bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research of Turbine Oil Varnish in Generator Unit
Authors: Haoya’nan  , Qiang Li , Naihai Yu , Guodong Qi , Qiubo Qi , Panfeng Shang
Published: June 2021

In recent years, due to the fact that thermal power generating units have been deeply involved in the peak shaving work of the power grid, the frequent start and stop operations of the units and rapid load-carrying operations have made the operating conditions of the units very bad. In large-scale thermal power generation units, shutdown accidents caused by varnish failures are becoming more common. Take the serious varnish failure of Unit 3 in a domestic power plant as a case for analysis. The steam turbine oil after the varnish is formed is fully analyzed and tested and the metal ion content test is carried out. The changes in the physical indicators of the steam turbine oil during the formation of the varnish are studied to determine the influence of the steam turbine oil on the physical indicators of the steam turbine oil during the formation of the steam turbine oil. The operation and maintenance personnel can detect the varnish in advance through the daily sampling and analysis of the steam turbine oil, and timely take treatment measures to remove the varnish components in the oil to ensure the safe and stable operation of the unit. This article summarizes the reason for the formation of varnish and the detection method of varnish. It is of great significance to effectively discover and control the production of varnish during the operation of the generator set, to study the formation mechanism of varnish and to find an effective method to remove varnish. This article also introduces the commonly used paint film treatment methods for the convenience of electric power technicians.
Analysis of Vertical Integration Motivation in Coal-Electric Energy Supply Chain Using ISM-MICMAC
Authors: Qiang Wang , Haiying Liu , Ping Wu , Haiwen Gao , Jiaxin Wang , Jiaoyu He , Xin Liu
Published: June 2021

Vertical integration is one of the important means to achieve coal-electricity joint ventures. According to the comprehensive analysis of domestic and foreign literature, based on the field survey, nine key drivers of vertical integration of coal-electric energy supply chain are proposed. This basis, using interpretative structural modelling (ISM), a five-level hierarchical structure model of the vertical integration motivation of the coal-electric energy supply chain is constructed, which clearly characterization of the hierarchical relationship between the various drivers. Using MICMAC, find the independent and dependent factors. Furthermore, it reveals the most direct motivation and the most fundamental motivation for driving the vertical integration of coal-electric energy supply chain. At the same time, it can clearly show the role of each driver in the vertical integration of coal-fired energy supply chain.
An Assessment of Determinant Factors for a Sustainable Green Economy in Nigeria
Authors: Ogbonna Alfred, John
Published: June 2021

Green Economy (GE) is a low-carbon, resource-efficient, socially inclusive economy that is fair, efficient, and embraced by all the stakeholders from the leadership, people, and industry, especially those in the techno-economic sectors, to enable synergy of the GE framework whose purpose is to tackle the environmental challenges and deterioration of the ecosystems. The GE concept, its applications, rate of success/failure differs across various countries. Developing countries like Nigeria are striving to transform the economy to a GE that will enhance Sustainable development. However, some factors either hindering and or promote the GE developments. Thus, this research aims to identify and assess the determinant factors (DF) for sustaining a GE in Nigeria to categorize the factors as hindrances/barriers and promoters/drivers of GE. Mono Quantitative method was adopted to collect and analyze the data obtained from a questionnaire survey. The quantitative data was based on the eleven determinant factors for a GE identified in the literature. Quantitative analytical tools like Cronbach Alpha for consistency, Mean Item Score (MIS), Relative Importance Index (RII), and T-test statistics were used to analyze GE factors in Nigeria. The result indicated that six DF promotes and drives GE in Nigeria while five DF hinder the GE development in Nigeria.
Analyzing Variation of Soil Salinity Content in the Agricultural Areas: A Factorial Analysis Based Random Forest Estimation Method
Authors: Wang H , Li Y P
Published: June 2021

In this study, to identify the complex relationship between soil salinity content (SSC) and factors, and efficiently quantify the individual effects of factors on SSC, a random-forest-based factorial analysis (RF-FA) method by incorporating random forest (RF) and factorial analysis (FA) is developed. The RF-FA is applied in a case study. Results reveal that: (i) Compared with Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) and Support Vector Regression (SVR), RF is a more robust model for SSC simulation; (ii) The contributions of factors to the variation of SSC follow the order: Elevation (14.68%) > LST (11.69%) > Albedo_N (11.41%) > SI_2 (10.71%) >SAVI (10.21%), indicating topography and temperature are the macro factors controlling SSC; hence, providing sufficient irrigation water is necessary to mitigate soil salinization. The findings can help make effective strategies to relieve the soil salinization of the farmland and support the sustainable development of agriculture.
Effect of prior annealing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of thermo-mechanically treated TRIP steel
Authors: Kucerova L , Burdova K , Stehlik A , Ticha I
Published: June 2021

