bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new model of sex chromosome evolution
Authors: Muralidhar Pavitra , Veller Carl
Published: February 2022

A new model, based on the evolution of gene regulation, challenges the classical theory
Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron by BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine–elicited human sera
Authors: Muik Alexander , Lui Bonny Gaby , Wallisch Ann-Kathrin , Bacher Maren , Mühl Julia , Reinholz Jonas , Ozhelvaci Orkun , Beckmann Nina , Güimil Garcia Ramón de la Caridad , Poran Asaf , Shpyro Svetlana , Finlayson Andrew , Cai Hui , Yang Qi , Swanson Kena A. , Türeci Özlem , Şahin Uğur
Published: February 2022

The globally circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant of concern Omicron (B.1.1.529) has a large number of mutations, especially in the spike protein, indicating that recognition by neutralizing antibodies may be compromised. We tested Wuhan (Wuhan-Hu-1 reference strain), Beta (B.1.351), Delta (B.1.617.2), or Omicron pseudoviruses with sera of 51 participants who received two or three doses of the messenger RNA (mRNA)–based COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2. After two doses, Omicron-neutralizing titers were reduced >22-fold compared with Wuhan-neutralizing titers. One month after the third vaccine dose, Omicron-neutralizing titers were increased 23-fold relative to their levels after two doses and were similar to levels of Wuhan-neutralizing titers after two doses. The requirement of a third vaccine dose to effectively neutralize Omicron was confirmed with sera from a subset of participants using live SARS-CoV-2. These data suggest that three doses of the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 may protect against Omicron-mediated COVID-19.
Thomas E. Lovejoy (1941–2021)
Authors: Laurance William F.
Published: February 2022

Biodiversity pioneer and expert on the Amazon rainforest
Massive U.S. innovation bills face difficult road in Congress
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: February 2022

Lawmakers must reconcile competing visions for boosting research spending and helping high-tech industries
Draft Genome Sequence of Sweet Pepper Fruit Epiphyte-Associated Bacillus cereus HRT7.7
Authors: Mamphogoro Tshifhiwa P. , Kamutando Casper N. , Maboko Martin M. , Aiyegoro Olayinka A. , Babalola Olubukola O.
Published: February 2022

This study reports the whole-genome sequence of
Bacillus cereus
HRT7.7, an epiphytic isolate from red sweet pepper fruits that is capable of stimulating plant growth and development. The genome assembly is 5,109,010 bp in length, with a G+C content of 35.2%.
Complete Genome Sequence of Human Oral Saccharibacterium “
Candidatus
Nanosynbacter sp. HMT352” Strain KC1
Authors: Cross Karissa L. , Klingeman Dawn M. , Podar Mircea
Published: February 2022

“Cand. Nanosynbacter
sp. HMT352” strain KC1 is an ectoparasitic saccharibacterium/TM7 that was co-isolated from a human saliva sample with its obligate bacterial host,
Schaalia odontolytica
. The genome of strain KC1 enables studies of the mechanisms and evolution of interspecies interactions and, for oral species, studies of their potential roles in health and disease.
Numerical modeling of subduction: State of the art and future directions
Authors: Gerya Taras
Published: February 2022

During the past five decades, numerical modeling of subduction, one of the most challenging and captivating geodynamic processes, remained in the core of geodynamic research. Remarkable progress has been made in terms of both in-depth understanding of different aspects of subduction dynamics and deciphering the diverse and ever-growing array of subduction zone observations. However, numerous key questions concerning subduction remain unanswered defining the frontier of modern Earth Science research. This review of the past decade comprises numerical modeling studies focused on 12 key open topics: Subduction initiationSubduction terminationSlab deformation, dynamics, and evolution in the mantle4D dynamics of subduction zonesThermal regimes and pressure-temperature (P-T) paths of subducted rocksFluid and melt processes in subduction zonesGeochemical transport, magmatism, and crustal growthTopography and landscape evolutionSubduction-induced seismicityPrecambrian subduction and plate tectonicsExtra-terrestrial subductionInfluence of plate tectonics for life evolution.

Future progress will require conceptual and technical progress in subduction modeling as well as crucial inputs from other disciplines (rheology, phase petrology, seismic tomography, geochemistry, numerical theory, geomorphology, ecology, planetology, astronomy, etc.). As in the past, the multi-physics character of subduction-related processes ensures that numerical modeling will remain one of the key quantitative tools for integration of natural observations, developing and testing new hypotheses, and developing an in-depth understanding of subduction. The review concludes with summarizing key results and outlining 12 future directions in subduction and plate tectonics modeling that will target unresolved issues discussed in the review.
Data handling practices and commercial features of apps related to children: a scoping review of content analyses
Authors: Jibb Lindsay , Amoako Elsie , Heisey Melissa , Ren Lily , Grundy Quinn
Published: February 2022

Background

Child interaction (including via parent proxy) with mobile apps is common, generating concern about children’s privacy and vulnerability to advertising and other commercial interests. Researchers have conducted numerous app content evaluations, but there is less attention to data sharing or commercial practices.

