bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of tumour biomarkers in choosing the appropriate positron emission tomography imaging in follow‐up of medullary thyroid cancer
Authors: Şahin Ertan , Elboğa Umut
Published: July 2020

Introduction

We aimed to demonstrate the importance of serum calcitonin (Ct) and carcinoembryonic‐antigen (CEA) levels in the selection of appropriate positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) modality in the follow‐up of operated patients with medullary thyroid cancer.

Methods

Fourteen operated patients (8 Female, 6 Male) with MTC underwent PET/CT imaging with somatostatin (68Ga‐DOTATATE) and glucose (18FDG) analogs due to elevated Ct or CEA at follow‐up. Ct and CEA levels and both PET/CT findings were compared based on both patients and lesions.

Results

Positive findings were found in 10 patients with 68Ga‐DOTATATE‐PET/CT and in 8 patients with 18FDG‐PET/CT, and sensitivity was found as 71.4% and 57.1% for both imaging methods, respectively (P > 0.05). Lesion could be detected with 68Ga‐DOTATATE‐PET/CT in 3 patients in whom lesion could not be detected with 18FDG‐PET/CT. In one patient, whereas no pathological lesion was with 68Ga‐DOTATATE‐PET/CT, lesion could be detected with 18FDG‐PET/CT in this patient. Of the total 67 lesions, 62 could be shown with 68Ga‐DOTATATE‐PET/CT, while 48 lesions could be detected with 18FDG‐PET/CT (P < 0.05). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between Ct level and the number of lesions detected on the 68Ga‐DOTATATE‐PET/CT, and similarly between CEA level and the number of lesions detected on the 18FDG‐PET/CT.

Conclusions

It was found that 68Ga‐DOTATATE‐PET/CT is superior over 18FDG‐PET/CT method in detection of recurrent disease in the follow‐up of MTC, and serum Ct and CEA levels are important biomarkers in the selection of appropriate PET/CT modality.
Comparing two airway management strategies for moderately sedated patients undergoing awake craniotomy: A single‐blinded randomized controlled trial
Authors: Deng Meng , Tu Meng‐Yun , Liu Yi‐Heng , Hu Xiao‐Bing , Zhang Tao , Wu Jin‐Song , Wang Ying‐Wei
Published: July 2020

Background

In the monitored anesthesia care (MAC) setting for awake craniotomy (AC), maintaining airway patency in sedated patients remains challenging. This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the validity of the below‐epiglottis transnasal tube insertion (the tip of the tube placed between the epiglottis and vocal cords) and the nasopharyngeal airway (simulated by the above‐epiglottis transnasal tube with the tip of the tube placed between the epiglottis and the free edge of the soft palate) with respect to maintaining upper airway patency for moderately sedated patients undergoing AC.

Methods

Sixty patients scheduled for elective AC were randomized to receive below‐epiglottis (n = 30) or above‐epiglottis (n = 30) transnasal tube insertion before surgery. Moderate sedation was maintained in the pre‐ and post‐awake phases. The primary outcome was the upper airway obstruction (UAO) remission rate (relieved obstructions after tube insertion/the total number of obstructions before tube insertion).

Results

The UAO remission rate was higher in the below‐epiglottis group [100% (12/12) vs 45% (5/11); P = .005]. The tidal volume values monitored through the tube were greater in the below‐epiglottis group during the pre‐awake phase (P < .001). End‐tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) monitored through the tube was higher in the below‐epiglottis group at bone flap removal (P < .001). During the awake phase, patients' ability to speak was not impeded. No patient had serious complications related to the tube.

Conclusion

The below‐epiglottis tube insertion is a more effective method to maintain upper airway patency than the nasopharyngeal airway for moderately sedated patients undergoing AC.
The accuracy of periapical radiography and cone beam computed tomography in measuring periodontal ligament space: Ex vivo comparative micro‐CT study
Authors: Tayman M. Ayşe , Kamburoğlu Kıvanç , Öztürk Ebru , Küçük Özlem
Published: July 2020

Our aim was to measure PDL space width using periapical radiography, CBCT and micro‐CT. Dry human mandibular bones (n = 36) consisting of 59 molar and 36 premolar teeth were used. Four image sets were obtained as follows: (i) photostimulable phosphor plate (PSP), periapical radiography, (ii) CBCT 0.075 mm voxel size, (iii) CBCT 0.2 mm voxel size and (iv) micro‐CT 0.06 mm voxel size. Micro‐CT images were considered as the gold standard. Four observers measured the PDL space widths twice. Intra‐ and interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated. Spearman’s rho correlation was assessed. PDL space widths ranged between 0.16 and 0.28 mm. There was good reliability within and between observers (P < 0.01). There was no significant relationship between micro‐CT and periapical imaging. (P > 0.05). Best observer performance was obtained from CBCT 0.075 mm voxel size images followed by CBCT 0.2 mm voxel size images.
Impact of Ethiopia's productive safety net program on manure use by rural households: Evidence from Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Araya Girmay Berhe
Published: July 2020

