bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural equation modeling for investigating multi-trait genetic architecture of udder health in dairy cattle
Authors: Pegolo Sara , Momen Mehdi , Morota Gota , Rosa Guilherme J. M. , Gianola Daniel , Bittante Giovanni , Cecchinato Alessio
Published: May 2020

Mastitis is one of the most prevalent and costly diseases in dairy cattle. It results in changes in milk composition and quality which are indicators of udder inflammation in absence of clinical signs. We applied structural equation modeling (SEM) - GWAS aiming to explore interrelated dependency relationships among phenotypes related to udder health, including milk yield (MY), somatic cell score (SCS), lactose (%, LACT), pH and non-casein N (NCN, % of total milk N), in a cohort of 1,158 Brown Swiss cows. The phenotypic network inferred via the Hill-Climbing algorithm was used to estimate SEM parameters. Integration of multi-trait models-GWAS and SEM-GWAS identified six significant SNPs for SCS, and quantified the contribution of MY and LACT acting as mediator traits to total SNP effects. Functional analyses revealed that overrepresented pathways were often shared among traits and were consistent with biological knowledge (e.g., membrane transport activity for pH and MY or Wnt signaling for SCS and NCN). In summary, SEM-GWAS offered new insights on the relationships among udder health phenotypes and on the path of SNP effects, providing useful information for genetic improvement and management strategies in dairy cattle.
The nature of the diffuse light near cities detected in nighttime satellite imagery
Authors: Sanchez de Miguel Alejandro , Kyba Christopher C. M. , Zamorano Jaime , Gallego Jesús , Gaston Kevin J.
Published: May 2020

Diffuse glow has been observed around brightly lit cities in nighttime satellite imagery since at least the first publication of large scale maps in the late 1990s. In the literature, this has often been assumed to be an error related to the sensor, and referred to as “blooming”, presumably in relation to the effect that can occur when using a CCD to photograph a bright light source. Here we show that the effect seen on the DMSP/OLS, SNPP/VIIRS-DNB and ISS is not only instrumental, but in fact represents a real detection of light scattered by the atmosphere. Data from the Universidad Complutense Madrid sky brightness survey are compared to nighttime imagery from multiple sensors with differing spatial resolutions, and found to be strongly correlated. These results suggest that it should be possible for a future space-based imaging radiometer to monitor changes in the diffuse artificial skyglow of cities.
Nephrectomy Does not Exacerbate Cancellous Bone loss in Thalassemic Mice
Authors: Lotinun Sutada , Atjanasuppat Korakot , Limsuvech Jutatip , Leelahavanichkul Asada , Svasti Saovaros , Krishnamra Nateetip
Published: May 2020

Patients with β-thalassemia have an increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease which is associated with osteoporosis and periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mandibular and femoral bone change in heterozygous β-globin knockout (BKO) mice following 5/6 nephrectomy (Nx). Female and male BKO mouse blood smears demonstrated microcytic hypochromic anemia. Serum urea nitrogen, creatinine, calcium, and phosphorus levels were not changed in BKO mice. Nx increased the serum levels of urea nitrogen in both wild type (WT) and BKO mice and the level was much higher in BKO males. Serum level of creatinine was increased in Nx WT but not BKO mice. However, serum calcium and phosphorus levels were not altered. Nx induced comparable renal fibrosis in BKO mice and WT controls. Bone loss was observed in mandibular cancellous bone but not cortical bone of both male and female BKO mice. Nx decreased cancellous bone volume and cortical thickness in WT. Interestingly, BKO mice were resistant to Nx-induced cancellous bone loss. However, cortical thickness and cortical bone mineral density were reduced in Nx male BKO mice. Nx increased mRNA levels of type I collagen, Osx and Trap in WT but not BKO mice. Similarly, Nx reduced cancellous bone volume in femurs and increased osteoblast number and osteoclast number in WT not BKO mice. Serum FGF23 and erythropoietin levels were markedly increased in BKO mice. Nx decreased serum erythropoietin but not FGF23 levels. Since WT treated with erythropoietin exhibited a significant reduction in cancellous bone volume, it was possible that lower level of erythropoietin in Nx BKO mice prevented the Nx-induced cancellous bone loss.
Cell-specific metabolomic responses to injury: novel insights into blood-brain barrier modulation
Authors: Huang Sheng-Fu , Fischer Sabrina , Koshkin Alexey , Laczko Endre , Fischer David , Ogunshola Omolara O.
Published: May 2020

On one hand blood-brain barrier (BBB) disturbance aggravates disease progression, on the other it prevents drug access and impedes therapeutic efficacy. Effective ways to modulate barrier function and resolve these issues are sorely needed. Convinced that better understanding of cell-oriented BBB responses could provide valuable insight, and the fact that metabolic dysregulation is prominent in many vascular-related pathological processes associated with BBB disturbance, we hypothesized that differential cell-specific metabolic adaptation majorly influences physiological and pathological barrier functionality. Untargeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomic profiling was used to obtain individual biochemical fingerprints of primary astrocytes (AC) and brain endothelial cells (EC) during normoxic conditions and increasing hypoxic/ischemic injury and thus a functional readout of cell status. Bioinformatic analyses showed each cell had a distinct metabolic signature. Corroborating their roles in BBB and CNS protection, AC showed an innate ability to dynamically alter their metabolome depending on the insult. Surprisingly, in complete contrast, EC largely maintained their normoxic characteristics in injury situations and their profiles diverged from those of non-brain origin. Tissue specificity/origin is clearly important when considering EC responses. Focusing on energy capacity and utilization we discuss how cell-specific metabolic adaptive capabilities could influence vascular stability and the possibility that altering metabolite levels may be an effective way to modulate brain EC function. Overall this work novel insight into cell-associated metabolic changes, and provides a powerful resource for understanding BBB changes during different injury scenarios.
WFhb1-1 plays an important role in resistance against Fusarium head blight in wheat
Authors: Paudel Bimal , Zhuang Yongbin , Galla Aravind , Dahal Subha , Qiu Yinjie , Ma Anjun , Raihan Tajbir , Yen Yang
Published: May 2020