Low-carbon low-alloyed high strength steel 0.2C-1.5Al-0.5Si-2Mn-0.06Nb (in weight %) was forged into bars and annealed at 1050 °C with either 2-hour hold and furnace cooling to room temperature or with 20-min hold and controlled cooling by 1 °C/s. These various holds and coolings created two different initial microstructures, banded ferritic-pearlitic one for the long hold and bainitic-ferritic for the shorter hold and quicker cooling. Samples with those microstructures then underwent the same thermo-mechanical treatment (TMT) typical for TRIP (transformation induced plasticity) steels. Very different microstructures and mechanical properties were obtained for both initial states even after the application of the same TMT schedules. Light and scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize obtained microstructures and tensile tests were applied for the determination of mechanical properties.
Design of thermomechanical treatment of high strength steels
Authors: Vrtáček J , Peković M , Jirková H , Bublíková D , Kučerová L
Published: June 2021

Reducing the level of COx and NOx emissions from combustion engines is an important goal in the automotive industry. One way to reduce the emissions is to use lightweight parts in the car construction. High-strength steels are one of the successful choices for body parts. Their strengthening mechanisms provide them with better mechanical properties, which translates into thinner sheet metal blanks and ultimately reduced weight of parts. The main strengthening mechanisms include TRIP (TRansformed Induced Plasticity) and TWIP (TWinning induced plasticity). This paper outlines processing of high-strength steels, from forging to round bars and heat treatment to determination of phase transformations and temperature profiles for thermomechanical processing in an innovative tool. The experimental materials contained manganese, silicon and different aluminium levels. Their compositions were selected with a goal to observe the properties of advanced multiphase high strength steels during processing.
Enhanced vascularization and de novo tissue formation in hydrogels made of engineered RGD-tagged spider silk proteins in the arteriovenous loop model
Authors: Steiner Dominik , Winkler Sophie , Heltmann-Meyer Stefanie , Trossmann Vanessa T , Fey Tobias , Scheibel Thomas , Horch Raymund E , Arkudas Andreas
Published: June 2021

Due to its low immunogenic potential and the possibility to fine-tune their properties, materials made of recombinant engineered spider silks are promising candidates for tissue engineering applications. However, vascularization of silk-based scaffolds is one critical step for the generation of bioartificial tissues and consequently for clinical application. To circumvent insufficient vascularization, the surgically induced angiogenesis by means of arteriovenous loops (AVL) represents a highly effective methodology. Here, previously established hydrogels consisting of nano-fibrillary recombinant eADF4(C16) were transferred into Teflon isolation chambers and vascularized in the rat AVL model over 4 weeks. To improve vascularization, also RGD-tagged eADF4(C16) hydrogels were implanted in the AVL model over 2 and 4 weeks. Thereafter, the specimen were explanted and analyzed using histology and microcomputed tomography. We were able to confirm biocompatibility and tissue formation over time. Functionalizing eADF4(C16) with RGD-motifs improved hydrogel stability and enhanced vascularization even outperforming other hydrogels, such as fibrin. This study demonstrates that the scaffold ultrastructure as well as biofunctionalization with RGD-motifs are powerful tools to optimize silk-based biomaterials for tissue engineering applications.
A superfluid He4 version of a test on QG versus CG: feasibility with demonstrated methods
Authors: Cerdonio Massimo , Carugno Giovanni
Published: June 2021

A field, which mediates entanglement between two quantum systems, must be of quantum nature. Attempts to witness this way quantumlike features of the gravitational field with tabletop experiments are actively studied recently, in particular by considering to look at two masses in a superposition in two locations, each in one interferometer. Entanglement intervention is probed when the interferometers are put side by side. If the masses interact only via Newtonian attraction, and still some degree of entanglement is found, than the gravitational field must be quantum like, or at least non-classical. The masses considered are mesoscopic, 10–14 Kg to 10–12 Kg, and in one proposal Mach–Zehnder interferometry is considered. Liquid He4 is superfluid below 2.17 K, and shows macroscopic quantum behaviour, in particular matter interferometry, as in the Superfluid He Quantum Inteference Device—SHeQUID. With its Josephson junctions as slits, the SHeQUID parallels a Mach–Zehnder. In this case the matter quantities involved are macroscopic, 10–8 Kg. We propose and analize the feasibility of a scheme on the lines of the above, where the matter field is given by superfluid He4, and the Mach–Zehnder’s are two SHeQUID, put side by side. We find that the proposed experiment is feasible, using only well demonstrated methods and technologies, with no need to extensions beyond the current frontiers.
Quantum tensor singular value decomposition*
Authors: Wang Xiaoqiang , Gu Lejia , Lee Heung-wing , Zhang Guofeng
Published: June 2021

Tensors are increasingly ubiquitous in various areas of applied mathematics and computing, and tensor decompositions are of practical significance and benefit many applications in data completion, image processing, computer vision, collaborative filtering, etc. Recently, Kilmer and Martin propose a new tensor factorization strategy, tensor singular value decomposition (t-svd), which extends the matrix singular value decomposition to tensors. However, computing t-svd for high dimensional tensors costs much computation and thus cannot efficiently handle large scale datasets. Motivated by advantage of quantum computation, in this paper, we present a quantum algorithm of t-svd for third-order tensors and then extend it to order-p tensors. We prove that our quantum t-svd algorithm for a third-order N dimensional tensor runs in time

