bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global contribution of pelagic fungi to protein degradation in the ocean
Authors: Breyer Eva , Zhao Zihao , Herndl Gerhard J. , Baltar Federico
Published: September 2022

Background

Fungi are important degraders of organic matter responsible for reintegration of nutrients into global food chains in freshwater and soil environments. Recent evidence suggests that they are ubiquitously present in the oceanic water column where they play an active role in the degradation of carbohydrates. However, their role in processing other abundant biomolecules in the ocean in comparison with that of prokaryotes remains enigmatic. Here, we performed a global-ocean multi-omics analysis of all fungal-affiliated peptidases (main enzymes responsible for cleaving proteins), which constitute the major fraction (> 50%) of marine living and detrital biomass. We determined the abundance, expression, diversity, taxonomic affiliation, and functional classification of the genes encoding all pelagic fungal peptidases from the epi- and mesopelagic layers.

Results

We found that pelagic fungi are active contributors to protein degradation and nitrogen cycling in the global ocean. Dothideomycetes are the main fungi responsible for protease activity in the surface layers, whereas Leotiomycetes dominate in the mesopelagic realm. Gene abundance, diversity, and expression increased with increasing depth, similar to fungal CAZymes. This contrasts with the total occurrence of prokaryotic peptidases and CAZymes which are more uniformly distributed in the oceanic water column, suggesting potentially different ecological niches of fungi and prokaryotes. In-depth analysis of the most widely expressed fungal protease revealed the potentially dominating role of saprotrophic nutrition in the oceans.

Conclusions

Our findings expand the current knowledge on the role of oceanic fungi in the carbon cycle (carbohydrates) to the so far unknown global participation in nitrogen (proteins) degradation, highlighting potentially different ecological niches occupied by fungi and prokaryotes in the global ocean.
Policy and public communication methods among U.S. state prisons during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zielinski Melissa J. , Cowell Mariah , Bull Chelsey E. , Veluvolu Manasa , Behne M. Forrest , Nowotny Kathryn , Brinkley-Rubinstein Lauren
Published: September 2022

Background

Throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, our research team monitored and documented policy changes in United States (U.S.) prison systems. Data sources included prison websites and official prison social media accounts. Over 2500 data sources relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic in U.S. prisons were located and summarized in to five different categories: 1) prevention, 2) case identification and intervention, 3) movement, 4) social communication and connection, and 5) programming, recreation, and privileges.

Results

All state prison systems reportedly enacted multiple policies intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Document analysis revealed that the most commonly released policies were restrictions on social contacts and privileges, basic preventive measures (e.g., distribution of masks), and basic case identification measures (e.g., verbal screening and temperature checks). Utilization of social media for policy communication varied significantly across states, though relevant data was more often released on Facebook than Twitter.

Conclusions

Together, our work provides foundational knowledge on the wide breadth of policies that were reportedly enacted in the first year of the pandemic that may be used as a base for quantitative work on policy effectiveness and examinations of implementation.
Condylar morphology and position changes after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion in skeletal Class III malocclusion adult patients with mandibular deviation and unilateral posterior crossbite
Authors: Chen Shuai , Zhang Chunxi , Zhang Kaili , Tan Xiaoming , Xi Xun , Zhao Yi , Liu Dongxu
Published: September 2022

Background

To evaluate the morphological and positional changes of mandibular condyle after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) in skeletal Class III malocclusion adult patients with horizontal mandibular deviation (MD).

Methods

The sample consisted of 15 patients with MD (6 males and 9 females, mean age 21.58 ± 3.12 years). The CBCT scans were taken before and after MARPE immediately. The pre- and post-registered images of the cranial base and mandible were measured, respectively, by Mimics.

Results

After expansion, the distance between superior condylar point and the Frankfort horizontal plane on the deviated side and the non-deviated side increased by 0.96 ± 0.60 mm (P = 0.011) and 0.70 ± 0.65 mm (P = 0.046); coronal condylar angle of the deviated side increased by 0.39° ± 0.34 (P = 0.028) and 0.06° ± 0.49 (P = 0.917) on the non-deviated side. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing the condylar position on both sides before and after treatment. The degree of mandibular deviation decreased 0.43 mm (P = 0.270).

Conclusions

This study suggested that for skeletal Class III malocclusion adult patients with horizontal MD, the condyle on the deviated side rotated toward the non-deviated side in the coronal direction; the condylar remodeling occurred mainly on the deviated side after MARPE in the vertical direction.
The shift in sensory eye dominance from short-term monocular deprivation exhibits no dependence on test spatial frequency
Authors: Chen Yiya , Mao Yu , Zhou Jiawei , He Zhifen , Hess Robert F.
Published: September 2022

Background

Studies have shown that short-term monocular deprivation induces a shift in sensory eye dominance in favor of the deprived eye. Yet, how short-term monocular deprivation modulates sensory eye dominance across spatial frequency is not clear. To address this issue, we conducted a study to investigate the dependence of short-term monocular deprivation effect on test spatial frequency.