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a severe disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Qfhb1 is the most important quantitative trait locus (QTL) for FHB resistance. We previously identified wheat gene WFhb1-1 (aka WFhb1-c1) as a candidate for FHB resistance gene. Here we report that WFhb1-1 has been cloned. The gene (GenBank # KU304333.1) consists of a single exon, encoding a putative membrane protein of 127 amino acids. WFhb1-1 protein produced in Pichia pastoris inhibits growth of both F. graminearum and P. pastoris in culture. Western Blotting with anti- WFhb1-1 antibody revealed a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in WFhb1-1 accumulation, 12 hours post Fusarium inoculation in non-Qfhb1-carrier wheat but not in Qfhb1-carrier wheat. Overexpressing WFhb1-1 in non-Qfhb1-carrier wheat led to a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in Fusarium-damaged rachis rate, Fusarium-diseased kernel rate and DON content in harvested kernels, while silencing WFhb1-1 in Qfhb1-carrier wheat resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.01) in FHB severity. Therefore, WFhb1-1 is an important FHB resistance gene with a potential antifungal function and probably a key functional component of Qfhb1 in wheat. A model regarding how WFhb1-1 functions in FHB resistance/susceptibility is hypothesized and discussed.
Experimental and numerical study on photocatalytic activity of the ZnO nanorods/CuO composite film
Authors: Nguyen Dung T. , Tran Minh Duc , Van Hoang Thanh , Trinh Duc Thien , Pham Duc Thang , Nguyen Dinh Lam
Published: May 2020

The photocatalytic activity of the ZnO NRs/CuO composite film was investigated by using both experimental and numerical methods. The ZnO NRs/CuO composite film exhibits significantly enlarge absorption range to visible-light and suppress the recombination rate of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which can be well utilized as a photocatalyst. The ZnO NRs/CuO composite film also presents good stability, and reusability, and durability for photo-decomposition purpose. The optimal ZnO NRs/CuO composite film contains 1μ-thick of CuO film and 10 nm-thick of ZnO NRs film. The donor concentration in ZnO NRs film should be lower than 1016 cm−3. The short circuit current density of the optimal composite film is 25.8 mA/cm2 resulting in the calculated pseudo-order rate constant of 1.85 s−1. The enhancement in degradation efficiency of this composite film is attributed to the inner electric field and large effective surface area of ZnO NRs film.
Is step width decoupled from pelvic motion in human evolution?
Authors: Kikel Michelle , Gecelter Rachel , Thompson Nathan E.
Published: May 2020

Humans are the only primate that walk bipedally with adducted hips, valgus knees, and swing-side pelvic drop. These characteristic frontal-plane aspects of bipedalism likely play a role in balance and energy minimization during walking. Understanding when and why these aspects of bipedalism evolved also requires an understanding of how each of these features are interrelated during walking. Here we investigated the relationship between step width, hip adduction, and pelvic list during bipedalism by altering step widths and pelvic motions in humans in ways that both mimic chimpanzee gait as well as an exaggerated human gait. Our results show that altering either step width or pelvic list to mimic those of chimpanzees affects hip adduction, but neither of these gait parameters dramatically affects the other in ways that lead to a chimpanzee-like gait. These results suggest that the evolution of valgus knees and narrow steps in humans may be decoupled from the evolution of the human-like pattern of pelvic list. While the origin of narrow steps in hominins may be linked to minimizing energetic cost of locomotion, the origin of the human-like pattern of pelvic list remains unresolved.
Paediatric computed tomography and subsequent risk of leukaemia, intracranial malignancy and lymphoma: a nationwide population-based cohort study
Authors: Li I-Gung , Yang Yao-Hsu , Li Yiu-Tai , Tsai Yuan-Hsiung
Published: May 2020

Red bone marrow and brain tissue are highly radiosensitive in children. We investigate the relationship between childhood computed tomography (CT) exposure and leukaemia, intracranial malignancy and lymphoma. All participants in the study were aged less than 16 years. A total of 1,479 patients in the leukaemia group, 976 patients in the intracranial malignancy group and 301 patients in the lymphoma group were extracted from the Catastrophic Illness Certificate Database in Taiwan as the disease group. In total, 126,677 subjects were extracted from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2010 of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database as the non-disease group. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for childhood CT exposure and times of childhood CT were estimated. Childhood CT exposure was correlated to the intracranial malignancy group in both one-year (OR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.40–2.71, p < 0.001) and two-year (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.04–2.33, p = 0.031) exclusion periods. The time of childhood CT was also correlated to intracranial malignancy in both one-year (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.34–2.13, p < 0.001) and two-year (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.17–2.04, p = 0.002) exclusion periods. The results indicated that childhood CT exposure was correlated with an increased risk of future intracranial malignancy.
Precometary organic matter: A hidden reservoir of water inside the snow line
Authors: Nakano Hideyuki , Hirakawa Naoki , Matsubara Yasuhiro , Yamashita Shigeru , Okuchi Takuo , Asahina Kenta , Tanaka Ryo , Suzuki Noriyuki , Naraoka Hiroshi , Takano Yoshinori , Tachibana Shogo , Hama Tetsuya , Oba Yasuhiro , Kimura Yuki , Watanabe Naoki , Kouchi Akira
Published: May 2020

