bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advanced Biocleaning System for Historical Wall Paintings
Authors: Ranalli Giancarlo , Zanardini Elisabetta
Published: May 2021

This chapter will focus on the potential role of safe microorganisms as biocleaning agents in the removal of altered or undesirable organic substances on historical wall paintings. Selected microbes can be adopted as biological cleaners to reduce and remove deterioration ageing phenomena, environmental pollutants and altered by-products of past intervention of restorations. The aim is to offer a comprehensive view on the role and potentiality of virtuous microorganisms pro- biocleaning of altered historical wall paintings. We also report four case studies in the CH restoration field, carried out in the last 25 years, with the innovative use of bacteria and different delivery systems, focusing the attention on the preliminary diagnosis and the monitoring of the whole process. The CH field represents a great challenge and Science and Art link together the work of conservator scientists and historians with researchers and scientists, sharing their diverse expertises and joining the knowledges to the preservation and the conservation of our artistic patrimony.
The Role of Microorganisms in the Removal of Nitrates and Sulfates on Artistic Stoneworks
Authors: Ranalli Giancarlo , Zanardini Elisabetta
Published: May 2021

This chapter will focus on the role of microorganisms in the removal of nitrates and sulfates on artistic stoneworks. The main groups of microbes and their metabolisms involved in bioremoval methods for the preservation and protection of cultural artifacts are reported. The aim is to offer a comprehensive view on the role and potentiality of virtuous microorganisms in the biocleaning and bioremoval of black crusts and salts altering CH stoneworks. We highlight the importance of the use of the selected microorganisms and the adoption of adequate carriers for the anaerobic metabolism of nitrate and sulfate reducers to be applied on the altered stone surfaces. The following characteristics of the delivery system are of great importance: the ability to guarantee water content for microbes, the absence of toxicity for the environment, no negative effects to the stone surfaces, easy to prepare, to apply, and to remove from different stone surfaces at the end of the treatment. We report an overview of the last 30 years on the biocleaning processes including diagnostic studies of the alterations, the assessment of associated risks, the effectiveness and efficacy of the proposed method, and the evaluation in terms of economic and environmental sustainability.
Novel Antibiofilm Non-Biocidal Strategies
Authors: Cappitelli Francesca , Villa Federica
Published: May 2021

Subaerial biofilm (SAB) formation on cultural heritage objects is often considered an undesirable process in which microorganisms and their by-products, e.g., enzymes and pigments, cause damage or alteration to a surface. Since biofilms are widespread phenomena, there has been a high demand for preventive and control strategies that resist their formation or reduce their negative effects once formed. Up to date, the main strategy to control biofilms has been the use of biocides. Because of their intrinsic properties, biocidal products can pose risks to humans, animals, and the environment. In this chapter, the authors call “green” only those alternative strategies to biocides able to prevent/control biofilms but that do not kill microorganisms, i.e., irrespective of the use of natural compounds. Here, we describe some of the methods that are most commonly used to test the effectiveness of antibiofilm compounds with multiple-species biofilm model systems. A unified terminology and well described protocols and guidelines are still required to compare and test the effectiveness of traditional or novel compounds against biofilms retrieved on heritage surfaces.
SuperTracer: a calculator of functional supertraces for one-loop EFT matching
Authors: Fuentes-Martín Javier , König Matthias , Pagès Julie , Thomsen Anders Eller , Wilsch Felix
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We present SuperTracer, a Mathematica package aimed at facilitating the functional matching procedure for generic UV models. This package automates the most tedious parts of one-loop functional matching computations. Namely, the determination and evaluation of all relevant supertraces, including loop integration and Dirac algebra manipulations. The current version of SuperTracer also contains a limited set of output simplifications. However, a further reduction of the output to a minimal basis using Fierz identities, integration by parts, simplification of Dirac structures, and/or light field redefinitions might still be necessary. The code and example notebooks are publicly available at "Image missing".1
Second order chiral kinetic theory under gravity and antiparallel charge-energy flow
Authors: Hayata Tomoya , Hidaka Yoshimasa , Mameda Kazuya
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We derive the chiral kinetic theory under the presence of a gravitational Riemann curvature. It is well-known that in the chiral kinetic theory there inevitably appears a redundant ambiguous vector corresponding to the choice of the Lorentz frame. We reveal that on top of this conventional frame choosing vector, higher-order quantum correction to the chiral kinetic theory brings an additional degrees of freedom to specify the distribution function. Based on this framework, we derive new types of fermionic transport, that is, the charge current and energy-momentum tensor induced by the gravitational Riemann curvature. Such novel phenomena arise not only under genuine gravity but also in a (pseudo-)relativistic fluid, for which inhomogeneous vorticity or temperature are effectively represented by spacetime metric tensor. It is especially found that the charge and energy currents are antiparallelly induced by an inhomogeneous fluid vorticity (more generally, by the Ricci tensor R0i), as a consequence of the spin-curvature coupling. We also briefly discuss possible applications to Weyl/Dirac semimetals and heavy-ion collision experiments.
Hydrodynamic magneto-transport in charge density wave states
Authors: Amoretti Andrea , Areán Daniel , Brattan Daniel K. , Magnoli Nicodemo
Published: May 2021

