bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comment on: Emergence of the invasive malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in Khartoum State, Central Sudan
Authors: Kolaczinski Jan , Al-Eryani Samira , Chanda Emmanuel , Fernandez-Montoya Lucia
Published: November 2021

This letter comments on the article “Emergence of the invasive malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in Khartoum State, Central Sudan” published in Parasites and Vectors 2021, 14:511. Here we aim of provide a response to this paper in the broader context of the invasion and spread of An. stephensi in the Horn of Africa, and the required response to it. We agree with the authors that the arrival of this invasive vector in Khartoum State is of high public health concern. Equally concerning, however, we found that the detection of the vector by the authors in 2018 seemingly took 3 years to communicate to the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO), and was reliant on an academic journal. We consider that this short report sets a poor example of how public health threats should be reported. Suitable communication alternatives to alert public health authorities to such threats have been put in place by the WHO and its Member States, and are well known to at least some of the authors of the short report. We would like to encourage all readers not to follow the example of Ahmed et al. but instead act as responsible public health professionals by drawing on the established reporting mechanisms and escalate potential threats as soon as they are identified.

Graphical Abstract
Spatial distribution and risk factors for human cysticercosis in Colombia
Authors: Galipó Erika , Dixon Matthew A. , Fronterrè Claudio , Cucunubá Zulma M. , Basáñez Maria-Gloria , Stevens Kim , Flórez Sánchez Astrid Carolina , Walker Martin
Published: November 2021

Background

Cysticercosis is a zoonotic neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects humans and pigs following the ingestion of Taenia solium eggs. Human cysticercosis poses a substantial public health burden in endemic countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to target high-endemicity settings with enhanced interventions in 17 countries by 2030. Between 2008 and 2010, Colombia undertook a national baseline serosurvey of unprecedented scale, which led to an estimated seroprevalence of T. solium cysticercus antibodies among the general population of 8.6%. Here, we use contemporary geostatistical approaches to analyse this unique dataset with the aim of understanding the spatial distribution and risk factors associated with human cysticercosis in Colombia to inform how best to target intervention strategies.

Methods

We used a geostatistical model to estimate individual and household risk factors associated with seropositivity to T. solium cysticercus antibodies from 29,253 people from 133 municipalities in Colombia. We used both independent and spatially structured random effects at neighbourhood/village and municipality levels to account for potential clustering of exposure to T. solium. We present estimates of the distribution and residual correlation of seropositivity at the municipality level.

Results

High seroprevalence was identified in municipalities located in the north and south of Colombia, with spatial correlation in seropositivity estimated up to approximately 140 km. Statistically significant risk factors associated with seropositivity to T. solium cysticercus were related to age, sex, educational level, socioeconomic status, use of rainwater, consumption of partially cooked/raw pork meat and possession of dogs.

Conclusions

In Colombia, the distribution of human cysticercosis is influenced by socioeconomic considerations, education and environmental factors related to the spread of T. solium eggs. This information can be used to tailor national intervention strategies, such as targeting spatial hotspots and more highly exposed groups, including displaced people and women. Large-scale seroprevalence surveys accompanied by geospatial mapping are an essential step towards reaching the WHO’s 2021‒2030 NTD roadmap targets.

Graphical Abstract
The Aliment to Bodily Condition knowledgebase (ABCkb): a database connecting plants and human health
Authors: Trautman Aaron , Linchangco Richard , Walstead Rachel , Jay Jeremy J. , Brouwer Cory
Published: November 2021

Objective

Overconsumption of processed foods has led to an increase in chronic diet-related diseases such obesity and type 2 diabetes. Although diets high in fresh fruits and vegetables are linked with healthier outcomes, the specific mechanisms for these relationships are poorly understood. Experiments examining plant phytochemical production and breeding programs, or separately on the health effects of nutritional supplements have yielded results that are sparse, siloed, and difficult to integrate between the domains of human health and agriculture. To connect plant products to health outcomes through their molecular mechanism an integrated computational resource is necessary.

Results

We created the Aliment to Bodily Condition Knowledgebase (ABCkb) to connect plants to human health by creating a stepwise path from plant $$\rightarrow$$
→
plant product $$\rightarrow$$
→
human gene $$\rightarrow$$
→
pathways $$\rightarrow$$
→
indication. ABCkb integrates 11 curated sources as well as relationships mined from Medline abstracts by loading into a graph database which is deployed via a Docker container. This new resource, provided in a queryable container with a user-friendly interface connects plant products with human health outcomes for generating nutritive hypotheses. All scripts used are available on github (https://github.com/atrautm1/ABCkb) along with basic directions for building the knowledgebase and a browsable interface is available (https://abckb.charlotte.edu).
Comparison of hydroxyethylstarch (HES 130/0.4) and 5% human albumin for volume substitution in pediatric neurosurgery: A retrospective, single center study
Authors: Schick Martin A. , Pippir Jonas , Struck Manuel F. , Brugger Jürgen , Neuhaus Winfried , Wunder Christian
Published: November 2021

Objective

Colloid solutions are commonly used to maintain perioperative fluid homeostasis. In regard to perioperative infant-centered care, data about the impact of colloids are rare. New data suggest a possible positive effect of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) concerning blood brain barrier. Therefore we conduct a retrospective single center study of children scheduled for neurosurgery, age < five with a blood loss > 10% of body blood volume, receiving either 6% HES 130/0.4 or 5% human albumin (HA).

