bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Main trends in digital transformation of passenger automobile transport
Authors: Bludyan N O
Published: July 2021

Digitalization has entered many areas of the economy and life. The transport industry has not become an exception and is actively moving into the era of digitalization. However, the use of modern technologies requires regulation and definition of common standards. Unmanned vehicles must comply with safety standards and be capable of functioning. The regulation must be synchronized with the appearance of drones. Digitalization is a complex of devices and software products that ensure the functioning of such vehicles. Software products (applications) entered the sphere of transportation by passenger taxis and buses, providing passengers with new mobility. Despite all the positive aspects of digitalization, it also brought some difficulties. Therefore, mutual deliberate and timely regulation of digital technologies in transport is required.
Kinematic and power characteristics of the elastic wheel while rolling with camber and convergence
Authors: Balabina T A , Karelina M Yu , Mamaev A N
Published: July 2021

Vehicles steering wheels are installed in such a way that the plane of the wheel makes a certain angle with vertical plane (so-called camber angle) and at the same time is located at an angle to machine movement direction (toe-slip angle). These angles result in lateral force, increased contact slip and increased wear on the wheel tread. In the article, from phenomena consideration occurring in the contact of an elastic wheel with a rigid base, kinematics and rolling mechanics issues of elastic wheels installed with camber and convergence are considered; dependences are derived that allow determining the wheel power and kinematic parameters, toe and camber angles optimal ratio from the point of view of reducing the wheel running track rolling resistance and wear is determined.
Problems of introducing capacitive fuel level sensors on city buses
Authors: Maksimov V A , Pozhivilov N V , Andrianov A E
Published: July 2021

This paper substantiates the need for a procedure for warming up buses in motor transport enterprises engaged in passenger transportation, and the procedure for its implementation. The necessity of regulation of fuel consumption for heating is determined. A comparative analysis of existing methods and means of measuring fuel consumption for use in the regulation of fuel consumption for heating in motor transport enterprises engaged in passenger transportation is carried out. A schematic diagram of a device of its own design based on a fuel level sensor for measuring fuel consumption for heating is proposed. Methodical recommendations on the regulation of fuel consumption for heating with the help of the device are given. The procedure for processing statistical data is described in detail. The process of standardizing fuel consumption for warming up the LiAZ-429260 bus at the State Unitary Enterprise “Mosgortrans” is described. The results of standardization of fuel consumption for heating are shown.
Theoretical aspects of assessing the residual engine oil resource
Authors: Laushkin A V , Khaziev A A
Published: July 2021

The article reflects issues related to changes in the properties of engine oil during operation. Proposals are considered for creating a methodology for assessing the residual resource of engine oil by the example of changing the kinematic viscosity. The operating conditions of cars vary greatly, which affects the change in the engine oil resource. Automotive manufacturers set the engine oil change interval in kilometers. The actual resource of the engine oil may differ significantly from that recommended by the manufacturer of the equipment and declared by the manufacturer of the oil. The article presents the factors that determine the resource of engine oil and theoretical aspects of assessing the residual resource of engine oil. To assess the residual life of the engine oil, it is proposed to select a diagnostic indicator that comprehensively evaluates the state of the operating oil, assign limit values for the diagnostic indicator, fix the values of the diagnostic indicator during daily maintenance of the car, replace the dependence by which the diagnostic indicator changes with an approximating straight line, determine the coefficients for the approximating direct based on the last and previous values of the diagnostic indicator and operating time, calculate the engine oil operating time to the limit state according to a linear relationship The results of testing and forecasting the residual resource of engine oil for a motor transport enterprise are presented. Calculations made it possible to establish that the frequency of engine oil change can be increased relative to that adopted at a motor transport company by 28.3%.
Application of digital modeling to determine design criteria for mobile frontal barriers
Authors: Mikheev P S , Karpov I A
Published: July 2021

The work is devoted to the issues of finite element modeling of mobile frontal barriers (MFB, truck mounted attenuators, mobile crash cushions), based on computer simulation of digital modeling of the behavior of elements in the MFB system, which includes a cover truck and a test vehicle designed to ensure the safety of road workers, when they are hit by cars in places of works on public roads that require temporary changes in the organization of traffic. It discusses various designs of trailer MFBs, the basic principles of damping devices, and defines the criteria for developing structures, based on digital mathematic modeling by the finite element method (FEM).
Comparative characteristics of wear resistance of electroplated copper coating and composite electrolytic coating obtained with use of lead bronze electroerosive materials
Authors: Ageev E V , Novikov A N , Karelina M Yu
Published: July 2021

This paper presents the results of a study of the elemental composition of dispersed particles obtained from Brs30 waste, as well as their morphology. Samples of metal products with applied copper composite coatings with the obtained particles were experimentally made and their physical and mechanical properties were studied. It is noted that samples with composite coatings based on copper obtained from an electrolyte suspension with the addition of dispersed particles of electroerosive lead bronze of the Brs30 brand have the best wear resistance.
Lower-Resolution Retrieval of Scenes in Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline
Authors: Ruiz-Rizzo Adriana L , Pruitt Patrick J , Finke Kathrin , Müller Hermann J , Damoiseaux Jessica S
Published: July 2021

Objective

Scenes with more perceptual detail can help detect subtle memory deficits more than scenes with less detail. Here, we investigated whether older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) show less brain activation and more memory deficits to scenes with more (vs. scenes with less) perceptual detail compared to controls (CON).

