bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ferroelectric Phase Content in 7 nm Hf(1−x)ZrxO2 Thin Films Determined by X‐Ray‐Based Methods
Authors: Mukundan Vineetha , Consiglio Steven , Triyoso Dina H. , Tapily Kandabara , McBriarty Martin E. , Schujman Sandra , Beckmann Karsten , Hazra Jubin , Kaushik Vidya , Cady Nathaniel , Clark Robert D. , Leusink Gert J. , Diebold Alain C.
Published: April 2021

The recent discovery of ferroelectric behavior in hafnia‐based dielectrics attributed to the formation of noncentrosymmetric orthorhombic phase has opened up potential uses in numerous applications ranging from ferroelectric field effect transistors to pyroelectric energy harvesters. Herein, the relative amounts of ferroelectric orthorhombic phase (space group Pca21) in 7 nm‐thick hafnia–zirconia (HZO) films of three compositions (Hf0.2Zr0.8O2, Hf0.5Zr0.5O2, and Hf0.8Zr0.2O2) are reported. The ferroelectric behavior in these ultrathin HZO films prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) in metal–insulator–metal (MIM) stacks is verified by polarization measurements. Using grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction (GIXRD) and grazing incidence‐extended X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (GI‐EXAFS), the relative phase percentages of three key phases (monoclinic—P21/c, orthorhombic—Pca21, and tetragonal—P42/nmc) are assessed. Among these compositions, Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 is determined to have the highest amount of the ferroelectric phase. The monoclinic phase is found to be dominant for Hf0.8Zr0.2O2, whereas the tetragonal phase is found to be dominant for Hf0.2Zr0.8O2. Independent GI‐EXAFS measurements of Hf and Zr suggest that there is no significant segregation of either oxide into a particular crystal phase. Strong agreement between the measurement methods reveals the structure–property function correlation in these ultrathin hafnia–zirconia films with greater certainty than previously achieved.
Thermal Ramping Rate during Annealing of TiO2 Nanotubes Greatly Affects Performance of Photoanodes
Authors: Raza Waseem , Hwang Imgon , Denisov Nikita , Schmuki Patrik
Published: April 2021

Herein, highly ordered TiO2 nanotube (NT) arrays on a Ti substrate is synthesized in a fluoride‐containing electrolyte, using the electrochemical anodization method, which yields amorphous oxide tubes. The effects of different thermal annealing profiles for the crystallization of the amorphous TiO2 NTs are studied. It is found that the temperature ramping rate has a significant impact on the magnitude of the resulting photocurrents (incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency [IPCE]) from the tubes. No appreciable changes are observed in the crystal structure and morphology of the TiO2 NTs for different annealing profiles (to a constant temperature of 450 °C). The electrochemical properties of the annealed TiO2 NTs are investigated using intensity‐modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS), open‐circuit potential decay, and Mott–Schottky analysis. The results clearly show that the annealing ramping rate of 1 °C s−1 leads to the highest IPCE performance. This beneficial effect can be ascribed to a most effective charge separation and electron transport (indicating the least amount of trapping states in the tubes). Therefore, the results suggest that controlling the annealing ramping rate is not only a key factor affecting the defect structure but also a powerful tool to tailor the physical properties, and photocurrent activity of TiO2 NTs.
The role of shallow convection in the momentum budget of the trades from large‐eddy‐simulation hindcasts
Authors: Helfer Kevin C. , Nuijens Louise , Dixit Vishal V.
Published: April 2021

Motivated by the abundance of low clouds in the subtropics, where the easterly trade winds prevail, we study the role of shallow convection in the momentum budget of the trades. To this end, we use ICON‐LEM hindcasts run over the North Atlantic for 12 days corresponding to the NARVAL1 (winter) and NARVAL2 (summer) flight campaigns. The simulation protocol consists of several nested domains, and we focus on the inner domains (≈100 × 100 km2) which have been run at resolutions of 150–600 m and are forced by analysis data, thus exhibiting realistic conditions. Combined, the resolved advection and the subgrid stresses decelerate the easterly flow over a frictional layer that balances the prevailing geostrophic wind forcing. Irrespective of the horizontal resolution, this layer is about 2 km deep in the strong winter trades and 1 km in summer, as winds and geostrophic forcing weaken and cloudiness reduces. The unresolved processes are strongest near the surface and are well captured by traditional K‐diffusion theory, but convective‐scale motions which are not considered in K‐diffusion theory contribute the most in the upper part of the mixed layer and are strongest just below cloud base. The results point out that convection in the mixed layer – the roots of trade‐wind cumuli and subcloud‐layer circulations – play an important role in slowing down easterly flow below cloud base (but little in the cloud layer itself), which helps make the zonal wind jet more distinct. Most of the friction within the clouds and near the wind jet stems from smaller‐scale turbulence stresses.
Generating Discorrelated States for Quantum Information Protocols by Coherent Multimode Photon Addition
Authors: Biagi Nicola , Costanzo Luca S. , Bellini Marco , Zavatta Alessandro
Published: April 2021

