bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of geometrical confinement in a slab on the behavior of tracer particles near active glucose oxidase micropump
Authors: Munteanu Raluca-Elena , Popescu Mihail N. , Gáspár Szilveszter 
Published: September 2020

AbstractPatches of surface-immobilized and catalytically active enzyme, immersed into a solution with the corresponding substrate, induce flow in the solution. Such systems are currently investigated as a promising direction in the development of self-powered micropumps that could operate autonomously within microfluidic devices. Here, we investigate the influence of confinement, within a slab of height H, on the response exhibited by silica tracer particles sedimented near a chemically active glucose oxidase patch which is immersed into a glucose solution of very low ionic strength. Irrespective of the value H, within the range explored in this study, a region depleted of tracers forms around the patch. When H is not much larger than the radius of the patch, the rate of growth of the depletion zone depends on H; somewhat surprisingly, this dependence is influenced by the glucose concentration. The results are discussed within the context of a simple model for a chemically active patch.
Biomarkers of neuronal damage in saturation diving—a controlled observational study
Authors: Rosén Anders , Gennser Mikael , Oscarsson Nicklas , Kvarnström Andreas , Sandström Göran , Blennow Kaj , Seeman-Lodding Helen , Zetterberg Henrik 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Purpose
A prospective and controlled observational study was performed to determine if the central nervous system injury markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAp), neurofilament light (NfL) and tau concentrations changed in response to a saturation dive.

Methods
The intervention group consisted of 14 submariners compressed to 401 kPa in a dry hyperbaric chamber. They remained pressurized for 36 h and were then decompressed over 70 h. A control group of 12 individuals was used. Blood samples were obtained from both groups before, during and after hyperbaric exposure, and from the intervention group after a further 25–26 h.

Results
There were no statistically significant changes in the concentrations of GFAp, NfL and tau in the intervention group. During hyperbaric exposure, GFAp decreased in the control group (mean/median − 15.1/ − 8.9 pg·mL−1, p < 0.01) and there was a significant difference in absolute change of GFAp and NfL between the groups (17.7 pg·mL−1, p = 0.02 and 2.34 pg·mL−1, p = 0.02, respectively). Albumin decreased in the control group (mean/median − 2.74 g/L/ − 0.95 g/L, p = 0.02), but there was no statistically significant difference in albumin levels between the groups. In the intervention group, haematocrit and mean haemoglobin values were slightly increased after hyperbaric exposure (mean/median 2.3%/1.5%, p = 0.02 and 4.9 g/L, p = 0.06, respectively).

Conclusion
Hyperbaric exposure to 401 kPa for 36 h was not associated with significant increases in GFAp, NfL or tau concentrations. Albumin levels, changes in hydration or diurnal variation were unlikely to have confounded the results. Saturation exposure to 401 kPa seems to be a procedure not harmful to the central nervous system.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03192930.
Acute infection as cause of hospitalization of asylum-seeking children and adolescents in Stockholm, Sweden 2015–2016
Authors: Hertting Olof , Luthander Joachim , Giske Christian G. , Bennet Rutger , Eriksson Margareta 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe aimed to identify hospitalizations due to infectious diseases among asylum seekers and compare them to those of the resident population 1.6.2015–31.10.2016. Administrative numbers assigned to hospitalized non-resident children made them identifiable in the discharge register. The examined populations, expressed as person-years, were 334,573 residents and 7565 asylum seekers. There were 2500 episodes of infectious disease in 2240 resident children and 139 episodes in 121 asylum seekers. Among prevalent infections contracted before or during migration, there were 33 cases of tuberculosis, four of malaria, and one of louse-borne relapsing fever, all of which occurred in 13–17-year-old unaccompanied minors. Among younger asylum seekers, there were no significant differences in the spectrum of infectious discharge diagnoses compared to residents, but across all incident infections, 0–6-year-old asylum seekers had 3.2-fold and 7–12-year-old a 4.7-fold greater risk of being admitted. Screening for multidrug-resistant bacteria showed that 45/160 (28%) of the asylum seekers were colonized, but clinical infections caused by these species were rare.Conclusion: There was a high rate of hospitalizations for acute infectious diseases in asylum-seeking children, but the spectrum and severity of infections were similar to that in resident children.

