bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LY6E Restricts Entry of Human Coronaviruses, Including Currently Pandemic SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Zhao Xuesen , Zheng Shuangli , Chen Danying , Zheng Mei , Li Xinglin , Li Guoli , Lin Hanxin , Chang Jinhong , Zeng Hui , Guo Ju-Tao
Published: July 2020

Virus entry into host cells is one of the key determinants of host range and cell tropism and is subjected to the control of host innate and adaptive immune responses. In the last decade, several interferon-inducible cellular proteins, including IFITMs, GILT, ADAP2, 25CH, and LY6E, had been identified to modulate the infectious entry of a variety of viruses. Particularly, LY6E was recently identified as a host factor that facilitates the entry of several human-pathogenic viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus, influenza A virus, and yellow fever virus. Identification of LY6E as a potent restriction factor of coronaviruses expands the biological function of LY6E and sheds new light on the immunopathogenesis of human coronavirus infection.
Supplemental Material: Tectonic origin of the Bainaimiao arc terrane in the southern Central Asian orogenic belt: Evidence from sedimentary and magmatic rocks in the Damao region
Authors: Zhou Hai , Zhao Guochun , al. et
Published: July 2020

Table S1: Summary of the samples and sampling positions in this study (sampling sites are marked in Fig. 3); Table S2: U-Pb age data for zircons of (meta-)sedimentary and volcanic rocks in this study; Table S3: Lu-Hf isotopic data for zircons of (meta-)sedimentary and volcanic rocks in this study.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt induced neck mass mimicking sternocleidomastoid tumour: a previously unreported complication
Authors: Jangid Mahendra Kumar , Ahmad Reyaz , Goel Garima , Pandre Sujeet
Published: July 2020

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) for hydrocephalus is associated with various complications. Torticollis due to shunt tract fibrosis is a rare complication of VPS that occurs years later after the initial operation. However, shunt track fibrosis that progressed to large neck mass, mimicking sternocleidomastoid tumour and causing torticollis is a previously unreported complication. This led to the restriction of neck movement and hemifacial hypoplasia. Complete excision of the mass restored neck movement.
Urticaria and angioedema as a prodromal cutaneous manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection
Authors: Hassan Khalid
Published: July 2020

This is a case of a patient who presented with an urticarial rash 48 hours before developing symptoms of fever and a continuous cough. She subsequently developed angioedema of her lips and hands before testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Urticarial rashes occurring 48 hours before other symptoms of COVID-19 infection have been documented. This case demonstrates the importance of heightened awareness that not all urticarial rashes represent spontaneous urticaria and as a consequence, this may result in misdiagnosis and ultimately delayed diagnosis. This is the first reported case in the literature of urticaria with angioedema as a prodromal phenomenon of COVID-19.
Colorectal cancer awareness and its predictors among adults aged 50–74 years attending primary healthcare in the State of Qatar: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Al-Dahshan Ayman , Chehab Mohamad , Bala Mohamed , Omer Mieaad , AlMohamed Omayma , Al-Kubaisi Noora , Selim Nagah
Published: July 2020

Objective

The current study aimed to assess the awareness of colorectal cancer (CRC) symptoms and risk factors among the at-risk population visiting the primary healthcare (PHC) centres in Qatar. The secondary objective was to assess the differences in awareness among population subgroups.

Design

A cross-sectional study design was employed.

Setting

The study was conducted across six PHC centres in Qatar.

Participants

Patients, or their accompanying people, aged 50–74 years and Arabic or English speakers, were recruited from the main waiting areas of the selected PHC centres.

Data collection and analysis

Participants were interviewed using the validated Bowel/Colorectal Cancer Awareness Measure questionnaire. A non-probability convenient sampling technique was applied to recruit participants. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used when appropriate. A multivariate linear regression model was constructed to identify the independent predictors of CRC awareness.

Results

The study includes 448 participants (response rate=87%). The mean age of the participants was 58.48 years (SD ±6.37). The mean awareness score among the participants was 3.63/9 (SD ±2.7) for CRC symptoms and 5.43/11 (SD ±3.3) for CRC risk factors. The overall mean awareness score was 9.03/20 (SD ±5.5). Multivariate linear regression identified the female gender (2.52 (95% CI 1.15 to 3.88)), non-Qatari Arab (2.91 (95% CI 1.64 to 4.18)) or non-Arab nationalities (1.76 (95% CI 0.28 to 3.24)), and tertiary education (4.10 (95% CI 2.55 to 5.66)) as independent predictors of higher CRC awareness.

