bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secure Inference on Homomorphically Encrypted Genotype Data with Encrypted Linear Models
Authors: Zou Meng , Zhang Guangyang , Zhang Fan , Liu Guoping
Published: April 2023

Background: Accurate models are crucial to estimate the phenotypes from high throughput genomic data. While the genetic and phenotypic data are sensitive, secure models are essential to protect the private information. Therefore, construct an accurate and secure model is significant in secure inference of phenotypes.
Methods: We propose a secure inference protocol on homomorphically encrypted genotype data with encrypted linear models. Firstly, scale the genotype data by feature importance with Xgboost or Adaboost then train linear models to predict the phenotypes in plaintext. Secondly, encrypt the model parameters and test data with CKKS scheme for secure inference. Thirdly, predict the phenotypes under CKKS homomorphically encryption computation. Finally, decrypt the encrypted predictions by client to compute the 1-NRMSE/AUC for model evaluation.
Results: 5 phenotypes of 3000 samples with 20390 variants are used to validate the performance of the secure inference protocol. The protocol achieves 0.9548, 0.9639, 0.9673 (1-NRMSE) for 3 continuous phenotypes and 0.9943, 0.99290 (AUC) for 2 category phenotypes in test data. Moreover, the protocol shows robust in 100 times of random sampling. Furthermore, the protocol achieves 0.9725 (the average accuracy) in an encrypted test set with 198 samples, and it only takes 4.32s for the overall inference. These help the protocol rank top one in the iDASH-2022 track2 challenge.
Conclusion: We propose an accurate and secure protocol to predict the phenotype from genotype and it takes seconds to obtain hundreds of predictions for all phenotypes.
Effect of the metabolic activity of lactic acid bacteria and propionibacteria on cheese protein digestibility and fatty acid profile
Authors: Ziarno Małgorzata , Bryś Joanna , Kowalska Ewa , Cichońska Patrycja
Published: April 2023

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of different variants of bacterial starter cultures on the production of ripened cheeses and on the metabolism of the bacteria used. The study showed that lactic fermentation bacteria affect the proportions of fatty acids in cheeses, with SFAs accounting for many fatty acids in all cheese variants. Fatty acid proportions are complex and depend on the cheese culture and monoculture. Analysis of fatty acid composition showed variation in the proportion of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, which affected the values of atherogenic and thrombogenic indices. The atherogenic index was highest in samples of mature cheeses obtained from a typical mesophilic cheese culture and lowest in samples of fresh milk and mature cheeses obtained from a mesophilic cheese culture and monocultures of L. casei and Propionibacterium. The study also showed that lactobacilli affect the content of available lysine, glycine, and methionine in cheese proteins, where mature cheeses obtained with Propionibacteriumand L. casei starter cultures were characterized by a higher lysine and glycine content than fresh cheeses and those obtained with cheese culture only. Mature cheeses obtained with starter cultures of mesophilic cheese culture and Propionibacteriumand L. casei were characterized by the highest methionine content. The results of this study suggest that the use of different cheesemaking cultures and monocultures may affect the fatty acid composition and amino acid content of cheese and fresh milk, which may have health implications.
Intra- and inter-brain synchrony oscillations underlying social adjustment
Authors: Vicente Unai , Ara Alberto , Marco-Pallarés Josep
Published: April 2023

Humans naturally synchronize their behavior with other people. However, although it happens almost automatically, adjusting behavior and conformity to others is a complex phenomenon whose neural mechanisms are still yet to be understood entirely. The present experiment aimed to study the oscillatory synchronization mechanisms underlying automatic dyadic convergence in an EEG hyperscanning experiment. Thirty-six people performed a cooperative decision-making task where dyads had to guess the correct position of a point on a line. A reinforcement learning algorithm was used to model different aspects of the participants' behavior and their expectations of their peers. Intra- and inter-connectivity among electrode sites were assessed using inter-site phase clustering (ISPC) in three main frequency bands (theta, alpha, beta) using a two-level Bayesian mixed-effects modeling approach. The results showed two oscillatory synchronization dynamics related to attention and executive functions in alpha and reinforcement learning in theta. In addition, inter-brain synchrony was mainly driven by beta oscillations. This study contributes preliminary evidence on the phase-coherence mechanism underlying inter-personal behavioral adjustment.
ERG K + channels mediate a major component of action potential repolarization in lymphatic muscle
Authors: Kim Hae Jin , Li Min , Erlich Emma , Randolph Gwendalyn , Davis Michael
Published: April 2023

