bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen limitation reduces the performance of target plant species in restored meadows
Authors: Klein‐Raufhake Theresa , Höfner Johannes , Hölzel Norbert , Knorr Klaus‐Holger , Lampei Christian , Mudrák Ondřej , Bucharova Anna
Published: November 2021

Restoring habitats degraded by intensive agriculture is challenging, and the resulting communities often have lower quality and host fewer species than reference ecosystems. To improve restoration outputs, we need to understand what limits both establishment and performance of target species in restored populations. In this study, we focused on grassland restoration with regional seeds and compared the performance of two target herbs, Betonica officinalis and Centaurea jacea, between restored and reference populations. We also measured plant functional traits and environmental characteristics to understand which parameters affect population performance. Individual plants of both species were smaller in restored populations, which indicates reduced performance. Leaves of plants from restored populations contained more δ15N and, in Betonica, also less nitrogen and higher C:N ratio, which suggests that the performance of the target species may be limited by nitrogen. Nitrogen limitation of all restored communities was further corroborated by the low N:P ratio of bulk biomass. In Centaurea, we also recorded massive herbivory damage in restored populations, which likely further reduced this species' performance in restored meadows. In summary, target plants in restored populations showed lower performance than conspecifics in reference sites, probably due to nutrient imbalance (low nitrogen availability) and excessive herbivory damage.
Do Adjustments for Equivalence Scales Affect Poverty Dynamics? Evidence from the Russian Federation during 1994–2017
Authors: Abanokova Kseniya , Dang Hai‐Anh H. , Lokshin Michael
Published: November 2021

Hardly any literature exists on the relationship between equivalence scales (ESs) and poverty dynamics for transitional countries. We analyze ESs constructed from subjective wealth and more than 20 waves of household panel survey data from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey between 1994 and 2017. We find that the ES elasticity is sensitive to household demographic composition and ES adjustments result in lower estimates of poverty lines. We decompose poverty into chronic and transient components and find that chronic poverty is positively related to the adult scale parameter. However, chronic poverty is less sensitive to the child scale factor compared with the adult scale factor. Interestingly, the direction of income mobility might change depending on the specific scale parameters that are employed. The results are robust to different measures of chronic poverty, income expectations, reference groups, functional forms, and various other specifications.
Morphological characteristics of spoken language in schizophrenia patients – an exploratory study
Authors: Ziv Ido , Baram Heli , Bar Kfir , Zilberstein Vered , Itzikowitz Samuel , Harel Eran V. , Dershowitz Nachum
Published: November 2021

Psychosis is diagnosed based on disruptions in the structure and use of language, including reduced syntactic complexity, derailment, and tangentiality. With the development of computational analysis, natural language processing (NLP) techniques are used in many areas of life to make evaluations and inferences regarding people's thoughts, feelings and behavior. The present study explores morphological characteristic of schizophrenia inpatients using NLP. Transcripts of recorded stories by 49 male subjects (24 inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 25 controls) about 14 Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) pictures were morphologically analyzed. Relative to the control group, the schizophrenic inpatients employed: (1) a similar ratio of nouns, but fewer verbs, adjectives and adverbs; (2) a higher ratio of lemmas to token (LTR) and type to token (TTR); (3) a smaller gap between LTR and TTR; and (4) greater use of the first person. The results were cross‐verified using three well‐known fitting classifier algorithms (Random Forest, XGBoost and a support vector machine). Tests of prediction accuracy, precision and recall found correct attribution of patients to the schizophrenia group at a rate of between 80 and 90%. Overall, the results suggest that the language of schizophrenic inpatients is significantly different from that of healthy controls, being morphologically less complex, more associative and more focused on the self. The findings support NLP analysis as a complementary addition to the traditional clinical psychosis evaluation for schizophrenia.
Early steps to kidney transplantation among persons with HIV and end‐stage renal disease in ESRD network 6
Authors: Adekunle Ruth O. , Zhang Rebecca , Wang Zhengsheng , Patzer Rachel E. , Mehta Aneesh K.
Published: November 2021

Introduction

End‐stage renal disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in persons with HIV (PWH). Limited data exist on access to kidney transplantation for this population.

Methods

A dataset inclusive of incident dialysis patients between 2012 and 2016 with follow‐up through December 2017 that identifies PWH and the general dialysis population of Network 6 (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina) was created through merging the United States Renal Data System with the southeastern early transplant access registry. Early steps to kidney transplantation and patient and dialysis facility‐level characteristics that serve as barriers to transplantation were described.

Results

Twenty‐three thousand four hundred fourteen patients were identified; 469 were PWH. Compared to non‐HIV individuals, PWH were younger (49 vs. 58 years, p < 0.001), predominantly Black (87% vs. 56% p < 0.001) and male (72% vs. 56% p < 0.001). PWH were less likely to be referred to kidney transplant within 1 year of starting dialysis (36% vs. 41% p < 0.001) and waitlisted within 1 year of evaluation‐start (14% vs. 30%, p = 0.05). PWH (vs. non‐PWH) waited longer for referral, evaluation‐start, and waitlisting and in multivariable analysis; HIV positivity was associated with a lower probability of referral (hazard ratios [HR]: 0.70; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 0.62–0.80), evaluation (HR 0.66; 95% CI: 0.55–0.80), and waitlisting (HR 0.29; 95% CI: 0.20–0.41).

