bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CSF Leak After COVID‐19 Nasopharyngeal Swab: A Case Report
Authors: Paquin Rebecca , Ryan Lindsey , Vale Fernando L. , Rutkowski Martin , Byrd James Kenneth
Published: February 2021

The nasopharyngeal swab has been used with increased frequency since the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Little has been written in the literature regarding the complications arising from this procedure, as it is generally accepted as safe. In this report, we describe a case in which a young woman sustained a traumatic skull base injury during a nasopharyngeal swab for COVID‐19. We then discuss the subsequent treatment and outcome. This case demonstrates the potential for significant complications arising from this widespread procedure and the necessity for awareness of these potential complications. Laryngoscope, 131:1927–1929, 2021
Monitoring ecosystem restoration of multiple surface coal mine sites in China via LANDSAT images using the Google Earth Engine
Authors: Wang Huihui , Xie Miaomiao , Li Hanting , Feng Qianqian , Zhang Cui , Bai Zhongke
Published: February 2021

The restoration of surface mining (open‐cast) sites is key to meeting global ecosystem restoration targets. With the improving of data availabilities and technologies, it has become possible to expand restoration monitoring from single to multiple mine sites on a large scale. Based on the MODIS global disturbance index (MGDI), this study proposes a mine landscape restoration index (MLRI), by coupling the LST and EVI to simultaneously monitor the restoration of multiple mine sites. Restoration areas were identified by MLRI time‐series analysis and classified into significant consistent increase (SCI) and significant anti‐consistent increase (SAI) areas. The restoration effects of 46 surface coal mine sites located in the ecologically fragile northwestern region of China from 2000 to 2019 were assessed based on 3,675 LANDSAT images from the Google Earth Engine. Results show that the MLRI was effective at identifying restoration areas and processes, and this effectiveness was validated by high‐resolution images and field investigations of mine samples. The overall percentage of restored area for mines that started mining before 2000 was 55.01% ; for mines that starting mining after 2000, 33.68%. According to the differences of SCI and SAI area percentages, 46 mine sites were classified into three clusters, with 13, 11, and 22 mine sites, respectively. The mine sites with high restoration percentage are located mainly in Hailar and Shanbeimengnan regions. This study provides a new approach for monitoring the restoration effects of multiple mine sites and informs government managers about developing mine restoration programs and sustainable mining development plans.
Potential of mean force and umbrella sampling simulation for the transport of 5‐oxazolidinone in heterotetrameric sarcosine oxidase
Authors: Yoneda Shigetaka , Saito Takami , Nakajima Daisuke , Watanabe Go
Published: February 2021

The structure of heterotetrameric sarcosine oxidase (HSO) contains a highly complex system composed of a large cavity and tunnels, which are essential for the reaction and migration of the reactants, products, and intermediates. Previous geometrical analysis using the CAVER program has predicted that there are three possible tunnels, T1, T2, and T3, for the exit pathway of the iminium intermediate, 5‐oxazolidinone (5‐OXA), of the enzyme reaction. Previous molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of HSO has identified the regions containing the water channels from the density distribution of water. The simulation indicated that tunnel T3 is the most probable exit pathway of 5‐OXA. In the present study, the potential of mean force (PMF) for the transport of 5‐OXA through tunnels T1, T2, and T3 was calculated using umbrella sampling (US) MD simulations and the weighted histogram analysis method. The PMF profiles for the three tunnels support the notion that tunnel T3 is the exit pathway of 5‐OXA, and that 5‐OXA tends to stay at the middle of the tunnel. The maximum errors of the calculated PMF for the predicted exit pathway, tunnel T3, were estimated by repeating the US simulations using different sets of initial positions. The PMF profile was also calculated for the transport of glycine within T3. The PMF profiles from the US simulations were in good agreement with the previous predictions that 5‐OXA escape through tunnel T3 and how glycine is released to the outside of HSO was discussed.
Predicting Delaminations and Residual Strength of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) After One-Sided Thermal Loading by Means of Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Vetter Tanja Marina , Eibl Sebastian , Gudladt Hans-Joachim
Published: February 2021

This study investigates the change of chemical, structural, and mechanical properties of carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) after one-sided thermal loading. Therefore, CFRP samples (HexPly® 8552/IM7) with varying thickness (4 and 8 mm) are irradiated at different heat fluxes (15, 30, and 50 kW/m2). For a depth-resolved view on matrix degradation inside the CFRP, infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) is applied along a ground incline plane. A change of structural properties in the form of developing delaminations is investigated with microfocused computed X-ray tomography (µCT). The loss of residual strength is determined by means of interlaminar shear strength testing (ILSS). The evaluation of the data shows that delaminations occur predominantly dependent on temperature and only beyond a certain level of matrix degradation traceable by IR spectroscopy. It is also shown that delaminations are mainly responsible for the loss of strength. Furthermore, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is performed to predict the presence of delaminations. This information provides a basis for a reliable prediction of the residual strength by IR spectroscopy after one-sided thermal loading.
Impact of valve fenestrations and structural changes in homografts on the long-term outcome in the recipient
Authors: Axelsson Ida , Malm Torsten , Nilsson Johan
Published: February 2021

