bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of pregnancy associated glycoproteins‐basedELISAkits to determine early pregnancy status in lactatingNili‐Ravibuffaloes
Authors: Arshad Bilal , Shabir Amjad , Sagheer Masroor , Arshad Usman , Yousuf Muhammad Rizwan , Riaz Amjad
Published: July 2022

The objective of the current study was to evaluate pregnancy‐associated glycoproteins (PAGs) based enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits utilizing whole blood, serum, or milk samples for diagnosis of early pregnancy status in lactating Nili‐Ravi buffaloes. Dairy buffaloes (n = 174) of mixed parity, 4–6 years of age, having mean (± standard deviation) days in milk 165 ± 87, and body condition score of 3.26 ± 0.34 were randomly enrolled in this study. Buffaloes were exposed to penile deviated bulls with 12 h interval for estrus detection during peak breeding season and eventually bred naturally at their respective standing estrus (day 0). Blood and milk samples were collected at days 24, 28, and 35 post‐breeding to run a rapid visual pregnancy test® (RVPT) as a buffalo‐side test or ELISA‐based assay in the laboratory to detect early pregnancy status. Transrectal B‐mode ultrasonography was performed to diagnose pregnancy at day 35 post‐breeding and used as a gold standard to validate results of RVPT or ELISA‐based tests. The RVPT is a visual readout test for pregnancy detection and had sensitivity (77.9 vs. 89.7 vs. 93.3%), specificity (77.9 vs. 89.7 vs. 93.3%), and accuracy (84.5 vs. 90.1 vs. 94.2%) at days 24, 28, and 35 post‐breeding, respectively. The PAGs were assayed using ELISA kits in serum and had sensitivity (77.9 vs. 89.7 vs. 93.3%), specificity (84.2 vs. 87.7 vs. 93.9%), and accuracy (82.1 vs. 88.4 vs. 93.7%) at days 24, 28, and 35 post‐breeding, respectively. Similarly, PAGs were also analysed using ELISA kits in milk samples and had sensitivity (77.6 vs 89.5 vs 95.0%), specificity (89.1 vs 91.9, vs 93.9%), and accuracy (85.1 vs 91.1 vs 94.3%) at days 24, 28, and 35 post‐breeding, respectively. Overall, the Kappa values in this study exceeded 0.85 at day 35 post‐breeding using RVPT or ELISA‐based test kits in serum or milk samples, indicating a high level of agreement between PAGs detection method and gold standard for pregnancy diagnosis. The pregnancy outcomes based on ELISA‐based PAGs detection at day≥28 post‐breeding had a high negative predictive value, indicating that the probability of incorrectly administering prostaglandins to pregnant buffaloes would be low if these tests were implemented on a commercial dairy herd. Taken together, it is concluded that PAGs‐based determination of pregnancy using RVPT or ELISA in blood, serum, or milk samples can be used effectively for pregnancy diagnosis at≥28 days post‐breeding with more than 90% accuracy in Nili‐Ravi buffaloes.
Avoiding Covid‐19 risk information in the United States: The role of attitudes, norms, affect, social dominance orientations, and perceived trustworthiness of scientists
Authors: Wang Wan , Atkinson Lucy , Kahlor Lee Ann , Jamar Patrick , Lim Hayoung Sally
Published: July 2022

This study seeks guidance from the planned risk information avoidance model to explore drivers of risk information avoidance in the context of COVID‐19. Data were collected early during the pandemic. Among our most notable results is that participants who are more oriented toward social dominance and are more skeptical of scientists’ credibility have (1) more supportive attitudes toward risk information avoidance and (2) feel social pressure to avoid risk information. The findings of this study highlight how the role of skepticism in science and intergroup ideologies, such as social dominance, can have important implications for how people learn about health‐related information, even in times of heightened crisis.
Effectiveness of personal protection measures against Lyme disease: A review of epidemiologic studies from the United States
Authors: Schwartz Amy M. , Mackeprang Julia Montague , Mead Paul S. , Hinckley Alison F.
Published: July 2022

Lyme disease, the most commonly reported vector‐borne disease in the United States, is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. In the absence of a licensed vaccine, the prevention of Lyme disease relies heavily on limiting tick exposure. Methods for limiting tick exposure include personal protection measures such as repellent use, wearing protective clothing, avoiding areas where ticks may be present, bathing after exposure to tick habitat and performing regular tick checks. Public health officials typically recommend all these personal protection measures; however, there is limited evidence to promote one behaviour or practice over another. The focus of this article is to review available literature that examines the effectiveness of recommended personal protection measures to prevent Lyme and other Ixodes‐transmitted diseases in humans. Articles included in this review were identified through Google Scholar and PubMed searches using specific search terms. We identified over 56,000 articles using Google Scholar and PubMed searches. Of those, 16 studies fit our criteria for inclusion and were reviewed in their entirety. Among the personal protection measures evaluated, no intervention was predominantly or consistently effective across studies, demonstrating that, currently, there is no single best method for primary prevention of Ixodes‐transmitted diseases in the United States. Frequently recommended practices such as tick checks, repellent use and protective clothing had mixed results across studies. Study design differences limited comparability among studies, and sample sizes for these studies may have been too small to detect statistically significant results even if a prevention method was effective. Though many of the reviewed personal protection measures are frequently recommended to the public, limited evidence demonstrates their ability to prevent tick‐borne disease. Additional standardized studies are needed to evaluate personal protection measures.
Decadal community structure shifts with cold pool variability in the eastern Bering Sea shelf
Authors: Johnson Jennifer J. , Miksis-Olds Jennifer L. , Lippmann Thomas C. , Jech J. Michael , Seger Kerri D. , Pringle James M. , Linder Ernst
Published: July 2022

