bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential taphonomic effects of petroleum seeps and karstic sinkholes on ancient dire wolf teeth: Hydrocarbon impregnation preserves fossils for chemical and histological analysis
Authors: Sholts Sabrina B. , Hlusko Leslea J. , Carlson Joshua P. , Wärmländer Sebastian K. T. S.
Published: January 2021

Histological analysis of teeth can yield information on an organism’s growth and development, facilitating investigations of diet, health, environment, and long-term responses to selective pressures. In the Americas, an extraordinary abundance of Late Pleistocene fossils including teeth has been preserved in petroleum seeps, constituting a major source of information about biotic changes and adaptations at the end of the last glacial period. However, the usefulness of these fossils for histological studies is unclear, due to the unknown taphonomic effects of long-term deposition in petroleum. Here, we compare histological and chemical analyses on dire wolf (Canis dirus) teeth obtained from two different environments, i.e. a petroleum seep (Rancho La Brea tar pits, California) and a carstic sinkhole (Cutler Hammock sinkhole, Florida). Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed excellent preservation of dental microstructure in the seep sample, and the petroleum-induced discoloration was found not to interfere with the histological and chemical examination. By comparison, teeth from the sinkhole sample showed severe degradation and contamination of the dentine by exogenous substances. These results indicate that petroleum seep assemblages are useful, or even ideal, environments for preserving the integrity of fossil material for chemical and histological analysis.
Coronavirus-19 and coagulopathy: A Systematic Review [COVID-COAG]
Authors: Lee Stephanie G , Fralick Michael , Tang Grace , Tse Brandon , Kreuziger Lisa Baumann , Cushman Mary , Juni Peter , Sholzberg Michelle
Published: January 2021

Background

Understanding the association between Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and coagulopathy may assist clinical prognostication, and influence treatment and outcomes. We aimed to systematically describe the relationship between hemostatic laboratory parameters and important clinical outcomes among adults with COVID-19.

Methods

A systematic review of randomized clinical trials, observational studies and case series published in PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, and CENTRAL from December 1, 2019 to March 25, 2020. Studies of adult patients with COVID-19 that reported at least one hemostatic laboratory parameter were included.

Results

Data were extracted from 57 studies (N=12,050 patients) that met inclusion criteria. The average age of patients was 52 years and 45% were women. Of the included studies, 92.7% (N=38/41 studies) reported an average platelet count ≥ 150 × 109/L, 68.2% (N=15/22 studies) reported an average prothrombin time (PT) between 11-14 s, 55% (N=11/20 studies) reported an average activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) between 25-35 s, and 34.4% (N=11/32 studies) reported a D-dimer concentration above the upper limit of normal (ULN). Eight studies (7 cohorts and 1 case series) reported hemostatic lab values for survivors versus non-survivors. Among non-survivors, D-dimer concentrations were reported in 4 studies and all reported an average above the ULN.

Interpretation

Most patients had a normal platelet count, elevated D-dimer, PT and aPTT values in the upper reference interval; D-dimer elevation appeared to correlate with poor outcomes. Further studies are needed to better correlate these hemostatic parameters with the risk of adverse outcomes such as thrombosis and bleeding.
High-throughput tandem-microwell assay for ammonia repositions FDA-Approved drugs to Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: Liu Fan , Yu Jing , Zhang Yan-Xia , Li Fangzheng , Liu Qi , Zhou Yueyang , Huang Shengshuo , Fang Houqin , Xiao Zhuping , Liao Lujian , Xu Jinyi , Wu Xin-Yan , Wu Fang
Published: January 2021

To date, little attempt has been made to develop new treatments for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), although the community is aware of the shortage of treatments for H. pylori. In this study, we developed a 192-tandem-microwell-based high-throughput-assay for ammonia that is a known virulence factor of H. pylori and a product of urease. We could identify few drugs, i.e. panobinostat, dacinostat, ebselen, captan and disulfiram, to potently inhibit the activity of ureases from bacterial or plant species. These inhibitors suppress the activity of urease via substrate-competitive or covalent-allosteric mechanism, but all except captan prevent the antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strain from infecting human gastric cells, with a more pronounced effect than acetohydroxamic acid, a well-known urease inhibitor and clinically used drug for the treatment of bacterial infection. This study offers several bases for the development of new treatments for urease-containing pathogens and to study the mechanism responsible for the regulation of urease activity.
Detection of ɣ‐hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and ɣ‐butyrolactone (GBL) in alcoholic beverages via total vaporization solid‐phase microextraction (TV‐SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Authors: Davis Kymeri E. , Hickey Logan D. , Goodpaster John V.
Published: January 2021

