bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Validity of Perceived Recovery Status as a Marker of Daily Recovery Following a High-Volume Back-Squat Protocol
Authors: Tolusso Danilo V. , Dobbs Ward C. , MacDonald Haley V. , Winchester Lee J. , Laurent C. Matthew , Fedewa Michael V. , Esco Michael R.
Published: March 2022

Although a variety of tools to monitor recovery have been developed, many are impractical for daily use due to cost, time, and challenges with interpretation. The Perceived Recovery Status (PRS) scale was recently developed as an expeditious, noninvasive tool to assess recovery status. While PRS has been strongly associated with repeated sprinting performance, a paucity of research exists relating PRS and performance recovery following resistance exercise. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of PRS as a subjective marker of recovery up to 72 hours after a high-volume back-squat protocol. Methods: Eleven resistance-trained men reported to the laboratory on 5 separate occasions (1 familiarization session and 4 testing sessions). The first testing session was considered the baseline session and consisted of a nonfatiguing performance assessment (ie, countermovement jumps and back squats) and a fatiguing back-squat protocol of 8 sets of 10 at 70% 1-repetition maximum separated by 2 minutes of recovery. Participants returned 24, 48, and 72 hours following baseline to provide a PRS rating and complete the performance assessment. Results: Repeated-measures correlations revealed strong associations between PRS countermovement jump (r = .84) and mean bar velocity (r = .80) (both P < .001). Conclusions: The current findings suggest that PRS can be used as a method to effectively assess daily recovery following a fatiguing bout of resistance exercise. Practitioners are cautioned that the relationship between PRS and performance recovery is individualized, and equivalent PRS scores between individuals are not indicative of similar recovery.
The Critical Role of Environmental Synergies in the Creation of Bionanohybrid Microbes
Authors: Barnes Robert J. , Voegtlin Stephen P. , Hubert Casey R. J. , Larter Stephen R. , Bryant Steven L.
Published: March 2022

Some bacteria can produce nanoscale-sized particles, which remain attached to the surface of the organism. The surface association of these nanoparticles creates a new mode of interaction between the microbe’s environment and its internal cellular function, giving rise to a new hybrid lifeform, a biological nanoparticle hybrid (bionanohybrid).
Immunity to SARS-CoV-2: What Do We Know and Should We Be Testing for It?
Authors: Misra Anisha , Theel Elitza S.
Published: March 2022

Preexisting immunity to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was nonexistent in humans, which coupled with high transmission rates of certain SARS-CoV-2 variants and limited vaccine uptake or availability, has collectively resulted in an ongoing global pandemic. The identification and establishment of one or multiple correlates of protection (CoP) against infectious pathogens is challenging, but beneficial from both the patient care and public health perspectives.
The Plant Defense Signal Salicylic Acid Activates the RpfB-Dependent Quorum Sensing Signal Turnover via Altering the Culture and Cytoplasmic pH in the Phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris
Authors: Song Kai , Chen Bo , Cui Ying , Zhou Lian , Chan Kok-Gan , Zhang Hong-Yan , He Ya-Wen
Published: March 2022

SA is a phenolic acid plant hormone that plays an essential role in plant defenses against biotrophic and semibiotrophic pathogens. Substantial progress has been made in understanding the pivotal role of SA in plant immunity.
Nutritional Modulation of Gut Microbiota Alleviates Severe Gastrointestinal Symptoms in a Patient with Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
Authors: Wang Ying , Wu Guojun , Zhao Liping , Wang Weizheng
Published: March 2022

It has become evident that the care of patients with COVID-19 does not end at the time of negative SARS-CoV-2 detection, as the number of patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome increases with an ever-increasing total infected patient population. This case report shows the possibility of alleviating the gastrointestinal symptoms of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome via microbiota-targeted nutritional intervention.
Complete Genome Sequences of Three Staphylococcus haemolyticus Strains Isolated from the Lung of a TGFβ1 Transgenic Mouse with Lung Fibrosis
Authors: Abdel-Hamid Ahmed M. , D’Alessandro-Gabazza Corina N. , Yasuma Taro , Walden Kimberly K. O. , Fields Christopher J. , Gabazza Esteban C. , Cann Isaac
Published: March 2022

We report here the complete genome sequences of three
Staphylococcus haemolyticus
strains isolated from a mouse fibrotic lung tissue and exhibiting proapoptotic activity on human lung alveolar epithelial cells. The genomes were obtained from a combination of Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing.
Host Traits and Phylogeny Contribute to Shaping Coral-Bacterial Symbioses
Authors: Ricci Francesco , Tandon Kshitij , Black Jay R. , Lê Cao Kim-Anh , Blackall Linda L. , Verbruggen Heroen
Published: March 2022

The rapid decline of coral reefs, driven by climate changes, calls for manipulative interventions such as the use of probiotics, which can assist the resilience of these ecosystems.
Effects of Long-Term Enclosed Environment on Human Health Based on the Analysis of Salivary Microbiota and Cytokines
Authors: Hao Zikai , Zhu Yinzhen , Fu Yuming , Yang Jianlou , Meng Chen , Dong Chen , Liu Hong
Published: March 2022

