bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modulation of Popocatépetl’s activity by regional and worldwide earthquakes
Authors: Boulesteix Thomas , Legrand Denis , Taquet Noémie , Coppola Diego , Laiolo Marco , Valade Sébastien , Massimetti Francesco , Caballero-Jiménez Gema , Campion Robin 
Published: August 2022

AbstractVolcanoes switching from quiescence to eruption shortly after catastrophic earthquakes have raised interest for volcanic triggering and the influence of earthquakes on volcanic activity. Its influence on already active systems and especially at open-vent volcanoes is more difficult to apprehend. A number of recent observations suggest an influence of tectonic earthquakes on Popocatépetl’s activity, the importance of which remains unknown. To further investigate this, we introduce an index, based on the near-field concept, identifying the earthquakes with the highest potential to promote volcanic activity (hereafter termed “significant earthquakes”). The time series of significant earthquakes is compared with the intensity of the volcanic activity, as characterized by the number and energy of volcano-tectonic earthquakes, the number of dome extrusions, the intensity of thermal and degassing fluxes, and ash production. Three main periods with contrasting activity stand out showing that Popocatépetl presents intense activity when significant tectonic earthquakes are frequent. Enhanced extrusion apparently follows significant earthquakes quickly with pulses of dome extrusion that peak after 1.3 ± 0.3 years. Conversely, extrusive activity vanishes when significant seismicity disappears, as during the period 2003–2011, which coincides with a 12-year-long significant seismicity gap. Hence, we propose that the 1994–2022 open-vent activity at Popocatépetl is in part modulated by the repetitive occurrence of significant earthquakes that periodically promote volcanic activity.
Outcome a decade after laparoscopic and open Nissen fundoplication in children: results from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Fyhn Thomas J. , Kvello Morten , Edwin Bjørn , Schistad Ole , Pripp Are H. , Emblem Ragnhild , Knatten Charlotte K. , Bjørnland Kristin 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing long-term outcome after laparoscopic (LF) and open fundoplication (OF) in children are lacking. Here we report recurrence rates and time to recurrence, frequency of re-interventions, use of antisecretory drugs, gastrointestinal symptoms, and patient/parental satisfaction a decade after children were randomized to LF or OF.

Methods
Cross-sectional long-term follow-up study of a two-center RCT that included patients during 2003–2009. Patients/parents were interviewed and medical charts reviewed for any events that might be related to the fundoplication. If suspicion of recurrence, further diagnostics were performed. Informed consent and ethical approval were obtained. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01551134.

Results
Eighty-eight children, 56 (64%) boys, were randomized (LF 44, OF 44) at median 4.4 [interquartile range (IQR) 2.0–8.9] years. 46 (52%) had neurological impairment. Three were lost to follow-up before first scheduled control. Recurrence was significantly more frequent after LF (24/43, 56%) than after OF (13/42, 31%, p = 0.004). Median time to recurrence was 1.0 [IQR 0.3–2.2] and 5.1 [IQR 1.5–9.3] years after LF and OF, respectively. Eight (19%) underwent redo fundoplication after LF and three (7%) after OF (p = 0.094). Seventy patients/parents were interviewed median 11.9 [IQR 9.9–12.8] years postoperatively. Among these, use of anti-secretory drugs was significantly decreased from preoperatively after both LF (94% vs. 35%, p < 0.001) and OF (97% vs. 19%, p < 0.001). Regurgitation/vomiting were observed in 6% after LF and 3% after OF (p = 0.609), and heartburn in 14% after LF and 17% after OF (p = 1.000). Overall opinion of the surgical scars was good in both groups (LF: 95%, OF: 86%, p = 0.610). Patient/parental satisfaction with outcome was high, independent of surgical approach (LF: 81%, OF: 88%, p = 0.500).

Conclusions
The recurrence rate was higher and recurrence occurred earlier after LF than after OF. Patient/parental satisfaction with outcome after both LF and OF was equally high.

Graphical abstract
Efficacy and safety of lumasiran for infants and young children with primary hyperoxaluria type 1: 12-month analysis of the phase 3 ILLUMINATE-B trial
Authors: Hayes Wesley , Sas David J. , Magen Daniella , Shasha-Lavsky Hadas , Michael Mini , Sellier-Leclerc Anne-Laure , Hogan Julien , Ngo Taylor , Sweetser Marianne T. , Gansner John M. , McGregor Tracy L. , Frishberg Yaacov 
Published: August 2022

