bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of temperature, age and stage on testis development in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
Authors: Hiroyoshi Satoshi , Mitsunaga Takayuki , Reddy Gadi V. P.
Published: March 2021

In Lepidoptera, it is known that larval and pupal testes enlarge in volume and then decrease in size over various phases of the pupal stage. After adult emergence, testis shrinkage continues. In the present study, the effects of temperature, age and stage on testis development were investigated in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Laboratory experiments indicated that in the adult stage, testis shrank markedly with age and with increasing temperatures, when males were reared at 15, 20, 25 or 30 °C during the larval and pupal stages and then transferred to other temperatures. When kept at 15, 20, 25 or 30 °C throughout their entire life (larva, pupa and adult), the higher the temperature, the smaller the testis volume at any given adult age, indicating that larval and/or pupal rearing temperatures also affected testis development. Field experiments carried out in Tokyo showed that testis volume in wild adult males of diamondback moth was quite varied, suggesting that this population had both young and old males at each survey time. The lower the larval and pupal rearing temperature, the larger the adult, as measured by forewing length. Since larger adults tended to have larger testis at adult emergence, adult testis volume should be compensated based on the forewing length. Mating reduced the testis size. Our results suggest that adult age of diamondback moths in wild populations can be estimated roughly from the data on testis volume, temperature and forewing length.
Interconnection of iron and osmotic stress signalling in plants: is FIT a regulatory hub to cross‐connect abscisic acid responses?
Authors: Kanwar P. , Baby D. , Bauer P.
Published: March 2021

Osmotic stresses, such as salinity and drought, have deleterious effects on uptake and translocation of essential mineral nutrients. Iron (Fe) is an important micronutrient that regulates many processes in plants. Plants have adopted various molecular and physiological strategies for Fe acquisition from soil and transport to and within plants. Dynamic Fe signalling in plants tightly regulates Fe uptake and homeostasis. In this way, Fe nutrition is adjusted to growth and stress conditions, and Fe deficiency‐regulated transcription factors, such as FER‐LIKE IRON DEFICIENCY‐INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR (FIT), act as regulatory hubs in these responses. Here, we review and analyse expression of the various components of the Fe signalling during osmotic stresses. We discuss common players in the Fe and osmotic stress signalling. Furthermore, this review focuses on exploring a novel and exciting direct connection of regulatory mechanisms of Fe intake and acquisition with ABA‐mediated environmental stress cues, like salt/drought. We propose a model that discuss how environmental stress affects Fe uptake and acquisition and vice versa at molecular–physiological levels in plants.
When rice gets the chills: comparative transcriptome profiling at germination shows WRKY transcription factor responses
Authors: Viana V. E. , Carlos da Maia L. , Busanello C. , Pegoraro C. , Costa de Oliveira A.
Published: March 2021

Rice is vital for food security. Due to its tropical origin, rice suffers from cold temperatures that affect its entire life cycle. Key genes have been identified involved in cold tolerance. WRKYs are generally downstream of the MAPK cascade and can act together with VQ proteins to regulate stress‐responsive genes.

Chilling treatment was applied at germination to two rice genotypes (tolerant and sensitive). Shoots at S3 stage were collected for RNA‐seq to identify OsWRKY, OsMAPKs and OsVQs expression. Relationships among MAPKs, WRKYs and VQs were predicted through correlation analysis. OsWRKY transcriptional regulation was predicted by in silico analysis of cis‐regulatory elements.

A total of 39 OsWRKYs were differentially expressed. OsWRKY21, OsWRK24 and OsWRKY69 are potential positive regulators, while OsWRKY10, OsWRK47, OsWRKY62, OsWRKY72 and OsWRKY77 are potential negative regulators, of chilling tolerance. 12 OsMAPKs were differentially expressed. OsMAPKs were downregulated and negatively correlated with the upregulated OsWRKYs in the tolerant genotype. 19 OsVQs were differentially expressed, three and six OsVQs were positively correlated with OsWRKYs in the tolerant and sensitive genotypes, respectively. Seven differentially expressed OsWRKYs have cold‐responsive elements in their promoters and five upregulated OsWRKYs in the tolerant genotype contained the W‐box motif.

Chilling causes changes in OsWRKY, OsMAPK and OsVQ gene expression at germination. OsWRKYs may not act downstream of the MAPK cascade to coordinate chilling tolerance, but OsWRKYs may act with VQs to regulate chilling tolerance. Candidate OsWRKYs are correlated and have a W‐box in the promoter, suggesting an auto‐regulation mechanism.
An Analytics‐Driven Approach for Optimal Individualized Diabetes Screening
Authors: Kamalzadeh Hossein , Ahuja Vishal , Hahsler Michael , Bowen Michael E.
Published: March 2021

