bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epitranscriptomic
N
6
-Methyladenosine Profile of SARS-CoV-2-Infected Human Lung Epithelial Cells
Authors: Phillips Stacia , Mishra Tarun , Khadka Shaubhagya , Bohan Dana , Espada Constanza E. , Maury Wendy , Wu Li
Published: January 2023

Posttranscriptional modification of viral and cellular RNA by
N
6
-methyladenosine (m
6
A) plays an important role in regulating the replication of many viruses and the cellular immune response to infection. We therefore sought to define the epitranscriptomic m
6
A profile of human lung epithelial cells infected with SARS-CoV-2.
Supplemental Material: Frenchman Mountain Dolostone: A new formation of the Cambrian Tonto Group, Grand Canyon and Basin and Range, USA
Authors: Rowland S.M. , al. et
Published: January 2023

Figure S1: Detailed stratigraphic column of stratotype. Figure S2: Carbon and oxygen isotope data plotted stratigraphically and also graphed against each other. Table S1: Table of carbon and oxygen isotope data. 
Gram-negative bacillary meningitis in an immunocompetent adult
Authors: Ray Aniruddha , Basu Satyaki , Das Souradeep , Chandra Atanu
Published: January 2023

Escherichia coliis a rare cause of community-acquired meningitis comprising about 1% of adult cases. However, it is a common pathogen in neonatal meningitis and in nosocomial setting (especially after penetrating craniocerebral injury or subsequent to neurosurgical procedures). We report a middle-aged woman, who was admitted with features of acute meningitis and subsequent investigations revealedE. coligrowth in cerebrospinal fluid culture. The case is distinctive as no additional predisposing risk factors associated with gram-negative bacillary meningitis (traumatic brain injury, neurosurgical procedures, malignancy, immunosuppressive therapy, HIV infection, chronic alcoholism and diabetes) were present. She was treated with intravenous antibiotics as per sensitivity reports and discharged in clinically stable condition, without any residual neurological deficit.
Presentation of Graves’ orbitopathy within European Group On Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) centres from 2012 to 2019 (PREGO III)
Authors: Schuh Anna , Ayvaz Goksun , Baldeschi Lelio , Baretić Maja , Bechtold Dorte , Boschi Antonella , Brix Thomas Heiberg , Burlacu Maria-Cristina , Ciric Jasmina , Covelli Danila , Currò Nicola , Donati Simone , Eckstein Anja K , Fichter Nicole , Führer Dagmar , Horn Maren , Jabłońska-Pawlak Anna , Juri Mandić Jelena , Kahaly George J , Konuk Onur , Langbein Amelie , Lanzolla Giulia , Marcocci Claudio , Marinò Michele , Miśkiewicz Piotr , Beleslin Biljana Nedeljkovic , Pérez-Lázaro Antonia , Pérez-López Marta , Ponto Katharina A , Quinn Anthony , Rudofsky Gottfried , Salvi Mario , Schittkowski Michael P , Tanda Maria Laura , Toruner Fusun , Vaidya Bijay , Hintschich Christoph R
Published: January 2023

Background

Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) is subject to epidemiological and care-related changes. Aim of the survey was to identify trends in presentation of GO to the European Group On Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) tertiary referral centres and initial management over time.

Methods

Prospective observational multicentre study. All new referrals with diagnosis of GO within September–December 2019 were included. Clinical and demographic characteristics, referral timelines and initial therapeutic decisions were recorded. Data were compared with a similar EUGOGO survey performed in 2012.

Results

Besides age (mean age: 50.5±13 years vs 47.7±14 years; p 0.007), demographic characteristics of 432 patients studied in 2019 were similar to those in 2012. In 2019, there was a decrease of severe cases (9.8% vs 14.9; p<0.001), but no significant change in proportion of active cases (41.3% vs 36.6%; p 0.217). After first diagnosis of GO, median referral time to an EUGOGO tertiary centre was shorter (2 (0–350) vs 6 (0–552) months; p<0.001) in 2019. At the time of first visit, more patients were already on antithyroid medications (80.2% vs 45.0%; p<0.001) or selenium (22.3% vs 3.0%; p<0.001). In 2019, the initial management plans for GO were similar to 2012, except for lid surgery (2.4% vs 13.9%; p<0.001) and prescription of selenium (28.5% vs 21.0%; p 0.027).

Conclusion

GO patients are referred to tertiary EUGOGO centres in a less severe stage of the disease than before. We speculate that this might be linked to a broader awareness of the disease and faster and adequate delivered treatment.
Antibiotic use as a risk factor for inflammatory bowel disease across the ages: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Faye Adam S , Allin Kristine Højgaard , Iversen Aske T , Agrawal Manasi , Faith Jeremiah , Colombel Jean-Frederic , Jess Tine
Published: January 2023

Background

There is an increasing incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for which environmental factors are suspected. Antibiotics have been associated with development of IBD in earlier generations, but their influence on IBD risk in adults is uncertain.

Objective

To assess the impact of antibiotic exposure, including dose–response, timing and antibiotic class, on the risk of IBD in all individuals aged ≥10 years.