Smooth muscle cells in the walls of collecting lymphatic vessels fire spontaneous action potentials (APs), which conduct rapidly over the muscle layer to initiate contractions that propel lymph. Several ion channels have been implicated in the currents underlying the AP spike and the preceding diastolic depolarization, but the molecular identities of K+ channels involved in AP repolarization are unknown. Based on previous studies of other rhythmically active smooth muscles, we hypothesized that ether-a-go-go related gene (ERG) K+ channels (Kv11) play an important role in repolarization of the AP in lymphatic muscle. Message for one or more ERG channel isoforms was detected by RT-PCR analysis of lymphatic vessels from mice, rats and humans. Membrane potential recordings in smooth muscle cells of rat and human lymphatics revealed that nanomolar concentrations of ERG-1 inhibitors (E-4031 and BeKm-1) prolonged the duration of the AP plateau (normally ~ 1 sec in duration) and induced multiple spikes, whereas ERG-1 activators (ICA-105574 and RPR-260243) shortened the plateau and could completely inhibit spontaneous APs. At relatively high inhibitor concentrations, the AP plateau duration lasted as long as 24 sec. ERG activators reversed the effects of ERG inhibitors and vice-versa. In pressure myograph studies, ERG channel inhibition prolonged the diastolic repolarization phase of the contraction cycle and reduced the frequency of spontaneous contractions. This is the first evidence for a specific K+ channel contributing to the AP in lymphatic muscle. Our results imply that lymphatic contractile dysfunction may occur in long QT type II patients with mutations that result in ERG channel loss-of-function or impaired trafficking of the channel to the cell membrane.
Clinical and neuroimaging characteristics in mild-type infantile acute subdural hematoma: a report of four cases
Authors: Aoki Nobuhiko
Published: April 2023

Purpose
Infantile acute subdural hematoma (IASDH) has a limited age distribution and mostly benign clinical features. Mild-type IASDH has a stereotypical clinical course that, however, has been described in only a few studies.
Methods
Four male infants (aged 6–10 months; mean age: 7.5 months) were diagnosed with mild-type IASDH associated with retinal hemorrhage (RH) after suffering from occipital impact in a fall. The present case series reviews their clinical features and neuroimaging findings, including CT and MRI findings.
Results
All infants fell backwards from a standing or sitting position onto a soft surface, striking the occipital region. They began crying on impact and then soon afterwards exhibited seizure-like activity or recurrent vomiting. CT and MRI revealed a thin, unclotted subdural hematoma (SDH) without mass effect or brain parenchymal abnormality. Various degrees of bilateral retinal hemorrhage (RH) were observed. On the day of symptom onset, all infants returned to baseline, and follow-up for more than 5 years revealed normal development with no deficits.
Conclusions
Mild-type IASDH with retinal hemorrhage presents with seizure-like activity or recurrent vomiting preceded by crying after an occipital impact on a soft surface. The clinical course of IASDH is followed by rapid recovery on the day of symptom onset. CT and MRI findings reveal a small, unclotted subdural hematoma (SDH) without a mass effect or cerebral parenchymal abnormality.
Observed Changes in wet days and Dry Spells over IGAD region of Eastern Africa
Authors: Omay Paulino Omoj , Muthama Nzioka John , Oludhe Christopher , Kinama Josiah M. , Artan Guleid , Atheru Zachary
Published: April 2023

Changes and variability in wet days and dry spells are crucial for Crop production and food security in Eastern Africa. This paper seeks to investigate the changes in wet days and dry spells over the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region. Data used are Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS). Several statistical methods, wet days and dry spells thresholds applied on decadal (10 years), 20, 30 and 41 time-scale. The results show the region exhibits decrease in the number of wet days and prolonged dry spells in the 1980s, while extra-ordinary increase in wet days was observed in recent decades (2011–2020). The majority of districts in Uganda, South Sudan, highlands of western Ethiopia and Kenya observed the highest number of wet days and lowest dry spells. These areas observed 90–100% probability of exceeding 7 and 14 consecutive wet days (1 and 2 spells) during March-May (MAM), June-September (JJAS) and October-December (OND). Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASALs) in Kenya, Somalia, southeastern Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti observed less than 5% of probability of exceeding 7, 14,21,28 days (1,2,3,4 spells). In addition, the floods events in 1997, 2018, 2019 and 2020, drought events in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 2021 over most parts of the region were driven by increase/decrease in number of wet days and dry spells. These findings are important for decision making, food security, planning adaptation and mitigation measures. Therefore, we recommend proper rain-fed agriculture planning, supplementary irrigation and Crop variety improvement in the IGAD region.
Investigation of microstructure and tribological property of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by laser shock peening processing
Authors: Gu Cheng , Tian Zenghui , Zhao Jian hua , Wang Yajun
Published: April 2023

Laser shock peening (LSP) is a process to introduce compressive residual stresses for improved surface properties of materials. In this study, the effect of LSP on the microstructure and tribological property of Ti-6Al-4V alloy was investigated. The surface and cross-sectional microstructure of the samples show that the shape of the β phase changes from a long strip to a short bar and granular after the LSP treatment. With the increase of laser energy, the surface roughness decreases gradually while the surface microhardness is increased. The maximum hardness is on the surface, and with the increase of the depth, the hardness decreases until a stable value of 339.4 HV which is the microhardness of the matrix. The thickness of the high-microhardness layer is about 350 μm. LSP treatment can decrease the average friction coefficient and effectively improve the tribological property of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The higher the laser energy, the better the wear resistance. This study is helpful for further study and applications of the LSP process in improving the tribological property of Ti alloys.
Cold Exposure Attenuates Medial Arterial Calcification via Autophagy
Authors: Li Fuxingzi , Liu Junjie , Shan Sukang , Xu Feng , Zheng Minghui , Lei Limin , Lin Xiao , Guo Bei , Li Changchun , Tang Kexin , Cao Yechi , Wu Yunyun , Duan Jiayue , Wu Yanlin , He Siyang , Chen Xi , Yuan Lingqing
Published: April 2023

