bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a Novel Nasoenteral Tube Design
Authors: Kirn David S. , Whitman William L. , Hisel Richard D. , Price James
Published: February 2022

Tube patency is essential for patients who receive enteral nutrition via a small-bore nasoenteral feeding tube. Formation of a clog within these tubes interrupts and delays delivery of nutrition. Unfortunately, current tubes are prone to clogging. A small-bore nasoenteral feeding tube design is proposed with a gradually increasing diameter over its length, which could mitigate clog issues. Small-bore feeding tubes that increase in diameter over their length were evaluated relative to constant diameter tubes to determine if a tapered tube design could reduce the pressure required to clear an established clog in benchtop testing at pressures representative of those achieved safely in the clinical environment. Incorporating a tapered design into an 8 Fr nasal feeding tube significantly reduced the pressure to expel an established clog by 62% (p < 0.05; 279.2 kPa versus 710.8 kPa, respectively). When compared to constant diameter tubes with the same proximal outside diameter, a tapered tube design permits clearance of an established clog at lower pressure.
Static Analysis and Health Monitoring of Pipelines in Nuclear Power Plants With Noise Consideration
Authors: Datta Dhrubajyoti
Published: February 2022

This study proposes a numerical methodology for the assessment of physical parameters which are critical to damage detection and structural health monitoring of pipelines propagating fluids under high temperatures. The thermal gradient of the fluid, self-weight of the piping system, and the pressure exerted on the pipe walls are taken into consideration for static analysis. The displacement, stresses, and strains are computed for the imposed loads. The boundary conditions for a pipeline element are assigned through translational and rotational springs whose stiffnesses are unknown. The expression for the boundary stiffnesses is derived by coupling the internal pressure due to fluid flow with thermal loading and weight. The dependent and independent parameters for deciphering the degradation of the pipe element are identified to minimize instrumentation for health monitoring. The primary aspects of damage being investigated are wall thinning due to corrosion resulting in stiffness degradation. In practical scenarios, it has been observed that excessive instrumentation of a structural component for health monitoring might result in measurement noise. Hence, artificial noise is introduced to the measurement stresses and strains in a Gaussian distribution form, which is corrected through a numerical algorithm.
Comment on “Usefulness of lung ultrasound in the early identification of severe COVID-19: results from a prospective study”
Authors: Di Costanzo Domenica , Mazza Mariano , Esquinas Antonio
Published: February 2022

To EditorWe have read this article with great interest, where a pattern of correlation is established between lung ultrasound findings and the degree of respiratory failure and prognosis in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019. However, we think that some aspects of this study can be better analyzed.
Negative differential resistance in photoassisted field emission from Si nanowires
Authors: Choueib M. , Derouet A. , Vincent P. , Ayari A. , Perisanu S. , Poncharal P. , Cojocaru C. S. , Martel R. , Purcell S. T.
Published: February 2022

Field emission (FE) from semiconducting nanowires (NWs) is studied for expanding electron gun performances and functionality in terms of stability, brightness, and pulsed emission. Here, we report on a pronounced and robust double negative differential resistance (NDR) in the FE IV characteristics measured during photoassisted field emission experiments on highly crystalline p-type silicon NWs. The main feature is a double NDR in the current saturation regime, which can be modulated by both temperature and light intensity. These results contrast with previous FE studies in which only a barely noticeable single NDR was reported. Several mechanisms for the physical explanation of the NDR are currently under consideration: photogenerated carrier instabilities in the depletion region, which give rise to a pulsed space-charge current in the nanowire or tunneling through a double quantum well formed by confinement at the NW apex. Because NDRs are signatures of pulsed currents, these results suggest new functionalities for which pulsed electron sources can potentially be achieved at high repetition rates.
Unsupervised learning of platform motion in synthetic aperture sonar
Authors: Xenaki Angeliki , Gips Bart , Pailhas Yan
Published: February 2022

Synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) provides high-resolution acoustic imaging by processing coherently the backscattered signal recorded over consecutive pings as the bearing platform moves along a predefined path. Coherent processing requires accurate estimation and compensation of the platform's motion for high quality imaging. The motion of the platform carrying the SAS system can be estimated by cross-correlating redundant recordings at successive pings due to the spatiotemporal coherence of statistically homogeneous backscatter. This data-driven approach for estimating the motion of the SAS platform is essential when positioning information from navigational instruments is absent or inadequately accurate. Herein, the problem of platform motion estimation from coherence measurements of diffuse backscatter is formulated in a probabilistic framework. A variational autoencoder is designed to disentangle the ping-to-ping platform displacement from three-dimensional (3D) spatiotemporal coherence measurements. Unsupervised representation learning from unlabeled data offers robust 3D platform motion estimation. Including a small amount of labeled data during training improves further the platform motion estimation accuracy.
Evidence-Based Corrective Exercise Intervention for Forward Head Posture in Adolescents and Young Adults Without Musculoskeletal Pathology: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Titcomb David A. , Melton Bridget F. , Miyashita Theresa , Bland Helen W.
Published: February 2022