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of Americans and puts a significant burden on the healthcare system. The medical community sees screening patients to identify and treat prediabetes and diabetes early as an important goal; however, universal population screening is operationally not feasible, and screening policies need to take characteristics of the patient population into account. For instance, the screening policy for a population in an affluent neighborhood may differ from that of a safety‐net hospital. The problem of optimal diabetes screening—whom to screen and when to screen—is clearly important, and small improvements could have an enormous impact. However, the problem is typically only discussed from a practical viewpoint in the medical literature; a thorough theoretical framework from an operational viewpoint is largely missing. In this study, we propose an approach that builds on multiple methods—partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP), hidden Markov model (HMM), and predictive risk modeling (PRM). It uses available clinical information, in the form of electronic health records (EHRs), on specific patient populations to derive an optimal policy, which is used to generate screening decisions, individualized for each patient. The POMDP model, used for determining optimal decisions, lies at the core of our approach. We use HMM to estimate the cohort‐specific progression of diabetes (i.e., transition probability matrix) and the emission matrix. We use PRM to generate observations—in the form of individualized risk scores—for the POMDP. Both HMM and PRM are learned from EHR data. Our approach is unique because (i) it introduces a novel way of incorporating predictive modeling into a formal decision framework to derive an optimal screening policy; and (ii) it is based on real clinical data. We fit our model using data on a cohort of more than 60,000 patients over 5 years from a large safety‐net health system and then demonstrate the model's utility by conducting a simulation study. The results indicate that our proposed screening policy outperforms existing guidelines widely used in clinical practice. Our estimates suggest that implementing our policy for the studied cohort would add one quality‐adjusted life year for every patient, and at a cost that is 35% lower, compared with existing guidelines. Our proposed framework is generalizable to other chronic diseases, such as cancer and HIV.
The effects of vibrotactile masking on heartbeat detection: Evidence that somatosensory mechanoreceptors transduce heartbeat sensations
Authors: Knapp‐Kline Kelley , Ring Christopher , Emmerich David , Brener Jasper
Published: March 2021

The ability to detect heartbeat sensations is the most common basis for inferring individual differences in sensitivity to the interoceptive stimuli generated by the visceral activity. While the sensory sources of heartbeat sensations have yet to be identified, there is a growing consensus that visceral sensation, in general, is supported not only by the interoceptive system but also by the somatosensory system, and even by exteroception. The current experiment sought evidence on this issue by exploring the effects of masking the functions of somatosensory Pacinian and non‐Pacinian mechanoreceptors on the ability to detect heartbeat sensations. Twelve verified heartbeat detectors completed a multi‐session experiment in which they judged heartbeat‐tone and light‐tone simultaneity under two vibrotactile masking conditions involving the stimulation of the sternum: (a) using 250 Hz vibrotactile stimuli to mask the Pacinian channel, and (b) using 6 Hz vibrotactile stimuli to mask the non‐Pacinian channel. A no‐vibration control condition in which no masking stimuli were presented was also implemented. Presentation of both the 250 Hz and the 6 Hz masking stimuli impaired the ability to judge the simultaneity of heartbeats and tones but did not influence the ability to judge the simultaneity of stimuli presented to different exteroceptive modalities (lights and tones). Our findings reinforce the view that the somatosensory system is involved in cardioception and support the conclusion that both Pacinian and non‐Pacinian somatosensory mechanoreceptors are implicated in heartbeat detection.
Functional immune reconstitution early after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation: A comparison of pre‐ and post‐transplantation cytokine responses in stimulated whole blood
Authors: Gjærde Lars Klingen , Brooks Patrick Terrence , Andersen Niels Smedegaard , Friis Lone Smidstrup , Kornblit Brian , Petersen Søren Lykke , Schjødt Ida , Nielsen Susanne Dam , Ostrowski Sisse Rye , Sengeløv Henrik
Published: March 2021

We aimed to use a novel standardized whole‐blood stimulation system to evaluate differences in the functional immune reconstitution in patients early after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Between April and September 2018, 30 patients undergoing HCT had whole blood samples collected around day −21 (day 0 being the day of haematopoietic cell infusion) and day +28. Whole blood was transferred to TruCulture assays comprising prefilled incubation tubes with cell culture medium and a standardized stimulus. We used a panel of four stimuli (lipopolysaccharide, resiquimod, heat‐killed Candida albicans and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid) and a blank, designed to evaluate the function of critical extra‐ and intracellular immunological signalling pathways. For each stimulus, the cytokine response was assessed by the concentration of interferon‐γ, interleukin (IL)‐12p40, IL‐10, IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, IL‐12p40, IL‐17A and tumour necrosis factor‐α using a multiplex Luminex assay. Pre‐HCT cytokine responses were globally decreased across several different stimuli. Despite patients receiving immunosuppressive prophylaxis at the time, post‐HCT cytokine responses were higher and less intercorrelated than pre‐HCT responses, also after adjusting for differences in the leukocyte differential counts. For the resiquimod and heat‐killed Candida albicans stimuli, we identified a cluster of patients in whom post‐HCT responses were lower than average across several cytokines, indicating a possible functional immune deficiency. Our findings suggest that the standardized whole blood stimulation system can be used to reveal heterogeneity in the in vitro cytokine responses to various stimuli after HCT. Larger studies are needed to address if the functional immune reconstitution after HCT can predict the risk of infections.
Longer‐term effects of supervised physical activity on obstructive sleep apnea and subsequent health consequences
Authors: Berger Mathieu , Barthélémy Jean‐Claude , Garet Martin , Raffin Jérémy , Labeix Pierre , Roche Frédéric , Hupin David
Published: March 2021

