bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-factor Investment Model Based on TabNet
Authors: Sun Jixiang , Yang Fuping
Published: January 2022

The prediction of the stock market is a complex and nonlinear prediction, which is affected by multiple information sources. However, the traditional investment method can only rely on people’s subjective experience to invest and select stocks. In this way, quantitative investment shows itself in various fields with the huge quantitative operation ability of computers. In the past research on quantitative investment, the methods of decision trees or neural networks have their own shortcomings. In this paper, TabNet is used to simulate the process of decision tree in the way of multi-factor investment. We select the data of China Securities Index (CSI) 300 as the data set. Through this method, we improve the problems of low precision of decision tree and easy overfitting of neural network. The empirical results show that the model has good prediction performance, which is better than the currently used LSTM and Gan and Gated Recurrent Units(GRU) models, and the model also has good interpretability.
Overview of Long-form Document Matching: Survey of Existing Models and Their Challenges
Authors: Cheng Yaokai , Chen Ruoyu , Yuan Xiaoguang , Yang Yuting , Jiang Shan , Yang Bo
Published: January 2022

Long-form document matching is an important direction in the field of natural language processing and can be applied to tasks such as news recommendation and text clustering. However, long-form document matching suffers from noisiness and sparsity of semantic information in long text. Using short-form document matching methods on a long-form matching problem is not satisfactory. Long-form document matching has attracted the attention of researchers, who have proposed many effective methods. Methods for matching long texts can be divided into three categories: traditional bag-of-words-based models, traditional deep learning-based models, and pre-training-based models. This study reviews typical methods of long-form document matching, analyzes their advantages and disadvantages, and discusses possible future developments.
Document-level Core Events Extraction based on QA
Authors: Wang Jimin , Han Bin , Wang Fei , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2022

Document-level core events extraction model based on QA is provided in this paper. Question with prior information is constructed input into the BTBiLSTM model. Firstly, extract events from documents. Secondly finds event arguments from the text to be extracted. Lastly fuse events to select core events. The experimental results on ACE2005 Chinese corpus show that the event argument role question with prior information has a good effect on event argument extraction. Compared with existing method, our method in this paper realizes cross sentences events arguments extraction, it also applicable to documents without headline.
Semi-Supervised Few-shot Image Classification Based on Subspace Learning
Authors: Wang Jiayan , Li Zongmin , Qiao Xujian , Liu Baodi , Zhao Yu
Published: January 2022

Few-shot image classification is an image classification technology that uses minimal sample data to train the classifier or classification network and achieves a sure classification accuracy. Compared with the image classification technology based on big data, it has the advantages of an unlimited number of samples and fast processing speed. The purpose of subspace learning is to learn good mapping. This mapping maps high-dimensional image data from visual to low-dimensional semantic information space, which is convenient for information recognition, processing, and classification. Therefore, this paper proposes to use the subspace learning method to extract image features. On this basis, studies semi-supervised few-shot image classification, the self-training semi-supervised algorithm is improved to overcome the performance degradation caused by adding wrong pseudo label samples to the self-training algorithm. It is trained and tested on four mainstream few-shot learning datasets. It has a specific significance for the research and development of few-shot image classification.
Identification of Gut Flora Based on Robust Support Vector Machine
Authors: Wang Xinxin , Liu Jingjing , Ma Liya
Published: January 2022

Gut flora parasitize the human gastrointestinal tract to maintain normal physiological functions, but can also lead to a variety of diseases and affect mental health. The relationship between gut flora and human health has attracted increasing attention and become a popular research hotspot at present. However, biological data are often characterized by large size and high dimensionality, leading to limited ability of traditional statistical-based methods to handle these data and make them difficult to analyze. In this paper, we use a support vector machine (SVM) model to perform data mining analysis on the Gut flora dataset. Specifically, we build a robust SVM model to compare the gut flora of obese and healthy people based on the public database of the American Gut Project, analyze the characteristics of the gut flora of obese people, and set up a machine learning model to predict the obesity status of people based on the gut flora to provide a theoretical basis for obesity intervention based on the gut flora. Different from the traditional support vector machine model, we use ramp loss to calculate the sample loss, avoid the influence of noise data, and get more accurate experimental results. The experimental results reveal the characteristics of the gut flora of obese people, apply machine learning to obesity prediction, and provide new research ideas and theoretical basis for precision diet and precision medicine.
Attention-based CNNs for Image Classification: A Survey
Authors: Zheng Menghua , Xu Jiayu , Shen Yinjie , Tian Chunwei , Li Jian , Fei Lunke , Zong Ming , Liu Xiaoyang
Published: January 2022

