bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delivery of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin by bispecific antibodies improves treatment in models of high-risk childhood leukemia
Authors: Moles Ernest , Howard Christopher B. , Huda Pie , Karsa Mawar , McCalmont Hannah , Kimpton Kathleen , Duly Alastair , Chen Yongjuan , Huang Yizhou , Tursky Melinda L. , Ma David , Bustamante Sonia , Pickford Russell , Connerty Patrick , Omari Sofia , Jolly Christopher J. , Joshi Swapna , Shen Sylvie , Pimanda John E. , Dolnikov Alla , Cheung Laurence C. , Kotecha Rishi S. , Norris Murray D. , Haber Michelle , de Bock Charles E. , Somers Klaartje , Lock Richard B. , Thurecht Kristofer J. , Kavallaris Maria
Published: May 2023

High-risk childhood leukemia has a poor prognosis because of treatment failure and toxic side effects of therapy. Drug encapsulation into liposomal nanocarriers has shown clinical success at improving biodistribution and tolerability of chemotherapy. However, enhancements in drug efficacy have been limited because of a lack of selectivity of the liposomal formulations for the cancer cells. Here, we report on the generation of bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) with dual binding to a leukemic cell receptor, such as CD19, CD20, CD22, or CD38, and methoxy polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the targeted delivery of PEGylated liposomal drugs to leukemia cells. This liposome targeting system follows a “mix-and-match” principle where BsAbs were selected on the specific receptors expressed on leukemia cells. BsAbs improved the targeting and cytotoxic activity of a clinically approved and low-toxic PEGylated liposomal formulation of doxorubicin (Caelyx) toward leukemia cell lines and patient-derived samples that are immunophenotypically heterogeneous and representative of high-risk subtypes of childhood leukemia. BsAb-assisted improvements in leukemia cell targeting and cytotoxic potency of Caelyx correlated with receptor expression and were minimally detrimental in vitro and in vivo toward expansion and functionality of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells and hematopoietic progenitors. Targeted delivery of Caelyx using BsAbs further enhanced leukemia suppression while reducing drug accumulation in the heart and kidneys and extended overall survival in patient-derived xenograft models of high-risk childhood leukemia. Our methodology using BsAbs therefore represents an attractive targeting platform to potentiate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of liposomal drugs for improved treatment of high-risk leukemia.
Inhibiting de novo ceramide synthesis restores mitochondrial and protein homeostasis in muscle aging
Authors: Lima Tanes I. , Laurila Pirkka-Pekka , Wohlwend Martin , Morel Jean David , Goeminne Ludger J.E. , Li Hao , Romani Mario , Li Xiaoxu , Oh Chang-Myung , Park Dohyun , Rodríguez-López Sandra , Ivanisevic Julijana , Gallart-Ayala Hector , Crisol Barbara , Delort Florence , Batonnet-Pichon Sabrina , Silveira Leonardo R. , Sankabattula Pavani Veera Venkata Lakshmi , Padala Anil K. , Jain Suresh , Auwerx Johan
Published: May 2023

Disruption of mitochondrial function and protein homeostasis plays a central role in aging. However, how these processes interact and what governs their failure in aging remain poorly understood. Here, we showed that ceramide biosynthesis controls the decline in mitochondrial and protein homeostasis during muscle aging. Analysis of transcriptome datasets derived from muscle biopsies obtained from both aged individuals and patients with a diverse range of muscle disorders revealed that changes in ceramide biosynthesis, as well as disturbances in mitochondrial and protein homeostasis pathways, are prevalent features in these conditions. By performing targeted lipidomics analyses, we found that ceramides accumulated in skeletal muscle with increasing age across
Caenorhabditis elegans
, mice, and humans. Inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), the rate-limiting enzyme of the ceramide de novo synthesis, by gene silencing or by treatment with myriocin restored proteostasis and mitochondrial function in human myoblasts, in
C. elegans
, and in the skeletal muscles of mice during aging. Restoration of these age-related processes improved health and life span in the nematode and muscle health and fitness in mice. Collectively, our data implicate pharmacological and genetic suppression of ceramide biosynthesis as potential therapeutic approaches to delay muscle aging and to manage related proteinopathies via mitochondrial and proteostasis remodeling.
Response to Comment on “Inflammasome inhibition prevents α-synuclein pathology and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice”
Authors: Albornoz Eduardo A. , Gordon Richard , Kumar Vinod , Robertson Avril A. B. , Schroder Kate , Woodruff Trent M.
Published: May 2023

We have replicated our original finding of elevated cleaved caspase-1 in mouse brains and neuroprotection by an NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor in two mouse models of Parkinson’s disease.
Inflated Gamma Interferon Response with QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus Using the Automated Liaison XL Analyzer: a Testing Algorithm To Mitigate False-Positive Results in Low-Incidence Settings
Authors: Buron Vladimir , Banaei Niaz
Published: May 2023