Results

Out of 913 patients, 86 were included (HES = 30; HA = 56). Compared to HES [16.4 ± 9.2 ml/kg body weight (mean ± SD)] HA group received more colloid volume (25.7 ± 11.3), which had more blood loss [HA 54.8 ± 45.0; HES 30.5 ± 30.0 (%) estimated blood volume] and higher fluid balances. Fibrinogen was decreased and activated partial thromboplastin time was elevated in HA group. Urinary output, creatinine and urea levels did not differ between the two groups. Serum calcium, total protein levels were lower in HES group. HA treated infants tended to have shorter ICU and hospital stays. We conclude that none of the investigated colloid solutions were without leverage to infants. Consequently randomized controlled trials about perioperative goal-directed fluid replacement of children undergoing (neuro)-surgery with major blood loss are needed.
Database on the coverage of the “Bolsa-Família” conditioning cash-transfer program: Brazil, 2005 to 2021
Authors: Baroni Lais , Alves Ronaldo Fernandes Santos , Boccolini Cristiano Siqueira , Salles Rebecca , Gritz Raquel , Paixão Balthazar , Boccolini Patricia de Moraes Mello
Published: November 2021

Objectives

The “Bolsa-Família” Program (PBF) is a Brazilian conditional cash-transfer program in which families should comply with health, education, and social assistance conditionalities. The program aims to fight poverty and hunger, promoting nutrition and health services for low-income populations. This paper presents a database on the coverage of monitoring and compliance with the PBF health conditionalities in Brazil from January 2005 to July 2021.

Data description

Database on the PBF conditioning cash-transfer program coverage in Brazil from 2005 to 2021. It comprises information on the number of families benefited, health conditionalities, and the follow-up on vaccination and nutrition of children under seven years old. The cities and semesters are the minimal aggregation units.
Power calculator for detecting allelic imbalance using hierarchical Bayesian model
Authors: Sherbina Katrina , León-Novelo Luis G. , Nuzhdin Sergey V. , McIntyre Lauren M. , Marroni Fabio
Published: November 2021

Objective

Allelic imbalance (AI) is the differential expression of the two alleles in a diploid. AI can vary between tissues, treatments, and environments. Methods for testing AI exist, but methods are needed to estimate type I error and power for detecting AI and difference of AI between conditions. As the costs of the technology plummet, what is more important: reads or replicates?

Results

We find that a minimum of 2400, 480, and 240 allele specific reads divided equally among 12, 5, and 3 replicates is needed to detect a 10, 20, and 30%, respectively, deviation from allelic balance in a condition with power > 80%. A minimum of 960 and 240 allele specific reads divided equally among 8 replicates is needed to detect a 20 or 30% difference in AI between conditions with comparable power. Higher numbers of replicates increase power more than adding coverage without affecting type I error. We provide a Python package that enables simulation of AI scenarios and enables individuals to estimate type I error and power in detecting AI and differences in AI between conditions.
Correlation of serum electrolytes with serial miRNA in advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Indonesia
Authors: Hanafi Arif Riswahyudi , Jayusman Achmad Mulawarman , Imelda Priscillia , Alfasunu Serafim , Sadewa Ahmad Hamim , Pramono Dibyo , Heriyanto Didik Setyo , Haryana Sofia Mubarika , Kresno Siti Boedina
Published: November 2021

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the correlation between electrolytes and serial miRNAs from our previous study. We want to prove that there is the molecular basis that underlying electrolytes disturbances as the predictive indicator to the outcome in NSCLC patients.

Results

There were positive correlation between potassium level with miR-34 (p  = 0.008, r  = 0.366), miR-148 (p  = 0.004, r  = 0.394) and miR-155 (p  = 0.031, r  = 0.300).
Npr2 mutant mice show vasodilation and undeveloped adipocytes in mesentery
Authors: Sogawa-Fujiwara Chizuru , Fujiwara Yasuhiro , Hanagata Atsuki , Yang Qunhui , Mihara Taiki , Kaji Noriyuki , Kunieda Tetsuo , Hori Masatoshi
Published: November 2021

Objective

The biological importance for the signaling of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B) has been recognized. However, the details remain unclear and are debatable. The Npr2 is a gene of NPR-B, and we previously reported a unique phenotype of a spontaneous mutant mouse lacking Npr2 (Npr2slw/slw), such as severe ileus-like disorder with bloodless blood vessels. In this study, we analyzed the bloodless mesenteric vascular morphology of Npr2slw/slw by histological observation to clarify the effects of the CNP/NPR-B signal deficiency.