Homografts have long been used for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction. Tissue banks struggle to meet the clinical demand of tissue, with insufficient donor availability and strict recommendations on tissue quality with high proportions of discards. This study analyzes the long-term outcome of patients receiving a homograft with small fenestrations of the cusps or other structural changes, to evaluate if minor impairment of the homograft affects the durability. Homograft characteristics and patient outcome were described. Follow-up was maximum 24 years. Structural changes of the homografts were analyzed in relation to patient outcome, using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression. Between 1995 and 2018, 468 patients received 535 homografts in the RVOT in Lund. Median recipient age was 13 years. There were 137 (26.9%) reinterventions. Freedom from reintervention was 75.8% (95% CI 71.3–79.7%) at 10 years and 57.4% (95% CI 50.0–64.0%) at 20 years. Small fenestrations of the cusps, fibrosis of the cusps and minor atheromatosis of the vessel did not show any statistically significant impact on long-term outcome, hazard ratio = 0.46 (95% CI 0.11–1.87, p = 0.276) and hazard ratio = 0.80 (95% CI 0.25–2.56, p = 0.704). Minor structural changes of the homografts seem to be acceptable without affecting the long-term durability.
Synergistic effect of In doping on electrical and thermal properties of Cu2SnSe3 thermoelectric system
Authors: Thomas Riya , Rao Ashok , Jiang Zhao-Ze , Kuo Yung-Kang
Published: February 2021

Cu2SnSe3 has been considered as a potential thermoelectric material owing to its tunable transport properties and its phonon-glass-electron-crystal (PGEC) characteristics. Here, p-type pure and In-doped Cu2SnSe3 samples are synthesized by the solid-state sintering technique. Cubic structure with $$F\overline{4}3m$$

F

4
¯

3
m

space group is maintained for all the samples, and a linear increase in lattice parameter with increasing In concentration has been observed. The nature of electrical resistivity changes from semiconducting to metallic behavior for samples with x > 0.10. The decrease in both electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient with an increase in x is attributed to the increased hole concentration. Such a scenario is confirmed from the room-temperature Hall effect measurements. Indium doping also reduces the thermal conductivity of the Cu2SnSe3 system as a result of increased phonon scattering due to the mass fluctuation. Concurrently, enhancement of thermoelectric power factor (PF) and figure of merit (ZT) is achieved with In doping at Sn site of Cu2SnSe3. The maximum ZT of 0.04 has been exhibited by the sample with x = 0.25 at 400 K, which is six times higher than that of the undoped Cu2SnSe3.
The BCS energy gap at low density
Authors: Lauritsen Asbjørn Bækgaard
Published: February 2021

We show that the energy gap for the BCS gap equation is $$\begin{aligned} \varXi = \mu \left( 8 {\mathrm{e}}^{-2} + o(1)\right) \exp \left( \frac{\pi }{2\sqrt{\mu } a}\right) \end{aligned}$$

Ξ
=
μ

8

e

-
2

+
o

(
1
)

exp

π

2

μ

a

in the low density limit $$\mu \rightarrow 0$$

μ
→
0

. Together with the similar result for the critical temperature by Hainzl and Seiringer (Lett Math Phys 84: 99–107, 2008), this shows that, in the low density limit, the ratio of the energy gap and critical temperature is a universal constant independent of the interaction potential V. The results hold for a class of potentials with negative scattering length a and no bound states.
Seismic activity reduction with the use of blasting and passive seismic tomography control, a case study from copper ore mine, Poland
Authors: Gogolewska A. B. , Smolak D.
Published: February 2021

Deep copper ore mines in Poland have been struggling with seismic hazard since almost fifty years ago when the first rock burst occurred. Increasing exploitation depth and mined-out space make the mining conditions constrained and severe causing the seismic activity to grow substantially. Consequently, rock burst preventive activities have to be incorporated into mining technology to provide work safety. To date, the group winning blasting has posed the most commonly used preventive measure, so its efficiency in seismic energy reduction is of significant importance for the rock burst hazard mitigation. The more energy blasting works provoke to release the safer the work environment gets. The article aimed to assess the efficiency of such an energy reduction, which was approached in two ways. Firstly, the drop of energy and in turn its reduction efficiency was assessed simply using a percentage of provoked tremors’ energy and number. Next, the analysis employed passive seismic tomography results to find if provoked tremors took place in high-velocity zones. The analysis made it possible to verify the assumption that the more provoked energy occurs in such zones the more successful preventive blasting is.
Valorization of Native Soluble and Insoluble Oat Side Streams for Stable Suspensions and Emulsions
Authors: Valoppi Fabio , Wang Yu-Jie , Alt Giulia , Peltonen Leena J. , Mikkonen Kirsi S.
Published: February 2021

Among different cereals, oat is becoming more popular due to its unique composition and health benefits. The increase in oat production is associated with an increase in related side streams, comprising unutilized biomass that is rich in valuable components, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and antioxidants. To valorize such biomass, it is fundamental that side streams enter back into the food production chain, in respect of the circular economy model. Here, we propose the use of soluble and insoluble oat-production side-stream in suspensions and emulsions, avoiding any further extraction, fractionation, and/or chemical derivatization. Our approach further increases the value of these side streams. To this aim, we first studied the effect of thermal and mechanical processes on the behavior and properties of both soluble and insoluble oat side-stream fractions in water and at air/water interface. Then, we characterized the emulsifying and stabilizing abilities of these materials in oil-in-water emulsions. Interestingly, we found that the insoluble fraction was able to form stable suspensions and emulsions after mechanical treatment. The oil droplets in the emulsions were stabilized by anchoring at the surface of the insoluble particles. On the other hand, the soluble fraction formed only stable viscous solutions. Finally, we demonstrated that the two fractions can be combined to increase the storage stability of the resulting emulsion.

