bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technological Answerability and the Severance Problem: Staying Connected by Demanding Answers
Authors: Tigard Daniel W.
Published: August 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic technologies have become nearly ubiquitous. In some ways, the developments have likely helped us, but in other ways sophisticated technologies set back our interests. Among the latter sort is what has been dubbed the ‘severance problem’—the idea that technologies sever our connection to the world, a connection which is necessary for us to flourish and live meaningful lives. I grant that the severance problem is a threat we should mitigate and I ask: how can we stave it off? In particular, the fact that some technologies exhibit behavior that is unclear to us seems to constitute a kind of severance. Building upon contemporary work on moral responsibility, I argue for a mechanism I refer to as ‘technological answerability’, namely the capacity to recognize human demands for answers and to respond accordingly. By designing select devices—such as robotic assistants and personal AI programs—for increased answerability, we see at least one way of satisfying our demands for answers and thereby retaining our connection to a world increasingly occupied by technology.
Supervised temporal link prediction in large-scale real-world networks
Authors: de Bruin Gerrit Jan , Veenman Cor J. , van den Herik H. Jaap , Takes Frank W.
Published: August 2021

Link prediction is a well-studied technique for inferring the missing edges between two nodes in some static representation of a network. In modern day social networks, the timestamps associated with each link can be used to predict future links between so-far unconnected nodes. In these so-called temporal networks, we speak of temporal link prediction. This paper presents a systematic investigation of supervised temporal link prediction on 26 temporal, structurally diverse, real-world networks ranging from thousands to a million nodes and links. We analyse the relation between global structural properties of each network and the obtained temporal link prediction performance, employing a set of well-established topological features commonly used in the link prediction literature. We report on four contributions. First, using temporal information, an improvement of prediction performance is observed. Second, our experiments show that degree disassortative networks perform better in temporal link prediction than assortative networks. Third, we present a new approach to investigate the distinction between networks modelling discrete events and networks modelling persistent relations. Unlike earlier work, our approach utilises information on all past events in a systematic way, resulting in substantially higher link prediction performance. Fourth, we report on the influence of the temporal activity of the node or the edge on the link prediction performance, and show that the performance differs depending on the considered network type. In the studied information networks, temporal information on the node appears most important. The findings in this paper demonstrate how link prediction can effectively be improved in temporal networks, explicitly taking into account the type of connectivity modelled by the temporal edge. More generally, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the evolution of networks.
Decomposing County-Level Working-Age Mortality Trends in the United States Between 1999–2001 and 2015–2017
Authors: Graetz Nick , Elo Irma T.
Published: August 2021

Studies have documented significant geographic divergence in U.S. mortality in recent decades. However, few studies have examined the extent to which county-level trends in mortality can be explained by national, state, and metropolitan-level trends, and which county-specific factors contribute to remaining variation. Combining vital statistics data on deaths and Census data with time-varying county-level contextual characteristics, we use a spatially explicit Bayesian hierarchical model to analyze the associations between working-age mortality, state, metropolitan status and county-level socioeconomic conditions, family characteristics, labor market conditions, health behaviors, and population characteristics between 2000 and 2017. Additionally, we employ a Shapley decomposition to illustrate the additive contributions of each changing county-level characteristic to the observed mortality change in U.S. counties between 1999–2001 and 2015–2017 over and above national, state, and metropolitan–nonmetropolitan mortality trends. Mortality trends varied by state and metropolitan status as did the contribution of county-level characteristics. Metropolitan status predicted more of the county-level variance in mortality than state of residence. Of the county-level characteristics, changes in percent college-graduates, smoking prevalence and the percent of foreign-born population contributed to a decline in all-cause mortality over this period, whereas increasing levels of poverty, unemployment, and single-parent families and declines manufacturing employment slowed down these improvements, and in many nonmetropolitan areas were large enough to overpower the positive contributions of the protective factors.
Chronology of recent sedimentary infill of the Inner Río de la Plata Estuary, Argentina
Authors: Colombo Ferran , Serra Jordi , Cabello Patricia , Bedmar José , Isla Federico I.
Published: August 2021

The Inner Río de la Plata Estuary is a sedimentary depositional system that resulted from fluvial-deltaic activity. Gentle Pliocene–Pleistocene slopes make-up the northern side of the estuary whereas small cliffs of the same age constitute the southern side. A long coastal estuarine barrier developed at about 6000 years BP when the maximum flooding surface occurred. Attached to this barrier, and at a lower elevation, is a large strandplain (covering an area of about 2400 km2) which displays more than 220 beach ridges. In different areas, the dating indicates a periodicity of 13.4–13.7 years for the development of each beach ridge. These data are like the periodicity of the ENSO effects, which could be associated with the variability of Sunspots. These ridges were formed shortly after the maximum flooding surface, which was followed by a gradual fall in sea-level that contributed significantly to the Inner Río de la Plata Estuary sedimentary infill. In addition, ENSO activities were probably instrumental in the distribution of the main geoforms in the Inner Rio de la Plata Estuary. Small deltas, which were generated by other rivers and creeks such as the Nogoyá Arroyo and the Gualeguay River, developed coevally with the coastal estuarine barrier. The Ibicuy Delta grew in the middle of the inner Río de la Plata Estuary when the former Paraná River flowed northwards during the sea-level fall. The upper part of the delta front was reworked, giving rise to a large dunefield. Thereafter, achenierplain developed along with tidal flats. The current Paraná Delta continues to prograde at a rate of about 56–64 m/year (m year−1). The sedimentary infill of the Inner Río de la Plata Estuary occurred along the Holocene.
Anti-emetic effect of low dose metoclopramide with dexamethasone and metoclopramide alone for post-operative nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy. A prospective cohort study
Authors: Ayele Tamiru Tilahun , Aregawi Adugna , Negash Tadesse Tamire , Fente Feseha , Awake Senaite
Published: August 2021

