bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased plasma phosphatidylcholine/lysophosphatidylcholine ratios in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Miletić Vukajlović Jadranka , Drakulić Dunja , Pejić Snežana , Ilić Tihomir V. , Stefanović Aleksandra , Petković Marijana , Schiller Jürgen 
Published: September 2019

RationaleChanges in lipid composition might be associated with the onset and progression of various neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we investigated the changes in the plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC)/lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) ratios in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in comparison with healthy subjects and their correlation with clinico‐pathological features.MethodsThe study included 10 controls and 25 patients with PD. All patients were assigned to groups based on clinico‐pathological characteristics (gender, age at examination, duration of disease and Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stage). The analysis of the PC/LPC intensity ratios in plasma lipid extracts was performed using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry.ResultsPD patients exhibited an increased PC/LPC intensity ratio in comparison with the control group of healthy subjects. Furthermore, the investigated ratio was shown to be correlated with clinico‐pathological parameters, in particular with H&Y stage and disease duration. The PC/LPC intensity ratio in plasma samples of PD patients was found to be elevated in all examined H&Y stages and throughout the disease duration.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study examining the PC/LPC ratios in plasma of patients with PD and illustrating their correlation with clinico‐pathological features. Although the presented results may be considered as preliminary due to the limited number of participants, the observed alterations of PC/LPC ratios in plasma might be a first step in the characterization of plasma lipid changes in PD patients and an indicator of lipid reconfiguration.
Phase noise impact on the performance of contention resolution slotted random access schemes
Authors: Zidane Karine , De Gaudenzi Riccardo , Alagha Nader , Cioni Stefano 
Published: September 2019

SummaryCost‐effective satellite terminals (STs) that are designed for a large scale deployment in the Internet of things (IoT) applications are constrained by consumer‐grade local oscillators (LOs) to lower the costs, on the one hand, and by limited equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) due to limited peak transmit power and/or low antenna gain, on the other hand. To close the link budget with the low EIRP constraint, STs can resort to adopting robust forward error correcting (FEC) schemes and/or limiting the transmission baud rate, hence increasing the link margin with respect to the required receiver threshold. In general, the LOs at the terminal side are responsible for injecting multiplicative phase distortions to the transmitted signal, known as phase noise (PN). The PN caused by low‐cost LOs could be significant, especially for low baud rates, thus affecting the demodulator performance. Random access (RA) techniques are particularly encouraged on the return link in networks with low‐cost terminals and bursty/low‐duty cycle types of traffic. The state‐of‐the‐art time‐slotted RA techniques are often evaluated considering high EIRP at the terminal side and high baud rates. This paper investigates the impact of the PN in time‐slotted RA techniques and optimizes different carrier phase estimation (CPE) algorithms. Furthermore, it evaluates the impact of CPE errors on RA performance for a wide range of baud rates and typical STs phase noise masks.
Rational Design of Nanoporous MoS2/VS2 Heteroarchitecture for Ultrahigh Performance Ammonia Sensors
Authors: Zhang Shuaihua , Wang Jiayu , Torad Nagy L. , Xia Wei , Aslam Muhammad Aamir , Kaneti Yusuf Valentino , Hou Zhufeng , Ding Zejun , Da Bo , Fatehmulla Amanullah , Aldhafiri Abdullah M. , Farooq Wazirzada Aslam , Tang Jing , Bando Yoshio , Yamauchi Yusuke 
Published: September 2019

Abstract2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have received widespread interest by virtue of their excellent electrical, optical, and electrochemical characteristics. Recent studies on TMDs have revealed their versatile utilization as electrocatalysts, supercapacitors, battery materials, and sensors, etc. In this study, MoS2 nanosheets are successfully assembled on the porous VS2 (P‐VS2) scaffold to form a MoS2/VS2 heterostructure. Their gas‐sensing features, such as sensitivity and selectivity, are investigated by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. The QCM results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the impressive affinity of the MoS2/VS2 heterostructure sensor toward ammonia with a higher adsorption uptake than the pristine MoS2 or P‐VS2 sensor. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics of the MoS2/VS2 heterostructure sensor toward ammonia follow the pseudo‐first‐order kinetics model. The excellent sensing features of the MoS2/VS2 heterostructure render it attractive for high‐performance ammonia sensors in diverse applications.
Tuning the Optical and Electrical Properties of Few‐Layer Black Phosphorus via Physisorption of Small Solvent Molecules
Authors: Wang Ye , Slassi Amine , Cornil Jérôme , Beljonne David , Samorì Paolo 
Published: September 2019

