bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fully automatic segmentation of the mandible based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs)
Authors: Lo Giudice Antonino , Ronsivalle Vincenzo , Spampinato Concetto , Leonardi Rosalia
Published: September 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the accuracy of automatic deep learning‐based method for fully automatic segmentation of the mandible from CBCTs.

Setting and sample population

CBCT‐derived mandible fully automatic segmentation.

Methods

Forty CBCT scans from healthy patients (20 females and 20 males, mean age 23.37 ± 3.34) were collected, and a manual mandible segmentation was carried out by using Mimics software. Twenty CBCT scans were randomly selected and used for training the artificial intelligence model file. The remaining 20 CBCT segmentation masks were used to test the accuracy of the CNN automatic method by comparing the segmentation volumes of the 3D models obtained with automatic and manual segmentations. The accuracy of the CNN‐based method was also assessed by using the DICE Score coefficient (DSC) and by the surface‐to‐surface matching technique. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Dahlberg's formula were used respectively to test the intra‐observer reliability and method error. Independent Student's t test was used for between‐groups volumetric comparison.

Results

Measurements were highly correlated with an ICC value of 0.937, while the method error was 0.24 mm3. A difference of 0.71 (±0.49) cm3 was found between the methodologies, but it was not statistically significant (P > .05). The matching percentage detected was 90.35% (±1.88) (tolerance 0.5 mm) and 96.32% ± 1.97% (tolerance 1.0 mm). The differences, measured as DSC in percentage, between the assessments done with both methods were, respectively, 2.8% and 3.1%.

Conclusion

The tested deep learning CNN‐based technology is accurate and performs as well as an experienced image reader but at much higher speed, which is of significant clinical relevance.
A new bacterial leaf blight disease of oat (Avena sativa) caused by Pantoea agglomerans in China
Authors: Wang Jianjun , Chen Taixiang , Xue Longhai , Wei Xuekai , White James F. , Qin Zemin , Li Chunjie
Published: September 2021

A new leaf blight disease of oat (Avena sativa) was observed in many oat fields in Huan county, Gansu Province of China, during 2018–2019. Typical symptoms appeared as yellow necrotic and water‐soaked lesions. The lesions developed from tip to base of leaves and eventually resulted in leaf withering. Disease incidence on plants (leaves) was approximately 36%–100%. A gram‐negative bacterium was isolated from the necrotic lesions of all samples. Coupled with multigene sequence (16S rRNA and gyrB gene) analyses, Biolog Gen III MicroStation, morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization identified the pathogen as Pantoea agglomerans. Pathogenicity tests by wounding and injection inoculations in the greenhouse established that P. agglomerans could induce typical symptoms as observed in the field. The infection rate in leaves was 44%–71% after 14 days. In addition, host range tests showed that P. agglomerans could infect other plant hosts, including Sorghum sudanense, Medicago sativa, Fagopyrum esculentum, Setaria italica, and Zea mays. This is the first report of P. agglomerans causing bacterial leaf blight disease (LBD) on oat in China. The current study can provide a foundation for the prevention of this disease in the future.
Childbirth and poverty in Europe: A dynamic bivariate approach
Authors: Mussida Chiara , Sciulli Dario
Published: September 2021

We use the 2015–2018 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions panel data and a dynamic bivariate probit model to estimate the impact of childbirth on the risk of poverty in 25 European countries. We model both poverty and childbirth mechanisms, identifying genuine state dependence and accounting for feedback effects from past poverty to childbirth. We find that childbirth slightly increases the risk of poverty in Europe, but some heterogeneities emerge at the country level. When disentangling the effects of childbirth conditional on past poverty status, it appears that childbirth determines redistributive effects possibly induced by welfare systems. We find evidence of genuine state dependence and suggests that discouraging factors induced by the experience of poverty itself has increased over time. The risk of poverty is triggered by the presence of dependent members in the household, while education and employment stability are helpful to combat poverty.
A single currency for the Economic Community of West Africa? An economic assessment
Authors: Loureiro João , Baptista Evaldo
Published: September 2021

This paper assesses the economic support for the creation of an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) monetary union encompassing all its 15 members, an objective that was set more than 30 years ago. In line with previous empirical research, our conclusion is that the adoption of a common currency by the whole region is not recommended. This work takes a step forward and assesses alternative ways to reduce the current number of currencies in circulation in the Community. Based on our results, we suggest (i) the merging of the currencies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone into a single currency and (ii) the Gambia to join the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
Molecular differences in mitochondrial DNA genomes of dogs with malignant mammary tumours
Authors: Kowal Krzysztof , Tkaczyk‐Wlizło Angelika , Pierzchała Mariusz , Gawor Jan , Ślaska Brygida
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to determine molecular defects in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with the use of large‐scale genome analysis in malignant canine mammary gland tumours and indicate whether these changes were linked with the carcinogenesis process. With the use of the NGS technology, we sequenced 27 samples of mtDNA isolated from blood and tumours obtained from 13 dogs with mammary gland tumours. The total number of mutations and polymorphisms in the analysed mitochondrial genomes was 557. We identified 383 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), 32 indels (or length polymorphisms), 4 mutations, 137 heteroplasmic positions and 1 indel mutation. The highest variability (132 changes) was observed in the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) region. The heteroplasmy rate in VNTR varied among individuals and even between two tumours in one organism. Our previous study resulted in determination of a probable CpG island in this region, thus it is not excluded that these changes might alter mtDNA methylation. Only the ATP8 gene was not affected by any polymorphisms or mutations, whereas the COX1 gene had the highest number of polymorphisms from all protein‐coding genes. One change m.13594G>A was detected in a region spanning two genes: ND5 and ND6, from which a deleterious effect was observed for the ND5 protein. Molecular changes were frequently observed in the TΨC loop, which is thought to interact with ribosomal RNA.
Adipocyte function and the development of cardiometabolic disease
Authors: Giroud Maude , Jodeleit Henrika , Prentice Kacey J. , Bartelt Alexander
Published: September 2021

