bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Ubiquitous Soil Terpene Geosmin Acts as a Warning Chemical
Authors: Zaroubi Liana , Ozugergin Imge , Mastronardi Karina , Imfeld Anic , Law Chris , Gélinas Yves , Piekny Alisa , Findlay Brandon L.
Published: March 2022

One of the key chemicals that give soil its earthy aroma, geosmin is a frequent water contaminant produced by a range of unrelated microbes. Many animals, including humans, are able to detect geosmin at minute concentrations, but the benefit that this compound provides to its producing organisms is poorly understood.
Examination of Rickettsial Host Range for Shuttle Vectors Based on
dnaA
and
parA
Genes from the pRM Plasmid of
Rickettsia monacensis
Authors: Burkhardt Nicole Y. , Price Lisa D. , Wang Xin-Ru , Heu Chan C. , Baldridge Gerald D. , Munderloh Ulrike G. , Kurtti Timothy J.
Published: March 2022

Rickettsia
spp. are found in a diverse array of organisms, from ticks, mites, and fleas to leeches and insects. Many are not pathogenic, but others, such as
Rickettsia rickettsii
and
Rickettsia prowazeckii
, can cause severe illness or death.
Zinc-Responsive Regulator Zur Regulates Zinc Homeostasis, Secondary Metabolism, and Morphological Differentiation in Streptomyces avermitilis
Authors: Lyu Mengya , Cheng Yaqing , Dai Yujie , Wen Ying , Song Yuan , Li Jilun , Chen Zhi
Published: March 2022

Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and morphological differentiation in bacteria are affected by environmental signals. The molecular mechanisms whereby zinc availability affects secondary metabolism and morphological differentiation remain poorly understood.
Genome Sequences of 25 SARS-CoV-2 Sublineage B.1.1.529 Omicron Strains in Bangladesh
Authors: Bin Manjur Omar Hamza , Afrad Mokibul Hassan , Khan Manjur Hossain , Hossain Mohabbat , Kawser Zannat , Alam Ahmed Nawsher , Banik Nandita , Alam Saruar , Billah Mallick Masum , Afreen Nawroz , Khanam Farhana , Bhuiyan Taufiqur Rahman , Rahman Mohammed Ziaur , Westeel Emilie , Berland Jean-Luc , Komurian-Pradel Florence , Banu Sayera , Rahman Mustafizur , Thompson Nicholas R. , Qadri Firdausi , Shirin Tahmina
Published: March 2022

We report the coding-complete genome sequences of 25 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sublineage B.1.1.529 Omicron strains obtained from Bangladeshi individuals in samples collected between December 2021 and January 2022. Genomic data were generated by Nanopore sequencing using the amplicon sequencing approach developed by the ARTIC Network.
Deciphering Active Prophages from Metagenomes
Authors: Kieft Kristopher , Anantharaman Karthik
Published: March 2022

Viruses that infect bacteria are key components of microbiomes and ecosystems. They can kill and manipulate microorganisms, drive planetary-scale processes and biogeochemical cycling, and influence the structures of entire food networks.
Metabolic Engineering Interventions for Sustainable 2,3-Butanediol Production in Gas-Fermenting
Clostridium autoethanogenum
Authors: Ghadermazi Parsa , Re Angela , Ricci Luca , Chan Siu Hung Joshua
Published: March 2022

Envisioning value chains inspired by environmental sustainability and circularity in economic models is essential to counteract the alterations in the global natural carbon cycle induced by humans. Recycling carbon-based waste gas streams into chemicals by devising gas fermentation bioprocesses mediated by acetogens of the genus
Clostridium
is one component of the solution.
AoPEX1
and
AoPEX6
Are Required for Mycelial Growth, Conidiation, Stress Response, Fatty Acid Utilization, and Trap Formation in
Arthrobotrys oligospora
Authors: Liu Qianqian , Li Dongni , Jiang Kexin , Zhang Ke-Qin , Yang Jinkui
Published: March 2022

Nematode-trapping (NT) fungi are important resources for the biological control of plant-parasitic nematodes. They are widely distributed in various ecological environments and capture nematodes by producing unique predatory organs (traps).
Co-Occurrence of Rare ArmA-, RmtB-, and KPC-2–Encoding Multidrug-Resistant Plasmids and Hypervirulence
iuc
Operon in ST11-KL47 Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Zhou Ying , Ai Wenxiu , Guo Yinjuan , Wu Xiaocui , Wang Bingjie , Xu YanLei , Rao Lulin , Zhao Huilin , Wang Xinyi , Yu Fangyou
Published: March 2022

Carbapenemase-producing
Klebsiella pneumoniae
have become a great challenge for antimicrobial chemotherapy, while aminoglycosides can lower the mortality rate effectively in combination therapy with them. Unfortunately, we isolated two
K. pneumoniae
from blood sample of patients that not only exhibited high-level resistance to carbapenems and aminoglycosides but also showed the unusual co-occurrence of the
rmtB
,
armA
, and
bla
KPC-2
genes.
Deep-sea hiatuses track the vigor of Cenozoic ocean bottom currents
Authors: Dutkiewicz Adriana , Müller R. Dietmar
Published: March 2022

