bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Room-Level Cooling Energy in Hot/Arid Climate by Machine Learning-Based Approaches
Authors: Jia Bingyan , Hou Danlin , Wang Liangzhu (Leon) , Hassan Ibrahim Galal
Published: June 2021

Building energy models (BEM) are developed for understanding a building’s energy performance. A meta-model of the whole building energy analysis is often used for the BEM calibration and energy prediction. The literature review shows that studies with a focus on the development of room-level meta-models are missing. This study aims to address this research gap through a case study of a residential building with 138 apartments in Doha, Qatar. Five parameters, including cooling setpoint, number of occupants, lighting power density, equipment power density, and interior solar reflectance, are selected as input parameters to create ninety-six different scenarios. Three machine-learning models are used as meta-models to generalize the relationship between cooling energy and the model parameters, including Multiple Linear Regression, Support Vector Regression, and Artificial Neural Networks. The three meta-models’ prediction accuracies are evaluated by the Normalized Mean Bias Error (NMBE), Coefficient of Variation of the Root Mean Squared Error CV (RMSE), and R square (R2). The results show that the ANN model performs best. A new generic BEM is then established to validate the meta-model. The results indicate that the proposed meta-model is accurate and efficient in predicting the cooling energy in summer and transitional months for a building with a similar floor configuration.
High School Coaches’ Knowledge and Behaviors for Emergency Preparedness
Authors: Dierickx Erin E. , Scarneo-Miller Samantha E. , Casa Douglas J.
Published: June 2021

Emergency action plans (EAPs) are considered best practice for the preparation of catastrophic events in sports and, when adequate, can effectively improve patient outcomes. The EAPs should include a collaboration of all personnel involved in the sporting activities, with high school coaches being well-positioned to implement these plans. Therefore, coaches can have a direct influence on the health and safety of their athletes through their involvement in an emergency response. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the understanding and adoption of EAPs as reported by coaches. A web-based questionnaire assessed adoption of an EAP; decisional stages for adoption of components of an EAP; and various characteristics (e.g., access to an athletic trainer facilitators and barriers). A total of 720 responses were included in this study. Nearly 25% of coaches reported being unaware if their school had an EAP, and coaches were more likely to adopt a comprehensive EAP if their school had access to an athletic trainer. A majority of coaches perceived financial assistance as a facilitator and financial limitations as a barrier for EAP implementation. The findings of this investigation illustrate the need for improved coaches’ educational awareness of emergency preparedness strategies within the high school setting.
Is the Polar M430 a Valid Tool for Estimating Maximal Oxygen Consumption in Adult Females?
Authors: Miller Kevin E. , Kempf Timothy R. , Rider Brian C. , Conger Scott A.
Published: June 2021

Background: Previous research studies have found that heart rate monitors that predict maximal oxygen consumption () are valid for males but overestimate in females. Inaccurate self-reported physical activity (PA) levels may affect the validity of the prediction algorithm used to predict . Purpose: To investigate the validity of the Polar M430 in predicting among females with varying PA levels. Methods: Polar M430 was used to predict () for 43 healthy female study participants (26.9 ± 1.3 years), under three conditions: the participant’s self-selected PA category (sPA), one PA category below the sPA (sPA − 1), and one category above the sPA (sPA + 1). Indirect calorimetry was utilized to measure () via a modified Astrand treadmill protocol. Repeated-measures analyses of covariance using age and percentage of body fat as covariates were used to detect differences between groups. Bland–Altman plots were used to assess the precision of the measurement. Results: was significantly correlated with (r = .695, p < .001). The mean values for and were 44.58 ± 9.29 and 43.98 ± 8.76, respectively. No significant differences were found between , , sPA – 1, and sPA + 1 (p = .492). However, the Bland–Altman plots indicated a low level of precision with the estimate. Conclusions: The Polar M430 was a valid method to predict across different sPA levels in females. Moreover, an under/overestimation in sPA had little effect on the predicted .
The Distinctiveness of Sport Management Theory and Research
Authors: Cunningham George B. , Fink Janet S. , Zhang James J.
Published: June 2021

Four decades have passed since the publication of Perspectives on the Academic Discipline of Physical Education: A Tribute to G. Lawrence Rarick—an edited text that offered a comprehensive overview of the field at the time. Missing, however, was any discussion of sport management. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to overview sport management and the development of the field since the publication of Brooks’s edited text. The authors summarize events in the field, including those related to educational advances and professional societies. Next, they highlight theoretical advances and then review the research in the field over time. In doing so, they categorize the scholarship into three groups: Young Field, Enduring Questions, and Emerging Trends. The authors conclude by identifying advances in the field and how sport management has emerged as a distinctive, robust discipline.
Nonadiabatic reaction dynamics to silicon monosulfide (SiS): A key molecular building block to sulfur-rich interstellar grains
Authors: Doddipatla Srinivas , He Chao , Goettl Shane J. , Kaiser Ralf I. , Galvão Breno R. L. , Millar Tom J.
Published: June 2021