Conclusion

In general, the awareness of CRC symptoms and risk factors was low among the at-risk population in Qatar. Specifically, the regression analysis showed men, Qataris, and those with no formal education had low awareness of CRC symptoms and risk factors. Such results emphasise the importance of tailoring future educational campaigns that are relevant, specific and appealing to such cohort.
Impact of matching error on linked mortality outcome in a data linkage of secondary mental health data with Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and mortality records in South East London: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Jewell Amelia , Broadbent Matthew , Hayes Richard D , Gilbert Ruth , Stewart Robert , Downs Johnny
Published: July 2020

Objectives

Linkage of electronic health records (EHRs) to Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)-Office for National Statistics (ONS) mortality data has provided compelling evidence for lower life expectancy in people with severe mental illness. However, linkage error may underestimate these estimates. Using a clinical sample (n=265 300) of individuals accessing mental health services, we examined potential biases introduced through missed matching and examined the impact on the association between clinical disorders and mortality.

Setting

The South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) is a secondary mental healthcare provider in London. A deidentified version of SLaM’s EHR was available via the Clinical Record Interactive Search system linked to HES-ONS mortality records.

Participants

Records from SLaM for patients active between January 2006 and December 2016.

Outcome measures

Two sources of death data were available for SLaM participants: accurate and contemporaneous date of death via local batch tracing (gold standard) and date of death via linked HES-ONS mortality data. The effect of linkage error on mortality estimates was evaluated by comparing sociodemographic and clinical risk factor analyses using gold standard death data against HES-ONS mortality records.

Results

Of the total sample, 93.74% were successfully matched to HES-ONS records. We found a number of statistically significant administrative, sociodemographic and clinical differences between matched and unmatched records. Of note, schizophrenia diagnosis showed a significant association with higher mortality using gold standard data (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.15; p=0.02) but not in HES-ONS data (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.98 to 1.13; p=0.16). Otherwise, little change was found in the strength of associated risk factors and mortality after accounting for missed matching bias.

Conclusions

Despite significant clinical and sociodemographic differences between matched and unmatched records, changes in mortality estimates were minimal. However, researchers and policy analysts using HES-ONS linked resources should be aware that administrative linkage processes can introduce error.
Effects of beta-blocker therapy on mortality after elective colon cancer surgery: a Swedish nationwide cohort study
Authors: Ahl Rebecka , Matthiessen Peter , Sjölin Gabriel , Cao Yang , Wallin Göran , Ljungqvist Olle , Mohseni Shahin
Published: July 2020

Objective

Colon cancer surgery remains associated with substantial postoperative morbidity and mortality despite advances in surgical techniques and care. The trauma of surgery triggers adrenergic hyperactivation which drives adverse stress responses. We hypothesised that outcome benefits are gained by reducing the effects of hyperadrenergic activity with beta-blocker therapy in patients undergoing colon cancer surgery. This study aims to test this hypothesis.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting and participants

This is a nationwide study which includes all adult patients undergoing elective colon cancer surgery in Sweden over 10 years. Patient data were collected from the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry. The national drugs registry was used to obtain information about beta-blocker use. Patients were subdivided into exposed and unexposed groups. The association between beta-blockade, short-term and long-term mortality was evaluated using Poisson regression, Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression.

Primary and secondary outcomes

Primary outcome of interest was 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included 90-day all-cause and 5-year cancer-specific mortality.

Results

The study included 22 337 patients of whom 36.1% were prescribed preoperative beta-blockers. Survival was higher in patients on beta-blockers up to 1 year after surgery despite this group being significantly older and of higher comorbidity. Regression analysis demonstrated significant reductions in 90-day deaths (IRR 0.29, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.35, p<0.001) and a 43% risk reduction in 1-year all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.63, p<0.001) in beta-blocked patients. In addition, cancer-specific mortality up to 5 years after surgery was reduced in beta-blocked patients (adjusted HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.88, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Preoperative beta-blockade is associated with significant reductions in postoperative short-term and long-term mortality following elective colon cancer surgery. Its potential prophylactic effect warrants further interventional studies to determine whether beta-blockade can be used as a way of improving outcomes for this patient group.
Role of optimism in adolescent mental health: a protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Rincón Uribe Fabio Alexis , Espejo Cristian Ariel Neira , Pedroso Janari da Silva
Published: July 2020

Introduction

Adolescence is a critical period of human development, where adaptive or maladaptive experiences can happen. These experiences are associated with psychological, social, biological and health factors. Previous empirical evidence suggests that mental health is associated with individual assets and positive states, whose presence may become a factor of protection and resistance to mental disorders. Among these, optimism could play a fundamental role in sustaining physical and mental well-being and in dealing with threats potentially harmful to health. Given the rise of research on optimism and its importance in the various health outcomes, it is necessary to initiate processes of compilation and synthesis of this evidence to facilitate the understanding of the importance of this variable on the mental health of adolescents.

Methods and analysis

The included studies will be experimental, observational, cross-sectional and longitudinal focussed on the role of optimism on mental health in adolescents, regardless of whether they belong to clinical or non-clinical populations. This systematic review protocol will be carried out following the Cochrane Manual for systematic reviews and will follow the statement on systematic reviews and meta-analysis of PRISMA-P (Preferred
Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols). Searches will run from October 2019 to March 2020, and will be carried out from the following electronic databases: APA PsycNet, BVS (Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde), Web of Science, PubMed Central and Scopus. Two reviewers will obtain the eligible articles, published from January 2009 onward, to assess the quality of each study and extract the data. For the presentation of the results, a narrative and quantitative synthesis will be carried out that groups the data found.