The Liaison XL chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) analyzer allows total automation of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) measurement for the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay (QFT-Plus) that is used to diagnose
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
infection. To evaluate CLIA accuracy, plasma samples from 278 patients undergoing QFT-Plus testing were first tested with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; 150 negatives and 128 positives) and subsequently with the CLIA.
Quantification of Isoniazid-Heteroresistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Using Droplet Digital PCR
Authors: Zhang Siqi , Chen Xiaohong , Lin Zhonghui , Tan Yaoju , Liang Bin , Pan Yuying , Huang Mingxiang , Su Biyi , Hu Xiaoman , Xu Ye , Li Qingge
Published: May 2023

The quantitative detection of drug-resistance mutations in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(MTB) is critical for determining the drug resistance status of a sample. We developed a drop-off droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay targeting all major isoniazid (INH)-resistant mutations.
Democratising data to address health system inequities in Australia
Authors: Topp Stephanie M , Thompson Fintan , Johnston Karen , Smith Deborah , Edelman Alexandra , Whittaker Maxine , Rouen Christopher , Moodley Nishila , McDonald Malcolm , Barker Ruth , Larkins Sarah
Published: May 2023

Understanding the health status of a population or community is crucial to equitable service planning. Among other uses, data on health status can help local and national planners and policy makers understand patterns and trends in current or emerging health and well-being, especially how disparities relating to geography, ethnicity, language and living with disability influence access to services. In this practice paper we draw attention to the nature of Australia’s health data challenges and call for greater ‘democratisation’ of health data to address health system inequities. Democratisation implies the need for greaterquality and representativenessof health data as well as improvedaccessandusabilitythat enable health planners and researchers to respond to health and health service disparities efficiently and cost-effectively. We draw on learnings from two practice examples, marred by inaccessibility, reduced interoperability and limited representativeness. We call for renewed and urgent attention to, and investment in, improved data quality and usability for all levels of health, disability and related service delivery in Australia.
Crossroads of methodological choices in research synthesis: insights from two network meta-analyses on preventing relapse in schizophrenia
Authors: Ostuzzi Giovanni , Schneider-Thoma Johannes , Tedeschi Federico , Leucht Stefan , Barbui Corrado
Published: May 2023

In recent years, network meta-analyses have been increasingly carried out to inform clinical guidelines and policy. This approach is under constant development, and a broad consensus on how to carry out several of its methodological and statistical steps is still lacking. Therefore, different working groups might often make different methodological choices based on their clinical and research experience, with possible advantages and shortcomings. In this contribution, we will critically assess two network meta-analyses on the topic of pharmacological prevention of relapse in schizophrenia, carried out by two different research groups. We will highlight the implications of different methodological choices on the analysis results and their clinical–epidemiological interpretation. Moreover, we will discuss some of the most relevant technical issues of network meta-analyses for which there is not a broad methodological agreement, including the assessment of transitivity.
Increasing the value of digital phenotyping through reducing missingness: a retrospective review and analysis of prior studies
Authors: Currey Danielle , Torous John
Published: May 2023

Background

Digital phenotyping methods present a scalable tool to realise the potential of personalised medicine. But underlying this potential is the need for digital phenotyping data to represent accurate and precise health measurements.

Objective

To assess the impact of population, clinical, research and technological factors on the digital phenotyping data quality as measured by rates of missing digital phenotyping data.

Methods

This study analyses retrospective cohorts of mindLAMP smartphone application digital phenotyping studies run at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center between May 2019 and March 2022 involving 1178 participants (studies of college students, people with schizophrenia and people with depression/anxiety). With this large combined data set, we report on the impact of sampling frequency, active engagement with the application, phone type (Android vs Apple), gender and study protocol features on missingness/data quality.

Findings

Missingness from sensors in digital phenotyping is related to active user engagement with the application. After 3 days of no engagement, there was a 19% decrease in average data coverage for both Global Positioning System and accelerometer. Data sets with high degrees of missingness can generate incorrect behavioural features that may lead to faulty clinical interpretations.

Conclusions

Digital phenotyping data quality requires ongoing technical and protocol efforts to minimise missingness. Adding run-in periods, education with hands-on support and tools to easily monitor data coverage are all productive strategies studies can use today.

Clinical implications

While it is feasible to capture digital phenotyping data from diverse populations, clinicians should consider the degree of missingness in the data before using them for clinical decision-making.
‘Speaking Up’ for patient safety and staff well-being: a qualitative study
Authors: Delpino Rebecca , Lees-Deutsch Liz , Solanki Bhawna
Published: May 2023

Background

Freedom To Speak Up Guardians (FTSUGs) and Confidential Contacts (CCs) were appointed nationally following the Mid Staffordshire inquiry to listen to and support staff who were unable to address concerns through normal channels of communication.

Aim

Explore perceptions of an FTSUG and CCs through shared experiences and personal stories.

Objectives

(1) Explore perceptions of an FTSUG and CCs. (2) Consider how individuals can be best supported. (3) Improve staff knowledge on speaking up. (4) Understand factors influencing reflections around patient safety. (5) Share exemplars of good practice through use of personal stories to promote a culture of openness to raise concerns.

Method

A focus group of eight participants, namely the FTSUG and CCs working within one large National Health Service (NHS) trust, was used to gather data. Data were collated and organised using a created table. Thematic analysis enabled each theme to emerge and be identified.

