bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Actor concurrency bugs: a comprehensive study on symptoms, root causes, API usages, and differences
Authors: Bagherzadeh Mehdi , Fireman Nicholas , Shawesh Anas , Khatchadourian Raffi
Published: November 2020

Actor concurrency is becoming increasingly important in the development of real-world software systems. Although actor concurrency may be less susceptible to some multithreaded concurrency bugs, such as low-level data races and deadlocks, it comes with its own bugs that may be different. However, the fundamental characteristics of actor concurrency bugs, including their symptoms, root causes, API usages, examples, and differences when they come from different sources are still largely unknown. Actor software development can significantly benefit from a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative understanding of these characteristics, which is the focus of this work, to foster better API documentation, development practices, testing, debugging, repairing, and verification frameworks. To conduct this study, we take the following major steps. First, we construct a set of 186 real-world Akka actor bugs from Stack Overflow and GitHub via manual analysis of 3,924 Stack Overflow questions, answers, and comments and 3,315 GitHub commits, messages, original and modified code snippets, issues, and pull requests. Second, we manually study these actor bugs and their fixes to understand and classify their symptoms, root causes, and API usages. Third, we study the differences between the commonalities and distributions of symptoms, root causes, and API usages of our Stack Overflow and GitHub actor bugs. Fourth, we discuss real-world examples of our actor bugs with these symptoms and root causes. Finally, we investigate the relation of our findings with those of previous work and discuss their implications. A few findings of our study are: (1) symptoms of our actor bugs can be classified into five categories, with Error as the most common symptom and Incorrect Exceptions as the least common, (2) root causes of our actor bugs can be classified into ten categories, with Logic as the most common root cause and Untyped Communication as the least common, (3) a small number of Akka API packages are responsible for most of API usages by our actor bugs, and (4) our Stack Overflow and GitHub actor bugs can differ significantly in commonalities and distributions of their symptoms, root causes, and API usages. While some of our findings agree with those of previous work, others sharply contrast.
Feedback-driven semi-supervised synthesis of program transformations
Authors: Gao Xiang , Barke Shraddha , Radhakrishna Arjun , Soares Gustavo , Gulwani Sumit , Leung Alan , Nagappan Nachiappan , Tiwari Ashish
Published: November 2020

While editing code, it is common for developers to make multiple related repeated edits that are all instances of a more general program transformation. Since this process can be tedious and error-prone, we study the problem of automatically learning program transformations from past edits, which can then be used to predict future edits. We take a novel view of the problem as a semi-supervised learning problem: apart from the concrete edits that are instances of the general transformation, the learning procedure also exploits access to additional inputs (program subtrees) that are marked as positive or negative depending on whether the transformation applies on those inputs. We present a procedure to solve the semi-supervised transformation learning problem using anti-unification and programming-by-example synthesis technology. To eliminate reliance on access to marked additional inputs, we generalize the semi-supervised learning procedure to a feedback-driven procedure that also generates the marked additional inputs in an iterative loop. We apply these ideas to build and evaluate three applications that use different mechanisms for generating feedback. Compared to existing tools that learn program transformations from edits, our feedback-driven semi-supervised approach is vastly more effective in successfully predicting edits with significantly lesser amounts of past edit data.
Adding interactive visual syntax to textual code
Authors: Andersen Leif , Ballantyne Michael , Felleisen Matthias
Published: November 2020

Many programming problems call for turning geometrical thoughts into code: tables, hierarchical structures, nests of objects, trees, forests, graphs, and so on. Linear text does not do justice to such thoughts. But, it has been the dominant programming medium for the past and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

This paper proposes a novel mechanism for conveniently extending textual programming languages with problem-specific visual syntax. It argues the necessity of this language feature, demonstrates the feasibility with a robust prototype, and sketches a design plan for adapting the idea to other languages.
Learning-based controlled concurrency testing
Authors: Mukherjee Suvam , Deligiannis Pantazis , Biswas Arpita , Lal Akash
Published: November 2020

Concurrency bugs are notoriously hard to detect and reproduce. Controlled concurrency testing (CCT) techniques aim to offer a solution, where a
scheduler
explores the space of possible interleavings of a concurrent program looking for bugs. Since the set of possible interleavings is typically very large, these schedulers employ heuristics that prioritize the search to “interesting” subspaces. However, current heuristics are typically tuned to specific bug patterns, which limits their effectiveness in practice.

