bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of Transvaginal Ultrasound Compared to Cystoscopy in the Diagnosis of Bladder Endometriosis Nodules
Authors: Ros Cristina , de Guirior Cristian , Rius Mariona , Escura Silvia , Martínez‐Zamora María Ángeles , Gracia Meritxell , Peri Lluís , Franco Agustín , Carmona Francisco
Published: October 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) in predicting detrusor infiltration and ureteral meatus involvement in patients with bladder endometriosis (BE) to select which cystoscopic procedures could be avoided and, secondarily, to assess the relationship between symptoms and the characteristics of nodules and the association of BE with other forms of endometriosis.

Methods

Patients with BE diagnosed by TVUS were classified according to detrusor infiltration: BE with partial involvement of the muscular layer (group 1) and total muscular layer involvement with bladder protrusion (group 2). We analyzed the accuracy of TVUS compared with subsequently performed cystoscopy, the correlation with symptoms, and the association with other forms of endometriosis.

Results

Among the 22 patients included, TVUS showed 9 patients with BE nodules partially affecting the detrusor (group 1) with normal cystoscopic findings (TVUS negative predictive value, 100%). Transvaginal ultrasound detected 13 nodules with total involvement, all visible by cystoscopy (TVUS positive predictive value, 100%). Transvaginal ultrasound also identified ureteral orifices that were free of involvement at greater than 10 mm from the BE nodule in 21 of 22 women (TVUS sensitivity, 95%). Ultrasound criteria for adenomyosis and endometriosis in other locations were present in 20 of 22 patients.

Conclusions

Transvaginal ultrasound can identify the infiltration of BE nodules in the bladder wall and predict cystoscopic findings with great accuracy. Nodules that partially affect the muscular layer have normal cystoscopic findings, thereby obviating the need for this procedure. Bladder endometriosis nodules are commonly associated with other forms of endometriosis and do not usually affect the ureteral meatus.
Transcriptome analyses to reveal the dynamic change mechanism of pigeon magnum during one egg‐laying cycle
Authors: Lu Lizhi , Xu Xiaoqin , Du Xue , Zeng Tao , Yang Tingbang , Chen Yao , Tao Zhengrong , Zhong Shengliang , Wen Jihui , Zhou Caiquan
Published: October 2020

We analyzed the transcriptome of pigeon magnum in three stages (C1: pre‐ovulation, C2: post‐ovulation, C3: 5–6 days after ovulation) to elucidate the molecular and cellular events associated with morphological changes during the laying cycle. We observed that C1 was highly developed, apoptosis rate was highest in C2, and C3 attained the smallest size. Through RNA‐sequencing, we obtained 54,764,938 (97.2%) high‐quality clean reads that aligned to 20,767 genes. Gene expression profile analysis showed the greatest difference between C1 and C3; 3966 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 2250 genes were upregulated and 1716 genes were downregulated in C1. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses revealed that protein processing and transport activities were prominent in C1, and upregulated genes included those related to signal recognition particle (SRP), signal recognition particle receptor (SRPR), translocon, GRP78, RRBP1, TRAP, TRAM1, and OST. Egg white protein‐related gene expression was highest, with OVALY being the most highly expressed. In C2, apoptosis‐related gene expression was higher than in C1, and fatty acid metabolism was active, which may be correlated with magnum tissue regression. Collagen‐ and laminin‐related gene expression was prominent in C1 and C3, indicating roles in egg white protein generation and magnum reconstruction. PR gene expression was highest and exhibited drastic change in the three groups, indicating that PR and its regulation may be involved in changes in magnum morphology and function. Through the identification and functional analysis of DEGs and other crucial genes, this may contribute to understand the egg white protein production, magnum tissue regression, and magnum regeneration mechanisms.
Pilot study: Is a long‐term follow‐up service beneficial for patients undergoing revision hip replacement surgery?
Authors: Smith Lindsay K. , Turner Emma , Lenguerrand Erik , Powell Jane , Palmer Shea
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is highly successful but some patients will require later revision surgery. This pilot study evaluates the effects of long‐term follow‐up for patients undergoing revision hip replacement.

Methods

Consecutive patients undergoing aseptic revision of THA were recruited from a large orthopaedic unit to a single centre, observational study. Primary outcomes were changes in patient‐reported scores from pre‐revision to 12 months post‐surgery. Secondary outcomes were costs during hospital stay up to 6 months post‐revision. Participants were retrospectively allocated to two groups—those with regular orthopaedic review prior to revision (Planned revision) or those without (Unplanned revision).

Results

52 patients were recruited, 7 were unrevised, one incomplete baseline questionnaires. There were 25 planned and 19 unplanned revisions with no significant differences between groups at baseline. At 12 months, 34 complete data sets were available for analysis, 17 in each group. Change scores were analysed with Mann–Whitney U test; none reached statistical significance. There was a significant difference for length of stay: Planned group 5 days (2–22), Unplanned 11 days (3–86) (Mann–Whitney U test, p = 0.023). No significant differences found for theatre time or component costs. Resource costs post‐revision surgery are presented.

