bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global optimization algorithms for particle swarm optimization to the derivation of horizontal multilayered soil models considering the frequency dependence of soil parameters
Authors: Li Zhong‐Xin , Zhao Yi , Rao Shao‐Wei
Published: July 2021

The frequency dependence of soil parameters has been confirmed by many experiments. Most of them are done by the measurement of soil sample in laboratories. Although some studies are based on field measurement, only homogeneous ground or two‐layer model are considered. The study of frequency dependence of soil parameters with considering multilayered model is lacking. The frequency dependence of the horizontally multilayered soil model is studied by the inversion of soil parameters in the frequency domain. The inversion of frequency domain soil parameters is translated into an optimization problem. The model parameters are determined by spectral induced polarization data, and particle swarm optimization is applied to optimizing model parameters. The performances of three different methods to trap particles inside boundaries are compared. In order to improve the computational efficiency of the inversion program, parallel computing is combined with particle swarm optimization to solve the optimization problem. The execution time of the developed algorithm before and after the application of parallel computing is compared. The performances of other two optimization algorithms, simulated annealing and genetic algorithm, are compared with that of particle swarm optimization. So it would be more clear which optimization algorithm should be selected among these three commonly used algorithms when dealing with the inversion problem of soil parameters. The accuracy of the proposed method is verified by a numerical simulation experiment. Then, this method is applied to interpreting field data, and the frequency dependence of soil parameters can be observed from the inversion results.
Effects of ethylene on berry ripening and anthocyanin accumulation of ‘Fujiminori’ grape in protected cultivation
Authors: Wang Peipei , Ge Mengqing , Yu Aishui , Song Wei , Fang Jinggui , Leng Xiangpeng
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND

Although the grape berries are deliberated as a non‐climacteric fruit, ethylene seems to be involved in grape berry ripening. However, the precise role of ethylene in regulating the ripening of non‐climacteric fruits is poorly understood.

RESULTS

Exogenous ethephon (ETH) can stimulate the concentration of internal ethylene and accelerate the accumulation of anthocyanins in berries of ‘Fujiminori’, including malvidin‐, delphinidin‐, and petunidin‐derivatives (3′,4′,5′‐trihydroxylated anthocyanins) and cyanidin‐derivatives (3′,4′‐dihydroxylated anthocyanins). The content of 3′,4′,5′‐trihydroxylated anthocyanins was extremely higher than 3′,4′‐dihydroxylated anthocyanins, and ethylene did not affect the composition of anthocyanins in grape. Furthermore, we observed the expression of anthocyanin structural and regulatory genes as well as ethylene biosynthesis and response genes in response to ETH treatment. The anthocyanins accumulation is significantly associated with increased expression of anthocyanin structural (VvPAL, Vv4CH, VvCHS, VvCHI, VvF3H, and VvUFGT) and regulatory genes (VvMYBA1, VvMYBA2, and VvMYBA3), which persisted over the 12 days. In addition, exogenous ETH affected the endogenous ethylene biosynthesis (VvACO2 and VvACO4) and the downstream ethylene regulatory network (VvERS1, VvETR2, VvCTR1, and VvERF005).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings bring new insights into the physiological and molecular function of ethylene during berry development and ripening in grapes. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
Acceleration of lipid oxidation in raw stored almond kernels in response to postharvest moisture exposure
Authors: Luo Kathleen K , Huang Guangwei , Mitchell Alyson E
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND

Almonds are an important crop in California, and increased yields necessitate that dried in‐hull almonds are stored in the field for longer periods, increasing the potential for postharvest moisture exposure (e.g., rain, fog). Processors are increasingly drying these ‘wet’ almonds to a moisture content of <6% using low heat before the hulling and shelling process in order to reduce mechanical damage to the nutmeat. To date, there is no information on the impact that moisture exposure and drying prior to hulling and shelling has on lipid oxidation and storage shelf life of raw almonds.

RESULTS

Raw almonds exposed to ≤8% moisture and subsequently dried (MEx) and almonds not exposed to moisture exposure (≤4% moisture; control) were stored under accelerated shelf life conditions and evaluated monthly over 12 months for free fatty acid (FFA) value, peroxide value (PV), and headspace volatiles. At 12 months of accelerated storage, MEx almonds have 1.4 times higher FFA and 3.5 times higher PV than the control, indicating significant oxidative damage. MEx almonds also demonstrated higher levels of headspace volatile compounds related to lipid oxidation (i.e., hexanal, octanal, hexanoic acid) throughout storage.