Although recent trials have shown promising benefits of exercise on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity, the long‐term effect of these interventions remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a 9‐month community physical activity program on OSA severity one year later in free‐living conditions. OSA patients, previously included in a 9‐month randomized controlled trial (EXESAS study) evaluating the effects of supervised community physical activity on OSA severity, were invited to participate in an extra one‐year observational study. Twenty‐eight patients completed the study. Although OSA severity did not significantly worsen over the real‐life period (9 to 21 months of follow‐up), reductions in apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index were no longer significant after 21 months of follow‐up compared to baseline (baseline AHI: 22.2 ± 6.3 /h; 9 months: 16.3 ± 6.4 /h; 21 months: 18.7 ± 8.9 /h). Benefits observed at 9 months on daytime sleepiness and mental health were preserved at 21 months, whereas cardiorespiratory fitness slightly decreased. Per‐protocol analysis revealed that patients who stopped exercise at 9 months had worsened OSA severity compared to those who continued exercise during the real‐life period (AHI: +9.0 ± 8.8 vs. −1.3 ± 5.3 /h; p < .01). In conclusion, our study suggested that improvements in OSA severity remain transient and is dependent on long‐term adherence to regular physical activity practice.
An activity‐based framework for detecting human movement patterns in an urban environment
Authors: Hosseinpoor Milaghardan Amin , Ali Abbaspour Rahim , Claramunt Christophe , Chehreghan Alireza
Published: March 2021

The continuous development of positioning technologies and computing solutions for the integration of large trajectory data sets offers many novel research opportunities. Among various research domains, the extraction of users' movement patterns is an important issue that is yet to be addressed. While many previous studies have analyzed human and animal movements from a predominantly geometrical point of view, additional semantics are still required to provide a better understanding of the patterns that emerge. User activity data provide important information resources to analyze and predict movement patterns in urban environments. This study introduces a computational framework that combines the geometric and activity‐based dimensions of human trajectories. First, the geometrical dimension considers a series of parameters (i.e., turning points, curvature, and self‐intersection) that are extracted by a convex‐hull algorithm and characterizes a given trajectory. Second, user activity transitions are modeled and then denote some recurrent patterns. Finally, geometric and activity patterns are integrated into a unified trajectory modeling framework. This favors the analysis of human movement patterns by taking into account the geometric and activity dimensions. The entire approach and framework have experimented with the LifeMap Korean trajectory data set commonly considered as a reference benchmark. The experiments showed how the integration of geometrical and activity‐based dimensions could provide a better understanding of the patterns and trends that emerge from a large trajectory data set.
Lessons learned in the collection of convalescent plasma during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Wendel Silvano , Land Kevin , Devine Dana V. , Daly James , Bazin Renée , Tiberghien Pierre , Lee Cheuk‐Kwong , Arora Satyam , Patidar Gopal K. , Khillan Kamini , Smid Willem Martin , Vrielink Hans , Oreh Adaeze , Al‐Riyami Arwa Z. , Hindawi Salwa , Vermeulen Marion , Louw Vernon , Burnouf Thierry , Bloch Evan M. , Goel Ruchika , Townsend Mary , So‐Osman Cynthia
Published: March 2021

Background

The lack of definitive treatment or preventative options for COVID‐19 led many clinicians early on to consider convalescent plasma (CCP) as potentially therapeutic. Regulators, blood centres and hospitals worldwide worked quickly to get CCP to the bedside. Although response was admirable, several areas have been identified to help improve future pandemic management.

Materials and methods

A multidisciplinary, multinational subgroup from the ISBT Working Group on COVID‐19 was tasked with drafting a manuscript that describes the lessons learned pertaining to procurement and administration of CCP, derived from a comprehensive questionnaire within the subgroup.

Results

While each country’s responses and preparedness for the pandemic varied, there were shared challenges, spanning supply chain disruptions, staffing, impact of social distancing on the collection of regular blood and CCP products, and the availability of screening and confirmatory SARS‐CoV‐2 testing for donors and patients. The lack of a general framework to organize data gathering across clinical trials and the desire to provide a potentially life‐saving therapeutic through compassionate use hampered the collection of much‐needed safety and outcome data worldwide. Communication across all stakeholders was identified as being central to reducing confusion.

Conclusion

The need for flexibility and adaptability remains paramount when dealing with a pandemic. As the world approaches the first anniversary of the COVID‐19 pandemic with rising rates worldwide and over 115 million cases and 2·55 million deaths, respectively, it is important to reflect on how to better prepare for future pandemics as we continue to combat the current one.
Survival time of juvenile dogs with oral squamous cell carcinoma treated with surgery alone: A Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology retrospective study
Authors: Sharma Surabhi , Boston Sarah E. , Skinner Owen T. , Perry James A. , Verstraete Frank J. M. , Lee Da Bin , Van Stee Lucinda L. L. , Thompson Chris , Boylan Matthew , McKee Talon , Bergman Philip J.
Published: March 2021

Objective

To report the signalment, staging, surgical treatment, and survival time of juvenile dogs treated surgically for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Study design

Retrospective study.

Animals or sample population

Twenty‐five dogs, <2 years of age with OSCC treated with surgery.

