bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of flexible printed circuit board’s cooling with air flow and thermal effects using response surface methodology
Authors: Lim Chong Hooi , Abdullah Mohd Zulkifly , Abdul Aziz Ishak , Khor Chu Yee , Abdul Aziz Mohd Sharizal
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the interaction of independent variables [Reynolds number (Re), thermal power and the number of ball grid array (BGA) packages] and the relation of the variables with the responses [Nusselt number ((Nu) ¯ ), deflection/FPCB’s length (d/L) and von Mises stress]. The airflow and thermal effects were considered for optimizing the Re of various numbers of BGA packages with thermal power attached on flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) for optimum cooling performance with least deflection and stress by using the response surface method (RSM).

Design/methodology/approach

Flow and thermal effects on FPCB with heat source generated in the BGA packages have been examined in the simulation. The interactive relationship between factors (i.e. Re, thermal power and number of BGA packages) and responses (i.e. deflection over FPCB length ratio, stress and average Nusselt number) were analysed using analysis of variance. RSM was used to optimize the Re for the different number of BGA packages attached to the FPCB.

Findings

It is important to understand the behaviour of FPCB when exposed to both flow and thermal effects simultaneously under the operating conditions. Maximum d/L and von Misses stress were significantly affected by all parametric factors whilst (Nu)¯ is significantly affected by Re and thermal power. Optimized Re for 1–3 BGA packages with maximum thermal power applied has been identified as 21,364, 23,858 and 29,367, respectively.

Practical implications

This analysis offers a better interpretation of the parameter control in FPCB with optimized Re for the use of force convection electronic cooling. Optimal Re could be used as a reference in the thermal management aspect in designing the BGA package.

Originality/value

This research presents the parameters’ effects on the reliability and heat transfer in FPCB design. It also presents a method to optimize Re for the different number of BGA packages attached to increase the reliability in FPCB’s design.
Curved layer path planning on a 5-axis 3D printer
Authors: Duarte Joao , Espírito Santo Isabel , T. Monteiro M. Teresa , F. Vaz A. Ismael
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an approach to print shell-type objects using a 5-axis printer. The proposed approach takes advantage of the two additional printer degrees of freedom to provide a curved layer path planning strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper addresses curved layer path planning on a 5-axis printer. This printer considers movements along the three usual axes together with two additional axes at the printing table (rotation and tilt), allowing to build more complex and reliable objects. Curved layer path planning is considered where polygons obtained from the slicing stage are approximated by linear and cubic splines. The proposed printing strategy consists in building an inner core supporting structure followed by outer curved layers.

Findings

The curved layer path planning strategy is validated for shell-type objects by considering a 5-axis printer simulator. An example with an aeronautic object is presented to illustrate the proposed approach.

Originality/value

The paper presents an approach to curved layer path planning on a 5-axis printer, for shell-type objects.
Movement of forest‐dependent dung beetles through riparian buffers in Bornean oil palm plantations
Authors: Gray Ross E. J. , Rodriguez Luisa F. , Lewis Owen T. , Chung Arthur Y. C. , Ovaskainen Otso , Slade Eleanor M.
Published: October 2021

Fragmentation of tropical forests is increasing globally, with negative impacts for biodiversity. In Southeast Asia, expansion of oil palm agriculture has caused widespread deforestation, forest degradation and fragmentation.

Persistence of forest‐dependent species within these fragmented landscapes is likely to depend on the capacity of individuals to move between forest patches. In oil palm landscapes, riparian buffers along streams and rivers are potential movement corridors, but their use by moving animals is poorly studied.

We examined how six dung beetle species traversed riparian buffers connected to a continuous forest reserve area within an oil palm plantation in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We used a mark–release–recapture study and a new Bayesian Joint Species Movement Modelling (JSMM) approach, extended to a continuous capture process model.

Dung beetle species were fairly generalist in their habitat use, but two species showed a statistically supported preference for riparian buffer forest over oil palm, and one species showed a strong preference for forest reserve over riparian buffer, indicating the importance of forested areas within oil palm landscapes for some species.

A land‐use change simulation indicated that the loss of riparian buffers in oil palm will result in reduced movement by forest‐dependent species.

Synthesis and applications. Our results provide evidence for the use of riparian buffers in oil palm plantations for forest‐dependent dung beetle species, strengthening the case for their retention, restoration and re‐establishment. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the wider applicability of the Joint Species Movement Modelling (JSMM) framework to assess movement behaviour of species in fragmented landscapes, a vital tool for future forest and landscape management and conservation prioritisation exercises.
Systemic design in the Australian Taxation Office – Current practice and opportunities
Authors: Kaur Misha
Published: October 2021

