bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence of vasoplegic syndrome after cardiac transplantation in patients treated with sacubitril/valsartan
Authors: Domínguez Juan M. , García‐Romero Elena , Pàmies Julia , Mirabet Sonia , Gonzalez‐Costello Jose , Spitaleri Giosafat , Perez‐Villa Felix , Farrero Marta
Published: May 2020

Vasoplegic syndrome (VS) is associated with poor outcomes after heart transplantation (HT). Our aim was to determine whether SAC/VALS is associated with VS after HT. We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive HT performed in three centers between January 2017 and August 2018. VS was defined as vasopressor need (norepinephrine or epinephrine >.5 mcg/kg/min or vasopressin) for more than 24 hours to maintain a mean arterial pressure >70 mm Hg. Ninety‐six recipients underwent HT in the study period: 60 elective HT with no LVAD, 5 elective HT on long term LVAD, and 31 emergent HT: 3 on long‐term LVAD and 28 on temporary mechanical circulatory support. Fourteen patients were on SAC/VALS treatment at the time of transplant, and 82 were not. The global incidence of VS was 15.6%, with no significant differences between the groups (7.14% in with SAC/VALS vs 17.07% in no‐SAC/VALS). In conclusion, in our small cohort SAC/VALS was not associated with VS development.
Neuron‐glia interactions: Molecular basis of alzheimer’s disease and applications of neuroproteomics
Authors: Ibrahim Abdallah Mohammad , Pottoo Faheem Hyder , Dahiya Ekta Singh , Khan Firdos Alam , Kumar J. B. Senthil
Published: May 2020

Neurodegenerative disorders present with progressive and irreversible degeneration of the neurons. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders affecting 50 million people worldwide (2017), expected to be doubled every 20 years. Primarily affected by age, AD is the cause for old‐age dementia, progressive memory loss, dysfunctional thoughts, confusion, cognitive impairment and personality changes. Neuroglia formerly understood as “glue” of the brain neurons consists of macroglia (astrocytes and oligodendrocyte), microglia and progenitors NG2‐glia, and constitute a large fraction of the mammalian brain. The primary functions of glial cells are to provide neurons with metabolic and structural support in the healthy brain; however, they attain a “reactive” state from the “resting” state upon challenged with a pathological insult such as a neurodegenerative cascade. Failure or defects in their homoeostatic functions (i.e. concentration of ions, neurotransmitters) ultimately jeopardize neurons with excitotoxicity and oxidative stress. Moreover, the most common clinical outcome of AD is the cognitive impairment and memory loss, which are attributed mainly by the accumulation of Aβ. Failure of glial cells to remove the Aβ toxic proteins accelerates the AD progression. The rapidly emerging proteomic techniques such as mass spectrometry (MS), cross‐linking mass spectrometry, hydrogen deuterium trade mass spectrometry, protein foot printing and 2‐DGE combined with LC–MS/MS present wide array of possibilities for the identification of differentially expressed proteins in AD.
Grazed temporary grass‐clover leys in crop rotations can have a positive impact on soil quality under both conventional and organic agricultural systems
Authors: Zani Caio F. , Gowing John , Abbott Geoffrey D. , Taylor James A. , Lopez‐Capel Elisa , Cooper Julia
Published: May 2020

Soil quality (SQ) is the ability of soil to provide ecosystem functions and services. Implementation of a certain agricultural system can affect SQ and therefore play an essential role in achieving sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to explore how agricultural systems (conventional vs. organic), grazing regime (non‐grazed vs. grazed) and the different proportions of temporary grass‐clover leys in crop rotations (ley time proportion, LTP) affect SQ within a mixed (cropping and pasture/dairy system) commercial farming enterprise in the UK. Seven SQ indicators were evaluated, including chemical (pH; available phosphorus (P); potassium (K)), physical (bulk density, BD; aggregate stability, AS) and biological (total carbon (C); microbial biomass carbon, MBC) sectors. All SQ indicators were measured at three depth intervals (0–0.15, 0.15–0.30, 0.30–0.60 m), except for AS and MBC, which were only considered for the topsoil (0–0.15 m). The findings reflected existing knowledge on the advantages of organic vs. conventional systems for SQ indicators, with the former showing higher MBC and similar K, BD, AS and C in the 0–0.30‐m compared to the latter. Lower topsoil available P in organic systems can be related to the lack of measurements in all P pools. When grazing was included: (a) both agricultural systems showed higher topsoil available P, C and MBC; and (b) there was a higher topsoil K in organic systems, whereas it positively affected topsoil BD and C (0.15–0.30 m) in conventional systems. Increasing LTP to 30–40% of the full crop rotation increased topsoil AS and C (0–0.30 m) in a linear fashion. Subsoil conditions (>0.30 m) favoured K, BD and C in conventional systems, but these results should be considered carefully. It was concluded that both organic and conventional systems delivered similar levels of SQ and that reviving mixed farming systems may be a key factor for delivering multifunctional agroecosystems that maintain SQ and optimize ecosystem services.

Highlights

Single‐farm comparison of top‐ and subsoil quality in organic and non‐organic systems.

