bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonnormality of sonic boom loudness metrics in the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer at large lateral distances from the flight path
Authors: Carr Alexander N. , Lonzaga Joel B. , Miller Steven A.
Published: November 2022

Atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) turbulence causes variability of the sonic boom waveform at the ground. Recent numerical investigations of sonic boom propagation through kinematic velocity fluctuations indicate that loudness metric distributions are positively skewed relative to a normal distribution. This skewness depends on the propagation distance and turbulence intensity. Propagation simulations of N-waves and shaped booms through inhomogeneous ABL turbulence are presented. Meteorological conditions are varied to examine different daytime ABL conditions and their effect on sonic boom loudness distributions. Two outcomes are observed: (1) the loudness metric distributions become increasingly positively skewed as the propagation distance through the ABL increases, and (2) the distributions become increasingly positively skewed at the same lateral distance from the flight path as the convection level of the daytime ABL is increased. Thus, results indicate that ground level measurements of sonic boom loudness from flight tests performed at large lateral distances from the flight path may not be normally distributed, due to turbulence present in the ABL. (This research is supported by the Commercial Supersonic Technology Project of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. 80NSSC19K1685.)
Effects of dose error and sample size on sonic boom dose-response curves
Authors: Doebler William , Vaughn Aaron B. , Cruze Nathan B. , Ballard Kathryn , Rathsam Jonathan , Parker Peter A.
Published: November 2022

NASA will soon be collecting noise-annoyance community survey data as the X-59 aircraft flies supersonically over several communities in the USA. Sparse measurements of the X-59 sonic thumps will be used together with physics-based simulations to estimate noise doses at survey participant locations. These dose estimates have associated error that affects the accuracy of modeled dose-response curves, which can result in misestimation of annoyance. The precision in dose-response curves is also a consideration in selecting the number of survey participants. To enable pretest studies of dose error and precision, simulated dose-response data were generated based on NASA’s Quiet Supersonic Flights 2018 test. The data included various degrees of dose error and sample size. Frequentist multilevel logistic regression models were fit to the true and perturbed dose-response data. Simple proportional relationships were identified between the model parameters and the perturbation standard deviation. The summary dose-response curves illustrate the impact on accuracy if dose error is not accounted for in the model. The precision in the dose-response curves is also shown as the number of participants and degree of participation is varied. Finally, sampling variability is illustrated by showing the dose-response curves for several replicates with random draws of participants and errors.
Psychophysiological effect according to restoration factors of audio-visual environment
Authors: Jeon Jin Yong , Lee Haram , Lee Yunjin
Published: November 2022

This study investigated the effects of psychophysiological restoration due to environmental factors while experiencing the city, waterfront, and green space using various psychological scales and physiological measurement tools. The environment was experienced using virtual reality technology, and the subjects' responses were collected through surveys and EEG (electroencephalography) and HRV (heart rate variability) measurement. HRV responses were carried out by parameters such as total power (TP), SDNN and TSI. In case of EEG, PSD (power spectrum density) analysis indicated a relatively high restoration effect in the natural environment and increase of alpha-beta ratio. Based on functional connectivity, graph theory analysis showed that the limbic system network of non-restoration group was hyperactive. When comparing HRV responses (increase of TP, SDNN and reduction of TSI), from the resilience group, it was found to have higher global network efficiency. In fact, in urban space, there were fewer psychological restoration responses in the group with high noise sensitivity.
Comparing the effectiveness of structure-preserving model order reduction methods for vibro-acoustic problems
Authors: Aumann Quirin , Werner Steffen W.
Published: November 2022

For the analysis of the vibration and dissipation behavior of structures, the evaluation of the systems' frequency response is essential. However, evaluating a frequency sweep on a high-fidelity model can be computationally very expensive. A remedy to this are model order reduction methods, which allow the computation of cheap-to-evaluate surrogate models. Additionally to the reduction of the internal system dimensions, model order reduction methods that preserve the matrix structure of the transfer function are preferred as the results may allow for physical reinterpretation and the use of similar analysis tools as for the original systems. In this work, we compare system-theoretic, structure-preserving model order reduction methods with a specific focus on their applicability to vibro-acoustic systems. We demonstrate their effectiveness in terms of accuracy and computational costs by applying them to numerical models of vibro-acoustic systems depicting structural vibration, sound transmission, acoustic scattering, and poroelastic-acoustic coupling. As a result, this comparative study allows us to derive some general recommendations for the choice of suitable model order reduction methods depending on the specific problem statement.
The grainsize of volcanic fall deposits: Spatial trends and physical controls
Authors: Eychenne Julia , Engwell Samantha L.
Published: November 2022

