bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous forest regrowth in South‐West Europe: Consequences for nature's contributions to people
Authors: Martín‐Forés Irene , Magro Sandra , Bravo‐Oviedo Andrés , Alfaro‐Sánchez Raquel , Espelta Josep M. , Frei Theresa , Valdés‐Correcher Elena , Rodríguez Fernández‐Blanco Carmen , Winkel Georg , Gerzabek Gabriel , González‐Martínez Santiago C. , Hampe Arndt , Valladares Fernando
Published: October 2020

European forests are expanding and becoming denser following the widespread abandonment of farmland and rural areas. Spontaneous forest regrowth provides a cost‐effective opportunity to restore ecosystems, enhance multifunctionality and sustainability and mitigate climate change. Yet, little is known about the goods and services that such forests provide to people. We assessed the changes in nature's contributions to people (NCP) from spontaneous forest regrowth, i.e. forest expansion and densification, in South‐West Europe.

We investigated 65 forest plots in four different landscapes with contrasting ecological and societal contexts. Two landscapes are located in rural areas undergoing human exodus and forest expansion and densification; the other two, in peri‐urban areas with intense land use and forest densification but negligible expansion. For each forest plot, we estimated variables related to ten out of the 18 main NCP defined by the Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Regulating and material NCP were addressed using variables measured in the field as proxies. Non‐material NCP were studied through stakeholder interviews.

Our results show across the cases that forest expansion and densification are generally associated with greater climate regulation and energy provision. Changes in other NCP, especially in non‐material ones, were strongly context‐dependent. The social perception of spontaneous forest regrowth was primarily negative in rural areas and more positive in peri‐urban landscapes.

Passive restoration through spontaneous forest expansion and densification can enhance regulating and material NCP, especially when adaptive management is applied. To optimise NCP and to increase the societal awareness of and interest in spontaneous forest regrowth, the effects of this process should be analysed in close coordination with local stakeholders to unveil and quantify the many and complex trade‐offs involved in rural or peri‐urban social perceptions.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Synthesis of hydrolytically and oxidation‐responsive networks using thiol‐ene “click” chemistry with pentaerythritol tetrakis(3‐mercaptopropionate) and tri/tetra‐acrylates
Authors: Kazybayeva Diara S. , Irmukhametova Galiya S. , Khutoryanskiy Vitaliy V.
Published: October 2020

Thiol‐ene click reactions of pentaerythritol tetrakis(3‐mercaptopropionate) with pentaerythritol tetraacrylate and trimethylolpropane triacrylate were used to prepare polymeric degradable networks. The structure and properties of these networks were studied using Fourier‐transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Degradation of these materials was evaluated in different media including phosphate buffer with and without esterase as well as in oxidative environment with hydrogen peroxide. Exposure of the samples to these media results in their degradation. Slow hydrolytic degradation was observed in phosphate buffer and it was not accelerated by the presence of an enzyme. Faster degradation is observed in solutions of hydrogen peroxide. The mechanisms of this degradation are discussed.
Ultrasound detected prenatal hyperechoic lung lesions and concordance with postnatal findings: A common aspect for multiple diagnoses
Authors: Wong Michela Cing Yu , Faure Bardon Valentine , Farmakis Konstantinos , Berteloot Laureline , Lapillonne Alexandre , Delacourt Christophe , Sarnacki Sabine , Ville Yves , Khen‐Dunlop Naziha
Published: October 2020

Objective

Hyperechoic lung lesions are largely detected prenatally but their underlying etiology is still poorly defined. The aim of the study was to determine the concordance between pre and postnatal diagnosis of hyperechoic lung lesions.

Methods

Prenatal ultrasound (US) evaluation was performed by a fetal medicine specialist. Postnatal diagnosis was based on CT‐scan. Pre‐ and postnatal features were retrieved from medical charts.

Results

Seventy five patients were included from January 2009 to December 2018. Main prenatal diagnoses were bronchopulmonary sequestrations (BPS) (n = 24%‐32%), pulmonary cystic malformations (PCM) (n = 19%‐25%), congenital lobar emphysemas (CLE) (n = 15%‐20%). Mediastinal shift was observed in 18 cases (24%). The prenatal detection of a systemic arterial supply had a diagnostic accuracy of 90%, while the prenatal detection of a cystic component had a diagnostic accuracy of 76.5%.

All 16 neonates with prenatal isolated mediastinal shift were asymptomatic at birth. Seven neonates showed respiratory distress that was not predicted prenatally.