Total Vaporization Solid‐Phase Microextraction (TV‐SPME) relies on the same technique as standard SPME but completely vaporizes a sample extract, and analytes are sorbed directly from the vapor phase. On‐fiber derivatization may also be performed using TV‐SPME, where the fiber is first exposed to the headspace of a vial containing the derivatization agent, then exposed to a new vial containing the sample. ɣ‐Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and ɣ‐butyrolactone (GBL) are drugs of concern in that they may be used in drug facilitated sexual assault by surreptitiously spiking them into a victim's beverage. These drugs cause sedation, memory loss, and are difficult to detect in biological samples. One challenge in their analysis is that they can interconvert in aqueous samples, which was demonstrated in samples allowed to stand at room temperature for long periods. A volume study of GBL in water was performed with volumes ranging from 1 to 10,000 µl to compare the efficacy of TV‐SPME, headspace SPME, and immersion SPME. Lastly, water, beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks were spiked with either GHB or GBL with realistic concentrations (mg/ml) and microliter quantities were analyzed using a TV‐SPME Gas Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry method. The GBL volume study demonstrated an increased sensitivity in GBL detection when TV‐SPME was utilized. Additionally, GHB and GBL were identified in various beverages at realistic concentrations. Overall, TV‐SPME is beneficial because it requires no sample preparation and uses smaller sample volumes than immersion and headspace SPME.
Physical and biological drivers of pelagic fish distribution at high spatial resolution in two Patagonian Gulfs
Authors: Luzenti Elvio Agustín , Svendsen Guillermo Martín , Degrati Mariana , Curcio Nadia Soledad , González Raúl Alberto , Dans Silvana Laura
Published: January 2021

The North Patagonian gulfs, Argentina, support an important population of small pelagic fish (SPF) that play a key role in the marine ecosystem. Here, we assessed the seasonal SPF distribution in Nuevo gulf and San Matías Gulf concerning several environmental variables and the nautical area scattering coefficient (NASC) of Munida gregaria using generalized additive models (GAMs). We collected biological data by a 38/200 kHz echosounder along zigzag transects in all four seasons. The echoes of fish were separated from other targets using a dB difference algorithm. Then, we calculated the mean NASC of pelagic fishes every 0.5 nm. Satellite‐derived data were used to characterize the environment at study sites. GAMs were built in two stages for each gulf considering all season in a single model in one hand, and each season separately in the other one. In the first stage, we modeled the probability of presence as a function of predictors. In the second stage, we used the NASC of fish as the response for presence data only. In general terms, the probability of fish presence increases with bottom depth, and the fish density was higher in cold waters and zones with higher chlorophyll‐a concentration. The relative importance of the variables was different according to the season. The formation and rupture of the thermocline and its subsequent spatial heterogeneity observed in spring and autumn could be important drivers of SPF distribution. Squat lobsters’ distributions related positively with SPF in San Matías Gulf summer and negatively in Nuevo Gulf summer.
Identification of thalassemia gene cluster deletion by long‐read whole‐genome sequencing (LR‐WGS)
Authors: Jiang Fan , Lyu Gui‐Zhen , Zhang Victor Wei , Li Dong‐Zhi
Published: January 2021

Introduction

At present, a variety of molecular detection methods are obtained to diagnose thalassemia accurately. Although exome sequencing or specific panels have been widely used in clinical diagnosis of genetic diseases, the positive rate is about 25%‐30%. Because the detection range is limited to exons and splice sites, and the read length is usually 100‐150 bp, there are limitations in the detection of globin gene clusters with pseudogenes.

Methods

In this study, seven thalassemia patients were selected to perform whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) with long read at 400 bp to make accurate detection for thalassemia deletions. And we used PCR and Sanger sequencing to confirm the gene deletions in the patients.

Results

WGS analysis detected a rare 172 kb deletion on the α‐globin gene cluster at chr16: 57 009‐330 001, 19 kb deletion at chr16: 215 396‐234 699, 11 kb deletion at chr16:220 861‐231 981; and 27 kb deletion on the β‐globin gene deletion at chr11: 5 222 878‐5 250 288, 21.4 kb deletion at chr11: 5 236 361‐5 257 771, 78.9 kb deletion at chr11: 5 191 121‐5 270 050. All the seven patients carried heterozygous deletions, including three in α‐gene cluster, three in β‐gene cluster, and one in both globin clusters.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that long‐read WGS will be beneficial to the diagnosis of genetic diseases with pseudogenes or highly duplicated sequences and will enable clinical geneticists to inform high‐risk couples and provide prenatal diagnosis.
Management of Open Calcaneal Fractures with Medial Wounds by One‐Stage Sequential Reduction and Frame Structure Fixation Using Percutaneous Kirschner Wires
Authors: Gao Xu , Fan Hai‐yu , Huang Rui , Sui Yong‐qiang , Li Fei , Yin Hai‐lei
Published: January 2021

Objective

To assess the clinical outcomes of open calcaneal fractures with medial wounds treated with one‐stage management, including early modern wound care, sequential reduction, and frame structure fixation using percutaneous Kirschner wires.

Methods

A total of 19 patients with open calcaneal fractures admitted to our hospital from May 2016 to March 2019 were selected in this study. Twelve type‐II and seven type‐IIIA medial open injuries were identified according to the classification of Gustilo and Anderson. Fractures were stratified by Sanders classification, including nine type‐II fractures, seven type‐III fractures, and three type‐IV fractures. All patients accepted one‐stage irrigation and debridement, sequential reduction of calcaneal fractures through the open medial wound, percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation, and primary closure of wounds covered with vacuum‐assisted closure (VAC) device. The Bohler angle, the Gissane angle, and the width of the calcaneus were compared before and after surgery. The functional results were evaluated according to the Paley and Hall score system, visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle and hindfoot score, Maryland Foot Score, and related complications.