Obesity is a medical disorder caused by multiple mechanisms of dysregulated energy balance. A major consequence of obesity is an increased risk to develop diabetes, diabetic complications and cardiovascular disease. While a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease is needed, translational research of the human pathology is hampered by the available cellular and rodent model systems. Major barriers are the species‐specific differences in energy balance, vascular biology and adipose tissue physiology, especially related to white and brown adipocytes, and adipose tissue browning. In rodents, non‐shivering thermogenesis is responsible for a large part of energy expenditure, but humans possess much less thermogenic fat, which means temperature is an important variable in translational research. Mouse models with predisposition to dyslipidaemia housed at thermoneutrality and fed a high‐fat diet more closely reflect human physiology. Also, adipocytes play a key role in the endocrine regulation of cardiovascular function. Adipocytes secrete a variety of hormones, lipid mediators and other metabolites that directly influence the local microenvironment as well as distant tissues. This is specifically apparent in perivascular depots, where adipocytes modulate vascular function and inflammation. Altogether, these mechanisms highlight the critical role of adipocytes in the development of cardiometabolic disease.

image
The suitability of high throughput automated patch clamp for physiological applications
Authors: Obergrussberger Alison , Rinke‐Weiß Ilka , Goetze Tom A. , Rapedius Markus , Brinkwirth Nina , Becker Nadine , Rotordam Maria Giustina , Hutchison Laura , Madau Paola , Pau Davide , Dalrymple David , Braun Nina , Friis Søren , Pless Stephan A. , Fertig Niels
Published: September 2021

Although automated patch clamp (APC) devices have been around for many years and have become an integral part of many aspects of drug discovery, high throughput instruments with gigaohm seal data quality are relatively new. Experiments where a large number of compounds are screened against ion channels are ideally suited to high throughput APC, particularly when the amount of compound available is low. Here we evaluate different APC approaches using a variety of ion channels and screening settings. We have performed a screen of 1920 compounds on GluN1/GluN2A NMDA receptors for negative allosteric modulation using both the SyncroPatch 384 and FLIPR. Additionally, we tested the effect of 36 arthropod venoms on NaV1.9 using a single 384‐well plate on the SyncroPatch 384. As an example for mutant screening, a range of acid‐sensing ion channel variants were tested and the success rate increased through fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) prior to APC experiments. Gigaohm seal data quality makes the 384‐format accessible to recording of primary and stem cell‐derived cells on the SyncroPatch 384. We show recordings in voltage and current clamp modes of stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes. In addition, the option of intracellular solution exchange enabled investigations into the effects of intracellular Ca2+ and cAMP on TRPC5 and HCN2 currents, respectively. Together, these data highlight the broad applicability and versatility of APC platforms and also outlines some limitations of the approach.

Key points

High throughput automated patch clamp (APC) can be used for a variety of applications involving ion channels.

Lower false positive rates were achieved using automated patch clamp versus a fluorometric imaging plate reader (FLIPR) in a high throughput compound screen against NMDA receptors.

 Genetic variants and mutations can be screened on a single 384‐well plate to reduce variability of experimental parameters.

Intracellular solution can be perfused to investigate effects of ions and second messenger systems without the need for excised patches.

Primary cells and stem cell‐derived cells can be used on high throughput APC with reasonable success rates for cell capture, voltage clamp measurements and action potential recordings in current clamp mode.
Experimental Study of a Novel Centrifugal Compressor With Two Successive and Independent Rotors
Authors: Nguyen Van-Thang , Abed Cheikh Brahim , Danlos Amelie , Ravelet Florent , Paridaens Richard , Deligant Michael , Khelladi Sofiane , Bakir Farid
Published: September 2021

This study deals with a low pressure-ratio centrifugal compressor consisting of two counter-rotating rotors called a counter-rotating centrifugal compressor (CRCC). The design method based on the loss model was presented to determine the geometric parameters of the two counter-rotating rotors. According to this method, the rotor of a selected single rotor centrifugal compressor (SRCC) has been redesigned into two counter-rotating rotors (upstream and downstream rotors) by choosing the value of meridional length ratio (LR). The meridional view, the volute shape, and the operating parameters of SRCC are preserved during the design process. In a first step, the counter-rotating mode at a constant rotor speed of 11k rpm has been carried out. The overall characteristics of CRCC are compared to those of SRCC. In a second step, the map characteristic of CRCC is established for seven speed ratios. The results show that CRCC increases up to 4.6% for the pressure ratio and 3.5% for the efficiency compared to SRCC at the same tip-speed. In addition, CRCC can operate at a lower tip-speed by about 2k rpm to produce the same characteristics as SRCC, with better efficiency over a wide range of flow rates. However, the surge margin of the CRCC is shifted to higher flow rates. This disadvantage of the CRCC was solved by choosing the adequate pair of the rotational speeds of the two rotors that will be presented in other publication.
The Three Controlling Modes of Failure in Homogeneous and Isotropic Materials With Proof Thereof Through Critical Plane Stress Conditions
Authors: Christensen Richard M.
Published: September 2021