Medial arterial calcification (MAC), a systemic vascular disease different from atherosclerosis, is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events. Several studies have demonstrated that ambient temperature is one of the most important factors affecting cardiovascular events. However, there has been limited research on the effect of different ambient temperatures on MAC. In the present study, we showed that compared with room temperature exposure (RT), cold temperature exposure (CT) in mice decreased vitamin D (VD)-induced vascular calcification. To investigate the mechanism involved, we isolated plasma-derived exosomes from mice subjected to CT or RT for 30 days (CT-Exo or RT-Exo, respectively). Compared with RT-Exo, CT-Exo remarkably inhibited the senescence/calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and promoted autophagy by activating phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) and inhibiting phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR). At the same time, CT-Exo promoted autophagy in β-glycerophosphate (β-GP)-induced VSMCs. The number of autophagosomes and the expression of autophagy-related proteins ATG5 and LC3B increased, while the expression of p62 decreased. Based on a microRNA chip microarray assay and real-time polymerase chain reaction, miR-320a-3p was highly enriched in CT-Exo as well as thoracic aortic vessels in CT mice. miR-320a-3p downregulation in CT-Exo using AntagomiR-320a-3p inhibited autophagy and blunted its anti-calcification effect on VSMCs. Moreover, we identified that programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) is a target of miR-320a-3p, and silencing PDCD4 increased autophagy and decreased calcification in VSMCs. Treatment with CT-Exo alleviated MAC and ageing in VD-treated mice, while these effects were partially reversed by GW4869. Furthermore, the anti-arterial calcification effects of CT-Exo were largely abolished by AntagomiR-320a-3p in VD-induced mice. In summary, we have highlighted that prolonged cold may be a good way to reduce the incidence of MAC. Specifically, miR-320a-3p from CT-Exo could attenuate MAC via the AMPK/mTOR autophagy pathway.
Numerical analysis of transient vortex formation at the outlet of a tank containing gas-liquid phases
Authors: Mohseni Mahdi , Domfeh Martin Kyereh
Published: April 2023

One of the basic phenomena when a liquid leaves a tank, is the formation of vortices. This phenomenon can significantly affect the remaining liquid mass in the tank and the penetration of air and bubbles into the system. As a result, system performance may be disrupted. This study numerically investigates the influence of parameters such as discharge time, gas pressure, liquid depth, and angular velocity of the reference frame on the vortex characteristics. In addition, the near-wall behavior of the analytical relations proposed for the tangential velocity has been revised based on the boundary layer theory. The "volume of fluid" model (VOF) and the SST k-ω turbulence model have been used to solve the two-phase turbulent flow. The results show that increasing the gas pressure from 1 to 5 bar and its direct impact on the liquid surface significantly accelerates the formation of the vortex and the critical height. This phenomenon causes, after the starting of liquid discharge, the air core to reach the inlet port of the outlet pipe about 7 seconds earlier. As a result, much more liquid mass remains in the tank. Also, the increase in the angular velocity of the reference frame from 0.1 to 1 rad/s causes the critical height to be formed much sooner and the remaining liquid mass to increase by 32 kg. Furthermore, the amount and the variations of turbulent viscosity significantly differ from the semi-empirical constant values, limiting their use to particular streams.
The initial composition and structure of microbial community determined the yield and quality of Baijiu during the spontaneous fermentation
Authors: Li Dongjuan , Jia Fengan , Wang Lingling , Chang Fan
Published: April 2023

The microbiota during pit mud fermentation is one of the most important factors in Baijiu brewing since it determines the yield and quality. However, the effects of the microbial community at the initial stage of Baijiu fermentation remain unknown. Herein, we used high-throughput sequencing to explore the microbial diversity and distribution at the initial and late stages of Baijiu fermentation in individual pit mud workshops. At the initial fermentation stage, the bacterial community had a more significant effect on Baijiu quality than the fungal community. The richness and evenness of the bacterial community in the high-yield pit mud workshop were lower, as well as the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, during Baijiu fermentation. Lactobacillus was the dominant genus and the biomarker in high-yield pit mud and the only genus composing the association network. For the high Baijiu yield rate, the fungal community tended to maintain a simple association network with a few species as the core microbiota. Rhizopus and Trichosporon were the biomarkers according to the association network during Baijiu fermentation. Finally, Lactobacillus and Rhizopus might be used as bio-indicators for Baijiu quality in the initial fermentation stage. Therefore, we provided new insights into microbiota interactions during fermentation and the effects of the initial microbiota on the final Baijiu quality.
Morphological and molecular characterization of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions obtained from different locations in Turkey
Authors: KOCAK Mehmet Zeki , Kumlay Ahmet Metin , Alma Mehmet Hakkı
Published: April 2023