Results

Blood vessels in the mesentery were clearly dilated in the preweaning Npr2slw/slw mice. Additionally, in the Npr2slw/slw mice, the lacteals were partially dilation or randomly direction mucosal epithelial cells in villi, and mesenteric adipocytes were undeveloped. These findings provide important information for understanding the role of CNP/NPR-B signals on intestine with mesentery.
Volatile organic breath components and exercise induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic children
Authors: van der Kamp M. R. , Driessen J. M. M. , van der Schee M. P. , Thio B. J. , de Jongh F. H. C.
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood and is generally characterized by exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). Assessing EIB is time consuming and expensive as it requires a fully equipped pulmonary function laboratory. Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath is a novel technique for examining biomarkers which may associate with asthma features. The aim of this pilot study was to identify potential markers in the relationship between EIB and VOCs.

Methods

Children between four and 14 years old were asked to provide a breath sample prior to undergoing an exercise challenge test to assess for EIB.

Results

Breath samples were collected and analyzed in 46 asthmatic children, 21 with EIB and 25 without EIB (NO-EIB). Molecular features (MFs) were not significantly different between EIB and NO-EIB controls. 29 of the 46 children were corticosteroid naïve, 10 with EIB and 13 without. In the corticosteroid naïve group EIB was associated with increased MF23 and MF14 in the lower breath sample (p-value < 0.05).

Conclusion

This pilot study shows that EIB was related to an increased MF14 and MF23 in corticosteroid naïve children. The tentative identities of these compounds are octanal and dodecane/tetradecane respectively. These candidate biomarkers have a potential to enable non-invasive diagnosis of EIB in steroid-naïve children.

Trial registration This study is registered in the Netherlands trial register (trial no. NL6087) at 14 February 2017.
Chemical toxicity prediction based on semi-supervised learning and graph convolutional neural network
Authors: Chen Jiarui , Si Yain-Whar , Un Chon-Wai , Siu Shirley W. I.
Published: November 2021

As safety is one of the most important properties of drugs, chemical toxicology prediction has received increasing attentions in the drug discovery research. Traditionally, researchers rely on in vitro and in vivo experiments to test the toxicity of chemical compounds. However, not only are these experiments time consuming and costly, but experiments that involve animal testing are increasingly subject to ethical concerns. While traditional machine learning (ML) methods have been used in the field with some success, the limited availability of annotated toxicity data is the major hurdle for further improving model performance. Inspired by the success of semi-supervised learning (SSL) algorithms, we propose a Graph Convolution Neural Network (GCN) to predict chemical toxicity and trained the network by the Mean Teacher (MT) SSL algorithm. Using the Tox21 data, our optimal SSL-GCN models for predicting the twelve toxicological endpoints achieve an average ROC-AUC score of 0.757 in the test set, which is a 6% improvement over GCN models trained by supervised learning and conventional ML methods. Our SSL-GCN models also exhibit superior performance when compared to models constructed using the built-in DeepChem ML methods. This study demonstrates that SSL can increase the prediction power of models by learning from unannotated data. The optimal unannotated to annotated data ratio ranges between 1:1 and 4:1. This study demonstrates the success of SSL in chemical toxicity prediction; the same technique is expected to be beneficial to other chemical property prediction tasks by utilizing existing large chemical databases. Our optimal model SSL-GCN is hosted on an online server accessible through: https://app.cbbio.online/ssl-gcn/home.
MERMAID: an open source automated hit-to-lead method based on deep reinforcement learning
Authors: Erikawa Daiki , Yasuo Nobuaki , Sekijima Masakazu
Published: November 2021

The hit-to-lead process makes the physicochemical properties of the hit molecules that show the desired type of activity obtained in the screening assay more drug-like. Deep learning-based molecular generative models are expected to contribute to the hit-to-lead process. The simplified molecular input line entry system (SMILES), which is a string of alphanumeric characters representing the chemical structure of a molecule, is one of the most commonly used representations of molecules, and molecular generative models based on SMILES have achieved significant success. However, in contrast to molecular graphs, during the process of generation, SMILES are not considered as valid SMILES. Further, it is quite difficult to generate molecules starting from a certain molecule, thus making it difficult to apply SMILES to the hit-to-lead process. In this study, we have developed a SMILES-based generative model that can be generated starting from a certain molecule. This method generates partial SMILES and inserts it into the original SMILES using Monte Carlo Tree Search and a Recurrent Neural Network. We validated our method using a molecule dataset obtained from the ZINC database and successfully generated molecules that were both well optimized for the objectives of the quantitative estimate of drug-likeness (QED) and penalized octanol-water partition coefficient (PLogP) optimization. The source code is available at https://github.com/sekijima-lab/mermaid.
[18F]FMCH PET/CT biomarkers and similarity analysis to refine the definition of oligometastatic prostate cancer
Authors: Sollini Martina , Bartoli Francesco , Cavinato Lara , Ieva Francesca , Ragni Alessandra , Marciano Andrea , Zanca Roberta , Galli Luca , Paiar Fabiola , Pasqualetti Francesco , Erba Paola Anna
Published: November 2021

Background

The role of image-derived biomarkers in recurrent oligometastatic Prostate Cancer (PCa) is unexplored. This paper aimed to evaluate [18F]FMCH PET/CT radiomic analysis in patients with recurrent PCa after primary radical therapy. Specifically, we tested intra-patient lesions similarity in oligometastatic and plurimetastatic PCa, comparing the two most used definitions of oligometastatic disease.

