bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ECMWF global coupled atmosphere, ocean and sea-ice dataset for the Year of Polar Prediction 2017–2020
Authors: Bauer Peter , Sandu Irina , Magnusson Linus , Mladek Richard , Fuentes Manuel
Published: December 2020

The Year Of Polar Prediction (YOPP) dataset of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) contains initial condition and forecast model output from the operational global, coupled numerical weather prediction system. The dataset has been created to support model forecast evaluation, predictability studies and model error analyses over polar areas, which are strongly affected by climate change with yet unknown feedbacks on global circulation. The dataset complements YOPP observation and modeling research activities that represent a key deliverable of the World Meteorological Organization’s Polar Prediction Program. The dataset covers the period from mid-2017 until the end of the MOSAiC field campaign, expected for autumn 2020. Initial conditions and forecasts up to day-15 are included for the atmosphere and land surface for the entire period, and for ocean and sea-ice model components after June 2019. In addition, tendencies from model dynamics and individual physical processes are included for the first two forecast days. These are essential for characterizing the contribution of individual processes to model state evolution and, hence, for diagnosing sources of model error.
Kagome van-der-Waals Pd3P2S8 with flat band
Authors: Park Seunghyun , Kang Soonmin , Kim Haeri , Lee Ki Hoon , Kim Pilkwang , Sim Sangwoo , Lee Nahyun , Karuppannan Balamurugan , Kim Junghyun , Kim Jonghyeon , Sim Kyung Ik , Coak Matthew J. , Noda Yukio , Park Cheol-Hwan , Kim Jae Hoon , Park Je-Geun
Published: December 2020

With the advanced investigations into low-dimensional systems, it has become essential to find materials having interesting lattices that can be exfoliated down to monolayer. One particular important structure is a kagome lattice with its potentially diverse and vibrant physics. We report a van-der-Waals kagome lattice material, Pd3P2S8, with several unique properties such as an intriguing flat band. The flat band is shown to arise from a possible compact-localized state of all five 4d orbitals of Pd. The diamagnetic susceptibility is precisely measured to support the calculated susceptibility obtained from the band structure. We further demonstrate that Pd3P2S8 can be exfoliated down to monolayer, which ultimately will allow the possible control of the localized states in this two-dimensional kagome lattice using the electric field gating.
Pistacia lentiscus extract enhances mammary epithelial cells’ productivity by modulating their oxidative status
Authors: Hadaya O. , Bransi-Nicola R. , Shalev Y. , Azaizeh H. , Roth Z. , Muklada H. , Deutch T. , Landau S. Y. , Argov-Argaman N.
Published: December 2020

We assessed the potential of phenolic compounds from Pistacia lentiscus (lentisk) to enhance production of milk constituents in bovine mammary epithelial cells (MEC). MEC were exposed to 0 (control), 1 or 10 ppm of polyphenols from lentisk ethanolic extract (PLEE) for 24 h. PLEE were absorbed by the MEC plasma membrane, but also penetrated the cell to accumulate in and around the nucleus. PLEE increased triglyceride content in the cell and its secretion to the medium, and significantly increased intracellular lipid droplet diameter. Compared to control, PLEE increased dose-dependently the lactose synthesis, secretion of whey proteins, and contents of casein. To evaluate mitochondrial activity under pro-oxidant load, MEC were preincubated with PLEE and exposed for 2 h to H2O2. Exposure to H2O2 increased the proportion of cells with impaired mitochondrial membrane potential twofold in controls, but not in PLEE-pre-treated cells. Accordingly, proton leakage was markedly decreased by PLEE, and coupling efficiency between the respiratory chain and ATP production was significantly enhanced. Thus, lentisk polyphenols divert energy to production of milk fat, protein and lactose, with less energy directed to cellular damage control; alternatively, PLEE enables MEC to maintain energy and oxidative status under extreme metabolic rate required for milk production and secretion, and reduces the limitation on energy required to support production.
Characterization of ultrafine particles emitted during laser-based additive manufacturing of metal parts
Authors: Noskov Aleksey , Ervik Torunn K. , Tsivilskiy Ilya , Gilmutdinov Albert , Thomassen Yngvar
Published: December 2020

Particulate matter (PM) emitted during laser additive manufacturing with stainless steel powder materials has been studied in detail. Three different additive manufacturing techniques were studied: selective laser melting, direct metal deposition and laser cladding. Gas flow and temperature fields accompanying the processes were numerically modeled for understanding particle growth and oxidation. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy were used for primary particle and PM characterization. The PM collected in the atmosphere during manufacturing consisted of complex aggregates/agglomerates with fractal-like geometries. The overwhelming number of particles formed in the three processes had equivalent projected area diameters within the 4–16 nm size range, with median sizes of 8.0, 9.4 and 11.2 nm. The primary particles were spherical in shape and consisted of oxides of the main steel alloying elements. Larger primary particles (> 30 nm) were not fully oxidized, but where characterized by a metallic core and an oxidic surface shell.
GanDouLing promotes proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in the mouse model of Wilson’s disease
Authors: Dong Ting , Wu Ming-cai , Tang Lu-lu , Jiang Hai-lin , Zhou Ping , Kuang Chun-jun , Tian Li-wei , Yang Wen-ming
Published: December 2020

