bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Deformation Law of Deep Foundation Pit with the Top‐Down Method and Its Influence on Adjacent Subway Tunnel
Authors: Gui Yue , Zhao Zhenxing , Qin Xiaqiang , Wang Jianfei
Published: December 2020

Based on a long‐term comprehensive instrumentation program, the performance of an excavation pit constructed by the top‐down method in downtown Kunming was extensively examined. The measured excavation responses included the deflections of diaphragm wall, vertical column movement, slab axial force, building settlement caused by ground deformation, and the influence of pit excavation on the adjacent subway tunnel. This paper analyses the monitoring data of the existing construction stage. Based on the analyses on the data of field and numerical simulation, the following major findings were obtained: (1) the relationship between the measured maximum wall deflection, δhm, and excavation depth, H, in this study is δhm = 0.06%H ~ 0.27%H, which is quite different compared with the relationship of soft‐soil pit δhm = 0.02%H ~ 1.2%H, but closer to the normalized curve of rock‐socketed pile δhm = 0.01%H ~ 0.45%H and rock‐socketed diaphragm wall δhm = 0.031%H ~ 0.129%H. (2) The relationship between the maximum settlement of column (δp) and excavation depth (H) is δp = −0.09%∼0.04%H. The maximum distortion between the diaphragm wall and the column is less than 1/500 of the limit range proposed by Bjerrum. (3) The impact range caused by excavation is about 3.8 times the maximum excavation depth. The ground settlement around the foundation pit is groove type, and the maximum settlement point is located at 2.7 times the maximum excavation depth. (4) The excavation of the foundation pit leads to the maximum vertical settlement of 2 mm and maximum horizontal displacement of 5.2 mm in the subway tunnel; the maximum change of axial force and bending moment are 8.8 kN (the vertical direction) and 6.4 kN·m/m (the horizontal direction), respectively.
Return Decision Model of the Manufacturer-Leading Dual-Channel Supply Chain
Authors: Zhang Xuelong , Wang Hui , Zhao Xiangzhong , Wu Doudou
Published: December 2020

According to the manufacturer-leading dual-channel supply chain return problem, a linear demand function considering the change rate of product interaction between the two channels and the change rate of market demand on the return price was established. Under the premise of no cross-return, this paper analyzes the changes of the optimal profit value of the manufacturer, retailer, and supply chain of the dual-channel supply chain in the context of centralized and decentralized decision-making and through the establishment of the price discount decision model and compensation strategy to coordinate the whole supply chain profit. This paper has shown that the use of the price discount decision model and compensation policy model could make the whole supply chain profit optimum value in decentralized decision-making situations equal to profit optimum value in the centralized decision-making situations, and price discount model could make manufacturers better to maximize profit considering the same return scenario, and that compensation policy model could be more helpful to maximize profits for retailers.
Application and Analyzation of the Vision‐Based Structure Model Displacement Measuring Method in Cassette Structure Shaking Table Experiment
Authors: Yanhua Wang , Cheng Wang , Yan Feng , Bowen Dai , Gang Wu
Published: December 2020

In the shaking table test of large cassette structure, story drift is an essential set of experimental data. The traditional method of displacement measurement is limited to problems such as necessary full contact with the structure model for installation of sensors, large work of installation, and easily interfered by environment. The noncontact displacement measurement method, such as optical measuring technology, can solve the above problems and serve as an effective supplementary method for traditional displacement measuring in the shaking table test. This paper proposed a vison‐based displacement measuring method. Predesigned artificial targets which act as sensors are installed on each floor of the cassette structure model. A high‐speed industrial camera is used to acquire the series of the images of the artificial targets on the structure model during the shaking table test. A Python‐OpenCV‐based structural calculation program combining computer vision and machine vision is developed to extract and calculate the displacement of the artificial targets from the series of the images acquired. The proposed method is applied in a shaking table test of a reduced‐scale fifteen‐floor reinforced concrete cassette structure model, in which the laser displacement meter and the seismic geophone are also applied as a comparison. The experimental results acquired by the proposed method are compared with the results acquired by the laser displacement meter and the seismic geophone. The average error of the story drift obtained by the proposed vision‐based measurement method is within 5% and is in good agreement with the laser displacement meter and the seismic geophone, which confirms the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Metabolic Perturbations and Severe COVID-19 Disease: Implication of Molecular Pathways
Authors: Nigro Ersilia , Perrotta Fabio , Polito Rita , D’Agnano Vito , Scialò Filippo , Bianco Andrea , Daniele Aurora
Published: December 2020

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, which can result in serious respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia leading to respiratory failure. It was first reported in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019 and rapidly spread globally, becoming a pandemic in March 2020. Among comorbidities observed in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, hypertension (68.3%) and type 2-diabetes (30.1%) are the most frequent conditions. Although symptoms are highly heterogeneous (ranging from absence of symptoms to severe acute respiratory failure), patients with metabolic-associated diseases often experience worse COVID-19 outcomes. This review investigates the association between metabolic disorders and COVID-19 severity, exploring the molecular mechanisms potentially underlying this relationship and those that are responsible for more severe COVID-19 outcomes. In addition, the role of the main biological processes that may connect metabolic alterations to SARS-CoV-2 infection such as hyperglycemia, immune system deregulation, ACE-2 receptor modulation, and inflammatory response is described. The impact of metabolic disorders on the prognosis of COVID-19 has major implications in public health especially for countries affected by a high incidence of metabolic diseases.
Operation Control of In Situ Combustion Based on the Material Balance Equation
Authors: Jiang Haiyan , Yuan Shibao , Li Lehong , Wang Jiao , Wang Hao , Li Tianyue
Published: December 2020

