bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body, Avatar, and Me
Authors: Freeman Guo , Maloney Divine
Published: January 2021

Self-presentation in online digital social spaces has been a long standing research interest in HCI and CSCW. As online social spaces evolve towards more embodied digital representations, it is important to understand how users construct and experience their self and interact with others' self in new and more complicated ways, as it may introduce new opportunities and unseen social consequences. Using findings of an interview study (N=30), in this paper we report an in-depth empirical investigation of the presentation and perception of self in Social Virtual Reality (VR) - 3D virtual spaces where multiple users can interact with one another through VR head-mounted displays and full-body tracked avatars. This study contributes to the growing body of CSCW literature on social VR by offering empirical evidence of how social VR platforms afford new phenomena and approaches of novel identity practices and by providing potential design implications to further support such practices. We also expand the existing research agenda in CSCW on the increasing complexity of people's self-presentation in emerging novel sociotechnical systems.
For You, or For"You"?
Authors: Simpson Ellen , Semaan Bryan
Published: January 2021

Online communities provide spaces for people who are vulnerable and underserved to seek support and build community, such as LGBTQ+ people. Today, some online community spaces are mediated by algorithms. Scholarship has found that algorithms have become deeply embedded in the systems that mediate our routine engagements with the world. Yet, little is known about how these systems impact those who are most vulnerable in society. In this paper, we focus on people's everyday experiences with one algorithmic system, the short video sharing application TikTok. TikTok recently received press that it was suppressing and oppressing the identities of its growing LGBTQ+ user population through algorithmic and human moderation of LGBTQ+ creators and content related to LGBTQ+ identity. Through an interview study with 16 LGBTQ+ TikTok users, we explore people's everyday engagements and encounters with the platform. We find that TikTok's For You Page algorithm constructs contradictory identity spaces that at once support LGBTQ+ identity work and reaffirm LGBTQ+ identity, while also transgressing and violating the identities of individual users. We also find that people are developing self-organized practices in response to these transgressions and violations. We discuss the implications of algorithmic systems on people's identity work, and introduce the concept of algorithmic exclusion, and explore how people are building resilience following moments of algorithmic exclusion.
Divided We Stand
Authors: Pichon Adrienne , Schiffer Kayla , Horan Emma , Massey Bria , Bakken Suzanne , Mamykina Lena , Elhadad Noemie
Published: January 2021

In chronic conditions, patients and providers need support in understanding and managing illness over time. Focusing on endometriosis, an enigmatic chronic condition, we conducted interviews with specialists and focus groups with patients to elicit their work in care specifically pertaining to dealing with an enigmatic disease, both independently and in partnership, and how technology could support these efforts. We found that the work to care for the illness, including reflecting on the illness experience and planning for care, is significantly compounded by the complex nature of the disease: enigmatic condition means uncertainty and frustration in care and management; the multi-factorial and systemic features of endometriosis without any guidance to interpret them overwhelm patients and providers; the different temporal resolutions of this chronic condition confuse both patients and providers; and patients and providers negotiate medical knowledge and expertise in an attempt to align their perspectives. We note how this added complexity demands that patients and providers work together to find common ground and align perspectives, and propose three design opportunities (considerations to construct a holistic picture of the patient, design features to reflect and make sense of the illness, and opportunities and mechanisms to correct misalignments and plan for care) and implications to support patients and providers in their care work. Specifically, the enigmatic nature of endometriosis necessitates complementary approaches from human-centered computing and artificial intelligence, and thus opens a number of future research avenues.
Not Another Medication Adherence App
Authors: Maestre Juan F. , Zdziarska Patrycja , Min Aehong , Baglione Anna N. , Chung Chia-Fang , Shih Patrick C.
Published: January 2021

People living with HIV experience a high level of stigma in our society. Public HIV-related stigma often leads to anxiety and depression and hinders access to social support and proper medical care. Technologies for HIV, however, have been mainly designed for treatment management and medication adherence rather than for helping people cope with public HIV-related stigma specifically. Drawing on empirical data obtained from semi-structured interviews and design activities with eight social workers and 29 people living with HIV, we unpack the ways in which needs for privacy and trust, intimacy, and social support create tensions around key coping strategies. Reflecting on these tensions, we present design implications and opportunities to empower people living with HIV to cope with public HIV-related stigma at the individual level.
School's Back
Authors: Baker Steven , Kelly Ryan M. , Waycott Jenny , Carrasco Romina , Bell Roger , Joukhadar Zaher , Hoang Thuong , Ozanne Elizabeth , Vetere Frank
Published: January 2021