Wilson’s disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutation of the ATPase copper transporting β (ATP7B) gene, resulting in abnormal copper metabolism. We aimed to investigate the protective effect of GanDouLing (GDL) on neural stem cell (NSC) function in a mouse model of WD. NSCs were treated with different concentrations of GDL alone or in combination with penicillamine, following which we evaluated cellular growth, apoptosis, and differentiation. Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway and NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation were analyzed via Western blotting. Treatment with GDL alone or in combination with penicillamine significantly increased proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of NSCs in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, GDL treatment remarkably promoted differentiation of NSCs. Consistently, levels of class III β-tubulin (Tuj1) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) were significantly elevated, whereas glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels were obviously suppressed in the presence of GDL or penicillamine. In vivo assays confirmed that GDL increased the ratio of Ki67+, Tuj1+, and MAP2+ cells and suppressed apoptosis in the hippocampal region in WD mice. Behavioral assays revealed that both GDL and penicillamine improved memory ability in WD models. Mechanistically, GDL treatment led to activation of Nrf2 signaling and suppression of the NLRP3 inflammasome in WD mice. Notably, inhibition of Nrf2 signaling reversed the protective effects of GDL on hippocampal NSCs. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that GDL exerts a protective effect on NSCs and promotes neurogenesis by targeting Nrf2 signaling and the NLRP3 inflammasome in WD.
Mechanisms involved in the adaptation ofEscherichia coliO157:H7 to the host intestinal microenvironment
Authors: Fernandez-Brando Romina J. , McAteer Sean P. , Montañez-Culma Johanna , Cortés-Araya Yennifer , Tree Jai , Bernal Alan , Fuentes Federico , Fitzgerald Stephen , Pineda Gonzalo E. , Ramos M. Victoria , Gally David L. , Palermo Marina S.
Published: December 2020

Host adaptation of pathogens may increase intra- and interspecies transmission. We showed previously that the passage of a clinically isolated enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157 strain (125/99) through the gastrointestinal tract of mice increases its pathogenicity in the same host. In this work, we aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism(s) involved in the patho-adaptation of the stool-recovered (125RR) strain. We assessed the global transcription profile by microarray and found almost 100 differentially expressed genes in 125RR strain compared with 125/99 strain. We detected an overexpression of Type Three Secretion System (TTSS) proteins at the mRNA and protein levels and demonstrated increased adhesion to epithelial cell lines for the 125RR strain. Additional key attributes of the 125RR strain were: increased motility on semisolid agar, which correlated with an increased fliC mRNA level; reduced Stx2 production at the mRNA and protein levels; increased survival at pH 2.5, as determined by acid resistance assays. We tested whether the overexpression of the LEE-encoded regulator (ler) in trans in the 125/99 strain could recreate the increased pathogenicity observed in the 125RR strain. As anticipated ler overexpression led to increased expression of TTSS proteins and bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells in vitro but also increased mortality and intestinal colonization in vivo. We conclude that this host-adaptation process required changes in several mechanisms that improved EHEC O157 fitness in the new host. The research highlights some of the bacterial mechanisms required for horizontal transmission of these zoonotic pathogens between their animal and human populations.
Macrophage inflammatory state in Type 1 diabetes: triggered by NLRP3/iNOS pathway and attenuated by docosahexaenoic acid
Authors: Davanso Mariana Rodrigues , Crisma Amanda Rabello , Braga Tárcio Teodoro , Masi Laureane Nunes , do Amaral Cátia Lira , Leal Vinícius Nunes Cordeiro , de Lima Dhêmerson Souza , Patente Thiago Andrade , Barbuto José Alexandre , Corrêa-Giannella Maria L. , Lauterbach Mario , Kolbe Carl Christian , Latz Eicke , Camara Niels Olsen Saraiva , Pontillo Alessandra , Curi Rui
Published: December 2020

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by insulin-producing pancreatic β-cell destruction and hyperglycemia. While monocytes and NOD-like receptor family-pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) are associated with T1D onset and development, the specific receptors and factors involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation remain unknown. Herein, we evaluated the inflammatory state of resident peritoneal macrophages (PMs) from genetically modified non-obese diabetic (NOD), NLRP3-KO, wild-type (WT) mice and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from human T1D patients. We also assessed the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the inflammatory status. Macrophages from STZ-induced T1D mice exhibited increased inflammatory cytokine/chemokine levels, nitric oxide (NO) secretion, NLRP3 and iNOS protein levels, and augmented glycolytic activity compared to control animals. In PMs from NOD and STZ-induced T1D mice, DHA reduced NO production and attenuated the inflammatory state. Furthermore, iNOS and IL-1β protein expression levels and NO production were lower in the PMs from diabetic NLRP3-KO mice than from WT mice. We also observed increased IL-1β secretion in PBMCs from T1D patients and immortalized murine macrophages treated with advanced glycation end products and palmitic acid. The present study demonstrated that the resident PMs are in a proinflammatory state characterized by increased NLRP3/iNOS pathway-mediated NO production, up-regulated proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine receptor expression and altered glycolytic activity. Notably, ex vivo treatment with DHA reverted the diabetes-induced changes and attenuated the macrophage inflammatory state. It is plausible that DHA supplementation could be employed as adjuvant therapy for treating individuals with T1D.
Toward a New Evidence-Based Fitting Paradigm for Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
Authors: Urbanski Dana , Hernandez Helin , Oleson Jacob , Wu Yu-Hsiang
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This dual-aim study was intended to develop and validate a new fitting paradigm for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. Aim 1 was undertaken to create a limited set of evidence-based preconfigured gain–frequency responses (“presets”) for use in OTC devices. Aim 2 tested the efficacy of the presets relative to best-practice verification and determined the best method(s) for older adults to self-select amplification from the set.

