bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety and tolerability of solvent/detergent‐treated plasma for pediatric patients requiring therapeutic plasma exchange: An open‐label, multicenter, postmarketing study
Authors: Josephson Cassandra D. , Goldstein Stuart , Askenazi David , Cohn Claudia S. , Spinella Philip C. , Metjian Ara , Fasano Ross M. , Music‐Aplenc Lejla
Published: December 2021

Background

This study investigated the real‐world safety and tolerability of solvent/detergent‐treated (S/D) plasma for pediatric patients requiring therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE).

Study design and methods

LAS‐213 was a multicenter, open‐label, interventional, phase 4 study. Patients (≥2 to ≤20 years) receiving TPE therapy were eligible. A total plasma volume of 40–60 ml/kg was recommended, with an infusion rate not exceeding 0.020–0.025 citrate/kg body weight/min (<1 ml/kg body weight/min). The primary endpoint was assessment of safety, monitoring the following: serious adverse events (SAEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs), thrombotic events (TEs), thromboembolic events (TEEs), and specific laboratory tests.

Results

In total, 41 children (2 to <12 years [n = 15]; 12 to <17 years [n = 13]; ≥17 years [n = 13]) underwent 102 TPEs with a total of 135,137 ml of S/D plasma exchanged. Each patient group received between 1 and 6 TPEs (mean: 2.5 TPEs). Actual dose administered per TPE was 4–72 ml/kg (mean: 28.6 ml/kg), with a mean total volume of 1324.9 ml (range: 113–4000 ml). Overall safety was excellent for 96/102 (94.0%) TPEs. Six TPEs had a “moderate” safety profile for four patients experiencing eight ADRs. Of these, seven were mild in intensity and one (pyrexia) was moderate, all resolving by study end. Mild citrate toxicity (n = 2) was the most common ADR. One SAE was reported but was unrelated to the study drug. No TEs, TEEs, or changes in laboratory safety parameters were reported.

Conclusion

S/D plasma was well tolerated and demonstrated favorable safety, supporting the use of S/D plasma for TPE in pediatrics.
The Role of Strategic Brightness and Entrepreneurship in Achieving High Performance Gains
Authors: Jumaah Al-Shawi Hani Fadhil
Published: December 2021

The current research deals with everything related to activating the contemporary leadership style for business organizations according to their modern models (developmental, results, integrative, personal), as the style is chosen according to the leader's strategic repertoire and his inspirational powers in a specific position.As a result of the rapid developments and rapid changes in recent years and the intensification of competition in the markets as a whole, which made most organizations guarantee for themselves survival and sustainability in the markets and the results of their work achieved by the management approach to controlling their work and this is done according to the perspective of ingenuity or organizational creativity with the support of their thinkers.From here, the researcher identified the problem of the research with the question that confirms the extent to which it is possible to benefit from the level of creativity in the minds of the leaders of our local institutions, and what is their role in getting rid of routine obstacles that increase organizational deterioration to reach the pioneering performance in all their businesses. The aim of the current research is to analyze and explore the degree of strategic brightness in the commercial sector in Basra, to diagnose the relative importance of the components of strategic leadership in the environment of commercial activity and to try to analyze the level of awareness of the issue of creativity as an initiative. The business of modern Basra, namely )Al-Madda and Al-Taif companies(, amounting to (25) individuals out of a total of (35) individuals, at a rate of (71%). Descriptive and inferential tests will be conducted, the aim of which is to test the correlation and influence relationships between the variables of strategic brightness and investment leadership to gain the benefits of high performance and competitive advantage based on creativity and leadership, starting from leading and extending towards the endless competition in the market.
A Genetic Algorithm and RNN-LSTM Model for Remaining Battery Capacity Prediction
Authors: Singh Mukul , Bansal Shrey , Vandana  , Panigrahi B. K. , Garg Akhil
Published: December 2021

Li-ion batteries have diversified applications in everyday life. The temperature change, overcharging and over-discharging, is playing critical roles in affecting battery life in a significant manner. In this paper, the deep learning-based method is applied for the prognostics of a single Li-ion battery. The proposed design uses a recurrent neural network variant, long–short-term memory. The model’s parameters are optimized through a genetic algorithm-based parameter selector. The method applies to a sequence of data values comprising of the voltage, the charge capacity, the current, and the temperature. The estimation of battery capacity is not only based on the current or defined state of battery, instead, it is generated on the complete data profile. The robustness of the model is tested by comparing it with techniques such as support vector regressor, Kalman filter, and neural networks on normal and noisy test sets. The paper also proposes a feature selection and engineering scheme for battery capacity prediction. The proposed model outperforms the techniques available in the literature with high generalization to noise and other perturbations. The model is independent of the section of the charging curve used for the prediction of battery capacity. Various experimentation has been conducted on the model and the results have been validated.
Written standard sentence materials convey social information
Authors: Tripp Alayo , Munson Benjamin
Published: December 2021

