bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Precipitation Aging on the Mechanical Behavior and Microstructure of Aluminum-Lithium Alloys
Authors: Fragomeni James M. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
The effect of variations in microstructure as a consequence of heat treating and aging on the mechanical properties of aluminum-lithium alloys was studied. The thermal treatments and composition were correlated to the microstructure and subsequent mechanical behavior of aluminum-lithium and aluminum-lithium-copper alloys that were solution heat treated and artificially aged for a series of aging times and temperatures. The underaged, peak-aged, and overaged thermal heat treatments were considered in determining the effect of the microstructure and processing on the mechanical properties. Standard ASTM tensile testing of the alloys was performed to determine mechanical properties such as yield strength, ductility, and ultimate tensile strength. Quantitative microscopy of the intermetallic precipitates was performed to related the measured deformation behavior to the microstructural features. Thus, the intermetallic precipitates in the microstructure which impede dislocation motion and control the precipitation strengthening response as a function of aging practice were measured by quantitative methods, and are the basis for controlling the mechanical behavior depending on their size distribution, average size, and interparticle spacing. The microstructure was studied, and measurements were made to determine the size, distribution, and morphology for the intermetallic strengthening precipitates as a function of the processing and composition. For the aluminum-lithium alloys studied, the primary strengthening was a direct consequence of ordered coherent Al3Li intermetallic precipitates which were uniformly distributed throughout the microstructure, which restricted the glide motion of dislocations during plastic deformation.
Design, Simulation, and Test of Variable Damped Suspensions for M-965 High CG Cars
Authors: Taillon Armand P. , Klauser Peter E. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
This paper reviews design and analysis methods applied in developing a three-piece Coulomb-damped truck arrangement to meet the requirements of specification M-965. This section of the AAR standards specifies performance criteria for high center of gravity cars over twist and roll inputs. The test input is a track section with a series of staggered low joints. These act to excite car body roll. The review demonstrates that properly designed suspension and damping components, in combination with side bearings, will achieve the required performance through the life of the truck. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of accurate vehicle dynamics simulations as a conservative predictor of actual vehicle performance on perturbed track. The design and analysis methods are described in detail. Guidelines are provided to help determine appropriate suspension arrangements for high CG car applications.
Estimating Economic Benefits for Improved Bulk-Commodity Suspensions
Authors: Rownd Ken , Iler Darrell 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has sponsored an ongoing program to solicit new suspension technologies for commodity specific freight services. The process has involved assessing needs, publishing a performance specification, soliciting new designs, computer modeling, and evaluating prototypes by test and by economic models. Since 1999, this program has focused on better economic performance for bulk commodity service.
Modest changes to familiar bulk commodity truck designs have resulted in significant economic benefits in railroad service.
New Technologies for the Railway Industry: Part I
Authors: Ahmadian Mehdi , Poynor James C. , Goncalves Fernando D. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
The primary purpose of this paper is to review the fundamentals, concepts, and merits of new technologies that hold a promise for helping the railroad industry in its missions. The author hopes that this paper will be the first of a series of papers that will be devoted to reviewing new technologies that are on the horizon and can benefit the rail industry, in a manner similar to the current papers that report on the progress of different aspects of transit and passenger cars, locomotives, and freight cars. The fundamental difference between this paper and current papers is that it will be devoted to new technologies that are in a more distant horizon (10–15 years), as opposed to the more immediate future developments that are covered in current papers. The first technology that will be highlighted is the magneto-rheological (MR) technology that has received a tremendous amount of attention in the past five years in the transportation industry, in particular for automotive applications. This paper will provide an overview of MR technology and its common applications, and provide some fruits for thoughts on how MR technology can be used in the rail industry.
Surgeon effects on cataract refractive outcomes are minimal compared with patient comorbidity and gender: an analysis of 490 987 cases
Authors: Hughes Rachael , Aristodemou Petros , Sparrow John M , Kaye Stephen 
Published: November 2021

