bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personas-Driven Design for Mental Health Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Rodrigues Kamila , Garcia Franco Eusébio , Bocanegra Lucas , Gonçalves Vinícius , Carvalho Vinícius , Neris Vania Paula de Almeida
Published: November 2020

Digital applications for mental therapy can support the rehabilitation treatments and help patients to motivate themselves, understand and persist in therapeutic practices. Although the importance and use of these software systems continue to increase, the literature does not specify a consolidated methodology to design such applications. This paper describes a participatory process to enrich Personas, aiming to characterize the intended audience of therapeutic applications in the context of mental health. Moreover, the paper presents how the information obtained in the process can aid on therapeutic games design aiming to support the rehabilitation of chemical dependent and depressive patients.
Dynamic and Meta-Context Switching for Gaze-Based Interaction
Authors: Diaz-Tula Antonio , H. Morimoto Carlos
Published: November 2020

In this paper we investigate the performance of a gaze-based interaction system that combines Dynamic Context Switching and Meta-Context Switching. These methods are extensions of the Context Switching interaction paradigm. The original context switching idea uses fixed-size contexts. Each context carries the same information, so the user can browse freely within a context without worrying about the Midas touch problem. A saccade to the other context triggers the selection of the item under focus. Dynamic context switching dynamically adjusts the size of a context to improve its useful area, where the context that has the user focus is displayed in full size and the other is minimized. Meta-context switching uses meta-keys to allow the user to escape from the current task and select other contexts or change the operation mode. We have designed and conducted two user experiments to evaluate these new gaze interaction techniques and compare them with selection by dwell time in a search task. The task required browsing through several pages using meta-keys. The experimental results show that dynamic context switching improves user performance when compared to fixed-size context switching and do not cause disorientation. The error rate was significantly higher for dwell time due to the Midas touch problem, although the time spent to complete the task was similar for dwell time and dynamic context switching.
First steps towards Live-action Virtual Reality Games
Authors: Ribeiro Junior Alexandre Silva , Walter Gonzales Esteban Clua , Valente Luis , Feijó Bruno
Published: November 2020

In this paper we describe the main concepts of a new game genre (live-action virtual reality game) made possible by the advances of virtual reality technologies and context-awareness. This set of games requires that players wear HMD devices, from where they see a complete virtual world that is built using part of the physical configuration as the basic geometry and context information. games keep both the virtual and real-worlds superimposed, requiring players to physically move in the environment and to use different interaction paradigms (such as tangible & embodied interaction) to complete game activities. As tracking physical elements is a key issue in the implementation of games, in this paper we also describe an architecture that addresses indoor navigation and tracking in live-action virtual reality games. The system we propose is based on infrared markers, working on the infrared spectral region that provides low optical noise and better precision when compared to traditional solutions based on fiducial markers. Furthermore, this paper describes our system and presents two case studies based on our architecture.
Proposing a practical approach to extract and read XML meta-data from sprite sheets using Blob detection algorithm
Authors: Barbosa Marcelo de Barros , Barbosa Cecília , Barbosa André
Published: November 2020

This paper introduces a tool to semi-automatically generate meta-data from game sprite sheets. MuSSE is a tool developed to extract XML data from sprite sheet images with non-uniform – multi-sized – sprites. MuSSE (Multi-sized Sprite Sheet meta-data Exporter) is based on a Blob detection algorithm that incorporates a connected-component labeling system. Hence, blobs of arbitrary size can be extracted by adjusting component connectivity parameters. This image detection algorithm defines boundary blobs for each individual sprite in a sprite sheet. Every specific blob defines a sprite characteristic within the sheet: position, name and size, which allows for subsequent data specification for each blob/image. Those blobs are carefully optimized through an imbued threshold selection. This work also presents a parser to organize these meta-data into a readable solution for game engines. The parser is built to read XML metadata generated through MuSSE and allow developers to set up game objects that can be used by an engine. Several examples on real images illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithm and working tool.
Dynamic game difficulty balancing in real time using Evolutionary Fuzzy Cognitive Maps with automatic calibration
Authors: Fuentes Perez Lizeth Joseline , Romero Calla Luciano Arnaldo , Montenegro Anselmo Antunes , Valente Luis , Gonzales Clua Esteban Walter
Published: November 2020

Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) is a paradigm used to represent knowledge in a simple and concise way, expressing the grade of relation that exists between concepts and causal relationships. Due to its flexibility, FCM has been successfully applied in numerous applications in diverse research fields, such as, robotics, medical diagnosis, decision problems in information technology, games, and so forth. However, one critical drawback is the determination of the weights in the representation graph, which is generally done by an expert. The present paper proposes a semi-automated method for calibrating the weights in a solution for the problem of dynamic game difficulty balancing (DGB) using Evolutionary Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (E-FCM). The proposed algorithm adjusts the weights in real time, ensuring an equilibrium between the values generated according to the expert’s contribution (based on a static analysis) and the changes produced in the values of the concepts by the calibration process during the simulation (a dynamic analysis).
Editors’ Note
Authors: Raposo Alberto , Corrêa Cléber
Published: November 2020

