bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive physics of inflation and grand unification for and from the CMB observations
Authors: Sanchez Norma G.
Published: June 2020

This paper focuses on realistic and timely situations of inflation in connection with the CMB, gravitational and particle physics, adding interdisciplinarity and unification values within a strongly predictive physical approach. The formulation of inflation in the Ginsburg–Landau approach developed by de Vega and Sanchez1 and by Boyanovsky, de Vega, Sanchez and Destri[Formula: see text] clarifies and places inflation in the setting of the effective field theories of particle physics. In addition, it sets up a clean way to directly confront the inflationary predictions with the available and forthcoming CMB data and select a definitive model. All CMB[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]LSS data until now show how powerful is the Ginsburg–Landau effective theory of inflation in predicting observables in agreement with observations, including the inflation energy scale and the inflaton potential, and which has much more to provide in the future. It paves the way to discoveries, new learning and understanding.
TeV-scale resonant leptogenesis with new scaling ansatz on neutrino Dirac mass matrix from A4 flavor symmetry
Authors: Benaoum H. B. , Shaglel S. H.
Published: June 2020

We propose a new scaling ansatz in the neutrino Dirac mass matrix to explain the low energy neutrino oscillations data, baryon number asymmetry and neutrinoless double beta decay. In this work, a full reconstruction of the neutrino Dirac mass matrix has been realized from the low energy neutrino oscillations data based on type-I seesaw mechanism. A concrete model based on [Formula: see text] flavor symmetry has been considered to generate such a neutrino Dirac mass matrix and imposes a relation between the two scaling factors. In this model, the right-handed Heavy Majorana neutrino masses are quasi-degenerate at TeV mass scales. Extensive numerical analysis studies have been carried out to constrain the parameter space of the model from the low energy neutrino oscillations data. It has been found that the parameter space of the Dirac mass matrix elements lies near or below the MeV region and the scaling factor [Formula: see text] has to be less than 10. Furthermore, we have examined the possibility for simultaneous explanation of both neutrino oscillations data and the observed baryon number asymmetry in the Universe. Such an analysis gives further restrictions on the parameter space of the model, thereby explaining the correct neutrino data as well as the baryon number asymmetry via a resonant leptogenesis scenario. Finally, we show that the allowed space for the effective Majorana neutrino mass [Formula: see text] is also constrained in order to account for the observed baryon asymmetry.
NMR study under pressure on the iron-based superconductor FeSe1−xSx (x = 0.12 and 0.23): Relationship between nematicity and AF fluctuations
Authors: Kuwayama T. , Matsuura K. , Mizukami Y. , Kasahara S. , Matsuda Y. , Shibauchi T. , Uwatoko Y. , Fujiwara N.
Published: June 2020

We performed [Formula: see text]-nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] = 0.12 and 0.23). We found from the relaxation time [Formula: see text] that nematicity and antiferromagnetic fluctuations show cooperative coupling.
Symmetries and reduction Part I — Poisson and symplectic picture
Authors: Marmo G. , Schiavone L. , Zampini A.
Published: June 2020

Coherently with the principle of analogy suggested by Dirac, we describe a general setting for reducing a classical dynamics, and the role of the Noether theorem — connecting symmetries with constants of the motion — within a reduction. This is the first of two papers, and it focuses on the reduction within the Poisson and the symplectic formalism.
Novel method for carbon nanotube growth using vapor-phase catalyst delivery
Authors: Nakano Takayuki , Kikuchi Takahiro , Usuda Yuki , Inoue Yoku
Published: June 2020

In this study, we demonstrated a novel method to grow carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by chloride-mediated chemical vapor deposition with hydride vapor-phase nucleated catalyst (HVPN). In the HVPN method, FeCl2 as a catalyst precursor was produced by an in situ chemical reaction between Fe powder and HCl gas. After the synthesis of FeCl2, CNTs were grown by supplying acetylene. We studied growth conditions for the catalyst formation process in HVPN method. High-quality CNT forests were grown by optimizing the FeCl2 synthesis conditions. This study has established the HVPN method as a novel, highly controllable way to grow CNT forests.
Research Progress on the Nano-Delivery Systems of Antitumor Drugs
Authors: Li Fan , Fu Xinqing , Huo Qingqing , Chen Wantao
Published: June 2020

To date, chemotherapy, the main treatment for malignant tumors, still fails to provide ideal therapeutic efficacy, which is deeply rooted in various physiological barriers, either temporal or spatial, to the delivering of anticancer drugs to solid tumor sites during chemotherapy. In the meantime, the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs is affected by inherent cancer characteristics, drug transport, cellular uptake and other complex interactions. Recently, advances have been constantly achieved on nanoscale drug delivery systems (NDDSs) for anticancer drug delivery, driven by their excellent stability and effectiveness in improving water solubility of anticancer drugs, prolonging systemic circulation time, reducing side effects and improving anticancer effects. This paper presents an overview of the current research status and challenges in applying NDDSs to anticancer drug delivery.
Ammonium abundance and short-wave infrared absorption spectra of altered rocks
Authors: Hattori Keiko , Fonseca Anna , Sheppard Tabetha
Published: June 2020