Ethics and dissemination

The approval of an ethics committee is not required for a systematic review protocol. The results will be presented at congresses in social sciences and psychology and will be published in a peer-reviewed social or health science journal.

PROSPERO registration number

PROSPERO CRD42019142616.
Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire in a cardiac sample: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Authors: Säfström Emma , Nasstrom Lena , Liljeroos Maria , Nordgren Lena , Årestedt Kristofer , Jaarsma Tiny , Stromberg Anna
Published: July 2020

Objective

Even though continuity is essential after discharge, there is a lack of reliable questionnaires to measure and assess patients’ perceptions of continuity of care. The Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire (PCCQ) addresses the period before and after discharge from hospital. However, previous studies show that the factor structure needs to be confirmed and validated in larger samples, and the aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PCCQ with focus on factor structure, internal consistency and stability.

Design

A psychometric evaluation study. The questionnaire was translated into Swedish using a forward–backward technique and culturally adapted through cognitive interviews (n=12) and reviewed by researchers (n=8).

Setting

Data were collected in four healthcare settings in two Swedish counties.

Participants

A consecutive sampling procedure included 725 patients discharged after hospitalisation due to angina, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure or atrial fibrillation.

Measurement

To evaluate the factor structure, confirmatory factor analyses based on polychoric correlations were performed (n=721). Internal consistency was evaluated by ordinal alpha. Test–retest reliability (n=289) was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results

The original six-factor structure was overall confirmed, but minor refinements were required to reach satisfactory model fit. The standardised factor loadings ranged between 0.68 and 0.94, and ordinal alpha ranged between 0.82 and 0.95. All subscales demonstrated satisfactory test–retest reliability (ICC=0.76–0.94).

Conclusion

The revised version of the PCCQ showed sound psychometric properties and is ready to be used to measure perceptions of continuity of care. High ordinal alpha in some subscales indicates that a shorter version of the questionnaire can be developed.
Naproxen chemoprevention promotes immune activation in Lynch syndrome colorectal
mucosa
Authors: Reyes-Uribe Laura , Wu Wenhui , Gelincik Ozkan , Bommi Prashant V , Francisco-Cruz Alejandro , Solis Luisa M , Lynch Patrick M , Lim Ramona , Stoffel Elena M , Kanth Priyanka , Samadder N Jewel , Mork Maureen E , Taggart Melissa W , Milne Ginger L , Marnett Lawrence J , Vornik Lana , Liu Diane D , Revuelta Maria , Chang Kyle , You Y Nancy , Kopelovich Levy , Wistuba Ignacio I , Lee J Jack , Sei Shizuko , Shoemaker Robert H , Szabo Eva , Richmond Ellen , Umar Asad , Perloff Marjorie , Brown Powel H , Lipkin Steven M , Vilar Eduardo
Published: July 2020

Objective

Patients with Lynch syndrome (LS) are at markedly increased risk for colorectal
cancer. It is being increasingly recognised that the immune system plays an essential
role in LS tumour development, thus making an ideal target for cancer prevention. Our
objective was to evaluate the safety, assess the activity and discover novel molecular
pathways involved in the activity of naproxen as primary and secondary chemoprevention
in patients with LS.

Design

We conducted a Phase Ib, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial of two
dose levels of naproxen sodium (440 and 220 mg) administered daily for 6 months to 80
participants with LS, and a co-clinical trial using a genetically engineered mouse
model of LS and patient-derived organoids (PDOs).

Results

Overall, the total number of adverse events was not different across treatment
arms with excellent tolerance of the intervention. The level of prostaglandin E2 in
the colorectal mucosa was significantly decreased after treatment with naproxen when
compared with placebo. Naproxen activated different resident immune cell types without
any increase in lymphoid cellularity, and changed the expression patterns of the
intestinal crypt towards epithelial differentiation and stem cell regulation. Naproxen
demonstrated robust chemopreventive activity in a mouse co-clinical trial and gene
expression profiles induced by naproxen in humans showed perfect discrimination of
mice specimens with LS and PDOs treated with naproxen and control.

Conclusions

Naproxen is a promising strategy for immune interception in LS. We have
discovered naproxen-induced gene expression profiles for their potential use as
predictive biomarkers of drug activity.