The deep-sea stratigraphic record is full of gaps. These hiatuses track changes in ocean circulation and chemistry, but determining their timing and causes has been limited by sparse data and incomplete knowledge of ocean gateway evolution in earlier studies. We combine a significantly expanded, age-calibrated deep-sea stratigraphic database with a global tectonic and paleo–water depth model to investigate the distribution of >400 Cenozoic hiatuses longer than ~0.2 m.y. We find that only a small number of hiatuses are due to carbonate dissolution. The majority of hiatuses were, by implication, caused by mechanical erosion and redistribution of sediments by bottom currents into regions of increased sedimentation such as contourite drifts. We link peaks in regional hiatuses to changes in ocean circulation and intensification of deep-water formation. Widespread hiatuses in the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and southern Indian oceans between ca. 34 Ma and 30 Ma are attributed to the coeval widening and deepening of the Drake Passage and the opening of the deep Tasman Gateway. A peak in hiatuses in the Atlantic in the early Miocene is linked to the initiation of a proto–Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation driven by the complete opening of the deep Drake Passage and the progressive closure of the Tethys seaway. A long-term 30% decline in hiatus frequency since ca. 14 Ma is synchronous with post–Miocene Climate Optimum cooling, suggesting the slowing of abyssal circulation. Our synthesis of deep-sea hiatuses could be used to track the fate of deep-sea sediments and to ground-truth deep-ocean circulation models.
How old are the Jack Hills metasediments really?: The case for contamination of bedrock by zircon grains in transported regolith
Authors: Kinny P.D. , Clark C. , Kirkland C.L. , Hartnady M. , Gillespie J. , Johnson T.E. , McDonald B.
Published: March 2022

The enigmatic occurrence of Neoarchean- and Proterozoic-aged zircon grains in some samples of metasedimentary rocks from the Jack Hills, Western Australia, that otherwise appear to have been deposited before 3.0 Ga is explained by contamination with embedded zircon grains sourced from transported regolith. Zircon U-Pb age spectra obtained by laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) analysis of modern alluvium in creek beds draining the metasedimentary belts of Mount Narryer and Jack Hills are dominated by these exotically sourced younger components, as is the red soil that partly covers and infiltrates fractures in the exposed Hadean zircon-bearing bedrock at Jack Hills. The consistency of the age patterns found in superficial deposits sampled over some 100 km implies a dominance of colluvium transported from the wider Yilgarn craton, adjacent Capricorn orogen, and more distal sources rather than material produced from the local (Mesoarchean and older) bedrocks. The potential for similar cases of “environmental contamination” of surface rocks by exogenous zircons needs to be considered more widely, particularly in situations where interpreted maximum deposition ages are based on only a small number of outlying youngest analyzed grains.
Re-Os geochronology for the Cambrian SPICE event: Insights into euxinia and enhanced continental weathering from radiogenic isotopes
Authors: Rooney Alan D. , Millikin Alexie E.G. , Ahlberg Per
Published: March 2022

The late Cambrian Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion (SPICE) represents a major perturbation to the global carbon cycle and was associated with trilobite extinctions and expansion of anoxic and/or euxinic water masses during episodes of eustatic sea-level change. We present a new Re-Os age together with Os and Nd isotope stratigraphy and major- and trace-element data from the Alum Shale Formation (Scania, Sweden). The Re-Os age of 494.6 ± 2.9 Ma is from the interval of peak δ13Corg values, providing the first radiometric age constraint for this Cambrian carbon isotope excursion, interpreted as a possible pre-Mesozoic ocean anoxia event, and the timing of biomere-level extinctions. The Os isotope chemostratigraphic profile can be explained by an increase in terrigenous weathering prior to the SPICE, potentially driven by sea-level fall, and in agreement with enhanced nutrient supply, primary productivity, and organic matter burial as the driver of the SPICE event. Post-SPICE, the Os isotopes become increasingly unradiogenic; however, invariant εNd(t) values argue against a change in provenance and instead support a decrease in the continental weathering flux, possibly related to eustatic sea-level rise.
Nanoscale trace-element zoning in pyrite framboids and implications for paleoproxy applications
Authors: Gregory Daniel D. , Kovarik Libor , Taylor Sandra D. , Perea Daniel E. , Owens Jeremy D. , Atienza Nicole , Lyons Timothy W.
Published: March 2022

