bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine perfusion of donor organs for transplantation
Authors: Tatum Robert , O’Malley Thomas J. , Bodzin Adam S. , Tchantchaleishvili Vakhtang
Published: December 2020

The ever‐widening gap between organ supply and demand has resulted in an organ shortage crisis that affects patients all over the world. For decades, static cold storage (SCS) was the gold standard preservation strategy because of its simplicity and cost‐effectiveness, but the rising unmet demand for donor organ transplants has prompted investigation into preservation strategies that can expand the available donor pool. Through ex vivo functional assessment of the organ prior to transplant, newer methods to preserve organs such as perfusion‐based therapy can potentially expand the available organ pool. This review will explain the physiologic rationale for SCS before exploring the advantages and disadvantages associated with the two broad classes of preservation strategies that have emerged to address the crisis: hypothermic and normothermic machine perfusion. A detailed analysis of how each preservation strategy works will be provided before investigating the current status of clinical data for each preservation strategy for the kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, and lung. For some organs there is robust data to support the use of machine perfusion technologies over SCS, and in others the data are less clear. Nonetheless, machine perfusion technologies represent an exciting frontier in organ preservation research and will remain a crucial component of closing the gap between organ supply and recipient demand.
Treatment of tracheal stenosis with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in infants and newborns
Authors: Pola dos Reis Flavio , Minamoto Helio , Bibas Benoit Jacques , Minamoto Fabio Eiti Nishibe , Cardoso Paulo Francisco Guerreiro , Caneo Luiz Fernando , Pêgo‐Fernandes Paulo Manuel
Published: December 2020

Tracheal stenosis in children is a challenge for the healthcare team, since it is a rare disease. Patients usually have other clinical comorbidities, mainly previous cardiac surgical interventions. This retrospective single‐center study included infants with tracheal stenosis (congenital or acquired) operated between 2016 and 2020 on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO). Five patients were operated and the median age of detection of the tracheal disease was 3.7 months, and the median age at the operation was 5 months. All patients had associated cardiac anomalies. Four patients had congenital tracheal stenosis; two with associated pig bronchus. One patient had acquired subglottic stenosis with concomitant stenosis at the carina. After the operation, the patients were referred to ICU on ECMO with an open chest. Minor ECMO‐related complications occurred in two patients (hemothorax and wound infection). All patients required endoscopic evaluation during the postoperative care; median of 3.2 procedures. Two patients are currently in follow‐up and three have died. Slide tracheoplasty with VA‐ECMO can be successfully performed in infants with prior cardiac surgery. Nevertheless, a difficult postoperative course should be anticipated, with possible prolonged ECMO use, readmissions, and higher morbidity and mortality than in children with tracheal stenosis alone.
Ecological drivers of avian community assembly along a tropical elevation gradient
Authors: Montaño‐Centellas Flavia A. , Loiselle Bette A. , Tingley Morgan W.
Published: December 2020

Community assembly theory hypothesizes that two main niche‐based processes act to shape composition and organization of biological assemblages: abiotic filtering and biological interactions. Here, we conducted repeated surveys of bird abundance along an undisturbed elevational gradient in the tropical Andes to investigate 1) signals of deterministic processes driving community assembly and 2) potential mechanisms by which these forces operate (temperature, habitat complexity, fruit and insect availability), while correcting for imperfect detection and modeling species abundances with N‐mixture models. We observed strong signals of abiotic filtering driving functionally and phylogenetically clustered assemblages towards higher elevations, and a weaker signal of limiting similarity resulting in few overdispersed assemblages at lower elevations. Whereas the decay in species richness with increasing elevation was explained by temperature, trait and phylogenetic dispersion were explained by both temperature and vegetation structure, implying that an interplay of abiotic and biotic mechanisms determines abundance‐based community structure in our montane assemblages. Interestingly, trait and phylogenetic dispersion consistently decreased until ~3000 m but increased above this elevation, highlighting a potential role of competition in resource‐scarce habitats. Combined, our findings suggest abiotic filters are still the main process shaping montane biotas across elevations, whereas resource availability might act locally upon assemblages further modifying them. Our study challenges recent studies in tropical mountains that suggest that biotic filters are a stronger force than abiotic filters in shaping tropical montane assemblages, and exemplifies how accounting for imperfect detection might overcome potential biases in detecting environmental filtering signals in community assembly studies.
Race and racism in soil science
Authors: Berhe Asmeret Asefaw , Ghezzehei Teamrat A.
Published: December 2020

Soil science is one of the least diverse fields within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Because demographics of groups and institutions provide a window into the culture, climate, equity and inclusion of minoritized scholars, we discuss how lack of diversity continues to affect our science and the scientific community, and its implications for the welfare of the global population. We highlight the role of antiracist practices and policies for improving workplace climate and thereby developing a diverse and inclusive scientific community. We present this article as a starting point for discussions on issues of race and racism in our scientific community and institutions.

Highlights

Soil science remains one of the least diverse fields in STEM.

