bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - A resource for COVID-19 research: Home-based antibody testing results, October 2020
Authors: Northstone Kate , Smith Daniel , Bowring Claire , Hill Amanda , Hobbs Richard , Wells Nicholas , Timpson Nicholas J.
Published: February 2021

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is a prospective population-based cohort study which recruited pregnant women in 1990-1992 and has followed these women, their partners (Generation 0; G0) and offspring (Generation 1; G1) ever since. The study reacted rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic, deploying online questionnaires in March and May 2020. Home-based antibody tests and a further questionnaire were sent to 5220 participants during a two-week period of October 2020.

4.2% (n=201) of participants reported a positive antibody test (3.2% G0s [n=81]; 5.6% G1s [n=120]). 43 reported an invalid test, 7 did not complete and 3 did not report their result. Participants uploaded a photo of their test to enable validation: all positive tests, those where the participant could not interpret the result and a 5% random sample were manually checked against photos. We report 92% agreement (kappa=0.853). Positive tests were compared to additional COVID-19 status information: 58 (1.2%) participants reported a previous positive test, 73 (1.5%) reported that COVID-19 was suspected by a doctor, but not tested and 980 (20.4%) believed they had COVID-19 due to their own suspicions.  Of those reporting a positive result on our antibody test, 55 reported that they did not think they had had COVID-19.

Results from antibody testing and questionnaire data will be complemented by health record linkage and results of other biological testing– uniting Pillar testing data with home testing and self-report. Data have been released as an update to the original datasets released in July 2020. It comprises: 1) a standard dataset containing all participant responses to all three questionnaires with key sociodemographic factors and 2) as individual participant-specific release files enabling bespoke research across all areas supported by the study. This data note describes the antibody testing, associated questionnaire and the data obtained from it.
Seeding the Herd: Pricing and Welfare Effects of Social Learning Manipulation
Authors: Chen Li , Papanastasiou Yiangos
Published: February 2021

This paper is motivated by the recent emergence of various interference tactics employed by sellers attempting to manipulate social learning. We revisit the classic model of observational social learning and extend it to allow for (i) asymmetric information on product value between the seller and the consumers and (ii) the ability of the seller to “seed” the observational learning process with a fake purchase, in an attempt to manipulate consumer beliefs. We examine the interaction between social learning manipulation and equilibrium market outcomes as well as the impact of antimanipulation measures aimed at detecting and punishing misconduct. The analysis yields three main insights. First, we show that increasing the intensity of antimanipulation measures can have unintended consequences, often inducing higher levels of manipulation as well as higher equilibrium prices. Second, we find that although measures of high intensity can completely deter misconduct, such measures do not lead to any improvement in either seller or consumer payoffs, relative to the case where no measures are present. Third, we demonstrate that in many cases, measures of intermediate intensity can leverage seller manipulation to simultaneously improve both seller and consumer payoffs.

This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management.
ISU-ISU GLOBAL DALAM NOVEL INDONESIA MODERN
Authors: Sujarwa Sujarwa
Published: February 2021

Sebagaimana judul yang dimaksud dalam paparan ini adalah “memaparkan isu-isu global yang tercermin dalam novel Indonesia modern”. Isu-isu global adalah wacana yang dewasa ini mengemuka di masyarakat yang perlu diidentifikasi keberadaannya, sehingga dapat terpahami masalah apa saja yang muncul dan yang perlu dicari jalan keluarnya. Untuk mengetahui hal itu,  novel sebagai dokumen dalam peristiwa budaya dipandang mampu jadi sampel untuk mengung­kap fenomena isu global tersebut. Karenanya, paparan ini mengedepankan pembahasan isu glo­bal terhadap novel Indonesia modern dengan teori sosiologis. Hal ini bertujuan untuk mempe­roleh informasi tentang isu global yang tercermin di dalam novel. Bagaimana isu-isu global se­per­ti: kemiskinan, kejahatan, ketidakadilan, disorganisasi keluarga, dan seterusnya dipersoalkan dalam peristiwa seni, terutama novel Indonesia modern.
HOMO SACER ORANG PEGATEN DALAM NOVEL KUBAH KARYA AHMAD TOHARI (PERSPEKTIF GIORGIO AGAMBEN)
Authors: Pratiwi Wista Ayu , Apriyani Tristanti
Published: February 2021

Ahmad Tohari is a writer who created a novel based on the historical events of his people. One of Ahmad Tohari's novels which is the focus of this research study is the Kubah novel. The involvement of Karman in the communist party turned out to change his life. Referring to the formulation of Giorgio Agamben (1998) about modern biopolitics, the depiction of the life of the character Karman in the Kubah novel, is very much in accordance with the concept of Homo sacer and bare lofe proposed by Agamben. By using descriptive analysis methods, this study aims to analyze the concepts of bare life and homo sacers which are reflected in the Karman character in Ahmad Tohari's Kubah novel. Karman figure becomes a homo sacer who has an identity as a pegaten hamlet resident, but he feels he does not get his rights as a hamlet resident. The change in Karman's self as an innocent, religious and devout individual, until becoming an atheist, was a process of bare life.
Optimising postoperative discharge plans for patients undergoing surgical treatment for gastric cancer: a literature review
Authors: Chaparro-Diaz Lorena , Rojas Maria Zoraida , Carreño-Moreno Sonia Patricia
Published: February 2021

Background:

Gastric (stomach) cancer is common, difficult to detect and has a high mortality rate. Many gastric cancers are treatable with invasive gastrointestinal surgery, including total or partial gastrectomy. These patients face many postoperative challenges, including pain, nausea and nutritional difficulties, as well as consequent anxiety and socio-economic challenges. Some healthcare institutions have implemented discharge plans as a cost-effective strategy to improve postoperative care.