Method

In Aim 1, audiometry data from 267 older adults with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. Using these data and the National Acoustic Laboratories–Non-Linear 2 (NAL-NL2) prescriptive formula, a set of four presets were created that can fit a large percentage of older Americans with presbycusis. In Aim 2, 37 older adults with hearing loss used five methods to select presets. The selection methods were select-by-audiogram, select-by-self-test, select-by-trying, select-by-questionnaire, and random assignment. Using a crossover design, each participant completed speech recognition testing and sound quality ratings in quiet and noise for all selection methods and a verified NAL-NL2 condition.

Results

The set of presets can fit 67.9% of older Americans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss (Aim 1). Controlling for hearing thresholds and sound quality ratings, liner mixed-effects models indicated that speech recognition scores for select-by-audiogram, select-by-self-test, and select-by-trying were not statistically different from the NAL-NL2 condition. Statistical analysis indicated that select-by-self-test produced outcomes most consistent with individual outcomes for the NAL-NL2 condition (Aim 2).

Conclusion

This newly developed fitting paradigm may provide efficacy comparable to best-practice verification and could be used in OTC hearing aids.
Flexibility of interconnected power system operation: Analysis, evaluation and prospection
Authors: Lin Wei , Yang Zhifang , Yu Juan
Published: December 2020

Cross‐region power exchange plays a significant role in the efficient utilization of power resources. An increased power demand and renewable integration leads to a decreased security margin of power system operation. The operational flexibility in an interconnected power system can be further extended by expanding the operating region of each power system. In this study, the potential flexibility in an interconnected power system is summarized from cross‐region and intra‐region perspectives. A unified approach is presented to evaluate the flexibility by multi‐parametric programming. An illustrative example and a 661‐bus utility system are utilized to validate the proposed unified approach. A non‐iterative framework that considers the flexibility in the interconnected power system operation is presented. Relevant lines of future research have also been indicated for practical implementations of the flexibility.
Performance of downlink NOMA‐enabled vehicular communications over double Rayleigh fading channels
Authors: Jaiswal Neha , Purohit Neetesh
Published: December 2020

Non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is an attractive candidate for future wireless networks. Recently, vehicular communications with NOMA have received substantial research attention owing to their appealing advantages. In this study, the authors investigate the performance of downlink power‐domain NOMA‐enabled vehicular communications, in which a base station communicates with two users UE1 (far user) and UE2 (near user). Since all the nodes are moving vehicles, the channels for vehicular links experience independent and non‐identically distributed double‐Rayleigh fading. Specifically, the authors derive the outage probabilities of individual users and overall system under two scenarios of interest, viz. (i) when the rate of NOMA system falls below the fixed target rate and (ii) when NOMA system achieves lower rate than orthogonal multiple access (OMA) rate. The authors also derive the average bit error rate (ABER) and ergodic capacity expressions for the considered system. The numerical and simulation results validate the proposed analytical findings, and demonstrate the impacts of various parameters on the system performance. The authors further show that NOMA scheme is superior than OMA in terms of outage probability and ergodic capacity, whereas OMA outperforms NOMA in terms of ABER because OMA users do not have inter‐user interferences.
Dynamic power allocation of the hybrid energy storage system in islanded AC microgrid based on virtual impedance
Authors: Liu Ruiming , Wang Shengtie , Liu Guangcheng , Wen Sufang
Published: December 2020

To realise the distributed control of the hybrid energy storage system (HESS) in an islanded AC microgrid, a dynamic HESS power allocation strategy based on the virtual impedance (VI) for supercapacitor (SC) and the battery is proposed. Dynamic power‐sharing of two kinds of energy storage devices can be achieved without real‐time measuring of load power. The state of charge (SOC) recovery of SC is achieved with a SOC loop integrated into the VI loop. The principle of dynamic power‐sharing of HESS is derived based on the establishment of HESS equivalent circuit model. By analysing the influence of the voltage and current double loop controller parameters on the output impedance and the VI of the DC/AC converter, the method of setting the controller parameters for power distribution is presented. A simulation model is established with the designed equivalent power fluctuation conditions. The simulation results show that under various working conditions, the SC loop can compensate for the high‐frequency part of the equivalent power fluctuation and the battery loop absorbs the low‐frequency part of the power fluctuation. The dynamic power‐sharing of HESS with the SC SOC recovery is realised effectively.
Novel multi‐scale deep residual attention network for facial expression recognition
Authors: Liu Dong , Wang Lifeng , Wang Zhiyong , Chen Longxi
Published: December 2020