AbstractBlack phosphorus (BP) is recently becoming more and more popular among semiconducting 2D materials for (opto)electronic applications. The controlled physisorption of molecules on the BP surface is a viable approach to modulate its optical and electronic properties. Solvents consisting of small molecules are often used for washing 2D materials or as liquid media for their chemical functionalization with larger molecules, disregarding their ability to change the opto‐electronic properties of BP. Herein, it is shown that the opto‐electronic properties of mechanically exfoliated few‐layer BP are altered when physically interacting with common solvents. Significantly, charge transport analysis in field‐effect transistors reveals that physisorbed solvent molecules induce a modulation of the charge carrier density which can be as high as 1012 cm−2 in BP, i.e., comparable to common dopants such as F4‐TCNQ and MoO3. By combining experimental evidences with density functional theory calculations, it is confirmed that BP doping by solvent molecules not only depends on charge transfer, but is also influenced by molecular dipole. The results clearly demonstrate how an exquisite tuning of the opto‐electronic properties of few‐layer BP can be achieved through physisorption of small solvent molecules. Such findings are of interest both for fundamental studies and more technological applications in opto‐electronics.
Colloidal Crystals from Microfluidics
Authors: Bian Feika , Sun Lingyu , Cai Lijun , Wang Yu , Wang Yuetong , Zhao Yuanjin 
Published: September 2019

AbstractColloidal crystals are of great interest to researchers because of their excellent optical properties and broad applications in barcodes, sensors, displays, drug delivery, and other fields. Therefore, the preparation of high quality colloidal crystals in large quantities with high speed is worth investigating. After decades of development, microfluidics have been developed that provide new choices for many fields, especially for the generation of functional materials in microscale. Through the design of microfluidic chips, colloidal crystals can be prepared controllably with the advantages of fast speed and low cost. In this Review, research progress on colloidal crystals from microfluidics is discussed. After summarizing the classifications, the generation of colloidal crystals from microfluidics is discussed, including basic colloidal particles preparation, and their assembly inside or outside of microfluidic devices. Then, applications of the achieved colloidal crystals from microfluidics are illustrated. Finally, the future development and prospects of microfluidic‐based colloidal crystals are summarized.
Using principles as activity drivers in human activity systems
Authors: Calvo‐Amodio Javier 
Published: September 2019

AbstractEngineering activity possess robust methods for designing, realizing, and managing complex engineered systems. As engineered systems become more complex, engineering activity's complexity is growing along with it. Current engineering management tools and methods, although they serve well for many engineering activities, begin to fail when the complexity of the engineered systems exceeds a threshold. Part of the problem is that social, organizational, and psychological sciences have been integrated in limited capacity into engineering activity. Further, the methods and tools for managing engineering activities tend to be rigid and often do not adapt well to complex engineering environments. To address these limitations, the author proposes for the use of the purposeful human activity systems framework as a systems perspective on engineering activity. The framework provides a flexible approach to managing engineering activity by enabling the selection and application and effectiveness measurement of the best social, organizational, and psychological methods and tools according to the specific needs of the engineering organization.
Untersuchungen zu Verbundträgern mit randnahen Verbunddübelleisten
Authors: Broschart Yannick , Kurz Wolfgang 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIm Stahlverbundbau bieten Verbunddübelleisten eine wirtschaftliche Alternative zu klassischen Verbundmitteln wie Kopfbolzendübeln. Moderne Verbundkonstruktionen werden insbesondere im Hochbau zunehmend filigraner hergestellt. Um die hierfür erforderlichen geringen Deckendicken zu realisieren, können Verbunddübelleisten horizontal innerhalb der Betonplatte angeordnet werden, woraus ein geringer seitlicher Abstand zum freien Betonplattenrand resultiert. Bisherige Untersuchungen beschreiben unterschiedliche Versagensbilder von Bauteilen mit Verbunddübelleisten, bspw. Spalten der Betonplatte, Ausstanzen eines Betonkegels oder Plastizieren der Stahlzähne. An der Technischen Universität Kaiserslautern wurden im Rahmen eines gemeinsamen Forschungsprojekts mit der RWTH Aachen sowohl Push‐out‐Versuche als auch Verbundträgerversuche durchgeführt, anhand derer das Tragverhalten von Verbunddübelleisten mit randnahen Einbaupositionen untersucht wird. In diesen Versuchen konnten zuvor unbekannte Versagensmechanismen beobachtet werden, die bei konventionellen (randfernen) Einbaupositionen nicht eintreten und deshalb gesondert untersucht werden müssen. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden die entsprechenden Bauteilversuche vorgestellt und erste Ergebnisse präsentiert. Auf Grundlage dieser Beobachtungen und Messungen werden Bemessungsansätze für randnahe Verbunddübelleisten ausgearbeitet, die langfristig Einzug in die europäischen Regelwerke finden sollen.
Heißbemessung als Level‐3‐Analyse der denkmalgeschützten Laborhalle ML der ETH Zürich
Authors: Stamm Matthias , Lequime Pascal , Siemon Matthias 
Published: September 2019