Conclusion

This pilot study indicates that some change in methods would be required for future work. The results show that there may be some financial benefit from providing long‐term follow‐up of THA but a larger study is needed to explore these findings and to discuss the impact on recommended guidelines.
High levels of preoperative pain and fatigue are red flags for moderate‐severe pain 12 months after total knee arthroplasty—A longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Getachew Mestawet , Lerdal Anners , Småstuen Milada Cvancarova , Gay Caryl L. , Aamodt Arild , Tesfaye Million , Lindberg Maren Falch
Published: October 2020

Background

Moderate/severe pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a poor surgical outcome. Many studies have identified preoperative risk factors of pain after TKA, but studies of the joint contributions of co‐occurring symptoms are lacking.

Methods

Patients undergoing primary TKA (n = 202) were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. Preoperatively, patients completed questionnaires measuring demographics and symptoms (pain, fatigue, sleep problems and depression). Pain was re‐assessed 12 months after TKA. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute the probabilities of moderate‐severe pain at 12 months based on preoperative symptom levels, and results were combined into a risk matrix.

Results

More than one‐third (40%) of patients (n = 187) reported moderate‐severe pain after TKA. Among preoperative risk factors included in the logistic regression analyses were age, sex, pain, fatigue, sleep problems and depression. Adjusting for possible confounders, fatigue (p = 0.02) and pain (p = 0.01) were significant risk factors for moderate‐severe pain at 12‐months follow‐up and were retained in the final risk matrix. The co‐occurrence of high‐preoperative fatigue and pain scores resulted in 57% estimated probability of moderate‐severe pain at 12 months. Similarly, the co‐occurrence of low‐preoperative fatigue and pain scores resulted in 14% estimated probability of moderate‐severe pain 12 months after TKA.

Conclusion

The combination of high fatigue and pain scores prior to surgery was a key risk factor for moderate‐severe pain 12 months after TKA. Mapping of these factors could be used preoperatively to identify patients who are at risk to experience a poor outcome of TKA.
Size at Maturity, Shell Conditions, and Morphometric Relationships of Male and Female Jonah Crabs in the Middle Atlantic Bight
Authors: Olsen Noelle A. , Stevens Bradley G.
Published: October 2020

The Jonah crab Cancer borealis is a data-poor species with an unknown stock status. They were historically caught as bycatch in American lobster Homarus americanus traps. The decline of the southern New England lobster stock since 1990 helped stimulate a targeted fishery and a sixfold increase in both the landings and ex-vessel value of Jonah crab. Current knowledge on Jonah crab growth and reproduction is scarce and dated. Therefore, this research focused on updating fundamental biological information for Jonah crabs in the Middle Atlantic Bight. Morphometric analyses determined that male crabs reach size at 50% sexual maturity (SM50) at 98.3 ± 1.4 mm carapace width (CW; ±95% CI), and female crabs reach SM50 at 88.2 mm CW. These values are below the current minimum legal size. An increase in the proportion of female crabs in a new-shell condition during the spring and summer months suggests a seasonal mating period. Expanding available information will substantiate accurate appointment of minimum legal sizes, minimize discard mortality, and increase understanding of stock dynamics, thus improving management and long-term sustainability for the Jonah crab fishery.
Defining nocturnal polyuria in women
Authors: Baines Georgina , Da Silva Ana Sofia , Cardozo Linda , Bach Fiona , Parsons Matthew , Robinson Dudley , Toozs‐Hobson Philip
Published: October 2020

Aims

Nocturnal polyuria (NP) is defined by the International Continence Society (ICS) as “excessive production of urine during the main sleep period” and is one of the main causes of nocturia. The ICS recognized that “excessive” is not clearly defined and that this needs to be highlighted in both clinical and research settings. The aim of this study was to identify different definitions of NP and apply them to a population of women attending the Urogynaecology clinic.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of complete bladder diaries collected from women attending a tertiary Urogynaecology Unit. Six different definitions were identified and were divided into “absolute,” “relative,” and “functional definitions.” Prevalence data were calculated and values generated for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values when related to women voiding ≥ 2 times per night.

Results

Complete bladder diaries were obtained from 1398 women, over 6 years, with a mean age of 57 years. Prevalence varied across the definitions from 21.5% (absolute definition) to 77% (relative definition). Sensitivity ranged from 43% (absolute) to 87% (relative). The definitions that showed the highest combined sensitivity and specificity were the functional definitions.

Conclusion

From this study it is clear that more work needs to be done to arrive at a consensus for defining NP to enable accurate diagnosis and development of treatment pathways. We propose that a relative definition may provide a more clinically relevant method of defining NP.
A second‐order isoparametric element method to solve plane linear elastic problem
Authors: Song Shicang , Liu Zhixin
Published: October 2020

Considering the both effect of boundary approximation and numerical quadrature, a second‐order isoparametric element method is given to solve the homogeneous isotropic plane linear elasticity problem in domain Ω with curved boundary. By using technically analysis, the optimal error estimate with is obtained, where the function is an extension of the true solution to . It yields better accuracy than traditional quadratic finite element method. Finally, two numerical examples are presented, which further illustrate the analytical result and show the scheme is effective.
Diversifying investor's portfolio using bitcoin: An econometric analysis
Authors: Subramanian Abhishek , Rao Balaga Mohana
Published: October 2020

