bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mandated Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination predicts flattened curves for the spread of COVID-19
Authors: Berg Martha K. , Yu Qinggang , Salvador Cristina E. , Melani Irene , Kitayama Shinobu
Published: August 2020

National policies for universal BCG vaccination are associated with flattened growth of country-wise COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Not all fibroblasts are equal in cancer
Authors: Zervantonakis Ioannis
Published: August 2020

The ratio of two cancer-associated fibroblast subpopulations with distinct functions affects breast cancer clinical outcomes.
A Multicenter Proposal for a Fast Tool To Screen Biosecure Chicken Flocks for the Foodborne Pathogen
Campylobacter
Authors: Hoorfar Jeffrey , Koláčková Ivana , Johannessen Gro S. , Garofolo Giuliano , Marotta Francesca , Wieczorek Kinga , Osek Jacek , Torp Mona , Spilsberg Bjørn , Sekse Camilla , Thornval Natasia Rebekka , Karpíšková Renáta
Published: August 2020

Campylobacter
bacteria are the cause of the vast majority of registered cases of foodborne illness in the industrialized world. In fact, the bacteria caused 246,571 registered cases of foodborne illness in 2018, which equates to 70% of all registered cases in Europe that year. An important tool to prevent campylobacters from making people sick is good data on where in the food chain the bacterium is present. The present study reports a new test method that quadruples the likelihood of identifying campylobacter-positive chicken flocks. It is important to identify campylobacter-positive flocks before they arrive at the slaughterhouse, because negative flocks can be slaughtered first in order to avoid cross-contamination along the production line.
Rapid Salivary IgG Antibody Screening for Hepatitis A
Authors: Augustine Swinburne A. J. , Eason Tarsha N. , Simmons Kaneatra J. , Griffin Shannon M. , Curioso Clarissa L. , Ramudit Malini K. D. , Sams Elizabeth A. , Oshima Kevin H. , Dufour Alfred , Wade Timothy J.
Published: August 2020

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a common infection that is transmitted through the fecal-oral route, shed in the stool of infected individuals, and spread either by direct contact or by ingesting contaminated food or water. Each year, approximately 1.4 million acute cases are reported globally with a major risk factor for exposure being low household socioeconomic status. Recent trends show a decrease in anti-HAV antibodies in the general population, with concomitant increases in the numbers of HAV outbreaks.
Complete Genome Sequence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Strain CF13, Recovered from Sputum from an Australian Cystic Fibrosis Patient
Authors: Hamidian Mohammad , Lazenby James , To Joyce , Hartstein Rebecca , Soares Jana , McNamara Samantha , Whitchurch Cynthia B.
Published: August 2020

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
isolate CF13 is a multidrug-resistant isolate that was recovered in Sydney, Australia, in 2011, from a sputum sample from an individual with cystic fibrosis. The genome sequence of CF13 was completed using long- and short-read technologies.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Multicountry Outbreak-Related Listeria monocytogenes Sequence Type 1247 Strain, VLTRLM2013
Authors: Mäesaar Mihkel , Roasto Mati
Published: August 2020

We sequenced the genome of a multicountry outbreak-related
Listeria monocytogenes
sequence type 1247 strain (VLTRLM2013) that was isolated from a vacuum-packaged sliced salted salmon product of an Estonian fish-processing company that was obtained from an Estonian retail outlet in 2013.
Draft Genome Sequence of Ligilactobacillus salivarius TUCO-L2, Isolated from Lama glama Milk
Authors: Albarracin Leonardo , Quilodrán-Vega Sandra , Fukuyama Kohtaro , Tomokiyo Mikado , Islam M. Aminul , Arce Lorena , Kitazawa Haruki , Villena Julio
Published: August 2020

Ligilactobacillus salivarius
TUCO-L2 was isolated from llama milk in Bio-Bio, Chile, and sequenced with the Illumina MiSeq platform. TUCO-L2 genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 1,600,747 bp with 1,691 protein-coding genes and a GC content of 33%. This draft genome sequence will contribute to a better understanding of the microbiome of llama milk.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of cinacalcet for haemodialysis patients with moderate-to-severe secondary hyperparathyroidism in China: evaluation based on the EVOLVE trial
Authors: Liu Lin , Hong Dongsheng , Ma Kuifen , Wu Bin , Lu Xiaoyang
Published: August 2020

Objective

As the cost-effectiveness evaluation of cinacalcet and conventional therapy in China has not been reported, the objective of this study was to make a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of cinacalcet specific to the Chinese healthcare setting in patients with moderate-to-severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) undergoing dialysis.

Designs

Data from Evaluation of Cinacalcet Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events trial were used for this analysis. A semi-Markov model was constructed to estimate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and lifetime costs in cinacalcet plus conventional therapy (cinacalcet strategy) compared with conventional therapy (standard strategy), in patients with moderate-to-severe SHPT undergoing dialysis. Treatment effect estimates from the unadjusted intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis and covariate-adjusted ITT analysis were used as the main analyses. Model sensitivity to variations in individual inputs and overall decision uncertainty were assessed through probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) as measured by cost per QALY gained.

