bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Peri‐procedural novel oral anticoagulants dosing strategy during atrial fibrillation ablation: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Mao Yin‐Jun , Wang Hang , Huang Pin‐Fang 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed at determining whether uninterrupted novel oral anticoagulant (UI‐NOAC) would have similar rates of bleeding and thromboembolic events as minimally interrupted NOAC (MI‐NOAC) at the time of ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) as relevant studies are scarce.MethodsWe searched through the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for prospective observational studies (POSs) or randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing UI‐NOAC versus MI‐NOAC from their establishment to January 2020. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to compare the pooled treatment effect.ResultsNine studies (three POSs and six RCTs) with 2578 patients were included in the final analysis (55% patients received MI‐NOAC). No significant difference was found regarding the risk of major bleeding (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.43‐2.00, P = .84, I2 = 0%). Both groups were comparable in all subgroups ([Asians: OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.43‐2.36, P = .99, I2 = 0%], [non‐Asians: OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.11‐3.88, P = .63, I2 = 0%], [RCTs: OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.37‐1.97, P = .71, I2 = 0%], and [POSs: OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.19‐12.01, P = .69, I2 = 0%]). The risk of minor bleeding (P = .88) or stroke (P = .69) was comparable between the groups. UI‐NOAC resulted in a significant reduction in silent stroke (SS) (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.23‐0.83, P = .01, I2 = 72%). No significant difference was found in SS between once‐daily and twice‐daily NOACs (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.63‐1.33, P = .64, I2 = 0%) in the MI‐NOAC group.ConclusionsUI‐NOAC, as a peri‐procedural anticoagulation strategy for catheter ablation in AF, had similar safety compared with MI‐NOAC, but was advantageous in terms of SS.
Objective priors in the empirical Bayes framework
Authors: Klebanov Ilja , Sikorski Alexander , Schütte Christof , Röblitz Susanna 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWhen dealing with Bayesian inference the choice of the prior often remains a debatable question. Empirical Bayes methods offer a data‐driven solution to this problem by estimating the prior itself from an ensemble of data. In the nonparametric case, the maximum likelihood estimate is known to overfit the data, an issue that is commonly tackled by regularization. However, the majority of regularizations are ad hoc choices which lack invariance under reparametrization of the model and result in inconsistent estimates for equivalent models. We introduce a nonparametric, transformation‐invariant estimator for the prior distribution. Being defined in terms of the missing information similar to the reference prior, it can be seen as an extension of the latter to the data‐driven setting. This implies a natural interpretation as a trade‐off between choosing the least informative prior and incorporating the information provided by the data, a symbiosis between the objective and empirical Bayes methodologies.
Talaromycosis in a renal transplant recipient returning from South China
Authors: Vergidis Paschalis , Rao Anirudh , Moore Caroline B. , Rautemaa‐Richardson Riina , Sweeney Louise C. , Morton Muir , Johnson Elizabeth M. , Borman Andrew M. , Richardson Malcolm D. , Augustine Titus 
Published: August 2020

AbstractTalaromycosis is a fungal infection endemic in Southeast Asia. We report a case of a renal transplant recipient who developed infection after a trip to South China. She presented with constitutional symptoms and was found to have an FDG‐avid lung mass. Histopathology demonstrated small yeast cells and culture grew Talaromyces marneffei. The patient was treated with 2 weeks of liposomal amphotericin B followed by itraconazole. The dose of tacrolimus was significantly reduced because of the interaction with itraconazole. Mycophenolate mofetil was discontinued. After 12 months of treatment, the mass had completely resolved. Talaromycosis has mainly been reported in patients with AIDS and is uncommon among solid organ transplant recipients. The immune response against T. marneffei infection is mediated predominantly by T cells and macrophages. The diagnosis may not be suspected outside of endemic areas. We propose a therapeutic approach in transplant patients by extrapolating the evidence from the HIV literature and following practices applied to other endemic mycoses.
