bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved survival in critically injured combat casualties treated with fresh whole blood by forward surgical teams in Afghanistan
Authors: Gurney Jennifer , Staudt Amanda , Cap Andrew , Shackelford Stacy , Mann‐Salinas Elizabeth , Le Tuan , Nessen Shawn , Spinella Philip
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to assess transfusion strategies and outcomes, stratified by the combat mortality index, of casualties treated by small surgical teams in Afghanistan. Resuscitation that included warm fresh whole blood (FWB) was compared to blood component resuscitation.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Casualties treated by a Role 2 surgical team in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2014 who received 1 or more units of red blood cells (RBCs) or FWB were included. Patients were excluded if they had incomplete data or length of stay less than 30 minutes. Patients were separated into two groups: 1) received FWB and 2) did not receive FWB; moreover, both groups potentially received plasma, RBCs, and platelets. The analysis was stratified by critically versus noncritically injured patients using the prehospital combat mortality index. Kaplan‐Meier plot, log‐rank test, and multivariable Cox regression were performed to compare survival.

RESULTS

In FWB patients, median units of FWB and total blood product were 4.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 2.0‐7.0) and 16.0 (IQR, 10.0‐28.0), respectively. The Kaplan‐Meier plot demonstrated that survival was similar between FWB (79.1%) and no‐FWB (74.5%) groups (p = 0.46); after stratifying patients by the combat mortality index, the risk of mortality was increased in the no‐FWB group (hazard ratio, 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.2‐6.4) compared to the FWB cohort.

CONCLUSION

In forward‐deployed environments, where component products are limited, FWB has logistical advantages and was associated with reduced mortality in casualties with a critical combat mortality index. Additional analysis is needed to determine if these effects of FWB are appreciable in all trauma patients or just in those with severe physiologic derangement.
A novel method to evaluate prethawing viability of cryopreserved CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells for autologous transplantation
Authors: Marinelli Busilacchi Elena , Costantini Andrea , Mancini Giorgia , Bencivenga Rossella , Olivieri Jacopo , Battaglini Giovanna , Velletri Laura , Viola Nadia , Butini Luca , Capelli Debora , Poloni Antonella , Olivieri Attilio
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Cryopreservation of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is associated with variable loss of viability. Although postfreezing CD34+ cell viability can be assessed on the sampling tube (bag tail) directly connected to the main bag (mother bag), results often underestimate the actual viability observed when the mother bag is thawed and reinfused. We assessed a novel method to measure postfreezing CD34+ cell viability, based on small bag (minibag) samples; results were compared with those obtained on the corresponding mother bags and bag tails.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Sixty‐one apheresis procedures of 42 patients undergoing autologous HSC transplant were analyzed. Viable CD34+ cells were quantified with flow cytometry before controlled rate freezing (ICE‐CUBE14M system, SY‐LAB‐ IceCube, SIAD), after 10 days of storage (mini‐bag and bag tail), and before reinfusion (aliquot from a thawed mother bag). Results were compared using Studentʼs t test and Spearmanʼs rho correlation test.

RESULTS

The mean CD34+ cell viability before cryopreservation was 99.3% (confidence interval [CI], 98.94‐99.65%); the mean amount of CD34+ cells, white blood cells and neutrophils in the mother bag was 0.8 ± 1.1 × 109/L, 63.4 ± 23.5 × 109/L, and 25.7 ± 15.5 × 109/L, respectively. Mother bags postthawing CD34+ cell viability was 72.3% (CI, 67.74‐76.85%; p < 0.01 compared to prefreezing); no difference was observed with respect to minibags (73.7%; CI, 69.80‐77.59%; p = NS), whereas significantly lower values were found for bag tails (58.6%; CI, 54.19‐63.00%; p < 0.01 vs. both mini‐ and mother bags).

CONCLUSION

Compared to bag tails, minibags represent a more accurate tool to measure the CD34+ cell viability of the apheresis mother bag prior to reinfusion; in addition, minibags may could be of help for case‐by‐case calculation of the amount of apheresis to be infused to patients undergoing autologous HSC transplant.
Transorbital postcaruncular endoscopic surgery as an alternative to orbital exploratory surgery: A cadaveric study and case report in a dog with an orbital sarcoma
Authors: Espinheira Gomes Filipe N. C. M. , Porter Ian , Sumner Julia P.
Published: June 2020

Objective

To describe a postcaruncular approach for transorbital endoscopy as an alternative, minimally invasive technique to access the orbital apex.

Study design

Ex vivo and prospective clinical case report.

Animals

A 12‐year‐old male castrated cocker spaniel and three cadaver heads (one large breed dolichocephalic, one medium‐sized breed mesocephalic, and one small breed brachycephalic).

Methods

Transorbital endoscopy was performed to obtain biopsies of an orbital apex mass by using a postcaruncular approach. A 2.7‐mm 30° rigid endoscope fitted with a cystoscope working sheath was used with the aid of a blunt suction‐dissector and fluid ingress. This procedure was first performed on three cadavers to assess feasibility and later performed in a clinical case.