The organic system increased microbial biomass carbon but decreased topsoil available phosphorus.

Grazing increased topsoil available phosphorus, carbon concentration and microbial biomass carbon.

Temporary leys in rotations increased topsoil aggregate stability and carbon concentration.

Mixed farming is a key factor for delivering multifunctional agroecosystems.
BEVA primary care clinical guidelines: Wound management in the horse
Authors: Freeman Sarah L. , Ashton Neal M. , Elce Yvonne A. , Hammond Anna , Hollis Anna R. , Quinn Greg
Published: May 2020

Background

There are currently no evidence summaries on wounds in the horse.

Objectives

To develop evidence‐based guidelines on wound management in the horse.

Study design

Evidence review using the GRADE framework.

Methods

Research questions were proposed by a panel of veterinarians, and developed into PICO format. Evidence in the veterinary literature was evaluated using the GRADE evidence‐to‐decision framework. Searches for human evidence summaries were conducted in the NICE, Cochrane and JBI databases. Final recommendations were based on both veterinary and human evidence.

Results and recommendations

The research questions were categorised into three areas: A. Wound lavage and topical treatments; B. Wound debridement and closure; C. Therapeutics for wound healing. Three hundred and six veterinary publications were identified across thirteen different topics. Fourteen papers were assessed using the GRADE criteria. Twenty‐five human evidence summaries were reviewed. The results were developed into recommendations:

Wound lavage and topical treatments: (i) Tap water should be considered instead of saline for lavage; (ii) Povidone iodine lavage should be considered for contaminated wounds; (iii) Topical silver sulfadiazine may not be suitable for acute wounds; (iv) Optimal lavage pressures are around 13 psi.

Wound debridement and closure: (i) Debridement pads should be considered for wound preparation; (ii) Larvae debridement should be considered in selected cases; (iii) Hydrosurgery should be considered in acute contaminated wounds.

Therapeutics for wound healing: (i) Honey may reduce duration of some phases of wound healing.

There was insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on the use of chemical debridement, therapeutic ultrasound, laser therapy, wound closure with staples compared to sutures, or identify optimal concentrations of antiseptic lavage solutions.

Main limitations

Low quality evidence in veterinary literature; majority of recommendations were based on human evidence.

Conclusions

These findings should be used to inform decision‐making in equine primary care practice.
Allometric constraints and competition enable the simulation of size structure and carbon fluxes in a dynamic vegetation model of tropical forests (LM3PPA‐TV)
Authors: Martínez Cano Isabel , Shevliakova Elena , Malyshev Sergey , Wright S. Joseph , Detto Matteo , Pacala Stephen W. , Muller‐Landau Helene C.
Published: May 2020

Tropical forests are a key determinant of the functioning of the Earth system, but remain a major source of uncertainty in carbon cycle models and climate change projections. In this study, we present an updated land model (LM3PPA‐TV) to improve the representation of tropical forest structure and dynamics in Earth system models (ESMs). The development and parameterization of LM3PPA‐TV drew on extensive datasets on tropical tree traits and long‐term field censuses from Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. The model defines a new plant functional type (PFT) based on the characteristics of shade‐tolerant, tropical tree species, implements a new growth allocation scheme based on realistic tree allometries, incorporates hydraulic constraints on biomass accumulation, and features a new compartment for tree branches and branch fall dynamics. Simulation experiments reproduced observed diurnal and seasonal patterns in stand‐level carbon and water fluxes, as well as mean canopy and understory tree growth rates, tree size distributions, and stand‐level biomass on BCI. Simulations at multiple sites captured considerable variation in biomass and size structure across the tropical forest biome, including observed responses to precipitation and temperature. Model experiments suggested a major role of water limitation in controlling geographic variation forest biomass and structure. However, the failure to simulate tropical forests under extreme conditions and the systematic underestimation of forest biomass in Paleotropical locations highlighted the need to incorporate variation in hydraulic traits and multiple PFTs that capture the distinct floristic composition across tropical domains. The continued pressure on tropical forests from global change demands models which are able to simulate alternative successional pathways and their pace to recovery. LM3PPA‐TV provides a tool to investigate geographic variation in tropical forests and a benchmark to continue improving the representation of tropical forests dynamics and their carbon storage potential in ESMs.
Tissue regulatory T cells
Authors: Lui Prudence PokWai , Cho Inchul , Ali Niwa
Published: May 2020

Foxp3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are an immune cell lineage endowed with immunosuppressive functionality in a wide array of contexts, including both anti‐pathogenic and anti‐self responses. In the past decades, our understanding of the functional diversity of circulating or lymphoid Tregs has grown exponentially. Only recently, the importance of Tregs residing within non‐lymphoid tissues, such as visceral adipose tissue, muscle, skin and intestine, has been recognized. Not only are Tregs critical for influencing the kinetics and strength of immune responses, but the regulation of non‐immune or parenchymal cells, also fall within the purview of tissue‐resident or infiltrating Tregs. This review focuses on providing a systematic and comprehensive comparison of the molecular maintenance, local adaptation and functional specializations of Treg populations operating within different tissues.
PLK1 regulates hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis through Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway
Authors: Chen Yu , Chen Xin , Ji Ya‐Ru , Zhu Sai , Bu Fang‐Tian , Du Xiao‐Sa , Meng Xiao‐Ming , Huang Cheng , Li Jun
Published: May 2020