Workplace climate plays a major role in perpetuating the lack of diversity within soil science and other fields within geosciences.

Incorporation of antiracist practices and policies is urgently needed to reverse the current trend and improve representation in our scientific community.
Optimization of calcium carbonate whisker reinforced cement paste for rheology and fracture properties using response surface methodology
Authors: Xie Chaopeng , Cao Mingli , Lv Xingjun
Published: December 2020

Cement paste is generally used as a grouting joint material for concrete structures. A good rheology property guarantees the workability of fresh cement paste, and an excellent fracture toughness that reflects the good crack resistance of hardened cement paste. Calcium carbonate whisker (CW) is an inorganic mineral reinforcing material with excellent micromechanical performance, microcrack resistance and environmentally friendly nature. In this study, the rheological and three‐point bending tests were conducted on CW reinforced cement paste (CWRCP) to evaluate workability and mechanical properties. The results showed that the yield stress (τ0) and plastic viscosity (μ) were increased with addition of CW. This was because of the large specific surface area of CW which consumed free water and reduced lubricity between cement particles; and meanwhile, fibrous CW overlapped into net and prevented the flow of fresh cement paste. The addition of CW increased the fracture toughness (KIC) of cement paste due to its microscopic crack resistance effect. Also, the environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis was performed to study the microstructural characteristics. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to evaluate the influence of CW content (vcw) and water–cement ratio (w/c) to response parameters. Additionally, multiobjective optimization technique was performed to determine best settings for design variables which satisfied ideal response parameters. Conclusively, the optimal solution of CWRCP is beneficial to acquire ideal response goal and provides the basis for engineering applications.
Ecosystem‐scale biogeochemical fluxes from three bioenergy crop candidates: How energy sorghum compares to maize and miscanthus
Authors: Moore Caitlin E. , von Haden Adam C. , Burnham Mark B. , Kantola Ilsa B. , Gibson Christy D. , Blakely Bethany J. , Dracup Evan C. , Masters Michael D. , Yang Wendy H. , DeLucia Evan H. , Bernacchi Carl J.
Published: December 2020

Perennial crops have been the focus of bioenergy research and development for their sustainability benefits associated with high soil carbon (C) and reduced nitrogen (N) requirements. However, perennial crops mature over several years and their sustainability benefits can be negated through land reversion. A photoperiod‐sensitive energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) may provide an annual crop alternative more ecologically sustainable than maize (Zea mays) that can more easily integrate into crop rotations than perennials, such as miscanthus (Miscanthus×giganteus). This study presents an ecosystem‐scale comparison of C, N, water and energy fluxes from energy sorghum, maize and miscanthus during a typical growing season in the Midwest United States. Gross primary productivity (GPP) was highest for maize during the peak growing season at 21.83 g C m−2 day−1, followed by energy sorghum (17.04 g C m−2 day−1) and miscanthus (15.57 g C m−2 day−1). Maize also had the highest peak growing season evapotranspiration at 5.39 mm day−1, with energy sorghum and miscanthus at 3.81 and 3.61 mm day−1, respectively. Energy sorghum was the most efficient water user (WUE), while maize and miscanthus were comparatively similar (3.04, 1.75 and 1.89 g C mm−1H2O, respectively). Maize albedo was lower than energy sorghum and miscanthus (0.19, 0.26 and 0.24, respectively), but energy sorghum had a Bowen ratio closer to maize than miscanthus (0.12, 0.13 and 0.21, respectively). Nitrous oxide (N2O) flux was higher from maize and energy sorghum (8.86 and 12.04 kg N ha−1, respectively) compared with miscanthus (0.51 kg N ha−1), indicative of their different agronomic management. These results are an important first look at how energy sorghum compares to maize and miscanthus grown in the Midwest United States. This quantitative assessment is a critical component for calibrating biogeochemical and ecological models used to forecast bioenergy crop growth, productivity and sustainability.
Why has it taken so long to develop an internationally agreed means of recording body surface location?
Authors: Chalmers R.J.G.
Published: December 2020

Linked article: C. Navarrete‐Dechent et al. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020; 34: 2660–2664. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.16855.
Body weight of young broilers fed with declining calcium and phosphorus contents during the starter period is irresponsive to changes in the skeleton
Authors: Kop‐Bozbay Canan , Akdag Ahmet , Atan Helin , Ocak Nuh
Published: December 2020