AimTo investigate effect of patient age, gender, comorbidities and surgeon on refractive outcomes following cataract surgery.MethodsStudy population: patients on UK national ophthalmic cataract database on cataract operations undertaken between 1 April 2010 and 31 August 2018. Variables examined included gender, age, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, high myopia, inherited retinal disease, optic nerve disease, uveitis, pseudoexfoliation, vitreous opacities, retinal pathology, cataract type, previous surgery and posterior capsular rupture. A multivariate normal cross-classified model was fitted to the refractive outcome using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods with diffuse priors to approximate maximum likelihood estimation. A MCMC chain was generated with a burn-in of 5000 iterations and a monitoring chain of 50 000 iterations.Results490 987 cataract operations were performed on 351 864 patients by 2567 surgeons. Myopic and astigmatic errors were associated with posterior capsule rupture (−0.38/+0.04×72), glaucoma (−0.10/+0.05×95), previous vitrectomy (−0.049/+0.03×66) and high myopia (−0.07/+0.03×57). Hyperopic and astigmatic errors were associated with diabetic retinopathy (+0.08/+0.03×104), pseudoexfoliation (+0.07/+0.01×158), male gender (+0.12/+0.05×91) and age (−0.01/+0.06×97 per increasing decade). Inherited retinal disease, optic nerve disease, previous trabeculectomy, uveitis, brunescent/white cataract had no significant impact on the error of the refractive outcome. The effect of patient gender and comorbidity was additive. Surgeons only accounted for 4% of the unexplained variance in refractive outcome.ConclusionPatient comorbidities and gender account for small but statistically significant differences in refractive outcome, which are additive. Surgeon effects are very small.
Barriers and facilitators to the administration of prehospital tranexamic acid: a paramedic interview study using the theoretical domains framework
Authors: Goodwin Laura , Nicholson Helen , Robinson Maria , Bedson Adam , Black Sarah , Kirby Kim , Taylor Hazel , Voss Sarah , Benger Jonathan 
Published: November 2021

BackgroundTranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic drug used to prevent bleeding. It was introduced as an intervention for post-traumatic haemorrhage across emergency medical services (EMS) in the UK during 2012. However, despite strong evidence of effectiveness, prehospital TXA administration rates are low. This study used the theoretical domains framework (TDF) to identify barriers and facilitators to the administration of TXA to trauma patients by EMS providers (paramedics) in the UK.MethodsInterviews were completed with 18 UK paramedics from a single EMS provider organisation. A convenience sampling approach was used, and interviews continued until thematic saturation was reached. Semistructured telephone interviews explored paramedics’ experiences of administering TXA to trauma patients, including identifying whether or not patients were at risk of bleeding. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis (stage 1). Themes were mapped to the theoretical domains of the TDF to identify behavioural theory-derived barriers and facilitators to the administration of TXA to trauma patients (stage 2). Belief statements were identified and assessed for importance according to prevalence, discordance and evidence base (stage 3).ResultsBarriers and facilitators to paramedics’ administration of TXA to trauma patients were represented by 11 of the 14 domains of the TDF. Important barriers included a lack of knowledge and experience with TXA (Domain: Knowledge and Skills), confusion and restrictions relating to the guidelines for TXA administration (Domain: Social/professional role and identity), a lack of resources (Domain: Environmental context and resources) and difficulty in identifying patients at risk of bleeding (Domain: Memory, attention and decision processes).ConclusionsThis study presents a behavioural theory-based approach to identifying barriers and facilitators to the prehospital administration of TXA to trauma patients in the UK. It identifies multiple influencing factors that may serve as a basis for developing an intervention to increase prehospital administration of TXA.
Effects of overstory tree density, site preparation, and ground vegetation on natural Scots pine seedling emergence and survival in northern boreal pine forests
Authors: Kyrö M.J. , Hallikainen V. , Valkonen S. , Hyppönen M. , Puttonen P. , Bergsten U. , Winsa H. , Rautio P. 
Published: November 2021

Natural regeneration is a commonly used forest regeneration method in northern Finland. It is not known, however, what would be the optimal overstory density and ground vegetation composition for seedling emergence and survival, and if site preparation is needed to accompany overstory density manipulation. We studied the effects of overstory density (unthinned control and thinning to 50, 150, and 250 trees·ha−1) and ground vegetation removal (mechanical site preparation with disc trenching) on the number of naturally germinated pine seedlings and survival of individual seedlings over a period of 8 to 11 years. Bare mineral soil was a superior seedbed compared to intact vegetation cover, even though the mortality rate was high on mineral soil. Greater cover of lingonberry, crowberry, and slash had a negative effect on seedling number. Seedling mortality was initially high (60% died during the first 2 years) but decreased throughout the first 5 years. The survival rate of seedlings located in the mineral soil of the upper part of the disc trencher track was twice as high as that of seedlings located in the lower part of the track. High coverage of hair mosses (Polytrichum spp.) was associated with poorer seedling survival. An overstory density of 50–150 trees·ha−1 with site preparation seems to be an efficient treatment to promote regeneration under these circumstances.
Wing plastic response to temperature variation in two distantly related NeotropicalDrosophilaspecies (Diptera, Drosophilidae)
Authors: Machida Waira S. , Tidon Rosana , Klaczko Julia 
Published: November 2021