As an outcome of chronic liver disease, liver fibrosis involves the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) caused by a variety of chronic liver injuries. It is important to explore approaches to inhibit the activation and proliferation of HSCs for the treatment of liver fibrosis. PLK1 is overexpressed in many human tumour cells and has become a popular drug target in tumour therapy. Therefore, further study of the function of PLK1 in the cell cycle is valid. In the present study, we found that PLK1 expression was elevated in primary HSCs isolated from CCl4‐induced liver fibrosis mice and LX‐2 cells stimulated with TGF‐β1. Knockdown of PLK1 inhibited α‐SMA and Col1α1 expression and reduced the activation of HSCs in CCl4‐induced liver fibrosis mice and LX‐2 cells stimulated with TGF‐β1. We further showed that inhibiting the expression of PLK1 reduced the proliferation of HSCs and promoted HSCs apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, we found that the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway may be essential for PLK1‐mediated HSCs activation. Together, blocking PLK1 effectively suppressed liver fibrosis by inhibiting HSC activation, which may provide a new treatment strategy for liver fibrosis.
Early adolescent gender diversity and mental health in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study
Authors: Potter Alexandra , Dube Sarahjane , Allgaier Nicholas , Loso Hannah , Ivanova Masha , Barrios Lisa C. , Bookheimer Susan , Chaarani Bader , Dumas Julie , Feldstein‐Ewing Sarah , Freedman Edward G. , Garavan Hugh , Hoffman Elizabeth , McGlade Erin , Robin Leah , Johns Michelle M.
Published: May 2020

Background

There are known associations between mental health symptoms and transgender identity among adults. Whether this relationship extends to early adolescents and to gender domains other than identity is unclear. This study measured dimensions of gender in a large, diverse, sample of youth, and examined associations between diverse gender experiences and mental health.

Methods

The ABCD study is an ongoing, longitudinal, US cohort study. Baseline data (release 2.0) include 11,873 youth age 9/10 (48% female); and the 4,951 1‐year follow‐up visits (age 10/11; 48% female) completed prior to data release. A novel gender survey at the 1‐year visit assessed felt‐gender, gender noncontentedness, and gender nonconformity using a 5‐point scale. Mental health measures included youth‐ and parent‐reports.

Results

Roughly half a percent of 9/10‐year‐olds (n = 58) responded ‘yes’ or ‘maybe’ when asked, ‘Are you transgender’ at baseline. Recurrent thoughts of death were more prevalent among these youth compared to the rest of the cohort (19.6% vs. 6.4%, χ2 = 16.0, p < .001). At the 1‐year visit, when asked about the three dimensions of gender on a 5‐point scale, 33.2% (n = 1,605) provided responses that were not exclusively and totally aligned with one gender. Significant relationships were observed between mental health symptoms and gender diversity for all dimensions assessed.

Conclusions

Similar to adult studies, early adolescents identifying as transgender reported increased mental health symptoms. Results also point to considerable diversity in other dimensions of gender (felt‐gender, gender noncontentedness, gender nonconformity) among 10/11‐year‐olds, and find this diversity to be related to critical mental health symptoms. These findings add to our limited understanding of the relationship between dimensions of gender and wellness for youth.
A family of multivariate non‐gaussian time series models
Authors: Aktekin Tevfik , Polson Nicholas G. , Soyer Refik
Published: May 2020

In this article, we propose a class of multivariate non‐Gaussian time series models which include dynamic versions of many well‐known distributions and consider their Bayesian analysis. A key feature of our proposed model is its ability to account for correlations across time as well as across series (contemporary) via a common random environment. The proposed modeling approach yields analytically tractable dynamic marginal likelihoods, a property not typically found outside of linear Gaussian time series models. These dynamic marginal likelihoods can be tied back to known static multivariate distributions such as the Lomax, generalized Lomax, and the multivariate Burr distributions. The availability of the marginal likelihoods allows us to develop efficient estimation methods for various settings using Markov chain Monte Carlo as well as sequential Monte Carlo methods. Our approach can be considered to be a multivariate generalization of commonly used univariate non‐Gaussian class of state space models. To illustrate our methodology, we use simulated data examples and a real application of multivariate time series for modeling the joint dynamics of stochastic volatility in financial indexes, the VIX and VXN.
New insights in the management of Hepatocellular Adenoma
Authors: Klompenhouwer Anne J. , de Man Robert A. , Dioguardi Burgio Marco , Vilgrain Valerie , Zucman‐Rossi Jessica , Ijzermans Jan N. M.
Published: May 2020

Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) are benign liver tumours that may be complicated by haemorrhage or malignant transformation to hepatocellular carcinoma. Epidemiological data are fairly outdated, but it is likely to assume that the incidence has increased over the past decades as HCA are more often incidentally found due to the more widespread use of imaging techniques and the increased incidence of obesity. Various molecular subgroups have been described. Each of these molecular subgroups are defined by specific gene mutations and pathway activations. Additionally, they are all related to specific risk factors and show a various biological behaviour. These molecular subgroups may be identified using immunohistochemistry and molecular characterization. Contrast‐enhanced MRI is the recommended imaging modality to analyse patients with suspected hepatocellular adenoma allowing to determine the subtype in up to 80%. Surgical resection remains to be the golden standard in treating HCA, although resection is deemed unnecessary in a large number of cases, as studies have shown that the majority of HCA will regress over time without complications such as haemorrhage or malignant transformation occurring. It is preferable to treat patients with suspected HCA in high volume centres with combined expertise of liver surgeons, hepatologists, radiologists and (molecular) pathologists.
Gut microbiota of invasive bullfrog tadpoles responds more rapidly to temperature than a noninvasive congener
Authors: Fontaine Samantha S. , Kohl Kevin D.
Published: May 2020

Environmental temperature can alter the composition, diversity, and function of ectothermic vertebrate gut microbial communities, which may result in negative consequences for host physiology, or conversely, increase phenotypic plasticity and persistence in harsh conditions. The magnitude of either of these effects will depend on the length of time animals are exposed to extreme temperatures, and how quickly the composition and function of the gut microbiota can respond to temperature change. However, the temporal effects of temperature on gut microbiota are currently unknown. Here, we investigated the length of time required for increased temperature to alter the composition of gut bacterial communities in tadpoles of two frog species, the green frog, Lithobates clamitans, and its congener, the globally invasive American bullfrog, L. catesbeianus. We also explored the potential functional consequences of these changes by comparing predicted metagenomic profiles across temperature treatments at the last experimental time point. Bullfrog‐associated microbial communities were more plastic than those of the green frog. Specifically, bullfrog communities were altered by increased temperature within hours, while green frog communities took multiple days to exhibit significant changes. Further, over ten times more bullfrog bacterial functional pathways were temperature‐dependent compared to the green frog. These results support our hypothesis that bullfrog gut microbial communities would respond more rapidly to temperature change, potentially bolstering their ability to exploit novel environments. More broadly, we have revealed that even short‐term increases in environmental temperature, expected to occur frequently under global climate change, can alter the gut microbiota of ectothermic vertebrates.
GREEN STRIPE, encoding methylated TOMATO AGAMOUS‐LIKE 1, regulates chloroplast development and Chl synthesis in fruit
Authors: Liu Genzhong , Li Changxing , Yu Huiyang , Tao Peiwen , Yuan Lei , Ye Jie , Chen Weifang , Wang Ying , Ge Pingfei , Zhang Junhong , Zhou Guolin , Zheng Wei , Ye Zhibiao , Zhang Yuyang
Published: May 2020

Fruit development involves chloroplast development, carotenoid accumulation and fruit coloration. Although genetic regulation of fruit development has been extensively investigated, epigenetic regulation of fruit coloration remains largely unexplored.

Here, we report a naturally occurring epigenetic regulation of TAGL1, and its impact on chloroplast development and fruit coloration. We used a genome‐wide association study in combination with map‐based cloning to identify the GREEN STRIPE (GS) locus, a methylated isoform of TAGL1 regulating diversified chloroplast development and carotenoid accumulation.

Nonuniform pigmentation of fruit produced by GS was highly associated with methylation of the TAGL1 promoter, which is linked to a SNP at SL2.50ch07_63842838. High degrees of methylation of the TAGL1 promoter downregulated its expression, leading to green stripes. By contrast, low degrees of methylation led to light green stripes in gs. RNA‐seq and ChIP collectively showed that the expression of genes involved with Chl synthesis and chloroplast development were significantly upregulated in green stripes relative to light green stripes.

Quantitative PCR and dual luciferase assay confirmed that TAGL1 downregulates expression of SlMPEC, SlPsbQ, and SlCAB, and upregulates expression of PSY1 – genes which are associated with chloroplast development and carotenoid accumulation. Altogether, our findings regarding the GS locus demonstrate that naturally occurring methylation of TAGL1 has diverse effects on plastid development in fruit.
Cereal root exudates contain highly structurally complex polysaccharides with soil‐binding properties
Authors: Galloway Andrew F. , Akhtar Jumana , Marcus Susan E. , Fletcher Nathan , Field Katie , Knox Paul
Published: May 2020

Rhizosheaths function in plant−soil interactions, and are proposed to form due to a mix of soil particle entanglement in root hairs and the action of adhesive root exudates. The soil‐binding factors released into rhizospheres to form rhizosheaths have not been characterised. Analysis of the high‐molecular‐weight (HMW) root exudates of both wheat and maize plants indicate the presence of complex, highly branched polysaccharide components with a wide range of galactosyl, glucosyl and mannosyl linkages that do not directly reflect cereal root cell wall polysaccharide structures. Periodate oxidation indicates that it is the carbohydrate components of the HMW exudates that have soil‐binding properties. The root exudates contain xyloglucan (LM25), heteroxylan (LM11/LM27) and arabinogalactan‐protein (LM2) epitopes, and sandwich‐ELISA evidence indicates that, in wheat particularly, these can be interlinked in multi‐polysaccharide complexes. Using wheat as a model, exudate‐binding monoclonal antibodies have enabled the tracking of polysaccharide release along root axes of young seedlings, and their presence at root hair surfaces and in rhizosheaths. The observations indicate that specific root exudate polysaccharides, distinct from cell wall polysaccharides, are adhesive factors secreted by root axes, and that they contribute to the formation and stabilisation of cereal rhizosheaths.
Extending the Kaleidoscope Career Model: Understanding Career Needs of Midcareer Elite Head Coaches
Authors: Dabbs Shaina M. , Graham Jeffrey A. , Dixon Marlene A.
Published: May 2020