In this paper, we present QL, a learning-based CCT framework where the likelihood of an action being selected by the scheduler is influenced by earlier explorations. We leverage the classical Q-learning algorithm to explore the space of possible interleavings, allowing the exploration to adapt to the program under test, unlike previous techniques. We have implemented and evaluated QL on a set of microbenchmarks, complex protocols, as well as production cloud services. In our experiments, we found QL to consistently outperform the state-of-the-art in CCT.
Physiological Genomics of Adaptation to High-Altitude Hypoxia
Authors: Storz Jay F. , Cheviron Zachary A.
Published: November 2020

Population genomic studies of humans and other animals at high altitude have generated many hypotheses about the genes and pathways that may have contributed to hypoxia adaptation. Future advances require experimental tests of such hypotheses to identify causal mechanisms. Studies to date illustrate the challenge of moving from lists of candidate genes to the identification of phenotypic targets of selection, as it can be difficult to determine whether observed genotype–phenotype associations reflect causal effects or secondary consequences of changes in other traits that are linked via homeostatic regulation. Recent work on high-altitude models such as deer mice has revealed both plastic and evolved changes in respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic traits that contribute to aerobic performance capacity in hypoxia, and analyses of tissue-specific transcriptomes have identified changes in regulatory networks that mediate adaptive changes in physiological phenotype. Here we synthesize recent results and discuss lessons learned from studies of high-altitude adaptation that lie at the intersection of genomics and physiology.
Network Analysis of Psychopathology: Controversies and Challenges
Authors: McNally Richard J.
Published: November 2020

Empirical publications inspired by the network approach to psychopathology have increased exponentially in the twenty-first century. The central idea that an episode of mental disorder arises from causal interactions among its symptomatic elements has especially resonated with those clinical scientists whose disenchantment with traditional categorical and dimensional approaches to mental illness has become all too apparent. As the field has matured, conceptual and statistical concerns about the limitations of network approaches to psychopathology have emerged, inspiring the development of novel methods to address these concerns. Rather than reviewing the vast empirical literature, I focus instead on the issues and controversies regarding this approach and sketch directions where the field might go next.
Enzymes as Active Matter
Authors: Ghosh Subhadip , Somasundar Ambika , Sen Ayusman
Published: November 2020

Nature has designed multifaceted cellular structures to support life. Cells contain a vast array of enzymes that collectively perform essential tasks by harnessing energy from chemical reactions. Despite the complexity, intra- and intercellular motility at low Reynolds numbers remain the epicenter of life. In the past decade, detailed investigations on enzymes that are freely dispersed in solution have revealed concentration-dependent enhanced diffusion and chemotactic behavior during catalysis. Theoretical calculations and simulations have determined the magnitude of the impulsive force per turnover; however, an unequivocal consensus regarding the mechanism of enhanced diffusion has not been reached. Furthermore, this mechanical force can be transferred from the active enzymes to inert particles or surrounding fluid, thereby providing a platform for the design of biomimetic systems. Understanding the factors governing enzyme motion would help us to understand organization principles for dissipative self-assembly and the fabrication of molecular machines. The purpose of this article is to review the different classes of enzyme motility and discuss the possible mechanisms as gleaned from experimental observations and theoretical modeling. Finally, we focus on the relevance of enzyme motion in biology and its role in future applications.
Perspectives on Policing: Phillip Atiba Goff
Authors: Goff Phillip Atiba
Published: November 2020

The Editorial Committee of the Annual Review of Criminology has launched a new section within the journal in which we invite one or more authors to write a more personal and yet scholarly article that puts forth their perspective on an important and timely topic. For Volume 4, we asked Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff and Dr. Cynthia Lum to provide their perspectives on policing.

We hope our readers enjoy this new and exciting series of “Perspectives.”
Canary in the Coal Mine? Male Infertility as a Marker of Overall Health
Authors: Punjani Nahid , Lamb Dolores J.
Published: November 2020

Male factor infertility is a common problem. Evidence is emerging regarding the spectrum of systemic disease and illness harbored by infertile men who otherwise appear healthy. In this review, we present evidence that infertile men have poor overall health and increased morbidity and mortality, increased rates of both genitourinary and non-genitourinary malignancy, and greater risks of systemic disease. The review also highlights numerous genetic conditions associated with male infertility as well as emerging translational evidence of genitourinary birth defects and their impact on male infertility. Finally, parallels to the overall health of infertile women are presented. This review highlights the importance of a comprehensive health evaluation of men who present for an infertility assessment.
Olfactory Circuitry and Behavioral Decisions
Authors: Mori Kensaku , Sakano Hitoshi
Published: November 2020

In mammals, odor information detected by olfactory sensory neurons is converted to a topographic map of activated glomeruli in the olfactory bulb. Mitral cells and tufted cells transmit signals sequentially to the olfactory cortex for behavioral outputs. To elicit innate behavioral responses, odor signals are directly transmitted by distinct subsets of mitral cells from particular functional domains in the olfactory bulb to specific amygdala nuclei. As for the learned decisions, input signals are conveyed by tufted cells as well as by mitral cells to the olfactory cortex. Behavioral scene cells link the odor information to the valence cells in the amygdala to elicit memory-based behavioral responses. Olfactory decision and perception take place in relation to the respiratory cycle. How is the sensory quality imposed on the olfactory inputs for behavioral outputs? How are the two types of odor signals, innate and learned, processed during respiration? Here, we review recent progress on the study of neural circuits involved in decision making in the mouse olfactory system.
Posttranslational Modification Defects in Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 as a Reason for Normosmic Isolated Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism
Authors: Ying Hui , Sun Yan , Wu Huixiao , Jia Wenyu , Guan Qingbo , He Zhao , Gao Ling , Zhao Jiajun , Ji Yiming , Li Guimei , Xu Chao
Published: November 2020

