bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of novaluron ingestion and topical application onGerman cockroach (Blattella germanica) development and reproduction
Authors: A Hamilton Jamora , Wada‐Katsumata Ayako , Ko Alexander , Schal Coby 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBACKGROUNDInsect growth regulators disrupt insect development and reproduction. Chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) allow the insect to grow normally, but because chitin is an essential component of the cuticle, formation of a new cuticle and ecdysis are prevented and the insect dies. CSIs can also kill embryos by disrupting their normal development. We evaluated the potential utility of novaluron in bait formulations against the German cockroach (Blattella germanicaL.).RESULTSThe minimum novaluron intake that interfered with molting and reproduction was assessed by exposing nymphs and adult females to novaluron. Results showed that 1 day of feeding on 0.1% novaluron was sufficient to disrupt molting in nymphs and prevent adult females from developing viable oothecae. The long‐term effects on gravid females were investigated by feeding females 0.1% novaluron for different 5‐day intervals during successive stages of gestation. Results demonstrated that gravid females fed novaluron during any period of gestation were able to produce viable eggs. To determine if ingestion of novaluron affected mating success and fertility of adult males, males were fed novaluron and then allowed to mate with untreated virgin females. Males that fed on novaluron successfully mated, and the females produced viable oothecae. Finally, direct comparisons revealed that novaluron is equally effective by ingestion and topical application.CONCLUSIONSNovaluron caused mortality in nymphs and interfered with ootheca production in adult females, but only before they formed an ootheca. It successfully reduced German cockroach populations in cages and has potential to be incorporated in cockroach baits.
Use of optimal mixture‐process designs and response‐surface models to study properties of calcium silicate units
Authors: Kuhnt Sonja , Becker‐Emden Eva‐Christina , Schade Tim , Eden Wolfgang , Middendorf Bernhard 
Published: September 2020

AbstractCalcium silicate units are versatile and widely used construction materials for edifices. Their production process involves several factors that concern either the mixture of the raw materials or the curing process. The understanding of how raw materials and process variables interact in achieving the compressive strength of the final product enables a cost‐ and energy‐efficient layout of the production process. In this paper, we use mixture‐process experiments to derive a prediction model for compressive strength. We compare computer‐generated D‐optimal designs with different numbers of center points by various criteria and by their prediction variance throughout the design space. In contrast to traditional mixture designs, these designs take additional constraints on the mixture components into account and can include process variables. We review suitable response‐surface models, which combine mixture and process variables. Based on results from 72 experimental runs, a model for the mean compressive strength is built, combining expert knowledge with statistical model‐selection strategies. The resulting model covers not only linear effects of mixture components and process variables but also interactions and quadratic terms. For example, the influence of the lime share on compressive strength differs among the use of various sand mixtures. For desired values of predicted compressive strength, factor settings can thereby be found reducing costs and energy emission.
A novel fluoroscopy‐based robot system for pedicle screw fixation surgery
Authors: Luo Yanzhong , Li Zhuofu , Jiang Shuai , Hu Lei , Liu Wenyong , Li Weishi 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBackgroundRobot‐assisted pedicle screw insertion has gained popularity in the spinal surgery field. Due to high cost, these spinal robots are not extensively applied in clinical surgeries. Developing an effective robot system with low cost and high clinical acceptability is one of the future trends.MethodsWe developed a novel fluoroscopy‐based robot system for pedicle screw insertion. Four live pigs were conducted with percutaneous pedicle screw insertion. Robot‐assisted surgery was performed on the left side of pedicle, while the right opposite side is placed by freehand. The respect accuracy, surgical time and fluoroscopy time were recorded.ResultsRobot‐assisted group achieved 100% (23/23) accuracy. The average times (6.4 ± 1.7) for intraoperative fluoroscopy usage per procedure were lesser than freehand group (12.5 ± 3.6), and the surgical time (6.8 ± 2.1 min) per screw was reduced compared with freehand group (12.1 ± 4.8 min).ConclusionsOur robot system is cost‐effective and feasible for pedicle screw placement. Low economic cost makes it easier for extensive application in primary hospitals.
A unified criterion for global exponential stability of quaternion‐valued neural networks with hybrid impulses
Authors: Ji Xinrui , Lu Jianquan , Lou Jungang , Qiu Jianlong , Shi Kaibo 
Published: September 2020