Volcanic tephra fall deposits, which form during explosive eruptions, are commonly characterized in terms of their thickness and grainsize. While significant efforts have been undertaken to relate spatial trends in thickness to plume dispersion processes, comparably few studies have focused on understanding variations in grainsize. Yet, grainsize is a key parameter providing insight into eruption dynamics, from magma fragmentation to plume transport processes, and modulates the impacts of tephra. Here, we present a set of grainsize data extracted from the published record for 56 deposits that represent a range of eruption intensities and magnitudes. We systematically analyze the deposits in terms of modality (bimodal or unimodal grainsize distributions) and provide the median particle diameter with distance from source for component distribution modes. We found that bimodal fall deposits are formed by eruptions with large amounts of fine particles (<100 µm) and that all tephra-fall deposits show characteristic patterns of grainsize decay with distance from source that can be related to eruption plume height and thus intensity. The grainsize decay trends are also related to ash dispersion and deposition processes such as individual particle settling versus collective settling mechanisms. The maximum distance from source reached by particles of different sizes is controlled by a combination of source and transport processes. This data set provides insight into the preservation potential of deposits of different grainsizes at varying distances from their sources. Finally, we emphasize the importance of using grainsize trends in combination with thickness trends to interpret tephra-fall deposit records.
Unusual and rare cause of abdominal pain: abdominal desmoid fibromatosis masquerading as a postoperative haematoma
Authors: Bracamonte Jesse D , Lodin Hannah M , Schweda Denise
Published: November 2022

Desmoid fibromatosis is a rare connective tissue malignancy. It can occur in a variety of locations, including the abdominal wall, extremities and abdominal cavity. There has been an association with development in a prior surgical scar. Common symptoms can vary depending on the location and can include being painless to having pain at the site, functional impairment and bowel obstruction from intra-abdominal masses. In the following report, we discuss a case in which a patient’s abdominal pain was attributed to a postoperative haematoma based on CT radiographic features; however, further work-up and biopsy yielded desmoid fibromatosis, a rare locally aggressive malignancy.
Acute retinal ischaemia associated with paracentral acute middle maculopathy detected on multimodal imaging: a premonitory sign of severe carotid occlusive disease
Authors: Antaki Fares , Milad Daniel , Hamel Thierry
Published: November 2022

A man in his 60s presented with a subacute paracentral scotoma and preserved visual acuity in the left eye. He was found to have a very subtle area of deep retinal whitening at the macula and multiple retinal cholesterol emboli. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) with En face imaging revealed globular paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM). A diagnosis of PAMM associated with branch artery occlusion was made and the patient was immediately transferred to the nearest stroke centre. Investigations revealed severe carotid occlusive disease for which the patient underwent carotid endarterectomy. Paracentral scotomas in patients with little clinical findings on fundus examination should raise the suspicion for PAMM, which is easily identifiable on OCT. Eye care professionals must recognise PAMM as a possible sign of acute retinal arterial ischaemia—an ocular and systemic emergency that requires immediate referral to specialised stroke centres.
Vedolizumab: what is the benefit from increasing the dose frequency?
Authors: Bouri Sonia , Johnston Emma
Published: November 2022

Vedolizumab was introduced in 2014 as a therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Although recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence were based on a maintenance dose of 300 mg administered intravenously every 8 weeks, the Summary of Product Characteristics includes an option of increasing the frequency of dosing for patients who initially respond but later experience a decrease in response. In this literature review of the evidence for a shorter duration between doses we identified seven studies which report that dose interval shortening recaptures response in around 50% of cases with remission rates of 11% to 34% between 4 and 52 weeks. A sustained response was seen in the majority of patients for up to 1 year, however, patients continued to receive escalated dosing for up to 100 weeks, which does not reflect clinical practice where short-term escalation is usually prescribed. There is a lack of randomised controlled trials and a lack of trials reporting endoscopic remission, which is the goal of care in IBD. The use of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) to guide dose escalation is uncertain and further studies are required to help clarify the role of TDM.
Exertional rhabdomyolysis: an analysis of 321 hospitalised US military service members and its relationship with heat illness
Authors: Oh Robert C , Bury D C , McClure C J
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Exertional rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome of muscle breakdown following exercise. This study describes laboratory and demographic trends of service members hospitalised for exertional rhabdomyolysis and examines the relationships with heat illness.

Methods

We queried the US Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center’s Defence Medical Epidemiology Database for hospitalised cases of rhabdomyolysis associated with physical exertion from January 2010 July 2013. Descriptive statistics reported means and medians of initial, peak and minimal levels of creatine kinase (CK). Correlations explored the relationship between CK, creatinine, length of hospital stay (LOS) and demographic data.

Results

We analysed 321 hospitalised cases of exertional rhabdomyolysis. 193 (60.1%) cases were associated with heat; 104 (32.4%) were not associated with heat; and 24 (7.5%) were classified as medical-associated exertional rhabdomyolysis. Initial, maximum and minimal CK levels were significantly lower in heat cases: CK=6528 U/L vs 19 247 U/L, p=0.001; 13 146 U/L vs 22 201 U/L, p=0.03; and 3618 U/L vs 10 321 U/L, p=0.023) respectively, compared with cases of rhabdomyolysis with exertion alone. Median LOS was 2 days (range=0–25). In the rhabdomyolysis with exertion alone group and the rhabdomyolysis with heat group, LOS was moderately correlated with maximal CK (Spearman’s ρ=0.52, p<0.001, and Spearman ρ=0.38, p<0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference in median LOS between the rhabdomyolysis with exertion alone and rhabdomyolysis associated with heat groups (2 vs 2, p value=0.96).