The recently developed general materials failure theory is specialized to the two-dimensional state of plane stress. It takes a form that is virtually no more involved than that of the Mises criterion. Yet it remains applicable to the entire range of materials types and thus retains that generality. The Mises form has absolutely no capability for generality. This plane stress form of the new failure theory reveals the existence of three independent modes and mechanisms of failure, not two, not four, purely three. The Mises criterion has one mode of failure. These three modes of failure are fully examined. It is verified that these modes of failure under plane stress conditions are exactly the same as those operative in the three-dimensional case. The simple plane stress form of the failure theory has major appeal and likely use as a teaching tool to introduce failure and to help de-mystify the vitally important general subject of materials failure.
Convection in Scaled Turbine Internal Cooling Passages With Additive Manufacturing Roughness
Authors: Stafford Gabriel J. , McClain Stephen T. , Hanson David R. , Kunz Robert F. , Thole Karen A.
Published: September 2021

Additive manufacturing processes, such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), enable the creation of novel turbine cooling internal passages and systems. However, the DMLS method produces a significant and unique surface roughness. Previous work in scaled passages analyzed pressure losses and friction factors associated with the rough surfaces, as well as investigated the velocity profiles and turbulent flow characteristics within the passage. In this study, the heat transfer characteristics of scaled additively manufactured surfaces were measured using infrared (IR) thermography. Roughness panels were CNC machined from plates of aluminum 6061 to create near isothermal roughness elements when heated. Fluid resistance differences between the aluminum roughness panels and roughness panels constructed from ABS plastic using the same roughness patterns from McClain et al. (2020, “Flow in a Simulated Turbine Blade Cooling Channel With Spatially Varying Roughness Caused by Additive Manufacturing Orientation,” ASME Turbo Expo 2020, Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition, Virtual Conference, Sept. 21–25, GT2020-16069) were investigated. Finally, the overall thermal performance enhancements and friction losses were assessed through the calculation of surface averaged “global thermal performance” ratios. The global thermal performance characterizations indicate results in-line with those found for traditional commercial roughness and slightly below traditional internal passage convection enhancement methods such as swirl chambers, dimples, and ribs. The passages investigated in this study do not include compressibility effects or the long-wavelength artifacts and channel geometric deviations observed by Wildgoose et al. (2020, “Impact of Additive Manufacturing on Internal Cooling Channels with Varying Diameters and Build Directions,” ASME Turbo Expo 2020, Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition, Virtual Conference, Sept. 21–25, GT2020-15049). However, the results of this study indicate that, based on the roughness augmentation alone, artificial convective cooling enhancers such as turbulators or dimples may still be required for additively manufactured turbine component cooling.
Tuning the Cationic Ratio of Fe1CoxNiyP Integrated on Vertically Aligned Reduced Graphene Oxide Array via Electroless Plating as Efficient Self-Supported Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Water Splitting
Authors: Guo Kaiming , Shaik Firdoz , Yang Jine , Jiang Bin
Published: September 2021

Water splitting is considered as a potential sustainable and green technology for producing mass hydrogen and oxygen. A cost-effective self-supported stable electrocatalyst with excellent electrocatalytic performance in a wide pH range is greatly required for water splitting. This work reports on the synthesis and anchoring of Fe1CoxNiyP nanoparticles on vertically aligned reduced graphene oxide array (VrGO) via electroless plating. The catalytic activity of Fe1CoxNiyP nanoparticles is tuned finely by tailoring the cationic ratio of Co and Ni. Fe1Co2Ni1P/VrGO exhibits the lowest overpotential (109 and 139 mV) at 10 mA cm−2 and lowest tafel slope (133 and 31 mV dec−1) for hydrogen evolution reaction in 1.0 M KOH and 0.5 M H2SO4, respectively. Fe1Co1Ni2P/VrGO exhibits the lowest overpotential (342 mV) at 10 mA cm−2 with lowest tafel slope (60 mV dec−1) for oxygen evolution reaction. The enhanced performance of the electrocatalyst is attributed to improved electrical conductivity, synergistic effects, and beneficial electronic states caused by the appropriate atomic ratio of Co and Ni in the bifunctional electrocatalyst. This study helps to explore the effect of variable cationic ratio in the cost-effective ternary iron group metal phosphides electrocatalysts to achieve enhanced electrocatalytic performance for water splitting in a wide pH range.
Diffusion of dopants and impurities in β-Ga2O3
Authors: Sharma Ribhu , Law Mark E. , Ren Fan , Polyakov Alexander Y. , Pearton Stephen J.
Published: September 2021