Some mutations in FGFR1 affect the sense of smell while others do not, resulting in Kallmann syndrome (KS) and normosmic isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (nIHH), respectively. The underlying mechanism is still unclear. FGFR1 variants are found in less than 10% of patients with KS and nIHH, and among them, only some have undergone functional analysis. Thus, the correlation between the phenotype and genotype cannot be clearly verified. This study reports a case of nIHH and explores the potential mechanism of the FGFR1 gene in the pathogenesis of nIHH. A preschooler with cryptorchidism, micropenis, strabismus, and hypopsia is described. As he had a normal sense of smell, he was diagnosed with nIHH. A de novo mutation in FGFR1 (c.2008G>A) was detected in the patient along with a novel variant in CEP290 (c.964G>A) inherited from his mother. We present compelling in vitro evidence that this FGFR1 mutation-induced posttranslational modification defect, including defective glycosylation and impaired trans-autophosphorylation, along with the final reduction in expression, could lead to impairment of the receptor and abnormal signaling and eventually result in developmental abnormalities and inhibition of GnRH neuron release. The identification of an additional variant suggests that CEP290 might play a potential role in GnRH development.
Plasma Protein Carbonyls as Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis, and Transplantation
Authors: Colombo Graziano , Reggiani Francesco , Angelini Claudio , Finazzi Silvia , Astori Emanuela , Garavaglia Maria L. , Landoni Lucia , Portinaro Nicola M. , Giustarini Daniela , Rossi Ranieri , Santucci Annalisa , Milzani Aldo , Badalamenti Salvatore , Dalle-Donne Isabella
Published: November 2020

Accumulating evidence indicates that oxidative stress plays a role in the pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its progression; during renal replacement therapy, oxidative stress-derived oxidative damage also contributes to the development of CKD systemic complications, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, inflammation, anaemia, and impaired host defence. The main mechanism underlying these events is the retention of uremic toxins, which act as a substrate for oxidative processes and elicit the activation of inflammatory pathways targeting endothelial and immune cells. Due to the growing worldwide spread of CKD, there is an overwhelming need to find oxidative damage biomarkers that are easy to measure in biological fluids of subjects with CKD and patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation), in order to overcome limitations of invasive monitoring of CKD progression. Several studies investigated biomarkers of protein oxidative damage in CKD, including plasma protein carbonyls (PCO), the most frequently used biomarker of protein damage. This review provides an up-to-date overview on advances concerning the correlation between plasma protein carbonylation in CKD progression (from stage 1 to stage 5) and the possibility that haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation improve plasma PCO levels. Despite the fact that the role of plasma PCO in CKD is often underestimated in clinical practice, emerging evidence highlights that plasma PCO can serve as good biomarkers of oxidative stress in CKD and substitutive therapies. Whether plasma PCO levels merely serve as biomarkers of CKD-related oxidative stress or whether they are associated with the pathogenesis of CKD complications deserves further evaluation.
Mimic for Child Physical Abuse: Biochemical and Genetic Evidence of Hypophosphatasia without Classic Radiologic Findings
Authors: Zarei Kasra , Bernat John A. , Sato Yutaka , Segal Rachel , Bhoojhawon Guru
Published: November 2020

Infants presenting with multiple fractures without a plausible accident history need to be evaluated for child abuse or underlying predisposing conditions such as osteogenesis imperfecta and hypophosphatasia. We present a case of infantile hypophosphatasia with multiple unexplained fractures but otherwise normal radiographs in the setting of biochemical and genetic evidence of hypophosphatasia. Standard screening tests for hypophosphatasia include serum alkaline phosphatase level and genetic testing. Despite the presented case’s positive biochemical and genetic testing, the case did not have any other radiologic finding suggesting infantile hypophosphatasia, such as severe bone mineralization deficits and rickets. While patients with hypophosphatasia can have increased bone fragility, this has been reported in the context of radiologic abnormalities of the skeleton. Thus, this case is potentially the first reported infantile hypophosphatasia case presenting with no findings of rickets on radiographs, raising concern that the fractures and especially the radius head dislocation might be due to physical abuse.
Association between Neck Circumference and the Risk of Decreased Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in the General Population of China: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Xue Jing , Li Bing , Wang Jie , Yu Songyan , Wang Anping , An Ping , Mu Yiming
Published: November 2020

