bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of key somatic oncogenic mutation based on a confounder-free causal inference model
Authors: Liu Yijun , Sun Ji , Sun Huiyan , Chang Yi
Published: September 2022

Abnormal cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are the essential events that induce cancer initiation and progression. A fundamental goal in cancer research is to develop an efficient method to detect mutational genes capable of driving cancer. Although several computational methods have been proposed to identify these key mutations, many of them focus on the association between genetic mutations and functional changes in relevant biological processes, but not their real causality. Causal effect inference provides a way to estimate the real induce effect of a certain mutation on vital biological processes of cancer initiation and progression, through addressing the confounder bias due to neutral mutations and unobserved latent variables. In this study, integrating genomic and transcriptomic data, we construct a novel causal inference model based on a deep variational autoencoder to identify key oncogenic somatic mutations. Applied to 10 cancer types, our method quantifies the causal effect of genetic mutations on cell proliferation and EMT by reducing both observed and unobserved confounding biases. The experimental results indicate that genes with higher mutation frequency do not necessarily mean they are more potent in inducing cancer and promoting cancer development. Moreover, our study fills a gap in the use of machine learning for causal inference to identify oncogenic mutations.
The impact of Mendelian sleep and circadian genetic variants in a population setting
Authors: Weedon Michael N. , Jones Samuel E. , Lane Jacqueline M. , Lee Jiwon , Ollila Hanna M. , Dawes Amy , Tyrrell Jess , Beaumont Robin N. , Partonen Timo , Merikanto Ilona , Rich Stephen S. , Rotter Jerome I. , Frayling Timothy M. , Rutter Martin K. , Redline Susan , Sofer Tamar , Saxena Richa , Wood Andrew R.
Published: September 2022

Rare variants in ten genes have been reported to cause Mendelian sleep conditions characterised by extreme sleep duration or timing. These include familial natural short sleep (ADRB1, DEC2/BHLHE41, GRM1 and NPSR1), advanced sleep phase (PER2, PER3, CRY2, CSNK1D and TIMELESS) and delayed sleep phase (CRY1). The association of variants in these genes with extreme sleep conditions were usually based on clinically ascertained families, and their effects when identified in the population are unknown. We aimed to determine the effects of these variants on sleep traits in large population-based cohorts. We performed genetic association analysis of variants previously reported to be causal for Mendelian sleep and circadian conditions. Analyses were performed using 191,929 individuals with data on sleep and whole-exome or genome-sequence data from 4 population-based studies: UK Biobank, FINRISK, Health-2000-2001, and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). We identified sleep disorders from self-report, hospital and primary care data. We estimated sleep duration and timing measures from self-report and accelerometery data. We identified carriers for 10 out of 12 previously reported pathogenic variants for 8 of the 10 genes. They ranged in frequency from 1 individual with the variant in CSNK1D to 1,574 individuals with a reported variant in the PER3 gene in the UK Biobank. No carriers for variants reported in NPSR1 or PER2 were identified. We found no association between variants analyzed and extreme sleep or circadian phenotypes. Using sleep timing as a proxy measure for sleep phase, only PER3 and CRY1 variants demonstrated association with earlier and later sleep timing, respectively; however, the magnitude of effect was smaller than previously reported (sleep midpoint ~7 mins earlier and ~5 mins later, respectively). We also performed burden tests of protein truncating (PTVs) or rare missense variants for the 10 genes. Only PTVs in PER2 and PER3 were associated with a relevant trait (for example, 64 individuals with a PTV in PER2 had an odds ratio of 4.4 for being “definitely a morning person”, P = 4x10-8; and had a 57-minute earlier midpoint sleep, P = 5x10-7). Our results indicate that previously reported variants for Mendelian sleep and circadian conditions are often not highly penetrant when ascertained incidentally from the general population.
Sir2 and Reb1 antagonistically regulate nucleosome occupancy in subtelomeric X-elements and repress TERRAs by distinct mechanisms
Authors: Bauer Stefanie L. , Grochalski Thomas N. T. , Smialowska Agata , Åström Stefan U.
Published: September 2022

Telomere chromatin structure is pivotal for maintaining genome stability by regulating the binding of telomere-associated proteins and inhibiting the DNA damage response. InSaccharomyces cerevisiae, silent information regulator (Sir) proteins bind to terminal repeats and to subtelomeric X-elements, resulting in transcriptional silencing. Herein, we show thatsir2mutant strains display a specific loss of a nucleosome residing in the X-elements and that this deficiency is remarkably consistent between different telomeres. The X-elements contain several binding sites for the transcription factor Reb1 and we found that Sir2 and Reb1 compete for stabilizing/destabilizing this nucleosome, i.e. inactivation of Reb1 in asir2background reinstated the lost nucleosome. The telomeric-repeat-containing RNAs (TERRAs) originate from subtelomeric regions and extend into the terminal repeats. Both Sir2 and Reb1 repress TERRAs and in asir2 reb1double mutant, TERRA levels increased synergistically, showing that Sir2 and Reb1 act in different pathways for repressing TERRAs. We present evidence that Reb1 restricts TERRAs by terminating transcription. Mapping the 5′-ends of TERRAs from several telomeres revealed that the Sir2-stabilized nucleosome is the first nucleosome downstream from the transcriptional start site for TERRAs. Finally, moving an X-element to a euchromatic locus changed nucleosome occupancy and positioning, demonstrating that X-element nucleosome structure is dependent on the local telomere environment.
miR-1285-3p targets TPI1 to regulate the glycolysis metabolism signaling pathway of Tibetan sheep Sertoli cells
Authors: An Xuejiao , Li Taotao , Chen Nana , Wang Huihui , Su Manchun , Shi Huibin , Duan Xinming , Ma Youji
Published: September 2022