Methods

Ten healthy young adults (age: 24.7 ± 1.7 years, four males) with normal vision participated. We deprived their dominant eye with a translucent patch for 2.5 h. The interocular contrast ratio (dominant eye/non-dominant eye, i.e., the balance point [BP]), which indicates the contribution that the two eyes make to binocular combination, was measured using a binocular orientation combination task. We assessed if BPs at 0.5, 4 or 6 cycles/degree (c/d) change as a result of monocular deprivation. Different test spatial frequency conditions were conducted on three separate days in a random fashion.

Results

We compared the BPs at 0.5, 4 and 6 c/d before and after monocular deprivation. The BPs were found to be significantly affected by deprivation, where sensory eye dominance shift to the deprived eye (F1.86, 16.76 = 33.09, P < 0.001). The changes of BP were consistent at 0.5, 4, and 6 c/d spatial frequencies (F2,18 = 0.15, P = 0.57).

Conclusion

The sensory eye dominance plasticity induced by short-term deprivation is not dependent on test spatial frequency, suggesting it could provide a practical solution for amblyopic therapy that was concerned with the binocular outcome.
Visual acuity, near phoria and accommodation in myopic children using spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets: results from a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Huang Yingying , Li Xue , Wang Chu , Zhou Fengchao , Yang Adeline , Chen Hao , Bao Jinhua
Published: September 2022

Objectives

To investigate the short- and long-term effects of myopia control spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) and slightly aspherical lenslets (SAL) on visual function and visual quality using data obtained from a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomized, controlled, and double-blinded study; 170 myopic children aged 8–13 years were randomly assigned to the HAL, SAL, or single-vision spectacle lenses (SVL) groups. Distance and near visual acuity (VA) at high (100%) and low (10%) contrast in photopic and scotopic conditions, near phoria, stereoacuity, and accommodative lag, microfluctuations (AMFs), amplitude (AA) were measured after wearing lenses for 10 min, 6 months, and 12 months.

Results

In total, 161 subjects completed all follow-up in 12 months and were included in the analysis. After 10 min of wearing, the HAL and SAL groups had lower scotopic and low-contrast VA than the SVL group (decreased 0.03–0.08 logMAR and 0.01–0.04 logMAR in different VAs in the HAL and SAL groups, respectively, all P < 0.05). The reduction in VA was recovered at 12 months as the HAL and SAL groups exhibited significant VA improvements, and the VA was not different among the three groups (all P > 0.05). The HAL and SAL groups had significantly larger AMFs than the SVL group (HAL vs. SAL vs. SVL: 0.21 ± 0.08 D vs. 0.16 ± 0.05 D vs. 0.15 ± 0.06 D at baseline, 0.19 ± 0.07 D vs. 0.17 ± 0.05 D vs. 0.13 ± 0.07 D at 12 months, all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in accommodative lag, AA, or phoria between the groups (all P > 0.05). The HAL and SAL groups had reduced stereoacuity compared to the SVL group at baseline (70’ vs. 60’ vs. 50’, P = 0.005), but no difference was observed at 12 months (70’ vs. 70’ vs. 70’, P = 0.11).

Conclusions

HAL and SAL have no significant influence on accommodation and phoria except had larger AMF than SVL. Scotopic VA and low-contrast VA are reduced with short-term HAL and SAL use but recovered to be at same level with the SVL after 1 year of use.

Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1800017683. Registered on 9 August 2018. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=29789
Laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy with laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for superior mesenteric artery syndrome with dysphagia: a case report
Authors: Kimura Akiharu , Morinaga Nobuhiro , Wada Wataru , Ogata Kyoichi , Morishita Akiko , Okuyama Takayuki , Kato Hiroyuki , Sohda Makoto , Shirabe Ken , Saeki Hiroshi
Published: September 2022

Background

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome denotes a mechanical duodenal obstruction between the SMA and aorta. Total parenteral or enteral nutrition is the treatment of choice. However, surgical intervention is indicated if the patient’s condition does not improve with conservative treatment. Here, we describe a case of SMA syndrome with dysphagia treated by laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy with laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

Case presentation

A 64-year-old man was admitted to another hospital because of appetite loss and vomiting. There, he was diagnosed as having superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome after appropriate investigation. He had had a cerebral infarction at age 57 years, since which he had lived in social housing because of complications of that infarction. A nasogastric tube was inserted into the third portion of the duodenum beyond the constricted section. He was discharged 2 months after admission his condition having improved. He was subsequently referred to our hospital for gastrostomy because the nasogastric tube had been in place for a long time and his condition had not improved. Additionally, gastrostomy was needed as a route for enteral nutrition because he had dysphagia, which had persisted despite attempts at rehabilitation, restricting his food intake to small amounts. Computed tomography (CT) revealed compression of the third portion of the duodenum between the SMA and aorta. After obtaining informed consent, we planned an operative procedure. We performed laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy under general anesthesia, followed by laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. The operation time was 156 min and there was little blood loss. Contrast radiography on postoperative day 3 revealed no evidence of leakage or stenosis. Enteral nutrition via the gastrostomy was started. He was discharged from our hospital on the 27th postoperative day. The gastrostomy was well tolerated and there has been no evidence of recurrence of SMA syndrome during follow-up.

