bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly efficient continuous-wave and passively Q-switched Yb:YLuGdCOB compact lasers
Authors: Dong Liang , Liu Fenfen , Chen Junxian , Liu Junhai
Published: December 2020

Highly efficient operation of an Yb:YLuGdCOB compact laser was demonstrated, producing an output power of 14.30 W around 1054 nm, with an optical-to-optical efficiency of 70.0% and a slope efficiency of 81%. In dual-polarization oscillation in an emission range of 1080 − 1085 nm, 11.37 W of output power was generated with a slope efficiency of 76%. Efficient passively Q-switched operation was also realized by incorporating a 2D MoTe2 saturable absorber into the compact resonator, producing a maximum pulsed output power of 1.56 W at 1030 nm at a repetition rate of 481 kHz; while the largest attainable pulse energy, minimum pulse duration, and highest peak power were, respectively, 3.87 μJ, 26.2 ns, and 147.7 W. The pulse width proves to be the shortest, while the peak power is the highest ever reported for solid-state lasers passively Q-switched with 2D saturable absorbers.
Ultrafast laser-inscribed nanogratings in sapphire for geometric phase elements
Authors: Xu Shuai , Fan Hua , Li Zhen-Ze , Hua Jian-Guan , Yu Yan-Hao , Wang Lei , Chen Qi-Dai , Sun Hong-Bo
Published: December 2020

We systematically studied femtosecond laser-inscribed self-organized nanogratings and geometric phase elements such as a polarization diffraction focusing lens and Q-plate in sapphire crystal. Besides the void structures observed in the focus, nanogratings with periods of 150~300 nm were observed, depending on a nanoslit that took the role of a seeding effect by localized light field enhancement. The non-polarized refractive index change and birefringence were measured with values around

1

∼

2

×

10

−
3

and

6

×

10

−
4

, respectively. Based on the laser-inscribed form birefringence, a geometric phase lens and Q-plate were successfully demonstrated in sapphire with high imaging and a focusing effect. We expect that our findings may promote the understanding of laser-induced nanogratings in bulk and potential applications in geometric phase elements.
Unbiased and efficient log-likelihood estimation with inverse binomial sampling
Authors: van Opheusden Bas , Acerbi Luigi , Ma Wei Ji
Published: December 2020

The fate of scientific hypotheses often relies on the ability of a computational model to explain the data, quantified in modern statistical approaches by the likelihood function. The log-likelihood is the key element for parameter estimation and model evaluation. However, the log-likelihood of complex models in fields such as computational biology and neuroscience is often intractable to compute analytically or numerically. In those cases, researchers can often only estimate the log-likelihood by comparing observed data with synthetic observations generated by model simulations. Standard techniques to approximate the likelihood via simulation either use summary statistics of the data or are at risk of producing substantial biases in the estimate. Here, we explore another method, inverse binomial sampling (IBS), which can estimate the log-likelihood of an entire data set efficiently and without bias. For each observation, IBS draws samples from the simulator model until one matches the observation. The log-likelihood estimate is then a function of the number of samples drawn. The variance of this estimator is uniformly bounded, achieves the minimum variance for an unbiased estimator, and we can compute calibrated estimates of the variance. We provide theoretical arguments in favor of IBS and an empirical assessment of the method for maximum-likelihood estimation with simulation-based models. As case studies, we take three model-fitting problems of increasing complexity from computational and cognitive neuroscience. In all problems, IBS generally produces lower error in the estimated parameters and maximum log-likelihood values than alternative sampling methods with the same average number of samples. Our results demonstrate the potential of IBS as a practical, robust, and easy to implement method for log-likelihood evaluation when exact techniques are not available.
Loss of endocytosis-associated RabGEF1 causes aberrant morphogenesis and altered autophagy in photoreceptors leading to retinal degeneration
Authors: Hargrove-Grimes Passley , Mondal Anupam K. , Gumerson Jessica , Nellissery Jacob , Aponte Angel M. , Gieser Linn , Qian Haohua , Fariss Robert N. , Bonifacino Juan S. , Li Tiansen , Swaroop Anand
Published: December 2020

Rab-GTPases and associated effectors mediate cargo transport through the endomembrane system of eukaryotic cells, regulating key processes such as membrane turnover, signal transduction, protein recycling and degradation. Using developmental transcriptome data, we identifiedRabgef1(encoding the protein RabGEF1 or Rabex-5) as the only gene associated with Rab GTPases that exhibited strong concordance with retinal photoreceptor differentiation. Loss ofRabgef1in mice (Rabgef1-/-) resulted in defects specifically of photoreceptor morphology and almost complete loss of both rod and cone function as early as eye opening; however, aberrant outer segment formation could only partly account for visual function deficits. RabGEF1 protein in retinal photoreceptors interacts with Rabaptin-5, and RabGEF1 absence leads to reduction of early endosomes consistent with studies in other mammalian cells and tissues. Electron microscopy analyses reveal abnormal accumulation of macromolecular aggregates in autophagosome-like vacuoles and enhanced immunostaining for LC3A/B and p62 inRabgef1-/-photoreceptors, consistent with compromised autophagy. Transcriptome analysis of the developingRabgef1-/-retina reveals altered expression of 2469 genes related to multiple pathways including phototransduction, mitochondria, oxidative stress and endocytosis, suggesting an early trajectory of photoreceptor cell death. Our results implicate an essential role of the RabGEF1-modulated endocytic and autophagic pathways in photoreceptor differentiation and homeostasis. We propose that RabGEF1 and associated components are potential candidates for syndromic traits that include a retinopathy phenotype.
Assessing the risk of dengue severity using demographic information and laboratory test results with machine learning
Authors: Huang Sheng-Wen , Tsai Huey-Pin , Hung Su-Jhen , Ko Wen-Chien , Wang Jen-Ren
Published: December 2020

