bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human health and economic impact of neurocysticercosis in Uganda
Authors: Dupont Fabian , Trevisan Chiara , Moriku Kaducu Joyce , Ovuga Emilio , Schmidt Veronika , Winkler Andrea S. , Devleesschauwer Brecht
Published: December 2021

Objective

Neurocysticercosis (NCC), caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, is a major cause of acquired epilepsy in endemic regions. The Republic of Uganda, one of the great‐lakes nations in East Africa, has undergone major strives of political instability in the past century, impeding control of T. solium and other foodborne diseases. Building on data on the epidemiology of NCC, we aimed to assess the health and economic impact of NCC‐associated epilepsy and headache in Uganda.

Methods

We used DisMod II to generate an internally consistent, complete and age‐stratified set of epidemiological parameters for NCC epilepsy, and subsequently modelled the NCC headache incidence from the NCC epilepsy incidence. The health impact of both conditions was quantified in terms of Disability‐Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), while the economic impact was quantified as the cost of illness associated with direct healthcare costs, patient costs and productivity losses. For both assessments, we adopted an incidence perspective and used 2010 as reference year. Uncertainty was propagated using 100,000 Monte Carlo simulations.

Results

In 2010, NCC was estimated to cause more than 9000 (CI: 7685–11,071) new cases of epilepsy and nearly 1500 new cases of headache, eventually leading to nearly 3000 deaths. Overall, it was estimated that NCC led to more than 170,000 DALYs (5.2 per 1000 person years; 16 per incident case) and an economic loss of more than USD 75 million (8000 per incident case). Non‐fatal health outcomes were the largest contributors to the overall health impact, while productivity losses dominated the NCC cost of illness.

Conclusions

NCC imposes a substantial burden on public health and the economy in Uganda with poor attention given to this public health problem. Increased awareness among governments, international agencies, and general public, as well as targeted intervention studies using a One Health approach are needed to reduce the significant burden of NCC in Uganda.
E2Fb and E2Fa transcription factors independently regulate the DNA damage response after ultraviolet B exposure in Arabidopsis
Authors: Gómez María Sol , Sheridan María Luján , Casati Paula
Published: December 2021

Ultraviolet (UV)B radiation affects plant growth inhibiting cell proliferation. This inhibition is in part controlled by the activity of transcription factors from the E2F family. In particular, the participation of E2Fc and E2Fe in UV‐B responses in Arabidopsis plants was previously reported. However, the E2Fa and E2Fb contribution to these processes has still not been investigated. Thus, in this work, we provide evidence that, in Arabidopsis, both E2Fa and E2Fb control leaf size under UV‐B conditions without participating in the repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the DNA. Nevertheless, in UV‐B‐exposed seedlings, E2Fa, but not E2Fb, regulates primary root elongation, cell proliferation, and programmed cell death in the meristematic zone. Using e2fa mutants that overexpress E2Fb, we showed that the role of E2Fa in the roots could not be replaced by E2Fb. Finally, our results show that E2Fa and E2Fb differentially regulate the expression of genes that activate the DNA damage response and cell cycle progression, both under conditions without UV‐B and after exposure. Overall, we showed that both E2Fa and E2Fb have different and non‐redundant roles in developmental and DNA damage responses in Arabidopsis plants exposed to UV‐B.
An uncommon occurrence of bicavitary effusion due to mast cell neoplasia in a 12‐year‐old mixed breed dog
Authors: Ramdass Kris , Lunardon Thainá , Etzioni Athema L.
Published: December 2021

A case of bicavitary effusion affecting a 12‐year‐old female spayed mixed breed dog that was presented to Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine's Emergency Service for abdominal distension and vomiting. Upon physical exam, the patient exhibited signs of pain and sensitivity to touch and pain on abdominal palpation with a positive fluid wave. The patient also had dull mentation and increased respiratory effort with an abdominal component. On labwork, there was a leukocytosis characterized by a mature neutrophilia, monocytosis, and basophilia. A mild thrombocytopenia with low numbers of poorly granulated mast cells were also noted on peripheral blood smear review. Serum biochemistry revealed a mild azotemia and abnormal SNAP cPL test. The patient received a full abdominal ultrasound, which detected bicavitary effusion, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly. Cytology of the cavitary effusions was moderately cellular with significant numbers of mast cells. The patient was euthanized following a tentative diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis. The clinical signs, in this case, are consistent with published data for systemic mastocytosis, which include organomegaly, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal signs, and hematologic abnormalities. However, this is the first report of bicavitary effusion due to presumed systemic mastocytosis.
Experimental Investigation of the Dynamics of a Slider-Crank Mechanism With Local Linear Force Input
Authors: Beckers Jarl , Verrelst Bjorn , Contino Francesco , Van Mierlo Joeri
Published: December 2021