A characteristic feature of the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) is a subsurface layer linked to seasonal sea ice (SSI) and defined by bottom temperatures less than 2 °C, which is termed the cold pool. Cold pool variability is directly tied to regional zooplankton and fish dynamics. Multifrequency (200 and 460 kHz) acoustic backscatter data were collected remotely using upward looking echosounders along the EBS shelf from 2008 and 2018 and used as a proxy of biological abundance. Acoustic data were coupled with bottom temperature and regional SSI data from the cold (2006–2013) and warm (2014–2018) regimes to assess the relationship between biological scattering communities and cold pool variation. Acoustic backscatter was 2 orders of magnitude greater during the cold regime than during the warm regime, with multifrequency analysis indicating a shift in the warm regime frequency-dependent scattering communities. Cold pool proxy SSI was a stronger predictor for biological scattering than bottom temperature in the cold regime, while warm regime bottom temperature and SSI were equal in predictive power and resulted in improved predictive model performance. Results suggest coupled cold pool and frequency-dependent scattering dynamics are a potential regime shift indicator and may be useful for management practices in surrounding Arctic ecosystems.
Alzheimer’s disease: Ablating single master site abolishes tau hyperphosphorylation
Authors: Stefanoska Kristie , Gajwani Mehul , Tan Amanda R. P. , Ahel Holly I. , Asih Prita R. , Volkerling Alexander , Poljak Anne , Ittner Arne
Published: July 2022

Hyperphosphorylation of the neuronal tau protein is a hallmark of neurodegenerative tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease. A central unanswered question is why tau becomes progressively hyperphosphorylated. Here, we show that tau phosphorylation is governed by interdependence— a mechanistic link between initial site-specific and subsequent multi-site phosphorylation. Systematic assessment of site interdependence identified distinct residues (threonine-50, threonine-69, and threonine-181) as master sites that determine propagation of phosphorylation at multiple epitopes. CRISPR point mutation and expression of human tau in Alzheimer’s mice showed that site interdependence governs physiologic and amyloid-associated multi-site phosphorylation and cognitive deficits, respectively. Combined targeting of master sites and p38α, the most central tau kinase linked to interdependence, synergistically ablated hyperphosphorylation. In summary, our work delineates how complex tau phosphorylation arises to inform therapeutic and biomarker design for tauopathies.
Trans-splicing facilitated by RNA pairing greatly expands sDscam isoform diversity but not homophilic binding specificity
Authors: Hou Shouqing , Li Guo , Xu Bingbing , Dong Haiyang , Zhang Shixin , Fu Ying , Shi Jilong , Li Lei , Fu Jiayan , Shi Feng , Meng Yijun , Jin Yongfeng
Published: July 2022

The
Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule 1
(
Dscam1
) gene can generate tens of thousands of isoforms via alternative splicing, which is essential for nervous and immune functions. Chelicerates generate approximately 50 to 100 shortened Dscam (sDscam) isoforms by alternative promoters, similar to mammalian protocadherins. Here, we reveal that trans-splicing markedly increases the repository of sDscamβ isoforms in
Tetranychus urticae
. Unexpectedly, every variable exon cassette engages in trans-splicing with constant exons from another cluster. Moreover, we provide evidence that competing RNA pairing not only governs alternative cis-splicing but also facilitates trans-splicing. Trans-spliced sDscam isoforms mediate cell adhesion ability but exhibit the same homophilic binding specificity as their cis-spliced counterparts. Thus, we reveal a single
sDscam
locus that generates diverse adhesion molecules through cis- and trans-splicing coupled with alternative promoters. These findings expand understanding of the mechanism underlying molecular diversity and have implications for the molecular control of neuronal and/or immune specificity.
Battery-free, tuning circuit–inspired wireless sensor systems for detection of multiple biomarkers in bodily fluids
Authors: Liu Tzu-Li , Dong Yan , Chen Shulin , Zhou Jie , Ma Zhenqiang , Li Jinghua
Published: July 2022

Tracking the concentration of biomarkers in biofluids can provide crucial information about health status. However, the complexity and nonideal form factors of conventional digital wireless schemes impose challenges in realizing biointegrated, lightweight, and miniaturized sensors. Inspired by the working principle of tuning circuits in radio frequency electronics, this study reports a class of battery-free wireless biochemical sensors: In a resonance circuit, the coupling between a sensing interface and an inductor-capacitor oscillator through a pair of varactor diodes converts a change in electric potential into a modulation in capacitance, resulting in a quantifiable shift of the resonance circuit. Proper design of sensing interfaces with biorecognition elements enables the detection of various biomarkers, including ions, neurotransmitters, and metabolites. Demonstrations of “smart accessories” and miniaturized probes suggest the broad utility of this circuit model. The design concepts and sensing strategies provide a realistic pathway to building biointegrated electronics for wireless biochemical sensing.
Differential Genetic Strategies of Burkholderia vietnamiensis and Paraburkholderia kururiensis for Root Colonization of Oryza sativa subsp.
japonica
and O. sativa subsp.
indica
, as Revealed by Transposon Mutagenesis Sequencing
Authors: Wallner Adrian , Busset Nicolas , Lachat Joy , Guigard Ludivine , King Eoghan , Rimbault Isabelle , Mergaert Peter , Béna Gilles , Moulin Lionel
Published: July 2022