Conclusions

Targeted interventions are needed to improve access to kidney transplants, particularly in waitlisting, for PWH.
Bullying Victimization and Its Impact on Delinquency: The Case of Asian American Adolescent
Authors: Han Daehoon
Published: November 2021

Despite a great deal of research on Asian American students that mainly highlight the eccentric academic performance, previous research has not deeply shed light on the obstacles that Asian American students face in their life path. One of them that those previous studies pay less attention to is bullying victimization many Asian American students experience due to their racial and ethnic status in the U.S. Using the data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) targeting Asian American students aged between 12 and 18, this research aims to examine (1) how serious it is for Asian American adolescents to commit delinquent activities due to bullying victimization and (2) how much impact each social institution makes on young Asian Americans’ potential criminal activities after being victimized by bullying. The results suggest that bullying experience makes its victims having a higher risk of engaging in criminal activities. Especially, physical bullying makes a considerable impact on the future delinquent behavior of Asian American adolescents that leads to commit various crimes ranged from serious violent crime to nonserious misdemeanor crime. In addition, certain institutional conditions also increase the risk of criminal offense committed after being victimized by bullying, such as a consistent interaction with delinquent peers but decrease the chance of engaging in criminal activities despite having bullying victimization, such as a tight parental supervision.
Design and Analysis of a Compact Piezo-Actuated Microgripper With a Large Amplification Ratio
Authors: Chen Fangxin , Zhang Qianjun , Gao Yongzhuo , Dong Wei
Published: November 2021

This article presents a piezo-actuated microgripper characterized by large amplification ratio and compact structure size. The microgripper is actuated by a piezo-stack actuator that is integrated with a two-stage displacement amplifier to achieve large travel range. A new design methodology “flexure hinge individualized design” (FHID) was proposed to realize large amplification ratio. According to this methodology, each flexure hinge was designed personally based on force condition of the piviot to reconfigure the motion stiffness of the compliant microgripper so that the parasitic motion and displacement loss could be eliminated. Consequently, a 52-amplification ratio amplifier was obtained. The developed microgripper was modeled via kinematics and Castigliano’s displacement theorem, respectively. Finite element analysis and the experimental studies were conducted to evaluate the characteristics of the microgripper. The results show that the motion stroke of the gripper tip is 917 μm, and the structure dimension is 62 mm × 42 mm × 12 mm. The design methodology FHID is generic and can be extended to other compliant mechanisms.
Modeling and Analysis of a Soft Endoluminal Inchworm Robot Propelled by a Rotating Magnetic Dipole Field
Authors: Steiner Jake A. , Pham Lan N. , Abbott Jake J. , Leang Kam K.
Published: November 2021

In clinical practice, therapeutic and diagnostic endoluminal procedures of the human body often use a scope, catheter, or passive pill-shaped camera. Unfortunately, such devices used in the circulatory system and gastrointestinal tract are often uncomfortable, invasive, and require the patient to be sedated. With current technology, regions of the body are often inaccessible to the clinician. Herein, a magnetically actuated soft endoluminal inchworm robot that may extend clinicians’ ability to reach further into the human body and practice new procedures is described, modeled, and analyzed. A detailed locomotion model is proposed that takes into account the elastic deformation of the robot and its interactions with the environment. The model is validated with in vitro and ex vivo (pig intestine) physical experiments and is shown to capture the robot’s gait characteristics through a lumen. Utilizing dimensional analysis, the effects of the mechanical properties and design variables on the robot’s motion are investigated further to advance the understanding of this endoluminal robot concept.
“Negative Things That Kids Should Never Have to Hear”: Exploring Women’s Histories of Weight Stigma in Physical Activity
Authors: Ashdown-Franks Garcia , Meadows Angela , Pila Eva
Published: November 2021

Scholars have proposed that cumulative experiences of anti-fat bias and stigma contribute to detrimental physical activity experiences, as well as social and health inequities. The objective of this research was to explore how enacted weight stigma experiences are constructed and impact women’s physical activity experiences long term. Eighteen women who identified as having had negative experiences related to their body weight, shape, or size in physical activity contexts participated in semistructured interviews. Using reflexive thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) norms of body belonging, (b) distancing from an active identity, (c) at war with the body, and (d) acts of resistance. These findings deepen understandings of how historical experiences of weight stigma can have longstanding consequences on physical activity cognitions, emotions, and behaviors. To equitably promote physical activity, it is imperative that movement spaces (e.g., fitness centers, sport organizations) both target anti-fat stigma and adopt weight-inclusive principles.
Vertical Inheritance Facilitates Interspecies Diversification in Biosynthetic Gene Clusters and Specialized Metabolites
Authors: Chase Alexander B. , Sweeney Douglas , Muskat Mitchell N. , Guillén-Matus Dulce G. , Jensen Paul R.
Published: November 2021

