bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Absolutely general knowledge*
Authors: Fraser Rachel Elizabeth , Mount Beau Madison
Published: September 2020

There is extensive debate among contemporary philosophers about the possibility of absolutely unrestricted quantification; thus far, the debate been almost entirely logically and metaphysically focused. We argue for a third axis of evaluation: the epistemological. We defend absolutism on epistemological grounds, by showing that one prominent and attractive alternative to absolutism—schematism—is epistemologically unacceptable. First, we spell out and motivate an epistemological desideratum for theories of generality, a desideratum which is easily satisfied by absolutists. Second, we consider five ways the schematist might satisfy this desideratum. We argue that none of the five ways is successful.
Genotypic variation in intrinsic transpiration efficiency correlates with sugarcane yield under rainfed and irrigated field conditions
Authors: Natarajan Sijesh , Basnayake Jaya , Lakshmanan Prakash , Fukai Shu
Published: September 2020

Intrinsic transpiration efficiency (iTE), the ratio of photosynthesis (A) to stomatal conductance (gs), is considered a useful trait for improving productivity; however, higher iTE with high A is more desirable than that with low gs. This study dissects iTE of 20 sugarcane genotypes to understand its relationship with total dry matter (TDM) and cane yield (TCH) under irrigated and rainfed conditions. Water stress reduced mean A and gs by 56 and 61%, and mean TDM and TCH by 55 and 59%, respectively; however, genotype × irrigation treatment interaction was smaller than genotype variance. Mean iTE increased from 117.4 μmol mol−1 in the irrigated treatment to 130.6 μmol mol−1 in the rainfed treatment. In irrigated conditions, iTE had high heritability (H2b = 0.67) and significant genetic correlation with TDM (rg = 0.58) and TCH (rg = 0.72). Under water stress, at gs below 0.1 mol m−2 s−1, non‐stomatal limitation to A was evident and iTE had low heritability (H2b = 0.2). Whereas in the gs range of 0.1–0.4 mol m−2 s−1, heritability of iTE (H2b = 0.63) and its genetic correlation with TDM (rg = 0.78) and TCH (rg = 0.75) were maximised. There was significant genotypic variation in photosynthetic capacity (Ac), and the differences were related to TDM and iTE. Selecting genotypes with higher iTE and Ac could offer potential for improving productivity without the unfavourable effect of low gs.
Am I the same person across my life span? An event‐related brain potentials study of the temporal perspective in self‐identity
Authors: Rubianes Miguel , Muñoz Francisco , Casado Pilar , Hernández‐Gutiérrez David , Jiménez‐Ortega Laura , Fondevila Sabela , Sánchez José , Martínez‐de‐Quel Oscar , Martín‐Loeches Manuel
Published: September 2020

While self‐identity recognition has been largely explored, less is known on how self‐identity changes as a function of time. The present work aims to explore the influence of the temporal perspective on self‐identity by studying event‐related brain potentials (ERP) associated with face processing. To this purpose, participants had to perform a recognition task in two blocks with different task demands: (i) identity recognition (self, close‐friend, unknown), and (ii) life stage recognition (adulthood ‐current‐, adolescence, and childhood). The results showed that the N170 component was sensitive to changes in the global face configuration when comparing adulthood with other life stages. The N250 was the earliest neural marker discriminating self from other identities and may be related to a preferential deployment of attentional resources to recognize own face. The P3 was a robust index of self‐specificity, reflecting stimulus categorization and presumably adding an emotional value. The results of interest emerged for the subsequent late positive complex (LPC). The larger amplitude for the LPC to the self‐face was probably associated with further personal significance. The LPC, therefore, was able to distinguish the continuity of the self over time (i.e., between current self and past selves). Likewise, this component also could discriminate, at each life stage, the self‐identity from other identities (e.g., between past self and past close‐friend). This would confirm a remarkable role of the LPC reflecting higher self‐relevance processes. Taken together, the neural representation of oneself (i.e., “I am myself”) seems to be stable and also updated across time.
Factors affecting calving ease in Egyptian buffalo
Authors: Amin Amin M. S. , Salem Mohamed M. I. , Ibrahim Mohamed M. E. , Darweish Samy A. , EL Nagar Ayman G.
Published: September 2020

Calving ease (CE) is a trait of economic importance that affects animal welfare and farm profitability. The objective of present study was to investigate genetic and environmental factors affecting CE among Primiparous (PP) and multiparous (MP) buffaloes. A total of 9,627 records from 1999 MP and 2,110 PP recorded during the period from 1988 to 2018 were considered. Herd, season of calving, year of calving, birth weight, parity order and gestation length significantly affected CE rate, while age at first calving and sex of calf had no significant effects. Direct and maternal heritabilities of CE in PP and MP were 0.06 and 0.01, respectively. The low heritability of CE indicated that direct selection may not be an effective method to improve CE trait in Egyptian buffalo.
CRISPR‐based assessment of genomic structure in the conserved SQUAMOSA promoter‐binding‐like gene clusters in rice
Authors: Jiang Mengmeng , He Ying , Chen Xiaonan , Zhang Xiaohui , Guo Yanru , Yang Sihai , Huang Ju , Traw M. Brian
Published: September 2020

