bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Numerical Modelling of Pollutant Transport in a Straight Narrow Channel using Upwind Finite Difference Method
Authors: Yip B F , Alias N A F , Kasiman E H 
Published: May 2021

AbstractRiver pollution has become an increasingly severe issue, resulting in the rapid depletion of freshwater resources. An accurate prediction of the transport of the pollutants is vital for effective mitigation measures. This paper presents the numerical modelling of pollutant transport in a straight narrow channel. The pollutant transport is modelled using an advection-diffusion equation. The equation is discretized using Finite Difference Method (FDM) with an explicit upwind scheme for the temporal term. The resulting system of simultaneous equations is solved using a direct method. The numerical model is validated against an existing analytical solution, and the results show good agreement between numerical prediction and analytical solution. The validated numerical model is applied to different cases of pollutant release mechanisms involving continuous and instantaneous pollutant releases. In both cases, the numerical model can capture the physics of the problem and able to provide valuable information on the time and spatial evolution of pollutant concentration. The model is extendable to higher dimension owing to its simplicity of discretization.
The framework for assessing public transportation by using competitiveness index indicators
Authors: Sinniah G K , Li X Y , Abdulkarim S 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Many institutes measured and published the competitiveness ranking, in various fields of study and research as well as in the urban planning and development processes. While the city transportation is one of the main components that always be assessed from different dimensions, however people prefer to focus on pre planning and construction by exploring and measuring the effectiveness level after completion. In this paper, we assess public transportation competitiveness in terms of the bus system based on a self-evaluation framework built from numerous measuring variables to identify the current situation in the study case city Johor Bahru, Malaysia. We comply with the PCA (Principle components analysis) to divide the evaluating indicators to three categories, and eventually use TOPSIS and Fuzzy algorithm to evaluate the bus system. The study found significant improvement compared with the previous study evaluation that the competitiveness class from Bronze to Silver ranking. Simultaneously, we gained an evaluating framework from infrastructure, available and perception aspect that could be used in other places. The result verified that it is necessary and meaningful to verify the performance of the public transit system after completion due to we could revise or optimize it immediately to reach the expecting.
Anti-wear behaviour of silver nanoparticles on Al-Si alloy
Authors: Akgul Yasin , Simsir Hamza 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
In recent years, studies have shown that using nanoparticles (NPs) as lubricant additives lead to the enhancement of the anti-wear behaviour of oils. In this study, the anti-wear behaviour of silver (Ag) NPs which were capped with polyvinyl alcohol and sodium citrate were investigated for three different sliding speeds (2, 3 and 4 mm s−1) under two different loads (30 and 50 N). Results show that the AgNPs led to a decrease in friction and wear due to the formation of a tribofilm and a rolling effect. However, influence of the AgNPs declined at higher loads while increasing at higher speed test conditions. Also, both stabilising agents underwent disordering of AgNPs morphology and size successively under the applied loads.
Synthesis and corrosion resistance of Cu-Al-N nanostructured thin films deposited through magnetron sputtering
Authors: Otálora Barrero D M , Olaya J J , Duarte Moller A 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Cu-Al-N thin films were deposited by means of the unbalanced magnetron cosputtering technique, varying the pulsed DC source power that is associated with the aluminum target. The structural characterization, done through x ray difraction (XRD) and transmition electronic microscopy (TEM), showed that the films were nanocrystalline, with a crystallite size of an order of magnitude of 10 nm. According to the chemical composition results, they consisted of a Cu-Al phase, copper nitride and aluminum nitride, that depended on the deposition power. The electrochemical characterization was performed by means of Tafel extrapolation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The Tafel results showed a decrease in the corrosion current with an increase in the power, and the electrochemical impedance results showed an inductive behavior at low frequencies.
Does participant’s age impact on tDCS induced fields? Insights from computational simulations
Authors: McCann Hannah , Beltrachini Leandro 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Objective: Understanding the induced current flow from transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is essential for determining the optimal dose and treatment. Head tissue conductivities play a key role in the resulting electromagnetic fields. However, there exists a complicated relationship between skull conductivity and participant age, that remains unclear. We explored how variations in skull electrical conductivities, particularly as a suggested function of age, affected tDCS induced electric fields. Approach: Simulations were employed to compare tDCS outcomes for different intensities across head atlases of varying age. Three databases were chosen to demonstrate differing variability in skull conductivity with age and how this may affect induced fields. Differences in tDCS electric fields due to proposed age-dependent skull conductivity variation, as well as deviations in grey matter, white matter and scalp, were compared and the most influential tissues determined. Main results: tDCS induced peak electric fields significantly negatively correlated with age, exacerbated by employing proposed age-appropriate skull conductivity (according to all three datasets). Uncertainty in skull conductivity was the most sensitive to changes in peak fields with increasing age. These results were revealed to be directly due to changing skull conductivity, rather than head geometry alone. There was no correlation between tDCS focality and age. Significance: Accurate and individualised head anatomy and in vivo skull conductivity measurements are essential for modelling tDCS induced fields. In particular, age should be taken into account when considering stimulation dose to precisely predict outcomes.