CONCLUSION

Drying almonds exposed to postharvest moisture prior to storage results in a higher degree of lipid oxidation during storage and a significant reduction in shelf life. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Amphiphilic tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate as gas chromatographic stationary phase for high‐resolution separations of challenging isomers and analysis of lavender essential oil
Authors: Zhao Huiru , Qi Meiling
Published: July 2021

This work presents the investigation of using tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate as the stationary phase for gas chromatography separations of isomers with different varieties and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis of a wide range of components in lavender essential oil. Its capillary column exhibited moderate polarity and column efficiency of 4000 plates/m determined by n‐dodecane at 120°C. As demonstrated, it showed outstanding separation performance toward challenging isomers such as xylenes, alkanes, phenols, and anilines and a wide range of components in essential oils with distinct advantages over the commercial polyethylene glycol and polysiloxane columns. Moreover, its capillary columns displayed excellent repeatability and reproducibility with the RSD values of the retention times in the range of 0.02–0.07% for run‐to‐run, 0.14–0.22% for day‐to‐day, and 2.5–4.3% for column‐to‐column. Its application to gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis of the lavender essential oil proved its good potential for practical gas chromatography analyses. To our knowledge, this work presents the first example of employing tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate for chromatographic analyses and demonstrates its promising future in this field.
Symmetry‐Protected Photonic Chiral Spin Textures by Spin–Orbit Coupling
Authors: Shi Peng , Du Luping , Li Mingjie , Yuan Xiaocong
Published: July 2021

Chiral spin textures are widely researched in condensed matter systems and have shown potential for use in spintronics and storage applications. Photonic counterparts of these textures are observed in various optical systems with broken inversion symmetry. Unfortunately, the resemblances are only phenomenological. This work proposes a theoretical framework based on the variational theorem to show that the photonic chiral spin textures in an optical interface originate from the system's symmetry and relativity. Analysis of the rotational symmetry in optical systems indicates that the conservation of the total angular momentum is preserved from the local variations of spin vectors. Specifically, although the integral spin momentum does not carry net energy, the local spin momentum distribution, which determines the local subluminal energy transport and minimization variation of the square of the total angular momentum, results in the chiral twisting of the local spin vectors. The findings of this study deepen the understanding of the symmetries, conservative laws, and energy transport in optical systems, reveal the similarities in the formation mechanisms and the geometries of photonic and condensed‐matter chiral spin textures, and have potential applications in chiral and spin photonics.
Long‐term Outcomes of Stent Placement Inside the Bile Duct for Biliary Strictures After Living Donor Liver Transplantation
Authors: Nishikawa Yoshihiro , Uza Norimitsu , Hata Koichiro , Marui Saiko , Kuwada Takeshi , Matsumori Tomoaki , Maruno Takahisa , Shiokawa Masahiro , Kuriyama Katsutoshi , Kurita Akira , Yazumi Shujiro , Kodama Yuzo , Yoshizawa Atsushi , Anazawa Takayuki , Ito Takashi , Uemoto Shinji , Seno Hiroshi
Published: July 2021

In living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), anastomotic biliary stricture is a serious and refractory complication. In this study, we reviewed the transition of post‐LDLT anastomotic biliary strictures and evaluated long‐term outcomes of stent placement inside the bile duct, which is referred to as an “inside‐stent.” Of 805 consecutive adult LDLT recipients in our institution (2000‐2018), we reviewed 639 patients with duct‐to‐duct biliary reconstruction and analyzed chronological changes of post‐LDLT biliary strictures. Moreover, we focused on the year 2006 when various surgical modifications were introduced and compared the details of post‐LDLT biliary strictures before and after 2006, especially focusing on the long‐term outcome of inside‐stent placement. The proportion of left lobe grafts had increased from 1.8% before 2005 to 39.3% after 2006 (P < 0.001) to maximize the living donor safety. Overall, post‐LDLT anastomotic biliary strictures occurred in 21.3% of the patients with a median follow‐up period of 106.1 months, which was decreased from 32.6% before 2005 to 12.8% after 2006 (P < 0.001). Anastomotic biliary strictures were less frequent in patients with left lobe grafts than with right lobe grafts (9.4% versus 25.4%; P < 0.001). The overall technical success rate of inside‐stent placement was 82.4%, with an improvement from 75.3% before 2005 up to 95.7% after 2006 (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the stricture resolution rate remained high at approximately 90% throughout the observation period. Increased use of left lobe grafts with several surgical modifications significantly reduced post‐LDLT anastomotic biliary strictures, leading to favorable long‐term outcomes of inside‐stent placements for this condition.
Treatment of CSF1R‐Related Leukoencephalopathy: Breaking New Ground
Authors: Tipton Philip W. , Kenney‐Jung Daniel , Rush Beth K. , Middlebrooks Erik H. , Nascene David , Singh Balvindar , Holtan Shernan , Ayala Ernesto , Broderick Daniel F. , Lund Troy , Wszolek Zbigniew K.
Published: July 2021

Background

Colony‐stimulating factor‐1 receptor (CSF1R)‐related leukoencephalopathy is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease for which there is currently no cure. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been proposed as a disease‐modifying treatment.

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of HSCT on disease progression.

Methods

We collected all available clinical data from a cohort of 7 patients with CSF1R‐related leukoencephalopathy who underwent HSCT at our institutions. Clinical data included detailed neurological examination by a board‐certified neurologist, serial cognitive screens, formal neuropsychological evaluations, and serial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results

Our patients had an average disease duration of 27.6 months at the time of transplant, and we have 87 months of total posttransplant follow‐up time (median, 11; range, 2–27). One patient died in the periprocedural period. The remaining patients showed a variable response to treatment, with 6 of 7 patients trending toward stabilization on motor examination, cognitive scores, and/or MRI abnormalities, especially with white matter lesion burden.

