bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of social factors in access to and equity in higher education for students with low socioeconomic status: A case study from Indonesia
Authors: Wanti Mega , Wesselink Renate , Biemans Harm , den Brok Perry
Published: November 2022

This study investigates the role of social factors in the access to and equity in higher education (HE) for students with a low socioeconomic status (SES) in Indonesia, from multiple stakeholder perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the students, lecturers, and support staff at a large Indonesian university. Focus group discussions were organised to validate the interview results. Family and mentoring programmes appear to play a major role in accessing HE, while lecturers and peers play a significant role in equity. This study highlights the importance of mentoring programmes that guide students to continue their study at the university level. The result provides insights into programmes at the university itself that should focus on developing social skills. This study illustrates the necessity of social support factors, including family, peers, mentor programs, teachers, and lecturers, in supporting access to and equity in HE.
The Flims rock avalanche: structure and consequences
Authors: Pfiffner O. Adrian
Published: November 2022

The Flims rock avalanche has a gliding surface that cuts down section in a limestone sequence and does not follow a weak horizon. The gliding surface is parallel to bedding and/or to the penetrative Alpine foliation in the limestone that is characterized by a shape-preferred orientation of calcite grains. Predisposition was governed by structural weaknesses in form of sub-vertical fault zones within solid limestone. Faults controlled the orientation of lateral scarps of the rock avalanche. The main body of the rock avalanche behaved as semi-coherent mass, which preserved the original overall structure. The internal deformation occurred by dynamic fragmentation, which was distributed rather heterogeneously. Fragmentation starts by the formation of veins consisting of comminuted limestone. In a later stage crosscutting veins coalesce to form a texture with entirely comminuted limestone (“rock flour”) containing angular shattered fragments of limestone of variable sizes. The involvment of the post-glacial water-saturated substrate contributed to the long-runout of the Flims rock avalanche. The substrate was plowed bulldozer-wise at the front of the rock avalanche and escaped upward through the moving rock avalanche as clastic dikes and blow-out pipes. Bulldozing raised the valley floor in front of the rock avalanche by more than 100 m and, on the margins, entrained pieces of the valley flank and the neighboring, older Tamins rock avalanche deposit. The liquefied substrate breached the Tamins rock avalanche at Reichenau and entrained fragments thereof down the valley. The fragments now form the famous tumas of Domat/Ems, Felsberg and Chur. Lake Ilanz, dammed the by Flims rock avalanche, experienced a first major outburst shortly after its formation.
Debate: Are cluster headache and migraine distinct headache disorders?
Authors: Al-Karagholi Mohammad Al-Mahdi , Peng Kuan-Po , Petersen Anja Sofie , De Boer Irene , Terwindt Gisela M. , Ashina Messoud
Published: November 2022

Cluster headache and migraine are regarded as distinct primary headaches. While cluster headache and migraine differ in multiple aspects such as gender-related and headache specific features (e.g., attack duration and frequency), both show clinical similarities in trigger factors (e.g., alcohol) and treatment response (e.g., triptans). Here, we review the similarities and differences in anatomy and pathophysiology that underlie cluster headache and migraine, discuss whether cluster headache and migraine should indeed be considered as two distinct primary headaches, and propose recommendations for future studies.

Graphical Abstract

Video recording of the debate held at the 1st International Conference on Advances in Migraine Sciences (ICAMS 2022, Copenhagen, Denmark) is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUimmnDVTTE.
Targeting uridine–cytidine kinase 2 induced cell cycle arrest through dual mechanism and could improve the immune response of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wu Dehai , Zhang Congyi , Liao Guanqun , Leng Kaiming , Dong Bowen , Yu Yang , Tai Huilin , Huang Lining , Luo Feng , Zhang Bin , Zhan Tiexiang , Hu Qiuhui , Tai Sheng
Published: November 2022

Background

Pyrimidine metabolism is critical for tumour progression. Uridine–cytidine kinase 2 (UCK2), a key regulator of pyrimidine metabolism, is elevated during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and exhibits carcinogenic effects. However, the key mechanism of UCK2 promoting HCC and the therapeutic value of UCK2 are still undefined. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of UCK2 as a therapeutic target for HCC.

Methods

Gene expression matrices were obtained from public databases. RNA-seq, co-immunoprecipitation and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation were used to determine the mechanism of UCK2 promoting HCC. Immune cell infiltration level and immune-related functional scores were evaluated to assess the link between tumour microenvironment and UCK2.

Results

In HCC, the expression of UCK2 was upregulated in part by TGFβ1 stimulation. UCK2 promoted cell cycle progression of HCC by preventing the degradation of mTOR protein and maintaining the stability of PDPK1 mRNA. We also identified UCK2 as a novel RNA-binding protein. Downregulation of UCK2 induced cell cycle arrest and activated the TNFα/NFκB signalling pathway-related senescence-associated secretory phenotype to modify the tumour microenvironment. Additionally, UCK2 was a biomarker of the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Downregulated UCK2 induced a secretory phenotype, which could improve the microenvironment, and decreased UCK2 remodelling metabolism could lower the resistance of tumour cells to T-cell-mediated killing.