Social virtual reality (social VR) is an emerging technology that has the potential to support unique social experiences for groups of older adults. In this paper we explore the use of social VR to support group reminiscence, an activity that has been shown to have a positive impact on the lives of older adults. We developed School Days, a bespoke social VR application that enables groups of geographically dispersed older adults to meet in a virtual environment to reminisce about their school experiences. We conducted a user study over the course of 5 months with 16 participants aged 70--81 to evaluate how School Days supported reminiscence. In this paper, we focus on how the use of reminiscence scaffolding features in School Days impacted on the older adults' ability to participate more fully in the reminiscence activities. Our results illustrate the value of social VR for connecting older adults over distance, and contribute new knowledge of how virtual environments can be designed to scaffold reminiscence; how techniques such as 3D conversation starters and individual artefacts can be used to scaffold reminiscence; and how pre-recorded holographic stories (Avacasts) can be used to introduce new perspectives and prompt self-reflection. We contribute five design reflections aimed at guiding the design of future reminiscence tools in social VR.
Country Differences in Social Comparison on Social Media
Authors: Cheng Justin , Burke Moira , de Gant Bethany
Published: January 2021

Social comparison is a common focus in discussions of online social media use, and differences in its frequency, causes, and outcomes may arise from country or cultural differences. To understand how these differences play a role in experiences of social comparison on Facebook, a survey of 37,729 people across 18 countries was paired with respondents' activity on Facebook. The findings were augmented with 39 in-person interviews in three countries. Social comparison frequency was more strongly predicted by country than by age, gender, and Facebook activity combined, indicating that country differences are important to consider when studying social comparison. Women's and men's experiences differed greatly between countries. Exposure to high feedback counts on friends' posts was associated with more frequent social comparison, but only in some countries. Design interventions that account for such country differences may be more effective at reducing the negative outcomes of social comparison.
Earth's First Redox Revolution
Authors: Ostrander Chadlin M. , Johnson Aleisha C. , Anbar Ariel D.
Published: January 2021

The rise of molecular oxygen (O2) in the atmosphere and oceans was one of the most consequential changes in Earth's history. While most research focuses on the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) near the start of the Proterozoic Eon—after which O2became irreversibly greater than 0.1% of the atmosphere—many lines of evidence indicate a smaller oxygenation event before this time, at the end of the Archean Eon (2.5 billion years ago). Additional evidence of mild environmental oxidation—probably by O2—is found throughout the Archean. This emerging evidence suggests that the GOE might be best regarded as the climax of a broader First Redox Revolution (FRR) of the Earth system characterized by two or more earlier Archean Oxidation Events (AOEs). Understanding the timing and tempo of this revolution is key to unraveling the drivers of Earth's evolution as an inhabited world—and has implications for the search for life on worlds beyond our own. ▪  Many inorganic geochemical proxies suggest that biological O2production preceded Earth's GOE by perhaps more than 1 billion years. ▪  Early O2accumulation may have been dynamic, with at least two AOEs predating the GOE. If so, the GOE was the climax of an extended period of environmental redox instability. ▪  We should broaden our focus to examine and understand the entirety of Earth's FRR.
Language as a Social Cue
Authors: Kinzler Katherine D.
Published: January 2021

Social groups are a pervasive feature of human life. One factor that is often understudied in the literature on person perception and social categorization is language. Yet, someone's language (and accent) provides a tremendous amount of social information to a listener. Disciplines across the social and behavioral sciences—ranging from linguistics to anthropology to economics—have exposed the social significance of language. Less social psychological research has historically focused on language as a vehicle for social grouping. Yet, new approaches in psychology are reversing this trend. This article first reviews evidence, primarily from psycholinguistics, documenting how speech provides social information. Next it turns to developmental psychology, showing how young humans begin to see others’ language as conveying social group information. It then explores how the tendency to see language as a social cue has vast implications for people's psychological processes (e.g., psychological essentialism and trust) and also for society, including education and the law.
Understanding Human Cognitive Uniqueness
Authors: Laland Kevin , Seed Amanda
Published: January 2021

Humanity has regarded itself as intellectually superior to other species for millennia, yet human cognitive uniqueness remains poorly understood. Here, we evaluate candidate traits plausibly underlying our distinctive cognition (including mental time travel, tool use, problem solving, social cognition, and communication) as well as domain generality, and we consider how human cognitive uniqueness may have evolved. We conclude that there are no traits present in humans and absent in other animals that in isolation explain our species’ superior cognitive performance; rather, there are many cognitive domains in which humans possess unusually potent capabilities compared to those found in other species. Humans are flexible cognitive all-rounders, whose proficiency arises through interactions and reinforcement between cognitive domains at multiple scales.
Langmuir-Type Mechanism for In-Situ Doping in CVD Si and Si1−xGex Epitaxial Growth
Authors: Murota Junichi , Ishii Hiromu
Published: January 2021