Conclusions

This is the largest series of patients with CSF1R‐related leukoencephalopathy receiving HSCT. We conclude that HSCT can stabilize the disease in some patients. Variability in patient responsiveness suggests that measures of disease heterogeneity and severity need to be considered when evaluating a patient's candidacy for transplant. HSCT appears to be the first disease‐modifying therapy for CSF1R‐related leukoencephalopathy. This milestone may serve as a foothold toward better understanding the disease's pathomechanism, thus providing new opportunities for better disease‐specific therapies. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
MLPA followed by target‐NGS to detect mutations in the dystrophin gene of Peruvian patients suspected of DMD/DMB
Authors: Guevara‐Fujita María Luisa , Huaman‐Dianderas Francia , Obispo Daisy , Sánchez Rodrigo , Barrenechea Victor , Rojas‐Málaga Diana , Estrada‐Cuzcano Alejandro , Trubnykova Milana , Cornejo‐Olivas Mario , Marca Victoria , Gallardo Bertha , Dueñas‐Roque Milagros , Protzel Ana , Castañeda Carlos , Abarca Hugo , Celis Luis , La Serna‐Infantes Jorge , Fujita Ricardo
Published: July 2021

Background

We report the molecular analysis of the DMD gene in a group of Peruvian patients with Duchenne/Becker dystrophinopathy. This is the first study to thoroughly characterize mutations in this population.

Methods

We used the combination of multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and sequencing analysis of the DMD gene. We recruited Peruvian patients in 2 years from reference national hospitals. We performed DNA tests in 152 patients, checking first exon deletion/duplication by MLPA, and subsequently, if negative, samples were sequenced to detect point mutations.

Results

The average age for diagnosis was 9.8 years, suggesting a delay for timely diagnosis and care. We found causal DMD mutations in 125 patients: 72 (57.6%) exon deletions/duplications (41.6% deletions, 16.0% duplications), and 53 (42.4%) point mutations (27.2% nonsense, 9.6% small indels, and 5.6% splice site).

Conclusion

Due to our genetic background, we expected a higher number of novel and recurrent causal mutations in our sample. Results showed 16% of novel mutations, similar to other well‐studied populations.
Riemann problem for rate‐type materials with nonconstant initial conditions
Authors: Radha R. , Sharma Vishnu Dutt , Kumar Akshay
Published: July 2021

In this paper, using the compatible theory of differential invariants, a class of exact solutions is obtained for nonhomogeneous quasilinear hyperbolic system of partial differential equations (PDEs) describing rate type materials; these solutions exhibit genuine nonlinearity that leads to the formation of discontinuities such as shocks and rarefaction waves. For certain nonconstant and smooth initial data, the solution to the Riemann problem is presented providing a complete characterization of the solutions.
Angularly stable frequency selective surface for the gain enhancement of isolated multiple input multiple output antenna
Authors: Rahman Saeed Ur , Deng Hai , Sajjad Muhammad , Rauf Arshad , Shafiq Zeeshan , Ahmad Mushtaq , Iqbal Shahid
Published: July 2021

A metasurface is highly useful for improving the performance of patch antennas and reducing their size due to their inherent and unique electromagnetic properties. In this research work, we design a wideband bandstop reflector‐based frequency selective surface (FSS). It consists of a periodic array of circular shape metallic rings with four stubs. The FSS unit cell resonates over a frequency band from 7.2 to 9.2 GHz and has excellent stability under different polarizations and incident angles. A microstrip patch‐based isolated multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna is designed that operates over a frequency band of 7.9GHz to 8.7 GHz. The MIMO antenna and FSS are printed on the one face of a substrate. The radiation performance such as gain and directivity of the antenna is improved due to parasitic radiation of the surface and coherent‐ superposition of energy in the far‐field, between the antenna and FSS unit cells. Where the other parameters such are efficiency, radiation pattern and isolation are well preserved. The designed structure shows low complexity during fabrication. The simulated and experimental results confirm the predicted antenna performance and gain enhancement.
Evidence for microscopic kurtosis in neural tissue revealed by correlation tensor MRI
Authors: Henriques Rafael Neto , Jespersen Sune N. , Shemesh Noam
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The impact of microscopic diffusional kurtosis (µK), arising from restricted diffusion and/or structural disorder, remains a controversial issue in contemporary diffusion MRI (dMRI). Recently, correlation tensor imaging (CTI) was introduced to disentangle the sources contributing to diffusional kurtosis, without relying on a‐priori multi‐gaussian component (MGC) or other microstructural assumptions. Here, we investigated µK in in vivo rat brains and assessed its impact on state‐of‐the‐art methods ignoring µK.

Theory and Methods

CTI harnesses double diffusion encoding (DDE) experiments, which were here improved for speed and minimal bias using four different sets of acquisition parameters. The robustness of the improved CTI protocol was assessed via simulations. In vivo CTI acquisitions were performed in healthy rat brains using a 9.4T pre‐clinical scanner equipped with a cryogenic coil, and targeted the estimation of µK, anisotropic kurtosis, and isotropic kurtosis.

Results

The improved CTI acquisition scheme substantially reduces scan time and importantly, also minimizes higher‐order‐term biases, thus enabling robust µK estimation, alongside Kaniso and Kiso metrics. Our CTI experiments revealed positive µK both in white and gray matter of the rat brain in vivo; µK is the dominant kurtosis source in healthy gray matter tissue. The non‐negligible µK substantially were found to bias prior MGC analyses of Kiso and Kaniso.