This study reveals the nonadiabatic dynamics of silicon monosulfide and its role in the formation of sulfur-rich grains.
Botox depression treatment raises eyebrows
Authors: O'Grady Cathleen
Published: June 2021

Researchers cast doubt on study claiming strong evidence for the unusual treatment.
What went wrong with CureVac's mRNA vaccine?
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: June 2021

Company blames variants of the coronavirus, but type of RNA may have been key.
Two-dimensional ferroelectricity by design
Authors: Tsymbal Evgeny Y.
Published: June 2021

A synthetic ferroelectric is made from a van der Waals assembly of boron nitride
CD36 family members are TCR-independent ligands for CD1 antigen–presenting molecules
Authors: Gherardin Nicholas A. , Redmond Samuel J. , McWilliam Hamish E. G. , Almeida Catarina F. , Gourley Katherine H. A. , Seneviratna Rebecca , Li Shihan , De Rose Robert , Ross Fiona J. , Nguyen-Robertson Catriona V. , Su Shian , Ritchie Matthew E. , Villadangos Jose A. , Moody D. Branch , Pellicci Daniel G. , Uldrich Adam P. , Godfrey Dale I.
Published: June 2021

CD1 molecules bind CD36 family members, and blocking this interaction facilitates staining and study of CD1-restricted T cells.
Evaluation of two population screening programmes forBRCA1/2founder mutations in the Australian Jewish community: a protocol paper
Authors: Cousens Nicole E , Tiller Jane , Meiser Bettina , Barlow-Stewart Kristine , Rowley Simone , Ko Yi-An , Mahale Sakshi , Campbell Ian G , Kaur Rajneesh , Bankier Agnes , Burnett Leslie , Jacobs Chris , James Paul A , Trainer Alison , Neil Suzanne , Delatycki Martin B , Andrews Lesley
Published: June 2021

Introduction

People of Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) ancestry are more likely than unselected populations to have aBRCA1/2pathogenic variant, which cause a significantly increased risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. Three specificBRCA1/2pathogenic variants, referred to asBRCA-Jewish founder mutations (B-JFM), account for >90% ofBRCA1/2pathogenic variants in people of AJ ancestry. Current practice of identifying eligible individuals forBRCAtesting based on personal and/or family history has been shown to miss at least 50% of people who have one of these variants. Here we describe the protocol of the JeneScreen study—a study established to develop and evaluate two different population-based B-JFM screening programmes, offered to people of Jewish ancestry in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.

Methods and analysis

To rmeasure the acceptability of population-based B-JFM screening in Australia, two screening programmes using different methodologies have been developed. The Sydney JeneScreen programme provides information and obtains informed consent by way of an online tool. The Melbourne JeneScreen programme does this by way of community sessions attended in person. Participants complete questionnaires to measure clinical and psychosocial outcomes at baseline, and for those who have testing, 2 weeks postresult. Participants who decline testing are sent a questionnaire regarding reasons for declining. Participants with a B-JFM are sent questionnaires 12-month and 24-month post-testing. The questionnaires incorporate validated scales, which measure anxiety, decisional conflict and regret, and test-related distress and positive experiences, and other items specifically developed or adapted for the study. These measures will be assessed for each programme and the two population-based B-JFM screening methods will be compared.

Ethics and dissemination

Institutional Human Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained from the South Eastern Area Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee: HREC Ref 16/125.Following the analysis of the study results, the findings will be disseminated widely through conferences and publications, and directly to participants in writing.
Gender-stratified analyses of symptoms associated with acute coronary syndrome in telephone triage: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wouters Loes T C M , Zwart Dorien L M , Erkelens Daphne C A , De Groot Esther , van Smeden Maarten , Hoes Arno W , Damoiseaux Roger A M J , Rutten Frans H
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To identify clinical variables that are associated with the diagnosis acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in women and men with chest discomfort who contact out-of-hours primary care (OHS-PC) by telephone, and to explore whether there are indications whether these variables differ among women and men.

Design

Cross-sectional study in which we compared patient and call characteristics of triage call recordings between women with and without ACS, and men with and without ACS.

Setting

Nine OHS-PC in the Netherlands.

Participants

993 women and 802 men who called OHS-PC for acute chest discomfort (pain, pressure, tightness or discomfort) between 2014 and 2016.

Primary outcome measure

Diagnosis of ACS retrieved from the patient’s medical record in general practice, including hospital specialists’ discharge letters.

Results

Among 1795 patients (mean age 58.8 (SD 19.5) years, 55.3% women), 15.0% of men and 8.6% of women had an ACS. In both sexes, retrosternal chest pain was associated with ACS (women with ACS vs without 62.3% vs 40.3%, p=0.002; men with ACS vs without 52.5% vs 39.7%, p=0.032; gender interaction, p=0.323), as was pressing/heavy/tightening pain (women 78.6% vs 61.5%, p=0.011; men 82.1% vs 57.4%, p=<0.001; gender interaction, p=0.368) and radiation to the arm (women 75.6% vs 45.9%, p<0.001; men 56.0% vs 34.8%, p<0.001; gender interaction, p=0.339). Results indicate that only in women were severe pain (65.4% vs 38.1%, p=0.006; gender interaction p=0.007) and radiation to jaw (50.0% vs 22.9%, p=0.007; gender interaction p=0.015) associated with ACS.

Ambulances were dispatched equally in women (72.9%) and men with ACS (70.0%).

Conclusion

Our results indicate there were more similarities than differences in symptoms associated with the diagnosis ACS for women and men. Important exceptions were pain severity and radiation of pain in women. Whether these differences have an impact on predicting ACS needs to be further investigated with multivariable analyses.

Trial registration number

NTR7331.
High-intensity strength training in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Jensen Kasper Yde , Aagaard Per , Schrøder Henrik Daa , Suetta Charlotte , Nielsen Jakob Lindberg , Boyle Eleanor , Diederichsen Louise Pyndt
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are rare diseases characterised by non-suppurative inflammation of skeletal muscles and muscle weakness. Additionally, IIM is associated with a reduced quality of life. Strength training is known to promote muscle hypertrophy and increase muscle strength and physical performance in healthy young and old adults. In contrast, only a few studies have examined the effects of high intensity strength training in patients with IIM and none using a randomised controlled trial (RCT) set-up. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of high-intensity strength training in patients affected by the IIM subsets polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM) and immune-mediated necrotising myopathy (IMNM) using an RCT study design.

Methods and analysis

60 patients with PM, DM or IMNM will be included and randomised into (1) high-intensity strength training or (2) Care-as-Usual. The intervention period is 16 weeks comprising two whole-body strength exercise sessions per week. The primary outcome parameter will be the changes from pre training to post training in the Physical Component Summary measure in the Short Form-36 health questionnaire. Secondary outcome measures will include maximal lower limb muscle strength, skeletal muscle mass, functional capacity, disease status (International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group core set measures) and questionnaires assessing physical activity levels and cardiovascular comorbidities. Furthermore, blood samples and muscle biopsies will be collected for subsequent analyses.

Ethics and dissemination

The study complies with the Helsinki Declaration II and is approved by The Danish Data Protection Agency (P-2020–553). The study is approved by The Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics (H-20030409). The findings of this trial will be submitted to relevant peer-reviewed journals. Abstracts will be submitted to international conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT04486261.
Identifying priority review questions for Cochrane Eyes and Vision: protocol for a priority setting exercise
Authors: Evans Jennifer R , Gordon Iris , Lawrenson John G , Parker Roses , Rowe Fiona J , Virgili Gianni , Li Tianjing , Ramke Jacqueline
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Cochrane Eyes and Vision (CEV) is an international network of individuals working to prepare, maintain and promote access to systematic reviews of interventions to treat, prevent or diagnose eye diseases or vision impairment. CEV plans to undertake a priority setting exercise to identify systematically research questions relevant to our scope, and to formally incorporate input from a wide range of stakeholders to set priorities for new and updated reviews.

Methods and analysis

The scope of CEV is broad and our reviews include conditions that are common and have a high global disease burden, for example, cataract and dry eye disease, and conditions that are rare but have a high impact on quality of life and high individual cost such as eye cancer. We plan to focus on conditions prioritised by WHO during the development of the Package of Eye Care Interventions. These conditions were selected based on a combination of data on disease magnitude, healthcare use and expert opinion. We will identify priority review questions systematically by summarising relevant data on research in Eyes and Vision from a range of sources, and compiling a list of 10–15 potential review questions (new and/or updates) for each condition group. We will seek the views of external and internal stakeholders on this list by conducting an online survey. Equity will be a specific consideration.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the ethics committee of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. We will disseminate the findings through Cochrane channels and prepare a summary of the work for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Mindfulness-based and acceptance-based programmes in the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder: a study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bürkle Johannes Julian , Fendel Johannes Caspar , Schmidt Stefan
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention is the recommended standard for the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, a high proportion of patients refuse this treatment, do not respond or relapse shortly after treatment. Growing evidence suggests that mindfulness-based and acceptance-based programmes (MABPs) are an effective option for the treatment of OCD. This systematic review and meta-analysis will examine the effectiveness of MABPs in treating OCD. We also aimed to explore potential moderators of the programmes’ effectiveness.

Methods and analysis

We will systematically search MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, PSYINDEX, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (no language restrictions) for studies that evaluate the effect of MABPs on patients with OCD. We will conduct backward and forward citation searches of included studies and relevant reviews and contact corresponding authors. The primary outcome will be pre-post intervention change in symptom severity. A secondary outcome will be change in depressive symptoms. Two reviewers will independently screen the records, extract the data and rate the methodological quality of the studies. We will include both controlled and uncontrolled trials. Randomised controlled trials will be meta-analysed, separately assessing between-group effects. A second meta-analysis will assess the within-group effect of all eligible studies. We will explore moderators and sources of heterogeneity such as the specific programme, study design, changes in depressive symptoms, hours of guided treatment, control condition and prior therapy (eg, CBT) using metaregression and subgroup analyses. We will perform sensitivity analyses using follow-up data. A narrative synthesis will also be pursued. We will use the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system to assess the quality of the evidence.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.
Is duodenal biopsy always necessary for the diagnosis of coeliac disease in adult patients with high anti-tissue transglutaminase (TTG) antibody titres?
Authors: Beig Junaid , Rostami Kamran , Hayman David T S , Hassan Summer , Gerred Stephen , Ogra Ravinder
Published: June 2021

Objective

Avoiding duodenal biopsy in adults for coeliac disease (CD) diagnosis is controversial. Some retrospective and prospective studies have shown that CD can be reliably diagnosed in adults with serology rather than duodenal biopsies. This study aimed to check the accuracy of a cut-off value of ≥10 upper limit of normal of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (anti-TTG IgA) titres for CD diagnosis in adult patients.

Method

We retrospectively analysed adult patients (≥16 years) who underwent gastroscopy from 2013 to 2018 for positive coeliac serology. The relationship between titres and disease was determined by using linear models, whereas sensitivity and specificity were assessed by receiver operator curve.

Results

We analysed 144 newly anti-TTG antibody-positive adult patients with a median age of 48.5 years (IQR 32–62); among them, 86 (60%) patients had CD (Marsh III: n=68 and Marsh II and I: n=18) with a higher prevalence in females (n=59 (69%)) and Europeans (n=60 (70%)). Fifty (58%) patients with CD had colonoscopy and five (6%) had imaging; only six patients were diagnosed with additional conditions. An anti-TTG IgA titre cut-off value of 150 U/L was 100% specific for CD in our dataset, with 70% (95% CI: 60% to 88%) sensitivity for this patient group.

Conclusion

Coeliac serology using anti-TTG IgA with titres ≥10× normal value is an excellent predictor of CD, irrespective of age, gender and ethnicity. Duodenal biopsy may not be necessary in selected adult patients with CD, especially younger than 50 years of age without additional gastrointestinal red-flag signs and symptoms.
Prevalence and spectrum of DNA mismatch repair gene variation in the general Chinese population
Authors: Zhang Li , Qin Zixin , Huang Teng , Tam Benjamin , Ruan Yongsen , Guo Maoni , Wu Xiaobing , Li Jiaheng , Zhao Bojin , Chian Jia Sheng , Wang Xiaoyu , Wang Lei , Wang San Ming
Published: June 2021

Background

Identifying genetic disease-susceptible individuals through population screening is considered as a promising approach for disease prevention. DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes including MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 play essential roles in maintaining microsatellite stability through DNA mismatch repair, and pathogenic variation in MMR genes causes microsatellite instability and is the genetic predisposition for cancer as represented by the Lynch syndrome. While the prevalence and spectrum of MMR variation has been extensively studied in cancer, it remains largely elusive in the general population. Lack of the knowledge prevents effective prevention for MMR variation–caused cancer. In the current study, we addressed the issue by using the Chinese population as a model.

Methods

We performed extensive data mining to collect MMR variant data from 18 844 ethnic Chinese individuals and comprehensive analyses for the collected MMR variants to determine its prevalence, spectrum and features of the MMR data in the Chinese population.

Results

We identified 17 687 distinct MMR variants. We observed substantial differences of MMR variation between the general Chinese population and Chinese patients with cancer, identified highly Chinese-specific MMR variation through comparing MMR data between Chinese and non-Chinese populations, predicted the enrichment of deleterious variants in the unclassified Chinese-specific MMR variants, determined MMR pathogenic prevalence of 0.18% in the general Chinese population and determined that MMR variation in the general Chinese population is evolutionarily neutral.

Conclusion

Our study provides a comprehensive view of MMR variation in the general Chinese population, a resource for biological study of human MMR variation, and a reference for MMR-related cancer applications.
Ethics of genomic passports: should the genetically resistant be exempted from lockdowns and quarantines?
Authors: Gyngell Christopher , Savulescu Julian
Published: June 2021

Lockdowns and quarantines have been implemented widely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been accompanied by a rise in interest in the ethics of ‘passport’ systems that allow low-risk individuals greater freedoms during lockdowns and exemptions to quarantines. Immunity and vaccination passports have been suggested to facilitate the greater movement of those with acquired immunity and who have been vaccinated. Another group of individuals who pose a low risk to others during pandemics are those with genetically mediated resistances to pathogens. In this paper, we introduce the concept of genomic passports, which so far have not been explored in the bioethics literature. Using COVID-19 as an illustrative example, we explore the ethical issues raised by genomic passports and highlight differences and similarities to immunity passports. We conclude that, although there remain significant practical and ethical challenges to the implementation of genomic passports, there will be ways to ethically use them in the future.
Abortion and the veil of ignorance: a response to Minehan
Authors: Räsänen Joona
Published: June 2021