Researchers and practitioners alike are in general agreement that the public sector is increasingly tasked with managing ‘complex problems’. Many authors have warned that the established practices in government are not sufficient to deal with such problems. The integration of systems thinking in design practice has been advocated as a promising approach to understand and more effectively deal with the increasing complexity of societal challenges. However, the literature on systemic design largely remains in the academic and theoretical discussions. In 2020, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has pioneered the development and implementation of systemic design as its approach to designing and delivering change. This article outlines practice insights into the ATO's systemic design framework, including its applications to a range of initiatives, including the stimulus measures resulting from the COVID‐19 pandemic. It discusses early insights into considerations of implementing systemic design at scale. Future research should focus on the implementation factors that may enable or inhibit its successful adoption.
Does a Rising Median Income Lift All Birth Weights? County Median Income Changes and Low Birth Weight Rates Among Births to Black and White Mothers
Authors: CURTIS DAVID S. , FULLER‐ROWELL THOMAS E. , CARLSON DANIEL L. , WEN MING , KRAMER MICHAEL R.
Published: October 2021

Policy Points

Policies that increase county income levels, particularly for middle‐income households, may reduce low birth weight rates and shrink disparities between Black and White infants.

Given the role of aggregate maternal characteristics in predicting low birth weight rates, policies that increase human capital investments (e.g., funding for higher education, job training) could lead to higher income levels while improving population birth outcomes.

The association between county income levels and racial disparities in low birth weight is independent of disparities in maternal risks, and thus a broad set of policies aimed at increasing income levels (e.g., income supplements, labor protections) may be warranted.

Context

Low birth weight (LBW; <2,500 grams) and infant mortality rates vary among place and racial group in the United States, with economic resources being a likely fundamental contributor to these disparities. The goals of this study were to examine time‐varying county median income as a predictor of LBW rates and Black‐White LBW disparities and to test county prevalence and racial disparities in maternal sociodemographic and health risk factors as mediators.

Methods

Using national birth records for 1992–2014 from the National Center for Health Statistics, a total of approximately 27.4 million singleton births to non‐Hispanic Black and White mothers were included. Data were aggregated in three‐year county‐period observations for 868 US counties meeting eligibility requirements (n = 3,723 observations). Sociodemographic factors included rates of low maternal education, nonmarital childbearing, teenage pregnancy, and advanced‐age pregnancy; and health factors included rates of smoking during pregnancy and inadequate prenatal care. Among other covariates, linear models included county and period fixed effects and unemployment, poverty, and income inequality.

Findings

An increase of $10,000 in county median income was associated with 0.34 fewer LBW cases per 100 live births and smaller Black‐White LBW disparities of 0.58 per 100 births. Time‐varying county rates of maternal sociodemographic and health risks mediated the association between median income and LBW, accounting for 65% and 25% of this estimate, respectively, but racial disparities in risk factors did not mediate the income association with Black‐White LBW disparities. Similarly, county median income was associated with very low birth weight rates and related Black‐White disparities.

Conclusions

Efforts to increase income levels—for example, through investing in human capital, enacting labor union protections, or attracting well‐paying employment—have broad potential to influence population reproductive health. Higher income levels may reduce LBW rates and lead to more equitable outcomes between Black and White mothers.
Modelling the effect of energy consumption on different environmental indicators in the United States: The role of financial development and renewable energy innovations
Authors: Usman Ojonugwa , Alola Andrew Adewale , Ike George N.
Published: October 2021

This study offers new insights into the relationship between energy consumption and environmental degradation in the United States by controlling for financial development, renewable energy innovations, economic expansion, and trade policy uncertainty over the period 1985:Q1 to 2014:Q4. Based on the flexible autoregressive distributed lag model, our findings show that energy consumption deteriorates the environment, while renewable energy innovations reduce CO2 emissions but has no significant effect on ecological footprint. Furthermore, the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis is valid only when ecological footprint is used as an environmental indicator. The causality results establish a feedback effect between CO2 emissions and renewable energy innovations, a unidirectional causal flow from financial development to CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and economic growth. Also discovered is a unidirectional causal flow from the ecological footprint to energy use and economic growth, and from renewable energy innovations and energy consumption to economic growth. Therefore, the policy implications for this study, among others, include the provision of grants and subsidies for research in renewable energy to enhance sustainable environmental quality.
Non‐gonococcal septic arthritis of native joints in Western Australia. A longitudinal population‐based study of frequency, risk factors and outcome
Authors: Nossent Johannes , Raymond Warren , Keen Helen , Preen David B. , Inderjeeth Charles A
Published: October 2021

Objective

To describe the incidence and long‐term outcome of non‐gonococcal septic arthritis (SA) in Western Australia (WA).

Methods

Newman criteria were applied to define culture‐positive SA and suspected SA cases in the state‐wide West Australian Rheumatic Diseases Epidemiological Registry with longitudinally linked health data for patients >16 years with a first diagnostic code of pyogenic arthritis (711.xx [ICD‐9‐CM] and M00.xx [ICD‐10‐AM]) between 1990‐2010. Annual incidence rates/100 000 (AIR) and standardized (against WA population) mortality rates/1000 person‐years (SMR) and outcomes during 10.1 years follow‐up are reported.