Results

The follow‐up duration for all patients ranged from 14 to 28 months (mean, 22.7 months). The angle of Bohler and Giasane was increased from (−7.6° ± 15.0°) and (96.6° ± 7.6°) before surgery to (23.7° ± 6.1°) and (124.1° ± 7.1°) postoperatively (P < 0.05), respectively. Three cases of superficial infection and two cases of wound dehiscence were observed in our study, which were then successfully treated with wound debridement, VAC replacement, appropriate use of antibiotics, and delayed closure. The last follow‐up revealed three cases of lateral wall expansion and six cases of mild‐to‐moderate subtalar arthritis based on the Paley and Hall scoring system. According to the AOFAS ankle and hindfoot score, one case showed excellent results, 14 cases exhibited good results, and four cases displayed fair results, with the mean of 80.7 ± 6.7 points (range, 70–90). The Maryland Foot Score revealed one case of excellent outcomes, nine cases of good outcomes, and nine cases of fair outcomes with an average of 76.8 ± 8.6 points (range, 62–90). The mean VAS for pain was 1.8 ± 1.5 (range, 0–5), and a total of 14 patients complained of mild‐to‐moderate pain when walking for a more extended period. Severe complications, such as deep infection, osteomyelitis, and soft tissue necrosis, were not observed during follow‐up.

Conclusions

Collectively, one‐stage management allowed the direct restoration of calcaneal morphology with a minimal invasion of soft tissues in most open calcaneal fractures with medial wounds, and the functional outcomes were comparable to previous data.
Clinical efficacy of sublingual allergen‐specific immunotherapy in 22 cats with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Foj Rubén , Carrasco Isaac , Clemente Federica , Scarampella Fabia , Calvet Anna , Prats Ana , Vivancos Susana , Brazís Pilar , Puigdemont Anna
Published: January 2021

Background

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been deployed in humans and dogs; to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no published studies about the use of SLIT in cats.

Objectives

Evaluate the clinical efficacy of SLIT in atopic cats sensitized to dust and storage mites, assessing immunological changes associated with SLIT treatment.

Animals

Twenty‐two client‐owned cats with clinical signs compatible with feline atopic dermatitis (fAD) and serum allergen‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E against house dust and storage mites.

Methods and materials

Prospective, multicentre, open‐label clinical trial. Individualized mite‐specific SLIT was administered orally for 12 months. All cats underwent clinical examination to record SCORing feline allergic dermatitis (SCORFAD), pruritus Visual Analog Scale (pVAS) and serum allergen‐specific IgE and IgG, every three months for 12 months.

Results

Sixteen of 22 cats (73%) completed the study and three of six cats withdrawn from the study were included in an intention‐to‐treat analysis. SCORFAD and pVAS values decreased significantly from baseline (T0) to the third month of treatment (P = 0.0004 and P = 0.0013, respectively), with median total values ranging from 19 (6–44) (T0) to 2.5 (0–17) (T12) (P = 0.0001), and from 8 (6–10) (T0) to 2.3 (0–8) (T12) (P = 0.0001), respectively. Allergen‐specific IgE values decreased significantly from the ninth month (T9) of treatment (P = 0.0032), with median scores decreasing from 56 (12–729) (T0) to 34 (0–158) (T12) (P = 0.0208). No significant differences in allergen‐specific IgG values were observed throughout the study. No adverse effects related to the use of SLIT were reported.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Sublingual immunotherapy should be considered a rapid, effective, safe and well‐tolerated treatment in cats with feline atopic dermatitis fAD.
A PolyQ Membrane Protein of Vibrio cholerae Acts as the Receptor for Phage Infection
Authors: Fan Fenxia , Li Zhenpeng , Wang Jiazheng , Diao Baowei , Liang Weili , Kan Biao
Published: January 2021

Receptor recognition and binding by bacteriophage are the first step for its infection of bacterial cells. In this study, we found theVibrio choleraesubtyping phage VP1 uses a polyQ protein named VcpQ (V. choleraepolyQ protein) as the receptor for VP1 infection.
Draft Genome Sequences of Four
Citrobacter
Isolates Recovered from Wild Australian Shorebirds
Authors: Smith Hannah G. P. , Bean David C. , Pitchers William , Valcanis Mary , Clarke Rohan H. , Loyn Richard , Hassell Chris J. , Greenhill Andrew R.
Published: January 2021

Citrobacter
is a ubiquitous bacterial genus whose members inhabit a variety of niches. Some species are clinically important for both antimicrobial resistance (AMR) carriage and as the cause of nosocomial infections. Surveillance of
Citrobacter
species in the environment can provide indicators of the spread of AMR genes outside clinical spaces. In this study, we present draft genome sequences of four
Citrobacter
isolates obtained from three species of wild Australian shorebirds.
Complete Genome Sequence ofRehmannia Mosaic VirusInfecting Rehmannia glutinosa in Japan
Authors: Komiyama Naoki , Sakuta Kohei , Mikage Masayuki , Shinohara Hirosuke , Iwanami Toru , Negishi Hiromitsu , Kim Ok-Kyung
Published: January 2021