It is demonstrated that the recently developed technique of delocalized single photon addition may generate discorrelation, a new joint statistical property of multimode quantum light states, whereby the number of photons in each mode can take any value individually, but two modes together never exhibit the same. By coherently adding a single photon to two identical coherent states of light in different temporal modes, the first experimental observation of discorrelation is provided. The capability of manipulating this statistical property has applications in scenarios involving the secure distribution of information among untrusted parties, like in the so‐called “mental poker” games.
Generation of Strong Mechanical–Mechanical Entanglement by Pump Modulation
Authors: Bai Cheng‐Hua , Wang Dong‐Yang , Zhang Shou , Liu Shutian , Wang Hong‐Fu
Published: April 2021

The implementation of strong quantum entanglement between two macroscopic mechanical oscillators is a longstanding pursued goal in fundamental research or applied science. Here, an effective scheme is proposed to generate strong mechanical–mechanical entanglement in a double‐oscillator optomechanical system via only introducing the sole amplitude‐modulated pattern into the pump field instead without the requirement of any extra techniques. Based on two mechanical oscillators with identical or different frequencies, a specific kind of amplitude‐modulated pump field is respectively designed, which successfully manipulates the mechanical oscillators into the highly entangled two‐mode squeezed state. The maximum value of the logarithmic negativity that quantifies the generated entanglement reaches about 9 ebits in the appropriate parameter regime, which greatly surpasses the bound 1 ebits on the maximal stationary entanglement from the two‐mode parametric interaction. Moreover, the obtained entanglement can be detected via resorting to an ancillary cavity mode with homodyne detection technique. Compared with the previous congeneric schemes, this scheme involves fewer modulation techniques and may provide a new perspective to effectively manipulate the mechanical quantum states in optomechanical systems utilizing the time‐dependent modulation.
Evaluation of 1‐Hexadecylbenzimidazole as a Corrosion Inhibitor on Low Carbon Steel 15 % HCl Solution Interface
Authors: Odewunmi Nurudeen A. , Mazumder Mohammad A. J. , Ali Shaikh A.
Published: April 2021

The performance of 1‐Hexadecylbenzimidazole (HDBI) as an effective corrosion inhibitor of low carbon steel (LCS) in 15 % HCl solution was evaluated with different electrochemical techniques and weight loss measurements. HDBI was a mixed‐type corrosion inhibitor with 50 mg L−1 concentration achieving a 97 % corrosion inhibition efficiency in 15 % HCl solution at 25 °C. The nature of adsorption of HDBI on LCS in the corrosive medium was predicted to be chemisorption, as revealed by the Langmuir isotherm model and the thermodynamic study. Weight loss measurements of 50 mg L−1 HDBI at a different temperature indicated the effectiveness of HDBI at elevated temperatures. The X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to ascertain the chemical state of the adsorbed HDBI on the LCS surface. The surface morphology analysis was investigated with a flame emission scanning electron microscope integrated with an energy dispersive spectrometer (FESEM‐EDX).
Construction of Polymeric Micelles for Improving Cancer Chemotherapy by Promoting the Production of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species and Self‐Accelerating Drug Release
Authors: Xu Caidie , Han Renlu , Liu Hongxin , Zhu Yabin , Zhang Jianfeng , Xu Long
Published: April 2021

Lots of efforts have been devoted to enhancing the antitumor efficacy of reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐responsive nanoscale drug delivery systems. Here, a ROS‐responsive amphiphilic polymer (mPEG‐b‐poly(thioacetal‐thioether), P2) with property of generation and self‐sustained high level of ROS, and a control material mPEG‐b‐poly(ester‐thioether) (P1) were constructed and characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The two polymers could self‐assemble into micelles and the doxorubicin loading content of P1 and P2 micelles were 13.08 % and 13.51 %, respectively. The two polymers could self‐assemble into micelles and exhibit good DOX loading capacity. ROS‐responsiveness of P1 and P2 micelles was investigated by1H NMR, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results of in vitro ROS detection indicated that P2 micelles could ROS‐responsive release of cinnamaldehyde, and promote intracellular generation of ROS and maintain high level of ROS. DOX/P1 micelle shown comparable in vitro antitumor efficacy with DOX/P2 micelle, and a slightly lower IC50 value was due to DOX/P1 micelle has faster cell internalization, poorer micelle stability and integrality. Considering the stability of the nanoparticle circulation in vivo, the DOX/P2 micelle containing both thioether and thioacetal would be more suitable and could show better in vivo antitumor efficacy.
Recent Progress on the Synthesis of Chiral Sulfones
Authors: Huang Youming , Li Jinyao , Chen Hongyi , He Ze , Zeng Qingle
Published: April 2021

Chiral sulfones extensively exist in drugs, agricultural chemicals, chiral organic intermediates, and functional materials. Their importance causes the rapid development of their synthetic methods in recent years. Many transition metal complex catalysts with chiral ligands and chiral organocatalysts are adopted in synthesis of chiral sulfones. Most of the methods to construct chiral sulfones are based on the reduction of unsaturated sulfones and the introduction of sulfone groups into unsaturated hydrocarbons. This review describes all classes of asymmetric reactions for synthesis of chiral sulfones.
The synergistic strategies for the immuno‐oncotherapy with photothermal nanoagents
Authors: Zhang Yuqian , Zhang Guofang , Wang Guocheng , Wu Lidong , Monteiro‐Riviere Nancy A. , Li Yang
Published: April 2021