Microbial natural products are traditionally exploited for their pharmaceutical potential, yet our understanding of the evolutionary processes driving BGC evolution and compound diversification remains poorly developed. While HGT is recognized as an integral driver of BGC distributions, we find that the effects of vertical inheritance on BGC diversification had direct implications for species-level specialized metabolite production.
A Shuttle-Vector System Allows Heterologous Gene Expression in the Thermophilic Methanogen Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus ΔH
Authors: Fink Christian , Beblawy Sebastian , Enkerlin Andreas M. , Mühling Lucas , Angenent Largus T. , Molitor Bastian
Published: November 2021

The world economies are facing permanently increasing energy demands. At the same time, carbon emissions from fossil sources need to be circumvented to minimize harmful effects from climate change.
Influenza A Virus Defective Viral Genomes Are Inefficiently Packaged into Virions Relative to Wild-Type Genomic RNAs
Authors: Alnaji Fadi G. , Reiser William K. , Rivera-Cardona Joel , te Velthuis Aartjan J. W. , Brooke Christopher B.
Published: November 2021

Defective interfering particles (DIPs) are commonly produced by RNA viruses and have been implicated in modulating clinical infection outcomes; hence, there is increasing interest in the potential of DIPs as antiviral therapeutics. For influenza viruses, DIPs are formed by the packaging of genomic RNAs harboring internal deletions.
Weaning Age and Its Effect on the Development of the Swine Gut Microbiome and Resistome
Authors: Holman Devin B. , Gzyl Katherine E. , Mou Kathy T. , Allen Heather K.
Published: November 2021

Piglets are abruptly separated from their sow at weaning and are quickly transitioned from sow’s milk to a plant-based diet. This is the most important period in commercial swine production, yet the effect of weaning age on the long-term development of the pig gut microbiome is largely unknown.
Supplemental Material: Empirical constraints on progressive shock metamorphism of magnetite from the Siljan impact structure, Sweden
Authors: Holm-Alwmark Sanna , al. et
Published: November 2021

EBSD data and additional description of methods.
Supplemental Material: Magmatic sill formation during dike opening
Authors: Liu Zhonglan , Buck W. Roger
Published: November 2021

Detailed information on the model formulation and additional modeling results with alternative initial conditions.
Sociodemographic factors associated with time to discharge for hospitalised patients with asthma and asthma exacerbation using the Ghana Health Service District Information Management System 2 (DHIMS-2) database, 2012–2017
Authors: Narh Clement T , Der Joyce B , Afetor Maxwell , Ofosu Anthony , Blettner Maria , Wollschlaeger Daniel
Published: November 2021

Objective

Data on asthma hospitalisations are a useful source of patient morbidity information. In Ghana, the length of stay (LoS) and sociodemographic factors of patients hospitalised for asthma and its exacerbation are understudied. We aimed to investigate the time to discharge and assessed factors associated with length of hospital stays of asthmatics in Ghana.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of hospitalised patient with asthma records between 2012 and 2017 from the nationwide Ghana Health Service District Health Information Management System 2 database. We calculated the cumulative incidence function for discharge stratified by age group and sex. Multivariable Cox regression was used to investigate the association of sociodemographic characteristics with the LoS.

Results

Of 19 926 asthma-associated hospitalisations, 730 (3.7%) were due to asthma exacerbation. Overall mean age was 34 years (SD=24.6), in 12 000 (60.2%) hospitalisations, patients were female. There were 224 deaths (1.1%). Median LoS was 2 days (IQR: 1–3) with almost 90% of all patients discharged by the seventh day. Age and region were among the covariates showing significant association with LoS. Age below 10 years (HR: 1.39 (1.11 to 1.78)) was associated with early discharge while comorbidity and health insurance ownership were associated with late discharge (p<0.001). LoS did not vary by sex. Compared with the Greater Accra region, patients in other regions had shorter LoS, especially the Ashanti and Upper West regions (p<0.001). LoS increased annually, but was highest in 2016 (HR: 0.94 (0.90 to 0.98)).

Conclusion

Disparities in LoS across regions, and an overall increasing annual trend in Ghana call for tailored healthcare resource allocation. Longer LoS implies that patients are often absent from school or work leading to substantial financial and emotional costs to individuals and families.
Malignancy risk of indeterminate mammographic calcification in symptomatic breast clinics
Authors: Bansal Gaurav J , Emanuel Lauren , Kanagasabai Sesha
Published: November 2021

Background

To explore the potential risk factors predicting malignancy in patients with indeterminate incidental mammographic microcalcification and to evaluate the short-term risk of developing malignancy.

Methods

Between January 2011 and December 2015, one hundred and fifty (150) consecutive patients with indeterminate mammographic microcalcifications who had undergone stereotactic biopsy were evaluated. Clinical and mammographic features were recorded and compared with histopathological biopsy results. In patients with malignancy, postsurgical findings and surgical upgrade, if any, were recorded. Linear regression analysis (SPSS V.25) was used to evaluate significant variables predicting malignancy. OR with 95% CIs was calculated for all variables. All patients were followed up for a maximum of 10 years. The mean age of the patients was 52 years (range 33–79 years).