Results

The ICER for cinacalcet strategy was US$44 400 per QALY gained using the covariate-adjusted ITT analysis. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggested a 46.2% chance of the ICER being below a willingness-to-pay threshold of US$26 508. Treatment effects from unadjusted ITT analysis yielded an ICER of US$87 210 per QALY. The model was most sensitive to the treatment effect on mortality.

Conclusions

Existing evidence does not support the cost-effectiveness of cinacalcet strategy in patients with moderate-to-severe SHPT undergoing dialysis when applying a willingness-to-pay threshold of US$26 508 per QALY, whether it is using the treatment effect from covariate-adjusted ITT analysis or unadjusted ITT analysis.
Meniscal Tear Outcome (METRO) review: a protocol for a systematic review summarising the clinical course and patient experiences of meniscal tears in the current literature
Authors: Ahmed Imran , Khatri Chetan , Parsons Nicholas , Hutchinson Charles E , Staniszewska Sophie , Price Andrew James , Metcalfe Andrew
Published: August 2020

Introduction

Meniscal tears are a common knee injury with an incidence of 60 per 100 000. Management of meniscal tears can include either non-operative measures or operative procedures such as arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM). Despite substantial research evaluating the effectiveness of APM in the recent past, little is known about the clinical course or the experiences of patients with a meniscal tear.

Aim

To summarise the short to long-term patterns of variability in outcome in patients with a meniscal tear.

To summarise the evidence on patient experiences of meniscal tears. In particular, we will focus on patient experiences of treatment options, treatment pathways and their views of the outcomes used in meniscal tear research.

Methods and analysis

Two search strategies will be developed to identify citations from EMBASE, MEDLINE, AMED, CENTRAL, Web of Science and Sociofile. The date of our planned search is 14 August 2020. For the quantitative review we will identify studies reporting patient-reported outcome measures in patients after a meniscal tear. The standardised mean change will be used to assess the variation in size of response and summarise the overall response to each treatment option. All studies will undergo quality assessment using either the Cochrane risk of bias or the Newcastle-Ottawa tool.

A qualitative systematic review will be used to identify studies reporting views and experiences of patients with a meniscal tear. All studies will be assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool and if sufficient data are present a meta-synthesis will be performed to identify first, second and third-order constructs.

Ethics and dissemination

Given the nature of this study, no formal ethical approval will be sought. Results from the review will be disseminated at national conferences and will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Lay summaries will be freely available via the study Twitter page.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019122179.
Cross-sectional mixed-methods study protocol exploring the enablers and barriers for people with severe and enduring mental illness in Jamaica when accessing healthcare for chronic physical illness
Authors: Whitehorne-Smith Patrice , Burns Sharyn , Milbourn Ben , Abel Wendel , Martin Robyn
Published: August 2020

Introduction

Extant international research suggests that people with severe and enduring mental illness (PWSEMI) experience increased rates of chronic physical illness (CPI), reduced life expectancy and higher mortality than those in the general population. The high prevalence of CPI among PWSEMI is associated with a number of barriers that this population experiences when accessing physical healthcare. Although substantial research has been conducted in North America, Europe and Australia, there appears to be a paucity of research exploring CPI among PWSEMI in the Caribbean region, although this region has reported very high rates of non-communicable diseases within its populations. The current study will be situated in Jamaica and will explore the enablers and barriers to PWSEMI accessing healthcare for CPI.

Methods and analysis

A convergent mixed-method design will explore the enablers and barriers to accessing healthcare for CPI among PWSEMI. This cross-sectional study will collect data from PWSEMI, caregivers and family members, community health aides, primary care physicians, psychiatrists and health policymakers.

Ethics and dissemination

The study findings will provide baseline data describing the prevalence of CPI among PWSEMI in Jamaica and will identify enablers for, and barriers to, PWSEMI accessing CPI care. Findings will be disseminated widely in Jamaica and internationally to key stakeholders through publications and conferences. Institutional ethical approval was granted from Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness Medico-legal Ethics Review Panel (# 2019/49), the Curtin University Human Research and Ethics Committee (HRE 2020–0022) and the University of the West Indies FMS Ethics Committee (ECP 101, 19/20).
Natural history of recovery after intracerebral haemorrhage: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Massicotte Sara , Lun Ronda , Yogendrakumar Vignan , Dewar Brian , Davies Alexandra , Fergusson Dean A , Shamy Michel , Dowlatshahi Dar
Published: August 2020

Introduction

Clinical trials for intracerebral haemorrhage typically measure outcomes in the same way and at the same time points as trials for ischaemic stroke. However, there is growing evidence that the trajectory of recovery following intracerebral haemorrhage may differ significantly from that following ischaemic stroke. A better understanding of current approaches to outcome assessment is essential to ensure that future trials examining treatments for intracerebral haemorrhage are designed appropriately.

Objective

To determine when and how outcomes are measured in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage.

Methods and analysis

With the assistance of an information specialist, we will conduct a scoping review by searching MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science for prospective studies of adults with primary intracerebral haemorrhage and documented outcomes with specified times. Two reviewers will independently collect data on included studies pertaining to publication data, study population information, timing of outcome and details of the outcome measurement tools used. The extracted data will be used to demonstrate the type and timing of outcome measures.