Aim:

This systematic literature review aimed to identify essential elements to incorporate in the design and implementation of discharge plans for post-surgical gastric cancer patients.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was performed on the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Studies, Elsevier Scopus and the library database of the National University of Colombia. These articles were assessed for relevance and underwent thematic analysis.

Findings:

The search returned nine relevant articles in English and Spanish. They suggested that discharge plans should start from first contact with a nurse and integrate the patient and their family and carers into the process of home self-care and recovery. These plans should also guide nurses to provide ongoing patient education, nutritional interventions and psychosocial support, as well as prevention of thromboembolism and assistance with symptom management and coming to terms with a new life situation.

Conclusions:

Discharge plans reduce the negative impact of the disease and invasive procedures on patients, families and health systems, reducing unplanned hospitalisation and readmission. There is a need to develop and test supportive care programmes that are designed to meet the needs of patients and focus on improving patients' quality of life after this life-changing surgery.
Weathering a long pandemic
Authors: Harrison Penny
Published: February 2021

A column exploring the key professional issues affecting specialist nurses working in gastroenterology, hepatology and stoma care
Full-color micro-LED displays with cadmium-free quantum dots patterned
by photolithography technology: retraction
Authors: Tian Wenya , Dou Long , Jin Zhong , Xiao Jinqing , Li Junhui
Published: February 2021

The referenced article [Appl. Opt. 59, 11112
(2020)APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.412267] has been retracted by
the author.
Photoacoustic-guided surgery from head to toe [Invited]
Authors: Wiacek Alycen , Lediju Bell Muyinatu A.
Published: February 2021

Photoacoustic imaging–the combination of optics and acoustics to visualize differences in optical absorption – has recently demonstrated strong viability as a promising method to provide critical guidance of multiple surgeries and procedures. Benefits include its potential to assist with tumor resection, identify hemorrhaged and ablated tissue, visualize metal implants (e.g., needle tips, tool tips, brachytherapy seeds), track catheter tips, and avoid accidental injury to critical subsurface anatomy (e.g., major vessels and nerves hidden by tissue during surgery). These benefits are significant because they reduce surgical error, associated surgery-related complications (e.g., cancer recurrence, paralysis, excessive bleeding), and accidental patient death in the operating room. This invited review covers multiple aspects of the use of photoacoustic imaging to guide both surgical and related non-surgical interventions. Applicable organ systems span structures within the head to contents of the toes, with an eye toward surgical and interventional translation for the benefit of patients and for use in operating rooms and interventional suites worldwide. We additionally include a critical discussion of complete systems and tools needed to maximize the success of surgical and interventional applications of photoacoustic-based technology, spanning light delivery, acoustic detection, and robotic methods. Multiple enabling hardware and software integration components are also discussed, concluding with a summary and future outlook based on the current state of technological developments, recent achievements, and possible new directions.
Frenet–Serret analysis of helical Bloch modes in N-fold rotationally symmetric rings of coupled spiraling optical waveguides
Authors: Chen Y. , St.J. Russell P.
Published: February 2021

The behavior of electromagnetic waves in chirally twisted structures is a topic of enduring interest, dating back at least to the 1940s invention of the microwave travelling-wave-tube amplifier and culminating in contemporary studies of chiral metamaterials, metasurfaces, and photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). Optical fibers with chiral microstructures, drawn from a spinning preform, have many useful properties, exhibiting, for example, circular birefringence and circular dichroism. It has recently been shown that chiral fibers with

N

-fold rotationally symmetric (symmetry group

C

N

) transverse microstructures support families of helical Bloch modes (HBMs), each of which consists of a superposition of azimuthal Bloch harmonics (or optical vortices). An example is a fiber with

N

coupled cores arranged in a ring around its central axis (

N

-core single-ring fiber). Although this type of fiber can be readily modeled using scalar coupled-mode theory, a full description of its optical properties requires a vectorial analysis that takes account of the polarization state of the light, which is particularly important in studies of circular and vortical birefringence. In this paper, we develop, using an orthogonal 2D helicoidal coordinate system embedded in a cylindrical surface at constant radius, a rigorous vector coupled-mode description of the fields using local Frenet–Serret frames that rotate and twist with each of the

N

cores. The analysis places on a firm theoretical footing a previous HBM theory in which a heuristic approach was taken, based on physical intuition of the properties of Bloch waves. After a detailed review of the polarization evolution in a single spiraling core, analysis of the