Conclusions

Targeting UCK2 inhibits HCC progression and could improve the response to immunotherapy in patients with HCC. Our study suggests that UCK2 could be an ideal target for HCC.
Cefazolin and imipenem enhance AmpC expression and resistance in NagZ-dependent manner in Enterobacter cloacae complex
Authors: Yang Xianggui , Wang Zhenguo , Liu Mingquan , Yu Xuejing , Zhong Yuanxiu , Wang Fuying , Xu Ying
Published: November 2022

Background

Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) is a common opportunistic pathogen and is responsible for causing various infections in humans. Owing to its inducible chromosomal AmpC β-lactamase (AmpC), ECC is inherently resistant to the 1st- and 2nd- generation cephalosporins. However, whether β-lactams antibiotics enhance ECC resistance remains unclear.

Results

In this study, we found that subinhibitory concentrations (SICs) of cefazolin (CFZ) and imipenem (IMP) can advance the expression of AmpC and enhance its resistance towards β-lactams through NagZ in Enterobacter cloacae (EC). Further, AmpC manifested a substantial upregulation in EC in response to SICs of CFZ and IMP. In nagZ knockout EC (ΔnagZ), the resistance to β-lactam antibiotics was rather weakened and the effect of CFZ and IMP on AmpC induction was completely abrogated. NagZ ectopic expression can rescue the induction effects of CFZ and IMP on AmpC and increase ΔnagZ resistance. More importantly, CFZ and IMP have the potential to induce the expression of AmpR's target genes in a NagZ-dependent manner.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that NagZ is a critical determinant for CFZ and IMP to promote AmpC expression and resistance and that CFZ and IMP should be used with caution since they may aggravate ECC resistance. At the same time, this study further improves our understanding of resistance mechanisms in ECC.
Increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with unfavorable functional outcomes in acute pontine infarction
Authors: Zhai Mingfeng , Cao Shugang , Wang Xinlin , Liu Yingli , Tu Feng , Xia Mingwu , Li Zongyou
Published: November 2022

Background

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is positively associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with cerebral infarction. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the NLR and the short-term clinical outcome of acute pontine infarction.

Methods

Patients with acute pontine infarction were consecutively included. Clinical and laboratory data were collected. All patients were followed up at 3 months using modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores. An unfavorable outcome was defined as an mRS score ≥ 3. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to calculate the optimal cutoff values for patients with acute pontine infarction. risk factors can be predictive factors for an unfavorable outcome after acute pontine infarction.

Results

Two hundred fifty-six patients with acute pontine infarction were included in this study. The NLR was significantly higher in the unfavorable outcome group than in the favorable outcome group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the infarct size was significantly higher in the high NLR tertile group than in the low NLR tertile group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, NLR, platelet count, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) level were significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes 3 months after acute pontine infarction. The optimal cutoff value of the NLR for predicting the 3-month outcome of acute pontine infarction was 3.055. The negative and positive predictive values of NLR were 85.7% and 61.3%, respectively, and the sensitivity and specificity of NLR were 69.2% and 80.9%.

Conclusions

We found that the NLR may be an independent predictive factor for the outcome of acute pontine infarction.
Prognostic ability of lung immune prognostic index in limited-stage small cell lung cancer
Authors: Sun Bochen , Hou Qing , Liang Yu , Xue Shuqin , Yao Ningning , Wei Lijuan , Cao Xin , Li Hongwei , Si Hongwei , Cao Jianzhong
Published: November 2022

Background

Lung immune prognostic index (LIPI) is a prognostic marker of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients received immunotherapy or chemotherapy. However, its ability in limited-stage SCLC (LS-SCLC) should be evaluated extensively.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 497 patients diagnosed as LS-SCLC between 2015 and 2018, and clinical data included pretreatment lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), white blood cell count, and absolute neutrophil count levels were collected. According to the LIPI scores, the patients were stratified into low-risk (0 points) and high-risk (1–2 points). The correlations between LIPI and overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed by the Cox regression. Additionally, the propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weight (IPTW) methods were used to reduce the selection and confounding bias. A nomogram was constructed using on multivariable Cox model.

Results

Two hundred fifty and 247 patients were in the LIPI high-risk group and low-risk group, and their median OS was 14.67 months (95% CI: 12.30–16.85) and 20.53 months (95% CI: 17.67–23.39), respectively. In the statistical analysis, High-risk LIPI was significantly against worse OS (HR = 1.377, 95%CI:1.114–1.702) and poor PFS (HR = 1.338, 95%CI:1.1–1.626), and the result was similar after matching and compensating with the PSM or IPTW method. A novel nomogram based on LIPI has a decent level of predictive power.

