bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Self-directed home-based neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in patients with advanced cancer and poor performance status: a feasibility study
Authors: O’Connor Dominic , Lennon Olive , Wright Sarah , Caulfield Brian 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Concurrent neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) involving sub-tetanic low frequency and tetanic high frequency which targets aerobic and muscular fitness is a potential alternative to conventional exercise in cancer rehabilitation. However, its safety and feasibility in patients with advanced cancer are unknown. The aim of this feasibility study was to determine safety and feasibility and evaluate changes in functional and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) outcomes in individuals with advanced cancer and poor performance status after concurrent NMES. These results should help inform the design of future studies.

Methods
Participants with advanced cancer and poor performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scale ≥ 2) (n = 18) were recruited. The intervention included a novel NMES intervention implemented over a 4-week period. Functional exercise capacity, lower limb muscle endurance and HR-QoL were measured by 6-min walk test (6MWT), 30-s sit-to-stand (30STS) and European Organization for Research and Treatment quality of life questionnaire core-30 (EORTC QLQ C30) pre and post-intervention. Participants unable to complete the 6-min walk test completed the timed up and go test. Participant experience and the impact of the intervention on daily life were investigated through semi-structured interviews.

Results
Ten of 18 participants completed the intervention. No adverse events were reported. Seven of 8 participants improved 6MWT performance (2 of 2 improved timed up and go), 8 of 10 participants improved 30STS and 8 of 10 participants improved Global quality of life. Perceived benefits included improved mobility and muscle strength.

Conclusions
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation appears safe and feasible in advanced cancer and may improve physical and HR-QoL outcomes. Future prospective trials are warranted to confirm these findings prior to clinical implementation in an advanced cancer setting.
Accelerated changes of glaciers in the Yulong Snow Mountain, Southeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wang Shijin , Che Yanjun , Pang Hongxi , Du Jiankuo , Zhang Zhonglin 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe Yulong Snow Mountain (YSM) is a region of temperate glaciers in the southeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The present study systematically assessed the glacier changes during the past several decades using ground-based and remotely sensed observations and referencing topographic maps. The images and maps revealed that the glaciers area in the YSM retreated by 64.02% from 1957 to 2017. The length of Baishui River Glacier No. 1 decreased by 12.5 m/year during this period, whereas the front elevation of this glacier increased by 10.83 m/year. The mean annual mass balance of this glacier was at − 0.42 metre water equivalent from 1957 to 2017, and its accumulative mass balance was − 27.45 metre water equivalent. The glacier retreats of glacier area, glacier front, and mass balance in the YSM primarily resulted from the increasing air temperature. These glacier retreats not only will have a negative impact on glacier tourism in the future, e.g., the retreat or disappearance of glaciers will reduce the attractiveness of mountainous scenic spots, but also will create new opportunities for the development of local tourism, e.g., “last chance” will simulate tourists’ curiosity. Hence, the findings of our present study help to understand the mechanism between accelerated ablation of temperate glaciers and climate change in southeast regions of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and provide references for local tourism administrations.
Effective Models and Numerical Homogenization for Wave Propagation in Heterogeneous Media on Arbitrary Timescales
Authors: Abdulle Assyr , Pouchon Timothée 
Published: March 2020

AbstractA family of effective equations for wave propagation in periodic media for arbitrary timescales$$\mathcal {O}(\varepsilon ^{-\alpha })$$O(ε-α), where$$\varepsilon \ll 1$$ε≪1is the period of the tensor describing the medium, is proposed. The well-posedness of the effective equations of the family is ensured without requiring a regularization process as in previous models (Benoit and Gloria in Long-time homogenization and asymptotic ballistic transport of classical waves, 2017,arXiv:1701.08600; Allaire et al. in Crime pays; homogenized wave equations for long times, 2018,arXiv:1803.09455). The effective solutions in the family are proved to be$$\varepsilon $$εclose to the original wave in a norm equivalent to the$${\mathrm {L}^{\infty }}(0,\varepsilon ^{-\alpha }T;{{\mathrm {L}^{2}}(\varOmega )})$$L∞(0,ε-αT;L2(Ω))norm. In addition, a numerical procedure for the computation of the effective tensors of arbitrary order is provided. In particular, we present a new relation between the correctors of arbitrary order, which allows to substantially reduce the computational cost of the effective tensors of arbitrary order. This relation is not limited to the effective equations presented in this paper and can be used to compute the effective tensors of alternative effective models.
Comparative ecological and behavioral study of Macaca assamensis and M. mulatta in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nepal
Authors: Khatiwada Sunil , Paudel Pavan Kumar , Chalise Mukesh K. , Ogawa Hideshi 
Published: March 2020