N

-core single-ring system is carefully developed step by step. Accuracy limits of the analysis are assessed by comparison with the results of finite element modeling, focusing in particular on the dispersion, polarization states, and transverse field profiles of the HBMs. We believe this study provides clarity into what can sometimes be a rather difficult field and will facilitate further exploration of real-world applications of these fascinating waveguiding systems.
Broadband terahertz absorber with tunable frequency and bandwidth by using Dirac semimetal and strontium titanate
Authors: Wu Tong , Shao Yabin , Ma Shuai , Wang Guan , Gao Yachen
Published: February 2021

A bifunctional broadband absorber in the terahertz band based on patterned bulk Dirac semimetal (BDS) and strontium titanate (STO) is proposed. The properties of the absorber are investigated using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show that the width of absorption can be modulated from 0.59 THz to 0.7 THz when the Fermi energy of the BDS is independently shifted from 40 meV to 50 meV. By tuning the temperature from 250 K to 400K, the center frequency of the broadband absorption spectrum can be changed from 1.311 THz to 1.505 THz, and the absorption bandwidth broadens from 0.66 THz to 0.81 THz. In addition, the simulation results show that the absorber is insensitive to electromagnetic wave polarization, and can still maintain a stable broadband absorption effect when the oblique incidence is within 40° for TE and TM modes. Based on the impedance matching theory, the physical mechanism of the broadband absorption is analyzed theoretically. This work can provide an alternative way to design high-performance multifunctional tunable terahertz devices.
Quasi-coherent noise-like pulses in a mode-locked fiber laser with a 3D rotatable polarization beam splitter
Authors: Zhou Renlai , Li Qian , Fu H. Y. , Nakkeeran K.
Published: February 2021

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we experimentally observed a novel quasi-coherent noise-like pulse (NLP) in a simplified nonlinear polarization evolution mode-locking fiber laser when appropriate polarization was maintained for the lasing light through a three-dimensional rotatable polarization beam splitter inside the cavity. The degree of first-order coherence was evaluated after an interferogram measurement. The evolution of the measured shot-to-shot spectrum revealed that the NLPs possess quasi-coherence. Self-starting ultrafast soliton pulses switching to quasi-coherent NLPs at higher pump power levels were due to the preservation of the soliton features, mainly the Kelly sidebands in the spectrum. Quasi-coherent NLPs with average power of 56.58 mW and 10.4% slope efficiency were achieved with single pulse energy of 3.22 nJ.
Bayesian parameter estimation for automatic annotation of gene functions using observational data and phylogenetic trees
Authors: Vega Yon George G. , Thomas Duncan C. , Morrison John , Mi Huaiyu , Thomas Paul D. , Marjoram Paul
Published: February 2021

Gene function annotation is important for a variety of downstream analyses of genetic data. But experimental characterization of function remains costly and slow, making computational prediction an important endeavor. Phylogenetic approaches to prediction have been developed, but implementation of a practical Bayesian framework for parameter estimation remains an outstanding challenge. We have developed a computationally efficient model of evolution of gene annotations using phylogenies based on a Bayesian framework using Markov Chain Monte Carlo for parameter estimation. Unlike previous approaches, our method is able to estimate parameters over many different phylogenetic trees and functions. The resulting parameters agree with biological intuition, such as the increased probability of function change following gene duplication. The method performs well on leave-one-out cross-validation, and we further validated some of the predictions in the experimental scientific literature.
Cholinergic neuromodulation of inhibitory interneurons facilitates functional integration in whole-brain models
Authors: Coronel-Oliveros Carlos , Cofré Rodrigo , Orio Patricio
Published: February 2021

Segregation and integration are two fundamental principles of brain structural and functional organization. Neuroimaging studies have shown that the brain transits between different functionally segregated and integrated states, and neuromodulatory systems have been proposed as key to facilitate these transitions. Although whole-brain computational models have reproduced this neuromodulatory effect, the role of local inhibitory circuits and their cholinergic modulation has not been studied. In this article, we consider a Jansen & Rit whole-brain model in a network interconnected using a human connectome, and study the influence of the cholinergic and noradrenergic neuromodulatory systems on the segregation/integration balance. In our model, we introduce a local inhibitory feedback as a plausible biophysical mechanism that enables the integration of whole-brain activity, and that interacts with the other neuromodulatory influences to facilitate the transition between different functional segregation/integration regimes in the brain.
Ush regulates hemocyte-specific gene expression, fatty acid metabolism and cell cycle progression and cooperates with dNuRD to orchestrate hematopoiesis
Authors: Lenz Jonathan , Liefke Robert , Funk Julianne , Shoup Samuel , Nist Andrea , Stiewe Thorsten , Schulz Robert , Tokusumi Yumiko , Albert Lea , Raifer Hartmann , Förstemann Klaus , Vázquez Olalla , Tokusumi Tsuyoshi , Fossett Nancy , Brehm Alexander
Published: February 2021

