bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contemporary snapshot of tumor regression grade (TRG) distribution in locally advanced rectal cancer: a cross sectional multicentric experience
Authors: Germani Paola , Di Candido Francesca , Léonard Daniel , Cuicchi Dajana , Elmore Ugo , Allaix Marco Ettore , Barbieri Vittoria Pia , D’Allens Laura , Faes Seraina , Milani Marika , Caputo Damiano , Martinez Carmen , Grosek Jan , Caracino Valerio , Christou Niki , Roodbeen Sapho X. , Bracale Umberto , Wildeboer Aurelia , Usai Antonella , Benedetti Michele , Balani Alessandro , Piccinni Giuseppe , Catarci Marco , Millo Paolo , Bouvy Nicole , Corcione Francesco , Hompes Roel , Ris Frédéric , Basti Massimo , Tomazic Ales , Targarona Eduardo , Coppola Alessandro , Pietrabissa Andrea , Hahnloser Dieter , Adamina Michel , Viola Massimo , Morino Mario , Rosati Riccardo , Poggioli Gilberto , Kartheuser Alex , Spinelli Antonino , de Manzini Nicolò ,   the TRG Snapshot Study Group, Bellio Gabriele , Iacuzzo Cristiana , Zucca Annalisa , Corleone Pio , Giudici Fabiola , Palmisano Silvia , Carvello Michele , Remue Christophe , Bachmann Radu , Lombard Nicolas , Pirlet Christine , Ryckx Andries , Massaron Simonetta , Pugliese Luigi , Coppola Roberto , Ferrari Cecilia , Castiglioni Simone , Ponte Elisa , Concina Serena , Piveteau Arthur , An Yongbo , Cagnazzo Emanuela , Troian Marina 
Published: April 2021

AbstractPre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgical resection is still the standard treatment for locally advanced low rectal cancer. Nowadays new strategies are emerging to treat patients with a complete response to pre-operative treatment, rendering the optimal management still controversial and under debate. The primary aim of this study was to obtain a snapshot of tumor regression grade (TRG) distribution after standard CRT. Second, we aimed to identify a correlation between clinical tumor stage (cT) and TRG, and to define the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the restaging setting. Between January 2017 and June 2019, a cross sectional multicentric study was performed in 22 referral centers of colon-rectal surgery including all patients with cT3-4Nx/cTxN1-2 rectal cancer who underwent pre-operative CRT. Shapiro–Wilk test was used for continuous data. Categorical variables were compared with Chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test, where appropriate. Accuracy of restaging MRI in the identification of pathologic complete response (pCR) was determined evaluating the correspondence with the histopathological examination of surgical specimens.In the present study, 689 patients were enrolled. Complete tumor regression rate was 16.9%. The “watch and wait” strategy was applied in 4.3% of TRG4 patients. A clinical correlation between more advanced tumors and moderate to absent tumor regression was found (p = 0.03). Post-neoadjuvant MRI had low sensibility (55%) and high specificity (83%) with accuracy of 82.8% in identifying TRG4 and pCR.Our data provided a contemporary description of the effects of pre-operative CRT on a large pool of locally advanced low rectal cancer patients treated in different colon-rectal surgical centers.
Vibration investigation for telecom structures with smartphone camera: case studies
Authors: Wang Ying , Brownjohn James , Jiménez Capilla Jose Alfonso , Dai Kaoshan , Lu Wensheng , Koo Ki Young 
Published: April 2021

AbstractTelecom structures such as high guyed masts are tall and flexible, so that not only the main structure but also the components (i.e., guy cable and antenna) suffer from vibrations induced by wind or earthquakes. The installation of contact inertial accelerometers for high guyed mast cables or antenna can be logistically challenging and the original vibration state may be influenced by these sensors. With convenient implementation and acceptable accuracy, computer vision technologies have been applied for vibration tests both in labs and field. In this paper, videos taken with smartphone cameras are processed to extract guy cable and antenna vibration information for telecom structures and, as a result, providing an efficient cost-effective method for vibration investigation of this type of structure. The video processing method can also be used in similar cases for other structures.