Conclusion

Gastrostomy is often performed to provide a route for administering enteral nutrition in patients with dysphagia. Development of SMA syndrome in patients with dysphagia necessitates operative management of the obstruction. Here, we describe a case of SMA syndrome with dysphagia treated by laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy with laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.
Estimating social contacts in mass gatherings for disease outbreak prevention and management: case of Hajj pilgrimage
Authors: Tofighi Mohammadali , Asgary Ali , Tofighi Ghassem , Najafabadi Mahdi M. , Arino Julien , Amiche Amine , Rahman Ashrafur , McCarthy Zachary , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Thommes Edward , Coudeville Laurent , Grunnill Martin David , Bourouiba Lydia , Wu Jianhong
Published: September 2022

Background

Most mass gathering events have been suspended due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, with vaccination rollout, whether and how to organize some of these mass gathering events arises as part of the pandemic recovery discussions, and this calls for decision support tools. The Hajj, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, was substantively scaled down in 2020 and 2021 and it is still unclear how it will take place in 2022 and subsequent years. Simulating disease transmission dynamics during the Hajj season under different conditions can provide some insights for better decision-making. Most disease risk assessment models require data on the number and nature of possible close contacts between individuals.

Methods

We sought to use integrated agent-based modeling and discrete events simulation techniques to capture risky contacts among the pilgrims and assess different scenarios in one of the Hajj major sites, namely Masjid-Al-Haram.

Results

The simulation results showed that a plethora of risky contacts may occur during the rituals. Also, as the total number of pilgrims increases at each site, the number of risky contacts increases, and physical distancing measures may be challenging to maintain beyond a certain number of pilgrims in the site.

Conclusions

This study presented a simulation tool that can be relevant for the risk assessment of a variety of (respiratory) infectious diseases, in addition to COVID-19 in the Hajj season. This tool can be expanded to include other contributing elements of disease transmission to quantify the risk of the mass gathering events.
Effect of defatted rice bran supplementation on metabolic parameters and inflammatory status in overweight/obese adults with hypercholesterolemia: a randomized, placebo-controlled intervention
Authors: Saphyakhajorn Weeraya , Sirirat Rawiwan , Sapwarobol Suwimol
Published: September 2022

Background

Defatted rice bran (DRB) is a byproduct of rice bran oil production rich in fiber, protein, and antioxidant compounds that may confer beneficial effects on metabolic profiles in humans. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of DRB supplementation on anthropometric and blood biochemical indices, dietary intake, and inflammatory status in overweight/obese subjects with hypercholesterolemia.

Methods

In a 12-week-randomized placebo-controlled trial, 61 overweight/obese participants with a total cholesterol level > 200 mg/dL were randomly assigned either to 30 g/d DRB (n = 30) or to 10 g/d maltodextrin (n = 31).

Results

DRB intervention significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 4.27 and 4.50%, respectively (126.20 ± 13.63 to 120.60 ± 13.72 mmHg,p = 0.0003and 80.87 ± 7.38 to 77.17 ± 9.83 mmHg,p = 0.0035). HbA1c also decreased significantly by 3.59% (5.89% ± 0.76% to 5.66% ± 0.62%,p = 0.0001) after DRB supplementation. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels also decreased insignificantly by 3.12, 1.32, and 1.53%, respectively, after DRB supplementation. Insignificant differences in fasting blood glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, hs-CRP and homocysteine levels were also observed after DRB intervention. Reduction in caloric and fat intake were reported in DRB groups.

Conclusions

DRB supplementation improved blood pressure and HbA1c levels. It also lowered blood cholesterol, albeit insignificantly. Caloric and fat intake were also significantly lower after DRB supplementation. Further study is needed to evaluate the mechanisms by which DRB improves these metabolic indices.

Trial registration

Thai Clinical Trial Registration (https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/.) Thai Clinical Trial Registration number: TCTR20191020003. Registered 20 October 2019.
SNPs in apolipoproteins contribute to sex-dependent differences in blood lipids before and after a high-fat dietary challenge in healthy U.S. adults
Authors: Wang Yining E. , Kirschke Catherine P. , Woodhouse Leslie R. , Bonnel Ellen L. , Stephensen Charles B. , Bennett Brian J. , Newman John W. , Keim Nancy L. , Huang Liping
Published: September 2022

Background

The effect of genetic polymorphisms on fasting blood lipid levels have been widely studied but the effects of these within the context of a high-fat meal challenge remain less characterized. The current study aimed to investigate the association of SNPs in lipoprotein-related genes with blood lipid profiles in healthy adults in the U.S.