Conclusions

Hyperechoic lung malformations reflect a heterogeneous group of lesions with a good concordance for bronchopulmonary sequestration, but not a satisfying prediction for cystic lesions.
Structural diversity inde novocyclic peptide ligands from genetically encoded library technologies
Authors: McAllister Tom E. , Coleman Oliver D. , Roper Grace , Kawamura Akane
Published: October 2020

Cyclic peptides discovered by genetically encoded library technologies have emerged as a class of promising molecules in chemical biology and drug discovery. Here we review the cyclic peptides identified through these techniques reported in the period 2015 to 2019, with a particular focus on the three‐dimensional structures that peptides adopt when binding to their targets. A range of different structures have been revealed through co‐crystal structures, highlighting how versatile and adaptable these molecules are in binding to diverse protein targets, such as enzymes and receptors, or challenging shallow surfaces involved in protein‐protein interfaces. Analysis of the properties of the peptides reported shows some interesting trends, with further insight for those with structural information suggestive that larger peptides are more likely to adopt secondary structure. We highlight examples where co‐crystal structures have informed the key interactions that promote high affinity and selectivity of cyclic peptides against their targets, identified novel inhibitor binding sites, and provided new insights into the biology of their targets. The structure‐guided modifications have also aided the design of cyclic peptides with improved activity and physicochemical properties. These examples highlight the importance of crystallography in future cyclic peptide drug discovery initiatives.
Rybelsus: an oral formulation of the GLP‐1 agonist semaglutide
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: October 2020

Rybelsus (semaglutide) is the first GLP‐1 agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes to be available as an oral formulation. This article discusses its properties, efficacy and adverse effects.
CdTe Nanocrystal Synthesis in SiO2/Si Ion‐Track Template: The Study of Electronic and Structural Properties
Authors: Balakhayeva Rakhima , Akilbekov Abdirash , Baimukhanov Zein , Usseinov Abay , Giniyatova Sholpan , Zdorovets Maxim , Vlasukova Luydmila , Popov A. I. , Dauletbekova Alma
Published: October 2020

The synthesis of CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) is performed by electrochemical deposition into prepared ion tracks in a a‐SiO2/Si‐n template. As a result, CdTe NCs are obtained in a wurtzite (WZ) crystal phase. The measurement of the current–voltage characteristics shows that the CdTe (WZ NC)/SiO2/Si system obtained in this way has n‐type conductivity. Computer simulations using the CRYSTAL computer code show good agreement between experimental and calculated lattice parameters. The theoretical calculations also show that the crystal has a direct bandgap at the Γ point of the Brillouin zone.
Improving the spatial prediction accuracy of soil alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen using GWPCA‐GWRK
Authors: Chen Jian , Qu Mingkai , Zhang Jianlin , Xie Enze , Zhao Yongcun , Huang Biao
Published: October 2020

Principal component analysis‐multiple linear regression (PCA‐MLR) is usually used to weaken the multi‐collinearity effects among auxiliary variables in a regression prediction. However, both PCA and MLR in this model are only built on variable space rather than geographical space. When used in the spatial prediction of soil properties, PCA‐MLR usually cannot effectively capture the spatially non‐stationary structures among auxiliary variables and spatially non‐stationary relationships between the target variable and principal component scores. Moreover, PCA‐MLR may ignore the potentially valuable regression residual. To address these limitations, this study first proposed geographically weighted principal component analysis‐geographically weighted regression kriging (GWPCA‐GWRK) for the spatial prediction of soil alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN) in Shayang County, China. Then, the spatial prediction accuracy of GWPCA‐GWRK was compared with those of the following five models: ordinary kriging (OK), co‐kriging (CoK), PCA‐MLR, PCA‐graphically weighted regression (PCA‐GWR), and GWPCA‐GWR. Results showed that (i) eight variables were determined as auxiliary data by a geodetector; (ii) the spatially non‐stationary relationships among the eight auxiliary variables were revealed by the results of the local correlation analysis, Monte Carlo test, and GWPCA; (iii) GWPCA‐GWRK provided the lowest prediction error (RMSE = 18.80 mg kg−1, MAE = 12.79 mg kg−1) and highest Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (LCCC; 0.75); (iv) relative improvement accuracies over the traditionally‐used OK were 19.74% for GWPCA‐GWRK, 16.42% for GWPCA‐GWR, 8.09% for PCA‐GWR, −3.67% for PCA‐MLR, and 4.70% for CoK. It is concluded that the proposed GWPCA‐GWRK model is an effective spatial predictor, which can adequately extract the main information of the multiple auxiliary variables in a large‐scale area.
Higher‐mode buckling and friction in long and large‐scale buckling‐restrained braces
Authors: Sitler Ben , Takeuchi Toru
Published: October 2020

Buckling‐restrained braces (BRBs) are widely used as energy‐dissipation members in seismic areas, and BRBs with 10–20 m workpoint lengths have been applied in practice, particularly in tall buildings and spatial structures. This paper investigates the adverse effects of the core yield length on the compressive overstrength factor, local compressive and tensile strains, and fatigue demands. Sets of 2D shell and 3D solid models were analyzed using Abaqus, considering core yield lengths of up to 14 m and LY100, LY225, SN400B, SN490B, SA440B, and SA700 steel grades. Higher‐mode buckling and friction were shown to significantly amplify the compressive strain at the core ends and tensile strain at midspan, in part due to cyclic strain ratcheting, introducing the potential for core binding and premature necking. From these results, simple equations were proposed to calculate the compressive overstrength factor and to select the larger strong axis debonding gap and smaller design strain required for long BRBs.
Structural investigation of the collapse of the 16‐story Plasco building due to fire
Authors: Aghakouchak Ali Akbar , Garivani Sadegh , Shahmari Ali , Heshmati Mahdi
Published: October 2020