Our results highlight that oat production side streams can be used as novel bio-based emulsifiers, showing the great potential behind the underutilized cereal-side-stream biomass.

Graphical Abstract
Formal modelling and verification of a multi-agent negotiation approach for airline operations control
Authors: Bouarfa Soufiane , Aydoğan Reyhan , Sharpanskykh Alexei
Published: February 2021

This paper proposes and evaluates a new airline disruption management strategy using multi-agent system modelling, simulation, and verification. This new strategy is based on a multi-agent negotiation protocol and is compared with three airline strategies based on established industry practices. The application concerns Airline Operations Control whose core functionality is disruption management. To evaluate the new strategy, a rule-based multi-agent system model of the AOC and crew processes has been developed. This model is used to assess the effects of multi-agent negotiation on airline performance in the context of a challenging disruption scenario. For the specific scenario considered, the multi-agent negotiation strategy outperforms the established strategies when the agents involved in the negotiation are experts. Another important contribution is that the paper presents a logic-based ontology used for formal modelling and analysis of AOC workflows.
Shifting Ethnic Identities in Spain and Gaul, 500–700
Authors: Buchberger Erica
Published: February 2021

Traditional scholarship on post-Roman western culture has tended to examine the ethnic identities of Goths, Franks, and similar groups while neglecting the Romans themselves, in part because modern scholars have viewed the concept of being Roman as one denoting primarily a cultural or legal affiliation. As this book demonstrates, however, early medieval 'Romanness' also encompassed a sense of belonging to an ethnic group, which allowed Romans in Iberia and Gaul to adopt Gothic or Frankish identities in a more nuanced manner than has been previously acknowledged in the literature.
AI Applications to the Law Domain in Japan
Authors: NITTA Katsumi , SATOH Ken
Published: February 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) and law is an AI research area that has a history spanning more than 50 years. In the early stages, several legal-expert systems were developed. Legal-expert systems are tools designed to realize fair judgments in court. In addition to this research, as information and communication technologies and AI technologies have progressed, AI and law has broadened its view from legal-expert systems to legal analytics and, recently, a lot of machine-learning and text-processing techniques have been employed to analyze legal information. The research trends are the same in Japan as well and not only people involved with legal-expert systems, but also those involved with natural language processing as well as lawyers have become interested in AI and law. This report introduces the history of and the research activities on applying AI to the legal domain in Japan.
Molecular, morphometric and digital automated identification of three Diaphorina species (Hemiptera: Liviidae)
Authors: Lashkari Mohammadreza , Burckhardt Daniel , Kashef Shima
Published: February 2021

Diaphorina is a species-rich genus, native to the tropics and subtropics of the Old World, particularly of more arid regions. One of the species, Diaphorina citri, is the economically most important pest of citrus. Diaphorina species are morphologically similar which makes their identification difficult. In this study, the accuracy of DNA barcoding, using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI), geometric morphometrics of the forewing and digital image processing methods were tested for identification of the three Diaphorina species: D. chobauti, D. citri and D. zygophylli. Moreover, the published COI sequences of D. citri, D. communis and D. lycii obtained from Genbank were used for cluster analyses. DNA barcodes for D. chobauti and D. zygophylli are deposited in Genbank for the first time. The results of the molecular and geometric morphometric analyses are congruent and place D. chobauti as the sister taxon of the other Diaphorina species. The geometric morphometric analysis shows that in D. zygophylli the fore margin is slightly curved proximally and sharply bent distally, while in D. chobauti and D. citri it is straight proximally and weakly bent distally. The results of digital image processing show that the distribution of the dark pattern differs consistently in the three studied species.
Financial constraint, trust, and export performances: firm-level evidence from Africa
Authors: Konte Maty , Ndubuisi Gideon
Published: February 2021

Several existing studies have documented a negative relationship between firm financial constraint and export activities but do not attempt to examine factors that could attenuate this relationship in Africa. In this paper, we examine the effect of financial constraint on exports in Africa and explore how the level of trust in countries where firms are located shapes this relationship. We combine the World Bank Enterprise Surveys with different measures of country-level personal and interpersonal trust computed from the Afrobarometer surveys of 19 African countries. Our results show that financial constraints negatively affect export activities. However, this negative effect is attenuated for firms that are located in trust-intensive societies. These findings are robust to different specifications. Interestingly, we find that small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa are more likely to be affected by financial constraints but also more likely to benefit from a higher level of both personal and interpersonal trust, while for larger firms only interpersonal trust matters.
Arbeitsbedingungen von Pflegekräften in der allgemeinen Palliativversorgung in Deutschland
Authors: Diehl Elisabeth , Rieger Sandra , Letzel Stephan , Schablon Anja , Nienhaus Albert , Escobar Pinzon Luis Carlos , Dietz Pavel
Published: February 2021