Methods

Subjects (n = 393) between 18–66 years of age with BMIs ranging from 18.5–45 kg/m2 were enrolled the cross-sectional Nutritional Phenotyping Study. Among them, 349 subjects (men: 48%; women: 52%) gave consent for genotyping. SNPs in APOA5, APOB, APOC3, APOE, and LDLR were assessed. The association between lipid markers and genotypes was tested separately for each SNP with analysis of variance (ANOVA), adjusted for sex, age, and BMI. We also examined two-factor interactions between SNPs and sex, age, or BMI.

Results

Women carrying the C allele of rs3135506 in APOA5 or men carrying the C allele of rs429358 in APOE had reduced HDL-cholesterol levels during fasting and postprandially. The C allele in APOE was also correlated to increased LDL-C levels. The TT genotype of rs2854116 in APOC3 was associated with elevated total cholesterol. Additive effect of the risk alleles of APOA5 and APOE or APOC3 and APOE was detected. Nevertheless, the tested SNPs had little impact on the postprandial triglyceride responses to the high-fat challenge meal. We found no significant effects of SNPs in APOB (rs1042034) or LDLR (rs2228671) on triglycerides, cholesterol, or free fatty acid levels.

Conclusions

In healthy adults, fasting and postprandial cholesterol levels are strongly correlated with the tested APOA5, APOE, and APOC3 genotypes. Sex contributes to the genetic impact of the tested SNPs on lipid profiles.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02367287. Registered February 20, 2015, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02367287.
Translanguaging at a Saudi University: discrepancy between English language teachers’ attitudes and self-reported pedagogical practices
Authors: Almayez Mayez
Published: September 2022

‘Translanguaging’ has recently become a buzzword in TESOL scholarship, serving as both a theoretical concept to decribe the ways in which langauge learners fluidly use their whole linguistic repertoires to communicate and convey meaning as well as a pedagogical tool to leverage those repertoires as valuable learning resources. Over the past two decades, numerous empirical studies have been conducted in many corners of the world to investigate pedagogical translingual practices inside language learning classrooms. Yet, little is known about this phenomenon within the context of KSA, wherein TESOL policies ban the use of students’ native langauge(s) and render them as an impediment to language learning. This study addresses this lacuna as it firstly explores English language teachers’ attitudes towards pedagogical translanguaging, and secondly examines the extent to which those attitudes are reflected into their reoprted pedagogical practices. 101 mono-, bi-, and multilingual English language teachers at a Saudi unveristiy voluntarily participated in this study. By drawing on survey data, the findings showcase a considerable discrepancy between teachers’ stated attitudes and reported pedagogical practices. The findings also illuminate the constraints that hindered the participants’ adoption of pedagogical translanguaging in their teaching. The study finally concludes with pedagogical and policy implications.
Endovascular treatment of acute M1 occlusions due to underlying intracranial atherosclerotic severe stenosis
Authors: Yan Yazhou , Du Li , He Xiliang , Huang Qinghai , Pan Yuan , Xin Tao
Published: September 2022

Background

Endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke with an occlusion of the M1 segment due to intracranial atherosclerotic severe stenosis (ICASS) remains challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EVT for ICASS-related M1 acute occlusion.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all patients with an ICASS-related M1 acute occlusion who underwent EVT at our institution between January 2015 and December 2020. Clinical presentation, baseline characteristics, angiographic and clinical results, technical feasibility, perioperative complications, and follow-up results were evaluated.

Results

Twenty-two patients with ICASS-related M1 acute occlusion were included. Eight patients (36.4%) received bridging therapy, and the other 14 patients (63.6%) directly underwent EVT. Fifteen patients (68.2%) treated with balloon dilations and stenting as rescue treatment. Six patients (27.3%) received single balloon angioplasty, and 5 of these patients were treated with staged stenting. One case (4.5%) failed recanalization at the first EVT, and successful revascularization was achieved a month later. The mean procedure time was 67.2 ± 20.8 min. Successful revascularization (mTICI ≥ 2b) was achieved in 95.5% (21/22) of patients. Perioperative complications developed in two patients (9.1%) including one hemorrhagic event and one thromboembolic event. Angiographic follow-up was available in 20 patients (90.9%) at an average of 8.6 ± 3.0 months. The degree of stenosis was worse (10–30%) in 6 cases (30%) compared with the initial outcomes. The favorable outcomes (mRS ≤ 2) at 3-month follow-up was achieved in 19 patients (86.4%).

Conclusions

ICASS-related occlusion in the M1 segment often required a rescue therapy including balloon angioplasty with/without stenting, and this treatment strategy was safe and effective. But single balloon angioplasty at the first EVT generally cannot achieve satisfactory results and often needed staged stenting treatment.
Analyzing appropriate autonomous vessel for South-East Asian route: from the view of seafarers
Authors: Rahman Bornali
Published: September 2022

