bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on unsupervised anomaly data detection method based on improved automatic encoder and Gaussian mixture model
Authors: Liu Xiangyu , Zhu Shibing , Yang Fan , Liang Shengjun
Published: September 2022

With the development of cloud computing, more and more security problems like “fuzzy boundary” are exposed. To solve such problems, unsupervised anomaly detection is increasingly used in cloud security, where density estimation is commonly used in anomaly detection clustering tasks. However, in practical use, the excessive amount of data and high dimensionality of data features can lead to difficulties in data calibration, data redundancy, and reduced effectiveness of density estimation algorithms. Although auto-encoders have made fruitful progress in data dimensionality reduction, using auto-encoders alone may still cause the model to be too generalized and unable to detect specific anomalies. In this paper, a new unsupervised anomaly detection method, MemAe-gmm-ma, is proposed. MemAe-gmm-ma generates a low-dimensional representation and reconstruction error for each input sample by a deep auto-encoder. It adds a memory module inside the auto-encoder to better learn the inner meaning of the training samples, and finally puts the low-dimensional information of the samples into a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) for density estimation. MemAe-gmm-ma demonstrates better performance on the public benchmark dataset, with a 4.47% improvement over the MemAe model standard F1 score on the NSL-KDD dataset, and a 9.77% improvement over the CAE-GMM model standard F1 score on the CIC-IDS-2017 dataset.
Bivariate hydrologic risk analysis for the Xiangxi River in Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China
Authors: Fan Y. R.
Published: September 2022

Background

Hydrological extremes such as floods generally have multidimensional attributes with complex dependence structures. This leads to the urgent demand of hydrological risk analysis within a multivariate context. In this study, the bivariate hydrologic risk framework is proposed based on the bivariate copula method. In the proposed risk analysis framework, bivariate flood frequency would be analyzed for different flood variable pairs (i.e., flood peak-volume, flood peak-duration, flood volume-duration), and the bivariate hydrologic risk is then derived based on the joint return period of a flood variable pair. The distribution of one flood variable conditional on another flood variable can also be obtained through the copula method.

Results

The proposed method is applied to the risk analysis for the Xiangxi River in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China, based on 50 years streamflow measurements. The results indicate that the bivariate risk for flood peak flow-duration would keep constant for some time and then decrease as the increase of the flood duration. The bivariate risk for flood peak-volume holds a similar trend with the bivariate risk of flood peak-duration. The probability density functions (PDFs) of the flood volume and duration conditional on flood peak can also be generated through the best fitted copula function.

Conclusion

The results indicate that the distributions of flood volume would be highly influenced by the flood peak flows, in which the flood volume would be expected to increase as the increase of flood return period. Conversely, the distribution of the flood duration would not change significantly with the variation in the flood peak return period. The obtained conclusions from the bivariate hydrologic analysis can provide decision support for flood control and mitigation.
Estrogen receptor β deficiency impairs gut microbiota: a possible mechanism of IBD-induced anxiety-like behavior
Authors: Ma Yuanyuan , Liu Tianyao , Li Xin , Kong Anqi , Xiao Rui , Xie Ruxin , Gao Junwei , Wang Zhongke , Cai Yun , Zou Jiao , Yang Ling , Wang Lian , Zhao Jinghui , Xu Haiwei , Margaret Warner , Xu Xingshun , Gustafsson Jan-Ake , Fan Xiaotang
Published: September 2022

Background

Although the lack of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) is a risk factor for the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and psychiatric disorders, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Herein, we revealed the role of gut microbiota in the development of IBD and related anxiety-like behavior in ERβ-deficient mice.

Results

In response to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) insult, the ERβ knockout mice displayed significant shift in α and β diversity in the fecal microbiota composition and demonstrated worsening of colitis and anxiety-like behaviors. In addition, DSS-induced colitis also induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity in ERβ-deficient mice, which was associated with colitis and anxiety-like behaviors. In addition, RNA sequencing data suggested that ErbB4 might be the target of ERβ that is involved in regulating the HPA axis hyperactivity caused by DSS insult. Gut microbiota remodeling by co-housing showed that both the colitis and anxiety-like behaviors were aggravated in co-housed wild-type mice compared to single-housed wild-type mice. These findings suggest that gut microbiota play a critical role in mediating colitis disease activity and anxiety-like behaviors via aberrant neural processing within the gut-brain axis.

