bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing the Motion of Lunar Retroreflectors
Authors: Williams James G. , Boggs Dale H.
Published: November 2021

The Moon lacks recognizable plates moving with respect to each other, unlike the Earth. Analysis of Lunar Laser Ranging data does not find large Earth‐like (>1 cm/year) relative motions for the five lunar retroreflectors. The distances between reflectors show few mm/year rates that are not statistically significant. Despite this lack of individual significance, curiously, all of the well determined distances have negative rates. There is an extra non‐synchronous lunar rotation rate of 1.0 ± 0.4 mas/yr that is suspected to arise from unmodeled very long period effects of physical libration in longitude.
Early‐Middle Eocene Hydroclimate Variations Recorded by Environmental Magnetism in the Linxia Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Feng Zhantao , Zhang Weilin , Zhang Tao , Fang Xiaomin , Zan Jinbo , Yan Maodu , Song Chunhui , Li Tao , Ning Wenxiao , Wang Hong
Published: November 2021

Although Neogene climate change reconstruction in central Asia is important for understanding global cooling, Asian monsoon evolution, and the Tibetan Plateau stepwise uplift during the Cenozoic, the paleoenvironmental evolution during the Paleogene in this region is still ambiguous due to a lack of corresponding continuous and complete terrestrial records with precise age constraints. Recently, a new fluvial sedimentary sequence with magnetostratigraphic ages spanning from ∼53 to 40 Ma was found in the Linxia Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau, thereby providing a window to understand Eocene climate change in the Asian interior. From this fluvial sedimentary sequence, we present early‐middle Eocene hydroclimate variations based on a combined method of rock magnetism and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Our results show magnetic enhancement of fluvial sediments at 51.7 Ma resulted from abundant single‐domain magnetite inputs from the surrounding mountains through strong erosion and transport in a relatively wet environment. Subsequently, at 47.6 Ma, magnetic weakening of floodplain sediments corresponds to an increase in hematite concentrations produced via low‐temperature oxidation in a prolonged dry environment. Comparisons of paleoclimatic proxies, such as organic geochemistry and rock magnetism from neighboring basins, tectonic deformation of the NE Tibetan Plateau, and sea level change in the Paratethys Sea suggest that the hydroclimate variation from relatively wet to dry climate in the early‐middle Eocene in this area was mainly controlled by global climatic change and probably superimposed by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.
Screening HLA-A-restricted T cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 and the induction of CD8+ T cell responses in HLA-A transgenic mice
Authors: Jin Xiaoxiao , Ding Yan , Sun Shihui , Wang Xinyi , Zhou Zining , Liu Xiaotao , Li Miaomiao , Chen Xian , Shen Anran , Wu Yandan , Liu Bicheng , Zhang Jianqiong , Li Jian , Yang Yi , Qiu Haibo , Shen Chuanlai , He Yuxian , Zhao Guangyu
Published: November 2021

Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific T cells have been found to play essential roles in host immune protection and pathology in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this study focused on the functional validation of T cell epitopes and the development of vaccines that induce specific T cell responses. A total of 120 CD8+T cell epitopes from the E, M, N, S, and RdRp proteins were functionally validated. Among these, 110, 15, 6, 14, and 12 epitopes were highly homologous with SARS-CoV, OC43, NL63, HKU1, and 229E, respectively; in addition, four epitopes from the S protein displayed one amino acid that was distinct from the current SARS-CoV-2 variants. Then, 31 epitopes restricted by the HLA-A2 molecule were used to generate peptide cocktail vaccines in combination with Poly(I:C), R848 or poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles, and these vaccines elicited robust and specific CD8+T cell responses in HLA-A2/DR1 transgenic mice as well as wild-type mice. In contrast to previous research, this study established a modified DC-peptide-PBL cell coculture system using healthy donor PBMCs to validate the in silico predicted epitopes, provided an epitope library restricted by nine of the most prevalent HLA-A allotypes covering broad Asian populations, and identified the HLA-A restrictions of these validated epitopes using competitive peptide binding experiments with HMy2.CIR cell lines expressing the indicated HLA-A allotype, which initially confirmed the in vivo feasibility of 9- or 10-mer peptide cocktail vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. These data will facilitate the design and development of vaccines that induce antiviral CD8+T cell responses in COVID-19 patients.
Role of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery in the management of chronic open-angle glaucoma
Authors: Sharma Ojasvi , Abdulla Didar , King Anthony , Chakrabarti Monali , Sharma Tarun
Published: November 2021

To compare the safety and efficacy of phacoemulsification combined with ab-interno trabeculectomy (Trabectome) and phacoemulsification combined with I-Stent inject in patients with medically uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). A retrospective comparative case series. 70 eyes of 66 patients completed 2 years follow up after these treatments performed in 2017–2018. 35 eyes of 33 patients underwent combined Phaco-Trabectome (PT); and 35 eyes of 33 patients underwent combined Phaco-I-Stent inject (Pi). Patient demographics and preoperative characteristics are comparable. A 20% drop in IOP was achieved in 27 eyes (77.14%) in PT group and 28 eyes (80%) in Pi group (p = 0.77). Success rate (target IOP achieved and maintained for 2 years) in advance glaucoma was 25% in PT group and 30.7% in Pi group (p = 0.90). In mild to moderate glaucoma, success rate was 85.71% in PT group and 90% in Pi group (p = 0.67). There was no significant difference between two groups with regards to mean reduction in glaucoma medications and complication rates. Trabectome and I-Stent combined with phacoemulsification are equally efficacious and safe for treating patients with medically uncontrolled mild and moderate primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). However, they are not an effective treatment for patients with advanced glaucoma.
Improving the self-assembly of bioresponsive nanocarriers by engineering doped nanocarbons: a computational atomistic insight
Authors: Khedri Mohammad , Beheshtizadeh Nima , Maleki Reza , Webster Thomas J. , Rezvantalab Sima
Published: November 2021

