bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural variability of CG-rich DNA 18-mers accommodating double T–T mismatches
Authors: Kolenko Petr , Svoboda Jakub , Černý Jiří , Charnavets Tatsiana , Schneider Bohdan
Published: November 2020

Solution and crystal data are reported for DNA 18-mers with sequences related to those of bacterial noncoding single-stranded DNA segments called repetitive extragenic palindromes (REPs). Solution CD and melting data showed that the CG-rich, near-palindromic REPs from various bacterial species exhibit dynamic temperature-dependent and concentration-dependent equilibria, including architectures compatible with not only hairpins, which are expected to be biologically relevant, but also antiparallel duplexes and bimolecular tetraplexes. Three 18-mer oligonucleotides named Hpar-18 (PDB entry 6rou), Chom-18 (PDB entry 6ros) and its brominated variant Chom-18Br (PDB entry 6ror) crystallized as isomorphic right-handed A-like duplexes. The low-resolution crystal structures were solved with the help of experimental phases for Chom-18Br. The center of the duplexes is formed by two successive T–T noncanonical base pairs (mismatches). They do not deform the double-helical geometry. The presence of T–T mismatches prompted an analysis of the geometries of these and other noncanonical pairs in other DNA crystals in terms of their fit to the experimental electron densities (RSCC) and their geometric fit to the NtC (dinucleotide conformational) classes (https://dnatco.datmos.org/). Throughout this work, knowledge of the NtC classes was used to refine and validate the crystal structures, and to analyze the mismatches.
A statistical analysis of high-performance prosthetic isogrid composite tubes using response surface method
Authors: Francisco Matheus , Roque Lucas , Pereira João , Machado Susiane , da Cunha Jr Sebastião Simões , Gomes Guilherme Ferreira
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to address a deep statistical analysis on transtibial prostheses made of composite isogrid carbon/epoxy structure.

Design/methodology/approach

For the methodological procedure, an experimental arrangement was created using design of experiments, and the response surface methodology (RSM) was used. The RSM was obtained from the decision variables of the isogrid model, which consists of angle, circular width and helical width. All modeling was performed numerically using the finite element method.

Findings

Results obtained through analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated the sensitivity of each decision variable (manufacture) in the mechanical responses. The results obtained in this study provide a starting point in formulating optimization problems for researchers and engineers.

Originality/value

A noteworthy thing about structural analysis and structural optimization is that some parameters and decision variables are more significant than others in certain responses (Major et al., 2011). Knowing the sensitivity of these parameters is essential for the correct formulation of an optimization problem. To handle these obstacles, design of experiments and ANOVA are used to solve and obtain the main effects on the structural performance. Nevertheless, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, very few efforts have been devoted to the development to show the factors that influence the various responses of a lower limb prosthesis isogrid tube.
Assessing the impact of climate change on agriculture in Quang Nam Province, Viet Nam using modeling approach
Authors: Huynh Huong Thi Lan , Nguyen Thi Lieu , Dinh Hoang Nguyen
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the impact of climate change on some specific areas of agricultural production in Quang Nam Province, including assessing the possibility of losing agricultural land owing to sea level rise; assessing the impact on rice productivity; and, assessing the impact on crop water demand.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the method of collecting and processing statistics data; method of analysis, comparison and evaluation; method of geographic information system; method of using mathematical model; and method of professional solution, to assess the impacts of climate change.

Findings

Evaluation results in Quang Nam Province show that, by the end of the 21st century, winter–spring rice productivity may decrease by 33%, while summer–autumn rice productivity may decrease by 49%. Under representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 scenario, water demand increases by 31.1% compared to the baseline period, of which the winter–spring crop increases by 28.4%, and the summer–autumn crop increased by 34.3%. Under RCP 8.5 scenario, water demand increases by 54.1% compared to the baseline period, of which the winter–spring crop increases by 46.7%, and the summer–autumn crop increased by 63.1%. The area of agricultural land likely to be inundated by sea level rise at 50 cm is 418.32 ha, and at 80 cm, it is 637.07 ha.

Originality/value

To propose adaptation solution to avoid the impacts of climate change on agriculture, it is necessary to consider about the impact on losing land for agriculture, the impact on rice productivity, assess the impact on crop water demand and other. The result of this assessment is useful for policymakers for forming the agriculture development plan.
Financing hydroelectric power plants: a review and evaluation of financing channels
Authors: İpin Selin , Ercan Tuğçe
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to identify project funding shortcomings in the existing literature and evaluate the financing channels accordingly.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a structured literature review – a content analysis method. Then, the comparative analysis applied to data gathered from the content analysis.

Findings

To define the main research topics and establish a focus on hydroelectric power plant (HEPP) financing, a comprehensive structured literature review was conducted. According to the results of this study, there are three main categories of HEPP financing studies in the literature, namely, financing channels and products, factors that complicate financing and financing- risk relationship of HEPP projects. According to these findings, which criteria most affecting HEPP financing and which financing channel is the most suitable are determined.