Trial registration number

gov Identifier: NCT02052908
Clinical Frailty Scale for Risk Stratification in Patients with Sars-Cov-2 Infection
Authors: Labenz Christian , Kremer Wolfgang M. , Schattenberg Jörn M. , Wörns Marcus-Alexander , Toenges Gerrit , Weinmann Arndt , Galle Peter R. , Sprinzl Martin F.
Published: July 2020

Predictive factors for adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19 are urgently needed. Data related to the applicability of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) for risk stratification in patients with COVID-19 are currently lacking. We investigated the ability of CFS to predict need for mechanical ventilation and the duration of hospital stays in European patients with COVID-19. In total, 42 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection admitted to the University Medical Center Mainz between March 3 and April 15 2020 were included into this validation study and data were retrospectively analyzed. CFS was assessed at admission in all patients. Patients were followed for need for mechanical ventilation and time to hospital discharge. At admission, the median CFS was 3 (range: 1-7) and 14 (33.3%) patients were considered as at least pre-frail (CFS >3). 24 (57.1%) patients were discharged from hospital after a median time of 7 days (IQR 4-8). 12 (28.6%) patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and required mechanical ventilation. In multivariable Cox regression analyses, higher CFS scores (HR 1.659, 95% CI 1.090 to 2.525, p=0.018) were an independent predictor for a higher risk of mechanical ventilation after adjusting for age, Charlson Comorbidity Index and quick sepsis-related organ failure score. Additionally, lower CFS scores (HR 0.554, 95% CI 0.312 to 0.983, p=0.043) were associated with earlier discharge from hospital. In conclusion, this report demonstrates the usefulness of the CFS for risk stratification at hospital admission in patients with COVID-19.
Turning the tide: reducing mortality among Danish merchant seafarers
Authors: Ugelvig Petersen Kajsa , Lyngbeck Hansen Henrik , Kaerlev Linda , Hansen Johnni
Published: July 2020

Objectives

While life at sea traditionally has presented a variety of potential hazards, rigorous measures have been taken in the past decades to ensure the safety and health of all aboard merchant ships. The aim of this study was to examine overall and cause-specific mortality among Danish seafarers in light of these changes.

Methods

A cohort of 44 555 male (75%) and female (25%) seafarers employed on Danish ships during 1986–1999 was established through records from the Danish Seafarer Registry. Subsequently, information on vital status and causes of death was linked to members of the cohort from the Danish Civil Registration System and the Danish Register of Causes of Death using unique personal identification numbers. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for the seafarers using rates from a sample of the Danish employed population.

Results

Among seafarers with first employment prior to 1992, the overall mortality was high, with increases observed for many individual causes of death (overall SMR 1.78, 95% CI 1.72 to 1.83 for male seafarers; SMR 1.61, 95% CI 1.48 to 1.75 for female seafarers). Mortality among seafarers employed in the following period was reduced, with only a slight remaining excess of deaths. This excess in mortality was evident primarily among non-officers on board tankers and smaller ships.

Conclusions

During recent decades, mortality among seafarers has changed, replacing the traditional image of a high-risk profession with almost normalised figures compared with the general working population. Marked imbalances in mortality according to job and ship categories have persisted though.
Precision in two-and three-dimensional atom localization via detuning and phase shifts using four-level tripod atomic system
Authors: Wahab Abdul , Munir Akhtar
Published: July 2020

The high-precision position measurement scheme of a single atom in two-dimensions and three-dimensions is investigated in a four-level tripod-type system. The atom interacts with the two orthogonal standing wave fields (OSWFs) and three OSWFs for two- and three-dimensional (2D, 3D) atom localization. The high-precision position of the atom is observed by adjusting the suitable system parameters. We achieve a high-precision single localized peak in the 2D plane and a single localized sphere smaller than the cubic optical wavelength in 3D volume space. We also see the impact of the Doppler shift on atom localization in 2D and 3D. We show that the Doppler shift dramatically deteriorates the precision of spatial information. The proposed high-precision atom localization scheme has applications in laser cooling and Bose–Einstein condensation phenomena.
Current therapies under investigation for COVID-19: potential COVID-19 treatments
Authors: Weisberg Ellen , Sattler Martin , Yang Priscilla L. , Parent Alexander , Gray Nathanael , Griffin James D.
Published: July 2020

In response to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), researchers are expeditiously searching for antiviral treatments able to alleviate the symptoms of infection, which can be life-threatening. Here, we provide a general overview of what is currently known about the structure and characteristic features of SARS-CoV-2, some of which could potentially be exploited for the purposes of antiviral therapy and vaccine development. This minireview also covers selected and noteworthy antiviral agents/supportive therapy out of hundreds of drugs that are being repurposed or tested as potential treatments for COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.
Generalization of cosmological attractor approach to Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity
Authors: Pozdeeva Ekaterina O.
Published: July 2020

We construct models with the Gauss–Bonnet term multiplied by a function of the scalar field leading to an inflationary scenario. The consideration is related to the slow-roll approximation. The cosmological attractor approach gives the spectral index of scalar perturbations which is in a good agreement with modern observation and allows for variability of the tensor-to-scalar ratio. We reconstruct models with variability of parameters, which allows one to reproduce cosmological attractor predictions for inflationary parameters in an approximation of the leading order of 1/N in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity.
Temporal social network reconstruction using wireless proximity sensors: model selection and consequences
Authors: Dai Sicheng , Bouchet Hélène , Nardy Aurélie , Fleury Eric , Chevrot Jean-Pierre , Karsai Márton
Published: July 2020

The emerging technologies of wearable wireless devices open entirely new ways to record various aspects of human social interactions in a broad range of settings. Such technologies allow to log the temporal dynamics of face-to-face interactions by detecting the physical proximity of participants. However, despite the wide usage of this technology and the collected datasets, precise reconstruction methods transforming the raw recorded communication data packets to social interactions are still missing.