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy is one of the common post-operative complications with the incidence of up to 84%. It is a challenging problem that may leads to surgical wound dehiscence, hematoma, upper airway obstruction, severe dehydration, acid base and electrolyte imbalance. The aim of this study was to compare the anti-emetic effect and safety of low dose both metoclopramide and dexamethasone versus metoclopramide alone for the prevention of nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy.

Method:

A prospective cohort study was employed on 76 patients who underwent Thyroidectomy. The randomly selected study participants were grouped as either exposed or control. Patients who received both 5 mg intravenous metoclopramide and 4 mg dexamethasone were considered as exposed group while patients who received 10 mg metoclopramide alone were considered as control group. Post-operative nausea and vomiting, and side effects were recorded post operatively at 6, 12 and 24 h. Data was entered in to EPI info version 7 and then transferred to SPSS version 20 computer program for analysis. Based on their assumption the independent two sample t-test, Manny Whitney test and chi-square test were used. P- Value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Result:

As compared to control group, the first 24 h overall incidence of nausea and vomiting was significantly lower in exposed group, 63% versus 24% respectively. Severity of nausea at 6th, 12th and 24th were also reduced in exposed group. Post-operative sedation was significantly higher in control group (39.47%) than exposed group (16.79%). Although the difference was statistically not significant headache was also higher (26.31%) in control group.

Conclusion:

Giving intravenous 5 mg metoclopramide with 4 mg dexamethasone before induction of general anesthesia was effective and safer than10mg intravenous metoclopramide alone for prevention of post-operative nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy.

Highlights
Editorial
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: August 2021

It's not often I get to write about defrocked priests. And now my chance is here, it turns out not to be an opportunity to indulge in some gleeful yellow journalism. Instead, it's a cautionary tale about the evils of peddling data.
Mind the gap: the cloud security skills shortage
Authors: Campfield Mike
Published: August 2021

You don't need to know much about security to know that security skills are in short supply. Demand for cyber security expertise is exploding as cyberthreats become increasingly advanced, persistent and adept at evading detection.
Sublethal effects of organophosphorus insecticide phoxim on patch time allocation and oviposition behavior in a parasitoid wasp Meteorus pulchricornis
Authors: Sheng Sheng , Song Yan , Ahmad Sheraz , Wang Jiao , Shao Ying , Liu Zhi-xiang , Wu Fu-an
Published: August 2021

Parasitoid wasps are key agents for controlling insect pests in integrated pest management programs. Although many studies have revealed that the behavior of parasitic wasps can be influenced by insecticides, the strategies of patch time allocation and oviposition have received less attention. In the present study, we forced the endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis to phoxim exposure at the LC30 and tested the foraging behavior within patches with different densities of the host, the larvae of the tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura. The results showed that phoxim treatment can significantly increase the patch-leaving tendency of female wasps, while host density had no impact. The number of oviposition and the number of previous patch visits also significantly influenced the patch time allocation decisions. The occurrence of oviposition behavior was negatively affected by phoxim exposure; however, progeny production was similar among patches with different host densities. Phoxim exposure shaped the offspring fitness correlates, including longer durations from cocoon to adult wasps, smaller body size, and shorter longevity. The findings of the present study highlight the sublethal effects that reduce the patch residence time and the fitness of parasitoid offspring, suggesting that the application of phoxim in association with M. pulchricornis should be carefully schemed in agroecosystems.
Trust and Distributive Justice in John Locke's Politics of Money
Authors: Ward Lee
Published: August 2021

Modern commentators tend to view John Locke's theory of money either in terms of a process of naturalization placing currency completely beyond the realm of politics or as an effort to provide a moral foundation for a convention subject to epistemic instability. This study builds on the latter interpretation but offers an alternative to the standard view that Locke sought to remove monetary policy from the scope of ongoing political deliberation. While Locke emphasized the concept of trust necessary for the networks of credit and economic exchange, his account of money also prioritized prudential judgments and distinct discursive contexts, especially relating to distributive justice. Locke's economic tracts give reason to reconsider his putative role as founder of the “sound money” doctrine and shed light on aspects of his statecraft only partly visible in his more familiar political works.
Tibetan Documents concerning Chinese Turkestan. VI: The Tibetan Army
Authors: Thomas F. W.
Published: August 2021

21. M.I., vii, 59 bis (wood, c. 18 × 2.5 cm., complete ; hole for string at r.; Il. 2 recto + 3 verso of cursive dbu-can script).