In-situ doping process of B and P in CVD Si and Si1−xGex (100) epitaxial growth is investigated using SiH4–GeH4–dopant gas (B2H6 or PH3)–H2 gas mixture. For lower dopant gas partial pressure, the in situ doping is explained quantitatively by the Langmuir-type adsorption and reaction at Si–Si, Si–Ge or Ge–Ge pair sites on the (100) surface. For higher B2H6 gas partial pressure (P
B2H6), it is proposed that SiH4, GeH4 and B2H6 molecules are adsorbed and react partially at the B-occupied sites where B2H6 molecules have been adsorbed on the (100) surface. For higher PH3 gas partial pressure (P
PH3), it is proposed that the in situ doping and Ge incorporation are enhanced by the self-limited adsorption of PH3 molecules and the decomposition of GeH4 at the P-occupied sites where PH3 molecules have been adsorbed on the (100) surface, respectively, and that the decrease of P concentration with increasing P
PH3 in high P
PH3 region is caused by lower segregation coefficients of P at Si–Ge and Ge–Ge pair sites than that at Si–Si pair sites according to the Henry’s law. Fairly good agreement is obtained between all the experimental data and the modified Langmuir-type mechanism for in situ doping.
Improving Performance of GaAs-Based Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers by Employing Thermally Conductive Metal Substrate
Authors: Yum Woong-Sun , Lee Sang-Youl , Kim Myung-Sub , Yoon Su-Jung , Oh Jeong-Tak , Jeong Hwan-Hee , Seong Tae-Yeon
Published: January 2021

We investigated the effect of the conducting substrate on the performance of GaAs-based VCSELs, where the substrates were 230 μm-GaAs (reference), 10 μm-GaAs/metal, and 0.5 μm-GaAs/metal. The VCSELs with the 10 μm- and 0.5 μm thick GaAs/metal-substrates produced higher light output power than the reference. For example, the thin GaAs/metal substrate samples showed 16.3%–16.7% higher light output power at 3.0 A than the reference. It was shown that the thin GaAs samples produced 12.2%–14.0% higher power conversion efficiency at 3.0 A than the reference. At a high current region, the metal-substrate samples yielded lower junction temperature than the reference, namely, the thin GaAs samples gave 42 °C–47.4 °C lower junction temperature at 2.0 A than the reference. Further, the thin GaAs samples revealed better light output degradation characteristics than the reference. For instance, the light output of the reference was degraded by 30.2% at 85 °C, whereas the thin GaAs samples were degraded by 20.1%–20.5%. Near-field images and emission profiles demonstrated that the metal-substrate samples suffered from no damage incurred during the VCSEL fabrication process.
Potentially Harmful Maillard Reaction Products in Food and Herb Medicines
Authors: Li Ya-Li , Zhu Yan-Zhu , Zheng Pei-He , Qu Zheng-Yi , Zhang Hao , Hou Wei , Piao Xiang-Min , Wang Ying-Ping
Published: January 2021

The Maillard reaction is of great significance in food, herb medicines, and life processes. It is usually occurring during the process of food and herb medicines processing and storage. The formed Maillard reaction productions (MRPs) in food and herb medicines not only generate a large number of efficacy components but also generate a small amount of harmful substance that cannot be ignored. Some of the MRPs, especially the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are concerning humans, based on the possibility to induce cancer and mutations in laboratory animals. Numerous studies have been reported on the formation, analysis, and control of the potentially harmful MRPs (PHMRPs). Therefore, the investigation into the formation, analysis, and control of PHMRPs in food and herb medicines is very important for improving the quality and safety of food and herb medicines. This article provides a brief review of the formation, analysis (major content), and control of PHMRPs in food and herb medicines, which will provide a base and reference for safe processing and storage of food and herb medicines. Practical Applications. The formed Maillard reaction productions in food and herb medicines not only generate a large number of functional components but also generate a small amount of harmful substance that cannot be ignored. This contribution provides a brief review on the formation (including the correlative studies between MRs and the PHMRPs, mechanisms, and the main pathways); analysis (major content, pretreatment for analysis, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and structural identification analysis); and control (strategies and mechanisms) of PHMRPs in food and herb medicines, which will provide a solid theoretical foundation and a valuable reference for safe processing and storage for food and herb medicines.
Intra-Arterial Lidocaine Blunts the Trigeminocardiac Reflex during Endovascular Treatment of a Carotid-Cavernous Fistula
Authors: Coleman Renee L. , Bezinover Dmitri , Jones Douglas C. , Cockroft Kevin M. , Parekh Uma R.
Published: January 2021

Carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are vascular shunts that allow blood to flow from the carotid artery or its branches into the cavernous sinus. Endovascular embolization is the treatment modality of choice. The trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) is a vagally mediated reflex that can lead to hemodynamic instability. It can be activated during embolization procedures due to the proximity of vagal efferent neurovascular structures within the cavernous sinus. This case report describes the intraoperative management of recurrent, profound bradycardia due to TCR during endovascular CCF embolization.
Experiment on Corrosion Fatigue Life of Steel Strands under the Coupling Effects of Chloride Environment and Alternating Loads
Authors: Yao Guowen , Yu Xuanrui , Gu Lifeng , Jiang Yixing
Published: January 2021