The Harvard/IEEE (henceforth H/I) sentences are widely used for testing speech recognition in English. This study examined whether two talker characteristics, race and gender, are conveyed by 80 of the H/I sentences in their written form, and by a comparison set of sentences from the internet message board Reddit, which were expected to convey social information. As predicted, a significant proportion of raters reported perceiving race and gender information in the H/I sentences. Suggestions of how to manage the potential influence of this social information on measures of speech intelligibility are provided.
“Something Seriously Wrong With U.S. Soccer”: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Consumers’ Twitter Responses to U.S. Soccer’s Girls’ Apparel Promotion
Authors: Sveinson Katherine , Allison Rachel
Published: December 2021

In September 2020, U.S. Soccer Federation posted a promotional tweet for girls’ fan clothing which included feminized aesthetics. Within 48 hr, the tweet was deleted. Previous work has shown that sport fan clothing are important organizational artifacts that contain symbolic meanings. This study extends this insight by exploring consumer responses to material items. Three hundred and seven tweets responding to the original post were collected. Through critical discourse analysis, findings illustrate that responses were embedded in gender discourses, with overwhelming dislike for hyperfeminized items marketed to women and girls. The stereotypical gender norms in marketing resulted in consumers’ suggesting organizational culture issues within U.S. Soccer Federation. Furthermore, this strategy was perceived as a transgression by creating material items that do not align with consumers’ values. This study illustrates that the meanings associated with fan clothing go beyond consumer preferences in that apparel can represent a material manifestation of organizational culture.
The Human Genome, Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health
Authors: Bouchard Claude
Published: December 2021

A summary of the evidence for a contribution of genetic variability to physical activity–related traits is presented. The availability of a reference human DNA sequence has made it possible to screen individuals and populations for the presence of genomic differences. Even though more than 100 million DNA variants have been identified, human beings share a genomic sequence, which is more than 99% identical. Four major lessons can be derived from ongoing genomic and genetic studies. First, the connection between a genotype and a phenotype is highly complex. Second, the expression of genes is regulated via multiple interacting mechanisms. Third, redundancy and compensatory mechanisms are ubiquitous. Fourth, complex, multifactorial traits are influenced by polygenic systems defined by hundreds and thousands of loci with most alleles characterized by very small effect sizes. The contribution of genetic variability is briefly summarized for human longevity, common chronic diseases, physical activity level, cardiorespiratory fitness in the sedentary state, and in response to exercise programs.
Accumulative Weekly External and Internal Load Relative to Match Load in Elite Male Youth Soccer Players
Authors: de Dios-Álvarez Vicente , Alkain Pello , Castellano Julen , Rey Ezequiel
Published: December 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was 2-fold: (1) to assess and compare the external and internal load of elite young soccer players during competitive microcycles and (2) to describe the training/match ratios (TMr) in elite male youth soccer players. Method: Twenty-one youth soccer players were monitored using a 10-Hz global positioning system. Total distance covered, running distance (RD), high-speed RD, sprint distance, number of accelerations and decelerations, player load, and rated perceived exertion were recorded during training sessions and matches. The TMr was calculated for each load measure. All variables were also normalized dividing the load per minute of activity. Results: The RD, high-speed running, and sprint distance were higher 3 days before the match and 2 days before match compared with the rest of the training sessions. However, accelerations, decelerations, and player load were higher 4 days before match than other sessions. Besides this, the TMr of RD, high-speed running, and sprint distance were associated with lower values than the TMr of total distance covered, accelerations, decelerations, and player load. The match constituted the highest load during competitive microcycle. Conclusions: The present data support the idea that youth soccer coaches and practitioners must consider relative training load according to match demands to better manage and evaluate player periodization.
Induction of
IL19
expression through JNK and cGAS-STING modulates DNA damage–induced cytokine production
Authors: Small Sara H. , Tang E. Jessica , Ragland Ryan L. , Ruzankina Yaroslava , Schoppy David W. , Mandal Rahul S. , Glineburg M. Rebecca , Ustelenca Zgjim , Powell Daniel J. , Simpkins Fiona , Johnson F. Bradley , Brown Eric J.
Published: December 2021

The gene encoding the cytokine IL-19 is induced by DNA damage and other insults to promote proinflammatory cytokine production.
High Prevalence of OXA-23 Carbapenemase-Producing
Proteus mirabilis
among Amoxicillin-Clavulanate-Resistant Isolates in France
Authors: Lombes Amélie , Bonnin Rémy A. , Laurent Frédéric , Guet-Revillet Hélène , Bille Emmanuelle , Cattoir Vincent , Fangous Marie-Sarah , Le Brun Cécile , Fihman Vincent , Janvier Frédéric , Otto Marie-Pierre , Potron Anais , Corvec Stéphane , Ruffier d’Epenoux Louise , Mizrahi Assaf , Dortet Laurent
Published: December 2021

In this multicentric study performed in 12 French hospitals, we reported that 26.9% (14/52) of the amoxicillin-clavulanate-resistant
Proteus mirabilis
isolates produced the OXA-23 carbapenemase. We found that an inhibition zone diameter of <11 mm around the amoxicillin-clavulanate disc was an accurate screening cutoff to detect these OXA-23 producers.
In Vitro
Activity of Gepotidacin against Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Anaerobes
Authors: Hackel Meredith A. , Karlowsky James A. , Canino Michele A. , Sahm Daniel F. , Scangarella-Oman Nicole E.
Published: December 2021

