bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CAST: Character labeling in Animation using Self‐supervision by Tracking
Authors: Nir Oron , Rapoport Gal , Shamir Ariel
Published: May 2022

Cartoons and animation domain videos have very different characteristics compared to real‐life images and videos. In addition, this domain carries a large variability in styles. Current computer vision and deep‐learning solutions often fail on animated content because they were trained on natural images. In this paper we present a method to refine a semantic representation suitable for specific animated content. We first train a neural network on a large‐scale set of animation videos and use the mapping to deep features as an embedding space. Next, we use self‐supervision to refine the representation for any specific animation style by gathering many examples of animated characters in this style, using a multi‐object tracking. These examples are used to define triplets for contrastive loss training. The refined semantic space allows better clustering of animated characters even when they have diverse manifestations. Using this space we can build dictionaries of characters in an animation videos, and define specialized classifiers for specific stylistic content (e.g., characters in a specific animation series) with very little user effort. These classifiers are the basis for automatically labeling characters in animation videos. We present results on a collection of characters in a variety of animation styles.

Code and resources are available at: https://github.com/oronnir/CAST.
MaterIA: Single Image High‐Resolution Material Capture in the Wild
Authors: Martin Rosalie , Roullier Arthur , Rouffet Romain , Kaiser Adrien , Boubekeur Tamy
Published: May 2022

We propose a hybrid method to reconstruct a physically‐based spatially varying BRDF from a single high resolution picture of an outdoor surface captured under natural lighting conditions with any kind of camera device. Relying on both deep learning and explicit processing, our PBR material acquisition handles the removal of shades, projected shadows and specular highlights present when capturing a highly irregular surface and enables to properly retrieve the underlying geometry. To achieve this, we train two cascaded U‐Nets on physically‐based materials, rendered under various lighting conditions, to infer the spatially‐varying albedo and normal maps. Our network processes relatively small image tiles (512 × 512pixels) and we propose a solution to handle larger image resolutions by solving a Poisson system across these tiles. We complete this pipeline with analytical solutions to reconstruct height, roughness and ambient occlusion.
OutCast: Outdoor Single‐image Relighting with Cast Shadows
Authors: Griffiths David , Ritschel Tobias , Philip Julien
Published: May 2022

We propose a relighting method for outdoor images. Our method mainly focuses on predicting cast shadows in arbitrary novel lighting directions from a single image while also accounting for shading and global effects such the sun light color and clouds. Previous solutions for this problem rely on reconstructing occluder geometry, e. g., using multi‐view stereo, which requires many images of the scene. Instead, in this work we make use of a noisy off‐the‐shelf single‐image depth map estimation as a source of geometry. Whilst this can be a good guide for some lighting effects, the resulting depth map quality is insufficient for directly ray‐tracing the shadows. Addressing this, we propose a learned image space ray‐marching layer that converts the approximate depth map into a deep 3D representation that is fused into occlusion queries using a learned traversal. Our proposed method achieves, for the first time, state‐of‐the‐art relighting results, with only a single image as input. For supplementary material visit our project page at: dgriffiths.uk/outcast.
Procedural Roof Generation From a Single Satellite Image
Authors: Zhang Xiaowei , Aliaga Daniel
Published: May 2022

Urban procedural modeling has benefited from recent advances in deep learning and computer graphics. However, few, if any, approaches have automatically produced procedural building roof models from a single overhead satellite image. Large‐scale roof modeling is important for a variety of applications in urban content creation and in urban planning (e.g., solar panel planning, heating/cooling/rainfall modeling). While the allure of modeling only from satellite images is clear, unfortunately structures obtained from the satellite images are often in low‐resolution, noisy and heavily occluded, thus getting a clean and complete view of urban structures is difficult. In this paper, we present a framework that exploits the inherent structure present in man‐made buildings and roofs by explicitly identifying the compact space of potential building shapes and roof structures. Then, we utilize this relatively compact space with a two‐component solution combining procedural modeling and deep learning. Specifically, we use a building decomposition component to separate the building into roof parts and predict regularized building footprints in a procedural format, and use a roof ridge detection component to refine the individual roof parts by estimating the procedural roof ridge parameters. Our qualitative and quantitative assessments over multiple satellite datasets show that our method outperforms various state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Differentiable 3D CAD Programs for Bidirectional Editing
Authors: Cascaval D. , Shalah M. , Quinn P. , Bodik R. , Agrawala M. , Schulz A.
Published: May 2022