Comparison of different finite element model updates based on experimental onsite testing: the case study of San Giovanni in Macerata
Authors: Baggio Carlo , Sabbatini Valerio , Santini Silvia , Sebastiani Claudio 
Published: April 2021

AbstractUnderstanding the behavior of historic structures that have undergone structural changes, restorations, and damage over time is still a significant challenge for structural engineers, particularly in those countries subject to high seismic risk, such as Italy. The study of built heritage for its prevention and conservation is an active research topic, due to the numerous uncertainties present in historic structures. Finite element modelling has become the most common and accessible method to study the behavior of complex masonry structures, however, the gap between numerical and experimental analysis may lead to erroneous results. Model updating techniques can reduce the discrepancy between the behavior of the numerical models and the testing results. The goal of this work is to illustrate a methodology to integrate the information derived from local, global, and geotechnical investigations into the finite element model of the masonry historical church of San Giovanni in Macerata, considering the Douglas–Reid model updating method. The PRiSMa laboratory of Roma Tre University carried out local investigations such as sonic tomography, video endoscopy and double flat jack tests, along with five ambient vibration tests that were processed through the operational modal analysis to extrapolate the dynamic properties of the building (modal frequency, modal shape vector and modal damping). The combined use of global, local and geotechnical information implemented in the methodology effectively reduced the uncertainties of the model and led the refinement and validation of the most relevant structural parameters.
A multiscale DEM–FEM coupled approach for the investigation of granules as crash-absorber in ship building
Authors: Chaudry Mohsin Ali , Woitzik Christian , Düster Alexander , Wriggers Peter 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThis paper covers a numerical analysis of a novel approach to increasing the crashworthiness of double hull ships. As proposed in Schöttelndreyer (Füllstoffe in der Konstruktion: ein Konzept zur Verstärkung vonSchiffsseitenhüllen, Technische Uni-versitt Hamburg, Hamburg, 2015), it involves the usage of granular materials in the cavity of the double hull ship. For the modeling of this problem, the discrete element method (DEM) is used for the granules while the finite element method is used for the ship’s structure. In order to account for the structural damage caused by collision, a gradient-enhanced ductile damage model is implemented. In addition to avoid locking, an enhanced strain-based formulation is used. For large-scale problems such as the one in the current study, modeling of all granules with realistic size can be computationally expensive. A two-scale model based on the work of Wellmann and Wriggers (Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 205:46–58, 2012) is applied—and the region of significant localization is modeled with the DEM, while a continuum model is used for the other regions. The coupling of both discretization schemes is based on the Arlequin method. Numerical homogenization is used to estimate the material parameters of the continuum region with the granules. This involves the usage of meshless interpolation functions for the projection of particle displacement and stress onto a background mesh. Later, the volume-averaged stress and strain within the representative volume element is used to estimate the material parameters. At the end, the results from the combined numerical model are compared with the results from the experiments given in Woitzik and Düster (Ships Offshore Struct 1–12, 2020). This validates both the accuracy of the numerical model and the proposed idea of increasing the crashworthiness of double hull vessels with the granular materials.
A Novel Fault Detection, Identification and Prediction Approach for Autonomous Vehicle Controllers Using SVM
Authors: Biddle Liam , Fallah Saber 
Published: April 2021

AbstractFaults that develop in vehicle sensors have the potential to propagate unchecked throughout control systems if undetected. Automatic fault diagnosis and health monitoring algorithms will become necessary as automotive applications become more autonomous. The current fault diagnosis systems are not effective for complex systems such as autonomous cars where the case of simultaneous faults in different sensors is highly possible. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel fault detection, isolation and identification architecture for multi-fault in multi-sensor systems with an efficient computational burden for real-time implementation. Support Vector Machine techniques are used to detect and identify faults in sensors for autonomous vehicle control systems. In addition, to identify degrading performance in a sensor and predict the time at which a fault will occur, a novel predictive algorithm is proposed. The effectiveness and accuracy of the architecture in detecting and identifying multiple faults as well as the accuracy of the proposed predictive fault detection algorithm are verified through a MATLAB/IPG CarMaker co-simulation platform. The results present detection and identification accuracies of 94.94% and 97.01%, respectively, as well as a prediction accuracy of 75.35%.
