bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incorporating psychopathology into the interpersonal‐psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS)
Authors: Batterham Philip J. , Calear Alison L.
Published: December 2020

Background

The interpersonal‐psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS) posits that the joint presence of perceived burdensomeness (PB), thwarted belongingness (TB), and capability for suicide (CS) is necessary for suicide attempt. Emerging evidence demonstrates these effects are not consistently observed. Psychopathology may independently impact on the explanatory power of the IPTS constructs.

Aims

The aims of the current study were to assess whether the inclusion of psychopathology indicators into the IPTS explains additional variance in recent suicide attempt and to assess the relative influence of interpersonal‐psychological constructs versus mental illness on suicide attempt.

Method

Australian adults (N = 1,323; 77% female) who reported suicidal ideation in the past year were recruited using social media advertising to complete an online cross‐sectional survey.

Results

None of the predicted IPTS interactions was significantly associated with recent suicide attempt, although PB and CS had significant independent associations. The addition of psychopathology indicators to the IPTS model explained significant additional variation in suicide attempt (18% vs. 14%).

Conclusions

The influence of psychopathology on suicide attempt may be insufficiently explained by interpersonal‐psychological constructs. The IPTS may have greater explanatory power to identify transitions from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt after accounting for mental illness.
Nationalization and Its Consequences for State Legislatures
Authors: Burke Richard
Published: December 2020

Objective

I theorize that as nationalization increases, state legislatures will take less legislative actions related to local topics and take more legislative actions on divisive, national issues.

Method

To measure nationalization I use election data as well as data on mass partisanship in a state. To measure a state's legislative agenda, I use data on legislative actions collected from LexisNexis. For my statistical analysis, I use two‐way linear fixed effects regression.

Results

I find that as nationalization increases, legislatures take less legislative actions pertaining to education, transportation, and localities. I also find that as nationalization increases, Republican‐controlled states increase the number of legislative actions related to abortion.

Conclusion

Taken together, the article provides evidence that nationalization delocalizes the agenda and places on the agenda issues associated with the national partisan conflict.
Phospholipase D‐ and phosphatidic acid‐mediated phospholipid metabolism and signaling modulate symbiotic interaction and nodulation in soybean (Glycine max)
Authors: Zhang Gaoyang , Yang Jihong , Chen Xiangli , Zhao Dandan , Zhou Xiuhong , Zhang Yuliang , Wang Xuemin , Zhao Jian
Published: December 2020

Symbiotic rhizobium–legume interactions, such as root hair curling, rhizobial invasion, infection thread expansion, cell division and proliferation of nitrogen‐fixing bacteroids, and nodule formation, involve extensive membrane synthesis, lipid remodeling and cytoskeleton dynamics. However, little is known about these membrane–cytoskeleton interfaces and related genes. Here, we report the roles of a major root phospholipase D (PLD), PLDα1, and its enzymatic product, phosphatidic acid (PA), in rhizobium–root interaction and nodulation. PLDα1 was activated and the PA content transiently increased in roots after rhizobial infection. Levels of PLDα1 transcript and PA, as well as actin and tubulin cytoskeleton‐related gene expression, changed markedly during root–rhizobium interactions and nodule development. Pre‐treatment of the roots of soybean seedlings with n‐butanol suppressed the generation of PLD‐derived PA, the expression of early nodulation genes and nodule numbers. Overexpression or knockdown of GmPLDα1 resulted in changes in PA levels, glycerolipid profiles, nodule numbers, actin cytoskeleton dynamics, early nodulation gene expression and hormone levels upon rhizobial infection compared with GUS roots. The transcript levels of cytoskeleton‐related genes, such as GmACTIN, GmTUBULIN, actin capping protein 1 (GmCP1) and microtubule‐associating protein (GmMAP1), were modified in GmPLDα1‐altered hairy roots compared with those of GUS roots. Phosphatidic acid physically bound to GmCP1 and GmMAP1, which could be related to cytoskeletal changes in rhizobium‐infected GmPLDα1 mutant roots. These data suggest that PLDα1 and PA play important roles in soybean–rhizobium interaction and nodulation. The possible underlying mechanisms, including PLDα1‐ and PA‐mediated lipid signaling, membrane remodeling, cytoskeleton dynamics and related hormone signaling, are discussed herein.
Efficacy and safety of skin grafting in treatment of vasculitic ulcer and pyoderma gangrenosum—A systematic review
Authors: Morgenstjerne‐Schwenck Liv E. T. , Knudsen Jane T. , Prasad Sumangali C.
Published: December 2020