Research limitations/implications

Among all financing channels, only direct debt sources are selected.

Practical implications

This study is structured as a simple lender selection guide for HEPP investments. Selection criteria are applicable for both lenders and investors. For lenders, those criteria are expected to improve loan performance and optimize financial product selection. For investors, those criteria are expected to help choosing suitable products and improve revenues.

Social implications

This study will contribute the researchers those intended to work on the topic.

Originality/value

This study will contribute to limited literature on HEPP financing. Project finance literature is limited and narrow even there is no study that investigates hydropower project finance sourcing. In this manner, this study can be considered as a pioneer.
Supports for migrant farmworkers: tensions in (in)access and (in)action
Authors: Caxaj Susana , Cohen Amy , Marsden Sarah
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of support actors in promoting or hindering access to public services/spaces for migrant agricultural workers (MAWs) and to determine the factors that influence adequate support for this population.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a situational analysis methodology, the authors carried out focus groups and interviews with 40 support actors complimented by a community scan (n = 28) with public-facing support persons and a community consultation with migrant farmworkers (MFWs) (n = 235).

Findings

Two major themes were revealed: (In)access and (In)action and Blurred Lines in Service Provision. The first illustrated how support actors could both reinforce or challenge barriers for this population through tensions of “Coping or Pushing Back on Constraints” and “Need to find them first!” Justification or Preparation? Blurred lines in Service Provision encompassed organizational/staff’s behaviors and contradictions that could hinder meaningful support for MFWs revealing two key tensions: “Protection or performance?” and “Contradicting or reconciling priorities? Our findings revealed a support system for MAWs still in its infancy, contending with difficult political and economic conditions.

Social implications

Service providers can use research findings to improve supports for MAWs. For example, addressing conflicts of interests in clinical encounters and identification of farms to inform adequate outreach strategies can contribute to more effective support for MAWs.

Originality/value

This research is novel in its examination of multiple sectors as well as its inclusion of both formal and informal actors involved in supporting MAWs. Our findings have the potential to inform more comprehensive readings of the health and social care resources available to MAWs.
Data-driven business model development – insights from the facility management industry
Authors: Marcinkowski Bartosz , Gawin Bartlomiej
Published: November 2020

Purpose

One of the leading factors that shape product and service delivery are data collected in databases and other repositories maintained by companies. The transformation of such data into knowledge and wisdom may constitute a new source of income. This paper aims to explore how small/medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) advance their business models (BMs) around data to handle data-driven products and how this contributes to their innovativeness and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the phenomenon, the as-is BM of a multinational SME was mapped and its limitations were revealed through a qualitative study. The BM canvas was used. Then the data-driven approach was innovated within the facility management (FM) industry, where a high volume of operational and sensor-based data being collected creates added value in terms of new data-based products.

Findings

A data-driven business model (DDBM) blueprint for the FM industry that supports the need to complement service-driven operations with the data-driven approach is delivered. Enhanced BM equips a facility manager with additional managerial tools that enable decreasing property utilization costs and opens up new opportunities for generating revenue. This paper drafts the way to evolve from service to data-driven business and point out the attitudes that managers should adopt to promote and implement DDBM.

Practical implications

The DDBM constitutes a guideline that supports FM organizations in focusing their activities and resources on generating business value from data and monetizing data-driven products.

Originality/value

The research expands knowledge regarding BMs and their evolution. The gap regarding the DDBM innovation within the FM industry is filled.
Effects of a diet containing different sources of omega-3 fatty acids on kidney-related biomarkers in overweight and obese individuals: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Fatahi Somaye , Haghighatdoost Fahime , Larijani Bagher , Surkan Pamela J. , Azadbakht Leila
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Recent research has suggested the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids on kidney function; however, differences in these benefits have not been well-documented with respect to different omega-3 fatty acid sources. Hence, the purpose of this study is to compare the effects of plants, marine sources of omega-3 fatty acids and their combination on biomarkers of renal function in overweight and obese individuals.

Design/methodology/approach

Ninety-nine overweight and obese women from a weight loss clinic received three weight-reducing diets with fish (300 g/week), walnuts (18 walnuts/week) or fish + walnuts (150 g fish + 9 walnuts/week) for 12 weeks. Serum biomarkers of renal function were measured at the beginning and the end of the intervention.

Findings

After 12 weeks, a reduction in serum creatinine was statistically higher for both the fish + walnut (−0.16 ± 0.09 mg/dL,p= 0.001) and walnut (−0.15 ± 0.05 mg/dL,p= 0.001) diets compared with the fish diet (−0.05 ± 0.04 mg/dL). A significant decrease was seen in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level in the fish + walnut group (−0.12 ± 0.05 mg/dL,p= 0.03) and walnut group (−0.10 ± 0.04 mg/dL,p= 0.03) compared to the fish group (−0.05 ± 0.03 mg/dL). The effect of serum creatinine and BUN in the fish + walnut diet group was relatively higher than in the walnut diet group. Also, a significant difference was observed regarding weight loss in the fish + walnut diet (−7.2 ± 0.9 kg,p= 0.03) compared to in the other groups. The change in other indices was not different among the three diets.

