bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vaginal Distention Rodent Model for Fecal Incontinence: A Pilot Study on the Effect on Defecation Behavior
Authors: Douven Perla , Franken Glenn , Debets Jacques , Joosten Elbert A. , van Koeveringe Gommert A. , Melenhorst Jarno , Breukink Stephanie O. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Objectives Vaginal balloon inflation simulates the compressive forces on the pelvic floor during the second phase of natural delivery. The foremost use of this animal model of vaginal distention (VD) is to study the mechanisms underlying urinary incontinence. As damage to the pelvic floor during natural birth is a common cause of fecal incontinence, the present paper aimed to investigate the effect of VD on defecation behavior in adult rats.
Methods Vaginal distention was performed in 8 rats for 2 hours, and in 3 rats for 4 hours, and sham inflation was performed in 4 rats. With the use of a latrine box in the rat home-cage and 24/7 video tracking, the defecation behavior was examined. The time spent in and outside the latrine was monitored for two weeks preoperatively and three weeks postoperatively, and a defecation behavior index (DBI; range: 0 [continent] to 1 [incontinent]) was defined. Pelvic floor tissue was collected postmortem and stained with hematoxylin and eosin.
Results Vaginal balloon inflation for 2 hours resulted in fecal incontinence in 29% of the animals (responders) whereas the DBI scores of non-responders (71%) and control animals did not change in the postoperative phase compared with the baseline score. A 4-hour balloon inflation resulted in fecal incontinence in 1 animal and caused a humane endpoint in 2 animals with markedly more tissue damage in the 4-hour responder compared with the 2-hour responders.
Conclusions Vaginal balloon inflation, with an optimum duration between 2 and 4 hours, can be used as a model to study changes in defecation behavior in rats induced by pelvic floor damage.
Space squeezing optics: Performance limits and implementation at microwave frequencies
Authors: Mrnka Michal , Hendry Euan , Láčík Jaroslav , Lennon Rachel A. , Barr Lauren E. , Hooper Ian , Phillips David B. 
Published: June 2022

Optical systems often largely consist of empty space as diffraction effects that occur through free-space propagation can be crucial for their function. Contracting these voids offers a path to the miniaturization of a wide range of optical devices. Recently, a new optical element—coined “spaceplate”—has been proposed, which is capable of emulating the effects of diffraction over a specified propagation distance using a thinner non-local metamaterial [Reshef et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 3512 (2021)]. The compression factor of such an element is given by the ratio of the length of free-space that is replaced to the thickness of the spaceplate itself. In this work, we test a prototype spaceplate in the microwave spectral region (20–23 GHz)—the first such demonstration designed to operate in ambient air. Our device consists of a Fabry–Pérot cavity formed from two reflective metasurfaces with a compression factor that can be tuned by varying the size of perforations within each layer. Using a pair of directive horn antennas, we measure a space compression factor of up to ∼6 over a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.34 and a fractional bandwidth of 6%. We also investigate the fundamental trade-offs that exist between the compression factor, transmission efficiency, NA, and bandwidth of this single resonator spaceplate design and highlight that it can reach arbitrarily high compression factors by restricting its NA and bandwidth.
The role of pausing in L2 oral task performance
Authors: Ekiert Monika , Révész Andrea , Torgersen Eivind , Moss Emily 
Published: June 2022