Background. The burden of chronic kidney disease is increasing substantially worldwide. Neck circumference (NC), an anthropometric index for upper‐body adiposity, has been recognized as an indicator of cardiometabolic diseases. However, the association between NC and renal dysfunction has not been fully disclosed. Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between NC and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the general population in China. Methods. A total of 8805 participants (3322 men and 5483 women) were enrolled in this study. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between NC and eGFR. The male and female subjects were divided into four groups according to the NC quartiles. The primary outcome was defined as an eGFR ≤ 90 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results. Logistic regression analysis revealed that in both sexes, higher NC was significantly associated with a higher risk of decreased eGFR even after fully adjusting for age, other anthropometric indexes, traditional risk factors for chronic kidney diseases, and sociologic risk factors (quartile 1 as a reference; the odds ratios [95% confidence intervals] were as follows: quartile 2, 1.26 [0.99‐1.59]; quartile 3, 1.40 [1.07‐1.83]; and quartile 4, 1.71 [1.22‐2.38], in men; quartile 2, 1.14 [0.95‐1.37]; quartile 3, 1.31 [1.03‐1.66]; and quartile 4, 1.32 [1.04‐1.68], in women). Stratified analyses suggested that the association was significant among subjects with prediabetes or normal serum uric acid levels and those without cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Among subjects with CVD, the association persisted only in males. When the subjects were stratified according to blood pressure or BMI, the association persisted among male subjects with abnormal blood pressure and was strengthened among male subjects who were overweight/obese, while the association disappeared among female subjects. Conclusions. NC is independently associated with the risk of decreased eGFR in the general population in China, indicating that NC could contribute to renal dysfunction risk assessment.
Regenerative and Antioxidant Properties of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Can Reserve the Aging Process of the Cornea in the Rat Model
Authors: Hashem Heba R.
Published: November 2020

Aging is a natural progressive decline in the biological function of cells. Age-related changes in the cornea can affect its ability to refract light or repair itself. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has a promising role in regenerative medicine and evidenced its efficacy in multiple fields, but in corneal aging has not yet been elucidated. The present work was performed to estimate the regenerative antioxidant effect of PRP on corneal aging in rats. Rats were assigned into two main groups: (GI) adult group and (GII) aged group. The adult group was divided into GIa (adult rats), GIb (adult-saline treated), and GIc (adult-PRP treated). The aged group was divided into GIIa (aged rats) and GIIb (aged, PRP treated). PRP was administered by a single subconjunctival injection. After 10 days, histological, ultrastructural, immunohistochemical, and morphometrical investigations were carried out. Examination of the corneal sections of the aged group revealed corneal epithelial thinning, shedding of the surface epithelium with loss of desmosomal junction, and irregularity in Bowman’s membrane. Disorganized widely spaced collagen bundles and neovascularization were detected in corneal stroma associated with thickening in Descemet’s membrane. Ultrastructural examination revealed shrunken hyperchromatic nuclei, swollen mitochondria, and scanty cytoplasm with a strong nuclear reaction for caspase-3 immunostaining. Moreover, antioxidant/free radicals’ imbalance was detected by the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) level with a decrease of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. In contrast, GIIb (aged, PRP treated) section examination revealed a restoration of the thickness of the corneal epithelial layer and Descemet’s membrane with an amendment of collagen fiber regularity that is associated with weak nuclear reaction to caspase-3 and recovery of the balance in the redox state. These findings proved the effectiveness of PRP as a promising regenerative treatment for the age-associated changes in the cornea.
Sleep Deprivation and Neurological Disorders
Authors: Bishir Muhammed , Bhat Abid , Essa Musthafa Mohamed , Ekpo Okobi , Ihunwo Amadi O. , Veeraraghavan Vishnu Priya , Mohan Surapaneni Krishna , Mahalakshmi Arehally M. , Ray Bipul , Tuladhar Sunanda , Chang Sulie , Chidambaram Saravana Babu , Sakharkar Meena Kishore , Guillemin Gilles J. , Qoronfleh M. Walid , Ojcius David M.
Published: November 2020

Sleep plays an important role in maintaining neuronal circuitry, signalling and helps maintain overall health and wellbeing. Sleep deprivation (SD) disturbs the circadian physiology and exerts a negative impact on brain and behavioural functions. SD impairs the cellular clearance of misfolded neurotoxin proteins like α‐synuclein, amyloid‐β, and tau which are involved in major neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. In addition, SD is also shown to affect the glymphatic system, a glial‐dependent metabolic waste clearance pathway, causing accumulation of misfolded faulty proteins in synaptic compartments resulting in cognitive decline. Also, SD affects the immunological and redox system resulting in neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Hence, it is important to understand the molecular and biochemical alterations that are the causative factors leading to these pathophysiological effects on the neuronal system. This review is an attempt in this direction. It provides up‐to‐date information on the alterations in the key processes, pathways, and proteins that are negatively affected by SD and become reasons for neurological disorders over a prolonged period of time, if left unattended.
Glass Ionomer Subgingival Matrix Technique to Restore a Tooth with Severe Root Resorption for Implant Site Development
Authors: Imam Ahmad Y. , Al-Dabbagh Raghad A.
Published: November 2020