Gepotidacin (formerly GSK2140944) is a first-in-class triazaacenaphthylene antibacterial currently in phase III clinical trials. When tested against Gram-negative (
n 
= 333) and Gram-positive (
n 
= 225) anaerobes by agar dilution, gepotidacin inhibited 90% of isolates at concentrations of 4 and 2 μg/mL, respectively.
Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Proteins Inhibit Infection by the Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus and the Related Rhesus Monkey Rhadinovirus in a Cell-Specific Manner
Authors: Hörnich Bojan F. , Großkopf Anna K. , Dcosta Candice J. , Schlagowski Sarah , Hahn Alexander S.
Published: December 2021

IFITM proteins are the first line of defense against infection by many pathogens and may also have therapeutic importance, as they, among other effectors, mediate the antiviral effect of interferons. Neither their function against herpesviruses nor their mechanism of action is well understood.
High-Throughput CRISPR Screens To Dissect Macrophage-
Shigella
Interactions
Authors: Lai Yong , Cui Liang , Babunovic Gregory H. , Fortune Sarah M. , Doench John G. , Lu Timothy K.
Published: December 2021

Treatment for shigellosis is becoming increasingly difficult as resistance to antibiotics becomes more prevalent. One way to prevent this significant public health problem from developing into a full-blown crisis is to approach shigellosis intervention from the point of view of the host.
Honey Bee Larval and Adult Microbiome Life Stages Are Effectively Decoupled with Vertical Transmission Overcoming Early Life Perturbations
Authors: Kowallik Vienna , Mikheyev Alexander S.
Published: December 2021

This work investigated host-microbiome interactions during a crucial developmental stage—the transition from larvae to adults, which is a challenge to both the insect host and its microbiome. Using the honey bee as a tractable model system, we showed that microbiome transfer after emergence overrides any variation in the larval microbiome in honey bees, indicating that larval and adult microbiome stages are effectively decoupled.
STING-Mediated Interferon Induction by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Requires the Protein Tyrosine Kinase Syk
Authors: Wang Chenyao , Sharma Nikhil , Veleeparambil Manoj , Kessler Patricia M. , Willard Belinda , Sen Ganes C.
Published: December 2021

The innate immune response to virus infection leads to interferon production and inhibition of viral replication. STING, an ER-bound protein, mediates such a response to cytoplasmic cellular or microbial DNA.
Kidney trajectory charts to assist general practitioners in the assessment of patients with reduced kidney function: a randomised vignette study
Authors: Guppy Michelle , Glasziou Paul , Beller Elaine , Flavel Richard , Shaw Jonathan E , Barr Elizabeth , Doust Jenny
Published: December 2021

Objective

To investigate the decisional impact of an age-based chart of kidney function decline to support general practitioners (GPs) to appropriately interpret estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and identify patients with a clinically relevant kidney problem.

Design and setting

Randomised vignette study

Participants

372 Australian GPs from August 2018 to November 2018.

Intervention

GPs were given two patient case scenarios: (1) an older woman with reduced but stable renal function and (2) a younger Aboriginal man with declining kidney function still in the normal range. One group was given an age-based chart of kidney function to assist their assessment of the patient (initial chart group); the second group was asked to assess the patients without the chart, and then again using the chart (delayed chart group).

Main outcome measures

GPs’ assessment of the likelihood—on a Likert scale—that the patients had chronic kidney disease (CKD) according to the usual definition or a clinical problem with their kidneys.

Results

Prior to viewing the age-based chart GPs were evenly distributed as to whether they thought case 1—the older woman—had CKD or a clinically relevant kidney problem. GPs who had initial access to the chart were less likely to think that the older woman had CKD, and less likely to think she had a clinically relevant problem with her kidneys than GPs who had not viewed the chart. After subsequently viewing the chart, 14% of GPs in the delayed chart group changed their opinion, to indicate she was unlikely to have a clinically relevant problem with her kidneys.

Prior to viewing the chart, the majority of GPs (66%) thought case 2—the younger man—did not have CKD, and were evenly distributed as to whether they thought he had a clinically relevant kidney problem. In contrast, GPs who had initial access to the chart were more likely to think he had CKD and the majority (72%) thought he had a clinically relevant kidney problem. After subsequently viewing the chart, 37% of GPs in the delayed chart group changed their opinion to indicate he likely had a clinically relevant problem with his kidneys.

Conclusions

Use of the chart changed GPs interpretation of eGFR, with increased recognition of the younger male patient’s clinically relevant kidney problem, and increased numbers classifying the older female patient’s kidney function as normal for her age. This study has shown the potential of an age-based kidney function chart to reduce both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis.
Preventable deaths from SARS-CoV-2 in England and Wales: a systematic case series of coroners’ reports during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Swift Bethan , Heneghan Carl , Aronson Jeffrey , Howard David , Richards Georgia C
Published: December 2021

Objectives

To examine coroners’ Prevention of Future Deaths (PFDs) reports to identify deaths involving SARS-CoV-2 that coroners deemed preventable.

