bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decentralized clinical trials in the trial innovation network: Value, strategies, and lessons learned
Authors: Hanley Daniel F. , Bernard Gordon R. , Wilkins Consuelo H. , Selker Harry P. , Dwyer Jamie P. , Dean J. Michael , Benjamin Daniel Kelly , Dunsmore Sarah E. , Waddy Salina P. , Wiley Kenneth L. , Palm Marisha E. , Mould W. Andrew , Ford Daniel F. , Burr Jeri S. , Huvane Jacqueline , Lane Karen , Poole Lori , Edwards Terri L. , Kennedy Nan , Boone Leslie R. , Bell Jasmine , Serdoz Emily , Byrne Loretta M. , Harris Paul A.
Published: July 2023

New technologies and disruptions related to Coronavirus disease-2019 have led to expansion of decentralized approaches to clinical trials. Remote tools and methods hold promise for increasing trial efficiency and reducing burdens and barriers by facilitating participation outside of traditional clinical settings and taking studies directly to participants. The Trial Innovation Network, established in 2016 by the National Center for Advancing Clinical and Translational Science to address critical roadblocks in clinical research and accelerate the translational research process, has consulted on over 400 research study proposals to date. Its recommendations for decentralized approaches have included eConsent, participant-informed study design, remote intervention, study task reminders, social media recruitment, and return of results for participants. Some clinical trial elements have worked well when decentralized, while others, including remote recruitment and patient monitoring, need further refinement and assessment to determine their value. Partially decentralized, or “hybrid” trials, offer a first step to optimizing remote methods. Decentralized processes demonstrate potential to improve urban-rural diversity, but their impact on inclusion of racially and ethnically marginalized populations requires further study. To optimize inclusive participation in decentralized clinical trials, efforts must be made to build trust among marginalized communities, and to ensure access to remote technology.
Competing effects of buoyancy-driven and electrothermal flows for Joule heating-induced transport in microchannels
Authors: Manshadi Mohammad K. D. , Beskok Ali
Published: July 2023

Ionic fluids subjected to externally applied electric fields experience Joule heating, which increases with the increased electric field and ionic conductivity of the medium. Temperature gradients induced by Joule heating can create buoyancy-driven flows produced by local density changes, as well as electrothermal transport due to the temperature-dependent variations in fluid permittivity and conductivity. This manuscript considers Joule heating-induced transport in microchannels by a pair of electrodes under alternating current electric fields. Resulting buoyancy-driven and alternating current electrothermal (ACET) flows are investigated theoretically, numerically and experimentally. Proper normalizations of the governing equations led to the ratio of the electrothermal and buoyancy velocities, as a new non-dimensional parameter, which enabled the construction of a phase diagram that can predict the dominance of ACET and buoyancy-driven flows as a function of the channel size and electric field. Numerical results were used to verify the phase diagram in various height microchannels for different ionic conductivity fluids and electric fields, while the numerical results were validated using the micro-particle-image velocimetry technique. The results show that ACET flow prevails when the channel dimensions are small, and the electric potentials are high, whereas buoyancy-driven flow becomes dominant for larger channel heights. The present study brings insights into Joule heating-induced transport phenomena in microfluidic devices and provides a pathway for the design and utilization of ACET-based devices by properly considering the co-occurring buoyancy-driven flow.
Ciriaco d'Ancona and the Origins of Epigraphy
Authors: Datchev Lillian
Published: July 2023

This article investigates how and why scholars began to systematically examine and record ancient inscriptions in fifteenth-century Italy. Finding evidence in the revolutionary work of Ciriaco d'Ancona, it shows that this change emerged from the synthesis of several cultural traditions. Ciriaco learned to observe antiquities from the Italian elite living in the Greek colonies and to record inscriptions from an early Christian pilgrim's practice. He introduced a new degree of precision in his records, learned partly from humanists. These facts suggest that a new culture of observing, discussing, and writing about antiquities was developing in the early Renaissance Mediterranean.
The 2022 Josephine Waters Bennett Lecture: Mexica Space and Habsburg Time
Authors: Mundy Barbara E.
Published: July 2023

The Aztec (Mexica) city of Tenochtitlan was transformed after the Spanish invasion of 1519–21 into a staging ground for Habsburg colonial experiments. Indigenous response is glimpsed in this essay through the lens of annals, written in Nahuatl, that document urban festivals celebrating Spanish Habsburg monarchs. I argue that the redeployment of particular spaces—long charged with meaning by Indigenous residents—was crucial to the public legitimacy of the Habsburg festival. These festivals promoted new means of temporal orientation, thus disrupting Indigenous orientations in time, at the same moment that Indigenous calendars were coming under scrutiny for their heretical potentials.
A presentation for the Eisenstein-Picard modular group in three complex dimensions
Authors: Wang Jieyan , Xie Baohua
Published: July 2023

A. Mark and J. Paupert [Presentations for cusped arithmetic hyperbolic lattices, 2018, arXiv:1709.06691.] presented a method to compute a presentation for any cusped complex hyperbolic lattice. In this note, we will use their method to give a presentation for the Eisenstein-Picard modular group in three complex dimensions.
Standard Lithuanian
Authors: Bakšienė Rima , Čepaitienė Agnė , Jaroslavienė Jurgita , Urbanavičienė Jolita
Published: July 2023