Rhyolitic rocks hosting the El Zapote epithermal Ag deposit are pervasively altered and contain ammonium ranging from 290 to 1750 ppm. High ammonium values are found in samples containing abundant fine-grained illite. This fine-grained illite shows overall low ratios of K/(Al + Fe), likely due to ammonium substituting K
+
. Samples containing high ammonium, greater than 1000 ppm in the proximity of Ag-bearing veins, show distinct absorption features of ammonium in short-wave infrared (SWIR) absorption spectra. Samples containing ammonium ranging from 500 to 1000 ppm show mixed absorption signatures; some show prominent absorption features related to ammonium, whereas others have no recognizable features. There is no discernible absorption feature related to ammonium for samples containing less than 500 ppm NH
4
. The data suggest that SWIR spectroscopy is useful in locating the proximal areas to mineralization, but the extent of ammonium alteration is much larger than that identified by SWIR spectroscopy. Nitrogen isotope compositions of ammonium are similar to those of sedimentary rocks, suggesting that the source of ammonium in altered rhyolite is sedimentary basement rocks in the area.

Supplementary material
: bulk rock composition is available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5015663
The early history of F#
Authors: Syme Don
Published: June 2020

This paper describes the genesis and early history of the F# programming language. I start with the origins of strongly-typed functional programming (FP) in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. During the same period, Microsoft was founded and grew to dominate the software industry. In 1997, as a response to Java, Microsoft initiated internal projects which eventually became the .NET programming framework and the C# language. From 1997 the worlds of academic functional programming and industry combined at Microsoft Research, Cambridge. The researchers engaged with the company through Project 7, the initial effort to bring multiple languages to .NET, leading to the initiation of .NET Generics in 1998 and F# in 2002. F# was one of several responses by advocates of strongly-typed functional programming to the "object-oriented tidal wave" of the mid-1990s. The development of the core features of F# 1.0 happened from 2004-2007, and I describe the decision-making process that led to the "productization" of F# by Microsoft in 2007-10 and the release of F# 2.0. The origins of F#'s characteristic features are covered: object programming, quotations, statically resolved type parameters, active patterns, computation expressions, async, units-of-measure and type providers. I describe key developments in F# since 2010, including F# 3.0-4.5, and its evolution as an open source, cross-platform language with multiple delivery channels. I conclude by examining some uses of F# and the influence F# has had on other languages so far.
JavaScript: the first 20 years
Authors: Wirfs-Brock Allen , Eich Brendan
Published: June 2020

How a sidekick scripting language for Java, created at Netscape in a ten-day hack, ships first as a de facto Web standard and eventually becomes the world's most widely used programming language. This paper tells the story of the creation, design, evolution, and standardization of the JavaScript language over the period of 1995--2015. But the story is not only about the technical details of the language. It is also the story of how people and organizations competed and collaborated to shape the JavaScript language which dominates the Web of 2020.
Hygienic macro technology
Authors: Clinger William D. , Wand Mitchell
Published: June 2020

The fully parenthesized Cambridge Polish syntax of Lisp, originally regarded as a temporary expedient to be replaced by more conventional syntax, possesses a peculiar virtue: A read procedure can parse it without knowing the syntax of any expressions, statements, definitions, or declarations it may represent. The result of that parsing is a list structure that establishes a standard representation for uninterpreted abstract syntax trees.

This representation provides a convenient basis for macro processing, which allows the programmer to specify that some simple piece of abstract syntax should be replaced by some other, more complex piece of abstract syntax. As is well-known, this yields an abstraction mechanism that does things that procedural abstraction cannot, such as introducing new binding structures.

The existence of that standard representation for uninterpreted abstract syntax trees soon led Lisp to a greater reliance upon macros than was common in other high-level languages. The importance of those features is suggested by the ten pages devoted to macros in an earlier ACM HOPL paper, “The Evolution of Lisp.”

However, na'ive macro expansion was a leaky abstraction, because the movement of a piece of syntax from one place to another might lead to the accidental rebinding of a program’s identifiers. Although this problem was recognized in the 1960s, it was 20 years before a reliable solution was discovered, and another 10 before a solution was discovered that was reliable, flexible, and efficient.

In this paper, we summarize that early history with greater focus on hygienic macros, and continue the story by describing the further development, adoption, and influence of hygienic and partially hygienic macro technology in Scheme. The interplay between the desire for standardization and the development of new algorithms is a major theme of that story.