Background

Dengue virus causes a wide spectrum of disease, which ranges from subclinical disease to severe dengue shock syndrome. However, estimating the risk of severe outcomes using clinical presentation or laboratory test results for rapid patient triage remains a challenge. Here, we aimed to develop prognostic models for severe dengue using machine learning, according to demographic information and clinical laboratory data of patients with dengue.

Methodology/Principal findings

Out of 1,581 patients in the National Cheng Kung University Hospital with suspected dengue infections and subjected to NS1 antigen, IgM and IgG, and qRT-PCR tests, 798 patients including 138 severe cases were enrolled in the study. The primary target outcome was severe dengue. Machine learning models were trained and tested using the patient dataset that included demographic information and qualitative laboratory test results collected on day 1 when they sought medical advice. To develop prognostic models, we applied various machine learning methods, including logistic regression, random forest, gradient boosting machine, support vector classifier, and artificial neural network, and compared the performance of the methods. The artificial neural network showed the highest average discrimination area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.8324 ± 0.0268) and balance accuracy (0.7523 ± 0.0273). According to the model explainer that analyzed the contributions/co-contributions of the different factors, patient age and dengue NS1 antigenemia were the two most important risk factors associated with severe dengue. Additionally, co-existence of anti-dengue IgM and IgG in patients with dengue increased the probability of severe dengue.

Conclusions/Significance

We developed prognostic models for the prediction of dengue severity in patients, using machine learning. The discriminative ability of the artificial neural network exhibited good performance for severe dengue prognosis. This model could help clinicians obtain a rapid prognosis during dengue outbreaks. However, the model requires further validation using external cohorts in future studies.
Clinical characteristics of paediatric autoimmune hepatitis at a referral hospital in Sub Saharan Africa
Authors: Afaa Taiba Jibril , Amegan-Aho Kokou Hefoume , Dono Matilda Tierenye , Odei Eric , Awuku Yaw Asante
Published: December 2020

Background

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a progressive inflammatory liver disease of unknown aetiology. The number of reported AIH cases is increasing in the developed countries but the same cannot be said about sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Paediatric AIH diagnosis is usually missed and patients present with decompensated liver disease. Our study highlights the clinical profile of paediatric AIH cases at a referral hospital in Ghana.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of all cases of children diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis at the gastroenterology clinic in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. Data was extracted from the patients’ records from April 2016 to October 2019. These children were diagnosed based on the presence of autoantibodies, elevated immunoglobulin G and histologic presence of interphase hepatitis with the exclusion of hepatitis A, B, C and E depending on their clinical presentation, Wilson’s disease, HIV, Schistosomiasis and sickle cell disease.

Results

Thirteen patients aged between 5 years to 13 years with a mean age of 10 years were diagnosed with AIH. All the patients had type 1 AIH with majority 8 (61.5%) being females. Most of the children presented with advanced liver disease with complications. Three patients had other associated autoimmune diseases. The patients were treated with prednisolone with or without azathioprine depending on the severity of the liver disease.

Conclusion

Majority of paediatric AIH presents with advanced liver disease. There is the need for early detection to change the natural history of AIH in SSA.
Variation in the availability and cost of essential medicines for non-communicable diseases in Uganda: A descriptive time series analysis
Authors: Armstrong-Hough Mari , Sharma Srish , Kishore Sandeep P. , Akiteng Ann R. , Schwartz Jeremy I.
Published: December 2020

Background

Availability of essential medicines for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is poor in low- and middle-income countries. Availability and cost are conventionally assessed using cross-sectional data. However, these characteristics may vary over time.

Methods

We carried out a prospective, descriptive analysis of the availability and cost of essential medicines in 23 Ugandan health facilities over a five-week period. We surveyed facility pharmacies in-person up to five times, recording availability and cost of 19 essential medicines for NCDs and four essential medicines for communicable diseases.

Results

Availability of medicines varied substantially over time, especially among public facilities. Among private-for-profit facilities, the cost of the same medicine varied from week to week. Private-not-for-profit facilities experienced less dramatic fluctuations in price.