Long-term exposure to space environments may influence the human microbiome, the human immune system, and the intricate balance between the two, causing impaired immunity and increased disease susceptibility. It was previously believed that the main potential factors of long-term spaceflight on human health were microgravity and radiation.
Diagnostic Value of a SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Test Kit for Detection of Neutralizing Antibodies as a Point-of-Care Surveillance Test
Authors: Chan Michele Mun Hei , Leung Ka-Yi , Zhang Ricky Rui Qi , Liu Danlei , Fan Yujing , Khong Matthew Ka Wa , Tam Anthony R. , Chen Honglin , Yuen Kwok-Yung , Hung Ivan F. N. , Chan Kwok-Hung
Published: March 2022

In the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, antibody tests play an increasingly important role in detecting previous infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and monitoring of response to vaccinations. In particular, neutralizing antibodies have recently been demonstrated to be highly predictive of immune protection against symptomatic infection.
Correlation between Identification of β-Lactamase Resistance Genes and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles in Gram-Negative Bacteria: a Laboratory Data Analysis
Authors: Mushtaq Ammara , Chasan Rachel , Nowak Michael D. , Rana Meenakshi , Ilyas Sahrish , Paniz-Mondolfi Alberto E. , Sordillo Emilia M. , Patel Gopi , Gitman Melissa R.
Published: March 2022

There is limited literature on corresponding results obtained from rapid molecular diagnostics with the antibiotic susceptibility profile. We reported a correlation between the results obtained from ePlex and the antibiograms against a large collection of Gram-negative bacteria. We reported that there can be a discrepancy in a small number of cases, but the clinical significance of that is unknown.
Correlation Analysis between Gut Microbiota Alterations and the Cytokine Response in Patients with Coronavirus Disease during Hospitalization
Authors: Mizutani Taketoshi , Ishizaka Aya , Koga Michiko , Ikeuchi Kazuhiko , Saito Makoto , Adachi Eisuke , Yamayoshi Seiya , Iwatsuki-Horimoto Kiyoko , Yasuhara Atsuhiro , Kiyono Hiroshi , Matano Tetsuro , Suzuki Yutaka , Tsutsumi Takeya , Kawaoka Yoshihiro , Yotsuyanagi Hiroshi
Published: March 2022

There is growing evidence that the commensal microbiota of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts regulates local and systemic inflammation (gut-lung axis). COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease, but the involvement of microbiota changes in the pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear.
Breast metastases of eccrine porocarcinoma
Authors: Pinto Joana Ferreira , Vasconcelos Maria Antonia , Marques Rita Cana , Chumbo Mauricio
Published: March 2022

Eccrine porocarcinoma is a rare skin adnexal malignant neoplasm that may arise from a pre-existing benign eccrine poroma or without a predisposing factor. It is a highly invasive neoplasm and has a strong metastatic potential. The most frequently affected organs are the lymph nodes and rarely solid organs such as the liver, lungs and breast. We report a case of a woman with a history of surgically treated eccrine porocarcinoma that a year later presented with multiple lesions in both breasts and axillary lymphadenopathies. After a detailed imaging investigation, the diagnosis of metastatic lesions from porocarcinoma was made. To our knowledge, until the moment, only one case of breast metastasis of eccrine porocarcinoma has been reported in the literature.
Caring in the silences: why physicians and surgeons do not discuss emergency care and treatment planning with their patients — an analysis of hospital-based ethnographic case studies in England
Authors: Eli Karin , Hawkes Claire , Perkins Gavin D , Slowther Anne-Marie , Griffiths Frances
Published: March 2022

Background

Despite increasing emphasis on integrating emergency care and treatment planning (ECTP) into routine medical practice, clinicians continue to delay or avoid ECTP conversations with patients. However, little is known about the clinical logics underlying barriers to ECTP conversations.

Objective

This study aims to develop an ethnographic account of how and why clinicians defer and avoid ECTP conversations, and how they rationalise these decisions as they happen.

Design

A multisited ethnographic study.

Setting

Medical, orthopaedic and surgical wards in hospitals within four acute National Health Service trusts in England.

Participants

Thirty-four doctors were formally observed and 32 formally interviewed. Following an ethnographic case study approach, six cases were selected for in-depth analysis.

Analysis

Fieldnote data were triangulated with interview data, to develop a ‘thick description’ of each case. Using a conceptual framework of care, the analysis highlighted the clinical logics underlying these cases.

Results

The deferral or avoidance of ECTP conversations was driven by concerns over caring well, with clinicians attempting to optimise both medical and bedside practice. Conducting an ECTP conversation carefully meant attending to patients’ and relatives’ emotions and committing sufficient time for an in-depth discussion. However, conversation plans were often disrupted by issues related to timing and time constraints, leading doctors to defer these conversations, sometimes indefinitely. Additionally, whereas surgeons and geriatricians deferred conversations because they did not have the time to offer detailed discussions, emergency and acute medicine clinicians deferred conversations because the high-turnover ward environment, combined with patients’ acute conditions, meant triaging conversations to those most in need.

