bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma neurofilament light as a potential biomarker for cognitive decline in a longitudinal study of middle-aged urban adults
Authors: Beydoun May A. , Noren Hooten Nicole , Beydoun Hind A. , Maldonado Ana I. , Weiss Jordan , Evans Michele K. , Zonderman Alan B.
Published: August 2021

Plasma neurofilament light (NfL) is a marker for neurodegenerative diseases. Few studies have examined the association of NfL with middle-aged changes in cognitive performance, and no studies have examined differential NfL effects by race. Using data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study (n = 625, Agev1: 30–66 y, 41.6% male, 56.3% African American, 27.8% below poverty), we investigated the associations of initial NfL levels and annualized change with cognitive performance over time in global mental status, verbal and visual memory, fluency, attention, and executive function. We used ordinary least squares and mixed-effects regressions stratified by race, while exploring differential associations by age group, sex, and poverty status. Over a mean follow-up of 4.3 years, we found initial NfL level was associated with a faster decline on normalized mental status scores in Whites only and in those >50 years old. Annualized increase in NfL was associated with a greater decline in verbal fluency in men. In other exploratory analyses, annualized increase in NfL was associated with a slower decline in verbal memory among individuals living above poverty; in the older group (>50 years), first-visit NfL was linked with better performance at baseline in global mental status and verbal memory. In summary, first-visit NfL was primarily associated with the global mental status decline among Whites, while exhibiting inconsistent relationships in some exploratory analyses. Plasma NfL levels can be detected and quantified in non-demented middle-aged adults and changes can be analyzed over time. More longitudinal studies are needed to address the clinical utility of this biomarker for early cognitive defects.
I, robot: depression plays different roles in human–human and human–robot interactions
Authors: Zhang Dandan , Shen Junshi , Li Sijin , Gao Kexiang , Gu Ruolei
Published: August 2021

Socially engaging robots have been increasingly applied to alleviate depressive symptoms and to improve the quality of social life among different populations. Seeing that depression negatively influences social reward processing in everyday interaction, we investigate this influence during simulated interactions with humans or robots. In this study, 35 participants with mild depression and 35 controls (all from nonclinical populations) finished the social incentive delay task with event-related potential recording, in which they received performance feedback from other persons or from a robot. Compared to the controls, the mild depressive symptom (MDS) group represented abnormalities of social reward processing in the human feedback condition: first, the MDS group showed a lower hit rate and a smaller contingent-negative variation (correlated with each other) during reward anticipation; second, depression level modulated both the early phase (indexed by the feedback-related negativity (FRN)) and the late phase (indexed by the P3) of reward consumption. In contrast, the effect of depression was evident only on FRN amplitude in the robot feedback condition. We suggest that compared to human–human interaction, the rewarding properties of human–robot interaction are less likely to be affected by depression. These findings have implications for the utilization of robot-assisted intervention in clinical practice.
Hsa_circ_0026628 promotes the development of colorectal cancer by targeting SP1 to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway
Authors: Zhang Xuexiu , Yao Jianning , Shi Haoling , Gao Bing , Zhou Haining , Zhang Yanzhen , Zhao Dongyao , Gao Shilin , Wang Chunfeng , Zhang Lianfeng
Published: August 2021

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to play crucial roles in the progression of various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). SP1 (Sp1 transcription factor) is a well-recognized oncogene in CRC and is deemed to trigger the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The present study was designed to investigate the role of circRNAs which shared the same pre-mRNA with SP1 in CRC cells. We identified that hsa_circ_0026628 (circ_0026628), a circular RNA that originated from SP1 pre-mRNA, was upregulated in CRC cells. Sanger sequencing and agarose gel electrophoresis verified the circular characteristic of circ_0026628. Functional assays including CCK-8, colony formation, transwell, immunofluorescence staining, and sphere formation assay revealed the function of circ_0026628. RNA pull-down and mass spectrometry disclosed the proteins interacting with circ_0026628. Mechanistic assays including RIP, RNA pull-down, CoIP, ChIP, and luciferase reporter assays demonstrated the interplays between molecules. The results depicted that circ_0026628 functioned as a contributor to CRC cell proliferation, migration, EMT, and stemness. Mechanistically, circ_0026628 served as the endogenous sponge of miR-346 and FUS to elevate SP1 expression at the post-transcriptional level, thus strengthening the interaction between SP1 and β-catenin to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In turn, the downstream gene of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, SOX2 (SRY-box transcription factor 2), transcriptionally activated SP1 and therefore boosted circ_0026628 level. On the whole, SOX2-induced circ_0026628 sponged miR-346 and recruited FUS protein to augment SP1, triggering the downstream Wnt/β-catenin pathway to facilitate CRC progression.
USP14 maintains HIF1-α stabilization via its deubiquitination activity in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Lv Chi , Wang Shengli , Lin Lin , Wang Chunyu , Zeng Kai , Meng Yiming , Sun Ge , Wei Shan , Liu Yefu , Zhao Yue
Published: August 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common visceral neoplasms with its heterogeneity and high rate of recurrence. HCC is characterized to be delayed diagnosis and the development of resistant disease. However, the molecular mechanism for HCC pathogenesis and progression remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that ubiquitin-specific protease14 (USP14) is highly expressed in HCC samples, and the higher expression of USP14 is positively correlated with poor prognosis. Interestingly, USP14 is involved in the maintenance of HIF1-α stability to activate HIF1-α-induced transactivation via its deubiquitinase activity. USP14 depletion or its specific inhibitor IU1 treatment decreased cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and Vascular Mimicry (VM) formation even under hypoxia conditions in HCC cell lines. Moreover, we provided the evidence to show that knockdown of USP14 or USP14 inhibitor (IU1) treatment inhibited tumor growth in tumor-bearing nude mice. Our findings suggest that USP14 maintains HIF1-α stability through its deubiquitination activity, providing a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis and therapy of HCC.
Phonon transport in graphene based materials
Authors: Liu Chenhan , Lu Ping , Chen Weiyu , Zhao Yunshan , Chen Yunfei
Published: August 2021

