or outpatient services was informed by the analysis, and further understanding of the diversity of the population health was established in the Trust. Conclusion: By identifying the population and mapping to the IMD, it was possible to show that over half of discharged patients were from deprived communities, and there was significant organisational learning bout using data to identify inequalities.. The challenge of planning services that target underserved communities remains an important issue following the pandemic, and lessons learnt from one health system are being shared.
Insights into Predictors of Vaccine Hesitancy and Promoting Factors in Childhood Immunization Programs—A Cross-Sectional Survey in Cameroon
Authors: Kemeugni Ngandjon Jonas , Ostermann Thomas , Kenmoue Virgile , Laengler Alfred
Published: February 2022

Background: Vaccination is claimed to be a key intervention against the COVID-19 pandemic. A major challenge today is to increase vaccine acceptance as vaccine hesitancy has delayed the eradication of polio. This study aimed to identify predictors associated with vaccine acceptance in the context of the Expanded Program on Immunization among parents of children between the ages of 12 to 23 months in the Foumbot district, Cameroon. Methods: The design of this study is a cross-sectional survey. A total of 160 mothers of children between the ages of 12 to 23 months were selected using a simple random sampling technique. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Incomplete vaccination status was considered “vaccine hesitancy”. Data was analyzed along with 95% confidence intervals and the p-value < 0.05. The results showed 60% vaccine acceptance and 40% vaccine hesitancy. Factors such as age-appropriate vaccination, knowledge of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD), and religion were associated with vaccine acceptance. Conclusion: Poor knowledge of VPDs is a matter of concern as it contributes to vaccine hesitancy. The study findings provide the basis to heighten health education, the public perceived threat of the VPDs, and the consequences if no measures are taken to ensure health.
Awakening City: Traces of the Circadian Rhythm within the Mobile Phone Network Data
Authors: Pintér Gergo , Felde Imre
Published: February 2022

In this study, call detail records (CDR), covering Budapest, Hungary, are processed to analyze the circadian rhythm of the subscribers. An indicator, called wake-up time, is introduced to describe the behavior of a group of subscribers. It is defined as the time when the mobile phone activity of a group rises in the morning. Its counterpart is the time when the activity falls in the evening. Inhabitant and area-based aggregation are also presented. The former is to consider the people who live in an area, while the latter uses the transit activity in an area to describe the behavior of a part of the city. The opening hours of the malls and the nightlife of the party district are used to demonstrate this application as real-life examples. The proposed approach is also used to estimate the working hours of the workplaces. The findings are in a good agreement with the practice in Hungary, and also support the workplace detection method. A negative correlation is found between the wake-up time and mobility indicators (entropy, radius of gyration): on workdays, people wake up earlier and travel more, while on holidays, it is quite the contrary. The wake-up time is evaluated in different socioeconomic classes, using housing prices and mobile phones prices, as well. It is found that lower socioeconomic groups tend to wake up earlier.
Hermetic Bags Help Afghan Rural Women Preserve Wheat Flour during Winter
Authors: Baributsa Dieudonne , Baoua Ibrahim B.
Published: February 2022

On-farm preservation of wheat flour is a challenge due to insect pests and high relative humidity. This experiment was conducted to assess the effectiveness of hermetic bags in preserving wheat flour stored by women during the wintertime when relative humidity is high. Forty women (households) from two districts in Herat province, Afghanistan, stored their wheat flour for 6 months. Each woman stored 25 kg of wheat flour in a Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bag and a polypropylene (PP) woven bag. Moisture content, insect population, flour color, bread taste, and profitability of storage were assessed. Moisture content and insect population significantly increased in PP bags after six months of storage, while no changes were observed in PICS bags. There was a significant negative correlation between wheat flour color and moisture content (r = −70.7, p < 0.001) and insect population (r = −79.9, p < 0.001). Wheat flour stored in PICS bags for 6 months retained its color and produced better bread than that stored in PP bags. Storing wheat flour in PICS bags for six months showed a return on investments (ROI) of +16.9% against −33% for the PP bag. Farm households and other wheat value chain actors can safely store wheat flour in hermetic bags for up to six months under high relative humidity conditions. This would help improve food security for millions of wheat consumers in developing countries.
Updated IQ and Well-Being Scores for the 50 U.S. States
Authors: Pesta Bryan J.
Published: February 2022