Method

In 37 healthy older adults (SCD: 16), we measured blood oxygenation level-dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging during encoding and behavioral performance during retrieval.

Results

During encoding, higher activation to scenes with more (vs. less) perceptual detail in the parahippocampal place area predicted better memory performance in SCD and CON. During retrieval, superior performance for new scenes with more (vs. less) perceptual detail was significantly more pronounced in CON than inSCD.

Conclusions

Together, these results suggest a present, but attenuated benefit from perceptual detail for memory retrieval in SCD. Memory complaints in SCD might, thus, refer to a decreased availability of perceptual detail of previously encoded stimuli.
Damage from intraspecific combat is costly
Authors: Emberts Zachary , Somjee Ummat , Wiens John J
Published: July 2021

When individuals engage in fights with conspecifics over access to resources, injuries can occur. Most theoretical models suggest that the costs associated with these injuries should influence an individual’s decision to retreat from a fight. Thus, damage from intraspecific combat is frequently noted and quantified. However, the fitness-related costs associated with this damage are not. Quantifying the cost of fighting-related damage is important because most theoretical models assume that it is the cost associated with the damage (not the damage itself) that should influence an individual’s decision to retreat. Here, we quantified the cost of fighting-related injuries in the giant mesquite bug, Thasus neocalifornicus. We demonstrate that experimentally simulated fighting injuries result in metabolic costs and costs to flight performance. We also show that flight costs are more severe when the injuries are larger. Overall, our results provide empirical support for the fundamental assumption that damage acquired during intraspecific combat is costly.
iDeepSubMito: identification of protein submitochondrial localization with deep learning
Authors: Hou Zilong , Yang Yuning , Li Hui , Wong Ka-chun , Li Xiangtao
Published: July 2021

Mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles containing over 1000 different proteins involved in mitochondrial function, gene expression and metabolic processes. Accurate localization of those proteins in the mitochondrial compartments is critical to their operation. A few computational methods have been developed for predicting submitochondrial localization from the protein sequences. Unfortunately, most of these computational methods focus on employing biological features or evolutionary information to extract sequence features, which greatly limits the performance of subsequent identification. Moreover, the efficiency of most computational models is still under explored, especially the deep learning feature, which is promising but requires improvement. To address these limitations, we propose a novel computational method called iDeepSubMito to predict the location of mitochondrial proteins to the submitochondrial compartments. First, we adopted a coding scheme using the ProteinELMo to model the probability distribution over the protein sequences and then represent the protein sequences as continuous vectors. Then, we proposed and implemented convolutional neural network architecture based on the bidirectional LSTM with self-attention mechanism, to effectively explore the contextual information and protein sequence semantic features. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed iDeepSubMito, we performed cross-validation on two datasets containing 424 proteins and 570 proteins respectively, and consisting of four different mitochondrial compartments (matrix, inner membrane, outer membrane and intermembrane regions). Experimental results revealed that our method outperformed other computational methods. In addition, we tested iDeepSubMito on the M187, M983 and MitoCarta3.0 to further verify the efficiency of our method. Finally, the motif analysis and the interpretability analysis were conducted to reveal novel insights into subcellular biological functions of mitochondrial proteins. iDeepSubMito source code is available on GitHub at https://github.com/houzl3416/iDeepSubMito.
Whole-exome sequencing reveals a role of HTRA1 and EGFL8 in brain white matter hyperintensities
Authors: Malik Rainer , Beaufort Nathalie , Frerich Simon , Gesierich Benno , Georgakis Marios K , Rannikmäe Kristiina , Ferguson Amy C , Haffner Christof , Traylor Matthew , Ehrmann Michael , Sudlow Cathie L M , Dichgans Martin
Published: July 2021

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are among the most common radiological abnormalities in the ageing population and an established risk factor for stroke and dementia. While common variant association studies have revealed multiple genetic loci with an influence on their volume, the contribution of rare variants to the WMH burden in the general population remains largely unexplored. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of this burden in the UK Biobank using publicly available whole-exome sequencing data (n up to 17 830) and found a splice-site variant in GBE1, encoding 1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzyme 1, to be associated with lower white matter burden on an exome-wide level [c.691+2T>C, β = −0.74, standard error (SE) = 0.13, P = 9.7 × 10−9].