On January 19, 2017, the 16‐story Plasco tower located in Tehran, the capital city of Iran, collapsed in several stages, due to a fire lasting 3.5 h. This paper presents the results of numerical investigations on how the structure behaved during that incident. In this regard, initially, a part of floor system including main truss girders, secondary truss beams, tie beams, and reinforced concrete slab is simulated to study its deformed shape and collapse modes. Then 2D and 3D models of the building are developed to evaluate the global behavior of the structure under fire. The results show that at elevated temperatures, deflection of the floor system, main trusses, and out‐of‐plane bending of the beam‐to‐column gusset plates become excessive, leading to partial collapse of floor, in the location of fire initiation. Also, 2D models show that thermal expansion and catenary action of heated truss induce large lateral displacement and bending moment in perimeter column that cause failure of this column at about 650°C. Finally, 3D models indicate that general collapse of the building is initiated by buckling of the external columns located in the southern perimeter of the building. This result is in good agreement with videos and photos showing actual collapse of the structure.
Broad Learning Can Tolerate Noise in Image Recognition
Authors: Wang Rong‐Long , Yu Yang , Terada Yusuke , Gao Shangce
Published: October 2020

In recent years, deep learning has achieved very good results because large amounts of learning data have become easily available due to improvements in computer capabilities and big data. However, it has a problem that the accuracy becomes very bad for strong noise. Therefore, in this study, we compare the classification accuracy of existing mainstream neural networks, including broad learning, convolutional neural network and multilayer perceptron. Then, their performance is verified according to the experimental results by using noise‐added MNIST and Fashion MNIST database. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
The forensic exploitation of fingermark chemistry: A review
Authors: Bleay Stephen M. , Bailey Melanie J. , Croxton Ruth S. , Francese Simona
Published: October 2020

The substances deposited from the fingertip onto a surface during contact between them represent a highly complex range of chemicals that can be exploited in a variety of ways in a forensic investigation. An overview is given of the multitude of chemicals that have been detected in fingermarks, including those occurring in endogenous sweat, metabolites of ingested substances, and exogenous substances picked up on the fingertip. Changes in chemistry that may occur between deposition of the fingermark and its subsequent forensic analysis are discussed, with particular reference to the ways in which these changes have been considered as a means of dating fingermarks. The ways in which fingermark enhancement reagents utilize the different chemicals present to reveal ridge is reviewed, together with how different classes of chemical can be sequentially targeted to optimize the number of fingermarks recovered. A field of increasing interest is the use of advanced analytical techniques incorporating mass spectrometry and imaging capability to simultaneously obtain additional contextual information about the donor of the mark while visualizing the fingermark ridge pattern. Examples are given of how such information can be applied in forensic investigations. It is concluded that an extensive “tool kit” of fingermark enhancement processes is already available to utilize the different chemicals present, and the advances that can be made in this field using conventional approaches are limited. There is, instead, significant potential to utilize analytical techniques to forensically exploit the chemical information within fingermarks but there are also significant barriers to their implementation in this way.

This article is categorized under:

Crime Scene Investigation > From Traces to Intelligence and Evidence

Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Fingermarks and Other Marks

Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Emerging Technologies and Methods
Metal ions Directed Self‐assembly based on Mixed Ligands: From 2D hcb Net to 3D cds Framework
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Sun Han‐Xu , Du Lin , Xie Ming‐Jin , Zhou Jie , Zhao Qi‐Hua
Published: October 2020

Two coordination polymers (CPs), namely, [Zn(BPDC)(3‐bpdb)0.5(H2O)2]n (1), and [Ni(BPDC)(3‐bpdb)(H2O)2]n (2) (where H2BPDC = 4,4'‐biphenyldicarboxylic acid, 3‐bpdb = 1,4‐bis(3‐pyridyl)‐2,3‐diaza‐1,3‐butadiene) have been solvothermally synthesized and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, IR, elemental analyses, PXRD, and SEM. CP 1 possesses a 2D 3‐connected hcb net, and weak hydrogen bonding and π···π stacking contacts further link the 2D networks to form 3D supramolecular structure. The structure of 2 presents a 4‐connected threefold interpenetrated cds framework. Through structural analysis, it is found that the coordination geometry of metal ions significantly affects the binding behaviors of the ligands and the resultant extended networks of the CPs. Besides, the Hirshfeld surface analyses detailed the surface characteristics of the two CPs. In addition, the thermal stabilities and photoluminescent properties were also investigated.
Computational Approaches for Redox Potentials of Iron(IV)‐oxido Complexes
Authors: Comba Peter , Faltermeier Dieter , Martin Bodo
Published: October 2020