What is known:• Mental and physical health problems are common in immigrant children and adolescents.What is new:• Hospitalizations due to acute infections in asylum-seeking children and adolescents are common. In the context of this study, the severity and spectrum of infectious diseases seemed to be the same in the two groups; the increased hospitalization rate in asylum seekers may be due to social factors and perceived need for more support.
Edge universality for non-Hermitian random matrices
Authors: Cipolloni Giorgio , Erdős László , Schröder Dominik 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe consider large non-Hermitian real or complex random matrices $$X$$
X
with independent, identically distributed centred entries. We prove that their local eigenvalue statistics near the spectral edge, the unit circle, coincide with those of the Ginibre ensemble, i.e. when the matrix elements of $$X$$
X
are Gaussian. This result is the non-Hermitian counterpart of the universality of the Tracy–Widom distribution at the spectral edges of the Wigner ensemble.
Optimal trade-off between sample size, precision of supervision, and selection probabilities for the unbalanced fixed effects panel data model
Authors: Gnecco Giorgio , Nutarelli Federico , Selvi Daniela 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis paper is focused on the unbalanced fixed effects panel data model. This is a linear regression model able to represent unobserved heterogeneity in the data, by allowing each two distinct observational units to have possibly different numbers of associated observations. We specifically address the case in which the model includes the additional possibility of controlling the conditional variance of the output given the input and the selection probabilities of the different units per unit time. This is achieved by varying the cost associated with the supervision of each training example. Assuming an upper bound on the expected total supervision cost and fixing the expected number of observed units for each instant, we analyze and optimize the trade-off between sample size, precision of supervision (the reciprocal of the conditional variance of the output) and selection probabilities. This is obtained by formulating and solving a suitable optimization problem. The formulation of such a problem is based on a large-sample upper bound on the generalization error associated with the estimates of the parameters of the unbalanced fixed effects panel data model, conditioned on the training input dataset. We prove that, under appropriate assumptions, in some cases “many but bad” examples provide a smaller large-sample upper bound on the conditional generalization error than “few but good” ones, whereas in other cases the opposite occurs. We conclude discussing possible applications of the presented results, and extensions of the proposed optimization framework to other panel data models.
Comparison of the effects of air-powder abrasion, chemical decontamination, or their combination in open-flap surface decontamination of implants failed for peri-implantitis: an ex vivo study
Authors: Pranno Nicola , Cristalli Maria Paola , Mengoni Fabio , Sauzullo Ilaria , Annibali Susanna , Polimeni Antonella , La Monaca Gerardo 
Published: September 2020

AbstractObjectivesTo compare, using an ex vivo model, the biofilm removal of three surface decontamination methods following surgical exposure of implants failed for severe peri-implantitis.Materials and methodsThe study design was a single-blind, randomized, controlled, ex vivo investigation with intra-subject control. Study participants were 20 consecutive patients with at least 4 hopeless implants, in function for >12 months and with progressive bone loss exceeding 50%, which had to be explanted. Implants of each patient were randomly assigned to the untreated control group or one of the three decontamination procedures: mechanical debridement with air-powder abrasion, chemical decontamination with hydrogen peroxide and chlorhexidine gluconate, or combined mechanical-chemical decontamination. Following surgical exposure, implants selected as control were retrieved, and afterwards, test implants were decontaminated according to allocation and carefully explanted with a removal kit. Microbiological analysis was expressed in colony-forming-units (CFU/ml).ResultsA statistically significant difference (p< 0.001) in the concentrations of CFU/ml was found between implants treated with mechanical debridement (531.58 ± 372.07) or combined mechanical-chemical decontamination (954.05 ± 2219.31) and implants untreated (37,800.00 ± 46,837.05) or treated with chemical decontamination alone (29,650.00 ± 42,596.20). No statistically significant difference (p = 1.000) was found between mechanical debridement used alone or supplemented with chemical decontamination. Microbiological analyses identified 21 microbial species, without significant differences between control and treatment groups.ConclusionsBacterial biofilm removal from infected implant surfaces was significantly superior for mechanical debridement than chemical decontamination.Clinical relevanceThe present is the only ex vivo study based on decontamination methods for removing actual and mature biofilm from infected implant surfaces in patients with peri-implantitis.
Methiocarb metabolites are systemically distributed throughout corn plants grown from coated seeds
Authors: Lentola Andrea , Giorio Chiara , Bogialli Sara , Roverso Marco , Marzaro Matteo , Girolami Vincenzo , Tapparo Andrea 
Published: September 2020