Graphene, due to its atomic layer structure, has the highest room temperature thermal conductivity k for all known materials and many excellent thermal properties.
Improved hydrogen evolution with SnS2 quantum dot-incorporated black Si photocathode
Authors: Wang Bo , Chen Ming , Lv Jun , Xu Guangqing , Shu Xia , Wu Yu-Cheng
Published: August 2021

A novel photoelectrode with SnS2 QDs incorporated black silicon is constructed for PEC-HER. The built-in electric field and higher downward band bending at the interface co-contribute to significantly enhanced HER performance.
Highly thermally stable Cr3+ and Yb3+ codoped Gd2GaSbO7 phosphors for broadband near-infrared applications
Authors: Wu Xiudi , Zhao Shuang , Zhang Liang , Dong Langping , Xu Yonghui , Yin Shuwen , You Hongpeng
Published: August 2021

Gd2GaSbO7:Cr3+,Yb3+ phosphors with efficient broadband NIR emission were prepared by a solid-state reaction.
Superparamagnetic core–shell electrospun scaffolds with sustained release of IONPs facilitating in vitro and in vivo bone regeneration
Authors: Hu Shuying , Chen Hanbang , Zhou Fang , Liu Jun , Qian Yunzhu , Hu Ke , Yan Jia , Gu Zhuxiao , Guo Zhaobin , Zhang Feimin , Gu Ning
Published: August 2021

Core–shell electrospun scaffolds with γ-Fe2O3 encapsulation were first fabricated with enhanced physical and mechanical properties, and could promote osteogenic differentiation of rADSCs and in vivo bone regeneration.
A novel and facile route for the in situ formation of composites with dual coupling interactions for considerable millimeter wave absorption performance
Authors: Liu Chuyang , Jiang Tao , Gao Tian , Xia Guangxian , Cao Yufan , Fang Gang , Peng Kangsen , Zhang Yanting , Zhang Yujing , Zhu Kongjun
Published: August 2021

An in situ prepared BaZrxFe12−xO19/Fe3O4/BaZrO3 composite exhibits an outstanding millimeter wave absorption performance at around 35 GHz by gaining both the advantages of hard/soft magnetic exchange coupling and electromagnetic coupling.
Mean‐square output consensus of heterogeneous multi‐agent systems with communication noises
Authors: Chen Wei , Ren Guojian , Yu Yongguang , Hai Xudong
Published: August 2021

This paper focuses on the mean‐square output consensus of heterogeneous multi‐agent systems, in which the communication noises are taken into consideration. Through internal model principle and control gain function, the novel state feedback and output feedback control strategies are designed for leaderless and a leader situation respectively to attenuate disturbances caused by communication noises. In addition, based on matrix theory and stochastic analysis, the sufficient condition for output consensus in the corresponding case is obtained. In the end, the simulations are used to confirm the correctness of the conclusion.
Optimisation of reverse salient rotor for interior permanent magnet synchronous motor and experimental validation
Authors: Ai Qiang , Wei Hongqian , Li Tao , Fan Likang , Zhang Youtong
Published: August 2021

The prosperous development of electric vehicles has promoted the application of interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSMs). The flux‐intensifying IPMSM has attracted more attention due to its high power‐density and better flux‐weakening performance. However, the optimisation efficiency and motor performance require further study in the actual optimisation design. To this end, this study is to optimise the electromagnetic field structure of motor rotors with the back propagation neural networks (BPNN) and multi‐objective optimisation methods. Concretely, dimensional parameters of an initial motor are extracted as optimisation variables. Then, the BPNN are utilised to stimulate the motor performance obtained with finite element methods (FEM). With the trained BPNN, FEM tools are replaced in the subsequent optimisation process, which alleviates the computational burden. Besides, to address the problem of multi‐objective optimisation with inequality constraints, the sequential unconstrained minimisation technique is incorporated into the non‐dominated sorting genetic algorithm to obtain the Pareto frontier. Finally, the optimal design point is selected from the Pareto frontier. The simulation and experiment have been implemented to verify the superiority of the optimised rotor structure. Generally, this study has laid the foundation of the following motor optimisation with the higher executability and lower computational burden.
Detecting and interpreting non‐recurrent congestion from traffic and social media data
Authors: Luan Sen , Ma, Xiaolei , Li Meng , Su Yuelong , Dong Zhenning
Published: August 2021