Recently, the deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown great success and for facial expression recognition (FER). These CNN‐based approaches have made breakthroughs in the accuracy by using deeper networks. As the amount of train data is very less, these models easily fall into the overfitting in the training. In this study, a novel multi‐scale deep residual attention network (Ms‐RAN) is proposed for FER. The proposed Ms‐RAN is mainly based on the multi‐scale residual attention unit, which consists of two different scale sub‐units. Each sub‐unit is composed of the convolutional layers, parametric rectified linear units (PReLUs), and the residual attention connection. By focusing on the relationship between channels and automatically learning the importance of different channel features, the proposed Ms‐RAN can make the proposed model pay more attention to the most informative channel features, while suppressing those unimportant channel features. Owing to the unique design of Ms‐RAN, the combination of various levels features can be enhanced in the proposed method, and valuable and different ranges of expressive information can also be provided for recognition. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves superior performance than other state‐of‐the‐art approaches on five databases, CK+, Oulu‐CASIA, BU‐3DFE, BP4D+, and MMI.
Enhanced visible‐light photocatalytic activity by Ag3PO4–Ag–Bi2WO6 Z‐scheme heterojunction
Authors: Zhang Qicheng , Yang Qian , Xu Sen , Duan Zhichang , Lin Wensong
Published: December 2020

A novel material of Ag3PO4–Ag–Bi2WO6 Z‐scheme heterojunction has been successfully synthesised using a simple deposition–precipitation method. In this work, the authors used diverse techniques to characterise the structure, catalytic performance, and morphology of the prepared materials. Meanwhile, the catalytic performance of prepared materials was evaluated by degrading organic pigment. The excellent catalytic performance of the material is according to the collaboration of Ag nanoparticles in the Ag3PO4–Ag–Bi2WO6 heterojunction. Ag nanoparticles enhance the stableness and activeness of the catalyst by acting as a charge transfer bridge between Ag3PO4 and Bi2WO6, which results in improving electron–hole pairs’ separation. Compared with pure Bi2WO6 and Ag3PO4–Bi2WO6 materials, Ag3PO4–Ag–Bi2WO6 has higher decomposition effectiveness of methylene blue under the same conditions. The photocatalytic mechanism was put forward and the process of the hole–electron pair's separation is discussed in detail, which is due to the formation of the Z‐scheme heterojunction with Ag nanoparticles acted as a charge transfer bridge.
Mechanical and structural behaviour of TiAlV nanocrystalline elaborated by mechanical milling technique
Authors: Abada Abderahim , Bergheul Said , Younes Abderrahmane
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study is to fabricate the Ti50Al40X10 nanostructured alloy (X: V) from pure titanium, aluminium, and vanadium powders by using a high‐energy planetary ball mill with increasing milling time from 10 to 80 h. Morphology, structural, and mechanical properties of this alloy were investigated by a SEM, XRD, and nano‐indentation testing. The effect of milling time on structural, morphological, and mechanical properties has been investigated. Microstructural characterisation showed a decrease of average particle size during milling time. Crystallite size decreased from 49 to 6.02 nm and lattice strain increased from 0.15% to about 0.89% during mechanical alloying. In addition, the mechanical properties of Ti50Al40V10 nanostructured materials were strongly depended on the microstructure and crystallite size of new phases that appear during mechanical milling. Microhardness of the Ti50Al40V10 alloy increases with milling time from 261 to 738 Hv. These changes could be attributed to the crystallite size and the strain variations during milling.
Achievement of high‐purity carbon nanofibres via peeling process
Authors: Zhao Xianglong , Chen Bin
Published: December 2020

The authors report a facile approach to high‐purity carbon nanofibres (CNFs), by performing chemical vapour deposition on aluminium foils loaded with metal (nickel or cobalt) nitrates, and then peeling the as‐grown CNFs off. The growth of CNFs was catalysed by metal nanoparticles and followed bottom‐growth mechanism, and the high‐purity CNFs were achieved due to detachment of CNFs from their underlying metal nanoparticles during the peeling process. This approach may pave a new way for the controlled and scalable synthesis of high‐purity carbon materials.
Anticancer, antimicrobial, and dye degradation activity of biosynthesised silver nanoparticle using Artemisia kopetdaghensis
Authors: Taghavizadeh Yazdi Mohammad Ehsan , Darroudi Majid , Amiri Mohammad Sadegh , Hosseini Hasan Ali , Nourbakhsh Fahimeh , Mashreghi Mohammad , Farjadi Malihe , Mousavi Kouhi Seyed Mousa , Mousavi Seyed Hadi
Published: December 2020

Biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is gaining attention due to the presence of functional plant macromolecules that benefit from NPs’ synthesis and also due to their exceptional bioactive compounds. Artemisia kopetdaghensis extract acted as a reducing/capping agent. Characterisation of greener‐synthesised AgNPs (Ak‐AgNPs) was performed by various techniques, such as Ultraviolet (UV)−visible spectrophotometry, TEM, Fourier transform infrared, and XRD. Ak‐AgNPs indicated great bactericidal properties in terms of zone of inhibition (ZI) against all of the pathogenic bacteria (i.e. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus aureus). The maximum ZI of Ak‐AgNPs was 22.3 and 17.8 mm against K. pneumoniae and S. aureus, respectively. Anti‐proliferative activity of Ak‐AgNPs on human hepatocellular cancer cell line (HepG2) using the MTT test showed dosage‐dependent inhibition activity of Ak‐AgNPs against HepG2 cancer cells. Also, green‐synthesised Ak‐AgNPs showed catalytic properties under UV‐light in organic dye (methylene blue) degradation. This study revealed that the green‐synthesised AgNPs using A. kopetdaghensis shoots extract had antibacterial and catalytic activities. Also, Ak‐AgNPs had anti‐proliferative potential against human liver cancer cell lines. The green‐synthesised Ak‐AgNPs have the potential to be exploited in anti‐bacterial, anticancer, and biocatalyst technologies.
CFHTLenS: Galaxy bias as function of scale, stellar mass, and colour
Authors: Simon Patrick , Hilbert Stefan
Published: December 2020