Conclusion

Overcoming barriers to ECTP conversations is not simply a matter of enhancing training or hospital policies, but of promoting good conversational practices that take into account the affordances of hospital time and space, as well as clinicians’ understandings of caring well.
Long COVID and episodic disability: advancing the conceptualisation, measurement and knowledge of episodic disability among people living with Long COVID – protocol for a mixed-methods study
Authors: O'Brien Kelly K , Brown Darren A , Bergin Colm , Erlandson Kristine M , Vera Jaime H , Avery Lisa , Carusone Soo Chan , Cheung Angela M , Goulding Susie , Harding Richard , McCorkell Lisa , O'Hara Margaret , Robinson Larry , Thomson Catherine , Wei Hannah , St Clair-Sullivan Natalie , Torres Brittany , Bannan Ciaran , Roche Niamh , Stokes Ruth , Gayle Patriic , Solomon Patricia
Published: March 2022

Introduction

As the prevalence of Long COVID increases, there is a critical need for a comprehensive assessment of disability. Our aims are to: (1) characterise disability experiences among people living with Long COVID in Canada, UK, USA and Ireland; and (2) develop a patient-reported outcome measure to assess the presence, severity and episodic nature of disability with Long COVID.

Methods and analysis

In phase 1, we will conduct semistructured interviews with adults living with Long COVID to explore experiences of disability (dimensions, uncertainty, trajectories, influencing contextual factors) and establish an episodic disability (ED) framework in the context of Long COVID (n~10 each country). Using the conceptual framework, we will establish the Long COVID Episodic Disability Questionnaire (EDQ). In phase 2, we will examine the validity (construct, structural) and reliability (internal consistency, test–retest) of the EDQ for use in Long COVID. We will electronically administer the EDQ and four health status criterion measures with adults living with Long COVID, and readminister the EDQ 1 week later (n~170 each country). We will use Rasch analysis to refine the EDQ, and confirm structural and cross-cultural validity. We will calculate Cronbach’s alphas (internal consistency reliability), and intraclass correlation coefficients (test–retest reliability), and examine correlations for hypotheses theorising relationships between EDQ and criterion measure scores (construct validity). Using phase 2 data, we will characterise the profile of disability using structural equation modelling techniques to examine relationships between dimensions of disability and the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic contextual factors. This research involves an academic–clinical–community partnership building on foundational work in ED measurement, Long COVID and rehabilitation.

Ethics and dissemination

This study was approved by the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board. Knowledge translation will occur with community collaborators in the form of presentations and publications in open access peer-reviewed journals and presentations.
Immunotherapy combining tumor and endothelium cell lysis with immune enforcement by recombinant MIP-3α Newcastle disease virus in a vessel-targeting liposome enhances antitumor immunity
Authors: Wang Jin-Yan , Chen Hengyu , Dai Shu-Zhen , Huang Feng-Ying , Lin Ying-Ying , Wang Cai-Chun , Li Lei , Zheng Wu-Ping , Tan Guang-Hong
Published: March 2022

Background

Several agents for oncolytic immunotherapy have been approved for clinical use, but monotherapy is modest for most oncolytic agents. The combination of several therapeutic strategies through recombinant and nanotechnology to engineer multifunctional oncolytic viruses for oncolytic immunotherapy is a promising strategy.

Methods

An endothelium-targeting iRGD-liposome encapsulating a recombinant Newcastle disease virus (NDV), which expresses the dendritic cell (DC) chemokine MIP-3α (iNDV3α-LP), and three control liposomes were constructed. MIP-3α, HMGB1, IgG, and ATP were detected by western blotting or ELISA. The chemotaxis of DCs was examined by Transwell chambers. The phenotypes of the immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The antitumor efficiency was investigated in B16 and 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the localization of liposomes, molecular expression and angiogenesis. Synergistic index was calculated using the data of tumor volume, tumor angiogenesis and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

Results

Compared with NDV-LP, treatment with iNDV3α-LP and NDV3α-LP induced stronger virus replication and cell lysis in B16 and 4T1 tumor cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with the best response observed following iNDV3α-LP treatment. B16 and 4T1 cells treated with iNDV3α-LP produced more damage-associated molecular pattern molecules, including secreted HMGB1, ATP, and calreticulin. Moreover, iNDV3α-LP specifically bound to αvβ3-expressing 4T1 cells and HUVECs and to tumor neovasculature. Tumor growth was significantly suppressed, and survival was longer in iNDV3α-LP-treated B16-bearing and 4T1-bearing mice. A mechanism study showed that iNDV3α-LP treatment initiated the strongest tumor-specific cellular and humoral immune response. Moreover, iNDV3α-LP treatment could significantly suppress tumor angiogenesis and reverse the tumor immune suppressive microenvironment in both B16-bearing and 4T1-bearing mice.

Conclusions

In this study, iNDV3α-LP had several functions, such as tumor and vessel lysis, MIP-3α immunotherapy, and binding to αvβ3-expressing tumor and its neovasculature. iNDV3α-LP treatment significantly suppressed tumor angiogenesis and reversed the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. These findings offer a strong rationale for further clinical investigation into a combination strategy for oncolytic immunotherapy, such as the formulation iNDV3α-LP in this study.
Drivers of non-zero physician global scores during periods of inactive disease in juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors: Alongi Alessandra , Giancane Gabriella , Naddei Roberta , Natoli Valentina , Ridella Francesca , Burrone Marco , Rosina Silvia , Chedeville Gaelle , Alexeeva Ekaterina , Horneff Gerd , Foeldvari Ivan , Filocamo Giovanni , Constantin Tamàs , Ruperto Nicolino , Ravelli Angelo , Consolaro Alessandro
Published: March 2022

Objective

To investigate the frequency in which the physician provides a global assessment of disease activity (PhGA) >0 and an active joint count (AJC)=0 in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and search for determinants of divergence between the two measures.