Conclusions

We conclude that there is a need for standardized, continuous monitoring to better characterize the availability and cost of essential medicines, understand demand for these medicines, and reduce uncertainty for patients.
The yeast mitophagy receptor Atg32 is ubiquitinated and degraded by the proteasome
Authors: Camougrand Nadine , Vigié Pierre , Gonzalez Cécile , Manon Stéphen , Bhatia-Kiššová Ingrid
Published: December 2020

Mitophagy, the process that degrades mitochondria selectively through autophagy, is involved in the quality control of mitochondria in cells grown under respiratory conditions. In yeast, the presence of the Atg32 protein on the outer mitochondrial membrane allows for the recognition and targeting of superfluous or damaged mitochondria for degradation. Post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation are crucial for the execution of mitophagy. In our study we monitor the stability of Atg32 protein in the yeast S. cerevisiae and show that Atg32 is degraded under normal growth conditions, upon starvation or rapamycin treatment. The Atg32 turnover can be prevented by inhibition of the proteasome activity, suggesting that Atg32 is also ubiquitinated. Mass spectrometry analysis of purified Atg32 protein revealed that at least lysine residue in position 282 is ubiquitinated. Interestingly, the replacement of lysine 282 with alanine impaired Atg32 degradation only partially in the course of cell growth, suggesting that additional lysine residues on Atg32 might also be ubiquitinated. Our results provide the foundation to further elucidate the physiological significance of Atg32 turnover and the interplay between mitophagy and the proteasome.
Modeling risk dependence and portfolio VaR forecast through vine copula for cryptocurrencies
Authors: Syuhada Khreshna , Hakim Arief
Published: December 2020

Risk in finance may come from (negative) asset returns whilst payment loss is a typical risk in insurance. It is often that we encounter several risks, in practice, instead of single risk. In this paper, we construct a dependence modeling for financial risks and form a portfolio risk of cryptocurrencies. The marginal risk model is assumed to follow a heteroscedastic process of GARCH(1,1) model. The dependence structure is presented through vine copula. We carry out numerical analysis of cryptocurrencies returns and compute Value-at-Risk (VaR) forecast along with its accuracy assessed through different backtesting methods. It is found that the VaR forecast of returns, by considering vine copula-based dependence among different returns, has higher forecast accuracy than that of returns under prefect dependence assumption as benchmark. In addition, through vine copula, the aggregate VaR forecast has not only lower value but also higher accuracy than the simple sum of individual VaR forecasts. This shows that vine copula-based forecasting procedure not only performs better but also provides a well-diversified portfolio.
Longitudinal trends and determinants of patient-reported side effects on ART–a Swedish national registry study
Authors: Mellgren Åsa , Eriksson Lars E. , Reinius Maria , Marrone Gaetano , Svedhem Veronica
Published: December 2020

Introduction

The use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to systematically quantify adverse events (AE) will assist in the improvement of medical care and the QoL of patients living with HIV (PLWH). The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between self-reported side effects and other PROs, demographics and laboratory data, and further evaluate the Health Questionnaire (HQ) as a tool for following trends in patient-reported side effects over time in relation to trends in prescribed third agent in ART.

Materials and methods

The Swedish National Registry InfCareHiv includes an annual self-reported nine-item HQwhich is used in patient-centered HIV care in all Swedish HIV units. In this study, the experience of side effects was addressed. We analyzed 9,476 HQs completed by 4,186 PLWH together with details about their prescribed ART and relevant biomarkers collected during 2011–2017. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and mixed logistic regression.

Results

The cross-sectional analysis of the HQs showed that the frequency of reported side effects decreased from 32% (2011) to 15% (2017). During the same period, there was a shift in ART prescription from efavirenz (EFV) to dolutegravir (DTG) (positive correlation coefficient r = 0.94, p = 0.0016). Further, PLWH who reported being satisfied with their physical health (OR: 0.47, p = <0.001) or psychological health (OR: 0.70, p = 0.001) were less likely to report side effects than those less satisfied.

Conclusions

Self-reported side effects were found to have a close relationship with the patient’s ratings of their overall health situation and demonstrated a strong correlation with the sharp decline in use of EFV and rise in use of DTG, with reported side effects being halved. This study supports the feasibility of using the HQ as a tool for longitudinal follow up of trends in PROs.
Approach for semi-automated measurement of fiber diameter in murine and canine skeletal muscle
Authors: Stevens Courtney R. , Berenson Josh , Sledziona Michael , Moore Timothy P. , Dong Lynn , Cheetham Jonathan
Published: December 2020

Currently available software tools for automated segmentation and analysis of muscle cross-section images often perform poorly in cases of weak or non-uniform staining conditions. To address these issues, our group has developed the MyoSAT (Myofiber Segmentation and Analysis Tool) image-processing pipeline. MyoSAT combines several unconventional approaches including advanced background leveling, Perona-Malik anisotropic diffusion filtering, and Steger’s line detection algorithm to aid in pre-processing and enhancement of the muscle image. Final segmentation is based upon marker-based watershed segmentation. Validation tests using collagen V labeled murine and canine muscle tissue demonstrate that MyoSAT can determine mean muscle fiber diameter with an average accuracy of ~92.4%. The software has been tested to work on full muscle cross-sections and works well even under non-optimal staining conditions. The MyoSAT software tool has been implemented as a macro for the freely available ImageJ software platform. This new segmentation tool allows scientists to efficiently analyze large muscle cross-sections for use in research studies and diagnostics.
Planning priority conservation areas for biodiversity under climate change in topographically complex areas: A case study in Sichuan province, China
Authors: Lu Yafeng , Xu Pei , Li Qinwen , Wang Yukuan , Wu Cheng
Published: December 2020

