bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of Chronic HIV Infection on SARS-CoV-2 Infection, COVID-19 Disease and Vaccines
Authors: Yang Yexin , Iwasaki Akiko 
Published: November 2021

Abstract

Purpose of Review
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has developed into a global pandemic that affect the health of hundreds of millions worldwide. In particular, SARS-CoV-2 infection in people with chronic human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection is of concern, due to their already immunocompromised status. Yet, whether and how the immunological changes brought about by HIV will affect the immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 acute infection and impact the effectiveness of vaccines remain unclear. We discuss the intersection of COVID-19 in HIV-infected individuals.

Recent Findings
People living with HIV (PLWH) may be at increased risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 mediated disease complication due to functional impairment of the immune system and persistent inflammation, which can be ameliorated by antiretroviral therapy. Importantly, limited data suggest that current approved vaccines may be safe and efficacious in PLWH.

Summary
To address remaining questions and supplement limited experimental evidence, more studies examining the interplay between HIV and SARS-CoV-2 through their impact on the host immune system are required.
Abundance of Nef and p-Tau217 in Brains of Individuals Diagnosed with HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders Correlate with Disease Severance
Authors: Pushkarsky Tatiana , Ward Adam , Ivanov Andrey , Lin Xionghao , Sviridov Dmitri , Nekhai Sergei , Bukrinsky Michael I. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractHIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) is a term used to describe a variety of neurological impairments observed in HIV-infected individuals. The pathogenic mechanisms of HAND and of its connection to HIV infection remain unknown, but one of the considered hypotheses suggests that HIV infection accelerates the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Previous studies suggested that HIV-1 Nef may contribute to HAND by inhibiting cholesterol efflux, increasing the abundance of lipid rafts, and affecting their functionality. Our comparative analysis of postmortem brain samples demonstrated a trend toward the decreased abundance of cholesterol transporter ABCA1 in samples from HIV-infected ART-treated individuals relative to samples from uninfected controls, and a reverse correlation between ABCA1 and flotillin 1, a marker for lipid rafts, in all analyzed samples. The brain samples from HIV-infected individuals, both with and without HAND, were characterized by the increased abundance of p-Tau217 peptide, which correlated with the abundance of flotillin 1. HIV-1 Nef was analyzed in samples from HAND-affected individuals by Western blot with 4 different antibodies and by LC–MS/MS, producing a Nef-positivity score. A significant correlation was found between this score and the abundance of flotillin 1, the abundance of p-Tau217, and the severity of HAND. These results highlight the contribution of Nef and Nef-dependent impairment of cholesterol efflux to HAND pathogenesis and support a connection between the pathogenesis of HAND and Alzheimer’s disease.
Sicily, the Classical Tradition and Interpretative Possibilities in John Barclay’s Argenis
Authors: Parkes Ruth 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis article explores reasons for the choice of Sicily as the main backdrop for John Barclay’s 1621 Neo-Latin novel Argenis. It suggests that the selection of Sicily is driven in part by the interpretative possibilities raised by this location, in particular, those fuelled by controversies regarding the rational and mythic which were attached to the island. It focusses on the rationalizing and mythic approaches associated with Sicily in the classical and post-classical tradition in the areas of volcanic activity and the discovery of gigantic bones. By means of a close reading of the episode in which King Meleander entertains Radirobanes in camp, followed by a wider discussion of the flaws of Meleander and Radirobanes and the theme of interpretation in the novel, it explores how Barclay exploits such approaches to showcase the failures of these leaders. It also dismisses the idea that the Argenis has a controlling divine framework which would run counter to the novel’s interest in the potentiality of interpretation.
The status quo of digital transformation in insurance sales: an empirical analysis of the german insurance industry
Authors: Eckert Christian , Eckert Johanna , Zitzmann Armin 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we focus on the impact of digital transformation on traditional ways to sell insurance products. Our goal is to investigate how widespread the use of digital technologies in insurance sales is and which values of these digital technologies are perceived by insurance intermediaries. Moreover, we aim to analyze underlying influencing factors in this regard. We conducted a survey in July 2020, i.e., after the first wave of COVID-19, in which 671 exclusive agents from various insurance companies, independent agents and independent brokers from Germany participated. Our results show that even at this point of time, in a high proportion of sales workforces, digital transformation is not yet very advanced. Further analyses show that exclusive agents and younger people are further ahead in digital transformation even though COVID-19 pushes digital life across all ages and social classes. Based on our results, we derive initial recommendations for action for the insurer.
Hydrochemical peculiarities and groundwater quality assessment of the Birimian and Tarkwaian aquifer systems in Bosome Freho District and Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region, Ghana
Authors: Okofo Louis Boansi , Anderson Nana Akyerefi , Bedu-Addo Kenneth , Armoo Ekua Afrakoma 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThe Birimian and Tarkwaian aquifer systems are the main sources of water supply for the Bosome Freho District and Bekwai Municipality inhabitants in the Ashanti region of Ghana. A hydrogeochemical assessment was carried out to ascertain the natural baseline chemistry of the groundwaters and the factors influencing groundwater chemistry in these two areas. A multivariate statistical tool consisting of principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) together with hydrochemical graphical plots was applied on 64 groundwater samples. The Q–mode HCA results were used to explain the changes in groundwater chemistry along the flow paths where three spatial groundwater zones and water types were delineated. The first type consists of Ca–Mg–HCO3 freshwater (recharge zone), which transitions into Ca–Na–HCO3 or Na–Ca–HCO3 mixed waters (intermediate zone) and finally evolves to the third type of Na–Ca–Mg–HCO3–Cl water (discharge zone). The study also reveals that the natural process influencing water chemistry is groundwater–rock interaction from carbonate and silicate weathering/dissolution, aided by carbonic acid from precipitation and releases concentration of Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and HCO3− into the groundwaters significantly. The chloro-alkaline indices also reveal cation exchange as the principal natural factor that controls groundwater chemistry in the area. Inverse geochemical modelling shows the dissolution of primary minerals such as dolomite, plagioclase, halite, gypsum, and precipitation of calcite and chlorite along the groundwater flow path. Anthropogenic activities have little influence on groundwater chemistry. The quality of groundwater in the Bosome Freho District and Bekwai Municipality is suitable for irrigational use and drinking water consumption. The results obtained so far will contribute to research paucity in the study area and serve as a guide for decision-makers for improved water resources management.
Deep analysis of neuroblastoma core regulatory circuitries using online databases and integrated bioinformatics shows their pan-cancer roles as prognostic predictors
Authors: Jahangiri Leila , Pucci Perla , Ishola Tala , Pereira Joao , Cavanagh Megan L. , Turner Suzanne D. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Aim
Neuroblastoma is a heterogeneous childhood cancer derived from the neural crest. The dual cell identities of neuroblastoma include Mesenchymal (MES) and Adrenergic (ADRN). These identities are conferred by a small set of tightly-regulated transcription factors (TFs) binding super enhancers, collectively forming core regulatory circuitries (CRCs). The purpose of this study was to gain a deep understanding of the role of MES and ADRN TFs in neuroblastoma and other cancers as potential indicators of disease prognosis, progression, and relapse.