Chronic painful ulcers caused by pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) and cutaneous vasculitis remain to be a therapeutic challenge. Skin grafts have been used with success in selected cases but are generally avoided due to the fear of pathergy. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of skin grafting in the treatment of primary vasculitic ulcer (PVU) and PG. MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Clinicaltrial.gov, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) were searched from inception to March 2020. A search for grey literature was conducted in May 2020. We included studies assessing the efficacy and safety of skin grafting in the treatment of PG and PVU. Studies were only included if skin grafting was performed after establishment of PG or PVU diagnosis. A total of 721 articles was identified through the database search of which 92 were included in this study. Ten articles were identified by handsearching the reference list of included studies. Finally, 102 articles describing 212 wounds in 153 patients were included. Complete healing was found in 75.5% of the wounds. The average time to complete was 10.8 weeks (95% CI 6.1‐15.6). The mean donor site healing time was 1.9 weeks (95% CI 0.52‐3.20). Pathergy was reported in 8 (5.2%) patients. One patient had severe infection related to skin grafting. A statistically significant difference in the number of patients receiving preoperative (P = .0079) and postoperative (P = .002) immunosuppressive therapy was found between the groups with complete healing/reduction and no improvement/aggravation. This systematic review finds the current evidence on efficacy and safety of skin grafting in treatment of PG and PVU to be promising but limited to the size and lack of studies superior to case reports and case series. Future placebo‐controlled trials are required to draw a stronger conclusion.
Older Adults’ Experiences With the Visual Physio-Feedback Technology and Peer-Led Combined Group and Home-Based Exercises
Authors: Thiamwong Ladda
Published: December 2020

This study aimed to explore older adults’ experience with an in-home Physio-feEdback and Exercise pRogram and explore whether the Physio-feEdback and Exercise pRogram intervention influenced their physical activity adherence. A qualitative study approach was employed, and data were collected using exercise logs, observations, focus groups, and open-ended questions after the program completion. Nineteen participants who engaged in an 8-week Physio-feEdback and Exercise pRogram intervention participated in this study. Thematic analysis was used. Three major concepts of the self-determination theory, including competence, relatedness, and autonomy, were used as guidelines for coding. Results reveal three themes, including: (a) competence-alignment of body and mind and increased awareness about fall risk, (b) relatedness-relationship with peer coach and having fun with friends, and (c) autonomy-integration of exercise into daily activities for staying physically and socially active. Individuals’ need for competence and autonomy can be supported by giving physio-feedback, cognitive reframing, and peer-led exercise, which can enhance physical activity and prevent falls.
Students’ Perceived Experiences of Competitive Activities Through Electronic Platforms
Authors: Bernstein Eve
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to understand students’ experiences through digital YouTube clips focusing on middle school competitive activities in physical education class. This study was guided by the transactional framework, which states that individuals and institutions, in this case students and competitive activities in physical education class, create certain transactions, and these transactions are shared. Twenty-six YouTube posts were examined. The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method to find patterns in the posting of students’ experiences of participating in these activities. Three major themes of the digital clips clearly emerged. These themes included (a) perceived skill level—the low-skilled student, the athlete, and the Olympian; (b) student demonstration of skills; and (c) teacher-directed experience. These findings suggest that students share transactions in both images and the spoken experiences they are having during competitive activities.
Experimental constraints on nonskeletal CaCO3 precipitation from Proterozoic seawater
Authors: Roest-Ellis Sascha , Strauss Justin V. , Tosca Nicholas J.
Published: December 2020

Precambrian carbonates record secular variations in the style of CaCO3 nucleation and growth, yet the geochemical conditions recorded by some enigmatic textures remain poorly quantified. Here, we performed CaCO3 nucleation experiments in synthetic seawater in order to constrain the mineralization pathways of synsedimentary calcite microspar cement, a prolific component of Proterozoic carbonates. We found that dissolved PO4 above ∼12 μmol/L (µM) inhibits the nucleation of aragonite and calcite and permits the formation of an amorphous Ca-Mg carbonate (ACMC) precursor once CaCO3 supersaturation (Ωcal) is ≥ 45. Depending on seawater Mg/Ca, ACMC then rapidly recrystallizes to monohydrocalcite and/or calcite. This precipitation mechanism is consistent with sedimentological, petrographic, and geochemical characteristics of Proterozoic synsedimentary calcite microspar cement, and it suggests that kinetic interactions among common seawater ions may open nontraditional CaCO3 mineralization pathways and sustain high CaCO3 supersaturation.
Total organic carbon and the preservation of organic-walled microfossils in Precambrian shale
Authors: Woltz C.R. , Porter S.M. , Agić H. , Dehler C.M. , Junium C.K. , Riedman L.A. , Hodgskiss M.S.W. , Wörndle S. , Halverson G.P.
Published: December 2020

