bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bronchoscopic interventions for severe emphysema: Where are we now?
Authors: Shah Pallav L. , Slebos Dirk‐Jan
Published: May 2020

Patients with severe emphysema have limited treatment options and only derive a small benefit from optimal medical treatment. The only other therapy to have significant clinical beneficial effect in emphysema is LVRS but the perceived risk and invasiveness of surgery has fuelled bronchoscopic approaches to induce lung volume reduction. There are multiple bronchoscopic methods for achieving volume reduction in severe emphysema: EBV, airway bypass procedure, endobronchial coils, thermal (vapour) sclerosis and chemical sclerosis (sealants). Optimal patient selection is key to successful patient outcomes. This review discusses bronchoscopic approaches for emphysema treatment which has progressed through clinical trials to clinical practice.
Impact of remittances on male and female labor force participation patterns in Africa: Quasi‐experimental evidence from Ghana
Authors: Asiedu Edward , Chimbar Nurokinan
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we examine how remittances, an outcome of labor mobility, affect labor market activities in Ghana using detailed household and individual‐level data. This is important, considering the extensive literature that has documented the remittance–poverty reduction nexus. First, we find a strong negative association between household remittance‐receiving status and individual labor supply decisions using instrumental variable estimation techniques. Second, we find the depressing effect of remittances on labor supply decisions to be much stronger in rural areas. Rural women who reside in remittance‐receiving households are less likely to be in the labor force compared with those who do not reside in such households. Remittances have very little impact on labor supply decisions in urban areas. Our findings support that remittances can exacerbate long‐term poverty reduction in rural areas through lower labor force participation, and as such rural‐based and gender‐based interventions may be needed to help redirect remittance income.
Dental services provided to Syrian refugee children in Jordan: A retrospective study
Authors: Salim Nesreen A. , ElSa'aideh Batool B. , Maayta Wajd A. , Hassona Yazan M.
Published: May 2020

Background

Little is known about oral health care in Syrian refugee children in host countries. We describe the pattern and nature of oral healthcare service provided to Syrian refugee children in Jordan

Method

The clinical records of 3 to 7‐year‐old children who attended dental clinics at Zaatari refugee camp over a period of 8 months were retrieved and analyzed.

Results

Records of 259 children were analyzed. The mean age of the study sample was 5.6 years, and all included children were born in Zaatari refugee camp. Most children (66%; n = 171) presented because of dental pain and/or dental infection. Dental extraction was the most common procedure (55%), followed by dental fillings (25%), pulpotomy (10.6%), and stainless steel crown (9.2%). Most patients (75.3%; n = 195) received only one dental procedure during their stay in the camp, and no significant correlation between age and number of dental procedures was found.

Conclusions

Oral health care is not a priority in this population, and the available capacity for dental services is insufficient. Dental health programs should be implemented to improve refugee dental care.
What Differentiates Prisoners Who Attempt Suicide from Those Who Experience Suicidal Ideation? A Nationally Representative Study
Authors: Favril Louis , Stoliker Bryce , Vander Laenen Freya
Published: May 2020

Objective

Many people who think about suicide do not engage in suicidal behavior. Identifying risk factors implicated in the process of behavioral enaction is crucial for suicide prevention, particularly in high‐risk groups such as prisoners.

Method

Cross‐sectional data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of 17,891 prisoners (79% men) in the United States. We compared prisoners who attempted suicide (attempters; n = 2,496) with those who thought about suicide but never made an attempt (ideators; n = 1,716) on a range of established risk factors.

Results

More than half (59%) of participants who experienced suicidal ideation had also attempted suicide. Violent offending, trauma, brain injury, alcohol abuse, and certain mental disorders distinguished attempters from ideators.

Conclusion

Our results fit within recent ideation‐to‐action theories that emphasize the role of a capability for suicide in the transition from thoughts to acts of suicide.
An isoleucine residue acts as a thermal and regulatory switch in wheat Rubisco activase
Authors: Degen Gustaf E. , Worrall Dawn , Carmo‐Silva Elizabete
Published: May 2020

The regulation of Rubisco, the gatekeeper of carbon fixation into the biosphere, by its molecular chaperone Rubisco activase (Rca) is essential for photosynthesis and plant growth. Using energy from ATP hydrolysis, Rca promotes the release of inhibitors and restores catalytic competence to Rubisco‐active sites. Rca is sensitive to moderate heat stress, however, and becomes progressively inhibited as the temperature increases above the optimum for photosynthesis. Here, we identify a single amino acid substitution (M159I) that fundamentally alters the thermal and regulatory properties of Rca in bread wheat (Triticum aestivumL.). Using site‐directed mutagenesis, we demonstrate that the M159I substitution extends the temperature optimum of the most abundant Rca isoform by 5°Cin vitro, while maintaining the efficiency of Rubisco activation by Rca. The results suggest that this single amino acid substitution acts as a thermal and regulatory switch in wheat Rca that can be exploited to improve the climate resilience and efficiency of carbon assimilation of this cereal crop as temperatures become warmer and more volatile.
Chloroplasts require glutathione reductase to balance reactive oxygen species and maintain efficient photosynthesis
Authors: Müller‐Schüssele Stefanie J. , Wang Ren , Gütle Desirée D. , Romer Jill , Rodriguez‐Franco Marta , Scholz Martin , Buchert Felix , Lüth Volker M. , Kopriva Stanislav , Dörmann Peter , Schwarzländer Markus , Reski Ralf , Hippler Michael , Meyer Andreas J.
Published: May 2020

