bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nudging Axially Compressed Cylindrical Panels Toward Imperfection Insensitivity
Authors: Cox B. S. , Groh R. M. J. , Pirrera A.
Published: March 2019

Curved shell structures are known for their excellent load-carrying capability and are commonly used in thin-walled constructions. Although theoretically able to withstand greater buckling loads than flat structures, shell structures are notoriously sensitive to imperfections owing to their postbuckling behavior often being governed by subcritical bifurcations. Thus, shell structures often buckle at significantly lower loads than those predicted numerically and the ensuing dynamic snap to another equilibrium can lead to permanent damage. Furthermore, the strong sensitivity to initial imperfections, as well as their stochastic nature, limits the predictive capability of current stability analyses. Our objective here is to convert the subcritical nature of the buckling event to a supercritical one, thereby improving the reliability of numerical predictions and mitigating the possibility of catastrophic failure. We explore the elastically nonlinear postbuckling response of axially compressed cylindrical panels using numerical continuation techniques. These analyses show that axially compressed panels exhibit a highly nonlinear and complex postbuckling behavior with many entangled postbuckled equilibrium curves. We unveil isolated regions of stable equilibria in otherwise unstable postbuckled regimes, which often possess greater load-carrying capacity. By modifying the initial geometry of the panel in a targeted—rather than stochastic—and imperceptible manner, the postbuckling behavior of these shells can be tailored without a significant increase in mass. These findings provide new insight into the buckling and postbuckling behavior of shell structures and opportunities for modifying and controlling their postbuckling response for enhanced efficiency and functionality.
Dynamic Stress Analysis of Multilayered Structure With Radial Gaps of Cylindrical Pressure Vessel Under Plane Strain Conditions
Authors: Liu Huadong , Wang Weiqiang
Published: March 2019

Radial gaps were found in multilayered cylindrical vessels which experience inner explosion accidents in chemical plants in the past few years worldwide. It is necessary to investigate the dynamic response of multilayered structures with radial gaps to ensure the vessel safety. This paper presented a numerical modeling of the dynamic response of a multilayered structure with radial gaps of cylindrical pressure vessel under plane strain conditions by using the ANSYS/ls-dyna package. The effects of the dynamic loading profile and the radial gap height are considered in the investigation. The stress spatial distribution, the stress and the plastic deformation variation curves with time are emphatically analyzed. The results show that the stress variation of the entire loading process can be divided into four stages: the oscillation stage, the yield stage, the fast increase stage, and the redistribution stage. The layer stress distributes discontinuously at the gaps between layers and distributes unevenly in any single layer. The inner layer stress is not always larger than the outer layers' during the whole loading process. The effect of loading profile on the dynamic response is not as obvious as the gap height. As the gap height increases, the stress oscillation stage is suppressed and becomes shorter. While the loading recovers to the operation pressure, the stress and the plastic deformation of inner layers increases and vice versa for the outer layers.
Splenogonadal fusion evaluation using Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound and Elastography. A case report.
Authors: Grosu Sergio , Rübenthaler Johannes , Knösel Thomas , Trottmann Matthias , Marcon Julian , Clevert Dirk-Andre
Published: March 2019

We present the case of splenogonadal fusion in a 53-year-old male patient assessed by ultrasound and MRI, confirmed by pathologic examination. In addition to B-mode and colour-coded Doppler ultrasound, shear wave elastography and CEUS were performed and are presented in detail. Splenogonadal fusion is a rare congenital anomaly presumably caused by an abnormal attachment of splenic tissue to the gonad during gestation. Diagnosis is challenging for clinicians and in unclear cases splenogonadal fusion might cause unnecessary orchiectomies with benign pathologic results. Ultrasound is the first-line imaging modality in the diagnosis of testicular pathologies. This case report summarizes all available modern ultrasound imagingtechnologies and highlights the possibilities for the diagnosis of splenogonadal fusion.
Remote acoustic illumination using time reversal and a surface ship
Authors: Song H. C. , Byun Gihoon , Kim J. S.
Published: March 2019

Time-reversal (TR) transmission of the Green's function between a time-reversal mirror (TRM) and a probe source (PS) in an acoustic waveguide produces a spatio-temporal focus at the PS location. The TR focus then behaves as a virtual point source in the outbound direction with respect to the TRM. Further, a collection of adjacent TR focuses may constitute a virtual source array (VSA) that can serve as a remote platform, redirecting the focused field to a selected location beyond the VSA for which the Green's function is not available a priori. The practical limitation to the VSA implementation, however, is the requirement of a PS at multiple adjacent locations to obtain the Green's functions between TRM and VSA. Alternatively, this work proposes the use of a surface ship radiating broadband noise as a PS in conjunction with the waveguide invariant theory, instantly generating a horizontal VSA. The feasibility of remote acoustic illumination using a ship and a TRM is demonstrated using numerical simulations in shallow water.
Incidence and Force Application of Head Impacts in Men’s Lacrosse: A Pilot Study
Authors: Rosene John M. , Merritt Christian , Wirth Nick R. , Nguyen Daniel
Published: March 2019