Methods

PCa patients eligible for [18F]FMCH PET/CT presenting biochemical failure after first-line curative treatments were invited to participate in this prospective observational trial. PET/CT images of 92 patients were visually and quantitatively analyzed. Each patient was classified as oligometastatic or plurimetastatic according to the total number of detected lesions (up to 3 and up to 5 or > 3 and > 5, respectively). Univariate and intra-patient lesions' similarity analysis were performed.

Results

[18F]FMCH PET/CT identified 370 lesions, anatomically classified as regional lymph nodes and distant metastases. Thirty-eight and 54 patients were designed oligometastatic and plurimetastatic, respectively, using a 3-lesion threshold. The number of oligometastic scaled up to 60 patients (thus 32 plurimetastatic patients) with a 5-lesion threshold. Similarity analysis showed high lesions' heterogeneity. Grouping patients according to the number of metastases, patients with oligometastatic PCa defined with a 5-lesion threshold presented lesions heterogeneity comparable to plurimetastic patients. Lesions within patients having a limited tumor burden as defined by three lesions were characterized by less heterogeneity.

Conclusions

We found a comparable heterogeneity between patients with up to five lesions and plurimetastic patients, while patients with up to three lesions were less heterogeneous than plurimetastatic patients, featuring different cells phenotypes in the two groups. Our results supported the use of a 3-lesion threshold to define oligometastatic PCa.
Transcriptional analysis and target genes discovery of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm developed ex vivo chronic wound model
Authors: Tan Xiaojuan , Cheng Xi , Hu Mei , Zhang Yifan , Jia Aiqun , Zhou Jinwei , Zhu Guoping
Published: November 2021

Bacterial biofilms formation is one of the major reasons for treatment failure in chronic wound infections. Therefore, diagnostic biomarkers remain the best option for prevention and treatment of chronic wound infections by biofilms. Herein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was used to mimic biofilm development in porcine skin explants wells as ex vivo wound model. The microscopic imaging showed that PAO1 in porcine skin explants wells formed micro-colonies at 24 h, developed mushroom-like structure at 48 h, and at 72 h mushroom-like structure disappeared, remaining a thin bacterial lawn. RNA-seq data analysis revealed that the expression levels of genes involved in the type II hxc secretion system were significantly higher in biofilms than in planktonic cells, especially the expression of lapA encoding alkaline phosphatase. However, the expression levels of genes associated with denitrification pathway were markedly decreased in biofilms, especially the transcription of nirS encoding nitrite reductase to produce nitric oxide (NO). Therefore, their expressions and products were further detected using RT-qPCR and biochemical assays, respectively. The results found that the expression of lapA and alkaline phosphatase activity were induced, but the expression of nirS and intracellular NO were reduced at the whole biofilms cycle. The study indicates that LapA and NO would play an important role for P. aeruginosa biofilm formation in chronic wound infections. LapA would serve as potential target to monitor chronic wound infections by P. aeruginosa biofilms. Inducing NO would be used to treat chronic wound infections due to P. aeruginosa biofilms.
Effects of a traditional Chinese medicine formula containing the Coix seed and Lotus seed on the intestinal morphology and microbiota of local piglets
Authors: Li Zhaolong , Lin Zhongning , Lu Zheng , Ying Zhaoyang
Published: November 2021

A traditional Chinese medicine formula based on the Coix seed and Lotus seed has been used as a general treatment of malnutrition, excessive fatigue, dysfunction of the spleen and stomach, and disorders of water transport in humans in China. However, there is limited information on its effects on the gut microbiota of piglets in vivo. In this study, the mix of Coix seed and Lotus were added the diet of forty weaned piglets (local piglets), and then evaluated it’s affected on the gut microbiota of piglets and on the relations within the gut bacterial community. The results indicated that this traditional Chinese medicine formula (LM) and the extract of the traditional Chinese medicine formula (LMT) downregulated pH of succus gastricus and raised pH of the ileum, and LMT obviously decreased the feed conversion ratio. Further study showed LMT and LM also significantly increased the thick and long of gastrointestinal villi. And then, 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing revealed that groups LMT and LM have higher relative abundance of the genus Lactobacillus in the colon, succus gastricus, and jejunum, which are beneficial bacteria sold as dietary supplements to aid digestion or to augment health. Meanwhile, the relative abundance levels of Prevotellaceae, Alloprevotella, and Prevotella in the colon and Clostridium in succus gastricus and jejunum were lower. These experiments highlight the usefulness of the traditional Chinese medicine formula based on the Coix seed and Lotus seed for decreasing pH in succus gastricus, for improving the structure of intestinal villi and gut microflora, and then for achieving improvements in pig production performance.
A multivariate model for successful publication of intensive care medicine randomized controlled trials in the highest impact factor journals: the SCOTI score
Authors: Pensier Joris , De Jong Audrey , Chanques Gerald , Futier Emmanuel , Azoulay Elie , Molinari Nicolas , Jaber Samir
Published: November 2021

Background

Critical care randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are often published in high-impact journals, whether general journals [the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), The Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)] or critical care journals [Intensive Care Medicine (ICM), the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM), Critical Care Medicine (CCM)]. As rejection occurs in up to 97% of cases, it might be appropriate to assess pre-submission probability of being published. The objective of this study was to develop and internally validate a simplified score predicting whether an ongoing trial stands a chance of being published in high-impact general journals.

