bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thiopurine monotherapy is effective in ulcerative colitis but significantly less so in Crohn’s disease: long-term outcomes for 11 928 patients in the UK inflammatory bowel disease bioresource
Authors: Stournaras Evangelos , Qian Wendi , Pappas Apostolos , Hong You Yi , Shawky Rasha ,   UK IBD BioResource Investigators, Raine Tim , Parkes Miles
Published: October 2020

Objective

Thiopurines are widely used as maintenance therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but the evidence base for their use is sparse and their role increasingly questioned. Using the largest series reported to date, we assessed the long-term effectiveness of thiopurines in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), including their impact on need for surgery.

Design

Outcomes were assessed in 11 928 patients (4968 UC, 6960 CD) in the UK IBD BioResource initiated on thiopurine monotherapy with the intention of maintaining medically induced remission. Effectiveness was assessed retrospectively using patient-level data and a definition that required avoidance of escalation to biological therapy or surgery while on thiopurines. Analyses included overall effectiveness, time-to-event analysis for treatment escalation and comparison of surgery rates in patients tolerant or intolerant of thiopurines.

Results

Using 68 132 patient-years of exposure, thiopurine monotherapy appeared effective for the duration of treatment in 2617/4968 (52.7%) patients with UC compared with 2378/6960 (34.2%) patients with CD (p<0.0001). This difference was corroborated in a multivariable analysis: after adjusting for variables including treatment era, thiopurine monotherapy was less effective in CD than UC (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.51, p<0.0001). Thiopurine intolerance was associated with increased risk of surgery in UC (HR 2.44, p<0.0001); with a more modest impact on need for surgery in CD (HR=1.23, p=0.0015).

Conclusion

Thiopurine monotherapy is an effective long-term treatment for UC but significantly less effective in CD.
Identification of potential crucial genes associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of liver hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Shi Laner , Shang Xin , Nie Kechao , Lin Zhiqin , Zheng Meisi , Wang Miao , Yuan Haoyu , Zhu Zhangzhi
Published: October 2020

Aims

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is the main manifestation of primary liver cancer, with low survival rate and poor prognosis. Medical decision-making process of LIHC is so complex that new biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis have yet to be explored, this study aimed to identify the genes involved in the pathophysiology of LIHC and biomarkers that can be used to predict the prognosis of LIHC.

Methods

Six Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets selected from GEO were screened and integrated to find out the differential expression genes (DEGs) obtained from LIHC and normal hepatic tissues. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs was implemented by DAVID. The Protein–protein interaction network was performed via STRING. In addition, Cox regression model was used to construct a gene prognostic signature.

Results

We ascertained 10 hub genes, nine of them (CDK1, CDC20, CCNB1, Thymidylate synthetase, Nuclear division cycle80, NUF2, MAD2L1, CCNA2 and BIRC5) as biomarkers of progression in LIHC patients. We also build a six gene prognosis signature (SOCS2, GAS2L3, NLRP5, TAF3, UTP11 and GAGE2A), which can be implemented to predict over survival effectively.

Conclusions

We revealed promising genes that may participate in the pathophysiology of LIHC, and found available biomarkers for LIHC prognosis prediction, which were significant for researchers to further understand the molecular basis of LIHC and direct the synthesis medicine of LIHC.
Carotid web: an occult mechanism of embolic stroke
Authors: Mac Grory Brian , Emmer Bart J , Roosendaal Stefan D , Zagzag David , Yaghi Shadi , Nossek Erez
Published: October 2020

The carotid web is a proposed stroke mechanism that may underlie cryptogenic stroke, particularly in younger patients without vascular risk factors. The web appears as a shelf-like projection into the lumen of the proximal cervical internal carotid artery without evidence of calcification. It is pathologically defined as intimal fibromuscular dysplasia. Altered haemodynamics distal to the web cause flow stagnation and remote embolisation of fibrin-based clots. It is best demonstrated and diagnosed on CT angiography (CTA) of the neck because of its ability to resolve calcium and create multiplanar reconstructions. Although they can be readily visualised on CTA, carotid webs may be missed or misinterpreted because they do not typically cause haemodynamically significant stenosis and can mimic arterial dissection, non-calcified atherosclerotic plaque and intraluminal thrombus. Options for management include antiplatelet therapy, carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting. Modern management strategies for cryptogenic stroke include long-term cardiac monitoring, further investigation for structural cardiac disease and a diagnostic workup for arterial hypercoagulability, however, these strategies are not likely to capture the possibility of a carotid web. Carotid webs should be suspected in a young patient presenting with recurrent unihemispheric strokes particularly when conventional vascular risk factors are not present.
Systematic review of randomised control trial health promotion intervention studies in the fire services: study characteristics, intervention design and impacts on health
Authors: MacMillan Freya , Kolt Gregory S , Le April , George Emma S
Published: October 2020

