bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A self-consistent framework of topological amplitude and its SU(N) decomposition
Authors: Wang Di , Jia Cai-Ping , Yu Fu-Sheng
Published: September 2021

Abstract

We propose a systematic theoretical framework for the topological amplitudes of the heavy meson decays and their SU(N) decomposition. In the framework, the topologies are expressed in invariant tensors and classified into tree- and penguin-operator-induced diagrams according to which four-quark operators, tree or penguin, being inserted into their effective weak vertexes. The number of possible topologies contributing to one type of decay can be counted by permutations and combinations. The Wigner-Eckhart theorem ensures the topological amplitudes under flavor symmetry are the same for different decay channels. By decomposing the four-quark operators into irreducible representations of SU(N) group, one can get the SU(N) irreducible amplitudes. Taking the D → PP decay (P denoting a pseudoscalar meson) with SU(3)F symmetry as an example, we present our framework in detail. The linear correlation of topologies in the SU(3)F limit is clarified in group theory. It is found there are only nine independent topologies in all tree- and penguin-operator-induced diagrams contributing to the D → PP decays in the Standard Model. If a large quark-loop diagram, named TLP, is assumed, the large ∆ACP and the very different D0→ K+K− and D0→ π+π− branching fractions can be explained with a normal U-spin breaking. Moreover, our framework provides a simple way to analyze the SU(N) breaking effects. The linear SU(3)F breaking and the high order U-spin breaking in charm decays are re-investigated in our framework, which are consistent with literature. Analogous to the degeneracy and splitting of energy levels, we propose the concepts of degeneracy and splitting of topologies to describe the flavor symmetry breaking effects in decay. As applications, we analyze the strange-less D decays in SU(3)F symmetry breaking into Isospin symmetry and the charm-less B decays in SU(4)F symmetry breaking into SU(3)F symmetry.
The influence of groundwater abstraction on interpreting climate controls and extreme recharge events from well hydrographs in semi-arid South Africa
Authors: Sorensen James P. R. , Davies Jeff , Ebrahim Girma Y. , Lindle John , Marchant Ben P. , Ascott Matthew J. , Bloomfield John P. , Cuthbert Mark O. , Holland Martin , Jensen K. H. , Shamsudduha M. , Villholth Karen G. , MacDonald Alan M. , Taylor Richard G.
Published: September 2021

There is a scarcity of long-term groundwater hydrographs from sub-Saharan Africa to investigate groundwater sustainability, processes and controls. This paper presents an analysis of 21 hydrographs from semi-arid South Africa. Hydrographs from 1980 to 2000 were converted to standardised groundwater level indices and rationalised into four types (C1–C4) using hierarchical cluster analysis. Mean hydrographs for each type were cross-correlated with standardised precipitation and streamflow indices. Relationships with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) were also investigated. The four hydrograph types show a transition of autocorrelation over increasing timescales and increasingly subdued responses to rainfall. Type C1 strongly relates to rainfall, responding in most years, whereas C4 notably responds to only a single extreme event in 2000 and has limited relationship with rainfall. Types C2, C3 and C4 have stronger statistical relationships with standardised streamflow than standardised rainfall. C3 and C4 changes are significantly (p < 0.05) correlated to the mean wet season ENSO anomaly, indicating a tendency for substantial or minimal recharge to occur during extreme negative and positive ENSO years, respectively. The range of different hydrograph types, sometimes within only a few kilometres of each other, appears to be a result of abstraction interference and cannot be confidently attributed to variations in climate or hydrogeological setting. It is possible that high groundwater abstraction near C3/C4 sites masks frequent small-scale recharge events observed at C1/C2 sites, resulting in extreme events associated with negative ENSO years being more visible in the time series.
Inflation nach Corona: Sind die Sorgen berechtigt?
Authors:   ZG Überblick
Published: September 2021

Im August 2021 wird die deutsche Inflationsrate voraussichtlich auf 3,9 % steigen. Ein Teil davon dürfte einmaligen oder vorübergehenden Effekten geschuldet sein. Hierzu zählen in Deutschland vor allem die Rücknahme der Mehrwertsteuersenkung, die Ausweitung der CO2-Bepreisung sowie Preisanstiege durch die Knappheit von Rohstoffen und Vorprodukten. Dennoch mag es strukturelle Gründe für eine steigende Inflation geben. So werden zum Teil die lockere Geldpolitik und das neue Inflationsziel der EZB für höhere Inflationsrisiken verantwortlich gemacht. Außerdem führt die expansive Fiskalpolitik der neuen US-Administration zu höheren Preissteigerungsraten in den USA. Ob die Möglichkeit einer Lohn-Preis-Spirale besteht und ob die Inflationsmessung verbesserungsfähig ist, wird ebenfalls im Rahmen dieses Zeitgesprächs diskutiert.
Die Grundsicherung für Arbeitsuchende im europäischen Kontext
Authors: Konle-Seidl Regina
Published: September 2021