Although development intervention programs can have far‐reaching impacts beyond their stated objective, there have been few careful studies on associated but unintended outcomes of such programs. This study assesses the impact of membership in the public works component of Ethiopia's productive safety net program (PSNP) on whether households use manure and the amount of it they use. This is done using the double‐hurdle method based on survey data of 2015 on 11 agro‐climatically diverse districts of the Tigrai region in Northern Ethiopia. Results show that PSNP member households are not different from their nonmember counterparts in terms of manure use. This may indicate that PSNP is helping member households catch up with nonmember households in terms of manure use, even though they have smaller livestock ownership. This might indicate that PSNP member households are becoming more aware of the benefits of using manure, and hence are using available manure more efficiently. Therefore, this could be taken as one additional positive contribution of the PSNP in Ethiopia's endeavor to improve food security of poor rural farm households by increasing their productivity.
Spatial and temporal overlap of caracal and serval in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Authors: Mwampeta Stanslaus B. , Magige Flora J. , Belant Jerrold L.
Published: July 2020

Understanding activity and habitat use are important for identifying mechanisms facilitating species co‐occurrence. We studied habitat use and activity patterns of caracals (Caracal caracal) and servals (Leptailurus serval), primarily nocturnal, mid‐sized felids that prey extensively on small mammals and co‐occur in portions of sub‐Saharan Africa. Spatial and temporal patterns of segregation were investigated in a 1,085‐km2 area of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania from 2010–2012. We used occupancy analysis to quantify habitat use and kernel density estimators and Mardia–Watson–Wheleer tests to analyse activity patterns. We found evidence for habitat divergence but high temporal overlap between species. Servals selected for grassland and avoided shrubland and wooded grassland. In contrast, the findings showed that caracals avoided grassland and woodland–shrubland; however, 73% of caracals were detected in wooded grassland. Overall, caracals and servals co‐occurred independently, Species Interaction Factor, (phi = 1). This indicates that differential use of habitats in part facilitated coexistence of caracals and servals. Proper management of the declining grasslands including other habitats are recommended to facilitate continued coexistence. Additional studies, including feeding ecology, would be important to further understand mechanisms facilitating coexistence between caracals and servals.
SARS‐CoV‐2, COVID‐19, skin and immunology – What do we know so far?
Authors: Novak Natalijia , Peng Wenming , Naegeli Mirjam C. , Galvan Christina , Kolm‐Djamei Isabel , Brüggen Charlotte , Cabanillas Beatriz , Schmid‐Grendelmeier Peter , Catala Alba
Published: July 2020

The pandemic condition coronavirus disease (COVID‐19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), can take asymptomatic, mild, moderate, and severe courses. COVID‐19 affects primarily the respiratory airways leading to dry cough, fever, myalgia, headache, fatigue, and diarrhea and can end up in interstitial pneumonia and severe respiratory failure. Reports about the manifestation of various skin lesions and lesions of the vascular system in some subgroups of SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patients as such features outside the respiratory sphere, are rapidly emerging. Vesicular, urticarial, and maculopapular eruptions and livedo, necrosis, and other vasculitis forms have been reported most frequently in association with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. In order to update information gained, we provide a systematic overview of the skin lesions described in COVID‐19 patients, discuss potential causative factors, and describe differential diagnostic evaluations. Moreover, we summarize current knowledge about immunologic, clinical, and histologic features of virus‐ and drug‐induced lesions of the skin and changes to the vascular system in order to transfer this knowledge to potential mechanisms induced by SARS‐CoV‐2.
Hsp90 interacts with Cdc37, is phosphorylated by PKA/PKC, and regulates Src phosphorylation in human sperm capacitation
Authors: Li Kun , Sun Peibei , Wang Yayan , Gao Tian , Zheng Dongwang , Liu Ajuan , Ni Ya
Published: July 2020

Background

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) signaling pathways participate in protein phosphorylation during sperm capacitation. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the interaction between Hsp90 and its co‐chaperone protein, cell division cycle protein Cdc37 (Cdc37), in human spermatozoa.

Materials and methods

We examined the effects of H‐89 (a protein kinase A [PKA] inhibitor) and Go6983 (a protein kinase C [PKC] inhibitor) on the phosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues in Hsp90; the effect of 17‐allylamino‐17‐demethoxygeldanamycin (17‐AAG, Hsp90 inhibitor) on Y416‐Src phosphorylation; and the effects of 17‐AAG and geldanamycin on threonine phosphorylation during human sperm capacitation.

Results

Hsp90 co‐localized and interacted with Cdc37. During human sperm capacitation, Hsp90 phosphorylation at serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues was inhibited by H‐89 and Go6983. In addition, phosphorylation of residue Y416 in the tyrosine kinase Src (its active site) was inhibited by 17‐AAG, and the threonine phosphorylation levels of some proteins were decreased by 17‐AAG and geldanamycin.