Rational investors look into maximizing returns with minimal risk. Since this is highly unlikely, optimizing risk and return is a practical solution. Bitcoin is a new financial product that can be included in an investment portfolio. This paper looks at Bitcoins as a separate asset class and attempts to capture the volatility using the Exponential GARCH (E‐GARCH) as well as to check if Bitcoins can be used as an optimal tool to hedge using the Dynamic Conditional Correlation GARCH against four traditional asset classes in the U.S. economy which includes the stock market (S&P 500 index), Bonds (U.S. Aggregate Bond Index), Gold and Crude Oil. The period of study is a little over 7 years. The results suggest that Bitcoin stands as a highly speculative class of asset with extremely high volatility and with respect to hedging, Bitcoin stands as a possible tool of hedge with the U.S. Aggregate Bond index and to a certain extent against Gold but fails to be an optimal hedge against the S&P 500 and Crude Oil in the U.S. economy between April 29, 2013 and October 31, 2019 due to its highly volatile nature.
Ranger perceptions of, and engagement with, monitoring of elephant poaching
Authors: Kuiper Timothy , Massé Francis , Ngwenya Nobesuthu A. , Kavhu Blessing , Mandisodza‐Chikerema Roseline L. , Milner‐Gulland Eleanor J.
Published: October 2020

Ranger‐based monitoring has enormous potential to inform conservation globally, with hundreds of thousands of rangers patrolling extensive areas and recording observations of illegal activities and biodiversity. Much quantitative research has demonstrated the pitfalls and potential of data collection by rangers, but little work has considered its human dimensions. Yet poor engagement with, and ownership of, monitoring by those undertaking it may compromise data quality and thereby limit evidence‐based conservation.

We interviewed rangers and supervisors involved in a programme for monitoring and managing elephant poaching in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. We assess the importance that rangers ascribed to data collection within their broader occupation, and their level of engagement with data management and use.

We found that rangers saw the collection of biodiversity data as a routine duty that helped guide patrol strategy. Reporting these data was perceived as a primary way of demonstrating fulfilled responsibilities to their supervisors. Rangers did not, however, engage actively with data management and use. Ranger sentiment was evenly divided between those who said feedback on how the data they collected were used would motivate more engaged data collection, and those who said they would continue collecting data regardless, out of duty.

Three elements of the occupational culture of rangers at our site—a strong sense of duty, deference to authority and knowing their defined responsibilities within the organizational hierarchy—were identified as key drivers of their engagement with monitoring.

Building on these findings, we develop a theory of change to develop more meaningful engagement of rangers with monitoring. We argue that more effective and sustainable monitoring can be achieved by building on existing ranger culture while also fostering rangers' appreciation of data collection and utilization. Addressing key challenges around ranger well‐being, and resource and capacity needs, is also essential.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Electrical conductivity and fiber orientation of poly(methyl methacrylate)/carbon fiber composite sheets with various thickness
Authors: Luo Xiaoling , Qu Muchao , Schubert Dirk W.
Published: October 2020

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites containing carbon fibers (CFs) with the controlled aspect ratio (AR) at various concentrations were produced and hot pressed into rectangular sheets with a variety of thickness. The orientation of CFs on the surface and inside the specimen was obtained, and the conductivity σ in three different directions (X‐length, Y‐width, Z‐thickness) were investigated. A preferential orientation of CFs in XY plane was found inside the samples, resulting in higher σX and σY. The orientation of CFs in Z direction increases with the sample thickness increasing, leading to an increasing σZ. Thus the anisotropic conductivity between σX (or σY) and σZ reduces from three orders of magnitude to one order of magnitude. The percolation thresholds (Φc) in three directions of the samples were revealed by fitting with McLachlan GEM equation, which lead to Φc,X ≈ Φc,Y ≈ Φc,Z, independent of the thickness and the measuring direction. The values of exponent t in GEM equation were found to be tX > tY > tZ, while tZ increases with the sample thickness. For the first time, the relationship between the exponent t and the sample thickness was revealed and discussed.
On the low‐velocity and high‐velocity impact behaviors of aramid fiber/epoxy composites containing modified‐graphene oxide
Authors: Safamanesh Ali , Mousavi Seyed Mostafa , Khosravi Hamed , Tohidlou Esmaeil
Published: October 2020

This work evaluates the effects of modified‐graphene oxide (M‐GNs) loading and graphene nanoplatelets (GNs) modification on the low‐velocity and high‐velocity impact (LVI and HVI) behaviors of aramid fiber/epoxy composites. Aminopropyltrimetoxysilane compound was used to modify the surface of the GNs. The epoxy resin was incorporated with 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt%M‐GNs to fabricate the multiscaleM‐GNs/aramid fiber/epoxy composites via the hand lay‐up route. The obtained results from the LVI and HVI tests revealed that the highest impact resistance was related to the multiscale specimen having 0.3 wt%M‐GNs. For example, under LVI conditions (impact energy of 60 J), the addition of 0.3 wt%M‐GNs enhanced the force peak and absorbed energy of the composite by 44% and 95%, respectively. The addition of 0.3 wt%M‐GNs increased the ballistic limit and absorbed energy of the composite (exposed to the HVI) by 23% and 52%, respectively. The fracture surface of the specimens was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy to find the dominant mechanisms. It was also found that the incorporation of theM‐GNs reduced the damaged area and enhanced damage tolerance. The results demonstrated that modification of the GNs enhanced the LVI and HVI properties of the multiscale composites.
Mandatory voice: Implementation of a district‐led student‐voice program in urban high schools
Authors: Giraldo‐García Regina J. , Voight Adam , O'Malley Meagan
Published: October 2020