Originality/value

This study found synergistic benefits of the plant and marine omega-3 fatty acids in reducing serum creatinine, BUN and weight compared with isolated marine omega-3s in overweight and obese women.
A Reply to ‘Labour and Antisemitism: A Crisis Misunderstood’
Authors: Kuper Richard
Published: November 2020

In their 2020 Political Quarterly article ‘Labour and antisemitism: a crisis misunderstood’, Gidley, McGeever and Feldman argue that the Labour Party’s responses to its antisemitism crisis have been misguided because its understanding of antisemitism is wrong. We must look less at cases of individual antisemites and more at the ‘reservoir of stereotypes and narratives’, in which the long (but unacknowledged) history of left antisemitism has deposited its ideas—and from which they can be easily retrieved.

This response challenges the reservoir concept as ahistorical, and culturally adrift, lacking the components necessary for cultural understanding—of being rooted, contextualised, complex and contradictory, evolving and regressing, but always home to inconsistent, yet coexisting, ideas and prejudices. The authors simply ignore the political dynamics of this crisis which have allowed antisemitism to be weaponised and made it all but impossible to have a calm, serious, rigorous reflection and public debate about antisemitism, and about Israel/Palestine. Such a debate is long overdue.
From Sentimentality to Science: Social Utility, Feminist Eugenics and The End of The Road in Progressive Era America
Authors: Mathiason Jessica Lee
Published: November 2020

Given the sensational appeal of Katherine Davis's The End of the Road, leading to its unofficial designation in The Exhibitor's Herald as ‘the most talked about Picture in America’ in 1919, it is surprising the film has not received greater critical attention for its peculiarly feminist eugenic vision. Reading The End of the Road alongside other US government hygiene films and contemporaneous journal articles and medical texts, I reveal a different vision of Progressive Era eugenics than that found in the well‐known work of Shelley Stamp, Martin Pernick and Stacie Colwell. Drawing a distinction between what the progressives themselves termed ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ eugenics, I explore hygiene cinema's unexpected intersection with first‐wave feminism, progressive economics and welfare reform. In so doing, I reveal a window into a nearly‐forgotten feminist counter‐culture that briefly attained governmental support due to the overlap in membership between the American Social Hygiene Association and the US War Department. At the centre of this vision is The End of the Road’s eugenic heroine, Mary, who is neither a wife nor a mother but a college‐educated working woman who promotes the ‘development of oneself for the service of mankind’.
Criminal thinking, certainty of apprehension, and the decision to engage in antisocial behavior: A study of day treatment program clients
Authors: Walters Glenn D. , Ponce Rolando , Piñero Miguel A. , Ernest Kimberly D.
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine whether criminal thinking moderates the relationship between certainty of apprehension (50%, 10%, 1%) and likelihood of engaging in three antisocial hypothetical acts (cheating on a test, property damage, and driving drunk). Proactive criminal thinking (PCT), a manifestation of the planned, calculated, amoral, and instrumental features of antisocial cognition, and reactive criminal thinking (RCT), a reflection of the impulsive, irresponsible, reckless, and emotional aspects of antisocial cognition, served as between‐subjects variables in this study. A repeated measures analysis of covariance performed on 67 (43 males, 24 females) day treatment program clients revealed that the likelihood of engaging in antisocial behavior was disproportionately elevated when participants were high in PCT and low in certainty. These results indicate that as the certainty of apprehension goes down, persons with elevated levels of proactive criminal thinking are disproportionately inclined to engage in antisocial and criminal behavior.
Spatiotemporal characteristics of asthma emergency department presentations in diverse geographical and climatic regions, Queensland, Australia
Authors: Simunovic Marko , Boyle Justin , Baker Philip , Erbas Bircan , Davies Janet M
Published: November 2020

Objective

Sudden acute episodes of asthma exacerbation are often treated by hospital EDs. It is hypothesised that determinants of acute asthma would differ across geographic regions. The objective of the present study was to detail seasonality, trends and spatiotemporal patterns of asthma ED presentations across Queensland (QLD), Australia, a state covering 1.8 million square kilometres, spanning multiple climates.

Methods

Six years of routinely collected data (2012 to 2017) from 28 major QLD public hospitals were extracted from Queensland Health's Emergency Data Collection. The dataset contained individual, episode‐level asthma‐like diagnoses of ED presentations. Seasonality and trends of acute asthma were assessed through multiplicative time‐series analysis.