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Die Mehrheit sterbenskranker Menschen wird in der allgemeinen Palliativversorgung (APV) durch ambulante Pflegedienste (AP), durch Alten- / Pflegeheime (APH) und durch Krankenhäuser (KH) betreut. Vergleichsweise wenige werden in der spezialisierten Palliativversorgung (SPV) behandelt. Die Forschung konzentriert sich im Rahmen der Palliativversorgung bisher auf Letztere. Ziel: Erhebung der Arbeitsbedingungen von und Analyse der Unterschiede zwischen Pflegekräften der APV in AP, APH und KH. Methoden: Schriftliche Querschnittbefragung von Pflegekräften aus AP, APH und KH unter Verwendung eines Fragebogens zur Erhebung der Arbeitssituation, bestehend aus Teilen des Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire und selbst entwickelten Fragen. Durchführung von deskriptiven und bivariaten Analysen. Ergebnisse: 437 Fragebögen flossen in die Analyse ein (Rücklauf 16,7 %). Pflegekräfte verbringen durchschnittlich 20 % der Arbeitszeit mit der Versorgung von Palliativpatientinnen und -patienten. Der Wunsch nach einer palliativpflegerischen Weiterbildung besteht bei jeder vierten Pflegekraft (n = 104). Es werden Belastungen angegeben, die aus der Auseinandersetzung mit dem Tod und der Betreuung von Angehörigen resultieren. Die palliativpflegerische Versorgungsqualität beurteilen 59 % (n = 249) als gut / sehr gut. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Pflegekräfte sind Belastungen ausgesetzt, die bisher nur im Rahmen der spezialisierten Palliativversorgung thematisiert wurden. Konkrete Maßnahmen, insbesondere die palliativpflegerische Weiterbildung für Pflegekräfte, sollten diskutiert werden.
Little Ice Age Revealed in Tree‐Ring‐Based Precipitation Record From the Northwest Himalaya, India
Authors: Singh Vikram , Misra Krishna G. , Singh Arun D. , Yadav Ram R. , Yadava Akhilesh K.
Published: February 2021

The spatial and temporal span of hydrological impact of the “Little Ice Age” (LIA) in the north‐western Himalaya is not well constrained due to data limitation. We evaluated a network of tree‐ring chronologies from moisture‐stressed ecological settings in Jammu and Kashmir to identify the impact of LIA over the western Himalaya. Our study reflects three centennial scale phases; the middle phase (1650s–1850s CE) with stable precipitation and in accordance with other hydrological records clearly demarcates the LIA impact over the Himalaya. However, high‐magnitude droughts recorded in early (1383–1650s CE) and late phases (1850s–2017) underpin that the north‐western Himalaya did not witness any LIA influence before 1650s.
Trapped Electron Energy Inferred From Cosmic Noise Absorption Signals Through Drift‐Time Analysis in Empirical Electric and Semi‐Empirical Magnetic Fields
Authors: Kellerman Adam C.
Published: February 2021

Riometers are ground‐based passive radio receivers that detect cosmic noise emanating from distant stars and galaxies. Some of the radiowave energy from these galactic sources is absorbed in the lower ionosphere by free electrons, precipitated from magnetospheric sources. The eastward motion of magnetospheric electrons, due to the combined effects of convection and gradient and curvature drift, results in a delay in signal between ground stations separated by 100s and 1,000s of kilometers. In this study, the signal delay is used to infer the energy of trapped electrons by employing a full bounce‐averaged drift velocity computation using two semi‐empirical magnetic field models, an empirical electric field, and 13 Riometer stations in the NORSTAR ground observation network. It is shown statistically, that riometers respond to 20–80 keV electrons, and that the inferred energy rises with an increase in absorption. The inferred energy is also shown to depend on magnetic local time, and the choice of the magnetic field model. This study quantifies the capability to infer magnetically trapped electron energies from riometer signals. This important population of 10s of keV electrons acts as a source of electromagnetic wave energy, necessary for acceleration of trapped electrons to higher energies where they may be hazardous to space hardware.
Calcium Stable Isotopes of Tonga and Mariana Arc Lavas: Implications for Slab Fluid‐Mediated Carbonate Transfer in Cold Subduction Zones
Authors: Wang Xia , Wang Zaicong , Liu Yongsheng , Park Jung‐Woo , Kim Jonguk , Li Ming , Zou Zongqi
Published: February 2021

Carbonation of oceanic lithosphere occurs widely during seawater alteration, and subducted carbonated oceanic lithosphere may play a key role in carbon recycling in subduction zones. Here we investigate the Ca isotopic composition of arc lavas from the Tonga rear arc and Mariana arc, western Pacific, to explore the effect of fluid‐mediated carbonate transfer in subduction zones. Fresh basalts (0.84 ± 0.01‰, 2sd, n = 3) and dacites (0.84 ± 0.10‰, 2sd, n = 9) from the Tonga rear arc show indistinguishable δ44/40Ca, reflecting negligible Ca isotopic fractionation during differentiation of hydrous arc magmas. More importantly, arc lavas from both the Tonga rear arc (0.84 ± 0.09‰, 2sd, n = 12) and Mariana arc (0.79 ± 0.12‰, 2sd, n = 9) display MORB‐like δ44/40Ca values. The MORB‐like δ44/40Ca of arc lavas indicates that the carbonates released from altered oceanic lithosphere (AOL) do not significantly modify the Ca isotopic composition of the mantle wedge, although extensive volcanic CO2 degassing at both arcs suggests that slab fluids might introduce abundant carbonate into the depleted mantle wedge. These results could be attributed to a limited Ca budget in the slab fluids added to the mantle wedge and/or homogenization effect of variable δ44/40Ca for the slab fluids. At cold subduction zones, a fraction of carbonates from the AOL may survive during slab dehydration and recycle into the deep mantle.
Hydrodynamic Drivers of the 2013 Marine Heatwave on the North West Shelf of Australia
Authors: Maggiorano Anna , Feng Ming , Wang Xiao Hua , Ritchie Liz , Stark Clair , Colberg Frank , Greenwood Jim
Published: February 2021