The Lithuanian language, together with Latvian, belongs to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family and to the group of Eastern Baltic languages. The two surviving Baltic languages have many common features of phonemic inventories: opposition of long and short vowels, an abundance of diphthongs, a system of pitch accent. They have also developed substantial differences, e.g. Latvian has fixed stress and a set of palatal consonants, while Lithuanian has free (distinctive) stress and a phonological opposition between palatalized and non-palatalized consonants (Poliakovas 2008: 9, 42; Dini 2019: 577; Jaroslavienė et al. 2019: 263; Gelumbeckaitė & Pakerys 2020). In contrast to other Indo-European languages, the Baltic languages have lost j between a consonant and a front vowel, and have preserved m, rather than assimilated it, before the dental consonants d, t, which has not become n1 (Endzelynas 1957: 8). Lithuanian has preserved the manner of articulation of Indo-European plosive consonants (Bonfante 2008: 40). As a result of the continuous and long-lasting contact of Baltic with Slavic languages, these language groups also share common linguistic features (discussed later).
‘Farewell, My Uyghur Language’: Linguistic anxiety and resistance in Uyghur poetry and songs, 1990s–2010s
Authors: Baranovitch Nimrod
Published: July 2023

In recent decades, as part of the efforts of the Chinese government first to integrate and, more recently, to forcibly assimilate the Uyghur population into China’s mainstream culture and society, the Uyghur language has been marginalized and repressed to an unprecedented extent. The academic literature on Xinjiang’s language policy has repeatedly acknowledged that this repression is a major source of concern and discontent among many Uyghurs. However, to date, little has been written about the public response of Uyghurs to this policy and their open efforts to challenge it. In particular, with very few exceptions, little is known about the public response of Uyghur writers and artists. In this article I analyse a large corpus of Uyghur poems and songs that engaged openly with the Uyghur language crisis and were published and disseminated in the Uyghur public sphere between the mid-1990s and the mid-2010s. Unlike some studies that try to assess the condition of certain languages at a certain point in time through objective methodologies, these literary and artistic works provide an insider view on how the Uyghur cultural elite and many other Uyghurs experienced the repression and loss of their native language, and also, how they struggled against this repression. In the article I examine the diverse sentiments, perceptions, and discourses that these literary and artistic expressions communicate, and the different strategies that the Uyghurs used to struggle against the language policy and its consequences. I also explore what these works tell us about the development of Xinjiang’s language policy over time, the linguistic reality in the region, and the impact that the language policy has had on Uyghur society. Finally, the article also investigates the broad political meanings of these works and speculates on the link between them and the efforts of the Chinese government to further marginalize the Uyghur language.
COVID-19 second wave and clinical characteristics of cases in Uganda: A retrospective cross-sectional survey of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases, March–June 2021
Authors: Walekhwa Abel Wilson , Nakazibwe Brenda , Nantongo Mary , Wafula Solomon Tsebeni , Bulafu Douglas , Ayugi Brenda , Nankabirwa Caroline , Nsereko Godfrey , Nalweyiso Martha Dorcas , Tindyebwa Tonny , Mayega Roy William , Ekiri Abel Bulamu , Bagenda Danstan , Musenero Monica , Mugisha Lawrence
Published: July 2023

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional population-based survey among recovered COVID-19 cases in Uganda to establish the case presentations of the second wave SARS-CoV-2 infections. We interviewed 1,120 recovered COVID-19 cases from 10 selected districts in Uganda. We further conducted 38 key informant interviews with members of the COVID-19 District Taskforce and 19 in-depth interviews among COVID-19 survivors from March to June 2021. Among them, 62% were aged 39 years and below and 51.5% were female with 90.9% under home-based care management. Cases were more prevalent among businesspeople (25.9%), students (16.2%), farmers (16.1%), and health workers (12.4%). Being asymptomatic was found to be associated with not seeking healthcare (APR 2, P < 0.001). The mortality rate was 3.6% mostly among the elderly (6.3%) and 31.3% aged 40 years and above had comorbidities of high blood pressure, diabetes, and asthma. Being asymptomatic, or under home-based care management (HBCM), working/operating/studying at schools, and not being vaccinated were among the major drivers of the second wave of the resurgence of COVID19 in Uganda. Managing future COVID-19 waves calls for proactive efforts for improving homebased care services, ensuring strict observation of SOPs in schools, and increasing the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination.
Drug repurposing: databases and pipelines
Authors: Kowshik Arjun V. , Manoj Megha , Sowmyanarayan Siddarth , Chatterjee Jhinuk
Published: July 2023

The concept of drug repurposing is focused on the repositioning of drug molecules that have already undergone safety trials. There are different strategies for drug repurposing. Network-based strategy focuses on the evaluation of drug combinations in a molecular environment with multi-target hits and analysis of drug interactions. Implementation of any in silico strategy requires several databases and pipelines for executing the process of shortlisting appropriate drugs.
ASPER: Answer Set Programming Enhanced Neural Network Models for Joint Entity-Relation Extraction
Authors: LE TRUNG HOANG , CAO HUIPING , CAO SON TRAN
Published: July 2023