Ethics and dissemination

Primary data will not be collected therefore formal ethics is not required. The findings of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and through presentation at academic conferences.
Head home: a prospective cohort study of a nurse-led paediatric head injury clinical decision tool at a district general hospital
Authors: Aldridge Patrick , Castle Heather , Phillips Clare , Russell Emma , Guerrero-Luduena Richard , Rout Raj
Published: August 2020

Objectives

To assess if a nurse-led application of a paediatric head injury clinical decision tool would be safe compared with current practice.

Methods

All paediatric (<17 years) patients with head injuries presenting to Frimley Park Emergency Department (ED), England from 1 May to 31 October 2018 were prospectively screened by a nurse using a mandated electronic 'Head Injury Discharge At Triage' questionnaire (HIDATq). We determined which patients underwent CT of brain and whether there was a clinically important intracranial injury or re-presentation to the ED. The negative predictive value of the screening tool was assessed. We determined what proportion of patients could have been sent home from triage using this tool.

Results

Of the 1739 patients screened, 61 had CTs performed due to head injury (six abnormal) with a CT rate of 3.5% and 2% re-presentations. Of the entire cohort, 1052 screened negative. 1 CT occurred in this group showing no abnormalities. Of those screened negative, 349 (33%)/1052 had ‘no other injuries’ and 543 (52%)/1052 had ‘abrasions or lacerations’. HIDATq's negative predictive value for CT was 99.9% (95% CI 99.4% to 99.9%) and 100% (95% CI 99.0% to 100%) for intracranial injury. The positive predictive value of the tool was low. Five patients screened negative and re-presented within 72 hours but did not require CT imaging.

Conclusion

A negative HIDATq appears safe in our ED. Potentially 20% (349/1739) of all patients with head injuries presenting to our department could be discharged by nurses at triage with adequate safety netting advice. This increases to 50% (543/1739), if patients with lacerations or abrasions were given advice and discharged at triage. A large multicentre study is required to validate the tool.
Reducing pain by using venous blood gas instead of arterial blood gas (VEINART): a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Chauvin Anthony , Javaud Nicolas , Ghazali Aiham , Curac Sonja , Altar Adrien , Ali Talina , Beguin Nora , Bellier Julien , Coupier Antoine , Delsarte Laura , Dreyfuss Dora , Kheirbek Nour , Oudar Clara , Stordeur Yoann , Weiss Morgane , Gaudry Stephane , Lambert Jerome , Roux Damien
Published: August 2020

Introduction

Venous sampling for blood gas analysis has been suggested as an alternative to arterial sampling in order to reduce pain. The main objective was to compare pain induced by venous and arterial sampling and to assess whether the type of sampling would affect clinical management or not.

Methods

We performed an open-label randomised multicentre prospective study in four French EDs during a 4-week period. Non-hypoxaemic adults, whose medical management required blood gas analysis, were randomly allocated using a computer-generated randomisation list stratified by centres with an allocation ratio of 1:1 using random blocks to one of the two arms: venous or arterial sampling. The primary outcome was the maximal pain during sampling, using the visual analogue scale. Secondary outcomes pertained to ease of sampling as rated by the nurse drawing the blood, and physician satisfaction regarding usefulness of biochemical data.

Results

113 patients were included: 55 in the arterial and 58 in the venous sampling group. The mean maximal pain was 40.5 mm±24.9 mm and 22.6 mm±20.2 mm in the arterial group and the venous group, respectively, accounting for a mean difference of 17.9 mm (95% CI 9.6 to 26.3) (p<0.0001). Ease of blood sampling was greater in the venous group as compared with the arterial group (p=0.02). The usefulness of the results, evaluated by the prescriber, did not significantly differ (p=0.25).

Conclusions

Venous blood gas is less painful for patients than ABG in non-hypoxaemic patients. Venous blood gas should replace ABG in this setting.

Trial registration number

NCT03784664.
The role of gut microbiota in cancer treatment: friend or foe?
Authors: Cheng Wing Yin , Wu Chun-Ying , Yu Jun
Published: August 2020

The gut microbiota has been implicated in cancer and shown to modulate anticancer drug efficacy. Altered gut microbiota is associated with resistance to chemo drugs or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), whereas supplementation of distinct bacterial species restores responses to the anticancer drugs. Accumulating evidence has revealed the potential of modulating the gut microbiota to enhance the efficacy of anticancer drugs. Regardless of the valuable findings by preclinical models and clinical data of patients with cancer, a more thorough understanding of the interactions of the microbiota with cancer therapy helps researchers identify novel strategy for cancer prevention, stratify patients for more effective treatment and reduce treatment complication. In this review, we discuss the scientific evidence on the role of gut microbiota in cancer treatment, and highlight the latest knowledge and technologies leveraged to target specific bacteria that contribute to tumourigenesis. First, we provide an overview of the role of the gut microbiota in cancer, establishing the links between bacteria, inflammation and cancer treatment. Second, we highlight the mechanisms used by distinct bacterial species to modulate cancer growth, immune responses, as well as the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs and ICIs. Third, we demonstrate various approaches to modulate the gut microbiota and their potential in translational research. Finally, we discuss the limitations of current microbiome research in the context of cancer treatment, ongoing efforts to overcome these challenges and future perspectives.
Immunoinformatic approach to assess SARS-CoV-2 protein S epitopes recognised by the most frequent MHC-I alleles in the Brazilian population
Authors: Moura Ronald Rodrigues de , Agrelli Almerinda , Santos-Silva Carlos André , Silva Natália , Assunção Bruno Rodrigo , Brandão Lucas , Benko-Iseppon Ana Maria , Crovella Sergio
Published: August 2020

