bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tolerance analysis for robotic pick-and-place operations
Authors: Tipary Bence , Erdős Gábor 
Published: August 2021

AbstractRobotic workcell design is a complex process, especially in case of flexible (e.g., bin-picking) workcells. The numerous requirements and the need for continuous system validation on multiple levels place a huge burden on the designers. There are a number of tools for analyzing the different aspects of robotic workcells, such as CAD software, system modelers, or grasp and path planners. However, the precision aspect of the robotic operation is often overlooked and tackled only as a matter of manipulator repeatability. This paper proposes a designer tool to assess the precision feasibility of robotic pick-and-place workcells from the operation point of view. This means that not only the manufacturing tolerances of the workpiece and the placing environment are considered, but the tolerance characteristics of the manipulation and metrology process (in case of flexible applications) as well. Correspondingly, the contribution of the paper is a novel tolerance modeling approach, where the tolerance stack-up is set up as a transformation chain of low-order kinematic pairs between the workpiece, manipulator, and other workcell components, based on manipulation, seizing, releasing, manufacturing, and metrology tolerances. Using this representation, the fulfillment of functional requirements (e.g., picking or placing precision) can be validated based on the tolerance range of corresponding chain members. By having a generalized underlying model, the proposed method covers generic industrial pick-and-place applications, including both conventional and flexible ones. The application of the method is presented in a semi-structured pick-and-place scenario.
The quarter median
Authors: Baringhaus Ludwig , Grübel Rudolf 
Published: August 2021

AbstractWe introduce and discuss a multivariate version of the classical median that is based on an equipartition property with respect to quarter spaces. These arise as pairwise intersections of the half-spaces associated with the coordinate hyperplanes of an orthogonal basis. We obtain results on existence, equivariance, and asymptotic normality.
Marginality and convexity in partition function form games
Authors: Alonso-Meijide J. M. , Álvarez-Mozos M. , Fiestras-Janeiro M. G. , Jiménez-Losada A. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractIn this paper an order on the set of embedded coalitions is studied in detail. This allows us to define new notions of superaddivity and convexity of games in partition function form which are compared to other proposals in the literature. The main results are two characterizations of convexity. The first one uses non-decreasing contributions to coalitions of increasing size and can thus be considered parallel to the classic result for cooperative games without externalities. The second one is based on the standard convexity of associated games without externalities that we define using a partition of the player set. Using the later result, we can conclude that some of the generalizations of the Shapley value to games in partition function form lie within the cores of specific classic games when the original game is convex.
In situ observation of shrinking and swelling of normal and compression Chinese fir wood at the tissue, cell and cell wall level
Authors: Zhan Tianyi , Lyu Jianxiong , Eder Michaela 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe shrinking and swelling of wood due to moisture changes are intrinsic material properties that control and limit the use of wood in many applications. Herein, hygroscopic deformations of normal and compression wood of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata[Lamb.] Hook.) were measured during desorption and absorption processes. The dimensional changes were observed in situ by an environmental scanning electron microscope and analyzed at different hierarchical levels (tissue, cell and cell wall). The relationship between moisture variation and hygroscopic deformation was measured. During initial desorption periods from 95 to 90 or 75% RH, an expansion of the lumen and a shrinkage of the cell wall were observed, revealing a non-uniform and directional deformation of single wood cells. The variation of shrinking or swelling at different hierarchical levels (tissue, cell and cell wall) indicates that the hygroscopic middle lamella plays a role in the deformation at the tissue level. Higher microfibril angles and helical cavities on the cell wall in compression wood correlate with a lower shrinking/swelling ratio. Normal wood showed a more pronounced swelling hysteresis than compression wood, while the sorption hysteresis was almost the same for both wood types. This finding is helpful to elucidate effects of micro- and ultrastructure on sorption. The present findings suggest that the sophisticated system of wood has the abilities to adjust the hygroscopic deformations by fine-tuning its hierarchical structures.
Impact of an All‐Female Surgical Team on Moroccan Patient Perspectives of Female Healthcare Providers
Authors: Munabi Naikhoba C. O. , Xepoleas Meredith D. , Vangsness Kella L. , Koualla Sara , Magee William P. , Yao Caroline A. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractIntroductionIncreasing numbers of women in medicine could address Morocco's 5.5‐fold deficit in surgical providers. Cultural perceptions towards women limit female advancement in healthcare. This study evaluates the impact of an all‐female surgical team on Moroccan attitudes.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate how attitudes towards female healthcare professionals changed for Moroccan patients after exposure to a unique, all‐female medical environment.MethodsCleft patients were surveyed after a surgery mission with all‐female volunteers in Oujda, Morocco. Analysis included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed‐methods approaches.ResultsOf 121 respondents (94%), 85% and 77% had prior exposure to a female nurse or doctor, respectively. 94% of respondents strongly agreed to receiving high‐quality care. 75% developed increased confidence in female providers. 68% and 69% of respondents, regardless of gender (p = 0.950), felt that having a female nurse or doctor did not impact care. Female patients were more likely than male patients to strongly encourage female relatives to pursue medical careers (p = 0.027). Respondents without prior exposure to female nurses were more likely to: pursue medical careers (p = 0.034), believe female relatives could pursue medical careers (p = 0.006), and encourage them to do so (p = 0.011).ConclusionsIncreased visibility of women improved patient attitudes towards female providers, especially in patients without prior exposure. Initiatives that increase female representation in healthcare may have greater effects in cultures with more gender inequity.
Patient-initiated follow-up of early endometrial cancer: a potential to improve post-treatment cardiovascular risk?
Authors: Johnson Racheal Louise , Choy Cheng 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Purpose
Is patient-initiated follow-up, post-surgical treatment of early endometrial cancer safe and can it be used holistically to improve cardiovascular health? What are the cost implications of this model of follow-up?

