bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract P237: Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) And Risk Of Incident Hemorrhagic And Ischemic Stroke: The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study (ARIC)
Authors: Ji Yuekai , Lutsey Pamela L , Tang Weihong , Lakshminarayan Kamakshi , Hoogeveen Ron C , Ballantyne Christie M
Published: April 2022

Introduction:
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), belong to a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases, have been found to induce stroke through its role in extracellular matrix destruction. MMPs also affect the stroke prognosis by disrupting blood brain barrier during stroke. Genetic association studies suggest that MMPs are involved in the pathogenesis of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Hypothesis:
High MMP-2, MMP-9 and ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 are associated with higher risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Method:
After exclusion of missing data and prevalent stroke, 11,393 ARIC participants were followed from midlife (visit 3; 1993-1995) and 4,924 participants followed from late life (visit 5; 2011-2013) to 2019. Plasma levels of MMPs were measured by SOMAscan version 4 assay. Stroke cases were reviewed and adjudicated by neurologists. We used Cox models to examine the relationship between MMPs and stroke risk.

Result:
Mean age of participants were 60±5.7 at visit 3 and 76±5.2 at visit 5. At visit 3 55% were female and 21% Black. A total of 1,013 ischemic and 127 hemorrhagic strokes occurred over 22.34 years of follow-up for the visit 3 analysis and 319 ischemic and 30 hemorrhagic strokes over 7.24 years for the visit 5 analysis. A significant and positive association was detected for MMP-2 at visit 3 baseline for hemorrhagic stroke (HR (95% CI): 2.28 (1.14-4.57)) and at visit 5 baseline with ischemic stroke (1.65 (1.08-2.53)), after covariate adjustment. No associations were observed with MMP-9 and TIMP-1.

Conclusion:
Results of MMP-2 indicate a possible relationship with MMPs and stroke subtypes, but were not consistent. Though no significance were found for MMP-9 and TIMP-1, their direction of associations with stroke was consistent with the hypothesis.
Innovations in Undergraduate Research Training Through Multisite Collaborative Programming: American Heart Association Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Syndicate
Authors: Ajayi Tinuola B. , Mueller Adrienne L. , Okwuosa Ike S. , Barshilia Asha , Wu Joseph C. , Benjamin Emelia J. , Barnett Joey V. , Oliver Kendra H.
Published: April 2022

Background

To support diversity in biomedical science, the American Heart Association launched the Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds to provide mentorship and high‐level exposure at 5 leading medical institutions. Here we describe the initial formation of the partnership and the alteration made in response to the program to accommodate COVID‐19 safety precautions.

Methods and Results

We outline how programming shifted from local, in‐person programming in the summer of 2019 to a collaborative, mainly virtual curriculum in 2020 using students’ self‐reported before and after surveys from both 2019 (n=33) and 2020 (n=42). Students from both in‐person (2019) and virtual programs (2020) self‐reported significant gains in scientific proficiency. A qualitative‐directed content analysis of student open‐response questions was performed. Students reported extensive benefits from the 2020 virtual training, including Personal Gains, Research Skills, Thinking and Working Like a Scientist, and Attitudes and Behaviors. Notedly, we observed increases in the Attitudes and Behaviors category. We outline the pros and cons of in‐person and virtual programming and make recommendations moving forward in a postpandemic world with hybrid work and learning systems.

Conclusions

Our effort informs the development of future undergraduate research training programs, significantly maximizing a hybrid training modality. The American Heart Association Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences serves as a model for building multi‐institutional partnerships and providing research experiences that overcome institutional barriers and support students' interests, commitment, and ability to persist in science, technology, engineering, and math fields.
Linear-Time Calculation of the Expected Sum of Edge Lengths in Random Projective Linearizations of Trees
Authors: Alemany-Puig Lluís , Ferrer-i-Cancho Ramon
Published: April 2022

The syntactic structure of a sentence is often represented using syntactic dependency trees. The sum of the distances between syntactically related words has been in the limelight for the past decades. Research on dependency distances led to the formulation of the principle of dependency distance minimization whereby words in sentences are ordered so as to minimize that sum. Numerous random baselines have been defined to carry out related quantitative studies on lan- guages. The simplest random baseline is the expected value of the sum in unconstrained random permutations of the words in the sentence, namely, when all the shufflings of the words of a sentence are allowed and equally likely. Here we focus on a popular baseline: random projective per- mutations of the words of the sentence, that is, permutations where the syntactic dependency structure is projective, a formal constraint that sentences satisfy often in languages. Thus far, the expectation of the sum of dependency distances in random projective shufflings of a sentence has been estimated approximately with a Monte Carlo procedure whose cost is of the order of Rn, where n is the number of words of the sentence and R is the number of samples; it is well known that the larger R is, the lower the error of the estimation but the larger the time cost. Here we pre- sent formulae to compute that expectation without error in time of the order of n. Furthermore, we show that star trees maximize it, and provide an algorithm to retrieve the trees that minimize it.
Identification of Visual Functional Thresholds for Immersion Assessment in Virtual Reality
Authors: Hébert-Lavoie Maxence , Doyon-Poulin Philippe , Ozell Benoît
Published: April 2022

