bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soliton, breather, and rogue wave solutions for solving the nonlinear Schrödinger equation using a deep learning method with physical constraints*
Authors: Pu Jun-Cai , Li Jun , Chen Yong
Published: January 2021

The nonlinear Schrödinger equation is a classical integrable equation which contains plenty of significant properties and occurs in many physical areas. However, due to the difficulty of solving this equation, in particular in high dimensions, lots of methods are proposed to effectively obtain different kinds of solutions, such as neural networks among others. Recently, a method where some underlying physical laws are embeded into a conventional neural network is proposed to uncover the equation’s dynamical behaviors from spatiotemporal data directly. Compared with traditional neural networks, this method can obtain remarkably accurate solution with extraordinarily less data. Meanwhile, this method also provides a better physical explanation and generalization. In this paper, based on the above method, we present an improved deep learning method to recover the soliton solutions, breather solution, and rogue wave solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. In particular, the dynamical behaviors and error analysis about the one-order and two-order rogue waves of nonlinear integrable equations are revealed by the deep neural network with physical constraints for the first time. Moreover, the effects of different numbers of initial points sampled, collocation points sampled, network layers, neurons per hidden layer on the one-order rogue wave dynamics of this equation have been considered with the help of the control variable way under the same initial and boundary conditions. Numerical experiments show that the dynamical behaviors of soliton solutions, breather solution, and rogue wave solutions of the integrable nonlinear Schrödinger equation can be well reconstructed by utilizing this physically-constrained deep learning method.
Search for Type-III SeeSaw heavy lepton with the ATLAS Detector at the LHC using

s=13

TeV up to 140 fb–1
Authors: Carratta G
Published: January 2021

A search of heavy leptons N0 and L± pair production predicted by the Type-III SeeSaw mechanism is presented. This mechanism extends the Standard Model, introducing at least two new triplets of fermionic fields with zero hypercharge in the adjoint representation of SU(2)l, resulting in two heavy Dirac charged leptons and a heavy Majorana neutral lepton. This search uses data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in protonproton collision at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, with an integrated luminosity up to 140 fb−1 corresponding to the full Run-2 dataset recorded between 2015-2018.

The analysis focuses on all the possible production and boson decay channels of these heavy leptons, which are assumed to be degenerate in mass. The search is based on the separate optimization of each lepton multiplicity final state, considering 2, 3, 4 or more than 5 leptons. The power of the leptonic channels lies in the low expected background from Standard Model processes. Different control and signal regions are defined for each final state, designed to be orthogonal one each other. Good agreement between the number of events in data and Standard Model predictions is observed.

The results are translated into exclusion limits on heavy lepton masses with a 95% confidence level using statistical uncertainties only. Assuming the branching ratios to all lepton flavours to be equal, a lower limit of 560 GeV is obtained.
Unfulfilled promise: social acceptance of the smart grid
Authors: Bugden Dylan , Stedman Richard
Published: January 2021

Smart grids use digital information technology to simultaneously increase energy efficiency while integrating renewables into the electric grid, making it a critical component of achieving a low-carbon energy system. Prior research on the social acceptance of smart grids has relied on either single time point assessment (i.e. prior to a smart grid rollout) or experimental and lab settings. These approaches miss key aspects of social acceptance because they fail to capture change over time through the interaction between stakeholders, technology, and utilities. In contrast, we compare two waves of survey data on the social acceptance of smart grid technologies, the first (n = 609) prior to a local rollout of a smart grid program in upstate New York and the second (n = 533) two years after the same rollout. Our results demonstrate that in contrast to the hopes of smart energy advocates, the social acceptance of four dimensions of smart grids either remain steady or decline over time. Further analyses reveal that the factors that shape acceptance also change over time. This study demonstrates that the social acceptance of smart grids may actually decrease over time even with the robust engagement of consumers, not only challenging optimistic views of smart grid technology but also challenging broader theoretical arguments in the literature on the social acceptance of energy technologies.
Three-decadal destabilization of vegetation activity on the Mongolian Plateau
Authors: Zhao Xia , Shen Haihua , Geng Xiaoqing , Fang Jingyun
Published: January 2021

Steppes on the Mongolian Plateau, mainly within the Republic of Mongolia and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) of China, have been subjected to widespread degradation as a result of climate change and human utilization. Field experiments and long-term observations suggest that the productivity of degraded grassland ecosystems might show greater instability, i.e. stronger interannual variation in vegetation activities, when driven by climate change. However, it remains unknown whether this hypothesized destabilization of steppe vegetation activity has occurred in the past three decades and how this destabilization has fed back to livestock production on the plateau. Herein, we define temporal instability of vegetation activity using three indicators, the start and end of the growing season as indicated by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the mean growing-season NDVI, and examine their trends between 1983 and 2015. Our results show a significant destabilization of vegetation activity over a large proportion of the total steppe area. Compared with the IMAR, vegetation destabilization has occurred to a significantly higher extent in Mongolia. Climate warming, drying and interannual climate variability accounted for approximately 60%–80% of the vegetation destabilization. The destabilization of steppe productivity was significantly associated with the interannual variability of livestock production in Mongolia, while the interannual variability of steppe productivity and livestock production were decoupled in the IMAR. Our findings highlight the need to improve livestock production systems and conserve degraded grasslands for sustainable development in view of the destabilization of steppe productivity on the Mongolian Plateau.
Protein interactions with chemical vapor deposited graphene modified by substrate
Authors: Brightbill Eleanor L , Young Katherine T , Gezahagne Hilena F , Jin Decarle S , Hitchcock Bryce , Vogel Eric M
Published: January 2021