Methods
Retrospective data of 98 patients discharged to patient-initiated scheme since 2012. Service evaluation by anonymous patient feedback including physical health effects of the programme including weight loss. Financial cost was compared to traditional hospital-based follow-up over five years.

Results
No evidence of recurrence over 54 months median follow-up in low-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer. Patient feedback indicates that the exercise course helped women reduce their BMI. Over one third women felt happier and one fifth felt more confident and had a better ability to cope with stress. Total of 91% patients would recommend this model of follow-up to friends or family in the same circumstance. European Society for Medical Oncology guidance suggests the number of hospital-based follow-up appointments required for this cohort would cost £109,760. Calculations in this paper examine the cost of patient-initiated follow-up and reflect an overall saving of around 96.5%.

Conclusion
This service evaluation supports the claim that patient-initiated follow-up represents a safe alternative to the traditional hospital-based protocol. There is a potential for additional services to be offered to encourage and promote a healthy lifestyle linked to improving quality of life and cardiovascular survival following surgery for endometrial cancer.

Implications for cancer survivors
Cardiovascular morbidity is the most common cause of death in endometrial cancer survivors. Incorporating an exercise course as part of routine follow-up can help reduce this risk. The friendships formed by this communal follow-up can contribute towards emotional health and recovery. This holistic approach should be incorporated into novel follow-up strategies to help reduce patient BMI and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Auditory processing in normally hearing individuals with and without tinnitus: assessment with four psychoacoustic tests
Authors: Raj-Koziak Danuta , Gos Elżbieta , Szkiełkowska Agata , Panasiewicz Aleksandra , Karpiesz Lucyna , Kutyba Justyna , Skarzynski Henryk , Skarzynski Piotr H. 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Purpose
In most cases, tinnitus co-exists with hearing loss, suggesting that poorer speech understanding is simply due to a lack of acoustic information reaching the central nervous system (CNS). However, it also happens that patients with tinnitus who have normal hearing also report problems with speech understanding, and it is possible to suppose that tinnitus is to blame for difficulties in perceptual processing of auditory information. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the auditory processing abilities of normally hearing subjects with and without tinnitus.