Immuno‐oncotherapy has shown great promise for the cure of late‐stage and metastatic cancer. Great efforts have tried to improve the overall response rate (ORR) and to reduce the immune‐related adverse events (irAEs). Antigen presentation, T cell activation and killing are interlocking and distinct steps to initiate effective anti‐tumor immune responses. Aiming to overcome the tumor immune evasion whose mechanisms include limited release of neoantigen, suppressed infiltration of antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) and T cells, and the expression of immune checkpoints (ICPs), combinational therapeutic strategies have shown great potential by activating the anti‐tumor immune responses together with deactivating immunosuppressive conditions simultaneously. In this direction, photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted attention due to the efficient ablation of tumor cells, of which the released immunogenic tumor debris can activate host immune responses. The combination of immunoadjuvants and/or ICP inhibitors can boost the anti‐tumor immune responses, realizing PTT‐synergized immuno‐oncotherapy. In this regard, numerous multifunctional nanomaterials have been designed with integration of photothermal and immuno‐oncotherapeutic agents into one package via well‐designed surface modification and functionalization. This review summarizes the recent studies on the synergistic strategies for the immuno‐oncotherapy based on photothermal nanoagents and the mechanisms that trigger the systemic anti‐tumor immune responses and PTT‐synergized immuno‐oncotherapy.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease
Symbol alphabets from plabic graphs II: rational letters
Authors: Mago J. , Schreiber A. , Spradlin M. , Srikant A. Yelleshpur , Volovich A.
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Symbol alphabets of n-particle amplitudes in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 super-Yang-Mills theory are known to contain certain cluster variables of G(4, n) as well as certain algebraic functions of cluster variables. The first paper arXiv:2007.00646 in this series focused on n = 8 algebraic letters. In this paper we show that it is possible to obtain all rational symbol letters (in fact all cluster variables) by solving matrix equations of the form C Z = 0 if one allows C to be an arbitrary cluster parameterization of the top cell of G+(n−4, n).
Therapeutic aspects of cell signaling and communication in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Starosta Alicja , Konieczny Patryk
Published: April 2021

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating chromosome X-linked disease that manifests predominantly in progressive skeletal muscle wasting and dysfunctions in the heart and diaphragm. Approximately 1/5000 boys and 1/50,000,000 girls suffer from DMD, and to date, the disease is incurable and leads to premature death. This phenotypic severity is due to mutations in theDMDgene, which result in the absence of functional dystrophin protein. Initially, dystrophin was thought to be a force transducer; however, it is now considered an essential component of the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC), viewed as a multicomponent mechanical scaffold and a signal transduction hub. Modulating signal pathway activation or gene expression through epigenetic modifications has emerged at the forefront of therapeutic approaches as either an adjunct or stand-alone strategy. In this review, we propose a broader perspective by considering DMD to be a disease that affects myofibers and muscle stem (satellite) cells, as well as a disorder in which abrogated communication between different cell types occurs. We believe that by taking this systemic view, we can achieve safe and holistic treatments that can restore correct signal transmission and gene expression in diseased DMD tissues.
Self-management of incontinence using a free mobile app: factors associated with improvement
Authors: Nyström Emma , Söderström Lars , Samuelsson Eva
Published: April 2021

Background

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is first-line treatment for urinary incontinence (UI) in women. Self-management via a mobile app is a new cost-effective method for PFMT delivery. This study analyzes factors associated with improvement among app users.

Methods

A pragmatic observational study in a community setting. Upon downloading the app Tät®, users answered questions regarding their age, education, residence, and UI symptoms. After 3 months, users answered follow-up questions regarding symptoms and frequency of training and app usage, and the validated Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire. Only non-pregnant, non-postpartum adult women with UI who answered the PGI-I questionnaire were included. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze possible associations between these factors with any improvement and with great improvement according to the PGI-I. The models were adjusted for age.

Results

The study included 2,153 participants who had completed self-management, that is, 11.5% of eligible women who completed the baseline questionnaire. Of these participants, 65.6% reported improvement of UI. Any improvement was associated with age, frequency of PFMT, and app use, accounting for 27.9% of variability (Nagelkerke R2). Lower incontinence severity, frequency of PFMT, and app use were associated with great improvement.