Objective

This scoping review of commercial app evaluation studies describes the nature of such evaluations, including assessments of data privacy, data security and app-based advertising.

Methods

We searched Scopus, PubMed, Embase and ACM Digital Library (2005–2020). We included studies that evaluated the properties of apps available through commercial app stores and targeted children, parents of a child (0–18 years) or expectant parents. Data extracted and synthesised were study and app user characteristics, and app privacy, data sharing, security, advertisement and in-app purchase elements.

Results

We included 34 studies; less than half (n=15; 44.1%) evaluated data privacy and security elements and half (n=17; 50.0%) assessed app commercial features. Common issues included frequent data sharing or lax security measures, including permission requests and third-party data transmissions. In-app purchase options and advertisements were common and involved manipulative delivery methods and content that is potentially harmful to child health.

Conclusions

Research related to the data handling and the commercial features of apps that may transmit children’s data is preliminary and has not kept pace with the rapid expansion and evolution of mobile app development. Critical examinations of these app aspects are needed to elucidate risks and inform regulations aimed at protecting children’s privacy and well-being.
Return-to-play and performance after operative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture in elite male athletes: a scoping review
Authors: LaPrade Christopher M , Chona Deepak V , Cinque Mark E , Freehill Michael T , McAdams Timothy R , Abrams Geoffrey D , Sherman Seth L , Safran Marc R
Published: February 2022

Objective

To examine the current evidence regarding return-to-play (RTP) and performance after Achilles tendon rupture in elite athletes treated with operative intervention.

Design

Scoping review.

Data sources

Published sources identified through a PubMed search of elite athletes, defined as professional or division one collegiate athletes in baseball, basketball, American football or soccer.

Methods

Our search yielded a total of 2402 studies, with 13 studies fulfilling the study criteria of reporting elite athletes with objective measures of their athletic performance. A total of 709 elite athletes were included from the NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball (MLB), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football and professional soccer.

Results and discussion

Overall, 61%–100% of elite male athletes RTP after Achilles tendon rupture and operative repair. NBA players had inferior performance compared with their preoperative status as well as controls of non-injured players. Studies did not show significantly different performance after Achilles injury for MLB players. Professional soccer, NFL and NCAA football studies reported varying performance after injury.

Conclusions

Evidence suggests that sports with explosive plantarflexion demands, such as basketball, may be associated with a greater decrease in performance despite operative intervention after Achilles rupture.
Interventional treatment of biliodigestive anastomosis leaks with a modified percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage
Authors: Lopez Benitez Ruben , Breiding Philipe Sebastian , Roos Justus E , Zschokke Irin , Scheiwiller Andreas , Gass Jörn-Markus , Reyes del Castillo Tomas
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Biliodigestive leaks are typically caused by an insufficiency at the surgical anastomosis. Biliodigestive anastomosis (BDA) insufficiencies can lead to bilomas, abscesses and vascular erosion in chronic conditions.

Material and methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical and radiological records of all patients with biliodigestive insufficiency who received interventional treatment between July 2015 and February 2021. Nine patients (three with unilateral drainage and six with bilateral drainage) were treated with a modified percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD). Clinical success was considered after complete resolution of the peribiliary collections, absence of bile within the surgical drains, radiological patency of the BDA (contrast medium flowing properly through the BDA and no signs of leakage) and haemodynamic stability of the patient without signs of sepsis.

Results

Clinical success was achieved in all nine patients. No patients required revision surgery to repair their BDA. The mean indwelling drainage time was 34.8±16.5 days. The mean number of interventional procedures performed per patient was 6.6±2.0.

Conclusion

Patients who present with BDA insufficiency may benefit from interventional radiological techniques. Our modified PTCD resolved the BDA leak in all nine cases and should be considered as a valuable option for the treatment of patients with this complication. Our technique demonstrated to be feasible and effective.
Alcohol consumption and associated risk factors in Burkina Faso: results of a population-based cross-sectional survey
Authors: Bonnechère Bruno , Samadoulougou Sékou , Cisse Kadari , Tassembedo Souleymane , Kouanda Seni , Kirakoya-Samadoulougou Fati
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Lifestyle modifiable risk factors are a leading preventable cause of non-communicable diseases, with alcohol consumption among the most important. Studies characterising the prevalence of alcohol consumption in low-income countries are lacking. This study describes the prevalence of different levels of alcohol consumption in Burkina Faso and its associated factors.

Design

Data from the 2013 Burkina Faso WHO STEPwise Approach to Surveillance survey were analysed. The prevalence of alcohol consumption over the last 30 days was recoded into categories according to WHO recommendations: low, mid or abusive alcohol consumption. Multinomial logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with the different levels of alcohol consumption.

Setting

Population-based cross-sectional survey in Burkina Faso.

Participants

4692 participants of both sexes aged 25–64 years were included in the study.