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N
polylog
(
N
)

if we do not recover classical information from the quantum output state. Moreover, we apply our quantum t-svd algorithm to context-aware multidimensional recommendation systems, where we just need to extract partial classical information from the quantum output state, thus achieving low time complexity.
Few-layer hexagonal boron nitride synthesized by chemical vapor deposition and its insulating properties
Authors: Kondo Daiyu , Kataoka Masako , Hayashi Kenjiro , Sato Shintaro
Published: June 2021

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), which is one of two-dimensional (2D) materials, is expected to be used as supporting and passivation layers for graphene-based devices. However, it is difficult to obtain large-area h-BN by the conventional exfoliation techniques. Here, we performed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) by employing epitaxial metal films as a catalyst to grow few-layer h-BN with a large grain size. The grain sizes of h-BN obtained were found to be a few micrometers or larger. Furthermore, we evaluated insulating properties of few-layer h-BN with conductive atomic force microscopy. Assuming a parallel plate model, a breakdown strength was estimated to be at least 7.5–45.5 MV cm−1, considering variations in h-BN thickness. These values are comparable with that obtained for exfoliated h-BN in a previous study. Considering the scalability and insulating properties, our epitaxially-synthesized h-BN is expected to be used for future graphene devices.
MomentClosure.jl: automated moment closure approximations in Julia
Authors: Sukys Augustinas , Grima Ramon
Published: June 2021

MomentClosure.jl is a Julia package providing automated derivation of the time-evolution equations of the moments of molecule numbers for virtually any chemical reaction network using a wide range of moment closure approximations. It extends the capabilities of modelling stochastic biochemical systems in Julia and can be particularly useful when exact analytic solutions of the chemical master equation are unavailable and when Monte Carlo simulations are computationally expensive.

Availability and implementation

MomentClosure.jl is freely accessible under the MIT licence. Source code and documentation are available at https://github.com/augustinas1/MomentClosure.jl.
Cyclophosphamide-Induced Inflammation of Taste Buds and Cytoprotection by Amifostine
Authors: Sarkar Anish A , Allyn David M , Delay Rona J , Delay Eugene R
Published: June 2021

Taste buds in the oral cavity have a complex immune system regulating normal functions and inflammatory reactions. Cyclophosphamide (CYP), a chemotherapy drug, has wide-ranging disruptive effects on the taste system including loss of taste function, taste sensory cells, and capacity for taste cell renewal. In bladder epithelium, CYP also induces inflammation. To determine if CYP induces inflammation in taste buds, we used immunohistochemistry to examine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (a proinflammatory cytokine) expression over a 72-hour period. Expression of TNF-α increased in a subset of PLCβ2 labeled (Type II) cells, but not SNAP-25 labeled (Type III) cells, between 8 and 24 h postinjection and declined slowly thereafter. This inflammatory response may play an important role in the disruptive effects of CYP on the taste system. Further, pretreatment with amifostine, a sulfhydryl drug known to protect normal tissues during chemo- or radiation therapy, reduced the amount of CYP-induced TNF-α expression in taste buds, suggesting this drug is capable of protecting normal cells of the taste system from adverse effects of CYP. Amifostine, used as a pretreatment to CYP and possibly other chemotherapy drugs, may offer clinical support for preventing negative side effects of chemotherapy on the taste system.
Treatment Effect Measures for Culture Conversion Endpoints in Phase IIb Tuberculosis Treatment Trials
Authors: Weir Isabelle R , Wasserman Sean
Published: June 2021

Phase IIb trials of tuberculosis therapy rely on early biomarkers of treatment effect. Despite limited predictive ability for clinical outcomes, culture conversion, the event in which an individual previously culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis yields a negative culture after initiating treatment, is a commonly used endpoint. Lack of consensus on how to define the outcome and corresponding measure of treatment effect complicates interpretation and limits between-trial comparisons. We review common analytic approaches to measuring treatment effect and introduce difference in restricted mean survival times as an alternative to identify faster times to culture conversion and express magnitude of effect on the time scale. Findings from the PanACEA MAMS-TB trial are reanalyzed as an illustrative example. In a systematic review we demonstrate variability in analytic approaches, sampling strategies, and outcome definitions in phase IIb tuberculosis trials. Harmonization would allow for larger meta-analyses and may help expedite advancement of new tuberculosis therapeutics.
Increased risk of eosinophilic esophagitis with poor environmental quality as measured by the Environmental Quality Index
Authors: Nance D , Rappazzo K M , Jensen E T , Hoffman K , Cotton C C , Krajewski A K , Turner K O , Genta R M , Lobdell D T , Dellon E S
Published: June 2021