AbstractResource partitioning reduces the competition between different species within the same habitat, promoting their coexistence. To understand how such species co-adapt to reduce conflicts, we examined the behavior of two primates, Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis) and rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), from April 2017 to March 2018 in Sivapuri Nagarjun National Park (SNNP), Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. We performed 1580 and 1261 scan sessions on wild multi-male/multi-female groups of Assamese and rhesus macaques, respectively, at 15-min sampling intervals. Assamese macaques consumed fewer plant species (38 species) than rhesus macaques (88 species). Overlapping food sources between the macaque species resulted in a Pianka index of 0.5. Assamese macaques consumed more items of tree, climber, and vine species, whereas rhesus macaques fed on more shrub, herb, and grass species. The proportions of plant parts consumed by the two species differed—more leaves, fruits and cones were used by Assamese macaques than rhesus macaques, whereas more flowers, seeds, and pods were consumed by rhesus macaques than Assamese macaques. Assamese macaques had a smaller home range (0.55 km2) than rhesus macaques (4.23 km2), and Assamese macaques had a shorter daily moving distance (1.6 km) than rhesus macaques (4.0 km). Although feeding time did not differ between the two macaque species, less time was devoted to social activities by Assamese macaques (16.0%) than by rhesus macaques (33.7%). Assamese macaques were generally arboreal, with 94.0% of their activities in trees, whereas rhesus macaques were largely terrestrial, with 58.5% of their activities on the ground. These differences in food selection, home-range size, ranging and activity patterns, and habitat use suggest that Assamese and rhesus macaques reduce resource competition through resource partitioning to coexist in a landscape matrix.
The Picard Group of an Order and Külshammer Reduction
Authors: Eisele Florian 
Published: March 2020

AbstractLet $(K,\mathcal {O},k)$
(
K
,
O
,
k
)
be a p-modular system and assume k is algebraically closed. We show that if Λ is an $\mathcal {O}$
O
-order in a separable K-algebra, then $\text {Pic}_{\mathcal {O}}({\Lambda })$

Pic

O

(
Λ
)
carries the structure of an algebraic group over k. As an application to the modular representation theory of finite groups, we show that a reduction theorem by Külshammer concerned with Donovan’s conjecture remains valid over $\mathcal {O}$
O
.
Assessment of an Evolution Equation for the Displacement Speed of a Constant-Density Reactive Scalar Field
Authors: Yu Rixin , Nilsson Thommie , Brethouwer Geert , Chakraborty Nilanjan , Lipatnikov Andrei 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe displacement speed that characterises the self-propagation of isosurfaces of a reaction progress variable is of key importance for turbulent premixed reacting flow. The evolution equation for the displacement speed was derived in a recent work of Yu and Lipatnikov (Phys Rev E 100:013107, 2019a) for the case where the flame is described by a transport equation for single reaction progress variable assuming simple transport and one-step chemistry. This equation represents interaction of a number of complex coupled mechanisms related to straining by the velocity field, surface curvature and the scalar gradient. The aim of the current work is to provide detailed physical explanations of the displacement speed equation and its various terms, and to provide a new perspective to understand the mechanisms responsible for observed variations in the displacement speed. The equation is then used to analyze the propagation of a statistically planar reaction wave in homogeneous isotropic constant-density turbulence using direct numerical simulations. Additional emphasis is put on retracting surface segments that have a negative displacement speed, a phenomenon that commonly occurs at high Karlovitz numbers.
Sub-grid Reaction Progress Variable Variance Closure in Turbulent Premixed Flames
Authors: Keil F. B. , Klein M. , Chakraborty N. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe statistical behaviour and modelling of the sub-grid variance of reaction progress variable have been analysed based on a priori analysis of Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) data of freely propagating statistically planar turbulent premixed flames with different turbulence intensities. It has been found that an algebraic expression, which can be derived based on a presumed bi-modal sub-grid distribution of reaction progress variable with impulses at unburned reactants and fully burned products, is inadequate for the purpose of prediction of sub-grid variance. An algebraic model, which is often used for modelling sub-grid variance of passive scalars, has been found to significantly overpredict the sub-grid variance of reaction progress variable for the cases considered here. The statistical behaviours of the terms of the sub-grid variance have been analysed in detail and explained based on scaling arguments. It has been found that reaction rate and molecular dissipation contributions play leading order roles in the transport of sub-grid reaction progress variable variance and they remain in approximate equilibrium for large filter widths. Suitable model expressions have been identified for the sub-grid flux of variance, reaction rate contribution and scalar dissipation rate based on a priori analysis of DNS data.
Self-driving database systems: a conceptual approach
Authors: Kossmann Jan , Schlosser Rainer 
Published: March 2020