In this study we analyse a proximity dataset collected during a longitudinal social experiment aiming to understand the co-evolution of children’s language development and social network. Physical proximity and verbal communication of hundreds of pre-school children and their teachers are recorded over three years using autonomous wearable low power wireless devices. The dataset is accompanied with three annotated ground truth datasets, which record the time, distance, relative orientation, and interaction state of interacting children for validation purposes.

We use this dataset to explore several pipelines of dynamical event reconstruction including earlier applied naïve approaches, methods based on Hidden Markov Model, or on Long Short-Term Memory models, some of them combined with supervised pre-classification of interaction packets. We find that while naïve models propose the worst reconstruction, Long Short-Term Memory models provide the most precise way to reconstruct real interactions up to${\sim} 90\%$∼90%accuracy. Finally, we simulate information spreading on the reconstructed networks obtained by the different methods. Results indicate that small improvement of network reconstruction accuracy may lead to significantly different spreading dynamics, while sometimes large differences in accuracy have no obvious effects on the dynamics. This not only demonstrates the importance of precise network reconstruction but also the careful choice of the reconstruction method in relation with the data collected. Missing this initial step in any study may seriously mislead conclusions made about the emerging properties of the observed network or any dynamical process simulated on it.
Epidemic spreading phenomena on a scale-free network with time-varying transmission rate due to social responses
Authors: Maghool Samira , Maleki-Jirsaraei Nahid
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we study and simulate the effect of individual social responses, as a collective factor, on the epidemic spreading processes. We formally define the problem based on the traditional [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] compartmental models considering the time-varying infection probability dependent on the social responses. In this study, models of generic and special case scenarios are developed. While in the generic case the effective parameter of behavioral response is demonstrated as one collective factor, in the special case the behavioral response is assumed as the combination of two collective factors: social cost and transfer rate of social awareness. With social cost, we refer to the costs incurred by a certain population to prevent or mitigate an epidemic. With transfer rate of social awareness, we describe the averaged rate of received information and knowledge regarding a disease that individuals hold and make use to avoid negative consequences. We show that, while in both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] models the density of infected agents grows exponentially during the initial time steps, the inclusion of our models of social responses, either generic or special one, leads to mitigation of the spreading. As a result of both generic and special cases, the density of infected agents in the stationary state and the maximum number of infected agents decrease according to power-law functions for different values of collective factors. In the special case results, we also witnessed significant changes in the slope of decreasing trends of stationary density of states happening for a critical value of transfer rate of social awareness, approximately at about the inverse of the time interval of transmission rate update. With this result, we point out that increasing the transfer rate of social awareness to about this critical point outperforms any slight increase in social cost in reducing the number of infected agents.
Microscopic description of the fusion excitation function of 32,36S+90,94,96Zr
Authors: Rashdan M. , Abdel-Karim T. A.
Published: July 2020

The fusion excitation function for the systems [Formula: see text]S+[Formula: see text]Zr is investigated using a microscopic internuclear potential derived from Skyrme energy density functional. The inputs in this approach are the proton and neutron density distributions of the interacting nuclei, which are derived from Skyrme–Hartree–Fock calculations. The SkM[Formula: see text] interaction is used in the calculation of the nuclear densities as well as the internuclear potential. The coupling to low lying inelastic excited states of target and projectile is considered. The role of the neutron transfer is discussed, where it is considered through the CCFULL model calculation. A good agreement with the experimental data is obtained without adjustable parameters.
EXTERNAL KNOWLEDGE SOURCING AND MNES’ SUBSIDIARIES SERVICE INNOVATION PERFORMANCE: THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND EXPLORATORY LEARNING
Authors: OTOO CHARLES ODURO ACHEAMPONG , LI WENYUAN , DOGBE COURAGE SIMON KOFI , POMEGBE WISDOM WISE KWABLA
Published: July 2020

This study assessed the influence of external knowledge sourcing on multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) subsidiaries service innovation performance. It also considered the moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation, as well as the mediating role of exploratory learning. Empirical analysis was based on primary data gathered from 156 MNEs’ subsidiaries. Various validity and reliability checks were conducted before the presentation of the actual analysis, which was conducted using ordinary least squares approach, run using SPSS (v. 20). Findings indicate that exploratory learning fully mediates the relationship between external knowledge sourcing and MNEs’ subsidiaries service innovation performance. Entrepreneurial orientation was also found to moderate the relationship between external knowledge sourcing and exploratory learning. This study adds to the existing debate in the arena of resource-based theory.
Dielectric and piezoelectric perfomance of lead-free ceramics of boron sodium gadolinate niobate at morphotropic phase boundary
Authors: Kunnath Nissamuddeen , Philip Jacob
Published: July 2020

