bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Revival of Buddhist Nationalism in Thailand and Its Adverse Impact on Religious Freedom
Authors: Tonsakulrungruang Khemthong
Published: April 2021

Triggered by the sense of crisis, the Thai state and Thai Buddhism are renewing their traditional relationship kindled by the monarch-led reform over a century ago. Thai Buddhism is reviving its lost aura and hegemony while the political conservatives are looking for legitimacy and collective identity in a time of democratic regression. The result is the rise of the Buddhist-nationalistic movement, Buddhist-as-Thainess notion. The phenomenon has grown more mainstream in recent years. These extreme Buddhists pressure the government to adopt a new constitutional relationship that brings the two entities closer to a full establishment. They also target both religious minorities as well as non-mainstream Buddhists. The revival of Buddhist nationalism foretells rising tension as well as diminishing religious freedom.
CELLULAR AUTOMATA OVER ALGEBRAIC STRUCTURES
Authors: CASTILLO-RAMIREZ ALONSO , MATA-GUTIÉRREZ O. , ZALDIVAR-CORICHI ANGEL
Published: April 2021

Let G be a group and A a set equipped with a collection of finitary operations. We study cellular automata
$$\tau :{A^G} \to {A^G}$$
that preserve the operations AG of induced componentwise from the operations of A. We show τ that is an endomorphism of AG if and only if its local function is a homomorphism. When A is entropic (i.e. all finitary operations are homomorphisms), we establish that the set EndCA(G;A), consisting of all such endomorphic cellular automata, is isomorphic to the direct limit of Hom(AS, A), where S runs among all finite subsets of G. In particular, when A is an R-module, we show that EndCA(G;A) is isomorphic to the group algebra
$${\rm{End}}(A)[G]$$
. Moreover, when A is a finite Boolean algebra, we establish that the number of endomorphic cellular automata over AG admitting a memory set S is precisely
$${(k|S|)^k}$$
, where k is the number of atoms of A.
Beyond willpower
Authors: Gross James J. , Duckworth Angela L.
Published: April 2021

For all its popularity as a psychological construct, willpower is irremediably polysemous. A more helpful construct is self-control, defined as the self-regulation of conflicting impulses. We show how the process model of self-control provides a principled framework for examining how undesirable impulses may be weakened and desirable impulses may be strengthened.
Willpower is a form of, but not synonymous with, self-control
Authors: Kristal Ariella , Zlatev Julian
Published: April 2021

We build on Ainslie's discussion of willpower by highlighting another common misconception in the literature: the conflation of self-control and willpower. In our commentary, we identify this issue and discuss the importance of recognizing willpower not as synonymous with self-control, but rather as a subset of self-control. We describe a set of upstream strategies as more effective alternatives to willpower.
Pleas for patience from the cumulative future self
Authors: Maglio Sam J. , Hershfield Hal E.
Published: April 2021

Current selves wield all the power in intertemporal tradeoffs. Although one set of future selves will make similar tradeoffs in the future, another self – who we term the cumulative future self – falls on the receiving end of those dictated decisions. How current selves commune with the cumulative future self determines whether the former heed pleas, from the latter, for patience.
The cost of metastatic prostate cancer using time-driven activity-based costing
Authors: Vargas Alves Rafael J. , Beck da Silva Etges Ana P. , Tiscoski Katsuki Arima , de Lara Luciana Rodrigues , de Medeiros Zelmanowicz Alice , Polanczyk Carisi Anne
Published: April 2021

Objective

To estimate the cost of metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) treatment using the time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) method from the perspective of a philanthropic hospital in the Brazilian public health system (PHS) and to identify determinants of costs.

Methods

We used data from patients who received docetaxel chemotherapy in the Brazilian PHS from September 2012 to May 2017. Direct medical costs were estimated with the TDABC microcosting method, taking into account the multiple departments and services the patients interacted with during their oncological treatment.

Results

The median overall survival of the forty-three patient sample was 1.8 years (95% CI 1.45–2.30), and the total cost of the sample was BRL 917.005 (USD 250,878). The median monthly cost per patient was BRL 20.201 (USD 5,526). The end-of-life cost per patient using the TDABC method was BRL 5.151 (USD 1,409). Patients who had received previous treatment at the center registered the lowest cost for hospitalizations and exams, suggesting an opportunity to better manage healthcare resources.

Conclusions

This is the first study on the economic burden of mPC in the Brazilian PHS using the TDABC costing evaluation method. Accurate cost information obtained with the TDABC can be helpful in guiding disease management to guarantee better use of ever-scarcer resources.
Multimodal (inter)action analysis of task instructions in language teaching via videoconferencing: A case study
Authors: Wigham Ciara R. , Satar Müge
Published: April 2021