[A 1] | : | blon . Gtshug . bzanṅ . la | ya . lad . stod . | gsum ‖ blon . [A 2] Phya (Dgra ?). bzer . la . ya . lad . stod . gñis | stag . Gtshug . bzan . la [B 1] ya . lad . stod . gñis ‖ Gun . Rgya . legs . la | ya . lad . st[o]d . gñis | [B 2] blon . Stag . sgra .la . g−1ya . lad . stod . gchig ‖ stag . Stag . rtsan . la | ya . lad . stod . gchig | Dpal. bzer . la . ya . lad . stod . gchig ‖
The Origin of Banking in Mediaeval Islam : A contribution to the economic history of the Jews of Baghdad in the tenth century
Authors: Fischel Walter
Published: August 2021

If we describe as bankers persons whose profession it is to administer, procure, and supply money, then we are indeed entitled to count Joseph b. Phineas and Aaron b. Amram as bankers in a quite modern sense, and in view of their almost exclusive dealings with the Court and its officials, as Court Bankers in fact as well as in name.
“The Imam of modern Egypt was a sceptic”: Mustafa Sabri's Radical Critique of Muhammad ʿAbduh and Modernist Theology
Authors: HAMMOND ANDREW
Published: August 2021

This article re-examines the theology of EgyptianʿalimMuhammad ʿAbduh (1849–1905) through the writing of Late Ottoman sheikh ül-Islam Mustafa Sabri (1869–1954) and his radical critique of the Muslim reform (tajdīd) movement. One of Mustafa Kemal's most implacable foes, Sabri was alarmed to find Egyptianʿulamaʾand intellectuals advancing the positivist-materialist agenda he had challenged in Istanbul before fleeing in 1922 from Ankara's victorious nationalist forces. Debating the leading lights of the modernist movement in Egypt of the 1930s and 1940s, Sabri came to see its reform theology as little more than a calque on Enlightenment notions of religion; his ideas became influential through his close relationship with Hasan al-Banna and other figures from the Muslim Brotherhood. Examining Sabri's work in Istanbul and Cairo, ʿAbduh's early and later writing, and texts such as ʿAbduh's famous debate with Farah Antun, theislāmiyyātliterature of Egypt's liberal age, and material by Sayyid Qutb, I argue that Sabri was instrumental in formulating the hostile discourse that came to dominate Muslim views of ʿAbduh in the later twentieth century once the ideologies of Salafism and Brotherhood Islamism had eclipsed that of the reformers.
CREDIT CARDS, THE DEMAND FOR MONEY, AND MONETARY AGGREGATION
Authors: Liu Jinan , Serletis Apostolos
Published: August 2021

We use nonparametric and parametric demand analysis to empirically estimate a credit card-augmented monetary asset demand system, based on the Minflex Laurent flexible functional form, and a sample period that includes the 2007–2009 global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. We also use multivariate copulae in an attempt to capture various patterns of dependence structures. In doing so, we relax the joint normality assumption of the errors of the demand system and estimate the model without having to delete one equation as is usually the practice. We show that the Minflex Laurent copula-based demand system produces a higher income elasticity for credit card transaction services and higher Morishima elasticities between credit card transaction services and monetary assets compared to the traditional estimation of the Minflex Laurent demand system. We also show that credit cards are substitutes for monetary assets and that there is lower tail dependence between the demand for credit card transaction services and transaction balances.
Smarter Medicine in der Viszeralchirurgie
Authors: Winterhalder Sebastian , Kohler Andreas , Kaderli Reto , Brügger Lukas , Beldi Guido
Published: August 2021

Zusammenfassung. Mehr ist nicht immer ein Plus. Mit diesem Motto eine gemeinsame Entscheidung zu treffen ist der Grundsatz der Smarter Medicine. In der allgemeinen und viszeralen Chirurgie gibt es viele Entscheidungen betreffend der Durchführung einer apparativen Untersuchung oder Therapie, die dem Patienten potenziellen Schaden zuführen können. Es beginnt beim Notfalleintritt, wo auf die Computertomographie bei der Abklärung des akuten Abdomens beim jungen Patienten verzichtet werden könnte. Eine mögliche akute Appendizitis könnte beim jungen gesunden Patienten durch «Watchful Waiting» demaskiert oder möglicherweise eine unnötige Intervention vermieden werden. Kann die akute Cholezystitis oder sogar eine Hohlorganperforation lediglich mit Antibiotika behandelt werden? Kann bei einer schweren Divertikulitis auf eine Operation ganz verzichtet werden? Falls eine Kolonresektion notwendig ist, kann eine direkte Anastomose gesetzt und somit eine zweite Operation verhindert werden? Welche Schilddrüsenknoten müssen nach welcher Untersuchung entfernt werden? Das Management der Erkrankungen im chirurgischen Fachbereich wird mittels evidenzbasierter Medizin im Rahmen der Smarter Medicine massgeblich hinterfragt und stetig neu beurteilt.
Impact and Sensitivity Analysis of Soil Water and Heat Transfer Parameterizations in Community Land Surface Model on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Deng Mingshan , Meng Xianhong , Lu Yaqiong , Li Zhaoguo , Zhao Lin , Hu Zeyong , Chen Hao , Shang Lunyu , Wang Shaoying , Li Qian
Published: August 2021