Abstract

In this paper we study the dynamical properties of charged systems immersed in an external magnetic field and perturbed by a set of scalar operators breaking translations either spontaneously or pseudo-spontaneously. By combining hydrodynamic and quantum field theory arguments we provide analytic expressions for all the hydrodynamic transport coefficients relevant for the diffusive regime in terms of thermodynamic quantities and DC thermo-electric conductivities. This includes the momentum dissipation rate. We shed light on the role of the momentum dissipation rate in the transition between the pseudo-spontaneous and the purely explicit regimes in this class of systems. Finally, we clarify several relations between the hydrodynamic transport coefficients which have been observed in the holographic literature of charge density wave models.
Stochastic quantization on Lorentzian manifolds
Authors: Kuipers Folkert
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We embed Nelson’s theory of stochastic quantization in the Schwartz-Meyer second order geometry framework. The result is a non-perturbative theory of quantum mechanics on (pseudo-)Riemannian manifolds. Within this approach, we derive stochastic differential equations for massive spin-0 test particles charged under scalar potentials, vector potentials and gravity. Furthermore, we derive the associated Schrödinger equation. The resulting equations show that massive scalar particles must be conformally coupled to gravity in a theory of quantum gravity. We conclude with a discussion of some prospects of the stochastic framework.
Search for sub-millicharged particles at J-PARC
Authors: Kim Jeong Hwa , Hwang In Sung , Yoo Jae Hyeok
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We studied the feasibility of an experiment searching for sub-millicharged particles (χs) using 30 GeV proton fixed-target collisions at J-PARC. The detector is composed of two layers of stacked scintillator bars and PMTs and is proposed to be installed 280 m from the target. The main background is a random coincidence between two layers due to dark counts in PMTs, which can be reduced to a negligible level using the timing of the proton beam. WithNPOT= 1022which corresponds to running the experiment for three years, the experiment provides sensitivity toχs with the charge down to 5×10−5inmχ<0.2 GeV/c2and 8×10−4inmχ<1.6 GeV/c2. This is the regime largely uncovered by previous experiments. We also explored a few detector designs to achieve optimal sensitivity toχs. The photoelectron yield is the main driver, but the sensitivity does not have a strong dependence on detector configuration in the sub-millicharge regime.
Characterization of effects of genetic variants via genome-scale metabolic modelling
Authors: Tong Hao , Küken Anika , Razaghi-Moghadam Zahra , Nikoloski Zoran
Published: May 2021

Genome-scale metabolic networks for model plants and crops in combination with approaches from the constraint-based modelling framework have been used to predict metabolic traits and design metabolic engineering strategies for their manipulation. With the advances in technologies to generate large-scale genotyping data from natural diversity panels and other populations, genome-wide association and genomic selection have emerged as statistical approaches to determine genetic variants associated with and predictive of traits. Here, we review recent advances in constraint-based approaches that integrate genetic variants in genome-scale metabolic models to characterize their effects on reaction fluxes. Since some of these approaches have been applied in organisms other than plants, we provide a critical assessment of their applicability particularly in crops. In addition, we further dissect the inferred effects of genetic variants with respect to reaction rate constants, abundances of enzymes, and concentrations of metabolites, as main determinants of reaction fluxes and relate them with their combined effects on complex traits, like growth. Through this systematic review, we also provide a roadmap for future research to increase the predictive power of statistical approaches by coupling them with mechanistic models of metabolism.
HTwitt: a hadoop-based platform for analysis and visualization of streaming Twitter data
Authors: Demirbaga Umit
Published: May 2021

Twitter produces a massive amount of data due to its popularity that is one of the reasons underlying big data problems. One of those problems is the classification of tweets due to use of sophisticated and complex language, which makes the current tools insufficient. We present our framework HTwitt, built on top of the Hadoop ecosystem, which consists of a MapReduce algorithm and a set of machine learning techniques embedded within a big data analytics platform to efficiently address the following problems: (1) traditional data processing techniques are inadequate to handle big data; (2) data preprocessing needs substantial manual effort; (3) domain knowledge is required before the classification; (4) semantic explanation is ignored. In this work, these challenges are overcome by using different algorithms combined with a Naïve Bayes classifier to ensure reliability and highly precise recommendations in virtualization and cloud environments. These features make HTwitt different from others in terms of having an effective and practical design for text classification in big data analytics. The main contribution of the paper is to propose a framework for building landslide early warning systems by pinpointing useful tweets and visualizing them along with the processed information. We demonstrate the results of the experiments which quantify the levels of overfitting in the training stage of the model using different sizes of real-world datasets in machine learning phases. Our results demonstrate that the proposed system provides high-quality results with a score of nearly 95% and meets the requirement of a Hadoop-based classification system.
Response mechanism of ♀ Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂ Epinephelus lanceolatus under low-temperature and waterless stresses using TMT proteomic analysis
Authors: Fan Xiuping , Guo Qiaoyu , Zhang Jiasheng , Du Huan , Qin Xiaoming
Published: May 2021

