bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PHiLIP on the HiL: Automated Multi-Platform OS Testing With External Reference Devices
Authors: Weiss Kevin , Rottleuthner Michel , Schmidt Thomas C. , Wählisch Matthias
Published: September 2021

Developing an operating systems (OSs) for low-end embedded devices requires continuous adaptation to new hardware architectures and components, while serviceability of features needs to be assured for each individual platform under tight resource constraints. It is challenging to design a versatile and accurate heterogeneous test environment that is agile enough to cover a continuous evolution of the code base and platforms. This mission is even more challenging when organized in an agile open-source community process with many contributors such as for the RIOT OS. Hardware in the Loop (HiL) testing and Continuous Integration (CI) are automatable approaches to verify functionality, prevent regressions, and improve the overall quality at development speed in large community projects.

In this paper, we present PHiLIP (Primitive Hardware in the Loop Integration Product), an open-source external reference device together with tools that validate the system software while it controls hardware and interprets physical signals. Instead of focusing on a specific test setting, PHiLIP takes the approach of a tool-assisted agile HiL test process, designed for continuous evolution and deployment cycles. We explain its design, describe how it supports HiL tests, evaluate performance metrics, and report on practical experiences of employing PHiLIP in an automated CI test infrastructure. Our initial deployment comprises 22 unique platforms, each of which executes 98 peripheral tests every night. PHiLIP allows for easy extension of low-cost, adaptive testing infrastructures but serves testing techniques and tools to a much wider range of applications.
Randomower
Authors: Shasha Dennis
Published: September 2021

End-of-the-rope machinations.
Spectral changes following resective epilepsy surgery and neurocognitive function in children with epilepsy
Authors: Arski Olivia N. , Wong Simeon M. , Warsi Nebras M. , Martire Daniel J. , Ochi Ayako , Otsubo Hiroshi , Donner Elizabeth , Jain Puneet , Kerr Elizabeth N. , Smith Mary Lou , Ibrahim George M.
Published: September 2021

Spectral alterations marked by decelerated resting oscillations and ectopic high-frequency activity have been noted in focal epilepsy. We leveraged intraoperative recordings from chronically implanted electrodes pre- and postresection to understand the association between these electrophysiological phenomena and neuropsychological function. We find that the extent of spectral alteration, indexed by slowed resting frequency and its acceleration following resection, is associated with baseline cognitive deficits. These findings provide novel insights into neurocognitive impairments in focal epilepsy.
Analysis of Stability Factors of Roadway Roof and Determination of Unsupported Roof Distance
Authors: Yang Sen , Hua Xinzhu , Liu Xiao , Li Chen
Published: September 2021

To determine the impact of influencing factors on unsupported roof stability in coal mine roadway, a mechanical model of the unsupported roof was built. FLAC 3D numerical simulation was utilized to study the stability of the unsupported roof under the influence of the depth of the roadway, the thickness of the roof, and the unsupported‐support distance. In view of the key influencing factors, the geological conditions of the site, and the relationship between the tensile stress and tensile strength of the unsupported roof, the maximum unsupported roof distance during roadway excavation was determined. Considering the surplus safety factor of the unsupported roof, the reasonable unsupported roof distance during the excavation of roadway 150802 was finally determined to be 2.08 m. The comprehensive roadway excavation speed increased by 62.7%, achieving a monthly progress over 500 m.
A Comprehensive Overview on the Formation of Homomorphic Copies in Coset Graphs for the Modular Group
Authors: Alolaiyan Hanan , Razaq Abdul , Yousaf Awais , Zahra Rida
Published: September 2021

This work deals with the well-known group-theoretic graphs called coset graphs for the modular group G and its applications. The group action of G on real quadratic fields forms infinite coset graphs. These graphs are made up of closed paths. When M acts on the finite field Zp, the coset graph appears through the contraction of the vertices of these infinite graphs. Thus, finite coset graphs are composed of homomorphic copies of closed paths in infinite coset graphs. In this work, we have presented a comprehensive overview of the formation of homomorphic copies.
Upregulated Expression of CYBRD1 Predicts Poor Prognosis of Patients with Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chen Rui , Cao Jianhong , Jiang Wei , Wang Shunli , Cheng Jingxin
Published: September 2021