Although SQUAMOSA promoter‐binding‐like (SPL) transcription factors are important regulators of development in rice (Oryza sativa), prior assessments of the SPL family have been limited to single genes. A functional comparison across the full gene family in standardized genetic backgrounds has not been reported previously. Here, we demonstrate that the SPL gene family in rice is enriched due to the most recent whole genome duplication (WGD). Notably, 10 of 19 rice SPL genes (52%) cluster in four units that have persisted for at least 50 million years. We show that SPL gene grouping and retention following WGD is widespread in angiosperms, suggesting the conservatism and importance of this gene arrangement. We used Cas9 editing to generate transformation lines for all 19 SPL genes in a common set of backgrounds, and found that knockouts of 14 SPL genes exhibited defects in plant height, 10 exhibited defects in panicle size, and nine had altered grain lengths. We observed subfunctionalization of genes in the paleoduplicated pairs, but little evidence of neofunctionalization. Expression of OsSPL3 was negatively correlated with that of its closest neighbor in its synteny group, OsSPL4, and its sister paired gene, OsSPL12, in the opposing group. Nucleotide diversity was lower in eight of the nine singleton genes in domesticated rice, relative to wild rice, whereas the reverse was true for the paired genes. Together, these results provide functional information on eight previously unexamined OsSPL family members and suggest that paleoduplicate pair redundancy benefits plant survival and innovation.
Biomechanical comparison of ex vivo lumbar vertebral fracture luxations stabilized with tension band or polymethylmethacrylate in cats
Authors: Beer Patricia , Knell Sebastian C. , Pozzi Antonio , Park Brian H.
Published: September 2020

Objective

To evaluate spinal stabilization with tension band stabilization (TS) in cats compared to screw and polymethylmethacrylate fixation (SP).

Study design

Ex vivo study.

Sample population

Sixteen feline thoracolumbar spinal specimens.

Methods

The intact specimens were mounted in a six‐degree‐of‐freedom biaxial testing machine for nondestructive testing to obtain the neutral zones (NZ) and range of motion (ROM) in flexion and extension. Thereafter, nondestructive testing was consecutively performed after destabilization by disc fenestration and partial L1 corpectomy and after treatment with either TS or SP. Load to failure was compared after surgical treatment in flexion. Significance was assessed by Student's t test or Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.

Results

Range of motion was 26.4° ± 2.2° in TS constructs and 13.4° ± 2.1° in SP constructs (P = .0005). When flexion and extension were analyzed separately, no difference was found for ROM in flexion (SP, 7.0° ± 3.7°; TS, 8.3° ± 2.1°; P = .38). In extension, the mean displacement was 6.4° ± 2.7° and 18.1° ± 5.1° in SP and TS constructs, respectively (P = .0001). Neutral zone was 2.9° ± 0.6° and 7.5° ± 0.8° for the SP and TS groups, respectively (P = .0003). Screw and polymethylmethacrylate fixation constructs were two times stiffer (P = .045).

Conclusion

Tension band stabilization provided stability comparable to SP in flexion. In extension, ROM of SP constructs was half that of TS constructs. The mode of failure of TS was related to the limited dorsal bone stock of feline lumbar vertebrae.

Clinical significance

Surgeons should be aware of the limited stability in extension provided by TS when it is used to stabilize thoracolumbar spinal injuries. Our results provide evidence to justify additional studies to clarify the type of fractures amenable to TS.
Deterministic and stochastic modeling of rarefied gas flows in fusion particle exhaust systems
Authors: Tantos Christos , Varoutis Stylianos , Day Christian
Published: September 2020

In the present work, a deterministic approach is applied for the first time ever to simulate the rarefied gas flow in the particle exhaust system of a nuclear fusion device. As an example of such a system, the pumping area of the DEMO (DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant) fusion reactor is considered, which is characterized by high geometrical complexity and strong gradients of macroscopic quantities. The Knudsen number in this system may vary from free molecular up to the slip regime and the flow behavior must be described by the Boltzmann equation. In the present work, the Boltzmann equation is approximated by the well-known Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook and Shakhov kinetic models supplemented with the deterministic discrete velocity method. In addition, in order to assess the capabilities of the deterministic modeling, the problem has also been studied by solving the Boltzmann equation with the stochastic direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. Extended comparisons between the deterministic and stochastic methods in terms of all macroscopic quantities of practical interest, namely, pressure, number density, temperature, and pumping fluxes, are performed and remarks about the effectiveness of the implemented deterministic approach have been drawn. Results are obtained by assuming He and D2 gas flows, various values of the capture coefficient at the pumping opening, and two different scenarios of the inlet gas temperature. In all examined cases, the deterministic results are in very good agreement with the DSMC ones, with the maximum relative deviation being less than 4%. The nonlinear deterministic code is significantly faster than the stochastic DSMC code for acceptable noise levels. The pumping fluxes and the pressure values in the vicinity of the pumping opening, both quantities useful for pumping system evaluation, have been calculated in terms of the capture coefficient. The present work may support decision making on the suitability of the pumping technology of DEMO and the design of the pumping system.
To Run or Not to Run? Automatic Evaluations and Reflective Attitudes Toward Exercise
Authors: Limmeroth Julia , Hagemann Norbert
Published: September 2020