Results

By using a transorbital postcaruncular approach, it was possible to visualize and obtain biopsies from structures within the orbital apex with minimal perioperative morbidity. Dissection and expansion of the working space was facilitated with the aid of fluid ingress; however, judicious use of fluids is recommended because secondary orbital edema and chemosis can occur.

Conclusion

Transorbital endoscopy via a postcaruncular approach is feasible.

Clinical significance

This technique should be considered in cases in which a histological diagnosis is required prior to definitive treatment as a method to obtain biopsy samples of the orbital apex region without major surgical dissection.
Quality of Work Life: A Study on Civil Construction Workers
Authors: Camarini Gladis , Leite Júnior José Agnaldo Pereira , Perez Javier Fiz , Chamon Edna M. Q. O.
Published: June 2020

The civil construction sector has experienced ongoing changes due to the economic globalization, new technologies, and competition. It demands a large number of workers that are often recruited outside their original city, far from their families, with low work conditions, and without guarantee of continuity in employment, which may affect their health and performance. This study presents an exploratory and descriptive study with a quantitative approach, conducted by the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS), with 159 workers in the civil construction sector in Brazil. The objective is to assess the level of satisfaction with work, compare the results of different workers at the workplace, and contribute to the discussion about QWL. It was found that the variable General Satisfaction with Work obtained the most negative general average score among the personal and the professional results, pointing out little satisfaction with their work as a whole, which can be improved through training and increase workers empowerment. This study carried out a survey with the construction worker, subjects who are hardly evaluated in research on working conditions. The JDS questionnaire was an important tool in this evaluation, contributing to understanding the variables that impact on the performance of these workers. In this context, improving the quality of work life (QWL) make it possible to assist managers to help workers’ satisfaction at work.
Cognitive Trap: Misperceptions in the US and China Relations
Authors: Wang Weimin , Huo Shitao
Published: June 2020

Existing scholarship focuses on power or dysfunctional institutions to explain instability of international relations and resulting conflict among great powers. We argue that the extant deterioration of the US-China relation is the result of cognition based on self-centric generated misperception. Our study shows that rather than asymmetric power distribution or the dysfunctional institutions, it is biased and distorted cognition that trigger misunderstanding, which ultimately invites the spiral escalation of suspicions and hostile competition between the two sides. Our argument is primarily justified by our critique over normative approaches, and our proposed political-cognitive model; and then we evaluate the political implications of neglected commonalities, ignored distinctions and exaggerated differences in each party’s cognitive processes. Utilizing several analytical variables incorporating observable past experiences and current development in the power transition and in domestic politics of both countries, we found how often the states can be easily galvanized into actions of hostility with misperceptions; and how easy a benign environment for co-evolution can be cooked down to vicious situation for confrontation. We concluded that any action taken by great powers in their relations are the result of cognitive approaches. Clarifying ignorance and misinterpretations in their cognitive activities help mitigate the tensions instigated by biases and distortions. Competition through reciprocity for the great power relations is critical not only due to the deadly constraints in the militarily option, it is pragmatically most cost-beneficial because all it requires is to nurture appropriate cognition that respects the difference over uniformity, and trust regime's rationality for innovation.
Imaging Fatigue Damage Precursors Based on Nonlinear Phased Array Ultrasonic Measurements of Diffuse Field
Authors: Bunget Gheorghe , Rogers James , Bunget Cristina J. , Lavitz Analeia E. , Henley Stanley
Published: June 2020

Nonlinear ultrasonic (NLU) techniques have emerged as a potential solution to improve the resolution of nondestructive measurements to detect microstructural changes of cyclically loaded materials. However, current NLU methods need power-demanding instrumentation that is useful only in the laboratory settings. On the other hand, phased array systems provide the capability of sensing such changes when the later portion of the elastic waveforms, called diffuse field, is analyzed. Moreover, phased array systems are an excellent solution for field test measurement and imaging of material damage. This study explores the use of NLU metrics based on ratios of harmonic amplitudes and frequencies to map the buildup of damage precursors, such as crystal dislocations, under cyclic loading within the microstructure of fatigued 2024-T3 aluminum specimens. The results show that these metrics are highly sensitive to microstructural fatigue damage making them significantly important to measure mechanical properties, such as fracture toughness, that are extremely useful in predicting the remaining useful life of a studied material. A nonlinear metric of elastic energy that encapsulates the nonlinear effects of subharmonic and higher-harmonic generations and frequency ratio is proposed. These effects of spectral energy shifts are combined making this metric highly sensitive to nano- and micro-scale damage within the fatigued medium.
Large equatorial seasonal cycle during Marinoan snowball Earth
Authors: Liu Yonggang , Yang Jun , Bao Huiming , Shen Bing , Hu Yongyun
Published: June 2020

Seasonal cycle near the equator can be >30°C during a snowball Earth when the eccentricity of the Earth orbit is at its maximum.
Proximo-distal positional information encoded by an Fgf-regulated gradient of homeodomain transcription factors in the vertebrate limb
Authors: Delgado Irene , López-Delgado Alejandra C. , Roselló-Díez Alberto , Giovinazzo Giovanna , Cadenas Vanessa , Fernández-de-Manuel Laura , Sánchez-Cabo Fátima , Anderson Matthew J. , Lewandoski Mark , Torres Miguel
Published: June 2020

