bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MT-YOLOv5: Mobile terminal table detection model based on YOLOv5
Authors: Ning Zixin , Wu Xinjiao , Yang Jing , Yang Yanqin
Published: July 2021

Table detection is an important task of optical character recognition(OCR). At present, table detection for desktop applications has basically reached commercial requirements. With the advancement of informatization, personal demand for table detection has gradually increased. There is an urgent need to establish a table detection method that can be deployed on handheld devices. This paper proposes a mobile terminal table detection model based on YOLOv5. First, we used YOLOv5 as the main framework of the model. However, considering the problem of connection redundancy in the backbone of YOLOv5, on the basis of retaining the YOLOv5 multi-scale detection head, we replaced the backbone of YOLOv5 with the same excellent Mobilenetv2. In addition, considering the non-linear defects of the lightweight model, we use deformable convolution to make up for it. This paper has been evaluated on the ICDAR 2019 dataset, and the results show that compared with the baseline model, the model reduces the number of parameters by half and increases the detection speed by 47%. At the same time, the model can reach 35.25 FPS on ordinary Android phones.
Numerical solution for scattering of multilayer noble metal circular aperture arrays nanostructure
Authors: Ji Xiaowei , Zhou Yu
Published: July 2021

Due to its unique properties, metal-dielectric plasmonic structures have been widely applied in many fields, such as light absorption enhancement, surface enhanced spectrum, biosensor, and solar cell. We presented a numerical solution for light scattering from multilayer noble metal circular aperture arrays nanostructure. Using the generalized boundary conditions of surface impedance, the boundary value problem can be transformed into a set of integral equations about current density and magnetic density. Then utilizing the method of moments to solve these integral equations, more accurate reflected, transmitted, and absorbed power expressions can be obtained.
A flux reconstruction method for the Korteweg-de Vries equation
Authors: Guo Ningbo , Chen Yaming , Deng Xiaogang
Published: July 2021

In this paper we aim to develop a flux reconstruction (FR) method for the KdV equation, which contains a third derivative term. By introducing two auxiliary variables, the third order derivative is written as a combination of first derivatives, such that the FR schemes for first derivative can be applied directly. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the schemes, numerical results of some benchmark examples are presented, including the examples of a single soliton, double solitons, multiple solitons and an extremely convection-dominated case.
The signed (|G| –1)-subdomination number of balanced hypercubes
Authors: Shi Wei
Published: July 2021

LetG = BHnbe an- dimensional balanced hypercube. As a topology of interconnection network, balanced hypercubes are widely used in many areas. The signedk- subdomination number of graphs is an important parameter in the domination theory. In this paper, according to the properties of balanced hypercubes, the signed (|G| –1) - subdomination number of balanced hypercubes whenn= 2 is determined by classified discussion and exhaustived method.
A lifting method for hyperbolic equations with δ-singularities
Authors: Guo Ningbo , Chen Yaming , Deng Xiaogang
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we propose a method to lift the solution space of hyperbolic equations with δ-singularities such that dealing with the annoying δ-singularities directly is avoided. Thus, the easily implemented finite difference schemes can be employed conveniently for solving such problems with δ-singularities. In particular, we consider a fifth-order nonlinear finite difference scheme that can capture discontinuities robustly. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, numerical examples are presented. Additionally, a novel splitting method is also proposed to extend the lifting method to high dimensions.
Detection of water pipeline leakage based on random forest
Authors: Chi Zhaozhao , Li Yunfei , Wang Weihao , Xu Caishun , Yuan Rui
Published: July 2021

Pipeline leakage is a great concern for the transportation industries and researchers have been devoted in leakage detection for a long time. Machine learning is developed for leakage recognition recently and it can help to achieve the leakage detection. However, the effect is limited by feature complexity and noise. As a machine learning method, Random Forest (RF) is good at handling with high-dimensional data and predicts well even when the signal is interrupted by noise. As a result, RF was applied to better deal with the leakage detection. Researches herein have compared the RF classifier and other well-developed machine learning methods in respects of the classification accuracy and calculation time. The result indicated that the RF classifier outperformed Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) and Decision Tree (DT) classifiers, with the classification accuracy of 88.33%.
Study on the influence of international oil price on domestic oil price by APT-ECM
Authors: Liu Ziyuan , Wang Yu , Xu Shiwei , Wang Shengwei , Li Denghua , Zhou Han
Published: July 2021

Based on the monthly data of soybean, soybean oil and soybean meal prices in China and the United States from 2006 to 2020, this paper applied the asymmetric error correction model (APT-ECM) to analyze the influence of international oil price on domestic oil price before and after Sino-US trade friction. The results show that: 1) the influence of international domestic soybean price on domestic soybean price is significant before and after Sino-US trade friction, while the influence of domestic price on international price is insignificant; 2) the impact of international soybean oil price on domestic soybean price is stable in the early stage but fluctuates evidently in the latter stage; 3) domestic soybean oil price is exposed to insignificant impact of international soybean oil price.
The effectiveness of IPO institution reform in China: From the view of pricing efficiency changing and international comparison
Authors: Yu Ying , Shao Jiehao , Yi Ronghua
Published: July 2021

