bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulation and Analysis of Microspines Interlocking Behavior on Rocky Surfaces: An In-Depth Study of the Isolated Spine
Authors: Iacoponi Saverio , Calisti Marcello , Laschi Cecilia
Published: July 2020

Microspine grippers address a large variety of possible applications, especially in field robotics and manipulation in extreme environments. Predicting and modeling the gripper behavior remains a major challenge to this day. One of the most complex aspects of these predictions is how to model the spine to rock interaction of the spine tip with the local asperity. This paper proposes a single spine model, in order to fill the gap of knowledge in this specific field. A new model for the anchoring resistance of a single spine is proposed and discussed. The model is then applied to a simulation campaign. With the aid of simulations and analytic functions, we correlated performance characteristics of a spine with a set of quantitative, macroscopic variables related to the spine, the substrate and its usage. Eventually, this paper presents some experimental comparison tests and discusses traversal phenomena observed during the tests.
Supernumerary Robotic Limbs to Assist Human Walking With Load Carriage
Authors: Hao Ming , Zhang Jiwen , Chen Ken , Asada Harry , Fu Chenglong
Published: July 2020

Walking with load carriage is a common requirement for individuals in many situations. Legged exoskeletons can transfer the load weight to the ground with rigid-leg structures, thus reducing the load weight borne by the human user. However, the inertia of paralleled structures and the mechanical joint tend to disturb natural motions of human limbs, leading to high-energy consumption. Different from exoskeletons, Supernumerary Robotic Limbs (SuperLimbs) are kinematically independent of the human limbs, thus avoiding the physical interference with the human limbs. In this paper, a SuperLimb system is proposed to assist the human walking with load carriage. The system has two rigid robotic limbs, and each robotic limb has four degrees-of-freedom (DOFs). The SuperLimbs can transfer the load weight to the ground through the rigid structures, thus reducing the weight borne by the human user. A hybrid control strategy is presented to assist the human as well as avoid disturbing user’s natural motions. Motions of the SuperLimb system are generated autonomously to follow the gait of the human user. The gait synchronization is controlled by a finite state machine, which uses inertial sensors to detect the human gait. Human walking experiments are conducted to verify this concept. Experiments indicate that the SuperLimbs can follow the human gait as well as distribute the load weight. Results show that our SuperLimb system can reduce 85.7% of load weight borne by the human when both robotic limbs support and 55.8% load weight on average. This study may inspire the design of other wearable robots and may provide efficient solutions for human loaded walking.
Design of an Underactuated Finger Based on a Novel Nine-Bar Mechanism
Authors: Cheng Ming , Fan Shaowei , Yang Dapeng , Jiang Li
Published: July 2020

Elastic elements are commonly adopted to realize underactuation in the design of human-friendly prosthetic hands. The stiffness of these elastic elements, which is a key factor affecting the grasp performance of the underactuated finger, has not well addressed when considering both the stability and adaptability. In this study, an adaptive anthropomorphic finger that adopted a novel nine-bar mechanism is proposed. This nine-bar mechanism is integrated through a coupled four-bar mechanism and an adaptive seven-bar mechanism. The developed finger based on the nine-bar mechanism is able to improve the grasp stability in the global workspace under an extremely small spring stiffness. A quantitative analysis of the grasp stability was carried out. Comparative experiments on the grasps using the finger with/without adaptability were also performed. The results validated that our finger has a good stability when grasping the objects of different sizes.
Sculpting speech from noise, music, and other sources
Authors: Cooke Martin , García Lecumberri María Luisa
Published: July 2020

Intelligible speech can be generated by passing a signal through a time-frequency mask that selects which information to retain, even when the signal is speech-shaped noise, suggesting an important role for the mask pattern itself. The current study examined the relationship between the signal and the mask by varying the availability of target speech cues in the signal while holding the mask constant. Keyword identification rates in everyday sentences varied from near-ceiling to near-floor levels as the signal was varied, indicating that the interaction between the signal and mask, rather than the mask alone, determines intelligibility.
The Nitrite Transporter Facilitates Biofilm Formation via Suppression of Nitrite Reductase and Is a New Antibiofilm Target in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Park Ji-Su , Choi Ha-Young , Kim Won-Gon
Published: July 2020

Bacterial biofilms play roles in infections and avoidance of host defense mechanisms of medically important pathogens and increase the antibiotic resistance of the bacteria. Nitric oxide (NO) is reported to be involved in both biofilm formation and dispersal, which are conflicting processes. The mechanism by which NO regulates biofilm dispersal is relatively understood, but there are no reports about how NO is involved in biofilm formation. Here, by investigating the mechanism by which complestatin inhibits biofilm formation, we describe a novel mechanism for governing biofilm formation in
Escherichia coli
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. Nitrite transporter is required for biofilm formation via regulation of NO levels and subsequent c-di-GMP production. Additionally, the nitrite transporter contributes more to
P. aeruginosa
virulence than quorum sensing. Thus, this study identifies nitrite transporters as new antibiofilm targets for future practical and therapeutic agent development.
Toxoplasma gondii Co-opts the Unfolded Protein Response To Enhance Migration and Dissemination of Infected Host Cells
Authors: Augusto Leonardo , Martynowicz Jennifer , Amin Parth H. , Alakhras Nada S. , Kaplan Mark H. , Wek Ronald C. , Sullivan William J.
Published: July 2020