The 2012/2013 Ningaloo Niño induced a strong marine heatwave (MHW) event on Australia's North West Shelf (NWS) during the austral summer, starting in December 2012 and peaking in January and February 2013. A high‐resolution regional numerical model based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) was implemented to simulate the variability of the upper ocean temperature and ocean circulation and understand the mechanisms that drive the evolution of the MHW. An upper ocean heat budget was used to quantify the roles of air‐sea heat flux and ocean circulation in the development of extreme temperature anomalies over the continental shelf. Results indicate that during December 2012 an increase of net air‐sea heat flux combined with positive horizontal advective heat flux anomaly led to development of the MHW. During the peak in January‐February 2013 high‐temperature anomalies were maintained by a combination of a decrease in negative heat advection and vertical mixing cooling and a decrease in net air‐sea flux warming. The delayed onset of the 2012–2013 Australian monsoon resulted in alongshore wind anomalies on the NWS which in turn caused the advection and mixing anomalies.
Evolution of Discharge Characteristics Along the Positive Cloud‐To‐Ground Lightning Channel
Authors: An Tingting , Yuan Ping , Chen Rongrong , Zhang Nan , Wan Ruibin , Zhang Meng , Liu Guorong
Published: February 2021

Two positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning spectra have been captured by a slit‐less spectrograph. In combination with the synchronous electric field change waveshape, the discharge characteristics along the channel have been investigated. The results show that the total intensity of ionic lines in spectra and the electrical conductivity increase with the increase of channel height. According to the positive correlation between the total intensity of ionic lines and the discharge current, it is found that the current intensity of downward positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning increases with the increase of channel height. Comparing it with the reported current attenuation along the channel of downward negative lightning, it is deduced that the increasing or decreasing of the current along the discharge channel is likely to be related to the current direction.
The association between deaths from infection and mutations of the BRAF, FBXW7, NRAS and XPO1 genes: a report from the LRF CLL4 trial
Authors: Else Monica , Blakemore Stuart J. , Strefford Jonathan C. , Catovsky Daniel
Published: February 2021

Causes of death, in particular deaths due to infection, have not been widely studied in randomised trials in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. With long-term follow-up (median 13 years) we examined the cause of death in 600/777 patients in the LRF CLL4 trial. Blood samples, taken at randomisation from 499 patients, were available for identifying gene mutations. Infection was a cause of death in 258 patients (43%). Patients dying of infection were more likely than those who died of other causes to have received ≥2 lines of treatment (194/258 [75%] versus 231/342 [68%], P = 0.04) and to have died in the winter months (149/258 [58%] versus 166/342 [49%], P = 0.03), respectively. In patients with mutation data, the factors significantly associated with death from infection versus all other deaths were 11q deletion (47/162 [29%] versus 40/209 [19%], P = 0.03) and mutations of the BRAF, FBXW7, NRAS and XPO1 genes. Death was caused by an infection in 46/67 assessable patients (69%) who had a mutation of one or more of these four genes versus only 129/333 patients (39%) without any of these mutations (odds ratio: 3.46 [95% CI 1.98–6.07] P < 0.0001). Careful management of infection risk, including prophylaxis against infection, may be important in patients who carry these mutations.
Bacterial microbiota similarity between predators and prey in a blue tit trophic network
Authors: Dion-Phénix Hélène , Charmantier Anne , de Franceschi Christophe , Bourret Geneviève , Kembel Steven W , Réale Denis
Published: February 2021

Trophic networks are composed of many organisms hosting microbiota that interact with their hosts and with each other. Yet, our knowledge of the factors driving variation in microbiota and their interactions in wild communities is limited. To investigate the relation among host microbiota across a trophic network, we studied the bacterial microbiota of two species of primary producers (downy and holm oaks), a primary consumer (caterpillars), and a secondary consumer (blue tits) at nine sites in Corsica. To quantify bacterial microbiota, we amplified 16S rRNA gene sequences in blue tit feces, caterpillars, and leaf samples. Our results showed that hosts from adjacent trophic levels had a more similar bacterial microbiota than hosts separated by two trophic levels. Our results also revealed a difference between bacterial microbiota present on the two oak species, and among leaves from different sites. The main drivers of bacterial microbiota variation within each trophic level differed across spatial scales, and sharing the same tree or nest box increased similarity in bacterial microbiota for caterpillars and blue tits. This study quantifies host microbiota interactions across a three-level trophic network and illustrates how the factors shaping bacterial microbiota composition vary among different hosts.
Association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ventricular arrhythmia: a nationwide population-based cohort study
Authors: Chen Chun-Chao , Lin Cheng-Hsin , Hao Wen-Rui , Chiu Chun-Chih , Fang Yu-Ann , Liu Ju-Chi , Sung Li-Chin
Published: February 2021