Discussion and conclusion

Taken together, our data showed that the interaction of Hsp90 with Cdc37 regulates total protein threonine phosphorylation and Src phosphorylation via its serine, threonine, and tyrosine phosphorylation, which are controlled by PKA and PKC during human sperm capacitation. The results of this study help understand the mechanism underlying Hsp90 regulation of sperm function.
Letter: moderate levels of serum hepatitis B virus DNA alone are not associated with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients. Authors' reply
Authors: Kim Gi‐Ae , Lim Young‐Suk
Published: July 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Kim et al and Kumar and Mishra papers. To view these articles, visit
https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15725 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15829.
Letter: combination of biologics in inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: Fumery Mathurin , Yzet Clara , Brazier Franck
Published: July 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Yang et al papers. To view these articles, visit
https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15719 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15919.
Randomised clinical trial: oesophageal radiofrequency energy delivery versus sham for PPI‐refractory heartburn
Authors: Zerbib Frank , Sacher‐Huvelin Sylvie , Coron Emmanuel , Coffin Benoit , Melchior Chloé , Ponchon Thierry , Cholet Franck , Chabrun Edouard , Vavasseur Fabienne , Gorbatchef Caroline , Zalar Alberto , Mion François , Robaszkiewicz Michel , Le Rhun Marc , Leroy Maxime , Paul Galmiche Jean , Bruley des Varannes Stanislas
Published: July 2020

Background

Oesophageal radiofrequency reduces use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in patients with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease responding to PPIs.

Aim

To determine the efficacy of oesophageal radiofrequency in patients with PPI‐refractory heartburn.

Methods

A randomised, double‐blind, sham‐controlled multicentre study was designed to assess the efficacy of oesophageal radiofrequency in PPI non‐responding patients with heartburn. Patients had moderate‐to‐severe heartburn defined by at least 3 occurrences a week, and not improved by continuous PPI treatment. The primary endpoint was clinical success at week 24, defined by intake of less than 7 PPI doses over the 2 preceding weeks and adequate symptom control determined by the patient.

Results

Sixty two patients were randomised, 29 to the oesophageal radiofrequency group and 33 to the sham group. Intention‐to‐treat analysis showed that 1/29 (3.4%) and 5/33 (15.1%) achieved the primary endpoint in the oesophageal radiofrequency and sham groups, respectively (NS). There was no significant difference between oesophageal radiofrequency and sham regarding the number of days without heartburn, days with PPI consumption in the last 2 weeks, and patients not taking PPIs. No pH‐impedance parameter was associated with clinical response. The occurrence of adverse events was similar in both groups.

Conclusion

This sham‐controlled, randomised study did not demonstrate any efficacy of oesophageal radiofrequency for the treatment of PPI‐refractory heartburn regarding symptom relief or consumption of PPIs. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01682265.
REASONS TO REDEFINE MORAL DISTRESS: A FEMINIST EMPIRICAL BIOETHICS ANALYSIS
Authors: Morley Georgina , Bradbury‐Jones Caroline , Ives Jonathan
Published: July 2020

There has been increasing debate in recent years about the conceptualization of moral distress. Broadly speaking, two groups of scholars have emerged: those who agree with Jameton’s ‘narrow definition’ that focuses on constraint and those who argue that Jameton’s definition is insufficient and needs to be broadened. Using feminist empirical bioethics, we interviewed critical care nurses in the United Kingdom about their experiences and conceptualizations of moral distress. We provide our broader definition of moral distress and examples of data that both challenge and support our conceptualization. We pre‐empt and overcome three key challenges that could be levelled at our account and argue that there are good reasons to adopt our broader definition of moral distress when exploring prevalence of, and management strategies for, moral distress.
The roles of decoding and vocabulary in Chinese reading development: Evidence from a 3‐year longitudinal study
Authors: Yan Mengge , Li Yixun , Sun Xin , Zhou Xuelian , Hui Yi , Li Hong
Published: July 2020

Backgrounds

Decoding and vocabulary are two essential abilities to reading comprehension. Investigating the roles of decoding and vocabulary in Chinese reading development can not only provide empirical evidence to enrich the current reading theories but also have implications for educational practice.

Aims

To examine the developing importance of decoding and vocabulary to reading comprehension and the reciprocal relationship between decoding and vocabulary across the reading development.

Sample

A total of 186 Chinese children were followed from grade 1 to grade 3 (aged 6.5 to 8.5 years).

Methods

Participants’ decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension abilities were measured once a year for three years. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to obtain the unique contributions of decoding and vocabulary to reading comprehension in the different grades. A cross‐lagged structural equation model was used to explore the reciprocal relationship between decoding and vocabulary over the three years.

Results

Decoding and vocabulary explained nearly 40% of the variance to reading comprehension across grades, and the unique contribution of decoding decreased over the grades (from 29% to 8%) while that of vocabulary increased (from 3% to 9%). Moreover, vocabulary always predicted decoding from grade 1, but decoding predicted later vocabulary only started in grade 2.

Conclusions

Decoding skills are important to reading comprehension in the early learn‐to‐read grades. However, vocabulary becomes more critical for reading comprehension in later grades. Larger oral vocabularies promote the development of decoding skills, and vice versa.
The effect of diagnostic labels on teachers' perceptions of behaviours of students with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Nah Yong‐Hwee , Tan Julianne Wen‐Li
Published: July 2020

Background

In Singapore, despite the availability of specialized services and resources in mainstream schools for students with special educational needs, parents can still be hesitant to disclose their child’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), for fear of stigma or negative attitudes from teachers and peers.