The generation of lineage-specific gene expression programmes that alter proliferation capacity, metabolic profile and cell type-specific functions during differentiation from multipotent stem cells to specialised cell types is crucial for development. During differentiation gene expression programmes are dynamically modulated by a complex interplay between sequence-specific transcription factors, associated cofactors and epigenetic regulators. Here, we study U-shaped (Ush), a multi-zinc finger protein that maintains the multipotency of stem cell-like hemocyte progenitors duringDrosophilahematopoiesis. Using genomewide approaches we reveal that Ush binds to promoters and enhancers and that it controls the expression of three gene classes that encode proteins relevant to stem cell-like functions and differentiation: cell cycle regulators, key metabolic enzymes and proteins conferring specific functions of differentiated hemocytes. We employ complementary biochemical approaches to characterise the molecular mechanisms of Ush-mediated gene regulation. We uncover distinct Ush isoforms one of which binds the Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylation (NuRD) complex using an evolutionary conserved peptide motif. Remarkably, the Ush/NuRD complex specifically contributes to the repression of lineage-specific genes but does not impact the expression of cell cycle regulators or metabolic genes. This reveals a mechanism that enables specific and concerted modulation of functionally related portions of a wider gene expression programme. Finally, we use genetic assays to demonstrate that Ush and NuRD regulate enhancer activity during hemocyte differentiationin vivoand that both cooperate to suppress the differentiation of lamellocytes, a highly specialised blood cell type. Our findings reveal that Ush coordinates proliferation, metabolism and cell type-specific activities by isoform-specific cooperation with an epigenetic regulator.
The socioeconomic distribution of alcohol-related violence in England and Wales
Authors: Bryant Lucy , Lightowlers Carly
Published: February 2021

Inequalities in alcohol-related health harms have been repeatedly identified. However, the socioeconomic distribution of alcohol-related violence (violence committed by a person under the influence of alcohol)–and of subtypes such as alcohol-related domestic violence–remains under-examined. To examine this, data are drawn from nationally representative victimisation survey, the Crime Survey for England and Wales, from years 2013/14 to 2017/18. Socioeconomic status specific incidence and prevalence rates for alcohol-related violence (including subtypes domestic, stranger, and acquaintance violence) were created. Binomial logistic regressions were performed to test whether the likelihood of experiencing these incidents was affected by socioeconomic status when controlling for a range of pre-established risk factors associated with violence victimisation. Findings generally show lower socioeconomic groups experience higher prevalence rates of alcohol-related violence overall, and higher incidence and prevalence rates for alcohol-related domestic and acquaintance violence. Binomial logistic regression results show that the likelihood of experiencing these types of violence is affected by a person’s socioeconomic status–even when other risk factors known to be associated with violence are held constant. Along with action to address environmental and economic drivers of socioeconomic inequality, provision of publicly funded domestic violence services should be improved, and alcohol pricing and availability interventions should be investigated for their potential to disproportionately benefit lower socioeconomic groups.
Review of machine learning methods in soft robotics
Authors: Kim Daekyum , Kim Sang-Hun , Kim Taekyoung , Kang Brian Byunghyun , Lee Minhyuk , Park Wookeun , Ku Subyeong , Kim DongWook , Kwon Junghan , Lee Hochang , Bae Joonbum , Park Yong-Lae , Cho Kyu-Jin , Jo Sungho
Published: February 2021

Soft robots have been extensively researched due to their flexible, deformable, and adaptive characteristics. However, compared to rigid robots, soft robots have issues in modeling, calibration, and control in that the innate characteristics of the soft materials can cause complex behaviors due to non-linearity and hysteresis. To overcome these limitations, recent studies have applied various approaches based on machine learning. This paper presents existing machine learning techniques in the soft robotic fields and categorizes the implementation of machine learning approaches in different soft robotic applications, which include soft sensors, soft actuators, and applications such as soft wearable robots. An analysis of the trends of different machine learning approaches with respect to different types of soft robot applications is presented; in addition to the current limitations in the research field, followed by a summary of the existing machine learning methods for soft robots.
Development of a program for in silico optimized selection of oligonucleotide-based molecular barcodes
Authors: Yang In Seok , Bae Sang Won , Park BeumJin , Kim Sangwoo
Published: February 2021

Short DNA oligonucleotides (~4 mer) have been used to index samples from different sources, such as in multiplex sequencing. Presently, longer oligonucleotides (8–12 mer) are being used as molecular barcodes with which to distinguish among raw DNA molecules in many high-tech sequence analyses, including low-frequent mutation detection, quantitative transcriptome analysis, and single-cell sequencing. Despite some advantages of using molecular barcodes with random sequences, such an approach, however, makes it impossible to know the exact sequences used in an experiment and can lead to inaccurate interpretation due to misclustering of barcodes arising from the occurrence of unexpected mutations in the barcodes. The present study introduces a tool developed for selecting an optimal barcode subset during molecular barcoding. The program considers five barcode factors: GC content, homopolymers, simple sequence repeats with repeated units of dinucleotides, Hamming distance, and complementarity between barcodes. To evaluate a selected barcode set, penalty scores for the factors are defined based on their distributions observed in random barcodes. The algorithm employed in the program comprises two steps: i) random generation of an initial set and ii) optimal barcode selection via iterative replacement. Users can execute the program by inputting barcode length and the number of barcodes to be generated. Furthermore, the program accepts a user’s own values for other parameters, including penalty scores, for advanced use, allowing it to be applied in various conditions. In many test runs to obtain 100000 barcodes with lengths of 12 nucleotides, the program showed fast performance, efficient enough to generate optimal barcode sequences with merely the use of a desktop PC. We also showed that VFOS has comparable performance, flexibility in program running, consideration of simple sequence repeats, and fast computation time in comparison with other two tools (DNABarcodes and FreeBarcodes). Owing to the versatility and fast performance of the program, we expect that many researchers will opt to apply it for selecting optimal barcode sets during their experiments, including next-generation sequencing.
Insular functional organization during handgrip in females and males with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Pal Amrita , Ogren Jennifer A. , Aysola Ravi S. , Kumar Rajesh , Henderson Luke A. , Harper Ronald M. , Macey Paul M.
Published: February 2021