Corrosion pits will lead to local stress concentration on the surface of steel strands and even shorter fatigue life and worse mechanical properties of steel strands. In order to explore the corrosion mechanics of steel strands to predict the fatigue life, accelerated salt spray corrosion test is carried out to simulate the corrosion laws of steel strands and record the changes of the corrosion degrees during the experiment, considering the coupling effects of alternating loads and chloride environment. Besides, the impact of stress amplitudes on the corrosion degrees of steel strands is quantitatively studied by the corrosion weight loss, and corroded steel strands in experiment are graded according to the corrosion weight loss to test the mechanical properties, respectively; the results show that the corrosion weight loss and tensile strength of steel strands obey the exponential distribution, and the relationship with elongation is linear. In addition, the relationships between the stress concentration coefficient and the pit length, width, and depth are obtained; with the three‐dimensional linear regression theory, the accuracy of the regression model is verified by t‐value test, laying a foundation for predicting the corrosion life of the cables.
Agricultural Detection of Norovirus and Hepatitis A Using Fecal Indicators: A Systematic Review
Authors: Victor Courtney P. , Ellis Karen , Lamar Frederica , Leon Juan S.
Published: January 2021

Fresh-produce consumers may be at risk of pathogen infection due to fecal contamination of the agricultural environment. Indicators of fecal contamination may be used as a proxy to evaluate the potential presence of human pathogens, such as norovirus and hepatitis A, on agricultural samples. The objective of this systematic review was to determine whether the presence of human norovirus or hepatitis A was associated with microbial indicators in agricultural samples including fresh produce, equipment surfaces, and hands. Four databases (Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Agricola) were systematically searched and fifteen articles met inclusion and exclusion criteria. After data extraction, individual indicator-pathogen relationships were assessed using Cohen’s Kappa coefficient. The level of agreement between norovirus with adenovirus was 0.09 (n = 16, 95% CI −0.05, 0.23), indicating poor agreement using Landis and Koch’s criterion. Similarly, the Kappa coefficient between norovirus with E. coli (κ = 0.04, n = 14, 95% CI −0.05, 0.49) or total coliforms (κ = 0.03, n = 4, 95% CI −0.01, 0.02) was also poor. The level of agreement between hepatitis A with adenovirus (κ = −0.03, n = 3, 95% CI −0.06, 0.01) or fecal coliforms (κ = 0, n = 1, 95% CI 0, 0) was also poor. There were moderate relationships between hepatitis A with E. coli (κ = 0.49, n = 3, 95% CI 0.28, 0.70) and total coliforms (κ = 0.47, n = 2, 95% CI 0.47, 0.47). Based on these limited results, common indicator organisms are not strong predictors of the presence of norovirus and hepatitis A virus in the agricultural environment.
Functional Decoupling of Emotion Coping Network Subsides Automatic Emotion Regulation by Implementation Intention
Authors: Chen Shengdong , Ding Nanxiang , Wang Fushun , Li Zhihao , Qin Shaozheng , Biswal Bharat B. , Yuan Jiajin
Published: January 2021

Automatic emotion regulation (AER) plays a vital role in the neuropathology underlying both suicide and self-harm via modifying emotional impact effortlessly. However, both the effortless account and the neural mechanisms of AER are undetermined. To investigate the neural changes at AER, we collected functional MRI (fMRI) in 31 participants who attended to neutral and disgust pictures in three conditions: watching, goal intention (GI), and reappraisal by implementation intention (RII). Results showed that RII (but not GI) decreased negative feelings and bilateral amygdala activity without increasing cognitive efforts, evidenced by the reduced effort rating and less prefrontal engagement during RII compared with during watching and GI. These emotion-regulatory effects of RII cannot be explained by emotional habituation, as the supplementary experiment (N=31) showed no emotional habituation effects when the same disgust pictures were presented repeatedly three times for each watching and GI condition. Task-based network analysis showed both RII and GI relative to watching increased functional connectivities (FCs) of the ventral anterior cingulate cortex to the left insula and right precuneus during conditions, two FCs subserving goal setup. However, RII relative to GI exhibited weaker FCs in brain networks subserving effortful control, memory retrieval, aversive anticipation, and motor planning. In these FCs, the FC intensity of putamen-operculum/lingual and paracentral-superior temporal gyri positively predicted regulatory difficulty ratings. These findings suggest that the setup of implementation intention automatizes emotion regulation by reducing the online mobilization of emotion-coping neural systems.
From TTP to Glomerulonephritis: A Lifetime of Lupus
Authors: Kharouf Fadi , Shahar Sigal , Hershkovitz Yoav , Shaheen Alaa , Bayatra Areej , Kessler Asa , Ishay Yuval
Published: January 2021

We report the case of a 56-year-old male patient, who over two decades, sequentially presented with a combination of clinical manifestations. These included thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), right leg deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and eventually constitutional symptoms, arthralgia, diffuse lymphadenopathy, pancytopenia, skin rash, pericarditis, and glomerulonephritis. Serologic tests and renal pathology uncovered a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and immunosuppressive therapy was initiated. Soon after, the patient developed striking cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia, requiring prolonged antiviral therapy and reduction of immunosuppression. Finally, an acute embolic stroke complicated the disease course. Prompt interventions allowed an excellent clinical outcome.
Neuromodulatory Effect of Sensorimotor Network Functional Connectivity of Temporal Three-Needle Therapy for Ischemic Stroke Patients with Motor Dysfunction: Study Protocol for a Randomized, Patient-Assessor Blind, Controlled, Neuroimaging Trial
Authors: Zhao Ning , Zhang Hong , Liu Tongyan , Liu Jiao , Xiang Yun , Shu Guojian , Li Chunzhen , Xie Jingwen , Chen Lidian
Published: January 2021