Online language teaching is gaining momentum worldwide and an expanding body of research analyses online pedagogical interactions. However, few studies have explored experienced online teachers’ practices in videoconferencing particularly while giving instructions, which are key to success in task-based language teaching (Markee, 2015). Adopting multimodal (inter)action analysis (Norris, 2004, 2019) to investigate the multimodal construction of instructions in a single case study, we examine instruction-giving as a social practice demonstrated in a specific site of engagement (a synchronous online lesson recorded for research purposes). Drawing on the higher-level actions (instruction-giving fragments) we have identified elsewhere (Satar & Wigham, 2020), in this paper we analyse the lower-level actions (modes) that comprise these higher-level actions, specifically focusing on the print mode (task resource sheets, URLs, text chat, and online collaborative writing spaces) wherein certain higher-level actions become frozen. Our findings are unique in depicting the modal complexity of sharing task resources in synchronous online teaching due to semiotic misalignment and semiotic lag that precludes the establishment of a completely shared interactional space. We observe gaze shifts as the sole indicator for learners that the teacher is multitasking between different higher-level actions. Further research is needed to fully understand the interactional features of online language teaching via videoconferencing to inform teacher training policy and practice.
Profiling household double and triple burden of malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: prevalence and influencing household factors
Authors: Christian Aaron K , Dake Fidelia AA
Published: April 2021

Objective:

Undernutrition and anaemia (the commonest micronutrient deficiency), continue to remain prevalent and persistent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) alongside a rising prevalence of overweight and obesity. However, there has been little research on the co-existence of all three conditions in the same household in recent years. The current study examines the co-existence and correlates of the different conditions of household burden of malnutrition in the same household across SSA.

Setting:

The study involved twenty-three countries across SSA who conducted Demographic and Health Surveys between 2008 and 2017.

Participants:

The analytical sample includes 145 020 households with valid data on the nutritional status of women and children pairs (i.e. women of reproductive age; 15–49 years and children under 5 years).

Design:

Logistic regression analyses were used to determine household correlates of household burden of malnutrition.

Results:

Anaemia was the most common form of household burden of malnutrition, affecting about seven out of ten households. Double and triple burden of malnutrition, though less common, was also found to be present in 8 and 5 % of the households, respectively. The age of the household head, location of the household, access to improved toilet facilities and household wealth status were found to be associated with various conditions of household burden of malnutrition.

Conclusions:

The findings of the current study reveal that both double and triple burden of malnutrition is of public health concern in SSA, thus nutrition and health interventions in SSA must not be skewed towards addressing undernutrition only but also address overweight/obesity and anaemia.
Response to governmental COVID-19 restrictions: the role of informal institutions
Authors: Bentkowska Katarzyna
Published: April 2021

This paper explains how informal institutions influence the reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to formal restrictions. I claim that it is not enough to introduce countermeasures, as individuals must follow them if they are to be effective. The acceptance of such measures is reflected in individuals' degrees of mobility decrease and contact reduction, the aims of governmental restrictions. I identify a group of attitudes connected with individuals' responses that differ across countries. They are associated with social relations and approaches to dealing with problems. The analysis confirms that formal restrictions can be seen as successful only if they are supported by strong informal institutions. In some cases, they even define individuals' reactions more than formal recommendations. The findings are useful not only for explaining the special case of reaction to pandemic restrictions but also for investigating what generally determines individuals' compliance with formal rules.
Quantifying CO2 Uptakes Over Oceans Using LIDAR: A Tentative Experiment in Bohai Bay
Authors: Shi Tianqi , Han Ge , Xin Ma  , Gong Wei , Chen Weibiao , Liu Jiqiao , Zhang Xingying , Pei Zhipeng , Gou Hailong , Bu Lingbing
Published: April 2021

Oceans are widely regarded as major offsets for anthropogenic carbon emissions, leading to an evident lower measured atmospheric CO2 concentration than expected. It is thus of great significance to develop effective means to monitor CO2 fluxes over oceans globally. In this work, we utilized observations obtained by an airborne CO2‐IPDA LIDAR to evaluate the potential of such means in estimating sea‐air CO2 flux. During a flight experiment in 2019, we have estimated the CO2 exchange rate, −1.5 ± 0.18 mmol/m2/h, between the Bohai Bay and the atmosphere using equilibrium atmospheric boundary layer theory. These findings indicated that the forthcoming space‐borne CO2‐IPDA LIDAR is capable of identifying CO2 uptakes over oceans qualitatively, which would be a novel means and a basis for monitoring CO2 fluxes over global oceans.
Magnetosphere‐Ionosphere‐Thermosphere (M‐I‐T) Coupling Leading to Equatorial Upward and Westward Drifting Supersonic Plasma Bubble Development and Amplified Subauroral Polarization Streams (SAPS) During the January 21, 2005 Moderate Storm
Authors: Horvath Ildiko , Lovell Brian C.
Published: April 2021