Here, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to explore the self-assembly of polymers and docetaxel (DTX) as an anticancer drug in the presence of nitrogen, phosphorous, and boron-nitrogen incorporated graphene and fullerene. The electrostatic potential and the Gibbs free energy of the self-assembled materials were used to optimize the atomic doping percentage of the N- and P-doped formulations at 10% and 50%, respectively. Poly lactic-glycolic acid (PLGA)- polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based polymeric nanoparticles were assembled in the presence of nanocarbons in the common (corresponding to the bulk environment) and interface of organic/aqueous solutions (corresponding to the microfluidic environment). Assessment of the modeling results (e.g., size, hydrophobicity, and energy) indicated that among the nanocarbons, the N-doped graphene nanosheet in the interface method created more stable polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs). Energy analysis demonstrated that doping with nanocarbons increased the electrostatic interaction energy in the self-assembly process. On the other hand, the fullerene-based nanocarbons promoted van der Waals intramolecular interactions in the PNPs. Next, the selected N-doped graphene nanosheet was utilized to prepare nanoparticles and explore the physicochemical properties of the nanosheets in the permeation of the resultant nanoparticles through cell-based lipid bilayer membranes. In agreement with the previous results, the N-graphene assisted PNP in the interface method and was translocated into and through the cell membrane with more stable interactions. In summary, the present MD simulation results demonstrated the success of 2D graphene dopants in the nucleation and growth of PLGA-based nanoparticles for improving anticancer drug delivery to cells, establishing new promising materials and a way to assess their performance that should be further studied.
Developmental capacity is unevenly distributed among single blastomeres of 2-cell and 4-cell stage mouse embryos
Authors: Krawczyk Katarzyna , Kosyl Ewa , Częścik-Łysyszyn Karolina , Wyszomirski Tomasz , Maleszewski Marek
Published: November 2021

During preimplantation development, mammalian embryo cells (blastomeres) cleave, gradually losing their potencies and differentiating into three primary cell lineages: epiblast (EPI), trophectoderm (TE), and primitive endoderm (PE). The exact moment at which cells begin to vary in their potency for multilineage differentiation still remains unknown. We sought to answer the question of whether single cells isolated from 2- and 4-cell embryos differ in their ability to generate the progenitors and cells of blastocyst lineages. We revealed that twins were often able to develop into blastocysts containing inner cell masses (ICMs) with PE and EPI cells. Despite their capacity to create a blastocyst, the twins differed in their ability to produce EPI, PE, and TE cell lineages. In contrast, quadruplets rarely formed normal blastocysts, but instead developed into blastocysts with ICMs composed of only one cell lineage or completely devoid of an ICM altogether. We also showed that quadruplets have unequal capacities to differentiate into TE, PE, and EPI lineages. These findings could explain the difficulty of creating monozygotic twins and quadruplets from 2- and 4-cell stage mouse embryos.
Development of one dimensional geomechanical model for a tight gas reservoir
Authors: Verma Abhiram Kumar , Deb Debasis , Dey Akshay Chandan , Roy Subrata , Singh Ajay Kumar , Avadhani V. L. N. , Tiwari Rajiv Ranjan
Published: November 2021

Estimating rock-mechanical, petrophysical properties and pre-production stress state is essential for effective reservoir planning, development, and optimal exploitation. This paper attempts to construct a comprehensive one-dimensional mechanical earth model (1D MEM) of the Mandapeta gas reservoir of Krishna Godavari (KG) basin, India. The methodology comprises a detailed stepwise process from processing and analysis of raw log data, calibration of log-derived dynamic properties with static ones using regression models developed from tested core samples, and final rock mechanical property estimation. Pore pressure profiles have been estimated and calibrated with the Repeat formation tester (RFT) data for every thirty-five wells. Overburden and horizontal stresses have also been evaluated and calibrated using data from the Leak-off Tests (LOT) or Extended Leak-off Tests (XLOT). A menu-driven program is developed using PYTHON code for visualization and on-time revision of 1D MEM. The resulting comprehensive 1D MEM predicts and establishes the rock-mechanical properties, pore pressure, and in-situ stress values of the basin. Besides its use in planning future wells, development of the field, and yielding insight into the various well challenges, it can also be used to develop a 3D MEM of the reservoir.
Phytohormone profiles in non-transformed and AtCKX transgenic centaury (Centaurium erythraea Rafn) shoots and roots in response to salinity stress in vitro
Authors: Trifunović-Momčilov Milana , Motyka Václav , Dobrev Petre I. , Marković Marija , Milošević Snežana , Jevremović Slađana , Dragićević Ivana Č. , Subotić Angelina
Published: November 2021