The Brassica napus wall‐associated kinase‐like (WAKL) gene Rlm9 provides race‐specific blackleg resistance
Authors: Larkan Nicholas J. , Ma Lisong , Haddadi Parham , Buchwaldt Miles , Parkin Isobel A.P. , Djavaheri Mohammad , Borhan M. Hossein 
Published: August 2020

SUMMARYIn plants, race‐specific defence against microbial pathogens is facilitated by resistance (R) genes which correspond to specific pathogen avirulence genes. This study reports the cloning of a blackleg R gene from Brassica napus (canola), Rlm9, which encodes a wall‐associated kinase‐like (WAKL) protein, a newly discovered class of race‐specific plant RLK resistance genes. Rlm9 provides race‐specific resistance against isolates of Leptosphaeria maculans carrying the corresponding avirulence gene AvrLm5‐9, representing only the second WAKL‐type R gene described to date. The Rlm9 protein is predicted to be cell membrane‐bound and while not conclusive, our work did not indicate direct interaction with AvrLm5‐9. Rlm9 forms part of a distinct evolutionary family of RLK proteins in B. napus, and while little is yet known about WAKL function, the Brassica–Leptosphaeria pathosystem may prove to be a model system by which the mechanism of fungal avirulence protein recognition by WAKL‐type R genes can be determined.
Hospital discharge hemoglobin values and posthospitalization clinical outcomes in transfused patients undergoing noncardiac surgery
Authors: Kerfeld Mitchell J. , Kor Daryl J. , Frank Ryan D. , Hanson Andrew C. , Passe Melissa A. , Warner Matthew A. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundRed blood cell (RBC) transfusion is common in surgical patients, yet optimal transfusion targets are incompletely defined in the perioperative period. Hemoglobin levels at the time of hospital discharge may provide insight into transfusion practices, anemia management, and patient outcomes.Study Design and MethodsThis is an observational cohort study of adults receiving RBC transfusion during noncardiac surgery from 2010 to 2014. Multivariable regression was used to assess the relationships between hospital discharge hemoglobin concentrations, anemia severity (severe: <8 g/dL; moderate: 8‐10 g/dL; mild/none: ≥10 g/dL), and clinical outcomes, including a primary outcome of 30‐day hospital readmission and secondary outcomes of posthospitalization RBC transfusion, composite stroke or myocardial infarction, and mortality.ResultsA total of 3129 patients were included: 165 (5%) with severe discharge anemia, 1962 (63%) moderate, and 1002 (32%) with mild/none. Five hundred ninety‐two (19%) were readmitted, with the highest rates observed with severe anemia (26% vs 19% for mild/none). Readmissions were not significantly different after multivariable adjustment (overall P = .216); however, in those receiving postoperative intensive care, severe anemia was associated with increased readmission rates (hazard ratio [HR], 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09‐2.71; reference mild/none]. Posthospitalization RBC transfusion rates were highest with severe anemia (25% vs 10% for mild/none; adjusted HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.5‐3.3; P < .001). There were no significant differences in composite stroke/myocardial infarction, or mortality. RBC transfusion volumes did not modify anemia‐outcome relationships.ConclusionHospital discharge hemoglobin values for transfused surgical patients were not associated with hospital readmission rates except for those receiving postoperative intensive care. Further evaluation is warranted to understand downstream consequences of postsurgical anemia.
Rotordynamic Behavior of Leaf Seals: Measurement of Frequency-Dependent Force Coefficients for Varying Inlet Parameters
Authors: Griebel Clemens 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
While brush seals can be found in various applications for turbomachines today, leaf seals are a further development in compliant seal technology and have a lower level of maturity. Among the purported advantages are greater axial rigidity when subject to higher pressure differences and the potential for noncontacting operation due to lift-up. However, especially their rotordynamic behavior is little investigated in the literature so far. In this paper, measured rotordynamic force coefficients of a leaf seal are presented for varying inlet pressures, preswirl velocities, and excitation frequencies. The leaf pack of the tested leaf seal has zero rotor cold clearance, and its coverplates are designed for facilitating a lift-up effect when pressurizing the seal. Experiments were performed on a dynamic test rig with whirling rotor using active magnetic bearing (AMB) technology and evaluated in the frequency domain based on the impedance method. Test results for the leaf seal reveal positive direct stiffness and an advantageous rotordynamic behavior due to significant levels of direct damping and negative cross-coupled stiffness throughout the operating parameter range. Leaf seal results are compared to brush and labyrinth seal data from previous studies for varying inlet pressures and preswirl velocities. Additional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were carried out to predict the leaf deflection moment, which supports the findings regarding hydrostatic lift-up from the experimental results.