Graphene has been utilized in sensors to detect a wide range of biomolecules (e.g. glucose, DNA, antigens, enzyme activity, dopamine) using various sensing modalities (e.g. surface plasmon resonance, potentiometry, electro-impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry). However, while graphene-based biosensors have been demonstrated in many different architectures, little attention has been given to the effects of the substrate that supports the atomically thin graphene layer. In this work, we investigate protein adhesion of model small (lysozyme), medium (bovine serum albumin), and large (fibrinogen) proteins on monolayer graphene with support substrates of varying hydrophobicity and surface polarity. Ex situ adsorption is measured via ellipsometry. For Au and Si support substrates, in situ adhesion of lysozyme is measured via quartz crystal microbalance. The results indicate that not only the equilibrium attachment, but also the kinetics of interaction, can be affected by the substrate. Overall, a more hydrophobic substrate leads to a larger amount of adsorption to graphene. Moreover, the effect is only observed with monolayer graphene, where no substrate effect is observed with the addition of a second graphene layer. This work indicates that the substrate of a graphene-based biosensor is an important but currently overlooked parameter when understanding and optimizing the performance of the device. The level of non-selective protein adsorption on graphene can be independently engineered through modifying the support substrate without directly modifying the graphene itself.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum/steel bimetal using compound casting with electroless nickel plating
Authors: Bao Ziming , Wang Sheng , Han Renheng , Tang Ming , Zhao Chengzhi , Zhang Hexin
Published: January 2021

The surface of steel substrate was pretreated by nickel plating and Aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal was prepared by compound casting. After liquid aluminum was casted on the surface of the nickel-plated steel, it was placed in a heat preservation device and temperature set at 760 °C. In the compound casting process of molten aluminum and nickel-plated steel, good metallurgical bonding is formed between aluminum and steel by means of diffusion. Subsequently, the microstructure of the aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal was examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The phase composition of the intermediate layer was analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD). Further, the bonding properties and fracture mechanism of the intermediate layer were analyzed by measuring the corresponding Vickers microhardness and shear strength. The results show that the intermediate layer is divided into two layers. In addition, intermetallic compounds appear in the intermediate layer; Al5Fe2, near the steel side, and Al8Fe2Si, near the aluminum side. The main phases in the intermediate layer are α-Al, α-Fe, Al5Fe2, Al5FeSi and Al8Fe2Si. The microhardness of the intermediate layer of the aluminum/steel bimetal is higher than that of both the aluminum matrix and steel matrix. It is observed that the thickness of the intermediate layer of the aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal increases with the increase of the holding time. When the holding time was 15 min, the intermediate layer of the aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal exhibits the highest shear strength, i.e. 13.4 MPa. The fracture of the aluminum/steel bimetal is a brittle fracture, and starts from the intermediate layer. The results show that nickel plating on steel substrate can obviously improve the casting properties of an aluminum/steel bimetal.
Electrospun fabrication and direct coating of bio-degradable fibrous composite on orthopedic Titanium implant: Synthesis and Characterizations
Authors: Al Aboody Mohammed Saleh
Published: January 2021

For orthopedic bone regeneration, an extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicking the composite’s ability has been highly expected by natural hard tissue along with their bio-activeness, bio-compatibleness, and bio-degradable properties. An electrospinning approach is one of the high potential processes to manufacture the porous material, and the method has highly recommended for the production of porous fibrous materials in the presence of various active compounds owing to its uniqueness of producing randomly oriented fibrous matrices with appropriate porosity. In this work, we report the fibrous composite coating process on the orthopedic titanium (Ti) plate during the process of electrospinning by simply fixing the Ti metal on the aluminum foil in the drum collector. This approach gives the bio-compatible Ti implant with ECM mimicking properties. The bio-activeness of that implant will be obtained through the presence of minerals (Sr2+ and Ce3+) substituted hydroxyapatite (MHAP) particles. The formation of the desired composites and their phase characteristics were carefully evaluated by Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, respectively. The formation of a fibrous network and various minerals in an appropriate manner were established by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX) instruments. The important notable thing is their Vickers hardness was very lower for the Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) polymer containing fibrous composite. These results strongly suggest the conclusion that the synthesized fibrous composite coated material will act as a better ECM mimicking implant for orthopedic applications.
Impacts of Medicaid Expansion Before Conception on Prepregnancy Health, Pregnancy Health, and Outcomes
Authors: Margerison Claire E , Kaestner Robert , Chen Jiajia , MacCallum-Bridges Colleen
Published: January 2021