Using an evaluative priming procedure, this study tested whether automatic evaluations of running differ among groups based on their amount of exercise and whether they were runners or not. Ninety-five participants (26 ± 5.06 years; 46% female) were divided into five groups: an inactive group, active exercisers, highly active exercisers, active runners, and highly active runners. A priming effect score was calculated based on the concept of response facilitation or inhibition: the reaction is faster when the target and prime are valence congruent and becomes slower if they are incongruent. The highly active runner group differed significantly from the inactive group (p < .01) and from the active exerciser group (p < .05). Furthermore, reflective evaluations were measured via questionnaires. The results show that priming effect scores can detect automatic evaluations of running, and they differ not only because of the amounts of physical exercise but also because of their preferred type of exercise.
Mechanical decoupling of quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride from low-energy phonon modes
Authors: Hoese Michael , Reddy Prithvi , Dietrich Andreas , Koch Michael K. , Fehler Konstantin G. , Doherty Marcus W. , Kubanek Alexander
Published: September 2020

We unravel the mystery of mechanically decoupled defect centers in hexagonal boron nitride.
Thermofluidic heat exchangers for actuation of transcription in artificial tissues
Authors: Corbett Daniel C. , Fabyan Wesley B. , Grigoryan Bagrat , O’Connor Colleen E. , Johansson Fredrik , Batalov Ivan , Regier Mary C. , DeForest Cole A. , Miller Jordan S. , Stevens Kelly R.
Published: September 2020

Thermofluidics actuates genetic patterning in artificial tissue.
Ancient and conserved functional interplay between Bcl-2 family proteins in the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis
Authors: Popgeorgiev Nikolay , Sa Jaison D , Jabbour Lea , Banjara Suresh , Nguyen Trang Thi Minh , Akhavan-E-Sabet Aida , Gadet Rudy , Ralchev Nikola , Manon Stéphen , Hinds Mark G. , Osigus Hans-Jürgen , Schierwater Bernd , Humbert Patrick O. , Rimokh Ruth , Gillet Germain , Kvansakul Marc
Published: September 2020

Bcl-2 proteins are molecular gatekeepers of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis that emerged early during metazoan evolution.
Understanding robots
Authors: Ziemke Tom
Published: September 2020

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying human interpretation of robot behavior can inform the design of interactive autonomous systems.
Signal autonomy: Skeletal muscle in diabetes
Authors: Gallagher Emily J.
Published: September 2020

Skeletal muscle from individuals with type 2 diabetes has a cell-autonomous phosphoprotein signature.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Sulfurospirillum
Strain ACS
TCE
, a Tetrachloroethene-Respiring Anaerobe Isolated from Contaminated Soil
Authors: Huo Leitao , Yang Yi , Lv Yan , Li Xiuying , Löffler Frank E. , Yan Jun
Published: September 2020

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the tetrachloroethene-to-trichloroethene dechlorinator
Sulfurospirillum
sp. strain ACS
TCE
. The genome consists of a 38.05-kb circular plasmid and a 2.69-Mb circular chromosome, which encodes 3 identical reductive dehalogenases with 91.47% amino acid identity to the PceA of
Sulfurospirillum multivorans
strain DSM 12446.
Oral administration of NPC43 counters hyperglycemia and activates insulin receptor in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic mice
Authors: Lan Zi-Jian , Lei Zhenmin , Nation Lucinda , Li Xian , Yiannikouris Alexandros , Yerramreddy Thirupathi Reddy , Kincaid Hayley , Eastridge Katie , Xiao Rijin , Goettl Ryan , Power Ronan
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Adenosine, 5’-Se-methyl-5’-seleno-,2’,3’-diacetate (NPC43) is a recently identified small, non-peptidyl molecule which restores normal insulin signaling in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes (Lanet al). The present study investigated the ability of NPC43 as an oral and injectable insulin-replacing agent to activate insulin receptor (INSR) and counter hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic (T1D) mice.

Research design and methods

In this study, STZ was intraperitoneally injected into wild-type mice to induce hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia, the main features of T1D. These STZ-induced T1D mice were given NPC43 orally or intraperitoneally and blood glucose levels were measured using a glucometer. Protein levels of phosphorylated and total Insrβ, protein kinase B (Akt) and AS160 (critical for glucose uptake) in the skeletal muscle and liver of STZ-induced T1D mice following oral NPC43 treatment were determined by western blot analysis. In addition, hepatic expression of activated Insr in STZ-induced T1D mice after intraperitoneal NPC43 treatment was measured by ELISA. Student’s t-test was used for statistical analysis.

Results

Oral administration of NPC43 at a dose of 5.4 or 10.8 mg/kg body weight (mpk) effectively lowered blood glucose levels in STZ-induced T1D mice at ≥1 hour post-treatment and the glucose-lowering activity of oral NPC43 persisted for 5 hours. Blood glucose levels were also reduced in STZ-induced T1D mice following intraperitoneal NPC43 (5.4 mpk) treatment. Protein levels of phosphorylated Insrβ, Akt and AS160 were significantly increased in the skeletal muscle and liver of STZ-induced T1D mice after oral NPC43 (5.4 mpk) treatment. In addition, activation of hepatic Insr was observed in STZ-induced T1D mice following intraperitoneal NPC43 (5.4 mpk) treatment.