Conclusions

ERβ has the potential to inhibit colitis development and anxiety-like behaviors via remodeling of the gut microbiota, which suggests that ERβ is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of IBD and related anxiety-like behaviors.
HER2-targeted advanced metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: treatment landscape and future perspectives
Authors: Li Weiling , Zhang Xiaoling , Du Yunyi , Zhang Ying , Lu Jing , Hu Wenqing , Zhao Jun
Published: September 2022

Recently, the global incidence of gastric/gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer has remained high. China is also a large country with a high gastric cancer (GC) incidence rate, where the cases of GC account for 40% of all cases worldwide. More than 90% of GEJ cancers are the adenocarcinoma pathological type. Patients with early-stage G/GEJ adenocarcinoma may have a better prognosis after surgery. In contrast, patients with advanced metastatic G/GEJ adenocarcinoma usually choose comprehensive treatment based on systemic pharmacotherapy, but the subsequent long-term survival is not optimistic. The discovery of various biomarkers, especially microsatellite instability (MSI), programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), tumor mutational burden (TMB) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), has led to the identification of an increasing number of targeted populations and has greatly improved the clinical efficacy of treatments for G/GEJ adenocarcinoma. The ToGA trial added trastuzumab to standard chemotherapy, showed improved survival of patients with HER2-positive advanced G/GEJ adenocarcinoma and brought these patients into a new era of HER2-targeted therapy. Moreover, many HER2-targeted agents have been developed and studied in patients with advanced HER2-positive G/GEJ adenocarcinoma who have demonstrated excellent clinical outcomes. However, many patients experience disease progression with HER2-targeted therapy; hence, new anti-HER2 drugs keep being developed, significantly reducing HER2 resistance. This paper reviews HER2-targeted drugs for advanced metastatic G/GEJ adenocarcinoma, potential resistance mechanisms and future directions.
Ruptured ileocolic artery pseudoaneurysm after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis
Authors: Takashima Junpei , Taniguchi Keizo , Koizumi Ayaka , Shigehara Fumi , Yamazaki Kenji , Fujimoto Daisuke , Miura Fumihiko , Kobayashi Hirotoshi
Published: September 2022

Background

A pseudoaneurysm of the splanchnic vessels is considered to be rare, and in particular, very few cases of pseudoaneurysm in the ileocolic artery are reported. Here, we report a case of rupture of a pseudoaneurysm of the appendicular branch of the ileocolic artery after laparoscopic appendectomy.

Case presentation

A 52-year-old man was diagnosed as having phlegmonous appendicitis, and an emergency laparoscopic appendectomy was performed. Bleeding from the inter-appendicular ligament during detachment of adhesions was stopped by white coagulation and Z-suture, and the inter-appendicular ligament was treated. The postoperative course was uneventful, and there were no adverse events or findings suggestive of abscess formation. On postoperative day 30, he presented with a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the appendicular branch of the ileocolic artery. A definitive diagnosis was made by computed tomography, and emergency interventional radiology was performed with hemostasis achieved by coiling. The patient’s postprocedure course was favorable, and he was discharged with no adverse events, such as intestinal ischemia.

Conclusions

We experienced a case of delayed pseudoaneurysm rupture after laparoscopic appendectomy. Care must be taken when handling the appendicular artery during the procedure, and the potential for pseudoaneurysm formation should be considered at postoperative follow-up.
The Iranian form of psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory
Authors: Azadfar Zahra , Abdollahi Abbas , Patra Indrajit , Chang Ya-Ping , Alghazali Tawfeeq , Talib Saad Ghazi
Published: September 2022

The Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI) is a new 60-item self-report scale developed to assess the specific components of psychological flexibility and inflexibility proposed in the Hexaflex model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The present study sought to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the MPFI-60 in a community sample of 307 Iranian adults. The original study supported a 12-factor second-order structure consisting of 6 dimensions for psychological flexibility and 6 dimensions for psychological inflexibility. The Persian MPFI-60 demonstrated acceptable semantic and test content, internal structure, correlations with other variables, and internal consistency. It also evidenced in relation to anxiety, stress, depression, and self-compassion. Overall, the results indicate that the Persian MPFI-60 is a psychometrically sound measure in the Iranian context that enables researchers and clinicians to comprehensively assess the components of psychological flexibility and inflexibility within the Hexaflex model.
Evaluating costal cartilage for sex and age estimation from PA chest radiographs of North Indian population: a retrospective study
Authors: Patyal Shama , Bhatia Tejasvi
Published: September 2022

Background

This study is conducted to estimate age and sex from chest radiographs. The aim of this study was to determine (I) whether costal cartilage calcification pattern help in estimating sex in North Indian sample and (ii) whether there is any relation between age and costal cartilage calcification.

Results

The statistical probability of estimating peripheral pattern in male was 99.3%, and for females, it was 100% for central type of calcification. The minimum age where lower costal calcification was present was 22-year-old female and 21 years old male. The degree of calcification and age showed positive correlation; similarly, the value of spearman’s rho showed significant result (for whole sample rs = 0.911, p < 0.01 (for male subjects, it was rs = 0.921, p < 0.01; for females, it was rs = 0.905, p < 0.01)).