Conclusion

Self-management of urinary incontinence is easily accessible to many women and improvement rates are comparable with other forms of PFMT. Demographic factors and incontinence severity showed no or incongruent association, whereas regular PFMT and app use predicted any and great improvement. App use showed an additional effect beyond frequency of training.
Unveiling the Dynamics of KRAS4b on Lipid Model Membranes
Authors: López Cesar A. , Agarwal Animesh , Van Que N. , Stephen Andrew G. , Gnanakaran S.
Published: April 2021

Small GTPase proteins are ubiquitous and responsible for regulating several processes related to cell growth and differentiation. Mutations that stabilize their active state can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer. Although these proteins are well characterized at the cellular scale, the molecular mechanisms governing their functions are still poorly understood. In addition, there is limited information about the regulatory function of the cell membrane which supports their activity. Thus, we have studied the dynamics and conformations of the farnesylated KRAS4b in various membrane model systems, ranging from binary fluid mixtures to heterogeneous raft mimics. Our approach combines long time-scale coarse-grained (CG) simulations and Markov state models to dissect the membrane-supported dynamics of KRAS4b. Our simulations reveal that protein dynamics is mainly modulated by the presence of anionic lipids and to some extent by the nucleotide state (activation) of the protein. In addition, our results suggest that both the farnesyl and the polybasic hypervariable region (HVR) are responsible for its preferential partitioning within the liquid-disordered (Ld) domains in membranes, potentially enhancing the formation of membrane-driven signaling platforms.

Graphic Abstract
The Clinical Significance of Lymph Node Ratio and Ki‐67 Expression in Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Lindfors Helene , Ihre Lundgren Catharina , Zedenius Jan , Juhlin C. Christofer , Shabo Ivan
Published: April 2021

Background

The N stage in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is an important prognostic factor based on anatomical localization of cervical lymph nodes (LNs) only and not the extent of lymphatic metastasis. In this retrospective study, the clinical significance of lymph node ratio (LNR) and tumor cell proliferation in relation to the conventional classification of PTC was explored.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with PTC at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, during the years 2009–2011 were included. The LNR, defined as the number of metastatic LNs divided by the total number of LNs investigated, and the Ki‐67 index were analyzed in relation to clinical data.

Results

The median number of LN removed was 16 with the following N stage distribution: N0 (26%), N1a (45%), and N1b (29%). A Ki‐67 index of ≥3% was significantly correlated with the presence of metastases and tumor recurrence with a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 80% (p = 0.015). Lymph node ratio ≥21% was related to tumor recurrence with sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 70% (p = 0.006). Patients with LN metastases in the lateral cervical compartment only had significantly lower LNR (14.5%) compared to those with both central and lateral cervical metastases (39.5%) (p = 0.004) and exhibited no tumor recurrence. Increased Ki‐67 index was significantly related to LNR ≥21% (p = 0.023) but was not associated with N stage.

Conclusions

The Ki‐67 proliferation index and LNR may better reflect the malignant behavior of PTC compared to the anatomical classification of LN metastases solely.
Validity of Routinely Collected Swedish Data in the International Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Database
Authors: Xu Yin , Udumyan Ruzan , Fall Katja , Ljungqvist Olle , Montgomery Scott , Gustafsson Ulf O
Published: April 2021

Background

This study aims to assess patient coverage, validity and data quality in the Swedish part of the International Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Interactive Audit System (EIAS).

Method

All Swedish ERAS centers that recorded colorectal surgery data in EIAS between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017, were included (N = 12). Information registered in EIAS was compared with data from electronic medical records at each hospital to assess the overall coverage of EIAS. Twenty random‐selected patients from each of the contributing centers were assessed for accuracy for a set of clinically relevant variables. All patients admitted to the contributing centers were included for the assessment of rate of missing on a selection of key clinical variables.

Results

Eight hospitals provided complete information for the evaluation, while four hospitals only allowed assessment of coverage and missing data. The eight hospitals had an overall coverage of 98.8% in EIAS (n = 1301) and the four 86.7% (n = 811). The average agreement for the assessed postoperative outcome variables was 96.5%. The accuracy was excellent for ‘length of hospital stay,’ ‘reoperation,’ and ‘any complications,’ but lower for other types of complications. Only a few variables had more than 5% missing data, and missingness was associated with hospital type and size.

Conclusion

This validation of the Swedish part of the international ERAS database suggests high patient coverage in EIAS and high agreement and limited missingness in clinically relevant variables. This validation approach or a modified version can be used for continued validation of the International ERAS database.
When the state does not play dice: aggressive audit strategies foster tax compliance
Authors: Mittone Luigi , Ploner Matteo , Verrina Eugenio
Published: April 2021

We experimentally test the effect of aggressive audit strategies on tax compliance. Taxpayers first go through a phase of audits managed by a human tax agent who is requested to follow a rule imposed by a fair random device. However, the tax agent can freely decide to break the rule and over-inspect. Afterward, taxpayers are exposed to a genuinely random audit process governed by an algorithm, which makes compliance a strategically dominated option. We find that taxpayers are generally over-inspected by the human tax agents and react to this with nearly full compliance. Our main result is that these high levels of compliance also persist when controls are implemented by the algorithm. This suggests that tax authorities can use aggressive audit strategies to raise and sustain tax compliance.
Empfehlungspapier für das körperliche Gruppentraining zur Sturzprävention bei älteren, zu Hause lebenden Menschen
Authors:   die Bundesinitiative Sturzprävention, Jansen Carl-Philipp , Gross Michaela , Kramer-Gmeiner Franziska , Blessing Ute , Becker Clemens , Schwenk Michael
Published: April 2021