The ventricular arrhythmia (VA)–chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) association and related risk factors remain unclear. Using 2001–2012 data from National Health Insurance Research Database, we retrospectively reviewed 71,838 patients diagnosed as having COPD and 71,838 age- and sex-matched controls. After adjustments for comorbidities, medication, urbanization level, and monthly income, patients with COPD had higher incidence rates of VA than did the controls (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.45 [1.25–1.68]). More hospitalization or emergency visits because of acute COPD exacerbation (aHRs [95% CIs] for first, second, and third visits: 1.28 [1.08–1.50], 1.75 [1.32–2.32], and 1.88 [1.46–2.41], respectively) and asthma–COPD overlap (aHR [95% CI]: 1.49 [1.25–1.79]) were associated with high VA risk in patients with COPD. In the multivariate analysis, heart failure (aHR [95% CI]: 2.37 [1.79–3.14]), diabetes (aHR [95% CI]:1.64 [1.29–2.08]), age ≥75 (aHR [95% CI]: 2.48 [1.68–3.67]), male (aHR [95% CI]: 1.69[1.34–2.12]), and class III antiarrhythmic drug use (aHR [95% CI]: 2.49 [1.88–3.28]) are the most significant risk factors of new onset of VA in patients with COPD.
Predicted ‘wiring landscape’ of Ras-effector interactions in 29 human tissues
Authors: Catozzi Simona , Halasz Melinda , Kiel Christina
Published: February 2021

Ras is a plasma membrane (PM)-associated signaling hub protein that interacts with its partners (effectors) in a mutually exclusive fashion. We have shown earlier that competition for binding and hence the occurrence of specific binding events at a hub protein can modulate the activation of downstream pathways. Here, using a mechanistic modeling approach that incorporates high-quality proteomic data of Ras and 56 effectors in 29 (healthy) human tissues, we quantified the amount of individual Ras-effector complexes, and characterized the (stationary) Ras “wiring landscape” specific to each tissue. We identified nine effectors that are in significant amount in complex with Ras in at least one of the 29 tissues. We simulated both mutant- and stimulus-induced network re-configurations, and assessed their divergence from the reference scenario, specifically discussing a case study for two stimuli in three epithelial tissues. These analyses pointed to 32 effectors that are in significant amount in complex with Ras only if they are additionally recruited to the PM, e.g. via membrane-binding domains or domains binding to activated receptors at the PM. Altogether, our data emphasize the importance of tissue context for binding events at the Ras signaling hub.
Area efficient folded undecimator based ECG detector
Authors: Uma A. , Kalpana P.
Published: February 2021

This paper presents an area-efficient folded wavelet filter-based Electrocardiogram (ECG) detector for cardiac pacemakers. The modified folded undecimator based detector consists of Wavelet Filter Bank, QRS complex detector with Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT) block and noise detector. A high-level transformation technique such as folding transformation and Cutset retiming are applied to the GLRT block in order to reduce the silicon area. Folding is a high-level transformation applied at the architectural level to enhance the performance of DSP architectures. It reduces the number of adders, multipliers and delay elements in the architecture. The Cutset retiming reduces clock period of the architecture by changing position of delay elements in the critical path. The folding transformation and cutset retiming implement the functional blocks of the GLRT circuit with minimum hardware. The modified folded ECG detector is tested for short term and long-term MIT-BIH databases. The results show that the modified folded undecimator detector has hardware savings and achieves sensitivity of 99.95%, positive prediction of 99.97% and Detection Error Rate (DER) of 0.061. The folded GLRT block architecture is synthesized with FPGA Zed board XC7Z010CLG484-1. Results show that the device utilization and power consumption are lesser than the conventional GLRT structure.
Impact of COPD on COVID-19 prognosis: A nationwide population-based study in South Korea
Authors: Lee Sang Chul , Son Kang Ju , Han Chang Hoon , Park Seon Cheol , Jung Ji Ye
Published: February 2021

Underlying chronic respiratory disease may be associated with the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study investigated the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on the risk for respiratory failure and mortality in COVID-19 patients. A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted in 4610 patients (≥ 40 years old) infected with COVID-19 between January 20 and May 27, 2020, using data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea. The clinical course and various clinical features were compared between COPD and non-COPD patients, and the risks of respiratory failure and all-cause mortality in COPD patients were analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Among 4610 COVID-19 patients, 4469 (96.9%) and 141 (3.1%) were categorized into the non-COPD and COPD groups, respectively. The COPD group had greater proportions of older (≥ 60 years old) (78.0% vs. 45.2%, P < 0.001) and male (52.5% vs. 36.6%, P < 0.001) patients than the non-COPD group. Relatively greater proportions of patients with COPD received intensive critical care (7.1% vs. 3.7%, P = 0.041) and mechanical ventilation (5.7% vs. 2.4%, P = 0.015). Multivariate analyses showed that COPD was not a risk factor for respiratory failure but was a significant independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (OR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.11–2.93) after adjustment for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. Among COVID-19 patients, relatively greater proportions of patients with COPD received mechanical ventilation and intensive critical care. COPD is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in COVID-19 patients in Korea.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and the risk of atrial fibrillation stratified by body mass index: a nationwide population-based study
Authors: Lee So-Ryoung , Han Kyung-Do , Choi Eue-Keun , Oh Seil , Lip Gregory Y. H.
Published: February 2021