Aim

This study aims to understand how diagnostic labels affect teachers’ perceptions of behaviours in students with ASD in mainstream primary schools, particularly behaviours which are difficult for educators to manage in the classroom setting. Based on research suggesting that a diagnostic label can provide an alternative explanation for atypical behaviours and reduce negative impressions, we hypothesize that teachers would perceive these behaviours of children with ASD less negatively as compared to children without any diagnostic labels.

Sample

The sample consisted of 120 mainstream primary school teachers who reported a mean of 9.97 years (SD = 7.96) of teaching experience. Majority of participants (65%) indicated that they had direct experience of teaching students with ASD in mainstream schools (mean years = 3.58, SD = 4.77).

Method

Participants read a total of 20 vignettes depicting a range of behaviours typically observed in primary school‐aged students with ASD. Participants were asked to rate the featured student’s behaviour on a 5‐point Likert scale (i.e., 1 = strongly negative, 2 = negative, 3 = neutral, 4 = positive, and 5 = strongly positive). The survey vignettes were presented in a randomized order, and participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (awareness of diagnostic label) or the control group (non‐awareness of label).

Results

Results indicated that the experimental group rated the behaviours less negatively than the control group. Qualitative feedback from participants also indicated that knowledge of the diagnostic label helped them to perceive the behaviours more positively.

Conclusion

Findings from this study have implications for parents regarding diagnosis disclosure and may serve as an encouragement to parents to consider disclosing their child’s ASD diagnosis to the school.
Optimising the value of immunomodulatory drugs during induction and maintenance in transplant ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: results from Myeloma XI, a multicentre, open‐label, randomised, Phase III trial
Authors: Jackson Graham H. , Pawlyn Charlotte , Cairns David A. , Striha Alina , Collett Corinne , Waterhouse Anna , Jones John R. , Wilson Jamie , Taylor Craig , Kishore Bhuvan , Garg Mamta , Williams Cathy D. , Karunanithi Kamaraj , Lindsay Jindriska , Jenner Matthew W. , Cook Gordon , Russell Nigel H. , Drayson Mark T. , Kaiser Martin F. , Owen Roger G. , Gregory Walter M. , Davies Faith E. , Morgan Gareth J. ,   UK NCRI Haemato‐oncology Clinical Studies Group
Published: July 2020

Second‐generation immunomodulatory agents, such as lenalidomide, have a more favourable side‐effect profile than the first‐generation thalidomide, but their optimum combination and duration for patients with newly diagnosed transplant‐ineligible myeloma (ND‐TNE‐MM) has not been defined. The most appropriate delivery and dosing regimens of these therapies for patients at advanced age and frailty status is also unclear. The Myeloma XI study compared cyclophosphamide, thalidomide and dexamethasone (CTDa) to cyclophosphamide, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (CRDa) as induction therapy, followed by a maintenance randomisation between ongoing therapy with lenalidomide or observation for patients with ND‐TNE‐MM. CRDa deepened response but did not improve progression‐free (PFS) or overall survival (OS) compared to CTDa. However, analysis by age group highlighted significant differences in tolerability in older, frailer patients that may have limited treatment delivery and impacted outcome. Deeper responses and PFS and OS benefits with CRDa over CTDs were seen in patients aged ≤70 years, with an increase in toxicity and discontinuation observed in older patients. Our results highlight the importance of considering age and frailty in the approach to therapy for patients with ND‐TNE‐MM, highlighting the need for prospective validation of frailty adapted therapy approaches, which may improve outcomes by tailoring treatment to the individual.
A side effect of a broker's expertise in clientelism: A lab‐experimental study
Authors: Chang Han Il
Published: July 2020

Drawing on studies from across the social sciences, this study explores a possibility that brokers affect vote choices via a psychological channel. Given that the information a broker utilizes for the efficient delivery of private transfers affects voters’ expectations of receiving those transfers, neglected voters may defect from voting for the broker's boss out of anger resulting from frustrated expectations, and this is likely to be the case particularly in a competitive election and among indifferent voters. Results from a lab experiment are consistent with the proposed possibility.
Genomic mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Bertram Lars , Tanzi Rudolph E.
Published: July 2020

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and, owing to its increasing prevalence, represents one of the leading public health problems in aging populations. The molecular causes underlying the onset and progression of AD are manifold and hitherto still incompletely understood. Research over nearly four decades has clearly delineated genetics to play a crucial role in AD susceptibility, likely in concert with non‐genetic factors. The field has gained considerable momentum and novel insights over the past 10 years owing to the advent and application of high‐throughput genomics technologies in datasets of increasing size. In this contribution to the Mini‐Symposium on the Molecular Etiology of Alzheimer's Disease, we review the current status of genomics research in AD. To this end, we scrutinize and discuss the main findings from the two largest and most current genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) in the field, that is, the papers published by Jansen et al (Nat Genet 51:404–413) and Kunkle et al (Nat Genet 51:414–430). Particular focus is laid on genomics findings overlapping across both studies and on the novel insights they provide in terms of improving our understanding of the “genomic mechanisms” underlying this devastating disease.
Rational drug discovery: Ellagic acid as a potent dual‐target inhibitor against hepatitis C virus genotype 3 (HCV G3) NS3 enzymes
Authors: Lim See Khai , Othman Rozana , Yusof Rohana , Heh Choon Han
Published: July 2020