AbstractStudies of L2 oral task performance report fluency as critical for functional adequacy, with pausing behaviors emerging as strong predictors of functionally adequate speech. The present study investigated the extent to which the type and location of pausing is related to functional adequacy. Oral performances on two tasks by 40 L2 speakers of English at four proficiency levels were rated on a functional adequacy scale and analyzed for type of pausing, silent and filled at mid- or end-clause location. The study found significant relationships between functional adequacy and the frequency of end-clause pauses in L2 speech. We interpreted this finding as suggesting that breakdowns in message conceptualization play a role in how the functional adequacy of L2 speech is construed by the listeners.
On extension of the data driven ROM inverse scattering framework to partially nonreciprocal arrays
Authors: Druskin V , Moskow S , Zaslavsky M 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Data-driven reduced order models (ROMs) recently emerged as powerful tool for the solution of inverse scattering problems. The main drawback of this approach is that it was limited to measurement arrays with reciprocally collocated transmitters and receivers, that is, square symmetric matrix (data) transfer functions. To relax this limitation, we use our previous work Druskin et al (2021 Inverse Problems
37 075003), where the ROMs were combined with the Lippmann–Schwinger integral equation to produce a direct nonlinear inversion method. In this work we extend this approach to more general transfer functions, including those that are non-symmetric, e.g., obtained by adding only receivers or sources. The ROM is constructed based on the symmetric subset of the data and is used to construct all internal solutions. Remaining receivers are then used directly in the Lippmann–Schwinger equation. We demonstrate the new approach on a number of 1D and 2D examples with non-reciprocal arrays, including a single input/multiple outputs inverse problem, where the data is given by just a single-row matrix transfer function. This allows us to approach the flexibility of the Born approximation in terms of acceptable measurement arrays; at the same time significantly improving the quality of the inversion compared to the latter for strongly nonlinear scattering effects.
Theoretical methods for structural phase transitions in elemental solids at extreme conditions: statics and dynamics
Authors: Yao Yansun 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
In recent years, theoretical studies have moved from a traditionally supporting role to a more proactive role in the research of phase transitions at high pressures. In many cases, theoretical prediction leads the experimental exploration. This is largely owing to the rapid progress of computer power and theoretical methods, particularly the structure prediction methods tailored for high-pressure applications. This review introduces commonly used structure searching techniques based on static and dynamic approaches, their applicability in studying phase transitions at high pressure, and new developments made toward predicting complex crystalline phases. Successful landmark studies for each method are discussed, with an emphasis on elemental solids and their behaviors under high pressure. The review concludes with a perspective on outstanding challenges and opportunities in the field.
A non-contact broad bandwidth current sensor
Authors: Zhang Rui , Zhang Qiaogen , Geng Jiangtao , Liu Fuli 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Power metering, relay protection, lightning current measurement, fault current measurement, and traveling current measurement in the field of power systems, as well as high-current measurement in the field of pulse power, require safe, high-accuracy, large-range, and wide-frequency-band current sensors. Current transformers and Rogowski coils can basically meet the requirements of measurement accuracy and range, but they are not good enough to meet the two requirements of safety and broad frequency bands. In this study, a non-contact broad-band current sensor is designed, which is based on the improvement of the traditional Rogowski coil to realize non-contact measurement of current. The equivalent circuit of the sensor was established, and the output characteristics of the sensor were calculated from the theoretical level as well as the design parameters were optimized. The sensor samples were made, and the usability of the sensor and the correctness of the theoretical calculation model were verified by 50 Hz AC current and 1.6 μs/3.4 μs impulse current tests. The non-contact current sensor designed in this paper has the advantages of simple structure, low cost, safety and reliability, large range, and wide operating band, and can be widely used for AC current or impulse current measurement in power systems and pulsed power fields.
Excited quantum anomalous and spin Hall effect: dissociation of flat-bands-enabled excitonic insulator state
Authors: Zhou Yinong , Sethi Gurjyot , Liu Hang , Wang Zhengfei , Liu Feng 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) and quantum spin Hall effect (QSHE) are two interesting physical manifestations of 2D materials that have an intrinsic nontrivial band topology. In principle, they are ground-state equilibrium properties characterized by Fermi level lying in a topological gap, below which all the occupied bands are summed to a non-zero topological invariant. Here, we propose theoretical concepts and models of ‘excited’ QAHE (EQAHE) and EQSHE generated by dissociation of an excitonic insulator (EI) state with complete population inversion (CPI), a unique many-body ground state enabled by two yin-yang flat bands (FBs) of opposite chirality hosted in a diatomic Kagome lattice. The two FBs have a trivial gap in between, i.e. the system is a trivial insulator in the single-particle ground-state, but nontrivial gaps above and below, so that upon photoexcitation the quasi-Fermi levels of both electrons and holes will lie in a nontrivial gap achieved by the CPI-EI state, as demonstrated by exact diagonalization calculations. Then dissociation of singlet and triplet EI state will lead to EQAHE and EQSHE, respectively. Realizations of yin-yang FBs in real materials are also discussed.
Quantitative assessment of radionuclide production yields in in-beam and offline PET measurements at different proton irradiation facilities
Authors: Bauer Julia , Hildebrandt Meret , Baumgartl Michael , Fiedler Fine , Robert Charlotte , Buvat Irène , Enghardt Wolfgang , Parodi Katia 
Published: June 2022