At the level of the 50 U.S. states, an interconnected nexus of well-being variables exists. These variables strongly correlate with estimates of state IQ in interesting ways. However, the state IQ estimates are now more than 16 years old, and the state well-being estimates are over 12 years old. Updated state IQ and well-being estimates are therefore needed. Thus, I first created new state IQ estimates by analyzing scores from both the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competency (for adults), and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (for fourth and eighth grade children) exams. I also created new global well-being scores by analyzing state variables from the following four well-being subdomains: crime, income, health, and education. When validating the nexus, several interesting correlations existed among the variables. For example, state IQ most strongly predicted FICO credit scores, alcohol consumption (directly), income inequality, and state temperature. Interestingly, state IQ derived here also correlated 0.58 with state IQ estimates from over 100 years ago. Global well-being likewise correlated with many old and new variables in the nexus, including a correlation of 0.80 with IQ. In sum, at the level of the U.S. state, a nexus of important, strongly correlated variables exists. These variables comprise well-being, and state IQ is a central node in this network.
Modeling Coastal Freak Wave Occurrence
Authors: Chen Ying-Chih , Doong Dong-Jiing
Published: February 2022

Fishermen frequently suffer accidents and may even drown when they are swept into the sea by coastal freak waves near the shore of northeastern Taiwan. To accurately predict the deformation of free surfaces when waves violently strike coastal structures, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model with a nonlinear and mesh-free numerical approach was adopted in this study. Eight cases based on an actual coastal freak wave accident were simulated. The results show that the maximum splash height of the coastal freak wave in the breakwater was dependent not only on the incident wave but also on the existence of armor blocks. The armor block installation reduces the overflow discharge but enhances the horizontal throw speed of the coastal freak wave by more than five times.
On the Dependency of Bottom Drag and the Eddy Viscosity upon Flow Structure in the Coastal Boundary Layer
Authors: Zhong Yao-Zhao , Chien Hwa , Lin Meng-Yu , Wargula Anna , Chen Jia-Lin
Published: February 2022

The physical processes governing coastal exchange between the surf zone, the inner shelf, and the open ocean is critical for estimating mass exchange and its impact on ecological processes. The present study combined field measurements and theoretical approaches to explore the hydrodynamics in the coastal boundary layer (CBL) in which both bottom drag and shore friction affect the transport and mixing processes. Observed drifter-cluster trajectories in a nearly alongshore-uniform coastal area showed that the occurrence of current reversal varies with cross-shore distance, which confirmed the tidal phase difference between different cross-shore distances predicted by the proposed CBL model. According to the CBL model, tidal phase difference is affected by the bottom drag coefficient and horizontal eddy viscosity coefficient. With the results of three experiments under different wave conditions, this study also discusses the effects of waves on the CBL. Data analysis based on observations indicates that the bottom drag term is closely related to the bottom shear stress induced by the interactions of waves and currents. The bottom drag coefficient under the more energetic wave condition was much greater than that under milder wave conditions during the experiment. The study also suggests that in addition to pressure gradient and bottom drag, flow structure is subject to lateral stress, which reflects the impact of shoreline roughness in the nearshore region and that the estimated eddy viscosity coefficient decreases linearly with distance from the shoreline.
Modelling Open Ocean Aquaculture Structures Using CFD and a Simulation-Based Screen Force Model
Authors: Martin Tobias , Kamath Arun , Wang Gang , Bihs Hans
Published: February 2022