This qualitative case study explores how urban high schools implement a district‐initiated student‐voice program, referred to as Student Advisory Committees, intended to improve school climate. The study uses an implementation science framework to analyze interview data from principals and advisors in 22 urban high schools. An iterative, top–down thematic analytic procedure was used for analysis and interpretation of the data. The results suggest wide variation in how the program was implemented in terms of fidelity, dosage, quality, program reach, and adaptation, with contextual school factors—namely, principal and school characteristics—that help to explain this variation. In addition, the findings indicate that these contextual factors had a significant influence on how the school district implemented the student advisory committees. The authors discuss the implications for program implementation in the context of urban school districts and for school psychologists.
Role of Arabidopsis RAB5 GEF vps9a in maintaining potassium levels under sodium chloride stress
Authors: Rajagopal Divya , Mathew M. K.
Published: October 2020

Salt stress is one of the major factors impacting crop productivity worldwide. Through a variety of effector and signaling pathways, plants achieve survival under salinity stress by maintaining high cytosolic potassium/sodium ion (K+/Na+) ratios, preventing Na+ cytotoxicity, and retaining osmotic balance. Ras‐related protein 5 (Rab5) members are involved in the trafficking of endosomes to the vacuole or plasma membrane (PM). The vacuolar protein sorting‐ associated protein 9 (vps9a) encodes the single guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that activates all three known Rab5 proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous work from our group has reported the critical function of vps9a for the operation of salt‐induced endocytic pathway, as well as the expansion of endomembrane compartments under saline stress conditions. Here we show an additional role of vps9a in plant response to salt stress via maintenance of K+ status of the cell rather than Na+ homeostasis. Our results show that roots from vps9a‐2 mutant, subjected to 100 mM NaCl, display alterations in transcript levels of genes involved in the K+ homeostasis pathway. Concurrent with the observed sensitivity of vps9a‐2 mutant under NaCl stress, exposure to low K+ environments resulted in growth retardation, and reduced rate of endocytosis. Furthermore, vps9a‐2 mutant displays reduced expression of auxin reporter, Direct Repeat‐5 (DR5), and alterations in polarity and abundance of auxin efflux carrier PIN‐ FORMED2 (PIN2). Imposition of NaCl stress was found to be restrictive to the elongation capacity of cells in the root elongation zone of vps9a‐2 mutant. Together our results indicate that alterations in K+ homeostasis and associated cellular changes causing increased cell wall pH, contribute to diminished root growth and compromised survival of vps9a‐2 mutant under salt stress conditions.
Improvement of yield and grain quality by periodic cold plasma treatment with rice plants in a paddy field
Authors: Hashizume Hiroshi , Kitano Hidemi , Mizuno Hiroko , Abe Akiko , Yuasa Genki , Tohno Satoe , Tanaka Hiromasa , Ishikawa Kenji , Matsumoto Shogo , Sakakibara Hitoshi , Nikawa Susumu , Maeshima Masayoshi , Mizuno Masaaki , Hori Masaru
Published: October 2020

The application of cold plasma has attracted considerable attention in the field of agriculture. We examined the effects of plasma irradiation and treatment with plasma‐activated Ringer's lactate solution (PAL) on rice seedlings in a paddy field. Irradiation during the vegetative growth period increased seedling growth, panicle number, and grain yield. In contrast, treatment during the reproductive growth period had a negative or no effect. Moreover, treatment with PAL solution promoted the growth of the main stem, such as grain number and panicle weight, and grain quality, but the grain yield from the whole plant was decreased. The results suggest that cold plasma treatment of rice seedlings is effective for improving plant growth, grain yield, and grain quality.
Effect of human umbilical cord‐derived mesenchymal stem cells on murine model of bronchiolitis obliterans like injury
Authors: Lin Jilei , Deng Huarong , Zhang Yin , Zou Lin , Fu Zhou , Dai Jihong
Published: October 2020

Background

Bronchiolitis obliterans is a fatal respiratory disease characterized by the obliteration of small airways. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a promising candidate for cell‐based therapy.

Objective

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of human umbilical cord‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUC‐MSCs) on a murine model of bronchiolitis obliterans like injury (BOLI).

Method

The murine model of BOLI was established by administrating of diacetyl (DA) via intratracheal instillation. Treatment of HUC‐MSCs or HUC‐MSCs culture medium (HUC‐MSCs‐CM) was conducted in the BOLI model.

Results

The pathogenic manifestations, lung function, and the number of neutrophils were similar between the oropharyngeal inhalation DA group (OPI‐DA), intratracheal instillation group (ITI‐DA); however, less reduction of weight and higher survival rate were observed in ITI‐DA groups. Compared with the control groups, the trend of weight loss was significantly reduced (p < .05), and the pulmonary function was significantly improved (p < .05) in HUC‐MSCs and HUC‐MSCs‐CM groups. Masson staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that the deposition of collagen around bronchioles and blood vessels is less and airway epithelial cells and basal cells in lung tissue repaired better in HUC‐MSCs and HUC‐MSCs‐CM groups compared with the control groups. Immunofluorescence shows the expression of E‐cadherin and cytokeratin 5 (CK‐5) were significantly higher in HUC‐MSCs and HUC‐MSCs‐CM groups compared with control groups, while HUC‐MSCs themselves did not express E‐cadherin or CK‐5. The DiI label showed HUC‐MSCs gradually reduced after 2 days in the bronchus and 4 days in bronchiole.