Dieser Beitrag stellt eine Aktualisierung des Empfehlungspapiers der Bundesinitiative Sturzprävention für das körperliche Gruppentraining zur Sturzprävention bei älteren, zu Hause lebenden Menschen aus dem Jahre 2009 unter Berücksichtigung aktueller Evidenz dar. Das aktualisierte Empfehlungspapier zielt darauf ab, die Umsetzung ambulanter Sturzpräventionsgruppen zu fördern sowie konkrete Empfehlungen für deren Einrichtung und Durchführung auszusprechen. Die Empfehlungen beziehen sich auf die Identifikation und Ansprache der Zielgruppe für gruppenbasierte Sturzpräventionsprogramme sowie auf die Programmgestaltung und Qualitätssicherung. Hintergründe zu Finanzierung und Trainer*innen-Ausbildung werden samt einer Auflistung der in Deutschland etablierten Programme ebenfalls dargelegt.
First-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: CASPIAN Japan subgroup analysis
Authors: Hotta Katsuyuki , Nishio Makoto , Saito Haruhiro , Okamoto Isamu , Nakahara Yasuharu , Hayashi Hidetoshi , Hayama Manabu , Laud Peter , Jiang Haiyi , Paz-Ares Luis , Azuma Koichi
Published: April 2021

Background

In the phase 3 CASPIAN study (NCT03043872), first-line durvalumab plus etoposide and cisplatin or carboplatin (EP) significantly improved OS versus EP alone in patients with extensive-stage (ES)-SCLC (HR 0.73 [95% CI 0.59–0.91; p = 0.0047]). Here we report results for a preplanned subgroup analysis of patients recruited in Japan.

Methods

Treatment-naïve patients with ES-SCLC received either 4 cycles of durvalumab 1500 mg plus EP q3w followed by maintenance durvalumab 1500 mg q4w until disease progression or up to 6 cycles of EP q3w. The primary endpoint was OS. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), safety, and tolerability.

Results

In the Japan subgroup, 18 patients were randomized to durvalumab plus EP and 16 patients to EP. At the interim analysis with a median follow-up of 12.5 months in the subgroup, OS numerically favored durvalumab plus EP versus EP (HR 0.77 [95% CI 0.26‒2.26]; median not reached vs 15.2 months). PFS was similar for durvalumab plus EP versus EP (HR 0.90 [95% CI 0.43‒1.89]). Confirmed ORR was 89% with durvalumab plus EP versus 69% with EP. Adverse events (AEs) of CTCAE grade 3 or 4 were reported in 78% versus 94% of patients in the durvalumab plus EP versus EP arms. There were no AEs leading to treatment discontinuation or death in the Japan subgroup.

Conclusion

First-line durvalumab plus EP was effective and well tolerated in Japanese patients with ES-SCLC. Despite the small size of the Japan subgroup, results were generally consistent with the global study population.
Potential host ranges of three Asian larval parasitoids of Drosophila suzukii
Authors: Daane Kent M. , Wang Xingeng , Hogg Brian N. , Biondi Antonio
Published: April 2021

Asobara japonica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Ganaspis brasiliensis and Leptopilina japonica (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) are Asian larval parasitoids of spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). This study evaluated these parasitoids’ capacity to attack and develop from 24 non-target drosophilid species. Results showed that all three parasitoids were able to parasitize host larvae of multiple non-target species in artificial diet; A. japonica developed from 19 tested host species, regardless of the phylogenetic position of the host species, L. japonica developed from 11 tested species; and G. brasiliensis developed from only four of the exposed species. Success rate of parasitism (i.e., the probability that an adult wasp successfully emerged from a parasitized host) by the two figitid parasitoids was low in hosts other than the three species in the melanogaster group (D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. suzukii). The failure of the figitids to develop in most of the tested host species appears to correspond with more frequent encapsulation of the parasitoids by the hosts. The results indicate that G. brasiliensis is the most host specific to D. suzukii, L. japonica attacks mainly species in the melanogaster group and A. japonica is a generalist, at least physiologically. Overall, the developmental time of the parasitoids increased with the host’s developmental time. The body size of female A. japonica (as a model species) was positively related to host size, and mature egg load of female wasps increased with female body size. We discuss the use of these parasitoids for classical biological control of D. suzukii.
Benchmarking the software packages to model and assess the seismic response of unreinforced masonry existing buildings through nonlinear static analyses
Authors: Cattari Serena , Magenes Guido
Published: April 2021

Seismic modelling of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings is addressed worldwide according to different approaches, not only at research level, but also in the current engineering practice. The analysts have so many different possible choices in interpreting the response of the examined structure and in transferring them into the model for the assessment that the achievable results may turn out in a huge scattering, as also testified by various comparative studies already available in the literature. Within this context, this paper is an overview of a wide research activity addressed to the benchmarking of software packages for the modelling and seismic assessment through nonlinear static analyses of URM buildings. The activity conveyed the effort of many experts from various Italian universities and was funded by the Italian Department of Civil Protection within the context of the ReLUIS projects. The main objective of the research is the critical analysis and the systematic comparison of the results obtained by using several modelling approaches and software package tools on selected benchmark examples in order to provide a useful and qualified reference to the engineering and scientific community. To this aim, different benchmark examples—of increasing complexity, ranging from the single panel to 3D existing buildings—have been specifically designed. While other papers from the teams involved in the research project delve on the specific results achieved on each of these case studies, this paper illustrates an overview on such benchmark structures, their purpose and the standardized criteria adopted to compare the results. Moreover, the whole set of benchmark case-studies is made available in this paper through their detailed input data allowing to be replicated also by other researchers and analysts.
DeeperThings: Fully Distributed CNN Inference on Resource-Constrained Edge Devices
Authors: Stahl Rafael , Hoffman Alexander , Mueller-Gritschneder Daniel , Gerstlauer Andreas , Schlichtmann Ulf
Published: April 2021