Soil water and heat transfer is especially complicated during the freezing and thawing processes over the high‐altitude cold regions. In this study, four sensitivity tests of soil water and heat transfer parameterizations including replacing soil property data (SP1), soil resistance scheme modification (SP2), soil thermal conductivity scheme (SP3) and virtual temperature scheme (SP4), and four combination experiments (SP1+SP2+SP3/SP5, SP1+SP2+SP4/SP6, SP1+SP3+SP4/SP7, and SP1+SP2+SP3+SP4/SP8) were done using Community Land Model (CLM5.0) to examine its performances for soil water and heat transfer modeling on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) both in single‐point and regional simulations. The observed data from five eddy covariance sites, four soil moisture and temperature networks and 60 sites of soil temperature observations on the TP were used to evaluate the results. Single‐point simulations show that SP2 experiment reduced the wet biases of soil moisture in semiarid area, but enhanced the error of soil temperature. SP6 shows the best performances in simulating soil moisture, and SP3 in soil temperature. Regional simulations show that the SP7 experiment had the best performances for soil water and heat transfer simulation on the TP, and improved the simulation of soil freezing‐thawing processes. Compared to CLM5.0 default simulation, SP7 shows the best performances. For soil moisture, it reduced average Bias by 23%, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) by 18%, and increased the Correlation Coefficient (Corr) by2%. For soil temperature, it reduced the Bias by 9%, 10%, 23%, and 13% at four soil depths on the TP, respectively.
New Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strains: well tolerated and improve infant microbiota
Authors: Önning Gunilla , Palm Ragnhild , Linninge Caroline , Larsson Niklas
Published: August 2021

Background

Different microorganisms from the environment will begin to colonise the infant during and immediately after the delivery. It could be advantageous to influence the microbiome early on by giving infants probiotic bacteria. The aim of the study was to investigate the tolerance of two probiotic lactobacilli in infants. The effect on the microbiota was also followed.

Methods

Thirty-six healthy infants, aged 4–83 days at the start of the study, were given a daily supplementation of probiotics (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 271, 109 CFU (colony-forming units)) or placebo for 8 weeks. Adverse events, growth parameters, the faecal microbiome and intestinal performance were followed.

Results

No differences between the groups in growth parameters, adverse events and intestinal performance were observed. The faecal levels of L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus and lactobacilli increased after the intake of probiotics and were significantly higher compared with the placebo group after 4 and 8 weeks of intake. The faecal microbial diversity was similar in the two groups at the end of the study.

Conclusions

The intervention with the probiotic formulation was well tolerated and increased the level of lactobacilli in the intestine. The developed probiotic formulation will be further evaluated for clinical efficacy in infants.

Impact

New data for the development of the gut function and the microbiome in breastfed and/or formula-fed young infants over time and the effect of adding two probiotic strains are presented.

Lactiplantibacillusplantarum is a species that seldom has been analysed in infants, but it could be detected in 25% of the subjects before administration (mean age 41 days).

Lactiplantibacillusplantarum and L. rhamnosus establish well in the intestine of infants and are well tolerated.

The microbiota was positively affected by the intake of probiotics.
Preterm birth and subsequent timing of pubertal growth, menarche, and voice break
Authors: Suikkanen Julia , Nurhonen Markku , Cole Tim J. , Paalanne Marika , Matinolli Hanna-Maria , Tikanmäki Marjaana , Vääräsmäki Marja , Järvelin Marjo-Riitta , Hovi Petteri , Kajantie Eero
Published: August 2021

Background

We evaluated pubertal growth and pubertal timing of participants born preterm compared to those born at term.

Methods

In the ESTER Preterm Birth Study, we collected growth data and measured final height of men/women born very or moderately preterm (<34 gestational weeks, n = 52/55), late preterm (34–<37 weeks, 94/106), and term (≥37 weeks, 131/151), resulting in median 9 measurements at ≥6 years. Timing of menarche or voice break was self-reported. Peak height velocity (PHV, cm/year) and age at PHV (years) were compared with SuperImposition by Translation And Rotation (SITAR) model (sexes separately).

Results

Age at PHV (years) and PHV (cm/year) were similar in all gestational age groups. Compared to term controls, insignificant differences in age at PHV were 0.1 (95% CI: −0.2 to 0.4) years/0.2 (−0.1 to 0.4) for very or moderately/late preterm born men and −0.0 (−0.3 to 0.3)/−0.0 (−0.3 to 0.2) for women, respectively. Being born small for gestational age was not associated with pubertal growth. Age at menarche or voice break was similar in all the gestational age groups.

Conclusions

Timing of pubertal growth and age at menarche or voice break were similar in participants born preterm and at term.

Impact

Pubertal growth and pubertal timing were similar in preterm and term participants in a relatively large cohort with a wide range of gestational ages.

Previous literature indicates that small for gestational age is a risk for early puberty in term born children. This was not shown in preterm children.