The accurate prediction and characterization of cancerlectin by a combined machine learning and GO analysis
Authors: Tang Furong , Zhang Lichao , Xu Lei , Zou Quan , Feng Hailin 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCancerlectins, lectins linked to tumor progression, have become the focus of cancer therapy research for their carbohydrate-binding specificity. However, the specific characterization for cancerlectins involved in tumor progression is still unclear. By taking advantage of the g-gap tripeptide and tetrapeptide composition feature descriptors, we increased the accuracy of the classification model of cancerlectin and lectin to 98.54% and 95.38%, respectively. About 36 cancerlectin and 135 lectin features were selected for functional characterization by P/N feature ranking method, which particularly selects the features in positive samples. The specific protein domains of cancerlectins are found to be p-GalNAc-T, crystal and annexin by comparing with lectins through the exclusion method. Moreover, the combined GO analysis showed that the conserved cation binding sites of cancerlectin specific domains are covered by selected feature peptides, suggesting that the capability of cation binding, critical for enzyme activity and stability, could be the key characteristic of cancerlectins in tumor progression. These results will help to identify potential cancerlectin and provide clues for mechanism study of cancerlectin in tumor progression.
Desmond Tutu, George Carey and the Legalization of Euthanasia: A Response
Authors: Keown John 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWhen two Christian prelates as internationally prominent as Desmond Tutu and George Carey call for the legalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, their arguments merit close consideration. This article sets out and evaluates their arguments. It concludes that the prelates rehearse the superficial case regularly advanced by euthanasia campaigners and fail adequately to engage with the arguments, both principled and practical, against legalization.
Plasma exchange with COVID-19 convalescent plasma in a patient with severe ANCA-associated vasculitis and COVID-19 pneumonia after rituximab therapy
Authors: Kochanek Matthias , Garcia Borrega Jorge , Beckmann Laura , Neuhann Julia , Gathof Birgit S , Di Cristanziano Veronica , Hagmann Henning 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT
The combination of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia and pulmonary–renal syndrome due to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) poses diagnostic uncertainty and a therapeutic dilemma. According to current limited knowledge of COVID-19, the application of commonly used drugs in AAV, cyclophosphamide (CYC) and rituximab (RTX), must be weighed carefully in active COVID-19 infection. We report a case of a 52-year-old male patient with concurrent severe COVID-19 pneumonia and acute relapse of pulmonary–renal syndrome due to AAV after recent RTX maintenance dose. The patient presented with severe hypoxaemia, complete B-cell depletion and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viraemia. He was successfully treated with therapeutic plasma exchange employing COVID-19 convalescent plasma.
Deep learning for vessel-specific coronary artery calcium scoring: validation on a multi-centre dataset
Authors: Winkel David J , Suryanarayana V Reddappagari , Ali A Mohamed , Görich Johannes , Buß Sebastian Johannes , Mendoza Axel , Schwemmer Chris , Sharma Puneet , Schoepf U Joseph , Rapaka Saikiran 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Aims
To present and validate a fully automated, deep learning (DL)-based branch-wise coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring algorithm on a multi-centre dataset.

Methods and results
We retrospectively included 1171 patients referred for a CAC computed tomography examination. Total CAC scores for each case were manually evaluated by a human reader. Next, each dataset was fully automatically evaluated by the DL-based software solution with output of the total CAC score and sub-scores per coronary artery (CA) branch [right coronary artery (RCA), left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), and circumflex (CX)]. Three readers independently manually scored the CAC for all CA branches for 300 cases from a single centre and formed the consensus using a majority vote rule, serving as the reference standard. Established CAC cut-offs for the total Agatston score were used for risk group assignments. The performance of the algorithm was evaluated using metrics for risk class assignment based on total Agatston score, and unweighted Cohen’s Kappa for branch label assignment. The DL-based software solution yielded a class accuracy of 93% (1085/1171) with a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of detecting non-zero coronary calcium being 97%, 93%, and 95%. The overall accuracy of the algorithm for branch label classification was 94% (LM: 89%, LAD: 91%, CX: 93%, RCA: 100%) with a Cohen's kappa of k = 0.91.