Aims

Brazil is nowadays one of the epicentres of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and new therapies are needed to face it. In the context of specific immune response against the virus, a correlation between Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I (MHC-I) and the severity of the disease in patients with COVID-19 has been suggested. Aiming at better understanding the biology of the infection and the immune response against the virus in the Brazilian population, we analysed SARS-CoV-2 protein S peptides in order to identify epitopes able to elicit an immune response mediated by the most frequent MHC-I alleles using in silico methods.

Methods

Our analyses consisted in searching for the most frequent Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-A, HLA-B and HLA-C alleles in the Brazilian population, excluding the genetic isolates; then, we performed: molecular modelling for unsolved structures, MHC-I binding affinity and antigenicity prediction, peptide docking and molecular dynamics of the best fitted MHC-I/protein S complexes.

Results

We identified 24 immunogenic epitopes in the SARS-CoV-2 protein S that could interact with 17 different MHC-I alleles (namely, HLA-A*01:01; HLA-A*02:01; HLA-A*11:01; HLA-A*24:02; HLA-A*68:01; HLA-A*23:01; HLA-A*26:01; HLA-A*30:02; HLA-A*31:01; HLA-B*07:02; HLA-B*51:01; HLA-B*35:01; HLA-B*44:02; HLA-B*35:03; HLA-C*05:01; HLA-C*07:01 and HLA-C*15:02) in the Brazilian population.

Conclusions

Being aware of the intrinsic limitations of in silico analysis (mainly the differences between the real and the Protein Data Bank (PDB) structure; and accuracy of the methods for simulate proteasome cleavage), we identified 24 epitopes able to interact with 17 MHC-I more frequent alleles in the Brazilian population that could be useful for the development of strategic methods for vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.
miR-635 Targets KIFC1 to Inhibit the Progression of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Cao Feng-Yu , Zheng Yong-Bin , Yang Chao , Huang Su-Yang , He Xiao-Bo , Tong Shi-Lun
Published: August 2020

Accumulating studies have shown that the dysregulation of microRNAs is related to the carcinogenesis and development of gastric cancer (GC), and the role of miR-635 in GC remains largely unknown. miR-635 and Kinesin Family Member C1 (KIFC1) mRNA expression in GC tissues and paracancerous tissues and cells were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. KIFC1 protein expression in GC tissues and paracancerous normal tissues and cells was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Cell proliferation was monitored by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine assay. Transwell assay was employed to detect the migration and invasion of GC cells. The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was adopted to detect the targeting relationship between miR-635 and KIFC1. Compared with paracancerous tissues, miR-635 expression was remarkably decreased in GC tissues; conversely, KIFC1 expression was significantly increased. Compared with human normal gastric epithelial cell GSE-1, miR-635 expression was markedly decreased in GC cell lines. Meanwhile, KIFC1 expression was significantly increased, and the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database showed that its high expression was remarkably associated with poor prognosis. Additionally, miR-635 can negatively regulate KIFC1. miR-635 can target KIFC1 to inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells. Collectively, miR-635 is lowly expressed in GC, and it inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells via regulating KIFC1.
One-pot synthesis of dumbbell shaped PbS–Te hybrids with promising photothermal properties
Authors: Liu Aili , Mao Xinnan , Xiao Zhoumin , Jin Huile , Chen Liyun , Wang Shun , Jiang Weizhong
Published: August 2020

The development of multi-component photothermal agents has attracted increasing attention due to their potential applications in energy conversion, medical treatments, etc. Herein, a dumbbell shaped PbS–Te heterostructure was prepared via a one-pot microwave-assisted decomposition of lead dimethyl dithiocarbamate and tellurium diethyl dithiocarbamate. The as-obtained PbS–Te hybrids exhibit excellent photothermal stability and strong optical absorption over a broad wavelength range spanning from ultraviolet to near-infrared, where the photothermal conversion efficiency could reach as high as 12.1%. Such promising photothermal performance demonstrates the advantages of one-pot synthesis that results in more intimate contacts among individual components.
Unexpected challenges for the translation of research on food interventions to applications in the food industry: using flaxseed research as an example
Authors: Pierce Grant N. , Netticadan Thomas
Published: August 2020