Conclusion

HUC‐MSCs could help to repair airway epithelial cells in a murine model of BOLI. It might be related to paracrine factors of HUC‐MSCs.
Hydrophobicity and Adhesion of Aggregated Diamond Particles
Authors: Yao Kaili , Dai Bing , May Paul W. , Tan Xiaojun , Han Jiecai , Zhu Jiaqi
Published: October 2020

Diamond powders with high hydrophobicity are prepared by etching graphite plates using a hydrogen/argon (H2/Ar) plasma. The morphology and size of the diamond powders are found to vary with the proportion of Ar in H2 from 0% to 50%. Wettability is measured using water contact angle (WCA) measurements giving values between 129.7° and 146.9°. The high hydrophobicity can be ascribed to the aggregated structure of the as‐grown diamond powders. To check this assumption, the aggregated diamond powders are separated into individual particles by mechanical grinding; then, the WCAs of separated as‐grown diamond powders and commercial dispersed diamond powders are compared. The separated diamond surfaces show the lower WCAs of 99.68° and 96.96°. The surface of the aggregated diamond powders also exhibits high adhesion to water. The diamond surface grown in 2% Ar suspends 40 μL of water under a tilt angle of 180°. Such aggregated diamond powders are promising for no‐loss liquid transportation.
Feasibility Study of TiOx Encapsulation of Diamond Solution‐Gate Field‐Effect Transistor Metal Contacts for Miniature Biosensor Applications
Authors: Falina Shaili , Tanabe Kyosuke , Iyama Yutaro , Tadenuma Kaito , Bi Te , Chang Yu Hao , Manaf Asrulnizam Abd , Syamsul Mohd , Kawarada Hiroshi
Published: October 2020

The feasibility of titanium oxide (TiOx) encapsulation of the source/drain metal contacts of diamond solution‐gate field‐effect transistor (SGFET) for biosensor applications is explored. The SGFETs fabricated by this method show excellent FET characteristics. For comparison, the electrical characteristics performance of SGFET TiOx encapsulated devices with two different channel lengths of 100 and 1.5 μm is investigated. The miniature device with a channel length of 1.5 μm exhibits remarkable enhancement of the maximum output current and transconductance (gm) to 3000 μA mm−1 and 11.3 mS mm−1, respectively. Furthermore, the scaling gm behavior of diamond SGFETs is experimentally studied by means of the channel length for the first time. The gm is enhanced when the channel length is reduced. The double‐layer capacitance of the diamond SGFET devices with channel mobility of 6–11 cm2 (V s)−1 is estimated to be 3–5 μF cm−2 across the channel length which is adequate for biosensor applications.
Graphene Quantum Dot Crystal Serving as a Multi‐Qubit Circuit Operating at High Temperatures
Authors: Shafraniuk Serhii E.
Published: October 2020

Localized states (LS) of electrons are studied in clusters and in periodic arrays of graphene quantum dots (GQD) formed using narrow graphene stripes with either armchair or zigzag shape of atomic edges. Basic electronic parameters of the system such as the LS energies , inter‐level splitting , wavefunction coherence, and the inter‐dot coupling are controlled by applying the electric potentials to the electrodes. The electron density of states of the periodic quantum dot array regarded as 1D crystal (GC) represents a sequence of very sharp peaks corresponding to LS levels. The spatial coherence parameter (d is the GC period and κ is the electron wave vector) is estimated as , suggesting that the electron coherence involves large clusters of GQD by spreading over 5–20 periods in the artificial crystal. Furthermore, the coherence time τc, which is determined by inelastic electron–phonon collisions is remarkably long,  ns even at temperatures  K. The above properties of GC open new opportunities for building of the all‐electrically controllable multi‐qubit circuits operating at high temperatures.
A novel loop closure detection method with the combination of points and lines based on information entropy
Authors: Han Junyu , Dong Ruifang , Kan Jiangming
Published: October 2020

Visual simultaneous localization and mapping (visual‐SLAM) is a prominent technology for autonomous navigation of mobile robots. As a significant requirement for visual‐SLAM, loop closure detection (LCD) involves recognizing a revisited place, thereby helping visual‐SLAM eliminate accumulated errors and obtain consistent maps. Conventional LCD approaches mainly rely on point features to detect the loop. In challenging environments, the performance of point‐based LCD degrades, especially in low‐texture and perceptual aliasing environments. This paper presents a novel point and line‐based LCD. This approach allows for more robust LCD under an environment where point features are scarce and false‐positive loops are easily detected. First, point and line features are extracted to construct visual vocabularies (a point‐based vocabulary and a line‐based vocabulary) by using the bag‐of‐visual‐words model. Second, a novel weighting scheme is proposed by leveraging information entropy to combine the point‐based similarity score and line‐based similarity score to further improve the similarity evaluation accuracy of two images. Finally, a feature matching coherence check is added to determine the loop closure candidate searching area, which avoids false‐positive loops caused by a decrease in the robot's velocity or because the system is still. We compare the proposed method with point‐based LCD, line‐based LCD, and PL‐based (combining points and lines with the feature's number and dispersion) methods on public data sets in terms of precision and recall. The results reveal that the proposed method offers impressive results compared to other approaches.
A new model for soil water vapor sorption isotherms considering adsorption and condensation
Authors: Chen Chong , Arthur Emmanuel , Zhou Hu , Wang Xiang , Shang Jianying , Hu Kelin , Ren Tusheng
Published: October 2020