The potential of the redox couple FeIV=O / FeIII–O is of interest for the reactivity of the high‐valent nonheme iron oxidants in enzymes and bioinspired small molecule systems but, unfortunately, experimentally it so far is very poorly described. Discussed are three computational methods that are used in combination with available experimental data derived from titrations of FeIV=O species with ferrocene derivatives in dry acetonitrile, and from spectroelectrochemical titrations of FeIII–OH complexes in wet acetonitrile, i.e. describing the FeIV=O / FeIII–OH couple – both data sets are known to have some ambiguities. First, a DFT‐based method is used to compute the E° values of 14 FeIV=O / FeIII–O couples with an error margin of around 110 mV. A subset of four species of the original data set is used to evaluate a DLPNO‐CCSD(T) based approach, and another subset of complexes, where the spectroelectrochemically determined FeIV=O / FeIII–OH potentials are also known, are used for a Bordwell‐Polanyi analysis, which also yield pKa values. It is shown that the three approaches lead to a consistent picture but due to possible ambiguities with the experimental data, it currently is not possible to fully evaluate the accuracy of the used approaches.
Impact of the COVID‐19 Pandemic on Surgical Residency Training: Perspective from a Low‐Middle Income Country
Authors: Adesunkanmi AbdulHafiz Oladapo , Ubom Akaninyene Eseme , Olasehinde Olalekan , Wuraola Funmilola Olanike , Ijarotimi Omotade Adebimpe , Okon Nwedobong Ededem , Ikimalo John Igemo , Fasubaa Olusola Benjamin , Adesunkanmi Abdul Rashid Kayode
Published: October 2020

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has drastically impacted postgraduate training programmes worldwide. This study aims to evaluate the Nigerian situation with respect to surgical training, with a view to identifying gaps and proffering solutions.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey of surgical residents in Nigeria was conducted between 27 July 2020 and 14 August 2020. A structured questionnaire designed using the free software Google Forms® was utilised for the study. The questionnaire was electronically distributed randomly to 250 surgical residents via emails and social media platforms including WhatsApp and Telegram. The data obtained was analysed by Google Forms®. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the ethics and research unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile‐Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.

Results

At the end of the study period, 207 surgical residents completed and submitted the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 82.8%. The majority of respondents reported a reduction (164, 79.2%) or cancellation (11, 5.3%) of postgraduate programmes in their institutions. Of those who had academic programmes, meetings were done using virtual technology in all instances. The majority of respondents reported seeing fewer patients in the outpatient clinics (173, 83.6%), as well as a reduction in the number of emergency and elective operations (58.5% and 90.8%, respectively). About a third of the respondents (70, 33.8%) were contemplating emigrating from the country.

Conclusion

The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly affected the clinical, research and teaching components of surgical training in Nigeria. It has, however, led to increased adoption of digital technology which should be further explored in the face of current realities.
Can Reasons and Values Influence Action: How Might Intentional Agency Work Physiologically?
Authors: Noble Raymond , Noble Denis
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we demonstrate (1) how harnessing stochasticity can be the basis of creative agency; (2) that such harnessing can resolve the apparent conflict between reductionist (micro-level) accounts of behaviour and behaviour as the outcome of rational and value-driven (macro-level) decisions; (3) how neurophysiological processes can instantiate such behaviour; (4) The processes involved depend on three features of living organisms: (a) they are necessarily open systems; (b) micro-level systems therefore nest within higher-level systems; (c) causal interactions must occur across all the boundaries between the levels of organization. The higher levels constrain the dynamics of lower levels. The experimental evidence and theoretical arguments are shown to be consistent with previous research on the neuronal mechanisms of conscious choice, and with the interconnected multi-level processes by which organisms harness stochasticity, whether conscious or unconscious.
Cluster Gauss–Newton method
Authors: Aoki Yasunori , Hayami Ken , Toshimoto Kota , Sugiyama Yuichi
Published: October 2020

Parameter estimation problems of mathematical models can often be formulated as nonlinear least squares problems. Typically these problems are solved numerically using iterative methods. The local minimiser obtained using these iterative methods usually depends on the choice of the initial iterate. Thus, the estimated parameter and subsequent analyses using it depend on the choice of the initial iterate. One way to reduce the analysis bias due to the choice of the initial iterate is to repeat the algorithm from multiple initial iterates (i.e. use a multi-start method). However, the procedure can be computationally intensive and is not always used in practice. To overcome this problem, we propose the Cluster Gauss–Newton (CGN) method, an efficient algorithm for finding multiple approximate minimisers of nonlinear-least squares problems. CGN simultaneously solves the nonlinear least squares problem from multiple initial iterates. Then, CGN iteratively improves the approximations from these initial iterates similarly to the Gauss–Newton method. However, it uses a global linear approximation instead of the Jacobian. The global linear approximations are computed collectively among all the iterates to minimise the computational cost associated with the evaluation of the mathematical model. We use physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models used in pharmaceutical drug development to demonstrate its use and show that CGN is computationally more efficient and more robust against local minima compared to the standard Levenberg–Marquardt method, as well as state-of-the art multi-start and derivative-free methods.
The prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio on the long-term renal survival in patients with IgA nephropathy
Authors: Chang Dan , Cheng Yichun , Luo Ran , Zhang Chunxiu , Zuo Meiying , Xu Yulin , Dai Wei , Li Yueqiang , Han Min , He Xiaofeng , Ge Shuwang , Xu Gang
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was established showing the poor prognosis in several diseases, such as malignancies and cardiovascular diseases. But limited study has been conducted about the prognostic value of PLR on the long-term renal survival of patients with Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).

