bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator 1‐α overexpression improves angiogenic signalling potential of skeletal muscle‐derived extracellular vesicles
Authors: Kargl Chris K. , Sullivan Brian P. , Middleton Derek , York Andrew , Burton Lundon C. , Brault Jeffrey J. , Kuang Shihuan , Gavin Timothy P.
Published: December 2022

Skeletal muscle capillarization is proportional to muscle fibre mitochondrial content and oxidative capacity. Skeletal muscle cells secrete many factors that regulate neighbouring capillary endothelial cells (ECs), including extracellular vesicles (SkM‐EVs). Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator 1‐α (PGC‐1α) regulates mitochondrial biogenesis and the oxidative phenotype in skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle PGC‐1α also regulates secretion of multiple angiogenic factors, but it is unknown whether PGC‐1α regulates SkM‐EV release, contents and angiogenic signalling potential. PGC‐1α was overexpressed via adenovirus in primary human myotubes. EVs were collected from PGC‐1α‐overexpressing myotubes (PGC‐EVs) as well as from green fluorescent protein‐overexpressing myotubes (GFP‐EVs), and from untreated myotubes. EV release and select mRNA contents were measured from EVs. Additionally, ECs were treated with EVs to measure angiogenic potential of EVs in normal conditions and following an oxidative stress challenge. PGC‐1α overexpression did not impact EV release but did elevate EV content of mRNAs for several antioxidant proteins (nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2, superoxide dismutase 2, glutathione peroxidase). PGC‐EV treatment of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) increased their proliferation (+36.6%), tube formation (length: +28.1%; number: +25.7%) and cellular viability (+52.9%), and reduced reactive oxygen species levels (−41%) compared to GFP‐EVs. Additionally, PGC‐EV treatment protected against tube formation impairments and induction of cellular senescence following acute oxidative stress. Overexpression of PGC‐1α in human myotubes increases the angiogenic potential of SkM‐EVs. These angiogenic benefits coincided with increased anti‐oxidative capacity of recipient HUVECs. High PGC‐1α expression in skeletal muscle may prompt the release of SkM‐EVs that support vascular redox homeostasis and angiogenesis.
Fiscal Stimulus in the European Union to Stabilize the COVID Shock
Authors: Menguy Séverine
Published: December 2022

We document fiscal policies adopted in 2020 in five major European Union (EU) countries to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, we show the correlations between fiscal indicators and GDP growth. Economic stabilization was easier in countries where the budget deficit and the public debt were relatively small, with more room for maneuvers to conduct a counter-cyclical fiscal policy. Besides, the increase in public expenditure (cash transfers) did not always correlate with economic growth, whereas preserving government revenue was important in the case of tax cuts. More precisely, regarding the fiscal revenues of the EU member countries in 2020, reducing the weight on corporate income taxation, to sustain production supply and wealth creation by firms, was correlated with higher economic growth. Stylized facts show that the recession was weaker in countries where the relative weight of indirect taxation on household consumption increased, as in the Nordic countries.
Design Optimization of Angular Contact Ball Bearing Using Genetic Algorithm and Grid Search Method
Authors: Singh Manpreet , Tiwari Rajiv
Published: December 2022

The present work proposes an approach to design and optimize the internal geometry of angular contact ball bearings (ACBBs) with the help of the genetic algorithm (GA) and the grid search method (GSM). Rolling bearings have very complex internal geometry and have varied types. In literature among other types of bearings, very few authors attempted optimization of ACBBs, and subjected to very few constraints. Additionally, none of them considered the free contact angle as a design parameter, which is very important. So, the main motivation of the present work is to see the effect of inclusion of free contact angle in the optimum design of ACBBs. To optimize the geometry of ACBBs, in present study, we have taken a set of 11 design variables out of which 5 are geometric design variables and the rest are constraint parameters. The solution space has been bounded using a set of 20 realistic constraints. This way performing the same analysis with more realistic constraint model of the bearing, increases the feasibility and reliability of the optimized solutions. The results obtained from the genetic algorithm and the grid search method for the dynamic capacity of the bearing were compared to make a evaluate performance of two approaches. The simulation is performed on a series of selected ACBBs. Using the GA, for 7006 ACBB 83% improvement in its dynamic capacity over its rated values has been achieved, while using the GSM improvement is 43%. However, time taken by the GA over the GSM is one-sixth. A sensitivity analysis is done to check the most affecting parameters for the selected objective function. The present methodology helps the designers to reduce the design time, and select the optimum values of design parameters for manufacturing the custom bearing by prioritizing a specific objective.
A Wear Calculation Method for Helical Gear Based on Irreversible Thermodynamics
Authors: Xu Xiangyang , Ren Ziyuan , Wang Han , Qin Datong
Published: December 2022