The objective of this study was to systematically review health promotion interventions in the fire services. Four databases were searched for articles reporting on health promotion interventions for firefighters evaluated in randomised controlled trials (RCT) and measuring efficacy on health or lifestyle behaviour outcomes. Data were extracted to create a narrative synthesis regarding study design, intervention characteristics and impact on outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using a 13-item tool. Of 448 papers identified, after removal of duplicates, 209 were excluded based on title/abstract screening. A further 60 papers were excluded, mostly due to studies not being RCTs, not including a lifestyle behaviour intervention, or not focusing on health or lifestyle behaviour outcomes. Ten studies (reported in 11 papers) were eligible for inclusion. Six studies compared an intervention to usual practice, one compared a full intervention to a minimal intervention, one compared two exercise programmes and two compared two interventions to usual practice. Four studies evaluated structured physical activity interventions. Five studies evaluated physical activity and diet-focused behaviour change programmes, and one study included a mindfulness programme. When assessing risk of bias, three studies had low risk ratings for >8/13 items, leaving seven studies with high-risk ratings for ≥5/13 items. Eight of the 10 studies reported improvements in at least 1 outcome from baseline to final follow-up in the intervention group over a comparison group. The majority of lifestyle behaviour interventions targeted physical activity and/or diet. Findings from included studies suggest that programmes for firefighters initiated in the workplace can improve some health outcomes.
Humeral fracture repair in an African green monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus)
Authors: Cavanaugh Ryan Patrick , Karnik Priti , Corey Tatiana
Published: October 2020

An approximately 16‐year‐old, 6.5‐kg entire male African green monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) was evaluated for acute‐onset soft‐tissue swelling and disuse of the left forelimb. Orthogonal radiographs of the humerus revealed a closed, complete, short oblique fracture of the distal one‐third humeral diaphysis. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) was performed using a plate‐rod construct. Convalescence and proactive rehabilitation allowed for uneventful healing, with radiographic documentation of a bony union at the fracture site nine weeks postoperatively. Open fracture management in non‐human primates is uncommonly performed, and this case revealed some of the considerations and methods critical to ORIF of humeral fractures in captive monkeys.
Decreased excitability of motor axons contributes substantially to contraction fatigability during neuromuscular electrical stimulation
Authors: Luu M. John , Jones Kelvin E. , Collins David F.
Published: September 2020

The present study was designed to (i) determine the time course of changes in motor axon excitability during and after neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES); and (ii) characterize the relationship between contraction fatigability, NMES frequency, and changes at the axon, neuromuscular junction, and muscle. Eight neurologically intact participants attended 3 sessions. NMES was delivered over the common peroneal nerve at 20, 40, or 60 Hz for 8 min (0.3 s “on”, 0.7 s “off”). Threshold tracking was used to measure changes in axonal excitability. Supramaximal stimuli were used to assess neuromuscular transmission and force-generating capacity of the tibialis anterior muscle. Torque decreased by 49% and 62% during 8 min of 40 and 60 Hz NMES, respectively. Maximal twitch torque decreased only during 60 Hz NMES. Motor axon excitability decreased by 14%, 27%, and 35% during 20, 40, and 60 Hz NMES, respectively. Excitability recovered to baseline immediately (20 Hz) and at 2 min (40 Hz) and 4 min (60 Hz) following NMES. Overall, decreases in axonal excitability best predicted how torque declined over 8 min of NMES. During NMES, motor axons become less excitable and motor units “drop out” of the contraction, contributing substantially to contraction fatigability and its dependence on NMES frequency.

Novelty: The excitability of motor axons decreased during NMES in a frequency-dependent manner. As excitability decreased, axons failed to reach threshold and motor units dropped out of the contraction. Overall, decreased excitability best predicted how torque declined and thus is a key contributor to fatigability during NMES.
Citizen views on wood as a construction material: results from seven European countries
Authors: Viholainen Noora , Franzini Florencia , Lähtinen Katja , Nyrud Anders Q. , Widmark Camilla , Hoen Hans Fredrik , Toppinen Anne
Published: September 2020

Multi-story wooden buildings are hailed as a favorable means toward reducing the embodied energy of the construction sector. However, the sector’s path-dependent nature hinders acceptance of using wood in multi-story construction. As a result, research predominantly focuses on examining the perceptions of construction professionals to identify means of breaking the path dependency. We propose using citizens’ perceptions about the use of wood to inform professional decision makers. Our research thus aims to answer two questions: What are citizens’ perceptions about using wood as a construction material, and are there country-based cultural differences between these perceptions? To elicit this spectrum of citizen views, an online survey was deployed in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze 6633 open-ended responses to the survey. Respondents held multi-faceted opinions about the physical properties, environmental, social, and economic aspects of using wood as a construction material. Citizens from Finland, Norway, and Sweden expressed discernably different perspectives about the acceptability of using wood than did citizens from Austria, Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Overall, respondents from all countries expressed high approval for the use of wood in construction.
Modulatory effect of simvastatin on redox status, caspase-3 expression, p-protein kinase B (p-Akt), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in an ethanol-induced neurodegeneration model
Authors: Nasef Nahla A. , Keshk Walaa A. , El-Meligy Salwa M. , Allah Ahmed A. Abd , Ibrahim Wafaa M.
Published: October 2020