By utilizing multipoint observations, we investigate the January 21, 2005 moderate storm's prompt penetration electric field (PPEF) effects in the American sector, Rayleigh‐Taylor (R‐T) instability driven polarization electric (E) field effects in the African sector, and disturbance dynamo electric field (DDEF) effects in the Northern Hemisphere. We study how these E field effects impacted the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and underlying forward fountain, the midlatitude trough, and the subauroral polarization streams (SAPS). In the daytime sector during the initial phase, the PPEF development was produced by solar wind pressure enhancements. In the dusk sector, the undershielding PEFs triggered R‐T instability mechanisms, which impacted the EIA during a prereversal enhancement (PRE) like scenario and afterwards. These led to the development of supersonic plasma bubbles drifting upward and westward. Supersonic bubbles are characteristics of superstorms, and their detections further verify the January 21, 2005 moderate storm's turbulent and superstorm nature. While the disturbance dynamo‐driven anti‐Sq current system operated, the net subauroral westward currents became enhanced and the net zonal (E‐ and F‐region) drift created a deep O+ trough that deepened the midlatitude trough and led to amplified SAPS flows via positive feedback mechanisms. We conclude that strong magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere coupling was present at equatorial latitudes where forward fountain plasma drift‐signatures were seen in the thermospheric neutral wind speed data and where the supersonic bubbles developed, and at subauroral latitudes where the midlatitude trough became deepened during the anti‐Sq current system's operation amplifying the SAPS flows by positive feedback mechanisms.
Photosynthesis‐Irradiance Response in the Eddy Dipole in the Western South China Sea
Authors: Liao Jianzu , Xu Jie , Li Ruihuan , Shi Zhen
Published: April 2021

Photosynthesis‐irradiance (P‐E) parameters, such as the maximum photosynthetic rate () and maximum light utilization coefficient (α), are key parameters of primary production (PP) models. It is necessary to understand the response of P‐E parameters to mesoscale eddies to accurately model PP in eddies. The P‐E parameters and phytoplankton communities were examined at the surface and the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) of the eddy dipole in the western South China Sea. The surface differed significantly between the edge and center of both eddies. The at the center was significantly higher than that at the edge of the cyclonic eddy (CE), while the opposite trend was observed in the anticyclonic eddy (AE). Phytoplankton community composition modulated variability in P‐E parameters in the eddy dipole. Over 75% of the variance in surface P‐E parameters could be explained by the pico‐phytoplankton communities and environmental factors (nutrients and temperature). In contrast, the ratio of Synechococcus abundance to chlorophyll a concentration was primarily responsible for the variability in P‐E parameters at the DCM. These relationships allowed us to model and α at all stations and depths sampled. The integrated primary production (IPP) determined from these modeled P‐E parameters was coincident with the IPP determined from on‐deck incubations. The modeled ‐α‐based IPP exhibited a higher IPP at the CE center than that at the AE center. Our findings can improve the parameterization of the physical‐biogeochemical coupling models of eddies.
Quantifying the Impact of Synoptic Weather Systems on High PM2.5 Episodes in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, Korea
Authors: Chang L.‐S. , Lee G. , Im H. , Kim D. , Park S.‐M. , Choi W. J. , Lee Y. , Lee D.‐W. , Kim D.‐G. , Lee D. , Kim Y.‐W. , Kim J. , Ho C.‐H.
Published: April 2021

Variations in concentrations of PM2.5, particulate matters of diameters below 2.5 μm, vary following both meteorological conditions and emissions controls. Meteorological conditions particularly affect short‐term high PM2.5 episodes through accumulations, transports, and secondary formations. This study quantifies the meteorological impacts on high PM2.5 episodes in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), Korea, for the period 2016–2018 using empirical and statistical methods. Synoptic weather maps of 77 high PM2.5 episodes in 2016 are grouped into two synoptic types: onshore winds associated with migratory pressure systems over the SMA and offshore winds from continental high pressure extending toward the SMA. We applied principal component analysis and regression to extract the dominant synoptic types controlling PM2.5 variability. It identifies two major principal components (PCs) from 12 surface and upper‐air meteorological variables for 2017–2018. Weather patterns in 49 examples of the high‐positive PCs show that the two PCs are capable of reproducing the synoptic weather patterns relevant for high PM2.5 episodes. To quantify the relationship between the synoptic weather patterns and PM2.5 levels, the two PCs are further classified into four groups according to their signs. Positive‐ and negative‐PC groups are associated with about 82% and 73% of high‐ and low‐PM2.5 episodes, respectively, suggesting that most of the high/low PM2.5 episodes in the SMA can occur under the two PCs‐dominant weather conditions. The results can be utilized as a reference for daily predictions of high PM2.5 episodes, as well as for quantitative analysis of the climatic influence on the long‐term PM2.5 variability.
Toward the diagnosis of rare childhood genetic diseases: what do parents value most?
Authors: Pollard Samantha , Weymann Deirdre , Dunne Jessica , Mayanloo Fatemeh , Buckell John , Buchanan James , Wordsworth Sarah , Friedman Jan M. , Stockler-Ipsiroglu Sylvia , Dragojlovic Nick , Elliott Alison M. , Harrison Mark , Lynd Larry D. , Regier Dean A.
Published: April 2021