Pyrite framboids (spherical masses of nanoscale pyrite) are among the earliest textures of pyrite to form in sediments. It has been proposed that their trace-element (TE) contents can be used to track the TE composition of the water column in which they formed. However, it is not clear how these TEs are associated with the framboidal pyrite grains. For instance, it is important to know whether they are incorporated uniformly or are enriched in different regions of the framboid. We used high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy to identify chemical zoning within pyrite framboids. We found that initial, nanoscale pyrite euhedral crystals, which make up the volumetric majority of the framboids, are covered/infilled by later pyrite that templates on the earlier pyrite. Further, this later pyrite is enriched in TEs, suggesting that many TEs are incorporated in pyrite relatively late (during early diagenesis; not in the water column). This observation suggests that although chemical analyses of pyrite framboids may provide ocean-water chemistry trends through time, the details are complex. Specifically, the TEs found in pyrite may be linked to adsorption onto organic matter, detrital material, and authigenic minerals such as Fe- and Mn-oxide phases followed by desorption in the sediments or release via dissolution and incorporation into pyrite as overgrowths on the initial nanoscale euhedral crystals that make up framboids. While the use of pyrite chemistry to understand past ocean conditions remains promising, and even diagenetic additions may not preclude the utility of pyrite for reconstructing ancient ocean conditions, care must be taken in interpretations because the end concentration may be influenced by diagenesis.
Groundwater seepage is a key driver of theater-headed valley formation in limestone
Authors: Micallef Aaron , Saadatkhah Nader , Spiteri Jurgen , Rizzo Enzo , Capozzoli Luigi , De Martino Gregory , Pace Letizia , Burrill Christine , Gatt Michael , Schmidt Mark , Gupta Shubhangi
Published: March 2022

Groundwater seepage leads to the formation of theater-headed valleys (THVs) in unconsolidated sediments. In bedrock, the role of groundwater in THV development remains disputed. Here, we integrate field and remote-sensing observations from Gnejna Valley (Maltese Islands) with numerical modeling to demonstrate that groundwater seepage can be the main driver of THV formation in jointed limestone overlying clays. The inferred erosion mechanisms entail (1) widening of joints and fractures by fluid pressure and dissolution and (2) creeping of an underlying clay layer, which lead to slope failure at the valley head and its upslope retreat. The latter is slower than the removal of the talus by creep and sliding on the valley bed. The location and width of THVs are controlled by the location of the master fault and the extent of the damage zone, respectively. The variability of seepage across the fault zone determines the shape of the valley head, with an exponential decrease in seepage away from the fault giving rise to a theater-shaped head that best matches that of Gnejna Valley. Our model may explain the formation of THVs by groundwater in jointed, strong-over-weak chemical sedimentary lithologies, particularly in arid terrestrial settings.
Can deepwater bottom currents generate clinothems? An example of a large, asymmetric mounded drift in Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous sediments from northwestern Australia
Authors: Mantilla O. , Hernández-Molina F.J. , Scarselli N.
Published: March 2022

Clinoforms and clinothems are ubiquitous in shallow marine and shelf margin environments, where they show remarkable seaward progradation trends. Consensus holds that these features do not form in deepwater settings. This study describes an example of a large, asymmetric mounded deposit formed in Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous sediments along the Exmouth Plateau (offshore northwestern Australia). Although it formed in deepwater environments, the deposit has previously been interpreted to reflect either a deltaic or shelf margin system based on clinoform and clinothem geometries. We support that this deposit shares similarities with a delta drift that evolved into a large, mounded drift (~180 km in length, ~120 km in width, and up to ~1.7 km in sedimentary thickness) that exhibits two migration trends: one westward and the other northeastward. Three evolutionary phases are proposed: (1) an onset drift stage (ca. 146.5–143.5 Ma); (2) a growth drift stage (ca. 143.5–138.2 Ma); and (3) a burial stage (ca. 138.2 Ma), which marks the completion of the drift and a shift in depositional style. The drift asymmetry and clinoform orientations indicate the influence of a northward-flowing water mass with two main cores. Our analysis thus suggests that bottom currents can create complex deposits with geometries that resemble clinothems in deepwater environments.
Constraints on the timescales and processes that led to high-SiO2 rhyolite production in the Searchlight pluton, Nevada, USA
Authors: Eddy Michael P. , Pamukçu Ayla , Schoene Blair , Steiner-Leach Travis , Bell Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2022

Plutons offer an opportunity to study the extended history of magmas at depth. Fully exploiting this record requires the ability to track changes in magmatic plumbing systems as magma intrudes, crystallizes, and/or mixes through time. This task has been difficult in granitoid plutons because of low sampling density, poorly preserved or cryptic intrusive relationships, and the difficulty of identifying plutonic volumes that record the contemporaneous presence of melt. In particular, the difficulty in delineating fossil magma reservoirs has limited our ability to directly test whether or not high-SiO2 rhyolite is the result of crystal-melt segregation. We present new high-precision U-Pb zircon geochronologic and geochemical data that characterize the Miocene Searchlight pluton in southern Nevada, USA. The data indicate that the pluton was built incrementally over ~1.5 m.y. with some volumes of magma completely crystallizing before subsequent volumes arrived. The largest increment is an ~2.7-km-thick granitic sill that records contemporaneous zircon crystallization, which we interpret to represent a fossil silicic magma reservoir within the greater Searchlight pluton. Whole-rock geochemical data demonstrate that this unit is stratified relative to paleo-vertical, consistent with gravitationally driven separation of high-SiO2 melt from early-formed crystals at moderate crystallinity. Zircon trace-element compositions suggest that our geochronologic data from this unit record most of the relevant crystallization interval for differentiation and that this process occurred in <150 k.y.
Supplemental Material: Strontium isotope stratigraphy and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb carbonate age constraints on the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the southern South China Sea
Authors: Li Gang , Xu Weihai , al. et
Published: March 2022