Cytochrome b reductase 1 (CYBRD1) promotes the development of ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV). We assessed the function of CYBRD1 in OV underlying The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The correlation between clinicopathological characteristics and CYBRD1 expression was estimated. The Cox proportional hazards regression model and the Kaplan–Meier method were applied to identify clinical features related to overall survival and disease-specific survival. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to identify the relationship between CYBRD1 expression and immune infiltration. CYBRD1 expression in OV was significantly associated with poor outcomes of primary therapy and FIGO stage. Patients with high levels of CYBRD1 expression were prone to the development of a poorly differentiated tumor and experience of an unfavorable outcome. CYBRD1 expression had significant association with shorter OS and acts as an independent predictor of poor outcome. Moreover, enhanced CYBRD1 expression was positively associated with Tem, NK cells, and mast cells but negatively associated with CD56 bright NK cells and Th2 cells. CYBRD1 expression may serve as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator of OV patients. The mechanisms of poor prognosis of CYBRD1-mediated OV may include increased iron uptake, regulation of immune microenvironment, ferroptosis related pathway, and ERK signaling pathway, among which ferroptosis and ERK signaling pathway may be important pathways of CYBRD1-mediated OV. Furthermore, we verified that CYBRD1 was upregulated in OV and significant correlated with lymph nodes metastasis, advanced stage, poor-differentiated tumor, and poor clinical prognosis in East Hospital cohort. The results of this study may provide guidance for the development of optimal treatment strategies for OV.
The Role of Medication Data to Enhance the Prediction of Alzheimer’s Progression Using Machine Learning
Authors: El-Sappagh Shaker , Abuhmed Tamer , Alouffi Bader , Sahal Radhya , Abdelhade Naglaa , Saleh Hager
Published: September 2021

Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression is crucial for proper disease management. Most studies concentrate on neuroimaging data analysis of baseline visits only. They ignore the fact that AD is a chronic disease and patient’s data are naturally longitudinal. In addition, there are no studies that examine the effect of dementia medicines on the behavior of the disease. In this paper, we propose a machine learning‐based architecture for early progression detection of AD based on multimodal data of AD drugs and cognitive scores data. We compare the performance of five popular machine learning techniques including support vector machine, random forest, logistic regression, decision tree, and K‐nearest neighbor to predict AD progression after 2.5 years. Extensive experiments are performed using an ADNI dataset of 1036 subjects. The cross‐validation performance of most algorithms has been improved by fusing the drugs and cognitive scores data. The results indicate the important role of patient’s taken drugs on the progression of AD disease.
In Polymerization of Environment Friendly Melamine-Urea-Glyoxal Resin in Rubber Wood for Improved Physical and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Ping Lijuan , Chai Yubo , Zhang Fangwen , Sun Bailing , Liu Junliang
Published: September 2021

In the study, we report that a safe and simple way for upgrading inferior rubber wood through the combined modification of environment-friendly MUG resin was synthesized from glyoxal, melamine, urea, and other additives. MUG-treated wood samples were prepared with six different MUG resin concentrations (5, 15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 wt %) into the wood matrix and then heated and polymerized to form a solid and hydrophobic MUG resin in the wood scaffold, and the physico-mechanical properties were evaluated. As the MUG resin concentration increased, the weight percent gain and density increased, water uptake and leachability decreased, and the antiswelling efficiency increased at first and then decreased. MUG-treated wood sample can be prepared when the MUG resin concentration was set as 25%, and the physical properties of treated wood was optimum. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis showed that the MUG resin is widely distributed in the cell lumens and cell walls. With enhanced physico-mechanical properties, MUG-treated wood sample can be well used as a promising alternative to existing engineered wood products for structural applications.
Complexity and Entropy Analysis to Improve Gender Identification from Emotional-Based EEGs
Authors: Al-Qazzaz Noor Kamal , Sabir Mohannad K. , Bin Mohd Ali Sawal Hamid , Ahmad Siti Anom , Grammer Karl
Published: September 2021

Investigating gender differences based on emotional changes becomes essential to understand various human behaviors in our daily life. Ten students from the University of Vienna have been recruited by recording the electroencephalogram (EEG) dataset while watching four short emotional video clips (anger, happiness, sadness, and neutral) of audiovisual stimuli. In this study, conventional filter and wavelet (WT) denoising techniques were applied as a preprocessing stage and Hurst exponent

Hur

and amplitude-aware permutation entropy

AAPE

features were extracted from the EEG dataset.

k

-nearest neighbors

kNN

and support vector machine (SVM) classification techniques were considered for automatic gender recognition from emotional-based EEGs. The main novelty of this paper is twofold: first, to investigate

Hur

as a complexity feature and

AAPE

as an irregularity parameter for the emotional-based EEGs using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and then integrating these features to propose a new

CompEn

hybrid feature fusion method towards developing the novel

WT
_
CompEn

gender recognition framework as a core for an automated gender recognition model to be sensitive for identifying gender roles in the brain-emotion relationship for females and males. The results illustrated the effectiveness of

Hur

and

AAPE

features as remarkable indices for investigating gender-based anger, sadness, happiness, and neutral emotional state. Moreover, the proposed

WT
_
CompEn

framework achieved significant enhancement in SVM classification accuracy of 100%, indicating that the novel

WT
_
CompEn

may offer a useful way for reliable enhancement of gender recognition of different emotional states. Therefore, the novel

WT
_
CompEn

framework is a crucial goal for improving the process of automatic gender recognition from emotional-based EEG signals allowing for more comprehensive insights to understand various gender differences and human behavior effects of an intervention on the brain.
Comprehensive Molecular Analysis of Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumors Reveals Diverse Genomic Landscape and Potential Predictive Markers for Response to Crizotinib
Authors: Lee Che-Jui , Schöffski Patrick , Modave Elodie , van Wezel Tom , Boeckx Bram , Sufliarsky Jozef , Gelderblom Hans , Blay Jean-Yves , Debiec-Rychter Maria , Sciot Raf , Bovée Judith V.M.G. , Lambrechts Diether , Wozniak Agnieszka
Published: September 2021

