bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing direct oral anticoagulants and vitamin K antagonist use in morbidly obese patients with venous thromboembolism: A single center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Scott Lia C. , Li Juan , Cafuir Lorraine A. , Gaddh Manila , Kempton Christine L
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Limited data exists on the safety and efficacy of direct‐acting oral anticoagulants (DOAC) use in morbidly obese patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE). Given the benefits of DOAC use over vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), in terms of monitoring requirements, and dietary and drug interactions, it is important to evaluate whether this is consistent in the higher risk for VTE recurrence morbidly obese group body mass index (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2).

Materials and methods: This retrospective, single‐center cohort study included patients with a BMI of at least 40 kg/m2 who were admitted to Emory University Hospital from 1st January 2012 to 31st May 2020 with acute VTE, and subsequently initiated on anticoagulation treatment with either DOAC or VKA (warfarin). Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to evaluate differences in demographics by treatment type and BMI. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression was used to assess the risk of VTE recurrence by type of treatment among morbidly obese patient subgroup.

Results: There were 247 (11.8%) morbidly obese (≥ 40 kg/m2) patients who were more likely than non‐obese patients to be younger, female, and of non‐white race. Thirty percent of the study population (n=74) had a BMI >50 kg/m2. T ime‐to‐event analysis confirmed that the hazard of experiencing a recurrent thrombosis was not statistically significantly different among morbidly obese patients treated with a DOAC compared with VKA (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.28, confidence interval [CI] 0.07‐1.11, p = 0.07).

Conclusions: This study aligns with previous literature and confirms that morbidly obese patients receiving DOAC or VKA have similar risks of recurrent VTE.
Quinolinecarbonitrile: Solvent‐free one‐pot synthesis, in vitro studies against leukemia cell lines, molecular docking, and potential Mcl‐1 inhibitors
Authors: Selim Yasser , Fadda Ahmed A. , Tawfik Eman H. , Abd El‐Azim Mohamed H. M.
Published: March 2022

In our study, we present an environmentally benign procedure for green synthesis of 4‐aryl/hetero aryl benzo[h]quinolin‐2‐one‐3‐carbonitrile. The synthesis protocol of quinolone carbonitrile derivatives, including the reaction of tetralone 1 and ethyl cyano acetate with hetero aryl and ammonium acetate under solvent‐free conditions, compounds 4a–i, 5, and 6, were obtained and its chemical structure was proved by different spectroscopic methods. The present synthetic approach could effectively produce different quinolone carbonitrile derivatives with high yields in the absence of solvent and in short reaction time, making it a green and sustainable process. All new compounds were screened for cytotoxicity on two kinds of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells, CRL‐2898, and MOLT‐4, and compared with normal human primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells PCS‐800‐011 using MTT assay. Compound 4g showed potent cytotoxicity with IC50 value 9.81, 9.81 μM against CRL‐2898 and MOLT‐4, respectively, without effect on normal cell. The most cytotoxic compounds 4g, 5, and 6 were docked into the active site of myeloid cell leukemia‐1(Mcl‐1). Compounds 4g and 6 showed strong hydrogen bond interaction with Arg263 through their carbonyl groups, achieving a binding mode similar to that of the native ligand.
Atmospheric circulation patterns that trigger heavy rainfall in West Africa
Authors: Bliefernicht Jan , Rauch Manuel , Laux Patrick , Kunstmann Harald
Published: March 2022

Classification of atmospheric circulation patterns (CP) is a common tool for downscaling rainfall, but it is rarely used for West Africa. In this study, a two‐step classification procedure is proposed for this region, which is applied from 1989 to 2010 for the Sudan‐Sahel zone (Central Burkina Faso) with a focus on heavy rainfall. The approach is based on a classification of large‐scale atmospheric CPs (e.g., Saharan Heat Low) of the West African Monsoon using a fuzzy rule‐based method to describe the seasonal rainfall variability. The wettest CPs are further classified using meso‐scale monsoon patterns to better describe the daily rainfall variability during the monsoon period. A comprehensive predictor screening for the seasonal classification indicates that the best performing predictor variables (e.g., surface pressure, meridional moisture fluxes) are closely related to the main processes of the West African Monsoon. In the second classification step, the stream function at 700 hPa for identifying troughs and ridges of tropical waves shows the highest performance, providing an added value to the overall performance of the classification. Thus, the new approach can better distinguish between dry and wet CPs during the rainy season. Moreover, CPs are identified that are of high relevance for daily heavy rainfall in the study area. The two wettest CPs caused roughly half of the extremes on about 6.5% of days. Both wettest patterns are characterized by an intensified Saharan Heat Low and a cyclonic rotation near the study area, indicating a tropical wave trough. Since the classification can be used to condition other statistical approaches used in climate sciences and other disciplines, the presented classification approach opens many different applications for the West African Monsoon region.
Donation after circulatory death transplant outcomes using livers recovered by local surgeons
Authors: Jadlowiec Caroline C. , Macdonough Elizabeth , Pont Kylie , Valenti Kristi , Lizaola‐Mayo Blanca , Brooks Abigail , Das Devika , Heilman Raymond , Mathur Amit K. , Hewitt Winston , Moss Adyr , Aqel Bashar , Reddy Kunam S.
Published: March 2022