We consider that to objectively measure immersion, one needs to assess how each sensory quality is reproduced in a virtual environment. In this perspective, we introduce the concept of functional threshold which corresponds to the value at which a sensory quality can be degraded without being noticed by the user of a virtual environment. We suggest that the perceived realism of a virtual experience can potentially be evoked for sensory qualities values ranging from the perceptual threshold to the functional threshold. Thus, the identification of functional thresholds values allows us to constrain immersion. To lay the foundation for the identification of functional thresholds, we applied a modified version of the method of limits. We measured the value at which 30 participants were able to identify the degradation of their field of view (FOV), visual acuity, and contrast sensitivity while executing a multidirectional selection test. This enabled us to identify functional perceptual thresholds of 96.6 degrees for FOV, 12.2 arcmin for visual acuity, and 25.6% for contrast sensitivity.
A Multi-Level Optimization Framework for End-to-End Text Augmentation
Authors: Somayajula Sai Ashish , Song Linfeng , Xie Pengtao
Published: April 2022

Text augmentation is an effective technique in alleviating overfitting in NLP tasks. In existing methods, text augmentation and downstream tasks are mostly performed separately. As a result, the augmented texts may not be optimal to train the downstream model. To address this problem, we propose a three-level optimization framework to perform text augmentation and the downstream task end-to- end. The augmentation model is trained in a way tailored to the downstream task. Our framework consists of three learning stages. A text summarization model is trained to perform data augmentation at the first stage. Each summarization example is associated with a weight to account for its domain difference with the text classification data. At the second stage, we use the model trained at the first stage to perform text augmentation and train a text classification model on the augmented texts. At the third stage, we evaluate the text classification model trained at the second stage and update weights of summarization examples by minimizing the validation loss. These three stages are performed end-to-end. We evaluate our method on several text classification datasets where the results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. Code is available at https://github.com/Sai-Ashish/End-to-End-Text-Augmentation.
A Preacher’s Perspective
Authors: Honings Rick
Published: April 2022

This article presents a critical, postcolonial analysis of the travel accounts of the Dutch church minister Sytze Roorda van Eysinga (1773–1829), who travelled within the East Indies archipelago in the 1820s as ‘visitator’ of the churches and schools in the colony. Which elements are characteristic of the preacher’s perspective? What did he emphasize in his travel texts? How did he represent the indigenous people who had to be Christianized eventually? So far, only little attention has been paid to the preacher’s perspective in general and to the work of Sytze Roorda van Eysinga in particular. First, Roorda’s representation of the tropical landscape is analysed. Then, his ideas about the indigenous people are discussed, mainly using the theoretical framework of the bookMissionary discourses of difference. Negotiating Otherness in the British Empire, 1840–1900by Esme Cleall (2012).
Revision of the type species of some cheilostome bryozoan genera in the collection of the Swedish Museum of Natural History
Authors: MARTINO EMANUELA DI
Published: April 2022

The zoological dry collection of the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm includes an important, historical bryozoan section that is rich in species and specimens and also diverse from a geographical point of view. This collection also contains the type specimens of the type species of some cheilostome bryozoan genera introduced by several naturalists and bryozoologists between the mid-1800s and 1900s. With a few exceptions, these have not been revised since the advent of scanning electron microscopy as a standard tool for bryozoan taxonomy. Here, the type specimen(s) of the type species of the following six cheilostome genera are described and illustrated using SEM micrographs for the first time: Cheilopora Levinsen, 1909; Fedorella Silén, 1947; Floridina Jullien, 1882; Lepraliella Levinsen, 1917; Smittipora Jullien, 1882; and Stenopsella Bassler, 1952. The type specimen(s) of the type species of the recently introduced Terwasipora Reverter-Gil & Souto, 2019 and the relatively recently revised Doryporella Norman, 1903 are also illustrated for the first time. This revision has identified some erroneous geographical records for some of the species/genera examined, and has led to the proposed synonymy of Stenopsella with Gigantopora Ridley, 1881. Lectotypes have also been selected. All of the images produced will also be publicly available through the SMNH online catalogue. The digitisation of natural history museum collections, with prioritisation of historical type specimens, is of paramount importance to facilitate access to the fundamental taxonomic units for scientists worldwide.
NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography (AI2ES)
Authors: McGovern Amy , Bostrom Ann , Davis Phillip , Demuth Julie L. , Ebert-Uphoff Imme , He Ruoying , Hickey Jason , Gagne II David John , Snook Nathan , Stewart Jebb Q. , Thorncroft Christopher , Tissot Philippe , Williams John K.
Published: April 2022

We introduce the National Science Foundation (NSF) AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography (AI2ES). This AI institute was funded in 2020 as part of a new initiative from the NSF to advance foundational AI research across a wide variety of domains. To date AI2ES is the only NSF AI institute focusing on environmental science applications. Our institute focuses on developing trustworthy AI methods for weather, climate, and coastal hazards. The AI methods will revolutionize our understanding and prediction of high-impact atmospheric and ocean science phenomena and will be utilized by diverse, professional user groups to reduce risks to society. In addition, we are creating novel educational paths, including a new degree program at a community college serving underrepresented minorities, to improve workforce diversity for both AI and environmental science.
Collision Fluctuations of Lucky Droplets with Superdroplets
Authors: Li Xiang-Yu , Mehlig Bernhard , Svensson Gunilla , Brandenburg Axel , Haugen Nils E. L.
Published: April 2022