AbstractBackgroundPrimary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a rare genetic disease that causes progressive kidney damage and systemic oxalosis due to hepatic overproduction of oxalate. Lumasiran demonstrated efficacy and safety in the 6-month primary analysis period of the phase 3, multinational, open-label, single-arm ILLUMINATE-B study of infants and children < 6 years old with PH1 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03905694 (4/1/2019); EudraCT: 2018–004,014-17 (10/12/2018)). Outcomes in the ILLUMINATE-B extension period (EP) for patients who completed ≥ 12 months on study are reported here.MethodsOf the 18 patients enrolled in the 6-month primary analysis period, all entered the EP and completed ≥ 6 additional months of lumasiran treatment (median (range) duration of total exposure, 17.8 (12.7–20.5) months).ResultsLumasiran treatment was previously reported to reduce spot urinary oxalate:creatinine ratio by 72% at month 6, which was maintained at 72% at month 12; mean month 12 reductions in prespecified weight subgroups were 89%, 68%, and 71% for patients weighing < 10 kg, 10 to < 20 kg, and ≥ 20 kg, respectively. The mean reduction from baseline in plasma oxalate level was reported to be 32% at month 6, and this improved to 47% at month 12. Additional improvements were also seen in nephrocalcinosis grade, and kidney stone event rates remained low. The most common lumasiran-related adverse events were mild, transient injection-site reactions (3 patients (17%)).ConclusionsLumasiran treatment provided sustained reductions in urinary and plasma oxalate through month 12 across all weight subgroups, with an acceptable safety profile, in infants and young children with PH1.Graphical abstractA higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information
Numerical approximation and simulation of the stochastic wave equation on the sphere
Authors: Cohen David , Lang Annika 
Published: August 2022

AbstractSolutions to the stochastic wave equation on the unit sphere are approximated by spectral methods. Strong, weak, and almost sure convergence rates for the proposed numerical schemes are provided and shown to depend only on the smoothness of the driving noise and the initial conditions. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical rates. The developed numerical method is extended to stochastic wave equations on higher-dimensional spheres and to the free stochastic Schrödinger equation on the unit sphere.
Causal Structure Learning: A Combinatorial Perspective
Authors: Squires Chandler , Uhler Caroline 
Published: August 2022

AbstractIn this review, we discuss approaches for learning causal structure from data, also called causal discovery. In particular, we focus on approaches for learning directed acyclic graphs and various generalizations which allow for some variables to be unobserved in the available data. We devote special attention to two fundamental combinatorial aspects of causal structure learning. First, we discuss the structure of the search space over causal graphs. Second, we discuss the structure of equivalence classes over causal graphs, i.e., sets of graphs which represent what can be learned from observational data alone, and how these equivalence classes can be refined by adding interventional data.
Natural Radioactivity and Metals in Pit Lakes in Sweden Analyzed by Principal Component and Cluster Analysis
Authors: Thomas Rimon , Piñero-García Francisco , Forssell-Aronsson Eva , Mantero Juan , Isaksson Mats 
Published: August 2022

AbstractThe aim of this work was to determine which parameters are sufficient to measure in order to describe the water quality of a pit lake and to identify patterns in the data among different kind of pit lakes. The data consisted of ambient dose equivalent rate, elemental and radionuclide concentration, pH, and specific conductance in surface water and sediment samples collected from different types of mines. Data were tested for normality and log-normality and used in principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The normality tests indicated that only 40K was normally distributed, while only the 234,238U isotopes were log-normally distributed. HCA performed on parameters measured in surface water provided clusters that in most cases separated the elements according to their chemical groups. However, when HCA was performed on pit lakes, the clustering seemed to indicate that surface water might not be the preferred sample to differentiate between different types of pit lakes. PCA of surface water data resulted in three components that explained 72% of the variance when pH, SC, concentration of the elements Mg, K, Ca, Cu, Zn, Sr, Pb, activity concentration of 234,238U and 210Po, and ambient dose equivalent rate were included. For surface sediment data, the PCA resulted in three components explaining 83% of the variance when the concentration of Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Rb, Sr, Y, Tl, activity concentration of 234Th, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th (series average), and 40K, and ambient dose equivalent rate were included.
Learning deliberate reflection in medical diagnosis: does learning-by-teaching help?
Authors: Kuhn Josepha , Mamede Silvia , van den Berg Pieter , Zwaan Laura , van Peet Petra , Bindels Patrick , van Gog Tamara 
Published: August 2022