Burkholderiaceae
are frequent and abundant colonizers of the rice rhizosphere and interesting candidates to investigate for growth promotion. Species of
Paraburkholderia
have repeatedly been described to stimulate plant growth.
Combinational Deletions of MGF360-9L and MGF505-7R Attenuated Highly Virulent African Swine Fever Virus and Conferred Protection against Homologous Challenge
Authors: Ding Mingyang , Dang Wen , Liu Huanan , Xu Fan , Huang Huaguo , Sunkang Yongjie , Li Tao , Pei Jingjing , Liu Xiangtao , Zhang Yong , Zheng Haixue
Published: July 2022

Currently, the deficiency in commercially available vaccines or therapeutic options against African swine fever constitutes a matter of major concern in the swine industry globally. Here, we report the design and construction of a recombinant ASFV mutant harboring combinational deletions of interferon inhibitors MGF360-9L and MGF505-7R based on a genotype II ASFV CN/GS/2018 strain currently circulating in China.
Emergence of a Novel Plasmid-Mediated Tigecycline Resistance Gene Cluster,
tmexCD4-toprJ4
, in Klebsiella quasipneumoniae and Enterobacter
roggenkampii
Authors: Gao Xun , Wang Chengzhen , Lv Luchao , He Xiaotong , Cai Zhongpeng , He Wanyun , Li Tong , Liu Jian-Hua
Published: July 2022

The plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene cluster
tmexCD1-toprJ1
and other variants have been detected in a variety of strains from multiple sources, including human-derived strains. In addition to tigecycline, these
tmexCD-toprJ
-like gene clusters reduce susceptibility of the host strain to many other antimicrobials.
Emergence and Evolution of Unique Plasmids Harboring
bla
IMP-70
and
bla
CTX-M-253
in Multidrug-Resistant Providencia rettgeri
Authors: Watanabe Mako , Nakano Ryuichi , Tanouchi Ayako , Nakano Akiyo , Suzuki Yuki , Saito Kai , Sakata Ryuji , Ogawa Miho , Yano Hisakazu
Published: July 2022

Although
Providencia rettgeri
is an opportunistic pathogen, its intrinsic resistance to colistin and tigecycline makes the treatment of carbapenem-resistant
P. rettgeri
challenging. We isolated a multidrug-resistant
P. rettgeri
strain which harbored a rare
bla
IMP
variant,
bla
IMP-70
, a novel
bla
CTX-M
variant,
bla
CTX-M-253
, and
bla
MOX-1
from a urinary sample obtained in Osaka, Japan.
Tectonic evolution of the Beishan orogen in central Asia: Subduction, accretion, and continent-continent collision during the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean
Authors: Li Jie , Wu Chen , Chen Xuanhua , Zuza Andrew V. , Haproff Peter J. , Yin An , Shao Zhaogang
Published: July 2022

The Beishan orogen is part of the Neo-proterozoic to early Mesozoic Central Asian Orogenic System in central Asia that exposes ophiolitic complexes, passive-margin strata, arc assemblages, and Precambrian basement rocks. To better constrain the tectonic evolution of the Beishan orogen, we conducted field mapping, U-Pb zircon dating, whole-rock geochemical analysis, and Sr-Nd isotopic analysis. The new results, when interpreted in the context of the known geological setting, show that the Beishan region had experienced five phases of arc magmatism at ca. 1450–1395 Ma, ca. 1071–867 Ma, ca. 542–395 Ma, ca. 468–212 Ma, and ca. 307–212 Ma. In order to explain the geological, geochemical, and geochronological data from the Beishan region, we present a tectonic model that involves the following five phases of deformation: (1) Proterozoic rifting that separated the North Beishan block from the Greater North China craton that led to the opening of the Beishan Ocean, (2) early Paleozoic north-dipping subduction (ca. 530–430 Ma) of the Beishan oceanic plate associated with back-arc extension followed by collision between the North and South Beishan microcontinental blocks, (3) northward slab rollback of the south-dipping subducting Paleo-Asian oceanic plate at ca. 450–440 Ma along the northern margin of the North Beishan block that led to the formation of a northward-younging extensional continental arc (ca. 470–280 Ma) associated with bimodal igneous activity, which indicates that the westward extension of the Solonker suture is located north of the Hongshishan-Pengboshan tectonic zone, (4) Late Carboniferous opening and Permian north-dipping subduction of the Liuyuan Ocean in the southern Beishan orogen, and (5) Mesozoic-Cenozoic intracontinental deformation induced by the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean system in the north and the Tethyan Ocean system in the south.
Markov Approximations of the Evolution of Quantum Systems
Authors: Gough J. , Orlov Yu. N. , Sakbaev V. Zh. , Smolyanov O. G.
Published: July 2022