Methods

A cohort of critical care RCTs published between 1999 and 2018 in the three highest impact medical journals (NEJM, The Lancet, JAMA) or the three highest impact critical care journals (ICM, AJRCCM, CCM) was split into two samples (derivation cohort, validation cohort) to develop and internally validate the simplified score. Primary outcome was journal of publication assessed as high-impact general journal (NEJM, The Lancet, JAMA) or critical care journal (ICM, AJRCCM, CCM).

Results

A total of 968 critical care RCTs were included in the predictive cohort and split into a derivation cohort (n = 510) and a validation cohort (n = 458). In the derivation cohort, the sample size (P value < 0.001), the number of centers involved (P value = 0.01), mortality as primary outcome (P value = 0.002) or a composite item including mortality as primary outcome (P value = 0.004), and topic [ventilation (P value < 0.001) or miscellaneous (P value < 0.001)] were independent factors predictive of publication in high-impact general journals, compared to high-impact critical care journals. The SCOTI score (Sample size, Centers, Outcome, Topic, and International score) was developed with an area under the ROC curve of 0.84 (95% Confidence Interval, 0.80–0.88) in validation by split sample.

Conclusions

The SCOTI score, developed and validated by split sample, accurately predicts the chances of a critical care RCT being published in high-impact general journals, compared to high-impact critical care journals.
Latency-aware secure transmission in MEC-assisted HSR communication systems
Authors: Xu Hao , Li Ke , Cheng Jianfeng , Jiang Bo , Yu Huai
Published: November 2021

Mobile edge computing can provide short-range cloud computing capability for the mobile users, which is considered to be a promising technology in 5G communication. The mobile users offload some computing tasks to the edge server through the wireless backhaul link, which can reduce the energy consumption and the time latency. Meanwhile, due to the open characteristics of the wireless channel, the offloading tasks through the backhaul link may face the risk of eavesdropping. Therefore, the secure transmission based on physical layer security for the offloading tasks to the edge server is considered. The optimization problem of minimizing the energy consumption for the vehicular stations (VSs) in mobile edge computing-assisted high-speed railway communication system is studied in this paper. The energy consumption of the mobile users is generated by executing the local computing task and by transmitting the partial offloading task to the edge server. In this paper, a novel joint iterative optimization algorithm is proposed. By jointly optimizing the task scheduling, the task offloading and the transmission power, the energy consumption of all VSs is minimized under the constraint of the time latency. Numerical simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
A new scheme to enhance the performance of permutation index–differential chaos shift keying communications system
Authors: Al Bassam Nizar , Al-Jerew Oday
Published: November 2021

In this paper, a new scheme based on permutation index–differential chaos shift keying is proposed, modeled, and evaluated in AWGN channel environment. Data is sent by frames, and each frame is headed by a single reference signal and followed by some information-bearing signals. Modulation is performed through permutations of a reference signal according to the mapped data. At the receiver, each incoming information-bearing signal undergoes all inverse permutation possibilities to perform a correlation with the delayed and stored version of the received reference signal. To decode the information bits, the detector selects the highest correlator outputs. The proposed scheme named single reference–permutation index–differential chaos shift keying is an enhanced version of PI-DCSK, and uses a single reference signal for multiple information-bearing ones. Hence, the energy requirement is saved by almost a half. The bit error performance is studied using the baseband system model and analytically tested using Gaussian approximation method. Results show the BER performance outperforms other standard and recently developed differentially coherent chaos systems, including Permutation Index–DCSK by an average of 2.25 dB. Moreover, the analytical form which is developed to predict the bit error rate (BER) is validated by simulation. Results demonstrate the performance in AWGN is closely matching with the simulation results, particularly at high SNR.
Parametric codebook design for efficient signal transmission using uniform circular arrays
Authors: Shin Junsik , Suh Junyeub , Park Sangchun , Sung Wonjin
Published: November 2021

In order to improve the quality of the received signal and system spectral efficiency, accurate beamforming using a given antenna array is essential for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. To obtain desired MIMO transmission performance, construction of codebooks which are composed of matching beamforming vectors to the array structure is important. To effectively cover different types of mobile traffic, the base station for 5G new radio employs antenna arrays in various sizes and shapes. Nevertheless, the codebooks adopted by the 3GPP standard so far are based on the uniform linear array and the uniform planar array, necessitating design techniques for a wider class of antenna arrays. In this paper, we propose codebook construction methods for the uniform circular array with parameters to flexibly set the initial phase and step size based on the channel characteristics of the user equipment (UE). When tested over the 3GPP spatial channel model, the proposed codebooks show a substantial amount of gain over the conventional codebooks in all UE locations within the cell.
Existence and asymptotic behavior of Radon measure-valued solutions for a class of nonlinear parabolic equations
Authors: Nkombo Quincy Stévène , Li Fengquan , Tathy Christian
Published: November 2021

