bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Application of Date Palm Ash to Improve Strength Characteristics of Sabkha Soil
Authors: Abbas Kazmi Zaheer 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Surface layer of earth’s crust in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is composed of loose sand with soluble salts, which is generally termed as Sabkha. Poor strength and durability characteristics of the Sabkha soil adversely challenge the safety and serviceability of infrastructure built on it. Therefore, improvement of its physical properties demands urgent attention of the engineering society. In this study, date palm ash (DPA), a local industrial waste, is utilized as an additive to improve strength characteristics of problematic Sabkha soil. A remarkable improvement in compaction characteristics and compressive strength is achieved. By investigating the effect of different proportions, the optimum quantity of additive is determined with respect to compressive strength.
Evaluation of the energy driving performance of a cooling system assembled with a Peltier module operated in hot climates at different electrical currents
Authors: Jimenez-Rodriguez David J. , Sanchez-Ramos Carlos A. , Palma-Ramirez Diana , Carlos Paredes-Rojas Juan , Flores-Vela Abelardo I. , Marquez-Rocha Facundo J. 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Peltier devices have two sides with two different temperatures when an electrical current is applied through it. In the hot side, heat is dissipated and in the cool side, heat is absorbed, requiring additional electrical current to decrease heat absorption, primarily in hot climates. In this work, a block model was design with a Simulink tool of Matlab software to analyze thermal performance of a Peltier module in hot-imitate climate at different electric current levels. Through this model, it would be possible to evaluate the operating conditions of different control systems for Peltier applications, such as energy optimization in human thermal comfort devises, for sports, mobility, and medical care applications.
A screening strategy for hot forging combining high-throughput forging experiment and machine learning
Authors: Sun Zhiren , Wang Kaikun 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
In this study, we proposed a screening strategy of processing conditions for hot forging based on high-throughput experiment equipment, numerical simulation, and machine learning to obtain the optimal conditions for the forging process. Nikle based superalloy IN718 was selected as an application case. We designed high-throughput experiment equipment for hot forging. Numerical simulation of the forging process on the equipment was studied, and a database of 625 examples was obtained. Two BP NN models for average grain size and maximum principal stress predictions, respectively, were trained. These two BP NN models were used to search different processing conditions in searching space consisting of 1 206 000 processing conditions, and an algorithm was designed to screen the processing conditions comprehensively considering the average grain size and the maximum principal stress in the bulge zone. The optimal conditions for different forging displacements were obtained. Compared with the traditional high-cost and time-consuming trial-and-error methods, the method proposed in this paper to optimize the processing technology has significant advantages. This method can be applied to pre-screening for material design and process optimization.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of Sn–58Bi eutectic alloy with Cu/P addition
Authors: Li Mingmao , Tang Yingying , Li Zhaoxin , Zhu Mingbiao , Wang Wenjing 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Sn–(58-x) Bi–x Cu/P ternary alloys were prepared by downward continuous casting, and the microstructure of the alloy was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffractometry (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the addition of Cu and P can refine the eutectic structure and form rod-shaped Cu6Sn5 and P3Sn4 phases distributed in Sn matrix. The refined eutectic structure can be observed in Sn–(58-x) Bi–x Cu/P alloys, and this results in the elongation at break increases up. In addition, the wettability of Sn–58Bi alloy increases on Cu substrate with the addition of Cu and P elements. The improvement of the wettability of Sn–58Bi alloy by the addition of Cu element can be attributed to the increase of Cu-Sn IMC nucleation and growth rate. The addition of P element in Sn–58Bi alloy can improve its anti-oxidation performance, which is beneficial to the improvement of its wettability.
Disseminated Effects in Agent-Based Models: A Potential Outcomes Framework and Application to Inform Preexposure Prophylaxis Coverage Levels for HIV Prevention