Conclusion

(1) An innovative approach to the introduction, development and implementation of an FTSUG and CC roles and responsibilities in healthcare. (2) To gain insight into the personal experiences of a FTSUG and CCs working within one large NHS trust. (3) To be supportive of culture change with committed leadership responsiveness.
Efficacy and safety of once-daily single-inhaler triple therapy for mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a study protocol for a randomised and interventional study
Authors: Takahashi Koichiro , Kawayama Tomotaka , Takamori Ayako , Tashiro Hiroki , Kinoshita Takashi , Takagi Koichi , Yamasaki Kei , Machida Kentaro , Kawaguchi Atsushi , Yatera Kazuhiro , Inoue Hiromasa
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Bronchodilators, including long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) and long-acting beta 2 agonists (LABA), are the main treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The efficacy of triple therapy (inhaled corticosteroids/LAMA/LABA) has also been reported. However, the effect of triple therapy on patients with mild-to-moderate COPD has not yet been clarified. This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of triple therapy, compared with LAMA/LABA combination therapy, for lung function and health-related quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD and identify baseline characteristics and biomarkers to predict responders and non-responders to triple therapy.

Methods and analysis

This is a multicentre, prospective, open-label, randomised, parallel-group study. Mild-to-moderate patients with COPD will be randomised to receive fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol or umeclidinium/vilanterol for 24 weeks. A total of 668 patients will be enrolled from March 2022 to September 2023 from 38 sites in Japan. The primary endpoint is the change in the trough forced expiration volume in 1 s after 12 weeks of treatment. Secondary endpoints are responder rates based on the COPD assessment test score and the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire total score after 24 weeks of treatment. The safety endpoint is the occurrence of any adverse events. We will also investigate safety in terms of changes in microbial colonisation in sputum and antimycobacterium avium complex antibodies.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol and informed consent documents were approved by the Saga University Clinical Research Review Board (approval number: CRB7180010). Written informed consent will be obtained from all patients. Recruitment of the patients began in March 2022. The results will be disseminated through scientific peer-reviewed publications and domestic and international medical conferences.

Trial registration numbers

UMIN000046812 and jRCTs031190008.
Expanding the phenotypic spectrum ofTRAPPC11-related muscular dystrophy: 25 Roma individuals carrying a founder variant
Authors: Justel Maria , Jou Cristina , Sariego-Jamardo Andrea , Juliá-Palacios Natalia Alexandra , Ortez Carlos , Poch Maria Luisa , Hedrera-Fernandez Antonio , Gomez-Martin Hilario , Codina Anna , Dominguez-Carral Jana , Muxart Jordi , Hernández-Laín Aurelio , Vila-Bedmar Sara , Zulaica Miren , Cancho-Candela Ramon , Castro Margarita del Carmen , de la Osa-Langreo Alberto , Peña-Valenceja Alfonso , Marcos-Vadillo Elena , Prieto-Matos Pablo , Pascual-Pascual Samuel Ignacio , López de Munain Adolfo , Camacho Ana , Estevez-Arias Berta , Musokhranova Uliana , Olivella Mireia , Oyarzábal Alfonso , Jimenez-Mallebrera Cecilia , Domínguez-González Cristina , Nascimento Andrés , García-Cazorla Àngels , Natera-de Benito Daniel
Published: May 2023

Background

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD) are a heterogeneous group of genetically determined muscle disorders. TRAPPC11-related LGMD is an autosomal-recessive condition characterised by muscle weakness and intellectual disability.

Methods

A clinical and histopathological characterisation of 25 Roma individuals with LGMD R18 caused by the homozygousTRAPPC11c.1287+5G>A variant is reported. Functional effects of the variant on mitochondrial function were investigated.

Results

The c.1287+5G>A variant leads to a phenotype characterised by early onset muscle weakness, movement disorder, intellectual disability and elevated serum creatine kinase, which is similar to other series. As novel clinical findings, we found that microcephaly is almost universal and that infections in the first years of life seem to act as triggers for a psychomotor regression and onset of seizures in several individuals withTRAPPC11variants, who showed pseudometabolic crises triggered by infections. Our functional studies expanded the role of TRAPPC11 deficiency in mitochondrial function, as a decreased mitochondrial ATP production capacity and alterations in the mitochondrial network architecture were detected.

Conclusion

We provide a comprehensive phenotypic characterisation of the pathogenic variantTRAPPC11c.1287+5G>A, which is founder in the Roma population. Our observations indicate that some typical features of golgipathies, such as microcephaly and clinical decompensation associated with infections, are prevalent in individuals with LGMD R18.
Advancements in super-selective catheterization and drug selection for intra-arterial chemotherapy for retinoblastoma: a 15-year evolution
Authors: Kocharian Gary , Gobin Y Pierre , Kharas Natasha , Knopman Jared , Francis Jasmine H , Abramson David H
Published: May 2023

Background

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common primary ocular malignancy of childhood. Left untreated, it is 100% fatal and carries a substantial risk of impaired vision and removal of one or both eyes. Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) has become a pillar in the treatment paradigm for Rb that allows for better eye salvage and vision preservation without compromising survival. We describe the evolution of our technique over 15 years.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted of 571 patients (697 eyes) and 2391 successful IAC sessions over 15 years. This cohort was separated into three 5-year periods (P1, P2, P3) to assess trends in IAC catheterization technique, complications, and drug delivery.