The understanding and availability of quantitative measurements of the diffusion of dopants and impurities in Ga2O3 are currently at an early stage. In this work, we summarize what is known about the diffusivity of the common donor dopants, Sn, Ge, and Si, as well as some of the deep acceptors, N, Fe, and Mg, and donors, Ir. Two commonly encountered interstitial impurities are H and F, the former through growth and processing ambients and the latter through its use in plasmas used for stripping dielectrics from Ga2O3. Both are found to have high diffusion coefficients and an effect on electrical conductivity, and H shows anisotropy in its diffusion behavior. Si, Ge, and Sn implanted into bulk β-Ga2O3 at total doses from 2 × 1013 to 2 × 1015 cm−2 and annealed at 1100 °C for 10–120 s in either O2 or N2 ambients showed a significant effect of the annealing ambient on the donor's diffusivity. In the case of O2 annealing, there was extensive redistribution of the Si, Sn, and Ge across the entire dose range, while, in sharp contrast, the use of N2 annealing suppressed this diffusion. The N2 ambient also suppressed loss of dopants to the surface, with >90% of the initial dose retained after annealing at 1100 °C for 120 s, compared to 66%–77% with O2 anneals under the same conditions.
Cell activity modulation and its specific function maintenance by bioinspired electromechanical nanogenerator
Authors: Li Tong , Shi Chuanmei , Jin Fei , Yang Fan , Gu Long , Wang Ting , Dong Wei , Feng Zhang-Qi
Published: September 2021

Wireless and passive bioelectronic medicines mimic the biological cues of the extracellular matrix.
Restored strange metal phase through suppression of charge density waves in underdoped YBa
2
Cu
3
O
7–δ
Authors: Wahlberg Eric , Arpaia Riccardo , Seibold Götz , Rossi Matteo , Fumagalli Roberto , Trabaldo Edoardo , Brookes Nicholas B. , Braicovich Lucio , Caprara Sergio , Gran Ulf , Ghiringhelli Giacomo , Bauch Thilo , Lombardi Floriana
Published: September 2021

Restoring strangeness

Cuprate superconductors host a number of complex phases, and elucidating their relationship to each other may shed light on the nature of cuprate superconductivity. Two of these intriguing phases are the strange metal phase and the charge-density wave (CDW) order, which appear next to each other in the cuprate phase diagram. The hallmark of the strange metal phase, the linear dependence of electrical resistivity on temperature, disappears in the CDW phase. Wahlberg
et al
. strained thin films of the cuprate YBa
2
Cu
3
O
7–δ
to suppress CDW order (see the Perspective by Le Tacon). Using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering and transport measurements, the researchers found that suppressing CDW restored the linear-in-temperature resistivity in the CDW portion of the phase diagram. —JS
Comment on “Recent global decline of CO
2
fertilization effects on vegetation photosynthesis”
Authors: Frankenberg Christian , Yin Yi , Byrne Brendan , He Liyin , Gentine Pierre
Published: September 2021

Wang
et al
. (Research Articles, 11 December 2020, p. 1295), using photosynthesis proxies from long-term satellite records, report a significant decline in CO
2
fertilization effects. We find that small systematic biases in Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data affect their analysis to the degree that the key finding is not robust. Caution is recommended when using AVHRR to detect changes in near-infrared reflectance of vegetation (NIRv) trends and vegetation indices.
Response to Comments on “Recent global decline of CO
2
fertilization effects on vegetation photosynthesis”
Authors: Wang Songhan , Zhang Yongguang , Ju Weimin , Chen Jing M. , Cescatti Alessandro , Sardans Jordi , Janssens Ivan A. , Wu Mousong , Berry Joseph A. , Campbell J. Elliott , Fernández-Martínez Marcos , Alkama Ramdane , Sitch Stephen , Smith William K. , Yuan Wenping , He Wei , Lombardozzi Danica , Kautz Markus , Zhu Dan , Lienert Sebastian , Kato Etsushi , Poulter Benjamin , Sanders Tanja G. M. , Krüger Inken , Wang Rong , Zeng Ning , Tian Hanqin , Vuichard Nicolas , Jain Atul K. , Wiltshire Andy , Goll Daniel S. , Peñuelas Josep
Published: September 2021

Our study suggests that the global CO
2
fertilization effect (CFE) on vegetation photosynthesis has declined during the past four decades. The Comments suggest that the temporal inconsistency in AVHRR data and the attribution method undermine the results’ robustness. Here, we provide additional evidence that these arguments did not affect our finding and that the global decline in CFE is robust.
Discovery and implications of polygenicity of common diseases
Authors: Visscher Peter M. , Yengo Loic , Cox Nancy J. , Wray Naomi R.
Published: September 2021

The sequencing of the human genome has allowed the study of the genetic architecture of common diseases: the number of genomic variants that contribute to risk of disease and their joint frequency and effect size distribution. Common diseases are polygenic, with many loci contributing to phenotype, and the cumulative burden of risk alleles determines individual risk in conjunction with environmental factors. Most risk loci occur in noncoding regions of the genome regulating cell- and context-specific gene expression. Although the effect sizes of most risk alleles are small, their cumulative effects in individuals, quantified as a polygenic (risk) score, can identify people at increased risk of disease, thereby facilitating prevention or early intervention.
Tree-ring dating of musical instruments
Authors: Cherubini Paolo
Published: September 2021