Conclusions

We conclude that NPC43 is a de facto fast-acting oral and injectable insulin mimetic which activates Insr and mitigates hyperglycemia in a mouse model of T1D.
Recurrence rates suggest delayed identification of plantar ulceration for patients in diabetic foot remission
Authors: Petersen Brian J , Bus Sicco A , Rothenberg Gary M , Linders David R , Lavery Lawrence A , Armstrong David G
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Foot ulcers are a common and costly complication of diabetes, and delays in treatment can result in impaired healing, infection, hospitalization, and lower extremity amputation.

Research design and methods

We aimed to determine whether patterns in plantar diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) recurrence coincided with typical intervals between routine preventive care appointments, which would suggest that delays exist between ulcer development and identification. We completed an analysis of existing data from two multicenter studies in 300 total participants. We analyzed unadjusted counts of DFU binned in weekly intervals and defined ‘exam periods’ as intervals from 2 to 4 weeks, from 6 to 8 weeks, within 1 week of 3 months and within 1 week of 6 months. We tested whether recurrence rates during exam periods were equivalent to rates outside exam periods. We estimated the delay between DFU development and DFU identification such that the rate of development would have been constant.

Results

During exam periods, a total of 43 DFUs were identified (43/86=50%) despite the fact that these periods represent only 23.5% of follow-up in aggregate. Accounting for censoring, the annualized incidence during exam periods was 0.68 DFU/year (CI 0.48 to 0.89) in contrast to 0.25 DFU/year (CI 0.18 to 0.32) outside exam periods (incidence ratio=2.8, CI 1.8 to 4.3). We estimated delays between DFU occurrence and identification to average 15.3 days (IQR 7.4–23.7 days).

Conclusions

These findings have potential implications for practice, particularly related to the value of telehealth and in-home monitoring of patients in diabetic foot remission. Additionally, there are implications for study design, which should consider the impact of interval censoring and attempt to control for confounders related to frequency and timing of exams.
High prevalence of exercise-induced stridor during Parkrun: a cross-sectional field-based evaluation
Authors: Sails Joe , Hull James H , Allen Hayden , Darville Liam , Walsted Emil S , Price Oliver J
Published: September 2020

Background and objective

The differential diagnosis for exercise-associated breathlessness is broad, however, when a young athletic individual presents with respiratory symptoms, they are most often prescribed inhaler therapy for presumed exercise-induced asthma (EIA). The purpose of this study was therefore to use a novel sound-based approach to assessment to evaluate the prevalence of exertional respiratory symptoms and characterise abnormal breathing sounds in a large cohort of recreationally active individuals.

Methods

Cross-sectional field-based evaluation of individuals completing Parkrun.

Phase 1

Prerace, clinical assessment and baseline spirometry were conducted. At peak exercise and immediately postrace, breathing was monitored continuously using a smartphone. Recordings were analysed retrospectively and coded for signs of the predominant respiratory noise.

Phase 2

A subpopulation that reported symptoms with at least one audible sign of respiratory dysfunction was randomly selected and invited to attend the laboratory on a separate occasion to undergo objective clinical workup to confirm or refute EIA.

Results

Forty-eight participants (22.6%) had at least one audible sign of respiratory dysfunction; inspiratory stridor (9.9%), expiratory wheeze (3.3%), combined stridor+wheeze (3.3%), cough (6.1%). Over one-third of the cohort (38.2%) were classified as symptomatic. Ten individuals attended a follow-up appointment, however, only one had objective evidence of EIA.

Conclusions

The most common audible sign, detected in approximately 1 in 10 individuals, was inspiratory stridor, a characteristic feature of upper airway closure occurring during exercise. Further work is now required to further validate the precision and feasibility of this diagnostic approach in cohorts reporting exertional breathing difficulty.
Exploring prognostic indicators in the pathological images of hepatocellular carcinoma based on deep learning
Authors: Shi Jie-Yi , Wang Xiaodong , Ding Guang-Yu , Dong Zhou , Han Jing , Guan Zehui , Ma Li-Jie , Zheng Yuxuan , Zhang Lei , Yu Guan-Zhen , Wang Xiao-Ying , Ding Zhen-Bin , Ke Ai-Wu , Yang Haoqing , Wang Liming , Ai Lirong , Cao Ya , Zhou Jian , Fan Jia , Liu Xiyang , Gao Qiang
Published: September 2020

Objective

Tumour pathology contains rich information, including tissue structure and cell morphology, that reflects disease progression and patient survival. However, phenotypic information is subtle and complex, making the discovery of prognostic indicators from pathological images challenging.

Design

An interpretable, weakly supervised deep learning framework incorporating prior knowledge was proposed to analyse hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore new prognostic phenotypes on pathological whole-slide images (WSIs) from the Zhongshan cohort of 1125 HCC patients (2451 WSIs) and TCGA cohort of 320 HCC patients (320 WSIs). A ‘tumour risk score (TRS)’ was established to evaluate patient outcomes, and then risk activation mapping (RAM) was applied to visualise the pathological phenotypes of TRS. The multi-omics data of The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) HCC were used to assess the potential pathogenesis underlying TRS.