Methods

Data were extracted from a multinational cross-sectional dataset of 9966 patients who had JIA by International League of Associations for Rheumatology criteria, were recruited between 2011 and 2016, and had both PhGA and AJC recorded by the caring paediatric rheumatologist at the study visit. Determinants of discordance between PhGA>0 and AJC=0 were searched for by multivariable logistic regression and dominance analyses.

Results

The PhGA was scored >0 in 1647 (32.3%) of 5103 patients who had an AJC of 0. Independent associations with discordant assessment were identified for tender or restricted joint count >0, history of enthesitis, presence of active uveitis or systemic features, enthesitis-related or systemic arthritis, increased acute phase reactants, pain visual analogue scale (VAS)>0, and impaired physical or psychosocial well-being. In dominance analysis, tender joint count accounted for 35.43% of PhGA variance, followed by pain VAS>0 (17.72%), restricted joint count >0 (16.14%) and physical health score >0 (11.42%).

Conclusion

We found that many paediatric rheumatologists did not mark a score of 0 for patients who they found not to have active joints. The presence of pain in joints not meeting the definition of active joint used in JIA was the main determinant of this phenomenon.
Towards quarkonium formation time determination
Authors: Ferreiro E. G. , Fleuret F. , Maurice E.
Published: March 2022

We propose a parametrization of the nuclear absorption mechanism relying on the proper time spent by $${c} {{{\overline{{c}}}}} $$

c

c
¯

bound states travelling in nuclear matter. Our approach could lead to the extraction of charmonium formation time. It is based on a large amount of proton-nucleus data, from nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energies $${\sqrt{s_{NN}}} =27{\mathrm {\,Ge V}} $$

s

NN

=
27

Ge
V

to $${\sqrt{s_{NN}}} =5.02{\mathrm {\,Te V}} $$

s

NN

=
5.02

Te
V

, collected in the past 30 years, and for which the main effect on charmonium production must be its absorption by the nuclear matter it crosses.
Single- and two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy in rare gases for gridded ion thruster diagnostics
Authors: Eichhorn Christoph , Pietzonka Lukas , Scholze Frank , Bundesmann Carsten , Spemann Daniel , Neumann Horst , Leiter Hans J.
Published: March 2022

Methods based on laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy are widely used for spatially resolved non-intrusive diagnostics of atomic or molecular densities and velocity distributions in plasma applications. With regard to electric space propulsion, one focus is on the investigation of rare gases such as xenon or krypton, which are currently the favored propellants in gridded ion- and Hall-effect thrusters. For gridded ion engines, diagnostics of neutral atoms is of interest since charge-exchange processes between neutrals and ions are the main driver of accelerator grid erosion, which limits the lifetime of a gridded ion thruster. Extending the capabilities of the advanced electric propulsion diagnostics platform which has been developed by the IOM and partners, single- and two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence diagnostics have been set-up recently at our institute. Both experimental set-ups, and as a series of first applications, measurements of krypton neutrals in the plume of the radiofrequency ion thruster RIT-10 (ArianeGroup GmbH), and xenon neutrals within the discharge chamber of a gridded radiofrequency ion source developed at IOM, are presented.
Novel Leakage Detection Method by Improved Adaptive Filtering and Pattern Recognition based on Acoustic Waves
Authors: Chi Zhaozhao , Jiang Juncheng , Diao Xu , Chen Qiang , Ni Lei , Wang Zhirong , Shen Guodong
Published: March 2022

Pipeline leakages have plagued pipeline transportation for long time. Therefore, accurately extracting the features of leak signal in the presence of noise, and prompt identification of leak states and leak sizes is essential when leakage occurs. A novel leakage detection method based on the improved adaptive filter, whose parameters were optimized by the particle swarm optimization (PSO), was formulated and applied. The PSO-adaptive filter proved to be an effective signal processing method in contrast with variational mode decomposition (VMD). Its efficiency stems from the fact that the adaptive filter employs the noise collected from the detection environment. Therefore, the filter can adjust its parameters according to the changing situation. What is more, the application of PSO is conducive to automatically set suitable parameters for adaptive filter. After signal denoising, principal component analysis (PCA) was used for feature dimension reduction and selecting optimal features. The features after PCA proved to be more helpful in pattern recognition than the features without PCA. Furthermore, the relationship between the recognition results of leakage sizes and the measurement distance of the sensor was studied. Experimental results show that the method used in this paper can identify the leakage states with the accuracy of 100%. The identification result of leakage size reaches an accuracy of 86.75% under the influence of the measurement distance.
Passive Suppression of Resonance Vibrations of a Plate and Parallel Plates Assembly, Interacting with a Fluid
Authors: Iurlov Maksim A. , Kamenskikh Alexander O. , Lekomtsev Sergey V. , Matveenko Valerii P.
Published: March 2022