Conclusion

LIPI stratification was a significant factor against OS or PFS of LS-SCLC patients.
Clinical and genetic analysis in Chinese children with Alagille syndrome
Authors: Chen Ying , Sun Mei , Teng Xu
Published: November 2022

Background

Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is a multisystem disorder with variable clinical penetrance. The genes responsible for this disease are JAGGED1 (JAG1) and NOTCH2. Clinical data of this disease are limited in China. The purpose of this study was to enrich the present data of Chinese children with Alagille syndrome by summarizing the clinical characteristics and genetic variations of these cases.

Case summary

From January 2011 to February 2022, 10 children were diagnosed with ALGS. The organs involved in ALGS were as follows: liver (10, 100%); heart (7, 70%); characteristic facial features (7, 70%); skeleton (4, 40%); brain (1,10%) and kidney (3, 30%). Four patients (40%) were small for gestational age. The main clinical manifestations were cholestasis, heart disease, and facial features. The median total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and total bile acid levels were 138.75 μmol/L (normal, 3.4–20.5 μmol/L), 107.25 μmol/L (normal, 0–8.6 μmol/L), and 110.65 μmol/L (normal, 0.5–10.0 μmol/L), respectively. The median value of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase was 223 U/L (normal, 9–64 U/L). Six (60%) children had hypercholesteremia. Eight different JAG1 gene variations and one NOTCH2 gene pathogenic variant in the 10 Chinese ALGS patients were identified.

Conclusion

Cholestasis was the most common initial presenting symptom in Chinese ALGS pediatric patients. Pathogenic variants in JAG1 and NOTCH2 are the primary mutations in Chinese children with ALGS, but we had our own unique variant spectrum. ALGS should be considered for cholestasis in infants and young children, especially those with multiorgan abnormalities.
Effectiveness of early warning systems in the detection of infectious diseases outbreaks: a systematic review
Authors: Meckawy Rehab , Stuckler David , Mehta Adityavarman , Al-Ahdal Tareq , Doebbeling Bradley N.
Published: November 2022

Background

Global pandemics have occurred with increasing frequency over the past decade reflecting the sub-optimum operationalization of surveillance systems handling human health data. Despite the wide array of current surveillance methods, their effectiveness varies with multiple factors. Here, we perform a systematic review of the effectiveness of alternative infectious diseases Early Warning Systems (EWSs) with a focus on the surveillance data collection methods, and taking into consideration feasibility in different settings.

Methods

We searched PubMed and Scopus databases on 21 October 2022. Articles were included if they covered the implementation of an early warning system and evaluated infectious diseases outbreaks that had potential to become pandemics. Of 1669 studies screened, 68 were included in the final sample. We performed quality assessment using an adapted CASP Checklist.

Results

Of the 68 articles included, 42 articles found EWSs successfully functioned independently as surveillance systems for pandemic-wide infectious diseases outbreaks, and 16 studies reported EWSs to have contributing surveillance features through complementary roles. Chief complaints from emergency departments’ data is an effective EWS but it requires standardized formats across hospitals. Centralized Public Health records-based EWSs facilitate information sharing; however, they rely on clinicians’ reporting of cases. Facilitated reporting by remote health settings and rapid alarm transmission are key advantages of Web-based EWSs. Pharmaceutical sales and laboratory results did not prove solo effectiveness. The EWS design combining surveillance data from both health records and staff was very successful. Also, daily surveillance data notification was the most successful and accepted enhancement strategy especially during mass gathering events. Eventually, in Low Middle Income Countries, working to improve and enhance existing systems was more critical than implementing new Syndromic Surveillance approaches.

Conclusions

Our study was able to evaluate the effectiveness of Early Warning Systems in different contexts and resource settings based on the EWSs’ method of data collection. There is consistent evidence that EWSs compiling pre-diagnosis data are more proactive to detect outbreaks. However, the fact that Syndromic Surveillance Systems (SSS) are more proactive than diagnostic disease surveillance should not be taken as an effective clue for outbreaks detection.
Lifestyles and health-related quality of life in Chinese people: a national family study
Authors: Zou Shiqian , Feng Guanrui , Li Danyang , Ge Pu , Wang Siyi , Liu Tinlun , Li Haijun , Lai Yongjie , Tan Zijian , Huang Yuling , Huang Jian , Zhang Casper , Wu Yibo , Ming Wai-kit
Published: November 2022

Background

There were few studies that investigated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the general population in China, and many of them reported limitations in sampling.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between lifestyles and HRQoL in the Chinese population in both individual and family levels.

Method

Online questionnaires were distributed across China to collect demographic information and participants’ HRQoL using EuroQoL 5 Dimension scales. The EuroQoL Group’s 5 Dimension scale (EQ-5D) index and EuroQoL Group’s visual analog scale (EQ VAS) score were calculated to evaluate the HRQoL.

Results

A total of 1305 valid questionnaires were included. Higher HRQoL was found in people with intend to lower oil intake, intend to lower salt intake, intend to lower sugar intake, balanced diet, moderate sports every week, a sport hobby and joining a fitness organization (all p<.05). HRQoL was higher among male (female as reference), healthy weight (unhealthy weight as reference) (both p<.05). Negative correlation was found between HRQoL and clinical medical history and drinking history. Small families (1-2 persons, 83.19 ± 20.14) had poorer HRQoL (EQ VAS score) than big families (≥3 persons, 85.00 ± 17.96, p <.05).