Geographic differences in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) prevalence suggest the possibility that environmental exposures contribute to EoE pathogenesis. We aimed to examine the association between environmental quality and risk of EoE, using the Environmental Quality Index (EQI), which provides quantification of environmental quality in five domains: air, land, water, built, and sociodemographic for all counties in the United States. To do this, we performed a case–control study in a large pathology database. EoE cases were defined by ≥15 eosinophils per high-power field with other pathologic diagnoses excluded; controls did not have EoE. The pathology data were geocoded and linked with the EQI by county of residence. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR and 95% confidence interval [CI]) of EoE with overall EQI and for each domain, after adjusting for sex, age, and proportion minority race or ethnicity at the county level (higher EQI score indicates worse environmental quality). Of 29,802 EoE cases and 593,329 controls analyzed, odds of EoE were highest in the worst quintile of EQI (OR 1.25; 95% CI: 1.04–1.50), which was largely explained by poor scores in the water domain (OR: 1.33; 1.17–1.50). Conversely, odds of EoE were reduced with higher scores in the air domain (OR: 0.87, 0.74–1.03) and land domain (OR 0.87; 0.76–0.99). Poor EQI, mostly reflected by poor water quality, was associated with increased odds of EoE, while poor air and land quality were inversely associated with EoE. Additional work to identify specific water pollutants that may have an etiologic role in EoE may be warranted.
What to Do When Everything Happens at Once: Analytic Approaches to Estimate the Health Effects of Co-Occurring Social Policies
Authors: Matthay Ellicott C , Gottlieb Laura M , Rehkopf David , Tan May Lynn , Vlahov David , Glymour M Maria
Published: June 2021

Social policies have great potential to improve population health and reduce health disparities. Increasingly, those doing empirical research have sought to quantify the health effects of social policies by exploiting variation in the timing of policy changes across places. Multiple social policies are often adopted simultaneously or in close succession in the same locations, creating co-occurrence that must be handled analytically for valid inferences. Although this is a substantial methodological challenge for researchers aiming to isolate social policy effects, only in a limited number of studies have researchers systematically considered analytic solutions within a causal framework or assessed whether these solutions are being adopted. We designated 7 analytic solutions to policy co-occurrence, including efforts to disentangle individual policy effects and efforts to estimate the combined effects of co-occurring policies. We used an existing systematic review of social policies and health to evaluate how often policy co-occurrence is identified as a threat to validity and how often each analytic solution is applied in practice. Of the 55 studies, only in 17 (31%) did authors report checking for any co-occurring policies, although in 36 studies (67%), at least 1 approach was used that helps address policy co-occurrence. The most common approaches were adjusting for measures of co-occurring policies; defining the outcome on subpopulations likely to be affected by the policy of interest (but not other co-occurring policies); and selecting a less-correlated measure of policy exposure. As health research increasingly focuses on policy changes, we must systematically assess policy co-occurrence and apply analytic solutions to strengthen studies on the health effects of social policies.
Identification of a Novel Locus for Gait Speed Decline With Aging: The Long Life Family Study
Authors: Santanasto Adam J , Wojczynski Mary K , Cvejkus Ryan K , Lin Shiow , Wang Lihua , Thyagarajan Bharat , Christensen Kaare , Schupf Nicole , Feitosa Mary F , An Ping , Zmuda Joseph M
Published: June 2021

Background

Gait speed is a powerful indicator of health with aging. Potential genetic contributions to gait speed and its decline with aging are not well defined. We determined the heritability of and potential genetic regions underlying change in gait speed using longitudinal data from 2379 individuals belonging to 509 families in the Long Life Family Study (mean age 64 ± 12, range 30–110 years; 45% men).

Methods

Gait speed was measured over 4 m at baseline and follow-up (7 ± 1 years). Quantitative trait linkage analyses were completed using pedigree-based maximum likelihood methods with logarithm of the odds (LOD) scores greater than 3.0, indicating genome-wide significance. We also performed linkage analysis in the top 10% of families contributing to LOD scores to allow for heterogeneity among families (HLOD). Data were adjusted for age, sex, height, and field center.

Results

At baseline, 26.9% of individuals had “slow” gait speed less than 1.0 m/s (mean: 1.1 ± 0.2 m/s) and gait speed declined at a rate of −0.02 ± 0.03 m/s per year (p < .0001). Baseline and change in gait speed were significantly heritable (h2 = 0.24–0.32, p < .05). We did not find significant evidence for linkage for baseline gait speed; however, we identified a significant locus for change in gait speed on chromosome 16p (LOD = 4.2). A subset of 21 families contributed to this linkage peak (HLOD = 6.83). Association analyses on chromosome 16 showed that the strongest variant resides within the ADCY9 gene.

Conclusion

Further analysis of the chromosome 16 region, and ADCY9 gene, may yield new insight on the biology of mobility decline with aging.
Older Adult’s Marital Status, Conversation Frequency, and Well-Being in Everyday Life
Authors: Ng Yee To , Huo Meng , Han Sae Hwang , Birditt Kira S , Fingerman Karen L
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Marital status contributes to differences in social experiences and well-being in late life. Yet, we know little about the role of conversation in these processes. Drawing on a functionalist perspective and hierarchical compensatory model, this study aimed to understand (a) whether older adults’ marital status is associated with conversation frequency throughout the day, (b) whether contacts with nonspousal ties elicit more conversations among unmarried older adults, and (c) whether conversations exert a stronger effect on mood for unmarried older adults than married older adults.

Method

Adults aged 65+ (N = 272) provided information about their background characteristics and social partners. Across 5–6 days, they completed ecological momentary assessments reporting their social encounters and mood every 3 hr. Concurrently, electronically activated recorders captured 30 s of sound every 7 min. We compared older adults who were married, widowed, and divorced.