It is our pleasure to introduce you the second issue of JIS in 2017. This issue contains six papers of the Special Issue of the 15th Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC 2016). As we have been doing since IHC 2014, the best papers of the conference are invited to submit extended versions to a special issue of JIS, guest edited by the conference program chairs. In the current publication, our guest editors are Profs. Carla Leitão, from Pontifícia Universidade Católica - Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), and Luciana Salgado, from Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), who we thank a lot for the dedication in the preparation of this issue. We invited you to read their editorial in the following.We also have in this issue an original paper by Paulo Paiva, Liliane Machado, Jauvane de Oliveira, and Ronei de Moraes, entitled “Networking Issues for 3D Medical Collaborative Virtual Environments: Design and Applications”. The authors discuss specific networking issues for Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) applied to the simulation of medical procedures. They designed, developed, and validated a peer-to-peer multicast architecture on the collaborative module of the CyberMed Virtual Reality framework, aiming at providing better network scalability.Finally, we would like to thank the authors and reviewers that contributed to JIS. At the end of the issue we acknowledge the reviewers that contributed to JIS in 2015, 2016, and 2017.JIS Editorial Board is looking forward to receiving your contributions. We hope you enjoy reading this issue!
Analyzing the Communicability of Configuration Decision Space Over Time in Collaborative Systems through a Case Study
Authors: Prates Raquel Oliveira , Rosson Mary Beth , De Souza Clarisse Sieckenius
Published: November 2020

Some configuration settings have immediate impact on system state; others have impact over time. In collaborative systems, the timeline of impacts can be even more complex, because changes may impact not only the user who made them but also other users. In this paper, we analyze the challenges involved in specifying configuration in collaborative systems that have impact over time. To do so, we have chosen Google Inactive Account Manager (IAM) as a case study, since it offers a limited set of decisions, but that addresses different aspects that are relevant to future impact configuration. In order to generate a thorough and systematic analysis of the communicability of Google IAM’s decision space we used the Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM) and the Configurable Interaction Anticipation Challenges (CIAC), as well as the Modeling Language for Interactive Collaborative Conversations (MoLICC). Our results describe and explain some of the main issues associated to the complexity of decisions that users may take in during a configuration task.
An Analytics Framework for Augmented Reality Applications
Authors: Teixeira João Marcelo Xavier Natário , Figueiredo Lucas , Maggi Lucas , Teichrieb Veronica , Santos Marcel , Araújo Cristiano
Published: November 2020

Analytics is a well-known form of capturing information about the user behavior of an application. Augmented reality applications deal with specific data such as the camera pose, not being supported by popular analytics frameworks. To fill such gap, this work proposes an analytics framework solution for augmented reality applications. It supports both markerbased and markerless augmented reality scenarios, collecting data related to camera pose and time spent by the user on each position. Besides the multiplatform capture tool, the framework provides a data analysis visualization tool capable of highlighting the most visited 3D positions, users main areas of interest over the marker plane, the 3D path performed by the camera and also a recovery of the content viewed by the user based on the collected camera pose information. Tests were performed using as case study a promotional campaign scenario and user behavior information was extracted using the proposed visualization tools.
Mobile Interaction for Augmentative and Alternative Communication: a Systematic Mapping
Authors: Ascari Rúbia Eliza de Oliveira Schultz , Pereira Roberto , Silva Luciano
Published: November 2020

Verbal communication is essential for socialization, meaning construction and knowledge sharing in a society. When verbal communication does not occur naturally because of constraints in people’s and environments capabilities, it is necessary to design alternative means. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) aims to complement or replace speech to compensate difficulties of verbal expression. AAC systems can provide technological support for people with speech disorders, assisting in the inclusion, learning and sharing of experiences. This paper presents a systematic mapping of the literature to identify research initiatives regarding the use of mobile devices and AAC solutions. The search identified 1366 potentially eligible scientific articles published between 2006 and 2016, indexed by ACM, IEEE, Science Direct, and Springer databases and by the SBC Journal on Interactive Systems. From the retrieved papers, 99 were selected and categorized into themes of research interest: games, autism, usability, assistive technology, AAC, computer interfaces, interaction in mobile devices, education, among others. Most of papers (57 out of 99) presented some form of interaction via mobile devices, and 46 papers were related to assistive technology, from which 14 were related to AAC. The results offer an overview on the applied research on mobile devices for AAC, pointing out to opportunities and challenges in this research domain, with emphasis on the need to promoting the use and effective adoption of assistive technology.
Measuring Task Learning Curve with Usage Graph Eccentricity Distribution Peaks
Authors: Santana Vagner Figueredo de , De Paula Rogério Abreu , Pinhanez Claudio Santos
Published: November 2020