The stability of combustion in the process of fire flooding requires not only a reasonable gas injection rate but also a matching exhaust rate. A reasonable injection-production balance system is very important. Based on the material balance of injection-production, the expression of injection-production ratio suitable for normal fire flooding production is established. The air injection rate of fire flooding combustion and oxygen consumption of formation pressurization is analyzed by this formula to calculate the gas production and liquid production in combustion. The reasonable injection and production parameters for the oilfield are calculated by using the oilfield parameters. It can be seen that the calculated value of injection-production ratio is consistent with the actual value, which shows that the injection-production ratio is reasonable and can guide the adjustment of production parameters in the oilfield.
A Continuous-Time Version of a Delegated Asset Management Problem
Authors: Li Yanan , Li Zengti , Li Chuanzheng
Published: December 2020

This paper develops a continuous-time model to study the widely used investment mandates in the institutional asset management industry. In this paper, just like He and Xiong (2013), we suppose that the asset management industry has a two-layered incentive structure, and fund families charging investors fixed management fees while compensating individual fund managers based on fund performance. Different from He and Xiong (2013), we suppose that the fund family aims to select an optimal incentive strategy to maximize its terminal benefits, while the fund manager needs to select the optimal effort level and the optimal investment portfolio to maximize his terminal net discounted compensation in a continuous-time model. By using dynamic programming principle and stochastic differential game theory, the optimal strategies and value functions of both sides are derived. At last, numerical studies are provided to illustrate the effects of all the parameters on the optimal strategies. The result reveals that the optimal incentive mechanism will redistribute both the benefit of the fund families and the cost of the fund managers’ effort.
A Novel Function of Sphingolipid Signaling via S1PR3 in Hematopoietic and Leukemic Stem Cells
Authors: Yang Chong , Yamashita Masayuki , Suda Toshio
Published: December 2020

In this issue of Blood Cancer Discovery, Xie and colleagues describe a novel function of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR3) to regulate myeloid differentiation and activate inflammatory programs in both human hematopoietic stem cells and leukemic stem cells. They propose S1PR3 as a major downstream signaling pathway of a TNFα–NF-κB axis in this study and unlock potential therapeutic opportunities to improve outcomes of patients with acute myeloid leukemia by modulating sphingolipid signaling via S1PR3.

See related article by Xie et al., p. 32.
Selective Resection of Type 1 Gastric Neuroendocrine Neoplasms and the Risk of Progression in an Endoscopic Surveillance Programme
Authors: Chin Jun Liong , O’Connell Jim , Muldoon Cian , Swan Niall , Reynolds John Vincent , Ravi Narayanasamy , Geoghegan Justin , Conlon Kevin C. , O’Shea Donal , O’Toole Dermot
Published: December 2020

Background: Current guidance for type 1 gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (gNENs) recommends either resection of all visible lesions or selective resection of gNENs >10 mm. We adopt a selective strategy targeting lesions approaching 10 mm for endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and provide surveillance for smaller lesions. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the incidence of type 1 gNENs requiring endoscopic/surgical resection and the risk of disease progression (both considered significant disease) on endoscopic surveillance. The secondary objective was to assess the risk factors for disease progression during surveillance and the incidence of gastric dysplasia/adenoma/adenocarcinoma. Methods: We collected consecutive patients with type 1 gNENs and obtained demographic and clinical data through the electronic patient record. Results: In our cohort of 57 patients, 12 patients had EMR at index gastroscopy; 7 patients had surgery (4: large/multiple gNENs and 3: nodal metastases) (5.2% [3/57] risk of nodal metastases); and a patient with nodal and liver metastases (1.8% [1/57] risk of distant metastases). The prevalence of gastric adenocarcinoma in our study was 3.5% with an incidence rate of 9.59 per 1,000 persons per year. For patients undergoing surveillance, 29.5% (13/44) of patients progressed requiring resection. Serum gastrin was significantly higher in patients who progressed to resection (p value = 0.023). Conclusion: We concluded that up to a third of patients with type 1 gNENs have significant disease requiring resection. Hence, endoscopic surveillance and resect strategy would benefit patients.
Sub-Phenotypes of Acute Kidney Injury: Do We Have Progress for Personalizing Care?
Authors: Thau Matthew R. , Bhatraju Pavan K.
Published: December 2020