Structure‐based virtual screening (SBVS) has served as a popular strategy for rational drug discovery. In this study, we aimed to discover novel benzopyran‐based inhibitors that targeted the NS3 enzymes (NS3/4A protease and NS3 helicase) of HCV G3 using a combination of in silico and in vitro approaches. With the aid of SBVS, six novel compounds were discovered to inhibit HCV G3 NS3/4A protease and two phytochemicals (ellagic acid and myricetin) were identified as dual‐target inhibitors that inhibited both NS3/4A protease and NS3 helicase in vitro (IC50 = 40.37 ± 5.47 nm and 6.58 ± 0.99 µm, respectively). Inhibitory activities against the replication of HCV G3 replicons were further assessed in a cell‐based system with four compounds showed dose‐dependent inhibition. Compound P8 was determined to be the most potent compound from the cell‐based assay with an EC50 of 19.05 µm. The dual‐target inhibitor, ellagic acid, was determined as the second most potent (EC50 = 32.37 µm) and the most selective in its inhibitory activity against the replication of HCV replicons, without severely affecting the viability of the host cells (selectivity index > 6.18).
Positive Shyness in the Brain: Frontal Electroencephalogram Alpha Asymmetry and Delta–Beta Correlation in Children
Authors: Poole Kristie L. , Schmidt Louis A.
Published: July 2020

Positive shyness is thought to be an approach‐dominant form of shyness, whereas non‐positive shyness is thought to be an avoidance‐dominant form of shyness. This study examined electrocortical and behavioral correlates of motivation and emotion in relation to these shy subtypes in 67 children (Mage = 10.41 years, SD = 3.23). Using resting state electroencephalography, findings revealed that positive shy and low shy children had greater relative left frontal alpha asymmetry compared to non‐positive shy children, and positive shy children had a higher frontal delta–beta correlation compared to other groups. Non‐positive shy children scored highest on parent‐reported school avoidance. These findings converge with previous work reporting distinct correlates in positive and non‐positive shyness, extending this to two brain measures of motivation and emotion.
Asynchronous Eulerian Liquid Simulation
Authors: Koike T. , Morishima S. , Ando R.
Published: July 2020

We present a novel method for simulating liquid with asynchronous time steps on Eulerian grids. Previous approaches focus on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), Material Point Method (MPM) or tetrahedral Finite Element Method (FEM) but the method for simulating liquid purely on Eulerian grids have not yet been investigated. We address several challenges specifically arising from the Eulerian asynchronous time integrator such as regional pressure solve, asynchronous advection, interpolation, regional volume preservation, and dedicated segregation of the simulation domain according to the liquid velocity. We demonstrate our method on top of staggered grids combined with the level set method and the semi‐Lagrangian scheme. We run several examples and show that our method considerably outperforms the global adaptive time step method with respect to the computational runtime on scenes where a large variance of velocity is present.
Local Bases for Model‐reduced Smoke Simulations
Authors: Mercier Olivier , Nowrouzezahrai Derek
Published: July 2020

We present a flexible model reduction method for simulating incompressible fluids. We derive a novel vector field basis composed of localized basis flows which have simple analytic forms and can be tiled on regular lattices, avoiding the use of complicated data structures or neighborhood queries. Local basis flow interactions can be precomputed and reused to simulate fluid dynamics on any simulation domain without additional overhead. We introduce heuristic simulation dynamics tailored to our basis and derived from a projection of the Navier‐Stokes equations to produce physically plausible motion, exposing intuitive parameters to control energy distribution across scales. Our basis can adapt to curved simulation boundaries, can be coupled with dynamic obstacles, and offers simple adjustable trade‐offs between speed and visual resolution.
Fast and Scalable Solvers for the Fluid Pressure Equations with Separating Solid Boundary Conditions
Authors: Lai Junyu , Chen Yangang , Gu Yu , Batty Christopher , Wan Justin W.L.
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we propose and evaluate fast, scalable approaches for solving the linear complementarity problems (LCP) arising from the fluid pressure equations with separating solid boundary conditions. Specifically, we present a policy iteration method, a penalty method, and a modified multigrid method, and demonstrate that each is able to properly handle the desired boundary conditions. Moreover, we compare our proposed methods against existing approaches and show that our solvers are more efficient and exhibit better scaling behavior; that is, the number of iterations required for convergence is essentially independent of grid resolution, and thus they are faster at larger grid resolutions. For example, on a 2563 grid our multigrid method was 30 times faster than the prior multigrid method in the literature.
A Practical Method for Animating Anisotropic Elastoplastic Materials
Authors: Schreck Camille , Wojtan Chris
Published: July 2020

This paper introduces a simple method for simulating highly anisotropic elastoplastic material behaviors like the dissolution of fibrous phenomena (splintering wood, shredding bales of hay) and materials composed of large numbers of irregularly‐shaped bodies (piles of twigs, pencils, or cards). We introduce a simple transformation of the anisotropic problem into an equivalent isotropic one, and we solve this new “fictitious” isotropic problem using an existing simulator based on the material point method. Our approach results in minimal changes to existing simulators, and it allows us to re‐use popular isotropic plasticity models like the Drucker‐Prager yield criterion instead of inventing new anisotropic plasticity models for every phenomenon we wish to simulate.
Mixing Yarns and Triangles in Cloth Simulation
Authors: Casafranca Juan J. , Cirio Gabriel , Rodríguez Alejandro , Miguel Eder , Otaduy Miguel A.
Published: July 2020