Background. The clinical efficacy of temporal three-needle therapy for stroke dysfunction has been previously demonstrated in China. However, the central mechanism of temporal three-needle therapy remains unclear. Temporal three-needle projects the sensory cortex and the motor cortex, which may impact the cortex function. Current studies seldom focus on it. Hence, according to the “scalp-cortex corresponding theory,” the underlying mechanism of temporal three-needle remains a domain for further research. Methods. This trial is designed to provide objective and visual evidence for the neuromodulatory effect and neuroimaging mechanism of temporal three-needle therapy for stroke patients. This ongoing study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, patient-assessor blind, single-center, neuroimaging trial involving two-parallel patient groups and a healthy control group. Forty eligible patients will be recruited from Shenzhen Nanshan District People’s Hospital and randomized into either the experimental group or the control group. Twenty healthy volunteers will be recruited in the healthy control group and undergo baseline magnetic resonance imaging scans without any intervention. Patients in the control group will receive acupuncture at Dingnieqianxiexian (MS6), in addition to basic medicine and rehabilitative treatments. Patients in the experimental group will receive temporal three-needle therapy plus basic medicine and rehabilitative treatments 5 days per week, 10 sessions over two consecutive weeks. The primary outcome is resting-state functional connectivity, and the secondary outcomes are regional homogeneity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, Fugl–Meyer assessment of the upper limb, and modified Barthel Index. All outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and after 2 weeks of intervention. Discussion. The results will explore the neuromodulatory effects and illustrate the central mechanism of temporal three-needle treatment from the network-level viewpoint of sensorimotor network functional plasticity and promote widespread application in real-world practice. This trial was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 14 March 2018 with ChiCTR1800015209.
Collaborative Filtering Recommendation Using Nonnegative Matrix Factorization in GPU-Accelerated Spark Platform
Authors: Tang Bing , Kang Linyao , Zhang Li , Guo Feiyan , He Haiwu
Published: January 2021

Nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) has been introduced as an efficient way to reduce the complexity of data compression and its capability of extracting highly interpretable parts from data sets, and it has also been applied to various fields, such as recommendations, image analysis, and text clustering. However, as the size of the matrix increases, the processing speed of nonnegative matrix factorization is very slow. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a parallel algorithm based on GPU for NMF in Spark platform, which makes full use of the advantages of in-memory computation mode and GPU acceleration. The new GPU-accelerated NMF on Spark platform is evaluated in a 4-node Spark heterogeneous cluster using Google Compute Engine by configuring each node a NVIDIA K80 CUDA device, and experimental results indicate that it is competitive in terms of computational time against the existing solutions on a variety of matrix orders. Furthermore, a GPU-accelerated NMF-based parallel collaborative filtering (CF) algorithm is also proposed, utilizing the advantages of data dimensionality reduction and feature extraction of NMF, as well as the multicore parallel computing mode of CUDA. Using real MovieLens data sets, experimental results have shown that the parallelization of NMF-based collaborative filtering on Spark platform effectively outperforms traditional user-based and item-based CF with a higher processing speed and higher recommendation accuracy.
Melittin Ameliorates Endotoxin‐Induced Acute Kidney Injury by Inhibiting Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Cell Death in Mice
Authors: Kim Jung-Yeon , Leem Jaechan , Hong Hyo-Lim
Published: January 2021

Sepsis‐related acute kidney injury (AKI) is a worldwide health problem, and its pathogenesis involves multiple pathways. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an endotoxin that induces systemic inflammatory responses. Melittin, a main constituent of bee venom, exerts several biological activities such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic actions. However, whether melittin protects against endotoxin‐induced AKI remains undetermined. Here, we aimed to examine the potential action of melittin on LPS‐induced renal injury and explore the mechanisms. We showed that acute renal failure and structural damage after injection of LPS were markedly attenuated by administration of melittin. The peptide also suppressed expression of markers of direct tubular damage in kidneys of the LPS‐treated mice. Mechanistically, melittin reduced systemic and renal levels of cytokines and inhibited renal accumulation of immune cells with concomitant suppression of nuclear factor kappa‐B pathway. Increased amounts of lipid peroxidation products after LPS treatment were largely decreased by melittin. Additionally, the peptide decreased expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 and enhanced nuclear factor erythroid‐2‐related factor 2‐mediated antioxidant defenses. Moreover, melittin inhibited apoptotic and necroptotic cell death after LPS treatment. Lastly, we showed that melittin improved the survival rate of LPS‐injected mice. These results suggest that melittin ameliorates endotoxin‐induced AKI and mortality through inhibiting inflammation, oxidative injury, and apoptotic and necroptotic death of tubular epithelial cells.
Some New Ostrowski-Type Inequalities Involving
σ
-Fractional Integrals
Authors: Mohsen Bandar B. , Awan Muhammad Uzair , Javed Muhammad Zakria , Noor Muhammad Aslam , Noor Khalida Inayat
Published: January 2021