We then survey the ways in which hygienic macro technology has been adapted into recent non-parenthetical languages. Finally, we provide a short history of attempts to provide a formal account of macro processing.
The System That Cried Wolf
Authors: Shin Hocheol , Noh Juhwan , Kim Dohyun , Kim Yongdae
Published: June 2020

Fire alarm and signaling systems are a networked system of fire detectors, fire control units, automated fire extinguishers, and fire notification appliances. Malfunction of these safety-critical cyber-physical systems may lead to chaotic evacuations, property damage, and even loss of human life. Therefore, reliability is one of the most crucial factors for fire detectors. Indeed, even a single report of a fire cannot be ignored, considering the importance of early fire detection and suppression. In this article, we show that wide-area smoke detectors, which are globally installed in critical infrastructures such as airports, sports facilities, and auditoriums, have significant vulnerabilities in terms of reliability; one can remotely and stealthily induce false fire alarms and suppress real fire alarms with a minimal attacker capability using simple equipment. The practicality and generalizability of these vulnerabilities has been assessed based on the demonstration of two types of sensor attacks on two commercial off-the-shelf optical beam smoke detectors from different manufacturers. Further, the practical considerations of building stealthy attack equipment has been analyzed, and an extensive survey of almost all optical beam smoke detectors on the market has been conducted. In addition, we show that the current standards of the fire alarm network connecting the detector and a control unit exacerbate the problem, making it impossible or very difficult to mitigate the threats we found. Finally, we discuss hardware- and software-based possible countermeasures for both wide-area smoke detectors and the fire alarm network; the effectiveness of one of the countermeasures is experimentally evaluated.
Adversarial Examples on Object Recognition
Authors: Serban Alex , Poll Erik , Visser Joost
Published: June 2020

Deep neural networks are at the forefront of machine learning research. However, despite achieving impressive performance on complex tasks, they can be very sensitive: Small perturbations of inputs can be sufficient to induce incorrect behavior. Such perturbations, called adversarial examples, are intentionally designed to test the network’s sensitivity to distribution drifts. Given their surprisingly small size, a wide body of literature conjectures on their existence and how this phenomenon can be mitigated. In this article, we discuss the impact of adversarial examples on security, safety, and robustness of neural networks. We start by introducing the hypotheses behind their existence, the methods used to construct or protect against them, and the capacity to transfer adversarial examples between different machine learning models. Altogether, the goal is to provide a comprehensive and self-contained survey of this growing field of research.
Quantum Leap and Crash
Authors: Hurley-Smith Darren , Hernandez-Castro Julio
Published: June 2020

Random numbers are essential for cryptography and scientific simulation. Generating truly random numbers for cryptography can be a slow and expensive process. Quantum physics offers a variety of promising solutions to this challenge, proposing sources of entropy that may be genuinely unpredictable, based on the inherent randomness of certain physical phenomena. These properties have been employed to design Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs), some of which are commercially available. In this work, we present the first published analysis of the Quantis family of QRNGs (excluding AIS-31 models), designed and manufactured by ID Quantique (IDQ). Our study also includes Comscire’s PQ32MU QRNG, and two online services: the Australian National University’s (ANU) QRNG, and the Humboldt Physik generator.

Each QRNG is analysed using five batteries of statistical tests: Dieharder, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP800-22, Ent, Tuftests and TestU01, as part of our thorough examination of their output. Our analysis highlights issues with current certification schemes, which largely rely on NIST SP800-22 and Diehard tests of randomness. We find that more recent tests of randomness identify issues in the output of QRNG, highlighting the need for mandatory post-processing even for low-security usage of random numbers sourced from QRNGs.
The Causes and Consequences of Urban Riot and Unrest
Authors: Newburn Tim
Published: June 2020

This review explores those varied bodies of work that have sought to understand crowd behavior and violent crowd conduct in particular. Although the study of such collective conduct was once considered central to social science, this has long ceased to be the case and in many respects the study of protest and riot now receives relatively little attention, especially within criminology. In addition to offering a critical overview of work in this field, this review argues in favor of an expanded conception of its subject matter. In recent times, scholarly concern has increasingly been focused on questions of etiology, i.e., asking how and why events such as riots occur, with the consequence that less attention is paid to other, arguably equally important questions, including how riots spread, how they end, and, critically, what happens in their aftermath. Accordingly, as a corrective, the review proposes a life-cycle model of riots.
Sustainability-Related Food Labels
Authors: Asioli Daniele , Aschemann-Witzel Jessica , Nayga Rodolfo M.
Published: June 2020

The past decades have seen the development of a multitude of sustainability-related food labels aimed at reducing the existing information asymmetry between food practitioners and consumers regarding the sustainability impact on the food supply chain. Sustainability-related food labels can correct market failures and contribute to a more sustainable world. This review discusses the effectiveness of sustainability-related food labels in promoting more sustainable food consumption around the world. We start by discussing the sustainable development goals in the food area and the challenge of defining these labels. We then investigate the demand- and supply-side issues related to the effectiveness of such labels in promoting the sustainable development goals that the labels serve. Finally, we discuss the questions raised by the state of research and their implications for food practitioners, consumers, and policy makers. We then identify future research avenues.
Autophagy in Plant-Virus Interactions
Authors: Yang Meng , Ismayil Asigul , Liu Yule
Published: June 2020

Autophagy is a conserved vacuole/lysosome-mediated degradation pathway for clearing and recycling cellular components including cytosol, macromolecules, and dysfunctional organelles. In recent years, autophagy has emerged to play important roles in plant-pathogen interactions. It acts as an antiviral defense mechanism in plants. Moreover, increasing evidence shows that plant viruses can manipulate, hijack, or even exploit the autophagy pathway to promote pathogenesis, demonstrating the pivotal role of autophagy in the evolutionary arms race between hosts and viruses. In this review, we discuss recent findings about the antiviral and proviral roles of autophagy in plant-virus interactions.
Enhancement in the Selectivity and Sensitivity of Ni and Pd Functionalized MoS2 Toxic Gas Sensors
Authors: Chacko Levna , Massera Ettore , Aneesh P. M.
Published: June 2020