Conventional implementation of slider-crank mechanisms result in high loads transmitted through the mechanical structure, inhibiting the design of compact and oil-free machines. Therefore, this research proposes to step away from the conventional, i.e., rotative, actuation and to investigate local linear actuation on the slider-component directly, while maintaining the kinematic link of the slider-crank configuration. In this work, the local linear actuating principle is evaluated experimentally where the goal is to obtain a continuous movement of the slider mechanism where Top Dead Center & Bottom Dead Center are reached and to minimize the loads transmitted through the mechanical structure. The non-isochronous transient behavior of a slider-crank mechanism loaded with a spring-damper element is detailed as well as the optimal working conditions at steady-state to achieve a reduced loading of the kinematic structure. By matching the operating frequency and resonance frequency of the system, a reduction of the loads transmitted through the system by 63% of the nominal spring load can be achieved. Further experimental (and multibody mechanical) investigation on the influence of flywheel exposes a clear trade-off between the sensitivity of the system and the transmission of the actuation force through the kinematic link.
Tunable Three-Dimensional Vibrational Structures for Concurrent Determination of Thin Film Modulus and Density
Authors: Wang Hairui , Wei Chen , Zhang Yao , Ma Yinji , Chen Ying , Wang Heling , Feng Xue
Published: December 2021

The real-time characterization of thin film properties can provide insights into the behavior of film material during process such as phase-transition, hydration, and chemical reaction. The shift of reasonant frequency in structural vibration serves as the basis of an effective approach to determine film properties, but encounters the difficulty that multiple to-be-determined quantites (e.g., film modulus and density) are often related to the resonant frequency simultaneously and therefore cannot be determined by a structure with fixed shape and vibration mode. Determinsitic mechanical buckling provides an effective route for the vibrational structure to rapidly switch between designed shapes and vibration modes. Here, we adopt a ribbon structure in the flat state and buckled state to yield two distinct vibration modes. Theoretical models of the natural frequencies are established for first-order out-of-plane modes of the ribbon with patterned thin films in these two states, respectively. The model suggests that with optimized film pattern the sensitivity of the natural frequencies to the film modulus and density can be partially decoupled. The results lead to a simple and effective method based on tunable vibration to characterize the thin film modulus and density at small scale.
T-Maps-Based Tolerance Analysis of Composites Assembly Involving Compensation Strategies
Authors: Wang Hua , Lin Yujin , Yan Chen
Published: December 2021

Clamping force and shimming are two important compensation processes in the composite assembly. Their effects on variation propagation should be investigated in tolerance analysis. The paper presents a tolerance analysis method for composites assembly based on the T-Maps method, mainly concerning the anisotropic variations accumulation and propagation where there is the clamping force modification and the shimming. Variations of the composite parts in different directions are represented by the T-Maps. Since the different axial deviations are represented in the same Euclidean point-space, the T-Maps-based tolerance analysis of the composite parts assembly provides more accurate and reliable results. Compensation processes, the clamping force, and the shimming, on assembly tolerance synthesis of the composite parts, are analyzed clearly in the T-Map. This procedure is found to be effective for the anisotropy-oriented assembly tolerance analysis, especially concerning about effect of the clamping force and the shimming on variations accumulation and propagation. The assembly of an aircraft composite elevator is considered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the T-Maps-based method. The procedures outlined in the paper are quite general and can be used for assembly tolerance analysis of anisotropic parts.
How pronunciation distance impacts word recognition in children and adults
Authors: Bent Tessa , Holt Rachael F. , Van Engen Kristin J. , Jamsek Izabela A. , Arzbecker Lian J. , Liang Laura , Brown Emma
Published: December 2021

Although unfamiliar accents can pose word identification challenges for children and adults, few studies have directly compared perception of multiple nonnative and regional accents or quantified how the extent of deviation from the ambient accent impacts word identification accuracy across development. To address these gaps, 5- to 7-year-old children's and adults' word identification accuracy with native (Midland American, British, Scottish), nonnative (German-, Mandarin-, Japanese-accented English) and bilingual (Hindi-English) varieties (one talker per accent) was tested in quiet and noise. Talkers' pronunciation distance from the ambient dialect was quantified at the phoneme level using a Levenshtein algorithm adaptation. Whereas performance was worse on all non-ambient dialects than the ambient one, there were only interactions between talker and age (child vs adult or across age for the children) for a subset of talkers, which did not fall along the native/nonnative divide. Levenshtein distances significantly predicted word recognition accuracy for adults and children in both listening environments with similar impacts in quiet. In noise, children had more difficulty overcoming pronunciations that substantially deviated from ambient dialect norms than adults. Future work should continue investigating how pronunciation distance impacts word recognition accuracy by incorporating distance metrics at other levels of analysis (e.g., phonetic, suprasegmental).
Experience-Dependent Modulation of Rubber Hand Illusion in Badminton Players
Authors: Sakamoto Masanori , Ifuku Hirotoshi
Published: December 2021