AbstractSystemic insecticides such as neonicotinoids are widely used in seed coating practices for pest control in many crops, e.g., corn. Their success is due to their ability to protect the whole plant, from the roots to the upper leaves, but their use at high amounts is causing possible adverse effects on non-target animals exposed to contaminated pollen, nectar, leaves, and dust emitted during sowing. In 2018, the European Union banned some neonicotinoids and fipronil as seed coating insecticides in open fields. Consequently, the methylcarbamate methiocarb and less-toxic neonicotinoids, e.g., thiacloprid, have been authorized and largely used as alternative pesticides for corn seed coating. Here, an analytical protocol based on QuEChERS extraction/purification procedure and analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry has been optimized for the identification and the quantification of methiocarb, thiamethoxam, thiacloprid, and their metabolites in guttation drops, the xylem fluid excreted at leaf margins, and in leaves of corn plants grown from coated seeds. Although methiocarb is a non-systemic pesticide, we unexpectedly found high concentrations of its metabolites in both guttations and leaves, whereas methiocarb itself was below detection limits in most of the samples. The methiocarb main metabolite, methiocarb sulfoxide, was found at a mean concentration of 0.61 ± 1.12 µg mL−1 in guttation drops and 4.4 ± 2.1 µg g−1 in leaves. Conversely, parent compounds of neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam, thiacloprid) are systemically distributed in corn seedlings. This result raises safety concerns given that methiocarb sulfoxide is more toxic than the parent compound for some non-target species.
European beech stem diameter grows better in mixed than in mono-specific stands at the edge of its distribution in mountain forests
Authors: Pretzsch Hans , Hilmers Torben , Uhl Enno , Bielak Kamil , Bosela Michal , del Rio Miren , Dobor Laura , Forrester David I. , Nagel Thomas A. , Pach Maciej , Avdagić Admir , Bellan Michal , Binder Franz , Bončina Andrej , Bravo Felipe , de-Dios-García Javier , Dinca Lucian , Drozdowski Stanisław , Giammarchi Francesco , Hoehn Maria , Ibrahimspahić Aida , Jaworski Andrzej , Klopčič Matija , Kurylyak Viktor , Lévesque Mathieu , Lombardi Fabio , Matović Bratislav , Ordóñez Cristóbal , Petráš Rudolf , Rubio-Cuadrado Alvaro , Stojanovic Dejan , Skrzyszewski Jerzy , Stajić Branko , Svoboda Mirolav , Versace Soraya , Zlatanov Tzvetan , Tognetti Roberto 
Published: September 2020