Modern CAD tools represent 3D designs not only as geometry, but also as a program composed of geometric operations, each of which depends on a set of parameters. Program representations enable meaningful and controlled shape variations via parameter changes. However, achieving desired modifications solely through parameter editing is challenging when CAD models have not been explicitly authored to expose select degrees of freedom in advance. We introduce a novel bidirectional editing system for 3D CAD programs. In addition to editing the CAD program, users can directly manipulate 3D geometry and our system infers parameter updates to keep both representations in sync. We formulate inverse edits as a set of constrained optimization objectives, returning plausible updates to program parameters that both match user intent and maintain program validity. Our approach implements an automatically differentiable domain‐specific language for CAD programs, providing derivatives for this optimization to be performed quickly on any expressed program. Our system enables rapid, interactive exploration of a constrained 3D design space by allowing users to manipulate the program and geometry interchangeably during design iteration. While our approach is not designed to optimize across changes in geometric topology, we show it is expressive and performant enough for users to produce a diverse set of design variants, even when the CAD program contains a relatively large number of parameters.
Worst‐Case Rigidity Analysis and Optimization for Assemblies with Mechanical Joints
Authors: Liu Zhenyuan , Hu Jingyu , Xu Hao , Song Peng , Zhang Ran , Bickel Bernd , Fu Chi‐Wing
Published: May 2022

We study structural rigidity for assemblies with mechanical joints. Existing methods identify whether an assembly is structurally rigid by assuming parts are perfectly rigid. Yet, an assembly identified as rigid may not be that “rigid” in practice, and existing methods cannot quantify how rigid an assembly is. We address this limitation by developing a new measure, worst‐case rigidity, to quantify the rigidity of an assembly as the largest possible deformation that the assembly undergoes for arbitrary external loads of fixed magnitude. Computing worst‐case rigidity is non‐trivial due to non‐rigid parts and different joint types. We thus formulate a new computational approach by encoding parts and their connections into a stiffness matrix, in which parts are modeled as deformable objects and joints as soft constraints. Based on this, we formulate worst‐case rigidity analysis as an optimization that seeks the worst‐case deformation of an assembly for arbitrary external loads, and solve the optimization problem via an eigenanalysis. Furthermore, we present methods to optimize the geometry and topology of various assemblies to enhance their rigidity, as guided by our rigidity measure. In the end, we validate our method on a variety of assembly structures with physical experiments and demonstrate its effectiveness by designing and fabricating several structurally rigid assemblies.
Interaction Fields: Intuitive Sketch‐based Steering Behaviors for Crowd Simulation
Authors: Colas A. , van Toll W. , Zibrek K. , Hoyet L. , Olivier A.‐H. , Pettré J.
Published: May 2022

The real‐time simulation of human crowds has many applications. In a typical crowd simulation, each person ('agent') in the crowd moves towards a goal while adhering to local constraints. Many algorithms exist for specific local ‘steering’ tasks such as collision avoidance or group behavior. However, these do not easily extend to completely new types of behavior, such as circling around another agent or hiding behind an obstacle. They also tend to focus purely on an agent's velocity without explicitly controlling its orientation. This paper presents a novel sketch‐based method for modelling and simulating many steering behaviors for agents in a crowd. Central to this is the concept of aninteraction field(IF): a vector field that describes the velocities or orientations that agents should use around a given ‘source’ agent or obstacle. An IF can also change dynamically according to parameters, such as the walking speed of the source agent. IFs can be easily combined with other aspects of crowd simulation, such as collision avoidance. Using an implementation of IFs in a real‐time crowd simulation framework, we demonstrate the capabilities of IFs in various scenarios. This includes game‐like scenarios where the crowd responds to a user‐controlled avatar. We also present an interactive tool that computes an IF based on input sketches. This IF editor lets users intuitively and quickly design new types of behavior, without the need for programming extra behavioral rules. We thoroughly evaluate the efficacy of the IF editor through a user study, which demonstrates that our method enables non‐expert users to easily enrich any agent‐based crowd simulation with new agent interactions.
A Survey of Non‐Rigid 3D Registration
Authors: Deng Bailin , Yao Yuxin , Dyke Roberto M. , Zhang Juyong
Published: May 2022

Non‐rigid registration computes an alignment between a source surface with a target surface in a non‐rigid manner. In the past decade, with the advances in 3D sensing technologies that can measure time‐varying surfaces, non‐rigid registration has been applied for the acquisition of deformable shapes and has a wide range of applications. This survey presents a comprehensive review of non‐rigid registration methods for 3D shapes, focusing on techniques related to dynamic shape acquisition and reconstruction. In particular, we review different approaches for representing the deformation field, and the methods for computing the desired deformation. Both optimization‐based and learning‐based methods are covered. We also review benchmarks and datasets for evaluating non‐rigid registration methods, and discuss potential future research directions.
Advances in Neural Rendering
Authors: Tewari A. , Thies J. , Mildenhall B. , Srinivasan P. , Tretschk E. , Yifan W. , Lassner C. , Sitzmann V. , Martin‐Brualla R. , Lombardi S. , Simon T. , Theobalt C. , Nießner M. , Barron J. T. , Wetzstein G. , Zollhöfer M. , Golyanik V.
Published: May 2022