The accurate prediction of wear depth is of great significance to the failure evaluation of gear transmission. At present, the traditional wear calculation method is still unable to accurately predict the wear depth of helical gears under variable working conditions. The present work proposes a novel wear depth prediction method of helical gear, which is based on the theory of thermodynamics and the degradation entropy generation (DEG) theorem. The method can be used in not only dry contact friction but also mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) condition. The degradation coefficient of helical gear material was determined by wear experiment. The advantages of using DEG theorem to calculate wear loss under variable operation conditions are demonstrated by wear experiment. Moreover, the influence of ignoring the update of tooth surface load on the calculation results in wear process is further studied. The results reveal that the wear depth prediction method of helical gear proposed in this work can obtain the consistent wear depth distribution with the traditional method. The results calculated by the traditional method are generally higher than the method in this paper, and ignoring the load update in the wear process will make the results larger. The prediction method of helical gear wear depth presented in this paper will be useful for accurately predicting the wear of helical gear.
Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics and Field Synergy Analysis on the Corrugated Plate With Pitches
Authors: Lu Peng , Yang Qinshan , Wei Jian , Wang Shaozheng , Huang Hulin
Published: December 2022

The influences of corrugation pitches on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of corrugated plates are numerically investigated and assisted by field synergy theoretical analysis. The results indicate that the groove structure formulated between corrugated plates can effectively improve the field synergy angles and enhance heat transfer. The smaller the pitch of the corrugated plate is, the more intensely the fluid temperature changes, and the pressure drop increases. In the range of 14.14 mm–28.28 mm, a smaller pitch is more conducive to heat transfer, yet negative to the flow resistance. In addition, the present article examines the flow and heat transfer characteristics in the corrugated plate and finds out that the secondary flow in the corrugated plate is the main factor affecting the temperature nonuniformity E and Nu
Pneumatic controlled nanosieve for efficient capture and release of nanoparticles
Authors: Nanaware Animesh , Kranbuhl Taylor , Ching Jesus , Chen Janice S. , Chen Xinye , Tu Qingsong , Du Ke
Published: December 2022

A pneumatic controlled nanosieve device is demonstrated for the efficient capture and release of 15 nm quantum dots. This device consists of a 200 nm deep glass channel and a polydimethylsiloxane-based pneumatic pressure layer to enhance target capture. The fluid motion inside the nanosieve is studied by computational fluidic dynamics (CFD) and microfluidic experiments, enabling efficient target capture with a flow rate as high as 100 μl/min. In addition, microgrooves are fabricated inside the nanosieve to create low flow rate regions, which further improves the target capture efficiency. A velocity contour plot is constructed with CFD, revealing that the flow rate is the lowest at the top and bottom of the microgrooves. This phenomenon is supported by the observed nanoparticle clusters surrounding the microgrooves. By changing the morphology and pneumatic pressure, this device will also facilitate rapid capture and release of various biomolecules.
REVIEWS OF ACOUSTICAL PATENTS
Authors: Fulop Sean A.
Published: December 2022

The purpose of these acoustical patent reviews is to provide enough information for a Journal reader to decide whether to seek more information from the patent itself. Any opinions expressed here are those of the reviewers as individuals and are not legal opinions. Patents are available via the internet at the USPTO website.
Vaccines are in short supply amid global cholera surge
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: December 2022

Climate change and pandemic may be fueling outbreaks
Haemophilus ducreyi Infection Induces Oxidative Stress, Central Metabolic Changes, and a Mixed Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Environment in the Human Host
Authors: Brothwell Julie A. , Fortney Kate R. , Gao Hongyu , Wilson Landon S. , Andrews Caroline F. , Tran Tuan M. , Hu Xin , Batteiger Teresa A. , Barnes Stephen , Liu Yunlong , Spinola Stanley M.
Published: December 2022

Interactions between the host and bacteria at sites of infection in humans are poorly understood. We inoculated human volunteers on the upper arm with the skin pathogen
H. ducreyi
or a buffer control and biopsied the resulting infected and sham-inoculated sites.
Complete Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus helveticus VHProbi Y21, Isolated from Kimchi
Authors: Cui Hongchang , Cheng Shumin , Duan Zhi
Published: December 2022

The probiotic strain
Lactobacillus helveticus
VHProbi Y21 confers beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of acne. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of this bacterium, which contains a chromosome and two plasmids, with a GC content of 37.52%.
Complete Genome Sequence of Variovorax paradoxus JBCE486, Which Alleviates the Salt Stress of the Endemic Plant Ulleung-Sanmaneul
Authors: Dutta Swarnalee , Lee Yong Hoon
Published: December 2022

Variovorax paradoxus
strain JBCE486, which was isolated from the rhizosphere of the endemic plant Ulleung-sanmaneul in South Korea, promoted growth and stress resistance in the common chive, as well as the model plant
Arabidopsis thaliana
, under salt stress conditions. Here, we report the genome sequence of JBCE486.
The Contribution of Nitrate Dissimilation to Nitrate Consumption in
narG
- and
napA
-Containing Nitrate Reducers with Various Oxygen and Nitrate Supplies
Authors: Chen Xing , Liu Chunmei , Zhu Baoli , Wei Wenxue , Sheng Rong
Published: December 2022