Preconception health care is heralded as an essential method of improving pregnancy health and outcomes. However, access to health care for low-income US women of reproductive age has been limited because of a lack of health insurance. Expansions of Medicaid program eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (as well as prior expansions in some states) have changed this circumstance and expanded health insurance coverage for low-income women. These Medicaid expansions provide an opportunity to assess whether obtaining health insurance coverage improves prepregnancy and pregnancy health and reduces prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We tested this hypothesis using vital statistics data from 2011–2017 on singleton births to female US residents aged 15–44 years. We examined associations between preconception exposure to Medicaid expansion and measures of prepregnancy health, pregnancy health, and pregnancy outcomes using a difference-in-differences empirical approach. Increased Medicaid eligibility was not associated with improvements in prepregnancy or pregnancy health measures and did not reduce the prevalence of adverse birth outcomes (e.g., prevalence of preterm birth increased by 0.1 percentage point (95% confidence interval: −0.2, 0.3)). Increasing Medicaid eligibility alone may be insufficient to improve prepregnancy or pregnancy health and birth outcomes. Preconception programming in combination with attention to other structural determinants of pregnancy health is needed.
Compression of quantification uncertainty for scRNA-seq counts
Authors: Van Buren Scott , Sarkar Hirak , Srivastava Avi , Rashid Naim U , Patro Rob , Love Michael I
Published: January 2021

Motivation

Quantification estimates of gene expression from single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data have inherent uncertainty due to reads that map to multiple genes. Many existing scRNA-seq quantification pipelines ignore multi-mapping reads and therefore underestimate expected read counts for many genes. alevin accounts for multi-mapping reads and allows for the generation of ‘inferential replicates’, which reflect quantification uncertainty. Previous methods have shown improved performance when incorporating these replicates into statistical analyses, but storage and use of these replicates increases computation time and memory requirements.

Results

We demonstrate that storing only the mean and variance from a set of inferential replicates (‘compression’) is sufficient to capture gene-level quantification uncertainty, while reducing disk storage to as low as 9% of original storage, and memory usage when loading data to as low as 6%. Using these values, we generate ‘pseudo-inferential’ replicates from a negative binomial distribution and propose a general procedure for incorporating these replicates into a proposed statistical testing framework. When applying this procedure to trajectory-based differential expression analyses, we show false positives are reduced by more than a third for genes with high levels of quantification uncertainty. We additionally extend the Swish method to incorporate pseudo-inferential replicates and demonstrate improvements in computation time and memory usage without any loss in performance. Lastly, we show that discarding multi-mapping reads can result in significant underestimation of counts for functionally important genes in a real dataset.

Availability and implementation

makeInfReps and splitSwish are implemented in the R/Bioconductor fishpond package available at https://bioconductor.org/packages/fishpond. Analyses and simulated datasets can be found in the paper’s GitHub repo at https://github.com/skvanburen/scUncertaintyPaperCode.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
ProDerAl: reference position dependent alignment
Authors: Crysup Benjamin , Budowle Bruce , Woerner August E
Published: January 2021

Motivation

Current read-mapping software uses a singular specification of alignment parameters with respect to the reference. In the presence of varying reference structures (such as the repetitive regions of the human genome), alignments can be improved if those parameters are allowed vary.

Results

To that end, the C++ program ProDerAl was written to refine previously generated alignments using varying parameters for these problematic regions. Synthetic benchmarks show that this realignment can result in an order of magnitude fewer misaligned bases.

Availability and implementation

*Nix users can retrieve the source from GitHub (https://github.com/Benjamin-Crysup/proderal.git). Windows binary available at https://github.com/Benjamin-Crysup/proderal/releases/download/v1.1/proderal.zip.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Gender, risk assessment and coercive control: Contradictions in terms?
Authors: Barlow Charlotte , Walklate Sandra
Published: January 2021

In December 2015, the criminal offence of coercive control was introduced in England and Wales. Whilst, in this legislation, this concept is presumed to be gender-neutral, there is widespread agreement that coercive control is gendered. Using empirical data gathered in one police force area in the South of England, this paper offers an exploration of the feasibility of the extent to which existing risk assessment practices and understandings of risk embedded within them, can incorporate the phenomenon of coercive control. The findings highlight concerns about gender-blind, incident-led (rather than process-led) approaches to assessing risk when these approaches are set against victim/survivor concerns. These concerns highlight the inherent problems embedded in the contemporary gender-blind embrace of the concept of risk as assumed in practices of risk assessment.
Do reciprocal herkogamy and pollinators affect legitimate pollen flow in distylous species of Rubiaceae?
Authors: Furtado Marco Túlio , Matias Raphael , Pérez-Barrales Rocio , Consolaro Hélder
Published: January 2021