The development of autonomous vessel has achieved tremendous interest across the world for the safe navigation and economic benefits. Numerous alternatives are constructed in the autonomous vessel development projects, the alternatives of MUNIN and NYK project are combined for this study; these are - Manned autonomous vessel, Remotely controlled vessel, Autonomous and Partially remote-controlled vessel, and Full autonomous vessel. As the statistics of UNCTAD shows that South-East Asia is a highly dense region and has the busiest international maritime connectivity, this research tried to select the appropriate autonomous vessels from the four alternatives to ensure safe navigation in this traffic congested maritime route. For this study, 311 accident reports are investigated to find out the most frequent casualty and its cause. The data are collected from the global integrated shipping information system of the international maritime organization's website. The decision tree of R-studio demonstrates that the most frequent accidents are- Collision, Grounding, Fire, and listing. Afterwards a survey was made on 65 experienced seafarers to determine which autonomous vessel criteria would be compatible to avoid the casualty. This research adopts AHP (analytical hierarchy process) to conduct the analysis. AHP is a multi-criteria decision analysis method for solving any decision problem. The research shows that ‘Manned autonomous vessel’ and ‘Autonomous and Partially remote-controlled vessel’ are the appropriate alternatives for safe navigation in the South-East Asian region. This study will help the researcher who is working in autonomous vessel development, mainly working for Asian water.
Design of a 2-DOF-PID controller using an improved sine–cosine algorithm for load frequency control of a three-area system with nonlinearities
Authors: Gupta Neelesh Kumar , Kar Manoj Kumar , Singh Arun Kumar
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes an improved sine–cosine algorithm (ISCA) based 2-DOF-PID controller for load frequency control. A three-area test system is built for study, while some physical constraints (nonlinearities) are considered for the investigation of a realistic power system. The proposed method is used as the parameter optimizer of the LFC controller in different scenarios. The 2-DOF-PID controllers are used because of their capability of fast disturbance rejection without significant increase of overshoot in set-point tracking. The 2-DOF-PID controllers’ efficacy is observed by examining the responses with the outcomes obtained with PID and FOPID controllers. The simulation results with the suggested scheme are correlated with some of the existing algorithms, such as SCA, SSA, ALO, and PSO in three different scenarios, i.e., a disturbance in two areas, in three areas, and in the presence of physical constraints. In addition, the study is extended to a four-area power system. Statistical analysis is performed using the Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test (WSRT) on 20 independent runs. This confirms the supremacy of the proposed method.
CAMFuzz: Explainable Fuzzing with Local Interpretation
Authors: Shi Ji , Zou Wei , Zhang Chao , Tan Lingxiao , Zou Yanyan , Peng Yue , Huo Wei
Published: September 2022

Grey-box fuzzing techniques have been widely used in software bug finding. In general, there are many decisions to make in the fuzzing process, including which code block in the target program should be explored first, which bytes of an input seed should be mutated to reach the target code block, and how to mutate the chosen input bytes. However, existing solutions usually rely on random exploration or certain heuristics to choose where and how to fuzz, which limits the efficiency of fuzzing. In this paper, we propose a novel solution CAMFuzz to guide the fuzzing process with explainable decisions in explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). First, we propose a dynamic weight adjustment algorithm, which considers both the difficulty of reaching a block and the number of unvisited blocks nearby, to find code blocks worthy to explore first. Second, we utilize a widely used local interpretation technique, i.e., class activation mapping (CAM), to recognize which part of an input seed should be mutated to reach a given target code block. Therefore, CAMFuzz can distinguish which part of code in the program is more important and which positions in the input file should be mutated first, in order to achieve a better code coverage and bug finding efficiency. Third, to further help the fuzzer increase fuzzing efficiency, we leverage a lightweight static program analysis to help the fuzzer identify magic values. We implement a prototype of CAMFuzz and evaluate it on 13 real-world programs (including 11 open source targets, 2 closed-source commercial products including a Microsoft component and Hancom Office) Results show that CAMFuzz outperforms state-of-the-art fuzzers in both code coverage and bug finding. To detail, CAMFuzz on average achieves 2.07$$\times$$
×
more bugs and 1.17$$\times$$
×
coverage improvements. In total, it found 19 previously unknown vulnerabilities, of which 6 have been assigned by CVE so far.
Relative bradycardia in patients with COVID-19
Authors: Jung Lae-Young , Kim Jae-Min , Ryu Sukhyun , Lee Chang-Seop
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Relative bradycardia(RB) is a relatively low heart rate response to rise in body temperature that occurs in several infectious diseases and can be an important clinical sign. In previous case reports, RB was presented in some patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) COVID-19.

Objective and Methods

To investigate the correlation between temperature and heart rate, we retrospectively reviewed 249 febrile patients with documented COVID-19 patients. RB was defined as a rise in the heart rate from a basal heart rate of less than 10 beats/minute/°C rise in temperature.

Results

In this study, the prevalence of RB in patients with COVID-19 was 60.6%. When the HR at peak temperatures for patients with COVID-19 were compared with reference valve (general temperature-heart rate response in infectious disease), our findings demonstrate a relatively lower heart rate at all peak temperatures recorded. Despite differences in heart rate response, there were not significant differences in clinical outcomes (pulmonary manifestation, intensive care unit admission, Death).

