bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SLAQA
Authors: Roy Sanjit Kumar , Devaraj Rajesh , Sarkar Arnab , Senapati Debabrata
Published: July 2021

Continuous demands for higher performance and reliability within stringent resource budgets is driving a shift from homogeneous to heterogeneous processing platforms for the implementation of today’s cyber-physical systems (CPSs). These CPSs are typically represented as
Directed-acyclic Task Graph
(DTG) due to the complex interactions between their functional components that are often distributed in nature. In this article, we consider the problem of scheduling a real-time application modelled as a single DTG, where tasks may have multiple implementations designated as quality-levels, with higher quality-levels producing more accurate results and contributing to higher rewards/Quality-of-Service for the system. First, we introduce an optimal solution using
Integer Linear Programming (ILP) for a DTG with multiple quality-levels, to be executed on a heterogeneous distributed platform
. However, this ILP-based optimal solution exhibits high computational complexity and does not scale for moderately large problem sizes. Hence, we propose two low-overhead heuristic algorithms called
Global Slack Aware Quality-level Allocator
(
G-SLAQA
) and
Total Slack Aware Quality-level Allocator
(
T-SLAQA
), which are able to produce satisfactorily efficient as well as fast solutions within a reasonable time.
G-SLAQA
, the baseline heuristic, is greedier and faster than its counter-part
T-SLAQA
, whose performance is at least as efficient as
G-SLAQA
. The efficiency of all the proposed schemes have been extensively evaluated through simulation-based experiments using benchmark and randomly generated DTGs. Through the case study of a real-world
automotive traction controller
, we generate schedules using our proposed schemes to demonstrate their practical applicability.
Mutation of the 5′-untranslated region stem-loop mRNA structure reduces type I collagen deposition and arterial stiffness in male obese mice
Authors: Ramirez-Perez Francisco I. , Woodford Makenzie L. , Morales-Quinones Mariana , Grunewald Zachary I. , Cabral-Amador Francisco J. , Yoshida Tadashi , Brenner David A. , Manrique-Acevedo Camila , Martinez-Lemus Luis A. , Chandrasekar Bysani , Padilla Jaume
Published: July 2021

In the 5’-untranslated (UTR) regions of mRNAs encoding for type I collagen, an evolutionally conserved SL structure plays an essential role in its stability and posttranscriptional regulation. We demonstrate that a mutation of the SL mRNA structure in the 5’-UTR decreases collagen type I deposition and arterial stiffness in obese mice. Targeting this evolutionarily conserved SL structure may hold promise in the management of arterial stiffening and CVD associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Application of Distributed Optical Fiber Technology for Coal Bump Prevention
Authors: Liang Han , Han Jun , Bi Zuoqing
Published: July 2021

The 8939 working face in Xinzhouyao coal mine is a high coal bump proneness panel. For coal bump prevention, rib holes are drilled for pressure relief purpose. The deformational behaviour of the pressure relief borehole is studied using distributed optical fiber sensing technology. The strain of the surrounding coal and the pressure relief range were measured from 0 hrs to 402 hrs after hole drilling. Based on the analysis of pressure relief procedure, combining with borehole observation, the crack development, limited equilibrium, collapse, and compaction stages of the borehole were estimated as 0∼72 h, 72∼190 h, 190∼402 h, and greater than 402 h, respectively. Consequently, the hole drilling is modified to 110 m ahead of the working face to achieve better pressure relief effect. Microseismic monitoring shows that, after hole drilling optimisation, the high‐energy microseismic events and average energy of microseismic events are reduced significantly.
Shaking Table Test on the Seismic Response of Buried Oil and Gas Pipelines under the Bidirectional Nonuniform Seismic Excitation
Authors: Dai Jianbo , Hu Chengtao , Wang Li , Zhang Guidi
Published: July 2021