Spectral Microscopy Imaging System for High-Resolution and High-Speed Imaging of Fuel Sprays
Authors: Maassen Ken , Poursadegh Farzad , Genzale Caroline 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Modern high-efficiency engines utilize direct injection for charge preparation at extremely high pressures. At these conditions, the scales of atomization become challenging to measure, as primary breakup occurs on the micrometer and nanosecond scales. As such, fuel sprays at these conditions have proven difficult to study via direct imaging. While high-speed cameras now exist that can shutter at tens to hundreds of nanoseconds, and long-range microscopes can be coupled to these cameras to provide high-resolution images, the resolving power of these systems is typically limited by pixel size and field of view (FOV). The large pixel sizes make the realization of the diffraction-limited optical resolution quite challenging. On the other hand, limited data throughput under high repetition rate operation limits the FOV due to reduced sensor area. Therefore, a novel measurement technique is critical to study fuel spray formation at engine-relevant conditions. In this work, we demonstrate a new high-resolution imaging technique, spectral microscopy, which aims to realize diffraction-limited imaging at effective framerates sufficient for capturing primary breakup in engine-relevant sprays. A spectral microscopy system utilizing a consumer-grade DSLR allows for significantly wider FOV with improved resolving power compared to high-speed cameras. Temporal shuttering is accomplished via separate and independently triggered back illumination sources, with wavelengths selected to overlap with the detection bands of the camera sensor's RGB filter array. The RGB detection channels act as filters to capture independently timed red, green, and blue light pulses, enabling the capture of a three consecutive images at effective framerates exceeding 20 × 106 fps. To optimize system performance, a backlit illumination system is designed to maximize light throughput, a multilens setup is created, and an image-processing algorithm is demonstrated that formulates a three-frame image from the camera sensor. The system capabilities are then demonstrated by imaging engine relevant diesel sprays. The spectral microscopy system detailed in this paper allows for micron-scale feature recognition at framerates exceeding 20 × 106 fps, thus expanding the capability for experimental research on primary breakup in fuel sprays for modern direct-injection engines.
Soot Formation With Light Extinction and Grayscale Extraction Methods Applied to Ethanol-Gasoline Blends Laminar Flame
Authors: Wei Shengli , Chen Jie , Xu Rui , Ding Tongyuan , Zhao Xiqian 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn this paper, the two-dimensional parallel light extinction method was carried out to study the soot formation in laminar diffusion flames of four different ethanol-gasoline blends, of which ethanol volume fractions ranging from 0% up to 100% (E0, E20, E80, and E100). The flame images were processed synthetically via matlab to accurately calculate the flame height. In addition, the flame structure was redefined as three zones to observe the soot formation. The results indicate that the flame height changes with the variation of gas volume flowrate and fuel mass flowrate during the experiment. In terms of soot formation, as the volume fraction of ethanol increases, the proportion of soot forming zone decreases, while the area of blue flame zone grows. Simultaneously, the transition zone accounts for about 21% of the total flame area, which has no significant change with the increase of ethanol volume fraction.