Since the application of IPO inquiry system in 2005, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has carried out seven reforms on the inquiry system. In order to study the impact of IPO system reform on pricing efficiency, we select three reforms in 2009, 2013 and 2015 as time nodes to study its impact from the perspective of initial price and cumulative excess return. The result show that, the reform of IPO inquiry system in China is gradual, after several times of reforms, there will be a significant impact on the IPO pricing efficiency. Secondly, although the three reforms have a positive impact on the IPO pricing efficiency of the A-share market, it is still in an inefficient stage. Besides, with the acceleration of the internationalization process of China’s securities market, we compare the IPO pricing efficiency between the A-share market and the Hong Kong market in order to study the gap of the pricing efficiency between the both. The results show that the A-share market is still in a state of incompletely valid market from the perspective of the initial price and the cumulative excess return rate, while the relatively mature Hong Kong market is an effective market.
Sampling estimating equation for logistic regression with multi-dimensional missing binary covariates: application to a divorce data
Authors: Luo Renwen , Yang Yihe , Guo Bing , Luo Yingting , Pan Jianxin
Published: July 2021

This paper focuses on analysing a divorce data collected in Sichuan Province, China. The responses of this divorce data are binary variables. Among 17 covariates, there are 12 binary variables with missing values. Thus, the vectors of covariates with missing values are multi-dimensional and have binary components. Existing approaches usually focus on one-dimensional binary covariates and therefore cannot deal with this divorce data. To figure out multi-dimensional binary covariates, a sampling estimating equation based on the logistic regression and sampling the missing binary covariates are proposed. Statistical inference based on this sampling estimating equation is presented. This paper has two main contributions. First, the proposed sampling estimating equation is able to obtain reasonable parameter estimators under multi-dimensional missing binary covariates setting, which cannot be handled by existing approaches. Second, for two-category problem, subjects with multi-dimensional missing binary covariates can be classified efficiently, which is intractable for existing approaches. Real data analysis of the divorce data reveals profound results for the divorce cases in Sichuan Province. The proposed sampling estimating equation performs well in terms of classification and prediction on this divorce data.
Potential risk to water resources under eco-restoration policy and global change in the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Xiao Yang , Xiong Qinli , Liang Pinghan , Xiao Qiang
Published: July 2021

Water shortage is a core problem that has hindered sustainable development worldwide. The Tibetan Plateau feeds ten main rivers on which almost 20% of the world’s population depends. However, the plateau has suffered serious environmental deterioration from global warming. Since the 1980s, the Chinese government has supported ecological restoration in the Tibetan Plateau, mainly by promoting large-scale afforestation and grassland conservation. To identify the impact of global change and ecological restoration policy on the plateau, we used geographic information system (GIS) methodologies to study changes to the water supplies in the region as a result of implemented restoration programs. Moreover, we also used GIS to assess the potential risks of these changes for the long-term sustainability of water supplies. Our findings show that the quantity of water supplies in the Tibetan Plateau has increased over the last 36 years; this was attributed to an increase in precipitation as well as increasing glacial meltwater due to global warming. We also found that the water consumption associated with afforestation projects reduced the water yield, in that it was altered by the artificial establishment of plant communities, with different afforestation projects variously impacting water consumption. The potential risk areas in the plateau were mainly distributed in areas with dense human populations and villages, and intensive human activities around forest shrubs where ecological restoration programs had been largely implemented. We highlight the need for ecosystem management and monitoring within larger afforestation programs, which should include the planting of vegetation with low rates of water consumption.
Adverse Cardiovascular Events Following Severe Maternal Morbidity
Authors: Cartus Abigail R , Jarlenski Marian P , Himes Katherine P , James Alton Everette , Naimi Ashley I , Bodnar Lisa M
Published: July 2021

Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) affects 50,000 women annually in the United States, but its consequences are not well understood. We aimed to estimate the association between SMM and risk of adverse cardiovascular events during the 2 years postpartum. We analyzed 137,140 deliveries covered by the Pennsylvania Medicaid program (2016–2018), weighted with inverse probability of censoring weights to account for nonrandom loss to follow-up. SMM was defined as any diagnosis on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list of SMM diagnoses and procedures and/or intensive care unit admission occurring at any point from conception through 42 days postdelivery. Outcomes included heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and stroke/transient ischemic attack up to 2 years postpartum. We used marginal standardization to estimate average treatment effects. We found that SMM was associated with increased risk of each adverse cardiovascular event across the follow-up period. Per 1,000 deliveries, relative to no SMM, SMM was associated with 12.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.2, 18.0) excess cases of heart failure, 6.4 (95% CI: 1.7, 11.2) excess cases of ischemic heart disease, and 8.2 (95% CI: 3.2, 13.1) excess cases of stroke/transient ischemic attack at 26 months of follow-up. These results suggest that SMM identifies a group of women who are at high risk of adverse cardiovascular events after delivery. Women who survive SMM may benefit from more comprehensive postpartum care linked to well-woman care.
Analyses of open-access multi-omics data sets reveal genetic and expression characteristics of maize ZmCCT family genes
Authors: Dong Ming-You , Lei Ling , Fan Xian-Wei , Li You-Zhi
Published: July 2021