Today’s workforce, with trends toward aging and greater gender diversity, looks dramatically different than past decades, creating a need to more closely examine the midcareer stages of employees. In sport, midcareer head coaches have developed a broad skill set and an ability to manage both internal and external stakeholders. Thus, they are valuable, experienced employees who have successfully navigated the coaching profession. Using the Kaleidoscope Career Model as a framework, this study explored male and female head coaches’ career experiences, needs, and management strategies in the midcareer stages. The findings indicate that coaches follow an alpha career pattern, prioritizing authenticity over balance and challenge. Yet, the participants suggested different approaches to achieving authenticity, balance, and challenge within the midcareer stages, which may be more nuanced than traditionally expected. Understanding these needs and management strategies are a necessary first step toward more nuanced theoretical understandings and customized human resource management plans that will enhance career longevity and performance.
Eleanor Margaret Burbidge (1919–2020)
Authors: Boksenberg Alec
Published: May 2020

Astronomer, astrophysicist, and champion of gender equality
Tidal forces in the charged Hayward black hole spacetime
Authors: Lima Haroldo C. D. , Crispino Luís C. B.
Published: May 2020

Tidal forces produced by black holes are an important result of General Relativity related to the spacetime curvature tensor. Among the astrophysical implications of tidal forces, the tidal disruption events stand out. We analyze the tidal forces in the spacetime of an electrically charged Hayward regular black hole, obtaining the components of the tidal tensor and the geodesic deviation equation. We find that the radial and angular tidal forces may vanish and change sign unlike in the Schwarzschild spacetime. We note that tidal forces are finite at the origin of the radial coordinate in this regular black hole spacetime. We obtain the geodesic deviation vector for a body constituted of dust infalling towards the black hole with two different initial conditions.
Galileon inflation field with three dark eras of the universe
Authors: Keskin A. I.
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we discuss possible three early eras of the universe in the theoretical context of the Galilean cosmology. The first phase is a slow-roll inflation phase in which the friction term in the equations of motion dominates over the kinetic term. This is the initial vacuum state leading to quasi-de Sitter expansion. The second phase is where the cosmological perturbations are supposed to be generated. In this phase, the friction term is supposed to be negligible which leads to the appearance of the Galileon inflation field. The third phase is the reheating phase in the standard cosmology, where the oscillations of a canonical scalar field in the model lead to this phase. These three eras for the early universe are shown by a single master equation of the theory. However, we compute observational indices (the scalar spectral index parameter and the tensor-to-scalar ratio) for the era where the era that the perturbations are produced. Finally, we compare viability of the theoretical findings with the latest Planck observational data.
INFORMATION FLOW DEPENDENCE IN FINANCIAL MARKETS
Authors: MICHAELSEN MARKUS
Published: May 2020

In response to empirical evidence, we propose a continuous-time model for multivariate asset returns with a two-layered dependence structure. The price process is subject to multivariate information arrivals driving the market activity modeled by nondecreasing pure-jump Lévy processes. A Lévy copula determines the jump dependence and allows for a generic multivariate information flow with a flexible structure. Conditional on the information flow, asset returns are jointly normal. Within this setup, we provide an estimation framework based on maximum simulated likelihood. We apply novel multivariate models to equity data and obtain estimates which meet an economic intuition with respect to the two-layered dependence structure.
Open Banking: The Emergence of New Digital Business Models
Authors: Ramdani Boumediene , Rothwell Ben , Boukrami Elias
Published: May 2020

Open banking has recently been advanced as a measure to foster competition and innovation in the retail banking sector. Since its introduction in the UK, a number of banks have created new digital business models (BMs) that offer individuals and businesses access to more personalized financial services. Yet, it is still unclear what new entrants (smaller and newer banks) have done to potentially disrupt incumbents (larger and well-established banks). To shed light on the innovations in BMs that have been initiated by digital banks to move away from traditional retail banking BM, seven digital BMs operating in the UK financial sector were examined using the BM innovation analysis framework. Our findings suggest that innovation in the new digital BMs has been achieved by building on the existing retail banking activities, developing new digitally enabled activities, and leveraging open innovation activities. Implications of our findings for researchers, managers and policy makers will be outlined.
The Role of Silicon-Based Nanofillers and Polymer Crystallization on the Breakdown Behaviors of Polyethylene Blend Nanocomposites
Authors: Kamarudin Siti Noorhazirah , Lau Kwan Yiew , Tan Chee Wei , Ching Kuan Yong
Published: May 2020