Results

There were a total of 55 (37%) malignant results in this study cohort. Age was an independent predictor of breast malignancy with an OR (95% CI) of 1.10 (1.03 to 1.16). Mammographic microcalcification size, pleomorphic morphology, multiple clusters and linear/segmental distribution were significantly associated with malignancy with OR (CI) of 1.03 (1.002 to 1.06), 6.06 (2.24 to 16.66), 6.35 (1.44 to 27.90) and 4.66 (1.07 to 20.19). The regional distribution of microcalcification had an OR of 3.09 (0.92 to 10.3), but this was not statistically significant. Patients with previous breast biopsies had a lower risk of breast malignancy than patients with no prior biopsy (p=0.034).

Conclusion

Multiple clusters, linear/segmental distribution, pleomorphic morphology, size of mammographic microcalcifications and increasing age were independent predictors of malignancy. Having a previous breast biopsy did not increase malignancy risk.
Effects of parasitism on antipredatory responses and defensive behaviors in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum
Authors: Brachetta V. , Schleich C.E. , Zenuto R.R.
Published: November 2021

Predation represents an important evolutionary force shaping specific adaptations. Prey organisms present behavioral adaptations that allow them to recognize, avoid, and defend themselves from their predators. In addition to predation, there is a growing consensus about the role of parasitism in the structuring of biological communities. In vertebrates, the effects on hosts include changes in daily activity, feeding, mate selection, reproduction, and modifications in responses to environmental stimuli. These behavioral variations can benefit the parasite (parasitic manipulation), benefit the host, or appear as a side effect of the infection. We evaluated the influence of parasitism on the behavioral and physiological responses of the tuco-tucos of the Talas (Ctenomys talarum Thomas, 1898) to predator cues. We found that individuals exposed to cat odors and immobilization entered less often and spent less time in the transparent arms of elevated maze, exhibiting a preference for protected areas (anxiogenic response). Additionally, we evaluated if the presence of parasites affected antipredatory behaviors in C. talarum (naturally parasitized, deparasitized, or inoculated with Eimeria sp.). We did not find differences among the groups with regards to responses to predator cues. Therefore, while exposure to predator cues triggered a stress response, the manipulation of parasite loads did not modify homeostasis under these experimental conditions.
Analyzing the Chinese Telecommunication Industry Based on Oligopoly Game and Dynamic Evolution
Authors: Ma Junhai , Ning Naicong , Xu Tiantong
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we consider the impact of the product price, service level and delay parameters on the operation of enterprises in the current Chinese telecommunications industry. A three-oligarch game model is established, where system parameters are taken as important factors affecting the development of the involved companies. By improving their service levels, the three oligarchs could plunder the market of each other, but also enhance the reputation of the industry, thus bringing more communication data usage. In the paper, firstly we analyze the static Nash equilibrium, especially the impacts of competition intensity and service cost coefficiency. Then, we analyze the stability and evolution behavior of the system under the dynamic game. We found that the increase of competition intensity and cost coefficiency has adverse effects on the stability region. Finally, we show that a delay decision of a single company has a positive impact on its own profits, but not conducive to its own stability region and the profits of the opposing oligarchs, nor to the total profit.
Existence and uniqueness of generalized solutions to hyperbolic systems with linear fluxes and stiff sources
Authors: Pichard Teddy , Aguillon Nina , Després Bruno , Godlewski Edwige , Ndjinga Michael
Published: November 2021

Motivated by the modeling of boiling two-phase flows, we study systems of balance laws with a source term defined as a discontinuous function of the unknown. Due to this discontinuous source term, the classical theory of partial differential equations (PDEs) is not sufficient here. Restricting to a simpler system with linear fluxes, a notion of generalized solution is developed. An important point in the construction of a solution is that the curve along which the source jumps, which we call the boiling curve, must never be tangent to the characteristics. This leads to exhibit sufficient conditions which ensure the existence and uniqueness of a solution in two different situations: first when the initial data is smooth and such that the boiling curve is either overcharacteristic or subcharacteristic; then with discontinuous initial data in the case of Riemann problems. A numerical illustration is given in this last case.
In situ
laser ablation Lu–Hf geochronology of garnet across the Western Gneiss Region: campaign-style dating of metamorphism
Authors: Tamblyn Renée , Hand Martin , Simpson Alexander , Gilbert Sarah , Wade Ben , Glorie Stijn
Published: November 2021

