bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Order–disorder, ferroelasticity and mobility of domain walls in multiferroic Cu–Cl boracite
Authors: Fernandez-Posada C M , Cochard C , Gregg J M , Whatmore R W , Carpenter M A
Published: November 2020

Domain walls in Cu–Cl boracite develop as a consequence of an improper ferroelastic, improper ferroelectric transition, and have attracted close interest because some are conductive and all can be mechanically written and repositioned by application of an electric field. The phase transition and its associated dynamical properties have been analysed here from the perspective of strain and elasticity. Determination of spontaneous strains from published lattice parameter data has allowed the equilibrium long-range order parameter for F

4

̄

3c → Pca21 to be modelled simply as being close to the order–disorder limit. High acoustic loss in the cubic phase, revealed by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, is consistent with the presence of dynamical microdomains of the orthorhombic structure with relaxation times in the vicinity of ∼10−5–10−6 s. Low acoustic loss in the stability field of the orthorhombic structure signifies, on the other hand, that ferroelastic twin walls which develop as a consequence of the order–disorder process are immobile on this time scale. A Debye loss peak accompanied by ∼1% elastic stiffening at ∼40 K is indicative of some freezing of defects which couple with strain or of some more intrinsic freezing process. The activation energy of ⩾∼0.01–0.02 eV implies a mechanism which could involve strain relaxation clouds around local ferroelectric dipoles or freezing of polarons that determine the conductivity of twin walls.
The electrical and spin properties of monolayer and bilayer Janus HfSSe under vertical electrical field
Authors: Ghobadi Nayereh , Touski Shoeib Babaee
Published: November 2020

In this paper, the electrical and spin properties of mono- and bilayer HfSSe in the presence of a vertical electric field are studied. The density functional theory is used to investigate their properties. Fifteen different stacking orders of bilayer HfSSe are considered. The mono- and bilayer demonstrate an indirect bandgap, whereas the bandgap of bilayer can be effectively controlled by the electric field. While the bandgap of bilayer closes at large electric fields and a semiconductor to metal transition occurs, the effect of a normal electric field on the bandgap of the monolayer HfSSe is quite weak. Spin–orbit coupling causes band splitting in the valence band and Rashba spin splitting in the conduction band of both mono- and bilayer structures. The band splitting in the valence band of the bilayer is smaller than a monolayer, however, the vertical electric field increases the band splitting in bilayer one. The stacking configurations without mirror symmetry exhibit Rashba spin splitting which is enhanced with the electric field.
Physical modeling and design optimization of 4H-SiC insulated gate bipolar transistors for dv/dt reduction
Authors: Liu Hangzhi , Wang Jun , Liang Shiwei , Yu Hengyu , Deng Wenjuan
Published: November 2020

The extremely high dv/dt of 4H-SiC insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) becomes the major concern in its next-generation large-volume power conversion applications because severe electromagnetic interference (EMI) is induced. However, the root reason for its high dv/dt and the method of suppressing EMI have not been extensively investigated yet. In this paper, we proposed a novel physical model for SiC IGBT to identify the major limiting device design parameters of dv/dt during switching transients. The influences of SiC IGBT’s design parameters on its dv/dt and power dissipation are quantitatively analyzed by means of the physical model. Comparisons between the theoretical predictions and technology computer-aided design simulation results validate the physical model. The results on design optimization of a 18 kV n-channel SiC IGBT shows that 80% reduction of dv/dt and 60% reduction in turn-off power dissipation are achieved simultaneously without sacrificing its forward voltage drop.
Reconstruction of an ultrashort laser pulse from flexibly shaped FROG traces via ptychography algorithm
Authors: Mao Anjun , Liu Chengpu
Published: November 2020

Frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) is a popular technique for characterizing ultrashort laser pulses. This technique comprises two steps. First, a spectrogram, named FROG trace, is constructed for a pulse by measuring process. Second, an efficient algorithm is employed to retrieve the pulse information from its FROG trace. By expressing an arbitrary FROG trace using matrix multiplication, we confirm that the data on all the complex spectral components constituting the relative pulse are, in principle, encoded in the value of each point of the trace. Considering this fact and the characteristics of the measuring devices, flexibly shaped FROG traces are built by simultaneously applying low-pass filtering and up-sampling along the frequency axis and down-sampling along the delay axis to the conventional square ones. Furthermore, these practical traces can be used for the effective reconstruction of ultrashort laser pulses via the ptychography algorithm. Utilizing this specially designed trace will significantly reduce the difficulty and time-consumption in the first step of the FROG process.
Bladder pressure encoding by sacral dorsal root ganglion fibres: implications for decoding
Authors: Lubba Carl H , Ouyang Zhonghua , Jones Nick S , Bruns Tim M , Schultz Simon R
Published: November 2020