Conclusion

Most hospitalisations for exertional rhabdomyolysis were associated with heat illness and presented with lower CK levels than cases without associated heat illness. These data add evidence that rhabdomyolysis with heat illness is a different entity than rhabdomyolysis with exertion alone. Differentiating exertional rhabdomyolysis with and without heat should inform future research on rhabdomyolysis prognosis and clinical management.
Effectiveness of treatments for symptoms of post-trauma related guilt, shame and anger in military and civilian populations: a systematic review
Authors: Serfioti Danai , Murphy D , Greenberg N , Williamson V
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Individuals who have been exposed to a traumatic event can develop profound feelings of guilt, shame and anger. Yet, studies of treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have largely investigated changes in PTSD symptoms relating to a sense of ongoing fear or threat and the effectiveness of such treatments for post-trauma related guilt, shame or anger symptom reduction is comparatively not well understood.

Methods

This review systematically examined the effectiveness of existing treatment approaches for three symptoms associated with exposure to traumatic events: guilt, shame and anger. Studies included had to be published after 2010 with a sample size of n=50 or greater to ensure stable treatment outcome estimates.

Results

15 studies were included, consisting of both civilian and (ex-) military population samples exposed to a wide range of traumatic events (eg, combat-related, sexual abuse). Findings indicated a moderate strength of evidence that both cognitive-based and exposure-based treatments are similarly effective in reducing symptoms. Cognitive-based treatments were found to effectively reduce post-trauma related guilt and anger, while exposure-based treatments appeared effective for post-trauma related guilt, shame and anger.

Conclusions

The findings suggest the importance of confronting and discussing the traumatic event during therapy, rather than using less directive treatments (eg, supportive counselling).Nonetheless, while these results are promising, firm conclusions regarding the comparative effectiveness and long-term impact of these treatments could not be drawn due to insufficient evidence. Further empirical research is needed to examine populations exposed to traumatic events and investigate which treatment approaches (or combination thereof) are more effective in the long-term.
Differences of cardiovascular risk assessment in clinical practice using SCORE and SCORE2
Authors: Csenteri Orsolya , Jancsó Zoltán , Szöllösi Gergő József , Andréka Péter , Vajer Péter
Published: November 2022

Objective

Cardiovascular risk estimation is an essential step to reduce the onset of adverse cardiovascular events. For this purpose, the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) risk chart method was used in Europe. In 2021, the SCORE2 algorithm was released, bringing changes in the calculation methodology. This study assessed and compared the level of cardiovascular risk in a population aged 40–65 years using the SCORE and SCORE2 methodologies.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included a total of 85 802 patients in Hungary. Cardiovascular risk levels were determined using the SCORE and SCORE2 risk estimation methods.

Results

Using SCORE, 97.7% of men aged 40–50 years were classified as low–moderate risk, which decreased to 32.4% using SCORE2. Using SCORE, 100% of women aged 40–50 years were classified as low–moderate risk, compared with 75.6% using SCORE2. Using SCORE, 36.8% of men aged 50–65 years were classified as high risk and 14.8% as very high risk, and 5.4% of women aged 50–65 years were classified as high risk and 0.5% as very high risk. In this age group, using SCORE2, 50% of men were classified as high risk and 25.8% as very high risk, and 38.8% of women were classified as high risk and 11.9% as very high risk.

Conclusions

When the SCORE2 method was used instead of SCORE 43.91% of the whole population were classified with a higher level of risk, which represents a radical increase in the number of patients with high or very high cardiovascular risk.
Allometry and sexual dimorphism in three giant whip spider species (Amblypygi, Phrynidae, Heterophrynus)
Authors: Réveillion F. , Carvalho L.S. , Montuire S. , Galipaud M. , Bollache L.
Published: November 2022

Amblypygids display high levels of sexual dimorphism, especially larger pedipalps in males compared to females. This study examines the difference in allometric rates as a potential cause of dimorphism in pedipalps and walking legs in three Heterophrynus species: Heterophrynus batesii (Butler, 1873); Heterophrynus longicornis (Butler, 1873), and Heterophrynus elaphus (Pocock, 1903). Dimorphism is observed in all studied appendages, but higher allometric rates are shown in males more than females for only the pedipalps (for all three species) and the first walking legs (for only H. elaphus), with higher dimorphism in the pedipalp for H. batesii and lower in H. elaphus. Dimorphism in pedipalps appears to be linked to species' mating system: larger dimorphism are observed in polygamous systems, whereas moderate and small dimorphisms are observed in monogamous and solitary species, respectively. Contrary to pedipalps, the evolution of walking legs seems to occur via natural selection rather than sexual selection.
NRAS promotes the proliferation of melanocytes to increase melanin deposition in Rex rabbits
Authors: Bai Shaocheng , Hu Shuaishuai , Dai Yingying , Jin Rongshuai , Zhang Chen , Yao Fan , Weng Qiaoqin , Zhai Pin , Zhao Bohao , Wu Xinsheng , Chen Yang
Published: November 2022