The development of
in situ
laser ablation Lu–Hf geochronology of apatite, xenotime and garnet has opened avenues to quickly and directly date geological processes. We demonstrate the first use of campaign-style
in situ
Lu–Hf geochronology of garnet across the high- to ultrahigh-pressure Western Gneiss Region in Norway. Mafic eclogites from this region have been the focus of much work, and were clearly formed during continental subduction during the Caledonian Orogeny. However, abundant quartzofeldspathic and pelitic lithologies record a more complex history, with some preserving polymetamorphic age data, and most containing no indication of high-pressure mineral assemblages formed during subduction. Twenty metapelitic and felsic samples spanning 160 lateral kilometres across the Western Gneiss Region have been analysed using garnet Lu–Hf geochronology. The results reveal Caledonian ages for the majority of the garnets, suggesting that some quartzofeldspathic and metapelitic lithologies were reactive and grew garnet during high- to ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism. However, two ultrahigh-pressure eclogite locations, Verpeneset and Fjørtoft, preserve both Caledonian and Neoproterozoic-aged garnets. Despite significant uncertainties on some of the Lu–Hf geochronological ages, laser ablation Lu–Hf efficiently identifies the polymetamorphic history of parts of the Western Gneiss Region, illustrating the effectiveness of this novel analytical method for rapid mapping of metamorphic ages.

Supplementary material:
All laser ablation Lu–Hf geochronological data for the garnets analysed in this study are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5715453

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Caledonian Wilson cycle collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/caledonian-wilson-cycle
Exotic facies episodes of a carbonate platform: implications for middle and late Cambrian ecosystems and impact of bioturbation in the Alborz Basin, Iran
Authors: Bayet-Goll Aram , Daraei Mehdi , Geyer Gerd , Neto de Carvalho Carlos , Bahrami Nasrin
Published: November 2021

The sedimentological and ichnological data of the Mila Group in the Alborz Basin, northern Iran indicate that the appearance of exotic facies and resurgence of microbialites resulted from the development of extraordinary palaeoceanographic conditions with widespread environmental stress and enhanced precipitation of CaCO
3
. Inhospitable environmental conditions in the Mila Group platform led to a considerable reduction in ichnodiversity, bioturbation intensity and depth and size of burrows, which led to periods of dominating calcimicrobe ecology. The development of exotic or anachronistic facies started around the Cambrian Stage 4–Wuliuan boundary, probably simultaneous with the SPICE event, whereas the Furongian exotic facies period probably took place simultaneous with the HERB event. Biotic and physico-chemical changes in the ocean during these events may have led as well to the virtual absence of the mixed layer and infaunal ecospace utilization in the deposits of the Mila Group. Nevertheless, the local presence of metazoan-microbial build-ups that established between the two suggested exotic facies developments indicates that these periods started at the Cambrian Stage 4–Wuliuan boundary interval, but a fluctuation of abnormal palaeoceanographic conditions and ambient normal marine conditions took place during the Miaolingian and Furongian in the Alborz Basin as a representative of the northern Gondwanan margin.
High-resolution geophysical imaging of reptile burrows (San Salvador rock iguana, the Bahamas): implications for ichnology and conservation ecology
Authors: Buynevich Ilya V. , Rothfus Thomas A. , Curran H. Allen , Thacker Hayden A. , Peronace Rosa , Kopcznski Karen A. , Gnivecki Perry L.
Published: November 2021

Neoichnological research of terrestrial tracemakers in coastal settings provides important palaeoenvironmental information about their context within the subaerial facies. Here we present the first geophysical dataset of reptile burrows in a carbonate substrate and use it to help visualize parts of the burrows of the Bahamian (San Salvador) rock iguana (
Cyclura rileyi
). High-resolution 800 MHz ground-penetrating radar (GPR) images within an enclosure on San Salvador Island were employed to discriminate between the electromagnetic signal response from subsurface anomalies related to air-dominated voids or live animals within burrows. The dielectric contrast between the carbonate substrate and open burrows was sufficient to identify the majority of the 15–20 cm-wide subsurface extensions of the inclined tunnels in the upper 30–40 cm. Whereas limestone clasts induced some interference, it is possible to differentiate their high-amplitude diffractions from those produced by the iguana burrows. Our research indicates that GPR imaging is a viable, rapid, non-invasive method of visualizing animal burrows, with implications for neoichnology, palaeoichnology, and conservation ecology of semi-fossorial species. Furthermore, the critically endangered status of Bahamian land iguanas, as well as ongoing threats from natural and introduced pressures, highlights the need for research into their ichnological record.
A Survey on Deep Learning for Human Mobility
Authors: Luca Massimiliano , Barlacchi Gianni , Lepri Bruno , Pappalardo Luca
Published: November 2021

The study of human mobility is crucial due to its impact on several aspects of our society, such as disease spreading, urban planning, well-being, pollution, and more. The proliferation of digital mobility data, such as phone records, GPS traces, and social media posts, combined with the predictive power of artificial intelligence, triggered the application of deep learning to human mobility. Existing surveys focus on single tasks, data sources, mechanistic or traditional machine learning approaches, while a comprehensive description of deep learning solutions is missing. This survey provides a taxonomy of mobility tasks, a discussion on the challenges related to each task and how deep learning may overcome the limitations of traditional models, a description of the most relevant solutions to the mobility tasks described above, and the relevant challenges for the future. Our survey is a guide to the leading deep learning solutions to next-location prediction, crowd flow prediction, trajectory generation, and flow generation. At the same time, it helps deep learning scientists and practitioners understand the fundamental concepts and the open challenges of the study of human mobility.
Deep Learning-based Face Super-resolution: A Survey
Authors: Jiang Junjun , Wang Chenyang , Liu Xianming , Ma Jiayi
Published: November 2021