Objective. We aim at characterising the encoding of bladder pressure (intravesical pressure) by a population of sensory fibres. This research is motivated by the possibility to restore bladder function in elderly patients or after spinal cord injury using implanted devices, so called bioelectronic medicines. For these devices, nerve-based estimation of intravesical pressure can enable a personalized and on-demand stimulation paradigm, which has promise of being more effective and efficient. In this context, a better understanding of the encoding strategies employed by the body might in the future be exploited by informed decoding algorithms that enable a precise and robust bladder-pressure estimation. Approach. To this end, we apply information theory to microelectrode-array recordings from the cat sacral dorsal root ganglion while filling the bladder, conduct surrogate data studies to augment the data we have, and finally decode pressure in a simple informed approach. Main results. We find an encoding scheme by different main bladder neuron types that we divide into three response types (slow tonic, phasic, and derivative fibres). We show that an encoding by different bladder neuron types, each represented by multiple cells, offers reliability through within-type redundancy and high information rates through semi-independence of different types. Our subsequent decoding study shows a more robust decoding from mean responses of homogeneous cell pools. Significance. We have here, for the first time, established a link between an information theoretic analysis of the encoding of intravesical pressure by a population of sensory neurons to an informed decoding paradigm. We show that even a simple adapted decoder can exploit the redundancy in the population to be more robust against cell loss. This work thus paves the way towards principled encoding studies in the periphery and towards a new generation of informed peripheral nerve decoders for bioelectronic medicines.
Studies on influence of mineral admixture on mechanical properties of CC and SCC
Authors: Soumya Pradhan Shashwati , Chandra Panda Kishor
Published: November 2020

Now a day’s research is more concern on the successful utilization of different mineral admixture so as to cut down the environmental pollution caused by cement industries throughout cement production. Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is a new generation concrete has been developed without compromising the strength characteristics with minimum time and labour cost. So to make more economic and environmental friendly concrete, two mineral admixtures (waste products of the industries) i.e. Silpozz and Lime Stone Powder (LSP) were used during this experimental work. The aim of this study is to evaluate the fresh and hardened properties of the conventional concrete (CC) and Self Compacting Concrete (SCC) containing mineral admixtures. Cement is partially replaced with Silpozz and LSP as 0%, 10% and 20% for both CC and SCC. Total ten numbers of concrete mixes have prepared for M30 grade of concrete. Fresh concrete properties of CC have evaluated by slump test and for SCC, slump flow, T500, V-funnel and J-ring test were conducted. Hardened concrete properties were evaluated after 7 and 28 days for compressive, split tensile and flexural strength test. The desired amount of superplasticizer (SP) is used in SCC to make the concrete workable. The test results indicate that the 20% replacement of Silpozz influences the mechanical properties of concrete as compared to LSP replacement.
Investigation of Fly Ash Concrete by Slump Cone and Compaction Factor Test
Authors: Mahajan Lomesh , Mahadik Sanjivan , Bhagat S. R.
Published: November 2020

The supplementary or alternative material to cement has been an emerging field in civil engineering. The concrete ingredients have become modern due to the need for reducing global warming and material scarcity problem. Fly ash is used to replace cement partially in concrete, therefore the concrete mix has changed their characteristics as obtained by normal concrete. The proper investigation always required for performance measurement and to measure the fresh concrete property, the slump cone test, and compaction factor test are the tool. The Slump Test has become the most frequently performed due to the practicality of the recommended equipment and the experiment protocol. The slump test involves the cone’s behavior under the action of gravitational forces. The slump check is a realistic way to gauge the workability. The concrete slump test and compaction factor test are used to determine the consistency of fresh concrete before it sets. This paper has focused on testing the 54 mixes having various water-cm ratios like 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.45, and 0.4. Fly ash material possesses satisfactory workability properties due to their similar oxide compositions. Due to the fineness of fly ash, less bleeding observed than control concretes.
Enabling Technologies of IoT and Challenges in Various Field Of Construction Industry in the 5G Era: A Review
Authors: Paul Sriparna , Naik Bibekananda , Kumar Bagal Dilip
Published: November 2020

In this new age, the Internet and its usefulness became the backbone of people in our everyday lives and developed a corresponding wave of technological developments. One of the latest technological upgrade developments is the Internet of Things (IoT), which attracted researchers with great interest. Using this upgraded technology, we can interact with devices via. Internet Sensors, actuators, or computers. The Internet of Things (IoT) is not a new concept in my research. We have been introducing it for decades, but incorporating IoT in the construction industry is a new exciting subject that leads us to the next Construction Industry 4.0 revolution. This paper offers an overview of IoT technology, tracks and classifies IoT Technology’s position in various fields with exclusive studies and statistics. This analysis paper also focuses on various IoT applications in contemporary -day production strategies and addresses issues related to IoT implementation in production. This study paper also identifies key points to recognise the use of virtual technologies for building operations and lays a good basis for future studies for smart construction works. Researchers are also doing their best to introduce IoT technology in the field of civil engineering in order to provide trouble-free work in construction industries and to improve productivity, as the construction industry is least digitised.
Frozen Section Quality Assurance
Authors: Laakman Joseph M , Chen Stephanie J , Lake Kim S , Blau John L , Rajan D Anand , Samuelson Megan I , Robinson Robert A
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Composite frozen section turnaround time has limited value, precluding assessment of certain processes: slide preparation (technical) and diagnosis (interpretation). We examined whether measuring these elements could identify delays, hypothesizing that longer times were related to (1) inefficient technical processes and (2) case-specific diagnostic challenges.