While our study had limited power for children born very preterm, all children born preterm were not at increased risk for early puberty.
Neural substrates of propranolol-induced impairments in the reconsolidation of nicotine-associated memories in smokers
Authors: Lin Xiao , Deng Jiahui , Yuan Kai , Wang Qiandong , Liu Lin , Bao Yanping , Xue Yanxue , Li Peng , Que Jianyu , Liu Jiajia , Yan Wei , Sun Hongqiang , Wu Ping , Shi Jie , Shi Le , Lu Lin
Published: August 2021

The majority of smokers relapse even after successfully quitting because of the craving to smoking after unexpectedly re-exposed to smoking-related cues. This conditioned craving is mediated by reward memories that are frequently experienced and stubbornly resistant to treatment. Reconsolidation theory posits that well-consolidated memories are destabilized after retrieval, and this process renders memories labile and vulnerable to amnestic intervention. This study tests the retrieval reconsolidation procedure to decrease nicotine craving among people who smoke. In this study, 52 male smokers received a single dose of propranolol (n = 27) or placebo (n = 25) before the reactivation of nicotine-associated memories to impair the reconsolidation process. Craving for smoking and neural activity in response to smoking-related cues served as primary outcomes. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed during the memory reconsolidation process. The disruption of reconsolidation by propranolol decreased craving for smoking. Reactivity of the postcentral gyrus in response to smoking-related cues also decreased in the propranolol group after the reconsolidation manipulation. Functional connectivity between the hippocampus and striatum was higher during memory reconsolidation in the propranolol group. Furthermore, the increase in coupling between the hippocampus and striatum positively correlated with the decrease in craving after the reconsolidation manipulation in the propranolol group. Propranolol administration before memory reactivation disrupted the reconsolidation of smoking-related memories in smokers by mediating brain regions that are involved in memory and reward processing. These findings demonstrate the noradrenergic regulation of memory reconsolidation in humans and suggest that adjunct propranolol administration can facilitate the treatment of nicotine dependence. The present study was pre-registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (registration no. ChiCTR1900024412).
TMED3 promotes the progression and development of lung squamous cell carcinoma by regulating EZR
Authors: Xie An , Xu Xinping , Kuang Peng , Zhang Ling , Yu Feng
Published: August 2021

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) has a poor clinical prognosis and lacks effective targeted therapy. The transmembrane emp24 trafficking protein 3 (TMED3) belongs to the TMED family, which is responsible for the transport of intracellular proteins. This study was to explore the clinicopathological significance and biological effects of TMED3 in LUSC. Expression of TMED3 in LUSC was detected by immunohistochemical (IHC). The loss-of-function assays were used to investigate the effects of TMED3 on proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and migration of LUSC cells. The influence of TMED3 knockdown on tumor growth in vivo was evaluated by mice xenograft models. In addition, the downstream target of TMED3 was recognized by RNA sequencing and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Moreover, TMED3 was upregulated in LUSC tissue, which was positively correlated with pathological grade. TMED3 knockdown was involved in the regulation of LUSC cell function, such as inhibition of proliferation, reduction of colony formation, induction of apoptosis, and reduction of migration. TMED3 knockdown induced abnormalities in apoptosis-related proteins in LUSC cells. In addition, the inhibition of cell migration by TMED3 knockdown was achieved by regulating EMT. Mechanically, EZR was considered as a potential target for TMED3 to regulate the progress of LUSC. Inhibition of EZR can inhibit the progression of LUSC, and even reduce the promoting effects of TMED3 overexpression on LUSC. In conclusion, TMED3 promoted the progression and development of LUSC by EZR, which may be a novel therapeutic target for LUSC.
SESN2 protects against denervated muscle atrophy through unfolded protein response and mitophagy
Authors: Yang Xiaofan , Xue Pingping , Yuan Meng , Xu Xiang , Wang Cheng , Li Wenqing , Machens Hans-Günther , Chen Zhenbing
Published: August 2021

Denervation of skeletal muscles results in a rapid and programmed loss of muscle size and performance, termed muscle atrophy, which leads to a poor prognosis of clinical nerve repair. Previous researches considered this process a result of multiple factors, such as protein homeostasis disorder, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), and apoptosis, while their intrinsic association remains to be explored. In this study, Sestrin2 (SESN2), a stress-inducible protein, was shown to act as a key protective signal involved in the crosstalk therein. SESN2 expression was induced in the gastrocnemius two weeks post denervation, which was accompanied by ERS, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. Knockdown of SESN2 aggravated this situation and resulted in severer atrophy. Similar results were also found in rotenone-treated C2C12 cells. Furthermore, SESN2 was demonstrated to be induced by an ERS-activated transcription factor CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPβ). Once induced, SESN2 halted protein synthesis by inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), thereby attenuating ERS. Moreover, increased SESN2 activated the specific autophagic machinery and facilitated the aggregation of sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1, p62) on the mitochondrial surface, which promoted the clearance of damaged mitochondria through mitophagy. Collectively, the SESN2-mediated unfolded protein response (UPR) and mitophagy play a critical role in protecting against denervated muscle atrophy, which may provide novel insights into the mechanism of skeletal muscle atrophy following denervation.
Inter-laboratory mass spectrometry dataset based on passive sampling of drinking water for non-target analysis
Authors: Schulze Bastian , van Herwerden Denice , Allan Ian , Bijlsma Lubertus , Etxebarria Nestor , Hansen Martin , Merel Sylvain , Vrana Branislav , Aalizadeh Reza , Bajema Bernard , Dubocq Florian , Coppola Gianluca , Fildier Aurélie , Fialová Pavla , Frøkjær Emil , Grabic Roman , Gago-Ferrero Pablo , Gravert Thorsten , Hollender Juliane , Huynh Nina , Jacobs Griet , Jonkers Tim , Kaserzon Sarit , Lamoree Marja , Le Roux Julien , Mairinger Teresa , Margoum Christelle , Mascolo Giuseppe , Mebold Emmanuelle , Menger Frank , Miège Cécile , Meijer Jeroen , Moilleron Régis , Murgolo Sapia , Peruzzo Massimo , Pijnappels Martijn , Reid Malcolm , Roscioli Claudio , Soulier Coralie , Valsecchi Sara , Thomaidis Nikolaos , Vulliet Emmanuelle , Young Robert , Samanipour Saer
Published: August 2021