Here, we present the multidisciplinary, patient-specific management of a patient with severe external root resorption and bone loss in a maxillary anterior tooth. The tooth was provisionally noninvasively restored with glass ionomer subgingival matrix in preparation for forced orthodontic extrusion, papillary preservation, and implant placement. This approach enables clinicians to control infection within and around the resorbed tooth and then to use it as an anchor for slow forced tooth eruption to correct bone and mucogingival deformities. Aesthetic and functional outcomes were clinically and radiographically satisfactory. The advantages and disadvantages of this technique are discussed.
Clinical Efficacy of Tonic Traditional Chinese Medicine Injection on Acute Cerebral Infarction: A Bayesian Network Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Zhou Dongrui , Xie Liandi , Wang Yao , Wu Shuang , Liu Fengzhi , Zhang Shuangshuang , Liu Ruijia , Zhu Lingqun
Published: November 2020

Western medicine (WM) has certain limitations in terms of treating acute cerebral infarction (ACI), while tonic traditional Chinese medicine injections (TCMIs) have been shown to have obvious clinical effects as an adjunct to WM for ACI. However, most randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to date have not performed direct comparisons of efficacy among tonic TCMIs. This study designed a Bayesian network meta‐analysis (NMA) to explore the therapeutic effect of tonic TCMIs on ACI. A comprehensive search of RCTs of TCMIs combined with WM for ACI was conducted using electronic databases for studies dated from the start date of each database until February 2020. Stata 13.0 and ADDIS 1.16.7 software were used to plot and analyze the data. Sixty‐six RCTs with a total of 5,989 patients involving 7 kinds of tonic TCMIs were included. Among TCMIs, Shenfu injection (SFI) + WM ranked first in terms of improving clinical efficacy and the activities of daily living (ADLs) rating and reducing interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels. While Ciwujia injection (CI) + WM was the best choice for reducing neurological impairment and the high‐cut viscosity of whole blood (HCV). Shenmai injection (SI) + WM had the greatest effects in terms of decreasing the levels of low‐cut viscosity of whole blood (LCV), fibrinogen (FIB), and plasma viscosity (PV). Based on the cluster analysis of the clinical efficacy and the neurological impairment, CI + WM and Shenqifuzheng (SQI) + WM were the best options for treating ACI. With respect to adverse drug reactions (ADRs), 35 RCTs did not monitor ADRs during treatment. In conclusion, tonic TCMIs could assist WM in benefiting patients with ACI. However, due to the limitations of the current study, strict monitoring of ADRs and data from high‐quality RCTs will be required in future to verify the advantage of TCMIs.
Exploring the Molecular Mechanism of Qing Guang An Granule in Treating Glaucoma Using Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Ou Chen , Song Houpan , Zhou Yasha , Peng Jun , Peng Qinghua
Published: November 2020

Background. Qing Guang An Granule (QGAG), a Chinese patent medicine, has been used clinically to treat glaucoma for more than 20 years. Objective. To explore the possible mechanism of treatment of QGAG in glaucoma by using network pharmacology and molecular docking in this study. Methods. Active compounds and targets of each herb in QGAG were retrieved via the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Glaucoma‐related targets were acquired from OMIM and DisGeNET database. Key targets of QGAG against glaucoma were acquired by overlapping the above targets via the Venn diagram. Using the DAVID, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of the key targets were performed. The docking process was performed using the AutoDock 4.2.6 and AutoDock Vina 1.1.2. Results. The 55 active compounds and 173 targets were obtained and constructed a compound‐target network. The 20 key targets of QGAG in treating glaucoma were acquired, and these targets are involved in the apoptotic process, cellular response to hypoxia, negative regulation of cell growth, and ovarian follicle development. The main pathways are p53, HIF‐1, PI3K‐Akt, and neurotrophin signaling pathway. Conclusion. QGAG may exert a protective effect by acting on the optic nerve at a molecular and systemic level. This study can provide a certain basis for future researches on exploring the QGAG in treating glaucoma and provide new ideas for developing new drugs.
Optimization of Wireless Communication Coverage in Underground Tunnels Based on Zone Division
Authors: Huo Yu , Hu Qingsong , Sun Yanjing , Guo Xiwang , Qi Liang , Zhao Xiaohu , Ding Enjie
Published: November 2020

In order to reduce the path loss of the wireless communication signal in the underground tunnel, a scheme for configuring the antenna polarization of wireless systems based on a zone-division method is proposed. A multimodal method is used to estimate the effect of antenna polarization on the wireless propagation. When the optimal polarization of the antenna leading to low path loss is different in the zones near and far from the transmitting antenna, a dividing point is used to separate the zones. Experiments are conducted in an underground mine. It shows that the results by the multimodal method are consistent with the real data. Compared with the existing coverage schemes, the proposed scheme can obtain better coverage. Meanwhile, zone division has an important influence on the optimized performance of the wireless coverage. The zones divided based on Fresnel zone clearance and system identification are too small or too large, which result in incorrect polarization switching and high path loss.
The Impact of Ride-Hailing Services on Private Car Use in Urban Areas: An Examination in Chinese Cities
Authors: Zhong Jun , Lin Yan , Yang Siqi
Published: November 2020