SummaryIn this article, the stability of quaternion‐valued neural networks (QVNNs) with hybrid impulses is investigated, which contain stabilizing impulses and destabilizing impulses simultaneously. Through constructing the relationship between impulses and quaternions, this article has obtained a unified criterion for the global exponential stability of the system. First, a new form of impulsive representation is constructed, and the established systems can be decomposed into four different real parts. According to the characteristics of the impulses, the system divides the average interval of impulses (AII) into two cases, that is, and , which can process hybrid impulses simultaneously. Second, for QVNNs, by using the method of matrix p‐norm and the inequality technology, the criterion of each interval is derived. Considering the impulsive effects on the overall stability of QVNNs, the uniform criterion for the global exponential stability can be obtained. In addition, the convergence rate of QVNNs with hybrid impulses is also discussed. Finally, in order to verify the theoretical conclusions, some numerical simulations are given.
Secure sliding mode control of interval type‐2 fuzzy systems against intermittent denial‐of‐service attacks
Authors: Zhang Zhina , Niu Yugang , Zhao Haijuan 
Published: September 2020

SummaryThis article focuses on the sliding mode control of a class of interval type‐2 fuzzy systems with immeasurable states. During the data transmission from the sensor to the controller, the intermittent denial‐of‐service (DoS) attacks may be launched by vicious opponents. A key issue is to evaluate the tolerable region of the attacks for keeping the desired dynamic performance of the controlled interval type‐2 fuzzy systems. To this end, two weighting coefficients are first introduced to construct new membership functions. Based on this, a switched interval type‐2 fuzzy estimator is proposed to estimate the immeasurable state and compensate for the lost measurements caused by DoS attacks. And then, considering different DoS statues, a switched sliding mode controller transiting between the attack free and active cases is synthesized such that the specified sliding surface can be reached. In addition, the acceptable DoS region is quantitatively analyzed via a switched Lyapunov function. It is proven that the input‐to‐state stability of the sliding mode dynamics and the error system can be ensured within this tolerable DoS region. Finally, a simulation example is provided to illustrate the proposed control scheme.
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived lung organoids in an ex vivo model of the congenital diaphragmatic hernia fetal lung
Authors: Kunisaki Shaun M. , Jiang Guihua , Biancotti Juan C. , Ho Kenneth K. Y. , Dye Briana R. , Liu Allen P. , Spence Jason R. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThree-dimensional lung organoids (LOs) derived from pluripotent stem cells have the potential to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms and to enable novel therapeutic approaches in neonates with pulmonary disorders. We established a reproducible ex vivo model of lung development using transgene-free human induced pluripotent stem cells generated from fetuses and infants with Bochdalek congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a polygenic disorder associated with fetal lung compression and pulmonary hypoplasia at birth. Molecular and cellular comparisons of CDH LOs revealed impaired generation of NKX2.1+ progenitors, type II alveolar epithelial cells, and PDGFRα+ myofibroblasts. We then subjected these LOs to disease relevant mechanical cues through ex vivo compression and observed significant changes in genes associated with pulmonary progenitors, alveolar epithelial cells, and mesenchymal fibroblasts. Collectively, these data suggest both primary cell-intrinsic and secondary mechanical causes of CDH lung hypoplasia and support the use of this stem cell-based approach for disease modeling in CDH.
KubCG: A dynamic Kubernetes scheduler for heterogeneous clusters
Authors: El Haj Ahmed Ghofrane , Gil‐Castiñeira Felipe , Costa‐Montenegro Enrique 
Published: September 2020