Galaxy models predict a tight relation between the clustering of galaxies and dark matter on cosmological scales, but predictions differ notably in the details. We used this opportunity and tested two semi-analytic models by the Munich and Durham groups with data from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS). For the test we measured the scale-dependent galaxy bias factorb(k) and correlation factorr(k) from linear to non-linear scales ofk≈ 10hMpc−1at two redshiftsz̄= 0.35, 0.51 for galaxies with stellar mass between 5 × 109and 3 × 1011h70−2M⊙. Our improved gravitational lensing technique accounts for the intrinsic alignment of sources and the magnification of lens galaxies for better constraints for the galaxy-matter correlationr(k). Galaxy bias in CFHTLenS increases withkand stellar mass; it is colour-dependent, revealing the individual footprints of galaxy types. Despite a reasonable model agreement for the relative change with both scale and galaxy properties, there is a clear conflict forb(k) with no model preference: the model galaxies are too weakly clustered. This may flag a model problem atz  ≳  0.3 for all stellar masses. As in the models, however, there is a high correlationr(k) between matter and galaxy density on all scales, and galaxy bias is typically consistent with a deterministic bias on linear scales. Only our blue and low-mass galaxies of about 7 × 109h70−2M⊙atz̄= 0.51 show, contrary to the models, a weak tendency towards a stochastic bias on linear scales whererls = 0.75 ± 0.14 (stat.) ± 0.06 (sys.). This result is of interest for cosmological probes, such asEG, that rely on a deterministic galaxy bias. We provide Monte Carlo realisations of posterior constraints forb(k) andr(k) in CFHTLenS for every galaxy sample in this paper at the CDS.
Linking planetary embryo formation to planetesimal formation
Authors: Voelkel Oliver , Deienno Rogerio , Kretke Katherine , Klahr Hubert
Published: December 2020

Context.The accretion of pebbles onto planetary cores has been widely studied in recent years and is found to be a highly effective mechanism for planetary growth. While most studies assume planetary cores as an initial condition in their simulation, the question of the manner, location, and time at which these cores form is often neglected.

Aims.We study the effect of pebble accretion during the formation phase and subsequent evolution of planetary embryos in the early stages of circumstellar disk evolution. In doing so, we aim to quantify the timescales and local dependence of planetary embryo formation based on the solid evolution of the disk.

Methods.We connected a one-dimensional two-population model for solid evolution and pebble-flux-regulated planetesimal formation to theN-body code LIPAD. We focused on the growth of planetesimals with an initial size of 100 km in diameter by planetesimal collisions and pebble accretion for the first one million years of a viscously evolving disk. We compared 18 differentN-body simulations in which we varied the total planetesimal mass after one million years, the surface density profile of the planetesimal disk, the radial pebble flux, and the possibility of pebble accretion.

Results.Pebble accretion leads to the formation of fewer but substantially more massive embryos. The area of possible embryo formation is weakly affected by the accretion of pebbles, and the innermost embryos tend to form slightly earlier than in simulations in which pebble accretion is neglected.

Conclusions.Pebble accretion strongly enhances the formation of super-Earths in the terrestrial planet region, but it does not enhance the formation of embryos at larger distances.
Lucky spectroscopy, an equivalent technique to lucky imaging
Authors: Maíz Apellániz J. , Barbá R. H. , Fariña C. , Sota A. , Pantaleoni González M. , Holgado G. , Negueruela I. , Simón-Díaz S.
Published: December 2020

Context. Many massive stars have nearby companions. These hamper a characterization of massive stars through spectroscopy.

Aims. We continue to obtain spatially resolved spectroscopy of close massive visual binaries to derive their spectral types.

Methods. We used the lucky spectroscopy technique to obtain a large number of short long-slit spectroscopic exposures of 19 close visual binaries under good seeing conditions. We selected those with the best characteristics, extracted the spectra using multiple-profile fitting, and combined the results to derive spatially separated spectra. The results were analyzed in combination with data from lucky imaging, regular intermediate-resolution single-order spectroscopy, and échelle high-resolution spectroscopy.

Results. The new application of lucky spectroscopy has allowed us (among other results) to [a] spatially disentangle two O stars (FN CMa B and 6 Cas B) with brighter BA supergiant companions for the first time; [b] determine that two B stars (α Sco B and HD 164 492 B) with close and more massive companions are fast rotators (in the second case, solving a case of mistaken identity); [c] extend the technique to cases with extreme magnitude differences (the previous two cases plus CS Cam A,B), shorter separations (HD 193 443 A,B), and fainter primary magnitudes down to B = 11 (HD 219 460 A,B); [d] spatially disentangle the spectra of stars with companions as diverse as an A supergiant (6 Cas A), a Wolf-Rayet star (HD 219 460 B = WR 157), and an M supergiant (α Sco A); [e] discover the unexpected identity of some targets such as two previously unknown bright O stars (HD 51 756 B and BD +60 544) and a new member of the rare OC category (HD 8768 A); and [f] identify and classify (in some cases for the first time) which of the components of four visual binaries (σ Ori, HD 219 460, HD 194 649, and HD 191 201) is a double-lined spectroscopic binary. For another seven systems (FN CMa, σ Sco, HD 51 756, HD 218 195, HD 17 520, HD 24 431, and HD 164 492), we detect signs of spectroscopic binarity using high-spectral-resolution spectroscopy. We also determine the limits of the technique.
Fluctuating asymmetry of silver birch Betula pendula Roth in industrial and recreational zones of the South-West of St. Petersburg
Authors: Kozlov Grigorii , Pushkarev Mikhail , Trubnikova Anastasia , Goreva Anastasia , Ivanova Miroslava , Fedorova Natalia
Published: December 2020