Purpose:

The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) clinical phase II trial 90101 “CREATE” showed high antitumor activity of crizotinib, an inhibitor of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)/ROS1, in patients with advanced inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMFT). However, recent findings suggested that other molecular targets in addition to ALK/ROS1 might also contribute to the sensitivity of this kinase inhibitor. We therefore performed an in-depth molecular characterization of archival IMFT tissue, collected from patients enrolled in this trial, with the aim to identify other molecular alterations that could play a role in the response to crizotinib.

Experimental Design:

Twenty-four archival IMFT samples were used for histopathological assessment and DNA/RNA evaluation to identify gene fusions, copy-number alterations (CNA), and mutations in the tumor tissue. Results were correlated with clinical parameters to assess a potential association between molecular findings and clinical outcomes.

Results:

We found 12 ALK fusions with 11 different partners in ALK-positive IMFT cases by Archer analysis whereas we did not identify any ROS1-rearranged tumor. One ALK-negative patient responding to crizotinib was found to have an ETV6–NTRK fusion in the tumor specimen. The CNA profile and mutational landscape of IMFT revealed extensive molecular heterogeneity. Loss of chromosome 19 (25% of cases) and PIK3CA mutations (9% of cases) were associated with shorter progression-free survival in patients receiving crizotinib.

Conclusions:

We identified multiple genetic alterations in archival IMFT material and provide further insight into the molecular profile of this ultra-rare, heterogeneous malignancy, which may potentially translate into novel treatment approaches for this orphan disease.
MYC Levels Regulate Metastatic Heterogeneity in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Maddipati Ravikanth , Norgard Robert J. , Baslan Timour , Rathi Komal S. , Zhang Amy , Saeid Asal , Higashihara Taku , Wu Feng , Kumar Angad , Annamalai Valli , Bhattacharya Saurav , Raman Pichai , Adkisson Christian A. , Pitarresi Jason R. , Wengyn Maximilian D. , Yamazoe Taiji , Li Jinyang , Balli David , LaRiviere Michael J. , Ngo Tuong-Vi C. , Folkert Ian W. , Millstein Ian D. , Bermeo Jonathan , Carpenter Erica L. , McAuliffe John C. , Oktay Maja H. , Brekken Rolf A. , Lowe Scott W. , Iacobuzio-Donahue Christine A. , Notta Faiyaz , Stanger Ben Z.
Published: September 2021

The degree of metastatic disease varies widely among patients with cancer and affects clinical outcomes. However, the biological and functional differences that drive the extent of metastasis are poorly understood. We analyzed primary tumors and paired metastases using a multifluorescent lineage-labeled mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)—a tumor type in which most patients present with metastases. Genomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed an association between metastatic burden and gene amplification or transcriptional upregulation of MYC and its downstream targets. Functional experiments showed that MYC promotes metastasis by recruiting tumor-associated macrophages, leading to greater bloodstream intravasation. Consistent with these findings, metastatic progression in human PDAC was associated with activation of MYC signaling pathways and enrichment for MYC amplifications specifically in metastatic patients. Collectively, these results implicate MYC activity as a major determinant of metastatic burden in advanced PDAC.

Significance:

Here, we investigate metastatic variation seen clinically in patients with PDAC and murine PDAC tumors and identify MYC as a major driver of this heterogeneity.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 275
Hemodynamic Instability during Acute Kidney Injury and Acute Renal Replacement Therapy: Pathophysiology and Clinical Implications
Authors: Villa Gianluca , Husain-Syed Faeq , Saitta Thomas , Degl’Innocenti Dario , Barbani Francesco , Resta Marco , Castellani Gianluca , Romagnoli Stefano
Published: September 2021

Hemodynamic instability associated with acute renal replacement therapy (aRRT, HIRRT) and/or with acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently observed in the intensive care unit; it affects patients’ renal recovery, and negatively impacts short- and long-term mortality. A thorough understanding of mechanisms underlying HIRRT and AKI-related hemodynamic instability may allow the physician in adopting adequate strategies to prevent their occurrence and reduce their negative consequences. The aim of this review is to summarize the main alterations occurring in patients with AKI and/or requiring aRRT of those homeostatic mechanisms which regulate hemodynamics and oxygen delivery. In particular, a pathophysiological approach has been used to describe the maladaptive interactions between cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance occurring in these patients and leading to hemodynamic instability. Finally, the potential positive effects of aRRT on these pathophysiological mechanisms and on restoring hemodynamic stability have been described.
Vestígios do amor cortês e a figura da mulher na poesia de Alice Ruiz: as residualidades medievais na sala de aula
Authors: Batista Marivaldo Omena , Souza Renata Junqueira de
Published: September 2021