Good breakdown strength is an important feature for the selection of dielectric materials, especially in high-voltage engineering. Although nanocomposites have been shown to possess many promising dielectric properties, the breakdown strength of nanocomposites is often found to be negatively affected. Recently, imposing nonisothermal crystallization processes on polyethylene blends has been demonstrated to be favorable for breakdown strength improvements of dielectric materials. In an attempt to increase nanocomposites’ voltage rating, this work reports on the effects of nonisothermal crystallization (fast, moderate and slow crystallizations) on the structure and dielectric properties of a polyethylene blend (PE) composed of 80% low density polyethylene and 20% high density polyethylene, added with silicon dioxide (SiO2) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) nanofillers. Through breakdown testing, the breakdown performance of Si3N4-based nanocomposites was better than SiO2-based nanocomposites. Since nanofiller dispersion within both nanocomposite systems was comparable, the enhanced breakdown performance of Si3N4-based nanocomposites is attributed to the surface chemistry of Si3N4 containing less hydroxyl groups than SiO2. Furthermore, the breakdown strength of SiO2-based nanocomposites and Si3N4-based nanocomposites improved, with the DC breakdown strength increasing by at least 12% when both the nanocomposites were subjected to moderate crystallization rather than fast and slow crystallizations. This is attributed to changes in the underlying molecular conformation of PE in addition to water-related effects. These results suggest that apart from changes in the nanofiller surface chemistry, changes in the underlying molecular conformation of polymers are also important to improve the breakdown performance of nanocomposites.
Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic thermotectonic history of eastern, central and southern Mexico as determined through integrated thermochronology, with implications for sediment delivery to the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Gray Gary G. , Villagomez Diego , Pindell James , Molina-Garza Roberto , O'Sullivan Paul , Stockli Daniel , Farrell William , Blank David , Schuba Jonathan
Published: May 2020

A database of 134 apatite fission track (AFT), and apatite and zircon (U–Th)/He analyses has been assembled for eastern Mexico. Most of these samples have reset ages and track lengths reflecting rapid cooling. Time–temperature histories were modelled for 99 localities, and were converted to depth using a constant gradient of 30°C km
−1
. Maps of these results reveal smooth temperature patterns in space and time, indicating that heating was due to regional burial rather than hydrothermal circulation. Cooling began by 90 Ma in the west and 50 Ma along the eastern edge of the Sierra Madre Oriental. These ages mimic the duration of the Mexican Orogeny, which verifies that most of these AFT ages have event significance. The elongate Mayrán Basin, a part of the Mexican foreland basin system, formed and grew across and above the eastern toe of the active Sierra Madre Oriental. This basin subsided between at least 70 and
c.
40 Ma, and reached a minimum depth of 6 km. It was a both a catchment and routing system for sediment from US and Mexican sources. The shape of the basin suggests that early outflow was directed through the Burgos Basin into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). By 50 Ma, some outflow potentially routed southwards through the Tampico Misantla Basin area. The Mayrán Basin subsided until 40 Ma, and then began to uplift and erode. This inversion mobilized the stored sediment and redeposited it into the GoM, filling the offshore Bravo Trough. Volcanism swept eastwards between 90 and 40 Ma, driven by northeastward-directed flat-slab subduction, which may also have driven the contraction. Local subsidence during contraction suggests there was dynamic pull-down created by the underriding flat slab. Subsidence ceased at
c.
40 Ma, as volcanism swept back westward and asthenosphere replaced the flat slab. The crust rebounded, creating an ensuing period of massive erosion which peaked around 20 Ma. Southern Mexico was relatively quiet until rapid uplift began in Oaxaca in late Oligocene–early Miocene time. Uplift progressed eastwards to the Chiapas Massif in the late Miocene, commensurate with the eastward translation of the Chortis Block.
Predict and Match
Authors: Alijani Reza , Banerjee Siddhartha , Gollapudi Sreenivas , Munagala Kamesh , Wang Kangning
Published: May 2020

We consider the problem of selling perishable items to a stream of buyers in order to maximize social welfare. A seller starts with a set of identical items, and each arriving buyer wants any one item, and has a valuation drawn i.i.d. from a known distribution. Each item, however, disappears after an a priori unknown amount of time that we term the horizon for that item. The seller knows the (possibly different) distribution of the horizon for each item, but not its realization till the item actually disappears. As with the classic prophet inequalities, the goal is to design an online pricing scheme that competes with the prophet that knows the horizon and extracts full social surplus (or welfare). Our main results are for the setting where items have independent horizon distributions satisfying the monotone-hazard-rate (MHR) condition. Here, for any number of items, we achieve a constant-competitive bound via a conceptually simple policy that balances the rate at which buyers are accepted with the rate at which items are removed from the system. We implement this policy via a novel technique of matching via probabilistically simulating departures of the items at future times. Moreover, for a single item and MHR horizon distribution with mean, we show a tight result: There is a fixed pricing scheme that has competitive ratio at most 2 - 1/μ, and this is the best achievable in this class. We further show that our results are best possible. First, we show that the competitive ratio is unbounded without the MHR assumption even for one item. Further, even when the horizon distributions are i.i.d. MHR and the number of items becomes large, the competitive ratio of any policy is lower bounded by a constant greater than 1, which is in sharp contrast to the setting with identical deterministic horizons.
Your Noise, My Signal
Authors: Shao Zhihui , Islam Mohammad A. , Ren Shaolei
Published: May 2020