Conclusion

In China, people with healthy dietary habits, regular sports habits, healthy weight and male groups tended to have better HRQoL. Clinical medical history and drinking history were negatively related to HRQoL. Small families tend to have poorer HRQoL than big families. The finding implicated influence of the number of family members on people’s perception of health and provided scientific evidence for the current policies to encourage birth in China. For a better HRQoL, we suggest people live in big families and take measures to lower salt/sugar/oil intake and exercise regularly in daily life.
Electrocardiogram lead conversion from single-lead blindly-segmented signals
Authors: Beco Sofia C. , Pinto João Ribeiro , Cardoso Jaime S.
Published: November 2022

Background

The standard configuration’s set of twelve electrocardiogram (ECG) leads is optimal for the medical diagnosis of diverse cardiac conditions. However, it requires ten electrodes on the patient’s limbs and chest, which is uncomfortable and cumbersome. Interlead conversion methods can reconstruct missing leads and enable more comfortable acquisitions, including in wearable devices, while still allowing for adequate diagnoses. Currently, methodologies for interlead ECG conversion either require multiple reference (input) leads and/or require input signals to be temporally aligned considering the ECG landmarks.

Methods

Unlike the methods in the literature, this paper studies the possibility of converting ECG signals into all twelve standard configuration leads using signal segments from only one reference lead, without temporal alignment (blindly-segmented). The proposed methodology is based on a deep learning encoder-decoder U-Net architecture, which is compared with adaptations based on convolutional autoencoders and label refinement networks. Moreover, the method is explored for conversion with one single shared encoder or multiple individual encoders for each lead.

Results

Despite the more challenging settings, the proposed methodology was able to attain state-of-the-art level performance in multiple target leads, and both lead I and lead II seem especially suitable to convert certain sets of leads. In cross-database tests, the methodology offered promising results despite acquisition setup differences. Furthermore, results show that the presence of medical conditions does not have a considerable effect on the method’s performance.

Conclusions

This study shows the feasibility of converting ECG signals using single-lead blindly-segmented inputs. Although the results are promising, further efforts should be devoted towards the improvement of the methodologies, especially the robustness to diverse acquisition setups, in order to be applicable to cardiac health monitoring in wearable devices and less obtrusive clinical scenarios.
Gene Coverage Count and Classification (GC3): a locus sequence coverage assessment tool using short-read whole genome sequencing data, and its application to identify and classify histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 deletions in Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Stabler Thomas C. , Dwivedi Ankit , Shrestha Biraj , Joshi Sudhaunshu , Schindler Tobias , Ouattara Amed , García Guillermo A. , Daubenberger Claudia , Silva Joana C.
Published: November 2022

Background

The ability of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to effectively detect active infections is being compromised by the presence of malaria strains with genomic deletions at the hrp2 and hrp3 loci, encoding the antigens most commonly targeted in diagnostics for Plasmodium falciparum detection. The presence of such deletions can be determined in publically available P. falciparum whole genome sequencing (WGS) datasets. A computational approach was developed and validated, termed Gene Coverage Count and Classification (GC3), to analyse genome-wide sequence coverage data and provide informative outputs to assess presence and coverage profile of a target locus in WGS data. GC3 was applied to detect deletions at hrp2 and hrp3 (hrp2/3) and flanking genes in different geographic regions and across time points.

Methods

GC3 uses Python and R scripts to extract locus read coverage metrics from mapped WGS data according to user-defined parameters and generates relevant tables and figures. GC3 was tested using WGS data for laboratory reference strains with known hrp2/3 genotypes, and its results compared to those of a hrp2/3-specific qPCR assay. Samples with at least 25% of coding region positions with zero coverage were classified as having a deletion. Publicly available sequence data was analysed and compared with published deletion frequency estimates.

Results

GC3 results matched the expected coverage of known laboratory reference strains. Agreement between GC3 and a hrp2/3-specific qPCR assay reported for 19/19 (100%) hrp2 deletions and 18/19 (94.7%) hrp3 deletions. Among Cambodian (n = 127) and Brazilian (n = 20) WGS datasets, which had not been previously analysed for hrp2/3 deletions, GC3 identified hrp2 deletions in three and four samples, and hrp3 deletions in 10 and 15 samples, respectively. Plots of hrp2/3 coding regions, grouped by year of sample collection, showed a decrease in median standardized coverage among Malawian samples (n = 150) suggesting the importance of a careful, properly controlled follow up to determine if an increase in frequency of deletions has occurred between 2007–2008 and 2014–2015. Among Malian (n = 90) samples, median standardized coverage was lower in 2002 than 2010, indicating widespread deletions present at the gene locus in 2002.