Non-target analysis (NTA) employing high-resolution mass spectrometry is a commonly applied approach for the detection of novel chemicals of emerging concern in complex environmental samples. NTA typically results in large and information-rich datasets that require computer aided (ideally automated) strategies for their processing and interpretation. Such strategies do however raise the challenge of reproducibility between and within different processing workflows. An effective strategy to mitigate such problems is the implementation of inter-laboratory studies (ILS) with the aim to evaluate different workflows and agree on harmonized/standardized quality control procedures. Here we present the data generated during such an ILS. This study was organized through the Norman Network and included 21 participants from 11 countries. A set of samples based on the passive sampling of drinking water pre and post treatment was shipped to all the participating laboratories for analysis, using one pre-defined method and one locally (i.e. in-house) developed method. The data generated represents a valuable resource (i.e. benchmark) for future developments of algorithms and workflows for NTA experiments.
MNI-FTD templates, unbiased average templates of frontotemporal dementia variants
Authors: Dadar Mahsa , Manera Ana L. , Fonov Vladimir S. , Ducharme Simon , Collins D. Louis
Published: August 2021

Standard templates are widely used in human neuroimaging processing pipelines to facilitate group-level analyses and comparisons across subjects/populations. MNI-ICBM152 template is the most commonly used standard template, representing an average of 152 healthy young adult brains. However, in patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD), high atrophy levels lead to significant differences between individuals’ brain shapes and MNI-ICBM152 template. Such differences might inevitably lead to registration errors or subtle biases in downstream analyses and results. Disease-specific templates are therefore desirable to reflect the anatomical characteristics of the populations of interest and reduce potential registration errors. Here, we present MNI-FTD136, MNI-bvFTD70, MNI-svFTD36, and MNI-pnfaFTD30, four unbiased average templates of 136 FTD patients, 70 behavioural variant (bv), 36 semantic variant (sv), and 30 progressive nonfluent aphasia (pnfa) variant FTD patients and a corresponding age-matched template of 133 controls (MNI-CN133), along with probabilistic tissue maps for each template. Public availability of these templates will facilitate analyses of FTD cohorts and enable comparisons between different studies in an appropriate common standardized space.
Multiple bouts of high-intensity interval exercise reverse age-related functional connectivity disruptions without affecting motor learning in older adults
Authors: Greeley Brian , Chau Briana , Jones Christina B. , Neva Jason L. , Kraeutner Sarah N. , Campbell Kristin L. , Boyd Lara A.
Published: August 2021

Exercise has emerged as an intervention that may mitigate age-related resting state functional connectivity and sensorimotor decline. Here, 42 healthy older adults rested or completed 3 sets of high-intensity interval exercise for a total of 23 min, then immediately practiced an implicit motor task with their non-dominant hand across five separate sessions. Participants completed resting state functional MRI before the first and after the fifth day of practice; they also returned 24-h and 35-days later to assess short- and long-term retention. Independent component analysis of resting state functional MRI revealed increased connectivity in the frontoparietal, the dorsal attentional, and cerebellar networks in the exercise group relative to the rest group. Seed-based analysis showed strengthened connectivity between the limbic system and right cerebellum, and between the right cerebellum and bilateral middle temporal gyri in the exercise group. There was no motor learning advantage for the exercise group. Our data suggest that exercise paired with an implicit motor learning task in older adults can augment resting state functional connectivity without enhancing behaviour beyond that stimulated by skilled motor practice.
Self-generation and sound intensity interactively modulate perceptual bias, but not perceptual sensitivity
Authors: Paraskevoudi Nadia , SanMiguel Iria
Published: August 2021