Results

From a total of 2402 attempted IAC sessions, there were 2391 successful IAC deliveries, consistent with a 99.5% success rate. The rate of successful super-selective catheterizations over the three periods ranged from 80% in P1 to 84.9% in P2 and 89.2% in P3. Catheterization-related complication rates were 0.7% in P1, 1.1% in P2, and 0.6% in P3. Chemotherapeutics used included combinations of melphalan, topotecan and carboplatin. The rate of patients receiving triple therapy among all groups was 128 (21%) in P1, 487 (41.9%) in P2, and 413 (66.7%) in P3.

Conclusions

The overall rate of successful catheterization and IAC started high and has improved over 15 years, and catheterization-related complications are rare. There has been a significant trend towards triple chemotherapy over time.
Drone monitoring of volcanic lakes in Costa Rica: a new approach
Authors: Sibaja-Brenes José P. , Terada Akihiko , Solís Rosa Alfaro , Luna Mario Cambronero , Castro Danilo Umaña , Ramírez Daniel Porras , Gutiérrez Rolando Sánchez , Arroyo Mariela Martínez , Godfrey Ian , Cruz María Martínez
Published: May 2023

For the first time ever, samples were collected from volcanic lake waters in Costa Rica using an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone), which represents a major achievement in human–machine interaction and innovation in the technology sector. A Matrice 600 Pro drone was used for remote sampling in the hyperacid crater lake of the Poás volcano, the mildly acidic Lake Botos, and the nearly neutral Lake Hule. A bailer bottle of 250 mL and a HOBO temperature probe, mounted on the drone, were deployed using a specially designed delivery retrieval system. A comparison was carried out relating to the geochemistry of lake water collected by drone as opposed to the hand-collected samples. The SO4−2/Cl ratios of the two samples at Poás hyperacid crater lake were similar, (1.1 ± 0.2) on average, an indication of a lake with homogenous water composition. The Lake Hule showed a similar composition to that registered 20 years ago. The waters from Lake Botos showed some differences, which may be explained by the influence of springs at the bottom of the lake, but the Wilcoxon's signed-rank test showed a good exhibit of a satisfactory level of similarity. Autonomous navigation proves to be very useful for faster, more efficient, reliable, and less hazardous sampling of volcanic lakes.
Hot spot model of nucleon and double parton scattering
Authors: Blok B. , Segev R. , Strikman M.
Published: May 2023

We calculate the rate of double parton scattering (DPS) in proton-proton collisions in the framework of the recently proposed hot spot model of the nucleon structure. The resulting rate, especially for the case of three hot spots, is compared with the current experimental data on DPS at the LHC.
Targeting Ferroptosis in Cancer by Natural Products: An Updated Review
Authors: Guo Zhengwang , Wang Shan , Hao Huifeng , Deng Xinxin , Fu Jialei , Guo Yang , Yuan Yuan , Jiao Yanna , Han Shuyan
Published: May 2023

Ferroptosis is a new cell death process characterized by massive iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Emerging evidence demonstrates that ferroptosis plays a crucial role in the development and progression of tumorigenesis. Targeting it is a potentially effective cancer prevention and treatment strategy in the clinic. A comprehensive review of molecular mechanisms of targeting ferroptosis in cancer by natural products needs to be re-summarized and updated due to the advances in research. We searched and reviewed relevant literature through the database Web of Science, mainly focusing on the regulatory effects of natural products and their active compounds in treating or preventing cancer by regulating ferroptosis. A total of 62 kinds of natural products and their active compounds were reported to exert antitumor effects via causing ferroptosis of cancer cells by regulating the System Xc−-GPX4 axis and lipid, mitochondrial, and iron metabolism. Natural products have advantages in improving chemotherapy’s therapeutic effects by causing cancer cell ferroptosis through their polypharmacological actions. These molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis regulation by natural products will pave the way for developing natural antitumor drugs based on regulating ferroptosis.
Some New Descent Nonlinear Conjugate Gradient Methods for Unconstrained Optimization Problems with Global Convergence
Authors: Li Min
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we develop some three term nonlinear conjugate gradient methods based on the Hestenes–Stiefel (HS), the Polak–Ribière–Polyak (PRP) and the Liu–Storey (LS) methods. The proposed algorithms always generate sufficient descent directions which satisfy [Formula: see text]. When the Wolfe or the Armijo line search is used, we establish the global convergence of the proposed methods in a concise way. Moreover, the linear convergence rate of the methods is discussed as well. The extensive numerical results show the efficiency of the proposed methods.
Research on Dynamic Task Scheduling of Transmission and Generation of Schedule Based on Improved Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Wang Xinzhe , Yao Wenbin
Published: May 2023