The origin and evolution of solar system bodies, including water on the Earth, have been discussed based on the assumption that the relevant ingredients were simply silicates and ices. However, large amounts of organic matter have been found in cometary and interplanetary dust, which are recognized as remnants of interstellar/precometary grains. Precometary organic matter may therefore be a potential source of water; however, to date, there have been no experimental investigations into this possibility. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that abundant water and oil are formed via the heating of a precometary-organic-matter analog under conditions appropriate for the parent bodies of meteorites inside the snow line. This implies that H2O ice is not required as the sole source of water on planetary bodies inside the snow line. Further, we can explain the change in the oxidation state of the Earth from an initially reduced state to a final oxidized state. Our study also suggests that petroleum was present in the asteroids and is present in icy satellites and dwarf planets.
Primary proprioceptive neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells: a cell model for afferent ataxias
Authors: Dionisi Chiara , Rai Myriam , Chazalon Marine , Schiffmann Serge N. , Pandolfo Massimo
Published: May 2020

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are used to generate models of human diseases that recapitulate the pathogenic process as it occurs in affected cells. Many differentiated cell types can currently be obtained from iPSCs, but no validated protocol is yet available to specifically generate primary proprioceptive neurons. Proprioceptors are affected in a number of genetic and acquired diseases, including Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). To develop a cell model that can be applied to conditions primarily affecting proprioceptors, we set up a protocol to differentiate iPSCs into primary proprioceptive neurons. We modified the dual-SMAD inhibition/WNT activation protocol, previously used to generate nociceptor-enriched cultures of primary sensory neurons from iPSCs, to favor instead the generation of proprioceptors. We succeeded in substantially enriching iPSC-derived primary sensory neuron cultures for proprioceptors, up to 50% of finally differentiated neurons, largely exceeding the proportion of 7.5% normally represented by these cells in dorsal root ganglia. We also showed that almost pure populations of proprioceptors can be purified from these cultures by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Finally, we demonstrated that the protocol can be used to generate proprioceptors from iPSCs from FRDA patients, providing a cell model for this genetic sensory neuronopathy.
Enhanced 4Pi single-molecule localization microscopy with coherent pupil based localization
Authors: Liu Sheng , Huang Fang
Published: May 2020

Over the last decades, super-resolution techniques have revolutionized the field of fluorescence microscopy. Among them, interferometric or 4Pi microscopy methods exhibit supreme resolving power in the axial dimension. Combined with single-molecule detection/localization and adaptive optics, current 4Pi microscopy methods enabled 10–15 nm isotropic 3D resolution throughout whole cells. However, further improving the achieved 3D resolution poses challenges arising from the complexity of single-molecule emission patterns generated by these coherent single-molecule imaging systems. These complex emission patterns render a large portion of information carrying photons unusable. Here, we introduce a localization algorithm that achieves the theoretical precision limit for a 4Pi based single-molecule switching nanoscopy (4Pi-SMSN) system, and demonstrate improvements in localization precision, accuracy as well as stability comparing with state-of-the-art 4Pi-SMSN methods.
Timekeeping in the hindbrain: a multi-oscillatory circadian centre in the mouse dorsal vagal complex
Authors: Chrobok Lukasz , Northeast Rebecca C. , Myung Jihwan , Cunningham Peter S. , Petit Cheryl , Piggins Hugh D.
Published: May 2020

Metabolic and cardiovascular processes controlled by the hindbrain exhibit 24 h rhythms, but the extent to which the hindbrain possesses endogenous circadian timekeeping is unresolved. Here we provide compelling evidence that genetic, neuronal, and vascular activities of the brainstem’s dorsal vagal complex are subject to intrinsic circadian control with a crucial role for the connection between its components in regulating their rhythmic properties. Robust 24 h variation in clock gene expression in vivo and neuronal firing ex vivo were observed in the area postrema (AP) and nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), together with enhanced nocturnal responsiveness to metabolic cues. Unexpectedly, we also find functional and molecular evidence for increased penetration of blood borne molecules into the NTS at night. Our findings reveal that the hindbrain houses a local network complex of neuronal and non-neuronal autonomous circadian oscillators, with clear implications for understanding local temporal control of physiology in the brainstem.
The application of antibody–aptamer hybrid biosensors in clinical diagnostics and environmental analysis
Authors: Jarczewska Marta , Malinowska Elżbieta
Published: May 2020