The convergence in probability of a sequence of iterations of independent random quantum dynamical semigroups to a Markov process describing the evolution of an open quantum system is studied. The statistical properties of the dynamics of open quantum systems with random generators of Markovian evolution are described in terms of the law of large numbers for operator-valued random processes. For compositions of independent random semigroups of completely positive operators, the convergence of mean values to a semigroup described by the Gorini–Kossakowski–Sudarshan–Lindblad equation is established. Moreover, a sequence of random operator-valued functions with values in the set of operators without the infinite divisibility property is shown to converge in probability to an operator-valued function with values in the set of infinitely divisible operators.
Postoperative morbidities with infant cardiac surgery and toddlers’ neurodevelopment
Authors: Read Julie , Ridout Deborah , Johnson Samantha , Hoskote Aparna , Sheehan Karen , Wellman Paul , Jones Alison , Wray Jo , Brown Katherine
Published: July 2022

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between morbidities after infant cardiac surgery and neurodevelopment and behaviour at age 2–3 years.

Design/Setting

A prospective cohort follow-up study, in four paediatric cardiac centres. We excluded children with known syndromes. Home-based neurodevelopmental assessments using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd Edition (Bayley-III) were undertaken in 81 children and secondary outcome measures of development and behaviour were completed by parents. A further 41 families completed the secondary outcome measures remotely.

Results

Children were grouped as multiple morbidities/extracorporeal life support (ECLS) (n=19), single morbidities (n=36) and no morbidities (n=59). Group comparisons found that children with multiple morbidities/ECLS, compared with no morbidities, had: (a) lower adjusted mean scores for core Bayley-III composites (none reached the level of statistical significance), with mean differences of cognitive −6.1 (95% CI −12.4 to 0.1) p=0.06, language −9.1 (95% CI −18.6 to 0.3) p=0.06 and motor −4.4 (95% CI −12.0 to 3.1) p=25; (b) greater adjusted odds of at least one low or borderline Bayley-III composite result 4.0 (95% CI 1.0 to 16.0) (p=0.05); (c) greater adjusted risk of an abnormal Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) result 5.3 (95% CI 1.3 to 21.1) (p=0.03) and a borderline ASQ result 4.9 (95% CI 1.0 to 25.0) (p=0.05); and no difference in the risk of an abnormal Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire result 1.7 (95% CI 0.3 to 10.4) p=0.58. These outcomes were not statistically different between the single morbidity and no morbidity groups.

Conclusions

Children who experience multiple morbidities/ECLS after infant heart surgery are at a greater risk of neurodevelopmental difficulties than their peers who had no complications and should be prioritised for neurodevelopmental follow-up.
Intratympanic steroid treatments rescued recurrent hearing loss following COVID-19 vaccination and detection of an intralabyrinthine schwannoma
Authors: Li Weihang , Micco Alan , Fang Deyu , Liu Huiping
Published: July 2022

It remains unclear how to effectively treat rare cases of sudden and recurrent hearing losses which might coincidently follow vaccination. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of systemic and local steroid administration to successfully treat sudden and recurrent left-ear hearing loss, respectively, following a second dose of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccination which inflammatory response potentially affected an existing left intralabyrinthine schwannoma in a young male patient. This case highlights the importance and timing of intratympanic steroid treatment strategies to suppress the progressive symptoms and restore hearing to a stable condition, and therefore avoid permanent hearing loss which would otherwise demand a surgical removal of the schwannoma to improve vertigo and reconstitute artificial hearing.
Does knowledge of sleep hygiene recommendations match behaviour in Australian shift workers? A cross-sectional study
Authors: Rampling Caroline M , Gupta Charlotte Cecelia , Shriane Alexandra E , Ferguson Sally A , Rigney Gabrielle , Vincent Grace E
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Shiftworkers routinely obtain inadequate sleep, which has major health consequences. Sleep hygiene describes a range of behaviours, lifestyle and environmental factors that can improve sleep. To date, limited research has examined sleep hygiene in shiftworkers. This study aimed to assess the sociodemographic and behavioural correlates of sleep hygiene knowledge and engagement with sleep hygiene practices in Australian shiftworkers.

Study design

An online, cross-sectional survey.

Setting and participants

Australian adults from across multiple industries (n=588) who work shift work.

Measures

The online survey included questions regarding sleep hygiene knowledge and questions from modified versions of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Sleep Hygiene Index.

Results

Of the 588 participants, 52.9% reported having heard of ‘sleep hygiene’. Of these participants, 77.5% reported understanding the term moderately, extremely or very well. Engagement with each sleep hygiene practice was varied. Common sleep hygiene practices were controlling the bedroom environment (eg, a cool, dark and quiet bedroom). Less common practices were avoiding light as bedtime approaches. Logistic regressions revealed that shiftworkers who had heard of sleep hygiene were more likely to engage in sleep hygiene practices and had better sleep quality compared with those who had not heard of sleep hygiene. Increased engagement in sleep hygiene practices did not predict the likelihood of individuals reporting better sleep quality.