Results

Survival analysis revealed that TRS was an independent prognosticator in both the Zhongshan cohort (p<0.0001) and TCGA cohort (p=0.0003). Thepredictive abilityof TRS was superior to and independent of clinical staging systems, and TRS could evenly stratify patients into up to five groups with significantly different prognoses. Notably, sinusoidal capillarisation, prominent nucleoli and karyotheca, the nucleus/cytoplasm ratio and infiltrating inflammatory cells were identified as the main underlying features of TRS. The multi-omics data of TCGA HCC hint at the relevance of TRS to tumour immune infiltration and genetic alterations such as theFAT3andRYR2mutations.

Conclusion

Our deep learning framework is an effective and labour-saving method for decoding pathological images, providing a valuable means for HCC risk stratification and precise patient treatment.
TP53, a gene for colorectal cancer predisposition in the absence of Li-Fraumeni-associated phenotypes
Authors: Terradas Mariona , Mur Pilar , Belhadj Sami , Woodward Emma R , Burghel George J , Munoz-Torres Pau M , Quintana Isabel , Navarro Matilde , Brunet Joan , Lazaro Conxi , Pineda Marta , Moreno Victor , Capella Gabriel , Evans D Gareth R , Valle Laura
Published: September 2020

Objective

GermlineTP53pathogenic (P) variants cause Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), an aggressive multitumor-predisposing condition. Due to the implementation of multigene panel testing,TP53variants have been detected in individuals without LFS suspicion, for example, patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to decipher whether these findings are the result of detecting the background population prevalence or the aetiological basis of CRC.

Design

We analysedTP53in 473 familial/early-onset CRC cases and evaluated the results together with five additional studies performed in patients with CRC (total n=6200). Control population and LFS data were obtained from Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD V.2.1.1) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)TP53database, respectively. All variants were reclassified according to the guidelines of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP), following the ClinGenTP53Expert Panel specifications.

Results

P or likely pathogenic (LP) variants were identified in 0.05% of controls (n=27/59 095) and 0.26% of patients with CRC (n=16/6200) (p<0.0001) (OR=5.7, 95% CI 2.8 to 10.9), none of whom fulfilled the clinical criteria established forTP53testing. This association was still detected when patients with CRC diagnosed at more advanced ages (>50 and>60 years) were excluded from the analysis to minimise the inclusion of variants caused by clonal haematopoiesis. Loss-of-function and missense variants were strongly associated with CRC as compared with controls (OR=25.44, 95% CI 6.10 to 149.03, for loss of function and splice-site alleles, and OR=3.58, 95% CI 1.46 to 7.98, for missense P or LP variants).

Conclusion

TP53P variants should not be unequivocally associated with LFS. Prospective follow-up of carriers of germlineTP53P variants in the absence of LFS phenotypes will define how surveillance and clinical management of these individuals should be performed.
Interaction of bacterial metagenome and virome in patients with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy
Authors: Bajaj Jasmohan S , Sikaroodi Masoumeh , Shamsaddini Amirhossein , Henseler Zachariah , Santiago-Rodriguez Tasha , Acharya Chathur , Fagan Andrew , Hylemon Phillip B , Fuchs Michael , Gavis Edith , Ward Tonya , Knights Dan , Gillevet Patrick M
Published: September 2020

Objective

Altered bacterial composition is associated with disease progression in cirrhosis but the role of virome, especially phages, is unclear.

Design

Cross-sectional and pre/post rifaximin cohorts were enrolled. Cross-sectional: controls and cirrhotic outpatients (compensated, on lactulose (Cirr-L), on rifaximin (Cirr-LR)) were included and followed for 90-day hospitalisations. Pre/post: compensated cirrhotics underwent stool collection pre/post 8 weeks of rifaximin. Stool metagenomics for bacteria and phages and their correlation networks were analysed in controls versus cirrhosis, within cirrhotics, hospitalised/not and pre/post rifaximin.

Results

Cross-sectional: 40 controls and 163 cirrhotics (63 compensated, 43 Cirr-L, 57 Cirr-LR) were enrolled. Cirr-L/LR groups were similar on model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score but Cirr-L developed greater hospitalisations versus Cirr-LR (56% vs 30%, p=0.008). Bacterial alpha/beta diversity worsened from controls through Cirr-LR. While phage alpha diversity was similar, beta diversity was different between groups. Autochthonous bacteria linked negatively, pathobionts linked positively with MELD but only modest phage-MELD correlations were seen. Phage–bacterial correlation network complexity was highest in controls, lowest in Cirr-L and increased in Cirr-LR.MicroviridaeandFaecalibacteriumphages were linked with autochthonous bacteria in Cirr-LR, but not Cirr-L hospitalised patients had greater pathobionts, lower commensal bacteria and phages focused onStreptococcus, Lactococcusand Myoviridae. Pre/post: No changes in alpha/beta diversity of phages or bacteria were seen postrifaximin. Phage–bacterial linkages centred around urease-producingStreptococcusspecies collapsed postrifaximin.