Neurodegenerative diseases are a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein aggregation representing the main underlying mechanisms that ultimately lead to cell death. Ethanol has shown strong neurodegenerative consequences in experimental animal brains. Statins are a class of lipid-lowering drugs with many pleotropic effects. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the modulatory effect of simvastatin (10 mg·kg–1·day–1) before and after the development of neurodegeneration (for 55 and 25 days, respectively) on redox state, caspase-3 expression, p-protein kinase B (p-Akt), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in ethanol-induced (15% ethanol solution for 55 days) neurodegeneration. Seventy female Albino Swiss mice were included and randomly divided into five groups: C, control group; E, ethanol group; ES, group treated with simvastatin from the first day of ethanol intake; E + S, group treated with simvastatin after neurodegeneration development; and S, simvastatin group. Administration of simvastatin from the first day improved the biochemical changes, suppressed apoptosis, and induced autophagy and neurogenesis; however, its administration after the development of neurodegeneration resulted in partial improvement. The histopathological findings confirmed the biochemical changes. In conclusion, simvastatin has a neuroprotective effect against the development of ethanol-induced neurodegeneration and its progression.
Role of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in angiotensin II-induced enhanced expression of Giα proteins and hyperproliferation of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Hossain Ekhtear , Li Yuan , Anand-Srivastava Madhu B.
Published: October 2020

We earlier showed that angiotensin (Ang) II-induced overexpression of Giα proteins contributes to the hyperproliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). In addition, the implication of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in Ang II-induced hyperproliferation of VSMC has also been reported. However, the role of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in Ang II-induced overexpression of Giα proteins and hyperproliferation of VSMC remains unexplored. In the present study, we show that inhibition or knockdown of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway by a specific inhibitor “cucurbitacin I” (CuI) or siRNAs attenuated Ang II-induced overexpression of Giα proteins and hyperproliferation of VSMC. In addition, the enhanced expression of cell cycle proteins induced by Ang II was also attenuated by CuI. Furthermore, Ang II-induced enhanced production of the superoxide anion (O2 –), H2O2, and NADPH oxidase activity, as well as the enhanced expression of NADPH oxidase subunits implicated in enhanced expression of Giα proteins and hyperproliferation, were also attenuated by inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. On the other hand, Ang II-induced inhibition and augmentation of the levels of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite, respectively, in VSMC were restored to control levels by CuI. In summary, our results demonstrate that Ang II through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway increases nitroxidative stress, which contributes to the overexpression of Giα proteins and cell cycle proteins and the hyperproliferation of VSMC.
Profiles of wheat rhizobacterial communities in response to repeated glyphosate applications, crop rotation, and tillage
Authors: Lupwayi Newton Z. , Fernandez Myriam R. , Kanashiro Derrick A. , Petri Renee M.
Published: October 2020

Due to widespread adoption of no-till management and use of glyphosate-resistant transgenic crops, glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide. However, its effect on soil microbial communities is inconsistent. We studied the effects of glyphosate, tillage, and crop rotation on the diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities in wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum Desf.) rhizosphere after 6 and 7 yr of glyphosate applications. In a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, there were two crop rotation treatments: continuous wheat (W–W) and wheat in rotation with field pea (Pisum sativum L.) (P–W); two tillage treatments: minimum tillage (MT) and no-till (NT); and two glyphosate treatments: no application or pre-seeding application at the recommended rate. None of the treatments affected wheat rhizobacterial α-diversity or the relative abundances of most bacterial groups. The most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria (25.1% relative abundance), Actinobacteria (21.7%), Acidobacteria (8.7%), Bacteroidetes (5.9%), Firmicutes (1.4%), Armatimonadetes (1.3%), and Verrucomicrobia (1.2%). Glyphosate reduced the relative abundance of Alphaproteobacteria in W–W rotation but increased it in P–W rotation, and it reduced the relative abundance of Opitutus spp. The W–W rotation had greater relative abundances of the classes Bacilli (Firmicutes) and Gammaproteobacteria, and genera Bacillus and Opitutus (Verrucomicrobia), than the P–W rotation. Compared with MT, NT increased the relative abundance of the phylum candidate division WPS-1, but it reduced that of Phenylobacterium spp. in W–W rotation. These treatment effects probably had implications for soil functioning, including nutrient cycling and biological disease/pest control.
Anisotropic neutron stars modelling: constraints in Krori–Barua spacetime
Authors: Roupas Zacharias , Nashed Gamal G. L.
Published: September 2020