Conclusions

Shiftworkers demonstrated varied knowledge, understanding and engagement with individual sleep hygiene practices. Future research should focus on the development of sleep hygiene interventions that accommodate the unique challenges of shift work to optimise sleep.
Effectiveness of case-area targeted interventions including vaccination on the control of epidemic cholera: protocol for a prospective observational study
Authors: Ratnayake Ruwan , Peyraud Nicolas , Ciglenecki Iza , Gignoux Etienne , Lightowler Maria , Azman Andrew S , Gakima Primitive , Ouamba Jean Patrick , Sagara Joseph Amadomon , Ndombe Rollin , Mimbu Nana , Ascorra Alexandra ,   Epicentre and MSF CATI Working Group, Welo Placide Okitayemba , Mukamba Musenga Elisabeth , Miwanda Berthe , Boum Yap , Checchi Francesco , Edmunds W John , Luquero Francisco , Porten Klaudia , Finger Flavio
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Cholera outbreaks in fragile settings are prone to rapid expansion. Case-area targeted interventions (CATIs) have been proposed as a rapid and efficient response strategy to halt or substantially reduce the size of small outbreaks. CATI aims to deliver synergistic interventions (eg, water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions, vaccination, and antibiotic chemoprophylaxis) to households in a 100—250 m ‘ring’ around primary outbreak cases.

Methods and analysis

We report on a protocol for a prospective observational study of the effectiveness of CATI. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) plans to implement CATI in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Cameroon, Niger and Zimbabwe. This study will run in parallel to each implementation. The primary outcome is the cumulative incidence of cholera in each CATI ring. CATI will be triggered immediately on notification of a case in a new area. As with most real-world interventions, there will be delays to response as the strategy is rolled out. We will compare the cumulative incidence among rings as a function of response delay, as a proxy for performance. Cross-sectional household surveys will measure population-based coverage. Cohort studies will measure effects on reducing incidence among household contacts and changes in antimicrobial resistance.

Ethics and dissemination

The ethics review boards of MSF and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have approved a generic protocol. The DRC and Niger-specific versions have been approved by the respective national ethics review boards. Approvals are in process for Cameroon and Zimbabwe. The study findings will be disseminated to the networks of national cholera control actors and the Global Task Force for Cholera Control using meetings and policy briefs, to the scientific community using journal articles, and to communities via community meetings.
Impetus of US hospital leaders to invest in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): a qualitative study
Authors: Mou Danny , Mjåset Christer , Sokas Claire M , Virji Azan , Bokhour Barbara , Heng Marilyn , Sisodia Rachel C , Pusic Andrea L , Rosenthal Meredith B
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Though hospital leaders across the USA have invested significant resources in collection of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), there are very limited data on the impetus for hospital leadership to establish PROM programmes. In this qualitative study, we identify the drivers and motivators of PROM collection among hospital leaders in the USA.

Design

Exploratory qualitative study.

Setting

Thirty-seven hospital leaders representing seven different institutions with successful PROMs programs across twenty US states.

Methods

Semistructured interviews conducted with hospital leaders. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Leaders strongly believe that collecting PROMs is the ‘right thing to do’ and that the culture of the institution plays an important role in enabling PROMs. The study participants often believe that their institutions deliver superior care and that PROMs can be used to demonstrate the value of their services to payors and patients. Direct financial incentives are relatively weak motivators for collection of PROMs. Most hospital leaders have reservations about using PROMs in their current state as a meaningful performance metric.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that hospital leaders feel a strong moral imperative to collect PROMs, which is also supported by the culture of their institution. Although PROMs are used in negotiations with payors, direct financial return on investment is not a strong driver for the collection of PROMs. Understanding why leaders of major healthcare institutions invest in PROMs is critical to understanding the role that PROMs play in the US healthcare system.
Modifications of CMB spectrum by nonextensive statistical mechanics
Authors: Liu Yang
Published: July 2022

Cosmic microwave background radiation can supply us some most significant parts of the information on the universe. Some researchers believe that the gravitational system cannot be decribed by the standard statistical mechanics. In this article we apply Tsallis nonextensive statistical mechanics to investigate CMB spectrum and related cosmological processes. Based on recent observational data we find that the nonextensive statistical mechanics can modify the values of related physical quantities. Since the value of physical quantites have changed, some processes, such as recombination, can be affected. We have investigated the anisotropy of the CMB for two effects: the dipole anisotropy of CMB and the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect. We find that the dipole anisotropy of CMB cannot be modified by the nonextensive statistical mechanics. However, the standard result of the Sunyaev-Zel’sdovich effect should be modified by nonextensive statistical mechanics. In principle, future work can distinguish these effects.
Off-sequence plume magmatism near Ninetyeast Ridge in the Indian Ocean: evidence for extensive lateral flow of the Kerguelen plume
Authors: Khogenkumar Shoraisam , Nair Nisha , Pandey Dhananjai Kumar
Published: July 2022

