bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Noise experiments in BRAHMMA subcritical system using isotopic Poisson source and accelerator based neutron source
Authors: Ray N K , Kumar R , Patel T , Sarkar P S , Pant L M 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Reactivity measurement using noise methods have been carried out in zero power subcritical system BRAHMMA, installed in BARC, India. During noise experiments, an Am-Be neutron source (1Ci) has been placed at the centre of the subcritical system. However, the proposed external neutron source in ADS, based on particle accelerator, is different from isotopic neutron source and the inherent fluctuations in beam current and accelerating voltage makes the source non-Poisson. In this context, Degweker and Rana had postulated a noise theory based on exponentially correlated Gaussian source characteristics for ADS. In noise experiments based on this postulate, a D-T neutron generator has been used in pulsed mode and source characterisation has been carried out to determine the distribution function, source correlation factor and D+ beam pulse shape. It has been observed that the source is Gaussian in nature, the source correlation factor is very large compared to the prompt neutron decay constant and the pulsed D+ beam is rectangular in shape. In noise experiments, the time stamped data have been analysed using various noise methods. The measured prompt neutron decay constant using Poisson source and correlated Gaussian source are in good agreement with theoretical value and amongst them.
Study of visible-light emission in pure and methane-doped liquid argon
Authors: Bondar A. , Borisova E. , Buzulutskov A. , Frolov E. , Nosov V. , Oleynikov V. , Sokolov A. 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
In liquid argon TPCs for dark matter search and neutrino detection experiments, primary scintillation light is used as a prompt signal of particle scattering, being intensively produced in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) due to excimer emission mechanism. On the other hand, there were indications on the production of visible-light emission in liquid argon, albeit at a much lower intensity, the origin of which is still not clear. The closely related issue is visible-light emission in liquid argon doped with methane, the interest in which is due to the possible use in neutron veto detectors for those experiments. In this work we study in detail the properties of such light emission in pure liquid argon and its mixtures with methane. In particular, the absolute photon yield of visible-light emission in pure liquid argon was measured to be about 200 and 90 photon/MeV for X-rays and alpha particles respectively. In liquid argon doped with methane the photon yield dropped down significantly, by about an order of magnitude at a methane molar content varying from 0.01 to 1%, and then almost did not change when further increasing the methane content up to 10%.
Pro-angiogenic activity of isofuran
Authors: Zhang Jingxia , Wang Xiangjiang , Lin Zhiping , Zhu Tang 
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT
Isofurans (IsoFs) are a series of novel discovered lipid peroxidation products. This study focused on the investigation of the angiogenic property of IsoF. MTT stain assay indicated that 1 µm IsoF had the most bioactivity in rat brain endothelial cells (RBECs). IsoF significantly promoted cellular proliferation and migration and remarkably decreased staurosporine-induced apoptosis by TUNEL assay in the RBECs. It successfully up-regulated rat aortic vascularization and choroid explant sprouting, extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK)1/2, and triggered calcium release. RT-PCR examination indicated that IsoF up-regulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, angiopoietin-1 receptor (Tie2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, but did not interfere with caspase 2 and VEGF-C in the RBECs. IsoF has pro-angiogenic activity. Calcium release and ERK1/2 phosphorylation may be involved in the signaling of the IsoF-induced up-regulation of TNFα, Tie2, and VEGF-A, which could be the molecular mechanism of the pro-angiogenic activity of the IsoF.
Reorganization in the macaque interoceptive-allostatic network following anterior cingulate cortex damage
Authors: Charbonneau Joey A , Bennett Jeffrey L , Chau Kevin , Bliss-Moreau Eliza 
Published: September 2022