Results

Among 2633 SA patients (68.6% male, age 47.4 years), 1146 (43.5%) had culture‐positive SA. The overall AIR for culture‐positive (1.6‐6.3) and total SA cases (4.3‐12.9) increased between 1990 and 2010 as did age at onset (39.5‐54 years) and proportion of females (23‐35.6%). Knees (33.6.%) were most frequently affected and 37.1% of cultures showed microorganisms other than Gram‐positive cocci. Thirty‐day rates for readmission and mortality were 25.4% and 3.2.%. During follow‐up rates for serious infections (56.4%), osteoarthrosis (5.2%) and osteomyelitis (2.7%) were higher in culture‐positive SA. SMR was increased for all SA patients but especially in those 17‐40 years of age with culture‐positive SA (24.2; 95% CI 2.3‐261).

Conclusions

The incidence of SA in WA has risen steeply over 20 years. SA now occurs at higher age, affects females more often with over a third of cases caused by Gram‐negative microorganisms. Not only culture‐positive, but also suspected SA led to increased bone/joint complications, in‐hospital and late mortality.
Evaluating the validity of ultrasound in diagnosing hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: a cross‐sectional diagnostic accuracy study
Authors: Vinycomb Toby , Vanhaltren Keith , Pacilli Maurizio , Ditchfield Michael , Nataraja Ramesh Mark
Published: October 2021

Background

Our aims were to evaluate the ultrasound scan (USS) criteria in diagnosing hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS), determine the best diagnostic threshold values for pyloric muscle thickness (PMT) and pyloric canal length (PCL), and assess the accuracy of flow through the pylorus.

Methods

All patients who underwent pyloromyotomy at our tertiary paediatric surgery centre between July 2013 and June 2019 were identified (Group 1). All patients undergoing an USS to investigate for a possible HPS and did not undergo pyloromyotomy were also identified (Group 2). Accuracy was determined by Youden's Index (J) with the highest J determining the ideal cut‐off value.

Results

Two hundred and eighty‐four patients (142 patients in each group) were included in the analysis. Using only the last USS before surgery, PMT provided an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.987 (n = 275), and PCL an AUC of 0.977 (n = 267). Ideal threshold values were 3.0 mm for PMT (J = 0.92), and 14.5 mm for PCL (J = 0.87). Combining PMT ≥3.0 mm with a PCL ≥14.5 mm resulted in a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 99% (J = 0.94). The absence of flow through the pylorus on dynamic USS provided a sensitivity of 99% and specificity of 91% (J = 0.91; n = 277).

Conclusion

Combining threshold values of 3.0 mm for PMT and 14.5 mm PCL provides the highest accuracy for diagnosing pyloric stenosis on an ultrasound scan. These combined values were more accurate than observing for the absence of flow through the pylorus.
Pretraining of basic skills on a virtual reality vitreoretinal simulator: A waste of time
Authors: Petersen Sarah Bjørn , Vestergaard Anders Højslet , Thomsen Ann Sofia Skou , Konge Lars , Cour Morten La , Grauslund Jakob , Vergmann Anna Stage
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To investigate whether pretraining of basic skills in virtual vitreoretinal surgery affected the performance curve when proceeding to procedure‐specific modules.

Methods

This study was a prospective, randomized, controlled, two‐centre study. Medical students were randomized into two groups: Group 1 pretrained basic psycho‐motor skills (Navigation Training level 2 and Bimanual Training level 3) until they reached their performance curve plateau. Hereafter, both groups trained on the procedure‐specific modules (Posterior Hyaloid level 3 and ILM Peeling level 3) until they reached their performance curve plateau. Plateau was defined as three consecutive sessions with the same score with an acceptable variation. The primary outcome was time used to reach performance curve plateau in the procedure‐specific modules.

Results

A total of 68 medical students were included, and equally randomized into two groups. The participants in Group 1 used a median time of 88 minutes to reach plateau in the basic skills modules but did not differ from Group 2 in time to reach plateau on the procedure‐specific modules (183 min versus 210 min, p = 0.40) or in the amplitude of plateau. Group 1 and 2 differed significantly in the starting score of ILM peeling level 3 (0 (0‐0) versus 3.5 (0‐75), p = 0.03).