Conclusions

Correlation Tensor MRI offers a more accurate and robust characterization of kurtosis sources than its predecessors. µK is non‐negligible in vivo in healthy white and gray matter tissues and could be an important biomarker for future studies. Our findings thus have both theoretical and practical implications for future dMRI research.
Intravoxel incoherent motion imaging predicts exercise‐based rehabilitation response in individuals with low back pain
Authors: Shahidi Bahar , Behun John J. , Berry David B. , Raiszadeh Kamshad , Englund Erin K.
Published: July 2021

Exercises to strengthen and stabilize the trunk musculature are a common conservative treatment strategy for low back pain (LBP), despite the possible presence of impairments in muscle activation in this population. Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI permits evaluation of activation‐induced blood flow through diffusion‐weighted images that are sensitized to microvascular blood flow. In the current study we aimed to evaluate IVIM signal changes after exercise in patients with LBP compared with pain‐free healthy controls and determine if these changes were related to reductions in disability with a 12‐week rehabilitation program. We hypothesize that the magnitude of changes in IVIM parameters in the lumbar extensor muscles will be smaller in patients with LBP compared with those without LBP, and that these magnitudes will be correlated with responsiveness to a 12‐week, resistance‐based exercise program. IVIM MR data for molecular diffusion (D), blood flow pseudodiffusion (D*) and perfusion fraction (f) were collected before and immediately after an ~ 3‐min session of high‐intensity lumbar extension resistance exercise in 16 healthy participants and 17 participants with LBP. Improvements in LBP‐related disability after the 12‐week, machine‐based, high‐intensity exercise rehabilitation program were measured in the LBP group. We observed a significant increase in all IVIM parameters (f, D*, D) in response to exercise (p < 0.0001) and an interaction of group‐by‐time for D (p = 0.016). Thresholds were identified using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for diffusion and pseudodiffusion coefficients, which predicted a reduction in LBP‐related disability in response to the 12‐week, exercise‐based rehabilitation program. Exercise was associated with an increase in (f), capillary blood flow‐based pseudodiffusion (D*) and diffusion coefficient (D), regardless of the presence of LBP. Additionally, subgroup analysis identified patients who were not responsive to the acute exercise session, for whom, based on ROC analysis, there was no clinically significant change in disability following the 12‐week program.
ILP‐based heuristics for a virtual network function placement and routing problem
Authors: Addis Bernardetta , Carello Giuliana , Gao Meihui
Published: July 2021

Thanks to the increased availability of computing capabilities in data centers, the recently proposed virtual network function paradigm can be used to keep up with the increasing demand for network services as internet and its applications grow. The problem arises then of managing the virtual network functions, that is, to decide where to instantiate the functions and how to route the demands to reach them. While it arises in an application field, the Virtual Network Function placement and routing problem combines location and routing aspects in an interesting, challenging problem. In this paper, we propose several ILP‐based heuristics and compare them on a dataset that includes instances with different sizes, network topologies, and service capacity. The heuristics prove effective in tackling even large size instances, with up to 50 nodes and more than 80 arcs.
The feasibility and advantages of immediate removal of urinary catheter after lobectomy: A prospective randomized trial
Authors: Zhang Lei , Yang Xueying , Tian Ye , Yu Qian , Xu Yang , Zhou Di , Wu Zhuo , Zhao Xitong
Published: July 2021

Aim

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and advantages of immediate urinary catheter removal compared with prolonged indwelling catheterization in lung cancer lobectomy.

Design

This study was designed as a prospective, single‐centre, randomized and open‐label clinical study.

Methods

People with lung cancer undergoing lobectomy/pneumonectomy were recruited and randomly allocated to two groups. One group had their urinary catheter removed immediately while the other group had it removed 48 hr after surgery.

Results

No significant difference in the incidence of postoperative urinary retention (POUR) was observed between the two groups. However, the incidence of postoperative catheter‐associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in the immediate removal group (6.7%) was lower than the control group (17.2%) (p = .030). Furthermore, the incidence of catheter‐associated emergence agitation (CAEA) in the control group (25.3%) was higher than the immediate removal group (8.9%) (p = .007). The average length of hospital stay of the immediate removal group [6.51(4–11) days] was shorter than the control group [7.20(5–12) days] (p = .002). Immediate removal of urinary catheter appeared to have fewer complications and shorter hospital stay than delayed removal.
Stress, health and demography at Charity Hospital Cemetery #2 (AD1847–1929)
Authors: Garcia‐Putnam Alex , Halling Christine , Seidemann Ryan
Published: July 2021