Synergetic Effect on CO2-Assisted Co-Gasification of Biomass and Plastics
Authors: Wang Zhiwei , Li Jinhu , Burra Kiran G. , Liu Xuan , Li Xueqin , Zhang Mengju , Lei Tingzhou , Gupta Ashwani K. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
CO2-assisted co-gasification of binary mixtures of pinewood pellets (PWP) and two kinds of plastics polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were examined at 800 °C using a fixed bed reactor. Evolutionary behavior and yields of CO, H2, and CmHn were investigated for both individual feedstock and binary mixtures of biomass and plastic. Synergetic effects in co-gasification of mixtures under CO2 atmosphere were analyzed and compared between experimental and calculated results. The results showed that PET and HDPE although had similar behavior in gasification, they provided many different characteristics on blending with solid biomass in CO2-assisted co-gasification. Both PWP–PET mixture and PWP–HDPE mixture showed positive effects on hydrocarbons yield and negative effects on solid yield. For PWP–PET mixture, H2 yield showed no change compared to the calculated value; however, CO yield and CO2 consumption showed negative effects due to the blocked porosity of solid biomass from the softened PET. For PWP–HDPE mixture, H2 yield showed significant enhancement compared to the calculated value, and CO yield showed slight enhancement but a slight reduction in CO2 consumption. It was also observed that the experimental CmHn yields obtained from biomass-plastics mixtures were of higher values than the calculated values. The morphologies of solid residues for PWP, PET, PWP–PET, and PWP–HDPE were analyzed and taken as a supplement to explain the synergetic effects in the co-gasification process. These results provide an insight into energy recovery and waste treatment potential for both biomass and waste plastic using thermochemical conversion.
Prediction of the Fracture Location by Tensile Tests of Gray Cast Iron Based on the Dimensional Changes of Graphite Flakes
Authors: Tada Naoya , Uemori Takeshi , Sakamoto Junji 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Gray cast iron has been used as a component in various mechanical parts, such as the blocks and heads of automobile and marine engines, cylinder liners for internal combustion engines, and machine tool bases. It is desirable because of its good castability and machinability, damping characteristics, and high performance-to-cost ratio. On the other hand, weak graphite flakes present in gray cast iron serve as stress concentrators and adversely affect the material strength. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the relationship between the distribution of graphite flakes and the strength or fracture of gray cast iron. In this study, tensile tests on gray cast iron were carried out using a plate specimen and observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the microscopic deformation was observed on the specimen surface. Particularly, the change in the size of graphite flakes during the tensile tests was examined, and the observed trend was discussed. The experimental results reveal that the dimensional changes in the graphite flakes vary in the observed area and that the final fracture occurs in an area where a large dimensional change is observed, suggesting that the fracture location or critical parts of gray cast iron can be predicted from the dimensional changes of the graphite flakes at an early stage of deformation.
Parametric Investigation of the Flow-Sound Interaction Mechanism for Single Cylinders in Cross-Flow
Authors: Afifi Omar , Mohany Atef 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Flow-excited acoustic resonance is a design concern in many industrial applications. If not treated, it may lead to excessive vibrational loads, which could subsequently result in premature structural failure of critical equipment. For the case of tube bundles in heat exchangers, several acoustic damping criteria were proposed in the literature to predict the occurrence of resonance excitation. However, these criteria, in some cases, are not reliable in differentiating between the resonant and nonresonant cases. A primary reason for that is the geometrical differences between reduced scale models and full-scale tube bundles, and their effect on the flow-sound interaction mechanism. Therefore, the effect of two geometrical aspects, namely, the duct height and the cylinder diameter, on the self-excited acoustic resonance for single cylinders in cross-flow is experimentally investigated in this work. Changing the duct height changes the natural frequency of the excited acoustic modes and the duct's acoustic damping and radiation losses. Changing the cylinder diameter changes the flow velocity at frequency coincidence, the pressure drop, and Reynolds number. It is found that increasing the duct height decreases the acoustic impedance, which makes the system more susceptible to resonance excitation. This, in turn, changes the magnitude of the acoustic pressure at resonance, even for cases where the dynamic head of the flow is kept constant. The acoustic attenuation due to visco-thermal losses is quantified theoretically using Kirchhoff's acoustical damping model, which takes into account the geometrical aspects of the different ducts. Results from the experiments are compared with the acoustic damping criteria from the literature for similar cases. It is revealed that the height of the duct is an important parameter that should be included in damping criteria proposed for tube bundles of heat exchangers, as it controls the acoustic damping and radiation losses of the system, which have been over-looked in the past.