Methods
To that end, we first investigated the expression and mutational profile of MES and ADRN TFs in neuroblastoma. Moreover, we established their correlation with neuroblastoma risk groups and overall survival while establishing their extended networks with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Furthermore, we analysed the pan-cancer expression and mutational profile of these TFs and their correlation with patient survival and finally their network connectivity, using a panel of bioinformatic tools including GEPIA2, human pathology atlas, TIMER2, Omicsnet, and Cytoscape.

Results
We show the association of multiple MES and ADRN TFs with neuroblastoma risk groups and overall survival and find significantly higher expression of various MES and ADRN TFs compared to normal tissues and their association with overall survival and disease-free survival in multiple cancers. Moreover, we report the strong correlation of the expression of these TFs with the infiltration of stromal and immune cells in the tumour microenvironment and with stemness and metastasis-related genes. Furthermore, we reveal extended pan-cancer networks comprising these TFs that influence the tumour microenvironment and metastasis and may be useful indicators of cancer prognosis and patient survival.

Conclusion
Our meta-analysis shows the significance of MES and ADRN TFs as indicators of patient prognosis and the putative utility of these TFs as potential novel biomarkers.
The 2020 Chinese export control law: a new compliance nightmare on the foreign trade law horizon?
Authors: Köstner Dominic , Nonn Marcus 
Published: November 2021