Conclusion

We were not able to show positive skill transfer from basic skills training to the procedure‐specific modules in time, starting score or amplitude of plateau. Thus, we recommend that aspiring vitreoretinal surgeons proceed directly to simulation‐based training of procedures instead of spending valuable training time on basic skills training.
Jackknife model averaging for high‐dimensional quantile regression
Authors: Wang Miaomiao , Zhang Xinyu , Wan Alan T. K. , You Kang , Zou Guohua
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we propose a frequentist model averaging method for quantile regression with high‐dimensional covariates. Although research on these subjects has proliferated as separate approaches, no study has considered them in conjunction. Our method entails reducing the covariate dimensions through ranking the covariates based on marginal quantile utilities. The second step of our method implements model averaging on the models containing the covariates that survive the screening of the first step. We use a delete‐one cross‐validation method to select the model weights, and prove that the resultant estimator possesses an optimal asymptotic property uniformly over any compact (0,1) subset of the quantile indices. Our proof, which relies on empirical process theory, is arguably more challenging than proofs of similar results in other contexts owing to the high‐dimensional nature of the problem and our relaxation of the conventional assumption of the weights summing to one. Our investigation of finite‐sample performance demonstrates that the proposed method exhibits very favorable properties compared to the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) penalized regression methods. The method is applied to a microarray gene expression data set.
The potential anti‐amyloidogenic candidate, SPA1413, for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: An Seong Soo A. , Shim Kyu Hwan , Kang Shinwoo , Kim Young Kyo , Subedi Lalita , Cho Hyewon , Hong Seong‐Min , Tan Mario A. , Jeon Raok , Chang Keun‐A , Kim Sun Yeou
Published: October 2021

Background and Purpose

Recently, isoflavone derivatives have been shown to have neuroprotective effects against neurological disorders. For instance, genistein attenuated the neuroinflammation and amyloid‐β accumulation in Alzheimer's disease animal models, suggesting the potential for use to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease.

Experimental Approach

Here, 50 compounds, including isoflavone derivatives, were constructed and screened for the inhibitory effects on amyloid‐β42 fibrilization and oligomerization using the high‐throughput screening formats of thioflavin T assay and multimer detection system, respectively. The potential neuroprotective effect of t3‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2H‐chromen‐7‐ol (SPA1413), also known as dehydroequol, idronoxil or phenoxodiol, was evaluated in cells and in 5xFAD (B6SJL) transgenic mouse, a model of Alzheimer's disease.

Key Results

SPA1413 had a potent inhibitory action on both amyloid‐β fibrilization and oligomerization. In the cellular assay, SPA1413 prevented amyloid‐β‐induced cytotoxicity and reduced neuroinflammation. Remarkably, the oral administration of SPA1413 ameliorated cognitive impairment, decreased amyloid‐β plaques and activated microglia in the brain of 5xFAD (B6SJL) transgenic mouse.

Conclusion and Implications

Our results strongly support the repurposing of SPA1413, which has already received fast‐track status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cancer treatment, for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease due to its potent anti‐amyloidogenic and anti‐neuroinflammatory actions.
The singing question: re‐conceptualizing birdsong
Authors: Rose Evangeline M. , Prior Nora H. , Ball Gregory F.
Published: October 2021

Birdsong has been the subject of broad research from a variety of sub‐disciplines and has taught us much about the evolution, function, and mechanisms driving animal communication and cognition. Typically, birdsong refers to the specialized vocalizations produced by oscines. Historically, much of the research on birdsong was conducted in north temperate regions (specifically in Europe and North America) leading to multiple biases. Due to these historic biases these vocalizations are generally considered to be highly sexually dimorphic, heavily shaped by sexual selection and essential for courtship and territoriality. Song is also typically defined as a learned trait shaped by cultural evolution. Together, this framework focuses research specifically on males, particularly during the north temperate breeding season – reflecting and thereby reinforcing this framework. The physiological underpinnings of song often emphasize the role of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis (associated with breeding changes) and the song control system (underlying vocal learning). Over the years there has been great debate over which features of song are essential to the definition of birdsong, which features apply broadly to contexts outside males in the north temperate region, and over the importance of having a definition at all. Importantly, the definitions we use can both guide and limit the progress of research. Here, we describe the history of these definitions, and how these definitions have directed and restricted research to focus on male song in sexually selected contexts. Additionally, we highlight the gaps in our scientific knowledge, especially with respect to the function and physiological mechanisms underlying song in females and in winter, as well as in non‐seasonally breeding species. Furthermore, we highlight the problems with using complexity and learning as dichotomous variables to categorize songs and calls. Across species, no one characteristic of song – sexual dimorphism, seasonality, complexity, sexual selection, learning – consistently delineates song from other songbird vocal communication. We provide recommendations for next steps to build an inclusive information framework that will allow researchers to explore nuances in animal communication and promote comparative research. Specifically, we recommend that researchers should operationalize the axis of variation most relevant to their study/species by identifying their specific question and the variable(s) of focus (e.g. seasonality). Researchers should also identify the axis (axes) of variation (e.g. degree of control by testosterone) most relevant to their study and use language consistent with the question and axis (axes) of variation (e.g. control by testosterone in the seasonal vocal production of birds).
Recent advances in the remote sensing of insects
Authors: Rhodes Marcus W. , Bennie Jonathan J. , Spalding Adrian , ffrench‐Constant Richard H. , Maclean Ilya M. D.
Published: October 2021