Results

Multilevel models revealed that married older adults engaged in more conversations than divorced older adults throughout the day. Contact with friends elicited more conversations for divorced older adults than married older adults. Furthermore, conversations enhanced mood throughout the day, but this effect was more salient for widowed than married older adults.

Discussion

Findings highlight the role of marital status in older adults’ daily conversational experiences and compensatory processes that may occur. Widowed and divorced older adults differed from married older adults in distinct ways. Divorced older adults may compensate for lack of spouse with friends, whereas widowed older adults may benefit emotionally from engaging in conversations.
Use of Home Care Services Reduces Care-Related Strain in Long-Distance Caregivers
Authors: Falzarano Francesca B , Cimarolli Verena , Boerner Kathrin , Siedlecki Karen L , Horowitz Amy
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives

Prior work examining the role of older adult home care service use in alleviating strain in family caregivers has resulted in contradictory findings. However, prior research has been entirely limited to caregivers who live within close geographical proximity to their care recipients. Long-distance caregivers are a unique caregiving subgroup that has remained understudied. Guided by the stress process model, this study examined if the association between primary caregiving stressors (the care recipient’s functional and cognitive status) and secondary stressors (perceived role strains related to work and to other family responsibilities) in long-distance caregivers was mediated by the care recipient’s utilization of home care services.

Research Design and Methods

The sample included 166 long-distance caregivers in the United States who provide and manage care to a community-dwelling care recipient living 2 or more hours away. Participants reported on their care recipient’s cognitive and functional status, perceived interference of caregiving with work and other family responsibilities, and the care recipient’s use of home care services.

Results

Path analyses show that home care use by the care recipient fully mediated the association between care recipients’ functional impairment and caregiver strains (work and family). Furthermore, home care use partially mediated the effects of care recipients’ cognitive impairment on caregiver strains.

Discussion and Implications

Results indicate that the care recipient’s home care service utilization may serve as a protective factor against care-related strain in long-distance caregivers. These findings can be used to inform intervention efforts focused on a family-centered care approach that can be specifically tailored to long-distance caregivers.
Data Processing as an Abuse of Market Power in Multi-Sided Markets – The More Competition-Oriented Approach in the German Federal Supreme Court’s Interim Decision KVR 69/19 – Facebook
Authors: Mackenrodt Mark-Oliver
Published: June 2021

The relationship between competition law and data protection law has been a highly controversial issue following the German Competition Authority’s (Bundeskartellamt, hereinafter ‘Competition Authority’) decision with regard to Facebook’s data processing policy. The Competition Authority’s theory of harm was centered around an exploitative abuse of market power through the imposition of a data processing policy which is in conflict with the data protection rules. In the interim court proceedings, the OLG Düsseldorf criticized the Competition Authority’s decision. The German Federal Supreme Court (Bundesgerichtshof, hereinafter ‘Federal Supreme Court’) upheld the Competition Authority’s decision. However, the Federal Supreme Court did not derive the exploitative abuse primarily from a mere violation of data protection law. Instead, the Court referred to the users’ lack of freedom of choice. The Court developed a modified theory of harm by identifying elements of an exploitative abuse but also of an exclusionary abuse. The Court’s line of argument is more competition-oriented and accounts for the particular economic features of multi-sided markets. In this line of reasoning, an actual violation of the data protection rules is not a necessary prerequisite for finding a violation of competition law.
Growth of Quadratic Forms Under Anosov Subgroups
Authors: Carvajales León
Published: June 2021

Let $\rho :\Gamma \rightarrow \textrm{PSL}_d({\mathbb{K}})$ be a Zariski dense Borel–Anosov representation for ${\mathbb{K}}$ equal to ${\mathbb{R}}$ or ${\mathbb{C}}$. Let $o$ be a form of signature $(p,d-p)$ on ${\mathbb{K}}^d$ (where $0<p<d)$. Let $\textsf{S}^o$ be the corresponding geodesic copy of the Riemannian symmetric space of $\textrm{PSO}(o)$ inside the Riemannian symmetric space of $\textrm{PSL}_d({\mathbb{K}})$. For certain choices of $o$ and every $t$ large enough, we show exponential bounds for the number of $\gamma \in \Gamma $ for which the distance between $\textsf{S}^o$ and $\rho \gamma \cdot \textsf{S}^o$ is smaller than $t$. Under an extra assumption, satisfied for instance when the boundary of $\Gamma $ is connected, we show an asymptotic as $t\rightarrow \infty $ for the counting function relative to a functional in the interior of the dual limit cone.
Longitudinal Assessment of Diagnostic Test Performance Over the Course of Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Smith Rebecca L , Gibson Laura L , Martinez Pamela P , Ke Ruian , Mirza Agha , Conte Madison , Gallagher Nicholas , Conte Abigail , Wang Leyi , Fredrickson Richard , Edmonson Darci C , Baughman Melinda E , Chiu Karen K , Choi Hannah , Jensen Tor W , Scardina Kevin R , Bradley Shannon , Gloss Stacy L , Reinhart Crystal , Yedetore Jagadeesh , Owens Alyssa N , Broach John , Barton Bruce , Lazar Peter , Henness Darcy , Young Todd , Dunnett Alastair , Robinson Matthew L , Mostafa Heba H , Pekosz Andrew , Manabe Yukari C , Heetderks William J , McManus David D , Brooke Christopher B
Published: June 2021

Background

Serial screening is critical for restricting spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by facilitating timely identification of infected individuals to interrupt transmission. Variation in sensitivity of different diagnostic tests at different stages of infection has not been well documented.