Results

The study consisted of 2192 days with a total of 65 012 asthma ED presentations in QLD. The 6‐year average daily incidence rate was 270 asthma ED presentations per 100 000 population. The highest morbidity of asthma ED presentations occurred during the southern hemisphere winter months. Children showed a higher incidence rate compared to adults with males experiencing a higher incidence compared to females up until the age of 13, after which an inversion was observed persisting through adulthood. Seasonality of asthma ED presentations differed with latitude across QLD.

Conclusion

Asthma‐related ED presentations exhibit spatiotemporal variation across QLD, which appears to be related to climate. Furthermore, aeroallergens and respiratory viruses may be responsible for asthma ED peaks outside the winter period. Socioeconomic status may influence asthma ED presentation rates between regions. This knowledge can guide ongoing management and assist public health policy response.
Predicting factors for complications in peripheral intravenous catheters in the pediatric population
Authors: Resnick Ortal , Abu Ahmad Wiessam , Bancovsky Daniel , Rogachev Sonia , Ashash Amit , Ohana Sarna Cahan Lea , Rekhtman David , Hashavya Saar , Gross Itai
Published: November 2020

Aim

To characterise the association between peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) gauge (G), the patient's age, insertion site and complication incidence.

Methods

This prospective study was performed in Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel, between June 2018 and March 2019. Children with PIVC admitted to the paediatric departments were included. PIVCs were evaluated daily.

Results

A total of 113 children with 132 PIVCs were included in the study. The most common site of insertion was the antecubital fossa (43.9%). PIVCs were most commonly used for intravenous (IV) antibiotics (46.6%). Complications were observed for 40.9% PIVCs. Dislodgement was the most common complication. The complication rate was higher for the lower limbs (60%) and external jugular veins (100%) p = 0.002. In infants younger than 12 months, the complication rate was higher for 22 G PIVCs or larger (58.7% versus 27.5%; p = 0.05). In contrast, for the 1‐6 years age group, PIVCs smaller than 24 G had a higher complication rate (p = 0.004). Patients with comorbidities had a higher complication rate (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Risk factors for complications are comorbidities and sites of insertion other than the upper limbs. In infants, 24 G PIVC or smaller should be inserted, whereas 22 G PIVC or larger are superior for 1‐ to 6‐year‐old children.
Pharmacokinetics under the COVID‐19 storm
Authors: Pilla Reddy Venkatesh , El‐Khateeb Eman , Jo Heeseung , Giovino Natalie , Lythgoe Emily , Sharma Shringi , Tang Weifeng , Jamei Masoud , Rastomi‐Hodjegan Amin
Published: November 2020

Aims

The storm‐like nature of the health crises caused by COVID‐19 has led to unconventional clinical trial practices such as the relaxation of exclusion criteria. The question remains: how can we conduct diverse trials without exposing subgroups of populations to potentially harmful drug exposure levels? The aim of this study was to build a knowledge base of the effect of intrinsic/extrinsic factors on the disposition of several repurposed COVID‐19 drugs.

Methods

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models were used to study the change in the pharmacokinetics (PK) of drugs repurposed for COVID‐19 in geriatric patients, different race groups, organ impairment and drug‐drug interactions (DDIs) risks. These models were also used to predict epithelial lining fluid (ELF) exposure, which is relevant for COVID‐19 patients under elevated cytokine levels.

Results

The simulated PK profiles suggest no dose adjustments are required based on age and race for COVID‐19 drugs, but dose adjustments may be warranted for COVID‐19 patients also exhibiting hepatic/renal impairment. PBPK model simulations suggest ELF exposure to attain a target concentration was adequate for most drugs, except for hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, atazanavir and lopinavir/ritonavir.

Conclusion

We demonstrate that systematically collated data on absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, human PK parameters, DDIs and organ impairment can be used to verify simulated plasma and lung tissue exposure for drugs repurposed for COVID‐19, justifying broader patient recruitment criteria. In addition, the PBPK model developed was used to study the effect of age and ethnicity on the PK of repurposed drugs, and to assess the correlation between lung exposure and relevant potency values from in vitro studies for SARS‐CoV‐2.
Balancing fit and parsimony to improve Q‐matrix validation
Authors: Nájera Pablo , Sorrel Miguel A. , de la Torre Jimmy , Abad Francisco José
Published: November 2020

The Q‐matrix identifies the subset of attributes measured by each item in the cognitive diagnosis modelling framework. Usually constructed by domain experts, the Q‐matrix might contain some misspecifications, disrupting classification accuracy. Empirical Q‐matrix validation methods such as the general discrimination index (GDI) and Wald have shown promising results in addressing this problem. However, a cut‐off point is used in both methods, which might be suboptimal. To address this limitation, the Hull method is proposed and evaluated in the present study. This method aims to find the optimal balance between fit and parsimony, and it is flexible enough to be used either with a measure of item discrimination (the proportion of variance accounted for, PVAF) or a coefficient of determination (pseudo‐R2). Results from a simulation study showed that the Hull method consistently showed the best performance and shortest computation time, especially when used with the PVAF. The Wald method also performed very well overall, while the GDI method obtained poor results when the number of attributes was high. The absence of a cut‐off point provides greater flexibility to the Hull method, and it places it as a comprehensive solution to the Q‐matrix specification problem in applied settings. This proposal is illustrated using real data.
The impacts of ignoring individual mobility across clusters in estimating a piecewise growth model
Authors: Leroux Audrey J. , Cappelli Christopher J. , Fikis David R. J.
Published: November 2020