Table S1: 87Sr/86Sr results of Well NK1 and ages derived using the LOWESS 6 curve. Table S2: U-Pb results of four mounts from Well NK1 and two standards. Figure S1: Pictures of core slabs from the upper Meiji Formation to the lower Nanwan Formation. Figure S2: Photos of core slabs from the upper Liyue Formation to the lower Meiji Formation.
Risk of first ischaemic stroke and use of antidopaminergic antiemetics: nationwide case-time-control study
Authors: Bénard-Laribière Anne , Hucteau Emilie , Debette Stéphanie , Kirchgesner Julien , Bezin Julien , Pariente Antoine
Published: March 2022

Objective

To estimate the risk of ischaemic stroke associated with antidopaminergic antiemetic (ADA) use.

Design

Case-time-control study.

Setting

Data from the nationwide French reimbursement healthcare system database Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS).

Participants

Eligible participants were ≥18 years with a first ischaemic stroke between 2012 and 2016 and at least one reimbursement for any ADA in the 70 days before stroke. Frequencies of ADA reimbursements were compared for a risk period (days -14 to -1 before stroke) and three matched reference periods (days -70 to -57, -56 to -43, and -42 to -29) for each patient. Time trend of ADA use was controlled by using a control group of 21 859 randomly selected people free of the event who were individually matched to patients with stroke according to age, sex, and risk factors of ischaemic stroke.

Main outcome measures

Association between ADA use and risk of ischaemic stroke was assessed by estimating the ratio of the odds ratios of exposure evaluated in patients with stroke and in controls. Analyses were adjusted for time varying confounders (anticoagulants, antiplatelets, and prothrombotic or vasoconstrictive drugs).

Results

Among the 2612 patients identified with incident stroke, 1250 received an ADA in the risk period and 1060 in the reference periods. The comparison with the 5128 and 13 165 controls who received an ADA in the same periods yielded a ratio of adjusted odds ratios of 3.12 (95% confidence interval 2.85 to 3.42). Analyses stratified by age, sex, and history of dementia showed similar results. Ratio of adjusted odds ratios for analyses stratified by ADA was 2.51 (2.18 to 2.88) for domperidone, 3.62 (3.11 to 4.23) for metopimazine, and 3.53 (2.62 to 4.76) for metoclopramide. Sensitivity analyses suggested the risk would be higher in the first days of use.

Conclusions

Using French nationwide exhaustive reimbursement data, this self-controlled study reported an increased risk of ischaemic stroke with recent ADA use. The highest increase was found for metopimazine and metoclopramide.
Geotechnical rheological modeling of ballasted railway tracks considering the effect of principal stress rotation
Authors: Punetha Piyush , Nimbalkar Sanjay
Published: March 2022

The rotation of principal stress direction experienced by the soil elements in a railway track substructure during a train passage influences the magnitude of accumulated settlement. However, the existing methods to evaluate the track response under repeated train loads disregard the influence of principal stress rotation (PSR). This article presents a novel approach for assessing the behavior of ballasted railway tracks incorporating the contribution of PSR on track deformation. The proposed technique employs a geotechnical rheological model to evaluate the track behavior, in which the material plasticity is captured through plastic slider elements. The influence of PSR is accounted for by extending an existing constitutive relationship for the slider elements for the substructure layers, which is successfully validated against experimental data reported in the literature. The results reveal that PSR causes significant cumulative deformation in the substructure layers, and disregarding it in the analysis leads to inaccurate predictions. The proposed approach is then applied to an open track-bridge transition with heterogeneous support conditions, in which the differential settlement is found to be largely influenced by PSR. The findings from this study highlight the importance of including the effect of PSR in predictive models for a reliable evaluation of track performance.
High expression of canines in some Mediterranean roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) populations against the general evolutionary trend
Authors: García del Rincón Amanda , Oya Antonia , Gort Esteve Araceli , Azorit Concepción
Published: March 2022

Upper canines do not usually appear in the roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758)) and their occasional appearance represents the expression of a tooth, as a rudimentary canine, which has been suppressed in the evolution of the group. These dental anomalies could be potentially useful for tracing ancestral genes in local ecotypes and populations. We studied the skulls of 517 adult roe deer males from seven Iberian Peninsula hunting populations looking for canine occurrence and the variations depending on region and ecomorphological variety. A total of 18 specimens had canines (3.48%), but a relationship was detected between the geographic origin and the canine presence. We found upper canines in three populations that were located in the Tagus River Basin, with 6.08%, 10.91%, and 20% prevalences, respectively. In the population with the highest prevalence, we also found a case of duplicated canines on either side of the upper jaw. Here, the high prevalence of upper canines against the evolutionary trend may be a sign of atavistic populations, possibly adapted to a less fibrous diet, in a geographical area connected through the Tagus River Basin, and probably regarding one of the glacial refuges of the Iberian Peninsula.
Macrofungal conservation in Canada and target species for assessment: a starting point
Authors: Bazzicalupo Anna , Gonçalves Susana C. , Hébert Rémi , Jakob Sigrid , Justo Alfredo , Kernaghan Gavin , Lebeuf Renée , Malloch Bruce , Thorn R. Greg , Walker Allison K.
Published: March 2022