Identifying priority conservation areas plays a significant role in conserving biodiversity under climate change, but uncertainties create challenges for conservation planning. To reduce uncertainties in the conservation planning framework, we developed an adaptation index to assess the effect of topographic complexity on species adaptation to climate change, which was incorporated into the conservation framework as conservation costs. Meanwhile, the species distributions were predicted by the Maxent model, and the priority conservation areas were optimized during different periods in Sichuan province by the Marxan model. Our results showed that the effect of topographic complexity was critical for species adaptation, but the adaptation index decreased with the temperature increase. Based on the conservation targets and costs, the distributions of priority conservation areas were mainly concentrated in mountainous areas around the Sichuan Basin where may be robust to the adaptation to climate change. In the future, the distributions of priority conservation areas had no evident changes, accounting for about 26% and 28% of the study areas. Moreover, most species habitats could be conserved in terms of conservation targets in these priority conservation areas. Therefore, our approach could achieve biodiversity conservation goals and be highly practical. More importantly, quantifying the effect of topography also is critical for options for planning conservation areas in response to climate change.
The shared experiences of insured members and the uninsured in health care access and utilization under Ghana’s national health insurance scheme: Evidence from the Hohoe Municipality
Authors: Umar Suraiya , Fusheini Adam , Ayanore Martin Amogre
Published: December 2020

Background

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was introduced in Ghana in 2003 to remove financial barriers and to promote equitable access to health care services. Post implementation has been characterized by increases in access and utilization of services among the insured. The uninsured have been less likely to utilize services due to unaffordability of health care costs. In this study, we explored the experiences of the insured members of the NHIS, the uninsured and health professionals in accessing and utilizing health care services under the NHIS in the Hohoe Municipality of Ghana.

Methods

Qualitative in-depth interviews were held with twenty-five NHIS insured, twenty-five uninsured, and five health care professionals, who were randomly sampled from the Hohoe Municipality to collect data for this study. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Participants identified both enablers or motivating factors and barriers to health care services of the insured and uninsured. The major factors motivating members to access and use health care services were illness severity and symptom persistence. On the other hand, barriers identified included perceived poor service quality and lack of health insurance among the insured and uninsured respectively. Other barriers participants identified included financial constraints, poor attitudes of service providers, and prolonged waiting time. However, the level of care received were reportedly about the same among the insured and uninsured with access to quality health care much dependent on ability to pay, which favors the rich and thereby creating inequity in accessing the needed quality care services.

Conclusion

The implication of the financial barriers to health care access identified is that the poor and uninsured still suffer from health care access challenges, which questions the efficiency and core goal of the NHIS in removing financial barrier to health care access. This has the potential of undermining Ghana’s ability to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 of universal health coverage by the year 2030.
Comparing fNIRS signal qualities between approaches with and without short channels
Authors: Zhou Xin , Sobczak Gabriel , McKay Colette M. , Litovsky Ruth Y.
Published: December 2020

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive technique used to measure changes in oxygenated (HbO) and deoxygenated (HbR) hemoglobin, related to neuronal activity. fNIRS signals are contaminated by the systemic responses in the extracerebral tissue (superficial layer) of the head, as fNIRS uses a back-reflection measurement. Using shorter channels that are only sensitive to responses in the extracerebral tissue but not in the deeper layers where target neuronal activity occurs has been a ‘gold standard’ to reduce the systemic responses in the fNIRS data from adults. When shorter channels are not available or feasible for implementation, an alternative, i.e., anti-correlation (Anti-Corr) method has been adopted. To date, there has not been a study that directly assesses the outcomes from the two approaches. In this study, we compared the Anti-Corr method with the ‘gold standard’ in reducing systemic responses to improve fNIRS neural signal qualities. We used eight short channels (8-mm) in a group of adults, and conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) to extract two components that contributed the most to responses in the 8 short channels, which were assumed to contain the global components in the extracerebral tissue. We then used a general linear model (GLM), with and without including event-related regressors, to regress out the 2 principal components from regular fNIRS channels (30 mm), i.e., two GLM-PCA methods. Our results found that, the two GLM-PCA methods showed similar performance, both GLM-PCA methods and the Anti-Corr method improved fNIRS signal qualities, and the two GLM-PCA methods had better performance than the Anti-Corr method.
Distinguishing Discoid and Centripetal Levallois methods through machine learning
Authors: González-Molina Irene , Jiménez-García Blanca , Maíllo-Fernández José-Manuel , Baquedano Enrique , Domínguez-Rodrigo Manuel
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we apply Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to study the differences between Discoid and Centripetal Levallois methods. For this purpose, we have used experimentally knapped flint flakes, measuring several parameters that have been analyzed by seven ML algorithms. From these analyses, it has been possible to demonstrate the existence of statistically significant differences between Discoid products and Centripetal Levallois products, thus contributing with new data and a new method to this traditional debate. The new approach enabled differentiating the blanks created by both knapping methods with an accuracy >80% using only ten typometric variables. The most relevant variables were maximum length, width to the 25%, 50% and 75% of the flake length, external and internal platform angles, maximum width and number of dorsal scars. This study also demonstrates the advantages of the application of multivariate ML methods to lithic studies.
Label-free hairpin-like aptamer and EIS-based practical, biostable sensor for acetamiprid detection
Authors: Zhen Jianhui , Liang Gang , Chen Ruichun , Jia Wenshen
Published: December 2020