Conclusions

The GC3 tool accurately classified hrp2/3 deletions and provided informative tables and figures to analyse targeted gene coverage. GC3 is an appropriate tool when performing preliminary and exploratory assessment of locus coverage data.
An R3-MYB repressor, BnCPC forms a feedback regulation with MBW complex to modulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in Brassica napus
Authors: Xie Tao , Zan Xiongyun , Chen Xin , Zhu Haotian , Rong Hao , Wang Youping , Jiang Jinjin
Published: November 2022

Background

Anthocyanins are metabolites of phenylpropanoid pathway, and involves in diverse processes of plant development and adaptation, which are regulated by the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) protein complexes. Many R2R3-MYB activators have been well characterized, but the MYB repressors in anthocyanin biosynthesis were recognized recently, which are also important in modulating phenylpropanoid metabolism in plants. The regulatory mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis in oil crop Brassica napus remains to be revealed.

Results

In this study, we identified an anthocyanin repressor BnCPC in B. napus. BnCPC encoded a typical R3-MYB protein containing a conserved [D/E]Lx2[R/K]x3Lx6Lx3R motif for interaction with bHLH proteins. Overexpression of BnCPC in B. napus inhibited anthocyanin accumulation, especially under anthocyanin inducible conditions. Protein–protein interaction and dual-luciferase assays confirmed that BnCPC could compete with BnPAP1 to interact with bHLHs (BnTT8 and BnEGL3), and repress the expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes (e.g., BnDFR) that activated by MBW complexes. Moreover, we found BnCPC inhibited the MBW complex-induced BnCPC activity.

Conclusions

Overall, this research demonstrated that BnCPC repressed anthocyanin biosynthesis by affecting the formation of MBW complex, and formed a feedback loop to regulate anthocyanin accumulation in B. napus.
What evidence exists regarding the effects of photovoltaic panels on biodiversity? A critical systematic map protocol
Authors: Lafitte Alix , Sordello Romain , de Crespin de Billy Véronique , Froidevaux Jérémy , Gourdain Philippe , Kerbiriou Christian , Langridge Joseph , Marx Geoffroy , Schatz Bertrand , Thierry Chloé , Reyjol Yorick
Published: November 2022

Background

Climate change and the current phase-out of fossil fuel-fired power generation are currently expanding the market of renewable energy and more especially photovoltaic (PV) panels. Contrary to other types of renewable energies, such as wind and hydroelectricity, evidence on the effects of PV panels on biodiversity has been building up only fairly recently. PV panels have been linked to substantial impacts on species and ecosystems, the first and most obvious one being the degradation of natural habitats but they may also lead to mortality of individuals and displacements of populations. Hence, we propose a systematic map aiming to draw a comprehensive panorama of the available knowledge on the effects of photovoltaic and solar thermal (PVST) installations, whatever their scales (i.e. cells, panels, arrays, utility-scale facilities), on terrestrial and semi-aquatic species and natural/semi-natural habitats and ecosystems. This work aims at providing decision-makers with a better understanding of the effects of PVST installations and, therefore, help them further protect biodiversity while also mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

Methods

We will follow the collaboration for environmental evidence guidelines and search for relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature in English or French. The search string will combine population (all wild terrestrial and semi-aquatic species—e.g. animals, plants, fungi, microorganisms—as well as natural/semi-natural terrestrial habitats and ecosystems) and exposure/intervention (all technologies of PVST panels at all scales of installations and therefore excluding concentrated solar power) terms. A pre-built test list of relevant articles will be used to assess the comprehensiveness of the search string. Extracted citations will be screened at title and full-text stages thanks to pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Accepted citations will then be split into studies and observations, from which relevant metadata (e.g. taxon, exposure/intervention, outcome) will be extracted and their internal validity assessed through a critical appraisal. The database will be accessible alongside a map report which will draw a landscape of eligible studies. By describing studied populations, exposures/interventions, outcomes and internal study validity results, the report will identify potential knowledge clusters and gaps regarding the effects of PVST installations on biodiversity and ecosystems.
Spatial distribution and developmental trajectories of crime versus crime severity: do not abandon the count-based model just yet
Authors: Harinam Vincent , Bavcevic Zeljko , Ariel Barak
Published: November 2022

Purpose/background

A new body of research that focuses on crime harm scores rather than counts of crime incidents has emerged. Specifically in the context of spatial analysis of crime, focusing on crime harm suggests that harm is more concentrated than counts, at the level of crime hot spots. It remains presently unclear what drives the concentration distributions, and whether the count-based model should be abandoned.

Methods

Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of 6 year of spatiotemporal crime data in Toronto, Canada, to compare patterns and concentration of crime harm (measured in terms of the Crime Severity Index (CSI) against crime counts. Conditional probabilities, trajectory analyses, power few concentrations, and spatial Global Moran’s I are used to infer generalised trends from the data.

Findings

Overall CSI and crime counts tend to exhibit similar concentrations at the spatial micro levels, except against-the-body crimes such as violence which seems to drive nearly all the variations between the two measurement types. Violence harm spots tend to be more dispersed citywide and often do not remain constant year-to-year, whereas overall crime hotspots are more stable over time. Nevertheless, variations in disproportionally high crime hot spots are associated with total variations in crime, with as little as 1% increase in crime levels in these hot spots translating into substantial overall gains in recorded crime citywide.