Nitrate reducers containing
narG
or
napA
are ubiquitous, but little is known about their functional performance in various environments. Our study provides an important clue that the nitrate consumption of
narG
-containing strains is mainly caused by dissimilatory reduction in the environments, while that of
napA
-containing nitrate reducers under anaerobic conditions is ascribed to nitrate dissimilation but under the aerobic condition is attributed to the assimilation by cell growth.
Direct Nasal Swab for Rapid Test and Saliva as an Alternative Biological Sample for RT-PCR in COVID-19 Diagnosis
Authors: Sazed Saiful Arefeen , Kibria Mohammad Golam , Zamil Md Fahad , Hossain Mohammad Sharif , Khan Jeba Zaman , Juthi Rifat Tasnim , Hossain Mohammad Enayet , Ahmed Dilruba , Noor Zannatun , Haque Rashidul , Alam Mohammad Shafiul
Published: December 2022

There are several methods for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the choice of methods depends mostly on the resources and level of sensitivity required by the user and health care providers. Still, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been chosen as the best method using direct naso-oropharyngeal swabs.
Rapid Point-of-Care Tests Using Staphylococcal Protein A Can Detect Early IgM Responses in HIV-1 and Treponema pallidum Infections
Authors: Schmidt Valentina A. , Stevens Victoria Rose , Esfandiari Javan , Lyashchenko Konstantin P.
Published: December 2022

Sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and syphilis, remain a global public health concern. The main laboratory testing approach for HIV and syphilis relies on serological assays.
Heterogeneity and Evolutionary Tunability of Escherichia coli Resistance against Extreme Acid Stress
Authors: Van Riet Stefanie , Tadesse Wubishet , Mortier Julien , Schlegel Susan , Simoens Kenneth , Bernaerts Kristel , Dal Co Alma , Aertsen Abram
Published: December 2022

Acidic environments constitute one of the most important stresses for enteric bacteria and can be encountered in both natural (e.g., host gastrointestinal tract) and manmade (e.g., food processing) environments. The enteric species
Escherichia coli
harbors many pathovars and is well known for its ability to cope with acid stress.
Supplemental Material: Origin of Late Cretaceous, enclave-bearing granitoids in southern Tibet: Implications for magma recharge and crustal thickening
Authors: Wen Ding-Jun , Hu Xiumian , al. et
Published: December 2022

Table S1: Results of synthesized age data. Table S2: Zircon U–Pb dating. Table S3: Zircon Hf isotopic compositions. Table S4: Whole-rock chemical compositions. Table S5: Whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopic compositions. Table S6: Mineral EMPA analysis. Table S7: Non-modal batch melting modeling.
Subcutaneous entomophthoromycosis in an immunocompetent individual: a localised forearm swelling
Authors: Katari Gopalakrishanan VishnuKumar , Murali Magesh , Venkatraman Shruthi Kamal , Essaki Muthuvel
Published: December 2022

A man in his 80s with no known comorbidities presented with diffuse swelling on the dorsal aspect of his right forearm for 3 months. Clinical features were suggestive of soft tissue sarcoma of the right forearm. A high resolution CT scan of the thorax showed allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis associated with mild mediastinal lymphadenopathy. MRI of the right upper limb showed a suspicious neoplastic/infective aetiology. A core biopsy of the right arm swelling found a granuloma with no malignancy features so an incisional biopsy of the lesion was carried out. This indicated granulomatous inflammation with excessive giant cell reaction and focal panniculitis with the possibility of a mycotic lesion. Bronchoalveolar lavage was negative for tuberculosis and fungal infection. After a multidisciplinary team discussion, the patient was started on antifungal medication. There was a marked reduction in both the size and consistency of the swelling after several weeks of oral itraconazole and potassium iodide solution. The purpose of this report is to increase the awareness of this uncommon treatable condition which, if misdiagnosed, could result in an inappropriate intervention.
Beyond political will: unpacking the drivers of (non) health reforms in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Mhazo Alison T , Maponga Charles Chiedza
Published: December 2022

Background

Lack of political will is frequently invoked as a rhetorical tool to explain the gap between commitment and action for health reforms in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the concept remains vague, ill defined and risks being used as a scapegoat to actually examine what shapes reforms in a given context, and what to do about it. This study sought to go beyond the rhetoric of political will to gain a deeper understanding of what drives health reforms in SSA.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review using Arksey and O’Malley (2005) to understand the drivers of health reforms in SSA.

Results

We reviewed 84 published papers that focused on the politics of health reforms in SSA covering the period 2002–2022. Out of these, more than half of the papers covered aspects related to health financing, HIV/AIDS and maternal health with a dominant focus on policy agenda setting and formulation. We found that health reforms in SSA are influenced by six; often interconnected drivers namely (1) the distribution of costs and benefits arising from policy reforms; (2) the form and expression of power among actors; (3) the desire to win or stay in government; (4) political ideologies; (5) elite interests and (6) policy diffusion.