Dense nuclear matter is expected to be anisotropic due to effects such as solidification, superfluidity, strong magnetic fields, hyperons, pion-condensation. Therefore an anisotropic neutron star core seems more realistic than an ideally isotropic one. We model anisotropic neutron stars working in the Krori–Barua (KB) ansatz without preassuming an equation of state. We show that the physics of general KB solutions is encapsulated in the compactness. Imposing physical and stability requirements yields a maximum allowed compactness $$2GM/Rc^2 < 0.71$$

2
G
M
/
R

c
2

<
0.71

for a KB-spacetime. We further input observational data from numerous pulsars and calculate the boundary density. We focus especially on data from the LIGO/Virgo collaboration as well as recent independent measurements of mass and radius of miilisecond pulsars with white dwarf companions by the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER). For these data the KB-spacetime gives the same boundary density which surprisingly equals the nuclear saturation density within the data precision. Since this value designates the boundary of a neutron core, the KB-spacetime applies naturally to neutron stars. For this boundary condition we calculate a maximum mass of 4.1 solar masses.
Flexible and Interactive Tradeoff Elicitation for Multicriteria Sorting Problems
Authors: Kang Takanni Hannaka Abreu , Frej Eduarda Asfora , de Almeida Adiel Teixeira
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we propose a new method for solving multiple criteria decision-making/aiding (MCDM/A) sorting problems in the context of multi-attribute value theory (MAVT), based on a flexible and interactive elicitation process. It uses partial information to require less information from the decision maker (DM), which is given in the form of preference statements. The proposed method keeps the axiomatic structure of the traditional tradeoff elicitation procedure, without requiring exact values of indifference to be set, which can be a difficult task for the DM to perform. The use of linear programming, combined with the decision rules, allows an alternative to be assigned into a class without the need to provide complete information. By being flexible and interactive, the proposed method allows the DM to monitor the range of possible classes for each alternative at any level of information available during the process, which can save time and effort. The applicability of the method is shown by solving a project management problem on sorting activities.
Surface tension: Accelerated expansion, coincidence problem & Hubble tension
Authors: Ortiz C.
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we give a physical explanation to the accelerated expansion of the universe, alleviating the tension between the discrepancy of Hubble constant measurements. By the EulerCauchy stress principle, we identify a controversy on the lack of consideration of the surface forces contemplated in the study of the expansion of the universe. We distinguish a new general relativistic effect that modifies the spacetime fabric by means of the energy conservation equation. The resulting dynamical equations from the proposed hypothesis are contrasted to several testable astrophysical predictions. This paper also explains why we have not found any particle or fluid responsible for dark energy and clarifies the Cosmological Coincidence Problem. These explanations are achieved without assuming the existence of exotic matter of unphysical meaning or having to modify Einstein’s Field Equations.
Nuclear structure properties in neutron stars
Authors: Artun Ozan
Published: October 2020

The charge, proton and neutron density distributions along with nuclear properties were calculated by Hartree–Fock approach with Skyrme force interaction for isotopic Pb chain ([Formula: see text]). The effects of correlation on neutron skin thicknesses by obtaining bulk and surface contributions were analyzed by three different approaches. The occurrence of the nuclei with bubble structure due to central depletion in nucleonic was investigated for Pb isotopes as a function of relative neutron excess [Formula: see text]. The important role of the bubble effect in heavy region was explained by the relation between Coulomb and nn-interaction. The single particle energy levels were determined by each [Formula: see text] state of stable Pb isotopes, as well as charge form factors [Formula: see text]. Besides, the average neutron–proton [Formula: see text] and residual neutron–proton [Formula: see text] interactions of the Pb isotopes were calculated by the theoretical binding energies. The fluctuations in the obtained results were considered in detail because its variation may give a good criterion for the mass model approaches.
Well-posedness of SVI solutions to singular-degenerate stochastic porous media equations arising in self-organized criticality
Authors: Neuss Marius
Published: September 2020

We consider a class of generalized stochastic porous media equations with multiplicative Lipschitz continuous noise. These equations can be related to physical models exhibiting self-organized criticality. We show that these SPDEs have unique SVI solutions which depend continuously on the initial value. In order to formulate this notion of solution and to prove uniqueness in the case of a slowly growing nonlinearity, the arising energy functional is analyzed in detail.
Distributions of anisotropic order and applications to H-distributions
Authors: Antonić Nenad , Erceg Marko , Mišur Marin
Published: October 2020

We define distributions of anisotropic order on manifolds, and establish their immediate properties. The central result is the Schwartz kernel theorem for such distributions, allowing the representation of continuous operators from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] by kernels, which we prove to be distributions of order [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text], but higher, although still finite, order in [Formula: see text]. Our main motivation for introducing these distributions is to obtain the new result that H-distributions (Antonić and Mitrović), a recently introduced generalization of H-measures are, in fact, distributions of order 0 (i.e. Radon measures) in [Formula: see text], and of finite order in [Formula: see text]. This allows us to obtain some more precise results on H-distributions, hopefully allowing for further applications to partial differential equations.
Some curious results related to a conjecture of Strohmer and Beaver
Authors: Faulhuber Markus
Published: October 2020