An updated review on boron removal from water through adsorption processes
Authors: Bhagyaraj Sneha , Al-Ghouti Mohammad A. , Kasak Peter , Krupa Igor 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBoron is an essential micronutrient that has raised much interest, given the narrow balance between its necessity and toxicity. Both natural and anthropogenic emissions of boron into water sources can eventually deteriorate water quality and endanger the ecosystem. In this review, we first present a general outline of the importance of boron, boron chemistry in water, boron contamination, and its consequences followed by the recent progress in boron removal methods based on adsorption. The adsorbents for deboronation can generally be classified based on the functional groups present; chelating groups, metal oxides, and layered double hydroxides. To comprehensively address these adsorption methods, a detailed discussion on the reaction mechanism of each system is done followed by a summary of the progress in the field during the past 5 years. Finally, some characterization techniques used in deboronation studies and suggestions for future research and applications together with possible improvements to the existing systems are presented.Graphical abstract
Examining the Relationship between Land Values and Credit Availability
Authors: Sant’Anna Ana Claudia , Cowley Cortney , Katchova Ani L. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractIncreased credit availability facilitates land acquisition, but higher land values also hinder it. We investigate the impact of credit availability on land values, after regulatory changes in the lending system. We build an index of increased credit availability using Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation data. County-level panel fixed effects estimations are performed controlling for land value determinants, credit availability, and county-level macroeconomic factors. We find that estimating the effects of credit availability separately masks its total effect. Results show a 0.1 change in the index for increased credit availability is associated with 1.64–1.96% increase in land values.
Deep ice-core drilling to 800 m at Dome A in East Antarctica
Authors: Hu Zhengyi , Shi Guitao , Talalay Pavel , Li Yuansheng , Fan Xiaopeng , An Chunlei , Zhang Nan , Li Chuanjin , Liu Ke , Yu Jinhai , Yang Cheng , Li Bing , Liu Bowen , Ma Tianming 
Published: April 2021

AbstractA deep ice core was drilled at Dome A, Antarctic Plateau, East Antarctica, which started with the installation of a casing in January 2012 and reached 800.8 m in January 2017. To date, a total of 337 successful ice-core drilling runs have been conducted, including 118 runs to drill the pilot hole. The total drilling time was 52 days, of which eight days were required for drilling down and reaming the pilot hole, and 44 days for deep ice coring. The average penetration depths of individual runs were 1 and 3.1 m for the pilot hole drilling and deep ice coring, respectively. The quality of the ice cores was imperfect in the brittle zone (650−800 m). Some of the troubles encountered are discussed for reference, such as armoured cable knotting, screws falling into the hole bottom, and damaged parts, among others.
Hospitals Disaster Preparedness and Management in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional study
Authors: Alruwaili Abdullah , Islam Md Shahidul , Usher Kim 
Published: April 2021

AbstractObjective:The current study was conducted to assess disaster preparedness of hospitals in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia.Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional study of all hospitals in the Eastern Region of KSA was conducted between July 2017 and July 2018. The included hospitals were selected using convenience sampling. The questionnaire was distributed together with an official letter providing information about the aim and objectives of the study as well as ethical issues guiding their participation in the exercise.Results:All the included hospitals had a disaster plan that was completely accessible by all staff members. About 70% of the included hospitals established an educational program on disaster preparedness once per year. Assessment of hospital disaster preparedness was conducted using disaster drills in 62 (n= 98%) of the hospitals. However, only 9.5% of the hospitals had post-disaster recovery assistance programs like counseling and support services.Conclusion:Most hospitals involved in this study had sufficient resources for disaster management; however, the overall effectiveness of hospitals’ disaster preparedness was slight to moderate. Some recommendations to improve hospitals’ disaster preparedness should be proposed, including improved staff training and testing, better communications and safety procedures, and adoption of a holistic approach for disaster management.