Despite the ecological importance of fungi, we still know little about their diversity in Canada. One of the largest hurdles to implementing fungal conservation initiatives is the lack of fungal distribution data. As anthropogenic impacts accelerate the speed of environmental change, it is imperative that we fill this major information gap, critical for fungal protection. To gain insight on the conservation status of Canadian macrofungi, we took advantage of the large and growing body of fungal biodiversity data from government research ( Wild Species 2020), citizen science, trained independent mycologists, university, and museum biodiversity research. The majority of macrofungi are data deficient; we do not know their geographic distribution or habitat requirements, occurrence, or abundance in Canada. For mushrooms that fruit only a few days of the year and are often difficult to positively identify, there is a lot of work to overcome the uncertainty of distinguishing under-sampling from rarity. Our work stresses the importance of building a strong network of professional and amateur mycologists to develop resources, disseminate information to make educated decisions, and advance conservation actions. We found that several fungi can be prioritized; we present a short list for consideration for formal conservation assessment.
Zee model with quasidegenerate neutrino masses and where to find it
Authors: Primulando R. , Julio J. , Uttayarat P.
Published: March 2022

We present a Zee model with a family dependent$$Z_2$$Z2symmetry for radiative neutrino masses. Our motivation is to get a model that correctly describes neutrino oscillation phenomena, while at the same time offers definite predictions. The imposed$$Z_2$$Z2symmetry greatly reduces the number of free parameters in the model. These parameters are then determined from the neutrino data, from which one can study its outcomes. Our setup only admits quasidegenerate neutrino masses with the sum of neutrino masses between 100 and 130 meV, the effective Majorana mass between 20 and 40 meV, and the effective electron neutrino mass between 48 and 53 meV. The ratio of the vacuum expectation values of the Higgs doublets,$$\tan \beta $$tanβ, is found to be$$\tan \beta \lesssim 0.5$$tanβ≲0.5and$$\tan \beta \gtrsim 10$$tanβ≳10. The former is ruled out by lepton flavor violation (LFV) processes, such as$$\mu \rightarrow e\gamma $$μ→eγand$$\mu \rightarrow e$$μ→econversion, which are determined up to two loops. For the latter, these LFV processes are within reach of the next generation of experiments. Moreover, for$$\tan \beta \gtrsim 10$$tanβ≳10, the couplings of heavy neutral scalars to dimuon are significant. If they are sufficiently light, i.e.,$$\lesssim 200$$≲200GeV, collider search for their decays into muon pair provides a stronger constraint on most parts of the model parameter space than the LFV ones.
Detecting Duplicate Questions in Stack Overflow via Source Code Modeling
Authors: Gao Wei , Wu Jian , Xu Guandong
Published: March 2022

Stack Overflow is one of the most popular Question-Answering sites for programmers. However, it faces the problem of question duplication, where newly created questions are identical to previous questions. Existing works on duplicate question detection in Stack Overflow extract a set of textual features on the question pairs and use supervised learning approaches to classify duplicate question pairs. However, they do not consider the source code information in the questions. While in some cases, the intention of a question is mainly represented by the source code. In this paper, we aim to learn the semantics of a question by combining both text features and source code features. We use word embedding and convolutional neural networks to extract textual features from questions to overcome the lexical gap issue. We use tree-based convolutional neural networks to extract structural and semantic features from source code. In addition, we perform multi-task learning by combining the duplication question detection task with a question tag prediction side task. We conduct extensive experiments on the Stack Overflow dataset and show that our approach can detect duplicate questions with higher recall and MRR compared with baseline approaches on Python and Java programming languages.
Efficient and Privacy Preserving Clustering Algorithm for Spatiotemporal Data
Authors: Mehmood Abid , Natgunanathan Iynkaran , Xiang Yong
Published: March 2022

The efficiency of a spatiotemporal data analysis algorithm decreases as the amount of data increases. Many clustering techniques have been proposed for data analysis applications. However, applying those techniques to spatiotemporal data clustering is still in its infancy. In this paper, we tackle the issue of clustering spatiotemporal data on public Cloud based on the distance between them. To increase the efficiency of spatiotemporal clustering, we have proposed a MapReduce-based framework for clustering. However, as spatiotemporal dataset contains sensitive information, directly outsourcing spatiotemporal data to Cloud servers will raise privacy concerns. To address the problem of privacy, we have proposed a privacy preserving clustering algorithm based on MapReduce for spatiotemporal data that can be efficiently outsourced for data processing on the Cloud servers. The proposed scheme allows the clustering operation to be performed directly on the encrypted spatiotemporal data by Cloud server. Extensive experimental evaluation with trajectory data shows that our scheme efficiently produces higher quality clustering results.
A Decision-Making Framework for Total Ergonomic Risk Score Computation in Companies
Authors: Adem Aylin , Dağdeviren Metin
Published: March 2022