Clinical Scenario: Habitual overuse of cellphones is on the rise among adolescents and young adults. Those who maintain a flexed neck posture when using a cellphone for extended periods possess an elevated risk for developing forward head posture (FHP). Chronic FHP can lead to painful medical disorders affecting the head, neck, and shoulders. Both stretching and strengthening exercises are advocated interventions to address this postural abnormality; however, due to a wide range of corrective exercise programming in the literature, the decision for which exercises to prescribe for this condition can be challenging for clinicians. Clinical Question: For adolescents and young adults without musculoskeletal pathology, what are the most frequent stretching and strengthening exercises incorporated into effective FHP intervention programs supported by current randomized control trials? Summary of Key Findings: A combined total of 5 stretches and 8 strengthening exercises were identified across 3 studies of level 1b evidence that successfully impacted FHP using a combined stretching and strengthening corrective exercise intervention. The supine chin tuck and a sternocleidomastoid stretch were utilized in all 3 studies, while scapular retraction and a pectoralis stretch were included in 2 of the 3 studies. Clinical Bottom Line: Based on the results of this appraisal, the most frequent stretches and strengthening exercises incorporated into effective FHP intervention programs supported by current randomized control trials focused on adolescents or young adults without musculoskeletal pathology include a sternocleidomastoid stretch, pectoralis stretch, the supine chin tuck, and scapular retraction. Strength of Recommendation: There is “Good” to “Excellent” evidence from 3 level 1b randomized control trials to support the inclusion of a sternocleidomastoid stretch, pectoralis stretch, the supine chin tuck, and scapular retraction exercises into a corrective exercise program to address forward head posture.
The Coin Model of Privilege and Critical Allyship: Confronting Social Privilege Through Sport Management Education
Authors: Springer Daniel L. , Stokowski Sarah , Zimmer Wendi
Published: February 2022

Sport management programs are disproportionately represented by students and faculty who possess multiple advantaged identities. This trend is indicative of the broader sport industry, which is troublesome given sports’ prominent role in conversations around racial injustice and inequity during the past century. It is incumbent on sport management educators to equip our students to recognize their role in and productively contribute to such conversations. Thus, this manuscript issues a call to action for sport management educators to utilize and build upon Nixon’s Coin Model of Privilege and Critical Allyship to understand, address, and normalize discourse around inequity, privilege, and oppression in their pedagogical approaches to education.
Systemic inflammation and metabolic disturbances underlie inpatient mortality among ill children with severe malnutrition
Authors: Wen Bijun , Njunge James M. , Bourdon Celine , Gonzales Gerard Bryan , Gichuki Bonface M. , Lee Dorothy , Wishart David S. , Ngari Moses , Chimwezi Emmanuel , Thitiri Johnstone , Mwalekwa Laura , Voskuijl Wieger , Berkley James A. , Bandsma Robert HJ
Published: February 2022

Children admitted to hospital with an acute illness and concurrent severe malnutrition [complicated severe malnutrition (CSM)] have a high risk of dying. The biological processes underlying their mortality are poorly understood. In this case-control study nested within a multicenter randomized controlled trial among children with CSM in Kenya and Malawi, we found that blood metabolomic and proteomic profiles robustly differentiated children who died (n= 92) from those who survived (n= 92). Fatalities were characterized by increased energetic substrates (tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites), microbial metabolites (e.g., propionate and isobutyrate), acute phase proteins (e.g., calprotectin and C-reactive protein), and inflammatory markers (e.g., interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor–α). These perturbations indicated disruptions in mitochondria-related bioenergetic pathways and sepsis-like responses. This study identified specific biomolecular disturbances associated with CSM mortality, revealing that systemic inflammation and bioenergetic deficits are targetable pathophysiological processes for improving survival of this vulnerable population.
Dynamic tactility by position-encoded spike spectrum
Authors: Kim Taeyeong , Kim Jaehun , You Insang , Oh Joosung , Kim Sung-Phil , Jeong Unyong
Published: February 2022

In fast and transient somatosensory processing, the relative timing of the selected spikes is more important than the spike frequency because the ensemble of the first spikes in the spike trains encodes the dynamic tactile information. Here, inspired by the functional effectiveness of the selected spikes, we propose an artificial dynamic sensory system based on position-encoded spike spectrum. We use a mixed ion-electron conductor to generate a potential spike signal. We design artificial receptors that have different ion relaxation times (τ); thus, a sequence of the spikes from the receptors creates a spike spectrum, providing the spatial information (position and motion trace) and the temporal information (speed and dynamic contact area). The artificial receptors can be incorporated by as much as 132/square centimeters by using only two global signal addressing lines for sensor operation. Structural simplicity of the device opens the possibility of scalable fabrication with dense receptor integration. With computational decoding of the position-encoded spike spectrum, the artificial sensory system can recognize complicated dynamic motions in real time. The high-resolution spatiotemporal tactile perception in the ionic artificial sensory system enables the real-time dynamic robotic manipulation.
Selective targeting of multiple myeloma cells with a monoclonal antibody recognizing the ubiquitous protein CD98 heavy chain
Authors: Hasegawa Kana , Ikeda Shunya , Yaga Moto , Watanabe Kouki , Urakawa Rika , Iehara Akie , Iwai Mai , Hashiguchi Seishin , Morimoto Soyoko , Fujiki Fumihiro , Nakajima Hiroko , Nakata Jun , Nishida Sumiyuki , Tsuboi Akihiro , Oka Yoshihiro , Yoshihara Satoshi , Manabe Masahiro , Ichihara Hiroyoshi , Mugitani Atsuko , Aoyama Yasutaka , Nakao Takafumi , Hirose Asao , Hino Masayuki , Ueda Shiho , Takenaka Katsuto , Masuko Takashi , Akashi Koichi , Maruno Takahiro , Uchiyama Susumu , Takamatsu Shinji , Wada Naoki , Morii Eiichi , Nagamori Shushi , Motooka Daisuke , Kanai Yoshikatsu , Oji Yusuke , Nakagawa Tomoyoshi , Kijima Noriyuki , Kishima Haruhiko , Ikeda Atsuyo , Ogino Takayuki , Shintani Yasushi , Kubo Tateki , Mihara Emiko , Yusa Kosuke , Sugiyama Haruo , Takagi Junichi , Miyoshi Eiji , Kumanogoh Atsushi , Hosen Naoki
Published: February 2022