Deep learning techniques as well as CNNs can learn power context information, they have been widely applied in image recognition. However, deep CNNs may reply on large width and large depth, which may increase computational costs. Attention mechanism fused into CNNs can address this problem. In this paper, we summary an attention mechanism acts a CNN for image classification. Firstly, the survey shows the development of CNNs for image classification. Then, we illustrate basis of CNNs and attention mechanisms for image classification. Next, we give the main architecture of CNNs with attentions, public and our collected datasets, experimental results in image classification. Finally, we point out potential research points, challenges attention-based for image classification and summary the whole paper.
Socio-economic assessment of riverbank erosion from heavy boat traffic: A case study at the Cho Gao Canal, Tien Giang, Vietnam
Authors: Anh H H , Thuy N N
Published: January 2022

Cho Gao canal is the only inland waterway channel for river transport with large tonnage transporting rice, agricultural products, and goods from the Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City. However, big waves from heavy boat traffic have been gradually wearing away the riverbanks, creating severe erosion and affecting local communities livelihood and safety. This study assessed the vulnerability of riverbank erosion in the Cho Gao canal using a quantified erosion index and the contingent valuation method. The data was collected from 120 households living along the canal. The calculation revealed that 76.67% of the households had moderate erosion vulnerability, which will become higher in the future unless government interventions are made. Besides, this paper also examined people willingness to accept (WTA) to compensate for the losses from riverbank erosion. On average, each household along the canal accepted 503.4 million VND (around 21,872.78 USD) of compensation to pay for their suffered losses. Factors influencing people’s WTA were erosion affected levels, income, and age. People living along the Cho Gao canal have been experiencing damages from riverbank erosion since 2009, so there is a demand for state interventions to alleviate the problem and re-stabilize local communities’ livelihood.
The effect of mangrove types and leave maturity on the mangrove leaves (Sonneratia alba) and (Rhizophora mucronata) tea powder
Authors: Sumartini  , Ratrinia P W , Hutabarat R F
Published: January 2022

Mangrove leaves are green plants that have high antioxidant potential and bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids/tannins, phenols, catechins, saponins, triterpenoids, and many other compounds. The growing’s place and environment, mangrove leaf species, and mangrove leaf age. Based on the many properties of the two types of mangroves, mangrove leaves have the potential to be used as raw materials for making alternative drinks such as tea. The research method used is an experimental design with a completely randomized design (CRD) with a factorial pattern with 2 factors (Rhizophora sp. leaves & extracts). Sonneratia sp.) and 2 test levels (old and young leaves). The results showed that mangrove leaf tea has the potential to be used as an alternative drink with high antioxidant activity (strong-very strong) with an IC50 value in the range of 49.76-50.12 with the highest antioxidant activity value obtained by leaves. Rhizophora mucronata (RM2) tea with old leaves as raw material.
The economic marine tourism based on cleanliness health safety and environment (CHSE) protocol as covid-19 outbreak responses at Derawan Island, Indonesia
Authors: Utami P B , Parluhutan D , Taryono K , Auliansyah  , Simarangkir O R , Ricky  , Nani
Published: January 2022

Popular tourism activities at Derawan Island are snorkelling and diving. The Covid-19 outbreak led these activities down and reduced visitors and income for restaurant, lodging, and diving center business units. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economic of Indonesia (KEMENPAREKRAFT) issued a new regulation to suppress the pandemic’s adverse impact specifically designed for New Normal Tourism with CHSE. They created new trouble in business units’ cash flow. It requires financial incentives and stimuli for its stability. This study assessed the tourists’ WTP, evaluation using the CVM, which covered the cash flow with three schemes. The value of the WTP substituted to financial analysis and looked at the number of BEP. WTP value for each person was US$ 2.97, or about US$ 190,636.28 - 288,677.80 in a year. If the cash flow did not reach the BEP, it would have proposed the financial stimuli to be submitted to related stakeholders. The restaurant was the most business unit that needed several financial incentives. Restaurants faced difficulties to reach BEP in three schemes, and they needed around US$ 170,422.54 - 247,323.94 in a year for over 20 restaurants.
Carrying capacity studies of marine tourism during COVID-19 pandemic in Derawan Island, Berau, East Kalimantan
Authors: Simarangkir O R , Tawang F , Irwan  , Utami P B , Ricky  , Nani  , Kodiran T
Published: January 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all sectors to adapt to new habits including the tourism sector. The research examines the carrying capacity of a particular area, especially marine tourism areas used for diving and snorkelling. Thus, the results can be used in the management of marine tourism in the new normal period. This research was conducted by survey and analyzed by the carrying capacity marine tourism formula. The research was carried out at six diving tourism and five snorkelling tourism sites scattered in the waters of Derawan Island. The carrying capacity of diving was 1,611 people/day with an area of 402,704.29 m2, and the carrying capacity of snorkelling was 1,126 people/day with an area of 281,453.29 m2. During the new normal period meaning the carrying capacity applied is 806 people/day for diving areas and 563 people/day for snorkelling areas. The utilization of marine tourism on Derawan Island is still sustainable because the number of tourist visits is smaller than the carrying capacity.
Study of changes in freshness quality of mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) with extract concentration and variation of mangrove leaves
Authors: Sari R P , Sumartini
Published: January 2022