AbstractChallenges for self-driving database systems, which tune their physical design and configuration autonomously, are manifold: Such systems have to anticipate future workloads, find robust configurations efficiently, and incorporate knowledge gained by previous actions into later decisions. We present a component-based framework for self-driving database systems that enables database integration and development of self-managing functionality with low overhead by relying on separation of concerns. By keeping the components of the framework reusable and exchangeable, experiments are simplified, which promotes further research in that area. Moreover, to optimize multiple mutually dependent features, e.g., index selection and compression configurations, we propose a linear programming (LP) based algorithm to derive an efficient tuning order automatically. Afterwards, we demonstrate the applicability and scalability of our approach with reproducible examples.
A Systematic Review of the Literature on Aspects Affecting Positive Classroom Climate in Multicultural Early Childhood Education
Authors: Khalfaoui Andrea , García-Carrión Rocío , Villardón-Gallego Lourdes 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe risk for many young children from minority backgrounds of being excluded from a quality education might be reduced through the creation of a positive classroom climate. A systematic review was conducted to gain a better understanding of the pedagogical and structural aspects that foster a positive classroom climate in multicultural early childhood education settings. Following a systematic review procedure, 14 articles were selected and included in the analysis. The findings indicate that eight aspects contribute to a positive climate in these settings: on the one hand, pedagogical practices, including increased instructional time, teacher-student supportive interactions, peer interactions and friendship, child engagement, teacher training on emotionally supportive environments and teacher-family trust-based relationships, and on the other hand, structural aspects, including small peer groups and materials shared among children. This evidence may be used to foster a classroom climate that enhances learning processes and social development in multicultural preschool groups. However, more research is needed to better understand the particular role that cultural diversity plays in the classroom climate.
Objects or Others? Epistemic Agency and the Primary Harm of Testimonial Injustice
Authors: McGlynn Aidan 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThis paper re-examines the debate between those who, with Miranda Fricker, diagnose the primary, non-contingent harm of testimonial injustice as a kind of epistemic objectification and those who contend it is better thought of as a kind of epistemic othering. Defenders of the othering account of the primary harm have often argued for it by presenting cases of testimonial injustice in which the testifier’s epistemic agency is affirmed rather than denied, even while their credibility is unjustly impugned. In previous work, I have instead argued that such cases suggest that we need to enrich our conception of epistemic objectification in ways encouraged by Martha Nussbaum’s cluster analysis of objectification. Here I continue to make the case for this approach, and I consider the othering account in more detail. I focus in particular on Gaile Pohlhaus Jr.’s arguments for a version of the othering account in terms of the notion of derivatization, which turns on the idea that only such an account can enable us to properly understand the harms of testimonial injustice, in particular the ways in which it interferes with a subject’s epistemic agency and autonomy, and I’ll argue that such arguments should not sway us. Finally, I’ll further support my contention that it is illuminating and helpful to think of the primary harm of testimonial injustice in terms of epistemic objectification, though I will concede that the notion of epistemic othering may offer further helpful resources for understanding how subjects can be harmed by testimonial injustice.
Recent experiments at the JYFLTRAP Penning trap
Authors: Kankainen Anu , Eronen Tommi , Nesterenko Dmitrii , de Roubin Antoine , Vilén Markus 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility offers excellent possibilities for high-precision mass measurements of radioactive ions. Around 400 atomic masses, including around 50 isomeric states, have been measured since JYFLTRAP became operational. JYFLTRAP has also been used as a high-resolution mass separator for decay spectroscopy experiments as well as an ion counter for fission yield studies. In this contribution, an overview of recent activities at the JYFLTRAP Penning trap is given, with a focus on nuclei discussed in the PLATAN2019 meeting.
Critical stance within a community of inquiry in an advanced mathematics course for pre-service teachers
Authors: Goodchild Simon , Apkarian Naneh , Rasmussen Chris , Katz Brian 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThis paper reports a study of university students’ experiences of learning mathematics in an introductory differential equations course that takes an inquiry approach to learning and teaching. The students are on a trajectory leading toward a bachelor’s degree in mathematics to be followed by a year-long teacher education credential program. The analysis of students’ end of course presentations and written portfolios is framed with community of practice theory, complemented with analytic categories from community of inquiry, including notions of inquiry stance and critical alignment. Our social theorization of university mathematics education adds a complementary perspective to the more conventional cognitive and discursive analyses and is necessitated by the very nature of inquiry approaches to education. The analysis of students’ presentations and writing leads to exploring their development of the notion of critical stance, which the students are seen to take toward the mathematics, their learning, and approaches to teaching mathematics. We find that the notion of critical stance can be distilled into three components: awareness, self-evaluation, and agency.
A sequential multi-level framework to improve habitat suitability modelling
Authors: Bellamy Chloe , Boughey Katherine , Hawkins Charlotte , Reveley Sonia , Spake Rebecca , Williams Carol , Altringham John 
Published: March 2020