Methods

We performed an observational cohort study enrolling patients with biopsy-proven IgAN recorded from November 2011 to March 2016. The definition of composite endpoint was eGFR decrease by 50%, eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2, initiation of dialysis, or renal transplantation. Patients were categorized by the magnitude of PLR tertiles into three groups. The Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariate Cox models were performed to determine the association of PLR with the renal survival of IgAN patients.

Results

330 patients with a median age of 34.0 years were followed for a median of 47.4 months, and 27 patients (8.2%) had reached the composite endpoints. There were no differences among the three groups (PLR < 106, 106 ≤ PLR ≤ 137, and PLR > 137) in demographic characteristics, mean arterial pressure (MAP), proteinuria, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that the PLR > 137 group was significantly more likely to poor renal outcomes than the other two groups. Using univariate and multivariate cox regression analyses, we found that PLR > 137 was an independent prognostic factor for poor renal survival in patients with IgAN. Subgroup analysis revealed that the PLR remained the prognostic value for female patients or patients with eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2.

Conclusions

Our results underscored that baseline PLR was an independent prognostic factor for poor renal survival in patients with IgAN, especially for female patients or those patients with baseline eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2.
Simultaneous Differential Thermal Analysis and Thermogravimetric Analysis of Si-30B Alloy
Authors: Homa M. , Sobczak N. , Hodor K. , Gezgin S.
Published: October 2020

This article focuses on the experimental determination of the transformation temperature of Si-30B alloy in the temperature range of 25-1820 °C in a flowing gas atmosphere (He, 99.9992%) carried out by simultaneous differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (DTA–TG) using a graphite container. The DTA curve during heating showed the presence of two critical temperatures, i.e., T = 1380.7 °C and T = 1532.0 °C. The first one corresponds to the melting point of a eutectic system (Si + SiB6). The high-temperature interaction and reactivity between the alloy and the container during DTA–TG test were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. The results have demonstrated that the graphite container reacts with both liquid silicon and boron dissolved in liquid constituent of the alloy to form SiC and B4C, respectively.
Assessment model of water harvesting and storage location using GIS and remote sensing in Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq
Authors: Al-Khuzaie Marwah M. , Janna Hussein , Al-Ansari Nadhir
Published: October 2020

One of the important steps towards optimizing land productivity and water availability for the semi-arid and arid areas is the identification of potential sites for water harvesting. Therefore, this paper uses the Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques to select the optimized sites for water harvesting in Al-Qadisiyah Governorate, Iraq. Geographic water management capabilities are applied as a spatial analysis model. Data from global data repositories are retrieved followed by rescaling them to a spatial resolution to acquire a manageable input data set. The Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) model is used to calculate the potential runoff as an intermediate input. Multi-Criteria Evaluation techniques are adopted to identify the relative importance and suitability levels of the input parameters set to manage the water supply. The suitability for identifying irrigation pond and dam location(s) was considered in this study. To achieve this goal, the criteria for eligibility for water harvesting areas have been completed on the basis of the conditions in the study methods. Based on the hydrological and geomorphological standards of the study area, suitable sites for harvest areas were identified and it was divided into four classes in terms of their suitability for water harvesting, namely very low, low, moderate, and high suitable for water harvesting. It can be concluded that the findings of this research can be used to assist in water resources management as an efficient planning tool to ensure sustainable development of the water in Iraq who suffers from water shortages.
Victims or perpetrators: contribution and response of insects to forest diebacks and declines
Authors: Sallé Aurélien , Bouget Christophe
Published: October 2020

Key message

Unprecedented forest declines and diebacks are expected worldwide in response to global change. Insects can trigger or contribute to these disturbances, which can in turn have either beneficial or detrimental retroactive cascading effects on insect communities. However, we are still unsure of the effects that pests will have on these disturbances in the future, and new biodiversity and pest management strategies still need to be put into place. Several recent contributions to Annals of Forest Science address these issues.
Effects of Traffic Loads and Track Parameters on Rail Wear: A Case Study for Yenikapi–Ataturk Airport Light Rail Transit Line
Authors: Yılmaz Sönmez Hazal , Öztürk Zübeyde
Published: October 2020