Plant hormones regulate numerous developmental and physiological processes. Abiotic stresses considerably affect production and distribution of phytohormones as the stress signal triggers. The homeostasis of plant hormones is controlled by their de novo synthesis and catabolism. The aim of this work was to analyse the contents of total and individual groups of endogenous cytokinins (CKs) as well as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in AtCKX overexpressing centaury plants grown in vitro on graded NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mM). The levels of endogenous stress hormones including abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were also detected. The elevated contents of total CKs were found in all analysed centaury shoots. Furthermore, increased amounts of all five CK groups, as well as enhanced total CKs were revealed on graded NaCl concentrations in non-transformed and AtCKX roots. All analysed AtCKX centaury lines exhibited decreased amounts of endogenous IAA in shoots and roots. Consequently, the IAA/bioactive CK forms ratios showed a significant variation in the shoots and roots of all AtCKX lines. In shoots and roots of both non-transformed and AtCKX transgenic centaury plants, salinity was associated with an increase of ABA and JA and a decrease of SA content.
Association between preoperative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and mortality after plastic and reconstructive surgery
Authors: Sung Ha Min , Lee Seung-Hwa , Oh Ah Ran , Kim Sojin , Kim Jeayoun , Gook Joonhee , Jang Jae Ni , Park Jungchan
Published: November 2021

Predictive factors associated with postoperative mortality have not been extensively studied in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a systemic inflammation index, has been shown to have a predictive value in surgery. We aimed to evaluate association between preoperative NLR and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing plastic and reconstructive surgery. From January 2011 to July 2019, we identified 7089 consecutive adult patients undergoing plastic and reconstructive surgery. The patients were divided according to median value of preoperative NLR of 1.84. The low NLR group was composed of 3535 patients (49.9%), and 3554 patients (50.1%) were in the high NLR group. The primary outcome was mortality during the first year, and overall mortality and acute kidney injury were also compared. In further analysis, outcomes were compared according to quartile of NLR, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to estimate the threshold associated with 1-year mortality. This observational study showed that mortality during the first year after plastic and reconstructive surgery was significantly increased in the high NLR group (0.7% vs. 3.5%; hazard ratio, 4.23; 95% confidence interval, 2.69–6.63; p < 0.001), and a graded association was observed between preoperative NLR and 1-year mortality. The estimated threshold of preoperative NLR was 2.5, with an area under curve of 0.788. Preoperative NLR may be associated with 1-year mortality after plastic and reconstructive surgery. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Genetic variants in histone modification regions are associated with the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Kang Hyo-Gyoung , Lee Yong Hoon , Lee Shin Yup , Choi Jin Eun , Do Sook Kyung , Hong Mi Jeong , Lee Jang Hyuck , Jeong Ji Yun , Do Young Woo , Lee Eung Bae , Shin Kyung Min , Lee Won Kee , Choi Sun Ha , Seo Hye won , Yoo Seung Soo , Lee Jaehee , Cha Seung Ick , Kim Chang Ho , Cho Sukki , Jheon Sanghoon , Park Jae Yong
Published: November 2021

We investigated the association between genetic variants in the histone modification regions and the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma after curative surgery. Potentially functional SNPs were selected using integrated analysis of ChIP-seq and RNA-seq. The SNPs were analyzed in a discovery set (n = 166) and a validation set (n = 238). The associations of the SNPs with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed. A total of 279 SNPs were selected for genotyping. Among these, CAPN1 rs17583C>T was significantly associated with better OS and DFS (P = 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively), and LINC00959 rs4751162A>G was significantly associated with worse DFS (P = 0.008). Luciferase assays showed a significantly lower promoter activity of CAPN1 in the rs17583 T allele than C allele (P = 0.008), and consistently the CT + TT genotypes had significantly lower CAPN1 expression than CC genotype (P = 0.01) in clinical samples. The rs4751162 G allele had higher promoter activity of GLRX3 than A allele (P = 0.05). The motif analyses and ChIP-qPCR confirmed that the variants are located in the active promoter/enhancer regions where transcription factor binding occurs. This study showed that genetic variants in the histone modification regions could predict the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma after surgery.
Effects of registered nurse staffing levels, work environment, and education levels on adverse events in nursing homes
Authors: Choi Seonhwa , Cho Eunhee , Kim Eunkyo , Lee Kyongeun , Chang Soo Jung
Published: November 2021

This study examined the effects of nurse staffing levels, work environment, and education levels on adverse events in nursing homes. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 216 nurses working in 62 nursing homes in South Korea, using self-reported questionnaires and data from the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the effects of nurse staffing levels, work environment, and nursing education levels on the adverse events experienced by residents. An increase of one resident per nurse was significantly associated with a higher incidence of medication error, pressure ulcers and urinary tract infections. A poor work environment increased the incidence of adverse events. Compared to nurses with a bachelor’s degree or higher, those with diplomas reported increased incidence rates of pressure ulcers. Improving the health outcomes of residents in nursing homes requires efforts that strengthen the nursing workforce in terms of numbers and educational level, and which improve their work environment at institutional and policy levels.
Application of a new percutaneous multi-function pedicle locator in minimally invasive spine surgery
Authors: Liu Xiaojian , Liu Hairun , Wang Yushan
Published: November 2021

