bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Network Capacity as Common Pool Resource
Authors: Johnson Matthew William , Jang Esther Han Beol , O'Rourke Frankie , Ye Rachel , Heimerl Kurtis
Published: April 2021

Congestion control mechanisms, by which network users share constrained capacity on Internet links, are heavily studied in computer science. Such mechanisms are traditionally automated, assuming that users do not wish to be involved in addressing congestion. However, in community-owned and operated networks, users have control over daily operational choices. We explore the design of community-based congestion policies and mechanisms, through the lens of network capacity as a Common Pool Resource (CPR).

Through a series of workshops and interviews in a rural community in Oaxaca, Mexico, we encounter design opportunities for new types of tools supporting communal network management. Participants expressed desires for preserving individual privacy while collecting longitudinal data to track the network's impact on the community, prioritization of high-value applications, equal link sharing between users, and human-mediated congestion management in lieu of automated enforcement. We report qualitative insights and offer design directions for future systems to address network resources in a manner compatible with Ostrom's principles for CPR governance.
A Tale of Creativity and Struggles
Authors: Freeman Guo , McNeese Nathan J.
Published: April 2021

Game jams are intense and time-sensitive online or face-to-face game creation events where a digital game is developed in a relatively short time frame (typically 48 to 72 hours) exploring given design constraints and end results are shared publicly. They have increasingly become emerging sites where non-professional game developers, amateurs, and hobbyists engage in bottom-up technological innovation by collaboratively designing and developing more creative and novel digital products. Drawing on 28 interviews, in this paper we focus on how game developers collaborate as small teams to innovate game design and development from the bottom up in virtual game jams (i.e., exclusively online) and the unique role of virtual game jams in their technological innovation. We contribute to CSCW by providing new empirical evidence of how team practices for innovation may emerge in a novel technology community that is not widely studied before. We also expand a growing research agenda in CSCW on explicating nuanced social behaviors, processes, and consequences of bottom-up technological innovation.
More Accounts, Fewer Links
Authors: Bandy Jack , Diakopoulos Nicholas
Published: April 2021

Algorithmic timeline curation is now an integral part of Twitter's platform, affecting information exposure for more than 150 million daily active users. Despite its large-scale and high-stakes impact, especially during a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the exact effects of Twitter's curation algorithm generally remain unknown. In this work, we present a sock-puppet audit that aims to characterize the effects of algorithmic curation on source diversity and topic diversity in Twitter timelines. We created eight sock puppet accounts to emulate representative real-world users, selected through a large-scale network analysis. Then, for one month during early 2020, we collected the puppets' timelines twice per day. Broadly, our results show that algorithmic curation increases source diversity in terms of both Twitter accounts and external domains, even though it drastically decreases the number of external links in the timeline. In terms of topic diversity, algorithmic curation had a mixed effect, slightly amplifying a cluster of politically-focused tweets while squelching clusters of tweets focused on COVID-19 fatalities and health information. Finally, we present some evidence that the timeline algorithm may exacerbate partisan differences in exposure to different sources and topics. The paper concludes by discussing broader implications in the context of algorithmic gatekeeping.
Supporting Serendipity
Authors: Jiang Jialun Aaron , Wade Kandrea , Fiesler Casey , Brubaker Jed R.
Published: April 2021

Qualitative inductive methods are widely used in CSCW and HCI research for their ability to generatively discover deep and contextualized insights, but these inherently manual and human-resource-intensive processes are often infeasible for analyzing large corpora. Researchers have been increasingly interested in ways to apply qualitative methods to "big" data problems, hoping to achieve more generalizable results from larger amounts of data while preserving the depth and richness of qualitative methods. In this paper, we describe a study of qualitative researchers' work practices and their challenges, with an eye towards whether this is an appropriate domain for human-AI collaboration and what successful collaborations might entail. Our findings characterize participants' diverse methodological practices and nuanced collaboration dynamics, and identify areas where they might benefit from AI-based tools. While participants highlight the messiness and uncertainty of qualitative inductive analysis, they still want full agency over the process and believe that AI should not interfere. Our study provides a deep investigation of task delegability in human-AI collaboration in the context of qualitative analysis, and offers directions for the design of AI assistance that honor serendipity, human agency, and ambiguity.
Logging On, Reaching Out, and Getting By
Authors: Allison Kimberley R. , Patterson Pandora , Guilbert Daniel , Noke Melissa , Husson Olga
Published: April 2021

For individuals impacted by their own or a family member's cancer, connecting with other people in similar situations can be an invaluable source of informational and emotional support. Online spaces provide opportunities for peer support that may be more accessible, given the medical and logistical restrictions on face-to-face socialisation associated with cancer and treatment. However, little is known about the impacts of online peer support. This systematic review surveys the literature on psychosocial impacts of online peer support for people impacted by cancer, integrating research from psychology, health, communications, informatics and social computing disciplines. The reviewed papers and interventions vary widely in the type of online peer support provided, who this support was intended for, and how outcomes were evaluated. Quantitative evidence suggests that online peer support may improve psychosocial wellbeing, particularly anxiety and stress, although this appears to depend on how individuals engage and interact with others. Qualitative findings suggest clear value in connecting and sharing experiences with those in similar situations, benefits which may not be well captured quantitatively. For individuals who share experiences, express emotions and feel understood and accepted by others, online peer spaces may be a valuable and viable source of support. However, this require strategic community design and management to build an active and sustainable group dynamic which can effectively and safely support people impacted by cancer.
Dignity, Autonomy, and Style of Company
Authors: Coghlan Simon , Waycott Jenny , Lazar Amanda , Barbosa Neves Barbara
Published: April 2021