To ensure a safe production environment for blue-collar employees, physical ergonomic risk factors (PERFs) such as noise, the vibration must be considered in every workplace. However, PERFs require both theoretical and practical information to figure out their characteristics and negative health effects on employees. This paper proposes an easy-to-follow sustainable ergonomic guide that includes the theoretical and practical information about the calculation details of PERFs, a decision-making (DM) tool to evaluate ergonomic risk factors, and a formula to calculate the total ergonomic risk score of a company. In the DM process, the Pythagorean fuzzy extensions of the Analytical Hierarchy Process were utilized to evaluate PERFs with respect to the social, technical, environmental, and economic criteria. To show the applicability of this guide, a real-world application was conducted in a company located in Ankara. According to the results, technical criteria were determined as the most critical ([Formula: see text]), followed by the social, i.e., health-related factor ([Formula: see text]). The total risk score of the company was calculated using the measurement of the PERFs and the coefficients obtained from the DM process. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis was conducted to validate the robustness of the guide. The main contribution of this paper is that a formula that can be utilized to calculate the total ergonomic risk score of any type of company was developed, based on the fuzzy DM technique and Threshold Limit Values of risk parameters.
Dual Mandates in Chinese Congresses: Information and Cooptation
Authors: MANION MELANIE , ROTHSCHILD VIOLA , ZHU HONGSHEN
Published: March 2022

Survey data suggest that a high proportion of Chinese congress delegates sit concurrently in two or more congresses. While dual mandates are not unusual in democracies, the literature has failed to notice their existence in China, let alone theorize or analyze them. We turn to the political science literature on assemblies under authoritarianism to guide our analysis of survey data for 3,008 county congress delegates, half of whom are concurrent ones. We show that dual mandates amplify some voices and not others in ways consistent with two perspectives in the literature. Dual mandates amplify information from citizens at the grassroots upward toward governments: More delegates with deep community roots representing poor, rural, remote districts sit concurrently in county and lower-level congresses. Dual mandates also coopt influential groups posing a potential challenge to ruling party power: They amplify the influence of private entrepreneurs, more of whom sit concurrently in county and prestigious higher-level congresses.
Nanoarchitectonics of AgBr/4A Zeolite Composites with Enhanced Photocatalytic Properties Under Visible Light
Authors: Sun Zelong , Gao Dan , Yue Ximan , Li Jiwen
Published: March 2022

AgBr/zeolite photocatalysts with different mass ratios were synthesized by depositing AgBr on the surface of 4A zeolite via the one-step precipitation method. AgBr/zeolite with mass ratios of 1:1 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, resulting in the complete degradation of the methyl orange (MO) dye under visible-light irradiation for 30[Formula: see text]min. The photocatalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The AgBr particles around 4A zeolite were smaller than pure AgBr. The specific surface area of 1:1 AgBr/zeolite was much larger than that of pure AgBr, which indicates that 1:1 AgBr/zeolite possessed more active sites. The photocatalytic stability of 1:1 AgBr/zeolite was investigated, and MO degradation rate of 90.4% was achieved after five cycling runs. The trapping experiments showed that hydroxyl radical ([Formula: see text]OH), superoxide radical ([Formula: see text]), and hole (h+) were the reactive species responsible for removing MO, and h+ played a key role in MO removal. A possible reaction mechanism in AgBr/zeolite photocatalytic system for MO degradation was proposed.
Impact of AI on employment in manufacturing industry
Authors: Shao Shuai , Shi Zhanzhong , Shi Yirong
Published: March 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the most significant technological revolution since we entered the 21st century. It has become a new focus of public attention and international competition. Industrial integration with AI technology not only brings vast opportunities for transformation and upgrading of enterprises but also has an impact on employment structure. Focusing on the fusion of the manufacturing industry integrating AI, we analyze the integration progress of AI and segmented manufacturing industries, describe a supply-and-demand situation of labor market with different skills, and discuss the impact of AI technology on manufacturing employment theoretically. Then we construct the propensity score matching–difference-in-difference model, divide intelligent manufacturing enterprises into various categories, and inspect the influences on the employment structure of different segmented manufacturing enterprises before and after integrating AI technology. Finally, we put forward efficient methods of transformation and upgrading of manufacturing enterprises and practical suggestions to solve problems on employment structure.
Optimal Distribution-Free Sample-Based Testing of Subsequence-Freeness with One-Sided Error
Authors: Ron Dana , Rosin Asaf
Published: March 2022

In this work, we study the problem of testing subsequence-freeness. For a given subsequence (word)
w
=
w
1
…

w
k

, a sequence (text)
T
=
t
1
…

t
n

is said to contain
w
if there exist indices 1 ≤
i
1
< … <

i
k

≤ n such that

t
ij

=

w
j

for every 1 ≤
j
≤
k
. Otherwise,
T
is
w
-free. While a large majority of the research in property testing deals with algorithms that perform queries, here we consider
sample-based
testing (with one-sided error). In the “standard” sample-based model (i.e., under the uniform distribution), the algorithm is given samples (
i
,

t
i

) where
i
is distributed uniformly independently at random. The algorithm should distinguish between the case that
T
is
w
-free, and the case that
T
is ε-far from being
w
-free (i.e., more than an ε-fraction of its symbols should be modified so as to make it
w
-free). Freitag, Price, and Swartworth (Proceedings of RANDOM, 2017) showed that
O
((
k
2
log
k
)ε) samples suffice for this testing task. We obtain the following results.