SummaryContainer platforms are increasingly being used to deploy cloud‐based services. Nevertheless, many cloud services are also demanding graphics processing units (GPUs) to accelerate different applications that make use of their parallel architecture, such as deep learning or just video processing. Thus, different container technologies, such as Docker and Kubernetes, are implementing GPU support. Some effort is being devoted to design algorithms to schedule applications into heterogeneous computing systems that use CPUs and GPUs together. This article is part of this effort, and we describe how to build a dynamic scheduling platform for Kubernetes that is able to manage the deployment of Docker containers in a heterogeneous cluster, which we call KubCG. This platform implements a new scheduler that optimizes the deployment of new containers by taking into account the Kubernetes Pod timeline and the historical information about the execution of the containers. We have performed different tests to validate this new algorithm, and KubCG was able to reduce the time to complete different tasks down to a 64% of the original time in our different experiments.
Biofilms to Improve Fruit Shelf Life Using Hydrophobic and Pre‐Gel Cassava Modified Starch
Authors: Lermen Fernando Henrique , Piazza Vera Regina , Ramos Carolina Kruse , Ribeiro José Luis Duarte , Echeveste Márcia Elisa , Assad Filho Nabi , Coelho Tânia Maria 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis study investigates an alternative to reduce fruit waste. Nowadays, around 40% of the fruit produced is wasted before consumption. Considering such waste and the current rate of population growth, by 2050, the world population will lack food. Due to the high content of moisture and sugar, many fruits are markedly perishable, and this characteristic contributes to the waste of food. In order to find solutions for increasing fruit durability, this study presents the development of a hydrophobic and pre‐gel modified starch, used as a protective layer to preserve post‐harvest fruits. Physicochemical analyses are carried out to monitor the rate of fruit decomposition of pears and oranges. The study concludes that protecting the fruit with the hydrophobic and pre‐gel modified starch mixture is effective in postponing the degradation process. The fruits that received regular sanitization lasted only for 22 days, while the ones that received the starch protection are suitable for consumption for up to 56 days.
A review of past changes in extratropical cyclones in the northern hemisphere and what can be learned for the future
Authors: Raible Christoph C. , Pinto Joaquim G. , Ludwig Patrick , Messmer Martina 
Published: September 2020