A non‐recurring incident often negatively affects traffic, which is represented as non‐recurrent congestion. However, travellers can usually perceive congestion without knowing the underlying reasons. Accordingly, this paper proposes a data‐driven framework for non‐recurrent congestion detection and interpretation analysis. First, a statistical algorithm named generalized extreme studentized deviate is introduced to detect non‐recurrent congestion by comparing the current traffic speed with the speed threshold learned from historical data. The case study in Beijing shows that the proposed generalized extreme studentized deviate outperforms other prevailing algorithms in terms of detection rate, false alarm rate, and mean detection time. Second, data mining and natural language processing technologies are implemented on data collected from Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblog site akin to Twitter, to classify non‐recurring incidents that may be associated with non‐recurrent congestion, including traffic accident, road construction, concert, special sport (marathon), and commercial activity. Results show that overall classification accuracy reaches 95%. Finally, the association relationship between the detected non‐recurrent congestions and incidents is established via spatiotemporal information matching. This information matching provides a bidirectional verification. On the one hand, nearly 58% of non‐recurrent congestion can be explained by incident‐related (IR) microblogs. On the other hand, an average of 62% of IR microblogs can be traced by nearby non‐recurrent congestions. This paper suggests that social media can be used as a secondary source and integrated with traffic data to enhance the understanding of non‐recurrent congestion.
A novel 3D measurement of RFID multi‐tag network based on MWCNN and ELM
Authors: Yu Xiaolei , Zhuang Xiao , Liu Zhenlu , Zhao Zhimin , Li Lin , Zhang Wenjie
Published: August 2021

In the field of RFID, the reading performance of tags is an important performance indicator for measuring tag. Related studies have shown that the tags’ geometrical distribution has an important influence on the tags’ reading performance. In order to optimize the tags’ geometrical distribution and improve the tags’ reading performance, this paper proposes a tag distribution optimization method based on multi‐level wavelet‐CNN (MWCNN) and extreme learning machine (ELM). First, this paper designs a tag distribution optimization system based on stereo‐vision. Second, the stereo‐cameras are used to capture the images of the tags. Aiming at the degradation phenomenon in the acquired images, MWCNN is used to recover the degraded tag images. On the basis of the image restoration, the template matching method is used to obtain the 3D coordinates of the tags. Then, ELM is used to model and predict the nonlinear relationship between 3D coordinates of the tags and the corresponding reading distance. The results show that the average prediction relative error is 0.56% and the time cost is 2.0 s. The average prediction relative error of ELM is smaller than GA‐BP and PSO‐BP. The time cost of ELM is smaller than the wavelet neural network.
The miniJPAS survey: Photometric redshift catalogue
Authors: Hernán-Caballero A. , Varela J. , López-Sanjuan C. , Muniesa D. , Civera T. , Chaves-Montero J. , Díaz-García L. A. , Laur J. , Hernández-Monteagudo C. , Abramo R. , Angulo R. , Cristóbal-Hornillos D. , González Delgado R. M. , Greisel N. , Orsi A. , Queiroz C. , Sobral D. , Tamm A. , Tempel E. , Vázquez-Ramió H. , Alcaniz J. , Benítez N. , Bonoli S. , Carneiro S. , Cenarro J. , Dupke R. , Ederoclite A. , Marín-Franch A. , Mendes de Oliveira C. , Moles M. , Sodré L. , Taylor K. , Cypriano E. S. , Martínez-Solaeche G.
Published: August 2021

MiniJPAS is a ∼1 deg2 imaging survey of the AEGIS field in 60 bands, performed to demonstrate the scientific potential of the upcoming Javalambre-Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS). Full coverage of the 3800–9100 Å range with 54 narrow-band filters, in combination with 6 optical broad-band filters, allows for extremely accurate photometric redshifts (photo-z), which, applied over areas of thousands of square degrees, will enable new applications of the photo-z technique, such as measurement of baryonic acoustic oscillations. In this paper we describe the method we used to obtain the photo-z that is included in the publicly available miniJPAS catalogue, and characterise the photo-z performance. We built photo-spectra with 100 Å resolution based on forced-aperture photometry corrected for point spread function. Systematic offsets in the photometry were corrected by applying magnitude shifts obtained through iterative fitting with stellar population synthesis models. We computed photo-z with a customised version of LEPHARE, using a set of templates that is optimised for the J-PAS filter-set. We analysed the accuracy of miniJPAS photo-z and their dependence on multiple quantities using a subsample of 5266 galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts from SDSS and DEEP, which we find to be representative of the whole r < 23 miniJPAS sample. Formal 1σ uncertainties for the photo-z that are calculated with the Δχ2 method underestimate the actual redshift errors. The odds parameter has a stronger correlation with |Δz| and accurately reproduces the probability of a redshift outlier (|Δz| > 0.03), regardless of the magnitude, redshift, or spectral type of the sources. We show that the two main summary statistics characterising the photo-z accuracy for a population of galaxies (σNMAD and η) can be predicted by the distribution of odds in this population, and we use this to estimate the statistics for the whole miniJPAS sample. At r < 23, there are ∼17 500 galaxies per deg2 with valid photo-z estimates, ∼4200 of which are expected to have |Δz| < 0.003. The typical error is σNMAD = 0.013 with an outlier rate η = 0.39. The target photo-z accuracy σNMAD = 0.003 is achieved for odds > 0.82 with η = 0.05, at the cost of decreasing the density of selected galaxies to n ∼ 5200 deg−2 (∼2600 of which have |Δz| < 0.003).
Elimination of a virtual impactor of 2006 QV89 via deep non-detection
Authors: Hainaut O. R. , Micheli M. , Cano J. L. , Martín J. , Faggioli L. , Cennamo R.
Published: August 2021