Conclusion

Political will is relevant but insufficient to drive health reform in SSA. A framework of differential reform politics that considers how the power and beliefs of policy elites is likely to shape policies within a given context can be useful in guiding future policy analysis.
Can digital adherence technologies reduce inequity in tuberculosis treatment success? Evidence from a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Boutilier Justin J , Yoeli Erez , Rathauser Jon , Owiti Philip , Subbaraman Ramnath , Jónasson Jónas Oddur
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health emergency and low treatment adherence among patients is a major barrier to ending the TB epidemic. The WHO promotes digital adherence technologies (DATs) as facilitators for improving treatment adherence in resource-limited settings. However, limited research has investigated whether DATs improve outcomes for high-risk patients (ie, those with a high probability of an unsuccessful outcome), leading to concerns that DATs may cause intervention-generated inequality.

Methods

We conducted secondary analyses of data from a completed individual-level randomised controlled trial in Nairobi, Kenya during 2016–2017, which evaluated the average intervention effect of a novel DAT-based behavioural support programme. We trained a causal forest model to answer three research questions: (1) Was the effect of the intervention heterogeneous across individuals? (2) Was the intervention less effective for high-risk patients? nd (3) Can differentiated care improve programme effectiveness and equity in treatment outcomes?

Results

We found that individual intervention effects—the percentage point reduction in the likelihood of an unsuccessful treatment outcome—ranged from 4.2 to 12.4, with an average of 8.2. The intervention was beneficial for 76% of patients, and most beneficial for high-risk patients. Differentiated enrolment policies, targeted at high-risk patients, have the potential to (1) increase the average intervention effect of DAT services by up to 28.5% and (2) decrease the population average and standard deviation (across patients) of the probability of an unsuccessful treatment outcome by up to 8.5% and 31.5%, respectively.

Conclusion

This DAT-based intervention can improve outcomes among high-risk patients, reducing inequity in the likelihood of an unsuccessful treatment outcome. In resource-limited settings where universal provision of the intervention is infeasible, targeting high-risk patients for DAT enrolment is a worthwhile strategy for programmes that involve human support sponsors, enabling them to achieve the highest possible impact for high-risk patients at a substantially improved cost-effectiveness ratio.
Predictors of in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19: a large dual tertiary centre study
Authors: Cirillo Chiara , Nakou Eleni , Georgiopoulos Georgios , Tountas Christos , Victor Kelly , Marvaki Apostolia , Desai Nishita , Fisher Richard , Ryan Matthew , Demir Ozan M , Corcoran Eleanor , O’Gallagher Kevin , Sinclair Hannah , Pericao Ana , Dhariwal Anender , Stylianidis Vasileios , Hua Alina , Nabeebaccus Adam Abner , Pearson Peter , Fonseca Tiago , Osborne Andrew , Toth Eva , Zuckerman Mark , Shah Ajay M , Perera Divaka , Monaghan Mark , Carr-White Gerald , Papachristidis Alexandros
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of echocardiographic parameters, laboratory findings and clinical characteristics with in-hospital mortality in adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care units (ICU) in two large collaborating tertiary UK centres.

Design

Observational retrospective study.

Setting

The study was conducted in patients admitted to the ICU in two large tertiary centres in London, UK.

Participants

Inclusion criteria were: (1) patients admitted to the ICU with a COVID-19 diagnosis over a period of 16 weeks. and (2) underwent a transthoracic echocardiogram on the first day of ICU admission as clinically indicated.

No exclusion criteria applied.

Three hundred patients were enrolled and completed the follow-up.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The outcome measure in this study was in-hospital mortality in patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 infection.

Results

Older age (HR: 1.027, 95% CI 1.007 to 1.047; p=0.008), left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction<35% (HR: 5.908, 95% CI 2.609 to 13.376; p<0.001), and peak C reactive protein (CRP) (HR: 1.002, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.004, p=0.001) were independently correlated with mortality in a multivariable Cox regression model. Following multiple imputation of variables with more than 5% missing values, random forest analysis was applied to the imputed data. Right ventricular (RV) basal diameter (RVD1), RV mid-cavity diameter (RVD2), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, RV systolic pressure, hypertension, RV dysfunction, troponin level on admission, peak CRP, creatinine level on ICU admission, body mass index and age were found to have a high relative importance (> 0.7).

Conclusions

In patients with COVID-19 in the ICU, both severely impaired LV function and impaired RV function may have adverse prognostic implications, but older age and inflammatory markers appear to have a greater impact. A combination of echocardiographic and laboratory investigations as well as demographic and clinical characteristics appears appropriate for risk stratification in patients with COVID-19 who are admitted to the ICU.
Impact of health literacy and its interventions on health outcomes in those with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Lathlean Timothy , Kieu Don , Franke Kyle B , O'Callaghan Nathan , Boyd Mark A , Mahajan Rajiv
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased risk of stroke, heart failure and death. Health literacy, an aspect that falls within precision health, has been recognised as an important factor. We will be focusing on the impact of these interventions specifically to AF and its health outcomes.