Synthesizing photo‐realistic images and videos is at the heart of computer graphics and has been the focus of decades of research. Traditionally, synthetic images of a scene are generated using rendering algorithms such as rasterization or ray tracing, which take specifically defined representations of geometry and material properties as input. Collectively, these inputs define the actual scene and what is rendered, and are referred to as the scene representation (where a scene consists of one or more objects). Example scene representations are triangle meshes with accompanied textures (e.g., created by an artist), point clouds (e.g., from a depth sensor), volumetric grids (e.g., from a CT scan), or implicit surface functions (e.g., truncated signed distance fields). The reconstruction of such a scene representation from observations using differentiable rendering losses is known as inverse graphics or inverse rendering. Neural rendering is closely related, and combines ideas from classical computer graphics and machine learning to create algorithms for synthesizing images from real‐world observations. Neural rendering is a leap forward towards the goal of synthesizing photo‐realistic image and video content. In recent years, we have seen immense progress in this field through hundreds of publications that show different ways to inject learnable components into the rendering pipeline. This state‐of‐the‐art report on advances in neural rendering focuses on methods that combine classical rendering principles with learned 3D scene representations, often now referred to as neural scene representations. A key advantage of these methods is that they are 3D‐consistent by design, enabling applications such as novel viewpoint synthesis of a captured scene. In addition to methods that handle static scenes, we cover neural scene representations for modeling non‐rigidly deforming objects and scene editing and composition. While most of these approaches are scene‐specific, we also discuss techniques that generalize across object classes and can be used for generative tasks. In addition to reviewing these state‐of‐the‐art methods, we provide an overview of fundamental concepts and definitions used in the current literature. We conclude with a discussion on open challenges and social implications.
General population normative scores for interpreting the BODY‐Q
Authors: Dalaei Farima , de Vries Claire E. E. , Poulsen Lotte , Kaur Manraj N. , Pfob André , Mou Danny , Jacobsen Amalie L. , Repo Jussi P. , Salzillo Rosa , Opyrchal Jakub , Klassen Anne F. , Sørensen Jens Ahm , Pusic Andrea L.
Published: May 2022

The BODY‐Q is a patient‐reported outcome measure used to assess outcomes in patients undergoing weight loss and/or body contouring surgery (BC) following massive weight loss. Normative values for the BODY‐Q are needed to improve data interpretation and enable comparison. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine normative values for the BODY‐Q. Participants were recruited internationally through two crowdsourcing platforms. The participants were invited to complete the BODY‐Q scales through an URL link provided within the crowdsourcing platforms. General linear analyses were performed to compare normative means between countries and continents adjusted for relevant covariates. Normative reference values were stratified by age, body mass index (BMI), and gender. The BODY‐Q was completed by 4051 (2052 North American and 1999 European) participants. The mean age was 36 years (±14.7 SD) and ranged from 17 to 76 years, the mean BMI was 26.4 (±6.7 SD) kg/m2, and the sample consisted of 1996 (49.3%) females and 2023 (49.9%) males. Younger age and higher BMI were negatively associated with all BODY‐Q scales (p < .001). This study provides normative values for the BODY‐Q scales to aid in the interpretation of BODY‐Q scores in research and clinical practise. These values enable us to understand the impact of weight loss and BC on patients' lives.
Coloration with nanoparticles: Scope for developing simultaneous colouring and functional properties onto textile surfaces—a short review
Authors: Kundu Chanchal Kumar , Hossen Md. Tanvir , Saha Rajib
Published: May 2022

Traditional textile dyeing using synthetic organic dyes is a hazardous method and requires the appropriate treatment of wastewater (i.e., effluent) after the dyeing process. Over time, numerous more environmentally‐friendly dyeing techniques have been innovated as a counter dyeing technique against this traditional dyeing method. Among them, nano‐coloration technology is a revolutionary innovation where textile dyeing can be carried out using solely some typical nanoparticles rather than using an organic dye, which is relatively more sustainable and green, compared to the traditional method. To date, several novel nanoparticles have been considered for a varied class of textiles and they have shown great potential in developing colour and numerous functional properties, namely antimicrobial, hydrophilic, self‐cleaning, ultraviolet (UV) protection, flame retardance and so on. Here, in this review, the recent advances regarding the uses of these nanoparticles as a novel class of colourants for the textile substrates are discussed while their related challenges and future opportunities are also analysed.
Changing the drug development and therapeutic paradigm with biologic drug combinations and bispecifics: How to choose between these two approaches?
Authors: Zheng Songmao , Prell Rodney , Sheng Jennifer , Wang Yow‐Ming , Hamuro Lora
Published: May 2022

Biologics are increasingly being co‐developed in combination or as novel constructs like bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) with the goal of targeting multiple, non‐redundant mechanisms of action. Rational design of combinations and dual‐targeting approaches that consider disease complexities have the potential to improve efficacy and safety, to increase duration of clinical benefit, and to minimize clinical resistance mechanisms. Here we summarize examples of BsAbs and biologic combinations that have been approved by health authorities and present drug development considerations when deciding between these two strategies. These include an understanding of target biology, nonclinical safety risks, dose optimization strategies, the regulatory framework, pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity, and bioanalytical assay considerations. The disease biology, target dynamics, and pharmacology objectives were identified as important factors in early drug development to decide between a BsAb versus a combination. Nonclinical safety assessment and dose optimization strategies can also pose challenges for BsAb versus combinations. High unmet medical needs and lack of treatment options are often the common denominators for deciding to develop a BsAb or a combination. Future development of biologic triple combinations and BsAbs combinations with other biologics will further increase drug development complexities and hold promise for more effective treatment options for patients.
Renminbi Appreciation and China's Industrial Upgrading
Authors: Wong Chin‐Yoong , Eng Yoke‐Kee
Published: May 2022