Cells that are infected with the parasite
Toxoplasma gondii
exhibit heightened migratory activity, which facilitates dissemination of the infection throughout the body. In this report, we identify a new mechanism used by
Toxoplasma
to hijack its host cell and increase its mobility. We further show that the ability of
Toxoplasma
to increase host cell migration involves not the enzymatic activity of IRE1 but rather IRE1 engagement with actin cytoskeletal remodeling. Depletion of IRE1 from infected host cells reduces their migration
in vitro
and significantly hinders dissemination of
Toxoplasma in vivo
. Our findings reveal a new mechanism underlying host-pathogen interactions, demonstrating how host cells are co-opted to spread a persistent infection around the body.
Pathogenesis of COVID-19 from the Perspective of the Damage-Response Framework
Authors: Pirofski Liise-anne , Casadevall Arturo
Published: July 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents the medical community with a significant challenge. COVID-19 is an entirely new disease with disparate clinical manifestations that are difficult to reconcile with a single pathogenic principle. Here, we explain how the flexible paradigm of the “damage-response framework” (DRF) of microbial pathogenesis can organize the varied manifestations of COVID-19 into a synthesis that accounts for differences in susceptibility of vulnerable populations as well as for differing manifestations of COVID-19 disease.
Probiotic Properties of Escherichia coli Nissle in Human Intestinal Organoids
Authors: Pradhan Suman , Weiss Alison Ann
Published: July 2020

Probiotic, or beneficial, bacteria, such as
E. coli
Nissle, hold promise for the treatment of human disease. More study is needed to fully realize the potential of probiotics. Safety and efficacy studies are critically important; however, mice are poor models for many human intestinal diseases. We used stem cell-derived human intestinal organoid tissues to evaluate the safety of Nissle and its ability to protect from pathogenic
E. coli
bacteria. Nissle was found to be safe. Human intestinal tissues were not harmed by the Nissle bacteria introduced into the digestive tract. In contrast, pathogenic
E. coli
bacteria destroyed the intestinal tissues, and importantly, Nissle conferred protection from the pathogenic
E. coli
bacteria. Nissle did not kill the pathogenic
E. coli
bacteria, and protection likely occurred via the activation of human defenses. Human intestinal tissues provide a powerful way to study complex host-microbe interactions.
Subspecies Niche Specialization in the Oral Microbiome Is Associated with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Risk
Authors: Debelius Justine W. , Huang Tingting , Cai Yonglin , Ploner Alexander , Barrett Donal , Zhou Xiaoying , Xiao Xue , Li Yancheng , Liao Jian , Zheng Yuming , Huang Guangwu , Adami Hans-Olov , Zeng Yi , Zhang Zhe , Ye Weimin
Published: July 2020

The relationship between oral health and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was previously established. However, the role of oral microbiome has not been evaluated in the disease in a large epidemiological study. This paper clearly establishes a difference in the oral microbiomes between NPC patients and healthy controls which cannot be explained by other confounding factors. It furthermore identifies a pair of closely related coexcluding organisms associated with the disease, highlighting the importance of modern methods for single-nucleotide resolution in 16S rRNA sequence characterization. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first examples of cancer-associated niche specialization of the oral microbiome.
Gallbladder wall thickening on bedside ultrasound in a child with Epstein-Barr virus infection
Authors: Guri Alex , Scheier Eric
Published: July 2020

Gallbladder wall thickening (GBWT) is rarely reported in children with acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. We present a child with EBV infection who was found on point-of-care ultrasound to have GBWT without signs of cholecystitis that subsequently resolved without intervention. We expect the proliferation of mobile and handheld sonography to increase the number of bedside examinations in febrile children. This, in turn, will increase the incidence of GBWT found in patients with EBV infection and without right upper quadrant pain. Prospective study is needed to define the incidence of GBWT in children with EBV infection.
Hyponatraemia and cerebral oedema due to a modafinil overdose
Authors: Kandasamy Rohan Oliver , Kaminskaite Viktorija , May Felix
Published: July 2020

Modafinil is a non-amphetamine stimulant that is prescribed for narcolepsy-associated sleepiness as well as reported off-licence uses among university students looking to improve wakefulness and focus. There is limited information in the medical literature about supratherapeutic modafinil dosage, symptomatology and management of overdose. We report a case of a healthy 32-year-old man who was found unconscious, having vomited, with an empty modafinil blister strip. At the emergency department, he presented with reduced Glasgow Coma Scale and prolonged episodes of vomiting. This acute presentation was conservatively managed in the intensive care unit. Antibiotics were also given for a suspected aspiration pneumonia. CT of the head showed cerebral oedema and biochemistry investigations revealed hyponatraemia. Result aetiology was unclear, however, it has been theorised to be secondary to a sizeable modafinil overdose.
Drug poisoning management using smartphones: an apps review study based on use case classification model
Authors: Hajesmaeel Gohari Sadrieh , Bahaadinbeigy Kambiz , Tajoddini Shahrad , R Niakan Kalhori Sharareh
Published: July 2020