Flowering in maize (Zea mays) is influenced by photoperiod. The CO, CO-like/COL and TOC1 (CCT) domain protein-encoding genes in maize, ZmCCTs, are particularly important for photoperiod sensitivity. However, little is known about CCT protein-encoding gene number across plant species or among maize inbred lines. Therefore, we analysed CCT protein-encoding gene number across plant species, and characterized ZmCCTs in different inbred lines, including structural variations (SVs), copy number variations (CNVs), expression under stresses, dark-dark (DD) and dark-light (DL) cycles, interaction network and associations with maize quantitative trait loci (QTLs) by referring to the latest v4 genome data of B73. Gene number varied greatly across plant species, more in polyploids than in diploids. The numbers of ZmCCTs identified were 58 in B73, 59 in W22, 48 in Mo17, and 57 in Huangzao4 for temperate maize inbred lines, and 68 in tropical maize inbred line SK. Some ZmCCTs underwent duplications and presented chromosome collinearity. Structural variations and CNVs were found but they had no germplasm specificity. Forty-two ZmCCTs responded to stresses. Expression of 37 ZmCCTs in embryonic leaves during seed germination of maize under DD and DL cycles was roughly divided into five patterns of uphill pattern, downhill-pattern, zigzag-pattern, └-pattern and ⅃-pattern, indicating some of them have a potential to perceive dark and/or dark-light transition. Thirty-three ZmCCTs were co-expressed with 218 other maize genes; and 24 ZmCCTs were associated with known QTLs. The data presented in this study will help inform further functions of ZmCCTs.
Learning Evolution by Collaboration
Authors: Shtulman Andrew , Young Andrew G
Published: July 2021

Collaboration can be an effective means of learning, but is it effective in domains where collaborators rely on conceptually distinct forms of reasoning? We explored this question in the domain of evolution, where many students construe evolution as the uniform transformation of all members of a population rather than the selective survival and reproduction of a subset. College undergraduates (n = 174) completed an assessment of their evolutionary reasoning by themselves (pretest) and with a partner (dyad test); some (n = 44) also completed an assessment several months later (posttest). Higher-scoring partners pulled up lower-scoring partners to achieve a dyad score equivalent to the higher-scoring partner's pretest score. Lower-scoring partners retained a score boost when working alone at posttest. These findings indicate that students who hold different views of evolution are able to collaborate effectively, and such collaboration yields long-term learning gains for partners with lower levels of understanding.
Age- and Time-Varying Associations Between Subjective Health and Episodic Memory in Older Adults
Authors: Chamberlain Jordan D , Sprague Briana N , Ross Lesley A
Published: July 2021

Objectives

There are positive correlations between subjective health reports and episodic memory performance in older adults. However, previous studies have not evaluated the scope of such complex relationships, nor the potentially nonlinear magnitude of these correlations across age and time. We employed multiple subjective heath indices to evaluate the scope and nonlinearity of such relationships with memory performance.

Methods

We utilized a cross-sectional (N = 2,783 at baseline) and longitudinal sample (N = 311) of healthy older adults aged 65 and older from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly study. We used time-varying effects modeling (TVEM) to assess potential differences in relationship magnitudes between memory and 3 subjective health subscales (general health, role physical function, and physical function, from the Short Form Health Survey) across 5 years.

Results

Episodic memory positively predicted all subjective health measures cross-sectionally and longitudinally in our sample. TVEM revealed the relationships between all subjective health measures and episodic memory were stable across age. While role physical function and physical function maintained stable relationships with episodic memory across time, general health became increasingly coupled with memory 5 years following baseline.

Discussion

Together, our findings highlight stable and varying relationships between episodic memory and multiple subjective health indicators across metrics of time in older adults.

Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT00298558
Functional genetics for studying the human immune system
Authors: Yamamoto Kazuhiko , Suzuki Akari , Guerrini Matteo Maurizio
Published: July 2021

Although small numbers of immune-mediated diseases are inherited due to rare genetic mutations, most are multifactorial diseases caused by multiple elements including genetic and environmental factors. In the case of autoimmune diseases, many disease-susceptibility genes, including several in the major histocompatibility gene complex, have been reported, and over the past 10 years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been used to analyze disease-susceptibility loci in representative diseases. Furthermore, many disease-susceptibility variants have been found to be related to gene expression levels. The expression of genes involved in disease pathogenesis is often cell-type-specific, and this is closely related to epigenome alterations. Genomic information is present even before the onset of a disease and has a clear causal relationship to the disease (i.e. the outcome). Therefore, it is important to establish functional genetics in human immunology to understand the pathogenesis of diseases using these pieces of information. We can then apply these results to drug discovery. Here, we will review these issues, especially focusing on autoimmune diseases, and discuss current and future directions of human immune system research.
Determination of Seven Organic Impurities in FD&C Yellow No. 6 by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Stover Renee , Petigara Harp Bhakti
Published: July 2021

Background

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) batch certifies FD&C Yellow No. 6 (Y6) to ensure that the color additive meets requirements published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), including specifications for seven organic manufacturing impurities consisting of two intermediates, a reaction by-product, an impurity originating from an intermediate, and three subsidiary colors.

