bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visualization of Human Aortic Valve Dynamics Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Sub‐Millisecond Temporal Resolution
Authors: Zhong Zheng , Sun Kaibao , Dan Guangyu , Luo Qingfei , Farzaneh‐Far Afshin , Karaman Meryem Muge , Zhou Xiaohong Joe 
Published: March 2021

BackgroundVisualization of aortic valve dynamics is important in diagnosing valvular diseases but is challenging to perform with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to the limited temporal resolution.PurposeTo develop an MRI technique with sub‐millisecond temporal resolution and demonstrate its application in visualizing rapid aortic valve opening and closing in human subjects in comparison with echocardiography and conventional MRI techniques.Study TypeProspective.PopulationTwelve healthy subjects.Field Strength/Sequence3 T; gradient‐echo‐train‐based sub‐millisecond periodic event encoded imaging (get‐SPEEDI) and balanced steady‐state free precession (bSSFP).AssessmentImages were acquired using get‐SPEEDI with a temporal resolution of 0.6 msec. get‐SPEEDI was triggered by an electrocardiogram so that each echo in the gradient echo train corresponded to an image at a specific time point, providing a time‐resolved characterization of aortic valve dynamics. For comparison, bSSFP was also employed with 12 msec and 24 msec temporal resolutions, respectively. The durations of the aortic valve rapid opening (Tro), rapid closing (Trc), and the maximal aortic valve area (AVA) normalized to height were measured with all three temporal resolutions. M‐mode echocardiograms with a temporal resolution of 0.8 msec were obtained for further comparison.Statistical TestParameters were compared between the three sequences, together with the echocardiography results, with a Mann–Whitney U test.ResultsSignificantly shorter Tro (mean ± SD: 27.5 ± 6.7 msec) and Trc (43.8 ± 11.6 msec) and larger maximal AVA/height (2.01 ± 0.29 cm2/m) were measured with get‐SPEEDI compared to either bSSFP sequence (Tro of 56.3 ± 18.8 and 63.8 ± 20.2 msec; Trc of 68.2 ± 16.6 and 72.8 ± 18.2 msec; maximal AVA/height of 1.63 ± 0.28 and 1.65 ± 0.32 cm2/m for 12 msec and 24 msec temporal resolutions, respectively, P < 0.05). In addition, the get‐SPEEDI results were more consistent with those measured using echocardiography, especially for Tro (29.0 ± 4.1 msec, P = 0.79) and Trc (41.6 ± 4.3 msec, P = 0.16).Data Conclusionget‐SPEEDI allows for visualization of human aortic valve dynamics and provided values closer to those measured using echocardiography than the bSSFP sequences.Level of Evidence1Technical Efficacy Stage1
Long‐term cardiac reverse remodeling after cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Alvarez‐Alvarez Belén , García‐Seara Javier , Martínez‐Sande Jose L. , Rodríguez‐Mañero Moisés , Fernández López Xesús A. , González‐Melchor Laila , Iglesias‐Alvarez Diego , Gude Francisco , Díaz‐Louzao Carla , González‐Juanatey José R. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIntroductionThe benefit of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in heart failure (HF) patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have been observed in the first year. However, there are few data on long‐term follow‐up and the effect of changes of LVEF on mortality. This study aimed to assess the LV remodeling after CRT implantation and the probable effect of changes in LVEF with repeated measures on mortality over time in a real‐world registry.MethodsAmong our cohort of 328 consecutive CRT patients, mixed model effect analysis have been made to describe the temporal evolution of LVEF and LVESV changes over time up with several explanatory variables. Besides, the effect of LVEF along time on the probability of mortality was evaluated using joint modeling for longitudinal and survival data.ResultsThe study population included 328 patients (253 men; 70.2 ± 9.5 years) in 4.2 (2.9) years follow‐up. There was an increase in LVEF of 11% and a reduction in LVESV of 42 mL during the first year. These changes are more important during the first year, but slight changes remain during the follow‐up. The largest reduction in LVESV occurred in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) and the smallest reduction in patients with NYHA IV. The smallest increase in LVEF was an ischemic etiology, longer QRS, and LV electrode in a nonlateral vein. Besides, the results showed that the LVEF profiles taken during follow‐up after CRT were associated with changes in the risk of death.ConclusionReverse remodeling of the left ventricle is observed especially during the first year, but it seems to be maintained later after CRT implantation in a contemporary cohort of patients. Longitudinal measurements could give us additional information at predicting the individual mortality risk after adjusting by age and sex compared to a single LVEF measurement after CRT.
Dynamic analysis of meteorological time series in Hong Kong: A nonlinear perspective
Authors: Yan Bowen , Chan Pak Wai , Li Qiusheng , He Yuncheng , Shu Zhenru 
Published: March 2021