Methods

Technical and interpretive times were determined for 1,992 specimens submitted for frozen section in 2017; the data were sorted by surgical specialty. Mean and quartile times were determined for each category with all specimens assessed equally, including those with multiple frozen section blocks.

Results

Technical times were significantly longer than interpretive times. Specialty grouping facilitated trend identification and enabled assessment of technical and interpretation challenges. We identified technical issues with certain gross specimens involving overdissection and interpretation delays for specific neoplasms and margins.

Conclusions

Measuring technical and interpretative times and subcategorizing by specialty has aided the assessment of frozen section processing in our laboratory, enabling case isolation for process improvement.
Navigating the Politics and Ethics of Hospitality: Inclusive Practice with Forced Migrants
Authors: Sidhu Ravinder K , Rossi-Sackey Donata
Published: November 2020

Globally, forced migration has displaced 70 million people, a number set to increase in light of the social distress from the current health pandemic and ongoing climate-related disasters. Although protected from large-scale land-based movements of forced migrants, successive governments in Australia have resorted to detention and marginalisation to ‘manage’ forced migration. This context presents many challenges for social workers: they are confronted with scarce resources in their work with disenfranchised groups, while facing ‘welfare chauvinism’—a logic that locates their primary responsibilities in the welfare rights of national citizens. The article interrogates the intersectional power dynamics that inform global conventions and national policies to manage the problem of forced migration. It contrasts ‘exhausted humanitarianism’, a politically expedient rationality with ‘hospitality’. To unsettle the hold of restrictive and inhospitable practices introduced in the name of the nation, the article calls for a re-scaling of the imagination and practice of social work. It introduces the discursive figure of the social worker as a boundary spanner to locate new possibilities for inclusive practices that uphold a human rights approach to the ‘refugee problem’ in place of an exhausted humanitarianism.
Gamma subunit of complement component 8 is a neuroinflammation inhibitor
Authors: Kim Jong-Heon , Afridi Ruqayya , Han Jin , Jung Hyun-Gug , Kim Seung-Chan , Hwang Eun Mi , Shim Hyun Soo , Ryu Hoon , Choe Youngshik , Hoe Hyang-Sook , Suk Kyoungho
Published: November 2020

The complement system is part of the innate immune system that comprises several small proteins activated by sequential cleavages. The majority of these complement components, such as components 3a (C3a) and C5a, are chemotactic and pro-inflammatory. However, in this study, we revealed an inhibitory role of complement component 8 gamma (C8G) in neuroinflammation. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, who exhibit strong neuroinflammation, we found higher C8G levels in brain tissue, CSF, and plasma. Our novel findings also showed that the expression level of C8G increases in the inflamed mouse brain, and that C8G is mainly localized to brain astrocytes. Experiments using recombinant C8G protein and shRNA-mediated knockdown showed that C8G inhibits glial hyperactivation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline in acute and chronic animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, we identified sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2) as a novel interaction protein of C8G and demonstrated that astrocyte-derived C8G interacts with S1PR2 to antagonize the pro-inflammatory action of S1P in microglia. Taken together, our results reveal the previously unrecognized role of C8G as a neuroinflammation inhibitor. Our findings pave the way towards therapeutic containment of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease and related neurological diseases.
From “Is” to “Ought”: The Development of Normative Powers of UN Investigative Mechanisms
Authors: Le Moli G
Published: November 2020

This article analyses the normative powers conferred on and exercised by 69 Investigative Mechanisms, including UN Commissions of Inquiry, Fact-Finding Missions and Independent Investigative Mechanisms established between 1963 and 2020. Relying on a dataset collected by the author including all their mandates (78) and reports (121), the article introduces an analytical framework and uses it to (i) identify the specific normative powers conferred on Investigative Mechanisms, (ii) the evolution and main step changes in these powers between 1963 and 2020, and (iii) their specific expression in actual practice in matters such as the use of terminology (violations/abuses of human rights by non-State actors), the determination of the standard of proof, the characterization of primary norms, the development of integrated accountability strategies, and the internalization of functions usually entrusted to prosecutorial mechanisms.
A curated database reveals trends in single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Svensson Valentine , da Veiga Beltrame Eduardo , Pachter Lior
Published: November 2020

The more than 1000 single-cell transcriptomics studies that have been published to date constitute a valuable and vast resource for biological discovery. While various ‘atlas’ projects have collated some of the associated datasets, most questions related to specific tissue types, species or other attributes of studies require identifying papers through manual and challenging literature search. To facilitate discovery with published single-cell transcriptomics data, we have assembled a near exhaustive, manually curated database of single-cell transcriptomics studies with key information: descriptions of the type of data and technologies used, along with descriptors of the biological systems studied. Additionally, the database contains summarized information about analysis in the papers, allowing for analysis of trends in the field. As an example, we show that the number of cell types identified in scRNA-seq studies is proportional to the number of cells analysed.