Phenotypic plasticity has been described for morphological and life-history traits in many organisms. In Drosophila, temperature drives phenotypic change in several traits, but few Neotropical species have been studied and whether the phenotypic variation associated with plasticity is adaptive remains unclear. Here, we studied the phenotypic response to temperature variation in the distantly related Neotropical species Drosophila mercatorum Patterson and Wheeler, 1942 and Drosophila willistoni Sturtevant, 1916. We evaluate if wing shape variation follows that observed in the Neotropical species Drosophila cardini Sturtevant, 1916: round wings at lower temperatures and narrower wings at higher temperatures. The variation in egg–adult development time and in wing size, shape, and allometry was described using reaction norms and geometric morphometrics. In both species, development time and wing size decreased with increasing temperature and wing allometry showed that size explained ≈10% of the shape variation. Wing shape, however, exhibited contrasting responses. At higher temperatures, D. mercatorum developed slightly slender wings, following the pattern previously found for D. cardini, whereas D. willistoni developed plumper and shorter wings, supporting previous studies on Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830. We conclude that all traits studied here were influenced by temperature, and that wing shape seems also to be influenced by phylogeny.
Polarized image of a Schwarzschild black hole with a thin accretion disk as photon couples to Weyl tensor
Authors: Zhang Zelin , Chen Songbai , Qin Xin , Jing Jiliang 
Published: November 2021

AbstractWe have studied polarized image of a Schwarzschild black hole with an equatorial thin accretion disk as photon couples to Weyl tensor. The birefringence of photon originating from the coupling affect the black hole shadow, the thin disk pattern and its luminosity distribution. We also analyze the observed polarized intensity in the sky plane. The observed polarized intensity in the bright region is stronger than that in the darker region. The stronger effect of the coupling on the observed polarized vector appears only in the bright region close to black hole. These features in the polarized image could help us to understand black hole shadow, the thin accretion disk and the coupling between photon and Weyl tensor.
The genesis and evolution of karstic conduit systems in the Chalk
Authors: Farrant Andrew Roger , Maurice Louise , Ballesteros Daniel , Nehme Carole 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
The Upper Cretaceous Chalk Group is renowned as a major aquifer, but the development of secondary porosity due to karstic conduits is poorly understood. Hydrogeological data and evidence from boreholes, sections, and tracer tests indicate that dissolutional conduits occur throughout the Chalk aquifer. Here, we assess the evidence for Chalk karst, and combine it with theoretical models of dissolution and cave formation to produce a conceptual model for the development of karstic conduits. Dissolution due to the mixing of saturated waters of contrasting chemistry along key lithostratigraphical inception horizons form extensive but isolated conduit networks. These form a significant proportion of the secondary porosity and enhance permeability. They prime the aquifer for the development of more integrated conduit networks formed by focused recharge of unsaturated surface derived water. However, the porous, well-fractured nature of the Chalk means that the time needed to form large integrated cave systems is often longer than timescales of landscape change. Continued landscape evolution and water table lowering halts conduit development before they can enlarge into cave systems except where geological and geomorphological settings are favourable. Groundwater models need to consider the formation of secondary karst permeability as this has a major influence on groundwater flow.
Myeloid Cell–Derived Oxidized Lipids and Regulation of the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Hicks Kristin C. , Tyurina Yulia Y. , Kagan Valerian E. , Gabrilovich Dmitry I. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractImmunosuppressive myeloid cells play a major role in cancer by negatively regulating immune responses, promoting tumor progression, and limiting the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Immunosuppression is mediated by various mechanisms dependent upon the type of myeloid cell involved. In recent years, a more universal mechanism of immunosuppressive activity of myeloid cells has emerged: Generation of oxidized lipids. Oxidized lipids accumulate in all types of myeloid cells and are often transferred between cells. In this review, we discuss mechanisms involved in the generation and biological role of myeloid cell–derived oxidized lipids in cancer.
Categorical Perception: A Groundwork for Deep Learning
Authors: Bonnasse-Gahot Laurent , Nadal Jean-Pierre 
Published: November 2021

AbstractClassification is one of the major tasks that deep learning is successfully tackling. Categorization is also a fundamental cognitive ability. A well-known perceptual consequence of categorization in humans and other animals, categorical perception, is notably characterized by a within-category compression and a between-category separation: two items, close in input space, are perceived closer if they belong to the same category than if they belong to different categories. Elaborating on experimental and theoretical results in cognitive science, here we study categorical effects in artificial neural networks. We combine a theoretical analysis that makes use of mutual and Fisher information quantities and a series of numerical simulations on networks of increasing complexity. These formal and numerical analyses provide insights into the geometry of the neural representation in deep layers, with expansion of space near category boundaries and contraction far from category boundaries. We investigate categorical representation by using two complementary approaches: one mimics experiments in psychophysics and cognitive neuroscience by means of morphed continua between stimuli of different categories, while the other introduces a categoricality index that, for each layer in the network, quantifies the separability of the categories at the neural population level. We show on both shallow and deep neural networks that category learning automatically induces categorical perception. We further show that the deeper a layer, the stronger the categorical effects. As an outcome of our study, we propose a coherent view of the efficacy of different heuristic practices of the dropout regularization technique. More generally, our view, which finds echoes in the neuroscience literature, insists on the differential impact of noise in any given layer depending on the geometry of the neural representation that is being learned, that is, on how this geometry reflects the structure of the categories.
Student Perspectives on Implementing Stop the Bleed Training into Medical School Curriculum
Authors: Marsh Amanda M. , Winslow Whitney , Cohen Jordyn , Yi Slee , Jacomino Mario , Luck George R. , Moreland Robert , Lottenberg Lawrence 
Published: November 2021