Conclusions

The degree of calcification is useful in estimating age groups and becomes more determined with advancing age. Prediction of sex by using radiological method gives the advantages of simplicity, inexpensiveness, speed, and high accuracy. This method for age and sex estimation will play a useful role in screening test and in cases where the thoracic part of the body is found like dismembered body, putrefied dead remains, and unidentified bodies.
Distribution of different minutiae in thumbprint and its application to determine sex distinctions
Authors: Kaur Maninder , Kaur Jatinder , Kaur Amandeep , Kamal Preet
Published: September 2022

Background

The present study is an attempt to explore the distribution of different minutiae in two topological areas of thumbprint and its application to determine sex distinctions.

Methods

For this purpose, a sample of 100 subjects (50 males and 50 females) ranging in age from 18 years to 25 years were taken from the Shimla (North India). A modified standardized method was adopted to count and classify 20 different types of minutiae.

Results

Findings of the study indicated that the frequency of thumbprint minutiae was higher among males than their female counterparts. Ridge endings were the most frequently occurring minutiae followed by bifurcation and convergence in both the sexes. No M-B was noticed among female participant, while negligible percentage (0.04%) of males exhibited M-B. The mean values of most of the minutiae were found to be higher in the outer circle than inner circle of the thumbprint in both the sexes. Lower frequency of ridge ending (< 20 for right hand and 31–40 for both right and left hand), convergence (< 10 for both right and left hand), and bifurcation (< 10 and 31–40 for right hand and < 20 for left hand) have higher probability of female origin. While higher frequency of ridge ending (> 60 for right hand and > 50 for left hand), convergence (> 20 for both right and left hand) and bifurcation (> 40 for right hand and > 30 for left hand) was more likely of male origin.

Conclusions

Findings of present study identified sex distinction in the distribution of minutiae with respect to the topological areas on the thumbprint.
Utilization of carbon nanotubes and steel fibers to improve the mechanical properties of concrete pavement
Authors: Hassan Abeer , Galal Sameh , Hassan Ahmed , Salman Amany
Published: September 2022

Background

Rigid pavements have become an urgent demand in recent years, as these pavements need less maintenance and renovation than other types. However, traditional rigid pavement faces various challenges and difficulties over its lifetime. It has a much higher initial erection cost than asphalt pavements, a greater sensitivity to dynamic stresses, and a highly susceptible to temperature variations causing cracking. Previous works dealt with these drawbacks by using effective materials as alternatives to cement and/or aggregates in pavements mixtures. In the last few years, much interest has been carried out in nanomaterial applications to improve the mechanical performance of construction materials, which can also be used for rigid pavement constructions. This improvement is due to nanomaterials' role in concrete as nanoreinforcements and nanofillers. On the other hand, various types of fibers have been used to improve the performance of concrete constructions. This study investigates the effect of adding carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and steel fibers (SFs) to concrete mixtures. A series of experiments on concrete mixes with various weight percentages of CNTs (0%, 0.025%, 0.050%, and 0.075%) were added to the mixtures to determine the best cost and amount of CNTs to add to a concrete mix. Compressive, tensile, and flexure strength characteristics are investigated. In the second experimental stage of this work, the effect of adding steel fibers to the mixture was investigated.

Results

According to the results, the optimal carbon nanotube content in concrete is 0.05%. Compared to other concrete combinations with varying proportions of CNTs, this quantity offers the maximum compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. Additionally, SFs can improve the mechanical properties of the mix as well as enhance its post-cracking and fatigue behavior. Adding both CNTs with SFs increased compressive, tensile, and flexural strength by 22.7%, 29.3%, and 70.8%, respectively, more than the traditional pavement.

Conclusion

This work found that combining SFs with CNTs improves the mechanical properties of the concrete mortar, resulting in a stronger mortar that can withstand more loads than the traditional one.
A Phase II, Two-Stage Study of Letrozole and Abemaciclib in Estrogen Receptor–Positive Recurrent Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Konstantinopoulos Panagiotis A. , Lee Elizabeth K. , Xiong Niya , Krasner Carolyn , Campos Susana , Kolin David L. , Liu Joyce F. , Horowitz Neil , Wright Alexi A. , Bouberhan Sara , Penson Richard T. , Yeku Oladapo , Bowes Brittany , Needham Hope , Hayes Martin , Sawyer Hannah , Polak Madeline , Shea Meghan , Cheng Su-Chun , Castro Cesar , Matulonis Ursula A.
Published: September 2022

PURPOSE

Estrogen receptor (ER)–positive endometrial cancers (ECs) are characterized by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)/RAS/β-catenin (CTNNB1) pathway alterations in approximately 90% and 80% of cases, respectively. Extensive cross-talk between ER, PI3K, and RTK/RAS/CTNNB1 pathways leads to both ligand-dependent and ligand-independent ER transcriptional activity as well as upregulation of cyclin D1 which, in complex with cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4 and CDK6), is a critical regulator of cell cycle progression and a key mediator of resistance to hormonal therapy. We hypothesized that the combination of the aromatase inhibitor letrozole and CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib would demonstrate promising activity in this setting.

METHODS

We conducted a phase II, two-stage study of letrozole/abemaciclib in recurrent ER-positive EC. Eligibility criteria included measurable disease, no limit on prior therapies, and all EC histologies; prior hormonal therapy was allowed. Primary end points were objective response rate by RECIST 1.1 and progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 6 months.