Dendrochronology detects fraudulent art but with some caveats
Steam-created grain boundaries for methane C–H activation in palladium catalysts
Authors: Huang Weixin , Johnston-Peck Aaron C. , Wolter Trenton , Yang Wei-Chang D. , Xu Lang , Oh Jinwon , Reeves Benjamin A. , Zhou Chengshuang , Holtz Megan E. , Herzing Andrew A. , Lindenberg Aaron M. , Mavrikakis Manos , Cargnello Matteo
Published: September 2021

Going with the grain

Changes in surface structure can make metal nanoparticles supported on oxides more active for certain catalytic reactions. Huang
et al
. show that steam pretreatment of palladium nanoparticles on alumina led to a high density of twin boundaries, unlike other oxidation and reduction pretreatments. The density of these stable grain boundaries at the surface correlated with higher methane oxidation rates and lower temperatures for the initiation of the reaction. The introduction of additional defect sites through laser ablation created even more active catalysts. —PDS
Gradient cell–structured high-entropy alloy with exceptional strength and ductility
Authors: Pan Qingsong , Zhang Liangxue , Feng Rui , Lu Qiuhong , An Ke , Chuang Andrew Chihpin , Poplawsky Jonathan D. , Liaw Peter K. , Lu Lei
Published: September 2021

Strength by cyclic torsion

For most alloys, conventional or high entropy, increasing strength comes at the cost of poor ductility. Although there are many strategies to break this inverse relationship, Pan
et al
. now show that cyclic torsion on a high-entropy alloy enhances strength without degrading ductility (see the Perspective by Yeh). Cyclic torsion creates a gradient of dislocations and low-angle grain boundaries from the surface to the interior that organize into tiny stacking faults and twin when straining begins. These structures allow for the good ductility while simultaneously helping to work harden the alloy. —BG
Missing heritability may be hiding in repeats
Authors: Gymrek Melissa , Goren Alon
Published: September 2021

Unexplored variable number tandem repeats make a large contribution to complex traits
A cautionary history of eugenics
Authors: Rutherford Adam
Published: September 2021

A century ago this week, 300 scientists, policy-makers, and campaigners gathered at the American Museum of Natural History in New York to discuss their work about heredity and eugenics—the political ideology designed to sculpt societies through biological methods of population control

(the meeting was highlighted in
Science
a week later)

. The aims of eugenics were to nurture the propagation of people deemed “desirable” and to reduce the number of “undesirable” or “defective” people, primarily through enforced sterilization. Although recognized as toxic now, back then, eugenics enjoyed popular and bipartisan support and would grow to be one of the defining ideas of the 20th century.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacterium
Rhodomicrobium
sp. Strain Az07, Isolated from a Brackish Canal
Authors: Bakhmutova E. D. , Izotova A. O. , Toshchakov S. V. , Namsaraev Z. B. , Komova A. V.
Published: September 2021

Rhodomicrobium
sp. strain Az07 was isolated from a brackish canal. The organism is more halotolerant than previously described species of the genus
Rhodomicrobium
. The Illumina MiSeq system was used to sequence the genome of the isolated strain. The assembly contains 3,291,400 bp, 106 contigs, and a GC content of 62.7%.
Beyond Charles Knight: Women paleoartists at the American Museum of Natural History in the early twentieth century
Authors: Reitmeyer Mai , Morgan Rebecca , Baione Tom
Published: September 2021

Under the direction of Henry Fairfield Osborn, Charles Knight helped shape popular images of the prehistoric past in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Although he was the most famous, Charles Knight was not the only paleoartist working at the American Museum of Natural History at this time. Behind the scenes, there were several women paleoartists who made significant contributions to museum displays and publications illustrating the prehistoric world. Often overlooked, this chapter highlights the contributions of Elisabeth Rungius Fulda, Helen Ziska, Lindsey Morris Sterling, and Margret Joy Flinsch Buba.
Supplemental Material: Evidence for enhanced fluvial channel mobility and fine sediment export due to precipitation seasonality during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum
Authors: Barefoot Eric , al. et
Published: September 2021

A more-detailed explanation of the field methods used to collect the data for this study, and the statistical tools used to analyze the data, in addition to a description of how the data file is organized. This information should be applied in conjunction with the data and code if readers are interested in using these data for future work.
Heterogenous late Miocene extension in the northern Walker Lane (California-Nevada, USA) demonstrates vertically decoupled crustal extension
Authors: Say Michael C. , Zuza Andrew V.
Published: September 2021