Remote sensing has revolutionised many aspects of ecological research, enabling spatiotemporal data to be collected in an efficient and highly automated manner. The last two decades have seen phenomenal growth in capabilities for high‐resolution remote sensing that increasingly offers opportunities to study small, but ecologically important organisms, such as insects. Here we review current applications for using remote sensing within entomological research, highlighting the emerging opportunities that now arise through advances in spatial, temporal and spectral resolution. Remote sensing can be used to map environmental variables, such as habitat, microclimate and light pollution, capturing data on topography, vegetation structure and composition, and luminosity at spatial scales appropriate to insects. Such data can also be used to detect insects indirectly from the influences that they have on the environment, such as feeding damage or nest structures, whilst opportunities for directly detecting insects are also increasingly available. Entomological radar and light detection and ranging (LiDAR), for example, are transforming our understanding of aerial insect abundance and movement ecology, whilst ultra‐high spatial resolution drone imagery presents tantalising new opportunities for direct observation. Remote sensing is rapidly developing into a powerful toolkit for entomologists, that we envisage will soon become an integral part of insect science.
Effectiveness of benralizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma: Distinct sub‐phenotypes of response identified by cluster analysis
Authors: Di Bona Danilo , Crimi Claudia , D’Uggento Angela Maria , Benfante Alida , Caiaffa Maria Filomena , Calabrese Cecilia , Campisi Raffaele , Carpagnano Giovanna Elisiana , Ciotta Domenico , D'Amato Maria , Pelaia Corrado , Pelaia Girolamo , Pellegrino Simona , Scichilone Nicola , Scioscia Giulia , Ribecco Nunziata , Spadaro Giuseppe , Valenti Giuseppe , Vatrella Alessandro , Crimi Nunzio , Macchia Luigi
Published: October 2021

Background

Benralizumab is effective in severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA), but suboptimal responses are observed in some patients. Although several factors have been associated with benralizumab response, no cluster analysis has yet been undertaken to identify different responsiveness sub‐phenotypes.

Objective

To identify SEA sub‐phenotypes with differential responsiveness to benralizumab.

Methods

One hundred and five patients diagnosed with SEA who had completed 6 months of benralizumab treatment were included in a hierarchical cluster analysis based on a set of clinical variables that can be easily collected in routine practice (age, age at disease onset, disease length, allergen sensitization status, blood eosinophil count, IgE levels, FEV1% predicted, nasal polyposis, bronchiectasis).

Results

Four clusters were identified: Clusters 2 and 3 included patients with high levels of both IgE and eosinophils (type‐2 biomarkers high), whereas Clusters 1 and 4 included patients with only one type‐2 biomarker at a high level: IgE in Cluster 1 and eosinophils in Cluster 4. Clusters 2 and 3 (both type‐2 biomarkers high) showed the highest response rate to benralizumab in terms of elimination of exacerbations (79% and 80% respectively) compared to Clusters 1 and 4 (52% and 60% respectively). When super‐response (the absence of exacerbation without oral corticosteroid use) was assessed, Cluster 2, including patients with more preserved lung function than the other clusters, but comparable exacerbation rate, oral corticosteroid use and symptom severity, was the most responsive cluster (87.5% of patients).

Conclusions

Our cluster analysis identified benralizumab differential response sub‐phenotypes in SEA, with the potential of improving disease treatment and precision management.
Advanced glycation end product intake during pregnancy and offspring allergy outcomes: A Prospective cohort study
Authors: Venter Carina , Pickett Kaci , Starling Anne , Maslin Kate , Smith Pete K. , Palumbo Michaela P. , O’Mahony Liam , Ben Abdallah Miriam , Dabelea Dana
Published: October 2021

Background

Associations have been shown between concurrent assessment of dietary intake of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and childhood allergic outcomes. We examined the association between maternal AGEs intake and development of offspring asthma, wheeze, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and food allergies, and sought to determine whether the intake of AGEs was associated with cord sera cytokines/chemokines.

Methods

Pregnant women ≥16 years were recruited in the Healthy Start study, a prospective pre‐birth cohort from Colorado (N = 1410). The analysis included 962 dyads with adequate diet (≥2 recalls) and allergy outcome details. AGEs intake was estimated for each mother by matching intakes reported using 24‐h dietary recalls during pregnancy to a reference database of commonly consumed foods’ AGEs values. Child diagnoses of asthma and allergies up to 8 years were obtained from electronic medical records. Cord sera cytokines and chemokines were analysed in a subset (N = 462) of children.

Results

The median [IQR] AGEs intake for the overall sample was 11,919 kU/day [8293, 16,573]. Unadjusted analysis showed a positive association between maternal AGEs intake in pregnancy and rhinitis up to 8 years of age (HR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06), but the association was attenuated and no longer significant in adjusted models (HR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.04). Both adjusted and unadjusted models showed no associations between AGEs intake in pregnancy and any of the other outcomes (p > .05). There were no significant associations between any cytokine or chemokine measured and AGEs intake or any of the outcomes studied (p > .05).

Conclusion

The study showed that maternal AGEs intake was not associated with offspring asthma and allergy outcomes. AGEs exposure during pregnancy may not have the same impact on child development as postnatal exposure.
Acute urticaria alone after CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccination should not be a contraindication for revaccination
Authors: Triwatcharikorn J. , Puaratana-arunkon T. , Punyaratabandhu P. , Mongkolpathumrat P. , Palapinyo S. , Buranapraditkul S. , Rerknimitr P. , Klaewsongkram J.
Published: October 2021

Patients who develop an immediate allergic reaction within the first 4 h of COVID-19 vaccine injection are recommended not to receive the same vaccine again. This recommendation mainly focuses on the mRNA and adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccines, but data for whole virus vaccines are unknown. We report seven patients who developed an immediate reaction within 4 h (six had generalized urticaria, one had localized urticaria) after the first vaccination with CoronaVac, the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The results of skin tests and basophil activation tests suggested that spike peptides play a role in exacerbating urticaria in some patients. However, all subjects who developed urticaria within 4 h after CoronaVac vaccination were successfully revaccinated without graded challenge, although recurrent urticaria was common. This preliminary result indicates that acute urticaria alone should not be a contraindication for the second dose of CoronaVac if the supply of alternative vaccines is limited.
Economic Upper Bound Estimation in Hausdorff Distance Computation for Triangle Meshes
Authors: Zheng Yicun , Sun Haoran , Liu Xinguo , Bao Hujun , Huang Jin
Published: October 2021

The Hausdorff distance is one of the most fundamental metrics for comparing 3D shapes. To compute the Hausdorff distance efficiently from a triangular mesh to another triangular mesh , one needs to cull the unnecessary triangles on quickly. These triangles have no chance to improve the Hausdorff distance estimation, that is the parts with local upper bound smaller than the global lower bound. The local upper bound estimation should be tight, use fast distance computation, and involve a small number of triangles in during the reduction phase for efficiency. In this paper, we propose to use point‐triangle distance, and only involve at most four triangles in in the reduction phase. Comparing with the state‐of‐the‐art proposed by Tang et al. in 2009, which uses more costly triangle‐triangle distance and may involve a large number of triangles in reduction phase, our local upper bound estimation is faster, and with only a small impact on the tightness of the bound on error estimation. Such a more economic strategy boosts the overall performance significantly. Experiments on the Thingi10K dataset show that our method can achieve several (even over 20) times speedup on average. On a few models with different placements and resolutions, we show that close placement and large difference in resolution bring big challenges to Hausdorff distance computation, and explain why our method can achieve more significant speedup on challenging cases.
The Politics of Differentiation and the Co‐Production of the “Model Periphery” in Brazil’s Public Housing
Authors: Kopper Moisés
Published: October 2021

In Latin America’s pink tide democracies, peripheries were pivotal openings into the ambiguities of political and economic urban governance. Once portrayed as territories of decay, state disregard, and societal oblivion, peripheries turned into key moral and spatial assemblages in Brazil’s post‐neoliberal project of a “de‐poored,” middle‐class country. This article draws on ethnographic research conducted in two peripheral Minha Casa Minha Vida projects—Brazil’s large‐scale public housing program—in the city of Porto Alegre. Charting the long‐term entanglements of local activism, communal hope, and national developmentalism, I argue that peripheral zones illuminate the ambivalences of state‐ and place‐making. Unveiling the politics of differentiation and distended governance that render one periphery a successful case of state and market intervention over the other, I explore how images of the “model periphery” are enforced through local infrastructures of worth and the effacement of its failed Other: the intractable faraway periphery, deemed to disappear in the name of public accountability and social and economic development. In conclusion, the article suggests that the consorted travails of leaders, citizen activists, politicians, and planners in casting visibility onto the model periphery contribute to bolstering and obscuring extant patterns of urban segregation and social inequality.
New onset inflammatory bowel disease in patient treated with secukinumab: Case report and review of literature
Authors: Ali Ailia K. , Torosian Arman , Porter Caroline , Bloomfeld Richard S. , Feldman Steven R.
Published: October 2021

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disorder that can vary in severity and extent of disease. While localized disease can be managed with topical medications, widespread disease often requires systemic therapy including biologics. This medication class targets different components of the immune system and thus modulates disease activity. The biologic secukinumab is a human monoclonal antibody against interleukin‐17A used for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been observed in clinical trials to be associated with this medication. This review aims to provide evidence for the relationships between secukinumab treatment and the development of IBD. We have examined review articles and original research papers, published between 2010 and 2020, using the following keywords: psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, secukinumab, IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, interleukin‐17, IL‐17, IL‐17 inhibitor. Case reports have noted an association between secukinumab use and IBD and have called for IBD pre‐screening in patients who will be prescribed this medication. Clinical trials concluded that secukinumab was associated with IBD, while retrospective studies have had mixed results, with most studies showing no statistical significance between secukinumab and IBD but having seen patients with history of IBD or family histories experience new‐onset IBD or flare‐ups. Given the utilization of secukinumab as a therapy for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, appropriate screening and risk stratification could help limit morbidity and mortality that can be associated with secukinumab‐induced IBD.
Monopolistic competition, as you like it
Authors: Bertoletti Paolo , Etro Federico
Published: October 2021

We explore monopolistic competition with asymmetric preferences over a variety of goods provided by heterogeneous firms, and compute equilibria (approximating Cournot and Bertrand equilibria when market shares are negligible) through average Morishima elasticities of substitution. Further results concerning pricing and entry emerge under homotheticity and when demands depend on a common aggregator, as with Generalized Additively Separable preferences. Under additivity we can determine which goods are going to be provided under free entry, as well as the selection effects associated with changes in market size, consumers' income, aggregate productivity, and preference parameters.
Electricity consumption changes following solar adoption: Testing for a solar rebound
Authors: Beppler Ross C. , Matisoff Daniel C. , Oliver Matthew E.
Published: October 2021

We use household‐level data to explore residential electricity use patterns following installation of solar panels. Solar adoption leads to an increase in total electricity consumption relative to a matched non‐adopting control group. Our point estimate translates to a rebound effect of 28.5%, suggesting that nearly a third of the electricity produced by a customer's solar panels is used for increased energy services, rather than reduced grid electricity consumption. We explore several potential drivers of an increase in electricity consumption. These results have important implications for electricity planning and policy, suggesting that rooftop solar stimulates additional demand for electricity.
Why we need descriptive psychology
Authors: Siewert Charles
Published: October 2021

This article defends the thesis that in theorizing about the mind we need to accord first‐person (“introspective” or “reflective”) judgments about experience a “selective provisional trust.” Such an approach can form part of a descriptive psychology. It is here so employed to evaluate some influential interpretations of research on attention to conclude that—despite what conventional wisdom suggests—an “introspection‐positive” policy actually offers us a better critical perspective than its contrary. What supposedly teaches us the worthlessness of introspection actually shows us why we need to take it seriously.
A multi‐step finite‐state automaton for arbitrarily deterministic Tsetlin Machine learning
Authors: Abeyrathna Kuruge Darshana , Granmo Ole‐Christoffer , Shafik Rishad , Jiao Lei , Wheeldon Adrian , Yakovlev Alex , Lei Jie , Goodwin Morten
Published: October 2021

Due to the high arithmetic complexity and scalability challenges of deep learning, there is a critical need to shift research focus towards energy efficiency. Tsetlin Machines (TMs) are a recent approach to machine learning (ML) that has demonstrated significantly reduced energy compared to neural networks alike, while providing comparable accuracy on several benchmarks. However, TMs rely heavily on energy‐costly random number generation to stochastically guide a team of Tsetlin Automata (TA) in TM learning. In this paper, we propose a novel finite‐state learning automaton that can replace the TA in the TM, for increased determinism. The new automaton uses multi‐step deterministic state jumps to reinforce sub‐patterns, without resorting to randomization. A determinism parameter finely controls trading off the energy consumption of random number generation, against randomization for increased accuracy. Randomization is controlled by flipping a coin before every state jump, ignoring the state jump on tails. For example, makes every update random and makes the automaton completely deterministic. Both theoretically and empirically, we establish that the proposed automaton converges to the optimal action almost surely. Further, used together with the TM, only substantial degrees of determinism reduce accuracy. Energy‐wise, random number generation constitutes switching energy consumption of the TM, saving up to 11 mW power for larger datasets with high values. Our new learning automaton approach thus facilitates low‐energy ML.
Contrasting climate velocity impacts in warm and cool locations show that effects of marine warming are worse in already warmer temperate waters
Authors: English Philina A. , Ward Eric J. , Rooper Christopher N. , Forrest Robyn E. , Rogers Luke A. , Hunter Karen L. , Edwards Andrew M. , Connors Brendan M. , Anderson Sean C.
Published: October 2021

Species responses to climate change are often measured at broad spatiotemporal scales, which can miss the fine‐scale changes that are most relevant to conservation and fisheries management. We develop a scaleable geostatistical approach to assess how juvenile and adult fish distributions have been shaped by changes in bottom temperature and dissolved oxygen over a recent decade of warming in the northeast Pacific. Across 38 demersal fishes, biomass trends were associated negatively with warming and positively with dissolved oxygen, but when trends in both biomass and climate were converted to velocities—the speed and direction a population would have to move to maintain consistent conditions—the effect of temperature change differed depending on local conditions. In the warmest locations, warming velocities were associated with negative biotic velocities for 19 of 69 species‐maturity combinations, and yet were almost always associated with stable or positive biotic velocities in the coolest locations (64 of 69). These spatially consistent biomass declines (negative biotic velocities) in the warmest locations and increases in cooler locations suggest a redistribution of species with the potential for new ecological and fisheries interactions. After controlling for temperature, the more spatially consistent effects of dissolved oxygen were often negative, suggesting a mechanism other than hypoxia avoidance—potentially changes in primary production. Our approach identifies the species and locations that are most sensitive to observed changes in the environment at any scale, thus facilitating future vulnerability assessments.
Industry centrality: Weak ties, industry attributes, and managerial contracting
Authors: Ashraf Rasha , Dass Nishant , Nanda Vikram
Published: October 2021