In order to realize the intelligence of the radio and television transmission station automatic control system, the intelligent algorithm is used for the dynamic task scheduling of transmission (DTST) and the intelligent generation of the real-time transmission schedule. On the basis of the static task allocation at the same time, the time dimension is introduced to build a dynamic task scheduling mathematical model. Based on the characteristics of simple operation and strong convergence of the genetic algorithm, an improved genetic algorithm (IGA) is proposed to solve DTST. The algorithm is improved for specific problems. The first is to improve the selection operator based on the elitist retention strategy to improve the convergence of the algorithm; the second is to determine the discontinuous crossover genes frag based on the concept of cyclic replacement sequence to improve the crossover operator, so as to retain the complete excellent gene fragments and improve the computational efficiency of the crossover operator; the third is to design the relative swap mutation operator to increase the diversity of the population and avoid the convergence of the algorithm calculation results to the local optimal solution. Through the analysis of the experimental data of traversing parameters, the optimal parameter configuration of the IGA is obtained. Finally, the correctness of the IGA is verified by comparing it with the enumeration algorithm, and the effectiveness of the IGA is verified by comparing it with the greedy algorithm.
Reaction rate of 16O(n,γ)17O in R-matrix formalism at astrophysical energies
Authors: Saha Soumya , Gangopadhyay G.
Published: May 2023

The isotope [Formula: see text] is one of the most abundant light isotopes, and therefore the process [Formula: see text] reaction plays a critical role in stellar nucleosynthesis. Reaction cross-sections and rates for neutron capture by [Formula: see text] at astrophysical energies have been calculated with special attention to low-lying, narrow resonances while implementing [Formula: see text]-matrix formalism during integration.
The Cost of Becoming Informed and Audit Fees
Authors: Shaw Kenneth W. , Zhao Lei
Published: May 2023

Auditing standards instruct external auditors to read public information to mitigate management’s information advantage in hiding earnings management and fraud. The transparency of this information, and thus the cost of becoming informed using public information, varies across firms. We argue this cost of becoming informed creates an opportunity for earnings management, increasing audit risk. This study finds that higher costs of becoming informed are related to higher audit fees. In addition, we show that executive equity risk-taking incentives and an attitude towards aggressive reporting exacerbate the effect of the cost of becoming informed on audit fees, suggesting complementary effects of these fraud dimensions on audit pricing. These results are more likely due to audit firms charging risk premiums rather than doing additional audit work. This paper contributes to recent research on the costs of becoming informed and to research on the relation between management compensation and auditor compensation.
Can Financial Technology Reduce Reporting Lags?
Authors: Liu Wu-Po , Wu Shih-Bin , Shih Kung-Hong , Chen Ken Y. , Huang Hua-Wei
Published: May 2023

We investigate whether firms with greater financial technology (FinTech) application experience a difference in audit and financial reporting’s timeliness from other firms. We also examine the extent to which FinTech’s application relates to reporting lags. Using 32,196 US-listed firm-year observations from 2012 to 2021, we find that the Top 25 FinTech firms experience greater reporting audit and financial lags than other firms, suggesting that strict financial regulations, cybersecurity concerns, and reconciling mixed transactions affect financial reporting’s timeliness. Moreover, higher-ranked Top 25 FinTech firms experience greater reporting lags than lower-ranked firms. Furthermore, higher-ranked FinTech firms have greater audit and financial reporting lags.
Identifying the Bridge Natural Frequency Pattern Under Operational Condition
Authors: Qin Yazhou , Fan Yong
Published: May 2023

This study investigates variations in the Humber Bridge’s natural frequency and presents waveforms of individual vibration modes using acceleration response data collected on February 1, 2012. Three synchrosqueezed transform analysis methods were primarily employed to process the numerical multi-component and closely-spaced signal to identify the most suitable techniques for real-world applications. The improved multisynchrosqueezing transform and Fourier synchrosuqeezed transform were chosen for analyzing the bridge’s monitored vertical acceleration at Humber. The time-frequency representations and instantaneous frequencies (IFs) generated by these methods are well-aligned, revealing less than a 5% change in the bridge’s vertical natural frequency, with mode 1 exhibiting an 11% variation. The monitored vertical acceleration was then reconstructed, and the results demonstrated the high accuracy of the recovered data, with an L-Infinite norm of 0.0013. Finally, the reconstructed waveforms of each mode, along with the corresponding IFs and spectra, provided a convenient means for further insight into the acceleration data. This study presents new findings, such as the waveform of each vibration mode from the monitored acceleration of the bridge, previously unreported in bridge engineering, and validates the feasibility of cutting-edge synchrosqueezed transform methods for accurately tracking the bridge’s frequency variations under operational conditions. It lays a foundation for further analysis of the bridge’s monitored signals.
DETECTION OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS BASED ON CENTER OF PRESSURE DATA AND THE BAT ALGORITHM
Authors: MIANDOAB MAHRAD POURYOSEF , ASHTIANI MOHAMMED N. , ABEDINI-NASSAB ROOZBEH , AKRAMI SEYED MOHAMMAD REZA
Published: May 2023

The high rate of knee osteoarthritis has raised the need for accurate diagnostic methods. In this study, we propose a precise detection method using the center of pressure data obtained from the patients. The introduced automatic detection pipeline is based on the two modern algorithms of grey wolf and BAT. The extracted statistical features and the obtained data from healthy individuals and patients are processed with the grey wolf binary algorithm. The results are fed into the binary bat algorithm to select important features and increase the pipeline accuracy. Then the groups are classified using a four-layer neural network. We show that the proposed method with a simple four-layer neural network offers fantastic accuracy in high-speed processing large data and classifies the high-dimensional knee osteoarthritis center of pressure data with appropriate precision, recall, specificity, and F1 values. The proposed method has direct applications in knee osteoarthritis diagnostics in clinics.
AUTOMATIC CALCULATION OF THE REFLECTION SITE DISTANCE: IN THE INTERNAL CAROTID
Authors: AYADI ASMA , SAHTOUT WASSILA , BALÉDENT OLIVIER
Published: May 2023