Badminton players have a plastic modification of their arm representation in the brain due to the prolonged use of their racket. However, it is not known whether their arm representation can be altered through short-term visuotactile integration. The neural representation of the body is easily altered when multiple sensory signals are integrated in the brain. One of the most popular experimental paradigms for investigating this phenomenon is the “rubber hand illusion.” This study was designed to investigate the effect of prolonged use of a racket on the modulation of arm representation during the rubber hand illusion in badminton players. When badminton players hold the racket, their badminton experience in years is negatively correlated with the magnitude of the rubber hand illusion. This finding suggests that tool embodiment obtained by the prolonged use of the badminton racket is less likely to be disturbed when holding the racket.
Thrice out of Asia and the adaptive radiation of the western honey bee
Authors: Dogantzis Kathleen A. , Tiwari Tanushree , Conflitti Ida M. , Dey Alivia , Patch Harland M. , Muli Elliud M. , Garnery Lionel , Whitfield Charles W. , Stolle Eckart , Alqarni Abdulaziz S. , Allsopp Michael H. , Zayed Amro
Published: December 2021

The western honey bee originated in Asia before adaptively radiating into Africa and Europe.
Attosecond interferometry of shape resonances in the recoil frame of CF
4
Authors: Heck Saijoscha , Baykusheva Denitsa , Han Meng , Ji Jia-Bao , Perry Conaill , Gong Xiaochun , Wörner Hans Jakob
Published: December 2021

This study reports fully angle- and state-resolved measurement of time delays in molecular photoionization.
Topotactic transformation of single crystals: From perovskite to infinite-layer nickelates
Authors: Puphal Pascal , Wu Yu-Mi , Fürsich Katrin , Lee Hangoo , Pakdaman Mohammad , Bruin Jan A. N. , Nuss Jürgen , Suyolcu Y. Eren , van Aken Peter A. , Keimer Bernhard , Isobe Masahiko , Hepting Matthias
Published: December 2021

Perovskite nickelate single crystals are topotactically reduced to the infinite-layer phase and show metallic properties.
GABA-cadabra: autoantibodies trick neurotransmitter receptors and induce seizures
Authors: Masi Gianvito , O’Connor Kevin C.
Published: December 2021

Epileptic seizures can be mediated by patient autoantibodies targeting ion channels expressed in the brain.
Analysis of the physical and microbiocidal characteristics of an emerging and innovative UV disinfection technology
Authors: Messina Gabriele , Amodeo Davide , Corazza Alessio , Nante Nicola , Cevenini Gabriele
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Surface disinfection is one of the key points to reduce the risk of transmission both in healthcare and other public spaces. A novel UV-chip disinfection technology is presented. Technological, photonic and microbiocidal characteristics are evaluated taking as reference an ultraviolet-C (UV-C) LED source of equivalent radiant power.

Methods

The UV chip has a circular radiating surface with a diameter of 1.3 cm, emitting UV cold light at about 5 mW and driven current of about 80 µA. Four bacterial strains were used to conduct the microbiological tests at 4°C and 60°C to evaluate the bactericidal performance of the two technologies under the same operating conditions.

Results

Spectral differences were found between the UV-C LED and the chip, with an emission curve strictly around 280 nm and a broader band centred around 264 nm, respectively. Between-technology microbiological inactivation levels were comparable, achieving total abatement (99.999%) in 8 min at 7.5 cm.

Discussion

The UV chip exhibits unique properties that make it applicable in some specific contexts, where UV-C LEDs present the most critical issues. Besides, it is portable and exhibits a broad spectrum of UV wavelengths with a peak where the maximum microbiocidal efficacy occurs. Important issues to be addressed to improve this technology are the high voltage management and the too low energy efficiency.

Conclusion

This cold emission technology is virtually unaffected by changes in ambient temperature and is particularly useful in short-distance applications. Recent developments in technology are moving towards a progressive increase in the chip’s radiant power.
Global prevalence of dyslipidaemia in adult populations: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Mohamed-Yassin Mohamed-Syarif , Baharudin Noorhida , Abdul-Razak Suraya , Ramli Anis Safura , Lai Nai Ming
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Dyslipidaemia is one of the established risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Evidence from large-scale trials showed that effective treatment of dyslipidaemia can reduce all-cause and coronary mortality. To date, there is no published systematic review on the worldwide prevalence of dyslipidaemia in adults. We propose to perform a systematic review on the global prevalence of dyslipidaemia in adults 18 years and older.