A transcription factor gradient conveys positional information in the vertebrate limb bud.
An amphipathic peptide targeting the gp41 cytoplasmic tail kills HIV-1 virions and infected cells
Authors: Wang Qian , Su Shan , Xue Jing , Yu Fei , Pu Jing , Bi Wenwen , Xia Shuai , Meng Yu , Wang Cong , Yang Wenqian , Xu Wei , Zhu Yun , Zheng Qinwen , Qin Chuan , Jiang Shibo , Lu Lu
Published: June 2020

A peptide from the HIV envelope protein inactivates HIV-1 virions in vitro and suppresses the viral load of chronically SHIV-infected macaques.
Noncanonical inhibition of caspase-3 by a nuclear microRNA confers endothelial protection by autophagy in atherosclerosis
Authors: Santovito Donato , Egea Virginia , Bidzhekov Kiril , Natarelli Lucia , Mourão André , Blanchet Xavier , Wichapong Kanin , Aslani Maria , Brunßen Coy , Horckmans Michael , Hristov Michael , Geerlof Arie , Lutgens Esther , Daemen Mat J.A.P. , Hackeng Tilman , Ries Christian , Chavakis Triantafyllos , Morawietz Henning , Naumann Ronald , von Hundelshausen Philipp , Steffens Sabine , Duchêne Johan , Megens Remco T.A. , Sattler Michael , Weber Christian
Published: June 2020

Autophagy-driven nuclear transfer of miR-126-5p guided by Mex3a enables direct inhibition of caspase-3 and protects against atherosclerosis.
Coexpression of αβ and γδ TCRs bridges innate and adaptive immunity
Authors: Morris Gerald P.
Published: June 2020

T cells coexpressing αβ and γδ TCRs demonstrate characteristics of both αβ and γδ T cells, providing a link between innate and adaptive immune responses.
The
mcr-9
Gene of
Salmonella
and Escherichia coli Is Not Associated with Colistin Resistance in the United States
Authors: Tyson Gregory H. , Li Cong , Hsu Chih-Hao , Ayers Sherry , Borenstein Stacey , Mukherjee Sampa , Tran Thu-Thuy , McDermott Patrick F. , Zhao Shaohua
Published: June 2020

Reports of transmissible colistin resistance show the importance of comprehensive colistin resistance surveillance. Recently, a new allele of the mobile colistin resistance (
mcr
) gene family designated
mcr-9
, which shows variation in genetic context and colistin susceptibility, was reported. We tested over 100
Salmonella enterica
and
Escherichia coli
isolates with
mcr-9
from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) in the United States for their susceptibility to colistin and found that every isolate was susceptible, with an MIC of ≤1 μg/ml.
mcr-1
Gene Expression Modulates the Inflammatory Response of Human Macrophages to Escherichia coli
Authors: Mattiuz Giorgio , Nicolò Sabrina , Antonelli Alberto , Giani Tommaso , Baccani Ilaria , Cannatelli Antonio , Clemente Ann Maria , Castronovo Giuseppe , Tanturli Michele , Cozzolino Federico , Rossolini Gian Maria , Torcia Maria Gabriella
Published: June 2020

MCR-1 is a plasmid-encoded phosphoethanolamine transferase able to modify the lipid A structure. It confers resistance to colistin and was isolated from human, animal, and environmental strains of
Enterobacteriaceae
, raising serious global health concerns. In this paper, we used recombinant
mcr-1
-expressing
Escherichia coli
to study the impact of MCR-1 products on
E. coli
-induced activation of inflammatory pathways in activated THP-1 cells, which was used as a model of human macrophages.
Optimization and Evaluation of a Multiplex Quantitative PCR Assay for Detection of Nucleic Acids in Human Blood Samples from Patients with Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, Typhus Rickettsiosis, Scrub Typhus, Monocytic Ehrlichiosis, and Granulocytic Anaplasmosis
Authors: Reller Megan E. , Dumler J. Stephen
Published: June 2020

Spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR), typhus group rickettsioses (TGR), scrub typhus (caused by
Orientia tsutsugamushi
), ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis often present as undifferentiated fever but are not treated by agents (penicillins and cephalosporins) typically used for acute febrile illness. Inability to diagnose these infections when the patient is acutely ill leads to excess morbidity and mortality. Failure to confirm these infections retrospectively if a convalescent blood sample is not obtained also impairs epidemiologic and clinical research.
Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein-Initiated Signaling Mediates the Aberrant Activation of Akt
Authors: Mahmud Jamil , Miller Michael J. , Altman Aaron M. , Chan Gary C.
Published: June 2020