We evaluated the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and incident atrial fibrillation (AF) and analyzed the impact of NAFLD on AF risk in relation to body mass index (BMI). A total of 8,048,055 subjects without significant liver disease who were available fatty liver index (FLI) values were included. Subjects were categorized into 3 groups based on FLI: < 30, 30 to < 60, and ≥ 60. During a median 8-year of follow-up, 534,442 subjects were newly diagnosed as AF (8.27 per 1000 person-years). Higher FLI was associated with an increased risk of AF (hazard ratio [HR] 1.053, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.046–1.060 in 30 ≤ FLI < 60, and HR 1.115, 95% CI 1.106–1.125 in FLI ≥ 60). In underweight subjects (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), higher FLI raised the risk of AF (by 1.6-fold in 30 ≤ FLI < 60 and by twofold in FLI ≥ 60). In normal- and overweight subjects, higher FLI was associated with an increased risk of AF, but the HRs were attenuated. In obese subjects, higher FLI was not associated with higher risk of AF. NAFLD as assessed by FLI was independently associated with an increased risk of AF in nonobese subjects with BMI < 25 kg/m2. The impact of NAFLD on AF risk was accentuated in lean subjects with underweight.
Hypermutated phenotype in gliosarcoma of the spinal cord
Authors: Hong Christopher S. , Kuzmik Gregory A. , Kundishora Adam J. , Elsamadicy Aladine A. , Koo Andrew B. , McGuone Declan , Blondin Nicholas A. , DiLuna Michael L. , Erson-Omay E. Zeynep
Published: February 2021

Gliosarcoma is a variant of glioblastoma with equally poor prognosis and characterized by mixed glial and mesenchymal pathology. Metastasis is not uncommon but the involvement of the spinal cord is rare, and comprehensive genetic characterization of spinal gliosarcoma is lacking. We describe a patient initially diagnosed with a low-grade brain glioma via biopsy, followed by adjuvant radiation and temozolomide treatment. Nearly 2 years after diagnosis, she developed neurological deficits from an intradural, extramedullary tumor anterior to the spinal cord at T4, which was resected and diagnosed as gliosarcoma. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) of this tumor revealed a hypermutated phenotype, characterized by somatic mutations in key DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway genes, an abundance of C>T transitions within the identified somatic single nucleotide variations, and microsatellite stability, together consistent with temozolomide-mediated hypermutagenesis. This is the first report of a hypermutator phenotype in gliosarcoma, which may represent a novel genomic mechanism of progression from lower grade glioma.
Breast cancer plasma biopsy by in situ determination of exosomal microRNA-1246 with a molecular beacon
Authors: Chen Yun , Zhai Ling-Yan , Zhang Li-Min , Ma Xiao-Shan , Liu Zheng , Li Min-Min , Chen Jin-Xiang , Duan Wen-Jun
Published: February 2021

A simple and accurate blood biopsy without extracting plasma exosomes and their nucleic acids content was developed using a modified molecular beacon.
Ultrasensitive visual detection of Hg2+ ions via the Tyndall effect of gold nanoparticles
Authors: Deng Zihao , Jin Wenying , Yin Qiaobo , Huang Jinkun , Huang Ziheng , Fu Haiyan , Yuan Yali , Zou Jianmei , Nie Jinfang , Zhang Yun
Published: February 2021

This work describes a new nanosensor for one-step ultrasensitive naked-eye detection of Hg2+ ions based on the target-triggered aggregation of gold nanoparticles showing a dramatically enhanced Tyndall effect.
Novel ultrahard carbon structures by cold-compressing tubes
Authors: Hu Kuo , Liu Ran , Yao Zhen , Liu Yuan-Yuan , Wang Yuan-Yuan , Lu Shuang-Chen , Liu Bing-Bing
Published: February 2021

Four novel superhard carbon structures named L-, CM-, and K-carbon and Cco-C160 are proposed by cold-compressing carbon nanotubes based on DFT theory, which adopt the 5 + 6 + 7, 5 + 6 + 8, 6 + 14 and 4 + 6 + 8 topological structures, respectively.
A multifunctional sponge incorporated with TiO2and graphene oxide as a reusable absorbent for oil/water separation and dye absorption
Authors: Zhou Jian , Zhang Yan , Jia Guangwen , Chen Zhenfei , Yang Yongqiang , Zhang Lu
Published: February 2021

Reusable TiO2–GO–SA sponges can be used for the oil/water separation and absorption of oils and dyes.
Oligodendroglial glycolipids in (Re)myelination: implications for multiple sclerosis research
Authors: Nowack Luise , Teschers Charlotte S. , Albrecht Stefanie , Gilmour Ryan
Published: February 2021

This short review surveys aspects of glycolipid-based natural products and their biological relevance in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Palladium-catalyzed diastereoselective cross-coupling of two aryl halides via C–H activation: synthesis of chiral eight-membered nitrogen heterocycles
Authors: Cheng Cang , Zuo Xiang , Tu Dongdong , Wan Bin , Zhang Yanghui
Published: February 2021

The diastereoselective cross-coupling reaction of two aryl halides has been developed through C–H activation. The reaction represents a novel strategy for the construction of chiral eight-membered nitrogen heterocycles.
Observation and stabilisation of coupled time‐fractional reaction–advection–diffusion systems with spatially‐varying coefficients
Authors: Chen Juan , Tepljakov Aleksei , Petlenkov Eduard , Chen YangQuan , Zhuang Bo
Published: February 2021