Much of our understanding of early eukaryote diversity and paleoecology comes from the record of organic-walled microfossils in shale, yet the conditions controlling their preservation are not well understood. It has been suggested that high concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC) inhibit the preservation of organic fossils in shale, and although this idea is supported anecdotally, it has never been tested. Here we compared the presence, preservational quality, and assemblage diversity of organic-walled microfossils to TOC concentrations of 346 shale samples that span the late Paleoproterozoic to middle Neoproterozoic in age. We found that fossil-bearing samples have significantly lower median TOC values (0.32 wt%, n = 189) than those containing no fossils (0.72 wt%, n = 157). Preservational quality, measured by the loss of surface pattern, density of pitting, and deterioration of wall margin, decreases as TOC increases. Species richness negatively correlates with TOC within the ca. 750 Ma Chuar Group (Arizona, USA), but no relationship is observed in other units. These results support the hypothesis that high TOC content either decreases the preservational quality or inhibits the preservation of organic-walled microfossils altogether. However, it is also possible that other causal factors, including sedimentation rate and microbial degradation, account for the correlation between fossil preservation and TOC. We expect that as TOC varies in space and time, so too does the probability of finding well-preserved fossils. A compilation of 13,940 TOC values spanning Earth history suggests significantly higher median TOC levels in Mesoproterozoic versus Neoproterozoic shale, potentially biasing the interpreted pattern of increased eukaryotic diversity in the Tonian.
Trends and sociodemographic inequalities in the use of caesarean section in Indonesia, 1987-2017
Authors: Zahroh Rana Islamiah , Disney George , Betrán Ana Pilar , Bohren Meghan A.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Caesarean section (CS) rates are increasing globally. CS can be a live-saving procedure when medically indicated, but it comes with higher risks for women and newborns when done without medical indication. Crucially, inequalities in who receives CS exist, both within and across countries. Understanding factors driving increasing rates and inequalities of CS is imperative to optimise the use of this life-saving intervention. This study aimed to investigate trends of CS use and inequalities across sociodemographic characteristics in Indonesia over a 30-year period.

Methods

Seven waves of the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey were used to estimate trends and inequalities in CS from 1987 to 2017. Relative and absolute inequalities across a range of sociodemographic characteristics were estimated and trends in inequalities were assessed through changes in rate ratio and rate difference.

Results

The proportion of facility-based births in Indonesia has increased in the past 30 years, coinciding with an increase in CS rate (CSR) (1991 CSR: 1.6% (95% CI 1.3 to 1.9); 2017 CSR: 17.6% (95% CI 16.7 to 18.5)). Higher rates of CS are observed mostly in Western Indonesia, while lower CSRs are observed in Eastern Indonesia. Inequalities of CSRs in Indonesia are observed across type of health facility (public/private), regions, places of residence, wealth quintiles and maternal education, with the highest CSRs in more affluent and educated groups. Widening absolute inequalities of CS are observed across all sociodemographic characteristics, except facility type, where CSR gaps between public and private facilities have closed on both relative and absolute scales.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence of increasing trends in CSRs and widening absolute inequalities in CSRs across different sociodemographic groups of women in Indonesia. The context of increasing CSRs across society, however, may have resulted in more stable relative inequalities. Improving understanding of the drivers of these trends in Indonesia and, particularly, of women’s and providers’ perspectives and preferences for childbirth, should be prioritised to optimise the use of CS.
Double-task exercise programmes to strengthen cognitive and vascular health in older adults at risk of cognitive decline: protocol for a randomised clinical trial
Authors: Sánchez-Arenas Rosalinda , Doubova Svetlana V , Bernabe-Garcia Mariela , Gregory Michel A , Mejía-Alonso Laura Alejandra , Orihuela-Rodríguez Oscar , Paredes-Manjarrez Carlos , Colín-Martínez Tania , Mujica-Morales Irene , Grijalva-Otero Israel , Basurto-Acevedo Lourdes , Manuel-Apolinar Leticia , Cuadros-Moreno Juan , Bernal-Diaz Arcelia , Shigematsu Ryosuke
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Cognitive and physical declines are frequent causes of disability among older adults (OAs) in Mexico that imposes significant burden on the health system and OAs’ families. Programmes to prevent or delay OAs’ cognitive and physical decline are scarce.

Methods and analysis

A double-blind randomised clinical trial will be conducted. The study will aim to evaluate two 24-week double-task (aerobic and cognitive) square-stepping exercise programmes for OAs at risk of cognitive decline—one programme with and another without caregiver participation—and to compare these with an aerobic-balance-stretching exercise programme (control group). 300 OAs (100 per group) affiliated with the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) between 60 and 65 years of age with self-reported cognitive concerns will participate. They will be stratified by education level and randomly allocated to the groups. The intervention will last 24 weeks, and the effect of each programme will be evaluated 12, 24 and 52 weeks after the intervention. Participants’ demographic and clinical characteristics will be collected at baseline. The outcomes will include: (1) general cognitive function; (2) specific cognitive functions; (3) dual-task gait; (4) blood pressure; (5) carotid intima–media thickness; (6) OAs’ health-related quality of life; and (7) caregiver burden. The effects of the interventions on each outcome variable will be examined using a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), with study groups as the between-subjects variable and time as the within-subject variable.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the IMSS Ethics and Research Committees (registration number: 2018-785-095). All participants will sign a consent form prior to their participation. The study results will be disseminated to the IMSS authorities, healthcare providers and the research community.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04068376).
Study protocol: a mixed-methods realist evaluation of the Universal Health Visiting Pathway in Scotland
Authors: Doi Lawrence , Morrison Kathleen , Astbury Ruth , Eunson Jane , Horne Margaret A , Jepson Ruth , Marryat Louise , Ormston Rachel , Wood Rachael
Published: December 2020