In a recent JME paper, Matthew John Minehan applies John Rawls’ veil of ignorance against Judith Thomson’s famous violinist argument for the permissibility of abortion. Minehan asks readers to ‘imagine that one morning you are back to back in bed with another person. One of you is conscious and the other unconscious. You do not know which one you are’. Since from this position of ignorance, you have an equal chance of being the unconscious violinist and the conscious person attached to him, it would be rational to oppose a right for detachment. Likewise, behind the veil of ignorance, it is rational to oppose abortions since you could be the fetus, Minehan claims. This paper provides a plausible reply to this argument.
Lung microbiota predict invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and its outcome in immunocompromised patients
Authors: Hérivaux Anaïs , Willis Jesse R , Mercier Toine , Lagrou Katrien , Gonçalves Samuel M , Gonçales Relber A , Maertens Johan , Carvalho Agostinho , Gabaldón Toni , Cunha Cristina
Published: June 2021

Rationale

Recent studies have revealed that the lung microbiota of critically ill patients is altered and predicts clinical outcomes. The incidence of invasive fungal infections, namely, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), in immunocompromised patients is increasing, but the clinical significance of variations in lung bacterial communities is unknown.

Objectives

To define the contribution of the lung microbiota to the development and course of IPA.

Methods and measurements

We performed an observational cohort study to characterise the lung microbiota in 104 immunocompromised patients using bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing on bronchoalveolar lavage samples sampled on clinical suspicion of infection. Associations between lung dysbiosis in IPA and pulmonary immunity were evaluated by quantifying alveolar cytokines and chemokines and immune cells. The contribution of microbial signatures to patient outcome was assessed by estimating overall survival.

Main results

Patients diagnosed with IPA displayed a decreased alpha diversity, driven by a markedly increased abundance of the Staphylococcus, Escherichia, Paraclostridium and Finegoldia genera and a decreased proportion of the Prevotella and Veillonella genera. The overall composition of the lung microbiome was influenced by the neutrophil counts and associated with differential levels of alveolar cytokines. Importantly, the degree of bacterial diversity at the onset of IPA predicted the survival of infected patients.

Conclusions

Our results reveal the lung microbiota as an understudied source of clinical variation in patients at risk of IPA and highlight its potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic target in the context of respiratory fungal diseases.
Diel patterns of foraging and microhabitat use by sympatric rainbow trout and bull trout: implications for adaptive differentiation and instream flow assessment
Authors: Naman Sean M. , Rosenfeld Jordan S. , Lannan Alecia S.
Published: June 2021

Salmonids make flexible and adaptive trade-offs between foraging efficiency and predation risk that result in variable patterns of diel activity and habitat use. However, the following remains unclear: (1) how patterns differ among salmonid species; and (2) how this affects the interpretation of habitat suitability models that inform instream flow management. We combined snorkel observations with experimental additions of cover to investigate how predation risk, cover, and bioenergetics affect diel activity and habitat use patterns by sympatric rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Skagit River, British Columbia, Canada. Both species foraged primarily at dusk, supporting the well-described trade-off between foraging efficiency and predation risk. However, only rainbow trout responded to cover additions, suggesting that risk tolerance and the nature of foraging-predation risk trade-offs differ between species. Diel shifts in activity and habitat use also substantially altered predictions of habitat suitability models, with potentially large consequences for flow management.
Influence of crested wheatgrass on soil water repellency in comparison to native grass mix and annual spring wheat cropping
Authors: Miller J.J. , Owen M.L. , Ellert B.J. , Yang X.M. , Drury C.F. , Chanasyk D.S. , Willms W.D.
Published: June 2021

Crested wheatgrass (CWG) [Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.] is a commonly introduced grass in the Canadian prairies, but concerns remain about its possible long-term effects on soil quality, and its influence on soil water repellency (SWR) has not been determined. The long-term (24 yr) effects of CWG on SWR in comparison to seeded native grasses and annual cropping were determined for a clay loam soil in southern Alberta, Canada by measuring SOC concentration and SWR using soil hydrophobicity (SH) and soil water repellency index (RI) methods. The cropping treatments were CWG, seeded native grass mix (NGM), continuous wheat, and wheat–fallow rotation, each with fertilized (nitrogen) and non-fertilized subplots, replicated four times. Mean SOC concentration, SH, and RI in samples of surface soil were similar (P > 0.05) for CWG and seeded NGM, and they did not support our hypothesis (seeded NGM > CWG). Mean SOC was significantly greater for seeded perennial grasses than annual crops by 1.7–2 times and SH by 2.1–2.5 times, which supported our hypothesis, but RI was similar among treatments. As expected, nitrogen fertilization significantly increased SOC concentrations, but the effects on SH and RI were undetectable. A strong positive correlation occurred between SOC concentration and SH (r = 0.92) but not for RI (r = 0.10). Our findings suggested that SWR was similar for CWG and seeded NGM. The SWR as measured using SH was greater for seeded perennial grasses than annual cropping but was similar using RI.
HECATE
Authors: Chrząszcz Marcin , Drewes Marco , Hajer Jan
Published: June 2021