Methods and analysis

This protocol is informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols. The results will be reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses to determine the impacts of health literacy interventions on AF outcomes. Searches will be carried out on databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Emcare, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Citations will be collected via Endnote 20, then into Covidence for duplicate removal, and article screening. Extraction will occur using a standardised extraction tool and studies will be synthesised using best evidence synthesis. Downs and Black’s checklist will be used for risk of bias and assessment of overall quality of evidence will use the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.

Ethics and dissemination

Approval from human research ethics committee is not required. Dissemination will occur in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022304835.
Barriers and facilitators of digital interventions use to reduce loneliness among older adults: a protocol for a qualitative systematic review
Authors: Zhang Hongyu , Välimäki Maritta , Li Xiaoyang , Nan Jiahui , Wu Shuang , Zeng Xianmei , Duan Yunzhu , Feng Hui
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Digital interventions are considered as a potential solution to loneliness in older adults. However, this type of intervention has had limited acceptance among older adults (aged ≥60 years). To ensure the use of digital interventions in older adults, possible barriers and facilitating factors should be better understood from the user’s perspective. We aim to systematically examine the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of digital interventions designed to reduce loneliness in older adults by identifying, evaluating and synthesising qualitative studies.

Methods and analysis

A comprehensive search of qualitative studies for barriers and facilitators for use of digital interventions will be conducted in the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Studies reported in English will be considered for this review. Grey literature will not be included. Two reviewers (HZ and XL) will independently screen the literatures, and any differences will be solved by turning to the third reviewer (JN). The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Qualitative Research Critical Appraisal Checklist will be used by two reviewers to independently assess the validity of the methods used. Relevant data about the populations, context, culture, geographical location, study methods and barriers and facilitators to the implementation of digital interventions will be extracted using the JBI standardised data extraction tool. JBI meta-aggregation methods will be implemented to synthesise the data, which will generate themes and categories based on the data. The final synthesis will establish confidence levels using the JBI ConQual approach.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol does not require ethical approval. The data are based on published scientific databases. The results will be disseminated through journal articles and scientific conference presentations (if feasible).

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022328609.
Update in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers: the use of PD-1 inhibitors in basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma
Authors: Ascierto Paolo A , Schadendorf Dirk
Published: December 2022

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) includes a wide range of cutaneous tumors, the most frequent of which are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Although NMSC is usually cured by surgical resection, in rare cases it can progress to locally advanced and metastatic disease. Risk factors for advanced disease include comorbidities, neglect, and immunosuppression. Advanced NMSC may require systemic treatment if surgery and radiation are not feasible. Chemotherapy, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in CSCC, and hedgehog inhibitors in BCC have been used but are generally of limited benefit, with responses often short-lived and toxicity issues. Given the high mutational burden of NMSC, the use of immunotherapy has been investigated and two anti-PD-1 antibodies, cemiplimab and pembrolizumab, are approved for the treatment of advanced CSCC not curable by surgery or radiation. Both have shown durable responses with good tolerability in patients in phase II trials and anti-PD-1 therapy is now the standard of care for locally advanced and metastatic CSCC. PD-1 blockade is also approved as second-line therapy in advanced BCC, with frequent and durable responses after failure on hedgehog inhibitor therapy. PD-1 checkpoint inhibition is being assessed for NMSC in combination with other modalities, including oncolytic viruses and EGFR inhibitors. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant use of cemiplimab and pembrolizumab is also being investigated with several ongoing trials. Further clinical trials of immunotherapy must be prioritized in NMSC for further improvement in outcomes.
Dasatinib for treatment of CAR T-cell therapy-related complications
Authors: Baur Katharina , Heim Dominik , Beerlage Astrid , Poerings Anna S , Kopp Bastian , Medinger Michael , Dirks Jan C , Passweg Jakob R , Holbro Andreas
Published: December 2022

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) are severe, potentially life-threatening side effects of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy caused by the release of cytokines by proliferating and activated CAR T-cells. Current mainstay treatment includes interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) blockade and steroids. The use of steroids is still controversial, since they may have the potential to irreversibly damage CAR T-cells and thus increase the risk of relapse. Therefore, additional treatment options need to be explored. We report the successful treatment of a patient with a grade 3 CRS and grade 4 ICANS refractory to IL-6 blockade and steroids with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib. The use of dasatinib for treatment of CAR T-cell therapy-related severe complications warrants further studies.
A BIM-based two-stage fuzzy inference system for safety risk prediction in building construction projects
Authors: Parsamehr Mohammadsaeid , Ruparathna Rajeev
Published: December 2022