The paper contains information on the fluctuating asymmetry of the silver birch in the recreational and industrial zones of the South-West of St. Petersburg. It is proposed to use the fluctuating asymmetry of silver birch to substantiate the choice of locations for isolating promising strains - destructors of toxic organic pollutants.
Ways of technical science development in ophthalmology
Authors: Vorobyeva Irina , Delver Evgeny , Belogurov Anatol
Published: December 2020

In recent years, in the study of diabetic retinopathy the methods of medical engineering and mathematical modeling with the forecast of the course of diseases and given pathogenetic biomarkers in the lacrimal fluid have been widely used. The theoretical aspects of the research are the developed mathematical criteria. The criteria are the mathematical formulas describing objective data of digital ophthalmological equipment and levels of pathogenetic biomarkers in lacrimal fluid and blood serum. The proposed approach allows to create a decision support sys-tem for predicting the development of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. The practical application of the mathematical model is reflected in the developed computer program that enables the ophthalmologist to work with the patient’s data in automatic mode. The use of the program for the diagnosis and prognosis of a patient with diabetic retinopathy is demonstrated. The work on the proposed method gives the opportunity to reduce the time for assessing the patient’s condition and give a timely forecast of the course of the disease, which makes it possible to approach each patient in a personalized way.
Comparison of methods by micromycetes resistance to paint coatings and biocides
Authors: Lisitskaia Tatiana , Velikova Tatiana
Published: December 2020

The study of fungal resistance of five paint coatings and three biocides by different methods was carried out using both individual cultures of micromycetes and their mixtures as test cultures. It is shown that the data obtained by different methods is almost identical, which makes it possible to use less labor-consuming and cheaper methods in establishing the fungal resistance of paint coatings and biocides.
A python-based multicriteria portfolio selection DSS
Authors: Xidonas Panos , Doukas Haris , Sarmas Elissaios
Published: December 2020

Our purpose in this article is to develop an integrated portfolio management decision support system, which takes into account the inherent multidimensional nature of the problem, while allowing the DM, i.e. investor, to incorporate his/her preferences in the decision process. The proposed DSS has been developed in Python programming language and consists of two components: The first component is associated with the security selection phase, while the second component is associated with the portfolio optimization phase. In the first phase, four discrete multicriteria methods are employed; the PROMETHEE II, the ELECTRE III, the MAUT and the TOPSIS. After the cumulative integration of the results, a series of mathematical programming models are applied in the second phase, that of multicriteria portfolio optimization; a mixed-integer quadratic programming model, a goal programming model, a genetic algorithm model, and a multiobjective PROMETHEE flow model. Finally, the proposed approach is tested through a large-scale illustrative application in several stock markets and various sectors, analyzing simultaneously a very large number of securities.
Women contribution to the development of Buddhism in Latvia
Authors: Laudere Marika
Published: December 2020

Buddhism is one of the fastest growing and popular religions in the West which connects people of different ages and social classes. The significant role in the historical transmission of Buddhism to the West and in shaping a distinctively Western form of Buddhism has been played by Western women. Many of these women have gained attention for challenging traditional forms of Buddhism and adapting Buddhist teaching to the contemporary Western context. Others for trying to preserve traditional Buddhist teaching in new circumstances and establishing Asian Buddhist lineages in the West. As well all these women have engaged in a range of activities from teaching to translating, charity and social activism, to promoting Buddhism in the West.
Anxiety association with suicidal ideation or behaviour in individuals aged 18 – 49 years
Authors: Briede Ieva , Sudraba Velga
Published: December 2020

Anxiety and suicide – closely related concepts, the understanding of which would contribute to the overall mental and physical health of society, and which is the basis for the successful development of any country. The primary aim of the study is to identify anxiety indicators for individuals with suicide ideation or behaviour. Secondary – find out anxiety association with suicidal ideation or behaviour in individuals aged 18–49 years. For research purposes, a questionnaire created by the authors and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety self-evaluation questionnaire were used which helped to obtain the data about 165 people aged 18–49 years who have had suicidal ideation or behaviour, or attempts. The results of the study reveal that the more frequent manifestations of suicide are suicidal ideation rather than suicidal behaviour or attempts. The study produced results that confirm a positive association between higher anxiety state and suicidal ideation as well as recurrence of thoughts i.e. the higher the anxiety state the more often and repeatedly people think about suicide. The same correlation can be observed between anxiety trait and suicidal thoughts and their recurrence.
Stress, Copingstrategien und gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität während der Corona-Pandemie im April 2020 in Deutschland
Authors: Peters Elke , Hübner Joachim , Katalinic Alexander
Published: December 2020

Einleitung Internationale Studien zeigen, dass Pandemien und Quarantäne zu einem signifikant erhöhten Stressniveau und psychischen Erkrankungen bei Betroffenen führen können. Untersucht wurden die Stressbelastung und Lebensqualität in ausgewählten Bevölkerungsgruppen in der Frühphase des Lockdowns der Corona-Pandemie. Vorgestellt werden Assoziationen von Copingstrategien mit wahrgenommener Stressbelastung und Assoziationen von Aktivitäten zur Steigerung des Wohlbefindens mit der gesundheitsbezogenen Lebensqualität als ein Aspekt des Wohlbefindens.