Glycolysis in Sertoli cells (SCs) can provide energy substrates for the development of spermatogenic cells. Triose phosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1) is one of the key catalytic enzymes involved in glycolysis. However, the biological function of TPI1 in SCs and its role in glycolytic metabolic pathways are poorly understood. On the basis of a previous research, we isolated primary SCs from Tibetan sheep, and overexpressedTPI1gene to determine its effect on the proliferation, glycolysis, and apoptosis of SCs. Secondly, we investigated the relationship betweenTPI1and miR-1285-3p, and whether miR-1285-3p regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of SCs, and participates in glycolysis by targetingTPI1. Results showed that overexpression ofTPI1increased the proliferation rate and decreased apoptosis of SCs. In addition, overexpression ofTPI1altered glycolysis and metabolism signaling pathways and significantly increased amount of the final product lactic acid. Further analysis showed that miR-1285-3p inhibitedTPI1by directly targeting its 3’untranslated region. Overexpression of miR-1285-3p suppressed the proliferation of SCs, and this effect was partially reversed by restoration ofTPI1expression. In summary, this study shows that the miR-1285-3p/TPI1 axis regulates glycolysis in SCs. These findings add to our understanding on the regulation of spermatogenesis in sheep and other mammals.
Experimental evaluation of DPF performance loaded over Pt and sulfur-resisting material for marine diesel engines
Authors: Li Xiaobo , Li Ke , Yang Haoran , Wang Zhigang , Liu Yaqiong , Shen Teng , Tu Shien , Lou Diming
Published: September 2022

Different from vehicle engines, Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) inactivation is an unavoidable issue for low-speed marine diesel engines fueled with Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). This paper introduced a sulfur resisting material in Silicon Carbide (SiC)-DPF to improve DPF performance. The results of bench-scale experiments showed that the Balance Point Temperature of the modified DPF module was 300°C and DPF modules had a good filtration performance, with Particulate Matters (PMs) residual being less than 0.6 g per cycle. In pilot-scale tests, PMs emissions of unit power decreased with engine load going up, filtration efficiency of nucleation mode PMs being only 36% under 100% load, while DPF still had a good performance in accumulation mode PMs control, being 94.2% under the same load. DPF modules showed excellent regeneration durability in the 205h endurance test, with a regeneration period of 1.5-2h under 380°C. There was no obvious degeneration in the DPF module structure, with no cracks or breakage. Besides, the DPF module could also control gaseous emissions, total emissions decreased by 10.53% for NO and 57.19% for CO, respectively. The results suggested that introducing sulfur-resisting material in DPF could greatly improve the DPF performance of low-speed marine diesel engines fueled with HFO.
Risk factors for myopic choroidal neovascularization-related macular atrophy after anti-VEGF treatment
Authors: Bae Ki Woong , Kim Dong Ik , Kim Bo Hee , Oh Baek-Lok , Lee Eun Kyoung , Yoon Chang Ki , Park Un Chul
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The study aimed to evaluate risk factors for macular atrophy (MA) associated with myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) during long-term follow-up after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment in highly myopic eyes.

Methods

The medical records of patients who received intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents as mCNV treatment and were followed-up for more than 36 months were retrospectively reviewed. The risk factors for the development of mCNV-MA, which is the fovea-involving patchy atrophy lesion adjacent to mCNV, were investigated using the Cox proportional hazard model.

Results

A total of 82 eyes (74 patients) were included in the study. The mean age at anti-VEGF treatment was 56.3 ± 12.5 years (range, 26–77), and the mean follow-up period was 76.3 ± 33.5 months (range, 36–154). During follow-up, mCNV-MA developed in 27 eyes (32.9%), and its occurrence was estimated to be 24.5% at 3 years and 37.3% at 5 years after the first anti-VEGF treatment. Old age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.054, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.018–1.091; P = 0.003) and greater CNV size at baseline (HR = 2.396, CI: 1.043–5.504; P = 0.040) were significant factors for mCNV-MA development. Eyes with a thinner subfoveal choroid were more likely to show faster enlargement of the mCNV-MA during follow-up.