The ability to distinguish self-generated stimuli from those caused by external sources is critical for all behaving organisms. Although many studies point to a sensory attenuation of self-generated stimuli, recent evidence suggests that motor actions can result in either attenuated or enhanced perceptual processing depending on the environmental context (i.e., stimulus intensity). The present study employed 2-AFC sound detection and loudness discrimination tasks to test whether sound source (self- or externally-generated) and stimulus intensity (supra- or near-threshold) interactively modulate detection ability and loudness perception. Self-generation did not affect detection and discrimination sensitivity (i.e., detection thresholds and Just Noticeable Difference, respectively). However, in the discrimination task, we observed a significant interaction between self-generation and intensity on perceptual bias (i.e. Point of Subjective Equality). Supra-threshold self-generated sounds were perceived softer than externally-generated ones, while at near-threshold intensities self-generated sounds were perceived louder than externally-generated ones. Our findings provide empirical support to recent theories on how predictions and signal intensity modulate perceptual processing, pointing to interactive effects of intensity and self-generation that seem to be driven by a biased estimate of perceived loudness, rather by changes in detection and discrimination sensitivity.
Nano/microparticles in conjunction with microalgae extract as novel insecticides against Mealworm beetles, Tenebrio molitor
Authors: Rankic Ivan , Zelinka Radim , Ridoskova Andrea , Gagic Milica , Pelcova Pavlina , Huska Dalibor
Published: August 2021

The intensive use of insecticides in global agricultural production has attracted much attention due to its many adverse effects on human health and the environment. In recent years, the utilization of nanotechnology has emerged as a tool to overcome these adverse effects. The aim of this work was to test different microparticles (zinc oxide (ZnO MPs) and silicon dioxide microparticles (SiO2MPs)), and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and to study their toxicity on a model organism,Tenebrio molitor. A comprehensive comparative study, which included more than a thousand mealworms divided into nine separate groups, was conducted. In addition to pure nano/microparticle solutions, the effect of particles mixed with the microalgae extractChlamydomonas reinhardtiiwas also observed. Pure Ag NPs and SiO2MPs resulted in larval mortality of more than 70% compared to that of pure ZnO MPs, in which the mortality rate was approximately 33%. A mixture of the algal extract with zinc oxide microparticles resulted in mortality that was double compared to that observed with pure ZnO MPs. In parallel, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used to determine the difference in the concentration of trace elements in the bodies of dead and live larvae.
Comparing recurrent convolutional neural networks for large scale bird species classification
Authors: Gupta Gaurav , Kshirsagar Meghana , Zhong Ming , Gholami Shahrzad , Ferres Juan Lavista
Published: August 2021

We present a deep learning approach towards the large-scale prediction and analysis of bird acoustics from 100 different bird species. We use spectrograms constructed on bird audio recordings from the Cornell Bird Challenge (CBC)2020 dataset, which includes recordings of multiple and potentially overlapping bird vocalizations with background noise. Our experiments show that a hybrid modeling approach that involves a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for learning the representation for a slice of the spectrogram, and a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) for the temporal component to combine across time-points leads to the most accurate model on this dataset. We show results on a spectrum of models ranging from stand-alone CNNs to hybrid models of various types obtained by combining CNNs with other CNNs or RNNs of the following types: Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, Gated Recurrent Units (GRU), and Legendre Memory Units (LMU). The best performing model achieves an average accuracy of 67% over the 100 different bird species, with the highest accuracy of 90% for the bird species, Red crossbill. We further analyze the learned representations visually and find them to be intuitive, where we find that related bird species are clustered close together. We present a novel way to empirically interpret the representations learned by the LMU-based hybrid model which shows how memory channel patterns change over time with the changes seen in the spectrograms.
Pretreatment prognostic nutritional index as a prognostic marker in head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Luan Chih-Wei , Tsai Yao-Te , Yang Hsin-Yi , Chen Kuan-Yin , Chen Po-Hsien , Chou Hsin-Hsu
Published: August 2021

The predictive value of the pretreatment prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for head and neck cancer (HNC) remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the predictive value of PNI in HNC patients. A systematic search through internet databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for qualified studies estimating the association of PNI with HNC patient survival was performed. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) data were collected and evaluated. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled hazard ratios (pHRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 7815 HNC patients from 14 eligible studies were involved. Pooled analysis showed that low pretreatment PNI was correlated with poor OS (pHR: 1.93, 95% CI 1.62–2.30, p < 0.001), PFS (pHR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.19–1.92, p = 0.008), DSS (pHR: 1.98, 95% CI 1.12–3.50, p < 0.001), DFS (pHR: 2.20, 95% CI 1.66–2.91, p < 0.001) and DMFS (pHR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.74–2.38, p < 0.001). Furthermore, low pretreatment PNI was correlated with poor OS despite variations in the cancer site, sample size, PNI cut-off value, analysis method (multivariate analysis or univariate analysis) and treatment modality in subgroup analysis. Elevated pretreatment PNI is correlated with a superior prognosis in HNC patients and could be used as
a biomarker in clinical practice for prognosis prediction and treatment stratification.
Significance of the suture line in cephalopod taxonomy revealed by 3D morphometrics in the modern nautilids Nautilus and Allonautilus
Authors: Tajika Amane , Morimoto Naoki , Landman Neil H.
Published: August 2021