Research into companion robots for older adults, including those who are socially isolated and lonely, continues to grow. Although some insight into older adults' preferences for various robotic types and functionality is emerging, we lack research examining how these robots fulfil or challenge a range of values and aspirations individuals have in later life. This study examines the attitudes and perspectives of 16 older adults (aged 65+) living independently but alone in their own homes, who were interviewed and shown videos depicting three distinctive companion robots: a talking assistant; a roving toylike vehicle; and a robotic dog. This approach illuminated values, preferences, and needs amongst older people that are vital for understanding the potential of companion robots. In comparing the robots, participants expressed concerns about the impact of different companion robots on their abilities and skills, their sense of autonomy and control over their lives, and the maintenance of several kinds of dignity. These results inform user-centered design and use of companion robots for older people living alone and independently.
That's Fake News! Reliability of News When Provided Title, Image, Source Bias & Full Article
Authors: Spezzano Francesca , Shrestha Anu , Fails Jerry Alan , Stone Brian W.
Published: April 2021

As news is increasingly spread through social media platforms, the problem of identifying misleading or false information (colloquially called "fake news'') has come into sharp focus. There are many factors which may help users judge the accuracy of news articles, ranging from the text itself to meta-data like the headline, an image, or the bias of the originating source. In this research, participants (\textitn = 175) of various political ideological leaning categorized news articles as real or fake based on either article text or meta-data. We used a mixed methods approach to investigate how various article elements (news title, image, source bias, and excerpt) impact users' accuracy in identifying real and fake news. We also compared human performance to automated detection based on the same article elements and found that automated techniques were more accurate than our human sample while in both cases the best performance came not from the article text itself but when focusing on some elements of meta-data. Adding the source bias does not help humans, but does help computer automated detectors. Open-ended responses suggested that the image in particular may be a salient element for humans detecting fake news.
Social Music Curation That Works
Authors: Park So Yeon , Kaneshiro Blair
Published: April 2021

Social interactions, such as sharing songs and listening together, are fundamental to the experience of music. Yet our understanding of these interactions and how they influence social dynamics with today's streaming platforms is lacking. To better understand successful instances of social music practice, we conducted a two-part study to investigate real-world usage of collaborative playlists (CPs). Using an exploratory survey, we queried CP users on characteristics---Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How---and practices around favorite CPs, which serve as concrete examples of successful social music curation on streaming platforms. We found these playlists to vary in group sizes, purposes, listening contexts, engagement behaviors, and content attributes. We also observed significant cross-category interactions; for one, group size led to differences in perceived roles and frequency of actions within users' favorite CPs. Subsequent interviews confirmed favorite CPs as being exemplary of success, and users further elucidated factors that engender and hinder CP success. Together, our results underscore the importance of social motivations for engaging in CPs and of building greater understanding around these experiences. To these point we derived six design implications to inform development of CP platforms and online music platforms at large.
"It's our mutual responsibility to share"
Authors: Lin Junchao , Hong Jason I. , Dabbish Laura
Published: April 2021

While most online accounts are designed assuming a single user, past work has found that romantic couples often share many accounts. Our study examines couples' account sharing behaviors as their relationships develop. We conducted 19 semi-structured interviews with people who are currently in romantic relationships to understand couples' account sharing behaviors over the lifecycle of their relationship. We find that account sharing behaviors progress through a relationship where major changes happen at the start of cohabitation, marriage, and occasional breakup. We also find that sharing behaviors and motivations are influenced by couples' relationship ecology, which consists of the dynamics between the couples and the social environment they live in. Based on these findings, we discuss implications for further study to support couples' sharing needs at different relationship stages and identify design opportunities for technology solutions to facilitate couples' sharing.
A Social Media Study on Demographic Differences in Perceived Job Satisfaction
Authors: Saha Koustuv , Yousuf Asra , Hickman Louis , Gupta Pranshu , Tay Louis , De Choudhury Munmun
Published: April 2021