The function of the reciprocal position of anthers and stigmas of the floral morphs in distylous flowers is to promote cross-pollination between morphs (legitimate pollination). Deviations from reciprocity can negatively affect the rates of legitimate pollen deposition, but other floral traits or the pollination environment might contribute to the function of distyly. In populations of four species of Palicourea and Psychotria, we quantified reciprocity using adaptive inaccuracy and measured the stigmatic lobe length to estimate how these traits influenced legitimate pollen deposition. We described the functional groups of pollinators and compared legitimate pollen flow between morphs in populations visited by different groups. Variations in reciprocity and stigmatic lobe length correlated with the rates of legitimate pollen depositions, with more reciprocal stigmas and longer stigmatic lobes presenting proportionally more legitimate pollen. Populations most frequently visited by bees or with generalized pollination displayed asymmetries in pollen flow between morphs, but with higher legitimate pollination in the S-morph. In contrast, L- and S-flowers showed similar legitimate pollen deposition in the population predominantly visited by hummingbirds. Our results suggest that reciprocity affects the function of distyly; however, floral traits such as stigmatic lobe length and the pollination environment can also influence the rates of legitimate pollen.
Sequence of clinical and neurodegeneration events in Parkinson’s disease progression
Authors: Oxtoby Neil P , Leyland Louise-Ann , Aksman Leon M , Thomas George E C , Bunting Emma L , Wijeratne Peter A , Young Alexandra L , Zarkali Angelika , Tan Manuela M X , Bremner Fion D , Keane Pearse A , Morris Huw R , Schrag Anette E , Alexander Daniel C , Weil Rimona S
Published: January 2021

Dementia is one of the most debilitating aspects of Parkinson’s disease. There are no validated biomarkers that can track Parkinson’s disease progression, nor accurately identify patients who will develop dementia and when. Understanding the sequence of observable changes in Parkinson’s disease in people at elevated risk for developing dementia could provide an integrated biomarker for identifying and managing individuals who will develop Parkinson’s dementia. We aimed to estimate the sequence of clinical and neurodegeneration events, and variability in this sequence, using data-driven statistical modelling in two separate Parkinson’s cohorts, focusing on patients at elevated risk for dementia due to their age at symptom onset. We updated a novel version of an event-based model that has only recently been extended to cope naturally with clinical data, enabling its application in Parkinson’s disease for the first time. The observational cohorts included healthy control subjects and patients with Parkinson’s disease, of whom those diagnosed at age 65 or older were classified as having high risk of dementia. The model estimates that Parkinson’s progression in patients at elevated risk for dementia starts with classic prodromal features of Parkinson’s disease (olfaction, sleep), followed by early deficits in visual cognition and increased brain iron content, followed later by a less certain ordering of neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra and cortex, neuropsychological cognitive deficits, retinal thinning in dopamine layers, and further deficits in visual cognition. Importantly, we also characterize variation in the sequence. We found consistent, cross-validated results within cohorts, and agreement between cohorts on the subset of features available in both cohorts. Our sequencing results add powerful support to the increasing body of evidence suggesting that visual processing specifically is affected early in patients with Parkinson’s disease at elevated risk of dementia. This opens a route to earlier and more precise detection, as well as a more detailed understanding of the pathological mechanisms underpinning Parkinson’s dementia.
A review of potential biomarkers for assessing physical and psychological trauma in paediatric burns
Authors: Carlton Morgan , Voisey Joanne , Parker Tony J , Punyadeera Chamindie , Cuttle Leila
Published: January 2021

Biological markers that evaluate physical healing as well as psychological impact of a burn are essential for effective treatment of paediatric burns. The objective of this review is to summarize the evidence supporting the use of biomarkers in children with burns. An extensive review of the literature was performed using PubMed. A total of 59 biomarkers were identified relating to burn presence, specifically relating to processes involved in inflammation, wound healing, growth and metabolism. In addition, biomarkers involved in the stress response cascade following a burn trauma were also identified. Although many biomarkers have been identified that are potentially associated with burn-related physical and psychological trauma, an understanding of burn biology is still lacking in children. We propose that future research in the field of children’s burns should be conducted using broad screening methods for identifying potential biomarkers, examine the biological interactions of different biomarkers, utilize child-appropriate biological fluids such as urine or saliva, and include a range of different severity burns. Through further research, the biological response to burn injury may be fully realized and clinically relevant diagnostic tests and treatment therapies utilizing these biomarkers could be developed, for the improvement of healing outcomes in paediatric burn patients.
A Structure–Function Substrate of Memory for Spatial Configurations in Medial and Lateral Temporal Cortices
Authors: Tavakol Shahin , Li Qiongling , Royer Jessica , Vos de Wael Reinder , Larivière Sara , Lowe Alex , Paquola Casey , Jefferies Elizabeth , Hartley Tom , Bernasconi Andrea , Bernasconi Neda , Smallwood Jonathan , Bohbot Veronique , Caciagli Lorenzo , Bernhardt Boris
Published: January 2021