Genomic testing is becoming routine for diagnosing rare childhood genetic disease. Evidence underlying sustainable implementation is limited, focusing on short-term endpoints such as diagnostic yield, unable to fully characterize patient and family valued outcomes. Although genomic testing is becoming widely available, evidentiary and outcomes uncertainty persist as key challenges for implementation. We examine whether the current evidence base reflects public tolerance for uncertainty for genomics to diagnose rare childhood genetic disease. We conducted focus groups with general population parents in Vancouver, Canada, and Oxford, United Kingdom, to discuss expectations and concerns related to genomic testing to diagnose rare childhood genetic disease. Applying a purposive sampling technique, recruitment continued until thematic saturation was reached. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Thirty-three parents participated across four focus groups. Participants valued causal diagnoses alongside management strategies to improve patient health and wellbeing. Further, participants valued expanding the evidence base to reduce evidentiary uncertainty while ensuring security of information. Willingness to pay out of pocket for testing reflected perceived familial health benefit. Diagnostic yield fails to fully capture valued outcomes, and efforts to resolve uncertainty better reflect public priorities. Evaluations of genomic testing that fully integrate valued endpoints are necessary to ensure consistency with best practices and public willingness to accept the uncertain familial benefit.
Autonomic nervous system dysfunction in schizophrenia: impact on cognitive and metabolic health
Authors: Stogios Nicolette , Gdanski Alexander , Gerretsen Philip , Chintoh Araba F. , Graff-Guerrero Ariel , Rajji Tarek K. , Remington Gary , Hahn Margaret K. , Agarwal Sri Mahavir
Published: April 2021

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by a wide range of positive, negative and cognitive symptoms, along with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease that contribute to a 15–20-year reduced life expectancy. Autonomic dysfunction, in the form of increased sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic activity, is postulated to be implicated in SCZ and its treatment. The aim of this narrative review is to view SCZ through an autonomic lens and synthesize the evidence relating autonomic dysfunction to different domains of SCZ. Using various methods of assessing autonomic activity, autonomic dysfunction was found to be associated with multiple aspects of SCZ pathophysiology, including symptom severity, cognitive impairment, and the development of cardiometabolic comorbidities, such as metabolic syndrome and high BMI. The strongest association of low heart rate variability was noted among patients on antipsychotic treatment with high-affinity muscarinic antagonism (i.e., clozapine, olanzapine and quetiapine). The review will also suggest ways in which studying autonomic dysfunction can help reduce morbidity and mortality associated with SCZ and its treatment.
Dual impacts of coronavirus anxiety on mental health in 35 societies
Authors: Chen Sylvia Xiaohua , Ng Jacky C. K. , Hui Bryant P. H. , Au Algae K. Y. , Wu Wesley C. H. , Lam Ben C. P. , Mak Winnie W. S. , Liu James H.
Published: April 2021

The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected both physical health and mental well-being around the world. Stress-related reactions, if prolonged, may result in mental health problems. We examined the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in a multinational study and explored the effects of government responses to the outbreak. We sampled 18,171 community adults from 35 countries/societies, stratified by age, gender, and region of residence. Across the 35 societies, 26.6% of participants reported moderate to extremely severe depression symptoms, 28.2% moderate to extremely severe anxiety symptoms, and 18.3% moderate to extremely severe stress symptoms. Coronavirus anxiety comprises two factors, namely Perceived Vulnerability and Threat Response. After controlling for age, gender, and education level, perceived vulnerability predicted higher levels of negative emotional symptoms and psychological distress, whereas threat response predicted higher levels of self-rated health and subjective well-being. People in societies with more stringent control policies had more threat response and reported better subjective health. Coronavirus anxiety exerts detrimental effects on subjective health and well-being, but also has the adaptive function in mobilizing safety behaviors, providing support for an evolutionary perspective on psychological adaptation.
Systematic STR analysis of old post-vasectomy seminal fluid stains to examine evidence stored for 16 years
Authors: Romero Julianna Kesselring , Bittencourt Eloisa Auler , Soares-Vieira José Arnaldo , Pacheco Ana Claudia , Soares Alexandre Learth , Iwamura Edna Sadayo Miazato
Published: April 2021

To understand stored evidence and the insertion in genetic databases is important in forensic investigations. Blood, pre- and post-vasectomy semen from 90 fertile male individuals, aged 24 to 45, were donated for research after informed consent. The semen samples were stored in the form of 30 µL stains on cotton fabric, for 16 years at room temperature in the laboratory. As well as the seminal fluid post vasectomy stains, which were performed after microscopy analyzes and certainty of the absence of spermatozoon. The pre vasectomy stains contained mainly haploid spermatozoon and the post vasectomy stains diploid epithelial cells and leukocytes. DNA extraction was performed with magnetic resin, followed by quantification and analysis of degradation of DNA. In this study we analyze these genetic profiles of DNA from stains on cotton fabric, using two Short Tandem Repeat multiplex systems, the PowerPlex Fusion 6C and Y23. Electrophoresis was performed on a 3500xL and analyzed using the Gene Mapper ID-X software. The genetic profiles of the 90 individuals were fully amplified in pre-vasectomy and partially in post-vasectomy stain samples, using the both multiplex systems. The results provide information about 0.25 cm2 semen stains on cotton fabric from 90 individuals, correlating concentration, degradation, and allele analysis. It also provides an understanding of the cells present in semen stains and the implications of individual factors. In the stains of post-vasectomy samples the small quantity of DNA was one of the limiting factors, in addition to degradation. Considering that all evaluations were carried out in a laboratory that has a quality control certificate and audited for being part of the national genetic profile database, the results were very consistent. Many aspects of the semen samples stored in the form of stains on cotton fabric have been clarified. The performance and sensitivity of the amplification systems used in the genotyping of azoospermic individuals were assessed. Conclusions: Genetic profiles were satisfactorily amplified in pre-vasectomy stain samples, and partially amplified in post-vasectomy stain samples, stored for almost two decades at room temperature in a tropical country. The small amount of DNA was one of the limitations in post-vasectomy stain samples, in addition to degradation and fragmentation. There are no publications in the literature on PowerPlex Fusion 6C and Y23 analyses using blood, sperm, and seminal fluids of the same individual, much less in the form of stains. This study can serve as a benchmark for the tracking analyses of stored samples. In addition, it anticipates a few social issues related to the analysis of post-vasectomy samples in forensic cases, most notably sex crimes.
Machine learning and deep learning to predict mortality in patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection
Authors: Krittanawong Chayakrit , Virk Hafeez Ul Hassan , Kumar Anirudh , Aydar Mehmet , Wang Zhen , Stewart Matthew P. , Halperin Jonathan L.
Published: April 2021

Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) can successfully predict high prevalence events in very large databases (big data), but the value of this methodology for risk prediction in smaller cohorts with uncommon diseases and infrequent events is uncertain. The clinical course of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is variable, and no reliable methods are available to predict mortality. Based on the hypothesis that machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques could enhance the identification of patients at risk, we applied a deep neural network to information available in electronic health records (EHR) to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with SCAD. We extracted patient data from the EHR of an extensive urban health system and applied several ML and DL models using candidate clinical variables potentially associated with mortality. We partitioned the data into training and evaluation sets with cross-validation. We estimated model performance based on the area under the receiver-operator characteristics curve (AUC) and balanced accuracy. As sensitivity analyses, we examined results limited to cases with complete clinical information available. We identified 375 SCAD patients of which mortality during the index hospitalization was 11.5%. The best-performing DL algorithm identified in-hospital mortality with AUC 0.98 (95% CI 0.97–0.99), compared to other ML models (P < 0.0001). For prediction of mortality using ML models in patients with SCAD, the AUC ranged from 0.50 with the random forest method (95% CI 0.41–0.58) to 0.95 with the AdaBoost model (95% CI 0.93–0.96), with intermediate performance using logistic regression, decision tree, support vector machine, K-nearest neighbors, and extreme gradient boosting methods. A deep neural network model was associated with higher predictive accuracy and discriminative power than logistic regression or ML models for identification of patients with ACS due to SCAD prone to early mortality.
Evaluation of skin cancer resection guide using hyper-realistic in-vitro phantom fabricated by 3D printing
Authors: Ock Junhyeok , Kim Taehun , Lee Sangwook , Yang Tae Seong , kim Minji , Jeong Wooshik , Choi Jongwoo , Kim Namkug
Published: April 2021

Skin cancer usually occurs in the facial area relatively exposed to sunlight. Medical imaging can confirm the invasiveness and metastasis of skin cancer, which is used to establish a surgical plan. However, there is no method of directly marking this information on the patient's skin in the operating room. We evaluated a skin cancer resection guide that marks resection areas including safety margins on the patient's skin based on medical images and in-vitro phantom fabricated via 3D printing. The in-vitro phantom, which includes the skull, skin, and five different cancer locations was designed and fabricated based on a CT image of a patient. Skin cancer resection guides were designed using a CT image of an in-vitro phantom, with a safety margin, and four injection points at each cancer. The guide was used to insert 16 cc intravenous catheters into each cancer of the phantom, which was rescanned by CT. The catheter insertion point and angle were evaluated. The accuracy of the insertion points was 2.09 ± 1.06 mm and cosine similarities was 0.980 ± 0.020. In conclusion, skin cancer resection guides were fabricated to mark surgical plans on the patient's skin in the operating room. They demonstrated reasonable accuracies in actual clinical settings.
Side-group-mediated thermoelectric properties of anthracene single-molecule junction with anchoring groups
Authors: Ramezani Akbarabadi Saeideh , Rahimpour Soleimani Hamid , Bagheri Tagani Maysam
Published: April 2021

Charge transfer characteristics of single-molecule junctions at the nanoscale, and consequently, their thermoelectric properties can be dramatically tuned by chemical or conformational modification of side groups or anchoring groups. In this study, we used density functional theory (DFT) combined with the non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) formalism in the linear response regime to examine the thermoelectric properties of a side-group-mediated anthracene molecule coupled to gold (Au) electrodes via anchoring groups. In order to provide a comparative inspection three different side groups, i.e. amine, nitro and methyl, in two different positions were considered for the functionalization of the molecule terminated with thiol or isocyanide anchoring groups. We showed that when the anchored molecule is perturbed with side group, the peaks of the transmission spectrum were shifted relative to the Fermi energy in comparison to the unperturbed molecule (i.e. without side group) leading to modified thermoelectric properties of the system. Particularly, in the thiol-terminated molecule the amine side group showed the greatest figure of merit in both positions which was suppressed by the change of side group position. However, in the isocyanide-terminated molecule the methyl side group attained the greatest thermoelectric efficiency where its magnitude was relatively robust to the change of side group position. In this way, different combinations of side groups and anchoring groups can improve or suppress thermopower and the figure of merit of the molecular junction depending on the interplay between charge donating/accepting nature of the functionals or their position.
The microRNA analysis portal is a next-generation tool for exploring and analyzing miRNA-focused data in the literature
Authors: Pirrò Stefano , Matic Ivana , Colizzi Vittorio , Galgani Andrea
Published: April 2021