To evaluate the effect of reduced calcium (Ca) and available P (aP) levels in starter diets on growth performance and tibia, sternum and serum characteristics, and to assay the association between Ca and P (aP) intakes and these variables, 600 one‐day‐old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a 21‐days trial. Broilers were randomly allotted to five treatments with five replicate pens. Chicks were fed on one of the five starter diets that were formulated with a 10% reduction in the Ca and aP contents, starting from the control diet and hence, named as C (0.96% Ca, 0.45% aP), L1 (0.85% Ca and 0.42% aP), L2 (0.77% Ca and 0.38% aP), L3 (0.68% Ca and 0.34% aP) and L4 (0.61% Ca and 0.31% aP). Declining dietary Ca and aP levels did not affect body weight and levels of Ca, P and alkaline phosphatase in serum, but reduced linearly feed intake, the feed conversion ratio and the bone weight and ash content. The Ca and aP intakes and Ca:aP ratio displayed a positive correlation with both tibia and sternum weights, and the mass of the bones were equally sensitive to dietary Ca and aP levels. In conclusion, the body weight of young broilers was irresponsive to changes in the skeleton when exposed to early dietary Ca and aP restrictions (up to 0.61% Ca and 0.31% aP) and the mechanostat had limits due to the association between Ca and aP intakes, and bone properties.
The retromer CSC subcomplex is recruited by MoYpt7 and sequentially sorted by MoVps17 for effective conidiation and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus
Authors: Wu Congxian , Lin Yahong , Zheng Huawei , Abubakar Yakubu Saddeeq , Peng Minghui , Li Jingjing , Yu Zhi , Wang Zonghua , Naqvi Naweed I. , Li Guangpu , Zhou Jie , Zheng Wenhui
Published: December 2020

In eukaryotic cells, Rab GTPases and the retromer complex are important regulators of intracellular protein transport. However, the mechanistic relationship between Rab GTPases and the retromer complex in relation to filamentous fungal development and pathogenesis is unknown. In this study, we used Magnaporthe oryzae, an important pathogen of rice and other cereals, as a model filamentous fungus to dissect this knowledge gap. Our data demonstrate that the core retromer subunit MoVps35 interacts with the Rab GTPase MoYpt7 and they colocalize to the endosome. Without MoYpt7, MoVps35 is mislocalized in the cytoplasm, indicating that MoYpt7 plays an important role in the recruitment of MoVps35. We further demonstrate that the expression of an inactive MoYpt7‐DN (GDP‐bound form) mutant in M. oryzae mimicks the phenotype defects of retromer cargo‐sorting complex (CSC) null mutants and blocks the proper localization of MoVps35. In addition, our data establish that MoVps17, a member of the sorting nexin family, is situated at the endosome independent of retromer CSC but regulates the sorting function of MoVps35 after its recruitment to the endosomal membrane by MoYpt7. Taken together, these results provide insight into the precise mechanism of retromer CSC recruitment to the endosome by MoYpt7 and subsequent sorting by MoVps17 for efficient conidiation and pathogenicity of M. oryzae.
Correlation of shell and aptychus growth provides insights into the palaeobiology of a scaphitid ammonite
Authors: Machalski Marcin
Published: December 2020

Scaphitids rank among the commonest and best‐known Late Cretaceous ammonites, yet many aspects of their palaeobiology are still unresolved. Here, natural moulds and co‐occurring aptychi (calcitic coverings of the lower jaw) of Hoploscaphites constrictus crassus from the upper Maastrichtian of Poland are studied. For the first time in a scaphitid ammonite, growth marks are identified on the moulds and aptychi, which enable a reconstruction of the successive ontogenetic stages of the shell and aptychus.  These are correlated to each other, allowing us to address two open issues in scaphitid palaeobiology: (1) estimation of individual growth rate and age; and (2) assessment of the aptychus as a possible protective operculum. As far as the growth rate of H. c. crassus is concerned, this accelerated rapidly at the onset of the mature body chamber formation and decelerated shortly before the cessation of growth. The resultant growth curve departs significantly from the generalized growth curve previously proposed for ammonites. In contrast, an age of five years at maturity, tentatively estimated here for H. c. crassus, conforms to the previous estimates for shallow‐water ammonites of comparable size. The role of the aptychus as an operculum is rejected for H. c. crassus, based on a significant misfit in size and shape between the aperture and aptychus recorded during ontogeny. These conclusions may probably be extended to closely related members of the European Hoploscaphites constrictus evolutionary lineage and to some other scaphitids with shells similar in size and shape to that of H. c. crassus.
Derrida's Unconditional Hospitality as the Improbable: An Example of Innovation in Refugee Care
Authors: Chiovenda Melissa Kerr
Published: December 2020

Objective

I contend that City Plaza, a refugee‐run hotel in Athens, Greece has actually used socialist and anarchist political theories in an innovative way for our current global system by subverting the norms of the nation‐state with regard to refugee care. I am framing this argument by considering Derrida's discussion of unconditional and conditional hospitality.

Methods

The article is based on ethnographic research carried out in Athens during the summers from 2016–2019.

Results

I suggest that in its innovative methods of providing refugee care, City Plaza is highly successful.

