bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconciling seismic structures and Late Cretaceous kimberlite magmatism in northern Alberta, Canada
Authors: Chen Yunfeng , Gu Yu Jeffrey , Heaman Larry M. , Wu Lei , Saygin Erdinc , Hung Shu-Huei
Published: May 2020

The Late Cretaceous kimberlites in northern Alberta, Canada, intruded into the Paleoproterozoic crust and represent a nonconventional setting for the discovery of diamonds. Here, we examined the origin of kimberlite magmatism using a multidisciplinary approach. A new teleseismic survey reveals a low-velocity (−1%) corridor that connects two deep-rooted (>200 km) quasi-cylindrical anomalies underneath the Birch Mountains and Mountain Lake kimberlite fields. The radiometric data, including a new U-Pb perovskite age of 90.3 ± 2.6 Ma for the Mountain Lake intrusion, indicate a northeast-trending age progression in kimberlite magmatism, consistent with the (local) plate motion rate of North America constrained by global plate reconstructions. Taken together, these observations favor a deep stationary (relative to the lower mantle) source region for kimberlitic melt generation. Two competing models, mantle plume and slab subduction, can satisfy kinematic constraints and explain the exhumation of ultradeep diamonds. The plume hypothesis is less favorable due to the apparent age discrepancy between the oldest kimberlites (ca. 90 Ma) and the plume event (ca. 110 Ma). Alternatively, magma generation may have been facilitated by decompression of hydrous phases (e.g., wadsleyite and ringwoodite) within the mantle transition zone in response to thermal perturbations by a cold slab. The three-dimensional lithospheric structures largely controlled melt migration and intrusion processes during the Late Cretaceous kimberlite magmatism in northern Alberta.
How do basin margins record long-term tectonic and climatic changes?
Authors: Zhang Jinyu , Sylvester Zoltán , Covault Jacob
Published: May 2020

A long-standing goal of sedimentary geoscience is to understand how tectonic and climatic changes are reflected in basin fill. Here, we use 14 numerical models of continental-scale sediment-routing systems spanning millions of years to investigate the responses of sediment supply and basin sedimentation to changes in uplift and precipitation in the source area. We also investigate the extent to which these signals can be altered by relative sea level (the sum of subsidence and eustasy). In cases of constant relative sea level, sediment supply and margin progradation have similar responses because nearly all of the sediment is transported beyond the coastal plain and continental shelf to the basin margin. Thus, margin progradation can be used as a proxy for sediment supply. However, changes in uplift and precipitation result in different erosional patterns in the source area and different basin-margin depositional patterns. Changes in uplift result in gradual (over several million years) adjustment to new steady states of source-area erosion and margin progradation, whereas changes in precipitation result in abrupt changes in erosion and progradation followed by a return to the initial steady states. In cases of changing relative sea level, sediment storage on the shelf attenuates signals of uplift, but signals of precipitation change can be interpreted in the basin-margin record because climate-induced sediment supply changes are large enough to influence margin progradation. Understanding the relationship between sediment supply and basin-margin progradation, and their linked responses to forcings, improves our ability to interpret signals of environmental change in the stratigraphic record.
Transforaminal intrathecal delivery of nusinersen for older children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy and complex spinal anatomy: an analysis of 200 consecutive injections
Authors: Weaver John J , Hallam Danial K , Chick Jeffrey Forris Beecham , Vaidya Sandeep , Shin David S , Natarajan Niranjana , Rad Nassim , Reis Joseph , Koo Kevin S H , Shivaram Giridhar M , Thibodeau Ashley , Apkon Susan , Monroe Eric James
Published: May 2020

Background

Nusinersen is the only approved treatment for all spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) subtypes and is delivered intrathecally. Distorted spinal anatomy and instrumentation preclude standard approaches for intrathecal access, necessitating alternative techniques for delivery. The purpose of this study is to report technical success and adverse events of transforaminal intrathecal delivery of nusinersen.

Methods

28 patients, mean age 24.1±9.8 years (range 10.0–51.0 years), with intermediate or late onset SMA, underwent a combined 200 transforaminal nusinersen injections. All patients had osseous fusion or spinal instrumentation precluding standard posterior access routes. Patients who underwent nusinersen injections using a technique other than transforaminal lumbar puncture (n=113) were excluded. Technical success, adverse events (AEs) and radiation exposure were recorded.

Results

200 (100%) procedures were technically successful; 6 (3%) required a second level of attempt for access. 187 (93.5%) interventions were completed using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with two-axis fluoroscopic navigational overlay. 13 (6.5%) procedures were performed with fluoroscopic-guidance only at subsequent sessions. There were 8 (4.0%) mild AEs and 2 (0.5%) severe AEs; one patient received antibiotics for possible traversal of the large bowel but did not develop meningitis, and one patient developed aseptic meningitis. Mean air kerma was 74.5±161.3 mGy (range 5.2–1693.0 mGy).