The rapid development of internet-based ride-hailing services has contributed to transportation in cities and, at the same time, has significantly impacted existing travel modes in cities. A question has emerged as to whether and to what extent ride-hailing services replace private car use. Although the private car is convenient, comfortable, and flexible, it has low utilization rate and high maintenance and parking costs. Better understanding of the relationship between ride-hailing services and the use of private cars has been brought to the forefront for auto dealers and urban transportation policymakers. However, controversies remain regarding how ride-hailing services will impact the use of private cars in cities. Given this setting, our study applied a difference-in-differences method to analyze the impact of ride-hailing services on the use of private cars with balanced panel data from 109 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2016. Moreover, we employed some methods to verify the robustness of the preliminary results. The empirical results show that ride-hailing services had a negative impact on the use of private cars in urban areas. Over time, the negative impact initially strengthened and then weakened. Further studies showed that ride-hailing services had a more significant negative impact on private car use in eastern cities than in western cities. The results showed that the influence of ride-hailing services on private car use in urban areas is heterogeneous across time and cities.
The Effect of Correction Algorithms on Knee Kinematics and Kinetics during Gait of Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Ulbricht Hanna , Hou Meijin , Wang Xiangbin , He Jian , Zhang Yanxin
Published: November 2020

In gait analysis, the accuracy of knee joint angles and moments is critical for clinical decision-making. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of two existing algorithms for knee joint axis correction under pathological conditions. Gait data from 20 healthy participants and 20 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) were collected using a motion capture system. An algorithm based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a functional joint-based algorithm (FJA) were used to define the knee joint flexion axis. The results show that PCA decreased crosstalk for both groups, and FJA reduced crosstalk in patients with knee OA only. PCA decreased the range of motions of patients with knee OA in the direction of abduction/adduction significantly. There was a significant increase in the maximum knee flexion moment of patients with knee OA by FJA. The results indicate that both algorithms can efficiently reduce crosstalk for gait from patients with knee OA, which can further influence the results of knee joint angles and moments. We recommend that the correction algorithms be applied in clinical gait analysis with patients with knee OA.
Torsion of an Epididymal Cyst: A Rare Finding on Scrotal Exploration for Acute Scrotum
Authors: Ozaal A. M. Omar Mohamed , Pragalathan B. , Lavanya S. , Sarma S. T.
Published: November 2020

Torsion of epididymal cyst (EC) is an exceedingly rare cause of acute scrotum in both children and adults. We add our case as the ninth case to literature which was an 8-year-old child presented with features of acute scrotum with history of EC on conservative management. Doppler sonography showed perfused normal bilateral testes and a

4.1
×
1.7
 
 
cm

septate cystic lesion of right epididymis. On scrotal exploration, we found a haemorrhagic cystic lesion attached to the upper pole of right testis and twisted for 540 degrees with normal testis and appendage. Cyst was excised, and histopathology revealed a haemorrhagic EC. Our case was peculiar due to, presenting as acute scrotum in a child of 1-10 years age group who was conservatively managed for right-sided EC and presence of 540 degrees torsion.
Investigation of Burn Cut Parameters and Model for One-Step Raise Excavation Based on Damage Evolution Mechanisms
Authors: Liu Kai , Qiu Jiadong
Published: November 2020

One-step raise excavation with burn cut is a kind of technology which use the drilling and blasting method to excavate the raise quickly. Due to the limitation of the free surface in burn cut, determination of cut parameters such as the length of burden and diameters of empty hole and charge hole is important to achieve a good effect of cut blasting. Meanwhile, the choice of the cut model is also crucial to form a proper opening. In this study, a modified Holmquist-Johnson-Cook (HJC) model, in which the tension-compression damage model and tension-compression strain rate effect model are considered, is embedded in the LS-DYNA software to investigate the damage evolution of rock in cut blasting. A simplified numerical model of burn cut is built in the LS-DYNA. The numerical results indicate that there is a threshold value of the burden length to maximize the opening. The empty hole has the effect of transferring blasting energy, and the effect becomes more obvious with the increase of the hole size. Moreover, the linear charge density of the prime cut hole can affect the compression and tension damage. Further, the comparison among four typical burn cut models are conducted based on numerical results. It demonstrates that triangular prism cut and doliform cut, which have more empty holes arrangement surrounding the prime cut hole, are better than spiral cut and diamond cut that with less empty holes locating one side of the prime cut hole in terms of energy efficiency and damage zone control.
SARS-CoV-2, Early Entry Events
Authors: Chambers James P. , Yu Jieh , Valdes James J. , Arulanandam Bernard P.
Published: November 2020

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites, and host cell entry is the first step in the viral life cycle. The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) entry process into susceptible host tissue cells is complex requiring (1) attachment of the virus via the conserved spike (S) protein receptor-binding motif (RBM) to the host cell angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, (2) S protein proteolytic processing, and (3) membrane fusion. Spike protein processing occurs at two cleavage sites, i.e., S1/S2 and