To identify the macroeconomic environment that has enabled China's industrial upgrading during a period of persistent renminbi appreciation, we construct a two‐country New Keynesian model of industrial upgrading with a global production network, endogenous firm entry, and a directed quality frontier. We show that renminbi appreciation promotes industrial upgrading without hurting real economic growth in the longer run. This holds true especially through four channels. First, the quality threshold for firm entry is lower to allow for more firms participation and thus greater product varieties (quality threshold channel). Second, upstream skill‐based production uses more imported inputs of higher quality (imported input channel). Third, there is substantial global demand towards the exports of high‐quality inputs (global demand channel). Fourth, domestic inputs are competing against imported inputs to broaden the scope for competition in the upstream product market to incentivize quality upgrading (scope for competition channel).
The Threat of Financial Sanctions: What Safeguards Can Central Banks Build?
Authors: Ramaswamy Srichander
Published: May 2022

The sanctions imposed by the G10 countries on financial institutions in Russia, including on its central bank, will come under scrutiny by emerging market central banks. This will help them build appropriate safeguards against disruptions to cross‐border transactions and revise their investment mandates to reduce the risk of reserve asset freezes. Building new financial market infrastructure and cross‐border payment systems, or strengthening existing ones, will become the priority of emerging global powers. The goal will be to build systems that support democratic governance mechanisms, have oversight arrangements involving the central banks of trusted countries, and promote fair and safe access to clearing and settlement under well‐defined policy guidelines. The use of alternatives to the US dollar as the invoicing currency in international trade will gather momentum. Markets for energy and other commodities will be the change drivers. China has an important role to play.
Does College Location Affect the Location Choice of New College Graduates in China?
Authors: Huang Mian , Xing Chunbing , Cui Xiaoyong
Published: May 2022

Based on a representative survey of new college graduates in China, we present a job location choice model that allows for a self‐selection effect in college regions by considering region‐dependent heterogeneous preference for job locations and unobservable location features. We also treat endogenous housing costs using the method developed by Berry et al. (1995). Our estimation results show that college education significantly increases graduates' likelihood of working in the city where their college is located. However, a model that does not consider the self‐selection effect overestimates this impact. The impact of college location on a graduate's migration decision varies considerably across cities. There is significant heterogeneity between students from universities of different tiers and rural versus urban areas. Meanwhile, the graduates show a marked home preference when choosing their job locations, and they tend to avoid working in cities with high housing costs. These findings shed light on debates on place‐based higher education policies and spatial distribution of human capital with a high level of education.
Foreign Demand, Competition Strategy, and Export Markups: Evidence from Chinese Multi‐Product Exporters
Authors: Xu Ming , Zhong Tenglong , Xie Qian , Liu Hongkui
Published: May 2022

Using Chinese microdata from 2000 to 2013, we document how demand shocks in export markets lead multi‐product exporters to adjust markups across products. We find that, in response to positive demand shocks, quality‐based competitive multi‐product firms increase product markups significantly, particularly for core products, whereas cost‐based competitive multi‐product firms respond by reducing product markups. The reason for this is that positive foreign demand affects markups through two opposite channels: pro‐innovative effects and pro‐competitive effects. Pro‐innovative effects are predominant among quality‐based competitive multi‐product firms, and these firms respond to positive foreign demand shocks by increasing product quality, prices, and markups. Pro‐competitive effects are predominant among cost‐based competitive multi‐product firms, and these firms respond to positive foreign demand shocks by lowering product cost, prices, and markups. We demonstrate the presence of these mechanisms empirically. The results imply that firms with different competition strategies should adopt different measures in response to foreign demand shocks.
Prenatal diagnosis and intervention improve developmental outcomes and epilepsy prognosis in children with tuberous sclerosis complex
Authors: Wang Xia , Ding Yifeng , Zhou Yuanfeng , Yu Lifei , Zhou Shuizhen , Wang Yi , Wang Ji
Published: May 2022

Aim

To assess whether prenatal diagnosis and early intervention are beneficial for developmental outcomes and epilepsy prognosis in individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

Method

This retrospective study originated from a single‐centre TSC‐specific cohort. We enrolled 273 individuals (138 males, 145 females; 2 years–7 years 6 months, mean 4 years 5 months, SD 1 year 6 months) with definitive TSC who completed TSC1/TSC2 genetic testing and were followed up to 2 years of age. The benefits of early attention and intervention were assessed by comparing epilepsy and developmental outcomes between groups with or without a prenatal diagnosis and with or without presymptomatic preventive intervention.