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important crop for source of with the different uses of oil and fiber. In addition, flax, which has an important place in the world and our country, has a multi-purpose use area. The objectives of the current research were to assess genetic diversity and patterns of relationships among the relative cultivar/genotypes through morphological traits and microsatellite (SSR) markers. The present study evaluated genetic diversity and association patterns among 63 cultivar/genotypes through 19 morphological traits, oil yield (18.033%) and fatty acid compositions. The relative agro-morphological traits as well as, assessed genetic diversity through 16 loci strong amplicons SSR markers. According to the findings agronomic parameters; quality analyzes were performed to for promising varieties. The quality characteristics of the related fiber varieties were determined with the help of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and strength devices. As a result; It has been observed that the Eckendorfi can be promising. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) (JAMOVI 2022) performed to relevant parameters. Additionally, UPGMA (Arithmetic Mean Unweighted Double Group Method) is an individual marker system used to create the dendrogram. The average Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) values were recorded as (0.689), while the least and largest loci with allele dimensions were Lu9 (2) and Lu19-Lua613(6) respectively. These findings of the present study were supported by the results of the principal coordinate analysis. Morphological markers made use of in the study were found to be complementary to microsatellite-based markers in decoding, the genetic diversity and population structure of the flax germplasm.
Optimization of planar LIF/Mie imaging for droplet sizing characterization of dilute sprays
Authors: Garcia Sébastien , Doublet Pierre , Lempereur Christine , Illac Geoffroy , Stiti² Mehdi , Berrocal² Edouard , Orain Mikael
Published: April 2023

The aim of this work is to investigate the planar LIF/Mie droplet sizing technique from an experimental and theoretical point of view. This technique is a good alternative compared to point measurements (e.g. Phase Doppler Anemometry) or integral approaches (e.g. Laser Diffraction). It allows measurement of the Sauter Mean Diameter over a wide field, providing the spray topology and droplet size in a limited amount of time. Nevertheless, its implementation remains challenging due to the fact that the usual assumptions underlying the technique are not fully valid in practice. To overcome these limitations, an innovative experimental set-up has been developed including the use of a telecentric lens and a TwinCam beam splitter device. The benefit of the key optical elements introduced in the set-up will be discussed and quantified in the paper. In particular, it is shown that the telecentric lens removes angular dependency of the Lorenz-Mie optical signals. This is demonstrated using an ethanol hollow cone spray (seeded with rhodamine 6G) generated from a simplex injector at atmospheric pressure and ambient room temperature. A calibration procedure, based on Phase Doppler Anemometry measurements, is used to convert the LIF/Mie into Sauter Mean Diameter maps. The optical depth of the spray has been measured, exhibiting values less than 0.4, which corresponds to a dilute cloud of droplets where multiple light scattering is not an issue. These effects have been quantified using Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, a study of the injection parameters has been undertaken, showing the robustness and efficiency of the planar LIF/Mie droplet sizing method to obtain two-dimensional maps of the Sauter Mean Diameter.
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon's microstructure and dielectric properties
Authors: Kassmi Mounir , Amlouk Mosbah
Published: April 2023

IR and ellipsometry investigations were used to identify the various hydrogenated compositions in amorphous silicon, where the particular hydrogen concentration is restricted by its own precise vibrational frequency and spatial constraints. As a result of PV concerns, the band gap is dependent on the passivation degree and only infrequently varies below 4 eV. We have proven that some full pictures that influence electrical activity include the level of passivity, the size of the gap, and the proximity of the surrounding areas.
Surgical Repair of Post Myocardial Infarction Ventricular Septal Defect: A Retrospective Analysis of a Single Institution Experience
Authors: Shi Jian , Levett Jeremy , LV Haiyu , Zhang Guoan , Wang Sha , Wei Tao , Wang Zhikun , Zhang Xi , Feng Dawei , Wang Kan , Liu Qiang , Shum-Tim Dominique
Published: April 2023

INTRODUCTION:
Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction (MI) with a very high mortality, despite advances in surgical and circulatory support. The tremendous hemodynamic disturbance and the severely fragile myocardium render surgical repair a great challenge. The optimal time of surgical repair with or without circulatory support is still controversial.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to review our experience with early surgical repair of post-MI VSD in a single major cardiac institution in China.
METHODS
From January 2013 to October 2020, 9consecutive patients presented to our emergency department with a diagnosis of post-MI VSD. Among them, 8 were male, and the mean age was 58 ± 7years. The mean VSD size was 22.5 ± 5.7 mm. In all patients, an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP)was inserted immediately after admission to cardiac surgery service. All patients were operated within one week of the rupture (range of surgery time 1 to 9 days post-VSR, mean 3.3 ± 2.9 days, and 4 within 24 hours. In 5 cases, the VSD was located superiorly, and 4 cases in the posterior septum.
RESULTS
The overall 30-day mortality was 11% (1/9). All patients underwent urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and 5 additional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during VSD repair. There was no death in all 5 patients with anterior septal perforation. One patient with posterior septal perforation died in the operating room due to bleeding from the ventriculotomy site. Three survived patients were diagnosed witha small residual defect and mild left to right shunt post-repair. However, no further intervention was required, and patients remained asymptomatic (NYHA class II in 1 and III in 2).
CONCLUSION
In our experience, early surgical repair of post-MI VSD and concomitant coronary revascularization after hemodynamic stabilization and proper rescucitationcan beachieved with favorable survival and earlyoutcomes.
A non-destructive method to detect pathogens in bumble bees for conservation research
Authors: Tissier Mathilde L. , Blair Cole , MacKell Sarah , Adler Lynn S. , MacIvor J. Scott , Bergeron Patrick , Callaghan Carolyn , Labrie Geneviève , Colla Sheila , Fournier Valérie
Published: April 2023