Design

Using Denmark nationwide registries, a population-based cohort of residents aged ≥10 years was established between 2000 and 2018. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for IBD following antibiotic exposure were calculated using Poisson regression.

Results

There were a total of 6 104 245 individuals, resulting in 87 112 328 person-years of follow-up, and 52 898 new cases of IBD. Antibiotic exposure was associated with an increased risk of IBD as compared with no antibiotic exposure for all age groups, although was greatest among individuals aged 40–60 years and ≥60 years (age 10–40 years, IRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.32; age 40–60 years, IRR 1.48, 95% CI 1.43 to 1.54; age ≥60 years, IRR 1.47, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.53). For all age groups a positive dose–response was observed, with similar results seen for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The highest risk of developing IBD was seen 1–2 years after antibiotic exposure, and after use of antibiotic classes often prescribed to treat gastrointestinal pathogens.

Conclusion

Antibiotic exposure is associated with an increased risk of IBD, and was highest among individuals aged 40 years and older. This risk increased with cumulative antibiotic exposure, with antibiotics targeting gastrointestinal pathogens and within 1–2 years after antibiotic exposure.
Numerical implementation and application of an internal state variable model to analyze the time-dependent behavior of mining excavations in rock salt
Authors: Aubertin Jonathan D. , Aubertin Michel , Jahanbakhshzadeh Abtin
Published: January 2023

The geomechanical behavior of rock salt has been investigated extensively over the years. Experimental studies have identified distinctive features associated with nonlinear inelastic response that shows strong time and loading history dependencies. In this paper, a relatively simple constitutive model is presented and implemented into the numerical code FLAC, and then applied to analyze the time-dependent behavior of excavations in salt mines. The unified creep-plasticity model includes an internal state variable (ISV) with an evolution law that induces progressive strain hardening (SH) until a steady state is reached. Numerical analyses are performed with the proposed ISV–SH model to evaluate material parameters, based on creep test results on natural rock salt, and to simulate the response of a circular opening and of rectangular mining excavations created in sequence. The results are analysed and compared with those obtained with the well-known Norton power law equation, commonly used in salt mine engineering. The time-dependent calculation results illustrate key aspects of rock salt behavior and highlight the major influence of transient inelastic behavior and stress redistribution on the response of underground openings. The proposed modelling approach constitutes an advantageous alternative to analyses based on stationary creep laws, often used in rock salt mining operations.
An analytical approach of finding out the equilibrium scour depth at a cylindrical pier when the current is making an angle with the wave
Authors: Gazi Ainal Hoque
Published: January 2023

The present work describes the development of a mathematical model for the evaluation of the equilibrium scour depth around a single cylindrical pier under the influence of co-existing waves and current. The presented equation includes the effect of the Keulegan–Carpenter number and Froude number on the formation of scour hole. The principle of energy balance is used to form a nonlinear equation of scour, where the energy of incoming flow when collided with the pier is equated with the weight of the sediments moving away from the vicinity of the pier to establish an equilibrium scour depth. An effort has been made to capture the nature of the flow along x-, y-, and z-directions when the current is inclined at an angle θ with the direction of progress of the wave. Further, the scour profile chosen can incorporate any shape and size of the scour hole. The model has been tested against published experimental data pertaining to two cases, namely when the waves are following the current and when the waves are traveling normal to the current. Here, only linear wave is considered while deriving the equation.
Late Paleoarchean to Neoarchean sedimentation on the Singhbhum Craton, eastern India: a synthesis
Authors: De Shuvabrata , Mazumder Rajat , Chaudhuri Trisrota , Bauer Wilfried
Published: January 2023

Subaerial rise of Earth's first continents took place 3.3–3.2 Ga years ago. This had significant influence on the ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere. Two important sedimentological consequences of continental emersion were (1) development of terrestrial (alluvial fan–fluvial–aeolian) depositional systems and (2) formation of shallow-marine sedimentary basins near the continental margin. Late Paleoarchean–Neoarchean terrestrial deposits, including development of an extensive paleosol around 3.2 Ga, and Meso–Neoarchean shallow-marine deposits have been reported from the Singhbhum Craton, eastern India from several localities. However, lateral and vertical changes in sedimentary facies associations and stratigraphic correlation between these terrestrial to shallow-marine sedimentary deposits have not yet been investigated. In this paper, we have reviewed the sedimentological characteristics of Late Paleoarchean to Neoarchean (3.2–2.8 Ga) stratigraphic successions of the Singhbhum Craton and have discussed sea level change and mode of stratigraphic sequence building. Our analysis shows that Singhbhum granitoid complex was emplaced around 3.3 Ga in an intracontinental setting, resulting in high continental freeboard conditions that triggered terrestrial (alluvial fan–braided fluvial) sedimentation (Dhosrapahar Formation). Continental sedimentation continued until ca. 3.0 Ga. In the eastern (Simlipal Group), western (Birtola Formation), and southwestern (the Mankarchua, Mahagiri, and Keonjhar formations) parts, shallow-marine sedimentation occurred after 3.0 Ga as a result of transgression. However, in the northern part (Dhanjori Formation), continental sedimentation prevailed throughout the Archean. These Late Paleoarchean to Neoarchean terrestrial and near-coastal successions of Singhbhum Craton should be the prime targets for intense geobiological research.
Cosimplicial meromorphic functions cohomology on complex manifolds
Authors: Zuevsky A.
Published: January 2023