Database URL: www.nxn.se/single-cell-studies/gui
Developing healthy weight maintenance through co-creation: a partnership with Black African migrant community in East Midlands
Authors: Ochieng Lorraine , Amaugo Lucky , Ochieng Bertha M.N
Published: November 2020

Background

Obesity prevalence in the UK varies according to ethnicity, with children from minority ethnic groups experiencing higher levels, and yet, there is a scarcity of projects that involve minority ethnic groups in the design of interventions to promote healthy weight maintenance. This article presents an account of the involvement of the participants in a co-creation activity to design public health resources for the maintenance of healthy weight.

Methods

The material is drawn from a study that involved Black African parents (n = 30) and Health Visitors (n = 32), residing and working in the East Midlands, UK, respectively. The participants were purposely selected according to an inclusion/exclusion criterion and invited to participate in seven focus groups (FG) conducted for parents (FG-4) and health visitors (FG-3) at a time and place convenient to the participants. Following the focus groups, the Black African parents participated in three co-creation workshops.

Results

The co-creation activities involved the participants, the researcher and a nutritionist. The outcome was an African heritage eatwell guide and a framework to promote healthy weight, which was well-received when presented to members of the community and local health and social care practitioners.

Conclusion

The co-creation process went beyond giving the participant a voice in shaping the promotion of healthy weight within their community, as they also became active participants in the design and creation of the specific public health service. The approach offered the potential for improved levels of community satisfaction for a public health intervention.
A two-stage procedure for the automated identification of micro-earthquakes: implementation on single-station 3C passive seismic data
Authors: Lois A , Kopsaftopoulos F , Giannopoulos D , Polychronopoulou K , Martakis N
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we propose a two-step procedure for the automated detection of micro-earthquakes, using single-station, three-component passive seismic data. The first step consists of the computation of an appropriate characteristic function, along with an energy-based thresholding scheme, in order to attain an initial discrimination of the seismic noise from the ‘useful’ information. The three-component data matrix is factorized via the singular value decomposition by means of a properly selected moving window and for each step of the windowing procedure a diagonal matrix containing the estimated singular values is formed. The ${L_2}$-norm of the singular values resulting from the above-mentioned windowing process defines the time series which serves as a characteristic function. The extraction of the seismic signals from the initial record is achieved by following a histogram-based thresholding scheme. The histogram of the characteristic function, which constitutes its empirical probability density function, is estimated and the optimum threshold value is chosen corresponds to the bin that separates the above-mentioned histogram in two different areas delineating the background noise and the outliers. Since detection algorithms often suffer from false alarms, which increase in extremely noisy environments, as a second stage, we propose a new ‘decision-making’ scenario to be applied on the extracted intervals, for the purpose of decreasing the probability of false alarms. In this context, we propose a methodology, based on comparing among autoregressive models estimated both on isolated seismic noise, in addition to the detections resulting from the first stage. The performance and efficiency of the proposed technique is supported by its application to a series of experiments that were based on both synthetic and real data sets. In particular, we investigate the effectiveness of the characteristic function, along with the thresholding scheme by subjecting them to noise robustness tests using synthetic seismic noise, with different statistical characteristics and at noise levels varying from 5 down to –5 dB. Results are compared with those obtained by the implementation of a three-component version of the well-known STA/LTA algorithm to the same data set. Moreover, the proposed technique and its potential to distinguish seismic noise from the useful information through the proposed decision making scheme is evaluated, by its application to real data sets, acquired by three-component short-period recorders that were installed for monitoring the microseismic activity in areas characterized by different noise attributes.
Detrital remanent magnetization of single-crystal silicates with magnetic inclusions: constraints from deposition experiments
Authors: Chang Liao , Hong Hoabin , Bai Fan , Wang Shishun , Pei Zhaowen , Paterson Greig A , Heslop David , Roberts Andrew P , Huang Baochun , Tauxe Lisa , Muxworthy Adrian R
Published: November 2020