Subconcussive head impacts in sport may have a greater impact on neurological degradation versus concussive hits given the repetitive nature of these head impacts. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the frequency, magnitude, and location of head impacts in an NCAA Division III men’s lacrosse team. There was no significant difference (p ≤ .05) in peak linear acceleration, peak rotational acceleration, and peak rotational velocity between games and practices. There was no significant difference (p ≤ .05) for PLA among player position and location of head impact. The quantity and intensity of subconcussive head impacts between practices and games were similar. These multiple subconcussive head impacts have the potential to lead to future neurological impairments.
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis in a Women’s Tennis Athlete: A Case Report
Authors: Henderson Kelley D. , Manspeaker Sarah A. , Stubblefield Zevon
Published: March 2019

A 19-year-old female tennis athlete with a history of hypohydration presented with cottonmouth, tunnel vision, and muscle cramping following an in-season tennis match. The patient was referred to the emergency department where she was subsequently diagnosed with exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER). Both clinical presentation and laboratory values are pertinent considerations leading to the diagnosis of ER. Specifically, creatine kinase (CK) levels and urine-specific gravity (USG) should be monitored during treatment and recovery, particularly in patients seeking to return to activity. This case presents a unique case of ER in a female individual sport athlete as well as a documented protocol for return to activity supported by current evidence.
Deficiency of Athletic Trainers in California Secondary Schools
Authors: Pryor Riana R. , Runestad Summer , Chong Gum Bethany A. , Fuller Nathan J. , Kang Moon , Beck Jennifer J.
Published: March 2019

Athletic trainers (ATs) prevent and treat sport-related and catastrophic injuries due to physical activity. However, not all secondary schools hire ATs to provide medical care. The purpose of this study was to determine athletic training services available in California secondary schools. Approximately half (51%, 143/278) of California secondary schools reported hiring an AT, however, only 35% (87/251) of schools hired a certified AT. Schools without an AT most commonly hired a paramedic, emergency medical technician, coach, or athletic director to provide medical care. Nearly two-thirds of California secondary schools lack an AT, dramatically fewer schools than the nationwide average of 70% of public and 58% of private secondary schools with a certified AT.
The Effect of Manipulating Individual Consequences and Training Demands on Experiences of Pressure With Elite Disability Shooters
Authors: Stoker Mike , Maynard Ian , Butt Joanne , Hays Kate , Hughes Paul
Published: March 2019

In previous research, multiple demands and consequences were manipulated simultaneously to examine methods for pressure training. Building on literature, in this study a single demand or consequence stressor was manipulated in isolation. Specifically, in a matched within-subject design, 6 international shooters (mean age 28.67 yr) performed a shooting task while exposed to a single demand (task, performer, environmental) or consequence (reward, forfeit, judgment) stressor. Perceived pressure, anxiety (intensity and direction), and performance were measured. Compared with baseline, manipulating demands did not affect pressure or anxiety. In contrast, pressure and cognitive anxiety significantly increased when judgment or forfeit consequence stressors were introduced. Thus, the findings lack support for manipulating demands but strongly support introducing consequences when pressure training. Compared with baseline, the judgment stressor also created debilitative anxiety. Hence, in terms of introducing a single stressor, judgment appeared most impactful and may be most effective for certain athlete populations.
Sport Psychology Consultants’ Perspectives on Facilitating Sport-Injury-Related Growth
Authors: Wadey Ross , Roy-Davis Kylie , Evans Lynne , Howells Karen , Salim Jade , Diss Ceri
Published: March 2019

Despite recent conceptual, methodological, and theoretical advancements in sport-injury-related growth (SIRG), there is no research on sport psychology consultants’ (SPCs) experiential knowledge of working with injured athletes to facilitate SIRG. Toward this end, this study examined SPCs’ perspectives on facilitating SIRG to provide an evidence base for professional practice. Participants (4 female, 6 male; mean 19 years’ applied experience) were purposefully sampled and interviewed. Transcripts were thematically analyzed. Methodological rigor and generalizability were maximized through self-reflexivity and eliciting external reflections. Five themes were identified: Hear the Story, Contextualize the Story, Reconstruct the Story, Live the Story, and Share the Story. Findings offer practitioners a novel approach to working with injured athletes. Rather than focusing on returning to preinjury level of functioning, the findings illustrate how SPCs can work with injured athletes to help transform injury into an opportunity to bring about positive change.
Agonist-selective NOP receptor phosphorylation correlates in vitro and in vivo and reveals differential post-activation signaling by chemically diverse agonists
Authors: Mann Anika , Moulédous Lionel , Froment Carine , O’Neill Patrick R. , Dasgupta Pooja , Günther Thomas , Brunori Gloria , Kieffer Brigitte L. , Toll Lawrence , Bruchas Michael R. , Zaveri Nurulain T. , Schulz Stefan
Published: March 2019

New antibodies to the opioid receptor NOP reveal the signaling diversity of its agonists.
Serum IgM Glycosylation Associated with Tuberculosis Infection in Mice
Authors: Kumagai Tadahiro , Palacios Ainhoa , Casadevall Arturo , García M. Jesús , Toro Carlos , Tiemeyer Michael , Prados-Rosales Rafael
Published: March 2019

We demonstrate that
M. tuberculosis
infection influenced host protein glycosylation in a mouse model. The mechanism by which infection modifies glycans in serum proteins is not understood. Investigation of the regulation of such modifications by
M. tuberculosis
opens a new field that could lead to the discovery of novel biomarkers. Validation of such findings in human samples will reveal the clinical relevance of these findings.
Thyroglossal duct cyst masquerading as a laryngocele
Authors: Booth Renee , Tilak Ashwini Milind , Mukherjee Sugoto , Daniero James
Published: March 2019

Thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) are the most common congenital neck mass and often present in the paediatric population as a painless mass in the midline. A lateralised neck mass presenting for the first time in an adult may raise more concern for malignancy or a laryngocele. A 50-year-old man presented with an asymptomatic right level II neck mass adjacent to the thyroid cartilage. Preoperative CT revealed a cystic mass right of the midline with an intralaryngeal component. Intraoperatively, the lesion tracked towards the central hyoid bone; a Sistrunk procedure was performed. Postoperative pathology revealed a small foci of thyroid tissue within the mass. Careful consideration of the origin of this unusually presenting TGDC enabled appropriate operative management.
Familial hemiplegic migraine in a child with seizure disorder: clinical history is the key to diagnosis
Authors: Balakrishnan Pranav , Katakam Phalguna Kousika , Hegde Asha P
Published: March 2019

Headache is a common presenting complaint in the paediatric population, with often migraine being a clinical diagnosis. Hemiplegic migraine is characterised by aura, sudden onset weakness of one side of the body which usually recovers without any residual neurological deficit. We report a child with a history of seizure disorder, well controlled and off medication for 3 years, who presented with a headache, aura and transient hemiplegia. Similar history in the patient’s mother suggests the diagnosis of familial hemiplegic migraine. We would like to emphasise the importance of detailed history as an important aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders in children.
Body mass index and all cause mortality in HUNT and UK Biobank studies: linear and non-linear mendelian randomisation analyses
Authors: Sun Yi-Qian , Burgess Stephen , Staley James R , Wood Angela M , Bell Steven , Kaptoge Stephen K , Guo Qi , Bolton Thomas R , Mason Amy M , Butterworth Adam S , Di Angelantonio Emanuele , Vie Gunnhild Å , Bjørngaard Johan H , Kinge Jonas Minet , Chen Yue , Mai Xiao-Mei
Published: March 2019

Editor’s Note
on Methodological Criticism and an Updated Analysis

Objective

To investigate the shape of the causal relation between body mass index (BMI) and mortality.

Design

Linear and non-linear mendelian randomisation analyses.

Setting

Nord-Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study (Norway) and UK Biobank (United Kingdom).

Participants

Middle to early late aged participants of European descent: 56 150 from the HUNT Study and 366 385 from UK Biobank.

Main outcome measures

All cause and cause specific (cardiovascular, cancer, and non-cardiovascular non-cancer) mortality.

Results

12 015 and 10 344 participants died during a median of 18.5 and 7.0 years of follow-up in the HUNT Study and UK Biobank, respectively. Linear mendelian randomisation analyses indicated an overall positive association between genetically predicted BMI and the risk of all cause mortality. An increase of 1 unit in genetically predicted BMI led to a 5% (95% confidence interval 1% to 8%) higher risk of mortality in overweight participants (BMI 25.0-29.9) and a 9% (4% to 14%) higher risk of mortality in obese participants (BMI ≥30.0) but a 34% (16% to 48%) lower risk in underweight (BMI <18.5) and a 14% (−1% to 27%) lower risk in low normal weight participants (BMI 18.5-19.9). Non-linear mendelian randomisation indicated a J shaped relation between genetically predicted BMI and the risk of all cause mortality, with the lowest risk at a BMI of around 22-25 for the overall sample. Subgroup analyses by smoking status, however, suggested an always-increasing relation of BMI with mortality in never smokers and a J shaped relation in ever smokers.

Conclusions

The previously observed J shaped relation between BMI and risk of all cause mortality appears to have a causal basis, but subgroup analyses by smoking status revealed that the BMI-mortality relation is likely comprised of at least two distinct curves, rather than one J shaped relation. An increased risk of mortality for being underweight was only evident in ever smokers.
No such thing as bad publicity? A quantitative content analysis of print media representations of primary care out-of-hours services
Authors: Foster Hamish , Macdonald Sara , Patterson Chris , O’Donnell Catherine A
Published: March 2019

Objective

To explore how out-of-hours primary healthcare services (OOHS) are represented in UK national newspapers, focusing on content and tone of reporting and the use of personal narratives to frame stories.

Design

A retrospective cross-sectional quantitative content analysis of articles published in 2005, 2010 and 2015.

Data sources

Nexis database used to search 10 UK national newspapers covering quality, middle-market and tabloid publications.

Inclusion/exclusion criteria

All articles containing the terms ‘out-of-hours’ (≥3 mentions per article) or (‘NHS 24’ OR ‘NHS 111’ OR ‘NHS Direct’) AND ‘out-of-hours’ (≥1 mention per article) were included. Letters, duplicate news items, opinion pieces and articles without a substantial portion of the story (>50% of an article’s word count, as judged by researchers) concerning OOHS were excluded.

Results

332 newspaper articles were identified: 113 in 2005 (34.1%), 140 in 2010 (42.2%) and 79 in 2015 (23.8%). Of these, 195 (58.7%) were in quality newspapers, 99 (29.8%) in middle-market and 38 (11.3%) in tabloids. The most commonly reported themes were OOHS organisation, personal narratives and telephone triage. Stories about service-level crises and personal tragedy, including unsafe doctors and missed or delayed identification of rare conditions, predominated. The majority of articles (252, 75.9%) were negative in tone. This was observed for all included newspapers and by publication genre; middle-market newspapers had the highest percentage of negative articles (Pearson χ2=35.72, p<0.001). Articles presented little supporting contextual information, such as call rates per annum, or advice on how to access OOHS.