The aim of this paper is to derive some new fractional analogues of Ostrowski-type inequalities involving bounded functions using the concept of

σ

-Riemann–Liouville fractional integrals.
An Improved Symbiosis Particle Swarm Optimization for Solving Economic Load Dispatch Problem
Authors: Zhang Jianxia , Zhang Jianxin , Zhang Feng , Chi Minglu , Wan Linbin
Published: January 2021

To realize the sustainable development of social economy, energy conservation and emission reduction has become one of the problems that must be considered in the current power system. Under the electric power market system, the economic load dispatch problem not only is important but also has practical significance and broad application prospects. In order to minimize the costs of electric-power generation, the load capacity should be reasonably assigned among many different generating sets. In this paper, an improved symbiosis particle swarm optimization algorithm was proposed, aiming at providing a better solution to this problem. First of all, a mathematical model was established with certain constraints, which successfully converted the practical problem into a mathematical one. Then, to balance the global optimization and local search capability, an improved symbiosis particle swarm optimization algorithm with mutualistic symbiosis strategy in nature was presented. The improved symbiosis particle swarm optimization algorithm consisted of three swarms inspired by the proverb “two heads are better than one,” and its specific analysis was through the standard test functions. At last, the economic load dispatch problem could be optimized by the proposed improved symbiosis particle swarm optimization algorithm. In addition, two different kinds of practical examples were also adopted for algorithm evaluation. From the simulation results, it can be seen clearly that the costs of electric-power generation gained were the lowest compared with the results of particle swarm optimization algorithm, improved chaos particle swarm optimization algorithm, and symbiotic organisms search algorithm, well demonstrating the effectiveness of the improved symbiosis particle swarm optimization algorithm in solving the economic load dispatch problem.
Reverse Knowledge Transfer in Cross‐Border Mergers and Acquisitions in the Chinese High‐Tech Industry under Government Intervention
Authors: Su Yi , Guo Wen , Yang Zaoli
Published: January 2021

The high‐tech industry is the main force promoting the development of China’s national economy. As its industrial economic strength grows, China’s high‐tech industry is increasingly using cross‐border mergers and acquisitions (CBM&A) as an important way to “go out.” To explore the rules governing the process and operation mechanism of reverse knowledge transfer (RKT) through the CBM&A of China’s high‐tech industry under government intervention, a tripartite evolutionary game model of the government, the parent company, and the subsidiary as the main subjects is constructed in this paper. The strategies adopted by the three subjects in the RKT game process are analysed, and the factors influencing RKT through CBM&A under government intervention are simulated and analysed using Python 3.7 software. The results show that, under government intervention, the parent company and subsidiary have different degrees of influence on each other. Subsidiaries are highly sensitive to the compensation rate of RKT. Positive intervention by the government tends to foster stable cooperation between the parent company and the subsidiary. However, over time, the government gradually relaxes its intervention in the RKT and innovation of multinational companies.
Inflammation Mediates the Development of Aggressive Breast Cancer Following Radiotherapy
Authors: Ma Lin , Gonzalez-Junca Alba , Zheng Yufei , Ouyang Haoxu , Illa-Bochaca Irineu , Horst Kathleen C. , Krings Gregor , Wang Yinghao , Fernandez-Garcia Ignacio , Chou William , Barcellos-Hoff Mary Helen
Published: January 2021

Purpose:

Women treated with radiotherapy before 30 years of age have increased risk of developing breast cancer at an early age. Here, we sought to investigate mechanisms by which radiation promotes aggressive cancer.

Experimental Design:

The tumor microenvironment (TME) of breast cancers arising in women treated with radiotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma was compared with that of sporadic breast cancers. To investigate radiation effects on carcinogenesis, we analyzed tumors arising from Trp53-null mammary transplants after irradiation of the target epithelium or host using immunocompetent and incompetent mice, some of which were treated with aspirin.

Results:

Compared with age-matched specimens of sporadic breast cancer, radiation-preceded breast cancers (RP-BC) were characterized by TME rich in TGFβ, cyclooxygenase 2, and myeloid cells, indicative of greater immunosuppression, even when matched for triple-negative status. The mechanism by which radiation impacts TME construction was investigated in carcinomas arising in mice bearing Trp53-null mammary transplants. Immunosuppressive TMEs (iTME) were recapitulated in mice irradiated before transplantation, which implicated systemic immune effects. In nu/nu mice lacking adaptive immunity irradiated before Trp53-null mammary transplantation, cancers also established an iTME, which pointed to a critical role for myeloid cells. Consistent with this, irradiated mammary glands contained more macrophages and human cells cocultured with polarized macrophages underwent dysplastic morphogenesis mediated by IFNγ. Treating mice with low-dose aspirin for 6 months postirradiation prevented establishment of an iTME and resulted in less aggressive tumors.