Preliminary Material Evaluation of Flax Fibers for Prosthetic Socket Fabrication
Authors: Monette Dominic , Dumond Patrick , Chikhaoui Inès , Nichols Paul , Lemaire Edward D. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Composite prosthetic sockets are typically made of fiberglass or carbon fiber. These fibers have good mechanical properties, but relatively poor vibration damping. Flax fibers are claimed to have exceptional vibration damping properties, with the added benefit of being a natural renewable resource and a cost-effective alternative to synthetic fibers. Flax fibers could prove beneficial for prosthetic sockets, providing lightweight sockets that reduce vibrations transmitted to the body during movement. This research used impact testing (impulse hammer and custom drop tower) on flat and socket shaped composite samples to evaluate composite layer options. Sample vibration dissipation was measured by a combination of accelerometers, load cells, and a dynamometer. Composite sockets made purely of flax fibers were lighter and more efficient at damping vibrations, reducing the amplification of vibrations by a factor of nearly four times better than sockets made purely of carbon fiber. However, the bending stiffness, elastic moduli, and flexural strength of flax sockets fabricated using the traditional socket manufacturing method were found to be ten times lower than theoretical values of flax composites found in the literature. By increasing fiber volume fraction when using the traditional socket manufacturing method, the composite's mechanical properties, namely, vibration damping, could improve and flax fiber benefits could be explored further.
Heat Transfer Enhancement in Pool Boiling of Distilled Water Using Gridded Metal Surface With Protrusions Over Microporous-Coated Surface
Authors: Chauhan Vidushi , Kumar Manoj , Patil Anil Kumar 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
The nucleate pool is a useful technique of heat dissipation in a variety of thermal applications. This study investigates the effect of the gridded metal surface (GMS) with and without protrusions on the heat transfer from a surface maintained at a temperature above the saturation temperature of water. The experimental data have been collected pertaining to boiling heat transfer at atmospheric pressure by varying the grid size of gridded metal surface with protrusions from 6 mm to 22.5 mm placed over a boiling surface having microporous coating. The mean particle diameter of coating is varied as 11, 24, and 66 μm during the experimentation. It is observed that the increase in the boiling heat transfer coefficient of the aluminum disk with GMS with protrusions of grid size 11.5 mm compared to that of the smooth boiling surface is found to be 10.7%. Furthermore, the effect of GMS having protrusions with coated surface on the heat transfer is studied. The results showed that by using GMS having protrusions and with coated surface, the heat transfer is further enhanced. The boiling heat transfer coefficient obtained in case of GMS with protrusions (grid size = 11.5 mm) and microporous-coated surface (dm = 66 μm) shows the maximum enhancement of 39.93% in comparison to the smooth surface.
Ballistic-Diffusive Heat Conduction in Thin Films by Phonon Monte Carlo Method: Gray Medium Approximation Versus Phonon Dispersion
Authors: Li Han-Ling , Shiomi Junichiro , Cao Bing-Yang 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
The gray medium approximation treating all phonons with an averaged and representative mean-free-path (MFP) is an often used method in analyzing ballistic-diffusive heat conduction at nanoscale. However, whether there exists a reasonable value of the average MFP which effectively represents the entire spectrum of modal MFPs remains unclear. In this paper, phonon Monte Carlo (MC) method is employed to study the effects of the gray medium approximation on ballistic-diffusive heat conduction in silicon films by comparing with dispersion MC simulations. Four typical ways for calculating the average MFP with gray medium approximation are investigated. Three of them are based on the weighted average of the modal MFPs, and the remaining one is based on the weighted average of the reciprocals of the modal MFPs. The first three methods are found to be good at predicting effective thermal conductivity and heat flux distribution, but have difficulties in temperature profile, while the last one performs better for temperature profile than effective thermal conductivity and heat flux distribution. Therefore, none of the average MFPs can accurately characterize all the features of ballistic-diffusive heat conduction for the gray medium approximation. Phonon dispersion has to be considered for the accurate thermal analyses and modeling of ballistic-diffusive heat transport. Our work could be helpful for further understanding of phonon dispersion and more careful use of the gray medium approximation.