It was previously shown that the superdroplet algorithm for modeling the collision–coalescence process can faithfully represent mean droplet growth in turbulent clouds. An open question is how accurately the superdroplet algorithm accounts for fluctuations in the collisional aggregation process. Such fluctuations are particularly important in dilute suspensions. Even in the absence of turbulence, Poisson fluctuations of collision times in dilute suspensions may result in substantial variations in the growth process, resulting in a broad distribution of growth times to reach a certain droplet size. We quantify the accuracy of the superdroplet algorithm in describing the fluctuating growth history of a larger droplet that settles under the effect of gravity in a quiescent fluid and collides with a dilute suspension of smaller droplets that were initially randomly distributed in space (“lucky droplet model”). We assess the effect of fluctuations upon the growth history of the lucky droplet and compute the distribution of cumulative collision times. The latter is shown to be sensitive enough to detect the subtle increase of fluctuations associated with collisions between multiple lucky droplets. The superdroplet algorithm incorporates fluctuations in two distinct ways: through the random spatial distribution of superdroplets and through the Monte Carlo collision algorithm involved. Using specifically designed numerical experiments, we show that both on their own give an accurate representation of fluctuations. We conclude that the superdroplet algorithm can faithfully represent fluctuations in the coagulation of droplets driven by gravity.
Comparison between Large-Scale Circulation Anomalies Associated with Interannual Variability and Decadal Change of Summer Arctic Sea Ice
Authors: Li Xinyu , Lu Riyu , Liu Jiping , Wang Shaoyin
Published: April 2022

Arctic sea ice in summer shows both interannual and long-term variations, and atmospheric circulation anomalies are known to play an important role. This study compares the summertime large-scale circulation anomalies associated with Arctic sea ice on interannual and decadal time scales. The results indicate that the circulation anomalies associated with decreased sea ice on an interannual time scale are characterized by a barotropic anticyclonic anomaly in the central Arctic, and the thermodynamic process is important for the circulation–sea ice coupling. On one hand, the descending adiabatic warming in low levels associated with the central Arctic anticyclonic anomaly leads to decreased sea ice by enhancing the downwelling longwave radiation. On the other hand, the anticyclonic anomaly also induces more moisture in low levels. The enhanced moisture and temperature (coupled with each other) further favor the reduction of sea ice by emitting more downwelling longwave radiation. By contrast, associated with the decadal sea ice decline, there is an anticyclonic anomaly over Greenland and a cyclonic anomaly over northern Siberia, and the wind-driven sea ice drift dominates the sea ice decline. The transpolar circulation anomalies between the anticyclonic and cyclonic anomalies promote transport of the ice away from the coasts of Siberia toward the North Pole, and drive the ice out of the Arctic Ocean to the North Atlantic. These circulation anomalies also induce sea ice decline through thermodynamic process, but it is not as significant as that on an interannual time scale.
The Effects of Uncorrelated Measurement Noise on SWOT Estimates of Sea Surface Height, Velocity, and Vorticity
Authors: Chelton Dudley B. , Samelson Roger M. , Farrar J. Thomas
Published: April 2022

The Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) on the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite will revolutionize satellite altimetry by measuring sea surface height (SSH) with unprecedented accuracy and resolution across two 50-km swaths separated by a 20-km gap. The original plan to provide an SSH product with a footprint diameter of 1 km has changed to providing two SSH data products with footprint diameters of 0.5 and 2 km. The swath-averaged standard deviations and wavenumber spectra of the uncorrelated measurement errors for these footprints are derived from the SWOT science requirements that are expressed in terms of the wavenumber spectrum of SSH after smoothing with a filter cutoff wavelength of 15 km. The availability of two-dimensional fields of SSH within the measurement swaths will provide the first spaceborne estimates of instantaneous surface velocity and vorticity through the geostrophic equations. The swath-averaged standard deviations of the noise in estimates of velocity and vorticity derived by propagation of the uncorrelated SSH measurement noise through the finite difference approximations of the derivatives are shown to be too large for the SWOT data products to be used directly in most applications, even for the coarsest footprint diameter of 2 km. It is shown from wavenumber spectra and maps constructed from simulated SWOT data that additional smoothing will be required for most applications of SWOT estimates of velocity and vorticity. Equations are presented for the swath-averaged standard deviations and wavenumber spectra of residual noise in SSH and geostrophically computed velocity and vorticity after isotropic two-dimensional smoothing for any user-defined smoother and filter cutoff wavelength of the smoothing.
The Impact of Mean-State Moisture Biases on MJO Skill in the Navy ESPC
Authors: Rushley Stephanie S. , Janiga Matthew A. , Ridout James A. , Reynolds Carolyn A.
Published: April 2022