Results

In the whole sample, 3559 participants (75.8% (72.5%–78.7%)) were not consuming any alcohol, 614 (12.9% (10.9%–15.3%)) had low alcohol consumption, 399 (8.5% (7.1%–10.1%)) had mid alcohol consumption and 120 (2.7% (2.0%–3.7%)) had abusive consumption. Age was associated with alcohol intake with a gradient effect and older people having a higher level of consumption (adjusted OR (AOR): 2.36, 95% CI (1.59 to 3.51) for low consumption, 2.50 (1.54 to 4.07) for mid consumption and 2.37 (1.01 to 5.92) for abusive consumption in comparison with no consumption). Tobacco consumption was also significantly associated with alcohol intake with a gradient effect, those with higher tobacco consumption being at higher risk of abusive alcohol intake (AOR: 6.08 (2.75 to 13.4) for moderate consumption and 6.58 (1.96 to 22.11) for abusive consumption).

Conclusion

Our data showed an important burden of alcohol consumption in Burkina Faso, which varied with age and tobacco use. To effectively reduce alcohol consumption in Burkina Faso, comprehensive control and prevention campaigns should consider these associated factors.
Evaluating the development, woman-centricity and psychometric properties of maternity patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs): A systematic review protocol
Authors: Bull Claudia , Teede Helena , Carrandi Lane , Rigney Azure , Cusack Sally , Callander Emily
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Woman-centred care is the right of every woman receiving maternity care, irrespective of where care is being received and who is providing care. This protocol describes a planned systematic review that will identify, describe and critically appraise the psychometric properties of maternity patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs). The woman-centricity of PROM and PREM development and content validation (ie, the extent to which women were involved in these processes) will also be assessed. This information will be used to develop a maternity PROMs and PREMs database to support service and system performance measurement, and value-based maternity care initiatives.

Methods and analysis

This study will be guided by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guideline for systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments. Studies identified via MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and EMBASE describing the development, content validation and/or psychometric evaluation of PROMs and PREMs specifically designed for maternity populations throughout pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal periods will be considered if published from 2010 onward, in English, and available in full text. The COSMIN risk of bias checklist will be used to evaluate the quality of studies reporting on the development, content validation and/or psychometric evaluation of PROMs and PREMs. COSMIN criteria for good content validity will be used to assess the woman-centricity of PROM and PREM development and content validation studies. COSMIN standards of good psychometric properties will be used to evaluate the validity and reliability of the identified instruments.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical permission for this research is not required. The findings of this research will be submitted for publication in an international, peer-reviewed journal. Abstracts for national and international conference presentations will also be submitted. The proposed maternity PROMs and PREMs database will be freely accessible online, and developed with consumer input to ensure its usefulness to a range of maternity care stakeholders.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021288854.
Oral famotidine versus placebo in non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a randomised, double-blind, data-intense, phase 2 clinical trial
Authors: Brennan Christina M , Nadella Sandeep , Zhao Xiang , Dima Richard J , Jordan-Martin Nicole , Demestichas Breanna R , Kleeman Sam O , Ferrer Miriam , von Gablenz Eva Carlotta , Mourikis Nicholas , Rubin Michael E , Adnani Harsha , Lee Hassal , Ha Taehoon , Prum Soma , Schleicher Cheryl B , Fox Sharon S , Ryan Michael G , Pili Christina , Goldberg Gary , Crawford James M , Goodwin Sara , Zhang Xiaoyue , Preall Jonathan B , Costa Ana S H , Conigliaro Joseph , Masci Joseph R , Yang Jie , Tuveson David A , Tracey Kevin J , Janowitz Tobias
Published: February 2022

Objective

We assessed whether famotidine improved inflammation and symptomatic recovery in outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

Design

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, fully remote, phase 2 clinical trial (NCT04724720) enrolling symptomatic unvaccinated adult outpatients with confirmed COVID-19 between January 2021 and April 2021 from two US centres. Patients self-administered 80 mg famotidine (n=28) or placebo (n=27) orally three times a day for 14 consecutive days. Endpoints were time to (primary) or rate of (secondary) symptom resolution, and resolution of inflammation (exploratory).

Results

Of 55 patients in the intention-to-treat group (median age 35 years (IQR: 20); 35 women (64%); 18 African American (33%); 14 Hispanic (26%)), 52 (95%) completed the trial, submitting 1358 electronic symptom surveys. Time to symptom resolution was not statistically improved (p=0.4). Rate of symptom resolution was improved for patients taking famotidine (p<0.0001). Estimated 50% reduction of overall baseline symptom scores were achieved at 8.2 days (95% CI: 7 to 9.8 days) for famotidine and 11.4 days (95% CI: 10.3 to 12.6 days) for placebo treated patients. Differences were independent of patient sex, race or ethnicity. Five self-limiting adverse events occurred (famotidine, n=2 (40%); placebo, n=3 (60%)). On day 7, fewer patients on famotidine had detectable interferon alpha plasma levels (p=0.04). Plasma immunoglobulin type G levels to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid core protein were similar between both arms.