Attacks based on power analysis have been long existing and studied, with some recent works focused on data exfiltration from victim systems without using conventional communications (e.g., WiFi). Nonetheless, prior works typically rely on intrusive direct power measurement, either by implanting meters in the power outlet or tapping into the power cable, thus jeopardizing the stealthiness of attacks. In this paper, we propose NoDE (Noise for Data Exfiltration), a new system for stealthy data exfiltration from enterprise desktop computers. Specifically, NoDE achieves data exfiltration over a building's power network by exploiting high-frequency voltage ripples (i.e., switching noises) generated by power factor correction circuits built into today's computers. Located at a distance and even from a different room, the receiver can non-intrusively measure the voltage of a power outlet to capture the high-frequency switching noises for online information decoding without supervised training/learning. To evaluate NoDE, we run experiments on seven different computers from top vendors and using top-brand power supply units. Our results show that for a single transmitter, NoDE achieves a rate of up to 28.48 bits/second with a distance of 90 feet (27.4 meters) without the line of sight, demonstrating a practically stealthy threat. Based on the orthogonality of switching noise frequencies of different computers, we also demonstrate simultaneous data exfiltration from four computers using only one receiver. Finally, we present a few possible defenses, such as installing noise filters, and discuss their limitations.
Lipid droplets disrupt mechanosensing in human hepatocytes
Authors: Chin LiKang , Theise Neil D. , Loneker Abigail E. , Janmey Paul A. , Wells Rebecca G.
Published: May 2020

This work examines the impact of lipid loading on mechanosensing by human hepatocytes. In cirrhotic livers, the presence of large (although not small) lipid droplets increased nuclear localization of the mechanotransducer YAP. In primary hepatocytes in culture, lipid droplets led to decreased stiffness-induced cell spreading and disrupted focal adhesions and stress fibers; the presence of large lipid droplets resulted in increased YAP nuclear localization. Collectively, the data suggest that lipid droplets induce intracellular mechanical stress.
Air Microbiome and Pollution: Composition and Potential Effects on Human Health, Including SARS Coronavirus Infection
Authors: Moelling Karin , Broecker Felix
Published: May 2020

Polluted air poses a significant threat to human health. Exposure to particulate matter (PM) and harmful gases contributes to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including allergies and obstructive lung disease. Air pollution may also be linked to cancer and reduced life expectancy. Uptake of PM has been shown to cause pathological changes in the intestinal microbiota in mice and humans. Less is known about the effects of pollution-associated microbiota on human health. Several recent studies described the microbiomes of urban and rural air samples, of the stratosphere and sand particles, which can be transported over long distances, as well as the air of indoor environments. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on airborne bacterial, viral, and fungal communities and discuss their potential consequences on human health. The current data suggest that bacterial pathogens are typically too sparse and short-lived in air to pose a significant risk for infecting healthy people. However, airborne fungal spores may exacerbate allergies and asthma. Little information is available on viruses including phages, and future studies are likely to detect known and novel viruses with a yet unknown impact on human health. Furthermore, varying experimental protocols have been employed in the recent microbiome and virome studies. Therefore, standardized methodologies will be required to allow for better comparisons between studies. Air pollution has been linked to more severe outcomes of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infections. This may have contributed to severe SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, especially those in China, Northern Italy, Iran, and New York City.
Prenatal Diagnosis and Molecular Cytogenetic Characterization of Copy Number Variations on 4p15.2p16.3, Xp22.31, and 12p11.1q11 in a Fetus with Ultrasound Anomalies: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Zhang Han , Xi Qi , Liu Xiangyin , Yue Fagui , Zhang Hongguo , Sun Meiling , Liu Ruizhi
Published: May 2020