The complete genome sequence of isolate Jiou of rehmannia mosaic virus (ReMV) infectingRehmannia glutinosain Japan was obtained via Sanger sequencing. Isolate Jiou shared high nucleotide sequence identity (>94%) with other known ReMV isolates.
Chromosome-Level Aspergillus flavus Strain CA14 Genome Assembly
Authors: Weaver Mark A. , Mack Brian M. , Gilbert Matthew K.
Published: January 2021

We report here a chromosome-level genome assembly of the aflatoxigenic fungus
Aspergillus flavus
strain CA14. This strain is the basis for numerous studies in fungal physiology and secondary metabolism. This full-length assembly will aid in subsequent genomics research.
Complete Genome Sequences of Three Listeria monocytogenes Bacteriophage Propagation Strains
Authors: Hudson Lauren K. , Peters Tracey Lee , Bryan Daniel W. , Song Yaxiong , den Bakker Henk C. , Denes Thomas G.
Published: January 2021

Bacteriophages can be used as a biocontrol for the foodborne pathogen
Listeria monocytogenes
. Propagation of phages is a necessary step for their use in experimental studies and biocontrol applications. Here, we present the complete genomes of three
Listeria monocytogenes
strains commonly used as propagation hosts for
Listeria
phages.
Genome Sequence of Hymenobacter polaris RP-2-7
T
, Isolated from Arctic Soil
Authors: Sundararaman Aravind , Dahal Ram Hari , Kim Dong-Uk , Kim Jaisoo , Upadhyaya Jitendra , Hong Yongseok , Chaudhary Dhiraj Kumar
Published: January 2021

Hymenobacter polaris
RP-2-7
T
was isolated from soil from the Arctic region. This study presents the genome sequence of
Hymenobacter polaris
RP-2-7
T
, generated using the Illumina HiSeq platform. The genome size is 5,587,174 bp; it contains 4,721 genes and has 62.8 mol% DNA G+C content.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Rhabdovirus Strain from
Culex
Mosquitos Collected in Southern Switzerland
Authors: Kubacki Jakub , Hardmeier Isabelle , Qi Weihong , Flacio Eleonora , Tonolla Mauro , Fraefel Cornel
Published: January 2021

We report here the full-length genome sequence of a rhabdovirus strain detected in a pool of 21
Culex pipiens
and
Culex torrentium
mosquitos collected in southern Switzerland. The genome has a length of 11,914 nucleotides and encodes five major putative open reading frames.
Genome Sequence of a Dengue Virus Serotype 2 Strain Identified during the 2019 Outbreak in Bangladesh
Authors: Malaker Roly , Sajib Mohammad S. I. , Malaker Apurba R. , Rahman Hafizur , Hooda Yogesh , Hasanuzzaman Md , Saha Samir K. , Saha Senjuti
Published: January 2021

A nearly complete genome sequence of a dengue virus serotype 2 strain detected in the serum of a patient in 2019 during the largest outbreak of dengue fever in Bangladesh is reported.
Coding-Complete Genome Sequence of
Avian orthoavulavirus 16
, Isolated from Emperor Goose (Anser canagicus) Feces, Alaska, USA
Authors: Reeves Andrew B. , Killian Mary Lea , Tanner Michael E. , Lagassé Benjamin J. , Ramey Andrew M. , Stallknecht David E. , Poulson Rebecca L.
Published: January 2021

We sequenced the coding-complete genome of an avian orthoavulavirus serotype 16 (AOAV-16) isolate recovered from emperor goose (
Anser canagicus
) feces collected in Alaska. The detection of AOAV-16 in North America and genomic sequencing of the resultant isolate confirms that the geographic distribution of this virus extends beyond Asia.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Streptomyces
Phage Spernnie
Authors: Tate Nathaniel , Melbern Loraine , Clark James , Hernandez Isla , Liu Mei , Burrowes Ben
Published: January 2021

Streptomyces
spp. are Gram-positive soil bacteria that have been reported in some cases to cause acute and chronic infections, including mycetomas, pneumonia, and septicemia. Here, we present
Streptomyces
sp. strain Mg1 phage Spernnie. Spernnie is a temperate siphophage containing 89 predicted coding genes in a 50,834-bp genome sequence.
Association of US state policy orientation with adverse birth outcomes: a longitudinal analysis
Authors: Riley Alicia R , Collin Daniel , Grumbach Jacob M , Torres Jacqueline M , Hamad Rita
Published: January 2021

Background

The current US context is marked by extreme right–left partisanship, which means that state policies tend to bundle together and are not experienced in isolation. While prior work has leveraged abrupt shifts in single policies to examine the effects of state policy on birth outcomes, we examined a holistic measure that captures political polarisation.

Methods

Data were drawn from national birth certificates for 2003–2017 (N=56 770 470). Outcomes included preterm birth, low birth weight, small-for-gestational age and other perinatal health measures. The primary exposure was a composite index of right–left state policy orientation, generated from historical data on 135 state policies. Multivariable regressions were used to estimate the association between state policy orientation and each outcome, adjusting for relevant covariates.

Results

Compared with infants born in states with right-leaning policy orientations, those born in left-leaning states had lower odds of adverse birth outcomes (eg, low birth weight: OR 0.95 (0.93, 0.97), preterm birth: OR 0.94 (0.92, 0.95)). Subgroup analyses revealed stronger associations for US-born and White mothers. With the inclusion of state fixed effects, left-leaning policy orientation was no longer associated with lower odds of adverse birth outcomes. Models were otherwise robust to alternative specifications.