Cancer-specific cell surface antigens are ideal therapeutic targets for monoclonal antibody (mAb)–based therapy. Here, we report that multiple myeloma (MM), an incurable hematological malignancy, can be specifically targeted by an mAb that recognizes a ubiquitously present protein, CD98 heavy chain (hc) (also known as SLC3A2). We screened more than 10,000 mAb clones raised against MM cells and identified R8H283, an mAb that bound MM cells but not normal hematopoietic or nonhematopoietic cells. R8H283 specifically recognized CD98hc. R8H283 did not react with monomers of CD98hc; instead, it bound CD98hc in heterodimers with a CD98 light chain (CD98lc), a complex that functions as an amino acid transporter. CD98 heterodimers were abundant on MM cells and took up amino acids for constitutive production of immunoglobulin. Although CD98 heterodimers were also present on normal leukocytes, R8H283 did not react with them. The glycoforms of CD98hc present on normal leukocytes were distinct from those present on MM cells, which may explain the lack of R8H283 reactivity to normal leukocytes. R8H283 exerted anti-MM effects without damaging normal hematopoietic cells. These findings suggested that R8H283 is a candidate for mAb-based therapies for MM. In addition, our findings showed that a cancer-specific conformational epitope in a ubiquitous protein, which cannot be identified by transcriptome or proteome analyses, can be found by extensive screening of primary human tumor samples.
Astrocytic α2-Na
+
/K
+
ATPase inhibition suppresses astrocyte reactivity and reduces neurodegeneration in a tauopathy mouse model
Authors: Mann Carolyn N. , Devi Shamulailatpam Shreedarshanee , Kersting Corey T. , Bleem Amber V. , Karch Celeste M. , Holtzman David M. , Gallardo Gilbert
Published: February 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most dominant form of dementia characterized by the deposition of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tau tangles (NFTs). In addition to these pathologies, an emerging pathophysiological mechanism that influences AD is neuroinflammation. Astrocytes are a vital type of glial cell that contribute to neuroinflammation, and reactive astrocytes, or astrogliosis, are a well-known pathological feature of AD. However, the mechanisms by which astrocytes contribute to the neurodegenerative process in AD have not been fully elucidated. Here, we showed that astrocytic α2-Na
+
/K
+
adenosine triphosphatase (α2-NKA) is elevated in postmortem human brain tissue from AD and progressive nuclear palsy, a primary tauopathy. The increased astrocytic α2-NKA was also recapitulated in a mouse model of tauopathy. Pharmacological inhibition of α2-NKA robustly suppressed neuroinflammation and reduced brain atrophy. In addition, α2-NKA knockdown in tauopathy mice halted the accumulation of tau pathology. We also demonstrated that α2-NKA promoted tauopathy, in part, by regulating the proinflammatory protein lipocalin-2 (Lcn2). Overexpression of Lcn2 in tauopathy mice increased tau pathology, and prolonged Lcn2 exposure to primary neurons promoted tau uptake in vitro. These studies collectively highlight the contribution of reactive astrocytes to tau pathogenesis in mice and define α2-NKA as a major regulator of astrocytic-dependent neuroinflammation.
Long-Term Hepatitis B Virus Infection Induces Cytopathic Effects in Primary Human Hepatocytes, and Can Be Partially Reversed by Antiviral Therapy
Authors: Zai Wenjing , Hu Kongying , Ye Jianyu , Ding Jiahui , Huang Chao , Li Yaming , Fang Zhong , Wu Min , Wang Cong , Chen Jieliang , Yuan Zhenghong
Published: February 2022

Global temporal quantitative proteomic and transcriptomic analysis using long-term hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected primary human hepatocytes uncovered extensive remodeling of the host proteome and transcriptome and revealed cytopathic effects of long-term viral replication. Metabolic-, complement-, cytoskeleton-, mitochondrial-, and oxidation-related pathways were modulated at transcriptional or posttranscriptional levels, which could be partially rescued by early, rather than late, NA therapy and could be relieved by blocking viral antigens with RNAi.
Impact of Peptidoglycan Recycling Blockade and Expression of Horizontally Acquired β-Lactamases on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence
Authors: Barceló Isabel M. , Torrens Gabriel , Escobar-Salom María , Jordana-Lluch Elena , Capó-Bauzá María Magdalena , Ramón-Pallín Carlos , García-Cuaresma Daniel , Fraile-Ribot Pablo A. , Mulet Xavier , Oliver Antonio , Juan Carlos
Published: February 2022