Results

The epilepsy occurrence rate was significantly lower in individuals diagnosed prenatally than in individuals diagnosed postnatally (p = 0.027). In individuals diagnosed prenatally, the epilepsy rate in the preventive intervention subgroup was significantly lower than that in the subgroup without preventive intervention (p = 0.008). Significant improvements in cognitive, language, and motor development were observed in individuals diagnosed prenatally compared to individuals diagnosed postnatally and in the preventive intervention subgroup compared to the subgroup without preventive intervention (p < 0.05).

Interpretation

Based on this study, we cautiously speculate that early postpartum intervention may reduce the incidence of epilepsy and intractable epilepsy and improve developmental outcomes. Prophylactic intervention with sirolimus and vigabatrin may reduce the incidence of epilepsy. Larger prospective randomized controlled studies are required to support these findings.

What this paper adds

Prenatal diagnosis and early intervention may improve developmental outcomes in children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

Prophylactic intervention with sirolimus and vigabatrin may reduce the incidence of epilepsy.

Cardiac and/or intracranial lesions combined with genetic testing can be used to diagnose TSC prenatally.
Improving landscape‐scale productivity estimates by integrating trait‐based models and remotely‐sensed foliar‐trait and canopy‐structural data
Authors: Wieczynski Daniel J. , Díaz Sandra , Durán Sandra M. , Fyllas Nikolaos M. , Salinas Norma , Martin Roberta E. , Shenkin Alexander , Silman Miles R. , Asner Gregory P. , Bentley Lisa Patrick , Malhi Yadvinder , Enquist Brian J. , Savage Van M.
Published: May 2022

Assessing the impacts of anthropogenic degradation and climate change on global carbon cycling is hindered by a lack of clear, flexible and easy‐to‐use productivity models along with scarce trait and productivity data for parameterizing and testing those models. We provide a simple solution: a mechanistic framework (RS‐CFM) that combines remotely‐sensed foliar‐trait and canopy‐structural data with trait‐based metabolic theory to efficiently map productivity at large spatial scales. We test this framework by quantifying net primary productivity (NPP) at high‐resolution (0.01‐ha) in hyper‐diverse Peruvian tropical forests (30040 hectares) along a 3322‐m elevation gradient. Our analysis captures hotspots and elevational shifts in productivity more accurately and in greater detail than alternative empirical‐ and process‐based models that use plant functional types. This result exposes how high‐resolution, location‐specific variation in traits and light competition drive variability in productivity, opening up possibilities to fully harness remote sensing data and reliably scale up from traits to map global productivity in a more direct, efficient and cost‐effective manner.
Atomic solution structure of Mycobacterium abscessusF‐ATP synthase subunit ε and identification of Ep1MabF1 as a targeted inhibitor
Authors: Shin Joon , Harikishore Amaravadhi , Wong Chui Fann , Ragunathan Priya , Dick Thomas , Grüber Gerhard
Published: May 2022

Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a nontuberculous mycobacterium of increasing clinical relevance. The rapidly growing opportunistic pathogen is intrinsically multi‐drug‐resistant and causes difficult‐to‐cure lung disease. Adenosine triphosphate, generated by the essential F1FO ATP synthase, is the major energy currency of the pathogen, bringing this enzyme complex into focus for the discovery of novel antimycobacterial compounds. Coupling of proton translocation through the membrane‐embedded FO sector and ATP formation in the F1 headpiece of the bipartite F1FO ATP synthase occurs via the central stalk subunits γ and ε. Here, we used solution NMR spectroscopy to resolve the first atomic structure of the Mab subunit ε (Mabε), showing that it consists of an N‐terminal β‐barrel domain (NTD) and a helix–loop–helix motif in its C‐terminal domain (CTD). NMR relaxation measurements of Mabε shed light on dynamic epitopes and amino acids relevant for coupling processes within the protein. We describe structural differences between other mycobacterial ε subunits and Mabε's lack of ATP binding. Based on the structural insights, we conducted an in silico inhibitor screen. One hit, Ep1MabF1, was shown to inhibit the growth of Mab and bacterial ATP synthesis. NMR titration experiments and docking studies described the binding epitopes of Ep1MabF1 on Mabε. Together, our data demonstrate the potential to develop inhibitors targeting the ε subunit of Mab F1FO ATP synthase to interrupt the coupling process.
The structure–function analysis of Obg‐like GTPase proteins along the evolutionary tree from bacteria to humans
Authors: Chakraborty Asmita , Halder Sheta , Kishore Purvi , Saha Disha , Saha Sujata , Sikder Kunal , Basu Arnab
Published: May 2022