Study objectives

Brain regulation of autonomic function in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is disrupted in a sex-specific manner, including in the insula, which may contribute to several comorbidities. The insular gyri have anatomically distinct functions with respect to autonomic nervous system regulation; yet, OSA exerts little effect on the organization of insular gyral responses to sympathetic components of an autonomic challenge, the Valsalva. We further assessed neural responses of insular gyri in people with OSA to a static handgrip task, which principally involves parasympathetic withdrawal.

Methods

We measured insular function with blood oxygen level dependent functional MRI. We studied 48 newly-diagnosed OSA (age mean±std:46.5±9 years; AHI±std:32.6±21.1 events/hour; 36 male) and 63 healthy (47.2±8.8 years;40 male) participants. Subjects performed four 16s handgrips (1 min intervals, 80% subjective maximum strength) during scanning. fMRI time trends from five insular gyri—anterior short (ASG); mid short (MSG); posterior short (PSG); anterior long (ALG); and posterior long (PLG)—were assessed for within-group responses and between-group differences with repeated measures ANOVA (p<0.05) in combined and separate female-male models; age and resting heart-rate (HR) influences were also assessed.

Results

Females showed greater right anterior dominance at the ASG, but no differences emerged between OSA and controls in relation to functional organization of the insula in response to handgrip. Males showed greater left anterior dominance at the ASG, but there were also no differences between OSA and controls. The males showed a group difference between OSA and controls only in the ALG. OSA males had lower left activation at the ALG compared to control males. Responses were mostly influenced by HR and age; however, age did not impact the response for right anterior dominance in females.

Conclusions

Insular gyri functional responses to handgrip differ in OSA vs controls in a sex-based manner, but only in laterality of one gyrus, suggesting anterior and right-side insular dominance during sympathetic activation but parasympathetic withdrawal is largely intact, despite morphologic injury to the overall structure.
Immunogenicity and inflammatory properties of respiratory syncytial virus attachment G protein in cotton rats
Authors: Martinez Margaret E. , Capella Gonzalez Cristina , Huey Devra , Peeples Mark E. , McCarty Douglas , Niewiesk Stefan
Published: February 2021

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children worldwide. The attachment (G) protein of RSV is synthesized by infected cells in both a membrane bound (mG) and secreted form (sG) and uses a CX3C motif for binding to its cellular receptor. Cell culture and mouse studies suggest that the G protein mimics the cytokine CX3CL1 by binding to CX3CR1 on immune cells, which is thought to cause increased pulmonary inflammation in vivo. However, because these studies have used RSV lacking its G protein gene or blockade of the G protein with a G protein specific monoclonal antibody, the observed reduction in inflammation may be due to reduced virus replication and spread, and not to a direct role for G protein as a viral chemokine. In order to more directly determine the influence of the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of G protein on the immune system independent of its attachment function for the virion, we expressed the G protein in cotton rat lungs using adeno-associated virus (AAV), a vector system which does not itself induce inflammation. We found no increase in pulmonary inflammation as determined by histology and bronchoalveolar lavage after inoculation of AAVs expressing the membrane bound G protein, the secreted G protein or the complete G protein gene which expresses both forms. The long-term low-level expression of AAV-G did, however, result in the induction of non-neutralizing antibodies, CD8 T cells and partial protection from challenge with RSV. Complete protection was accomplished through co-immunization with AAV-G and an AAV expressing cotton rat interferon α.
Comparison of beta diversity measures in clustering the high-dimensional microbial data
Authors: Chen Biyuan , He Xueyi , Pan Bangquan , Zou Xiaobing , You Na
Published: February 2021