AbstractRecent studies show that several tree species are spreading to higher latitudes and elevations due to climate change. European beech, presently dominating from the colline to the subalpine vegetation belt, is already present in upper montane subalpine forests and has a high potential to further advance to higher elevations in European mountain forests, where the temperature is predicted to further increase in the near future. Although essential for adaptive silviculture, it remains unknown whether the upward shift of beech could be assisted when it is mixed with Norway spruce or silver fir compared with mono-specific stands, as the species interactions under such conditions are hardly known. In this study, we posed the general hypotheses that the growth depending on age of European beech in mountain forests was similar in mono-specific and mixed-species stands and remained stable over time and space in the last two centuries. The scrutiny of these hypotheses was based on increment coring of 1240 dominant beech trees in 45 plots in mono-specific stands of beech and in 46 mixed mountain forests. We found that (i) on average, mean tree diameter increased linearly with age. The age trend was linear in both forest types, but the slope of the age–growth relationship was higher in mono-specific than in mixed mountain forests. (ii) Beech growth in mono-specific stands was stronger reduced with increasing elevation than that in mixed-species stands. (iii) Beech growth in mono-specific stands was on average higher than beech growth in mixed stands. However, at elevations > 1200 m, growth of beech in mixed stands was higher than that in mono-specific stands. Differences in the growth patterns among elevation zones are less pronounced now than in the past, in both mono-specific and mixed stands. As the higher and longer persisting growth rates extend the flexibility of suitable ages or size for tree harvest and removal, the longer-lasting growth may be of special relevance for multi-aged silviculture concepts. On top of their function for structure and habitat improvement, the remaining old trees may grow more in mass and value than assumed so far.
Magnetic damped links to reduce internal seismic pounding in base-isolated buildings
Authors: Mazza Fabio , Labernarda Rodolfo 
Published: September 2020

AbstractA limited gap between closely spaced structural parts may induce internal pounding in seismically isolated structures, because of notable displacement at the level of the isolation system under severe earthquakes. A gap between a fixed-base elevator shaft and the surrounding building is presented here with reference to a reinforced concrete building located in the Sicilian town of Augusta. The building, comprising a basement and three storeys above the ground level, is seismically isolated at the top of rigid columns in the basement with a hybrid isolation system including elastomeric and sliding bearings, while a steel framed elevator shaft crosses the isolation level. Despite the gap, internal pounding may occur at all levels of the superstructure when the elevator with maximum load stops at the upper floors. To reduce structural pounding effects, a magnetic damped link (MDL) between adjacent corners of the elevator and the surrounding building is proposed. This is obtained as an in parallel combination of an eddy current damped link (ECDL) and an elastic helicoidal spring, and occupies less space than traditional passive dampers and transmits considerably less forces compared to a rigid link configuration. Specifically, an ECDL consists of an outer cylindrical copper tube, as conductor, and an inner tube, equipped with an array of axially magnetized and ring-shaped permanent magnets separated by iron pole pieces, as mover. The relative motion between conductor and magnets, during seismic loading, induces an eddy current producing electromagnetic damping. Given that viscoelastic linear behaviour can be hypothesized for the MDL, a simplified iterative design procedure of the ECDL is proposed, with optimization of the thickness and radius of the magnets, thereby enhancing magnetic flux and energy dissipation. The directionality of the near-fault ground motions is investigated through nonlinear seismic analysis, comparing no connection with four configurations of the interconnection: i.e., flexible and rigid elastic links, viscous and magnetic damped links.
Large-Scale Dynamics of Self-propelled Particles Moving Through Obstacles: Model Derivation and Pattern Formation
Authors: Aceves-Sanchez P. , Degond P. , Keaveny E. E. , Manhart A. , Merino-Aceituno S. , Peurichard D. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe model and study the patterns created through the interaction of collectively moving self-propelled particles (SPPs) and elastically tethered obstacles. Simulations of an individual-based model reveal at least three distinct large-scale patterns: travelling bands, trails and moving clusters. This motivates the derivation of a macroscopic partial differential equations model for the interactions between the self-propelled particles and the obstacles, for which we assume large tether stiffness. The result is a coupled system of nonlinear, non-local partial differential equations. Linear stability analysis shows that patterning is expected if the interactions are strong enough and allows for the predictions of pattern size from model parameters. The macroscopic equations reveal that the obstacle interactions induce short-ranged SPP aggregation, irrespective of whether obstacles and SPPs are attractive or repulsive.
Energy efficient route planning for electric vehicles with special consideration of the topography and battery lifetime
Authors: Perger Theresia , Auer Hans 
Published: September 2020