Methodik Es wurden Daten der ersten Befragungswelle der CoPa-Studie ausgewertet, die mittels Online-Befragung erhoben wurden. Gruppenunterschiede hinsichtlich Stress und Lebensqualität wurden mittels Chi-Quadrat-Tests bzw. T-Tests explorativ geprüft. Assoziationen von Copingstrategien mit Stress und von Aktivitäten zur Steigerung des Wohlbefindens mit der gesundheitsbezogenen Lebensqualität wurden mit linearen Regressionsanalysen berechnet.

Ergebnisse Unter den 5315 Teilnehmenden zeigten Personen mit gefährdeter psychischer Gesundheit und Personen, die nicht in die Öffentlichkeit gingen, signifikant häufiger als andere Teilnehmende Anzeichen für Depressionen, Angststörungen und Stress. Personen mit Kindern bis 12 Jahren zeigten signifikant höhere Stresswerte als andere, ihre gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität war vergleichbar. Wahrgenommene soziale Unterstützung und Selbstwirksamkeit erwiesen sich als Ressourcen für die Stressbelastung. Humor, körperliche Aktivitäten, gesunde Ernährung, die Beibehaltung von Tagesroutinen und die Verfolgung von konkreten Zielen waren positiv mit der gesundheitsbezogenen Lebensqualität assoziiert.

Diskussion Personen mit gefährdeter psychischer Gesundheit benötigen in Zeiten mit reduzierten Kontaktmöglichkeiten therapeutische Angebote. Ausgewählte Maßnahmen zur Steigerung des Wohlbefindens scheinen wirksam zu sein und sollten empfohlen werden.
Nichts für Schönwetterkapitäne: CAR-T-Zellen – Immunonkologie trifft Intensivmedizin
Authors: Borrega Jorge Garcia , von Bergwelt-Baildon Michael , Böll Boris
Published: December 2020

CRS und ICANS als Nebenwirkung von CAR-T-Zellen Das Cytokine-Release-Syndrome (CRS) ist die häufigste Nebenwirkung einer CAR-T-Zell-Therapie und kann von leichtem Fieber bis zu einem Multiorganversagen führen. Pathophysiologisch kommt es beim CRS zu einem Zytokinsturm und trotz einer Therapie mit Tocilizumab sind refraktäre und tödliche Verläufe beschrieben. Die Symptome des Immune-Effector-Cell-associated-Neurotoxicity-Syndrome (ICANS) variieren von leichter Desorientiertheit bis zum lebensbedrohlichen Hirnödem. Die Pathophysiologie und Therapie des ICANS sind noch nicht ausreichend erforscht. Die Differenzialdiagnosen von CRS und ICANS sind komplex und umfassen neben Infektionen und Sepsis unter anderem auch eine Toxizität der vorhergehenden Therapie, ein Tumorlysesyndrom und nicht zuletzt einen Progress der Grunderkrankung. Ein klinischer oder laborchemischer Parameter zum sicheren Beweis oder Ausschluss eines CRS oder ICANS gibt es zum heutigen Zeitpunkt nicht.

Intensivmedizinische Relevanz und potenzielle Entwicklungen der CAR-T-Zell-Therapie Erste Auswertungen von Real-world-Daten deuten auf eine höhere Rate an schweren Nebenwirkungen im Rahmen der CAR-T-Zell-Therapie als in den Zulassungsstudien hin. Für die Indikation r/r-DLBCL könnten schätzungsweise bis zu maximal 300 Patienten pro Jahr in Deutschland eine intensivmedizinische Betreuung im Rahmen der CAR-T-Zell-Therapie benötigen. Studien mit wesentlich häufigeren soliden Tumoren könnten die Patientenzahl drastisch erhöhen.

Therapieziel bei CAR-T-Zell-Patienten und Entscheidungen bei Therapiezieländerung Aufgrund des neuen Therapiekonzepts kann ein Konflikt zwischen bislang palliativem Patientenkollektiv und nun möglicherweise langfristigen Remissionen entstehen. Eine frühzeitige Aufklärung über potenziell lebensbedrohliche Nebenwirkungen im Rahmen der Therapie und eine interdisziplinäre Besprechung der Therapieziele mit den Patienten ist entscheidend.
Relationships Between Training Load Variables in Professional Youth Football Players
Authors: Maughan Patrick , Swinton Paul , MacFarlane Niall
Published: December 2020