Context. As a consequence of the large (and growing) number of near-Earth objects discovered, some are lost before their orbits can be firmly established and long-term recovery ensured. A fraction of these objects present non-negligible chances of impact with the Earth. We present a method of targeted observations that allow us to eliminate that risk by obtaining deep images of the area where the object would be, should it be on a collision orbit.

Aims. 2006 QV89 was one of these objects, with a chance of impact with the Earth on 2019 September 9. Its position uncertainty (of the order of 1°) and faintness (below V ~ 24) made it a difficult candidate for a traditional direct recovery. However, the position of the virtual impactors could be determined with excellent accuracy.

Methods. In July 2019 the virtual impactors of 2006 QV89 were particularly well placed within a very small uncertainty region, and with an expected magnitude of V < 26. The area was imaged using the ESO Very Large Telescope in the context of the ESA/ESO collaboration on near-Earth objects, resulting in a strongly constrained non-detection.

Results. We eliminated the virtual impactor, even without effectively recovering 2006 QV89, indicating that it did not represent a threat.

Conclusions. This method of deep non-detection of virtual impactors demonstrated a large potential to eliminate the threat of otherwise difficult-to-recover near-Earth objects.
Inner radiation belt simulations of the proton flux response in the South Atlantic Anomaly during the Geomagnetic Storm of 15 May 2005
Authors: Girgis Kirolosse M. , Hada Tohru , Matsukiyo Shuichi , Yoshikawa Akimasa
Published: August 2021

A test particle simulation code was developed to simulate the inner proton belt response during the intense geomagnetic storm of 15 May 2005. The guiding center model was implemented to compute the proton trajectories with an energy range of 70–180 MeV. The time-varying magnetic field model implemented in the simulations was computed by the Tsyganenko model TS05 with the associated inductive electric field. One of the most important features of the low-earth orbit (LEO) environment is the South Atlantic Anomaly, which imposes a dangerous radiation load on most LEO missions. This research aims to investigate the proton flux variations in the anomaly region with respect to space weather conditions. The results showed that during the main phase of the geomagnetic storm, the proton flux in the SAA decreased, whereas, throughout the initial and recovery phases, the proton flux was increased at most of the altitudes. Satellite measurements confirmed numerical results.
Outcome of COVID-19 Infection in Cancer Patients in Pune
Authors: Hingmire Sachin , Wategaonkar Ravikumar , Hegde Sujai , Mekha Mangesh , Kulkarni Rahul , Rajbhoj Ashwin , Deshmukh Chetan , Kulkarni Padmaj , Patil Tushar , Kanitkar Gajanan , Wanjarkhedkar Pankaj , Mane Anupama , Bokil Kamlesh , Parasnis Amit , Gawande Jayant , Bhatia Jatin , Khaladkar Bhagyashree , Sirsath Nagesh , Melinkeri Sameer , Kashyapi Bhalchandra , Agrawal Rakesh Kumar , Prabhakaran Anushree , Desai Isha , Kelkar Dhananjay
Published: August 2021

Introduction We document our data on the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in cancer patients in an attempt to help optimize their management in India and globally.

Material and Methods Between February 2020 and January 2021, participating oncologists from Pune (members of the Oncology Group of Pune) documented effect of COVID-19 infection in their cancer patients. Binomial logistic regression analysis as well as correlation analysis was done using Pearson Chi-square test to determine significance of clinical factors.

Results A total of 29 oncologists from 20 hospitals contributed their data involving 147 cancer patients who developed COVID-19 infections. COVID-19 infection resulted in higher deaths (likelihood ratio of 4.4) amongst patients with hematological malignancies (12/44 = 27.2%) as compared with those with solid tumors (13/90 = 14.4%, p = 0.030). Patients with uncontrolled or progressive cancer (11/34 = 32.4%) when they got infected with COVID-19 had higher mortality as compared with patients whose cancer was under control (14/113 = 12.4%; p = 0.020). Complication of thromboembolic episodes (seen in eight patients; 5.4% cases) was associated with higher risk (25.6 times) of death (five-eighths; 62.5%) as compared with those who did not develop it (20/139;14.4%; p <0.001).

