bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Clinical Advantage: Experience Informs Recognition and Adaptation to a Novel Talker With Dysarthria
Authors: Borrie Stephanie A. , Lansford Kaitlin L. , Barrett Tyson S.
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Perceptual training paradigms, which leverage the mechanism of perceptual learning, show that naïve listeners, those with no prior experience with dysarthria, benefit from explicit familiarization with a talker with dysarthria. It is theorized that familiarization affords listeners an opportunity to acquire distributional knowledge of the degraded speech signal. Here, we extend investigations to clinically experienced listeners, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and advance models of listener recognition and adaptation to dysarthric speech.

Method

Forty-seven SLPs completed a standard three-phase perceptual training protocol (pretest, familiarization, and posttest) with a novel talker with dysarthria. Intelligibility scores were compared with historical data from naïve listeners. Potential relationships between intelligibility scores and characteristics of clinical experience were examined.

Results

Intelligibility scores of SLPs improved by an average of 19% from pretest to posttest. This intelligibility improvement was lower than naïve listeners, although the difference was small. Moreover, clinical characteristics related to level of dysarthria experience (e.g., percent of caseload composed of dysarthria) predicted pretest/initial intelligibility. No predictive relationships between clinical characteristics and intelligibility improvement were revealed.

Conclusions

As a group, SLPs benefitted from perceptual training, suggesting that, despite prior experience, the opportunity to acquire knowledge of talker-specific cue distributions is crucial for optimal adaptation. However, SLPs with greater dysarthria experience were better at initially understanding the talker with dysarthria. This suggests that, through regular interaction with individuals with dysarthria, clinicians acquire knowledge of the cue distributions of dysarthric speech more generally and can generalize this group-specific knowledge to aid in understanding other talkers with dysarthria. Consistent with theoretical models of perceptual learning, both talker- and group-specific knowledge informed recognition and adaptation to dysarthric speech.
Automating the Indian transportation system through intelligent searching and retrieving with Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud
Authors: Yadav Siddharth , Yadav Dileep Kumar , Budati Anil Kumar , Kumar Manoj , Suri Ajay
Published: April 2021

This article focusses on the problems associated with or unavailability of service in the Indian transportation system. Nowadays, web portal pages and Internet require most frequent search capability. In applying queries for data searches, this work procedure expressly demonstrates intriguing aspects of the query that utilize gathering terms. These gatherings are semantically correlated but separate from search results. The query is fired for the best travel route to make the travel system more intelligent. Such gatherings can be applied to real‐time applications such as those for airlines, trains, buses, and diverse and distinct flight travel classes to determine the lowest cost and shortest route. In this work, the gatherings are called query aspects. This work investigates a method for web applications that searches for data from a user search and generates a list of the shortest and lowest cost travel routes. A proposed intelligent algorithm is developed and analysed for searching data effectively. The user selects from a list of the low‐cost, shortest routes by the preferred mode of travel (flight/train/bus). The proposed method reduces customer dependency on solely vehicle (cab/bus/train) services, where prices may be too high and travel time too long. The proposed method demonstrates suitable performance by visualization of data against considered peer methods.
Solid tides in Io’s partially molten interior
Authors: Kervazo M. , Tobie G. , Choblet G. , Dumoulin C. , Běhounková M.
Published: April 2021

Context.Io’s spectacular activity is driven by tidal dissipation within its interior, which may undergo a large amount of melting. While tidal dissipation models of planetary interiors classically assume that anelastic dissipation is associated only with shear deformation, seismological observation of the Earth has revealed that bulk dissipation might be important in the case of partial melting.

Aims.Although tidal dissipation in a partially molten layer within Io’s mantle has been widely studied in order to explain its abnormally high heat flux, bulk dissipation has never been included. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of melt presence on both shear and bulk dissipation, and the consequences for the heat budget and spatial pattern of Io’s tidal heating.

Methods.The solid tides of Io are computed using a viscoelastic compressible framework. The constitutive equation including bulk dissipation is derived and a synthetic rheological law for the dependence of the viscous and elastic parameters on the melt fraction is used to account for the softening of a partially molten silicate layer.

Results.Bulk dissipation is found to be negligible for melt fraction below a critical value called rheological critical melt fraction. This corresponds to a sharp transition from the solid behavior to the liquid behavior, which typically occurs for melt fractions ranging between 25 and 40%. Above rheological critical melt fraction, bulk dissipation is found to enhance tidal heating up to a factor of ten. The thinner the partially molten layer, the greater the effect. The addition of bulk dissipation also drastically modifies the spatial pattern of tidal dissipation for partially molten layers.