Methods

Cases were solicited from the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology. Data retrieved included sex, breed, age, weight, clinical signs, tumor location, preoperative diagnostics and staging, histopathological diagnosis with margin evaluation, disease‐free interval, and date and cause of death. A minimum follow‐up time of 3 months was required for inclusion.

Results

Eighteen dogs were <12 months of age, and seven were <24 months. Various breeds were represented, with a mean body weight of 22.3 ± 14.4 kg. No dogs had evidence of metastatic disease prior to surgery. All dogs underwent partial maxillectomy or mandibulectomy. Histological margins were complete in 24 dogs and incomplete in one. No dogs had evidence of metastatic disease or tumor recurrence. The median follow‐up time was 1556 days (92 to 4234 days). All dogs were alive at the last follow‐up except for one documented death, due to dilated cardiomyopathy. Median disease‐specific survival time was not reached.

Conclusion

The prognosis after wide surgical excision of OSCC in juvenile dogs was excellent.

Clinical significance

OSCC in juvenile dogs can be effectively treated with surgery alone.
The role of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum: A systematic review and personal experience
Authors: Almeida Ivan R. , Coltro Pedro S. , Gonçalves Henrique O. C. , Westin Andrezza T. , Almeida Juliano B. , Lima Renan V. K. S. , Silva Marcelo F. , Farina Junior Jayme A.
Published: March 2021

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare painful ulcerative neutrophilic inflammatory skin disease, necessitating a high level of diagnostic suspicion associated with appropriate treatment to avoid progression. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been efficiently used in the treatment of different types of wounds. However, the role of NPWT in the management of PG is still controversial, due to the risk of the pathergy phenomenon. In this article, we conducted a systematic review (according to the PRISMA guidelines) on the use of NPWT in the treatment of PG, and we report our personal experience with two patients treated with this device. The result of the review showed that articles on the topic are, in their entirety, of low levels of evidence, such as case series, case reports, and reviews. Improvement in wound healing with the use of NPWT was observed in 85.1% of the patients studied. Besides, a significant association between improvement in wound healing with NPWT and immunosuppressive therapy was observed. Regarding the cases reported here, both showed good outcomes with the use of NPWT and skin graft during the treatment of PG injuries. Due to the rarity of PG, there is a scarcity of studies with robust evidence for standardization and comparison between treatments, which consequently makes it difficult to select therapeutic options. However, based on this systematic review and reported cases, we consider NPWT a safe option for adjuvant treatment of wounds caused by PG if combined with systemic immunosuppression, which plays a key role in greater chances of successful treatment. This approach should be recommended, whenever possible, associated with skin grafting to accelerate wound closure. The role of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum: a systematic review and personal experience.
Shape Optimization of Rectangular Plates for Vibration-Based Fatigue Testing
Authors: Furman Brandon A. , Hill Benjamin D. , German Emma E. , Scott-Emuakpor Onome , Berke Ryan B.
Published: March 2021

In vibration-based high cycle fatigue testing, a base-excited plate is driven at a high frequency resonant mode until failure. In one vibration-based method involving a cantilevered square plate, a mode often referred to as the “two-stripe” mode is sometimes used because it exists at high frequencies and produces large uniaxial bending stresses along the free edge that are suitable for fatigue testing. The purpose of this work is to precisely investigate how the dimensions of a more generally rectangular plate influence performance when driven at the two-stripe mode. Included are the results of many thousands of modal analysis simulations. From these simulations, general trends with respect to resonant frequencies, frequency isolation, and stress fields in the plate are examined. Results of select geometries were then experimentally validated using a 1000 lb shaker. It is generally shown that, compared with square plates, rectangular plates with 1.37 length-to-width ratio exhibit more favorable stress distributions and frequency isolation. Recommendations are also given for how to quickly select preferable plate dimensions when planning a test based around the operating frequencies of the test setup.
On the Complex Simulations With Dark–Bright to the Hirota–Maccari System
Authors: Yel Gulnur , Cattani Carlo , Baskonus Haci Mehmet , Gao Wei
Published: March 2021

This paper investigates the coupled nonlinear Hirota–Maccari system with the help of using an analytical approach, which is the extended sinh-Gordon equation expansion method (ShGEEM). Complex, solitary, and singular periodic traveling solutions are successfully gained to the nonlinear model considered. The constraint conditions that validate the existence of the reported soliton solutions are also given in a detailed manner. The two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional, and contour graphs to some of the obtained solutions are presented via several computational programs. These simulations present deeper investigations about the wave distributions of the coupled nonlinear Hirota–Maccari system.
Multiparameter Real-World System Identification Using Iterative Residual Tuning
Authors: Allevato Adam , Pryor Mitch , Thomaz Andrea L.
Published: March 2021

In this work, we consider the problem of nonlinear system identification using data to learn multiple and often coupled parameters that allow a simulator to more accurately model a physical system or mechanism and close the so-called reality gap for more accurate robot control. Our approach uses iterative residual tuning (IRT), a recently developed derivative-free system identification technique that utilizes neural networks and visual observation to estimate parameter differences between a proposed model and a target model. We develop several modifications to the basic IRT approach and apply it to the system identification of a five-parameter model of a marble rolling in a robot-controlled labyrinth game mechanism. We validate our technique both in simulation—where we outperform two baselines—and on a real system, where we achieve marble tracking error of 4% after just five optimization iterations.
Heat Dissipation System Based on Electromagnetic-Driven Rotational Flow of Liquid Metal Coolant
Authors: Wang L. , Zhang X. D. , Liu J. , Zhou Y. X.
Published: March 2021