Conclusion

While left-leaning state policy orientation has protective associations with a range of birth outcomes, the associations may be explained by stable characteristics of states, at least during the study period. Future studies should examine state policy orientation in association with other health outcomes and study periods.
Effects of deposition parameters on properties of high resistance CrSi-based thin-film resistors
Authors: Tseng Hsien-Wei , Feng David Jui-Yang , Li Chi-Lun , Yang Cheng-Fu
Published: January 2021

Cr is a metal with lower resistivity (as compared with Si) and positive temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR value) and Si is a semiconductive material with higher resistivity and negative TCR value. For that, the commercial-grade targets of 28 wt.% Cr-72 wt.% Si, 40 wt.% Cr-60 wt.% Si and 55 wt.% Cr-45 wt.% Si were used to deposit the thin-film materials using sputtering method at the same parameters, and their physical and electrical properties were measured and compared under different deposition powers. The crystallization and the surface morphology of the CrSi-based thin-film resistors were measured using X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). In order to find the effect of deposition power on the average atomic ratio of Cr and Si, the elemental ratios were also measured as a function of deposition power for different CrSi-based targets by FESEM equipped with Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for elemental Cr and Si. The effects of Cr concentration and deposition power on the sheet resistances, resistivity and TCR values of the deposited CrSi-based thin-film resistors were also well measured and compared, and the reasons to cause the variations of resistivity and TCR values were also investigated and discussed.
FAOD: Fast Automatic Option Discovery in Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Koudad Zoulikha
Published: January 2021

The hierarchical reinforcement learning framework breaks down the reinforcement learning problem into subtasks or extended actions called options in order to facilitate its resolution. Different models have been proposed where options were manually predefined or semi-automatically discovered. However, the automatic discovery of options has become a real challenge for research in hierarchical reinforcement learning and the new proposed approaches are very greedy in learning time or space. Thus we opt for a faster and less consuming approach. In this paper we propose an automatic option discovery method for hierarchical reinforcement learning, that we call FAOD (Fast Automatic Option Discovery). We take inspiration from robot learning methods to categorize the sensorimotor flow during navigation. Here, the agent moves along the walls to discover the rooms’ contour, closed spaces, doors and bottleneck regions to define terminate states for options. The FAOD method is evaluated on different classical maze problems, demonstrating fast and promising results.
Hardware Trojan Attack in Embedded Memory
Authors: Wang Xinmu , Hoque Tamzidul , Basak Abhishek , Karam Robert , Hu Wei , Qin Maoyuan , Mu Dejun , Bhunia Swarup
Published: January 2021

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) is a core technology for building computing hardware, including cache memory, register files and field programmable gate array devices. Hence, SRAM reliability is essential to guarantee dependable computing. While significant research has been conducted to develop automated test algorithms for detecting manufacture-induced SRAM faults, they cannot ensure detection of faults
deliberately implemented
in the SRAM array by untrusted parties in the integrated circuit development flow. Indeed, such hardware Trojan attacks represent an emerging security threat. While a growing body of research addresses Trojan designs in logic circuits, little research has explored hardware Trojan attacks in embedded memory arrays [20]. In this article, we propose a new class of hardware Trojans targeting embedded SRAM arrays. The Trojans are designed to evade industry standard post-manufacturing tests while enabling attacks targeting various system hardware components during deployment. Transistor-level simulation results demonstrate minimal impact on SRAM power, performance, and stability while Trojans are not activated. We also prove the feasibility of Trojan insertion in foundries by showing the proposed layouts that preserve the SRAM cell footprint and incur zero silicon area overhead. Finally, we elaborate on several system-level attacks that can leverage these Trojans to compromise security and privacy.
Levitation and Self-Organization of Droplets
Authors: Ajaev Vladimir S. , Kabov Oleg A.
Published: January 2021

We review studies of levitating droplets over liquid–gas interfaces and dry solid surfaces with a focus on the physical mechanisms of levitation under different conditions. A fascinating physical phenomenon of self-organization of levitating droplets into large arrays is described and explanations for this unusual behavior are reviewed. Closely related topics of nonisothermal flotation and levitation of evaporating droplets over a pool of nonvolatile liquid, as well as recent advances in the study of the Leidenfrost effect, are also discussed.
Global Finite-Time and Fixed-Time Synchronization for Discontinuous Complex Dynamical Networks with Semi-Markovian Switching and Mixed Delays
Authors: Yu Lina , Zhang Jingchao , Ma Yunfei , Tan Xinhua , Wang Chunwei
Published: January 2021

This paper is concerned with the global finite-time and fixed-time synchronization for a class of discontinuous complex dynamical networks with semi-Markovian switching and mixed time-varying delays. The novel state-feedback controllers, which include integral terms and discontinuous facts, are designed to realize the global synchronization between the drive system and response system. By applying the Lyapunov functional method and matrix inequality analysis technique, the global finite-time and fixed-time synchronization conditions are addressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed control scheme and the validity of theoretical results.
Effect of Dry‐Wet Cycles and Freeze‐Thaw Cycles on the Antierosion Ability of Fiber‐Reinforced Loess
Authors: Yan Changgen , An Ning , Wang Yachong , Sun Weifeng
Published: January 2021