One of the primary purposes of the studies that life science researchers carry out is to translate their findings into demonstrable impacts in the lives of the general population. If we study the mechanism of heart disease, for example, it is our hope that new therapies or preventative strategies can be created from these mechanistic data. In the field of nutrition, it is the ultimate goal to translate research findings on the health benefits of functional foods and nutraceuticals into products consumed by the public that will benefit their health, improve quality of life, prevent disease, and prolong life. However, the pathway from research on the health benefits of specific foods or food products into industry applications is often a pathway with multiple, unexpected roadblocks for the unsuspecting scientist. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to identify these obstacles that have confronted industry translation in the past by using flaxseed research as an example. The ultimate goal of the review is to alert those in research and in the food industry of these translational hindrances to avoid them in the future and promote a more rapid and effective translation of food/health research into marketing success.
Anisotropic magnetoresistance in spin–orbit semimetal $${\hbox {SrIrO}}_{3}$$
Authors: Groenendijk Dirk J. , Manca Nicola , de Bruijckere Joeri , Monteiro Ana Mafalda R. V. L. , Gaudenzi Rocco , van der Zant Herre S. J. , Caviglia Andrea D.
Published: August 2020

$${\hbox {SrIrO}}_{3}$$

SrIrO
3

, the three-dimensional member of the Ruddlesden–Popper iridates, is a paramagnetic semimetal characterised by a the delicate interplay between spin–orbit coupling and Coulomb repulsion. In this work, we study the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) of $${\hbox {SrIrO}}_{3}$$

SrIrO
3

thin films, which is closely linked to spin–orbit coupling and probes correlations between electronic transport, magnetic order and orbital states. We show that the low-temperature negative magnetoresistance is anisotropic with respect to the magnetic field orientation, and its angular dependence reveals the appearance of a fourfold symmetric component above a critical magnetic field. We show that this AMR component is of magnetocrystalline origin, and attribute the observed transition to a field-induced magnetic state in $${\hbox {SrIrO}}_{3}$$

SrIrO
3

.
Simulation of novel cell-like topological structures with quantum walk
Authors: Panahiyan S. , Fritzsche S.
Published: August 2020

We demonstrate how quantum walk can simulate exotic cell-like structures for topological phases and boundary states. These cell-like structures contain the three known boundary states of Dirac cone, Fermi arc and flat bands alongside of all trivial and non-trivial phases of BDI family of topological phases. We also characterize the behavior of boundary states through Bloch spheres. In addition, we investigate the topological phase transitions and critical behavior of the system that take place over boundary states through curvature function. We confirm that critical behavior of the simulated topological phenomena can be described by peak-divergence scenario. We extract the critical exponents and length scale, establish a scaling law and show that band crossing is 1. Furthermore, we find the correlation function through Wannier states and show that it decays as a function of length scale.
CUSTOMER PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Authors: ZULAIKHA SITI , MOHAMED HAZIK , KURNIAWATI MASMIRA , RUSGIANTO SULISTYA , RUSMITA SYLVA ALIF
Published: August 2020

This conceptual paper exclusively focused on how artificial intelligence (AI) serves as a means to identify a target audience. Focusing on the marketing context, a structured discussion of how AI can identify the target customers precisely despite their different behaviors was presented in this paper. The applications of AI in customer targeting and the projected effectiveness throughout the different phases of customer lifecycle were also discussed. Through the historical analysis, behavioral insights of individual customers can be retrieved in a more reliable and efficient way. The review of the literature confirmed the use of technology-driven AI in revolutionizing marketing, where data can be processed at scale via supervised or unsupervised (machine) learning.
Temperature effect on Young’s modulus of surface oxidized silicon nano-films
Authors: Ye Kaixiu , Wang Jing , Li Yanliang
Published: August 2020

Based on the semi-continuum model, the effect of temperature on Young’s modulus in the presence of oxide layer in silicon nano-films was studied theoretically by using the anharmonic Keating deformation potential, and the effect of oxide layer on Young’s modulus was also studied. The results show that Young’s modulus of the nano-film is inversely proportional to its temperature, which decreases with the increase of temperature. And with the number of oxide layer increasing, Young’s modulus of silicon nano-film increases. At the same thickness and layer numbers, Young’s modulus of the films with oxide layer is larger than that of pure silicon nano-films. The existence of oxide layer leads to the increase of Young’s modulus of the silicon nano-film.
Small Moving Target Recognition in Star Image with TRM
Authors: Du Yun , Wen Desheng , Liu Guizhong , Qiu Shi
Published: August 2020

Recognition of small moving targets in space has become one of the frontier scientific researches in recent decade. Most of them focus on detection and recognition in star image with sidereal stare mode. However, in this research field, few researches are about detection and recognition in star image with track rate mode. In this paper, a novel approach is proposed to recognize the moving target in single frame by machine learning method based on elliptical characteristic extraction of star points. The technical path about recognition of moving target in space is redesigned instead of traditional processing approaches. Elliptical characteristics of each star point can be successfully extracted from single image. Machine learning can achieve the classification goal in order to make sure that all moving targets can be extracted. The experiments show that our proposed approach can have better performance in star images with different qualities.
Cache Leakage Reduction Techniques for Hybrid SPM-Cache Architectures
Authors: Wen Hao , Zhang Wei
Published: August 2020

Leakage energy has become an increasingly large fraction of total energy consumption, making it important to reduce leakage energy for improving the overall energy efficiency for embedded processors. In this paper, we explore how to reduce the cache leakage energy efficiently in a hybrid Scratch-Pad Memory (SPM) and cache architecture. Different from stand-alone cache, since the frequently used data may be allocated to the SPM for rapid retrieval in the hybrid architecture, the access frequency to the cache is reduced. It is possible to place the cache lines of the hybrid SPM-cache into the low power mode more aggressively than traditional leakage management for regular caches, which can reduce more leakage energy without significant performance degradation. Also, we propose a Hybrid Drowsy-Gated VDD (HDG) technique, which can adaptively exploit both short and long idle intervals of cache accesses to minimize leakage energy with insignificant performance overhead. In addition, we discussed the impact of cache size on the idle intervals of accesses, which will affect the efficiency of leakage management methods that exploit the idle intervals to reduce leakage energy.
A symmetry principle for emergent spacetime
Authors: Shaghoulian Edgar
Published: August 2020