Liquid metal owns the highest thermal conductivity among all the currently available fluid materials. This property enables it to be a powerful coolant for the thermal management of large power device or high flux chip. In this paper, a high-efficiency heat dissipation system based on the electromagnetic-driven rotational flow of liquid metal was demonstrated. The velocity distribution of the liquid metal was theoretically analyzed and numerically simulated. The results showed that the velocity was distributed unevenly along longitudinal section and the maximum velocity appears near the anode. On the temperature distribution profile of the heat dissipation system, the temperature on the electric heater side was much higher than the other regions and the role of the rotated liquid metal was to homogenize the temperature of the system. To analyze the heat dissipation of the system performance, a second-order R-C network thermal resistance model of the experimental device was established with the parameters determined. The total thermal resistance of the dissipation system presented an increasing tendency with the increase of the heating power and gradually stabilized to about 4.42 °C/W. Besides, the relationship between the temperature of the electric heater and the heating power was experimentally determined. And it exhibits linear characteristic with the slope value of about 1.033 oC/W. With such corresponding relations, the heating power could be conveniently determined once the maximum control temperature was given. The heat dissipation method introduced in the paper provides a novel way for fabricating compact chip cooling system.
Antimicrobial Resistance Hidden within Multiserovar
Salmonella
Populations
Authors: Siceloff Amy T. , Ohta Naomi , Norman Keri N. , Loneragan Guy H. , Norby Bo , Scott H. Morgan , Shariat Nikki W.
Published: March 2021

Salmonella enterica
can exist in food animals as multiserovar populations, and different serovars can harbor diverse antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles. Conventional
Salmonella
isolation assesses AMR only in the most abundant members of a multiserovar population, which typically reflects their relative abundance in the initial sample.
Clinical Impact of the Revised 2019 CLSI Levofloxacin Breakpoints in Patients with
Enterobacterales
Bacteremia
Authors: Huang Ho-Yin , Wang Chu-Feng , Lu Po-Liang , Tseng Sung-Pin , Wang Ya-Ling , Chen Tun-Chieh , Chang Ko , Tu Hung-Pin , Lin Shang-Yi
Published: March 2021

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) revised the fluoroquinolone MIC breakpoints for
Enterobacterales
in 2019, based on pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses. However, clinical evidence supporting these breakpoint revisions is limited.
Whole-Genome Analysis Surveillance of Influenza A Virus Resistance to Polymerase Complex Inhibitors in Eastern Spain from 2016 to 2019
Authors: Mengual-Chuliá Beatriz , Alonso-Cordero Andrés , Cano Laura , Mosquera M. del Mar , de Molina Patricia , Vendrell Roser , Reyes-Prieto Mariana , Jané Mireia , Torner Nuria , Martínez Ana Isabel , Vila Jordi , Díez-Domingo Javier , Marcos M. Ángeles , López-Labrador F. Xavier
Published: March 2021

Molecular surveillance by whole-genome sequencing was used to monitor the susceptibility of circulating influenza A viruses to three polymerase complex inhibitors. A total of 12 resistance substitutions were found among 285 genomes analyzed, but none were associated with high levels of resistance. Natural resistance to these influenza A antivirals is currently uncommon.
Pharyngeal Microbial Signatures Are Predictive of the Risk of Fungal Pneumonia in Hematologic Patients
Authors: Costantini Claudio , Nunzi Emilia , Spolzino Angelica , Palmieri Melissa , Renga Giorgia , Zelante Teresa , Englmaier Lukas , Coufalikova Katerina , Spáčil Zdeněk , Borghi Monica , Bellet Marina M. , Acerbi Enzo , Puccetti Matteo , Giovagnoli Stefano , Spaccapelo Roberta , Talesa Vincenzo N. , Lomurno Giuseppe , Merli Francesco , Facchini Luca , Spadea Antonio , Melillo Lorella , Codeluppi Katia , Marchesi Francesco , Marchesini Gessica , Valente Daniela , Dragonetti Giulia , Nadali Gianpaolo , Pagano Livio , Aversa Franco , Romani Luigina
Published: March 2021

The ability to predict invasive fungal infections (IFI) in patients with hematological malignancies is fundamental for successful therapy. Although gut dysbiosis is known to occur in hematological patients, whether airway dysbiosis also contributes to the risk of IFI has not been investigated.
Sialic Acid Protects Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae from Natural IgM and Promotes Survival in Murine Respiratory Tract
Authors: Jackson Mary Darby , Wong Sandy M. , Akerley Brian J.
Published: March 2021