Conclusions

In mCNV eyes treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents, older age and greater mCNV size at baseline were risk factors for the development of MA during long-term follow-up, which was associated with a poor visual prognosis.
Comparison of radiographic methods for detecting radiolucent uroliths in dogs
Authors: Faria Luciano Alves , Meirelles Adriana Érica Wilkes Burton , Froes Tilde Rodrigues , Cintra Thassila Caccia Feragi , Pereira Daniel Peixoto , Rodrigues Marcela Aldrovani , Gouvêa Fernanda Nastri , Pennacchi Caio Santos , Assaf Najla Doutel , Crivellenti Leandro Zuccolotto
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare positive cystography techniques at 5%, 10%, and 20%, as well as three different double-contrast protocols for detecting radiolucent uroliths with a diameter of less than 3.0 mm in dogs. Six cadavers were used, one was selected at random to represent the negative control, and the others were submitted to urolith implantation in the bladder by urethral catheter. Three radiology professionals blindly accessed ventrodorsal and -lateral projections of each test. Contrast at 20% showed greater diagnostic sensitivity, but with greater difficulty identifying the number and size of the uroliths. Consequently, double-contrast techniques are better and should be used for diagnostic and therapeutic planning. Sensitivity and specificity tests demonstrated that positive 5% cystography and different concentrations of double contrast obtained better results in terms of sensitivity and specificity. However, due to the presence of a greater amount of artifacts in the 5% cystography, it is suggested that double contrast is used for this purpose, especially with the removal of contrast excess (protocol 2).
Enhancing grant-writing expertise in BUILD institutions: Building infrastructure leading to diversity
Authors: Hiatt Robert A. , Carrasco Yazmin P. , Paciorek Alan L. , Kaplan Lauren , Cox Marc B. , Crespo Carlos J. , Feig Andrew , Hueffer Karsten , McFerrin Harris , Norris Keith , Roberts-Kirchhoff Elizabeth , Saetermoe Carrie L. , Silver Gillian Beth , Snyder Katherine , Zavala Arturo R. , Parangan-Smith Audrey G. ,   on behalf of the Diversity Program Consortium
Published: September 2022

Background

The lack of race/ethnic and gender diversity in grants funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a persistent challenge related to career advancement and the quality and relevance of health research. We describe pilot programs at nine institutions supported by the NIH-sponsored Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program aimed at increasing diversity in biomedical research.

Methods

We collected data from the 2016–2017 Higher Education Research Institute survey of faculty and NIH progress reports for the first four years of the program (2015–2018). We then conducted descriptive analyses of data from the nine BUILD institutions that had collected data and evaluated which activities were associated with research productivity. We used Poisson regression and rate ratios of the numbers of BUILD pilots funded, students included, abstracts, presentations, publications, and submitted and funded grant proposals.

Results

Teaching workshops were associated with more abstracts (RR 4.04, 95% CI 2.21–8.09). Workshops on grant writing were associated with more publications (RR 2.64, 95% CI 1.64–4.34) and marginally with marginally more presentations. Incentives to develop courses were associated with more abstracts published (RR 4.33, 95% CI 2.56–7.75). Workshops on research skills and other incentives were not associated with any positive effects.

Conclusions

Pilot interventions show promise in supporting diversity in NIH-level research. Longitudinal modeling that considers time lags in career development in moving from project development to grants submissions can provide more direction for future diversity pilot interventions.
Incidence rate of psychiatric disorders in 2020: The pivotal role played by SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Teixeira Antonio L. , Hansen Regina M. , Wozny Joseph S. , Schaefer Caroline M. , Machado-Vieira Rodrigo , Shahani Lokesh , Lane Scott D. , Soares Jair C. , Krause Trudy M.
Published: September 2022

Importance

The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted mental health outcomes. While the frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms has increased in the whole population, the relationship between COVID-19 and new psychiatric diagnoses remains unclear.

Objective

To compare the population incidence rate of emergence of de novo psychiatric disorders in 2020 compared to the previous years, and to compare the incidence rate of new psychiatric disorder diagnoses between people with vs without COVID-19.

Design, setting, and participants

This study utilized administrative claims data from the Clinformatics® Data Mart database, licensed from Optum®. The study is a cross-sectional analysis that compared the incidence rate of new psychiatric disorders in 2020 vs. 2018 and 2019 in the entire insured population database. Subsequently, the incidence of new psychiatric disorders in people with vs. without COVID-19 during 2020 was analyzed.

Exposure

The exposures included diagnosis and severity of COVID-19 infection.

Main outcomes measures

The dependent variables of interest were the incidence rates of new psychiatric disorders, specifically schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Results

The population studied included 10,463,672 US adults (mean age 52.83, 52% female) who were unique people for the year of 2020. Incidence of newly diagnosed psychiatric disorders per 1,000 individuals in the 2020 whole population were 28.81 (CI: 28.71, 28.92) for anxiety disorders, 1.04 (CI: 1.02, 1.06) for schizophrenia disorders, 0.42 (CI: 0.41, 0.43) for OCD and 28.85 (CI: 28.75, 28.95) for mood disorders. These rates were not significantly higher than 2018 or 2019. When comparing incidence rates between COVID-19 vs. non-COVID-19 populations in 2020, the rates were significantly higher in the COVID-19 population: 46.89 (CI: 46.24, 47.53) for anxiety, 49.31 (CI: 48.66, 49.97) for mood disorders, 0.57 (CI: 0.50, 0.65) for OCD, and 3.52 (CI: 3.34, 3.70) for schizophrenia. COVID-19 severity was significantly associated with new diagnoses of schizophrenia, anxiety and mood disorders in multivariate analyses.