In this study, a new percutaneous multi-function pedicle locator was designed for personalized three-dimensional positioning of a pedicle in minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) without computer-assisted navigation technology. The proposed locator was used in a number of patients during MISS, and its advantages were analyzed. Based on the position of a pedicle determined by computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopic images of a patient, 6 lines and 2 distances were used to determine the puncture point of a pedicle screw on skin, while 2 angles were used to indicate the direction of insertion of a pedicle guide needle from the patient's body surface. The results of the proposed locator were compared with those of the conventional freehand technique in MISS. The potential benefits of using the locator included enhanced surgical accuracy, reduced operation time, alleviation of the harmful intra-operative radiation exposure, lower costs, and shortened learning curve for young orthopedists.
A designed fusion tag for soluble expression and selective separation of extracellular domains of fibroblast growth factor receptors
Authors: Cheong Dae-Eun , Choi Hye-Ji , Yoo Su-Kyoung , Lee Hun-Dong , Kim Geun-Joong
Published: November 2021

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) generate various transduction signals by interaction with fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and are involved in various biological functions such as cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Malfunction of these proteins may lead to the development of various diseases, including cancer. Accordingly, FGFRs are considered an alternative therapeutic target for protein and/or gene therapy. However, the screening of antagonists or agonists of FGFRs is challenging due to their complex structural features associated with protein expression. Herein, we conducted the development of a protease-free cleavable tag (PFCT) for enhancing the solubility of difficult-to express protein by combining maltose-binding protein (MBP) and the C-terminal region of Npu intein. To validate the availability of the resulting tag for the functional production of extracellular domains of FGFRs (Ec_FGFRs), we performed fusion of PFCT with the N-terminus of Ec_FGFRs and analyzed the expression patterns. Almost all PFCT-Ec_FGFR fusion proteins were mainly detected in the soluble fraction except for Ec_FGFR4. Upon addition of the N-terminal region of Npu intein, approximately 85% of the PFCT-Ec_FGFRs was separated into PFCT and Ec_FGFR via intein-mediated cleavage. Additionally, the structural integrity of Ec_FGFR was confirmed by affinity purification using heparin column. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the PFCT could be used for soluble expression and selective separation of Ec_FGFRs.
Anti-glaucoma agents-induced pseudodendritic keratitis presumed to be herpetic simplex keratitis: a clinical case series
Authors: Chang Huai-Lung , Kuo Bo-I , Wu Jo-Hsuan , Huang Wei-Lun , Su Chien-Chia , Chen Wei-Li
Published: November 2021

Anti-glaucoma agents-induced corneal toxicity may be misdiagnosed as herpetic simplex keratitis (HSK). In our study, nineteen glaucoma patients were presumed to have HSK before referral. Corneal lesions were classified into (I) linear pseudodendritic lesions formed by elevated opacified cells, (II) linear pseudodendritic lesions formed by grouped superficial punctate keratitis (SPK), (III) satellite full-thickness epithelial defects, (IV) satellite lesions formed by elevated opacified cells, and (V) geographic lesions formed by grouped SPK. We observed thirty-one events, with 15 in the lower and 16 in the central corneas. There were 21 (67.7%) type II, five (16.1%) type V, two (6.5%) of each for types III and IV, and one (3.2%) type I events. Among linear lesions (types I and II), 17 (77.3%) had horizontal and 5 (22.7%) had curvilinear orientations. Exposure duration to the last-added anti-glaucoma agent was three days to 14.5 years. About half of the events (16/31, 51.6%) used prostaglandin analogues, and 30/31 (96.8%) applied benzalkonium chloride (BAK)-containing agents. All lesions resolved within two months after decreasing offending medications or enhancing protection of ocular surface. In conclusion, anti-glaucoma agents-induced pseudodendritic keratitis presents majorly in central-lower cornea as horizontally linear lesions, and BAK-containing agents are observed in the most events.
Evaluation of axial length to identify the effects of monocular 0.125% atropine treatment for pediatric anisometropia
Authors: Kao Po-Hsiang , Chuang Lan-Hsin , Lai Chi-Chun , Chen Shin-Yi , Lin Ken-Kuo , Lee Jiahn-Shing , Hou Chiun-Ho , Chen Chueh-Tan , Kuo Yu-Kai , Sun Chi-Chin , Liu Chun-Fu
Published: November 2021

The aim of the study is to determine the effects of monocular 0.125% atropine daily treatment on the longer axial length (AL) eyes in children with pediatric anisometropia. This was a retrospective cohort study. The charts of children with anisometropia (aged 6–15 years) who had a > 0.2-mm difference in AL between the two eyes were reviewed. Children who received monocular treatment of 0.125% atropine in the eye with longer AL were included for final analysis. The main outcome measure was the difference in AL between the two eyes after treatment. Regression analysis was used to model the changes in AL according to the time of treatment in both eyes. Finally, forty eyes in 20 patients (mean age 10.2 years) were included in the analyses. During the treatment period, AL was controlled in the treated eyes (p = 0.389) but elongated significantly in the untreated eyes (p < 0.001). The difference in AL between the treated and untreated eyes decreased from 0.57 to 0.22 mm (p < 0.001) after the 1-year treatment period. In the regression model, the best fit for the relationship between changes in AL and time during the treatment period in the treated eyes was the quadratic regression model with a concave function. In conclusion, these data suggest that 0.125% atropine daily is an effective treatment to reduce the interocular difference of AL in eyes with axial anisometropia. This pilot study provides useful information for future prospective and larger studies of atropine for the treatment of pediatric axial anisometropia.
Capacity allocation and pricing for energy storage sharing in a smart community
Authors: Zhu Zongyao , Wang Xiuli , Wu Xiong , Wang Yifei , Peng Qiao
Published: November 2021