A three‐level piecewise growth model (3L‐PGM) can be used to break up nonlinear growth into multiple components, providing the opportunity to examine potential sources of variation in individual and contextual growth within different segments of the model. The conventional 3L‐PGM assumes that the data are strictly hierarchical in nature, where measurement occasions (level 1) are nested within individuals (level 2) who are members of a single cluster (level 3). However, in longitudinal research, it is sometimes difficult for data structures to remain purely clustered during a study, such as when some students change classrooms or schools over time. One resulting data structure in this situation is known as a multiple membership structure, where some lower‐level units are members of more than one higher‐level unit. The new multiple membership PGM (MM‐PGM) extends the 3L‐PGM to handle multiple membership data structures frequently found in the social sciences. This study sought to examine the consequences of ignoring individual mobility across clusters when estimating a 3L‐PGM in comparison to estimating a MM‐PGM. MM‐PGM estimates were less biased (especially in the cluster‐level coefficient estimates), although we found substantial bias in cluster‐level variance components across some conditions for both models.
Protective effect of suppressor of cytokine signalling 1‐based therapy in experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm
Authors: Bernal Susana , Lopez‐Sanz Laura , Jimenez‐Castilla Luna , Prieto Ignacio , Melgar Ana , La Manna Sara , Martin‐Ventura Jose Luis , Blanco‐Colio Luis Miguel , Egido Jesus , Gomez‐Guerrero Carmen
Published: November 2020

Background and Purpose

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a multifactorial disease characterized by chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and proteolytic activity in the aortic wall. Targeting JAK/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway is a promising strategy for chronic inflammatory diseases. We investigated the vasculo‐protective role of suppressor of cytokine signalling‐1 (SOCS1), the negative JAK/STAT regulator, in experimental AAA.

Experimental Approach

A synthetic, cell permeable peptide (S1) mimic of SOCS1 kinase inhibitory domain to suppress STAT activation was evaluated in the well‐established mouse model of elastase‐induced AAA by monitoring changes in aortic diameter, cellular composition and gene expression in abdominal aorta. S1 function was further evaluated in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and macrophages exposed to elastase or elastin‐derived peptides.

Key Results

S1 peptide prevented AAA development, evidenced by reduced incidence of AAA, aortic dilation and elastin degradation, partial restoration of medial VSMC and decreased inflammatory cells and oxidative stress in AAA tissue. Mechanistically, S1 suppressed STAT1/3 activation in aorta, down‐regulated cytokines, metalloproteinases and altered the expression of cell differentiation markers by favouring anti‐inflammatory M2 macrophage and contractile VSMC phenotypes. In vitro, S1 suppressed the expression of inflammatory and oxidative genes, reduced cell migration and reversed the phenotypic switch of macrophages and VSMC. By contrast, SOCS1 silencing promoted inflammatory response.

Conclusion and Implications

This preclinical study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of SOCS1‐derived peptide to halt AAA progression by suppressing JAK/STAT‐mediated inflammation and aortic dilation. S1 peptide may therefore be a valuable option for the treatment of AAA.
The role of dentist supply, need for care and long‐term continuity in Health Resources and Services Administration‐funded health centres in the United States
Authors: Pourat Nadereh , Chen Xiao , Lu Connie , Zhou Weihao , Hoang Hank , Hair Brionna , Bolton Joshua , Sripipatana Alek
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Health Resources and Services Administration‐funded health centres (HCs) are an important source of dental services for low‐income and vulnerable patients in the United States. About 82% of HCs in 2018 had dental workforce, but it is unclear whether this workforce meets the oral health needs of HC patients. Thus, we first examined (a) whether dental workforce was associated with any dental visits vs none and (b) whether HC patients with any visits were more likely to have a visit at the HC vs elsewhere. We then examined (c) if need for oral health care and long‐term continuity at the HC were associated with dental visits and visits at the HC.

Methods

This study used the 2014 Health Center Patient Survey, a nationally representative study of US HC patients, and the 2013 Uniform Data System, an administrative dataset of HC characteristics. We also used the 2013 Area Health Resource File to measure the contribution of local supply of dentists. We included working‐age adult patients (n = 5006) and used multilevel structural equation models with Poisson specification.