Drug poisoning is the most common form of poisoning in the world. Timely and efficient management of this form of poisoning may save the life of many patients. Today, smartphone apps are widely used for various utilisations, such as for medical purposes. This study aimed to review the crucial characteristics of Android and iOS apps for drug poisoning management and categorise them by the use case classification model. Google Play and App Store were searched in December 2018 for drug poisoning apps using the keywords toxicology, poisoning, drug poisoning and drug toxicities, and resulted in 551 smartphone apps. The 17 final apps were evaluated based on the following items: platform, cost, date of update, country, app target, target group, rating and developer. The results showed that 64.7% of apps were available on both platforms and 53% were free to download. Majority of the apps (53%) were designed for medical staff and 47% were developed in the USA. In 47% of the apps, users rated a score above 4 for apps evaluation, and in 47% the last update was 1 year ago. Nine distinct use cases from the published use case classification model were found in 17 apps. The results of this study can help users select and use a reliable app for management of drug poisoning. The results also showed that 22 use cases of the 31 introduced were not considered in the development of the apps. Application of these use cases may improve the quality of drug poisoning management apps.
ARTP statement on pulmonary function testing 2020
Authors: Sylvester Karl Peter , Clayton Nigel , Cliff Ian , Hepple Michael , Kendrick Adrian , Kirkby Jane , Miller Martin , Moore Alan , Rafferty Gerrard Francis , O'Reilly Liam , Shakespeare Joanna , Smith Laurie , Watts Trefor , Bucknall Martyn , Butterfield Keith
Published: July 2020

The Association for Respiratory Technology & Physiology (ARTP) last produced a statement on the performance of lung function testing in 1994. At that time the focus was on a practical statement for people working in lung function laboratories. Since that time there have been many technological advances and alterations to best practice in the measurement and interpretation of lung function assessments. In light of these advances an update was warranted. ARTP, therefore, have provided within this document, where available, the most up-to-date and evidence-based recommendations for the most common lung function assessments performed in laboratories across the UK. These recommendations set out the requirements and considerations that need to be made in terms of environmental and patient factors that may influence both the performance and interpretation of lung function tests. They also incorporate procedures to ensure quality assured diagnostic investigations that include those associated with equipment, the healthcare professional conducting the assessments and the results achieved by the subject. Each section aims to outline the common parameters provided for each investigation, a brief principle behind the measurements (where applicable), and suggested acceptability and reproducibility criteria.
Improved survival following ward-based non-invasive pressure support for severe hypoxia in a cohort of frail patients with COVID-19: retrospective analysis from a UK teaching hospital
Authors: Burns Graham P , Lane Nicholas D , Tedd Hilary M , Deutsch Elizabeth , Douglas Florence , West Sophie D , Macfarlane Jim G , Wiscombe Sarah , Funston Wendy
Published: July 2020

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in China in December 2019, a pandemic has rapidly developed on a scale that has overwhelmed health services in a number of countries. COVID-19 has the potential to lead to severe hypoxia; this is usually the cause of death if it occurs. In a substantial number of patients, adequate arterial oxygenation cannot be achieved with supplementary oxygen therapy alone. To date, there has been no clear guideline endorsement of ward-based non-invasive pressure support (NIPS) for severely hypoxic patients who are deemed unlikely to benefit from invasive ventilation. We established a ward-based NIPS service for COVID-19 PCR-positive patients, with severe hypoxia, and in whom escalation to critical care for invasive ventilation was not deemed appropriate. A retrospective analysis of survival in these patients was undertaken. Twenty-eight patients were included. Ward-based NIPS for severe hypoxia was associated with a 50% survival in this cohort. This compares favourably with Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre survival data following invasive ventilation in a less frail, less comorbid and younger population. These results suggest that ward-based NIPS should be considered as a treatment option in an integrated escalation strategy in all units managing respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19.
Is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) a new standard of care for type 1 respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients? A retrospective observational study of a dedicated COVID-19 CPAP service
Authors: Nightingale Rebecca , Nwosu Nneka , Kutubudin Farheen , Fletcher Tom , Lewis Joe , Frost Frederick , Haigh Kathryn , Robinson Ryan , Kumar Ayesha , Jones Gareth , Brown Deborah , Abouyannis Michael , Beadsworth Mike , Hampshire Peter , Aston Stephen , Gautam Manish , Burhan Hassan
Published: July 2020