Prior research has shown a role of the medial temporal lobe, particularly the hippocampal–parahippocampal complex, in spatial cognition. Here, we developed a new paradigm, the conformational shift spatial task (CSST), which examines the ability to encode and retrieve spatial relations between unrelated items. This task is short, uses symbolic cues, incorporates two difficulty levels, and can be administered inside the scanner. A cohort of 48 healthy young adults underwent the CSST, together with a set of behavioral measures and multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Inter-individual differences in CSST performance correlated with scores on an established spatial memory paradigm, but neither with episodic memory nor mnemonic discrimination, supporting specificity. Analyzing high-resolution structural MRI data, individuals with better spatial memory showed thicker medial and lateral temporal cortices. Functional relevance of these findings was supported by task-based functional MRI analysis in the same participants and ad hoc meta-analysis. Exploratory resting-state functional MRI analyses centered on clusters of morphological effects revealed additional modulation of intrinsic network integration, particularly between lateral and medial temporal structures. Our work presents a novel spatial memory paradigm and supports an integrated structure–function substrate in the human temporal lobe. Task paradigms are programmed in python and made open access.
Accounting for Subjectivity in Experimental Research on Human Olfaction
Authors: Mantel Marylou , Roy Jean-Michel , Bensafi Moustafa
Published: January 2021

Although olfaction is a modality with great interindividual perceptual disparities, its subjective dimension has been let aside in modern research, in line with the overall neglect of consciousness in experimental psychology. However, following the renewed interest for the neural bases of consciousness, some methodological leads have been proposed to include subjectivity in experimental protocols. Here, we argue that adapting such methods to the field of olfaction will allow to rigorously acquire subjective reports, and we present several ways to do so. This will improve the understanding of diversity in odor perception and its underlying neural mechanisms.
Predictive Performance of Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Falciparum Malaria and Its Modeled Impact on Integrated Community Case Management of Malaria in Sub-Saharan African Febrile Children
Authors: Mischlinger Johannes , Dudek Veronika , Ramharter Michael
Published: January 2021

Background

Integrated community case management (iCCM) of malaria complements public health services to improve access to timely diagnosis and treatment of malaria. ICCM relies on standardized test-and-treat algorithms implemented by community health workers using malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). However, due to a changing epidemiology of fever causes in Africa, positive RDT results might not correctly reflect malaria. In this study, we modeled diagnostic predictive values for all malaria-endemic African regions as an indicator of the programmatic usefulness of RDTs in iCCM campaigns on malaria.

Methods

Positive predictive values (PPVs) and negative predictive values (NPVs) of RDTs for clinical malaria were modeled. Assay-specific performance characteristics stem from the Cochrane Library and data on the proportion of malaria-attributable fevers among African febrile children aged <5 years were used as prevalence matrix.

Results

Average country-level PPVs vary considerably. Ethiopia had the lowest PPVs (histidine-rich protein II [HRP2] assay, 17.35%; parasite lactate dehydrogenase [pLDH] assay, 39.73%), and Guinea had the highest PPVs (HRP2 assay, 95.32%; pLDH assay, 98.46%). On the contrary, NPVs were above 90% in all countries (HRP2 assay, ≥94.87%; pLDH assay, ≥93.36%).

Conclusions

PPVs differed considerably within Africa when used to screen febrile children, indicating unfavorable performance of RDT-based test-and-treat algorithms in low-PPV settings. This suggests that the administration of antimalarials alone may not constitute causal treatment in the presence of a positive RDT result for a substantial proportion of patients, particularly in low-PPV settings. Therefore, current iCCM algorithms should be complemented by information on other setting-specific major causes of fever.
Evaluation of High-Throughput SARS-CoV-2 Serological Assays in a Longitudinal Cohort of Patients with Mild COVID-19: Clinical Sensitivity, Specificity, and Association with Virus Neutralization Test
Authors: Bal Antonin , Pozzetto Bruno , Trabaud Mary-Anne , Escuret Vanessa , Rabilloud Muriel , Langlois-Jacques Carole , Paul Adèle , Guibert Nicolas , D’Aubarède-Frieh Constance , Massardier-Pilonchery Amélie , Fabien Nicole , Goncalves David , Boibieux André , Morfin-Sherpa Florence , Pitiot Virginie , Gueyffier François , Lina Bruno , Fassier Jean-Baptiste , Trouillet-Assant Sophie ,   COVID SER Study Group
Published: January 2021

Background

The association between SARS-CoV-2 commercial serological assays and virus neutralization test (VNT) has been poorly explored in mild patients with COVID-19.

Methods

439 serum specimens were longitudinally collected from 76 healthcare workers with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19. The clinical sensitivity (determined weekly) of 9 commercial serological assays were evaluated. Clinical specificity was assessed using 69 pre-pandemic sera. Correlation, agreement, and concordance with the VNT were also assessed on a subset of 170 samples. Area under the ROC curve (AUC) was estimated at 2 neutralizing antibody titers.