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is one of the leading nosocomial pathogens whose growing resistance makes the development of therapeutic options extremely urgent. The resistance-virulence interplay has classically aroused researchers’ interest as a source of therapeutic targets.
Response of Total (DNA) and Metabolically Active (RNA) Microbial Communities in
Miscanthus × Giganteus
Cultivated Soil to Different Nitrogen Fertilization Rates
Authors: Yang Jihoon , Lee Jaejin , Choi Jinlyung , Ma Lanying , Heaton Emily A. , Howe Adina
Published: February 2022

Miscanthus
×
giganteus
is a promising candidate for bioeconomy cropping systems; however, it remains unclear how the soil microbiome supplies nitrogen to this low-input crop. DNA-based techniques are used to provide community characterization, but may miss important metabolically active taxa.
Application of mNGS in the Etiological Analysis of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and the Prediction of Drug Resistance
Authors: Liu Haibing , Zhang Yue , Yang Jun , Liu Yanfang , Chen Jianguo
Published: February 2022

LRTIs are caused by hundreds of pathogens, and they have become a great threat to human health due to the limitations of traditional etiological detection methods. As an unbiased approach to detect pathogens, mNGS overcomes such etiological diagnostic challenges.
Cultivated human intestinal fungusCandida metapsilosisM2006B attenuates colitis by secreting acyclic sesquiterpenoids as FXR agonists
Authors: Huo Xiaokui , Li Dawei , Wu Fan , Li Shenghui , Qiao Yanling , Wang Chao , Wang Yan , Zhou Changjiang , Sun Liqun , Luan Zhilin , Yan Qiulong , Wang Jiayue , Zhang Yu , Zhao Ting , An Yue , Zhang Baojing , Tian Xiangge , Yu Zhenlong , Ma Xiaochi
Published: February 2022

Objective

Dysbiosis of the intestinal fungal community has been observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, its potential role in IBD development and prevention remains unclear. Here, we explored the biological effects and molecular mechanisms of intestinal fungi isolated from human faeces on colitis in mice.

Design

Intestinal fungal strains with differential abundance in IBD were cultivated in human faeces and their effects on various mouse models of experimental colitis were evaluated. In addition, the bioactive metabolites secreted by the target fungus were accurately identified and their pharmacological effects and potential molecular targets were investigated in vitro and in vivo.

Results

The abundance ofCandidaspp was significantly higher in patients with IBD. After large-scale human intestinal fungal cultivation and functional analysis,Candida metapsilosisM2006B significantly attenuated various models of experimental colitis in wild-type, antibiotic-treated, germ-free, andIL10-/-mice by activating farnesoid X receptor (FXR). Among the seven acyclic sesquiterpenoids (F1–F7) identified as major secondary metabolites of M2006B, F4 and F5 attenuated colitis in mice by acting as novel FXR agonists. The therapeutic effects of M2006B and its metabolites on colitis via specific FXR activation were confirmed inFxr-/-mice.

Conclusion

This study revealed thatC. metapsilosisM2006B significantly attenuated colitis in mice and identified two acyclic sesquiterpenoids (F4 and F5) as major active metabolites of M2006B. Notably, these metabolites were able to effectively treat experimental colitis by selectively activating FXR. Together, this study demonstrates that M2006B could be a beneficial intestinal fungus for treating and preventing IBD.
Miscommunication about the US federal Tobacco 21 law: a content analysis of Twitter discussions
Authors: Dobbs Page D , Schisler Eric , Colditz Jason B , Primack Brian A
Published: February 2022

Objective

Tobacco 21 is a law that sets the minimum legal sales age of tobacco products to 21. On 20 December 2019, the USA passed a federal Tobacco 21 law. The objective of this study is to explore Twitter discussions about the federal Tobacco 21 law in the USA leading up to enacted.

Methods

Twitter messages about Tobacco 21 posted between September and December 2019 were collected via RITHM software. A 2% sample of all collected tweets were double coded by independent coders using a content analysis approach.

Results

Findings included three content categories of tweets (news, youth and young adults and methods of avoiding the law) with eight subcodes. Most news tweets incorrectly described the law as a purchase law (54.7%). However, Tobacco 21 is in fact a sales law—it only includes penalties for tobacco retailers who sell to under-age purchasers. About one-fourth (27%) of the tweets involved youth and young adults, with some claiming the law would reduce youth smoking and others doubting its ability to limit youth access to tobacco products. Few tweets (2.5%) mentioned methods of circumventing the policy, such as having an older peer purchase tobacco.