This paper presents a method to combine triangle and yarn models in cloth simulation, and hence leverage their best features. The majority of a garment uses a triangle‐based model, which reduces the overall computational and memory cost. Key areas of the garment use a yarn‐based model, which elicits rich effects such as structural nonlinearity and plasticity. To combine both models in a seamless and robust manner, we solve two major technical challenges. We propose an enriched kinematic representation that augments triangle‐based deformations with yarn‐level details. Naïve enrichment suffers from kinematic redundancy, but we devise an optimal kinematic filter that allows a smooth transition between triangle and yarn models. We also introduce a preconditioner that resolves the poor conditioning produced by the extremely different inertia of triangle and yarn nodes. This preconditioner deals effectively with rank deficiency introduced by the kinematic filter. We demonstrate that mixed yarns and triangles succeed to efficiently capture rich effects in garment fit and drape.
Fast Nonlinear Least Squares Optimization of Large‐Scale Semi‐Sparse Problems
Authors: Fratarcangeli M. , Bradley D. , Gruber A. , Zoss G. , Beeler T.
Published: July 2020

Many problems in computer graphics and vision can be formulated as a nonlinear least squares optimization problem, for which numerous off‐the‐shelf solvers are readily available. Depending on the structure of the problem, however, existing solvers may be more or less suitable, and in some cases the solution comes at the cost of lengthy convergence times. One such case is semi‐sparse optimization problems, emerging for example in localized facial performance reconstruction, where the nonlinear least squares problem can be composed of hundreds of thousands of cost functions, each one involving many of the optimization parameters. While such problems can be solved with existing solvers, the computation time can severely hinder the applicability of these methods. We introduce a novel iterative solver for nonlinear least squares optimization of large‐scale semi‐sparse problems. We use the nonlinear Levenberg‐Marquardt method to locally linearize the problem in parallel, based on its first‐order approximation. Then, we decompose the linear problem in small blocks, using the local Schur complement, leading to a more compact linear system without loss of information. The resulting system is dense but its size is small enough to be solved using a parallel direct method in a short amount of time. The main benefit we get by using such an approach is that the overall optimization process is entirely parallel and scalable, making it suitable to be mapped onto graphics hardware (GPU). By using our minimizer, results are obtained up to one order of magnitude faster than other existing solvers, without sacrificing the generality and the accuracy of the model. We provide a detailed analysis of our approach and validate our results with the application of performance‐based facial capture using a recently‐proposed anatomical local face deformation model.
Subdivision‐Specialized Linear Algebra Kernels for Static and Dynamic Mesh Connectivity on the GPU
Authors: Mlakar D. , Winter M. , Stadlbauer P. , Seidel H.‐P. , Steinberger M. , Zayer R.
Published: July 2020

Subdivision surfaces have become an invaluable asset in production environments. While progress over the last years has allowed the use of graphics hardware to meet performance demands during animation and rendering, high‐performance is limited to immutable mesh connectivity scenarios. Motivated by recent progress in mesh data structures, we show how the complete Catmull‐Clark subdivision scheme can be abstracted in the language of linear algebra. While this high‐level formulation allows for a fully parallel implementation with significant performance gains, the underlying algebraic operations require further specialization for modern parallel hardware. Integrating domain knowledge about the mesh matrix data structure, we replace costly general linear algebra operations like matrix‐matrix multiplication by specialized kernels. By further considering innate properties of Catmull‐Clark subdivision, like the quad‐only structure after refinement, we achieve an additional order of magnitude in performance and significantly reduce memory footprints. Our approach can be adapted seamlessly for different use cases, such as regular subdivision of dynamic meshes, fast evaluation for immutable topology and feature‐adaptive subdivision for efficient rendering of animated models. In this way, patchwork solutions are avoided in favor of a streamlined solution with consistent performance gains throughout the production pipeline. The versatility of the sparse matrix linear algebra abstraction underlying our work is further demonstrated by extension to other schemes such as and Loop subdivision.
Stratified Markov Chain Monte Carlo Light Transport
Authors: Gruson Adrien , West Rex , Hachisuka Toshiya
Published: July 2020

Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling is a powerful approach to generate samples from an arbitrary distribution. The application to light transport simulation allows us to efficiently handle complex light transport such as highly occluded scenes. Since light transport paths in MCMC methods are sampled according to the path contributions over the sampling domain covering the whole image, bright pixels receive more samples than dark pixels to represent differences in the brightness. This variation in the number of samples per pixel is a fundamental property of MCMC methods. This property often leads to uneven convergence over the image, which is a notorious and fundamental issue of any MCMC method to date. We present a novel stratification method of MCMC light transport methods. Our stratification method, for the first time, breaks the fundamental limitation that the number of samples per pixel is uncontrollable. Our method guarantees that every pixel receives a specified number of samples by running a single Markov chain per pixel. We rely on the fact that different MCMC processes should converge to the same result when the sampling domain and the integrand are the same. We thus subdivide an image into multiple overlapping tiles associated with each pixel, run an independent MCMC process in each of them, and then align all of the tiles such that overlapping regions match. This can be formulated as an optimization problem similar to the reconstruction step for gradient‐domain rendering. Further, our method can exploit the coherency of integrands among neighboring pixels via coherent Markov chains and replica exchange. Images rendered with our method exhibit much more predictable convergence compared to existing MCMC methods.
Spectral Mollification for Bidirectional Fluorescence
Authors: Jung A. , Hanika J. , Dachsbacher C.
Published: July 2020