Methods
The study group comprised 97 adults, 54 of whom had normal hearing and chronic tinnitus (the study group) and 43 who had normal hearing and no tinnitus (the control group). The audiological assessment comprised pure-tone audiometry and high-frequency pure-tone audiometry, impedance audiometry, and distortion product oto-acoustic emission assessment. To evaluate possible auditory processing deficits, the Frequency Pattern Test (FPT), Duration Pattern Test (DPT), Dichotic Listening Test (DLT), and Gap Detection Threshold (GDT) tests were performed.

Results
The tinnitus subjects had significantly lower scores than the controls in the gap detection test (p < 0.01) and in the dichotic listening test (p < 0.001), but only for the right ear. The results for both groups were similar in the temporal ordering tests (FPT and DPT). Right-ear advantage (REA) was found for the controls, but not for the tinnitus subjects.

Conclusion
In normally hearing patients, the presence of tinnitus may be accompanied with auditory processing difficulties.
Connexin mRNA distribution in adult mouse kidneys
Authors: Geis Lisa , Boudriot Franz-Fabian , Wagner Charlotte 
Published: August 2021

AbstractKidneys are thought to express eight different connexin isoforms (i.e., Cx 26, 30, 32, 37, 40, 43, 45, and 46), which form either hemichannels or gap junctions serving to intercellular communication and functional synchronization. Proper function of connexins has already been shown to be crucial for regulation of renal hemodynamics and renin secretion, and there is also growing evidence for connexins to play a role in pathologic conditions such as renal fibrosis or diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, exact intrarenal localization of the different connexin isoforms gains particular interest. Until now intrarenal expression of connexins has mainly been examined by immunohistochemistry, which in part generated conflicting results depending on antibodies and fixation protocols used. In this work, we used fluorescent RNAscope as an alternative technical approach to localize renal connexin mRNAs in healthy mouse kidneys. Addition of RNAscope probes for cell type specific mRNAs was used to assign connexin mRNA signals to specific cell types. We hereby found Cx26 mRNA strongly expressed in proximal tubules, Cx30 mRNA was selectively detected in the urothelium, and Cx32 mRNA was found in proximal tubules and to a lesser extent also in collecting ducts. Cx37 mRNA was mainly associated with vascular endothelium, Cx40 mRNA was largely found in glomerular mesangial and less in vascular endothelial cells, Cx43 mRNA was sparsely expressed by interstitial cells of all kidney zones, and Cx45 mRNA was predominantly found in smooth muscle cell layers of both blood vessels and ureter as well as in mesangial and interstitial (fibroblastic) cells. Cx46 mRNA could not be detected. In summary our results essentially confirm previous data on connexin expression in the renal vasculature and in glomeruli. In addition, they demonstrate strong connexin gene expression in proximal tubules, and they suggest significant connexin expression in resident tubulointerstitial cells.
FMRI and intra-cranial electrocorticography recordings in the same human subjects reveals negative BOLD signal coupled with silenced neuronal activity
Authors: Fracasso Alessio , Gaglianese Anna , Vansteensel Mariska J. , Aarnoutse Erik J. , Ramsey Nick F. , Dumoulin Serge O. , Petridou Natalia 
Published: August 2021