Während auf europäischer Ebene eine Stärkung von Mindestsicherungssystemen im Rahmen der Umsetzung der Europäischen Säule sozialer Rechte diskutiert wird, ist die deutsche Diskussion im Vorfeld der Bundestagswahl 2021 durch unterschiedlich weitreichende Vorschläge zur Reform des Grundsicherungssystems (Überwindung von Hartz IV) geprägt. Die auf EU-Ebene verwendeten Kriterien zur Beurteilung von Mindestsicherungssystemen werden beschrieben, und die deutsche Grundsicherung wird in den europäischen Benchmarking-Rahmen eingeordnet. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden Vorschläge zur Reform des Harz-IV-Systems aufgezeigt.
Financing Energy Innovation: Internal Finance and the Direction of Technical Change
Authors: Noailly Joëlle , Smeets Roger
Published: September 2021

Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and of climate neutrality by 2050 in the European Union will require mobilizing financial investments towards clean energy innovation. This study examines the role of internal finance (cash flows and cash holdings) and financing constraints for innovation in energy technologies. We construct a dataset for 1,300 European firms combining balance-sheet information and patenting activities in renewable (REN) and fossil-fuel (FF) technologies and estimate the sensitivity of patenting activities to firms’ internal finance. We use count estimation techniques and control for a large set of firm-specific characteristics and market developments in REN and FF technologies. We find that patenting activities of firms specialized in REN innovation are significantly more sensitive to a shock in cash flows than firms specializing in FF innovation. Hence, our results emphasize that innovative firms in clean energy may be particularly vulnerable to financing constraints. We discuss the implications of these results for energy transition policies aiming to redirect finance towards clean energy R&D.
Climate Uncertainty, Real Possibilities and the Precautionary Principle
Authors: Hopster Jeroen
Published: September 2021

A challenge faced by defenders of the precautionary principle is to clarify when the evidence that a harmful event might occur suffices to regard this prospect as a real possibility. Plausible versions of the principle must articulate some epistemic threshold, or de minimis requirement, which specifies when precautionary measures are justified. Critics have argued that formulating such a threshold is problematic in the context of the precautionary principle. First, this is because the precautionary principle appears to be ambiguous about the distinction between risk and uncertainty: should the principle merely be invoked when evidential probabilities are absent, or also when probabilities have low epistemic credentials? Secondly, defenders of the precautionary principle face an aggregation puzzle: in judging whether or not the de minimis requirement has been met, how should first-order evidential probabilities and their second-order epistemic standing be aggregated? This article argues that the ambiguity can be resolved, and the epistemological puzzle can be solved. Focusing on decisions in the context of climate uncertainty, I advance a version of the precautionary principle that serves as a plausible decision rule, to be adopted in situations where its main alternative—cost–benefit analysis—does not deliver.
Mating Market and Dynamics of Union Formation
Authors: Corti Giulia , Scherer Stefani
Published: September 2021

The paper investigates the relationship between structural partner market constraints and the timing and educational sorting of unions in Germany (1985–2018). We integrate the literature on the effect of the reversed gender gap in education on educational assortative mating, with a focus on mating dynamics and the measurement of the partner market over the life course. We concentrate on two particular educational groups, low-educated men and highly educated women, those with worsening mating prospects and more subject to experience hypogamous unions. Our results show that the local education-specific mating squeeze influences union formation, its timing, and educational sorting. Indeed, for the two groups, the increasing supply of highly educated women in the partner market increases the likelihood of remaining single or establishing an hypogamous union, where she is higher educated than he. In line with search theory, we find the effects of the mating squeeze to become particularly visible after people turn 30 years of age. This is true for the risk of remaining single and forming an hypogamous union. We underline the necessity to study assortative mating and union formation from a dynamic perspective, taking into account changing structural conditions during the partner search process.
Optimally rescheduling jobs with a Last-In-First-Out buffer
Authors: Nicosia Gaia , Pacifici Andrea , Pferschy Ulrich , Resch Julia , Righini Giovanni
Published: September 2021

This paper considers single-machine scheduling problems in which a given solution, i.e., an ordered set of jobs, has to be improved as much as possible by re-sequencing the jobs. The need for rescheduling may arise in different contexts, e.g., due to changes in the job data or because of the local objective in a stage of a supply chain that is not aligned with the given sequence. A common production setting entails the movement of jobs (or parts) on a conveyor. This is reflected in our model by facilitating the re-sequencing of jobs via a buffer of limited capacity accessible by a LIFO policy. We consider the classical objective functions of total weighted completion time, maximum lateness and (weighted) number of late jobs and study their complexity. For three of these problems, we present strictly polynomial-time dynamic programming algorithms, while for the case of minimizing the weighted number of late jobs NP-hardness is proven and a pseudo-polynomial algorithm is given.
Training with an auditory perceptual learning game transfers to speech in competition
Authors: de Larrea-Mancera E. Sebastian Lelo , Philipp Mark A. , Stavropoulos Trevor , Carrillo Audrey Anna , Cheung Sierra , Koerner Tess K. , Molis Michelle R. , Gallun Frederick J. , Seitz Aaron R.
Published: September 2021