Purpose: The objective of this study is to estimate, in vivo, the effective reflected site of the internal carotid wall (ICA) from the noninvasive determination of the local arterial wave speed (c). Materials: c was calculated in our previous work that uses the measurement of the instantaneous blood velocity at two sites by contrast magnetic resonance, the study having been conducted on 20 healthy subjects. The determination of the effective reflection distance (ERD) requires the measurement of the arrival time of the reflected wave. We have found that the major reflection site in the internal carotid artery was located in the proximity of the measurement site to the circle of Willis. To validate the method proposed in this work, we compared it to the results obtained by using the return time of the foot of the wave. The foot of the wave was determined from the tangent of the abrupt rise of the velocity signal wavefront. Results: A positive correlation between ERD obtained by using the arrival time of the reflected wave and those obtained by the return time of infection point ([Formula: see text]) was obtained. Conclusion: The technique described in this study offers a promising convenient and efficient method to estimate the effective reflection site noninvasively.
DEVELOPMENT OF A 5-DOF IMPEDANCE-CONTROLLED WEARABLE UPPER LIMB EXOSKELETAL ROBOT
Authors: DİKBAŞ FEHMİ MUSTAFA , AYDOĞAN ÖZGÜR EGE , AYDIN İDRİS BATUHAN , ÇETİN DERYA , EMİN AKTAN MEHMET , AKDOĞAN ERHAN
Published: May 2023

In this study, a wearable exoskeleton with an active drive mechanism was designed for both space-saving and to ensure the safety and comfort of the workers. At the same time, this active wearable exoskeleton mechanism aims to facilitate the daily life of disabled people with its movement assisting feature. For these purposes, an active and wearable exoskeleton with a total of five degrees of freedom, two active (arm and shoulder flexion/extension) and three passive axes (shoulder lateral rotation and shoulder abduction/adduction), was developed. A novel load suspension system has been implemented to the design for absorbtion of the mechanism’s own weight. The force-based impedance control method has been used for effective human–robot interaction. Furthermore, a low-cost electromyography sensor has been developed and integrated into the robotic system as biological feedback. As a result of the tests, it has been revealed that the system can help with lifting loads and successfully perform rehabilitation exercises.
Acetylation of Cellulose Nanocrystals Extracted from Cotton for Drilling Fluid Application: Structural and Thermal Characterization
Authors: Benchikh Lilia , Yazid Aitferhat , Maya Kebaili , Hichem Chorfi , Ilyes Abacha , Melia Guessoum , Abdelhafid Merzougui , Mohamed Benia Hadj , Yves Grohens
Published: May 2023

In petroleum exploration, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) are frequently used in drilling, cementing and fracturing fluids. However, under extreme drilling conditions, these additives have limited performance. In this regard, cellulose nanocrystals particles (CNCs) which are also derived from cellulose material are a suitable candidate due to their shear thinning rheology and thixotropy properties, even at low concentrations, among so many properties thanks to their crystalline structure and their nanometric dimensions.

In this work, hydrolyzed fibers from industrial cotton are acetylated using acetic anhydride and sulfuric acid as catalysts, with the aim to modify surface properties of the obtained CNCs without changing their fiber structure and morphology. FTIR analysis pointed out the acetylation success of the obtained nanocrystals whose dimensions were found to be unaltered by the modification process. SEM images of cotton nanocrystal indicate that CNCcsurface modification preserves the nanoscale dimensions of the nanoparticles. Also, TGA analysis showed thermal stability for the acetylated CNCc.
Direct decomposition of nitrous oxide by rhodium supported on ZrSnO4
Authors: Hu Dong-Run , Nunotani Naoyoshi , Imanaka Nobuhito
Published: May 2023

Novel catalysts of Rh/ZrSnO4 were synthesized, and their catalytic activities for the direct decomposition of nitrous oxide (N2O) were investigated. ZrSnO4 with an [Formula: see text]-PbO2-type structure was used as a promoter, since the oxygen supply from its lattice was expected to facilitate N2O decomposition. Among the prepared catalysts, 1.0 wt.% Rh/ZrSnO4 exhibited the highest catalytic activity: N2O was completely decomposed at [Formula: see text]C. This activity was higher than those for 1.0 wt.% Rh/ZrO2 and 1.0 wt.% Rh/SnO2, indicating that the ZrSnO4 solid promoted N2O decomposition. In addition, the 1.0 wt.% Rh/ZrSnO4 catalyst featured high durability in the presence of O2, CO2, and H2O vapors.
A self-assembled 2D nanosheet II-type heterojunction photocatalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
Authors: Gong Yongchao , Fang Ningjie , Song Xincheng , Liu Zhaobing , Chu Yinghao , Sun Dengrong , Shu Song
Published: May 2023