Chromosomal rearrangements, such as duplications/deletions, can lead to a variety of genetic disorders. Herein, we reported a prenatal case with right aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery, consisting of a complex chromosomal copy number variations. Routine cytogenetic analysis described the chromosomal karyotype as 46,XY, add (2)(q37) for the fetus. However, the chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) identified a 22.4 Mb duplication in chromosome 4p16.3p15.2, a 3.96 Mb microduplication in 12p11.1q11, and a 1.68 Mb microdeletion in Xp22.31. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using a chromosome 4 painting probe was found to hybridize to the terminal of chromosome 2q on the fetus, thus confirming that the extra genetic materials of chromosome 2 was actually trisomy 4p detected through CMA. Meanwhile, the parental karyotypes were normal, which proved that the add (2) was de novo for fetus. The duplication of Wolf‐Hirschhorn syndrome critical region (WHSCR) and X‐linked recessive ichthyosis associated with Xp22.31 deletion separately were considered potentially pathogenic causes although other abnormalities involving these syndromes were not observed. For prenatal cases, the combined utilization of ultrasonography, traditional cytogenetic, and molecular diagnosis technology will enhance better diagnostic benefits, offer more detailed genetic counselling, and assess the prognosis of the fetuses.
Disturbance Observer-Based Continuous Finite-Time Sliding Mode Control against Matched and Mismatched Disturbances
Authors: Nguyen Ngo Phong , Oh Hyondong , Kim Yoonsoo , Moon Jun
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we propose the disturbance observer-based continuous finite-time sliding mode controller (DOBCSMC) for input-affine nonlinear systems in which additive matched and mismatched disturbances exist. The objective is to show the robustness and disturbance attenuation performance of the closed-loop system with the proposed DOBCSMC subjected to general classes of matched and mismatched disturbances. The proposed DOBCSMC consists of three main features: (i) the nonlinear finite-time disturbance observer to obtain a fast and accurate estimation of matched and mismatched disturbances, (ii) the nonlinear sliding surface to ensure high precision in the steady-state phase of the controlled output, and (iii) the continuous supertwisting algorithm to guarantee finite-time convergence of the controlled output and reduce the chattering under the effect of matched and mismatched disturbances. It should be noted that the existing approaches cannot handle time-varying mismatched disturbances and/or cannot guarantee faster finite-time stability of the controlled output. We prove that the closed-loop system with the DOBCSMC guarantees both finite-time reachability to the sliding surface and finite-time stability of the controlled output to the origin. Various simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed DOBCSMC. In particular, the simulation results show that the DOBCSMC guarantees faster convergence of the closed-loop system to the origin, higher precision of the controlled output, and better robustness performance against various classes of (time-varying) matched and mismatched disturbances, compared with the existing approaches.
Hydrologic Time Series Anomaly Detection Based on Flink
Authors: Ye Feng , Liu Zihao , Liu Qinghua , Wang Zhijian
Published: May 2020

The data mining and calculation of time series in critical application is still worth studying. Currently, in the field of hydrological time series, most of the detection of outliers focus on improving the specificity. To efficiently detect outliers in massive hydrologic sensor data, an anomaly detection method for hydrological time series based on Flink is proposed. Firstly, the sliding window and the ARIMA model are used to forecast data stream. Then, the confidence interval is calculated for the prediction result, and the results outside the interval range are judged as alternative anomaly data. Finally, based on the historical batch data, the K-Means++ algorithm is used to cluster the batch data. The state transition probability is calculated, and the anomaly data are evaluated in quality. Taking the hydrological sensor data obtained from the Chu River as experimental data, experiments on the detection time and outlier detection performance are carried out, respectively. The results show that when calculating the tens of millions of data, the time costed by two slaves is less than that by one slave, and the maximum reduction is 17.43%. The sensitivity of the evaluation is increased from 72.91% to 92.98%. In terms of delay, the average delay of different slaves is roughly the same, which is maintained within 20 ms. It shows that, under big data platform, the proposed algorithm can effectively improve the computational efficiency of hydrologic time series detection for tens of millions of data and has a significant improvement in sensitivity.
Thoracic Complications in Behçet’s Disease: Imaging Findings
Authors: Ödev Kemal , Tunç Recep , Varol Salih , Aydemir Harun , Yılmaz Pınar Didem , Korkmaz Celalettin
Published: May 2020

Behçet’s disease (BD) causes vascular inflammation and necrosis in a wide range of organs and tissues. In the thorax, it may cause vascular complications, affecting the aorta, brachiocephalic arteries, bronchial arteries, pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veins, capillaries, and mediastinal and thoracic inlet veins. In BD, chest radiograph is commonly used for the initial assessment of pulmonary symptoms and complications and for follow-up and establishment of the response to treatment. With the advancement of helical or multislice computed tomography (CT) technologies, such noninvasive imaging techniques have been employed for the diagnosis of vascular lesions, vascular complications, and pulmonary parenchymal manifestations of BD. CT scan (especially, CT angiography) has been used to determine the presence and severity of pulmonary complications without resorting to more invasive procedures, in conjunction with gadolinium-enhanced three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with the subtraction of arterial phase images. These radiologic methods have characteristics that are complementary to each other in diagnosis of the thoracic complications in BD. 3D ultrashort echo time (UTE) MR imaging (MRI) could potentially yield superior image quality for pulmonary vessels and lung parenchyma when compared with breath-hold 3D MR angiography.
Effects of Coinfection on the Dynamics of Two Pathogens in a Tick-Host Infection Model
Authors: Sun Bei , Zhang Xue , Tosato Marco
Published: May 2020

As both ticks and hosts may carry one or more pathogens, the phenomenon of coinfection of multiple tick-borne diseases becomes highly relevant and plays a key role in tick-borne disease transmission. In this paper, we propose a coinfection model involving two tick-borne diseases in a tick-host population and calculate the basic reproduction numbers at the disease-free equilibrium and two boundary equilibria. To explore the impact of coinfection, we also derive the invasion reproduction numbers which indicate the potential of a pathogen to persist when another pathogen already exists in tick and host populations. Then, we obtain the global stability of the system at the disease-free equilibrium and the boundary equilibrium, respectively, and further demonstrate the existence conditions for uniform persistence of the two diseases. The final numerical simulations mainly verify the theoretical results of coinfection.