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is endemic throughout the world regardless of socioeconomic conditions and geographic locations with a seroprevalence reaching up to 100% in some developing countries. Although asymptomatic in healthy individuals, HCMV can cause severe multiorgan disease in immunocompromised or immunonaive patients. HCMV disease is a direct consequence of monocyte-mediated systematic spread of the virus following infection. Because monocytes are short-lived cells, HCMV must subvert the natural short life-span of these blood cells by inducing a distinct activation of Akt, a serine/theonine protein kinase. In this work, we demonstrate that HCMV glycoproteins gB and gH work in tandem to reroute classical host cellular receptor signaling to aberrantly activate Akt and drive survival of infected monocytes. Deciphering how HCMV modulates the cellular pathway to induce monocyte survival is important to develop a new class of anti-HCMV drugs that could target and prevent spread of the virus by eliminating infected monocytes.
Draft Genome Sequence of Streptomyces aureoverticillatus HN6, a Strain Antagonistic against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.
cubense
Race 4
Authors: Di Rong , Low Yee Chen , Wang Lanying , Luo Yanping
Published: June 2020

Streptomyces aureoverticillatus
HN6 was isolated in Hainan, China. It is highly inhibitory to
Fusarium oxysporum
f. sp.
cubense
race 4 (FOC4), which causes banana
Fusarium
wilt. The HN6 genome was fully sequenced and assembled. Bionformatic analysis shows that the HN6 genome contains at least 208 genes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis.
Draft Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli UMB1353, Isolated from the Female Urinary Tract
Authors: Crawford Tanea , Miller-Ensminger Taylor , Voukadinova Adelina , Wolfe Alan J. , Putonti Catherine
Published: June 2020

Here, we present the draft genome sequence of
Escherichia coli
UMB1353, isolated from a patient with a urinary tract infection. The sequence of this antibiotic-resistant
E. coli
strain contains one intact P2-like phage.
Genome Sequences of Five
Streptomyces
Strains Isolated at Microscale
Authors: Nicault Matthieu , Tidjani Abdoul-Razak , Gelhaye Eric , Bontemps Cyril , Leblond Pierre
Published: June 2020

The genomes of five
Streptomyces
strains belonging to the same soil community were sequenced and assembled. The strains, which were isolated at microscale, belonged to different
Streptomyces
species. This sample provides access to understand the functioning of a
Streptomyces
community in an ecological context.
Genome Sequence of Beauveria bassiana Strain ATCC 74040, a Widely Employed Insect Pathogen
Authors: Atzeni Rossano , Moro Gabriele , Marche Maria Giovanna , Uva Paolo , Ruiu Luca
Published: June 2020

The broad-spectrum insecticidal activity of
Beauveria bassiana
strain ATCC 74040 is well documented. The whole-genome sequence of this strain is reported here, revealing a plethora of genes related to its insecticidal potential and providing new insights on the mechanism of action.
Supplemental Material: Elevated magma fluxes deliver high-Cu magmas to the upper crust
Authors: Cox Daniel , al. et
Published: June 2020

Details of analytical methods, supplemental Figures S1 and S2, raw major and trace element analyses, International Standard Reference Material analyses, and filtered Cu, SiO2 and MgO ‘Andean Arc’ GeoROC Database.
Supplemental Material: A nonlinear relationship between marsh size and sediment trapping capacity compromises salt marshes’ stability
Authors: Donatelli Carmine , al. et
Published: June 2020

Model validation and supplementary figures. Data input files are available in the following repository: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3797263.
Retrorectal cyst: proteus in the backyard—case series and literature review
Authors: Ramalingam Kirithiga , Fiser Caroline , Sabih Quratulain , Rajput Ashwani
Published: June 2020

Retrorectal cysts are cystic lesions located in the retrorectal space and are a distinct subset of retrorectal tumours, which are often misdiagnosed due to their rarity and mimicry of symptoms caused by common diseases. We have described the presentation and management of four patients who were diagnosed with retrorectal cysts from a 10-year retrospective chart review at our institute, a tertiary care centre. In middle-aged women, the following should raise suspicion of retrorectal cyst: gastrointestinal or urinary obstructive features, mass or fullness palpable on the posterior wall on digital rectal examination, presacral dimple, perianal fistula and/or recurrent disease. Such features should prompt an MRI evaluation of the pelvis for definitive diagnosis.
Intralaryngeal paraganglioma workup and discussion of surgical approach
Authors: Abt Nicholas B , Holcomb Andrew J , Shroff Stuti , Deschler Daniel G
Published: June 2020

Laryngeal paragangliomas are an uncommon presentation of head and neck paragangliomas, with laryngeal paragangliomas along with a synchronous paraganglioma being exceptionally rare. We present two challenging cases of laryngeal paragangliomas with extralaryngeal extension, completely resected through a transcervical approach without endolaryngeal disruption, with one case having synchronous bilateral carotid body tumours. Both patients had excellent results with complete tumour resection and no resultant functional impact. The surgical approaches for large laryngeal paraganglioma are discussed with considerations for endolaryngeal, transcervical and combined approaches as well as decision-making when approaching these rare lesions in the setting of synchronous head and neck paragangliomas.
Preoperative disturbances of glucose metabolism and mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Djupsjo Catarina , Sartipy Ulrik , Ivert Torbjorn , Karayiannides Stelios , Lundman Pia , Nystrom Thomas , Holzmann Martin J , Kuhl Jeanette
Published: June 2020

Background

Disturbances of glucose metabolism are important risk factors for coronary artery disease and are associated with an increased mortality risk. The aim was to investigate the association between preoperative disturbances of glucose metabolism and long-term all-cause mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods

Patients undergoing a first isolated CABG in 2005–2013 were included. All patients without previously known diabetes underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) before surgery. They were categorised as having normal glucose tolerance (NGT), pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance and/or impaired fasting glucose) or newly discovered diabetes. Data were collected from nationwide healthcare registers. Cox regression was used to calculate adjusted HR with 95% CI for death in patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes, using NGT as reference.