Atmospheric pollution is one of the major aspects of concern which led to the research of sensors for the detection of toxic gases. The supreme surface-to-volume ratio makes two-dimensional MoS2 a promising material to be used as an electronic sensor. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of a high-performance gas sensor based on atomic-layered MoS2 nanoflakes synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process. Structural and morphological studies confirmed the formation of few-layered phase pure hexagonal MoS2 nanoflakes. The results demonstrate that the Pd-MoS2 layers exhibited a very high relative response to NO gas (700%) at 2 ppm concentration with a minimum NO detection limit of 0.1 ppm and Ni-MoS2 demonstrated a relative response of 80% towards H2S gas with a limit of detection of 0.3 ppm with good repeatability and selectivity, owing to the increased adsorption energy of NO on Pd-MoS2 and H2S on Ni-MoS2 through the formation of PdNOx and NiS2 complexes respectively. The improved sensing performance of this MoS2-based sensor also suggests the great potential and possibility of MoS2 related 2D materials and its combinations for the development of futuristic highly sensitive nanosized gas sensors suitable for anti-pollution automotive system and as volatile biomarkers.
Mechanisms of increased vascular stiffness down the aortic tree in aging, premenopausal female monkeys
Authors: Babici Denis , Kudej Raymond K. , McNulty Tara , Zhang Jie , Oydanich Marko , Berkman Tolga , Nishimura Koichi , Bishop Sanford P. , Vatner Dorothy E. , Vatner Stephen F.
Published: June 2020

This is the first study to examine vascular stiffness down the aortic tree in aging premenopausal females (24 ± 0.7 yr old), whereas prior work studied mainly rodents, which are short-lived and do not undergo menopause. Histological mechanisms mediating vascular stiffness in older premenopausal females increased progressively down the aortic tree, with greater increases in the abdominal aorta compared with the thoracic aorta and with the greatest increases and differences observed in the iliac artery.
Thromboxane A2 receptors mediate chronic mechanoreflex sensitization in a rat model of simulated peripheral artery disease
Authors: Rollins Korynne S. , Butenas Alec L. E. , Felice Kennedy P. , Matney Jacob E. , Williams Auni C. , Kleweno Talyn E. , Copp Steven W.
Published: June 2020

We demonstrate that thromboxane A2 receptors, but not endoperoxide 4 receptors, on the sensory endings of thin fiber muscle afferents contribute to the chronic sensitization of the muscle mechanoreflex in rats with a ligated femoral artery (a model of simulated peripheral artery disease). The data may have important implications for our understanding of blood pressure control during exercise in patients with peripheral artery disease.
Age-Period-Cohort Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Mortality Attributable to Particulate Matter Pollution in China and the U.S.
Authors: Liu Xiaoxue , Zhou Maigeng , Yu Chuanhua , Zhang Zhi-Jiang
Published: June 2020

Aim. We aimed to assess and compare secular trends in type 2 diabetes mortality attributable to particulate matter pollution in China and U.S. Methods. We performed an age-period-cohort (APC) analysis to estimate the independent effects of age, period, and cohort on mortality of type 2 diabetes attributable to particulate matter pollution. We collected age-standardized and age-specific mortality rates (1990-2017) from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study for China and the U.S. Results. During the period 1990-2017, the age-standardized mortality rates of type 2 diabetes attributable to particulate matter pollution in China showed a general increasing trend, while that in U.S. showed an increase before 2002 and subsequently a decrease. The age effect increased markedly in China compared with the U.S. The period effect showed a substantially increase in China while that in the U.S. increased during 1990-2007 and tended to be stable during 2007-2017. The cohort effect peaked in birth cohort born in 1902–1906 in both China and U.S. and declined consistently in the cohort born in 1992-1996. Conclusions. The age-standardized mortality rates of type 2 diabetes attributable to particulate matter pollution, the age, and period effect in China have been increasing in both sexes from 1990 to 2017. The overall mortality in the U.S. began to decrease since 2003, and the period effect showed a tendency to stabilize. Consequently, it is necessary to educate the nation with the correct knowledge and adopting policies on pollutant emission and techniques to reduce air pollution in China.
MRI-Based Texture Features as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers in Anaplastic Astrocytoma Patients Undergoing Surgical Treatment
Authors: Zhang Yang , Chen Chaoyue , Cheng Yangfan , Cheng Danni , Zhao Fumin , Xu Jianguo
Published: June 2020