Conclusions

Abandoning count-based models in spatial analysis of crime can lead to an incomplete picture of crime concentrations. Both models are needed not just for understanding spatial crime distributions but also for cost-effective allocation of policing resources.
Variations in the substrate composition and microbial community structure in the anaerobic fermentation process using the green algae Enteromorpha prolifera
Authors: Ai Chao , Tong Aijun , Wen Jiahui , Chen Ruoxin , Huang Yajun , Zhao Chao
Published: November 2022

Enteromorpha prolifera is a nutrient-rich green alga and abound in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea of China. In this study, E. prolifera was anaerobically digested for biogas production. The variations of chemical compositions and microbial community structure as well as the physical structure of E. prolifera in anaerobic digestion process were investigated. This is the first report of multiple ways to deeply analysis the process of E. prolifera anaerobic digestion. Results from the present work showed that the biogas obtained from E. prolifera anaerobic digestion could achieve 409.7 mL•g− 1 TS with an average methane concentration of 53.2%, and the VFAs content in substrate played a vital role for driving the biogas production of flora. Moreover, S1 of Thermotogaceae and Cenarchaeum, the dominant bacteria and archaea in digestion flora, respectively, played important roles in degrading E. prolifera, acidizing slurry, and providing methanogenic substrate for methanogens.

Graphical Abstract
Realizing multiple-qubit entangling gate in Rydberg atoms via soft quantum control
Authors: Yun Meng-Ru , Cheng Shuming , Yan L.-L. , Jia Y. , Su S.-L.
Published: November 2022

Entangling gates are important for the generation of entanglement in quantum communicational and computational tasks. In this work, we propose an efficient protocol to realize the multi-qubit entangling gates with high fidelity in Rydberg atoms. Particularly, we apply the technique of soft quantum control to design the off-resonant pulses such that the atoms are driven to the ground-state subspace via unconventional Rydberg pumping. Thus, our scheme is insensitive to the decay effect as all atoms are only virtually excited. Moreover, Gaussian temporal modulation is further adopted to improve its robustness against the model uncertainty, such as operating time and environment noise. Finally, we perform numerical simulation to validate the effectiveness of our scheme. Hence, our work has potential applications in quantum information processing based on Rydberg atoms.
Achieving Competency in Fiber-Optic Intubation Among Resident Physicians After Higher- Versus Lower-Fidelity Task Training: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Melvin Martina T. , Siddiqui Naveed T. , Wild Evan , Parotto Matteo , Perelman Vsevolod S. , You-Ten Kong Eric
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND:

The high-fidelity ORSIM (Airway Simulation Ltd) and the low-fidelity wooden-block fiber-optic task trainers allow users to familiarize themselves with the psychomotor skills required to manipulate the fiber-optic scope.

METHODS:

This single-center study aimed to compare residents’ performance of fiber-optic intubation after 2 different types of task training. Twenty-four residents with experience of <8 fiber-optic intubations were randomized to either the ORSIM or a wooden-block task trainer. In a single teaching session, the resident performed 20 fiber-optic intubations on their assigned task trainer. This implied simulator competence. In the 4 months after this training, all subjects then attempted to perform a fiber-optic intubation on an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I or II anesthetized patient whose airway was preoperatively assessed as normal. The primary outcome was the cumulative sum (CUSUM) learning curves obtained as the residents trained on their respective task trainers. Secondary outcomes included: the mean time (in seconds) to perform each of the 20 fiber-optic intubations on their assigned task trainer, the total simulator training time, global rating scale score, checklist score, and time to carina when performing fiber-optic intubation on the patient.

RESULTS:

The CUSUM analysis showed that the ORSIM group achieved simulator competence faster. The mean time to perform fiber-optic intubation was shorter in the ORSIM group. A 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test suggests that the combined effect of group (wooden-block or ORSIM) and time is statistically significant (P < .05).

Total training time (mean, 899 s ± 440 s vs 1358 s ± 405 s; 95% confidence interval [CI], 100.46–818.54; P = .01) was also significantly better in the ORSIM group.

No significant difference was found between the 2 groups (P > 0) in terms of global rating scale, checklist score, and time to reach the carina (P >.05) when performing the fiber-optic intubation on the patient.

CONCLUSIONS:

ORSIM showed superiority in terms of the CUSUM learning curve in reaching competence faster in fewer attempts. There was no statistically significant difference in residents’ performance when translated to clinical practice on a patient. This information should assist course directors when choosing task trainers for fiber-optic intubation training programs.
The prospect of genetically engineering natural killer cells for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Poon Angie Yu Ching , Sugimura Ryohichi
Published: November 2022