Results

In total, 497 patients aged 40–86 years were included. According to OGTT, 170 (34%) patients had NGT, 219 (44%) patients with pre-diabetes and 108 (22%) patients had newly discovered diabetes. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups except for slightly higher age among patients with newly discovered diabetes. There were 133 (27%) deaths during a mean follow-up time of 10 years. The cumulative 10-year survival was 77% (69%–83%), 83% (77%–87%) and 71% (61%–79%) in patients with NGT, pre-diabetes and newly discovered diabetes, respectively. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between the groups after multivariable adjustment.

Conclusion

In this study, patients with pre-diabetes or newly discovered diabetes prior to CABG had similar long-term survival compared with patients with NGT.
Reactive oxygen species are required for spore-wall formation in Physcomitrella patens
Authors: Rabbi Fazle , Renzaglia Karen S. , Ashton Neil W. , Suh Dae-Yeon
Published: June 2020

A robust spore wall was a key requirement for terrestrialization by early plants. Sporopollenin in spore and pollen grain walls is thought to be polymerized and cross-linked to other macromolecular components, partly through oxidative processes involving H2O2. Therefore, we investigated effects of scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the formation of spore walls in the moss Physcomitrella patens (Hedw.) Bruch, Schimp & W. Gümbel. Exposure of sporophytes, containing spores in the process of forming walls, to ascorbate, dimethylthiourea, or 4-hydroxy-TEMPO prevented normal wall development in a dose, chemical, and stage-dependent manner. Mature spores, exposed while developing to a ROS scavenger, burst when mounted in water on a flat slide under a coverslip (a phenomenon we named “augmented osmolysis” because they did not burst in phosphate-buffered saline or in water on a depression slide). Additionally, the walls of exposed spores were more susceptible to alkaline hydrolysis than those of the control spores, and some were characterized by discontinuities in the exine, anomalies in perine spine structure, abnormal intine and aperture, and occasionally, wall shedding. Our data support the involvement of oxidative cross-linking in spore-wall development, including sporopollenin polymerization or deposition, as well as a role for ROS in intine/aperture development.
QED exponentiation for quasi-stable charged particles: the $$e^-e^+\rightarrow W^-W^+$$ process
Authors: Jadach S. , Płaczek W. , Skrzypek M.
Published: June 2020

All real and virtual infrared singularities in the standard analysis of the perturbative Quantum Electrodynamics (like that of Yennie–Frautschi–Suura) are associated with photon emissions from the external legs in the scattering process. External particles are stable, with the zero decay width. Such singularities are well understood at any perturbative order and are resummed. The case of production and decay of the semi-stable neutral particles, like the Z-boson or the $$\tau $$τ-lepton, with the narrow decay width, $$\Gamma /M \ll 1$$Γ/M≪1, is also well understood at any perturbative order and soft-photon resummation can be done. For an absent or loose upper cut-off on the total photon energy $$\omega $$ω, production and decay processes of the semi-stable (neutral) particles decouple approximately and can be considered quasi-independently. In particular, the soft-photon resummation can be done separately for the production and the decay, treating a semi-stable (neutral) particle as stable. QED interference contributions between the production and decay stages are suppressed by the $$\Gamma /M$$Γ/M factor. If experimental precision $$\omega $$ω is comparable with or better than $$\Gamma /M$$Γ/M, these interferences have to be included. In the case of $$\omega \ll \Gamma $$ω≪Γ decoupling of production and decay does not work any more and the role of semi-stable particles is reduced to the same role as that of other internal off-shell particles. So far, consistent treatment of the soft photon resummation for semi-stable charged particles like the $$W^\pm $$W± bosons is not available in the literature, and the aim of this work is to present a solution to this problem. Generally, this should be feasible because the underlying physics is the same as in the case of neutral semi-stable resonances—in the limit of $$\Gamma /M \ll 1$$Γ/M≪1 the production and decay processes for charged particles also necessarily decouple due to long lifetime of intermediate particles. Technical problems to be solved in this work are related to the fact that semi-stable charged particle are able to emit photons. Practical importance of the presented technique to the $$e^+e^-\rightarrow W^+W^-$$e+e-→W+W- process at the Future electron–positron Circular Collider (FCC-ee) is underlined.
Development of YBCO soldered stacked conductor for current lead application
Authors: Xie Zongtai , Ning Feipeng , Zhu Zian , Zhao Ling , Zhang Guoqing , Liu Xuyang , Wang Xiaowei
Published: June 2020