The exploration of highly efficient and low-cost catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is of great increasing interest under the dual pressure of energy shortage and environment pollution. In this work, flake-like SrCO3was in-situ self-assembled at the surface of SrTiO3nanosheet to fabricate a novel 2D/2D heterojunction nanocomposite catalyst with strong interaction inside these two semiconductors by a simple hydrothermal method. An accurate loading amount of SCO was responsible for the high photoactivity of 10SCO-STO-Pt, which leads to a 12.9-fold improvement of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate (from 0.22 to 2.83 mmol [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]) compared to that of pure STO-Pt. Meanwhile, the apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 10SCO-STO-Pt composite with the optimum SCO loading (10 wt.%) reached up to 16.9% under the irradiation of 313 nm light. The introduction of SCO can form a II-type heterojunction in close contact with STO, which can significantly improve the photogenerated electron transfer and reduce the recombination of photogenerated carrier in STO. As a result, the charge separation efficiency and photocatalytic activity of STO were obviously enhanced.
Market Capitalized Scale and Corporate Capital Structure — Evidence from CSI300’s Listed Firms
Authors: Nguyen Huu Manh , Wong Wing Keung , Vuong Thi Huong Giang
Published: May 2023

The firm’s market capitalization is an ideal proxy of the size of listed firms. Hence, this paper uses the firm’s market capitalization to capture the firm size instead of using other prior proxies to investigate the relationship between the market capitalized scale and corporate capital structure by employing the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) method to conduct analysis based on a sample of the 300 largest listed firms in China from 2010 to 2017. The CSI300 list consists of two subsample (CSI100 and CSI200), divided upon the firm’s market capitalized scales to represent both large-cap and small-cap firms. Our paper contributes to the literature on corporate finance by obtaining some new empirical results to assess the effect of market capitalized scale on corporate capital structure. We find that the market capitalized size has a significantly negative association with corporate leverage. We also find that both the Trade-Off Theory (TOT) and Pecking-Order Theory (POT) can partially explain the capital structure of the listed firms of the CSI300 Index such that the negative relationship between the market capitalized scales and corporate leverage is firmly identified in small-cap firms. Third, we observe that the greater validity of the POT’s predictions is enhanced in small-cap firms such that the greater inverse impact of profitability and the more significant positive effect of growth opportunities on corporate leverage are clearly shown in small-cap firms. Inversely, the more significant adverse effects of non-debt tax shields on corporate leverage are found in large-cap firms and there is no difference in the impact of tangible assets on debt ratios between CSI100’s listed companies and CSI200’s listed enterprises. Academics and practitioners could use our findings to draw better implications while policymakers could use our results to obtain better policies to improve the banking system with small listed companies.
Examining the Generalizability of English Cyberbullying Detection Models on Malay Informal Text Using Direct Translation
Authors: Chew Shu Xian , Liew Jasy Suet Yan , Wan Ibrisam Fikry Wan Ahmad Luqman , Ibrahim Noor Farizah
Published: May 2023

As cyberbullying on social media platforms becomes more rampant in Malaysia, there is a need for automatic cyberbullying detection models that can handle text in the local Malay language. Although Malay is widely used in Malaysia, it remains a low resource language particularly the availability of high-quality Malay cyberbullying corpora required to train machine learning models to effectively identify cyberbullying in the local context. Our study explores the possibility of borrowing from an existing cyberbullying corpus (Formspring with 13,153 posts) in a resource rich language to train an English cyberbullying detection model, and then evaluate the performance of the model on a test set containing 3663 Malay WhatsApp messages translated to English. By using direct translation, we reveal that the model performance greatly relies on the quality and accuracy of the English-to-Malay translation, a problem that is exacerbated by many informal Malay expressions and slangs in WhatsApp messages.
A Weighted Mean Field Reinforcement Learning Algorithm for Large-Scale Multi-Agent Collaboration
Authors: Yuan Xinwei , Wang He , Yu Wenwu
Published: May 2023

Reinforcement learning has been proven to be an effective approach for solving multi-agent coordination problems in a dynamic open environment. For dealing with multi-agent cooperation issues, the mean field multi-agent reinforcement learning method can better overcome the problems of slow learning speed, unstable convergent performance, and poor learning effect. However, the original mean field algorithm cannot extract features well when agents cooperate. In order to solve the large-scale multi-agent coordination problem, in this paper, the mean field multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithm is improved and optimized by combining the multi-head attention mechanism, and the attention-based mean field (MFA) structure is designed. The employment of a multi-head attention mechanism can optimize the interaction among agents, extract more effective cluster features and enable agents to learn more efficient strategies. This paper first introduces the framework structure of MFA and then expounds on the relevant theoretical basis based on the Q-Learning and Actor-Critic algorithms, and finally conducts large-scale multi-agent cooperative experiments on the MAgent platform. The experimental results show that compared with the baseline algorithm, the attention-based mean field Q-learning (MFQA) and attention-based Actor-Critic (MFACA) algorithms can make large-scale multi-agent clusters converge to higher rewards, and perform better than the original mean field multi-agent algorithm.
Maximizing the Value of Asynchronous Learning in Pre-clerkship Medical Education
Authors: Sheth Phorum , Samuel Anita , Jung Eulho , Collen Jacob
Published: May 2023