This article focuses on the critical discussion of aptamer–antibody based biosensors applied in clinical and environmental analysis.
Exploring the limits of sensitivity for strain gauges of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride decorated with metallic nanoislands
Authors: Ramírez Julian , Urbina Armando D. , Kleinschmidt Andrew T. , Finn Mickey , Edmunds Samuel J. , Esparza Guillermo L. , Lipomi Darren J.
Published: May 2020

The purpose of this work is to clarify the mechanism of piezoresistance in a class of ultra-sensitive strain gauges based on metallic films on 2D substrates (“2D/M” films).
Model‐free adaptive discrete‐time integral terminal sliding mode control for PMSM drive system with disturbance observer
Authors: Zhao Yang , Liu Xudong , Yu Haisheng , Yu Jinpeng
Published: May 2020

In this study, a novel speed control algorithm that combines the model‐free adaptive discrete‐time integral terminal sliding mode control (MFA‐DITSMC) method and non‐linear disturbance observer (NDO) is presented for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive system. To improve the robustness and assure excellent response speed, the MFA‐DITSMC method is proposed and the designed process of a speed controller is divided into two steps. Firstly, the motion equation of the PMSM is converted into a discrete‐time form and then the compact‐format dynamic linearisation model is obtained. Secondly, the MFA speed controller is constructed by using the DITSMC method. Moreover, aiming at the deterioration of control precision caused by unknown lumped disturbances that exist in a control system, the NDO is devised to estimate and further reject disturbance. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by simulation and experiments, and the results demonstrate that the designed speed controller has satisfactory dynamic response performance and strong robustness.
Real‐time power management technique for microgrid with flexible boundaries
Authors: Hu Xiaotong , Liu Tianqi , He Chuan , Ma Yiwei , Su Yu , Yin He , Wang Fei , Tolbert Leon M. , Wang Shunliang , Liu Yilu
Published: May 2020

In order to diminish the impacts brought by high penetration of renewable energy on the reliability of distribution systems, some distribution networks (e.g. Chattanooga electric power board system) have deployed smart switches (SSs) to island some areas to mitigate outage losses. However, due to intermittency and sharply changing rate of renewable energy, it is likely to experience insufficient or excessive power for islanded areas. Therefore, a microgrid controller featured with flexible boundaries is proposed. With proposed microgrid controller, the microgrid can not only shrink or expand its boundaries according to current renewable energy supply, but also disconnect/connect to the main grid with a designated SS. Moreover, to ensure the microgrid controller could obtain suitable boundaries on the time scale of seconds, a real‐time power management technique with alternative generating algorithm is designed to generate all possible alternative boundaries and choose the optimal one, which is scalable to any topology. In addition, in order to maintain state of charge of batteries within a desirable range, anti‐overcharge/discharge strategies are designed. Four comprehensive experiments verify that the implementation of the microgrid controllers can realise flexible boundaries and deal with sharply changing rate of renewable generation or load on the time scale of seconds.
Fast two‐dimensional sparse signal gridless recovery algorithm for MIMO array SAR 3D imaging
Authors: Wu Chunxiao , Zhang Zenghui , Yu Wenxian
Published: May 2020

Multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) array synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can be used to directly obtain the three‐dimensional (3D) imagery of the illuminated scene with a single track. Due to the length limitations of synthetic aperture and antenna array, the super‐resolution algorithms within the framework of 2D compressive sensing (CS) have been conceived to reconstruct the azimuth‐cross‐track plane image because of its spatial sparsity. Since the desired scatterers are presupposed to be distributed over a series of fixed grid points, the location accuracy of the existing 2D CS algorithms is relatively low. To overcome this problem, a fast 2D gridless recovery (GLR) algorithm for the 2D imaging signal model established in the real domain is proposed in this study. First, two different forms of 2D real‐valued signal models with uniform or random sampling on the azimuth‐cross‐track plane are reconstructed by means of unitary transformation. Further, the real‐domain based 2D sparse signal gridless reconstruction approach is derived. Finally, extensive simulation results validate that the proposed 2D real‐valued GLR approach can approximately improve the computational efficiency by a factor of ten in terms of CPU time when compared with that of the 2D GLR algorithm in the complex domain.
Integrated waveform for continuous active sonar detection and communication
Authors: Yin Jingwei , Men Wei , Han Xiao , Guo Longxiang
Published: May 2020

A novel integrated waveform (IW) for continuous active sonar detection and communications is proposed in this study based on a generalised sinusoidal frequency‐modulated signal. This study first introduces the mixed modulation of the IW and a model for the transmitting signal, and then it analyses the time and frequency resolution and anti‐reverberation capability of the proposed IW. The performance of two underwater acoustic (UWA) communication receivers based on the proposed IW are compared and analysed under Gaussian noise and multipath conditions. A UWA communication experiment was carried out in Songhua Lake in December 2019. According to the numerical simulation and experimental results, it was concluded that the IW proposed in this study can meet the requirements of active sonar detection and UWA communications with satisfactory performance.
Binary black hole mergers in AGN accretion discs: gravitational wave rate density estimates
Authors: Gröbner M. , Ishibashi W. , Tiwari S. , Haney M. , Jetzer P.
Published: May 2020