Methods and analysis

We will identify observational studies through comprehensive literature searches. We will search: MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for published studies and trial registries including the WHO International Trial Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts, attain full text of eligible articles, extract data, and appraise the quality and bias of the included studies. Disagreement among the authors will be resolved by discussion leading to a consensus. Next, we will perform a narrative synthesis of the study results. Study heterogeneity will be assessed using I2statistics. If I2is high (≥75%), and plausible heterogeneity contributors are found, we will divide the studies into appropriate subgroups for pooling of results or assess the association of plausible covariates and the prevalence estimates using meta-regression. If I2<75%, we will undertake meta-analysis using the random-effects model and transform all prevalence estimates using the Freeman-Tukey transformation for pooling, to obtain a synthesised point estimate of prevalence with its 95% confidence. We will then back-transform the point estimate, and report our results using the back-transformed figures.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not a requirement as this study is based on available published data. Results of this systematic review will be presented at conferences, shared with relevant health authorities, and published in a peer-reviewed journal. These results may help quantify the magnitude of dyslipidaemia globally, and guide preventative and therapeutic interventions.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020200281
Status, reporting completeness and methodological quality of pilot randomised controlled trials in acupuncture: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Zhang Yajun , Hu Hantong , Li Xiaoyu , Lou Jiali , He Xiaofen , Jiang Yongliang , Fang Jianqiao
Published: December 2021

Introduction

To date, there has been a lack of knowledge about the status, reporting completeness and methodological quality of pilot trials in the acupuncture field. Thus, this systematic review protocol aims to: (1) investigate publication trends and aspects of feasibility evaluated in acupuncture pilot trials; (2) identify the proportion of acupuncture pilot trials that lead to definitive trials and (3) assess the reporting completeness and methodological quality of pilot trials in acupuncture.

Methods and analysis

Studies of acupuncture pilot randomised controlled trials published from 2011 to 2021 will be retrieved in seven databases in January 2022, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. The methodological quality and reporting completeness of all included studies will be assessed using the risk of bias 2.0 tool (RoB 2) and the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) extension to randomised pilot and feasibility trials, respectively. For the primary analysis, publication trends, aspects of feasibility and the proportion of pilot trials that lead to definitive trials will be analysed. A quantitative analysis of the methodological quality and reporting completeness of the included trials will be implemented by calculating the percentage of items reported in each domain of RoB 2 and CONSORT. The secondary analysis will adopt a regression analysis to identify factors associated with the reporting completeness.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for this study. This study is planned to be submitted to a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Evaluating the delivery of Problem Management Plus in primary care settings in rural Rwanda: a study protocol using a pragmatic randomised hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation design
Authors: Smith Stephanie L , Nyirandagijimana Beatha , Hakizimana Janvier , Levy Roger P , Bienvenu Robert , Uwamwezi Anathalie , Hakizimfura Octavien , Uwimana Eugenie , Kundu Priya , Mpanumusingo Egide , Nshimyiryo Alphonse , Rusangwa Christian , Kateera Fredrick , Mukasakindi Hildegarde , Raviola Giuseppe
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Evidence-based low-intensity psychological interventions such as Problem Management Plus (PM+) have the potential to expand treatment access for depression and anxiety, yet these interventions are not yet effectively implemented in rural, public health systems in resource-limited settings. In 2017, Partners In Health adapted PM+ for delivery by primary care nurses in rural Rwanda and began integrating PM+ into health centres in collaboration with the Rwandan Ministry of Health, using established implementation strategies for mental health integration into primary care (Mentoring and Enhanced Supervision at Health Centers for Mental Health (MESH MH)). A gap in the evidence regarding whether low-intensity psychological interventions can be successfully integrated into real-world primary care settings and improve outcomes for common mental disorders remains. In this study, we will rigorously evaluate the delivery of PM+ by primary care nurses, supported by MESH MH, as it is scaled across one rural district in Rwanda.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation study to test the clinical outcomes of routinely delivered PM+ and to describe the implementation of PM+ at health centres. To study the clinical effectiveness of PM+, we will use a pragmatic, randomised multiple baseline design to determine whether participants experience improvement in depression symptoms (measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and functioning (measured by the WHO-Disability Assessment Scale Brief 2.0) after receiving PM+. We will employ quantitative and qualitative methods to describe and evaluate PM+ implementation outcomes using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance framework, using routinely collected programme data and semistructured interviews.

Ethics and dissemination

This evaluation was approved by the Rwanda National Ethics Committee (Protocol #196/RNEC/2019) and deemed exempt by the Harvard University Institutional Review Board. The results from this evaluation will be useful for health systems planners and policy-makers working to translate the evidence base for low-intensity psychological interventions into practice.
Cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitude and practice towards thalassaemia among Indonesian youth
Authors: Wahidiyat Pustika Amalia , Yo Edward Christopher , Wildani Muhammad Maulana , Triatmono Visabella Rizky , Yosia Mikhael
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Thalassaemia is an inherited blood disorder, for which definitive treatments remain largely inaccessible. The recommended approach to reduce the disease burden is by prevention through screening. Currently, the implementation of thalassaemia preventive measures is poorly regulated in Indonesia. Thalassaemia prevention and education are best targeted to the youth, but information on their awareness towards thalassaemia is limited. This study aims to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards thalassaemia among Indonesian youth.