Design

Consecutive case series.

Setting

England and Wales.

Participants

Patients reported in 510 PFDs dated between 01 January 2020 and 28 June 2021, collected from the UK’s Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website using web scraping to create an openly available database:https://preventabledeathstrackernet/.

Main outcome measures

Concerns reported by coroners.

Results

SARS-CoV-2 was involved in 23 deaths reported by coroners in PFDs. Twelve deaths were indirectly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, defined as those that were not medically caused by SARS-CoV-2, but were associated with mitigation measures. In 11 cases, the coroner explicitly reported that COVID-19 had directly caused death. There was geographical variation in the reporting of PFDs; most (39%) were written by coroners in the North West of England. The coroners raised 56 concerns, problems in communication being the most common (30%), followed by failure to follow protocols (23%). Organisations in the National Health Service were sent the most PFDs (51%), followed by the government (26%), but responses to PFDs by these organisations were poor.

Conclusions

PFDs contain a rich source of information on preventable deaths that has previously been difficult to examine systematically. Our openly available tool (https://preventabledeathstracker.net/) streamlines this process and has identified many concerns raised by coroners that should be addressed during the government’s inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that mistakes made are less likely to be repeated.

Study protocol preregistration

https://osf.io/bfypc/.
Funding received from breastmilk substitute manufacturers and policy positions of national maternity care provider associations: an online cross-sectional review
Authors: Qassin Salma , Homer Caroline S E , Wilson Alyce N
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Maternity care providers play an essential role in supporting women to breast feed. It is critical that their professional associations limit influence from breastmilk substitute (BMS) manufacturers. Aims of this study were (i) to examine whether maternity care provider associations had policy or positions statements addressing BMS marketing and (ii) to explore the type of funding received by these associations.

Design

An online cross-sectional review.

Setting

National or regional maternity provider professional associations in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada and the UK.

Participants

Twenty-eight maternity care provider (obstetricians, midwives, nurses and others involved in perinatal care) professional association websites.

Interventions

Websites were examined from November 2019 to October 2020.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Evidence of BMS industry funding and policy or position statements addressing acceptance of funding from industries such as BMS.

Results

Policies addressing the BMS industry were found for 14 associations (50%). UK-based associations (5/5, 100%) and perinatal associations (4/6, 67%) were most likely to have a policy. Six associations (6/28, 21%) received some form of BMS financial support. The highest rates of BMS support were seen in the form of event advertising (5/28, 18%); closely followed by event sponsorship (4/28, 14%). At a provider level, obstetric associations had the highest rates of BMS support (2/4, 50%). At a country level, US-based associations were most likely to receive BMS support (3/7, 43%).

Conclusions

BMS industry financial support was received by one-fifth of maternity care provider associations. Half of these associations had policies addressing BMS marketing. BMS industry support can create conflicts of interest that can threaten efforts to support, protect and promote breast feeding. Healthcare provider associations should avoid BMS funding and at a minimum have policy or position statements addressing BMS marketing.
Systematic review of lay consultation in symptoms and illness experiences in informal urban settlements of low-income and middle-income countries
Authors: Onuegbu Chinwe , Larweh Maxwell , Harlock Jenny , Griffiths Frances
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Lay consultation is the process of discussing a symptom or an illness with lay social network members. This can have positive or negative consequences on health-seeking behaviours. Understanding how consultation with lay social networks works in informal urban settlements of low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is important to enable health and policy-makers to maximise its potential to aid healthcare delivery and minimise its negative impacts. This study explored the composition, content and consequences of lay consultation in informal urban settlements of LMICs.

Design

Mixed-methodsystematic review.

Data sources

Six key public health and social science databases, Google Scholar and reference lists of included studies were searched for potential articles.

Eligibility criteria

Papers that described discussions with lay informal social network members during symptoms or illness experiences.

Data analysis and synthesis

Quality assessment was done using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data were analysed and synthesised using a stepwise thematic synthesis approach involving two steps: identifying themes within individual studies and synthesising themes across studies.

Results

13 studies were included in the synthesis. Across the studies, three main categories of networks consulted during illness: kin, non-kin associates and significant community groups. Of these, kin networks were the most commonly consulted. The content of lay consultations were: asking for suggestions, negotiating care-seeking decisions, seeking resources and non-disclosure due to personal or social reasons. Lay consultations positively and negatively impacted access to formal healthcare and adherence to medical advice.

Conclusion

Lay consultation is mainly sought from social networks in immediate environments in informal urban settlements of LMICs. Policy-makers and practitioners need to utilise these networks as mediators of healthcare-seeking behaviours.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020205196.
Efficiency benchmarks in the surgical management of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a monocentric register cohort study of operating room time metrics and influential factors
Authors: Angermann Reinhard , Huber Anna Lena , Hofer Markus , Nowosielski Yvonne , Egger Stefan , Kralinger Martina T , Zehetner Claus
Published: December 2021

Objectives

To investigate the effect of clinical, methodological and logistic factors on operating room (OR) efficiency in the surgical management of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Design

Monocentric retrospective register cohort study.