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) liver transplantation (LT) outcomes have been attributed to multiple variables, including procurement surgeon recovery techniques. Outcomes of 196 DCD LTs at Mayo Clinic Arizona were analyzed based on graft recovery by a surgeon from our center (transplant procurement team [TPT]) versus a local procurement surgeon (non‐TPT [NTPT]). A standard recovery technique was used for all TPT livers. The recovery technique used by the NTPT was left to the discretion of that surgeon. A total of 129 (65.8%) grafts were recovered by our TPT, 67 (34.2%) by the NTPT. Recipient age (p = 0.43), Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease score (median 17 vs. 18; p = 0.22), and donor warm ischemia time (median 21.0 vs. 21.5; p = 0.86) were similar between the TPT and NTPT groups. NTPT livers had longer cold ischemia times (6.5 vs. 5.0 median hours; p < 0.001). Early allograft dysfunction (80.6% vs. 76.1%; p = 0.42) and primary nonfunction (0.8% vs. 0.0%; p = 0.47) were similar. Ischemic cholangiopathy (IC) treated with endoscopy occurred in 18.6% and 11.9% of TPT and NTPT grafts (p = 0.23). At last follow‐up, approximately half of those requiring endoscopy were undergoing a stent‐free trial (58.3% TPT; 50.0% NTPT; p = 0.68). IC requiring re‐LT in the first year occurred in 0.8% (n = 1) of TPT and 3.0% (n = 2) of NTPT grafts (p = 0.23). There were no differences in patient (hazard ratio [HR], 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76–5.03; p = 0.23) or graft (HR, 1.99; 95% CI, 0.98–4.09; p = 0.10) survival rates. Graft survival at 1 year was 91.5% for TPT grafts and 95.5% for NTPT grafts. Excellent outcomes can be achieved using NTPT for the recovery of DCD livers. There may be an opportunity to expand the use of DCD livers in the United States by increasing the use of NTPT.
Clinical observation and genetic analysis of a SYNS1 family caused by novel NOG gene mutation
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Lu Yu , Cao Jing‐Yuan , Wang Li , Li Lin‐Ke , Wang Chao , Ye Xuan , Ji Yi‐Ming , Tu Lin‐Yi , Sun Yi
Published: March 2022

Objective

Analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of a rare Chinese family with Multiple synostoses syndrome and identify the causative variant with the high‐throughput sequencing approach.

Methods

The medical history investigation, physical examination, imaging examination, and audiological examination of the family members were performed. DNA samples were extracted from the family members. The candidate variant was identified by performing whole‐exome sequencing of the proband, then verified by Sanger sequencing in the family.

Results

The family named HBSY‐018 from Hubei province had 18 subjects in three generations, and six subjects were diagnosed with conductive or mixed hearing loss. Meanwhile, characteristic features including short philtrum, hemicylindrical nose, and hypoplastic alae nasi were noticed among those patients. Symptoms of proximal interdigital joint adhesion and inflexibility were found. The family was diagnosed as Multiple synostoses syndrome type 1 (SYNS1).The inheritance pattern of this family was autosomal dominant. A novel mutation in the NOG gene c.533G>A was identified by performing whole‐exome sequencing of the proband. The substitution of cysteine encoding 178th position with tyrosine (p.Cys178Tyr) was caused by this mutation, which was conserved across species. Co‐segregation of disease phenotypes was demonstrated by the family verification.

Conclusion

The family diagnosed as SYNS1 was caused by the novel mutation (c.533G>A) of NOG. The combination of clinical diagnosis and molecular diagnosis had improved the understanding of this rare disease and provided a scientific basis for genetic counseling in the family.
Delivery of an Rhs‐family nuclease effector reveals direct penetration of the gram‐positive cell envelope by a type VI secretion system in Acidovorax citrulli
Authors: Pei Tong‐Tong , Kan Yumin , Wang Zeng‐Hang , Tang Ming‐Xuan , Li Hao , Yan Shuangquan , Cui Yang , Zheng Hao‐Yu , Luo Han , Liang Xiaoye , Dong Tao
Published: March 2022