Introduction

The growing political emphasis on the early years reflects the importance of these formative years of life. Health visitors in the UK are uniquely positioned to improve health outcomes for children and families and to reduce health inequalities. Recently, there has been a policy change in Scotland in an attempt to enhance the delivery of the universal health visiting service. This study aims to examine the extent to which the enhanced Universal Health Visiting Pathway is implemented and delivered across Scotland and to assess any associated impacts.

Methods and analysis

A mixed-methods study incorporating four methodological components and uses realist evaluation as the overall conceptual framework. It comprises three phases (1) initial programme theory development; (2) programme theory validation and (3) programme theory refinement. The programme theory validation will use interview and focus group data of parents and health visitors, and conduct a case note review at five study sites. It also involves a national survey of parents and health visitors and routine data analysis of existing secondary data. The analyses of the ensuing qualitative and quantitative data will be carried out using a convergent mixed-methods approach to ensure continuous triangulation of multiple data. The findings of the evaluation will provide contextually relevant understanding of how the Universal Health Visiting Pathway works and evidence the impact of increased investments in health visiting in Scotland.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol has been approved by the School of Health in Social Science Research Ethics Committee, University of Edinburgh. Additional approvals have been granted/will be sought from the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for health and social care in Scotland for the case note review,survey and routine data analysis elements of the evaluation. The findings will be prepared as reports to the funders and presented at conferences. It will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Risk of COVID-19-related bullying, harassment and stigma among healthcare workers: an analytical cross-sectional global study
Authors: Dye Timothy D , Alcantara Lisette , Siddiqi Shazia , Barbosu Monica , Sharma Saloni , Panko Tiffany , Pressman Eva
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Essential healthcare workers (HCW) uniquely serve as both COVID-19 healers and, potentially, as carriers of SARS-CoV-2. We assessed COVID-19-related stigma and bullying against HCW controlling for social, psychological, medical and community variables.

Design

We nested an analytical cross-sectional study of COVID-19-related stigma and bullying among HCW within a larger mixed-methods effort assessing COVID-19-related lived experience and impact. Adjusted OR (aOR) and 95% CIs evaluated the association between working in healthcare settings and experience of COVID-19-related bullying and stigma, controlling for confounders. Thematic qualitative analysis provided insight into lived experience of COVID-19-related bullying.

Setting

We recruited potential participants in four languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian) through Amazon Mechanical Turk’s online workforce and Facebook.

Participants

Our sample included 7411 people from 173 countries who were aged 18 years or over.

Findings

HCW significantly experienced more COVID-19-related bullying after controlling for the confounding effects of job-related, personal, geographic and sociocultural variables (aOR: 1.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.0). HCW more frequently believed that people gossip about others with COVID-19 (OR: 2.2; 95% CI 1.9 to 2.6) and that people with COVID-19 lose respect in the community (OR: 2.3; 95% CI 2.0 to 2.7), both which elevate bullying risk (OR: 2.7; 95% CI 2.3 to 3.2, and OR: 3.5; 95% CI 2.9 to 4.2, respectively). The lived experience of COVID-19-related bullying relates frequently to public identities as HCW traverse through the community, intersecting with other domains (eg, police, racism, violence).

Interpretation

After controlling for a range of confounding factors, HCW are significantly more likely to experience COVID-19-related stigma and bullying, often in the intersectional context of racism, violence and police involvement in community settings.
Sex and gender considerations in low back pain clinical practice guidelines: a scoping review
Authors: Rathbone Tori , Truong Catherine , Haldenby Haley , Riazi Sara , Kendall Mara , Cimek Tayler , Macedo Luciana G
Published: December 2020

Objective

The purpose of this scoping review is to determine if and how sex and gender have been incorporated into low back pain (LBP) clinical practice guidelines (CPG), and if sex and gender terms have been used properly.

Methods

CPGs were searched on MEDLINE, Embase, NICE, TRIP and PEDro from 2010 to 2020. The inclusion criteria were English language, CGPs within physiotherapy scope of practice and for adult population with LBP of any type or duration. Three pairs of independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts and full texts. Guidelines were searched for sex/gender-related terms and recommendations were extracted. The AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II) was used to evaluate the quality of the CPGs.

Results

Thirty-six CPGs were included, of which 15 were test-positive for sex or gender terms. Only 33% (n=5) of CPGs incorporated sex or gender into diagnostic or management recommendations. Sixty percent of guidelines (n=9) only referenced sex or gender in relation to epidemiology, risk factors or prognostic data, and made no specific recommendations. Overall, there was no observable relationship between guideline quality and likeliness of integrating sex or gender terms. The majority of guidelines used sex and gender terms interchangeably, and no guidelines defined sex or gender.