Conclusion

While Derrida contends that unconditional hospitality, the acceptance and embracing of the stranger without condition or question, is a moral imperative, realistically this is not possible in our current global system. I argue that at City Plaza, the improbable was achieved as a group of activists subverted the dominant system and yielded better results than state governments and international organizations with much greater resources.
In Blockchain We Trust: Does Blockchain Itself Generate Trust?
Authors: Shin Donghee , Bianco William T.
Published: December 2020

Objectives

This study considers the affordance of users' perceived technological property of blockchains and investigates how users discover the possible actions that can be performed within blockchain media. With a focus on the role of trust, it analyzes how motivational affordances in blockchain media influence user experience

Methods

Qualitative methods are used to obtain the depth of understanding and elicit the perspective of blockchain media. We then conduct a survey to analyze the affordance of trust in the acceptance of blockchain media

Results

Our confirmed model indicates a heuristic dimension of trust regarding underlying ties to affective and technological
affordances. These findings imply that cognitive heuristics affect users' decision making about privacy and security on blockchain media. These heuristics lead users to engage in uncertain and even risky transactions in blockchain media.

Conclusions

Despite the exponential growth in blockchain development, there has been little attention paid on how technological innovations of blockchains can produce value in the media sector. Our findings provide a lens to understand the blockchain's usability problems by pairing heuristics to blockchain design and user experience principles.
Circulating heparin‐like anticoagulants: Case report and review of literature
Authors: Hou Chenchen , Moffat Karen A. , Gangji Azim S. , Ning Shuoyan
Published: December 2020

We report a case of a 56‐year‐old woman with a history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) following splenectomy on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), who developed moderate bleeding after stopping MMF. Her laboratory testing suggested the presence of an abnormal circulating heparin‐like anticoagulant with demonstrable anti‐Xa activity. She was initially treated with antifibrinolytic therapy and was subsequently started on MMF alongside intravenous immunoglobulin, which significantly improved her bleeding symptoms. The presence of abnormal circulating heparin‐like anticoagulants is a rare cause of coagulopathy. Few cases exist in the literature, with nearly all occurring in the setting of hematologic or solid‐organ malignancy. The mechanism by which these endogenous anticoagulants develop is unclear. Clinical manifestations range from mild bleeding and bruising to life‐threatening hemorrhage refractory to conventional therapy. Diagnosis of a heparin‐like anticoagulant is based on coagulation testing as well as exclusion of other exogenous anticoagulants, acquired inhibitors, and/or factor deficiencies.
Silent hypoxaemia in COVID‐19 patients
Authors: Simonson Tatum S. , Baker Tracy L. , Banzett Robert B. , Bishop Tammie , Dempsey Jerome A. , Feldman Jack L. , Guyenet Patrice G. , Hodson Emma J. , Mitchell Gordon S. , Moya Esteban A. , Nokes Brandon T. , Orr Jeremy E. , Owens Robert L. , Poulin Marc , Rawling Jean M. , Schmickl Christopher N. , Watters Jyoti J. , Younes Magdy , Malhotra Atul
Published: December 2020

The clinical presentation of COVID‐19 due to infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 is highly variable with the majority of patients having mild symptoms while others develop severe respiratory failure. The reason for this variability is unclear but is in critical need of investigation. Some COVID‐19 patients have been labelled with ‘happy hypoxia’, in which patient complaints of dyspnoea and observable signs of respiratory distress are reported to be absent. Based on ongoing debate, we highlight key respiratory and neurological components that could underlie variation in the presentation of silent hypoxaemia and define priorities for subsequent investigation.

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Human–Robot Interfaces of the NeuRoboScope: A Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Pituitary Tumor Surgery Robotic Assistance System
Authors: Dede Mehmet İsmet Can , Kiper Gökhan , Ayav Tolga , Özdemirel Barbaros , Tatlıcıoğlu Enver , Hanalioglu Sahin , Işıkay İlkay , Berker Mustafa
Published: December 2020

Endoscopic endonasal surgery is a commonly practiced minimally invasive neurosurgical operation for the treatment of a wide range of skull base pathologies including pituitary tumors. A common shortcoming of this surgery is the necessity of a third hand when the endoscope has to be handled to allow active use of both hands of the main surgeon. The robot surgery assistant NeuRoboScope system has been developed to take over the endoscope from the main surgeon's hand while providing the surgeon with the necessary means of controlling the location and direction of the endoscope. One of the main novelties of the NeuRoboScope system is its human–robot interface designs which regulate and facilitate the interaction between the surgeon and the robot assistant. The human–robot interaction design of the NeuRoboScope system is investigated in two domains: direct physical interaction (DPI) and master–slave teleoperation (MST). The user study indicating the learning curve and ease of use of the MST is given and this paper is concluded via providing the reader with an outlook of possible new human–robot interfaces for the robot assisted surgery systems.
FORMER REFUGEE VOICE: Reflection on the Refugee and Settlement Journey
Authors: Regmi Govinda
Published: December 2020

The article depicts the challenges of refuges; spending a life with fear, uncertainties in the limbo state. The challenges faced in the host countries are not less either. Despite of support and availability of resources, accessing services is very difficult, when there is a language barrier and not knowing how to navigate services.
GAINING A SENSE OF CITIZENSHIP AND BELONGING IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND: The Work of Refugee Support Providers
Authors: Yzelman Rachel Lynn , Bond Sophie
Published: December 2020