Conclusion

Transforaminal intrathecal delivery of nusinersen is feasible and safe for gaining access in patients with distorted spinal anatomy. The use of CBCT delineates anatomy and optimizes needle trajectory during the initial encounter, and may be used selectively for subsequent procedures.
Developing a 3D animation tool to improve veterinary undergraduate understanding of obstetrical problems in horses
Authors: Gao Ruifeng , Liu Jing , Jing Shangfei , Mao Wei , He Pengfei , Liu Bo , Yang Hui‐Di , Cao Jinshan
Published: May 2020

Background

Many challenges are encountered in both teaching and learning veterinary obstetrics. This may be due to outdated teaching materials, as the main model of content transmission remains centred around text and images.

Methods

Visualisation methods such as three‐dimensional (3D) and Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) tools were applied in an attempt to improve obstetrics education outcomes in the third‐year class. Traditional teaching methods were utilised in the fourth‐year and fifth‐year students.

Results

These supplementary tools significantly increased the third‐year students’ final examination results compared with the results of fourth‐year and fifth‐year students (P<0.05). These examinations were designed to evaluate comprehension of the subject matter. Self‐assessment questionnaire results further indicated that 3D animation and GIF promoted learning efficiency.

Conclusion

Incorporation of 3D animation learning tools into the veterinary curriculum is predicted to better prepare students for the management of obstetrical cases after graduation.
Bacterial translocation in horses with colic and the potential association with surgical site infection: a pilot study
Authors: Hann Michelle , Timofte Dorina , Isgren Cajsa M , Archer Debra C
Published: May 2020

Background

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a leading cause of morbidity in horses undergoing emergency exploratory laparotomy for the treatment of acute colic. The exact mechanism by which SSI develops in these cases is unclear. This prospective observational study investigated whether bacterial translocation occurs in horses with acute colic and if there is an association between bacterial translocation and development of SSI.

Methods

Peripheral venous blood (PVB) and peritoneal fluid (PF) samples were collected on admission and PF samples were collected at the end of surgery from horses presenting for investigation of acute colic. Any discharge from the laparotomy incision in horses that developed SSI was also collected. All samples were submitted for bacterial culture.

Results

In total, 7.7 per cent of PVB samples (3/39), 11.8 per cent (4/34) of admission PF samples and 8.7 per cent (2/23) of the PF samples at surgery were culture positive. The prevalence of SSI was 10.2 per cent. No association was identified between a positive PVB or PF culture and development of a SSI or survival to hospital discharge.

Conclusion

Bacterial translocation can occur in some horses with acute colic. However, we were unable to identify any association between bacterial translocation and the development of SSIs following emergency exploratory laparotomy.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and protein during bed rest increases CD11b+ skeletal muscle macrophages but does not correspond to muscle size or insulin sensitivity
Authors: Reidy Paul T. , Edvalson Logan T. , McKenzie Alec I. , Petrocelli Jonathan J. , Mahmassani Ziad S. , Drummond Micah J.
Published: May 2020

With this cohort, we previously demonstrated preservation of thigh lean tissue with neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with protein supplementation (NMES+PRO) treatment during bed rest in healthy older adults. Because macrophage polarization plays a significant role in the repair and maintenance of muscle size and insulin sensitivity, we hypothesized that muscle macrophages would be induced by NMES+PRO and would correspond to an increase in lean mass and an attenuated insulin resistance response altered by bed rest. Older adults (60–80 years old; body mass index < 30 kg/m2) underwent 5 days of bed rest and were randomized to either thrice daily treatment of NMES+PRO (n = 8) or CON (n = 8). Lean mass, insulin sensitivity, and markers of muscle macrophages, inflammation, and connective tissue were determined before and after bed rest. Glucose intolerance and insulin resistance occurred after bed rest but there was not a treatment effect (p > 0.10). Proinflammatory-like macrophages (CD11b+, CD206−) increased (p < 0.05) with NMES+PRO treatment and was different than CON. Minor changes in noncontractile tissue were observed. However, changes in muscle macrophages or extracellular matrix were not related to the preservation of thigh lean mass or insulin resistance. Daily NMES+PRO treatment during bed rest induced a muscle proinflammatory-like macrophage response and was unrelated to muscle size or metabolic function. This study is listed as clinical trial NCT02566590.

Novelty Neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with protein supplementation (NMES+PRO) increased proinflammatory-like macrophages and extracellular matrix content in older adults after bed rest. NMES+PRO changes in macrophages and noncontractile tissue macrophages were not related to muscle size preservation or insulin sensitivity.
Congo red filtration by polyacrylonitrile-based copolymer membranes
Authors: Semiz Levent , Tanak Hasan
Published: May 2020