In this paper we address the weak Radon measure-valued solutions associated with the Young measure for a class of nonlinear parabolic equations with initial data as a bounded Radon measure. This problem is described as follows: $$ \textstyle\begin{cases} u_{t}=\alpha u_{xx}+\beta [\varphi (u) ]_{xx}+f(u) &\text{in} \ Q:=\Omega \times (0,T), \\ u=0 &\text{on} \ \partial \Omega \times (0,T), \\ u(x,0)=u_{0}(x) &\text{in} \ \Omega , \end{cases} $$

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The effect of landscape structure on the evolution of two alternative dispersal strategies
Authors: Sieger C. S. , Hovestadt T.
Published: November 2021

Background

Dispersal is an important event for most organisms at least once in their life cycle. The evolution of dispersal can be influenced by local adaptation, landscape structure, and perceived temporal and spatial variation. The interaction between local adaptation, landscape heterogeneity, temporal variability and rules of dispersal may be more complex than previously assumed. Therefore, we sought to understand the influence of emigration rules and landscape structure on emerging dispersal rates and traits. Here, we implemented an individual-based model (IBM) of trait evolution in scenarios characterized by different landscape structures and different degrees of spatial heterogeneity and global temporal variation. Individuals could evolve two traits coding for their environmental niche (position of niche optimum and niche width), and two traits determining nearest-neighbor dispersal: an individual emigrates with a probability defined by the first trait (random emigration), but emigrates with certainty if the fertility expected in the patch of residence falls below a threshold specified by the second trait (habitat-dependent emigration).

Results

We note an interaction effect between dispersal strategy and spatial variance—lower emigration under habitat-dependent than under random emigration if spatial heterogeneity is low, but eventually a reversal of this ranking if heterogeneity becomes large. Landscapes with sharp transition of habitat attributes result in a high degree of spatial sorting, while fractal landscapes do not. Emigration rates are overall lowest, when spatial variation is highest.

Conclusions

We conclude that emergent emigration rates are influenced more by landscape structure and spatio-temporal heterogeneity than by the emigration strategy. With the ongoing land use change more research into this topic could help highlight the difficulties species might face under the change from landscapes characterized by gradual transition zones to landscapes dominated by abrupt ecotones, the latter typical for agricultural and urban settings.
Digging into the behaviour of an active hunting predator: arctic fox prey caching events revealed by accelerometry
Authors: Clermont Jeanne , Woodward-Gagné Sasha , Berteaux Dominique
Published: November 2021

Background

Biologging now allows detailed recording of animal movement, thus informing behavioural ecology in ways unthinkable just a few years ago. In particular, combining GPS and accelerometry allows spatially explicit tracking of various behaviours, including predation events in large terrestrial mammalian predators. Specifically, identification of location clusters resulting from prey handling allows efficient location of killing events. For small predators with short prey handling times, however, identifying predation events through technology remains unresolved. We propose that a promising avenue emerges when specific foraging behaviours generate diagnostic acceleration patterns. One such example is the caching behaviour of the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), an active hunting predator strongly relying on food storage when living in proximity to bird colonies.

Methods

We equipped 16 Arctic foxes from Bylot Island (Nunavut, Canada) with GPS and accelerometers, yielding 23 fox-summers of movement data. Accelerometers recorded tri-axial acceleration at 50 Hz while we obtained a sample of simultaneous video recordings of fox behaviour. Multiple supervised machine learning algorithms were tested to classify accelerometry data into 4 behaviours: motionless, running, walking and digging, the latter being associated with food caching. Finally, we assessed the spatio-temporal concordance of fox digging and greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens antlanticus) nesting, to test the ecological relevance of our behavioural classification in a well-known study system dominated by top-down trophic interactions.

Results

The random forest model yielded the best behavioural classification, with accuracies for each behaviour over 96%. Overall, arctic foxes spent 49% of the time motionless, 34% running, 9% walking, and 8% digging. The probability of digging increased with goose nest density and this result held during both goose egg incubation and brooding periods.

Conclusions

Accelerometry combined with GPS allowed us to track across space and time a critical foraging behaviour from a small active hunting predator, informing on spatio-temporal distribution of predation risk in an Arctic vertebrate community. Our study opens new possibilities for assessing the foraging behaviour of terrestrial predators, a key step to disentangle the subtle mechanisms structuring many predator–prey interactions and trophic networks.
Whole-body diffusion-weighted MRI of normal lymph nodes: prospective apparent diffusion coefficient histogram and nodal distribution analysis in a healthy cohort
Authors: Donners Ricardo , Yiin Raphael Shih Zhu , Blackledge Matthew , Koh Dow-Mu
Published: November 2021

Background

Whole body DWI (WB-DWI) enables the identification of lymph nodes for disease evaluation. However, quantitative data of benign lymph nodes across the body are lacking to allow meaningful comparison of diseased states. We evaluated apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram parameters of all visible lymph nodes in healthy volunteers on WB-DWI and compared differences in nodal ADC values between anatomical regions.