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the most common form of organ dysfunction occurring in patients admitted to the intensive care unit and contributes significantly to poor long-term outcomes. Despite this public health impact, no effective pharmacotherapy exists for AKI. One reason may be that heterogeneity is present within AKI as currently defined, thereby concealing unique pathophysiologic processes specific to certain AKI populations. Supporting this notion, we and others have shown that diversity within the AKI clinical syndrome exists, and the “one-size-fits-all” approach by current diagnostic guidelines may not be ideal. A “precision medicine” approach that exploits an individual’s genetic, biologic, and clinical characteristics to identify AKI sub-phenotypes may overcome such limitations. Identification of AKI sub-phenotypes may address a critical unmet clinical need in AKI by (1) improving risk prognostication, (2) identifying novel pathophysiology, and (3) informing a patient’s likelihood of responding to current therapeutics or establishing new therapeutic targets to prevent and treat AKI. This review discusses the current state of phenotyping AKI and future directions.
Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of the Submesoscale Energetics in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Yang Yang , McWilliams James C. , San Liang X. , Zhang Hong , Weisberg Robert H. , Liu Yonggang , Menemenlis Dimitris
Published: December 2020

The submesoscale energetics of the eastern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) are diagnosed using outputs from a 1/48° MITgcm simulation. Employed is a recently developed, localized multiscale energetics formalism with three temporal-scale ranges (or scale windows), namely, a background flow window, a mesoscale window, and a submesoscale window. It is found that the energy cascades are highly inhomogeneous in space. Over the eastern continental slope of the Campeche Bank, the submesoscale eddies are generated via barotropic instability, with forward cascades of kinetic energy (KE) following a weak seasonal variation. In the deep basin of the eastern GoM, the submesoscale KE exhibits a seasonal cycle, peaking in winter, maintained via baroclinic instability, with forward available potential energy (APE) cascades in the mixed layer, followed by a strong buoyancy conversion. A spatially coherent pool of inverse KE cascade is found to extract energy from the submesoscale KE reservoir in this region to replenish the background flow. The northern GoM features the strongest submesoscale signals with a similar seasonality as seen in the deep basin. The dominant source for the submesoscale KE during winter is from buoyancy conversion and also from the forward KE cascades from mesoscale processes. To maintain the balance, the excess submesoscale KE must be dissipated by smaller-scale processes via a forward cascade, implying a direct route to finescale dissipation. Our results highlight that the role of submesoscale turbulence in the ocean energy cycle is region and time dependent.
Meta-analysis of rare adverse events in randomized clinical trials: Bayesian and frequentist methods
Authors: Hong Hwanhee , Wang Chenguang , Rosner Gary L
Published: December 2020

Background/aims:

Regulatory approval of a drug or device involves an assessment of not only the benefits but also the risks of adverse events associated with the therapeutic agent. Although randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for evaluating effectiveness, the number of treated patients in a single RCT may not be enough to detect a rare but serious side effect of the treatment. Meta-analysis plays an important role in the evaluation of the safety of medical products and has advantage over analyzing a single RCT when estimating the rate of adverse events.

Methods:

In this article, we compare 15 widely used meta-analysis models under both Bayesian and frequentist frameworks when outcomes are extremely infrequent or rare. We present extensive simulation study results and then apply these methods to a real meta-analysis that considers RCTs investigating the effect of rosiglitazone on the risks of myocardial infarction and of death from cardiovascular causes.

Results:

Our simulation studies suggest that the beta hyperprior method modeling treatment group-specific parameters and accounting for heterogeneity performs the best. Most models ignoring between-study heterogeneity give poor coverage probability when such heterogeneity exists. In the data analysis, different methods provide a wide range of log odds ratio estimates between rosiglitazone and control treatments with a mixed conclusion on their statistical significance based on 95% confidence (or credible) intervals.

Conclusion:

In the rare event setting, treatment effect estimates obtained from traditional meta-analytic methods may be biased and provide poor coverage probability. This trend worsens when the data have large between-study heterogeneity. In general, we recommend methods that first estimate the summaries of treatment-specific risks across studies and then relative treatment effects based on the summaries when appropriate. Furthermore, we recommend fitting various methods, comparing the results and model performance, and investigating any significant discrepancies among them.
A Modified Friction Stir Welding Process Based on Vortex Material Flow
Authors: Liu Xiaochao , Zhen Yunqian , Shen Zhikang , Chen Haiyan , Li Wenya , Guo Wei , Yue Zhufeng
Published: December 2020

Friction stir welding is a promising solid-state welding technique. However, the issue of tool wear and break restricts its wider industrial application. To avoid the tool wear and break occurring in conventional friction stir welding (FSW), a new modification of the FSW process using a tool made by the identical material as the workpiece has been developed and conducted on pure aluminum. We named this process as Vortex-FSW (VFSW) because it depends on a vortex material flow to realize the welding and joining. The weld macro- and micro-structures are like that in conventional FSW. However, the tool exit-hole in conventional FSW is replaced by a lug boss. The mechanical properties are also equivalent to that in conventional FSW. The principle of this new process is introduced in this paper.
Chitosan modifies glycemic levels in people with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis
Authors: Guo Wenfang , Yi Letai , Zhou Baochang , Li Minhui
Published: December 2020

Background

Chitosan supplementation has been shown to modulate glycemic levels; however, studies have reported conflicting results. The present meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis was conducted to verify the overall influence of chitosan on glycemic levels in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Methods

The PubMed, Cochrane library, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled studies of chitosan intake and glycemic levels.

