bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Automated segmentation of abdominal organs from contrast‐enhanced computed tomography using analysis of texture features
Authors: Danilov Alexander , Yurova Alexandra 
Published: January 2020

AbstractGeneration of three‐dimensional personalized geometric models of anatomical structures is an important process for many practical tasks: computer‐aided diagnosis, treatment planning and numerical modeling in biomedical applications. Despite many efforts done by different research groups, automatic segmentation of organs still does not have any general solution. The main difficulties are caused by peculiarities of different medical imaging modalities, image variability (for the same modality) resulting from the wide range of imaging devices, noise and artifacts, large patient anatomical variability and overlapping of intensity ranges of neighboring anatomical structures. In this article, we propose segmentation method based on analysis of texture features and developed specially for segmentation of abdominal organs. Its main advantage is robustness to interpatient gray level and anatomical variability. The proposed method was validated on the patient data. The method implementation was accelerated using graphics processing unit (GPU).
Predictive factors for differential changes in grief symptoms following group bereavement intervention for Chinese widowed older adults
Authors: Xiu Daiming , Chow Amy Y.M. , Tang Suqin 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis study aimed to delineate changes in the patterns of prolonged grief severity in widowed adults following group bereavement interventions and to identify the predictive factors impacting these patterns. We performed a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial of 125 Chinese widowed older adults who participated in either LOGBI or DPGBI. Self‐ratings of prolonged grief symptoms via Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) were subjected to latent class growth analysis to identify subgroups according to symptomatic changes among baseline, post‐treatment, and 8‐week follow‐up. Multinomial regression analysis examined whether participant classification could be predicted by demographics, loss‐related characteristics, and the relationship with the deceased and baseline symptom severity. In the results, intervention sample comprised 96 completers with an attendance greater than 60%. A three‐class categorization yielded the best model fit for changes in prolonged grief severity for both randomized and intervention samples: improved class (41.6% in the randomized sample, 42.8% in the intervention sample), partial responded class (48.1%/45.5%), and relapse class (10.3%/11.8%). Older widowed adults experiencing a high level of grief at baseline and bereavement following chronic illness had an elevated risk of symptomatic relapse after the completion of intervention. These findings indicated that Chinese widowed adults experienced different changing patterns of prolonged grief severity following group bereavement interventions. Practically, widowed adults with a higher risk of symptomatic relapse might need more intensive or longer term intervention or follow‐up support.
Time‐interleaved SAR ADC design with background calibration
Authors: Yasin Adıyaman Muhammed , Karalar Tufan Coşkun 
Published: January 2020

SummaryIn this article, a low power time‐interleaved SAR (TI‐SAR) ADC is presented. Background calibration is used to improve the linearity of the ADC. Offset, gain, and capacitor mismatches between interleaved channels are calibrated by postprocessing the ADC output. Besides, a novel trimming‐based calibration algorithm is used to calibrate the timing mismatches between channels. The proposed calibration algorithm is more power‐efficient compared with most of its counterparts. The ADC consists of 18 parallel channels, a reference channel with two dummy channels, and a channel for timing calibration. The timing calibration channel is clocked only when the reference channel samples. The dummy channels are utilized to equalize the input load over time as they sample one after another to fill the gap where the reference channel does not sample. There is no need for any other dummy channels for timing calibration channel since it has low kickback noise over input driver. Each parallel channel operates at 111 ms/s while the reference channel runs at 105 ms/s. The aggregate sampling speed of the converter is 2 GS/s, and 52‐dB SNDR is accomplished near Nyquist frequencies.
Functional responses are maximized at intermediate temperatures
Authors: Uiterwaal Stella F. , DeLong John P. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractFunctional responses describe how consumer foraging rates change with resource density. Despite extensive research looking at the factors underlying foraging interactions, there remains ongoing controversy about how temperature and body size control the functional response parameters space clearance (or attack) rate and handling time. Here, we investigate the effects of temperature, consumer mass, and resource mass using the largest compilation of functional responses yet assembled. This compilation contains 2,083 functional response curves covering a wide range of foragers and prey types, environmental conditions, and habitats. After accounting for experimental arena size, dimensionality of the foraging interaction, and consumer taxon, we find that both space clearance rate and handling time are optimized at intermediate temperatures (a unimodal rather than monotonic response), suggesting that the response to global climate change depends on the location of the consumer’s current temperature relative to the optimum. We further confirm that functional responses are higher and steeper for large consumers and small resources, and models using consumer and resource masses separately outperformed models using consumer:resource mass ratios, suggesting that consumer and resource body mass act independently to set interaction strengths. Lastly, we show that the extent to which foraging is affected by temperature or mass depends on the taxonomic identity of the consumer and the dimensionality of the consumer–resource interaction. We thus argue that although overall body size and temperature effects can be identified, they are not universal, and therefore food web and community modeling approaches could be improved by considering taxonomic identity along with body size and unimodal temperature effects.