New lead-free piezoceramic nanocomposites of Boron Sodium Gadolinium Niobate (BNGN), with general formula (1[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]NbO3, exhibiting a Morphotropic Phase Boundary (MPB), have been synthesized following hydrothermal method followed by solid state sintering. The occurrence of MPB at the composition with [Formula: see text], at which rhombohedral and monoclinic phases are found to coexist, has been confirmed using powder XRD. This accounts for the occurrence of large remnant polarization when the sintered ceramic pellets are subjected to electric poling at 2KV/mm. Uniform microstructure of various compositions is confirmed by SEM imaging. Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the samples are found to be comparable to those of commercial grade PZT. At the MPB, the [Formula: see text] coefficient is found to be 556 pC/N, which is close to that of commercial grade PZT, which makes BNGN a promising material to substitute lead containing PZT in the near future.
ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY, MONETARY UNCERTAINTY, AND THE DEMAND FOR MONEY IN AFRICA: AN ASYMMETRY ANALYSIS
Authors: BAHMANI-OSKOOEE MOHSEN , ARIZE AUGUSTINE C.
Published: July 2020

Economic uncertainty and monetary uncertainty are two uncertainty measures that are said to affect the demand for money in any country and our region of interest, Africa, is no exception. In this paper, we take an additional step and argue that changes in any uncertainty measure could have asymmetric effects on the money demand. After applying the linear and nonlinear ARDL approaches to each of the 13 African nations, while we find the short-run effects of both uncertainty measures to be asymmetric, long-run asymmetric effects were discovered in limited number of countries. We also discovered that monetary volatility has more long-run effects than output volatility which implies that a steady and not so erratic money growth will have its predictive impact on the African economies.
Rapid detection of COVID-19 clusters in the United States using a prospective space-time scan statistic
Authors: Hohl Alexander , Delmelle Eric , Desjardins Michael
Published: July 2020

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a pandemic with 1,420,299 confirmed cases and 85,992 total deaths within the United States as of May 15th, 2020. As the number of cases continues to climb, detecting clusters of COVID-19 is critical to alleviate the strain on our public health system through improved resource allocation and decision-making. Here, we report on an analysis of daily case data at the county level using the prospective spatial-temporal scan statistic. In previous work, we performed the analysis for March 27th 2020 [1], and here we report updated results as of April 27th 2020, producing a new set of "active" and emerging clusters present. Our analysis resulted in sixteen significant space-time clusters of COVID-19 at the county level in the U.S. during the time span of March 22nd -- April 27th. The spacetime pattern of significant clusters mirrors active and emerging disease hot-spots at the end of our study period. The statistic can be rerun to support timely surveillance of COVID-19, as demonstrated here.
Location-based social simulation for prescriptive analytics of disease spread
Authors: Kim Joon-Seok , Kavak Hamdi , Rouly Chris Ovi , Jin Hyunjee , Crooks Andrew , Pfoser Dieter , Wenk Carola , Züfle Andreas
Published: July 2020

Human mobility and social networks have received considerable attention from researchers in recent years. What has been sorely missing is a comprehensive data set that not only addresses geometric movement patterns derived from trajectories, but also provides social networks and causal links as to why movement happens in the first place. To some extent, this challenge is addressed by studying location-based social networks (LBSNs). However, the scope of real-world LBSN data sets is constrained by privacy concerns, a lack of authoritative ground-truth, their sparsity, and small size. To overcome these issues we have infused a novel geographically explicit agent-based simulation framework to simulate human behavior and to create synthetic but realistic LBSN data based on human patterns-of-life (i.e., a geo-social simulation). Such data not only captures the location of users over time, but also their motivation, and interactions via temporal social networks. We have open sourced our framework and released a set of large data sets for the SIGSPATIAL community. In order to showcase the versatility of our simulation framework, we added disease a model that simulates an outbreak and allows us to test different policy measures such as implementing mandatory mask use and various social distancing measures. The produced data sets are massive and allow us to capture 100% of the (simulated) population over time without any data uncertainty, privacy-related concerns, or incompleteness. It allows researchers to see the (simulated) world through the lens of an omniscient entity having perfect data.
Modification of Commercial Pt/C Catalyst with Graphene Nanoplatelets for Sensitive and Selective Detection of Acetaminophen in Commercial Tablets
Authors: Sarikaya Sumeyye , Ozcan Merve , Uzunoglu Aytekin
Published: July 2020