Conclusions.Bulk dissipation can significantly affect the heat budget of Io, possibly contributing from 50 to 90% of the global tidal heat power. More generally, bulk dissipation may play a key role in the tidally induced activity of extrasolar lava worlds.
An application of the continuous Steiner symmetrization to Blaschke-Santaló diagrams
Authors: Buttazzo Giuseppe , Pratelli Aldo
Published: April 2021

In this paper we consider the so-called procedure ofContinuous Steiner Symmetrization, introduced by Brock in [F. Brock,Math. Nachr.172(1995) 25–48 and F. Brock,Proc. Indian Acad. Sci.110(2000) 157–204]. It transforms every open set Ω ⊂⊂ ℝdinto the ball keeping the volume fixed and letting the first eigenvalue and the torsional rigidity respectively decrease and increase. While this does not provide, in general, aγ-continuous mapt↦ Ωt, it can be slightly modified so to obtain theγ-continuity for aγ-dense class of domains Ω, namely, the class of polyhedral sets in ℝd. This allows to obtain a sharp characterization of the Blaschke-Santaló diagram of torsion and eigenvalue.
Update Ventilations- und Perfusions-SPECT/CT in der Lungenemboliediagnostik und der funktionellen Quantifizierung mit Fallbeispielen
Authors: Schäfer Wolfgang M. , Knollmann Daniela
Published: April 2021

In den letzten Themenheften zur Lungenszintigrafie sind ein Übersichtsartikel über die nuklearmedizinische „state of the art“ Lungenemboliediagnostik, ein Beitrag fokussierend auf neuere technische Aspekte der Ventilations- und Perfusions-SPECT/CT sowie der Stellenwert der Ventilations- und Perfusions-SPECT/CT in der AWMF-Leitlinie zur Diagnostik und Therapie der Venenthrombose und Lungenembolie erschienen. Die bisherigen Möglichkeiten der Quantifizierung und die Entwicklung bzw. Erleichterung der Auswertung mittels spezieller Softwarelösungen sind in den vergangenen Ausgaben bereits vorgestellt worden.

Im aktuellen Heft wollen wir uns auf neuere Erkenntnisse zur Ventilations- und Perfusions-SPECT/CT inklusive Weiterentwicklungen der Quantifizierungsmöglichkeiten konzentrieren, aber auch den Einsatz des Verfahrens in Zeiten der COVID-19 Pandemie beleuchten.

Einleitend erfolgt noch einmal ein kurzer Abriss der Technik sowie die additive Wertigkeit der low-dose CT im Rahmen der SPECT/CT, dazu stellen wir einzelne Fallbeispiele vor.

Nachfolgend geben wir einen Überblick über den aktuellsten wissenschaftlichen Stand zu der Ventilations- und Perfusions-SPECT/CT im Kontext von COVID-19.

Das Thema Quantifizierung wird unter Berücksichtigung eines neuen Algorithmus basierend auf dem Einsatz von künstlicher Intelligenz kurz dargestellt.
Das metastasierte nichtkleinzellige Lungenkarzinom im Wandel – Einblick in neue therapeutische Strategien zur Behandlung des NSCLC
Authors: Lips Carolin , Thiel Sebastian , Kollmeier Jens , Blum Torsten Gerriet , Schäfer Monica , Stephan-Falkenau Susann , Streubel Anna , Mairinger Thomas , Bauer Torsten , Misch Daniel
Published: April 2021

Das Lungenkarzinom ist weltweit die häufigste Todesursache unter den Krebserkrankungen. 1 In Deutschland erkrankten im Jahr 2016 etwa 21 500 Frauen und 36 000 Männer an bösartigen Tumoren der Lunge, 16 481 Frauen und 29 324 Männer verstarben an dieser Erkrankung. 2 In den letzten Jahren ist die Bedeutung molekularer Testung von Tumorgewebe bei Patienten mit metastasierten nichtkleinzelligen Lungenkarzinom (NSCLC) immer weiter in den Vordergrund gerückt und bestimmt nunmehr unser therapeutisches Handeln. Neue zielgerichtete Therapiestrategien wie die Tyrosinkinase-Inhibitoren und die Immuntherapie rücken immer weiter in den Fokus und haben die Diagnostik und das Management der Erkrankung über die Jahre revolutioniert. Durch den gezielten Einsatz dieser neuen Substanzen hat sich die Prognose des metastasierten NSCLC dramatisch gewandelt. Besonders Patienten mit aktivierenden Treibermutationen haben von den Entwicklungen der letzten Jahre enorm profitiert. Am Beispiel der EGFR-Mutation und der ALK- Fusion sehen wir Überlebensdaten, die noch vor wenigen Jahren utopisch erschienen.
Sind röntgenologische Scoring-Methoden als Parameter zur
Verlaufsbeurteilung der rheumatoiden Arthritis noch
zeitgemäß?
Authors: Pfeil Alexander , Oelzner Peter , Hoffmann Tobias , Renz Diane M. , Wolf Gunter , Böttcher Joachim
Published: April 2021

Die radiologische Progression beschreibt das Ausmaß der
Gelenkzerstörung im Verlauf einer rheumatoiden Arthritis. Zur
Quantifizierung der radiologischen Progression werden Scoring-Methoden
(z. B. van der Heijde Modifikation des Sharp-Score) eingesetzt. In
verschiedenen Studien zu biologischen- bzw. target-synthetischen Disease
Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs gelang nur unzureichend eine Differenzierung
der radiologischen Progression. Zudem finden die Scores oft keinen
routinemäßigen Einsatz in der klinischen
Entscheidungsfindung. Durch die computerbasierte Analyse von
Handröntgenaufnahmen ist eine valide Quantifizierung der
radiologischen Progression und die zuverlässige Bewertung von
Therapieeffekten möglich. Somit stellen die computerbasierten
Methoden eine vielversprechende Alternative in der Quantifizierung der
radiologischen Progression dar.
UPSIDES Peer-Begleitung – Gemeinsam Krisen
bewältigen
Authors: Haun Maria , Nixdorf Rebecca , Heuer Dr. Imke , Wagner Maria , Bilmayer Stefan , Mahlke Dr. Candelaria , Puschner Prof. Dr. Bernd
Published: April 2021