The influence of host‐plant connectivity on fungal assemblages in the root microbiota of Brachypodium pinnatum
Authors: Mony Cendrine , Vannier Nathan , Brunellière Philomène , Biget Marine , Coudouel Sophie , Vandenkoornhuyse Philippe 
Published: January 2020

AbstractDispersal limitation may drive the structure of fungal microbiota of plant roots at small spatial scales. Fungal root microorganisms disperse through the plant rooting systems from hosts to hosts. Due to a pronounced host‐preference effect, the composition of endophytic root microbiota may follow plant distribution. A given plant community may hence include a matrix of host‐plant species that represent various habitat permeabilities to fungal dispersal in the floristic landscape. We experimentally tested the effect of host‐plant isolation on endophytic fungal assemblages (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Glomeromycotina) inhabiting Brachypodium pinnatum roots. We calculated host‐plant isolation using Euclidean distance (distance‐based dispersal limitation) and resistance distance (functional‐based dispersal limitation), based on host presences. All fungal groups were more influenced by the resistance distance between B. pinnatum than by the Euclidean distance. Fungal dispersal was hence strongly related to the spatial distribution of the host plants. The fungal groups displayed however different responses (in richness, abundance, and composition) to host isolation. Additionally, fungal assemblages were more strongly controlled by the degree of connectivity between host plants during the prior year than by current connectivity. This discrepancy may be due to changes in plant species coverage in a year and/or to the delay of dispersal response of fungi. This study it the first to demonstrate how small‐scale host‐plant distributions mediate connectivity in microorganisms. The consequences of plant distributions for the permeability of the floristic landscape to fungi dispersal appear to control fungal assemblages, but with possibly different mechanisms for the different fungal groups.
Neutrophils suppress mucosal‐associated invariant T cells in humans
Authors: Schneider Marion , Hannaway Rachel F. , Lamichhane Rajesh , de la Harpe Sara M. , Tyndall Joel D.A. , Vernall Andrea J. , Kettle Anthony J. , Ussher James E. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractMucosal‐associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate‐like T lymphocytes that are abundant in mucosal tissues and the liver where they can respond rapidly to a broad range of riboflavin producing bacterial and fungal pathogens. Neutrophils, which are recruited early to sites of infection, play a nonredundant role in pathogen clearance and are crucial for controlling infection. The interaction of these two cell types is poorly studied. Here, we investigated both the effect of neutrophils on MAIT cell activation and the effect of activated MAIT cells on neutrophils. We show that neutrophils suppress the activation of MAIT cells by a cell‐contact and hydrogen peroxide dependent mechanism. Moreover, highly activated MAIT cells were able to produce high levels of TNF‐α that induced neutrophil death. We therefore provide evidence for a negative regulatory feedback mechanism in which neutrophils prevent overactivation of MAIT cells and, in turn, MAIT cells limit neutrophil survival.
The review of Lab‐on‐PCB for biomedical application
Authors: Zhao Wenhao , Tian Shulin , Huang Lei , Liu Ke , Dong Lijuan 
Published: January 2020

AbstractPrevention of infectious diseases, diagnosis of diseases, and determination of treatment options all rely on biosensors to detect and analyze biomarkers, which are usually divided into four parts: cell analysis, biochemical analysis, immunoassay, and molecular diagnosis. However, traditional biosensing devices are expensive, bulky, and require a lot of time to detect, which also limited its application in resource‐limited areas. In recent years, Lab‐on‐PCB, which combines biosensing technology and PCB technology, has been widely used in biomedical applications due to its high integration, personalized design, and easy mass production. Among these Lab‐on‐PCB sensing devices, the PCB circuit plays an important role. It can be directly used as a resistance sensor to count cells, and also used as a control device to automatically control the detection device. Flexible PCBs can be used to make wearable medical biosensors. In addition, due to the high degree of integration of the PCB circuit, Lab‐on‐PCB can perform multiple inspections on the same platform, which reduces the inspection time equivalently. Therefore, in this review paper, we discuss the application of Lab‐on‐PCB in four analysis methods of cell analysis, biochemical analysis, immunoassay, and molecular diagnosis, and give some suggestions for improvement and future development trends at the end.