Fluorescent materials can shift energy between wavelengths, thereby creating bright and saturated colors both in natural and artificial materials. However, rendering fluorescence for continuous wavelengths or combined with wavelength dependent path configurations so far has only been feasible using spectral unidirectional methods. We present a regularization‐based approach for supporting fluorescence in a spectral bidirectional path tracer. Our algorithm samples camera and light sub‐paths with independent wavelengths, and when connecting them mollifies the BSDF at one of the connecting vertices such that it reradiates light across multiple wavelengths. We discuss arising issues such as color bias in early iterations, consistency of the method and MIS weights in the presence of spectral mollification. We demonstrate our method in scenes combining fluorescence and transport phenomena that are difficult to render with unidirectional or spectrally discrete methods.
Computational Design and Optimization of Non‐Circular Gears
Authors: Xu Hao , Fu Tianwen , Song Peng , Zhou Mingjun , Fu Chi‐Wing , Mitra Niloy J.
Published: July 2020

We study a general form of gears known as non‐circular gears that can transfer periodic motion with variable speed through their irregular shapes and eccentric rotation centers. To design functional non‐circular gears is nontrivial, since the gear pair must have compatible shape to keep in contact during motion, so the driver gear can push the follower to rotate via a bounded torque that the motor can exert. To address the challenge, we model the geometry, kinematics, and dynamics of non‐circular gears, formulate the design problem as a shape optimization, and identify necessary independent variables in the optimization search. Taking a pair of 2D shapes as inputs, our method optimizes them into gears by locating the rotation center on each shape, minimally modifying each shape to form the gear's boundary, and constructing appropriate teeth for gear meshing. Our optimized gears not only resemble the inputs but can also drive the motion with relatively small torque. We demonstrate our method's usability by generating a rich variety of non‐circular gears from various inputs and 3D printing several of them.
Designing Robotically‐Constructed Metal Frame Structures
Authors: Ma Z. , Walzer A. , Schumacher C. , Rust R. , Gramazio F. , Kohler M. , Bächer M.
Published: July 2020

We present a computational technique that aids with the design of structurally‐sound metal frames, tailored for robotic fabrication using an existing process that integrate automated bar bending, welding, and cutting. Aligning frames with structurally‐favorable orientations, and decomposing models into fabricable units, we make the fabrication process scale‐invariant, and frames globally align in an aesthetically‐pleasing and structurally‐informed manner. Relying on standard analysis of frames, we then co‐optimize the shape and topology of bars at the local unit level. At this level, we minimize combinations of functional and aesthetic objectives under strict fabrication constraints that model the assembly of discrete sets of bent bars. We demonstrate the capabilities of our global‐to‐local approach on four robotically‐constructed examples.
Binary Ostensibly‐Implicit Trees for Fast Collision Detection
Authors: Chitalu Floyd M. , Dubach Christophe , Komura Taku
Published: July 2020

We present a simple, efficient and low‐memory technique, targeting fast construction of bounding volume hierarchies (BVH) for broad‐phase collision detection. To achieve this, we devise a novel representation of BVH trees in memory. We develop a mapping of the implicit index representation to compact memory locations, based on simple bit‐shifts, to then construct and evaluate bounding volume test trees (BVTT) during collision detection with real‐time performance. We model the topology of the BVH tree implicitly as binary encodings which allows us to determine the nodes missing from a complete binary tree using the binary representation of the number of missing nodes. The simplicity of our technique allows for fast hierarchy construction achieving over 6× speedup over the state‐of‐the‐art. Making use of these characteristics, we show that not only it is feasible to rebuild the BVH at every frame, but that using our technique, it is actually faster than refitting and more memory efficient.
Displacement‐Correlated XFEM for Simulating Brittle Fracture
Authors: Chitalu Floyd M. , Miao Qinghai , Subr Kartic , Komura Taku
Published: July 2020

We present a remeshing‐free brittle fracture simulation method under the assumption of quasi‐static linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). To achieve this, we devise two algorithms. First, we develop an approximate volumetric simulation, based on the extended Finite Element Method (XFEM), to initialize and propagate Lagrangian crack‐fronts. We model the geometry of fracture explicitly as a surface mesh, which allows us to generate high‐resolution crack surfaces that are decoupled from the resolution of the deformation mesh. Our second contribution is a mesh cutting algorithm, which produces fragments of the input mesh using the fracture surface. We do this by directly operating on the half‐edge data structures of two surface meshes, which enables us to cut general surface meshes including those of concave polyhedra and meshes with abutting concave polygons. Since we avoid triangulation for cutting, the connectivity of the resulting fragments is identical to the (uncut) input mesh except at edges introduced by the cut. We evaluate our simulation and cutting algorithms and show that they outperform state‐of‐the‐art approaches both qualitatively and quantitatively.
State of the Art on Neural Rendering
Authors: Tewari A. , Fried O. , Thies J. , Sitzmann V. , Lombardi S. , Sunkavalli K. , Martin‐Brualla R. , Simon T. , Saragih J. , Nießner M. , Pandey R. , Fanello S. , Wetzstein G. , Zhu J.‐Y. , Theobalt C. , Agrawala M. , Shechtman E. , Goldman D. B , Zollhöfer M.
Published: July 2020