We study results related to a conjecture formulated by Strohmer and Beaver about optimal Gaussian Gabor frame set-ups. Our attention will be restricted to the case of Gabor systems with standard Gaussian window and rectangular lattices of density 2. Although this case has been fully treated by Faulhuber and Steinerberger, the results in this work are new and quite curious. Indeed, the optimality of the square lattice for the Tolimieri and Orr bound already implies the optimality of the square lattice for the sharp lower frame bound. Our main tools include determinants of Laplace–Beltrami operators on tori as well as special functions from analytic number theory, in particular Eisenstein series, zeta functions, theta functions and Kronecker’s limit formula. We note that our results also carry over to energy minimization problems over lattices and a heat distribution problem over flat tori.
A Variant of Projection-Regularization Method for Ill-Posed Linear Operator Equations
Authors: Tahar Bechouat , Nadjib Boussetila , Faouzia Rebbani
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we report on a strategy for computing the numerical approximate solution for a class of ill-posed operator equations in Hilbert spaces: [Formula: see text]. This approach is a combination of Tikhonov regularization method and the finite rank approximation of [Formula: see text]. Finally, numerical results are given to show the effectiveness of this method.
Stability, dark energy parameterization and swampland aspect of Bianchi type-V Ih cosmological models with f(R,T)-gravity
Authors: Dixit Archana , Pradhan Anirudh
Published: October 2020

Stability, dark energy (DE) parameterization and swampland aspects for the Bianchi form-[Formula: see text] universe have been formulated in an extended gravity hypothesis. Here, we have assumed a minimally coupled geometry field with a rescaled function of [Formula: see text] replaced in the geometric action by the Ricci scalar [Formula: see text]. Exact solutions are sought under certain basic conditions for the related field equations. For the following theoretically valid premises, the field equations in this scalar-tensor theory have been solved. It is observed under appropriate conditions that our model shows a decelerating to accelerating phase transition property. Results are observed to be coherent with recent observations. Here, our models predict that the universe’s rate of expansion will increase with the passage of time. The physical and geometric aspects of the models are discussed in detail. In this model, we also analyze the parameterizations of DE by fitting the EoS parameter [Formula: see text] with redshift. The results obtained would be useful in clarifying the relationship between DE parameters. In this, we also explore the correspondence of quintessence DE with swampland criteria. The swampland criteria have been also shown the nature of the scalar field and the potential of the scalar field.
Spherically symmetric static wormhole models in the Einsteinian cubic gravity
Authors: Mustafa G. , Xia Tie-Cheng , Hussain Ibrar , Shamir M. Farasat
Published: October 2020

Our aim is to discuss spherically symmetric static wormholes with the Lorentzian signature in the Einsteinian cubic gravity for two different models of pressure sources. First, we calculate the modified fields equations for the Einsteinian cubic gravity for the wormhole geometry under the anisotropic matter. Then we investigate the shape-function for two different models, which can be taken as a part of the general relation, namely, [Formula: see text]. We further study the energy conditions for both the models in the background of the Einsteinian cubic gravity. We show that our obtained shape-functions satisfy all the necessary conditions for the existence of wormhole solutions in the Einsteinian cubic gravity for some particular values of the different involved parameters. We also discuss the behavior of the energy conditions especially the null and the weak energy conditions for the wormhole models in the Einsteinian cubic gravity.
To Reveal or Not to Reveal? The Influence of Cultural Secrecy on Discretionary Disclosure Decisions
Authors: Göttsche Max , Küster Stephan , Steindl Tobias
Published: October 2020

Prior studies on the relationship between culture and discretionary disclosure fail to account for concurrent managerial incentives to reveal private information to the capital market. Our study extends the literature by investigating whether these managerial incentives offset the cultural influence on managers’ discretionary disclosure decisions. To this end, we exploit a setting in which managers have the discretion to influence both the quantity and quality of disclosure and can thereby either conceal or reveal private information. For a sample of European firms, we find that despite incentives to reveal private information, managers’ culturally determined preference for secrecy leads them to provide a low quantity as well as a lower quality of disclosure. Our results are robust to several sensitivity checks and demonstrate the relative importance of cultural influence on discretionary disclosure decisions.
Robotics Applications in COVID-19: A Review
Authors: Javaid Mohd , Haleem Abid , Vaish Abhishek , Vaishya Raju , Iyengar Karthikeyan P
Published: October 2020

The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in the manufacturing and service sectors being badly hit globally. Since there are no vaccines or any proven medical treatment available, there is an urgent need to take necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus. As the virus spreads with human-to-human interaction, lockdown has been declared in many countries, and the public is advised to observe social distancing strictly. Robots can undertake human-like activities and can be gainfully programmed to replace some of the human interactions. Through this paper, we identify and propose the introduction of robots to take up this challenge in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We did a comprehensive review of the literature to identify robots’ possible applications in the management of epidemics and pandemics of this nature. We have reviewed the available literature through the search engines of PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and Research Gate. A comprehensive review of the literature identified different types of robots being used in the medical field. We could find several vital applications of robots in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. No doubt technology comes with a cost. In this paper, we identified how different types of robots are used gainfully to deliver medicine, food, and other essential items to COVID-19 patients who are under quarantine. Therefore, there is extensive scope for customising robots to undertake hazardous and repetitive jobs with precision and reliability.
AsynGraph
Authors: Zhang Yu , Liao Xiaofei , Gu Lin , Jin Hai , Hu Kan , Liu Haikun , He Bingsheng
Published: September 2020