♀Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂Epinephelus lanceolatus, a hybrid grouper created from artificial breeding, has been widely developed over the past decades. However, the study focusing on lukewarm high-protein-content fish species using advanced techniques has rarely been reported. In this work, the TMT (tandem mass tag)-assisted technique was employed to explore its differentially expressed proteins and response mechanisms under low-temperature dormant and waterless stresses. Our findings suggest that 162 and 258 differentially expressed proteins were identified under low-temperature dormant and waterless stresses, respectively. The waterless preservation treatment further identifies 93 differentially expressed proteins. The identified proteins are categorized and found to participate in lipid metabolism, glycometabolism, oxidative stress, immune response, protein and amino acid metabolism, signal transduction, and other functions. Accordingly, the factors that affect the response mechanisms are highlighted to provide new evidences at protein level.
One-splint versus two-splint technique in orthognathic surgery for class III asymmetry: comparison of patient-centred outcomes
Authors: Ng Jing Hao , Chen Ying-An , Hsieh Yuh-Jia , Yao Chuan-Fong , Liao Yu-Fang , Chen Yu-Ray
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Two-jaw orthognathic surgery (OGS) is done using either the one-splint technique with free-hand positioning of the maxillomandibular complex or the two-splint technique with intermediate splints to position the maxilla. It is uncertain which technique achieves better outcomes. This study compares frontal soft tissue symmetry and subjective patient QoL between one-splint and two-splint techniques in skeletal Class III asymmetry patients undergoing OGS with three-dimensional surgical planning.

Materials and methods

This retrospective case-control study comprised 34 one-splint and 46 two-splint OGS patients. Frontal photographs and Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) were done pre- and post-treatment. Frontal soft tissue symmetry was analysed with the anthropometric Facial Symmetry Index. Measurements were compared with t-tests and chi-squared tests with p-value set at 0.05.

Results

The groups differed in pre-treatment ANB and OQLQ scores. The two-splint group showed significant improvement in all symmetry measures. The one-splint group showed significant improvement in all symmetry measures except midface deviation, upper contour deviation and the Facial Contour Symmetry Index. Both groups showed significant improvement in OQLQ scores. There were no significant differences in post-treatment symmetry measurements and OQLQ scores between groups.

Conclusions

Although two-splint technique may better improve contour symmetry, there were no significant differences in frontal soft tissue symmetry and QoL after OGS in skeletal Class III asymmetry with either one-splint or two-splint technique, with both techniques resulting in significant improvement.

Clinical relevance

One-splint and two-splint surgical techniques produce similar patient-centred outcomes in Class III asymmetry patients.
Effects of acute pain and strain of the periodontium due to orthodontic separation on the occlusal tactile acuity of healthy individuals
Authors: Bucci Rosaria , Koutris Michail , Simeon Vittorio , Lobbezoo Frank , Michelotti Ambrosina
Published: May 2021

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess whether pain and strain of the periodontal ligament (PDL), induced by orthodontic separation, alter the somatosensory ability to perceive small thicknesses between occluding teeth (occlusal tactile acuity, OTA).

Methods

The OTA was tested at baseline (T0), using 9 aluminum foils (range 8–72 μm), randomly placed between the molar teeth, and 1 sham test (without foil), asking the participants whether they felt the foil between their teeth. Afterwards, orthodontic separators were placed, and subjects were randomly assigned to one of the two experimental groups: Group Pain (GP: 18 males; 14 females mean age 25.22 ± 2.28 years) had separators removed after 24 h; Group Strain (GS: 14 males; 17 females, mean age 24.03 ± 3.06 years) had separators removed after 7 days. The OTA measurement was repeated in both groups immediately after orthodontic separators removal (T1). A within-group comparison (T1 vs T0) was performed for each testing thickness (ANOVA for repeated measurements, with Bonferroni correction for multiple testing) (p < 0.005).

Results

GP showed statistically significant reduction of the OTA at T1, as compared to T0, for the thicknesses 24 μm (p = 0.004) and 32 μm (p = 0.001). No significant reduction was observed in GS (all p > 0.005).

Conclusions

Acute periodontal pain tends to disturb the tactile ability of the teeth, while strain of the PDL in absence of painful sensation determines a return to OTA baseline values.

Clinical relevance

The reduction of OTA might explain the uncomfortable occlusal sensation referred by patients during acute periodontal pain.
Optimized PD-L1 scoring of gastric cancer
Authors: Schoemig-Markiefka Birgid , Eschbach Jana , Scheel Andreas H. , Pamuk Aylin , Rueschoff Josef , Zander Thomas , Buettner Reinhard , Schroeder Wolfgang , Bruns Christiane J. , Loeser Heike , Alakus Hakan , Quaas Alexander
Published: May 2021

Background

PD-1/PD-L1-Immunotherapy has been approved for gastric carcinoma. PD-L1 assessment by immunohistochemistry is the principle biomarker. Are biopsies able to map the actual PD-L1 status of the entire tumor?

Methods

Whole tumor slides of 56 gastric carcinoma were analyzed to determine the distribution of PD-L1 positive cells in the entire tumor areas. Tissue micro arrays with four cores of the tumor surface, which represents the endoscopically accessible biopsy zone, were built from the same tumors. The PD-L1 CPS value was determined separately for each core. Preoperative diagnostic biopsies were available for 22 of the tumors. PD-L1 prevalence, sensitivity and specificity were analyzed using the whole tumor slides as reference scores. Molecular subtyping was performed and related to the PD-L1 status.

Results

27.3% of cases were PD-L1 negative (CPS < 1), 43.6% showed low PD-L1 expression (CPS ≥ 1 to < 5), 12.7% moderate (CPS ≥ 5 to < 10) and 16.4% strong expression (CPS ≥ 10).

The biopsies showed best test characteristics if four surface biopsies were analyzed combined, i.e., the CPS was calculated across all four biopsies. The prevalence showed a distribution similar to the resection specimens, sensitivity was 0.73 and specificity 1.0. Using fewer surface biopsies decreased sensitivity and specificity and caused false-negative classifications. Compared to the TMAs, the preoperative biopsies showed reduced sensitivity (0.412).

Conclusions

This is the first comprehensive study to optimize PD-L1 assessment in gastric cancer using endoscopically available tissue. The obtained PD-L1 prevalence is consistent with data of current clinical studies. Calculation of the test characteristics shows that surface biopsies can be indicative of the true PD-L1 status based on the resection specimen. However, an adequate number of biopsies is required. In this study, n = 4 biopsies yielded best results.
Patient-caregiver agreement and test–retest reliability of the EQ-5D-Y-3L and EQ-5D-Y-5L in paediatric patients with haematological malignancies
Authors: Zhou Wenjing , Shen Anle , Yang Zhihao , Wang Pei , Wu Bin , Herdman Michael , Luo Nan
Published: May 2021

Background

In 2019, the EuroQol Group developed a ‘beta’ 5-level version of EQ-5D-Y (Y-5L) by increasing the number of descriptive levels to five for each health dimension, as compared to the standard 3-level EQ-5D-Y (Y-3L).

Objective

To assess patient-caregiver agreement and test–retest reliability of the Y-5L and Y-3L in paediatric patients with haematological malignancies.

Methods

Paediatric inpatients aged 8–17 years were interviewed with the Y-5L and Y-3L questionnaires twice, while their caregivers were interviewed at the same time using the proxy versions of the questionnaires. Patient-caregiver agreement and test–retest reliability were assessed using Gwet’s agreement coefficient (Gwet’s AC1) for EQ-5D dimensions and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the EQ VAS.

Results

Ninety-six patient-caregiver dyads participated in the study. Patient-caregiver agreement on the EQ-5D-Y descriptive system was moderate to good for both the Y-3L and Y-5L, but poor on the EQ VAS. Test–retest reliability of the descriptive system was good to very good for the Y-3L and moderate to good for the Y-5L in children, and fair to good for both versions of EQ-5D-Y in proxies. The EQ VAS showed good test–retest reliability in both children and caregivers. In a subgroup analysis of results in younger patients aged 8–10 years, patient-caregiver agreement and test–retest reliability were also observed to range from moderate to very good.

Conclusion

Both the Y-3L and Y-5L descriptive systems showed acceptable patient-caregiver agreement and test–retest reliability when used to assess the HRQoL of children and adolescents with haematological malignancies, including in younger patients.
Did the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program get disbursed to minority communities in the early stages of COVID-19?
Authors: Fairlie Robert , Fossen Frank M.
Published: May 2021

Social distancing restrictions and health- and economic-driven demand shifts from COVID-19 shut down many small businesses with especially negative impacts on minority owners. Is there evidence that the unprecedented federal government response to help small businesses—the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the related COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)—which had a stated goal of helping disadvantaged groups, was disbursed evenly to minority communities? In this descriptive research note, we provide the first detailed analysis of how the 2020 PPP and EIDL funds were disbursed across minority communities in the country. From our analysis of data on the universe of loans from these programs and administrative data on employer firms, we generally find a slightly positive relationship between PPP loan receipt per business and the minority share of the population or businesses, although funds flowed to minority communities later than to communities with lower minority shares. PPP loan amounts per employee, however, are negatively related to the minority share of the population. The EIDL program, in contrast, both in numbers per business and amounts per employee, was distributed positively to minority communities.
Return to work of breast cancer survivors: toward an integrative and transactional conceptual model
Authors: Porro Bertrand , Durand Marie-José , Petit Audrey , Bertin Mélanie , Roquelaure Yves
Published: May 2021

Purpose

To propose a conceptual framework of the return to work (RTW) of breast cancer survivors (BCS) according to the transactional perspective.