Obg proteins belong to P‐loop guanine triphosphatase (GTPase) that are conserved from bacteria to humans. Like other GTPases, Obg cycles between guanine triphosphate (GTP) bound “on” state and guanine diphosphate (GDP)‐bound “off” state, thereby controlling various cellular processes. Different members of this group have unique structural characteristics; a conserved glycine‐rich N‐terminal domain known as obg fold, a central conserved nucleotide binding domain, and a less conserved C‐terminal domain of other functions. Obg is a ribosome dependent GTPase helps in ribosome maturation by interacting with several proteins of the 50S subunit of the ribosome. Obg proteins have been widely considered as a regulator of cellular functions, helping in DNA replication, cell division. Apart from that, this protein also takes part in various stress adaptation pathways like a stringent response, sporulation, and general stress response. In this particular review, the structural features of ObgE have been highlighted and how the structure plays important role in interacting with regulators like GTP, ppGpp that are crucial for executing biological function has been orchestrated. In particular, we believe that Obg‐like proteins can provide a link between different global pathways that are necessary for fine‐tuning cellular processes to maintain the cellular energy status.
“It's part of me”: Brazilian immigrant teachers' work in a global pandemic
Authors: Oliveira Gabrielle , Kentor Corinne
Published: May 2022

Even before COVID‐19, immigrant teachers who teach immigrant children in dual language classrooms were under a tremendous amount of pressure in their schools and districts. “I know what they are going through”, Elise, a veteran teacher from Brazil, disclosed during an interview when asked about her knowledge on children's lives. She was referencing her shared identity with her students. However, in a school where immigrant teachers were a minority and so were their students, the effects of a global pandemic further exacerbated the inequalities related to quality education for children. Scholars have pointed out that culturally knowledgeable and responsive teachers are especially important in education and care settings that serve children from immigrant families. These expectations grew exponentially since COVID‐19 hit in March of 2020. Participants in this research, Brazilian immigrant women who were teachers, toggled between their identities as they empathized, supported, and cared for their students. Elise, a Brazilian immigrant teacher with over a decade of experience and the mother of three young children of her own explained, “If before I felt I could barely help and care for my students under the pressure of performing and holding up the so called effectiveness of dual language programs, now I really feel like they (immigrant children) are out of reach. And it is on me. I feel like it is my responsibility”. With the purpose of shedding light on the ways in which immigrant Brazilian teachers understand their work as educators amid a global pandemic, this article addresses the following research questions: (i) How are Brazilian immigrant women who are teachers re‐signifying their work in light of a pandemic? (ii) How do their intersectional identities contribute to their understandings of their work?
Effects of ionic liquids and pulsed electric fields on the extraction of antioxidants from green asparagus roots
Authors: Symes Abbey , Shavandi Amin , Bekhit Alaa El‐Din Ahmed
Published: May 2022

Asparagus officinalis root (AR) contains valuable bioactive compounds that have beneficial health properties. The aim of this study was to optimize the extraction of polyphenols and flavonoids in green AR using two novel technologies; pulsed electric field (PEF) and ionic liquids (IL). Further, the antioxidant activity of the obtained extracts was determined. The total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl, oxygen radical absorbance capacity and Ferric reducing/antioxidant power assays) were determined. The PEF conditions (PEF strength of 1.6 kV/cm, frequency of 200 Hz and pulse width of 20 µs) resulted in a higher extraction yield as compared to conventional solvent extraction, but had lower antioxidant activities. The optimal conditions for IL extraction were by using 0.5% 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride at a solid: liquid (S:L) ratio of 1:10 for four min. The IL extraction resulted in a total of 122 mg RE/ mL TFC which was 70 to 80 folds more than the TFC obtained by PEF. The IL extracts had higher TFC and antioxidant activity than PEF, but the safety of the ILs need further research.
Evolution of lipid damage and volatile amine content in Patagonian squid (Doryteuthis gahi) by‐products during frozen storage
Authors: Aubourg Santiago P. , Trigo Marcos , González Mª Jesús , Lois Salomé , Medina Isabel
Published: May 2022

By‐products (viscera, tails, skin, etc.) resulting from Patagonian squid (Doryteuthis gahi) commercialisation were pooled together and stored at −10 and –18 °C for 12 months. During this storage time, 81.1–83.7 and 1.7–2.4 (g 100 g−1) ranges were detected for moisture and lipid values, respectively. An increased storage time and temperature led to free fatty acid formation and phospholipid content decrease (P < 0.05). Meantime, peroxide levels were low and included in 2.1–3.6 meq. active oxygen kg−1 lipids range. Contrary, substantial formation (P < 0.05) of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and fluorescent compounds was proved, values being higher by increasing the time and temperature of storage of squid by‐products. Related to amine formation, trimethylamine values increased notably (P < 0.05) with storage, higher values being obtained by increasing the storage time and temperature. For total volatile amines, increased levels with storage time were detected in samples stored at −10 °C; contrary, by‐products stored at the lowest temperature tested did not provide differences (P > 0.05), resulting from the storage time. This study shows the need of appropriate storage conditions to offer the current by‐products as a source of valuable marine constituents. Present results meet the present global interests in the search for new and undervalued marine substrates to be employed commercially.
Is Eusebius of Caesarea a ‘Nicene’? A Contribution to the Notion of Conciliar Theology
Authors: Renberg Adam R.
Published: May 2022