The majority of gravitational wave (GW) events detected so far by LIGO/Virgo originate from binary black hole (BBH) mergers. Among the different binary evolution paths, the merger of BBHs in accretion discs of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is a possible source of GW detections. We consider an idealised analytical model of the orbital evolution of BBHs embedded in an AGN accretion disc. In this framework, the disc–binary interaction increases the orbital eccentricity and decreases the orbital separation, driving the BBH into a regime where GW emission eventually leads to coalescence. We compute the resulting GW merger rate density from this channel based on a weighted average of the merger timescales of a population of BBHs radially distributed within the AGN accretion disc. The predicted merger rates broadly lie in the range ℛ ∼ (0.002−18) Gpc−3 yr−1. We analyse the dependence of the merger rate density on both the accretion disc and binary orbital parameters, emphasising the important role of the orbital eccentricity. We discuss the astrophysical implications of this particular BBH-in-AGN formation channel in the broader context of binary evolution scenarios.
Thermal properties of large main-belt asteroids observed byHerschelPACS
Authors: Alí-Lagoa V. , Müller T. G. , Kiss C. , Szakáts R. , Marton G. , Farkas-Takács A. , Bartczak P. , Butkiewicz-Bąk M. , Dudziński G. , Marciniak A. , Podlewska-Gaca E. , Duffard R. , Santos-Sanz P. , Ortiz J. L.
Published: May 2020

Non-resolved thermal infrared observations enable studies of thermal and physical properties of asteroids via thermo-physical models provided the shape and rotational properties of the target are well determined. We used calibration-programmeHerschelPACS data (70, 100, 160μm) and state-of-the-art shape models derived from adaptive-optics observations and/or optical light curves to constrain for the first time the thermal inertia of twelve large main-belt asteroids. We also modelled previously well-characterised targets such as (1) Ceres or (4) Vesta as they constitute important benchmarks. Using the scale as a free parameter, most targets required a re-scaling ~5% consistent with what would be expected given the absolute calibration error bars. This constitutes a good cross-validation of the scaled shape models, although some targets required larger re-scaling to reproduce the IR data. We obtained low thermal inertias typical of large main belt asteroids studied before, which continues to give support to the notion that these surfaces are covered by fine-grained insulating regolith. Although the wavelengths at which PACS observed are longwards of the emission peak for main-belt asteroids, they proved to be extremely valuable to constrain size and thermal inertia and not too sensitive to surface roughness. Finally, we also propose a graphical approach to help examine how different values of the exponent used for scaling the thermal inertia as a function of heliocentric distance (i.e. temperature) affect our interpretation of the results.
Large-scale [C II] 158 μm emission from the Orion-Eridanus superbubble
Authors: Abdullah A. , Tielens A. G. G. M.
Published: May 2020

In this study, we analyzed the [C II] 158 μm emission from the Orion-Eridanus region measured by the Cosmic Background Explorer. Morphologically, the [C II] emission traces prominent star-forming regions this area. The analysis takes into account five different components of the interstellar medium (ISM) that can contribute to the [C II] emission: compact H II regions, dense Photon-Dominated Region, surfaces of molecular clouds, the Warm Ionized Medium, and the Cold Neutral Medium. We estimate the contribution from each object of interest to the observed [C II] emission based upon the physical properties of the object and validate our results by making a comparison with existing “small” scale maps. Inside the ~400 parsec aperture radius that we investigate, surfaces of molecular clouds exposed to radiation from nearby stellar clusters are the dominant contributor to the observed global [C II] flux. These molecular cloud surfaces are exposed to moderate radiation fields (G0 ~ 100 times the average interstellar radiation field) and are moderately dense (nH ~ 103 cm−3). In addition, extended low-density ionized gas, along with large-scale ionized gas structures (Barnard’s Loop; λ Ori) also make a substantial contribution. The implications of this study for the analysis of extragalactic [C II] observations are assessed.
Improving Japanese English pronunciation with speech recognition and feed-back system
Authors: Igarashi Kanta , Wilson Ian
Published: May 2020

For Japanese people, communicating with English speakers from abroad has become more common because of internationalization, and there are many people who want to improve their English-speaking skills. However, there are few environments where we can speak English outside of the classroom, so Japanese students rarely have a chance to study English pronunciation. Even if students do have a chance to take an English pronunciation class, teachers do not have enough time to individually teach each student pronunciation in a big class. Because of that, computers and smartphones may be one good type of tool to solve this problem. In this research, we develop a web-based application to help Japanese learners with their English pronunciation.
SAP Learning Journeys – a double bridge
Authors: Leukert Sven
Published: May 2020

SAP Learning Journeys are a key element for providing a guiding path and framework for SAP users and implementation professionals to learn and stay current in their SAP product expertise. They also form a double bridge between the worlds of learning and technical documentation. On one hand, the Learning Journeys themselves are stored and maintained in the DITA content management system used for technical documentation, and then rendered both in the SAP Learning Hub and SAP Help Portal. On the other, the Learning Journeys allow the inclusion and referencing of technical documentation content into the learning offering modelled with the journeys. In this paper we will provide an account of how SAP Learning Journeys are managed and rendered, and what their evolving role is in the world of user enablement.
Optimizing Deep-Neural-Network-Driven Autonomous Race Car Using Image Scaling
Authors: Mahmoud Yaqub , Okuyama Yuichi , Fukuchi Tomohide , Kosuke Tanaka , Ando Iori
Published: May 2020