This article examines the notion of citizenship in relation to refugee-background people by exploring how refugee support providers aid in the resettlement process in Aotearoa New Zealand. The policy and funding environment that these support providers work in is dynamic, and the contact they have with the refugees whom they support is complex and challenging. Refugees’ positions are precarious. While they are subject to screening by the immigration system and become integrated into a new society in material ways, they also negotiate new forms of citizenship. The research reveals the central role of refugee support organisations as enablers of citizenship in providing platforms that bridge the differences between cultures, amidst barriers.
In Vitro
Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance Dissemination Dynamics during Multidrug-Resistant-Bacterium Invasion Events by Using a Continuous-Culture Device
Authors: Li Ziyun , Shi Lulu , Wang Bianfang , Wei Xin , Zhang Jian , Guo Tingting , Kong Jian , Wang Mingyu , Xu Hai
Published: December 2020

Antimicrobial resistance poses a grave threat to public health and reduces the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs in treating bacterial infections. Antimicrobial resistance is transmissible, either by horizontal gene transfer between bacteria or by vertical gene transfer following inheritance of genetic traits.
Correlating the cellular network, in foamed concrete containing ash, with their physical properties
Authors: Stolz Jonathan , Boluk Yaman , Bindiganavile Vivek
Published: December 2020

Cellular concrete is a lightweight solid cementitious foam that is used mainly for thermal insulation and sound absorption. Either partially or wholly, when the Portland cement in the binder is replaced with ash, the environmental impact of the material is reduced. However, the resulting changes in the cell structure and their subsequent impact upon the physical properties of the material have not been well examined. In this study, cellular concrete was prepared from alkali activated fly ash binders and separately, from Portland cement binders blended with wood ash. The cell structure was photographed using laser confocal microscopy and the images were analyzed to quantify the cellular network in terms of the porosity and the fractal dimension of the porous phase. Alongside, the cellular concrete specimens were tested for their thermal constants and sound absorption. The results show that there was an increase in the fractal dimension and an associated drop in thermal conductivity for an increase in the porosity.
Are Maxwell knots integrable?
Authors: Morozov A. , Tselousov N.
Published: December 2020

We review properties of the null-field solutions of source-free Maxwell equations. We focus on the electric and magnetic field lines, especially on limit cycles, which actually can be knotted and/or linked at every given moment. We analyse the fact that the Poynting vector induces self-consistent time evolution of these lines and demonstrate that the Abelian link invariant is integral of motion. We also consider particular examples of the field lines for the particular family of finite energy source-free “knot” solutions, attempting to understand when the field lines are closed – and can be discussed in terms of knots and links. Based on computer simulations we conjecture that Ranada’s solution, where every pair of lines forms a Hopf link, is rather exceptional. In general, only particular lines (a set of measure zero) are limit cycles and represent closed lines forming knots/links, while all the rest are twisting around them and remain unclosed. Still, conservation laws of Poynting evolution and associated integrable structure should persist.
Cookies from the Past
Authors: Sanchez-Rola Iskander , Balzarotti Davide , Santos Igor
Published: December 2020

Cookies were originally introduced as a way to provide state awareness to websites, and they are now one of the backbones of the current web. However, their use is not limited to store the login information or to save the current state of user browsing. In several cases, third-party cookies are deliberately used for web tracking, user analytics, and for online advertisement, with the subsequent privacy loss for the end-users.

However, cookies are not the only technique capable of retrieving the users’ browsing history. In fact,
history sniffing
techniques are capable of tracking the users’ browsing history without relying on any specific code in a third-party website, but only on code executed within the visited site. Many sniffing techniques have been proposed to date, but they usually have several limitations, and they are not able to differentiate between multiple possible states within the target application.

We propose B
aking
T
imer
, a new history-sniffing technique based on timing the execution of server-side request processing code. This method is capable of retrieving partial or complete user browsing history, it does not require any permission, and it can be performed through both first- and third-party scripts. We studied the impact of our timing side-channel attack to detect prior visits to websites and discovered that it was capable of detecting the users’ state in more than half of the 10K websites analyzed, which is the largest test performed to date to test this type of technique. We additionally performed a manual analysis to check the capabilities of the attack to differentiate between three states: never accessed, accessed, and logged in. Moreover, we performed a set of stability tests to verify that our time measurements are robust with respect to changes both in the network RTT and in the servers workload. This extended version additionally includes a comprehensive analysis of existing countermeasures, starting from its evolution/adoption, and finishing with a large-scale experiment to asset the repercussions on the presented technique.
Polyphenol Exposure, Metabolism, and Analysis: A Global Exposomics Perspective
Authors: Oesterle Ian , Braun Dominik , Berry David , Wisgrill Lukas , Rompel Annette , Warth Benedikt
Published: December 2020