Setting

Single tertiary centre in the western region of Austria.

Participants

We audited patients diagnosed with primary RRD who were treated between January 2014 and August 2019. In total, 783 eyes of 776 consecutive patients were included in this study. Various risk factors affecting OR time efficiency and anatomical success after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) procedures and scleral buckle (SB) surgery were analysed.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

OR efficiency was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures were the primary success rate after PPV procedures and SB surgery.

Results

PPV was performed in 641 (81.9%) eyes and SB surgery in 142 (18.1%) eyes. Mean surgical times in PPV and SB under retrobulbar anaesthesia (RA) were 74.0 (±32.6) min and 62.1 (±24.6) min (p<0.001), respectively, while under general anaesthesia (GA), these values were 112.0 (±52.0) min and 76.0 (±22.5) min (p<0.001), respectively. A regression analysis revealed the following main risk factors for prolonged OR time for the surgical management of RRD with PPV (all p<0.001): presence of a giant tear (β=24.01; 32%), proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR)-C (β=16.43; 22%), surgery postponed for 72 hours after diagnosis (β=21.40; 29%), GA (β=23.64; 32%) or surgery performed by a trainee (β=17.35; 23%). PVR (p=0.022) in PPV cases, after-hours settings (p=0.006) and surgeon experience (p=0.030) in SB cases were independent risk factors for reduced success rates.

Conclusions

OR coordinators should consider various independent clinical (giant tear, PVR-C, advanced detachment), methodological (PPV vs SB) and logistic (GA vs RA, after-hours setting and surgeon experience) factors to improve the success rate and surgical management planning of RRD accurately while optimising OR resources and staff efficiency.
Neonatal heart rate variability: a contemporary scoping review of analysis methods and clinical applications
Authors: Latremouille Samantha , Lam Justin , Shalish Wissam , Sant'Anna Guilherme
Published: December 2021

Background

Neonatal heart rate variability (HRV) is widely used as a research tool. However, HRV calculation methods are highly variable making it difficult for comparisons between studies.

Objectives

To describe the different types of investigations where neonatal HRV was used, study characteristics, and types of analyses performed.

Eligibility criteria

Human neonates ≤1 month of corrected age.

Sources of evidence

A protocol and search strategy of the literature was developed in collaboration with the McGill University Health Center’s librarians and articles were obtained from searches in the Biosis, Cochrane, Embase, Medline and Web of Science databases published between 1 January 2000 and 1 July 2020.

Charting methods

A single reviewer screened for eligibility and data were extracted from the included articles. Information collected included the study characteristics and population, type of HRV analysis used (time domain, frequency domain, non-linear, heart rate characteristics (HRC) parameters) and clinical applications (physiological and pathological conditions, responses to various stimuli and outcome prediction).

Results

Of the 286 articles included, 171 (60%) were small single centre studies (sample size <50) performed on term infants (n=136). There were 138 different types of investigations reported: physiological investigations (n=162), responses to various stimuli (n=136), pathological conditions (n=109) and outcome predictor (n=30). Frequency domain analyses were used in 210 articles (73%), followed by time domain (n=139), non-linear methods (n=74) or HRC analyses (n=25). Additionally, over 60 different measures of HRV were reported; in the frequency domain analyses alone there were 29 different ranges used for the low frequency band and 46 for the high frequency band.

Conclusions

Neonatal HRV has been used in diverse types of investigations with significant lack of consistency in analysis methods applied. Specific guidelines for HRV analyses in neonates are needed to allow for comparisons between studies.
Radio interferometry applied to the observation of cosmic-ray induced extensive air showers
Authors: Schoorlemmer Harm , Carvalho Washington R.
Published: December 2021

We developed a radio interferometric technique for the observation of extensive air showers initiated by cosmic particles. In this proof-of-principle study we show that properties of extensive air showers can be derived with high accuracy in a straightforward manner. When time synchronisation below $$\sim $$
∼
1 ns between different receivers can be achieved, direction reconstruction resolution of $$< 0.2^\circ $$

<
0
.

2
∘

and resolution on the depth of shower maximum of $$<10$$

<
10

 g/cm$$^2$$

2

are obtained over the full parameter range studied, with even higher accuracy for inclined incoming directions. In addition, by applying the developed method to dense arrays of radio antennas, the energy threshold for the radio detection of extensive air showers can be significantly lowered. The proposed method can be incorporated in operational and future cosmic particle observatories and with its high accuracy it has the potential to play a crucial role in unravelling the composition of the ultra-high-energy cosmic-particle flux.
A simple mechanism leading to first-order phase transitions in a model of tax evasion
Authors: Crokidakis Nuno
Published: December 2021

In this work, we study a dynamics of tax evasion. We considered a fully-connected population divided in three compartments, namely honest tax payers, tax evaders and susceptibles, a class that is composed by honest tax payers that can become evaders. We consider a contagion model where the transitions among the compartments are governed by probabilities. Such probabilities represent the possible interactions among the individuals, as well as the government fiscalization. We show by analytical and numerical calculations that the emergence of tax evaders in the population is associated with an active-absorbing nonequilibrium first-order phase transition. In the absorbing phase, only honest tax payers survive in the steady states of the model, and we observe a coexistence of the three subpopulations in the active phase.
Container-Based Fast Service Migration Method for Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Meng Xianyu , Lu Wei
Published: December 2021