Building information modeling (BIM) can be recognized as the most promising technology that was introduced to the construction sector in the recent past. The current BIM-based safety risk assessment methods ignore data uncertainty. Hence, this study integrates BIM with fuzzy set theory for safety risk prediction. A Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) was developed based on the causality of safety incidents. The FIS extracts construction project data from BIM models while automatically assessing each potential safety hazard and project’s total risk. The proposed method was demonstrated by using a building project in which the safety risk was predicted as low. Safety records of the above project revealed that no safety incidents were recorded in this project. The proposed method can indicate the safety risks level at various stages of a construction project and help to enhance the safety of construction workers on a construction site.
NEURAL MECHANISM OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN PREVENTING AND TREATING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE BY DEEP LEARNING AND EDGE COMPUTING
Authors: XU HONG , BAEKB SEUNG-SOO
Published: December 2022

This paper is to explore the improvement of clinical symptoms in patients with cardiovascular neurosis (CN) by physical exercise based on the deep learning architecture of edge computing, and to deeply explore the effect of physical exercise on autonomic function. Fifty-two patients with CN in this cardiovascular rehabilitation center were randomly divided into drug group and exercise group, with 26 cases in each group, and their electrocardiogram (ECG) was examined. Based on the deep learning architecture of edge computing, a four-layer stacked sparse auto encoder (SSAE) deep neural network was constructed, and the accuracy rates of least squares support vector machine (LSSVM), message passing neural network (MPNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), and SSAEs were measured to be 95.4%, 93.6%, 96.3%, and 99.5%, respectively. After physical exercise intervention, the total score of Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) as well as each single item score were lower in the exercise group than in the drug group ([Formula: see text]). Heart rate recovery (HRR1) improved more significantly after 1[Formula: see text]min of exercise in patients in the exercise group ([Formula: see text]). The low-frequency (LF) power and normalized low-frequency (LFn) power of blood pressure variability (BPV) parameters in the exercise group were lower than those in the drug group ([Formula: see text]); the total power (TP), high-frequency (HF) power, and normalized high-frequency (HFn) power of heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in the exercise group were higher than those in the drug group ([Formula: see text]), LF/HF in the exercise group was lower than that in the drug group ([Formula: see text]); and the baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in the exercise group was higher than that in the drug group ([Formula: see text]). A four-layer SSAEs was successfully constructed; the mechanism of exercise may be related to the regulation of cardiovascular autonomic nervous function, and it can effectively prevent and treat the clinical symptoms of patients with CN.
SEGMENTATION OF SPINAL SUBARACHNOID LUMEN WITH 3D ATTENTION U-NET
Authors: KELES AYSE , ALGIN OKTAY , OZISIK PINAR AKDEMIR , ŞEN BAHA , VEHBI ÇELEBI FATIH
Published: December 2022

Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Image (PC-MRI) is an emerging noninvasive technique that contains pulsatile information by measuring the parameters of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. As CSF flow quantities are measured from the selected region on the images, the accuracy in the identification of the interested region is the most essential, and the examination requires a lot of time and experience to analyze and for accurate CSF flow assessment. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D)-Unet architecture, including pulsatile flow data as the third dimension, is proposed to address the issue. The dataset contains 2176 phase and rephase images from 57 slabs of 39 3-tesla PC-MRI subjects collected from the lower thoracic levels of control and Idiopathic Scoliosis (IS) patients. The procedure starts with labeling the CSF containing spaces in the spinal canal. In the preprocessing step, unequal cardiac cycle images (i.e., frame) and the numbers of MRIs in cases are adjusted by interpolation to align the temporal dimension of the dataset to an equal size. The five-fold cross-validation procedure is used to evaluate the 3D Attention-U-Net model after training and achieved an average weighted performance of 97% precision, 95% recall, 98% F1 score, and 95% area under curve. The success of the model is also measured using the CSF flow waveform quantities as well. The mean flow rates through the labeled and predicted CSF lumens have a significant correlation coefficient of 0.96, and the peak CSF flow rates have a coefficient of 0.65. To our knowledge, this is the first fully automatic 3D deep learning architecture implementation to segment spinal CSF-containing spaces that utilizes both spatial and pulsatile information in PC-MRI data. We expect that our work will attract future research on the use of PC-MRI temporal information for training deep models.
Do Markets Price CEOs Health Hazards? Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Gómez Juan Pedro , Mironov Maxim
Published: December 2022

We find evidence that markets anticipate the potential loss of firm value in the event of the CEO falling sick and eventually dying of COVID-19 in a sample of almost 3000 listed firms from across 137 regions in 10 European countries. First, we use soccer games as “super-spreader” events. The instrumented number of infected cases per capita in the region where company headquarters are located predicts a significant drop in stock returns during March and April 2020 for firms managed by CEOs with a higher probability of dying from COVID-19. Second, we show that the stock price of these firms increases significantly the day on which positive news on the development of COVID-19 vaccines are released in the market.
Consumption Risk, Stock Returns, and Economic Cycles
Authors: Atanasov Victoria
Published: December 2022