AbstractDeliberate reflection has been found to foster diagnostic accuracy on complex cases or under circumstances that tend to induce cognitive bias. However, it is unclear whether the procedure can also be learned and thereby autonomously applied when diagnosing future cases without instructions to reflect. We investigated whether general practice residents would learn the deliberate reflection procedure through ‘learning-by-teaching’ and apply it to diagnose new cases. The study was a two-phase experiment. In the learning phase, 56 general-practice residents were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. They either (1) studied examples of deliberate reflection and then explained the procedure to a fictitious peer on video; or (2) solved cases without reflection (control). In the test phase, one to three weeks later, all participants diagnosed new cases while thinking aloud. The analysis of the test phase showed no significant differences between the conditions on any of the outcome measures (diagnostic accuracy, p = .263; time to diagnose, p = .598; mental effort ratings, p = .544; confidence ratings, p = .710; proportion of contradiction units (i.e. measure of deliberate reflection), p = .544). In contrast to findings on learning-by-teaching from other domains, teaching deliberate reflection to a fictitious peer, did not increase reflective reasoning when diagnosing future cases. Potential explanations that future research might address are that either residents in the experimental condition did not apply the learned deliberate reflection procedure in the test phase, or residents in the control condition also engaged in reflection.
How digital communications contribute to shaping the career paths of youth: a review study focused on farming as a career option
Authors: Unay-Gailhard İlkay , Brennen Mark A. 
Published: August 2022

AbstractCan the power of digital communications create opportunities for overcoming generational renewal problems on farms? This interdisciplinary review explores the reported impacts of digital communication on career initiation into farming from a global perspective via the lens of career theories. Seventy-three papers were synthesized into two domains: (1) the impact of digital communication interactions on farming career initiation, and (2) the dynamics of digital communication initiatives that create opportunities to inspire youth into farming. The finding shows that the mainstream literature primarily aims to support the continuity of farming careers but pay little attention to the potential of digital communication to attract youth into farming. This review argues that career communications for farming receives insufficient attention, and could be better integrated into agricultural communications strategies by using the potential of digital communications. Study concludes that while economic and geographic factors, as well as societal and cultural norms, lead to negative perceptions on farming careers, there are three pathways that may contribute to breaking down these negative perceptions. Firstly, taking the changing nature of career motivations, such as the trend towards sustainable farming linked to self-fulfillment, among today’s youth into consideration is essential. Secondly, highlighting technological advances in digital agriculture practices, like geographical flexibility or innovation capacity of farming, for example, is important to increase awareness about new opportunities in the profession. Lastly, communication campaigns with targeted groups (e.g., young females) play a role to change the negative perceptions of the rural way of life and the farming profession.
A method for chemical and physical modification of oriented pulp fibre sheets
Authors: Forsberg Diana Carolina Reyes , Westin Per-Oskar , Li Lengwan , Svedberg Anna , Grundberg Hans , Berglund Lars A. 
Published: August 2022

AbstractWood pulp fibres are promising reinforcements for biocomposites due to their renewable resource origin and mechanical properties. An oriented and dense fibre reinforcement structure is beneficial for biocomposite properties. We present a method of modifying fibres (e.g. to increase strain to failure) in pre-formed oriented high-density paper structures intended for biocomposites or as hot-pressed fibre materials. Mildly delignified, well-preserved holocellulose fibres from softwood are used. Cold alkali treatment (hemicellulose removal) and mercerisation (conversion to cellulose II) were carried out successfully on oriented fibre sheets. Controlled anisotropy and sheet density are achieved from untreated and straight fibres in the sheet formation step. High mechanical properties and increased ductility of mercerised sheets were observed, which may be valuable for hot-pressed fibre materials (E ≈ 7.1 GPa, strength of 108 MPa and strain to failure of 5.3%) and biocomposites. In contrast, modified wood pulp fibres were difficult to orient, resulting in higher sheet porosity and weak interfibre bonding.
Graphical abstract
Semi-guided learning tool as framework for STEM students learning: A case study for final year projects
Authors: Morales-Botello María Luz , Moreno Martínez Carlos 
Published: August 2022

AbstractCommunication and planning are skills expected among graduates. However, a skills deficit continues to be present among students. To address this problem, here we considered the final year project (FYP), a widely used way of working on skills in STEM degrees. Furthermore, we took into account recent research that highlights the importance of students' thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, in addition to characteristics such as self-efficacy or self-management within the learning process. Here a framework was designed around a semi-guided learning approach, with the aim of improving STEM students' skills and providing them with a work context that facilitates favorable behaviors and feelings associated with writing their FYP report. This framework, implemented in a Spanish university in Madrid, was designed to accomplish their work during restricted face-to-face work due to COVID-19. Through mixed-focus surveys, the perceptions of 55 students (male/female ratio = 4) were collected in relation to what the framework had provided them. The results showed that most of the students perceived improvement both in planning and written communication skills. The qualitative analysis also allowed us to determine the most common difficulties found among students, as well as benefits provided by the framework, among which they highlighted, greater efficiency in the writing process and help to ensure the quality of the FYP report. Our findings allow promoting beneficial results for STEM student and support the idea of considering the cognitive-emotional context of the student as a part of the environment in which to develop facilitating tools for learning and skills development.
Spatial modelling of malaria prevalence associated with geographical factors in Houet province of Burkina Faso, West Africa
Authors: Millogo Abdoul Azize , Yaméogo Lassane , Kassié Daouda , de Charles Ouédraogo François , Guissou Charles , Diabaté Abdoulaye 
Published: August 2022