Conclusion

CPGs did not consistently consider sex and gender differences in assessment, diagnosis or treatment of LBP. When it was considered, sex and gender terms were used interchangeably, and considerations were primarily regarding pregnancy. Researchers should consider the importance of including sex-based and/or gender-based recommendations into future LBP CPGs.
Dynamical Behaviors of a Delayed Prey–Predator Model with Beddington–DeAngelis Functional Response: Stability and Periodicity
Authors: Zhang Xin , Shi Renxiang , Yang Ruizhi , Wei Zhangzhi
Published: December 2020

This work investigates a prey–predator model with Beddington–DeAngelis functional response and discrete time delay in both theoretical and numerical ways. Firstly, we incorporate into the system a discrete time delay between the capture of the prey by the predator and its conversion to predator biomass. Moreover, by taking the delay as a bifurcation parameter, we analyze the stability of the positive equilibrium in the delayed system. We analytically prove that the local Hopf bifurcation critical values are neatly paired, and each pair is joined by a bounded global Hopf branch. Also, we show that the predator becomes extinct with an increase of the time delay. Finally, before the extinction of the predator, we find the abundance of dynamical complexity, such as supercritical Hopf bifurcation, using the numerical continuation package DDE-BIFTOOL.
Finite groups with at most six vanishing conjugacy classes
Authors: Robati Sajjad M. , Darafsheh M. R.
Published: December 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be a finite group. We say that a conjugacy class of [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] is vanishing if there exists some irreducible character [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we show that finite groups with at most six vanishing conjugacy classes are solvable or almost simple groups.
Steady-state quantum correlation measurement in hybrid optomechanical systems
Authors: Tesfahannes Tesfay Gebremariam , Getahune Merkebu Dereje
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we investigate the steady-state of quantum correlation measurement of hybrid optomechanical systems. The first system consists of a single optomechanical system simultaneously coupled to a mechanical oscillator. While the second system is a hybrid optomechanical system consisting of an atomic ensemble placed in between the optical cavity and mirror. For both optomechanical systems, we formulate the Hamiltonian and the explicit expression of the covariance matrix leading to the dynamic of the system. Under the linearization approximation, we investigate the steady-state quantum correlations which are quantified through the correlation function of non-Hermitian operators, while the logarithmic negativity is used to quantify the amount of quantum entanglement between the subsystems. Furthermore, our proposed quantum correlation function can be used to quantify the entangled bipartite states that are correlative and transfer information. It is found that the transfer of quantum correlations between the subsystem is related to the detuning and coupling strength. Our results provide a realistic route toward remote quantum entanglement detection and a framework of future realistic fiber-optic quantum network operating applications.
Arithmetic properties of septic partition functions
Authors: Huber Timothy , Huerta Mayra , Mayes Nathaniel
Published: December 2020

Congruences and related identities are derived for a set of colored and weighted partition functions whose generating functions generate the graded algebra of integer weight modular forms of level seven. The work determines a general strategy for identifying and proving identities and associated congruences for modular forms on the principal congruence subgroup of level [Formula: see text]. Ramanujan’s partition congruence modulo [Formula: see text] serves as a prototype for the process used to prove new congruences for modular forms of level [Formula: see text].
On members of Lucas sequences which are products of Catalan numbers
Authors: Laishram Shanta , Luca Florian , Sias Mark
Published: December 2020

We show that if [Formula: see text] is a Lucas sequence, then the largest [Formula: see text] suc that [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the [Formula: see text]th Catalan number satisfies [Formula: see text]. In case the roots of the Lucas sequence are real, we have [Formula: see text]. As a consequence, we show that if [Formula: see text] is the sequence of the [Formula: see text] coordinates of a Pell equation [Formula: see text] with a nonsquare integer [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] implies [Formula: see text].
TangleCV
Authors: Rathore Heena , Samant Abhay , Jadliwala Murtuza
Published: December 2020

Connected vehicles are set to define the future of transportation; however, this upcoming technology continues to be plagued with serious security risks. If these risks are not addressed in a timely fashion, then they could threaten the adoption and success of this promising technology. This article deals with a specific class of attacks in connected vehicles, namely tampering attacks caused due to compromise of on-board sensors. Current centralized solutions that employ trusted infrastructure to protect against adversarial manipulation of information cannot validate the correctness of the shared data and do not scale well. To overcome these issues, decentralized protection mechanisms by means of blockchain technology have emerged as a promising research direction. However, current permission-less, linear blockchain-based solutions have low transaction performance and high computational cost, thereby making it difficult to adopt them for security in connected vehicles. In this article, we present TangleCV, a directed acyclic graph–based distributed ledger technique for connected vehicles to address data tampering threats in connected vehicular networks. We describe new validation steps, tip selection strategies, and cumulative weight definition for TangleCV that not only meets the timing constraints of the connected vehicular networks but also secures the network against threats due to tampering attacks. We describe how the reputation of the network is established in TangleCV using trust factors calculated on the basis of ability, integrity, and benevolence of the nodes in the network. We present numerical results that demonstrate that the average value of the time to first approval decreases by more than 70% as the network evolves from a low load to a high load in the case of the nearest neighbor strategy. We observe that more than 60% of the nodes are approved in a low-load network and this number increases to 80% in a high-load network for the nearest neighbor strategy. The standard deviation of error measurements for nodes experiencing tampering attack is around 60% higher as compared to nodes that do not experience such an attack.
Can Replay Attacks Designed to Steal Water from Water Distribution Systems Remain Undetected?
Authors: Palleti Venkata Reddy , Mishra Vishrut Kumar , Ahmed Chuadhry Mujeeb , Mathur Aditya
Published: December 2020