This paper studies the seismic response of buried oil and gas pipelines under the bidirectional nonuniform excitation. Based on the bidirectional shaking table array test, the loading and testing scheme is designed and developed, analyzing the strain response of the buried oil and gas pipeline under the bidirectional uniform and nonuniform seismic excitation, as well as the acceleration response and displacement response characteristics of the pipeline and the surrounding soil body and their change rule by the test. The test proves to show that the developed bidirectional laminar shear continuum model soil box can meet the requirements of the bidirectional nonuniform seismic excitation and continuous laminar shear deformation of the soil. The peak strains of the pipeline in axial and bending caused by nonuniform excitation are larger than those of the pipeline under uniform excitation, the degree of unevenness in the distribution along the axial direction is greater, and the strain curves are large in the middle and small at both ends along the axial direction of the pipe. The acceleration responses of the pipeline and the soil body under the bidirectional nonuniform excitation are larger than those under the uniform excitation. The acceleration response of both the pipe and the soil under the nonuniform excitation is larger than that under the uniform excitation, and the differences are shown in the transverse and axial directions, the peak acceleration response of the soil body under the nonuniform excitation is about three times that of the transverse direction, and more peak points appear in the axial and transverse acceleration responses of the pipe under the nonuniform excitation as the loading level increases, the peak displacement response of the soil body increases gradually with the height, but the fluctuation range of the peak displacement of the soil body nearby the pipe is larger. The soil displacement curve starts to smooth out when the loading level reaches 1.0 g, and the axial displacement decreases, which indicates that the interaction between the pipe and soil is more intense and the relative motion between the pipe and soil is more obvious under the nonuniform excitation, and the soil is more likely to be damaged and enter the nonlinear stage. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze and design the seismic performance of buried pipes considering the nonuniform seismic excitation.
Novel Approach to 2D DOA Estimation for Uniform Circular Arrays Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Chen Dong , Joo Younghoon
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a novel efficient high-resolution two-dimensional direction-of-arrival (2D DOA) estimation method for uniform circular arrays (UCA) using convolutional neural networks. The proposed 2D DOA neural network in the single source scenario consists of two levels. At the first level, a classification network is used to classify the observation region into two subregions (0°, 180°) and (180°, 360°) according to the azimuth angle degree. The second level consists of two parallel DOA networks, which correspond to the two subregions, respectively. The input of the 2D DOA neural network is the preprocessed UCA covariance matrix, and its outputs are the estimated elevation angle to be modified by postprocessing and the estimated azimuth angle. The purpose of the postprocessing is to enhance the proposed method’s robustness to the incident signal frequency. Moreover, in the inevitable array imperfections scenario, we also achieve 2D DOA estimation via transfer learning. Besides, although the proposed 2D DOA neural network can only process one source at a time, we adopt a simple strategy that enables the proposed method to estimate the 2D DOA of multiple sources in turn. Finally, comprehensive simulations demonstrate that the proposed method is effective in computation speed, accuracy, and robustness to the incident signal frequency and that transfer learning could significantly reduce the amount of required training data in the case of array imperfections.
Phase I/II Clinical Trial of Autologous Activated Platelet-Rich Plasma (aaPRP) in the Treatment of Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Patients
Authors: Karina Karina , Rosliana Iis , Rosadi Imam , Sobariah Siti , Christoffel Louis Martin , Novariani Rita , Rosidah Siti , Fatkhurohman Novy , Hertati Yuli , Puspitaningrum Nurlaela , Subroto Wismo Reja , Afini Irsyah , Ernanda Difky
Published: July 2021

Background. The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been increasing rapidly. This disease causes an increase in proinflammatory cytokine production that leads to cytokine storm or cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Autologous activated platelet-rich plasma (aaPRP) contains various types of growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines that may have the potential to suppress CRS. This study of phase I/II trial was aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of aaPRP to treat severe COVID-19 patients. Methods. A total of 10 severe COVID-19 patients from Koja Regional Public Hospital (Koja RPH) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). All patients received aaPRP administration three times. Primary outcomes involving the duration of hospitalization, oxygen needs, time of recovery, and mortality were observed. Secondary outcomes involving C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil, lymphocyte, and lymphocyte-to-CRP (LCR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were analyzed. Results. All patients were transferred to the ICU with a median duration of 9 days. All patients received oxygen at enrollment and nine of ten patients recovered from the ICU and transferred to the ward room. There was one patient who passed away in the ICU due to heart failure. The results of secondary outcomes showed that CRP value and lymphocytes counts were significantly decreased while neutrophils, LCR, and NLR were slightly increased after aaPRP administration. Conclusions. Our results of the phase I/II trial demonstrated that the use of aaPRP in severe COVID-19 patients was safe and not associated with serious adverse events, which showed that aaPRP was a promising adjunctive therapy for severe COVID-19 patients.
The Overdiagnosis of Thyroid Micropapillary Carcinoma: The Rising Incidence, Inert Biological Behavior, and Countermeasures
Authors: Xu Shujian , Han Yong
Published: July 2021

The incidence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has exponentially increased in the past three decades. The 2014 World Cancer Report stated that, among the new cases of thyroid carcinoma, >50% are PTMC. The incidence of thyroid cancer was growing by 20.1% annually in China. Most of PTMC have low risk and excellent prognoses. It must be realized that the problem of overdiagnosis of thyroid cancer is quite serious. In this article, we summarized the phenomenon and the cause of “overdiagnosis” of PTMC, the progress of clinical management, and the countermeasures.
The COVID-19 Model with Partially Recovered Carriers
Authors: Faniran T. S. , Bakare E. A. , Falade A. O.
Published: July 2021