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a double‐tubular nanomachine widely found in gram‐negative bacteria. Its spear‐like Hcp tube is capable of penetrating a neighboring cell for cytosol‐to‐cytosol protein delivery. However, gram‐positive bacteria have been considered impenetrable to such T6SS action. Here we report that the T6SS of a plant pathogen, Acidovorax citrulli (AC), could deliver an Rhs‐family nuclease effector RhsB to kill not only gram‐negative but also gram‐positive bacteria. Using bioinformatic, biochemical, and genetic assays, we systematically identified T6SS‐secreted effectors and determined that RhsB is a crucial antibacterial effector. RhsB contains an N‐terminal PAAR domain, a middle Rhs domain, and an unknown C‐terminal domain. RhsB is subject to self‐cleavage at both its N‐ and C‐terminal domains and its secretion requires the upstream‐encoded chaperone EagT2 and VgrG3. The toxic C‐terminus of RhsB exhibits DNase activities and such toxicity is neutralized by either of the two downstream immunity proteins, RimB1 and RimB2. Deletion of rhsB significantly impairs the ability of killing Bacillus subtilis while ectopic expression of immunity proteins RimB1 or RimB2 confers protection. We demonstrate that the AC T6SS not only can effectively outcompete Escherichia coli and B. subtilis in planta but also is highly potent in killing other bacterial and fungal species. Collectively, these findings highlight the greatly expanded capabilities of T6SS in modulating microbiome compositions in complex environments.
Robust uniform stability criteria for fractional‐order gene regulatory networks with leakage delays
Authors: Arjunan Mani Mallika , Anbalagan Pratap , Al‐Mdallal Qasem
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we aim to establish the uniform stability criteria for fractional‐order time‐delayed gene regulatory networks with leakage delays (FOTDGRNL). First, we establish the existence and uniqueness of the considered systems by using the Banach fixed point theorem. Second, the delay‐dependent uniform stability and robust uniform stability of FOFGRNLT are investigated with the help of certain analysis techniques depending on equivalent norm techniques. Finally, the paper comes up with two numerical examples to justify the applicability of our theoretical results.
Climate‐induced range shifts of invasive species (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama)
Authors: Aidoo Owusu Fordjour , Souza Philipe Guilherme Corcino , da Silva Ricardo Siqueira , Santana Paulo Antonio , Picanço Marcelo Coutinho , Kyerematen Rosina , Sètamou Mamoudou , Ekesi Sunday , Borgemeister Christian
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is a destructive, invasive species that poses a serious threat to the citrus industry wherever it occurs. The psyllid vectors the phloem‐limited bacteria ‘Candidatus Liberibacter americanus’ and ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’, causal agents of the incurable citrus greening disease or huanglongbing (HLB). It is essential to understand which regions and areas are suitable for colonization by ACP to formulate appropriate policy and preventive measures. Considering its biology and ecology, we used a machine learning algorithm based on the MaxEnt (Maximum Entropy) principle, to predict the potential global distribution of ACP using bioclimatic variables and elevation.

RESULTS

The model predictions are consistent with the known distribution of ACP and also highlight the potential occurrence outside its current ecological range, that is, primarily in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The most important abiotic variables driving the global distribution of ACP were annual mean temperature, seasonality of temperature and annual precipitation.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the need for international collaboration in slowing the spread of invasive pests like D. citri. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Can a climate model successfully diagnose clear‐air turbulence and its response to climate change?
Authors: Williams Paul D. , Storer Luke N.
Published: March 2022

Abstract: Atmospheric turbulence causes the majority of weather‐related aircraft accidents. Climate models project large increases in clear‐air turbulence as the jet streams become more sheared in response to climate change. However, climate models have coarser resolutions than the numerical weather prediction models that are used to forecast clear‐air turbulence operationally, raising questions about their suitability for this purpose. Here we provide the first rigorous demonstration that climate models are capable of successfully diagnosing clear‐air turbulence and its response to climate change. We use an ensemble of seven clear‐air turbulence diagnostics to compare 38 years of historic turbulence diagnosed from climate model simulations and high‐resolution reanalysis data. We find that the differences in turbulence between the climate model and reanalysis data are much smaller than the spread between the diagnostics. When using a climate model to calculate the probabilities (and their temporal trends) of encountering clear‐air turbulence of any strength, at any flight cruising level, and in any season, we find that most of the uncertainty stems from the turbulence diagnostics rather than the climate model. These results confirm the suitability of climate models for the task of producing future clear‐air turbulence projections. The turbulence increases are generally larger when diagnosed from the reanalysis data than the climate model, suggesting that previous quantifications from climate models of the response of clear‐air turbulence to climate change may be underestimates. Our results show that the key to reducing uncertainty in projections of future clear‐air turbulence lies in improving the clear‐air turbulence diagnostics rather than the climate models.
Quantum Sensing with Extreme Light
Authors: Kutas Mirco , Haase Björn Erik , Riexinger Felix , Hennig Joshua , Bickert Patricia , Pfeiffer Tobias , Bortz Michael , Molter Daniel , von Freymann Georg
Published: March 2022

Optical nonlinear conversion processes are ubiquitously applied to scientific as well as industrial tasks. In particular, nonlinear processes are employed to generate radiation in many frequency ranges. In plenty of these nonlinear processes, the generation of paired photons occurs — the so‐called signal and idler photons. Although this type of generation has undergone a tremendous development over the last decades, either the generated signal or the idler radiation has been used experimentally. In contrast, novel quantum‐based measurement principles enable the usage of both partners of the generated photon pairs based on their correlation. These measurement approaches have an enormous potential for future applications, as they allow to transfer information from one spectral range to another. In particular, spectral ranges where photon generation and detection is particularly challenging can benefit from this principle. Above all, these include the extreme frequency ranges, such as on the low‐frequency side the mid to far infrared or even the terahertz spectral range, but also on the high‐frequency side the ultraviolet or X‐ray spectral range. In this review article, theoretical and experimental developments based on correlated biphotons are described specifically for the extreme spectral regions.
Preliminary Results on a Proposed Histopathological Assessment of Predictive Factors for Basal Cell Carcinoma Recurrence after Primary Free Margin Excision
Authors: Jacquet A. , Dormoy V. , Lorenzato M. , Durlach A.
Published: March 2022

Background

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) incidence is steadily increasing but therapeutic solutions remain limited and present a public health challenge.