Wild bees are declining worldwide, and many species are now threatened with extinction. Decline is caused by a combination of threats, including disease spillover from managed bees that reduces health of wild bees. An increasing number of studies thus aim to characterize bee health. The common approaches, however, require sacrificing tens to hundreds of individual bees per site or species, with reports of several thousand individuals collected per study. Considering the widespread need to assess bee health, this sampling approach is not sustainable, especially for endangered populations or species. Here, we propose a non-destructive method to assess parasite loads of wild-caught bumble bees. The standard protocol consists of net-capturing individual bumble bees and placing them in a 10 cm (diameter) petri dish to collect faeces. Although this approach is frequently used in laboratory settings, it is not in the field, because of the low success in collecting faeces. Placing bumble bees in a previously refrigerated cooler, we significantly improved faecal collection in the field from 76% with the standard protocol to 86% with the cooler protocol. We also successfully identified spores and cells of two common gut parasites Crithidia spp. and Vairimorpha spp. in faecal samples. The efficacy of the cooler protocol, combined to the low-cost and widespread availability of the equipment should promote its use in field studies.
Implication for insect conservation: As there are calls to reduce destructive sampling methods in bee research, using the updated cooler protocol will contribute to achieving this goal. This opens future avenues of combining this non-destructive approach to assess bee health with molecular tools.
Establishment of tissue culture regeneration system of Ficus tikoua
Authors: xufei li , li Qianxia , Cui Ying , Liu Tongfei , Zhang Yanni
Published: April 2023

Ficus tikoua Bur. is an ecologically functional perennial vine that belongs to the genus Ficus in the family Moraceae. Vitro cultures are considered crucial for F. tikoua embryo's rapid propagation. The present study aimed to evaluate in vitro F. tikoua organogenesis using stem explants. By comparing different hormones and their ratios, the medium formula suitable for different stages of differentiation was screened, and the tissue culture rapid propagation system was established. The results indicated that the survival rate of explants could reach 82.22% after treating them with 0.1% HgCl2 (plus TWEEN-20) surface disinfection for 14 to 16 minutes. Explants were cultured on MS medium, supplemented with different concentrations of Thidiazoron (TDZ) with 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to study their efficacy in vitro shoot organogenesis. It was revealed that the combination of 0.5 mg L-1 6-BA, 1 mg L-1 NAA, and 1mg L-1 TDZ is the most effective for callus formation (91.1%) and that the combination of 2 mg L-1 6-BA and 0.5 mg L-1 TDZ is the most effective for adventitious shoot induction (61.11%). The highest number of Bud multiplication was obtained in the medium supplemented with 1 mg L-1 6-BA, 1 mg L-1 NAA, and 0.5 mg L-1 TDZ, which yielded a 6.05 proliferation factor. The obtained shoots were rooted easily on a half-strength MS medium, containing 1 mg L-1 IBA and 0.1mg L-1 NAA(68.52%). The cultivation substrate ratio was garden soil: perlite: vermiculite = 2: 1: 1, and the survival rate was 86.17%.
Treatment Optimization by Monitoring Vancomycin Concentration in the Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid in a Child with Cystoperitoneal Shunt-related Infection Caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A case report
Authors: MIZUNO Shinsuke , KOYAMA Junji , KUROSAWA Hiroshi , KASAI Masashi
Published: April 2023

Background

Cerebral ventricular shunt infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), especially strains with elevated minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values, have a poor prognosis. Monitoring serum vancomycin (VCM) levels with therapeutic drug monitoring and maintaining high VCM concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are critical to treatment success. However, there have been a few reports about CSF penetration and the pharmacokinetics of VCM in children.

Case presentation

Here, we report a pediatric case with cystoperitoneal shunt-related meningitis caused by MRSA with an MIC of 2 µg/mL. The adequate VCM concentration was maintained by monitoring the VCM concentration in the CSF via the external ventricular drain, and frequent blood taking was avoided. VCM showed a good CSF penetration in our patient, and she was discharged without complications.