AbstractExtratropical cyclones, a major phenomenon of the mid‐latitude atmospheric dynamics, show strong variability over a range of time scales. Future projections hint at an increase of cyclonic intensity and the associated precipitation, an important fact to be considered when developing future risk assessments. This review presents a first overview of studies which (a) puts the current variability and projected future climate changes of extratropical cyclone characteristics in a long‐term perspective, (b) shows connections to natural external forcings, and (c) deepens our understanding of cyclone intensification processes for past climate periods. We summarize the current state of knowledge for two periods in the past—the last millennium and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 21,000 years ago). For these two periods, the sparse information from paleo proxy archives are compared to climate modeling results on global and regional scales. For example, strong changes of the climate mean state, induced by orbital forcing and associated feedbacks, show strong effects on different cyclone characteristics, for example, a southward shift of the storm tracks over the North Atlantic during the LGM. Other findings indicate that dynamic processes could play at least an equally important role as thermodynamic processes for the variations of cyclone‐induced precipitation. This is in contrast to the projected future changes in cyclone‐related precipitation, which are driven primarily by thermodynamic processes. The review demonstrates how a paleoclimatic view can foster an extended process understanding and be instrumental to better understand future changes in extratropical cyclones and associated characteristics.This article is categorized under:
Paleoclimates and Current Trends > Modern Climate Change
Semiclassical quantization of the mixed-flux AdS3 giant magnon
Authors: Varga Adam 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe obtain explicit formulas for the eight bosonic and eight fermionic fluctuations around the mixed-flux generalization of the Hofman-Maldacena giant magnon on AdS3×S3×T4and AdS3×S3×S3×S1. As a check of our results, we confirm that the semiclassical quantization of these fluctuations leads to a vanishing one-loop correction to the magnon energy, as expected from symmetry based arguments.
$$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 Conformal SYM theories at large $$ \mathcal{N} $$
Authors: Beccaria M. , Billò M. , Galvagno F. , Hasan A. , Lerda A. 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
We consider a class of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 conformal SU(N) SYM theories in four dimensions with matter in the fundamental, two-index symmetric and anti-symmetric representations, and study the corresponding matrix model provided by localization on a sphere S4, which also encodes information on flat-space observables involving chiral operators and circular BPS Wilson loops. We review and improve known techniques for studying the matrix model in the large-N limit, deriving explicit expressions in perturbation theory for these observables. We exploit both recursive methods in the so-called full Lie algebra approach and the more standard Cartan sub-algebra approach based on the eigenvalue distribution. The sub-class of conformal theories for which the number of fundamental hypermultiplets does not scale with N differs in the planar limit from the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SYM theory only in observables involving chiral operators of odd dimension. In this case we are able to derive compact expressions which allow to push the small ’t Hooft coupling expansion to very high orders. We argue that the perturbative series have a finite radius of convergence and extrapolate them numerically to intermediate couplings. This is preliminary to an analytic investigation of the strong coupling behavior, which would be very interesting given that for such theories holographic duals have been proposed.
The herbal extract EPs® 7630 increases the antimicrobial airway defense through monocyte-dependent induction of IL-22 in T cells
Authors: Witte Katrin , Koch Egon , Volk Hans-Dieter , Wolk Kerstin , Sabat Robert 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
The phytotherapeutic compound EPs® 7630, an extract manufactured from Pelargonium sidoides roots, is frequently used for the treatment of airway infections. Nevertheless, the knowledge of the mode of action of EPs® 7630 is still sparse. Our study aimed at further elucidating the underlying pharmacological mechanisms by focusing on antimicrobial defense mechanisms of EPs® 7630. While investigating the influence of EPs® 7630 on lymphokine production by PBMCs, we found that EPs® 7630 is a novel inducer of IL-22 and IL-17. This cytokine-inducing effect was most pronounced for IL-22 and clearly dose-dependent starting from 1 μg/ml of the extract. Furthermore, EPs® 7630 pretreatment selectively enhanced the IL-22 and IL-17 production capacity of CD3/28-activated PBMCs while strongly limiting the IFN-γ production capacity of innate lymphoid cells. The relevance of EPs® 7630–induced IL-22 production was proven in vitro and in vivo, where IL-22 provoked a strong increase of the antimicrobial protein S100A9 in lung epithelial cells and pulmonary tissue, respectively. A detailed analysis of IL-22 induction modi revealed no direct influence of EPs® 7630 on the basal or anti-CD3/CD28 antibody-induced IL-22 production by CD4+ memory T cells. In fact, EPs® 7630–induced IL-22 production by CD4+ memory T cells was found to be essentially dependent on soluble mediators (IL-1/IL-23) as well as on direct cellular contact with monocytes. In summary, our study reveals a new immune-modulating function of EPs® 7630 that might confer IL-22 and IL-17-induced protection from bacterial airway infection.

Key messages

EPs® 7630 selectively strengthens IL-22 and IL-17 production of memory T cells.

EPs® 7630 limits the IFN-y production capacity of innate lymphoid cells.

EPs® 7630–caused IL-22 production by T cells is essentially dependent on monocytes.

IL-22 increase antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) in airway epithelium.