Results

Larger dental workforce at the HC was significantly associated with 1% higher likelihood (relative risk [RR]: 1.01, 1.00‐1.02) of any visits and 10% higher likelihood of a visit at the HC among those with a visit (RR: 1.10, 1.06‐1.14). Patient self‐reported oral health need was positively associated with 157% higher likelihood of dental visits (RR: 2.57, 2.29‐2.88), and 42% higher likelihood of dental visit at the HC vs elsewhere (RR: 1.42, 1.19‐1.69). Long‐term continuity with the HC was not significantly associated with likelihood of dental visits, but was associated with 26% higher likelihood of visits at the HC among those who had any visits (RR: 1.26, 1.02‐1.56).

Discussion

The findings highlight the potential impact of increasing dental workforce at HCs to promote access; the high level of need for oral health care at HCs; and the increased effort required to promote access among newer patients who may be less familiar with the availability of oral health care at HCs. Together, these findings reinforce the importance of addressing barriers of use of oral health services among low‐income and uninsured patients.
Robust Computation of 3D Apollonius Diagrams
Authors: Wang Peihui , Yuan Na , Ma Yuewen , Xin Shiqing , He Ying , Chen Shuangmin , Xu Jian , Wang Wenping
Published: November 2020

Apollonius diagrams, also known as additively weighted Voronoi diagrams, are an extension of Voronoi diagrams, where the weighted distance is defined by the Euclidean distance minus the weight. The bisectors of Apollonius diagrams have a hyperbolic form, which is fundamentally different from traditional Voronoi diagrams and power diagrams. Though robust solvers are available for computing 2D Apollonius diagrams, there is no practical approach for the 3D counterpart. In this paper, we systematically analyze the structural features of 3D Apollonius diagrams, and then develop a fast algorithm for robustly computing Apollonius diagrams in 3D. Our algorithm consists of vertex location, edge tracing and face extraction, among which the key step is to adaptively subdivide the initial large box into a set of sufficiently small boxes such that each box contains at most one Apollonius vertex. Finally, we use centroidal Voronoi tessellation (CVT) to discretize the curved bisectors with well‐tessellated triangle meshes. We validate the effectiveness and robustness of our algorithm through extensive evaluation and experiments. We also demonstrate an application on computing centroidal Apollonius diagram.
Adjustable Constrained Soft‐Tissue Dynamics
Authors: Wang B. , Zheng M. , Barbič J.
Published: November 2020

Physically based simulation is often combined with geometric mesh animation to add realistic soft‐body dynamics to virtual characters. This is commonly done using constraint‐based simulation whereby a soft‐tissue simulation is constrained to geometric animation of a subpart (or otherwise proxy representation) of the character. We observe that standard constraint‐based simulation suffers from an important flaw that limits the expressiveness of soft‐body dynamics. Namely, under correct physics, the frequency and amplitude of soft‐tissue dynamics arising from constraints (“inertial amplitude”) are coupled, and cannot be adjusted independently merely by adjusting the material properties of the model. This means that the space of physically based simulations is inherently limited and cannot capture all effects typically expected by computer animators. For example, animators need the ability to adjust the frequency, inertial amplitude, gravity sag and damping properties of the virtual character, independently from each other, as these are the primary visual characteristics of the soft‐tissue dynamics. We demonstrate that independence can be achieved by transforming the equations of motion into a non‐inertial reference coordinate frame, then scaling the resulting inertial forces, and then converting the equations of motion back to the inertial frame. Such scaling of inertia makes it possible for the animator to set the character's inertial amplitude independently from frequency. We also provide exact controls for the amount of character's gravity sag, and the damping properties. In our examples, we use linear blend skinning and pose‐space deformation for geometric mesh animation, and the Finite Element Method for soft‐body constrained simulation; but our idea of scaling inertial forces is general and applicable to other animation and simulation methods. We demonstrate our technique on several character examples.
Unsupervised Image Reconstruction for Gradient‐Domain Volumetric Rendering
Authors: Xu Zilin , Sun Qiang , Wang Lu , Xu Yanning , Wang Beibei
Published: November 2020

Gradient‐domain rendering can highly improve the convergence of light transport simulation using the smoothness in image space. These methods generate image gradients and solve an image reconstruction problem with rendered image and the gradient images. Recently, a previous work proposed a gradient‐domain volumetric photon density estimation for homogeneous participating media. However, the image reconstruction relies on traditional L1 reconstruction, which leads to obvious artifacts when only a few rendering passes are performed. Deep learning based reconstruction methods have been exploited for surface rendering, but they are not suitable for volume density estimation. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised neural network for image reconstruction of gradient‐domain volumetric photon density estimation, more specifically for volumetric photon mapping, using a variant of GradNet with an encoded shift connection and a separated auxiliary feature branch, which includes volume based auxiliary features such as transmittance and photon density. Our network smooths the images on global scale and preserves the high frequency details on a small scale. We demonstrate that our network produces a higher quality result, compared to previous work. Although we only considered volumetric photon mapping, it's straightforward to extend our method for other forms, like beam radiance estimation.
Two‐stage Resampling for Bidirectional Path Tracing with Multiple Light Sub‐paths
Authors: Nabata K. , Iwasaki K. , Dobashi Y.
Published: November 2020