The increasing energy storage resources at the end‐user side require an efficient market mechanism to facilitate and improve the utilization of energy storage (ES). Here, a novel ES capacity trading framework is proposed for ES sharing of a smart community consisting of multiple ES owners (ESOs) and users. Specifically, an iterative clearing approach is designed to capture the interaction between the ESOs and users. Players submit trading parameters with consideration of their own preferences and profiles according to utility functions. After receiving the offering/bidding parameters, the market operator determines the capacity allocation and clearing price based on the principle of maximizing social welfare. This decentralized clearing process avoids complex calculation induced by the centralized decision method and preserves players’ privacy. Case studies are conducted to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The results show that ES sharing scheme brings additional revenues to ESOs, decreases costs for users, and reduces the peak‐to‐valley difference of system loads. In addition, the clearing results are very close to global optimal solutions and mainly affected by the maximum capacity and reservation price of each ESO.
Metric of choosing the optimal parameter setting for edge aware filtering
Authors: Yin Hui , Zhou Fei , Li Bin
Published: November 2021

Most of the existing edge aware filters have a number of parameters. The optimal settings of these parameters guarantee the best performance but they depend on the input image. It would be difficult for inexperienced users to empirically get the optimal parameters. This paper proposes a new metric for choosing the optimal parameter settings of edge aware filtering, which is called metric of edge aware filtering (MEAF). MEAF evaluates the quality of filtered images from three aspects: the color distance, the distance of the prominent structure, and smoothness. The colour distance is calculated by rooted mean square error. The distance of the prominent structure is calculated by the proposed SSIM map masked by Sobel edges (MASKED‐SSIM). In MASKED‐SSIM, Sobel detector is used to detect the prominent structure from the input image and the calculation of structure distance is constrained on the prominent structures. Number of gradients and relative total variation are further defined to measure the smoothness of the filtered image. MEAF is an objective metric, which is specially designed for choosing the optimal parameters of edge aware filtering and can be used universally for arbitrary input image. Experiments on 12 state‐of‐the‐art edge aware filters show the effectiveness of MEAF.
Computer graphics and visual computing use cases for Industry 4.0 and Operator 4.0
Authors: Posada Jorge , Barandiaran Iñigo , Sánchez Jairo R. , Mejia-Parra Daniel , Moreno Aitor , Ojer Marco , Ruiz-Salguero Oscar
Published: November 2021

In the context of smart manufacturing, the concept of Visual Computing is a key enabling technology for Industry 4.0. Visual Computing and Physically-based simulation enables the implementation of interactive, visual and (in most cases) non-disruptive solutions within the context of (a) the production process (off-line or in-line) the shop floor, (b) the interaction with customers and clients in the whole value chain, and/or (c) the product-service schemas. Technologies such as Industrial Big Data, Human-Robot Collaboration, IIOT & 5G, Cybersecurity, Cyber-Physical Systems, Semantic Technologies, Visual Computing and other related technologies have a strong impact in the new ways smart manufacturing is reconfiguring the production. This article presents a theoretical framework for the incorporation of Visual Computing and Physically-based Simulation technologies to Industry 4.0 and Operator 4.0 scenarios. This framework has been already implemented and supports different smart manufacturing scenarios, already running in many SME. Three practical study case scenarios (already deployed into SMEs) are presented and discussed.
Optimization of milling speed and time in mechanical alloying of ferritic ODS steel through taguchi technique
Authors: Dharmalingam Ganesan , Prasad Murali Arun , Salunkhe Sachin
Published: November 2021

The oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels are one of the most important in fuel cladding materials for 4th Generation nuclear reactors because of their excellent mechanical properties such as irradiation resistance, swelling resistance, and elevated temperature tensile/compressive strength. Mechanical alloying (MA) is one of the most promising routes for developing nanocrystalline ferritic ODS steel materials. For the production of nanocrystalline ferritic ODS steel powders, the most influencing factor is the milling speed and milling time during the mechanical alloying process. With the improper selection of milling time and speed, the final milled powders become an amorphous structure consisting of high impurity inclusions in the microstructure, and strength was also affected. In order to overcome these drawbacks, the present investigation was taken into account for the selection of appropriate mechanical milling speed and time, which was optimized through Taguchi analysis followed by the MA process. The optimized mechanical milling speed and time of milled powders were characterized through X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
Auswirkungen vermehrten Tragens von Mund-Nase-Schutz auf Kognition und Psyche von Klinikmitarbeitern
Authors: König Miriam , Eraslan Defne , Aschenbrenner Steffen , Biela Christina , Weisbrod Matthias
Published: November 2021

Hintergrund Aufgrund von Sicherheitsmaßnahmen in Bezug auf COVID-19 sind Klinikmitarbeiter aller Bereiche angehalten, die Mehrheit der Zeit Mund-Nase-Schutz (MNS) zu tragen. Mitarbeiter im Gesundheitswesen empfinden Atemschutzmasken häufig als störend und befürchten negative Auswirkungen auf die geistige Leistungsfähigkeit. In der aktuellen Studie wurden die Folgen des Tragens von MNS auf Kognition und Psyche sowie die Selbsteinschätzungen der Mitarbeiter in Bezug auf potenzielle Auswirkungen untersucht.