YBCO is currently one of the most widely used second-generation high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials. Compared with the first-generation HTS materials represented by BSCCO, the application of YBCO on the current lead can effectively reduce the 4K thermal load and achieve better stability. This paper introduces the research progress of YBCO soldered stacked conductor based on 65 [Formula: see text]m thickness YBCO film conductor with copper stabilizing layer. The electrical properties of the soldered stacked conductor, including the self-field dependence of the critical current, were tested and analyzed. In this paper, the thermal conductivity of the conductors at 4K is also tested by experimental platform based on GM cryocooler. The differences between superconducting stacked conductors in current lead applications and magnet applications were discussed.
K-Anonymization-Based Temporal Attack Risk Detection Using Machine Learning Paradigms
Authors: Peethambaran Geetha , Naikodi Chandrakant , Narasimha Setty Suresh Lakshmi
Published: June 2020

Huge amount of personal data is collected by online applications and its protection based on privacy has brought a lot of major challenging issues. Hence, the [Formula: see text]-anonymization with privacy-preserving data publishing has emerged as an active research field. The published data contains personalized information, which may be used for analysis converting it to useful information. In this paper, Quasi identifier (QI) data publishing with data preservation through the [Formula: see text]-anonymization process is proposed. Moreover, the risks such as the temporal attack in the previous release of re-identifying QI information are evaluated using the [Formula: see text]-anonymity model. The development of independent and ensemble classifiers for finding efficient QI’s to avoid temporal attacks is the major objective of this paper. Therefore, the classifiers like Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine, and Multilayer Perceptron are used as base classifiers. An ensemble model based on these base classifiers is also used. The experimental results demonstrate that, the proposed classification approach is an effective K-anonymity tool for the enhancement of sequential release.
Model maturity towards modeling and simulation: Concepts, index system framework and evaluation method
Authors: Zhang Lin , Liu Ying , Laili Yuanjun , Zhang Weicun
Published: June 2020

Simulation has become an essential way and sometimes the only way to study complex systems (e.g., system of systems, SoS). Simulation is the model-based activity. How to build a high-quality model is the first consideration in simulation. Fidelity and credibility are the two mostly used metrics to evaluate the quality of a model. However, the definitions and evaluation methods of fidelity and credibility vary from one research to another and it’s hard to evaluate the metrics precisely. More importantly, the evolution process of a model in use cannot be directly reflected by the two metrics. Therefore, this paper introduces the model maturity to track the status of a model during its life cycle, especially in the use and management phases, which will be an important supplement to the quality evaluation system of models. The concept of model maturity is given and a framework of index system for model maturity evaluation is established. Then, a hierarchical evaluation method based on qualitative and quantitative analysis (HEQQ) for model maturity is proposed. Finally, a case study is used to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Nash Equilibrium for Risk-Averse Investors in a Market Impact Game with Transient Price Impact
Authors: Luo Xiangge , Schied Alexander
Published: June 2020

We consider a market impact game for [Formula: see text] risk-averse agents that are competing in a market model with linear transient price impact and additional transaction costs. For both finite and infinite time horizons, the agents aim to minimize a mean-variance functional of their costs or to maximize the expected exponential utility of their revenues. We give explicit representations for corresponding Nash equilibria and prove uniqueness in the case of mean-variance optimization. A qualitative analysis of these Nash equilibria is conducted by means of numerical analysis.
New constraints on the tectonosedimentary evolution of the offshore San Pedro Basin (southeastern Dominican Republic): implications for its hydrocarbon potential
Authors: Gorosabel-Araus J. M. , Granja-Bruña J. L. , Gallego-Mingo A. , Gómez de la Peña L. , Rodríguez-Zurrunero A. , Mas R. , Carbó-Gorosabel A. , Navarro-Comet J.
Published: June 2020

The San Pedro Basin (SPB) is located at the southeastern margin of Hispaniola Island (Dominican Republic and Haiti). It is the largest offshore basin of the Dominican Republic with an extension of 6000 km
2
. The basin has a maximum water depth of 1600 m and is positioned to the rear of the Muertos Thrust Belt (MTB). The SPB is bounded to the west by the Azua Basin which has a proven petroleum system and small oil production has been recovered from the Maleno and Higuerito fields. While in the scientific literature the SPB and the Azua basins have been considered as disconnected sedimentary systems, our current study suggests both that shared a common tectonic evolution and therefore the presence of an untested petroleum system in the SPB can be expected. We have carried out a detailed review and synthesis of the onshore systematic geological mapping (the SYSMIN I and II programmes) together with the integration of a large volume of subsurface geophysical data. This includes analysis of 60 exploration wells provided by Banco Nacional de Datos de Hidrocarburos (BNDH) of the Dominican Republic, processing of new 2D multi-channel seismic data from the Spanish Research Project NORCARIBE, reprocessing of legacy seismic profiles, and interpretation of gravity and magnetic data. Our results have led us to propose a new evolution model for the SPB. The basement of both basins consists of Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks of intra- and back-arc settings. A change in the stress regime in the Campanian led to partial inversion of the basement units favouring the deposition of two main sequences of Campanian–Maastrichtian and Paleocene?–Eocene age in a submarine foreland setting. Due to collision between the Carbonate Bahamas Province and Hispaniola in the middle Eocene, compressional stresses were transferred to the south where Cretaceous and Paleogene sediments were deformed, forming the current configuration of the MTB and generating a new accommodation space where the SPB has developed since upper Eocene–Oligocene until Present. While the Azua Basin was finally exhumed after the Miocene–Pliocene, most of the SPB continued as an actively subsiding basin. This new model has allowed identification of the main elements of the petroleum system in the SPB: a mature Upper Cretaceous source rock; and Oligocene–Miocene carbonate and clastic reservoirs interbedded with sealing shales and marls. Main traps (structural and stratigraphic) are of Oligocene–Miocene age and their formation seems to be synchronous to oil generation. While the main elements of the petroleum system seem to be present in the basin, timing is a key issue that must be addressed and assessed in any future exploration in the basin.
Characterizing Disinformation Risk to Open Data in the Post-Truth Era
Authors: Colborne Adrienne , Smit Michael
Published: June 2020