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading and wreaking havoc globally, despite massive efforts by the government and World Health Organization (WHO). Consideration of partially recovered carriers is hypothesized to play a leading role in the persistence of the disease and its introduction to new areas. A model for transmission of COVID-19 by symptomless partially recovered carriers is proposed and analysed. It is shown that key parameters can be identified such that below a threshold level, built on these parameters, the epidemic tends towards extinction, while above another threshold, it tends towards a nontrivial epidemic state. Moreover, optimal control analysis of the model, using Pontryagin’s maximum principle, is performed. The optimal controls are characterized in terms of the optimality system and solved numerically for several scenarios. Numerical simulations and sensitivity analysis of the basic reproduction number,

R

c

, indicate that the disease is mainly driven by parameters involving the partially recovered carriers rather than symptomatic ones. Moreover, optimal control analysis of the model, using Pontryagin’s maximum principle, is performed. The optimal controls were characterized in terms of the optimality system and solved numerically for several scenarios. Numerical simulations were explored to illustrate our theoretical findings, scenarios were built, and the model predicted that social distancing and treatment of the symptomatic will slow down the epidemic curve and reduce mortality of COVID-19 given that there is an average adherence to social distancing and effective treatment are administered.
Shallow Layer Destruction Law of Expansive Soil Slope under Rainfall and the Application of Geogrid Reinforcement
Authors: Chen Guan-yi , He Peng , Wang Gang , Sun Shang-qu , Xiao Jie
Published: July 2021

A large number of instability cases and laboratory tests of expansive soil slopes show that its shallow layer destruction happens because of the insufficient shear strength under the usual action of low stress and repeated dry-wet cycles. We can obtain the strength nonlinear distribution law fitted by generalized power function based on a series of shear strength tests of expansive soil considering low stress and can construct the numerical model considering the nonlinear strength distribution by FISH, to realize the shear strength dynamic distribution with the vertical stress. Based on the numerical model, the whole-process contrastive analysis has been conducted on the stress field, the slip surface depth, and the seepage field of plain soil and reinforced expansive soil cut slope under different rainfall conditions. Besides, the mechanics characteristic of the geogrid under various design schemes has been compared and analyzed. A further explanation has been given for the expansive soil cut slope prone to shallow layer failure after rainfall and on the effect of geogrid reinforcement. The numerical results provide a reference for slope stability analysis in rainy expansive soil areas.
New Horizons in the Treatment of Corneal Endothelial Dysfunction
Authors: Rocha-de-Lossada Carlos , Rachwani-Anil Rahul , Borroni Davide , Sánchez-González José-María , Esteves-Marques Raquel , Soler-Ferrández Fernando-Luis , Gegúndez-Fernández Jose-Antonio , Romano Vito , Livny Eitan , Rodríguez Calvo-de-Mora Marina
Published: July 2021

The treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction has experienced a revolutionary change in the past decades with the emergence of endothelial keratoplasty techniques: descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). Recently, new treatments such as cultivated endothelial cell therapy, Rho-kinase inhibitors (ROCK inhibitors), bioengineered grafts, and gene therapy have been described. These techniques represent new lines of treatment for endothelial dysfunction. Their advantages are to help address the shortage of quality endothelial tissue, decrease the complications associated with tissue rejection, and reduce the burden of postoperative care following transplantation. Although further randomized clinical trials are required to validate these findings and prove the long-term efficacy of the treatments, the positive outcomes in preliminary clinical studies are a stepping stone to a promising future. Our aim is to review the latest available alternatives and advancements to endothelial corneal transplant.
Dynamic Contract Design of Product‐Service Supply Chain considering Consumers’ Strategic Behavior and Service Quality
Authors: Wang Dafei , Ren Tinghai , Zhou Xueyan , Yuan Kaifu , He Qingren
Published: July 2021

With increasing market competition and rapid development of service economy, more and more enterprises are shifting from providing products or services to providing product‐service systems (PSSs) that integrate products and services, in order to improve competitiveness and profitability. Meanwhile, consumers have strategic delayed purchasing behavior when purchasing the PSS and high requirements for service quality. This paper investigates the two‐period pricing and service quality decisions of product‐service supply chain (PSSC) considering consumers’ strategic behavior under decentralized and centralized scenarios. The equilibrium results are compared in two scenarios. In order to eliminate performance loss under the decentralized scenario, we design two‐period dynamic contracts to coordinate the PSSC. Furthermore, numerical simulation is provided to verify the feasibility of the contracts. The following conclusions can be drawn: (1) the higher the service input‐efficiency, the more beneficial for alleviating consumers’ strategic purchase behavior under two scenarios, but this mitigation effect is more obvious under the centralized scenario. (2) Compared with the centralized scenario, the service quality is lower, the two‐period PSS sales prices are higher, and the two‐period profit is lower under the decentralized scenario. The proportion of service valuation (accounts for the valuation of PSS) will promote the widening of the service quality gap under two scenarios, but in some cases, the service input‐efficiency will weaken the promotion effect of the proportion of service valuation. (3) The design of the two‐period combined contracts depends on the proportion of service valuation. When the proportion of service valuation is high, the “two‐period revenue sharing + service‐cost sharing” combined dynamic contract can achieve PSSC perfect coordination. However, when the proportion of service valuation is low, it is necessary to design complexity combined dynamic contract which can achieve PSSC perfect coordination.
Study of Controlled Aluminum-Vanadium Alloy Prepared by Vacuum Resistance Furnace
Authors: Li Lanjie , Li Bingjun , Wan Heli , Chen Mao , Yee Sze Long
Published: July 2021