Interaction logs (or usage data) are abundant in the era of Big Data, but making sense of these data having Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in mind is becoming a bigger challenge. Interaction Log Analysis involves tackling problems as automatic task identification, modeling task deviation, and computing task learning curve. In this work, we propose a way of measuring task learning curve empirically, based on how task deviations (represented as eccentricity distribution peaks) decrease over time. From the analysis of 427 event-by-event logged sessions (captured under users’ consent) of a technical reference website, this work shows the different types of learning curves obtained through the computation of how deviations decrease over time. The proposed technique supported the identification of 6 different task learning curves in the set of 17 tasks, allowing differentiating tasks easy to perform (e.g., view content and login) from tasks users face more difficulties (e.g., register user and delete content). With such results, HCI specialists can focus on reviewing specific tasks users faced difficulties during real interaction, from large datasets.
Chatbots Explain Themselves: Designers' Strategies for Conveying Chatbot Features to Users
Authors: Valério Francisco Albernaz Machado , Guimarães Tatiane Gomes , Prates Raquel Oliveira , Candello Heloisa
Published: November 2020

Recently, text-based chatbots had a rise in popularity, possibly due to new APIs for online social networks and messenger services, and development platforms that help dealing with all the necessary Natural Language Processing. But, as chatbots use natural language as interface, their users may struggle to discover which sentences the chatbots will understand and what they can do. Because of that it is important to support their designers in deciding how to convey the chatbots’ features, as this might determine whether the user will continue chatting or not. In this work, our goal is to analyze the communicative strategies used by popular chatbots when conveying their features to users. We used the Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM) for that end, and as a result we were able to identify a series of strategies used by the analyzed chatbots for conveying their features to users. We then consolidate these findings by analyzing other chatbots. Finally, we discuss the use of these strategies, as well as challenges for designing such interfaces and limitations of using SIM on them.
Codesigning emancipatory systems: a study on mobile applications and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues
Authors: Pereira Guilherme Colucci , Baranauskas Maria Cecilia Calani
Published: November 2020

HCI is a well-suited discipline for designing systems intended to support disenfranchised groups. The LGBT population is increasingly gaining visibility, but the range of subjects they are affected by prejudice and exclusion is wide. This work begins by a review on LGBT issues in HCI literature and mobile applications. We point out a lack of consideration of LGBT people as designers and critical approaches, explicitly aiming to not only understand but effectively act on social issues. In addition, few mobile applications disclose a critical goal, despite their potential impact on health, alterity, empathy, safety, and sociability. Then, we describe a semioparticipatory approach for codesign, focusing on the first conducted activities where the relations between mobile applications and LGBT issues were discussed with volunteers interested in the subject. Finally, we present the concept of a novel application aiming at the support and protection of LGBT people.
Pathogenic Role of iNOs+ M1 Effector Macrophages in Fibromyalgia
Authors: Tripathi Vishwas , Mishra Amaresh , Pathak Yamini , Jain Aklank , Prakash Hridayesh
Published: November 2020

Fibromyalgia (FM) or Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a neurodegenerative disorder causing musculoskeletal pain, tenderness, stiffness, fatigue, and sleep disorder in the body. It is one of the most common chronic pain conditions, affecting about 6% of the world population. Being refractory, till date, no specific treatment of this disease is available. Accumulating evidences over the last few decades indicate that proinflammatory macrophages, cytokines, & chemokines as the key players in this disease. Recent findings suggest activation of Microglial cells and associated pro-inflammatory signals as one of the major causes of chronic pain in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. Increased density of iNOs/CD68+ M1 effector macrophages has been associated with neuropathic pain models. In light of this, depletion of these pro-inflammatory macrophages has been shown to reduce sensitivity to neuropathic pain. On the other hand, modulating pattern of AGEs (Advanced Glycation End-Products) can also contribute to inactivation of macrophages. These findings strongly suggest that macrophages are critical in both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Therefore, this chapter highlights the impact of macrophage plasticity in various immunopathological aspects of fibromyalgia.
Investigating the Prevalence of High-Risk Behaviors among Professional Athletes
Authors: Asefi Ahmadali , Ghanbari Barzian Ali
Published: November 2020

: The prevalence of high-risk behaviors among professional athletes as role models for their fans, especially adolescents and young people, is important to be considered. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HRBs in Iranian professional athletes. This cross-sectional study included 1,940 athletes that were active in eight popular sports from 12 cities of the country. Data were collected using stratified random sampling and a self-made high-risk behavior questionnaire. To analyze the data, descriptive statistical methods were used. The results showed the prevalence of doping among professional athletes was 3%. Besides, 0.3% of the professional athletes on average smoke daily, and 2% used shisha (smoking water pipes) daily. Moreover, 2.5% of professional athletes drunk alcohol at least one time per month. Also, the prevalence of violence involvement among professional athletes was 4.1%, and the prevalence of illicit drug use was 0.3%. The research results showed all high-risk behaviors were prevalent to some degree among professional athletes.
Electrocardiographic Changes and Coronary Findings in Patients with Acute non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mirbolouk Fardin , Salari Arsalan , Riahini Fatemeh , Moayerifar Mani , Norouzi Sama , Gholipour Mahboobe
Published: November 2020