NontypeableHaemophilus influenzae(NTHi), a common inhabitant of the human nasopharynx and upper airways, causes opportunistic respiratory tract infections that are frequently recurring and chronic. NTHi utilizes sialic acid from the host to evade antibacterial defenses and persist in mucosal tissues; however, the role of sialic acid scavenged by NTHi during infection is not fully understood.
A-Type Carrier Proteins Are Involved in [4Fe-4S] Cluster Insertion into the Radical
S
-Adenosylmethionine Protein MoaA for the Synthesis of Active Molybdoenzymes
Authors: Hasnat Muhammad Abrar , Zupok Arkadiusz , Olas Justyna Jadwiga , Mueller-Roeber Bernd , Leimkühler Silke
Published: March 2021

Understanding the assembly of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) proteins is relevant to many fields, including nitrogen fixation, photosynthesis, bioenergetics, and gene regulation. Remaining critical gaps in our knowledge include how Fe-S clusters are transferred to their target proteins and how the specificity in this process is achieved, since different forms of Fe-S clusters need to be delivered to structurally highly diverse target proteins.
Elucidation of the Complicated Scenario of Primate APOBEC3 Gene Evolution
Authors: Uriu Keiya , Kosugi Yusuke , Suzuki Narumi , Ito Jumpei , Sato Kei
Published: March 2021

In terms of virus-host interactions and coevolution, the APOBEC3 gene family is one of the most important subjects in the field of retrovirology. APOBEC3 genes are composed of a repertoire of subclasses based on sequence similarity, and a paper by LaRue et al. provides the standard guideline for the nomenclature and genomic architecture of APOBEC3 genes.
Metabolomics Reveal Potential Natural Substrates of AcrB in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Wang-Kan Xuan , Rodríguez-Blanco Giovanny , Southam Andrew D. , Winder Catherine L. , Dunn Warwick B. , Ivens Alasdair , Piddock Laura J. V.
Published: March 2021

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria pose a global threat to human health. The AcrB efflux pump confers inherent and evolved drug resistance to
Enterobacterales
, including
Escherichia coli
and
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium.
The DnaK Chaperone System Buffers the Fitness Cost of Antibiotic Resistance Mutations in Mycobacteria
Authors: Fay Allison , Philip John , Saha Priya , Hendrickson Ronald C. , Glickman Michael S. , Burns-Huang Kristin
Published: March 2021

AMR is a global problem, especially for TB. Here, we show that mycobacterial chaperones support AMR in
M. smegmatis
, a nonpathogenic model of
M. tuberculosis
, the causative agent of TB.
Cryo-EM Structures of CusA Reveal a Mechanism of Metal-Ion Export
Authors: Moseng Mitchell A. , Lyu Meinan , Pipatpolkai Tanadet , Glaza Przemyslaw , Emerson Corey C. , Stewart Phoebe L. , Stansfeld Phillip J. , Yu Edward W.
Published: March 2021

The bacterial RND superfamily of efflux pumps mediate resistance to a variety of biocides, including Cu(I) and Ag(I) ions. Here we report four cryo-EM structures of the trimeric CusA pump in the presence of Cu(I). Combined with MD simulations, our data indicate that each CusA protomer within the trimer recognizes and extrudes Cu(I) independently.
Balancing Positive and Negative Selection:
In Vivo
Evolution of Candida lusitaniae
MRR1
Authors: Demers Elora G. , Stajich Jason E. , Ashare Alix , Occhipinti Patricia , Hogan Deborah A.
Published: March 2021

Understanding microbial evolution within patients is critical for managing chronic infections and understanding host-pathogen interactions. Here, our analysis of multiple
MRR1
alleles in isolates from a single
Clavispora
(
Candida
)
lusitaniae
infection revealed the selection for both high and low Mrr1 activity.
Global Transcriptional Regulators Fine-Tune the Translational and Metabolic Efficiency for Optimal Growth of Escherichia coli
Authors: Iyer Mahesh S. , Pal Ankita , Srinivasan Sumana , Somvanshi Pramod R. , Venkatesh K. V.
Published: March 2021

Cellular proteome allocation in response to environmental or internal perturbations governs their eventual phenotypic outcome. This entails striking an effective balance between amino acid biosynthesis by metabolic proteins and its consumption by ribosomes.
Bridging Rare and Abundant Bacteria with Ecosystem Multifunctionality in Salinized Agricultural Soils: from Community Diversity to Environmental Adaptation
Authors: Wan Wenjie , Liu Song , Li Xiang , Xing Yonghui , Chen Wenli , Huang Qiaoyun
Published: March 2021

Soil salinization is a worldwide environmental problem and threatens plant productivity and microbial diversity. Understanding the generation and maintenance of microbial diversity is essential to estimate soil tillage potential via investigating ecosystem multifunctionality.
Evaluating methods for estimating mortality from acoustic telemetry data
Authors: Peterson Lisa K. , Jones Michael L. , Brenden Travis O. , Vandergoot Christopher S. , Krueger Charles C.
Published: March 2021

Mortality rates are major determinants of long-term sustainability of exploited fish populations, yet accurately estimating these rates can be challenging. We used simulations to evaluate nonspatial and spatial modeling approaches for estimating mortality rates from acoustic telemetry detection data. Data were generated assuming different receiver configurations (grids, lines), number of receivers, and mortality levels. Relative error rates for total mortality ranged from 0% to 83% for the nonspatial model and from 1% to 141% for the spatial model. Absolute error rates ranged from 0.00 to 0.11 for the nonspatial model and from 0.01 to 0.15 for the spatial model. Accuracy and precision in mortality estimates were sensitive to assumed mortality rates and receiver configurations; the high-density receiver grid resulted in the lowest error rates. Estimates were consistently positively biased. We recommend using grid receiver configurations for mortality rate estimation from acoustic telemetry studies. The potential for biased mortality estimation from acoustic telemetry detection data should be considered during study design, particularly for those species with behavior and ecology that may result in long periods without detection.
Portfolio Selection with Regularization
Authors: Zhang Ning , Chen Jingnan , Dai Gengling
Published: March 2021