Mobile edge computing (MEC) provides users with low-latency, high-bandwidth, and high-reliability services by migrating the computing power of the cloud computing center to the edge of the network. It is thus being considered an effective solution for the contradiction between the limited computing capabilities of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the rapid development of delay-sensitive real-time applications. In this study, we propose and design a container union file system based on the differencing hard disk and dynamic loading strategy to address the excessively long migration time caused by the bundling transmission of the file system and container images during container-based service migration. The proposed method involves designing a mechanism based on a remote dynamic loading strategy to avoid the downloading of all container images, thereby reducing the long preparation time before which stateless migration can begin. Furthermore, in view of the excessive latency of the edge service during the stateful migration process, a strategy for avoiding the transmission of the underlying file system and container images is designed to optimize the service interruption time and service quality degradation time. Experiments show that the proposed method and strategy can effectively reduce the migration time of container-based services.
Dynamical Effects of Offset Terms on a Modified Chua’s Oscillator and Its Circuit Implementation
Authors: Kengne Léandre Kamdjeu , Rajagopal Karthikeyan , Tsafack Nestor , Kuate Paul Didier Kamdem , Ramakrishnan Balamurali , Kengne Jacques , Fotsin Hilaire Bertrand , Pone Justin Roger Mboupda
Published: December 2021

This paper addresses the effects of offset terms on the dynamics of a modified Chua’s oscillator. The mathematical model is derived using Kirchhoff’s laws. The model is analyzed with the help of the maximal Lyapunov exponent, bifurcation diagrams, phase portraits, and basins of attraction. The investigations show that the offset terms break the symmetry of the system, generating more complex nonlinear phenomena like coexisting asymmetric bifurcations, coexisting asymmetric attractors, asymmetric double-scroll chaotic attractors and asymmetric attraction basins. Also, a hidden attractor (period-1 limit cycle) is found when varying the initial conditions. More interestingly, this latter attractor coexists with all other self-excited ones. A microcontroller-based implementation of the circuit is carried out to verify the numerical investigations.
Limit Cycles Appearing From Piecewise Smooth Perturbations to a Reversible Nonlinear Center
Authors: Sun Dan , Peng Linping
Published: December 2021

This paper deals with the limit cycle bifurcation from a reversible differential center of degree [Formula: see text] due to small piecewise smooth homogeneous polynomial perturbations. By using the averaging theory for discontinuous systems and the complex method based on the Argument Principle, we obtain lower and upper bounds for the maximum number of limit cycles bifurcating from the period annulus around the center of the unperturbed system.
The largest arthropod in Earth history: insights from newly discovered
Arthropleura
remains (Serpukhovian Stainmore Formation, Northumberland, England)
Authors: Davies Neil S. , Garwood Russell J. , McMahon William J. , Schneider Joerg W. , Shillito Anthony P.
Published: December 2021

Arthropleura
is a genus of giant myriapods that ranged from the early Carboniferous to Early Permian, with some individuals attaining lengths >2 m. Although most of the known fossils of the genus are disarticulated and occur primarily in late Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) strata, we report here partially articulated
Arthropleura
remains from the early Carboniferous Stainmore Formation (Serpukhovian; Pendleian) in the Northumberland Basin of northern England. This 76 × 36 cm specimen represents part of an exuvium and is notable because only two comparably articulated giant
Arthropleura
fossils are previously known. It represents one of the largest known arthropod fossils and the largest arthropleurid recovered to date, the earliest (Mississippian) body fossil evidence for gigantism in
Arthropleura
, and the first instance of a giant arthropleurid body fossil within the same regional sedimentary succession as the large arthropod trackway
Diplichnites cuithensis
. The remains represent 12–14 anterior
Arthropleura
tergites in the form of a partially sand-filled dorsal exoskeleton. The original organism is estimated to have been 55 cm in width and up to 2.63 m in length, weighing
c.
50 kg. The specimen is preserved partially in three dimensions within fine sandstone and has been moderately deformed by synsedimentary tectonics. Despite imperfect preservation, the specimen corroborates the hypothesis that
Arthropleura
had a tough, sclerotized exoskeleton. Sedimentological evidence for a lower delta plain depositional environment supports the contention that
Arthropleura
preferentially occupied open woody habitats, rather than swampy environments, and that it shared such habitats with tetrapods. When viewed in the context of all the other global evidence for
Arthropleura,
the specimen contributes to a dataset that shows the genus had an equatorially restricted palaeogeographical range, achieved gigantism prior to late Paleozoic peaks in atmospheric oxygen, and was relatively unaffected by climatic events in the late Carboniferous, prior to its extinction in the early Permian.