Conclusions

Most patients with COVID-19 are associated with relative bradycardia, not related to clinical outcomes. RB in COVID-19 can be considered as the clinical features for differential diagnosis from other febrile conditions.
A review of current practices in periprosthetic joint infection debridement and revision arthroplasty
Authors: Mian Humza M. , Lyons Joseph G. , Perrin Joshua , Froehle Andrew W. , Krishnamurthy Anil B.
Published: September 2022

Background

Periprosthetic joint infection remains a significant challenge for arthroplasty surgeons globally. Over the last few decades, there has been much advancement in terms of treatment and diagnosis, however, the fight rages on. As management of periprosthetic joint infections continues to evolve, it is critical to reflect back on current debridement practices to establish common ground as well as identify areas for future research and improvement.

Body

In order to understand the debridement techniques of periprosthetic joint infections, one must also understand how to diagnose a periprosthetic joint infection. Multiple definitions have been elucidated over the years with no single consensus established but rather sets of criteria. Once a diagnosis has been established the decision of debridement method becomes whether to proceed with single vs two-stage revision based on the probability of infection as well as individual patient factors. After much study, two-stage revision has emerged as the gold standard in the management of periprosthetic infections but single-stage remains prominent with further and further research.

Conclusion

Despite decades of data, there is no single treatment algorithm for periprosthetic joint infections and subsequent debridement technique. Our review touches on the goals of debridement while providing a perspective as to diagnosis and the particulars of how intraoperative factors such as intraarticular irrigation can play pivotal roles in infection eradication. By providing a perspective on current debridement practices, we hope to encourage future study and debate on how to address periprosthetic joint infections best.
Automated active learning in seismic image interpretation
Authors: Di Haibin , Abubakar Aria
Published: September 2022

Three-dimensional seismic interpretation has been significantly accelerated by the recent implementation of various machine learning algorithms, particularly supervised convolutional neural networks (CNNs). CNNs are able to parse seismic data from the perspective of pattern recognition, extract seismic features at multiple scales, and provide acceptable predictions. The performance of a supervised CNN in seismic image interpretation greatly depends on its training labels, which are usually a set of seismic sections with expert annotations. Among the thousands of sections in a typical 3D seismic cube, effectively selecting those that are most representative is a challenging task. A common approach is to have an experienced interpreter visually screen all of the sections and make their selection. To improve the efficiency of training section selection and to avoid introducing bias from manual screening, this work proposes an automated-active-learning (AutoAL) workflow for interactive seismic image interpretation. This enables quantitatively evaluating the machine performance after one iteration and efficiently recommending the sections to be labeled for learning in the next iteration. The added value of the proposed approach is validated through an application of seismic facies classification to the Parihaka data set in the northwest part of offshore Taranaki Basin in New Zealand. Starting from four initial sections, in three iterations the proposed AutoAL automatically recommends 14 from more than 1300 sections as training data. This improves the accuracy and average F1 of the machine prediction over 0.9. Comparisons demonstrate better prediction by the proposed scheme over traditional training section selection schemes, such as manual screening and clustering-based recommendation.
Sequencing of Ipilimumab Plus Nivolumab and Encorafenib Plus Binimetinib for Untreated BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma (SECOMBIT): A Randomized, Three-Arm, Open-Label Phase II Trial
Authors: Ascierto Paolo A. , Mandalà Mario , Ferrucci Pier Francesso , Guidoboni Massimo , Rutkowski Piotr , Ferraresi Virginia , Arance Ana , Guida Michele , Maiello Evaristo , Gogas Helen , Richtig Erika , Fierro Maria Teresa , Lebbè Celeste , Helgadottir Hildur , Queirolo Paola , Spagnolo Francesco , Tucci Marco , Del Vecchio Michele , Gonzales Cao Maria , Minisini Alessandro Marco , De Placido Sabino , Sanmamed Miguel F. , Mallardo Domenico , Curvietto Marcello , Melero Ignacio , Palmieri Giuseppe , Grimaldi Antonio M. , Giannarelli Diana , Dummer Reinhard , Chiarion Sileni Vanna
Published: September 2022

PURPOSE

Limited prospective data are available on sequential immunotherapy and BRAF/MEK inhibition for BRAFV600-mutant metastatic melanoma.

METHODS

SECOMBIT is a randomized, three-arm, noncomparative phase II trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02631447 ). Patients with untreated, metastatic BRAFV600-mutant melanoma from 37 sites in nine countries were randomly assigned to arm A (encorafenib [450 mg orally once daily] plus binimetinib [45 mg orally twice daily] until progressive disease [PD] -> ipilimumab plus nivolumab [ipilimumab 3 mg/kg once every 3 weeks and nivolumab 1 mg/kg once every 3 weeks × four cycles -> nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks]), arm B [ipilimumab plus nivolumab until PD -> encorafenib plus binimetinib], or arm C (encorafenib plus binimetinib for 8 weeks -> ipilimumab plus nivolumab until PD -> encorafenib plus binimetinib). The primary end point was overall survival (OS) at 2 years. Secondary end points included total progression-free survival, 3-year OS, best overall response rate, duration of response, and biomarkers in the intent-to-treat population. Safety was analyzed throughout sequential treatment in all participants who received at least one dose of study medication.