EPs® 7630 might protect against airway infection by induction of AMP-inducers.
An Event-B based approach for cloudcomposite services verification
Authors: Lahouij Aida , Hamel Lazhar , Graiet Mohamed , el Ayeb Béchir 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe verification of the Cloud composite services’ correctness is challenging. In fact, multiple component services, derived from different Cloud providers with different service description languages and communication protocols, are involved in the composition which may raise incompatibility issues that in turn lead to a non-consistent composition. In this work, we propose a formal approach to model and verify Cloud composite services. Four verification levels are considered in this article; the structural, semantic, behavioral, and resource allocation levels. Therefore, we opted for the Event-B formal method that enables complex problems decomposition thanks to its refinement capabilities. The proposed approach has proven its efficiency for the modelling and verification of Cloud composite services. The proposed model comprises four abstract levels with respect to the four verification axes. A proof-based approach is applied to the model’s verification. We also succeeded in the validation of the model thanks to the model animation provided by the PROB tool. The use of formal methods provides a rigorous reasoning and mathematical proofs on the correction of the model which ensures the elaboration of correct-by-construction composite services.
Outpacing movement — ultrafast volume coverage in neuropediatric magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Gräfe Daniel , Roth Christian , Weisser Margit , Krause Matthias , Frahm Jens , Voit Dirk , Hirsch Franz Wolfgang 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Background
Conventional MRI sequences are often affected in neuropediatric imaging by unavoidable movements. Therefore, children younger than 6 years usually have to be examined under sedation/anesthesia. A new real-time MRI technique with automatic slice advancement allows for motion-robust T2-weighted volume coverage of the whole brain within a few seconds in adults.

Objective
To evaluate to which extent the new volume coverage method can be used to visualize cerebrospinal fluid and reduce the need for anesthesia in children.

Materials and methods
We assessed 30 children ages 6 years and younger with suspected or proven hydrocephalus, hygroma or macrocephalus using volume coverage sequences with 20 slices per second in three planes. If necessary, a parent was placed in the bore together with the child for calming and gentle immobilization. We compared visualization of cerebrospinal fluid spaces and course of the shunt catheter in volume coverage sequences vs. fast spin-echo sequences.

Results
The clinical issue could be sufficiently assessed in all children with use of volume coverage sequences, whereas conventional fast spin-echo sequences performed moderately to poorly. Visualization of the tip of a shunt failed in 16% of volume coverage scans and 27% of turbo spin-echo scans. A subsequent examination under anesthesia was never necessary. None of the examinations had to be stopped prematurely.

Conclusion
The motion-robust volume coverage sequences with T2-type contrast can be used to avoid sedation of children in the evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid spaces, even in the presence of vigorous motion. For other indications and contrasts, the technique must still be evaluated.
Chemically synthesized Gb3 glycosphingolipids: tools to access their function in lipid membranes
Authors: Sibold Jeremias , Ahadi Somayeh , Werz Daniel B. , Steinem Claudia 
Published: September 2020

AbstractGb3 glycosphingolipids are the specific receptors for bacterial Shiga toxin. Whereas the trisaccharidic head group of Gb3 defines the specificity of Shiga toxin binding, the lipophilic part composed of sphingosine and different fatty acids is suggested to determine its localization within membranes impacting membrane organisation and protein binding eventually leading to protein internalisation. While most studies use Gb3 extracts, chemical synthesis provides a unique tool to access different tailor-made Gb3 glycosphingolipids. In this review, strategies to synthesize these complex glycosphingolipids are presented. Special emphasis is put on the preparation of Gb3 molecules differing only in their fatty acid part (saturated, unsaturated, α-hydroxylated and both, unsaturated and α-hydroxylated). With these molecules in hand, it became possible to investigate the phase behaviour of liquid ordered/liquid disordered supported membranes doped with the Gb3 species by means of fluorescence and atomic force microscopy. The results clearly highlight the influence of the different fatty acids of the Gb3 sphingolipids on the phase behaviour and the binding properties of Shiga toxin B subunits, even though the membranes were only doped with 5 mol% of the receptor lipid. To obtain fluorescent Gb3 derivatives, either fatty acid labelled Gb3 molecules or head group labelled ones were synthesized. These molecules enabled us to address the question, where the Gb3 sphingolipids are localized prior protein binding by means of fluorescence microscopy on giant unilamellar vesicles. The results again demonstrate that the fatty acid of Gb3 plays a pivotal role for the overall membrane organisation.