Effective ways to measure employee job satisfaction are fraught with problems of scale, misrepresentation, and timeliness. Current methodologies are limited in capturing subjective differences in expectations, needs, and values at work, and they do not lay emphasis on demographic differences, which may impact people's perceptions of job satisfaction. This study proposes an approach to assess job satisfaction by leveraging large-scale social media data. Starting with an initial Twitter dataset of 1.5M posts, we examine two facets of job satisfaction, pay and supervision. By adopting a theory-driven approach, we first build machine learning classifiers to assess perceived job satisfaction with an average AUC of 0.84. We then study demographic differences in perceived job satisfaction by geography, sex, and race in the U.S. For geography, we find that job satisfaction on Twitter exhibits insightful relationships with macroeconomic indicators such as financial wellbeing and unemployment rates. For sex and race, we find that females express greater pay satisfaction but lower supervision satisfaction than males, whereas Whites express the least pay and supervision satisfaction. Unpacking linguistic differences, we find contrasts in different groups' underlying priorities and concerns, e.g., under-represented groups saliently express about basic livelihood, whereas the majority groups saliently express about self-actualization. We discuss the role of frame of reference and the "job satisfaction paradox", conceptualized by organizational psychologists, in explaining our observed differences. We conclude with theoretical and sociotechnical implications of our work for understanding and improving worker wellbeing.
Exploring the Tensions between the Owners and the Drivers of Uber Cars in Urban Bangladesh
Authors: Haque S. M. Taiabul , Rashed Rayhan , Bin Morshed Mehrab , Rony Md Main Uddin , Hassan Naeemul , Ahmed Syed Ishtiaque
Published: April 2021

Most scholarly discussions around ridesharing applications center on the experiences of the drivers and the riders (passengers), and thus the role of the owners of the cars, if they are different from the drivers, remain understudied. However, in many countries in the Global South, the car owners are often different from the car drivers, and the tensions between them often shape the experience with these ridesharing apps in those countries. In this paper, we address this issue based on our interview-based study in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which incorporates semi-structured interviews of 31 Uber drivers and 10 car owners. From our interviews, we identify the contract models that facilitate the partnership between prospective Uber drivers without a car and car owners seeking to rent their cars for Uber, describe the tensions between these two parties, provide a nuanced cultural portrayal of their negotiation mechanisms, and highlight the reasons for which the driver or the owner leaves Uber. Our analysis reveals how the local adoption of sharing economy amplifies existing inequalities and disrupts the prevailing social dynamics. We also connect our findings to the broader interests of CSCW around work, privacy, power and discuss their implications for design and policy formulations.
Computer-Mediated Consent to Sex
Authors: Zytko Douglas , Furlo Nicholas , Carlin Bailey , Archer Matthew
Published: April 2021

This paper reports an interview study about how consent to sexual activity is computer-mediated. The study's context of online dating is chosen due to the prevalence of sexual violence, or nonconsensual sexual activity, that is associated with dating app-use. Participants (n=19) represent a range of gender identities and sexual orientations, and predominantly used the dating app Tinder. Findings reveal two computer-mediated consent processes: consent signaling and affirmative consent. With consent signaling, users employed Tinder's interface to infer and imply agreement to sex without any explicit confirmation before making sexual advances in-person. With affirmative consent, users employed the interface to establish patterns of overt discourse around sex and consent across online and offline modalities. The paper elucidates shortcomings of both computer-mediated consent processes that leave users susceptible to sexual violence and envisions dating apps as potential sexual violence prevention solutions if deliberately designed to mediate consent exchange.
Microporous Film of Ternary Ni/Co/Fe Alloy for Superior Electrolytic Hydrogen Production in Alkaline Medium
Authors: Baibars Ibrahem O. , Abd El-Moghny Muhammad G. , Mogoda Awad S. , El-Deab Mohamed S.
Published: April 2021

This study addresses the superb electrocatalytic activity of a ternary-alloy catalyst of Ni/Co/Fe towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline medium. The dynamic hydrogen bubbling template (DHBT) method was applied to electrodeposit the catalyst layer with unique microporous foam-like morphology. The electrodeposited Ni/Co/Fe microporous film was subsequently electropassivated by cycling the potential in 1.0 M KOH. The thus-prepared catalyst supports a HER current of 10 mA cm−2 at a significantly low overpotential of −50 mV in 1.0 M KOH (comparable to benchmarking catalysts) together with marked prolonged stability for 10 h of continuous operation at 100 mA cm−2. Interestingly, the electropassivation process was performed with an aim to enrich the surface of the Ni/Co/Fe film with metal/oxygenated metal interfaces that facilitate the retarding water dissociation step. The obtained results, herein, indicate that the designed Ni/Co/Fe film is a promising catalyst for alkaline HER and shed some light on the impact of the electropassivation process on the electrocatalytic activity towards alkaline HER. The morphology, composition, and crystal structure of the proposed catalysts were disclosed employing SEM, EDS mapping, HRTEM, ICP-OES, XRD, and XPS surface characterization techniques.
Influence of N2O/TEGa Ratio on Deposition of β-Ga2O3 Films and Performance of Au-β-Ga2O3-Au Solar-Blind Photodetectors
Authors: Huang Chun-Ying , Liu Yen-Yang , Lin Pei-Te , Lin Guan-Yu , Chou Cheng-Ping , Liao Pei-Chun , Hsu Feng-Hsuan , Peng Yu-Hsiang , Huang Zi-Ling , Lin Tai-Yuan , Gong Jyh-Rong
Published: April 2021