Amidst recent explorations in conciliar theology by Timothy Pawl and others, pressing questions about our theological readings of the councils have arisen – are we to treat the theology of the councils as unique to their historical context? Or as a unified body of ‘conciliar’ theology? This paper addresses these questions, using Eusebius of Caesarea as a unique example of Nicene theology. It defines the metrics for evaluating different definitions of the term ‘Nicene’ by distinguishing between judgements and concepts. Then, it ‘measures’ Eusebius’ theology according to the two proposed definitions. Finally, it offers constructive comments for conciliar theology, claiming that conceptual language is clarified through the councils, even if its interpretation is not immediately fixed.
Cancer‐specific and net overall survival in older patients with de novo metastatic prostate cancer initially treated with androgen deprivation therapy
Authors: Narita Shintaro , Terada Naoki , Nomura Kyoko , Sakamoto Shinichi , Hatakeyama Shingo , Kato Takuma , Matsui Yoshiyuki , Inokuchi Junichi , Yokomizo Akira , Tabata Ken‐ichi , Shiota Masaki , Kimura Takahiro , Kojima Takahiro , Inoue Takahiro , Mizowaki Takashi , Sugimoto Mikio , Kitamura Hiroshi , Kamoto Toshiyuki , Nishiyama Hiroyuki , Habuchi Tomonori ,   the Japanese Urological Oncology Group
Published: May 2022

Objective

This study aimed to assess survival outcomes in older patients with de novo metastatic prostate cancer who initially received androgen deprivation therapy.

Methods

The retrospective multicenter study included 2784 men with metastatic prostate cancer who were treated with androgen deprivation therapy between 2008 and 2017. Patients were classified into <75, 75–79, and ≥80 age groups. Propensity score matching was conducted to assess the cancer‐specific survival of the groups. The 5‐year net overall survival of each group was derived to evaluate relative survival compared with the general population using the Pohar–Perme estimator and the 2019 Japan Life Table.

Results

During the follow‐up (median, 34 months), 1014 patients died, of which 807 died from metastatic prostate cancer progression. Compared with the <75 group, the cancer‐specific survival of the 75–79 group was similar (hazard ratio 1.07; 95% confidence interval 0.84–1.37; P = 0.580), whereas that of the ≥80 group was significantly worse (hazard ratio 1.41; 95% confidence interval 1.10–1.80; P = 0.006). The 5‐year net overall survival of the <75, 75–79, and ≥80 age groups were 0.678, 0761, and 0.718, respectively. The 5‐year net overall survival of patients aged ≥80 years with low‐ and high‐volume disease were 0.893 and 0.586, respectively, which was comparable with those in patients aged <75 years (0.872 and 0.586, respectively).

Conclusions

Older metastatic prostate cancer patients aged ≥80 years had poorer cancer‐specific survival compared with younger patients. Conversely, 5‐year net overall survival in older patients aged ≥80 years was comparable with that in younger patients aged <75 years.
In vitro colistin susceptibility of pandrug-resistant Ac. baumannii is restored in the presence of selenium nanoparticles
Authors: Ušjak Dušan , Novović Katarina , Filipić Brankica , Kojić Milan , Filipović Nenad , Stevanović Magdalena M. , Milenković Marina T.
Published: May 2022

Aims

To investigate the synergistic activity of colistin and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) against pandrug-resistant (PDR) Ac. baumannii.

Methods and Results

Chequerboard and time-kill assays were employed to explore the potential synergistic interactions between colistin and SeNPs against Ac. baumannii isolates (8), previously determined as colistin-resistant (MIC range 16–256 μg ml−1). Also, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and gene expression analyses were used to elucidate the mechanisms of colistin resistance. Exceptionally strong synergistic activity (FICI range 0.004–0.035) of colistin and SeNPs against colistin-resistant isolates was revealed. Colistin (0.5 or 1 μg ml−1) used in combination with SeNPs (0.5 μg ml−1) was able to reduce initial inoculum during the first 4 h of incubation, in contrast to colistin (0.5, 1 or 2 μg ml−1) alone.

Conclusions

These findings propose colistin/SeNPs combination as a new option to fight PDR Ac. baumannii, the therapeutic possibilities of which should be proved in future in vivo studies.

Significance and Impact of Study

Here we present the first evidence of synergy between colistin and selenium compounds against bacteria in general. Also, WGS and gene expression analyses provide some new insights into Ac. baumannii colistin resistance mechanisms.
Case report: Epicardial ligation of the left atrial appendage in a patient with an inaccessible left atrial cavity
Authors: Nentwich Karin , Ene Elena , Müller Julian , Berkowitz Arthur , Kerber Sebastian , Deneke Thomas
Published: May 2022

It has been shown that endocardial occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is equally effective in preventing embolic events compared to oral anticoagulation in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

An 82‐year‐old female patient was admitted for LAA occlusion for repetitive GI bleeding. She had high CHADSVASC Score and HASBLED with long persistent atrial fibrillation with many comorbities. The preprocedural transesophageal echo revealed a great mass in the left atrium (Picture 1).