Background: Despite significant improvements in diagnosis and treatment, non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI) is still one of the health problems in developed and developing countries. Objectives: The present study was performed to assess the electrocardiographic changes and coronary findings in patients with NSTEMI. Methods: The study enrolled 158 patients with NSTEMI diagnosis at the discharge time. Demographic characteristics and electrocardiographic changes were collected using a checklist from the medical records of the patients. The angiography data were used to calculate a syntax score for each patient. Finally, patients were divided into three groups based on this score: high risk >32, intermediate risk 22-32, and low risk < 22. Involved vessels, including the left anterior descending artery, Right Coronary Artery (RCA), Left Circumflex Artery (LCX), and the left main stem, were also determined. Results: The mean age of the patients was 60.68 ± 12.15 years. The LAD, LCX, and RCA were the most common involved vessels, in sequence. About 27.73, 67.15, and 5.12% of the patients were assigned to low, moderate, and high-risk groups, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed in the frequencies of ECG changes (P = 0.003) and types of involved vessels (P < 0.001) between low, moderate, and high-risk patients. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in the mean syntax scores between different types of involved vessels (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings of the present study showed a significant relationship between the types of vessel involvement and syntax score. Also, there was a high prevalence of ST changes in precordial leads that may improve the sensitivity of diagnosis. We did not find any significant relationship between the frequencies of ECG changes based on the types of involved vessels.
Importance of Serological Tests in the Diagnosis of Asymptomatic Congenital Syphilis in Neonates: A Case Report
Authors: Corebima Brigitta I. R. V. , Almiradani Ayunda , Sulistijono Eko
Published: November 2020

Introduction: Congenital Syphilis (CS) is caused by the vertical transmission of Treponema pallidum during pregnancy. Here, we describe a case of CS, diagnosed solely by serological tests. Case Presentation: The patient was a newborn with CS, whose mother was infected with Treponema pallidum at the gestational age of 16 - 20 weeks. However, the patient had no signs of early CS, such as low birth weight, nasal congestion, maculopapular rash, or hepatosplenomegaly. The histopathological features in both mother and neonate suggested syphilitic placentitis. Regarding the serological tests, a non-reactive Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test result and a reactive Treponema pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA) test result were reported. After establishing the diagnosis of CS, we initiated treatment with procaine penicillin G (50,000 U/kg body weight), which was injected intramuscularly once a day for 10 days. Six months after discharge, physical examinations showed normal findings and non-reactive results of VDRL and TPHA tests. Conclusions: It can be concluded that detailed history-taking and serological tests play a vital role in establishing the diagnosis of CS, particularly in patients with asymptomatic congenital syphilis. An early diagnosis of CS can guide clinicians to initiate a standardized treatment and improve patient outcomes.
Artificial Wombs Replace One Violence with Another
Authors: Maertens-Pizzo Colten P. ,   The National Catholic Bioethics Center
Published: November 2020

The serious concerns associated with abortion may have a technological solution. Artificial wombs, it is argued, offer a compromise to disburden woman of the bondage of pregnancy and to ensure the child’s survival. This essay argues against using artificial wombs to solve the abortion problem because using artificial wombs violates the principle of human embodiment. Artificial wombs cannot participate in the intimacy of human embodiment and therefore deprive the children of the intimacy of their embodiment.
Kant on Concepts, Intuitions, and the Continuity of Space
Authors: Martin Christian ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2020

This paper engages with Kant‘s account of space as a continuum. The stage is set by looking at how the question of spatial continuity comes up in a debate from the 1920s between Ernst Cassirer and logical empiricist thinkers about Kant‘s conception of spatial representation as a pure intuition. While granting that concrete features of space can only be known empirically, Cassirer attempted to save Kant‘s conception by restricting it to the core commitment of space as a continuous coexistent manifold. Cassirer did not however come up with a transcendental argument for spatial continuity. The paper presents such an argument by providing a reading of Kant‘s from which it transpires that Kant does not simply rely on supposed into the continuity of space. It is by way ofinstead that we can know space to be continuous and Kant’s distinction between intuitions and concepts does hinge on such knowledge.
Predication, Intentionality and Relative Essentialism
Authors: Nulty Timothy J. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2020

Relative essentialism is the novel metaphysical theory that there can be multiple objects occupying the same space at the same time each with its own de re modal truths. Relative essentialism is motivated by Davidson’s semantics and his denial that nature itself is divided into a privileged domain of objects. Relative essentialism was first presented by Samuel C. Wheeler. I argue that Wheeler’s approach to the Davidsonian program needs to be elaborated in terms of various types of preconceptual intentional relations. This elaboration is already largely implicit in Davidson’s own later work and in Wheeler’s relaunching of Davidsonian metaphysics. More specifically, I argue that relative essentialism is ultimately founded not on predication narrowly construed but on intentionality broadly construed. Following Wheeler’s suggestion, comparisons are made between relative essentialism and work within the phenomenological tradition.
Celebrate Suffrage
Authors: Jung Patricia Beattie ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2020