Discussion Patients with cancer should be advised to take strict precautions to reduce the risk of being infected with COVID-19. They should also be given priority for COVID-19 vaccination. If infected with COVID-19, patients with hematological malignancy and uncontrolled cancer are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality. When they are being treated (OPD or inpatient basis), additional precautions are necessary to ensure their exposure to potential COVID-19 virus is minimized. If they get infected with COVID-19, they should be given aggressive treatment to prevent complications, especially thromboembolic episodes. If they develop any thromboembolic complication, their risk of dying are significantly higher, and management should be modified accordingly.
Comparison of Formula-Based Methods with Diverse TGL: VLDL-C Ratio for Calculating LDL-C in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Chowdary Maneni V. P.
Published: August 2021

Background The most popular Friedewald formula (FF) was tailored with a fixed factor of 5 for triglyceride-very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TGL:VLDL-C) ratio. Some of the subsequent studies on diverse population demonstrated modified FF with only altered TGL:VLDL-C ratio, comprising either a fixed or an adjustable factor. Hata and Nakajima as well as Puavilai et al proposed fixed factors of 4 and 6, respectively. Recently, Martin et al recommended an adjustable factor derived as N-strata-specific median TGL:VLDL-C ratio based on TGL and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C).

Aim This comparative retrospective study evaluates the efficacy of LDL-C formulae, varying only in TGL-VLDL-C ratio, using direct LDL-C assay as a reference method in a tertiary care hospital.

Materials and Methods A total of 1,747 patient records with lipid profile data were procured. Concordance analysis, absolute difference, and post hoc test were employed as analytical tools. The impact of total cholesterol (TChol), TGL, and HDL-C on formulae was also evaluated.

Results Overall, Martin equation had relatively the highest concordance, narrowest absolute difference, and minimal influence of TChol, TGL, and HDL-C. On the contrary, the Hata method revealed comparatively the lowest concordance, widest absolute difference, and high influence of TChol, TGL, and HDL-C. The remaining formula-based approaches, that is, FF and Puavilai calculation, executed mostly inconsistent intermittent features between Martin equation and Hata method.

Conclusion Relatively dominant and competitive analytical attributes of the Martin equation with an adjustable TGL:VLDL-C factor outweigh the remaining three formulae-based methods with fixed TGL:VLDL-C factor in Indian adults.
Estimation of Fluoride and Sirtuin1 in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy in Kolar District of Karnataka, India
Authors: Ram Mohan Sai Deepika , Shashidhar Kurpad N. , Anjanappa Raveesha , Chandrappa Muninarayana
Published: August 2021

Objective Prevalence of type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic nephropathy is growing rapidly in Asian countries, affecting low- and middle-income groups. One of the epidemiological issues of Kolar district is fluorosis; advanced glycation end product, carboxymethyl lysine (CML), and a molecule of interest Sirtuin1 are employed in the present study. In the correlation of fluoride with sirtuin1and CML with sirtuin1 of cases lies the important rationale of the study to assess the extent of kidney damage.

Materials and Methods This is a comparative cross-sectional study with three groups, each with 70 patients, as follows: G1, control; G2, diabetes with diabetic nephropathy; and G3, type-2 DM without any complications. Informed written consent was obtained from all study patients. All the routine investigations were performed by fully automated Vitro 5, 1 Fs, Vitros. Fasting insulin was analyzed by Vitro eCI and glycated hemoglobin was estimated by BioRad D10. Sirtuin1, CML, and fructosamine were estimated by double antibody sandwich technique.

Statistical Analysis The statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 20 (IBM) software. Means of normally distributed data were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and not normally distributed data were compared by Kruskal–Wallis test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results A decrease in sirtuin1, serum, and urine fluoride of group 2 (34.74 [25.08–53.2], 0.24 [0.2–0.5], and 0.24 [0.16–0.41]) was observed compared with other groups. Increased CML and fluoride act as prooxidant, restricting the effect of sirtuin1 on cellular damage, causing further complications such as increased insulin resistance and decreased insulin sensitivity.

Conclusion The alterations in serum sirtuin1 levels indicate the severity of damage due to stress during hyperglycemia and fluoride toxicity; hence, sirtuin1 can be considered as biomarker of aging. Subsequently, the correlation of CML, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and fluoride with sirtuin1 indicates that increasing sirtuin1 may defend the forthcoming damage and could be considered in therapeutics.
Robust Protective Effect of COVID-19 Vaccination in India—Results of Survey in the Midst of Pandemic’s Second Wave
Authors: Parikh Purvish M. , Maheshwari Udip , Krishna V. M. , Gupta S. , Patil T. , Mandhaniya S. , Mehta P. , Somashekhar S. P. , Parekh B. , Singh R.
Published: August 2021

Introduction Our objective was to document the incidence of COVID-19 in vaccinated health care professionals and related personnel.

Method We conducted an online survey to ascertain the incidence of COVID-19 symptoms, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity, effect on normal activity, need for anti-COVID-19 medication, hospitalization, and death among individuals who had completed both doses of COVID vaccination at least 2 weeks earlier.

Results A total of 351 unique valid responses were received. Among the 340 people who had been vaccinated in India, 5% (17/340) had COVID-19 symptoms, 4.7% (16) became COVID-19 RT-PCR positive, 12 (3.5%) had sickness preventing normal daily activity, 2.65% (9) required anti-COVID-19 medication, and 1.18% (4) required hospitalization. Among family members living with the survey responders, the corresponding incidence was even lower. There was one death in this group.