In this study, Congo red removal from wastewater by a filtration method was studied via membranes obtained from polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate) copolymers having various monomer ratios and polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate)/polyaniline blends with various polyaniline contents. It was found that the dye rejection value increased with acrylonitrile content in polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate) membranes. Also, blending copolymers with polyaniline enhanced the dye rejection rate. The performance of membranes showed incremental increase with increase in the polyaniline content. Both pH and concentration effects on the dye rejection rate of membranes were evaluated. The performance of polyacrylonitrile-co-poly(2-ethylhexylacrylate) membranes did not change significantly, whereas polyaniline-containing membranes had higher dye rejection rates at acidic pH levels. PAN(92)-co-P2EHA(8)-PANI(15%) demonstrated the highest dye rejection value of 99.7% at pH 3 when the feed concentration was 50 ppm. It also showed good resistance to increase in feed concentration. It had dye rejection values of 97.2% and 88.5% for 100 and 200 ppm feed concentrations, respectively.
Competency and performance measures for organizations in the construction industry
Authors: Tiruneh Getaneh Gezahegne , Fayek Aminah Robinson
Published: May 2020

Organizations operating in the construction industry seek to understand how to successfully identify and manage competencies, given the significant influence they have on performance. Thus, organizations need to explore new approaches for assessing and enhancing their competencies to improve their performance. This paper presents a review of past studies and identifies the most common organizational competency and performance measures. A focus group was conducted to evaluate and verify the list of identified competency and performance measures. The contributions of this paper are threefold. First, this paper addresses the lack of studies on organizational-level competencies specifically for the construction domain. Second, this paper identifies, categorizes, and ranks organizational competency and performance measures. Third, the categorization of competency and performance measures, verified by the focus group, provides organizations with a systematic method to evaluate their competencies and improve their performance.
Polarizability effects in atomic nuclei
Authors: Orce J. N.
Published: May 2020

This work sheds light upon how the atomic nucleus polarizes throughout the nuclear chart. Deviations from the well-known behavior of the nuclear dipole polarizability — which smoothly increases with increasing atomic mass number — are investigated. Relative enhancements are found for light nuclei as the nuclear symmetry energy decreases and, within a nucleus, as its excitation energy increases. These two properties are related by a diminishing binding energy of the nuclear system. Contrarily, hindrances of nuclear polarizability are observed in the photo-neutron cross-section data and photon-strength functions of semi-magic nuclei with [Formula: see text], 50 and 82, which support the presence of shell effects at low-lying excitations and — assuming validity of the Brink-Axel hypothesis — at high-excitation energies up to the quasi-continuum region. These features assign the nuclear dipole polarizability as a sensitive measure of the long-range correlations of the nuclear force, and provide a new spectroscopic probe to investigate collective phenomena, shell closures, and the elusive nuclear symmetry energy. Particular cases of quadrupole collectivity are also discussed in terms of the available, and yet so scarce, information on nuclear polarizability (e.g. Sn and Ni isotopes).
Visual Question Generation
Authors: Patil Charulata , Patwardhan Manasi
Published: May 2020

Visual question generation (VQG) is an interesting problem that has recently received attention. The task of VQG involves generating meaningful questions based on the input image. It is a multi-modal problem involving image understanding and natural language generation, especially using deep learning methods. VQG can be considered as complementary task of visual question answering. In this article, we review the current state of VQG in terms of methods to understand the problem, existing datasets to train the VQG model, evaluation metrics, and algorithms to handle the problem. Finally, we discuss the challenges that need to be conquered and the possible future directions for an effective VQG.
Knowledge-aware Attentive Wasserstein Adversarial Dialogue Response Generation
Authors: Zhang Yingying , Fang Quan , Qian Shengsheng , Xu Changsheng
Published: May 2020

Natural language generation has become a fundamental task in dialogue systems. RNN-based natural response generation methods encode the dialogue context and decode it into a response. However, they tend to generate dull and simple responses. In this article, we propose a novel framework, called
KAWA-DRG
(Knowledge-aware Attentive Wasserstein Adversarial Dialogue Response Generation) to model conversation-specific external knowledge and the importance variances of dialogue context in a unified adversarial encoder-decoder learning framework. In KAWA-DRG, a co-attention mechanism attends to important parts within and among context utterances with word-utterance-level attention. Prior knowledge is integrated into the conditional Wasserstein auto-encoder for learning the latent variable space. The posterior and prior distribution of latent variables are generated and trained through adversarial learning. We evaluate our model on Switchboard, DailyDialog, In-Car Assistant, and Ubuntu Dialogue Corpus. Experimental results show that KAWA-DRG outperforms the existing methods.
Extracting Success from IBM’s 20-Qubit Machines Using Error-Aware Compilation
Authors: Nishio Shin , Pan Yulu , Satoh Takahiko , Amano Hideharu , Meter Rodney Van
Published: May 2020

NISQ (Noisy, Intermediate-Scale Quantum) computing requires error mitigation to achieve meaningful computation. Our compilation tool development focuses on the fact that the error rates of individual qubits are not equal, with a goal of maximizing the success probability of real-world subroutines such as an adder circuit. We begin by establishing a metric for choosing among possible paths and circuit alternatives for executing gates between variables placed far apart within the processor, and test our approach on two IBM 20-qubit systems named Tokyo and Poughkeepsie. We find that a single-number metric describing the fidelity of individual gates is a useful but imperfect guide.