Conclusion

In this first reported analysis of UK national newspaper coverage of OOHS, media representation is generally negative in tone, with frequent reports of ‘negative exemplars’ of OOHS crises and fatal individual patient cases with little or no contextualisation. We present recommendations for the future reporting of OOHS, which could apply to the reporting of healthcare services more generally.
Safety and survival data in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treated with nintedanib: pooled data from six clinical trials
Authors: Lancaster Lisa , Crestani Bruno , Hernandez Paul , Inoue Yoshikazu , Wachtlin Daniel , Loaiza Lazaro , Quaresma Manuel , Stowasser Susanne , Richeldi Luca
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Nintedanib slows disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by reducing the rate of decline in forced vital capacity, with an adverse event profile that is manageable for most patients. We used data from six clinical trials to characterise the safety and tolerability profile of nintedanib and to investigate its effects on survival.

Methods

Data from patients treated with ≥1 dose of nintedanib 150 mg two times per day or placebo in the 52-week TOMORROW trial and/or its open-label extension; the two 52-week INPULSIS trials and/or their open-label extension, INPULSIS-ON; and a Phase IIIb trial with a placebo-controlled period of ≥6 months followed by open-label nintedanib were pooled. All adverse events, irrespective of causality, were included in descriptive analyses. Parametric survival distributions were fit to pooled Kaplan-Meier survival data from the trials and extrapolated to estimate long-term survival.

Results

There were 1126 patients in the pooled nintedanib group and 565 patients in the pooled placebo group. The mean duration of nintedanib treatment was 28 months. No new safety signals were observed. Incidence rates of bleeding, liver enzyme elevations and cardiovascular events were consistent with those observed in the INPULSIS trials. Diarrhoea was reported at a lower event rate in the pooled nintedanib group than in nintedanib-treated patients in the INPULSIS trials (76.5 vs 112.6 events per 100 patient exposure-years) and infrequently led to permanent treatment discontinuation (3.6 events per 100 patient exposure-years). Based on the Weibull distribution, mean (95% CI) survival was estimated as 11.6 (9.6, 14.1) years in nintedanib-treated patients and 3.7 (2.5, 5.4) years in placebo-treated patients.

Conclusions

Based on pooled data from six clinical trials, the adverse event profile of nintedanib was manageable for most patients. Exploratory analyses based on extrapolation of survival data suggest that nintedanib extends life expectancy in patients with IPF.
Fractional flow reserve derived from microcatheters versus standard pressure wires: a stenosis-level meta-analysis
Authors: Seligman Henry , Shun-Shin Matthew J , Vasireddy Anushkumar , Cook Christopher , Ahmad Yousif Y , Howard James , Sen Sayan , Al-Lamee Rasha , Nijjer Sukhjinder , Chamie Daniel , Davies Justin , Mayet Jamil , Francis Darrel P , Petraco Ricardo
Published: March 2019

Aims

To determine the agreement between sensor-tipped microcatheter (MC) and pressure wire (PW)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR).

Methods and results

Studies comparing FFR obtained from MC (FFRMC, Navvus Microcatheter System, ACIST Medical Systems, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA) versus standard PW (FFRPW) were identified, and a meta-analysis of numerical and categorical agreement was performed. The relative levels of drift and device failure of MC and PW systems from each study were assessed. Six studies with 440 lesions (413 patients) were included. The mean overall bias between FFRMCand FFRPWwas −0.029 (FFRMClower). Bias and variance were greater for lesions with lower FFRPW(p<0.001). Using a cut-off of 0.80, 18 % of lesions were reclassified by FFRMCversus FFRPW(with 15 % being false positives). The difference in reported drift between FFRPWand FFRMCwas small. Device failure was more common with MC than PW (7.1% vs 2%).

Conclusion

FFRMCsystematically overestimates lesion severity, with increased bias in more severe lesions. Using FFRMCchanges revascularisation guidance in approximately one out of every five cases. PW drift was similar between systems. Device failure was higher with MC.
Pacing therapy in the management of unexplained syncope: a tertiary care centre prospective study
Authors: Yasa Ekrem , Ricci Fabrizio , Holm Hannes , Persson Torbjörn , Melander Olle , Sutton Richard , Hamrefors Viktor , Fedorowski Artur
Published: March 2019

Objective

Pacemaker (PM) therapy is effective when syncope is associated with bradycardia, but syncope recurrences and fall injuries after PM implantation may occur. We aimed to survey indications and outcomes of PM implantation, following evaluation of unexplained syncope.

Methods

Among 1666 consecutive unpaced patients investigated in a tertiary syncope unit by carotid-sinus massage (CSM), head-up tilt test (HUT) and ECG monitoring, 106 (6.4%; age, 65 ± 17 years) received a PM. We assessed bradycardia detection methods, PM implantation indications, and explored incidence of recurrent syncope, fall-related fractures and mortality.