Authors: Buchanan Ashley L , Bessey S , Goedel William C , King Maximilian , Murray Eleanor J , Friedman Samuel R , Halloran M Elizabeth , Marshall Brandon D L 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection may benefit not only the person who uses it but also their uninfected sexual risk contacts. We developed an agent-based model using a novel trial emulation approach to quantify disseminated effects of PrEP use among men who have sex with men in Atlanta, Georgia, from 2015 to 2017. Model components (subsets of agents connected through partnerships in a sexual network but not sharing partnerships with any other agents) were first randomized to an intervention coverage level or the control group; then, within intervention components, eligible agents were randomized to receive or not receive PrEP. We calculated direct and disseminated (indirect) effects using randomization-based estimators and report corresponding 95% simulation intervals across scenarios ranging from 10% coverage in the intervention components to 90% coverage. A population of 11,245 agents was simulated, with an average of 1,551 components identified. When comparing agents randomized to no PrEP in 70% coverage components with control agents, there was a 15% disseminated risk reduction in HIV incidence (risk ratio = 0.85, 95% simulation interval: 0.65, 1.05). Persons not on PrEP may receive a protective benefit by being in a sexual network with higher PrEP coverage. Agent-based models are useful for evaluating possible direct and disseminated effects of HIV prevention modalities in sexual networks.
Comparing New-User Cohort Designs: The Example of Proton Pump Inhibitor Effectiveness in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Tran Tanja , Suissa Samy 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
The prevalent new-user cohort design is useful for assessing the effectiveness of a medication in the absence of an active comparator. Alternative approaches, particularly in the presence of informative censoring, include a variant of this design based on never users of the study drug and the marginal structural Cox model approach. We compared these approaches in assessing the effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in reducing mortality among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) using a cohort of IPF patients identified in the United Kingdom’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink and diagnosed between 2003 and 2016. The cohort included 2,944 IPF patients, 1,916 of whom initiated use of PPIs during follow-up. There were 2,136 deaths (mortality rate = 25.8 per 100 person-years). Using the conventional prevalent new-user design, we found a hazard ratio for death associated with PPI use compared with nonuse of 1.07 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.94, 1.22). The variant of the prevalent new-user design comparing PPI users with never users found a hazard ratio of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.91), while the marginal structural Cox model found a hazard ratio of 1.08 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.38). The marginal structural model and the conventional prevalent new-user design, both accounting for informative censoring, produced similar results. However, the prevalent new-user design variant based on never users introduced selection bias and should be avoided.
Development and Validation of a Pediatric Comorbidity Index
Authors: Sun Jenny W , Bourgeois Florence T , Haneuse Sebastien , Hernández-Díaz Sonia , Landon Joan E , Bateman Brian T , Huybrechts Krista F 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Comorbidity scores are widely used to help address confounding bias in nonrandomized studies conducted within health-care databases, but existing scores were developed to predict all-cause mortality in adults and might not be appropriate for use in pediatric studies. We developed and validated a pediatric comorbidity index, using health-care utilization data from the tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Within the MarketScan database of US commercial claims data, pediatric patients (aged ≤18 years) continuously enrolled between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2017, were identified. Logistic regression was used to predict the 1-year risk of hospitalization based on 27 predefined conditions and empirically identified conditions derived from the most prevalent diagnoses among patients with the outcome. A single numerical index was created by assigning weights to each condition based on its β coefficient. We conducted internal validation of the index and compared its performance with existing adult scores. The pediatric comorbidity index consisted of 24 conditions and achieved a C statistic of 0.718 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.714, 0.723). The index outperformed existing adult scores in a pediatric population (C statistics ranging from 0.522 to 0.640). The pediatric comorbidity index provides a summary measure of disease burden and can be used for risk adjustment in epidemiologic studies of pediatric patients.
Characteristics of US Adults Who Would Be Recommended for Lifestyle Modification Without Antihypertensive Medication to Manage Blood Pressure
Authors: Jackson Sandra L , Park Soyoun , Loustalot Fleetwood , Thompson-Paul Angela M , Hong Yuling , Ritchey Matthew D 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
The 2017 American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association Guideline for blood pressure (BP) management newly classifies millions of Americans with elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension for recommended lifestyle modification alone (without pharmacotherapy). This study characterized these adults, including their cardiovascular disease risk factors, barriers to lifestyle modification, and healthcare access.