A poética de Alice Ruiz contempla um posicionamento crítico em torno do amor e do gênero. Com efeito, o artigo procura analisar os vestígios do medievo na temática do amor cortês e da mulher na poesia da compositora curitibana. A percepção destes conteúdos pode potencializar debates no espaço escolar acerca das questões culturais, históricas e sociais de uma literatura que testemunha a condição da mulher. Os estudos da Teoria da Residualidade, de Pontes (2019), e das relações entre literatura e história, de Mignolo (2001) favorecem a leitura da escrita da haicaísta. A metodologia corresponde à pesquisa bibliográfica e qualitativa, já que procura fomentar a mediação da poesia na escola.
Cotidiano e história na perspectiva das mulheres retratadas pela poesia de Ana Paula Tavares
Authors: Rabello Rosana Baú
Published: September 2021

A poesia da escritora angolana Ana Paula Tavares, embora reverbere as culturas locais e a sua conexão muito específica com a realidade feminina, não deixam de evocar uma sensibilidade ampla, que pode ser identificada com o que Agnes Heller refere como genericamente humano. Para que se possa compreender essa referência em sua complexa relação dialética com cada esfera da heterogênea realidade social, ressalva-se que a expressão de generalidade do humano não deixa de se configurar como produto histórico-social localizado e condicionado pela história, pela geografia, pelo gênero, pela classe e pelas condições muito específicas vivenciadas pelas mulheres retratadas nos poemas.
Gender Differences in Politician Persistence
Authors: Wasserman Melanie
Published: September 2021

This paper documents gender differences in the career paths of novice politicians. Using trajectories of over 11,000 candidates for California local offices and a regression discontinuity approach, I investigate the persistence of candidates after they win or lose elections. Losing an election causes over 50% more attrition among female than male candidates. Yet the gender gap in persistence depends on the setting: there is a smaller gap among candidates for high female representation offices and among candidates with prior elective experience. I discuss how the expected costs and benefits of running again potentially explain the gender gap in persistence.
Time-Varying Uncertainty of the Federal Reserve's Output Gap Estimate
Authors: Berge Travis J.
Published: September 2021

A factor stochastic volatility model estimates the common component to output gap estimates produced by the staff of the Federal Reserve, its time-varying volatility, and time-varying, horizon-specific forecast uncertainty. The output gap estimates are uncertain even well after the fact. Nevertheless, the common component is clearly procyclical, and positive innovations to the common component produce movements in macroeconomic variables consistent with an increase in aggregate demand. Heightened macroeconomic uncertainty, as measured by the common component's volatility, leads to persistently negative economic responses.
Efficiency and Equilibrium in Network Games: An Experiment
Authors: Gallo Edoardo , Yan Chang
Published: September 2021

The tension between efficiency and equilibrium is a central feature of economic systems. We examine this tradeoff in a network game with a unique Nash equilibrium in which agents can achieve a higher payoff by following a “collaborative norm.” Subjects establish and maintain a collaborative norm in the circle, but the norm weakens with the introduction of one hub connected to everyone in the wheel. In complex and asymmetric networks of 15 and 21 nodes, the norm disappears and subjects' play converges to Nash. We provide evidence that subjects base their decisions on their degree, rather than the overall network structure.
Impulse Purchases, Gun Ownership, and Homicides: Evidence from a Firearm Demand Shock
Authors: Koenig Christoph , Schindler David
Published: September 2021

Do firearm purchase delay laws reduce aggregate homicide levels? Using variation from a six-month countrywide gun demand shock in 2012/2013, we show that U.S. states with legislation preventing immediate handgun purchases experienced smaller increases in handgun sales. Our findings indicate that this is likely driven by comparatively lower purchases among impulsive consumers. We then demonstrate that states with purchase delays also witnessed comparatively 2% lower homicide rates during the same period. Further evidence shows that lower handgun sales coincided primarily with fewer impulsive assaults and points toward reduced acts of domestic violence.
“In the Key of Loss”
Authors: Marcus Laura
Published: September 2021

This article addresses a particular example of the intersection of literature and cinema in the film Call Me By Your Name, made by Luca Guadagnino and based on the novel of the same title by André Aciman, and the themes of nostalgia and loss in the work of both. The film results from the encounter, in its production and in a large number of retrospective discussions, between the cosmopolitan writer André Aciman and the Italian director Luca Guadagnino who, while attentive to global issues such as the trans-Mediterranean migration which features in the film, is very much grounded in his home region of northern Italy. The (rather differently figured) Jewish and homosexual identities of the two protagonists in the novel and the film are also addressed.
A Filmmaker in His Library
Authors: Mirizio Annalisa
Published: September 2021

In his 1952 essay “For an Impure Cinema: In Defense of Adaptation,” André Bazin defended cinema’s “impurity” as a necessary element in the medium’s formal evolution and technical development. The Italian writer, filmmaker, and essayist Pier Paolo Pasolini based his own artistic method on the tension among the distinct artistic languages that characterizes Bazin’s “impure cinema,” thereby situating his work in his “library-laboratory,” a space where ideas circulate beyond their disciplinary fields. In keeping with Bazin’s essay, this article illuminates how Pasolini turned his library into a toolbox and blurred the boundaries between mediums of creation and categories of theoretical thought.
The War of the Worlds May Well Start in Latin America
Authors: Medina Cordova Luis A.
Published: September 2021