The spatial distribution and kinematics of intracontinental deformation provide insight into the dominant mode of continental tectonics: rigid-body motion versus continuum flow. The discrete San Andreas fault defines the western North America plate boundary, but transtensional deformation is distributed hundreds of kilometers eastward across the Walker Lane–Basin and Range provinces. In particular, distributed Basin and Range extension has been encroaching westward onto the relatively stable Sierra Nevada block since the Miocene, but the timing and style of distributed deformation overprinting the stable Sierra Nevada crust remains poorly resolved. Here we bracket the timing, magnitude, and kinematics of overprinting Walker Lane and Basin and Range deformation in the Pine Nut Mountains, Nevada (USA), which are the westernmost structural and topographic expression of the Basin and Range, with new geologic mapping and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology. Structural mapping suggests that north-striking normal faults developed during the initiation of Basin and Range extension and were later reactivated as northeast-striking oblique-slip faults following the onset of Walker Lane transtensional deformation. Conformable volcanic and sedimentary rocks, with new ages spanning ca. 14.2 Ma to 6.8 Ma, were tilted 30°–36° northwest by east-dipping normal faults. This relationship demonstrates that dip-slip deformation initiated after ca. 6.8 Ma. A retrodeformed cross section across the range suggests that the range experienced 14% extension. Subsequently, Walker Lane transtension initiated, and clockwise rotation of the Carson domain may have been accommodated by northeast-striking left-slip faults. Our work better defines strain patterns at the western extent of the Basin and Range province across an approximately 150-km-long east-west transect that reveals domains of low strain (∼15%) in the Carson Range–Pine Nut Mountains and Gillis Range surrounding high-magnitude extension (∼150%–180%) in the Singatse and Wassuk Ranges. There is no evidence for irregular crustal thickness variations across this same transect—either in the Mesozoic, prior to extension, or today—which suggests that strain must be accommodated differently at decoupled crustal levels to result in smooth, homogenous crustal thickness values despite the significantly heterogeneous extensional evolution. This example across an ∼150 km transect demonstrates that the use of upper-crust extension estimates to constrain pre-extension crustal thickness, assuming pure shear as commonly done for the Mesozoic Nevadaplano orogenic plateau, may not be reliable.
Child maltreatment, early life socioeconomic disadvantage and all-cause mortality in mid-adulthood: findings from a prospective British birth cohort
Authors: Rogers Nina T , Power Christine , Pinto Pereira Snehal M
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Early-life adversities (ELAs) such as child maltreatment (neglect and abuse) and socioeconomic disadvantage have been associated with adult mortality. However, evidence is sparse for specific types of ELA. We aimed to establish whether specific ELAs (ie, different types of child maltreatment and socioeconomic disadvantage) were associated independently with all-cause mortality in mid-adulthood and to examine potential intermediary pathways.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

1958 British birth cohort: a longitudinal, population-based sample of individuals born in Great Britain during a single week in March 1958.

Participants

9310 males and females with data on child maltreatment and mortality (44/45–58 years).

Outcome measures

Mortality follow-up from 2002/2003 to 2016 when participants were aged 44/45–58 years. Death was ascertained via the NHS Central Register (N=296) or cohort maintenance activities (N=16).

Results

Prevalence of ELAs ranged from 1.6% (sexual abuse) to 11% (psychological abuse). Several, but not all, ELAs were associated with increased risk of premature death, independent of covariates and other adversities; adjusted HRs were 2.64 (95% CI 1.52 to 4.59) for sexual abuse, 1.93 (95% CI 1.45 to 2.58) for socioeconomic disadvantage, 1.73 (95% CI 1.11 to 2.71) for physical abuse and 1.43 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.98) for neglect. After adjustment for covariates and other adversities, no associations with mortality were observed for psychological and witnessing abuse. Regarding potential intermediaries (including adult socioeconomic factors, behaviours, adiposity, mental health and cardiometabolic markers), most associations attenuated after accounting for adult health behaviours (particularly smoking). In addition, early-life socioeconomic disadvantage and neglect associations attenuated after accounting for adult socioeconomic factors. The association for sexual abuse and premature mortality was largely unaffected by potential intermediaries.

Conclusions

Associations with premature mortality varied by type of ELA: associations for sexual and physical abuse, neglect and socioeconomic disadvantage were independent of each other. Different types of ELAs could influence premature mortality via different pathways; this requires further research.
Effect of prenotification on the response rate of a postal survey of emergency physicians: a randomised, controlled, assessor-blind trial
Authors: Hickey Michael , McIntyre Lauralyn , Taljaard Monica , Abdulaziz Kasim , Yadav Krishan , Hickey Carly , Perry Jeffrey J
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Response rates to physician surveys are typically low. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a prenotification letter on the response rate of a postal survey of emergency physicians.

Design

This was a substudy of a national, cross-sectional postal survey sent to emergency physicians in Canada. We randomised participants to either receive a postal prenotification letter prior to the survey, or to no prenotification letter.

Participants

A random sample of 500 emergency physicians in Canada. Participants were selected from the Canadian Medical Directory, a national medical directory which lists more than 99% of practising physicians in Canada.

Interventions

Using computer-generated randomisation, physicians were randomised in a concealed fashion to receive a prenotification letter approximately 1 week prior to the survey, or to not receive a prenotification letter. All physicians received an unconditional incentive of a $3 coffee card with the survey instrument. In both groups, non-respondents were sent reminder surveys approximately every 14 days and a special contact using Xpresspost during the final contact attempt.

Outcome

The primary outcome was the survey response rate.

Results

201 of 447 eligible physicians returned the survey (45.0%). Of 231 eligible physicians contacted in the prenotification group, 80 (34.6%) returned the survey and among 237 eligible physicians contacted in the no-prenotification group, 121 (51.1%) returned the survey (absolute difference in proportions 16.5%, 95% CI 2.5 to 30.5, p=0.01).