Methods

The Technique for Research of Information by Animation of a Group of Experts was implemented. For each determinant in an initial list established from the literature, experts selected for the consensus exercise were firstly asked to indicate their agreement level individually, via an online questionnaire. Determinants obtaining an agreement level of 80% or over during this first phase were retained. Determinants obtaining an agreement level below 80%, and additional determinants proposed by the experts, were then discussed collectively. After discussion, experts voted via a new online questionnaire to retain (or not) each determinant. Determinants obtaining an agreement level of 80% or over after this second phase were retained. Based on the determinants selected, a conceptual model was developed following the transactional approach.

Results

Eleven experts participated in the study. Forty of the 51 determinants listed initially from the literature achieved an agreement level over 80%, and 20 were added after the individual consultation phase. Twenty-two of the 31 determinants discussed collectively were retained. In total, 62 determinants were selected to construct the conceptual model.

Conclusions

This integrative, operational, and transactional conceptual model of the RTW of BCS, constructed following an expert consensus, will help to design more efficient patient-centered intervention studies.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Identification of the 62 determinants associated with the RTW of BCS will help design tools that are easily used by all stakeholders involved in the RTW process.
The New Role of Cardiac Imaging Following the ISCHEMIA Trial
Authors: Hanson Christopher A. , Patel Toral R. , Villines Todd C.
Published: May 2021

Purpose of review

This review is aimed at summarizing the recently published ISCHEMIA trial (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches) and how its findings may impact cardiac imaging for stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) moving forward.

Recent findings

The ISCHEMIA trial compared an initial invasive management strategy with goal of complete coronary revascularization versus an initial medical therapy strategy among stable patients with newly diagnosed moderate to severe myocardial ischemia on non-invasive testing. The trial results showed that an early invasive strategy did not reduce the incidence of major cardiovascular events over 3.2 years of follow-up as compared to optimal medical therapy in patients with SIHD.

The results of the landmark ISCHEMIA trial solidified the importance of guideline-directed medical therapy and have provided more evidence against the prevailing dogma that moderate to severe ischemia on traditional stress testing mandates coronary revascularization. This trial was not designed to compare different cardiac imaging and stress testing modalities for the assessment of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing their index evaluation for SIHD; however, its design, which included coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) in most patients, and results have generated robust discussion regarding ways to improve non-invasive testing strategies in similar patient populations. We believe that increased utilization of CCTA to identify patients with and without high-risk SIHD, and advanced tests for ischemia, such as positron emission tomography and stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, when selected based on individual patient characteristics, may allow for improved decision-making and outcomes.
Polygenic Scores for Cognitive Abilities and Their Association with Different Aspects of General Intelligence—A Deep Phenotyping Approach
Authors: Genç Erhan , Schlüter Caroline , Fraenz Christoph , Arning Larissa , Metzen Dorothea , Nguyen Huu Phuc , Voelkle Manuel C. , Streit Fabian , Güntürkün Onur , Kumsta Robert , Ocklenburg Sebastian
Published: May 2021

Intelligence is a highly polygenic trait and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of DNA variants contributing with small effects. Polygenic scores (PGS) can aggregate those effects for trait prediction in independent samples. As large-scale light-phenotyping GWAS operationalized intelligence as performance in rather superficial tests, the question arises which intelligence facets are actually captured. We used deep-phenotyping to investigate the molecular determinants of individual differences in cognitive ability. We, therefore, studied the association between PGS of intelligence (IQ-PGS), cognitive performance (CP-PGS), and educational attainment (EA-PGS) with a wide range of intelligence facets in a sample of 557 healthy adults. IQ-PGS, CP-PGS, and EA-PGS had the highest incrementalR2s for general (2.71%; 4.27%; 2.06%), verbal (3.30%; 4.64%; 1.61%), and numerical intelligence (3.06%; 3.24%; 1.26%) and the weakest for non-verbal intelligence (0.89%; 1.47%; 0.70%) and memory (0.80%; 1.06%; 0.67%). These results indicate that PGS derived from light-phenotyping GWAS do not reflect different facets of intelligence equally well, and thus should not be interpreted as genetic indicators of intelligence per se. The findings refine our understanding of how PGS are related to other traits or life outcomes.
Development of a hardware-in-the-loop demonstrator for the validation of fault-tolerant control methods for a hybrid UAV
Authors: Prochazka F. , Krüger S. , Stomberg G. , Bauer M.
Published: May 2021