Recently, iterative graph algorithms are proposed to be handled by GPU-accelerated systems. However, in iterative graph processing, the parallelism of GPU is still underutilized by existing GPU-based solutions. In fact, because of the power-law property of the natural graphs, the paths between a small set of important vertices (e.g., high-degree vertices) play a more important role in iterative graph processing’s convergence speed. Based on this fact, for faster iterative graph processing on GPUs, this article develops a novel system, called
AsynGraph
, to maximize its data parallelism. It first proposes an efficient
structure-aware asynchronous processing way
. It enables the state propagations of most vertices to be effectively conducted on the GPUs in a concurrent way to get a higher GPU utilization ratio through efficiently handling the paths between the important vertices. Specifically, a graph sketch (consisting of the paths between the important vertices) is extracted from the original graph to serve as a fast bridge for most state propagations. Through efficiently processing this sketch more times within each round of graph processing, higher parallelism of GPU can be utilized to accelerate most state propagations. In addition, a
forward-backward intra-path processing way
is also adopted to asynchronously handle the vertices on each path, aiming to further boost propagations along paths and also ensure smaller data access cost. In comparison with existing GPU-based systems, i.e., Gunrock, Groute, Tigr, and DiGraph, AsynGraph can speed up iterative graph processing by 3.06–11.52, 2.47–5.40, 2.23–9.65, and 1.41–4.05 times, respectively.
On Existential MSO and Its Relation to ETH
Authors: Ganian Robert , Haan Ronald de , Kanj Iyad , Szeider Stefan
Published: October 2020

Impagliazzo et al. proposed a framework, based on the logic fragment defining the complexity class SNP, to identify problems that are equivalent to
k
-CNF-
Sat
modulo subexponential-time reducibility (serf-reducibility). The subexponential-time solvability of any of these problems implies the failure of the Exponential Time Hypothesis (ETH). In this article, we extend the framework of Impagliazzo et al. and identify a larger set of problems that are equivalent to
k
-CNF-
Sat
modulo serf-reducibility. We propose a complexity class, referred to as Linear Monadic NP, that consists of all problems expressible in existential monadic second-order logic whose expressions have a linear
measure
in terms of a complexity parameter, which is usually the universe size of the problem.

This research direction can be traced back to Fagin’s celebrated theorem stating that NP coincides with the class of problems expressible in existential second-order logic. Monadic NP, a well-studied class in the literature, is the restriction of the aforementioned logic fragment to existential
monadic
second-order logic. The proposed class Linear Monadic NP is then the restriction of Monadic NP to problems whose expressions have linear measure in the complexity parameter.

We show that Linear Monadic NP includes many natural complete problems such as the satisfiability of linear-size circuits, dominating set, independent dominating set, and perfect code. Therefore, for any of these problems, its subexponential-time solvability is equivalent to the failure of ETH. We prove, using logic games, that the aforementioned problems are inexpressible in the monadic fragment of SNP, and hence, are not captured by the framework of Impagliazzo et al. Finally, we show that
Feedback Vertex Set
is inexpressible in existential monadic second-order logic, and hence is not in Linear Monadic NP, and investigate the existence of certain reductions between
Feedback Vertex Set
(and variants of it) and
3-CNF-Sat
.
Distance-Based Statistical Inference
Authors: Markatou Marianthi , Karlis Dimitrios , Ding Yuxin
Published: September 2020

Statistical distances, divergences, and similar quantities have an extensive history and play an important role in the statistical and related scientific literature. This role shows up in estimation, where we often use estimators based on minimizing a distance. Distances also play a prominent role in hypothesis testing and in model selection. We review the statistical properties of distances that are often used in scientific work, present their properties, and show how they compare to each other. We discuss an approximation framework for model-based inference using statistical distances. Emphasis is placed on identifying in what sense and which statistical distances can be interpreted as loss functions and used for model assessment. We review a special class of distances, the class of quadratic distances, connect it with the classical goodness-of-fit paradigm, and demonstrate its use in the problem of assessing model fit. These methods can be used in analyzing very large samples.
Histamine-dependent interactions between mast cells, glia, and neurons are altered following early-life adversity in mice and humans
Authors: McClain Jonathon L. , Mazzotta Elvio A. , Maradiaga Nidia , Duque-Wilckens Natalia , Grants Iveta , Robison Alfred J. , Christofi Fievos L. , Moeser Adam J. , Gulbransen Brian D.
Published: September 2020