Methode 29 Klinikmitarbeiter wurden hinsichtlich ihrer kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit sowie psychischen Gesundheit an 2 jeweils ± 90-minütigen Terminen untersucht, wobei Mitarbeiter bei einem der Testtermine MNS trugen. Die Untersuchungen beinhalteten neuropsychologische Diagnostik, Fragebögen, Erfassung der Puls- und Sauerstoffwerte sowie Selbsteinschätzung der Probanden in Bezug auf ihre kognitive Leistungsfähigkeit.

Ergebnisse Das Tragen von MNS hatte keine Auswirkung auf die Selbsteinschätzung hinsichtlich der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit. Durch das Tragen von MNS über einen Zeitraum von ± 90 Minuten treten keine kognitiven Leistungseinbußen ein. Die Selbsteinschätzung der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit wird hingegen durch Befürchtungen hinsichtlich der Corona-Situation beeinflusst.

Schlussfolgerung Sowohl subjektiv als auch objektiv entstehen durch das vermehrte Tragen von MNS keine Minderungen der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit von Klinikmitarbeitern. Die Selbsteinschätzung wurde jedoch durch das Sicherheitserleben und die Befürchtungen mitbestimmt, weswegen ein respektvoller Umgang mit individuellen Sorgen und Ängsten in Bezug auf die COVID-19-Situation im Arbeitskontext von großer Bedeutung zu sein scheint.
Manuelle Narbentherapie – kleiner Aufwand, große
Wirkung?
Authors: Bormes Sarah
Published: November 2021

Narben sind eine geniale Erfindung der Evolution: Sie schließen die
Verletzungen unseres Körpers und stellen seine
Funktionsfähigkeit wieder her. Allerdings können Narben auch
Beschwerden verursachen, die zunächst nicht mit ihnen in Verbindung
gebracht werden. Können wir hier die Signale unserer Patienten richtig
verstehen? Wer selbst Narben hat, kennt vielleicht den Satz: „Da kann
man nichts mehr machen, damit müssen Sie jetzt leben“. Doch das
stimmt zum Glück nicht, denn eine Narbentherapie führt zum Teil
bereits nach kurzer Zeit zum Erfolg, auch bei jahrzehntealten Narben. Wie
schön wäre es, unsere vierbeinigen Patienten von ihrem stillen
Leiden ihrer zumeist unter dem Fell verschwundenen und in Vergessenheit
geratenen Blessuren zu befreien.
Wirbelsäulenprobleme bei Französischer Bulldogge, Mops & Co
Authors: Hohmann Mima
Published: November 2021

Bis zu 90% der brachyzephalen Hunderassen zeigen Wirbelsäulenveränderungen. Welche Malformationen sollte man kennen? Wann und bei wem können diese für neurologische Ausfallerscheinungen verantwortlich gemacht werden? Und wie können wir therapeutisch eingreifen?
Inducing anisotropy in graphene by interfacing with carbon systems
Authors: Kim Meeri
Published: November 2021

Anisotropy can be induced in graphene through other anisotropic carbon systems, such as nanoporous graphene and arrays of graphene nanoribbons.
Pressure and doping effects on the structural stability of thermoelectric BaAg2Te2
Authors: Yu Hulei , Li Wen , Pei Yanzhong , Chen Yue
Published: November 2021

Ternary chalcogenides have attracted great attention for their potential applications in thermoelectric devices. Here, we investigate the pressure and doping effects on the structural stability of BaAg2Te2 using first-principles calculations. Imaginary frequencies are observed in the calculated phonon dispersions of the reported Pnma structure, indicating that Pnma BaAg2Te2 is lattice dynamically unstable at 0 K. Although the imaginary phonon frequencies are small, we find that hydrostatic pressure cannot effectively stabilize the structure. Based on the soft mode at Γ point, a new monoclinic phase with a space group of P21/c is proposed. From ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, the P21/c phase is predicted to transform to the Pnma phase at a low temperature below 100 K. Electron/hole doping effects on the lattice dynamical stability of the Pnma phase are also studied. It is found that hole doping is superior to electron doping in stabilizing the Pnma phase. Further study on the electrical transport properties of the Pnma phase reveals a higher performance along b axis than that along the other two directions. This work paves an avenue to better understand the structural stability and electrical transport properties of thermoelectric BaAg2Te2.
Efficient determination and evaluation of steady-state thermal–mechanical variables generated by wire arc additive manufacturing and high pressure rolling
Authors: Gornyakov Valeriy , Sun Yongle , Ding Jialuo , Williams Stewart
Published: November 2021