2020 marks 100 years of women’s suffrage in the U.S. Considering this anniversary and the Christian presumption in favor of democracy, this essay invites readers to honor all those who worked for women’s suffrage in two specific ways. First, it invites them to tell the whole truth about the movement, both its many moments of grace and its moral failures. Second, it encourages readers to make the connection between this ambiguous legacy and ongoing forms of voter suppression in the U.S. and then to celebrate suffrage by finishing the fight for it.
Intrusion detection based on the artificial immune system
Authors: Protić Danijela
Published: November 2020

Introduction/purpose: The artificial immune system is a computational model inspired by the biological or human immune system. Of particular interest in artificial immune systems is the way the human body reacts to new pathogens and adapts to remain immune for a long period after a disease has been combated, which refers to the recognition of known malicious attacks and the way the immune system identifies self-cells not to be reacted to, which refers to the anomaly detection. Methods: Negative selection, positive selection, clonal selection, immune networks, danger theory, and dendritic cell algorithm are presented. Results: A variety of algorithms and models related to artificial immune systems and two classification principles are presented; one based on the detection of a particular attack and the other based on anomaly detection. Conclusion: Artificial immune systems are often used in intrusion detection since they are accurate and fast. Experiments show that the models can be used in both known attack and anomaly detection. Eager machine learning classifiers show better results in the decision, which is an advantage if runtime is not a significant parameter. Dendritic cell and negative selection algorithms show better results for real-time detection.
Rationally derived inhibitors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) p7 channel activity reveal prospect for bimodal antiviral therapy
Authors: Shaw Joseph , Gosain Rajendra , Kalita Monoj Mon , Foster Toshana L , Kankanala Jayakanth , Mahato D Ram , Abas Sonia , King Barnabas J , Scott Claire , Brown Emma , Bentham Matthew J , Wetherill Laura , Bloy Abigail , Samson Adel , Harris Mark , Mankouri Jamel , Rowlands David J , Macdonald Andrew , Tarr Alexander W , Fischer Wolfgang B , Foster Richard , Griffin Stephen
Published: November 2020

Since the 1960s, a single class of agent has been licensed targeting virus-encoded ion channels, or ‘viroporins’, contrasting the success of channel blocking drugs in other areas of medicine. Although resistance arose to these prototypic adamantane inhibitors of the influenza A virus (IAV) M2 proton channel, a growing number of clinically and economically important viruses are now recognised to encode essential viroporins providing potential targets for modern drug discovery. We describe the first rationally designed viroporin inhibitor with a comprehensive structure-activity relationship (SAR). This step-change in understanding not only revealed a second biological function for the p7 viroporin from hepatitis C virus (HCV) during virus entry, but also enabled the synthesis of a labelled tool compound that retained biological activity. Hence, p7 inhibitors (p7i) represent a unique class of HCV antiviral targeting both the spread and establishment of infection, as well as a precedent for future viroporin-targeted drug discovery.
Group size and composition influence collective movement in a highly social terrestrial bird
Authors: Papageorgiou Danai , Farine Damien Roger
Published: November 2020

A challenge of group-living is to maintain cohesion while navigating through heterogeneous landscapes. Larger groups benefit from information pooling, translating to greater ‘collective intelligence’, but face increased coordination challenges. If these facets interact, we should observe a non-linear relationship between group size and collective movement. We deployed high-resolution GPS tags to vulturine guineafowl from 21 distinct social groups and used continuous-time movement models to characterize group movements across five seasons. Our data revealed a quadratic relationship between group size and movement characteristics, with intermediate-sized groups exhibiting the largest home-range size and greater variation in space use. Intermediate-sized groups also had higher reproductive success, but having more young in the group reduced home-range size. Our study suggests the presence of an optimal group size, and composition, for collective movement.
Innovation of heterochromatin functions drives rapid evolution of essential ZAD-ZNF genes in Drosophila
Authors: Kasinathan Bhavatharini , Colmenares Serafin U , McConnell Hannah , Young Janet M , Karpen Gary H , Malik Harmit S
Published: November 2020

Contrary to dogma, evolutionarily young and dynamic genes can encode essential functions. We find that evolutionarily dynamicZAD-ZNFgenes, which encode the most abundant class of insect transcription factors, are more likely to encode essential functions inDrosophila melanogasterthan ancient, conservedZAD-ZNFgenes. We focus on theNicknack ZAD-ZNFgene, which is evolutionarily young, poorly retained inDrosophilaspecies, and evolves under strong positive selection. Yet we find that it is necessary for larval development inD. melanogaster.We show thatNicknackencodes a heterochromatin-localizing protein like its paralogOddjob, also an evolutionarily dynamic yet essentialZAD-ZNFgene. We find that the divergentD. simulansNicknack protein can still localize toD. melanogasterheterochromatin and rescue viability of female but not maleNicknack-nullD. melanogaster. Our findings suggest that innovation for rapidly changing heterochromatin functions might generally explain the essentiality of many evolutionarily dynamicZAD-ZNFgenes in insects.
A forecast model for prevention of foodborne outbreaks of non-typhoidal salmonellosis
Authors: Rojas Fernando , Ibacache-Quiroga Claudia
Published: November 2020

Background

This work presents a forecast model for non-typhoidal salmonellosis outbreaks.