RESULTS

At the data cutoff date (December 03, 2021), 30 patients (28 with endometrioid EC) initiated protocol therapy; 15 (50%) patients had prior hormonal therapy. There were nine total responses (eight confirmed), for an objective response rate of 30% (95% CI, 14.7 to 49.4), all in endometrioid adenocarcinomas. Median PFS was 9.1 months, PFS at 6 months was 55.6% (95% CI, 35.1 to 72), and median duration of response was 7.4 months. Most common ≥ grade 3 treatment-related adverse events were neutropenia (20%) and anemia (17%). Responses were observed regardless of grade, prior hormonal therapy, mismatch repair, and progesterone receptor status. Exploratory tumor profiling revealed several mechanistically relevant candidate predictors of response ( CTNNB1, KRAS, and CDKN2A mutations) or absence of response ( TP53 mutations), which require independent validation.

CONCLUSION

Letrozole/abemaciclib demonstrated encouraging and durable evidence of activity in recurrent ER positive endometrioid EC.
Prognostic Models for Traumatic Brain Injury Have Good Discrimination but Poor Overall Model Performance for Predicting Mortality and Unfavorable Outcomes
Authors: Eagle Shawn R. , Pease Matthew , Nwachuku Enyinna , Deng Hansen , Okonkwo David O.
Published: September 2022

BACKGROUND:

The most extensively validated prognostic models for traumatic brain injury (TBI) are the Corticoid Randomization after Significant Head Injury (CRASH) and International Mission on Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials (IMPACT). Model characteristics outside of area under the curve (AUC) are rarely reported.

OBJECTIVE:

To report the discriminative validity and overall model performance of the CRASH and IMPACT models for prognosticating death at 14 days (CRASH) and 6 months (IMPACT) and unfavorable outcomes at 6 months after TBI.

METHODS:

This retrospective cohort study included prospectively collected patients with severe TBI treated at a single level I trauma center (n = 467). CRASH and IMPACT percent risk values for the given outcome were computed. Unfavorable outcome was defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score of 1 to 4 at 6 months. Binary logistic regressions and receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to differentiate patients from the CRASH and IMPACT prognostic models.

RESULTS:

All models had low R2values (0.17-0.23) with AUC values from 0.77 to 0.81 and overall accuracies ranging from 72.4% to 78.3%. Sensitivity (35.3-50.0) and positive predictive values (66.7-69.2) were poor in the CRASH models, while specificity (52.3-53.1) and negative predictive values (58.1-63.6) were poor in IMPACT models. All models had unacceptable false positive rates (20.8%-33.3%).

CONCLUSION:

Our results were consistent with previous literature regarding discriminative validity (AUC = 0.77-0.81). However, accuracy and false positive rates of both the CRASH and IMPACT models were poor.
An adherent-invasive Escherichia coli-colonized mouse model to evaluate microbiota-targeting strategies in Crohn's disease
Authors: Sivignon Adeline , Chervy Mélissa , Chevarin Caroline , Ragot Elia , Billard Elisabeth , Denizot Jérémy , Barnich Nicolas
Published: September 2022

Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) were investigated for their involvement in the induction/chronicity of intestinal inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). AIEC gut establishment is favoured by overexpression of the glycoprotein CEACAM6 in the ileal epithelium. We generated a transgenic mouse model, named ‘Vill-hCC6’, in which the human CEACAM6 gene was under the control of the villin promoter, conditioning expression in the small intestine. We demonstrated that CEACAM6 is strongly expressed in the small intestine mucosa and is correlated with numerous glycosylations displayed at the brush border of enterocytes. Ex vivo, the AIEC–enterocyte interaction was enhanced by CEACAM6 expression and necessitated the presence of the bacterial adhesive factor FimH. Finally, AIEC bacteria preferentially persisted in a FimH-dependent manner in the ileal mucosa of Vill-hCC6 mice compared to wild-type mice. This preclinical model opens new perspectives in the mechanistic study of the AIEC pathobiont and represents a valuable tool to evaluate the efficacy of new strategies to eliminate AIEC implanted in the ileal mucosa, such as phages, inhibitory and/or anti-virulence molecules, or CRISPR-based strategies targeting virulence or fitness factors of AIEC bacteria.
Multiple stressors, allostasis and metabolic scaling in developing zebrafish
Authors: Hunt von Herbing Ione , Pan Francis T. C.
Published: September 2022