Background Following the Hartford Consensus guidelines and recommendations, third-year medical students from a single institution were offered an optional Stop the Bleed (STB) training course in August 2018. The aim of this study was to assess medical students’ confidence in performing bleeding control techniques and teaching others after completing the STB course. The secondary goal was to assess student perception on integrating mandatory STB training into the medical school curriculum. Materials and Methods A 24-question survey using a 4-point Likert scale was administered to all medical students who completed STB training. Students were anonymously asked to self-report their confidence in performing bleeding control techniques, training others after STB training, and their perception on integrating STB training into medical school curriculum. Results After completing the STB course, 95% of students were comfortable applying a tourniquet, 92% of students were confident in packing wounds, and 99% of students could apply direct pressure to wounds to stop bleeding. Overall, 94% of students reported that STB training would be helpful for their clinical rotations. Conclusion These results demonstrate that medical students are positively impacted by Stop the Bleed courses and validate that the implementation of mandatory STB courses into medical school curriculum will improve medical students’ knowledge and skills for hemorrhage control.
Prognostic factors of patients with advanced lung cancer treated with anlotinib: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Fan Bijun , Tan Xiaoming , Lou Yueyan , Zheng Yu , Zhang Liyan , Wu Xueling 
Published: November 2021

Objective Our study aimed to evaluate the main factors affecting the efficacy of anlotinib to determine the therapeutically dominant populations. Methods The medical records of patients with lung cancer who were treated with anlotinib from July 2018 to February 2020 at Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University were retrospectively reviewed. The optimal cutoff prognostic nutritional index (PNI) value for predicting efficacy was determined according to receiver operating characteristic curves. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated and compared using the Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank test. The prognostic values of each variable were evaluated with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses. Results The overall disease control rate of 44 patients with lung cancer was 93.2% (41/44). The median PFS was 5.0 months (95% [confidence interval] CI: 2.2–7.8), and the median OS was 6.5 months (95% CI: 3.6–9.3). The multivariate analysis results indicated that hand–foot syndrome and high PNI values were independent protective factors of PFS and OS. Conclusions Anlotinib was effective in treating locally advanced or advanced lung cancer. High pretreatment PNI scores and the presence of hand–foot syndrome after treatment were independent prognostic markers for favorable OS and PFS.
Gemcitabine plus Nab-paclitaxel as a second-line treatment following FOLFIRINOX failure in advanced pancreatic cancer: a multicenter, single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial
Authors: Huh Gunn , Lee Hee Seung , Choi Jin Ho , Lee Sang Hyub , Paik Woo Hyun , Ryu Ji Kon , Kim Yong-Tae , Bang Seungmin , Lee Eaum Seok 
Published: November 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) as second-line chemotherapy following first-line FOLFIRINOX treatment failure in advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods: This was a multicenter, single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial done at three tertiary centers in South Korea from May 2018 to December 2019. Eligible patients were aged 20 years or older, had histologically confirmed advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and disease progression after receiving first-line FOLFIRINOX. Patients received a second-line GnP regimen as intravenous nab-paclitaxel at a dose of 125 mg/m2 and gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m2, on days 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary outcome was survival rate at 6 months and the secondary outcomes were median progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events. This study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov. (NCT03401827) Results: Forty patients were enrolled in the study. The survival rate at 6 months was 72.5% [95% confidence interval (CI), 59.9–87.7], achieving superiority over prespecified assumed 6-month OS rate of 20% for best supportive care only ( p < 0.001). The median PFS and OS were 5.8 months (95% CI, 4.3–8.7) and 9.9 months (95% CI, 7.5–12.4), respectively. DCR was 87.5% with six partial responses and 29 stable diseases. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events occurred in 25 (62.5%) patients with the most common being thrombocytopenia, anemia, neutropenia, peripheral neuropathy, and peripheral edema. Conclusion: GnP demonstrated favorable efficacy with acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma after FOLFIRINOX failure.