This article analyses the literature-cinema dialogue established by the Ecuadorian writer Gabriela Alemán in her short story collection La muerte silba un blues (2014). Firstly, I revise how Alemán borrows the production methods of the cult Spanish filmmaker Jesús “Jess” Franco to craft a collection that aids us to see the world as an interconnected whole. Secondly, I close read the story that opens the collection, El extraño viaje, which takes Orson Welles’ radiophonic adaptation of The War of the Worlds to the Ecuadorian context. My argument is that, in making the city of Quito the target of H.G. Wells’ Martian invasion, Alemán engages with a rich history of multimedia adaptations and places Ecuador’s capital at the centre of a global narrative. I argue that her work decentres and recentres world literature dynamics where Latin American literature in general, and Ecuadorian writing in particular, sit at the periphery of world literary systems.
On the genus Mannerheimia Mäklin, 1880 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Anthophagini), with taxonomic and faunistic notes on some species
Authors: SHAVRIN ALEXEY V.
Published: September 2021

The Palaearctic genus Mannerheimia Mäklin, 1880 (Anthophagini) is redescribed. The taxonomic and faunistic data for ten species, including (re-)descriptions of M. arctica (Erichson, 1840), M. asiatica Kastcheev, 1999, M. brevipennis (Motschulsky, 1860), M. pleshanovi sp.n. (Russia: East Siberia, Khamar-Daban Mts.) and M. zanettii sp.n. (Pakistan: Hazara Kaghan Valley) are provided. These species, and M. afghanica Coiffait, 1982, M. japonica Watanabe, 1990, M. obscura Coiffait, 1982, and M. yasudai Watanabe, 1990 are illustrated. A new synonymy is established: M. brevipennis (Motschulsky, 1860) = M. micros (Fauvel, 1900) syn.n. The checklist and a key to the described 23 species of Mannerheimia are provided. The distributions of seven species are mapped: M. arctica, M. asiatica, M. brevipennis, M. obscura, M. pleshanovi sp. n. and M. zanettii. Several species are recorded for the first time from certain regions: M. arctica from Yamalo-Nenets, Khanty-Mansi and Taymyr autonomous regions, Evenkia and Tuva, M. brevipennis from Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi autonomous regions, Kemerovo Area, Evenkia, Khakassia and Tuva, M. obscura from Pakistan, and M. yasudai from Sakhalin Island.
The tribe Rhaconotini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) of South Korea, with description of a new Rhaconotus Ruthe species
Authors: BELOKOBYLSKIJ SERGEY A. , KU DEOK-SEO , BROAD GAVIN R.
Published: September 2021

The genera and species of the tribe Rhaconotini are reviewed for the fauna of the Korean Peninsula. A new Rhaconotus species, Rh. koreanus sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The generic placement of the Oriental Rhyssalus striatulus Cameron is corrected and Ipodoryctes species described from China, overlooked in a recent publication on Rhaconotini, are reclassified. The following are new combinations: Rhyssalus striatulus Cameron, 1909 = Mimipodoryctes striatulus (Cameron, 1909) comb. nov.; Ipodoryctes guizhouensis Tang et Chen, 2011 = Rhaconotinus (Rhaconotinus) guizhouensis (Tang et Chen, 2011), comb. nov.; Ipodoryctes hebeiensis Tang et Chen, 2011 = Rhaconotinus (Rhaconotinus) hebeiensis (Tang et Chen, 2011), comb. nov.; Ipodoryctes rugosus Tang et Chen, 2011 = Rhaconotinus (Rhaconotinus) rugosus (Tang et Chen, 2011), comb. nov.; Ipodoryctes rutilans Tang et Chen, 2011 = Rhaconotinus (Rhaconotinus) rutilans (Tang et Chen, 2011), comb. nov.; Ipodoryctes wuyiensis Tang et Chen, 2011 = Rhaconotinus (Rhaconotinus) wuyiensis (Tang et Chen, 2011), comb. nov.; and Ipodoryctes liui Tang et Chen, 2011 = Rhaconotinus (Hexarhaconotinus) liui (Tang et Chen, 2011), comb. nov.
Modeling the Electrical Energy Discharged by Lightning Flashes Using Capacitors for Application with Lightning Datasets
Authors: Salinas Vicente , Bruning Eric C. , Mansell Edward R. , Brothers Matthew
Published: September 2021