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether texture features from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were associated with the overall survival (OS) of anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) patients undergoing surgical treatment. Methods. A total of 51 qualified patients who were diagnosed with AA and underwent surgical interventions in our institution were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients were followed up for at least 30 months or until death. Texture features derived from histogram-based matrix (HISTO) and grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) were extracted from preoperative contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. Each texture feature was dichotomized based on its optimal cutoff value calculated by receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. Kaplan–Meier analysis and log rank test were conducted to compare the 30-month OS between the dichotomized subgroups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine independent prognostic factors. Results. Three HISTO-derived features (HISTO-Energy, HISTO-Entropy, and HISTO-Skewness) and five GLCM-derived features (GLCM-Contrast, GLCM-Energy, GLCM-Entropy, GLCM-Homogeneity, and GLCM-Dissimilarity) were found to be significantly correlated with 30-month OS. Moreover, GLCM-Homogeneity (p=0.001, hazard ratio = 6.351) was suggested to be the independent predictor of the patient survival. Conclusion. MRI-based texture features have the potential to be applied as prognostic biomarkers in AA patients undergoing surgical treatment.
Hail the Closest Driver on Roads: Privacy-Preserving Ride Matching in Online Ride Hailing Services
Authors: Yu Haining , Zhang Hongli , Yu Xiangzhan
Published: June 2020

Online ride hailing (ORH) services enable a rider to request a driver to take him wherever he wants through a smartphone app on short notice. To use ORH services, users have to submit their ride information to the ORH service provider to make ride matching, such as pick-up/drop-off location. However, the submission of ride information may lead to the leakages of users’ privacy. In this paper, we focus on the issue of protecting the location information of both riders and drivers during ride matching and propose a privacy-preserving online ride matching scheme, called pRMatch. It enables an ORH service provider to find the closest available driver for an incoming rider over a city-scale road network, while protecting the location privacy of both riders and drivers against the ORH service provider and other unauthorized participants. In pRMatch, we compute the shortest road distance over encrypted data by using road network embedding and partially homomorphic encryption and further efficiently compare encrypted distances by using ciphertext packing and shuffling. The theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that pRMatch is accurate and efficient, yet preserving users’ location privacy.
Inspiratory Muscle Training in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associating Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized Control Study
Authors: Moawd Samah A. , Azab Alshimaa R. , Alrawaili Saud M. , Abdelbasset Walid Kamal
Published: June 2020

Objective. This work is aimed at assessing the effects of inspiratory muscle training on lung functions, inspiratory muscle strength, and aerobic capacity in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods. A randomized control study was performed on 55 patients diagnosed with DPN and OSA. They were assigned to the training group (IMT, n = 28) and placebo training group (P‐IMT, n = 27). Inspiratory muscle strength, lung functions, and aerobic capacity were evaluated before and after 12 weeks postintervention. An electronic inspiratory muscle trainer was conducted, 30 min a session, three times a week for 12 consecutive weeks. Results. From seventy‐four patients, 55 have completed the study program. A significant improvement was observed in inspiratory muscle strength (p < 0.05) in the IMT group while no changes were observed in the P‐IMT group (p > 0.05). No changes were observed in the lung function in the two groups (p > 0.05). Also, VO2max and VCO2max changed significantly after training in the IMT group (p < 0.05) while no changes were observed in the P‐IMT group (p > 0.05). Other cardiopulmonary exercise tests did not show any significant change in both groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions. Based on the outcomes of the study, it was found that inspiratory muscle training improves inspiratory muscle strength and aerobic capacity without a notable effect on lung functions for diabetic patients suffering from DPN and OSA.
A Wideband Circularly Polarized Antenna with Characteristic Mode Analysis
Authors: Chang Lei , Chen Ling-Lu , Zhang Jian-Qiang , Li Dan
Published: June 2020

A wideband circularly polarized (CP) antenna is presented to achieve enhanced impedance, axial ratio (AR), and gain bandwidths. The antenna consists of two circular patches, a split-ring microstrip line with six probes, and a circular ground plane. By using these six probes which are placed in sequence on the split-ring microstrip line, the operating bandwidth of the proposed antenna is increased. The characteristic mode method is used to analyze different modes of the antenna and reveal the mechanism of extending the 3-dB AR bandwidth. Measured results show that the proposed antenna obtains an impedance bandwidth of 1.486–2.236 GHz (40.3%) for S11 ≤ −18 dB, a 3-dB AR bandwidth of 1.6–2.2 GHz (31.6%), and a boresight gain of 8.89 ± 0.87 dBic.
Involvement of Cholesterol Metabolic Pathways in Recovery from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Authors: Sai Na , Shi Xi , Zhang Yan , Jiang Qing-qing , Ji Fei , Yuan Shuo-long , Sun Wei , Guo Wei-Wei , Yang Shi-Ming , Han Wei-Ju
Published: June 2020