Performing inference of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) on Internet of Things (IoT) edge devices ensures both privacy of input data and possible run time reductions when compared to a cloud solution. As most edge devices are memory- and compute-constrained, they cannot store and execute complex CNNs. Partitioning and distributing layer information across multiple edge devices to reduce the amount of computation and data on each device presents a solution to this problem. In this article, we propose DeeperThings, an approach that supports a full distribution of CNN inference tasks by partitioning fully-connected as well as both feature- and weight-intensive convolutional layers. Additionally, we jointly optimize memory, computation and communication demands. This is achieved using techniques to combine both feature and weight partitioning with a communication-aware layer fusion method, enabling holistic optimization across layers. For a given number of edge devices, the schemes are applied jointly using Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulations to minimize data exchanged between devices, to optimize run times and to find the entire model’s minimal memory footprint. Experimental results from a real-world hardware setup running four different CNN models confirm that the scheme is able to evenly balance the memory footprint between devices. For six devices on 100 Mbit/s connections the integration of layer fusion additionally leads to a reduction of communication demands by up to 28.8%. This results in run time speed-up of the inference task by up to 1.52x compared to layer partitioning without fusing.
Risk Sharing in a Politically Divided Monetary Union
Authors: Parsley David , Popper Helen
Published: April 2021

We document stark asynchronicity across U.S. states, particularly across groups of states whose populations have voted consistently Democrat or consistently Republican in national elections; and we show that the risk-sharing channels of these groups of states differ substantially. However, we find that these groups of states–even swing states, where the role of fiscal flows is small (on par with Europe’s)–do share risk. Indeed, we halve previous estimates of states’ residual risk by using new data to account for sharing risk through changes in population, prices, and durable goods consumption. These findings indicate that political differences alone do not themselves preclude macroeconomic risk sharing within a monetary union.
Watermelon rinds as cost-efficient adsorbent for acridine orange: a response surface methodological approach
Authors: El-Shafie Ahmed S. , Hassan Siham S. , Akther Nuri , El-Azazy Marwa
Published: April 2021

In the current investigation, watermelon rinds (WMR) have been utilized as an eco-friendly and cost-efficient adsorbent for acridine orange (AO) from contaminated water samples. Adsorption of AO onto raw (RWM) and thermally treated rinds (TTWM250 and TTWM500) has been studied. The adsorption efficiency of the three adsorbents was evaluated by measuring the % removal (%R) of AO and the adsorption capacity (qe, mg/g). Dependent variables (%R and qe) were optimized as a function of four factors: pH, sorbent dosage (AD), the concentration of AO (DC), and contact time (ST). Box–Behnken (BB) design has been utilized to obtain the optimum adsorption conditions. Prepared adsorbents have been characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), and Raman spectroscopies. The surface area of RWM, TTWM250, and TTWM500, as per the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, was 2.66, 2.93, and 5.03 m2/g, respectively. Equilibrium investigations suggest that Freundlich model was perfectly fit for adsorption of AO onto TTWM500. Maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 69.44 mg/g was obtained using the Langmuir equation. Adsorption kinetics could be best described by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model. The multi-cycle sorption-desorption study showed that TTWM500 could be regenerated with the adsorption efficiency being preserved up to 87% after six cycles.
Towards a Unitary Case for Russellian Panpsychism
Authors: Dondoni Luca
Published: April 2021

One of the most pressing challenges that occupy the Russellian panpsychist’s agenda is to come up with a way to reconcile the traditional argument from categorical properties (Seager Journal of Consciousness Studies, 13(10–11), 129–145, 2006; Alter & Nagasawa, 2015) with H. H. Mørch’s dispositionalism-friendly argument from the experience of causation (2014, Topoi, 39, 1073–1088, 2018, 2020) — on the way to a unitary, all-encompassing case for the view. In this regard, Mørch claims that, via the commitment to the Identity theory of properties, one can consistently hold both panpsychist arguments without contradiction (2020: 281) — I shall refer to such proposal as Reconciliation. In my paper, I shall argue that this is not the case. To this extent, I will first consider H. Taylor’s argument that the Identity theorists have the exact same resources as the dispositionalists (as, after careful enquiry, their views on the metaphysics of properties turn out to coincide (Philosophical Studies, 175, 1423–1440, 2018: 1438)), and thus contend that Reconciliation fails to obtain. Then, I will suggest that one can avoid the problem and reconcile the arguments by adopting a different version of the powerful qualities view, namely the Compound view — and thus advance a reformulated version of the claim, i.e. Reconciliation*. Finally, even though pursuing my proposed solution might expose Russellian panpsychism to the risk of epiphenomenalism, I shall conclude that such specific form of epiphenomenalism is a rather benign one, and thus that, via Reconciliation*, the constitution of a unitary case for panpsychism as a positive proposal (and not as a mere alternative to dualism and physicalism) can be achieved.
GABAergic Mechanisms Can Redress the Tilted Balance between Excitation and Inhibition in Damaged Spinal Networks
Authors: Mazzone Graciela Lujan , Mohammadshirazi Atiyeh , Aquino Jorge Benjamin , Nistri Andrea , Taccola Giuliano
Published: April 2021

