bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long-term athletic training does not alter age-associated reductions of left-ventricular mid-diastolic lengthening or expansion at rest
Authors: Beaumont Alexander , Campbell Amy , Unnithan Viswanath , Grace Fergal , Knox Allan , Sculthorpe Nicholas 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Purpose
The interaction of ageing and exercise training status on left-ventricular (LV) peak strain is unclear. Additionally, strain analysis across the entire cardiac cycle facilitates a more detailed assessment of deformation, yet this has not been implemented to characterize the ageing LV and in association with training status. This study investigated healthy ageing and training status on LV systolic and diastolic strain utilizing novel echocardiographic applications.

Methods
Forty healthy males were included and allocated into four groups; young recreationally active (YRA,n = 9; 28 ± 5 years), old recreationally active (ORA, n = 10; 68 ± 6), young trained (YT,n = 10; 27 ± 6 years), and old trained (OT, n = 11, 64 ± 4 years) groups. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography was performed to ascertain peak LV longitudinal and circumferential strain (base and apex) strain within each myocardial layer and at 5% increments across the cardiac cycle.

Results
Older groups had lower diastolic longitudinal lengthening and circumferential expansion between 40–85% mid-diastole, regardless of training status (P < 0.05). Whereas, strain throughout systole was similar between groups (P > 0.05). Longitudinal and circumferential (base and apex) peak and layer-specific strain did not differ between groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion
Novel applications of diastolic strain revealed lower age-associated LV longitudinal lengthening and circumferential expansion in older age. Yet, diastolic strain profiles did not differ based on chronic habits of exercise training and, thus, older trained men did not demonstrate an attenuation of age-associated differences in mid-diastolic LV strain.
Modelling Drosophila motion vision pathways for decoding the direction of translating objects against cluttered moving backgrounds
Authors: Fu Qinbing , Yue Shigang 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDecoding the direction of translating objects in front of cluttered moving backgrounds, accurately and efficiently, is still a challenging problem. In nature, lightweight and low-powered flying insects apply motion vision to detect a moving target in highly variable environments during flight, which are excellent paradigms to learn motion perception strategies. This paper investigates the fruit fly Drosophila motion vision pathways and presents computational modelling based on cutting-edge physiological researches. The proposed visual system model features bio-plausible ON and OFF pathways, wide-field horizontal-sensitive (HS) and vertical-sensitive (VS) systems. The main contributions of this research are on two aspects: (1) the proposed model articulates the forming of both direction-selective and direction-opponent responses, revealed as principal features of motion perception neural circuits, in a feed-forward manner; (2) it also shows robust direction selectivity to translating objects in front of cluttered moving backgrounds, via the modelling of spatiotemporal dynamics including combination of motion pre-filtering mechanisms and ensembles of local correlators inside both the ON and OFF pathways, which works effectively to suppress irrelevant background motion or distractors, and to improve the dynamic response. Accordingly, the direction of translating objects is decoded as global responses of both the HS and VS systems with positive or negative output indicating preferred-direction or null-direction translation. The experiments have verified the effectiveness of the proposed neural system model, and demonstrated its responsive preference to faster-moving, higher-contrast and larger-size targets embedded in cluttered moving backgrounds.
Infinite-dimensional stochastic differential equations and tail $$\sigma $$-fields
Authors: Osada Hirofumi , Tanemura Hideki 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe present general theorems solving the long-standing problem of the existence and pathwise uniqueness of strong solutions of infinite-dimensional stochastic differential equations (ISDEs) called interacting Brownian motions. These ISDEs describe the dynamics of infinitely-many Brownian particles moving in $$ {\mathbb {R}}^d $$

R

d

with free potential $$ \varPhi $$
Φ
and mutual interaction potential $$ \varPsi $$
Ψ
. We apply the theorems to essentially all interaction potentials of Ruelle’s class such as the Lennard-Jones 6-12 potential and Riesz potentials, and to logarithmic potentials appearing in random matrix theory. We solve ISDEs of the Ginibre interacting Brownian motion and the sine$$_{\beta }$$