Deoxygenation and warming affect adult fish physiology in all aquatic ecosystems, but how these stressors impact the energetics of sensitive developing stages is largely unknown. Addressing this knowledge gap, we investigated chronic and acute effects of two stressors (high temperature and hypoxia) in yolk-sac larval (48–168 hpf) zebrafish (Danio rerio) energy budgets measuring, oxygen consumption rate, growth rate (absolute and specific), % net conversion efficiency, net cost of growth and scaling relationships. Embryos and larvae were raised under four chronic treatments: (1) control (28°C and PO2 21 kPa, T28O21), (2) high temperature (31°C and PO2 21 kPa, T31O21), (3) hypoxia (28°C and PO2 11 kPa, T28TO11) and (4) high temperature and hypoxia (31°C and PO2 11 kPa, T31O11). From each chronic treatment, larvae were acutely exposed to the same combinations of stressors for 1 h in a respirometer. At hatching, larvae from chronic high temperature (T31O21 and T31O11) treatments were larger (higher dry mass and standard length) than controls (T28O21 and T28O11), but by the end of the yolk-sac stage, increased metabolic demands diverted energy away from growth, increasing net cost of growth and lowering % net conversion efficiency. Control metabolic scaling relationships were significant and differed from 0.75, but metabolic levels were lower in acute hypoxia and high temperature/hypoxia. Thus, high temperature dominated larval energetics, acting synergistically with hypoxia to increase cumulative energetic costs and making allostasis difficult compared with older stages.
The flavonoid kaempferol protects the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster against the motor impairment produced by exposure to the insecticide fipronil
Authors: Ramírez-Moreno Daniela M. , Lubinus Klaus F. , Riveros Andre J.
Published: September 2022

Exposure to pesticides across species has been associated with cognitive and motor impairments. As the problem impacts ecosystem stability, food production and public health, it is urgent to develop multifactorial solutions, from regulatory legislation to pharmacological alternatives that ameliorate the impairments. Fipronil, a commonly used insecticide, acts as a GABAA receptor (GABAAR) antagonist and induces motor impairments in vertebrates and invertebrates. Here, we hypothesized that kaempferol, a secondary metabolite derived from plants, acting as an allosteric modulator of GABAARs, would protect against the negative effects induced by the administration of fipronil in adults of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We further evaluated our hypothesis via co-administration of flumazenil, a competitive antagonist on the GABAAR, and through in silico analyses. We administered kaempferol prophylactically at three concentrations (10, 30 and 50 µmol l−1) and evaluated its protective effects against motor impairments induced by fipronil. We then used a single dose of kaempferol (50 µmol l−1) to evaluate its protective effect while administering flumazenil. We found that oral administration of fipronil impaired motor control and walking ability. In contrast, kaempferol was innocuous and protected flies from developing the motor-impaired phenotype, whereas the co-administration of flumazenil counteracted these protective effects. These results are supported by the binding of the ligands with the receptor. Together, our results suggest that kaempferol exerts a protective effect against fipronil via positive allosteric modulation of GABAARs, probably within brain areas such as the central complex and the mushroom bodies. These findings further support current attempts to use metabolites derived from plants as protectors against impairments produced by pesticides.
Identification of the Minimum Combination of Serum microRNAs to Predict the Recurrence of Colorectal Cancer Cases
Authors: Yoshikawa Yukihiro , Fukunaga Mitsuko , Takahashi Junichi , Shimizu Dai , Masuda Takaaki , Mizushima Tsunekazu , Yamada Kazutaka , Mori Masaki , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Doki Yuichiro , Ochiya Takahiro , Mimori Koshi
Published: September 2022

Background

Serum microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as potential stable biomarkers for various types of cancer. Considering the clinical applications, there are certain critical requirements, such as minimizing the number of miRNAs, reproducibility in a longitudinal clinical course, and superiority to conventional tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9. This study aimed to identify serum miRNAs that indicate the recurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC), surpassing inter-tumor heterogeneity.

Methods

We conducted an analysis of 434 serum samples from 91 patients with CRC and 71 healthy subjects. miRNAs were obtained from Toray Co., Ltd, and miRNA profiles were analyzed using a three-step approach. miRNAs that were highly expressed in patients with CRC than in the healthy controls in the screening phase, and those that were highly expressed in the preoperative samples than in the 1-month postoperative samples in the discovery phase, were extracted. In the validation phase, the extracted miRNAs were evaluated in 323 perioperative samples, in chronological order.

Results

A total of 12 miRNAs (miR-25-3p, miR-451a, miR-1246, miR-1268b, miR-2392, miR-4480, miR-4648, miR-4732-5p, miR-4736, miR-6131, miR-6776-5p, and miR-6851-5p) were significantly concordant with the clinical findings of tumor recurrence, however their ability to function as biomarkers was comparable with CEA. In contrast, the combination of miR-1246, miR-1268b, and miR-4648 demonstrated a higher area under the curve (AUC) than CEA. These three miRNAs were upregulated in primary CRC tissues.