Aims

To identify predictive factors of BCC recurrence after primary free margin excision, with automated methods, by evaluating cell proliferation, the Hedgehog pathway activation and primary cilia.

Materials and Methods

This case–control study included 32 patients (16 with recurrence occurring at least 6 months after complete resection, and 16 without recurrence) who underwent surgery for BCC. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cutaneous resections were processed for immunohistochemistry or immunostaining with the following primary antibodies: mouse anti-MCM6, rabbit anti-ARL13B and rabbit anti-GLI1.

Results

BCC recurrence after free margin excision was significantly linked to a higher proliferative index (p < 0.001) and a lower cilia count (p = 0.041) in the primary lesion. No significant differences were observed regarding cilia length (p = 0.39) or GLI1-positive nuclei.

Discussion

The complex interplay between essential signaling pathways, cell proliferation and cilia requires further experimental investigations in the context of BCC recurrence.

Conclusion

A higher proliferative index evaluated with MCM6 antibody could be a useful prognosis marker of BCC risk of recurrence. The lower cilia count in the primary lesion unveiled novel perspectives to understand BCC recurrence molecular mechanisms.
Cell‐Free Extracts from Human Fat Tissue with a Hyaluronan‐Based Hydrogel Attenuate Inflammation in a Spinal Cord Injury Model through M2 Microglia/Microphage Polarization
Authors: Xu Guang‐Yu , Xu Shun , Zhang Yu‐Xuan , Yu Zi‐You , Zou Fei , Ma Xiao‐Sheng , Xia Xin‐Lei , Zhang Wen‐Jie , Jiang Jian‐Yuan , Song Jian
Published: March 2022

Treatment for spinal cord injuries (SCIs) is often ineffective because SCIs result in a loss of nerve tissue, glial scar formation, local ischemia and secondary inflammation. The current promising strategy for SCI is the combination of bioactive materials and cytokines. Bioactive materials support the injured spinal cord, stabilize the morphology, and avoid excessive inflammatory responses. Fat extract (FE) is a cell‐free liquid component containing a variety of cytokines extracted from human fat tissue using mechanical methods. In this research, a biocompatible HAMC (hyaluronan and methylcellulose) loaded with FE is used to treat a model of spinal cord contusion in mice. The composite not only inhibits death of neuro‐ and vascular cells and leads to the preservation of neural and vascular structure, but also modulates the inflammatory phenotype of macrophages in the locally injured region. Specifically, FE promotes the polarization of macrophages from an inflammatory M1 phenotype to an anti‐inflammatory M2 phenotype. During the screening of the involved pathways, it is corroborated that activation of the STAT6/Arg‐1 signaling pathway is involved in macrophage M2 polarization. In summary, FE is a promising treatment for SCI, as it is easy to obtain, nonimmunogenic, and effective.
A System Management Method for Photovoltaic Microgrid Based on Energy Circuit
Authors: Li Ming , Li Jiaqi
Published: March 2022

Microgrid is an important part of smart grid, and the system management method of microgrid has been widely concerned. In this paper, a system modeling method based on energy circuit is proposed to model the microgrid system structure. The branches are represented by logic variables and state variables. The model of microgrid can be easily generated on the computer by inputting the parameters of nodes and branches. Then, a method of demand side response (DSR) based on probability is proposed to solve the problem of uncertain load estimation. On this basis, the DSR method is applied to energy management strategy (EMS), in which the return coefficients of loads are changed. The simulation results show that the modeling method is effective and feasible for the energy management system of microgrid. The EMS including demand side response can significantly reduce the start‐up time of diesel generator (DSL) and the operation cost of microgrid. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Status epilepticus caused by canine distemper virus in a striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
Authors: Sarchahi Ali Asghar , Arbabi Mohammad
Published: March 2022

A 6‐month‐old free‐living female striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran with lethargy and seizures. The general and neurological examinations revealed normal heart rate, polypnoea, abnormal respiratory sounds, decreased consciousness and no postural reactions in limbs. The animal had generalised seizures every 20 minutes, lasting about 1 minute. To control seizures, 10 mg diazepam (0.7 mg/kg) was injected intravenously four times every 2 minutes. With this treatment, the animal's seizures stopped. Based on characteristic clinical signs, lymphopaenia, and positive rapid kit and RT‐PCR results, canine distemper virus (CDV) was confirmed. The animal developed general seizures again 12 hours after referral and died during the seizures. This is the first case report of status epilepticus due to CDV in a striped hyena that did not respond to anticonvulsant therapies and caused the death of the animal.
Non-Abelian Toda field theories from a 4D Chern-Simons theory
Authors: Fukushima Osamu , Sakamoto Jun-ichi , Yoshida Kentaroh
Published: March 2022