Abstract

Objective. Reliable radionuclide production yield data are a prerequisite for positron-emission-tomography (PET) based in vivo proton treatment verification. In this context, activation data acquired at two different treatment facilities with different imaging systems were analyzed to provide experimentally determined radionuclide yields in thick targets and were compared with each other to investigate the impact of the respective imaging technique. Approach. Homogeneous thick targets (PMMA, gelatine, and graphite) were irradiated with mono-energetic proton pencil-beams at two distinct energies. Material activation was measured (i) in-beam during and after beam delivery with a double-head prototype PET camera and (ii) offline shortly after beam delivery with a commercial full-ring PET/CT scanner. Integral as well as depth-resolved β
+-emitter yields were determined for the dominant positron-emitting radionuclides 11C, 15O, 13N and (in-beam only) 10C. In-beam data were used to investigate the qualitative impact of different monitoring time schemes on activity depth profiles and their quantitative impact on count rates and total activity. Main results. Production yields measured with the in-beam camera were comparable to or higher compared to respective offline results. Depth profiles of radionuclide-specific yields obtained from the double-head camera showed qualitative differences to data acquired with the full-ring camera with a more convex profile shape. Considerable impact of the imaging timing scheme on the activity profile was observed for gelatine only with a range variation of up to 3.5 mm. Evaluation of the coincidence rate and the total number of observed events in the considered workflows confirmed a strongly decreasing rate in targets with a large oxygen fraction. Significance. The observed quantitative and qualitative differences between the datasets underline the importance of a thorough system commissioning. Due to the lack of reliable cross-section data, in-house phantom measurements are still considered a gold standard for careful characterization of the system response and to ensure a reliable beam range verification.
On the value of a multistage optimization approach for intensity-modulated radiation therapy planning*
Authors: Wood Doran , Çetinkaya Sila , Gangammanavar Harsha , Lu Weigo , Wang Jing 
Published: June 2022

Abstract

Objective. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) aims to distribute a prescribed dose of radiation to cancerous tumors while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. A typical approach to IMRT planning uniformly divides and allocates the same dose prescription (DP) across several successive treatment sessions. A more flexible fractionation scheme would lend the capability to vary DPs and utilize updated CT scans and future predictions to adjust treatment delivery. Therefore, our objective is to develop optimization-based models and methodologies that take advantage of adapting treatment decisions across fractions by utilizing predictions of tumor evolution. Approach. We introduce a nonuniform generalization of the uniform allocation scheme that does not automatically assume equal DPs for all sessions. We develop new deterministic and stochastic multistage optimization-based models for such a generalization. Our models allow us to simultaneously identify optimal DPs and fluence maps for individual sessions. We conduct extensive numerical experiments to compare these models using multiple metrics and dose-volume histograms. Main results. Our numerical results in both deterministic and stochastic settings reveal the restrictive nature of the uniform allocation scheme. The results also demonstrate the value of nonuniform multistage models across multiple performance metrics. The improvements can be maintained even when restricting the underlying fractionation scheme to small degrees of nonuniformity. Significance. Our models and computational results support multistage stochastic programming (SP) methodology to derive ideal allocation schemes and fluence maps simultaneously. With technological and computational advancements, we expect the multistage SP methodologies to continue to serve as innovative optimization tools for radiation therapy planning applications.
Heart rate estimation and validation algorithm for fetal phonocardiography
Authors: Bhaskaran Amrutha , J Sidhesh Kumar , George Shirley , Arora Manish 
Published: June 2022

Abstract

Objective. Fetal heart rate (FHR) is an important parameter for assessing fetal well-being and is usually measured by doppler ultrasound. Fetal phonocardiography can provide non-invasive, easy-to-use and passive alternative for fetal monitoring method if reliable FHR measurements can be made even in noisy clinical environments. Therefore, this work presents an automatic algorithm to determine FHR from the fetal heart sound recordings in a noisy clinical environment. Approach. Using an electronic stethoscope fetal heart sounds were recorded from the expecting mother’s abdomen, during weeks 30–40 of their pregnancy. Of these, 60 recordings were analyzed manually by two observers to obtain reference heart rate measurement. An algorithm was developed to determine FHR using envelope detection and autocorrelation of the signals. Algorithm performance was improved by implementing peak validation algorithm utilizing knowledge of valid FHR from prior windows and power spectral density function. The improvements in accuracy and reliability of algorithm were measured by mean absolute error (MAE) and positive percent agreement. Main results. By including the validation step, the MAE reduced from 11.50 to 7.54 beats per minute and positive percent agreement improved from 81% to 87%. Significance. We classified the recordings into good, moderate and poor quality to understand how the algorithm works in each of the case. The proposed algorithms provide good accuracy overall but are sensitive to the noises in recording environment that influence the quality of the signals.
Search for naturally occurring seaborgium with radiopure 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators
Authors: Belli P , Bernabei R , Cappella F , Caracciolo V , Cerulli R , Danevich F A , Incicchitti A , Kasperovych D V , Kobychev V V , Laubenstein M , Poda D V , Polischuk O G , Sokur N V , Tretyak V I 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
A detector containing two radiopure 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators with total mass of 1.2 kg was operated during 35324 h at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (INFN, Italy) with the main aim to investigate double beta decay of 116Cd. As a by-product of the experiment, a new upper limit on atomic abundance of hypothetical naturally occurring long-lived seaborgium (eka-tungsten, Z = 106) in tungsten was set at 5.1 10−15 atom(Sg)/atom(W) with 90% C.L. (assuming the Sg half-life of 109 yr) by the analysis of the alpha decay events. This limit is better than those obtained with a ZnWO4 scintillator and in other types of experiments which used the accelerator mass spectrometry or searched for spontaneous fission of superheavy elements.
Optimizing detachment control using the magnetic configuration of divertors
Authors: Cowley C. , Lipschultz B. , Moulton D. , Dudson B. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
As tokamak research moves to reactor conditions, the control of a stable, optimally-detached divertor plasma has become increasingly relevant. Simple predictions of such detachment control have been performed previously using the detachment location sensitivity (DLS) model (Lipschultz et al 2016 Nucl. Fusion
56 056007). In this study the DLS model is extended and combined with SOLPS-ITER simulations of isolated divertor grids to study the effects of alternate divertor magnetic field properties on detachment control. The DLS model predicts that divertors can achieve easier access to detachment through a long connection length, a high total flux expansion, and a high average magnetic field in the divertor compared with that at the x-point. SOLPS-ITER simulations suggest an even stronger impact of total flux expansion and connection length on detachment access than the DLS model predicts. In terms of detachment evolution, both simulation and modelling show a high gradient in the total magnetic field and low