Conclusions

Compared to 2018 and 2019, in 2020 there was no increased incidence of new psychiatric disorders in the general population based on insurance claims data. Importantly, people with COVID-19 were more likely to be diagnosed with a new psychiatric disorder, most notably disorders with psychosis, indicating a potential association between COVID-19 and mental/brain health.
The effects of aging and musicianship on the use of auditory streaming cues
Authors: Sauvé Sarah A. , Marozeau Jeremy , Rich Zendel Benjamin
Published: September 2022

Auditory stream segregation, or separating sounds into their respective sources and tracking them over time, is a fundamental auditory ability. Previous research has separately explored the impacts of aging and musicianship on the ability to separate and follow auditory streams. The current study evaluated the simultaneous effects of age and musicianship on auditory streaming induced by three physical features: intensity, spectral envelope and temporal envelope. In the first study, older and younger musicians and non-musicians with normal hearing identified deviants in a four-note melody interleaved with distractors that were more or less similar to the melody in terms of intensity, spectral envelope and temporal envelope. In the second study, older and younger musicians and non-musicians participated in a dissimilarity rating paradigm with pairs of melodies that differed along the same three features. Results suggested that auditory streaming skills are maintained in older adults but that older adults rely on intensity more than younger adults while musicianship is associated with increased sensitivity to spectral and temporal envelope, acoustic features that are typically less effective for stream segregation, particularly in older adults.
Analysis of the extent of limbic system changes in multiple sclerosis using FreeSurfer and voxel-based morphometry approaches
Authors: Abuaf Amanda Frisosky , Bunting Samuel R. , Klein Sara , Carroll Timothy , Carpenter-Thompson Jake , Javed Adil , Cipriani Veronica
Published: September 2022

Background and purpose

The limbic brain is involved in diverse cognitive, emotional, and autonomic functions. Injury of the various parts of the limbic system have been correlated with clinical deficits in MS. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine different regions of the subcortical limbic system to assess the extent of damage within this entire system as it may be pertinent in correlating with specific aspects of cognitive and behavioral dysfunction in MS by using a fully automated, unbiased segmentation approach.

Methods

Sixty-seven subjects were included in this study, including 52 with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 15 healthy controls. Only patients with stable MS disease, without any relapses, MRI activity, or disability progression were included. Subcortical limbic system segmentation was performed using the FreeSurfer pipeline ScLimbic, which provides volumes for fornix, mammillary bodies, hypothalamus, septal nuclei, nucleus accumbens, and basal forebrain. Hippocampus and anterior thalamic nuclei were added as additional components of the limbic circuitry, also segmented through FreeSurfer. Whole limbic region mask was generated by combining these structures and used for Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis.

Results

The mean [95% confidence interval] of the total limbic system volume was lower (0.22% [0.21–0.23]) in MS compared to healthy controls (0.27%, [0.25–0.29],p< .001). Pairwise comparisons of individual limbic regions between MS and controls was significant in the nucleus accumbens (0.046%, [0.043–0.050] vs. 0.059%, [0.051–0.066],p= .005), hypothalamus (0.062%, [0.059–0.065] vs. 0.074%, [0.068–0.081],p= .001), basal forebrain (0.038%, [0.036–0.040] vs. 0.047%, [0.042–0.051],p= .001), hippocampus (0.47%, [0.45–0.49] vs. 0.53%, [0.49–0.57],p= .004), and anterior thalamus (0.077%, [0.072–0.082] vs. 0.093%, [0.084–0.10],p= .001) after Bonferroni correction. Volume of several limbic regions was significantly correlated with T2 lesion burden and brain parenchymal fraction (BPF). Multiple regression model showed minimal influence of BPF on limbic brain volume and no influence of other demographic and disease state variables. VBM analysis showed cluster differences in the fornix and anterior thalamic nuclei at thresholdp< 0.05 after adjusting for covariates but the results were insignificant after family-wise error corrections.

Conclusions

The results show evidence that brain volume loss is fairly extensive in the limbic brain. Given the significance of the limbic system in many disease states including MS, such volumetric analyses can be expanded to studying cognitive and emotional disturbances in larger clinical trials. FreeSurfer ScLimbic pipeline provided an efficient and reliable methodology for examining many of the subcortical structures related to the limbic brain.
How do low-income single-mothers get by when unemployment strikes: Patterns of multiple program participation after transition from employment to unemployment
Authors: Wu Chi-Fang , Chang Yu-Ling , Yoon Soohyun , Musaad Salma
Published: September 2022