Early-life adversity places an individual at risk for developing functional gastrointestinal disorders later in life through unknown mechanisms. Here, we show that interactions between mast cells and glia are disrupted by early-life stress in mice and that histamine is a potential mediator of mast cell-glial interactions.
The new microbiology: cultivating the future of microbiome-directed medicine
Authors: Ha Connie W. Y. , Devkota Suzanne
Published: September 2020

The discovery of human-associated microscopic life forms has captivated the scientific community since their first documentation in the 17th century. Subsequent isolation and cultivation of microorganisms have spurred great leaps in medicine, including the discovery of antibiotics, identifying pathogens that cause infectious diseases, and vaccine development. The realization that there is a vast discrepancy between the number of microscopic cell counts and how many could thrive in the laboratory motivated the advent of sequencing-based approaches to characterize the uncultured fraction of the microbiota, leading to an unprecedented view into their composition and putative function on all bodily surfaces. It soon became apparent that specific members of the microbiota can be our commensal partners with new implications on various aspects of health, as well as a rich source of therapeutic compounds and tools for biotechnology. Harnessing the immense repertoire of microbial properties, however, inadvertently requires pure cultures for validation and manipulation of candidate genes, proteins, or metabolic pathways, just as mammalian cell culture has become an indispensable tool for mechanistic understanding of host biology. Yet, this renewed interest in growing microorganisms, individually or as a consortium, is stalled by the laborious nature of conventional cultivation methods. Addressing this unmet need through implementation of improved media design and new cultivation techniques is arguably instrumental to future milestones in translational microbiome research.
Global REACH 2018: renal oxygen delivery is maintained during early acclimatization to 4,330 m
Authors: Steele Andrew R. , Tymko Michael M. , Meah Victoria L. , Simpson Lydia L. , Gasho Christopher , Dawkins Tony G. , Villafuerte Francisco C. , Ainslie Philip N. , Stembridge Michael , Moore Jonathan P. , Steinback Craig D.
Published: September 2020

Early acclimatization to high altitude is characterized by various respiratory, hematological, and cardiovascular adaptations that serve to restore oxygen delivery to tissue. However, less is understood about renal function and the role of renal oxygen delivery (RDO2) during high altitude acclimatization. We hypothesized that 1) RDO2 would be reduced after 12 h of high altitude exposure (high altitude day 1) but restored to sea level values after 1 wk (high altitude day 7) and 2) RDO2 would be associated with renal reactivity, an index of acid-base compensation at high altitude. Twenty-four healthy lowlander participants were tested at sea level (344 m, Kelowna, BC, Canada) and on day 1 and day 7 at high altitude (4,330 m, Cerro de Pasco, Peru). Cardiac output, renal blood flow, and arterial and venous blood sampling for renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system hormones and NH2-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptides were collected at each time point. Renal reactivity was calculated as follows: (Δarterial bicarbonate)/(Δarterial Pco2) between sea level and high altitude day 1 and sea level and high altitude day 7. The main findings were that 1) RDO2 was initially decreased at high altitude compared with sea level (ΔRDO2: −22 ± 17%, P < 0.001) but was restored to sea level values on high altitude day 7 (ΔRDO2: −6 ± 14%, P = 0.36). The observed improvements in RDO2 resulted from both changes in renal blood flow (Δ from high altitude day 1: +12 ± 11%, P = 0.008) and arterial oxygen content (Δ from high altitude day 1: +44.8 ± 17.7%, P = 0.006) and 2) renal reactivity was positively correlated with RDO2 on high altitude day 7 ( r = 0.70, P < 0.001) but not high altitude day 1 ( r = 0.26, P = 0.29). These findings characterize the temporal responses of renal function during early high altitude acclimatization and the influence of RDO2 in the regulation of acid-base balance.
Leg heat therapy improves perceived physical function but does not enhance walking capacity or vascular function in patients with peripheral artery disease
Authors: Monroe Jacob C. , Lin Chen , Perkins Susan M. , Han Yan , Wong Brett J. , Motaganahalli Raghu L. , Roseguini Bruno T.
Published: October 2020

This is the first sham-controlled study to investigate the effects of leg heat therapy (HT) on walking performance, vascular function, and quality of life in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Adherence to HT was high, and the treatment was well tolerated. Our findings revealed that HT applied with water-circulating trousers evokes a clinically meaningful increase in perceived physical function and reduces the serum concentration of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 in patients with PAD.
Low-dose aspirin and COX inhibition in human skeletal muscle
Authors: Fountain William A. , Naruse Masatoshi , Claiborne Alex , Stroh Andrew M. , Gries Kevin J. , Jones Andrew M. , Minchev Kiril , Lester Bridget E. , Raue Ulrika , Trappe Scott , Trappe Todd A.
Published: October 2020