Our compiler uses this subsystem and maps complete circuits onto the machine using a beam search-based heuristic that will scale as processor and program sizes grow. To evaluate the whole compilation process, we compiled and executed adder circuits, then calculated the Kullback–Leibler divergence (KL-divergence, a measure of the distance between two probability distributions). For a circuit within the capabilities of the hardware, our compilation increases estimated success probability and reduces KL-divergence relative to an error-oblivious placement.
Scheduling on Two Types of Resources
Authors: Beaumont Olivier , Canon Louis-Claude , Eyraud-Dubois Lionel , Lucarelli Giorgio , Marchal Loris , Mommessin Clément , Simon Bertrand , Trystram Denis
Published: May 2020

The evolution in the design of modern parallel platforms leads to revisit the scheduling jobs on distributed heterogeneous resources. The goal of this survey is to present the main existing algorithms, to classify them based on their underlying principles, and to propose unified implementations to enable their fair comparison, in terms of running time and quality of schedules, on a large set of common benchmarks that we made available for the community. Beyond this comparison, our goal is also to understand the main difficulties that heterogeneity conveys and the shared principles that guide the design of efficient algorithms.
"They Just Don't Get It": Towards Social Technologies for Coping with Interpersonal Racism
Authors: To Alexandra , Sweeney Wenxia , Hammer Jessica , Kaufman Geoff
Published: May 2020

Over 35% of Americans belong to racial minority groups. Racism targeting these individuals results in a range of harmful physical, psychological, and practical consequences. The present work aims to shed light on the current sense-making and support-seeking practices exhibited by targets of racism, as well as to identify the core needs and barriers that future socio-technical interventions could potentially address. The long-term goal of this work is to understand how CSCW researchers and designers could best support members of marginalized groups to make sense of and to seek support for experiences with racism. Narrative episode interviews with targets of racism revealed a number of key entry points for intervention. For example, participants' personal stories confirmed that uncertainty, both about the nature and consequences of the experience of racism, is a key motivator for support-seeking. In addition, despite the need for support, participants largely do not trust public forms of social media for support-seeking. We discuss how participants' accounts of the complex labor involved in determining who "gets it" in identifying potential supporters, and in navigating the complexities of trust and agency in sharing their experiences, present clear implications for the design of new socio-technical platforms for members of racial minority groups.
Evaluating News Media Reports on the 'Blue Whale Challenge' for Adherence to Suicide Prevention Safe Messaging Guidelines
Authors: Roth Rebecca , Abraham Jaclyn , Zinzow Heidi , Wisniewski Pamela , Khasawneh Amro , Chalil Madathil Kapil
Published: May 2020

The Blue Whale Challenge (BWC) is an online viral "game" that allegedly encourages youth and young adults towards self-harming behaviors that could eventually lead to suicide. The BWC can be situated within a larger phenomenon of viral online self-harm challenges, which may be propagated through both social media and news sources. Research has established that suicide is a global public health issue that is known to be influenced by media reporting. Violation of safe messaging guidelines has been shown to increase imitative suicides, particularly in youth and young adults. Given the confirmed effects of news media reporting, we analyzed 150 digital newspaper articles reporting on the BWC to assess whether they adhered to suicide prevention safe messaging guidelines. Overall, 81% of the articles violated at least one contagion-related guideline, most commonly normalizing suicide, discussing means of suicide, and sensationalizing. Even though the majority (91%) of the articles adhered to at least one health-promotion guideline, such as emphasizing prevention, the articles did not follow these guidelines on a deep and comprehensive level. Through thematic analysis, we also found evidence of potential misinformation in reporting, where the articles unequivocally attributed many suicides to the BWC with little or no evidence. Additionally, articles often stated an individual's reason for participating in the challenge without interviewing the individual or those close to the individual, another aspect of potential misinformation due to lack of evidence. A contribution of the current study is the synthesis of safe messaging guidelines that can be used in future research. This study contributes to the understanding of news reporting practices regarding suicide and self-harm in regard to the BWC and similar online challenges. We discuss how sensationalized news media reports on the BWC could unintentionally propagate suicide contagion effects that normalize self-harming behaviors among youth. We then examine implications for practice and policy, such using automated approaches to aid reporters in adhering to safe messaging guidelines.
Methods for Generating Typologies of Non/use
Authors: Saxena Devansh , Skeba Patrick , Guha Shion , Baumer Eric P. S.
Published: May 2020

Prior studies of technology non-use demonstrate the need for approaches that go beyond a simple binary distinction between users and non-users. This paper proposes a set of two different methods by which researchers can identify types of non/use relevant to the particular sociotechnical settings they are studying. These methods are demonstrated by applying them to survey data about Facebook non/use. The results demonstrate that the different methods proposed here identify fairly comparable types of non/use. They also illustrate how the two methods make different trade offs between the granularity of the resulting typology and the total sample size. The paper also demonstrates how the different typologies resulting from these methods can be used in predictive modeling, allowing for the two methods to corroborate or disconfirm results from one another. The discussion considers implications and applications of these methods, both for research on technology non/use and for studying social computing more broadly.
The Role of Conversational Grounding in Supporting Symbiosis Between People and Digital Assistants
Authors: Cho Janghee , Rader Emilee
Published: May 2020