Quasi-linear field-dependence of remanence provides the foundation for sedimentary relative palaeointensity studies that have been widely used to understand past geomagnetic field behaviour and to date sedimentary sequences. Flocculation models are often called upon to explain this field dependence and the lower palaeomagnetic recording efficiency of sediments. Several recent studies have demonstrated that magnetic-mineral inclusions embedded within larger non-magnetic host silicates are abundant in sedimentary records, and that they can potentially provide another simple explanation for the quasi-linear field dependence. In order to understand how magnetic inclusion-rich detrital particles acquire sedimentary remanence, we carried out depositional remanent magnetization (DRM) experiments on controlled magnetic inclusion-bearing silicate particles (10–50 μm in size) prepared from gabbro and mid-ocean ridge basalt samples. Deposition experiments confirm that the studied large silicate host particles with magnetic mineral inclusions can acquire a DRM with accurate recording of declination. We observe a silicate size-dependent inclination shallowing, whereby larger silicate grains exhibit less inclination shallowing. The studied sized silicate samples do not have distinct populations of spherical or platy particles, so the observed size-dependence inclination shallowing could be explained by a ‘rolling ball’ model whereby larger silicate particles rotate less after depositional settling. We also observe non-linear field-dependent DRM acquisition in Earth-like magnetic fields with DRM behaviour depending strongly on silicate particle size, which could be explained by variable magnetic moments and silicate sizes. Our results provide direct evidence for a potentially widespread mechanism that could contribute to the observed variable recording efficiency and inclination shallowing of sedimentary remanences.
In the name of COVID-19: legitimizing the exclusion of community participation in Ecuador’s health policy
Authors: Torres Irene , López-Cevallos Daniel
Published: November 2020

Global shifts toward a disease-oriented, vertical approach to health has involved limiting the right for communities to participate in decision-making. Ecuador’s authoritarian legacy has forced civil society and social organizations to adopt ‘coping strategies’, while large protests recently derived into violent struggles. The country has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic amid corruption scandals involving hospital and food purchases by government during the response. This study critically examines how Ecuador’s government took into consideration ‘community participation’ as a value and tenet of health promotion. Our systematic textual analysis focuses on 53 consecutive resolutions by the National Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) leading the decision-making processes, which, explicitly requires community participation. Results show that the ‘lifecycle’ of the central government’s evolving policy framing centered on law enforcement and the private sector, followed by the social sector. Further, there is no evidence of stakeholders from civil society or organizations taking part in decision-making. Having legitimized the exclusion of community participation in Ecuador’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that the government will fail to consider the wider social implications of its impact. In particular, the limits to local governments becoming informed and making decisions without mediation by the National EOC will further impede community participation in health decision-making in the future. This implies that local knowledge and experiences will also not inform health policy.
Exposure to breastfeeding and risk of developing multiple sclerosis
Authors: Baldin Elisa , Daltveit Anne Kjersti , Cortese Marianna , Riise Trond , Pugliatti Maura
Published: November 2020

Background

Early-life factors are reported to modulate the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) among adults. The association between exposure to breastfeeding and the risk of MS is debated. We aimed to disclose whether past exposure to breastfeeding and its duration are associated with the risk of developing MS.

Methods

We used a cohort design linking prospectively collected information on breastfeeding from the Cohort of Norway community-based surveys on health status (CONOR) with the Norwegian MS Registry and the population-based Medical Birth Registry of Norway that includes information on all births in Norway since 1967. MS clinical onset was collected throughout 2016. A total of 95 891 offspring born between 1922 and 1986 to mothers participating in CONOR were included. We identified 215 offspring within this cohort who developed adult-onset MS. Associations between breastfeeding and MS risk were estimated as hazard ratios using Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for maternal factors including education.

Results

We found no association between having been breastfed for ≥4 months and MS risk, also after adjusting for various maternal factors (hazard ratio = 0.90; 95% confidence interval 0.68–1.19). The estimates did not change for different durations of breastfeeding. The results were similar when adjusting for other perinatal factors.

Conclusion

Our study could not confirm previous findings of an association between breastfeeding and risk of MS. Breastfeeding information was less likely to be biased by knowledge of disease compared with case–control studies.
Educational note: addressing special cases of bias that frequently occur in perinatal epidemiology
Authors: Neophytou Andreas M , Kioumourtzoglou Marianthi-Anna , Goin Dana E , Darwin Kristin C , Casey Joan A
Published: November 2020

The epidemiologic study of pregnancy and birth outcomes may be hindered by several unique and challenging issues. Pregnancy is a time-limited period in which severe cohort attrition takes place between conception and birth and adverse outcomes are complex and multi-factorial. Biases span those familiar to epidemiologists: selection, confounding and information biases. Specific challenges include conditioning on potential intermediates, how to treat race/ethnicity, and influential windows of prolonged, seasonal and potentially time-varying exposures. Researchers studying perinatal outcomes should be cognizant of the potential pitfalls due to these factors and address their implications with respect to formulating questions of interest, choice of an appropriate analysis approach and interpretations of findings given assumptions. In this article, we catalogue some of the more important potential sources of bias in perinatal epidemiology that have more recently gained attention in the literature, provide the epidemiologic context behind each issue and propose practices for dealing with each issue to the extent possible.
Meaning and Grammar in the light of Corpus Pattern Analysis
Authors: Hanks Patrick , Ma Wulin
Published: November 2020