The next generation of circular high energy collider is expected to be a lepton collider, FCC-ee at CERN or CEPC in China. However, the civil engineering concepts foresee to equip these colliders with bigger detector caverns than one would need for a lepton collider, so that they can be used for a hadron collider that may be installed in the same tunnel without further civil engineering. This opens up the possibility to install extra instrumentation at the cavern walls to search for new long-lived particles at the lepton collider. We use the example of heavy neutral leptons to show that such an installation could improve the sensitivity to the squared mixing parameter by almost half an order of magnitude.
Study of energy response and resolution of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter to hadrons of energies from 16 to 30 GeV
Authors: Abdallah Jalal , Angelidakis Stylianos , Arabidze Giorgi , Atanov Nikolay , Bernhard Johannes , Bonnefoy Roméo , Bossio Jonathan , Bouabid Ryan , Carrio Fernando , Davidek Tomas , Dubovsky Michal , Fiorini Luca , Aparisi Francisco Brandan Garcia , Carli Tancredi , Gerbershagen Alexander , Goksu Hazal , Hadavand Haleh , Harkusha Siarhei , Hlaluku Dingane , Hibbard Michael James , Hildebrand Kevin , Hrynevich Aliaksei , Jejelava Juansher , Kamenshchikov Andrey , Kazakos Stergios , Kello Tomas , Korolkov Ilya , Kulchitsky Yuri , Lazar Hadar , Lekalakala Nthabiseng , Little Jared , Madar Romain , Manen Samuel , Martins Filipe , Masuku Thabo , Minashvili Irakli , Mkrtchyan Tigran , Mlynarikova Michaela , Moayedi Seyedali , Nemecek Stanislav , Nodulman Lawrence , Oganezov Robert , Olsson Mats Joakim Robert , Oreglia Mark , Pani Priscilla , Paramonov Alexander , Pottgen Ruth , Reid Tres , Bosca Sergi Rodriguez , Perez Andrea Rodriguez , Rosten Rachel Christine , Saha Puja , Santoni Claudio , Sargsyan Laura , Schaefer Douglas Michael , Shalanda Nikolay , Smith Andrew Caldon , Solodkov Alexander , Solovyanov Oleg , Starovoitov Pavel , Starchenko Evgeny , Tas Petr , Tereshchenko Viacheslav , Tlou Sijiye Humphry , Ughetto Michael , Uhliarova Lea , Usai Giulio , Santurio Eduardo Valdes , Biot Alberto Valero , Volpi Guido , Zakareishvili Tamar , Zuccarello Pedro Diego
Published: June 2021

Three spare modules of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter were exposed to test beams from the Super Proton Synchrotron accelerator at CERN in 2017. The detector’s measurements of the energy response and resolution to positive pions and kaons, and protons with energies ranging from 16 to 30 GeV are reported. The results have uncertainties of a few percent. They were compared to the predictions of the Geant4-based simulation program used in ATLAS to estimate the response of the detector to proton-proton events at the Large Hadron Collider. The determinations obtained using experimental and simulated data agree within the uncertainties.
Design and Analysis of SRAM Cell using Negative Bit-Line Write Assist Technique and Separate Read Port for High-Speed Applications
Authors: Mishra Jitendra Kumar , Mankali Lakshmi Likhitha , Kandpal Kavindra , Misra Prasanna Kumar , Goswami Manish
Published: June 2021

The present day electronic gadgets have semiconductor memory devices to store data. The static random access memory (SRAM) is a volatile memory, often preferred over dynamic random access memory (DRAM) due to higher speed and lower power dissipation. However, at scaling down of technology node, the leakage current in SRAM often increases and degrades its performance. To address this, the voltage scaling is preferred which subsequently affects the stability and delay of SRAM. This paper therefore presents a negative bit-line (NBL) write assist circuit which is used for enhancing the write ability while a separate (isolated) read buffer circuit is used for improving the read stability. In addition to this, the proposed design uses a tail (stack) transistor to decrease the overall static power dissipation and also to maintain the hold stability. The comparison of the proposed design has been done with state-of-the-art work in terms of write static noise margin (WSNM), write delay, read static noise margin (RSNM) and other parameters. It has been observed that there is an improvement of 48%, 11%, 19% and 32.4% in WSNM while reduction of 33%, 39%, 48% and 22% in write delay as compared to the conventional 6T SRAM cell, NBL, [Formula: see text] collapse and 9T UV SRAM, respectively.
High-Temperature Corrosion in Advanced Energy Systems
Authors: Chidambaram Dev
Published: June 2021