Little is known about longitudinal patterns of welfare program participation among single mothers after they transition from employment to unemployment. To better understand how utilization patterns of these welfare programs may change during the 12 months after a job loss, we used the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation to examine the patterns of participation in Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and unemployment insurance among 342 single mothers who transitioned from employment to unemployment during the Great Recession. Using sequence analysis and cluster analysis, this paper identified four distinct patterns of program participation: (a) constantly receiving in-kind benefits; (b) primarily but not solely receiving food stamps; (c) inconsistent unemployment insurance or Medicaid-based benefits; and (d) limited or no benefits. Almost two-fifths of our sample of single mothers received inconsistent, limited, or no benefits. Results of the multinomial regression revealed that race, work disability, poverty, homeownership, and region of residence were significant factors that influenced whether study subjects participated in or had access to social safety net programs. Our findings illustrate the heterogeneity in patterns of multiple program participation among single mothers transitioning from employment to unemployment. Better understanding these varied patterns may inform decisions that increase the accessibility of US social safety net programs for single mothers during periods of personal economic hardship.
Geographically weighted regression analysis of anemia and its associated factors among reproductive age women in Ethiopia using 2016 demographic and health survey
Authors: Belay Daniel Gashaneh , Adane Shumet Mebrat , Ferede Oshe Lemita , Lakew Ayenew Molla
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Anemia in reproductive age women is defined as the hemoglobin level <11g/dl for lactating or pregnant mothers and hemoglobin level <12 g/dl for none pregnant or non-lactating women. Anemia is a global public health problem affecting both developing and developed countries. Therefore this study aims to determine geographically weighted regression analysis of anemia and its associated factors among reproductive age women in Ethiopia using the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey.

Method

In this study, a total of 14,570 women of reproductive age were included. Multi-level binary logistic regression models were employed using STATA version 14. Odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and p-values less than 0.05 was used to identify significant factors. Spatial scan statistics were used to identify the presence of anemia clusters using Kulldorf’s SaTScan version 9.6 software. ArcGIS 10.7 software was used to visualize the spatial distribution and geographically weighted regression of anemia among reproductive age women.

Result

Overall 23.8% of reproductive-age women were anemic. The SaTScan spatial analysis identified the primary clusters’ spatial window in Southeastern Oromia and the entire Somali region. The GWR analysis shows that having a formal education, using pills/injectables/implant decreases the risks of anemia. However, women who have more than one child within five years have an increased risk of anemia in Ethiopia. In addition to these, in multilevel analysis women who were married and women who have >5 family members were more likely to have anemia.

Conclusion

In Ethiopia, anemia among reproductive age women was relatively high and had spatial variations across the regions. Policymakers should give attention to mothers who have a low birth interval, married women, and large family size. Women’s education and family planning usage especially pills, implants, or injectable should be strengthened.
Progression-free survival and overall survival after BRCA1/2-associated epithelial ovarian cancer: A matched cohort study
Authors: Heemskerk-Gerritsen Bernadette A. M. , Hollestelle Antoinette , van Asperen Christi J. , van den Beek Irma , van Driel Willemien J. , van Engelen Klaartje , Gómez Garcia Encarna B. , de Hullu Joanne A. , Koudijs Marco J. , Mourits Marian J. E. , Hooning Maartje J. , Boere Ingrid A.
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Germline BRCA1/2-associated epithelial ovarian cancer has been associated with better progression-free survival and overall survival than sporadic epithelial ovarian cancer, but conclusive data are lacking.

Methods

We matched 389 BRCA1-associated and 123 BRCA2-associated epithelial ovarian cancer patients 1:1 to sporadic epithelial ovarian cancer patients on year of birth, year of diagnosis, and FIGO stage (< = IIA/> = IIB). Germline DNA test was performed before or after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis. All patients received chemotherapy. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between mutation status (BRCA1 or BRCA2 versus sporadic) and progression-free survival and overall survival. To investigate whether DNA testing after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis resulted in survival bias, we performed additional analyses limited to BRCA1/2-associated epithelial ovarian cancer patients with a DNA test result before cancer diagnosis (n = 73 BRCA1; n = 9 BRCA2) and their matched sporadic controls.

Results

The median follow-up was 4.4 years (range 0.1–30.1). During the first three years after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis, progression-free survival was better for BRCA1 (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.74–1.04) and BRCA2 (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.41–0.81) patients than for sporadic patients. Overall survival was better during the first six years after epithelial ovarian cancer for BRCA1 (HR 0.7, 95% CI 0.58–0.84) and BRCA2 (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.29–0.59) patients. After surviving these years, survival benefits disappeared or were in favor of the sporadic patients.

Conclusion

For epithelial ovarian cancer patients who received chemotherapy, we confirmed survival benefit for BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline pathogenic variant carriers. This may indicate higher sensitivity to chemotherapy, both in first line treatment and in the recurrent setting. The observed benefit appears to be limited to a relatively short period after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis.
Two-stage isolated AC/DC converter and its compound control strategy
Authors: Zhou Kai , Teng Da , Yuan Chengxiang
Published: September 2022