In this work we propose scaling down the image resolution of an autonomous vehicle and measuring the performance difference using pre-determined metrics. We formulated a testing strategy and provided suitable testing metrics for RC driven autonomous vehicles. Our goal is to measure and prove that scaling down an image will result in faster response time and higher speeds. Our model shows an increase in response rate of the neural models, improving safety and results in the car having higher speeds.
Architecture and Design of a Spiking Neuron Processor Core Towards the Design of a Large-scale Event-Driven 3D-NoC-based Neuromorphic Processor
Authors: Ogbodo Mark , Dang Khanh , Tomohide Fukuchi , Abdallah Abderazek
Published: May 2020

Neuromorphic computing tries to model in hardware the biological brain which is adept at operating in a rapid, real-time, parallel, low power, adaptive and fault-tolerant manner within a volume of 2 liters. Leveraging the event driven nature of Spiking Neural Network (SNN), neuromorphic systems have been able to demonstrate low power consumption by power gating sections of the network not driven by an event at any point in time. However, further exploration in this field towards the building of edge application friendly agents and efficient scalable neuromorphic systems with large number of synapses necessitates the building of small-sized low power spiking neuron processor core with efficient neuro-coding scheme and fault tolerance. This paper presents a spiking neuron processor core suitable for an event-driven Three-Dimensional Network on Chip (3D-NoC) SNN based neuromorphic systems. The spiking neuron Processor core houses an array of leaky integrate and fire (LIF) neurons, and utilizes a crossbar memory in modelling the synapses, all within a chip area of 0.12mm2 and was able to achieves an accuracy of 95.15% on MNIST dataset inference.
Narrowcasting visualization using particles for spatial sound conferencing
Authors: Tsuda Koki , Cohen Michael , Satō Rintarō
Published: May 2020

The goal of this study is to visualize duplex auditory communication filtered with narrowcasting. Narrowcasting is technology that enables media stream filtering for privacy. Audio narrowcasting has four operations (solo & mute and attend & deafen). In this research, communication from source to sink is determined according to these four operations, including “autofocus” determination of multipresent sinks, and visualized using flying particles. Soundscapes are compiled according to narrowcasting attributes. With such multimodal representation, users can more easily understand narrowcasting communication.
Dopingprävention – Was können Sportphysiotherapeuten tun?
Authors: Scheiff Anja , Berghoff Thomas
Published: May 2020

Sport prägt Generationen in allen Altersbereichen. Sportler sind Vorbilder für Kinder und Jugendliche auf der ganzen Welt. Sport hat das Potenzial, Werte zu vermitteln und zu verbinden. Betrachtet man allerdings die Geschichte des Sports und vor allem die jüngste Vergangenheit, so wird mit der Dopingproblematik auch eine andere Seite des Sports sichtbar.
Biomedical Applications of Nanomaterials: Diagnosis and Therapy of Thrombotic Disorders
Authors: Dash D.
Published: May 2020

We have employed unique properties of carbon-based as well as metallic nanomaterials to develop diagnostic / therapeutic devices targeted against thrombotic disorders. We have designed a novel graphene-based biosensor that can detect individuals with high coronary risk. Further, we describe an innovative strategy to ablate pathological thrombus in situ employing near-infrared laser-irradiated gold nanorods (photothermal therapy).
HCV Seroreactivity and Detection of HCV RNA in Hepatitis Cases
Authors: Nagamoti Mahantesh B , Patil Chidanand S , Jyoti M Nagamoti
Published: May 2020

Background:

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) known to be associated with wide variety of liver pathology. It is less studied in India as compared to western region.

Methods:

Suspected patients sera screened for HCV by ELISA and confirmed with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) along with routine investigations and liver profile. All HCV positive patients were undergone liver biopsy.

Results:

All 24 HCV ELISA reactive and two ELISA indeterminate sera are confirmed by RT- PCR. The liver biopsy of these patients showed normal picture (19.2%), Acute hepatitis (11.5%), Chronic hepatitis (23.7%), Cirrhosis (34.72%), Hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC) (15.38%). ALT levels were not significant.

Conclusion:

All the suspected HCV cases need to be confirmed for HCV by RT-PCR.
Shoulder Periarthritis and its Imaging Features in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Nair Abhilash , Kandasamy Devasenathipathy , Sharma Raju , Nag HL , Singh Upiderpal , Bhatia Himani , Saha Soma , Tandon Nikhil , Goswami R.
Published: May 2020

Aim:

There is limited information on periarthritis/adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder (ACS) in patients with type-1-diabetes mellitus (T1D). We assessed the prevalence and characteristics of ACS in patients with type-1-diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

Consecutive 267 patients attending 'Diabetes of Young Clinic' were screened for ACS. Those with clinical features of ACS were further assessed by 'shoulder pain and disability index' (SPADI), radiograph and MRI of the shoulder. The average glycemic status (HbA1c) during preceding 2 years was assessed in patients with and without ACS. Controls were age and sex matched healthy subjects (1:1 ratio).

Results:

Sixteen of 267 patients (6.0%) with type-1-diabetes had clinical features of ACS, unlike none of the healthy controls (P < 0.001). Internal and external rotation of the shoulders was the most frequently restricted movements in ACS. Thickened coracohumeral ligament and axillary pouch obliteration was characteristic MRI feature, present in 80.0% in 73.3% cases, respectively. Though 14/16 type-1-diabetes patients with ACS were symptomatic, they never reported these complaints in diabetic clinic with the treating physicians. On regression analysis (odds ratio; 95% CI), duration of diabetes (1.1; 1.03-1.17, P < 0.01), retinopathy (3.6; 1.05-12.52, P = 0.04), and limited joint mobility (6.4; 1.88-21.95, P < 0.01) were independent predictors for presence of ACS in type-1-diabetes. The mean HbA1c and lipid levels were comparable in patients with or without ACS.