Face super-resolution (FSR), also known as face hallucination, which is aimed at enhancing the resolution of low-resolution (LR) face images to generate high-resolution face images, is a domain-specific image super-resolution problem. Recently, FSR has received considerable attention and witnessed dazzling advances with the development of deep learning techniques. To date, few summaries of the studies on the deep learning-based FSR are available. In this survey, we present a comprehensive review of deep learning-based FSR methods in a systematic manner. First, we summarize the problem formulation of FSR and introduce popular assessment metrics and loss functions. Second, we elaborate on the facial characteristics and popular datasets used in FSR. Third, we roughly categorize existing methods according to the utilization of facial characteristics. In each category, we start with a general description of design principles, present an overview of representative approaches, and then discuss the pros and cons among them. Fourth, we evaluate the performance of some state-of-the-art methods. Fifth, joint FSR and other tasks, and FSR-related applications are roughly introduced. Finally, we envision the prospects of further technological advancement in this field.
Lysophospholipid Mediators in Health and Disease
Authors: Kano Kuniyuki , Aoki Junken , Hla Timothy
Published: November 2021

Lysophospholipids, exemplified by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), are produced by the metabolism and perturbation of biological membranes. Both molecules are established extracellular lipid mediators that signal via specific G protein–coupled receptors in vertebrates. This widespread signaling axis regulates the development, physiological functions, and pathological processes of all organ systems. Indeed, recent research into LPA and S1P has revealed their important roles in cellular stress signaling, inflammation, resolution, and host defense responses. In this review, we focus on how LPA regulates fibrosis, neuropathic pain, abnormal angiogenesis, endometriosis, and disorders of neuroectodermal development such as hydrocephalus and alopecia. In addition, we discuss how S1P controls collective behavior, apoptotic cell clearance, and immunosurveillance of cancers. Advances in lysophospholipid research have led to new therapeutics in autoimmune diseases, with many more in earlier stages of development for a wide variety of diseases, such as fibrotic disorders, vascular diseases, and cancer.
“Relief‐Retaining” Control Technology of Floor Heave in Mining Roadway with Soft Rock: A Case Study
Authors: Chen Ai , Li Xuebin , Liu Xuesheng , Tan Yunliang , Xu Ke , Wang Honglei
Published: November 2021

The floor heave problem is one of the important factors affecting the stability and safety of surrounding rocks of roadways, especially in deep high‐stress mining roadway with soft rock. The return airway of no. 130203 working face in Zaoquan Coal Mine of Ningdong Mining Area in Northwest China is the research object in this study. Firstly, an innovative “relief‐retaining” control scheme of floor heave is proposed, which is the comprehensive measure of “cutting groove in floor + drilling for pressure relief at roadway side + setting retaining piles at the junction of roadway side and floor.” Then, the specific parameters suitable for floor heave control of no. 130203 return airway are determined using numerical simulation method. Finally, the yield monitoring results show that both the deformation of surrounding rocks and the cable force are significantly reduced. The roof falling capacity, floor heave displacement, and thickness increasing value of 0–2 m floor strata are 596 mm, 410 mm, and 82 mm, respectively, which are 43.67%, 67.49%, and 75.38% less than those of the control section. The maximum force of cables at roadway sides is 140.13 kN, about 32.54% less than that of the control section. The results verify the reliability of the proposed “relief‐retaining” control scheme and can provide some reference for the floor heave control of similar roadways.
Study on the Adsorption Mechanism of Graphene Oxide by Calcareous Sand in South China Sea
Authors: Lv Beifeng , Yu Wenjie , Luo Jiale , Qian Biao , Asefa Mulugeta Belete , Li Na
Published: November 2021

To remove graphene oxide from wastewater, we used batch experiments with calcareous sand to recover GO. The adsorption properties and mechanisms of GO by calcareous sand were investigated by different characterization techniques. In this paper, the relationship between the coagulation of GO on calcareous sand and pH, calcareous sand content, GO initial concentration, and temperature was studied. The results show that calcareous sand can effectively adsorb GO from aqueous solution, the interaction of GO with calcareous sand achieved interaction equilibrium in 5 h, and the adsorption of GO by calcareous sand strongly depends on pH. The isotherm data fitted to a Langmuir equation. A possible mechanism can be expressed from FT-IR, XRD, Raman spectra, SEM, EDS, TEM, AFM, and XPS results. The test results indicate that calcareous sand is a potentially recoverable GO material.
A Comprehensive Flexural Analysis for Sustainable Concrete Structure Reinforced by Embedded Parts
Authors: Sun Yuantian , Zhang Junfei , Tang Yunchao , Wang Yufei , Sun Junbo , Wang Xiangyu
Published: November 2021