We study the Markowitz mean-variance portfolio selection model under three types of regularizations: single-norm regularizations on individual stocks, mixed-norm regularizations on stock groups, and composite regularizations that combine the single-norm and mixed-norm regularizations. With mixed-norm regularizations incorporated, our model can accomplish group and stock selections simultaneously. Our empirical results using both US and global equity market data show that compared to the classical mean-variance portfolio, almost all regularized portfolios have better out-of-sample risk-adjusted performance measured by Sharpe ratio. In addition, stock selection and group screening accomplished by adding [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] regularizations respectively can lead to decreased volatility, turnover rate, and leverage ratio. Yet there are instances in which diversifying across different groups is more favorable, depending on the grouping methods. Moreover, we find a positive correlation between portfolio turnover and leverage. Heavily leveraged portfolios also have high turnover rates and thus high transaction costs.
Verification of the Jones unknot conjecture up to 24 crossings
Authors: Tuzun Robert E. , Sikora Adam S.
Published: March 2021

Extending upon our previous work, we verify the Jones Unknot Conjecture for all knots up to 24 crossings. We describe the method of our approach and analyze the growth of the computational complexity of its different components.
Ground state energy and topological mass in spacetimes with nontrivial topology
Authors: Porfírio Paulo J. , Mota Herondy F. Santana , Garcia Gabriel Queiroz
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we study the ground state energy of a massless scalar field and generation of topological mass by considering a quasi-periodically identified Minkowski spacetime and the “half-Einstein universe”, that is, an Einstein universe where the massless scalar field satisfies the Dirichlet boundary condition. The analysis is performed considering one and two-loop contributions to the effective potential in both cases. We also compare our results with earlier studies.
A FRACTAL MODEL FOR PREDICTING OXYGEN EFFECTIVE DIFFUSIVITY OF POROUS MEDIA WITH ROUGH SURFACES UNDER DRY AND WET CONDITIONS
Authors: XIAO BOQI , HUANG QIWEN , YU BOMING , LONG GONGBO , CHEN HANXIN
Published: March 2021

Oxygen diffusion in porous media (ODPM) with rough surfaces (RS) under dry and wet conditions is of great interest. In this work, a novel fractal model for the oxygen effective diffusivity of porous media with RS under dry and wet conditions is proposed. The proposed fractal model is expressed in terms of relative roughness, the water saturation, fractal dimension for tortuosity of tortuous capillaries, fractal dimension for pores, and porosity. It is observed that the normalized oxygen diffusivity decreases with increasing relative roughness and fractal dimension for capillary tortuosity. It is found that the normalized oxygen diffusivity increases with porosity and fractal dimension for pore area. Besides, it is seen that that the normalized oxygen diffusivity under wet condition decreases with increasing water saturation. The determined normalized oxygen diffusivity is in good agreement with experimental data and existing models reported in the literature. With the proposed analytical fractal model, the physical mechanisms of oxygen diffusion through porous media with RS under dry and wet conditions are better elucidated. Every parameter in the proposed fractal model has clear physical meaning, with no empirical constant.
Commutative rings with invertible-radical factorization
Authors: Ahmed Malik Tusif , Mahdou Najib , Zahir Youssef
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we study the classes of rings in which every proper (regular) ideal can be factored as an invertible ideal times a nonempty product of proper radical ideals. More precisely, we investigate the stability of these properties under homomorphic image and their transfer to various contexts of constructions such as direct product, trivial ring extension and amalgamated duplication of a ring along an ideal. Our results generate examples that enrich the current literature with new and original families of rings satisfying these properties.
The Bochner–Schoenberg–Eberlein property for amalgamated duplication of Banach algebras
Authors: Ebadian Ali , Jabbari Ali
Published: March 2021

The Bochner–Schoenberg–Eberlein (BSE)-property on commutative Banach algebras is a property related to multiplier algebras of Banach algebras. In this paper, we answer the problem (12) raised by Javanshiri and Nemati in [Amalgamated duplication of the Banach algebra [Formula: see text] along a [Formula: see text]-bimodule [Formula: see text], J. Algebra Appl. 17(9) (2018) 1850169-1–1850169-21]. In this paper, under certain conditions, we show that the amalgamated Banach algebra [Formula: see text] is BSE-algebra if and only if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are BSE-algebras.
The Mole, Avogadro’s Number and Albert Einstein
Authors: Nordén Bengt
Published: March 2021

The mole a concept and Avogadro’s number are discussed as sought by Albert Einstein in his PhD thesis of 1905. Einstein would probably have regarded the metric system of units based on centimetre-gram-second (cgs) preferable to today’s SI system and specifically he would have rejected a recent SI suggestion to redefine Avogadro’s constant as based on a nonatomistic continuum description of matter. He would probably also have preferred keeping a dualistic definition of mole able of bookkeeping both mass and number of particles: we advocate that here and call it the ‘Einstein Definition’ and as Avogadro’s number we shall adopt an integer, the cube of 84446888 as suggested by Fox and Hill, providing also a definition of the kilogram based on the atomic mass of the carbon 12 isotope.