MicroRNAs constitute a class of noncoding small RNAs involved in the posttranscriptional regulation of many biological pathways. In recent years, microRNAs have also been associated with regulation across kingdoms, demonstrating that exogenous miRNAs can function in mammals in a fashion similar to mammalian miRNAs. The growing interest in microRNAs and the increasing amount of literature and molecular and biomedical data available make it difficult to identify records of interest and keep up to date with novel findings. For these reasons, we developed the microRNA Analysis Portal (MAP). MAP selects relevant miRNA-focused articles from PubMed, links biomedical and molecular data and applies bioinformatics modules. At the time of this writing, MAP represents the richest, most complete and integrated database focused on microRNAs. MAP also integrates an updated version of MirCompare (2.0), a computational platform used for selecting plant microRNAs on the basis of their ability to regulate mammalian genes. Both MAP and MirCompare functionalities were used to predict that microRNAs from Moringa oleifera have putative roles across kingdoms by regulating human genes coding for proteins of the immune system. Starting from a selection of 94 human microRNAs, MirCompare selected 6 Moringa oleifera functional homologs. The subsequent prediction of human targets and areas of functional enrichment highlighted the central involvement of these genes in regulating immune system processes, particularly the host-virus interaction processes in hepatitis B, cytomegalovirus, papillomavirus and coronavirus. This case of use showed how MAP can help to perform complex queries without any computational background. MAP is available at http://stablab.uniroma2.it/MAP.
Relationship between Azores High and Indian summer monsoon
Authors: Yadav Ramesh Kumar
Published: April 2021

A dominant mode of interannual variability of Indian summer monsoon rainfall shows west-east dipole pattern with above normal rainfall towards west and central India and subdued rainfall towards the east and northeast India, and is related to the vigorous Azores High. The vigorous Azores High is accompanied by enhanced subsidence resulting in well-built widespread upper-troposphere convergence. This forms the meridional vorticity dipole consisting of anomalous cyclonic and anti-cyclonic circulation at 30°N and 50°N, respectively, and boosts the Rossby wave source. The cascading down Rossby wave train imposes successive negative, positive and negative Geopotential height (GPH) anomalies over north Mediterranean, northwest and northeast of India, respectively. The negative GPH anomaly at the north Mediterranean increases the Asian jet towards the Caspian Sea, strengthening the monsoon circulation through the ‘silk-road’ pattern. While, the dipole GPH anomaly north of India shift the Tibetan High westwards, triggering monsoon activity towards the west.
Copper (Cu2+) ion-induced misfolding of tau protein R3 peptide revealed by enhanced molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Jing Jing , Tu Gao , Yu Hongyan , Huang Rong , Ming Xianquan , Zhan Haiqing , Zhan Feng , Xue Weiwei
Published: April 2021

Tau misfolding plays a significant role in some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Switchable electronic and enhanced magnetic properties of CrI3 edges
Authors: Yang Guohui , Wang Rui , Ge Mei , Guo Miaomiao , Wang Jicui , Ma Rongrong , Zhang Junfeng , West Damien , Zhang Shengbai
Published: April 2021

The first-principles calculations with spin–orbit coupling suggest that, the thermodynamic stabilities of CrI3 nano ribbon can be understood through the octahedron ligand field and electron counting model.
An etch-doping strategy: cobalt–iron bimetallic phosphide as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for highly efficient water splitting
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Wang Shanshan , Chen Xiaogang , Zhao Xuan , Chang Shulong , Guo Fengmei , Xu Jie , Shang Yuanyuan , Zhang Yingjiu
Published: April 2021

Using methods of nanowire precursor growth, etch doping, and low-temperature phosphorylation, Co1Fe0.1P/NF nanowires with excellent properties for the HER (73 mV at 10 mA cm−2) and OER (257 mV at 10 mA cm−2) were designed and synthesized successfully.
Molecular dynamics study of the pore formation in single layer graphene oxide by a thermal reduction process
Authors: Raffone Federico , Savazzi Filippo , Cicero Giancarlo
Published: April 2021

The shape/dimension of the oxidized clusters and the process temperature were found to be the main factors affecting pore formation in GO membranes produced with a thermal reduction process.
A minimally invasive flexible electrode array for simultaneous recording of ECoG signals from multiple brain regions
Authors: Jeong Ui-Jin , Lee Jungpyo , Chou Namsun , Kim Kanghwan , Shin Hyogeun , Chae Uikyu , Yu Hyun-Yong , Cho Il-Joo
Published: April 2021

