bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonlocal and local models for taxis in cell migration: a rigorous limit procedure
Authors: Eckardt Maria , Painter Kevin J. , Surulescu Christina , Zhigun Anna
Published: October 2020

A rigorous limit procedure is presented which links nonlocal models involving adhesion or nonlocal chemotaxis to their local counterparts featuring haptotaxis and classical chemotaxis, respectively. It relies on a novel reformulation of the involved nonlocalities in terms of integral operators applied directly to the gradients of signal-dependent quantities. The proposed approach handles both model types in a unified way and extends the previous mathematical framework to settings that allow for general solution-dependent coefficient functions. The previous forms of nonlocal operators are compared with the new ones introduced in this paper and the advantages of the latter are highlighted by concrete examples. Numerical simulations in 1D provide an illustration of some of the theoretical findings.
The association between periconceptional folic acid supplementation and the risk of preterm birth: a population-based retrospective cohort study of 200,000 women in China
Authors: Wu Yu , Yuan Yanling , Kong Cai , Ma Qiuyue , Ye Hanfeng , Jing Wenzhan , Liu Jue , Liu Min
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study was to examine the association between periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation and risk of preterm birth.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in women aged 18–49 who participated in the NFPHEP from 2010 to 2018, and had a singleton livebirth in 129 counties in southwest China. Participants were divided into four groups according to the time period starting FA use: no use, after the last menstrual period, at least 1–2 months before the last menstrual period, at least 3 months before the last menstrual period. The outcomes were preterm birth (gestation < 37 weeks) and early preterm birth (gestation < 34 weeks).

Results

201,477 women were included and 191,809 (95.2%) had taken FA during periconception. Compared with women who did not take FA, women who started taking FA 1–2 months before their last menstrual period had a 15% lower risk of preterm birth (aOR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.79–0.92), and women who started taking FA at least 3 months before their last menstrual period had a 20% lower risk of preterm birth (aOR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.75–0.87), but women who started taking FA after their last menstrual period did not appear to reduce the risk of preterm birth.

Conclusions

In this study of 200,000 Chinese women, periconceptional supplementation with FA was associated with a lower risk of preterm birth. Women who started taking FA at least 3 months before their last menstrual period were more likely to reduce the risk of preterm birth.
Genetic background impacts the timing of synaptonemal complex breakdown in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Wesley Emily R. , Hawley R. Scott , Billmyre Katherine Kretovich
Published: October 2020

Experiments performed in different genetic backgrounds occasionally exhibit failure in experimental reproducibility. This is a serious issue in Drosophila where there are no standard control stocks. Here, we illustrate the importance of controlling genetic background by showing that the timing of a major meiotic event, the breakdown of the synaptonemal complex (SC), varies in different genetic backgrounds. We assessed SC breakdown in three different control stocks and found that in one control stock, y w; svspa-pol, the SC broke down earlier than in Oregon-R and w1118 stocks. We further examined SC breakdown in these three control backgrounds with flies heterozygous for a null mutation in c(3)G, which encodes a key structural component of the SC. Flies heterozygous for c(3)G displayed differences in the timing of SC breakdown in different control backgrounds, providing evidence of a sensitizing effect of this mutation. These observations suggest that SC maintenance is associated with the dosage of c(3)G in some backgrounds. Lastly, chromosome segregation was not affected by premature SC breakdown in mid-prophase, consistent with previous findings that chromosome segregation is not dependent on full-length SC in mid-prophase. Thus, genetic background is an important variable to consider with respect to SC behavior during Drosophila meiosis.
Posterior endoscopic cervical foramiotomy and discectomy: clinical and radiological computer tomography evaluation on the bony effect of decompression with 2 years follow-up
Authors: Wu Pang Hung , Kim Hyeun Sung , Lee Yeon Jin , Kim Dae Hwan , Lee Jun Hyung , Yang Kyung-Hoon , Raorane Harshavardhan Dilip , Jang Il-Tae
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Cervical radiculopathy is a common disabling cervical spine condition. Open anterior and posterior approaches are the conventional surgical treatment approaches with good clinical outcomes. However, the soft tissue damage in these procedures can lead to increase perioperative morbidity. Endoscopic spine surgery provides more soft tissue preservation than conventional approaches. We investigate the radiological and clinical outcomes of posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy and discectomy.

Methods

A prospective clinical and radiological study with retrospective evaluation were done for 25 patients with 29 levels of cervical radiculopathy who underwent posterior endoscopic cervical discectomy from November 2016 to December 2018. Clinical outcomes of Visual Analogue Scale, Neck Disability Index and MacNab’s score were evaluated at pre-operative, post-operative 1 week, 3 months and final follow-up. Preoperative and post-operative final follow-up flexion and extension roentgenogram were evaluated for cervical stability assessment. Pre-operative and post-operative computer tomography cervical spine evaluation of foraminal length in ventro-dorsal, cephalad-caudal dimensions, sagittal foraminal area and using 3D CT reconstruction coronal decompression area were done.