AbstractIn contrast to conventional routing systems, which determine the shortest distance or the fastest path to a destination, this work designs a route planning specifically for electric vehicles by finding an energy-optimal solution while simultaneously considering stress on the battery. After finding a physical model of the energy consumption of the electric vehicle including heating, air conditioning, and other additional loads, the street network is modeled as a network with nodes and weighted edges in order to apply a shortest path algorithm that finds the route with the smallest edge costs. A variation of the Bellman-Ford algorithm, the Yen algorithm, is modified such that battery constraints can be included. Thus, the modified Yen algorithm helps solving a multi-objective optimization problem with three optimization variables representing the energy consumption with (vehicle reaching the destination with the highest state of charge possible), the journey time, and the cyclic lifetime of the battery (minimizing the number of charging/discharging cycles by minimizing the amount of energy consumed or regenerated). For the optimization problem, weights are assigned to each variable in order to put emphasis on one or the other. The route planning system is tested for a suburban area in Austria and for the city of San Francisco, CA. Topography has a strong influence on energy consumption and battery operation and therefore the choice of route. The algorithm finds different results considering different preferences, putting weights on the decision variable of the multi-objective optimization. Also, the tests are conducted for different outside temperatures and weather conditions, as well as for different vehicle types.
Mio–Pleistocene Ostracoda from the Zhada Basin (western Tibetan Plateau)
Authors: Alivernini Mauro , Wang Junbo , Frenzel Peter , Mischke Steffen 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe present a list of Ostracoda (Crustacea) from stratigraphic sections of Mio–Pleistocene lacustrine deposits from Zhada Basin, western Tibetan Plateau. In this area, almost no taxonomical studies were carried out so far, and, aiming to a future use of ostracods as palaeoenvironmental proxy for this sector of the Tibetan Plateau, a documentation of several species was performed. The taxaLeucocytherella sinensisHuang, 1982, ?Leucocythere dorsotuberosaHuang, 1982,Leucocythere postilirataPang, 1985,Ilyocyprisspp.,Eucypriscf.zandaensisYang, 1982, ?Prionocyprissp.,Paraeucyprissp. andLeucocytherella dangeloisp. nov. were found and classified. The taxonIlyocyprisspp. probably represents three different species; other taxa in open nomenclature areParaeucyprissp.,Eucypriscf.zandaensisand ?Prionocyprissp. The reported taxa from the Zhada Basin are mainly lacustrine species, and their diversity is comparable to those of other Neogene and Quaternary basins located on the Tibetan Plateau.
The role of inflammation and metabolic risk factors in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic valve stenosis
Authors: Conte Maddalena , Petraglia Laura , Campana Pasquale , Gerundo Gerardo , Caruso Aurelio , Grimaldi Maria Gabriella , Russo Vincenzo , Attena Emilio , Leosco Dario , Parisi Valentina 
Published: September 2020

AbstractGiven the epidemiologic increase of aged population in the world, aortic stenosis (AS) represents now the most common valvular heart disease in industrialized countries. It is a very challenging disease, representing an important cause of morbidity, hospitalization and death in the elderly population. It is widely recognized that AS is the result of a very complex active process, driven by inflammation and involving multifactorial pathological mechanisms promoting valvular calcification and valvular bone deposition. Several evidence suggest that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), the visceral fat depot of the heart, represents a direct source of cytokines and could mediate the deleterious effects of systemic inflammation on the myocardium. Importantly, obesity and metabolic disorders are associated with chronic systemic inflammation leading to a significant increase of EAT amount and to a pro-inflammatory phenotypic shift of this fat depot. It has been hypothesized that the EAT inflammatory state can influence the structure and function of the heart, thus contributing to the pathogenesis of several cardiac diseases, including calcific AS. The current review will discuss the recently discovered mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of AS, with particular attention to the role of inflammation, metabolic risk factors and pro-fibrotic and pro-osteogenic signal pathways promoting the onset and progression of the disease. Moreover, it will be explored the potential role of EAT in the AS pathophysiology.