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of traffic loads and track parameters, including track curvature, superelevation, and train speed, on vertical and lateral rail wear. The Yenikapi–Ataturk Airport Light Rail Transit (LRT) line in Istanbul was selected as a case study, and rail wear measurements were carried out accordingly. Passenger counts were performed in all wagons of the train on different days and time intervals to calculate the number of passengers carried in track sections between stations regarding traffic loads on the LRT line. Values of traffic load, track curvature, superelevation, and speed were determined for each kilometer where measurements of rail wear were conducted. A multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA) method was used to identify effective parameters on rail wear. Independent variables in MLRA for both vertical and lateral wear include traffic load, track curvature, superelevation, and train speed. The dependent variables in MLRA for vertical and lateral wear are the amount of vertical and lateral wear, respectively. The correlation matrix of the dependent and independent variables was analyzed before performing MLRA. Multicollinearity tests and cross-validation analyses were conducted. According to the results of MLRA for vertical and lateral wear, the obtained coefficients of determination indicate that a high proportion of variance in the dependent variables can be explained by the independent variables. Traffic load has a statistically significant effect on the amount of vertical and lateral rail wear. However, track curvature, superelevation, and train speed do not have a statistically significant effect on the amount of vertical or lateral rail wear.
Sampling on networks: estimating spectral centrality measures and their impact in evaluating other relevant network measures
Authors: Ruggeri Nicolò , De Bacco Caterina
Published: October 2020

We perform an extensive analysis of how sampling impacts the estimate of several relevant network measures. In particular, we focus on how a sampling strategy optimized to recover a particular spectral centrality measure impacts other topological quantities. Our goal is on one hand to extend the analysis of the behavior of TCEC (Ruggeri and De Bacco, in: Cherifi, Gaito, Mendes, Moro, Rocha (eds) Complex networks and their applications VIII, Springer, Cham, pp 90–101, 2020), a theoretically-grounded sampling method for eigenvector centrality estimation. On the other hand, to demonstrate more broadly how sampling can impact the estimation of relevant network properties like centrality measures different than the one aimed at optimizing, community structure and node attribute distribution. In addition, we analyze sampling behaviors in various instances of network generative models. Finally, we adapt the theoretical framework behind TCEC for the case of PageRank centrality and propose a sampling algorithm aimed at optimizing its estimation. We show that, while the theoretical derivation can be suitably adapted to cover this case, the resulting algorithm suffers of a high computational complexity that requires further approximations compared to the eigenvector centrality case. Main contributions (a) Extensive empirical analysis of the impact of the TCEC sampling method (optimized for eigenvector centrality recovery) on different centrality measures, community structure, node attributes and statistics related to specific network generative models; (b) extending TCEC to optimize PageRank estimation.
Dynamic Dossier in the Cloud: A Sociotechnical Architecture for a Real-Time and Metrics-Based Data Tracking System with Gene and Cell Therapies as a Case Study
Authors: Nam Kevin , Larholt Kay , Hirsch Gigi , Beninger Paul , Fritsche David , Shoda Diane , Ferguson John , Bourgeois Florence T. , Palmer Donna , Katz Karen , Courtney Matt W.
Published: October 2020

Background

Data sharing among stakeholders in the development, access, and use of drug therapies is critical but the current system and process are inefficient.

Methods

We take a Systems Engineering approach with a realistic use case to propose a scalable design for multi-stakeholder data sharing.

Results

We make three major contributions to the drug development and healthcare communities: first, a methodology for developing a multi-stakeholder data sharing system, with its focus on high-level requirements that influence the design of the system architecture and technology choice; second, the development of a realistic use case for long-term patient and therapy data tracking and sharing in the use of potentially curative and durable gene and cell therapies. Further, a bridge for the ‘awareness gap’ was found between the payer (Payer is organization which takes care of financial and operational aspects (which include insurance plans, provider network) of providing health care to US citizens. Or refer to health care insurers.) and the regulator communities by illustrating the common data tracking needs, which highlights the need for coordinated data activities; and third, a proposed system architecture for scalable, multi-stakeholder data sharing. Next steps are briefly discussed.

Conclusion

We present a system design for multiple stakeholders such as the payer, the regulator, the developer (drug manufacturer), and the healthcare provider to share data for their decision-making. The stakeholder community would benefit from collaboratively moving the system development proposal forward for efficient and cost-effective data sharing.
Ectopic Banking and Implantation of an Amputated Hand
Authors: Liaghat Omid , Shabbooie Zohre
Published: October 2020

Background

Ectopic banking includes techniques and indications used to bank amputated body parts for later replantation when a body part is amputated in its entirety. Immediate replantation is sometimes impossible due to hemodynamic instability, soft tissue loss, and extensive contamination of the amputated part. The first case of temporary ectopic banking of hand implantation was reported in 2015 by Xu Zhang in China which was not completely successful. The first replantation was reported almost 54 years ago, followed by a limited number of similar cases that were not successful. Xu could not restore the useful function of the replanted hand.

Purpose

In this study, we reported a case of hand replantation by the banking technique.

Method

We carried out a hand replantation by the banking technique using the right ankle as the recipient site.