Recent advances in bidirectional path tracing (BPT) reveal that the use of multiple light sub‐paths and the resampling of a small number of these can improve the efficiency of BPT. By increasing the number of pre‐sampled light sub‐paths, the possibility of generating light paths that provide large contributions can be better explored and this can alleviate the correlation of light paths due to the reuse of pre‐sampled light sub‐paths by all eye sub‐paths. The increased number of pre‐sampled light subpaths, however, also incurs a high computational cost. In this paper, we propose a two‐stage resampling method for BPT to efficiently handle a large number of pre‐sampled light sub‐paths. We also derive a weighting function that can treat the changes in path probability due to the two‐stage resampling. Our method can handle a two orders of magnitude larger number of presampled light sub‐paths than previous methods in equal‐time rendering, resulting in stable and better noise reduction than state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Learning Target‐Adaptive Correlation Filters for Visual Tracking
Authors: She Y. , Yi Y. , Gu J.
Published: November 2020

Correlation filters (CF) achieve excellent performance in visual tracking but suffer from undesired boundary effects. A significant amount of approaches focus on enlarging search regions to make up for this shortcoming. However, this introduces excessive background noises and misleads the filter into learning from the ambiguous information. In this paper, we propose a novel target‐adaptive correlation filter (TACF) that incorporates context and spatial‐temporal regularizations into the CF framework, thus learning a more robust appearance model in the case of large appearance variations. Besides, it can be effectively optimized via the alternating direction method of multipliers(ADMM), thus achieving a global optimal solution. Finally, an adaptive updating strategy is presented to discriminate the unreliable samples and alleviate the contamination of these training samples. Extensive evaluations on OTB‐2013, OTB‐2015, VOT‐2016, VOT‐2017 and TC‐128 datasets demonstrate that our TACF is very promising for various challenging scenarios compared with several state‐of‐the‐art trackers, with real‐time performance of 20 frames per second(fps).
CLA‐GAN: A Context and Lightness Aware Generative Adversarial Network for Shadow Removal
Authors: Zhang Ling , Long Chengjiang , Yan Qingan , Zhang Xiaolong , Xiao Chunxia
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we propose a novel context and lightness aware Generative Adversarial Network (CLA‐GAN) framework for shadow removal, which refines a coarse result to a final shadow removal result in a coarse‐to‐fine fashion. At the refinement stage, we first obtain a lightness map using an encoder‐decoder structure. With the lightness map and the coarse result as the inputs, the following encoder‐decoder tries to refine the final result. Specifically, different from current methods restricted pixel‐based features from shadow images, we embed a context‐aware module into the refinement stage, which exploits patch‐based features. The embedded module transfers features from non‐shadow regions to shadow regions to ensure the consistency in appearance in the recovered shadow‐free images. Since we consider pathces, the module can additionally enhance the spatial association and continuity around neighboring pixels. To make the model pay more attention to shadow regions during training, we use dynamic weights in the loss function. Moreover, we augment the inputs of the discriminator by rotating images in different degrees and use rotation adversarial loss during training, which can make the discriminator more stable and robust. Extensive experiments demonstrate the validity of the components in our CLA‐GAN framework. Quantitative evaluation on different shadow datasets clearly shows the advantages of our CLA‐GAN over the state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Visual Analytics in Dental Aesthetics
Authors: Amirkhanov Aleksandr , Bernhard Matthias , Karimov Alexey , Stiller Sabine , Geier Andreas , Gröller M. Eduard , Mistelbauer Gabriel
Published: November 2020

Dental healthcare increasingly employs computer‐aided design software, to provide patients with high‐quality dental prosthetic devices. In modern dental reconstruction, dental technicians address the unique anatomy of each patient individually, by capturing the dental impression and measuring the mandibular movements. Subsequently, dental technicians design a custom denture that fits the patient from a functional point of view. The current Workflow does not include a systematic analysis of aesthetics, and dental technicians rely only on an aesthetically pleasing mock‐up that they discuss with the patient, and on their experience. Therefore, the final denture aesthetics remain unknown until the dental technicians incorporate the denture into the patient. In this Work, we present a solution that integrates aesthetics analysis into the functional Workflow of dental technicians. Our solution uses a video recording of the patient, to preview the denture design at any stage of the denture design process. We present a teeth pose estimation technique that enables denture preview and a set of linked visualizations that support dental technicians in the aesthetic design of dentures. These visualizations assist dental technicians in choosing the most aesthetically fitting preset from a library of dentures, in identifying the suitable denture size, and in adjusting the denture position. We demonstrate the utility of our system with four use cases, explored by a dental technician. Also, we performed a quantitative evaluation for teeth pose estimation, and an informal usability evaluation, with positive outcomes concerning the integration of aesthetics analysis into the functional Workflow.
Relative performance of various biomaterials used for maxillary sinus augmentation: A Bayesian network meta‐analysis
Authors: Trimmel Bálint , Gede Noémi , Hegyi Péter , Szakács Zsolt , Mezey Gyöngyi Anna , Varga Eszter , Kivovics Márton , Hanák Lilla , Rumbus Zoltán , Szabó György
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To assess the histomorphometric outcomes obtained in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with different biomaterials used for maxillary sinus augmentation (MSA).