Method

This forecast model is based on fitted values of multivariate regression time series that consider diagnosis and estimation of different parameters, through a very flexible statistical treatment called generalized auto-regressive and moving average models (GSARIMA).

Results

The forecast model was validated by analyzing the cases ofSalmonella entericaserovar Enteritidis in Sydney Australia (2014–2016), the environmental conditions and the consumption of high-risk food as predictive variables.

Conclusions

The prediction of cases ofSalmonella entericaserovar Enteritidis infections are included in a forecast model based on fitted values of time series modeled by GSARIMA, for an early alert of future outbreaks caused by this pathogen, and associated to high-risk food. In this context, the decision makers in the epidemiology field can led to preventive actions using the proposed model.
Spectroscopic and electrochemical study of interactions between DNA and different salts of 1,4-dihydropyridine AV-153
Authors: Leonova Elina , Shvirksts Karlis , Borisovs Vitalijs , Smelovs Edgars , Sokolovska Jelizaveta , Bisenieks Egils , Duburs Gunars , Grube Mara , Sjakste Nikolajs
Published: November 2020

1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHP) possess important biochemical and pharmacological properties, including antimutagenic and DNA-binding activity. The latter activity was first described for water-soluble 1,4-DHP with carboxylic group in position 4, the sodium salt of the 1,4-DHP derivative AV-153 among others. Some data show the modification of physicochemical properties and biological activities of organic compounds by metal ions that form the salts. We demonstrated the different affinity to DNA and DNA-protecting capacity of AV-153 salts, depending on the salt-forming ion (Na, K, Li, Rb, Ca, Mg). This study aimed to use different approaches to collate data on the DNA-binding mode of AV-153-Na and five other AV-153 salts. All the AV-153 salts in this study quenched the ethidium bromide and DNA complex fluorescence, which points to an intercalation binding mode. For some of them, the intercalation binding was confirmed using cyclic voltammetry and circular dichroism spectroscopy. It was shown that in vitro all AV-153 salts can interact with four DNA bases. The FTIR spectroscopy data showed the interaction of AV-153 salts with both DNA bases and phosphate groups. A preference for base interaction was observed as the AV-153 salts interacted mostly with G and C bases. However, the highest differences were detected in the spectral region assigned to phosphate groups, which might indicate either conformational changes of DNA molecule (B form to A or H form) or partial denaturation of the molecule. According to the UV/VIS spectroscopy data, the salts also interact with the human telomere repeat, both in guanine quadruplex (G4) and single-stranded form; Na and K salts manifested higher affinity to G4, Li and Rb –to single-stranded DNA.
Weed Dynamics in Maize (Zea mays L.) as Influenced by Pre and Post-emergence Herbicides under Temperate Conditions of Western Himalayan Region
Authors: Rasool Faisul-ur- , Bhat M. I. , Dar Z. A. , Hakeem S. A. , Nasseer S. , Bashir S. , Nisa Seerat-ul- , Majeed S. , Rashid Z. , Iqbal S. , Lone B. A. , Haq Ansar-ul- , Kumar Sanjay
Published: November 2020

Field experiments were conducted in 2017-18 during main cropping  seasons of the year 2017 and 2018 at Dryland (Karewa) Agriculture Research Station, SKUAST-K to determine the effect of different post and pre emergence herbicides application on weed dynamics in maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications and variety used was Bio-605. Five treatments Five treatments viz, Atrazine 50% WP @ 1.0 kg ha-1 as pre-emergence and Paraquat dichloride 24% SL @ 0.5 kg ha-1, 2,4-D sodium salt 58% WSC @ 1.0 kg ha-1 as post-emergence herbicides (application at 2-3 leaf stage of weeds), hand weeding as standard check and weedy check as control were used. Effect of different herbicides on weed density was found significant. in plots managed with hand weeding, no weed was recorded. The Atrazine treated plots @ 1.0 kg ai ha-1 as pre-emergence had the weed population of 5.51, 5.4, 3.73, 5.12, 4.28 and 41.4m-2 , respectively in Echinochloa spp., Eleusine indica, Digitaria sanguinalis, Amaranthus viridis, Sorghum halepense and Cyperus spp.  However, the maximum population of weeds was recorded in weedy check with 21.54 m-2, 20.87 m-2, 19.16  m-2, 21.5 m-2, 16.7 m-2 and 60.7 m-2. No significant difference was observed between Paraquat dichloride 24% SL @ 0.5 kg ai ha-1 and 2,4- D Sodium salt 58% WSC  @ 1.0 kg ai ha-1 except for Cyperus spp. with density of 51.37 m-2 and 43.04 m-2 respectively. The potential of the atrazine in controlling weeds thereby enhancing yield of maize was found in this study.
Computed Tomography Findings at 6th Month Related to Chronic Anastomotic Complications After Rectal Surgery
Authors: Kang Sung Il , Kim Jae Hwang , Kim Sohyun
Published: November 2020

Objective

This study aimed to assess a radiologic test and clinical findings as risk factors of chronic complications after anastomotic leakage (CCAL) in rectal surgery.