Objective

An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method was developed and validated for determining seven organic impurities in Y6. For comparison, the currently used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was also validated.

Methods

The new UHPLC method uses a 1.7 µm particle size biphenyl column with aqueous ammonium formate and methanol as eluants. Analytes are identified by comparing their retention times and UV-visible spectra to those of reference standards. Calibration is performed in the presence of the dye matrix and analyte levels are determined from their peak areas.

Results

UHPLC and HPLC validation studies obtained linear calibration curves and excellent values for limits of detection, limits of quantitation, recovery, repeatability, and intermediate precision for all analytes. Survey analyses of 30 samples using the UHPLC and HPLC methods yielded results that were consistent within experimental error; however, the UHPLC method provided more accurate results for two analytes that coelute using the HPLC method.

Conclusion

The UHPLC method satisfies the accuracy and precision requisites for routine certification of Y6.

Highlights

The UHPLC method is faster and generates less waste than the HPLC method while delivering better sensitivity, separation, and accuracy.
Essential competences for psychologists in palliative cancer care teams
Authors: Akechi Tatsuo , Ito Yoshinori , Ogawa Asao , Kizawa Yoshiyuki
Published: July 2021

The study aim was to clarify the essential competencies for psychologists in palliative care teams. A nationwide, multicentre cross-sectional survey was conducted. A 32-item questionnaire assessing endorsement of potential competencies was completed by 70 patients and/or families, 101 consulting personnel, 747 members of palliative care teams and 203 mental health providers. All 32 competencies were judged as essential. Of the 32 items, 9 and 28 items were endorsed by >95% and 80% of participants, respectively. The most frequently endorsed essential competency was ability to coordinate with other professionals in palliative care teams. Some competencies considered essential seemed specific to oncology and medical settings. The results suggest the need for specific guidance for psychologists working in palliative care teams and the development of clinical oncology training programmes and/or systems for psychologists.
Benjamin Franklin
Authors: Hart D. G.
Published: July 2021

Benjamin Franklin grew up in a devout Protestant family with limited prospects for wealth and fame. By hard work, limitless curiosity, native intelligence, and luck (what he called “providence”), Franklin became one of Philadelphia’s most prominent leaders, a world-recognized scientist, and the United States’ leading diplomat during the War for Independence. Along the way, Franklin embodied the Protestant ethics and cultural habits he learned and observed as a youth in Puritan Boston. This book follows Franklin’s remarkable career through the lens of the trends and innovations that the Protestant Reformation started (both directly and indirectly) almost two centuries earlier. The Philadelphian’s work as a printer, civic reformer, institution builder, scientist, inventor, writer, self-help dispenser, politician, and statesman was deeply rooted in the culture and outlook that Protestantism nurtured. Through the alternatives to medieval church and society, Protestants built societies and instilled habits of character and mind that allowed figures such as Franklin to build the life that he did. Through it all, Franklin could not assent to all of Protestantism’s doctrines or observe its worship. But for most of his life, he acknowledged his debt to his creator, reveled in the natural world guided by providence, and conducted himself in a way (imperfectly) to merit divine approval. This biography recognizes Franklin as a cultural or non-observant Protestant, someone who thought of himself as a Presbyterian, ordered his life as other Protestants did, sometimes went to worship services, read his Bible, and prayed, but could not go all the way and join a church.
Equity of national publicly funded health insurance schemes under the universal health coverage agenda: a systematic review of studies conducted in Africa
Authors: Anjorin Seun S , Ayorinde Abimbola A , Abba Mustapha S , Mensah Daniel , Okolie Elvis A , Uthman Olalekan A , Oyebode Oyinlola O
Published: July 2021

Background

The implementation of publicly funded health insurance schemes (PFHIS) is the major strategy to drive progress and achievement of universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030. We appraised evidence on the equity of insurance schemes across Africa.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of published studies that assessed equity in health insurance schemes implemented under the UHC agenda in Africa. Seven databases, Web of Science, Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and World Bank eLibrary, were searched; we operationalized the PROGRESS-Plus (place of residence; race/ethnicity/culture/language; occupation; gender/sex religion; education; socioeconomic status; social capital) equity framework to assess equity areas.

Results

Forty-five studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study, in which 90% assessed equity by socioeconomic status. Evidence showed that rural residents, those self-employed or working in the informal sector, men, those with lower educational attainment, and the poor were less likely to be covered by health insurance schemes. Broadly, the insurance schemes, especially, community-based health insurance (CBI) schemes improved utilization by disadvantaged groups, however, the same groups were less likely to benefit from health services.