Results

Indications for PM therapy were met in 32/106 patients (30%) by CSM, in 41/106 (39%) by HUT, in 14/106 patients (13%) by implantable loop-recorder (ILR) and in 19/106 (18%) by standard ECG. Sinus arrest with asystole was the predominant PM indication during CSM/HUT and external ECG monitoring, whereas ILR detected proportionally the same numbers o f asystole due to sinus arrest and atrioventricular block. During follow-up (median, 4.3 years), 15 patients (14%) had syncope recurrence, 15 suffered fall-related fractures and 9 died. Neither syncope recurrence nor fall-related fractures were dependent on initial PM indication. The composite endpoint of recurrent syncope/fall-related fracture was associated with treated hypertension (OR 2.45; 95% CI 1.00 to 6.0), reduced glomerular filtration rate (OR 1.63 per 10 mL/min↓; 95% CI 1.22 to 2.19) and atrial fibrillation (OR 3.98; 95% CI 1.11 to 14.3). Recurrent syncope predicted increased mortality (OR 9.20; 95% CI 1.89 to 44.8).

Conclusions

Cardiovascular autonomic testing and ECG monitoring effectively identify pacing indications in patients with unexplained syncope. After PM implantation, treated hypertension, renal failure and atrial fibrillation predict syncope recurrence and fall-related injury. Recurrent syncope predicts increased mortality.
Hydromechanical modeling of granular soils considering internal erosion
Authors: Yang Jie , Yin Zhen-Yu , Laouafa Farid , Hicher Pierre-Yves
Published: March 2019

This paper attempts to formulate a coupled practical model in the framework of continuum mechanics to evaluate the phenomenon of internal erosion and its consequences on the mechanical behavior of soils. For this purpose, a four-constituent numerical approach has been developed to describe the internal erosion process. The detachment and transport of the fine particles have been described by a mass exchange formulation between the solid and fluid phases. The stress–strain relationship of the soil is represented by a nonlinear incremental model. Based on experimental data, this constitutive model has been enhanced by the introduction of a fines content–dependent critical state, which allows accounting for the influence of fines on soil deformation and strength. The applicability of the practical approach to capture the main features of the internal erosion process and its impact on the mechanical behavior of the eroded soil have been validated by comparing numerical and experimental results of internal erosion tests on Hong Kong completely decomposed granite (HK-CDG) mixtures, which demonstrated that the practical model was able to reproduce, with reasonable success, the experimental data. Furthermore, the influence of the stress state, the initial soil density, and the initial fraction of fines have been analyzed through numerical simulations using the proposed model.
Further detrital zircon evidence for peri-Gondwanan blocks in the central Appalachian Piedmont Province, USA
Authors: Martin Aaron J. , Bosbyshell Howell
Published: March 2019

Evidence for exotic terranes in the central Appalachian Piedmont Province is fragmented between central Virginia, northern Maryland, and southeastern Pennsylvania. Here we present laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry data from detrital zircon that support the presence of an exotic terrane in this region. U–Pb dating of detrital zircon from new samples of the Storck quartzite (central Virginia) and the Hoods Mill rocks (northern Maryland) confirms the presence of a major peak at ca. 630–610 Ma in these units. These ages are consistent with derivation from Gondwana, but not Ediacaran Laurentia. Further, modern εHf values of five of the ca. 670–580 Ma grains in these samples are inconsistent with derivation from the few plutons of this age in Ediacaran Laurentia. The Loch Raven Schist and a metasedimentary xenolith in the Wilmington Complex contain a smaller proportion of ca. 670–580 Ma grains than the Storck quartzite and the Hoods Mill rocks, but more such grains than in sediment derived from Ediacaran Laurentia, so we tentatively conclude that these two units also received sediment from Gondwana. Detrital zircon ages from the Piney Run Formation, Pleasant Grove Schist, Prettyboy Schist, and Wissahickon Formation allow sediment provenance solely in Ediacaran Laurentia. We also present new zircon spot U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopic data from western Newfoundland plutons for comparison with these types of data from the detrital zircon. Intrusion ages of the Steel Mountain Anorthosite, Disappointment Hill Tonalite, and Round Pond Granite are 608 ± 12, 600 ± 8, and 590 ± 9 Ma, respectively. None of these units was derived entirely from the depleted mantle.
Inflation from the internal volume in type IIB/F-theory compactification
Authors: Antoniadis Ignatios , Chen Yifan , Leontaris George K.
Published: March 2019

We study the cosmological inflation within a recently proposed framework of perturbative moduli stabilization in type IIB/F-theory compactifications on Calabi–Yau threefolds. The stabilization mechanism utilizes three stacks of magnetized 7-branes and relies on perturbative corrections to the Kähler potential that grow logarithmically in the transverse sizes of co-dimension two due to local tadpoles of closed string states in the bulk. The inflaton is the Kähler modulus associated with the internal compactification volume that starts rolling down the scalar potential from an initial condition around its maximum. Although the parameter space allows moduli stabilization in de Sitter space, the resulting number of e-foldings is too low. An extra uplifting source of the vacuum energy is then required to achieve phenomenologically viable inflation and a positive (although tiny) vacuum energy at the minimum. We discuss a class of uplifting potentials arising from strongly coupled matter fields. In a particular case, they reproduce the effect of the new Fayet–Iliopoulos term recently discussed in a supergravity context, that can be written for a non-R-symmetry U(1) and is gauge invariant at the Lagrangian level.
Crowdsourcing-Based Evaluation of Automatic References Between WordNet and Wikipedia
Authors: Szymański Julian , Boiński Tomasz
Published: March 2019