Summary of Background Data

Anastomotic leakage (AL) is the most important complication that is related to chronic complications like unhealed chronic sinuses, strictures, and infections.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients who developed anastomotic leakage (AL) after undergoing extraperitoneal anastomosis. Patients with the following characteristics were excluded: (1) patients with no anastomoses, (2) patients undergoing multiple resections due to synchronous colorectal lesions, (3) patients with no curative resections of the primary lesions, and (4) patients experiencing immediate postoperative mortality. Finally, 72 patients were analyzed in this study. The patients were divided into the no chronic complication (NCC) group and the chronic complication (CC) group.

Results

Of the 72 included patients, 17 (23.6%) had CCAL. The patients in the CC group more frequently had radiotherapy and lower tumor compared to the patients in the NCC group. A total of 52 (52/55 [94.5%]) and 4 patients (4/17 [23.5%]) in the NCC group and the CC group achieved bowel continuity 3 years after the primary surgery, respectively (P < 0.0001). According to the multivariate analysis, CT findings at the sixth postoperative month and tumor height were associated with CCAL (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.046, respectively).

Conclusion

This study showed that CT findings at the 6th postoperative month and tumor height were possibly associated with CCAL.
Molecular genomic features associated with in vitro response of the NCI‐60 cancer cell line panel to natural products
Authors: Krushkal Julia , Negi Simarjeet , Yee Laura M. , Evans Jason R. , Grkovic Tanja , Palmisano Alida , Fang Jianwen , Sankaran Hari , McShane Lisa M. , Zhao Yingdong , O'Keefe Barry R.
Published: November 2020

Natural products remain a significant source of anticancer chemotherapeutics. The search for targeted drugs for cancer treatment includes consideration of natural products, which may provide new opportunities for antitumor cytotoxicity as single agents or in combination therapy. We examined the association of molecular genomic features in the well‐characterized NCI‐60 cancer cell line panel with in vitro response to treatment with 1302 small molecules which included natural products, semisynthetic natural product derivatives, and synthetic compounds based on a natural product pharmacophore from the Developmental Therapeutics Program of the US National Cancer Institute's database. These compounds were obtained from a variety of plant, marine, and microbial species. Molecular information utilized for the analysis included expression measures for 23059 annotated transcripts, lncRNAs, and miRNAs, and data on protein‐changing single nucleotide variants in 211 cancer‐related genes. We found associations of expression of multiple genes including SLFN11, CYP2J2, EPHX1, GPC1, ELF3, and MGMT involved in DNA damage repair, NOTCH family members, ABC and SLC transporters, and both mutations in tyrosine kinases and BRAF V600E with NCI‐60 responses to specific categories of natural products. Hierarchical clustering identified groups of natural products, which correlated with a specific mechanism of action. Specifically, several natural product clusters were associated with SLFN11 gene expression, suggesting that potential action of these compounds may involve DNA damage. The associations between gene expression or genome alterations of functionally relevant genes with the response of cancer cells to natural products provide new information about potential mechanisms of action of these identified clusters of compounds with potentially similar biological effects. This information will assist in future drug discovery and in design of new targeted cancer chemotherapy agents.
Observation of Supercavity Modes in Subwavelength Dielectric Resonators
Authors: Odit Mikhail , Koshelev Kirill , Gladyshev Sergey , Ladutenko Konstantin , Kivshar Yuri , Bogdanov Andrey
Published: November 2020

Electromagnetic response of dielectric resonators with high refractive index is governed by optically induced electric and magnetic Mie resonances facilitating confinement of light with the amplitude enhancement. Traditionally, strong subwavelength trapping of light was associated only with plasmonic or epsilon‐near‐zero structures, which however suffer from material losses. Recently, an alternative localization mechanism was proposed allowing the trapping of light in individual subwavelength optical resonators with a high quality factor in the regime of a supercavity mode. Here, the experimental observation of the supercavity modes in subwavelength ceramic resonators in the radio‐frequency range is presented. It is experimentally demonstrated that the regime of supercavity modes can be achieved via precise tuning of the resonator's dimensions. A huge growth of the unloaded quality factor is achieved with experimental values up to 1.25 × 104, limited only by material losses of ceramics. It is revealed that the supercavity modes can be excited efficiently both in the near‐ and far‐field. In both cases, the supercavity mode manifests itself explicitly as a Fano resonance with characteristic peculiarities of spectral shape and radiation pattern. A comparison of supercavities made of diversified materials for the visible, infrared, THz, and radio‐frequency regimes is provided.
A Solvent‐Exchange Strategy to Regulate Noncovalent Interactions for Strong and Antiswelling Hydrogels
Authors: Xu Liju , Gao Shan , Guo Qirui , Wang Chen , Qiao Yan , Qiu Dong
Published: November 2020