Conclusions

Therapeutic drug monitoring of VCM concentration in the CSF may result in successful treatment even if MRSA shows a higher MIC. Therapeutic drug monitoring of VCM concentration in the CSF may also reduce the frequency of blood collection and side effects.
Machine Learning-Based Malware Detection for IoT Devices: Understanding the Evolving Threat Landscape and Strategies for Protection
Authors: Ali Muhammad Mumtaz , Maqsood Faiqa , Hou Weiyan , Wang Zhenfei , Hameed Khizar , Zia Qasim
Published: April 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) has experienced significant growth in recent years, with IoT connections surpassing those of traditional connected devices in the last few years. However, with this growth comes an increased risk of IoT security breaches as cybercriminals take advantage of lax security measures at the endpoint level. One of the main challenges in IoT security is the lack of proper protocols, policies, and procedures to protect these devices from malware and malicious software. This review article focuses on the recent advancements in machine learning-based malware detection techniques for IoT devices. We discuss the challenges of detecting malware in IoT devices, including the limited resources and processing power, as well as the diversity of device types and operating systems. We also review recent machine learning-based malware detection techniques for IoT devices, including deep learning, ensemble learning, and transfer learning, and evaluate their efficiency. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state-of-the-art machine learning-based malware detection techniques for IoT devices, highlighting the potential and limitations of these techniques and the role of analytics in future research directions.
On Weighted k-mer Dictionaries
Authors: Pibiri Giulio Ermanno
Published: April 2023

We consider the problem of representing a set of k-mers and their abundance counts, or weights, in compressed space so that assessing membership and retrieving the weight of a k-mer is efficient. The representation is called a weighted dictionary of k-mers and finds application in numerous tasks in Bioinformatics that usually count k-mers as a pre-processing step. In fact, k-mer counting tools produce very large outputs that may result in a severe bottleneck for subsequent processing. In this work we extend the recently introduced SSHash dictionary (Pibiri, Bioinformatics 2022) to also store compactly the weights of the k-mers. From a technical perspective, we exploit the order of the k-mers represented in SSHash to encode runs of weights, hence allowing much better compression than the empirical en-tropy of the weights. We study the problem of reducing the number of runs in the weights to improve compression even further and give an optimal algorithm for this problem. Lastly, we corroborate our findings with experiments on real-world datasets and comparison with competitive alternatives. Up to date, SSHash is the only k-mer dictionary that is exact, weighted, associative, fast, and small.
A mathematical model to analyze effect of harvesting on predator-prey interaction with Beddington-Deangelis functional response
Authors: - Miswanto , Pranoto Iwan , Merheb Abdel-Razzak
Published: April 2023

In this paper, the stability analysis of the interaction between two populations of a predator-prey model is discussed. The model under study is a modified Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model where the biliary function used to express the interaction between the two populations is replaced by a modified Beddington-DeAngelis functional response. Moreover, the growth in the prey population is updated into a logistic growth. Stability conditions of several equilibrium points have been discussed. This paper also discusses the effect of harvesters on the stability of the equilibrium point. The study is divided into three parts. First, the growth of the prey population is discussed without its interaction with the predator population. Second, the effect of the coexistence of the predator and prey populations on the growth of the latter is discussed. Third, the local stability of the model is deduced from the equilibrium point of the model. Finally, analytical results are supported by numerical simulations and results.
Mathematics Subject Classification 37M20, 37N25
Research on PBFT Consensus Algorithm Based on Reward and Punishment Mechanism
Authors: Zhou Kai , Zhao Weibin , Wei Jingquan , Wang Miaomiao
Published: April 2023

In the blockchain network constructed by the Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), there are problems that the master node needs to be replaced frequently when the master node and the sub-node break down, and the same information is verified multiple times when the sub-node does not work normally. In response to these problems, the award and penalty mechanism is applied to the PBFT consensus algorithm and supervision nodes are introduced to supervise the master node and the sub-node in the blockchain network. Construct a tripartite evolutionary game model with the master node, suspected sub-node and supervision node as the main body to analyze the changes of the three in reaching the three stable states of normal information transmission, normal information verification, and supervision of other nodes before and after the improvement of the PBFT consensus algorithm, and use Matlab software for simulation calculation. The research result proves that the application of the award and penalty mechanism to the PBFT algorithm can improve the efficiency of the master node and the suspected sub-node in normal information transmission and normal information verification in the blockchain network. And it can also increase the participation proactivity of the master node and the suspected sub-node in information verification and the running for the master node. At the same time, increasing the system reward and the reward value, penalty value, and punishment credit value based on the award and penalty mechanism will also improve their efficiency of reaching normal information transmission and normal information verification, and ultimately ensures that the constructed blockchain network can efficiently achieve the goals of information verification and active participation of nodes in verification.
Heterogeneous effects of cytotoxic chemotherapies for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer
Authors: Nara Katsuhiko , Taguchi Ayumi , Yamamoto Takehito , Hara Konan , Tojima Yuri , Honjoh Harunori , Nishijima Akira , Eguchi Satoko , Miyamoto Yuichiro , Sone Kenbun , Mori Mayuyo , Takada Tappei , Osuga Yutaka
Published: April 2023