Results

A total of ten clinical trials including 1473 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled effect sizes were determined by random-effects meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed to analyze the sources of heterogeneity and their influence on the overall results. The results revealed a significant reduction in fasting glucose levels (SMD: − 0.39 mmol/L, 95% CI: − 0.62 to − 0.16) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels (SMD: -1.10; 95% CI: − 2.15 to − 0.06) following chitosan supplementation but no effect on insulin levels (SMD: − 0.20 pmol/L, 95% CI: − 0.64 to 0.24). Subgroup analyses further demonstrated significant reductions in fasting glucose levels in subjects administered 1.6–3 g of chitosan per day and in studies longer than 13 weeks. Trial sequential analysis of the pooled results of the hypoglycemic effect demonstrated that the cumulative Z-curve crossed both the conventional boundary and trial sequential monitoring boundary for glucose and HbA1c.

Conclusions

The glucose level of patients who are diabetic and obese/overweight can be improved by supplementation with chitosan for at least 13 weeks at 1.6–3 g per day. Additional clinical research data are needed to confirm the role of chitosan, particularly in regulating glycosylated hemoglobin and insulin.
Functionalized silk spheres selectively and effectively deliver a cytotoxic drug to targeted cancer cells in vivo
Authors: Florczak Anna , Deptuch Tomasz , Lewandowska Anna , Penderecka Karolina , Kramer Elzbieta , Marszalek Andrzej , Mackiewicz Andrzej , Dams-Kozlowska Hanna
Published: December 2020

Background

Chemotherapy is often a first-line therapeutic approach for the treatment of a wide variety of cancers. Targeted drug delivery systems (DDSs) can potentially resolve the problem of chemotherapeutic drug off-targeting effects. Herein, we examined in vivo models to determine the efficacy of Her2-targeting silk spheres (H2.1MS1) as DDSs for delivering doxorubicin (Dox) to Her2-positive and Her2-negative primary and metastatic mouse breast cancers.

Results

The specific accumulation of H2.1MS1 spheres was demonstrated at the site of Her2-positive cancer. Dox delivered only by functionalized H2.1MS1 particles selectively inhibited Her2-positive cancer growth in primary and metastatic models. Moreover, the significant effect of the Dox dose and the frequency of treatment administration on the therapeutic efficacy was indicated. Although the control MS1 spheres accumulated in the lungs in Her2-positive metastatic breast cancer, the Dox-loaded MS1 particles did not treat cancer. Histopathological examination revealed no systemic toxicity after multiple administrations and at increased doses of Dox-loaded silk spheres. Although the studies were performed in immunocompetent mice, the H2.1MS1 silk spheres efficiently delivered the drug, which exerted a therapeutic effect.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that functionalized silk spheres that enable cell-specific recognition, cellular internalization, and drug release represent an efficient strategy for cancer treatment in vivo.
Health-related quality of life in Marfan syndrome: a 10-year follow-up
Authors: Vanem Thy Thy , Rand-Hendriksen Svend , Brunborg Cathrine , Geiran Odd Ragnar , Røe Cecilie
Published: December 2020

Background

Marfan syndrome, a rare hereditary connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in fibrillin-1, can affect many organ systems, especially the cardiovascular system. Previous research has paid less attention to health-related quality of life and prospective studies on this topic are needed. The aim of this study was to assess changes in health-related quality of life after 10 years in a Norwegian Marfan syndrome cohort.

Methods

Forty-seven Marfan syndrome patients ≥ 18 years were investigated for all organ manifestations in the 1996 Ghent nosology and completed the self-reported questionnaire, Short-Form-36 Health Survey, at baseline in 2003–2004 and at follow-up in 2014–2015. Paired sample t tests were performed to compare means and multiple regression analyses were performed with age, sex, new cardiovascular and new non-cardiovascular pathology as predictors.

Results

At 10-year follow-up: a significant decline was found in the physical domain. The mental domain was unchanged. Older age predicted a larger decline in physical health-related quality of life. None of the chosen Marfan-related variables predicted changes in any of the subscales of the Short-Form 36 Health Survey or in the physical or the mental domain.

Conclusion

Knowledge of decline in the physical domain, not related to organ affections, may be important in the follow-up of Marfan syndrome patients.
Simulation exercises and after action reviews – analysis of outputs during 2016–2019 to strengthen global health emergency preparedness and response
Authors: Copper Frederik Anton , Mayigane Landry Ndriko , Pei Yingxin , Charles Denis , Nguyen Thanh Nam , Vente Candice , Chiu de Vázquez Cindy , Bell Allan , Njenge Hilary Kagume , Kandel Nirmal , Ho Zheng Jie Marc , Omaar Abbas , de la Rocque Stéphane , Chungong Stella
Published: December 2020

Background

Under the International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR (2005)] Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, after action reviews (AAR) and simulation exercises (SimEx) are two critical components which measure the functionality of a country’s health emergency preparedness and response under a “real-life” event or simulated situation. The objective of this study was to describe the AAR and SimEx supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) globally in 2016–2019.

Methods

In 2016–2019, WHO supported 63 AAR and 117 SimEx, of which 42 (66.7%) AAR reports and 56 (47.9%) SimEx reports were available. We extracted key information from these reports and created two central databases for AAR and SimEx, respectively. We conducted descriptive analysis and linked the findings according to the 13 IHR (2005) core capacities.