Developing ideas of [B. L. Feigin, Conformal field theory and cohomologies of the Lie algebra of holomorphic vector fields on a complex curve, in Proc. Int. Congress of Mathematicians (Kyoto, 1990), Vols. 1 and 2 (Mathematical Society of Japan, Tokyo, 1991), pp. 71–85], we introduce canonical cosimplicial cohomology of meromorphic functions for infinite-dimensional Lie algebra formal series with prescribed analytic behavior on domains of a complex manifold [Formula: see text]. Graded differential cohomology of a sheaf of Lie algebras [Formula: see text] via the cosimplicial cohomology of [Formula: see text]-formal series for any covering by Stein spaces on [Formula: see text] is computed. A relation between cosimplicial cohomology (on a special set of open domains of [Formula: see text]) of formal series of an infinite-dimensional Lie algebra [Formula: see text] and singular cohomology of auxiliary manifold associated to a [Formula: see text]-module is found. Finally, multiple applications in conformal field theory, deformation theory, and in the theory of foliations are proposed.
THE DYNAMICS OF HIV/AIDS MODEL WITH FRACTAL-FRACTIONAL CAPUTO DERIVATIVE
Authors: ULLAH SAIF , ALTANJI MOHAMED , KHAN MUHAMMAD ALTAF , ALSHAHERI AHMED , SUMELKA WOJCIECH
Published: January 2023

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a major global public health issue and causes millions of deaths around the globe. The most severe phase of HIV infection is known as AIDS. In recent years, a number of mathematical models based on classical integer-order derivative have been developed to analyze the insight dynamics of HIV/AIDS. This paper presents the transmission dynamics of HIV/AIDS using fractional order (FO) and a fractal-fractional order compartmental model with the power-law kernel. In the first phase, the proposed model is formulated using the Caputo-type fractional derivative. The basic properties such as the solution positivity and existence as well as uniqueness of the fractional model are presented. The equilibria and the basic reproductive number [Formula: see text] are evaluated. Further, using fractional stability concepts the stability of the model (both local and global) around the equilibrium is presented in the disease-free case. In addition, the fractional model is solved numerically, and the graphical results with many values of [Formula: see text] are shown. In the second phase, the concept of a fractal-fractional (FF) operator is applied to obtain a more generalized model that addresses the dynamics of HIV/AIDS. The uniqueness and existence of the solutions of the FF-based model are shown via the Picard–Lindelof approach while the modified Adams–Bashforth method is utilized to present the numerical solution. Detailed numerical simulations are presented for various values fractional as well as the fractal orders, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] respectively. The graphical results reveal that the FF-based model provides biologically more feasible results than the models in fractional and classical integer-order cases.
Research on Influencing Factors of Technological Innovation in Industrial Clusters Based on Data Mining and Artificial Intelligence Technology
Authors: Yang Yaliu
Published: January 2023

At present, realizing the upgrading and sustainable development of industrial clusters has become an urgent problem. Based on this, based on data mining and artificial intelligence technology, this paper combines the actual needs of industrial clusters and technological innovation to construct an analysis model of the influencing factors of technological innovation in industrial clusters. Based on the complex network foundation, this paper regards the activity of the innovation network as the result of the joint influence of the presence index, closeness index, betweenness index, agglomeration index and path length index. Moreover, this paper combines the actual situation of the cluster to construct an evaluation system for the activity of the innovation network. In addition, this paper uses the PROMETHEE method based on the cloud model to evaluate the activity of the innovative network to be studied in this paper. Finally, this paper designs experiments to verify the performance of the algorithm model constructed in this paper. The research results show that the system model constructed in this paper has a certain effect.
Switching effect on a two prey–one predator system with strong Allee effect incorporating prey refuge
Authors: Saha Sangeeta , Samanta Guruprasad
Published: January 2023

In an environment, the food chains are balanced by the prey–predator interactions. When a predator species is provided with more than one prey population, it avails the option of prey switching between prey species according to their availability. So, prey switching of predators mainly helps to increase the overall growth rate of a predator species. In this work, we have proposed a two prey–one predator system where the predator population adopts switching behavior between two prey species at the time of consumption. Both the prey population exhibit a strong Allee effect and the predator population is considered to be a generalist one. The proposed system is biologically well-defined as the system variables are positive and do not increase abruptly with time. The local stability analysis reveals that all the predator-free equilibria are saddle points whereas the prey-free equilibrium is always stable. The intrinsic growth rates of prey, the strong Allee parameters, and the prey refuge parameters are chosen to be the controlling parameters here. The numerical simulation reveals that in absence of one prey, the other prey refuge parameter can change the system dynamics by forming a stable or unstable limit cycle. Moreover, a situation of bi-stability, tri-stability, or even multi-stability of equilibrium points occurs in this system. As in presence of the switching effect, the predator chooses prey according to their abundance, so, increasing refuge in one prey population decreases the count of the second prey population. It is also observed that the count of predator population reaches a comparatively higher value even if they get one prey population at its fullest quantity and only a portion of other prey species. So, in the scarcity of one prey species, switching to the other prey is beneficial for the growth of the predator population.
Bidirectional Transformer GAN for Long-term Human Motion Prediction
Authors: Zhao Mengyi , Tang Hao , Xie Pan , Dai Shuling , Sebe Nicu , Wang Wei
Published: January 2023