Our energy demands will be increasing for the near future due to factors such as population growth, improved standards of living, increased automation, and increased mobility. New power generation systems are being designed to meet this growing demand efficiently. These designs are also being influenced by our desire to meet more of our energy needs using sustainable sources. One of the primary goals of these advanced designs is to improve operational efficiency, which is low at ∼35% for thermal power plants. A straightforward method to improve efficiency is by operating the thermal power cycles at higher temperatures of up to 1000°C. Higher temperature operations, in turn, require newer heat transfer fluids such as molten salts, molten metals, or gases. The design criteria for these newer power systems are often limited by the choice of materials that can operate under these harsh environments. All of these demands mean that corrosion scientists need to study, understand, and develop strategies to control corrosion in these newer and harsher environments. This issue of Interface aims to provide an overview of some of these corrosion issues, identify promising materials, and highlight the research needs.
Corrosion in Molten Salts for Solar Thermal Power
Authors: Summers Kodi , Chidambaram Dev
Published: June 2021

Global energy needs continue to grow steadily with increasing population and standard of living. While fossil fuels have been a major source of our energy, they are no longer favorable due to their greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric pollution; the development of carbon-free sources of energy is crucial. Solar energy promises unlimited amounts of emissions-free energy but suffers from intermittency issues that require expensive secondary energy storage systems to act as baseload power. A thermal energy storage (TES) system can store heat and provide a continuous source of power. Concentrated solar power (CSP) is carbon-free and can ideally be combined with a TES system to provide continuous power. These combined systems operate by focusing a large area of sunlight onto a receiver that contains a TES material to convert the sunlight into thermal energy.
A Secure Truth Discovery for Data Aggregation in Mobile Crowd Sensing
Authors: Wang Taochun , Lv Chengmei , Wang Chengtian , Chen Fulong , Luo Yonglong
Published: June 2021

With the rapid development of portable mobile devices, mobile crowd sensing systems (MCS) have been widely studied. However, the sensing data provided by participants in MCS applications is always unreliable, which affects the service quality of the system, and the truth discovery technology can effectively obtain true values from the data provided by multiple users. At the same time, privacy leaks also restrict users’ enthusiasm for participating in the MCS. Based on this, our paper proposes a secure truth discovery for data aggregation in crowd sensing systems, STDDA, which iteratively calculates user weights and true values to obtain real object data. In order to protect the privacy of data, STDDA divides users into several clusters, and users in the clusters ensure the privacy of data by adding secret random numbers to the perceived data. At the same time, the cluster head node uses the secure sum protocol to obtain the aggregation result of the sense data and uploads it to the server so that the server cannot obtain the sense data and weight of individual users, further ensuring the privacy of the user’s sense data and weight. In addition, using the truth discovery method, STDDA provides corresponding processing mechanisms for users’ dynamic joining and exiting, which enhances the robustness of the system. Experimental results show that STDDA has the characteristics of high accuracy, low communication, and high security.
Gender Differences in Depression in the General Population of Indonesia: Confounding Effects
Authors: Mumang Andi Agus , Syamsuddin Saidah , Maria Ida Leida , Yusuf Irawan
Published: June 2021

Background. Research findings on gender differences in depression are inconsistent. This study investigated gender and depression in the Indonesian population and considered possible confounding effects. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study. Participants completed the following self-report measures: demographic characteristic questions, the Cultural Orientation Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Gender differences in depression were examined using a generalized linear model. Results. After withdrawals, 265 men and 243 women remained. Women and men did not differ in overall scores and four-factor depression symptoms even after adjusting for cultural orientation and demographic confounding factors, except for the depression symptoms “crying,” “cannot get going,” and “people were unfriendly.” Gender differences in depression became significant after adjusting for stereotypical symptom variance. Men reported being lonelier than women. Conclusions. Possible confounding effects on the association between gender and depression are methodological issues, cultural orientation transition, and stereotypical symptoms. Low depression scores found for gender may reflect dimension-counterpart coping strategies.
Patient Recovery from COVID‐19 Infections: Follow‐Up of Hair, Nail, and Cutaneous Manifestations
Authors: Thuangtong Rattapon , Angkasekwinai Nasikarn , Leeyaphan Charussri , Triwongwaranat Daranporn , Thanomkitti Kanchalit , Munprom Kanyalak , Kulthanan Kanokvalai
Published: June 2021

Background. COVID‐19 is a pandemic disease worldwide. Although cutaneous manifestations may present in affected patients, there have been limited studies on the cutaneous findings and hair and nail abnormalities after discharge. Objective. To establish the cutaneous manifestations, hair and scalp disorders, and nail abnormalities in patients who recovered from COVID‐19 infections. Methods. A retrospective chart review and telephone interviews were conducted to determine the cutaneous manifestations, hair and scalp disorders, and nail abnormalities of patients aged over 18 years who were diagnosed with COVID‐19 infections at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, between January and June 2020. Results. Ninety‐three patients with prior COVID‐19 infections participated in the study. The COVID‐19 severity had been mild for most (71%). Cutaneous manifestations were reported in 8 patients (8.6%), with the common skin conditions being maculopapular rash and urticaria. The onsets of the skin conditions were before admission (1%), during admission (4.3%), and after discharge (3.2%). Increased hair shedding was also reported in 22 patients (23.7%), with a female predominance. Three patients were affected during admission, while the others were affected after discharge. The patients with moderate, severe, and critical COVID‐19 infections experienced significantly more hair shedding than those with asymptomatic and mild diseases. Only 2 patients with mild COVID‐19 disease reported nail abnormalities (chromonychia and brittle nails). Conclusions. Cutaneous manifestations, hair disorders, and nail abnormalities can occur in patients with COVID‐19 after their discharge from hospital. Patients should therefore be followed up in anticipation of dermatological problems.
Fault Diagnosis of the Gyratory Crusher Based on Fast Entropy Multilevel Variational Mode Decomposition
Authors: Wu Fengbiao , Ma Lifeng , Zhang Qianqian , Zhao Guanghui , Liu Pengtao
Published: June 2021