Materials and Methods

A search of the existing medical literature until October 1, 2019, was performed. Inclusion criteria were (a) RCTs assessing a two‐stage MSA from the lateral approach using autologous bone or biomaterials for grafting and (b) reported histomorphometric outcomes based on crestal bone core biopsy samples. The Bayesian method was used to perform pairwise meta‐analyses and network meta‐analysis (NMA). The primary outcome, the new bone percentage (NB %), was calculated as mean differences with 95% credible intervals. The interventions were ranked by their posterior probability by calculating the surface under the cumulative ranking curve values.

Results

Thirty‐four RCTs (842 MSAs) were included in the analysis with a normal healing period (5–8 months). All comparisons were presented in a league table. On the basis of the ranking probability, the most effective bone grafting material for NB% was bovine xenograft + bone marrow concentrate (BMC) (81%), followed by bovine xenograft + platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) (77%), bioactive glass ceramic + autologous bone 1:1 (70%), nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite in silica gel (70%), and bioactive glass ceramic (70%). Autologous bone graft alone took the twelfth position with 57%.

Conclusion

Within the limitations of the present NMA, the analysis did not confirm autologous bone alone as the gold standard for MSA and showed superiority of composite grafts such as bovine xenograft + BMC after 5–8 months of healing.
Surgery for children with disabilities: not without risk
Authors: Livingston Michael H , Walton J Mark , Cohen Eyal
Published: November 2020

This commentary is on the original articles by Berry et al. and Huang et al. on pages 204–210 and 211–217 of this issue.
Assessment of pulmonary arterial stiffness in patients with cirrhosis: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Öz Ahmet , Çınar Tufan , Taş Ebru , Çağan Efe Süleyman , Ayça Burak , Karabağ Turgut
Published: November 2020

Introduction

In the current literature, several studies show that PAS (pulmonary artery stiffness) is associated with RV (right ventricular) dysfunction, PAH (pulmonary arterial hypertension), and disease severity in subjects with structural cardiac disease, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and chronic lung disease. Hence, our main aim was to use PAS to show the early changes in the pulmonary vascular region in subjects with cirrhosis.

Material and Methods

In this prospective cross‐sectional study, 39 subjects who were being followed up with cirrhosis and 41 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy subjects were included in this study. For each case, the PAS value was obtained by dividing mean peak velocity of the pulmonary flow by the PfAT (pulmonary flow acceleration time).

Results

The measured PAS was 23.62 ± 5.87 (Hz/msn) in cirrhotic participants and 19.09 ± 4.16 (Hz/msn) in healthy cases (P < .001). We found a positive statistical significance between PAS and RVSP (right ventricle systolic pressure)/sPAP (systolic pulmonary arterial pressure) (r = .395; P = .013). PAS was an independent predictor that was associated with cirrhosis disease according to multivariate LR (logistic regression) analysis (OR: 1.209; 95% CI: 1.059–1.381; P = .005).

Conclusion

Based on the study results, we consider that PAS may help in the early detection of findings in the pulmonary vascular area, even if the RV function findings or sPAP is within the normal range.
Probing the role of propagule pressure, stochasticity, and Allee effects on invasion success using experimental introductions of a biological control agent
Authors: Williams Hester E. , Brockerhoff Eckehard G. , Liebhold Andrew M. , Ward Darren F.
Published: November 2020

Although most populations of non‐native species arriving in new environments fail to establish, mechanisms behind failed biological invasions are still poorly understood.

Propagule pressure has been found to be a dominant driver of establishment success, underpinned by processes such as stochasticity and Allee effects. While studies have revealed the presence of a component Allee effect in field populations, empirical support for demographic Allee effects has been limited.

We used the leaf‐feeding beetle Neolema ogloblini, a biological control agent against the plant Tradescantiafluminensis, as a proxy invasive species to experimentally study the process of establishment. We investigated how the initial size of the population released affects the probability of establishment and population growth in the first season after introduction at isolated sites in New Zealand.

The probability of establishment was found to increase with numbers of individuals released. A significant quadratic relationship was found between population size released and per capita population growth rate; that is per capita population growth rate initially increased as population size released increased but decreased at higher population levels.

These results support the presence of a demographic Allee effect. However, as the influence of stochasticity (environmental and demographic) could not be completely separated from that of a demographic Allee effect, we conclude that extinction probability in the experimental populations of N. ogloblini was influenced by both a demographic Allee effect and stochasticity.

Our study demonstrates and supports the concept that experimental biocontrol agent releases can be used for testing hypotheses regarding invasion biology.