Conclusions

Famotidine was safe and well tolerated in outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19. Famotidine led to earlier resolution of symptoms and inflammation without reducing anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity. Additional randomised trials are required.
Effect of smoking on physical function in older adults: a Mendelian randomisation analysis
Authors: Gaggero Alessio
Published: February 2022

Background

Smoking is widely known to be damaging to health. It greatly increases the risk of various cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and remains the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK. The article tested the hypothesis that smoking behaviour (either smoking or non-smoking) is associated with physical function, and assessed inferred causality using genetic predisposition to smoking behaviour as an instrumental variable.

Methods and findings

Data were drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, waves 1–9 (mean age 65.8 years). Physical function was assessed by means of the body mobility and the activity of daily living indices. Polygenic scores for smoking behaviour were used as instrumental variables in a Mendelian randomisation framework. Instrumental variable estimators were used to examine causal effects. Among UK older adults (n=29 139), impaired physical function was significantly higher in (current) smokers compared with non-smokers. Relatively to non-smokers, smokers reported a higher level of impairment both in the body mobility index (β=5.553; 95% CI 1.029 to 10.077) and in the activities of daily living index (β=1.908; 95% CI 0.196 to 3.619).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates smoking behaviour to be a potential causal risk factor for physical function during ageing in the UK population. Accordingly, the benefits of smoking cessations may extend to physical function.
Genomic signatures of adaptation to novel environments: hatchery and life history-associated loci in landlocked and anadromous Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Authors: Harder Avril M. , Christie Mark R.
Published: February 2022

The adaptation of marine and anadromous fishes to novel, freshwater environments requires major physiological shifts in functions related to osmoregulation, immunity, and metabolism. For Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations, such changes have occurred independently in many landlocked populations that were formed as a result of extensive hydrological shifts in North America around 10 000 years ago. We compared patterns of genetic variation between two landlocked and one anadromous population of Atlantic salmon to identify loci that may have played an important evolutionary role in facilitating the transition from an anadromous to an entirely freshwater life history. Outlier loci included single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes related to functions including immunity, growth, and osmoregulation. We also used these same populations to characterize loci associated with distinct hatchery rearing environments. This additional comparison identified outlier SNPs annotated to genes related to wound healing, consistent with findings from other genetic studies of domestication selection in fishes. Together, our results highlight putative responses to both natural selection imposed by major environmental changes and artificial selection levied by differing hatchery environments.
Quantum computational complexity from quantum information to black holes and back
Authors: Chapman Shira , Policastro Giuseppe
Published: February 2022

Quantum computational complexity estimates the difficulty of constructing quantum states from elementary operations, a problem of prime importance for quantum computation. Surprisingly, this quantity can also serve to study a completely different physical problem – that of information processing inside black holes. Quantum computational complexity was suggested as a new entry in the holographic dictionary, which extends the connection between geometry and information and resolves the puzzle of why black hole interiors keep growing for a very long time. In this pedagogical review, we present the geometric approach to complexity advocated by Nielsen and show how it can be used to define complexity for generic quantum systems; in particular, we focus on Gaussian states in QFT, both pure and mixed, and on certain classes of CFT states. We then present the conjectured relation to gravitational quantities within the holographic correspondence and discuss several examples in which different versions of the conjectures have been tested. We highlight the relation between complexity, chaos and scrambling in chaotic systems. We conclude with a discussion of open problems and future directions. This article was written for the special issue of EPJ-C Frontiers in Holographic Duality.
Enhancing robustness of noisy qutrit teleportation with Markovian memory
Authors: Xu RuiQing , Zhou Ri-Gui , Li YaoChong , Jiang SheXiang , Ian Hou
Published: February 2022

Quantum teleportation is the fundamental communication unit in quantum communication. Here, a three-level system is selected for storing and transmitting quantum information, due to its unique advantages, such as lower cost than a higher-level system and higher capacity and security than a two-level system. It is known that the key procedure for perfect teleportation is the distribution of entanglement through quantum channel. However, amounts of noise existing in the quantum channel may interfere the entangled state, causing the degradation of quantum entanglement. In the physical implementations of quantum communication schemes, noise acting on the carriers of successive transmissions often exhibits some correlations, which is the so called quantum memory channel. In this paper, a memory channel model during the entanglement distribution phase is constructed and the uniform expression of the evolution of a two-qutrit entangled state under different kinds of correlated noise is derived. Finally, Pauli noise and amplitude damping noise as the typical noise source are considered to analyze the influence of memory effects of noise on qutrit teleportation. It is expected to show that three-level teleportation under these two types of channels can generally enhance the robustness to noise if the Markovian correlations of quantum channel are taken into consideration.
Quantized Coconut Detection Models with Edge Devices
Authors: Joshi Vedant Sandeep , Thomas Jeena , Raj Ebin Deni
Published: February 2022