Assessing the taxonomic importance of the suture line in shelled cephalopods is a key to better understanding the diversity of this group in Earth history. Because fossils are subject to taphonomic artifacts, an in-depth knowledge of well-preserved modern organisms is needed as an important reference. Here, we examine the suture line morphology of all known species of the modern cephalopodsNautilusandAllonautilus. We applied computed tomography and geometric morphometrics to quantify the suture line morphology as well as the conch geometry and septal spacing. Results reveal that the suture line and conch geometry are useful in distinguishing species, while septal spacing is less useful. We also constructed cluster trees to illustrate the similarity among species. The tree based on conch geometry in middle ontogeny is nearly congruent with those previously reconstructed based on molecular data. In addition, different geographical populations of the same species ofNautilusseparate out in this tree. This suggests that genetically distinct (i.e., geographically isolated) populations ofNautiluscan also be distinguished using conch geometry. Our results are applicable to closely related fossil cephalopods (nautilids), but may not apply to more distantly related forms (ammonoids).
Identification of new target proteins of a Urotensin-II receptor antagonist using transcriptome-based drug repositioning approach
Authors: Lim Gyutae , Lim Chae Jo , Lee Jeong Hyun , Lee Byung Ho , Ryu Jae Yong , Oh Kwang-Seok
Published: August 2021

Drug repositioning research using transcriptome data has recently attracted attention. In this study, we attempted to identify new target proteins of the urotensin-II receptor antagonist, KR-37524 (4-(3-bromo-4-(piperidin-4-yloxy)benzyl)-N-(3-(dimethylamino)phenyl)piperazine-1-carboxamide dihydrochloride), using a transcriptome-based drug repositioning approach. To do this, we obtained KR-37524-induced gene expression profile changes in four cell lines (A375, A549, MCF7, and PC3), and compared them with the approved drug-induced gene expression profile changes available in the LINCS L1000 database to identify approved drugs with similar gene expression profile changes. Here, the similarity between the two gene expression profile changes was calculated using the connectivity score. We then selected proteins that are known targets of the top three approved drugs with the highest connectivity score in each cell line (12 drugs in total) as potential targets of KR-37524. Seven potential target proteins were experimentally confirmed using an in vitro binding assay. Through this analysis, we identified that neurologically regulated serotonin transporter proteins are new target proteins of KR-37524. These results indicate that the transcriptome-based drug repositioning approach can be used to identify new target proteins of a given compound, and we provide a standalone software developed in this study that will serve as a useful tool for drug repositioning.
Differential progression of coronary atherosclerosis according to plaque composition: a cluster analysis of PARADIGM registry data
Authors: Yoon Yeonyee E. , Baskaran Lohendran , Lee Benjamin C. , Pandey Mohit Kumar , Goebel Benjamin , Lee Sang-Eun , Sung Ji Min , Andreini Daniele , Al-Mallah Mouaz H. , Budoff Matthew J. , Cademartiri Filippo , Chinnaiyan Kavitha , Choi Jung Hyun , Chun Eun Ju , Conte Edoardo , Gottlieb Ilan , Hadamitzky Martin , Kim Yong Jin , Lee Byoung Kwon , Leipsic Jonathon A. , Maffei Erica , Marques Hugo , de Araújo Gonçalves Pedro , Pontone Gianluca , Shin Sanghoon , Narula Jagat , Bax Jeroen J. , Lin Fay Yu-Huei , Shaw Leslee , Chang Hyuk-Jae
Published: August 2021

Patient-specific phenotyping of coronary atherosclerosis would facilitate personalized risk assessment and preventive treatment. We explored whether unsupervised cluster analysis can categorize patients with coronary atherosclerosis according to their plaque composition, and determined how these differing plaque composition profiles impact plaque progression. Patients with coronary atherosclerotic plaque (n = 947; median age, 62 years; 59% male) were enrolled from a prospective multi-national registry of consecutive patients who underwent serial coronary computed tomography angiography (median inter-scan duration, 3.3 years). K-means clustering applied to the percent volume of each plaque component and identified 4 clusters of patients with distinct plaque composition. Cluster 1 (n = 52), which comprised mainly fibro-fatty plaque with a significant necrotic core (median, 55.7% and 16.0% of the total plaque volume, respectively), showed the least total plaque volume (PV) progression (+ 23.3 mm3), with necrotic core and fibro-fatty PV regression (− 5.7 mm3 and − 5.6 mm3, respectively). Cluster 2 (n = 219), which contained largely fibro-fatty (39.2%) and fibrous plaque (46.8%), showed fibro-fatty PV regression (− 2.4 mm3). Cluster 3 (n = 376), which comprised mostly fibrous (62.7%) and calcified plaque (23.6%), showed increasingly prominent calcified PV progression (+ 21.4 mm3). Cluster 4 (n = 300), which comprised mostly calcified plaque (58.7%), demonstrated the greatest total PV increase (+ 50.7mm3), predominantly increasing in calcified PV (+ 35.9 mm3). Multivariable analysis showed higher risk for plaque progression in Clusters 3 and 4, and higher risk for adverse cardiac events in Clusters 2, 3, and 4 compared to that in Cluster 1. Unsupervised clustering algorithms may uniquely characterize patient phenotypes with varied atherosclerotic plaque profiles, yielding distinct patterns of progressive disease and outcome.