Here, commercial Pt/C catalyst was modified with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) to construct electrochemical acetaminophen (APAP) sensors with high sensitivity and wide linear range. Physical mixture of Pt/C and GNPs with various contents were used to prepare ink formulations for the construction of electrochemical APAP sensors. The carbon content was kept constant to show the effect of GNPs content in the catalyst layer while decreasing the total Pt loading on the electrode surface. The Pt/C and GNPs were characterized using XRD, TEM, XPS, SEM, and EDS techniques. The analytical results indicated that the performance of the sensors was improved after GNPs introduction in Pt/C catalyst. It is of the note that while the amount of precious metal, Pt, on the electrode surface was decreased, the overall sensor performance was enhanced, confirming the importance of the catalyst support on the electrochemical performance of the catalyst systems. The sensors displayed a wide range of 0.1–3.0 mM with a high sensitivity of 209.07 μA. mM−1. cm−2. The reliability of the constructed sensors was evaluated by the determination of APAP concentration in commercial tablets and excellent recovery values were achieved.
Transcriptomic modifications in developmental cardiopulmonary adaptations to chronic hypoxia using a murine model of simulated high-altitude exposure
Authors: Krishnan Sheila , Stearman Robert S. , Zeng Lily , Fisher Amanda , Mickler Elizabeth A. , Rodriguez Brooke H. , Simpson Edward R. , Cook Todd , Slaven James E. , Ivan Mircea , Geraci Mark W. , Lahm Tim , Tepper Robert S.
Published: July 2020

Mechanisms driving adaptive developmental responses to chronic high-altitude (HA) exposure are incompletely known. We developed a novel rat model mimicking the human condition of cardiopulmonary adaptation to HA starting at conception and spanning the in utero and postnatal timeframe. We assessed lung growth and cardiopulmonary structure and function and performed transcriptome analyses to identify mechanisms facilitating developmental adaptations to chronic hypoxia. To generate the model, breeding pairs of Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia (equivalent to 9,000 ft elevation). Mating, pregnancy, and delivery occurred in hypoxic conditions. Six weeks postpartum, structural and functional data were collected in the offspring. RNA-Seq was performed on right ventricle (RV) and lung tissue. Age-matched breeding pairs and offspring under room air (RA) conditions served as controls. Hypoxic rats exhibited significantly lower body weights and higher hematocrit levels, alveolar volumes, pulmonary diffusion capacities, RV mass, and RV systolic pressure, as well as increased pulmonary artery remodeling. RNA-Seq analyses revealed multiple differentially expressed genes in lungs and RVs from hypoxic rats. Although there was considerable similarity between hypoxic lungs and RVs compared with RA controls, several upstream regulators unique to lung or RV were identified. We noted a pattern of immune downregulation and regulation patterns of immune and hormonal mediators similar to the genome from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. In summary, we developed a novel murine model of chronic hypoxia exposure that demonstrates functional and structural phenotypes similar to human adaptation. We identified transcriptomic alterations that suggest potential mechanisms for adaptation to chronic HA.
Using neuroimaging to predict brain age: insights into typical and atypical development and risk for psychopathology
Authors: Díaz-Arteche Carmela , Rakesh Divyangana
Published: July 2020

Childhood and adolescence are characterized by complex patterns of changes in brain structure and function. Recently, Truelove-Hill et al. (Truelove-Hill M, Erus G, Bashyam V, Varol E, Sako C, Gur RC, Gur RE, Koutsouleris N, Zhuo C, Fan Y, Wolf DH, Satterthwaite TD, Davatzikos C. J Neurosci 40: 1265–1275, 2020) used a novel machine learning algorithm to capture the subtle nuances of brain maturation during adolescence in two indices based on predicted brain age. In this article, we present an overview of the brain age prediction model used, provide further insight into the utility of this multimodal index to explore typical and atypical development, and discuss avenues for future research.
Linking Complement C3 and B Cells in Nasal Polyposis
Authors: Werner Ulrike , Künstner Axel , Drenckhan Maren , Pries Ralph , Bruchhage Karl-Ludwig , Busch Hauke S. , Bachert Claus , Wollenberg Barbara
Published: July 2020

Nasal polyposis often is characterized by a persistent inflammation of the sinonasal mucosa, disease recurrence after medical or surgical intervention, and asthma comorbidity. Dysregulated complement activation may contribute to immunologic alterations and disease. To date, there is only scattered knowledge on the source and regulation of the central complement factors in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps. Here, we aim to study complement signatures, especially the C3-C3aR axis, and focus on cellular sources and targets in nasal polyps. Expression of complement factors, including C3, C5, and the anaphylatoxin receptors, was analyzed in nasal polyp tissue samples, the corresponding inferior turbinates, and healthy controls using transcriptomic methods and protein measurements. Distinct patterns of complement expression were found in nasal polyps compared to controls, characterized by an increased C3 activation and an increase in C3aR-bearing cells. In contrast, no difference was shown for epithelial-dependent C3 production. Besides low intracellular C3-expression levels for lymphocytes in general, we could identify an enlarged B lymphocyte population in nasal polyps displaying high amounts of intracellular C3. Our data suggest a prominent role for the C3-C3aR-axis in nasal polyps and, for the first time, describe a B cell population containing high levels of intracellular C3, suggesting a new role of B cells in the maintenance of the inflammation by complement.
The Modified Particle Swarm Optimization for a Special Case of the Assignment Problem: A Case Study in Chicken Transportation
Authors: Supattananon Naratip , Akararungruangkul Raknoi
Published: July 2020