A plethora of approaches have been proposed for joint entity-relation (ER) extraction. Most of these methods largely depend on a large amount of manually annotated training data. However, manual data annotation is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and error-prone. Human beings learn using both data (through induction) and knowledge (through deduction). Answer Set Programming (ASP) has been a widely utilized approach for knowledge representation and reasoning that is elaboration tolerant and adept at reasoning with incomplete information. This paper proposes a new approach, ASP-enhanced Entity-Relation extraction (ASPER), to jointly recognize entities and relations by learning from both data and domain knowledge. In particular, ASPER takes advantage of the factual knowledge (represented as facts in ASP) and derived knowledge (represented as rules in ASP) in the learning process of neural network models. We have conducted experiments on two real datasets and compare our method with three baselines. The results show that our ASPER model consistently outperforms the baselines.
Three meanings of colonialism: Nehru, Sukarno, and Kotelawala debate the future of the Third World Movement (1954-61)
Authors: Bhardwaj Sandeep
Published: July 2023

As the post-colonial Global South was weaving together the Third World Movement in the 1950s, it was also struggling to arrive at a common definition of colonialism. Since the movement was primarily premised on anti-colonial sentiments, redefining the term ‘colonialism’ could change its parameters. This article examines debates between three Asian leaders – Jawaharlal Nehru, Sukarno, and Sir John Kotelawala – who proposed three different meanings of colonialism. These definitions were informed by distinct ways that the colonial experience was remembered in their respective countries. Each definition was meant to redirect the energies of the Third World Movement towards a different vision of a post-colonial global order. The three leaders debated this question in major Afro-Asian conferences of the mid-twentieth century. Their disagreements represented a foundational fissure in the movement. Relying on primary sources from multiple countries, this article recovers a political dialogue within the Global South unmediated by the West, which is often ignored by the scholarship.
Candidate Genes for Prediction of Efficacy and Safety of Statin Therapy in the Kazakh Population
Authors: Tuleutayeva Raikhan Y. , Makhatova Assem R. , Rakhyzhanova Saule O. , Zhazykbayeva Lashyn K. , Kozhakhmetova Dana K.
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this research was to determine the frequency of mutation of the cytochrome CYP3A5 genes and transport proteins SLCO1B1 and MDR1 in patients with coronary heart disease in the Kazakh nation. A prospective cohort clinical and genetic study was conducted. The study was conducted in 2017−2019. Medical records containing information about drug prescription conducted in hospitals and outpatient departments were carefully analyzed. In the examined group of 178 patients treated with statins, a significant frequency of genetic variants that determine the increased risk of complications of statin use was revealed. There was a tendency toward an increase in the activity of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in the blood upon detection of the A6986G mutation of the cytochrome gene and SLCO1B1 (c.521T>C) gene of the transport protein OATP1B1. In the studied Kazakh population, the presence of a homozygous mutant SLCO1B1 gene of the transport protein can be recommended as a genetic marker for the undesirability of using antihypercholesterolemic therapy with statins, which simultaneously leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of treatment and an increase in the risk of side effects.
Incorporating Plant Access to Groundwater in Existing Global, Satellite‐Based Evaporation Estimates
Authors: Hulsman P. , Keune J. , Koppa A. , Schellekens J. , Miralles D. G.
Published: July 2023

Groundwater is an important water source for evaporation, especially during dry conditions. Despite this recognition, plant access to groundwater is often neglected in global evaporation models. This study proposes a new, conceptual approach to incorporate plant access to groundwater in existing global evaporation models, and analyses the groundwater contribution to evaporation globally. To this end, the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) is used. The new GLEAM‐Hydro model relies on the linear reservoir assumption for modeling groundwater flow, and introduces a transpiration partitioning approach to estimate groundwater contributions. Model estimates are validated globally against field observations of evaporation, soil moisture, discharge and groundwater level for the time period 2015–2021, and compared to a regional groundwater model. Representing groundwater access influences evaporation in 22% of the continental surface. Globally averaged, evaporation increases by 2.5 mm year−1 (0.5% of terrestrial evaporation), but locally, evaporation can increase up to 245.2 mm year−1 (149.7%). The groundwater contribution to transpiration is highest for tall vegetation under dry conditions due to more frequent groundwater access. The temporal dynamics of the simulated evaporation improve across 75% of the stations where groundwater is a relevant water source. The skill of the model for variables such as soil moisture and runoff remains similar to GLEAM v3. The proposed approach enables a more realistic process representation of evaporation under water‐limited conditions in satellite‐data driven models such as GLEAM, and sets the ground to assimilate satellite gravimetry data in the future.
Digging Deep into Interactions Between the Core and Mantle
Authors: Nakagawa Takashi , Tsuchiya Taku , Satish-Kumar Madhusoodhan , Helffrich George
Published: July 2023

A new book presents major advances in our understanding of core-mantle interaction and co-evolution, and showcases technological developments improving our insights into deep Earth processes.
Asymmetrical Modulation of the Relationship Between the Western Pacific Pattern and El Niño–Southern Oscillation by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation in the Boreal Winter
Authors: Aru Hasi , Chen Wen , Chen Shangfeng , An Xiadong , Ma Tianjiao , Cai Qingyu
Published: July 2023