Supplementary material:
Images of 3D mesh model of
Arthropleura
are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5715450
Anabar–Lena Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element, northern East Siberia
Authors: Khudoley A. K. , Frolov S. V. , Akhmanov G. G. , Bakay E. A. , Drachev S. S. , Egorov A. Yu , Ershova V. B. , Korobova N. I. , Shevchuk N. S. , Rogov M. A.
Published: December 2021

The Anabar–Lena Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element (AL CTSE) is located in northern East Siberia extending for
c.
700 km along the Laptev Sea coast between the Khatanga Bay and Lena River delta. The AL CTSE consists of rocks from the Mesoproterozoic to Late Cretaceous in age with the total thickness reaching 14 km. It evolved through the following tectonic settings: (1) Meso-Early Neoproterozoic intracratonic basin; (2) Ediacaran–Early Devonian passive margin; (3) Middle Devonian–Early Carboniferous rift; (4) late Early Carboniferous–latest Jurassic passive margin; (5) Permian foreland basin; (6) Triassic to Jurassic continental platform basin; and (7) latest Jurassic–earliest Late Cretaceous foreland basin. Proterozoic and lower–middle Paleozoic successions are composed mainly of carbonate rocks, while siliciclastic rocks dominate upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic sections. Several petroleum systems are assumed in the AL CTSE. Permian source rocks and Triassic sandstone reservoirs are the most important play elements. The presence of several mature source rock units and abundant oil and gas shows (both in wells and in outcrops), including the giant Olenek Bitumen Field, suggests that further exploration in this area may result in economic discoveries.
Quantum Hoare Logic with Classical Variables
Authors: Feng Yuan , Ying Mingsheng
Published: December 2021

Hoare logic provides a syntax-oriented method to reason about program correctness and has been proven effective in the verification of classical and probabilistic programs. Existing proposals for quantum Hoare logic either lack completeness or support only quantum variables, thus limiting their capability in practical use. In this article, we propose a quantum Hoare logic for a simple while language that involves both classical and quantum variables. Its soundness and relative completeness are proven for both partial and total correctness of quantum programs written in the language. Remarkably, with novel definitions of classical-quantum states and corresponding assertions, the logic system is quite simple and similar to the traditional Hoare logic for classical programs. Furthermore, to simplify reasoning in real applications, auxiliary proof rules are provided that support standard logical operation in the classical part of assertions and super-operator application in the quantum part. Finally, a series of practical quantum algorithms, in particular the whole algorithm of Shor’s factorisation, are formally verified to show the effectiveness of the logic.
Legal Judgment Elements Extraction Approach with Law Article-aware Mechanism
Authors: Zhang Hu , Pan Bangze , Li Ru
Published: December 2021

Legal judgment elements extraction (LJEE) aims to identify the different judgment features from the fact description in legal documents automatically, which helps to improve the accuracy and interpretability of the judgment results. In real court rulings, judges usually need to scan both the fact descriptions and the law articles repeatedly to find out the relevant information, and it is hard to acquire the key judgment features quickly, so legal judgment elements extraction is a crucial and challenging task for legal judgment prediction. However, most existing methods follow the text classification framework, which fails to model the attentive relations of the law articles and the legal judgment elements. To address this issue, we simulate the working process of human judges, and propose a legal judgment elements extraction method with a law article-aware mechanism, which captures the complex semantic correlations of the law article and the legal judgment elements. Experimental results show that our proposed method achieves significant improvements than other state-of-the-art baselines on the element recognition task dataset. Compared with the BERT-CNN model, the proposed “All labels Law Articles Embedding Model (ALEM)” improves the accuracy, recall, and F1 value by 0.5, 1.4 and 1.0, respectively.
Device Fingerprinting with Magnetic Induction Signals Radiated by CPU Modules
Authors: Ji Xiaoyu , Cheng Yushi , Zhang Juchuan , Chi Yuehan , Xu Wenyuan , Chen Yi-Chao
Published: December 2021

With the widespread use of smart devices, device authentication has received much attention. One popular method for device authentication is to utilize internally measured device fingerprints, such as device ID, software or hardware-based characteristics. In this article, we propose
DeMiCPU
, a stimulation-response-based device fingerprinting technique that relies on externally measured information, i.e., magnetic induction (MI) signals emitted from the CPU module that consists of the CPU chip and its affiliated power-supply circuits. The key insight of
DeMiCPU
is that hardware discrepancies essentially exist among CPU modules and thus the corresponding MI signals make promising device fingerprints, which are difficult to be modified or mimicked. We design a stimulation and a discrepancy extraction scheme and evaluate them with 90 mobile devices, including 70 laptops (among which 30 are of totally identical CPU and operating system) and 20 smartphones. The results show that
DeMiCPU
can achieve 99.7% precision and recall on average, and 99.8% precision and recall for the 30 identical devices, with a fingerprinting time of 0.6~s. The performance can be further improved to 99.9% with multi-round fingerprinting. In addition, we implement a prototype of
DeMiCPU
docker, which can effectively reduce the requirement of test points and enlarge the fingerprinting area.
Detection and Monitoring of Viral Infections via Wearable Devices and Biometric Data
Authors: Goergen Craig J. , Tweardy MacKenzie J. , Steinhubl Steven R. , Wegerich Stephan W. , Singh Karnika , Mieloszyk Rebecca J. , Dunn Jessilyn
Published: December 2021