In this study, a series of β-Ga2O3 films are prepared by using triethylgallium (TEGa) and nitrous oxide (N2O) as precursors to explore the effect of N2O/TEGa ratio on the characteristics of β-Ga2O3 films. A metal/semiconductor/metal (MSM)-type solar blind ultraviolet (UV) photodetector (PD) is fabricated using as-prepared β-Ga2O3 film. It is found that an increment of N2O/TEGa ratio tends to suppress the oxygen vacancies in β-Ga2O3 film so the device performance can be significantly improved. This work gives a deep insight into the impact of TEGa/N2O ratio for depositing β-Ga2O3 on the film quality, the surface morphology, the chemical composition and the device performance for UV PDs.
Fabrication, Electrical and Dielectric Characterization of Au/CNT/TiO2/SiO2/p-Si/Al with High Dielectric Constant, Low Loss Dielectric Tangent
Authors: Ashery A. , Gad S. A. , Gaballah A. E. H , Turky G. M.
Published: April 2021

The aim of the paper has always been to explore the possibility of constructing new electronics devices based on Au/CNT/TiO2/SiO2/p-Si/Al multi-layers structure highlighting the appearance of negative dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss tangent (ε′) at low frequencies in the range 5000–10 Hz. We have investigated the structural, electrical, and dielectric properties of this structure using different techniques like SEM, XRD pattern, Raman spectroscopy, I-V, and C-V measurements. At various temperatures, frequencies, and voltages, we present a detailed analysis of the dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent. The highest dielectric constant combined with the lowest dielectric loss tangent would improve the use of Au/CNT/TiO2/SiO2/p-Si/Al structures in various electronic applications such as diodes, energy storage, and supercapacitor devices. In this study, the maximum dielectric constant values were around 4000, with dielectric loss tangents ranging from 0.08 to 0.32 at high and mid-frequency ranging from (2 × 107 − 105 Hz). The Col-Col diagram of ε′ as a function of ε′ of Au/CNT/TiO2/SiO2/p-Si/Al was also investigated.
Communication—Phosphoric Acid Based Proton Conducting Polymer Electrolytes for Organic Field Effect Transistor Gate Dielectrics
Authors: Ton Kevin , Vighi Asia , Lian Keryn , Chu Ta-Ya , Tao Ye
Published: April 2021

A phosphoric acid (H3PO4)-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrolyte was demonstrated as a gate dielectric for electrolyte-gated field-effect transistors (EGFETs). These devices exhibited high performance with sub 1 V operation, a high ON/OFF ratio >105 and a low subthreshold swing of 90 mV/decade. The results show the strong viability of proton conducting polymer electrolytes as gate dielectrics which open the door for further development of low-power EGFETs.
Electrodeposition of Zn-Co-Terephthalate MOF and Its Conversion to Co-Doped ZnO Thin Films
Authors: Nakamura T. , Kudo H. , Tsuda Y. , Matsushima Y. , Yoshida T.
Published: April 2021

Doping of transition metals to zinc oxide (ZnO) is of great interest for its functionalization as magnetic semiconductor and electrocatalyst. In this study, electrodeposition of metal organic framework (MOF) thin films, in which zinc and cobalt ions are bridged by terephthalic acid (TPA), was made possible by adding TPA to an O2-saturated aqueous solution containing ZnCl2 and CoCl2. The resulting Zn-Co-TPA MOF was converted to a Co-doped ZnO thin film by annealing at 450 °C to burn away TPA and promote crystallization. Simple mixture of ZnCl2 and CoCl2 without TPA resulted in electrodeposition of Co2Cl(OH)3 along with ZnO, proving usefulness of TPA to blend Zn2+ and Co2+ ions having largely different solubilities and reduction potentials. The maximum achievable doping concentration was about 8%, because excessive addition of CoCl2 resulted in electrodeposition of metallic Co.
Raman Microspectral Study and Classification of the Pathological Evolution of Breast Cancer Using Both Principal Component Analysis-Linear Discriminant Analysis and Principal Component Analysis-Support Vector Machine
Authors: Li Heping , Ren Yu , Yu Fan , Song Dongliang , Zhu Lizhe , Yu Shibo , Jiang Siyuan , Wang Shuang
Published: April 2021

To facilitate the enhanced reliability of Raman-based tumor detection and analytical methodologies, an ex vivo Raman spectral investigation was conducted to identify distinct compositional information of healthy (H), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Then, principal component analysis-linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA) and principal component analysis-support vector machine (PCA-SVM) models were constructed for distinguishing spectral features among different tissue groups. Spectral analysis highlighted differences in levels of unsaturated and saturated lipids, carotenoids, protein, and nucleic acid between healthy and cancerous tissue and variations in the levels of nucleic acid, protein, and phenylalanine between DCIS and IDC. Both classification models were principal component analysis-linear discriminant analysis to be extremely efficient on discriminating tissue pathological types with 99% accuracy for PCA-LDA and 100%, 100%, and 96.7% for PCA-SVM analysis based on linear kernel, polynomial kernel, and radial basis function (RBF), respectively, while PCA-SVM algorithm greatly simplified the complexity of calculation without sacrificing performance. The present study demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis technology has considerable potential for improving the efficiency and performance of breast cancer diagnosis.
[Retracted] Mechanism of Radix Astragali and Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Ameliorates Hypertensive Renal Damage
Authors: Hou Guangjian , Jiang Yuehua , Zheng Yuekun , Zhao Meng , Chen Yuanzhen , Ren Yonghao , Wang Congan , Li Wei
Published: April 2021