Many aircraft are inherently over-actuated with regard to their input variables. This can be particularly advantageous in the context of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), where actuator functions can fail in critical situations. In such cases, the redundant actuators can be used to further fulfil the control strategies used and thus increase the operational safety. Within such an active fault-tolerant control system, a fault detection and isolation (FDI) module is required. To evaluate such safety–critical systems, hardware-in-the-loop simulations (HIL) are a necessary step prior to real flight tests. These simulations can verify the correct implementation of the flight controller on the target hardware as well as the real-time capability of the algorithms used. Particularly in the context of active fault-tolerant control, investigations concerning the robustness of the used FDI module with regard to real, noisy sensor signals, which can be generated by a HIL demonstrator, are of utter importance. This paper presents the development of a HIL demonstrator for the validation of fault-tolerant control methods for a hybrid UAV. This includes a detailed description of the demonstrator’s design, control and interfacing between the integrated subsystems. As an application example, a hybrid UAV model will be shortly presented, which, in addition to the primary aerodynamic control surfaces, can also use four lift rotors to control the aircraft during cruise and is therefore inherently over-actuated. Finally, a closed-loop real-time simulation of the UAV model on the HIL demonstrator is presented on the basis of the exemplary simulation of an actuator failure and subsequent reconfiguration by the fault-tolerant flight control law.
Shame in medical clerkship: “You just feel like dirt under someone’s shoe”
Authors: Whelan Beth , Hjörleifsson Stefan , Schei Edvin
Published: May 2021

Introduction This study explores how senior medical students’ experience and react to shame during clinical placements by asking them to reflect on (1) manifestations of shame experiences, (2) situations and social interactions that give rise to shame, and (3) perceived effects of shame on learning and professional identity development.

Methods In this interpretive study, the authors recruited 16 senior medical students from two classes at a Norwegian medical school. In three focus group interviews, participants were invited to reflect on their experiences of shame. The data were analyzed using systematic text condensation, producing rich descriptions about students’ shame experiences.

Results All participants had a range of shame experiences, with strong emotional, physical, and cognitive reactions. Shame was triggered by a range of clinician behaviours interpreted as disinterest, disrespect, humiliation, or breaches of professionalism. Shame during clinical training caused loss of confidence and motivation, worries about professional competence, lack of engagement in learning, and distancing from shame-associated specialties. No positive effects of shame were reported.

Discussion Shame reactions in medical students were triggered by clinician behaviour that left students feeling unwanted, rejected, or burdensome, and by humiliating teaching situations. Shame had deleterious effects on motivation, learning, and professional identity development. This study has implications for learners, educators, and clinicians, and it may contribute to increased understanding of the importance of supportive learning environments and supervisors’ social skills within the context of medical education.
An intuitionistic fuzzy entropy approach for supplier selection
Authors: Rahimi Mohamadtaghi , Kumar Pranesh , Moomivand Behzad , Yari Gholamhosein
Published: May 2021

Due to apparent flexibility of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Set (IFS) concepts in dealing with the imprecision or uncertainty, these are proving to be quite useful in many application areas for a more human consistent reasoning under imperfectly defined facts and imprecise knowledge. In this paper, we apply notions of entropy and intuitionistic fuzzy sets to present a new fuzzy decision-making approach called intuitionistic fuzzy entropy measure for selection and ranking the suppliers with respect to the attributes. An entropy-based model is formulated and applied to a real case study aiming to examine the rankings of suppliers. Furthermore, the weights for each alternative, with respect to the criteria, are calculated using intuitionistic fuzzy entropy measure. The supplier with the highest weight is selected as the best alternative. This proposed model helps the decision-makers in better understanding of the weight of each criterion without relying on the mere expertise.
Artificial Intelligence-Based Optimization of Industrial Membrane Processes
Authors: Gaudio Maria Teresa , Coppola Gerardo , Zangari Lorenzo , Curcio Stefano , Greco Sergio , Chakraborty Sudip
Published: May 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining acceptance for modern control systems in various applications in daily life including the Chemical process industry. Above all, application of AI is increasing in the field of membrane-based treatment where it shows great potential until now. Membrane separations are generally recognized as energy-efficient processes. In particular, membrane desalination, forward osmosis, energy generation, and biomass treatment have shown substantial potential in modern industries, such as wastewater treatment, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and natural products. All these industries consume more than 20% of total energy consumption in the world. Moreover, the laboratory research outcomes illuminate the way to better membrane design and development, including advanced process control and optimization. The membrane processes with existing technologies for a sustainable environment could be integrated with the AI model. This review summarizes several membrane-based water treatment designs and plant performances where artificial intelligence is being used to minimize waste generation and lead to cleaner production.
Experimental Setup for the Investigation of Reproducibility of Novel Tool Changing Systems in Nanofabrication Machines
Authors: Weigert Florian , Hebenstreit Roman , Füßl Roland , Theska René
Published: May 2021