Im Rahmen von Peer-Begleitung (engl. peer support) erhält eine Person mit einer psychischen Erkrankung Unterstützung von einer Person, die selbst Erfahrung mit Krisen und/oder psychiatrischen Diagnosen gemacht und damit einen guten Umgang gefunden hat. „Peer-Begleiter/innen helfen als Betroffene Betroffenen“, erklärt Stefan Bilmayer, UPSIDES Peer-Begleiter am deutschen Standort Ulm/Günzburg.
Platelet Count Rose While D-Dimer Levels Dropped as Deaths and Thrombosis Declined—An Observational Study on Anticoagulation Shift in COVID-19
Authors: Sjöström Anna , Wersäll Johanna Dehlsen , Warnqvist Anna , Farm Maria , Magnusson Maria , Oldner Anders , Ågren Anna , Antovic Jovan , Bruzelius Maria
Published: April 2021

Background High levels of D-dimer and low platelet counts are associated with poor outcome in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As anticoagulation appeared to improve survival, hospital-wide recommendations regarding higher doses of anticoagulation were implemented on April 9, 2020.

Objectives To investigate if trends in D-dimer levels and platelet counts were associated with death, thrombosis, and the shift in anticoagulation.

Methods Retrospective cohort study of 429 patients with COVID-19 at Karolinska University Hospital. Information on D-dimer levels and platelet counts was obtained from laboratory databases and clinical data from medical records.

Results Thirty-day mortality and thrombosis rates were 19% and 18%, respectively. Pulmonary embolism was common, 65/83 (78%). Increased D-dimer levels in the first week in hospital were significantly associated with death and thrombosis (odds ratio [OR]: 6.06; 95% confidence interval [CL]: 2.10–17.5 and 3.11; 95% CI: 1.20–8.10, respectively). If platelet count increased more than 35 × 109/L per day, the mortality and thrombotic risk decreased (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.06–0.41, and OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.17–0.80). After implementation of updated hospital-wide recommendations, the daily mean significantly decreased regarding D-dimer levels while platelet counts rose; −1.93; 95% CI: −1.00–2.87 mg/L FEU (fibrinogen-equivalent unit) and 65; 95% CI: 54–76 ×109/L, and significant risk reductions for death and thrombosis were observed; OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.25–0.92 and 0.35; 95% CI: 0.17–0.72.

Conclusion In contrast to D-dimer levels, increase of platelet count over the first week in hospital was associated with improved survival and reduced thrombotic risk. The daily mean levels of D-dimer dropped while the platelet counts rose, coinciding with increased anticoagulation and a decline in thrombotic burden and mortality.
Divergent Synthesis of Substituted Amino-1,2,4-triazole Derivatives
Authors: Li Jia-Qi , Qin Zhaohai , Zhao Fenghai , Singh Thishana , Xiao Yumei , Su Wangcang , Yang Dongyan , Jia Changqing
Published: April 2021

A divergent efficient assembly of disubstituted 1,2,4-triazoles was established by cyclization of readily accessible N′-nitro-2-hydrocarbylidene-hydrazinecarboximidamides with moderate to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. This divergent synthetic strategy was achieved simply by varying the reaction conditions. Under acidic conditions, amino-1,2,4-triazoles were obtained by an intramolecular redox reaction involving the NO2 group. Control experiments and DFT studies revealed that this transformation proceeds via an intramolecular 1,3-hydride transfer pathway leading to HNO2 elimination. Under neutral conditions with water as the solvent, nitroimino-1,2,4-triazoles were obtained by oxidative intramolecular annulation under air.
Reversibility of a High-Grade Atrioventricular Block Treated Homeopathically
Authors: Jeggels Herman John Daniel
Published: April 2021

Background A 61-year-old female patient requested a homeopathic therapy as an alternative to a pacemaker for a non-acute myocardial infarction, high-grade atrioventricular node block (HG-AVNB) with a narrow QRS complex.

Methods Homeopathic Digitalis purpurea (Digitalis) was employed to accelerate the patient's heart rate.

Results Digitalis caused within 3 days a pulse rate of about 90 beats per minute (bpm) which is represented on the electrocardiogram (ECG) by an accelerated junctional rhythm (AJR).

The AJR compelled seeking a medicine to reduce its rate. Homeopathic Arsenicum album (Arsenicum) reduced its rate and also seemed to have assisted in the unanticipated recovery of the atrioventricular node (AVN).