Discussion Being health care professionals, the responders would be at higher risk of daily exposure to COVID-19. Even in this high risk group, the vaccine efficacy is good. Vulture journalists should stop spreading fake news and misinformation that makes people hesitate taking the vaccine or be afflicted analysis paralysis. Every person who chooses to remain unvaccinated increases the risk for our entire community. We also need to follow universal precautions (wearing mask, physical distancing, handwashing) diligently without letting down our guard.
Has Convalescent Plasma Therapy Hesitancy Increased COVID-19 Mortality?
Authors: Parikh Purvish M. , Sood T. , Agarwala V. , Kate S.
Published: August 2021

We bring to you our viewpoint and a snapshot of the journey of convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) in the management of ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We also discuss how best to use the updated data on this important treatment option and maximize benefit for our patients, thereby saving lives, especially in resource constraint settings.
New venture entrepreneurship and context in East Asia: a systematic literature review
Authors: Hemmert Martin , Cross Adam R. , Cheng Ying , Kim Jae-Jin , Kotosaka Masahiro , Waldenberger Franz , Zheng Leven J.
Published: August 2021

While research on new venture entrepreneurship has been predominantly conducted in Western countries, East Asian start-ups have gained global relevance in recent years. In this article, we systematically review studies on new venture entrepreneurship in East Asia published in Social Science Citation Index (SSCI)-listed journals between 2000 and 2020 and find that the number of papers annually published has been rapidly increasing. However, the research body is highly unbalanced, as most articles are single-country studies focused on China, apply a quantitative methodology, and concentrate on topics such as entrepreneurial strategies and new venture entrepreneurs’ personal attributes and networks. Moreover, a majority of studies provides no or only a weak consideration of the national or subnational context. More strongly contextualized research on countries such as Japan and South Korea and on less studied themes such as culture, entrepreneurial financing, entrepreneurial teams, new venture internationalization and new venture entrepreneurial intention is desirable.
The interplay of economic vote dimensions: inequality, redistribution preferences and support for incumbents
Authors: Živković Slaven
Published: August 2021

Economic voting is multidimensional (covering valence, patrimony and positional dimensions), and a growing number of research contributions have explored the existence and strength of the effect of these dimensions on voting. However, we know comparatively little about the interplay between these dimensions. This article fills that void by focusing on how the interplay between the rise of income inequality (the valence dimension) and redistribution preferences (the positional dimension) influences support for incumbents. Using the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) Modules 4 and 5, I find that preferences for income redistribution reduce the likelihood of voters supporting incumbent parties. Modest evidence demonstrates that this relationship is stronger in countries where inequality increased to a greater degree between elections. Voters who want more redistribution tend to re-elect left-wing governments and want to throw out right-wing incumbents. However, rise of inequality hurts both left-wing and right-wing incumbents.
The Australian digital Online Farm Trials database increases the quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in grains crop research
Authors: Walters Judi R. , Light Kate
Published: August 2021

Synthesis and analysis of past cropping research can provide valuable information to direct future decisions around crop management. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are considered gold standards in the synthesis and analysis of scientific research because they distil large amounts of information about complex issues, provide a summary of knowledge to date, and identify knowledge gaps. However, several issues concerning the methodologies employed to conduct systematic reviews have been identified; among them is the risk of publication bias when a review relies too heavily on ‘white’ literature from published academic sources and in so doing fails identify relevant ‘grey’ literature. Grey literature is inherently difficult to identify and collect, but forms a large portion of information available in many fields including agricultural-based research within Australia. The Online Farm Trials (OFT) database is a digital database of crop research field trial data from across Australia that has the potential for use as a discipline-specific source of grey literature to inform systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Using a case study approach to investigate the amount of information available on time of sowing (sowing date) on crop yield across Australia, we demonstrate that the OFT database provides easy access to transparent and reproducible search results similar to other commonly used academic databases.
Climate change and human heat stress exposure in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Ayal Desalegn Yayeh
Published: August 2021

The sub-Saharan Africa region has been affected by multifaceted interrelated challenges including climate change risks, environmental degradation, political crises, demographic, and food security. The region is geographically exposed to and heavily depends on heat stress–sensitive livelihood and economy. Unlike drought, flood, and erratic rainfall, the situation and impact of heat stress are not well documented. This paper summarized the impact of heat stress on various sectors of the Sahel region. The result revealed that exposure to heat stress contributed to water, agricultural, food security, health, and economic adverse impacts in sub-Saharan Africa. The study also shows in sub-Saharan Africa especially in semiarid and arid areas the future impact of heat stress in various sectors is expected to be more severe. The changes and impacts of heat stress are not uniform across the region. For instance, East Africa is at higher risk of acquiring concurrent health impacts. West Africa is projected to experience severe impacts on food production. South Africa observes the strongest decrease in precipitation with concurrent risks of drought. Thus, understanding the effect of heat stress on humans and various heat-sensitive sectors should be the focus of researchers. However, given the degree of uncertainty of the models’ results and effect of heat stress in the region, it is important to develop adaptive capacities at different ecological settings that enable the region population to adapt to risk factors related to climate change and heat stress.
Charge transfer modification of inverted planar perovskite solar cells by NiO
x
/Sr:NiO
x
bilayer hole transport layer
Authors: Cui Qiaopeng , Zhao Liang , Sun Xuewen , Yao Qiannan , Huang Sheng , Zhu Lei , Zhao Yulong , Song Jian , Qiang Yinghuai
Published: August 2021