RESULTS

A total of 209 patients were randomly assigned (69 in arm A, 71 in arm B, and 69 in arm C). At a median follow-up of 32.2 (interquartile range, 27.9-41.6) months, median OS was not reached in any arm and more than 30 patients were alive in all arms. Assuming a null hypothesis of median OS of ≤ 15 months, the OS end point was met for all arms. The 2-year and 3-year OS rates were 65% (95% CI, 54 to 76) and 54% (95% CI, 41 to 67) in arm A, 73% (95% CI, 62 to 84) and 62% (95% CI, 48 to 76) in arm B, and 69% (95% CI, 59 to 80) and 60% (95% CI, 58 to 72) in arm C. No new safety signals emerged.

CONCLUSION

Sequential immunotherapy and targeted therapy provide clinically meaningful survival benefits for patients with BRAFV600-mutant melanoma.
Comparing a Bayesian Approach (BEST) with the Two One-Sided t-Tests (TOSTs) for Bioequivalence Studies
Authors: Peck Carl , Campbell Gregory , Yoo Isaac , Feng Kairui , Hu Meng , Zhao Liang
Published: September 2022

The two one-sided t-tests (TOST) procedure has been used to evaluate average bioequivalence (BE). As a regulatory standard, it is crucial that TOST distinguish BE from not-BE (NBE) when BE data are not lognormal. TOST was compared with a Bayesian procedure (BEST by Kruschke) in simulated datasets of test/reference ratios (T/R) which were BE and NBE, wherein (1) log(T/R) or T-R were normally distributed, (2) sample sizes ranged 10–50, and (3) extreme log(T/R) or T-R values were randomly included in datasets. The 90% “credible interval” (CrI) from BEST is a Bayesian alternative of the 90% confidence interval (CI) of TOST and it can be derived from a posterior distribution that is more reflective of the observed mean log(T/R) distribution that often deviates from normality. In the absence of extreme T/R values, both methods agreed BE when observed T/R were lognormal. BEST more accurately concluded BE or NBE, while requiring fewer subjects, when observed log(T/R) or T-R were normal in the presence of extreme values. Overall, TOST and BEST perform comparably on lognormal T/R, while BEST is more accurate, requiring fewer subjects when datasets are normal for T-R or contain extreme values. Of note, the normally distributed datasets only rarely contain extreme values. Our results imply that when BEST and TOST yield different BE assessment results from bioequivalent products, TOST may disadvantage applicants when T/R are not lognormal and/or include extreme T/R values. Application of BEST can address the situation when T/R are not lognormal or include extreme data values. Application of BEST to BE data can be considered a useful alternative to TOST for evaluation of BE and for efficient development of BE formulations.
RhoB Promotes Endometrial Stromal Cells Decidualization Via Semaphorin3A/PlexinA4 Signaling in Early Pregnancy
Authors: Xu Ling , Li Yan-Hong , Zhao Wei-Jie , Sang Yi-Fei , Chen Jia-Jia , Li Da-Jin , Du Mei-Rong
Published: September 2022

Endometrial decidualization refers to a series of morphological changes and functional remodeling of the uterine endometrium to accept the embryo under the effect of estrogen and progesterone secreted by ovaries after ovulation. During decidualization, endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) proliferate and differentiate into decidual stromal cells, undergoing cytoskeletal rearrangement-mediated morphological changes and expressing decidualization markers, such as insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 and prolactin. Ras homology (Rho) proteins, a family of small G proteins, are well known as regulators of cellular morphology and involved in multiple other cellular processes. In this study, we found ras homolog family member B (RHOB) was the most significantly upregulated gene in the Rho protein family after the in vitro decidualization of human primary ESCs. RhoB expression was induced mainly by 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine 5′-monophosphate (cAMP) / protein kinase A (PKA) / cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element binding protein signaling and partly by progesterone signaling. Knockdown of RhoB in ESCs greatly inhibited actin cytoskeletal rearrangement, cell morphological transformation, and upregulation of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1, suggesting an indispensable role of RhoB in decidualization. Mechanistically, the downstream target of RhoB was semaphorin3A (Sema3A), which mediated its signaling via interacting with the receptor, plexinA4. More importantly, decreased expression of RhoB, Sema3A, and plexinA4 were detected in deciduas from patients with unexplained spontaneous miscarriage. Collectively, our results indicate that RhoB/Sema3A/plexinA4 signaling plays a positive role in endometrial decidualization and relates to unexplained spontaneous miscarriage, which is worthy of further exploration so as to provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for pregnancy diseases associated with poor decidualization.
A pilot study of risk-stratified cervical cancer screening
Authors: Wang Jiangrong , Elfström K. Miriam , Borgfeldt Christer , Dillner Joakim
Published: September 2022

Background: Cervical screening programs target entire populations, although it is well established that cervical cancer risks can vary >100-fold based, in particular, on the woman’s screening history. Since cervical screening switched to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary screening method, the risk differences are even larger as different HPV types may vary in associated cancer risk by 100 times. Furthermore, HPV infections with the most oncogenic types are declining dramatically because of HPV vaccination programs. Tailoring screening intensity based on the known cancer risk of the individual (risk-stratified screening) therefore has great potential to increase both the sensitivity and specificity. Within Horizon 2020 a major project for Risk-stratified Screening for Cervical Cancer (RISCC) has therefore been launched. We performed a pilot study of risk-stratified screening to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of offering vaginal HPV self-sampling tests to women with a higher risk of cervical cancer.