Applying whole-exome gene-based burden tests, we found damaging missense and loss-of-function variants in HTRA1 (frequency of 1 in 275 in the UK Biobank population) to associate with an increased WMH volume (P = 5.5 × 10−6, false discovery rate = 0.04). HTRA1 encodes a secreted serine protease implicated in familial forms of small vessel disease. Domain-specific burden tests revealed that the association with WMH volume was restricted to rare variants in the protease domain (amino acids 204–364; β = 0.79, SE = 0.14, P = 9.4 × 10−8). The frequency of such variants in the UK Biobank population was 1 in 450. The WMH volume was brought forward by ∼11 years in carriers of a rare protease domain variant.

A comparison with the effect size of established risk factors for WMH burden revealed that the presence of a rare variant in the HTRA1 protease domain corresponded to a larger effect than meeting the criteria for hypertension (β = 0.26, SE = 0.02, P = 2.9 × 10−59) or being in the upper 99.8% percentile of the distribution of a polygenic risk score based on common genetic variants (β = 0.44, SE = 0.14, P = 0.002). In biochemical experiments, most (6/9) of the identified protease domain variants resulted in markedly reduced protease activity. We further found EGFL8, which showed suggestive evidence for association with WMH volume (P = 1.5 × 10−4, false discovery rate = 0.22) in gene burden tests, to be a direct substrate of HTRA1 and to be preferentially expressed in cerebral arterioles and arteries.

In a phenome-wide association study mapping ICD-10 diagnoses to 741 standardized Phecodes, rare variants in the HTRA1 protease domain were associated with multiple neurological and non-neurological conditions including migraine with aura (odds ratio = 12.24, 95%CI: 2.54–35.25; P = 8.3 × 10−5]. Collectively, these findings highlight an important role of rare genetic variation and the HTRA1 protease in determining WMH burden in the general population.
Keynes and Knight: risk-uncertainty distinctions, priority, coherence and change
Authors: O’Donnell Rod
Published: July 2021

Concerning the risk-uncertainty distinctions deployed by J.M. Keynes and F.H. Knight, this paper poses three questions. Historically, who has priority in introducing the distinction? Analytically, are both conceptions logically coherent? Temporally, did changes in viewpoint occur? Careful analysis leads to conclusions departing from conventional views.
The Role of Parental Wealth in Children’s Educational Pathways in Germany
Authors: Dräger Jascha
Published: July 2021

In this article, I evaluate whether educational attainment in Germany is stratified by parental wealth and at which transitions stratification emerges. I propose a four-stage model to capture the emergence of stratification in the German education system, which is characterized by early between-school tracking: (i) transition to the tracked secondary school, (ii) attended track in the last year of mandatory schooling, (iii) highest school-leaving certificate, and (iv) transition to vocational or tertiary education. Results suggest that stratification by parental wealth emerges at all four stages, and, therefore, accumulates over the stages. Children living in wealthy households are 20 per cent more likely to attend the highest track in fifth grade and to obtain the highest school-leaving certificate and are 40 per cent more likely to enroll in tertiary education compared to children at the bottom of the wealth distribution. Furthermore, parental wealth seems to be particularly effective in preventing negative outcomes like leaving school without a certificate or not finding a fully qualifying vocational training. Among those who do not obtain the formal requirements to enroll in tertiary education, those with wealthy parents are more likely to start dual vocational training.
Do Grandfathers Matter for Occupational and Earnings Attainment? Evidence from Swedish Register Data
Authors: Helgertz Jonas , Dribe Martin
Published: July 2021

A growing empirical and theoretical literature has investigated to what extent socioeconomic inequalities are influenced by the outcomes and characteristics of ancestors prior to the parental generation. This study contributes by examining multigenerational associations of adulthood earnings and occupational status in the entire Swedish population of boys and girls born 1968–1976, amounting to almost 400,000 three-generation lineages. The study population is followed until 2011, examining to which extent the strength of the grandfather–grandchild association depends on a set of characteristics describing the nature of the multigenerational relationship. More specifically, we investigate to what extent the transmission of attainment is influenced by the degree of overlapping lifespans, residential proximity, and competition for grandparental resources. While a robust multigenerational association exists net of the association between the attainment of parents and children, we do not find any support for the hypotheses that the strength of the association depends on neither the degree of social interaction between generations, nor on the number of siblings and cousins competing for grandparental resources.
A Eukaryote-Wide Perspective on the Diversity and Evolution of the ARF GTPase Protein Family
Authors: Vargová Romana , Wideman Jeremy G , Derelle Romain , Klimeš Vladimír , Kahn Richard A , Dacks Joel B , Eliáš Marek
Published: July 2021