Conclusions

Evidence on equity of PFHIS is mixed, however, CBI schemes seem to offer more equitable coverage and utilization of essential health services in Africa.
The Virtue of Opportunity: Moral Framing, Community, and Conditional Gentrification
Authors: Ocejo Richard E
Published: July 2021

Gentrification is controversial mainly because of the potential displacement of existing low-income groups. Many gentrifiers therefore grapple with the moral implications of their role in this process. Based on three years of fieldwork and 46 interviews in a small city, this paper explains how gentrifiers construct the moral frames they use to identify and justify both themselves and gentrification as morally good, and how their moral ideas shape their behaviors. It argues that their own sense of community is the social source for their moral frame of opportunity, which they use to assign value to actors and actions based on whether they help realize the city’s potential to revitalize, reduce poverty, and prevent displacement. This framing leads them either to support actors and actions behind “conditional gentrification” (i.e., gentrification they control) or oppose those who are against it. This paper shows how groups base justifications for morally questionable behavior on community, with strong implications for exacerbating inequalities.
QS1: Regret After Gender Affirmation Surgery: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Prevalence
Authors: Bustos Valeria P. , Bustos Samyd S. , Escandón Joseph M. , Mascaro Andres , Del Corral Gabriel , Gaxiola-García Miguel Angel , Kushida-Contreras Beatriz Hatsue , Langstein Howard N. , Manrique Oscar J.
Published: July 2021

Purpose: There is an unknown percentage of transgender and gender non-confirming individuals who undergo gender affirmation surgeries (GAS) that experiences regret. Regret could lead to physical and mental morbidity, also questioning the appropriateness of these procedures in selected patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of regret in transgender individuals who underwent GAS and evaluate associated factors.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive research strategy was performed including the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE(R) and Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, and Daily, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus. Random-effects meta-analysis of proportions, subgroup analysis, meta-regression, publication bias, and sensitivity analyses were performed.

Results: A total of 27 studies, pooling 7,928 transgender patients that underwent any type of GAS were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of regret after GAS was 1% (95% Confidence interval [CI] <1-2%). Overall, 33% underwent transmasculine surgical procedures and 67% transfeminine procedures. The prevalence of regrets among patients undergoing transmasculine and transfeminine surgeries was <1% (IC<1-<1%) and 1% (CI<1-2%), respectively. A total of 77 patients regretted having had GAS. Of them, 28 had minor and 34 had major regrets based on Pfäfflin’s regret classification. The majority of these had “clear regret” based on Kuiper and Cohen Kettenis’ classification.

Conclusion: Based on this review, there is an extremely low prevalence of regret in transgender patients after GAS. We believe this study corroborates the improvements made in regard to selection criteria for GAS. However, there is high subjectivity in the assessment of regret and lack of standardized questionnaires, which highlight the importance of developing validated questionnaires in this population.
Infant Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Quality While Walking Fast
Authors: Santos-Folgar Myriam , Fernández-Méndez Felipe , Otero-Agra Martín , Abelairas-Gómez Cristian , Murciano Manuel , Rodríguez-Núñez Antonio , Barcala-Furelos Roberto
Published: July 2021

Objective

This study focuses on the characteristics (feasibility, resuscitation quality, and physical demands) of infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the forearm during fast walking, performed by a trained lay rescuer.

Methods

Twenty-one university students from the infant education degree participated in a randomized crossover simulation study to compare a standard pediatric CPR versus a walking pediatric CPR with a manikin on the rescue forearm. Each rescuer performed 2 resuscitation tests of 2 minutes on the infant manikin. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, physiological, and perceived effort variables were measured.

Results

The quality of chest compressions was higher in standard pediatric CPR than in walking pediatric CPR (72% vs 51%; P < 0.001) and overall CPR quality (59% vs 49%; P = 0.02). There were no differences between ventilation quality (47% vs 46%). Walking pediatric CPR presented a higher percentage of maximum heart rate (52% vs 69%; P < 0.001) and perceived exertion rate (2 vs 5; P < 0.001). Participants walked an average of 197 m during the test.

Conclusions

In conclusion, pediatric walking CPR is feasible although it represents a slight quality decrease in a simulation infant CPR setting. The option “CPR while walking fast to a safe place” seems to be suitable in terms of safety both for the victim and the rescuer, as well as CPR quality in special circumstances.
Improving Resuscitation Timing
Authors: Ambati Shashikanth R. , Tamuz Michal , DeVoe Barbara , Rotjan Andrew , Lesser Martin , Gangadharan Sandeep
Published: July 2021

Objectives

The aims of the study were to assess whether preassigning a team leader influences resuscitation timing using simulation and to examine relationship between response timeliness and designated leader's profession, whether physician or nurse.

Methods

This is a prospective study of intervention (leader assigned) and control (no assigned leader) teams of residents and nurses participating in a simulated scenario. The primary outcome was time to bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation. A secondary outcome measure compared difference in time to BVM between physician- and nurse-led teams.