Results

The Wantai Total Ab assay targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) within the S protein presented the best sensitivity at different times during the course of disease. The clinical specificity was greater than 95% for all tests except for the Euroimmun IgA assay. The overall agreement with the presence of neutralizing antibodies ranged from 62.2% (95%CI; 56.0–68.1) for bioMérieux IgM to 91.2% (87.0–94.2) for Siemens. The lowest negative percent agreement (NPA) was found with the Wantai Total Ab assay (NPA 33% (21.1–48.3)). The NPA for other total Ab or IgG assays targeting the S or the RBD was 80.7% (66.7–89.7), 90.3% (78.1–96.1), and 96.8% (86.8–99.3) for Siemens, bioMérieux IgG, and DiaSorin, respectively. None of the commercial assays have sufficient performance to detect a neutralizing titer of 80 (AUC < 0.76).

Conclusions

Although some assays show a better agreement with VNT than others, the present findings emphasize that commercialized serological tests, including those targeting the RBD, cannot substitute a VNT for the assessment of functional antibody response.
Successful surgical treatment of a 1160 g neonate with cardiac teratoma and severe foetal hydrops: a case report
Authors: Beichl Matthias , Thanhaeuser Margarita , Ulm Barbara , Zimpfer Daniel
Published: January 2021

Background

Prenatally diagnosed pericardial teratoma present a rare finding with an unfavourable prognosis due to frequently associated Foetal hydrops and limited treatment options. We report a successful surgical resection of a prenatally diagnosed cardiac teratoma in a 1160 g neonate with severe Foetal hydrops and cardiac deterioration.

Case summary

The patient was transferred in utero to our institution due to prior diagnosed pericardial mass and severe foetal hydrops, which necessitated caesarean section one day after arrival at a gestational age of 28 + 0 weeks. After intubation, the patient was stabilized by surgical drainage of 60 mL of pericardial effusion. Further clinical worsening of the patient on the day of life 12 demanded urgent intervention, so that in toto resection of the tumour was performed at a bodyweight of 1160 g. Histopathological analysis revealed a teratoma and the patient is in excellent clinical condition one year after surgery.

Discussion

This case report demonstrates that an interdisciplinary, two-staged approach can be a feasible and promising treatment option in patients with prenatally diagnosed teratoma and severe Foetal hydrops in a critical circulatory state. Furthermore, it illustrated that resection of pericardial masses can be successfully performed at a bodyweight as low as 1160 g.
An unusual cause of acute pericarditis: a case report
Authors: Salarda Erika M , Ocazionez-Trujillo Daniel , Prakash Siddharth K
Published: January 2021

Background

Inflammation of the pericardium, or pericarditis, is a frequent cause of acute chest pain in young patients. Pericarditis is typically associated with viral infections, but other potential causes may have distinct prognostic and therapeutic implications.

Case summary

A 26-year-old man presented with typical signs and symptoms of acute pericarditis. However, imaging disclosed an anterior mediastinal mass that compressed the right ventricular outflow tract. The coarse outflow murmur convincingly mimicked a pericardial friction rub on auscultation.

Conclusion

Clinicians should be aware of alternative aetiologies to pericarditis in patients who present with prolonged or refractory symptoms.
Camilo Barcia Trelles in and beyond Vitoria's Shadow (1888–1977)
Authors: de la Rasilla Ignacio
Published: January 2021

Credited with having fostered the renaissance of Francisco de Vitoria and the School of Salamanca in international law circles in the interwar period, Camilo Barcia Trelles has largely fallen into oblivion along with most Spanish international law professors of the Spanish Civil War generation. The first part of this article provides an outline of the long career of Barcia Trelles against the background of the radically transformed domestic and international context of the interwar years and the aftermath of World War II in both Spain and Europe. The second part surveys three key themes of Barcia Trelles’ 60-year long contribution to the study of international law and international politics. First, it analyses his early interest in the process of regionalism in Latin America and the role of North American foreign policy in the region. This is followed by an analysis of Barcia Trelles’s attention to the study of the Spanish classics of international law during the interwar period, and, finally, by an overview of his approach to the study of international law in the light of international politics during the Cold War. The conclusion briefly engages with the legacy of Barcia Trelles’ life and works in the European tradition of international law.
Matricellular Protein SPARCL1 Regulates Blood Vessel Integrity and Antagonizes Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Regensburger Daniela , Tenkerian Clara , Pürzer Victoria , Schmid Benjamin , Wohlfahrt Thomas , Stolzer Iris , López-Posadas Rocío , Günther Claudia , Waldner Maximilian J , Becker Christoph , Sticht Heinrich , Petter Katja , Flierl Christian , Gass Tobias , Thoenissen Tim , Geppert Carol I , Britzen-Laurent Nathalie , Méniel Valérie S , Ramming Andreas , Stürzl Michael , Naschberger Elisabeth
Published: January 2021

Background

The understanding of vascular plasticity is key to defining the role of blood vessels in physiologic and pathogenic processes. In the present study, the impact of the vascular quiescence marker SPARCL1 on angiogenesis, capillary morphogenesis, and vessel integrity was evaluated.

Methods

Angiogenesis was studied using the metatarsal test, an ex vivo model of sprouting angiogenesis. In addition, acute and chronic dextran sodium sulfate colitis models with SPARCL1 knockout mice were applied.