Understanding speech in the presence of acoustical competition is a major complaint of those with hearing difficulties. Here, a novel perceptual learning game was tested for its effectiveness in reducing difficulties with hearing speech in competition. The game was designed to train a mixture of auditory processing skills thought to underlie speech in competition, such as spectral-temporal processing, sound localization, and auditory working memory. Training on these skills occurred both in quiet and in competition with noise. Thirty college-aged participants without any known hearing difficulties were assigned either to this mixed-training condition or an active control consisting of frequency discrimination training within the same gamified setting. To assess training effectiveness, tests of speech in competition (primary outcome), as well as basic supra-threshold auditory processing and cognitive processing abilities (secondary outcomes) were administered before and after training. Results suggest modest improvements on speech in competition tests in the mixed-training compared to the frequency-discrimination control condition (Cohen’s d = 0.68). While the sample is small, and in normally hearing individuals, these data suggest promise of future study in populations with hearing difficulties.
A Novel Process for Intercalating Alkylammonium Ions in a Thai Bentonite and its Effect on Adsorption Performance
Authors: Intachai Sonchai , Suppaso Chomponoot , Khaorapapong Nithima
Published: September 2021

The organization of organic species on the ordered structures of clays and clay minerals is one way to produce inorganic-organic hybrids with controlled microstructures and properties. The reactions of the adsorbed species and their arrangement on the clay surfaces can be guided by the choice of clay and of adsorbed species. The purpose of the present study was to intercalate alkylammonium ions into a Thai bentonite and to study the effect on dye-adsorption efficiency. A series of alkylammonium ions, CnH2n+1NH3+ (n = 8, 10, 12, or 18), was incorporated into the interlayer spaces of a natural bentonite by mixing an aqueous dispersion of bentonite with an aqueous solution of protonated alkylamines at room temperature. The basal spacings of the intercalation compounds varied depending on the alkyl chain lengths and the amount of alkylammonium ions. The alkylammonium ions adsorbed formed lateral monolayer, bilayer, pseudo-trimolecular layer, paraffin-type monolayer, and/or paraffin-type bilayer structures. The adsorption efficiency of alkylammonium-bentonites was determined using batch adsorption experiments of rhodamine 6G from a water-ethanol solution; the greatest efficiency was 87% while that of the bare bentonite was 47%. The loading amount and the arrangement of the intercalated alkylammonium ions in the interlayer spaces, as well as the specific surface area and pore volume, played important roles in the adsorption efficiency of alkylammonium-bentonite. The adsorption equilibrium data for rhodamine 6G on the best adsorbent were interpreted using the Langmuir isotherm model and a pseudo-second order kinetics model. The adsorption efficiency of the adsorbent decreased by only 17% after five runs.
Understanding the socioeconomic determinants of adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices among smallholder potato farmers in Gilgil Sub-County, Kenya
Authors: Waaswa Andrew , Nkurumwa Agnes Oywaya , Kibe Anthony Mwangi , Ng’eno Joel Kipkemoi
Published: September 2021

Besides climate-smart agriculture’s (CSA) potential to meet the world’s increasing food demands in the face of climate variability through sustainably increasing food production, its acceptance among farmers is still low. This could be partly because of limited insight into the contextual underpinnings of its uptake. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between selected socioeconomic factors and the adoption of CSA in Gilgil Sub-County. This study’s results were attained from a binary logistic regression model, using a sample of 120 smallholder potato farmers in two wards of Gilgil Sub-County of Nakuru County, Kenya. An analysis of the five hypothesized explanatory socioeconomic variables contained in the model disclosed that a relationship between socioeconomic factors and adoption of CSAPs was statistically significant at a 5% level of significance (χ2 = 17.966, df = 5, p < 0.05). It further revealed that only two variables had a significant relationship with the adoption of CSAPs. Among these, included gender which was negative and statistically significant at a 5% level of significance (Wald χ2 = 6.701, df = 1, p < 0.05) and annual farm income, which was positive and statistically significant at a 5% level of significance (Wald χ2 = 8.402, df = 1, p < 0.05). Therefore, securing access to vital resources for women farmers is indispensable to enhance their capacity and compliance to adjust production methods in response to climate change. Facilitating increased farm output and income among the farmers is greatly recommended.
A new narrative for sustainability: Exploring biogas plants as ‘first movers’ in raising energy awareness
Authors: Chodkowska-Miszczuk Justyna
Published: September 2021

It is not only worth talking about the chances of survival in the fight against emerging environmental and socio-economic threats, but it is necessary to use all possible means to influence public awareness. It is awareness that shapes our attitudes and literacy. The core of these tools is cross-sectoral place-based education. This raises the question of the role of new energy actors in the education process. As ‘first movers’, they have enormous power in the local community. Are they therefore merely energy producers, or perhaps, using their position, are they actively involved in creating local energy behaviours? A combination of social research methods including qualitative studies helped respond to this question. As the study shows, an opportunity for effective education is contextualisation, embedding educators in the local social structure and including first movers – energy producers – in this process. Biogas entrepreneurs transpose the knowledge of renewable energy – a globally known issue – to the local level. The provision of comprehensive education requires institutional support focused on building partnerships between policy makers, teachers and practitioners, enabling not only trans-sectoral contact but also the exchange of experience.
Change and Diversity in Neolithic Mortuary Practices on the Isle of Man
Authors: Fowler Chris , Crellin Rachel J. , Gamble Michelle
Published: September 2021