β

interacting Brownian motion with $$ \beta = 1,2,4$$

β
=
1
,
2
,
4

. We also use the theorems in separate papers for the Airy and Bessel interacting Brownian motions. One of the critical points for proving the general theorems is to establish a new formulation of solutions of ISDEs in terms of tail $$ \sigma $$
σ
-fields of labeled path spaces consisting of trajectories of infinitely-many particles. These formulations are equivalent to the original notions of solutions of ISDEs, and more feasible to treat in infinite dimensions.
Coupling XFEM and Peridynamics for brittle fracture simulation: part II—adaptive relocation strategy
Authors: Giannakeas Ilias N. , Papathanasiou Theodosios K. , Fallah Arash S. , Bahai Hamid 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAn adaptive relocation strategy for a coupled XFEM–Peridynamic (PD) model is introduced. The motivation is to enhance the efficiency of the coupled model and demonstrate its applicability to complex brittle fracture problems. The XFEM and PD approximation domains can be redefined during the simulation, to ensure that the computationally expensive PD model is applied only where needed. To this end a two-step expansion/contraction process, allowing the PD patch to adaptively change its shape, size and location, following the propagation of the crack, is employed. No a priori knowledge of the crack path or re-meshing is required, and the methodology can automatically switch between PD and XFEM. Three 2D fracture examples are presented to highlight the performance of the methodology and the ability to follow multiple crack tips. Results indicate significant computational savings. Furthermore, the characteristic length scale of PD theory bestows a nonlocal and multiscale component to the methodology.
Demand for weekend outpatient chemotherapy among patients with cancer in Japan
Authors: Katayama Hideki , Tabata Masahiro , Kubo Toshio , Kiura Katsuyuki , Matsuoka Junji , Maeda Yoshinobu 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
Advanced cancer therapeutics have improved patient survival, leading to an increase in the number of patients who require long-term outpatient chemotherapy. However, the available schedule options for chemotherapy are generally limited to traditional business hours.

Method
In 2017, we surveyed 721 patients with cancer in Okayama, Japan, regarding their preferences for evening and weekend (Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday) chemotherapy appointments.

Results
A preference for evening and weekend appointment options was indicated by 37% of the respondents. Patients who requested weekend chemotherapy were younger, female, with no spouse or partner, living alone, employed, and currently receiving treatment. Among these factors, age and employment status were significantly associated with a preference for weekend chemotherapy, according to multivariate analysis.

Conclusion
Our findings reveal a demand for evening and weekend outpatient chemotherapy, especially among young, employed patients.
Incidental pulmonary embolism in oncologic patients—a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Meyer Hans-Jonas , Wienke Andreas , Surov Alexey 
Published: July 2020

AbstractPurposeIncidental pulmonary embolism (IPE) is a common finding on computed tomography (CT). IPE is frequent in oncologic patients undergoing staging CT. The aim of this analysis was to provide the pooled frequency of IPE and frequencies of IPE in different primary tumors.MethodsMEDLINE, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases were screened for studies investigating frequency of IPE in oncologic staging CT up to February 2020. Overall, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included into the present study.ResultsThe pooled analysis yielded a total of 28,626 patients. IPE was identified in 963 patients (3.36%, 95% CI = 3.15; 3.57). The highest frequency was found in prostate cancer (8.59%, 95%CI = 3.74; 13.44), followed by hepatobiliary carcinoma (6.07%, 95%CI = 3.09; 9.05) and pancreatic cancer (5.65%, 95%CI = 3.54; 7.76). The lowest frequencies were identified in tumors of male reproductive organs (0.79%, 95%CI = 0.21; 1.37) and hematological diseases (1.11% 95%CI = 0.74; 1.48).ConclusionThe overall frequency of IPE in oncologic patients was 3.36%. There are considerable differences in regard to primary tumors with the highest frequency in prostate cancer and pancreatic and hepatobiliary carcinomas.
Food-derived coagulase-negative Staphylococcus as starter cultures for fermented foods
Authors: Heo Sojeong , Lee Jong-Hoon , Jeong Do-Won 
Published: July 2020