We decompose the standard consumption beta into two components that measure consumption risk in high and low economic activity states. Recessionary consumption risk commands a positive and statistically significant compensation, while the market price of expansionary consumption risk is not robust. The two-beta model explains well the cross-section of excess returns on book-to-market-, size-, and momentum-sorted portfolios, and substantially outperforms the traditional one-beta model. The results hold through for various business cycle classifications and alternative consumption measures.
Proof-of-Stake in Algorand
Authors: Dimitri Nicola
Published: December 2022

In the last few years, a number of blockchain-based online platforms decided to use consensus procedures other than Proof of Work (PoW), originally adopted by Bitcoin. An alternative protocol, which attracted much attention, is the so-called Proof-of-Stake (PoS), which unlike PoW consensus is not based on solving an energy-consuming cryptopuzzle, but rather on the amount of currency units owned by a user. Different platforms adopted alternative versions of PoS. In this article, we investigate a version of PoS inspired by Algorand, which embodies a number of specific features. Indeed, to confirm a new block in the chain Algorand introduces three steps:
proposal, selection
, and
confirmation
of a block. Each step is performed by randomly selected users, where draws are based on PoS. We find explicit solutions for individual money demand, under the main simplifying assumption that a user is rewarded by the system only for the first role that she's drawn for. We do so by considering both
exogenous
and
endogenous
money supply. We also discuss the monetary equilibrium of the system, an important element in the analysis because a long-lasting disequilibrium of the economy may cause disappointment and induce some users to leave the system. Our findings suggest that an equilibrium seems to be more likely to take place if users have heterogeneous, rather than homogeneous, preferences.
Groups with ALOGTIME-hard Word Problems and PSPACE-complete Compressed Word Problems
Authors: Bartholdi Laurent , Figelius Michael , Lohrey Markus , Weiß Armin
Published: December 2022

We give lower bounds on the complexity of the word problem for a large class of non-solvable infinite groups that we call strongly efficiently non-solvable groups. This class includes free groups, Grigorchuk’s group, and Thompson’s groups. We prove that these groups have an NC
1
-hard word problem and that for some of them (including Grigorchuk’s group and Thompson’s groups) the compressed word problem (which is equivalent to the circuit evaluation problem) is PSPACE-complete.
Batching Adaptive Variance Reduction
Authors: Song Chenxiao , Kawai Reiichiro
Published: December 2022

Adaptive Monte Carlo variance reduction is an effective framework for running a Monte Carlo simulation along with a parameter search algorithm for variance reduction, whereas an initialization step is required for preparing problem parameters in some instances. In spite of the effectiveness of adaptive variance reduction in various fields of application, the length of the preliminary phase has often been left unspecified for the user to determine on a case-by-case basis, much like in typical sequential frameworks. This uncertain element may possibly be even fatal in realistic finite-budget situations, since the pilot run may take most of the budget, or possibly use up all of it. To unnecessitate such an ad hoc initialization step, we develop a batching procedure in adaptive variance reduction, and provide an implementable formula of the learning rate in the parameter search which minimizes an upper bound of the theoretical variance of the empirical batch mean. We analyze decay rates of the minimized upper bound towards the minimal estimator variance with respect to the predetermined computing budget, and provide convergence results as the computing budget increases progressively when the batch size is fixed. Numerical examples are provided to support theoretical findings and illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed batching procedure.
Design and Implementation of a Damage Assessment System for Large-Scale Surface Warships Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Duan Conghui , Yin Jianping , Wang Zhijun
Published: December 2022

Artificial intelligence technology and image recognition technology are playing an increasingly important role in information warfare, while battlefield image recognition and information processing are at the heart of information processing in warfare. This research will use deep learning image recognition technology and QT development platform, combined with target damage tree analysis and Bayesian network inference method, to research and develop the design of large-scale surface warships damage assessment system. A large-scale surface warships damage assessment system was designed. The system can quickly identify the target large-scale surface warships type with an accuracy rate of over 91%. On this basis, damage assessment is carried out in terms of target vulnerability, combatant power analysis, and bullet-eye rendezvous. A new damage classification is established. The system can improve the efficiency of large-scale surface warships damage assessment, can be well combined with the front-line information collection pictures to assess, and overcome the traditional large-scale surface warships damage assessment and problems of slow and inaccurate manual processing of raw data. It provides a new way of thinking for large-scale surface warships damage assessment research.
Never-in-Mitosis A-Related Kinase 8 (NEK8) Regulates Adipogenesis, Glucose Homeostasis, and Obesity
Authors: Wang Yan-Jun , Zhao Ying , Sun Yun-Wei , Chen Yan
Published: December 2022