With the continued development of the new energy vehicle industry, two-stage isolated AC/DC converters are widely used because of their simple topology and easy control characteristics. In this study, we investigate the front-stage Buck power factor correction (PFC) converter and rear-stage full-bridge converter. The main circuit design and component selection were completed through a detailed analysis of the circuit characteristics. In terms of the control strategy, the front-stage adopting PI control and parameter adaptive terminal sliding mode control strategy were proposed for the rear-stage full-bridge converter. This new compound control strategy ensures an optimal regulation of the system under different operating conditions. Simulation analysis verified the correctness of the system topology and control strategy. Based on an analysis of the main parameters of the system, a low-power experimental prototype was trial-produced. The experimental results show that under the same load switching conditions, the parameter-adaptive terminal sliding mode control enhanced faster dynamic regulation and stronger robustness than the conventional PI control. The study is also a good reference in terms of engineering work.
The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on students’ mental health: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Mirilović Nikola , Janković Janko , Latas Milan
Published: September 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently one of the biggest public health threats for people’s mental health. A particularly endangered group were students, who became highly affected by measures of social distance due to their active lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to assess the level of self-reported stress, anxiety and depression of the student population in Serbia, in relation to demographic characteristics, living and studying conditions, students’ activities during the epidemic, potential coronavirus infection and general, mental and physical health.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 580 undergraduate medical students from the University of Belgrade during the 2020/2021 school year. Mental health data were collected using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to examine the association between independent variables with the dependent variable mental health.

Results

Women made up the majority of the sample with 80.3%. A total of 64.5%, 66.8% and 66.7% of students between the ages of 21 and 30 had severe depressive symptoms, severe degree of anxiety, and a severe degree of stress, respectively. Women almost twice as often (OR = 1.89) assessed their anxiety as severe and almost two and a half times more (OR = 2.39) perceived stress as severe compared to men. Students who lived with their families during studies two and a half times (OR = 2.57) more often assessed their stress as severe, compared to students who lived alone. Fifth- and sixth-year students were less likely to rate depression and anxiety as serious than the first-year students.

Conclusions

Medical students reported their health as severely impaired in terms of depression, anxiety and stress reactions. The results indicate the need to launch a mental health program in the form of counseling and emotional support to students affected by the pandemic.
An ACE2-dependent Sarbecovirus in Russian bats is resistant to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines
Authors: Seifert Stephanie N. , Bai Shuangyi , Fawcett Stephen , Norton Elizabeth B. , Zwezdaryk Kevin J. , Robinson James , Gunn Bronwyn , Letko Michael
Published: September 2022

Spillover of sarbecoviruses from animals to humans has resulted in outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoVs and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to identify the origins of SARS-CoV-1 and -2 has resulted in the discovery of numerous animal sarbecoviruses–the majority of which are only distantly related to known human pathogens and do not infect human cells. The receptor binding domain (RBD) on sarbecoviruses engages receptor molecules on the host cell and mediates cell invasion. Here, we tested the receptor tropism and serological cross reactivity for RBDs from two sarbecoviruses found in Russian horseshoe bats. While these two viruses are in a viral lineage distinct from SARS-CoV-1 and -2, the RBD from one virus, Khosta 2, was capable of using human ACE2 to facilitate cell entry. Viral pseudotypes with a recombinant, SARS-CoV-2 spike encoding for the Khosta 2 RBD were resistant to both SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies and serum from individuals vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2. Our findings further demonstrate that sarbecoviruses circulating in wildlife outside of Asia also pose a threat to global health and ongoing vaccine campaigns against SARS-CoV-2
Ecdysone signaling mediates the trade-off between immunity and reproduction via suppression of amyloids in the mosquito Aedes aegypti
Authors: Wang Mao , Wang Yanhong , Chang Mengmeng , Wang Xueli , Shi Zuokun , Raikhel Alexander S. , Zou Zhen
Published: September 2022

The balance between immunity and reproduction is essential for many key physiological functions. We report that to maintain an optimal fertility, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and the ecdysone receptor (EcR) downregulate the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway during the post blood meal phase (PBM) of the Aedes aegypti reproductive cycle. RNA interference-mediated depletion of EcR elicited an increased expression of the IMD pathway components, and these mosquitoes were more resistant to infection by Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, 20E and EcR recruit Pirk-like, the mosquito ortholog of Drosophila melanogaster Pirk. CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of Pirk-like has shown that it represses the IMD pathway by interfering with IMD-mediated formation of amyloid aggregates. 20E and EcR disruption of the amyloid formation is pivotal for maintaining normal yolk protein production and fertility. Additionally, 20E and its receptor EcR directly induce Pirk-like to interfere with cRHIM-mediated formation of amyloid. Our study highlights the vital role of 20E in governing the trade-off between immunity and reproduction. Pirk-like might be a potential target for new methods to control mosquito reproduction and pathogen transmission.
Intersectional Design Cards: Exploring intersecting social and environmental factors across four levels of design
Authors: Jones Hannah
Published: September 2022

Tackling complex social justice and sustainability challenges through design calls for a more comprehensive understanding of a design context. This involves encouraging designers and non-designers alike to work together to recognise the implications of designing ‘beyond a product’. This article explores what this approach might entail, reflecting upon the development of a design tool called the ‘Intersectional Design Cards’. This card-based design activity has been created to address multiple, interacting social and environmental inequities and inequalities, largely in the designing of emerging technologies in Silicon Valley. The cards have been made primarily for professional design and technology teams and start-up companies – but could also be used in other educational or social innovation contexts. They have been produced by team researchers, educators and practitioners who teach together on the ‘Innovations in Inclusive Design’, spring quarterly, ten-week class, at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school), Stanford University, the United States. The article reflects upon how writing and mapping have played a part in integrating intersectionality research and design thinking, and shares examples of how the cards have been prototyped and tested with students, to develop intersectional design concepts across four levels of designing.
#PercumaLaporPolisi, Berapa Lama Lagi Waktu Yang Dibutuhkan Untuk Memberikan Sistem Keamanan Yang Layak?
Authors: Putri Widyani
Published: September 2022