Physical hydrogels from existing polymers consisting of noncovalent interacting networks are highly desired due to their well‐controlled compositions and environmental friendliness; and therefore, applied as adhesives, artificial tissues, and soft machines. Nevertheless, these gels have suffered from weak mechanical strength and low water resistance. Current methodologies used to fabricate these hydrogels mainly involve the freezing–thawing process (cryogels), which are complicated in preparation and short in adjustment of polymer conformation. Here, taking the merits of noncovalent bonds in adjustability and reversibility, a solvent‐exchange strategy is developed to construct a class of exogels. Based on the exchange from a good solvent subsequently to a poor one, the intra‐ and interpolymer interactions are initially suppressed and then recovered, resulting in dissolving and cross‐linking to polymers, respectively. Key to this approach is the good solvent, which favors of a stretched polymer conformation to homogenize the network, forming cross‐linked hydrogel networks with remarkable stiffness, toughness, antiswelling properties, and thus underwater adhesive performance. The exogels highlight a facile but highly effective strategy of turning the solvent and consequently the noncovalent interactions to achieve the rational design of enhanced hydrogels and hydrogel‐based soft materials.
Three‐Dimensional Photoengraving of Monolithic, Multifaceted Metasurfaces
Authors: Kang Hong Suk , Jolly Jason Christopher , Cho Hyesung , Kalpattu Abhishek , Zhang Xu A. , Yang Shu
Published: November 2020

Metasurfaces present a potent platform to manipulate light by the spatial arrangement of sub‐wavelength patterns with well‐defined sizes and geometries, in thin films. Metasurfaces by definition are planar. However, it would be highly desirable to integrate metasurfaces with diverse, spatially programmed sub‐wavelength features into a 3D monolith, to manipulate light within a compact 3D space. Here, a 3D photoengraving strategy is presented; that is, generation of such composite metasurfaces from a single microstructure via the irradiation of multiple interference laser beams onto different facets of the parent azopolymeric microstructure. Through “photofluidization,” this technique enables independent inscription and erasing of metasurfaces onto and from individual facets of 3D monoliths with arbitrary shapes and dimensions, in a high‐throughput fashion (over approximately a few cm2 at a time). By engraving discrete sub‐wavelength 1D surface relief gratings of different pitches on different facets of an inverse pyramidal array, a multiplexing structure‐color filter is demonstrated.
Luminescent Ratiometric Thermometers Based on a 4f–3d Grafted Covalent Organic Framework to Locally Measure Temperature Gradients During Catalytic Reactions
Authors: Kaczmarek Anna M. , Jena Himanshu Sekhar , Krishnaraj Chidharth , Rijckaert Hannes , Veerapandian Savita K. P. , Meijerink Andries , Van Der Voort Pascal
Published: November 2020

Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), an emerging class of crystalline porous materials, are a new type of support for grafting lanthanide ions (Ln3+), which can be employed as ratiometric luminescent thermometers. In this work we have shown that COFs co‐grafted with lanthanide ions (Eu3+, Tb3+) and Cu2+ (or potentially other d‐metals) can synchronously be employed both as a nanothermometer and catalyst during a chemical reaction. The performance of the thermometer could be tuned by changing the grafted d‐metal and solvent environment. As a proof of principle, the Glaser coupling reaction was investigated. We show that temperature can be precisely measured during the course of the catalytic reaction using luminescence thermometry. This concept could be potentially easily extended to other catalytic reactions by grafting other d‐metal ions on the Ln@COF platform.
Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Solvent‐Free Chiral Organic π‐Liquids
Authors: Bai Xue , Sun Yimeng , Jiang Yuqian , Zhao Guangjiu , Jiang Jian , Yuan Chenhuan , Liu Minghua
Published: November 2020

The solvent‐free organic π‐liquids have been attracting increasing attentions owing to the inherent optoelectronic properties accompanied by the advantages of non‐volatility and high processability. Herein, we reported a series of naphthalene derivatives substituted with chiral branched alkyl chains, which are present as liquids (Nap1–3) or solid (Nap4) at room temperature, depending on the substitution positions. Circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) were only observed for enantiomericNap2(2,3‐substituted) liquid. It is suggested that the chiral aggregation in the π‐liquid leads to the CD signal and the chiral excimer resulting in the CPL performance. When achiral anthracene or pyrene was dissolved inNap2, the π‐liquid could serve as chirality and energy transfer media in which both CD and CPL emerged from the achiral anthracene. A CPL dissymmetry factor (|glum|) of anthracene reached to 5.2×10−2when dissolved in chiralNap2liquid, which is nearly two orders of magnitude higher than that of the pureNap2π‐liquid.