Results

Twenty-nine levels of cervical radiculopathy underwent posterior endoscopic cervical decompression. The mean follow-up was 29.6 months, and the most common levels affected were C5/6 and C6/7. There was a complication rate of 12% with 2 cases of neurapraxia and one case of recurrent of prolapsed disc. There was no revision surgery in our series. There was significant clinical improvement in Visual Analogue Scale and Neck Disability Index. Prospective comparative study between preoperative and final follow-up mean improvement in VAS score was 5.08 ± 1.75, and NDI was 45.1 ± 13.3. Ninety-two percent of the patients achieved good and excellent results as per MacNab’s criteria. Retrospective evaluation of the radiological data showed significant increments of foraminal dimensions: (1) sagittal area increased 21.4 ± 11.2 mm2, (2) CT Cranio Caudal length increased 1.21 ± 1.30 mm and (3) CT ventro-dorsal length increased 2.09 ± 1.35 mm and (4) 3D CT scan reconstruction coronal decompression area increased 536 ± 176 mm2, p < 0.05.

Conclusion

Uniportal posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy and discectomy are safe, efficient and precise choreographed set of technique in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. It significantly improved clinical outcomes and achieved the objective of increasing in the cervical foramen size in our cohort of patients.
Higher rate of complications with uncemented compared to cemented total hip arthroplasty for displaced intracapsular hip fractures: A randomised controlled trial of 50 patients
Authors: Clement N. D. , van der Linden Marietta , Keating J. F.
Published: October 2020

Background

The primary aim of this study was to compare the functional outcome of uncemented with cemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) for displaced intracapsular hip fractures. The secondary aims were to assess length of surgery, blood loss, complications and revision rate between the two groups.

Methods

A prospective double-blind randomised control trial was conducted. Fifty patients with an intracapsular hip fracture meeting the inclusion criteria were randomised to either an uncemented (n = 25) or cemented (n = 25) THA. There were no differences (p > 0.45) in age, gender, health status or preinjury hip function between the groups. The Oxford hip score (OHS), Harris Hip score (HHS), EuroQol 5-dimensional (EQ5D), timed get up-and-go (TUG), pain and patient satisfaction were used to assess outcome. These were assessed at 4, 12 and 72 months after surgery, apart from the TUG which as only assessed as 6 months.

Results

The study was terminated early due to the significantly (n = 8, p = 0.004) higher rate of intraoperative complications in the uncemented group: three fractures of the proximal femur and five conversions to a cemented acetabular component. There were no significant (p ≥ 0.09) differences in the functional measures (OHS, HSS, EQ5D, TUG and pain) or patient satisfaction between the groups. There was no difference in operative time (p = 0.75) or blood loss (p = 0.66) between the groups. There were two early revisions prior to 3 months post-operatively in the uncemented group and none in the cemented group, but this was not significant (log rank p = 0.16).

Conclusion

There was a high rate of intraoperative complications, which may be due to poor bone quality in this patient group. There were no ergonomic or functional advantages demonstrated between uncemented and cemented THA. Cemented THA should remain as the preferred choice for the treatment of intracapsular hip fractures for patients that meet the criteria for this procedure.
Fast solution of the linearized Poisson–Boltzmann equation with nonaffine parametrized boundary conditions using the reduced basis method
Authors: Kweyu Cleophas , Feng Lihong , Stein Matthias , Benner Peter
Published: October 2020

The Poisson–Boltzmann equation (PBE) is a nonlinear elliptic parametrized partial differential equation that arises in biomolecular modeling and is a fundamental tool for structural biology. It is used to calculate electrostatic potentials around an ensemble of fixed charges immersed in an ionic solution. Efficient numerical computation of the PBE yields a high number of degrees of freedom in the resultant algebraic system of equations, ranging from several hundred thousand to millions. Coupled with the fact that in most cases the PBE requires to be solved multiple times for a large number of system configurations, for example, in Brownian dynamics simulations or in the computation of similarity indices for protein interaction analysis, this poses great computational challenges to conventional numerical techniques. To accelerate such onerous computations, we suggest to apply the reduced basis method (RBM) and the (discrete) empirical interpolation method ((D)EIM) to the PBE with a special focus on simulations of complex biomolecular systems, which greatly reduces this computational complexity by constructing a reduced order model (ROM) of typically low dimension. In this study, we employ a simple version of the PBE for proof of concept and discretize the linearized PBE (LPBE) with a centered finite difference scheme. The resultant linear system is solved by the aggregation-based algebraic multigrid (AGMG) method at different samples of ionic strength on a three-dimensional Cartesian grid. The discretized LPBE, which we call the high-fidelity full order model (FOM), yields solution as accurate as other LPBE solvers. We then apply the RBM to the FOM. DEIM is applied to the Dirichlet boundary conditions which are nonaffine in the parameter (ionic strength), to reduce the complexity of the ROM. From the numerical results, we notice that the RBM reduces the model order from$${\mathcal {N}} = 2\times 10^{6}$$N=2×106to$$N = 6$$N=6at an accuracy of$${\mathcal {O}}(10^{-9})$$O(10-9)and reduces the runtime by a factor of approximately 7600. DEIM, on the other hand, is also used in the offline-online phase of solving the ROM for different values of parameters which provides a speed-up of 20 for a single iteration of the greedy algorithm.
Opioid-induced constipation in patients with cancer pain in Japan (OIC-J study): a post hoc subgroup analysis of patients with gastrointestinal cancer
Authors: Harada Toshiyuki , Imai Hisao , Fumita Soichi , Noriyuki Toshio , Gamoh Makio , Okamoto Masaharu , Akashi Yusaku , Kizawa Yoshiyuki , Tokoro Akihiro
Published: October 2020

Background

Constipation is a common side effect of opioid therapy. An observational study of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in Japanese patients with cancer (OIC-J) included 212 patients with various tumor types. This post hoc analysis of OIC-J evaluated a subgroup of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Methods

Patients were aged ≥ 20 years, starting strong opioid therapy, had an ECOG PS of ≤ 2, and must have had ≥ 3 bowel movements during the week before enrollment. OIC was evaluated for 2 weeks after opioid initiation using the Rome IV diagnostic criteria for colorectal disorders, as well as physician’s diagnosis, number of spontaneous bowel movements, Bowel Function Index score, and patient’s self-assessment. Relationships between baseline characteristics and OIC incidence, and the effects of OIC on quality of life (QOL) were also explored.

Results

Fifty patients from OIC-J who had GI cancer [colon (50%), stomach (28%), and esophageal (22%)] were included. OIC incidence varied by which diagnostic criteria were used (46.0–62.0%) and occurred rapidly after initiating opioid therapy. The use of prophylactic laxatives reduced the overall incidence rate of OIC from 71.0% to 47.4%. No baseline characteristics, except comorbidities, were associated with OIC incidence. Change from baseline to day 15 in PAC-SYM total score was significantly greater for patients with OIC versus those without OIC (0.188 versus −0.362; P = 0.0011).

Conclusions

This post hoc analysis suggests that OIC occurs rapidly in patients with GI cancer after initiating opioid therapy, and negatively impacts QOL. Early and effective intervention strategies may be particularly useful in this group.

Additional Information

Coauthor Makio Gamoh is deceased.
Effect of photoperiod and light intensity on learning ability and memory formation of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis
Authors: Hussein Ahmed A. A. , Baz El-Sayed , Mariën Janine , Tadros Menerva M. , El-Shenawy Nahla S. , Koene Joris M.
Published: October 2020

Natural light is regarded as a key regulator of biological systems and typically serves as a Zeitgeber for biological rhythms. As a natural abiotic factor, it is recognized to regulate multiple behavioral and physiological processes in animals. Disruption of the natural light regime due to light pollution may result in significant effects on animal learning and memory development. Here, we investigated whether sensitivity to various photoperiods or light intensities had an impact on intermediate-term memory (ITM) and long-term memory (LTM) formation in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. We also investigated the change in the gene expression level of molluscan insulin-related peptide II (MIP II) is response to the given light treatments. The results show that the best light condition for proper LTM formation is exposure to a short day (8 h light) and low light intensity (1 and 10 lx). Moreover, the more extreme light conditions (16 h and 24 h light) prevent the formation of both ITM and LTM. We found no change in MIP II expression in any of the light treatments, which may indicate that MIP II is not directly involved in the operant conditioning used here, even though it is known to be involved in learning. The finding that snails did not learn in complete darkness indicates that light is a necessary factor for proper learning and memory formation. Furthermore, dim light enhances both ITM and LTM formation, which suggests that there is an optimum since both no light and too bright light prevented learning and memory. Our findings suggest that the upsurge of artificial day length and/or night light intensity may also negatively impact memory consolidation in the wild.
Analytical transient phase change heat transfer model of wearable electronics with a thermal protection substrate
Authors: Shi Yingli , Ji Junyun , Yin Yafei , Li Yuhang , Xing Yufeng
Published: October 2020

As thermal protection substrates for wearable electronics, functional soft composites made of polymer materials embedded with phase change materials and metal layers demonstrate unique capabilities for the thermal protection of human skin. Here, we develop an analytical transient phase change heat transfer model to investigate the thermal performance of a wearable electronic device with a thermal protection substrate. The model is validated by experiments and the finite element analysis (FEA). The effects of the substrate structure size and heat source power input on the temperature management efficiency are investigated systematically and comprehensively. The results show that the objective of thermal management for wearable electronics is achieved by the following thermal protection mechanism. The metal thin film helps to dissipate heat along the in-plane direction by reconfiguring the direction of heat flow, while the phase change material assimilates excessive heat. These results will not only promote the fundamental understanding of the thermal properties of wearable electronics incorporating thermal protection substrates, but also facilitate the rational design of thermal protection substrates for wearable electronics.
Putting the City on the World Art Map: Star Curators and Nation Branding
Authors: Molho Jérémie
Published: October 2020

Over the last two decades, we have seen a worldwide expansion of the concept and practice of cultural diplomacy, along with the emergence of a multipolar world. This raises the question of the way in which the notion is mobilized and understood beyond Europe and North America. This paper is based on comparative research carried out in Qatar and Singapore. Both countries have developed ambitious cultural diplomacy strategies, based on the establishment of world-class cultural and educational institutions, and on their integration into regional and global cultural networks. But many have highlighted contradictions between these ambitious strategies and the restrictions and pressures that both countries place on their civil societies. This paper discusses how curators, who have become key global gatekeepers, negotiate their role in their country’s global cultural strategy and position themselves with regard to the official national narrative. With their multiple belonging, they shape narratives that make regional and local scenes and can put cities on the world art map. This symbolic power puts them in a strategic position to shape the nation-branding discourse.
Aharonov–Bohm superselection sectors
Authors: Dappiaggi Claudio , Ruzzi Giuseppe , Vasselli Ezio
Published: October 2020

We show that the Aharonov–Bohm effect finds a natural description in the setting of QFT on curved spacetimes in terms of superselection sectors of local observables. The extension of the analysis of superselection sectors from Minkowski spacetime to an arbitrary globally hyperbolic spacetime unveils the presence of a new quantum number labelling charged superselection sectors. In the present paper, we show that this “topological” quantum number amounts to the presence of a background flat potential which rules the behaviour of charges when transported along paths as in the Aharonov–Bohm effect. To confirm these abstract results, we quantize the Dirac field in the presence of a background flat potential and show that the Aharonov–Bohm phase gives an irreducible representation of the fundamental group of the spacetime labelling the charged sectors of the Dirac field. We also show that non-Abelian generalizations of this effect are possible only on spacetimes with a non-Abelian fundamental group.
Visualization of the electronic phase separation in superconducting KxFe2−ySe2
Authors: Chen Yujie , Jiang Juan , Yang Haifeng , Dudin Pavel , Barinov Alexey , Liu Zhongkai , Wen Haihu , Yang Lexian , Chen Yulin
Published: October 2020

Type-II iron-based superconductors (Fe-SCs), the alkali-metal-intercalated iron selenide AxFe2−ySe2 (A = K, Tl, Rb, etc.) with a superconducting transition temperature of 32 K, exhibit unique properties such as high Néel temperature, Fe-vacancies ordering, antiferromagnetically ordered insulating state in the phase diagram, and mesoscopic phase separation in the superconducting materials. In particular, the electronic and structural phase separation in these systems has attracted intensive attention since it provides a platform to unveil the insulating parent phase of type-II Fe-SCs that mimics the Mott parent phase in cuprates. In this work, we use spatial- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study the electronic structure of superconducting KxFe2−ySe2. We observe clear electronic phase separation of KxFe2−ySe2 into metallic islands and insulating matrix, showing different K and Fe concentrations. While the metallic islands show strongly dispersive bands near the Fermi level, the insulating phase shows an energy gap up to 700 meV and a nearly flat band around 700 meV below the Fermi energy, consistent with previous experimental and theoretical results on the superconducting K1−xFe2Se2 (122 phase) and Fe-vacancy ordered K0.8Fe1.6Se2 (245 phase), respectively. Our results not only provide important insights into the mysterious composition of phase-separated superconducting and insulating phases of KxFe2−ySe2, but also present their intrinsic electronic structures, which will shed light on the comprehension of the unique physics in type-II Fe-SCs.
Petrophysical seismic inversion based on lithofacies classification to enhance reservoir properties estimation: a machine learning approach
Authors: Babasafari Amir Abbas , Rezaei Shiba , Salim Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed , Kazemeini Sayed Hesammoddin , Ghosh Deva Prasad
Published: October 2020

For estimation of petrophysical properties in industry, we are looking for a methodology which results in more accurate outcome and also can be validated by means of some quality control steps. To achieve that, an application of petrophysical seismic inversion for reservoir properties estimation is proposed. The main objective of this approach is to reduce uncertainty in reservoir characterization by incorporating well log and seismic data in an optimal manner. We use nonlinear optimization algorithms in the inversion workflow to estimate reservoir properties away from the wells. The method is applied at well location by fitting nonlinear experimental relations on the petroelastic cross-plot, e.g., porosity versus acoustic impedance for each lithofacies class separately. Once a significant match between the measured and the predicted reservoir property is attained in the inversion workflow, the petrophysical seismic inversion based on lithofacies classification is applied to the inverted elastic property, i.e., acoustic impedance orVp/Vsratio derived from seismic elastic inversion to predict the reservoir properties between the wells. Comparison with the neural network method demonstrated this application of petrophysical seismic inversion to be competitive and reliable.
Introduction: Studying Under-Floor Church Burials in Finland––Challenges in Stewarding the Past for the Future
Authors: Lipkin Sanna , Kallio-Seppä Titta
Published: October 2020

Two ongoing projects at the University of Oulu, Finland, are studying burials situated below the floorboards of Finnish churches. The projects examine mortality and materiality in Finland using an exceptionally well-preserved assemblage of mummified human remains. Multidisciplinary research methods, including CT scanning, μCT scanning, sampling for DNA and isotope analysis, and insect and plant samples, are providing multifaceted information concerning past societies. The samples provide rich insight into the material dimensions of mortality in northern Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. Since the studied material is located under the floors of church buildings that are still in use by congregations, obtaining permits for research and sampling has required managing relationships with separate parishes. This article outlines the projects and examines the ethical and legal dimensions of research on human remains conducted in partnership with individual parishes.
Significant Increase of Sexual Dysfunction in Patients with Renal Failure Receiving Renal Replacement Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Luo Lianmin , Xiao Chenglin , Xiang Qian , Zhu Zhiguo , Liu Yangzhou , Wang Jiamin , Deng Yihan , Zhao Zhigang
Published: October 2020

Background

It has been shown that sexual dysfunction (SD) is highly prevalent among patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), and starting renal replacement therapy may even increase it. However, SD is an infrequently reported problem in these treated patients.

Aim

To investigate the prevalence of SD among patients with CRF undergoing renal replacement therapy, by a meta-analysis method.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for all studies assessing sexual function in patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy from January 2000 to April 2020. Relative risk (RR) with 95% CIs was used for analysis to assess the risk of SD in patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy. The cross-sectional study quality methodology checklist was used for the cross-sectional study. The methodologic quality of the case-control and cohort studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were pooled for the random-effect model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess potential bias. The Begg and Egger tests were used for publication bias analysis.

Outcomes

The prevalence of SD among patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy was summarized using pooled RR and 95% CI.

Results

This meta-analysis included 3,725 participants from 10 studies. Of these, 737 were patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy. The mean age of participants ranged from 32.75 to 56.1 years. Based on the random-effect model, synthesis of results demonstrated that the prevalence of SD was significantly increased among patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy in women (RR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.47–2.91, P = .000; heterogeneity: I2 = 78.7%, P = .000) and in men (RR = 2.95, 95% CI: 2.16–4.02, P = .000; heterogeneity: I2 = 86.1%, P = .000). Estimates of the total effects were generally consistent in the sensitivity analysis. No evidence of publication bias was observed.

Clinical Implications

Patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy had a significantly increased risk of SD, which suggests that clinicians should evaluate sexual function, when managing patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy.

Strengths and Limitations

This is the first study to explore the prevalence of SD among patients with CRF undergoing renal replacement therapy based on all available epidemiologic studies. However, all included studies were an observational design, which may downgrade this evidence.

Conclusion

The prevalence of SD is significantly increased among patients with CRF receiving renal replacement therapy. More research studies are warranted to clarify the relationship.
The Acceptance and Expression of Prejudice during the Trump Era
Authors: Schaffner Brian F.
Published: October 2020

What are the consequences when politicians make prejudiced statements? Theories about the suppression of prejudice argue that people are likely to express more prejudice when they believe that norms are more permissive than they may have otherwise assumed. Using a series of experiments carried out during and since the 2016 campaign, Brian Schaffner shows that being exposed to Donald Trump's prejudiced rhetoric causes people to express more prejudice themselves. Notably, this is not merely a 'Trump Effect;' people's commitment to anti-prejudice norms is undermined even when exposed to prejudiced rhetoric attributed to unnamed politicians. These findings are consequential; if politicians increasingly feel at liberty to express explicit prejudice, then the mass public is likely to take cues from such behavior, leading them to express more prejudice themselves. This may lead to increasingly heightened inter-group tensions which could pose a threat to political and social stability in the United States.
Predicting the fuel flow rate of commercial aircraft via multilayer perceptron, radial basis function and ANFIS artificial neural networks
Authors: Baklacioglu T.
Published: October 2020

A first attempt is made to use recently developed, non-conventional Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models with Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Radial Basis Function (RBF) and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Interference System (ANFIS) architectures to predict the fuel flow rate of a commercial aircraft using real data obtained from Flight Data Records (FDRs) of the cruise, climb and descent phases. The training of the architectures with a single hidden layer is performed by utilising the Delta-Bar-Delta (DBD), Conjugate Gradient (CG) and Quickprop (QP) algorithms. The optimum network topologies are sought by varying the number of processing elements in the hidden layer of the networks using a trial-and-error method. An evaluation of the approximate fuel intake values against the ideal fuel intake data from the FDRs indicates a good fit for all three ANN models. Thus, more accurate fuel intake estimations can be obtained by applying the RBF-ANN model during the climb and descent flight stages, whereas the MLP-ANN model is more effective for the cruise phase. The best accuracy obtained in terms of the linear correlation coefficient is 0.99988, 0.91946 and 0.95252 for the climb, cruise and descent phase, respectively.
Evaluation of nutritional behaviour related to COVID-19
Authors: Elmacıoğlu Funda , Emiroğlu Elif , Ülker Mutlu Tuçe , Özyılmaz Kırcali Berkin , Oruç Sena
Published: October 2020

Objective:

It is known that social isolation process has an impact on individuals’ eating behaviours. Continuing nutritional behaviour resulting from emotional eating, uncontrolled eating and cognitive restriction may turn into eating disorders in the future. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possible effects of Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and social isolation process on individuals’ nutritional behaviours and body weight changes.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Nutritional behaviours of the participants before the COVID-19 pandemic and in the social isolation process were evaluated with the Three Factor Nutrition Questionnaire. The changes in individuals’ body weight during this period were also evaluated.

Participants:

A total of 1036 volunteer individuals (827 women, 209 men) aged 18 years and over participated in the study.

Results:

During the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation process, there was an increase in emotional eating and uncontrolled eating behaviours of individuals, but no significant change in cognitive restriction behaviour occurred (P = <0·00; P = <0·00 and P = 0·53, respectively). It was reported that the body weight of 35 % of the individuals who participated in the study increased during this period.

Conclusion:

Social isolation process practiced as a result of COVID-19 pandemic may lead to changes in some nutritional behaviours. Some precautions should be taken to prevent this situation that occurs in nutritional behaviours from causing negative health problems in the future.
The utilisation of VERT™ in the training of Image-Guided Radiotherapy for therapeutic radiographers
Authors: Stewart-Lord Adele , Swayne Thomas , Johnson Rebecca , Neshiri Innocent , Gnanamoney Julius , Van Blerk Bronwyn
Published: October 2020

Aim:

The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the use of Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training Image-Guided Radiotherapy (VERT™IGRT) as a teaching and assessment tool for 3D image matching competency within the radiotherapy clinical setting and explore radiographer perceptions, experiences and integration of VERT™IGRT as an imaging tool.

Materials and methods:

A mixed-methods study was utilised to measure clinical image matching competencies in the first quantitative phase through means of a workbook and imaging assessment. Phase II used qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore radiographer perceptions.

Results:

Workbooks enabled participants to prepare for image assessments. Interview findings were highlighted in three distinctive themes: (1) The need for supervision, guidance and feedback; (2) Experience and practice leads to confidence and competence and (3) Technology supports process but not evaluation.

Findings:

VERT™IGRT provides a sound platform for training therapeutic radiographer image matching skills, but needs to be delivered with continuous feedback to develop individual decision-making skills. The technology provides opportunities for staff to increase confidence in utilsing image matching technology, but analytical and evaluation skills require supervision and continuous feedback which should be embedded in any educational training programme.
Quantifying Progress Across Different CMIP Phases With the ESMValTool
Authors: Bock L. , Lauer A. , Schlund M. , Barreiro M. , Bellouin N. , Jones C. , Meehl G. A. , Predoi V. , Roberts M. J. , Eyring V.
Published: October 2020

More than 40 model groups worldwide are participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), providing a new and rich source of information to better understand past, present, and future climate change. Here, we use the Earth System Model Evaluation Tool (ESMValTool) to assess the performance of the CMIP6 ensemble compared to the previous generations CMIP3 and CMIP5. While CMIP5 models did not capture the observed pause in the increase in global mean surface temperature between 1998 and 2013, the historical CMIP6 simulations agree well with the observed recent temperature increase, but some models have difficulties in reproducing the observed global mean surface temperature record of the second half of the twentieth century. While systematic biases in annual mean surface temperature and precipitation remain in the CMIP6 multimodel mean, individual models and high‐resolution versions of the models show significant reductions in many long‐standing biases. Some improvements are also found in the vertical temperature, water vapor, and zonal wind speed distributions, and root‐mean‐square errors for selected fields are generally smaller with reduced intermodel spread and higher average skill in the correlation patterns relative to observations. An emerging property of the CMIP6 ensemble is a higher effective climate sensitivity with an increased range between 2.3 and 5.6 K. A possible reason for this increase in some models is improvements in cloud representation resulting in stronger shortwave cloud feedbacks than in their predecessor versions.
From Pleistocene to Pyrocene: Fire Replaces Ice
Authors: Pyne S. J.
Published: October 2020

Fire offers a special perspective by which to understand the Earth being remade by humans. Fire is integrative, so intrinsically interdisciplinary. Fire use is unique to humans, so a tracer of humanity's ecological impacts. Anthropogenic fire history shows the long influence of humans on Earth and even climate; in particular, it tracks the continuities between the burning of living landscapes and the transition to burning lithic (fossil) ones, an inflection so immense that climate history is now a subnarrative of fire history. Through our varied burnings, humans are driving out all the relics of the Pleistocene and replacing them with fire equivalents, or in short, creating a Pyrocene.
Tracking Trace Elements in the Ganga River
Authors: Shultz David
Published: October 2020

Levels of dissolved trace and heavy metals, which can be toxic, are highly variable across the river basin, concentrating in urban areas with high pollution but diluted by inflow from tributaries.
How Infrastructure Standards Miss the Mark on Snowmelt
Authors: Rocheleau Jackie
Published: October 2020

Nationwide, civil engineers consider precipitation values from NOAA to design their structures. But those values are missing another contributor to flood risk: snowmelt.
Coordinated Ground‐Based and Space‐Borne Observations of Ionospheric Response to the Annular Solar Eclipse on 26 December 2019
Authors: Aa Ercha , Zhang Shun‐Rong , Erickson Philip J. , Goncharenko Larisa P. , Coster Anthea J. , Jonah Olusegun F. , Lei Jiuhou , Huang Fuqing , Dang Tong , Liu Lei
Published: October 2020

This paper studies the ionosphere's response to the annular solar eclipse on 26 December 2019, utilizing the following ground‐based and space‐borne measurements: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) total electron content (TEC) data, spectral radiance data from the Sentinel‐5P satellite, in situ electron density and/or temperature measurements from DMSP and Swarm satellites, and local magnetometer data. Analysis concentrated on ionospheric effects over low‐latitude regions with respect to obscuration, local time, latitude, and altitude. The main results are as follows: (1) a local TEC reduction of ∼4–6 TECU (30–50%) was identified along the annular eclipse path, with larger depletion and longer recovery periods in the morning eclipse compared to midday. (2) The equatorial electrojet current was significantly weakened when the eclipse trajectory crossed the magnetic equator in the morning (India) sector, which contributed to large and prolonged TEC depletion therein. (3) At midday, equatorial ionization anomaly exhibited enhancements of 20–40% as well as poleward shifting of 3–4°, likely triggered by modified neutral wind and electrodynamics patterns. (4) The behavior of equatorial ionospheric electron density showed considerable altitudinal differences in the topside, exhibiting ∼30% reduction around 500 km and ∼30% enhancement with 300–500 K Te reduction around 850 km, before the arrival of maximum eclipse. This may have been caused by the enhanced eastward electric field and equatorward neutral wind, and other possible factors are also discussed.
Assessment of High‐Resolution Dynamical and Machine Learning Models for Prediction of Sea Ice Concentration in a Regional Application
Authors: Fritzner Sindre , Graversen Rune , Christensen Kai H.
Published: October 2020

In this study, the potential for sea ice concentration prediction using machine‐learning methods is investigated. Three different sea ice prediction models are compared: one high‐resolution dynamical assimilative model and two statistical machine‐learning models. The properties of all three models are explored, and the quality of their forecasts is compared. The dynamical model is a state‐of‐the‐art coupled ocean and sea ice ensemble‐prediction system with assimilation. The observations assimilated are high‐resolution sea ice concentration from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and sea surface temperature from infrared instruments. The machine‐learning prediction models are a fully convolutional network and a k‐nearest neighbors method. These methods use several variables as input for the prediction: sea ice concentration, sea surface temperature, and 2‐m air temperature. Earlier studies have applied machine‐learning approaches primarily for seasonal ice forecast. Here we focus on short‐term predictions with a length of 1–4 weeks, which are of high interest for marine operations. The goal is to predict the future state of the sea ice using the same categories as traditional ice charts. The machine‐learning forecasts were compared to persistence, which is the assumption that the sea ice does not change over the forecasting period. The machine‐learning forecasts were found to improve upon persistence in periods of substantial change. In addition, compared to the dynamical model, the k‐nearest neighbor algorithm was found to improve upon the 7‐day forecast during a period of small sea ice variations. The fully convolutional network provided similar quality as the dynamical forecast. The study shows that there is a potential for sea ice predictions using machine‐learning methods.
Predictive Inverse Model for Advective Heat Transfer in a Short‐Circuited Fracture: Dimensional Analysis, Machine Learning, and Field Demonstration
Authors: Hawkins Adam J. , Fox Don B. , Koch Donald L. , Becker Matthew W. , Tester Jefferson W.
Published: October 2020

Identifying fluid flow maldistribution in planar geometries is a well‐established problem in subsurface science/engineering. Of particular importance to the thermal performance of enhanced (or “engineered”) geothermal systems is identifying the existence of nonuniform (i.e., heterogeneous) permeability and subsequently predicting advective heat transfer. Here, machine learning via a genetic algorithm (GA) identifies the spatial distribution of an unknown permeability field in a two‐dimensional Hele‐Shaw geometry (i.e., parallel plates). The inverse problem is solved by minimizing the L2 norm between simulated residence time distribution (RTD) and measurements of an inert tracer breakthrough curve (BTC) (C‐Dot nanoparticle). Principal component analysis (PCA) of spatially correlated permeability fields enabled reduction of the parameter space by more than a factor of 10 and restricted the inverse search to reservoir‐scale permeability variations. Thermal experiments and tracer tests conducted at the mesoscale Altona Field Laboratory (AFL) demonstrate that the method accurately predicts the effects of extreme flow channeling on heat transfer in a single bedding‐plane rock fracture. However, this is only true when the permeability distributions provide adequate matches to both tracer RTD and frictional pressure loss. Without good agreement to frictional pressure loss, it is still possible to match a simulated RTD to measurements, but subsequent predictions of heat transfer are grossly inaccurate. The results of this study suggest that it is possible to anticipate the thermal effects of flow maldistribution, but only if both simulated RTDs and frictional pressure loss between fluid inlets and outlets are in good agreement with measurements.
A Nonparametric Statistical Technique for Spatial Downscaling of Precipitation Over High Mountain Asia
Authors: Mei Yiwen , Maggioni Viviana , Houser Paul , Xue Yuan , Rouf Tasnuva
Published: October 2020

The accurate representation of the local‐scale variability of precipitation plays an important role in understanding the hydrological cycle and land‐atmosphere interactions in the High Mountain Asia region. Therefore, the development of hyper‐resolution precipitation data is of urgent need. In this study, we propose a statistical framework to downscale the Modern‐Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA‐2) precipitation product using the random forest classification and regression algorithm. A set of variables representing atmospheric, geographic, and vegetation cover information are selected as model predictors, based on a recursive feature elimination method. The downscaled precipitation product is validated in terms of magnitude and variability against a set of ground‐ and satellite‐based observations. Results suggest improvements with respect to the original resolution MERRA‐2 precipitation product and comparable performance with gauge‐adjusted satellite precipitation products.
Asymmetric optical camouflage: tuneable reflective colour accompanied by the optical Janus effect
Authors: Kim Taehyun , Yu Eui-Sang , Bae Young-Gyu , Lee Jongsu , Kim In Soo , Chung Seok , Lee Seung-Yeol , Ryu Yong-Sang
Published: October 2020

Going beyond an improved colour gamut, an asymmetric colour contrast, which depends on the viewing direction, and its ability to readily deliver information could create opportunities for a wide range of applications, such as next-generation optical switches, colour displays, and security features in anti-counterfeiting devices. Here, we propose a simple Fabry–Perot etalon architecture capable of generating viewing-direction-sensitive colour contrasts and encrypting pre-inscribed information upon immersion in particular solvents (optical camouflage). Based on the experimental verification of the theoretical modelling, we have discovered a completely new and exotic optical phenomenon involving a tuneable colour switch for viewing-direction-dependent information delivery, which we define as asymmetric optical camouflage.
Development of synthetic lethality in cancer: molecular and cellular classification
Authors: Li Shijie , Topatana Win , Juengpanich Sarun , Cao Jiasheng , Hu Jiahao , Zhang Bin , Ma Diana , Cai Xiujun , Chen Mingyu
Published: October 2020

Recently, genetically targeted cancer therapies have been a topic of great interest. Synthetic lethality provides a new approach for the treatment of mutated genes that were previously considered unable to be targeted in traditional genotype-targeted treatments. The increasing researches and applications in the clinical setting made synthetic lethality a promising anticancer treatment option. However, the current understandings on different conditions of synthetic lethality have not been systematically assessed and the application of synthetic lethality in clinical practice still faces many challenges. Here, we propose a novel and systematic classification of synthetic lethality divided into gene level, pathway level, organelle level, and conditional synthetic lethality, according to the degree of specificity into its biological mechanism. Multiple preclinical findings of synthetic lethality in recent years will be reviewed and classified under these different categories. Moreover, synthetic lethality targeted drugs in clinical practice will be briefly discussed. Finally, we will explore the essential implications of this classification as well as its prospects in eliminating existing challenges and the future directions of synthetic lethality.
Structural basis of heterotetrameric assembly and disease mutations in the human cis-prenyltransferase complex
Authors: Bar-El Michal Lisnyansky , Vaňková Pavla , Yeheskel Adva , Simhaev Luba , Engel Hamutal , Man Petr , Haitin Yoni , Giladi Moshe
Published: October 2020

The human cis-prenyltransferase (hcis-PT) is an enzymatic complex essential for protein N-glycosylation. Synthesizing the precursor of the glycosyl carrier dolichol-phosphate, mutations in hcis-PT cause severe human diseases. Here, we reveal that hcis-PT exhibits a heterotetrameric assembly in solution, consisting of two catalytic dehydrodolichyl diphosphate synthase (DHDDS) and inactive Nogo-B receptor (NgBR) heterodimers. Importantly, the 2.3 Å crystal structure reveals that the tetramer assembles via the DHDDS C-termini as a dimer-of-heterodimers. Moreover, the distal C-terminus of NgBR transverses across the interface with DHDDS, directly participating in active-site formation and the functional coupling between the subunits. Finally, we explored the functional consequences of disease mutations clustered around the active-site, and in combination with molecular dynamics simulations, we propose a mechanism for hcis-PT dysfunction in retinitis pigmentosa. Together, our structure of the hcis-PT complex unveils the dolichol synthesis mechanism and its perturbation in disease.