Hypertensive‐induced renal damage (HRD) is an important public health and socioeconomic problem worldwide. The herb pair Radix Astragali‐ (RA‐) Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (RS) is a common prescribed herbal formula for the treatment of HRD. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The purpose of our study is to explore the mechanism of combination of Radix Astragali (RA) and Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (RS) ameliorating HRD by regulation of the renal sympathetic nerve. Thirty 24‐week‐old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) as the experimental group were randomly divided into the RA group, the RS group, the RA+RS group, the valsartan group, and the SHR group and six age‐matched Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) as the control group. After 4 weeks of corresponding drug administration, venipuncture was done to collect blood and prepare serum for analysis. A color Doppler ultrasound diagnostic instrument was used to observe renal hemodynamics. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), angiotensin II (Ang II), and B‐type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Simultaneously, the kidneys were removed immediately and observed under a transmission electron microscope to observe the ultrastructural changes. And the concentration of transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1), angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1), and nitric oxide (NO) was detected by immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that renal ultrasonography of rats showed no significant difference in renal size among groups. The RA+RS group had obviously decreased vascular resistance index. The levels of NE, E, BNP, Ang II, AT1, and TGF‐β1 were decreased (P < 0.05), and the density of NO was increased. Pathological damage of the kidney was alleviated. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested sympathetic overexpression in the pathogenesis of HRD. The combination of RA and RS may inhibit the hyperexcitability of sympathetic nerves and maintain the normal physiological structure and function of kidney tissue and has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system.
A Robust Circular RNA‐Associated Three‐Gene Prognostic Signature for Patients with Gastric Cancer
Authors: Li Yang , Li Rui , Wang Xiuli , Yuan Yuan , Zhang Yangmei
Published: April 2021

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play vital roles in cancer progression. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of circRNAs remain poorly elucidated in gastric cancer (GC). The main purpose of present study is to explore the underlying regulatory mechanism by constructing a circRNA‐associated competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and further establish a robust prognostic signature for patients with GC. Based on expression data of circRNA, microRNA, and mRNA derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, a circRNA‐associated ceRNA network, containing 15 cirRNAs, 9 microRNAs, and 35 mRNAs, was constructed using the Starbase database. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the ceRNA network might be involved in many cancer‐related pathways, such as regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, mesodermal cell differentiation, and focal adhesion. A protein‐protein interaction network was constructed based on genes within the circRNA‐associated ceRNA network. We found that six of ten hub genes within the PPI network were significantly associated with overall survival (OS). Thus, using the LASSO method, we constructed a three‐gene prognostic signature based on TCGA‐GC cohort, which could classify GC patients into low‐risk and high‐risk groups with significant difference in OS (HR = 1.9, 95%CI = 1.14‐3.2, and log‐rank p = 0.001). The prognostic performance of the three‐gene signature was verified in GSE15459 (HR = 1.9, 95%CI = 1.27‐3.0, and log − rank p = 2.2E − 05) and GSE84437 (HR = 1.5, 95%CI = 1.17‐2.0, and log − rank p = 6.3E − 04). Multivariate Cox analysis further revealed that the three‐gene prognostic signature could serve as an independent risk factor for OS. Taken together, our findings contribute to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in GC progression. Furthermore, a robust prognostic signature is meaningful to facilitate individualized treatment for patients with GC.
Successful Treatment of Myeloid Sarcoma in an Elderly Patient with Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Reduced-Dose Azacitidine
Authors: Sato Kazuya , Tsukada Nodoka , Inamura Junki , Komatsu Shigetsuna , Sato Keisuke , Yamamoto Masayo , Shindo Motohiro , Moriichi Kentaro , Mizukami Yusuke , Fujiya Mikihiro , Torimoto Yoshihiro , Okumura Toshikatsu
Published: April 2021

Myeloid sarcoma (MS), which involves extramedullary lesions, is classified as a unique subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). At present, no standard treatments for MS have been established. The patient was an 89-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome-excess blast-2 (MDS-EB-2) with a 2-year history of intermittent treatment with azacitidine (AZA) during a 4-year history of MDS. He developed painful cutaneous tumors 8 months after the second discontinuation of AZA. They were refractory for antibiotics and topical tacrolimus hydrate. A tumor biopsy was performed, and the histological findings of the tumor lesion showed a proliferation of tumor cells that were positive for myeloperoxidase and CD68 and negative for CD4 and CD123. The patient was diagnosed with MDS-associated MS. MDS-EB-2 quickly progressed to AML with the appearance of peripheral blood blasts and 25% bone marrow blasts. Monotherapy with reduced-dose AZA (37.5 mg/m2 for 7 days, every 4–6 weeks) was restarted, and the MS quickly disappeared. The patient’s MS was successfully treated with 16 cycles of AZA treatment over a 22-month period. There have been 10 reported cases in which MS was successfully treated with AZA. Among the 10 cases, the patient in the present case was the oldest. Treatment with reduced-dose AZA should be considered as a therapeutic option for MS in elderly patients with MDS, especially patients who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.
The Influences of Squeezed Inviscid Flow between Parallel Plates
Authors: Akbar Sobia , Hussain Azad
Published: April 2021