The physiological toll of poverty—from inadequate nutrition, higher disease loads, dangerous and taxing occupations, to limited health care—constitutes a form of structural violence. This violence is often embodied on skeletal tissues as signs of systemic biological stress. Here, we explore the skeletal manifestations of systemic biological stress on the bodies of those interred at Charity Hospital, an indigent hospital, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Given Charity's mission to serve the poorest residents of New Orleans, we expected to see widespread evidence of systemic biological stress in the skeletal remains of deceased patients from the hospital. Two skeletal collections from Charity Hospital Cemetery #2 were assessed for paleodemography and paleopathology, specifically this latter analysis focuses on the presence and severity of periosteal reactive new bone growth, linear enamel hypoplasia and porotic hyperostosis/cribra orbitalia, all skeletal signs of systemic stress throughout one's lifetime. We find that the remains show some signs of systemic stress. While this contradicts the trend shown in the hospital's records, it should be noted that indicators of systemic stress cannot map perfectly onto the health of a past population. It is possible that the individuals who comprised these two samples died of diseases and maladies that did not leave any skeletal indicators; an expectation that is reinforced by the fact that this cemetery was conceived as a response to multiple yellow fever epidemics in the 1840's, a disease that does not leave any skeletal signs.
Treatment‐induced cerebral sinus venous thrombosis in childhood acute lymphoblastic malignancies: New risk factors to consider
Authors: El‐Khoury Habib , Saifi Omran , Haddad Salame , Chahrour Mohamad , Ghanem Khaled M. , Mubarak Yaacoub , Tamim Hani , Makki Maha , Zakka Cyril , Chan Anthony K. , Mahfouz Rami , Tarek Nidale , El‐Solh Hassan , Abboud Miguel R. , Saab Raya , Muwakkit Samar A.
Published: July 2021

Background

Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) is one of the many side effects encountered during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy. Due to the rarity of cases, lack of data, and consensus management, no recommendations exist to target the population at risk.

Methods

This is a retrospective chart review of 229 consecutive patients diagnosed with ALL with an age range of 1–21 years, treated at the Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon between October 2007 and February 2018.

Results

The incidence of CSVT was 10.5%. Using univariate analysis, increased risk of CSVT was observed with male gender, age >10 years, T‐cell immunophenotype, intermediate/high‐risk disease, maximum triglyceride (TG) level of >615 mg/dl, presence of mediastinal mass, and larger body surface area (BSA). With multivariate analysis, the only statistically significant risk factors were maximum TG level, BSA, presence of mediastinal mass, and risk stratification (intermediate/high risk).

Conclusion

Our study was able to unveil TG level of >615 mg/dl, mediastinal mass, and a larger BSA as novel risk factors that have not been previously discussed in the literature.
Characterization of physical and mechanical properties of recycled jute fabric reinforced polypropylene composites
Authors: Benhamadouche Lamia , Rokbi Mansour , Osmani Hocine , Jawaid Mohammad , Asim Mohammad , Supian Abu Bakar Mohd , Mekideche Salih , Moussaoui Nafissa , Fouad Hassan , Khiari Ramzi
Published: July 2021

This research designed to contribute to reduce the environmental impacts through the preparation of composites with recyclable materials to be used in different applications. To this end, composites have been developed based on jute recovered from packaging bags and polypropylene (PP) reclaimed from scraps obtained from the manufacture of PP yarns. The developed composites were then characterized. First of all, the optimum mass fraction was determined in order to achieve good mechanical performance. Several mass fractions (30%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 60%, and 70%) were experimented to find that the best characteristics were those of the biocomposite with 40% reinforcement (σ = 39.07 MPa, E = 4.60 GPa). With this ratio, jute–PP biocomposites were further developed with different jute architectures (Satin, Serge 2 × 2, Taffeta). A structural study of the different jute fabric wastes was carried out to confirm whether they are suitable for use with a thermoplastic matrix (i.e., at a processing temperature of ≥200°C). Tensile and bending tests were carried out on these composites to find out the effect of the weave structure of the reinforcement.
Factors associated with poor outcome in fetuses prenatally diagnosed with sacrococcygeal teratoma
Authors: van Heurn Lieke J. , Coumans Audrey B. C. , Derikx Joep P. M. , Bekker Mireille N. , Bilardo Katia M. , Duin Leonie K. , Knapen Maarten F. C. M. , Pajkrt Eva , Sikkel Esther , van Heurn L. W. Ernest , Oepkes Dick
Published: July 2021

Aim of the study

Outcome of fetuses, prenatally diagnosed with sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT), is still poorly documented. This study assesses the incidence and prenatal predictors of outcome in all fetuses prenatally diagnosed with SCT.

Methods

This is a retrospective study on all fetuses prenatally diagnosed with SCT from 1998 to 2018 in the Netherlands. Poor outcome was defined as terminations of pregnancy (TOP) because of expected unfavorable outcome, intrauterine fetal death, or early neonatal death. Potential risk factors for poor outcome were analyzed.

Main results

Eighty‐four fetuses were included. Sixteen (19.0%) TOPs were excluded from statistical analysis. Eleven of the remaining 68 fetuses had poor outcome. Overall mortality was 32.1%, with a mortality excluding TOPs of 13.1%. Thirteen fetal interventions were performed in 11 (13.1%) fetuses. Potential risk factors for poor outcome were the presence of fetal hydrops (OR: 21.0, CI: 2.6–275.1, p = 0.012) and cardiomegaly (OR: 10.3, CI: 1.9–55.8, p = 0.011).