Background. Adipogenesis is a complex biological process and the leading main cause of obesity. We evaluated the role of never-in-mitosis A-related kinase 8 (NEK8) in adipocyte development and insulin sensitivity in the present study. Methods. NEK8 expression was manipulated using a specific shRNA or the NEK8-full-length expressing recombinant plasmids. The interaction between NEK8 and Tafazzin (TAZ, an oncogenic transcriptional regulator) was examined by Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and confocal immunofluorescence staining. Western blot assay was performed to determine the protein expression. The in vivo role of NEK8 was explored in a mouse model of high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced insulin resistance. Results. During adipogenesis, the expression of NEK8 was elevated while TAZ was downregulated. Overexpression of NEK8 promoted lipid accumulation and expression of markers for adipocyte differentiation. Mechanically, NEK8 interacted with TAZ and suppressed its expression in adipocytes. Functionally, lentiviral-mediated NEK8 inhibition ameliorates HFD-induced insulin resistance in adipocytes. Conclusion. These findings suggest that NEK8 plays a critical role in adipocyte proliferation, providing novel insight into the link between NEK8 and type 2 diabetes- (T2DM-) related obesity.
The Anticancer Role of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles by Inducing Antioxidant Activity in Esophageal Cancer and Cancer Stem‐Like ESCC Spheres
Authors: Javid Hossein , Hashemy Seyed Isaac , Heidari Mohammad Foad , Esparham Ali , Gorgani-Firuzjaee Sattar
Published: December 2022

Introduction. Esophagus squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has a poor prognosis, a high rate of metastasis, and rapid clinical progression. One hypothesis is that therapeutic failure is due to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSC). Previous studies showed the anticancer effect of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNP) in different cancer cells. In this study, we aim to evaluate the effect of cerium oxide nanoparticles on cell antioxidants, toxicity, as well as cell oxidant level in esophageal cancer (YM1) and cancer stem cell‐like (CSC‐LC) cell lines. Method. YM1 and CSC‐LC spheres were treated with CNP at different concentrations. The cell viability was assessed by using the MTT test. Antioxidant levels (SOD (superoxide dismutase, CAT (catalase), thiol, and TAC (total antioxidant capacity)), antioxidant genes expression (SOD and CAT), ROS (reactive oxygen species), and MDA (malondialdehyde) levels were assessed in both cell lines. Results. CSC‐LC had significantly elevated SOX4 and OCT4 pluripotent genes. The ROS and MDA levels were significantly reduced in both YM1 and CSC‐LC spheres after treatment with CNP. Also, the antioxidant levels and expressions were elevated significantly in both cell lines after CNP treatment. Conclusion. These results suggest the potential anticancer effect of CNP by elevating antioxidant levels and expressions, and reducing oxidant levels.
Hyperelastic Geometrically Nonlinear Inverse 3D‐FEM Truss Analyses Based on VaReS
Authors: Sautter Klaus Bernd , Bletzinger Kai-Uwe
Published: December 2022

Direct usage of construction plans as input for structural analyses assumes the reference configuration to match the engineering drawings. However, the built construction is typically supposed to match the construction plans after its successful erection. In that state, the structure is usually already subjected to self‐weight and maybe other loadings. Consequently, an analysis approach is necessary to find the unknown reference configuration for a given, desired deformed structural shape. The standard static problem needs to be reformulated with the reference coordinates being the unknown variables. This work describes the necessary steps for geometrically and materially nonlinear truss elements based on the variation of reference strategy (VaReS) and gives a highly detailed description of all resultant system derivatives. Arbitrary hyperelastic material laws can be applied of which this work introduces the St. Venant‐Kirchhoff, the Neo‐Hookean, and the Ogden law. Additionally, the self‐weight load case is considered, increasing the problem’s nonlinearity. Finally, two‐ and three‐dimensional structural problems are presented to show the solution capabilities, ranging from simple 3‐bar systems to larger framework bridges. While all necessary vectors and matrices are discussed and presented in great detail, a publicly available GitHub repository makes the code freely accessible as Python code.
Numerical Analysis of Dynamic Evolution Characteristics of a Large Rock Landslide in Tangjiashan
Authors: Wang Zhenyu , Yue Gaowei , Lin Haixiao , Li Minmin
Published: December 2022

The study of landslide dynamic characteristics and accumulation patterns is of great significance for the quantitative evaluation of landslide hazards. This paper takes the Tangjiashan landslide as a research case, a real 3D model was established based on high precision DEM data to determinate the terrain characteristics and pre- and postlandslide image data to determinate the shape and size of the sliding body. Particle flow 3D program (PFC3D) is carried out to reappear the complete movement of the Tangjiashan landslide. And the dynamic characteristic factors are monitored and analyzed such as the velocity and displacement of the landslide body. The result shows that the Tangjiashan landslide is a traction-type landslide, which lasts about 37 s in total and can be divided into four stages: destabilization and destruction, collapse and accelerated sliding, high-speed sliding, and deceleration and accumulation. The maximum sliding distance is about 642.05 m and the maximum sliding speed is about 38.67 m/s. This is a typical high-speed short-range landslide, and the speed of sliding body surface is much greater than that of other parts, which show an obvious characteristic of clastic flow. In the Tangjiashan landslide, the slip distance is the controlling factor in determining the speed of the landslide at different locations.