Purpose. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the unsteady flow behavior of second-grade inviscid fluid between parallel plates. The effects on the flow are explored through modeling of continuity, momentum, and energy equations. Graphical and tabular exploration has been made to analyze the impact of several influential variables on the dimensionless temperature and velocity profiles. Three-dimensional graphs and stream lines are also mentioned. Design/Approach/Methodology. The governing equations have been metamorphosed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations by using suitable transformation which is the main focus of the study. To approach the solution of the problem numerically, we have used the numerical method such as shooting technique along with Runge–Kutta method is implemented. Findings. The graphs for the squeezing number, Prandtl number, and Eckert number are decreasing by increasing the values of these parameters. The graphs of skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are increasing by changing the values of both parameters. Originality/Value. The significances of an unsteady squeezed flow of a nonviscous second-grade fluid between parallel plates by using boundary layer phenomenon are discussed.
Diagnostic Value of Circulating Progranulin and Its Receptor EphA2 in Predicting the Atheroma Burden in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Tian Dan , Qin Qing , Liu Ruiyan , Wang Zi , Li Xiaoyu , Xu Qing , Lv Qianzhou
Published: April 2021

Background. Progranulin (PGRN) and its potential receptor Eph-receptor tyrosine kinase-type A2 (EphA2) are inflammation-related molecules that present on the atherosclerotic plaques. However, the roles of circulating PGRN and EphA2 in coronary artery disease (CAD) remain unclear. Objective. To study the clinical significance of circulating PGRN and EphA2 levels in Chinese patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods. Levels of circulating EphA2 fragments and PGRN were examined in 201 consecutive individuals who underwent coronary angiography for suspected CAD in our center from Jan 2020 to Oct 2020. Demographic characteristics, results of biochemical and auxiliary examinations, and other relevant information were collected. The coronary atheroma burden was quantified by the Gensini score and the existence of chronic total occlusion (CTO). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In patients with ACS and SAP, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to detect the accuracy and discriminative ability of levels of EphA2 and PGRN, the Gensini score, and cardiac injury biomarkers as surrogate endpoints for CTO. Results. Circulating EphA2 levels were significantly higher in patients with ACS than in subjects with stable angina pectoris (SAP) or control subjects (

p
<
0.001

). A positive linear correlation was verified between EphA2 levels and the Gensini score (

r
=
0.306

,

p
<
0.001

), and negative correlation was detected with the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (

r
=
−
0.405

,

p
<
0.001

). Both PGRN and EphA2 were positively associated with cardiac injury biomarkers (i.e., NT-proBNP, cTnT, and hs-CRP) (

p
<
0.05

). The area under the ROC curve of PGRN and EphA2 was 0.604 and 0.686, respectively (

p
<
0.01

). Conclusions. Higher circulating EphA2 and PGRN levels were detected in patients with ACS than in patients with SAP. Circulating EphA2 and PGRN levels might be diagnostic factors for predicting the atheroma burden in patients with CAD.
Mathematical Modeling of Brain Activity under Specific Auditory Stimulation
Authors: Georgescu Marius , Haidar Laura , Serb Alina-Florina , Puscasiu Daniela , Georgescu Daniel
Published: April 2021

Understanding the connection between different stimuli and the brain response represents a complex research area. However, the use of mathematical models for this purpose is relatively unexplored. The present study investigates the effects of three different auditory stimuli on cerebral biopotentials by means of mathematical functions. The effects of acoustic stimuli (S1, S2, and S3) on cerebral activity were evaluated by electroencephalographic (EEG) recording on 21 subjects for 20 minutes of stimulation, with a 5-minute period of silence before and after stimulation. For the construction of the mathematical models used for the study of the EEG rhythms, we used the Box-Jenkins methodology. Characteristic mathematical models were obtained for the main frequency bands and were expressed by 2 constant functions, 8 first-degree functions, a second-degree function, a fourth-degree function, 6 recursive functions, and 4 periodic functions. The values obtained for the variance estimator are low, demonstrating that the obtained models are correct. The resulting mathematical models allow us to objectively compare the EEG response to the three stimuli, both between the stimuli itself and between each stimulus and the period before stimulation.
Antielastase Activity of Macassar Kernels (Rhus javanica) Stem Extract and Skin Elasticity Evaluation of Its Topical Gel Formulation
Authors: Anggraini Nadia Bunga , Elya Berna , Iskandarsyah Iskandarsyah
Published: April 2021