Conclusions This case report represents, an ECG documented case of a medical treatment modality which could be an alternative to pacemakers for patients with a HG-AVNB with a narrow QRS complex. Digitalis has been safe and effective during its 3 and a half year employment.
Clip Reconstruction of a Previously Leaked Large Complex Posterior Communicating Segment Aneurysm with Extradural Anterior Clinoidectomy
Authors: Baykal Duygu , Ozaydin Burak , Erginoglu Ufuk , Baskaya Mustafa K.
Published: April 2021

Fusiform or near-fusiform aneurysms that involve the long segment of the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) pose significant challenges to neurovascular surgeons. Involvement of the origin of vital branching arteries in this segment may preclude safe treatment with flow diverting stents. In addition, clip reconstruction may also not be possible in this region due to entire or near-entire involvement of the circumference of the ICA (Fig. 1). In this video article, we present a case of a complex and previously leaked, (visualized with hemosiderin) aneurysm of the posterior communicating segment of the ICA, in a 60-year-old female. Multiple complexities made this aneurysm challenging to treat. These included (1) a 270-degree encirclement of the ICA with multiple lobulations that left only a small section of nondiseased vessel wall, (2) a relatively short segment of the supraclinoidal ICA that made proximal control challenging thus requiring an extradural anterior clinoidectomy, (3) a fetal posterior communicating artery that originated immediately proximal to the beginning of the aneurysm, and lastly, (4) an anterior choroidal artery that was firmly adherent over the aneurysm dome. In this video, we present the microsurgical steps for dealing with this complex aneurysm, including extradural clinoidectomy and clip reconstruction (Fig. 2). Postoperatively, the patient woke up without any deficits. Angiography showed complete obliteration of the aneurysm.

The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/3Zz-ecvlDIc.
Exploring the anharmonic vibrational structure of carbon dioxide trimers
Authors: Ruiz Jesus , Misa Kyle , Seshappan Arabi , Keçeli Murat , Sode Olaseni
Published: April 2021

Our previously developed mbCO2 potential [O. Sode and J. N. Cherry, J. Comput. Chem. 38, 2763 (2017)] is used to describe the vibrational structure of the intermolecular motions of the CO2 trimers: barrel-shaped and cyclic trimers. Anharmonic corrections are accounted for using the vibrational self-consistent field theory, vibrational second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation (VMP2) theory, and vibrational configuration interaction (VCI) methods and compared with experimental observations. For the cyclic structure, we revise the assignments of two previously observed experimental peaks based on our VCI and VMP2 results. We note that the experimental band observed near 13 cm−1 is the out-of-phase out-of-plane degenerate motion with E″ symmetry, while the peak observed at 18 cm−1 likely corresponds to the symmetric out-of-plane torsion A″ vibration. Since the VCI treatment of the vibrational motions accounts for vibrational mixing and delocalization, overtones and combination bands were also observed and quantified in the intermolecular regions of the two trimer isomers.
Progress in mimicking brain microenvironments to understand and treat neurological disorders
Authors: Ngo Mai T. , Harley Brendan A. C.
Published: April 2021

Neurological disorders including traumatic brain injury, stroke, primary and metastatic brain tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide. Disease progression is accompanied by changes in the brain microenvironment, but how these shifts in biochemical, biophysical, and cellular properties contribute to repair outcomes or continued degeneration is largely unknown. Tissue engineering approaches can be used to develop in vitro models to understand how the brain microenvironment contributes to pathophysiological processes linked to neurological disorders and may also offer constructs that promote healing and regeneration in vivo. In this Perspective, we summarize features of the brain microenvironment in normal and pathophysiological states and highlight strategies to mimic this environment to model disease, investigate neural stem cell biology, and promote regenerative healing. We discuss current limitations and resulting opportunities to develop tissue engineering tools that more faithfully recapitulate the aspects of the brain microenvironment for both in vitro and in vivo applications.
Asymptotics of solutions to the problem of fluid outflow from a rectangular duct
Authors: Ostapenko Vladimir V.
Published: April 2021

We investigated the asymptotics of two-dimensional steady solutions simulating the energy-conserving flow in a horizontal duct of finite depth in situations where the flow contains a region spanning the depth of the duct, and a region in which the fluid surface detaches from the ceiling of the duct as a free surface. These asymptotics are constructed using the local hydrostatic approximation, which generalizes the classical long-wave approximation. The initial (zero-order) asymptotics leading to the piecewise constant solutions are obtained from the mass, momentum, and energy conservation laws of the first approximation of shallow water theory. The first-order asymptotics for the liquid depth are constructed using the momentum conservation law of the Green–Nagdi model representing the second approximation of shallow water theory. It is shown that the continuous solution obtained from this asymptotics is in good agreement with the Wilkinson laboratory experiment [D. L. Wilkinson, “Motion of air cavities in long horizontal ducts,” J. Fluid Mech. 118, 109 (1982)] on modeling the energy-conserving steady flow predicted by the classical piecewise constant Benjamin solution [T. B. Benjamin, “Gravity currents and related phenomena,” J. Fluid Mech. 31, 209 (1968)].
Transverse thermoelectric generation using magnetic materials
Authors: Uchida Ken-ichi , Zhou Weinan , Sakuraba Yuya
Published: April 2021

The transverse thermoelectric effect refers to the conversion of a temperature gradient into a transverse charge current, or vice versa, which appears in a conductor under a magnetic field or in a magnetic material with spontaneous magnetization. Among such phenomena, the anomalous Nernst effect in magnetic materials has been receiving increasing attention from the viewpoints of fundamental physics and thermoelectric applications owing to the rapid development of spin caloritronics and topological materials science. In this research trend, a conceptually different transverse thermoelectric conversion phenomenon appearing in thermoelectric/magnetic hybrid materials has been demonstrated, enabling the generation of a large transverse thermopower. Here, we review the recent progress in fundamental and applied studies on the transverse thermoelectric generation using magnetic materials. We anticipate that this perspective will further stimulate research activities on the transverse thermoelectric generation and lead to the development of next-generation thermal energy harvesting and heat-flux sensing technologies.
Lattice Boltzmann simulation of a water droplet penetrating a micropillar array in a microchannel
Authors: Wang Geng , Fei Linlin , Luo Kai H.
Published: April 2021