In "smart speaker'' digital assistant systems such as Google Home, there is no visual user interface, so people must learn about the system's capabilities and limitations by experimenting with different questions and commands. However, many new users give up quickly and limit their use to a few simple tasks. This is a problem for both the user and the system. Users who stop trying out new things cannot learn about new features and functionality, and the system receives less data upon which to base future improvements. Symbiosis---a mutually beneficial relationship---between AI systems like digital assistants and people is an important aspect of developing systems that are partners to humans and not just tools. In order to better understand requirements for symbiosis, we investigated the relationship between the types of digital assistant responses and users' subsequent questions, focusing on identifying interactions that were discouraging to users when speaking with a digital assistant. We conducted a user study with 20 participants who completed a series of information seeking tasks using the Google Home, and analyzed transcripts using a method based on applied conversation analysis. We found that the most common response from the Google Home, a version of "Sorry, I'm not sure how to help'', provided no feedback for participants to build on when forming their next question. However, responses that provided somewhat strange but tangentially related answers were actually more helpful for conversational grounding, which extended the interaction. We discuss the connection between grounding and symbiosis, and present recommendations for requirements for forming partnerships with digital assistants.
Quantifying the Effect of Social Presence on Online Social Conformity
Authors: Wijenayake Senuri , van Berkel Niels , Kostakos Vassilis , Goncalves Jorge
Published: May 2020

Social conformity occurs when individuals in group settings change their personal opinion to be in agreement with the majority's position. While recent literature frequently reports on conformity in online group settings, the causes for online conformity are yet to be fully understood. This study aims to understand how social presencei.e., the sense of being connected to others via mediated communication, influences conformity among individuals placed in online groups while answering subjective and objective questions. Acknowledging its multifaceted nature, we investigate three aspects of online social presence: user representation (generic vs.user-specific avatars), interactivity (discussion vs.no discussion ), and response visibility (public vs.private ). Our results show an overall conformity rate of 30% and main effects from task objectivity, group size difference between the majority and the minority, and self-confidence on personal answer. Furthermore, we observe an interaction effect between interactivity and response visibility, such that conformity is highest in the presence of peer discussion and public responses, and lowest when these two elements are absent. We conclude with a discussion on the implications of our findings in designing online group settings, accounting for the effects of social presence on conformity.
Unpacking Sharing in the Peer-to-Peer Economy: The Impact of Shared Needs and Backgrounds on Ride-Sharing
Authors: Ma Ning F. , Hanrahan Benjamin V.
Published: May 2020

In recent years, the peer-to-peer economy has grown exponentially, particularly in the ride-sharing sector. This growth has been accompanied by a muddying between the sharing and gig economy, and it has become unclear when an activity is sharing a resource vs. providing a service. To unpack this difference, we studied two successful carpooling groups (university students traveling home and commuting among professionals), which we contrast with previous literature on ride-hailing apps (e.g., Uber). The two communities that we studied differ in that: professionals, had more routine ride-sharing needs based on their commute; and students, arranged rides to return home for school breaks or long weekends. We detail how common needs and backgrounds impacted how carpoolers treated each other. Leveraging these findings, we outline design paths for both the sharing and gig economies to better realize the ideas of the sharing economy.
DreamCatcher: Exploring How Parents and School-Age Children can Track and Review Sleep Information Together
Authors: Pina Laura , Sien Sang-Wha , Song Clarissa , Ward Teresa M. , Fogarty James , Munson Sean A. , Kientz Julie A.
Published: May 2020

Parents and their school-age children can impact one another's sleep. Most sleep-tracking tools, however, are designed for adults and make it difficult for parents and children to track together. To examine how to design a family-centered sleep tracking tool, we designed DreamCatcher. DreamCatcher is an in-home, interactive, shared display that aggregates data from wrist-worn sleep sensors and self-reported mood. We deployed DreamCatcher as a probe to examine the design space of tracking sleep as a family. Ten families participated in the study probe between 15 and 50 days. This study uses a family systems perspective to explore research questions regarding the feasibility of children actively tracking health data alongside their parents and the effects of tracking and sharing on family dynamics. Our results indicate that children can be active tracking contributors and that having parents and children track together encourages turn-taking and working together. However, there were also moments when family members, in particular parents, felt discomfort from sharing their sleep and mood with other family members. Our research contributes to a growing understanding of designing family centered health-informatics tools to support the combined needs of parents and children.
SARS-CoV-2 perturbs the renin-angiotensin system and energy metabolism
Authors: Mori Jun , Oudit Gavin Y. , Lopaschuk Gary D.
Published: May 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is threating our health systems and daily lives and is responsible for causing substantial morbidity and mortality. In particular, aged individuals and individuals with comorbidities, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, have significantly higher risks of hospitalization and death than normal individuals. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypertension. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), belonging to the RAS family, has received much attention during this COVID-19 pandemic, owing to the fact that SARS-CoV-2 uses ACE2 as a receptor for cellular entry. Additionally, the RAS greatly affects energy metabolism in certain pathological conditions, including cardiac failure, diabetes mellitus, and viral infections. This article discusses the potential mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 modulates the RAS and energy metabolism in individuals with obesity and diabetes mellitus. The article aims to highlight the appropriate strategies for combating the COVID-19 pandemic in the clinical setting and emphasize on the areas that require further investigation in relation to COVID-19 infections in patients with obesity and diabetes mellitus from the viewpoint of endocrinology and metabolism.
Cooling-induced dilatation of cutaneous arteries is mediated by increased myoendothelial communication
Authors: Flavahan Sheila , Flavahan Nicholas A.
Published: May 2020