Methods

In a longitudinal study of 43 adults newly infected with SARS-CoV-2, all provided daily saliva and nasal swabs for quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Quidel SARS Sofia antigen fluorescent immunoassay (FIA), and live virus culture.

Results

Both RT-qPCR and Quidel SARS Sofia antigen FIA peaked in sensitivity during the period in which live virus was detected in nasal swabs, but sensitivity of RT-qPCR tests rose more rapidly prior to this period. We also found that serial testing multiple times per week increases the sensitivity of antigen tests.

Conclusions

RT-qPCR tests are more effective than antigen tests at identifying infected individuals prior to or early during the infectious period and thus for minimizing forward transmission (given timely results reporting). All tests showed >98% sensitivity for identifying infected individuals if used at least every 3 days. Daily screening using antigen tests can achieve approximately 90% sensitivity for identifying infected individuals while they are viral culture positive.
An in Vitro Study of Constituents Released from Smokeless Tobacco Products into Human Saliva
Authors: Guan Siqi , Bush Lowell , Ji Huihua
Published: June 2021

Smokeless tobacco (ST) products are used worldwide, and consumption is increasing in the USA. Although ST products are considered to occupy a different position on the tobacco product continuum of risk compared to combusted tobacco products, they can still lead to health problems, including cancer, dental problems and changes in heart rate and blood pressure. Therefore, the determination of harmful and potentially harmful constituents released from ST products into human saliva is important. Four certified reference ST products were tested in this study: loose leaf chewing tobacco (3S1), Swedish-style snus (1S4), snus (1S5) and moist snuff (3S3). These certified reference ST products are manufactured for research purposes, not for human consumption. The reference ST products were used in this study because they have been well characterized and are intended and designed to represent commercial ST products. The reference ST products were incubated in human saliva at 37°C with a range of incubation times for the evaluation of constituents released from these products into human saliva. In this study, alkaloids (nicotine and cotinine), tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) (N’-nitrosornicotine and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone) and benzo[α]pyrene (B[α]P) in the reference ST products and saliva samples were determined by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry (GC--MS), gas chromatography--flame ionization detection (GC--FID), or ultra-performance liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC--MS-MS). Our results indicate that the amounts of each constituent released from the reference ST products were altered by the tobacco cut size and product format (pouched or unpouched). The constituents (TSNAs and alkaloids) in moist snuff and loose leaf chewing tobacco were released faster compared to those in Swedish-style snus and snus. B[α]P was only detected in reference moist snuff samples, and only 3.4% of the total B[α]P was released into human saliva after incubation for 60 min, whereas higher percentages of total TSNAs and alkaloids were released at different rates from the four reference ST products.
A new color morph ofCalappa flammea(Herbst, 1794), with implications for the taxonomy ofCalappaWeber, 1795 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Calappidae)
Authors: Vossgaetter Lennart , Larson Paul , Macrander Jason
Published: June 2021

Many species of the brachyuran crabs in the family Calappidae, commonly known as ‘box crabs’ or ‘shame-faced crabs,’ look alike and are difficult to distinguish at various developmental stages based on morphology alone. Some crabs recently collected as a part of the South East Atlantic Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) groundfish surveys were identified as likely members of Calappidae, but could not be determined to species due to their unusual color pattern and size. The use of molecular data in combination with morphometrics suggests that the crabs in question belonged to Calappa flammea (Herbst, 1794). The specimens represent an undescribed unique color morph that deviates from their previous description and should be considered for future identifications. Several ecological factors can cause such color variations in crabs, but further investigation is needed to understand the drivers of the described phenotypic variance in C. flammea.
Carotid artery stenting assisted with intravascular ultrasonography for isolated spontaneous common carotid artery dissection
Authors: Sanada Takahiro , Wada Hajime , Sato Hirotaka , Shirai Wakako , Kinoshita Manabu , Tokumitsu Naoki
Published: June 2021

Isolated spontaneous common carotid artery (CCA) dissection is extremely rare. Moreover, only a few case reports for isolated spontaneous CCA dissection treated with carotid artery stenting (CAS) can be found so far. Here, the authors report a case where intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) provided valuable information about lesion evaluation, stent selection and stent placement during CAS for isolated CCA dissection. A 69-year-old male was diagnosed with an isolated spontaneous left CCA dissection. CAS assisted with IVUS was performed to prevent further dissection and cerebral infarction recurrence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of an isolated spontaneous CCA dissection treated with CAS assisted by IVUS. CAS assisted by IVUS may be an effective treatment option to prevent intraoperative complications and further stroke recurrence for isolated spontaneous CCA dissection.
The first annotated corpus of historical Basque
Authors: Estarrona Ainara , Etxeberria Izaskun , Soraluze Ander , Etxepare Ricardo , Padilla-Moyano Manuel
Published: June 2021