S
2
′

. Cleavage at the S1/S2 and

S
2
′

sites ultimately gives rise to generation of competent fusion elements important in the merging of the host cell and viral membranes. Following cleavage, shedding of the S1 crown results in significant conformational changes and fusion peptide repositioning for target membrane insertion and fusion. Identification of specific protease involvement has been difficult due to the many cell types used and studied. However, it appears that S protein proteolytic cleavage is dependent on (1) furin and (2) serine protease transmembrane protease serine 2 proteases acting in tandem. Although at present not clear, increased SARS-CoV-2 S receptor-binding motif binding affinity and replication efficiency may in part account for observed differences in infectivity. Cleavage of the ACE2 receptor appears to be yet another layer of complexity in addition to forfeiture and/or alteration of ACE2 function which plays an important role in cardiovascular and immune function.
Roadway Surrounding Rock under Multi‐Coal‐Seam Mining: Deviatoric Stress Evolution and Control Technology
Authors: Chen Dongdong , Wang En , Xie Shengrong , He Fulian , Wang Long , Zhang Qing , Wu Xiaoyu , Jiang Zaisheng , Li Yubo , Shi Songhao
Published: November 2020

Multi‐coal‐seam mining creates surrounding rock control difficulties, because the mining of a coal face in one seam can affect coal faces in another. We examine the effects of multi‐coal‐seam mining on the evolution of the deviatoric stress distribution and plastic zone in the roadway surrounding rock. In particular, we use numerical simulation, theoretical calculation, drilling detection, and mine pressure observation to study the distribution and evolution characteristics of deviatoric stress on Tailgate 8709 in No. 11 coal seam in Jinhuagong mine when the N8707 and N8709 coal faces in No. 7‐4 coal seam and the N8707 and N8709 coal faces in No. 11 coal seam are mined. The evolution laws of deviatoric stress and the plastic zone of roadway surrounding rock in the advance and behind sections of the coal face are studied, and a corresponding control technology is proposed. The results show that the peak value of deviatoric stress increases with the advance of the coal face, and the positions of the peak value of deviatoric stress and the plastic zone become deeper. The deflection angle of the peak stress after mining at each coal face and the characteristics of the peak zone of deviatoric stress and the plastic zone of the roadway surrounding rock under the disturbance of multi‐coal‐seam mining are determined. In conclusion, the damage range in the roadway roof in the solid‐coal side and coal pillar is large and must be controlled. A combined support technology based on high‐strength and high pretension anchor cables and truss anchor cables is proposed; long anchor cables are used to strengthen the support of the roadway roof in the solid‐coal side and coal pillar. The accuracy of the calculated plastic zone range and the reliability of the combined support technology are verified through drilling detection and mine pressure observation on site. This research can provide a point of reference for roadway surrounding rock control under similar conditions.
T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Roadmap to Targeted Therapies
Authors: Cordo' Valentina , van der Zwet Jordy C.G. , Canté-Barrett Kirsten , Pieters Rob , Meijerink Jules P.P.
Published: November 2020

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy characterized by aberrant proliferation of immature thymocytes. Despite an overall survival of 80% in the pediatric setting, 20% of patients with T-ALL ultimately die from relapsed or refractory disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel therapies. Molecular genetic analyses and sequencing studies have led to the identification of recurrent T-ALL genetic drivers. This review summarizes the main genetic drivers and targetable lesions of T-ALL and gives a comprehensive overview of the novel treatments for patients with T-ALL that are currently under clinical investigation or that are emerging from preclinical research.

Significance:

T-ALL is driven by oncogenic transcription factors that act along with secondary acquired mutations. These lesions, together with active signaling pathways, may be targeted by therapeutic agents. Bridging research and clinical practice can accelerate the testing of novel treatments in clinical trials, offering an opportunity for patients with poor outcome.
Prevalence and Related Factors of Metabolic Syndrome in Beijing, China (Year 2017)
Authors: Ma Aijuan , Fang Kai , Dong Jing , Dong Zhong
Published: November 2020