Abstract

We derive non-abelian Toda field theories (NATFTs) from a 4d Chern-Simons (CS) theory with two order defects by employing a certain asymptotic boundary condition. The 4d CS theory is characterized by a meromorphic 1-form ω. We adopt ω with two simple poles and no zeros, and each of the order defects is located at each pole. As a result, an anisotropy parameter β2 can be identified with the distance between the two defects. As examples, we can derive the (complex) sine-Gordon model and the Liouville theory.
Analytic bootstrap in 2D boundary conformal field theory: towards braneworld holography
Authors: Kusuki Yuya
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Recently, boundary conformal field theories (BCFTs) have attracted much attention in the context of quantum gravity. This is because a BCFT can be dual to gravity coupled to a heat bath CFT, known as the island model. On this background, it would be interesting to explore the duality between the boundary and the braneworld. However, this seems to be a challenging problem. The reason is because although there has been much study of rational BCFTs, there has been comparatively little study of irrational BCFTs, and irrational BCFTs are expected to be the boundary duals of the braneworlds. For this reason, we explore properties of boundary ingredients: the boundary primary spectrum, the boundary-boundary-boundary OPE coefficients and the bulk-boundary OPE coefficients. For this purpose, the conformal bootstrap is extremely useful. This is the first step in providing an understanding of BCFTs in the context of braneworld holography by using the conformal bootstrap. The techniques developed in this paper may be useful for further investigation of irrational BCFTs.
Maintaining a minimally invasive surgical service during a pandemic
Authors: Sivaraj Jayaram , Loukogeorgakis Stavros , Costigan Fiona , Giuliani Stefano , Mullassery Dhanya , Blackburn Simon , Curry Joe , Cross Kate , De Coppi Paolo
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The safety of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) was questioned in the COVID-19 pandemic due to concern regarding disease spread. We continued MIS during the pandemic with appropriate protective measures. This study aims to assess the safety of MIS compared to Open Surgery (OS) in this setting.

Methods

Operations performed during 2020 lockdown were compared with operations from the same time-period in 2019 and 2021. Outcomes reviewed included all complications, respiratory complications, length of stay (LOS) and operating surgeon COVID-19 infections (OSI).

Results

In 2020, MIS comprised 52% of procedures. 29% of MIS 2020 had complications (2019: 24%, 2021: 15%; p = 0.08) vs 47% in OS 2020 (p = 0.04 vs MIS). 8.5% of MIS 2020 had respiratory complications (2019: 7.7%, 2021: 6.9%; p = 0.9) vs 10.5% in OS 2020 (p = 0.8 vs MIS). Median LOS[IQR] for MIS 2020 was 2.5[6] days vs 5[23] days in OS 2020 (p = 0.06). In 2020, 2 patients (1.2%) were COVID-19 positive (MIS: 1, OS: 1) and there were no OSI.

Conclusion

Despite extensive use of MIS during the pandemic, there was no associated increase in respiratory or other complications, and no OSI. Our study suggests that, with appropriate protective measures, MIS can be performed safely despite high levels of COVID-19 in the population.
Representations of the Super Yangians of Types A and C
Authors: Molev Alexander
Published: March 2022

We classify the finite-dimensional irreducible representations of the super Yangian associated with the orthosymplectic Lie superalgebra $\mathfrak {osp}_{2|2n}$

o
s
p

2
|
2
n

. The classification is given in terms of the highest weights and Drinfeld polynomials. We also include an R-matrix construction of the polynomial evaluation modules over the Yangian associated with the Lie superalgebra $\mathfrak {gl}_{m|n}$

g
l

m
|
n

, as an appendix. This is a super-version of the well-known construction for the $\mathfrak {gl}_{n}$

g
l

n

Yangian and it relies on the Schur–Sergeev duality.
Static data-flow analysis for software product lines in C
Authors: Schubert Philipp Dominik , Gazzillo Paul , Patterson Zach , Braha Julian , Schiebel Fabian , Hermann Ben , Wei Shiyi , Bodden Eric
Published: March 2022

Many critical codebases are written in C, and most of them use preprocessor directives to encode variability, effectively encoding software product lines. These preprocessor directives, however, challenge any static code analysis. SPLlift, a previously presented approach for analyzing software product lines, is limited to Java programs that use a rather simple feature encoding and to analysis problems with a finite and ideally small domain. Other approaches that allow the analysis of real-world C software product lines use special-purpose analyses, preventing the reuse of existing analysis infrastructures and ignoring the progress made by the static analysis community. This work presents VarAlyzer, a novel static analysis approach for software product lines. VarAlyzer first transforms preprocessor constructs to plain C while preserving their variability and semantics. It then solves any given distributive analysis problem on transformed product lines in a variability-aware manner. VarAlyzer ’s analysis results are annotated with feature constraints that encode in which configurations each result holds. Our experiments with 95 compilation units of OpenSSL show that applying VarAlyzer enables one to conduct inter-procedural, flow-, field- and context-sensitive data-flow analyses on entire product lines for the first time, outperforming the product-based approach for highly-configurable systems.
Modelling Sovereign Credit Ratings: Evaluating the Accuracy and Driving Factors using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Overes Bart H. L. , van der Wel Michel
Published: March 2022