AbstractOn 1 December 2020, the Export Control Law of the People’s Republic of China entered into force. The PRC’s first comprehensive piece of legislation on export control had been passed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on 17 October 2020 after a three-year legislative process. Regarded as one of the PRC’s key responses in the engulfing China-United States trade dispute, the law has attracted wide public attention. It has been described as “a new flashpoint in EU-China relations” posing “substantial challenges for European companies”. The compliance costs of European companies who have a direct or indirect trade relationship with China will likely increase as a consequence of the ECL and so does the legal uncertainty involved in doing business in and with China. The essay will examine the ECL’s background (1) as well as its legislative approach and key provisions (2). It will then attempt to gauge the ECL’s immediate impacts and project its potential future developments (3).
Detecting land use and climate impacts on water yield ecosystem service in arid and semi-arid areas. A study in Sirvan River Basin-Iran
Authors: Balist Jahanbakhsh , Malekmohammadi Bahram , Jafari Hamid Reza , Nohegar Ahmad , Geneletti Davide 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis study investigates how land use and climate changes affect water yield ecosystem service (ES) in the Sirvan River basin, located in Iran’s Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces. By detecting land-use and climatic parameter changes in the past, their future evolution were modeled by scenario making. For this purpose, we developed two land-use scenarios (low and high urbanization) and two climatic scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway 2.6 and RCP 8.5). The implemented scenarios showed how the amount of water yield in the basin and sub-basins changes in the future based on climate and land-use changes. The results showed that, concerning land use, the forest has decreased from 2013 to 2019, and built-up areas have increased. Also, the results showed that precipitation has been declining in the long term, and the temperature has been rising. Finally, the Water yield in 2019 was higher than in 2013 and lower in the future based on forecast scenarios. This trend will continue until 2040. In addition, it was found that the t effects of these factors on water yield ES are a complex process, and based on the results, the impact of climatic factors is more significant than the one of land-use change. We could conclude that this region will face more environmental problems in the future.
Simulation model for energy consumption and acoustic underwater communication of autonomous underwater vehicles
Authors: Danielis Peter , Parzyjegla Helge , Ali Mostafa Assem Mohamed , Torres Frank Sill 
Published: November 2021

AbstractRecently, cooperative autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have been deployed in application areas such as surveillance and protection of maritime infrastructures for inspection and monitoring purposes. These cooperative methodologies require wireless transmission of data between the different AUVs operating in the underwater environment. Communication over ranges exceeding 100 m exclusively relies on underwater acoustic communication. However, the propagating acoustic waves suffer from several challenges due to the presence of path loss, multi-path propagation, the slow and variant propagation speed, background noise, and Doppler distortion. Since the power supply of the AUVs is limited, communication must be very energy efficient and energy constraints have to be known to be able to plan the mission of AUVs. Due to the difficulties of real experiments, the modeling and simulation of the energy consumption and underwater acoustic communication play an essential role in studying and developing these systems. We provide a modular simulation model for the energy consumption and acoustic underwater communication of AUVs implemented in the network simulator OMNeT++ using the INET framework. More specifically, we extend several INET modules in such a way as to reflect the characteristics of AUVs and underwater communication. We study and analyze the AUVs’ energy consumption and dependence of the message quality on different properties such as those mentioned above.
Lang–Vojta conjecture over function fields for surfaces dominating $${{\mathbb {G}}}_m^2$$
Authors: Capuano Laura , Turchet Amos 
Published: November 2021

AbstractWe prove the nonsplit case of the Lang–Vojta conjecture over function fields for surfaces of log general type that are ramified covers of $${{\mathbb {G}}}_m^2$$

G
m
2

. This extends the results of Corvaja and Zannier (J Differ Geom 93(3):355–377, 2013), where the conjecture was proved in the split case, and the results of Corvaja and Zannier (J Algebr Geom 17(2):295–333, 2008), Turchet (Trans Amer Math Soc 369(12):8537–8558, 2017) that were obtained in the case of the complement of a degree four and three component divisor in $${{\mathbb {P}}}^2$$