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are the most promising commercial photoelectric conversion technology in the future. The planar p–i–n structure cells have advantages in negligible hysteresis, low temperature preparation and excellent stability. However, for inverted planar PSCs, the non-radiative recombination at the interface is an important reason that impedes the charge transfer and improvement of power conversion efficiency. Having a homogeneous, compact, and energy-level-matched charge transport layer is the key to reducing non-radiative recombination. In our study, NiO
x
/Sr:NiO
x
bilayer hole transport layer (HTL) improves the holes transmission of NiO
x
based HTL, reduces the recombination in the interface between perovskite and HTL layer and improves the device performance. The bilayer HTL enhances the hole transfer by forming a driving force of an electric field and further improves J
sc. As a result, the device has a power conversion efficiency of 18.44%, a short circuit current density of 22.81 mA⋅cm−2 and a fill factor of 0.80. Compared to the pristine PSCs, there are certain improvements of optical parameters. This method provides a new idea for the future design of novel hole transport layers and the development of high-performance solar cells.
MODB: a comprehensive mitochondrial genome database for Mollusca
Authors: Qu Jiangyong , Xu Yanran , Cui Yutong , Wu Sen , Wang Lijun , Liu Xiumei , Xing Zhikai , Guo Xiaoyu , Wang Shanshan , Li Ruoran , Sun Xiaoyue , Li Xiang , Wang Xiyue , Liu Tao , Wang Xumin
Published: August 2021

Mollusca is the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of all named marine organisms, Mollusca systematics are still in flux, and an increase in human activities has affected Molluscan reproduction and development, strongly impacting diversity and classification. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the mitochondrial genome of Mollusca. The Mollusca mitochondrial database (MODB) was established for the Life and Health Big Data Center of Yantai University. This database is dedicated to collecting, sorting and sharing basic information regarding mollusks, especially their mitochondrial genome information. We also integrated a series of analysis and visualization tools, such as BLAST, MUSCLE, GENEWISE and LASTZ. In particular, a phylogenetic tree was implemented in this database to visualize the evolutionary relationships between species. The original version contains 616 species whose mitochondrial genomes have been sequenced. The database provides comprehensive information and analysis platform for researchers interested in understanding the biological characteristics of mollusks.

Database URL: http://modb.ytu.edu.cn/
Relentless Individual and Collective Commitment: an Interview with Jaydeep Sarangi and Manohar Mouli Biswas
Authors: Simon Surya
Published: August 2021

This interview with Indian translator, Professor Jaydeep Sarangi, and Indian writer, Manohar Mouli Biswas, was conducted on 16th April, 2019 in New Alipore College, India; and was part of a series of interviews conducted for a doctoral project that examines caste system and Dalit experiences in the context of India. In this interview, Sarangi sheds light on his experiences as a translator of Indian narratives from Bengali to English. He talks in-depth about his passion for translating Dalit narratives and his relentless commitment towards studies on the Dalit subject. Biswas shares his arduous and inspirational experiences as a Dalit, as a writer, and as a social worker. He also explores the scope and possibilities offered through writing and translation, and what that means to the Dalit collective as well as the Indian society as a whole.
Labour History’s Biographical Turn
Authors: Chase Malcolm
Published: August 2021

This translation of Malcolm Chase’s 2010 article explores the opportunity that biography provides to challenge dominant accounts of Chartism, incorporating women and familial networks. Biography has been a discursive strategy of central importance to labour history, challenging historians to communicate beyond the academic milieu, to overcome the restrictions of identity/class politics without dismissing still useful categories, and to go beyond the theoretical division between empiricism and a cultural history marked by the ‘linguistic turn’. Revealing the interplay between agency and social determination, biography can relate the intimate and the personal to the realm of the social and political.
Clinical Phenotype and Disease Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comparison Between Sporadic and Familial Cases
Authors: Saberzadeh-Ardestani Bahar , Anushiravani Amir , Mansour-Ghanaei Fariborz , Fakheri Hafez , Vahedi Homayoon , Sheikhesmaeili Farshad , Yazdanbod Abbas , Moosavy Seyed Hamid , Vosoghinia Hasan , Maleki Iradj , Nasseri-Moghaddam Siavosh , Khosravi Bardia , Malekzadeh Masoud , Kasaeian Amir , Alatab Sudabeh , Sadeghi Anahita , Kolahdoozan Shadi , Rayatpisheh Maryam , Sima Ali Reza , Malekzadeh Reza
Published: August 2021

Background

The role of genetic and environmental factors in inflammatory bowel disease’s (IBD) clinical course is not fully clear. We aimed to assess the clinical phenotype, disease course, and prognosis of familial IBD in comparison with sporadic cases.

Methods

We conducted a prospective national matched case-control study of registered IBD patients in the Iranian Registry of Crohn’s and Colitis (IRCC) recruited from 2017 until 2020. Sporadic and familial IBD patients were matched based on age, sex, and disease duration. Data on demographics, past medical disease, family history of IBD, disease type, clinical phenotype, extraintestinal manifestations, IBD medications, IBD activity using the IBD-control-8 questionnaire and the Manitoba IBD index, emergency visits in the past 12 months, admissions in the past 3 months, history of colon cancer, IBD-related surgeries, and aggressive phenotype were gathered. Variable distributions were compared between sporadic and familial cases.