Cold causes cutaneous vasoconstriction to restrict heat loss. Although cold also initiates cutaneous dilatation, the mechanisms and role of this dilatation have not been clearly defined. This study demonstrates that cooling increases myoendothelial coupling between smooth muscle and endothelial cells in cutaneous arteries, which is associated with increased endothelium-derived hyperpolarization (EDH)-type dilatation. Dysfunction in this process may contribute to excessive cold-induced constriction and tissue injury
Optimal cutting temperature medium embedding and cryostat sectioning are valid for cardiac myofilament function assessment
Authors: Ng Henry , Becirovic Agic Mediha , Hultström Michael , Isackson Henrik
Published: May 2020

Myocardial tissue in optimal cutting temperature (OCT) fixation and cryostat sectioning was tested as a means of storing and preparing tissue for myofilament function analysis in relation to conventional liquid nitrogen freezing and dissection. Actomyosin interaction, Ca2+ force activation, and passive compliance were tested. The study concluded that OCT storage and cryostat sectioning do not interfere with the actomyosin cross-bridge dynamics or Ca2+ activation but that absolute tension values suffer and may not be investigated by this method.
Doxorubicin contributes to thrombus formation and vascular injury by interfering with platelet function
Authors: Lv Haichen , Tan Ruopeng , Liao Jiawei , Hao Zhujing , Yang Xiaolei , Liu Yang , Xia Yunlong
Published: May 2020

Doxorubicin therapy in mice (antitumor dosage) markedly enhanced platelet functions measured as agonist-induced platelet aggregation, degranulation, and adhesion to endothelial cells, actions leading to thrombus formation and thrombosis-independent vascular injury. Clopidogrel treatment ameliorated thrombus formation and vascular toxicity induced by doxorubicin via inhibiting platelet activity.
Diversity and Biology of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts
Authors: Biffi Giulia , Tuveson David A.
Published: May 2020

Efforts to develop anti-cancer therapies have largely focused on targeting the epithelial compartment, despite the presence of non-neoplastic stromal components that substantially contribute to the progression of the tumor. Indeed, cancer cell survival, growth, migration, and even dormancy are influenced by the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME). Within the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been shown to play several roles in the development of a tumor. They secrete growth factors, inflammatory ligands, and extracellular matrix proteins that promote cancer cell proliferation, therapy resistance, and immune exclusion. However, recent work indicates that CAFs may also restrain tumor progression in some circumstances. In this review, we summarize the body of work on CAFs, with a particular focus on the most recent discoveries about fibroblast heterogeneity, plasticity, and functions. We also highlight the commonalities of fibroblasts present across different cancer types, and in normal and inflammatory states. Finally, we present the latest advances regarding therapeutic strategies targeting CAFs that are undergoing preclinical and clinical evaluation.
A Comparative Study on Drivers’ Stop/Go Behavior at Signalized Intersections Based on Decision Tree Classification Model
Authors: Dong Sheng , Zhou Jibiao
Published: May 2020

The stop/go decisions at signalized intersections are closely related to driving speed during signal change intervals. The speed during stop/go decision-making has a significant influence on the dilemma area, resulting in changes of stop/go decisions and high complexity of the decision-making process. Considering that traffic delays and vehicle exhaust pollution are mainly caused by queuing at intersections, the stop-line passing speed during the signal change interval will affect both vehicle operation safety and the atmospheric environment. This paper presents a comparative study on drivers’ stop/go behaviors when facing a transition signal period consisting of 3 s green flashing light (FG) and 3 s yellow light (Y) at rural high-speed intersections and urban intersections. For this study, 1,459 high-quality vehicle trajectories of five intersections in Shanghai during the transition signal period were collected. Of these five intersections, three are high-speed intersections with a speed limit of 80 km/h, and the other two are urban intersections with a speed limit of 50 km/h. Trajectory data of these vehicle samples were statistically analyzed to investigate the general characteristics of potential influencing factors, including the instantaneous speed and the distance to the intersection at the start of FG, the vehicle type, and so on. Decision Tree Classification (DTC) models are developed to reveal the relationship between the drivers’ stop/go decisions and these possible influencing factors. The results indicate that the instantaneous speed of FG onset, the distance to the intersection at the start of FG, and the vehicle type are the most important predictors for both types of intersections. Besides, a DTC model can offer a simple way of modeling drivers’ stopping decision behavior and produce good results for urban intersections.
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Synergizes Sorafenib Anticancer Efficacy with Minimizing Its Cytotoxicity
Authors: Nabil Ahmed , Elshemy Mohamed M. , Asem Medhat , Abdel-Motaal Marwa , Gomaa Heba F. , Zahran Faten , Uto Koichiro , Ebara Mitsuhiro
Published: May 2020