Einstein was the first to explain the microscopic movements of pollen grains reported by Robert Brown in 1828 and his explanation that the particles move as a result of an unequal number of water molecules bumping into them from opposite sides was what finally made the scientific world accept the atom theory in its modern shape. In a cosmic diffusion analogy, pollen or bacterial spores moving randomly in outer space driven by the solar winds between solar systems can be envisaged. Applying Einstein’s diffusion theory, one can argue that life might have emerged from far outside of our planet from billions of solar systems, though not from outside of our Milky Way galaxy. As a curiosity we note that the number of solar systems (stars) in the Universe has been estimated to be of the order of Avogadro’s number.

a Etymology: “Mole” was derived from French Molécule (extremely small particle) or diminutive from Greek [Formula: see text] (molos= substance). In analogy with atom, derived from Greek atomos or atemnein, uncleavable, we may thus interpret molecule as the smallest part that a substance can be divided into without losing its chemical character.
Scotty
Authors: Traub Jonas , Grulich Philipp Marian , Cuéllar Alejandro Rodríguez , Breß Sebastian , Katsifodimos Asterios , Rabl Tilmann , Markl Volker
Published: March 2021

Window aggregation is a core operation in data stream processing. Existing aggregation techniques focus on reducing latency, eliminating redundant computations, or minimizing memory usage. However, each technique operates under different assumptions with respect to workload characteristics, such as properties of aggregation functions (e.g., invertible, associative), window types (e.g., sliding, sessions), windowing measures (e.g., time- or count-based), and stream (dis)order. In this article, we present
Scotty
, an efficient and general open-source operator for sliding-window aggregation in stream processing systems, such as Apache Flink, Apache Beam, Apache Samza, Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, and Apache Storm. One can easily extend Scotty with user-defined aggregation functions and window types. Scotty implements the concept of general stream slicing and derives workload characteristics from aggregation queries to improve performance without sacrificing its general applicability. We provide an in-depth view on the algorithms of the general stream slicing approach. Our experiments show that Scotty outperforms alternative solutions.
An Instance Space Analysis of Regression Problems
Authors: Muñoz Mario Andrés , Yan Tao , Leal Matheus R. , Smith-Miles Kate , Lorena Ana Carolina , Pappa Gisele L. , Rodrigues Rômulo Madureira
Published: March 2021

The quest for greater insights into algorithm strengths and weaknesses, as revealed when studying algorithm performance on large collections of test problems, is supported by interactive visual analytics tools. A recent advance is Instance Space Analysis, which presents a visualization of the space occupied by the test datasets, and the performance of algorithms across the instance space. The strengths and weaknesses of algorithms can be visually assessed, and the adequacy of the test datasets can be scrutinized through visual analytics. This article presents the first Instance Space Analysis of regression problems in Machine Learning, considering the performance of 14 popular algorithms on 4,855 test datasets from a variety of sources. The two-dimensional instance space is defined by measurable characteristics of regression problems, selected from over 26 candidate features. It enables the similarities and differences between test instances to be visualized, along with the predictive performance of regression algorithms across the entire instance space. The purpose of creating this framework for visual analysis of an instance space is twofold: one may assess the capability and suitability of various regression techniques; meanwhile the bias, diversity, and level of difficulty of the regression problems popularly used by the community can be visually revealed. This article shows the applicability of the created regression instance space to provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of regression algorithms, and the opportunities to diversify the benchmark test instances to support greater insights.
A Tale of Two Entities
Authors: ElHussini Hossam , Assi Chadi , Moussa Bassam , Atallah Ribal , Ghrayeb Ali
Published: March 2021

With the growing market of Electric Vehicles (EV), the procurement of their charging infrastructure plays a crucial role in their adoption. Within the revolution of Internet of Things, the EV charging infrastructure is getting on board with the introduction of smart Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS), a myriad set of communication protocols, and different entities. We provide in this article an overview of this infrastructure detailing the participating entities and the communication protocols. Further, we contextualize the current deployment of EVCSs through the use of available public data. In the light of such a survey, we identify two key concerns, the lack of standardization and multiple points of failures, which renders the current deployment of EV charging infrastructure vulnerable to an array of different attacks. Moreover, we propose a novel attack scenario that exploits the unique characteristics of the EVCSs and their protocol (such as high power wattage and support for reverse power flow) to cause disturbances to the power grid. We investigate three different attack variations; sudden surge in power demand, sudden surge in power supply, and a switching attack. To support our claims, we showcase using a real-world example how an adversary can compromise an EVCS and create a traffic bottleneck by tampering with the charging schedules of EVs. Further, we perform a simulation-based study of the impact of our proposed attack variations on the WSCC 9 bus system. Our simulations show that an adversary can cause devastating effects on the power grid, which might result in blackout and cascading failure by comprising a small number of EVCSs.