We present the results of a series of experiments, which study the effect of the fluid layer height, viscosity and free surface waves on the vibration damping of a thin rectangular plates interacting with a fluid. The suppression technique is based on the shunt circuit connected to the piezoelectric elements. The possibility of using the previously proposed mathematical formulation and approach for calculating the optimal values of the parameters of a RL-circuit in systems with hydrodynamic dissipation is estimated. The experimental results presented confirm its reliability. It has been demonstrated that the efficiency of vibration damping of a single plate structure changes insignificantly with increasing height of the fluid layer except for some interval. At a small amount of the liquid, the waves on its free surface disturb the piezoelectric element reducing its efficiency. Using as an example an assembly of two parallel plates damping of “in-phase” and “out-of-phase” modes has been shown using one location of piezoelement.
Modern financial constituency instruments as market economic performance determinants
Authors: Khan Yousaf Ali , Ahmad Muneeb
Published: March 2022

The legitimacy of usual accounting approaches for measuring and analyzing company financial results has been questioned. Scholars have suggested current financial realization metrics, but their implication is motionless being investigated with beneficiaries. The research would use Generalized Least Squares (GLS) regression to determine the effect of three modern financial ward measures: Economic Value Added (EVA), Refined Economic Value Added (REVA), EVA momentum on positive fiscal results as measured by Return on Assets (ROA). This paper likewise expects to add to the progressing banter among specialists through utilizing the characteristics of the financial assessment added-based amount by the uppermost informative force material to fixed economic outcomes through a family member and steady information quality analysis. The account business information accumulated for organizations was recorded on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange from 2010 to 2019. The quantifiable collection E-views version-10 is utilized to play out the factual strategies. According to the findings, all value-added economic indicators substantially affected the company’s financial results. Additionally, REVA was the most successful economic measure for enhancing and justifying financial results.
Facilitating Virtual Conferences: Reflections and Lessons Learned in Two Global Communities
Authors: Porwol Lukasz , Metcalf Sara S. , Morrison J. Bradley , Chun Soon Ae , Luna-Reyes Luis Felipe
Published: March 2022

This commentary is intended to share the authors’ experiences in organizing and running two conferences fully online due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. We elicit key observations from these experiences and elaborate upon salient properties of the virtual mode of delivery in comparison to in-person events. We use a novel theoretical framework that combines principles of Dialogue and communication affordances of Virtual Reality to structure our discussion and align it with principles of effective online communication. We highlight the challenges and the benefits of virtual conferencing, also considering these prospects in the context of possible hybrid solutions that must adapt to the fast-changing socio-technical reality of our global communities.
A Critical and Ethical Perspective on Governance and Policies during COVID-19 Pandemic in India
Authors: Kumar Sachin
Published: March 2022

COVID-19, a pandemic has disrupted the lives of citizens across the globe causing irreparable loss of lives, the collapse of socio-economic systems, leading to extreme levels of unemployment. COVID-19 with close to 4.4 lakh deaths, has caused loss of life, human hardship, and extreme burden on health infrastructure and human resources. It has also caused unprecedented challenging times for the governance systems. Consequently, to contain the situation and save human lives, governments all over the world have exercised several measures including lockdown, social distancing, wearing masks mandatorily, improving health facilities, funding the research for vaccine development, and so on. As the result of these actions and adopted strategies, comparatively, some countries, such as Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Vietnam, were able to contain the spread of the virus and reduce the human and social and economic losses to the country. On the other hand, countries like India, Brazil, and the United States have been still struggling with the COVID-19 and its wide-ranging socio-economic, political, and psychological implications. This article is an attempt to critically and ethically analyse the responses of the government and public authorities to the COVID-19 pandemic scenario and draws some important lessons from them within the ethical framework. This article also discusses necessary future policy, ethical actions, and decision making.
Algorithm 1024: Spherical Triangle Algorithm: A Fast Oracle for Convex Hull Membership Queries
Authors: Kalantari Bahman , Zhang Yikai
Published: March 2022

The
Convex Hull Membership
(CHM) tests whether

\( p \in conv(S) \)

, where
p
and the
n
points of
S
lie in

\( \mathbb { R}^m \)

. CHM finds applications in Linear Programming, Computational Geometry, and Machine Learning. The
Triangle Algorithm
(TA), previously developed, in

\( O(1/\varepsilon ^2) \)

iterations computes

\( p^{\prime } \in conv(S) \)

, either an

\( \varepsilon \)

-
approximate solution
, or a
witness
certifying

\( p \not\in conv(S) \)

. We first prove the equivalence of exact and approximate versions of CHM and
Spherical
-CHM, where

\( p=0 \)

and

\( \Vert v\Vert =1 \)

for each
v
in
S
. If for some

\( M \ge 1 \)

every non-witness with

\( \Vert p^{\prime }\Vert \gt \varepsilon \)

admits

\( v \in S \)

satisfying

\( \Vert p^{\prime } - v\Vert \ge \sqrt {1+\varepsilon /M} \)

, we prove the number of iterations improves to

\( O(M/\varepsilon) \)

and

\( M \le 1/\varepsilon \)

always holds. Equivalence of CHM and Spherical-CHM implies
Minimum Enclosing Ball
(MEB) algorithms can be modified to solve CHM. However, we prove

\( (1+ \varepsilon) \)

-approximation in MEB is

\( \Omega (\sqrt {\varepsilon }) \)