The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is a key source of predictability in the subseasonal time scale (weeks to months) and influences a wide range of weather and climate phenomena. Although there have been enormous gains in simulating the MJO, many climate and forecast models still have biases in MJO behavior and structure. In this study, we examine the MJO in the Navy Earth System Prediction Capability (Navy ESPC) forecasts performed for the Subseasonal Experiment (SubX) using process-based diagnostics and a moisture budget analysis that uses wavenumber–frequency filtering to isolate the MJO. The MJO in the Navy ESPC is too strong in both boreal winter and summer. This amplitude bias is driven by biases in the vertical moisture advection in the Navy ESPC, which is too strong and deep, driven by a more bottom-heavy vertical motion profile and too steep lower-tropospheric vertical moisture gradient. Additionally, the convective moisture adjustment time scale in the Navy ESPC is faster than observed, such that for a given moisture anomaly the precipitation response is greater than observed. In the Navy ESPC, the MJO propagation shows strong agreement with observations in the Indian Ocean, followed by too rapid propagation east of the Maritime Continent in both seasons. This MJO acceleration east of the Maritime Continent is linked to an acceleration of moisture anomalies driven by biases in anomalous moisture tendency. The mechanisms that drive this bias have seasonal differences, with excess evaporation in the western Pacific dominating in boreal winter and horizontal moisture advection dominating in boreal summer.
Finite-time bounded control for quadrotors with extended dissipative performance using a switched system approach
Authors: Nie Liang , Cai Bo , Li Yunpeng , Wang Hui , Zhang Lixian
Published: April 2022

In order to deal with the problem of attitude tracking control for quadrotors subject to time-varying inertia and external disturbances, a finite-time bounded switched linear parameter-varying (LPV) control method is presented. The attitude dynamics is described by two subsystems, where the inner angular-velocity system is used to track the desired angular velocities that are generated by the outer attitude-angle system. The angular-velocity system of quadrotors is modeled as a switched LPV model, where a family of linear models is developed to approximate the original nonlinear system and the LPV method is applied to model the time-varying inertia. Specially, a mode-dependent persistent dwell-time (MPDT) switching logic, which is more general than the typically used dwell-time (DT) or average dwell-time (ADT) switching logic, is adopted to govern the switching behaviors among these linear models. A state-feedback controller for the switched LPV error-tracking system is designed, which ensures both finite-time boundedness and extended dissipative performance. Finally, the developed theoretical results are verified by numerical simulation.
The Relationship Between Multimorbidity and Types of Chronic Diseases and Self-Rated Memory
Authors: Franco Yujin , Jang Yuri , Saenz Joseph L. , Ho Jessica Y.
Published: April 2022

This study explores the impact of multimorbidity and types of chronic diseases on self-rated memory in older adults in the United States. Data were drawn from the 2011 wave of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS, N = 6,481). Logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between multimorbidity and types of chronic diseases and fair/poor self-rated memory. Compared to respondents with no or one chronic disease, respondents with multimorbidity showed 35% higher odds of reporting fair/poor self-rated memory. Also, stroke, osteoporosis, and arthritis were identified as increasing the odds of reporting fair/poor self-rated memory by 41%, 20%, and 30%, respectively. Demonstrating the importance of both multimorbidity and types of chronic diseases in self-reporting of memory, our findings suggest the need to educate older adults with multimorbidity and certain types of diseases regarding negative self-rated memory and its consequences.
Between the law and the actual situation: Failure as property formation in French colonial Indochina
Authors: Collins Erin , Nam Sylvia
Published: April 2022

This article complements and complicates Bhandar’s discussion of ‘racial regimes of ownership’ (2018) by examining the relational co-constitution of notions of racial and property formations in the ‘non-settler’ colonial context of Cambodia. Working through the record of intra-colonial correspondence relating to the control of non-white but also non-Khmer property interests in Cambodia, this article documents racialization’s powerful disruptive impact on liberal property formation. Colonial failure as property formation indexes, first, how the racialized categories of ethnic difference that underpinned the rationalities of French colonial rule simultaneously undermined French colonial programs to alienate land. Second, it positions the failure to reconcile a confusing array of property laws and logics as integral to maintaining paternalistic colonial (and post-colonial) authority to sort racialized populations via the privilege of property. Through the lens of French attempts to control property claims, we show how the French colonial property regime, supposedly based on universal liberal norms, was in fact also deeply racialized, requiring it to be managed in a highly localized manner, in accordance with each territory’s existing set of ethnic property relations—or the practical racial hierarchy of colonialism would unravel.
Anatomical parameters of sustentaculum Tali screw placement in the Asian population: A retrospective radio-anatomical study
Authors: Liao Li-qing , Feng Zi-yu , Li Yi-kai
Published: April 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the anatomical parameters of successful Sustentaculum Tali (ST) screw placement in the Asian population. Method: CT scans of unilateral feet of 110 participants were reviewed, retrospectively. The 3 D reconstruction of the calcaneus and morphometric measurements were performed by Mimics Research 19.0 and 3-Matic Research 11.0. Finally, six cadaveric feet were used for verification of the accuracy of the measurements. Results: We discovered a method to help place ST screw successfully: (1) The entry point located at the middle section of the lateral wall of posterior talar articular surface (PTAS), and the perpendicular distance from the entry point to the lateral edge of PTAS (PDEL) was 10.78 mm, (2) Screw was perpendicular to the z-axis, 66.98° to the y-axis (the longitudinal axis of the foot), (3) The length of the ST screw should be approximately 44.74 mm in male and 41.14 mm in female, and (4) The diameter of the ST screw should be approximately 4.0 mm in male and 3.5 mm in female. With this new method, all screws in six cadaveric feet were placed successfully into the middle of ST. Conclusions: In this study, we discovered a general approach to safely place ST screws in the Asian population, which may potentially help surgeons improve their success rate in surgical practice.
A phase-field model for thermo-mechanical fracture
Authors: Prakash Ved , Behera Akash Kumar , Rahaman Mohammad Masiur
Published: April 2022