Background: Single-agent chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab (Bev) is a standard therapy for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PR-OC). However, there is a lack of literature on chemotherapy agent selection in heterogenous PR-OC. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the heterogeneous treatment effects of each chemotherapy agent.
Methods: Patients who underwent single-drug chemotherapy agents or Bev combination therapy for PR-OC between January 2009 and June 2022 were included in this study. We assessed the impact of each chemotherapy agent on the time to treatment failure (TTF) according to histological type, platinum-free interval (PFI), and Bev usage.
Results: A total of 158 patients received 343 different chemotherapy regimens. In patients with clear cell carcinoma/mucinous carcinoma (CC/MC), gemcitabine (GEM) had the strongest effect with a median TTF of 5.3 months, whilst nedaplatin (NDP) had the lowest effect with a median TTF of 1.4 months. In contrast, in the non-CC/MC group, irinotecan (CPT-11) and NDP had a better TTF than GEM and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). There were notable differences in the treatment efficacy of NDP according to PFI. Specifically, NDP prolonged the TTF in patients with a PFI ≥3 months. Compared with GEM alone, GEM+Bev tended to prolong the TTF more effectively; however, an additive effect was not observed with PLD+Bev.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the effect of chemotherapy agents differed according to the tumor and background characteristics of the patient. Our findings will improve selection of effective therapies for patients with PR-OC by considering their background characteristics.
Genomic profiling and characteristics of a C1 degrading heterotrophic fresh-water bacterium Paracoccus sp. strain DMF
Authors: Maurya Shiwangi , Arya Chetan Kumar , Parmar Nidhi , Sathyanarayanan Nitish , Joshi Chaitanya G. , Ramanathan Gurunath
Published: April 2023

Paracoccus species are metabolically versatile gram-negative, aerobic, facultative methylotrophic bacteria showing enormous promise for environmental and bioremediation studies. Here we report the complete genome analysis of Paracoccus sp. strain DMF (P. DMF) that was isolated from a domestic wastewater treatment plant in Kanpur, India (26.4287°N, 80.3891°E) based on its ability to degrade a recalcitrant organic solvent N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The results reveal a genome size of 4,202,269 base pairs (bp) with a G+C content of 67.9%. The assembled genome comprises 4,141 coding sequences (CDS), 46 RNA sequences, and 2 CRISPRs. Interestingly, catabolic operons related to the conventional marine-based methylated amines (MAs) degradation pathway could be functionally annotated within the genome of P. DMF, which is an obligated aerobic heterotroph. The genomic data-based characterization presented here for the novel heterotroph P. DMF aims to improve the understanding of the phenotypic gene products, enzymes, and pathways involved with greater emphasis on facultative methylotrophic motility-based latent pathogenicity.
Causal impact of the Pediatric Rapid Response Team's actions on the reduction of unplanned PICU admissions and non-ICU cardiorespiratory arrest: Using the Google Causal Impact R Package.
Authors: Al-Harbi Samah
Published: April 2023

Background: The Pediatric Rapid Response Team has greatly cut down on unplanned admissions to the PICU, deaths of inpatients, and cardiopulmonary arrests outside of the PICU.There is no published study that shows a link between pediatric rapid response teams and a drop in cardiorespiratory arrests and unplanned PICU admissions due to acute decompensation in children.
Method: Quasi-experimental before-and-after intervention, a cohort study. Single-center, tertiary-level academic hospital, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. From January 2014 to July 2017, a total of 3261 pediatric ward patients were enrolled in this study for the pre-intervention period of 1604 and the post-intervention period of 1657. A pediatric rapid response team consists of a pediatric nurse, a respiratory therapist, a nursing supervisor, and a pediatric intensive care unit (ICU)-trained fellow or attending physician. This team evaluated, treated, and prioritized patients with decompensated conditions based on predetermined standards.
Results: A total of 3281 pediatric ward patients were included in the study. 1604 individuals’ pre-intervention and 1677 individuals’ post-intervention participated. Preintervention lasted from January 1, 2014, to August 30, 2015, and postintervention lasted from September 1, 2015, to July 30, 2017. 471 pediatric rapid response teams have been activated in total. Respiratory distress (138/471, 29.30%), sepsis (105/471, 22.30%), physician concern (65/471, 13.80%), and hematology (32/471, 6.8%) were the most common causes for activation. Furthermore, family concern (3/471, 0.1%) was the least prevalent reason for activation. The relative risk of unplanned PICU admission after intervention was 0.55 (0.48–0.63), p value 0.0001, and cardiorespiratory arrest was 0.02 (0.001-0.32), p value 0.006. On unplanned PICU admission, the estimated causal inference from the fitted Bayesian structural time series model is an absolute effect of -11 (-13, -8.5), a relative effect of -45% (-55%, -36%), and a p value of 0.001. The absolute impact on cardiorespiratory arrest was -1.8 (-2.6, -0.99) and the relative effect was -100% (-145%, -55%) with a p-value of 0.001.
Conclusions: Our experience with pediatric rapid response teams has shown that they are an excellent interventional instrument, and it's a brilliant patient safety initiative that transfers PICU reflexes outside the critical care unit to avoid non-PICU cardiopulmonary arrest and reduces unplanned critical care admissions.
New Consideration of the Skin Effect
Authors: Maslov Sergey , Maslov Iurii , Maslov Dmitry
Published: April 2023