Methods

This observational study took place between January and May 2021. An online questionnaire was disseminated to Indonesian youth aged 15–24. Eligible respondents included carriers, unaffected individuals and individuals with unknown carrier status. The questionnaire comprised 28 questions to assess KAP. A cut-off of 75% was used to categorise participant’s KAP into poor or negative and good or positive. Descriptive statistics, χ2test, logistic regression and Pearson correlation were performed for data analysis.

Results

A total of 906 responses were gathered, and 878 were analysed. Most respondents had poor knowledge (62.1%), positive attitude (83.3%) and poor practice (54.4%) towards thalassaemia. The results implied that respondents had limited understanding regarding the types of thalassaemia and the difference between asymptomatic carriers and individuals without the thalassaemia trait. Many (82.6%) believed they were not carrying thalassaemia trait despite the fact that most (95.7%) never got tested. Age, education, gender, residence and family income were key factors that correlated with or predicted the youth’s KAP towards thalassaemia. Older respondents and women were more likely to have good KAP.

Conclusion

Thalassaemia screening targeted to the youth is urgently needed, and future interventions must consider sociodemographic factors that may affect how they perceive the disease. Social media appeals to the youth as an important source of information, but school, parents and health professionals should also be involved in delivering education about thalassaemia.
Institutional governance and responsiveness to antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative study of Australian hospital executives
Authors: Broom Jennifer , Broom Alex , Kenny Katherine , Post Jeffrey J. , Konecny Pamela
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Despite escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), implementing effective antimicrobial optimisation within healthcare settings has been hampered by institutional impediments. This study sought to examine, from a hospital management and governance perspective, why healthcare providers may find it challenging to enact changes needed to address rising AMR.

Design

Semistructured qualitative interviews around their experiences of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and responsiveness to the requirement for optimisation. Data were analysed using the framework approach.

Setting

Two metropolitan tertiary-referral hospitals in Australia.

Participants

Twenty hospital managers and executives from the organisational level of department head and above, spanning a range of professional backgrounds and in both clinical and non-clinical roles, and different professional streams were represented.

Results

Thematic analysis demonstrated three key domains which managers and executives describe, and which might function to delimit institutional responsiveness to present and future AMR solutions. First, the primacy of ‘political’ priorities. AMR was perceived as a secondary priority, overshadowed by political priorities determined beyond the hospital by state health departments/ministries and election cycles. Second, the limits of accreditation as a mechanism for change. Hospital accreditation processes and regulatory structures were not sufficient to induce efficacious AMS. Third, a culture of acute problem ‘solving’ rather than future proofing. A culture of reactivity was described across government and healthcare institutions, precluding longer term objectives, like addressing the AMR crisis.

Conclusion

There are dynamics between political and health service institutions, as well as enduring governance norms, that may significantly shape capacity to enact AMS and respond to AMR. Until these issues are addressed, and the field moves beyond individual behaviour modification models, antimicrobial misuse will likely continue, and stewardship is likely to have a limited impact.
Using Lean tools to improve the efficiency of awake fibreoptic intubation setup
Authors: Weigel Wade A , Lyons Andrew B , Liberman Justin S , Blackmore C Craig
Published: December 2021

Background

Awake fibreoptic intubation is a complex advanced airway technique used by anaesthesiologists in the management of a difficult airway. The time to setup this important procedure can be significant which may dissuade its use by some providers. In our institution, the awake intubation setup process was highly variable and error prone.

Methods

We deployed Lean methods to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the awake fibreoptic intubation setup process. A 2-day improvement event with a multidisciplinary team addressed the setup process, tested solutions and created standard work documents. Twenty awake fibreoptic intubation simulations were conducted before and after the intervention to quantify gains in setup efficiency and error reduction.

Results

Variability in the setup process, including clinical locations visited, was reduced through creating a standardised process. The average time to for an awake fibreoptic intubation setup was reduced by approximately 50%, from 23 min to 11 min (p<0.001). In addition, awake fibreoptic intubation equipment set out without error increased in the postintervention simulations from 59% to 85% (p=0.003).

Conclusion

Using Lean tools, we were able to make the setup of awake fibreoptic intubation not only more efficient, but also more accurate. A similar methodological approach may have value for other complex anaesthesia procedures.
Immunogenicity, safety and reactogenicity of a heterogeneous booster following the CoronaVac inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients with SLE: a case series
Authors: Assawasaksakul Theerada , Sathitratanacheewin Seelwan , Vichaiwattana Preeyaporn , Wanlapakorn Nasamon , Poovorawan Yong , Kittanamongkolchai Wonngarm
Published: December 2021