Tropical atmospheric convection generated by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) plays a crucial role in affecting the western Pacific pattern (WP) in the boreal winter by triggering an atmospheric teleconnection. Here we show from analysis of observations and model simulations that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) asymmetrically modulates the relationship between ENSO and WP. We find a significant modulatory effect of AMO on the relationship between wintertime El Niño and WP. A robust El Niño−WP relation can be attributed to the negative AMO phase (−AMO), yet a weak relationship during the positive AMO phase (+AMO). In contrast, the relationship between La Niña and WP is independent of AMO modulation. Furthermore, during the −AMO period, stronger El Niño amplitudes lead to stronger atmospheric convection anomalies over the tropical western North Pacific, which excites stronger atmospheric teleconnection and thus has a more significant effect on WP than during the +AMO period.
Termination of Downward‐Oriented Gamma‐Ray Glow by Normal‐Polarity In‐Cloud Discharge Activity
Authors: Wada Y. , Wu T. , Wang D. , Enoto T. , Nakazawa K. , Morimoto T. , Nakamura Y. , Shinoda T. , Tsuchiya H.
Published: July 2023

A gamma‐ray glow, a minute‐lasting burst of high‐energy photons from a thundercloud, was detected by ground‐based apparatus at Kanazawa University, Japan, in a winter thunderstorm on 18 December 2018. The gamma‐ray glow was quenched by a lightning flash within a brief time window of 40 ms. The lightning flash produced several low‐frequency (LF) E‐change pulses that were temporally coincident with the termination of the gamma‐ray glow, and that were located within 0.5 km from the observation site by the Fast Antenna Lightning Mapping Array. The LF pulses had the same polarity as a positive cloud‐to‐ground current and a normal‐polarity in‐cloud current. Since this polarity is against the upward electric field for producing the gamma‐ray glow (accelerating electrons to the ground), we infer that the glow was terminated by a normal‐polarity in‐cloud discharge activity between a middle negative layer and an upper positive layer.
Impacts of Drop Clustering and Entrainment‐Mixing on Mixed Phase Shallow Cloud Properties Over the Southern Ocean: Results From SOCRATES
Authors: D’Alessandro John J. , McFarquhar Greg M.
Published: July 2023

Entrainment and associated mixing (i.e., entrainment‐mixing) have been shown to impact drop size distributions. However, most past studies have focused on warm clouds and have not considered the impacts on mixed phase clouds (i.e., those containing liquid and ice particles). This study characterizes the impacts of entrainment‐mixing on mixed phase cloud properties over the Southern Ocean using in situ observations. By taking advantage of strong correlations between droplet clustering and entrainment‐mixing, a clustering metric is used as a proxy to assess the degree of mixing. This maximizes the available sample size for a statistical analysis of entrainment‐mixing impacts on mixed phase properties. A positive relationship is found between the magnitude of droplet clustering and large ice concentrations (those with maximum dimensions greater than ∼300 μm), suggesting entrainment‐mixing enhances the Wegener‐Bergeron‐Findeisen (WBF) process. Particle size distributions are averaged over different ranges of liquid (liquid water content (LWC)) to total water content (TWC) ratio. Since the ratio is expected to transition from 1 to 0 during glaciation, differences in the distributions provide insight into the relation of entrainment‐mixing to mixed phase cloud evolution. Mixed phase samples with the greatest large ice concentrations occur at LWC/TWC < 0.4 in low clustering regions. However, these samples are relatively few, whereas high clustering regions have a greater frequency of samples with LWC/TWC < 0.4. This suggests sublimation/vapor sinks associated with entrainment can counteract the enhanced WBF. In high clustering regions, distributions of small droplets are relatively constant and large droplets (>30 μm) are preferentially removed as LWC/TWC transitions from 1 to 0.
A role of splenic heme biosynthesis pathway in the persistent prophylactic actions of arketamine in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice
Authors: Ma Li , Wang Long , Qu Youge , Wan Xiayun , Hashimoto Kenji
Published: July 2023

Relapse is common in remitted patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Arketamine, an (R)-enantiomer of ketamine, has persistent prophylactic actions in an inflammatory model of depression. However, the precise mechanisms underlying these prophylactic actions remain unknown. Given the role of the brain–spleen axis in depression, we sought to identify splenic molecular targets that play a role in the prophylactic actions of arketamine. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1.0 mg/kg) was administered 6 days after a single injection of arketamine (10 mg/kg) or saline. RNA-sequencing analysis found altered expression in the heme biosynthesis II pathway. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that pretreatment with arketamine blocked increased expression of genes involved in the heme biosynthesis II pathway in LPS-treated mice, namely, 5-aminolevulinase synthase 2 (Alas2), ferrochelatase (Fech), hydroxymethylbilane synthase (Hmbs). Interestingly, there were positive correlations between the expression of these genes and spleen weight or plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We also found higher expression of ALAS2 and FECH in the spleen from MDD patients. Pretreatment with a key intermediate precursor of heme, 5-aminolaevulinic acid (300 mg/kg/day for 3 days), caused splenomegaly, higher plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and depression-like behavior in low-dose LPS (0.1 mg/kg)-treated mice. Interestingly, pretreatment with a heme biosynthesis inhibitor, succinyl acetone (120 mg/kg/day for 3 days), had prophylactic effects in LPS (1.0 mg/kg)-treated mice. These data suggest a novel role for the heme biosynthesis II pathway in the spleen for inflammation-related depression. Therefore, the heme biosynthesis pathway could be a new target for the prevention of relapse in MDD patients.
Zinc-finger BED domains drive the formation of the active Hermes transpososome by asymmetric DNA binding
Authors: Lannes Laurie , Furman Christopher M. , Hickman Alison B. , Dyda Fred
Published: July 2023