In this paper, V2O3 is used as the raw material, and an Al-V alloy is synthesized by vacuum resistance furnace heating. The results show that with the extension of the heating time, the separation effect of the alloy and the slag and the uniformity of the alloy are significantly improved. The slag is fully separated from the alloy, and the composition of the alloy is more uniformly distributed when the heating time is controlled at 1 hour. In addition, the composition of the alloy is affected by increasing content of Al. In particular, the obtained alloy composition meets commercial standards when the mass ratio of Al is 31-36 wt%. The effect of different mass ratios of CaO on the quality of slag series and alloys was also investigated. The results show that the composition distribution of the slag system can be effectively changed with increasing the mass ratio of CaO, and the uniformity of the alloy composition is also optimized. When the mass ratio of CaO is 27 wt%, the alloy and slag are well separated, and the composition distribution in the obtained alloy is more uniform. In addition, the content of impurities in the alloy can be effectively improved under vacuum. Therefore, it is suggested that a vacuum resistance furnace should be applied in the industrial production of high-quality Al-V alloy.
Immediate Effect of Restricted Knee Extension on Ground Reaction Force and Trunk Acceleration during Walking
Authors: Osaka Hiroshi , Fujita Daisuke , Kobara Kenichi , Suehiro Tadanobu
Published: July 2021

Gait parameters calculated from trunk acceleration reflect the features of gait; however, they cannot evaluate the gait pattern corresponding to the gait cycle. This study is aimed at investigating the differences in gait parameters calculated from trunk acceleration during gait corresponding to the gait cycle in healthy subjects with restricted knee extension. Participants included eight healthy volunteers who walked normally (NW) and with knee orthosis that restricted knee extension (ER). The ground reaction force (GRF), joint angles, and trunk acceleration during walking were measured using four force plates, a three-dimensional motion analysis system, and an inertial measurement unit. The peak GRF of the vertical components, joint ranges of motion, and moments of force were analyzed. The root mean square (RMS) and amplitude peak ratio (AR) of autocorrelation function were calculated from the trunk acceleration waveform. The first peak GRF and peak ankle dorsiflexion angles significantly increased during ER. The peak hip extension, knee flexion, knee extension angles, and the peak moment of knee extension significantly decreased during ER compared to that during NW. The acceleration AR significantly decreased during ER compared to that during NW. There was no significant difference in the RMS between the two conditions. The acceleration AR may show the temporal postural structure with restricted knee extension from the terminal stance phase for the ipsilateral limb to the initial stance phase for the contralateral limb. These results suggest that novel metrics for accelerometry gait analysis can reveal gait abnormalities, with restricted knee extension corresponding to the gait cycle.
The Impacts of Subthalamic Nucleus-Deep Brain Stimulation (STN-DBS) on the Neuropsychiatric Function of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease Using Image Features of Magnetic Resonance Imaging under the Artificial Intelligence Algorithms
Authors: Chen Wei , Wang Maode , Wang Ning , Du Changwang , Ma Xudong , Li Qi
Published: July 2021

This study was to explore the effect of subthalamic nucleus- (STN-) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on the neuropsychiatric function of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients using the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image analysis technology and the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. In this study, 40 PD patients admitted to our hospital from August 2018 to March 2020 were selected as the research objects, and they were divided into a control group and an observation group according to the random number table method, with 20 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were given oral treatment with levodopa tablets; and patients in the observation group were treated with STN-DBS + levodopa tablets. In patients, MRI examinations were performed before and after the treatment, and the image optimization processing algorithm under AI was adopted to process the images. The MRI imaging results of the two groups of patients were observed, analyzed, and compared before and after treatment; and the sports, cognition, and mental states of the two groups of patients were analyzed. It was believed that the MRI image before using the AI algorithm was blurry, and the image was clear after the noise reduction optimization process, which was convenient for observation. The data analysis revealed that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) after denoising (32.41) and structural similarity (SSIM) (0.79) had been improved. The results of the study suggested that the space occupation and bleeding symptoms of the two groups of patients were reduced after treatment, and those in the observation group were better than those of the control group; the incidences of dyskinesia and motor symptom fluctuations in the observation group were 5% and 0%, respectively, which were lower than those in the control group (35% and 25%, respectively). After treatment, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score of the two groups of patients decreased, and it was lower in the observation group than in the control group; and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Scale (MMSE) scores increased, and those in the observation group were higher in contrast to those in the control group (all