Sovereign credit ratings summarize the creditworthiness of countries. These ratings have a large influence on the economy and the yields at which governments can issue new debt. This paper investigates the use of a multilayer perceptron (MLP), classification and regression trees (CART), support vector machines (SVM), Naïve Bayes (NB), and an ordered logit (OL) model for the prediction of sovereign credit ratings. We show that MLP is best suited for predicting sovereign credit ratings, with a random cross-validated accuracy of 68%, followed by CART (59%), SVM (41%), NB (38%), and OL (33%). Investigation of the determining factors shows that there is some heterogeneity in the important variables across the models. However, the two models with the highest out-of-sample predictive accuracy, MLP and CART, show a lot of similarities in the influential variables, with regulatory quality, and GDP per capita as common important variables. Consistent with economic theory, a higher regulatory quality and/or GDP per capita are associated with a higher credit rating.
Permit Markets with Political and Market Distortions
Authors: Dickson Alex , MacKenzie Ian A.
Published: March 2022

This article investigates cap-and-trade markets in the presence of both political and market distortions. We create a model where dominant firms have the ability to rent seek for a share of pollution permits as well as influence the market equilibrium with their choice of permit exchange because of market power. We derive the equilibrium and show the interaction of these two distortions has consequences for the resulting marginal inefficiency—the extent to which a re-allocation of permits between firms can reduce equilibrium abatement costs. We find that if the regulator is not very responsive to rent seeking then marginal inefficiency reduces relative to the case without rent seeking. When the regulator is very responsive to rent seeking, if dominant rent-seeking firms are all permit buyers (sellers) then marginal inefficiency reduces (increases) relative to the case without rent seeking.
Validity and Reliability of a Fine Motor Assessment for Preschool Children
Authors: Strooband Karel F. B. , Howard Steven J. , Okely Anthony D. , Neilsen-Hewett Cathrine , de Rosnay Marc
Published: March 2022

Due to the lack of tools that can be easily used by practitioners, there is a need to develop acceptable embedded ways to assess children’s fine motor skill development within early childhood education and care settings. This study examined the validity and reliability of a brief and ecologically valid fine motor assessment tool for preschool-aged children; the fine motor growth assessment (i.e., FINGA). Children’s fine motor performance on FINGA was compared with widely-used and validated performance-based (Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2nd edition) and informant-based (Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd edition) fine motor assessments. Ninety-one children [mean age (y) ± SD = 4.50y ± 0.68] were assessed within seven early childhood education and care services in New South Wales, Australia. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and linear regression analyses showed that FINGA had good internal consistency (EFA of 73%) and age sensitivity (Bstd = 0.69, p < 0.001), and bivariate correlation analyses demonstrated good concurrent validity (rs from 0.69 to 0.84, ps < 0.001) against the two comparison assessments. Because of its brevity and ecological validity, the FINGA tool should be further examined as a routine fine motor skills assessment administered within the context of universal early childhood education and care service provision.
Disentangling the Creative Process: an Examination of Differential Antecedents and Outcomes for Specific Process Elements
Authors: Tolkamp Gerben , Vriend Tim , Verwaeren Bart , Reiter-Palmon Roni , Nijstad Bernard
Published: March 2022

Building on theories of sensemaking, this study demonstrates the importance of disentangling the creative process. Specifically, we show that the specific elements of the creative process (problem construction, information search and encoding, and idea generation) are differentially related to both antecedents and specific types of creative outcomes. Using survey data from employees and their supervisors from a wide variety of organizations, we found that leader creative expectations were more strongly related to idea generation than to problem construction and to information search and encoding. Job autonomy, in contrast, was significantly related to problem construction, but not to information search and encoding or idea generation. Furthermore, we found that although idea generation is positively related to both radical and incremental creativity, problem construction is only positively related to radical creativity. We discuss implications for the study of creative processes and creativity more generally.
A typology of principal investigators based on their human capital: an exploratory analysis
Authors: Foncubierta-Rodríguez María José , Martín-Alcázar Fernando , Perea-Vicente José Luis
Published: March 2022

There is burgeoning literature on principal investigators (PIs) and their influential role in science, technology transfer and research commercialisation. However, there is yet no analysis of this actor from the perspective of their human capital (HC), i.e., the combination of knowledge, abilities and skills that they possess. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by identifying whether a range of different PI profiles exists, based on their different HC. A cluster analysis was developed using a database comprised of 224 PIs of research teams, from a wide range of scientific fields. Three different PI profiles were identified, research-oriented PIs, accomplished PIs, management-focused PIs. The relationship between each of these profiles and their performance was analysed at both individual and research team level, and our findings reinforce the idea that there is not a size that fits all. Indeed, contrary to the ‘more is better’ statement, higher levels of HC are not necessarily connected to better results, our findings suggested an adequate combination of HC as the best option for PIs. Results of the relationship between PI gender, performance and the three different PI profiles have been examined, as well.
A comparative investigation of uranium and thorium adsorption behavior on amidoximated copolymeric hydrogel
Authors: Akl Zeinab F.
Published: March 2022

This work focuses on investigating the feasibility of using a crosslinked amidoximated copolymeric hydrogel as a potential adsorbent to recover uranium and thorium ions from aqueous media. The hydrogel was synthesized via gamma-irradiation copolymerization and characterized through FTIR, TGA, and SEM. The medium acidity notably affected the adsorption capacity of both ions. The adsorption data was in line with the pseudo-1st-order equation and the Freundlich isothermal model. The thermodynamics analysis showed that the temperature rise promoted the adsorption capacity. The reusability studies highlighted the good performance of the hydrogel up to five regeneration rounds.
Room temperature synthesis of lanthanum phosphates with controlled nanotexture as host for Ln(III) through the Epoxide Route
Authors: Borovik Paula , Oestreicher Víctor , Angelomé Paula C. , Barja Beatriz C. , Jobbágy Matías
Published: March 2022