Results

Among the 42 AAR and 56 SimEx available reports, AAR and SimEx were most commonly conducted in the WHO African Region (AAR: n = 32, 76.2%; SimEx: n = 32, 52.5%). The most common public health events reviewed or tested in AAR and SimEx, respectively, were epidemics and pandemics (AAR: n = 38, 90.5%; SimEx: n = 46, 82.1%). For AAR, 10 (76.9%) of the 13 IHR core capacities were reviewed at least once, with no AAR conducted for food safety, chemical events, and radiation emergencies, among the reports available. For SimEx, all 13 (100.0%) IHR capacities were tested at least once. For AAR, the most commonly reviewed IHR core capacities were health services provision (n = 41, 97.6%), risk communication (n = 39, 92.9%), national health emergency framework (n = 39, 92.9%), surveillance (n = 37, 88.1%) and laboratory (n = 35, 83.3%). For SimEx, the most commonly tested IHR core capacity were national health emergency framework (n = 56, 91.1%), followed by risk communication (n = 48, 85.7%), IHR coordination and national IHR focal point functions (n = 45, 80.4%), surveillance (n = 31, 55.4%), and health service provision (n = 29, 51.8%). For AAR, the median timeframe between the end of the event and AAR was 125 days (range = 25–399 days).

Conclusions

WHO has recently published guidance for the planning, execution, and follow-up of AAR and SimEx. Through the guidance and the simplified reporting format provided, we hope to see more countries conduct AAR and SimEx and standardization in their methodology, practice, reporting and follow-up.
Penicillium janthinellum NCIM1366 shows improved biomass hydrolysis and a larger number of CAZymes with higher induction levels over Trichoderma reesei RUT-C30
Authors: Sreeja-Raju AthiraRaj , Christopher Meera , Kooloth-Valappil Prajeesh , Kuni-Parambil Rajasree , Gokhale Digambar Vittal , Sankar Meena , Abraham Amith , Pandey Ashok , Sukumaran Rajeev K.
Published: December 2020

Background

Major cost of bioethanol is attributed to enzymes employed in biomass hydrolysis. Biomass hydrolyzing enzymes are predominantly produced from the hyper-cellulolytic mutant filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei RUT-C30. Several decades of research have failed to provide an industrial grade organism other than T. reesei, capable of producing higher titers of an effective synergistic biomass hydrolyzing enzyme cocktail. Penicillium janthinellum NCIM1366 was reported as a cellulase hyper producer and a potential alternative to T. reesei, but a comparison of their hydrolytic performance was seldom attempted.

Results

Hydrolysis of acid or alkali-pretreated rice straw using cellulase enzyme preparations from P. janthinellum and T. reesei indicated 37 and 43% higher glucose release, respectively, with P. janthinellum enzymes. A comparison of these fungi with respect to their secreted enzymes indicated that the crude enzyme preparation from P. janthinellum showed 28% higher overall cellulase activity. It also had an exceptional tenfold higher beta-glucosidase activity compared to that of T. reesei, leading to a lower cellobiose accumulation and thus alleviating the feedback inhibition. P. janthinellum secreted more number of proteins to the extracellular medium whose total concentration was 1.8-fold higher than T. reesei. Secretome analyses of the two fungi revealed higher number of CAZymes and a higher relative abundance of cellulases upon cellulose induction in the fungus.

Conclusions

The results revealed the ability of P. janthinellum for efficient biomass degradation through hyper cellulase production, and it outperformed the established industrial cellulase producer T. reesei in the hydrolysis experiments. A higher level of induction, larger number of secreted CAZymes and a high relative proportion of BGL to cellulases indicate the possible reasons for its performance advantage in biomass hydrolysis.
Full snapshot reconstruction in hybrid architecture antenna arrays
Authors: Trigka Maria , Mavrokefalidis Christos , Berberidis Kostas
Published: December 2020

In the context of this research work, we study the so-called problem of full snapshot reconstruction in hybrid antenna array structures that are utilized in mmWave communication systems. It enables the recovery of the snapshots that would have been obtained if a conventional (non-hybrid) uniform linear antenna array was employed. The problem is considered at the receiver side where the hybrid architecture exploits in a novel way the antenna elements of a uniform linear array. To this end, the recommended scheme is properly designed so as to be applicable to overlapping and non-overlapping architectures. Moreover, the full snapshot recoverability is addressed for two cases, namely for time-varying and constant signal sources. Simulation results are also presented to illustrate the consistency between the theoretically predicted behaviors and the simulated results, and the performance of the proposed scheme in terms angle-of-arrival estimation, when compared to the conventional MUSIC algorithm and a recently proposed hybrid version of MUSIC (H-MUSIC).
Multiple positive solutions of second-order nonlinear difference equations with discrete singular ϕ-Laplacian
Authors: Su Xiaoxiao , Ma Ruyun
Published: December 2020

We consider the existence and multiplicity of positive solutions of the Dirichlet problem for the quasilinear difference equation $$ \textstyle\begin{cases} -\nabla [\phi (\triangle u(t))]=\lambda a(t,u(t))+\mu b(t,u(t)), \quad t\in \mathbb{T}, \\ u(1)=u(N)=0, \end{cases} $$