The aim of this case series is to describe and evaluate our experience of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat type 1 respiratory failure in patients with COVID-19. CPAP was delivered in negative pressure rooms in the newly repurposed infectious disease unit. We report a cohort of 24 patients with type 1 respiratory failure and COVID-19 admitted to the Royal Liverpool Hospital between 1 April and 30 April 2020. Overall, our results were positive; we were able to safely administer CPAP outside the walls of a critical care or high dependency unit environment and over half of patients (58%) avoided mechanical ventilation and a total of 19 out of 24 (79%) have survived and been discharged from our care.
Does subjective social status predict depressive symptoms in Chinese elderly? A longitudinal study from Hong Kong
Authors: Kwong Elizabeth , Kwok Timothy T Y , Sumerlin Timothy S , Goggins William B , Leung Jason , Kim Jean H
Published: July 2020

Background

Subjective social status (SSS), one’s self-perceived social status, has been gaining interest among researchers as a risk/protective factor of many health outcomes. SSS encompasses both socio-economic factors (eg, income) and intangible aspects of status (eg, esteem from peers). This study’s main objective was to examine the association between SSS and future risk of depression in elderly Chinese.

Methods

Using data from the ongoing Mr/Mrs Os study, a longitudinal study of Hong Kong Chinese elderly, this study analysed baseline SSS-Hong Kong (self-perceived social status within Hong Kong) and SSS-Community (self-perceived status within one’s own social network) as predictors of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score at year 4 (n=3153). The models adjusted for baseline depression scores, socio-economic status indicators, demographic variables, clinical conditions and functional status variables.

Results

Higher depression scores at follow-up were independently associated with lower SSS-Hong Kong (standardised β-coefficient= −0.040, p=0.017), lower SSS-Community (standardised β-coefficient= −0.057, p=0.001), in addition to older age, female gender and stroke history. After stratifying by dementia status, higher baseline SSS was associated with less depressive symptoms only in the non-dementia group. In the multivariable models that included both SSS variables, only SSS-Community was significantly associated with year 4 GDS score. However, both SSS variables were independently associated with year 4 depression status in the logistic regression analysis.

Conclusion

In Chinese elderly, SSS captures aspects of social status that are not captured by traditional socio-economic indicators. SSS can be a useful supplementary tool for assessing future risk of developing mental health conditions.
A discussion on controversies and ethical dilemmas in prostate cancer screening
Authors: Mishra Satish Chandra
Published: July 2020

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the the most common cancers in men. A blood test called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has a potential to pick up this cancer very early and is used for screening of this disease. However, screening for prostate cancer is a matter of debate. Level 1 evidence from randomised controlled trials suggests a reduction in cancer-specific mortality from PCa screening. However, there could be an associated impact on quality of life due to a high proportion of overdiagnosis and overtreatment as part of the screening. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in 2012 recommended that PSA-based PCa screening should not to be offered at any age. However, considering the current evidence, USPSTF recently revised its recommendation to offer the PSA test to men aged 55–69 years with shared decision-making, in line with earlier guidelines from the American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association. A shared decision making is necessary since the PSA test could potentially harm an individual. However, the literature suggests that clinicians often neglect a discussion on this issue before ordering the test. This narrative discusses the main controversies regarding PCa screening including the PSA threshold for biopsy, the concept of overdiagnosis and overtreatment, the practical difficulties of active surveillance, the current level 1 evidence on the mortality benefit of screening, and the associated pitfalls. It offers a detailed discussion on the ethics involved in the PSA test and highlights the barriers to shared decision-making and possible solutions.
Exposure to cholinesterase inhibiting insecticides and blood glucose level in a population of Ugandan smallholder farmers
Authors: Hansen Martin Rune Hassan , Jørs Erik , Sandbæk Annelli , Sekabojja Daniel , Ssempebwa John C , Mubeezi Ruth , Staudacher Philipp , Fuhrimann Samuel , Burdorf Alex , Bibby Bo Martin , Schlünssen Vivi
Published: July 2020

Objectives

The risk of diabetes mellitus may be elevated among persons exposed to some pesticides, including cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides (organophosphates and carbamates). The objective of this study was to investigate how acetylcholinesterase activity was associated with mean blood glucose levels among smallholder farmers in Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a short-term follow-up study among 364 smallholder farmers in Uganda. Participants were examined three times from September 2018 to February 2019. At each visit, we measured glycosylated haemoglobin A (HbA1c) as a measure of long-term average blood glucose levels. Exposure to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides was quantified using erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase normalised by haemoglobin (AChE/Hb). For a subgroup of participants, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was also available. We analysed HbA1cand FPG versus AChE/Hb in linear mixed and fixed effect models adjusting for age, sex, physical activity level, and consumption of fruits and vegetables, alcohol and tobacco.

Results

Contrary to our hypothesis, our mixed effect models showed significant correlation between low AChE/Hb and low HbA1c. Adjusted mean HbA1cwas 0.74 (95% CI 0.17 to 1.31) mmol/mol lower for subjects with AChE/Hb=24.3 U/g (35th percentile) compared with subjects with AChE/Hb=25.8 U/g (50th percentile). Similar results were demonstrated for FPG. Fixed effect models showed less clear correlations for between-phase changes in AChE/Hb and HbA1c.