Polyphenols are generally known for their health benefits and estimating actual exposure levels in health-related studies can be improved by human biomonitoring. Here, the application of newly available exposomic and metabolomic technology, notably high-resolution mass spectrometry, in the context of polyphenols and their biotransformation products, is reviewed. Comprehensive workflows for investigating these important bioactives in biological fluids or microbiome-related experiments are scarce. Consequently, this new era of nontargeted analysis and omic-scale exposure assessment offers a unique chance for better assessing exposure to, as well as metabolism of, polyphenols. In clinical and nutritional trials, polyphenols can be investigated simultaneously with the plethora of other chemicals to which we are exposed, i.e., the exposome, which may interact abundantly and modulate bioactivity. This research direction aims at ultimately eluting into atrue systems biology/toxicology evaluation of health effects associated with polyphenol exposure, especially during early life, to unravel their potential for preventing chronic diseases.
Research on the City Network Structure in the Yellow River Basin in China Based on Two-Way Time Distance Gravity Model and Social Network Analysis Method
Authors: Chai Duo , Zhang Dong , Sun Yonghao , Yang Shan
Published: December 2020

Modern cities form city networks through complex social ties. City network research is widely applied to guide regional planning, infrastructure construction, and resource allocation. China put forward the Yellow River Basin Development Strategy in 2019, but no research has been conducted on regional social connections among cities. Based on the gravity model modified by two-way “time distance” between cities, this is the first study to empirically examine the intensity and structure of the entire city network in the Yellow River basin using the social network analysis method and ArcGIS software. The connection rules of the cross-city transfer of city officials in the basin are also investigated to illustrate the official ties between cities. The results suggest that the intensity of two-way connections between cities is generally low in the Yellow River basin and there is a positive correlation between city network development level and regional economic development level. The development gap between cities on the north and south banks is larger than that between the east and west regions, and some cities in the middle and upper reaches of the river are marginalized in the network. The status of the central cities in the Yellow River basin is distinct, but their connecting and leading abilities are not strong, showing an inverted T-shaped spatial distribution. The subgroups of city networks have strong internal connections, while the connection among subgroups is weak and the development shows a partitioned and fragmented pattern, making it difficult to form linkages among the upper, middle, and lower reaches. The “beaded chain” spatial development strategy can be adopted in the river basin planning, giving priority to strengthening the links within subgroups of cities and among adjacent subgroups, building central city chains, and reinforcing the overall basin management.
Scale Adaptive Feature Pyramid Networks for 2D Object Detection
Authors: He Lifei , Jiang Ming , Ohbuchi Ryutarou , Furuya Takahiko , Zhang Min , Li Pengfei
Published: December 2020

Object detection is one of the core tasks in computer vision. Object detection algorithms often have difficulty detecting objects with diverse scales, especially those with smaller scales. To cope with this issue, Lin et al. proposed feature pyramid networks (FPNs), which aim for a feature pyramid with higher semantic content at every scale level. The FPN consists of a bottom-up pyramid and a top-down pyramid. The bottom-up pyramid is induced by a convolutional neural network as its layers of feature maps. The top-down pyramid is formed by progressive up-sampling of a highly semantic yet low-resolution feature map at the top of the bottom-up pyramid. At each up-sampling step, feature maps of the bottom-up pyramid are fused with the top-down pyramid to produce highly semantic yet high-resolution feature maps in the top-down pyramid. Despite significant improvement, the FPN still misses small-scale objects. To further improve the detection of small-scale objects, this paper proposes scale adaptive feature pyramid networks (SAFPNs). The SAFPN employs weights chosen adaptively to each input image in fusing feature maps of the bottom-up pyramid and top-down pyramid. Scale adaptive weights are computed by using a scale attention module built into the feature map fusion computation. The scale attention module is trained end-to-end to adapt to the scale of objects contained in images of the training dataset. Experimental evaluation, using both the 2-stage detector faster R-CNN and 1-stage detector RetinaNet, demonstrated the proposed approach’s effectiveness.
Comparation of Anti‐Inflammatory and Antioxidantactivities of Curcumin, Tetrahydrocurcuminand Octahydrocurcuminin LPS‐Stimulated RAW264.7 Macrophages
Authors: Xie Qing-Feng , Cheng Juan-Juan , Chen Jin-Fen , Feng Yu-Chao , Lin Guo-Shu , Xu Yang
Published: December 2020

Curcumin (CUR) possesses pronounced anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Generally, the clinical application of CUR is restricted due to its apparent unstability and poor absorption, and the biological activities of CUR may be closely associated with its metabolites. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) and octahydrocurcumin (OHC) are two major hydrogenated metabolites of CUR with appreciable biological potentials. Here, we comparatively explored the anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities of CUR, THC, and OHC in lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) induced RAW264.7 macrophages. The results revealed that CUR, THC, and OHC dose‐dependently inhibited the generation of NO and MCP‐1 as well as the gene expression of MCP‐1 and iNOS. Additionally, CUR, THC, and OHC significantly inhibited NF‐κB activation and p38MAPK and ERK phosphorylation, while substantially upregulated the Nrf2 target gene expression (HO‐1, NQO‐1, GCLC, and GCLM). Nevertheless, zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), a typical HO‐1 inhibitor, significantly reversed the alleviative effect of CUR, THC, and OHC on LPS‐stimulated ROS generation. These results demonstrated that CUR, THC, and OHC exerted beneficial effect on LPS‐stimulated inflammatory and oxidative responses, at least partially, through inhibiting the NF‐κB and MAPKs pathways and activating Nrf2‐regulated antioxidant gene expression. Particularly, THC and OHC might exert superior antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities to CUR in LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells, which can be further explored to be a promising novel effective agent for inflammatory treatment.
Study on Security and Privacy in 5G-Enabled Applications
Authors: Qiu Qin , Liu Shenglan , Xu Sijia , Yu Shengquan
Published: December 2020