-approximation in Spherical-CHM. Thus, even

\( O(1/\varepsilon) \)

iteration MEB algorithms are not superior to Spherical-TA. Similar weakness is proved for MEB core sets. Spherical-TA also results a variant of the
All Vertex Triangle Algorithm
(AVTA) for computing all vertices of

\( conv(S) \)

. Substantial computations on distinct problems demonstrate that TA and Spherical-TA generally achieve superior efficiency over algorithms such as Frank–Wolfe, MEB, and LP-Solver.
Report from ACM MM 2018
Authors: García del Molino Ana
Published: March 2022

Seoul, what a beautiful place to host the premier conference on multimedia! Living in never-ending summer Singapore, I fell in love with the autumn colours of this city. The 26th edition of the ACM International Conference on Multimedia was held on October 22-26 of 2018 at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, South Korea. It packed a full program including a very diverse range of workshops and tutorials, oral and poster presentations, art exhibits, interactive demos, competitions, industrial booths, and plenty of networking opportunities.
Electrical Conductivity of GdCl3-Gd2O3 Molten System
Authors: Nikolaeva Elena V. , Zakiryanova Irina D. , Bovet Andrey L.
Published: March 2022

The electrical conductivity of GdCl3 chloride melts with the gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) additions ranging from 0 to 5 mol % was measured depending on both the temperature and concentration of Gd2O3. The obtained temperature dependencies can be approximated by Arrhenius-type equation. The calculated effective activation energy values of electrical conductivity increase with the increasing concentration of Gd2O3 above 2.5 mol %. A decrease in the electrical conductivity of the chloride melts when adding the gadolinium oxide according to the Raman spectra data can be explained by the presence of [OGd3Cln] oxychloride associates.
Kidney Development: Recent Insights from Technological Advances
Authors: Röck Ruth , Rizzo Ludovica , Lienkamp Soeren S.
Published: March 2022

The kidney is a complex organ, and how it forms is a fascinating process. New technologies, such as single-cell transcriptomics, and enhanced imaging modalities are offering new approaches to understand the complex and intertwined processes during embryonic kidney development.
Mixture of Toxic Metals and Volatile Organic Compounds in a River Induces Cytotoxicity
Authors: Estrada Andrés , García Wendy A. , Chavez Edith , Castelan Rosalia , Zayas María T. , Treviño Samuel , Diaz Alfonso , Handal Anabella
Published: March 2022

Pollution of aquatic ecosystems due to toxic mixtures is a worldwide problem associated with the increase of wastewater discharges that causes problems to human health and biodiversity. This study aims to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of water from the Atoyac River. Meristems of Allium cepa L. were exposed to water samples from the Atoyac River with different concentrations for 120 hours. Pearson correlation was used to investigate the relationship between contaminants and cytotoxicity. The results corroborated the cytotoxic effect of the mixture of agents such as toxic metals and volatile organic compounds found in all river sampling sites. The Allium cepa test showed decreased mitotic alterations in prophase and metaphase indices. There was a strong negative association between the concentration of toxic metals and volatile organic compounds and the cytotoxic effect. The observations of cytotoxic effects show that the contaminant mixture contains aneugenic agents which prevent the synthesis and fixation of fibers of the mitotic spindle to the kinetochore, which prevents the displacement of the chromosomes. This study shows the need to study the effects at the cellular and molecular level in heavily polluted rivers to prevent negative effects on exposed ecosystems and populations.
OCSR: Overlapped Cluster-Based Scalable Routing Approach for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs)
Authors: Pandey Pavan Kumar , Kansal Vineet , Swaroop Abhishek
Published: March 2022

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) are eminent class of mobile ad hoc networks due to their applications. However, mobility management and network scalability are still addressable problems in VANETs. In the current paper, a hierarchical approach has been designed for handling significantly large VANETs by providing better mobility management. The formation of multiple overlapped clusters from large VANETs using k-means algorithm is major characteristics of this approach. Additionally, an addressing architecture has been introduced using two data registers. The derived algorithm allows preparing an appropriate route between source and destination vehicles. Correctness and performance of the approach have been discussed.
Exploring Links between Online Activism and Real-World Events: A Case Study of the #FeesMustFall
Authors: Khan Yaseen , Thakur Surendra , Obiyemi Obiseye , Adetiba Emmanuel
Published: March 2022

The declaration of free education for the poor and working class by the South African government remains a key result of the two-year #FeesMustFall movement. The campaign was tainted by a few heinous incidents that sought to disrupt its objectives. This study examines the connections between online activism and real-world occurrences by undertaking a longitudinal sentiment analysis of textual conversations on the Twitter platform since no quantitative research has been documented in this regard, particularly on the opinions of social media users and their associated impacts. Between October 15, 2015, and April 10, 2017, 576,583 tweets with the hashtag campaign #FeesMustFall were collected and analyzed using the Valence Aware Dictionary Sentiment Reasoner (VADER). The change point analysis (CPA) method was used to detect various changes in the dataset, and the cumulative sum analysis (CUSUM) method was used to discover changes over time. Results revealed that this online activism sentiment reacted to and reflected real-life events. The sentiment expressed is triangulated with a perceived real-life negative event, which is the burning of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) hall and the library at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), thus confirming how Internet activism influenced these real-world events during the #FeesMustFall campaign. The study makes a significant contribution because it is the first longitudinal examination of the #FeesMustFall campaign’s sentiment distribution and variations.
Effects of Different Target Solar Fractions on Providing Heat Required for Space Heating, Sanitary Hot Water, and Swimming Pool in Iran: A Case Study in Cold Climate
Authors: Saberi Shahmarvandi Nastaran , Shahrokh Ghahfarokhi Fateme , Delshad Chermahini Zahra , Faramarzi Atefeh , Raisi Alireza , Alayi Reza , Tahmasebi Ahmad
Published: March 2022