Background. Macassar kernels (Rhus javanica L.) has potential as an antiaging agent as it has antielastase activity, especially its stem extract which has best percent inhibition compared to its leaves and fruit extract. Moreover, the antiaging agent can be commonly used in the form of gel for topical applications. Hence, formulation of HEC-based topical gel from the stem extract of Macassar kernels was conducted. This study aims to determine the antielastase activity of the stem extract of Macassar kernels and evaluate the skin elasticity of its topical gel formulation by conducting dermatological safety and skin antiaging efficacy test. Methods. The stem extract was in vitro tested for antielastase activity using a microplate reader. Then, a formulation of a topical gel containing Rhus javanica stem extract was made. Five stages of quality control, which consisted of an organoleptic test, homogeneity test, pH measurement, viscosity measurement, and physicochemical stability test, were conducted to ensure the quality of topical gel formulation. Last, clinical studies were conducted to evaluate the dermatological safety and antiaging efficacy of gel preparation containing stem extract of Rhus javanica. Results. The stem extract provided antielastase activity (IC50 = 245.68 μg/mL), and its polyphenol was valued at 23.28 ± 1.52 mg GAE/g). The gel containing 10% stem extract had better stability than the gel containing 5% stem extract. The dermatology safety test and efficacy test results indicated that the topical gel containing 10% Rhus javanica stem extract did not cause any skin irritation and significantly improved skin elasticity

p
<
0.05

. In the treatment group, the moisture parameter was significantly changed on day 14

p
<
0.0001

, day 21

p
<
0.0001

, and day 29

p

<

0.0001

. The elasticity parameter was also changed significantly on day 14

p
=
0.0485

, day 21

p
=
0.0537

, and day 29

p
=
0.0002

. Conclusion. The stem extract of Rhus javanica has potential antielastase activity. The topical gel containing Rhus javanica stem extract also has potential antielastase activity by increasing the skin moisture and enhancing skin elasticity.
Long-Distance Time Transfer in Optical Fiber Networks Using a Cascaded Taming Technology
Authors: Chen Ding , Xu Jiangning , Liang Yifeng , Jiang Shan , He Hongyang
Published: April 2021

In order to meet the time service needs of high-precision, long-distance, and multinode optical network, this paper proposes a new time synchronization solution, which combines the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology with cascaded taming clock technology. The WDM technology is used for time synchronization between each pair of master-slave nodes. In the system, there are two wavelengths on the fiber link between the master node and the slave node for transmitting signals. 1 plus per second (PPS) signal, time code signal, and 10 MHz signal are, respectively, and successively, sent to the optical fiber link. By solving the one-way delay through analysis of error contribution and link characteristics of the time transmission process, time synchronization of the master-slave nodes pair is achieved. Furthermore, the authors adopt cascaded taming clock technology to ensure accurate time synchronization of each node. A 700 km long-distance time-frequency synchronization system is constructed in the laboratory. The system uses a cesium atomic clock as the reference clock source and transmits the signals through 8 small rubidium atomic clocks (RB clocks) hierarchically. Results from the experiment show that the long-term time stability is 47.5 ps/104 s. The system’s structural characteristics and the experiment results meet the requirements to allow practical use of high-precision time synchronization in networks. This proposed solution can be applied in various civil, commercial, and military fields.
Shifts in the Skin Microbiota after UVB Treatment in Adult Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Lossius Astrid Haaskjold , Sundnes Olav , Ingham Anna Cäcilia , Edslev Sofie Marie , Bjørnholt Jørgen Vildershøj , Lilje Berit , Bradley Maria , Asad Samina , Haraldsen Guttorm , Skytt-Andersen Paal , Holm Jan-Øivind , Berents Teresa Løvold
Published: April 2021

Background: The pathophysiology in atopic dermatitis (AD) is not fully understood, but immune dysfunction, skin barrier defects, and alterations of the skin microbiota are thought to play important roles. AD skin is frequently colonized with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and microbial diversity on lesional skin (LS) is reduced compared to on healthy skin. Treatment with narrow-band ultraviolet B (nb-UVB) leads to clinical improvement of the eczema and reduced abundance of S. aureus. However, in-depth knowledge of the temporal dynamics of the skin microbiota in AD in response to nb-UVB treatment is lacking and could provide important clues to decipher whether the microbial changes are primary drivers of the disease, or secondary to the inflammatory process. Objectives: To map the temporal shifts in the microbiota of the skin, nose, and throat in adult AD patients after nb-UVB treatment. Methods: Skin swabs were taken from lesional AD skin (n = 16) before and after 3 treatments of nb-UVB, and after 6–8 weeks of full-body treatment. We also obtained samples from non-lesional skin (NLS) and from the nose and throat. All samples were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: We observed shifts towards higher diversity in the microbiota of lesional AD skin after 6–8 weeks of treatment, while the microbiota of NLS and of the nose/throat remained unchanged. After only 3 treatments with nb-UVB, there were no significant changes in the microbiota. Conclusion: Nb-UVB induces changes in the skin microbiota towards higher diversity, but the microbiota of the nose and throat are not altered.
Dermoscopy of Eruptive Syringoma
Authors: Aleissa Majed , Aljarbou Ohoud , AlJasser Mohammed I.
Published: April 2021