A Note on the Epistemological Value of Pretense Imagination
Authors: Schoonen Tom 
Published: April 2021

AbstractPretense imagination is imagination understood as the ability to recreate rational belief revision. This kind of imagination is used in pretend-play, risk-assessment, etc. Some even claim that this kind of hypothetical belief revision can be grounds to justify new beliefs in conditionals, in particular conditionals that play a foundational role in the epistemology of modality. In this paper, I will argue that it cannot. I will first provide a very general theory of pretense imagination, which I formalise using tools from dynamic epistemic logic. As a result, we can clearly see that pretense imagination episodes are build up out of two kinds of imaginative stages, so I will present an argument by cases. This argument shows that pretense imagination might indeed provide us with justification for believing certain conditionals. Despite this, I will argue that these are not the kind of conditionals that allow pretense imagination to play a foundational role in the epistemology of modality.
Providing safe care for patients in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era: A case series evaluating risk for hospital-associated COVID-19
Authors: Habermann Elizabeth B. , Tande Aaron J. , Pollock Benjamin D. , Neville Matthew R. , Ting Henry H. , Sampathkumar Priya 
Published: April 2021

AbstractObjective:We evaluated the risk of patients contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during their hospital stay to inform the safety of hospitalization for a non–COVID-19 indication during this pandemic.Methods:A case series of adult patients hospitalized for 2 or more nights from May 15 to June 15, 2020 at large tertiary-care hospital in the midwestern United States was reviewed. All patients were screened at admission with the severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Selected adult patients were also tested by IgG serology. After dismissal, patients with negative serology and PCR at admission were asked to undergo repeat serologic testing at 14–21 days after discharge. The primary outcome was healthcare-associated COVID-19 defined as a new positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test on or after day 4 of hospital stay or within 7 days of hospital dismissal, or seroconversion in patients previously established as seronegative.Results:Of the 2,068 eligible adult patients, 1,778 (86.0%) completed admission PCR testing, while 1,339 (64.7%) also completed admission serology testing. Of the 1,310 (97.8%) who were both PCR and seronegative, 445 (34.0%) repeated postdischarge serology testing. No healthcare-associated COVID-19 cases were detected during the study period. Of 1,310 eligible PCR and seronegative adults, no patients tested PCR positive during hospital admission (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0%–0.3%). Of the 445 (34.0%) who completed postdischarge serology testing, no patients seroconverted (0.0%; 95% CI, 0.0%–0.9%).Conclusion:We found low likelihood of hospital-associated COVID-19 with strict adherence to universal masking, physical distancing, and hand hygiene along with limited visitors and screening of admissions with PCR.
Ameliorative effect of enhanced Fischer ratio flaxseed protein hydrolysate in combination with antioxidant micronutrients on ethanol-induced hepatic damage in a rat model
Authors: Ume Salma Nida , Govindaraju K. , Gnanesh Kumar Belur Shivappa , Muthukumar S.P. , Jyothi Lakshmi A. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractAlcohol abuse causes severe metabolic abnormalities inducing hepatic damage and malnutrition. Since higher Fischer ratio proteins have therapeutic value in liver diseases, an investigation was undertaken to study the ameliorative effect of the enhanced Fischer ratio flaxseed protein hydrolysate (EFR-FPH) alone and in combination with antioxidant micronutrients on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in a rat model. The EFR-FPH was prepared by dual enzymatic hydrolysis and charcoal treatment of flaxseed protein. The ratio of the branched-chain:aromatic amino acids (Fischer ratio) was found to be 7·08. The EFR-FPH, characterised using LC-MS/MS, showed the abundance of free leucine and isoleucine compared with phenylalanine and tyrosine. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight MS analysis revealed the larger peptides present in EFR-FPH with mass 2·3 kDa. The EFR-FPH improved the nutritional status, liver function and antioxidant defense in the ethanol hepatotoxicity-induced rat model. The hepatoprotective effect of EFR-FPH was significantly enhanced when combined with selenium or vitamin E. Ethanol-induced changes in the liver tissue were effectively suppressed in the groups receiving EFR-FPH. Flaxseed-based hepatoprotective dietary supplement was formulated incorporating an optimum level of EFR-FPH (10 %) based on sensory acceptability and was fortified with selenium and vitamin E. The hepatoprotective formulation significantly lowered aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin by 47, 61, 55 and 78 %, respectively, and improved the antioxidant defense in the ethanol hepatotoxicity-induced rat model. The current investigation suggests that EFR-FPH in synergy with antioxidant micronutrients is potent in ameliorating ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity and has a potential to form a hepatoprotective dietary supplement.