The numerical framework of the open source CFD solver REEF3D is utilised to study the fluid–structure interaction of an open ocean aquaculture system and waves. The presence of the net is considered in the momentum equations of the fluid using a forcing term based on Lagrangian–Eulerian coupling and the hydrodynamic loads on the net. They are defined semi-empirically using a screen force model. Here, the hydrodynamic force coefficients are calculated from the net geometry and fluid velocity. The necessary force coefficients are predicted from a new simulation-based screen force model. Here, CFD simulations are performed to obtain the hydrodynamic loads on net panels for varying net geometries, angles of attack and velocities. Then, a Kriging metamodel is applied to fit a polynomial to the data. The proposed net model is validated against measurements for waves and current through rigid net panels and applied to simulate the dynamics of an open ocean aquaculture cage in waves. In current, the model predicts the drag forces and velocity reduction within a 10% error band, whereas it tends to under-predict the lift forces by up to 20%. In waves, the model tends to over-predict the crests with increasing wave height, but the deviations are also within a 10% error band.
Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations
Authors: Karymbalis Efthimios , Tsanakas Konstantinos , Karkani Anna , Evelpidou Niki
Published: February 2022

Global sea level has fluctuated significantly over geologic time as a result of changes in the volume of available water in the oceans and changes in the shape and volume of the ocean basins [...]
Polyketide Derivatives from the Endophytic Fungus Phaeosphaeria sp. LF5 Isolated from Huperzia serrata and Their Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activities
Authors: Xiao Yiwen , Liang Weizhong , Zhang Zhibin , Wang Ya , Zhang Shanshan , Liu Jiantao , Chang Jun , Ji Changjiu , Zhu Du
Published: February 2022

The secondary metabolites of Phaeosphaeria sp. LF5, an endophytic fungus with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity isolated from Huperzia serrata, were investigated. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic data, including one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) analyses, and calculations of electronic circular dichroism (ECD). A chemical study on the solid-cultured fungus LF5 resulted in 11 polyketide derivatives, which included three previously undescribed derivatives: aspilactonol I (4), 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-6-methylisonicotinic acid (7), and 6,8-dihydroxy-3-(1′R, 2′R-dihydroxypropyl)-isocoumarin (9), and two new natural-source-derived aspilactonols (G, H) (2, 3). Moreover, the absolute configuration of de-O-methyldiaporthin (11) was identified for the first time. Compounds 4 and 11 exhibited inhibitory activity against AChE with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 6.26 and 21.18 µM, respectively. Aspilactonol I (4) is the first reported furanone AChE inhibitor (AChEI). The results indicated that Phaeosphaeria is a good source of polyketide derivatives. This study identified intriguing lead compounds for further research and development of new AChEIs.
Epichloë Fungal Endophytes Have More Host-Dependent Effects on the Soil Microenvironment than on the Initial Litter Quality
Authors: Yang Zhen-Hui , Xing Ying , Ma Jian-Guo , Li Yu-Man , Yang Xiao-Qian , Wang Xiao-Bo
Published: February 2022

Fungal endophytes have been extensively found in most terrestrial plants. This type of plant–microorganism symbiosis generates many benefits for plant growth by promoting nutrient availability, uptake, and resistance to environmental disease or stress. Recent studies have reported that fungal endophytes have a potential impact on plant litter decomposition, but the mechanisms behind its effect are not well understood. We proposed a hypothesis that the impacts of fungal endophytes on litter decomposition are not only due to a shift in the symbiont-induced litter quality but a shift in soil microenvironment. To test this hypothesis, we set-up a field trial by planting three locally dominant grass species (wild barley, drunken horse grass, and perennial ryegrass) with Epichloë endophyte-infected (E+) and -free (E−) status, respectively. The aboveground litter and bulk soil from each plant species were collected. The litter quality and the soil biotic and abiotic parameters were analyzed to identify their changes across E+ and E− status and plant species. While Epichloë endophyte status mainly caused a significant shift in soil microenvironment, plant species had a dominant effect on litter quality. Available nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) as well as soil organic carbon and microbial biomass in most soils with planting E+ plants increased by 17.19%, 14.28%, 23.82%, and 11.54%, respectively, in comparison to soils with planting E− plants. Our results confirm that fungal endophytes have more of an influence on the soil microenvironment than the aboveground litter quality, providing a partial explanation of the home-field advantage of litter decomposition.
The Utility of EQUAL Candida Score in Predicting Mortality in Patients with Candidemia
Authors: El Zakhem Aline , El Eid Rozana , Istambouli Rachid , Tamim Hani , Kanj Souha S.
Published: February 2022