Conclusion

We identified ideal combinatorial miRNAs to predict CRC recurrence.
Persistent Overconfidence and Biased Memory: Evidence from Managers
Authors: Huffman David , Raymond Collin , Shvets Julia
Published: September 2022

A long-standing puzzle is how overconfidence can persist in settings characterized by repeated feedback. This paper studies managers who participate repeatedly in a high-powered tournament incentive system, learning relative performance each time. Using reduced form and structural methods we find that (i) managers make over-confident predictions about future performance; (ii) managers have overly positive memories of past performance; (iii) the two phenomena are linked at an individual level. Our results are consistent with models of motivated beliefs in which individuals are motivated to distort memories of feedback and preserve unrealistic expectations. (JEL D82, D83, J33, L25, L81, M52, M54)
How Merchant Towns Shaped Parliaments: From the Norman Conquest of England to the Great Reform Act
Authors: Angelucci Charles , Meraglia Simone , Voigtländer Nico
Published: September 2022

We study the emergence of urban self-governance in the late medieval period. We focus on England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, building a novel comprehensive dataset of 554 medieval towns. During the Commercial Revolution (twelfth to thirteenth centuries), many merchant towns obtained Farm Grants: the right of self-governed tax collection and law enforcement. Self-governance, in turn, was a stepping stone for parliamentary representation: Farm Grant towns were much more likely to be summoned directly to the medieval English Parliament than otherwise similar towns. We also show that self-governed towns strengthened the role of Parliament and shaped national institutions over the subsequent centuries. (JEL D02, D72, D73, K11, K34, N43, N93)
Credit, Attention, and Externalities in the Adoption of Energy Efficient Technologies by Low-Income Households
Authors: Berkouwer Susanna B. , Dean Joshua T.
Published: September 2022

We study an energy efficient charcoal cookstove in an experiment with 1,000 households in Nairobi. We estimate a 39 percent reduction in charcoal spending, which matches engineering estimates, generating a 295 percent annual return. Despite fuel savings of $237 over the stove’s two-year lifespan—and $295 in emissions reductions—households are only willing to pay $12. Drawing attention to energy savings does not increase demand. However, a loan more than doubles willingness to pay: credit constraints prevent adoption of privately optimal technologies. Energy efficient technologies could drive sustainable development by slowing greenhouse emissions while saving households money. (JEL D12, D91, G51, O12, O13, O32, Q54)
Religious Festivals and Economic Development: Evidence from the Timing of Mexican Saint Day Festivals
Authors: Montero Eduardo , Yang Dean
Published: September 2022

Does variation in how religious festivals are celebrated have economic consequences? We study the economic impacts of the timing of Catholic patron saint day festivals in Mexico. For causal identification, we exploit cross-locality variation in festival dates and in the timing of agricultural seasons. We estimate the impact of “ agriculturally coinciding” festivals (those coinciding with peak planting or harvest months) on long-run economic development of localities. Agriculturally coinciding festivals lead to lower household income and worse development outcomes overall. These negative effects are likely due to lower agricultural productivity, which inhibits structural transformation out of agriculture. Agriculturally coinciding festivals may nonetheless persist because they also lead to higher religiosity and social capital. (JEL O12, O13, O18, 043, Q12, Z12, Z13)
Demagogues and the Economic Fragility of Democracies
Authors: Bernhardt Dan , Krasa Stefan , Shadmehr Mehdi
Published: September 2022

We investigate the susceptibility of democracies to demagogues, studying tensions between representatives who guard voters’ long-run interests and demagogues who cater to voters’ short-run desires. Parties propose consumption and investment. Voters base choices on current-period consumption and valence shocks. Younger/poorer economies and economically disadvantaged voters are attracted to the demagogue’s disinvestment policies, forcing farsighted representatives to mimic them. This electoral competition can destroy democracy: if capital falls below a critical level, a death spiral ensues with capital stocks falling thereafter. We identify when economic development mitigates this risk and characterize how the death-spiral risk declines as capital grows large. (JEL D72, E21, E22, E32)
Approaches to integrating online videos into health professions curricula: educators’ perspectives from multiple institutions
Authors: Aluri Kelly , Sow Mohamed , Amieva Manuel , Chen Sharon
Published: September 2022

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a transition from lecture-based classes to blended and online learning, increasing the need to integrate publicly available online educational videos. Although online videos are widely available, it is challenging for educators to effectively integrate them into a curriculum. Years before the pandemic, educators from different institutions integrated videos from a library of microbiology and immunology resources into different curricula. Their experiences may inform current educators on the approach to incorporating external resources into their unique curricula.

Methods: We interviewed US health professions instructors or course directors who had previously requested access to online microbiology and immunology videos. Using thematic analysis, we organized prominent themes into an existing framework for curriculum development. We then reflected on the meaning of the themes using the same conceptual framework.