Gyratory crusher is a kind of commonly used mining machinery. Because of its heavy workload and complex working environment, it is prone to failure and low reliability. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method of the gyratory crusher based on fast entropy multistage VMD, which is used to quickly and accurately find the possible fault problems of the gyratory crusher. This method mainly extracts the vibration signal by combining fast entropy and variational mode decomposition, so as to analyze the components of the vibration signal. Among them, fast entropy is used to quickly determine the number of modes in the signal spectrum and the bandwidth occupied by the modes. The extracted parameters can be converted into the input parameters of VMD. VMD can accurately extract the modal components in the signal by inputting the number of modes and related parameters. Due to the differences between modes, using the same parameters to extract the modes often leads to inaccurate results. Therefore, the concept of multilevel VMD is proposed. The parameters of different modes are determined by fast entropy. The modes in the signals are separated and extracted with different parameters so that different signal modes can be accurately extracted. In order to verify the accuracy of the method, this paper uses the data collected from the rotary crusher to test, and the results show that the proposed FE method can quickly and effectively extract the fault components in the vibration signal.
An Alternative Technique for Transumbilical Single-Port Laparoscopic Percutaneous Precise Closure of the Inguinal Hernia Sac in Children: A 3-Year Single-Centre Study
Authors: Xu Xiaoliang , Ding Guojian , Cao Xuefeng , Fu Tingliang , Cheng Fengchun , Sun Shuai , Geng Lei
Published: June 2021

Objective. To evaluate the safety and reliability of a novel technique of single-port laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous precise closure of the inguinal hernia sac in children. Methods. From September 2016 through September 2019, children with inguinal hernia(s) treated with single-port laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous extraperitoneal closure using a guide wire were enrolled in this study. Operative time, surgical complications, recurrence rate, and cosmetic results were collected. Results. A total of 917 cases with inguinal hernia(s) were collected. Among them, there were 886 (96.61%) boys and 31 girls. Their mean age was

5.2
±
3.7

years. There were 693 (75.57%) cases with unilateral hernia. There were 224 cases with bilateral hernias or patent processus vaginalis, including 135 (14.72%) cases with an open contralateral ring which was confirmed intraoperatively. Twenty-three (2.51%) needed another port to complete the hernia sac separation. The operation time was

24.7
±
5.2

 min and

14.6
±
3.8

 min in bilateral and unilateral ones. Three cases complained of numbness in the thigh region or groin pain which subsided without medication in the 2nd postoperative month. There was no recurrence, and the incision scars were nearly invisible. Conclusion. Single-port laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous extraperitoneal closure using a guide wire is a safe, less cost, and reliable technique in the treatment of inguinal hernia in children.
Intelligent Perception System of Big Data Decision in Cross‐Border e‐Commerce Based on Data Fusion
Authors: Zhang Xiaheng , Xu Dongpeng , Xiao Lin
Published: June 2021

There is a gap between supply and demand in cross‐border e‐trading platforms. The so‐called supply and demand gap refers to the existing good companies that cannot meet the needs of buyers. Cross‐border e‐commerce, the buyer’s purchase demand is often included in the buyer’s behavior, such as searching for goods by pressing buttons, clicking price, category and other means, and on‐site delivery time. It is important for CBEC to analyze the buyer’s needs to protect the procurement and provide the seller with reference to supply, so as to solve the supply and demand gap between the buyer and the seller. This paper mainly studies the CBEC big data decision intelligent perception system based on data fusion. It is the same as the innovation process of better application of data fusion to the e‐commerce business model. At the same time, the key technologies of data extraction, conversion, data warehouse, and front‐end display in the system construction are analyzed and designed. This paper mainly uses data fusion algorithm, data fusion network model, quaternion method, big data decision intelligent sensing system framework design experiment, and CBEC user experiment to study the CBEC big data decision intelligent sensing system based on data fusion, and also with the development of CBEC, I hope more people can participate in CBEC practice. The results show that with the increase of data volume of the CBEC platform from 2016 to 2020, the construction of the CBEC platform business of big data production intelligent perception system considers the situation of users from seven aspects. With the increase of consumption, domestic consumers are increasingly pursuing a better life, cross‐border import e‐commerce ushered in a great development era.