Belakangan ini, #PercumaLaporPolisi menjadi viral di media sosial. Tagar tersebut digunakan untuk menunjukan kekecewaan dan curahan hati masyarakat Indonesia atas ketidakpuasannya terhadap salah satu lembaga penegak hukum di Indonesia, yakni Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia (Polri). Untuk itu, penulis bermaksud menyajikan fakta mengenai rekam jejak kinerja Polri selama ini. Pada akhirnya, studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa perlu ada evaluasi kembali mengenai substansi hukum, struktur hukum, dan juga kultur hukum yang ada di masyarakat untuk dapat menciptakan sistem keamanan yang layak. Perlu ada pembaharuan hukum untuk memberikan kepastian hukum kepada masyarakat, perlu ada perbaikan pada tahap pelaksanaan hukum, dan perlu ada pencerdasan pula kepada masyarakat untuk mewujudkan keamanan dan ketertiban nasional.
Barbashin type characterizations for the uniform polynomial stability and instability of evolution families
Authors: Yue Tian
Published: September 2022

The aim of this paper is to give some discrete and continuous versions of Barbashin type theorems for the uniform polynomial stability and instability of evolution families in Banach spaces, by using Banach sequence spaces in

ℋ
⁢

(

ℕ

≥
1

)

{\mathcal{H}(\mathbb{N}_{\geq 1})}

and Banach function spaces in

ℋ
⁢

(

ℝ

≥
1

)

{\mathcal{H}(\mathbb{R}_{\geq 1})}

, respectively. Variants for uniform polynomial stability and instability of some well-known results in the exponential stability theory and polynomial stability theory are obtained.
An intelligent dynamic setting control framework for a multimode impurity removal process
Authors: Sun Bei , Chen Weiyang , Li Yonggang , Zhang Xulong , Liu Guoxin
Published: September 2022

The main task of the impurity removal process is to control the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) within the range of the optimized set value. The impurity removal process is essentially an oxidation-reduction process. Oxidation reduction potential (ORP) is an external reflection of reaction state inside the impurity removal reactor. However, actual industry is time-varying, nonlinear and multimode. It is difficult to determine the appropriate dosage of impurity remover in practice. This will lead to large fluctuations in the operation mode, affecting the safety and stability of the process and the final product quality. To solve these problems, an intelligent dynamic setting control framework (IDSCF) for the multimode impurity removal process is proposed in this paper. It includes a preset module of the dosage of impurity remover based on impurity remover utilization (IRU) estimation, an operation mode detection module based on autoencoder, a normal mode adjustment module based on fuzzy logic, and an unsteady mode adjustment module based on case-based reasoning (CBR). The framework can determine the reasonable preset dosage of impurity remover and adjust the dosage according to the current operation mode of the impurity removal process. Because the operation mode is related to the residual dosage of impurity remover added over a period of time, that is, the accumulative effect of the large-scale metallurgical reactor. When calculating the preset dosage of impurity remover, the reactant accumulation ratio (RAR) is calculated, which makes the calculation of the preset value more reasonable. In addition, it can detect the unsteady modes causing large fluctuations in the process and adjust them in time. Experiments are carried out in accordance with the data of an actual cobalt removal process. The results show that this method can effectively improve the stability of the impurity removal process, control the ORP within the set range and cope with complex mode changes.
Conditions of commodification: Russian as a transient commodity in an Arctic tourism resort
Authors: Muth Sebastian , Strömmer Maiju
Published: September 2022

Based on an ethnography incorporating interview, linguistic landscape and observational data, this research illustrates how temporary linguistic value is negotiated and how an Arctic tourism destination is made fit for consumption for a specific audience. Set within a tourism resort in the Finnish Arctic during two weeks in Winter when the region habitually receives a large influx of Russian-speaking visitors, we illustrate how Russian is conceptualized as a means of economic practice by stakeholders in the local tourism industry. While some offer services specifically for a Russian-speaking audience as part of a short-term high-risk/high-reward investment, others regard Russian as an expression of a negative niche market that compromises the overall image of the Arctic as a global tourism destination. We discuss these different understandings of commodity value and highlight, how stakeholders in the local tourism economy imagine and discursively construct Russian-speaking tourists. In doing so, this paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the conditions of language commodification and the processes involved in the valuation and devaluation of linguistic resources within temporary linguistic markets.
Research on novel variable air-hole photonic crystal fiber
Authors: Li Li , Qing-chao Shen
Published: September 2022