Results: We found that educators from different schools were able to integrate the same publicly available videos into varying contexts. Most used them as preparation for interactive sessions. For integrating videos, educators felt success when the following actions occurred. 1) Educators integrated videos as a tool to enhance active-learning activities. 2) Educators created activities that focused on clinical applications of knowledge, taught critical thinking, and developed enthusiasm for the subject. 3) They tested students on knowledge application and major concepts rather than solely on content for high-stakes exams. 4) Educators worked with administrators who understood the goals of integrating external videos and supported educators with time and resources to develop effective blended learning.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that educators integrating external resources into their curricula may benefit from first establishing their goals and aspirations for their students. These goals then become the anchor for other curricular elements, including external videos, in-class activities, and assessments. Our study highlights the need for dedicated time to develop experienced and enthusiastic educators.
Design of an aircraft generator with radial force control
Authors: Brecher Christian , Neus Stephan , Gärtner Marcus , Eckel Hans-Martin , Hoppert Maik , James Barry , Gerada Chris , Degano Michele , Ilkhani Mohammad Reza , Di Nardo Mauro
Published: September 2022

With the increasing electrical energy demands in aviation propulsion systems, the increase in the onboard generators’ power density is inevitable. During the flight, forces coming from the gearbox or gyroscopic forces generated by flight manoeuvres like take-off and landing can act on the generators' bearings, which can lead to wear and fatigue in the bearings. Utilizing the radial force control concept in the electrical machine can relieve loads from the bearings that not only minimize the bearing losses but also increase bearing life. The objective of the MAGLEV project (Measurement and Analysis of Generator bearing Loads and Efficiency with Validation) is to study, demonstrate, and test a new class of high-speed generators with radial force control. In this paper, design steps of this type of generator and its test rig are presented and the measurement methodology used for radial force control is explained. The concept is developed in an electrical machine and is validated on a test rig by measuring required parameters like shaft displacement, vibrations and bearing temperature. Additionally, the friction moment of each generator’s bearings is measured and validated in a separate test rig under comparable conditions to the bearing loads in the generator. Therefore, a novel approach to determine precisely the bearing friction in a radial load unit, rotatably supported by an additional needle bearing is used, which shows a good agreement with the calculated friction. Furthermore, new calculation methods for the operating behavior of cylindrical roller bearings with clearance are presented, which are utilized in the generator test rig.
Expressive timing and mechanical instruments: exploring temporal idiomaticity in some music box performances
Authors: McGinn Claire
Published: September 2022

Drawing on earlier work in digital musicology that analysed beat onset data to create timing profiles for recorded performances, this research addresses the question of what kinds of timing data might be produced by a hand-cranked mechanical instrument. Mechanical instruments have been studied as part of the pre-history of recording technologies, but have not typically been considered seriously as performance media. However, a prominent tradition of nineteenth-century street performance – organ grinding – relied on mechanical instruments. If a hand-cranked mechanical instrument does not produce a totally regular rendition, then what might such a performance look like in terms of temporal variation? My hypothesis was that different players would produce different kinds of patterns, and that some of these patterns could be related to conventions of expressive performance. Six participants played two extracts, by Scott Joplin and Fredric Chopin, on a music box. I extracted onset bpm data using Sonic Visualiser and used a combination of Self-Organising Maps and manual data analysis to broadly group the different patterns of emphasis in these recordings and six others by professional pianists for comparison. The data showed that several participants employed phrase-arching, and also indicated not only 1) that different players demonstrated different tendencies in terms of temporal variation and beat emphasis but also 2) that different tendencies emerged among music box players across the two repertoire samples. I argue that these results suggest that it is possible to play both idiomatically and expressively with a hand-cranked mechanical instrument.
Finance
Authors: Semenova Nadezhda , Artem'eva Svetlana , Busalova Svetlana , Derina Ol'ga , Eremina Ol'ga , Makeykina Svetlana , Morozova Galina , Filichkina Yuliya , Yashina Nadezhda
Published: September 2022

The textbook reveals the theoretical and practical aspects of the organization of finance as a socio-economic category. It examines the essence and functions of finance, their role in the reproduction process, the structure of the financial system of the state, the content of state and municipal finance, financial management bodies, the essence of the budget and state extra-budgetary funds, the organization of the budget process. The priorities and main directions of the state's financial policy, forms and methods of state financial control, trends in the development of public credit and public debt are identified. Special attention is paid to the organization of the finances of economic entities, the role of taxes and taxation in the financial system of the state, the structure of the financial market, the functioning of international finance.
Meets the requirements of the federal state educational standards of higher education of the latest generation.
For students of higher educational institutions studying under bachelor's, master's and specialty programs, graduate students and teachers of economic and managerial areas of training, students of courses and faculties of advanced training, employees of financial authorities and persons studying finance independently.
Public geography: Digital priorities of the XXI century
Authors: Blanuca Viktor , Bezrukov Leonid , Sherin Egor , Yakobson Anatoliy
Published: September 2022

Social geography, aimed at understanding the territorial organization of society, has a number of digital priorities that have not been analyzed before. They are related to the objects and methods of research, as well as to the methods of visualization and the areas of application of the results obtained.
The monograph analyzes the world experience of socio-geographical study of platform economy, telecommunication networks and "smart cities", the use of data mining, models of spatial diffusion of innovations and zoning, visualization through cartographic image, dendrogram and tag cloud, the implementation of research results in geographical expertise, regional policy and administrative-territorial division.
It is intended for specialists, students and postgraduates.
Production control of dairy products
Authors: Ganina Vera , Borisova Lyudmila , Morozova Viktoriya , Smirnova Irina , Yurova Elena
Published: September 2022