Results

This approach indicated that SPARCL1 inhibits angiogenesis and supports vessel morphogenesis and integrity. Evidence was provided that SPARCL1-mediated stabilization of vessel integrity counteracts vessel permeability and inflammation in acute and chronic dextran sodium sulfate colitis models. Structure-function analyses of purified SPARCL1 identified the acidic domain of the protein necessary for its anti-angiogenic activity.

Conclusions

Our findings inaugurate SPARCL1 as a blood vessel–derived anti-angiogenic molecule required for vessel morphogenesis and integrity. SPARCL1 opens new perspectives as a vascular marker of susceptibility to colitis and as a therapeutic molecule to support blood vessel stability in this disease.
Methylome-wide Analysis Reveals Epigenetic Marks Associated With Resistance to Tuberculosis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Individuals From East Africa
Authors: Stein Catherine M , Benchek Penelope , Bartlett Jacquelaine , Igo Robert P , Sobota Rafal S , Chervenak Keith , Mayanja-Kizza Harriet , von Reyn C Fordham , Lahey Timothy , Bush William S , Boom W Henry , Scott William K , Marsit Carmen , Sirugo Giorgio , Williams Scott M
Published: January 2021

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most deadly infectious disease globally and is highly prevalent in the developing world. For individuals infected with both Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the risk of active TB is 10% or more annually. Previously, we identified in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) a region on chromosome 5 associated with resistance to TB, which included epigenetic marks that could influence gene regulation. We hypothesized that HIV-infected individuals exposed to Mtb who remain disease free carry epigenetic changes that strongly protect them from active TB.

Methods

We conducted a methylome-wide study in HIV-infected, TB-exposed cohorts from Uganda and Tanzania and integrated data from our GWAS.

Results

We identified 3 regions of interest that included markers that were differentially methylated between TB cases and controls with latent TB infection: chromosome 1 (RNF220, P = 4 × 10–5), chromosome 2 (between COPS8 and COL6A3, P = 2.7 × 10–5), and chromosome 5 (CEP72, P = 1.3 × 10–5). These methylation results co-localized with associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), methylation QTLs, and methylation × SNP interaction effects. These markers were in regions with regulatory markers for cells involved in TB immunity and/or lung.

Conclusions

Epigenetic regulation is a potential biologic factor underlying resistance to TB in immunocompromised individuals that can act in conjunction with genetic variants.
Localization and site-specific cell–cell interactions of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
Authors: Kiniwa Tsuyoshi , Moro Kazuyo
Published: January 2021

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are novel lymphocytes discovered in 2010. Unlike T or B cells, ILC2s are activated non-specifically by environmental factors and produce various cytokines, thus playing a role in tissue homeostasis, diseases including allergic diseases, and parasite elimination. ILC2s were first reported as cells abundantly present in fat-associated lymphoid clusters in adipose tissue. However, subsequent studies revealed their presence in various tissues throughout the body, acting as key players in tissue-specific diseases. Recent histologic analyses revealed that ILC2s are concentrated in specific regions in tissues, such as the lamina propria and perivascular regions, with their function being controlled by the surrounding cells, such as epithelial cells and other immune cells, via cytokine and lipid production or by cell–cell interactions through surface molecules. Especially, some stromal cells have been identified as the niche cells for ILC2s, both in the steady state and under inflammatory conditions, through the production of IL-33 or extracellular matrix factors. Additionally, peripheral neurons reportedly co-localize with ILC2s and alter their function directly through neurotransmitters. These findings suggest that the different localizations or different cell–cell interactions might affect the function of ILC2s. Furthermore, generally, ILC2s are thought to be tissue-resident cells; however, they occasionally migrate to other tissues and perform a new role; this supports the importance of the microenvironment for their function. We summarize here the current understanding of how the microenvironment controls ILC2 localization and function with the aim of promoting the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods.
Physics-based smart model for prediction of viscosity of nanofluids containing nanoparticles using deep learning
Authors: Changdar Satyasaran , Bhaumik Bivas , De Soumen
Published: January 2021

The traditional model-driven methods are not much efficient to predict the viscosity of nanofluids accurately. This study presents a novel approach of using physics-guided deep learning technique for predicting viscosity of water-based nanofluids from large dataset containing both experimental and simulated data of spherical oxide nanoparticles $\rm{Al2O3}$, $\rm{CuO}$, $\rm{SiO2}$, and $\rm{TiO2}$. Further, this study introduces a novel methodology of combining deep learning methods and physics-based models to leverage their complementary strengths. To the best of the author’s knowledge, theory-guided deep learning prediction model was never used to predict viscosity before. The theory-guided deep neural networks (TGDNN) model is trained by minimizing the mean square error (MSE) and regularization terms using Adam optimization technique. The investigations reveal that the values of R2, RMSE, and AARD% are, respectively, 0.999868, 0.001143, and 2.198887 on experimental testing dataset. The TGDNN model learns non-linear relationship among the input variables from the training data. Additionally, the results show that the proposed method performed better than the other well-known existing theoretical and computer-aided models to predict the viscosity in wide range with high level of accuracy.
Caught up or Protected by the Past? How Reputational Histories Matter for Agencies’ Media Reputations
Authors: Salomonsen Heidi Houlberg , Boye Stefan , Boon Jan
Published: January 2021