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, CoronaVac, an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, has been widely deployed in several countries for emergency use. However, the immunogenicity of the inactivated vaccine was relatively lower when compared to other vaccine types and was even more attenuated in autoimmune patients with rheumatic disease. A third-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in immunosuppressed population is recommended in order to improve immune response. However, the data were limited to those initially received mRNA or viral vector SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Thus, we aimed to describe the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who received a heterogenous booster SARS-CoV-2 vaccine following the initial CoronaVac inactivated vaccine series. Our findings support that the third booster dose of mRNA or viral vector vaccine following the inactivated vaccine is well tolerated and elicited a substantial humoral and cellular immune response in inactive patients with SLE having maintenance immunosuppressive therapy without interruption of immunosuppressive medications.
Cannabinoid 2 receptor agonist and L-arginine combination attenuates diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats via NF-ĸβ inhibition
Authors: Kumawat Vivek S. , Kaur Ginpreet
Published: December 2021

Beta-caryophyllene (BCP), a cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptor agonist has recently been found to have cardioprotective activity as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant molecule. L-arginine (LA), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, is a potential regulator of cardiovascular function. Considering the role of CB2 receptor activation and NO regulation in cardiovascular diseases, the combination of BCP with LA may be a possible treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Hence, we investigated the efficacy of the novel combination of BCP with LA on cardiovascular inflammation and oxidative stress in diabetic rats. DCM was induced by streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) in Sprague–Dawley rats intraperitoneally. BCP, LA, and BCP with LA were administered to diabetic rats for 4 weeks. After completion of the study, hemodynamic parameters, biochemical parameters, and inflammatory cytokine levels were analyzed. Also, oxidative stress parameters, nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-ĸβ) expression, and histopathology in cardiac tissues were estimated. The combination of BCP (200 mg/kg) with LA (200 mg/kg) significantly normalized the hemodynamic parameters and decreased the glucose, cardiac markers, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels. Treatment of BCP and LA showed a significant decrease in oxidative stress and downregulated the cardiac expression of NF-ĸβ. Thus, the combination of BCP with LA improves cardiac functions by attenuating inflammation through NF-ĸβ inhibition in DCM.
DISSparse: Efficient Mining of Discriminative Itemsets
Authors: Seyfi Majid , Nayak Richi , Xu Yue , Geva Shlomo
Published: December 2021

We tackle the problem of discriminative itemset mining. Given a set of datasets, we want to find the itemsets that are frequent in the target dataset and have much higher frequencies compared with the same itemsets in other datasets. Such itemsets are very useful for dataset discrimination. We demonstrate that this problem has important applications and, at a same time, is very challenging. We present the DISSparse algorithm, a mining method that uses two determinative heuristics based on the sparsity characteristics of the discriminative itemsets as a small subset of the frequent itemsets. We prove that the DISSparse algorithm is sound and complete. We experimentally investigate the performance of the proposed DISSparse on a range of datasets, evaluating its efficiency and stability and demonstrating it is substantially faster than the baseline method.
Psycho-Cognitive Model of Knowledge Creation Theory
Authors: Bolade Sunday
Published: December 2021

Humans perform activities collaboratively or individually, and these activities, more often than not, involve both physical and mental processes. However, irrespective of whether individual or collective functioning, knowledge creation is a personal experience. Nevertheless, the general tenet of this paper is that knowledge is created in a human’s mind and resides in the head. Hence, it posits that knowledge creation is cognitive (associated with the neurological structures of the brain) and psychological (involving consciousness)—a psycho-cognitive process. This study thus employs a “Cognaction” mechanism that is based on the assumptions captured below. The mechanism premised that the human cognitive chamber consists of 3C modes of comprehension (for interpreting stimuli transmitted to the brain by sensory organs), contextualisation (for mindful connecting of chunks to existing schemas), and conceptualisation (for evaluative reflection in a manner that leads to drawing inference and building themes or new concepts). It demonstrates that as diverse skill sets are applied to a task, they generate varieties of effects and outcomes. The outcomes though are distinctive and at the same time are cospecialised. Thus, the psycho-cognitive perspective demonstrates knowledge creation as a cocreation process and sees knowledge as a mix of cocreated, cognitive structures. In view of these, the study provides the missing explanation on how the knowledge archetypes emerged. And it provides the missing link between the belief that “knowledge is created in the head” and knowledge creation theory.
N-critical graph of finite groups
Authors: Murashka Viachaslau I.
Published: December 2021

A Schmidt [Formula: see text]-group is a non-nilpotent [Formula: see text]-group whose proper subgroups are nilpotent and which has the normal Sylow [Formula: see text]-subgroup. The [Formula: see text]-critical graph [Formula: see text] of a finite group [Formula: see text] is a directed graph on the vertex set [Formula: see text] of all prime divisors of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is an edge of [Formula: see text] if and only if [Formula: see text] has a Schmidt [Formula: see text]-subgroup. The bounds of the nilpotent length of a soluble group are obtained in terms of its [Formula: see text]-critical graph. The structure of a soluble group with given [Formula: see text]-critical graph is obtained in terms of commutators. The connections between [Formula: see text]-critical and other graphs (Sylow, soluble, prime, commuting) of finite groups are found.
On-line interval graphs coloring — Modification of the First-Fit algorithm and its performance ratio
Authors: Bieganowski Bartosz
Published: December 2021