Herein, the Epoxide Route, a one-pot room temperature alkalinization method based on the reaction between a nucleophile and an epoxide, has been employed to synthesize LaPO4 in the form of a Rhabdophane phase. The intrinsic features of this synthetic approach allow the reaction to be followed by pH monitoring, making possible the identification of the different precipitation steps involved in the formation of the solid. Once demonstrated the effectiveness of this chemical methodology, the size and shape of the LaPO4 particles were controlled by varying the identity and proportion of the organic co-solvents employed to perform the reaction. By these means, crystalline particles with dumbbell, urchin and needle shapes were obtained, with sizes that ranged from less than 200 nm to more than 5 μm. Finally, luminescent materials in the form of a LnPO4Rhabdophane structure were easily obtained by the incorporation of EuIII along the whole composition range. Additionally, photophysical characterization of selected samples was performed, with a promising outcome. The results presented in this work pave the way to obtaining a wide variety of luminescent materials with sizes and morphologies adjustable on demand, by using a simple and reliable synthetic approach.
Tree-based dynamic classifier chains
Authors: Loza Mencía Eneldo , Kulessa Moritz , Bohlender Simon , Fürnkranz Johannes
Published: March 2022

Classifier chains are an effective technique for modeling label dependencies in multi-label classification. However, the method requires a fixed, static order of the labels. While in theory, any order is sufficient, in practice, this order has a substantial impact on the quality of the final prediction. Dynamic classifier chains denote the idea that for each instance to classify, the order in which the labels are predicted is dynamically chosen. The complexity of a naïve implementation of such an approach is prohibitive, because it would require to train a sequence of classifiers for every possible permutation of the labels. To tackle this problem efficiently, we propose a new approach based on random decision trees which can dynamically select the label ordering for each prediction. We show empirically that a dynamic selection of the next label improves over the use of a static ordering under an otherwise unchanged random decision tree model. In addition, we also demonstrate an alternative approach based on extreme gradient boosted trees, which allows for a more target-oriented training of dynamic classifier chains. Our results show that this variant outperforms random decision trees and other tree-based multi-label classification methods. More importantly, the dynamic selection strategy allows to considerably speed up training and prediction.
Empagliflozin inhibits angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts through inhibition of NHE1 expression
Authors: Abdulrahman Nabeel , Ibrahim Meram , Joseph Jensa Mariam , Elkoubatry Hanan Mahmoud , Al-Shamasi Al-Anood , Rayan Menatallah , Gadeau Alain Pierre , Ahmed Rashid , Eldassouki Hussein , Hasan Anwarul , Mraiche Fatima
Published: March 2022

Diabetes mellitus (DM)-induced cardiac morbidities have been the leading cause of death among diabetic patients. Recently, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors including empagliflozin (EMPA), which have been approved for the treatment of DM, have gained attention for their cardioprotective effect. The mechanism by which SGLT-2 inhibitors exert their cardioprotective effect remains unclear. Recent studies have suggested that EMPA exerts its cardioprotective effect by inhibiting the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE), a group of membrane proteins that regulate intracellular pH and cell volume. Increased activity and expression of NHE isoform 1 (NHE1), the predominant isoform expressed in the heart, leads to cardiac hypertrophy. p90 ribosomal s6 kinase (p90 RSK) has been demonstrated to stimulate NHE1 activity. In our study, H9c2 cardiomyoblasts were treated with angiotensin II (ANG) to activate NHE1 and generate a hypertrophic model. We aimed to understand whether EMPA reverses the ANG-induced hypertrophic response and to elucidate the molecular pathway contributing to the cardioprotective effect of EMPA. Our study demonstrated that ANG-induced hypertrophy of H9c2 cardiomyoblasts is accompanied with increased SGLT-1 and NHE1 protein expression, an effect which is prevented in the presence of EMPA. EMPA reduces ANG-induced hypertrophy through the inhibition of SGLT-1 and NHE1 expression.
A fast face recognition based on image gradient compensation for feature description
Authors: Zhang Yanhu , Yan Lijuan
Published: March 2022

To improve the efficiency of traditional face recognition techniques, this paper proposes a novel face recognition algorithm called Image Gradient Feature Compensation (IGFC). Based on the gradients along four directions in an image, a fusion algorithm and a compensation method are implemented to obtain features of the original image. In this study, gradient magnitude maps of a face image are calculated along four directions. Fusion gradients and differential fusion gradients are produced by fusing the four gradient magnitude maps of a face image in multiple ways, and they are used as compensation variables to compensate the appropriate coefficients on the original image and build IGFC feature maps of the original face image. Subsequently, IGFC feature maps are divided into several blocks to calculate the concatenated histogram over all blocks, which is in turn utilized as the feature descriptor for face recognition. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to cut down the number of dimensions in high-dimensional features, which are recognized by the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. Finally, the proposed IGFC method is superior to traditional methods as suggested by verification studies on YALE, ORL, CMU_PIE, and FERET face databases. When the LibSVM parameter was set to ‘-s 0 -t 2 -c 16 -g 0.0009765625’, the algorithm achieved 100% recognition on Yale and ORL data sets, 92.16% on CMU_PIE data sets, and 74.3% on FERET data sets. The average time for simultaneous completion of the data sets examined was 1.93 s, and the algorithm demonstrated a 70.71% higher running efficiency than the CLBP algorithm. Therefore, the proposed algorithm is highly efficient in feature recognition with excellent computational efficiency.
Validity and reliability of impact forces from a commercially instrumented water-filled punching bag
Authors: Diewald Shelley N. , Cross Matt R. , Neville Jono , Cronin John B.
Published: March 2022