The mainstream motion prediction methods usually focus on short-term prediction, and their predicted long-term motions often fall into an average pose, i.e., the freezing forecasting problem [
27
]. To mitigate this problem, we propose a novel Bidirectional Transformer-based Generative Adversarial Network (BiTGAN) for long-term human motion prediction. The bidirectional setup leads to consistent and smooth generation in both forward and backward directions. Besides, to make full use of the history motions, we split them into two parts. The first part is fed to the Transformer encoder in our BiTGAN while the second part is used as the decoder input. This strategy can alleviate the exposure problem [
37
]. Additionally, to better maintain both the local (i.e., frame-level pose) and global (i.e., video-level semantic) similarities between the predicted motion sequence and the real one, the soft dynamic time warping (Soft-DTW) loss is introduced into the generator. Finally, we utilize a dual-discriminator to distinguish the predicted sequence at both frame and sequence levels. Extensive experiments on the public Human3.6M dataset demonstrate that our proposed BiTGAN achieves state-of-the-art performance on long-term (4
s
) human motion prediction, and reduces the average error of all actions by 4%.
Security Misconfigurations in Open Source Kubernetes Manifests: An Empirical Study
Authors: Rahman Akond , Shamim Shazibul Islam , Bose Dibyendu Brinto , Pandita Rahul
Published: January 2023

Context:
Kubernetes has emerged as the de-facto tool for automated container orchestration. Business and government organizations are increasingly adopting Kubernetes for automated software deployments. Kubernetes is being used to provision applications in a wide range of domains, such as time series forecasting, edge computing, and high-performance computing. Due to such a pervasive presence, Kubernetes-related security misconfigurations can cause large-scale security breaches. Thus, a systematic analysis of security misconfigurations in Kubernetes manifests, i.e., configuration files used for Kubernetes, can help practitioners secure their Kubernetes clusters.

Objective:
The goal of this paper is to help practitioners secure their Kubernetes clusters by identifying security misconfigurations that occur in Kubernetes manifests
.

Methodology:
We conduct an empirical study with 2,039 Kubernetes manifests mined from 92 open-source software repositories to systematically characterize security misconfigurations in Kubernetes manifests. We also construct a static analysis tool called Security Linter for Kubernetes Manifests (
SLI-KUBE
) to quantify the frequency of the identified security misconfigurations.

Results:
In all, we identify 11 categories of security misconfigurations, such as absent resource limit, absent
securityContext
, and activation of
hostIPC
. Specifically, we identify 1,051 security misconfigurations in 2,039 manifests. We also observe the identified security misconfigurations affect entities that perform mesh-related load balancing, as well as provision pods and stateful applications. Furthermore, practitioners agreed to fix 60% of 10 misconfigurations reported by us.

Conclusion:
Our empirical study shows Kubernetes manifests to include security misconfigurations, which necessitates security-focused code reviews and application of static analysis when Kubernetes manifests are developed.
Embodied Communication: How Robots and People Communicate Through Physical Interaction
Authors: Kalinowska Aleksandra , Pilarski Patrick M. , Murphey Todd D.
Published: January 2023

Early research on physical human–robot interaction (pHRI) has necessarily focused on device design—the creation of compliant and sensorized hardware, such as exoskeletons, prostheses, and robot arms, that enables people to safely come in contact with robotic systems and to communicate about their collaborative intent. As hardware capabilities have become sufficient for many applications, and as computing has become more powerful, algorithms that support fluent and expressive use of pHRI systems have begun to play a prominent role in determining the systems’ usefulness. In this review, we describe a selection of representative algorithmic approaches that regulate and interpret pHRI, describing the progression from algorithms based on physical analogies, such as admittance control, to computational methods based on higher-level reasoning, which take advantage of multimodal communication channels. Existing algorithmic approaches largely enable task-specific pHRI, but they do not generalize to versatile human–robot collaboration. Throughout the review and in our discussion of next steps, we therefore argue that emergent embodied dialogue—bidirectional, multimodal communication that can be learned through continuous interaction—is one of the next frontiers of pHRI.
The Economic Backgrounds of Politicians
Authors: Carnes Nicholas , Lupu Noam
Published: January 2023

Research on the economic backgrounds of politicians is once again flourishing in political science. In this article, we describe the economic characteristics that scholars have recently studied and the common threads that have emerged in modern work on this topic. This growing literature is largely united by a shared concern about the unequal economic makeup of institutions: Recent studies generally agree that politicians tend to be vastly better off than citizens on every economic measure and that politicians from different economic backgrounds tend to think and behave differently in office. However, the literature is far from a consensus regarding why politicians are so economically advantaged. Going forward, there are numerous opportunities for future work to address this gap; to extend the literature to new countries, institutions, and time periods; and to better understand how economic backgrounds intersect with race, gender, and other social characteristics.
Innovations in Public Health Surveillance for Emerging Infections
Authors: Jia Peng , Liu Shiyong , Yang Shujuan
Published: January 2023