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) monitor and control physical processes. ICS are found in, among others, critical infrastructures such as water treatment plants, water distribution systems, and the electric power grid. While the existence of cyber-components in an ICS leads to ease of operations and maintenance, it renders the system under control vulnerable to cyber and physical attacks. An experimental study was conducted withreplay attackslaunched on an operational water distribution (WADI) plant to understand under what conditions an attacker/attack can remain undetected while stealing water. A detection method, based on an input-output Linear Time-invariant system model of the physical process, was developed and implemented in WADI to detect such attacks. The experiments reveal the strengths and limitations of the detection method and challenges faced by an attacker while attempting to steal water from a water distribution system.
From Trustworthy Data to Trustworthy IoT
Authors: Ardagna Claudio A. , Asal Rasool , Damiani Ernesto , Ioini Nabil El , Elahi Mehdi , Pahl Claus
Published: December 2020

Internet of Things (IoT) is composed of physical devices, communication networks, and services provided by edge systems and over-the-top applications. IoT connects billions of devices that collect data from the physical environment, which are pre-processed at the edge and then forwarded to processing services at the core of the infrastructure, on top of which cloud-based applications are built and provided to mobile end users. IoT comes with important advantages in terms of applications and added value for its users, making their world smarter and simpler. These advantages, however, are mitigated by the difficulty of guaranteeing IoT trustworthiness, which is still in its infancy. IoT trustworthiness is a must especially in critical domains (e.g., health, transportation) where humans become new components of an IoT system and their life is put at risk by system malfunctioning or breaches. In this article, we put forward the idea that trust in IoT can be boosted if and only if its automation and adaptation processes are based on trustworthy data. We therefore depart from a scenario that considers the quality of a single decision as the main goal of an IoT system and consider the trustworthiness of collected data as a fundamental requirement at the basis of a trustworthy IoT environment. We therefore define a methodology for data collection that filters untrusted data out according to trust rules evaluating the status of the devices collecting data and the collected data themselves. Our approach is based on blockchain and smart contracts and collects data whose trustworthiness and integrity are proven over time. The methodology balances trustworthiness and privacy and is experimentally evaluated in real-world and simulated scenarios using Hyperledger fabric blockchain.
Leveraging Value Equality Prediction for Value Speculation
Authors: Kalaitzidis Kleovoulos , Seznec André
Published: December 2020

Value Prediction (VP) has recently been gaining interest in the research community, since prior work has established practical solutions for its implementation that provide meaningful performance gains. A constant challenge of contemporary context-based value predictors is to sufficiently capture value redundancy and exploit the predictable execution paths. To do so, modern context-based VP techniques tightly associate recurring values with instructions and contexts by building confidence upon them after a plethora of repetitions. However, when execution monotony exists in the form of intervals, the potential prediction coverage is limited, since prediction confidence is reset at the beginning of each new interval.

In this study, we address this challenge by introducing the notion of
Equality Prediction
(EP), which represents the binary facet of VP. Following a twofold decision scheme (similar to branch prediction), at fetch time, EP makes use of control-flow history to predict equality between the last committed result for this instruction and the result of the currently fetched occurrence. When equality is predicted with high confidence, the last committed value is used. Our simulation results show that this technique obtains the same level of performance as previously proposed state-of-the-art context-based value predictors. However, by virtue of exploiting equality patterns that are not captured by previous VP schemes, our design can improve the speedup of standard VP by 19% on average, when combined with contemporary prediction models.
Inhibition of Peptidyl Arginine Deiminase-4 Prevents Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Remote Lung Injury
Authors: Du Mingjun , Yang Lei , Gu Jianmin , Wu Jiawei , Ma Yiwen , Wang Tao
Published: December 2020