Conclusion

Inclusion of a prenotification letter resulted in a lower response rate in this postal survey of emergency physicians. Given the added costs, time and effort required to send a prenotification letter, this study suggests that it may be more effective to omit the prenotification letter in physician postal surveys.
Comparison of deliberate self-harm incidents attended by Helicopter Emergency Medical Services before and during the first wave of COVID-19 in the East of England
Authors: Stevens Joanna , Price James , Hazlerigg Antonia , McLachlan Sarah , Barnard Ed Benjamin Graham
Published: September 2021

Introduction

There is significant interest in the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) attend the most seriously unwell and injured patients in the community; their data therefore present an early opportunity to examine self-harm trends. The primary aim was to compare the incidence of deliberate self-harm incident (DSH-I) encounters by HEMS before and during the first wave of COVID-19.

Methods

Data were obtained from all three East of England HEMS: total number of activations and stand-downs, number of DSH-I activations and stand-downs, self-harm mechanism and number of ‘severe’ DSH-I patient encounters, in two 61-day periods: 1 March to 30 April in 2019 (control) and 2020 (COVID-19). Severe DSH-I was defined as cardiac arrest and/or died prehospital. Proportions were compared with a Fisher’s exact test.

Results

There were a total of 1725 HEMS activations: n=981 (control) and n=744 (COVID-19), a decrease of 24.2% during COVID-19. DSH-I patient encounters increased by 65.4%: n=26 (control) and n=43 (COVID-19). The proportion of encounters that were DSH-I and severe DSH-I both significantly increased during COVID-19: p=0.002 and p=0.001, respectively. The absolute number of hangings and falls from height both approximately tripled during COVID-19, whereas the number of other mechanisms remained almost constant.

Conclusion

Despite a reduction in overall HEMS patient encounters, there were significant increases in both the proportion of DSH-Is and their severity attended by HEMS during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the East of England.
A new approach for determining compressibility and permeability characteristics of dredged slurries with high water content
Authors: Shi Li , Yin Xing , Sun Honglei , Pan Xiaodong , Yuan Zonghao , Cai Yuanqiang
Published: September 2021

In the vacuum treatment of dredged slurries via prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs), both filtration and consolidation may happen to dredged slurries when subjected to the vacuum gradient. Similar to the consolidation, the filtration may provide equally useful information on interpreting the constitutive behavior of the slurry. In this paper, a new approach utilizing the filtration process is devised to evaluate the constitutive behaviors of dredged slurries. The approach is composed of a vacuum filtration device and an iterative curve fitting algorithm. Two types of tests, namely step-vacuum filtration and constant-vacuum filtration followed by compression test, must be conducted on the slurry specimens, and only the time variations of the filtrate discharge should be recorded. On the basis of the recorded data, the curve fitting algorithm is adopted for determining the parameters of the constitutive equations. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified through comparing the obtained compressibility and permeability of the slurries with the data provided by the oedometer test and with the empirical relationships from different sources. The comparisons demonstrate that the constitutive relationships determined by the present approach can predict the compressibility and permeability characteristics of dredged slurries with an acceptable degree of accuracy.
Transposable element landscapes illuminate past evolutionary events in the endangered fern Vandenboschia speciosa
Authors: Ruiz-Ruano Francisco J. , Navarro-Domínguez Beatriz , Camacho Juan Pedro M. , Garrido-Ramos Manuel A.
Published: September 2021

Vandenboschia speciosa is an endangered tetraploid fern species with a large genome (10.5 Gb). Its geographical distribution is characterized by disjoined tertiary flora refuges, with relict populations that survived past climate crises. Here, we analyzed the transposable elements (TEs) and found that they comprise approximately 76% of the V. speciosa genome, thus being the most abundant type of DNA sequence in this gigantic genome. The V. speciosa genome is composed of 51% and 5.6% of Class I and Class II elements, respectively. LTR retrotransposons were the most abundant TEs in this species (at least 42% of the genome), followed by non-LTR retrotransposons, which constituted at least 8.7% of the genome of this species. We introduce an additional analysis to identify the nature of non-annotated elements (19% of the genome). A BLAST search of the non-annotated contigs against the V. speciosa TE database allowed for the identification of almost half of them, which were most likely diverged sequence variants of the annotated TEs. In general, the TE composition in V. speciosa resembles the TE composition in seed plants. In addition, repeat landscapes revealed three episodes of amplification for all TEs, most likely due to demographic changes associated with past climate crises.
From adaptive resolution to molecular dynamics of open systems
Authors: Cortes-Huerto Robinson , Praprotnik Matej , Kremer Kurt , Delle Site Luigi
Published: September 2021

We provide an overview of the Adaptive Resolution Simulation method (AdResS) based on discussing its basic principles and presenting its current numerical and theoretical developments. Examples of applications to systems of interest to soft matter, chemical physics, and condensed matter illustrate the method’s advantages and limitations in its practical use and thus settle the challenge for further future numerical and theoretical developments.