AbstractAn der ETH Zürich forschen Wissenschaftler an den innovativen Verfahren von morgen. Daher ist es selbstverständlich, dass zur Sanierung der denkmalgeschützten Maschinenlaborhalle ML im Herzen von Zürich auch moderne Simulationsverfahren zum Einsatz kommen, um eine besondere Aufgabe zu lösen. Das Stahltragwerk der Halle wurde 1933 errichtet und ist eine der ersten vollständig geschweißten Stahlkonstruktionen der Schweiz. Da die Nutzung im Zuge des derzeit laufenden Umbaus auch den Brandschutz berücksichtigen muss, gleichzeitig aber aus Gründen des Denkmalschutzes die Konstruktion im ursprünglichen Zustand erhalten bleiben soll, wurde eine Heißbemessung mit Naturbrandverfahren angewandt, um den Feuerwiderstand der Stahlhalle nachzuweisen. Dabei wirkte Prof. Dr. Mario Fontana an diesem ambitionierten Projekt mit, der bis vor Kurzem die Professur für Stahl‐, Holz‐ und Verbundbau am Institut für Baustatik und Konstruktion der ETH Zürich innehatte und einer der international renommiertesten Wissenschaftler für Heißbemessung aus der Schweiz ist. Mithilfe von Simulationsmethoden wird aktuell der Nachweis der Tragfähigkeit im Brandfall erbracht, sodass die Maschinenhalle auch in Zukunft in ihrem ursprünglichen Zustand mit sichtbarem Stahltragwerk genutzt werden kann.
Cyclic Permutation Groups that are Automorphism Groups of Graphs
Authors: Grech Mariusz , Kisielewicz Andrzej 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
In this paper we establish conditions for a permutation group generated by a single permutation to be an automorphism group of a graph. This solves the so called concrete version of König’s problem for the case of cyclic groups. We establish also similar conditions for the symmetry groups of other related structures: digraphs, supergraphs, and boolean functions.
Autologous aortic arch reconstruction in isolated and combined cardiac lesions
Authors: Herbst Claudia , Laufer Guenther , Greil Sabine , Kitzmueller Erwin , Base Eva , Vargha Regina , Zimpfer Daniel 
Published: September 2019

Summary

Objectives
Various surgical strategies have been reported for the treatment of aortic coarctation with hypoplastic aortic arch, including simple resection and end-to-end anastomosis as well as various forms of patch augmentation. These techniques are limited by inadequate relief of arch obstruction and use of patch material predisposed to recurrent obstruction or aneurysm formation. We report our experience with autologous aortic arch reconstruction in isolated and combined lesions, a technique that relieves even complex forms of arch reconstruction without patch material.

Methods
We retrospectively analyzed our institutional experience with autologous aortic arch reconstruction in isolated and combined cardiac lesions from November 2009 to December 2016. Study endpoints were procedural success, incidence of procedure-related complications, need for re-interventions, and survival.