The heterogeneity of disease is a major concern in medical research and is commonly characterized as subtypes with different pathogeneses exhibiting distinct prognoses and treatment effects. The classification of a population into homogeneous subgroups is challenging, especially for complex diseases. Recent studies show that gut microbiome compositions play a vital role in disease development, and it is of great interest to cluster patients according to their microbial profiles. There are a variety of beta diversity measures to quantify the dissimilarity between the compositions of different samples for clustering. However, using different beta diversity measures results in different clusters, and it is difficult to make a choice among them. Considering microbial compositions from 16S rRNA sequencing, which are presented as a high-dimensional vector with a large proportion of extremely small or even zero-valued elements, we set up three simulation experiments to mimic the microbial compositional data and evaluate the performance of different beta diversity measures in clustering. It is shown that the Kullback-Leibler divergence-based beta diversity, including the Jensen-Shannon divergence and its square root, and the hypersphere-based beta diversity, including the Bhattacharyya and Hellinger, can capture compositional changes in low-abundance elements more efficiently and can work stably. Their performance on two real datasets demonstrates the validity of the simulation experiments.
Facial geometric feature extraction based emotional expression classification using machine learning algorithms
Authors: M. Murugappan , A. Mutawa
Published: February 2021

Emotion plays a significant role in interpersonal communication and also improving social life. In recent years, facial emotion recognition is highly adopted in developing human-computer interfaces (HCI) and humanoid robots. In this work, a triangulation method for extracting a novel set of geometric features is proposed to classify six emotional expressions (sadness, anger, fear, surprise, disgust, and happiness) using computer-generated markers. The subject’s face is recognized by using Haar-like features. A mathematical model has been applied to positions of eight virtual markers in a defined location on the subject’s face in an automated way. Five triangles are formed by manipulating eight markers’ positions as an edge of each triangle. Later, these eight markers are uninterruptedly tracked by Lucas- Kanade optical flow algorithm while subjects’ articulating facial expressions. The movement of the markers during facial expression directly changes the property of each triangle. The area of the triangle (AoT), Inscribed circle circumference (ICC), and the Inscribed circle area of a triangle (ICAT) are extracted as features to classify the facial emotions. These features are used to distinguish six different facial emotions using various types of machine learning algorithms. The inscribed circle area of the triangle (ICAT) feature gives a maximum mean classification rate of 98.17% using a Random Forest (RF) classifier compared to other features and classifiers in distinguishing emotional expressions.
The influence of negative mood on solitary drinking preference: An experiment with young adult solitary drinkers
Authors: Skrzynski Carillon J. , Creswell Kasey G. , Verstynen Timothy , Bachrach Rachel L. , Chung Tammy
Published: February 2021

Solitary drinking is a risk marker for alcohol use disorder; thus, it is important to identify why individuals drink alone and for whom this association is particularly relevant. Evidence suggests the desire to ameliorate negative affect (NA) motivates solitary drinking, with some individuals particularly likely to drink alone to cope, but all past studies are cross-sectional. The present study therefore aimed to determine whether 1) experimentally induced NA increased preferences to drink alcohol alone, and 2) whether the relationship between NA and choosing to drink alcohol alone was moderated by neuroticism, drinking to cope motives, and social anxiety. Current drinkers (ages 21-29) with a solitary drinking history (N=126) were randomly assigned to either NA, positive affect [PA], or no affect change (control) conditions via differing cognitive task feedback. After the mood manipulation, participants chose between drinking alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages in one of two contexts: alone or socially. Evidence regarding effectiveness of the mood manipulation was mixed, and few chose non-alcoholic beverages in either context. Condition did not influence outcome choice. Across conditions, increases in NA and the importance placed on receiving one’s context choice were associated with solitary (versus social) alcohol preference. Neuroticism and its interaction with NA change also influenced choice; individuals high in neuroticism chose more solitary (versus social) drinking contexts while the opposite was true for those low in neuroticism, and among the latter, the preference difference was more pronounced with relatively smaller NA increases. Findings are discussed based on the existing solitary drinking literature.
Breakdown in membrane asymmetry regulation leads to monocyte recognition of P. falciparum-infected red blood cells
Authors: Fraser Merryn , Jing Weidong , Bröer Stefan , Kurth Florian , Sander Leif-Erik , Matuschewski Kai , Maier Alexander G.
Published: February 2021

The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum relies on lipids to survive; this makes its lipid metabolism an attractive drug target. The lipid phosphatidylserine (PS) is usually confined to the inner leaflet of the red blood cell membrane (RBC) bilayer; however, some studies suggest that infection with the intracellular parasite results in the presence of this lipid in the RBC membrane outer leaflet, where it could act as a recognition signal to phagocytes. Here, we used fluorescent lipid analogues and probes to investigate the enzymatic reactions responsible for maintaining asymmetry between membrane leaflets, and found that in parasitised RBCs the maintenance of membrane asymmetry was partly disrupted, and PS was increased in the outer leaflet. We examined the underlying causes for the differences between uninfected and infected RBCs using fluorescent dyes and probes, and found that calcium levels increased in the infected RBC cytoplasm, whereas membrane cholesterol was depleted from the erythrocyte plasma membrane. We explored the resulting effect of PS exposure on enhanced phagocytosis by monocytes, and show that infected RBCs must expend energy to limit phagocyte recognition, and provide experimental evidence that PS exposure contributes to phagocytic recognition of P. falciparum-infected RBCs. Together, these findings underscore the pivotal role for PS exposure on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes for in vivo interactions with the host immune system, and provide a rationale for targeted antimalarial drug design.
Preclinical transmission of prions by blood transfusion is influenced by donor genotype and route of infection
Authors: Salamat M. Khalid F. , Blanco A. Richard Alejo , McCutcheon Sandra , Tan Kyle B. C. , Stewart Paula , Brown Helen , Smith Allister , de Wolf Christopher , Groschup Martin H. , Becher Dietmar , Andréoletti Olivier , Turner Marc , Manson Jean C. , Houston E. Fiona
Published: February 2021