In this article, we propose a thermodynamically consistent phase-field model for thermo-mechanical fracture and provide an open-source implementation of the proposed model using a recently developed finite element toolbox, Gridap in Julia. Here, we have derived the balance equations for the thermo-mechanical fracture by invoking the virtual power principle and determined the constitutive relations for the thermodynamic fluxes based on the satisfaction of the thermodynamic laws. Our proposed formulation provides an equation of temperature evolution that can easily accommodate dissipative effects such as viscous damping. We provide very compact and user-friendly open-source codes for implementing the proposed model using Gridap in Julia that requires very low memory usage and gives a high degree of flexibility to the users in defining weak forms of the governing partial differential equations (PDEs). We have validated the proposed model and its implementation against such standard results available in the literature as crack propagation in the cruciform shape material, single edge notched plate, bi-material beam, and a quenching test.
Plane-polarised finite-amplitude shear waves in deformed incompressible materials
Authors: Destrade Michel , Saccomandi Giuseppe
Published: April 2022

We investigate how two finite-amplitude, transverse, plane body waves may be superposed to propagate in a deformed hyperelastic incompressible solid. We find that the equations of motion reduce to a well-determined system of partial differential equations, making the motion controllable for all solids. We find that in deformed Mooney–Rivlin materials, they may travel along any direction and be polarised along any transverse direction, an extension of a result by Boulanger and Hayes (Quart. J. Mech. Appl. Math. 45 (1992) 575). Furthermore, their motion is governed by a linear system of partial differential equations, making the Mooney–Rivlin special in that respect. We select another model to show that for other materials, the equations are nonlinear. We use asymptotic equations to reveal the onset of nonlinearity for the waves, paying particular attention to how close the propagation direction is to the principal axes of pre-deformation.
Systematic review and meta-analysis: Efficacy and safety of balloon angioplasty in salvaging non-matured arteriovenous fistulas
Authors: Kanchanasuttirak Pong , Pitaksantayothin Wacharaphong , Saengprakai Wuttichai , Kanchanabat Burapa
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and technical success rates achieved after performing balloon-assisted maturation (BAM) for non-matured arteriovenous fistula (AVF). For this, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted by searching PubMed and Scopus databases. Studies regarding AVFs not suitable for use based on clinical examination or ultrasound criteria and BAM use for correcting the underlying stenotic lesion were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Accordingly, 13 studies with 1427 patients with non-matured AVF who underwent BAM were included. The pooled random effect for the clinical success rate was 90% (95% CI, 86%–93%), and that for the technical success rate was 97% (95% CI, 94%–99%). Complications after BAM were reported in 1.7%–41% of the patients. Complications included venous ruptures, wall hematomas, and puncture site hematomas. Early-BAM group had better clinical success rates. BAM is an effective intervention for salvaging non-matured AVF. The procedure is safe and feasible, and high clinical and technical success rates can be achieved. The complications were also manageable without serious sequelae.
Problem mobile gaming: The role of mobile gaming habits, context, and platform
Authors: Syvertsen André , Ortiz de Gortari Angelica B. , King Daniel L. , Pallesen Ståle
Published: April 2022

Aims: Mobile gaming is a dominant form of gaming, known for its portability and for game characteristics that motivate continuous play and spending. Such involvement may also turn problematic, but research on problem gaming (PG) has tended to focus on non-mobile forms of gaming. The study was based on a cross-sectional observational design where students in upper secondary schools were recruited to a survey about mobile gaming. The age of the respondents ranged from 16 to 23 years ( n = 519; 52.4% men; mean age = 17.2 years, SD = 1.1). Methods: We examined (1) gaming frequency, gaming contexts, and in-game spending in relation to PG; (2) gaming context in relation to academic achievement and sleep quality; and (3) PG according to gaming platform (i.e., playing on mobile, console/computer, or mixed platforms) with Kruskal−Wallis tests, chi-square tests and Spearman rank-order correlations. Results: PG was positively associated with mobile gaming hours per week (η2 = .02, p < .01), minutes per session (η2 = .03, p < .001), making in-app purchases (Cramer's V = .15, p < .05), and gaming during homework (Cramer's V = .14, p < .05). Statistically significant associations were found between mobile gaming in bed and later sleep midpoint for weekdays ( rs = .18, p < .001) and weekends ( rs = .11, p < .05). Mixed platform gamers had increased likelihood of PG, console/computer gamers had increased likelihood of being at risk for PG, and mobile gamers had lower risk for PG (Cramer's V = .18, p < .001). Conclusion: Future studies should include specific measures of mobile gaming as it appears implicated in problem gaming, albeit to a lesser degree than console and computer gaming.
Stiffness identification method for asphalt pavement layers and interfaces using monitoring data from built-in sensors
Authors: Ma Xianyong , Dong Zejiao , Dong Yongkang
Published: April 2022

The bearing capacity of asphalt pavement gradually deteriorates due to repeated traffic loads. As the crucial mechanical index to evaluate the bearing capacity, the evolution of the stiffness of pavement layers and interfaces is necessary to be mastered. This paper proposes a stiffness identification method for the asphalt pavement layers and interfaces by using monitoring data from built-in sensors. First, the analytical solution of multi-layered elastic/viscoelastic medium with imperfect interlayer subjected to moving load is derived, and the theoretical relationship between stiffness and mechanical response can be obtained. The sensor layout is optimized on the basis of the theoretical relationship. Then, the stiffness identification method is developed, and its feasibility is theoretically explored through an example of three-layered elastic/viscoelastic medium. Finally, the proposed stiffness identification method is applied to a realistic asphalt pavement to validate its reliability. Results show that the proposed method can evaluate the stiffness of pavement layers (including elastic and viscoelastic properties) and interfaces. It is noteworthy that the stiffness identification method by using monitoring data from built-in sensors can be performed in real-time under each passing vehicle load, and is helpful to understand the damage behavior of pavement and guide maintenance decision-making.
Mechanisms of disease-associated SINE-VNTR-Alus
Authors: Pfaff Abigail L , Singleton Lewis M , Kõks Sulev
Published: April 2022

SINE-VNTR-Alus (SVAs) are the youngest retrotransposon family in the human genome. Their ongoing mobilization has generated genetic variation within the human population. At least 24 insertions to date, detailed in this review, have been associated with disease. The predominant mechanisms through which this occurs are alterations to normal splicing patterns, exonic insertions causing loss-of-function mutations, and large genomic deletions. Dissecting the functional impact of these SVAs and the mechanism through which they cause disease provides insight into the consequences of their presence in the genome and how these elements could influence phenotypes. Many of these disease-associated SVAs have been difficult to characterize and would not have been identified through routine analyses. However, the number identified has increased in recent years as DNA and RNA sequencing data became more widely available. Therefore, as the search for complex structural variation in disease continues, it is likely to yield further disease-causing SVA insertions.
Emerging treatment strategies for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Huppert Laura A. , Gumusay Ozge , Rugo Hope S.
Published: April 2022

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer that is often associated with an aggressive phenotype and a poor prognosis. Cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment for most patients with metastatic TNBC (mTNBC), but duration of response is often short and median overall survival is only 12–18 months. Therefore, it is critical to identify novel treatment strategies to improve outcomes for these patients. In this review article, we discuss recent advances in treatment strategies for patients with mTNBC including the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapies, and antibody–drug conjugates. For each topic, we summarize important preclinical and clinical data, discuss implications for clinical practice, and highlight future research directions.
Sex differences in outcome after thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. A propensity score-matched study
Authors: Casetta Ilaria , Fainardi Enrico , Pracucci Giovanni , Saia Valentina , Sallustio Fabrizio , da Ros Valerio , Nappini Sergio , Nencini Patrizia , Bigliardi Guido , Vinci Sergio , Grillo Francesco , Bracco Sandra , Tassi Rossana , Bergui Mauro , Cerrato Paolo , Saletti Andrea , De Vito Alessandro , Gasparotti Roberto , Magoni Mauro , Simonetti Luigi , Zini Andrea , Ruggiero Maria , Longoni Marco , Castellan Lucio , Malfatto Laura , Castellini Paola , Cosottini Mirco , Comai Alessio , Franchini Enrica , Lozupone Emilio , Della Marca Giacomo , Puglielli Edoardo , Casalena Alfonsina , Baracchini Claudio , Savio Daniele , Duc Enrica , Ricciardi Giuseppe , Cappellari Manuel , Chiumarulo Luigi , Petruzzellis Marco , Cavallini Anna , Cavasin Nicola , Critelli Adriana , Burdi Nicola , Boero Giovanni , Giorgianni Andrea , Versino Maurizio , Biraschi Francesco , Nicolini Ettore , Comelli Simone , Melis Maurizio , Padolecchia Riccardo , Tassinari Tiziana , Paolo Nuzzi Nunzio , Marcheselli Simona , Sacco Simona , Invernizzi Paolo , Gallesio Ivan , Ferrandi Delfina , Fancello Maria , Valeria Saddi Maria , Russo Monia , Pischedda Aldo , Baule Antonio , Mannino Marina , Florio Francesco , Inchingolo Vincenzo , Elena Flacco Maria , Romano Daniele , Silvagni Umberto , Inzitari Domenico , Mangiafico Salvatore , Toni Danilo ,   the Italian Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy in Acute Stroke (IRETAS)
Published: April 2022

Background and purpose

We sought to investigate whether there are gender differences in clinical outcome after stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) after mechanical thrombectomy (EVT) in a large population of real-world patients.