Results
In total, 54 patients underwent total autologous aortic arch reconstruction during the study period. Thereof, 13 (24%) had isolated arch obstruction and 41 (76%) had combined cardiac lesions. The majority of procedures were performed in the neonatal period (72%), median age was 8 days (range: 1 day to 4.3 years). Body weight ranged from 2.2 to 16.5 kg (median: 3.7 kg). There was one (1.9%) procedure-related early reoperation for bronchial obstruction. No repeat interventions (dilatation or re-operation) were observed. One patient with syndromic disease died on postoperative day 20 due to sepsis (1.9% in-hospital mortality rate). No late deaths were observed. Median follow-up was 23 months.

Conclusion
Autologous aortic arch reconstruction is a safe and effective surgical technique for the treatment of aortic arch obstruction in isolated and complex cardiac lesions. It is associated with an extremely low re-intervention rate and a low overall complication rate.
A Qualitative Study to Identify Perceptual Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Uptake and Adherence in HIV Positive People from UK Black African and Caribbean Communities
Authors:   the SUPA Group, Glendinning Elizabeth , Spiers Johanna , Smith Jonathan A. , Anderson Jane , Campbell Lucy J. , Cooper Vanessa , Horne Rob 
Published: September 2019

AbstractTo inform the development of interventions to increase uptake and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), we explored perceptions of ART in semi-structured interviews with 52 men and women from UK black African and black Caribbean communities. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using framework analysis. Perceptions of ART could be grouped into two categories: doubts about the personal necessity for ART and concerns about potential adverse effects. Doubts about necessity stemmed from feeling well, doubts about the efficacy of ART, religious beliefs and the belief that treatment was futile because it could not cure HIV. Concerns about adverse effects included the fear that attending HIV services and taking treatment would lead to disclosure of HIV, feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of starting treatment soon after diagnosis, fears about side effects and potential long-term effects, and physical repulsion. The findings will facilitate the development of interventions to increase uptake and adherence to ART.
The efficacy of Chondrostereum purpureum in sprout control of birch during mechanized pre-commercial thinning
Authors: Laine Tiina , Hamberg Leena , Saarinen Veli-Matti , Saksa Timo 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
The efficacy of mechanized pre-commercial thinning (PCT) done by a lightweight mini-harvester Tehojätkä together with the Chondrostereum purpureum (Pers. ex Fr.) Pouzar fungal treatment (dilutions 1:100, 1:200, 1:400) and control (cutting only) was studied for three years. The efficacy of the fungal treatment was defined as capability to prevent sprouting of birch (Betula pendula Roth. and B. pubescens Ehrh.). The fungal treatment resulted in higher stump mortality and lower number of sprouts but it did not have a clear effect on the maximum height of stump sprouts. However, mortalities obtained in this study (34.1%, 26.8%, and 25.6% for dilutions 1:100, 1:200, and 1:400, respectively) were notably lower compared to previous studies which indicate that the accuracy of the spreading mechanism was not satisfactory. We conclude that it is possible to decrease stump sprouting with the fully mechanized fungal treatment but putting this implementation into practice needs more testing to increase efficacy.
Pupils’ ways of understanding programmed technological solutions when analysing structure and function
Authors: Cederqvist Anne-Marie 
Published: September 2019

AbstractProgramming has recently become part of Swedish technology education; pupils should now be able to analyse existing programmed technological solutions, and be able to design new ones. Teachers facing this curriculum change need guidance on how to teach and what to address, based on how pupils understand the content. The aim of this study is to investigate pupils’ different ways of understanding programmed technological solutions when analysing their structure and function. Taking a phenomenographic approach, interviews were conducted with pupils aged 11–12. In the interviews, prepared contexts were used: Micro:bit constructions and programmed technological solutions from everyday life. The results show that pupils have different approaches to programmed technological solutions based on what parts are discerned in the prepared contexts, and also that pupils approach the two prepared contexts differently. The parts that are critical to discern in both of the contexts are the physical structure of components in the technological solution, how the components work and what their function is in the solution, as well as the logic in the code and how it controls the components and the flow of information that determines the function of the solution. The discernment of these parts is necessary to transcend the contextual details and generalize the understanding of structure and function in programmed technological solutions. These results have implications for teaching with concrete programming materials, suggesting a need to focus on facilitating discernment of the parts and addressing the similarities and the differences between different contexts in order to reach a generalized understanding.
Design and Sensitivity Analysis of Rock Slope Using Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Aladejare Adeyemi Emman , Akeju Victor Oluwatosin 
Published: September 2019