AbstractMany meteorological systems are chaotic in nature, which inevitably limits its predictability. Accurate prediction of meteorological variables depends primarily on properly diagnosing the complex underlying dynamics. Nonlinear dynamic analysis has shown to be particularly useful for such purpose. In this study, the concept of recurrence analysis was extended to investigate and characterize the underlying dynamics of meteorological time series (i.e., wind speed, temperature, pressure and relative humidity) based on daily observation in Hong Kong during a period from 1998 to 2018. The existence of chaos was clearly identified based on the phase space reconstruction diagram and the recurrence plot. It was shown that the underlying dynamics associated with wind speed appears to indicate higher level of complexity as compared to those of pressure and temperature, which, in consequence, may lead to more irregular time‐dependent behaviour and lower predictability. Moreover, season‐to‐seasonal variability in the dynamics of meteorological time series was evident, particularly for wind speed and temperature. Overall, this study shows that the recurrence analysis can be well applied as a useful diagnostic tool to investigate the dynamics of meteorological systems, which is expected to provide a new avenue regarding the modelling and prediction of the behaviour of meteorological parameters.
qModeL: A plug‐and‐play model‐based reconstruction for highly accelerated multi‐shot diffusion MRI using learned priors
Authors: Mani Merry , Magnotta Vincent A. , Jacob Mathews 
Published: March 2021

PurposeTo introduce a joint reconstruction method for highly undersampled multi‐shot diffusion weighted (msDW) scans.MethodsMulti‐shot EPI methods enable higher spatial resolution for diffusion MRI, but at the expense of long scan‐time. Highly accelerated msDW scans are needed to enable their utilization in advanced microstructure studies, which require high q‐space coverage. Previously, joint k‐q undersampling methods coupled with compressed sensing were shown to enable very high acceleration factors. However, the reconstruction of this data using sparsity priors is challenging and is not suited for multi‐shell data. We propose a new reconstruction that recovers images from the combined k‐q data jointly. The proposed qModeL reconstruction brings together the advantages of model‐based iterative reconstruction and machine learning, extending the idea of plug‐and‐play algorithms. Specifically, qModeL works by prelearning the signal manifold corresponding to the diffusion measurement space using deep learning. The prelearned manifold prior is incorporated into a model‐based reconstruction to provide a voxel‐wise regularization along the q‐dimension during the joint recovery. Notably, the learning does not require in vivo training data and is derived exclusively from biophysical modeling. Additionally, a plug‐and‐play total variation denoising provides regularization along the spatial dimension. The proposed framework is tested on k‐q undersampled single‐shell and multi‐shell msDW acquisition at various acceleration factors.ResultsThe qModeL joint reconstruction is shown to recover DWIs from 8‐fold accelerated msDW acquisitions with error less than 5% for both single‐shell and multi‐shell data. Advanced microstructural analysis performed using the undersampled reconstruction also report reasonable accuracy.ConclusionqModeL enables the joint recovery of highly accelerated multi‐shot dMRI utilizing learning‐based priors. The bio‐physically driven approach enables the use of accelerated multi‐shot imaging for multi‐shell sampling and advanced microstructure studies.
Short‐term effect of low‐dose rituximab on myasthenia gravis with muscle‐specific tyrosine kinase antibody
Authors: Zhou Yufan , Yan Chong , Gu Xinyu , Zhou Lei , Lu Jun , Zhu Wenhua , Huan Xiao , Luo Sushan , Zhong Huahua , Lin Jie , Lu Jiahong , Zhao Chongbo , Xi Jianying 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIntroduction/AimsThe study aims to investigate the short‐term efficacy of low‐dose rituximab and its effect on immunological biomarker levels in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with antibodies against muscle‐specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK‐MG).MethodsTwelve MuSK‐MG patients were enrolled in this prospective, open‐label, self‐controlled pilot study. Clinical severity was evaluated at baseline and 6 mo after a single rituximab treatment (600 mg). B lymphocyte subtypes, MuSK antibody titers, together with levels of immunoglobulins, serum B‐cell activating factor (BAFF), a proliferation‐inducing ligand (APRIL), soluble CD40L, and four exosomal microRNAs were evaluated. A correlation matrix to reveal pairwise relationships among above variables was also generated.ResultsThe single rituximab treatment significantly lowered the clinical severity scores and reduced daily dosage of prednisone (P = .032) at 6 mo. MuSK antibody titers decreased (P = .035) without significant changes in immunoglobulin levels. Serum BAFF level increased (P = .010), which negatively correlated with the percentages of B cells in lymphocytes as well as clinical severity. Additionally, serum exosomal miR‐151a‐3p showed a reduction of 28.1% (P = .031).DiscussionWe confirmed the clinical efficacy of low‐dose rituximab in MuSK‐MG, accompanied by a decrease in MuSK antibody titers and an increase in serum BAFF. Serum BAFF levels negatively correlated with B‐cell counts as well as clinical severity.
Effect of contact resistance in organic field‐effect transistors
Authors: Shi Yanjun , Liu Jie , Hu Yuanyuan , Hu Wenping , Jiang Lang 
Published: March 2021