There are many examples where geometry and gravity are concepts that emerge from a theory of quantum mechanics without gravity. This suggests thinking of gravity as an exotic phase of matter. Quantifying this phase in the Landau paradigm requires some sort of symmetry principle or order parameter that captures its appearance. In this essay, we propose higher-form symmetries as a symmetry principle underlying emergent spacetime. We explore higher-form symmetries in gauge–gravity duality and explain how their breaking describes features of gravitational theory. Such symmetries imply the existence of nonlocal objects in the gravitational theory — in gauge–gravity duality these are the strings and branes of the bulk theory — giving an alternative way to understand the nonlocality necessary in any ultraviolet completion of gravity.
Radical scavenging activity of hydroxycinnamic acids in polar and nonpolar solvents: A computational investigation
Authors: Mansouri Hadjer , Mekelleche Sidi Mohamed
Published: August 2020

The aim of this work is to perform a computational study of the radical scavenging activity of a series of common hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) in polar and nonpolar solvents in order to rationalize the experimental order obtained in ethanol and to analyze the solvent effect on mechanism and radical scavenging capacity. The thermodynamics of the main mechanisms, namely, hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), sequential proton loss followed by electron transfer (SPLET), and single electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT) were investigated at the M05-2X/6-31[Formula: see text]G([Formula: see text]) level of theory using the SMD solvation model. This study shows that the SET-PT mechanism is disfavored in all media, whereas HAT is the most thermodynamically favored mechanism in gas phase and SPLET is the preferred reaction pathway in pentyl ethanoate, ethanol and water. The thermodynamically preferred site of antioxidant action and the radical scavenging order are predicted using the BDE[Formula: see text] and (PA[Formula: see text]ETE)[Formula: see text] descriptors corresponding to the HAT and SPLET mechanisms, respectively. The obtained results point out that the mechanism and the radical scavenging potency are influenced by solvent polarity and our predictions are in agreement with the experimental measurements performed in ethanol giving the following descending order: caffeic [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]-coumaric acid. Our results also show that the ortho substitution of caffeic acid by strong electron donating groups leads to a notable increase of their radical scavenging activity and new potent HCA derivatives are designed.
Non-∀-homogeneity in free groups
Authors: Kharlampovich Olga , Natoli Christopher
Published: August 2020

We prove that non-abelian free groups of finite rank at least 3 or of countable rank are not [Formula: see text]-homogeneous. We answer three open questions from Kharlampovich, Myasnikov, and Sklinos regarding whether free groups, finitely generated elementary free groups, and non-abelian limit groups form special kinds of Fraïssé classes in which embeddings must preserve [Formula: see text]-formulas. We also provide interesting examples of countable non-finitely generated elementary free groups.
Optimized geometry of the carotid artery cross-section: Comparison between circular and elliptical approximations in B-mode ultrasound images
Authors: Soleimani Effat , Saberi Hazhir , Ayoobi-Yazdi Niloofar
Published: August 2020

Cross-sectional area (CSA) measurement obtained from transverse ultrasound images is the general method used for carotid artery stenosis calculation which assumes a circular CS, however, atherosclerotic stenosis may change the CSA geometry and lead to miscalculation. This study aims to determine the accuracy of circular or elliptical approximation of the normal and stenosed carotid artery CSA.

Sixty transverse B-mode ultrasound images (30 from healthy and 30 from stenosed carotid arteries) were recorded. Contours of the internal lumen of the arteries were segmented and the encompassed lumen area was calculated. Based on the fitting accuracy and computational cost effectiveness, pattern search (PS) optimization algorithm was selected by which the parameterized equations of the circular and elliptical geometries were fitted to the segmented point clouds. Goodness of fit analysis of two geometries was carried out using root mean square error (RMSE) and the relative deviation of the approximated CSA.

Results of this study showed that elliptical approximation better fits to the artery CS of carotid arteries, with the average RMSE of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] pixels in healthy and [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] pixels in stenosed carotid arteries, respectively, for circle and ellipse approximation. Mean values of the relative deviation of the approximated CSA by circle and ellipse geometries were 5.14%[Formula: see text]±[Formula: see text]4.53% and 3.89%[Formula: see text]±[Formula: see text]4.19% in normal arteries; and 12.18%[Formula: see text]±[Formula: see text]10.94% and 4.59%[Formula: see text]±[Formula: see text]3.75% in stenosed arteries, respectively.