Conclusion
Our results demonstrate that fully automated total and vessel-specific CAC scoring is feasible using a DL-based algorithm. There was a high agreement with the manually assessed total CAC from a multi-centre dataset and the vessel-specific scoring demonstrated consistent and reproducible results.
Assessment of early exaggerated treatment effects in orthodontic interventions using cumulative meta-analysis
Authors: Seehra Jadbinder , Stonehouse-Smith Daniel , Pandis Nikolaos 
Published: May 2021

SummaryBackgroundThe reported initial strong treatment effects reported in early trials that are refuted in subsequent future studies assessing the same interventions have been attributed to novelty bias. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is any evidence of novelty bias in the reported treatment effects of orthodontics interventions.Materials and methodsRelevant orthodontic systematic review (SRs) topics containing at least one meta-analysis on either binary or continuous outcomes with a minimum of three trials considered important areas in the field of orthodontic practice were identified. SR, meta-analysis, and primary study-level characteristics were extracted. Descriptive statistics were calculated at the SRs, meta-analysis, and at the individual study level. All SR and trial-level data were imported into the statistical software and all meta-analyses were replicated using the cumulative random-effects meta-analysis approach. Changes in the size and direction of the estimates between the first trial and the cumulative effect over time were recorded.ResultsForty-seven meta-analyses were included. The total number of primary studies included within these meta-analyses was 408 (N = 408). Overall, the final effect size estimate decreased in 29 (61.7%, N = 29/47) cumulative meta-analyses whilst it increased in the remaining 18 (38.3%, N = 18/47). No association between the level of risk of bias and the cumulative absolute effect size was evident (OR 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.03; P = 0.717) after adjusting for year of the primary study (P = 0.22).ConclusionsClinicians should be wary of the results of trials reporting the effectiveness of new interventions as there is a possibility that the reported effect size will be often exaggerated.
Avian leukosis virus subgroup J infection alters viral composition in the chicken gut
Authors: Chen Yuan , Li Hong-Wei , Cong Feng , Lian Yue-Xiao 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT
Chicken is one of the economically important poultry species. Avian leucosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) has emerged as a serious cause of mortality and suboptimal performance of domestic chickens. Changes in virome may contribute to pathogenesis. Thus, it is important to investigate the effects of ALV-J infection on the composition of the virome in chicken. In the study metagenomic sequencing was used to characterize the virome of feces collected from the AVL-J infected chickens and the controls. Our results indicated that the chicken gut virome contained a diverse range of viruses that can be found in mammal, reptile, fish, and frogs. Furthermore, at the order, family and genus levels, AVL-J infection significantly altered the chicken gut virome composition. The predominant order was Herpesvirales, accounting for more than 96% of the chicken gut virome. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Caudovirales in the controls was higher than that in the AVL-J-infected chickens. At the family level, the relative abundance of Herpesviridae, Myoviridae, Alloherpesviridae, and Genomoviridae was significantly altered in the AVL-J-infected chickens compared with that in the controls. Additionally, the relative abundance of 15 genera showed a significant difference between the AVL-J-infected chickens and controls. These results will increase our understanding of the viral diversity and changes in the virome of chicken gut, with implications in chicken health.
A ban on BAM: an update on inhibitors of the β-barrel assembly machinery
Authors: Steenhuis Maurice , van Ulsen Peter , Martin Nathaniel I , Luirink Joen 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT
Gram-negative pathogens are a rapidly increasing threat to human health worldwide due to high rates of antibiotic resistance and the lack of development of novel antibiotics. The protective cell envelope of gram-negative bacteria is a major permeability barrier that contributes to the problem by restricting the uptake of antibiotics. On the other hand, its unique architecture also makes it a suitable target for antibiotic interference. In particular, essential multiprotein machines that are required for biogenesis of the outer membrane have attracted attention in antibacterial design strategies. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development of inhibitors of the β-barrel assembly machine (BAM) complex. Here, we summarize the current state of drug development efforts targeting the BAM complex in pursuit of new antibiotics.