Cancer, as a group, represents the most important cause of death worldwide. Unfortunately, the available therapeutic approaches of cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy are unsatisfactory and represent a great challenge as many patients have cancer recurrence and severe side effects. Methotrexate (MTX) is a well-established (antineoplastic or cytotoxic) chemotherapy and immunosuppressant drug used to treat different types of cancer, but its usage requires high doses causing severe side effects. Therefore, we need a novel drug with high antitumor efficacy in addition to safety. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the antitumor efficacy of zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO-NPs) and sorafenib alone or in combination on solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC) in mice. Sixty adult female Swiss-albino mice were divided equally into 6 groups as follows: control, SEC, MTX, ZnO-NPs, sorafenib, and ZnO-NPs+sorafenib; all treatments continued for 4 weeks. ZnO-NPs were characterized by TEM, zeta potential, and SEM mapping. Data showed that ZnO-NPs synergized with sorafenib as a combination therapy to execute more effective and safer anticancer activity compared to monotherapy as showed by a significant reduction (P<0.001) in tumor weight, tumor cell viability, and cancer tissue glutathione amount as well as by significant increase (P<0.001) in tumor growth inhibition rate, DNA fragmentation, reactive oxygen species generation, the release of cytochrome c, and expression of the apoptotic gene caspase-3 in the tumor tissues with minimal changes in the liver, renal, and hematological parameters. Therefore, we suggest that ZnO-NPs might be a safe candidate in combination with sorafenib as a more potent anticancer. The safety of this combined treatment may allow its use in clinical trials.
Task Allocation Optimization Scheme Based on Queuing Theory for Mobile Edge Computing in 5G Heterogeneous Networks
Authors: Xue Jianbin , Wang Zesen , Zhang Yonggang , Wang Lu
Published: May 2020

As an indispensable key technology in 5G Internet of Things (IoT), mobile edge computing (MEC) provides a variety of computing and services at the edge of the network for energy-limited and computation-constrained mobile devices (MDs). In this paper, we use the multiaccess characteristics of 5G heterogeneous networks and queuing theory. By considering the heterogeneity of base stations, we establish the waiting and transmission consumption model when tasks are offloaded. Then, the problem of jointly optimizing the energy and delay consumption of MDs is proposed. We adopt an optimization scheme based on task assignment probability; moreover, the task assignment algorithm based on quasi-Newton interior point (TA-QNIP) method is developed to solve the optimization issue. Compared with the Newton interior point algorithm, the proposed algorithm accelerates the convergence speed and reduces the complexity of the algorithm and is closer to the objective function optimal solution. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can reduce the total consumption of MDs effectively; furthermore, the performance of the algorithm is proved.
Characterization of Polysaccharides Extracted from Pulps and Seeds of Crataegus azarolus L. var. aronia: Preliminary Structure, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, α-Amylase, and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Properties
Authors: Rjeibi Ilhem , Zaabi Rihab , Jouida Warda
Published: May 2020

Polysaccharides from the pulps (CAP) and seeds (CAS) of Crataegus azarolus L. var. aronia were extracted by hot water method. Both polysaccharides were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Congo red test, FT-IR spectroscopy, and their antioxidant, α-amylase, antiacetylcholinesterase, and antibacterial activities were evaluated. CAP showed the highest total carbohydrate (82.35%) and uronic acid (29.39%) contents. The Congo red test revealed the lack of triple-helical conformation for both polysaccharides. The comparison of both infrared spectra indicated similar patterns with the presence of typical bands of polysaccharides. However, the microstructure of both samples indicated differences when analyzed by SEM. CAP displayed higher antioxidant, α-amylase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Besides, CAP showed the strongest antimicrobial effects against seven microorganisms and, notably, the Gram-positive bacteria. Overall, the results suggest that polysaccharides from C. azarolus L. var. aronia may be considered as novel sources of antioxidants and recommended as enzyme inhibitory agents in food and pharmaceutical industries.
Assessment of Waterlogging Risk in the Deep Foundation Pit Projects Based on Projection Pursuit Model
Authors: Wu Han , Wang Junwu
Published: May 2020