Mackerel is one of the economic and important commodities, but fresh mackerel is a perishable food product that can rot easily. Deterioration in fish quality is inevitable and occurs very quickly in wet products that have high water and protein content. The main cause of fish deterioration process is by the microbial activity found in its body which quickly occurs after dies. The research method used was an experimental design with a completely randomized design (CRD) with 2 factors of factorial pattern (Rhizophora sp. Leaf Extract & Avicennia sp Leaf Extract) and 3 test levels (2%, 3%, and 4%). The aim of its study is to determine the potential of mangrove leaves and the types of phytochemical compounds contained in them and their effectiveness in inhibiting the rate of fish decay. The results that mangrove leaf extract could increase the organoleptic value and inhibit the rate of fish spoilage compared to samples without the addition of mangrove leaf extract. The best treatment was obtained by samples with Rhizophora sp mangrove leaf extract by 4% because it could maintain freshness and safe limits for consumption for 8 hours of storage in room temperature compared to control which was only 4 hours.
Aliphatic polyester biodegradation by coral-associated bacteria from Karimunjawa Marine National Park, Java Sea
Authors: Widyananto P A , Muchlissin S I , Radjasa O K , Sabdono A
Published: January 2022

Plastic waste is one of the environmental pollutants that is difficult to degrade. The spread of plastic waste is almost everywhere even in the ocean, especially in coral reef ecosystem. Non-degradable plastic like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene begins to be partially replaced with biodegradable plastic materials (i.e polycaprolactone) as a strategy to reduce non-degradable polymer materials. Hence, this study aims is to find the potential of polycaprolactone biodegradation from coral associated-bacteria from Karimunjawa National Park. Coral samples were isolated in July 2020 from areas with influence by anthropogenic. Bacterial isolates were screened using tributyrin and polycaprolactone as substrates to reveal potential polyester degradation enzymes. The result obtained only one active bacterial isolate that potential to degrade polycaprolactone from a total of 18 isolates bacteria. LBB 2 showed that strain can degrade polycaprolactone by 8 days incubation period with 4 days in room temperature and 4 days in a 4°C incubation room. Bacterial identification by 16S rRNA sequences showed that strain LBB 2 refers to the bacteria Bacillus subtilis. The similarity level in the database of National Center Biotechnology Information by 99.45%. These results prove that associated bacteria from stony coral might play a role in degrading aliphatic polyesters.
Effect of cold treatment process on roundness of bearing ring
Authors: Shao Yiyu , Peng Wenfei , Chen Shaoqiang
Published: January 2022

In the heat treatment of the bearing ring, due to the different degree of thermal expansion of the outer surface and inner metal of the bearing ring, and the large thermal stress and tissue stress generated in the ring, resulting in serious deformation of the ring in the diameter direction and increased roundness error. For these problems, the heat treatment test of the bearing ring was carried out, with the cold treatment process added to the heat treatment. The effect of cold treatment on the residual stress, retained austenite and roundness of the bearing ring was analyzed. The research results show that: because the degree of deformation of the bearing ring is affected by the residual stress, the cold treatment process can significantly improve the residual stress on the bearing ring surface and reduce the deformation. The cold treatment process can accelerate the transformation from retained austenite to martensite in the bearing ring, reduce the content of retained austenite, refine the martensite structure and promote the precipitation of network carbide. The cold treatment after quenching also can improve the roundness accuracy of the bear outer ring and the bearing ring raceway, and ensure the processing quality and dimensional stability, which will be a significant benefit in industrial applications.
Effects of the Continuation Task and the RCC Task on Japanese as a Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Du Lina , Zhu Xinyu
Published: January 2022

This study examined the effects of the continuation task and the reading plus continued cloze (RCC) task on Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) vocabulary learning with a view to shedding fresh light on the relationship among depth of processing, interaction, alignment, and learning effects. Three classes of beginning-level JFL learners were randomly assigned to a continuation group, a RCC group, and a control group. A meaning recall test and an oral form recall test were used to gauge vocabulary learning gains. It was found that (i) both tasks led to significant immediate and long-term gains on both the oral form test and the meaning test and (ii) the continuation task showed superiority over the RCC task in promoting JFL vocabulary learning. Implications of these results for JFL vocabulary teaching are discussed.
MODalyseR—a novel software for inference of disease module hub regulators identified a putative multiple sclerosis regulator supported by independent eQTL data
Authors: de Weerd Hendrik A , Åkesson Julia , Guala Dimitri , Gustafsson Mika , Lubovac-Pilav Zelmina
Published: January 2022

Motivation

Network-based disease modules have proven to be a powerful concept for extracting knowledge about disease mechanisms, predicting for example disease risk factors and side effects of treatments. Plenty of tools exist for the purpose of module inference, but less effort has been put on simultaneously utilizing knowledge about regulatory mechanisms for predicting disease module hub regulators.