Conclusions

The overall mortality of fetuses prenatally diagnosed with SCTs including tTOP was 32.1%. This high mortality rate was mainly due to termination of pregnancy. Mortality excluding TOP was 13.1%. Potential risk factors for poor outcome were fetal hydrops and cardiomegaly.
Structure–sequence features based prediction of phosphosites of serine/threonine protein kinases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Nilkanth Vipul V. , Mande Shekhar C.
Published: July 2021

Elucidation of signaling events in a pathogen is potentially important to tackle the infection caused by it. Such events mediated by protein phosphorylation play important roles in infection, and therefore, to predict the phosphosites and substrates of the serine/threonine protein kinases, we have developed a Machine learning‐based approach for Mycobacterium tuberculosis serine/threonine protein kinases using kinase‐peptide structure–sequence data. This approach utilizes features derived from kinase three‐dimensional‐structure environment and known phosphosite sequences to generate support vector machine (SVM)‐based kinase‐specific predictions of phosphosites of serine/threonine protein kinases (STPKs) with no or scarce data of their substrates. SVM outperformed the four machine learning algorithms we tried (random forest, logistic regression, SVM, and k‐nearest neighbors) with an area under the curve receiver‐operating characteristic value of 0.88 on the independent testing dataset and a 10‐fold cross‐validation accuracy of ~81.6% for the final model. Our predicted phosphosites of M. tuberculosis STPKs form a useful resource for experimental biologists enabling elucidation of STPK mediated posttranslational regulation of important cellular processes.
Separation and the information theory surrogate evaluation approach: A penalised likelihood solution
Authors: Ensor Hannah , Weir Christopher J.
Published: July 2021

Surrogate evaluation is an important topic in clinical trials research, the use of a surrogate in place of a primary endpoint of interest is a common occurrence but also a contentious issue that is much debated. Statistical techniques to assess potential surrogates are closely scrutinised by the research community given the complexities of such an assessment. One such technique is the information theory surrogate evaluation approach which is well‐established, practical and theoretically sound. In the context of discrete outcomes, we investigated issues of bias due to inefficiency, overfitting and separation (sparse data) that have not been recognised or addressed previously. The most serious cause of bias is separation in trial information. We outline the concerns surrounding this bias and conduct a simulation study to investigate whether a penalised likelihood technique provides an appropriate solution. We found that removing trials with separation from surrogacy evaluation resulted in a large amount of discarded data. Conversely, the penalised likelihood technique allows retention of all trial information and enables precise and reliable surrogate estimation. The information theory approach is a critical tool for conducting surrogate evaluation. This work strengthens the practical application of the information theory approach, allowing analyses to be adapted or the results summarised with appropriate caution to mitigate the biases highlighted. This is especially true where separation occurs. The adoption of the penalised likelihood technique into information theory surrogate evaluation is a useful addition that solves an issue likely to arise frequently in the context of categorical endpoints.
Effective disease surveillance by using covariate information
Authors: Qiu Peihua , Yang Kai
Published: July 2021

Effective surveillance of infectious diseases, cancers, and other deadly diseases is critically important for public health and safety of our society. Incidence data of such diseases are often collected spatially from different clinics and hospitals through a regional, national or global disease reporting system. In such a system, new batches of data keep being collected over time, and a decision needs to be made immediately after new data are collected regarding whether there is a disease outbreak at the current time point. This is the disease surveillance problem that will be focused in this article. There are some existing methods for solving this problem, most of which use the disease incidence data only. In practice, however, disease incidence is often associated with some covariates, including the air temperature, humidity, and other weather or environmental conditions. In this article, we develop a new methodology for disease surveillance which can make use of helpful covariate information to improve its effectiveness. A novelty of this new method is behind the property that only those covariate information that is associated with a true disease outbreak can help trigger a signal. The new method can accommodate seasonality, spatio‐temporal data correlation, and nonparametric data distribution. These features make it feasible to use in many real applications.
A case study of industry–academia communication in a joint software engineering research project
Authors: Rico Sergio , Bjarnason Elizabeth , Engström Emelie , Höst Martin , Runeson Per
Published: July 2021

Empirical software engineering research relies on good communication with industrial partners. Conducting joint research both requires and contributes to bridging the communication gap between industry and academia (IA) in software engineering. This study aims to explore communication between the two parties in such a setting. To better understand what facilitates good IA communication and what project outcomes such communication promotes, we performed a case study, in the context of a long‐term IA joint project, followed by a validating survey among practitioners and researchers with experience of working in similar settings. We identified five facilitators of IA communication and nine project outcomes related to this communication. The facilitators concern the relevance of the research, practitioners' attitude and involvement in research, frequency of communication and longevity of the collaboration. The project outcomes promoted by this communication include, for researchers, changes in teaching and new scientific venues, and for practitioners, increased awareness, changes to practice, and new tools and source code. Besides, both parties gain new knowledge and develop social‐networks through IA communication. Our study presents empirically based insights that can provide advise on how to improve communication in IA research projects and thus the co‐creation of software engineering knowledge that is anchored in both practice and research.
Study on the High‐Temperature Evolution and Formation Mechanism of Inclusions in Te‐Treated Resulfurized Special Steel
Authors: Shen Ping , Zhang Hao , Xu Xiangyu , Yang Qiankun , Fu Jianxun
Published: July 2021