–

The number of samples sufficient for one-sided error sample-based testing (under the uniform distribution) is
O
(
k
ε). This upper bound builds on a characterization that we present for the distance of a text
T
from
w
-freeness in terms of the maximum number of copies of
w
in
T
, where these copies should obey certain restrictions.

–

We prove a matching lower bound, which holds for
every
word
w
. This implies that the above upper bound is tight.

–

The same upper bound holds in the more general
distribution-free
sample-based model. In this model, the algorithm receives samples (
i
,

t
i

) where
i
is distributed according to an
arbitrary
distribution
p
(and the distance from
w
-freeness is measured with respect to
p
).

We highlight the fact that while we require that the testing algorithm work for every distribution and when only provided with samples, the complexity we get matches a known lower bound for a special case of the seemingly easier problem of testing subsequence-freeness with one-sided error under the uniform distribution and with queries (Canonne et al.,
Theory of Computing
, 2019).
Using pulmonary gas exchange to estimate shunt and deadspace in lung disease: theoretical approach and practical basis
Authors: Wagner Peter D. , Malhotra Atul , Prisk G. Kim
Published: March 2022

Identifying pulmonary vascular obstruction in the presence of pneumonia (e.g., in COVID-19) is difficult. We present here conversion of bedside measurements of arterial and alveolar Po2 and Pco2 into values for shunt and deadspace—when both coexist—using Riley and Cournand’s 3-compartment gas exchange model. Deadspace values higher than expected from shunt alone indicate high ventilation/perfusion ratio areas likely reflecting (micro)vascular obstruction.
Effects and Safety of the Tripterygium Glycoside Adjuvant Methotrexate Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Geng Qi , Liu Bin , Ma Yanfang , Li Huizhen , Shi Nannan , Ouyang Guilin , Nie Zhixing , Yi Jianfeng , Chen Yaolong , Wang Yanping , Lu Cheng
Published: March 2022

Objective. This study aimed to systematically review the efficacy and clinical safety of different courses and doses of tripterygium glycoside (TG) adjuvant methotrexate (MTX) therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TG adjuvant MTX therapy in patients with RA were retrieved from SinoMed, China Network Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase from inception to September 30, 2021. The effects and clinical safety evaluations were conducted using RevMan 5.3 software. Results. A total of 9 RCTs and 892 patients with RA were included in this study. In the meta-analysis, a total of 463 and 429 patients were enrolled into the TG adjuvant MTX therapy group and MTX monotherapy group, respectively. In comparison with MTX monotherapy, the results of the analyzed effects showed that the TG adjuvant MTX therapy can achieve 20%, 50%, and 70% improvements in American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 at

P

 = 0.005,

P

 = 0.0001, and

P

 = 0.004, respectively. Simultaneously, the efficacy of the TG adjuvant MTX therapy was improved at either 30 or 60 mg/day over a six-month course compared to MTX monotherapy (

P

 < 0.0001). There was no statistical difference in the effects between the doses of 30 and 60 mg/day after three months (

P

 = 0.82). TG adjuvant MTX also reduced the expression rate of the swollen joint count, tender joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, and C-reactive protein in subgroup analyses with different courses and doses. In terms of hepatic adverse effects (

P

 = 0.28), leukopenia (

P

 = 0.78), gastrointestinal adverse effects (

P

 = 0.17), cutaneous adverse effects (

P

 = 0.94), and irregular menstruation adverse effects (

P

 = 0.29), there was no statistically significant difference with TG adjuvant MTX therapy and MTX monotherapy with different courses and doses. Conclusions. TG adjuvant MTX therapy is more effective than MTX monotherapy and is a safe strategy for RA treatment in doses of 30 or 60 mg/day over a treatment course of six months. However, high-quality multicenter RCT studies with large sample sizes are still needed to confirm the effects and clinical safety of different courses and doses of TG adjuvant MTX therapy.
Research on Static and Dynamic Fragile Node Identification Algorithms Based on Uncertainty in New Energy
Authors: Lin Yingming , Wang Haohuai , Liu Yang , Li Shiming , Li Lei , Gu Dongjian
Published: March 2022

In order to identify the uncertain static and dynamic fragile nodes in new energy, the instability and randomness of new energy bring new challenges to the identification of vulnerable nodes in a power grid. Due to the characteristics of low cost and low energy consumption of new energy, people have paid much attention to the exploration and development of new energy. Due to the uncertainty of new energy, it is needed to properly analyze the uncertainty factors. To analyze the uncertainty factors in new energy using the framework of power big data artificial intelligence analysis based on cost-benefit analysis (CBA), it is required to carry out Fourier transform and extract the data characteristic matrix so that a vulnerability risk prediction index can be obtained by using a fuzzy convolution algorithm and binarization, and the safety form between the uncertainty factors in new energy and power stations can be evaluated. In this paper, a fuzzy neural network algorithm is proposed to identify the static and dynamic fragile nodes based on the uncertainty in new energy, so as to ensure the security and stability of the power generation system. The safety performance of the power station system is detected through different levels of early warning sensitivity. The simulation model of the above algorithm is constructed in MATLAB. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm increases the sensitivity of the early warning system of the power station and the sensitivity of triggering the early warning system and improves the security of the power station system as a whole.
Research on Lung Ultrasound Image Classification Based on Compressed Sensing
Authors: Li Zhengping , Li Zhuoran , Wang Lijun , Li Xiaoxue , Yao Yuan , Hao Yuwen , Huang Ming
Published: March 2022