AbstractMalaria is a permanent threat to health in western Burkina Faso. Research has shown that geographical variables contribute to the spatial distribution in its transmission. The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between malaria prevalence and potential explanatory geographical variables in the Houet province in Burkina Faso. Statistics on malaria prevalence registered by health centres in the Houet province in 2017 and potential geographical variables identified through a literature review were collected. An Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was used to identify key geographical variables and to measure their association with malaria while the Getis Ord Gi* index was used to locate malaria hotspots. The results showed that average annual temperature, vegetation density, percentage of clay in the soil, total annual rainfall and distance to the nearest waterbody are the main variables associated with malaria prevalence. These variables account for two-thirds of the spatial variability of malaria prevalence observed in Houet province. The intensity and direction of the relationship between malaria prevalence and geographical factors vary according to the variable. Hence, only vegetation density is positively correlated with malaria prevalence. Average temperature, for soil clay content, annual rainfall and for distance to the nearest water body are negatively correlated with the disease prevalence. These results show that even in an endemic area, malaria prevalence has significant spatial variation. The results could contribute to the choice of intervention sites, as this choice is crucial for reducing the malaria burden.
The effect of replacing copper metal or oxide with neodymium on the optical properties of lithium tetraborate glass
Authors: Kashif I. , Ratep A. 
Published: August 2022

AbstractThe melting quenching technique is used to create lithium tetraborate glasses with the following composition (in mol %): 80 Li2B4O7-(20-x) Nd2O3-x Cu metal or x CuO mol% (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20). X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical absorption, photoluminescence, thermal analysis, and Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) were studied. The optical absorption spectra indicate the presence of Nd3+ and Cu2+ ions. The absorption spectra determine the Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters (Ωλ), the oscillator strengths, and bonding parameters. The high value of Ω2 indicates the increasing covalent bonding within the host structure. The ratio between emission intensities and excitation indicates that glass samples are used as laser sources. The photoluminescence spectra revealed neodymium ion emission. The glasses containing 20 mol % Nd2O3 (free from copper) emitted light at 1053 nm. The strength of emission peaks decreases as copper concentration increases according to the quenching effect. The findings indicate that the samples investigated are suitable for use in solid-state lasers.
Variational Physics Informed Neural Networks: the Role of Quadratures and Test Functions
Authors: Berrone Stefano , Canuto Claudio , Pintore Moreno 
Published: August 2022

AbstractIn this work we analyze how quadrature rules of different precisions and piecewise polynomial test functions of different degrees affect the convergence rate of Variational Physics Informed Neural Networks (VPINN) with respect to mesh refinement, while solving elliptic boundary-value problems. Using a Petrov-Galerkin framework relying on an inf-sup condition, we derive an a priori error estimate in the energy norm between the exact solution and a suitable high-order piecewise interpolant of a computed neural network. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical predictions and highlight the importance of the inf-sup condition. Our results suggest, somehow counterintuitively, that for smooth solutions the best strategy to achieve a high decay rate of the error consists in choosing test functions of the lowest polynomial degree, while using quadrature formulas of suitably high precision.
Thermal behaviour of sulphate-bearing multicomponent silicate–phosphate glasses
Authors: Berezicka Anna , Sułowska Justyna , Jeleń Piotr , Lach Radosław , Szumera Magdalena 
Published: August 2022

AbstractThe present study provides a deep insight into the implications of sulphate addition on glass forming properties of materials from the SiO2–P2O5–K2O–MgO/CaO/MgOCaO systems, by combining: preliminary investigation of as-synthesized materials (XRD, XRF, SEM–EDS), detailed characteristics of their thermal behaviour (DSC), estimation of various glass-stability parameters, in-depth analysis of the course of crystallization and an identification of the crystallized products (XRD, Raman imaging technique). Performed investigations revealed that obtaining amorphous materials is only possible in the system containing MgO as a alkaline earth glass modifier, whereas melts of other tested compositions display high tendency to crystallize during cooling. Thermal investigation showed that the influence of SO3addition on thermal properties of studied materials strongly depends on their composition, but generally such additive increased values of glass transformation temperature and decreased vitreous state transformation range and onset of the crystallization process, compared to the base samples, which is a signal of decrease in thermal stability. Examination of devitrificates revealed the character and distribution of domains present in the structure of studied materials. It was showed that irrespective of composition of the base glass, it is K2SO4that precipitates once the sulphate capacity of glass is exceeded and exists in the studied materials as groupings either distributed in the voids of silicate phase, or surrounding the remnants of the gas bubbles embodied within the glass body. The results demonstrated in the present study provide guiding suggestions for development of SO3-containing silicate–phosphate glasses intended especially for applications where release of bioactive ions is sought.