While the Early Neolithic chambered tombs of the Isle of Man are well known and the Late Neolithic has been clearly defined with reference to a distinctive suite of artefacts, little is known about the Middle Neolithic. This article reports on 17 new Neolithic radiocarbon dates from cremated human remains from the Isle of Man. These identify five burials in cists as Middle Neolithic and indicate new sequences of activity at cemeteries starting in the Middle Neolithic. Each of these sites is examined in detail. The dates also spur a reconsideration of the development of Ronaldsway pottery and the integration of Grooved Ware pottery and motifs into early 3rd millennium practice on the island. The paper ends with a consideration of the changing effects of mortuary practices throughout the Neolithic on the Isle of Man and a discussion of connections with Middle and Late Neolithic activity in Ireland and Britain.
‘FOR THEMISTOCLES OF PHREARRHIOI, ON ACCOUNT OF HONOUR’: OSTRACISM, HONOUR AND THE NATURE OF ATHENIAN POLITICS
Authors: Barbato Matteo
Published: September 2021

This article offers a new interpretation of the Athenian institution of ostracism and explores its significance for our understanding of democratic politics. A popular scholarly trend interprets ostracism as an instrument for pursuing (or regulating) conflict among aristocratic politicians, in accordance with a view of Athenian democracy as dominated by a restricted elite competing for power and prestige. This article aims to reassess this picture by investigating ostracism in the light of recent studies of honour, which have stressed honour's potential for balancing competition and cooperation within communities. By using the ostracism of Themistocles as a case study, it argues that ostracism was a manifestation of an institutionalized concern for honour in Athenian democracy. On the one hand, ostracism could punish politically active citizens who, in excessively enhancing their own honour, failed to respect democratic equality. On the other, it could be employed for tackling shameful behaviour which placed the agent below the community's standards of honour. The article then sets ostracism against Athens’ broader institutional framework and argues that Athenian democracy was not so much concerned with policing intra-elite conflict as much as it was designed to foster a balance between competitive and cooperative values and ensure broad participation in the political domain.
Mechanistic plan and urban mass: two contexts of efficient wedding halls in Turkey
Authors: Altürk Emre
Published: September 2021

The efficiency demanded by the modern world affects most areas of life, including the organisation of space. Industrial production is an emblematic field for this phenomenon, having deeply affected architecture and the urban environment. Before industrial production began inspiring modern architecture, the modernisation of expanding European urban fabric in the nineteenth century was mostly driven by the implementation of new transportation infrastructure ensuring the effective functioning of metropolitan areas. The reorganisation of space at all scales and according to a rationale relating to economic drive, industrial production, mass consumption, or scientific management has been the defining characteristic of the modern era, coupled with and in relation to the unprecedented concentration of population, goods, and services. This rationale has since infiltrated, arguably, all spheres of life and has been so internalised by many that it is usually hard to discern.
Hidden Homelessness: A Scoping Review and Avenues for Further Inquiry
Authors: Deleu Harm , Schrooten Mieke , Hermans Koen
Published: September 2021

Traditional interpretations of homelessness focus on people living on the streets or in shelters. However, homelessness encompasses many more living situations. This article reports on a scoping review of studies on hidden homelessness. A systematic search in scientific databanks was combined with an exploration of Google Scholar. The results of the review reveal a lack of consensus regarding the definition of the concept. Moreover, since most studies focus on a certain subgroup in the population, it is hard to compare profile characteristics of people living in different forms of homelessness. The applied research methods prove to be valuable, although they often underestimate the number and/or character of the phenomena. Very little longitudinal research on hidden homelessness seems to be available. Based on the findings of the scoping review, the article draws up an agenda for further research in order to capture the complex reality of contemporary forms of homelessness.
William Gore: A Puseyite in Parramatta
Authors: Willson Robert
Published: September 2021

This article examines the way one nineteenth-century clergyman of the Church of England in Australia, William Gore, was influenced by the Oxford Movement. Gore was the incumbent of the parish of All Saints Church, North Parramatta in Sydney. He implemented liturgical practices valued by the Oxford Movement, including wearing a surplice to preach rather than a Geneva gown, reading the Offertory sentences in the service of Holy Communion in the Book of Common Prayer, celebrating the Holy Communion on the saints days set in the Prayer Book and placing a cross on the holy table. He was supported by his bishop, William Grant Broughton. The reaction from parishioners was surprise, shock and opposition and he was branded as a ‘Puseyite’. This article uses local primary material, including press reports of parish meetings, to describe the reactions of parishioners in parish meetings against Gore’s liturgical uses. Gore’s activities are assessed as an important early example of the Oxford Movement’s influence in the Church of England in Australia. Gore’s practices, discussed in the public domain, provide evidence that the Oxford Movement was beginning to transform the nineteenth-century liturgical worship of the Church of England in Australia.
The LIN28B/TGF-β/TGFBI feedback loop promotes cell migration and tumour initiation potential in cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Puthdee Nattapong , Sriswasdi Sira , Pisitkun Trairak , Ratanasirintrawoot Sutheera , Israsena Nipan , Tangkijvanich Pisit
Published: September 2021