This article presents an interview with Professor Patrick Hanks, a British lexicographer and corpus linguist, who proposes a new approach – a corpus-driven, phraseological approach – to lexicography. Hanks has developed a procedure called Corpus Pattern Analysis (CPA), which is the foundation of The Pattern Dictionary of English Verbs (in progress). The basic aim of CPA is to explore the relationship between word meaning and patterns of word use. Hanks maintains that the verb is ‘the pivot of the clause’. Verb meanings – or, rather, the meanings of clauses – are mapped onto phraseological patterns, rather than just being listed for words in isolation. Associated with this is the Theory of Norms and Exploitations (TNE), which was discussed in his monograph published by MIT Press in 2013. In this interview, Professor Hanks outlines his vision of a phraseological dictionary of the future (an alternative to WordNet). He discusses meaning and grammar in the light of Corpus Pattern Analysis. Specifically, he explains the procedure of Corpus Pattern Analysis, and the objectives of the Pattern Dictionary of English Verbs (PDEV), including the light that such work can shed on the relationship between language and logic. He discusses the relationship between PDEV and English grammar, his evaluation of generative linguistics, and his views on Noam Chomsky. He also highlights the contributions made by linguists of the past to the understanding of the nature of meaning in language. He goes on to suggest that any new bilingual dictionary with Chinese as a source language should be based on careful analyses of actual language use, both in Chinese and in the various target languages.
Bulk-Deformed Potentials for Toric Fano Surfaces, Wall-Crossing, and Period
Authors: Hong Hansol , Lin Yu-Shen , Zhao Jingyu
Published: November 2020

We provide an inductive algorithm to compute the bulk-deformed potentials for toric Fano surfaces via wall-crossing techniques and a tropical–holomorphic correspondence theorem for holomorphic discs. As an application of the correspondence theorem, we also prove a big quantum period theorem for toric Fano surfaces, which relates the log descendant Gromov–Witten invariants with the oscillatory integrals of the bulk-deformed potentials.
Degree of irrationality of a very general abelian variety
Authors: Colombo Elisabetta , Martin Olivier , Naranjo Juan Carlos , Pirola Gian Pietro
Published: November 2020

Consider a very general abelian variety $A$ of dimension at least $3$ and an integer $0<d\leq \dim A$. We show that if the map $A^k\to CH_0(A)$ has a $d$-dimensional fiber then $k\geq d+(\dim A+1)/2$. This extends results of the second-named author which covered the cases $d=1,2$. As a geometric application, we prove that any dominant rational map from a very general abelian $g$-fold to $\mathbb{P}^g$ has degree at least $(3g+1)/2$ for $g\geq 3$, thus improving results of Alzati and the last-named author in the case of a very general abelian variety.
Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Bivalent Oral Poliovirus Vaccine and Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine in Nigerian Children
Authors: Tagbo Beckie N , Verma Harish , Mahmud Zubairu M , Ernest Kolade , Nnani Roosevelt O , Chukwubike Chinedu , Craig Kehinde T , Hamisu Abdullahi , Weldon William C , Oberste Steven M , Jeyaseelan Visalakshi , Braka Fiona , Mkanda Pascal , Esangbedo Dorothy , Olowu Adebiyi , Nwaze Eric , Sutter Roland W
Published: November 2020

Background

We conducted a trial in Nigeria to assess the immunogenicity of the new bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine + inactivated poliovirus vaccine (bOPV+IPV) immunization schedule and gains in type 2 immunity with addition of second dose of IPV. The trial was conducted in August 2016–March 2017, well past the trivalent OPV-bOPV switch in April 2016.

Methods

This was an open-label, 2-arm, noninferiority, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. We enrolled 572 infants aged ≤14 days and randomized them into 2 arms. Arm A received bOPV at birth, 6, and 10 weeks, bOPV+IPV at week 14, and IPV at week 18. Arm B received IPV each at 6, 10, and 14 weeks and bOPV at 18 weeks of age.

Results

Seroconversion rates for poliovirus types 1 and 3, respectively, were 98.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 96.7–99.8) and 98.1% (95% CI, 88.2–94.8) in Arm A and 89.6% (95% CI, 85.4–93.0) and 98.5% (95% CI, 96.3–99.6) in Arm B. Type 2 seroconversion with 1 dose IPV in Arm A was 72.0% (95% CI, 66.2–77.3), which increased significantly with addition of second dose to 95.9% (95% CI, 92.8–97.9).

Conclusions

This first trial on the new Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) schedule in a sub-Saharan African country demonstrated excellent immunogenicity against poliovirus types 1 and 3 and substantial/enhanced immunogenicity against poliovirus type 2 after 1 to 2 doses of IPV, respectively.
A comparison of general and disease-specific machine learning models for the prediction of unplanned hospital readmissions
Authors: Sutter Thomas , Roth Jan A , Chin-Cheong Kieran , Hug Balthasar L , Vogt Julia E
Published: November 2020