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Entire solutions of a class of algebraic Briot–Bouquet differential equations utilizing majority concept
Authors: Ibrahim Rabha W. , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: December 2020

In this effort, the analytic solution of a class of algebraic Briot–Bouquet differential equations (ABBDE) in the open unit disk is investigated by making use of a major theory. The class is presented by the formula $$\begin{aligned}& \alpha _{1}\varphi ^{\prime 3}(z) + \alpha _{2} \varphi ^{ ' 2} (z) \varphi (z) + \alpha _{3} \varphi ^{\prime } (z) \varphi ^{2} (z) +\aleph ^{k}_{\varphi }(z) = 0, \\& \aleph ^{k}_{\varphi }(z):= a_{k} \varphi ^{k}(z)+a_{k-1} \varphi ^{k-1}(z)+\cdots+ a_{1} \varphi (z)+ a_{0}. \end{aligned}$$

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On Ulam–Hyers–Rassias stability of a generalized Caputo type multi-order boundary value problem with four-point mixed integro-derivative conditions
Authors: Ben Chikh Salim , Amara Abdelkader , Etemad Sina , Rezapour Shahram
Published: December 2020

In this research article, we turn to studying the existence and different types of stability such as generalized Ulam–Hyers stability and generalized Ulam–Hyers–Rassias stability of solutions for a new modeling of a boundary value problem equipped with the fractional differential equation which contains the multi-order generalized Caputo type derivatives furnished with four-point mixed generalized Riemann–Liouville type integro-derivative conditions. At the end of the current paper, we formulate two illustrative examples to confirm the correctness of theoretical findings from computational aspects.
The effect of an electricity tax on aggregate electricity consumption: evidence from Basel
Authors: Krebs Benjamin , Luechinger Simon
Published: December 2020

We estimate the effect of an electricity tax on aggregate electricity consumption with the synthetic control method. The tax was introduced in the Swiss city of Basel in 1999 and, together with other tariff changes, increased marginal electricity prices by 5.4–8.0%. We compare the actual and a hypothetical electricity consumption in the years 1999–2006. The latter is a weighted average of electricity consumption in other Swiss cities and captures the hypothetical situation without the tax. We find a statistically insignificant effect of the tax increase of − 2.7 to − 1.9%, which implies a rather small, but not unreasonable, price elasticity of between − 0.5 and − 0.2. Ambiguous effects on average prices and an unfortunate communication by officials may explain why the innovative reform failed to induce a stronger response.
Student Behaviors and Interactions Influence Group Discussions in an Introductory Biology Lab Setting
Authors: Paine Alex R. , Knight Jennifer K.
Published: December 2020

Students naturally take on different behaviors when engaged in group discussion of data, which sorts them into preferred roles. In discussions in which all students collaborate, groups generate more complete arguments to support conclusions. Without guidance, groups generally focus on analyzing data rather than building reasoned explanations.
The Moderating Effect of Faculty Mentorship on Undergraduate Students’ Summer Research Outcomes
Authors: Monarrez Angelica , Morales Danielle , Echegoyen Lourdes E. , Seira Diego , Wagler Amy E.
Published: December 2020

This study focused on answering the research question: What are the independent and combined effects of student characteristics and faculty mentorship on the quality of summer undergraduate research experience (SURE) student poster presentations? The results of this study can improve SURE programs by informing directors on best practices for mentor and mentee matching.
A Pandemic Crash Course: Learning to Teach Equitably in Synchronous Online Classes
Authors: Reinholz Daniel L. , Stone-Johnstone Amelia , White Isabel , Sianez Lorenzo M. , Shah Niral
Published: December 2020

A professional learning community in which faculty explored equitable teaching online is described. This article describes concrete practices other instructors can use.
UNC-45A Breaks MT Lattice Independent of its Effect on Non-Muscle Myosin II
Authors: Habicht Juri , Mooneyham Ashley , Hoshino Asumi , Shetty Mihir , Zhang Xiaonan , Emmings Edith , Yang Qing , Coombes Courtney , Gardner Melissa K. , Bazzaro Martina
Published: December 2020

In invertebrates, UNC-45 regulates myosin stability and functions. Vertebrates have two distinct isoforms of the protein: UNC-45B, expressed in muscle cells only and UNC-45A, expressed in all cells and implicated in regulating both Non-Muscle Myosin II (NMII)- and microtubule (MT)-associated functions. Here we show that both, in vitro and in cells, UNC-45A binds to the MT lattice leading to MT bending, breakage and depolymerization. Furthermore, we show that UNC-45A destabilizes MTs independent of its NMII C-terminal binding domain and even in presence of the NMII inhibitor blebbistatin. These findings identified UNC-45A as a novel type of MT-severing protein with a not mutually exclusive but rather dual role in regulating NMII activity and MT stability. Because many human diseases, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases, are caused by or associated with deregulation of MT stability our findings have profound implications in both, the biology of MTs as well as the biology of human diseases and possible therapeutic implications for their treatment.
Mammary mechanobiology – investigating roles for mechanically activated ion channels in lactation and involution
Authors: Stewart Teneale A. , Hughes Katherine , Stevenson Alexander J. , Marino Natascia , Ju Adler L. , Morehead Michael , Davis Felicity M.
Published: December 2020