Reputation scholars have convincingly demonstrated the relevance of understanding the behavior of government agencies as motivated by reputational concerns. Yet we must still expand our understanding of how agency audiences pass reputational judgments. Combining insights from bureaucratic reputation theory with psychological theories (motivated reasoning and attribution theory), this article theorizes and tests whether agencies’ reputational histories increase the likelihood of receiving positive or negative newspaper coverage. Our findings are based on an extensive coding of 11,041 newspaper articles over a 10-year period in Denmark and Flanders (Belgium) regarding 40 agencies. We introduce a measure of reputational history from communication studies. The analysis identifies that both negative and positive reputational histories are related to the valence of newspaper coverage, suggesting that the past reputations of agencies are part of the cognitive basis upon which audiences form reputational judgment.
Improvement of the bioavailability of curcumin by a supersaturatable self nanoemulsifying drug delivery system with incorporation of a hydrophilic polymer: in vitro and in vivo characterisation
Authors: Chen Xu-long , Liang Xin-li , Zhao Guo-wei , Zeng Qing-yun , Dong Wei , Ou Li-quan , Zhang Hao-nan , Jiang Qie-ying , Liao Zheng-gen
Published: January 2021

Objectives

The current study was focused on preparing curcumin (CUR) supersaturated self-nano-emulsion (PI-CUR-SNEDDS) using hydrophilic polymer and to study the influence of polymer precipitation inhibitor on the physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties of the PI-CUR-SNEDDS.

Methods

PI-CUR-SNEDDS were prepared using hydrophilic polymer in order to maintain the supersaturation of CUR in nano-emulsion solution, artificial gastrointestinal fluid (AGF), and the precipitates formed, and characterised by in vitro dispersion tests, in vitro intestinal absorption and in vivo pharmacokinetic and compared with CUR-SNEDDS.

Key findings

PI-CUR-SNEDDS prepared with 2% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 55–60 (HPMC55-60) as precipitation inhibitor (PI) significantly improved the viscosity, physical stability and CUR’s equilibrium solubility of nanoemulsion. HPMC55-60 and CUR interact in AGF through intermolecular interactions, form hydrogen bonds, and produce amorphous precipitates. Compared with CUR-SNEDDS, the proportion of CUR in the hydrophilic phase increased by about 3-fold, and apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) in duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon increased by 2.30, 3.65, 1.54 and 2.08-fold, respectively, and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve0-12h of PI-CUR-SNEDDS also increased by 3.50-fold.

Conclusions

Our results suggested that HPMC55-60 maintained the CUR supersaturation state by forming hydrogen bonds with CUR, increasing the solution’s viscosity and drug solubilisation, thus improving the absorption and bioavailability of CUR.
Giant hepatic haemangioma rupture in a patient on direct oral anticoagulant therapy
Authors: Nguyen Marie , Lim Aaron E , Jeyarajan Eshwarshanker , Koh Mary-Ann , Ng Andrew , Townend Phillip
Published: January 2021

Rupture of a liver haemangioma is extremely rare, with less than 100 cases reported in the literature. This is the first case known to date reporting a rupture occurring with direct oral anticoagulant therapy. A 76-year-old woman presented with acute abdominal pain and syncope in the context of commencing apixaban 4 weeks prior. Abdominal computed tomography and angiography demonstrated a large heterogenous mass in the left liver lobe with contrast blush suggestive of a bleeding tumour. Urgent transcatheter arterial embolization successfully ceased haemorrhage. Due to persistent compressive symptoms, a left lateral hepatectomy was performed. CD34 immunostaining of the tissue revealed variably sized vessels, which was consistent with a ruptured giant hepatic haemangioma. Our case substantiates the limited available literature regarding ruptured haemangiomas. Combined with previous case reports, this report will significantly contribute to our understanding of the risk factors, diagnosis and surgical indications for ruptured hepatic haemangiomas.
Model-Based Inference for Rare and Clustered Populations From Adaptive Cluster Sampling Using Auxiliary Variables
Authors: Nolau Izabel , Gonçalves Kelly C M , Pereira João B M
Published: January 2021

Rare populations, such as endangered animals and plants, drug users and individuals with rare diseases, tend to cluster in regions. Adaptive cluster sampling is generally applied to obtain information from clustered and sparse populations since it increases survey effort in areas where the individuals of interest are observed. This work proposes a unit-level model which assumes that counts are related to auxiliary variables, improving the sampling process by assigning different weights to the cells, besides referring to them spatially. The proposed model fits rare and grouped populations arranged on a regular grid in a Bayesian framework. The approach is compared to alternative methods using simulated data and a real experiment in which adaptive samples were drawn from an African buffalo population in a 24,108 square kilometer area in East Africa. Simulation studies show that the model is efficient in several settings, validating the method proposed in this paper for practical situations.