A new model, which was based on the Do and Do (2000) model, was developed to describe soil water vapor sorption isotherms (SWSIs) including both adsorption and condensation processes. The model performance was evaluated using measured SWSIs of 33 soil samples with a wide range of clay contents (0.08–0.72 g g−1), clay mineralogy (montmorillonite, kaolinite, and mixed clay samples), and organic C contents (0.001–0.070 g g−1). The new model produced satisfactory fits to measured SWSIs, with the mean relative percentage deviation modulus less than 6.2%. For a given clay mineral type, the adsorption sites and condensation capacity increased with increasing clay content. At a given clay content, the number of adsorption sites was in the order of montmorillonitic samples (ML)>mixed clay samples (MX)>kaolinitic samples (KA), and the condensation capacities of ML and MX were lower than that of KA. For soils with low clay content (<0.12 g g−1) and similar clay mineralogy, the adsorption sites and condensation capacities were positively related to organic C. The model parameter S0 had the potential for deriving cation exchange capacity, specific surface area, and clay content. The C/S0 values could potentially be used as a proxy of the dominant clay mineral type in a sample.
A novel method to inverse the water retention curves with consideration of volume change during centrifuge testing
Authors: Lai Yanyin , Garg Ankit , Chang Kai , Xing Xuguang , Fan Junliang , Liang Jiaping , Yu Miao
Published: October 2020

Measuring the soil water retention curve (SWRC) using the centrifuge method often results in compressibility and an increase in bulk density. The compressibility and bulk density of the specimen are always assumed to be constant while deducing the SWRC from centrifuge testing, which may cause inaccurate SWRCs. This study proposed an improved genetic algorithm (GA) to inverse the hydraulic parameters and further constructed the SWRC by taking bulk density into account for soils with varying grain size compositions. For this study, sandy loam soils (i.e., seven treatments T1–T7) were prepared based on different volume ratios of coarse (0.075–2 mm) to fine (<0.075 mm) particles. SWRCs including compressibility and bulk density changes were measured using the centrifuge method. For verification, SWRCs were also independently deduced from one‐dimensional infiltration experiments by inverse analysis using the improved GA that combined multi‐objective optimization and elitist strategy. Upon the final shrinkage ratio of 18.32 to ∼26.38%, the bulk density during centrifugation increased by 22.33 to ∼35.72% correspondingly, thereby causing a difference in soil moisture of 9.58 to ∼16.53% between the corrected and uncorrected SWRCs. The comparison between simulated SWRC and two types of measured SWRCs (i.e., corrected and uncorrected SWRC) demonstrated that the corrected SWRC was more reasonable regardless of soil particle compositions. The findings suggest the corrected SWRC considering bulk density changes provides more accurate hydraulic parameters, which can be inversed from the infiltration data using the improved GA.
Scalable network estimation withL0penalty
Authors: Kim Junghi , Zhu Hongtu , Wang Xiao , Do Kim‐Anh
Published: October 2020

With the advent of high‐throughput sequencing, an efficient computing strategy is required to deal with large genomic data sets. The challenge of estimating a large precision matrix has garnered substantial research attention for its direct application to discriminant analyses and graphical models. Most existing methods either use a lasso‐type penalty that may lead to biased estimators or are computationally intensive, which prevents their applications to very large graphs. We propose using anL0penalty to estimate an ultra‐large precision matrix (scalnetL0). We applyscalnetL0to RNA‐seq data from breast cancer patients represented in The Cancer Genome Atlas and find improved accuracy of classifications for survival times. The estimated precision matrix provides information about a large‐scale co‐expression network in breast cancer. Simulation studies demonstrate thatscalnetL0provides more accurate and efficient estimators, yielding shorter CPU time and less Frobenius loss on sparse learning for large‐scale precision matrix estimation.
Readiness model for DevOps implementation in software organizations
Authors: Rafi Saima , Yu Wu , Akbar Muhammad Azeem , Mahmood Sajjad , Alsanad Ahmed , Gumaei Abdu
Published: October 2020

DevOps is a new software engineering paradigm adopted by various software organizations to develop the quality software within time and budget. The implementation of DevOps practices is critical, and there are no guidelines to assess and improve the DevOps activities in software organizations. Hence, there is a need to develop a readiness model for DevOps (RMDevOps) with an aim to assist the practitioners for implementation of DevOps practices in software firms. To achieve the study objective, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) study to identify the critical challenges and associated best practices of DevOps. A total of 18 challenges and 73 best practices were identified from the 69 primary studies. The identified challenges and best practices were further evaluated by conducting a survey with industry practitioners. The RMDevOps was developed based on other well‐established models in software engineering domain, for example, software process improvement readiness model (SPIRM) and software outsourcing vendor readiness model (SOVRM). Finally, case studies were conducted with three different organizations with an aim to validate the developed model. The results show that the RMDevOps is effective to assess and improve the DevOps practices in software organizations.
Protection Mechanism against Photocorrosion of GaN Photoanodes Provided by NiO Thin Layers
Authors: Kamimura Jumpei , Budde Melanie , Bogdanoff Peter , Tschammer Carsten , Abdi Fatwa F. , van de Krol Roel , Bierwagen Oliver , Riechert Henning , Geelhaar Lutz
Published: October 2020