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are able to more easily keep a detachment front at a desired poloidal location. Regions with no stable detachment front locations can arise for high magnetic field gradients directed towards the target. Significant differences have been found between impurity scan simulations and the DLS model. These differences may be attributed to sources and sinks of power and electron pressure, and should be explored further in future work.
Power line interference and baseline wander removal from ECG signals using local characteristic decomposition
Authors: Dorostghol A. , Maghsoudpour A. , Ghaffari A. , Nikkhah-Bahrami M. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Noise detection and removal are crucial in ECG
processing. In this study, a method based on local characteristic
decomposition (LCD) algorithm for denoising the ECG signals is
discussed. In particular, specific techniques for the removal of
baseline wandering (BW) and of power line interference (PLI), which
are two common noises in ECG, are proposed and tested against real
data. Simulation results show that the proposed method is more
reliable at various signals to noise ratios. These results also
indicate that the proposed method comparing to some conventional
denoising methods such as wavelet, Butterworth, and empirical mode
decomposition (EMD), leads to a higher quality denoising approach.
Investigation on elevated-temperature wear performance and wear failure mechanism of a tungsten-system hot-working die steel
Authors: Zhou Yin , Chen Lei , Jiang Wei , Cui Shaowei , Cui Xianghong 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
A pin-on-disk high temperature wear tests under 50–150 N and 50, 100 r min−1 at 400 °C–600 °C were performed for a typical tungsten-system hot-working die steel (AISI H21). The results demonstrated that H21 steel presented different wear behavior and wear resistance under various sliding conditions at 400 °C–600 °C. In most cases at 400 °C–500 °C, H21 steel possessed good wear resistance. However, regardless of sliding speed, the wear performance of H21 steel started to deteriorate under 150 N at 500 °C, and totally deteriorated at 600 °C, exhibiting extremely poor wear resistance. A particular wear failure mechanism was found to be brittle-induced wear failure.
Corrosion behavior and analysis on friction stir welded aluminium matrix composites
Authors: Selvamani S T , Bakkiyaraj M , Palani S , Yoganandan G 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Friction stir welded (FSW) AA6061 aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) joints with 10% SiC particles were taken under investigation to reduce the corrosion rate. This study integrates the response surface methodology to optimize process parameters of FSW to achieve defect-free AMCs joints. The joint strength of 252 MPa was estimated as maximum tensile strength under rotational speed of 900.38 rpm and thrust force of 20.48 MPa. Furthermore, the turbulence flow of plasticized materials contributes to the restructuring of grains in the weld zone, and it is mainly influenced by the tool rotation. The cyclic potentiodynamic polarization test has been carried out in the different zones of friction stir welded AMCs joints using a 3.5% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution that is aerated naturally at 25 °C. It was seen that the corrosion polarization value of the Heat affected zone (HAZ) is 400 μA cm2, the un-welded aluminium matrix composite is 345 μA cm2, and the stir zone is 751 μA cm2 at the optimized conditions. The corrosion study reveals that the SiC reinforcement was a suspicious agent that propagated the pits in larger and deeper sizes when the various zones of the welded joint were exposed to electrochemical studies.