Methods

From the Italian Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy, we extracted clinical and outcome data of patients treated for stroke due to large vessel occlusion. We compared clinical and safety outcomes in men and women who underwent EVT alone or in combination with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in the total population and in a Propensity Score matched set.

Results

Among 3422 patients included in the study, 1801 (52.6%) were women. Despite older age at onset (mean 72.4 vs 68.7; p < 0.001), and higher rate of atrial fibrillation (41.7% vs 28.6%; p < 0.001), women had higher probability of 3-month functional independence (adjusted odds ratio-adjOR 1.19; 95% CI 1.02–1.38), of complete recanalization (adjOR 1.25; 95% CI 1.09–1.44) and lower probability of death (adjOR 0.75; 95% CI 0.62–0.90). After propensity-score matching, a well-balanced cohort comprising 1150 men and 1150 women was analyzed, confirming the same results regarding functional outcome (3-month functional independence: OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.04–1.51), and complete recanalization (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.09–1.53).

Conclusions

Subject to the limitations of a non-randomized comparison, women with stroke due to LVO treated with mechanical thrombectomy had a better chance to achieve complete recanalization, and 3-month functional independence than men. The results could be driven by women who underwent combined treatment.
Risk factors for preoperative deep venous thrombosis in hip fracture patients: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Tao , Guo Junfei , Long Yubin , Yin Yingchao , Hou Zhiyong
Published: April 2022

Study design

A meta-analysis.

Background

Hip fracture (HF), as common geriatric fracture, is related to increased disability and mortality. Preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is one of the most common complications in patients with hip fractures, affecting 8–34.9% of hip fracture patients. The study aimed to assess the risk factors of preoperative DVT after hip fractures by meta-analysis.

Methods

An extensive search of the literature was performed in the English databases of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library; and the Chinese databases of CNKI and WAN FANG. We collected possible predictors of preoperative DVT from included studies, and data analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.3 and STATA 12.0.

Results

A total of 26 English articles were included, and the rate of DVT was 16.6% (1627 of 9823 patients) in our study. Our findings showed that advanced age [p = 0.0003, OR = 0.13 95% CI (0.06, 0.21)], female patients [p = 0.0009, OR = 0.82 95% CI (0.72, 0.92)], high-energy injury [p = 0.009, OR = 0.58 95% CI (0.38, 0.87)], prolonged time from injury to admission [p < 0.00001, OR = 0.54 95% CI (0.44, 0.65)], prolonged time from injury to surgery [p < 0.00001, OR = 2.06, 95% CI (1.40, 2.72)], hemoglobin [p < 0.00001, OR = − 0.32 95% CI (− 0.43, − 0.21)], coronary heart disease [p = 0.006, OR = 1.25 95% CI (1.07, 1.47)], dementia [p = 0.02, OR = 1.72 95% CI (1.1, 2.67)], liver and kidney diseases [p = 0.02, OR = 1.91 95% CI (1.12, 3.25)], pulmonary disease [p = 0.02, OR = 1.55 95% CI (1.07, 2.23)], smoking [p = 0.007, OR = 1.45 95% CI (1.11, 1.89)], fibrinogen [p = 0.0005, OR = 0.20 95% CI (0.09, 0.32)], anti-platelet drug [p = 0.01, OR = 0.51 95% CI (0.30, 0.85)], C-reactive protein [p = 0.02, OR = 5.95 95% CI (1.04, 10.85)], < 35 g/l albumin [p = 0.006, OR = 1.42 95% CI (1.1, 1.82)], and thrombosis history [p < 0.00001, OR = 5.28 95% CI (2.85, 9.78)] were risk factors for preoperative DVT.

Conclusions

Many factors, including advanced age, female patients, high-energy injury, prolonged time from injury to admission, prolonged time from injury to surgery, patients with a history of coronary heart disease, dementia, liver and kidney diseases, pulmonary disease, smoking, and thrombosis, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, and < 35 g/l albumin, were found to be associated with preoperative DVT. Our findings suggested that the patient with above characteristics might have preoperative DVT.

Level of evidence: Level III.
Transposon activity, local duplications and propagation of structural variants across haplotypes drive the evolution of the Drosophila S2 cell line
Authors: Lewerentz Jacob , Johansson Anna-Mia , Larsson Jan , Stenberg Per
Published: April 2022

Background

Immortalized cell lines are widely used model systems whose genomes are often highly rearranged and polyploid. However, their genome structure is seldom deciphered and is thus not accounted for during analyses. We therefore used linked short- and long-read sequencing to perform haplotype-level reconstruction of the genome of aDrosophila melanogastercell line (S2-DRSC) with a complex genome structure.