Conclusions:

Six percent of patients with type-1-diabetes had ACS, which can be detected on clinical screening and confirmed by imaging to help initiate early treatment.
Time Trends in Prevalence of Anaemia in Adolescent Girls
Authors: Kalaivani K , Ramachandran Prema
Published: May 2020

Introduction:

Anaemia in adolescent girls has been recognised as a major public health problem. The Mid-day meal programme guidelines envisage inclusion of 75 g/day of vegetables and use of iron fortified iodised salt for hot cooked meal. The National Iron Plus Initiative envisages weekly iron-folic acid (IFA) supplementation for adolescent girls; however, coverage and compliance have been reported to be low. Data from national surveys carried out in the last two decades were analysed to assess changes, if any, in Hb levels and prevalence of anaemia in adolescent girls.

Material and Methods:

Raw data from National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) -2, -3, and -4, District Level Household Surveys (DLHS) 2 and 4, and Annual Health Survey-related to Clinical, Anthropometric and Biochemical Components (AHS-CAB) were analysed to assess mean Hb, prevalence of anaemia and frequency distribution of Hb in adolescent girls. Comparison in these parameters was made between non-pregnant girls 10-14 years and 15-19 years of age in DLHS-2, -4 and AHS-CAB; in the 15-19 year age group comparisons were made between pregnant and non-pregnant girls in NFHS series and DLHS AHS series.

Results:

There were no clear and consistent changes in mean Hb, prevalence of anaemia and frequency distribution of Hb in pregnant and non-pregnant adolescent girls between NFHS-2, -3 and -4 either at national or at State level. However, there was a 0.7 and 1.3 g/dL increase in mean Hb levels in non-pregnant girls (10-19 yrs) between DLHS-2 and AHS-CAB and DLHS-4 States, respectively. The increase in mean Hb of pregnant girls (15-19 yrs) was 1.1 g/dL and 1.4g/dL in AHS-CAB and DLHS 4 States, respectively. There was significant reduction in prevalence of anaemia in both pregnant and non-pregnant girls between DLHS 2 and DLHS 4 and AHS-CAB at the aggregate level for each survey and in all States except Uttarakhand.

Conclusion:

There has been some improvement in Hb levels in adolescent girls in the last two decades. Improving dietary intake of vegetables and promoting use of iron fortified iodised salt in all households in the country have to be taken up so that iron intake across all age groups improves. This when combined with daily IFA supplementation for three months in a year in adolescent girls, might lead to sustained improvement in Hb.
Inkjet jettability and physical characterization of water–ethanol solutions of low molecular weight sodium polyacrylate and poly-diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (polyDADMAC)
Authors: Koivunen Risto , Bollström Roger , Gane Patrick
Published: May 2020

Polyelectrolytes are water-soluble polymers having repeat units carrying electrolyte groups. As polyionic molecules having like charge units, they are self-repelling with a rod-like conformation in solution. Inkjet applications of polyelectrolytes include particle dispersing, surface modification, and multilayer structures. This work investigates the physical properties of low molecular weight sodium polyacrylate (NaPA) and poly-diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (polyDADMAC) polyelectrolyte solutions in the water–ethanol mixture in relation to their behavior in inkjet deposition. In rotational rheometry measurements, the solutions are found to behave in a Newtonian fashion once the effects of experimental artifacts are taken into account. The range of NaPA concentrations that could be studied was limited to 1 wt./wt. % by the poor solubility of NaPA in the presence of ethanol, and at these concentrations, the addition of NaPA to the solvent did not have a significant effect on the jetting behavior. PolyDADMAC had good solubility, and concentrations up to 10 wt./wt. % were studied and jetted successfully. While an increase in polyelectrolyte concentration resulted in a slow increase in ink viscosity, this was not found to have a significant effect on the required jetting voltage or maximum stable jetting frequency, though drop detachment and satellite droplet formation times were found to increase. As a practical limitation of polyDADMAC inks, solvent evaporation was found to lead to idle nozzles becoming non-jetting, with the allowed idle time decreasing rapidly as ink polyDADMAC concentration increased. This non-jetting behavior is likely due to residence time at the nozzle exit leading to the local surface tension and/or viscosity increase, differing from the bulk ink properties.
Transmissive flexoelectro-optic liquid crystal optical phase modulator with 2π modulation
Authors: Wang Xiuze , Fells Julian A. J. , Ali Taimoor , Lin Jia-De , Welch Chris , Mehl Georg H. , Wilkinson Timothy D. , Booth Martin J. , Morris Stephen M. , Elston Steve J.
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we demonstrate analog phase modulation in a transmissive configuration using the flexoelectro-optic effect in short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) devices. Two different modes are considered, both of which are shown to generate full 2π phase modulation at 1 kHz switching frequency. The first configuration that is considered consists of a half-wave plate that is placed between two flexoelectro-optic LC devices that are subjected to electric fields that are applied in phase. Second, we demonstrate that a similar phase modulation response can be observed by removing the half-wave plate and subjecting the two flexoelectro-optic LC devices to electric fields whereby the polarities are out of phase. Both configurations demonstrated herein are promising for the development of next-generation LC spatial light modulators, particularly when reflective geometries are challenging or impractical.
Room-temperature autonomous self-healing glassy polymers with hyperbranched structure
Authors: Wang Hao , Liu Hanchao , Cao Zhenxing , Li Weihang , Huang Xin , Zhu Yong , Ling Fangwei , Xu Hu , Wu Qi , Peng Yan , Yang Bin , Zhang Rui , Kessler Olaf , Huang Guangsu , Wu Jinrong
Published: May 2020