Ischemia reperfusion (IR) can lead to acute kidney injury and can be complicated by acute lung injury, which is one of the leading causes of acute kidney injury-related death. Peptidyl arginine deiminase-4 (PAD4) is a member of the PAD enzyme family and plays a critical role in inflammatory reactions and neutrophil extracellular trap formation in a variety of pathological conditions. It has been reported that PAD4 inhibition can protect certain organs from ischemic injury. In this study, we aimed to understand the mode of action of PAD4 in renal ischemia-reperfusion-mediated acute lung injury. Bilateral renal pedicle occlusion was induced for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h. A specific inhibitor of PAD4, GSK484, was delivered via intraperitoneal injection to alter the PAD4 activity. The pulmonary PAD4 expression, pulmonary impairment, neutrophil infiltration, Cit-H3 expression, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, inflammatory cytokine secretion, and pulmonary apoptosis were analyzed. We found that renal ischemia reperfusion was associated with pulmonary pathological changes and increases in neutrophil infiltration, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and inflammatory cytokine secretion in the lungs of the recipient animals. Suppression of PAD4 by GSK484 reduced remote lung injury by mitigating neutrophil infiltration, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, apoptosis, and inflammatory factor secretion. Our findings demonstrate that specific PAD4 inhibition by GSK484 may be an effective strategy to attenuate distant lung injury complicating renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.
The Identification and Verification of Key Long Noncoding RNAs in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Xu Houxi , Zhang Jinzhi , Ma Yuzhu , Gu Jialin , Jing Xinyue , Lu Shengfeng , Chen Xia , Yang Wenguo , Bian Yaoyao , Fu Shuping
Published: December 2020

Stroke is a neurological disease with high rates of mortality and disability. The pathogenesis of stroke is acute focal injury of the central nervous system, leading to impaired neural function. Ischemic stroke accounts for the majority of cases. At present, the exact molecular mechanism of ischemic stroke remains unclear. Studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have an important regulatory role in biological processes, participating in the regulation of transcription and affecting the processing and splicing of mRNAs. Abnormal lncRNA expression is associated with various diseases, including diseases of the nervous system. To identify and verify the key lncRNAs in ischemic stroke, we downloaded gene expression data from the National Center for Biotechnology Information Gene Expression Omnibus (NCBI GEO) and obtain differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs by bioinformatics analysis. Cytoscape was used to reconstruct a lncRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA network on the basis of the competitive endogenous RNA theory. We performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses of the mRNAs regulated by lncRNAs in the lncRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA network. The resulting lncRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA network was composed of 91 lncRNA nodes, 70 mRNA nodes, 21 miRNA nodes, and 288 edges. GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis have shown that 191 GO terms and 23 KEGG pathways were enriched. Finally, we found that four key lncRNAs were highly correlated with ischemic stroke and could be used as potential new targets for treatment.
Upper and Lower Bounds for Essential Norm of Weighted Composition Operators from Bergman Spaces with Békollé Weights
Authors: Subhadarsini Elina , Sharma Ajay K.
Published: December 2020

Let

σ

be a weight function such that

σ
/

1
−

z

2

α

is in the class

B

p

0

α

of Békollé weights,

μ

a normal weight function,

ψ

a holomorphic map on

D

, and

φ

a holomorphic self-map on

D

. In this paper, we give upper and lower bounds for essential norm of weighted composition operator

W

ψ
,
φ

acting from weighted Bergman spaces

A

p

σ

to Bloch-type spaces

B

μ

.
Integration of SNP Disease Association, eQTL, and Enrichment Analyses to Identify Risk SNPs and Susceptibility Genes in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Liu Yang , Huang Kun , Wang Yahui , Hu Erqiang , Wei Benliang , Song Zhaona , Zou Yuqing , Ge Luanfeng , Chen Lina , Li Wan
Published: December 2020

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disease caused by the disturbance of genetic and environmental factors. Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) play a vital role in the genetic dissection of complex diseases. In‐depth analysis of SNP‐related information could recognize disease‐associated biomarkers and further uncover the genetic mechanism of complex diseases. Risk‐related variants might act on the disease by affecting gene expression and gene function. Through integrating SNP disease association study and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis, as well as functional enrichment of containing known causal genes, four risk SNPs and four corresponding susceptibility genes were identified utilizing next‐generation sequencing (NGS) data of COPD. Of the four risk SNPs, one could be found in the SNPedia database that stored disease‐related SNPs and has been linked to a disease in the literature. Four genes showed significant differences from the perspective of normal/disease or variant/nonvariant samples, as well as the high performance of sample classification. It is speculated that the four susceptibility genes could be used as biomarkers of COPD. Furthermore, three of our susceptibility genes have been confirmed in the literature to be associated with COPD. Among them, two genes had an impact on the significance of expression correlation of known causal genes they interact with, respectively. Overall, this research may present novel insights into the diagnosis and pathogenesis of COPD and susceptibility gene identification of other complex diseases.
Investigation of Large-Diameter Borehole for Enhancing Permeability and Gas Extraction in Soft Coal Seam
Authors: Wang Yongwen , Yan Wanjun , Ren Zhongjiu , Yan Zhiqiang , Liu Ziwen , Zhang Heng
Published: December 2020