The paper presents an approach to build references (also called mappings) between WordNet and Wikipedia. We propose four algorithms used for automatic construction of the references. Then, based on an aggregation algorithm, we produce an initial set of mappings that has been evaluated in a cooperative way. For that purpose, we implement a system for the distribution of evaluation tasks, that have been solved by the user community. To make the tasks more attractive, we embed them into a game. Results show the initial mappings have good quality, and they have also been improved by the community. As a result, we deliver a high quality dataset of the mappings between two lexical repositories: WordNet and Wikipedia, that can be used in a wide range of NLP tasks. We also show that the framework for collaborative validation can be used in other tasks that require human judgments.
Knowledge Management Strategies and Processes in Agile Software Development: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Ouriques Raquel Andrade Barros , Wnuk Krzysztof , Gorschek Tony , Svensson Richard Berntsson
Published: March 2019

Knowledge-intensive companies that adopt Agile Software Development (ASD) rely on efficient implementation of Knowledge Management (KM) strategies to promote different Knowledge Processes (KPs) to gain competitive advantage. This study aims to explore how companies that adopt ASD implement KM strategies utilizing practices that promote the KPs in the different organizational layers. Through a systematic literature review, we analyzed 32 primary studies, selected by automated search and snowballing in the extant literature. To analyze the data, we applied narrative synthesis. Most of the identified KM practices implement personalization strategies (81%), supported by codification (19%). Our review shows that the primary studies do not report KM practices in the strategic layer and two of them in the product portfolio layer; on the other hand, in the project layer, the studies report 33 practices that implement personalization strategy, and seven practices that implement codification. KM strategies in ASD promote mainly the knowledge transfer process with practices that stimulates social interaction to share tacit knowledge in the project layer. As a result of using informal communication, a significant amount of knowledge can be lost or not properly transferred to other individuals and, instead of propagating the knowledge, it remains inside a few individuals’ minds.
Ca Silicide Films on Si(1 0 0) and Si(1 1 1) Substrates: Structure, Optical and Electrical Properties
Authors: Galkin N. G. , Galkin K. N. , Tupkalo A. V. , Dotsenko S. A. , Fogarassi Z. , Pecz B.
Published: March 2019

The crystal structure, optical and electrical properties of Ca silicide films grown by MBE and RDE processes on Si(1 0 0) and Si(1 1 1) substrates have been compared. Optical spectroscopy studies, including Raman spectroscopy, have shown two silicide phases: CaSi2 and CaSi. The RDE-grown film on Si(1 1 1) substrate with the CaSi2 phase is characterized by higher transparency than MBE-grown films. Therefore, the CaSi2 RDE-grown phase is found to be predominant and has a lower absorption in the IR region of the spectrum. After 1.5-year storage of Ca silicide film oxidation, partial destruction of the CaSi2 phase and conservation of the CaSi layer were revealed by TEM and HRTEM analyses. The complex behavior of magnetoresistance versus magnetic induction, including positive and negative curves, has been found for the MBE-grown films in the temperature range of 1.3–300[Formula: see text]K. The RDE-grown CaSi2 film has displayed a semiconducting type of the magnetoresistance.
Anisotropic Temperature-Dependent Interaction of Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles Embedded Inside CNT
Authors: Prischepa S. , Danilyuk A.
Published: March 2019

We analyze the magnetization versus magnetic field curves of Fe-based nanoparticles embedded inside CNT. Measurements were performed at different temperatures and orientations of the magnetic field. We demonstrate that, for the parallel field the magnetic anisotropy dominates and the coherent anisotropy is of great importance at low temperatures. At high temperatures, the exchange coupling becomes stronger, but the coherent anisotropy still occurs. For the perpendicular field, the coherence anisotropy is absent, and the dimensionality of the system reduces to 2D. The results are discussed in the framework of the correlation functions of the magnetic anisotropy axes.
Calculation of Near Zone Electromagnetic Field Radiated from Sub-Wavelength Nanoaperture to a Plane Dielectric
Authors: Serdyuk V. M. , Titovitsky J. A. , Von Gratovski S. V. , Koledov V. V.
Published: March 2019

The theoretical model of electromagnetic transmission through solitary sub-wavelength nanoapertures is considered. The model is based on a rigorous solution of the plane wave diffraction problem by a slot in the perfectly conducting screen of a finite thickness. The local energy of the electric field inside the plane dielectrics arranged behind the screen is used for calculations. The results demonstrate the principal features of the phenomenon that confirms that the diffraction theory can be applied successfully without the concept of surface plasmons.
Optical Characteristics of Porous Alumina Modified by Chromium Oxide
Authors: Mukhurov N. I. , Gasenkova I. V. , Zhvavyi S. P. , Kolesnik E. E.
Published: March 2019