One of the fundamental questions about Earth processes that is still outstanding is how far a moving plate can drag plume material at its base after its initial impact with the plume. The IODP-362 Expedition recovered igneous samples from drilled sites near Ninetyeast Ridge (NER) in the Indian Ocean. A detailed geochemical and isotopic (Sr–Nd) investigation of these samples found that the basement basalts of the core are typical N-MORB tholeiites, but the igneous sills intruding the upper layer of sediments are highly alkaline, with a composition equivalent to the Kerguelen plume magma. Based on biostratigraphy, the minimum age of the alkaline samples was calculated as
c.
58 Ma, which is younger than the adjacent NER crust (
c.
82–78 Ma). The existence of such young plume magma amidst the older blocks of the NER is unusual and contrary to its southwards-younging age pattern. We propose that the fast-moving Indian plate dragged a considerable amount of Kerguelen plume material underneath the Indian Ocean lithosphere northwards during the Cretaceous–Paleocene, covering a longitudinal distance of
c.
2220 km. The reactivation of deep fractures triggered decompression melting of the underlying plume material and emplaced this as magmatic sills and lava flows near the NER at
c.
58 Ma.
SpongeCake: A Layered Microflake Surface Appearance Model
Authors: Wang Beibei , Jin Wenhua , Hašan Miloš , Yan Ling-Qi
Published: July 2022

In this article, we propose SpongeCake: A layered BSDF model where each layer is a volumetric scattering medium, defined using microflake or other phase functions. We omit any reflecting and refracting interfaces between the layers. The first advantage of this formulation is that an exact and analytic solution for single scattering, regardless of the number of volumetric layers, can be derived. We propose to approximate multiple scattering by an additional single-scattering lobe with modified parameters and a Lambertian lobe. We use a parameter mapping neural network to find the parameters of the newly added lobes to closely approximate the multiple scattering effect. Despite the absence of layer interfaces, we demonstrate that many common material effects can be achieved with layers of SGGX microflake and other volumes with appropriate parameters. A normal mapping effect can also be achieved through mapping of microflake orientations, which avoids artifacts common in standard normal maps. Thanks to the analytical formulation, our model is very fast to evaluate and sample. Through various parameter settings, our model is able to handle many types of materials, like plastics, wood, cloth, and so on, opening a number of practical applications.
Muscle fiber type-specific autophagy responses following an overnight fast and mixed meal ingestion in human skeletal muscle
Authors: Morales-Scholz María G. , Wette Stefan G. , Stokie Jayden R. , Tepper Bianca T. , Swinton Courtney , Hamilton David L. , Dwyer Karen M. , Murphy Robyn M. , Howlett Kirsten F. , Shaw Christopher S.
Published: July 2022

This study examined the fiber type-specific content of key autophagy proteins in human muscle. We showed that markers of autophagosome content are higher in type I fibers in the overnight-fasted state, whereas autophagy is rapidly inhibited in both type I and type II fibers after the ingestion of a mixed meal.
[Retracted] Targeting the lncRNA FGD5‐AS1/miR‐497‐5p/PD‐L1 Axis Inhibits Malignant Phenotypes in Colon Cancer (CC)
Authors: Zhang Lijuan , Cai Xinyi , Dai Youguo , Chen Yun , Yu Jing , Zhou Yongchun
Published: July 2022

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate cancer progression and drug resistance. However, the role of lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 in regulating colon cancer (CC) progression is still largely unknown. Hence, this study investigated the role of lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 in regulating colon cancer (CC) progression and found that lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 regulated miR‐497‐5p/PD‐L1 axis to promote cancer progression in CC cells in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, we found that lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 and PD‐L1 tended to be high‐expressed, while miR‐497‐5p was low‐expressed in CC tissues and cell lines compared to the normal adjacent tissues and cells. Next, we found that lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 positively regulated PD‐L1 in CC cells by sponging miR‐497‐5p. Finally, our gain‐ and loss‐of‐function experiments evidenced that the lncRNA FGD5‐AS1/miR‐497‐5p/PD‐L1 axis regulates CC progression. Functionally, the data suggested that lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 positively regulated while miR‐497‐5p negatively modulated malignant phenotypes, including cell proliferation, viability, invasion, migration, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), and tumorigenesis in CC cells. Interestingly, the inhibiting effects of lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 ablation on CC development were abrogated by both silencing miR‐497‐5p and upregulating PD‐L1. This study found that lncRNA FGD5‐AS1 sponged miR‐497‐5p to upregulate PD‐L1, resulting in CC progression, and provided novel agents for CC diagnosis and prognosis.
Superficial Retinal Vessel Density and Foveal Avascular Zone in Myopic Anisometropia: An OCTA‐Based Study in Young Chinese Children
Authors: Xiong Fen , Mao Tian , Wang Junchen , Yi Jinglin , Hu Yang , Liao Hongfei
Published: July 2022

This retrospective study investigated superficial retinal vessel density (SRVLD) and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in children with myopic anisometropia. We included 84 eyes of 42 individuals with myopic anisometropia and no posterior segment abnormalities. All eyes underwent OCTA. Individual SRVLD and FAZ area were measured on OCTA. Using a paired t‐test, we compared the interocular difference between the fellow eyes for all the measurements. SRVLD was significantly higher in the relatively more myopic eyes than in the fellow eyes in the whole population and in patients with an interocular difference of >1.5 D (p = 003 and 0.01, respectively). In patients with an interocular difference of ≤1.5 D in spherical equivalent refraction, only the nasal sector showed higher SRVLD in the less myopic eyes. SRVLD in the whole image and parafoveal sector was significantly lower in the dominant eye (paired t‐test, p = 003 and 0.03, respectively), while other locations showed no difference. The area, perimeter, and circularity index in FAZ parameters showed no difference. SRVLD showed no significant differences between the two types of eyes, with an interocular difference of ≤1.5 D but increased in the relatively more myopic eyes than in the fellow eyes in children with myopic anisometropia, with an interocular difference of >1.5 D. Increasing SRVLD may show a compensatory increase to maintain retinal function and thus maintain normal visual function in the relatively more myopic fellow eyes. As the study to use patients as self‐control with OCTA analysis in both eyes, this study provides some reference value for further interpretation of the pathogenesis of anisometropia.
[Retracted] Professional Construction and Talent Training Mode in the Era of Intelligent Internet of Things: Take Asset Appraisal Major as an Example
Authors: Wang Lin
Published: July 2022