The use of natural killer (NK) cells in cancer immunotherapy demonstrates promising potential, yet its efficacy is often limited due to the loss of tumor-killing capacity and lack of specificity in vivo. Here, we review current approaches to confer enhanced tumor-killing capacity and specificity by genetic engineering. Increasing sensitivity to cytokines and protecting NK cells from the immune checkpoint endowed sustainability of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment. Transducing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) in NK cells successfully targeted both hematologic and solid tumors in preclinical models. The use of human pluripotent stem cells as an expandable and genetically amenable platform offers a stable source of engineered NK cells for cancer immunotherapy. We highlight that CAR-NK cells from human pluripotent stem cells are a promising approach for cancer immunotherapy.
Reducing the aneuploid cell burden – cell competition and the ribosome connection
Authors: Baker Nicholas E. , Montagna Cristina
Published: November 2022

Aneuploidy, the gain or loss of chromosomes, is the cause of birth defects and miscarriage and is almost ubiquitous in cancer cells. Mosaic aneuploidy causes cancer predisposition, as well as age-related disorders. Despite the cell-intrinsic mechanisms that prevent aneuploidy, sporadic aneuploid cells do arise in otherwise normal tissues. These aneuploid cells can differ from normal cells in the copy number of specific dose-sensitive genes, and may also experience proteotoxic stress associated with mismatched expression levels of many proteins. These differences may mark aneuploid cells for recognition and elimination. The ribosomal protein gene dose in aneuploid cells could be important because, in Drosophila, haploinsufficiency for these genes leads to elimination by the process of cell competition. Constitutive haploinsufficiency for human ribosomal protein genes causes Diamond Blackfan anemia, but it is not yet known whether ribosomal protein gene dose contributes to aneuploid cell elimination in mammals. In this Review, we discuss whether cell competition on the basis of ribosomal protein gene dose is a tumor suppressor mechanism, reducing the accumulation of aneuploid cells. We also discuss how this might relate to the tumor suppressor function of p53 and the p53-mediated elimination of aneuploid cells from murine embryos, and how cell competition defects could contribute to the cancer predisposition of Diamond Blackfan anemia.
Measuring the psychosocial wellbeing of Rohingya mothers in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Psychometric properties of an MHPSS assessment battery
Authors: Nguyen Amanda , Bhardwaj Anvita , Rahaman Kh Shafiur , Barua Suzit , Le Roch Karine , Lasater Molly , Schojan Matthew , Lee Catherine , Berg Kim , Murray Sarah M
Published: November 2022

Background: Psychosocial research in humanitarian settings has been historically dominated by a focus on distress and disorder. As such, there is a need to establish the validity of instruments for a broad range of psychosocial outcomes, particularly among highly affected and under-represented populations. The current study describes the adaptation and testing of multiple psychosocial instruments among displaced Rohingya mothers in Bangladesh. 

Methods: We used baseline data from 600 mothers of malnourished children aged 2 and under enrolled in an intervention study in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Instruments assessed distress (International Depression Symptom Scale [IDSS] and Kessler-6 [K-6]); functional impairment (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule [WHODAS]); subjective wellbeing (global Satisfaction With Life [SWL] and Personal Wellbeing Index [PWI];  and, coping (Brief COPE and locally developed coping items). Instruments were piloted and refined, then used for data collection by Bangladeshi-Rohingya interviewer pairs. We conducted exploratory factor analysis, evaluated internal consistency, examined construct validity through correlation with other scales, and used regression models to explore demographic factors associated with psychosocial health. 

Results: Both the WHODAS and coping items fit 2-factor models; other scales were unidimensional. Cronbach’s alphas ranged from .76 to .90 for the refined scales. With the exception of coping, scale correlations supported construct validity; separate measures of the same construct were highly correlated, distress and impairment were moderately correlated, and both were inversely correlated with wellbeing. Correlates of poorer psychosocial health included relative socioeconomic disadvantage, current pregnancy, and being unmarried.  

Conclusions: Most of the standard psychosocial assessment tools performed adequately, but they did not appear to fully capture local experiences and included items of little local relevance. Findings highlight the need for further mixed methods research to develop a rich battery of instruments with cross-cultural validity, particularly for positive outcomes such as coping which was particularly challenging to assess.
Machine Learning Methods for Data-Driven Demand Estimation and Assortment Planning Considering Cross-Selling and Substitutions
Authors: Chen Zhen-Yu , Fan Zhi-Ping , Sun Minghe
Published: November 2022

This study develops machine learning methods for the data-driven demand estimation and assortment planning problem by addressing three subproblems, that is, demand forecasting simultaneously considering cross-selling and substitutions, estimation of the cross-selling and substitution effects, and assortment optimization. These three subproblems are transformed into three sequentially related machine learning problems: collective demand forecasting, demand inference for cross-selling and substitutions, and assortment rule mining. For collective demand forecasting, related product features are introduced to consider both the cross-selling and substitution effects, and a collaborative coordinate descent method with a good convergence property is developed to make distributed demand forecasting and a global update of related product features. Using the results, demand inference adopts transfer and semisupervised learning methods to tackle the challenge of missing data in quantifying the cross-selling and substitution effects. For assortment rule mining, the assortment rules bridge the gap between prediction and optimization, and the developed heuristics obtain the best assortment using the prior knowledge discovered in demand inference. The computational results on a real-world database and a semisynthetic database show that collective demand forecasting obtained far better results than the standard demand forecasting methods and some popular graph learning methods, and the developed heuristics identified much better assortments than those obtained with the baseline methods.