Water droplets penetrating a microchannel equipped with an array of micropillars are commonly seen in engineering applications, ranging from micro-electro-mechanical systems to macro-heat-transfer facilities. Understanding the detailed droplet dynamics in this process is therefore beneficial to the advancement of many fields of industry. In this study, we adopt a nonorthogonal multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann model to simulate a water droplet penetrating a micropillar array in a microchannel. We first validate our model against the experimental results of (a) off-center impact of a water droplet on a ridged superhydrophobic surface and (b) impact of a water droplet on a curved superhydrophobic surface. Then a comprehensive parametric study is carried out by changing the droplet initial velocity, opening fraction of the micropillar array, and wettability of the micropillar surface. It is found that when the droplet penetrates the micropillar array, its fingering dynamics in the longitudinal direction is governed by the competition between the dynamic and capillary pressures, while the permeation process in the lateral and vertical directions is dominated by the capillary effect. The change of the droplet initial velocity and configuration setup can significantly influence the droplet penetration velocity, maximum wetted surface area, and penetration rate. Finally, a theoretical model is proposed to describe the transient evolution of the droplet penetration mass for a variety of Weber numbers, opening fractions, and static contact angles.
Environmental factors influencing the distribution of the Kangaroo Island dunnart (
Authors: Hohnen Rosemary , Murphy Brett P. , Legge Sarah M. , Dickman Chris R. , Hodgens Pat , Groffen Heidi , Molsher Robyn , Gates Jody P. , Woinarski John C. Z.
Published: April 2021

Determining the factors that drive the distributions of threatened species is often critical for informing effective conservation management actions. Species distribution models can be used to distinguish common habitat features shared by limited historical records and identify other areas where a species might persist. In this study, we built a species distribution model for the Endangered and cryptic Kangaroo Island dunnart (Sminthopsis fuliginosus aitkeni). We fitted generalised linear models using incidental records and presence-absence data from surveys between 1969 and 2018. In the models we included the variables rainfall, percentage native vegetation in the surrounding 2 km2, and post-fire vegetation age. The modelling suggested that rainfall and to a lesser extent post-fire vegetation age are good predictors of dunnart occurrence, with dunnart occurrence greatest in areas of high rainfall (>600 mm) and vegetation age classes <30 years post fire. Potentially suitable habitat for the KI dunnart was predicted to be on the central-western side of Kangaroo Island. These results suggest that careful fire management could benefit the dunnart, and that decreased rainfall (as projected by Australian climate models), will be a threat in the long term. Extensive recent fires on western Kangaroo Island suggest that climate-related threats are already being realised.
Plasticity in daily activity patterns of a key prey species in the Iberian Peninsula to reduce predation risk
Authors: Descalzo Esther , Tobajas Jorge , Villafuerte Rafael , Mateo Rafael , Ferreras Pablo
Published: April 2021

Abstract Context Some prey species can shift their daily activity patterns to reduce the risk of encountering predators, and, in turn, predators develop strategies to increase their chances of meeting prey. European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a key species in Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems. It is the main prey for many vertebrate predators. It is also a game species and is often the target of management measures such as translocations. Aims To test whether rabbits adjust their activity patterns in response to differing predation regimes in a management context. Methods Rabbits were translocated from a donor area, with a high rabbit density, to a release area in central Spain, with a semi-permeable fenced plot and an unfenced plot, which had no rabbits before the translocation. We estimated daily activity patterns and relative abundance index (RAI) for mesocarnivores and rabbits by using camera-traps, and calculated Jacobs selection index (JSI) to classify each species in a diel period. Additionally, we calculated the activity overlap between prey and mesocarnivores in the different areas. Key results Rabbits were nocturnal in the donor area, where only two mesocarnivore species were detected, red fox (Vulpes vulpes, with a high RAI) and Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon, with a low RAI). However, in the unfenced area, where five mesocarnivore species were present, rabbits showed a crepuscular trend with two activity peaks, around sunrise and around sunset. In contrast, rabbits showed a nocturnal activity in the fenced plot, where four mesocarnivore species were detected but where only the Egyptian mongoose (strictly diurnal) had a high RAI value. Conclusions and implications The results suggest that rabbits in the fenced plot adapted their activity to avoid the diurnal mongooses. Conversely, rabbits in unfenced areas showed a trend towards day/twilight activity patterns as an adaptation to a diverse community of mesocarnivores. Rabbits can adapt their daily activity patterns to reduce predation risk depending on the pressure exerted by different predator species, with conservation and management implications. These adaptations would allow higher success of rabbit translocations despite the risk of predation by carnivores and could help in the management design of future translocations of this key species.
A model and test for coordinated polygenic epistasis in complex traits
Authors: Sheppard Brooke , Rappoport Nadav , Loh Po-Ru , Sanders Stephan J. , Zaitlen Noah , Dahl Andy
Published: April 2021