With the continuous development of Internet technology, mobile terminals are becoming more and more popular in people’s lives, and the unprecedented wave of informatization promotes the development of all aspects of people’s lives. The intelligent Internet of Things can not only bring people the information age but also allow learners to continuously learn and innovate online, breaking through the limitations of time and space. This paper aims to study how to make good use of the technology of intelligent Internet of Things to promote the development of professional construction and talent training mode in the era of intelligent Internet of Things. Based on the intelligent Internet of Things, this paper proposes data mining technology and an algorithm for association rules. The country should continue to innovate and research the mode of professional construction and personnel training. The experimental results of this paper show that, in 2015, there were about 106,000 asset appraisal practitioners and 34,000 Asset Appraisers in China. By 2019, there were about 121,000 asset appraisal practitioners and 41,000 Asset Appraisers in China. People and talents in the field of asset evaluation are in great need of intelligent IoT technology to improve the objectivity and accuracy of evaluation results, and the asset evaluation profession also needs intelligent IoT technology to innovate talent training models, and relevant personnel should continue to work hard on themselves to improve their own strength and continue to learn in combination with the intelligent Internet of Things.
The Anion Gap and Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with Hip Fractures
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Bo , Shu Wu-Bin , Li A-Bing , Lan Guan-Hua
Published: July 2022

Objectives. Epidemiological evidence suggests that anion gap (AG) has been reported to serve as an independent predictor for mortality in different diseases. We studied the effect of AG on both short and long‐term mortalities in critically ill patients with hip fracture. Methods. A large clinical database was utilized to perform retrospective cohort analysis. AG was subdivided into three groups. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was employed to approximate the hazard ratio (HR) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95% for the link between AG and mortality. 30‐day mortality is the primary outcome, while 90‐day and 1‐year mortalities represented our secondary outcomes for this study. Results. The participants in this study were that who provided essential data on AG and the number of patients with hip fractures was 395, and they were all aged ≥16 years. The participants comprised 199 (50.4%) females as well as 196 (49.6%) males with an average age of 71.9 ± 19.4 years, and a mean AG of 12.4 ± 3.3 gmEq/L. According to an unadjusted model for 30‐day all‐cause mortality, the HR (95% CI) of AG ≥ 12.5 gmEq/L was 1.82 (1.11, 2.99), correspondingly, compared to the reference group (AG < 12.5 gmEq/L). This correlation was still remarkable after adjustment for r age, sex, race, SBP, DBP, WBC, heart failure, and serum chloride (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.02–2.02; 2.82). For 90‐day all‐cause mortality, a similar correlation was observed. Conclusions. We noted that AG was an independent indicator of both short and long‐term mortalities among hip fractures individuals in this retrospective single‐center cohort study. AG is a simple, readily available, and inexpensive laboratory variable that can serve as a possible risk stratification tool for hip fracture.
A Taxonomy on Smart Healthcare Technologies: Security Framework, Case Study, and Future Directions
Authors: Chaudhary Sachi , Kakkar Riya , Jadav Nilesh Kumar , Nair Anuja , Gupta Rajesh , Tanwar Sudeep , Agrawal Smita , Alshehri Mohammad Dahman , Sharma Ravi , Sharma Gulshan , Davidson Innocent E.
Published: July 2022

There is a massive transformation in the traditional healthcare system from the specialist-centric approach to the patient-centric approach by adopting modern and intelligent healthcare solutions to build a smart healthcare system. It permits patients to directly share their medical data with the specialist for remote diagnosis without any human intervention. Furthermore, the remote monitoring of patients utilizing wearable sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) has made the treatment readily accessible and affordable. However, the advancement also brings several security and privacy concerns that poorly maneuvered the effective performance of the smart healthcare system. An attacker can exploit the IoT infrastructure, perform an adversarial attack on AI models, and proliferate resource starvation attacks in smart healthcare system. To overcome the aforementioned issues, in this survey, we extensively reviewed and created a comprehensive taxonomy of various smart healthcare technologies such as wearable devices, digital healthcare, and body area networks (BANs), along with their security aspects and solutions for the smart healthcare system. Moreover, we propose an AI-based architecture with the 6G network interface to secure the data exchange between patients and medical practitioners. We have examined our proposed architecture with the case study based on the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for data exchange. The performance of the proposed architecture is evaluated using various machine learning (ML) classification algorithms such as random forest (RF), naive Bayes (NB), logistic regression (LR), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and perceptron. The RF classification algorithm outperforms the conventional algorithms in terms of accuracy, i.e., 98%. Finally, we present open issues and research challenges associated with smart healthcare technologies.
Numerical Analysis and Calculation for Urban Street Landscape Spatial Pattern
Authors: Bi Fangfei , Liu Haotian
Published: July 2022