Due to limited fossil fuel resources, population growth, and the need to save energy and prevent the emission of pollutants, solar heating is of great importance as a strategic solution. Due to these cases, in the present work, for the first time, the use of flat plate solar water heaters (SWHs) in Shahrekord located in the cold climate of Iran has been studied. The aim is to supply heating for space, sanitary hot water, and swimming pool of a residential apartment. Also, technical-economic-energy-environmental analyses have been done. Three low, medium, and high solar fraction scenarios have been selected for evaluations, and one-year dynamic analysis has been performed by TSOL 2018 commercial software. The required climatic data have been extracted by Meteonorm 7.3 software. The results showed that in most cases of heat supply, i.e., high solar fraction scenario, the percentage of solar heat supply for sanitary hot water, space heating, and swimming pool is 97.8%, 22.3%, and 44.3%, respectively, and the total solar fraction is 41%. Also, in this case, the release of more than 4 tons of CO2 pollutants has been prevented. Energy balance diagrams for different scenarios showed that 60% of losses are optical and thermal and also the highest rate of losses was related to the swimming pool. The lowest cost of heat generated and the lowest payback time were $ 0.028/kWh and 11.4 years, respectively, which were related to the high solar fraction scenario.
Effect of Sorghum Mulches on Emergence and Seedling Growth of Beggarticks, Goose Grass, and Sesame
Authors: Murimwa Juliet Chengetai , Rugare Joyful Tatenda , Mabasa Stanford , Mandumbu Ronald
Published: March 2022

Rotation of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) with sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in drought prone areas of Zimbabwe has raised concerns on whether these two crops are compatible in the rotational system. This is because sorghum is known to exhibit strong allelopathic effects on both crop and weed species. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to assess the effect of soil incorporated sorghum residues on the emergence and seedling growth of sesame and weeds. The emergence and early seedling growth of sesame and the weed significantlyp<0.05increased with increases in the amount of soil incorporated sorghum residues. Incorporating 27.7 g of the ground sorghum herbage caused a stimulatory effect on the emergence and early seedling growth of the test species. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed the presence of 6 probable allelochemicals in sorghum residues, namely, 4-methylaminobutyrate, C16 sphinganine, oleamide, tauroursdeoxycholic acid, pisatin, and anhalonidine. From this study, it can be concluded that dry sorghum residues do not have an inhibitory effect on sesame emergence and growth at mulch rates that retard emergence and growth of weeds.
Innovation Facilitated by Universities: Balancing Enterprise and Regional Demands
Authors: Wang Qi , Zhang Ling-Na , Lian Qi
Published: March 2022

Innovation constitutes an important output of education. With the differences in the two‐dimensional cooperation between universities, the government, and enterprises in the mode featuring “triple helix” as a starting point, this article has compared the features of the influence of differences in the quality of higher education on enterprise and regional innovation by adopting the data of listed companies and provincial‐level macro‐statistical data from 2013 to 2020 to construct the count panel data model. The research has proved that the “inverted U” feature is presented between the range of quality among universities and the level of innovation output. However, the coefficient of the differences in quality between universities in relation to the optimal innovation output of enterprises is higher than that of regional innovation output. That is to say, differences are existent in the differences in the path of the influence of the differences in quality between universities with respect to entrepreneurship and national innovation. To some extent, this research result explains the reason why the country has cultivated a large number of talents but is still faced with the situation characterized by the lack of talents related to the so‐called crucial technologies. Therefore, on the basis of guaranteeing the basic operation rules of higher education, it is necessary for the third‐party institutions to provide differentiated higher education information for enterprises and countries (regions) to realize the unity of the classification of schools in education and the signal of market‐element allocation. Moreover, university alliances should be established so that the innovation demands based on enterprises and regions can be met through the transmission of information between universities so as to prevent universities from becoming tools for helping enterprises maximize their profits or for the government to pursue educational achievements.
Exploration on Signal Processing Performance of Wireless Sensor in Electromagnetic Interference Environment
Authors: Yi Zhuorui , Gu Tao , Ma Qing
Published: March 2022