Compared with plain soil, polypropylene (PP) fiber‐reinforced soil has markedly improved mechanical properties and can be used in slope protection projects. To investigate the reduction law of the antierosion ability parameters of PP fiber‐reinforced loess under dry‐wet (D‐W) cycles and freeze‐thaw (F‐T) cycles, we took loess from Yan’an, China, mixed them with PP fiber, and did shear strength tests, disintegration tests, and permeability tests under D‐W cycles and F‐T cycles. The experimental results show that D‐W cycles or F‐T  cycles had a less deteriorating effect on the cohesion, disintegration rate, and permeability coefficient of the fiber‐reinforced samples than on plain loess; however, the reduction in their internal friction angle was more obvious. Under D‐W cycles or F‐T cycles, the cohesion and internal friction angle of the reinforced soil decreased as the number of cycles increased, while the disintegration rate and permeability coefficient increased as the number of cycles increased. The relation between the reduction in the antierosion ability parameters of reinforced soil and the number of D‐W cycles or F‐T cycles accorded with the hyperbolic function fitting results. The most obvious reduction effect the D‐W cycles had on the reinforced soil was on the disintegration rate, followed by cohesion, internal friction angle, and permeability coefficient. The most obvious effect of F‐T cycles was also on the disintegration rate, followed by cohesion, permeability coefficient, and internal friction angle. Compared with D‐W cycles, F‐T cycles had a stronger effect on the reduction in the cohesion, disintegration rate, and permeability coefficient of reinforced soil, but the reduction in the friction angle was greater in D‐W cycles.
A Modified Unscented Kalman Filter Combined with Ant Lion Optimization for Vehicle State Estimation
Authors: Zhang Yixi , Ma Jian , Zhao Xuan , Liu Xiaodong , Zhang Kai
Published: January 2021

Accurate estimation of vehicle states is extremely crucial for vehicle stability control. As a reliable estimation methodology, the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) has been widely utilized in vehicle control. However, the estimation accuracy still needs to be improved caused by the unpredictable measurement and process noise. In this paper, a novel modified UKF state estimation methodology combined with the ant lion optimization (ALO) is proposed for the stability control of a four in-wheel motor independent drive electric vehicle (4WIDEV). First, the optimal performance of the ALO algorithm is analyzed, where both unimodal and multimodal optimization test functions are selected and optimized by GA, PSO, and ALO, respectively. The results indicate that the ALO algorithm has good global optimization capability and applicability. Second, the ALO algorithm is merged into the UKF to adjust the statistical properties of noise information for the ALOUKF estimator design without extra sensor signals. At last, the simulations on the Matlab/Simulink-CarSim co-simulation platform and the road test based on an A&D 5435 rapid prototyping experiment platform (RPP) are carried out to verify the proposed method. The simulation and experiment results demonstrate that the ALOUKF estimator can improve state estimation accuracy and resist the vehicle nonlinearity even in the case of the complicated and emergency maneuvers.
Current Driver Design for Electromagnetic Coil Using Adaptive Active Disturbance Rejection Control
Authors: Zhu Hongtao , Rui Xiaoting , Yang Fufeng , Zhu Wei
Published: January 2021

An adaptive active disturbance rejection controller is used in the current driver design of the electromagnetic coil. Extended state observer of the 1st‐order system is adopted for disturbance observation of ADRC. The supervised recursive least squares method is proposed for real‐time parameters estimation, in which the excitation signal variance is used to trigger the parameter estimator. The experimental results demonstrate that ADRC combined with real‐time parameter estimation simplifies the parameter tuning and improves the parameter adaptive ability.
Contrastive analysis of rice grain classification techniques: multi-class support vector machine vs artificial neural network
Authors: Ibrahim Shafaf , Kamaruddin Saadi Bin Ahmad , Zabidi Azlee , Md. Ghani Nor Azura
Published: January 2021

Rice is a staple food for 80% of the population in Southeast Asia. Thus, the quality control and classification of rice grain are crucial for more productive and sustainable production. This paper examines the contrastive analysis of rice grain classification performance between multi-class support vector machine (SVM) and artificial neural network (ANN). The analysis has been tested on three types of rice grain images which are Ponni, Basmati, and Brown rice. A digital image transformation analysis based on shape and color features was developed to classify the three types of rice grain. The performance of the proposed study is evaluated to 90 testing images of each rice variation. The ANN is observed to return higher classification accuracy at 93.34% using Level Sweep image transformation technique. Based on the results, it signifies that the ANN performs better classification than the multiclass SVM.
An accurate signature verification system based on proposed HSC approach and ANN architecture
Authors: S. Kadhm Mustafa , Jassim Mohammed Mamoun , Ayad Hayder
Published: January 2021

With the rapid development of technology in all life fields, and due to the huge daily needs for banking systems process, documents processing and other similar systems. The authentication became more required key for these systems. One of the successful system to verify the any person is the signature verification system. However, a reliable and accurate system is still needed. For this reason, the security challenge is take place via authentic signatures. However, a reliable and accurate system is still needed. For this reason, the security challenge is take place via authentic signatures. Therefore, this paper present a reliable signature verification system using proposed histogram of sparse codes (HSC) feature extraction approach and artificial neural networks (ANN) architecture for classification. The system achieved fast computing 0.09 ms and accurate verification results that is 99.7% using three different signature images datasets CEDAR, UTSig, and ICDAR.
Evaluation of options portfolios for exchange rate hedges
Authors: Jiménez-Gómez Miguel , Acevedo-Prins Natalia , Rojas-López Miguel
Published: January 2021