This study represented that elliptical approximation provides increased accuracy for carotid artery CSA for both normal and stenosed carotid arteries.
The influence of the Carpathian Mountains on the variability of stable isotopes in precipitation and the relationship with large-scale atmospheric circulation
Authors: Nagavciuc Viorica , Bădăluţă Carmen-Andrea , Ionita Monica
Published: August 2020

In this chapter, we analyse the influence of the Carpathian Mountains on the variability of stable isotopes in precipitation by employing a combination of observed and model data. Overall, the mean value of the stable isotopes in precipitation over the Carpathian Mountains, based on observational data, was −9.8‰ for
δ
18
O and −68.6‰ for
δ
2
H. The local meteoric line, using all samples from the study sites, was
δ
2
H = 7.65 ×
δ
18
O + 5.82. The simulated
δ
18
O, based on the ECHAM5-wiso isotopes enable model, showed good agreement with the observed isotopic data. By comparing all the monthly values of the observed isotopic data from all analysed stations and the corresponding model data, a correlation coefficient of 0.76 (
n
= 455,
p
< 0.001) was obtained. The spatial distribution of the simulated
δ
18
O values in precipitation had the lowest values over the Romanian Carpathian Mountains and the highest values over the extra-Carpathian area, with the maximum in southeastern Romania. This pattern was strongly influenced by the Carpathian Mountains orography. Using the simulated
δ
18
O data, we show that the spatial distribution of the
δ
18
O values increases with temperature and decreases with altitude and latitude (−0.5‰ for
δ
18
O per degree of latitude). The continental gradient is characterized by a polynomial trend of the second degree in the form of a large-open ‘U’ shape, and the general pattern of the
δ
18
O values follows the spatial distribution of the Carpathian Mountains.
Applicability of selected stable isotopes to study the hydrodynamics and contaminant transport within mining areas in Romania and Finland
Authors: Papp Delia C. , Baciu Călin , Turunen Kaisa , Kittilä Anniina
Published: August 2020

Mining operations disturb the natural hydrological cycle at a local scale by creating new pathways for water flow and conveying large amounts of water, both for use in ore beneficiation and through the dewatering of mining workings. Sulfide minerals exposed to water and oxygen are oxidized through chemical and microbial-enhanced reactions, significantly altering the quality of water (acid mine drainage). Stable isotopes may reveal important information concerning water origin and transfer, as well as chemical processes and solute fluxes within the aqueous environment. Several case studies illustrate the use of stable isotope techniques for clarifying aspects related to water circulation in mining areas within Romania and Finland. Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes coupled with total dissolved solids have been used to characterize mine water and for assessing water sources, flow paths and mixing processes at some Romanian mining sites. At Talvivaara mine in Finland, water isotopes and chemical composition were used to determine the extent of waste water contamination in groundwater systems after a leakage at gypsum ponds.
Quantification of a North American greenhouse hydrological cycle: using oxygen isotopic composition of phosphate from Early Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian) turtles
Authors: Suarez C. A. , Frucci M. N. , Tompkins T. B. , Suarez M. B.
Published: August 2020

The oxygen isotopic composition of turtle phosphate from Early (Aptian–Albian) Cretaceous turtles from several North American palaeolatitudes was measured to estimate the isotopic compositions of groundwater
δ
18
O
w
. In Earth's history, under greenhouse conditions, researchers have recorded an intensification of the hydrological cycle as global heat was distributed from the equator to the poles via latent heat transport. Previous studies, using pedogenic carbonate nodules, show an increased rainout effect, causing intense depletion in
δ
18
O
w
at high latitudes due to this phenomenon. This study shows the utility of another palaeo-
δ
18
O
w
proxy, turtle phosphate oxygen from turtle carapace and plastron. Turtle
δ
18
O
p
was sampled from several Early Cretaceous sites. We find that turtle-derived
δ
18
O
w
values range from −3.1 ± 0.9‰ at a palaeolatitude of 29.5° N to −7.2‰ at 40° N. Turtles at the lowest latitude (Arkansas) plot off the carbonate-derived
δ
18
O
w
gradient; however, turtles at 34° N and 40° N plot within the range of carbonate-derived
δ
18
O
w
. Turtles from Arkansas (29.5° N) were likely to have been influenced by marine water and/or enriched Gulf of Mexico water vapour resulting in a deviation from the expected
δ
18
O
w
gradient. These data are encouraging steps towards using turtles to estimate palaeohydrological dynamics; however, additional analysis of lower- and higher-latitude specimens is necessary to confirm this trend.
A General Coreset-Based Approach to Diversity Maximization under Matroid Constraints
Authors: Ceccarello Matteo , Pietracaprina Andrea , Pucci Geppino
Published: August 2020

Diversity maximization is a fundamental problem in web search and data mining. For a given dataset
S
of
n
elements, the problem requires to determine a subset of
S
containing
k
≪
n
“representatives” which maximize some diversity function expressed in terms of pairwise distances, where distance models dissimilarity. An important variant of the problem prescribes that the solution satisfy an additional orthogonal requirement, which can be specified as a matroid constraint (i.e., a feasible solution must be an independent set of size
k
of a given matroid). While unconstrained diversity maximization admits efficient coreset-based strategies for several diversity functions, known approaches dealing with the additional matroid constraint apply only to one diversity function (sum of distances), and are based on an expensive, inherently sequential, local search over the entire input dataset. We devise the first coreset-based algorithms for diversity maximization under matroid constraints for various diversity functions, together with efficient sequential, MapReduce, and Streaming implementations. Technically, our algorithms rely on the construction of a small coreset, that is, a subset of
S
containing a feasible solution which is no more than a factor 1−ɛ away from the optimal solution for
S
. While our algorithms are fully general, for the partition and transversal matroids, if ɛ is a constant in
(0,1)
and
S
has bounded doubling dimension, the coreset size is independent of
n
and it is small enough to afford the execution of a slow sequential algorithm to extract a final, accurate, solution in reasonable time. Extensive experiments show that our algorithms are accurate, fast, and scalable, and therefore they are capable of dealing with the large input instances typical of the big data scenario.
Growth and Characterizations of Mg-doped GaAs Films
Authors: Fong Dong
Published: August 2020