Melanocytes play a major role in the formation of mammalian fur color and are regulated by several genes. Despite playing the pivotal role in the study of melanoma, the mechanistic role of NRAS (neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog) in the formation of mammalian epidermal color is still elusive. First of all, the expression levels of NRAS mRNA and protein in the dorsal skin of different colored Rex rabbits were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Then, the subcellular localization of NRAS was identified in melanocytes by indirect immunofluorescence. Next, the expression of NRAS was overexpressed and knocked down in melanocytes, and its efficiency was verified by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Subsequently, NaOH, CCK-8, and Annexin V-FITC were used to verify the changes in melanin content, proliferation, and apoptosis in melanocytes. Finally, we analyzed the regulation of NRAS on other genes ( MITF, TYR, DCT, PMEL, and CREB) that affect melanin production. In silico studies showed NRAS as a stable and hydrophilic protein, and it is localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus of melanocytes. The mRNA and protein expression levels of NRAS were significantly different in skin of different colored Rex rabbits, and the highest level was found in black skin ( P < 0.01). Moreover, the NRAS demonstrated impact on the proliferation, apoptosis, and melanin production of melanocytes ( P < 0.05), and the strong correlation of NRAS with melanin-related genes was evidently observed ( P < 0.05). Our results suggested that NRAS can be used as a gene that regulates melanin production and controls melanocyte proliferation and apoptosis, providing a new theoretical basis for studying the mechanism of mammalian fur color formation.
Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-oxidative Effects of Puerarin in Postmenopausal Cardioprotection: Roles of Akt and Heme Oxygenase-1
Authors: Yen Pei-Tzu , Huang Shang-En , Hsu Jong-Hau , Kuo Cheng-Hsiang , Chao Yu-Ying , Wang Lung-Shuo , Yeh Jwu-Lai
Published: November 2022

During menopause, the sharp decline in estrogen levels leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women. The inflammatory response and oxidative stress are reportedly involved in the development of cardiovascular disorders postmenopause. In this study, we evaluated the cardioprotective effects of puerarin, a phytoestrogen derived from the root of Pueraria lobate, and investigated its underlying molecular mechanisms. Puerarin alleviated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and hydrogen peroxide-stimulated H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Puerarin scavenges free radicals and reduces apoptosis, thereby suppressing NADPH oxidase-1 and Bax activation to attenuate the production of ROS and restore Bcl-2 expression. Additionally, puerarin inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and nitric oxide production and decreased the hypertrophic phenotype under LPS stimulation. Treatment with puerarin reduced the levels of malondialdehyde and restored glutathione levels when facing oxidative stress. Mechanistically, puerarin inhibited both the LPS-induced Toll-like receptor 4/NF-[Formula: see text]B and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Furthermore, it reversed both the LPS-mediated downregulation of Akt activation and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. The cardioprotective effects of puerarin were abolished by inhibitors of Akt and HO-1 and the estrogen receptor antagonist fulvestrant (ICI). This indicated that the estrogen receptor mediated by these two molecules plays important roles in conferring the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative functions of puerarin. These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of puerarin for treating heart disease in postmenopausal women through Akt and HO-1 activation.
Thermal and concentration slip flow of casson nanofluid with suction phenomenon: A newly developed block scheme
Authors: Adeyeye Oluwaseun , Alshehery Sultan , Al-Khaled Kamel , Alqahtani Sultan , Omar Zurni , Lund Liaquat Ali , Khan Sami Ullah
Published: November 2022

The aim of this work is to present the magnetized flow of Casson nanomaterials confined due to porous space with stability framework. The slip mechanism for thermal concentration diffusion has been elaborated. The shrinking surface with exponential velocity induced the flow. The new block method is imposed for the simulation process. The resulting systems of ODEs of the third and second orders are solved jointly using the block method, which is appropriate for dealing with the different orders of the system of ODEs. From a physical standpoint, graphs of different profiles for increasing values of the various applied parameters have been drawn and discussed in detail. To satisfy the infinite boundary conditions, we assigned numerical values such that all profiles converge asymptotically at [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, numerical results from the block method show that velocity profile declines with rising Casson and porous parameter values, as expected. It is noted that the heat transfer rate enhanced with the thermal slip parameter. A lower thermal profile due to larger Casson fluid parameter is observed.
SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY AND OPTIMAL MACHINING CHARACTERISTICS INVESTIGATION FOR ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIAL INCONEL 825 ALLOY EXPLORING STATISTICAL TGRA ACCOMPANIED WITH T-TOPSIS METHODOLOGY
Authors: SAHU NITIN KUMAR , SINGH MUKESH KUMAR , SAHU ATUL KUMAR , SAHU ANOOP KUMAR
Published: November 2022