The evolution of eukaryotic cellular complexity is interwoven with the extensive diversification of many protein families. One key family is the ARF GTPases that act in eukaryote-specific processes, including membrane traffic, tubulin assembly, actin dynamics, and cilia-related functions. Unfortunately, our understanding of the evolution of this family is limited. Sampling an extensive set of available genome and transcriptome sequences, we have assembled a data set of over 2,000 manually curated ARF family genes from 114 eukaryotic species, including many deeply diverged protist lineages, and carried out comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analyses. These reconstructed as many as 16 ARF family members present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor, nearly doubling the previously inferred ancient system complexity. Evidence for the wide occurrence and ancestral origin of Arf6, Arl13, and Arl16 is presented for the first time. Moreover, Arl17, Arl18, and SarB, newly described here, are absent from well-studied model organisms and as a result their function(s) remain unknown. Analyses of our data set revealed a previously unsuspected diversity of membrane association modes and domain architectures within the ARF family. We detail the step-wise expansion of the ARF family in the metazoan lineage, including discovery of several new animal-specific family members. Delving back to its earliest evolution in eukaryotes, the resolved relationship observed between the ARF family paralogs sets boundaries for scenarios of vesicle coat origins during eukaryogenesis. Altogether, our work fundamentally broadens the understanding of the diversity and evolution of a protein family underpinning the structural and functional complexity of the eukaryote cells.
Diploidy within a Haploid Genus of Entomopathogenic Fungi
Authors: Nielsen Knud Nor , Salgado João Felipe Moreira , Natsopoulou Myrsini Eirini , Kristensen Thea , Stajich Jason E , De Fine Licht Henrik H
Published: July 2021

Fungi in the genus Metarhizium are soil-borne plant–root endophytes and rhizosphere colonizers, but also potent insect pathogens with highly variable host ranges. These ascomycete fungi are predominantly asexually reproducing and ancestrally haploid, but two independent origins of persistent diploidy within the Coleoptera-infecting Metarhizium majus species complex are known and has been attributed to incomplete chromosomal segregation following meiosis during the sexual cycle. There is also evidence for infrequent sexual cycles in the locust-specific pathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), which is an important entomopathogenic biocontrol agent used for the control of grasshoppers in agricultural systems as an alternative to chemical control. Here, we show that the genome of the M. acridum isolate ARSEF 324, which is formulated and commercially utilized is functionally diploid. We used single-molecule real-time sequencing technology to complete a high-quality assembly of ARSEF 324. K-mer frequencies, intragenomic collinearity between contigs and single nucleotide variant read depths across the genome revealed the first incidence of diploidy described within the species M. acridum. The haploid assembly of 44.7 Mb consisted of 20.8% repetitive elements, which is the highest proportion described of any Metarhizium species. The long-read diploid genome assembly sheds light on past research on this strain, such as unusual high UVB tolerance. The data presented here could fuel future investigation into the fitness landscape of fungi with infrequent sexual reproduction and aberrant ploidy levels, not least in the context of biocontrol agents.
Comparative Transcriptomics Reveals Distinct Patterns of Gene Expression Conservation through Vertebrate Embryogenesis
Authors: Chan Megan E , Bhamidipati Pranav S , Goldsby Heather J , Hintze Arend , Hofmann Hans A , Young Rebecca L
Published: July 2021

Despite life’s diversity, studies of variation often remind us of our shared evolutionary past. Abundant genome sequencing and analyses of gene regulatory networks illustrate that genes and entire pathways are conserved, reused, and elaborated in the evolution of diversity. Predating these discoveries, 19th-century embryologists observed that though morphology at birth varies tremendously, certain stages of vertebrate embryogenesis appear remarkably similar across vertebrates. In the mid to late 20th century, anatomical variability of early and late-stage embryos and conservation of mid-stages embryos (the “phylotypic” stage) was named the hourglass model of diversification. This model has found mixed support in recent analyses comparing gene expression across species possibly owing to differences in species, embryonic stages, and gene sets compared. We compare 186 microarray and RNA-seq data sets covering embryogenesis in six vertebrate species. We use an unbiased clustering approach to group stages of embryogenesis by transcriptomic similarity and ask whether gene expression similarity of clustered embryonic stages deviates from a null expectation. We characterize expression conservation patterns of each gene at each evolutionary node after correcting for phylogenetic nonindependence. We find significant enrichment of genes exhibiting early conservation, hourglass, late conservation patterns in both microarray and RNA-seq data sets. Enrichment of genes showing patterned conservation through embryogenesis indicates diversification of embryogenesis may be temporally constrained. However, the circumstances under which each pattern emerges remain unknown and require both broad evolutionary sampling and systematic examination of embryogenesis across species.
Efficient goal-oriented mesh refinement in 3-D finite-element modelling adapted for controlled source electromagnetic surveys
Authors: Rulff Paula , Buntin Laura M , Kalscheuer Thomas
Published: July 2021