Methods

WB-DWI was performed on a 1.5 T MR system in 20 healthy volunteers (7 female, 13 male, mean age 35 years). The b900 images were evaluated by two radiologists and all visible nodes from the neck to groin areas were segmented and individual nodal median ADC recorded. All segmented nodes in a patient were summated to generate the total nodal volume. Descriptors of the global ADC histogram, derived from individual node median ADCs, including mean, median, skewness and kurtosis were obtained for the global volume and each nodal region per patient. ADC values between nodal regions were compared using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests and a p-value ≤0.05 was deemed statistically significant.

Results

One thousand sixty-seven lymph nodes were analyzed. The global mean and median ADC of all lymph nodes were 1.12 ± 0.27 (10− 3 mm2/s) and 1.09 (10− 3 mm2/s). The average median ADC skewness was 0.25 ± 0.02 and average median ADC kurtosis was 0.34 ± 0.04. The ADC values of intrathoracic, portal and retroperitoneal nodes were significantly higher (1.53 × 10− 3, 1.75 × 10− 3 and 1.58 × 10− 3 mm2/s respectively) than in other regions. Intrathoracic, portal and mesenteric nodes were relatively uncommon, accounting for only 3% of the total nodes segmented.

Conclusions

The global mean and median ADC of all lymph nodes were 1.12 ± 0.27 (10− 3 mm2/s) and 1.09 (10− 3 mm2/s). Intrathoracic, portal and retroperitoneal nodes display significantly higher ADCs. Normal intrathoracic, portal and mesenteric nodes are infrequently visualized on WB-DWI of healthy individuals.

Trial registration

Royal Marsden Hospital committee for clinical research registration number 09/H0801/86, 19.10.2009.
Thoracic composite hemangioendothelioma with neuroendocrine marker expression
Authors: Miyamoto Ei , Seki Kenji , Katsuragawa Hiroyuki , Yoshimoto Yuji , Ohsumi Yuki , Fukui Takamasa , Gotoh Masashi , Nakagawa Tatsuo
Published: November 2021

Background

Composite hemangioendothelioma is an extraordinarily rare form of vascular neoplasm which develops predominantly in the skins and soft tissues of the adults. Neuroendocrine marker expression in composite hemangioendothelioma is considered as specifically relevant to the more aggressive behavior.

Case presentation

The patient was a 71-year-old man complaining continuous back pain. Computed tomography (CT) showed that 10 cm of contrast-enhanced soft tissue mass was occurring on the right posterior chest wall and developing adjacent to the spinal canal. Via the laminectomy, the tumor end was identified and separated from the dura mater. Then, via the posterolateral thoracotomy, the en bloc resection was achieved by separating the tumor from the diaphragm and vertebras. Histologic examination showed a complex combination of epithelioid and retiform hemangioendothelioma areas which were positive for anti-synaptophysin staining. At 12-month follow-up, there were no signs of tumor recurrence on CT, and the patient had no symptom.

Conclusions

We achieved the complete resection of a huge thoracic neuroendocrine composite hemangioendothelioma developing adjacent to the spinal canal. The combination of the posterior lumbar laminectomy and the following posterior thoracotomy is a viable approach to radically resect a thoracic neuroendocrine composite hemangioendothelioma involving chest wall.
Retinal autofluorescence findings after COVID-19
Authors: Marinho Paula M. , Marcos Alléxya A. A. , Branco Ana M. C. , Mourad Walid M. , Sakamoto Victoria , Romano Andre C. , Farah Michel , Rosen Richard B. , Schor Paulo , Abraao Paulo , Nascimento Heloisa , Belfort Rubens
Published: November 2021

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of retinal autofluorescence findings in COVID-19 patients. Observational study conducted in São Paulo in 2020. Demographic, medical history, and concomitant events, as well as medications used, hospitalization details, and laboratory test results, were obtained. Patients underwent eye examination and multimodal imaging, including color, red-free, autofluorescence fundus photography and optical coherence tomography. Eighteen patients had autofluorescence findings (6 females; average age 54 years, range 31 to 86 years; 26 eyes). Hyper-autofluorescence findings were present in 6 patients, Hypo-autofluorescence in 14 patients, and 6 patients had mixed pattern lesions. Retinal autofluorescence abnormalities were present in COVID-19 patients and may be secondary to primary or secondary changes caused by the SARS-CoV-2.
Determinants of adherence to anti-TB treatment and associated factors among adult TB patients in Gondar city administration, Northwest, Ethiopia: based on health belief model perspective
Authors: Gebremariam Resom Berhe , Wolde Maereg , Beyene Aykerem
Published: November 2021

Background

Adherence is crucial in treating Tuberculosis to achieve the required treatment success rate. However, due to the longer treatment duration, adherence to Tuberculosis treatment is the most challenging factor affecting Tuberculosis control. Furthermore, although several studies have reported the determinants of Tuberculosis treatment adherence, few of them have used Health Belief Model (HBM) as the guiding principle to determine the individual perception of health-related decisions as much or more than medical concerns with Tuberculosis treatment adherence. Therefore, this study aims to assess adherence to anti-Tuberculosis treatment and associated factors among adult Tuberculosis patients in Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2020.