AbstractAccumulating evidence indicates that the adult brain is capable of significant structural change following damage—a capacity once thought to be largely limited to developing brains. To date, most existing research on adult plasticity has focused on how exteroceptive sensorimotor networks compensate for damage to preserve function. Interoceptive networks—those that represent and process sensory information about the body’s internal state—are now recognized to be critical for a wide range of physiological and psychological functions from basic energy regulation to maintaining a sense of self, but the extent to which these networks remain plastic in adulthood has not been established. In this report, we used detailed histological analyses to pinpoint precise changes to gray matter volume in the interoceptive-allostatic network in adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) who received neurotoxic lesions of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and neurologically intact control monkeys. Relative to controls, monkeys with ACC lesions had significant and selective unilateral expansion of the ventral anterior insula and significant relative bilateral expansion of the lateral nucleus of the amygdala. This work demonstrates the capacity for neuroplasticity in the interoceptive-allostatic network which, given that changes included expansion rather than atrophy, is likely to represent an adaptive response following damage.
RTIM Hashing: Robust and Compact Video Hashing With a Rotation- and Translation-Invariant Model
Authors: Chen Lv , Ye Dengpan , Shang Yueyun 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Video hashing is a popular research topic in the fields of multimedia information and security because its fast matching and low-cost storage characteristics are widely used in many applications (video copy detection, video retrieval, video authentication, etc.). This paper describes a compact video hashing method with a rotation- and translation-invariant model (RTIM). The key contribution of this approach is that it innovatively reconstructs an input video into a 3D RTIM by combining ring partition and a pipeline histogram; this is a first in video hashing and helps make video hashes resistant to rotation and translation. Then, the proposed model is decomposed via Tucker decomposition, and the generated core tensor is used to produce a compact hash. As the core tensor is a compressed version of the original tensor, hash construction with the core tensor makes RTIM hashing compact and achieves desirable discrimination ability. Different from existing video hashing algorithms, RTIM hashing can not only resist many commonly used digital operations, especially video rotation and cyclic frame shifting, but also achieve good discrimination ability. Various experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm. Receiver operating characteristic curve comparisons show that compared with the state-of-the-art video hashing algorithms, RTIM hashing is more robust and compact.
Comparing the Value of Data Visualization Methods for Communicating Harms in Clinical Trials
Authors: Qureshi Riaz , Chen Xiwei , Goerg Carsten , Mayo-Wilson Evan , Dickinson Stephanie , Golzarri-Arroyo Lilian , Hong Hwanhee , Phillips Rachel , Cornelius Victoria , McAdams DeMarco Mara , Guallar Eliseo , Li Tianjing 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
In clinical trials, harms (i.e., adverse events) are often reported by simply counting the number of people who experienced each event. Reporting only frequencies ignores other dimensions of the data that are important for stakeholders, including severity, seriousness, rate (recurrence), timing, and groups of related harms. Additionally, application of selection criteria to harms prevents most from being reported. Visualization of data could improve communication of multidimensional data. We replicated and compared the characteristics of 6 different approaches for visualizing harms: dot plot, stacked bar chart, volcano plot, heat map, treemap, and tendril plot. We considered binary events using individual participant data from a randomized trial of gabapentin for neuropathic pain. We assessed their value using a heuristic approach and a group of content experts. We produced all figures using R and share the open-source code on GitHub. Most original visualizations propose presenting individual harms (e.g., dizziness, somnolence) alone or alongside higher level (e.g., by body systems) summaries of harms, although they could be applied at either level. Visualizations can present different dimensions of all harms observed in trials. Except for the tendril plot, all other plots do not require individual participant data. The dot plot and volcano plot are favored as visualization approaches to present an overall summary of harms data. Our value assessment found the dot plot and volcano plot were favored by content experts. Using visualizations to report harms could improve communication. Trialists can use our provided code to easily implement these approaches.
A modifiable factors-based model for detecting inactive individuals: are the European assessment tools fit for purpose?
Authors: Mayo X , Iglesias-Soler E , Liguori G , Copeland R J , Clavel I , del Villar F , Jimenez A 
Published: September 2022

Abstract

Background
The lack of systematic factors affecting physical inactivity (PIA) challenges policymakers to implement evidence-based solutions at a population level. The study utilizes the Eurobarometer to analyse PIA-modifiable variables.

Methods
Special Eurobarometer 412 physical activity (PA) data were analysed (n = 18 336), including 40 variables along with the International PA Questionnaire. PIA was used as the dependent variable. Variables considered were alternatives to car, places, reasons and barriers to engaging in PA, memberships to clubs and categorical responses about the agreement extent with the area, provision of activities and local governance statements. Logistic regression was used to identify variables contributing to PIA. Beta values (β), standard errors, 95% confidence intervals, the exponentiation for odds ratio and Cox & Snell and Nagelkerke R2 were indicated.