Conclusion

Unlike bacteria, faecal phages are sparsely linked with cirrhosis characteristics and 90-day outcomes. Phage and bacterial linkages centred on urease-producing, ammonia-generatingStreptococcusspecies were affected by disease progression and rifaximin therapy and were altered in patients who experienced 90-day hospitalisations.
Study of effective coupling between charge degrees of freedom in low dimensional hole-doped quantum antiferromagnets
Authors: Bhattacharjee Suraka , Chaudhury Ranjan
Published: September 2020

Expressions for the generalized charge stiffness constant at zero temperature are derived corresponding to low-dimensional hole-doped quantum antiferromagnets, describable by the t–J-like models, with a view to understanding fermionic pairing possibilities and charge couplings in itinerant antiferromagnetic systems. A detailed comparison between spin and charge correlations and couplings are presented for the strong and weak coupling limits in one (1D) and two (2D) dimensions. The result highlights that the charge and spin couplings show very similar behaviour in the over-doped region in both dimensions, whereas they show a completely different trend in the lower doping regimes. A qualitative equivalence of the generalized charge stiffness constant with the effective Drude weight and Coulomb interaction is established based on the comparison with other theoretical and experimental results. The fall in charge stiffness with increase in doping then implies a reduction in magnitude of the effective Coulomb repulsion between the mobile carriers. This leads to an enhanced possibility of fermionic pairing with an increase in doping concentration, in the possible presence of some other attraction-producing mechanism from a source outside the t–J-like models. Moreover, under certain conditions in the optimal doping region, the t–J-like models themselves are able to produce an attractive interaction for pairing.
AAC Asher field pea
Authors: Bing Deng-Jin , Beauchesne Don , McLaren Debra , Cuthbert Richard , Naeem Hamid
Published: September 2020

AAC Asher is a semi-leafless, medium to large seeded, yellow cotyledon field pea (Pisum sativum L.) variety developed at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research and Development Centre, Lacombe, AB, Canada. It has high yielding potential, early to medium maturity, and good lodging resistance. AAC Asher has maturity of 94 d and a 1000-seed weight of 257 g. AAC Asher is resistant to powdery mildew (caused by Erysiphe pisi DC.), moderately tolerant to Mycosphaerella blight (caused by Mycosphaerella pinodes) and Fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl.). AAC Asher is adapted to all field growing regions in western Canada.
Progress on 3+1D Glasma simulations
Authors: Ipp Andreas , Müller David I.
Published: September 2020

We review our progress on 3+1D Glasma simulations to describe the earliest stages of heavy-ion collisions. In our simulations we include nuclei with finite longitudinal extent and describe the collision process as well as the evolution of the strongly interacting gluonic fields in the laboratory frame in 3+1 dimensions using the colored particle-in-cell method. This allows us to compute the 3+1 dimensional Glasma energy-momentum tensor, whose rapidity dependence can be compared to experimental pion multiplicity data from RHIC. An improved scheme cures the numerical Cherenkov instability and paves the way for simulations at higher energies used at LHC.
Stability analysis of Einstein’s universe in loop quantum cosmology
Authors: Mc Caughey Eamon
Published: September 2020

A stability analysis of Einstein’s universe in both classical general relativity and semiclassical loop quantum cosmology regimes is presented. The stability properties of the general relativity model are significantly altered due to loop quantum gravity corrections. Comparisons between both dynamical systems are considered on the basis of these modifications. The loop quantum cosmology solutions are restricted to an open universe model [Formula: see text] and represent a cyclic universe. The integrals of motion for both systems are found and their Hamiltonian structure determined.
Analytical and Simple Form of Shrinkage Functions for Non-Convex Penalty Functions in Fused Lasso Algorithm
Authors: Kittisuwan Pichid
Published: September 2020

In some circumstances, the performance of machine learning (ML) tasks are based on the quality of signal (data) that is processed in these tasks. Therefore, the pre-processing techniques, such as reconstruction and denoising methods, are important techniques in ML tasks. In reconstructed (estimated) method, the fused lasso algorithm with non-convex penalty function is an efficient method when the signal corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) is considered. Therefore, this paper proposes new shrinkage functions for non-convex penalty functions, modified arctangent and exponential models, in fused lasso formulation. A lot of works present the shrinkage function for arctangent penalty function. Unfortunately, there is no closed-form solution. The numerical solution is required for shrinkage function of this penalty function. However, the analytical solution is derived in this paper. Moreover, the shrinkage function of modified exponential penalty function is proposed. This shrinkage function obtains from simple iterative method, fixed-point algorithm. We demonstrate the proposed methods through simulations with standard one-dimensional signals contaminated by AWGN. The proposed techniques are compared with traditional estimation methods, such as total variation (TV) and wavelet denoising methods. In experimental results, our proposed methods outperform several exiting methods both visual quality and in terms of root mean square error (RMSE). In fact, the proposed methods can better preserve the feature of noise-free signal than the compared methods. The denoised signals produced by the proposed methods are less smooth than the denoised signals produced by the compared methods.
The influence of low-intensity resistance training combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation on autonomic activity in healthy adults: A randomized controlled cross-over trial
Authors: Kutsuna Toshiki , Sugawara Hitoshi , Kurita Hideaki , Kusaka Satomi , Takahashi Tetsuya
Published: September 2020

Background: Low-intensity resistance training (RT) combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is one method of exercise to improve the deterioration of physical function. However, it is unclear whether low-intensity RT combined with NMES (RT + NMES) can be safely implemented.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the influence of low-intensity RT + NMES on autonomic activity and cardiovascular responses in healthy adults.

Methods: This study was an open-label, randomized controlled cross-over trial. The exercise intensity of isometric knee extension RT was set to 40% of the maximum voluntary contraction (peak torque). NMES was adjusted to a biphasic asymmetrical waveform with the frequency maintained at 50 Hz and a phase duration of 300 [Formula: see text]s. The difference in the change in autonomic activity and cardiovascular responses was compared by assessing heart rate variability, blood pressure, and heart rate during RT and [Formula: see text].