Conclusions

Our results do not clearly support a causal link between exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides and elevated blood glucose levels (expressed as HbA1cand FPG), but results should be interpreted with caution due to the risk of reverse causality.
Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between urinary zinc and lung function among urban adults in China
Authors: Zhou Min , Xiao Lili , Yang Shijie , Wang Bin , Shi Tingming , Tan Aijun , Wang Xing , Mu Ge , Chen Weihong
Published: July 2020

Background

Exposure to zinc was suggested to be associated with pulmonary damage, but whether zinc exposure affects lung function remains unclear.

Objectives

To quantify the association between urinary zinc and lung function and explore the potential mechanisms.

Methods

Urinary zinc and lung function were measured in 3917 adults from the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort and were repeated after 3 years of follow-up. Indicators of systemic inflammation (C reactive protein), lung epithelium integrity (club cell secretory protein-16) and oxidative damage (8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and 8-isoprostane) were measured at baseline. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the exposure–response relationship between urinary zinc and lung function. Mediation analyses were conducted to assess mediating roles of inflammation and oxidative damage in above relationships.

Results

Each 1-unit increase in log-transformed urinary zinc values was associated with a 35.72 mL decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) and a 24.89 mL decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) in the baseline analyses. In the follow-up analyses, there was a negative association between urinary zinc and FVC among participants with persistent high urinary zinc levels, with an estimated change of −93.31 mL (95% CI −178.47 to −8.14). Furthermore, urinary zinc was positively associated with restrictive ventilatory impairment. The mediation analyses suggested that C reactive protein mediated 8.62% and 8.71% of the associations of urinary zinc with FVC and FEV1, respectively.

Conclusion

Urinary zinc was negatively associated with lung function, and the systemic inflammation may be one of the underlying mechanisms.
Maintenance inhaler therapy preferences of patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Tervonen Tommi , Hawken Natalia , Hanania Nicola A , Martinez Fernando J , Heidenreich Sebastian , Gilbert Ileen
Published: July 2020

Background

A variety of maintenance inhaler therapies are available to treat asthma and COPD. Patient-centric treatment choices require understanding patient preferences for the alternative therapies.

Methods

A self-completed web-based discrete choice experiment was conducted to elicit patient preferences for inhaler device and medication attributes. Selection of attributes was informed by patient focus groups and literature review.

Results

The discrete choice experiment was completed by 810 patients with asthma and 1147 patients with COPD. Patients with asthma most valued decreasing the onset of action from 30 to 5 min, followed by reducing yearly exacerbations from 3 to 1. Patients with COPD most and equally valued decreasing the onset of action from 30 to 5 min and reducing yearly exacerbations from 3 to 1. Both patients with asthma and patients with COPD were willing to accept an additional exacerbation in exchange for a 15 min decrease in onset of action and a longer onset of action in exchange for a lower risk of adverse effects from inhaled corticosteroids. Patients with asthma and COPD valued once-daily over twice-daily dosing, pressurised inhalers over dry powder inhalers and non-capsule priming over single-use capsules, although these attributes were not valued as highly as faster onset of action or reduced exacerbations.

Conclusions

The most important maintenance inhaler attributes for patients with asthma and COPD were fast onset of symptom relief and a lower rate of exacerbations. Concerns about safety of inhaled corticosteroids and device convenience also affected patient preferences but were less important.
Maintenance tobramycin primarily affects untargeted bacteria in the CF sputum microbiome
Authors: Nelson Maria T , Wolter Daniel J , Eng Alexander , Weiss Eli J , Vo Anh T , Brittnacher Mitchell J , Hayden Hillary S , Ravishankar Sumedha , Bautista Gilbert , Ratjen Anina , Blackledge Marcella , McNamara Sharon , Nay Laura , Majors Cheryl , Miller Samuel I , Borenstein Elhanan , Simon Richard H , LiPuma John J , Hoffman Luke R
Published: July 2020

Rationale

The most common antibiotic used to treat people with cystic fibrosis (PWCF) is inhaled tobramycin, administered as maintenance therapy for chronicPseudomonas aeruginosalung infections. While the effects of inhaled tobramycin onP. aeruginosaabundance and lung function diminish with continued therapy, this maintenance treatment is known to improve long-term outcomes, underscoring how little is known about why antibiotics work in CF infections, what their effects are on complex CF sputum microbiomes and how to improve these treatments.

Objectives

To rigorously define the effect of maintenance tobramycin on CF sputum microbiome characteristics.

Methods and measurements

We collected sputum from 30 PWCF at standardised times before, during and after a single month-long course of maintenance inhaled tobramycin. We used traditional culture, quantitative PCR and metagenomic sequencing to define the dynamic effects of this treatment on sputum microbiomes, including abundance changes in both clinically targeted and untargeted bacteria, as well as functional gene categories.

Main results

CF sputum microbiota changed most markedly by 1 week of antibiotic therapy and plateaued thereafter, and this shift was largely driven by changes in non-dominant taxa. The genetically conferred functional capacities (ie, metagenomes) of subjects’ sputum communities changed little with antibiotic perturbation, despite taxonomic shifts, suggesting functional redundancy within the CF sputum microbiome.