AbstractPositive blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses (PBR), as measured by functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), are the most utilized measurements to non-invasively map activity in the brain. Recent studies have consistently shown that BOLD responses are not exclusively positive. Negative BOLD responses (NBR) have been reported in response to specific sensory stimulations and tasks. However, the exact relationship between NBR and the underlying metabolic and neuronal demand is still under debate. In this study, we investigated the neurophysiological basis of negative BOLD using fMRI and intra-cranial electrophysiology (electrocorticography, ECoG) measurements from the same human participants. We show that, for those electrodes that responded to visual stimulation, PBR are correlated with high-frequency band (HFB) responses. Crucially, NBR were associated with an absence of HFB power responses and an unpredicted decrease in the alpha power responses.
Structural connectivity and subcellular changes after antidepressant doses of ketamine and Ro 25-6981 in the rat: an MRI and immuno-labeling study
Authors: Pascual-Antón Raquel , Blasco-Serra Arantxa , Muñoz-Moreno Emma , Pilar-Cuéllar Fuencisla , Garro-Martínez Emilio , Florensa-Zanuy Eva , López-Gil Xavier , Campa Víctor M. , Soria Guadalupe , Adell Albert 
Published: August 2021

AbstractKetamine has rapid and robust antidepressant effects. However, unwanted psychotomimetic effects limit its widespread use. Hence, several studies examined whether GluN2B-subunit selective NMDA antagonists would exhibit a better therapeutic profile. Although preclinical work has revealed some of the mechanisms of action of ketamine at cellular and molecular levels, the impact on brain circuitry is poorly understood. Several neuroimaging studies have examined the functional changes in the brain induced by acute administration of ketamine and Ro 25-6981 (a GluN2B-subunit selective antagonist), but the changes in the microstructure of gray and white matter have received less attention. Here, the effects of ketamine and Ro 25-6981 on gray and white matter integrity in male Sprague–Dawley rats were determined using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI). In addition, DWI-based structural brain networks were estimated and connectivity metrics were computed at the regional level. Immunohistochemical analyses were also performed to determine whether changes in myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofilament heavy-chain protein (NF200) may underlie connectivity changes. In general, ketamine and Ro 25-6981 showed some opposite structural alterations, but both compounds coincided only in increasing the fractional anisotropy in infralimbic prefrontal cortex and dorsal raphe nucleus. These changes were associated with increments of NF200 in deep layers of the infralimbic cortex (together with increased MBP) and the dorsal raphe nucleus. Our results suggest that the synthesis of NF200 and MBP may contribute to the formation of new dendritic spines and myelination, respectively. We also suggest that the increase of fractional anisotropy of the infralimbic and dorsal raphe nucleus areas could represent a biomarker of a rapid antidepressant response.
G-optimal designs for hierarchical linear models: an equivalence theorem and a nature-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm
Authors: Liu Xin , Yue RongXian , Zhang Zizhao , Wong Weng Kee 
Published: August 2021

AbstractHierarchical linear models are widely used in many research disciplines and estimation issues for such models are generally well addressed. Design issues are relatively much less discussed for hierarchical linear models but there is an increasing interest as these models grow in popularity. This paper discusses theG-optimality for predicting individual parameters in such models and establishes an equivalence theorem for confirming theG-optimality of an approximate design. Because the criterion is non-differentiable and requires solving multiple nested optimization problems, it is much harder to find and studyG-optimal designs analytically. We propose a nature-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm called competitive swarm optimizer (CSO) to generateG-optimal designs for linear mixed models with different means and covariance structures. We further demonstrate that CSO is flexible and generally effective for finding the widely used locallyD-optimal designs for nonlinear models with multiple interacting factors and some of the random effects are correlated. Our numerical results for a few examples suggest thatGandD-optimal designs may be equivalent and we establish thatDandG-optimal designs for hierarchical linear models are equivalent when the models have only a random intercept only. The challenging mathematical question of whether their equivalence applies more generally to other hierarchical models remains elusive.
Consensus-based recommendations for psychosocial support measures for parents and adult children at the end of life: results of a Delphi study in Germany
Authors: Herbst Franziska A. , Gawinski Laura , Schneider Nils , Stiel Stephanie 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Purpose
The availability of psychosocial support measures has a significant impact on the quality of life of terminally ill and dying patients and the burden experienced by their relatives. To date, no intervention has specifically focused on promoting interaction within the dyads of the following: (1) terminally ill adult children and their parents and (2) terminally ill parents and their adult children. A national Delphi study was conducted to provide appropriate recommendations for dyadic psychosocial support measures.