Results

We developed MODalyseR, a novel software for identifying disease module regulators and reducing modules to the most disease-associated genes. This pipeline integrates and extends previously published software packages MODifieR and ComHub and hereby provides a user-friendly network medicine framework combining the concepts of disease modules and hub regulators for precise disease gene identification from transcriptomics data. To demonstrate the usability of the tool, we designed a case study for multiple sclerosis that revealed IKZF1 as a promising hub regulator, which was supported by independent ChIP-seq data.

Availability and implementation

MODalyseR is available as a Docker image at https://hub.docker.com/r/ddeweerd/modalyser with user guide and installation instructions found at https://gustafsson-lab.gitlab.io/MODalyseR/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
RawHummus: an R Shiny app for automated raw data quality control in metabolomics
Authors: Dong Yonghui , Kazachkova Yana , Gou Meng , Morgan Liat , Wachsman Tal , Gazit Ehud , Birkler Rune Isak Dupont
Published: January 2022

Motivation

Robust and reproducible data is essential to ensure high-quality analytical results and is particularly important for large-scale metabolomics studies where detector sensitivity drifts, retention time and mass accuracy shifts frequently occur. Therefore, raw data need to be inspected before data processing to detect measurement bias and verify system consistency.

Results

Here, we present RawHummus, an R Shiny app for an automated raw data quality control (QC) in metabolomics studies. It produces a comprehensive QC report, which contains interactive plots and tables, summary statistics and detailed explanations. The versatility and limitations of RawHummus are tested with 13 metabolomics/lipidomics datasets and 1 proteomics dataset obtained from 5 different liquid chromatography mass spectrometry platforms.

Availability and implementation

RawHummus is released on CRAN repository (https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/RawHummus), with source code being available on GitHub (https://github.com/YonghuiDong/RawHummus). The web application can be executed locally from the R console using the command ‘runGui()’. Alternatively, it can be freely accessed at https://bcdd.shinyapps.io/RawHummus/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Biographical work and the production of credibility in sex work interviews
Authors: Gheorghiu Iulia , Ham Julie
Published: January 2022

This article explores the concept of biographical work as a sustained pursuit during interviews with persons engaging in stigmatized and criminalized work. Based on interviews with women engaging in sex work and intimate economies in Hong Kong, the article examines the research interview as an interactional and institutional encounter where interviewer and interviewee jointly create meaning and articulate experiences to produce credibility. Relying on the sex workers’ rights framework and its adjacent debates, the article argues that social theory and critique construct reality by shaping public discourse and moral sensitivities in institutional encounters and act as moral resources that inform positionalities. The article argues for the importance of attending to both interactional and institutional demands made by interview encounters in data interpretation.
Intrinsic blood–brain barrier dysfunction contributes to multiple sclerosis pathogenesis
Authors: Nishihara Hideaki , Perriot Sylvain , Gastfriend Benjamin D , Steinfort Marel , Cibien Celine , Soldati Sasha , Matsuo Kinya , Guimbal Sarah , Mathias Amandine , Palecek Sean P , Shusta Eric V , Pasquier Renaud Du , Engelhardt Britta
Published: January 2022

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and immune cell infiltration into the CNS are early hallmarks of multiple sclerosis (MS). The mechanisms leading to BBB dysfunction are incompletely understood and generally thought to be a consequence of neuroinflammation.

Here, we have challenged this view and asked if intrinsic alterations in the BBB of MS patients contribute to MS pathogenesis. To this end, we made use of human induced pluripotent stem cells derived from healthy controls and MS patients and differentiated them into brain microvascular endothelial cell (BMEC)-like cells as in vitro model of the BBB. MS-derived BMEC-like cells showed impaired junctional integrity, barrier properties and efflux pump activity when compared to healthy controls. Also, MS-derived BMEC-like cells displayed an inflammatory phenotype with increased adhesion molecule expression and immune cell interactions. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin signalling in MS-derived endothelial progenitor cells enhanced barrier characteristics and reduced the inflammatory phenotype.