P
<
0.05

). STN-DBS was beneficial to improve the clinical symptoms of patients and delay the progress of the disease, and MRI based on AI algorithms can effectively observe the changes in the neuropsychiatric function of patients, which was conducive to further clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Role of Metastasis Suppressor KAI1/CD82 in Different Cancers
Authors: Yan Wei , Huang Jinny , Zhang Qian , Zhang Jian
Published: July 2021

Metastasis is one of the characteristics of malignant tumors and the main cause of death worldwide. The process of metastasis is mainly affected by tumor metastasis genes, tumor metastasis suppressor genes, tumor microenvironment, extracellular matrix degradation, and other factors. Thus, it is essential to elucidate the mechanism of metastasis and find the therapeutic targets in order to prevent the development of malignant tumors. KAI1/CD82, a member of tetraspanin superfamily of glycoproteins, has been reported as a tumor metastasis suppressor gene in various types of cancers without affecting the tumor formation. Many studies have demonstrated that low expression of KAI1/CD82 might lead to poor prognosis due to its interactions with other tetraspanins and integrins, resulting in the regulation of cell motility and invasion, cell-cell adhesion, and apoptosis. Considering its pathological and physiological significance, KAI1/CD82 could be a potential strategy for clinical predicting and preventing tumor progression and metastasis. The present review aims to discuss the role of KAI1/CD82 in metastasis for different cancers and examine its prospects as a metastasis biomarker and a therapeutic target.
GRA and CRITIC Method for Intuitionistic Fuzzy Multiattribute Group Decision Making and Application to Development Potentiality Evaluation of Cultural and Creative Garden
Authors: Qi Quan-Song
Published: July 2021

In recent years, cultural and creative industry park is becoming a kind of hot industry to promote industrial restructuring and to improve the quality of urban space. For this reason, cultural and creative industrial parks are planning to build across the country. Currently, cultural and creative industrial parks that develop better than others thank to the government’s overall planning, construction, marketing, and management. At the same time, the new cultural and creative industry parks face enormous challenges, such as how to have together the cultural and creative industries and related groups or how to have area cultural creativity. And it is frequently regarded as a multiattribute group decision-making (MAGDM) process. Thus, a novel MAGDM process is needed to tackle it. Depending on the conventional grey relational analysis (GRA) method and intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs), this paper designs a novel intuitive distance-based IF-GRA method for development potentiality evaluation of cultural and creative garden. First of all, some necessary theories related to IFSs are briefly reviewed. In addition, since subjective randomness frequently exists in determining criteria weights, the weights of criteria are decided objectively by utilizing the CRITIC method. Afterwards, relying on novel distance measures between IFSs, the GRA method is extended to the IFSs to calculate assessment score of each alternative. Eventually, an application about development potentiality evaluation of cultural and creative garden and some comparative analysis is given. The results think that the designed method is useful for development potentiality evaluation of cultural and creative garden.
Metabolic Regulation of Macrophage Activation
Authors: Kolliniati Ourania , Ieronymaki Eleftheria , Vergadi Eleni , Tsatsanis Christos
Published: July 2021

Macrophages, the central mediators of innate immune responses, being in the first-line of defense, they have to readily respond to pathogenic or tissue damage signals to initiate the inflammatory cascade. Such rapid responses require energy to support orchestrated production of pro-inflammatory mediators and activation of phagocytosis. Being a cell type that is present in diverse environments and conditions, macrophages have to adapt to different nutritional resources. Thus, macrophages have developed plasticity and are capable of utilizing energy at both normoxic and hypoxic conditions and in the presence of varying concentrations of glucose or other nutrients. Such adaptation is reflected on changes in signaling pathways that modulate responses, accounting for the different activation phenotypes observed. Macrophage metabolism has been tightly associated with distinct activation phenotypes within the range of M1-like and M2-like types. In the context of diseases, systemic changes also affect macrophage metabolism, as in diabetes and insulin resistance, which results in altered metabolism and distinct activation phenotypes in the adipose tissue or in the periphery. In the context of solid tumors, tumor-associated macrophages adapt in the hypoxic environment, which results in metabolic changes that are reflected on an activation phenotype that supports tumor growth. Coordination of environmental and pathogenic signals determines macrophage metabolism, which in turn shapes the type and magnitude of the response. Therefore, modulating macrophage metabolism provides a potential therapeutic approach for inflammatory diseases and cancer.
A Farewell to the Encephalization Quotient: A New Brain Size Measure for Comparative Primate Cognition
Authors: van Schaik Carel P. , Triki Zegni , Bshary Redouan , Heldstab Sandra A.
Published: July 2021