Syringoma is a benign adnexal tumor of eccrine origin. Eruptive syringoma (ES) is a rare variant and can mimic other diseases especially lichen planus (LP). The dermoscopic observation of ES is not well described. We report here a case of ES, initially misdiagnosed as LP. The dermoscopic findings showed fine reticulate brown lines on a light brown background contrarily to the findings usually seen in LP. These findings prompt a skin biopsy which subsequently confirmed the diagnosis of ES. The use of dermoscopy in ES can be useful and may help differentiate it from other diseases.
Relationship Between Central Artery Stiffness, Brain Arterial Dilation, and White Matter Hyperintensities in Older Adults: The ARIC Study—Brief Report
Authors: Caughey Melissa C. , Qiao Ye , Meyer Michelle L. , Palta Priya , Matsushita Kunihiro , Tanaka Hirofumi , Wasserman Bruce A. , Heiss Gerardo
Published: April 2021

Objective:

Nonatherosclerotic outward remodeling of the large intracranial arteries may facilitate propagation of excessive aortic pulsatile energy into the cerebral microcirculation and has been associated with adverse cognitive outcomes. We sought to determine the relationship between central artery stiffness, brain arterial diameters, and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume in the general population of older adults.

Approach and Results:

We examined data from 1275 stroke-free participants of the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study (59% female, 30% Black, mean age 77 years) who underwent carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) testing and brain magnetic resonance imaging. A cf-PWV >12 m/s was considered elevated. Relationships between WMH and arterial diameters at the M1A1 segment of the middle and anterior cerebral arteries (whichever larger) were analyzed in the absence of artery-specific plaque, adjusting for intracranial volume and potential confounders. The average cf-PWV was 11.7 m/s and WMH volume was 11.2 cm
3
. Each 0.5 mm increment in M1A1 diameter was associated with 24% greater WMH volume in participants with elevated cf-PWV (exponentiated β=1.24 [95% CI, 1.12–1.36]), compared with a 10% greater WMH volume in participants without elevated cf-PWV (exponentiated β=1.10 [95% CI, 1.01–1.19]),
P
value for interaction=0.04.

Conclusions:

In this examination of older adults from the general population, larger, plaque-free arterial diameters in the middle cerebral circulation were associated with greater WMH volume, particularly among participants with elevated central artery stiffness. Strategies to reduce central artery stiffness may mitigate the association between cerebrovascular outward remodeling and microvascular damage.
Reinforcement Learning in Sparse-Reward Environments With Hindsight Policy Gradients
Authors: Rauber Paulo , Ummadisingu Avinash , Mutz Filipe , Schmidhuber Jürgen
Published: April 2021

A reinforcement learning agent that needs to pursue different goals across episodes requires a goal-conditional policy. In addition to their potential to generalize desirable behavior to unseen goals, such policies may also enable higher-level planning based on subgoals. In sparse-reward environments, the capacity to exploit information about the degree to which an arbitrary goal has been achieved while another goal was intended appears crucial to enabling sample efficient learning. However, reinforcement learning agents have only recently been endowed with such capacity for hindsight. In this letter, we demonstrate how hindsight can be introduced to policy gradient methods, generalizing this idea to a broad class of successful algorithms. Our experiments on a diverse selection of sparse-reward environments show that hindsight leads to a remarkable increase in sample efficiency.
Approximate Variational Estimation for a Model of Network Formation
Authors: Mele Angelo , Zhu Lingjiong
Published: April 2021

We develop approximate estimation methods for exponential random graph models (ERGMs), whose likelihood is proportional to an intractable normalizing constant. The usual approach approximates this constant with Monte Carlo simulations; however, convergence may be exponentially slow. We propose a deterministic method, based on a variational mean-field approximation of the ERGM's normalizing constant. We compute lower and upper bounds for the approximation error for any network size, adapting nonlinear large deviation results. This translates into bounds on the distance between true likelihood and mean-field likelihood. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that in practice, our deterministic method performs better than our conservative theoretical approximation bounds imply, for a large class of models.
Can Agricultural Extension and Input Support Be Discontinued? Evidence from a Randomized Phaseout in Uganda
Authors: Fishman Ram , Smith Stephen C. , Bobić Vida , Sulaiman Munshi
Published: April 2021

Many development programs that attempt to disseminate improved technologies are limited in duration because of external funding constraints or an assumption of impact sustainability, but there is limited evidence on whether and when terminating such programs is efficient. We provide novel experimental evidence on the impacts of a randomized phaseout of an agricultural extension and subsidy program that promotes improved inputs and cultivation practices among smallholder women farmers in Uganda. We find that phaseout does not diminish the use of either practices or inputs as farmers shift purchases from NGO-sponsored village-based supply networks to market sources. These results indicate that short-term interventions can suffice to trigger persistent effects, consistent with models of technology adoption that emphasize learning from experience.
Infant Health, Cognitive Performance, and Earnings: Evidence from Inception of the Welfare State in Sweden
Authors: Bhalotra Sonia , Karlsson Martin , Nilsson Therese , Schwarz Nina
Published: April 2021

We identify earnings impacts of exposure to an infant health intervention in Sweden, using individual-linked administrative data to trace potential mechanisms. Leveraging quasi-random variation in eligibility, we estimate that exposure was associated with higher test scores in primary school for boys and girls. However, only girls were more likely to score in the top quintile. Subsequent gains, in secondary schooling, employment, and earnings, are restricted to girls. We show that the differential gains for women accrued from both skills and opportunities.