AbstractFood safety is of significant concern to consumers and is a major issue for the food industry. As such, the industry is aware of the importance of safety assessments of starters used in the production of fermented foods. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the predominant bacteria found in fermented foods worldwide. Because of this, food-derived CNS are used as starters for cheese and meat fermentation, and have been investigated for use as starters in soybean fermentation. Although food-derived CNS are generally considered non-pathogenic, their safety remains uncertain following the isolation of CNS from skin infections in humans and animals, and because they belong to the same genus as the highly pathogenic species Staphylococcus aureus. This review explores what is known about the safety of food-derived CNS, focusing on antibiotic resistance, enterotoxin genes, and biogenic amine production, to aid in the selection of starter candidates.
QML estimation with non-summable weight matrices
Authors: Olejnik Jakub , Olejnik Alicja 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis paper revisits the theory of asymptotic behaviour of the well-known Gaussian Quasi-Maximum Likelihood estimator of parameters in mixed regressive, high-order autoregressive spatial models. We generalise the approach previously published in the econometric literature by weakening the assumptions imposed on the spatial weight matrix. This allows consideration of interaction patterns with a potentially larger degree of spatial dependence. Moreover, we broaden the class of admissible distributions of model residuals. As an example application of our new asymptotic analysis we also consider the large sample behaviour of a general group effects design.
Atlanto-axial rotary instability (Fielding type 1): characteristic clinical and radiological findings, and treatment outcomes following alignment, fusion, and stabilization
Authors: Henderson Fraser C. , Rosenbaum Robert , Narayanan Malini , Koby Myles , Tuchman Kelly , Rowe Peter C. , Francomano Clair 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAtlanto-axial instability (AAI) is common in the connective tissue disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and increasingly recognized in the heritable disorders of Stickler, Loeys-Dietz, Marfan, Morquio, and Ehlers-Danlos (EDS) syndromes, where it typically presents as a rotary subluxation due to incompetence of the alar ligament. This retrospective, IRB-approved study examines 20 subjects with Fielding type 1 rotary subluxation, characterized by anterior subluxation of the facet on one side, with anormal atlanto-dental interval. Subjects diagnosed with a heritable connective tissue disorder, and AAI had failed non-operative treatment and presented with severe headache, neck pain, and characteristic neurological findings. Subjects underwent a modified Goel-Harms posterior C1-C2 screw fixation and fusion without complication. At 15 months, two subjects underwent reoperation following a fall (one) and occipito-atlantal instability (one). Patients reported improvement in the frequency or severity of neck pain (P < 0.001), numbness in the hands and lower extremities (P = 0.001), headaches, pre-syncope, and lightheadedness (allP < 0.01), vertigo and arm weakness (bothP = 0.01), and syncope, nausea, joint pain, and exercise tolerance (allP < 0.05). The diagnosis of Fielding type 1 AAI requires directed investigation with dynamic imaging. Alignment and stabilization is associated with improvement of pain, syncopal and near-syncopal episodes, sensorimotor function, and exercise tolerance.
Agent-based modelling and parameter sensitivity analysis with a finite-element method for skin contraction