Our study provides evidence for an intrinsic impairment of BBB function in MS patients that can be modelled in vitro. Human iPSC-derived BMEC-like cells are thus suitable to explore the molecular underpinnings of BBB dysfunction in MS and will assist in the identification of potential novel therapeutic targets for BBB stabilization.
Spatiotemporal patterns of population response in the visual cortex under isoflurane: from wakefulness to loss of consciousness
Authors: Margalit Shany Nivinsky , Golomb Neta Gery , Tsur Omer , Ben Yehoshua Eve , Raz Aeyal , Slovin Hamutal
Published: January 2022

Anesthetic drugs are widely used in medicine and research to mediate loss of consciousness (LOC). Isoflurane is a commonly used anesthetic drug; however, its effects on cortical sensory processing, in particular around LOC, are not well understood. Using voltage-sensitive dye imaging, we measured visually evoked neuronal population response from the visual cortex in awake and anesthetized mice at 3 increasing concentrations of isoflurane, thus controlling the level of anesthesia from wakefulness to deep anesthesia. At low concentration of isoflurane, the effects on neuronal measures were minor relative to the awake condition. These effects augmented with increasing isoflurane concentration, while around LOC point, they showed abrupt and nonlinear changes. At the network level, we found that isoflurane decreased the stimulus-evoked intra-areal spatial spread of local neural activation, previously reported to be mediated by horizontal connections, and also reduced intra-areal synchronization of neuronal population. The synchronization between different visual areas decreased with higher isoflurane levels. Isoflurane reduced the population response amplitude and prolonged their latencies while higher visual areas showed increased vulnerability to isoflurane concentration. Our results uncover the changes in neural activity and synchronization at isoflurane concentrations leading to LOC and suggest reverse hierarchical shutdown of cortical areas.
Advancing policy frameworks to safeguard financial stability in developing and emerging economies: the case of South Korea’s management of international financial flows after 1998
Authors: Nagel Max
Published: January 2022

Financial liberalisation can promote economic development in developing and emerging economies (DEEs). Especially international financial flows pose risks to the stability of their financial system though, as recurrent foreign debt crises in DEEs show. How can DEEs benefit from international financial flows while safeguarding financial stability? The case of South Korea shows how DEEs can develop domestic policy frameworks to manage international financial flows while maintaining a high degree of financial openness. With the experience of the foreign debt crisis of 1997/98 in mind, Korean policymakers have interlinked policies (monetary policy, foreign exchange policy and financial regulation), public financial institutions and the development of domestic capital markets to develop a financial stability-oriented policy framework that has served as protection against risks attached to international financial flows. While this policy change substantiates a turn towards a finance-led accumulation regime, the case of Korea illustrates that DEEs are not passive bystanders in financialisation processes.
Biological or mechanical mitral valve replacement in patients 50–70 years of age—a propensity-adjusted analysis
Authors: Leviner Dror B , Zafrir Barak , Saliba Walid , Stein Nili , Shiran Avinoam , Sharoni Erez
Published: January 2022

OBJECTIVES

The choice of a bioprosthetic valve (BV) over a mechanical valve (MV) in middle-aged adults in the mitral position is still under debate. Each valve type has benefits and drawbacks. We examined the mid-term survival of patients aged 50–70 years after BV versus MV mitral valve replacement (MVR).

METHODS

We conducted a multicentre, retrospective analysis of patients aged 50–70 years undergoing MVR from 2005 to December 2018 in 4 medical centres in Israel. To control for between-group differences, we used propensity-adjusted analysis. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Secondary end points included reoperation, cerebrovascular accident and bleeding.

RESULTS

During the study period, 2125 MVR procedures were performed. Of these, 796 were eligible for inclusion [539 (67.8%) MV replacement and 257 (32.2%) BV]. The mean age was 61.0 ± 5.4. There were 287 deaths during 4890 person-years of follow-up. The adjusted hazard ratio was (1.13 [0.85–1.49], P = 0.672). There was also no difference in the secondary end points. Subgroup analysis of patients aged 50–64 years showed a higher risk of mortality with BV (hazard ratio = 1.50 [1.07–2.1], P = 0.018). Reoperation was a strong predictor of mortality during the study period (72.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients aged 50–70 years, we found an interaction between age and MV or BV outcomes—those younger than 65 years gained a mortality advantage with MV, while outcomes were similar in the 65–70 age group. this supports the current guidelines recommending using MV in patients <65 years of age.
Patterns and predictors of dyspnoea following left ventricular assist device implantation
Authors: Faulkner Kenneth M , Jurgens Corrine Y , Denfeld Quin E , Chien Christopher V , Thompson Jessica Harman , Gelow Jill M , Grady Kathleen L , Lee Christopher S
Published: January 2022

Aims

Dyspnoea is a common symptom of heart failure (HF) that often prompts patients to seek treatment. Implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has been associated with reduced dyspnoea but it is unclear if all patients experience similar improvements in dyspnoea over time following LVAD implantation. Our aim was to identify distinct trajectories of dyspnoea symptoms over time following LVAD implantation and predictors of dyspnoea trajectory. We hypothesized that at least two, distinct trajectories of dyspnoea would be observed following LVAD implantation.