The objective of this study was to explore the molecular mechanisms of acute noise-induced hearing loss and recovery of steady-state noise-induced hearing loss using miniature pigs. We used miniature pigs exposed to white noise at 120 dB (A) as a model. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurements were made before noise exposure, 1 day and 7 days after noise exposure. Proteomic Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification (iTRAQ) was used to observe changes in proteins of the miniature pig inner ear following noise exposure. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed for further quantitative and qualitative analysis of proteomic changes. The average ABR-click threshold of miniature pigs before noise exposure, 1 day and 7 days after noise exposure, were 39.4 dB SPL, 67.1 dB SPL, and 50.8 dB SPL, respectively. In total, 2,158 proteins were identified using iTRAQ. Both gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database analyses showed that immune and metabolic pathways were prominently involved during the impairment stage of acute hearing loss. During the recovery stage of acute hearing loss, most differentially expressed proteins were related to cholesterol metabolism. Western blot and immunofluorescence showed accumulation of reactive oxygen species and nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65) in the hair cells of miniature pig inner ears during the acute hearing loss stage after noise exposure. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65) may be associated with overexpression of downstream inflammatory factors. Apolipoprotein (Apo) A1 and Apo E were significantly upregulated during the recovery stage of hearing loss and may be related to activation of cholesterol metabolic pathways. This is the first study to use proteomics analysis to analyze the molecular mechanisms of acute noise-induced hearing loss and its recovery in a large animal model (miniature pigs). Our results showed that activation of metabolic, inflammatory, and innate immunity pathways may be involved in acute noise-induced hearing loss, while cholesterol metabolic pathways may play an important role in recovery of hearing ability following noise-induced hearing loss.
Psychiatric Disorders Are Associated with Increased Risk of Sepsis Following a Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Liu Qianwei , Song Huan , Andersson Therese M.-L. , Magnusson Patrik K.E. , Zhu Jianwei , Smedby Karin E. , Fang Fang
Published: June 2020

Psychiatric disorders and infections are both common comorbidities among patients with cancer. However, little is known about the role of precancer psychiatric disorders on the subsequent risk of sepsis as a complication of infections among patients with cancer. We conducted a cohort study of 362,500 patients with newly diagnosed cancer during 2006–2014 in Sweden. We used flexible parametric models to calculate the HRs of sepsis after cancer diagnosis in relation to precancer psychiatric disorders and the analyses were performed in two models. In model 1, analyses were adjusted for sex, age at cancer diagnosis, calendar period, region of residence, and type of cancer. In model 2, further adjustments were made for marital status, educational level, cancer stage, infection history, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. During a median follow-up of 2.6 years, we identified 872 cases of sepsis among patients with cancer with precancer psychiatric disorders (incidence rate, IR, 14.8 per 1,000 person-years) and 12,133 cases among patients with cancer without such disorders (IR, 11.6 per 1000 person-years), leading to a statistically significant association between precancer psychiatric disorders and sepsis in both the simplified (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.22–1.40) and full (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.18–1.35) models. The positive association was consistently noted among patients with different demographic factors or cancer characteristics, for most cancer types, and during the entire follow-up after cancer diagnosis. Collectively, preexisting psychiatric disorders were associated with an increased risk of sepsis after cancer diagnosis, suggesting a need of heightened clinical awareness in this patient group.

Significance:

These results call for extended prevention and surveillance of sepsis among patients with cancer with psychiatric comorbidities.
Radiotherapy Cooperates with IL15 to Induce Antitumor Immune Responses
Authors: Pilones Karsten A. , Charpentier Maud , Garcia-Martinez Elena , Daviaud Camille , Kraynak Jeffrey , Aryankalayil Joseph , Formenti Silvia C. , Demaria Sandra
Published: June 2020

Focal radiotherapy can promote cross-presentation of tumor antigens to T cells, but by itself, it is insufficient to induce therapeutically effective T-cell responses. The common gamma-chain cytokine IL15 promotes and sustains the proliferation and effector function of CD8+ T cells but has limited activity against poorly immunogenic tumors that do not elicit significant spontaneous T-cell responses. Here, we show that radiotherapy and subcutaneous IL15 had complementary effects and induced CD8+ T-cell–mediated tumor regression and long-term protective memory responses in two mouse carcinoma models unresponsive to IL15 alone. Mechanistically, radiotherapy-induced IFN type I production and Batf3-dependent conventional dendritic cells type 1 (cDC1) were required for priming of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells and for the therapeutic effect of the combination. IL15 cooperated with radiotherapy to activate and recruit cDC1s to the tumor. IL15 alone and in complex with a hybrid molecule containing the IL15α receptor have been tested in early-phase clinical trials in patients with cancer and demonstrated good tolerability, especially when given subcutaneously. Expansion of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells was noted, without clear clinical activity, suggesting further testing of IL15 as a component of a combinatorial treatment with other agents. Our results provide the rationale for testing combinations of IL15 with radiotherapy in the clinic.
The Effects of Fabric Containing Chamaecyparis obtusa Essential Oil on Atopic Dermatitis-Like Lesions: A Functional Clothing Possibility
Authors: Yoo Kwang Ho , Kwon Tae Rin , Kim Young Un , Kim Eui Hwa , Kim Beom Joon
Published: June 2020