The efficiency of gas extraction from the soft coal seam with ultralow permeability is low. Gas extraction with large-diameter borehole is proposed to deplete gas content for preventing gas outburst disaster in this study. The fractures around the large borehole will enhance the permeability in the damage area to promote gas extraction. We established a damage-stress-seepage coupling model for large-diameter borehole gas extraction in soft coal seam. This mathematical model contains governing equations of gases sorption and transport, coal deformation, and damage, reflecting the coupling responses between gas and coal seam. The model is solved by the finite element method to simulate the gas drainage large-diameter borehole through roadway. Distributions of elastic modulus, damage area, and maximum principal stress in soft coal seam with different borehole diameters including 94 mm, 133 mm, 200 mm, and 300 mm are analyzed. The gas pressure, gas content, and effective extraction area in soft coal seam are discussed. Results show that the shear failure zone appears around the large-diameter borehole, and its permeability rises sharply. This opens up the gas transport channel and is conducive to the rapid extraction. It is confirmed that gas extraction using large-diameter borehole (300 mm) can greatly improve the efficiency of the gas preextraction in soft coal seam by increasing gas extraction rate. These provide a foundation for guiding the operation of gas extraction with large borehole from the soft coal seam in the field.
Practical Minimum Sample Size for Road Crash Time‐Series Prediction Models
Authors: Hassouna Fady M. A. , Al-Sahili Khaled
Published: December 2020

Road crashes are problems facing the transportation sector. Crash data in many countries are available only for the past 10 to 20 years, which makes it difficult to determine whether the data are sufficient to establish reasonable and accurate prediction rates. In this study, the effect of sample size (number of years used to develop a prediction model) on the crash prediction accuracy using Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) method was investigated using crash data for years 1971–2015. Based on the availability of annual crash records, road crash data for four selected countries (Denmark, Turkey, Germany, and Israel) were used to develop the crash prediction models based on different sample sizes (45, 35, 25, and 15 years). Then, crash data for 2016 and 2017 were used to verify the accuracy of the developed models. Furthermore, crash data for Palestine were used to test the validity of the results. The used data included fatality, injury, and property damage crashes. The results showed similar trends in the models’ prediction accuracy for all four countries when predicting road crashes for year 2016. Decreasing the sample sizes led to less prediction accuracy up to a sample size of 25; then, the accuracy increased for the 15‐year sample size. Whereas there was no specific trend in the prediction accuracy for year 2017, a higher range of prediction error was also obtained. It is concluded that the prediction accuracy would vary based on the varying socioeconomic, traffic safety programs and development conditions of the country over the study years. For countries with steady and stable conditions, modeling using larger sample sizes would yield higher accuracy models with higher prediction capabilities. As for countries with less steady and stable conditions, modeling using smaller sample sizes (15 years, for example) would lead to high accuracy models with good prediction capabilities. Therefore, it is recommended that the socioeconomic and traffic safety program status of the country is considered before selecting the practical minimum sample size that would give an acceptable prediction accuracy, therefore saving efforts and time spent in collecting data (more is not always better). Moreover, based on the data analysis results, long‐term ARIMA prediction models should be used with caution.
A Selection of Trauma Scores Might Not Correlate with Coagulation Factor Activity following Multiple Injuries: A Retrospective Observational Study from a Level 1 Trauma Center
Authors: Burggraf Manuel , Polan Christina , Meyer Heinz-Lothar , Müller Roman Maximilian , Reinecke Felix , Dudda Marcel , Kauther Max Daniel
Published: December 2020

Loss and dilution of coagulation factors have been observed following multiple trauma. Timely recognition of reduced clotting factor activity might facilitate therapeutic action to restore normal coagulation function. This study investigates the potential role of some well‐known trauma scores in predicting coagulation factor activity after multiple injuries. A dataset comprising the coagulation factor activities of 68 multiply injured adult patients was analyzed. The following trauma scores were evaluated: AIS, ISS, NISS, GCS, RTS, TRISS, RISC, and TASH score. To investigate the effect of trauma severity with respect to a single anatomic injury location, two groups according to the AIS (<3 vs. ≥3 points) were formed. Differences between these two groups were analyzed for five different body regions (head, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, extremities) using the Mann–Whitney U‐test. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient rho was calculated to reveal possible relationships between trauma scores and clotting factor activities. The analysis showed clearly reduced clotting factor activities with a significant reduction of FII (83 vs. 50%; P = .021) and FV (83 vs. 46%; P = .008) for relevant (AIS ≥ 3 points) pelvic injuries. In contrast, traumatic brain injury according to the AIS head or the GCS does not appear to lead to a significant decrease in coagulation factor activities. Furthermore, the other scores studied show at best a fair correlation with coagulation factor activity. In this context, the RTS score seems to be the most suitable. Additionally, the predictive value of the TASH score, which was specifically developed to predict the need for mass transfusion, was also limited in this study. We would like to explicitly point out that this is not a criticism of the trauma scores, since they were developed in a completely different context.