Te can effectively modify MnS inclusion to improve the anisotropy and machinability of steel. To figure out the mechanism of high‐temperature evolution and formation of inclusions, a high‐temperature confocal laser scanning microscope is used to in situ observe the performance of inclusions. In the steel with 22 ppm Te, Te mainly dissolves in MnS; no MnTe is generated. During the heating process, MnS inclusion remains solid state and no obvious phase change can be observed. In comparison, MnS–MnTe binary inclusion in the steel with 680 ppm Te forms a liquid phase due to the eutectic melting. The further increase of temperature causes the serious evaporation of Te. Based on scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive spectrometry analysis and in situ observation of inclusions at high temperature, the formation mechanism of inclusions during solidification is proposed.
Sustainable transformation of sewage sludge ash and waste industrial additive into green cement blend
Authors: Goswami Shubham , Shukla Dharmendra Kumar , Singh Pramod Kumar
Published: July 2021

Cement is an essential construction material and its production and demand are becoming challenge for environmental (carbon dioxide emission) and sustainability (natural resources consumption) related issues. The sustainable alternative is a key requirement to fulfill the increasing demand for natural resources and reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. For sustainable development, ash generated from the thermal treatment of sewage sludge (SSA) and carbide lime sludge (CLS) has been used for the production of green cement. For the feasibility study, the influence of using SSA and CLS are compared in terms of the properties of fresh paste and hardened mortar with Portland Pozzolana cement (PPC) containing FA. The outcome of the study shows that up to 45% of ordinary Portland cement can be replaced by using SSA with CLS blends, which enhance the compressive strength, save the natural resources and reduce CO2 emission up to 52% when compared with FA substitution.
The holographic conformal manifold of 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 S-fold SCFTs
Authors: Bobev Nikolay , Gautason Friðrik Freyr , van Muiden Jesse
Published: July 2021

Abstract

We employ a non-compact gauging of four-dimensional maximal supergravity to construct a two-parameter family of AdS4 J-fold solutions preserving $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 supersymmetry. All solutions preserve $$ \mathfrak{u} $$
u
(1) × $$ \mathfrak{u} $$
u
(1) global symmetry and in special limits we recover the previously known $$ \mathfrak{su} $$
su
(2) × $$ \mathfrak{u} $$
u
(1) invariant $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 and $$ \mathfrak{su} $$
su
(2) × $$ \mathfrak{su} $$
su
(2) invariant $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 J-fold solutions. This family of AdS4 backgrounds can be uplifted to type IIB string theory and is holographically dual to the conformal manifold of a class of three-dimensional S-fold SCFTs obtained from the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 T [U(N)] theory of Gaiotto-Witten. We find the spectrum of supergravity excitations of the AdS4 solutions and use it to study how the operator spectrum of the three-dimensional SCFT depends on the exactly marginal couplings.
Der Beitrag von epidemiologischen Modellen zur Beschreibung des Ausbruchsgeschehens der COVID-19-Pandemie
Authors: Priesemann Viola , Meyer-Hermann Michael , Pigeot Iris , Schöbel Anita
Published: July 2021

Nach dem globalen Ausbruch der COVID-19-Pandemie entwickelte sich eine Infektionsdynamik von immensen Ausmaßen. Seitdem wird versucht, das Infektionsgeschehen mit zahlreichen Maßnahmen unter Kontrolle zu bringen. Das gelang im Frühjahr 2020 sehr gut, während im darauffolgenden Herbst die Anzahl der Infektionen stark anstieg. Zur Vorhersage des Infektionsgeschehens werden epidemiologische Modelle eingesetzt, die grundsätzlich ein sehr wertvolles Werkzeug im Pandemiemanagement sind. Allerdings beruhen sie teils immer noch auf Vermutungen bzgl. der Übertragungswege und möglicher Treiber der Infektionsdynamik. Trotz zahlreicher einzelner Ansätze fehlen auch noch heute in vielen Bereichen systematische epidemiologische Daten, mit denen z. B. die Wirksamkeit einzelner Maßnahmen nachgewiesen werden könnte. In Studien generierte Daten werden aber benötigt, um möglichst belastbare Vorhersagen bzgl. des weiteren Verlaufs der Pandemie treffen zu können. Dabei entwickelt sich die Komplexität der Modelle Hand in Hand mit der Komplexität der zur Verfügung stehenden Daten. In diesem Artikel wird nach einer Abgrenzung zweier grundsätzlicher Modellklassen der Beitrag epidemiologischer Modelle zur Beurteilung verschiedener zentraler Aspekte des Pandemieverlaufs, wie z. B. Reproduktionszahl, Dunkelziffer, Infektionssterblichkeit, sowie zur Berücksichtigung der Regionalität aufgezeigt. Anschließend wird der Einsatz der Modelle zur Quantifizierung der Wirkung von Maßnahmen und der Effekte der Strategie des Testens, Nachverfolgens und Isolierens („test-trace-isolate strategy“) beschrieben. In der abschließenden Diskussion werden die Limitationen solcher Modellierungsansätze ihren Vorteilen gegenübergestellt.
Optimisation of cutting fluid concentration and operating parameters based on RSM for turning Ti–6Al–4V
Authors: Gariani Salah , El-Sayed Mahmoud Ahmed , Shyha Islam
Published: July 2021