The minimal invasiveness of electrocorticography (ECoG) enabled its widespread use in clinical areas as well as in neuroscience research.
Implementation of iMiDEV™, a new fully automated microfluidic platform for radiopharmaceutical production
Authors: Ovdiichuk Olga , Mallapura Hemantha , Pineda Florian , Hourtané Virginie , Långström Bengt , Halldin Christer , Nag Sangram , Maskali Fatiha , Karcher Gilles , Collet Charlotte
Published: April 2021

We present an efficient fully automated sodium [18F]fluoride radiosynthesis on a new iMiDEV™ cassette-based microfluidic platform.
Natural rubber latex assisted shape-attuned synthesis of intrinsically radiopaque and magnetic bioceramic nanocomposite with hyperthermia potential for cancer therapeutics
Authors: Sneha K. R. , Benny Neenu , Nair Balagopal N. , Sailaja G. S.
Published: April 2021

N R latex assisted shape-attuned synthesis of intrinsically radiopaque and magnetic nanocomposite with hyperthermia potential for cancer therapeutics.
A concise/catalytic approach for the construction of the C14–C28 fragment of eribulin
Authors: Senapati Sibadatta , Ramana Chepuri V.
Published: April 2021

A diastereoselective gold cyclisation and a Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation–cycloetherification protocol were carried out for the construction of the key disaccharide unit (C14–C28) of eribulin mesylate with a linear sequence of 14 steps.
How is vitamin B1 oxidized to thiochrome? Elementary processes revealed by a DFT study
Authors: Yamabe Shinichi , Tsuchida Noriko , Yamazaki Shoko
Published: April 2021

The oxidation mechanism of thiamine (vitamin B1) to thiochrome was investigated by DFT calculations for reaction models, thiamine + oxidant + (H2O)8. A key thiazolone intermediate (Int2) was commonly found to intervene during the oxidation.
Comprehensive phylogeny of Konosirus punctatus (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) based on transcriptomic data
Authors: Lou Fangrui , Qiu Shengyao , Tang Yongzheng , Wang Zhiyang , Wang Lei
Published: April 2021

Konosirus punctatus is an important species for the structure of marine ecosystems. Meanwhile, it is a native species in the northwest Pacific Ocean and supports important commercial fishery. In the present study, we generated the whole transcriptome of K. punctatus from combined tissues (muscle, liver, gill, heart, kidney, swim bladder and sexual gland) using Illumina RNA-seq technology and a total of 46087110 clean reads were obtained, corresponding to 6531521430 nucleotides. Meanwhile, 10000 clean reads were randomly selected and compared with NT database to examine the possible contamination. Results showed that 6754 clean reads were distributed among some species closely related with K. punctatus, indicating no-pollution. De novo assembly was performed and all clean reads were assembled to produce 71610 longest unigenes with an N50 of 906 bp. Among all the unigenes, 43974 unigenes were annotated in at least one database and 3172 unigenes were annotated in all databases. All unigenes were further analyzed to predict the gene structure and we have obtained a total of 54864 coding sequences (CDSs) and 17326 simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Saturation analyses were applied to evaluate the accuracy of gene expression and we hypothesized that the detection of gene expression might be effective. Finally, single-copy orthologous genes were applied to construct the phylogenetic relationship of K. punctatus. Results showed that K. punctatus diverged from the common ancestor with Alosa alosa, Alosa pseudoharengus and Sardina pilchardus at approx. 61.16–92.52 MYA. The present study will provide a foundational molecular information for the biological research of K. punctatus.
Complexity-Dependent Modulations of Beta Oscillations for Verbal and Nonverbal Movements
Authors: De Nil Luc , Isabella Silvia , Jobst Cecilia , Kwon Soonji , Mollaei Fatemeh , Cheyne Douglas
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The planning and execution of motor behaviors require coordination of neurons that are established through synchronization of neural activity. Movements are typically preceded by event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the beta range (15–30 Hz) primarily localized in the motor cortex, while movement onset is associated with event-related synchronization (ERS). It is hypothesized that ERD is important for movement preparation and execution, and ERS serves to inhibit movement and update the motor plan. The primary objective of this study was to determine to what extent movement-related oscillatory brain patterns (ERD and ERS) during verbal and nonverbal tasks may be affected differentially by variations in task complexity.

Method

Seventeen right-handed adult participants (nine women, eight men;Mage= 25.8 years,SD= 5.13) completed a sequential button press and verbal task. The final analyses included data for 15 participants for the nonverbal task and 13 for the verbal task. Both tasks consisted of two complexity levels: simple and complex sequences. Magnetoencephalography was used to record modulations in beta band brain oscillations during task performance.

Results

Both the verbal and button press tasks were characterized by significant premovement ERD and postmovement ERS. However, only simple sequences showed a distinct transient synchronization during the premovement phase of the task. Differences between the two tasks were reflected in both latency and peak amplitude of ERD and ERS, as well as in lateralization of oscillations.