The Genomic Signature of Allopatric Speciation in a Songbird Is Shaped by Genome Architecture (Aves:Certhia americana)
Authors: Manthey Joseph D , Klicka John , Spellman Garth M 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe genomic signature of speciation with gene flow is often attributed to the strength of divergent selection and recombination rate in regions harboring targets for selection. In contrast, allopatric speciation provides a different geographic context and evolutionary scenario, whereby introgression is limited by isolation rather than selection against gene flow. Lacking shared divergent selection or selection against hybridization, we would predict the genomic signature of allopatric speciation would largely be shaped by genomic architecture—the nonrandom distribution of functional elements and chromosomal characteristics—through its role in affecting the processes of selection and drift. Here, we built and annotated a chromosome-scale genome assembly for a songbird (Passeriformes: Certhia americana). We show that the genomic signature of allopatric speciation between its two primary lineages is largely shaped by genomic architecture. Regionally, gene density and recombination rate variation explain a large proportion of variance in genomic diversity, differentiation, and divergence. We identified a heterogeneous landscape of selection and neutrality, with a large portion of the genome under the effects of indirect selection. We found higher proportions of small chromosomes under the effects of indirect selection, likely because they have relatively higher gene density. At the chromosome scale, differential genomic architecture of macro- and microchromosomes shapes the genomic signatures of speciation: chromosome size has: 1) a positive relationship with genetic differentiation, genetic divergence, rate of lineage sorting in the contact zone, and proportion neutral evolution and 2) a negative relationship with genetic diversity and recombination rate.
Postnatal development of gut microbial activity and their importance for jejunal motility in piglets
Authors: Metzler-Zebeli Barbara U , Sener-Aydemir Arife , Sharma S , Lerch Frederike 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Despite their anti-inflammatory properties, role in barrier function, absorption and microbial balance in the gut, knowledge on maturational and dietary effects on intestinal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in neonatal piglets is scarce. Moreover, little information exists whether SCFA and lactic acid (LA) modulates gut motility at this age. The present study aimed (1) to investigate the maturational changes in the SCFA profile with and without creep feeding of piglets in the first 3 wk of life; and (2) to examine the effects of SCFA and LA on muscle contractibility in jejunal tissue from neonatal piglets ex vivo. SCFA concentrations were measured in fecal samples of 52 piglets from 10 litters collected on days 2, 6, 13, and 20 of life using gas chromatography. Half of the litters were fed a commercial creep feed from day 10 of life. The organ bath system was used to test the effect of SCFA (acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, and caproate) as well as of LA and the combination of LA and SCFA on muscle contractibility in piglet’s jejunum. Average daily gain of piglets was similar between groups before and after introduction of creep feed. SCFA were detectable in feces in relevant concentrations from day 2 of life and increased on day 6 in males by 3.0-fold and on day 13 in females by 1.6-fold but decreased again on day 20 in both sexes compared with day 2 (P &lt; 0.05). Creep feeding reduced fecal SCFA by 0.6-fold on day 13 without largely modifying molar proportions, whereas it increased fecal SCFA by 0.8-fold on day 20 of life compared with the sow-reared only piglets (P &lt; 0.05). Applying SCFA ex vivo increased the muscle contraction of the jejunum by 30% (P &lt; 0.05). Likewise, addition of LA and the combination of LA and SCFA increased the jejunal muscle contractibility by 34.9% and 32.2%, respectively, compared with the muscle tension preaddition (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the present results for fecal SCFA in first days of life suggest high bacterial activity on milk components and emphasize the importance of SCFA for intestinal development and function. After a lag phase, creep feeding promotes fermentation in the distal colon, which may be beneficial for the gut homeostasis. Results further demonstrate the stimulating effect of SCFA and LA for jejunal motility, suggesting a role for mixing of digesta (segmentation) and digestion and absorption of nutrients as well as passage in the jejunum of neonatal piglets.
LC–MS-MS Analysis of Δ9-THC, CBN and CBD in Hair: Investigation of Artifacts
Authors: Scholz Clementine , Madry Milena M , Kraemer Thomas , Baumgartner Markus R 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
In forensic toxicology, high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) is increasingly used for the fast and sensitive measurement of a wide range of drugs. For our routine casework, a LC atmospheric pressure chemical ionization MS-MS method for the quantification of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), cannabinol (CBN) and cannabidiol (CBD) in hair was established and fully validated. Separation was achieved using a Kinetex® C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 100 Å, 1.7 μm, Phenomenex) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Measurements were performed on a QTRAP 5500 mass spectrometer (Sciex, Darmstadt, Germany). Unexpected signals were observed in authentic THC-positive hair samples. First, a signal with a slightly shifted retention time of THC whose origin could be assigned to the isomer Δ8-THC was detected. Second, additional peaks exhibiting the same fragments as CBN and Δ9-THC but eluting at different retention times were detected. Spiking experiments and enhanced product ion scans pointed to the origin of these additional signals as result of in-source decarboxylation of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (Δ9-THCA-A) into Δ9-THC and further partial oxidation of Δ9-THC into CBN, respectively. Positive findings of Δ9-THCA-A in hair have been shown to derive from external contamination; therefore, the herein described artifacts may be used as indirect markers for external contamination.