Both absolute and relative brain sizes vary greatly among and within the major vertebrate lineages. Scientists have long debated how larger brains in primates and hominins translate into greater cognitive performance, and in particular how to control for the relationship between the noncognitive functions of the brain and body size. One solution to this problem is to establish the slope of cognitive equivalence, i.e., the line connecting organisms with an identical bauplan but different body sizes. The original approach to estimate this slope through intraspecific regressions was abandoned after it became clear that it generated slopes that were too low by an unknown margin due to estimation error. Here, we revisit this method. We control for the error problem by focusing on highly dimorphic primate species with large sample sizes and fitting a line through the mean values for adult females and males. We obtain the best estimate for the slope of circa 0.27, a value much lower than those constructed using all mammal species and close to the value expected based on the genetic correlation between brain size and body size. We also find that the estimate of cognitive brain size based on cognitive equivalence fits empirical cognitive studies better than the encephalization quotient, which should therefore be avoided in future studies on primates and presumably mammals and birds in general. The use of residuals from the line of cognitive equivalence may change conclusions concerning the cognitive abilities of extant and extinct primate species, including hominins.
Excess Body Weight and Pancreatic Disease
Authors: Wiese Mats L. , Aghdassi Ali A. , Lerch Markus M. , Steveling Antje
Published: July 2021

Background: Excess body weight (EBW) is a risk factor for various acute and chronic conditions. Conversely, the “obesity paradox” suggests a protective effect of higher body weight on some disease outcomes. This article discusses the role of EBW along the disease continuum of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer (PC) in terms of incidence and outcome. Summary: Comparison of findings is hampered by the use of different methods to assess EBW. Nevertheless, in acute pancreatitis (AP) and PC, EBW, especially visceral obesity, presents a distinct risk factor and predictor of a negative outcome. Findings of a protective effect likely result from nonconsideration of fat distribution or other confounders. Regarding chronic pancreatitis (CP), few studies indicate lower incidence and a better outcome with higher body mass. However, there is insufficient evidence to confirm the existence of an obesity paradox. The precise mechanisms of how EBW affects the disease continuum require further elucidation but both common and disease-specific effects seem involved. Key Messages: EBW is associated with higher incidence and a negative outcome in AP and PC. The association with CP is less conclusive. Thus, maintaining normal weight is advisable at any stage of the disease continuum.
Healthy Ageing and Vaccines: Application of the P4 Medicine Concept to Immunizations
Authors: Michel Jean-Pierre , Ecarnot Fiona
Published: July 2021

In today’s tormented world, it appears useful to take advantage of communication channels to promote life-course immunization and affirm its major role in healthy ageing. Instead of developing the argument of chronological age, we demonstrate the life-course principle here based on the P4 medicine concept. Are vaccines “preventive, personalized, predictive, and participatory?” Based on detailed analysis of research findings, we successively demonstrate the seminal role of vaccines on preventable infectious diseases, post-sepsis functional decline, non-communicable diseases (cardio-neuro-vascular, respiratory, and renal diseases), community protection, antimicrobial resistance, and perhaps even old-age dementia. Healthy ageing and the promotion of immunization are closely dependent on health literacy and provision of information by skilled health-care professionals. However, personal autonomy and individual freedom are influenced by psycho-cognitive hurdles (cultural approaches, beliefs, emotions, and behaviours), the opinions of the public/family/friends, and the increasing role of social media, which challenges scientific evidence. A similar phenomenon exists when dealing with the issue of healthy ageing, whose success depends greatly on life-course immunization.
The Impact of Minimally Invasive Pituitary Surgery on Male and Female Sexual Dysfunction in Patients with Pituitary Adenoma
Authors: Baydar Aydin Talat , Ozercan Ali Yasin , Divanlioglu Denizhan , Daglar Zeynep , Balci Melih , Tuncel Altug
Published: July 2021

Introduction: In the present study, we prospectively investigated the impact of endoscopic transnasal trans-sphenoidal surgery (ETTS) on sexual function in male and female patients with pituitary adenoma. Methods: The study included a total of 40 consecutive patients (male, n = 28 and female, n = 12) aged 22–65 years, who underwent ETTS for pituitary adenoma in our center between March 2019 and August 2019. Twenty-seven (67.5%) and 13 (32.5%) patients had functioning and nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas, respectively. Routine preoperative hormone levels were obtained in every patient. The tests were repeated at the postoperative third month. Preoperatively and at the postoperative third month, the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used in male and female patients, respectively. Results: Before surgery, 24 (85.7%) men had erectile dysfunction (ED), and 10 (83%) women had female sexual dysfunction. After surgery, all the patients’ abnormal hormone parameters improved. All the male patients’ ED degrees were positively affected by surgery. In women, the FSFI was significantly better than in the preoperative period. Discussion/Conclusion: Our results showed that both males and females with pituitary adenomas benefitted from minimally invasive pituitary surgery in terms of a high-remission rate and improvement in sexual dysfunction.
Changes in Retinal Perfusion in Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: An Optical Coherence Tomography-Angiography Study
Authors: Yu Jian , Xu Huan , Huang Yongheng , Gu Ruiping , Zong Yuan , Zhu Haohao , Wang Min
Published: July 2021