Results
The resulting model correctly identified 10.7% inactives and 96.9% of actives (R2 of Nagelkerke: 0.153). Variables contributing to the detection of PIA were (P ≤ 0.01): having a disability or an illness, not having friends to do sport with, lacking motivation or interest in and being afraid of injury risk. Additionally, totally agreeing, tend to agree and tend to disagree regarding the extent of local providers offering enough opportunities to be more active also contributed to the model.

Conclusions
The model reported a limited ability to detect modifiable factors affecting PIA, identifying a small percentage of inactive individuals correctly. New questions focused on understanding inactive behaviour are needed to support the European PA public health agenda.
Monitoring sources of volcanic activity at Mount Etna using pattern recognition techniques on infrasound signals
Authors: Eckel Felix , Langer Horst , Sciotto Mariangela 
Published: September 2022

SUMMARY
Infrasound monitoring plays an important role in the framework of the surveillance of Mt. Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. Compared to seismic monitoring, which is particularly effective for buried sources, infrasound signals mirror the activity of shallow sources like Strombolian explosions or degassing. The interpretation of infrasound signals is difficult to the untrained eye, as we have to account for volcanic and non-volcanic sources. The problem of handling large and complex data sets can be tackled with machine learning, namely pattern recognition techniques. Here, we focus on so-called ‘Unsupervised Learning’, where we identify groups of patterns being similar to each other. The degree of similarity is based on a metric measuring the distance among the features of the patterns. This work aims at the identification of typical regimes of infrasound radiation and their relation to the state of volcanic activity at Mt. Etna. For this goal, we defined features describing any infrasound pattern. These features were obtained using wavelet transform. We applied ‘Self-Organizing Maps’ (SOM) to the features projecting them to a 2-D representation space—the ‘map’. An intriguing aspect of SOM resides in the fact that the position of the patterns on the map can be expressed by a colour code, in a manner that similar patterns are assigned a similar colour code. This simplified representation of multivariate patterns allows to follow the development of their characteristics with time efficiently. During a training phase we considered a reference data set, which encompassed a large variety of scenarios. We identified typical groups of patterns which correspond to a specific regime of activity, being representative of the state of the volcano or noise conditions. These groups form areas on the 2-D maps. In a second step, we considered a test data set, which was not used during the training phase. Applying the same pre-processing as for the training data, we blindly assigned the test patterns to the regimes found before, identifying the one whose colour code is most similar to the one calculated to the test pattern. We are thus able to assess the validity of the prediction. The classification scheme presented provides a reliable assessment of the state of activity and adds useful and supplementary details to the results of the real-time automatic system in operation at Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia—Osservarorio Etneo. This is of particular importance when no visible information of the volcanic activity is available either for unfavourable meteorological conditions or during night time.
Drainless thoracoscopic surgery should be avoided in primary spontaneous pneumothorax with pleural adhesion
Authors: Lin Chieh-Kuo , Leong Ka-I , How Cheng-Hung , Wang Hu-Lin Christina , Liu Chao-Yu 
Published: September 2022

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Drainless thoracoscopic surgery, defined by omitting chest drain after surgery, has been demonstrated to be feasible in selected patients for pulmonary resection. However, drainless procedure for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax has raised concerns for its safety and thus has been less often reported. We aimed to share our preliminary experience regarding how to select patients with spontaneous pneumothorax for this procedure.

METHODS
A retrospective study recruiting 303 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of spontaneous pneumothorax undergoing thoracoscopic surgery in our centre from August 2016 to June 2020 was done. After careful selection, the chest drain was omitted in selected patients who underwent non-intubated uniportal thoracoscopic surgery. Patients’ clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes were analysed.