The Hermes DNA transposon is a member of the eukaryotic hAT superfamily, and its transposase forms a ring-shaped tetramer of dimers. Our investigation, combining biochemical, crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, and in-cell assays, shows that the full-length Hermes octamer extensively interacts with its transposon left-end through multiple BED domains of three Hermes protomers contributed by three dimers explaining the role of the unusual higher-order assembly. By contrast, the right-end is bound to no BED domains at all. Thus, this work supports a model in which Hermes multimerizes to gather enough BED domains to find its left-end among the abundant genomic DNA, facilitating the subsequent interaction with the right-end.
Temperature-dependent interphase formation and Li+ transport in lithium metal batteries
Authors: Weng Suting , Zhang Xiao , Yang Gaojing , Zhang Simeng , Ma Bingyun , Liu Qiuyan , Liu Yue , Peng Chengxin , Chen Huixin , Yu Hailong , Fan Xiulin , Cheng Tao , Chen Liquan , Li Yejing , Wang Zhaoxiang , Wang Xuefeng
Published: July 2023

High-performance Li-ion/metal batteries working at a low temperature (i.e., <−20 °C) are desired but hindered by the sluggish kinetics associated with Li+ transport and charge transfer. Herein, the temperature-dependent Li+ behavior during Li plating is profiled by various characterization techniques, suggesting that Li+ diffusion through the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer is the key rate-determining step. Lowering the temperature not only slows down Li+ transport, but also alters the thermodynamic reaction of electrolyte decomposition, resulting in different reaction pathways and forming an SEI layer consisting of intermediate products rich in organic species. Such an SEI layer is metastable and unsuitable for efficient Li+ transport. By tuning the solvation structure of the electrolyte with a lower lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level and polar groups, such as fluorinated electrolytes like 1 mol L−1 lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in methyl trifluoroacetate (MTFA): fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) (8:2, weight ratio), an inorganic-rich SEI layer more readily forms, which exhibits enhanced tolerance to a change of working temperature (thermodynamics) and improved Li+ transport (kinetics). Our findings uncover the kinetic bottleneck for Li+ transport at low temperature and provide directions to enhance the reaction kinetics/thermodynamics and low-temperature performance by constructing inorganic-rich interphases.
A population-scale temporal case–control evaluation of COVID-19 disease phenotype and related outcome rates in patients with cancer in England (UKCCP)
Authors: Starkey Thomas , Ionescu Maria C. , Tilby Michael , Little Martin , Burke Emma , Fittall Matthew W. , Khan Sam , Liu Justin K. H. , Platt James R. , Mew Rosie , Tripathy Arvind R. , Watts Isabella , Williams Sophie Therese , Appanna Nathan , Al-Hajji Youssra , Barnard Matthew , Benny Liza , Burnett Alexander , Bytyci Jola , Cattell Emma L. , Cheng Vinton , Clark James J. , Eastlake Leonie , Gerrand Kate , Ghafoor Qamar , Grumett Simon , Harper-Wynne Catherine , Kahn Rachel , Lee Alvin J. X. , Lomas Oliver , Lydon Anna , Mckenzie Hayley ,   NCRI Consumer Forum, Kinloch Emma , Lam Emily , Murphy Gillian , Rhodes Malcolm , Robinson Kate , Panneerselvam Hari , Pascoe Jennifer S. , Patel Grisma , Patel Vijay , Potter Vanessa A. , Randle Amelia , Rigg Anne S. , Robinson Tim M. , Roylance Rebecca , Roques Tom W. , Rozmanowski Stefan , Roux René L. , Shah Ketan , Sheehan Remarez , Sintler Martin , Swarup Sanskriti , Taylor Harriet , Tillett Tania , Tuthill Mark , Williams Sarah , Ying Yuxin , Beggs Andrew , Iveson Tim , Lee Siow Ming , Middleton Gary , Middleton Mark , Protheroe Andrew , Fowler Tom , Johnson Peter , Lee Lennard Y. W.
Published: July 2023

Patients with cancer are at increased risk of hospitalisation and mortality following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, the SARS-CoV-2 phenotype evolution in patients with cancer since 2020 has not previously been described. We therefore evaluated SARS-CoV-2 on a UK populationscale from 01/11/2020-31/08/2022, assessing case-outcome rates of hospital assessment(s), intensive care admission and mortality. We observed that the SARS-CoV-2 disease phenotype has become less severe in patients with cancer and the non-cancer population. Case-hospitalisation rates for patients with cancer dropped from 30.58% in early 2021 to 7.45% in 2022 while case-mortality rates decreased from 20.53% to 3.25%. However, the risk of hospitalisation and mortality remains 2.10x and 2.54x higher in patients with cancer, respectively. Overall, the SARS-CoV-2 disease phenotype is less severe in 2022 compared to 2020 but patients with cancer remain at higher risk than the non-cancer population. Patients with cancer must therefore be empowered to live more normal lives, to see loved ones and families, while also being safeguarded with expanded measures to reduce the risk of transmission.
The neurocognitive impact of loneliness and social networks on social adaptation
Authors: Franco-O’Byrne Daniel , Sepúlveda Juan Pablo Morales , Gonzalez-Gomez Raúl , Ibáñez Agustín , Huepe-Artigas Daniela , Matus Cristián , Manen Ruth , Ayala Jaime , Fittipaldi Sol , Huepe David
Published: July 2023