The short research of optimization of the growth method to obtain p-type GaAs (001) layers using Si as the dopant was reported in this work. Atomic force microscopy was used to analyze the surface morphology and low-temperature photoluminescence also used to confirm the p-type of the layers.
Role of metaplasia during gastric regeneration
Authors: Teal Emma , Dua-Awereh Martha , Hirshorn Sabrina T. , Zavros Yana
Published: August 2020

Spasmolytic polypeptide/trefoil factor 2 (TFF2)-expressing metaplasia (SPEM) is a mucous-secreting reparative lineage that emerges at the ulcer margin in response to gastric injury. Under conditions of chronic inflammation with parietal cell loss, SPEM has been found to emerge and evolve into neoplasia. Cluster-of-differentiation gene 44 (CD44) is known to coordinate normal and metaplastic epithelial cell proliferation. In particular, CD44 variant isoform 9 (CD44v9) associates with the cystine-glutamate transporter xCT, stabilizes the protein, and provides defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS). xCT stabilization by CD44v9 leads to defense against ROS by cystine uptake, glutathione (GSH) synthesis, and maintenance of the redox balance within the intracellular environment. Furthermore, p38 signaling is a known downstream ROS target, leading to diminished cell proliferation and migration, two vital processes of gastric epithelial repair. CD44v9 emerges during repair of the gastric epithelium after injury, where it is coexpressed with other markers of SPEM. The regulatory mechanisms for the emergence of CD44v9 and the role of CD44v9 during the process of gastric epithelial regeneration are largely unknown. Inflammation and M2 macrophage infiltration have recently been demonstrated to play key roles in the induction of SPEM after injury. The following review proposes new insights into the functional role of metaplasia in the process of gastric regeneration in response to ulceration. Our insights are extrapolated from documented studies reporting oxyntic atrophy and SPEM development and our current unpublished findings using the acetic acid-induced gastric injury model.
Mechanisms of hearing loss and cell death in the cochlea of connexin mutant mice
Authors: Chen Bei , Xu Hongen , Mi Yanfang , Jiang Wei , Guo Dan , Zhang Jinhui , Zhao Yulin , Tang Wenxue
Published: August 2020

Mutations in connexin 30 (Cx30) are known to cause severe congenital hearing impairment; however, the mechanism by which Cx30 mediates homeostasis of endocochlear gap junctions is unclear. We used a gene deletion mouse model to explore the mechanisms of Cx30 in preventing hearing loss. Our results suggest that despite severe loss of the auditory brain-stem response and endocochlear potential at postnatal day 18, Cx30−/− mice only show sporadic loss of the outer hair cells. This inconsistency in the time course and severity of hearing and hair cell losses in Cx30−/− mice might be explained, in part, by an increase in reactive oxygen species generation beginning at postnatal day 10. The expression of oxidative stress genes was increased in Cx30−/− mice in the stria vascularis, spiral ligament, and organ of Corti. Furthermore, Cx30 deficiency caused mitochondrial dysfunction at postnatal day 18, as assessed by decreased ATP levels and decreased expression of mitochondrial complex I proteins, especially in the stria vascularis. Proteomic analysis further identified 444 proteins that were dysregulated in Cx30−/− mice, including several that are involved in mitochondria electron transport, ATP synthesis, or ion transport. Additionally, proapoptotic proteins, including Bax, Bad, and caspase-3, were upregulated at postnatal day 18, providing a molecular basis to explain the loss of hearing that occurs before hair cell loss. Therefore, our results are consistent with an environment of oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in the cochlea of Cx30−/− mice that is coincident with hearing loss but precedes hair cell loss.
Enlightening the frontiers of neurogastroenterology through optogenetics
Authors: Johnson Anthony C. , Louwies Tijs , Ligon Casey O. , Greenwood-Van Meerveld Beverley
Published: August 2020

Neurogastroenterology refers to the study of the extrinsic and intrinsic nervous system circuits controlling the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Over the past 5–10 yr there has been an explosion in novel methodologies, technologies and approaches that offer great promise to advance our understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying GI function in health and disease. This review focuses on the use of optogenetics combined with electrophysiology in the field of neurogastroenterology. We discuss how these technologies and tools are currently being used to explore the brain-gut axis and debate the future research potential and limitations of these techniques. Taken together, we consider that the use of these technologies will enable researchers to answer important questions in neurogastroenterology through fundamental research. The answers to those questions will shorten the path from basic discovery to new treatments for patient populations with disorders of the brain-gut axis affecting the GI tract such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia, achalasia, and delayed gastric emptying.