In recent years, there are many problems in the construction of street landscape spatial pattern, such as emphasizing the surface, ignoring the substance, focusing on construction, and ignoring protection. The reason is closely related to the lack of visual evaluation of streetscape for guidance. This research mainly discusses the numerical analysis and calculation for the spatial pattern of urban streetscape. This study clarifies the related concepts of visual evaluation of urban streetscape and discusses the formation process, overall characteristics, and constituent elements of streetscape. It emphasizes the importance of two subjective and objective factors of “landscape” and “vision” for evaluation. This paper studies this spatial composition relationship from the perspective of street space and the building itself. In the research process, it selects the pedestrian street in the northwest of the city as the object and uses the questionnaire survey method and the multifactor evaluation method to carry out the visual evaluation of the streetscape. It deeply discusses the application of evaluation methods in practice and counts the relevant evaluation results. In the urban street space proportion curve and the corresponding comparative analysis, it is found that most of the street space proportion is between 0.6 and 3.0. This kind of space composition has mutual inclusive symmetry, which enhances the order and communication of urban architecture. This somewhat improves this alienated spatial morphological pattern. This research is helpful to promote the development of streetscape visual evaluation.
Effects of Bisphosphonate on Osteocyte Proliferation and Bone Formation in Patients with Diabetic Osteoporosis
Authors: Weng Beifang , Chen Chunhua
Published: July 2022

Background. Bisphosphonate is currently considered one of the drugs for the first-line treatment of osteoporosis because of its ability to inhibit bone resorption, but the molecular mechanism of its effect on osteocyte proliferation and bone formation of diabetic osteoporosis is still unclear. Objective. To confirm the potential effect on of bisphosphonate on osteocyte proliferation and bone formation in patients having diabetic osteoporosis (DO). Methods. Sixty DO patients admitted to our hospital from February 2019 to April 2021 were randomly selected and divided into the bisphosphonate group and the control group. The total incidence, incidence of hip fracture, efficacy, bone mineral density, osteocalcin, pain score, osteocyte proliferation, bone formation index, serum calcium, and phosphorus contents were compared between two groups. Results. The curative effect of bisphosphonic acid group was better than that of control group, and the difference was statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). Compared with the control group, the bone mineral density and osteocalcin in the bisphosphonic acid group were significantly improved after treatment, and the pain score in the bisphosphonic acid group was significantly lower than that in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). After intervention treatment, the OD and PINP values in the bisphosphonate group were significantly different from those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). After treatment, the contents of serum calcium and phosphorus in the bisphosphonic acid group were significantly higher than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). The incidence of hip fracture, spinal fracture, and other fractures in the bisphosphonic acid group was significantly lower than that in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. The treatment of DO with bisphosphonate is capability of effectively improving bone cell proliferation and bone formation, further alleviating clinical symptoms and promoting the improvement of the disease.
Biological Effects and Mechanisms of Caspases in Early Brain Injury after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Wu Yiwen , Liu Yuchun , Zhou Chenhui , Wu Yuefei , Sun Jie , Gao Xiang , Huang Yi
Published: July 2022

Caspases are an evolutionarily conserved family of proteases responsible for mediating and initiating cell death signals. In the past, the dysregulated activation of caspases was reported to play diverse but equally essential roles in neurodegenerative diseases, such as brain injury and neuroinflammatory diseases. A subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a traumatic event that is either immediately lethal or induces a high risk of stroke and neurological deficits. Currently, the prognosis of SAH after treatment is not ideal. Early brain injury (EBI) is considered one of the main factors contributing to the poor prognosis of SAH. The mechanisms of EBI are complex and associated with oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier disruption, and cell death. Based on mounting evidence, caspases are involved in neuronal apoptosis or death, endothelial cell apoptosis, and increased inflammatory cytokine-induced by apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis in the initial stages after SAH. Caspases can simultaneously mediate multiple death modes and regulate each other. Caspase inhibitors (including XIAP, VX-765, and Z-VAD-FMK) play an essential role in ameliorating EBI after SAH. In this review, we explore the related pathways mediated by caspases and their reciprocal regulation patterns after SAH. Furthermore, we focus on the extensive crosstalk of caspases as a potential area of research on therapeutic strategies for treating EBI after SAH.
Using a Random Forest Model to Study the Impact of Local Government‐Led Urbanization on Urban Sustainable Development
Authors: Peng Yixiao
Published: July 2022

Urbanization has accelerated China’s economic growth, but it has also brought many sustainability issues. This paper selected a random forest model to study the impact of local government‐led urbanization on urban sustainable development. Urbanization affected urban sustainable development through government revenue expansion, land resources mismatch, and industrial structure adjustment. The results showed that the adjustment of industrial structure has the greatest impact on urban sustainable development, and the importance of the average output of industrial enterprises confirms it. Government revenue expansion and land resources mismatch are more important to the sustainable development of representative urban agglomerations. The goodness of fit of the random forest model is better than the multiple linear regression (MLR) model and the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model. The generalization ability of the model is improved with the optimization of variables. The main contribution of this paper is that we have established a complete information dynamic game model on government revenue expansion, land resource mismatch, industrial structure adjustment, and urban sustainable development. And the random forest model is used to study the relationship between the above variables.