RESULTS
A total of 34 patients underwent drainless thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. Pleural adhesion was noted in 9 patients during surgery, and all of them (100%) developed residual pneumothorax, among which intercostal drainage was required in 2 (22.2%) patients and ipsilateral pneumothorax recurred 3 years after surgery in 1 (11.1%) patient. Among the remaining 25 without pleural adhesion, 17 (68.0%) developed minor residual pneumothorax (P = 0.006), which all resolved spontaneously within 1–2 weeks, with no complications or recurrence during postoperative follow-up for at least 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS
Drainless thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax is feasible but can be risky without careful patient selection. In our experience, the drainless procedure should be avoided in patients with identifiable pleural adhesion noted during surgery.
A class of preconditioners based on symmetric-triangular decomposition and matrix splitting for generalized saddle point problems
Authors: Wang Nana , Li Jicheng 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
In this paper, based on the idea of symmetric-triangular (ST) decomposition and matrix splitting, a product-type preconditioner and its inexact version are developed for generalized saddle point problems. These preconditioners can be combined appropriately with the efficient preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) method to solve the generalized saddle point problems, although neither these preconditioners nor the generalized saddle point matrices are symmetric and positive definite, which is the advantage of our proposed preconditioners. The proposed PCG method belongs to the group of nonstandard inner product CG methods, so the convergence theorem of the former is given by the use of that of the latter. The difference between the existing nonstandard inner product CG methods and our proposed method is studied. Theoretical analysis shows that the spectrum of the preconditioned matrix corresponding to the proposed inexact preconditioner is contained in a real, positive interval and the quasi-optimal parameter of the preconditioner is effective and easy to apply in practice. Numerical experiments are given to illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed inexact preconditioner and show the advantages of the preconditioner over the existing state-of-the-art preconditioners for saddle point problems.
Addressing Values in Co-Design Projects: Lessons Learned From Two Case Studies in Sensitive Contexts
Authors: Ahmadi Michael , Taugerbeck Sebastian , Meurer Johanna , Randall Dave , Wulf Volker 
Published: September 2022

AbstractHuman–computer interaction (HCI) scholars and others have advocated treating design as inevitably implicating political and ethical sensitivities. A subset of those considerations has been the attempt to deal with the often conflicting interests of stakeholders through ‘value sensitivity’. Drawing on value-sensitive design (VSD) as an inspiration, we emphasize the necessary way in which the evolving contextuality of the values in question shaped our research collaborations. This paper presents a retrospective analysis of two case studies from long-term user-centered design projects in fields with explicit ambitions for value-driven HCI research and concerned with emancipation and empowerment. The first, a 3-year project, entailed an explicit commitment to feminist policy initiatives with female participants that aimed at fostering values of gender equality. The second, a 4-year project, dealt with HCI research with and for older adults, where a multimodal mobility platform for ridesharing and public transportation was developed. We show how we translated general commitment into pragmatic, co-design research goals and infrastructures. The long-term ambition of our endeavors and integration of a broad stakeholder base were vital to support this. We additionally provide insights into how our approach offered safe spaces for trustful collaboration and flexibility when adapting methods to specific contexts.
Country data on AMR in Pakistan in the context of community-acquired respiratory tract infections: links between antibiotic susceptibility, local and international antibiotic prescribing guidelines, access to medicine and clinical outcome
Authors: Torumkuney Didem , Jamil Bushra , Nizamuddin Summiya , van Hasselt James , Pirzada Uzma , Manenzhe Rendani 
Published: September 2022

AbstractBackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to global public health. Selection of resistant bacteria is driven by inappropriate use of antibiotics, amongst other factors. COVID-19 may have exacerbated AMR due to unnecessary antibiotic prescribing. Country-level knowledge is needed to understand options for action.ObjectivesTo review the current situation with respect to AMR in Pakistan and initiatives addressing it. Identifying areas where more information is required will provide a call to action to minimize any further rises in AMR and improve patient outcomes.MethodsNational AMR initiatives, antibiotic use and prescribing in Pakistan, and availability of susceptibility data, in particular for the key community-acquired respiratory tract infection (CA-RTI) pathogens (Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae) were identified. National and international antibiotic prescribing guidelines for specific CA-RTIs (community-acquired pneumonia, acute otitis media and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis) commonly used locally were also reviewed, plus local antibiotic availability. Insights from a local clinician and clinical microbiologist were sought to contextualize this information.ConclusionsPakistan is active in developing initiatives to address AMR such as compiling a National Action Plan. However, antibiotic consumption is high and although there is legislation in place prohibiting over-the-counter purchase of antibiotics, this is still possible. Healthcare professionals use local and international antibiotic prescribing guidelines for CA-RTIs when managing patients. As highlighted by the clinical microbiologist’s expert comments, surveillance of AMR in locally prevalent microorganisms is lacking. A more standardized inclusive approach in developing local guidelines, using up-to-date local surveillance data of isolates from community-acquired infections, could make management guideline use more locally relevant for clinicians. This would pave the way for a higher level of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and improved adherence. This would, in turn, potentially limit AMR development and improve clinical outcomes for patients.