Measuring striking forces is important to provide actionable insight for training and performance enhancement for combat sport athletes. Recent technology may provide a low-cost solution to an otherwise complicated kinetic assessment. The aim was to assess the reliability and validity of a water-filled training bag and integrated sensor for measuring peak impact force. A pendulum design was used to swing a range of known mass loads (kettlebells) from various heights to impact a stationary 21″ Aqua Training Bag®. For each condition, the momentum of the mass at impact was calculated and compared with the measured impact force from a pressure sensor affixed to the side of the water-filled bag. Peak impact force was strongly associated with calculated momentum (r(18) = 0.96 [0.91, 0.99], p < 0.001), with a high degree of shared variance (92.7%, F(1,18) = 229.9, p < 0.001). There was almost perfect agreement for all reliability loading conditions (ICC = 0.995–0.999) and typical error was ≤ 5% (CV = 3.3–5.1). Impact kinetics from the sensor appear to be reliable and valid and may be integrated into practice and research. However, the utility of the instrumented bag for striking kinetics of athletes, and thus practical utility when used in the field, requires further investigation.
Computational fluid dynamics investigations of aerodynamic control surfaces of a vertical landing configuration
Authors: Charbonnier Dominique , Vos Jan , Marwege Ansgar , Hantz Christian
Published: March 2022

The European project RETALT (Retro Propulsion Assisted Landing Technologies), funded by the Horizon 2020 framework program (Grant agreement No 821890), has as main objective to investigate critical technologies for the assisted descent and landing of re-usable first stages. Among these technologies, one can find aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, flight dynamics, guidance navigation and control (GNC), Structures, mechanisms, thrust vector control (TVC) and thermal protection systems (TPS). The present paper focuses in particularly on the aerodynamics technology applied to a vertical landing launcher configuration, called RETALT1, including retro-propulsion. During the landing phase of the first stage of the launcher, the main devices for control and trim of the vehicle (besides the retro-propulsion) are the aerodynamic control surfaces (ACS). Three types of aerodynamic control surfaces are investigated by means of numerical computations, using the NSMB (Navier Stokes Multi Block) CFD code. The control surfaces considered are the deployable interstage segments (also named petals), grid fins and planar fins. Aerodynamic coefficients as well as forces acting on the control surfaces are extracted from the CFD computations to assess the efficiency of each type of devices and to populate the Aerodynamic Database (AEDB) for flight dynamic analysis.
Characterization of wellbore asphaltene deposition in well Gaotan-1 in Junggar Basin, China
Authors: Li Erting , Zhang Yahe , Wang Jian , Wu Hao , Zhou Ni , Ma Wanyun , Mi Julei , Shi Quan
Published: March 2022

Gaotan-1 is the first high-yield well explored in the southern margin of Junggar Basin, China, which is a major breakthrough in the oil exploration for Xinjiang Oilfield Company. The well produced high-quality light crude oil with very low sulfur content and total acid number. However, serious sedimentation occurred in the wellbore during production, which seriously affects production. In this paper, the sediments from Gaotan-1 were separated into organic soluble and inorganic solid fractions. The organic compounds were characterized by high resolution mass spectrometry and high temperature gas chromatography. It was found that the organic matter was rich in asphaltenes with very high molecular condensation. The high condensation compounds should be formed in the high temperature reservoir environment, which was extracted by the supercritical fluid formed by the light hydrocarbons under the ultra-high temperature and pressure. Due to its super-dissolving ability, the high-condensation hydrocarbons and asphaltenes are brought out of the reservoir, and deposit gradually mixed with silty sand on the wall of the wellbore as the temperature and pressure dropped in the process of oil exploitation.
Investigating teacher influence on student engagement in high schools
Authors: Thomas Jeff , Nair Manoj
Published: March 2022

Student engagement is a pivotal contributor to academic achievement, retention, and well-being, and yet the role of teacher influence on engagement is poorly understood. This is in part due to the contextual and ‘hidden’ nature of student engagement, and as such, levels of student engagement are assumed through observable factors such as attendance and conduct. It is also due to the difficulty in mapping student engagement simultaneously with understanding the teacher practices used to influence it. This article reports on a pre-post case study in which student survey and teacher focus group data were analysed together, revealing the nature and depth of association between the practices adopted by teachers and student engagement. By comparing the change of engagement at a class or homegroup level, it was possible to identify how approaches used by teachers impacted various elements of engagement. Furthermore, it found a high correlation between teacher practices and change in student engagement at a class or homegroup level, providing the opportunity for teachers to learn what practices were effective in their specific context.