This study solves the problem of observer‐based output feedback stabilisation of a coupled time‐fractional reaction–advection–diffusion system with space‐dependent coefficients. In light of the backstepping approach, the Mittag–Leffler convergent observer is derived to enable stabilisation by output feedback. By the fractional Lyapunov method, the Mittag–Leffler stability of the estimation error system is then established. Using the separation principle yields a stabilising output feedback controller, with which the closed‐loop stability is proved. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed approach is tested by fractional numerical examples when the kernel matrix equation has not the explicit solution.
A very singular theorem
Authors: Senovilla José M. M.
Published: February 2021

An elusive idea that emerged on a pedestrian crossing revealed some of the mysteries inside black holes. Announced in barely a couple of pages, it has been worth the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Modelling erosion and deposition in geophysical granular mass flows
Authors: Viroulet Sylvain , Johnson Chris , Gray Nico
Published: February 2021

During hazardous geophysical mass flows, such as rock or snow avalanches, debris flows and volcanic pyroclastic flows, a continuous exchange of material can occur between the slide and the bed. The net balance between erosion and deposition of particles can drastically influence the behaviour of these flows. Recent advances in describing the non-monotonic effective basal friction and the internal granular rheology in depth averaged theories have enabled small scale laboratory experiments (see fig. 1) to be quantitatively reproduced and can also be implemented in large scale models to improve hazard mitigation.
A novel method to extract contact resistivity for thermoelectric semiconductor
Authors: Hu Xiaokai , Liu Xixi , Guo Zuteng , Zhu Liming
Published: February 2021

Contact electrical resistance is a critical issue to be addressed in thermoelectric modules. A commercial instrument in thermoelectricity is demonstrated for the first time to extract the contact resistivity of thermoelectric legs by use of the three options of the probe distance. The specimen comprises two legs of bismuth telluride that are connected with reflow soldering. The probe distances are calibrated with a homogeneous sample of constantan. The linear fittings between the electrical resistance and the probe gap are employed in the calibration and in deriving the contact resistivity. The contact resistivity of n-type Bi2Te3 and p-type Bi2Te3 with nickel plating to the Sn64Bi35Ag1 solder is determined to be 17.4 µΩ cm2 and 9.8 µΩ cm2 at ambient temperature, respectively. The contact resistivities at two other temperatures are extracted as well so that the contact resistivity as a function of temperature would be available from the proposed method.
A new method of roundness error evaluation based on twin support vector machines
Authors: Liu Dongliang , Zheng Peng , Cao Manyi , Yin Haotian , Xu Yingjie , Zhang Linna
Published: February 2021

The geometric error determines the product quality and function to a certain extent. Among them, the roundness error is one of the important indicators for evaluating the geometric error of shaft parts. With the increase of industrial requirements, there are higher requirements for the accuracy and efficiency of roundness error evaluation. However, most of the traditional roundness error evaluation models used in the industry can no longer meet the needs of current industrial processing in terms of efficiency and accuracy. This paper proposes a new roundness error evaluation method based on twin support vector machines (TWSVMs). First, according to the roundness error evaluation and the TWSVMs theory, the roundness error evaluation model with the TWSVMs is obtained. Then, experimental research and analysis are carried out, and the accuracy and efficiency of the traditional roundness evaluation method and the new method are compared. The research results show that the new roundness evaluation method based on the TWSVMs proposed in this paper can efficiently and accurately evaluate the roundness error, and can be applied to the online evaluation of the roundness error in industrial processing to improve the processing efficiency.
Remotely sensed tree canopy cover-based indicators for monitoring global sustainability and environmental initiatives
Authors: Estoque Ronald C , Johnson Brian A , Gao Yan , DasGupta Rajarshi , Ooba Makoto , Togawa Takuya , Hijioka Yasuaki , Murayama Yuji , Gavina Lilito D , Lasco Rodel D , Nakamura Shogo
Published: February 2021

With the intensifying challenges of global environmental change, sustainability, and biodiversity conservation, the monitoring of the world’s remaining forests has become more important than ever. Today, Earth observation technologies, particularly remote sensing, are at the forefront of forest cover monitoring worldwide. Given the current conceptual understanding of what a forest is, canopy cover threshold values are used to map forest cover from remote sensing imagery and produce categorical data products such as forest/non-forest (F/NF) maps. However, multi-temporal categorical map products have important limitations because they inadequately represent the actual status of forest landscapes and the trajectories of forest cover changes as a result of the thresholding effect. Here, we examined the potential of using remotely sensed tree canopy cover (TCC) datasets, which are continuous data products, to complement F/NF maps for forest cover monitoring. We developed a conceptual analytical framework for forest cover monitoring using both types of data products and applied it to the forests of Southeast Asia. We conclude that TCC datasets and the statistics derived from them can be used to complement the information provided by categorical F/NF maps. TCC-based indicators (i.e. losses, gains, and net changes) can help in monitoring not only deforestation but also forest degradation and forest cover enhancement, all of which are highly relevant to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other global forest cover monitoring-related initiatives. We recommend that future research should focus on the production, application, and evaluation of TCC datasets to advance the current understanding of how accurately these products can capture changes in forest landscapes across space and time.