A novel PCF (photonic crystal fiber) with variable air holes is designed to solve the problem that it is difficult to obtain flatted dispersion and low confinement losses simultaneously it can obtain flatted dispersion and low confinement losses by changing the size of air hole in the cladding. The structure of the optical fiber is analyzed by using FVFEM (full vector finite-element method) and APML (anisotropic perfectly matching layer) boundary conditions. The effective refractive index of the air hole at 1.55 μm is n
0 = 1, and that of quartz is set as 1.45,under these conditions, the simulation results show that the optical fiber has super-flat dispersion in the wavelength range of 1.25–1.78 μm, the dispersion varies ranges from 0 ± 0.68 (ps/nm km), and the confinement losses is less than 10−3 dBb/m.
Bioinspirierte Erkennung von Abweichungen
Authors: Lange Annika , Gering Patrick , Agacayaklar Irfan Furkan , Knothe Thomas , Busse Dirk
Published: September 2022

Unternehmen müssen sich immer wieder auf Veränderungen in ihrem Umfeld einstellen. Dadurch können Disruptionen in einem Betrieb auftreten. So kam es beispielsweise auch während der COVID-19-Pandemie zu Lieferengpässen durch Lockdowns. Um solche Disruptionen frühzeitig zu erkennen und alternative Maßnahmen einzuleiten, wird in diesem Beitrag die Weiterentwicklung des am Fraunhofer IPK entwickelten, Interaktiven Lagebildes beschrieben. Hierbei kommt die Biologische Transformation zum Einsatz.
EFFECTIVE DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF FRAUD: PERCEPTIONS AMONG PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS ACCOUNTANTS AND AUDITORS IN SAUDI ARABIA
Authors: Alfordy Faisal D.
Published: September 2022

Globalization has inevitably transmuted fraud into a transnational hazard and raised significant apprehensions. Fraud affects organizations worldwide irrespective of nature, size, profitability, or industry. The pervasive nature of fraud serves a premise to study the menace further. Hence, this research investigated the perceptions among accountants and auditors on the effectiveness of fraud detection and prevention by public and private Saudi organizations. This research presented an exploratory case study within the Saudi Arabian social, economic, and cultural environment. Data-gathering through inquiries and questionnaires were performed among accountants, internal and external auditors from public and private sectors. The results revealed that accountants and auditors in Saudi private and public firms were highly cognizant on fraud awareness, general guidelines, subsequent responsibilities, and reporting venues. In addition, both sectors were found to have invested extensively in fraud detection and prevention technologies. Also, employees were found not have been regularly trained on fraud prevention and detection. Furthermore, forensic accounting, being a relatively new genre in fraud detection and prevention, is found sparingly utilized among public and private sectors’ organizations. Forensic accounting is yet to be accorded adequate authority in the Saudi context, and was found superficially placed under the Saudi Organization of Certified Public Accountants (SOCPA). Despite qualification, experience, and age being recognized as key elements to Saudi accountants and auditors in fraud detection and prevention, lack of proper training leaves employees with limited dexterity and exposes them to legal repercussions. In general, the current legal infrastructure in Saudi Arabia needs to be revisited to improve effective detection and prevention of fraudulence. This study provided insights into the Saudi Arabian fraud detection & prevention, hardware, infrastructure, and human resources as the contributors of a fraud-free society.
Adil Yargılanma Hakkı Kapsamında Stajyer Avukatın Ceza Mahkemesindeki Temsil Yetkisi
Authors: TAVUS Raşit
Published: September 2022

Stajyer avukatların staj döneminde mesleki tecrübe kazanması önemlidir. Muvafakatname ile sulh mahkemelerinde duruşmaya katılmak, teorik eğitimin uygulamaya yansıma şeklidir. Sulh ceza mahkemesi kaldırıldıktan sonra stajyer avukatın asliye ceza mahkemesinde temsil yetkisi olup olmadığına dair bir uyuşmazlık vuku bulmuştur. Bu usul sorunun kapsamı, söz konusu yetkinin amacı ve sanık üzerindeki etkileri adil yargılanma hakkı kapsamında ele alınmaya çalışılacaktır.
Combustion characteristics of cattle manure and pulverized coal co-firing under oxy-fuel atmosphere in non-isothermal and isothermal conditions
Authors: Zhu Yao , Yi Baojun , Yuan Qiaoxia , Cao Hongliang , Yan Shuiping
Published: September 2022

Combustion characteristics of cattle manure (CM) and pulverized coal blends under oxy-fuel atmosphere were considered. Factors such as the furnace temperature, O2 concentration, and blending ratio were analyzed. The experiment under non-isothermal and isothermal conditions were used to study effects of the heating rate. Blended CM can improve the combustion characteristics of pulverized coal. However, a difference exists between the increase of the blending ratio of CM with Shanxi bituminous coal (SX) and Xiaolongtan lignite coal (XLT) under various O2 concentration conditions. More attention should be paid to the blending ratio > 50%. CM and coal co-firing affected by the furnace temperature had a close association with its characteristics. Inhibition was found in most conditions, and the trend of interaction between CM and coal under the non-isothermal and isothermal condition was consistent. These experiments provided information for the utilization of livestock and poultry manure and pulverized coal blends in the oxy-fuel atmosphere.