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) of large component is susceptible to residual stress (RS) and distortion, which are detrimental and need to be mitigated through high pressure rolling or other methods. In this study, an efficient modelling approach is developed to simulate both WAAM and rolling, and this approach can also be applied to other manufacturing processes to determine steady-state variables. For a clamped wall component, the computationally efficient reduced-size WAAM and rolling models (i.e. short models) can obtain steady-state solutions equivalent to those obtained by conventional full-size models. In the short models, the undesirable effect of reducing the length of the modelled component is counteracted by imposing additional longitudinal constraint as proper to specific processes. The steady-state solution obtained by the short model in clamped condition is then mapped to a long model for analysis of RS and distortion after removal of clamps. The WAAM model predictions of temperature, RS and distortion are in good agreement with experimental measurements. For the steady-state region in the WAAM deposited wall, compressive longitudinal plastic strain (PS) is approximately uniformly formed, and the influential factors and implications of the PS are analysed. The high pressure rolling on the wall after WAAM deposition introduces tensile PS that compensates for the compressive PS induced by the WAAM deposition, thereby mitigating the tensile RS in the clamped wall and alleviating the bending distortion after the removal of clamps. This study demonstrates an efficient approach for modelling large-scale manufacturing and provides insights into the steady-state strains and stresses generated by WAAM and rolling.
A wavefront division multiplexing holographic scheme and its application in looking through diffuser
Authors: Chen Li , Kumar Singh Rakesh , Vinu R V , Chen Ziyang , Pu Jixiong
Published: November 2021

We present a spatial light modulator (SLM) assisted compact holographic method and illustrate its application by imaging through a random scattering medium. The merit of the proposed method is wavefront division multiplexing, i.e. the dual wavefront modulations over a single SLM. Two different wavefront shapes: a reference-light shape and a phase object, are combined over the SLM. One advantage of this scheme is the flexible modulation of the reference light. The experimental implementation of this method is demonstrated by quantitatively reconstructing different phase objects from the randomly scattered light. This new scheme greatly simplifies the experimental configuration and presents a better stability even in presence of external vibrations, opening avenues for the holography-based scattering imaging application.
Electron mobility in asymmetric GaN/AlGaN quantum well transistor structure: effect of alloy disorder scattering
Authors: Panda Shwetapadma , Dora Kshirabdhee T , Panda Ajit K , Sahu Trinath
Published: November 2021

We analyze the electron mobility μ of GaN/AlGaN based quantum well (QW) transistor structure. We consider the potential profile V(z) by including the potential due topolarization (V

p
) and Hartree potential (V

H
) owing to surface electron density N

s
. The low temperature mobility is governed by the alloy disorder (ad-) and interface roughness (ir-) scatterings. As N

s
increases, μ increases. However, for larger N

s
(N

s
 > 0.6 × 1013 cm−2), there is a deviation showing decreasing trend of μ. We show that the ad- scattering plays a vital role in governing μ. An increase in N

s
causes narrowing of the polarization induced channel potential through V

H
and hence facilitates the larger extension of the subband wave function into the surface barrier. Accordingly, the ad-scattering increases, thereby reducing μ. we show that with an increase in well width there is a substantial rise in μ in quantum well (QW) structures while almost no change in μ in double heterostructures (DH). Enhancement of height of the barriers leads to different results, i.e., for the back barrier, there is a reduction in μ in both QW and DH structures, while for the surface barrier, there is a rise in μ. The fascinating trends of our results of μ in different GaN/AlGaN structures elucidate the importance of ad-scattering on low temperature μ.
Toward active disruption avoidance via real-time estimation of the safe operating region and disruption proximity in tokamaks
Authors: Boyer M.D. , Rea C. , Clement M.
Published: November 2021

This paper describes a real-time capable algorithm for identifying the safe operating region around a tokamak operating point. The region is defined by a convex set of linear constraints, from which the distance of a point from a disruptive boundary can be calculated. The disruptivity of points is calculated from an empirical machine learning predictor that generates the likelihood of disruption. While the likelihood generated by such empirical models can be compared to a threshold to trigger a disruption mitigation system, the safe operating region calculation enables active optimization of the operating point to maintain a safe margin from disruptive boundaries. The proposed algorithm is tested using a random forest disruption predictor fit on data from DIII-D. The safe operating region identification algorithm is applied to historical data from DIII-D showing the evolution of disruptive boundaries and the potential impact of optimization of the operating point. Real-time relevant execution times are made possible by parallelizing many of the calculation steps and implementing the algorithm on a graphics processing unit. A real-time capable algorithm for optimizing the target operating point within the identified constraints is also proposed and simulated.
Medipix3 for dosimetry and real-time beam monitoring: first tests at a 60 MeV proton therapy facility
Authors: Yap J.S.L. , Bal N.J.S. , Kacperek A. , Resta López J. , Welsch C.P.
Published: November 2021

Charged particle therapy (CPT) is an advanced modality of
radiation therapy which has grown rapidly worldwide, driven by
recent developments in technology and methods of delivery. To ensure
safe and high quality treatments, various instruments are used for a
range of different measurements such as for quality assurance,
monitoring and dosimetry purposes. With the emergence of new and
enhanced delivery techniques, systems with improved capabilities are
needed to exceed existing performance limitations of conventional
tools. The Medipix3 is a hybrid pixel detector able to count
individual protons with millisecond time resolution at clinical flux
with near instant readout and count rate linearity. The system has
previously demonstrated use in medical and other applications,
showing wide versatility and potential for particle therapy. In this
work we present measurements of the Medipix3 detector in the 60 MeV
ocular proton therapy beamline at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre,
U.K. The beam current and lateral beam profiles were evaluated at
multiple positions in the treatment line and compared with EBT3
Gafchromic film. The recorded count rate linearity and temporal
analysis of the beam structure was measured with Medipix3 across the
full range of available beam intensities, up to
3.12 × 1010 protons/s. We explore the capacity of Medipix3
to provide non-reference measurements and its applicability as a
tool for dosimetry and beam monitoring for CPT. This is the first
known time the performance of the Medipix3 detector technology has
been tested within a clinical, high proton flux environment.
Breath acetone concentration: too heterogeneous to constitute a diagnosis or prognosis biomarker in heart failure? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gouzi Fares , Ayache Diba , Hédon Christophe , Molinari Nicolas , Vicet Aurore
Published: November 2021