Cardiac surgery was denied, we performed an epicardial only ligation for closing the LAA. For this approach we performed an epicardial puncture and contrast injection within the pericardial space to delineate the LAA. An epicardial wire with a suction mechanism at its distal end was attached to the anterior lobe of the LAA. Using this epicardial wire the snare could be advanced over the appendage and closed down. Complete exclusion of the LAA was achieved. There were no procedural complications and the patient is doing well after 3 months.
Expression of PD‐L1 on regulatory B cells in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and its effect on prognosis
Authors: Shi Yingqing , Liu Zhuogang , Wang Hongtao
Published: May 2022

Programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) is involved in immunosuppression in variety of tumours. Regulatory B cells (Bregs) are critical immune regulatory cells, and it has been demonstrated that the number of regulatory B cells in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is much higher than that in healthy donors (HDs), which is linked to a poor prognosis. This study aimed to determine whether increased expression of PD‐L1, including in Bregs, is associated with a worse prognosis in individuals with AML. The proportion of Bregs, PD‐L1 expression in Bregs and PD‐1 expression in T cells were determined using flow cytometry using patient samples from 21 newly diagnosed AML patients at different stages of treatment and 25 HDs. We confirmed PD‐L1 expression in Bregs, and PD‐1 expression in CD3+CD4+T cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from AML patients was higher than that in samples from HDs. The complete remission (CR) and progression‐free survival (PFS) of Bregs with high PD‐L1 expression were significantly decreased following induction chemotherapy. PD‐L1 expression is indeed increased in Bregs from individuals with AML, and high PD‐L1 expression is related to a poor prognosis.
LCN2 is a new diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target in idiopathic short stature
Authors: Liu Xijuan , Zhang Jian , Yuan Jinghong , Ding Rui , Liu Tao , Jia Jingyu
Published: May 2022

Idiopathic short stature (ISS) is the most common paediatric endocrine disease. However, the underlying pathology of ISS remains unclear. Currently, there are no effective diagnostic markers or therapeutic strategies available for ISS. In this study, we aimed to identify differential plasma protein expression and novel biomarkers in patients with ISS, and elucidate the biological functions of candidate proteins in ISS pathogenesis. Four specimen pairs from four ISS children and age‐/sex‐matched control individuals were subjected to proteomics analysis, and 340 samples of children with a mean age 9.73 ± 0.24 years were utilized to further verify the differentially expressed proteins by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were plotted. A total of 2040 proteins were identified, of which 84 were differentially expressed. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed the biological functions of these candidate proteins. LCN2 overexpression in ISS was verified using ELISA. Meanwhile, LCN2 showed high sensitivity and specificity in discriminating children with ISS from those with growth hormone deficiency, precocious puberty and normal control individuals. The upregulated expression of LCN2 not only suppressed food intake but also impaired chondrocyte proliferation and bone growth in chondrocytes and rats. As a result, the rats presented a short‐stature phenotype. Subsequently, we found that bone growth inhibition recovered after LCN2 overexpression was stopped in immature rats. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report that LCN2 may be a significant target for ISS diagnosis and treatment.
Vitiligo prevalence and quality of life among adults in Europe, Japan and the USA
Authors: Bibeau K. , Pandya A.G. , Ezzedine K. , Jones H. , Gao J. , Lindley A. , Harris J.E.
Published: May 2022

Background

Vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder characterised by skin depigmentation, is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL). Vitiligo may be under‐reported, in part because of misconceptions that it is a cosmetic disease.

Objectives

This survey sought to characterise vitiligo prevalence and explore the relationship between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with QoL in a population‐based, multinational study.

Methods

Participants aged ≥18 years were recruited via an online panel in Europe, Japan and the USA to answer questions regarding skin disorders they may have experienced. Those reporting vitiligo (diagnosed or undiagnosed) or vitiligo signs (experiencing loss of skin colour but unaware of vitiligo and not diagnosed) were included in the analyses of vitiligo prevalence. Participants who self‐reported physician‐diagnosed vitiligo were given a broader survey to characterise disease progression, management and QoL (as measured with the Vitiligo‐specific QoL [VitiQoL] instrument).

Results

The total estimated vitiligo prevalence among 35 694 survey participants (Europe, n = 18 785; USA, n = 8517; Japan, n = 8392) was 1.3% (diagnosed, 0.6%; undiagnosed, 0.4%; vitiligo signs, 0.3%). Among 219 patients formally diagnosed with vitiligo (Europe, n = 150; USA, n = 48; Japan, n = 21), total VitiQoL scores were associated with age (P = 0.00017), disease extent (P < 0.0001), disease progression (P < 0.0001), disease management (P < 0.0001) and time since diagnosis (P = 0.0015). Behaviour scores varied based on skin phototype (P = 0.024) and ethnicity (P = 0.048). Higher total VitiQoL scores were reported in patients with head lesions (P = 0.027) and those with head and hand and/or wrist lesions (P = 0.018). Substantial high concern (rated 8–10 on an 11‐point Likert scale) for lesions was found across all body areas and varied with geographical region.

Conclusions

The vitiligo prevalence rate may be higher than previously reported, with a substantial proportion attributed to people who have not received a formal diagnosis. Among formally diagnosed patients with vitiligo, QoL was most severely impacted by more progressive and higher extent of disease.