The article proposes an approach to solving the normal skin effect problem based on integral equations derived di-rectly from Ampère's circuital law, Faraday's law of induction and Kirchhoff's circuit laws, in contrast to modern solu-tions based on Maxwell's equations of electrodynamics in differential form. It is shown that the skin effect is mainly due to the electromotive force of the wire self-induction, which depends on the distance to the surface, and the influence of eddy currents is either very small or absent. New equations, their solutions and formulas for the total current and im-pedance are proposed for various technically significant cases immediately taking into account the inductance of the external space and in two versions: taking into account only the self-induction of the conductor; taking into account both self-induction and eddy currents. On the example of a solid cylinder, it is shown that, in accordance with the for-mulas of the existing approach itself, the current density on the surface of the wire does not increase with increasing frequency, as it is stated in words. It is shown that, in fact, the solutions of the existing concept are based not on eddy currents, but on the uneven distribution of elementary self-induction currents over depth and are completely equivalent to the variant of the presented solutions, taking into account only self-induction. Power balances were obtained without the introduction of a frequency-dependent active resistance to alternating current in two versions: based on the total current, voltage and average electromotive force of induction; based on the integration of the balance of specific powers over the entire volume of the wire. The physical meaning of the visual increase of the active resistance with increasing frequency is revealed, but certainly not on the basis of a decrease in the effective cross section of the wire. Based on the symmetry of the distribution of eddy currents, the assumption is made that they are absent in galvanically closed wires, but present in open wires such as antennas. An experiment was carried out with a negative result on the detection of the alleged thermal separation in the wire, an explanation for this was proposed.
Robust mean-variance efficient strategies of DC pension plans with ambiguity under stochastic interest rate and stochastic volatility
Authors: Chang Hao , Zhao Leilei , Chen Xingjiang
Published: April 2023

This paper studies a robust optimal investment problem with an ambiguity-averse manager (AAM) for a defined contribution (DC) plan with multiple risks under the mean-variance criterion. In the pension accumulation stage, the interest rate, the volatility and the salary level are considered to be stochastic. The financial market consists of a risk-free asset, a risky asset and a rolling bond. We assume that the term structure of interest rates is driven by an affine interest rate model, while the stock price and the salary level are modeled by the stochastic volatility model with stochastic interest rate. The goal of an AAM is to find a robust optimal strategy to maximize the expectation of terminal wealth and minimize the variance of terminal wealth in the worst-case scenario. By applying the Lagrange dual theory and the robust optimal control approach, we obtain closed-form expressions of the robust efficient strategy and the efficient frontier, and subsequently some special cases are derived. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the results obtained.
AMS classifications: 60H30, 91G10, 93E20.
The relationship between harsh parenting and depression in adolescents: The chain mediation effect of rumination and bullying
Authors: Wang Jirui , Li Mengge , Sun Wenyan , Ma Peng , Gong Huoliang
Published: April 2023

Based on the family system theory, this study provides a comprehensive exploration of the mechanisms through which harsh parenting, rumination, and bullying contribute to the development of adolescent depression. A total of 5047 adolescents were investigated with the Harsh Parenting Scale, Rumination Scale, Olweus Bullying Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory. The results showed that harsh parenting had a positive effect on adolescent depression. Rumination plays a mediating role between harsh parenting and adolescent depression. Bullying played a mediating role between harsh parenting and adolescent depression. Rumination and bullying play a chain mediating role between harsh parenting and adolescent depression. The findings of this study demonstrate that harsh parenting can impact adolescent depression by way of rumination and bullying. This study enhances the understanding of the mechanisms through which harsh parenting influences adolescent depression and provides novel insights for interventions aimed at alleviating depression in this population.
Codebase release 0.2 for Pychastic
Authors: Waszkiewicz Radost , Bartczak Maciej , Kolasa Kamil , Lisicki Maciej
Published: April 2023

In the last decade, Python-powered physics simulations ecosystem has been growing steadily, allowing greater interoperability, and becoming an important tool in numerical exploration of physical phenomena, particularly in soft matter systems. Driven by the need for fast and precise numerical integration in colloidal dynamics, here we formulate the problem of Brownian Dynamics (BD) in a mathematically consistent formalism of the Itō calculus, and develop a Python package to assist numerical computations. We show that, thanks to the automatic differentiation packages, the classical truncated Taylor-Itō integrators can be implemented without the burden of computing the derivatives of the coefficient functions beforehand. Furthermore, we show how to circumvent the difficulties of BD simulations such as calculations of the divergence of the mobility tensor in the diffusion equation and discontinuous trajectories encountered when working with dynamics on S^2S2 and SO(3)SO(3). The resulting Python package, Pychastic, is capable of performing BD simulations including hydrodynamic interactions at speeds comparable to dedicated implementations in lower-level programming languages, but with a much simpler end-user interface.