This article presents the elaboration of a morphosyntactically annotated diachronic corpus of Basque, and the first results obtained in the processing of historical varieties of this language with computational techniques. The corpus size is around one million words, expanding from the 15th to the mid-18th century and encompassing the most significant written production in all historical dialects. Morphosyntactic tagging allows for systematic searches at different levels of complexity; additionally, a rich set of metadata enables searches based on sociohistorical criteria too. This is not only the first tagged corpus of historical Basque but also a means to improve language processing tools by analyzing historical varieties more or less distant from the present-day standard language. Moreover, this project aims to set a model for further works in the historical corpora of Basque and inform similar projects on other languages.
FINER: enhancing the prediction of tissue-specific functions of isoforms by refining isoform interaction networks
Authors: Chen Hao , Shaw Dipan , Bu Dongbo , Jiang Tao
Published: June 2021

Annotating the functions of gene products is a mainstay in biology. A variety of databases have been established to record functional knowledge at the gene level. However, functional annotations at the isoform resolution are in great demand in many biological applications. Although critical information in biological processes such as protein–protein interactions (PPIs) is often used to study gene functions, it does not directly help differentiate the functions of isoforms, as the ‘proteins’ in the existing PPIs generally refer to ‘genes’. On the other hand, the prediction of isoform functions and prediction of isoform–isoform interactions, though inherently intertwined, have so far been treated as independent computational problems in the literature. Here, we present FINER, a unified framework to jointly predict isoform functions and refine PPIs from the gene level to the isoform level, enabling both tasks to benefit from each other. Extensive computational experiments on human tissue-specific data demonstrate that FINER is able to gain at least 5.16% in AUC and 15.1% in AUPRC for functional prediction across multiple tissues by refining noisy PPIs, resulting in significant improvement over the state-of-the-art methods. Some in-depth analyses reveal consistency between FINER’s predictions and the tissue specificity as well as subcellular localization of isoforms.
Clinical characterization of adult medulloblastoma and the effect of first-line therapies on outcome; The MD Anderson Cancer Center experience
Authors: Majd Nazanin K , Mastall Maximilan , Lin Heather , Dibaj Seyede Shiva , Hess Kenneth R , Yuan Ying , Garcia Manuela Martin-Bejarano , Fuller Gregory N , Alfaro Kristin D , Gule-Monroe Maria K , Huse Jason T , Khatua Soumen , Rao Ganesh , Sandberg David I , Wefel Jeffrey S , Yeboa Debra N , Paulino Arnold C , McGovern Susan L , Zaky Wafik , Mahajan Anita , Suki Dima , Weathers Shiao-Pei , Harriso Rebecca A , De Groo John F , Puduvalli Vinay K , Penas-Prado Marta
Published: June 2021

Background

Adult medulloblastoma (MB) is rare, and management guidelines are largely based on pediatric clinical trials and retrospective series. Limited data exist with respect to clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and outcomes based on first-line treatments.

Methods

Two hundred adults with MB seen at a single institution from January 1978 to April 2017 were identified and followed for a median of 8.4 y (7.1, 10.3).

Results

Patient’s median age at diagnosis was 29 y (18, 63). One hundred eleven (55.5%) were standard-risk, 59 (29.5%) were high-risk, and 30 (15.0%) were indeterminate. Most received post-operative radiation (RT) (184 [92.0%]), and 105 (52.5%) received first-line chemotherapy. Median overall survival (OS) was 8.8 y (7.2, 12.2) and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.6 y (4.9, 11.2). High-risk patients had inferior OS (Hazard ratio [HR] = 2.5 [1.5, 4.2], P = .0006) and PFS (HR = 2.3 [1.3, 3.9], P = .002) compared to standard-risk patients. Age, sex, and metastatic disease were not associated with survival. After adjusting for risk status, those who received RT plus adjuvant chemotherapy had superior PFS compared to RT plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy [HR = 0.46 (0.22, 0.95), P = .0357]. Within a subgroup for whom detailed clinical data were available, those who received RT plus adjuvant chemotherapy had improved PFS compared to RT only [HR = 0.24 (0.074–0.76), P = .016]. The substitution of cisplatin for carboplatin and the elimination of vincristine did not negatively affect outcomes.