Social adaptation arises from the interaction between the individual and the social environment. However, little empirical evidence exists regarding the relationship between social contact and social adaptation. We propose that loneliness and social networks are key factors explaining social adaptation. Sixty-four healthy subjects with no history of psychiatric conditions participated in this study. All participants completed self-report questionnaires about loneliness, social network, and social adaptation. On a separate day, subjects underwent a resting state fMRI recording session. A hierarchical regression model on self-report data revealed that loneliness and social network were negatively and positively associated with social adaptation. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis showed that loneliness was associated with decreased FC between the fronto-amygdalar and fronto-parietal regions. In contrast, the social network was positively associated with FC between the fronto-temporo-parietal network. Finally, an integrative path model examined the combined effects of behavioral and brain predictors of social adaptation. The model revealed that social networks mediated the effects of loneliness on social adaptation. Further, loneliness-related abnormal brain FC (previously shown to be associated with difficulties in cognitive control, emotion regulation, and sociocognitive processes) emerged as the strongest predictor of poor social adaptation. Findings offer insights into the brain indicators of social adaptation and highlight the role of social networks as a buffer against the maladaptive effects of loneliness. These findings can inform interventions aimed at minimizing loneliness and promoting social adaptation and are especially relevant due to the high prevalence of loneliness around the globe. These findings also serve the study of social adaptation since they provide potential neurocognitive factors that could influence social adaptation.
A deep semantic matching approach for identifying relevant messages for social media analysis
Authors: Biggers Frederick Brown , Mohanty Somya D. , Manda Prashanti
Published: July 2023

There is a growing interest in using social media content for Natural Language Processing applications. However, it is not easy to computationally identify the most relevant set of tweets related to any specific event. Challenging semantics coupled with different ways for using natural language in social media make it difficult for retrieving the most relevant set of data from any social media outlet. This paper seeks to demonstrate a way to present the changing semantics of Twitter within the context of a crisis event, specifically tweets during Hurricane Irma. These methods can be used to identify the most relevant corpus of text for analysis in relevance to a specific incident such as a hurricane. Using an implementation of the Word2Vec method of Neural Network training mechanisms to create Word Embeddings, this paper will: discuss how the relative meaning of words changes as events unfold; present a mechanism for scoring tweets based upon dynamic, relative context relatedness; and show that similarity between words is not necessarily static. We present different methods for training the vector model in Word2Vec for identification of the most relevant tweets for any search query. The impact of tuning parameters such as Word Window Size, Minimum Word Frequency, Hidden Layer Dimensionality, and Negative Sampling on model performance was explored. The window containing the local maximum for AU_ROC for each parameter serves as a guide for other studies using the methods presented here for social media data analysis.
Distinct sensorimotor mechanisms underlie the control of grasp and manipulation forces for dexterous manipulation
Authors: Wu Yen-Hsun , Santello Marco
Published: July 2023

Dexterous manipulation relies on the ability to simultaneously attain two goals: controlling object position and orientation (pose) and preventing object slip. Although object manipulation has been extensively studied, most previous work has focused only on the control of digit forces for slip prevention. Therefore, it remains underexplored how humans coordinate digit forces to prevent object slip and control object pose simultaneously. We developed a dexterous manipulation task requiring subjects to grasp and lift a sensorized object using different grasp configurations while preventing it from tilting. We decomposed digit forces into manipulation and grasp forces for pose control and slip prevention, respectively. By separating biomechanically-obligatory from non-obligatory effects of grasp configuration, we found that subjects prioritized grasp stability over efficiency in grasp force control. Furthermore, grasp force was controlled in an anticipatory fashion at object lift onset, whereas manipulation force was modulated following acquisition of somatosensory and visual feedback of object’s dynamics throughout object lift. Mathematical modeling of feasible manipulation forces further confirmed that subjects could not accurately anticipate the required manipulation force prior to acquisition of sensory feedback. Our experimental approach and findings open new research avenues for investigating neural mechanisms underlying dexterous manipulation and biomedical applications.
Plasma microRNA ratios associated with breast cancer detection in a nested case–control study from a mammography screening cohort
Authors: Chiorino Giovanna , Petracci Elisabetta , Sehovic Emir , Gregnanin Ilaria , Camussi Elisa , Mello-Grand Maurizia , Ostano Paola , Riggi Emilia , Vergini Viviana , Russo Alessia , Berrino Enrico , Ortale Andrea , Garena Francesca , Venesio Tiziana , Gallo Federica , Favettini Elisabetta , Frigerio Alfonso , Matullo Giuseppe , Segnan Nereo , Giordano Livia
Published: July 2023