Results

We assessed 25 teams, leader assigned (n = 14) or control (n = 11), composed of 92 clinicians. Leaders emerged in most of the controls (10 of 11). The median time to BVM in the leader-assigned group was 41.5 seconds (interquartile range, 34–49 seconds) compared with 53 seconds (interquartile range, 27–85 seconds) for controls (P = 0.13). In the leader-assigned group, 85% (12 of 14) of teams initiated BVM in less than 1 minute compared with only 54% teams (6 of 11) in controls (P = 0.18). Among the leader-assigned teams, we randomly assigned residents to lead 8 teams and nurses to lead 6 teams. All the nurse-led teams (6 of 6) initiated BVM in less than 1 minute compared with fewer physician-led teams (6 of 8) and only approximately half of controls (6 of 11, P = 0.19).

Conclusions

The leader-assigned teams and controls did not differ in resuscitation timeliness. Among leader-assigned teams, the differences in time to BVM between physician- and nurse-led teams were not statistically significant. However, all 6 nurse-led teams demonstrated timely resuscitation, suggesting a direction for future research on the feasibility of bedside nurses taking the lead during resuscitation, pending code team arrival.
Excessive adventitial stress drives inflammation-mediated fibrosis in hypertensive aortic remodelling in mice
Authors: Spronck Bart , Latorre Marcos , Wang Mo , Mehta Sameet , Caulk Alexander W. , Ren Pengwei , Ramachandra Abhay B. , Murtada Sae-Il , Rojas Alexia , He Chang-Shun , Jiang Bo , Bersi Matthew R. , Tellides George , Humphrey Jay D.
Published: July 2021

Hypertension induces significant aortic remodelling, often adaptive but sometimes not. To identify immuno-mechanical mechanisms responsible for differential remodelling, we studied thoracic aortas from 129S6/SvEvTac and C57BL/6 J mice before and after continuous 14-day angiotensin II infusion, which elevated blood pressure similarly in both strains. Histological and biomechanical assessments of excised vessels were similar at baseline, suggesting a common homeostatic set-point for mean wall stress. Histology further revealed near mechano-adaptive remodelling of the hypertensive 129S6/SvEvTac aortas, but a grossly maladaptive remodelling of C57BL/6 J aortas. Bulk RNA sequencing suggested that increased smooth muscle contractile processes promoted mechano-adaptation of 129S6/SvEvTac aortas while immune processes prevented adaptation of C57BL/6 J aortas. Functional studies confirmed an increased vasoconstrictive capacity of the former while immunohistochemistry demonstrated marked increases in inflammatory cells in the latter. We then used multiple computational biomechanical models to test the hypothesis that excessive adventitial wall stress correlates with inflammatory cell infiltration. These models consistently predicted that increased vasoconstriction against an increased pressure coupled with modest deposition of new matrix thickens the wall appropriately, restoring wall stress towards homeostatic consistent with adaptive remodelling. By contrast, insufficient vasoconstriction permits high wall stresses and exuberant inflammation-driven matrix deposition, especially in the adventitia, reflecting compromised homeostasis and gross maladaptation.
The Costs and Benefits of Covid-19 Lockdowns in New Zealand
Authors: Lally Martin
Published: July 2021

This paper considers the costs and benefits of New Zealand’s Covid-19 nation-wide lockdown strategy relative to pursuit of a mitigation strategy in March 2020. Using data available up to 28 June 2021, the estimated additional deaths from a mitigation strategy are 1,750 to 4,600, implying a Cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year saved by locking down in March 2020 of at least 13 times the generally employed threshold figure of $62,000 for health interventions in New Zealand; the lockdowns do not then seem to have been justified by reference to the standard benchmark. Using only data available to the New Zealand government in March 2020, the ratio is similar and therefore the same conclusion holds that the nation-wide lockdown strategy was not warranted. Looking forwards from 28 June 2021, if a new outbreak occurs that cannot be suppressed without a nation-wide lockdown, the death toll from adopting a mitigation strategy at this point would be even less than had it done so in March 2020, due to the vaccination campaign and because the period over which the virus would then inflict casualties would now be much less than the period from March 2020; this would favour a mitigation policy even more strongly than in March 2020. This approach of assessing the savings in quality adjusted life years and comparing them to a standard benchmark figure ensures that all quality adjusted life years saved by various health interventions are treated equally, which accords with the ethical principle of equity across people.
ADAP1 promotes latent HIV-1 reactivation by selectively tuning a T cell signaling-transcriptional axis
Authors: Ramirez Nora-Guadalupe P. , Lee Jeon , Zheng Yue , Li Lianbo , Dennis Bryce , Chen Didi , Challa Ashwini , Planelles Vicente , Westover Kenneth D. , Alto Neal M. , D’Orso Iván
Published: July 2021