Methods
Recommendations were formulated from qualitative interview data on the experiences and wishes of patients and family caregivers within these two dyads. Experts from palliative and hospice care providers rated the relevance and feasibility of 21 recommendations on two 4-point Likert-type scales, respectively. Additional suggestions for improvement were captured via free text fields. Individual items were considered consented when ≥ 80% of participants scored 1 (strongly agree) or 2 (somewhat agree) regarding both relevance and feasibility.

Results
A total of 27 experts (35% response rate) completed two Delphi rounds. Following the first round, 13 recommendations were adjusted according to participants’ comments. After the second round, consensus was achieved for all 21 of the initially presented recommendations.

Conclusion
The Delphi-consented recommendations for parents and adult children at the end of life provide the first guidance for hands-on dyadic psychosocial support measures for parent–adult child relationships, specifically. The next step could involve the structured implementation of the recommendations, accompanied by scientific research.
This study was registered on October 27, 2017, with the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00013206).
New constraints on the exhumation history of the western Tauern Window (European Alps) from thermochronology, thermokinematic modeling, and topographic analysis
Authors: Wolff Reinhard , Hetzel Ralf , Dunkl István , Anczkiewicz Aneta A. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe Brenner normal fault bounds the Tauern Window to the west and accommodated a significant portion of the orogen-parallel extension in the Eastern Alps. Here, we use zircon (U–Th)/He, apatite fission track, and apatite (U–Th)/He dating, thermokinematic modeling, and a topographic analysis to constrain the exhumation history of the western Tauern Window in the footwall of the Brenner fault. ZHe ages from an E–W profile (parallel to the slip direction of the fault) decrease westwards from ~ 11 to ~ 8 Ma and suggest a fault-slip rate of 3.9 ± 0.9 km/Myr, whereas AFT and AHe ages show no spatial trends. ZHe and AFT ages from an elevation profile indicate apparent exhumation rates of 1.1 ± 0.7 and 1.0 ± 1.3 km/Myr, respectively, whereas the AHe ages are again spatially invariant. Most of the thermochronological ages are well predicted by a thermokinematic model with a normal fault that slips at a rate of 4.2 km/Myr between ~ 19 and ~ 9 Ma and produces 35 ± 10 km of extension. The modeling reveals that the spatially invariant AHe ages are caused by heat advection due to faulting and posttectonic thermal relaxation. The enigmatic increase of K–Ar phengite and biotite ages towards the Brenner fault is caused by heat conduction from the hot footwall to the cooler hanging wall. Topographic profiles across an N–S valley in the fault footwall indicate 1000 ± 300 m of erosion after faulting ceased, which agrees with the results of our thermokinematic model. Valley incision explains why the Brenner fault is located on the western valley shoulder and not at the valley bottom. We conclude that the ability of thermokinematic models to quantify heat transfer by rock advection and conduction is crucial for interpreting cooling ages from extensional fault systems.
Synthesis and analytical characterization of monomeric N-oxidized derivatives of α-tocopheramine
Authors: Patel Anjan , Hofinger Andreas , Rosenau Thomas 
Published: August 2021

Abstractα-Tocopheramine has shown great promises as a stabilizer for synthetic and natural polymers, but is also investigated in various biomedical scenarios. Many studies have been hampered by the fact that the oxidation products of α-tocopheramine have not yet been properly identified and their analytical data are still lacking. In the present study, we synthesized and fully analytically characterized all N-oxidation products that can form upon oxidation of α-tocopheramine in aqueous media, including the hydroxylamine, nitroso, and nitro derivative, in this way providing standards for the identification of the so far elusive byproducts. Synthesis and stability of the derivatives are discussed.Graphic abstract