Correct operation of neuronal networks depends on the interplay between synaptic excitation and inhibition processes leading to a dynamic state termed balanced network. In the spinal cord, balanced network activity is fundamental for the expression of locomotor patterns necessary for rhythmic activation of limb extensor and flexor muscles. After spinal cord lesion, paralysis ensues often followed by spasticity. These conditions imply that, below the damaged site, the state of balanced networks has been disrupted and that restoration might be attempted by modulating the excitability of sublesional spinal neurons. Because of the widespread expression of inhibitory GABAergic neurons in the spinal cord, their role in the early and late phases of spinal cord injury deserves full attention. Thus, an early surge in extracellular GABA might be involved in the onset of spinal shock while a relative deficit of GABAergic mechanisms may be a contributor to spasticity. We discuss the role of GABA A receptors at synaptic and extrasynaptic level to modulate network excitability and to offer a pharmacological target for symptom control. In particular, it is proposed that activation of GABA A receptors with synthetic GABA agonists may downregulate motoneuron hyperexcitability (due to enhanced persistent ionic currents) and, therefore, diminish spasticity. This approach might constitute a complementary strategy to regulate network excitability after injury so that reconstruction of damaged spinal networks with new materials or cell transplants might proceed more successfully.
Impact of a motorcycle on cyclist aerodynamic drag in parallel and staggered arrangements
Authors: Blocken Bert , Gillmeier Stefanie , Malizia Fabio , van Druenen Thijs
Published: April 2021

Cycling races contain a multitude of motorcycles for various activities including television broadcasting. During parts of the race, these motorcycles can ride in close proximity of cyclists. Earlier studies focused on the impact of a nearby motorcycle on cyclist drag for in-line arrangements. It was shown that not only a motorcycle in front of a cyclist but also a motorcycle closely behind a cyclist can substantially reduce cyclist drag. However, there appears to be no information in the scientific literature about the impact of the motorcycle on cyclist drag for parallel and staggered arrangements. This paper presents wind tunnel measurements of cyclist drag for 32 different parallel and staggered cyclist-motorcycle arrangements. It is shown that the parallel arrangement leads to a drag increase for the cyclist, in the range of 5 to about 10% for a lateral distance of 2 to 1 m. The staggered arrangement can lead to either a drag increase or a drag decrease, where the latter is about 2% for most positions analyzed. For one of the parallel arrangements, computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to provide insight into the reasons for the drag increase. A cyclist power model was used to convert the drag changes into potential time gains or losses. Compared to a lone cyclist riding at a speed of 46.8 km/h (13 m/s) on level road in calm weather, the time loss by a drag increase of 10%, 4% and − 2% was 2.16, 0.76 s and − 0.80 s per km, respectively. These time differences are large enough to influence the outcome of cycling races.
Bott–Thom isomorphism, Hopf bundles and Morse theory
Authors: Eschenburg Jost-Hinrich , Hanke Bernhard
Published: April 2021

Based on Morse theory for the energy functional on path spaces we develop a deformation theory for mapping spaces of spheres into orthogonal groups. This is used to show that these mapping spaces are weakly homotopy equivalent, in a stable range, to mapping spaces associated to orthogonal Clifford representations. Given an oriented Euclidean bundle $$V \rightarrow X$$

V
→
X

of rank divisible by four over a finite complex X we derive a stable decomposition result for vector bundles over the sphere bundle $$\mathord {{\mathbb {S}}}( \mathord {{\mathbb {R}}}\oplus V)$$

S
(
R
⊕
V
)

in terms of vector bundles and Clifford module bundles over X. After passing to topological K-theory these results imply classical Bott–Thom isomorphism theorems.
Perceptual, Attentional, and Executive Functioning After Real-Time Strategy Video Game Training: Efficacy and Relation to In-Game Behavior
Authors: Dobrowolski Paweł , Skorko Maciek , Myśliwiec Monika , Kowalczyk-Grębska Natalia , Michalak Jakub , Brzezicka Aneta
Published: April 2021