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is a human prion disease resulting from zoonotic transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Documented cases of vCJD transmission by blood transfusion necessitate on-going risk reduction measures to protect blood supplies, such as leucodepletion (removal of white blood cells, WBCs). This study set out to determine the risks of prion transmission by transfusion of labile blood components (red blood cells, platelets, plasma) commonly used in human medicine, and the effectiveness of leucodepletion in preventing infection, using BSE-infected sheep as a model. All components were capable of transmitting prion disease when donors were in the preclinical phase of infection, with the highest rates of infection in recipients of whole blood and buffy coat, and the lowest in recipients of plasma. Leucodepletion of components (<106 WBCs/unit) resulted in significantly lower transmission rates, but did not completely prevent transmission by any component. Donor PRNP genotype at codon 141, which is associated with variation in incubation period, also had a significant effect on transfusion transmission rates. A sensitive protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) assay, applied to longitudinal series of blood samples, identified infected sheep from 4 months post infection. However, in donor sheep (orally infected), the onset of detection of PrPSc in blood was much more variable, and generally later, compared to recipients (intravenous infection). This shows that the route and method of infection may profoundly affect the period during which an individual is infectious, and the test sensitivity required for reliable preclinical diagnosis, both of which have important implications for disease control. Our results emphasize that blood transfusion can be a highly efficient route of transmission for prion diseases. Given current uncertainties over the prevalence of asymptomatic vCJD carriers, this argues for the maintenance and improvement of current measures to reduce the risk of transmission by blood products.
La oficina técnica de construcciones de escuelas. Documentos en el centenario de su creación (1920)
Authors: García Salmerón María del Pilar
Published: February 2021

Este año se cumple el centenario de la creación de este organismo público, enmarcado dentro del Ministerio de Instrucción Pública y Bellas Artes. Su labor resulta altamente significativa y perdurable. Significativa, porque desde su estudio de arquitectura se alumbrarían un gran número de edificios escolares que supusieron un cambio drástico y necesario del espacio en el que se ubicaba la enseñanza primaria pública en España, y perdurable, ya que muchas de sus obras todavía hoy permanecen en pie, gozando de la admiración y consideración de los ciudadanos, albergando todavía entre sus muros centros escolares u otras instituciones educativas. Aquí se rescatan documentos imprescindibles para conocer y comprender la historia de las construcciones escolares en España.
A posztmodern marketing elvei és gyakorlata a turizmus piacán - Mátrix és turizmus (Theories and practice of the post-modern marketing on tourism market – Matrix and tourism)
Authors: Árva László , Sipos Zoltán
Published: February 2021

Jelen tanulmány a posztmodern kor fogyasztási tendenciáit és a posztmodern marketing sajátos fejlődését elemzi, elsősorban a turizmus példáján. A szerzők a hazai és a nemzetközi szakirodalom, illetve saját kutatásaik és megfigyeléseik alapján ütköztetik az ismert és elfogadott elveket, elméleteket a gyakorlattal, és felhívják a figyelmet a marketingtevékenység alkalmazkodásának hazai problémáira. A Vezetéstudomány című folyóirat 2008/9. számában rendkívül érdekes tanulmány jelent meg Mitev Ariel Zoltán és Horváth Dóra tollából „A posztmodern marketing rózsaszirmai” címmel. A tanulmány előremutató, érdekfeszítő és minden tekintetben konstruktív, újszerű. Jelen tanulmány szerzőire is nagy hatást gyakorolt a cikk, nagyrészt felsorolt erényei miatt, de egyes esetekben kiegészítést kívánva. Mindenképpen inspirálta a továbblépést, az újabb adalékok megfogalmazását, amire ezúton e tanulmány szerzői kísérletet tettek. A cikk egyben szerves gondolati folytatása a szerzőpáros korábbi közös publikációinak, elsősorban a Marketing & Menedzsment folyóiratban megjelent cikknek. _______ In this article the author will analyze consumption tendencies of post-modern age, mainly using tourism marketing examples. Their analysis has been based on results of their own researches and researches published in Hungarian and international marketing literature. In this article they try to confront different theories of post-modern marketing and they will analyze problems of applicability of these theories in Hungarian marketing problem solving. An extremely interesting article was published in Vezetéstudomány (2008/9), written by Zoltán Mitev Ariel and Dóra Horváth, and this article, by its interesting, innovative and constructive aspect has largely influenced authors of present article to continue the path proposed in the abovementioned article. The article, in the same time, is an organic continuation of the earlier common publications of the authors, e.g. the recent article in Marketing & Menedzsment journal.
Clinical manifestations and issues of diagnosis of chronic cerebrovascular disease (chronic cerebral ischemia) at an early (pre-dementia) stage
Authors: Kulesh A. A. , Emelin A. Yu. , Bogolepova A. N. , Doronina O. B. , Zakharov V. V. , Kolokolov O. V. , Kotov S. V. , Korsunskaya L. L. , Kutlubaev M. A. , Laskov V. B. , Levin O. S. , Parfenov V. A.
Published: February 2021