This study employed a parallel-plate capacitor model by which the electrostatic energy of lightning flashes could be estimated by considering only their physical dimensions and breakdown electric fields in two simulated storms. The capacitor model has previously been used to approximate total storm electrostatic energy but is modified here to use the geometry of individual lightning flashes to mimic the local charge configuration where flashes were initiated. The energy discharged may then be diagnosed without context of a storm’s entire charge structure. The capacitor model was evaluated using simulated flashes from two storms modeled by the National Severe Storms Laboratory’s Collaborative Model for Multiscale Atmospheric Simulation (COMMAS). Initial capacitor model estimates followed the temporal evolution of the flash discharge energy of COMMAS for each storm but demonstrated the need to account for an adjustment factor μc to represent the fraction of energy a flash dissipates, as this model assumes the entire preflash energy is discharged by a flash. Individual values of μc were obtained simply by using the ratio of the COMMAS flash to capacitor energy. Median values were selected to represent the flash populations for each storm, and were in range of . Application of aligned the magnitudes of the capacitor model discharge energy estimates to those of COMMAS and to those estimated in previous studies. Therefore, by considering a μc within range of , application of the capacitor model for observed lightning datasets is suggested.
Doppler-Lidar Evaluation of HRRR-Model Skill at Simulating Summertime Wind Regimes in the Columbia River Basin during WFIP2
Authors: Banta Robert M. , Pichugina Yelena L. , Darby Lisa S. , Brewer W. Alan , Olson Joseph B. , Kenyon Jaymes S. , Baidar S. , Benjamin S.G. , Fernando H.J.S. , Lantz K.O. , Lundquist J.K. , McCarty B.J. , Marke T. , Sandberg S.P. , Sharp J. , Shaw W.J. , Turner D.D. , Wilczak J.M. , Worsnop R. , Stoelinga M.T.
Published: September 2021

Complex-terrain locations often have repeatable near-surface wind patterns, such as synoptic gap flows and local thermally forced flows. An example is the Columbia River Valley in east-central Oregon-Washington, a significant wind-energy-generation region and the site of the Second Wind-Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2). Data from three Doppler lidars deployed during WFIP2 define and characterize summertime wind regimes and their large-scale contexts, and provide insight into NWP model errors by examining differences in the ability of a model [NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid-Refresh (HRRR-version1)] to forecast wind-speed profiles for different regimes. Seven regimes were identified based on daily time series of the lidar-measured rotor-layer winds, which then suggested two broad categories. First, in three regimes the primary dynamic forcing was the large-scale pressure gradient. Second, in two regimes the dominant forcing was the diurnal heating-cooling cycle (regional sea-breeze-type dynamics), including the marine intrusion previously described, which generates strong nocturnal winds over the region. The other two included a hybrid regime and a non-conforming regime. For the large-scale pressure-gradient regimes, HRRR had wind-speed biases of ~1 m s−1 and RMSEs of 2-3 m s−1. Errors were much larger for the thermally forced regimes, owing to the premature demise of the strong nocturnal flow in HRRR. Thus, the more dominant the role of surface heating in generating the flow, the larger the errors. Major errors could result from surface heating of the atmosphere, boundary-layer responses to that heating, and associated terrain interactions. Measurement/modeling research programs should be aimed at determining which modeled processes produce the largest errors, so those processes can be improved and errors reduced.
Examining Terrain Effects on an Upstate New York Tornado Event Utilizing a High-Resolution Model Simulation
Authors: LeBel Luke J. , Tang Brian H. , Lazear Ross A.
Published: September 2021

The complex terrain at the intersection of the Mohawk and Hudson valleys of New York has an impact on the development and evolution of severe convection in the region. Specifically, previous research has concluded that terrain-channeled flow in the Mohawk and Hudson valleys likely contributes to increased low-level wind shear and instability in the valleys during severe weather events such as the historic 31 May 1998 event that produced a strong (F3) tornado in Mechanicville, New York.

The goal of this study is to further examine the impact of terrain channeling on severe convection by analyzing a high-resolution WRF model simulation of the 31 May 1998 event. Results from the simulation suggest that terrain-channeled flow resulted in the localized formation of an enhanced low-level moisture gradient, resembling a dryline, at the intersection of the Mohawk and Hudson valleys. East of this boundary, the environment was characterized by stronger low-level wind shear and greater low-level moisture and instability, increasing tornadogenesis potential. A simulated supercell intensified after crossing the boundary, as the larger instability and streamwise vorticity of the low-level inflow was ingested into the supercell updraft. These results suggest that terrain can have a key role in producing mesoscale inhomogeneities that impact the evolution of severe convection. Recognition of these terrain-induced boundaries may help in anticipating where the risk of severe weather may be locally enhanced.
Control of differential diagenesis of tight sandstone reservoirs on the gas–water distribution: A case study on the Upper Paleozoic He 8 Member in the northern Tianhuan depression of the Ordos Basin
Authors: Liu Xinshe , Pan Xing , Zhao Huitao , Wang Zhenliang , Meng Peilong , Zheng Dengyan , Hu Jianling , Yan Xinyu
Published: September 2021