Authors: Peng Qiyao , Vermolen Fred 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn this paper, we extend the model of wound healing by Boon et al. (J Biomech 49(8):1388–1401, 2016). In addition to explaining the model explicitly regarding every component, namely cells, signalling molecules and tissue bundles, we categorized fibroblasts as regular fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. We do so since it is widely documented that myofibroblasts play a significant role during wound healing and skin contraction and that they are the main phenotype of cells that is responsible for the permanent deformations. Furthermore, we carried out some sensitivity tests of the model by modifying certain parameter values, and we observe that the model shows some consistency with several biological phenomena. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we found that there is a significant strong positive correlation between the final wound area and the minimal wound area. The high correlation between the wound area after 4 days and the final/minimal wound area makes it possible for physicians to predict the most probable time evolution of the wound of the patient. However, the collagen density ratio at the time when the wound area reaches its equilibrium and minimum, cannot indicate the degree of wound contractions, whereas at the 4th day post-wounding, when the collagen is accumulating from null, there is a strong negative correlation between the area and the collagen density ratio. Further, under the circumstances that we modelled, the probability that patients will end up with 5% contraction is about 0.627.
Separating the impact of work environment and machine operation on harvester performance
Authors: Melander Lari , Ritala Risto 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn mechanized logging operations, interactions between the forest machines and their operators, forest resources and environmental conditions are multifold and not easily detected. However, increased computational resources and sensing capabilities of the forest machines together with extensive forest inventory data enable modeling of such relationships, leading eventually to better planning of the operations, better assistance for the forest machine operators, and increased efficiency of timber harvesting. In this study, both forest machine fieldbus data and forest inventory data were acquired extensively. The forest inventory data, acquired nationwide, was clustered to categorize general tree and soil types in Finland. The found forest categories were applied when the harvester fieldbus data, collected from the forest operations in the North Karelia region with two similar harvesters, was analyzed. When the performance of the machine and the operator, namely the fuel consumption and log production, is studied individually for each forest cluster, the impact of working environment no longer masks the causes based on the machine or the operator, thus making the observations from separate forest locations comparable. The study observed statistically significant differences in fuel consumption between the most general tree and soil clusters as well as between the harvester-operator units. The modeling approach applied, based on multivariate linear regression, finds such reasons for the differences that have clear interpretation from machine setup or operator working style perspective, and thus offers a feasible method for assisting the operators in improving their working practices and thus the overall performance specifically at forest of given type.
Explicit stabilised gradient descent for faster strongly convex optimisation
Authors: Eftekhari Armin , Vandereycken Bart , Vilmart Gilles , Zygalakis Konstantinos C. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis paper introduces the Runge–Kutta Chebyshev descent method (RKCD) for strongly convex optimisation problems. This new algorithm is based on explicit stabilised integrators for stiff differential equations, a powerful class of numerical schemes that avoid the severe step size restriction faced by standard explicit integrators. For optimising quadratic and strongly convex functions, this paper proves that RKCD nearly achieves the optimal convergence rate of the conjugate gradient algorithm, and the suboptimality of RKCD diminishes as the condition number of the quadratic function worsens. It is established that this optimal rate is obtained also for a partitioned variant of RKCD applied to perturbations of quadratic functions. In addition, numerical experiments on general strongly convex problems show that RKCD outperforms Nesterov’s accelerated gradient descent.
Extrahepatic metabolism of ibrutinib
Authors: Rood Johannes J. M. , Jamalpoor Amer , van Hoppe Stephanie , van Haren Matthijs J. , Wasmann Roeland E. , Janssen Manoe J. , Schinkel Alfred H. , Masereeuw Rosalinde , Beijnen Jos H. , Sparidans Rolf W. 
Published: July 2020