We propose a modification of the First-Fit algorithm in which we forbid the use of the most frequently used color. We provide some lower bound of the performance ratio [Formula: see text] on the family of interval graphs [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] denotes the number of used colors by the modified version of the First-Fit algorithm and [Formula: see text] is the number of vertices in the largest complete subgraph in [Formula: see text]. We also compare the modification with the usual First-Fit algorithm on some experimental data.
Drawbacks in the 3-Factor Approach of Fama and French (2018)
Authors: Allen David E. , McAleer Michael
Published: December 2021

This paper features a statistical analysis of the monthly three factor Fama/French return series. Rolling OLS regressions explore the relationship between the 3 factors, using data from July 1926 to June 2018, available on French’s website. The results suggest there are significant and time-varying relationships between the factors. A sub-sample from July 1990 to July 2018 is used to analyze the three series using two-stage least squares and the Hausman test to check for issues related to endogeneity. The empirical results suggest that the factors, when combined in OLS regression analysis, as suggested by Fama and French (2018), are likely to suffer from endogeneity. Ramsey’s RESET tests suggest a nonlinear relationship exists between the three series. We use two instruments to estimate the market betas, and compare them to betas estimated not using instruments. Non-parametric tests of the two sets of betas suggest significant differences. The results suggest that using these factors in linear regression analysis, as recommended by Fama and French [(2018). Choosing factors. Journal of Financial Economics, 128(2), 234–252] is problematic in that the estimated coefficients are highly sensitive to the correct model specification.
The October 2021 issue
Authors: Uhlig Steve
Published: December 2021

This October 2021 issue contains two technical papers, two educational contributions, and one editorial note.
Data-driven networking research
Authors: Mogul Jeffrey C. , Mahadevan Priya , Diot Christophe , Wilkes John , Gill Phillipa , Vahdat Amin
Published: December 2021

We in Google's various networking teams would like to increase our collaborations with academic researchers related to data-driven networking research. There are some significant constraints on our ability to directly share data, which are not always widely-understood in the academic community; this document provides a brief summary. We describe some models which
can
work - primarily, interns and visiting scientists working temporarily as employees, which simplifies the handling of some confidentiality and privacy issues. We describe some specific areas where we would welcome proposals to work within those models.
Single-cell RNA sequencing of mouse left ventricle reveals cellular diversity and intercommunication
Authors: Wu Lan , Li Yan-Fei , Shen Jun-Wei , Zhu Qian , Jiang Jing , Ma Shi-Hua , He Kai , Ning Zhong-Ping , Li Jue , Li Xin-Ming
Published: December 2021

Previous studies have revealed the diversity of the whole cardiac cellulome but not refined the left ventricle, which was essential for finding therapeutic targets. Here, we characterized single-cell transcriptional profiles of the mouse left ventricular cellular landscape using single-cell RNA sequencing (10× Genomics). Detailed t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (tSNE) analysis revealed the cell types of left ventricle with gene markers. Left ventricular cellulome contained cardiomyocytes highly expressed Trdn, endothelial cells highly expressed Pcdh17, fibroblast highly expressed Lama2, and macrophages highly expressed Hpgds, also proved by in situ hybridization. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analysis (ListHits > 2, P < 0.05) were employed with the DAVID database to investigate subtypes of each cell type with the underlying functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Endothelial cells included 5 subtypes, fibroblasts comprising 7 subtypes, and macrophages contained 11 subtypes. The key representative DEGs ( P < 0.001) were Gja4 and Gja5 in cluster 3 of endothelial cells, Aqp2 and Thbs4 in cluster 2 of fibroblasts, and Clec4e and Trem-1 in cluster 3 of macrophages perhaps involved in the occurrence of atherosclerosis, heart failure, and acute myocardial infarction proved by literature review. We also revealed extensive networks of intercellular communication in left ventricle. We suggested possible therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disease and autocrine and paracrine signaling underpins left ventricular homeostasis. This study provided new insights into the structure and function of the mammalian left ventricular cellulome and offers an important resource that will stimulate studies in cardiovascular research.
Ginsenoside Rg1 Prevents Cognitive Impairment and Hippocampal Neuronal Apoptosis in Experimental Vascular Dementia Mice by Promoting GPR30 Expression
Authors: Shen Fengming , Wang Juan , Gao Feng , Wang Jingji , Zhu Guoqi
Published: December 2021