Conclusions

Both verbal and nonverbal movements showed a significant desynchronization of beta oscillations during the movement preparation and holding phase and a resynchronization upon movement termination. Importantly, the premovement phase for simple but not complex tasks was characterized by a transient partial synchronization. In addition, the data revealed significant differences between the two tasks in terms of lateralization of oscillatory modulations. Our findings suggest that, while data from the general motor control research can inform our understanding of speech motor control, significant differences exist between the two motor systems that caution against overgeneralization of underlying neural control processes.
DualPathGAN: Facial reenacted emotion synthesis
Authors: Kong Jiahui , Shen Haibin , Huang Kejie
Published: April 2021

Facial reenactment has developed rapidly in recent years, but few methods have been built upon reenacted face in videos. Facial‐reenacted emotion synthesis can make the process of facial reenactment more practical. A facial‐reenacted emotion synthesis method is proposed that includes a dual‐path generative adversarial network (GAN) for emotion synthesis and a residual‐mask network to impose structural restrictions to preserve the mouth shape of the source person. To train the dual‐path GAN more effectively, a learning strategy based on separated discriminators is proposed. The method is trained and tested on a very challenging imbalanced dataset to evaluate the ability to deal with complex practical scenarios. Compared with general emotion synthesis methods, the proposed method can generate more realistic facial emotion synthesised images or videos with higher quality while retaining the expression contents of the original videos. The DualPathGAN achieves a Fréchet inception distance (FID) score of 9.20, which is lower than the FID score of 11.37 achieved with state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Fast ISAR imaging method for complex manoeuvring target based on local polynomial transform‐fast chirp Fourier transform
Authors: Liu Fengkai , Feng Cunqian , Huang Darong , Guo Xinrong
Published: April 2021

In ISAR imaging, echo signals of complex manoeuvring targets have to be modelled as multi‐component cubic phase signals (m‐CPS). In this condition, the Doppler diffusion will seriously affect the quality of ISAR imaging. Herein, a complex manoeuvring target imaging method based on local polynomial transform‐fast chirp Fourier transform (LPT‐FCFT) is proposed. In this method, the instantaneous frequency and the quadratic chirp rate of the echo signal are estimated by local polynomial transformation, then the chirp rate and the amplitude are estimated by fast chirp Fourier transform, and finally the high‐resolution ISAR image of the complex manoeuvring target is obtained by CLEAN technology. Compared with the traditional method, the proposed method has the advantages of less computational complexity, clearer imaging results and better anti‐noise performance. Simulation results indicate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.
Sparse representation based direction‐of‐arrival estimation in nonuniform noise via tail minimisation
Authors: Zeng Cao , Fang Yunfei , Li Jun , Liu Minti , Li Shidong
Published: April 2021

DOA estimation based on sparse representation in a non‐uniform noise environment is proposed using a tail minimisation technique. The noise‐free covariance matrix is modelled as diagonal and off‐diagonal components relating to incoming signals. In order to combat coherent signals, the auto‐ and cross‐correlation entries of the incident signal are considered separately by using the least square (LS) criterion. Subsequently, from the perspective of difference co‐array a vectorised covariance matrix is obtained to emulate the received signal similar to the output of a single snapshot. The effect of non‐uniform noise is significantly mitigated via a removal operation. A tail minimisation scheme that is capable of deriving sharper spectra peaks is then applied to detect the DOAs. The proposed approach has the advantages of a larger virtual array aperture beneficial to DOA estimations of uncorrelated and/or coherent signals. The technique can suppress false spectral peaks to a certain extent and is also computationally effective. Numerical simulation verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Transient small-scale brightenings in the quiet solar corona: A model for campfires observed with Solar Orbiter
Authors: Chen Yajie , Przybylski Damien , Peter Hardi , Tian Hui , Auchère F. , Berghmans D.
Published: April 2021

Context. Recent observations by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board Solar Orbiter have characterized prevalent small-scale transient brightenings in the corona above the quiet Sun termed campfires.

Aims. In this study we search for comparable brightenings in a numerical model and then investigate their relation to the magnetic field and the processes that drive these events.

Methods. We used the MURaM code to solve the 3D radiation magnetohydrodynamic equations in a box that stretches from the upper convection zone to the corona. The model self-consistently produces a supergranular network of the magnetic field and a hot corona above this quiet Sun. For the comparison with the model, we synthesized the coronal emission as seen by EUI in its 174 Å channel, isolated the seven strongest transient brightenings, and investigated the changes of the magnetic field in and around these in detail.

Results. The transients we isolated have a lifetime of about 2 min and are elongated loop-like features with lengths around 1 Mm to 4 Mm. They tend to occur at heights of about 2 Mm to 5 Mm above the photosphere, a bit offset from magnetic concentrations that mark the bright chromospheric network, and they reach temperatures of above 1 MK. As a result, they very much resemble the larger campfires found in observations. In our model most events are energized by component reconnection between bundles of field lines that interact at coronal heights. In one case, we find that untwisting a highly twisted flux rope initiates the heating.

Conclusions. Based on our study, we propose that the majority of campfire events found by EUI are driven by component reconnection and our model suggests that this process significantly contributes to the heating of the corona above the quiet Sun.