Coconut is a multipurpose fruit with high economic value and since it is unique to the landscape of Kerala, it plays an important role in the economy of the state. Skilled labour is one of the key components in coconut farming and lack of its availability can hurt its business. Even if this requirement is met, currently practiced traditional methods for plucking the fruit requires the labour to climb the tree which involves a huge risk factor given the height of the tree they have to scale. There are tools that assist in the climb but they can only reduce the risk factor by a small margin. Robotic harvesting is one of the key solutions to the aforementioned problem as it has the ability to perform accurate coconut plucking since it relies on cutting edge object detection modules, it can provide deep insights into the quality of coconuts to be yielded and also excel at working in remote conditions. The primary aim of this paper is to cover the development of a fast as well as accurate perception module for detection of coconuts, which will serve as a strong foundation for any robotic implementation. In this study we try to explore and compare multiple deep learning based object detection frameworks such as Single Shot Detector and YOLO for efficient and accurate deployment on various edge devices like Raspberry Pi and Nvidia jetson nano by using state of the art methods such as quantization aware training, inference accelerators, multiple augmentation strategies (cutmix, mosaic) for best results. We have also curated a novel, manually annotated dataset of drone based coconut videos (effective/usable content of 30 minutes) in order to capture the naturally setting of coconuts i.e. the true distribution of image data containing background noises, occlusion, shadow as well as natural lighting conditions. The peak performance achieved in our study was a frame rate of 12.7 with a mean average precision of 0.4 by using a tiny YOLOv4 on an Nvidia Jetson Nano.
Dynamic and Energetic Characteristics Comparison of a Tri-Stable Vibration Absorber and Energy Harvester Using Different Permanent Magnet Arrays
Authors: Wang Xi , Xu Zhenyuan , Wang Dida , Wang Tao , Fu Guoqiang , Lu Caijiang
Published: February 2022

In this paper, it has been demonstrated that the tri-stable energy harvesters are more efficient than the bi-stable and mono-stable harvesters in energy harvesting. The oscillators of energy harvesters can be designed as a vibration absorber to attenuate the vibration of the primary system. This paper presents a combined vibration absorber and energy harvester (VAEH) system for simultaneous vibration control and energy harvesting, and the dynamic performances of the VAEH with two magnet arrays of the same geometric parameters, but opposite polarity external magnets, are studied. The mathematical model of the tri-stable VAEH is established, by which the dynamic and energetic characteristics of the VAEH system are obtained. It is found that the potential barrier and potential well depth of the repulsive magnet array are greater than the attractive one, reducing the voltage harvesting efficiency under harmonic and impulsive excitation. Both the amplitude and frequency of excitation are crucial to the dynamic response of the VAEH system. The attractive VAEH performs better than the repulsive VAEH in vibration suppression, especially for high impulse input. From the frequency response of the system, the vibration of the primary system is shown to be magnified at certain frequencies. The magnified primary system vibration and the harvested voltage can be attenuated by increasing the VAEH damping, which is a critical parameter to balance the weight of vibration suppression and energy harvesting. The attractive VAEH designed in this paper performs better than the repulsive one in vibration suppression and energy harvesting.
GCN-Denoiser: Mesh Denoising with Graph Convolutional Networks
Authors: Shen Yuefan , Fu Hongbo , Du Zhongshuo , Chen Xiang , Burnaev Evgeny , Zorin Denis , Zhou Kun , Zheng Youyi
Published: February 2022

In this article, we present GCN-Denoiser, a novel feature-preserving mesh denoising method based on
graph convolutional networks
(
GCNs
). Unlike previous learning-based mesh denoising methods that exploit handcrafted or voxel-based representations for feature learning, our method explores the structure of a triangular mesh itself and introduces a graph representation followed by graph convolution operations in the dual space of triangles. We show such a graph representation naturally captures the geometry features while being lightweight for both training and inference. To facilitate effective feature learning, our network exploits both static and dynamic edge convolutions, which allow us to learn information from both the explicit mesh structure and potential implicit relations among unconnected neighbors. To better approximate an unknown noise function, we introduce a cascaded optimization paradigm to progressively regress the noise-free facet normals with multiple GCNs. GCN-Denoiser achieves the new state-of-the-art results in multiple noise datasets, including CAD models often containing sharp features and raw scan models with real noise captured from different devices. We also create a new dataset called PrintData containing 20 real scans with their corresponding ground-truth meshes for the research community. Our code and data are available at https://github.com/Jhonve/GCN-Denoiser.
Energy Efficient Computing Systems: Architectures, Abstractions and Modeling to Techniques and Standards
Authors: Muralidhar Rajeev , Borovica-Gajic Renata , Buyya Rajkumar
Published: February 2022

Computing systems have undergone a tremendous change in the last few decades with several inflexion points. While Moore’s law guided the semiconductor industry to cram more and more transistors and logic into the same volume, the limits of instruction-level parallelism (ILP) and the end of Dennard’s scaling drove the industry towards multi-core chips. More recently, we have entered the era of domain-specific architectures (DSA) and chips for new workloads like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These trends continue, arguably with other limits, along with challenges imposed by tighter integration, extreme form factors and increasingly diverse workloads, making systems more complex to architect, design, implement and optimize from an energy efficiency perspective. Energy efficiency has now become a first order design parameter and constraint across the entire spectrum of computing devices.