Graphic abstract
Correction to: Ultrashort-laser electron–hole plasma and intragap states in diamond
Authors: Krasin G. K. , Kudryashov S. I. , Danilov P. A. , Smirnov N. A. , Levchenko A. O. , Kovalev M. S.
Published: September 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: 10.1140/epjd/s10053-021-00234-0
A Pseudo-Random Generator Whose Output is a Normal Sequence
Authors: Ryabko Boris
Published: September 2021

Pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs) are widely used in computer simulation, cryptography, and many other fields. In this paper, we describe a PRNG class, which, firstly, has been successfully tested using the most powerful modern test batteries, and secondly, is proved to consist of generators that generate normal sequences. The latter property means that, for any generated sequence [Formula: see text] and any binary word [Formula: see text], we have [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is the number of occurrences of [Formula: see text] in the sequence [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text].
The effect of dark matter on the weak cosmic censorship conjecture in the extended space
Authors: Fu Zi-Yu , Zhang Bao-Qi , Wang Chuan-Yin , Li Hui-Ling
Published: September 2021

By analyzing the energy–momentum relationship of the absorbed fermions dropping into a Reissner–Nordstöm–anti-de Sitter black hole surrounded by dark matter, the laws of thermodynamic and weak cosmic censorship conjecture in the extended phase space are investigated. We find that the first law of thermodynamics is valid. However, the validity of the second law of thermodynamics depends on the density [Formula: see text] of the perfect fluid dark matter. In addition, we also find that when the fermions are absorbed, the structures of black hole surrounded by dark matter would not change. Therefore, weak cosmic censorship conjecture holds for the extreme black holes and the non-extreme black holes.
Study on the optical spectra of the oxygen vacancy in ZnWO4crystal
Authors: Lian Gaiping , Liu Tingyu , Yu Le
Published: September 2021

ZnWO4is easy to color, which will reduce the luminous efficiency of the crystal and limit the application of the crystal. In order to study the origin of the color in the crystal, in this paper, the effects of the oxygen vacancy on the optical properties for the ZnWO4crystal have been studied based on the density functional theory (DFT). The hybrid functional method (HSE) and the finite-size correction scheme (FNV) are used to correct the band edge problem and eliminate the artificial interaction of the charged defects, respectively. On the basis of the corrected defect formation energy, we obtain the optical spectra of the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] centers containing electron-phonon coupling. The calculated absorption and luminescence peaks are at 2.54 eV and 0.79 eV for the [Formula: see text] center and at 2.98 eV and 1.09 eV for the [Formula: see text] center, respectively. The calculated absorption band of the [Formula: see text] center is close to the experimental value of 2.48 eV (500 nm), so we speculate that the coloring of the ZnWO4crystal is related to the [Formula: see text] center. Meanwhile, the existence of oxygen vacancy makes ZnWO4crystal to have self-absorption and to increase decay time, which greatly affects the scintillation properties of the crystal.
PLANTAR FASCIITIS: A NOVEL CROWDSOURCING APPROACH TO DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Authors: Held Ron , Blankstein Alexander
Published: September 2021

Plantar Fasciitis (PF) is a disorder of connective tissue that supports the longitudinal arch of the foot. The fascia runs along the sole with insertion to the heads of the metatarsal bones and origin in the calcaneus. It is one of the most frequent diagnoses for patients in general and foot clinics, and one of the common causes for heel pain which may develop into chronic heel pain, change the way we walk and lead to foot, knee, hip or back problems. PF is the most common type of plantar fascia injury. The purpose of this study is to describe the natural history of PF, including the ethnicity, early and main symptoms, aggravating factors, comorbidities and treatments for PF, based on the patient-reported data from active PF community in an online crowdsourcing platform, StuffThatWorks. Analyses were made in order to discover characteristics which have a clinical importance. Totally 3835 patients were included in this retrospective observational study. The results show that crowdsourcing is a valid approach for data collection, as expected results with regard to clinical aspects such as age-of-onset, early and main symptoms were witnessed. Furthermore, the patient-reported data show three characteristics which have a very high clinical relevance: high level of physical activity, being overweight and age. In addition, leads for future studies were established.
Perturbation Method for Thermal Post-Buckling Analysis of Shear Deformable FG-CNTRC Beams with Different Boundary Conditions
Authors: Babaei Hadi , Kiani Yaser , Reza Eslami M.
Published: September 2021

This research aims to analyze the thermal buckling and post-buckling of carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced composite beams. It is assumed that the beam is rested on a nonlinear elastic foundation which contains the Winkler spring, shear layer, and nonlinear spring. Distribution of CNTs across the thickness may be non-uniform which results in a functionally graded media. The elastic properties of the beam are evaluated using the refined rule of mixtures which contains efficiency parameters. Temperature dependency of the constituents is also taken into account. Using three different beam models, namely, first-order, third-order, and sinusoidal theories, the governing equations for the composite beam are established. Three different types of edge supports are considered which are pinned–pinned, clamped–clamped, and clamped–roller. With the aid of the two-step perturbation technique, closed-form expressions are extracted to obtain the elevated temperature as a function of the post-buckling deflection in the beam. Results of this study are compared with the available data in the literature. After that, new results are given to discuss the effects of important factors such as foundation parameters, geometrical characteristics, boundary conditions, the CNT volume fraction, and CNT pattern. It is shown that the critical buckling temperature of pinned–pinned and clamped–roller beams is the same while their post-buckling responses are totally different.