Nanomeasuring machines developed at the Technische Universität Ilmenau enable three-dimensional measurements and manufacturing processes with the lowest uncertainties. Due to the requirements for these processes, a highly reproducible and long-term stable tool changing system is needed. For this purpose, kinematically determined couplings are widely used. The state-of-the-art investigations on those are not sufficient for the highest demands on the reproducibility required for this application. A theoretical determination of the reproducibility based on analytical or numerical methods is possible, however not in the desired nanometer range. Due to this, a measurement setup for the determination of the reproducibility in five degrees of freedom with nanometer uncertainty was developed. First, potential measuring devices are systematically examined and measurement principles were developed out of this. A three-dimensional vector-based uncertainty analysis is performed to prove the feasibility of the measurement principle and provides a basis for further design. As a result, a translatory measurement uncertainty of 10 nm and a rotatory uncertainty of 11 nrad can be reached. Afterwards, the measurement setup is designed, focusing on the metrological frame and the lift-off device. The developed setup exceeds the uncertainties of the measurement setups presented in the state-of-the-art by an order of magnitude, allowing new in-depth investigations of the reproducibility of kinematic couplings.
Changes in Sexual Fantasy and Solitary Sexual Practice During Social Lockdown Among Young Adults in the UK
Authors: Cascalheira Cory J. , McCormack Mark , Portch Emma , Wignall Liam
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Pandemic-related social lockdown limited many sexual behaviors, but to date, no study has examined the perceived impact of social lockdown due to COVID-19 on sexual fantasy and solitary sexual behavior.

Aims

The present study sought to examine the perceived impact of social lockdown on sexual fantasy and solitary sexual behavior among UK young adults in various living situations.

Methods

A convenience sample of 565 adults aged 18–32 and living in the UK completed anonymous, web-based, study-specific questionnaires between May 14 and 18, 2020, 7 weeks after social lockdown was initiated. Mixed-method analyses were conducted.

Main Outcome Measures

The study presents qualitative and quantitative data. Criterion variables were measured dichotomously as increases (vs no change) in sexual fantasy and increases (vs no change) in pornography consumption. Predictor variables were living arrangement, relationship status, and postlockdown changes in masturbation and pornography consumption.

Results

Of all, 34.3% engaged in more sexual fantasizing during lockdown; women were more likely than men to report this increase. Living context and relationship status were predictors of increased fantasizing. Of all, 30.44% reported an increase in at least one solitary sexual practice. This increase was associated with an increase in sexual fantasizing and also with increased pornography consumption. Nineteen percent of participants reported an increase in pornography use, with men being more likely than women to report this increase. Participants mostly attributed their increases to boredom, increased free time, and replacing partnered sex.

Conclusion

Shifts in sexual fantasizing and solitary sexual practices were predicted by living arrangements, relationship status, and gender. The present findings suggest that the assessment of sexual fantasy and solitary sexual activities may benefit patients presenting with pandemic-related stress. Although mostly exploratory, significant changes in sexual fantasy and solitary sexual practices were observed. A cross-sectional design, convenience sampling, and study-specific measures are limitations.
Whole-Genome Study of a Multigenerational Family with Essential Tremor
Authors: Zhang Ming , Rohani Mohammad , Montazer Haghighi Mahdi , Sato Christine , Rogaeva Ekaterina , Fasano Alfonso
Published: May 2021

Background:

Essential tremor (ET) is a common movement disorder with ˜5% prevalence in individuals above the age of 65, but in rare cases, it arises during childhood. Growing evidence suggests the role of cerebellum in the disease mechanism. ET is highly heritable, however, poor replication of risk loci point to its significant heterogeneity. Thus, it is important to genetically investigate kindreds with a strong aggregation of ET.

Methods:

We conducted a clinical and whole-genome investigation of a large Caucasian Canadian family, in which six out of eight patients are affected by childhood-onset ET in four consecutive generations. Eight family members were available for study, including three patients affected by ET. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted for the four most informative individuals, followed by Sanger sequencing in the entire kindred.

Results:

We searched for rare variants absent in the eldest unaffected individual, but present in the patients (two siblings and their third-degree relative). Our stringent whole-genome filtering approach revealed a rare heterozygous p. Arg90Gln substitution in TCP10L (rs151233771) in all three investigated patients. Sanger sequencing confirmed the p. Arg90Gln variant and revealed its absence in the rest of the family members.