SummaryIbrutinib is a first-in-class Bruton’s kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of multiple lymphomas. In addition to CYP3A4-mediated metabolism, glutathione conjugation can be observed. Subsequently, metabolism of the conjugates and finally their excretion in feces and urine occurs. These metabolites, however, can reach substantial concentrations in human subjects, especially when CYP3A4 is inhibited. Ibrutinib has unexplained nephrotoxicity and high metabolite concentrations are also found in kidneys of Cyp3a knockout mice. Here, a mechanism is proposed where the intermediate cysteine metabolite is bioactivated. The metabolism of ibrutinib through this glutathione cycle was confirmed in cultured human renal proximal tubule cells. Ibrutinib-mediated toxicity was enhanced in-vitro by inhibitors of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance protein (MRP). This was a result of accumulating cysteine metabolite levels due to efflux inhibition. Finally, through inhibition of downstream metabolism, it was shown now that direct conjugation was responsible for cysteine metabolite toxicity.
A Point Process Characterisation of Extreme Temperatures: an Application to South African Data
Authors: Nemukula Murendeni Maurel , Sigauke Caston 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe point process (PP) modelling approach is considered a more elegant alternative of extreme value analysis. This is because of its capability in modelling both the frequency and intensity rates of the occurrence of extremes. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of the PP modelling approach in which stationary and non-stationary models are used in modelling average maximum daily temperature (AMDT) in South Africa. The data constitutes average daily temperature observations that are collected by the South African Weather Services over the period 1 January 2000 to 30 August 2010. This study is interested on the occurrence of extreme high temperature and because of that the data for non-winter season (1 September to 30 April) of each year is used. A penalised regression cubic smoothing spline function is used for non-linear detrending of the data and determining a fixed threshold above which excesses are extracted and used. An extremal mixture model is then fitted to determine a threshold in which a boundary corrected kernel density is fitted to the bulk model and a generalised Pareto distribution (GPD) fitted to the tail of the distribution. The data exhibits properties of short-range dependence and strong seasonality, leading to declustering. An interval estimator method is used to decluster data for the purpose of fitting PP models to cluster maxima. The models that are used in this paper are nested and, as a result, likelihood ratio tests are conducted using the deviance statistic. The tests support the fit of the stationary PP model. We further fitted the stationary GPD and used the formal tests which are the Cramér-von Mises test and the Anderson-Darling test to diagnose fit. These tests and the diagnostic plots support fit of the stationary GPD to cluster maxima. Uncertainty of the estimates of GPD parameters is assessed in this paper using bootstrap re-sampling approach. The stationary PP model was used with the reparameterisation approach to determine frequency of the occurrence of extremely hot days, which are found to be 15 times per year. The modelling framework and results of this study are important to power utility companies in scheduling and dispatching electricity to customers during a hot spell.
University students’ epistemic profiles, conceptions of learning, and academic performance
Authors: Lonka Kirsti , Ketonen Elina , Vermunt Jan D. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractUniversity students’ epistemic beliefs may have practical consequences for studying and success in higher education. Such beliefs constitute epistemic theories that may empirically manifest themselves as epistemic profiles. This study examined university students’ epistemic profiles and their relations to conceptions of learning, age, gender, discipline, and academic achievement. The participants were 1515 students from five faculties who completed questionnaires about epistemic beliefs, including a subsample who also completed a questionnaire that included conceptions of learning. We measured epistemic beliefs: reflective learning, collaborative knowledge-building, valuing metacognition, certain knowledge, and practical value. First, we analyzed structural validity by using confirmatory factor analysis. Second, we conducted latent profile analysis that revealed three epistemic profiles: Pragmatic (49%), reflective-collaborative (26%) and fact-oriented (25%). Then, we compared the conceptions of learning across the profiles as well as demographic information, credits, and grades. The profiles’ conceptions of learning varied: The reflective-collaborative group scored high on conception of learning named “construction of knowledge.” Its members were more likely to be females, teachers, and mature students, and they had the highest academic achievement. The fact-oriented group (mostly engineering/science students) scored highest on “intake of knowledge.” The pragmatic group scored highest on “use of knowledge:” During the second year, their academic achievement improved. In sum, the epistemic profiles were closely related to conceptions of learning and also associated with academic achievement.
The conductive properties of ink coating based on Ni–Ag core–shell nanoparticles with the bimodal size distribution
Authors: Pajor-Świerzy Anna , Pawłowski Radosław , Warszyński Piotr , Szczepanowicz Krzysztof 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe studied the conductive properties of ink coatings composed of a mixture of Ni–Ag core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) at the size 70 nm and 250 nm. The metallic ink films were deposited on glass substrates by using bar coating and screen printing methods. The effect of the type of deposition method of ink coatings, as well as the temperature and time of the sintering process on their conductivity, was investigated. The most conductive films were obtained after thermal sintering at 300 °C. The obtained conductivity was about 20% of that for a bulk nickel, more than 80% higher than for films formed with any single type of particles.