Pneumothorax is a common injury in disaster rescue, traffic accidents, and war trauma environments and requires early diagnosis and treatment. The commonly used X-ray, CT, and other diagnostic instruments are not suitable for rescue sites due to their large size, heavy weight, and difficulty in transportation. Ultrasound equipment is easy to carry and suitable for rescue environments. However, ultrasound images are noisy, have low resolution, and are difficult to get started, which affects the efficiency of diagnosis. This paper studies the effect of lung ultrasound image recognition and classification based on compressed sensing and BP neural network. We use ultrasound equipment to build a lung simulation model, collect five typical features of lung ultrasound images in M-mode, and build a dataset. Using compressed sensing theory, we design sparse matrix and observation matrix and perform data compression on the image data in the dataset to obtain observation values. We design a BP neural network, input the observations into the network for training, and compare it with the commonly used VGG16 network. The method proposed in this paper has higher recognition accuracy and significantly fewer parameters than VGG16, so it is suitable for use in embedded devices.
A Robust Multiframe Image Super-Resolution Method in Variational Bayesian Framework
Authors: Min Lei , Fan Xiangsuo
Published: March 2022

Multiframe image super-resolution (MISR) combines complementary information of a set of low-resolution (LR) images to reconstruct a high-resolution (HR) one. In this study, we propose a robust and fully data-driven MISR method in the variational Bayesian framework. Different from the existing variational super-resolution (SR) methods, we use the l1 norm-based observation model, which takes the acquisition noise, outliers, and impulse noise into account. Furthermore, we have evaluated three typical image prior models, and the most appropriate one is chosen for our proposed method. The proposed method has the following advantages: (1) the HR image and all parameters are automatically estimated in an optimal stochastic sense; (2) the algorithm is robust to impulse noise and outliers. Extensive experiments with synthetic and real images demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method.
Temperature Field of Artificially Frozen Gravel Formation and Optimization of Freezing Pipe Layout Parameters under Seepage Flow
Authors: Wang Tian-liang , Song Hong-fang , Shu Yu , Zhang Fei , He Ya-meng
Published: March 2022

An artificial ground freezing method is often applied to highly permeable gravel formations. Seepage flow increases energy consumption and engineering accidents under this condition. Based on the physical modeling tests, the numerical simulations were conducted. The physical modeling test examined the development of the temperature and frozen wall. Numerical modeling integrated with the ACO algorithm was established to optimize the layout parameters of the freezing pipes. The results indicate that the flowing water prolongs the closure time of the frozen wall. Meanwhile, the total thickness of the frozen wall is also reduced by the flowing water. There are significant differences in the development rates of the frozen wall in different zones. The thickness of the entire frozen wall is nonuniform owing to the seepage flow. Following optimization using the proposed algorithm, the closure time was shortened from 82.4 d to 56.9 d for the frozen wall. Moreover, the freezing efficiency increased by 30.95% after optimization, and consequently, the entire frozen wall was more uniform with a nonweak zone. A case study showed that this optimization system is an effective method for artificial ground freezing operations in geotechnical engineering.
Antitumor Effects of 10058-F4 and Curcumin in Combination Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Jie Zhang , Jinna Zhang , Jingjun Zhang , Pengcheng Li , Fang Yang , Qinyang Chen , Taiyu Chen , Hequn Jiang , Tao Ren
Published: March 2022

Objectives of the Study. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the antipancreatic cancer effects and benefits of the 10058-F4 and curcumin combination therapy. Background. Pancreatic cancer (PC) stands out as one of the most lethal cancers. Due to late diagnosis, only a fraction of patients can be resected. Although it still has significant adverse effects and poor results, the treatment is connected with better overall survival than the prior treatment. Thus, new alternative therapy for advanced PC is needed. Materials/Methods. The impact of 10058-F4 and curcumin combination therapy on apoptosis and cell growth in SW1990 pancreatic cancer cells were determined in vitro using the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry of Annexin V-FITC/PI, and the in vivo antitumor effect was determined utilizing SW1990-bearing pancreatic tumor mouse models induced by subcutaneous implantation. Results. At concentrations of (10 mol/L+2 mol/L), 10058-F4+curcumin obtained the highest rate of SW1990 cell death, and they had a beneficial effect on SW1990 pancreatic tumor-bearing animals. Furthermore, c-Myc, Akt phosphorylation, and the expression of apoptosis-related molecular were reduced, and the combination therapy modified the expression of apoptosis-related molecular. Conclusions. In vitro and in vivo, the combination of 10058-F4 plus curcumin has antipancreatic cancer actions that are substantially effective.