This research aims at solving the special case of multistate assignment problem. The problem includes many special characteristics which are not normally included in the assignment problem. There are many types and conditions of vehicles included in the planning and different road conditions of traveling, which would have different effects on fuel consumption, which is the objective function of the study. The proposed problem is determined as a large and complicated problem making the optimization software unable to find an optimal solution within the proper time. Therefore, the researchers had developed a method for determining the optimal solution by using particle swarm optimization (PSO) in which the methods were developed for solving the proposed problem. This method is called the modified particle swarm optimization (modified PSO). The proposed method was tested with three groups of tested instances, i.e., small, medium, and large groups. The computational result shows that, in small-sized and medium-sized problems, the proposed method performed not significantly different from the optimization software, and in the large-sized problems, the modified PSO method gave 3.61% lower cost than the cost generated from best solution generated from optimization software within 72 hours and it gave 11.03% better solution than that of the best existing heuristics published so far (differential evolution algorithm).
Uncertainty Avoider Interval Type II Defuzzification Method
Authors: Aminifar Sadegh
Published: July 2020

One of the IT2FS (interval type-2 fuzzy system) defuzzification methods uses the iterative KM algorithm. Because of the iterative nature of KM-type reduction, it may be a computational bottleneck for the real-time applications of IT2FSs. There are several other interval type-2 defuzzification methods suffering from lack of meaningful relationship between membership function uncertainties and changing of system output due to lack of clearly defined variables related to uncertainty in their methods. In this paper, a new approach for IT2FS defuzzification is presented by reconfiguring interval type-2 fuzzy sets and how uncertainties are present in them. This closed-formula method provides meaningful relation between the presence of uncertainty and its effect on system output. This study investigates uncertainty avoidance that the output of IT2FS obtained by centroid or bisection methods in comparison with type-1 fuzzy system (T1FLS) moves to points with less uncertainty. Uncertainty can enter into T1FSs and affect system response. Finally, for proving the affectivity of the proposed defuzzification method and uncertainty avoidance, several investigations are done and a prototype two-input one-output IT2FS MATLAB code is enclosed.
Synthesis of Organic Ligands via Reactions of 4-Benzoyl-5-phenylamino-2,3-dihydrothiophene-2,3-dione with N-Nucleophiles
Authors: Kabirifard Hassan , Hafez Taghva Pardis , Teimouri Hossein , Koosheshi Niloofar , Javadpour Parastoo , Bagherinejad Hanieh , Seyfi Soheila , Hossein Roodbari Maryam , Golabian Elaheh
Published: July 2020

The reaction of 4-benzoyl-5-phenylamino-2,3-dihydrothiophene-2,3-dione (1) with aminoheteroaryls, lamotrigine, 1,3-diaminoheteroaryls, dapsone, NH2R (hydroxylamine, DL-1-phenylethylamine, and metformin), and 4,4′-bipyridine in THF/H2O (1 : 1) at room temperature led to 3-N-phenylthiocarbamoyl-2-butenamides 2–5, while that with naphthylamines and 1,3-phenylenediamine in ethanol at high temperature led to 5-phenylamino-2,5-dihydrothiophene-2-ones 6–8 as organic ligands in the medium to good yields. These showed the nucleophilic attacks of N-nucleophiles, except primary aromatic amines, on thioester carboxyl group (C-2) of thiophene-2,3-dione ring 1. However, the nucleophilic attacks of primary aromatic amines on the carbonyl group (C-3) of thiophene-2,3-dione 1 occurred in the form of substituted thiophenes.
Protective Activities of Dendrobium huoshanense C. Z. Tang et S. J. Cheng Polysaccharide against High-Cholesterol Diet-Induced Atherosclerosis in Zebrafish
Authors: Fan Xiangcheng , Han Jichun , Zhu Lijun , Chen Zhipeng , Li Jiajing , Gu Yue , Wang Feng , Wang Tao , Yue Yunyun , Shang Jing
Published: July 2020

Cardiovascular disease is the highest cause of death, and atherosclerosis (AS) is the primary pathogenesis of many cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aim to investigate the possible pharmaceutical effects of Dendrobium huoshanense C. Z. Tang et S. J. Cheng polysaccharide (DHP) in AS. We fed zebrafish with high-cholesterol diet (HCD) to establish a zebrafish AS model and treated with DHP and observed plaque formation and neutrophil counts under a fluorescence microscope. Next, a parallel flow chamber was utilized to establish low shear stress- (LSS-) induced endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction model. We observed that DHP significantly improved HCD-induced lipid deposition, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response, mainly showing that DHP significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, decreased plaque formation, and decreased neutrophil recruitment and the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, DHP significantly improved LSS-induced oxidative stress and EC dysfunction. Our results indicated that DHP can exert treatment effects on AS, which may attribute to its hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities and improving LSS-induced EC dysfunction. DHP has promising potential for further development as a functional natural medicine source targeted at AS prevention.