AbstractContact resistance (RC) is universally present in organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) and the performance of OFETs can be easily affected by RC, which will result in poor performances such as low mobility (μ), large threshold voltage (VT), and non‐ideal transfer/output characteristics. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review on the effects of RC in OFETs. We start with a brief introduction of the origin of RC and its effects on OFETs, followed by the commonly used methods for extraction of RC. Then, methods for reducing RC are thoroughly discussed. Especially, fabricating monolayer molecular crystal (MMC) OFETs is highlighted as one of the key solutions to reduce RC effectively. The final section describes the challenges in MMCs preparation and concludes with an outlook for further reducing RC to enhance the performances of OFETs.
Family history and pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline variants in prostate cancer patients
Authors: Sabol Rachel A. , Ledet Elisa M. , Jaeger Ellen , Hatton Whitley , Moses Marcus , Lankford Anjali , Zaheria Alexa , Barata Pedro , Layton Jodi L. , Lewis Brian E. , Sartor Oliver 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundRecent literature highlights the importance of germline genetic testing in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Surprisingly, a literature review indicates that family history (FH) records are incomplete in the major published studies from prostate cancer patients.MethodsProspective family history data were gathered from 496 men in a single institution with a personal history of PCa who underwent germline genetic testing using a panel of at least 79 genes. Comprehensive first degree FH were obtained in all PCa of patients and analysis of prevalent FH was assessed at the time of sample collection.ResultsPathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PV/LPVs) were not associated with age at diagnosis, race, or presence of metastasis. One or more first degree relatives (FDR) with any cancer was not predictive for germline PV/LPVs for men with PCa (p = .96). Separate analysis of patients with one or more FDR with breast, prostate, ovarian, or pancreatic cancer revealed that only FDR with breast or ovarian cancer was predictive for PV/LPVs (p = .028, p = .015 respectively). Patients with a FDR with breast cancer had 1.8 increased risk of PV/LPVs, and patients with a FDR with ovarian cancer had 2.9 increased risk of PV/LPV.ConclusionIn men with a personal history of PCa, germline PV/LPVs were associated with a FDR with breast or ovarian cancer. Notably having FDRs with PCa does not predict for PV/LPVs. These data emphasize the contribution of FH in a data set with complete ascertainment of FH.
Tube‐enhanced multi‐stage model predictive control for flexible robust control of constrained linear systems with additive and parametric uncertainties
Authors: Subramanian Sankaranarayanan , Lucia Sergio , Paulen Radoslav , Engell Sebastian 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe trade‐off between optimality and complexity has been one of the most important challenges in the field of robust model predictive control (MPC). To address the challenge, we propose a flexible robust MPC scheme by synergizing the multi‐stage and tube‐based MPC approaches. The key idea is to exploit the nonconservatism of the multi‐stage MPC and the simplicity of the tube‐based MPC. The proposed scheme provides two options for the user to determine the trade‐off depending on the application: the choice of the robust horizon and the classification of the uncertainties. Beyond the robust horizon, the branching of the scenario‐tree employed in multi‐stage MPC is avoided with the help of tubes. The growth of the problem size with respect to the number of uncertainties is reduced by handlingsmalluncertainties via an invariant tube that can be computed offline. This results in linear growth of the problem size beyond the robust horizon and no growth of the problem size concerning small magnitude uncertainties. The proposed approach helps to achieve a desired trade‐off between optimality and complexity compared to existing robust MPC approaches. We show that the proposed approach is robustly asymptotically stable. Its advantages are demonstrated for a CSTR example.
Multi Parametric Biophysical Assessment of Treatment Effects on Xerotic Skin
Authors: Stettler H. , Crowther J. M. , Brandt M. , Boxshall A. , Lu B. , De Salvo R. , Laing S. , Hennighausen N. , Bielfeldt S. , Blenkiron P. 
Published: March 2021