Curated, labeled, high-quality data is a valuable commodity for tasks such as business analytics and machine learning. Open data is a common source of such data—for example, retail analytics draws on open demographic data, and weather forecast systems draw on open atmospheric and ocean data. Open data is released openly by governments to achieve various objectives, such as transparency, informing citizen engagement, or supporting private enterprise. Critical examination of ongoing social changes, including the post-truth phenomenon, suggests the quality, integrity, and authenticity of open data may be at risk. We introduce this risk through various lenses, describe some of the types of risk we expect using a threat model approach, identify approaches to mitigate each risk, and present real-world examples of cases where the risk has already caused harm. As an initial assessment of awareness of this disinformation risk, we compare our analysis to perspectives captured during open data stakeholder consultations in Canada.
SeqST-GAN
Authors: Wang Senzhang , Cao Jiannong , Chen Hao , Peng Hao , Huang Zhiqiu
Published: June 2020

Citywide crowd flow data are ubiquitous nowadays, and forecasting the flow of crowds is of great importance to many real applications such as traffic management and mobility-on-demand (MOD) services. The challenges of accurately predicting urban crowd flows come from both the nonlinear spatial-temporal correlations of the crowd flow data and the complex impact of the external context factors, such as weather, holidays, and POIs. It is even more challenging for most existing one-step prediction models to make an accurate prediction across multiple future time slots. In this article, we propose a sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) Generative Adversarial Nets model named SeqST-GAN to perform multi-step Spatial-Temporal crowd flow prediction of a city. Motivated by the success of GAN in video prediction, we for the first time propose an adversarial learning framework by regarding the citywide crowd flow data in successive time slots as “image frames.” Specifically, we first use a Seq2Seq model to generate a sequence of future “frame” predictions based on previous ones. Then, by integrating the generation error with the adversary loss, SeqST-GAN can avoid the blurry prediction issue and make more accurate predictions. To incorporate the external contexts, an external-context gate module called EC-Gate is also proposed to learn region-level representations of the context features. Experiments on two large crowd flow datasets in New York demonstrate that SeqST-GAN improves the prediction performance by a large margin compared with the existing state-of-the-art.
The Microeconomics of Agricultural Price Risk
Authors: Boyd Chris M. , Bellemare Marc F.
Published: June 2020

Much of neoclassical economics is concerned with prices—more specifically, with relative prices. Similarly, economists have studied behavior in the face of risk and uncertainty for at least a century, and risk and uncertainty are without a doubt a feature of economic life. It is thus puzzling that price risk—that is, unexpected departures from a mean price level, or price volatility—has received so little attention. In this review, we discuss the microeconomics of price risk. We begin by reviewing the theoretical literature, a great deal of which is concerned with the effects of unstable agricultural prices on the welfare of producers, consumers, and agricultural households. We then discuss the empirical literature on the effects of price risk on economic agents. We emphasize policy responses to agricultural price risk throughout, discussing price stabilization policies from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. Perhaps most importantly, we provide several suggestions for future research in the area of price risk given increasing risk on world agricultural markets due to both policy uncertainty and climate change.
Rethinking Space: A Review of Perception, Attention, and Memory in Scene Processing
Authors: Castelhano Monica S. , Krzyś Karolina
Published: June 2020

Scene processing is fundamentally influenced and constrained by spatial layout and spatial associations with objects. However, semantic information has played a vital role in propelling our understanding of real-world scene perception forward. In this article, we review recent advances in assessing how spatial layout and spatial relations influence scene processing. We examine the organization of the larger environment and how we take full advantage of spatial configurations independently of semantic information. We demonstrate that a clear differentiation of spatial from semantic information is necessary to advance research in the field of scene processing.
miR-135b-dependent downregulation of S100B promotes neural stem cell differentiation in a hypoxia/ischemia-induced cerebral palsy rat model
Authors: Wen Linbao , Sun Jingwei , Chen Xionggao , Du Ruili
Published: June 2020