In this research, the plate embedded parts and grooved embedded parts reinforced concrete structures were investigated. Two types of plate embedded parts and three types of grooved embedded parts experienced coating treatment to enable sustainable function. Later, the ultimate failure capacity by bending experiments was conducted and compared with the theoretically calculated results. Moreover, three grooved embedded parts were simulated by ABAQUS to compare the results with the experimental exploration results, which was in close agreement with the theoretically calculated results and finite element analysis results. The result indicated that the failure modes of the embedded specimens under the five working conditions are all concrete vertebral failure. The plate‐type embedded components were proved to exhibit higher ultimate bearing capacity than the grooved embedded parts. Moreover, the flexural and shear capacity of these five types of embedded parts has not been fully developed. The ultimate flexural and shear capacity of these five types of embedded parts could be further explored by adjusting the higher concrete grade.
The Association between Anthropometry Indices and Serum Concentrations of Gamma‐Glutamyl Transferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Alanine Aminotransferase, and Aspartate Aminotransferase
Authors: Sobhani Sahar , Aryan Reihaneh , AkbariRad Mina , Ebrahimi Miandehi Elahe , Alinezhad-Namaghi Maryam , Sobhani Seyyed Reza , Raji Sara
Published: November 2021

Background. Nowadays, metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become a great public health crisis that threatens too many lives worldwide. Many previous studies have been investigated the association between MetS and anthropometric indices. This study is aimed at investigating the association between anthropometric indices with gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). We were using data from a large population‐based cohort of seemingly healthy women and men. Methods. A total of 7216 participants were included in this study. The serum levels of GGT, ALP, ALT, and AST with bioimpedance measures were obtained at the time of enrollment. Multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between anthropometric indices and serum levels of the aforementioned laboratory tests. Results. Serum levels of GGT, ALP, ALT, and AST significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI). Only ALP had a significant association with visceral fat area (VFA). AST, ALT, and ALP levels had a positive correlation with 50 kHz whole‐body phase. Conclusion. From the findings of this study, body mass index consistently appeared a good predictor of elevated hepatic enzymes and triglycerides. Thus, it can be helpful in clinical settings to identify patients at risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is closely related to metabolic syndrome.
MED1 Deficiency in Macrophages Accelerates Intimal Hyperplasia via ROS Generation and Inflammation
Authors: Zhang Yali , Fu Yu , Zhang Chenyang , Jia Linying , Yao Nuo , Lin Yuhao , Dong Yue , Fatima Nazira , Alam Naqash , Wang Rong , Wang Weirong , Bai Liang , Zhao Sihai , Liu Enqi
Published: November 2021

Mediator complex subunit 1 (MED1) is a component of the mediator complex and functions as a coactivator involved in the regulated transcription of nearly all RNA polymerase II‐dependent genes. Previously, we showed that MED1 in macrophages has a protective effect on atherosclerosis; however, the effect of MED1 on intimal hyperplasia and mechanisms regulating proinflammatory cytokine production after macrophage MED1 deletion are still unknown. In this study, we report that MED1 macrophage‐specific knockout (MED1ΔMac) mice showed aggravated neointimal hyperplasia, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and macrophage accumulation in injured arteries. Moreover, MED1ΔMac mice showed increased proinflammatory cytokine production after an injury to the artery. After lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, MED1ΔMac macrophages showed increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced expression of peroxisome proliferative activated receptor gamma coactivator‐1α (PGC1α) and antioxidant enzymes, including catalase and glutathione reductase. The overexpression of PGC1α attenuated the effects of MED1 deficiency in macrophages. In vitro, conditioned media from MED1ΔMac macrophages induced more proliferation and migration of VSMCs. To explore the potential mechanisms by which MED1 affects inflammation, macrophages were treated with BAY11‐7082 before LPS treatment, and the results showed that MED1ΔMac macrophages exhibited increased expression of phosphorylated‐p65 and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (p‐STAT1) compared with the control macrophages, suggesting the enhanced activation of NF‐κB and STAT1. In summary, these data showed that MED1 deficiency enhanced inflammation and the proliferation and migration of VSMCs in injured vascular tissue, which may result from the activation of NF‐κB and STAT1 due to the accumulation of ROS.
Research on the Interaction of Genetic Algorithm in Assisted Composition
Authors: Hu Han
Published: November 2021

Computer‐aided composition is an attempt to use a formalized process to minimize human (or composer) involvement in the creation of music using a computer. Exploring the problem of computer‐aided composition can enable us to understand and simulate the thinking mode of composers in the special process of music creation, which is an important application of artificial intelligence in the field of art. Feature extraction on the MIDI files has been introduced in this paper. Based on the genetic algorithm in this paper, a platform of the sampling coding method to optimize the character representation has solved the traditional algorithmic music composition study. Music directly from the pitch and duration can be derived from the characteristics, respectively, in the form of a one‐hot encoding independently said. Failure to the rhythm of the characterization of the pitch and duration are problems that lead to the inability of compositional networks to learn musical styles better. Rhythm is the combination of pitch and time values according to certain rules. The rhythm of music affects the overall style of music. By associating the pitch and time value coding, the rhythm style of music can be preserved better so that the composition network can learn the style characteristics of music more easily.
Logistic Regression Analysis for Spatial Patterns of Drought Persistence
Authors: Niaz Rizwan , Zhang Xiang , Iqbal Nouman , Almazah Mohammed M.A. , Hussain Tajammal , Hussain Ijaz
Published: November 2021