Significance

Glassy polymers are widely used as structural materials in aerospace vehicles, airplanes, automobiles, biomedical devices, and so on. However, glassy polymers are difficult to self-heal at room temperature due to their frozen molecules. For example, the window glass of airplanes made of polycarbonate cannot repair mechanical damages autonomously, which could lead to a catastrophe. To impart glassy polymers with self-healing ability, we take advantage of the high mobility of hyperbranched polymers, and introduce hydrogen complementary moieties onto the hyperbranched structure, enabling the construction of a series of autonomous room-temperature self-healing glassy polymers.
Definiteness in Wenzhounese Chinese in the Netherlands and in China
Authors: Aalberse Suzanne , Andringa Sible , Faber Martina , Lippe Phine
Published: May 2020

By comparing two generations of speakers in China and the Netherlands, we investigated whether Wenzhounese Chinese as spoken by heritage speakers in the Netherlands might be subject to change due to its contact with the Dutch language. To this end, we considered how nouns referring to already mentioned referents were encoded, hypothesizing an increase in overtly marked already mentioned referents in the speech of second generation speakers in the Netherlands. Also, shifts in the use of classifier and demonstrative constructions were investigated as carriers of definite meanings. The data showed clear generation effects, especially in the use of classifier and demonstrative constructions, but no location effects. Although the interpretation of the data is compromised by the fact that Wenzhounese as spoken China is under threat, the study suggests that innovations found in heritage speakers may not necessarily be related to the heritage scenario, but can also reflect more general contact effects or internally motivated changes.
The Frequency Code and gendered attrition and acquisition in the German-English heritage language community in Vancouver, Canada
Authors: de Leeuw Esther
Published: May 2020

The paper investigates pitch level and span in a group of German L1-English L2 late bilinguals in comparison to two monolingual control groups. The late bilinguals had moved to Vancouver, Canada in adulthood, and had been living in Vancouver for an average of 40 years. The results indicate that the bilingual males increased their pitch in both English and German, and widened their pitch span, therefore indexing non-aggressive, friendly behaviour, but deviating from both monolingual pitch norms. Thus, the results offer evidence that pitch changes are at least in part dependent on the social and political environment in which they are embedded, as a low pitch level is associated with dominance and aggression which would boost the negative image of the Vancouver German community due to their ethnic origin after WWII.
HSV1 VP1-2 deubiquitinates STING to block type I interferon expression and promote brain infection
Authors: Bodda Chiranjeevi , Reinert Line S. , Fruhwürth Stefanie , Richardo Timmy , Sun Chenglong , Zhang Bao-cun , Kalamvoki Maria , Pohlmann Anja , Mogensen Trine H. , Bergström Petra , Agholme Lotta , O’Hare Peter , Sodeik Beate , Gyrd-Hansen Mads , Zetterberg Henrik , Paludan Søren R.
Published: May 2020

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is the main cause of viral encephalitis in the Western world, and the type I interferon (IFN) system is important for antiviral control in the brain. Here, we have compared Ifnb induction in mixed murine brain cell cultures by a panel of HSV1 mutants, each devoid of one mechanism to counteract the IFN-stimulating cGAS–STING pathway. We found that a mutant lacking the deubiquitinase (DUB) activity of the VP1-2 protein induced particularly strong expression of Ifnb and IFN-stimulated genes. HSV1 ΔDUB also induced elevated IFN expression in murine and human microglia and exhibited reduced viral replication in the brain. This was associated with increased ubiquitination of STING and elevated phosphorylation of STING, TBK1, and IRF3. VP1-2 associated directly with STING, leading to its deubiquitination. Recruitment of VP1-2 to STING was dependent on K150 of STING, which was ubiquitinated by TRIM32. Thus, the DUB activity of HSV1 VP1-2 is a major viral immune-evasion mechanism in the brain.
Individual variation in dispersal and fecundity increases rates of spatial spread
Authors: Schreiber Sebastian J , Beckman Noelle G
Published: May 2020

Dispersal and fecundity are two fundamental traits underlying the spread of populations. Using integral difference equation models, we examine how individual variation in these fundamental traits and the heritability of these traits influence rates of spatial spread of populations along a one-dimensional transect. Using a mixture of analytic and numerical methods, we show that individual variation in dispersal rates increases spread rates and the more heritable this variation, the greater the increase. In contrast, individual variation in lifetime fecundity only increases spread rates when some of this variation is heritable. The highest increases in spread rates occur when variation in dispersal positively co-varies with fecundity. Our results highlight the importance of estimating individual variation in dispersal rates, dispersal syndromes in which fecundity and dispersal co-vary positively and heritability of these traits to predict population rates of spatial spread.