Public health surveillance is defined as the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data and is closely integrated with the timely dissemination of information that the public needs to know and upon which the public should act. Public health surveillance is central to modern public health practice by contributing data and information usually through a national notifiable disease reporting system (NNDRS). Although early identification and prediction of future disease trends may be technically feasible, more work is needed to improve accuracy so that policy makers can use these predictions to guide prevention and control efforts. In this article, we review the advantages and limitations of the current NNDRS in most countries, discuss some lessons learned about prevention and control from the first wave of COVID-19, and describe some technological innovations in public health surveillance, including geographic information systems (GIS), spatial modeling, artificial intelligence, information technology, data science, and the digital twin method. We conclude that the technology-driven innovative public health surveillance systems are expected to further improve the timeliness, completeness, and accuracy of case reporting during outbreaks and also enhance feedback and transparency, whereby all stakeholders should receive actionable information on control and be able to limit disease risk earlier than ever before.
Myofibroblast-specific inhibition of the Rho kinase-MRTF-SRF pathway using nanotechnology for the prevention of pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Knipe Rachel S. , Nurunnabi Md , Probst Clemens K. , Spinney Jillian J. , Abe Elizabeth , Bose Rajendran J. C. , Ha Khanh , Logue Amanda , Nguyen Trong , Servis Rachel , Drummond Matthew , Haring Alexis , Brazee Patricia L. , Medoff Benjamin D. , McCarthy Jason R.
Published: January 2023

Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by the accumulation of myofibroblasts in the lung and progressive tissue scarring. Fibroblasts exist across a spectrum of states, from quiescence in health to activated myofibroblasts in the setting of injury. Highly activated myofibroblasts have a critical role in the establishment of fibrosis as the predominant source of type 1 collagen and profibrotic mediators. Myofibroblasts are also highly contractile cells and can alter lung biomechanical properties through tissue contraction. Inhibiting signaling pathways involved in myofibroblast activation could therefore have significant therapeutic value. One of the ways myofibroblast activation occurs is through activation of the Rho/myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)/serum response factor (SRF) pathway, which signals through intracellular actin polymerization. However, concerns surrounding the pleiotropic and ubiquitous nature of these signaling pathways have limited the translation of inhibitory drugs. Herein, we demonstrate a novel therapeutic antifibrotic strategy using myofibroblast-targeted nanoparticles containing a MTRF/SRF pathway inhibitor (CCG-1423), which has been shown to block myofibroblast activation in vitro. Myofibroblasts were preferentially targeted via the angiotensin 2 receptor, which has been shown to be selectively upregulated in animal and human studies. These nanoparticles were nontoxic and accumulated in lung myofibroblasts in the bleomycin-induced mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis, reducing the number of these activated cells and their production of profibrotic mediators. Ultimately, in a murine model of lung fibrosis, a single injection of these drugs containing targeted nanoagents reduced fibrosis as compared with control mice. This approach has the potential to deliver personalized therapy by precisely targeting signaling pathways in a cell-specific manner, allowing increased efficacy with reduced deleterious off-target effects.
Complex roles of TGF-β signaling pathways in lung development and bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Calthorpe Rebecca J. , Poulter Caroline , Smyth Alan R. , Sharkey Don , Bhatt Jayesh , Jenkins Gisli , Tatler Amanda L.
Published: January 2023

As survival of extremely preterm infants continues to improve, there is also an associated increase in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), one of the most significant complications of preterm birth. BPD development is multifactorial resulting from exposure to multiple antenatal and postnatal stressors. BPD has both short-term health implications and long-term sequelae including increased respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological morbidity. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is an important signaling pathway in lung development, organ injury, and fibrosis and is implicated in the development of BPD. This review provides a detailed account on the role of TGF-β in antenatal and postnatal lung development, the effect of known risk factors for BPD on the TGF-β signaling pathway, and how medications currently in use or under development, for the prevention or treatment of BPD, affect TGF-β signaling.
A Case of Congenital Hypotonia and Developmental Delay in an Individual with a De Novo Variant Outside of the Canonical HX-Motif of ATN1
Authors: Makarova Elizaveta , Legro Nicole R. , Aliu Ermal
Published: January 2023