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the major public health problems worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of MetS in Beijing to formulate targeted policies. Methods: Data from the 2017 Beijing Chronic Disease and Risk Factors Surveillance were used in this study, in which multistage stratified cluster sampling was adopted to collect a representative sample of 12,597 Beijing residents aged from 18 to 79 years. According to the definition of the International Diabetes Federation, the weighted prevalence of MetS and clustering of MetS components were estimated. The Rao-Scott adjusted χ2 test was used to test differences in MetS and components rates, and complex sampling unconditional logistic regression was used to explore influencing factors of MetS. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 25.59% (95% CI 23.77–27.41), and the proportion of men and women was 30.53% (95% CI 28.32–32.75) and 20.44% (95% CI 18.29–22.58), respectively. The proportion of central obesity, high fasting plasma glucose, high triglyceride, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high blood pressure (BP) was 42.02, 27.96, 32.87, 27.25, and 43.06%, respectively. A total of 29.60% (95% CI 27.55–31.74) participants presented at least three components of MetS. The results from complex sampling unconditional logistic regression revealed that the risk factors for having MetS included being 45–59 years old, being 60–79 years old, being male, living in a rural area, education with junior middle school level, education with primary school or below level, harmful use of alcohol, inappropriate sleep time, and having an unhealthy waist-to-height ratio (WHtR); the OR values were 1.55 (95% CI 1.32–1.81), 1.94 (95% CI 1.62–2.31), 1.51 (95% CI 1.34–1.70), 1.27 (95% CI 1.06–1.52), 1.38 (95% CI 1.13–1.68), 1.44 (95% CI 1.13–1.84), 1.50 (95% CI 1.14–1.99), 1.23 (95% CI 1.10–1.37), and 238.20 (95% CI 92.54–613.12), respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of MetS is still in a rising trend in Beijing. Strategies aimed at prevention and control of high BP should be prioritized to reduce the occurrence of MetS. WHtR is more important to evaluate MetS. Health education and personalized lifestyle intervention should be promoted to keep a healthy WHtR and waist circumference. An appropriate sleep time should be kept, and harmful alcohol drinkers should limit or abstain from alcohol.
Plasmapheresis for the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis due to Severe Hypertriglyceridemia
Authors: Ruiz-Rodríguez Juan Carlos , Chiscano-Camón Luis Silvestre , Palmada Clara , Pons Verónica , Ferrer Ricard
Published: November 2020

Severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is associated with acute pancreatitis (AP). Treatment options include total plasma exchange (TPE). We report a case of AP due to severe HTG treated with TPE.
Der Einsatz von Verhaltensexperimenten bei Patienten mit Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung
Authors: Dyer Anne S.
Published: November 2020

Der vorliegende Artikel erarbeitet, wie Verhaltensexperimente bei Patienten mit Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung (BPS) genutzt werden können, um Grundannahmen zu überprüfen sowie neue Erfahrungen zu generieren, aufgrund derer alternative Kognitionen entwickelt werden können. Die BPS gilt als eine schwer zu behandelnde psychische Störung, die durch eine Instabilität von zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen, Verhalten und Emo­tionen gekennzeichnet wird. Problemverhaltensweisen wie Selbstverletzungen oder Dissoziationen werden als Coping-Strategien eingesetzt, um die Dysregulationen zu kontrollieren. Verschiedene Störungsbereiche werden mitsamt typischer kognitiver Dysfunktionen vorgestellt sowie mögliche Ansatzpunkte für Verhaltensexperimente anhand von Fallbeispielen illustriert. Der Einsatz von Verhaltensexperimenten im Rahmen einer kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutischer Psychotherapie für Patienten mit BPS kann sehr hilfreich sein. Allerdings werden nicht zwangsläufig neue Erfahrungen in die Grundannahmen eingearbeitet, in manchen Fällen halten Patienten an den dysfunktionalen Kognitionen fest.
Skin Manifestations Associated with COVID-19: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives
Authors: Genovese Giovanni , Moltrasio Chiara , Berti Emilio , Marzano Angelo Valerio
Published: November 2020

Background: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic caused by the “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2), which was isolated for the first time in Wuhan (China) in December 2019. Common symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, dyspnea and hypogeusia/hyposmia. Among extrapulmonary signs associated with COVID-19, dermatological manifestations have been increasingly reported in the last few months. Summary: The polymorphic nature of COVID-19-associated cutaneous manifestations led our group to propose a classification, which distinguishes the following six main clinical patterns: (i) urticarial rash, (ii) confluent erythematous/maculopapular/morbilliform rash, (iii) papulovesicular exanthem, (iv) chilblain-like acral pattern, (v) livedo reticularis/racemosa-like pattern, (vi) purpuric “vasculitic” pattern. This review summarizes the current knowledge on COVID-19-associated cutaneous manifestations, focusing on clinical features and therapeutic management of each category and attempting to give an overview of the hypothesized pathophysiological mechanisms of these conditions.
Oxyphospholipids in Cardiovascular Calcification
Authors: Chignon Arnaud , Bon-Baret Valentin , Boulanger Marie-Chloé , Bossé Yohan , Mathieu Patrick
Published: November 2020

Mineralization of cardiovascular structures including blood vessels and heart valves is a common feature. We postulate that ectopic mineralization is a response-to-injury in which signals delivered to cells trigger a chain of events to restore and repair tissues. Maladaptive response to external or internal signals promote the expression of danger-associated molecular patterns, which, in turn, promote, when expressed chronically, a procalcifying gene program. Growing evidence suggest that danger-associated molecular patterns such as oxyphospholipids and small lipid mediators, generated by enzyme activity, are involved in the transition of vascular smooth muscle cells and valve interstitial cells to an osteoblast-like phenotype. Understanding the regulation and the molecular processes underpinning the mineralization of atherosclerotic plaques and cardiac valves are providing valuable mechanistic insights, which could lead to the development of novel therapies. Herein, we provide a focus account on the role oxyphospholipids and their mediators in the development of mineralization in plaques and calcific aortic valve disease.