The ability of a mother to produce a nutritionally complete neonatal food source has provided a powerful evolutionary advantage to mammals. Milk production by mammary epithelial cells is adaptive, its release is exquisitely timed, and its own glandular stagnation with the permanent cessation of suckling triggers the cell death and tissue remodeling that enables female mammals to nurse successive progeny. Chemical and mechanical signals both play a role in this process. However, despite this duality of input, much remains unknown about the nature and function of mechanical forces in this organ. Here, we characterize the force landscape in the functionally mature gland and the capacity of luminal and basal cells to experience and exert force. We explore molecular instruments for force-sensing, in particular channel-mediated mechanotransduction, revealing increased expression of Piezo1 in mammary tissue in lactation and confirming functional expression in luminal cells. We also reveal, however, that lactation and involution proceed normally in mice with luminal-specific Piezo1 deletion. These findings support a multifaceted system of chemical and mechanical sensing in the mammary gland, and a protective redundancy that ensures continued lactational competence and offspring survival.
Spectrum of neuroimaging findings in COVID-19
Authors: El Beltagi Ahmed H , Vattoth Surjith , Abdelhady Mohamed , Ahmed Islam , Paksoy Yahya , Abou Kamar Mohamed , Alsoub Hussam , Almaslamani Muna , Alkhal Abdul Latif , Own Ahmed , Elsotouhy Ahmed
Published: December 2020

An outbreak of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began in China in December 2019, and rapidly spread to become a worldwide pandemic. Neurological complications encountered in hospitalized patients include acute arterial ischemic cerebrovascular stroke, cerebral venous thrombosis, critical illness-associated cerebral microbleeds, hypertensive hemorrhagic posterior reversible encephalopathy, meningoencephalitis/flare up of infections, flare up of multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, cerebral hemodynamic/hypoxic changes such as watershed ischemic changes and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and spine manifestations of Guillain Barre syndrome and viral myelitis. The purpose of our study is to illustrate the different neuroimaging features in critically ill hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients in the State of Qatar.
Induced higher order multipolar resonances from interacting scatterers
Authors: Perdana Nanda , Rockstuhl Carsten , Iskandar Alexander A.
Published: December 2020

Access to scatterers that offer a specific multipolar response is of utmost importance to design metasurfaces and metamaterials—and, more general, to control light at the nanoscale. While isolated scatterers have been extensively considered, it is interesting to see more clearly whether higher order multipolar resonances can be induced by exploiting the interaction of multiple scatterers. Here, we study the appearance and deterministic control of higher order multipolar resonances in two coupled high permittivity dielectric scatterers by changing their spacing. To disentangle the effects from those of isolated scatterers, we concentrate on the multipolar expansion of only the field that emerges from the interaction. By expanding the contribution of a specific multipole into a series of Lorentzian oscillators, the resonances can be studied clearly and discussed in terms of resonance position, oscillator strength, and damping. The oscillator strength shows an oscillatory behavior depending on the spacing between the scatterers, and we can identify an optimal distance where the oscillator strength is maximal. With that, we disclose new approaches to tailor the optical response from photonic scatterers.
Polarization enhanced tunable Doppler-free dichroic lock technique for laser frequency locking
Authors: Singh Vivek , Tiwari V. B. , Mishra S. R.
Published: December 2020

We present a technique, called the polarization enhanced tunable Doppler-free dichroic lock (PET-DFDL) technique, for frequency stabilization of a laser system. This technique is based on the magnetically induced circular dichroism for a pair of circularly polarized probe beams overlapped by oppositely circularly polarized counterpropagating pump beams. The amplitude and slope of the signal generated in the PET-DFDL technique at cooling transition

F

=
2
→

F

′

=
3

in

87

R
b

atom are nearly 4 times higher than those of signal generated from conventional Doppler-free dichroic lock (DFDL). The proposed PET-DFDL technique can also provide tunable lock-position. The frequency stability of a laser system locked with the PET-DFDL technique has been improved by factor of 2 as compared to frequency stability obtained by the DFDL technique. The dependence of PET-DFDL signal on pump beam power and magnetic field for the cooling transition of

87

R
b

atom is also investigated.
Hollow-core resonator fiber optic gyroscope using nodeless anti-resonant fiber
Authors: Sanders Glen A. , Taranta Austin A. , Narayanan Chellappan , Numkam Fokoua Eric , Abokhamis Mousavi Seyedmohammad , Strandjord Lee K. , Smiciklas Marc , Bradley Thomas D. , Hayes John , Jasion Gregory T. , Qiu Tiequn , Williams Wes , Poletti Francesco , Payne David N.
Published: December 2020

Resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) performance has hitherto been limited by nonlinearity, modal impurity, and backscattering in the sensing fibers. The use of hollow-core fiber (HCF) effectively reduces nonlinearity, but the complex interplay among glass and air-guided modes in conventional HCF technologies can severely exacerbate RFOG instability. By employing high-performance nested anti-resonant nodeless fiber, we demonstrate long-term stability in a hollow-fiber RFOG of 0.05 deg/h, nearing the levels required for civil aircraft navigation. This represents a

improvement over any prior hollow-core RFOG and a factor of

over any prior result at integration times longer than 1 h.
Single-frequency all-polarization-maintaining ytterbium-doped bidirectional fiber laser
Authors: Wang Kaile , Wen Zengrun , Chen Haowei , Lu Baole , Bai Jintao
Published: December 2020