The photoelectrochemical properties of n‐type Ga‐polar GaN photoelectrodes covered with NiO layers of different thicknesses in the range 0–20 nm are investigated for aqueous solution. To obtain layers of well‐defined thickness and high crystal quality, NiO is grown by plasma‐assisted molecular‐beam epitaxy. Stability tests reveal that the NiO layers suppress photocorrosion. With increasing NiO thickness, the onset of the photocurrent is shifted to more positive voltages and the photocurrent is reduced, especially for low bias potentials, indicating that hole transfer to the electrolyte interface is hindered by thicker NiO layers. Furthermore, cathodic transient spikes are observed under intermittent illumination, which hints at surface recombination processes. These results are inconsistent with the common explanation of the protection mechanism that the band alignment of GaN/NiO enables efficient hole‐injection, thus preventing hole accumulation at the GaN surface that would lead to anodic photocorrosion. Interestingly, the morphology of the etch pits as well as further experiments involving the photodeposition of Ag indicate that photocorrosion of GaN photoanodes is related to reductive processes at threading dislocations. Therefore, it is concluded that the NiO layers block the transfer of photogenerated electrons from GaN to the electrolyte interface, which prevents the cathodic photocorrosion.
K1‐MET—A Success Story Since Almost 20 Years
Authors: Rieger Johannes , Schenk Johannes , Buergler Thomas , Kofler Irmela , Schatzl Magdalena , Huemer Gerold
Published: October 2020

The current issue of Steel Research International puts its focus on the research activities of K1‐MET, the Austrian competence center for excellent technologies in advanced metallurgical and environmental process development. K1‐MET is part of Competence Center for Excellent Technologies (COMET), the Austrian program for competence centers from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). COMET is funded by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, the provinces of Upper Austria, Tyrol and Styria as well as the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG) and the Standortagentur Tyrol. Furthermore, the Upper Austrian Research continuously supports COMET. Leading industrial companies as well as excellent scientific institutions are the key partners of K1‐MET. CO2 lean production of metals and a cross‐sectorial approach to substantially improved production processes to transfer solutions from science to industry are three main goals of K1‐MET. The target for the current funding period 2019–2023 is to enhance the position of K1‐MET as a leading and internationally renowned metallurgical competence center.
Settlement networks and river navigation in the Rioni—Western Georgia. From Strabo toJean‐FrançoisGamba and back again
Authors: Intagliata Emanuele E.
Published: October 2020

Before the advent of steam power and railroads, rivers acted as important highways for trade and transport, allowing for considerable reductions in the time spent moving people and goods inland from the coast. However, ancient written sources provide little information about how this transport was conducted in fluvial systems of local or regional significance, focusing instead on major rivers like the Nile or the Tiber. A good example of this is the Rioni River (known in ancient literature as the Phasis) in western Georgia, which functioned as a crucial route for communication and trade throughout history. Travel reports from 16th to 19th century describe in detail the navigation of this river. This contribution aims to use these sources to provide perspectives on how such a fluvial network might have functioned in antiquity. In addition to suggesting that a transport network must have needed a closely‐knit set of river stations to operate, the examination of these sources has important implications for the approach of archeologists to the study of anthropogenic activities in this riverine environment. It calls for a research methodology that goes beyond the site‐based approach currently followed by modern scholarship and explores riverine settlement patterns from a landscape and network perspective.

This article is categorized under:

Human Water > Human Water
Leih- und Zeitarbeit in der Intensivpflege
Authors: Hermes C. , Petersen-Ewert C.
Published: October 2020

Hintergrund

Leiharbeiter werden, meist im Sinne einer Arbeitnehmerüberlassung, zur pflegerischen Versorgung von Intensivpatienten eingesetzt. Ob bzw. wie sich Leiharbeit in der Pflege auf die Patientenversorgung auswirkt, wurde bislang kaum untersucht.

Ziel

Zweck dieser systematischen Übersichtsarbeit ist es, die verfügbaren Forschungsergebnisse über den Einsatz von Leiharbeitern in der pflegerischen Versorgung auf Intensiv- und Überwachungsstationen zu beschreiben und die potenziellen Auswirkungen auf das Patientenoutcome zusammenzufassen.

Methode

Es wurde in sieben Datenbanken mit booleschen Operatoren systematisch nach englisch- und deutschsprachigen Studien recherchiert und in Anlehnung an das PRISMA-Schema ausgewertet. Referenzen der Studien wurden ebenfalls in die Suche inkludiert und die Qualität aller eingeschlossenen Studien nach Hawker-Kriterien bewertet.

Ergebnis

Von insgesamt N = 630 gesichteten Datensätzen konnten jeweils eine qualitative und zwei quantitative Studien identifiziert und in die Auswertung einbezogen werden. Die Ergebnisse der qualitativen Studien gaben nicht signifikant an, dass Leiharbeiter zu einem schlechteren Patientenoutcome beitragen können. Die Ergebnisse der quantitativen Studien zeigten, dass die Wahrscheinlichkeit für das Auftreten von katheterassoziierten Infektionen mit dem Einsatz von Leiharbeitern steigen kann, aber eher von der Stationsgröße anhängig ist: Je zusätzlichem Bett steigt die Wahrscheinlichkeit für eine VAP um 14,8 % (95 %-CI = 1,032–1,277, p = 0,011). Allerdings konnten Tendenzen für einen Rückgang der Sepsisrate, sobald weniger Leiharbeiter (Stunden/Patient) auf der Intensivstation eingesetzt wurden, nicht bestätigt werden.