We developed a 3-D forward modelling code, which simulates controlled source electromagnetic problems in frequency domain using edge-based finite elements and a total electric field approach. To evaluate electromagnetic data acquired across complex subsurface structures, software performing accurate 3-D modelling is required, especially for incorporation in inversion approaches. Our modelling code aims at finding a good compromise between the necessary solution accuracy at the points of interest and the general problem size by using a goal-oriented mesh refinement strategy designed for models of variable electric conductivity and magnetic permeability. To formulate an improved error estimator suitable for controlled source electromagnetic problems, we developed literature approaches of mesh refinement further targeting three aspects. First, to generate a roughly homogeneously fine mesh discretization around all receiver sites, our new error estimator weights the adjoint source term by the approximate decay of the electric field with increasing distance from the primal source using the expression for a homogeneous half-space. This causes almost no additional computational cost. Second, the error estimator employed in the refinement approach can be optimized for models with pronounced conductivity and magnetic permeability contrasts as often encountered in, for example, mineral prospecting scenarios by optionally including terms that measure the continuity of the normal component of current flow and the tangential component of the magnetic field across interfaces of abutting elements. Third, to avoid amplitude-dependent over-refining of the mesh, we formulate our element-wise error estimators relative to the local amplitude of the electromagnetic field. In this work, we evaluate the implemented adaptive mesh refinement approach and its solution accuracy comparing our solutions for simple 1-D models and a model with 3-D anomalies to semi-analytic 1-D solutions and a second-order finite-element code, respectively. Furthermore, a feasibility study for controlled-source electromagnetic measurements across ferrous mineral deposits is conducted. The numerical experiments demonstrate that our new refinement procedure generates problem-specific finite-element meshes and yields accurate solutions for both simple synthetic models and realistic survey scenarios. Especially for the latter, characteristics of our code, such as the possibility of modelling extended sources as well as including arbitrary receiver distributions and detailed subsurface anomalies, are beneficial.
The SWI/SNF complex regulates the expression of miR-222, a tumor suppressor microRNA in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Peinado Paola , Andrades Alvaro , Martorell-Marugán Jordi , Haswell Jeffrey R , Slack Frank J , Carmona-Sáez Pedro , Medina Pedro P
Published: July 2021

SWitch/Sucrose Non-Fermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complexes are key epigenetic regulators that are recurrently mutated in cancer. Most studies of these complexes are focused on their role in regulating protein-coding genes. However, here, we show that SWI/SNF complexes control the expression of microRNAs. We used a SMARCA4-deficient model of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) to track changes in the miRNome upon SMARCA4 restoration. We found that SMARCA4-SWI/SNF complexes induced significant changes in the expression of cancer-related microRNAs. The most significantly dysregulated microRNA was miR-222, whose expression was promoted by SMARCA4-SWI/SNF complexes, but not by SMARCA2-SWI/SNF complexes via their direct binding to a miR-222 enhancer region. Importantly, miR-222 expression decreased cell viability, phenocopying the tumor suppressor role of SMARCA4-SWI/SNF complexes in LUAD. Finally, we showed that the miR-222 enhancer region resides in a topologically associating domain that does not contain any cancer-related protein-coding genes, suggesting that miR-222 may be involved in exerting the tumor suppressor role of SMARCA4. Overall, this study highlights the relevant role of the SWI/SNF complex in regulating the non-coding genome, opening new insights into the pathogenesis of LUAD.
New insights into the evolution of human Y chromosome palindromes through mutation and gene conversion
Authors: Bonito Maria , D’Atanasio Eugenia , Ravasini Francesco , Cariati Selene , Finocchio Andrea , Novelletto Andrea , Trombetta Beniamino , Cruciani Fulvio
Published: July 2021

About one-quarter of the euchromatic portion of the male-specific region of the human Y chromosome consists of large duplicated sequences that are organized in eight palindromes (termed P1–P8), which undergo arm-to arm gene conversion, a proposed mechanism for maintaining their sequence integrity. Although the relevance of gene conversion in the evolution of palindromic sequences has been profoundly recognized, the dynamic of this mechanism is still nuanced. To shed light into the evolution of these genomic elements, we performed a high-depth (50×) targeted next-generation sequencing of the palindrome P6 in 157 subjects belonging to the most divergent evolutionary lineages of the Y chromosome. We found 118 new paralogous sequence variants, which were placed into the context of a robust Y chromosome phylogeny based on 7240 SNPs of the X-degenerate region. We mapped along the phylogeny 80 gene conversion events that shaped the diversity of P6 arms during recent human history. In contrast to previous studies, we demonstrated that arm-to-arm gene conversion, which occurs at a rate of 6.01 × 10 −6 conversions/base/year, is not biased toward the retention of the ancestral state of sequences. We also found a significantly lower mutation rate of the arms (6.18 × 10−10 mutations/base/year) compared with the spacer (9.16 × 10−10 mutations/base/year), a finding that may explain the observed higher inter-species conservation of arms, without invoking any bias of conversion. Finally, by formally testing the mutation/conversion balance in P6, we found that the arms of this palindrome reached a steady-state equilibrium between mutation and gene conversion.
Molecular phenotyping and functional assessment of smooth muscle-like cells with pathogenic variants in aneurysm genes ACTA2, MYH11, SMAD3 and FBN1
Authors: Burger Joyce , Bogunovic Natalija , de Wagenaar Nathalie P , Liu Hui , van Vliet Nicole , IJpma Arne , Maugeri Alessandra , Micha Dimitra , Verhagen Hence J M , ten Hagen Timo L M , Majoor-Krakauer Danielle , van der Pluijm Ingrid , Essers Jeroen , Yeung Kak K
Published: July 2021