Efficient rendering of photo‐realistic virtual worlds is a long standing effort of computer graphics. Modern graphics techniques have succeeded in synthesizing photo‐realistic images from hand‐crafted scene representations. However, the automatic generation of shape, materials, lighting, and other aspects of scenes remains a challenging problem that, if solved, would make photo‐realistic computer graphics more widely accessible. Concurrently, progress in computer vision and machine learning have given rise to a new approach to image synthesis and editing, namely deep generative models. Neural rendering is a new and rapidly emerging field that combines generative machine learning techniques with physical knowledge from computer graphics, e.g., by the integration of differentiable rendering into network training. With a plethora of applications in computer graphics and vision, neural rendering is poised to become a new area in the graphics community, yet no survey of this emerging field exists. This state‐of‐the‐art report summarizes the recent trends and applications of neural rendering. We focus on approaches that combine classic computer graphics techniques with deep generative models to obtain controllable and photorealistic outputs. Starting with an overview of the underlying computer graphics and machine learning concepts, we discuss critical aspects of neural rendering approaches. Specifically, our emphasis is on the type of control, i.e., how the control is provided, which parts of the pipeline are learned, explicit vs. implicit control, generalization, and stochastic vs. deterministic synthesis. The second half of this state‐of‐the‐art report is focused on the many important use cases for the described algorithms such as novel view synthesis, semantic photo manipulation, facial and body reenactment, relighting, free‐viewpoint video, and the creation of photo‐realistic avatars for virtual and augmented reality telepresence. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the social implications of such technology and investigate open research problems.
Coloration of cellulose nanofibres with pigments
Authors: Ali Shamshad , Khatri Awais , Baig Urooj , Javeed Alishba , Ali Rind Nadir
Published: July 2020

Electrospun nanofibrous mats are popular for their wide technological applications as medical, filtration, sensing and high performance textiles. The potential for coloration of electrospun nanofibrous mats for aesthetic purposes has also been explored recently, and the pigment coloration of cellulose electrospun nanofibrous mats is reported for the first time in this paper. Cellulose acetate electrospun nanofibrous mats were fabricated using electrospinning followed by treatment with sodium hydroxide to synthesise regenerated cellulose electrospun nanofibrous mats. Then the cellulose mats were coloured with commercially available pigments by a pad‐dry‐bake method. Excellent K/S and colour fastness to both washing and light were produced with the application of three commercial pigments. The pH and total dissolved solids content of the coloration wastewater, as well as the mechanical properties of the electrospun nanofibrous mats, were also tested. Attenuated total reflection‐Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis were used for characterisation.
Wedelolactone facilitates Ser/Thr phosphorylation of NLRP3 dependent on PKA signalling to block inflammasome activation and pyroptosis
Authors: Pan Hao , Lin Yuqing , Dou Jianping , Fu Zhen , Yao Yanqing , Ye Shanyu , Zhang Saixia , Wang Neng , Liu Aijun , Li Xican , Zhang Fengxue , Chen Dongfeng
Published: July 2020

Objectives

Wedelolactone exhibits regulatory effects on some inflammatory diseases. However, the anti‐inflammatory mechanism of wedelolactone has not been entirely unravelled. Therefore, the present study focuses on investigating the mechanism of wedelolactone on NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages and its influence on MSU‐induced inflammation.

Materials and Methods

BMDM, J774A.1 and PMA‐differentiated THP‐1 macrophages were primed with LPS and then stimulated with ATP or nigericin or MSU crystal in the presence or absence of wedelolactone. The cell lysates and supernatants were collected to detect NLRP3 inflammasome components such as NLRP3, ASC and caspase 1, as well as pyroptosis and IL‐1β production. In addition, the anti‐inflammatory effects of wedelolactone on MSU‐induced peritonitis and arthritis mice were also evaluated.

Results

We found that wedelolactone broadly inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis and IL‐1β secretion. Wedelolactone also block ASC oligomerization and speck formation. The inhibitory effects of wedelolactone were abrogated by PKA inhibitor H89, which also attenuated wedelolactone‐enhanced Ser/Thr phosphorylation of NLRP3 at PKA‐specific sites. Importantly, wedelolactone could abate MSU‐induced IL‐1β production and neutrophils migration into peritoneal cavity, and reduced caspase 1 (p20) and IL‐1β expression in the joint tissue of MSU‐induced arthritis.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that wedelolactone promotes the Ser/Thr phosphorylation of NLRP3 to inhibit inflammasome activation and pyroptosis partly through potentiating PKA signalling, thus identifying its potential use for treating MSU‐induced peritonitis and gouty arthritis.