Maternal supplementation with Bacillus altitudinis spores improves porcine offspring growth performance and carcass weight
Authors: Crespo-Piazuelo Daniel , Gardiner Gillian E. , Ranjitkar Samir , Bouwhuis Meike A. , Ham Rebecca , Phelan John P. , Marsh Alan , Lawlor Peadar G. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding Bacillus altitudinis spores to sows and/or offspring on growth and health indicators. On day (D) 100 of gestation, twenty-four sows were selected and grouped as: control (CON), fed with a standard diet; and probiotic (PRO), fed the standard diet supplemented with B. altitudinis WIT588 spores from D100 of gestation until weaning. Offspring (n 144) from each of the two sow treatments were assigned to either a CON (no probiotic) or PRO (B. altitudinis-supplemented) treatment for 28 d post-weaning (pw), resulting in four treatment groups: (1) CON/CON, non-probiotic-supplemented sow/non-probiotic-supplemented piglet; (2) CON/PRO, non-probiotic-supplemented sow/probiotic-supplemented piglet; (3) PRO/CON, probiotic-supplemented sow/non-probiotic-supplemented piglet and (4) PRO/PRO, probiotic-supplemented sow/probiotic-supplemented piglet. B. altitudinis WIT588 was detected in the faeces of probiotic-supplemented sows and their piglets, and in the faeces and intestine of probiotic-supplemented piglets. Colostrum from PRO sows had higher total solids (P = 0·02), protein (P = 0·04) and true protein (P = 0·05), and lower lactose (P < 0·01) than colostrum from CON sows. Maternal treatment improved offspring feed conversion ratio at D0–14 pw (P < 0·001) and increased offspring body weight at D105 and D127 pw (P = 0·01), carcass weight (P = 0·05) and kill-out percentage (P < 0·01). It also increased small intestinal absorptive capacity and impacted the haematological profile of sows and progeny. There was little impact of pw treatment on any of the parameters measured. Overall, the lifetime growth benefits in the offspring of B. altitudinis-supplemented sows offer considerable economic advantages for pig producers in search of alternatives to in-feed antibiotics/zinc oxide.
Railroads and Reform: How Trains Strengthened the Nation State
Authors: Cermeño Alexandra L. , Enflo Kerstin , Lindvall Johannes 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThis paper examines the relationship between the coming of the railroads, the expansion of primary education, and the introduction of national school curricula. Using fine-grained data on local education outcomes in Sweden in the nineteenth century, the paper tests the idea that the development of the railroad network enabled national school inspectors to monitor remote schools more effectively. In localities to which school inspectors could travel by rail, a larger share of children attended permanent public schools and took classes in nation-building subjects such as geography and history. By contrast, the parochial interests of local and religious authorities continued to dominate in remote areas school inspectors could not reach by train. The paper argues for a causal interpretation of these findings, which are robust for the share of children in permanent schools and suggestive for the content of the curriculum. The paper therefore concludes that the railroad, the defining innovation of the First Industrial Revolution, mattered directly for the state's ability to implement public policies.