Many research surveys have gone into different aspects of energy efficiency techniques implemented in hardware and microarchitecture across devices, servers, HPC/cloud, data center systems along with improved software, algorithms, frameworks, and modeling energy/thermals. Somewhat in parallel, the semiconductor industry has developed techniques and standards around specification, modeling/simulation, benchmarking and verification of complex chips; these areas have not been addressed in detail by previous research surveys. This survey aims to bring these domains holistically together, present the latest in each of these areas, highlight potential gaps and challenges, and discuss opportunities for the next generation of energy efficient systems. The survey is composed of a systematic categorization of key aspects of building energy efficient systems - (1)
specification
- the ability to precisely specify the power intent, attributes or properties at different layers (2)
modeling
and
simulation
of the entire system or subsystem (hardware or software or both) so as to be able to experiment with possible options and perform what-if analysis, (3)
techniques
used for implementing energy efficiency at different levels of the stack, (4)
verification
techniques used to provide guarantees that the functionality of complex designs are preserved, and (5)
energy efficiency benchmarks, standards and consortiums
that aim to standardize different aspects of energy efficiency, including cross-layer optimizations.
Roles of Mineralocorticoid Receptors in Cardiovascular and Cardiorenal Diseases
Authors: Barrera-Chimal Jonatan , Bonnard Benjamin , Jaisser Frederic
Published: February 2022

Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation in the heart and vessels leads to pathological effects, such as excessive extracellular matrix accumulation, oxidative stress, and sustained inflammation. In these organs, the MR is expressed in cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and inflammatory cells. We review the accumulating experimental and clinical evidence that pharmacological MR antagonism has a positive impact on a battery of cardiac and vascular pathological states, including heart failure, myocardial infarction, arrhythmic diseases, atherosclerosis, vascular stiffness, and cardiac and vascular injury linked to metabolic comorbidities and chronic kidney disease. Moreover, we present perspectives on optimization of the use of MR antagonists in patients more likely to respond to such therapy and review the evidence suggesting that novel nonsteroidal MR antagonists offer an improved safety profile while retaining their cardiovascular protective effects. Finally, we highlight future therapeutic applications of MR antagonists in cardiovascular injury.
Highly Sensitive and Selective Sensing Probe for Determination of Anti-Covid-19 Remdesvir: Application to Pharmaceutical Dosage Form and Biological Fluids
Authors: Rizk M. , Sultan Maha A. , Tawfik Basma M. , El-Eryan Rasha Th.
Published: February 2022

We reported the first investigational electrochemical study for Remdesvir (REM). REM is a promising antiviral agent used recently for the treatment of the most dangerous pandemic disease nowadays (COVID-19). Anionic surfactant, silica nanoparticles, and multiwall carbon nanotubes modified carbon paste (SDS/SiO2/MWCNT/CPE) sensor was designed to introduce our approach. The results revealed irreversible diffusion oxidative reaction of REM with two well-defined peaks (E1/V = 1.19, E2/V = 1.35) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer of pH 6 using differential pulse (DP) voltammetry. A linear relationship between the peak current and the drug concentration was established over the concentration range of 1.66 × 10−7− 3.52 × 10−6 M (100 – 200 ng ml−1) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.80 × 10−8 M and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 8.0 × 10−8 M and mean % recovery ± % RSD of 99.05 ± 1.94. The proposed method succeeded in the determination of the drug in its pharmaceutical dosage form, in human plasma with and human urine samples. Finally, the method was validated according to ICH guidelines and FDA guidance for the determination of the drug in biological fluids. The developed data was found to be in good agreement with a validated reported method.
Review—Conjugated Polymer Photovoltaic Materials: Performance and Applications of Organic Semiconductors in Photovoltaics
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Varun , Balaji Dhakshain , Dangate Milind Shrinivas
Published: February 2022