Mammographic breast cancer screening is effective in reducing breast cancer mortality. Nevertheless, several limitations are known. Therefore, developing an alternative or complementary non-invasive tool capable of increasing the accuracy of the screening process is highly desirable. The objective of this study was to identify circulating microRNA (miRs) ratios associated with BC in women attending mammography screening. A nested case–control study was conducted within the ANDROMEDA cohort (women of age 46–67 attending BC screening). Pre-diagnostic plasma samples, information on life-styles and common BC risk factors were collected. Small-RNA sequencing was carried out on plasma samples from 65 cases and 66 controls. miR ratios associated with BC were selected by two-sample Wilcoxon test and lasso logistic regression. Subsequent assessment by RT-qPCR of the miRs contained in the selected miR ratios was carried out as a platform validation. To identify the most promising biomarkers, penalised logistic regression was further applied to candidate miR ratios alone, or in combination with non-molecular factors. Small-RNA sequencing yielded 20 candidate miR ratios associated with BC, which were further assessed by RT-qPCR. In the resulting model, penalised logistic regression selected seven miR ratios (miR-199a-3p_let-7a-5p, miR-26b-5p_miR-142-5p, let-7b-5p_miR-19b-3p, miR-101-3p_miR-19b-3p, miR-93-5p_miR-19b-3p, let-7a-5p_miR-22-3p and miR-21-5p_miR-23a-3p), together with body mass index (BMI), menopausal status (MS), the interaction term BMI * MS, life-style score and breast density. The ROC AUC of the model was 0.79 with a sensitivity and specificity of 71.9% and 76.6%, respectively. We identified biomarkers potentially useful for BC screening measured through a widespread and low-cost technique. This is the first study reporting circulating miRs for BC detection in a screening setting. Validation in a wider sample is warranted.

Trial registration: The Andromeda prospective cohort study protocol was retrospectively registered on 27-11-2015 (NCT02618538).
Modelling of inactivation kinetics of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Enteritidis and Bacillus subtilis treated with a multi-hollow surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma
Authors: Mošovská Silvia , Medvecká Veronika , Valík Ľubomír , Mikulajová Anna , Zahoranová Anna
Published: July 2023

The efficacy of multi-hollow surface dielectric barrier discharge treatment against Escherichia coli, Salmonella Enteritidis and Bacillus subtilis was studied. Ambient air, O2, and N2 were used as working gas with a flow rate of 6 l/m. Power delivered into plasma was 30 W over an area of 2 × 2 cm2. The active species in plasma generated in different gases participating in the inactivation of microorganisms were evaluated by optical emission spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Inactivation curves were fitted to the Bigelow log-linear, the biphasic, and Geeraerd models. According to the results, all plasma treatments inactivated tested microorganisms, depending on a working gas. The most sensitivity of bacteria was observed to the ambient air plasma. Inactivation up to 5 log for E. coli and S. Enteritidis could be achieved within 15 s of plasma treatment. Air plasma exposure of 25 s also led to log10 CFU/ml of B. subtilis from 7.98 to 4.39. S. Enteritidis was slight resistance to plasma treatment with N2. Within 180 s nitrogen plasma treatment, a 2.04 log10 CFU/ml reduction was recorded.
Prediction of stability coefficient of open-pit mine slope based on artificial intelligence deep learning algorithm
Authors: Wang Shuai , Zhang Zongbao , Wang Chao
Published: July 2023

The mining of open pit mines is widespread in China, and there are many cases of landslide accidents. Therefore, the problem of slope stability is highlighted. The stability of the slope is a factor that directly affects the mining efficiency and the safety of the entire mining process. According to the statistics, there is a 15 percent chance of finding landslide risk in China’s large-scale mines. And due to the expansion of the mining scale of the enterprise, the problem of slope stability has become increasingly obvious, which has become a major subject in the study of open-pit mine engineering. In order to better predict the slope stability coefficient, this study takes a mine in China as a case to deeply discuss the accuracy of different algorithms in the stability calculation, and then uses a deep learning algorithm to study the stability under rainfall conditions. The change of the coefficient and the change of the stability coefficient before and after the slope treatment are experimentally studied with the displacement of the monitoring point. The result shows that the safety coefficient calculated by the algorithm in this paper is about 7% lower than that of the traditional algorithm. In the slope stability analysis before treatment, the safety factor calculated by the algorithm in this paper is 1.086, and the algorithm in this paper is closer to reality. In the stability analysis of the slope after treatment, the safety factor calculated by the algorithm in this paper is 1.227, and the stability factor meets the requirements of the specification. It also shows that the deep learning algorithm effectively improves the efficiency of the slope stability factor prediction and improves security during project development.
Abrupt height growth setbacks show overbrowsing of tree saplings, which can be reduced by raising deer harvest
Authors: Bödeker Kai , Jordan-Fragstein Claudia , Vor Torsten , Ammer Christian , Knoke Thomas
Published: July 2023