Conclusions

As several countries explore raising their age of sale of tobacco laws to 21, they should couple policy enactment with clear and accurate communication about the law. Compliance agencies at all levels (eg, local, regional, national) can use social media to identify policy loopholes and support vulnerable populations throughout the policy implementation process.
Authentication of variable length messages in quantum key distribution
Authors: Bibak Khodakhast , Kapron Bruce M. , Srinivasan Venkatesh
Published: February 2022

Authentication plays a critical role in the security of quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols. We propose using Polynomial Hash and its variants for authentication of variable length messages in QKD protocols. Since universal hashing is used not only for authentication in QKD but also in other steps in QKD like error correction and privacy amplification, and also in several other areas of quantum cryptography, Polynomial Hash and its variants as the most efficient universal hash function families can be used in these important steps and areas, as well. We introduce and analyze several efficient variants of Polynomial Hash and, using deep results from number theory, prove that each variant gives an ε-almost-Δ-universal family of hash functions. We also give a general method for transforming any such family to an ε-almost-strongly universal family of hash functions. The latter families can then, among other applications, be used in the Wegman–Carter MAC construction which has been shown to provide a universally composable authentication method in QKD protocols. As Polynomial Hash has found many applications, our constructions and results are potentially of interest in various areas.
A Systematic Review on Polysaccharides from Dendrobium Genus: Recent Advances in the Preparation, Structural Characterization, Bioactive Molecular Mechanisms, and Applications
Authors: Li Xiao , Wang Xiuhuan , Wang Yu , Liu Xiaoyun , Ren Xueyang , Dong Ying , Ma Jiamu , Song Ruolan , Wei Jing , Yu Axiang , Fan Qiqi , Yao Jianling , Shan Dongjie , Zhang Yanfei , Wei Shengli , She Gaimei
Published: February 2022

Dendrobium polysaccharides (DPSs) have aroused people’s increasing attention in recent years as a result of their outstanding edible and medicinal values and non-toxic property. This review systematically summarized recent progress in the different preparation techniques, structural characteristics, modification, various pharmacological activities and molecular mechanisms, structure–activity relationships, and current industrial applications in the medicinal, food, and cosmetics fields of DPSs. Additionally, some recommendations for future investigations were provided. A variety of methods were applied for the extraction and purification of DPSs. They possessed primary structures (e.g., glucomannan, rhamnogalacturonan I type pectin, heteroxylan, and galactoglucan) and conformational structures (e.g., random coil, rod, globular, and a slight triple-helical). And different molecular weights, monosaccharide compositions, linkage types, and modifications could largely affect DPSs’ bioactivities (e.g., immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, gastrointestinal protective, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities). It was worth mentioning that DPSs were significant pharmaceutical remedies and therapeutic supplements especially due to their strong immunity enhancement abilities. We hope that this review will lay a solid foundation for further development and applications of Dendrobium polysaccharides.
METRIC THEORY OF PARTIAL QUOTIENTS OF N-CONTINUED FRACTIONS
Authors: WANG JINFENG , ZHANG YUAN
Published: February 2022

On analogy of the regular continued fractions, for any fixed positive integer [Formula: see text], every [Formula: see text] can be expanded into an [Formula: see text]-continued fraction, denoted by [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] are called the partial quotients. In this paper, we concern the metric theory of the partial quotients. More precisely, let [Formula: see text], the Borel–Bernstein theorem and Hausdorff dimension of the set [Formula: see text] for infinitely many [Formula: see text] are determined. This generalizes the results of regular continued fractions.
Uni-EDEN: Universal Encoder-Decoder Network by Multi-Granular Vision-Language Pre-training
Authors: Li Yehao , Fan Jiahao , Pan Yingwei , Yao Ting , Lin Weiyao , Mei Tao
Published: February 2022

Vision-language pre-training has been an emerging and fast-developing research topic, which transfers multi-modal knowledge from rich-resource pre-training task to limited-resource downstream tasks. Unlike existing works that predominantly learn a single generic encoder, we present a pre-trainable Universal Encoder-DEcoder Network (Uni-EDEN) to facilitate both vision-language perception (e.g., visual question answering) and generation (e.g., image captioning). Uni-EDEN is a two-stream Transformer-based structure, consisting of three modules: object and sentence encoders that separately learns the representations of each modality and sentence decoder that enables both multi-modal reasoning and sentence generation via inter-modal interaction. Considering that the linguistic representations of each image can span different granularities in this hierarchy including, from simple to comprehensive, individual label, a phrase, and a natural sentence, we pre-train Uni-EDEN through multi-granular vision-language proxy tasks: Masked Object Classification, Masked Region Phrase Generation, Image-Sentence Matching, and Masked Sentence Generation. In this way, Uni-EDEN is endowed with the power of both multi-modal representation extraction and language modeling. Extensive experiments demonstrate the compelling generalizability of Uni-EDEN by fine-tuning it to four vision-language perception and generation downstream tasks.
An
l
½
and Graph Regularized Subspace Clustering Method for Robust Image Segmentation
Authors: Francis Jobin , Baburaj M. , George Sudhish N.
Published: February 2022

Segmenting meaningful visual structures from an image is a fundamental and most-addressed problem in image analysis algorithms. However, among factors such as diverse visual patterns, noise, complex backgrounds, and similar textures present in foreground and background, image segmentation still stands as a challenging research problem. In this article, the proposed method employs an unsupervised method that addresses image segmentation as subspace clustering of image feature vectors. Initially, an image is partitioned into a set of homogeneous regions called superpixels, from which Local Spectral Histogram features are computed. Subsequently, a feature data matrix is created whereupon subspace clustering methodology is applied. A single-stage optimization model is formulated with enhanced segmentation capabilities by the combined action of
l
½ and
l
2
norm minimization. Robustness of
l
½ regularization toward both the noise and overestimation of sparsity provides simultaneous noise robustness and better subspace selection, respectively. While
l
2
norm facilitates grouping effect. Hence, the designed optimization model ensures an improved sparse solution and a sparse representation matrix with an accurate block diagonal structure, which thereby favours getting properly segmented images. Then, experimental results of the proposed method are compared with the state-of-art algorithms. Results demonstrate the improved performance of our method over the state-of-art algorithms.
Non-Acted Text and Keystrokes Database and Learning Methods to Recognize Emotions
Authors: Tahir Madiha , Halim Zahid , Rahman Atta Ur , Waqas Muhammad , Tu Shanshan , Chen Sheng , Han Zhu
Published: February 2022