Result

We restored the useful function of the amputated part and evaluated the function with standard tests.

Conclusion

Using right ankle as recipient site in ectopic banking can be a useful approach which helps and ensures the researchers and surgeons to decide if they intend to use this method.
The Berlin Acute Trauma Care Instrument Set (BATMIN) – A Selected Combination of Surgical Instruments for Damage Control and Hemostasis Surgery in Severe Acute Trauma
Authors: Märdian Sven , Klein Fitz , Solarek André , Nonnen Lena , Cwojdzinski Detlef , Auhuber Thomas , Lembke Vanessa
Published: October 2020

A lack of sterile surgical instrument sets for damage control surgeries of severely injured patients became evident in a series of in-hospital mass casualty trainings in the German capital of Berlin. Moreover, the existing instrument trays contained mostly specialized instruments for elective interventions and were not well composed for the treatment of poly-traumatized patients. After a literature search on the most common injury patterns in Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs), an expert group of surgeons from different disciplines designed an optimized instrument set. A set of 194 instruments was assembled and distributed into two containers. These 2 sets were subjected to a 6-month trial phase in our hospital, and the evaluation of usability was subsequently analyzed through feedback forms administered to the staff. After analysis of the feedback sheets, only minor alterations had to be incorporated. The Berlin Acute Trauma Care Instrument Set (BATMIN) was then made available by the state of Berlin to Berlin Hospitals providing acute trauma care. Out of the need to be prepared for mass casualties, we created an instrument set suitable for the damage control surgery of severely injured patients in individual care and MCIs.
Guillaume Kigbafori Soro and Others v. Rep. of Côte d'Ivoire (Afr. Ct. H.P.R.)
Authors: Ayissi Marie Joseph
Published: October 2020

On April 22, 2020, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Court) rendered an order for provisional measures in the case Guillaume Kigbafori Soro and Others v. Côte d'Ivoire. In this decision, the Court found that the situation of the applicants who were facing criminal proceedings domestically was sufficiently urgent and grave to ask Côte d'Ivoire to halt the execution of the arrest and detention warrants issued against them, with a view to preserving their rights and avoiding irreparable harm against them.
Lust for life: coping with tuberculosis in late nineteenth-century Europe
Authors: Hakosalo Heini
Published: October 2020

The paper uses the correspondence of three Finns – Elias Erkko, Henrik Erkko and Hilda Asp – to analyse the conceptual and practical means with which late nineteenth-century-educated Europeans coped with ill health in general and tuberculosis in particular. While the need to gain control over (the threat of) disease may well be universal, the specific coping methods are historical and context-specific. They are both conceptual and practical, both individual and collective. The paper focuses on the 1880s and 1890s, a period when tuberculosis provided an especially lucrative subsector of the booming European medical marketplace. Sanatorium treatment was still only one among many treatment options, and the theory of the bacterial causation of tuberculosis was far from being universally accepted. The paper charts the options available for people suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and analyses the eclectic, sometimes idiosyncractic, ways that they combined elements from different conceptual scripts and therapeutic traditions.
Duobagou Permian–Triassic granites from the Dunhuang orogenic belt, NW China: implications for the tectonic evolution of the southernmost Central Asian Orogenic Belt
Authors: Wang Zhendong , Zhang Yuanyuan , Yu Xiangjiang , Guo Zhaojie
Published: October 2020

The Duobagou Permian–Triassic granites of the Dunhuang orogenic belt are of great importance in understanding the tectonic evolution of the southernmost Central Asian Orogenic Belt. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon ages indicate that Permian–Triassic granitic intrusions from the Duobagou area formed at 276–274 Ma and 246 ± 1 Ma. These granites have high SiO2, Na2O and K2O, but low Al2O3, CaO and MgO contents and belong mainly to the high-K calc-alkaline I-type granite series. Based on whole-rock geochemistry and Sr–Nd and zircon Hf isotopes, the Duobagou Permian–Triassic granites were dominantly derived from the partial melting of lower continental crust formed during late Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic times in a post-collisional extensional setting. Permian granites with zircon ϵHf(t) values of −5.4 to +3.1 and Hf model ages of TDM2= 1.14–1.70 Ga indicate the involvement of a mantle component in their petrogenesis. Triassic granites with higher zircon ϵHf(t) values (+0.5 to +3.8) and TDM2= 1.08–1.31 Ga suggest more juvenile sources caused by a greater contribution of mantle-derived melts, indicating a significant crustal growth. Regional extension from lithospheric delamination and heating from asthenospheric upwelling were proposed to have triggered the partial melting of lower crust, resulting in the generation of the Permian–Triassic magmatism. This may have been the mechanism for the significant crustal growth during Permian and Triassic times in the southernmost Central Asian Orogenic Belt.
N. T. Wright and Paul’s Supersessionism: A Response to Kaminsky and Reasoner
Authors: Bird Michael F.
Published: October 2020