Cerebral palsy (CP) is frequently caused by brain injury during pregnancy, delivery, or the immediate postnatal period. The differentiation potential of neural stem cell (NSC) makes them effective in restoring injured tissues and organs with minimal risks of side effects. In this study, we identified a novel microRNA-135b (miR-135b) in CP and investigated its functional role in mediating NSC differentiation. CP models were established in Wistar rats and validated with the Y-maze test. Gain- and loss-of-function experimentation was performed on CP rats. Then NSCs were isolated and the expression patterns of miR-135b and S100B were altered in NSCs. S100B exhibited high expression in the hippocampus tissues of CP models, which was targeted by miR-135b. miR-135b elevation or S100B silencing resulted in promoted NSC differentiation, alleviated brain injury, and inhibited NSC apoptosis in hippocampus tissues of CP rats. S100B downregulation targeted by miR-135b overexpression contributed to the inactivation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) pathway, which promoted NSC differentiation and proliferation but inhibited NSC apoptosis. Our results highlight the suppressor role played by miR-135b in CP by inducing NSC differentiation via inactivation of S100B-dependent STAT3 pathway.
Differential MicroRNA-Signatures in Thyroid Cancer Subtypes
Authors: Santiago Krystal , Chen Wongworawat Yan , Khan Salma
Published: June 2020

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common endocrine cancers, with an increasing trend in the last few decades. Although papillary thyroid cancer is the most frequent subtype compared with follicular or anaplastic thyroid cancer, it can dedifferentiate to a more aggressive phenotype, and the recurrence rate is high. The cells of follicular adenomas and follicular carcinomas appear identical in cytology, making the preoperative diagnosis difficult. On the other hand, anaplastic thyroid cancer poses a significant clinical challenge due to its aggressive nature with no effective therapeutic options. In the past several years, the roles of genetic alterations of thyroid tumors have been documented, with a remarkable correlation between genotype and phenotype, indicating that distinct molecular changes are associated with a multistep tumorigenic process. Besides mRNA expression profiles, small noncoding microRNA (miRNA) expression also showed critical functions for cell differentiation, proliferation, angiogenesis, and resistance to apoptosis and finally activating invasion and metastasis in cancer. Several high-throughput sequencing studies demonstrate that miRNA expression signatures contribute clinically relevant information including types of thyroid cancer, tumor grade, and prognosis. This review summarizes recent findings on miRNA signatures in thyroid cancer subtypes.
Preparation of Silver Nanoparticles in a Plasma-Liquid System in the Presence of PVA: Antimicrobial, Catalytic, and Sensing Properties
Authors: Skiba Margarita I. , Vorobyova Victoria I. , Kosogina Iryna V.
Published: June 2020

The preparation of stabilized silver nanodispersions under the action of short-term plasma discharge using a polyvinyl alcohol stabilizer (polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)) was investigated. The influence of the basic technological parameters such as initial Ag+ concentration, PVA concentration, and process duration on the formation of nanoparticles and their characteristics (size and stability) were determined. The UV-Vis spectra showed the localized surface plasmon resonance at wavelengths of 400–420 nm. The SEM images showed that the shape of Ag NPs is spherical with an average particle size up to 30 nm. Ag NPs were used as a catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The effect of the concentration of PNP and catalyst dosage on the value of apparent rate constant (kapp) for catalytic reduction of 4-NP in the presence of Ag NPs was investigated by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The antimicrobial activity of Ag nanoparticles was investigated against yeast and Escherichia coli. The colorimetric sensor studies of plasma synthesized Ag NPs showed selective sensing of the potentially hazardous Hg2+ ion in water.
A Fast Approach for Reoptimization of Railway Train Platforming in Case of Train Delays
Authors: Zhang Yongxiang , Zhong Qingwei , Yin Yong , Yan Xu , Peng Qiyuan
Published: June 2020

Train platforming is critical for ensuring the safety and efficiency of train operations within the stations, especially when unexpected train delays occur. This paper studies the problem of reoptimization of train platforming in case of train delays, where the train station is modeled using the discretization of the platform track time-space resources. To solve the reoptimization problem, we propose a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model, which minimizes the weighted sum of total train delays and the platform track assignment costs, subject to constraints defined by operational requirements. Moreover, we design an efficient heuristic algorithm to solve the MILP model such that it can speed up the reoptimization process with good solution precision. Furthermore, a real-world case is taken as an example to show the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm. The computational results show that the MILP model established in this paper can describe the reoptimization of train platforming accurately, and it can be solved quickly by the proposed heuristic algorithm. In addition, the model and algorithm developed in this paper can provide an effective computer-aided decision-making tool for the train dispatchers in case of train delays.
Internal Perturbation Projection Algorithm for the Extended Split Equality Problem and the Extended Split Equality Fixed Point Problem
Authors: Li Meixia , Zhou Xueling , Wang Wenchao
Published: June 2020

In this article, we study the extended split equality problem and extended split equality fixed point problem, which are extensions of the convex feasibility problem. For solving the extended split equality problem, we present two self-adaptive stepsize algorithms with internal perturbation projection and obtain the weak and the strong convergence of the algorithms, respectively. Furthermore, based on the operators being quasinonexpansive, we offer an iterative algorithm to solve the extended split equality fixed point problem. We introduce a way of selecting the stepsize which does not need any prior information about operator norms in the three algorithms. We apply our iterative algorithms to some convex and nonlinear problems. Finally, several numerical results are shown to confirm the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed algorithms.