Conclusions

Maintenance treatment with inhaled tobramycin, an antibiotic with demonstrated long-term mortality benefit, primarily impacted clinically untargeted bacteria in CF sputum, highlighting the importance of monitoring the non-canonical effects of antibiotics and other treatments to accurately define and improve their clinical impact.
Efficient Algorithm for Computing the Triangle Maximizing the Length of Its Smallest Side Inside a Convex Polygon
Authors: Sadhu Sanjib , Roy Sasanka , Nandi Soumen , Nandy Subhas C. , Roy Suchismita
Published: July 2020

Given a convex polygon with [Formula: see text] vertices, we study the problem of identifying a triangle with its smallest side as large as possible among all the triangles that can be drawn inside the polygon. We show that at least one of the vertices of such a triangle must coincide with a vertex of the polygon. We also propose an [Formula: see text] time algorithm to compute such a triangle inside the given convex polygon.
Infinitesimal quantum group from helicity in fluid mechanics
Authors: Rajeev S. G.
Published: July 2020

Arnold showed that the Euler equations of an ideal fluid describe geodesics in the Lie algebra of incompressible vector fields. We will show that helicity induces a splitting of the Lie algebra into two isotropic subspaces, forming a Manin triple. Viewed another way, this shows that there is an infinitesimal quantum group (a.k.a. Lie bi-algebra) underlying classical fluid mechanics.
High-flux neutron irradiation of boron trioxide analyzed with Raman and FTIR spectroscopy
Authors: Mirzayev Matlab N.
Published: July 2020

Boron oxide nanopowder is widely used in the production of special glasses and nuclear technology. This paper reports on the optical properties and investigates the formation of new bonds on the structure of nanoboron oxide. In this work, high purity boron oxide samples were irradiated using a energy upto 1 MeV fast neutrons with fluences in the range of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and the neutron flux [Formula: see text] at the room-temperature. Optical properts were determined using Raman spectrum analysis and spectroscopy Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. FTIR and Raman spectrum analysis were used to explain the chemical bonds and functional groups of nanoboron oxide samples before and after neutron irradiation. When the irradation fluence on [Formula: see text] was increased upto [Formula: see text] it resulted in the formation of a new functional groups [Formula: see text]. From the Raman analysis, the [Formula: see text] was observed to start amorphization after neutron irradiation.
Abundant fractional solitons to the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations arising in shallow water waves
Authors: Raza N. , Rafiq M. H.
Published: July 2020

In this work, the dynamics of wave phenomena modeled by (2[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1)-dimensional coupled nonlinear Schrodinger’s equations with fractional temporal evolution is studied. The solutions of the equations are two monochromatic waves with nonlinear modulations that have almost identical group velocities. The unified approach along with the properties of the local M-derivative are used to obtain dark and rational soliton solutions. The restrictions on parameters ensure that these soliton solutions are persevering. Lastly, the influence of the fractional parameter upon the obtained results are evaluated and depicted through graphs.
Phase diagram of cuprate high-temperature superconductors based on the optimization Monte Carlo method
Authors: Yanagisawa T. , Miyazaki M. , Yamaji K.
Published: July 2020

It is important to understand the phase diagram of electronic states in the CuO2 plane to clarify the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity. We investigate the ground state of electronic models with strong correlation by employing the optimization variational Monte Carlo method. We consider the two-dimensional Hubbard model as well as the three-band [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] model. We use the improved wave function that takes account of inter-site electron correlation to go beyond the Gutzwiller wave function. The ground state energy is lowered considerably, which now gives the best estimate of the ground state energy for the two-dimensional Hubbard model.

The many-body effect plays an important role as an origin of spin correlation and superconductivity in correlated electron systems. We investigate the competition between the antiferromagnetic state and superconducting state by varying the Coulomb repulsion [Formula: see text], the band parameter [Formula: see text] and the electron density [Formula: see text] for the Hubbard model. We show phase diagrams that include superconducting and antiferromagnetic phases. We expect that high-temperature superconductivity occurs near the boundary between antiferromagnetic phase and superconducting one. Since the three-band [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] model contains many-band parameters, high-temperature superconductivity may be more likely to occur in the [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] model than in single-band models.
Electronic phase diagram of Fe1+yTe1−xSex revealed by magnetotransport measurements
Authors: Watanabe T. , Otsuka T. , Hagisawa S. , Koshika Y. , Adachi S. , Usui T. , Sasaki N. , Sasaki S. , Yamaguchi S. , Uezono Y. , Nakanishi Y. , Yoshizawa M. , Kimura S.
Published: July 2020