We present a case of a 4-year-old female with a de novo heterozygous variant in the ATN1 gene. The whole exome sequencing was performed on the patient and her parents, and a likely pathogenic, de novo variant was identified in exon 5 of the ATN1 gene. There are two well-documented conditions associated with the ATN1 gene: congenital hypotonia, epilepsy, developmental delay, and digital anomalies (CHEDDA) syndrome and dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA). Unlike DRPLA which is caused by an expanded trinucleotide repeat, CHEDDA syndrome is caused by variants in the histidine-rich (HX) motif at exon 7 of ATN1 similar to the de novo variant found in exon 5 of the presented individual. CHEDDA syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder previously documented in over 17 unrelated individuals. Compared to other documented CHEDDA syndrome cases, this individual shares similarities in respect to hypotonia, hearing impairment, impaired gross and fine motor ability, gastrointestinal abnormalities, hyperextensible joints, and frontal bossing. However, the individual presented here has only a moderate developmental delay and has acquired more developmental milestones such as higher-level language skills and more developed fine motor skills, than previously described individuals. The authors of this paper believe the patient’s milder phenotype may be due to the variant’s location outside of the canonic HX motif.
Chronic Gastric Ulcer Healing Actions of the Aqueous Extracts of Staple Plant Foods of the North‐West, Adamawa, and West Regions of Cameroon
Authors: Mikwangock Hauberline Domegne , Tamfu Alfred Ngenge , Amang André Perfusion , Siwe Gael Tchokomeni , Mezui Christophe , Kucukaydin Selcuk , Enow-Orock Enonchong George , Tan Paul Vernyuy
Published: January 2023

Aim. This study is aimed at establishing phenolic compound profile and assessing the possible antiulcer activities of aqueous extracts of some staple plant foods from the West and North‐West regions of Cameroon against chronic gastric ulcer models in rats. Materials and Methods. Phenolic constituents of extracts were evaluated using HPLC‐DAD. Aqueous extracts of Corchorus olitorius, Solanum nigrum, Vigna unguiculata, Triumfetta pentandra, “nkui” spices, and “yellow soup” spices were tested at two doses (200 and 400 mg/kg). After treatments, animals were sacrificed, healing percentage and antioxidant status (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase) were evaluated, and histological examination of gastric mucosa was realized. Results. HPLC‐DAD revealed that p‐hydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acids were the phenolic compound present in all extracts. Oral administration of extracts (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly reduced ulcer surface value and significantly increased mucus production compared to the control groups (p < 0.05). Histological study supported the observed healing activity of different extracts characterized by a reduced inflammatory response. Moreover, administration of aqueous extracts increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Conclusion. This study revealed that aqueous extracts of Solanum nigrum, Corchorus olitorius, Vigna unguiculata, Triumfetta pentandra, “yellow soup” spices, and “nkui” spices possess healing antiulcer effects against models of gastric ulcers. The antiulcer mechanisms involved may include increase of gastric mucus production and improvement of the antioxidant activity of gastric tissue. These activities may be due to the phenolic compounds identified in the extracts, especially p‐hydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acids present in all extracts and with known antioxidant, cytoprotective, and healing properties. However, all the diets may promote the healing process of chronic ulcers caused by excessive alcohol consumption/stress.
An Intelligent Algorithm for Aerodynamic Parameters Calibration of Wind Tunnel Experiment at a High Angle of Attack
Authors: Wang Yeguang , Jian Shitong , Wang Zhigang , Fan Rui , Han Peng , Lyu Yongxi
Published: January 2023

In this paper, an intelligent algorithm for the aerodynamic parameter calibration of wind tunnel experiments of advanced layout aircraft at a high angle of attack is proposed. The proposed algorithm is based on a homologous comparison and tuning algorithm, and it can effectively improve the accuracy of the wind tunnel experiment model. First, based on the analysis of large oscillation wind tunnel experimental data of an advanced layout scaled aircraft, the high angle of attack wind tunnel experimental model composed of static derivative, dynamic derivative, and rotating balance derivative is established. Second, to improve the accuracy of the wind tunnel experimental model effectively, the idea of combing layered calibration and intelligent algorithm for high angle of attack homologous comparison correction is proposed. The proposed method solves the problems of complex structure, a large amount of data, and poor accuracy in homologous comparison of high angle of attack aerodynamic models of advanced layout aircraft. Finally, the homologous comparison interface software is designed based on MATLAB GUI, which integrates the proposed methods and ideas and realizes effective adjustment of aerodynamic parameters of high angle of attack simulation flight wind tunnel test of an advanced layout aircraft. This study provides a reliable engineering and technical means for subsequent high angle of attack flight test verification of the advanced layout aircraft.
Spleen Stiffness Measured by 2D-Shear Wave Elastography and Rebleeding Risk in Cirrhotic Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Variceal Ligation for Variceal Bleeding
Authors: Sattanathan Swetha , Devadas Krishnadas , Ahmed Shanid , Hareendran Atul , Prabhakaran Arun , Raveendran Nidhin
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims. Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) of esophageal varices alters the portal pressure. We observed the changes in 2D-shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) measurements of spleen and liver following EVL and tried to identify the predictors for rebleeding and mortality at 6 months. Methods. A prospective observational study of 202 patients who underwent EVL for bleeding esophageal varices was done. 2D-SWE measurements of liver stiffness (LS) and spleen stiffness (SS) and spleen volume (SV) were measured half an hour before, 1 hour, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks after EVL. All were followed up for 6 months for rebleeding and all-cause mortality. Results. 83 patients were in child C (41%). Difference in SV, SS, and LS at 2 and 6 weeks from baseline was noted as Delta 2 (2nd week post-EVL - pre-EVL SV, LS, and SS) and Delta 3 (6th week post EVL - pre - EVL SV, LS and SS), respectively. Mean Delta 2 VOL and Delta 3 VOL were lower in the bleeding and mortality groups. Delta 2 SS, Delta 3 SS, Delta 2 LS, and Delta 3 LS were higher in the rebleeding and mortality groups. These changes were statistically significant. AUROC in predicting rebleeding was the highest for Delta 2 VOL (0.773) and Delta 3 LS (0.764) amongst the USG parameters that performed better than MELD score (0.677). AUROC in predicting mortality was the highest for Delta 3 VOL and Delta 2 VOL-0.873 and 0.842, respectively, and higher than MELD’s (0.641). Statistically significant variables in binary logistic regression analysis for rebleeding were Delta 3 LS and Delta 3 SS and none for mortality. Conclusion. LS, SS, and SV change after EVL. Changes in liver and spleen stiffness at 6 weeks from baseline had good diagnostic accuracy for predicting rebleeding at 6 months.
The Resilience of the Multirelational Structure of Geopolitical Treaties is Critically Linked to Past Colonial World Order and Offshore Fiscal Havens
Authors: Sacco Pier Luigi , Arenas Alex , De Domenico Manlio
Published: January 2023