The sandstone reservoirs in the Upper Paleozoic He 8 Member in the northern Tianhuan depression of the Ordos Basin are vastly different and feature particularly complex gas–water distributions. Scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy inclusions, relative permeability analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance were utilized in this study based on core data, identification statistics, and various thin-section microscope measurements. Samples from the Upper Paleozoic He 8 Member in the northern Tianhuan depression were collected to study the characteristics of reservoir heterogeneity and gas–water distribution, which were controlled by differential diagenesis. The results indicate that compaction and dissolution are the two most important factors controlling reservoir heterogeneity. Large differences in diagenesis–accumulation sequences and pore structure characteristics affect reservoir wettability, irreducible water saturation, and gas displacement efficiency, thereby controlling the gas–water distribution. The He 8 Member is a gas reservoir that is densified because of accumulation. Reservoirs can be divided into three types based on the relationship between diagenetic facies and gas–water distribution. Type I is characterized by weak compaction, precipitate or altered kaolinite cementation, strong dissolution of diagenetic facies, and high porosity and permeability. This type is dominated by grain-mold pores and intergranular dissolution pores and produces gas reservoirs with high gas yield. Type II is characterized by medium-strength compaction, altered kaolinite or chlorite cementation, weak dissolution of diagenetic facies, and medium porosity and permeability. This type is dominated by residual intergranular pores, a few residual intergranular pores, and dispersed dissolution pores, producing gas reservoirs with low gas yield. Type III is characterized by medium-strength compaction, altered kaolinite cementation, and medium-strength dissolution of diagenetic facies. This type is dominated by kaolinite intercrystal pores and dispersed dissolution pores, producing gas reservoirs with high water yield.
Vesicular formation regulated by ERK/MAPK pathway mediates human erythroblast enucleation
Authors: An Chao , Huang Yumin , Li Mengjia , Xue Fumin , Nie Dingrui , Zhao Huizhi , Chen Lixiang , Yazdanbakhsh Karina , Sun Ling , Jiang Zhongxing , Mohandas Narla , An Xiuli
Published: September 2021

Enucleation is a key event in mammalian erythropoiesis responsible for the generation of enucleated reticulocytes. Although progress is being made in developing mechanistic understanding of enucleation, our understanding of mechanisms for enucleation is still incomplete. The MAPK pathway plays diverse roles in biological processes, but its role in erythropoiesis has yet to be fully defined. Analysis of RNA-sequencing data revealed that the MAPK pathway is significantly upregulated during human terminal erythroid differentiation. The MAPK pathway consists of 3 major signaling cassettes: MEK/ERK, p38, and JNK. In the present study, we show that among these 3 cassettes, only ERK was significantly upregulated in late-stage human erythroblasts. The increased expression of ERK along with its increased phosphorylation suggests a potential role for ERK activation in enucleation. To explore this hypothesis, we treated sorted populations of human orthochromatic erythroblasts with the MEK/ERK inhibitor U0126 and found that U0126 inhibited enucleation. In contrast, inhibitors of either p38 or JNK had no effect on enucleation. Mechanistically, U0126 selectively inhibited formation/accumulation of cytoplasmic vesicles and endocytosis of the transferrin receptor without affecting chromatin condensation, nuclear polarization, or enucleosome formation. Treatment with vacuolin-1 that induces vacuole formation partially rescued the blockage of enucleation by U0126. Moreover, phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that inactivation of the ERK pathway led to downregulation of the endocytic recycling pathway. Collectively, our findings uncovered a novel role of ERK activation in human erythroblast enucleation by modulating vesicle formation and have implications for understanding anemia associated with defective enucleation.
Language diversity and challenges to communication in Indian emergency departments
Authors: Douglass Katherine , Narayan Lalit , Allen Rebecca , Pandya Jay , Talib Zohray
Published: September 2021

Background

Communication in emergency departments (ED) in India is complicated by the country’s immense language diversity. Prior research has revealed challenges in language and communication as barriers to care. Our objective was to quantify language diversity among clinicians in Indian EDs and better understand issues related to clinician-clinician and clinician-patient communication.

Methodology

A cross-sectional survey of ED clinicians was conducted. Survey participants were recruited in-person and through email at six partner sites in India. ANOVA and binary logistic regression were used for subgroup analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ED clinicians. Interview data was analyzed using the rapid assessment process to determine predominant themes.

Results

106 clinicians completed the survey. On average, clinicians spoke 3.75 languages. Seventy-one percent used a non-English language to speak to fellow clinicians most of the time, and 53% reported at least one critical incident over the last year where poor communication played a part. Interviews revealed challenges including low health literacy, high patient volume, and workplace hierarchy.

Conclusions

This study is the first to document the impact of language diversity and communication barriers in Indian EDs. The results highlight the need for effective strategies to improve communication between the multiple languages spoken by clinicians and patients.
A single chromosome strain of S. cerevisiae exhibits diminished ethanol metabolism and tolerance
Authors: Doughty Tyler W. , Yu Rosemary , Chao Lucy Fang-I , Qin Zhongjun , Siewers Verena , Nielsen Jens
Published: September 2021

Background

Eukaryotic organisms, like the model yeast S. cerevisiae, have linear chromosomes that facilitate organization and protection of nuclear DNA. A recent work described a stepwise break/repair method that enabled fusion of the 16 chromosomes of S. cerevisiae into a single large chromosome. Construction of this strain resulted in the removal of 30 of 32 telomeres, over 300 kb of subtelomeric DNA, and 107 subtelomeric ORFs. Despite these changes, characterization of the single chromosome strain uncovered modest phenotypes compared to a reference strain.