Methods

Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Tuberculosis patients following anti-Tuberculosis treatment in Gondar city health facilities from February 20 to March 26, 2020. A total of 265 Tuberculosis patients were selected by systematic random sampling techniques that include patients who were on treatment follow up for ≥ 1 month and whose age is ≥ 18 years. Data were collected by trained data collectors using interviewer administer and structured questionnaires. EPI DATA version 4.2 was used for data entry and SPSS version 24 for analysis. The logistic regression model was used to indicate the association between independent variables with adherence to anti Tuberculosis treatment.

Results

The overall rate of adherence to anti-Tuberculosis treatment was 90.6% within the last 4 weeks and 96.6% within the last 4 days. Multivariable analysis revealed that having treatment supporter [AOR = 3.51, 95% CI (1.15, 10.75)], difficulties in taking TB drugs regularly [AOR = 0.07, 95% CI (0.01, 0.31)], perceived benefit [AOR = 3.45, 95% CI (1.07, 11.08)] and perceived self-efficacy [AOR = 0.22, 95% CI (0.07, 0.63)] were independently associated with adherence to anti-Tuberculosis treatment.

Conclusion

The treatment adherence rate of the patients was low in the last month before the data survey. Treatment supporters, difficulties in taking anti Tuberculosis drugs regularly, perceived benefit, and perceived self-efficacy were identified as affecting adherence to anti-TB treatment.
Prevalence and predicting factors of perceived stress among Bangladeshi university students using machine learning algorithms
Authors: Rois Rumana , Ray Manik , Rahman Atikur , Roy Swapan K.
Published: November 2021

Background

Stress-related mental health problems are one of the most common causes of the burden in university students worldwide. Many studies have been conducted to predict the prevalence of stress among university students, however most of these analyses were predominantly performed using the basic logistic regression (LR) model. As an alternative, we used the advanced machine learning (ML) approaches for detecting significant risk factors and to predict the prevalence of stress among Bangladeshi university students.

Methods

This prevalence study surveyed 355 students from twenty-eight different Bangladeshi universities using questions concerning anthropometric measurements, academic, lifestyles, and health-related information, which referred to the perceived stress status of the respondents (yes or no). Boruta algorithm was used in determining the significant prognostic factors of the prevalence of stress. Prediction models were built using decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and LR, and their performances were evaluated using parameters of confusion matrix, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves, andk-fold cross-validation techniques.

Results

One-third of university students reported stress within the last 12 months. Students’ pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, sleep status, smoking status, and academic background were selected as the important features for predicting the prevalence of stress. Evaluated performance revealed that the highest performance observed from RF (accuracy = 0.8972, precision = 0.9241, sensitivity = 0.9250, specificity = 0.8148, area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.8715,k-fold accuracy = 0.8983) and the lowest from LR (accuracy = 0.7476, precision = 0.8354, sensitivity = 0.8250, specificity = 0.5185, AUC = 0.7822,k-fold accuracy = 07713) and SVM with polynomial kernel of degree 2 (accuracy = 0.7570, precision = 0.7975, sensitivity = 0.8630, specificity = 0.5294, AUC = 0.7717,k-fold accuracy = 0.7855). Overall, the RF model performs better and authentically predicted stress compared with other ML techniques, including individual and interaction effects of predictors.

Conclusion

The machine learning framework can be detected the significant prognostic factors and predicted this psychological problem more accurately, thereby helping the policy-makers, stakeholders, and families to understand and prevent this serious crisis by improving policy-making strategies, mental health promotion, and establishing effective university counseling services.
A change is (not) gonna come: a 20-year overview of Italian grandparent–grandchild exchanges
Authors: Pasqualini Marta , Di Gessa Giorgio , Tomassini Cecilia
Published: November 2021

Levels of coresidence, residential proximity, face-to-face contacts and intergenerational support exchanges remain overall high and stable across European countries. However, to date, few studies have focused on trends in grandparent–grandchild relations. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether and to what extent grandparent–grandchild exchanges have changed over time. We used data from the ItalianFamily and Social Subjects(FSS) Surveys, covering the years 1998–2016, and considered three different currencies of exchanges between grandparents and their grandchildren (coresidence, face-to-face contacts, and grandchild care provision). Our results showed stability over time in coresidence, a small reduction in daily contacts (from 47% in 1998 to 39% in 2016) and an increase in grandchildren care (from 78% in 1998 to 82% in 2016). In addition, we found little changes in the associations between such indicators of intergenerational exchanges and the demographic and socio-economic determinants usually used to explain them. Despite changes among Italian grandparents such as increases in their age profile, in education, and in marital disruption, the relations between grandparents and their grandchildren have so far remained stable over time, with generally high levels of intergenerational exchanges.