The textbook discusses the basics of production control, which is carried out at the enterprises of the dairy industry. The requirements of regulatory documents for quality indicators of various groups of dairy products are systematically stated, the procedure and methods of input control of raw materials, as well as control during the technological process and finished products are indicated.
For a better perception of the material, standard schemes are given with the allocation of the main points of technical control of physico-chemical and microbiological indicators in the process of dairy production technology.
It is intended for university students studying in the field of training "Animal food products", as well as for employees of dairy enterprises whose activities are related to quality control in production laboratories.
Self-employment in the structure of the economy of the Tyumen region: analysis of current trends
Authors: Mahmudova Muhabbat
Published: September 2022

The special tax regime (professional income tax) in the Russian economy is an innovation implemented since 2020. During the period of implementation of this experiment in Russian practice, regional features of its functioning have been formed, the description of which is devoted to this article. The object of the study is the Tyumen region, characterized by "chronic" economic well-being in the development of large industry segments of the regional economy. It will be interesting to review the current trends in the development of microbusiness in the region.
Analytical Solution to a Partially Observable Machine Maintenance Problem with Obvious Failures
Authors: Zhang Hao , Zhang Weihua
Published: September 2022

We study the maintenance of a machine that deteriorates according to a Markov process until it fails. When failure occurs (which is observable), corrective replacement is made. Otherwise, the machine can be in one of two unobservable working states, and the decision maker can choose production, inspection, or preventive replacement. The state is revealed upon inspection and is reset by corrective or preventive replacement. The objective is to minimize the expected total discounted cost over an infinite horizon. We derive an exact, analytical solution to this problem via a dual framework for partially observable Markov decision processes. The solution can be easily computed without value iteration. We identify six possible structures of the optimal solution, which are represented as graphs. Each graph contains an absorbing, cyclic subgraph that governs the steady-state behavior of the machine. The exact analytical solution facilitates comparative statics analysis, comprehensive numerical studies, and the generation of insights.

This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization.

Funding: This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada [Grant RGPIN-2014-04979].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4547 .
Disclosure Substitution
Authors: Heinle Mirko , Samuels Delphine , Taylor Daniel
Published: September 2022

This study develops and tests a simple model of voluntary disclosure in which managers can choose to withhold (i.e., redact) certain elements from mandatory disclosure. We consider a setting in which mandatory disclosure is a disaggregated disclosure (e.g., a financial statement), voluntary disclosure is an aggregate disclosure (e.g., an earnings forecast), and the costs of each type of disclosure are distinct. In this setting, we show that managers endogenously substitute between the two types of disclosure; managers that choose to withhold information from mandatory disclosure are more likely to provide voluntary disclosure. We test our predictions using a comprehensive sample of mandatory disclosures in which the SEC allows the firm to redact information that would otherwise jeopardize its competitive position. Consistent with our predictions, we find strong evidence that redacted mandatory disclosure is associated with greater voluntary disclosure.

This paper was accepted by Suraj Srinivasan, accounting.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4549 .
Sequential Submodular Maximization and Applications to Ranking an Assortment of Products
Authors: Asadpour Arash , Niazadeh Rad , Saberi Amin , Shameli Ali
Published: September 2022

The advents of online retailing and advertising have created new opportunities for online platforms to incorporate algorithmic techniques to improve shoppers’ experience and drive user engagement, which, in return, can help with the long-term growth of these platforms, and also to help with having socially aware operations that consider fairness across different demographic groups. Motivated by the product-ranking problem in online shopping, this paper introduces and studies a new class of combinatorial optimization problems over the space of permutations, which is referred to as “sequential submodular maximization.” Using this class of problems, it provides algorithmic solutions for maximizing users’ engagement and also for balancing the users’ engagement across different demographic groups of shoppers to obtain fairness. In particular, they propose an optimal (1 − 1/e)-approximation algorithms for maximizing users’ engagement and a bicriteria ((1 − 1/e)2, (1 − 1/e)2) for maximizing users’ engagement subject to group fairness constraints.
Diet in canine dermatology part 2: management of cutaneous adverse food reactions
Authors: Groves Ellie
Published: September 2022

The second in this two part series on nutritional management of dermatological conditions in dogs focuses on the role of diet in cutaneous adverse food reactions (both food allergies and intolerances). It reviews the most common causes of food allergies, how to diagnose them via an elimination diet trial and potentially appropriate diets for the trial. It also explores the most common reasons for failure of a diet trial, the role of the veterinary nurse in providing support and education for caregivers, and a number of ‘top tips’ to increase the likelihood of success of the trial. Finally, longer-term management of patients diagnosed with an adverse food reaction is discussed.