Aortic aneurysms (AAs) are pathological dilatations of the aorta. Pathogenic variants in genes encoding for proteins of the contractile machinery of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), genes encoding proteins of the transforming growth factor beta signaling pathway and extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis play a role in the weakening of the aortic wall. These variants affect the functioning of VSMC, the predominant cell type in the aorta. Many variants have unknown clinical significance, with unknown consequences on VSMC function and AA development. Our goal was to develop functional assays that show the effects of pathogenic variants in aneurysm-related genes. We used a previously developed fibroblast transdifferentiation protocol to induce VSMC-like cells, which are used for all assays. We compared transdifferentiated VSMC-like cells of patients with a pathogenic variant in genes encoding for components of VSMC contraction (ACTA2, MYH11), transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling (SMAD3) and a dominant negative (DN) and two haploinsufficient variants in the ECM elastic laminae (FBN1) to those of healthy controls. The transdifferentiation efficiency, structural integrity of the cytoskeleton, TGFβ signaling profile, migration velocity and maximum contraction were measured. Transdifferentiation efficiency was strongly reduced in SMAD3 and FBN1 DN patients. ACTA2 and FBN1 DN cells showed a decrease in SMAD2 phosphorylation. Migration velocity was impaired for ACTA2 and MYH11 cells. ACTA2 cells showed reduced contractility. In conclusion, these assays for showing effects of pathogenic variants may be promising tools to help reclassification of variants of unknown clinical significance in AA-related genes.
Percutaneous venopulmonary artery extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for right heart failure after left ventricular assist device insertion
Authors: Joshi Yashutosh , Bories Marie-Cecile , Aissaoui Nadia , Grinda Jean-Michel , Bel Alain , Latremouille Christian , Jouan Jérôme
Published: July 2021

OBJECTIVES

Right ventricular failure after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) insertion is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Mechanical support options include right ventricular assist devices, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and venopulmonary artery ECMO, the latter often involving central cannulation. We sought to evaluate the feasibility and early outcomes of a truly percutaneous venopulmonary artery (pVPA) ECMO strategy, with the potential advantage of bedside removal once weaned.

METHODS

Data from a single tertiary centre were reviewed retrospectively from January 2014 to January 2019. During this time, 54 patients underwent LVAD insertion, with 19 requiring mechanical support for right ventricular failure. Among them, 10 patients received pVPA ECMO. Implantation of the pVPA ECMO was performed under transoesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscopy guidance, with an inflow cannula placed in the right atrium via the right femoral vein and an outflow cannula placed in the left pulmonary artery (PA) via the right internal jugular vein.

RESULTS

Cannula insertion was 100% successful with no need for repositioning. Eight patients (80%) were able to be successfully weaned (at the bedside); 6 were discharged from the hospital and there were no cases of early sepsis, mediastinitis or thromboembolism. At follow-up, 5 patients had received transplants (50%), with 1 on LVAD support as destination therapy (10%). Survival was 60 ± 15% and 50 ± 16% at 6 and 12 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

pVPA ECMO is 100% technically feasible and is an efficient method for temporary right ventricular support after LVAD insertion with the advantage of simple bedside removal and avoidance of a PA graft remnant in the chest cavity.
Development of the School-Aged Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (SA-LIBRE5–12) Profile: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Rencken Camerin A , Rodríguez-Mercedes Silvanys L , Patel Khushbu F , Grant Gabrielle G , Kinney Erin M , Sheridan Robert L , Brady Keri J S , Palmieri Tina L , Warner Petra M , Fabia Renata B , Schneider Jeffrey C , Stoddard Frederick J , Kazis Lewis E , Ryan Colleen M
Published: July 2021

Pediatric burn injuries can alter the trajectory of the survivor’s entire life. Patient-centered outcome measures are helpful to assess unique physical and psychosocial needs and long-term recovery. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework to measure pediatric burn outcomes in survivors aged 5 to 12 years as a part of the School-Aged Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation Computer Adaptive Test (SA-LIBRE5–12 CAT) development. This study conducted a systematic literature review guided by the WHO International Classification of Functioning—Child and Youth and domains in the American Burn Association/Shriners Hospitals for Children Burn Outcomes Questionnaire5–18. Interviews with eight parents and seven clinicians were conducted to identify important domains in child recovery. One clinician focus group with four clinicians was completed to identify gaps in the preliminary framework, and semiweekly expert consensus meetings were conducted with three experts to solidify the framework. Qualitative data were analyzed by grounded theory methodology. Three major thematic outcome domains emerged: 1) Physical Functioning: fine motor and upper extremity, gross motor and lower extremity, pain, skin symptoms, sleep and fatigue, and physical resilience; 2) Psychological Functioning: cognitive, behavioral, emotional, resilience, and body image; and 3) Family and Social Functioning: family relationships, and parental satisfaction, school, peer relations, and community participation. The framework will be used to develop item banks for a CAT-based assessment of school-aged children’s health and developmental outcomes, which will be designed for clinical and research use to optimize interventions, personalize care, and improve long-term health outcomes for burned children.
Molecular Breast Imaging: A Scientific Review
Authors: Hunt Katie N
Published: July 2021