Background: Essential oil derived from Chamaecyparis obtusa (EOCO) has been used as an alternative treatment for allergy-related diseases due to its immune-modulating characteristics. Clothing has the longest and most intense contact with human skin, and functional fabrics with intrinsic properties have been increasingly implemented in medical applications. Specially designed fabrics may support atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment. In this study, the effects of fabric containing EOCO on AD were investigated using an NC/Nga mouse model. Methods: The fabric was applied for 6 h per day for 14 days. The therapeutic effects were evaluated according to measurements of skin lesion severity (modified SCORAD score), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), serum IgE and inflammatory cytokine levels, lesion thickness measured after hematoxylin and eosin staining, and immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis for skin epidermal differentiation protein. Results: The EOCO group exhibited significantly reduced modified SCORAD score, TEWL, and serum IgE levels. Among the inflammatory cytokines analyzed, only the mean values of regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted were observed to be decreased compared with other control groups. The histological analysis of the skin also revealed that the EOCO group expressed reduced epidermal hyperplasia and recovered filaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin expression. Conclusions: It was confirmed that fabric containing EOCO has anti-atopic and anti-inflammatory properties. The study data show that fabric containing EOCO can be implemented as an alternative functional clothing for people suffering from AD.
The Utility of the CPT in the Diagnosis of ADHD in Individuals with Substance Abuse: A Systematic Review
Authors: Slobodin Ortal
Published: June 2020

Background: Early identification of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) is important because ADHD has an adverse effect on the development and course of SUD. Given the limited validity of self-report measures of ADHD in individuals with SUD, it is important to investigate the utility of the continuous performance test (CPT) in classifying ADHD in adults with SUD. Objective: This review aims to examine the quantitative similarities and differences in CPT performance of adults with ADHD, SUD, and their comorbidity to determine if a distinct neurocognitive profile exists for each. Method: A systematic review of CPT studies that included patients with the comorbidity of ADHD and SUD and a comparison group of one of the disorders alone was conducted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used. Results: Eight studies were identified with sample sizes ranging from n = 17 to n = 386. The comorbidity of ADHD and SUD was, mostly, not associated with higher rates of commission and omission errors than either disorder alone. However, the comorbidity of ADHD and SUD was more likely to be associated with increased deficits in response time variability compared with individuals with ADHD alone. Conclusions: This review highlights the shortage of large-scale CPT research involving patients with ADHD and SUD. The CPT might be sensitive to attentional deficits, but it lacks specificity for the classification of adult ADHD, SUD, or their comorbidity, and the CPT is thus not useful in discriminating comorbid ADHD and SUD from either disorder alone. Future CPT research should explore whether specific attentional deficits account for the development and persistence of SUD. Such research should also reach beyond traditional CPT measures and include other cognitive and behavioral deficits that were associated with ADHD, such as distractibility and hyperactivity.
Genetic Risk Scores for Complex Disease Traits in Youth
Authors: Xie Tian , Wang Bin , Nolte Ilja M. , van der Most Peter J. , Oldehinkel Albertine J. , Hartman Catharina A. , Snieder Harold
Published: June 2020

Background:

For most disease-related traits the magnitude of the contribution of genetic factors in adolescents remains unclear.

Methods:

Twenty continuous traits related to anthropometry, cardiovascular and renal function, metabolism, and inflammation were selected from the ongoing prospective Tracking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey cohort in the Netherlands with measurements of up to 5 waves from age 11 to 22 years (n=1354, 47.6% males) and all traits available at the third wave (mean age [SD]=16.22 [0.66]). For each trait, unweighted and weighted genetic risk scores (GRSs) were generated based on significantly associated single nucleotide polymorphisms identified from literature. The variance explained by the GRSs in adolescents were estimated by linear regression after adjustment for covariates.

Results:

Except for ALT (alanine transaminase), all GRSs were significantly associated with their traits. The trait variance explained by the GRSs was highest for lipoprotein[a] (39.59%) and varied between 0.09% (ALT) and 18.49% (LDL [low-density lipoprotein]) for the other traits. For most traits, the variances explained in adolescents were comparable with or slightly smaller than those in adults. Significant increases of trait levels (except ALT) and increased risks for overweight/obesity (odds ratio, 6.41 [95% CI, 2.95–15.56]) and hypertension (odds ratio, 2.86 [95% CI, 1.39–6.17]) were found in individuals in the top GRS decile compared with those at the bottom decile.

Conclusions:

Variances explained by adult-based GRSs for disease-related traits in adolescents, although still relatively modest, were comparable with or slightly smaller than in adults offering promise for improved risk prediction at early ages.
Differential Use and Impact of Bleeding Avoidance Strategies on Percutaneous Coronary Intervention-Related Bleeding Stratified by Predicted Risk
Authors: Gluckman Ty J. , Wang Lian , Spinelli Kateri J. , Petersen John L. , Huang Paul , Amin Amit , Messenger John C. , Rao Sunil V.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Procedural anticoagulation with bivalirudin (BIV), trans-radial intervention (TRI), and use of a vascular closure device (VCD) are thought to mitigate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-related bleeding. We compared the impact of these bleeding avoidance strategies (BAS) for PCIs stratified by bleeding risk.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of PCIs from 18 facilities within one health care system from 2009Q3 to 2017Q4. Bleeding risk was assessed per the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI bleeding model, with procedures stratified into 6 categories (first, second, third quartiles, 75th–90th, 90th–97.5th, and top 2.5th percentiles). Regression models were used to assess the impact of BAS on bleeding outcome.