History: Accepted by Ram Ramesh, Area Editor for Data Science and Machine Learning.

Funding: This work was supported by the construction base project of discipline innovation and talent introduction plan of Chinese higher educational institutions (111 project) [Grant B16009] and the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 72031002].

Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.2022.1251 .
Incentive-Compatible Assortment Optimization for Sponsored Products
Authors: Balseiro Santiago R. , Désir Antoine
Published: November 2022

Online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Alibaba, Google Shopping, and JD.com, allow sellers to promote their products by charging them for the right to be displayed on top of organic search results. In this paper, we study the problem of designing auctions for sponsored products and highlight some new challenges emerging from the interplay of two unique features: substitution effects and information asymmetry. The presence of substitution effects, which we capture by assuming that consumers choose sellers according to a multinomial logit model, implies that the probability a seller is chosen depends on the assortment of sellers displayed alongside. Additionally, sellers may hold private information about how their own products match consumers’ interests, which the platform can elicit to make better assortment decisions. We first show that the first-best allocation, that is, the welfare-maximizing assortment in the absence of private information, cannot be implemented truthfully in general. Thus motivated, we initiate the study of incentive-compatible assortment optimization by characterizing prior-independent and prior-dependent mechanisms and quantifying the worst-case social cost of implementing truthful assortment mechanisms. An important finding is that the worst-case social cost of implementing truthful mechanisms can be high when the number of sellers is large. Structurally, we show that optimal mechanisms may need to downward distort the efficient allocation both at the top and the bottom.

This paper was accepted by Victor Martínez-de-Albéniz, operations management.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4603 .
Appointment Scheduling Under a Service-Level Constraint
Authors: Benjaafar Saif , Chen David , Wang Rowan , Yan Zhenzhen
Published: November 2022

Problem definition: This paper studies an appointment system where a finite number of customers are scheduled to arrive in such a way that (1) the expected waiting time of each individual customer cannot exceed a given threshold; and (2) the appointment times are set as early as possible (without breaking the waiting time constraint). Methodology/results: First, we show that, under the service-level constraint, a prospective schedule can be obtained from a sequential scheduling approach. In particular, we can schedule the appointment time of the next customer based on the scheduled appointment times of the previous customers. Then, we use a transient queueing-analysis approach and apply the theory of majorization to analytically characterize the structure of the optimal appointment schedule. We prove that, to keep the expected waiting time of each customer below a certain threshold, the minimum inter-appointment time required increases with the arrival sequence. We further identify additional properties of the optimal schedule. For example, a later arrival has a higher chance of finding an empty system and is more likely to wait less than the duration of his expected service time. We show the convergence of the service-level-constrained system to the D/M/1 queueing system as the number of arrivals approaches infinity and propose a simple, yet practical, heuristic schedule that is asymptotically optimal. We also develop algorithms that can help system managers determine the number of customers that can be scheduled in a fixed time window. We compare the service-level-constrained appointment system with other widely studied systems (including the equal-space and cost-minimization systems). We show that the service-level-constrained system leads to a lower upper bound on each customer’s waiting time; ensures a fair waiting experience among customers; and performs quite well in terms of system overtime. Finally, we investigate various extended settings of our analysis, including customer no-shows; mixed Erlang service times; multiple servers; and probability-based service-level constraints. Managerial implications: Our results provide guidelines on how to design appointment schedules with individual service-level constraints. Such a design ensures fairness and incorporates the threshold-type waiting perception of customers. It is also free from cost estimation and can be easily applied in practice. In addition, under the service-level-constrained appointment system, customers with later appointment times can have better waiting experiences, in contrast to the situation under other commonly studied systems.

Funding: Z. Yan was partly supported by a Nanyang Technological University startup grant; the Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund Tier 1 [Grant RG17/21] and Tier 2 [Grant MOE2019-T2-1-045]; and Neptune Orient Lines [Fellowship Grant NOL21RP04].

Supplemental Material: The online supplement is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.1159 .
Sequential Fair Allocation: Achieving the Optimal Envy-Efficiency Trade-off Curve
Authors: Sinclair Sean R. , Jain Gauri , Banerjee Siddhartha , Yu Christina Lee
Published: November 2022

Optimizing Mobile Food Pantry Operations Under Demand Uncertainty

Managing complex systems often involves making trade-offs between different objectives. A common example is seeking fairness guarantees in sequential resource allocation problems. For example, mobile food pantries are tasked with allocating resources under demand uncertainty with the goal of simultaneously minimizing inefficiency (leftover resources) and envy (deviations in allocations). In this work, we tackle a problem established from a partnership with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier in optimizing their mobile food-pantry operations. We provide an exact characterization of the achievable (envy, efficiency) pairs, showing that any algorithm achieving low envy must suffer from poor inefficiency and vice versa. We complement this exact characterization with a simple algorithm capable of achieving any desired point along the trade-off curve.