AbstractContextHabitat suitability models (HSM) can improve our understanding of a species’ ecology and are valuable tools for informing landscape-scale decisions. We can increase HSM predictive accuracy and derive more realistic conclusions by taking a multi-scale approach. However, this process is often statistically complex and computationally intensive.ObjectivesWe provide an easily implemented, flexible framework for sequential multi-level, multi-scale HSM and compare it to two other commonly-applied approaches: single-level, multi-scale HSM and their post-hoc combinations.MethodsOur framework implements scale optimisation and model tuning at each level in turn, from the highest (population range) to the lowest (e.g. foraging habitat) level, whilst incorporating output habitat suitability indices from a higher level as a predictor. We used MaxEnt and a species of conservation concern in Britain, the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros), to demonstrate and compare multi-scale approaches.ResultsIntegrating models across levels, either by applying our framework, or by multiplying single-level model predictions, improved predictive performance over single-level models. Moreover, differences in the importance and direction of the species-environment associations highlight the potential for false inferences from single-level models or their post-hoc combinations. The single-level summer range model incorrectly identified a positive influence of heathland cover, whereas sequential multi-level models made biological sense and underlined this species’ requirement for extensive broadleaf woodland cover, hedgerows and access to buildings for roosting in rural areas.ConclusionsWe conclude that multi-level HSM appear superior to single-level, multi-scale approaches; models should be sequentially integrated across levels if information on species-environment relationships is of importance.
Uniqueness of static, isotropic low-pressure solutions of the Einstein–Vlasov system
Authors: Thaller Maximilian , Harada Tomohiro 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIn Beig and Simon (Commun Math Phys 144:373–390, 1992) the authors prove a uniqueness theorem for static solutions of the Einstein–Euler system which applies to fluid models whose equation of state fulfills certain conditions. In this article it is shown that the result of Beig and Simon (1992) can be applied to isotropic Vlasov matter if the gravitational potential well is shallow. To this end we first show how isotropic Vlasov matter can be described as a perfect fluid giving rise to a barotropic equation of state. This Vlasov equation of state is investigated, and it is shown analytically that the requirements of the uniqueness theorem are met for shallow potential wells. Finally the regime of shallow gravitational potential is investigated by numerical means. An example for a unique static solution is constructed, and it is compared to astrophysical objects like globular clusters. Finally we find numerical indications that solutions with deep potential wells are not unique.
Mission to Planet Earth: The First Two Billion Years
Authors: Stüeken E. E. , Som S. M. , Claire M. , Rugheimer S. , Scherf M. , Sproß L. , Tosi N. , Ueno Y. , Lammer H. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractSolar radiation and geological processes over the first few million years of Earth’s history, followed soon thereafter by the origin of life, steered our planet towards an evolutionary trajectory of long-lived habitability that ultimately enabled the emergence of complex life. We review the most important conditions and feedbacks over the first 2 billion years of this trajectory, which perhaps represent the best analogue for other habitable worlds in the galaxy. Crucial aspects included: (1) the redox state and volatile content of Earth’s building blocks, which determined the longevity of the magma ocean and its ability to degas H2O and other greenhouse gases, in particular CO2, allowing the condensation of a water ocean; (2) the chemical properties of the resulting degassed mantle, including oxygen fugacity, which would have not only affected its physical properties and thus its ability to recycle volatiles and nutrients via plate tectonics, but also contributed to the timescale of atmospheric oxygenation; (3) the emergence of life, in particular the origin of autotrophy, biological N2fixation, and oxygenic photosynthesis, which accelerated sluggish abiotic processes of transferring some volatiles back into the lithosphere; (4) strong stellar UV radiation on the early Earth, which may have eroded significant amounts of atmospheric volatiles, depending on atmospheric CO2/N2ratios and thus impacted the redox state of the mantle as well as the timing of life’s origin; and (5) evidence of strong photochemical effects on Earth’s sulfur cycle, preserved in the form of mass-independent sulfur isotope fractionation, and potentially linked to fractionation in organic carbon isotopes. The early Earth presents itself as an exoplanet analogue that can be explored through the existing rock record, allowing us to identify atmospheric signatures diagnostic of biological metabolisms that may be detectable on other inhabited planets with next-generation telescopes. We conclude that investigating the development of habitable conditions on terrestrial planets, an inherently complex problem, requires multi-disciplinary collaboration and creative solutions.