This study is aimed at investigating the potential roles of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER, also known as GPR30) in the preventive effect of ginsenoside Rg1 against cognitive impairment and hippocampal cell apoptosis in experimental vascular dementia (VD) in mice. The effects of bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) on GPR30 expression at mRNA level were evaluated. Thereafter, the BCAS mouse model was utilized to evaluate the protection of Rg1 (0.1, 1, 10 mg/kg, 14 days, ip). Spatial memory was evaluated by water Morris Maze 7 days post BCAS. After behavioral tests, neuronal apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, and potential mechanisms were determined using western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Our results showed that GPR30 expression in the hippocampal region at mRNA level was promoted 30 min, 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h following BCAS. Ginsenoside Rg1 (1 or 10 mg/kg, 14 days, ip) promoted GPR30 expression in the hippocampus of model mice (after behavioral tests) but did not alter GPR30 expression in the hippocampus of control mice. Moreover, treatment of ginsenoside Rg1 (10 mg/kg) or G1 (5 μg/kg), a GPR30 agonist, prevented BCAS-induced memory impairment and hippocampal neuronal loss and apoptosis and promoted the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax expression in the hippocampus (after behavioral tests). On the contrary, G15 (185 μg/kg), an antagonist of GPR30, aggravated BCAS-induced hippocampal neuronal loss and apoptosis. Finally, drug-target molecular docking pointed that Rg1 had a lower binding energy with GPR30 compared with Bax and Bcl-2. Together, our data implicate that ginsenoside Rg1 prevents cognitive impairment and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in VD mice, likely through promoting GPR30 expression. These results would provide important implications for the application of Rg1 in the treatment of VD.
Bow and Stern Control Surface’s Effectiveness and Influence on Supercavity
Authors: Wei Ping , Yan Wenrong , Wang Shoufa , Yu Xin
Published: December 2021

The numerical model of supercavitating flow field was established based on multiphase model, cavitation model, and turbulence model. The model was employed to simulate the supercavitation flow for the supercavitating vehicle with two types of control surfaces: bow rudder and stern rudder. The influence of both control surfaces on the supercavity shape and rudder effectiveness is compared under the different rudder angles (0‐12°), and the effectiveness and the influences on supercavities of bow rudder and stern rudder were explored according to the numerical research results. From the research results, the following conclusions can be drawn: (1) the bow rudders have stable rudder effectiveness and available rudder angle, and the bow rudders also have significant influence on supercavities’ shape. (2) By contrast with the bow rudder, stern rudders’ effectiveness is difficult to predict accurately, and the phenomenon of stalling will occur when stern rudders’ rudder angle exceeds 6°; however, there is almost no influence of stern rudders on supercavities. (3) The bow and stern rudders joint control mode must take the influence on supercavities’ shape and the accuracy of control force’s forecasting into account at the same time. The research is helpful to the optimizing of superhigh‐speed vehicles and the design of control modes.
A Product Styling Design Evaluation Method Based on Multilayer Perceptron Genetic Algorithm Neural Network Algorithm
Authors: Wu Jie
Published: December 2021

Products no longer exist simply as carriers of useful functions, but more and more consumers are beginning to pay attention to the spiritual aspects of the feelings brought by products. This paper brings machine learning algorithms to the discipline of industrial design and proposes a method to evaluate the design of product shapes using a multilayer perceptron genetic algorithm neural network (GA‐MLP‐NN) algorithm, quantifying the product shape, using computer‐aided design technology to achieve shape optimization, shape, and color scheme generation, and using interactive feedback with users to finally generate a product shape with market demand. In this paper, we use the combinatorial innovation method to arrange and combine the detail elements in the solution library to generate the modeling solution, combine the multilayer perceptron genetic algorithm neural network algorithm with product modeling, and establish the interactive genetic modeling system for the product, use this system to design the product modeling solution, and finally get the product modeling solution satisfied by the target users; using the multilayer perceptron genetic algorithm neural network method to evaluate the product modeling items. The mapping relationship model between morphological feature space and imagery cognitive space was constructed based on multiple linear regression equations, and the multiple regression model for each affective dimension was ideal. The results show that the model performance is reliable. The weights are calculated, and the appropriate people are selected to score and calculate the modeling scheme, and finally, the satisfactory product modeling scheme is obtained.
[Retracted] Human Action Recognition in Smart Cultural Tourism Based on Fusion Techniques of Virtual Reality and SOM Neural Network
Authors: Ma Zaosheng
Published: December 2021

Smart cultural tourism is the development trend of the future tourism industry. Virtual reality is an important tool to realize smart tourism. The reality of virtual reality mainly comes from human‐computer interaction, which is closely related to human action recognition technology. Therefore, the research takes human action recognition as the research direction, uses a self‐organizing mapping network (SOM) neural network to extract the key frame of action video, combines it with multi‐feature vector method to recognize human action, and compares the recognition rate and user satisfaction of different recognition methods. The results show that the recognition rate of multi‐feature voting human action recognition algorithm based on SOM neural network is 93.68% on UT‐Kinect action, 59.06% on MSRDailyActivity3D, and the overall action recognition time is only 3.59 s. Within six months, the total profit of human‐computer interactive virtual reality tourism project with SOM neural network multi‐eigenvector as the core algorithm reached 422,000 yuan, and 88% of users expressed satisfaction after use. It shows that the proposed method has a good recognition rate and can give users effective feedback in time. It is hoped that this research has a certain reference value in promoting the development of human motion recognition technology.