Significance

Systems-level interactions across physiological pathways, cell types, and tissues are core biological elements widely studied across diverse fields including evolution, systems biology, and model-organism genetics. However, they are essentially ignored in human genetics, and existing approaches fail to interpretably explain substantial complex trait heritability. Here, we propose the coordinated epistasis model of complex phenotypes that generalizes several recently proposed theoretical epistatic architectures of human traits. Broadly, coordination measures the degree to which epistasis effects act in concert with respect to marginal effects. It summarizes a dimension of polygenic effects orthogonal to parameters like heritability and standard estimates of epistasis.
Time-dependent heterogeneity leads to transient suppression of the COVID-19 epidemic, not herd immunity
Authors: Tkachenko Alexei V. , Maslov Sergei , Elbanna Ahmed , Wong George N. , Weiner Zachary J. , Goldenfeld Nigel
Published: April 2021

Significance

Epidemics generally spread through a succession of waves that reflect factors on multiple timescales. Here, we develop a general approach bridging across these timescales and demonstrate how to incorporate population heterogeneity into a wide class of epidemiological models. We demonstrate that a fragile state of transient collective immunity emerges during early, high-paced stages of the epidemic, leading to suppression of individual epidemic waves. However, this state is not an indication of lasting herd immunity: Subsequent waves may emerge due to stochastic changes in individual social activity. Parameters of transient collective immunity are estimated using empirical data from the COVID-19 epidemic in several US locations.
Claviceps sorghicola.
Authors:   USA, USDA-ARS
Published: April 2021

C. sorghicola is an ergot pathogen of sorghum only found in Japan to date (2009). The risk of its spread and introduction is limited by the small amount of sorghum grown in Japan and by the lack of airborne secondary conidia. Sclerotia, which are known to germinate, are clearly distinct from, and larger than, seed and could be separated if necessary to prevent contamination of exports. The only alternate host identified to date is the closely related Sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor subsp. drummondii). The use of morphologically resistant cultivars of sorghum and Sudangrass, as well as early sowing, were found to control the disease.
Citrus leprosis virus C (leprosis of citrus).
Authors: Hartung John S. , Guillermo León M.
Published: April 2021

CiLV-C is a quarantine pest which causes an economically important disease, reported only on the American continent. During the past 15 years, it has caused economic losses in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panamá and Honduras. The disease was recently reported in Guatemala, Bolivia, México, Colombia and Belize. It is a threat to citrus-producing countries where the disease has not been reported. The disease can cause 100% yield loss (Rodrigues et al., 2000). CiLV does not appear to move systemically in the host plant but can move short distances from a grafted shoot tip to the adjacent scion tissue. Accordingly, movement in latently infected planting material is not likely to be a major pathway for CiLV-C because of its non-systemic infection, CiLV-C can only be important where attacks by its vector mites are significant. The main means of movement and dispersal of the virus is via the vector mites of the genus Brevipalpus, which colonize most species of Citrus and many other plant species.
Sternochetus mangiferae (mango seed weevil).
Authors: Peng Ren-kang
Published: April 2021

S. mangiferae is a monophagous pest on mangoes. It is one of the most important mango pests and widespread in most mango-growing countries. Adults usually emerge after fruits fall and enter a diapause until the following fruiting season. Long-range dispersal occurs through the transport of fruit, seeds, seedlings and/or cuttings containing larvae, pupae or adults. The greatest damage caused by this pest is to interfere with fruit export because of quarantine restrictions. The damaged fruits have obvious hard, amber-coloured, protective resin marks over eggs on the fruit skin, often resulting in fruits being downgraded. For late-maturing cultivars, emerging adults can cause post-harvest damage to the fruit flesh. S. mangiferae infestation can increase fruit drop during early fruit development, and reduce the germination capacity of seeds.
Pieris brassicae (large cabbage white).
Authors: Firake D. M.
Published: April 2021

P. brassicae is an oligophagous insect that feeds on members of family Brassicaceae (Lal and Ram, 2004; Younas et al., 2004; Hwang et al., 2008; Hasan and Ansari, 2010; 2011). Damage to cabbage heads has been reported to be as high as 70-98% (Prasad, 1961; 1963).
Thaumetopoea processionea (oak processionary moth).
Authors: Beverley Claire
Published: April 2021

T. processionea, commonly known as the oak processionary moth, is a major pest in many European countries and threatens the health of oak trees. The common and scientific names of T. processionea refer to the behaviour of the larvae to form long processions. The larvae cause severe defoliation, reducing the viability of oak trees. They also pose a risk to both human and animal health because they shed poisonous hairs, which can result in severe allergic reactions, amongst other health problems. The moth is native to central and southern Europe but is now present in almost all European countries and also in parts of the Middle East. EPPO issued a Pest Risk Analysis in 2007 for the UK in response to infestations of the species in Europe from 2006. At this time, infestations of the moth were observed on a range of oak (Quercus) species in London. The adult males are strong fliers and can fly long distances, such as from France to the UK (Evans, 2007). Host plants of this pest include many species of deciduous Quercus, and to a much lesser degree, Betula, Carpinus, Castanea, Corylus, Crataegus, Robinia and Fagus; plants commonly found in forests, woods or ornamental plantations in the UK, for example (Evans, 2007). Therefore, areas where these plants are present and offer a suitable climate for pest development are likely to be under threat from T. processionea. Various pines have been reported as hosts, but such records are suspect and are probably the result of confusion with the pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa).
Trioza erytreae (African citrus psyllid).
Authors: Arengo Esther
Published: April 2021