Schlussfolgerung

In den wenigen auswertbaren Studien wurden keine Hinweise dafür gefunden, dass der Einsatz von Leiharbeitern auf Intensiv- (ITS) und Überwachungsstationen (IMC) einen signifikanten Einfluss auf das Patientenoutcome hat. Es wurden allerdings Hinweise gefunden, dass individuelle Qualifikationen und die Arbeitsbedingungen einen Einfluss auf das Outcome haben. Weitere Studien sollten betrachten, welches Verhältnis von Festangestellten zu Leiharbeitern als unkritisch anzusehen ist, welche Qualifikationen temporäre Mitarbeiter vorweisen sollten und inwieweit diese überprüft werden können.
Examining the equivalence between imagery and execution within the spatial domain – Does motor imagery account for signal-dependent noise?
Authors: Roberts James W. , Wood Greg , Wakefield Caroline J.
Published: October 2020

Motor imagery is suggested to be functionally equivalent to physical execution as they each utilise a common neural representation. The present study examined whether motor imagery correspondingly reflects the spatial characteristics of physically executed movements, including the signal-dependent noise that typically manifests in more variable end locations (as indicated by effective target width; We). Participants executed or imagined a single, upper-limb target-directed aim in the horizontal medio-lateral direction. The start and end of the imagined movements were indexed by the lifting and lowering of the limb over the home position, respectively. Following each imagined movement, participants had to additionally estimate their imagined end location relative to the target. All the movements had to be completed at a pre-specified criterion time (400 ms, 600 ms, 800 ms). The results indicated that the We increased following a decrease in movement time for execution, but not imagery. Moreover, the total error of imagined movements was greater than the actual error of executed movements. While motor imagery may comprise a neural representation that also contributes to the execution of movements, it is unable to closely reflect the random sources of variability. This limitation of motor imagery may be attributed to the comparatively limited efferent motor signals.
Overview of chest involvement at computed tomography in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Authors: Peng Xuehua , Guo Yu , Xiao Han , Xia Wei , Zhai Aiguo , Zhu Baiqi , Zhang Wenhan , Shao Jianbo
Published: October 2020

Background

Chest computed tomography (CT) findings in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been rarely reported in a comprehensive and systematic manner.

Objective

We investigated the chest CT findings in children with COVID-19, and explored the differences in these findings between symptomatic patients and asymptomatic patients.

Materials and methods

Demographic findings, clinical characteristics, duration of hospital stay and viral shedding, and chest CT findings in 201 children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) were retrospectively analyzed from January 15 to March 20, 2020, and divided into two groups: symptomatic group (n=136) and asymptomatic group (n=65). Chi-square test and Student’s t-test were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Symptomatic patients were mainly young children ≤3 years old (54/63, 86%),while asymptomatic patients were mainly children ≥ 6 years old (51/111, 46%). Fever (41%) and cough (41%) were the most common symptoms. Overall, 119/201 (59%) patients had chest CT findings, and symptomatic patients accounted for 82% (98/119). The CT findings presented as bilateral multiple lesions (60/119, 50.4%), ground-glass opacities (83/119, 70%) and/or consolidation (44/119, 37%) with a peripheral and subpleural distribution (62/83, 75%). Fifteen of 87 (7.2%) patients with lung lesions showed complete lesion absorption, and 42/87 (48%) improved within a mean of 9.1 (standard deviation [SD] 3.2) days. The mean duration of viral shedding was 8.7 (SD 4.9) days. Pleural effusion was very rare. No lymphadenopathy was found in either group.

Conclusion

Symptoms associated with pulmonary involvement were most common in infants and young children. The lung lesions of most patients were absorbed and improved in about 9 days.
Modular timer networks: abdominal interneurons controlling the chirp and pulse pattern in a cricket calling song
Authors: Jacob Pedro F. , Hedwig Berthold
Published: October 2020

Chirping male crickets combine a 30 Hz pulse pattern with a 3 Hz chirp pattern to drive the rhythmic opening-closing movements of the front wings for sound production. Lesion experiments suggest two coupled modular timer-networks located along the chain of abdominal ganglia, a network in A3 and A4 generating the pulse pattern, and a network organized along with ganglia A4–A6 controlling the generation of the chirp rhythm. We analyzed neurons of the timer-networks and their synaptic connections by intracellular recordings and staining. We identified neurons spiking in phase with the chirps and pulses, or that are inhibited during the chirps. Neurons share a similar “gestalt”, regarding the position of the cell body, the dendritic arborizations and the contralateral ascending axon. Activating neurons of the pulse-timer network elicits ongoing motor activity driving the generation of pulses; this activity is not structured in the chirp pattern. Activating neurons of the chirp-timer network excites pulse-timer neurons; it drives the generation of chirps and during the chirps the pulse pattern is produced. Our results support the hypothesis that two modular networks along the abdominal ganglion chain control the cricket calling song, a pattern generating network in the mesothoracic ganglion may not be required.