In this paper, the chromium ions luminescence in Cr2O3/Al2O3 nanocomposites has been studied. No photoluminescence from the nanocomposite was observed at room temperature, while at liquid nitrogen temperature the two broad bands were detected at 497 and 665[Formula: see text]nm caused by [Formula: see text]- and [Formula: see text]-type oxygen vacancies and Cr[Formula: see text] and Mn[Formula: see text]impurity centers. The photoluminescence band observed at 616[Formula: see text]nm is attributed to Cr[Formula: see text] ions. The excitation of Cr[Formula: see text] ions occurs at 265 and 375[Formula: see text]nm, and their formation is the result of Cr[Formula: see text]–Cr[Formula: see text] redox processes on the surface of Cr2O3 crystallites at the annealing temperatures of 400–[Formula: see text]C.
A note on truncations in fractional Sobolev spaces
Authors: Musina Roberta , Nazarov Alexander I.
Published: March 2019

We study the Nemytskii operators [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in fractional Sobolev spaces [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text].
Cellular and molecular signatures of alcohol-induced myopathy in women
Authors: Shenkman Boris S. , Zinovyeva Olga E. , Belova Svetlana P. , Mirzoev Timur M. , Vilchinskaya Natalia A. , Vikhlyantsev Ivan M. , Ulanova Anna D. , Turtikova Olga V. , Samkhaeva Nudlya D. , Parfenov Vladimir A. , Barinov Alexey N. , Nemirovskaya Tatiana L.
Published: March 2019

Alcoholic myopathy is characterized by the reduction in cross-sectional area (CSA) of muscle fibers and impaired anabolic signaling. The goal of the current study was to investigate the causes and compare the changes in CSA and fiber type composition with the modifications of anabolic and catabolic signaling pathways at the early stages of chronic alcohol consumption in women. Skeletal muscle samples from 5 female patients with alcohol abuse (AL; 43 ± 5 yr old; alcohol abuse duration 5,6 ± 0,6 yr) were compared with the muscle from the control group of 8 healthy women (C; 35 ± 4 yr old). The average daily dose of alcohol consumption was 110 ± 10 ml of pure ethanol. In women patients, a significant decrease in CSA of type I and II muscle fibers, titin and nebulin content, plasma IGF-1 level and total IRS-1, p-Akt and p-4E-BP1 in vastus lateralis was found in comparison with the control group. The p-AMPK level was found to be increased versus the control group. In women patients with chronic alcoholic myopathy 1) both fast and slow muscle fibers are subjected to atrophy; 2) impairments in IGF-I-dependent signaling and pathways controlling translation initiation (AMPK/mTOR/4E-BP1), but not translation elongation, are observed; 3) the level of calpain-1 and ubiquitinated proteins increases, unlike E3 ligases content.
Rate of Nondiagnostic Computerized Tomography Pulmonary Angiograms (CTPAs) Performed for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism in Pregnant and Immediately Postpartum Patients
Authors: Hogan Sarah , Greene Jillian , Flemming Jeffery
Published: March 2019

Objective. To evaluate the nondiagnostic rate of computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in pregnant and postpartum patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) to determine whether CTPA or ventilation-perfusion (VQ) scan should be considered first line imaging in this patient population considering their equivalent accuracy and the greater radiation exposure to proliferating breast tissue of CTPA. Methods. All pregnant/postpartum female patients between 18 and 50 years of age who had CTPA within the Eastern Health Authority between November 2012 and November 2016 were included. Each scan was evaluated for nondiagnosis based on two criteria: contrast density in the main pulmonary artery, and respiratory motion artefact. If either of these criteria were not met, the scan was labelled as nondiagnostic. Results. The nondiagnostic rate overall was 43% (n=83). This is similar to current literature values for rates of CTPA nondiagnosis, and comparable to the reported diagnostic quality of the reporting radiologist. This is much greater compared to rates of ventilation/perfusion nondiagnosis in comparable populations. Even in patients with normal chest radiographs, which represents the main patient group where VQ may be considered as an alternative, the nondiagnostic rate of CT is much higher. Conclusion. This is the first study to attempt to identify an objective method of determining nondiagnosis in pregnant and postpartum patients undergoing a CTPA. Our results strengthen the argument that alternative imaging should be considered when investigating for PE in this population in order to protect the proliferating breast tissue, and VQ scan should be considered especially in patients with normal chest X-rays.
Real-Time Large Crowd Rendering with Efficient Character and Instance Management on GPU
Authors: Dong Yangzi , Peng Chao
Published: March 2019

Achieving the efficient rendering of a large animated crowd with realistic visual appearance is a challenging task when players interact with a complex game scene. We present a real-time crowd rendering system that efficiently manages multiple types of character data on the GPU and integrates seamlessly with level-of-detail and visibility culling techniques. The character data, including vertices, triangles, vertex normals, texture coordinates, skeletons, and skinning weights, are stored as either buffer objects or textures in accordance with their access requirements at the rendering stage. Our system preserves the view-dependent visual appearance of individual character instances in the crowd and is executed with a fine-grained parallelization scheme. We compare our approach with the existing crowd rendering techniques. The experimental results show that our approach achieves better rendering performance and visual quality. Our approach is able to render a large crowd composed of tens of thousands of animated instances in real time by managing each type of character data in a single buffer object.
Modeling the Resilient Modulus Variation of In Situ Soils due to Seasonal Moisture Content Variations
Authors: Gaspard Kevin , Zhang Zhongjie , Gautreau Gavin , Hanifa Khalil , Zapata Claudia E. , Abufarsakh Murad
Published: March 2019