Introduction: We aimed to study the change in the retinal perfusion in Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Methods: Fourteen patients (28 eyes) diagnosed with LHON and 14 healthy controls (28 eyes) were enrolled. The retinal vessel densities in the parafoveal and peripapillary areas were measured with optical coherence tomography-angiography. Results: In the subacute LHON patients, the parafoveal superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and inner retinal thickness (IRT) were significantly reduced in all sectors compared with the controls (all p < 0.05), and the radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) network was significantly reduced in the temporal and inferior temporal sectors compared with the controls (p < 0.05). In the chronic LHON patients, the SCP and IRT were significantly lower in all sectors than in the controls (all p < 0.05), the RPC vessel density and thickness were significantly lower in all sectors than in the controls and lower in the temporal, superior temporal, inferior temporal, and nasal sectors than in the subacute-stage patients (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The retinal structure and the perfusion of the macular and peripapillary areas are reduced in subacute LHON, and the retinal structure and the perfusion of the peripapillary area are further reduced in chronic LHON.
Febrile Seizure-Related miR-148a-3p Exerts Neuroprotection by Promoting the Proliferation of Hippocampal Neurons in Children with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Yu Yanhui , Du Linjun , Zhang Jinxu
Published: July 2021

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common epilepsy in both adult and children. Some microRNAs (miRNAs) are abnormally expressed in neurological diseases. This study aimed to investigate the expression level and clinical significance of miR-148a-3p in TLE children and explore its effect on the biological viability of hippocampal neurons. The expression level of miR-148a-3p in the serum of TLE children was examined using quantitative real-time PCR. A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to determine the diagnostic accuracy of miR-148a-3p in TLE. Hippocampal neurons were cultured in magnesium-free medium to construct a TLE cell model. The effects of miR-148a-3p on hippocampal neuronal viability and apoptosis rate were detected by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. miR-148a-3p was overexpressed and correlated with seizure frequency and febrile seizure (FS) history in TLE children. miR-148a-3p was of great value in the diagnosis of TLE, and it can be used to distinguish cases with FS history. Hippocampal neurons treated with magnesium-free medium were used as an in vitro model of TLE and showed significantly increased miR-148a-3p, decreased cell viability, and increased cell apoptosis, while these changes were eliminated markedly by miR-148a-3p knockdown. miR-148a-3p is overexpressed and associated with seizure frequency and FS history and serves as a novel diagnostic biomarker in TLE. In addition, the downregulation of miR-148a-3p exerts neuroprotective role by improving hippocampal neuronal cell viability. miR-148a-3p may provide new ideas for the treatment and diagnosis of TLE.
Dehalogenases for pollutant degradation in brief: A mini review
Authors:   Faculty of Biology, Kabul University, Dehburi, Kabul 1006, Afghanistan, Zakary sefatullah , Oyewusi Habeebat ,   Department of Biochemistry, School of Science and Computer Studies, Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti, Ado Ekiti PMB 5351, Ekiti State, Nigeria, Huyop Fahrul ,   Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor 81310, Malaysia
Published: July 2021

Dehalogenases are microbial enzyme catalysed the cleavage of carbon-halogen bond of halogenated organic compounds. It has potential use in the area of biotechnology such as bioremediation and chemical industry. Halogenated organic compounds can be found in a considerable amount in the environment due to utilization in agriculture and industry, such as pesticides and herbicides. The presence of halogenated compound in the environment have been implicated on the health and natural ecosystem. Microbial dehalogenation is a significant method to tackle this problem. This review intends to briefly describe the microbial dehalogenases in relation to the environment where they are isolated. The basic information about dehalogenases in relation to dehalogenation mechanisms, classification, sources and the transportation of these pollutants into bacterial cytoplasm will be described. We also summarised readily available synthetic halogenated organic compound in the environment.
in silico Study Reveals Potential Docking Sites of δ 2-isoxazolines derivates for Inhibiting Russell’s Viper PLA2 Toxin
Authors:   Student of Master Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Kholilah Tsaniyah , Widodo Nashi ,   Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Universitas Brawijaya, Kurniawan Nia ,   Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Universitas Brawijaya
Published: July 2021

Snake venom phospholipase A2s (svPLA2s) has been known as the most abundant component and predominant cause of Russell’s viper envenomation. Limitation to serum therapy and considerable pharmacological interest led the researcher to synthesized multi-toxic PLA2 inhibitors, δ2-isoxazolines derivate. Although δ2- isoxazolines derivate already proved inhibitor activity in Group II svPLA2 with known IC50, their mechanism of action remains unveiled. Our recent study investigated their inhibitory activity via molecular docking. The virtual screening revealed that the ligand with diverse structures tied to the relatively same active site region. The result sheds light on the significance of His48 and Asp49 as part of the pro-inflammatory eliciting region. ADME analysis was also performed to filter and identify the best potential inhibitor acceptable for human use. This moiety leads to finding a better therapeutic strategy of svPLA2 inhibitors both as an alternative to serum anti-venom treatment.
Evaluation on the Legal Trade of Tokay gecko (Lacertidae; Gekkonidae; Gekko gecko Linnaeus, 1758) in Indonesia
Authors:   Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang 65145, Indonesia, Kurniawan Nia , Hamidy Amir ,   Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biology - The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Bogor 16911,, Ardiantoro Ari ,   Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang 65145, Indonesia
Published: July 2021

Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) is a large-sized gecko from the genus of Gekko, which is most commonly found from South Asia, southern China, and Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, these species are common to inhabit human-modified habitat in Sumatera, Borneo, Java, Bali, Lesser Sundas, Sulawesi, and Moluccas. In recent years, the demand for Tokay gekko with high use-value in both national and international markets has increased, one of which is used for traditional medicine. This situation raised the concern on the decreasing of the wild population and the validity of captive breeding programs that produced a large number of individuals. Several reports had estimated millions of individuals have been exported from Indonesia either legally or illegally, however, the exact number never been reported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the trend on the harvested Tokay gecko and its origin based on the source code information. The data were collected from government records, including specimens harvested from the wild and specimens produced from captivity during 2013 - 2018 (six years). The results showed that the legally exported specimens were sourced from wild (W) and captive breeding (C or F). The total numbers of individuals exported from the wild harvest are 97.146, and all export realization is below the wild harvest quota. However, there are the large numbers of individuals exported and declared as specimens produced from the captive breeding facilities (6.965.000 with source code F, and 1.236.000 with source code C). More importantly, the high level of specimens produced from captive breeding facilities is unlikely to match with the biological capacity of this species. Therefore, we predict that specimens labeled captive breeding were likely sourced from the wild.
Association Between Patient‐Clinician Relationships and Adherence to Antihypertensive Medications Among Black Adults: An Observational Study Design
Authors: Chang Teng‐Jen , Bridges John F. P. , Bynum Mary , Jackson John W. , Joseph Joshua J. , Fischer Michael A. , Lu Bo , Donneyong Macarius M.
Published: July 2021

Background

We assessed the associations between patient‐clinician relationships (communication and involvement in shared decision‐making [SDM]) and adherence to antihypertensive medications.

Methods and Results

The 2010 to 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data were analyzed. A retrospective cohort study design was used to create a cohort of prevalent and new users of antihypertensive medications. We defined constructs of patient‐clinician communication and involvement in SDM from patient responses to the standard questionnaires about satisfaction and access to care during the first year of surveys. Verified self‐reported medication refill information collected during the second year of surveys was used to calculate medication refill adherence; adherence was defined as medication refill adherence ≥80%. Survey‐weighted multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression models were used to measure the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI for the association between both patient‐clinician constructs and adherence. Our analysis involved 2571 Black adult patients with hypertension (mean age of 58 years; SD, 14 years) who were either persistent (n=1788) or new users (n=783) of antihypertensive medications. Forty‐five percent (n=1145) and 43% (n=1016) of the sample reported having high levels of communication and involvement in SDM, respectively. High, versus low, patient‐clinician communication (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.14–1.67) and involvement in SDM (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.08–1.61) were both associated with adherence to antihypertensives after adjusting for multiple covariates. These associations persisted among a subgroup of new users of antihypertensive medications.

Conclusions

Patient‐clinician communication and involvement in SDM are important predictors of optimal adherence to antihypertensive medication and should be targeted for improving adherence among Black adults with hypertension.
“I Lived without Seeing These Art Works”: (Albanian) Socialist Realism and/against Contemporary Art
Authors: Isto Raino
Published: July 2021

This article looks closely at the inclusion of Albanian Socialist Realism in one of renowned Swiss curator Harald Szeemann's last exhibitions, Blood & Honey: The Future's in the Balkans (Essl Museum, Vienna, 2003). In this exhibition, Szeemann installed a group of around 40 busts created during the socialist era in Albania, which he had seen installed at the National Gallery of Arts in Tirana. This installation of sculptures was part of an exhibition entitled Homo Socialisticus, curated by Gëzim Qëndro, and Szeemann deployed it as a generalized foil for “subversive” postsocialist contemporary art included in Blood & Honey. The Homo Socialisticus sculptures occupied a prominent place in the exhibition both spatially and rhetorically, and this article examines how we might read Blood & Honey—and the socialist past in general—through Szeemann's problematic incorporation of this collection of works in one of the key Balkans-oriented exhibitions staged in the early 2000s. The article argues that understanding how Szeemann misread—and discursively oversimplified—Albanian Socialist Realism can help us see not only the continued provincialization of Albania in the contemporary global art world, but more importantly the fundamental misunderstanding of Socialist Realism as a historical phenomenon and a precursor to contemporary geopolitical cultural configurations