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a lethal malignancy of the biliary epithelium, is the second most common primary liver cancer. The poor prognosis of CCA is due to the high rate of tumour invasion and distant metastasis. We found that the RNA-binding protein LIN28B, a known regulator of microRNA biogenesis, stem cell maintenance, and oncogenesis, is expressed in a subpopulation of CCA patients. To further investigate the potential role of LIN28B in CCA pathogenesis, we studied the effect of LIN28B overexpression in the cholangiocyte cell line MMNK-1 and cholangiocarcinoma cell lines HuCCT-1 and KKU-214. Here, we show that enhanced LIN28B expression promoted cancer stem cell-like properties in CCA, including enhanced cell migration, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increased cell proliferation and spheroid formation. Proteomic analysis revealed TGF-β-induced protein (TGFBI) as a novel LIN28B target gene, and further analysis showed upregulation of other components of the TGF-β signalling pathway, including TGF-β receptor type I (TGFBRI) expression and cytokine TGFB-I, II and III secretion. Importantly, the small molecule TGF-β inhibitor SB431542 negated the effects of LIN28B on both cell migration and clonogenic potential. Overexpression of TGFBI alone promoted cholangiocarcinoma cell migration and EMT changes, but not spheroid formation, suggesting that TGFBI partially contributes to LIN28B-mediated aggressive cell behaviour. These observations are consistent with a model in which TGF-β and LIN28B work together to form a positive feedback loop during cholangiocarcinoma metastasis and provide a therapeutic intervention opportunity.
Fine mapping of the HLA locus in Parkinson’s disease in Europeans
Authors: Yu Eric , Ambati Aditya , Andersen Maren Stolp , Krohn Lynne , Estiar Mehrdad A. , Saini Prabhjyot , Senkevich Konstantin , Sosero Yuri L. , Sreelatha Ashwin Ashok Kumar , Ruskey Jennifer A. , Asayesh Farnaz , Spiegelman Dan , Toft Mathias , Viken Marte K. , Sharma Manu , Blauwendraat Cornelis , Pihlstrøm Lasse , Mignot Emmanuel , Gan-Or Ziv
Published: September 2021

We fine mapped the leukocyte antigen (HLA)region in 13,770 Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, 20,214 proxy-cases, and 490,861 controls of European origin. FourHLAtypes were associated with PD after correction for multiple comparisons,HLA-DQA1*03:01,HLA-DQB1*03:02,HLA-DRB1*04:01, andHLA-DRB1*04:04. Haplotype analyses followed by amino acid analysis and conditional analyses suggested that the association is protective and primarily driven by three specific amino acid polymorphisms present in mostHLA-DRB1*04 subtypes—11V, 13H, and 33H (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.83–0.90,p < 8.23 × 10−9for all three variants). No other effects were present after adjustment for these amino acids. Our results suggest that specificHLA-DRB1variants are associated with reduced risk of PD, providing additional evidence for the role of the immune system in PD. Although effect size is small and has no diagnostic significance, understanding the mechanism underlying this association may lead to the identification of new targets for therapeutics development.
No association between cortical dopamine D2 receptor availability and cognition in antipsychotic-naive first-episode psychosis
Authors: Lee Maria , Fatouros-Bergman Helena , Plavén-Sigray Pontus , Ikonen Victorsson Pauliina , Sellgren Carl M. , Erhardt Sophie , Flyckt Lena , Farde Lars , Cervenka Simon
Published: September 2021

Cognitive impairment is an important predictor of disability in schizophrenia. Dopamine neurotransmission in cortical brain regions has been suggested to be of importance for higher-order cognitive processes. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between extrastriatal dopamine D2-R availability and cognitive function, using positron emission tomography and the high-affinity D2-R radioligand [11C]FLB 457, in an antipsychotic-naive sample of 18 first-episode psychosis patients and 16 control subjects. We observed no significant associations between D2-R binding in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or hippocampus (β = 0.013–0.074, partial r = −0.037–0.273, p = 0.131–0.841). Instead, using Bayesian statistics, we found moderate support for the null hypothesis of no relationship (BFH0:H1 = 3.3–8.2). Theoretically, our findings may suggest a lack of detrimental effects of D2-R antagonist drugs on cognition in schizophrenia patients, in line with clinical observations.
ECG-based machine-learning algorithms for heartbeat classification
Authors: Aziz Saira , Ahmed Sajid , Alouini Mohamed-Slim
Published: September 2021