Centrality in the network of interindustry trade relationships provides novel insights into an industry's economic attributes and managerial incentive contracts prevalent in the industry. More “central” industries trade with a large number of industries, implying numerous but relatively weaker interindustry ties. Weakness of interindustry ties suggests that relationship‐specific investment (RSI) will be less important and output will be relatively more commoditized in central industries. As predicted, central industry firms are less innovative, face greater competition, and have lower idiosyncratic risk. Further, CEOs in central industries receive lower pay and weaker incentives. Tournament incentives are also weaker in more central industries.
Body mass index, functional disability and all‐cause mortality in 330 000 older adults: The Shizuoka study
Authors: Tabara Yasuharu , Nakatani Eiji , Miyachi Yoshiki
Published: October 2021

Aim

A J‐shaped association has been observed between body mass index (BMI) and all‐cause mortality, but its relationship with functional disability is uncertain. We aim to clarify the association between BMI and functional disability, as well as all‐cause mortality, by analyzing prefecture‐wide annual health checkup data, and health and care insurance data.

Methods

The dataset analyzed in this study consisted of 332 405 community residents aged ≥65 years who subscribed to the National Health Insurance. Basic clinical information was obtained from the annual health checkup data. The presence of comorbidities at baseline and the incidence of functional disability and all‐cause mortality were obtained from the health insurance data.

Results

The mean age and standard deviation of the study participants was 73.5 ± 6.0 years. During a 4‐year follow‐up period, we observed 31 508 incident cases of functional disability and 16 640 deaths. The incidence rates of functional disability and all‐cause mortality were higher in both lower and higher BMI subgroups, and the lowest risk was observed in the range of 21–27 kg/m2 in men and 20–25 kg/m2 in women. These associations were independent of age, sex, current smoking and possible confounding factors, including a cardiovascular diseases history, hospitalization during the half‐year period before baseline, and baseline comorbidities. A similar association was observed between BMI and all‐cause mortality even when individuals who developed functional disabilities before death were excluded from the analysis.

Conclusions

Maintaining the bodyweight within the recommended range could be an effective method of reducing the risk of functional disability and mortality. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 1040–1046.
Establishing a COVID‐19 pandemic severity assessment surveillance system in Ireland
Authors: Domegan Lisa , Garvey Patricia , McEnery Maeve , Fiegenbaum Rachel , Brabazon Elaine , Quintyne Keith Ian , O'Connor Lois , Cuddihy John , O'Donnell Joan
Published: October 2021

We developed a COVID‐19 pandemic severity assessment (PSA) monitoring system in Ireland, in order to inform and improve public health preparedness, response and recovery. The system based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment (PISA) project included a panel of surveillance parameters for the following indicators: transmissibility, impact and disease severity. Age‐specific thresholds were established for each parameter and data visualised using heat maps. The findings from the first pandemic wave in Ireland have shown that the WHO PISA system can be adapted for COVID‐19, providing a standardised tool for early warning and monitoring pandemic severity.
Solution processing of morphotropic phase boundary BiFeO3‐PbTiO3 thin films with reduced conductivity for high room temperature switchable polarization
Authors: Zia Layiq , Jaffari G. Hassnain , Jiménez Ricardo , Bretos Iñigo , Amorín Harvey , Algueró Miguel , Rodríguez‐Castellón Enrique , Calzada M. Lourdes
Published: October 2021

The (1 – x)BiFeO3‐xPbTiO3 (BFO‐PTO) perovskite solid solution has great potential for being used in practical devices, as it exhibits significant ferroelectric response at its morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). However, the significant conduction, particularly high electrical leakage currents that BFO‐PTO films show at room temperature, deteriorates their functionality. This is mainly associated with the presence of multivalent iron along with A‐site and oxygen vacancies. Here, solution‐derived BFO‐PTO thin films have been crystallized at low temperature on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates, by a rapid thermal annealing process to minimize Bi and Pb volatilization. X‐ray analyses have revealed that textured films are obtained with a pseudocubic perovskite structure and without the formation of detectable second phases. Microstructural studies indicated a columnar growth of the films with grain size well above the nanometric range, which, therefore, should not produce an appreciable reduction of the ferroelectric response due to size effects. Because of the relatively low content of charged defects produced in these BFO‐PTO films during processing, ferroelectric hysteresis loops can be measured at room temperature. The highest value of remnant polarizations (2PR = 58 μC/cm2) was obtained for the 0.65BiFeO3‐0.35PbTiO3 (65BFO‐35PTO) films, which suggests that this film composition lies in the proximity of the MPB where the coexistence of a highly textured <100> tetragonal phase and a rhombohedral one seems to occur.