Results: Twenty healthy male college students (mean age [Formula: see text] years) participated in this study. The ratio of low- and high-frequency components of heart rate variability, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate increased during exercise in the RT and [Formula: see text] sessions ([Formula: see text]). There were no significant differences in autonomic activity and cardiovascular responses throughout the sessions during RT and [Formula: see text].

Conclusion: In conclusion, our results demonstrated that low-intensity [Formula: see text] was safe and did not induce excessive autonomic and cardiovascular responses in healthy adults.
Opinions on the rehabilitation therapies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Authors: Yao Xiaoqin , Li Mengzhen , Feng Cuiling
Published: September 2020

The COVID-19 epidemic in China has been effectively controlled, a large number of patients have been released from isolation and discharged, and the treatment and rehabilitation programs in the recovery period need to be effectively implemented. The recovery of coronavirus disease 2019 is a syndrome of deficiency and solidity. The deficiency of qi and yin is dominant, and some patients have yang deficiency; phlegm and stasis are the main pathological products. We suggest that hierarchical management is recommended for patients in the recovery period. Asymptomatic patients with normal lung imaging results should take the respiratory rehabilitation program and have no need to take drugs. Patients with clinical symptoms with or without lung shadows, and patients who have no obvious symptoms but whose lung shadows are not completely absorbed, need to be treated according to syndrome differentiation.
The clinical application of a traditional Chinese medicine prescription issued by Professor Liangduo Jiang in the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Authors: Yao Jinfang , Yang Jian , Yu Zhenping , Chui Jinwei , Lee Simin , Zhang Xiaomei , Jiang Liangduo
Published: September 2020

Objective: To summarize the clinical experience of Professor Liangduo Jiang in the prevention and control of the new coronavirus disease COVID-19.

Methods: Between January 2020 and February 2020, 87 subjects who have had contact with patients tested positive for COVID-19 in an isolated observation site in Tianjin were given the Chinese medicine prescription for prevention prescribed by Professor Liangduo Jiang continuously for three days. Their basic information, clinical manifestations and medication adherence were statistically analyzed, and the clinical manifestations, temperature changes and infection status after medication were summarized.

Results: After the 14-day isolation observation period, only one patient who had close contact with confirmed patients developed a positive test for COVID-19 after taking the preventive Chinese medicine prescription, with the infection rate of 1.149%.

Conclusion: The preventive treatment by Professor Liangduo Jiang is effective in the prevention and control of the epidemic.
Theoretical Investigation on the Characteristics of Leak Noise for Natural Gas Pipelines
Authors: Zhang Zewei , Yuan Hongyong , Fu Ming , Chen Tao , Gao Yan , Feng Guoliang
Published: September 2020

This paper is concerned with the spectral characteristics of leak noise at the source relevant to fluid dynamics for natural gas pipelines. Comparison is made between the flow field characteristics for the buried and above-ground pipelines to demonstrate the differences in aero-acoustics generation mechanism. The fundamental spectral parameters including the sound pressure level (SPL) and power spectral density (PSD), are extracted to characterize the leak noise under different pipeline conditions of operation pressure and leak orifice diameter. Numerical results show that the leak noise of buried pipelines has less energy and are more concentrated at lower frequencies, compared with that of above-ground pipelines. It is demonstrated that leak noise is predominantly governed by the dipole and the quadrupole sources, generated from the gas–solid interaction and turbulent disturbance, respectively. It is shown that the dipole source is attenuated and the quadrupole source is amplified with the leak orifice diameter for buried pipelines whereas both are amplified for above-ground pipelines. Moreover, it is suggested that the feature parameters of fluid dynamics, such as the average dynamic pressure and turbulent kinetic energy, can be used to characterize the leak noise mechanism for natural gas pipelines.
SHASTA
Authors: Ravi Gokul Subramanian , Miguel Joshua San , Lipasti Mikko
Published: September 2020

A key requirement for efficient general purpose approximate computing is an amalgamation of flexible hardware design and intelligent application tuning, which together can leverage the appropriate amount of approximation that the applications engender and reap the best efficiency gains from them. To achieve this, we have identified three important features to build better general-purpose cross-layer approximation systems: ① individual per-operation (“spatio-temporally fine-grained”) approximation, ② hardware-cognizant application tuning for approximation, ③ systemwide approximation-synergy.

We build an efficient general purpose approximation system called SHASTA: Synergic HW-SW Architecture for Spatio-Temporal Approximation, to achieve these goals.
1
First, in terms of hardware, SHASTA approximates both compute and memory—SHASTA proposes (a) a form of timing approximation called Slack-control Approximation, which controls the computation timing of each approximation operation and (b) a Dynamic Pre-L1 Load Approximation mechanism to approximate loads prior to cache access. These hardware mechanisms are designed to achieve fine-grained spatio-temporally diverse approximation. Next, SHASTA proposes a Hardware-cognizant Approximation Tuning mechanism to tune an application’s approximation to achieve the optimum execution efficiency under the prescribed error tolerance. The tuning mechanism is implemented atop a gradient descent algorithm and, thus, the application’s approximation is tuned along the steepest error vs. execution efficiency gradient. Finally, SHASTA is designed with a full-system perspective, which achieves Synergic benefits across its optimizations, building a closer-to-ideal general purpose approximation system.