The governance of the political and economic world order builds on a complex architecture of international treaties at various geographical scales. In a historical phase of high institutional turbulence, assessing the stability of such architecture with respect to the unilateral defection of single countries and the breakdown of single treaties is important. We carry out this analysis on the whole global architecture and find that the countries with the highest disruption potential are mostly medium-small and micro countries. Political stability is highly dependent on many former colonial overseas territories that are today part of the global network of fiscal havens, as well as on emerging economies, mostly from South-East Asia. Economic stability depends on medium-sized European and African countries. Single global treaties have surprisingly less disruptive potential, with the major exception of the WTO. Our results suggest that the potential fragility of the world order seems to be more directly related to global inequality and fiscal injustice than commonly believed and that the legacy of the colonial world order is still strong in the current international relations scenario. In particular, vested interests related to tax avoidance seem to have a structural role in the political architecture of global governance.
Experimental Study on Compression and Torsion Fracture within 3D Printed Cementation-Weak and Porosity-High Sandstones
Authors: Zhao Xiaodong , Cai Xu , Zhou Xingya , Lai Zejin , Zhong Qingwen , Chu Zhaoxiang , Zhou Guoqing , Li Hong
Published: January 2023

Cretaceous sandstones have weak cementation and high porosity while exhibit a high apparent brittleness. Compression and torsion (C-T) fractures are widely distributed in Cretaceous sandstones due to asymmetric tectonic convergence action. However, studies on C-T fracture formation and the mechanisms causing variability in Cretaceous sandstones containing no oil or gas are rare due to the challenges in sampling intact sandstone cores, despite their significance to mine shaft sinking. Therefore, this study used binder jetting-based 3D printing to prepare artificial Cretaceous sandstone and developed a real-time X-ray computed tomography- (CT-) aided torsion shear apparatus to test them. The test results showed that the 3D printed (3DP) sandstone had characteristic indexes that approached and even exceeded the lower limits of Cretaceous sandstone cores, thereby accurately representing the unavailable cores. Furthermore, the 3DP sandstones had anisotropic properties comparable to the sandstone cores. Under C-T action, the 3DP sandstone exhibited a pronounced strain gradient of 2.0 %/mm perpendicular to fracture inclination. The inclination angles of fractures formed under C-T action tended to increase as the cell pressure increased, and that approached the orientation angles of maximal principal stress. The maximal and minimal principal stresses exerted inclination-slip and width-stretching effects, respectively, on C-T fractures. But the effect of inclination-slip on the C-T fractures was stronger than that of width-stretching. This insight into C-T fracture formation will guide future studies on the fracture evolution and its disaster-dominating mechanisms arisen from disturbances by shaft sinking.
Estimation of Spatially Varying Parameters with Application to Hyperbolic SPDES
Authors: Angwenyi David
Published: January 2023

Parameter estimation is a growing area of interest in statistical signal processing. Some parameters in real-life applications vary in space as opposed to those that are static. Most common methods in estimating parameters involve solving an optimization problem where the cost function is assembled variously, for example, maximum likelihood and maximum a posteriori methods. However, these methods do not have exact solutions to most real-life problems. It is for this reason that Monte Carlo methods are preferred. In this paper, we treat the estimation of parameters which vary with space. We use the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm as a selection criterion for the maximum filter likelihood. Comparisons are made with the use of joint estimation of both the spatially varying parameters and the state. We illustrate the procedures employed in this paper by means of two hyperbolic SPDEs: the advection and the wave equation. The Metropolis-Hastings procedure registers better estimates.
CAVO Inhibits Airway Inflammation and ILC2s in OVA‐Induced Murine Asthma Mice
Authors: Huang Feng , Tong Xiaoyun , Hu Chunyan , Zhang Qiushi , Wei Yijie , Hu Min , Kong Lingqi , Fu Rongbing , Li Xiaohong , Xie Yuhuan , Ming Xi , Chen Bojun , Lin Yuping , Xiong Lei
Published: January 2023