Conclusions:

These data show that radiation acts via nonmutational mechanisms to promote markedly immunosuppressive features of aggressive, RP-BCs.
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography-Guided Electromagnetic Navigation for Peripheral Lung Nodules
Authors: Kheir Fayez , Thakore Sanket R. , Uribe Becerra Juan Pablo , Tahboub Mohammad , Kamat Rahul , Abdelghani Ramsy , Fernandez-Bussy Sebastian , Kaphle Upendra R. , Majid Adnan
Published: January 2021

Background: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is a minimally invasive technology for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary nodules. However, ENB is limited by the lack of real-time confirmation of various biopsy devices. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) could increase diagnostic yield by allowing real-time confirmation to overcome the inherent divergence of nodule location. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic yield of ENB plus CBCT as compared with ENB alone for biopsy of peripheral lung nodules. Method: We conducted a retrospective study of patients undergoing ENB before and after the implementation of CBCT. Data from 62 consecutive patients with lung nodules located in the outer two-thirds of the lung who underwent ENB and combined ENB-CBCT were collected. Radial endobronchial ultrasound was used during all procedures as well. Diagnostic yield was defined as the presence of malignancy or benign histological findings that lead to a specific diagnosis. Results: Thirty-one patients had ENB-CBCT, and 31 patients had only ENB for peripheral lung lesions. The median size of the lesion for the ENB-CBCT group was 16 (interquartile range (IQR) 12.6–25.5) mm as compared to 21.5 (IQR 16–27) mm in the ENB group (p = 0.2). In the univariate analysis, the diagnostic yield of ENB-CBCT was 74.2% and ENB 51.6% (p = 0.05). Following multivariate regression analysis adjusting for the size of the lesion, distance from the pleura, and presence of bronchus sign, the odds ratio for the diagnostic yield was 3.4 (95% CI 1.03–11.26, p = 0.04) in the ENB-CBCT group as compared with ENB alone. The median time for the procedure was shorter in patients in the ENB-CBCT group (74 min) than in those in the ENB group (90 min) (p = 0.02). The rate of adverse events was similar in both groups (6.5%, p = 0.7). Conclusions: The use of CBCT might increase the diagnostic yield in ENB-guided peripheral lung nodule biopsies. Future randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm such findings.
The Pandemic Health Crisis and Its Implications for Food and Nutritional Security in Latin America
Authors: Giordani Rubia Carla Formighieri , Bezerra da Costa Islândia
Published: January 2021

The inequalities in health are directly linked to food and to the nutritional profile; hunger and malnutrition, as well as overweight and obesity, increase in proportion to poverty. In the current COVID-19 pandemic scenario, social isolation measures implemented in several countries to prevent the collapse of health systems impose new rhythms on people’s lives and their daily routines, implying a reorganization of their vital structure and the necessary activities for its maintenance and reproduction. The restriction of circulation with the requirement to prepare food inside the home imposes food planning with options with some degree of industrial processing. In the diet of isolation, among the likely changes in food consumption models, there will certainly be an increase in ultraprocessed foods, mainly because containment measures have altered the dynamics of circulation and local trade of fresh products.
Use of GIS in soil fertility mapping of Rapti Municipality, Chitwan, Nepal
Authors: Oli Biplov , Lamichhane Sushil , Oli Khem
Published: January 2021

Mapping the spatial distribution of soil fertility in a particular area gives an idea about the nutrient content in the soil which plays an im-portant role in fertilizer recommendation, sustainable soil manage-ment, integrated plant nutrient management, landuse planning, and site-specific nutrient management (SSNM). A study was carried out to assess the soil fertility status of the Rapti Municipality, Chitwan, Ne-pal. A total of 120 soil samples was collected based on land use, slope, and aspects with the useof Google Earth Pro (GEP) and ArcGIS. Based on the soil test report spatial variation of soil texture, soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, and potassium of the study area was prepared. The majority of the study area (57.11%) has sandy clay soils. The soil pH was very strongly acidic to slightly alkaline with pH values ranging from 4.8 to 8.0. Soil organic matter (1.94-3.75%), total nitrogen (0.097-0.187%), available phosphorous(51.03-270.10 kgha-1), and available potassium (169.87-358.68 kgha-1) in the soil are within the range of medium to high in the study area. To maintain this nutrient status, the use of organic manure, reduced use of chemical fertilizers, and different soil management practices should be adopted in this area.
América Latina por uma epistemologia decolonial da comunicação
Authors: Dias Bruno Santos Nascimento
Published: January 2021

Este ensaio procura refletir sobre possíveis caminhos para outras formas de se pensar a comunicação como fenômeno social, ou seja, o que é comunicação e quais são as referências para entendê-la. Considerando que este é um campo de estudo orientado pelos paradigmas das ciências sociais ocidentais, propõe-se uma abordagem tomando como referência as periferias e os limites do pensamento comunicacional contemporâneo, especialmente da América Latina. Para isso, ancoramo-nos na visão crítica proposta pela rede Modernidade/Colonialidade e no Giro Decolonial, que, como resultado dos debates pós-coloniais e com a herança do pensamento crítico latino-americano do século XX, puseram em marcha um movimento de resistência - teórico e político, mas também prático e epistemológico - para desconstruir os paradigmas da modernidade/colonialidade. Portanto, buscamos, na perspectiva da comunicação, apontar caminhos de reflexão a partir de uma revisão teórica/conceitual e em articulação com propostas contra-hegemônicas já existentes, tanto na história do pensamento comunicacional latino-americano quanto em debates recentes sobre o campo nesta região.
‘One Harmonious Body’
Authors: Kirkland N . Bryant
Published: January 2021