Recent meta-analyses and meta-analytic reviews of most common approaches to cognitive training broadly converge on describing a lack of transfer effects past the trained task. This also extends to the more recent attempts at using video games to improve cognitive abilities, bringing into question if they have any true effects on cognitive functioning at all. Despite this, video game training studies are slowly beginning to accumulate and provide evidence of replicable improvements. Our study aimed to train non-video game playing individuals in the real-time strategy video game StarCraft II in order to observe any subsequent changes to perceptual, attentional, and executive functioning. Thirty hours of StarCraft II training resulted in improvements to perceptual and attentional abilities, but not executive functioning. This pattern of results is in line with previous research on the more frequently investigated “action” video games. By splitting the StarCraft II training group into two conditions of “fixed” and “variable” training, we were also able to demonstrate that manipulating the video game environment produces measurable differences in the amount of cognitive improvement. Lastly, by extracting in-game behavior features from recordings of each participant’s gameplay, we were able to show a direct correlation between in-game behavior change and cognitive performance change after training. These findings highlight and support the growing trend of more finely detailed and methodologically rigorous approaches to studying the relationship between video games and cognitive functioning.
Photon attenuation parameters of non-essential amino acids using EPICS2017 library interpolations
Authors: Javier-Hila A. M. V. , Javier B. C. V. , Hila F. C. , Guillermo N. R. D.
Published: April 2021

Mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic numbers, electron densities and energy absorption and exposure buildup factors for the non-essential and conditionally non-essential amino acids including alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine have been acquired using the latest evaluated photoatomic library of EPICS2017. The library was used by constructing an interpolation script that calculates for all photon attenuation parameters. Comparisons were made using alternative Monte Carlo simulation results for 15 energy points from 59.5 to 1333 keV, and in contrast with experimental works in literature. Good agreements for the mass attenuation coefficients were observed between EPICS2017-based values compared with Monte Carlo code and experimental results. Similar trends for the effective atomic numbers and electron densities were observed from EPICS2017 interpolation and from results found in literature. Conversely, buildup factors acquired by Geometric-Progression fitting parameters were reported in this work preliminarily for most of these biomolecules at different penetration depths. Overall, cysteine showed the most significant deviation among the other non-essential amino acids due to the presence of sulfur in its molecular structure.
Thermal imaging based maximum power point tracking for solar modules in variable ambient temperature
Authors: Khan Irshad , Khan Shaheen
Published: April 2021

In this study, a thermography based modified perturb & observe maximum power point tracking (P&O MPPT) technique is proposed and implemented to overcome challenges due to unstable environmental temperature and radiance. A temperature based empirical model of PV module is used to approximate the peak power parameters. The objective of using temperature based model is to minimize the difference voltage (∆V) signal which in turn decreases the time to reach maximum power point and hence increases the speed of the MPPT system. Less number of iterations to achieve maximum power point also improves the output signal quality by reducing the number of fluctuations in the signal. Although the temperature based MPPT methods have already been suggested in literature but the novelty of the proposed method lies in using infrared (IR) images to monitor the instant temperature of photovoltaic (PV) module, which give its advantage in the form of fast and stable steady-state output. Results of the proposed scheme are found better when compared to the conventional P&O MPPT.
Rambutan peel derived porous carbons for lithium sulfur battery
Authors: Arie Arenst Andreas , Kristianto Hans , Susanti Ratna Frida , Lee Joong Kee
Published: April 2021

Porous carbons were prepared from the biomass waste rambutan peels using hydrothermal carbonization followed by the KOH activation process. Rambutan peel derived porous carbons (RPC) with high surface area of 2104 m2 g−1 and large pore volume of 1.2 cm3 g−1 were obtained at KOH/carbon ratio of 4 and activation temperature of 900 °C. The as-obtained porous carbons were capable of encapsulating sulfur with a high loading of 68.2 wt% to form RPC/S composite cathode for lithium sulfur (Li–S) battery. High specific discharge capacities of about 1275 mAh g−1 were demonstrated by the RPC/S composites at 0.1 C. After 200 cycles at 0.1 C, a high specific capacity of 936 mAh g−1 was maintained, showing an excellent capacity retention of about 73%.
Inertia-gravity-wave scattering by three-dimensional geostrophic turbulence
Authors: Savva M.A.C. , Kafiabad H.A. , Vanneste J.
Published: April 2021

In rotating stratified flows including in the atmosphere and ocean, inertia-gravity waves (IGWs) often coexist with geostrophically balanced turbulent flows. Advection and refraction by such flows lead to wave scattering, redistributing IGW energy in the position–wavenumber phase space. We give a detailed description of this process by deriving a kinetic equation governing the evolution of the IGW phase-space energy density. The derivation relies on the smallness of the Rossby number characterising the geostrophic flow, which is treated as a random field with known statistics, makes no assumption of spatial scale separation, and neglects wave–wave interactions. It extends previous work restricted to near-inertial waves, barotropic flows or waves much shorter than the flow scales. The kinetic equation describes energy transfers that are restricted to IGWs with the same frequency, as a result of the time scale separation between waves and flow. We formulate the kinetic equation on the constant-frequency surface – a double cone in wavenumber space – using polar spherical coordinates, and we examine the form of the two scattering cross-sections involved, which quantify energy transfers between IGWs with, respectively, the same and opposite directions of vertical propagation. The kinetic equation captures both the horizontal isotropisation and the cascade of energy across scales that result from scattering. We focus our attention on the latter to assess the predictions of the kinetic equation against direct simulations of the three-dimensional Boussinesq equations, finding good agreement.