This study aims to investigate the relationship between subjective and external measures of load in professional youth football players whilst accounting for the effect of training theme or competition. Data from ratings of perceived exertion and global positioning system-derived measures of external training load were collected from 20 professional youth players (age=17.4±1.3 yrs) across a 46-week season. General characteristics of training sessions were categorised based on their proximity to match day. The underlying structure of the data was investigated with principal component analysis. An extraction criterion comprising eigenvalues >1 was used to identify which components to retain. Three components were retained for training performed three days prior to match day (80.2% of variance), with two components (72.9–89.7% of variance) retained for all other modes. Generally, the first component was represented by measures of volume (Total Distance, PlayerLoad and low intensity running) whilst the second and third components were characterised by measures of intensity. Identification of multiple components indicates that load monitoring should comprise multiple variables. Additionally, differences in the underlying structure across training days that reflected different goals suggest that effective monitoring should be specific to the demands of different session types.
Versorgungssituation und Mortalität von Patienten in Deutschland innerhalb und außerhalb des DMP Typ-2-Diabetes: eine kritische Analyse
Authors: Samigullin Azat , Hammes Hans-Peter , Siegel Erhard , Helms Thomas , Remppis Bjoern Andrew , Humpert Per Magnus , Morcos Michael
Published: December 2020

Typ-2-Diabetes(T2 D)-Patienten weisen im Vergleich zur Normalbevölkerung eine erhöhte Sterblichkeit auf. Ein Teil der Patienten ist mit dem Ziel einer besseren Versorgung in das nationale „Disease-Management-Programm Diabetes“ (DMP) Typ-2-Diabetes eingeschlossen. In dieser Arbeit werden Mortalitätsdaten von T2D-Patienten aus der Routineversorgung mit Mortalitätsdaten der Allgemeinbevölkerung und von T2D-Patienten aus verschiedenen Studienkollektiven verglichen. Die Sterblichkeit der deutschen T2D-Patienten insgesamt ist etwa 3,1-fach höher als in der Allgemeinbevölkerung. Die Sterblichkeit von deutschen T2D-Patienten innerhalb des DMP ist 2,4-fach höher. Inwieweit sich dieser Mortalitätsunterschied durch einen Selektionsbias oder durch die Teilnahme am DMP selbst erklären lässt, ist mit den verfügbaren Daten nicht eindeutig zu beantworten. Die Tatsache aber, dass im Vergleich dazu das Sterblichkeitsrisiko innerhalb kontrollierter T2D-Interventionsstudien trotz zusätzlicher kardiovaskulärer Komorbidität nochmals niedriger ist, gibt einen wichtigen Hinweis darauf, dass die kardiovaskuläre Pathophysiologie im bisherigen DMP nicht ausreichend berücksichtigt wird und dieser Tatbestand ein wichtiges Verbesserungspotenzial für eine Optimierung des DMP darstellt.
Fenestration of Peritoneal Catheter to Avoid Abdominal Pseudocyst Formation after Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts: A Technical Note
Authors: Scollato Antonio , Trungu Sokol , Forcato Stefano , Ricciardi Luca , Miscusi Massimo , Gallina Pasquale , Raco Antonino
Published: December 2020

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) is a well-known procedure in the neurosurgical field. However, it has high complication and reoperation rates. Abdominal pseudocyst (APC) formation is a rare complication of VPS with reports in the literature varying from 4 to 10%. In this article, we report a simple and effective technique, with no additional cost, to avoid APC formation by making small multiple slits along the length of the peritoneal catheter.
Microsurgical Resection of Glioblastoma in a Patient Infected with Covid-19: A Case Report
Authors: Macêdo Lívio Pereira de , Franke Kauê , Cezar-Junior Auricélio Batista , Faquini Igor Vilela , Carvalho Eduardo Vieira de , Almeida Nivaldo S. , Azevedo-Filho Hildo Rocha Cirne
Published: December 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected a large number of patients in all countries, overwhelming healthcare systems worldwide. In this scenario, surgical procedures became restricted, causing unacceptable delays in the treatment of certain pathologies, such as glioblastoma. Regarding this tumor with high morbidity and mortality, early surgical treatment is essential to increase the survival and quality of life of these patients. Association between COVID-19 and neurosurgical procedures is quite scarce in the literature, with a few reported cases. In the present study, we present a rare case of a patient undergoing surgical resection of glioblastoma with COVID-19.
Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A Complication of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Patients
Authors: Guo Qiannan , Yang Peiwen , Barnabo Nampoukime Kan-paatib , Ma Ke , Wang Haihao
Published: December 2020

Background At present, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading all over the world. The occurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax in these patients might be higher than the fact, and we should pay high clinical attention to them.

Method Data regarding clinical investigation, laboratory investigation, diagnosis, and treatment measures of 21 COVID-19 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax from January to March of 2020 were collected and analyzed in this study.

Results Seven patients had a history of basic lung diseases. All patients used different methods of oxygen therapy before the occurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax according to the severity of the COVID-19, including 18 patients with ventilator-assisted breathing, 2 patients with bilevel positive airway pressure assisted breathing, and 1 patient with mask oxygen inhalation. All patients were confirmed cases of COVID-19 by chest CT (computed tomography) and virus nucleic acid detection and were found to have spontaneous pneumothorax through physical examination, bedside X-ray, and/or bedside ultrasound. 13 of 21 patients combined with pleural effusion at the same time. All the patients underwent closed thoracic drainage for spontaneous pneumothorax and the pleural effusion, if any. Nine patients died, and 12 patients recovered smoothly.

Conclusion Spontaneous pneumothorax might be an overlooked complication of COVID-19 patients and may be associated with poor prognosis.