Results

Overall, 5231 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC, 18.3% familial) and 1438 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD, 16.7% familial) were registered in the IRCC. Age at diagnosis was similar between familial and sporadic cases. After matching, 3523 UC patients and 908 CD patients were enrolled in the study. Extraintestinal manifestations, UC extent, CD location and behavior, anti-TNF use, disease activity, colon cancer, IBD-related surgeries and the aggressive phenotype were similar between these sporadic and familial cases.

Conclusions

The prevalence of familial UC and CD cases in Iran was more similar to western countries, and family history did not show a predictive value for disease phenotype, course, and outcomes in our study.
Resolving the Rules of Robustness and Resilience in Biology Across Scales
Authors: Crespi Erica , Burnap Robert , Chen Jing , Das Moumita , Gassman Natalie , Rosa Epaminondas , Simmons Rebecca , Wada Haruka , Wang Zhen Q , Xiao Jie , Yang Bing , Yin John , Goldstone Jared V
Published: August 2021

Why do some biological systems and communities persist while others fail? Robustness, a system's stability, and resilience, the ability to return to a stable state, are key concepts that span multiple disciplines within and outside the biological sciences. Discovering and applying common rules that govern the robustness and resilience of biological systems is a critical step toward creating solutions for species survival in the face of climate change, as well as the for the ever-increasing need for food, health, and energy for human populations. We propose that network theory provides a framework for universal scalable mathematical models to describe robustness and resilience and the relationship between them, and hypothesize that resilience at lower organization levels contribute to robust systems. Insightful models of biological systems can be generated by quantifying the mechanisms of redundancy, diversity, and connectivity of networks, from biochemical processes to ecosystems. These models provide pathways towards understanding how evolvability can both contribute to and result from robustness and resilience under dynamic conditions. We now have an abundance of data from model and non-model systems and the technological and computational advances for studying complex systems. Several conceptual and policy advances will allow the research community to elucidate the rules of robustness and resilience. Conceptually, a common language and data structure that can be applied across levels of biological organization needs to be developed. Policy advances such as cross-disciplinary funding mechanisms, access to affordable computational capacity, and the integration of network theory and computer science within the standard biological science curriculum will provide the needed research environments. This new understanding of biological systems will allow us to derive ever more useful forecasts of biological behaviors and revolutionize the engineering of biological systems that can survive changing environments or disease, navigate the deepest oceans, or sustain life throughout the solar system.
The crescent sign—a predictor of hip instability in magnetic resonance arthrography
Authors: Zurmühle Corinne A , Kuner Valerie , McInnes James , Pfluger Dominik H , Beck Martin
Published: August 2021

Currently, much is debated on the optimal treatment of borderline hips, being in the continuum between stable and unstable hips. The diagnosis of stability is often difficult but is a prerequisite for further treatment. Analysis includes a variety of radiographic parameters. We observed that unstable hips often had a crescent-like gadolinium collection in the postero-inferior joint space. We therefore questioned if the ‘crescent sign’ could be an indicator for hip instability? A retrospective comparative study was conducted including 56 hips in the instability group (treated with PAO) and 70 hips with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) as control group. Based on standard radiographic parameters and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the association between hip instability and the ‘crescent sign’ was analyzed. For univariate group comparisons, the non-parametric Wilcoxon two sample test was used. Association between discrete variables was examined by means of chi-square tests. To examine predictive variables, logistic regression models were carried out. Most hips with a crescent sign belong to the instability group. A crescent sign has a sensitivity of 73.3% and specificity of 93% for instability. Based on our results, the crescent sign is a factor that is more prevalent in unstable hips. However, its absence does not exclude instability of the hip. If present, the specificity speaks strongly in favor for instability of the hip.
Bee-Parasitic Strepsipterans (Strepsiptera: Stylopidae) Induce Their Hosts’ Flower-Visiting Behavior Change
Authors: Nakase Yuta , Kato Makoto
Published: August 2021

Parasites sometimes manipulate their host’s behavior to increase their own fitness by enhancing the likelihood that their offspring will reach their hosts. Bees are often parasitized by immobile adult female strepsipterans which seem to modify bees’ behavior to facilitate the release of mobile first-instar larvae onto flowers. To better understand how the parasite may modify the host’s behavior, we compared the foraging behavior of the sweat bee Lasioglossum apristum (Vachal, 1903) (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) between bees parasitized and unparasitized by the strepsipteran Halictoxenos borealis Kifune, 1982 (Strepsiptera: Stylopidae). Both parasitized and unparasitized bees frequently visited Hydrangea serrata (Thunb.) (Cornales: Hydrangeaceae) inflorescences, which are polleniferous but nectarless. On H. serrata inflorescences, unparasitized bees collected pollen from the anthers, but parasitized bees did not collect or eat pollen. Instead, they displayed a peculiar behavior, bending their abdomens downward and pressing them against the flower. This peculiar behavior, which was observed only in bees parasitized by a female strepsipteran in the larvae-releasing stage, may promote the release of mobile first-instar larvae onto flowers. Our observations suggest that the altered flower-visiting behavior of parasitized bees may benefit the parasite. Moreover, it suggests that strepsipteran parasites may modify their host’s behavior only when the larvae reach a certain life stage.