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals represent the electrical activity of the human hearts and consist of several waveforms (P, QRS, and T). The duration and shape of each waveform and the distances between different peaks are used to diagnose heart diseases. In this work, to better analyze ECG signals, a new algorithm that exploits two-event related moving-averages (TERMA) and fractional-Fourier-transform (FrFT) algorithms is proposed. The TERMA algorithm specifies certain areas of interest to locate desired peak, while the FrFT rotates ECG signals in the time-frequency plane to manifest the locations of various peaks. The proposed algorithm’s performance outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms. Moreover, to automatically classify heart disease, estimated peaks, durations between different peaks, and other ECG signal features were used to train a machine-learning model. Most of the available studies uses the MIT-BIH database (only 48 patients). However, in this work, the recently reported Shaoxing People’s Hospital (SPH) database, which consists of more than 10,000 patients, was used to train the proposed machine-learning model, which is more realistic for classification. The cross-database training and testing with promising results is the uniqueness of our proposed machine-learning model.
Mendelian randomization study on atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular disease subtypes
Authors: Kwok Man Ki , Schooling Catherine Mary
Published: September 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with numerous diseases. However, whether AF is a cause or consequence of these diseases is uncertain. To clarify, we assessed the causal role of AF on ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, other cardiovascular disease (CVD) subtypes, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and late-onset AD using bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) among people primarily of European descent. Genetically predicted log odds of AF was associated with any stroke (odds ratio (OR) 1.22, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.27), particularly cardioembolic stroke and possibly subdural hemorrhage, with sensitivity analyses showing similar positive findings. Genetically predicted AF was also associated with arterial thromboembolism (1.32, 1.13 to 1.53), and heart failure (1.26, 1.21 to 1.30). No association of genetically predicted AF with IHD, T2DM, cognitive function, or late-onset AD was found. Conversely, genetically predicted IHD, heart failure and possibly ischemic stroke, particularly cardioembolic stroke, were positively associated with AF. Atrial fibrillation plays a role in any stroke, arterial thromboembolism, and heart failure, corroborating current clinical guidelines on the importance of preventing these complications by effective AF management. In addition, patients with IHD, heart failure or possibly ischemic stroke might be predisposed to developing AF, with implications for management.
Risk factors associated with suicide among esophageal carcinoma patients from 1975 to 2016
Authors: Chen Chongfa , Lin Huapeng , Xu Fengfeng , Liu Jianyong , Cai Qiucheng , Yang Fang , Lv Lizhi , Jiang Yi
Published: September 2021

Throughout the world, esophageal cancer patients had a greater suicidal risk compared with ordinary people. Thus, we aimed to affirm suicide rates, standardized mortality rates, and underlying suicide-related risk factors of esophageal cancer patients. Patients suffering esophageal cancer were chosen from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results repository in 1975–2016. Suicide rates as well as standardized mortality rates in the patients were measured. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression had been adopted for establishing the latent suicide risk factors among patients suffering esophageal cancer. On multivariable Cox regression, gender (male vs. female, HR: 6.37), age of diagnosis (70–105 vs. 0–55, HR: 2.69), marital status, race (white race vs. black race, HR: 6.64; American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander vs. black race, HR: 8.60), histologic Grade (Grade III vs. Grade I, HR: 2.36), no surgery performed (no/unknown vs. yes, HR: 2.01), no chemotherapy performed were independent risk factors related to suicide in patients suffering esophageal cancer. Male sex, the older age, unmarried state, non-black race, histologic Grade III, no surgery performed, no chemotherapy performed were strongly related to suicide in patients suffering esophageal cancer.
The multiple mechanisms of MCL1 in the regulation of cell fate
Authors: Widden Hayley , Placzek William J.
Published: September 2021

MCL1 (myeloid cell leukemia-1) is a widely recognized pro-survival member of the Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma protein 2) family and a promising target for cancer therapy. While the role MCL1 plays in apoptosis is well defined, its participation in emerging non-apoptotic signaling pathways is only beginning to be appreciated. Here, we synthesize studies characterizing MCL1s influence on cell proliferation, DNA damage response, autophagy, calcium handling, and mitochondrial quality control to highlight the broader scope that MCL1 plays in cellular homeostasis regulation. Throughout this review, we discuss which pathways are likely to be impacted by emerging MCL1 inhibitors, as well as highlight non-cancerous disease states that could deploy Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3)-mimetics in the future.
Heterogeneous node copying from hidden network structure
Authors: Falkenberg Max
Published: September 2021

Node copying is an important mechanism for network formation, yet most models assume uniform copying rules. Motivated by observations of heterogeneous triadic closure in real networks, we introduce the concept of a hidden network model—a generative two-layer model in which an observed network evolves according to the structure of an underlying hidden layer—and apply the framework to a model of heterogeneous copying. Framed in a social context, these two layers represent a node’s inner social circle, and wider social circle, such that the model can bias copying probabilities towards, or against, a node’s inner circle of friends. Comparing the case of extreme inner circle bias to an equivalent model with uniform copying, we find that heterogeneous copying suppresses the power-law degree distributions commonly seen in copying models, and results in networks with much higher clustering than even the most optimum scenario for uniform copying. Similarly large clustering values are found in real collaboration networks, lending empirical support to the mechanism.
Structural complexity and the metal-to-semiconductor transition in lead telluride
Authors: Zelenina Iryna , Simon Paul , Veremchuk Igor , Wang Xinke , Bobnar Matej , Lu Wenjun , Liebscher Christian H. , Grin Yuri
Published: September 2021

Lead chalcogenides are known for their thermoelectric properties since the first work of Thomas Seebeck on the discovery of this phenomenon. Yet, the electronic properties of lead telluride are still of interest due to the incomplete understanding of the metal-to-semiconductor transition at temperatures around  230 °C. Here, a temperature-dependent atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy study performed on a single crystal of lead telluride reveals structural reasons for this electronic transition. Below the transition temperature, the formation of a dislocation network due to shifts of the NaCl-like atomic slabs perpendicular to {100} was observed. The local structure modification leads to the appearance of in-gap electronic states and causes metal-like electronic transport behavior. The dislocation network disappears with increasing temperature, yielding semiconductor-like electrical conductivity, and re-appears after cooling to room temperature restoring the metal-like behavior. The structural defects coupled to the ordering of stereochemically active lone pairs of lead atoms are discussed in the context of dislocations' formation.
A multiplexed, automated immuno-matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry assay for simultaneous and precise quantitation of PTEN and p110α in cell lines and tumor tissues
Authors: Froehlich Bjoern C. , Popp Robert , Sobsey Constance A. , Ibrahim Sahar , LeBlanc Andre , Mohammed Yassene , Buchanan Marguerite , Aguilar-Mahecha Adriana , Pötz Oliver , Chen Michael X. , Spatz Alan , Basik Mark , Batist Gerald , Zahedi René P. , Borchers Christoph H.
Published: September 2021