Joel Kaminsky and Mark Reasoner offered a concerted critique of N. T. Wright’s account of Israel’s election as well as Wright’s description of the apostle Paul’s messianic atonement theology. They allege that Wright treats Israel’s election as instrumental rather than intrinsic and his exegesis of Rom 5:20‒21 results in a rehearsal of anti-Jewish tropes. This essay responds to them by 1) claiming that many of their criticisms are inaccurate representations of Wright’s views; 2) defending a missional perspective of Israel’s view of election; 3) asserting that Wright’s reading of Rom 5:20 about the Torah multiplying sin within Israel is neither immoral, nor implausible, nor idiosyncratic; and 4) offering some final thoughts about Wright and Jewish-Christian relations.
Unitary quantum lattice simulations for Maxwell equations in vacuum and in dielectric media
Authors: Vahala George , Vahala Linda , Soe Min , Ram Abhay K.
Published: October 2020

Utilizing the similarity between the spinor representation of the Dirac and the Maxwell equations that has been recognized since the early days of relativistic quantum mechanics, a quantum lattice algorithm (QLA) representation of unitary collision-stream operators of Maxwell's equations is derived for both homogeneous and inhomogeneous media. A second-order accurate 4-spinor scheme is developed and tested successfully for two-dimensional (2-D) propagation of a Gaussian pulse in a uniform medium whereas for normal (1-D) incidence of an electromagnetic Gaussian wave packet onto a dielectric interface requires 8-component spinors because of the coupling between the two electromagnetic polarizations. In particular, the well-known phase change, field amplitudes and profile widths are recovered by the QLA asymptotic profiles without the imposition of electromagnetic boundary conditions at the interface. The QLA simulations yield the time-dependent electromagnetic fields as the wave packet enters and straddles the dielectric boundary. QLA involves unitary interleaved non-commuting collision and streaming operators that can be coded onto a quantum computer: the non-commutation being the very reason why one perturbatively recovers the Maxwell equations.
Redescription and molecular characterization of Crenidens macracanthus Günther, 1874 (Pisces: Sparidae), and first record of C. indicus Day, 1873 in the eastern Indian Ocean
Authors: Roul Subal Kumar , Jeena N. S. , Ghosh Shubhadeep , Rohit Prathibha
Published: October 2020

Crenidens macracanthus was originally described in 1874 based on a single specimen collected from Chennai (Madras), south-east coast of India. In 1875, the species was synonymized with C. indicus without citing any valid reason. Since then, no taxonomic studies have been attempted for the genus Crenidens, except in 2013 the species was resurrected from synonymy and redescribed as a valid species based on the holotype and non-type specimen. In view of the fact that C. macracanthus is a poorly known species, it is redescribed based on examination of 30 additional specimens of 105.8–162.2 mm SL, collected from Puri, Odisha, north-east coast of India (Bay of Bengal) from 2017–2019, using morphological and molecular examinations. Our study provides a detailed morphological description, first colour photographs and phylogenetic analysis using COI barcodes of the species. The study has expanded the range in several morpho-meristic characters in comparison with the type and non-type specimens described earlier. The species in fresh condition can be easily distinguished from its two congeners (C. crenidens and C. indicus) by the yellowish tip of the lower caudal-fin lobe. Our study has also extended the distribution range of C. indicus (previously known only from the north-eastern Arabian Sea) to the eastern Indian Ocean, based on examination of a preserved specimen collected from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.
From Prohibition to Liquor Dispensaries: Explaining the Rise and Fall of State and Municipal Liquor Stores, 1891–1907
Authors: LEWIS MICHAEL
Published: October 2020

This article investigates the reasons for the adoption and rejection of liquor dispensaries in the years prior to the adoption of national prohibition in the United States. Southern municipalities were the primary dispensary locations, largely due to the permissiveness of local option laws in the South. Municipalities with dispensaries were often retreating from prohibition and dispensary supporters argued that publically run liquor stores were the next best thing. Beyond the South, states that explored dispensary adoption also were those repealing prohibition laws, suggesting a larger pattern whereby prohibition preceded dispensaries rather than following them.
The Shifting Politics of Public Services: Discourses, Arguments, and Institutional Change in Sweden, c. 1620–2000
Authors: LINNARSSON MAGNUS , HALLENBERG MATS
Published: October 2020

This article analyses the inherent conflict between public and private interest from a long time-perspective, using the example of Sweden from 1620 to 2000. The main argument is that there have been two equally decisive historical shifts in the political discourse on how to organize public services in the past: First, a shift from an early modern patriarchal discourse to a more expansive articulation of publicness during the nineteenth century. Second, a shift toward privatization and deregulation in the late twentieth century. Both these shifts must be considered to fully explain the changing forms of public organization up to the present day. Theoretically, the concept of “publicness” is used to explain the political discourses on the organization of public services. Drawing on three discursive chains, the argument is that the political development was affected by the politicians’ conception of the political community, the form of organization, and by perceptions of values such as equal access and modernity. Our results demonstrate how and why political arguments for or against private service providers have motivated profound changes in the way public services are perceived of and organized.