We reported an all-polarization-maintaining single-frequency ytterbium-doped bidirectional fiber laser for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Single-frequency operation was achieved by a stable dynamic grating in the active fiber of a proper length owing to the bidirectional operation of the laser. The fiber laser possesses a linewidth of 7.43 kHz, a slope efficiency of 47.9%, and a great long-term stability.
Macro-bending measurement based on a correlated FLRD system with an ASE source
Authors: Qi Ruiling , Xia Li , Wu Ying , Wu Nishan , Yang Zhao
Published: December 2020

A passive correlated fiber loop ringdown (FLRD) system based on an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) source is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for macro-bending measurement. Due to the randomness of spontaneous emission, the autocorrelation coefficient of ASE has an extremely narrow FWHM (0.114 ns), which allows shorter fiber loop and higher sensitivity. The experimental results show that our system with a fiber length of 2.1 m can identify the bending within tens of nanoseconds. When the bending diameter remains 2.5 cm, the sensitivity of bending turns reaches

0.0017

n
s

−
1

/

t
u
r
n

. This system provides an effective solution for fast bending fault diagnosis.
The interaction between protein kinase A and progesterone on basal and inflammation-induced myometrial oxytocin receptor expression
Authors: Yulia Angela , Varley Alice J. , Singh Natasha , Lei Kaiyu , Tribe Rachel M. , Johnson Mark R.
Published: December 2020

Our previous work has shown myometrial PKA activity declines in term and twin-preterm labour in association with an increase in the expression of the oxytocin receptor (OTR). Here we investigate the action of cAMP/PKA in basal conditions, with the addition of progesterone (P4) and/or IL-1β to understand how cAMP/PKA acts to maintain pregnancy and whether the combination of cAMP and P4 would be a viable therapeutic combination for the prevention of preterm labour (PTL). Further, given that we have previously found that cAMP enhances P4 action we wanted to test the hypothesis that changes in the cAMP effector system are responsible for the functional withdrawal of myometrial P4 action. Myometrial cells were grown from biopsies obtained from women at the time of elective Caesarean section before the onset of labour. The addition of forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase activator, repressed basal OTR mRNA levels at all doses and P4 only enhanced this effect at its highest dose. Forskolin repressed the IL-1β-induced increase in OTR mRNA and protein levels in a PKA-dependent fashion and repressed IL-1β-activation and nuclear transfer of NFκB and AP-1. P4 had similar effects and the combination P4 and forskolin had greater effects on OTR and NFκB than forskolin alone. While PKA knockdown had no effect on the ability of P4 to repress IL-1β-induced OTR expression it reversed the repressive effect of the combination of P4 and forskolin and resulted in a greater increase than observed with IL-1β alone. These studies suggest that cAMP acts via PKA to repress inflammation-driven OTR expression, but that when PKA activity is reduced, the combination of cAMP and P4 actually enhances the OTR response to inflammation, promoting the onset of labour and suggesting that changes in the cAMP effector system can induce a functional P4 withdrawal.
Lack of evidence for expression and function of IL-39 in human immune cells
Authors: Ecoeur Florence , Weiss Jessica , Schleeger Simone , Guntermann Christine
Published: December 2020

Members of the IL-6/IL-12 cytokine family are critical regulators of innate and adaptive immunity and have emerged as key players controlling inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. This cytokine family comprises of IL-12, IL-23, IL-27, and IL-35, each consisting of distinct α- and β-cytokine subunits that form heterodimers. A new member of this family, IL-39, was identified in the murine species and was shown to consist of the IL-23p19 and Epstein-Barr Virus-induced 3 (EBI3) subunits. Subsequently, it was shown that IL-39 was implicated in the immunopathogenesis of murine experimental lupus erythematosus. The existence of IL-39 in the human system has yet to be confirmed. Based on the clinical success of IL-23p19 neutralizing approaches in moderate-to-severe psoriasis, anti-IL-23p19 antibodies in the clinic may not only neutralize IL-23, but additionally IL-39, implying that IL-39 might also contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. It is therefore pivotal to demonstrate IL-39 expression and to characterize its function in the human system. In this study, we provided evidence for the existence of secreted heterodimeric p19 and EBI3 complexes in supernatants originating from p19 and EBI3 transfected HEK293FT cells. We attempted to detect IL-39 expression from stimulated human primary B cells, human keratinocytes and in vitro polarized human macrophages. Whereas, the expression of p19 and EBI3 mRNA was elevated, we failed to detect p19 and EBI3 heterodimers. Functional assays were conducted with conditioned media containing human IL-39 or with a human recombinant IL-39 Fc protein. Immune cells targeted by IL-39 in mouse, such as neutrophils and PBMCs, did not respond to human IL-39 stimulation and IL-39 failed to activate STAT3 in a reporter cell line. These results suggest that, while the secretion of p19/EBI3 complexes can be forced in human cells, it is secreted below the lower quantity of detection or it has no functional role.