Methods and results

This was a secondary analysis of data from the Profiling Biobehavioral Responses to Mechanical Support in Advanced Heart Failure study. In the parent study, sociodemographic and clinical data were collected prior to LVAD implantation and at 1, 3, and 6 months following LVAD implantation from a sample (n = 101) of patients with advanced HF. Latent growth mixture modelling was performed to identify distinct trajectories of dyspnoea symptoms. Backwards stepwise logistic regression was used to identify predictors of dyspnoea trajectory. Two, distinct trajectories of dyspnoea symptoms were identified: sustained improvement and unsustained improvement. Participants who experienced sustained improvement (86.7% of sample) demonstrated large, significant improvement in dyspnoea from pre-implantation to 3 months post-implant followed by smaller, non-significant improvement from 3 to 6 months. Participants who experienced unsustained improvement (13.3% of sample) demonstrated initial improvement from pre-implantation to 3 months post-implantation followed by worsening of dyspnoea from 3 to 6 months. Greater depressive symptoms at baseline and living alone were significant predictors of unsustained improvement.

Conclusion

Patients experience different patterns of dyspnoea over time following LVAD implantation. Clinicians should inquire about living arrangements and depressive symptoms at each visit to determine risk of unsustained improvement in dyspnoea.
Plant secondary compound- and antibiotic-induced community disturbances improve the establishment of foreign gut microbiota
Authors: Stapleton Tess E , Kohl Kevin D , Dearing M Denise
Published: January 2022

Fecal transplants are a powerful tool for manipulating the gut microbial community, but how these non-native communities establish in the presence of an intact host gut microbiome is poorly understood. We explored the microbiome of desert woodrats (Neotoma lepida) to determine whether disrupting existing microbial communities using plant secondary compounds (PSCs) or antibiotics increases the establishment of foreign microbes. We administered two fecal transplants between natural populations of adult woodrats that harbor distinct gut microbiota and have different natural dietary exposure to PSCs. First, we administered fecal transplants to recipients given creosote resin, a toxin found in the natural diet of our “donor” population, and compared the gut microbial communities to animals given fecal transplants and control diet using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Second, we disrupted the gut microbial community of the same recipients with an antibiotic prior to fecal transplants. We found that gut microbial communities of woodrats disrupted with PSCs or antibiotics resembled that of donors more closely than control groups. PSC treatment also enriched microbes associated with metabolizing dietary toxins in transplant recipients. These results demonstrate that microbial community disturbances by PSCs or antibiotics are sufficient to facilitate establishment of foreign microbes in animals with intact microbiomes.
Role of double-subduction dynamics in the topographic evolution of the Sunda Plate
Authors: Dasgupta Ritabrata , Mandal Nibir
Published: January 2022

The Sunda Plate has shaped itself in a complex tectonic framework, driven by the interactions of multiple subduction zones in its history. Using thermomechanical computational fluid dynamic models we show in this paper how the in-dip double-subduction dynamics has controlled the first-order 3-D topography of this plate, currently bounded by two major N–S trending active trenches: Andaman–Sumatra–Java and Philippines on its western and eastern margins, respectively. We consider six E–W transects to account for an along-trench variation of the subduction parameters: subduction rate (Vc), shallow-depth (200–300 km) slab dip (α) and intertrench distance (ITD, λ) in our 2-D numerical experiments. The deviatoric stress fields and the topographic patterns are found to strongly depend on λ. For large ITDs (λ = 2000–3000 km), the overriding plate develops dominantly tensile stresses in its central zone, forming low topographic elevations. Decreasing λ results in a transition from extensional to contractional deformation, and promotes topographic uplift in the southern part. We explain these effects of λ in terms of the sublithospheric flow vortex patterns produced by the subducting slabs. Large λ (> 2000 km) generates non-interacting flow vortices, located close to the two trenches, leaving the mantle region beneath the overriding plate weakly perturbed. In contrast, small λ results in their strong interaction to produce a single upwelling zone, which facilitates the overriding plate to gain a higher topographic elevation. The stress field predicted from our model is validated with the observed stress patterns. We also interpolate a 3-D topographic surface and vertical uplift rates from the serial model sections, and compare them with the observed surface topography of the Sunda Plate.
Attenuated orthotropic time-domain half-space BEM for SH-wave scattering problems
Authors: Mojtabazadeh-Hasanlouei Saeed , Panji Mehdi , Kamalian Mohsen
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the complete formulation of the attenuated orthotropic time-domain half-space boundary element method was proposed to analyse the transient SH-wave scattering problems. By changing the spatial variable, the time-domain half-space Green's functions were obtained in an isotropic-like analytical process by solving the singular form of the scalar wave equation. The stress-free boundary condition of the ground surface was satisfied using the wave source image theory. To include the materials damping, the Barkan approach was used in the formulation to attenuate the half-space by applying a constant logarithmic reduction into the modified boundary integral equation. The closed-form attenuated orthotropic half-space scalar kernels were obtained in the time-domain for displacement/traction fields by analytical integration of Green's functions. The method was easily implemented in a time-domain computer code to analyse the seismic homogenous orthotropic medium. To elaborate the model of the heterogeneous problems, a substructuring approach was presented to satisfy the continuity conditions at the interface depending on the position of the node and normal. Then, several seismic problems including a surface canyon, an underground cavity, a subsurface inclusion, and an alluvial valley subjected to SH wave was solved and compared with the literature to validate the surface response in the case of isotropic convergence. To evaluate the accuracy and the time of analysis for the proposed method versus the full-space boundary element models, a comparative test was carried out for two examples. A favourite agreement was testified between the responses to verify the proposed method's capability for simple modelling of the orthotropic topographic features. Finally, the ability of the method to analyse the problems with high degrees of freedom was investigated by solving a half-space model including 25 subsurface orthotropic circular inclusions.
Theorizing community health governance for strengthening primary healthcare in LMICs
Authors: Madon Shirin , Krishna S
Published: January 2022