LTRC is conducting a research project to determine the seasonal variation of subgrade resilient modulus (MR) in an effort to implement PavementME. One objective of that project, which is presented in this paper, was to locally calibrate the Enhanced Integrated Climate Model’s (EICM Fenv) curve for seasonal subgrade MR changes. Shelby tube sampling was conducted on six different roadways to a depth of approximately 7.92 m beneath the shoulder pavement’s base course. The AASHTO T‐99 MR test method was used on all samples with an additional eight specimens being tested with NCHRP 1–28A MR test method. Four soils from Louisiana which were not from the six roadways were also tested and included in the analyses. Once the MR tests were completed and plotted, it was noticed that there was a rather large scatter (R2 = −0.266) around the EICM Fenv curve. The authors hypothesized that this occurred due to the density differences between in situ and remolded specimens. Further analyses confirmed this hypothesis. LTRC developed a new method based on the EICM Fenv method to determine the relationship between changes in subgrade MR as a function of changes in moisture content with the in situ moisture content and MR used as the control. This method differs from the EICM Fenv in that the EICM Fenv uses optimum moisture content as the controlling parameter. The LTRC method can be used for design purposes as well as level 2 inputs into the EICM.
Bioactivity Study of the C60-L-Threonine Derivative for Potential Application in Agriculture
Authors: Panova Gayane G. , Serebryakov Evgeny B. , Semenov Konstantin N. , Charykov Nikolay A. , Shemchuk Olga S. , Andrusenko Elena V. , Kanash Elena V. , Khomyakov Yuriy V. , Shpanev Alexander M. , Dulneva Larisa L. , Podolsky Nikita E. , Sharoyko Vladimir V.
Published: March 2019

The present paper reports data on the biological activity of nanocompositions based on a C60-L-threonine (C60-Thr) derivative. These nanocompositions promote the nonspecific resistance of plants to the action of stress factors (ultraviolet radiation, pesticides, and phytopathogens). Additionally, we determined the perspectives of the C60-Thr adduct application in the cultivation of plants due to the decrease of the pesticide load on the environment. The biological study of C60-Thr revealed the plant growth-stimulating ability due to its influence on the photosynthetic apparatus activity and antioxidant properties.
Attempted Suicide in a Parkinsonian Patient Treated with DBS of the VIM and High Dose Carbidopa-Levodopa
Authors: Ayobello Ayotunde , Saway Brian , Greenage Michael
Published: March 2019

Introduction. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex disease that is often treated with dopaminergic medications such as carbidopa-levodopa and now with innovative interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). While PD frequently presents with depression and apathy, research must elucidate whether its treatment modalities have an additive or synergistic effect that can lead to an increased suicide risk. DBS has been associated with depression, behavioral changes, and suicidality while dopaminergic treatment has also been shown to cause behavioral changes such as hypersexuality and impulsivity. Considering the now frequent practice of utilizing both DBS and carbidopa-levodopa to treat PD, it is crucial to understand how to properly manage PD patients who are displaying this overlap in symptomology. Case Report. A 56-year-old Caucasian male with a 6-year diagnosis of PD who was being treated with high dose carbidopa-levodopa and left DBS of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) presented after a suicide attempt. The patient was found to be severely depressed and had exhibited behavioral changes in the weeks leading up to the attempt. Imaging was performed to assess positional changes of DBS and carbidopa-levodopa dosage adjusted while under close observation in the inpatient unit. The patient was started on fluoxetine to treat the depressive symptoms and was eventually discharged with close monitoring. Discussion. With PD and DBS being associated with behavioral changes and depressive symptoms and carbidopa-levodopa therapy being linked to behavioral changes such as impulsivity, it is important that these patients be closely monitored and research analyzes how these factors may interact and lead to an increased risk of suicide. Furthermore, when symptoms appear, a clear protocol must be established on managing these patients. We therefore recommend an approach that utilizes imaging to assess any changes in DBS placement, dose management of carbidopa-levodopa, and behavior monitoring in an inpatient setting.
Tree Species Classification by Employing Multiple Features Acquired from Integrated Sensors
Authors: Yang Guang , Zhao Yaolong , Li Baoxin , Ma Yuntao , Li Ruren , Jing Jiangbo , Dian Yuanyong
Published: March 2019

Explicit information of tree species composition provides valuable materials for the management of forests and urban greenness. In recent years, scholars have employed multiple features in tree species classification, so as to identify them from different perspectives. Most studies use different features to classify the target tree species in a specific growth environment and evaluate the classification results. However, the data matching problems have not been discussed; besides, the contributions of different features and the performance of different classifiers have not been systematically compared. Remote sensing technology of the integrated sensors helps to realize the purpose with high time efficiency and low cost. Benefiting from an integrated system which simultaneously acquired the hyperspectral images, LiDAR waveform, and point clouds, this study made a systematic research on different features and classifiers in pixel-wised tree species classification. We extracted the crown height model (CHM) from the airborne LiDAR device and multiple features from the hyperspectral images, including Gabor textural features, gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) textural features, and vegetation indices. Different experimental schemes were tested at two study areas with different numbers and configurations of tree species. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of Gabor textural features in specific tree species classification in both homogeneous and heterogeneous growing environments. The GLCM textural features did not improve the classification accuracy of tree species when being combined with spectral features. The CHM feature made more contributions to discriminating tree species than vegetation indices. Different classifiers exhibited similar performances, and support vector machine (SVM) produced the highest overall accuracy among all the classifiers.