Introduction. Exhaled breath acetone (ExA) has been investigated as a biomarker for heart failure (HF). Yet, barriers to its use in the clinical field have not been identified. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the ExA heterogeneity and factors of variability in healthy controls (HC), to identify its relations with HF diagnosis and prognostic factors and to assess its diagnosis and prognosis accuracy in HF patients. Methods. A systematic search was conducted in PUBMED and Web of Science database. All studies with HC and HF patients with a measured ExA were included and studies providing ExA’s diagnosis and prognosis accuracy were identified. Results. Out of 971 identified studies, 18 studies involving 833 HC and 1009 HF patients were included in the meta-analysis. In HC, ExA showed an important heterogeneity (I
2 = 99%). Variability factors were fasting state, sampling type and analytical method. The mean ExA was 1.89 times higher in HF patients vs. HC (782 [531–1032] vs. 413 [347–478] ppbv; p < 0.001). One study showed excellent diagnosis accuracy, and one showed a good prognosis value. ExA correlated with New York Heart Association (NYHA) dyspnea (p < 0.001) and plasma brain natriuretic peptide (p < 0.001). Studies showed a poor definition and reporting of included subjects. Discussion. Despite the between-study heterogeneity in HC, the evidence of an excellent diagnosis and prognosis value of ExA in HF from single studies can be extended to clinical populations worldwide. Factors of variability (ExA procedure and breath sampling) could further improve the diagnosis and prognosis values of this biomarker in HF patients.
W fuzz layers: very high resistance to sputtering under fusion-relevant He
+
irradiations
Authors: FAN Hongyu , NIU Chunjie , LI Xiaoping , LIU Weifeng , ZHANG Yang , NI Weiyuan , ZHANG Yinghui , LIU Lu , LIU Dongping , BENSTETTER Günther , LEI Guangjiu , NIU Jinhai
Published: November 2021

In this study, we have modeled the sputtering process of energetic He+ ions colliding with W nano-fuzz materials, based on the physical processes, such as the collision and diffusion of energetic particles, sputtering and redeposition. Our modeling shows that the fuzzy nanomaterials with a large surface-to-volume ratio exhibit very high resistance to sputtering under fusion-relevant He+ irradiations, and their sputtering yields are mainly determined by the thickness of fuzzy nano-materials, the reflection coefficients and mean free paths of energetic particles, surface sputtering yields of a flat base material, and the geometry of nano-fuzz. Our measurements have confirmed that the surface sputtering yield of a W nano-fuzz layer with the columnar geometry of nano-fuzz in cross-section is about one magnitude of order lower than the one of smooth W substrates. This work provides a complete model for energetic particles colliding with the nano-fuzz layer and clarifies the fundamental sputtering process occurring in the nano-fuzz layer.
Characterizations of monadic NIP
Authors: Braunfeld Samuel , Laskowski Michael
Published: November 2021

We give several characterizations of when a complete first-order theory

T
T

is monadically NIP, i.e. when expansions of

T
T

by arbitrary unary predicates do not have the independence property. The central characterization is a condition on finite satisfiability of types. Other characterizations include decompositions of models, the behavior of indiscernibles, and a forbidden configuration. As an application, we prove non-structure results for hereditary classes of finite substructures of non-monadically NIP models that eliminate quantifiers.
EGFI: drug–drug interaction extraction and generation with fusion of enriched entity and sentence information
Authors: Huang Lei , Lin Jiecong , Li Xiangtao , Song Linqi , Zheng Zetian , Wong Ka-Chun
Published: November 2021

Motivation

The rapid growth in literature accumulates diverse and yet comprehensive biomedical knowledge hidden to be mined such as drug interactions. However, it is difficult to extract the heterogeneous knowledge to retrieve or even discover the latest and novel knowledge in an efficient manner. To address such a problem, we propose EGFI for extracting and consolidating drug interactions from large-scale medical literature text data. Specifically, EGFI consists of two parts: classification and generation. In the classification part, EGFI encompasses the language model BioBERT which has been comprehensively pretrained on biomedical corpus. In particular, we propose the multihead self-attention mechanism and packed BiGRU to fuse multiple semantic information for rigorous context modeling. In the generation part, EGFI utilizes another pretrained language model BioGPT-2 where the generation sentences are selected based on filtering rules.

Results

We evaluated the classification part on ‘DDIs 2013’ dataset and ‘DTIs’ dataset, achieving the F1 scores of 0.842 and 0.720 respectively. Moreover, we applied the classification part to distinguish high-quality generated sentences and verified with the existing growth truth to confirm the filtered sentences. The generated sentences that are not recorded in DrugBank and DDIs 2013 dataset demonstrated the potential of EGFI to identify novel drug relationships.

Availability

Source code are publicly available at https://github.com/Layne-Huang/EGFI.