Silicon based inorganic semiconductors were preferred to make solar cells for a long time until scalability and actual commercialization of inorganic photovoltaics at reasonable costs became a problem. The coming of organic semiconductor based technologies proved beneficial as the fabrication of unique optoelectronic devices were achieved at relatively lower costs and new device functionalities like improved optical transparency, enhanced mechanical flexibilities became a possibility. The usage of organic polymers as electron donors and acceptors multiplied the benefits of synthesizing organic photovoltaics by several folds, although only a power conversion efficiency of over 18% has been achieved so far. Putting together various inferences made through the years, this review aims at establishing a comprehensive understanding of organic photovoltaics and the science of bulk heterojunction solar cells. The need for low-bandgap photoactive materials and the different ways to synthesize them has been elaborated and a detailed review of the various donor and acceptor semiconducting polymers has been done. Towards the end, this paper provides a comprehension of the specific strategies that might improve the industrial scalability of organic photovoltaics, following which the challenges and the future of organic photovoltaics-based research have also been highlighted.
Effect of an exercise bout before the booster dose of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine on immunogenicity in immunocompromised patients
Authors: Gualano Bruno , Saad Carla G. S. , Sieczkowska Sofia M. , Lemes Ítalo Ribeiro , da Silva Rafael Pires , Pinto Ana J. , Mazzolani Bruna C. , Smaira Fabiana I. , Gil Saulo , Oliveira-Junior Gersiel , Aikawa Nadia E. , Medeiros-Ribeiro Ana C. , Silva Clovis A. , Yuki Emily F. N. , Pasoto Sandra G. , Pereira Rosa Maria R. , Shinjo Samuel K. , Andrade Danieli C. O. , Sampaio-Barros Percival D. , Roschel Hamilton , Bonfa Eloisa
Published: February 2022

We tested the role of exercise as an adjuvant to a booster of a COVID-19 vaccine. Immunocompromised patients were immunized after an acute bout of exercise or not. Patients exhibited an excellent immunogenicity in response to the booster dose. Exercise did not add to the vaccine effects on IgG or neutralizing antibodies.
The submariners’ sleep study: a field investigation of sleep and circadian hormones during a 67-day submarine mission with a strict 6-h-on/6-h-off watch routine
Authors: Van Puyvelde Martine , Rietjens Gerard , Helmhout Pieter , Mairesse Olivier , Van Cutsem Jeroen , Pattyn Nathalie
Published: February 2022

The current study has a unique character due to the field context in which the data were collected. Data on long-term submarine missions are scarce and valuable in terms of operational and ecological validity. Moreover, the results are important both from a scientific and operational point of view, showing that human physiology does not fully obey operational needs and that there are differences in adjustment dependent from the type of circadian hormone.
Acute exercise rapidly activates hepatic mitophagic flux
Authors: McCoin Colin S. , Franczak Edziu , Deng Fengyan , Pei Dong , Ding Wen-Xing , Thyfault John P.
Published: February 2022

This study provides evidence that acute exercise activates hepatic mitophagic flux and mitochondrial polyubiquitination while additionally revealing specific receptor-mediated proteins by which exercise maintains mitochondrial quality control in the liver.
The Endoscopic Management of Different Pediatric Frontal Sinus Pathologies
Authors: Almomen Ali , Alshuhayb Zainab , Alsheef Hussain , Alhammad Salma , Alawami Balsam , Aldhurais Amirah , Almulla Hussain , Almoumen Zahra , Alkishi Sarah
Published: February 2022

Background.The paranasal sinuses in pediatrics can harbor a wide variety of pathologies. With the present literature being composed of case studies only, this entity is quite understudied. Objectives. This article aims to study the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and endoscopic management of six different rare frontal sinus pathologies in pediatrics, which include extensive allergic fungal sinusitis, mucoceles, osteoma, superior sagittal sinus thrombosis, CSF leak, and subdural empyema. Methods. We retrospectively studied all pediatric patients with frontal sinus pathologies presenting to our center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, from the period of 2006 to 2020. Results. A total of 8 patients presented to our hospital with different frontal sinus pathologies. 5 of them were males, and 3 were females with an age of presentation ranging from 7 to 17 years. The diagnosis and localization were performed through computerized tomography without contrast and magnetic resonance imaging, when indicated. All cases were primarily managed with endonasal endoscopic approaches successfully without complications and with no recurrence evident upon follow-up. Conclusion. In this case series, six different frontal sinus pathologies were managed by an endoscopic approach, with excellent recovery and no recurrence upon follow-up demonstrated. This approach enabled excellent visualization of the pathologies, accurate localization, adequate drainage, and repair or grafting when needed.
Comparison of the Hardness of Novel Experimental Vinyl Poly Siloxane (VPS) Impression Materials with Commercially Available Ones
Authors: Ud Din Shahab , Chaudhary Farooq Ahmad , Ahmed Bilal , Alam Mohammad Khursheed , Parker Sandra , Patel Mangala , Javed Muhammad Qasim
Published: February 2022