Conclusion

This is the largest single-institution retrospective study of adult MB to our knowledge and identifies standard-risk status, first-line RT and adjuvant chemotherapy as factors associated with improved outcomes.
Relational Autonomy
Authors: Mackenzie Catriona
Published: June 2021

This chapter offers an account of central issues and themes in feminist philosophical reflections on relational autonomy. Relational theories of autonomy explicate the social dimensions of personal autonomy, as well as the ways its development and exercise can be impaired by social oppression. The chapter outlines debates between internalist and externalist, and procedural and substantive theories of relational autonomy, including discussion of important contributions to these debates over the last two decades. It proposes that a multidimensional analysis of autonomy offers a possible resolution to these debates. Specifically, the chapter argues for the importance of distinguishing self-determination, self-governance, and self-authorization as distinct although causally interacting dimensions of relational autonomy. The advantage of a multidimensional analysis of autonomy is that it does justice to the complexity of the concept, while also clarifying the multifarious ways in which social oppression can impair autonomy.
Queer Theory
Authors: Salamon Gayle
Published: June 2021

This chapter offers an account of central issues and themes in queer theory, with particular attention to the challenges it has posed to the concepts of normativity, identity, and the category of “woman.” It explores queer theory’s emergence from lesbian and gay studies, and considers its relation to feminist philosophy and trans theory. The chapter outlines the founding contributions of Judith Butler and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, along with several other influential queer theorists, and traces the concept of heteronormativity from its central place in queer theory’s earliest works to more recent reconsiderations.
Rose (Rosa hybrida) Ethylene Responsive Factor 3 Promotes Rose Flower Senescence via Direct Activation of the Abscisic Acid Synthesis–Related 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE Gene
Authors: Luo Jing , Chen Sijia , Cao Shenghai , Zhang Tong , Li Ruirui , Chan Zhu Long , Wang Caiyun
Published: June 2021

During plant senescence, energy and nutrients are transferred to young leaves, fruits or seeds. However, senescence reduces flower quality, which leads to huge economic losses in flower production. Ethylene is an important factor affecting the quality of cut roses during transportation and storage. Ethylene-responsive factors (ERFs) are key nodes in ethylene signaling, but the molecular mechanism underlying ERFs regulated flower senescence is not well understood. We addressed this issue in the present study by focusing on RhERF3 from Rosa hybrida, an ERF identified in a previous transcriptome analysis of ethylene-treated rose flowers. Expression of RhERF3 was strongly induced by ethylene during rose flower senescence. Transient silencing of RhERF3 delayed flower senescence, whereas overexpression (OE) accelerated the process. RNA sequencing analysis of RhERF3 OE and pSuper vector control samples identified 13,214 differentially expressed genes that were mostly related to metabolic process and plant hormone signal transduction. Transient activation and yeast one-hybrid assays demonstrated that RhERF3 directly bound the promoter of the 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (RhNCED1) gene and activated gene expression. Thus, a RhERF3/RhNCED1 axis accelerates rose flower senescence.
Triacylglycerol remodeling in Physaria fendleri indicates oil accumulation is dynamic and not a metabolic endpoint
Authors: Bhandari Sajina , Bates Philip D.
Published: June 2021

Oilseed plants accumulate triacylglycerol (TAG) up to 80% of seed weight with the TAG fatty acid composition determining its nutritional value or use in the biofuel or chemical industries. Two major pathways for production of diacylglycerol (DAG), the immediate precursor to TAG, have been identified in plants: de novo DAG synthesis and conversion of the membrane lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC) to DAG, with each pathway producing distinct TAG compositions. However, neither pathway fits with previous biochemical and transcriptomic results from developing Physaria fendleri seeds for accumulation of TAG containing >60% lesquerolic acid (an unusual 20 carbon hydroxylated fatty acid), which accumulates at only the sn-1 and sn-3 positions of TAG. Isotopic tracing of developing P. fendleri seed lipid metabolism identified that PC-derived DAG is utilized to initially produce TAG with only one lesquerolic acid. Subsequently a nonhydroxylated fatty acid is removed from TAG (transiently reproducing DAG) and a second lesquerolic acid is incorporated. Thus, a dynamic TAG remodeling process involving anabolic and catabolic reactions controls the final TAG fatty acid composition. Reinterpretation of P. fendleri transcriptomic data identified potential genes involved in TAG remodeling that could provide a new approach for oilseed engineering by altering oil fatty acid composition after initial TAG synthesis; and the comparison of current results to that of related Brassicaceae species in the literature suggests the possibility of TAG remodeling involved in incorporation of very long-chain fatty acids into the TAG sn-1 position in various plants.
The vulnerable in time of pandemic: toward a preferential option for the vulnerable and marginalized
Authors: Corpuz Jeff Clyde G
Published: June 2021

The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on certain populations has highlighted numerous inequities and injustices in our world. In considering the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, an inclusive approach is not only a humanitarian approach but also a global public health imperative. The rights of the most vulnerable groups, such as women, youth, indigenous people and persons with disabilities and with co-morbidity, among others need to be protected.
From anxious loneliness to meditation: a mental health self-care strategy to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Deguma Melona C , Lumayag Charisma G , Villaganas Mary Anne C , Delos Reyes Niña Rozanne T , Deguma Jabin J
Published: June 2021

It has been a matter of public knowledge that physical and mental health are intertwining concerns. With a high association between the individuals’ experience of the novel Corona Virus Disease in 2019 (COVID-19) and their psychological distress, mental health experts recognized mental health as a coterminous public health concern with the COVID-19 pandemic. In this journal, a systematic review study pointed out that mental health is the most affected issue concerning implementing governments worldwide adopted policies like staying at home, social distancing and ‘lockdown’ measures. However, we argue that these containment measures could be non-detrimental to mental health when one transforms his or her experience of anxious loneliness into an avenue of practicing meditation as a strategy of mental health self-care.