Acetamiprid (ACE) is a kind of broad-spectrum pesticide that has potential health risk to human beings. Aptamers (Ap-DNA (1)) have a great potential as analytical tools for pesticide detection. In this work, a label-free electrochemical sensing assay for ACE determination is presented by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). And the specific binding model between ACE and Ap-DNA (1) was further investigated for the first time. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and EIS demonstrated that the single strand AP-DNA (1) first formed a loosely secondary structure in Tris-HClO4 (20 mM, pH = 7.4), and then transformed into a more stable hairpin-like structure when incubated in binding buffer (B-buffer). The formed stem-loop bulge provides the specific capturing sites for ACE, forming ACE/AP-DNA (1) complex, and induced the RCT (charge transfer resistance) increase between the solution-based redox probe [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− and the electrode surface. The change of ΔRCT (charge transfer resistance change, ΔRCT = RCT(after)-RCT(before)) is positively related to the ACE level. As a result, the AP-DNA (1) biosensor showed a high sensitivity with the ACE concentration range spanning from 5 nM to 200 mM and a detection limit of 1 nM. The impedimetric AP-DNA (1) sensor also showed good selectivity to ACE over other selected pesticides and exhbited excellent performance in environmental water and orange juice samples analysis, with spiked recoveries in the range of 85.8% to 93.4% in lake water and 83.7% to 89.4% in orange juice. With good performance characteristics of practicality, sensitivity and selectivity, the AP-DNA (1) sensor holds a promising application for the on-site ACE detection.
Performance of self-reported measures of alcohol use and of harmful drinking patterns against ethyl glucuronide hair testing among young Swiss men
Authors: Iglesias Katia , Lannoy Séverine , Sporkert Frank , Daeppen Jean-Bernard , Gmel Gerhard , Baggio Stéphanie
Published: December 2020

Background

There is a need for empirical studies assessing the psychometric properties of self-reported alcohol use as measures of excessive chronic drinking (ECD) compared to those of objective measures, such as ethyl glucuronide (EtG).

Objectives

To test the quality of self-reported measures of alcohol use and of risky single-occasion drinking (RSOD) to detect ECD assessed by EtG.

Methods

A total of 227 samples of hair from young Swiss men were used for the determination of EtG. Self-reported measures of alcohol use (previous twelve-month and previous-week alcohol use) and RSOD were assessed. Using EtG (<30 pg/mg) as the gold standard of ECD assessment, the sensitivity and specificity were computed, and the AUROC were compared for alcohol use measures and RSOD. Logistic regressions were used to test the contribution of RSOD to the understanding of ECD after controlling for alcohol use.

Results

A total of 23.3% of participants presented with ECD. Previous twelve-month alcohol use with a cut-off of >15 drinks per week (sensitivity = 75.5%, specificity = 78.7%) and weekly RSOD (sensitivity = 75.5%, specificity = 70.1%) yielded acceptable psychometric properties. No cut-off for previous-week alcohol use gave acceptable results. In the multivariate logistic regression, after controlling for the previous twelve months of alcohol use, RSOD was still significantly associated with EtG (p = .016).

Conclusion

Self-reported measures of the previous twelve months of alcohol use and RSOD were acceptable measures of ECD for population-based screening. Self-reported RSOD appeared to be an interesting screening measure, in addition to the previous twelve months of alcohol use, to understand ECD among young people.
Community-setting pneumonia-associated hospitalizations by level of urbanization—New York City versus other areas of New York State, 2010–2014
Authors: Wu Melody , Whittemore Katherine , Huang Chaorui C. , Corrado Rachel E. , Culp Gretchen M. , Lim Sungwoo , Schluger Neil W. , Daskalakis Demetre C. , Lucero David E. , Vora Neil M.
Published: December 2020

Background

New York City (NYC) reported a higher pneumonia and influenza death rate than the rest of New York State during 2010–2014. Most NYC pneumonia and influenza deaths are attributed to pneumonia caused by infection acquired in the community, and these deaths typically occur in hospitals.