The electrical discharge machining (EDM) is an extremely effective manufacturing process to create deep and three-dimensional complex cavities. In EDM, machining occurs due to the generation of thermoelectric energy between the work piece and an electrode. EDM widely engaged for cutting superalloy material that are having high strength to wear ratio, corrosion resistance, etc. In this work, Inconel 825 material, which is nickel–chromium based superalloy, is opted due to its outstanding mechanical and thermal properties. We considered various important EDM input parameters, i.e. spark gap (Sg), gap voltage (Vg), pulse on time ([Formula: see text]), pulse off time ([Formula: see text]), peak current ([Formula: see text]), servo feed (Sf), depth of cut (Dc) and difficulty index (Di) with Taguchi L[Formula: see text] orthogonal array for optimizing output responses, i.e. tool wear rate (TWR), material removal rate (MRR) and surface crack density (SCD) in multi-objective optimization (MOO) realm. Undertaking repeated experimental runs are very expensive, tedious, time consuming and economically unjustified. Hence, we have robustly introduced a novel integrated computational Taguchi based grey relational analysis (TGRA) accompanied with Taguchi based technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (T-TOPSIS) to optimize the EDM process. This research represents that the pulse on time is the chief significant factor and the [Formula: see text] value is found as 0.002 for both TGRA and T-TOPSIS. Experimentally, it has been confirmed that the optimum settings yielding an improvement of 0.01627 and 0.28071 in TGRA and T-TOPSIS score, respectively. The comparative analysis for the methodologies is fruitfully discussed and the results clearly present the effective parametric combinations to be implicated for optimizing MOO framework. Investigation of surface topography is fruitfully presented and the effects of the pulse on time, gap voltage and pulse off time on heat affected layers, machining debris and surface cracks were also discussed. Validation tests were carried out and show closer relationship with the experimental results.
RECENT PROGRESS IN ALUMINUM HYBRID COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH NATURAL FIBER ASH: A REVIEW
Authors: RADHIKA N. , SAM MANU , SIDVILASH VALLURI
Published: November 2022

Modern technology demands have raised the popularity of aluminum metal matrix composites (AMMCs) as it best suits diverse industrial applications. The need to develop an advanced functional material for specific applications attracts global researchers. Commercial needs for cost-effectiveness, quality improvement, superior performance and high strength to low weight ratio are met by composites. Mass production of AMMCs for specific industrial applications prefer stir casting as a simple and cost-effective manufacturing method. In addition, the production of composites turn more economic by reducing the weight percentage of ceramics and adding natural fibers either in the form of fibers, milled powder or ash to achieve the targeted properties. Process parameters being a dominating factor for minimal defect composites, their effect on final cast products are discussed along with strengthening mechanisms. This paper also discusses the applications, challenges and future scope of natural fiber reinforced AMMCs.
Approximating functions with multi-features by deep convolutional neural networks
Authors: Mao Tong , Shi Zhongjie , Zhou Ding-Xuan
Published: November 2022

Deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) have achieved great empirical success in many fields such as natural language processing, computer vision, and pattern recognition. But there still lacks theoretical understanding of the flexibility and adaptivity of DCNNs in various learning tasks, and the power of DCNNs at feature extraction. We propose a generic DCNN structure consisting of two groups of convolutional layers associated with two downsampling operators, and a fully connected layer, which is determined only by three structural parameters. Our generic DCNNs are capable of extracting various features including not only polynomial features but also general smooth features. We also show that the curse of dimensionality can be circumvented by our DCNNs for target functions of the compositional form with (symmetric) polynomial features, spatially sparse smooth features, and interaction features. These demonstrate the expressive power of our DCNN structure, while the model selection can be relaxed comparing with other deep neural networks since there are only three hyperparameters controlling the architecture to tune.
KMD Quest-SW: A Diagnosis of Knowledge Management Addressed to Software Industry SMEs
Authors: Pinto Danieli , Tenório Nelson , Bortolozzi Flávio , Menegassi Cláudia Herrero Martins
Published: November 2022

The software industry depends intensively on its actor’s knowledge to develop its products. This knowledge is crucial to leverage innovation and market sustainability within the software industry companies. Knowledge Management (KM) processes are accomplished in the small- and medium-sized software industry companies daily, however, sometimes not formally. This paper proposes a questionnaire aimed to diagnose KM in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) of the software industry, namely, KMD Quest-SW. The KMD Quest-SW was designed to fill up the gap of KM diagnosis in SME in the software industry. The KMD Quest-SW has 46 statements distributed in six dimensions: so-called creation process, registration process, knowledge sharing, knowledge use, innovation process, and knowledge in the software industry. From the software industry perspective, our proposal appears as a promising tool to diagnose and map the knowledge flow in SMEs. From a scientific perspective, the questionnaire breaks new grounds for KM theoretically and practitioners to be adapted for other SME companies interested in KM.
Weyl time evolution operator in planar Bianchi-type-I universes
Authors: Wollensak Matthias
Published: November 2022

In this paper, Dirac’s equation in anisotropic Bianchi-type-I background spacetimes is treated with respect to orthonormal frames. By specializing to the massless spinor case and metrics with power-law scale factors and planar symmetry, an analytical expression of the approximate time evolution operator (TEO) is derived. By use of this operator, all approximate spinor solutions can be generated. By construction, these solutions agree asymptotically and at early times with the exact solutions.