The invasive African psyllid, Trioza erytrea, transmits the causal agent of the African form of citrus huanglongbing (greening) disease, Liberibacter africanum, a very destructive disease of citrus plants. It does this under natural conditions in Africa and the Middle East, and has been shown experimentally to transmit the Asian form, Liberibacter asiaticum. The psyllid itself severely distorts leaves, which become stunted and galled. T. erytreae affects species in the family Rutaceae, occurring on wild hosts as well as on Citrus species. T. erytreae is listed as an A1 quarantine pest by EPPO (OEPP/EPPO, 1988) and is also a quarantine pest for CPPC and OIRSA. The importation of plants for planting and cut branches of citrus from countries where either citrus greening bacterium or either of its vectors occur has been prohibited (OEPP/EPPO, 1990). T. erytreae occurs in Africa and parts of the Middle East but could probably establish and spread in Mediterranean countries without difficulty. Besides its role in citrus greening, the psyllid has itself significant damage potential.
Anastrepha grandis (South American cucurbit fruit fly).
Authors: Norrbom Allen
Published: April 2021

A. grandis is a pest of various cultivated species of Cucurbitaceae, especially pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.), squash (Cucurbita spp.) and melon [Cucumis melo]. It occurs in the Andean countries, Paraguay, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina. It has been intercepted at ports in the USA, indicating its potential for spread via infested fruits.
Introduction: policy integration and institutional capacity: theoretical, conceptual and empirical challenges
Authors: Domorenok Ekaterina , Graziano Paolo , Polverari Laura
Published: April 2021

The issue of institutional capacity has received increased attention in the research on policy integration, bringing about the proliferation of conceptions aimed at capturing the linkage between cross-sectoral aspects of policy designs and the specific attributes that governmental institutions and processes should possess in order to effectively formulate and implement integrated policies. This article contributes to reducing conceptual and analytical fragmentation in this field by elaborating on the different dimensions which compose the broadly defined ‘institutional capacity’ and outlining its link with policy integration. More specifically, our objective is threefold. First, we elaborate on the theoretical and conceptual accounts of institutional capacity with particular regard to integrated policy designs, suggesting an analytical framework that unpacks the different dimensions of institutional capacity through a range of empirical indicators. Second, we discuss the analytical, conceptual and empirical challenges that arise with the study of institutional capacities for policy integration, drawing also on the main findings provided by the contributions to the Thematic Issue. Third, we suggest some promising venues for future research and collect a number of policy-relevant recommendations on institutional capacity, policy integration and policy effectiveness.
Recognition of RNA by the S9.6 antibody creates pervasive artifacts when imaging RNA:DNA hybrids
Authors: Smolka John A. , Sanz Lionel A. , Hartono Stella R. , Chédin Frédéric
Published: April 2021

The S9.6 antibody is broadly used to detect RNA:DNA hybrids but has significant affinity for double-stranded RNA. The impact of this off-target RNA binding activity has not been thoroughly investigated, especially in the context of immunofluorescence microscopy. We report that S9.6 immunofluorescence signal observed in fixed human cells arises predominantly from ribosomal RNA, not RNA:DNA hybrids. S9.6 staining was unchanged by pretreatment with the RNA:DNA hybrid–specific nuclease RNase H1, despite verification in situ that S9.6 recognized RNA:DNA hybrids and that RNase H1 was active. S9.6 staining was, however, significantly sensitive to RNase T1, which specifically degrades RNA. Additional imaging and biochemical data indicate that the prominent cytoplasmic and nucleolar S9.6 signal primarily derives from ribosomal RNA. Importantly, genome-wide maps obtained by DNA sequencing after S9.6-mediated DNA:RNA immunoprecipitation (DRIP) are RNase H1 sensitive and RNase T1 insensitive. Altogether, these data demonstrate that imaging using S9.6 is subject to pervasive artifacts without pretreatments and controls that mitigate its promiscuous recognition of cellular RNAs.
Study for a lab-made Moiré pattern-based thread counter
Authors: Liu Yifan , Wang Jin , Li Wenhua , Wen Xiaoqing
Published: April 2021

The 32nd International Young Physicists’ Tournament (IYPT), a physics competition for students in schools, settled up a problem for the Moiré thread counter. The problem mentioned to design an overlay to measure the thread count of the fabric. In this paper, we made one kind of Moiré pattern-based thread counter by printing the designed overlay on the plastic paper. As a contrast, we also constructed a self-made CCD camera assisted imaging system and studied the thread count. We used a 1951 USAF resolution test chart and MATLAB software for imaging analysis. Ten kinds of simple cloth were prepared, and their thread count measured. The results and the accuracy of the two methods were discussed.
Smartphone-based surface plasmon resonance imaging for near-field concentration mapping
Authors: Preechaburana Pakorn , Amloy Supaluck
Published: April 2021