The modern computing applications are presently adapting to the convenient availability of huge and diverse data for making their pattern recognition methods smarter. Identification of dominant emotion solely based on the text data generated by humans is essential for the modern human–computer interaction. This work presents a multimodal text-keystrokes dataset and associated learning methods for the identification of human emotions hidden in small text. For this, a text-keystrokes data of 69 participants is collected in multiple scenarios. Stimuli are induced through videos in a controlled environment. After the stimuli induction, participants write their reviews about the given scenario in an unguided manner. Afterward, keystroke and in-text features are extracted from the dataset. These are used with an assortment of learning methods to identify emotion hidden in the short text. An accuracy of 86.95% is achieved by fusing text and keystroke features. Whereas, 100% accuracy is obtained for pleasure-displeasure classes of emotions using the fusion of keystroke/text features, tree-based feature selection method, and support vector machine classifier. The present work is also compared with four state-of-the-art techniques for the same task, where the results suggest that the present proposal performs better in terms of accuracy.
Adversarial Multi-Grained Embedding Network for Cross-Modal Text-Video Retrieval
Authors: Han Ning , Chen Jingjing , Zhang Hao , Wang Huanwen , Chen Hao
Published: February 2022

Cross-modal retrieval between texts and videos has received consistent research interest in the multimedia community. Existing studies follow a trend of learning a joint embedding space to measure the distance between text and video representations. In common practice, video representation is constructed by feeding clips into 3D convolutional neural networks for a coarse-grained global visual feature extraction. In addition, several studies have attempted to align the local objects of video with the text. However, these representations share a drawback of neglecting rich fine-grained relation features capturing spatial-temporal object interactions that benefits mapping textual entities in the real-world retrieval system. To tackle this problem, we propose an adversarial multi-grained embedding network (AME-Net), a novel cross-modal retrieval framework that adopts both fine-grained local relation and coarse-grained global features in bridging text-video modalities. Additionally, with the newly proposed visual representation, we also integrate an adversarial learning strategy into AME-Net, to further narrow the domain gap between text and video representations. In summary, we contribute AME-Net with an adversarial learning strategy for learning a better joint embedding space, and experimental results on MSR-VTT and YouCook2 datasets demonstrate that our proposed framework consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art method.
Bringing Trimmed Serendipity Methods to Computational Practice in Firedrake
Authors: Crum Justin , Cheng Cyrus , Ham David A. , Mitchell Lawrence , Kirby Robert C. , Levine Joshua A. , Gillette Andrew
Published: February 2022

We present an implementation of the trimmed serendipity finite element family, using the open-source finite element package Firedrake. The new elements can be used seamlessly within the software suite for problems requiring
H
1
,
H
(curl), or
H
(div)-conforming elements on meshes of squares or cubes. To test how well trimmed serendipity elements perform in comparison to traditional tensor product elements, we perform a sequence of numerical experiments including the primal Poisson, mixed Poisson, and Maxwell cavity eigenvalue problems. Overall, we find that the trimmed serendipity elements converge, as expected, at the same rate as the respective tensor product elements, while being able to offer significant savings in the time or memory required to solve certain problems.
Phloem Loading and Unloading of Sucrose: What a Long, Strange Trip from Source to Sink
Authors: Braun David M.
Published: February 2022

Sucrose is transported from sources (mature leaves) to sinks (importing tissues such as roots, stems, fruits, and seeds) through the phloem tissues in veins. In many herbaceous crop species, sucrose must first be effluxed to the cell wall by a sugar transporter of the SWEET family prior to being taken up into phloem companion cells or sieve elements by a different sugar transporter, called SUT or SUC. The import of sucrose into these cells is termed apoplasmic phloem loading. In sinks, sucrose can similarly exit the phloem apoplasmically or, alternatively, symplasmically through plasmodesmata into connecting parenchyma storage cells. Recent advances describing the regulation and manipulation of sugar transporter expression and activities provide stimulating new insights into sucrose phloem loading in sources and unloading processes in sink tissues. Additionally, new breakthroughs have revealed distinct subpopulations of cells in leaves with different functions pertaining to phloem loading. These and other discoveries in sucrose transport are discussed.
Influence of uncomplicated, controlled hypertension on local heat-induced vasodilation in nonglabrous skin across the body
Authors: McGarr Gregory W. , King Kelli E. , Akerman Ashley P. , Fujii Naoto , Ruzicka Marcel , Kenny Glen P.
Published: February 2022