The paper presents experts' opinion on the clinical manifestations and diagnosis of chronic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) (chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) and dyscirculatory encephalopathy (DEP)) at the pre-dementia stage. It is noted that DEP/CCI is a common diagnosis in Russian neurological practice, the criteria for which have not been updated for a long time. DEP/CCI most often develops in the presence of cerebral small artery (CSA) disease (cerebral microangiopathy (CMA)), the severity of which can be quantified by magnetic resonance imaging. The main clinical manifestation of DEP/CCI is cognitive impairment that may be subjective or moderate at the pre-dementia stage. Emotional disorders (apathy, depression, anxiety) and instability are considered as possible manifestations of CSA disease. It is noted that headache and vestibular vertigo are not caused by chronic CVD; while in patients with CMA, they are usually associated with other diseases (primary headache, peripheral vestibular vertigo, and vestibular migraine). The diagnosis of DEP/CCI should be based on the presence of cognitive impairment, reliable neuroimaging signs of CVD, and the exclusion of another cause of cognitive impairment.
Fatigue in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Authors: Gapeshin R. A. , Barantsevich E. R. , Rudenko D. I. , Stuchevskaya T. R. , Gavrilova E. A. , Pushkaryov M. S. , Yakovlev A. A. , Gavrichenko A. V. , Smochilin A. G.
Published: February 2021

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a peripheral neuropathy, predominantly motor neuropathy, with a progressive or relapse-remitting course. Fatigue is a condition characterized by a physical or mental feeling of lack of energy or lack of motivation for action, which is often present in patients with CIDP.

Objective: to assess the severity of asthenia in CIDP patients.

Patients and methods. Examinations were made in 34 inpatients treated for documented CIDP that met the international European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society (EFNS/PNS) criteria. A study group included patients with CIDP, whereas a comparison group consisted of volunteers without psychiatric illness, who were compensated for somatic diseases.

Results and discussion. In the patients with CIDP, the level of fatigue was found to be much higher than normal. Approximately half of the CIDP patients had obvious asthenia. However, the level of fatigue did not correlate with the severity of the course of CIDP.

Conclusion. The findings suggest that fatigue is important in patients with CIDP that should be taken into account in the treatment of these patients.
The behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia: a clinical case
Authors: Kotsyubinskaya Yu. V. , Mikhailov V. A. , Stulov I. K. , Ananyeva N. I. , Sitnik L. I.
Published: February 2021

The paper is devoted to frontotemporal dementia (FTD), one of the most common forms of frontotemporal degeneration. The main symptoms of the disease include disinhibition, lack of empathy, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, apathy, cognitive impairment, appetite changes, and progressive changes in social behavior. In parallel, there are personality changes that are characterized by lower levels of self-awareness and by progressive psychological and social maladaptation of patients in society.

The paper describes a clinical case of FTD in a female patient with marked behavioral changes and personality disorder. A 52-year-old woman was admitted to the alcoholism treatment department for alcohol intoxication and symptoms of mental confusion. According to her relatives, drinking too much alcohol every day, she was found to become rude, indifferent to others and her own duties, sharply limited the range of her activities and communication, and showed a decline in memory for current events. Psychopathological examination determined a distinct motivational-volitional decrease, the patient’s inability to mobilize mental activity, non-critical thinking, and indifference. X-ray diagnosis revealed the changes characteristic of frontotemporal neurodegeneration (atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes prevails). The described case confirms that alcohol abuse can mask organic disorders that develop in systemic cerebral atrophy.
Angular Distribution Studies for 65Zn Nuclei from 63Cu (α, pnγ) Reaction Using Constant Statistical Tensor, Least Square Fitting and σ/J Methods
Authors: Younis Taghreed A.
Published: February 2021

Multiple mixing ratios (δ-values) have been calculated for high-spin states excited in 29𝐶𝑢 63 (α,pnγ) 𝑍𝑛 30 65 in present work using constant statistical tensor (CST), least square fitting (LSF) and σ/J methods together with experimental values reported for such γ-transition the good agreement for (δ-values) calculated in these three methods confirms its validity to calculate the (δ-values) for γ-transition.
Chaos Modulation Using Synchronization in Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode with Optoelectronic Feedback
Authors: Al Husseini Hussein B. , Jebar Mustapha A.A , Mousa Salam K.
Published: February 2021

In this research, a communication scheme of chaos modulation (CMO) that depending on two chaotic quantum dot light emitting diodes (QDLEDs) synchronization was evaluated using theoretical model. The perturbation in behavior of the QDLED can be significantly increased by optoelectronic feedback. Changing the coupling strength between the transmitter and receiver in unidirectional coupling greatly contributes to creating a state of total synchronization between the two systems. Furthermore, the proposed communication model was successful by effectively receiving messages.