P

2

. We follow the strategy developed by Corvaja and Zannier and make explicit all the constants involved.
Prelog Chow groups of self-products of degenerations of cubic threefolds
Authors: Böhning Christian , von Bothmer Hans-Christian Graf , van Garrel Michel 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIt is unknown whether smooth cubic threefolds have an (integral Chow-theoretic) decomposition of the diagonal, or whether they are stably rational or not in general. As a first step towards making progress on these questions, we compute the (saturated numerical) prelog Chow group of the self-product of a certain degeneration of cubic threefolds.
Compilation of Black Soldier Fly Frass Analyses
Authors: Gärttling Daniel , Schulz Hannes 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIn the context of black soldier fly (BSF) rearing, often the residues from production — mainly faeces but also undigested substrate — are addressed as frass in a broader sense. As BSF production is expanding, the valorization of BSF frass as organic fertilizer is gaining importance. However, in contrast to established organic fertilizers, little is known on the properties and variation of this by-product, which is essential for assessing possible application purposes. To elaborate a first overview on this relatively new waste stream, BSF frass analyses from the literature and anonymized frass analyses enquired from BSF producers were compiled. For a possible agricultural use as a fertilizer, their nutrient patterns were assessed. With a balanced nitrogen:phosphorous pentoxide:potassium oxide (N:P2O5:K2O) ratio of 1:0.9:1.1, BSF frass can be characterized as a slightly alkaline (pH 7.5), nutrient-rich compound fertilizer, with the nutrient and especially the micronutrient contents showing high variation. The comparably high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and low shares of ammonium nitrogen indicate a limited immediate nutrient release and point to possible applications of frass as a long-term fertilizer. The use of frass as an organic fertilizer as one element in a fertilization strategy is promising. By improving nutrient cycling back to the field, BSF frass can represent an important element of sustainable circular agriculture. However, more information on BSF feed and production systems needs to be combined with the nutrient analyses to better understand the variation in frass nutrient contents.
Upregulation of circRNA hsa_circ_0008726 in Pre-eclampsia Inhibits Trophoblast Migration, Invasion, and EMT by Regulating miR-345-3p/RYBP Axis
Authors: Shu Chang , Xu Peng , Han Jun , Han Shumei , He Jin 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAccumulating evidence shows that impaired spiral artery remodeling, placental dysfunction, and insufficient trophoblast infiltration contribute to the etiology and pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia (PE). circRNAs are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including PE. This study aims to investigate the role of circRNA hsa_circ_0008726 in regulating the migration and invasion of extravillous trophoblast cells. RNase R assay was performed to confirm that circ_0008726 was a circular transcript. The expression of circ_0008726, RYBP, and miR-345-3p was examined by qRT-PCR. The functional interaction between miR-345-3p and circ_0008726 or RYBP was confirmed using dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). Cell migration and invasion ability was analyzed by Transwell assays. Western blot was used for the quantification of RYBP protein level. Circ_0008726 expression was significantly increased in PE placenta tissues as compared with normal placenta tissues. Circ_0008726 was resistant to RNase R digestion and was predominately located in the cytoplasm of HTR-8/SVneo cells. Silencing circ_0008726 promoted cell migration and EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition), while circ_0008726 overexpression suppressed these processes. Mechanistically, circ_0008726 sponged miR-345-3p to negatively regulate its expression, and miR-345-3p negatively modulated the expression of RYBP. In PE samples, the expression level of circ_0008726 was negatively correlated with miR-345-3p level, but was positively correlated with RYBP expression. Transfection of miR-345-3p mimic or RYBP knockdown counteracted the effects of circ_0008726 overexpression on cell migration and EMT. Our data demonstrate the upregulation of circ_0008726 in PE placenta, which inhibits the migration, invasion, and EMT of HTR-8/SVneo cells by targeting miR-345-3p/RYBP axis. These data suggest that circ_0008726 could be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for PE.
Ivacaftor in Omani children with cystic fibrosis caused by p.Ser549Arg CFTR mutation
Authors: Al Oraimi Sumaya , Mohsin Hussain , Al Musawi Zainab , Al Balushi Younis , Al Shidhani Khoula , Al Salmi Qasem 
Published: November 2021

Background:
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystemic chronic disease caused by mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) protein. These mutations are classified in to six classes. Ivacaftor is a CFTR potentiator which partially restores the CFTR function for class III mutations. In Oman, p.Ser549Arg (class III) is the most common mutation (65% of cases). Our study prospectively evaluated the tolerance and clinical efficacy of ivacaftor.

Methods:
A prospective observational study was conducted at the Royal Hospital, Oman. All children aged 6–18 years who are followed and carry at least one copy of the p.Ser549Arg mutation were started on Ivacaftor and included in the study. Data collected included weight, height, forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), sweat chloride concentration, stool elastase level and liver enzymes at baseline and at 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after initiation of treatment. The number of CF pulmonary exacerbations one year before and during treatment were compared.

Results:
Twenty one children were started on Ivacaftor (90% homozygous for p.Ser549Arg). The mean age was 10.8 (SD ±3.5) years. When compared to baseline, FEV1 significantly improved by a mean of 10.8 (SD ±13.5) percentage points (pp) and 14.3 (SD ±7.5) pp at 12 and 48 weeks respectively. The sweat chloride level significantly dropped from a mean of 107 (SD ±8.5) mmol/l to 38.5 (SD ±22.3) mmol/l at 12 weeks and remained low. The Body Mass Index (BMI) improved by a mean of 1.37 (SD ±1.3) kg/m 2 and 1.9 (SD ±1.35) kg/m 2 at 24 and 48 weeks of treatment respectively. The number of admissions the year before and during treatment reduced significantly from a mean of 2.2 (SD± 1.9) to 0.7 (SD ±1) admission per year. Two children developed transaminitis.

Conclusion:
Ivacaftor is well tolerated and resulted in a significant improvement in FEV1, BMI and sweat chloride level in children with p.Ser549Arg CFTR mutation.