Cang‐ai volatile oil (CAVO) is an aromatic Chinese medicine and is widely used to treat upper respiratory tract infections in children. However, the mechanism of CAVO in asthma treatment is unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of CAVO on airway inflammation and the mechanism of inhibiting Group‐2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in asthmatic mice, which was induced with Ovalbumin (OVA). CAVO improved AHR and airway inflammation in asthmatic mice. CAVO reduced the production of interleukin (IL)‐2, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐7, IL‐9, IL‐13, IL‐25, IL‐33, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), while increased the production of IL‐10, significantly. CAVO also inhibited the suppressor of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) and IL‐33 expressions in the lung tissue. Moreover, flow analyses demonstrated that CAVO inhibited ILC2s activation by reducing the sedimentation of its upstream cytokines, thus alleviating downstream cytokines. This could be because of the downregulated microRNA‐155 and upregulated microRNA‐146a. CAVO inhibits ILC2s activation, thus further attenuating airway inflammation and AHR in asthmatic mice. These effects may be related to the downregulation of microRNA‐155 and upregulation of microRNA‐146a.
Analysis of U-Shaped Steel Failure Characteristics in Rock Burst Roadway and Design of Stable Structure and Constant Resistance O-Shed
Authors: Xu Lianman , Zhang Jinzhu , Guo Rixin , Li Tianhao , Qin Zhijiao , Wang Aiwen , Sheng Jiquan , Xiao Yonghui , Chen Jianqiang , Liu Kunlun
Published: January 2023

The U-shaped steel support has good surface protection and is one of the main supporting forms of the roadway under rock bursts. However, in the supporting process of roadways under rock burst, there are poor mechanical properties of lap joints, resulting in a serious decline in the anti-impact performance of U-shaped steel supports. Using a combination of laboratory experiments and theoretical analysis, we study the sliding mechanism of the U-shaped steel bracket’s overlap section bearing and find the key factors affecting the sliding performance of the overlap section. The characteristics of deformation and failure of U-shaped steel supports under impact loads are analyzed by numerical calculations. An improved method for optimizing the sliding performance of the lap section is proposed to provide theoretical support for the design of stable and constant-resistance energy-absorbing O-shed supports. The research results show that the frictional properties between the contact surfaces of the overlapped sections, especially the frictional properties between the contact surfaces of the clamp and the U-shaped steel, determine the sliding characteristics of the U-shaped steel overlapped sections, which are the key factors affecting the bearing capacity of the support. The single-point maximum bearing capacity of the U-shaped steel bracket under the uniformly distributed impact load is basically close to the maximum bearing capacity of the U-shaped steel bracket under the concentrated impact load. When the U-shaped steel bracket is uniformly loaded, its bearing capacity can be increased several times. When a gasket is added between the U-section steel and the clamping bolt in the lap section, the bearing capacity changes smoothly during the sliding process, which greatly improves the friction performance between the contact surfaces, and can greatly improve the overall bearing capacity, energy absorption, and anti-impact performance of the support structure. Based on this, a stable and constant energy-absorption O-type shed structure for the impacted underground roadway in Laohutai Mine was proposed. The field application proved that improving the sliding performance at the joint of the U-shaped steel support can effectively control the deformation of the roadway under the impact load.
The Interplay between RNA Editing Regulator ADAR1 and Immune Environment in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zheng Guo-Liang , Zhang Guo-Jun , Zhao Yan , Zheng Zhi-Chao
Published: January 2023

An abnormality in the regulation of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) enzymes, which catalyzed adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, was closely associated with the highly aggressive biologic behavior and poor prognosis in many malignancies. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship among transcript factors-microRNAs regulatory network, immune environment, and ADAR gene in colorectal carcinoma (CRC). The association among the expression levels of ADAR mRNA and copy number variation, methylation, and mutation status were comprehensively analyzed using cBioPortal, Wanderer, and UALCAN databases in CRC datasets. ADAR-transcript factors (TFs) and ADAR-miRNA regulation networks were constructed by Cistrome Cancer and miRWalk2.0, respectively. The full network and subnetworks for ADAR coexpression genes were constructed using the STRING database and visualized by the MCODE module of the Cytoscape app. The relationship between ADAR mRNA expression and the abundance of infiltrating immune cells in CRC patients was explored by the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, CIBERSORT, and single-gene gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). ADAR mRNA was elevated and was a cancer essential gene in CRC. ADAR mRNA and transcripts P110 were significantly elevated in CRC compared to normal controls. Low-level methylation in the promoter region and high copy number amplification of ADAR were responsible for high levels of ADAR mRNA expression. ADAR coexpression genes were mainly involved in immunoregulation, especially T-lymphocyte activation. Hub genes, including CD2, CD274, and FASLG, were also significantly upregulated in the ADAR-high group compared to the control group. Besides, M1 macrophages were enriched in the ADAR-high group compared to the control group. This study demonstrated that ADAR, a new essential gene, was involved in the immune regulator and was a novel immune treatment target in CRC.