In order to deeply analyze the performance of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) on wireless sensor Signal Processing (SP), this paper first examines the influencing factors of wireless sensor SP performance based on the relevant theories of EMF and wireless sensor. Then, it discusses the influence of EMF on wireless sensor information Transmission and Reception (T & R) time, Package Reception Rate (PRR), and communication throughput. Furthermore, the Packet Loss Rate (PLR) and Bit Error Rate (BER) of the sensor are described, and finally, a conclusion is drawn. The research findings are as follows. This paper makes a statistical study on whether the wireless sensor is disturbed by EMI from three aspects (wireless sensor’s information T & R time, PLR, and communication throughput). In any case, EMF will prolong the wireless sensor’s information T & R time and reduce the PRR and communication throughput. When the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is set to 5 m, the change of field intensity at the transmitter significantly impacts the BER but has little impact on the PLR. However, when the field intensity of the transmitter and the receiver is the same, PLR and BER show no evident difference. Therefore, this paper studies the SP performance of the wireless sensor in the EMI environment, which provides an excellent reference significance for the rapid development of wireless sensors in the future.
Formulation Design and Cell Cytotoxicity of Curcumin-Loaded Liposomal Solid Gels for Anti-Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Yusuf Helmy , Novitasari Erlyn K. D. D. , Purnami Ni L. W. , Mahbub Adhe W. , Sari Retno , Setyawan Dwi
Published: March 2022

Backgrounds. Curcumin (CUR) is a low-molecular-weight polyphenolic substance obtained from the tuber part of Curcuma species. Anti-inflammatory and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) activities have been associated with CUR. However, its poor aqueous solubility and low systemic bioavailability have been the challenges in improving the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin. Aim. The study aimed to produce CUR-loaded liposomal solid gels as anti-HCV delivery systems. Parameters including the physical characteristics and the cell cytotoxicity properties were evaluated. Methods. The freeze-drying technique was applied to manufacture the CUR-loaded liposomal solid gels. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were involved to reveal the characteristics of the solid gels. Such characteristics were as follows: the morphology and the microscopic structure of the solid gels, the crystallinity structure of the curcumin, and the thermal properties of the mixtures. Furthermore, their cell cytotoxicity was investigated using a Huh7it cell line. Results. The SEM images confirmed that curcumin liposomes were intact and trapped in the solid gel matrix. The XRD data showed flat patterns diffractograms of the formulations, confirming the transformation of CUR from crystalline to amorphous form. The DTA thermograms showed a single melting endothermic peak at a higher temperature around 200°C, indicating a single-phase transition of the mixtures. The XRD and DTA data revealed the molecular dispersion of CUR in the developed formulations. The cytotoxicity data provided as cell cytotoxicity 50 (CC50) for all formulations were ≥25 mg. These data confirmed that the developed liposomal solid gels were not cytotoxic to Huh7it cell line, indicating that the anti-HCV activity would be through a specific pathway and not by its toxicity. Conclusion. The CUR-loaded liposomal solid gels exhibited the potential and offered an alternative dosage form to improve the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin as an anti-HCV.
Diabetic Heart Failure with Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: Review of Current Pharmacotherapy
Authors: Benko Jakub , Samoš Matej , Bolek Tomáš , Prídavková Dana , Jurica Jakub , Péč Martin Jozef , Galajda Peter , Mokáň Marián
Published: March 2022

Diabetes is associated with several diabetic-related abnormalities which increase the risk of onset or worsening of heart failure. Recent studies showed that the majority of diabetic patients present with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and the prevalence of HFpEF in diabetics is alarming. Moreover, outcomes in HFpEF are poor and could be compared to those of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), with 1-year mortality ranging between 10 and 30%. In contrast to HFrEF, there is very limited evidence for pharmacologic therapy in symptomatic patients with preserved ejection fraction, and therefore, the optimal selection of treatment for diabetic HFpEF remains challenging. This narrative review article summarizes the currently available data on the pharmacological treatment of HFpEF in patients with diabetes.
Multiple Electroencephalogram Recordings for Monitoring the Evolution of Neurological Complications during Baclofen Withdrawal Syndrome
Authors: Scarpino Maenia , Lanzo Giovanni , Chelazzi Cosimo , Maiorelli Antonio , Bessi Valentina , Focardi Martina , Lolli Francesco , Grippo Antonello
Published: March 2022

Baclofen withdrawal syndrome represents a clinical emergency that can lead to life-threatening complications. It is often a diagnostic challenge because of its nonspecific nature of presentation and degree of symptom overlap with other clinical diseases. Electroencephalography (EEG) might provide important supporting evidence when neurological complications are involved. We present the case of a 55-year-old woman with sudden onset of motor manifestations at the limbs and an altered mental status 24 hours after cessation of intrathecal baclofen administration, following the removal of the pump due to infection, in whom a computed tomography did not show any acute-onset brain injuries, and multiple EEG recordings were performed. The first EEG showed the presence of bilateral sharply contoured waves, in the absence of epileptic discharges and seizures. No correlation between motor manifestations and EEG changes were detected. This EEG pattern was considered to be the expression of an overexcitation of the central nervous system (CNS) due to the loss of baclofen inhibitory effects, excluding an epileptic origin of motor manifestations. Another EEG, performed 24 hours later, showed the presence of triphasic waves with severe generalised slowing, suggesting the presence of encephalopathy. The last EEG, performed 48 hours after the previous recording, when a recovered state of consciousness was already present, showed regression of the triphasic waves and a reorganisation of the background activity. In our case, repeated EEG evaluation allowed monitoring the evolution of acute encephalopathy developed during baclofen withdrawal syndrome, from the initial phase of CNS hyperexcitability, through the phase of metabolic encephalopathy, and to its resolution. This modality allowed for optimising the diagnostic-therapeutic management of the patient during her stay in the intensive care unit.