5G applications face security risks due to the new technology used and the performance requirements of the specific application scenario. This paper analyzes the security requirements and presents hierarchical solutions for stakeholders to build secure 5G applications. First, we summarize the technical characteristics and typical usage scenarios of 5G. Then, we analyze the security and privacy risks faced by 5G applications and related security standards and research work. Next, we give the system reference architecture and overall security and privacy solutions for 5G applications. Based on the three major application scenarios of eMBB, uRLLC, and mMTC, we also provide specific suggestions for coping with security and privacy risks. Finally, we present a use case of industrial terminal access control and make conclusions of this paper.
Prediction of the Dental Arch Perimeter in a Kurdish Sample in Sulaimani City Based on Other Linear Dental Arch Measurements as a Malocclusion Preventive Measure
Authors: Kareem Fadil Abdullah , Rauf Aras Maruf , Noori Arass Jalal , Ali Mahmood Trefa M.
Published: December 2020

The current study aimed to find a prediction equation to estimate the arch perimeter (AP) depending on various arch dimensions including intercanine width (ICW), intermolar width (IMW), interpremolar width (IPMW), and arch length (AL) in a sample of the Kurdish population in Sulaimani City. The study sample was 100 pairs of preorthodontic dental casts. Calculations of dental arch dimensions and perimeter were performed by a digital vernier. Statistical analysis was performed via using the SPSS version 25 software. The developed prediction equation for the upper arch wasY=+1.3×arch length+1×intermolar width, whereas the equation for the lower arch wasY=+0.9×intermolar width+0.92×intercanine width. Pairedt-test revealed no statistical difference between predicted and real arch perimeters. Two separate prediction equations for upper and lower arches were developed based on the arch length (AL) and intermolar width (IMW) for the maxillary arch, intermolar (IMW), and inter canine widths (ICW) for the lower arch. The developed equations could have further beneficial impacts on orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning.
The Involvement of Chronic Kidney Disease and Acute Kidney Injury in Disease Severity and Mortality in Patients with COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Bin , Luo Qing , Zhang Weiguang , Yu Shuai , Cheng Xiaowei , Wang Lanlan , Chen Xiangmei , Chen Yizhi
Published: December 2020

Background: A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI) with the clinical prognosis of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, medRxiv, Social Science Research Network, and Research Square databases (from December 1, 2019 to May 15, 2020) were searched to identify studies that reported the associations of CKD/AKI and disease severity/mortality. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and meta-regression was performed. Results: In total, 42 studies enrolling 8,932 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The quality of most included studies was moderate to high. Compared with patients without previously diagnosed CKD, those with CKD had a significantly increased risk of progressing to a severe condition (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.64–3.24) or death (OR 5.11, 95% CI 3.36–7.77). Similarly, compared with patients without AKI, those with AKI had a significantly increased risk of progressing to a severe condition (OR 11.88, 95% CI 9.29–15.19) or death (OR 30.46, 95% CI 18.33–50.59). Compared with patients with previously diagnosed CKD, those with AKI were more likely to progress to a severe condition (pgroup < 0.001, I2 = 98.3%) and even to death (pgroup < 0.001, I2 = 96.5%). Age had a significant impact on the association between CKD and disease severity (p = 0.001) but had no impact on the associations between AKI and disease severity (p = 0.80), between CKD and mortality (p = 0.51), or between AKI and mortality (p = 0.86). Four important complications (cardiac injury, shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and liver injury) did not significantly affect the associations between CKD/AKI and disease severity/mortality, indicating that CKD/AKI may be independent clinical prognostic indicators for patients with COVID-19. Conclusions: In COVID-19 patients, CKD/AKI was associated with worse outcomes compared with those without CKD/AKI. AKI was associated with higher risks of severity and mortality than CKD.
China’s Grand Strategy through Infrastructure Projects in Africa
Authors: Lechini Gladys , Dussort Maria Noel , Marchetti Agustina
Published: December 2020

China’s intention to go global has been clear since Xi Jinping assumed power, displaying its grand strategy. Infrastructure projects supporting physical connectivity reveal China’s policies to expand its actions beyond the regional environment and consolidate its power projection. The Going Out policy has been the tool to back up Chinese investments in infrastructure, and African countries have offered a good opportunity to show what can be done in an almost bare terrain. Nigeria and Kenya are good examples to empirically demonstrate China’s intentions, as they have railway remodelling or construction projects underway.
The (Ir)relevance of Transnational Public Policy in Investment Treaty Arbitration – A Reply to Jean-Michel Marcoux
Authors: De Brabandere Eric
Published: December 2020