Among the Fe-based superconductors, [Formula: see text] is unique in that its crystal structure is the simplest and the electron correlation level is the strongest, and thus it is important to investigate the doping [Formula: see text]-temperature [Formula: see text] phase diagram of this system. However, inevitably incorporated excess Fe currently prevents the establishment of the true phase diagram. We overcome the aforementioned significant problem via developing a new annealing method termed as “Te-annealing” wherein single crystals are annealed under Te vapor. Specifically, we conducted various magnetotransport measurements on Te-annealed superconducting [Formula: see text]. We observed that crossover from the incoherent to the coherent electronic state and opening of the pseudogap occurs at high temperatures ([Formula: see text]150 K for [Formula: see text]). This is accompanied by a more substantial pseudogap and the emergence of a phase with a multi-band nature at lower temperatures (below [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text]) before superconductivity sets in. Based on the results, the third type electronic phase diagram in Fe-based high-[Formula: see text] superconductors is revealed.
Electronic properties of twisted bilayer graphene in high-energy k ⋅p-Hamiltonian approximation
Authors: Grushevskaya H. V. , Krylov G. G. , Choi H.-Y. , Kruchinin S. P.
Published: July 2020

A model of twisted bilayer graphene has been offered on the base of developed quasi-relativistic approach with high energy [Formula: see text]-Hamiltonian. Monolayer-graphene twist is accounted as a perturbation of monolayer-graphene Hamiltonian in such a way that at a given point of the Brillouin zone there exists an external non-Abelian gauge field of another monolayer. Majorana-like resonances have been revealed in the band structure of model at a magic rotation angle [Formula: see text]. The simulations have also shown that a superlattice energy gap existing at a rotation angle [Formula: see text] vanishes at a rotation angle [Formula: see text].
Ab initio calculations of ABO3 perovskite (001), (011) and (111) nano-surfaces, interfaces and defects
Authors: Eglitis R. , Kruchinin S. P.
Published: July 2020

We carried out ab initio calculations for technologically important ABO3 perovskite, such as, SrTiO3, BaTiO3, SrZrO3 and PbZrO3 (001), (011) and (111) nano-surfaces, interfaces and bulk [Formula: see text]-centers. For SrTiO3, BaTiO3, SrZrO3 and PbZrO3 (001) nano-surfaces, as a rule, all first surface layer atoms relax inward, whereas all second layer atoms relax outward, and, typically, all third surface layer atoms, again, relax inward. Calculated (001) surface energies for SrTiO3, BaTiO3, SrZrO3 and PbZrO3 perovskites are almost equal for both BO2 and AO-terminations, and always smaller than the (011) and (111) surface energies. We discussed the results of our ab initio calculations dealing with BaTiO3/SrTiO3 and SrZrO3/PbZrO3 (001) interfaces. We analyzed systematic trends in ABO3 perovskite bulk [Formula: see text]-center ab initio calculations.
Development of frequency tuning AC modulation method for high-pressure heat capacity measurements of molecules-based compounds
Authors: Nomoto T. , Maruyama T. , Yamashita S. , Akutsu H. , Nakazawa Y.
Published: July 2020

The automatic frequency tuning method in the high-pressure ac calorimetry system constructed to measure heat capacity for molecules-based compounds with CuBe[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]NiCrAl cramp-type pressure cell is reported. This development is performed for increasing resolution and temperature ranges of the heat capacity measurements under external pressure up to 2.0 GPa. The system can check the appropriate conditions by tracing frequency dependence of [Formula: see text] to determine the oscillation frequency at the center of the plateau region of this value. The experiments using the powder samples of metal complexes clarified that the appropriate frequency changes sensitively depending on the difference of temperature and that of external pressures, especially at low temperature region. It decreases with increasing temperature and this relation was found to be almost linear with temperature in ambient pressure and under pressure conditions. The change of thermal diffusion from the sample part to the heat bath should be treated carefully in order to get enough resolution in high pressure AC heat capacity measurements of molecule-based compounds.
Study of the performance and internal flow in centrifugal pump with grooved volute casing
Authors: Shen Zhengjing , Chu Wuli , Yan Song , Chen Xiangyi , Guo Zhengtao , Zhong Yiming
Published: July 2020

An innovative structure of longitudinal grooves was designed on the volute casing of a centrifugal pump to improve the performance and internal flow characteristics. Comparisons were made between the model with grooved volute casing (GVC) and the model with original volute casing (OVC) operating in different working conditions. To get a better understanding of the influence of grooves on the centrifugal pump, some preliminary studies were performed with a simplified model. The results indicated that the application of GVC offers better pump performance under the large flow rate, also can stabilize the operating range of the centrifugal pump. In addition, the drag reduction effect of GVC is quite considerable compared with the pump with OVC. The pump with modified volute casing can suppress and eliminate the instability flow inside the impeller channels and volute casing. By using the GVC, the pressure and velocity distribution inside the impeller channel ameliorated especially for the 0.85 [Formula: see text] near the region of rotor–stator interaction between impeller and volute casing. Furthermore, the effects of GVC on flow passing ability may be recognized clearly for the flow area of the model with GVC increased by 5% at one impeller channel compared to the pump with OVC.
PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC MODIFIED CALCIUM CARBONATE BY SODIUM STEARATE (OR SODIUM OLEATE) USING WET METHOD
Authors: LIANG YU , SUN SIJIA , DING HAO , HOU XIFENG
Published: July 2020