In this paper evaluate six exchange rate hedging strategies with financial options from the OTC market in Colombia. Three hedging strategies for importers and three for exporters were raised. The coverage for importers was carried out with the traditional strategy of long call, bull call spread and bull put spread, the last two correspond to options portfolios. the coverage for importers was carried out with the traditional strategy of long put, bear call spread and bear put spread, the last two correspond to options portfolios. to determine the best hedging strategy, the currency price was modeled with a Wiener process and the VaR for the six covered scenarios was calculated and compared with the VaR of the uncovered scenario. The results shown by the six hedging strategies manage to mitigate the exchange risk, but the most efficient strategies are the traditional ones for both importers and exporters.
A class skew-insensitive ACO-based decision tree algorithm for imbalanced data sets
Authors: Bin Mohd Razali Muhamad Hasbullah , Bin Saian Rizauddin , Bee Wah Yap , Ku-Mahamud Ku Ruhana
Published: January 2021

Ant-tree-miner (ATM) has an advantage over the conventional decision tree algorithm in terms of feature selection. However, real world applications commonly involved imbalanced class problem where the classes have different importance. This condition impeded the entropy-based heuristic of existing ATM algorithm to develop effective decision boundaries due to its biasness towards the dominant class. Consequently, the induced decision trees are dominated by the majority class which lack in predictive ability on the rare class. This study proposed an enhanced algorithm called hellinger-ant-tree-miner (HATM) which is inspired by ant colony optimization (ACO) metaheuristic for imbalanced learning using decision tree classification algorithm. The proposed algorithm was compared to the existing algorithm, ATM in nine (9) publicly available imbalanced data sets. Simulation study reveals the superiority of HATM when the sample size increases with skewed class (Imbalanced Ratio < 50%). Experimental results demonstrate the performance of the existing algorithm measured by BACC has been improved due to the class skew-insensitiveness of hellinger distance. The statistical significance test shows that HATM has higher mean BACC score than ATM.
An intelligent indian stock market forecasting system using LSTM deep learning
Authors: Kumar K , P. Gandhmal Dattatray
Published: January 2021

Stock market data is considered to be one of the chaotic data in nature. Analyzing the stock market and predicting the stock market has been the area of interest among the researchers for a long time. In this paper, we have stepped forward and used a deep learning algorithm with classification to predict the behavior of the stock market. LSTM deep learning algorithm is used with an optimization algorithm to formulate the hyperparameters. To further improve the accuracy of prediction the stock data is first given to a classification algorithm to reduce the number of input parameters. In this research Technical indicators are subjected to classification and deep LSTM algorithm which are both integrated to improve the accuracy of prediction. Deep LSTM hyperparameters are trained using the optimization algorithm. In this paper infosys and zensar stocks data is collected from the Indian stock market data i.e. both national stock exchange (NSE) and bombay stock exchange (BSE). The proposed approach is applied on infosys and zensar share values, the prediction accuracy obtained by employing this integrated approach of classification and LSTM has given a prominent value of MSE and RMSE as 1.034 and 1.002 respectively. 
Design of IMC-PID controller with fractional-order filter for steam distillation essential oil extraction process
Authors: Hasinah Binti Johari Siti Nur , Fazalul Rahiman Mohd Hezri , Hambali Najidah , Adnan Ramli , Tajjudin Mazidah
Published: January 2021

Essential oils are one of the industry's major compounds, particularly in the pharmaceutical, perfume and food sectors. They were acquired using several methods such as steam distillation. In this method, heat from the steam will release the aromatic molecule at their specific boiling points. Thus, it is important to regulate the steam temperature at the correct level to get the perfect composition of the yield. Many studies have shown that essential oil is volatile and sensitive to excess heat. In order to maintain the desired steam temperature, this study proposed an internal model control (IMC) based PID with fractional-order filter as a controller for this system. IMC is a model-based control structure that can handle parameter variations and load disturbance very well. With the inverse model imposed in the loop, IMC can gain a perfect tracking control as well. The implementation of a fractional-order filter cascaded to the PID controller may enhance the system robustness to process gain with its iso-damping properties. This study was conducted by simulation using MATLAB R2018. The step response of the closed-loop system has been evaluated with varying filter parameters depending on the desired phase margin of the open-loop reference model.
Performance enhancement of wireless sensor network by using non-orthogonal multiple access and sensor node selection schemes
Authors: Ha Duy-Hung , Ha Duy-Binh , Truong Van-Truong , Phan Van-Duc , Vu Q. S.
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we investigate a relaying wireless sensor network (WSN) with the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and sensor node selection schemes over Rayleigh fading. Precisely, the system consists of two sensor clusters, a sink node, and an amplify-and-forward (AF) relay. These sensors applying the NOMA and sensor node selection schemes transmit the sensing data from the sensor clusters via the relay to the sink. We derived the expressions of outage probability and throughput for two sensor nodes. We also provide numerical results to examine the behavior of the system. Finally, we verify the validity of our analysis by using the Monte-Carlo simulation.
acento mítico na semiótica
Authors: Tatit Luiz
Published: January 2021