In an effort to standardize practice, the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) developed the European Confederation of Medical Mycology Quality of Clinical Candidaemia Management (EQUAL) Candida score. This study investigated the utility of the EQUAL Candida score in predicting mortality in patients with candidemia admitted between January 2004 and July 2019. A total of 142 cases were included in the study, and 43.6% died within 30 days of candidemia diagnosis. There were no significant differences between survivors and non-survivors in terms of comorbidities predisposing to candidemia, except for malignancy (p = 0.021). The overall mean EQUAL score was 11.5 in the total population and 11.8 ± 3.82 and 11.03 ± 4.59 in survivors and non-survivors, respectively. When patients with a central venous catheter (CVC) were considered alone, survivors were found to have significantly higher scores than non-survivors (13.1 ± 3.19 vs. 11.3 ± 4.77, p = 0.025). When assessing components of the EQUAL Score separately, only candida speciation (p = 0.013), susceptibility testing (p = 0.012) and echocardiography results (p = 0.012) were significantly associated with a lower case-fatality rate. A higher EQUAL Candida score was able to predict a lower case-fatality rate in patients with a CVC.
Magnetic Resonance-Based Synthetic Computed Tomography Using Generative Adversarial Networks for Intracranial Tumor Radiotherapy Treatment Planning
Authors: Wang Chun-Chieh , Wu Pei-Huan , Lin Gigin , Huang Yen-Ling , Lin Yu-Chun , Chang Yi-Peng (Eve) , Weng Jun-Cheng
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this work is to develop a reliable deep-learning-based method that is capable of synthesizing needed CT from MRI for radiotherapy treatment planning. Simultaneously, we try to enhance the resolution of synthetic CT. We adopted pix2pix with a 3D framework, which is a conditional generative adversarial network, to map the MRI data domain into the CT data domain of our dataset. The original dataset contains paired MRI and CT images of 31 subjects; 26 pairs were used for model training and 5 were used for model validation. To identify the correctness of the synthetic CT of models, all of the synthetic CTs were calculated by the quantized image similarity formulas: cosine angle distance, Euclidean distance, mean square error, peak signal-to-noise ratio, and mean structural similarity. Two radiologists independently evaluated the satisfaction score, including spatial, detail, contrast, noise, and artifacts, for each imaging attribute. The mean (±standard deviation) of the structural similarity indices (CAD, L2 norm, MSE, PSNR, and MSSIM) between five real CT scans and the synthetic CT scans were 0.96 ± 0.015, 76.83 ± 12.06, 0.00118 ± 0.00037, 29.47 ± 1.35, and 0.84 ± 0.036, respectively. For synthetic CT, radiologists rated the results as evincing excellent satisfaction in spatial geometry and noise level, good satisfaction in contrast and artifacts, and fair imaging details. The similarity index and clinical evaluation results between synthetic CT and original CT guarantee the usability of the proposed method.
Taking the Next Step in Personalised Orthopaedic Implantation
Authors: Rudert Maximilian
Published: February 2022

Most of the treatments in medicine are patient specific, are they not [...]
On Syntactic Integration and Semantico-Pragmatic Distribution of Mbya Guarani Purpose Coding Strategies
Authors: Baranger Estefanía
Published: February 2022