The operator approach is also well adapted for studying the case of small deviations from conformally flat backgrounds. In particular, it can be shown that the limiting case of vanishing anisotropy renders the correct result.
On modeling human perceptions of allocation policies with uncertain outcomes
Authors: Heidari Hoda , Barocas Solon , Kleinberg Jon , Levy Karen
Published: November 2022

Many policies allocate harms or benefits that are
uncertain
in nature: they produce distributions over the population in which individuals have different probabilities of incurring harm or benefit. Comparing different policies thus involves a comparison of their corresponding probability distributions, and we observe that in many instances the policies selected in practice are hard to explain by preferences based only on the expected value of the total harm or benefit they produce. In cases where the expected value analysis is not a sufficient explanatory framework, what would be a reasonable model for societal preferences over these distributions? Here we investigate explanations based on the framework of
probability weighting
from the behavioral sciences, which over several decades has identified systematic biases in how people perceive probabilities. We show that probability weighting can be used to make predictions about preferences over probabilistic distributions of harm and benefit that function quite differently from expected-value analysis, and in a number of cases provide potential explanations for policy preferences that appear hard to motivate by other means. In particular, we identify optimal policies for minimizing perceived total harm and maximizing perceived total benefit that take the distorting effects of probability weighting into account, and we discuss a number of real-world policies that resemble such allocational strategies. Our analysis does not provide specific recommendations for policy choices, but is instead interpretive in nature, seeking to describe observed phenomena in policy choices.
Analyzing data with systematic bias
Authors: Zampetakis Manolis
Published: November 2022

In many data analysis problems, we only have access to biased data due to somesystematic biasof the data collection procedure. In this letter, we present a general formulation of systematic bias in data as well as our recent results on how to handle two very fundamental types of systematic bias that arise frequently in econometric studies:truncation biasandself-selection bias.
Economics and computation meets cognitive biases
Authors: Oren Sigal
Published: November 2022

This is an annotated reading list on papers in the intersection of economics and computation and behavioral economics.
Ammonium chloride administration prevents training-induced improvements in mitochondrial respiratory function in the soleus muscle of male rats
Authors: Genders Amanda J. , Kuang Jujiao , Saner Nicholas J. , Botella Javier , Bishop David J.
Published: November 2022

Exercise training can increase both mitochondrial content and mitochondrial respiration. Despite its popularity, high-intensity exercise can be accompanied by mild acidosis (also present in certain pathological states), which may limit exercise-induced adaptations to skeletal muscle mitochondria. The aim of this study was to determine if administration of ammonium chloride (0.05 g/kg) to Wistar rats before each individual exercise session (5 high-intensity exercise sessions/wk for 8 wk) reduced training-induced increases in mitochondrial content (measured by citrate synthase activity and protein content of electron transport system complexes) and respiration (measured in permeabilized muscle fibers). In the soleus muscle, the exercise-training-induced increase in mitochondrial respiration was reduced in rats administered ammonium chloride compared to control animals, but mitochondrial content was not altered. These effects were not present in the white gastrocnemius muscle. In conclusion, ammonium chloride administration before each exercise session over 8 wk reduced improvements in mitochondrial respiration in the soleus muscle but did not alter mitochondrial content. This suggests that mild acidosis may affect training-induced improvements in the respiration of mitochondria in some muscles.
Endothelial cell-specific mineralocorticoid receptor activation promotes diastolic dysfunction in diet-induced obese male mice
Authors: Aroor Annayya , DeMarco Vincent G. , Whaley-Connell Adam T. , Jia Guanghong , Yang Yan , Sharma Neekun , Naz Huma , Hans Chetan , Hayden Melvin R. , Hill Michael A. , Sowers James R. , Manrique-Acevedo Camila , Lastra Guido
Published: November 2022

Widespread consumption of diets high in fat and fructose (Western diet, WD) has led to increased prevalence of obesity and diastolic dysfunction (DD). DD is a prominent feature of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, the underlying mechanisms of DD are poorly understood, and treatment options are still limited. We have previously shown that deletion of the cell-specific mineralocorticoid receptor in endothelial cells (ECMR) abrogates DD induced by WD feeding in female mice. However, the specific role of ECMR activation in the pathogenesis of DD in male mice has not been clarified. Therefore, we fed 4-wk-old ECMR knockout (ECMRKO) male mice and littermates (LM) with either a WD or chow diet (CD) for 16 wk. WD feeding resulted in DD characterized by increased left ventricle (LV) filling pressure ( E/ e′) and diastolic stiffness [ E/ e′/LV inner diameter at end diastole (LVIDd)]. Compared with CD, WD in LM resulted in increased myocardial macrophage infiltration, oxidative stress, and increased myocardial phosphorylation of Akt, in concert with decreased phospholamban phosphorylation. WD also resulted in focal cardiomyocyte remodeling, characterized by areas of sarcomeric disorganization, loss of mitochondrial electron density, and mitochondrial fragmentation. Conversely, WD-induced DD and associated biochemical and structural abnormalities were prevented by ECMR deletion. In contrast with our previously reported observations in females, WD-fed male mice exhibited enhanced Akt signaling and a lower magnitude of cardiac injury. Collectively, our data support a critical role for ECMR in obesity-induced DD and suggest critical mechanistic differences in the genesis of DD between males and females.
Ferric Carboxymaltose in the Management of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pregnancy: A Subgroup Analysis of a Multicenter Real-World Study Involving 1191 Pregnant Women
Authors: Trivedi Prakash , Chitra S. , Natarajan Suma , Amin Vandana , Sud Shilpi , Vyas Priti , Singla Meenakshi , Rodge Ajinkya , Swami Onkar C.
Published: November 2022