As a result of global climate change and urbanization, waterlogging disasters have occurred frequently around the world, and deep foundation pit projects with lower terrain suffer even more. This study puts forward a method for the waterlogging risk assessment of deep foundation pit projects via the combination of a projection pursuit model, particle swarm optimization, and an interpolation algorithm. First, through a comprehensive analysis of the water circulation process in waterlogging and the characteristics of deep foundation pit projects, a risk index system with 11 indicators is identified and constructed. Then, a projection pursuit model optimized by particle swarm optimization is leveraged to determine the weights of the indicators and the best projection values of evaluation objects, and the mathematical function between the best projection values and the risk levels is constructed by an interpolation algorithm. Finally, three deep foundation pit projects of the Chengdu Metro Line 11 in China are selected as case studies. The results demonstrate that the frequency of storms, intensity of rainfall, preparation of emergency rescue plans, and proportion of older workers have the greatest impacts on waterlogging risk in deep foundation pits. The risk ranking of the case studies is found to be consistent with the actual situations, which proves the objectivity and effectiveness of the proposed method.
A Selective P2Y Purinergic Receptor Agonist 2-MesADP Enhances Locomotor Recovery after Acute Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Zhao Ziru , Hu Xiao , Wu Zhourui , Chen Qi , Shao Qihui
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes most severe motor and sensory dysfunctions. In Chinese traditional medicine, the agonist of a purinergic receptor is believed to have a positive effect on SCIs, and 2-Methylthio-adenosine-5′-diphosphate (2-MesADP) is a selective agonist of the P2Y purinergic receptor. Methods: To investigate its therapeutic function and molecular mechanism in SCI, transcriptome analysis associated with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was carried out at various time points after T9 crush injury. Results: 2-MesADP demonstrated recovery of limb motor function at the 6 weeks after injury, accompanied by neuronal regeneration and axon remyelination at 2 and 6 weeks. Furthermore, gene profiling revealed alternated gene expression with the treatment of 2-MesADP. These genes were assigned to a total of 38 modules, followed by gene ontology analysis; of these, 18 represented neuronal apoptosis and regeneration, immune response, synaptic transmission, cell cycle, and angiogenesis. In the neuronal apoptosis and regeneration module, Nefh, NeuroD6, and Dcx in the 2-MesADP group were noticed due to their interesting expression pattern. The gene expression patterns of Mag, Mog, and Cnp, which played key roles in myelination, were significantly changed with the treatment of 2-MesADP. Wnt signal pathway was the most important pathway in 2-MesADP treatment for acute SCI. Conclusion: 2-MesADP enhanced locomotor recovery in mouse SCI by altering the expression of neuronal apoptosis and remyelination-related genes and Wnt signaling pathways.
Operationalizing Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time Model
Authors: Xia Mu , Li Xueliu , Tudge Jonathan R.H.
Published: May 2020

Urie Bronfenbrenner spent much of his academic life designing and then refining what came to be known as the bioecological theory of human development. During this process, he came to a working operationalization of his theory – what he termed the process-person-context-time (PPCT) model. However, for all of the effort that he put into refining the theory, he provided very little information on how to apply the theory, or even the PPCT model, in research. In this paper we therefore suggest a way in which the theory can be operationalized more effectively, laying out the steps that we think should be followed. Specifically, these include (a) deciding on the developmental outcome of interest; (b) operationalizing the proximal processes most relevant to the outcome of interest; (c) operationalizing relevant person, context, and time factors, such that at least two contexts are included, in both contexts can be found persons who vary in their characteristics of interest, and data are gathered over time. Finally, and most importantly, the researcher must take seriously the fact that these interacting variables operate synergistically rather than independently. In this paper, our aim is to explain the importance of these four aspects and provide examples to help researchers who wish to use bioecological theory as its author intended.
Tolerance and Adherence to Cationic 0.1% Cyclosporine in Ocular Graft-versus-Host Disease
Authors: Gehlsen Uta , Siebelmann Sebastian , Steven Philipp
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Anti-inflammatory, topical therapy of severe keratitis in dry eye disease (DED) and ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGvHD) includes steroids, cyclosporine (Cs), and others. In Germany, a commercial product containing 0.1% Cs in a cationic formulation is available since 2015. Objective: The aim of this study was to present real-life data using cationic 0.1% Cs in oGvHD patients. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 26 oGvHD and 41 DED patients with corneal staining of at least Oxford grade III. Parameters analyzed were Ocular Surface Disease Index, corneal staining, intraocular pressure, tear film break-up time, Schirmer, and visual acuity. In addition, it was evaluated how different Cs formulations were tolerated. Results: Corneal staining improved significantly in 1 eye in DED but not in oGvHD. In DED, cationic 0.1% Cs was not tolerated by 32% of the patients, in contrast to 0.05% Cs in castor oil not tolerated by 47% and liposomal 0.05% Cs by 63%. In oGvHD patients, cationic 0.1% Cs was not tolerated by 62%, 0.05% Cs in castor oil by 33%, and liposomal 0.05% Cs by 39% of the patients. Conclusions: This study demonstrates differences between the tolerance of different Cs formulations depending on the underlying cause of severe keratitis. Cationic 0.1% Cs is considerably less tolerated in oGvHD, and its use should be considered with care.