Purpose. To determine the hardness and Young’s moduli of both commercial and experimental vinyl poly siloxane (VPS). Methods. The purpose of this study was to develop a medium‐bodied experimental (Exp‐I, II, III, IV, and V) VPS impression materials and to analyse their effects on hardness and Young’s modulus and compare them with three commercial VPS materials (Aquasil, Elite, and Extrude) using Shore A hardness tester. Measurements were recorded after 1, 24, 72, and 168 hours of mixing. The results were analysed with one‐way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey’s test using the SPSS PASW statistical 22 software. Results. Commercial and experimental vinyl polysiloxane exhibited higher Shore A hardness values with time (i.e., 1 hour after mixing, 24 hours after mixing, 72 hours after mixing, and 1 week after mixing). All Comml and Exp VPS demonstrated a significant increase (ANOVA, p < 0.05) in hardness at increasing time points. Generally, all commercial VPS exhibited significantly higher values for Shore A hardness compared to all Exp formulations. For commercial products, Elt M presented significantly highest values at all‐time points followed by Aq M then Extr M. Exp‐I was significantly harder than all other Exp VPS at all‐time points. Young’s modulus values were directly related to Shore A hardness; materials with higher Shore A hardness values had higher Young’s moduli. Conclusion. Continued polymerisation of elastomeric impression materials results in increased hardness over time. Hardness, Young’s moduli, and rigidity of the set commercial and experimental VPS materials were within the required limits. Shore A hardness and Young’s moduli were directly proportional to each other, and commercial and experimental materials had enough rigidity to contain the stone during pouring.
[Retracted] Controlled Decompression Alleviates Brain Injury via Attenuating Oxidative Damage and Neuroinflammation in Acute Intracranial Hypertension
Authors: Zhang Chonghui , Qian Xiao , Zheng Jie , Ai Pu , Cao Xinyi , Pan Xiaofei , Chen Tao , Wang Yuhai
Published: February 2022

Background. The benefits of controlled decompression (CDC) for patients with acute intracranial hypertension especially in terms of alleviating the complications caused by rapid decompression (RDC) have been confirmed by clinical studies. This study is aimed at evaluating the therapeutic potency of CDC with ubiquitin C‐terminal hydrolase‐L1 (UCH‐L1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) by investigating the potential molecular mechanism in the acute intracranial hypertension (AICH) rabbit model. Methods. Male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly subdivided into the sham‐operated (SH) group, CDC group, and RDC group. Blood plasma samples and brain tissue were collected 2 days before operation (baseline) and at 3, 6, 24, and 72 hours after operation to measure the levels of UCH‐L1, GFAP, oxidative stress indicators, and inflammatory cytokines by performing ELISA or Western blot. The neurological score of the rabbits and brain water content was graded 24 h after surgery. qPCR, immunofluorescence, and FJ‐C staining were conducted. Results. CDC improved neurological function, lowered brain water content, ameliorated neuronal degeneration, attenuated oxidative damage, and inflammatory responses to a greater extent than RDC. Plasma UCH‐L1 level was significantly lower in the CDC group at 3 h postoperatively than in the RDC group. CDC reduced plasma GFAP levels to various degrees at 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h postoperatively compared with RDC. Immunofluorescence confirmed that the expression of UCH‐L1 and GFAP in the cortex of the CDC group was lower than that of the RDC group. Conclusions. Our data collectively demonstrate that CDC could attenuate oxidative damage and inflammatory responses, downregulate UCH‐L1 and GFAP levels, and contribute to an improved neuroprotective effect compared with RDC.
Photosynthesis and Fine Root Growth Dynamics of Soybean in Walnut-Soybean Agroforestry System
Authors: Liu Bin , Gao Pengxiang , Zhang Shuoxin
Published: February 2022

Agroforestry system is regarded as a promising practice in sustainable agricultural management. However, the effects of long-term tree-based intercropping on crop remain poorly understood, especially in the Loess Plateau (China). In this study, the impacts of photosynthetic and respiration rate were determined by the portable photosynthesis system (Li-6400), and the effects of the root growth dynamics of soybean in the walnut-soybean intercropping system were measured by soil auger and WinRHIZO root analysis system, in the Loess Plateau. The results showed that soybean reached the highest net photosynthetic rate during flowering period, with the net photosynthetic rate of intercropped soybean, which was 20.40 μmol·m−2·s−1, significantly higher than that of its monocropped counterpart. Soybean biomass reached the maximum during the pod-bearing period, with intercropped soybean biomass being 25.49 g, significantly higher than that of its monocropped counterpart. The mean diameter and increased density of soybean fine roots reduced along with increased soil depth. Both the diameter (0.43 mm) and increased density (930 cm/dm3) of intercropped soybean fine roots were evidently higher than those of monocropped soybean (0.35 mm, 780 cm/dm3). With increasing cropping years, fine roots of intercropped soybean tended to be mainly distributed in soil at a depth between 0 and 20 cm from the fifth year. Collectively, compared with soybean monoculture, walnut-soybean agroforestry system is more conducive to soybean growth in the Loess Plateau.
Dynamical Behavior of Hybrid Propagation of Computer Viruses
Authors: Zhu Qingyi , Xiang Pingfan , Luo Xuhang , Gan Chenquan
Published: February 2022

Considering the horizontal and vertical propagation of computer viruses over the Internet, this article proposes a hybrid susceptible-latent-breaking-recovered-susceptible (SLBRS) model. Through mathematical analysis of the model, two equilibria (virus-free and virose equilibria) and their global stabilities are both proved depending on the basic reproduction number

R

0

, which is affected by the vertical propagation of infected computers. Moreover, the feasibility of the obtained results is verified by numerical simulations. Finally, the dependence of

R

0

on system parameters and the parameters affecting the stability level of infected computers are both analyzed.