Thiol‐based redox‐regulation is vital for coordinating chloroplast functions depending on illumination and has been throroughly investigated for thioredoxin‐dependent processes. In parallel, glutathione reductase (GR) maintains a highly reduced glutathione pool, enabling glutathione‐mediated redox buffering. Yet, how the redox cascades of the thioredoxin and glutathione redox machineries integrate metabolic regulation and detoxification of reactive oxygen species remains largely unresolved because null mutants of plastid/mitochondrial GR are embryo‐lethal in Arabidopsis thaliana. To investigate whether maintaining a highly reducing stromal glutathione redox potential (EGSH) via GR is necessary for functional photosynthesis and plant growth, we created knockout lines of the homologous enzyme in the model moss Physcomitrella patens. In these viable mutant lines, we found decreasing photosynthetic performance and plant growth with increasing light intensities, whereas ascorbate and zeaxanthin/antheraxanthin levels were elevated. By in vivo monitoring stromal EGSH dynamics, we show that stromal EGSH is highly reducing in wild‐type and clearly responsive to light, whereas an absence of GR leads to a partial glutathione oxidation, which is not rescued by light. By metabolic labelling, we reveal changing protein abundances in the GR knockout plants, pinpointing the adjustment of chloroplast proteostasis and the induction of plastid protein repair and degradation machineries. Our results indicate that the plastid thioredoxin system is not a functional backup for the plastid glutathione redox systems, whereas GR plays a critical role in maintaining efficient photosynthesis.
Weather in the Anthropocene: Extreme event attribution and a modelled nature–culture divide
Authors: Osaka Shannon , Bellamy Rob
Published: May 2020

Using a new modelling methodology known as “extreme event attribution,” or EEA, climate scientists can now connect extreme weather to anthropogenic forcings. This paper seeks to uncover the significance of EEA for the epistemology of climate change, nature, and culture in the Anthropocene. First, we examine how EEA is emblematic of a larger turn in climate modelling, one that seeks to deploy anthropogenic climate change as an explanatory tool for an increasing number of socio‐natural phenomena. While some theorists have argued that the Anthropocene heralds the end of the nature–culture divide, we argue that EEA and similar modelling technologies seek to separate human influence from the natural variability of weather, thus establishing a new form of nature–culture divide mediated by computer simulation: a divide which we call “partitioned causality.” Second, we demonstrate that partitioned causality is enabled by the relative hegemony of modelling technologies in climate change knowledge, as scientists retain substantial influence over who gets to “speak for” climate impacts. Finally, however, interviews with EEA scientists, journalists, and policymakers on the 2011–2017 California drought reveal that EEA remains a nascent scientific framework, one marked by epistemic slippage and divergent results. Thus, it serves as a powerful example of how emergent attempts to “domesticate” climate often become caught up in socio‐political conflicts around who – or what – has the power to shape discourses of climate change in the Anthropocene.
A technique for shotgun proteomic analysis of the precorneal tear film in dogs with naturally occurring primary glaucoma
Authors: Graham Kathleen L. , Diefenbach Eve , McCowan Christina I. , White Andrew J. R.
Published: May 2020

Objective

To introduce a protocol for the characterization of protein patterns in tears of dogs with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) and primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG).

Animals

Nineteen dogs (25 eyes).

Methods

Tear samples were collected using a Schirmer tear strip, from dogs with PACG (PACG‐affected eyes, n = 8; unaffected eyes predisposed to PACG, n = 7), POAG (n = 4), and healthy controls (n = 6). Protein precipitation and trypsin digestion were performed for analyses via liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. Proteins were identified using the SwissProt protein sequence database. Relative protein expression in 17 eyes (15 dogs) was evaluated using Proteome Discoverer 2.0. Pathway analyses were performed to investigate molecular mechanisms associated with primary glaucoma.

Results

Unique peptides were identified in 505 proteins, with Major allergen Can f 1 and albumin identified with high confidence. Proteins unique to tears from diseased eyes (PACG: n = 7; POAG: n = 14) were identified. Nucleoside diphosphate was unique to tears in PACG eyes naïve to therapy, while retinal binding protein and NSFL1 cofactor p47 were unique to medicated PACG eyes. Relative expression of 34 proteins differed between disease states. Pathway analyses identified that the ‘inflammatory response’ was among the top disease/disorders in dogs with primary glaucoma (PACG and POAG) but not in healthy controls.

Conclusion

Tear samples suitable for mass spectrometry were readily obtained from pet dogs without needing specialized equipment. Further studies to validate the findings and explore potential candidate biomarkers for early disease detection and potential therapeutic targets are indicated.
Perceptions on consumer information in transfusion. A qualitative study of consumers and prescribers
Authors: Liao Angela , Burgess Maria , Barritt‐Eyles Rosie , Trompf Linda , Crispin Philip
Published: May 2020

Background and objectives

Fresh blood product transfusion requires patient education for fully informed consent, and written consumer information is frequently used. Few studies have examined consumer preferences regarding written and verbal transfusion information provided. As a qualitative study, this research was designed to explore participant understanding and by analysing and integrating themes, generate a model to understand how transfusion information should be developed and used in practice.

Materials and methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with healthcare consumers of transfusion information from various hospital clinical departments. Transcripts were coded to qualitatively compare nature/extent of content and opinions regarding transfusion information through thematic analysis.

Results

Analysis identified themes relating to healthcare engagement, purpose of information, mode of delivery and content delivered. Differences were identified between perceived purpose of information provided to consumers between 13 transfusion prescribers and consumers. Prescribers viewed information as a tool for obtaining informed consent, whereas consumers desired reassurance and knowledge. Consumers described both the specialized nature and volume of information as limiting their ability to question professionals on whom they were dependent. Information provided should be tailored to consumers and utilize simple, succinct explanations.

Conclusion

Both groups were satisfied with written information adjunctive to verbal information. These findings will be used to redesign transfusion information and may be employed at the bedside when discussing transfusion. They may have implications for consumer information in other settings.
Combined methazolamide and theophylline improves oxygen saturation but not exercise performance or altitude illness in acute hypobaric hypoxia
Authors: Subudhi Andrew W. , Evero Oghenero , Reitinger Jeremy , Davis Christopher , Gronewold Jeffrey , Nichols Andrew J. , Van‐Houten Sonja Jameson , Roach Robert C.
Published: May 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Does the combination of methazolamide and theophylline reduce symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) and improve aerobic performance in acute hypobaric hypoxia?

What is the main finding and its importance?

The oral combination of methazolamide (100 BID) and theophylline (300 BID) improved arterial oxygen saturation but did not reduce symptoms of AMS and impaired aerobic performance. We do not recommend this combination of drugs for prophylaxis against the acute negative effects of hypobaric hypoxia.

A limited number of small studies have suggested that methazolamide and theophylline can independently reduce symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) and, if taken together, can improve aerobic exercise performance in normobaric hypoxia. We performed a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over study to determine if the combination of oral methazolamide and theophylline could provide prophylaxis against AMS and improve aerobic performance in hypobaric hypoxia (∼4875 m). Volunteers with histories of AMS were screened at low altitude (1650 m) and started combined methazolamide (100 mg BID) and theophylline (300 mg BID) treatment, or placebo, 72 h prior to decompression. Baseline AMS (Lake Louise Questionnaire), blood (haemoglobin, haematocrit), cognitive function, ventilatory and pulse oximetry () measures were assessed at low altitude and repeated between 4 and 10 h of exposure to hypobaric hypoxia (PB = 425 mmHg). Aerobic exercise performance was assessed during a 12.5 km cycling time trial (TT) after 4 h of hypobaric hypoxia. Subjects repeated all experimental procedures after a 3‐week washout period. Differences between drug and placebo trials were evaluated using repeated measures ANOVA (α = 0.05). The drugs improved resting by ∼4% (P < 0.01), but did not affect the incidence or severity of AMS or cognitive function scores relative to placebo. Subjects’ performance on the 12.5 km TT was ∼3% worse when taking the drugs (P < 0.01). The combination of methazolamide and theophylline in the prescribed dosages is not recommended for use at high altitude as it appears to have no measurable effect on AMS and can impair aerobic performance.
COVID-19 Research Communications (Editorial)
Authors: Kojouharov Hristo V
Published: May 2020

The goal of the series is to provide a platform for rapid communication and exchange of ideas concerning the COVID-19 epidemic. It is new and unlike the known virus-induced diseases. There is a significant research effort, including mathematical modelling, to understand the characteristics of the virus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and the epidemiological dynamics of COVID-19, the disease caused by it. Due to their novelty, the research is often likely to produce results only on specific aspects of the disease, provide just partial answers to research questions, or collect evidence for formulating hypothesis yet to be tested. We believe, however, that the significance of the pandemic for the human population makes it essential to share even such partial results as soon as they are available to facilitate the advancement of the research on this disease. While eventually, a more comprehensive picture of both the virus and the disease will emerge, even incomplete but timely and scientifically-based information will help the authorities to make sound decisions on the course of action during the epidemic.For the series, we invite publications on any aspect of the COVID-19 epidemic. Specifically, the series aims to cover (i) the biological research, providing an understanding of the relevant structures and causal relationships in the epidemiological environment, which can facilitate mathematical or statistical modelling; (ii) mathematical models of the structures, causal interactions and epidemiological data, and their analysis; (iii) mathematical models and analysis of the socio-economic aspects of the pandemic; (iv) any new mathematical methods, applicable to the study of any of the mentioned topics.All submissions to the series will be prioritised for a fast peer-review.
Perception of musical melody and rhythm as influenced by native language experience
Authors: Zhang Linjun , Xie Songcheng , Li Yu , Shu Hua , Zhang Yang
Published: May 2020

This study used the Musical Ear Test [Wallentin, Nielsen, Friis-Olivarius, Vuust, and Vuust (2010). Learn. Indiv. Diff. 20, 188–196] to compare musical aptitude of native Japanese and Chinese speakers. Although the two groups had similar overall accuracy, they showed significant differences in subtest performance. Specifically, the Chinese speakers outperformed the Japanese counterparts on the melody subtest, but the reverse was observed on the rhythm subtest. Within-group comparisons revealed that Chinese speakers performed better on the melody subtest than the rhythm subtest, while Japanese speakers showed an opposite trend. These results indicate that native language pitch and durational patterns of the listener can have a profound effect on the perception of music melody and rhythm, respectively, reflecting language-to-music transfer of learning.
Glycerol Monolaurate, an Analogue to a Factor Secreted by
Lactobacillus
, Is Virucidal against Enveloped Viruses, Including HIV-1
Authors: Welch Jennifer L. , Xiang Jinhua , Okeoma Chioma M. , Schlievert Patrick M. , Stapleton Jack T.
Published: May 2020

A total of 340 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired each year. Antimicrobial agents that target multiple infectious pathogens are ideal candidates to reduce the number of newly acquired STIs. The antimicrobial and immunoregulatory properties of GML make it an excellent candidate to fit this critical need. Previous studies established the safety profile and antibacterial activity of GML against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. GML protected against high-dose SIV infection and reduced inflammation, which can exacerbate disease, during infection. We found that GML inhibits HIV-1 and other human-pathogenic viruses (yellow fever virus, mumps virus, and Zika virus), broadening its antimicrobial range. Because GML targets diverse infectious pathogens, GML may be an effective agent against the broad range of sexually transmitted pathogens. Further, our data show that reutericyclin, a GML analog expressed by some lactobacillus species, also inhibits HIV-1 replication and thus may contribute to the protective effect of
Lactobacillus
in HIV-1 transmission.
Conserved Outer Tegument Component UL11 from Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Is an Intrinsically Disordered, RNA-Binding Protein
Authors: Metrick Claire M. , Koenigsberg Andrea L. , Heldwein Ekaterina E.
Published: May 2020

Herpesvirus virions contain a unique tegument layer sandwiched between the capsid and lipid envelope and composed of multiple copies of about two dozen viral proteins. However, little is known about the structure of the tegument or how it is assembled. Here, we show that a conserved tegument protein UL11 from herpes simplex virus 1, a prototypical alphaherpesvirus, is an intrinsically disordered protein that undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation
in vitro
. Through sequence analysis, we find intrinsically disordered regions of different lengths in all HSV-1 tegument proteins. We hypothesize that intrinsic disorder is a common characteristic of tegument proteins and propose a new model of tegument as a biomolecular condensate.
Isolation and Characterization of the Novel Phage JD032 and Global Transcriptomic Response during JD032 Infection of Clostridioides difficile Ribotype 078
Authors: Li Tinghua , Zhang Yan , Dong Ke , Kuo Chih-Jung , Li Chong , Zhu Yong-Qiang , Qin Jinhong , Li Qing-Tian , Chang Yung-Fu , Guo Xiaokui , Zhu Yongzhang
Published: May 2020

C. difficile
is one of the most clinically significant intestinal pathogens. Although phages have been shown to effectively control
C. difficile
infection, the host responses to phage predation have not been fully studied. In this study, we reported the isolation and characterization of a new phage, JD032, and analyzed the global transcriptomic changes in the hypervirulent RT078
C. difficile
strain, TW11, during phage JD032 infection. We found that bacterial host mRNA was progressively replaced with phage transcripts, three temporal categories of JD032 gene expression, the extensive interplay between phage-bacterium, antiphage-like responses of the host and phage evasion, and decreased expression of sporulation- and virulence-related genes of the host after phage infection. These findings confirmed the complexity of interactions between
C. difficile
and phages and suggest that phages undergoing a lytic cycle may also cause different phenotypes in hosts, similar to prophages, which may inspire phage therapy for the control of
C. difficile
.
Infaunal response during the end-Permian mass extinction
Authors: Luo Mao , Buatois Luis A. , Shi G.R. , Chen Zhong-Qiang
Published: May 2020

The end-Permian mass extinction (EPME) profoundly shaped shallow marine ecosystems. Although much has been learned about this event based on the body-fossil record, the global infaunal response to the EPME, as represented by ichnofossils, is much less understood. Here we analyze secular changes in ichnodiversity and ichnodisparity from the late Permian to the Middle Triassic based on a global trace-fossil data set. Results show that, in contrast to the body-fossil record, late Permian global ichnodiversity and ichnodisparity maintained their level until the Griesbachian, followed by a sharp loss in the Dienerian. Notably, the Griesbachian shows an unusual dominance of shallower tiers. The discrepancy between the body- and trace-fossil record is interpreted to be the result of the resurgence of widespread microbial matgrounds in the Griesbachian that aided the preservation of surface, semi-infaunal, and shallow-tier ichnofossils. Our study shows that the EPME strongly affected the sediment mixed layer, allowing the preservation of shallower tier trace fossils. The disappearance of the mixed layer in the earliest Triassic may have enhanced pyrite burial in sediments and inhibited its further re-oxidation, therefore impacting sea water sulfate concentrations.
Addition of pectin-alginate to a carbohydrate beverage does not maintain gastrointestinal barrier function during exercise in hot-humid conditions better than carbohydrate ingestion alone
Authors: Flood Tessa R. , Montanari Stefano , Wicks Marley , Blanchard Jack , Sharp Holly , Taylor Lee , Kuennen Matthew R. , Lee Ben J.
Published: May 2020

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of consuming a 16% maltodextrin+fructose+pectin-alginate (MAL+FRU+PEC+ALG) drink against a nutrient-matched maltodextrin+fructose (MAL+FRU) drink on enterocyte damage and gastrointestinal permeability after cycling in hot and humid conditions. Fourteen recreational cyclists (7 men) completed 3 experimental trials in a randomized placebo-controlled design. Participants cycled for 90 min (45% maximal aerobic capacity) and completed a 15-min time-trial in hot (32 °C) humid (70% relative humidity) conditions. Every 15 min, cyclists consumed 143 mL of either (i) water; (ii) MAL+FRU+PEC+ALG (90 g·h−1CHO/16% w/v); or (iii) a ratio-matched MAL+FRU drink (90 g·h−1CHO/16% w/v). Blood was sampled before and after exercise and gastrointestinal (GI) permeability, which was determined by serum measurements of intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) and the percent ratio of lactulose (5 g) to rhamnose (2 g) recovered in postexercise urine. Compared with water, I-FABP decreased by 349 ± 67pg·mL−1with MAL+FRU+PEC+ALG (p = 0.007) and by 427 ± 56 pg·mL−1with MAL+FRU (p = 0.02). GI permeability was reduced in both the MAL+FRU+PEC+ALG (by 0.019 ± 0.01, p = 0.0003) and MAL+FRU (by 0.014 ± 0.01, p = 0.002) conditions relative to water. In conclusion, both CHO beverages attenuated GI barrier damage to a similar extent relative to water. No metabolic, cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, or performance differences were observed between the CHO beverages.

Novelty Consumption of multiple-transportable CHO, with or without hydrogel properties, preserves GI barrier integrity and reduces enterocyte damage during prolonged cycling in hot-humid conditions.
A mixing interpolation method to mimic pasta phases in compact star matter
Authors: Blaschke David , Alvarez-Castillo David
Published: May 2020

We present a new method to interpolate between two matter phases that allows for a description of mixed phases and can be used, e.g., for mimicking transitions between pasta structures occurring in the crust as well as in the inner core of compact stars. This interpolation method is based on assuming switch functions that are used to define a mixture of subphases while fulfilling constraints of thermodynamic stability. The width of the transition depends on a free parameter, the pressure increment relative to the critical pressure of a Maxwell construction. As an example we present a trigonometric function ansatz for the switch function together with a pressure increment during the transition. We note that the resulting mixed phase equation of state bears similarities with the appearance of substitutional compounds in neutron star crusts and with the sequence of transitions between different pasta phases in the hadron-to-quark matter transition. We apply this method to the case of a hadron-to-quark matter transition and test the robustness of the compact star mass twin phenomenon against the appearance of pasta phases modelled in this way.
Convergecast Tree on Temporal Graphs
Authors: Mandal Subhrangsu , Gupta Arobinda
Published: May 2020

Temporal graphs are useful tools to model dynamic network topologies found in many applications. In this paper, we address the problem of constructing a convergecast tree on temporal graphs for data collection in dynamic sensor networks. Two types of convergecast trees, bounded arrival time convergecast tree and minimum total arrival time convergecast tree are defined as useful structures for low delay data collection. An [Formula: see text] time centralized algorithm is proposed to construct a bounded arrival time convergecast tree, where [Formula: see text] is the number of nodes, [Formula: see text] is the number of edges, and [Formula: see text] is the lifetime of the given temporal graph. The algorithm presented is an offline algorithm and assumes that all information about change in the graph topology is known apriori. It is then shown that the problem of constructing a minimum total arrival time convergecast tree is NP-complete, and an [Formula: see text] time centralized, offline heuristic algorithm is proposed to address it. The heuristic algorithm is evaluated with experiments on four real life data sets.
Combined pH-responsive chemotherapy and glutathione-triggered photosensitization to overcome drug-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma — a SPP/JPP Young Investigator Award paper
Authors: Gao Di , Lo Pui-Chi
Published: May 2020

Doxorubicin (DOX) resistance, which results in a reduced accumulation of DOX in the nucleus and hence decreased DNA damage, is a major challenge for chemotherapy against hepatocellular carcinoma. In this paper, we combined chemotherapy with photodynamic therapy (PDT) to combat DOX-resistant human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. We have prepared the polymeric micelles conjugating with DOX and zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) through a pH-responsive hydrazone linker and a glutathione (GSH)-responsive disulfide linker, respectively. The polymeric micelles (DOX-ZnPc-micelles) exhibited a spherical shape with a size of about 98 nm diameter and showed excellent stability in aqueous solution. Due to the self-quenching of the ZnPc inside the micelles, DOX-ZnPc-micelles did not emit fluorescence upon red light irradiation. Drug release experiments verified that DOX and ZnPc could be released under acidic conditions and reducing environments, respectively. A higher concentration of DOX was internalized into DOX-resistant R-HepG2 cells through the delivery of polymeric micelles when compared with the free DOX, hence DOX-ZnPc-micelles exhibited a significant enhancement in anticancer activity. The IC[Formula: see text] value of DOX against R-HepG2 cells was found to be 21 [Formula: see text]M when combined with PDT and it was 5-fold less than that of a single treatment of DOX (102 [Formula: see text]M). The DOX-ZnPc-micelles could induce cell apoptosis and necrosis on R-HepG2 cells by combined therapeutic modalities, while these micelles induced only apoptosis on HepG2 cells. We have demonstrated that utilization of polymeric micelles can significantly enhance the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of DOX against R-HepG2 cells when compared with free DOX. Moreover, PDT can act as an adjuvant therapeutic modality and combine with chemotherapy to further improve therapeutic efficacy. Overall speaking, DOX-ZnPc-micelles can overcome DOX resistance and induce a synergistic therapeutic effect against DOX-resistant R-HepG2 cells, hence improving the therapeutic efficacy when compared with monotherapy.
Intelligent Classification and Analysis of Essential Genes Using Quantitative Methods
Authors: Rout Ranjeet Kumar , Hassan SK. Sarif , Sindhwani Sanchit , Pandey Hari Mohan , Umer Saiyed
Published: May 2020

Essential genes are considered to be the genes required to sustain life of different organisms. These genes encode proteins that maintain central metabolism, DNA replications, translation of genes, and basic cellular structure, and mediate the transport process within and out of the cell. The identification of essential genes is one of the essential problems in computational genomics. In this present study, to discriminate essential genes from other genes from a non-biologists perspective, the purine and pyrimidine distribution over the essential genes of four exemplary species, namely
Homo sapiens
,
Arabidopsis thaliana
,
Drosophila melanogaster
, and
Danio rerio
are thoroughly experimented using some quantitative methods. Moreover, the Indigent classification method has also been deployed for classification on the essential genes of the said species. Based on Shannon entropy, fractal dimension, Hurst exponent, and purine and pyrimidine bases distribution, 10 different clusters have been generated for the essential genes of the four species. Some proximity results are also reported herewith for the clusters of the essential genes.
Computers do not make art, people do
Authors: Hertzmann Aaron
Published: May 2020

The continually evolving relationship between artistic technologies and artists.
Robust Visual Tracking Using Kernel Sparse Coding on Multiple Covariance Descriptors
Authors: Guo Changyong , Zhang Zhaoxin , Li Jinjiang , Jiang Xuesong , Zhang Jun , Zhang Lei
Published: May 2020

In this article, we aim to improve the performance of visual tracking by combing different features of multiple modalities. The core idea is to use covariance matrices as feature descriptors and then use sparse coding to encode different features. The notion of sparsity has been successfully used in visual tracking. In this context, sparsity is used along appearance models often obtained from intensity/color information. In this work, we step outside this trend and propose to model the target appearance by local covariance descriptors (CovDs) in a pyramid structure. The proposed pyramid structure not only enables us to encode local and spatial information of the target appearance but also inherits useful properties of CovDs such as invariance to affine transforms. Since CovDs lie on a Riemannian manifold, we further propose to perform tracking through sparse coding by embedding the Riemannian manifold into an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. Embedding the manifold into a Hilbert space allows us to perform sparse coding efficiently using the kernel trick. Our empirical study shows that the proposed tracking framework outperforms the existing state-of-the-art methods in challenging scenarios.
Content-based Union and Complement Metrics for Dataset Search over RDF Knowledge Graphs
Authors: Mountantonakis Michalis , Tzitzikas Yannis
Published: May 2020

RDF Knowledge Graphs (or Datasets) contain valuable information that can be exploited for a variety of real-world tasks. However, due to the enormous size of the available RDF datasets, it is difficult to discover the most valuable datasets for a given task. For improving dataset
Discoverability
,
Interlinking
, and
Reusability
, there is a trend for
Dataset Search
systems. Such systems are mainly based on metadata and ignore the contents; however, in tasks related to data integration and enrichment, the contents of datasets have to be considered. This is important for data integration but also for data enrichment, for instance, quite often datasets’ owners want to enrich the content of their dataset, by selecting datasets that provide complementary information for their dataset. The above tasks require content-based union and complement metrics between any subset of datasets; however, there is a lack of such approaches. For making feasible the computation of such metrics at very large scale, we propose an approach relying on (a) a set of pre-constructed (and periodically refreshed) semantics-aware indexes, and (b) “lattice-based” incremental algorithms that exploit the posting lists of such indexes, as well as set theory properties, for enabling efficient responses at query time. Finally, we discuss the efficiency of the proposed methods by presenting comparative results, and we report measurements for 400 real RDF datasets (containing over 2 billion triples), by exploiting the proposed metrics.
Modeling with Node Popularities for Autonomous Overlapping Community Detection
Authors: Jin Di , Li Bingyi , Jiao Pengfei , He Dongxiao , Shan Hongyu , Zhang Weixiong
Published: May 2020

Overlapping community detection has triggered recent research in network analysis. One of the promising techniques for finding overlapping communities is the popular stochastic models, which, unfortunately, have some common drawbacks. They do not support an important observation that highly connected nodes are more likely to reside in the overlapping regions of communities in the network. These methods are in essence not truly unsupervised, since they require a threshold on probabilistic memberships to derive overlapping structures and need the number of communities to be specified
a priori
. We develop a new method to address these issues for overlapping community detection. We first present a stochastic model to accommodate the relative importance and the expected degree of every node in each community. We then infer every overlapping community by ranking the nodes according to their importance. Second, we determine the number of communities under the Bayesian framework. We evaluate our method and compare it with five state-of-the-art methods. The results demonstrate the superior performance of our method. We also apply this new method to two applications, showing its superb performance on practical problems.
Reading in the panopticon---
Authors: Wicker Stephen B. , Ghosh Dipayan
Published: May 2020

eBooks
may
have surveillance technologies embedded in them. Should we care?
Indistinguishability
Authors: Attiya Hagit , Rajsbaum Sergio
Published: May 2020

Diverse examples depict how indistinguishability plays a central role in computer science.
Substream-Centric Maximum Matchings on FPGA
Authors: Besta Maciej , Fischer Marc , Ben-Nun Tal , Stanojevic Dimitri , Licht Johannes De Fine , Hoefler Torsten
Published: May 2020

Developing high-performance and energy-efficient algorithms for maximum matchings is becoming increasingly important in social network analysis, computational sciences, scheduling, and others. In this work, we propose the first maximum matching algorithm designed for FPGAs; it is energy-efficient and has provable guarantees on accuracy, performance, and storage utilization. To achieve this, we forego popular graph processing paradigms, such as vertex-centric programming, that often entail large communication costs. Instead, we propose a
substream-centric
approach, in which the input stream of data is divided into substreams processed independently to enable more parallelism while lowering communication costs. We base our work on the
theory of streaming graph algorithms
and analyze 14 models and 28 algorithms. We use this analysis to provide theoretical underpinning that matches the physical constraints of FPGA platforms. Our algorithm delivers high performance (more than 4× speedup over tuned parallel CPU variants), low memory, high accuracy, and effective usage of FPGA resources. The substream-centric approach could easily be extended to other algorithms to offer low-power and high-performance graph processing on FPGAs.
X-Road
Authors: Thevin Lauren , Briant Carine , Brock Anke M.
Published: May 2020

Orientation and Mobility (O8M) classes teach people with visual impairments how to navigate the world; for instance, how to cross a road. Yet, this training can be difficult and dangerous due to conditions such as traffic and weather. Virtual Reality (VR) can overcome these challenges by providing interactive controlled environments. However, most existing VR tools rely on visual feedback, which limits their use with students with visual impairment. In a collaborative design approach with O8M instructors, we designed an affordable and accessible VR system for O8M classes, called X-Road. Using a smartphone and a Bespoke headmount, X-Road provides both visual and audio feedback and allows users to move in space as in the real world. In a study with 13 students with visual impairments, X-Road proved to be an effective alternative to teaching and learning classical O8M tasks, and both students and instructors were enthusiastic about this technology. We conclude with design recommendations for inclusive VR systems.
A Cost-Efficient Container Orchestration Strategy in Kubernetes-Based Cloud Computing Infrastructures with Heterogeneous Resources
Authors: Zhong Zhiheng , Buyya Rajkumar
Published: May 2020

Containers, as a lightweight application virtualization technology, have recently gained immense popularity in mainstream cluster management systems like Google Borg and Kubernetes. Prevalently adopted by these systems for task deployments of diverse workloads such as big data, web services, and IoT, they support agile application deployment, environmental consistency, OS distribution portability, application-centric management, and resource isolation. Although most of these systems are mature with advanced features, their optimization strategies are still tailored to the assumption of a static cluster. Elastic compute resources would enable heterogeneous resource management strategies in response to the dynamic business volume for various types of workloads. Hence, we propose a heterogeneous task allocation strategy for cost-efficient container orchestration through resource utilization optimization and elastic instance pricing with three main features. The first one is to support heterogeneous job configurations to optimize the initial placement of containers into existing resources by task packing. The second one is cluster size adjustment to meet the changing workload through autoscaling algorithms. The third one is a rescheduling mechanism to shut down underutilized VM instances for cost saving and reallocate the relevant jobs without losing task progress. We evaluate our approach in terms of cost and performance on the Australian National Cloud Infrastructure (Nectar). Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed strategy could reduce the overall cost by 23% to 32% for different types of cloud workload patterns when compared to the default Kubernetes framework.
A Survey of Network Virtualization Techniques for Internet of Things Using SDN and NFV
Authors: Alam Iqbal , Sharif Kashif , Li Fan , Latif Zohaib , Karim M. M. , Biswas Sujit , Nour Boubakr , Wang Yu
Published: May 2020

Internet of Things (IoT) and Network Softwarization are fast becoming core technologies of information systems and network management for the next-generation Internet. The deployment and applications of IoT range from smart cities to urban computing and from ubiquitous healthcare to tactile Internet. For this reason, the physical infrastructure of heterogeneous network systems has become more complicated and thus requires efficient and dynamic solutions for management, configuration, and flow scheduling. Network softwarization in the form of Software Defined Networks and Network Function Virtualization has been extensively researched for IoT in the recent past. In this article, we present a systematic and comprehensive review of virtualization techniques explicitly designed for IoT networks. We have classified the literature into software-defined networks designed for IoT, function virtualization for IoT networks, and software-defined IoT networks. These categories are further divided into works that present architectural, security, and management solutions. Besides, the article highlights several short-term and long-term research challenges and open issues related to the adoption of software-defined Internet of Things.
Beyond the 'fix-it' treadmill
Authors: Reed J. Paul
Published: May 2020

The use of post-incident artifacts in high-performing organizations.
Measuring and Analysing the Chain of Implicit Trust
Authors: Ikram Muhammad , Masood Rahat , Tyson Gareth , Kaafar Mohamed Ali , Loizon Noha , Ensafi Roya
Published: May 2020

The web is a tangled mass of interconnected services, whereby websites import a range of external resources from various third-party domains. The latter can also load further resources hosted on other domains. For each website, this creates a dependency chain underpinned by a form of implicit trust between the first-party and transitively connected third parties. The chain can only be loosely controlled as first-party websites often have little, if any, visibility on where these resources are loaded from. This article performs a large-scale study of dependency chains in the web to find that around 50% of first-party websites render content that they do not directly load. Although the majority (84.91%) of websites have short dependency chains (below three levels), we find websites with dependency chains exceeding 30. Using VirusTotal, we show that 1.2% of these third parties are classified as suspicious—although seemingly small, this limited set of suspicious third parties have remarkable reach into the wider ecosystem. We find that 73% of websites under-study load resources from suspicious third parties, and 24.8% of first-party webpages contain at least three third parties classified as suspicious in their dependency chain. By running sandboxed experiments, we observe a range of activities with the majority of suspicious JavaScript codes downloading malware.
Revealing the critical role of human performance in software
Authors: Woods David D. , Allspaw John
Published: May 2020

It's time to appreciate the human side of Internet-facing software systems.
A Survey on Automatic Parameter Tuning for Big Data Processing Systems
Authors: Herodotou Herodotos , Chen Yuxing , Lu Jiaheng
Published: May 2020

Big data processing systems (e.g., Hadoop, Spark, Storm) contain a vast number of configuration parameters controlling parallelism, I/O behavior, memory settings, and compression. Improper parameter settings can cause significant performance degradation and stability issues. However, regular users and even expert administrators grapple with understanding and tuning them to achieve good performance. We investigate existing approaches on parameter tuning for both batch and stream data processing systems and classify them into six categories: rule-based, cost modeling, simulation-based, experiment-driven, machine learning, and adaptive tuning. We summarize the pros and cons of each approach and raise some open research problems for automatic parameter tuning.
An Emotional Analysis of False Information in Social Media and News Articles
Authors: Ghanem Bilal , Rosso Paolo , Rangel Francisco
Published: May 2020

Fake news is risky, since it has been created to manipulate readers’ opinions and beliefs. In this work, we compared the language of false news to the real one of real news from an emotional perspective, considering a set of false information types (propaganda, hoax, clickbait, and satire) from social media and online news article sources. Our experiments showed that false information has different emotional patterns in each of its types, and emotions play a key role in deceiving the reader. Based on that, we proposed an LSTM neural network model that is emotionally infused to detect false news.