Molecular breast imaging (MBI) is a nuclear medicine technique that has evolved considerably over the past two decades. Technical advances have allowed reductions in administered doses to the point that they are now acceptable for screening. The most common radiotracer used in MBI, 99mTc-sestamibi, has a long history of safe use. Biopsy capability has become available in recent years, with early clinical experience demonstrating technically successful biopsies of MBI-detected lesions. MBI has been shown to be an effective supplemental screening tool in women with dense breasts and is also utilized for breast cancer staging, assessment of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, problem solving, and as an alternative to breast MRI in women who have a contraindication to MRI. The degree of background parenchymal uptake on MBI shows promise as a tool for breast cancer risk stratification. Radiologist interpretation is guided by a validated MBI lexicon that mirrors the BI-RADS lexicon. With short interpretation times, a fast learning curve for radiologists, and a substantially lower cost than breast MRI, MBI provides many benefits in the practices in which it is utilized. This review will discuss the current state of MBI technology, clinical applications of MBI, MBI interpretation, radiation dose associated with MBI, and the future of MBI.
Slacking with the Bot: Programmable Social Bot in Virtual Team Interaction
Authors: Laitinen Kaisa , Laaksonen Salla-Maaria , Koivula Minna
Published: July 2021

Nonhuman communicators are challenging the prevailing conceptualizations of technology-mediated team communication. Slackbot is a social bot that can be configured to respond to trigger words and, thus, take part in discussions on the platform. A set of 84 bot-related communication episodes were identified from a journalistic team’s Slack messages (N = 45,940) and analyzed utilizing both qualitative content analysis and interaction process analysis (IPA). This integrated mixed-methods analysis revealed novel insights into the micro-level dynamics of human–machine communication in organizational teams. In response to Slackbot’s greetings, acclamations, work-related messages, and relational messages, we identified how the team members respond to the bot, discuss it, and summon it to appear on the platform. Further, the IPA revealed that the bot-related communication episodes are shaped by the bot’s responses toward more socioemotional and personal functions. Findings suggest that a team-configured social bot can manifest and facilitate relational team communication.
Intergenerational Redistributive Effects of Monetary Policy
Authors: Bielecki Marcin , Brzoza-Brzezina Michał , Kolasa Marcin
Published: July 2021

This paper investigates the distributional consequences of monetary policy across generations. We use a life-cycle model with a rich asset structure as well as nominal and real rigidities, calibrated to the euro area using both macroeconomic aggregates and microeconomic evidence from the Household Finance and Consumption Survey. Life-cycle considerations allow to demonstrate the key role of maturing assets (in contrast to balance sheet holdings) for properly assessing the redistributive effects of monetary policy. The redistribution is mainly driven by nominal assets and labor income, less by real financial assets and housing. Overall, we find that a typical monetary policy easing redistributes welfare from older to younger generations, and decreases net worth inequality associated with life-cycle motives.
The use of bevacizumab is correlated with improved post-progression survival in advanced recurrent ovarian cancer
Authors: Yanazume Shintaro , Ushiwaka Takashi , Fukuda Mika , Togami Shinichi , Kamio Masaki , Kobayashi Hiroaki
Published: July 2021

Background

The recent improvements in anti-cancer therapy following first-line treatment can potentially impact post-progression survival. We evaluated the factors that influence post-progression survival in advanced recurrent ovarian cancer.

Methods

Eighty-nine patients who underwent first-line treatment between June 2005 and December 2017 were included. The post-progression survival was defined as the difference between overall survival and initial progression-free survival. The effects of age, histology, stage, optimal surgery, secondary debulking surgery, bevacizumab administration, platinum sensitivity, and olaparib maintenance in recurrence were compared and independent risk factors were determined.

Results

The median follow-up duration was 60.0 months (range: 2–181). Platinum-sensitive recurrence had longer post-progression survival than platinum-resistant (P < 0.001). Inclusion of bevacizumab in first-line treatment did not produce a significant difference in post-progression survival (P = 0.462). Secondary debulking surgery (P = 0.013), bevacizumab administration (P < 0.001), and olaparib maintenance (P = 0.001) during recurrence increased post-progression survival. In multivariate analysis, histologies other than serous or endometrioid (hazard ratio = 2.389; 95% confidence interval = 1.200–4.754; P = 0.013) and non-bevacizumab usage in recurrence (hazard ratio = 4.484; 95% confidence interval = 1.939–10.370; P < 0.001) were independently correlated with poorer prognosis. Bevacizumab administration beyond progressive disease elicited improved post-progression survival (P < 0.001). In patients receiving bevacizumab in first-line treatment, exclusion of bevacizumab in the recurrent therapy (hazard ratio = 5.507; 95% confidence interval = 2.301–12.124; P < 0.001) was independently correlated with poorer prognosis.