Immune stimulation fuels cell signaling-transcriptional programs inducing biological responses to eliminate virus-infected cells. Yet, retroviruses that integrate into host cell chromatin, such as HIV-1, co-opt these programs to switch between latent and reactivated states; however, the regulatory mechanisms are still unfolding. Here, we implemented a functional screen leveraging HIV-1’s dependence on CD4+ T cell signaling-transcriptional programs and discovered ADAP1 is an undescribed modulator of HIV-1 proviral fate. Specifically, we report ADAP1 (ArfGAP with dual PH domain-containing protein 1), a previously thought neuronal-restricted factor, is an amplifier of select T cell signaling programs. Using complementary biochemical and cellular assays, we demonstrate ADAP1 inducibly interacts with the immune signalosome to directly stimulate KRAS GTPase activity thereby augmenting T cell signaling through targeted activation of the ERK–AP-1 axis. Single cell transcriptomics analysis revealed loss of ADAP1 function blunts gene programs upon T cell stimulation consequently dampening latent HIV-1 reactivation. Our combined experimental approach defines ADAP1 as an unexpected tuner of T cell programs co-opted by HIV-1 for latency escape.
Better null models for assessing predictive accuracy of disease models
Authors: Keyel Alexander C. , Kilpatrick A. Marm
Published: July 2021

Null models provide a critical baseline for the evaluation of predictive disease models. Many studies consider only the grand mean null model (i.e. R2) when evaluating the predictive ability of a model, which is often misleading in conveying the predictive power of a model. We evaluated ten null models for human cases of West Nile virus (WNV), a zoonotic mosquito-borne disease introduced to the United States in 1999. The Negative Binomial, Historical (i.e. using previous cases to predict future cases) and Always Absent null models were the strongest overall, and the majority of null models significantly outperformed the grand mean. Somewhat surprisingly, the length of the training timeseries did not strongly affect the performance of most null models. We argue that a combination of null models is needed to evaluate the forecasting performance of predictive models and the grand mean is the lowest bar.
Divining Deamidation and Isomerization in Therapeutic Proteins: Effect of Neighboring Residue
Authors: Irudayanathan Flaviyan Jerome , Zarzar Jonathan , Lin Jasper , Izadi Saeed
Published: July 2021

Deamidation of asparagine (ASN) and isomerization of aspartic acid (ASP) residues are among the most commonly observed spontaneous post-translational modifications (PTMs) in proteins. Understanding and predicting a protein sequence’s propensity for such PTMs can help expedite protein therapeutic discovery and development. In this study, we utilized proton-affinity calculations with semi-empirical quantum mechanics (QM) and µs long equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate mechanistic roles of structure and chemical environment in dictating spontaneous degradation of asparagine and aspartic acid residues in 131 clinical-stage therapeutic antibodies. Backbone secondary structure, side-chain rotamer conformation and solvent accessibility were found as three key molecular indicators of ASP isomerization and ASN deamidation. Comparative analysis of backbone dihedral angles along with N-H proton affinity calculations provides a mechanistic explanation for the strong influence of the identity of the n+1 residue on the rate of ASP/ASN degradation. With these findings, we propose a minimalistic physics-based classification model that can be leveraged to predict deamidation and isomerization propensity of therapeutic proteins.
Anaerobic biodegradation of chloroform and dichloromethane with aDehalobacterenrichment culture
Authors: Wang Hao , Yu Rong , Webb Jennifer , Dollar Peter , Freedman David L.
Published: July 2021

Chloroform (CF) and dichloromethane (DCM) are among the more commonly identified chlorinated aliphatic compounds found in contaminated soil and groundwater. Complete dechlorination of CF has been reported under anaerobic conditions by microbes that respire CF to DCM and others that biodegrade DCM. The objectives of this study were to ascertain if a commercially available bioaugmentation enrichment culture (KB-1®Plus) uses an oxidative or fermentative pathway for biodegradation of DCM; and to determine if the products from DCM biodegradation can support organohalide respiration of CF to DCM in the absence of an exogenous electron donor. In various treatments with the KB-1®Plus culture to which14C-CF was added, the predominant product was14CO2, indicating that oxidation is the predominant pathway for DCM. Recovery of14C-DCM when biodegradation was still in progress confirmed that CF first undergoes reductive dechlorination to DCM.14C-labeled organic acids, including acetate and propionate, were also recovered, suggesting that synthesis of organic acids provides a sink for the electron equivalents from oxidation of DCM. When the culture was washed to remove organic acids from prior additions of exogenous electron donor and only CF and DCM were added, the culture completely dechlorinated CF. The total amount of DCM added was not sufficient to provide the electron equivalents needed to reduce CF to DCM. Thus, the additional reducing power came via the DCM generated from CF reduction. Nevertheless, the rate of CF consumption was considerably slower in comparison to treatments that received an exogenous electron donor.