Methods

We identified hospitalizations of New York State residents aged ≥20 years discharged from New York State hospitals during 2010–2014 with a principal diagnosis of community-setting pneumonia or a secondary diagnosis of community-setting pneumonia if the principal diagnosis was respiratory failure or sepsis. We examined mean annual age-adjusted community-setting pneumonia-associated hospitalization (CSPAH) rates and proportion of CSPAH with in-hospital death, overall and by sociodemographic group, and produced a multivariable negative binomial model to assess hospitalization rate ratios.

Results

Compared with non-NYC urban, suburban, and rural areas of New York State, NYC had the highest mean annual age-adjusted CSPAH rate at 475.3 per 100,000 population and the highest percentage of CSPAH with in-hospital death at 13.7%. NYC also had the highest proportion of CSPAH patients residing in higher-poverty-level areas. Adjusting for age, sex, and area-based poverty, NYC residents experienced 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–1.4), non-NYC urban residents 1.4 (95% CI, 1.3–1.6), and suburban residents 1.2 (95% CI, 1.1–1.3) times the rate of CSPAH than rural residents.

Conclusions

In New York State, NYC as well as other urban areas and suburban areas had higher rates of CSPAH than rural areas. Further research is needed into drivers of CSPAH deaths, which may be associated with poverty.
The E3/E4 ubiquitin conjugation factor UBE4B interacts with and ubiquitinates the HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein to promote NF-κB activation
Authors: Mohanty Suchitra , Han Teng , Choi Young Bong , Lavorgna Alfonso , Zhang Jiawen , Harhaj Edward William
Published: December 2020

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), and the neurological disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The HTLV-1 Tax protein persistently activates the NF-κB pathway to enhance the proliferation and survival of HTLV-1 infected T cells. Lysine 63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination of Tax provides an important regulatory mechanism that promotes Tax-mediated interaction with the IKK complex and activation of NF-κB; however, the host proteins regulating Tax ubiquitination are largely unknown. To identify new Tax interacting proteins that may regulate its ubiquitination we conducted a yeast two-hybrid screen using Tax as bait. This screen yielded the E3/E4 ubiquitin conjugation factor UBE4B as a novel binding partner for Tax. Here, we confirmed the interaction between Tax and UBE4B in mammalian cells by co-immunoprecipitation assays and demonstrated colocalization by proximity ligation assay and confocal microscopy. Overexpression of UBE4B specifically enhanced Tax-induced NF-κB activation, whereas knockdown of UBE4B impaired Tax-induced NF-κB activation and the induction of NF-κB target genes in T cells and ATLL cell lines. Furthermore, depletion of UBE4B with shRNA resulted in apoptotic cell death and diminished the proliferation of ATLL cell lines. Finally, overexpression of UBE4B enhanced Tax polyubiquitination, and knockdown or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of UBE4B attenuated both K48- and K63-linked polyubiquitination of Tax. Collectively, these results implicate UBE4B in HTLV-1 Tax polyubiquitination and downstream NF-κB activation.
Preliminary assessment of surface conditions for carbon dioxide injection projects from pre-selected fields in the Recôncavo Basin, Brazil
Authors: Câmara Roberto José Batista , Silva Aldo Luiz , Câmara George , Rocha Expedito , Milosevic Tatiana , Rocha Paulo , Andrade José Célio
Published: December 2020

Energy-intensive industries have had to increase their production to meet global demands, consequently increasing their emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2. Carbon dioxide is the raw material used in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques, which have been gaining importance, taking into account the issues of global climate change and the potential to store CO2. The aim of this study was to develop a project analysis framework and assess the surface characteristics of candidate fields for CO2 injection projects located in the Recôncavo Basin, Bahia, Brazil, while also considering the present environmental restrictions. The methodology employed comprised a comprehensive review of the relevant literature and field visits to identify the important aspects for this preliminary assessment. Considering the present conditions of the surveyed fields and current environmental regulations, most of the analysed fields were verified to have a high potential for CO2 injection project implementation in Recôncavo Basin.
Investigating the effect of trust in institutions on the decision of young people in selected MENA countries to opt for an informal economic activity: Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia
Authors: Sami Lylia , Lassassi Moundir
Published: December 2020

Several empirical studies have analysed the determinants of being in the informal sector. Most of these studies have focused on the effect of demographic and socio-economic factors such as level of education, regions of residence, skills acquired and gender and household characteristics such as parents’ education level. Other authors have found that institutional factors, such as corruption, regulations, legislation and tax burden can influence the decisions to undertake activities in the informal sector. More recent studies have also highlighted the effect of institutional trust (considered as informal institution) on the emergence of informality. This article attempts to explain the behaviour that motivates individuals to engage in the informal sector. It presents an empirical analysis of the determinants of being in informality for youth in the selected MENA countries (Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia) focusing on the effect of institutional trust. Our results confirm that the general level of young people’s trust in the different institutions is low. Furthermore, we note that youth’s trusts in institutions have a significant effect on the likelihood of being in informality. However, it seems to differ according to which institutions are considered and by which countries.
Análisis de los Planes de Prevención de la Radicalización en Europa desde una perspectiva educativa
Authors: Azqueta Díaz de Alda Arantxa , Merino Arribas Adoración
Published: December 2020