The objective of this study was 1) to examine pooled effects of hypertension on nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilation during local heating across multiple nonglabrous skin regions, and 2) explore regional differences. Responses were compared between 14 participants with uncomplicated hypertension controlled with medication (7 females, 61 ± 6 yr) and 14 age-matched nonhypertensive controls (6 females; 60 ± 5 yr). Cutaneous vascular conductance, normalized to maximum vasodilation (%CVCmax), was assessed at the upper chest, abdomen, dorsal forearm, thigh, and lateral calf during local heating. Across all regions, local skin temperatures were simultaneously increased from 33°C to 42°C (1°C·10 s−1) and held until a stable heating plateau was achieved (∼40 min), followed by continuous infusion of 20 mM of NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; ∼40 min) at all sites until a stable l-NAME plateau was achieved. The difference between heating and l-NAME plateaus was defined as the NO-contribution. Statistical equivalence for each heating phase was determined based on equivalence bounds of ±10%CVCmax for between-group differences. Pooled (all-regions) %CVCmax responses were equivalent for baseline (two one-sided t tests; P < 0.001), heating plateau ( P = 0.002), l-NAME plateau ( P = 0.028), and NO-contribution ( P = 0.003). For individual regions, responses were equivalent at baseline for the abdomen, thigh, and calf, the heating plateau for the thigh, and the l-NAME plateau for the calf (all P < 0.05). Conversely, the calf heating plateau was lower in the hypertension group ( t test; P < 0.05). Local heat-induced cutaneous vasodilation was statistically equivalent between individuals with uncomplicated, controlled hypertension, and nonhypertensive age-matched adults when pooled across multiple skin sites. Conversely, individual between-region comparisons were generally too variable to permit definitive conclusions.
Nonlinearity in bone-conducted amplitude-modulated cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials: harmonic distortion products
Authors: Clinard Christopher G. , Lawlor Kerri J. , Thorne Andrew P. , Piker Erin G.
Published: February 2022

The otolith balance organs of humans are assessed for basic science and clinical applications by using vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). Traditionally, VEMPs are elicited with brief, transient sounds to study onset responses. We used long-duration sounds to elicit steady-state VEMPs. This allowed us to measure nonlinear distortion products, consistent with nonlinear processing in vestibular hair cells. This new approach may help to better understand links between otolith organs and balance function.
Dynamic Echocardiographic Imaging of a Valve-in-Valve Mitral Prosthesis
Authors: Wassef Bishoy , Masry Mina , Ghali Mounir , Makaryus John N. , Makaryus Amgad N.
Published: February 2022

Dynamic imaging of heart valves and specifically prosthetic valves is a central benefit of echocardiography. Most bioprosthetic heart valves degenerate over a given time and hence require repeat valve replacement which carries a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Reoperation is the standard of care and may still be required after the first successful surgery due to complications disrupting either mechanical or bioprosthetic valves. Such complications can be delayed or even prevented if optimal prosthesis selection is individualized according to patients’ medical and postimplantation follow-up. We present the case of an 84-year-old woman where an open-heart valve-in-valve approach, implanting a mechanical valve in a failed bioprosthetic valve, produced a unique image on transthoracic echocardiography which needs to be recognized by imagers for appropriate patient diagnosis and management.
Single Incision Cholecystectomies for Acute Cholecystitis: A Single Surgeon Series from the Caribbean
Authors: Cawich Shamir O. , Mohanty Sanjib K. , Felix Omar , Dapri Giovanni
Published: February 2022

Introduction. Single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is accepted as a safe alternative to conventional multiport laparoscopic (MPL) cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder disease. Since many surgeons carefully select patients without inflammation, there are limited data on SILS for acute cholecystitis. We report a single surgeon experience with SILS cholecystectomy for patients with acute cholecystitis. Materials and Methods. After securing ethical approval, we performed an audit of all SILS cholecystectomies for acute cholecystitis by a single surgeon from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2019. The following data were extracted: patient demographics, intraoperative details, surgical techniques, specialized equipment utilized, conversions (additional port placement), morbidity, and mortality. Data were analyzed using SPSS 12.0. Results. SILS cholecystectomy was performed in 25 females at a mean age of 35 ± 4.1 (SD) years and a mean BMI of 31.9 ± 3.8 (SD) using a direct fascial puncture technique without access platforms. The operations were completed in 83 ± 29.4 minutes (mean ± SD) with an estimated blood loss of 76.9 ± 105 (mean + SD). Three (12%) patients required additional 5 mm port placement (conversions), but no open operations were performed. The patients were hospitalized for 1.96 ± 0.9 days (mean ± SD). There were 2 complications: postoperative superficial SSI (grade I) and a diaphragmatic laceration (grade III). No bile duct injuries were reported. There were 9 patients with complicated acute cholecystitis, and this sub-group had longer mean operating times (109.2 ± 27.3 minutes) and mean postoperative hospital stay (1.3 ± 0.87 days). Conclusion. The SILS technique is a feasible and safe approach to perform cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. We advocate a low threshold to place additional ports to assist with difficult dissections for patient safety.
miR-155-5p in Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Choroid Plexus Epithelial Cells Promotes Autophagy and Inflammation to Aggravate Ischemic Brain Injury in Mice
Authors: Yang Zhang , Shi Xiaofang , Gao Zidan , Chu Lan
Published: February 2022