Methods: We identified resident women who had had either i) atypical glandular cells in screening tests during the past six years (risk >150/100,000 woman-years) or ii) abnormal screening findings above the age of 50, but without sufficient follow-up (risk >65/100,000). The women were invited, either by short message service (SMS) or physical letters, to order an HPV self-sampling kit via the study web-platform. The returned self-collected samples were tested for HPV. If positive, women were invited for clinical follow-up.

Results: Among 920 targeted women, 191 (21%) placed an order and 163 (18%) returned a self-collected sample. Among all tested samples, 19 (12%) were positive for hrHPV and 18 of these women attended clinical follow-up.

Conclusions: SMS invitations to high-risk women complemented with physical letters are feasible and result in substantial requests for kits and submission of samples. Future work will focus on improving the efficiency of the procedure and further increasing attendance.
Impacto do modelo Flipped Classroom na experiência de aprendizagem dos alunos em contexto online
Authors: Ribeirinha Teresa , Alves Regina , Duarte Silva Bento Silva
Published: September 2022

As perceções dos alunos face à aprendizagem remota referem aspetos negativos relacionados com o suporte insuficiente dos professores ou a falta de motivação. Porém, a aplicação do modelo Flipped Classroom (MFC) apresenta efeitos positivos nos resultados de aprendizagem cognitiva,nos níveis de motivação, satisfação e autonomia dos alunos. Este estudo tevecomo objetivo analisar as perceções dos alunos do ensino secundário português acerca da experiência de aprendizagem no MFC, em contexto online,e relacioná-las com indicadores da experiência de aprendizagem. Utilizou-se uma abordagem de métodos mistos com recurso a um questionário e a entrevistas grupais que possibilitaram uma maior compreensão da influência das características do modelo na experiência de aprendizagem dos alunos. Os resultados mostraram que a característica do MFC mais valorizada foi o envolvimento dos alunos no processo de construção de conhecimentos. Revelaram uma correlação positiva entre as características do modelo e os indicadores da experiência de aprendizagem e destacaram o papel do professor na estratégia motivacional da promoção da autonomia.Concluiu-sequequando existe um design estratégico dos conteúdos suportado pelas interações com os pares epelo feedback doprofessor,aimplementaçãoonlinedo MFCcumpre as “necessidades” motivacionais dos alunos para se envolverem na aprendizagem
MILP Sensitivity Analysis for the Objective Function Coefficients
Authors: Andersen Kim Allan , Boomsma Trine Krogh , Nielsen Lars Relund
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a new approach to sensitivity analysis of the objective function coefficients in mixed-integer linear programming (MILP). We determine the maximal region of the coefficients for which the current solution remains optimal. The region is maximal in the sense that, for variations beyond this region, the optimal solution changes. For variations in a single objective function coefficient, we show how to obtain the region by biobjective mixed-integer linear programming. In particular, we prove that it suffices to determine the two extreme nondominated points adjacent to the optimal solution of the MILP problem. Furthermore, we show how to extend the methodology to simultaneous changes to two or more coefficients by use of multiobjective analysis. Two examples illustrate the applicability of the approach.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoo.2022.0078 .
Exactness of Parrilo’s Conic Approximations for Copositive Matrices and Associated Low Order Bounds for the Stability Number of a Graph
Authors: Laurent Monique , Vargas Luis Felipe
Published: September 2022

De Klerk and Pasechnik introduced in 2002 semidefinite bounds [Formula: see text] for the stability number [Formula: see text] of a graph G and conjectured their exactness at order [Formula: see text]. These bounds rely on the conic approximations [Formula: see text] introduced by Parrilo in 2000 for the copositive cone [Formula: see text]. A difficulty in the convergence analysis of the bounds is the bad behavior of Parrilo’s cones under adding a zero row/column: when applied to a matrix not in [Formula: see text] this gives a matrix that does not lie in any of Parrilo’s cones, thereby showing that their union is a strict subset of the copositive cone for any [Formula: see text]. We investigate the graphs for which the bound of order r≤1 is exact: we algorithmically reduce testing exactness of [Formula: see text] to acritical graphs, we characterize the critical graphs with [Formula: see text] exact, and we exhibit graphs for which exactness of [Formula: see text] is not preserved under adding an isolated node. This disproves a conjecture posed by Gvozdenović and Laurent in 2007, which, if true, would have implied the above conjecture by de Klerk and Pasechnik.

Funding: This work is supported by the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Grant Agreement Polynomial Optimization, Efficiency through Moments and Algebra [Grant 813211].