Esta investigación analiza si las actitudes y los valores de la competencia global (PISA, 2018) destacan en los planes de prevención de la radicalización de siete países europeos. Se usa una metodología de análisis comparativo con técnicas lexicométricas con visualización de clustering -Iramuteq-. Los resultados muestran una política centrada en la amenaza del terrorismo junto a la tendencia a la securitización de los sistemas educativos y la limitación de la educación a la detección de los primeros brotes de radicalización. Se sugiere promover la transversalidad y unidad de las políticas de integración y revalorizar el valor de la escuela.
El impacto de la integración social (overembeddedness) sobre la innovación en los emprendimientos turísticos de la Comarca Minera, Hidalgo, México
Authors: Cruz Coria Erika , Velázquez Castro Judith Alejandra , Pérez Hernández Carla Carolina
Published: December 2020

El objetivo es identificar las limitantes que la sobre integración social (overembeddedness) impone sobre las acciones de innovación entre los emprendedores que conforman el parque ecoturístico “El Bosque de las Truchas”, ubicado en la Comarca Minera, Hidalgo. Fueron analizados 23 emprendimientos turísticos. Los temas redundantes en las entrevistas fueron codificados y analizados mediante el software Atlas ti y el cálculo del coeficiente C. Las limitaciones a la innovación derivan de la centralidad de la Asamblea de Ejidatarios que mediante el control de la información y de las relaciones con el exterior, ha propiciado un “bloqueo cognitivo” reflejado en una oferta turística repetitiva.
Análisis de la calidad de vida en personas con el Síndrome de Wolfram y de sus cuidadores: aspectos sociológicos y psicológicos
Authors: Esteban-Bueno Gema , R. Coca Juan , Guerra de los Santos José Manuel , Ruiz-Castañeda Dyanne
Published: December 2020

El Síndrome de Wolfram (SW) es una enfermedad “rara”, neurodegenerativa y progresiva. El trabajo evalúa la calidad de vida de las personas con SW y de sus cuidadores. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 27 afectados y 31 cuidadores. Los resultados mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos estudiados. Las personas afectadas por el SW tienen una mejor calidad de vida en relación a la ausencia de sobrecarga laboral y de tiempo libre, así como en su satisfacción general. Los cuidadores presentan una mejor calidad de vida en relación con el soporte social. Los datos evidencian la necesidad de crear programas de intervención para mejorar su calidad de vida.
López Alós, Javier (2019). Crítica de la razón precaria. La vida intelectual ante la obligación de lo extraordinario. Madrid: Los libros de la Catarata
Authors: Medina-Vicent Maria
Published: December 2020

Reseña de "Crítica de la razón precaria. La vida intelectual ante la obligación de lo extraordinario". Javier López Alós. 2019. Editorial Catarata. 144 pp. ISBN: 978-84-9097-604-3.
Chaos in the Ivory Tower: Postcolonial Representations of the Nigerian Academic Elite in Esiaba Irobi’s Cemetery Road and Ojo Rasaki Bakare’s Once Upon a Tower
Authors: Lawal Nurudeen Adeshina
Published: December 2020

This work explores Esiaba Irobi’s Cemetery Road (2009) and Ojo Rasaki Bakare’s Once Upon a Tower (2000) with a view to examining the manner in which Irobi and Bakare represent the Nigerian academic elite in the chaos that hobbles Nigerian public universities and the country in general. Through Louis Althusser’s idea of Ideological State Apparatuses, the work analyses how the two playwrights deploy character, setting and other dramatic elements to capture ways in which the Nigerian academic elite, especially those in Nigerian public universities, promote disorder in the polity. The two plays show that some members of the Nigerian academic elite are involved in using undemocratic methods for personal gains and to create anomie in universities and in Nigerian society at large. The work reveals that the academic elite, as represented in the two plays, are not different from the corrupt Nigerian political elite because both are preoccupied with violent and corrupt acts, thereby undermining peace, stability and development in the country. It contends that the two playwrights’ representations of the Nigerian academic elite are important not only because they challenge the assumed binary opposition between the Nigerian ruling elite and the Nigerian academic elite, but also because they illuminate the complexity of the recurring chaos in Nigerian universities and the country in general. Consequently, the playwrights invite the Nigerian academic elite to engage in critical self-interrogation, genuine scholarly and community-based activities that are geared towards real national development.
Shakespeare for Revolution: From Canon to Activism in V for Vendetta and Sons of Anarchy
Authors: Forés Rossell Maria Consuelo
Published: December 2020

Shakespeare’s works have long been a place of cultural and political struggles, and continues to be so. Twenty-first century non-canonical fiction is appropriating Shakespeare for activist purposes. The present article will analyze this phenomenon, applying the concept of cultural capital, the theories of cultural materialism, intertextuality, and appropriation in relation to popular culture, in order to study how Shakespeare’s plays are being appropriated from more radically progressive positions, and resituated in alternative contexts. Among the plethora of Shakespearean adaptations of the last decades, non-canonical appropriations in particular offer brand new interpretations of previously assumed ideas about Shakespeare’s works, popularizing the playwright in unprecedented ambits and culturally diverse social spaces, while giving voice to the marginalized. Thus, through entertainment, non-canonical fiction products such as V for Vendetta and Sons of Anarchy recycle the Shakespearean legacy from a critical point of view, while using it as a political weapon for cultural activism, helping to make people aware of social inequalities and to inspire them to adopt a critical stance towards them, as free and equal citizens.
Contrabando, negocios y discordias entre los mercaderes de México y los cargadores peninsulares, 1670-1711
Authors: Del Valle Pavón Guillermina
Published: December 2020