Ischemic stroke is a common disease of the central nervous system, and ischemic brain injury (IBI) is its main manifestation. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been strongly related to the diagnosis and treatment of IBI. However, the underlying mechanism of their effects remains enigmatic. In the present study, we aimed to study how miR-155-5p plays a role in choroid plexus epithelial (CPE) cell-derived EVs in IBI pathology. We found that miR-155-5p expression was enriched in CPE cell-derived EVs, which were subsequently internalized by neurons, enabling the delivery of miR-155-5p into neurons. An inducible oxygen and glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) cell model was developed to mimic ischemic neuronal injury in vitro. miR-155-5p overexpression led to reduced neuron viability, promoted apoptosis, elevated autophagic proteins’ expression, and activated NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3- (NLRP3-) related inflammasomes, thereby aggravating OGD-induced neuronal injury. A dual-luciferase reporter assay exhibited that miR-155-5p could inhibit the Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb) expression, a mechanism critical for miR-155-5p-mediated neuronal injury. Furthermore, a mouse IBI model was developed using the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) method. Animal experiments verified that miR-155p delivery via CPE cell-derived EVs aggravated IBI by suppressing Rheb expression. In conclusion, miR-155-5p in CPE-derived EVs can aggravate IBI pathology by suppressing Rheb expression and promoting NLRP3-mediated inflammasomes, suggesting its role as a potential therapeutic target in IBI.
Practical Approach to Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation and Bioprosthetic Valve Fracture in a Failed Bioprosthetic Surgical Valve
Authors: Vanhaverbeke Maarten , De Backer Ole , Dubois Christophe
Published: February 2022

Bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve failure requiring reintervention is a frequent clinical problem with event rates up to 20% at 10 years after surgery. Transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve implantation (ViV-TAVI) has become a valuable treatment option for these patients, although it requires careful procedural planning. We here describe and illustrate a stepwise approach to plan and perform ViV-TAVI and discuss preprocedural computerized tomography planning, transcatheter heart valve selection, and implantation techniques. Particular attention is paid to coronary artery protection and the possible need for bioprosthetic valve fracture since patients with small surgical aortic bioprostheses are at a risk of high residual gradients after ViV-TAVI. Considering updated clinical data on long-term outcomes following ViV-TAVI, this approach may become the default treatment strategy for patients with a failing surgical aortic bioprosthesis.
Association between Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Qiu Yu , Zhang Xueqin , Ni Yan
Published: February 2022

Objectives: The results of studies regarding the association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are controversial. Design: This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between PCOS and GDM. Methods: English language articles published before July 2021 were included by searching in databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Medline, and Google Scholar. All these results were computed using STATA 12.0 software. The random-effects models were used to calculate summary odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) when the heterogeneity was high; Inversely, the fixed-effects models were used to calculate summary OR/RR and 95% CI when the heterogeneity was low. Results: The present study showed that PCOS was significantly associated with an increased risk of GDM with a random-effects model (OR/RR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.74–2.34, I2 = 79.5%, p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis indicated an elevated risk of GDM in PCOS patients in both retrospective and prospective studies (retrospective studies: OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.62–2.20; prospective studies: RR = 2.85, 95% CI: 1.77–4.60). In addition, subgroup analysis indicated an elevated risk of GDM in PCOS patients in both Caucasian and Asian populations (Caucasian populations: OR/RR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.99–3.07; prospective studies: OR/RR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.23–2.02). Conclusion: Overall, findings of the meta-analysis showed that women with PCOS have an elevated risk of GDM compared to women without PCOS. Limitations: First, on account of sources of information, the role of several variables including BMI, the severity of GDM and serum lipid level in the association between PCOS and GDM cannot be evaluated. Second, only studies published in English and Chinese were included, and the publish bias is impossible to avoid.
Evaluation of Aortic Elasticity Parameters in Survivors of COVID-19 Using Echocardiography Imaging
Authors: Küçük Uğur , Gazi Emine , Duygu Ali , Akşit Ercan
Published: February 2022

Objective: While severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) primarily affects lung tissue, it may cause direct or indirect damage to the cardiovascular system, and permanent damage may occur. Arterial stiffness is an early indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. The aim of our study was to establish the potential effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the vascular system evaluated by transthoracic echocardiographic examination. Subjects and Methods: This study compared arterial stiffness between the survivors of COVID-19 and those without a history of COVID-19 infection. The difference in aortic diameter was examined using echocardiography. Results: The study included 50 patients who survived COVID-19 in the last 3–6 months and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. In surviving COVID-19 patients, aortic diastolic diameter in cm ([3.1 ± 0.2] vs. [2.9 ± 0.1], p < 0.001), pulse pressure (PP) ([43.02 ± 14.05] vs. [35.74 ± 9.86], p = 0.004), aortic distensibility ([5.61 ± 3.57] vs. [8.31 ± 3.82], p < 0.001), aortic strain ([10.56 ± 4.91] vs. [13.88 ± 5.86], p = 0.003), PP/stroke volume index ([1.25 ± 0.47] vs. [0.98 ± 0.28], p = 0.001), and aortic stiffness index ([2.82 ± 0.47] vs. [2.46 ± 0.45], p < 0.001) were statistically significant compared to the control group. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 may cause reduced or impaired aortic elasticity parameters linked to impaired arterial wall function in COVID-19 survivors compared with controls.