Background. Real-world evidence of the efficacy and safety of ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) infusion in Indian pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is lacking. Objective. To assess the efficacy and safety of intravenous (IV) FCM in Indian pregnant women with IDA in 4 weeks in a real-life scenario. Methods. This is a subgroup analysis of our previously conducted retrospective, multicenter, observational, real-world PROMISE study. Data on demographic and hematological parameters, patient-reported adverse events, and physicians’ clinical impressions of efficacy and safety were analysed at 4 ± 1 week. Results. This subgroup analysis included 1191 pregnant women in whom IV FCM resulted in a significant increase in hemoglobin (Hb) by 2.8 g/dL and serum ferritin by 30.03 μg/L at 4 weeks (

P
<
0.001

for both). In 103 pregnant women with severe IDA, there was a significant increase in Hb by 3.6 g/dL (

P
<
0.001

), and serum ferritin by 16.96 μg/L (

P
=
0.12

). In 978 pregnant women with moderate IDA, significant improvement in Hb by 2.74 g/dL and serum ferritin by 33 μg/L (

P
<
0.001

for both) was noted. Similarly, there was a significant increase in red blood cell count, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (

P
<
0.001

for all). In pregnant women with mild IDA (n = 26), Hb increased significantly by 1.99 g/dL (

P
<
0.001

). Adverse effects were reported in 8.6% of pregnant women. No new safety signals or serious adverse effects were observed. Based on physicians’ global assessment, good to very good efficacy and safety of IV FCM was noted in 99.2% and 98.6% of pregnant women, respectively. Conclusions. IV FCM rapidly corrected anemia in a short period of 4 weeks with favorable safety in the second and third trimester of pregnancy with all severities of IDA (severe, moderate, and mild). The physicians’ favorable global assessment of FCM’s efficacy and safety in pregnant women with IDA supports its use in daily clinical practice. This trial is registered with CTRI/2021/12/039065.
Synthesis of Spherical Composite CMC-LTO-EGDE-ME for Lithium Recovery from Geothermal Water
Authors: Xie Yingchun , Zhang Yilin , Qin Jiayu , Samadiy Murodjon , Deng Tianlong
Published: November 2022

In this study, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) and melamine (ME) were used to prepare a spherical composite material CMC-LTO-EGDE-ME through the strategy of cross-linking reaction of biodegradable sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with Li2TiO3 (LTO) to improve the cycle stability of the adsorption-desorption for lithium recovery. In the geothermal water at 333.15°K, the adsorption capacity of the spherical composite adsorbent for lithium-ion is 12.02 mg/g, and the adsorption equilibrium time is 8 h. There is a good selectivity of Li+ (Kd = 3.7 × 103) and high separation factors between Li+ and Na+, K+, Cs+ and Ca2+ (between 39.17 and 181.97). Studies on adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm showed that composite material’s adsorption process was obtained from the pseudosecond-order kinetics and the molecular diffusion model. It was found that the composite material has broad applications in lithium recovery from geothermal water.
Changes in Degree Centrality and Functional Connectivity after the First Cycle of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Hu Yixin , Liu Daihong , Deng Yongchun , Yu Feng , Yu Hong , Tan Yong , Zhou Xiaoyu , Liu Jiang , Lei Weiwei , Zeng Xiaohua , Zhang Jiuquan
Published: November 2022

Purpose. To evaluate the longitudinal changes of brain degree centrality (DC) and functional connectivity (FC) in breast cancer patients after the first cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Methods. Thirty-five breast cancer patients were included in the NAC group. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and neuropsychological test were performed at baseline before NAC (time point 0, TP0) and after the first cycle of NAC (time point 1, TP1). The healthy controls (HC) included 30 healthy subjects and received the same rs-fMRI scan and neuropsychological test as the above-mentioned NAC group at one time point. DC and FC analyses were conducted to assess brain connectivity of all participants. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the ability of DC and FC in distinguishing patients before and after chemotherapy. Results. In the NAC group, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores decreased significantly over time. At TP0 and TP1, the Digital Span Test forward score of the NAC group was significantly lower than that of the HC group. In the NAC group, DC in the right middle frontal gyrus and left precentral gyrus/middle frontal gyrus decreased significantly at TP1, and FC between the left precentral gyrus/middle frontal gyrus and bilateral precuneus was significantly reduced at TP1. Through ROC analysis, we found that the area under the curve (AUC) of DC, FC, and the combined model in distinguishing patients in TP0 or TP1 was 0.7886, 0.7665, and 0.8278, respectively. Conclusions. Brain connectivity, involving executive and motor function related brain areas, changes in the short term after NAC treatment in breast cancer patients.
Reconstruction of Natural Smile and Splinting with Natural Tooth Pontic Fiber-Reinforced Composite Bridge
Authors: Tavangar Maryam S. , Aghaei Fatemeh , Nowrouzi Massoumeh
Published: November 2022