In this work, smartphone-based surface plasmon resonance imaging is used for the near-field mapping of a liquid sample’s concentration distribution. The principal design uses a special coupler based on a parallel incident light beam with p-polarization from a smartphone screen; this light is used to excite surface plasmons on a gold layer 50 nm thick. Using a bespoke application, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) intensity changes are detected in the SPR images captured with the front-facing camera. The SPR intensity is converted to the corresponding concentration using the three-layer Fresnel equation. Concentration mapping observations are presented for the dilution of ethanol dilution by water in a flow cell and an array of chlorine droplets on a gold surface. The high efficiency of this device means that it can be used for photonics research and advanced laboratory experiments.
University students’ conceptual understanding of microscopic models of electrical and thermal conduction in solids
Authors: Erceg Nataša , Jelovica Lejla , Hrepić Zdeslav , Mešić Vanes , Karuza Marin , Aviani Ivica
Published: April 2021

Teaching the concepts of electrical and thermal transport in solids begins in elementary school through simple macroscopic models and progressively develops to microscopic quantum models within specialized university courses. Educational research has pointed to a number of misconceptions in this field, especially when it comes to understanding related phenomena at the microscopic level. This study aimed to design an appropriate open-ended version of the concept inventory to test the level of students’ understanding of microscopic models of electrical and thermal conduction in solids (METCS). The METCS concept inventory consists of 27 open-ended questions that examine the understanding of different and interrelated concepts. We used it as a tool for conducting interviews on a sample of ten students from the universities of Rijeka and Split (Croatia). The results of our research confirmed some previously discovered students’ misconceptions and revealed a wide range of new ones. These results can be used to stimulate student discussions and to design curricula and lecture plans for more efficient teaching of transport phenomena in solids. The obtained spectrum of misconceptions will serve as a reference tool for the development of a multiple-choice conceptual METCS test to allow research on larger sample.
Computed tomography with view angle estimation using uncertainty quantification
Authors: Brogaard Riis Nicolai André , Dong Yiqiu , Hansen Per Christian
Published: April 2021

We consider computed tomography (CT) with uncertain measurement geometry, with a focus on the case where the view angles are uncertain and where estimation of these angles improves the reconstruction. We propose a new reconstruction model and a corresponding algorithm that has an additional view-angle estimation component, allowing us to determine the angles solely from the measured CT data. A key component of our approach is that we quantify the uncertainty of the view angles via a model-discrepancy formulation, allowing us to take the uncertainty into account in the image reconstruction. This approach generalizes in a straightforward way to other cases of uncertain geometry. Our method is computationally efficient since we can utilize a block-structure of the computational problem for estimation of both the CT image and the view angles under the assumption that the view angles are independent. The joint image/angle reconstruction problem is non-convex which leads to difficulties in recently proposed algorithms, and we demonstrate numerically that our method seems to avoid these difficulties. Simulations show that our method, with a total variation prior that reflects our phantoms, is able to achieve reconstructions whose quality is similar to ones obtained with the correct view angles (the ideal scenario).
Applicability of optical emission spectroscopy techniques for characterization of Ar and Ar/O2 discharges
Authors: Nikolić M , Sepulveda I , Gonzalez C , Khogeer N , Fernandez-Monteith M
Published: April 2021

Here we explore the accuracy and applicability of two readily—available, low cost techniques: (a) a branching fraction method and (b) an extended corona method (ECM). A three dimensional Monte Carlo simulation was developed to obtain the electron energy distribution function, a necessary parameter in the extended corona model, and we discuss its dependence on oxygen percentage and discharge pressure. The experiment was conducted with a 13.56 MHz radio-frequency capacitive discharge in Ar and Ar with 10% and 20% O2. Absolute densities of argon resonant 1 s4 and metastable 1 s5 energy levels were calculated at various pressures, powers, and positions inside the resulting plasma using both methods. The ECM was also used for calculation of electron temperature and electron density under the same plasma parameters. Results showed that in pure argon, both methods present a good, inexpensive choice for plasma characterization.
Application of machine learning for the estimation of electron energy distribution from optical emission spectra
Authors: Shojaei Kamran , Mangolini Lorenzo
Published: April 2021

This paper discusses the use of probabilistic deep neural networks for the prediction of the electron energy probability function in low-temperature non-thermal plasmas. The neural networks are trained using optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe measurements, with the goal of providing a reliable estimate of the electron energy probability function solely from optical emission data. The performance of both non-Bayesian and Bayesian networks is evaluated. It is found that Bayesian models are preferable as they assign a higher level of uncertainty to their prediction especially when the dataset used to train them is small. This work describes one of the many potential applications of machine learning in plasma science and technology.
Temporal dynamics of femtosecond-TALIF of atomic hydrogen and oxygen in a nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharge-assisted methane–air flame
Authors: Ding Pengji , Ruchkina Maria , Del Cont-Bernard Davide , Ehn Andreas , Lacoste Deanna A , Bood Joakim
Published: April 2021

The temporal dynamics of the spatial distribution of atomic hydrogen and oxygen in a lean methane–air flame, forced by a nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharge-induced plasma, are investigated via femtosecond two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence technique. Plasma luminescence that interferes with the fluorescence from H and O atoms was observed to decay completely within 15 ns, which is the minimum delay required for imaging measurements with respect to the discharge occurrence. During discharge, H atoms in the excited state rather than the ground state, produced by electron-impact dissociation processes, are detected at the flame front. It was found that the temporal evolution of H and O fluorescence intensity during a cycle of 100 µs between two discharge pulses remains constant. Finally, the decay time of O-atoms produced by the discharge in the fresh methane–air mixture was about 2 µs, which suggests a faster reaction between O-atoms and methane than in air.