Summary

Background
Topical moisturizing products are widely used to alleviate the problems associated with xerotic skin. Their use affects many properties of the stratum corneum (SC) in a complex and interrelated manner. The range of measurement techniques available to the researcher has increased in recent years. However, few studies have looked for correlations between the different techniques for assessing how aspects of xerotic skin change over time as a result of topical moisturizer usage.

Objectives
A 3-week in vivo study using an oil-in-water based moisturizing product and an untreated site was conducted to determine the clinical significance of and any correlations between a range of different approaches for the measurement of skin lipid content and also skin hydration and visual grading of dry skin.

Methods
A range of traditional and more recently developed skin measurement techniques have been used to examine a variety of SC properties in normal and xerotic skin during topical moisturizer usage.

Results
In vivo confocal Raman spectroscopy and analysis of SC lipids from tape strips both showed an increase in SC lipid level and organization after 3 weeks of moisturizer usage on xerotic skin. Hydration, measured both optically and electrically, also increased and skin barrier function improved, with strong correlations between the different measures of dryness being observed.

Conclusions
Strong correlations were observed between the skin measurements for lipid assessment and skin hydration with regard to the assessment of xerotic skin, providing valuable new information for future in vivo clinical research into dry and atopic skin.
Developing an access control management metamodel for secure digital enterprise architecture modeling
Authors: Nahar Kamrun , Gill Asif Qumer , Roach Terry 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThere is an increasing interest in embedding the security in the design of digital enterprise architecture (EA) modeling platform to secure the digital assets. Access control management (ACM) is one of the key aspects of a secure digital enterprise architecture modeling platform design. Typical enterprise architecture modeling approaches mainly focus on the modeling of business, information, and technology elements. This draws our attention to this important question: how to model ACM for a secure digital EA modeling platform to ensure secure access to digital assets? This article aims to address this important research question in collaboration with our industry partner and developed an ontology‐based ACM metamodel that can be used by enterprises to model their ACM for a particular situation. This research has been conducted using the well‐known action‐design research (ADR) method to develop and evaluate the ACM metamodel for the secure digital EA modeling platform.
Relationship between internal viscous damping and stiffness of concrete material and structure
Authors: Liang Chaofeng , Xiao Jianzhuang , Wang Yuanfeng , Wang Chunhui , Mei Shengqi 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis study focuses on the relationship between the internal viscous damping and the stiffness of concrete material and structure having small deformation amplitude. New damping parameters were proposed to describe the energy dissipation capacity and the vibration–amplitude attenuation rate. An improved damping suspension test method for predicting the essential material parameters, elasticity modulus and loss modulus, was developed and validated. The results show that the viscous damping energy dissipation capacity of concrete material and structure having small deformation amplitude is proportional to the product of the loss factor and the stiffness, and the vibration‐amplitude attenuation rate is proportional to the product of the damping ratio and the natural frequency. The variation in dimensionless damping mainly results from the change in the stiffness of concrete material and structure. The porosity shows the smallest elasticity modulus and the largest energy dissipation capacity of nano‐phase in cement paste under constant loading conditions. The improved damping suspension test method is proposed based on theoretical analysis and is validated using an experiment and finite element analysis.
Electroweak SU(2)L × U(1)Y model with strong spontaneously fermion-mass-generating gauge dynamics
Authors: Beneš Petr , Hošek Jiří , Smetana Adam 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Higgs sector of the Standard model (SM) is replaced by quantum flavor dynamics (QFD), the gauged flavor SU(3)f symmetry with scale Λ. Anomaly freedom requires addition of three νR. The approximate QFD Schwinger-Dyson equation for the Euclidean infrared fermion self-energies Σf(p2) has the spontaneous-chiral-symmetry-breaking solutions ideal for seesaw: (1) Σf(p2) = $$ {M}_{fR}^2/p $$