Unplanned hospital readmissions are a burden to patients and increase healthcare costs. A wide variety of machine learning (ML) models have been suggested to predict unplanned hospital readmissions. These ML models were often specifically trained on patient populations with certain diseases. However, it is unclear whether these specialized ML models—trained on patient subpopulations with certain diseases or defined by other clinical characteristics—are more accurate than a general ML model trained on an unrestricted hospital cohort. In this study based on an electronic health record cohort of consecutive inpatient cases of a single tertiary care center, we demonstrate that accurate prediction of hospital readmissions may be obtained by general, disease-independent, ML models. This general approach may substantially decrease the cost of development and deployment of respective ML models in daily clinical routine, as all predictions are obtained by the use of a single model.
Multimodal, multitask, multiattention (M3) deep learning detection of reticular pseudodrusen: Toward automated and accessible classification of age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Chen Qingyu , Keenan Tiarnan D.L , Allot Alexis , Peng Yifan , Agrón Elvira , Domalpally Amitha , Klaver Caroline C. W , Luttikhuizen Daniel T , Colyer Marcus H , Cukras Catherine A , Wiley Henry E , Teresa Magone M , Cousineau-Krieger Chantal , Wong Wai T , Zhu Yingying , Chew Emily Y , Lu Zhiyong ,   for the AREDS2 Deep Learning Research Group
Published: November 2020

Objective

Reticular pseudodrusen (RPD), a key feature of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are poorly detected by human experts on standard color fundus photography (CFP) and typically require advanced imaging modalities such as fundus autofluorescence (FAF). The objective was to develop and evaluate the performance of a novel multimodal, multitask, multiattention (M3) deep learning framework on RPD detection.

Materials and Methods

A deep learning framework (M3) was developed to detect RPD presence accurately using CFP alone, FAF alone, or both, employing >8000 CFP-FAF image pairs obtained prospectively (Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2). The M3 framework includes multimodal (detection from single or multiple image modalities), multitask (training different tasks simultaneously to improve generalizability), and multiattention (improving ensembled feature representation) operation. Performance on RPD detection was compared with state-of-the-art deep learning models and 13 ophthalmologists; performance on detection of 2 other AMD features (geographic atrophy and pigmentary abnormalities) was also evaluated.

Results

For RPD detection, M3 achieved an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.832, 0.931, and 0.933 for CFP alone, FAF alone, and both, respectively. M3 performance on CFP was very substantially superior to human retinal specialists (median F1 score = 0.644 vs 0.350). External validation (the Rotterdam Study) demonstrated high accuracy on CFP alone (AUROC, 0.965). The M3 framework also accurately detected geographic atrophy and pigmentary abnormalities (AUROC, 0.909 and 0.912, respectively), demonstrating its generalizability.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the successful development, robust evaluation, and external validation of a novel deep learning framework that enables accessible, accurate, and automated AMD diagnosis and prognosis.
Determination of Total and A1-Type β-Casein in Milk and Milk-Derived Ingredients by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Using Characteristic Tryptic Peptides
Authors: Ehling Stefan , Wang Meibo , Weber Luke
Published: November 2020

Background

Gastrointestinal digestion of A1-type β-casein is conducive to β-casomorphin-7 with potential adverse digestive health effects. Monitoring of A1-type β-casein concentration in milk and milk-derived ingredients used in the formulation of A2-type nutritional products with associated health claims is important from a quality standpoint.

Objective

New analytical methods were developed and validated for total and A1-type β-casein in milk and milk-derived ingredients. Data on total and A1-type β-casein concentrations in milk, nonfat dry milk, and whey protein concentrate was generated.

Method

The methods are based on a bottom-up proteomic approach using tryptic marker peptides and stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The measurement includes all protein sequences (intact, modified, and partial) which are potential sources of β-casomorphin-7.

Results

Total β-casein was quantified using a neat calibration curve. Recovery and between-day precision RSD were 98% and 5.8%, respectively. A1-type β-casein was quantified by the method of standard additions. Between-day precision RSD was 7.2% and limit of quantitation was 0.01% in nonfat dry milk. The mass fraction of A1-type β-casein in the β-casein standard was 0.444. Samples manufactured from A2-type milk contained 0.26–5.0% A1-type β-casein relative to total β-casein.

Conclusions

The methods described enable the monitoring of the A1-type β-casein concentration in milk and milk-derived ingredients destined for the manufacture of A2-type products with associated health claims.

Highlights

New methods are presented for the analysis of total and A1-type β-casein in milk and milk-derived ingredients. The mass fraction of A1-type β-casein in a commercial β-casein standard was determined to enable its use as a calibrant.
Identifying and Characterizing a Novel Peritrophic Matrix Protein (MdPM-17) Associated With Antibacterial Response From the Housefly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)
Authors: Wang Yu , Cheng Jinzhi , Luo Man , Wu Jianwei , Guo Guo
Published: November 2020