IMPORTANCE

Chloroform (CF) and dichloromethane (DCM) are among the more commonly identified chlorinated aliphatic compounds found in contaminated soil and groundwater. One way to address this problem is to add microbes to the subsurface that can biodegrade these compounds. While microbes are known that can accomplish this task, less is known about the pathways used under anaerobic conditions. Some use an oxidative pathway, resulting mainly in carbon dioxide. Others use a fermentative pathway, resulting in formation of organic acids. In this study, a commercially available bioaugmentation enrichment culture (KB-1®Plus) was evaluated using carbon-14 labelled chloroform. The main product formed was carbon dioxide, indicating the use of an oxidative pathway. The reducing power gained from oxidation was shown to support reductive dechlorination of CF to DCM. The results demonstrate the potential to achieve full dechlorination of CF and DCM to nonhazardous products that are difficult to identify in the field.
A Partition-Based Group Testing Algorithm for Estimating the Number of Infected Individuals
Authors: Beigel Richard , Webber Max J.
Published: July 2021

The dangers of COVID-19 remain ever-present worldwide. The asymptomatic nature of COVID-19 obfuscates the signs policy makers look for when deciding to reopen public areas or further quarantine. In much of the world, testing resources are often scarce, creating a need for testing potentially infected individuals that prioritizes efficiency. This report presents an advancement to Beigel and Kasif’s Approximate Counting Algorithm (ACA). ACA estimates the infection rate with a number of tests that is logarithmic in the population size. Our newer version of the algorithm provides an extra level of efficiency: each subject is tested exactly once. A simulation of the algorithm, created for and presented as part of this paper, can be used to find a linear regression of the results with R2 > 0.999. This allows stakeholders and members of the biomedical community to estimate infection rates for varying population sizes and ranges of infection rates.
A new topological semimetal candidate: SmMnBi2
Authors: Krishnan Sudha , Besara Tiglet
Published: July 2021

The new compound SmMnBi2 has been synthesized by the self-flux method and shown to crystallize in space group I4/mmm with a = 4.5054 (4) Å, c = 20.5914 (19) Å and Z = 4. Its structure comprises two-dimensional square Mn-nets layers, puckered rock-salt-like SmBi slabs and two-dimensional square Bi-nets layers, alternating along the c axis in an …Mn-net–SmBi slab–Bi-net–SmBi slab–Mn-net… sequence. Surprisingly, the atomic arrangement differs from its neighboring compound EuMnBi2 which has similar layers but with a different stacking arrangement. This gives rise to edge-shared square planar MnBi4 polyhedral layers in SmMnBi2 while EuMnBi2 has edge-shared MnBi4 tetrahedral layers. The MMnX
2 (M = alkaline earth/rare earth metals, X = Sb/Bi) family has emerged as topological Dirac or Weyl semimetal candidates, all of them sharing similar structural features. Although SmMnBi2 has a different stacking arrangement to EuMnBi2, its layer structure still makes it a topological Dirac or Weyl semimetal candidate.
Bonding features in Appel's salt from the orbital-free quantum crystallographic perspective
Authors: Bartashevich Ekaterina , Stash Adam , Yushina Irina , Minyaev Mikhail , Bol'shakov Oleg , Rakitin Oleg , Tsirelson Vladimir
Published: July 2021

Bonding properties in the crystal of 4,5-dichloro-l,2,3-dithiazolium chloride (Appel's salt) were studied using a combination of single-crystal high-resolution X-ray diffraction data and the orbital-free quantum crystallography approach. A QTAIM-based topological model shows the proximity of S—C and S—N bonds to the sesquialteral type and establishes the low S—S bond order in the l,2,3-dithiazolium heterocycle. It is found that the electrostatic potential carries the traces of a common positive area on the junction of interatomic zero-flux surfaces of S1 and S2 atomic basins; meanwhile the exchange energy density per particle shows perfectly here two separate minima through which the two bond paths run. Thus, the pair intermolecular interactions Cl−...S1 and Cl−...S2 formed by the common chloride anion placed near the center of the S—S bond are categorized as chalcogen bonds.
Deducing an emergent South Korean behavioural taxonomy of perceived managerial and leadership effectiveness
Authors: Hamlin Robert G. , Kang Hye-Seung , Chai Dae Seok , Kim Sewon
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study aims to identify people’s perceptions of what behaviourally differentiates effective managers from ineffective managers within a South Korean (SK) public sector organization, and the extent to which the findings are similar or different to those of an equivalent previous study in the SK private sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting the “pragmatic approach” and assuming a post-positivist ontology and constructivist–interpretivist epistemology, examples of “effective” and “ineffective” managerial behaviour were collected from managers and non-managerial employees in an SK central government Ministry using the critical incident technique. The collected critical incidents were coded, classified and reduced to a smaller number of behavioural categories. These were then compared against equivalent findings from a previous SK private sector replication study using open, axial and selective coding to identify generic behavioural criteria (GBCs)

Findings

High degrees of convergence point towards the emergence of a “two-factor” SK behavioural taxonomy of perceived managerial and leadership effectiveness comprised of positive (n= 11) and negative (n= 4) GBCs of effective and ineffective managerial behaviour.

Practical implications

The GBCs constituting the deduced SK behavioural taxonomy could be used by HRD practitioners to critically evaluate the efficacy of extant management and leadership development (MLD) programmes, or to inform/shape the creation of new MLD programmes. Additionally, they could be used by other HR professionals to critically evaluate the relevance and efficacy of the assessment criteria used for existing management selection, 360-degree feedback and formal performance appraisal systems.

Originality/value

The emergence of an SK behavioural taxonomy through Type 3 (emic-as-emic) and Type 4 (emic-and-etic) indigenous research is a rare example of Eastern mid-range theory development.