The aim of this paper is to describe the available strategies for coding purpose relations in Mbya, focusing on their semantico-pragmatic distribution. According to Dooley, Mbya Guarani presents two main different strategies involved in the coding of purpose relations: aguã nominalizations and vy-dependent clauses, and among the latter a motion-cum-purpose (MCP) construction subtype is included. These strategies differ in regard to the semantic class of the main verb, referential continuity between the dependent and the main unit, and the fact that the dependent form can be negated independently from the main clause—thus, establishing different degrees of integration within the main unit in each case—, but overlap in same-subject contexts that involve a directed motion verb. However, according to our data, speakers do not use these constructions interchangeably, whereas aguã nominalizations portray an intended hypothetical outcome of the event or state-of-affair (hereafter SoA) expressed in the matrix clause; vy-dependent clauses and motion-cum-purpose constructions consistently trigger a result interpretation, entailing that the intended SoA was successfully accomplished.
Wargaming with Quadratic Forms and Brauer Configuration Algebras
Authors: Moreno Cañadas Agustín , Fernández Espinosa Pedro Fernando , Bravo Rios Gabriel
Published: February 2022

Recently, Postnikov introduced Bert Kostant’s game to build the maximal positive root associated with the quadratic form of a simple graph. This result, and some other games based on Cartan matrices, give a new version of Gabriel’s theorem regarding algebras classification. In this paper, as a variation of Bert Kostant’s game, we introduce a wargame based on a missile defense system (MDS). In this case, missile trajectories are interpreted as suitable paths of a quiver (directed graph). The MDS protects a region of the Euclidean plane by firing missiles from a ground-based interceptor (GBI) located at the point (0,0). In this case, a missile success interception occurs if a suitable positive number associated with the launches of the enemy army can be written as a mixed sum of triangular and square numbers.
Using Pairwise Comparisons to Determine Consumer Preferences in Hotel Selection
Authors: Krivulin Nikolai , Prinkov Alexey , Gladkikh Igor
Published: February 2022

We consider the problem of evaluating preferences for criteria used by university students when selecting a hotel for accommodation during a professional development program in a foreign country. Input data for analysis come from a survey of 202 respondents, who indicated their age, sex and whether they have previously visited the country. The criteria under evaluation are location, accommodation cost, typical guests, free breakfast, room amenities and courtesy of staff. The respondents assess the criteria both directly by providing estimates of absolute ratings and ranks, and indirectly by relative estimates using ratios of pairwise comparisons. To improve the accuracy of ratings derived from pairwise comparisons, we concurrently apply the principal eigenvector method, the geometric mean method and the method of log-Chebyshev approximation. Then, the results from the direct and indirect evaluation of ratings and ranks are examined together to analyze how the results from pairwise comparisons may differ from each other and from the results of direct assessment by respondents. We apply statistical techniques, such as estimation of means, standard deviations and correlations, to the vectors of ratings and ranks provided directly or indirectly by respondents, and then use the estimates to make accurate assessment of the criteria under study.
LinkNet-B7: Noise Removal and Lesion Segmentation in Images of Skin Cancer
Authors: Akyel Cihan , Arıcı Nursal
Published: February 2022

Skin cancer is common nowadays. Early diagnosis of skin cancer is essential to increase patients’ survival rate. In addition to traditional methods, computer-aided diagnosis is used in diagnosis of skin cancer. One of the benefits of this method is that it eliminates human error in cancer diagnosis. Skin images may contain noise such as like hair, ink spots, rulers, etc., in addition to the lesion. For this reason, noise removal is required. The noise reduction in lesion images can be referred to as noise removal. This phase is very important for the correct segmentation of the lesions. One of the most critical problems in using such automated methods is the inaccuracy in cancer diagnosis because noise removal and segmentation cannot be performed effectively. We have created a noise dataset (hair, rulers, ink spots, etc.) that includes 2500 images and masks. There is no such noise dataset in the literature. We used this dataset for noise removal in skin cancer images. Two datasets from the International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC) and the PH2 were used in this study. In this study, a new approach called LinkNet-B7 for noise removal and segmentation of skin cancer images is presented. LinkNet-B7 is a LinkNet-based approach that uses EfficientNetB7 as the encoder. We used images with 16 slices. This way, we lose fewer pixel values. LinkNet-B7 has a 6% higher success rate than LinkNet with the same dataset and parameters. Training accuracy for noise removal and lesion segmentation was calculated to be 95.72% and 97.80%, respectively.