El artículo examina la participación de los mercaderes de plata del consulado de la ciudad de México en el comercio Atlántico, de manera legal e ilícita, durante los años 1670 a 1711. Se analiza el funcionamiento de una enorme red comercial integrada por grandes tratantes de México y Sevilla, virreyes, gobernadores, armadores, autoridades portuarias, entre otros. Se muestra la participación de los mercaderes de México en la Carrera de Indias como encomenderos de las casas de comercio de Sevilla y Cádiz, y, cómo el notable aumento en el abasto de géneros europeos y asiáticos dio lugar a que entraran en antagonismo con los flotistas para establecer los precios de las mercancías. Por último, se expone cómo algunos flotistas se establecieron en la ciudad de México, se incorporaron al consulado y llegaron a ser sus representantes.
El consulado y los gremios mercantiles de Sevilla en las fiestas por el triunfo de Lepanto (enero-febrero de 1572)
Authors: García Bernal José Jaime
Published: December 2020

El presente artículo analiza la participación de los oficios artesanales y del Consulado de mercaderes de Sevilla en las fiestas por la victoria de Lepanto y el nacimiento del príncipe don Fernando de 1572. La primera parte identifica los gremios que sacaron máscaras y carros de invención en estas celebraciones y valora su implicación en función de su riqueza y pujanza en la actividad económica de la ciudad. La segunda parte del trabajo estudia la escenografía y la práctica escénica de algunas de estas representaciones sobre carros. Finalmente se analiza la máscara que sacó la Universidad de cargadores a Indias o Consulado de los mercaderes.
Infidelidad y punición. Caballeros y freiles austracistas ante el tribunal de la lugartenencia general de Montesa
Authors: Salas Benedito María
Published: December 2020

El presente artículo se propone analizar el austracismo dentro de la Orden de Montesa a través de la documentación procesal existente contra sus caballeros y religiosos. Mediante el estudio de los diferentes casos, quedan al descubierto no solo las trayectorias de algunos de los principales austracistas valencianos, sino también el modo en que la Orden castigó la disidencia, entre otros aspectos. Todo esto nos permite observar cuales fueron los caminos seguidos por estos personajes antes, durante y después del conflicto sucesorio, de forma que podamos establecer una caracterización general del grupo al mismo tiempo que constatar cada una de sus singularidades.
A study on the applicability of batik for public transportation design in Indonesia
Authors: Syabana Yukhi Mustaqim Kusuma , Park Gun Bae
Published: December 2020

This paper attempts to grant Indonesian identity in the development and importing the public transportation equipment from overseas. We reviewed and surveyed the present state issues of Indonesian public transportation equipment design development. The study analyzed the philosophical values of batik in a modern way, the possibility of batik application for important regionalism identity, and identity in design development strategy. As a result, we gather and assess the philosophical values of Batik motifs that contain geographic origin, the essences, and characteristics to be applied as design element strategies. We found the regional identity of the historical, local wisdom essence, acculturation, various colors, and original shapes of the Batik motifs. Moreover, Indonesian fancy design is also supported by other possibilities indigenous material and technique that usually used, particularly in Indonesia. These possibilities were identically Indonesian and also applicable as the sustainable public transport equipment design identity issue solution. This effort was conducted as the turning point to solve the issues of public transport equipment design strategies dependency. Thus, this research will be helpful for aesthetics research in the modern way of the public transportation equipment design concept.
Numerical investigation of the effect of triangle strut in vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT)
Authors: Admono Tri , Ahmudiarto Yoyon , Romadoni Amma Muliya , Abdurahman Iman , Salim Agus , Lusijarto Teguh Tri , Mulyadi Mochammad Agoes
Published: December 2020

Strut is used in vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) to restraint the framework. In this study, struts are analyzed to show the pressure losses in VAWT. ANSYS computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is used to investigate triangle strut in VAWT. This study aims to show a CFD simulation of struts, which affects the aerodynamic of VAWT. In CFD software, the aerodynamic of VAWT can be analyzed in terms of pressure losses in the struts. The simulation method starts by making a struts model, then meshing and setting up ANSYS's boundary conditions. The last iteration runs in ANSYS until convergence. Our results show the percentage of pressure losses with the variation of the angle of wind 0°, 20°, 40°, and 60° are 0.67 %, 0.52 %, 0.48 %, and 0.52 %. The effect of triangle strut in VAWT did not affect the wind flow to the VAWT blade. The results also indicated that the triangle strut could be applied in the multi-stage of VAWT system.