Mounting clinical evidence suggests that viral infections can lead to detectable changes in an individual's normal physiologic and behavioral metrics, including heart and respiration rates, heart rate variability, temperature, activity, and sleep prior to symptom onset, potentially even in asymptomatic individuals. While the ability of wearable devices to detect viral infections in a real-world setting has yet to be proven, multiple recent studies have established that individual, continuous data from a range of biometric monitoring technologies can be easily acquired and that through the use of machine learning techniques, physiological signals and warning signs can be identified. In this review, we highlight the existing knowledge base supporting the potential for widespread implementation of biometric data to address existing gaps in the diagnosis and treatment of viral illnesses, with a particular focus on the many important lessons learned from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Targeting KRAS G12C with Covalent Inhibitors
Authors: Ostrem Jonathan M.L. , Shokat Kevan M.
Published: December 2021

KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in cancer. Following numerous attempts to inhibit KRAS spanning multiple decades, recent efforts aimed at covalently targeting the mutant cysteine of KRAS G12C have yielded very encouraging results. Indeed, one such molecule, sotorasib, has already received accelerated US Food and Drug Administration approval with phase III clinical trials currently underway. A second molecule, adagrasib, has also progressed to phase III, and several others have entered early-phase clinical trials. The success of these efforts has inspired an array of novel approaches targeting KRAS, with some reporting extension to the two most common oncogenic KRAS mutations, G12V and G12D.
Experimental Study on the Calibration of Microparameters of Dolomite in the Barun Open‐Pit Mine on the Basis of the Parallel Bond Model
Authors: Dang Zhiheng , Yin Zuoming , Wang Desheng , Fu Mingyu , Yin Qi
Published: December 2021

The microparameter calibration of the particle flow parallel bond model (PBM) is mostly based on a uniaxial compression test. The microparameters calibrated only by uniaxial compression tests cannot be directly used to study the mechanical properties of rocks with surrounding pressure conditions. To analyze the relationship between the macroparameters and microparameters in the model and select appropriate particle flow model parameters, this study conducted a particle flow numerical simulation experiment based on the basic test principles of the uniaxial compression, Brazilian splitting, and triaxial compression tests. An orthogonal experimental design was performed for the calibration of the microparameters of the particle flow PBM, and multifactor analysis of variance was used to screen out the factors that have a considerable influence on the experimental indicators. Regression analysis was performed on the significant influencing factors and test indicators, and the corresponding linear and nonlinear relationships between the macroparameters and microparameters were obtained. Lastly, the microparameters of the model were determined in accordance with the macroparameters of the mechanical test of the Barun open‐pit mine dolomite, and a numerical simulation test was conducted. Simulation test results were consistent with the actual test results, thus providing a basis for a subsequent numerical simulation study on the mechanical properties of dolomite.
Protective Effect of Bergapten against Human Erythrocyte Hemolysis and Protein Denaturation In Vitro
Authors: Aidoo Douglas Bosco , Konja Daniels , Henneh Isaac Tabiri , Ekor Martins
Published: December 2021

Bergapten, a furocoumarin found in many medicinal plants, is used for the management of various conditions. The present in vitro study evaluated the ability of bergapten to prevent human erythrocyte hemolysis and protein denaturation. Bergapten administered at 10, 30, and 100 μg/ml exhibited a significant concentration-dependent protection on the erythrocyte membrane exposed to hypotonicity and heat-induced hemolysis. The concentration at which bergapten inhibited 50% of the cells from hemolysis (IC50) was determined on a dose-response curve, plotted as logarithmic (concentration) against percentage inhibition, keeping the hemolysis produced within the control group at 100%. Bergapten treatment produced an IC50 value of 7.71 ± 0.27 μg/ml and 4.23 ± 0.42 μg/ml for hypotonicity and heat-induced hemolysis, respectively. Diclofenac sodium at similar concentrations produced an IC50 value of 12.22 ± 0.30 μg/ml and 9.44 ± 0.23 μg/ml in the hypotonicity and heat-induced hemolysis, respectively. The ability of bergapten to inhibit protein denaturation was studied as part of an investigation on its mechanism of action. The results showed a significant concentration-dependent reduction in protein denaturation. When administered at 10, 30, and 100 μg/ml, bergapten produced a concentration-dependent reduction in albumin denaturation. Bergapten inhibited protein denaturation with IC50 values of 5.34 ± 0.30 μg/ml and 12.18 ± 0.20 μg/ml in the heat-treated egg albumin and bovine serum albumin denaturation experiments, respectively. Diclofenac sodium (10, 30, and 100 μg/ml) exhibited a similar protection against heat-treated egg albumin and bovine serum albumin denaturation experiments with IC50 values of 8.93 ± 0.17 μg/ml and 12.72 ± 0.11 μg/ml, respectively. Taken together, data from this study show that the pharmacological properties of bergapten may in part be related to its membrane-stabilizing and antidenaturation properties.