Examinamos, neste trabalho, a influência dos estudos sobre a consciência mítica, realizados pelo filósofo Ernst Cassirer, na semiótica tensiva proposta por Claude Zilberberg. Este autor encontrou nas análises elaboradas pelo filósofo um modo de abordar o sentido, não tanto por sua materialidade fenomenológica, mas principalmente pela intensidade afetiva nele inscrita. Esse acento especial que torna pertinente um determinado conteúdo mítico foi comparado por Zilberberg com a alta tonicidade que caracteriza o acontecimento extraordinário, seu principal objeto de análise na semiótica. Surgiram daí os incrementos (mais e menos), cuja combinação nos permite estabelecer as quantificações subjetivas – portanto, afetivas – sempre presentes em nossas apreciações do sentido construído pelas linguagens verbais ou não verbais. Verificamos, por fim, que as relações entre intensidade e extensidade, núcleo da proposta tensiva, foram especialmente beneficiadas pela investigação da peculiaridade acentual do pensamento mítico.
MTORC1-Regulated Metabolism Controlled by TSC2 Limits Cardiac Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Oeing Christian U. , Jun Seungho , Mishra Sumita , Dunkerly-Eyring Brittany L. , Chen Anna , Grajeda Maria I. , Tahir Usman A. , Gerszten Robert E. , Paolocci Nazareno , Ranek Mark J. , Kass David A.
Published: January 2021

Rationale:

The mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex-1) controls metabolism and protein homeostasis and is activated following ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury and by ischemic preconditioning (IPC). However, studies vary as to whether this activation is beneficial or detrimental, and its influence on metabolism after IR is little reported. A limitation of prior investigations is their use of broad gain/loss of mTORC1 function, mostly applied before ischemic stress. This can be circumvented by regulating one serine (S1365) on TSC2 (tuberous sclerosis complex) to achieve bidirectional mTORC1 modulation but only with TCS2-regulated costimulation.

Objective:

We tested the hypothesis that reduced TSC2 S1365 phosphorylation protects the myocardium against IR and is required for IPC by amplifying mTORC1 activity to favor glycolytic metabolism.

Methods and Results:

Mice with either S1365A (TSC2
SA
; phospho-null) or S1365E (TSC2
SE
; phosphomimetic) knockin mutations were studied ex vivo and in vivo. In response to IR, hearts from TSC2
SA
mice had amplified mTORC1 activation and improved heart function compared with wild-type and TSC2
SE
hearts. The magnitude of protection matched IPC. IPC requited less S1365 phosphorylation, as TSC2
SE
hearts gained no benefit and failed to activate mTORC1 with IPC. IR metabolism was altered in TSC2
SA
, with increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate and glycolytic capacity (stressed/maximal extracellular acidification) after myocyte hypoxia-reperfusion. In whole heart, lactate increased and long-chain acylcarnitine levels declined during ischemia. The relative IR protection in TSC2
SA
was lost by lowering glucose in the perfusate by 36%. Adding fatty acid (palmitate) compensated for reduced glucose in wild type and TSC2
SE
but not TSC2
SA
which had the worst post-IR function under these conditions.

Conclusions:

TSC2-S1365 phosphorylation status regulates myocardial substrate utilization, and its decline activates mTORC1 biasing metabolism away from fatty acid oxidation to glycolysis to confer protection against IR. This pathway is also engaged and reduced TSC2 S1365 phosphorylation required for effective IPC.

Graphic Abstract:

A
graphic abstract
is available for this article.
Officials and Chinese Justice: Public and Private Wrongdoing in Qing Law
Authors: Park Nancy
Published: January 2021

This article examines the law of officials during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912), focusing on the body of statutes, substatutes, and regulations pertaining to the organization and operations of the imperial Chinese bureaucracy. The general objective of the article is to draw attention to the law of officials and its significance within the Qing legal system. A more specific goal is to examine how official wrongdoing was defined, differentiated, and dealt with in Qing law, highlighting the crucial distinction between the two main categories of official wrongdoing: “public wrongdoing” (gongzui 公罪) and “private wrongdoing” (sizui 私罪). Part I analyzes the legal distinction between public and private wrongdoing; Part II examines the historical antecedents of the public-private distinction, as expressed in the philosophical writings and the codified law of earlier dynasties; and Part III analyzes the substantive and procedural consequences of the public-private distinction on Qing officials.
A new species of large green treefrog (Litoria, Pelodryadidae) from Papua, Indonesia
Authors: OLIVER PAUL , GÜNTHER RAINER , TJATURADI BURHAN , RICHARDS STEPHEN J.
Published: January 2021

We describe a new species of large green treefrog from southern Papua Province, Indonesia. Litoria lubisi sp. nov. is placed in the L. infrafrenata Group based on its size, colouration and configuration of hand webbing, but differs from other members of this group in aspects of body size and proportions, extent of hand webbing, colouration and male advertisement call. Litoria lubisi sp. nov. occurs in close proximity to two other species in the L. infrafrenata Group, emphasising an until-recently overlooked pattern that multiple species of large, arboreal Litoria have overlapping distributions across much of the lowlands of southern New Guinea.