The paper details experimental and optimisation results for the effect of cutting fluid concentration and operating parameters on the average surface roughness (Ra) and tool flank wear (VB) when flooded turning of Ti-6Al-4V using water-miscible vegetable oil-based cutting fluid. Cutting fluid concentration, cutting speed, feed rate, and cutting tool were the control variables. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to develop an experimental design and optimise Ra and VBusing linear models. The study revealed that cutting fluid concentration has a little influence on Ra and VBperformance, while Ra was strongly affected by feed rate and cutting tool type. The developed empirical model also suggested that the best parameters setting to minimise Ra and VBare 5%, 58 m/min and 0.1 mm/rev for cutting fluid concentration, cutting speed, and feed rate, respectively, using H13A tool. At this setting, the predicted surface roughness and tool wear were 0.48 and 30 μm, respectively. In the same vein, tool life and micro-hardness tests were performed at the suggested optimum cutting condition with different cutting speeds. A notable decrease in tool life (82.3%) was obtained when a higher cutting speed was used.
Clinical effectiveness of virtual reality versus conventional clinic-based vestibular physical therapy on balance and function in active duty service members. A pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sessoms Pinata H. , Fraser John J. , Bodell Dawn M. , Haluch Kathrine S. , Markham Amanda E. , Brookfield Jacob S. , Jameson Jason , Gottshall Kim R.
Published: July 2021

Virtual reality (VR) may be useful during rehabilitation of service members with persistent vestibular impairment following concussion. Thirty-eight active duty US military service members with persistent balance impairment resulting from concussion were randomized into three groups [Conventional Vestibular Physical Therapy (CVPT,n = 13), Virtual Reality Vestibular Physical Therapy (VRVPT,n = 12), and Hybrid Virtual Reality and Conventional Vestibular Physical Therapy (HybridVPT,n = 13)] and were treated twice weekly for 6 weeks. Changes in clinical measures such as Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), and Sensory Organization Test (SOT) were assessed from pre-, mid-, and post-treatment scores. A significant main time effect was observed demonstrating clinical improvement over time (ABC:p < .001,η2p = .54; DHI:p < .001,η2p = .57; FGA:p < .001,η2p = .74; SOT:p < .001,η2p = .35). Both CVPT and HybridVPT groups demonstrated significant improvements in patient-reported confidence and function earlier in the treatment course (p < .005). FGA significantly and incrementally improved at each assessment time point in all treatment groups. The SOT significantly improved early in treatment in the CVPT group only and pre-to-post-treatment in the CVPT and VRVPT groups only. The HybridVPT group did not demonstrate any significant improvement with time in the instrumented SOT measure. In the comparison of pre-to-post-effects of VRVPT and HybridVPT effects compared to CVPT, there was no clear superiority or inferiority observed in either of the experimental treatments. This preliminary work shows initial efficacy of using VR-based therapy for concussed individuals allowing future work to personalize treatment that may improve adherence and engagement to therapy.
Design of New Carbon-Phenolic Ablators: Manufacturing, Plasma Wind Tunnel Tests and Finite Element Model Rebuilding
Authors: Paglia L. , Genova V. , Tirillò J. , Bartuli C. , Simone A. , Pulci G. , Marra F.
Published: July 2021

Ablative materials represent a widespread solution for shielding space vehicles from overheating during a reentry phase in atmosphere where the high heating fluxes and the consequent high temperatures cannot be compatible with the vehicle structure and with the safety of the payload and/or the crew. In this work, two different kinds of carbon-phenolic ablators with a density of 0.3 g/cm3 were manufactured and their mechanical and thermal properties were experimentally evaluated. The thermal protection performances of the developed ablators were assessed in a hypersonic plasma wind tunnel facility, setting representative enthalpy and heat flux conditions (6 and 13 MW/m2), consistent with atmospheric reentry missions from high energy orbits. Data of the experimental tests were compared with the results obtained by a finite element model built up for these materials with the commercial software SAMCEF Amaryllis. All results enlighten the good performances of the ablators under severe heat flux conditions and outline their operating limits.
Algae-derived hard carbon anodes for Na-ion batteries
Authors: Gibertini Eugenio , Liberale Francesco , Dossi Carlo , Binda Gilberto , Mattioli Barbara , Bettinetti Roberta , Maspero Angelo , Fiore Michele , Ruffo Riccardo , Magagnin Luca
Published: July 2021

In this work, the production of low cost and environment friendly anodes for sodium ion batteries is investigated. Algae are selected as bio-source of non-graphitic Hard Carbon (HC) with open structure acting as intercalation active material for Na ions storage. Chlorella vulgaris algae were pyrolyzed at temperatures comprised between 800 and 1100 °C. The decomposition products have been characterized with Scanning Electrode Microscope (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses and their structure compared to one of the synthetic commercial HC. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) allowed to assess the decomposition process throughout the selected temperature scan. The obtained algae-derived HC is tested as anodic material for Na-ion battery, investigating the effect of pyrolysis temperature on the electrochemical behaviour. Their performances are compared with respect to a commercial synthetic HC active material. The results allow to consider algae as an environmentally benign and sustainable high added-value material for the production of HC anodes for Na-ion batteries.

Graphic abstract