Results:

Of 74 953 PCIs, 9.4% used no BAS, 12.0% used BIV alone, 20.8% used TRI alone, 26.8% used VCD alone, 5.4% used TRI+BIV, and 25.6% used VCD+BIV. The crude bleeding rate was 4.4% overall. Only 2 comparisons showed significant trends across all risk strata: VCD+BIV versus no BAS, odds ratio (95% CI) range: first quartile, 0.36 (0.18–0.72) to top 2.5th percentile, 0.50 (0.32–0.78); TRI versus no BAS, odds ratio (95% CI) range: first quartile, 0.15 (0.06–0.38) to top 2.5th percentile, 0.49 (0.28–0.86). TRI had lower odds of bleeding compared with BIV for all risk strata except the top 2.5th percentile. Addition of BIV to TRI did not change the odds of bleeding for any risk strata. Factors potentially limiting use of TRI (renal failure, shock, cardiac arrest, and mechanical circulatory support) were present in ≤10% of procedures below the 90th percentile.

Conclusions:

Among individual BAS, only TRI had consistently lower odds of bleeding across all risk strata. Factors potentially limiting TRI were found infrequently in procedures below the 90th percentile of bleeding risk. For transfemoral PCI, VCD+BIV had lower odds of bleeding compared with no BAS across all risk strata.
Low Reporting of Cointerventions in Recent Cardiovascular Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review
Authors: Moutzouri Elisavet , Adam Luise , Feller Martin , Syrogiannouli Lamprini , Da Costa Bruno R. , Del Giovane Cinzia , Bauer Douglas C. , Aujesky Drahomir , Chiolero Arnaud , Rodondi Nicolas
Published: June 2020

Background

A cointervention in a randomized clinical trial (
RCT
) is medical care given in addition to the tested intervention. If cointerventions are unbalanced between trial arms, the results may be biased. We hypothesized that cointerventions would be more adequately reported in
RCT
s without full blinding or at risk of bias.

Methods and Results

To describe the reporting of cointerventions and to evaluate the factors associated with their reporting, we did a systematic search of all
RCT
s evaluating pharmacological interventions on cardiovascular outcomes published in 5 high‐impact journals. The reporting of cointerventions, blinding, and risk of bias were extracted and evaluated independently by 2 reviewers (E.M., L.A.). Cointerventions were inadequately reported in 87 of 123
RCT
s (70.7%), with 56 (45.5%) providing no information on cointerventions and 31 (25.2%) providing only partial information. Of the
RCT
s, 52 (42.3%) had inadequate blinding of participants and/or personnel and 63 (51.2%) of the
RCT
s were judged at risk of bias. In univariable analysis, the reporting of cointerventions was not associated with blinding of participants and/or personnel (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95%
CI,
0.47–2.27 for adequately versus inadequately blinded trials) or with risk of bias (
OR,
1.47; 95%
CI,
0.67–3.21 for at low risk of bias versus trials at risk of bias). In multivariable analysis, only a follow‐up of <1 month was associated with the adequate reporting of cointerventions (
OR,
3.63; 95%
CI,
1.21–10.91).

Conclusions

More than two‐thirds of recent major cardiovascular trials did not adequately report cointerventions. The quality of reporting was not better among trials that were not fully blinded or at risk for bias.

Registration

URL
:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSP​ERO/
. Unique identifier:
CRD
42018106771.
Neural Mechanisms of Memory Enhancement and Impairment Induced by Visual Statistical Learning
Authors: Otsuka Sachio , Saiki Jun
Published: June 2020

Prior research has reported that the medial temporal, parietal, and frontal brain regions are associated with visual statistical learning (VSL). However, the neural mechanisms involved in both memory enhancement and impairment induced by VSL remain unknown. In this study, we examined this issue using event-related fMRI. fMRI data from the familiarization scan showed a difference in the activation level of the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) between structured triplets, where three objects appeared in the same order, and pseudorandom triplets. More importantly, the precentral gyrus and paracentral lobule responded more strongly to Old Turkic letters inserted into the structured triplets than to those inserted into the random triplets, at the end of the familiarization scan. Furthermore, fMRI data from the recognition memory test scan, where participants were asked to decide whether the objects or letters shown were old (presented during familiarization scan) or new, indicated that the middle frontal gyrus and SFG responded more strongly to objects from the structured triplets than to those from the random triplets, which overlapped with the brain regions associated with VSL. In contrast, the response of the lingual gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and cuneus was weaker to letters inserted into the structured triplets than to those inserted into the random triplets, which did not overlap with the brain regions associated with observing the letters during the familiarization scan. These findings suggest that different brain regions are involved in memory enhancement and impairment induced by VSL.
Breeding, Calving, and Trafficking in Conventional Beef Production
Authors: Ellis Colter
Published: June 2020

This article uses qualitative and ethnographic methods to trace the beef production chain. An analysis of bovine artificial insemination, calving, and the trafficking of cattle as commodities reveals the various ways kinship and economic bonds are created between ranchers and cattle. These bonds are dynamic and at different times position cows as capital, calves as babies, and ranchers—both male and female—as inseminators, mothers, and traffickers of nonhuman animal bodies. Looking seriously at the ways love, connection, and kinship operate in the context of cattle production shows how animal treatment is experienced at different stages of production and by different members of the ranch family.