A method of modifying calcium carbonate particles was investigated by coating sodium stearate or sodium oleate on the surface of calcium carbonate by wet method. The results of FTIR, activation and dispersion index, dispersity in kerosene, surface wettability tests and zeta potential tests show that sodium stearate or sodium oleate has successfully coated on the surfaces of calcium carbonate. The main factors were researched and the optimal parameters were obtained for the best modification effect. Compared with common rubber, the modified calcium carbonate added rubber has larger breaking tensile strength (more than 21%) and larger elongation at break (more than 16%). This research provides a feasible way of modifying calcium carbonate for its use as filler in organic matrix, reduces the cost and has a potential application in large-scale production of modified calcium carbonate.
Young–Capelli bitableaux, Capelli immanants in U(gl(n)) and the Okounkov quantum immanants
Authors: Brini A. , Teolis A.
Published: July 2020

The set of standard Capelli bitableaux and the set of standard Young–Capelli bitableaux are bases of [Formula: see text], whose action on the Gordan–Capelli basis of polynomial algebra [Formula: see text] have remarkable properties (see, e.g. [A. Brini, A. Palareti and A. Teolis, Gordan–Capelli series in superalgebras, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988) 1330–1333; A. Brini and A. Teolis, Young–Capelli symmetrizers in superalgebras, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86 (1989) 775–778; A. Brini and A. Teolis, Capelli bitableaux and [Formula: see text]-forms of general linear Lie superalgebras, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87 (1990) 56–60; A. Brini and A. Teolis, Capelli’s theory, Koszul maps, and superalgebras, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90 (1993) 10245–10249.]). We introduce a new class of elements of [Formula: see text], called the Capelli immanants, that can be efficiently computed and provide a system of linear generators of [Formula: see text]. The Okounkov quantum immanants [A. Okounkov, Quantum immanants and higher Capelli identities, Transform Groups 1 (1996) 99–126; A. Okounkov, Young basis, Wick formula, and higher Capelli identities, Int. Math. Res. Not. 1996(17) (1996) 817–839.] — quantum immanants, for short — are proved to be simple linear combinations of diagonal Capelli immanants, with explicit coefficients. Quantum immanants can also be expressed as sums of double Young–Capelli bitableaux. Since double Young–Capelli bitableaux uniquely expands into linear combinations of standard Young–Capelli bitableaux, this leads to canonical presentations of quantum immanants, and, furthermore, it does not involve the computation of the irreducible characters of symmetric groups.
PERIODIC STRATEGIES II: GENERALIZATIONS AND EXTENSIONS
Authors: OIKONOMOU V. K. , JOST J.
Published: July 2020

At a mixed Nash equilibrium, the payoff of a player does not depend on her own action, as long as her opponent sticks to his. In a periodic strategy, a concept developed in a previous paper [V. K. Oikonomou and J. Jost, Periodic strategies: A new solution concept and an algorithm for nontrivial strategic form games, Adv. Compl. Syst. 20(5) (2017) 1750009], in contrast, the own payoff does not depend on the opponent’s action. Here, we generalize this to multi-player simultaneous perfect information strategic form games. We show that also in this class of games, there always exists at least one periodic strategy, and we investigate the mathematical properties of such periodic strategies. In addition, we demonstrate that periodic strategies may exist in games with incomplete information; we shall focus on Bayesian games. Moreover, we discuss the differences between the periodic strategies formalism and cooperative game theory. In fact, the periodic strategies are obtained in a purely non-cooperative way, and periodic strategies are as cooperative as the Nash equilibria are. Finally, we incorporate the periodic strategies in an epistemic game theory framework, and discuss several features of this approach.
Regulating the NLO response of anthraquinone-supported thiourea-linked crown ether macrocycle by introducing metal cations: A DFT study
Authors: Yao Yao , Ye Jin-Ting , Li Xiang , Zhang Yuan , Zhu Si-Nan , Qiu Yong-Qing
Published: July 2020

Recently, an anthraquinone-supported thiourea group linking a 1-aza-18-crown-6 macrocycle L has been the subject of extensive attention due to the perfect affinity towards metal cations. This work systematically researched the effects of different metal cations ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) on the second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of macrocycle L by density functional theory (DFT). DFT calculations revealed that the values of first hyperpolarizabilities ([Formula: see text] decrease significantly when alkaline earth metal cations ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) were injected into macrocycle L due to the smaller charge transfer (CT) transition and larger transition energy. Conversely, the variations of [Formula: see text] values in alkali metal cations ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] and transition metal cations ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) derivatives are not obvious compared to the [Formula: see text] value of macrocycle L. Therefore, the NLO properties of macrocycle can be effectively regulated by alkaline earth metal cations. Furthermore, we found that the [Formula: see text] value of anion-controlled complex Na(L)(ClO4) is larger than that of L*Na+ complex because the anion [Formula: see text] improves the planarity of anthraquinone-supported thiourea group leading to the enhancement of the CT ability. In addition, the influence of frequency-dependent on the first hyperpolarizabilities is weak for the current systems. Hence, we look forward to the conception of this work will offer a fundamental guideline and reference for further research for novel NLO materials.