Drought is one of the natural hazards with potentially significant impacts on society, economy, and other natural resources over the globe. However, the understanding of drought characteristics and its persistence can significantly help to reduce the potential impacts of drought. Moreover, the knowledge about the spatiotemporal pattern of seasonal drought frequency and drought persistence is important for water resource management, agricultural development, energy consumption, and crop yields. Therefore, the present study is employed to examine the seasonal drought frequency and drought persistence in the region. In this regard, the standardized precipitation index (SPI) at the three‐month time scale was used to determine meteorological drought. Furthermore, the logistic regression model is used to calculate the odds and probability of drought persistence from one season to the next for the selected stations by identifying the spatial pattern of seasonal drought frequency and persistence. The potential of the current analysis is validated on six selected stations of the northern area of Pakistan. The outcomes related to the current analysis provide the basis for taking more considerations on early warning systems and help to make the valuable decision for water resource management and agriculture sectors in Pakistan.
A Network Pharmacology‐Based Study on Irritable Bowel Syndrome Prevention and Treatment Utilizing Shenling Baizhu Powder
Authors: Meng Meng , Bai Chen , Wan Bo , Zhao Luqing , Li Zhe , Li Danyan , Zhang Shengsheng
Published: November 2021

Background and Objective. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent disorder of the gastrointestinal system with complex pathogenesis. Shenling Baizhu powder (SLBZP) is a Chinese herbal compound with multicomponent and multitarget characteristics. Increasing volumes of evidence demonstrate that it has a notable therapeutic impact on IBS. This study therefore is aimed at exploring the potential effective components of SLBZP and their mechanisms in IBS treatment utilizing network pharmacology. Methods. Metabolomics was used to detect the secondary metabolites in SLBZP; the target protein was acquired by target fishing according to the compound’s structure. The SymMap database was used to search herbal medicines for the target protein. The target gene of IBS gave rise to the common gene protein which is the potential target of SLBZP in IBS therapy. The interactions between target proteins were analyzed in a STRING database, the protein relationship network was analyzed using Cytoscape software, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis of the core target gene group was carried out in a DAVID database in order to construct the “compound‐traditional Chinese medicine/molecule‐target‐pathway” network. Molecular docking was used to verify the core protein and its related small molecular compounds. Result. There were 129 types of secondary metabolites in SLBZP. 80 target proteins of these metabolites were potential core targets for IBS treatment including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), arachidonate‐5‐lipoxygenase (ALOX5), B‐cell lymphoma‐2 (BCL2), recombinant cyclin D1 (CCND1), and catenin‐β1 (CTNNB1), among others. Results from these targets indicated that the most enriched pathway was the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway (p < 0.001) and that the most abundant pathway was signal transduction. In the network nodes of the TNF signaling pathway, the Chinese medicines with the highest aggregation were Lablab semen album and Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma (degree = 11). The small molecules with the highest aggregation were oxypeucedanin and 3,5,6,7,8,3 ′,4 ′‐heptamethoxyflavone (degree = 4). Molecular docking results confirmed that daidzein 7‐O‐glucoside (daidzin) had the highest degree of binding to TNF proteins in the TNF signaling pathway. Conclusion. This study shows that SLBZP can treat IBS by influencing multiple targets and pathways, of which the TNF signaling pathway may be the most significant. This typifies the pharmacological characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine, i.e., multiple targets, numerous pathways, and specific therapeutic effects on diseases. SLBZP can therefore be used as a candidate drug for clinical IBS by intervening in human signal transduction.
[Retracted] Establishment and Validation of an MTORC1 Signaling‐Related Gene Signature to Predict Overall Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Yao Zheng , Wen Song , Luo Jun , Hao Weiyuan , Liang Weiren , Chen Yutang
Published: November 2021

Background. Accurate and effective biomarkers for the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly identified. A network‐based gene signature may serve as a valuable biomarker to improve the accuracy of risk discrimination in patients. Methods. The expression levels of cancer hallmarks were determined by Cox regression analysis. Various bioinformatic methods, such as GSEA, WGCNA, and LASSO, and statistical approaches were applied to generate an MTORC1 signaling‐related gene signature (MSRS). Moreover, a decision tree and nomogram were constructed to aid in the quantification of risk levels for each HCC patient. Results. Active MTORC1 signaling was found to be the most vital predictor of overall survival in HCC patients in the training cohort. MSRS was established and proved to hold the capacity to stratify HCC patients with poor outcomes in two validated datasets. Analysis of the patient MSRS levels and patient survival data suggested that the MSRS can be a valuable risk factor in two validated datasets and the integrated cohort. Finally, we constructed a decision tree which allowed to distinguish subclasses of patients at high risk and a nomogram which could accurately predict the survival of individuals. Conclusions. The present study may contribute to the improvement of current prognostic systems for patients with HCC.