M
fR
2

/
p
where three Majorana masses MfR of νfR are of order Λ. (2) Σf(p2) = $$ {m}_f^2/p $$

m
f
2

/
p
where three Dirac masses mf = m(0)1 + m(3)λ3 + m(8)λ8 of SM fermions are exponentially suppressed w.r.t. Λ, and degenerate for all SM fermions in f. (1) MfR break SU(3)f symmetry completely; m(3), m(8) superimpose the tiny breaking to U(1) × U(1). All flavor gluons thus acquire self-consistently the masses ∼ Λ. (2) All mf break the electroweak SU(2)L × U(1)Y to U(1)em. Symmetry partners of the composite Nambu-Goldstone bosons are the genuine Higgs particles: (1) three νR-composed Higgses χi with masses ∼ Λ. (2) Two new SM-fermion-composed Higgses h3, h8 with masses ∼ m(3), m(8), respectively. (3) The SM-like SM-fermion-composed Higgs h with mass ∼ m(0), the effective Fermi scale. Σf(p2)-dependent vertices in the electroweak Ward-Takahashi identities imply: the axial-vector ones give rise to the W and Z masses at Fermi scale. The polar-vector ones give rise to the fermion mass splitting in f. At the present exploratory stage the splitting comes out unrealistic.
Hereditary Evolution Processes Under Impulsive Effects
Authors: Cardinali Tiziana , Rubbioni Paola 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this note, we deal with a model of population dynamics with memory effects subject to instantaneous external actions. We interpret the model as an impulsive Cauchy problem driven by a semilinear differential equation with functional delay. The existence of delayed impulsive solutions to the Cauchy problem leads to the presence of hereditary impulsive dynamics for the model. Furthermore, using the same procedure we study a nonlinear reaction–diffusion model.
COVID-19 in Schleswig-Holstein: Infektionsepidemiologische Auswertungen von März bis September 2020
Authors: Rose Ruben , Scherer Damian , Maschkowitz Gregor , Läubrich Christoph , Fickenscher Helmut 
Published: March 2021

ZusammenfassungDie COVID-19-Pandemie stellt das deutsche Meldewesen im öffentlichen Infektionsschutz vor große Herausforderungen. Im Bundesland Schleswig-Holstein unterstützt die Landesmeldestelle die Gesundheitsämter durch tägliche und wöchentliche Auswertungen und hilft bei der Übermittlung der Meldedaten gemäß Infektionsschutzgesetz an das Robert Koch-Institut.In dem vorliegenden Bericht der Landesmeldestelle Schleswig-Holstein werden die SARS-CoV-2-Meldedaten aus dem Zeitraum März bis September 2020 ausgewertet. In Orientierung an der Entwicklung der Infektionszahlen wurde der Zeitraum in zwei Phasen ähnlichen Umfangs eingeteilt: März bis Mai und Juni bis September. Insgesamt wurden 4898 Infektionsfälle gemeldet. Bei dem Vergleich der Phasen zeigten sich besonders deutliche Unterschiede hinsichtlich der Hospitalisierung und Letalität, des Alters und der Staaten des Infektionsorts. In der ersten Phase waren besonders ältere Personen von einer hohen Hospitalisierungsrate und Sterblichkeit betroffen. In der zweiten Phase lagen das durchschnittliche Alter und die Hospitalisierungs- und Sterberaten deutlich niedriger und ein besonders großer Anteil war mit internationaler Reiseaktivität verbunden. Die Auswertung der Ausbruchsdokumentationen ergab den besonderen Schwerpunkt im Setting der privaten Haushalte. Dieser Artikel beschreibt die epidemische Situation in einem im Bundesvergleich Niedriginzidenzland.
A systematic approach to reduce the independent tensor components by symmetry transformations: a commented translation of “Tensors and Crystal Symmetry” by Carl Hermann
Authors: Glüge Rainer , Aßmus Marcus 
Published: March 2021

AbstractWe here present a faithful translation of Carl Hermann’s important 1934 paper “Tensoren und Kristallsymmetrie”. This work, originally published in German language, is transferred into English while the preceding foreword summarizes Hermann’s achievements.