Teeth replacement is challenging in old patients with severe periodontal disease, limiting prosthetics treatment options. Here, we report a fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) resin bridge using natural tooth pontic in a patient with severe periodontitis. A 60-year-old lady complaining of teeth mobility was diagnosed with severe periodontitis, recession, bone loss, and crowding in the anterior maxillary teeth. Due to a hopeless periodontal prognosis, lateral incisors were extracted and sectioned using a cylindrical diamond bur. The pulp chamber was debrided and filled with self-adhesive flowable composite resin. After three weeks, the pontics were fixed in proximal contact areas, and the FRC bridge was fabricated directly using the resin fiber strip followed by occlusion adjustment, finishing, and polishing. Esthetic, occlusion, and periodontal status were re-evaluated after six months. Here, FRC using natural pontic could successfully reconstruct a natural smile, splint the adjacent teeth, eliminate crowding, and provide stable occlusion. Therefore, this method may be considered for similar cases.
Therapeutic Targeting of LIF Overcomes Macrophage-mediated Immunosuppression of the Local Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Hallett Robin M. , Bonfill-Teixidor Ester , Iurlaro Raffaella , Arias Alexandra , Raman Swetha , Bayliss Peter , Egorova Olga , Neva-Alejo Almudena , McGray AJ Robert , Lau Esther , Bosch Alexandre , Beilschmidt Melissa , Maetzel Dorothea , Fransson Johan , Huber-Ruano Isabel , Anido Judit , Julien Jean-Philippe , Giblin Patricia , Seoane Joan
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a multifunctional cytokine with numerous reported roles in cancer and is thought to drive tumor development and progression. Characterization of LIF and clinical-stage LIF inhibitors would increase our understanding of LIF as a therapeutic target.

Experimental Design:

We first tested the association of LIF expression with transcript signatures representing multiple processes regulating tumor development and progression. Next, we developed MSC-1, a high-affinity therapeutic antibody that potently inhibits LIF signaling and tested it in immune competent animal models of cancer.

Results:

LIF was associated with signatures of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) across 7,769 tumor samples spanning 22 solid tumor indications. In human tumors, LIF receptor was highly expressed within the macrophage compartment and LIF treatment drove macrophages to acquire immunosuppressive capacity. MSC-1 potently inhibited LIF signaling by binding an epitope that overlaps with the gp130 receptor binding site on LIF. MSC-1 showed monotherapy efficacy in vivo and drove TAMs to acquire antitumor and proinflammatory function in syngeneic colon cancer mouse models. Combining MSC-1 with anti-PD1 leads to strong antitumor response and a long-term tumor-free survival in a significant proportion of treated mice.

Conclusions:

Overall, our findings highlight LIF as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy.
Impact of RNA Signatures on pCR and Survival after 12-Week Neoadjuvant Pertuzumab plus Trastuzumab with or without Paclitaxel in the WSG-ADAPT HER2+/HR− Trial
Authors: Graeser Monika , Gluz Oleg , Biehl Claudia , Ulbrich-Gebauer Daniel , Christgen Matthias , Palatty Jenci , Kuemmel Sherko , Grischke Eva-Maria , Augustin Doris , Braun Michael , Potenberg Jochem , Wuerstlein Rachel , Krauss Katja , Schumacher Claudia , Forstbauer Helmut , Reimer Toralf , Stefek Andrea , Fischer Hans Holger , Pelz Enrico , zu Eulenburg Christine , Kates Ronald , Ni Hua , Kolberg-Liedtke Cornelia , Feuerhake Friedrich , Kreipe Hans Heinrich , Nitz Ulrike , Harbeck Nadia
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

To identify associations of biological signatures and stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTIL) with pathological complete response (pCR; ypT0 ypN0) and survival in the Phase II WSG-ADAPT HER2+/HR− trial (NCT01817452).

Experimental Design:

Patients with cT1-cT4c, cN0–3 HER2+/HR− early breast cancer (EBC) were randomized to pertuzumab+trastuzumab (P+T, n = 92) or P+T+paclitaxel (n = 42). Gene expression signatures were analyzed in baseline biopsies using NanoString Breast Cancer 360 panel (n = 117); baseline and on-treatment (week 3) sTIL levels were available in 119 and 76 patients, respectively. Impacts of standardized gene expression signatures on pCR and invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) were estimated by logistic and Cox regression.

Results:

In all patients, ERBB2 [OR, 1.70; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08–2.67] and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.13–2.61) were favorable, whereas PTEN (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38–0.87) was unfavorable for pCR. After 60 months median follow-up, 13 invasive events occurred (P+T: n = 11, P+T+paclitaxel: n = 2), none following pCR. Gene signatures related to immune response (IR) and ER signaling were favorable for iDFS, all with similar HR about 0.43–0.55. These patterns were even more prominent in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy-free group, where additionally BRCAness signature was unfavorable (HR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.04–3.84). IR signatures were strongly intercorrelated. sTILs (baseline/week 3/change) were not associated with pCR or iDFS, though baseline sTILs correlated positively with IR signatures.

Conclusions:

Distinct gene signatures were associated with pCR versus iDFS in HER2+/HR− EBC. The potential role of IR in preventing recurrence suggests that patients with upregulated IR signatures could be candidates for de-escalation concepts in HER2+ EBC.