Asynchronous learning has taken on new significance in the era of COVID-19 social distancing. The learning curve for students and faculty members to adapt to the new distance learning environment has been a dynamic experience. In this article we review some of our experiences with asynchronous curriculum in the pre-clerkship curriculum at the Uniformed Services University. We review student and faculty perceptions of virtual, asynchronous curriculum as well as tangible solutions for implementing asynchronous curriculum and pitfalls to be aware of. Advances in asynchronous learning have revolutionized medical education, but a healthy perspective is necessary for faculty and students to maximize the benefits of remote learning while maintaining student-teacher engagement.
Online Damage Recovery for Physical Robots with Hierarchical Quality-Diversity
Authors: Allard Maxime , Smith Simón C. , Chatzilygeroudis Konstantinos , Lim Bryan , Cully Antoine
Published: May 2023

In real-world environments, robots need to be resilient to damages and robust to unforeseen scenarios. Quality-Diversity (QD) algorithms have been successfully used to make robots adapt to damages in seconds by leveraging a diverse set of learned skills. A high diversity of skills increases the chances of a robot to succeed at overcoming new situations since there are more potential alternatives to solve a new task. However, finding and storing a large behavioural diversity of multiple skills often leads to an increase in computational complexity. Furthermore, robot planning in a large skill space is an additional challenge that arises with an increased number of skills. Hierarchical structures can help to reduce this search and storage complexity by breaking down skills into primitive skills. In this article, we extend the analysis of the Hierarchical Trial and Error algorithm, which uses a hierarchical behavioural repertoire to learn diverse skills and leverages them to make the robot adapt quickly in the physical world. We show that the hierarchical decomposition of skills enables the robot to learn more complex behaviours while keeping the learning of the repertoire tractable. Experiments with a hexapod robot both in simulation and the physical world show that our method solves a maze navigation task with up to, respectively, 20% and 43% less actions than the best baselines while having 78% less complete failures.
Exploring FPGA Switch-Blocks without Explicitly Listing Connectivity Patterns
Authors: Nikolić Stefan , Ienne Paolo
Published: May 2023

Increased lower metal resistance makes physical aspects of Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) switch-blocks more relevant than before. The need to navigate a design space where each individual switch can have significant impact on the FPGA’s performance in turn makes automated switch-pattern exploration techniques increasingly appealing. However, most existing exploration techniques have a fundamental limitation—they use the CAD tools as a black box to evaluate the performance of explicitly listed switch-patterns. Given the time needed to route a modern circuit on a single architecture, the number of switch-patterns that can be explicitly tested quickly becomes negligible compared to the size of the design space. This article presents a technique that removes this fundamental limitation by making the entire design space visible to the router and letting it choose the switches to be added to the pattern, based on the requirements of the circuits being routed. The key to preventing the router from selecting arbitrary switches that would render the final pattern excessively large is to apply the same negotiation principle used by the router to remove congestion, just in the opposite direction, to make the signals reach a consensus on which switches are worthy of being included in the final switch-pattern.
Human Genomics of COVID-19 Pneumonia: Contributions of Rare and Common Variants
Authors: Cobat Aurélie , Zhang Qian ,   COVID Human Genetic Effort, Abel Laurent , Casanova Jean-Laurent , Fellay Jacques
Published: May 2023

SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection is silent or benign in most infected individuals, but causes hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia in about 10% of cases. We review studies of the human genetics of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia, focusing on both rare and common variants. Large-scale genome-wide association studies have identified more than 20 common loci robustly associated with COVID-19 pneumonia with modest effect sizes, some implicating genes expressed in the lungs or leukocytes. The most robust association, on chromosome 3, concerns a haplotype inherited from Neanderthals. Sequencing studies focusing on rare variants with a strong effect have been particularly successful, identifying inborn errors of type I interferon (IFN) immunity in 1–5% of unvaccinated patients with critical pneumonia, and their autoimmune phenocopy, autoantibodies against type I IFN, in another 15–20% of cases. Our growing understanding of the impact of human genetic variation on immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is enabling health systems to improve protection for individuals and populations.
Gene Interactions in Human Disease Studies—Evidence Is Mounting
Authors: Singhal Pankhuri , Verma Shefali Setia , Ritchie Marylyn D.
Published: May 2023

Despite monumental advances in molecular technology to generate genome sequence data at scale, there is still a considerable proportion of heritability in most complex diseases that remains unexplained. Because many of the discoveries have been single-nucleotide variants with small to moderate effects on disease, the functional implication of many of the variants is still unknown and, thus, we have limited new drug targets and therapeutics. We, and many others, posit that one primary factor that has limited our ability to identify novel drug targets from genome-wide association studies may be due to gene interactions (epistasis), gene–environment interactions, network/pathway effects, or multiomic relationships. We propose that many of these complex models explain much of the underlying genetic architecture of complex disease. In this review, we discuss the evidence from multiple research avenues, ranging from pairs of alleles to multiomic integration studies and pharmacogenomics, that supports the need for further investigation of gene interactions (or epistasis) in genetic and genomic studies of human disease. Our goal is to catalog the mounting evidence for epistasis in genetic studies and the connections between genetic interactions and human health and disease that could enable precision medicine of the future.