This study demonstrated that even low-dose aspirin concentrations can significantly reduce the prostaglandin (PG)E2/cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway activity in human skeletal muscle and this effect is not altered during the recovery period following aerobic exercise. These findings are noteworthy since aspirin is one of the most commonly consumed drugs in the world and nonaspirin COX-inhibiting drugs have been shown to regulate skeletal muscle health in sedentary and exercise-training individuals.
Supraspinal fatigue in human inspiratory muscles with repeated sustained maximal efforts
Authors: Luu Billy L. , Saboisky Julian P. , Taylor Janet L. , Gorman Robert B. , Gandevia Simon C. , Butler Jane E.
Published: October 2020

When the inspiratory muscles are fatigued with repeated sustained maximal efforts, supraspinal fatigue, a component of central fatigue, contributes to the loss in maximal inspiratory pressure. The presence of supraspinal fatigue was confirmed by the increase in amplitude of twitch-like increments in pressure evoked by motor cortical stimulation during maximal efforts, indicating that motor cortical output was not maximal as extra muscle force could be generated to increase inspiratory pressure.
The glymphatic system and its role in cerebral homeostasis
Authors: Benveniste Helene , Elkin Rena , Heerdt Paul M. , Koundal Sunil , Xue Yuechuan , Lee Hedok , Wardlaw Joanna , Tannenbaum Allen
Published: October 2020

The brain’s high bioenergetic state is paralleled by high metabolic waste production. Authentic lymphatic vasculature is lacking in brain parenchyma. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow has long been thought to facilitate central nervous system detoxification in place of lymphatics, but the exact processes involved in toxic waste clearance from the brain remain incompletely understood. Over the past 8 yr, novel data in animals and humans have begun to shed new light on these processes in the form of the “glymphatic system,” a brain-wide perivascular transit passageway dedicated to CSF transport and interstitial fluid exchange that facilitates metabolic waste drainage from the brain. Here we will discuss glymphatic system anatomy and methods to visualize and quantify glymphatic system (GS) transport in the brain and also discuss physiological drivers of its function in normal brain and in neurodegeneration.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO Nanomaterials Prepared by a Green, Nonchemical Route
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc Thinh , Nguyen Van Anh
Published: October 2020

An eco-friendly method for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles was studied. Zinc acetate precursor was thermally decomposed without adding any chemical agents. The synthesized materials were thoroughly characterized by various analytical tools. The results indicated that the synthesized ZnO nanomaterials have a wurtzite structure. The estimated crystallite sizes of the materials obtained at 450, 550, 650, and 750°C (named as ZnO-450, ZnO-550, ZnO-650, and ZnO-750) were 33, 36, 38, and 42 nm, respectively. The morphology of the nanomaterials was revealed to be affected by calcination temperature, causing the formation of both nanoparticles and nanorods with different sizes and shapes. The materials were applied as photocatalysts for methylene blue (MB) decomposition under ultraviolet (UV) light. Results showed that the decomposition efficiency strongly depends on UV illumination time, size, and morphology of ZnO nanomaterials. The highest MB decomposition (99.4%) is obtained when using ZnO-750. The photocatalytic decomposition follows the first-order reaction. The reaction rate constants corresponding to the MB decomposition process with the presence of ZnO-450, ZnO-550, ZnO-650, and ZnO-750 are 0.0512, 0.0636, 0.1077, and 0.1286 min-1, respectively.
Bakuchiol Alleviates Hyperglycemia-Induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Reducing Myocardial Oxidative Stress via Activating the SIRT1/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Ma Wenshuai , Guo Wangang , Shang Fujun , Li Yan , Li Wei , Liu Jing , Ma Chao , Teng Jiwei
Published: October 2020

Bakuchiol (BAK), a monoterpene phenol reported to have exerted a variety of pharmacological effects, has been related to multiple diseases, including myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy, diabetes, liver fibrosis, and cancer. However, the effects of BAK on hyperglycemia-caused diabetic cardiomyopathy and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, streptozotocin-induced mouse model and high-glucose-treated cell model were conducted to investigate the protective roles of BAK on diabetic cardiomyopathy, in either the presence or absence of SIRT1-specific inhibitor EX527, SIRT1 siRNA, or Nrf2 siRNA. Our data demonstrated for the first time that BAK could significantly abate diabetic cardiomyopathy by alleviating the cardiac dysfunction, ameliorating the myocardial fibrosis, mitigating the cardiac hypertrophy, and reducing the cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, BAK achieved its antifibrotic and antihypertrophic actions by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway, as well as decreasing the expressions of fibrosis- and hypertrophy-related markers. Intriguingly, these above effects of BAK were largely attributed to the remarkable activation of SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling, which eventually strengthened cardiac antioxidative capacity by elevating the antioxidant production and reducing the reactive oxygen species generation. However, all the beneficial results were markedly abolished with the administration of EX527, SIRT1 siRNA, or Nrf2 siRNA. In summary, these novel findings indicate that BAK exhibits its therapeutic properties against hyperglycemia-caused diabetic cardiomyopathy by attenuating myocardial oxidative damage via activating the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling.