bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NAIL: an evolutionarily conserved lncRNA essential for licensing coordinated activation of p38 and NFκB in colitis
Authors: Akıncılar Semih Can , Wu Lele , NG Qin Feng , Chua Joelle Yi Heng , Unal Bilal , Noda Taichi , Chor Wei Hong Jeff , Ikawa Masahito , Tergaonkar Vinay
Published: November 2020

Objective

NFκB is the key modulator in inflammatory disorders. However, the key regulators that activate, fine-tune or shut off NFκB activity in inflammatory conditions are poorly understood. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles that NFκB-specific long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play in regulating inflammatory networks.

Design

Using the first genetic-screen to identify NFκB-specific lncRNAs, we performed RNA-seq from thep65-/-andIkkβ-/-mouse embryonic fibroblasts and report the identification of an evolutionary conserved lncRNA designatedmNAIL(mice) orhNAIL(human).hNAILis upregulated in human inflammatory disorders, including UC. We generatedmNAILΔNFκBmice, wherein deletion of two NFκB sites in the proximal promoter ofmNAILabolishes its induction, to study its function in colitis.

Results

NAILregulates inflammation via sequestering and inactivating Wip1, a known negative regulator of proinflammatory p38 kinase and NFκB subunit p65. Wip1 inactivation leads to coordinated activation of p38 and covalent modifications of NFκB, essential for its genome-wide occupancy on specific targets.NAILenables an orchestrated response for p38 and NFκB coactivation that leads to differentiation of precursor cells into immature myeloid cells in bone marrow, recruitment of macrophages to inflamed area and expression of inflammatory genes in colitis.

Conclusion

NAILdirectly regulates initiation and progression of colitis and its expression is highly correlated with NFκB activity which makes it a perfect candidate to serve as a biomarker and a therapeutic target for IBD and other inflammation-associated diseases.
Preclinical platform for long-term evaluation of immuno-oncology drugs using hCD34+ humanized mouse model
Authors: Park Nahee , Pandey Kamal , Chang Sei Kyung , Kwon Ah-Young , Cho Young Bin , Hur Jin , Katwal Nar Bahadur , Kim Seung Ki , Lee Seung Ah , Son Gun Woo , Jo Jong Min , Ahn Hee Jung , Moon Yong Wha
Published: November 2020

Background

Well-characterized preclinical models are essential for immune-oncology research. We investigated the feasibility of our humanized mouse model for evaluating the long-term efficacy of immunotherapy and biomarkers.

Methods

Humanized mice were generated by injecting human fetal cord blood-derived CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells to NOD-scid IL2rγnull (NSG) mice myeloablated with irradiation or busulfan. The humanization success was defined as a 25% or higher ratio of human CD45+ cells to mice peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Results

Busulfan was ultimately selected as the appropriate myeloablative method because it provided a higher success rate of humanization (approximately 80%) and longer survival time (45 weeks). We proved the development of functional T cells by demonstrating the anticancer effect of the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor in our humanized mice but not in non-humanized NSG mice. After confirming the long-lasting humanization state (45 weeks), we further investigated the response durability of the PD-1 inhibitor and biomarkers in our humanized mice. Early increase in serum tumor necrosis factor α levels, late increase in serum interleukin 6 levels and increase in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes correlated more with a durable response over 60 days than with a non-durable response.

Conclusions

Our CD34+ humanized mouse model is the first in vivo platform for testing the long-term efficacy of anticancer immunotherapies and biomarkers, given that none of the preclinical models has ever been evaluated for such a long duration.
Plaque morphology in acute symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease
Authors: Leung Thomas W , Wang Li , Zou Xinying , Soo Yannie , Pu Yuehua , Ip Hing Lung , Chan Anne , Au Lisa Wing Chi , Fan Florence , Ma Sze Ho , Ip Bonaventure , Ma Karen , Lau Alexander Yuk-lun , Leung Howan , Hui Kwok Fai , Li Richard , Li Siu Hung , Fu Michael , Fong Wing Chi , Liu Jia , Mok Vincent , Wong Ka Sing Lawrence , Miao Zhongrong , Ma Ning , Yu Simon C H , Leng Xinyi
Published: November 2020

Background

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is globally a major ischaemic stroke subtype with high recurrence. Understanding the morphology of symptomatic ICAD plaques, largely unknown by far, may help identify vulnerable lesions prone to relapse.

Methods

We prospectively recruited patients with acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack attributed to high-grade ICAD (60%–99% stenosis). Plaque morphological parameters were assessed in three-dimensional rotational angiography, including surface contour, luminal stenosis, plaque length/thickness, upstream shoulder angulation, axial/longitudinal plaque distribution and presence of adjoining branch atheromatous disease (BAD). We compared morphological features of smooth, irregular and ulcerative plaques and correlated them with cerebral ischaemic lesion load downstream in MRI.

Results

Among 180 recruited patients (median age=60 years; 63.3% male; median stenosis=75%), plaque contour was smooth (51 (28.3%)), irregular (101 (56.1%)) or ulcerative (28 (15.6%)). Surface ulcers were mostly at proximal (46.4%) and middle one-third (35.7%) of the lesions. Most (84.4%) plaques were eccentric, and half had their maximum thickness over the distal end. Ulcerative lesions were thicker (medians 1.6 vs 1.3 mm; p=0.003), had steeper upstream shoulder angulation (56.2° vs 31.0°; p<0.001) and more adjoining BAD (83.3% vs 57.0%; p=0.033) than non-ulcerative plaques. Ulcerative plaques were significantly associated with coexisting acute and chronic infarcts downstream (35.7% vs 12.5%; adjusted OR 4.29, 95% CI 1.65 to 11.14, p=0.003). Sensitivity analyses in patients with anterior-circulation ICAD lesions showed similar results in the associations between the plaque types and infarct load.

Conclusions

Ulcerative intracranial atherosclerotic plaques were associated with vulnerable morphological features and had a higher cumulative infarct load downstream.
Problems and development strategies for research ethics committees in China’s higher education institutions
Authors: Zhou Jiyin
Published: November 2020

The establishment of research ethics committees (REC) in China’s higher education institutions (HEI) is lagging far behind western developed countries. This has at least partly directly led to anomie in scientific research ethics, as seen in the recent controversies involving a proposed human head transplant and gene-edited babies. At present, the problems for REC in China’s HEI include lack of regulation, informal ethics reviews, lack of supervision and insufficient ethics review capacity. To counteract these problems, suggested measures include mandatory formation of formal ethics committee, administrative support from HEI, ethics approval letter prior to funding application, formulation of regulations and standard operating procedures, selecting and training for members and independent consultants, training for secretaries and staff, ethics training for investigators, and learning from the experience of HEI outside of China, such as the USA and Canada. The establishment of REC in China’s HEI will greatly enhance the overall quality of ethics reviews in China. In addition to better protecting the rights and welfare of human participants, it is also conducive to maintaining the reputation of China’s HEI.
Fungal osteomyelitis caused by Candida glabrata in a Groenendael dog
Authors: Levy Alice , Harran Nathaniel , Hammer Meike , Bennaim Michael
Published: November 2020

A four‐year‐old male intact Groenendael was presented for intermittent shifting lameness affecting all four limbs, lethargy, reduced appetite and weight loss of two to four weeks’ duration. Thoracic radiography revealed enlarged cranial mediastinal lymph nodes. Osteolytic lesions were identified on the spinous process of T13 and L1. Limb radiographs revealed multiple rounded, osteolytic lesions with sclerotic peripheral rim in the medullar cavity of radii, ulnas and tibias bilaterally. Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of the mediastinal lymph nodes and osteolytic lesions affecting the spinous processes and histopathology of a right tibial osteolytic lesion were consistent with fungal osteomyelitis. Fungal culture performed on a right tibial biopsy grew Candida glabrata susceptible to itraconazole. Marked clinical improvement was observed following six months of itraconazole therapy. Repeated radiography revealed resolution of the bony lesions and persistence of mild cranial mediastinal lymphadenomegaly.
Hydrogeology of a complex Champlain Sea deposit (Quebec, Canada): implications for slope stability
Authors: Germain Alexandra , Young Nathan , Lemieux Jean-Michel , Locat Ariane , Delottier Hugo , Fortier Philippe , Leroueil Serge , Locat Pascal , Demers Denis , Locat Jacques , Cloutier Catherine
Published: November 2020

The thick sequences of marine clayey deposits that blanket the St. Lawrence Lowlands in south-eastern Canada are highly susceptible to landslides. With 89% of the population of the province of Quebec living in this region, improving our understanding of the mechanisms causing landslides in these sediments is a matter of public security. To accomplish this goal, instruments were deployed at a field site in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Quebec, Canada to monitor atmospheric, soil, and groundwater conditions. Field and laboratory measurements of soil geotechnical and hydraulic properties were also performed. Results indicate that the groundwater and pore pressure dynamics at the site cannot be explained using simplified site conceptual models. Further analysis indicates that groundwater dynamics and pore pressures in the massive clay deposits on site are determined by (i) the highly heterogeneous nature of the local geological materials, (ii) the contrasting hydraulic and geotechnical properties of these materials, (iii) the presence of two unconfined aquifers at the site, one surficial and one at depth, and (iv) the presence of the Sainte-Anne River. These results were used to create a new conceptual model that illustrates the complex groundwater flow system present on site and shows the importance of including hydrogeologic context in slope stability analysis.
Sub-waveform optimization for producing water window single-order harmonic
Authors: Feng Li-Qiang , Liu Hui , Liu Hang
Published: November 2020

Through the sub-waveform optimization of the laser field, a potential method to produce the water window single-order harmonic (SOH) has been proposed. First, by properly introducing the chirps of two-color field, the SOHs from 303th order to 616th order can be obtained. Theoretical analyses show that the folding region on the harmonic emission process, caused by the multiple accelerations, is responsible for the enhanced SOH. Moreover, the folding region is dependent on the neighbor two half-cycle profiles. Thus, through further controlling the sub-waveform of the folding region by using the unipolar pulse, the folding region on the harmonic emission process will be extended to the higher photon energy region, including the water window region. Finally, by properly choosing the combinations of chirps and unipolar pulses, the water window SOH from 446th order to 833th order (from 345 eV to 645 eV) can be obtained.
Dynamic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Slabs Under Impact and Blast Loading Using Plasticity-Based Approach
Authors: Gomathi K. Akshaya , Rajagopal A.
Published: November 2020

A plasticity-based approach has been proposed for reinforced concrete (RC) subjected to impact and blast loading. The proposed approach includes a new failure surface together with modified descriptions related to equation of state, strain rate effect and damage taken from literature. These selective descriptions in numerical analysis have been found to give better results than the existing models. A user-defined UMAT subroutine for the commercial software LS-DYNA has been developed for the proposed model. Dynamic analysis for both blast and impact type of loading on RC slabs are performed. The results are compared with an in-built material model in commercial software LS-DYNA, namely the Winfrith concrete model (WCM) and with experimental results taken from literature. A parametric study is carried out by analyzing the mechanical and damage response by varying parameters such as concrete strength, slab thickness and reinforcement ratio. The proposed approach is found to be effective in predicting the behavior under both impact and blast analysis.
Breathing Crack Localization in Structures Based on Principal Component Analysis of Forced Vibration Responses
Authors: Prawin J.
Published: November 2020

The identification of a breathing crack is a highly challenging inverse problem in structural health monitoring. A novel output-only damage diagnostic technique based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is proposed for breathing crack identification in structures excited by harmonic excitation. The proposed approach basically utilizes the residues obtained from PCA of the forced acceleration-time history responses of the structure for breathing crack identification. In this approach, the traditional single-tone, bitone and as well as multi-tone harmonic excitations are considered as input to the structure while exploring the residues of the responses for breathing crack identification. A new Damage Localization Index (DLI) based on the Fourier spectrum amplitudes of the nonlinear sensitive features (i.e. buried in residues), measured at varied locations spatially across the structure is proposed for breathing crack localization. The robustness and effectiveness of the proposed PCA-based breathing crack localization approach is verified through both numerical and experimental studies.
Contribution of Ultrahigh Electrochemical Performance of NiCo2O4 Nanoneedle-Based Free-Standing Electrode from Functionalized Carbon Cloth
Authors: Wang Shi-Wen , Li Zhen , Ni Jun-Peng , Wang Li-Zhen , Zhang Yong , Cui Xiao-Yue , Gao Ke-Zheng , Yan Ji
Published: November 2020

Spinel structure NiCo2O4 suffers from poor electric conductivity and the resulted electrochemical properties in battery/supercapacitor system are still unsatisfied. In this paper, a free-standing electrode based on in-situ growth NiCo2O4 on carbon cloth has been synthesized by a surfactant-assisted solvothermal method (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS). The functional carbon cloth substrate makes unexpected contribution to the electrochemical lithium-ion storage. The assembled supercapacitor possesses ultrahigh pseudocapacitive properties with high mass loading. The specific capacitance of 2832[Formula: see text]F[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] has been obtained at 1[Formula: see text]A[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] current density with maintaining the high rate capability of 1620[Formula: see text]F[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] at 20[Formula: see text]A[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text]. The obtained nanoneedle NiCo2O4/carbon cloth electrode also maintains a specific capacity of 2000[Formula: see text]mA[Formula: see text]h[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] at 40[Formula: see text]mA[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] and exceptional rate performance (1504[Formula: see text]mAh[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] at 400[Formula: see text]mA[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] when tested as anode material in lithium ion batteries.
Majority Roman domination in graphs
Authors: Anandha Prabhavathy S.
Published: November 2020

A Majority Roman Dominating Function (MRDF) on a graph [Formula: see text] is a function [Formula: see text] satisfying the conditions that (i) the sum of its function values over at least half the closed neighborhood is at least one and (ii) every vertex [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text] is adjacent to at least one vertex [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text]. The weight of a MRDF is the sum of its function values over all vertices. The Majority Roman Domination Number of a graph [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is defined as [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we initiate the study of Majority Roman Domination in Graphs.
Numerical Analysis of the Dynamic and Thermal Behavior of an Indirect Solar Dryer: Effect of the Outlet
Authors: Salhi Mourad , Chaatouf Dounia , Raillani Benyounes , Dihmani Nadia , Amraqui Samir , Moussaoui M. A. , Mezrhab Ahmed , Fontaine Jean Pierre
Published: November 2020

This work is a contribution to the improvement of the thermal and the dynamic fields of a natural convection indirect solar dryer, composed of a solar flat air heater and a drying chamber, intended for drying agricultural products and medicinal plants. We have studied the effects of size and position of the outlet on the distribution of air and temperature within the drying chamber, containing the figs as a product to be dried. To be more realistic, we have used a user defined function (UDF) subroutine written in [Formula: see text] to integrate the unsteady evolution of a day’s climate data in the Oujda region.

This study was achieved by numerical simulations using the ANSYS FLUENT software, in order to optimize the distribution of air and temperature inside the drying chamber, and to choose the best outlet’s position and size for the best efficiency of the dryer.

The results show that the optimal outlet position found is in the right corner with a size range of 0.07 to 0.15[Formula: see text]m. The effects of the position and size of the outlet on the air deflection along the trays were also presented and discussed.
Double Embedded Rings of a Digit Leading to Amputation
Authors: Liew Siew Khei , Fong Teck Siong , Teh Kok Kheng
Published: November 2020

Chronic embedded-ring injury is a rare and uncommon presentation. This is also known as “chronic ring erosion” or “embedded ring syndrome” in the literature. Injury of this type has been associated with psychological impairment causing neglect of such injury. We herein describe a case of double embedded rings on the right ring finger in a 30-year-old healthy construction worker. A primary amputation at the metacarpophalangeal joint was performed in view of the chronicity of his condition and associated neurovascular damage. Early removal of ring is of paramount importance in any ring-associated injuries. However, fear of losing a digit has been the reason of delay in seeking medical treatment, which in turn ended up in dire consequences.
Fluid–rock interactions along detachment faults during continental rifting and mantle exhumation: the case of the Urdach lherzolite body (North Pyrenees)
Authors: Nteme Mukonzo Jehiel , Boiron Marie-Christine , Lagabrielle Yves , Cathelineau Michel , Quesnel Benoit
Published: November 2020

The North Pyrenean Zone corresponds to the palaeopassive margin of the North Iberia plate, at the foot of which subcontinental mantle was exhumed during Albian times. Rare bodies of exhumed mantle rocks associated with strongly sheared lenses of continental crust are scattered among the North Pyrenean Zone metasediments. Significant fluid flow occurred along a major décollement at the basement–Trias interface in the Urdach massif (Chaînons Béarnais). Fluids with a broad range of salinity (10–38 wt.% NaCl equiv.), indicative of mixing between brines and more dilute waters, produced strong silicification of breccias. The brines circulated at
c.
240–280°C under lithostatic pressures at
c.
6 ± 1 km depth. The fluids became increasingly saline towards the final stages. The syndeposition of Cenomano-Turonian flysch layers then progressively isolated the lower aquifers close to the décollement where Triassic brines were predominant. The release and migration of significant volumes of brines during stretching and squeezing of the Triassic evaporites played a crucial part in the mineralogical and rheological transformations that occurred during the Pyrenean Cretaceous rifting event.
Enhanced Phase Clocks, Population Protocols, and Fast Space Optimal Leader Election
Authors: Gąsieniec Leszek , Stachowiak Grzegorz
Published: November 2020

The model of
population protocols
refers to the growing in popularity theoretical framework suitable for studying
pairwise interactions
within a large collection of simple indistinguishable entities, frequently called
agents
. In this article, the emphasis is on the space complexity of fast
leader election
in population protocols governed by the
random scheduler
, which uniformly at random selects pairwise interactions between
n
agents.

One of the main results of this article is the first fast space optimal
leader election protocol
, which works with high probability. The new protocol operates in
parallel time
O
(log
2
n
) equivalent to
O
(
n
log
2
n
) sequential
pairwise interactions
with each agent’s memory space limited to
O
(log log
n
) states. This double logarithmic space utilisation matches asymptotically the lower bound ½log log
n
on the number of states utilised by agents in any leader election algorithm with the running time
o
(
n
\polylog
n
); see Reference [7].

Our new solution expands also on the classical concept of phase clocks used to synchronise and to coordinate computations in distributed algorithms. In particular, we formalise the concept and provide a rigorous analysis of phase clocks operating in nested modes. Our arguments are also valid for phase clocks propelled by multiple leaders. The combination of the two results in the first time-space efficient leader election algorithm. We also provide a complete formal argumentation, indicating that our solution is always correct, fast, and it works with high probability.
Deep Energy Factorization Model for Demographic Prediction
Authors: Lai Chih-Te , Li Cheng-Te , Lin Shou-De
Published: November 2020

Demographic information is important for various commercial and academic proposes, but in reality, few of these data are accessible for analysis and research. To solve this problem, several studies predict demographic attributes from users’ behavioral data. However, previous works suffer from different kinds of disadvantages. Handling data sparseness and defining useful features remain especially challenge tasks. In this article, we propose a novel
Deep Energy Factorization Model
to address these two drawbacks. The model is a designed network that performs multi-label classification and feature representation. Experiments are conducted on four datasets with four evaluation metrics. The empirical results show that our Deep Energy Factorization Model significantly outperforms state-of-the-art models.
Complexity column
Authors: Immerman Neil
Published: November 2020

Some of my favorite open problems concern fixed-point logic with counting, FPC. It is known that counting logic with
k
+ 1 variables,
C

k
+1

, has exactly the same expressive power as the classic k-dimensional Weisfeiler-Leman Algorithm,
k
-WL. Furthermore, the quantifier-depth of a
C

k
+1

formula needed to express the color of a
k
-tuple of vertices is equal to the number of iterations of
k
-WL needed to derive that color.
Online worldwide seminar on logic and semantics https://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~vicaryjo/owls
Authors: Vicary Jamie
Published: November 2020

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a profound effect on the way we communicate in computer science. The conference calendar for Summer 2020 is in disarray, with many events postponed or hastily moved online. But perhaps more damagingly, the widespread tradition of local group seminars, where we welcome a different visitor each week into our laboratory to present their recent work --- and more importantly, talk afterwards over a coffee about research, careers, and everything else of importance in academia --- has in many places come to a shuddering halt.
Applications of Nanobodies
Authors: Muyldermans Serge
Published: November 2020

Unique, functional, homodimeric heavy chain–only antibodies, devoid of light chains, are circulating in the blood of Camelidae. These antibodies recognize their cognate antigen via one single domain, known as VHH or Nanobody. This serendipitous discovery made three decades ago has stimulated a growing number of researchers to generate highly specific Nanobodies against a myriad of targets. The small size, strict monomeric state, robustness, and easy tailoring of these Nanobodies have inspired many groups to design innovative Nanobody-based multi-domain constructs to explore novel applications. As such, Nanobodies have been employed as an exquisite research tool in structural, cell, and developmental biology. Furthermore, Nanobodies have demonstrated their benefit for more sensitive diagnostic tests. Finally, several Nanobody-based constructs have been designed to develop new therapeutic products.
Treating Coronary Artery Disease: Beyond Statins, Ezetimibe, and PCSK9 Inhibition
Authors: Musunuru Kiran
Published: November 2020

Statins, ezetimibe, and PCSK9 inhibitors are currently the standard of care for the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease. Despite their widespread use, coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, a fact that pleads for the development of new protective therapies. In no small part due to advances in the field of human genetics, many new therapies targeting various lipid traits or inflammation have recently received approval from regulatory agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration or fared favorably in clinical trials. This wave of new therapies promises to transform the care of patients at risk for life-threatening coronary events.
Gut Microbiota in Intestinal and Liver Disease
Authors: Jones Rheinallt M. , Neish Andrew S.
Published: November 2020

It is known that the gut microbiota, the numerically vast and taxonomically diverse microbial communities that thrive in a symbiotic fashion within our alimentary tract, can affect the normal physiology of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Further, disturbances of the microbiota community structure from both endogenous and exogenous influences as well as the failure of host responsive mechanisms have been implicated in a variety of disease processes. Mechanistically, alterations in intestinal permeability and dysbiosis of the microbiota can result in inflammation, immune activation, and exposure to xenobiotic influences. Additionally, the gut and liver are continually exposed to small molecule products of the microbiota with proinflammatory, gene regulatory, and oxidative properties. Long-term coevolution has led to tolerance and incorporation of these influences into normal physiology and homeostasis; conversely, changes in this equilibrium from either the host or the microbial side can result in a wide variety of immune, inflammatory, metabolic, and neoplastic intestinal and hepatic disorders.
Complement in Neurologic Disease
Authors: Propson Nicholas E. , Gedam Manasee , Zheng Hui
Published: November 2020

Classic innate immune signaling pathways provide most of the immune response in the brain. This response activates many of the canonical signaling mechanisms identified in peripheral immune cells, despite their relative absence in this immune-privileged tissue. Studies over the past decade have strongly linked complement protein production and activation to age-related functional changes and neurodegeneration. The reactivation of the complement signaling pathway in aging and disease has opened new avenues for understanding brain aging and neurological disease pathogenesis and has implicated cell types such as astrocytes, microglia, endothelial cells, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and even peripheral immune cells in these processes. In this review, we aim to unravel the past decade of research related to complement activation and its numerous consequences in aging and neurological disease.
Statistical Applications in Educational Measurement
Authors: Chang Hua-Hua , Wang Chun , Zhang Susu
Published: November 2020

Educational measurement assigns numbers to individuals based on observed data to represent individuals’ educational properties such as abilities, aptitudes, achievements, progress, and performance. The current review introduces a selection of statistical applications to educational measurement, ranging from classical statistical theory (e.g., Pearson correlation and the Mantel–Haenszel test) to more sophisticated models (e.g., latent variable, survival, and mixture modeling) and statistical and machine learning (e.g., high-dimensional modeling, deep and reinforcement learning). Three main subjects are discussed: evaluations for test validity, computer-based assessments, and psychometrics informing learning. Specific topics include item bias detection, high-dimensional latent variable modeling, computerized adaptive testing, response time and log data analysis, cognitive diagnostic models, and individualized learning.
Searching for laws of economics: causality, conservation, and ideology
Authors: Dawson David C.
Published: November 2020

This review is intended for scientists who may be curious about “laws” of economics. Here, I search for laws governing value, including the value of money (inflation). I begin by searching out early scientists, e.g., Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo, who contributed to theories of value, or who, like Isaac Newton and J. Willard Gibbs, inspired students of political economy and thereby profoundly influenced the evolution of economic thinking. From a period ranging from Aristotle to John Stuart Mill in the mid-nineteenth century, I extract two candidates for “laws” of economics, one the well-known “law of supply and demand” (LSD) and the other, less well-known, “Fisher’s equation of exchange” (FEE). LSD, in one form or another, has been central to the development of economic thought, but it has proven impossible to express LSD in any compact, deterministic form with causal implications. I propose, however, that, as suggested by Irving Fisher early in the twentieth century and 100 years later by Nobelist Thomas Schelling, FEE is analogous to the first law of thermodynamics (FLT). I argue that both FEE and FLT can be viewed as “accounting identities,” pertaining to energies in the case of FLT and money in the case of FEE. Both, however, suffer from a similar limitation: neither provides any information concerning causal relations among the relevant variables. I reflect upon the impact of the absence of firm, fact-based, economic laws with causal implications on modern economic policy, allowing it to be dominated by ideologies damaging to American society.
Loss of Slfn3 induces a sex-dependent repair vulnerability after 50% bowel resection
Authors: Vomhof-DeKrey Emilie E. , Lansing Jack T. , Darland Diane C. , Umthun Josey , Stover Allie D. , Brown Christopher , Basson Marc D.
Published: November 2020

The differentiating stimulus of Slfn3 signaling restrains an increase in mucosal mass after bowel resection, and there is a Slfn3-sex interaction regulating differentiation gene expression and intestinal adaptation. This current study highlights the combinatory effects of gender and Slfn3 genotype on the gene expression changes that contribute to the adaptation in intestinal cellular milleu (i.e. villus and crypt structure) which are utilized to compensate for the stress-healing response that the animals display in intestinal adaptation.
Predictors of Poor Outcome of Anti-MDA5-Associated Rapidly Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease in a Chinese Cohort with Dermatomyositis
Authors: Li Yuhui , Li Yimin , Wu Jian , Miao Miao , Gao Xiaojuan , Cai Wenxin , Shao Miao , Zhang Xuewu , Xu Yan , Cong Lu , He Jing , Sun Xiaolin
Published: November 2020

Objective. Antimelanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (anti-MDA5) autoantibody has been reported in dermatomyositis (DM) to be associated with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD). Our study is aimed at determining the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors underpinning anti-MDA5-associated RP-ILD. Methods. Patients with anti-MDA5-associated DM (aMDA5-DM) were identified at the Peking University People’s Hospital. The presence of anti-MDA5 antibody was determined by immunoblotting. Kaplan-Meier, chi-square test, univariate, and multivariate data analyses were used. Results. Out of 213 patients with DM and clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM), 20.7% (44/213) of patients were identified as aMDA5-DM. Amongst the aMDA5-DM patients, 63.6% (28/44) were identified as having anti-MDA5-associated RP-ILD. During the follow-up, 32.1% (9/28) of patients with anti-MDA5-associated RP-ILD died of respiratory failure. We identified older age and periungual erythema as two independent risk factors for RP-ILD mortality.

Age
≥
57

years at disease onset was significantly associated with poor survival (

P
=
0.02

) in patients with anti-MDA5-associated RP-ILD, while patients with periungual erythema had a better survival rate than those without periungual erythema (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusions. Anti-MDA5-associated RP-ILD is significantly associated with poor survival rates in DM/CADM patients. More effective intervention should be administered to anti-MDA5-associated RP-ILD patients, especially to senior patients and those without periungual erythema.
Placenta Creta: A Spectrum of Lesions Associated with Shallow Placental Implantation
Authors: Stanek Jerzy
Published: November 2020

Background. On placental histology, placenta creta (PC) ranges from clinical placenta percreta through placenta increta and accreta (clinical and occult) to myometrial fibers with intervening decidua. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the clinicopathologic correlations of these lesions. Methods. A total of 169 recent consecutive cases with PC (group 1) were compared with 1661 cases without PC examined during the same period (group 2). The frequencies of 25 independent clinical and 40 placental phenotypes were statistically compared between the groups using chi-square test or analysis of variance where appropriate. Results. Group 1 placentas, as compared with group 2 placentas, were statistically significantly (

p
<
0.05

) associated with caesarean sections (11.2% vs. 7.5%), antepartum hemorrhage (17.7% vs 11.6.%), gestational hypertension (11.2% vs 4.3%), preeclampsia (11.8% vs 2.6%), complicated third stage of labor (18.9% vs 6.4%), villous infarction (14.2% vs 8.9%), chronic hypoxic patterns of placental injury, particularly the uterine pattern (14.8%, vs 9.6%), massive perivillous fibrin deposition (9.5% vs 5.3%), chorionic disc chorionic microcysts (21.9% vs 15.9%), clusters of maternal floor multinucleate trophoblasts (27.8% vs 21.2%), excessive trophoblasts of chorionic disc (24.3% vs 17.3%), segmental fetal vascular malperfusion (27.8% vs 19.9%), and fetal vascular ectasia (26.2% vs 15.2%). Conclusion. Because of the association of PC with gestational hypertensive diseases, acute and chronic placental hypoxic lesions, increased extravillous trophoblasts in the chorionic disc, chorionic microcysts, and maternal floor trophoblastic giant cells, PC should be regarded as a lesion of abnormal placental implantation and abnormal trophoblast invasion rather than decidual deficiency only.
Acute Vitreous and Intraretinal Hemorrhage with Multifocal Subretinal Fluid in Juvenile X-Linked Retinoschisis
Authors: Ibad Sidra , Wilkins Carl S. , Pinhas Alexander , Sun Vincent , Wieder Matthew S. , Deobhakta Avnish
Published: November 2020

Purpose. To report a rare case of spontaneous vitreous and intraretinal hemorrhage in a patient with juvenile X-linked retinoschisis which was managed conservatively. Methods. Single patient case report. Introduction. Juvenile X-linked retinoschisis (JXLR) most often occurs as a result of a genetic defect in the retinoschisin (RS1) gene, causing a separation between the ganglion cell layer and the nerve fiber layer. Spontaneous vitreous hemorrhage has been reported as an uncommon secondary consequence of JXLR. We present a case of spontaneous vitreous and diffuse macular intraretinal hemorrhages in a patient with JXLR which resolved with medical management alone. Results. A 23-year-old man with a history of juvenile X-linked retinoschisis presented to the ophthalmic emergency room complaining of acute onset of floaters in his right eye. On examination, the patient was found to have a new vitreous hemorrhage with diffuse intraretinal hemorrhages in his right eye, without new retinal tears or detachment. SD-OCT demonstrated multifocal pockets of subretinal fluid. The genetic testing panel revealed a hemizygous mutation in the RS-1 gene. He was managed conservatively on oral acetazolamide, with the resolution of the subretinal fluid and with both visual and symptomatic improvement. Conclusions. Spontaneous vitreous hemorrhage may rarely occur in patients with JXLR, even in the absence of acute retinal tear or detachment. This case demonstrates an atypical presentation of vitreous hemorrhage with diffuse intraretinal hemorrhage and new multifocal areas of subretinal fluid which improved without surgical intervention. Good outcomes may be achieved in these patients with conservative management alone, even in atypical presentations.
Research and Analysis of Electromagnetic Trojan Detection Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Lu Jiazhong , Liu Xiaolei , Zhang Shibin , Chang Yan
Published: November 2020

The electromagnetic Trojan attack can break through the physical isolation to attack, and the leaked channel does not use the system network resources, which makes the traditional firewall and other intrusion detection devices unable to effectively prevent. Based on the existing research results, this paper proposes an electromagnetic Trojan detection method based on deep learning, which makes the work of electromagnetic Trojan analysis more intelligent. First, the electromagnetic wave signal is captured using software-defined radio technology, and then the signal is initially filtered in combination with a white list, a demodulated signal, and a rate of change in intensity. Secondly, the signal in the frequency domain is divided into blocks in a time-window mode, and the electromagnetic signals are represented by features such as time, information amount, and energy. Finally, the serialized signal feature vector is further extracted using the LSTM algorithm to identify the electromagnetic Trojan. This experiment uses the electromagnetic Trojan data published by Gurion University to test. And it can effectively defend electromagnetic Trojans, improve the participation of computers in electromagnetic Trojan detection, and reduce the cost of manual testing.
Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum Secondary to COVID-19 Disease Unrelated to Mechanical Ventilation
Authors: Tucker Lara , Patel Sachin , Vatsis Catherine , Poma Antonia , Ammar Ali , Nasser Wael , Mukkera Satyanarayana , Vo Mai , Khan Rumi , Carlan Steve
Published: November 2020

In the recent worldwide coronavirus 2019 pandemic, a notable rise in pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax complications has been witnessed in numerous mechanically ventilated patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Most cases have reported these complications as barotrauma from mechanical ventilation with COVID-19 disease. We aim to report three polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 patients who developed pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax unrelated to mechanical ventilation. We originally analyzed 800 patients with COVID-19 disease at Orlando Regional Medical Center from March 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020, of which 12 patients developed pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax in their hospital course. Interestingly, three patients developed pneumomediastinum on chest imaging prior to intubation. We present these three patients, one female and two males, ages of 42, 64, and 65, respectively, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 disease through nasopharyngeal sampling tests with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax are potential complications of COVID-19 disease in the lungs unrelated to mechanical ventilation. This is similar to previous outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) diseases. Further investigation is needed to define the causality of pneumomediastinum in nonintubated COVID-19 patients to define the incidence of disease.
Several Fixed-Point Theorems forF-Contractions in Complete Branciarib-Metric Spaces and Applications
Authors: Chen Lili , Huang Shuai , Li Chaobo , Zhao Yanfeng
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we prove the existence and uniqueness of fixed points forF-contractions in complete Branciarib-metric spaces. Furthermore, an example for supporting the related result is shown. We also present the concept of the weak well-posedness of the fixed-point problem of the mappingTand discuss the weak well-posedness of the fixed-point problem of anF-contraction in complete Branciarib-metric spaces. Besides, we investigate the problem of common fixed points forF-contractions in above spaces. As an application, we apply our main results to solving the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a class of the integral equation and the dynamic programming problem, respectively.
Higher-Order Compact Finite Difference for Certain PDEs in Arbitrary Dimensions
Authors: Gao Yan , Liu Songlin
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we first present the expression of a model of a fourth-order compact finite difference (CFD) scheme for the convection diffusion equation with variable convection coefficient. Then, we also obtain the fourth-order CFD schemes of the diffusion equation with variable diffusion coefficients. In addition, a fine description of the sixth-order CFD schemes is also developed for equations with constant coefficients, which is used to discuss certain partial differential equations (PDEs) with arbitrary dimensions. In this paper, various ways of numerical test calculations are prepared to evaluate performance of the fourth-order CFD and sixth-order CFD schemes, respectively, and the empirical results are proved to verify the effectiveness of the schemes in this paper.
Long Noncoding RNA/Circular RNA‐miRNA‐mRNA Axes in Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Gong Chengwu , Zhou Xueliang , Lai Songqing , Wang Lijun , Liu Jichun
Published: November 2020

Ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI) elicits tissue injury involved in a wide range of pathologies. Multiple studies have demonstrated that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs), participate in the pathological development of IRI, and they may act as biomarkers, therapeutic targets, or prognostic indicators. Nonetheless, the specific molecular mechanisms of ncRNAs in IRI have not been completely elucidated. Regulatory networks among lncRNAs/circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs have been the focus of attention in recent years. Studies on the underlying molecular mechanisms have contributed to the discovery of therapeutic targets or strategies in IRI. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the current research on the lncRNA/circRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA axes and highlight the important role of these axes in IRI.
Hölder Regularity of Quasiminimizers to Generalized Orlicz Functional on the Heisenberg Group
Authors: Zhang Junli , Niu Pengcheng
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we apply De Giorgi-Moser iteration to establish the Hölder regularity of quasiminimizers to generalized Orlicz functional on the Heisenberg group by using the Riesz potential, maximal function, Calderón-Zygmund decomposition, and covering Lemma on the context of the Heisenberg Group. The functional includes the

p

-Laplace functional on the Heisenberg group which has been studied and the variable exponential functional and the double phase growth functional on the Heisenberg group that have not been studied.
Experimental Investigation on the Energy Storage Characteristics of Red Sandstone in Triaxial Compression Tests with Constant Confining Pressure
Authors: Li Liuliu , Gong Fengqiang
Published: November 2020

The elastic energy stored in deep rock in three-dimensional stress environment is the energy source of rockburst. To investigate the energy storage characteristics of deep rock under different confining pressures, a series of triaxial single-cyclic loading-unloading compression tests were conducted on red sandstone specimens under eight confining pressures. The input energy density, elastic energy density, and dissipative energy density of the specimen in axial, circumferential, and total directions can be obtained by the area diagram integration method. The results show that the input energy density in the axial direction accounts for the largest logarithmic proportion of the total input energy density, and the relationship between all energy density parameters and unloading level can be described by quadratic function. In the axial direction, there is a linear function relationship among elastic energy density, dissipative energy density, and input energy density. In the circumferential direction, there is a quadratic function relationship among elastic energy density, dissipative energy density, and input energy density. For the total energy density parameters of the rock specimen, the relationship among elastic energy density, dissipative energy density, and input energy density conforms to the quadratic function. According to the above correlation function, the elastic energy stored in deep rock under different confining pressures can be accurately obtained, which provides a foundation for studying the mechanism of rockburst under three-dimensional unloading from the energy perspective.
Quantification and Comprehensive Analysis of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Bone Marrow Samples from Sickle Cell Disease Patients with Osteonecrosis
Authors: Ribeiro Tiago O. , Daltro Paula B. , Daltro Gildasio Cerqueira , Freire Songeli M. , Meyer Roberto , Fortuna Vitor
Published: November 2020

The potential use of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) for the treatment of osteonecrosis in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients is increasing. However, convenient BM-MSC quantification and functional property assays are critical factors for cell-based therapies yet to be optimized. This study was designed to quantify the MSC population in bone marrow (BM) samples from SCD patients with osteonecrosis (SCD group) and patients with osteoarticular complications not related to SCD (NS group), using flow cytometry for CD271+CD45-/low cell phenotype and CFU-F assay. We also compared expanded BM-MSC osteogenic differentiation, migration, and cytokine secretion potential between these groups. The mean total cell number, CFU-F count, and CD271+CD45-/low cells in BM mononuclear concentrate were significantly higher in SCD than in NS patients. A significant correlation between CD271+CD45-/low cell number and CFU-F counts was found in SCD (

r
=
0.7483

;

p
=
0.0070

) and NS (

r
=
0.7167

;

p
=
0.0370

) BM concentrates. An age-related quantitative reduction of CFU-F counts and CD271+CD45-/low cell number was noted. Furthermore, no significant differences in the morphology, replicative capacity, expression of surface markers, multidifferentiation potential, and secretion of cytokines were found in expanded BM-MSCs from SCD and NS groups after in vitro culturing. Collectively, this work provides important data for the suitable measurement and expansion of BM-MSC in support to advanced cell-based therapies for SCD patients with osteonecrosis.