Multiplexed immuno-MALDI-MS based on simultaneous enrichment provides high accuracy and precision for the combined quantitation of PTEN and p110α.
Synthesis and application of smart gel material modified silica microspheres for pH-responsive hydrophilicity in liquid chromatography
Authors: Fan Fangbin , Wang Licheng , Lu Xiaofeng , Liang Xiaojing , Guo Yong
Published: September 2021

We prepared a pH-responsive stationary phase with different degrees of hydrophilicity under acidic and neutral mobile phase conditions by a one-step method, and discussed its chromatographic separation performance and retention behavior in detail.
Specific adsorption of a β-lactam antibiotic in vivo by an anion-exchange resin for protection of the intestinal microbiota
Authors: Li Shunyi , Yakabe Kyosuke , Zai Khadijah , Liu Yiwei , Kishimura Akihiro , Hase Koji , Kim Yun-Gi , Mori Takeshi , Katayama Yoshiki
Published: September 2021

Pre-oral administration of an anion-exchange resin for gut microbiota protection is reported.
Cu-catalyzed coupling of indanone oxime acetates with thiols to 2,3-difunctionalized indenones
Authors: Fu Yuanyuan , Zhao Xueyan , Chen Dengfeng , Luo Jinyue , Huang Shenlin
Published: September 2021

A strategy for direct functionalization of 1-indanones is described via a copper-catalyzed coupling of the corresponding oxime acetates with thiols.
Selective crystallization of four bis(phthalocyaninato)lanthanoid(iii) polymorphs
Authors: Dailey Maegan , Besson Claire
Published: September 2021

Four polymorphs of the bis-phthalocyanine lanthanoid(iii) double-decker complexes are crystallized by solution evaporation methods, and their structures determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.
Robust pyridylbenzoate metal–organic frameworks as sorbents for volatile solvents and gases
Authors: Ndamyabera Christophe A. , Chatterjee Nabanita , Oliver Clive L. , Bourne Susan A.
Published: September 2021

Double-walled pyridylbenzoate MOFs display an order/disorder phase transition on solvation/desolvation. This allows the MOFs to retain structural integrity over multiple sorption cycles.
A decomposition mechanism for Mn2(DSBDC) metal–organic frameworks in the presence of water molecules
Authors: Le Thong Nguyen-Minh , Chiu Cheng-chau , Kuo Jer-Lai
Published: September 2021

First-principles investigation reveals the mechanism of moisture-triggered decomposition of Mn2(DSBDC) metal-organic frameworks. Key to prevent the breakdown of the structure is to avoid the aggregation of water around the open Mn sites.
Chiral recognition via a stereodynamic vanadium probe using the electronic circular dichroism effect in differential Raman scattering
Authors: Machalska Ewa , Hachlica Natalia , Zajac Grzegorz , Carraro Davide , Baranska Malgorzata , Licini Giulia , Bouř Petr , Zonta Cristiano , Kaczor Agnieszka
Published: September 2021

Differential ECD-Raman measurements can be conveniently used to monitor molecular interactions and molecular spectroscopic properties.
Modulating thermal conductance across the metal/graphene/SiO2 interface with ion irradiation
Authors: Zhao Yu , Tao Yi , Xu Wei , Huang Shuyu , Guo Ming , Sha Jingjie , Yang Juekuan , Chen Yunfei
Published: September 2021

An effective method in tuning the heat conduction across the Al/graphene/SiO2 interface is reported. The interfacial thermal conductance of Al/graphene/SiO2 is enhanced by a factor of 3 using ion irradiation.
Unsaturated Mo in Mo4O4N3 for efficient catalytic transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene using stoichiometric hydrazine hydrate
Authors: Luo Shicheng , Long Yu , Liang Kun , Qin Jiaheng , Qiao Yi , Li Jing , Yang Guangxue , Ma Jiantai
Published: September 2021

Unsaturated Mo in Mo4O4N3 exhibited efficient catalytic activity for transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene using stoichiometric N2H4·H2O.
Photolytic amino etherification reactions of aryl diazoacetates with N-heterocycles and a stoichiometric amount of dioxane/tetrahydropyran in aqueous medium: synthesis of 1,4-dioxepane/1,4,7-dioxazonan-6-one systems
Authors: Maiti Debajit , Das Ranajit , Sen Subhabrata
Published: September 2021

Herein we have reported a blue LED mediated reaction of aryl diazoacetate with a stoichiometric amount of 1,4-dioxane/tetrahydropyran and various heterocycles like indoles, pyrrole, phthalimide, succinimide, thiazolidinedione and hydantoin in water.
Efficiency measurements and simulations of a HAPG based Von Hamos spectrometer for large sources
Authors: Scordo A. , De Leo V. , Curceanu C. , Miliucci M. , Sirghi F.
Published: September 2021