This paper examines aspects of Dionysius of Halicarnassus’s reception of Herodotus, including his use of ethnographic polarity and his assessment of Herodotean scope and unity, to argue that Dionysius’s adulation of Herodotus is related to his own articulation of nascent Roman imperialism. In particular, Dionysius’s response to Herodotus’s variegated but monolithic narrative is connected to a rhetoric of empire germane to his own interests as a critic and historian. I first recall some contours of Dionysius’s admiration of Herodotus and the consistency of purpose expressed across Dionysius’s corpus, before analyzing his ethnographic spin on Roman history. Later, Dionysius’s use in On Demosthenes of a speech by Xerxes is read as reinforcing some of the imperial themes of his own work, including the emphasis on a global rhetoric that replays the Greek repulse of a barbarian foe.
Continuous Time and Instantaneous Speed in the Works of William Heytesbury and Richard Swineshead
Authors: Podkoński Robert
Published: January 2021

The term ‘instantaneous speed’ that appears explicitly in the works of famous Oxford fourteenth-century natural philosophers, William Heytesbury and Richard Swineshead (nicknamed The Calculator), seems odd in the context of the then accepted Aristotelian worldview for at least two reasons. First, Aristotle himself stated unambiguously that no motion can occur in an instant. Second, after fourteenth-century atomism was rejected, the majority of thinkers denied the existence of instants, understood as indivisibles. Nevertheless, both Oxford philosophers describe instantaneous speed, also in the context of the mean-speed theorem, in a way that allowed them to preserve the continuity of time. This description may seem similar to the one formulated by Newtonians in the seventeenth century, but is so only superficially, however, as their backgrounds and contexts were different.
Morphology of pollen in Apiales (Asterids, Eudicots)

Authors: BACZYŃSKI JAKUB , MIŁOBĘDZKA ALEKSANDRA , BANASIAK ŁUKASZ
Published: January 2021

In this monograph, for the first time, the pollen morphology was analysed in the context of modern taxonomic treatment of the order and statistically evaluated in search of traits that could be utilised in further taxonomic and evolutionary studies. Our research included pollen sampled from 417 herbarium specimens representing 158 species belonging to 125 genera distributed among all major lineages of Apiales. The pollen was mechanically isolated, acetolysed, suspended in pure glycerine and mounted on paraffin-sealed slides for light microscopy investigation.         Although most of the analysed traits were highly homoplastic and showed significant overlap even between distantly related lineages, we were able to construct a taxonomic key based on characters that bear the strongest phylogenetic signal: P/E ratio, mesocolpium shape observed in polar view and ectocolpus length relative to polar diameter. All the investigated traits are easy to observe with light microscopy and defined by clear and well-documented typology.                Early diverging lineages of Apiales constitute a distinct group due to subprolate pollen grains (P/E ratio < 1.25). Among four subfamilies of Apiaceae, Mackinlayoideae can be easily identified based on a combination of traits shared with Klotzschia and Platysace—enigmatic umbllifers with highly uncertain phylogenetic position. Pollen of Azorelloideae is much more diverse but retains many plesiomorphic traits found in early-diverging Apioideae. In contrast, Saniculoideae and most representatives of Apioideae are characterised by evolutionary advanced morphology (perprolate pollen grains with relatively short ectocolpus and bone-shaped outline in colpus view). However, it remains unclear whether similarities between Saniculoideae and higher apioids are an example of convergent evolution or reflect common ancestry. Pollen of Hermas shows a unique combination of traits some of which are typical for Azorelloideae while others resemble Saniculoideae.
A revision of Hierochloe sect. Monoecia (Anthoxanthinae, Pooideae, Poaceae)
Authors: LEMA-SUÁREZ IRENE , SAHUQUILLO ELVIRA , PIMENTEL MANUEL
Published: January 2021

We propose a new taxonomic arrangement for the South American species of Hierochloe sect. Monoecia, based on a recently published study combining morphological, molecular and cytological data. Only four out of the eight commonly accepted species of this section (H. pusilla, H. juncifolia, H. quebrada and H. redolens pro parte) are recognised using both phylogenetic (apomorphic) and phenetic species concepts. The four remaining species (H. altissima, H. gunckelii, H. spicata and H. utriculata) are reduced to varieties of the widespread H. redolens due to weak molecular, macro- and micromorphological differentiation. These varieties are presented here as new taxonomical combinations: H. redolens var. gunckelii, H. redolens var. spicata, H. redolens var. utriculata and H. redolens var. altissima. Lectotypes are designated for the names H. pusilla, H. juncifolia, H. redolens var. utriculata, and H. redolens var. altissima.