Results

Using a custom implementation (that is designed to use ultra-long reads in complex genomes with nested rearrangements) to call structural variants (SVs), we found that the most common SV was repetitive sequence insertion or deletion (> 80% of SVs), withGypsyretrotransposon insertions dominating. The second most common SV was local sequence duplication. SNPs and other SVs were rarer, but several large chromosomal translocations and mitochondrial genome insertions were observed. Haplotypes were highly similar at the nucleotide level but structurally very different. Insertion SVs existed at various haplotype frequencies and were unlinked on chromosomes, demonstrating that haplotypes have different structures and suggesting the existence of a mechanism that allows SVs to propagate across haplotypes. Finally, using public short-read data, we found that transposable element insertions and local duplications are common in otherD. melanogastercell lines.

Conclusions

The S2-DRSC cell line evolved through retrotransposon activity and vast local sequence duplications, that we hypothesize were the products of DNA re-replication events. Additionally, mutations can propagate across haplotypes (possibly explained by mitotic recombination), which enables fine-tuning of mutational impact and prevents accumulation of deleterious events, an inherent problem of clonal reproduction. We conclude that traditional linear homozygous genome representation conceals the complexity when dealing with rearranged and heterozygous clonal cells.
Comprehensive analysis of lncRNA-mRNAs co-expression network identifies potential lncRNA biomarkers in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hu Yu , Li Rong , Chen Hongyin , Chen Lihao , Zhou Xuyue , Liu Linxi , Ju Mei , Chen Kun , Huang Dan
Published: April 2022

Background

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer, the prognosis for patients with metastatic cSCC remains relatively poor. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify new diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets and pathways in cSCC.

Results

It detected a total of 37,507 lncRNA probes and 32,825 mRNA probes and found 3593 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 3236 differentially expressed mRNAs. It has been found that mRNAs ACY3, NR1D1, MZB1 has co-expression relationship with six lncRNAs, GXYLT1P3, LINC00348, LOC101928131, A-33-p3340852, A-21-p0003442 and LOC644838.

Conclusions

The aim of this study is to identify cSCC-specific lncRNAs and indicated that six unstudied lncRNAs may serve an important role in endoplasmic reticulum stress apoptosis, autophagy and the progression of cSCC by modulating ACY3, NR1D1 and MZB1.
Rates of evolutionary change of resident Escherichia coli O157:H7 differ within the same ecological niche
Authors: Weinroth Margaret D. , Clawson Michael L. , Arthur Terrance M. , Wells James E. , Brichta-Harhay Dayna M. , Strachan Norval , Bono James L.
Published: April 2022

Background

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 is a pathogen known to reside in cattle feedlots. This retrospective study examined 181 STEC O157:H7 strains collected over 23 years from a closed-system feedlot. All strains were subjected to short-read sequencing, with a subset of 36 also subjected to long-read sequencing.

Results

Over 96% of the strains fell into four phylogenetically distinct clades. Clade membership was associated with multiple factors including stx composition and the alleles of a well-characterized polymorphism (tir 255 T > A). Small plasmids (2.7 to 40 kb) were found to be primarily clade specific. Within each clade, chromosomal rearrangements were observed along with a core phageome and clade specific phages. Across both core and mobile elements of the genome, multiple SNP alleles were in complete linkage disequilibrium across all strains within specific clades. Clade evolutionary rates varied between 0.9 and 2.8 SNP/genome/year with two tir A allele clades having the lowest evolutionary rates. Investigation into possible causes of the differing rates was not conclusive but revealed a synonymous based mutation in the DNA polymerase III of the fastest evolving clade. Phylogenetic trees generated through our bioinformatic pipeline versus the NCBI’s pathogen detection project were similar, with the two tir A allele clades matching individual NCBI SNP clusters, and the two tir T allele clades assigned to multiple closely-related SNP clusters.

Conclusions

In one ecological niche, a diverse STEC O157:H7 population exhibited different rates of evolution that associated with SNP alleles in linkage disequilibrium in the core genome and mobile elements, including tir 255 T > A.
FindIT2: an R/Bioconductor package to identify influential transcription factor and targets based on multi-omics data
Authors: Shang Guan-Dong , Xu Zhou-Geng , Wan Mu-Chun , Wang Fu-Xiang , Wang Jia-Wei
Published: April 2022

Background

Transcription factors (TFs) play central roles in regulating gene expression. With the rapid growth in the use of high-throughput sequencing methods, there is a need to develop a comprehensive data processing and analyzing framework for inferring influential TFs based on ChIP-seq/ATAC-seq datasets.

Results

Here, we introduce FindIT2 (Find Influential TFs and Targets), an R/Bioconductor package for annotating and processing high-throughput multi-omics data. FindIT2 supports a complete framework for annotating ChIP-seq/ATAC-seq peaks, identifying TF targets by the combination of ChIP-seq and RNA-seq datasets, and inferring influential TFs based on different types of data input. Moreover, benefited from the annotation framework based on Bioconductor, FindIT2 can be applied to any species with genomic annotations, which is particularly useful for the non-model species that are less well-studied.

Conclusion

FindIT2 provides a user-friendly and flexible framework to generate results at different levels according to the richness of the annotation information of user’s species. FindIT2 is compatible with all the operating systems and is released under Artistic-2.0 License. The source code and documents are freely available through Bioconductor (https://bioconductor.org/packages/devel/bioc/html/FindIT2.html).