Peritrophic matrix/membrane (PM) critically prevents the midgut of insects from external invasion by microbes. The proteins in the peritrophic membrane are its major structural components. Additionally, they determine the formation and function of this membrane. However, the role of PM proteins in immune regulation is unclear. Herein, we isolated a novel PM protein (MdPM-17) from Musca domestica larvae. Further, the function of MdPM-17 in regulating host innate immunity was identified. Results showed that the cDNA of MdPM-17 full is 635 bp in length. Moreover, it consists of a 477-bp open reading frame encoding 158 amino acid residues. These amino acid residues are composed of two Chitin-binding type-2 domain (ChtBD2) and 19 amino acids as a signal peptide. Moreover, tissue distribution analysis indicates that MdPM-17 was enriched expressed in midgut, and moderate levels in the fat body, foregut, and malpighian tubule. Notably, MdPM-17 recombinant protein showed high chitin-binding capacity, thus belongs to the Class III PM protein group. MdPM-17 protein silencing via RNA interference resulted in the expression of antimicrobial peptide (defensin, cecropins, and diptericin) genes, and this occurred after oral inoculation with exogenous microbes Escherichia coli (Enterobacteriales:Enterobacteriaceae), Staphylococcus aureus (Bacillales:Staphylococcaceae), and Candida albicans (Endomycetales:Saccharomycetaceae)). Therefore, all the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gene expression levels are high in MdPM-17-depleted larvae during microbial infection compared to controls. Consequently, these findings indicate that MdPM-17 protein is associated with the antibacterial response from the housefly.
The Uses and Advantages of Side Letters in the Investment Chapters in Preferential Trade Agreements
Authors: Park Tae Jung
Published: November 2020

This article analyses the utility and advantages of employing side letters in the investment chapter in Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs). Even thoughparties to a PTA often use side letters, particularly in relation to the investment chapter, the literature has paid little attention to their utility and advantages. This article develops a typology based on the three functions of the side letter (ie clarification, correction, and consensus on a new term) and explains the detailed letter exchange procedure of the letter exchange. It then discusses the three advantages (ie cost efficiency, flexibility, and transparency) of using side letter.
A quantitative test for heat-induced cell necrosis in vascular cambium and secondary phloem of Eucalyptus obliqua stems
Authors: Subasinghe Achchige Yasika Medhavi , Volkova Liubov , Drinnan Andrew , Weston Christopher J
Published: November 2020

Aims

Exposure of Eucalyptus tree stems to the radiant heat of forest fires can kill cambial cells and their embedded regenerative meristems, thus preventing epicormic resprouting and recovery of the tree. Currently, there is no tissue-level method to quantify the viability of cambial cells in Eucalyptus following heat exposure. The first aim of this study was to adapt and validate the tetrazolium reduction method of testing for cell viability in Eucalyptus. The second aim was to apply the method to establish a threshold level of cambium cell viability in Eucalyptus obliqua to enable the identification of a critical temperature.

Methods

The study used the tetrazolium reduction method to quantitatively determine phloem–cambium cell viability in Eucalyptus. Circular sections of bark with underlying phloem and cambium were cut from mature E. obliqua and samples ranging in mass from 1 to 30 mg were exposed for 1 min to temperature treatments ranging from 20 to 85 °C and kept for 20–22 h at room temperature in 0.8% 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) to test for cell viability. The 1,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium formazan (TPF) formed was cold extracted with ethanol and quantified as absorbance at 485 nm.

Important Findings

The TTC reduction method reliably quantified a decline in cell viability with rising temperature in tissue sections that included vascular cambium, and identified 60 °C as the critical temperature for cambium–phloem cells of Eucalyptus species. Cell viability, calculated as [TPF Treatment °C]/[TPF 20 °C], declined by 90% between 20 and 85 °C. The cell viability results confirmed that significant tissue necrosis occurred in Eucalyptus at temperatures between 50 and 70 °C, after 1 min of in vitro tissue heating. The decline in cell viability with increasing temperature shown by the TTC method was consistent with an independently derived count of live cells following temperature treatment and neutral red staining.
Temporal–spatial changes in the belowground bud bank in interdune lowlands of an active sand dune ecosystem in northeastern China
Authors: Wu Jing , Qian Jianqiang , Zhou Quanlai , Yang Wanqin , Liu Zhimin
Published: November 2020

Aims

The belowground bud bank plays an important role in vegetation restoration of sand dune ecosystems in semi-arid regions. However, few studies have focused on the temporal–spatial changes of belowground bud banks in interdune lowlands.

Methods

The size and composition of belowground bud bank in five interdune lowlands with different sizes were investigated for one growing season to determine the temporal and spatial changes in belowground bud bank.

Important Findings

Total bud bank density was the highest in the medium-sized interdune lowland as was tiller bud density. The density of stem-base buds exhibited an opposite trend while rhizome bud density did not change with interdune lowland size. There was a significant seasonal change in the bud bank size. The total bud density peaked in August and was the lowest in October. A similar trend was found for rhizome bud density, whereas the density of stem-base buds showed an opposite trend, and tiller bud density did not change significantly during the growing season. We conclude that the belowground bud bank density is changed with interdune lowland size and season. These results contribute to the understanding of adaptive strategies of plants growing in active dune ecosystems and provide pointers for adopting effective measures to restore and conserve dune vegetation in semi-arid regions.