In his article ‘Transnational Public Policy as a Vehicle to Impose Human Rights Obligations in International Investment Arbitration’, Jean-Michel Marcoux investigates whether international investment tribunals can rely on transnational public policy to impose human rights obligations on investors. While I generally side with the idea that international human rights as such are highly relevant in (some) international investment arbitrations, I argue in this article that transnational or truly international public policy as a concept is largely, and as a matter of principle, irrelevant in investment treaty arbitration. Secondly, even if one were to accept that transnational public policy has a role to play, I question the usefulness of framing various human rights issues as questions of ‘transnational public policy’.
Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXIV: Andeocalynda n. gen., a new genus of Andean stick insects, with the descriptions of nine new species from Colombia and Ecuador (Phasmatodea: “Anareolatae”: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae)
Authors: HENNEMANN FRANK H. , CONLE OSKAR V.
Published: December 2020

The new genus Andeocalynda n. gen. is described and the supposed relationships are discussed. The genus is restricted to the mountainous Andean regions of Ecuador and Colombia. Nine new species are described and illustrated: A. aspericollis n. sp., A. banosense n. sp., A. brevicercata n. sp. and A. lojaense n. sp. from Ecuador based on the males only, A. decorata n. sp., A. mutica n. sp., A. densegranuloa n. sp. and A. tuberculata n. sp. from Ecuador as well as A. putumayoense n. sp. from Colombia based on the male and female. The eggs of the two new Ecuadorian species A. decorata n. sp. and A. tenuis n. sp. are described and illustrated. Two species, previously attributed to other genera are transferred to Andeocalynda n. gen., this is: A. carrikeri (Hebard, 1919) from the genus Bacteria Berthold, 1827 (n. comb.) and A. comis (Bates, 1865) from the genus Clonistria Stål, 1875 (n. comb.). As a result, Andeocalynda n. gen. currently includes eleven known species.
Evaluating Monin–Obukhov Scaling in the Unstable Oceanic Surface Layer
Authors: Zheng Zhihua , Harcourt Ramsey R. , D’Asaro Eric A.
Published: December 2020

Monin–Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) provides important scaling laws for flow properties in the surface layer of the atmosphere and has contributed to most of our understanding of the near-surface turbulence. The prediction of near-surface vertical mixing in most operational ocean models is largely built upon this theory. However, the validity of MOST in the upper ocean is questionable due to the demonstrated importance of surface waves in the region. Here we examine the validity of MOST in the statically unstable oceanic surface layer, using data collected from two open ocean sites with different wave conditions. The observed vertical temperature gradients are found to be about half of those predicted by MOST. We hypothesize this is attributable to either the breaking of surface waves, or Langmuir turbulence generated by the wave–current interaction. Existing turbulence closure models for surface wave breaking and for Langmuir turbulence are simplified to test these two hypotheses. Although both models predict reduced temperature gradients, the simplified Langmuir turbulence model matches observations more closely, when appropriately tuned.
Development and validation of a prognostic nomogram for the pre-treatment prediction of early metachronous metastasis in endemic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a big-data intelligence platform-based analysis
Authors: Zhang Lu-Lu , Xu Fei , He Wen-Ting , Huang Meng-Yao , Song Di , Li Yi-Yang , Deng Qi-Ling , Huang Yong-Shi , Wang Ting , Shao Jian-Yong
Published: December 2020

Background:

Early failure of cancer treatment generally indicates a poor prognosis. Here, we aim to develop and validate a pre-treatment nomogram to predict early metachronous metastasis (EMM) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods:

From 2009 to 2015, a total of 9461 patients with NPC (training cohort: n = 7096; validation cohort: n = 2365) were identified from an institutional big-data research platform. EMM was defined as time to metastasis within 2 years after treatment. Early metachronous distant metastasis-free survival (EM-DMFS) was the primary endpoint. A nomogram was established with the significant prognostic factors for EM-DMFS determined by multivariate Cox regression analyses in the training cohort. The Harrell Concordance Index (C-index), area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), and calibration curves were applied to evaluate this model.

Results:

EMM account for 73.5% of the total metachronous metastasis rate and is associated with poor long-term survival in NPC. The final nomogram, which included six clinical variables, achieved satisfactory discriminative performance and significantly outperformed the traditional tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) classification for predicting EM-DMFS: C-index: 0.721 versus 0.638, p < 0.001; AUC: 0.730 versus 0.644, p < 0.001. The calibration curves showed excellent agreement between the predicted and actual EM-DMFS. The nomogram can stratify patients into three risk groups with distinct EM-DMFS (2-year DMFS: 96.8% versus 90.1% versus 80.3%, p < 0.001). A validation cohort supported the results. The three identified risk groups are correlated with the efficacy of different treatment regimens.

Conclusion:

Our established nomogram can reliably predict EMM in patients with NPC and might aid in formulating risk-adapted treatment decisions and personalized patient follow-up strategies.