METHODS
This cross-sectional study examined nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, 2013–2016, on 10,205 US adults aged ≥18, among whom 2,081 had elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension and met 2017 ACC/AHA BP Guideline criteria for lifestyle modification alone.

RESULTS
An estimated 22% of US adults (52 million) would be recommended for lifestyle modification alone. Among these, 58% were men, 43% had obesity, 52% had low-quality diet, 95% consumed excess sodium, 43% were physically inactive, and 8% consumed excess alcohol. Many reported attempting lifestyle changes (range: 39%–60%). Those who reported receiving health professional advice to lose weight (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.06–1.38), reduce sodium intake (2.33, 2.00–2.72), or exercise more (1.60, 1.32–1.95) were significantly more likely to report attempting changes. However, potential barriers to lifestyle modification included 28% of adults reporting disability, asthma, or arthritis. Additionally, 20% had no health insurance and 22% had no healthcare visits in the last year.

Conclusions
One-fifth of US adults met 2017 ACC/AHA BP Guideline criteria for lifestyle modification alone, and many reported attempting behavior change. However, barriers exist such as insurance gaps, limited access to care, and physical impairment.
Chapter Two Didymus and lyric
Authors: Prodi Enrico Emanuele 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Didymus worked extensively on archaic lyric poetry. The greatest amount of surviving material comes from the Pindar scholia and concerns Pindar’s Epinicians, but there are fragments and testimonies of his commentaries to other authors and a treatise On Lyric Poets. This chapter reviews the evidence for Didymus’ lyric scholarship, then discusses the contents of the On Lyric Poets—whose surviving fragments are concerned with the identification of lyric genres and the etymologies of their names—and the threads that run through his Pindaric exegesis: the compilation and evaluation of earlier scholarship, the use of historiographical evidence, textual criticism, a concern for the constitution of the Pindaric corpus and the contextualization of individual poems, and strategies of literary interpretation such as recourse to recurrent Pindaric themes and the train of thought of a passage.
ALeS: adaptive-length spaced-seed design
Authors: Mallik Arnab , Ilie Lucian 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Motivation
Sequence similarity is the most frequently used procedure in biological research, as proved by the widely used BLAST program. The consecutive seed used by BLAST can be dramatically improved by considering multiple spaced seeds. Finding the best seeds is a hard problem and much effort went into developing heuristic algorithms and software for designing highly sensitive spaced seeds.

Results
We introduce a new algorithm and software, ALeS, that produces more sensitive seeds than the current state-of-the-art programs, as shown by extensive testing. We also accurately estimate the sensitivity of a seed, enabling its computation for arbitrary seeds.

Availabilityand implementation
The source code is freely available at github.com/lucian-ilie/ALeS.

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Maximum likelihood estimation for semiparametric regression models with panel count data
Authors: Zeng Donglin , Lin D Y 
Published: October 2020

Summary
Panel count data, in which the observation for each study subject consists of the number of recurrent events between successive examinations, are commonly encountered in industrial reliability testing, medical research and other scientific investigations. We formulate the effects of potentially time-dependent covariates on one or more types of recurrent events through nonhomogeneous Poisson processes with random effects. We employ nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation under arbitrary examination schemes, and develop a simple and stable EM algorithm. We show that the resulting estimators of the regression parameters are consistent and asymptotically normal, with a covariance matrix that achieves the semiparametric efficiency bound and can be estimated using profile likelihood. We evaluate the performance of the proposed methods through simulation studies and analysis of data from a skin cancer clinical trial.
A novel clinical nomogram for the evaluation of disorders of plasma osmolality
Authors: Voets Philip J G M , Vogtländer Nils P J , Kaasjager Karin A H 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Disorders of water and sodium homeostasis in the human body—or dysnatraemias—are frequently encountered in clinical practice, but their analysis is often complex and their management is often troublesome. For many clinicians, it remains challenging to correctly interpret all relevant biochemical parameters involved in the analysis of dysnatraemia, especially when a rapid ‘bedside’ evaluation is required to initiate treatment. By mathematically deriving the relationship between plasma osmolality and urine osmolality under physiological circumstances, we were able to propose a novel and clinically useful nomogram for the rapid evaluation of disorders of plasma osmolality. We believe that the presented osmolality nomogram could be a transparent and clinically useful tool for the quick evaluation of disorders of the water and sodium balance in patients.
Gill slits provide a window into the respiratory physiology of sharks
Authors: VanderWright Wade J , Bigman Jennifer S , Elcombe Cayley F , Dulvy Nicholas K 
Published: October 2020

AbstractMetabolically important traits, such as gill surface area and metabolic rate, underpin life histories, population dynamics and extinction risk, as they govern the availability of energy for growth, survival and reproduction. Estimating both gill surface area and metabolic rate can be challenging, especially when working with large-bodied, threatened species. Ideally, these traits, and respiratory physiology in general, could be inferred from external morphology using a faster, non-lethal method. Gill slit height is quick to measure on live organisms and is anatomically connected to the gill arch. Here, we relate gill slit height and gill surface area for five Carcharhiniform sharks. We compared both total and parabranchial gill surface area to mean and individual gill slit height in physical specimens. We also compared empirical measurements of relative gill slit height (i.e. in proportion to total length) to those estimated from field guide illustrations to examine the potential of using anatomical drawings to measure gill slit height. We find strong positive relationships between gill slit height and gill surface area at two scales: (i) for total gill surface area and mean gill slit height across species and (ii) for parabranchial gill surface area and individual gill slit height within and across species. We also find that gill slit height is a consistent proportion of the fork length of physical specimens. Consequently, relative gill slit height measured from field guide illustrations proved to be surprisingly comparable to those measured from physical specimens. While the generality of our findings needs to be evaluated across a wider range of taxonomy and ecological lifestyles, they offer the opportunity that we might only need to go to the library and measure field guide illustrations to yield a non-lethal, first-order approximation of the respiratory physiology of sharks.
Evaluating physiology of a human heart during ventricular tachycardia: new insights of mechanical alterations via beat to beat strain analysis—case report
Authors: Wedekind Georg , Schröder Stephen 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
Ventricular tachycardia can be triggered by myocardial ischaemia. These often fatal events are nearly always accompanied by a significant circulatory depression. However, the exact mechanical alterations and mechanisms of adaption during such arrhythmia episodes are still unknown.