Intensive ungulate browsing significantly impacts forests worldwide. However, it is usually not single browsing events that lead to sapling mortality, but the little-researched interactions of browsed saplings with their biotic and abiotic environment. (I) Our objective was to assess the impact of ungulate browsing on the growth of young saplings relative to other environmental factors by utilizing their height increment as a sensitive measure of vitality to indicate their status. (II) Furthermore, we aimed to identify factors affecting ungulate browsing at our study sites, assessed as browsing probabilities, and identify effective mitigation measures for browsing impact. We analyzed an extensive sapling dataset of 248 wildlife exclosures, which were erected in 2016 in beech dominated forests across Germany and assessed annually until 2020. (I) Browsing probability and light availability were the most influential parameters for selectively browsed, admixed tree species (e.g., sycamore maple). Height increment showed abrupt setbacks, which caused a permanent collapse of growth when browsing exceeded a certain level. However, light availability enhanced height increment. (II) An increase in deer harvest reduced the browsing probability of selectively browsed species considerably. We conclude that the growth-inhibiting effect of ungulate browsing is a multifactorial phenomenon, which can be mitigated by silvicultural management and efficient hunting strategies.
Eco-friendly textile desizing with indigenously produced amylase from Bacillus cereus AS2
Authors: Rehman Aneela , Saeed Asma , Asad Wajeeha , Khan Ibrar , Hayat Azam , Rehman Mujaddad Ur , Shah Tawaf Ali , Sitotaw Baye , Dawoud Turki M. , Bourhia Mohammed
Published: July 2023

Starch is added to the fabric surface to secure weaving process. During finishing these sized particles are removed from the fabric and prepared it for printing and dyeing. Chemicals de-sizing agents damage fabric surfaces and reduce the quality of the product. An alternative to these conventional desizing agents is the use of biological molecules i.e. enzymes. The current study compares traditional de-sizing to bio-based de-sizing methods, as well as the optimization of fabric desizing settings using crude amylase. Amylase-producing Bacillus cereus AS2 was isolated from indigenous soil samples. The maximal fermentative de-sizing capability was discovered at 72 h, with no fabric surface degradation. Chemical desizing showed that the fabric lost all sizing agents to TEGEWA scale 9 within 1 h in presence of 5N HCl. Optimal studies for desizing showed that 1000 IU/ml of amylase resulted in maximum de-sizing within 15 h at 60 °C and 0.5% Triton-X. Water absorbance and weight loss, both parameters were used to check the desizing efficacy and it was found that de-sizing to same scale was occurred in the case of enzyme as well as commercially desized fabric. Enzyme desized cloth was found to be free of any starch particles in SEM micrographs, identical to industrially de-sized fabric, ensuring bioprocess efficacy.
First molecular data on the human roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides species complex from the Bronze and Iron Age in Hallstatt, Austria
Authors: Barsch Elisabeth , Kowarik Kerstin , Rodler Katharina , Hörweg Christoph , Reschreiter Hans , Sattmann Helmut , Walochnik Julia
Published: July 2023

Palaeoparasitological studies can provide valuable information on the emergence, distribution, and elimination of parasites during a particular time in the past. In the prehistoric salt mines of Hallstatt, located in the Austrian Alps, human faeces have been conserved in salt. The aim of this study was to recover ancient DNA of intestinal parasites from these coprolites. Altogether, 35 coprolites from the Hallstatt salt mines, dating back to the Bronze Age mining phase (1158–1063 BCE) and the Iron Age mining phase (750–662 BCE), respectively, were analysed by microscopy and molecular methods. In 91% of the coprolite samples, eggs of soil-transmitted helminths (STH), namely of Trichuris and/or Ascaris were detected by light microscopy. The Ascaris eggs were exceptionally well preserved. For further analysis, DNA was extracted from the palaeofaecal samples and species-specific primers targeting different genes were designed. While amplification of Trichuris DNA remained unsuccessful, sequence data of A. lumbricoides species complex were successfully obtained from 16 coprolites from three different genes, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1), the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene (cytB) and the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 gene (nadh1). Importantly, these included two Ascaris sequences from a coprolite from the Bronze Age, which to the best of our knowledge are the first molecular data of this genus from this period.
Defects in early synaptic formation and neuronal function in Prader-Willi syndrome
Authors: Soeda Shuhei , Ito Daiki , Ogushi Tomoe , Sano Yui , Negoro Ryosuke , Fujita Takuya , Saito Ryo , Taniura Hideo
Published: July 2023

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), which is a complex epigenetic disorder caused by the deficiency of paternally expressed genes in chromosome 15q11-q13, is associated with several psychiatric dimensions, including autism spectrum disorder. We have previously reported that iPS cells derived from PWS patients exhibited aberrant differentiation and transcriptomic dysregulation in differentiated neural stem cells (NSCs) and neurons. Here, we identified SLITRK1 as a downregulated gene in NSCs differentiated from PWS patient iPS cells by RNA sequencing analysis. Because SLITRK1 is involved in synaptogenesis, we focused on the synaptic formation and function of neurons differentiated from PWS patient iPS cells and NDN or MAGEL2 single gene defect mutant iPS cells. Although βIII tubulin expression levels in all the neurons were comparable to the level of differentiation in the control, pre- and postsynaptic markers were significantly lower in PWS and mutant neurons than in control neurons. PSD-95 puncta along βIII tubulin neurites were also decreased. Membrane potential responses were measured while exposed to high K+ stimulation. The neuronal excitabilities in PWS and mutant neurons showed significantly lower intensity than that of control neurons. These functional defects in PWS neurons may reflect phenotypes of neurodevelopmental disorders in PWS.