We report a crosscheck between measured and simulated reflection efficiencies and spectral resolutions of cylindrical HAPG crystals, found to be in agreement within the errors, which fully validates the XOP and SHADOW based ray tracing simulations.
Bridging the academic–industrial gap: application of an oxygen and pH sensor-integrated lab-on-a-chip in nanotoxicology
Authors: Zirath Helene , Spitz Sarah , Roth Doris , Schellhorn Tobias , Rothbauer Mario , Müller Bernhard , Walch Manuel , Kaur Jatinder , Wörle Alexander , Kohl Yvonne , Mayr Torsten , Ertl Peter
Published: September 2021

A dual-sensor integrated microfluidic cell analysis platform for the non-invasive and time-resolved monitoring of cellular oxygen uptake and metabolic activity (pH) in the context of nanotoxicological risk assessment.
Rotating ellipsoidal catalytic micro-swimmers via glancing angle evaporation
Authors: Kirvin Alice , Gregory David , Parnell Andrew , Campbell Andrew I. , Ebbens Stephen
Published: September 2021

A simple one-step glancing angle deposition technique is employed to increase the rotational velocity of anisotropic ellipsoidal micro-swimmers.
How exploring Python can level up your data visualization
Authors: Cansdale Annabel
Published: September 2021

Data visualization, i.e., the graphical representation of data, is a vital skill for every scientist to develop – aiding with the interpretation of data and providing an accessible way to communicate these data with others. In the scientific world, data visualization is used to produce eye-catching figures to share results with peers and the wider community. While these visualizations are achievable using no coding, they can be restricted by the dataset size, plotting style and overall cost of the software. Learning to code solves many of these issues and while the learning curve remains a barrier to use, programming is becoming a must-have skill in many fields. Python is one of the world’s most popular programming languages and is at the forefront of data analysis and visualization, producing clear, engaging and reproducible figures in all manner of styles. As biological datasets increase in size and number, the reproducibility and flexibility of Python result in an invaluable tool for scientific data visualization. This article will introduce the use of Python for data visualization and provide some guidance on how to get started.
Evaluation of the variability of citrullus colocynthis (l) schrad as potential biodiesel feedstock: oil content, oil yield and the fatty acid composition
Authors: Benmoumou Abdelhamid , El Madidi Saïd
Published: September 2021

Citrullus colocynthis has been garnering interest in recent times as a potential biodiesel feed stockcrop due to its high seed oil content and its natural adaptation to drought The variability seed oil content (OC), Oil yield (kg/ha) (OY) and fatty acid composition were investigated for 12 accessions collected in different localities in Morocco. Analysis of the data revealed high variability among the accessions, with seed oil content ranging between 17.1 and 24.3 % of seed weight and Oil yield from 35.3 to 172.7 kg/ha. The predominant fatty acid of the seed oil was linoleic acid, C18:2, ranging from 67.0 to 73.0 % of total fatty acids and the average values of unsaturated fatty acids vary between 75.25 and 81.94 %.The wide range of variations found in this study for the traits measured offers the possibility of genetic improvement to develop cultivars for biodiesel production compatible with sustainable and ecological agriculture.
Study on propagation of pulse current discharges in plant tissue
Authors: Tashpulatov Nusratillo , Nazarova Odina , Yuldosheva Dilafruz , Tabaev Azamat , Amanboeva Roza
Published: September 2021

This article provides a theoretical description of the propagation of current pulses in plant tissue and the processes of destruction of cellular structures of harmful pathogens in the plant organism. Plants, from the point of view of electricity, are regarded as a well-conductive cable. The peel of the plant is the sheath of the cable, the fire (core) is the electrically conductive conductor. When infected with diseases, the growth of the cellular structure occurs and, as a result, the resistance of the plant tissue decreases. When current is applied, it passes through the circuit with the least resistance and thus provides the lethal effect of harmful microorganisms.
Dynamics of high-rise structures taking into account the viscoelastic properties of the material
Authors: Khudainazarov Sherzod , Donayev Burkhon , Sabirjanov Talibjan , Qosimov Jahongir
Published: September 2021

The article deals with forced vibrations of a high-rise axisymmetric structure, represented as a viscoelastic beam of an annular section with a variable slope of the generatrices and variable thickness. The research was conducted to analyze the behavior of a high-rise structure for various kinematic effects. The task is to determine the displacements of the points of a high-rise structure at different time points under different kinematic effects. The methods were developed and a computer program was built; forced vibrations of high-rise axisymmetric structures under various kinematic actions, considering viscoelastic properties of the material, were investigated in linear, nonlinear, and viscoelastic formulations. The study of the dynamic behavior of a high-rise structure, taking into account the nonlinear and dissipative properties (different in nature) of the material, shows that the combined consideration of all these properties brings the resulting pattern closer to the one observed in reality. That is, the amplitude of the structure’s oscillations does not grow infinitely, but gradually decreases over time, and the maximum possible consideration of nonlinear and dissipative properties leads to the fastest damping of oscillations.