Case summary
We report on a 71-year-old male patient with a distinct cardiovascular risk profile, recurrent incidences of dizziness and palpitations. A Holter electrocardiogram was performed showing multiple episodes of ventricular tachycardia. He was immediately transferred to our hospital for further monitoring and diagnostics. During echocardiography, one of these episodes could be recorded with a four-dimensional (4D) probe in triplane acquisition mode and strain analysis was done. Afterwards, a heart catheter examination was performed. A one-vessel coronary heart disease was diagnosed and treated with three drug-eluting stents. The burden of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT) significantly reduced post-procedure. During the follow-up, new episodes of nsVT occurred after 6 weeks, which were treated by electrophysiological examinations.

Discussion
Modern 4D echocardiography machines offer the possibility to visualize the entire heart simultaneously. Thus ventricular arrhythmias can be evaluated using off-line strain analysis. This technology allows new real-time insights into the human heart showing compensatory mechanisms to overcome stressful episodes, such as ventricular tachycardia.
Composition, structure, and function of heart teams: a joint position paper of the ACVC, EAPCI, EACTS, and EACTA focused on the management of patients with complex coronary artery disease requiring myocardial revascularization
Authors: Leonardi Sergio , Capodanno Davide , Sousa-Uva Miguel , Vrints Christiaan , Rex Steffen , Guarracino Fabio , Bueno Héctor , Lettino Maddalena , Price Susanna , Valgimigli Marco , Jeppsson Anders 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Contemporary cardiovascular medicine is complex, dynamic, and interactive. Therefore, multidisciplinary dialogue between different specialists is required to deliver optimal and patient-centred care. This has led to the concept of explicit collaborations of different specialists caring for patients with complex cardiovascular diseases—that is ‘heart teams’. These teams are particularly valuable to minimize referral bias and improve guideline adherence as so to be responsive to patient preferences, needs, and values but may be challenging to coordinate, especially in the acute setting. This position paper—jointly developed by four cardiovascular associations—is intended to provide conceptual and practical considerations for the composition, structure, and function of multidisciplinary teams. It focuses on patients with complex coronary artery diseases in both elective and urgent setting and provide guidance on how to implement the heart team both in chronic and in acute coronary syndromes patients, including cases with mechanical complications and haemodynamic instability; it also discusses strategies for clear and transparent patient communication and provision of a patient-centric approach. Finally, gaps in evidence and research perspectives in this context are discussed.
External validation of six existing multivariable clinical prediction models for short-term mortality in patients undergoing lung resection
Authors: Taylor Marcus , Szafron Bartłomiej , Martin Glen P , Abah Udo , Smith Matthew , Shackcloth Michael , Granato Felice , Shah Rajesh , Grant Stuart W ,   the North West Thoracic Surgery Collaborative (NWTSC), Eadington Thomas , Argus Leah , Michael Sarah , Mason Sabrina , Bhullar Dilraj , Obale Emmanuel , Fritsch Nils Cristopher , Shah Rajesh , Krysiak Piotr , Rammohan Kandadai , Fontaine Eustace , Granato Felice , Page Richard , Woolley Steven , Shackcloth Michael , Assante-Siaw Julius , Mediratta Neeraj 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
National guidelines advocate the use of clinical prediction models to estimate perioperative mortality for patients undergoing lung resection. Several models have been developed that may potentially be useful but contemporary external validation studies are lacking. The aim of this study was to validate existing models in a multicentre patient cohort.

METHODS
The Thoracoscore, Modified Thoracoscore, Eurolung, Modified Eurolung, European Society Objective Score and Brunelli models were validated using a database of 6600 patients who underwent lung resection between 2012 and 2018. Models were validated for in-hospital or 30-day mortality (depending on intended outcome of each model) and also for 90-day mortality. Model calibration (calibration intercept, calibration slope, observed to expected ratio and calibration plots) and discrimination (area under receiver operating characteristic curve) were assessed as measures of model performance.

RESULTS
Mean age was 66.8 years (±10.9 years) and 49.7% (n = 3281) of patients were male. In-hospital, 30-day, perioperative (in-hospital or 30-day) and 90-day mortality were 1.5% (n = 99), 1.4% (n = 93), 1.8% (n = 121) and 3.1% (n = 204), respectively. Model area under the receiver operating characteristic curves ranged from 0.67 to 0.73. Calibration was inadequate in five models and mortality was significantly overestimated in five models. No model was able to adequately predict 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS
Five of the validated models were poorly calibrated and had inadequate discriminatory ability. The modified Eurolung model demonstrated adequate statistical performance but lacked clinical validity. Development of accurate models that can be used to estimate the contemporary risk of lung resection is required.