In recent years, community health governance structures have been established in many low and middle-income countries (LMICs) as part of decentralization policies aimed at strengthening primary healthcare systems. So far, most studies on these local structures either focus on measuring their impact on health outcome or on identifying the factors that affect their performance. In this paper we offer an alternative contribution that draws on a sociological interpretation of community health governance to improve understanding of how the government’s policy vision and instrumentation translate to interactions that take place within local spaces at field level. We study 13 Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) in Karnataka, India, from 2016 to 2018 focusing on sanitation, nutrition and hygiene which remain impediments to improving primary healthcare amongst poor and marginalized communities. Three local governance mechanisms of horizontal coordination, demand for accountability and self-help help to explain improvements that have taken place at village level and contribute to the creation of a new theory of community health governance as evolving phenomenon that requires a constant process of learning from the field to strengthen policymaking.
Nonunital Operator Systems and Noncommutative Convexity
Authors: Kennedy Matthew , Kim Se-Jin , Manor Nicholas
Published: January 2022

We establish the dual equivalence of the category of generalized (i.e., potentially nonunital) operator systems and the category of pointed compact noncommutative (nc) convex sets, extending a result of Davidson and the 1st author. We then apply this dual equivalence to establish a number of results about generalized operator systems, some of which are new even in the unital setting. For example, we show that the maximal and minimal C*-covers of a generalized operator system can be realized in terms of theC*-algebra of continuous nc functions on its nc quasistate space, clarifying recent results of Connes and van Suijlekom. We also characterize “C*-simple” generalized operator systems, that is, generalized operator systems with a simple minimal C*-cover, in terms of their nc quasistate spaces. We develop a theory of quotients of generalized operator systems that extends the theory of quotients of unital operator systems. In addition, we extend results of the 1st author and Shamovich relating to nc Choquet simplices. We show that a generalized operator system is a C*-algebra if and only if its nc quasistate space is an nc Bauer simplex with zero as an extreme point, and we show that a second countable locally compact group has Kazhdan’s property (T) if and only if for every action of the group on a C*-algebra, the set of invariant quasistates is the quasistate space of a C*-algebra.
Non-Hamiltonian Actions With Fewer Isolated Fixed Points
Authors: Jang Donghoon , Tolman Susan
Published: January 2022

In an earlier paper, the second author resolved a question of McDuff by constructing a non-Hamiltonian symplectic circle action on a closed, connected six-dimensional symplectic manifold with exactly 32 fixed points. In this paper, we improve on this example by reducing the number of fixed points. More concretely, we construct a non-Hamiltonian symplectic circle action on a closed, connected six-dimensional symplectic manifold with exactly $2k$ fixed points for any $k \geq 5$.
Persistent Autoimmune Activation and Proinflammatory State in Post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 Syndrome
Authors: Acosta-Ampudia Yeny , Monsalve Diana M , Rojas Manuel , Rodríguez Yhojan , Zapata Elizabeth , Ramírez-Santana Carolina , Anaya Juan-Manuel
Published: January 2022

Background

The immunopathological pathways enabling post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome (PCS) development are not entirely known. We underwent a longitudinal analysis of patients with COVID-19 who developed PCS aiming to evaluate the autoimmune and immunological status associated with this condition.

Methods

Thirty-three patients were included for longitudinal clinical and autoantibody analyses, 12 of whom were assessed for cytokines and lymphocyte populations. Patients were followed for 7–11 months after acute COVID-19. Autoimmune profile and immunological statuses were evaluated mainly by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays and flow cytometry.