High energy density of multivalent glass‐ceramic cathodes for Li‐ion rechargeable cells and as an efficient photocatalyst for organic degradation
Authors: Kirubakaran Kiran Preethi , Senthil Chenrayan , Priyadarshini Marimuthu , Kamalakannan Shanmugasundaram , Prakash Muthuramalingam , Vinesh Vasudevan , Neppolian Bernaurdshaw , Ganesh Vattikondala , Lee Chang Woo , Vediappan Kumaran 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe tavorite‐structured materials remain unfathomed as positive electrodes in rechargeable batteries. Reasoning of this fact, borate, and silicate‐based tavorites are investigated for utilization in Li‐ion batteries (LIBs) and as a photocatalyst for organic contaminant degradation. The physiochemical, electrochemical, dielectric, and photoelectrochemical properties are analyzed to learn the fact that LiVBO4F has resulted in a glass‐ceramic nature owing to the embodiment of boron oxyfluoride glasses. This nature has made them effective as cathodes even under sensitive mode operations compared to their counterpart. Additionally, a multiredox behaviour was witnessed for both the materials, which boosts the specific capacity for LIB system. Besides, LiVSiO4F display immense degradation efficiency for tetracycline, an organic contaminant. These materials unveil expedient properties, promising its multiple usage in the field of conversion cum storage devices as photoelectrodes and cathodes in LIBs.
A deep residual compensation extreme learning machine and applications
Authors: Chen Yinghao , Xie Xiaoliang , Zhang Tianle , Bai Jiaxian , Hou Muzhou 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe extreme learning machine (ELM) is a type of machine learning algorithm for training a single hidden layer feedforward neural network. Randomly initializing the weight between the input layer and the hidden layer and the threshold of each hidden layer neuron, the weight matrix of the hidden layer can be calculated by the least squares method. The efficient learning ability in ELM makes it widely applicable in classification, regression, and more. However, owing to some unutilized information in the residual, there are relatively huge prediction errors involving ELM. In this paper, a deep residual compensation extreme learning machine model (DRC‐ELM) of multilayer structures applied to regression is presented. The first layer is the basic ELM layer, which helps in obtaining an approximation of the objective function by learning the characteristics of the sample. The other layers are the residual compensation layers in which the learned residual is corrected layer by layer to the predicted value obtained in the previous layer by constructing a feature mapping between the input layer and the output of the upper layer. This model is applied to two practical problems: gold price forecasting and airfoil self‐noise prediction. We used the DRC‐ELM with 50, 100, and 200 residual compensation layers respectively for experiments, which show that DRC‐ELM does better in generalization and robustness than classical ELM, improved ELM models such as GA‐RELM and OS‐ELM, and other traditional machine learning algorithms such as support vector machine (SVM) and back‐propagation neural network (BPNN).
Conductive Magnetite Nanoparticles Enhance the Microbial Electrosynthesis of Acetate from CO2 while Diverting Electrons away from Methanogenesis
Authors: Viggi C. Cruz , Colantoni S. , Falzetti F. , Bacaloni A. , Montecchio D. , Aulenta F. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractMicrobial electrosynthesis (MES) is an emerging technology which exploits microbial cells to convert CO2 into fuels, and value‐added chemicals using electrons supplied by a solid‐state cathode. Methane and acetic acid are typically the main CO2‐reduction products attained in microbial electrosynthesis studies, although the production of other more valuable products has also been reported. So far, however, practical strategies to manipulate and steer the distribution of CO2 reduction products during microbial electrosynthesis, particularly when mixed microbial cultures are employed as catalysts, are lacking.To specifically address this issue, here we investigated the influence of magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) supplementation (to a final concentration of 300 mg Fe L−1) on the microbial electrosynthesis process. Results demonstrated, that cells supplemented with magnetite NPs, exhibited a substantially higher yield of acetate production relative to unamended controls (up to 8.5 times higher, during the run with the cathode set at a potential of −700 mV vs. SHE, with a corresponding cathode capture efficiency of 17%) and, correspondingly, a lower yield of methane production (52% in the magnetite‐supplemented cell vs. 74% in the unamended control cell). Abiotic experiments indicated that the observed effects derived from magnetite catalyzing the biotic and abiotic hydrogen evolution reaction.
Re‐examining the effects of public health insurance: The case of nonpoor children in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Minh T. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis paper focuses on the effects of a 2005 health insurance reform in Vietnam. Through this reform, public health insurance was newly offered to nonpoor children under 6 years old, but it required the use of community health facilities. This requirement potentially limited the value of the insurance. Employing difference‐in‐discontinuities and triple‐difference methods and using data from 2002, 2004, and 2006, I show that, despite health coverage among nonpoor children increasing by nearly three times, there is little or no evidence that the reform significantly increased health care utilization, changed care locations from private to public sites, lowered out‐of‐pocket costs, or improved health status for nonpoor young children. My results suggest a “bypassing” phenomenon whereby nonpoor families skipped free health care at low‐quality facilities.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis With Features of Autoimmune Hepatitis: Exploring the Global Variation in Management
Authors: Milkiewicz Piotr , Krawczyk Marcin , Wunsch Ewa , Ponsioen Cyriel , Hirschfield Gideon M. , Hubscher Stefan G. 
Published: January 2020

Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) frequently manifest features of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). We sought to understand factors affecting expert management, with the goal of facilitating uniformity of care. A Survey Monkey questionnaire with four hypothetical cases suggesting a potential AIH/PSC variant was sent to hepatologists spanning global practices. Eighty responses from clinicians in 23 countries were obtained. Most of the respondents would request a liver biopsy, and stated that the cases presented could not be appropriately managed without a biopsy. Despite the fact that histology did not unequivocally support an AIH/PSC variant in three of the four cases, this diagnosis was reached by most of the respondents for all cases, except case 1, in which 49% were diagnosed with AIH/PSC. There was a wide variation of suggested medical treatment. For three cases, the most commonly chosen treatment options did not exceed 35%, indicating a lack management consensus. Most respondents would treat with ursodeoxycholic acid, despite current American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases guidelines, either alone or in combination with immunosuppression. European clinicians recommended ursodeoxycholic acid more frequently than their counterparts in North America (P < 0.05 in three out of four cases), who advocated the use of immunosuppression alone more commonly than Europeans (P = 0.005 in case 2). Conclusions: We document a wide variation in clinical decision making in the context of managing patients with a potential AIH/PSC variant. Guidance, likely based on systematic studies arising from prospective registries, is needed to better address this difficult clinician problem.
Iron Plaque Prevents Partitioning of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Rice (Oryza sativa) Root Surface
Authors: Lv Xiaofei , Nie Zhiyuan , Zhang Dongchen , Hu Lifang , Wu Yuping , Hu Linfei 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on root surfaces has essential impacts on PAH phytoremediation. An Fe plaque is commonly formed on the root surface of aquatic plants. Therefore, it is worth investigating the impact of the Fe plaque on PAH adsorption on rice root surfaces. Using Bayesian linear water–methanol cosolvent models, we estimated accurate water–biosorbent partition coefficient values for phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo[a]pyrene between water and rice root biosorbent fractions, including rice root materials with Fe plaque, removed Fe plaque, and removed Fe plaque and lipids. Our results showed that Fe plaque inhibited the adsorption of PAHs on rice root surface; the inhibition impacts increased with hydrophobicity of PAHs. This result highlights the need for considering the impact of Fe plaque on PAH adsorption during phytoremediation. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:392–399. © 2020 SETAC
KEY POINTS
We demonstrate that iron plaque could inhibit PAH adsorption on rice roots and the inhibition effect will increase with hydrophobicity of PAHs. Comparing to rice root biosorbents with iron plaque, the contribution of roots without iron plaque increases two times for pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene. It is necessary to consider the impact of iron plaque of rice roots on the adsorption of HOCs on rhizosphere interface during phytoremediation.
Nitrate availability affects denitrification in Phragmites australis sediments
Authors: Soana Elisa , Gavioli Anna , Vincenzi Fabio , Fano Elisa Anna , Castaldelli Giuseppe 
Published: January 2020

AbstractUnderstanding relationships between an increase in nitrate (NO3−) loading and the corresponding effects of wetland vegetation on denitrification is essential to designing, restoring, and managing wetlands and canals to maximize their effectiveness as buffers against eutrophication. Although Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. is frequently used to remediate nitrogen (N) pollution, no information is available on how NO3− concentration may affect plant‐mediated denitrification. In the present study, denitrification was measured in outdoor vegetated and unvegetated mesocosms incubated in both summer and winter. After spiking the mesocosms with NO3− concentrations typical of agricultural drainage water (0.7−11.2 mg N L−1), denitrification was quantified by the simultaneous measurement of NO3− consumption and dinitrogen gas (N2) production. Although denitrification rates varied with vegetation presence and season, NO3− availability exerted a significant positive effect on the process. Vegetated sediments were more efficient than bare sediments in adapting their mitigation potential to an increase in NO3−, by yielding a one‐order‐of‐magnitude increase in NO3− removal rates, under both summer (743−6007 mg N m−2 d−1) and winter (43−302 mg N m−2 d−1) conditions along the NO3− gradient. Denitrification was the dominant sink for water NO3− in winter and only for vegetated sediments in summer. Nitrification likely contributed to fuel denitrification in summer unvegetated sediments. Since denitrification rates followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics, P. australis‐mediated depuration may be considered optimal up to 5.0 mg N L−1. The present outcomes provide experimentally supported evidence that restoration with P. australis can work as a cost‐effective means of improving water quality in agricultural watersheds.