Conclusions

The continuous use of bevacizumab beyond progressive disease improves post-progression survival suggesting its important role in first-line and recurrence treatment for ovarian cancer.
Sociodemographic Factors in Combat Compensation Seekers for Delayed-Onset PTSD
Authors: Peraica Tina , Kovačić Petrović Zrnka , Blažev Mirta , Blažev Divna , Kozarić-Kovačić Dragica
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Sociodemographic factors can sometimes be more contributory in relation to war-related stress-induced disorder treatment and compensation-seeking than health-related factors. However, their impact is often overlooked. This study explores a relationship between sociodemographic factors and diagnoses of combat-related stress-induced disorders in combat compensation seekers for delayed-onset PTSD (DOPTSD).

Materials and Methods

Between June 2002 and August 2004, at the Regional Centre for Psychotrauma Zagreb, University Hospital Dubrava, the expert team evaluated subjects to diagnose DOPTSD and other comorbid illnesses. The study included 831 war veterans who experienced combat stress during the 1991-1995 Croatian war. They were subjects of psychiatric treatments before applying for compensation. The researchers derived results from data collected during the expert evaluation for compensation seeking, which included a structured diagnostic procedure. The diagnostic procedure included structured clinical interviews that also provided sociodemographic (age, sex, education, employment, marital status, number of children, and place of residence) and other data (heredity, medical history of physical and mental disorders, history of social functioning, combat-related and post-traumatic experiences, symptoms, their duration, intensity, and treatment). After the interview, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, the Clinician-Administrated PTSD Scale, and the Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD were applied. Final diagnoses of a lifetime or current PTSD and stress-related disorders according to the ICD-10 were established after fulfilling psychiatric and psychometric criteria. Multiple logistic regression determined independent contributions of sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, education, employment and marital status, and parental status), war (duty duration and physical disabilities from combat injuries), and post-war experiences (outpatient treatment duration and the number of hospitalizations) in predicting compensation eligibility.

Results

Better-educated combat compensation seekers were 2.23 times more likely to have eligible psychiatric diagnoses. Furthermore, married veterans were 2.22 times more likely to have eligible diagnoses than single compensation seekers. Likewise, hospitalization status was a risk factor concerning post-war experiences for eligible psychiatric diagnoses.

Conclusion

Marriage and higher education are accounted for longer DOPTSD in the group of combat compensation seekers with diagnoses eligible for compensation as a protective factor. A higher number of hospitalizations was also predictive because of more severe PTSD symptomatology as a risk factor. Higher education, marriage, and the higher number of the hospitalizations contributing to war-related DOPTSD diagnoses eligible for compensation.
Black holes and WIMPs: all or nothing or something else
Authors: Carr Bernard , Kühnel Florian , Visinelli Luca
Published: July 2021

We consider constraints on primordial black holes (PBHs) in the mass range $(10^{-18}\!-\!10^{15})\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ if the dark matter (DM) comprises weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) that form haloes around them and generate γ-rays by annihilations. We first study the formation of the haloes and find that their density profile prior to WIMP annihilations evolves to a characteristic power-law form. Because of the wide range of PBH masses considered, our analysis forges an interesting link between previous approaches to this problem. We then consider the effect of the WIMP annihilations on the halo profile and the associated generation of γ-rays. The observed extragalactic γ-ray background implies that the PBH DM fraction is $f^{}_{\rm PBH} \lesssim 2 \times 10^{-9}\, (m_{\chi } / {\rm TeV})^{1.1}$ in the mass range $2 \times 10^{-12}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }\, (m_{\chi } / {\rm TeV})^{-3.2} \lesssim M \lesssim 5 \times 10^{12}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }\, (m_{\chi } / {\rm TeV})^{1.1}$, where mχ and M are the WIMP and PBH masses, respectively. This limit is independent of M and therefore applies for any PBH mass function. For $M \lesssim 2\times 10^{-12}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }\, (m_{\chi }/ {\rm TeV})^{-3.2}$, the constraint on $f^{}_{\rm PBH}$ is a decreasing function of M and PBHs could still make a significant DM contribution at very low masses. We also consider constraints on WIMPs if the DM is mostly PBHs. If the merging black holes recently discovered by LIGO/Virgo are of primordial origin, this would rule out the standard WIMP DM scenario. More generally, the WIMP DM fraction cannot exceed 10−4 for $M \gt 10^{-9}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ and $m_{\chi } \gt 10\,$ GeV. There is a region of parameter space, with $M \lesssim 10^{-11}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ and $m_{\chi } \lesssim 100\,$ GeV, in which WIMPs and PBHs can both provide some but not all of the DM, so that one requires a third DM candidate.