Conclusions:

Whole-genome data of the family with ET resulted in a single candidate gene mapped to 21q22.11 locus (TCP10L) with the highest brain expression in cerebellum. Our study encourages future replication studies to validate the genetic link between TCP10L and ET, and suggests the p. Arg90Gln variant for functional investigation.
Development of novel home-based tampon sampling for endometrial cancer: findings from community-based focus groups with Black and White women
Authors: Ridgeway Jennifer L. , Albertie Monica L. , Williams Shantel , Pantoja Elizabeth , Stephenson Noreen , Pacheco-Spann Laura , Ball Colleen T. , Radecki Breitkopf Carmen , Bakkum-Gamez Jamie N. , Chase Lori , DeStephano Christopher C. , Sherman Mark E.
Published: May 2021

Novel endometrial cancer (EC) early-detection approaches may reduce racial disparities in mortality. We conducted six community-based focus groups with White and Black women (N = 57 participants) in February-March 2020 to explore acceptability of a home-based tampon sampling approach for EC. Participants also completed a survey. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Awareness of EC and risk factors was low. Acceptability regarding home sampling was high, but participants expressed concerns about instruction complexity and potential risks. Black women reported lower comfort with tampons. Increasing EC awareness, self-efficacy, and familiarization with tampons would advance prospects for at-home sample collection for EC testing.
Do We Deserve Credit for Everything We Understand?
Authors: Malfatti Federica Isabella
Published: May 2021

It is widely acknowledged in the literature in social epistemology that knowledge has a social dimension: we are epistemically dependent upon one another for most of what we know. Our knowledge can be, and very often is, grounded on the epistemic achievement of somebody else. But what about epistemic aims other than knowledge? What about understanding? Prominent authors argue that understanding is not social in the same way in which knowledge is. Others can put us in the position to understand, but when we understand something, this accomplishment is to be credited mainly if not entirely to us, as it is due to the successful exercise of our own cognitive abilities. In this paper, I show that the social dimension of understanding closely resembles the social dimension of knowledge. I distinguish between three different ways in which a subject can depend upon another subject for (either the acquisition or the possession of) a certain epistemic good. I then argue that all these kinds of epistemic dependence apply to knowledge and understanding alike. If I am right, understanding is not (always) an achievement to be (mainly) credited to the single epistemic agent who understands.
The Genetically Modified Organisms’ Regime: A Playground for Multi-Level Administration and a Nightmare for Effective Judicial Protection?
Authors: Lanceiro Rui , Eliantonio Mariolina
Published: May 2021

The European Union has a comprehensive legal framework in place for the authorization, traceability, and labelling of genetically modified organisms, the aim of which is to create a unified market while simultaneously ensuring that the placing on the market of the products concerned will not pose a risk to human or animal health or to the environment. This framework sets out complex, multi-level procedures which entail the cooperation and sharing of information between various national and European authorities. Filling a gap in the literature, this contribution focuses on the challenges to the system of judicial accountability that emerge in this particular system of multi-level administration. This Article shows that the problems posed by composite procedures in terms of access to justice and effective judicial protection can possibly be solved in light of the current rules concerning the division of labor between national and European courts and the applicable case law of the Court of Justice. As this Article will show, many more unsolved issues arise instead with respect to the compliance with the requirements of access to justice provided by the Aarhus Convention.
Ethnicity and Estate: The Galician Jacquerie and the Rwandan Genocide Compared
Authors: Kamusella Tomasz
Published: May 2021

In national historiography, estate (social) divisions are typically disregarded in favor of supposedly shared ethnicity, which is proposed to have united a given nation for centuries. Hence, the Polish national historiography is unable to account for the Galician Jacquerie (1846), when serfs were killing nobles, despite their (retroactively) assumed shared Polish ethnicity. On the other hand, the 1994 mass massacre of the Tutsis by Hutus is recognized as the Rwandan Genocide, though both groups share the same language, culture, and religion—or what is usually understood as ethnicity. What has sundered the Tutsis and the Hutus is the estate-like socioeconomic difference, or a memory thereof. It appears that under certain conditions estate (social, class) difference may become an ethnic boundary. In the case of the aforementioned jacquerie, the estate difference made the serfs and the nobles into two different de facto ethnic groups. Similarly, in Rwanda, estate (social) difference is implicitly posed as ethnicity, thus making the Hutus and the Tutsis into separate ethnic groups. However, the official definition of genocide as adopted by the United Nations explicitly excludes social groups (for instance, estates) from its purview, leading to terminological paradoxes.
On the low-dimensional cohomology groups of the IA-automorphism group of the free group of rank three
Authors: Satoh Takao
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we study the structure of the rational cohomology groups of the IA-automorphism group$\mathrm {IA}_3$of the free group of rank three by using combinatorial group theory and representation theory. In particular, we detect a nontrivial irreducible component in the second cohomology group of$\mathrm {IA}_3$, which is not contained in the image of the cup product map of the first cohomology groups. We also show that the triple cup product of the first cohomology groups is trivial. As a corollary, we obtain that the fourth term of the lower central series of$\mathrm {IA}_3$has finite index in that of the Andreadakis–Johnson filtration of$\mathrm {IA}_3$.