SHASTA is implemented on top of an OOO core and achieves mean speedups/energy savings of 20%–40% over a non-approximate baseline for greater than 90% accuracy—these benefits are substantial for applications executing on a traditional general purpose processing system. SHASTA can be tuned to specific accuracy constraints and execution metrics and is quantitatively shown to achieve 2–15× higher benefits, in terms of performance and energy, compared to prior work.
2020 ACM SIGMOBILE Rockstar Award
Authors: Lane Nicholas D.
Published: September 2020

Nicholas D. Lane will receive the 2020 SIGMOBILE Rockstar Award for his innovative earlycareer contributions toward using machine learning on resource-constrained mobile devices to sense people and sense "things," broadly defined. Nic's early career has been a fascinating blend of academic and industry interests, generating deep insights towards practical mobile systems for machine learning.
V-Speech
Authors: Cordourier Maruri Héctor A. , Lopez-Meyer Paulo , Huang Jonathan , Beltman Willem , Nachman Lama , Lu Hong
Published: September 2020

Smart glasses are often used in noisy public spaces or industrial settings. Voice commands and automatic speech recognition (ASR) are good user interfaces for such a form factor, but the background noise and interfering speakers pose important challenges. Typical signal processing techniques have limitations in performance and/or hardware resources. V-Speech is a novel solution that captures the voice signal with a vibration sensor located in the nasal pads of smart glasses. Although signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is much higher with vibration sensor capture, it introduces a "nasal distortion," which must be dealt with. The second part of our proposed solution involves a voice transformation of the vibration signal using a neural network to produce an output that mimics the characteristics of a conventional microphone. We evaluated V-Speech in noise-free and very noisy conditions with 30 volunteer speakers uttering 145 phrases each, and validated its performance on ASR engines, with assessments of voice quality using the Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) metric, and with subjective listeners to determine intelligibility, naturalness and overall quality. The results show, in extreme noise conditions, a mean improvement of 50% for Word Error Rate (WER), 1.0 on a scale of 5.0 for PESQ, and speech regarded intelligible, with naturalness rated as fair to good. The output of V-Speech has low noise, sounds natural, and enables clear voice communication in challenging environments.
Epigenetic Neuropharmacology: Drugs Affecting the Epigenome in the Brain
Authors: Toth Miklos
Published: September 2020

This review explores how different classes of drugs, including those with therapeutic and abuse potential, alter brain functions and behavior via the epigenome. Epigenetics, in its simplest interpretation, is the study of the regulation of a genes’ transcriptional potential. The epigenome is established during development but is malleable throughout life by a wide variety of drugs, with both clinical utility and abuse potential. An epigenetic effect can be central to the drug's therapeutic or abuse potential, or it can be independent from the main effect but nevertheless produce beneficial or adverse side effects. Here, I discuss the various epigenetic effects of main pharmacological drug classes, including antidepressants, antiepileptics, and drugs of abuse.
Novel Therapeutic Approach for Excitatory/Inhibitory Imbalance in Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Ghatak Swagata , Talantova Maria , McKercher Scott R. , Lipton Stuart A.
Published: September 2020

Excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance, defined as the balance between excitation and inhibition of synaptic activity in a neuronal network, accounts in part for the normal functioning of the brain, controlling, for example, normal spike rate. In many pathological conditions, this fine balance is perturbed, leading to excessive or diminished excitation relative to inhibition, termed E/I imbalance, reflected in network dysfunction. E/I imbalance has emerged as a contributor to neurological disorders that occur particularly at the extremes of life, including autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer's disease, pointing to the vulnerability of neuronal networks at these critical life stages. Hence, it is important to develop approaches to rebalance neural networks. In this review, we describe emerging therapies that can normalize the E/I ratio or the underlying abnormality that contributes to the imbalance in electrical activity, thus improving neurological function in these maladies.
Senolytic Drugs: Reducing Senescent Cell Viability to Extend Health Span
Authors: Robbins Paul D. , Jurk Diana , Khosla Sundeep , Kirkland James L. , LeBrasseur Nathan K. , Miller Jordan D. , Passos João F. , Pignolo Robert J. , Tchkonia Tamar , Niedernhofer Laura J.
Published: September 2020

Senescence is the consequence of a signaling mechanism activated in stressed cells to prevent proliferation of cells with damage. Senescent cells (Sncs) often develop a senescence-associated secretory phenotype to prompt immune clearance, which drives chronic sterile inflammation and plays a causal role in aging and age-related diseases. Sncs accumulate with age and at anatomical sites of disease. Thus, they are regarded as a logical therapeutic target. Senotherapeutics are a new class of drugs that selectively kill Sncs (senolytics) or suppress their disease-causing phenotypes (senomorphics/senostatics). Since 2015, several senolytics went from identification to clinical trial. Preclinical data indicate that senolytics alleviate disease in numerous organs, improve physical function and resilience, and suppress all causes of mortality, even if administered to the aged. Here, we review the evidence that Sncs drive aging and disease, the approaches to identify and optimize senotherapeutics, and the current status of preclinical and clinical testing of senolytics.