Results

Latent autoimmunity and overt autoimmunity persisted over time. A proinflammatory state was observed in patients with PCS characterized by up-regulated interferon-α, tumor necrosis factor-α, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-13, whereas interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10) was decreased. In addition, PCS was characterized by increased levels of Th9, CD8+ effector T cells, naive B cells, and CD4+ effector memory T cells. Total levels of immunoglobulin G S1-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies remained elevated over time.

Conclusions

The clinical manifestations of PCS are associated with the persistence of a proinflammatory and effector phenotype induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection. This long-term persistent immune activation may contribute to the development of latent and overt autoimmunity. Results suggest the need to evaluate the role of immunomodulation in the treatment of PCS.
Populism as a Transgressive Style
Authors: Aiolfi Théo
Published: January 2022

As a consequence of its performative turn, the critical literature on populism has dedicated increasing attention to its sociocultural and stylistic features. Among the most prominent concepts underpinning this approach is the notion that populism relies on the “flaunting of the low” or the use of “bad manners.” This article engages in an extensive discussion of the way this concept is used in the literature and showcases its main limitations. In replacement, I then suggest the alternative concept of transgression, understood as the violation of a norm, which has the substantial advantages of being more flexible and versatile as well as less reliant on a normative binary. I then develop an associated typology of transgressive performances depending on which type of norms is being disrupted: transgressions of interactional norms, transgressions of rhetoric norms, and transgressions of theatrical norms. Following this, I showcase how this typology contributes to the IR literature by emphasizing the importance of agency and embodied performances in global politics. This article concludes on the potential of considering transgression beyond populism.
Minocycline pharmacodynamics against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in the neutropenic murine infection model: implications for susceptibility breakpoints
Authors: Fratoni Andrew J. , Nicolau David P. , Kuti Joseph L.
Published: January 2022

Background

Minocycline displays high susceptibility rates against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia at the current breakpoint of 4 mg/L. However, no pharmacodynamic data are available to guide dosing or justify this breakpoint.

Methods

The murine neutropenic thigh infection model was utilized to determine minocycline pharmacodynamics against four S. maltophilia through dose ranging and fractionation studies. The efficacy of a human simulated regimen (HSR) of 100 mg IV q12h was tested against 17 isolates with a range of minocycline MICs. Monte Carlo simulation was employed to assess the PTA for achieving defined pharmacodynamic thresholds in critically ill patients.

Results

The pharmacodynamic index best correlated with reductions in cfu was fAUC/MIC (R2 = 0.376). The composite fAUC/MIC required for stasis and 1 log10 reduction was 9.6 and 23.6, respectively. The minocycline 100 mg q12h HSR yielded no bacterial reduction at MICs ≥1 mg/L and mixed efficacy at 0.5 mg/L. Monte Carlo simulation of minocycline 200 mg IV q12h achieved the 1 log10 kill threshold with PTAs of 93% and 51.7% at MICs of 0.5 and 1 mg/L, respectively, but 0.1% at the current breakpoint of 4 mg/L.

Conclusions

Clinically utilized minocycline dosing regimens fail to reach exposures predicted to be efficacious against S. maltophilia in critically ill patients at the current susceptibility breakpoint.
Pharmacokinetic modelling and simulation to optimize albendazole dosing in hookworm- or Trichuris trichiura-infected infants to adults
Authors: Hofmann Daniela , Brussee Janneke M. , Schulz Jessica D. , Coulibaly Jean T. , Pfister Marc , Keiser Jennifer
Published: January 2022

Background

Albendazole is the most commonly used drug in preventive chemotherapy programmes against soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, with the standard dose of 400 mg resulting in suboptimal clinical outcomes. Population pharmacokinetic (PK) models that could inform dosing strategies are not yet available.

Methods

A population pharmacokinetic model was developed based on micro-blood samples collected from 252 patients aged 2 to 65 years, infected with either hookworm or Trichuris trichiura and treated with albendazole doses ranging from of 200 to 800 mg. An exposure–response analysis was performed relating albendazole and its two metabolites to cure rates and egg reduction rates (ERR). Finally, model-based simulations were conducted to determine equivalent exposure coverage in infants to adults.

Results

A population PK model, with one distribution compartment for each compound and one peripheral compartment, following oral administration with a lag time, assuming first-order absorption and linear elimination, best described the concentration–time profiles. Clearance and volume parameters were scaled to body size (weight for albendazole and height for albendazole sulfoxide and sulfone). Dose proportionality was observed for the active metabolite, albendazole sulfoxide, but only in hookworm-infected individuals, with increasing exposure resulting in increased ERR. Exposure of sulfoxide was lowest in the tallest individuals.

Conclusions

Pharmacometric simulations indicate that doses up to 800 mg could further increase albendazole efficacy in hookworm-infected adults, whereas the standard dose of 400 mg is sufficient in the youngest age cohorts. In the absence of evidence-based arguments for adjusting albendazole doses in T. trichiura-infected individuals, the search for new treatment options is further emphasized.