AbstractA probabilistic approach that is based on Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) was developed in this study to design and perform sensitivity analysis of rock slope. The probabilistic approach uses MCS to perform a series of single objective optimizations for design of rock slope and to perform sensitivity analysis of rock slope stability. The MCS-based approach was used to evaluate the failure probability of a rock slope system and to determine a safe maximum slope height for rock slope design. To achieve this, the performance of different rock properties and rock slope conditions were explicitly considered towards achieving the target reliability index of the rock slope. The approach can achieve multiple rock slope design specifications using different target reliability indexes from a single run of MCS. The proposed probabilistic approach was illustrated through an example of rock slope design to determine feasible designs under different rock slope conditions. Also, sensitivity studies were performed to explore the effects of uncertainties in tension crack depth and water depth in tension crack, and variability in rock unit weight. The results show that the effects of uncertainties and variability on rock slope stability can be significant and should be incorporated during design analysis. Incorporating such uncertainties and variability in rock slope design is achieved with relative ease using the proposed approach.
Adolescent Gambling, Gambling Expenditure and Gambling–Related Harms in Finland, 2011–2017
Authors: Raisamo Susanna , Kinnunen Jaana M. , Pere Lasse , Lindfors Pirjo , Rimpelä Arja 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Existing literature on recent trends in adolescent gambling is scarce. The rapidly changing landscape of gambling, together with the generally applied legal age limits, calls for the continuous monitoring of gambling also among the adolescent population. In Finland, the legal gambling age is 18. We examined changes in adolescents’ gambling, gambling expenditure and gambling–related harms from 2011 to 2017. Comparable cross-sectional biennial survey data were collected in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 among 12–18-year-olds (N = 18,857). The main measures were self-reported six-month gambling, average weekly gambling expenditure (€) and harms due to gambling. Data were analyzed using cross-tabulations, χ2-tests and linear regression analysis. A significant decline in gambling among minors (aged 12–16-year-olds) was found (β = − 0.253), while no significant changes were observed among 18-year-olds (who are not targeted by the law). The mean gambling expenditure also declined from 2011 to 2017. Adolescent gamblers experienced significantly less (p = .003) gambling–related harms in 2017 (7.4%) compared to 2011 (13.5%). Adolescent gambling and its related negative consequences have become less prevalent in Finland between 2011 and 2017. Further monitoring is necessary to ascertain whether the positive direction will continue. Also, empirical analyses providing evidence of reasons for the observed trend are warranted.
Dual Identity Development and Adjustment in Muslim Minority Adolescents
Authors: Spiegler Olivia , Wölfer Ralf , Hewstone Miles 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Dual identity (e.g., strong ethnic and national identity) is a psychological resource for minority groups, but how it develops during adolescence is less clear. In this 3-wave longitudinal study, a person-oriented approach was used to examine dual identity development in a sample of 2145 Muslim adolescents (MT1 = 15 years, 51% female) in four Western European countries. The results of a growth-mixture model pointed toward four distinct developmental Classes: (1) “Dual identity”, (2) “Separation to dual identity”, (3) “Assimilation to dual identity”, and (4) “Separation”. Multiple group comparisons further showed that adolescents in Class 1 were well adjusted, but well-being (e.g., internalizing problems, life satisfaction) and health were even higher among adolescents in Class 2. Adolescents in Class 3 had consistently lower levels of well-being, and adolescents in Class 4 had lower levels of socio-cultural adjustment (e.g., problem behaviour at school, delinquent behaviour, and lack of intergroup contact). The findings underscore that most Muslim minority adolescents in Western Europe develop a dual identity, and that the developmental process, not simply the outcome, matters for adjustment.