Results

This study further characterized the single chromosome strain and found that it exhibited a longer lag phase, increased doubling time, and lower final biomass concentration compared with a reference strain when grown on YPD. These phenotypes were amplified when ethanol was added to the medium or used as the sole carbon source. RNAseq analysis showed poor induction of genes involved in diauxic shift, ethanol metabolism, and fatty-acid ß-oxidation during growth on ethanol compared to the reference strain. Enzyme-constrained metabolic modeling identified decreased flux through the enzymes that are encoded by these poorly induced genes as a likely cause of diminished biomass accumulation. The diminished growth on ethanol for the single chromosome strain was rescued by nicotinamide, an inhibitor of sirtuin family deacetylases, which have been shown to silence gene expression in heterochromatic regions.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that sirtuin-mediated silencing in the single chromosome strain interferes with growth on non-fermentable carbon sources. We propose that the removal of subtelomeric DNA that would otherwise be bound by sirtuins leads to silencing at other loci in the single chromosome strain. Further, we hypothesize that the poorly induced genes in the single chromosome strain during ethanol growth could be silenced by sirtuins in wildtype S. cerevisiae during growth on glucose.
Detection of shallow anterior chamber depth from two-dimensional anterior segment photographs using deep learning
Authors: Qian Zhuyun , Xie Xiaoling , Yang Jianlong , Ye Hongfei , Wang Zhilei , Chen Jili , Liu Hui , Liang Jianheng , Jiang Lihong , Zheng Ce , Chen Xu
Published: September 2021

Background

The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate a deep learning (DL) approach for automatically detecting shallow anterior chamber depth (ACD) from two-dimensional (2D) overview anterior segment photographs.

Methods

We trained a DL model using a dataset of anterior segment photographs collected from Shanghai Aier Eye Hospital from June 2018 to December 2019. A Pentacam HR system was used to capture a 2D overview eye image and measure the ACD. Shallow ACD was defined as ACD less than 2.4 mm. The DL model was evaluated by a five-fold cross-validation test in a hold-out testing dataset. We also evaluated the DL model by testing it against two glaucoma specialists. The performance of the DL model was calculated by metrics, including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results

A total of 3753 photographs (1720 shallow AC and 2033 deep AC images) were assigned to the training dataset, and 1302 photographs (509 shallow AC and 793 deep AC images) were held out for two internal testing datasets. In detecting shallow ACD in the internal hold-out testing dataset, the DL model achieved an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.83–0.90) with 80% sensitivity and 79% specificity. In the same testing dataset, the DL model also achieved better performance than the two glaucoma specialists (accuracy of 80% vs. accuracy of 74 and 69%).

Conclusions

We proposed a high-performing DL model to automatically detect shallow ACD from overview anterior segment photographs. Our DL model has potential applications in detecting and monitoring shallow ACD in the real world.

Trial registration

http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04340635, retrospectively registered on 29 March 2020.
Self-compassion in medical students: a pilot study of its association with professionalism pressure
Authors: Světlák Miroslav , Daňhelová Šárka , Kóša Barbora , Slezáčková Alena , Šumec Rastislav
Published: September 2021

Background

To be a “good doctor” and have “good medical practices” are apparent goals for both medical students and medical faculties. However, the associated implicit and explicit standards could be a source of distress in the form of pressure to achieve professionalism. Self-compassion has been identified as a transtherapeutic factor that plays a crucial role in developing and maintaining mental health. It seems to be an essential meta-skill to learn, especially for medical students who often perceive imperfection as failure. In this pilot study, we investigated the qualities that medical students attribute to the “good doctor” concept, how they perceive themselves compared to this concept, and whether any possible discrepancy between these two perspectives could be associated with self-compassion.

Methods

Altogether, 301 medical students participated in the study (mean age 22.3 ± 2.1; 71.8 % female). The discrepancy between concepts was measured by a semantic differential consisting of a list of 36 adjectives and antonyms that students repeatedly mentioned in courses in their responses to the question “What should a doctor be like?” Self-compassion was measured by the Self-Compassion Scale.

Results

The obtained results offer an insight into students’ conceptualization of a “good doctor” and the hierarchy of given characteristics. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between the discrepancy between the “ideal” doctor concept vs. actual self-perception and Self-Compassion Scale scores. The more students are compassionate to themselves, the lower the discrepancy.

Conclusions

The current pilot study supports the hypothesis that student self-compassion could play some role in the degree of discrepancy between the ideal “good doctor” image and student self-concept. This result could support the importance of educational interventions developing self-compassion for medical students. The proposed discrepancy measurement could also be a tool for measuring the effect of well-being programs aimed at self-compassion in medical students.